The Arms Guide Archive - The Loadout Room

How to Build an AR-15: A Beginner’s Guide

You do not always have to go to a gun store to purchase an AR-15. Surprised? I know I was when I first ventured into the hobby of building custom AR-15s. Some of you may not know, but building your own AR-15 is actually quite simple. However, if you do not know anything about the process, or where to start, you have come to the right place. I am going to start this “How to Build an AR-15” series off with a list of frequently asked questions that I receive from individuals starting out with the hobby and possibly wanting to build their first AR-15.

WARNING! Building AR rifles is highly addictive. Once you start this process, you will find excuses to build .308 ARs, AR pistols and long range precision rifles. You have been warned.

Building an AR-15 FAQ

Q: Are there any rules or laws for building my own AR-15?
A: Only the same ones that apply to purchasing a factory assembled AR-15 in your state.

Q: Do I need to register my AR-15?
A: There is currently no Federal firearms registry, but you’ll need to verify the registry laws by state (e.g., New York does require registry of “assault rifles,” including standard AR-15 rifles).

My AR-15 - thearmsguide.com — Me smiling after taking some of the first shots with the first AR-15 that I built for myself. Photo of me courtesy of paul-vincent.com

Q: Do I need to be licensed or be a gunsmith to build my own AR-15?
A: Not unless you’re milling the lower receiver yourself.

Q: How many AR-15s can I build?
A: As many as you would like to—whichever comes first.

Q: If I build an AR-15 for myself, can I then sell it?
A: The same laws for private sales of firearms apply to selling AR-15 rifles. Check your state laws.

Q: How do I buy a “stripped” or “blank” AR-15 lower receiver?
A: You will need to find a dealer that sells AR-15 lower receivers. Said dealer can be local to you, or online.

Q: Can I buy all the parts online and have them shipped to my home?
A: This is a long one, so get comfortable. Yes and no. All of the components for your AR-15 build can be shipped directly to you at your home except the lower receiver.

The AR-15 lower receiver is the only component that is considered the “gun”. Therefore, when purchasing a lower receiver for your AR-15 build, you will have to go through the same channels as when purchasing a firearm in your state.

For example, in my state of Minnesota, if I order a stripped AR-15 lower receiver online, I will have to provide the seller with a copy of an FFL (Federal Firearms License) and the address to aforementioned FFL. In other words, I just have to call my local gun shop and ask them to fax a copy of their FFL to the seller. The seller will then collect money from me for the receiver, and then ship it to my local gun shop. When the gun shop calls me to tell me that my lower receiver has arrived, I will go there and fill out the ATF form to make sure I can legally own a firearm, pay a transfer fee (this fee is usually less than $30), and take my new AR-15 lower receiver home (thankfully, Minnesota has no waiting period for long gun purchases).

If I decide not to order online, and I know of a gun shop that stocks lower receivers nearby, I can just go purchase it directly from that store, and then fill out the necessary ATF form, just as I would for purchasing any other kind of firearm.

Q: What parts make up an AR-15 that I would have to purchase to build one?
A: There are a variety of different types of AR-15 builds, so this list will not work for all builds. However, I put together a list of components for building a typical M-4 style AR-15 with a stripped lower receiver, and stripped upper receiver:

AR-15 lower receiver.
AR-15 upper receiver.
Lower receiver parts kit.
Upper receiver parts kit.
Lower receiver extension (aka: the buffer tube).
Buffer.
Buffer spring.
Barrel & gas block/gas system (a carbine length gas system would be typical for this build).
Handguards (length will depend on what length gas system you chose on your barrel: carbine, mid-length, or rifle).
Bolt carrier group (carrier, bolt, firing pin, cam, extractor, ejector and spring).
Collapsible (or fixed, if you prefer) buttstock.
At least one magazine (be sure to check your state laws for magazine capacity limits).

Q: What is the difference between a forged lower receiver and a billet lower receiver?
A: With a forged lower receiver, the metal is “smashed” into the desired form while it is red hot. This compresses the metal and makes it very strong.

Billet lower receivers are machined from a single block of metal and tend to have a more custom, aesthetically pleasing appearance to some. It also tends to have the trigger guard built in, meaning it is not removable. They also tend to cost considerably more than a forged lower. Billet lowers may not have quite the tolerance that forged lowers, but by no means are they to be considered “weak.”

