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Reviews

A look at the LaRue RAT stock

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Lets take a quick look at the LaRue Tactical RAT stock.  The stock has an ambidextrous QD swivel socket and a slot for standard slings.  To adjust the stock, you pull the “trigger” in it to the rear.  This makes for quick and easy adjustments.

There is a little rotating dial that can be easily turned 90 degrees.  When it is vertical you can pull the trigger back farther and easily remove the stock from the weapon.  When the knob handle is horizontal the stock won’t come off the firearm.

This stock has a hard plastic buttpad, and a profile like a subdued SOPMOD stock.  Perhaps more like the B5 Bravo stock in shape.

Pushing a recessed button with a tool, such as a rifle round allows you to remove the buttpad.

Then you can push on these inserts in the stock revealing the stored cleaning rod sections.

The left and right plastic inserts each hold two cleaning rod sections.  The 4 sections screw together to be 24 3/4 inches long.  Then you can screw it to the buttpad to give you a handle.

I really like the idea of having a cleaning rod on the weapon but I don’t understand why Larue Tactical decided to put the rods in holders in the stock.  It seems to me that they could have just had holes in the stock to hold the rod sections and it would have been a little quicker and simpler.  I thought perhaps these inserts might have been to prevent noise or rattling when the weapon is moved, but you can still hear a little noise when this stock is shaken.

I haven’t tried cleaning or clearing a stuck case with one of these rods and I tend to prefer lighter smaller stocks, but this is a cool option available to us.

Right as I was about to submit this, I see that there is a small storage compartment in the stock, just large enough that you could probably fit an eyelet or borebrush and some patches.  I wonder if the RAT would be more popular had it come with an eyelet, borebrush, and a couple of patches and sold as a stock with a cleaning kit.

Reviews

HOG SADDLE

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The Hog Saddle has been out for a few years now .  It was developed by a former sniper  as a better mouse trap for shooting a sniper rifle  when  the terrain or urban environment will not allow the use of more traditional positions and methods.

The Hog saddle is a professionally done version of the  home made camera tripod, foam and craddle made out of whatever the maker thought best and could get.  You can google image search hundreds of picture online of USMC snipers using home made shooting tripods during the first decade of the  war on terror.  Mostly seen being used  inside buildings in Iraq for urban sniping.

“Designed by a Marine Scout Sniper and OIF Veteran, tripod systems tailored to special operations, PRS shooters, and the modern outdoorsman.”

 

HOG Saddle Specs:

  • CNC machined from a solid block of aluminum
  • Black oxide stainless steel bolt and guide rods
  • Hard anodized finish (a resilient surface which serves as an excellent base coat for custom camouflage paint)
  • 1/4-20 stainless steel mounting threads and 3/8-16 back up threads
  • CNC machined torque knob assembly with retention button screw to prevent disassembly in the field (opens 1/4in wider than previous model)
  • Stainless steel noise dampening tension spring
  • 1/4 inch thick, recessed urethane pads specifically engineered to absorb rifle recoil and reduce muzzle jump
  • Anti-rotation slots to accept tripod QD plates that have video pins
  • Superior resistance to corrosion
  • Weight: 15.8oz

As you can see  and read from the specs above the Hog Saddle is one tough solid product.  It is pretty self explanatory.  You put the rifle forearm in the middle and turn the massive knob to tighten.  It will tighten on a large variety of shapes  including AR15 pattern hand guards.  And of course it will easily accept bolt action sniper rifles.

The saddle itself attaches to a ball head  mount that allows for a very flexible range  of motion for  just about any shooting angle  need.

The ball head has adjustment knobs and markings for setting and resetting or whatever you think you need.  It is pretty simple and easy to grasp quickly. As you can see below the set up will allow extreme angle shooting. If needing to take a very steep shot from the top of a 10 story building or a rock cliff, it will accommodate you.

The tripod  is pretty heavy duty and  its weight is appreciated when the legs are extended.  As far as its adjustment it is no different than any other camera tripod in that the legs extended, they can fold in and the main beam can be raised and a nut tightened on it to hold it in place as well as rotate 360 degrees.  Though this one is different in that it looks and feels like a 40mm grenade fired at it wouldn’t hurt it.