MEGA Billet Lower - thearmsguide.com — This is an example of a billet AR-15 lower receiver. Image courtesy of megaarms.com

MEGA Forged Lower - thearmsguide.com — This is an example of a forged AR-15 lower receiver. Image courtesy of megaarms.com

Q: How do I know which lower receiver to purchase? What “brands” are good?
A: There are a tremendous amount of different lowers out on the market, but not every lower is made by the company that has its name on the side. You would be surprised at how many lowers from different companies actually come from probably less than a dozen machine shops.

At present, this is the list of which manufacturers produce lowers for which companies:

Lewis Machine & Tool

LMT
Lauer
DS Arms
PWA
Eagle
Armalite
Knights Armament
Barrett

Continental Machine Tool

Stag
Rock River Arms
High Standard
Noveske
Century (New)
Global Tactical
CLE
S&W
MGI
Wilson Tactical
Grenadier Precision
Colt

LAR Manufacturing

LAR
Bushmaster
Ameetec
DPMS
CMMG
Double Star
Fulton Armory
Spike’s Tactical

JVP

Double Star
LRB
Charles Daly

Mega Machine Shop

Mega
GSE
Dalphon
POF
Alexander Arms

Olympic

Olympic
SGW
Tromix
Palmetto
Dalphon
Frankford
Century (Old)

Sun Devil

Sun Devil forged billet receivers

Superior

Superior Arms
Lauer (New)

Aero Precision

Aero Precision

Considering that almost all AR-15 lower receivers are made to a very specific tolerance, based on military specifications (mil-spec), my advice is to choose whichever AR-15 lower receiver that has a roll-mark (or logo) that you think is “coolest” or is most appealing to you personally.

Q: Some barrels say they are chambered in 5.56 and some say they are chambered in .223. What is the difference?
A: Basically, the rule of thumb is this: a rifle chambered for 5.56 can shoot both 5.56 and .223 ammunition. A rifle chambered for .223 can only shoot .223 and not 5.56. For the full story on 5.56 vs. .223, check out this article by Destinee.

Q: What does barrel twist mean? 1:7 and 1:9? Ratio? What?
A: Confused? Yeah, this one is kind of technical but I will keep it simple. When choosing a barrel twist ratio, you will want to choose one that best matches the type of ammo you would normally be shooting. What the ratio means, such as 1:7 for example, is that when the bullet travels down the barrel, it will make one complete spin (via the rifling) every seven inches.

AR-15 1:7 vs 1:9 Ratio - thearmsguide.com — (Fig. 1a)This is great information about shooting 1:7 vs. 1:9 twist ratios at long distances through your AR-15.

This is one of the most hotly debated topics about AR-15 rifles. Personally, I chose to go with 1:7 because it gives me the option of shooting the heavier rounds. Because 55gr .223/5.56 is the most common bullet weight available (that’s the weight used in XM193 military ball 5.56×45 ammo), and the most frequently fired, you would be fine with either 1:7 or 1:9. I have also been told by reputable sources in law enforcement that 1:9 is recommended for plinking, and 1:7 for hunting and home defense.

To break it down, 1:7 will do just fine with shooting lighter and heavier rounds. 1:9, on the other hand, will handle lighter rounds better, and will not do so well with anything heavy at long distances. (Fig. 1a)

Carbine vs Mid-Length vs Rifle AR-15 - thearmsguide.com — A comparison photo of different length gas systems, barrels and rail systems for an AR-15. Image courtesy of laruetactical.com

Q: What does carbine, mid-length and rifle length mean when choosing a barrel?
A: It simply means where the gas port in the barrel is placed. It is also sometimes referred to as the “gas-system”. Carbine and mid-length gas systems tend to be on barrels of 16-18 inches and shorter, while barrels with a length of 20 inches and longer will have a rifle length gas system.

It is important to know what length gas system your barrel has because the gas tube you purchase will need to be the right length in order to fit properly. For example, you cannot fit a carbine length gas tube onto a barrel with a rifle length gas system. The gas tube will be too short.

Q: I am ready to build my AR-15 lower receiver but I do not know the steps. How do I do it?
A: Great question. In the following posts in this “How to Build an AR-15” series, I will go over how to build your AR-15 (starting with building your lower receiver, and moving from there to the AR-15 upper), what tools you will need, and I’ll offer some helpful tips along the way. Stay tuned.