 

You can adjust it for standing and sitting and every where in between.  You can’t get it down low enough to shoot while prone on the ground of course.

 

So how steady is it for shooting  when standing or sitting?   Well, its ok.  You get the best results if you can brace the legs against something  and if you can support your arms.  If you  rely only on it for support it is  not a miracle worker.  Below are some 100 yard groups shot with only the hog saddle  with no other support from standing. Obviously it is not as solid as prone with a rest or bipods but it is a huge improvement. With a little extra bracing it can be extremely stable.    If your job is sniping, I can say it is a piece of kit worth the money.

Optic of the week

Optic of the Week: Leupold CQ/T

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First time I used a Leupold CQ/T it was mounted on a friends M1A.  It seemed to me an impractical combination as it was mounted really high making it awkward on the M1A and I’d much rather have more magnification on a .30 cal.  That aside, I found the CQ/T rather interesting.

The Leupold Close Quarters/ Tactical is a real odd duck of a scope that really came out before its time.  Before the 1-X variable power craze of nowadays, there was the 1-3x CQ/T.  It is fast and easy to switch between 1x and 3x because the entire ocular section of the scope (up to the rail) rotates.  The Leupold CQBSS received rave reviews for this feature, but it was in the CQ/T long before it.

Most of the CQ/T scopes have a circle dot reticle (much like the Eotech) that can be illuminated in amber or red.  The circle dot is always visible.  Before it was discontinued Leupold did finally make some with their CMR reticle, an ACOG like bullet drop chart(BDC).

Reticle is 2nd focal plane.  It is eteched At 1x the Dot is 3 MOA and the circle is 18 inches at 25 yards (~69 MOA), at 3x the Dot is 9 MOA and the circle is 6 feet at 200 yards (~34 MOA).  The math is much simpler if you round to 72 and 36 MOA which I think was the intent.

Illuminated reticle is bright, but still somewhat lacking outdoors.  The adjustment has 12 positions including OFF and night vision modes.  The reticle will blink if you have a low battery.  I couldn’t get a good picture outdoors of the illuminated reticle so here is an indoor one.

Adjustments are a simple 1/2 covered turrets.

The “battery pack” is easily removed or secured with less than a quarter turn.  

Weirdly, you have a removable container to put the battery in.  If you had several you could do quick battery changes, and this also would protect the optic should the battery leak.  It doesn’t slow down battery changes, but makes the process different from other optics.

The mount is rather weird.  The CQ/T has a narrow section so that it can mount to an AR15 carry handle.  Unlike other scopes that can do that, this one has 3 threaded holes to give different eye relief options.

The rail mount is two piece and pinches the scope to your rail.  Solidly mounts the scope but makes it annoying when you are taking it off or moving it.

I am really impressed by the CQ/T and I think it is a good scope, but it is just shy of a great scope.  Leupold seemed to make some odd design decisions regarding it.  For example the rails on the scope, they should have either gotten rid of them, or gotten serious with low profile adjustment so that there would be a usable amount of rails.  The circle is huge, I think they would have been better off with a 1 MOA dot and a 19-20 MOA circle.  A mount that doesn’t get all loose and floppy when you are removing or attaching it would also have been an improvement.  The battery pack was an interesting idea but could be replaced with a simpler cap.  I think the biggest possible improvement would have been an illuminated horseshoe reticle with an ACOG like BDC.

I went and read some old reviews of this scope and the complaints were generally about cost, weight, size, and eye relief.  I think this came out in a time when people were not used to spending a good bit of money on an rifle optic.  Now people gladly spend large sums for AR optics.  This scope is 17.5 oz, so it is heavy, about twice the weight of an ACOG.  But to put it in perspective it is a 1/3 pound lighter than the similar Elcan Specter DR.  To me it doesn’t feel overly large or heavy on an AR.  Eye relief seemed fine to me, but unlike a reflex sight, you still have strict limits on where you can place your head to use it.

I put this scope on my 5.45 AR (pictured in the first picture) and did a little bit of rapid fire and shot some clay pigeons at 50 yards.  I found the CQ/T to be very fast and easy to use.  I like it, but I feel it is just shy of being a great optic.  I would not recommend it because it has discontinued, not to mention there are now 1-6x scopes that are similar size, weight, and MSRP.  I think that is a shame because I think with just a little work it could have been exceptional.  Lastly, there are some being sold really cheap lately, if you want one, now might be the time to get one.

 

Reviews

COLT COBRA PART 2 ACCURACY REVIEW

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Last time in part 1 we took a look at the gun.

COLT COBRA REVIEW PART 1

Now we are going to take a look at how accurate it is.  I won’t bother saying anything about reliability, it is a double action revolver after all and one made by Colt so it obviously will work.

I shot a variety of  commercial factory loads  for accuracy at 25 yards.  The Buffalo Bore plus P load being one of the best.  It was also one of the hottest.  While it shot great it was not a pleasure to shoot out of a small compact revolver.

I tried this 90 grain lighter load in anticipating that a lot of users of a gun this size would buy loads that may mitigate recoil.   It wasn’t a tack driving load but it is certainly  pretty decent.   I would carry it and use it inside the ranges I expected  I could make a hit under pressure with a snub nose.

 

The next was the Hornady critical defense flex tip, 110 grain bullet. Another lighter load.  Again, it shot pretty good.

The worst of the ammo I tried  was the Winchester super X.  Not gonna set the world on fire.

I’m not going to lie,  I have never been much of a wheel gun shooter and even less of a snub nosed revolver guy. The lighter guns surprised me how tiresome it can get shooting for groups with stiff loads.  I was happy try this reduced recoil self defense load from federal.  It shot great too.   The best group picture blurred and already tossed the target,  but here is the second best group.

 

I had a few rounds of this Fioocchi some one gave me a few months ago.  I fired all ten rounds  offhand at 25 yards at the head just to use them up.  I was dumbstuck at how well it shot and how well I shot on double action off hand.  May be because I was relaxed and did it just to goof.     But, surprises  do happen if you shoot enough long enough.  I wish I had  more of this ammo to   shoot another group from the bags.

 

 

Lastly, again because I aim to please, the 10 0 yard target.  I fired these from a rest, but not bags, at a man sized-ish  target to see what  all CCW guns could do if pressed into having to make a critical longer range shot.  Ammo was the stiff Buffalo Bore +P round.

 

A few notes.   I need more time to get uses to the revolver sights.  I am used to a back sight like a Novak  or BOMAR. The trench in the top strap with front sight is something I keep shooting too high with.   I would really have to work with revolvers with this sight set up for a while to get used to that if I intended to carry it.   Using +P ammo in a small frame revolver, even in 38spl  gets hard on the hands after a while, rubber grips are a must for me anyways.

The action of the Cobra is very slick  and smooth.  Lovers of the mythologized python would no doubt like the action of the Cobra. I have never shot a revolver on DA  as well as I have this one.  It is a nice  compact gun that I can find no fault with if you are looking for one to CCW or just to buy cause you like 6 shooters.  For a closer look at the gun, its finish and craftsmanship, refer back to part one in the link above.

Optic of the week

OPTIC OF THE WEEK Leupold VARI-XIII TACTICAL 3.5x-10X

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This scope has a lot of history.   Leupold made these in the 90s and for a long time, it was the standard scope that came with the Remington M700 police sniper rifle package sold to countless LE departments across the country.    The scope is the  Leupold VARX-III 3.5x-10X tactical with mil-dot . It has a one inch tube and  comes with the target turrets used on most target and varmint optics from that time.

Adjustments are 1/4 inch per click with  60 clicks in one full rotation.  Being a leupold, the adjustments are solid, repeatable and accurate.This scope is over 20 years old and it has not failed me.  The turrets have set screws that can be loosened to reset the turret to have the index line  and the “0”  line up  where you want to set it.  You can also remove the turrets and replace them with a large version that can not be covered by the turret protective caps that screw on and protect the turrets. If you don’t like either of these, leupod will install the M1 tactical turrests for $130 yankee dollars.

The scope comes with the tactical mild dot reticle.  The glass is clear as is usual for leupold.

The power is 3.5x at the low end and 10x at the max end.  The power ring is also marked like all variX-IIIs in that you can use magnification and the reticle to range a target within hunting distances. Not needed with a mil-dot, but  was marked anyway.