Turn your existing bag or backpack into a go bag with this auxiliary kit

The Minimalist First Aid Kit / Blow Out Kit: The 3 Essentials

In light of unfortunate, tragic events of recent, I was reminded of the importance of the distribution and informed application of some simple life saving pieces of kit that we can all carry should we be confronted with a sudden traumatic situation.

After 11 years as a tactical medic, attending multiple week long TCCC, TEMS and LETTC courses, there has always been a near unanimous consensus on the pieces of kit believed to be essentials.

While assisting in teaching a course this past week with another tactical medic, and fielding dozens of questions regarding kits, gear to get, gear to carry, and so on I decided to post this here for some of the guys who may be asking the same question, “What is the bare minimum kit?” (As it pertains to an Individual First Aid Kit or Trauma Blow out kit).

There are 3 items that can handle most situations, as well as be a bare minimum kit for the non-medic, regular shooter. These items address one of the (possibly two if you count sucking chest wounds and associated complications) leading causes of preventable death resulting from wounds received in a tactical or combat setting – exsanguination, or bleeding to death.

Minimalist IFAK:

-CAT or SOF-T Tourniquet (1)

-QuikClot Z Fold Gauze (Hemostatic Agent) (Get the Latest Generation NOT granular or old Gen Roll) (1)

-Olaes Bandage or an Israeli Combat Dressing (1)

The tourniquets mentioned are the best. Done. Quikclot is now proven to be the number one hemostatic agent and has seen numerous studies as well as use in the U.S. Military. The Olaes dressing has within its contents a plastic sheet that can be used as a chest seal, extra gauze for wound packing, eye cup/pressure point, and the dressing serves as an amazing pressure dressing. Some may choose to go with the Israeli dressing, and this is absolutely acceptable, however it has a few less options such as not having the removable plastic that can be used for a sucking chest wound.

With this hardware, and the appropriate training to get you the right “software” in your head, you can provide exceptional care to reduce the fatality rate of the most common cause of preventable death in this line of work – Exsanguination (bleeding to death). This can be carried in your hunting pack, college backpack, travel kit, range bag, vehicle, anywhere and anytime. I have one in my truck, as well as one in my hunting pack.

I don’t want to get into the weeds on all of the information that goes into the pathophysiology of hemorrhage, as that is not the purpose of this post. It is also, critical that you learn the proper assessment and treatment of injured patients, as well as how to survive yourself if placed in harms way.

A few key points to keep in the back of your head when carrying these tools: Tourniquet early, tourniquet fast (high and tight). That means “high” on the limb or proximal to you medical folks, and the TQ should hurt, tight enough to stop the bleeding and stop the pulse. Where one TQ does not work, place a 2nd if available. Pack that wound with QuikClot onto the vessel if possible/into the cavity and HOLD PRESSURE FOR 3 MINUTES. Secure wound site with pressure dressing.

QuikClot is ideal for wounds that are not tenable via tourniquet: Axillary wounds, proximal leg wounds such as inguinal or groin region, subclavian (shoulder region) wounds and the like. It is proven in these applications and can often accompany a patient to a receiving facility and continue to provide bleeding control while in the receiving facility until an actual surgeon can provide the definitive care to control the impacted vessels.

The ideal IFAK is one that can address the most common preventable causes of death that result from the injuries we would commonly expect in a gunfight.

Have a tourniquet, have Quikclot, have an Olaes or Israeli bandage. Remember this is all hardware, without the training and “software” download into the end users brain having the IFAK is just belt decoration.

Remember, just because you pass through ER doors does not mean you magically stop hemorrhaging. I have rolled many a patient through ER doors where due to patient load and wait times, field interventions were relied upon to maintain homeostasis. At one time our cardiac monitor, while pacing an unstable symptomatic bradycardia patient, remained with the patient in the ER, through to the cath lab and through the duration of surgery.

Hope this helps some guys out. Remember, if you carry a gun you should carry a kit, it is as important as the bullets in your mags.

I think simple adages and memory aids go a long way when executing decisions in the hostile and disruptive environment. One of my respected instructors for “unconventional medicine” as he termed it at times had some good key points to drive home. Some of this will not pertain to those in the civilian side as much, however if you are in the midst of an active shooter encounter, it very much just might:

“Good medicine can equal bad tactics, and bad tactics gets everyone killed” This is a key point I took home from my first TCCC-week back in 2007. What this means, is that sometimes doing the best medical procedures, the most life saving interventions can result in a BAD tactical situation in the gunfight/scenario. The bad tactics can cause more casualties (team guys), hostage deaths and a compounding problem. An example often given is the raid on Entebbe where the IDF were rescuing Israeli hostages in Uganda and the Team Leader was struck by a soon to be lethal round only moments into the raid. Had the team stopped to render aid and provide for his care, there would have been a major change in the tactics (for the worse), slowing momentum, speed, and surprise likely resulting in the terrorists killing many hostages and more rescuers. Instead of providing good medicine, the train kept rolling into the airport and annihilated the terrorists by harvesting their souls. This truth of good medicine equaling bad tactics covers many areas. There are times where instead of retrieving a casualty, team members need to shout instructions to them to get them to cover or concealment, locate the shooter, encourage the casualty to stay low, rather than run to retrieve them and become a casualty themselves.

“The best medicine is fire superiority It kind of speaks for itself. Another key point. The best medicine is prevention. Prevent further hits on good guys by neutralizing the bad guy. In the CUF – care under fire phase of TCCC the only thing a casualty should do is get down, get cover, and place a tourniquet on the limb of injury. The team, and the casualty (if he can) need to focus on staying on gun and putting rounds on the bad guys. The days of screaming for a doc are over. That as one instructor put it, “Is straight out of hollywood and needs to stop”.

Self Care – Get your kit out and work on yourself. Sooner than later. Practice and be able to access your kit, especially your tourniquet with either arm, one handed, and applying the TQ to each limb (DO NOT USE YOUR REAL TQ, GET A TRAINER). You need to do this in a minute. Casualties are their own first line of care. After the point of injury, any capable casualty needs to focus on surviving and be the first link in the chain of survival in a series of links …..
Buddy Care – Don’t use your kit on your buddy. USE HIS. If he treated himself, continue using his kit. After the casualty’s “self care” and the care under fire phase has progressed to TFC – tactical field care, (care in a more controlled/protected area e.g. like a room off of a hall) or it is otherwise safe to do so (neutralized the threat) a buddy can provide the necessary additional aid to the casualty. You need to stay alert and be prepared to react and move back into care under fire, should a new threat present or the situation change where you begin taking fire again. At that point you must abandon buddy aid and return fire protecting the casualty and YOU.
Team/Doc Care – As it states, this is where the team provides a team effort of care. In using communication, and reverting to the proper training, the team will be a major link in the casualties survival. It takes a team to often times move and evacuate an injured or incapacitated member. Often times it takes a team to provide interventions on a critical difficult to manage patient. It takes a team.

“Prevent additional casualties, complete the mission.”

https://youtu.be/q2SjNO0gjM0

MARCH and THREAT

I teach my team members MARCH-

M-MASSIVE HEMORRHAGE
A- AIRWAY
R – RESPIRATIONS
CH- CONTROL HYPOTHERMIA

Civilian classes more often get THREAT-

T-THREAT SUPPRESSION
H-HEMORRHAGE CONTROL
RE-RAPID EXTRICATION TO SAFETY
A-ASSESSMENT BY MEDICAL PROVIDERS
T-TRANSPORT TO DEFINITIVE CARE

Of course there is more we could add and discuss here. My hope is that some of this helps some of you guys out there. Stay safe. Carry a kit. Know how to use it. Without the “Software” the “Hardware” is useless.

Be safe my friends and brothers and sisters – may you never have to use your kit.

Denny

Questions on original post:

Q: “How long can these items stay applied before they need to be removed? I spend a fair amount of time in the back country solo and I get into dangerous activities frequently. I spend most of my time off the beaten path so to speak. For this reason I tend to carry more aid than a typical backpacker ever would. I have all 3 items mentioned and extra gauze roles for packing /changing dressings. My biggest concern is getting caught in a situation where I’m going to be there awhile and I don’t want to rely on rescue to save my life. I try to think of long term (days) rather than hours. “

A: Tourniquets when placed by a “layperson” need to stay in place if they were placed for extreme hemorrhage. If you required a TQ, and hemostatic agent then you need immediate evac my friend. You need a SPOT device or some way to communicate that you need to get out. This type of wound needs definitive care, likely vascular surgery if an artery was involved. The rule with TQ’s is they should only be in place for 2-3 hours. The wounds I am discussing need to be addressed in a matter of minutes to hours, not days. I hope that helps answer your question.