 

It is a long way from the ultra modern long range tactical optics found today with its once inch tube and  no side focus knob or illuminated reticle. It does have enough internal adjustment for long range shooting.  It has a reticle that is useful still especially for those of us older guys who grew up with it and not the various christmas tree reticles now popular.    It is a tough and dependable optic so much so that I still use it on my MK12 MOD1 and have no plans of replacing it.

Mounted on the most excellent Larue SPR base it is a favorite combo for me.   If you see one some where used at a good deal I give it my highest recommendation.  Even if its too”cold” or not tactical enough for you, or you are ashamed to show it at the gun prom it would still serve you perfectly in any thing you see fit.

 

 

 

Optic of the week

OPTIC OF THE WEEK : VORTEX DIAMONDBACK SPOTTING SCOPE

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This week we are gonna look at the Diamonback   20x-60x 80mm   spotting scope.   One thing I notice about a  lot of people who start getting serious about their precision shooting or long range shooting is they don’t realize how important a decent spotting scope can be.

Yeah, a lot of modern rifle scopes are pretty amazing. They have limits though.   That’s when you need a spotting scope.    You get more magnification, you get a clearer picture, you get the ability to see holes in targets at ranges  you can’t discern  with your rifle optic, you get the ability to have a spotter who can read conditions, spot your shot and make more detailed examinations of an area.  Last but not least, you can look at something without having to point your gun at it.

I got the Vortex optic a few years ago because it was a great deal. It had features I wanted and I had been hearing a lot about optics from the company and wanted to give something from them a try.

Specs on the optic.

 

Fully Multi-coated-antireflective  lenses

Nitrogen purged with O-ring seals

Dielectric Coating ( whatever that is )

The spotting scope is  a 15.7 inches long and weighs about 46 oz.  The eye relief is 20-16.5mm.    The exit pupil is 4.0-1.3mm.

As you can see the ring and mount lets you attach it to camera type tripods and it can be loosened to allow you to turn the optic inside the ring.  This way if  you like the eye piece at the 6 o’clock position or  3 or 9 or some where in between you can.  Most handy  when shooting from prone and wanting to just lean over and take a peak.

The spotter doesn’t come with it’s own tripod but it does come with a carrying case that allows you to unzip each end and use the optic without removing it. It is nothing special though so I ain’t even gonna bother to show it to you.  Think cheap  black nylon and gun shows with beef jerky.

The top knob allows for focus and the rear eye piece is of course adjustable for magnification and the usual stuff.

The X range is right where I like it. More magnification in  a spotting scope this size often is counter productive in my opinion.  If you want or need more, you are gonna need something bigger.   If you aren’t used to long range shooting ( 1,000 yards and beyond) then let me tell you, more isn’t always better  when its just more.  I think I have mentioned this in the past , but even with your rifle optics when shooting at extended ranges  you will see a diminished return the more you go up  in magnification unless you also get into hubble sized scopes to make the higher Xs useful.    Long story short,  just because you got your hands on a 36x rifle scope with a 40mm objective lens doesn’t mean you got yourself a practical  1000 yard optic.  But that is another topic for another  upcoming day.

Anyways.    The scope very thoughtfully comes with two protective covers for the lens.   The rear screws on and the front has the two  latches.  Over all it’s pretty nice .

So, yes it is clear.   It compares favorably  to the Leupolds  and Redfields I have used over the years. I been really impressed by the detail I can view with it.

Reviews

A Look At Various 77gr Factory 5.56MM Match Loads

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The title isn’t exact as I shot 73gr-77gr match  loads.    I have for a long time wanted to do comparison side by side testing of the MK 262 class  loadings.  The match loads  using bullets  around the 77gr weight are popular and they should be.  The 75-80gr bullets in 556MM seated to magazine length  is  excellent  in AR15 rifles and carbines.  The 77 gr Sierra with 24.0 grains of Varget or RE-15 or Vit is a decades old and proven recipe for successful long range shooting with a service rifle.   The  military MK262 load is a tweaked version of same load and it has done some amazing things in the recent two wars.     It is just a great load.   To say I think highly of it myself would be  an understatement.  I prefer my handloaded version but I still use factory versions for more general purposes.