Q: “Aside from the multi use aspect of the Olaes (which you would still need tape for the improv chest seal, right?), what do you think about z-fold gauze and ace wrap as a low cost solution for a pressure dressing? Do you really need the pressure point/bar to make a pressure dressing work? And thanks for starting the thread. Good info!”

A: You could secure the plastic piece in the Olaes with the wrap itself if that was the isolated injury. You could even potentially stabilize a flail chest with it if secured with additional bulky dressings. I would rather have the Olaes for as Mr. Blasty put it correctly $7. Yes and ACE wrap and Z-fold QuikClot will work. Is it the best? I don’t think so. I do carry Ace wraps in my more extensive kit however. The list I put above is what I believe is the BEST 3 items if you had to choose. TQO – Tourniquet, QuikClot, Olaes I used to put 10 pounds of shit in a 5 lb bag when I started doing this. I carry less and less as time goes on. What is the MOST LIKELY preventable cause of death scenario you will encounter in a gunfight? – Extremity wound with hemorrhage. I hope this helps.

How to Quick Load Your Handgun Magazines

I know I’m not the only one who has gotten strong thumbs from loading magazines. However, I should have paid more attention to the lessons of working smarter and not harder; this technique will spare you pain and make it faster and easier to feed your magazines.

During one of the shooting courses I took in New Mexico, it would rain quite a bit on our outdoor range, and so on the days it didn’t rain we had to stay later into the night to make up for lost time. Man, those days of loading over a 1000 rounds actually split the skin on my dry thumb.I finally ran down to the local gun shop and got a mechanical loader and put this to good use. But I eventually learned a really good technique that I’ll show you here. This method works better than the traditional method. Why?The old-school method that everyone uses only utilizes the thumb to push down on the magazine spring. This newer method, with the magazine turned around, actually incorporates the wrist and forearm muscles; therefore you have stabilizers that control the magazine while you use your thumb to press the ammo down and in.

Hold an empty magazine in your weak hand and place your thumb over the top of the magazine.

Use your strong hand and begin to insert a cartridge into the magazine while simultaneously pushing down on the spring with the thumb of your weak hand.

Insert the cartridge fully into the magazine until it seats properly. Once you are done, continue to add more cartridges.

It may seem odd at first doing this but I guarantee it will save you time, and “wear and tear” on your thumbs. Being able to use your wrist and forearm muscles to hold the magazine gives you greater control of it and therefore the ability to seat the cartridges more quickly. Try this a half dozen times until you get the hang of it.

by Michael Kurcina

Founder

Through his own hardships and frustration Mike decided to create a site to share his knowledge. He keeps meeting others who want to do the same. Out of this came Spotter Up, a website to put out information to help guide those who want to live life on their terms. He credits his early military training as the one thing that kept him disciplined through the many years. Michael Kurcina subscribes to the Spotter Up way of life. “I will either find a way or I will make one”.

This post first appeared on spotterup.com

Stern Defense Magwell Adapters: Turn Your AR Lower into a Pistol Caliber Carbine

The guys at Stern Defense have answered the challenge of making great AR magazine well adapters. With one of Stern’s adapters, you can turn your AR Lower into a Pistol Caliber Carbine that uses Glock magazines (9mm/.40), Beretta Magazines (9mm/.40), S&W M&P magazines (9mm/.40) and S&W M&P magazines (.45). Mag-AD series adapters install in seconds, just like an AR magazine. They have a separate magazine release at the bottom you manipulate with your trigger finger and a functioning last round bolt hold open feature.

I have worked with several similar systems. The big question; Do they work? I got to shoot one at TriggerCon and I watched hundreds of rounds go through it. The Stern adapter fits snugly and it runs smoothly. Of course, you have to select the correct upper and buffer to make these guns run, but now you don’t have to build a dedicated lower. Stern has a web page you can check before purchasing to ensure compatibility with your setup so you don’t buy parts that don’t fit together.

Pistol caliber ARs are great training tools, cheap plinkers and perfect for new shooters. You can safely shoot handgun steal and use the magazines you already have. Law Enforcement agencies can build an AR that accepts their duty pistol mags for the ultimate police patrol rifle.