So the last few weeks a I have been accumulating factory loads to test for accuracy side by side all from  the same rifle at a range that can tell us something  but not so far away I am fighting wind  so much that the groups  lose all ability to tell us anything.

The factory loads talked about today are above.  As more come out and I get my hands on more of them, I will continue with this series.   I did not use the  new Federal Gold Medal  Match ammo with the 73 grain Bergers because I ran out and I used them all up in a previous long range testing.    For the sake of completeness I will do them in the next  part.

For the gun, I used my MK12 MOD 1 with my Nigtforce  22X  optic.   I did this because the barrel is a match  barrel with a true 1/7 twist, it is  sort of the rifle that  helped define the MK262 and its existence during the GWOT in the minds of many people  and the  military MK 262 round as we know it was fine tuned to be used in the MK12. Lastly it has a 18 inch barrel,  It is between the 20 inch of a full rifle and 16 inch of the carbine.  I didn’t have enough of each type of ammo to test out of rifles and carbines so splitting the difference may be a happy compromise.

I shot the groups off very stable sandbags out at 400 yards.   I thought about going further but the heat, mirage and wind  would have  made it questionable how much may have been me or weather conditions if  one brand of ammo shot worse than the other.   For now this will continue to be the range used for testing the match loads.  If I come up with enough ammo for all brands tested after part two I may do it all over again at 600 or 800 yards if a day with good conditions comes up. All that together is a tall order though.   Shooting purely for smallest group size on the few days of truly good condition is hard work. It takes time, a lot of time and patience and I have really started to feel my glasses need to be replaced  with a newer pair after a trip to the eye doc.  I have noticed a lot more eye strain and trouble over the last  year when I do these all day long  sessions shooting for smallest group.

First up is a 20 shot string using the red box Black Hills 77 grain match load.  This is what I keep the MK12 zeroed with for crows. After a few adjustments I shot the remainder into the center. A great load and is  more or less the real legit MK262 load.

The group below is the “white box” Black Hills 77grain match load. The same load but “factory seconds”.  There is not difference in accuracy.

Below group was fired using the 77gr load from SSA. I know a lot of people like this load and it uses the Nosler 77gr bullet that I think is just as accurate as the Sierra bullet but this time it did not do very well.

The Federal Gold Medal match 77gr Sierra  HPBT load is a long time performer and  a favorite  of mine.   It didn’t let me down.

The Norma match load shot great too. For the price it better!   This was the first time I ever fired the Norma match. It is just too pricey for me.

The PMC  is probably the cheapest factory load I tested. It shot pretty decent  though considering the price.  I think if I wanted to stock pile a large amount for use in carbines or  use not really for long range precision but more for the bullets weight, this would be what I would  buy.

Next is the Hornady Match  ELD 73 gr bullet load.  This is their new ballistic tip designed to not deform when shot from heat or all the other things that can deform the tip.  Jury is still out on that one for me. I don’t know about real long range performance with the ELD bullet yet but at 400 it seems to be a bit better than their HPBT AKA “open tip match”.

 

The last is the Hornady  HPBTWC T2 round.   This 75gr bullet load is loaded for  556MM so it is  higher pressure than the 223 TAP load or match load.   It is a bit less accurate as well. Not a good “match” round if you want accuracy but it is a good round for killing stuff.

So what did we learn?  That the  7X  bullet weight match factory loads all shoot pretty good.   Some are  lower velocity than others  and you can’t  zero your gun with one and expect it to  work with all other loads obviously.   I was glad to learn that all of these are pretty good loads when it comes to accuracy at ranges most users will shoot at.    My opinion of factory ammo has went up a bit too.  I look forward to testing some of the other 7X gr  bullet loads on the market.   I also learned my handloads are still better as I already knew and that I will continue my confidence in the black hills load and Federal  match loads if I want a factory load to  use along with my hand loads.

Optic of the week

Optic Of The Week Unertl 20x Target RifleScope

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The Unertl rifle scopes are  something most shooters know about today thanks to the web and videogames.  Few of them  know much about them otherwise. They know  Hathcock used one  on his sniper rifle during his first tour in Vietnam.  They know it’s “old”  and they know it looks ancient and complex.   And if you ever looked into buying one you know they are expensive and no longer  made.    So this week we will take a closer look.

John Unertl Sr. worked in the optical field while in the service with the German army in WW1. In 1928 he and his family  immigrated to the US.  He was hired by the J.W Fecker telescope manufacturing company  in Pitssburgh, PA where he later became the superintendent.      In 1936, Unertl left Fecker to start his own company. During WW2 Unertl provided the USMC with the 8x  rifle scopes most casual observers are familiar with then post war  continued on with new models.    In 1960 John Sr. passed away and his son John Jr. took over further expanding the line and company.   Commercial production for rifle optics ended in 1985. I doubt many shooters would realize the external adjustment Unertl scopes were made as  late as 1985.   Maybe even later as various people bought the left over parts from the shop and turned out a few more, Then various people bought the rights to the company name and things get really muddy and fuzzy there and I won’t go into it.

Now lets finally get to taking a look.  The Unertls  set on target blocks common in the past.   Basically target blocks are various sized and drilled metal blocks with a dovetail that the mounts on the scope slide over and secure to.   The mounts have  a bolt that tightens onto the block  and the dove tail keeps it from coming out of place.   Picture below shows a target block. The target blocks worked on iron sights and optics mounts.

Above is the rear mount with elevation and wind and below is front mount.  Both are aluminum and came in  a variety of styles I won’t go into here but will in comments if asked.

Also in the above picture you will note the spring.

The  body of the scope  set suspended between the two mounts.  This allows the scope to travel freely during recoil as its adjustments are external. That is, they move the rear of the scope  up.down/ left/right.  The spring is set depending on recoil force of round used. and the tension of the spring will return the scope to its full forward  position. If not you have to do it by hand.   Not all Unertls came with this feature  as it was an optional add on.   You will have noticed the USMC 8x sniper scopes do not have these as the Marines feared sand would get between the spring and body and score the tube. At the front of the mount is a clamp that holds it all in place of course.   This can be adjusted if you want the eye piece of the scope to come back further or to move it away from you.   Unlike modern optics you can also notice the rib that runs on the  top and through the mount. This makes sure the scope and crosshairs stay straight up and not canted.

Below is the rear mount. Here you can see the external adjustments and how they move the rear of the tube. The micrometer turrets  are very precise and repeatable.   And very tough.

On this model the objective lens can be focused by a  pretty nifty system.  Not as fast to use as modern systems but very precise.

The other setting are made on the eye piece.   At one time a piece was sold to replace the rear of the scopes that would allow you to boost the magnification by a few Xs.

The glass on these optics are outstanding.   Even  with all the modern advances in modern optics, a full 2 inch ultra varmint model Unertl is  super clear and sharp.   The crosshairs on this model are the pretty standard fine crosshairs. I  really regret that I did not have the right camera set up to  show you just how clear and sharp a Unertl in good condition can be.  Unfortunately  trying to take apicture through a 20x target riflescope is not easy.

Lastly the scope come with a front and rear metal screw on protective caps.

Needless to say, these scopes are fine quality and  old craftsmanship. Everything about oozes quality and I am not kidding.   They were made to last.

The down sides now.   The price for any of these is going up by the second.   The internet has made more people aware of these and of course the price  goes up.   Also, unless you are close to a gunsmith, you are not going to be able to pop one on most factory guns made after  the mid 1980s. And that is if you are lucky.   Old Remingtons, Winchesters,  and target guns will most likely  have the correct hole spacing  in the places needed to mount one. The down side is, most of those companies making factory guns in the 70s and early 80s also were prone to have barrels not straight and receivers not drilled in line and all manner of problems. If you over come that,  you need to find the correct target blocks. They came in a variety of heights and thickness to account for barrel contour and hole spacing and  models. Charts are out there people have scanned and put online  and some small companies make blocks new.  I don’t mean to discourage  you, just do your research carefully.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Reviews

Vehicle Firearm Tactics class at ConcealedCarry.com

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We spend a good bit of time inside our cars and trucks.   It only makes sense to be prepared to fight from and around our vehicles.  The simple fact is that we may have to defense our selves and our loved ones from robbers, carjackers, or road ragers.