The Stern Mag-AD9 series adapters are made of aircraft grade aluminum, lightweight with ergonomic design. There is a tension adjustment feature to eliminate wiggle.

The Stern Defense MAG-ADMP45 use 45ACP M&P Magazines

Technical Information:

⦁ Made in the U.S.A.

⦁ Constructed from 6061 T6 aircraft grade aluminum.

⦁ 4140 NiB coated feed ramp.

⦁ Hard coat anodized type 3.

⦁ Sturdy Construction.

⦁ Ergonomic mag release.

⦁ Works with any mil spec ar15 lower receiver.

⦁ All lower components besides the adapter remain stock

The MAG-AD9 system is not compatible with New Frontier, PSA Hybrid or Foxtrot Mike bolts. This is due to the lug which strips a round off of the magazine being .035 of an inch further from center-line as compared to other bolt systems. If you are looking to use these bolts with our system we will provide bolt modification services with the purchase of a mag-ad9. More info HERE.

Looking for a complete conversion kit? They have you covered.
Click Here.

Already have a Colt Style bolt and want to use our system? They have those too.
Click Here

Don’t Have a bolt, want one? We have you covered.
Click Here

Don’t Have a barrel, want one? We have you covered.
Click Here

About Stern Defense:

STERN DEFENSE is a family owned American specialty manufacturer committed to precision, quality, and efficiency of the weapon accessories created. They use the best USA supplied material our products are designed and manufactured by the finest machinists and engineers in the industry. Their values? Traditional, Rooted, Firm and STERN.

Bayonext: The New Spirit of the Bayonet

When you think of the bayonet, the first thing you’re likely to think of are the grainy photos of Union and Confederate soldiers or paintings that depict Redcoats marching in formation. A new veteran owned company, Bayonext, has put an exciting, innovative and modern twist on one of the oldest battle implements still in use today.

You may be surprised to know, however, that the bayonet has been used in modern times as well. Bayonet charges have been used against the Germans in World War 2 and the Chinese during the Korean War, even some as recent as 2004 in Iraq and 2011 in Afghanistan. There are even some early unconfirmed reports of the British SAS leading a charge against ISIS fighters earlier this year.

The problem with nearly every bayonet is their need to be manually fixed to the rifle during a highly stressful situation. The military teaches hand-to-hand techniques in the event that one would have to defend themselves should they be separated from their weapon or run out of ammunition. During my own deployment, a soldier in my brigade was forced to do exactly this when an enemy fighter charged his position.

Bayonext has created a unique solution to this problem with their flagship product of the same name.

The Bayonext is an out-the-front bayonet that attaches to the rail system of the host weapon. Housed in an aluminum tube, the 4140 QT spike deploys with a vengeance with only the slight pull of its deployment collar. In essence, you have a single-action bayonet that is the only one of its kind currently available on the market. It is absolutely perfect for use in all environments, including CQB.

The Bayonext can also be used without being attached to a rifle. As a hand-held tool, it can serve various purposes with sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts. As a secondary weapon, it can provide the extra protection one may need against wild game in any part of the world.

The Bayonext is attached to the rail system by using a couple of standard 1-inch flashlight mounts. Once the Bayonext is in place, a rubber sleeve can be attached over the spike to make it very low profile. Anyone viewing the product on the rifle would be hard pressed to figure out what it is until it is deployed.

Bayonext | A Modern Twist on the Old School Bayonet — Bayonext: The New Spirit of the Bayonet3

For my testing, I wanted to see how the product would hold up to a variety of materials. The two common techniques to fighting with a bayonet are the thrust and the slash. For thrusting attacks, I used a heavy-duty off-road tire and wooden boards of varying thickness.

The Bayonext was able to easily pierce through the sidewall of the tire and on through to the opposite sidewall. The only thing stopping it from going further was my muzzle. Even then, two inches of thick rubber wasn’t a challenge at all.

With very little effort, it was able to puncture through inch-thick boards. Obviously, an attack against an adversary wearing a Kevlar vest without plates would be devastating.

Now I’m no Albert Einstein, but I think we can all agree that no scientific testing would be complete without watermelons. Sure, it doesn’t perfectly simulate damage to an opponent in a combat application, but it is damn fun. Either way, the victim of my slash attacks didn’t stand a chance against the Bayonext.