I did a little fighting from vehicles in the Marines.  Got to fire M16s and the SAW from moving vehicles, got to fire while standing on moving SUV running boards, etc.  Also I once even got in a fist fight with a drunk Marine while I was driving down the interstate.  But those are not exactly practical experiences.

So I got really excited when I got the opportunity to take ConcealedCarry.com Vehicle Firearm Tactics online class.  Now I take a bunch of online classes related to my day job and most all of them are long, boring, and painful to sit through.  This class was nothing like that.

First, a disclaimer.  When ever possible do training in person.  This way you can ask questions, and have mistakes you make be corrected by an experienced instructor.  There are downsides to training in person.  Costs, travel time, a compressed training curriculum in a tight scheduled, etc.  It can be easy for an instructor to miss covering some content, or for a student to miss content should they space out or need to use the bathroom, etc.  Fortunately you can always ask the teacher a question.

Video or Online classes have a couple of big strong points.  You can go through them on your own schedule, and pause, rewind, and rewatch sections.  This class went above and beyond by having excellent closed caption available for their videos, and breaking the videos up into 3-12 minute sections focused on various points.  I don’t know about you, but often my mind wanders, having the class broken up in shorter sections I was easily able to focus on a section, or rewatch it if something come up.  One other small advantage of an online course is that every student can receive the exact same training.  There are no limited or abridged classes due to weather or missed content from an instructor forgetting to cover something.

This class had excellent instruction.  Jacob Paulsen and Riley Bowman spoke clearly, concisely, and effectively explained the various topics.  They also had some cool demonstrations of of things like ricochets off the hood and how in some cases a door might stop a bullet and in other cases it won’t.

This class covered a wide variety of subjects including:
Your priorities in vehicle combat
How window glass and its curvature affects trajectory
How tinting affects glass
Fighting around and being considerate of passengers
Drawing your weapon and manipulating it in the vehicle
Shooting under the vehicle
Among many other things.

If I were to look hard for something to criticize, I could only come up with three things. First is that the final test was sorta hokey. Seemed overly simple to me.  That doesn’t diminish the content of the class.  A very minor complaint would be that the course completion certificate shows your website account name and not your actual name.(Update, I hadn’t filled out my name in the form, putting my name in fixed the issue)  The last would be a matter of tactics.  Discharging a firearm in an enclosed area like a vehicle can rather unpleasant.  If the situation allows, if you can place the muzzle outside the confined space you are in you will experience far less blast and noise. But don’t forget this will make the flash and blast more visible to anyone outside, and won’t want to do this is the hostile is with in grasping range as they will be able to more easily attempt to disarm you.

Prior to this class I was prepared to say how online classes are often worthless, but I was wrong.  I really enjoyed this class and I learned a great deal.  If you can’t get out there and do this type of training in person, I’d highly recommend taking this class as an alternative.

The class is available here:  https://www.concealedcarry.com/shop/

They also have a couple of free classes at their site.  I haven’t taken them yet, but I plan to look into them.

Reviews

EXTRA Carry CCW Mag Pouch

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A couple years ago, maybe longer I was sent this magazine holder thing for review.

 

The reason it has taken me so long is  I just couldn’t figure out the best way to use this thing.   As you can see the idea is to clip it into a pocket.

The problem is that the magazine is not indexed in a way that makes it easy to grab. Especially if you are in a hurry .  The section with the clip rakes at the hand.

It does go down into the pocket as it is meant to but it just isn’t fast to get out.   If you bought this to use as your only spare magazine carry pouch  I think that is a bad idea.  As and extra  one in addition to your belt mounted  pouch.. I think that would be OK.  Long as you realize it’s limitations.

The kydex  pouch has a clip that will rotate to let you put it on and off and its strong. It is a very positive and secure set up.   ON the other hand the pouch does not have any real retention.  The mag will fall out of you end upside down.

If you want to buy one and try it cause you think it might be for you, OK.  If you don’t, I doubt will regret i missing out  on it or anything.  I have no strong feelings on it one way or the other but I will say it doesn’t offer up anything for my personal uses.