During my tests, I managed to run the tip of the spike against a hefty slab of concrete floor, which bent it. However, I was able to use my trusty Leatherman to make a repair in the field in less than a minute. You can’t fault the Bayonext here, as it isn’t designed to pierce through concrete. That’s why we have this.

So what happens when you deploy the spike and it hits something that stops it before it can lock into place? Well, you simply back off a couple of inches and give it another thrust! There is no rail or track for the spike to come off of in the event that it is stopped during deployment like any out-the-front knife. Once it is deployed, closing it is as simple as pulling back on the deployment collar and pushing the spike into a firm object until it locks in place again.

The deployment collar also functions as a safety mechanism for the spike, which is a great feature to have. The collar has a notch that lines up with a safety screw. When they are aligned, you are able to deploy the spike. If you rotate the collar 90 degrees, you are in safe mode and the spike cannot be deployed. This is an excellent attention to detail that helps prevent accidental injury or damage to nearby objects.

The entire product is just under 14” long in the closed position and it deploys a 7.5” spike when opened.

Currently, the Bayonext is offered in Blackout, but there are Cerakote options in FDE and an Olive Drab Green. For $320, you get the basic package, which includes the product itself. The premium package includes two rail mounts, a case, and premium packaging, for $369. The Bayonext is only the flagship product and they plan on more innovation with accessories and other future applications.

Bayonext is a veteran owned and operated company from the small town of Claxton, Georgia. Doug Maddi served in the 75^th Ranger Regiment before ending his career at the Army’s Program Executive Office Soldier where he helped acquire the best equipment and protection available for the individual soldier.

The Bayonext itself is machined and manufactured by Chris DeLoach and Michael Smith with Trinity Precision & Arms inside Smith’s Hydraulic, Inc.

Order yours now from Bayonext and keep an eye out for future products!

Author – Rodney Pointer is a former Army Infantryman. After graduating from Airborne School, he was ruthlessly assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana to live out his days as a dirty leg. He served with the 2nd BN, 30th Infantry of the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. Following his deployment to Afghanistan, he received a Bachelor’s degree in Intelligence Operations. He currently works as a nuclear security contractor.

Women’s Concealed Carry: Purse

One concealed carry option available to women is carrying in one’s purse (I suppose it’s also an option for those trendy “man purses,” if you’re fashion forward enough to sport one…). For ladies like my mother, who can’t imagine going anywhere without one of their helpful handbags glued to their side, purse carry could be an attractive solution. However, there are drawbacks associated to this style of carry that aren’t an issue for on-the-body carry methods.

Pros:

Ladies' Concealed Carry: Purse Carry - TheArmsGuide.com — If you have a spare $4k, you can [almost] buy this bag (shown with Beretta Nano). Image courtesy of designerconcealedcarry.com

The myriad of different options can comfortably facilitate carrying a range of pistol sizes – even full size double stacks. There are already several companies that produce concealed carry handbags ranging from affordable unassuming shoulder bags to designer genuine exotic animal skin purses (with matching “exotic” price tags). These kinds of purses feature holster pouches that are separate from the rest of the purse, both as an additional measure of concealment, and as a measure of protection from negligent discharge. Concealed carrying with a purse provides an inconspicuous carry option for ladies regardless of style of dress.

Cons:

Thieves with an interest in purloining your [potentially expensive] handbag would not only find themselves with whatever belongings and money you were toting, but also a several hundred dollar bonus item: your gun. However, there are some concealed carry bags that attempt to mitigate that risk by utilizing a strap that fits around the body (instead of just on the shoulder). Although, there is still an argument that drawing from a purse is not as speedy as the draw from an on-body holster, such as an in-the-waistband (IWB) or over-the-waistband (OWB) holster.

Final Thoughts

Personally, although I am a female, I do not prefer the purse concealed carry method. For one thing, I don’t always have a handbag on my person. And, when I do, it’s either a backpack-style purse or a minuscule wallet-sized option (less than ideal choices for CCW). However, I know women who seem to be surgically attached to their purses, and who fit about half their worldly possessions within them. If these ladies don’t feel comfortable carrying in any other fashion, or it isn’t feasible to carry in any other manner (e.g., work wardrobe makes on-person carry unfeasible), perhaps purse carry is a reasonable option. What are your thoughts on the purse carry method?

by Destinee

Destinee is also a vlogger. She publishes videos on weapons, gear, and fitness on her YouTube channel every Tuesday and Thursday.