Innehållsförteckning för April/May 2019 från Tactical Life

What in the wide world of sports is a dude holding a skateboard doing on the cover of Tactical Life magazine? Glad you asked. That’s Kevin Brittingham, the no-BS innovator who started AAC and was instrumental in developing the renowned Honey Badger rifle. We’re hoping it riles you up. We’re getting sick of censorship and all the companies circumventing the Second Amendment to take a bite out of the gun business. Facebook, YouTube, REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods and even some of the retailers that carry our magazines are censoring anything and everything to do with firearms. Some grocers don’t want guns on the covers of gun magazines! Facebook won’t allow us to advertise, YouTube won’t pay gun influencers despite their massive audiences, and banks and insurance companies won’t work with…

Meet the Goodman Special Operations Combat Knife (GSOCK) and what’s called the “Sheath of the Future.” The GSOCK is a collaboration between Abraham & Moses and master knifemaker and former U.S. Army Green Beret Lou Goodman. And for those who don’t know, Abraham & Moses is a sister company of Geissele Automatics. It’s hard to classify the GSOCK as just another “survival knife,” as it was created for so many intended uses. With this knife, users can chop wood, skin an animal, cut a seatbelt or defend themselves. It can even be used as a pry bar without the worry of it snapping or shattering. In fact, there are videos showing the blade bending 90 degrees and still holding an edge. The GSOCK is 10.63 inches long overall with a…

Walking into Q Centerfire Rifles in New Hampshire is an experience like no other in the gun industry. Once a fashion design studio, the main area inside is energetic and eclectic, with a large open space that could only facilitate personal freedom and inspire creativity. Yes, people have desks, but they’re more like community workstations, divided by frosted glass and easy to navigate around. Billiard and ping pong tables in the center immediately grab your attention and get your competitive juices flowing. If that doesn’t do it, then maybe the old-school Pac-Man arcade machine standing against the wall beneath the Daft Punk painting will set you off. There is a comfy seating area focused on a TV that sports an Xbox. If you’re prefer older 80s-era game machines, a tabletop…

IT all started in 1969 when Dr. John Matthews, an engineer from Cal Tech, decided that lasers would be the future. His first venture, the Newport Corporation, pioneered the use of lasers for industrial applications. Then, in 1979, Matthews turned his efforts to his hobby and passion—shooting. His concepts became a reality as he patented his first laser sight. The rest is history. 1979 The Model 7 helium-neon laser is introduced for the Colt Trooper. 1985 SureFire develops the Model 310 WeaponLight for the Colt 1911. 1987 The company debuts its first shotgun forend with an integrated flashlight. 1988 The Model 6P, the first compact high-intensity flashlight, is unveiled. 1990 SureFire creates the first solid-state laser sight, the Model 7LSM. 1996 The SureFire Institute is established to provide tactical training.…

If you’re not an active USPSA or IDPA competitor, you may be confused by the term “power factor.” Guidelines were established early on to prevent competitors from using unrealistically light loads in their guns. Maintaining their ties to responsible defensive handgun use, USPSA and IDPA officials decided to institute minimum power requirements. Power factor is broken down into two groups—major and minor—and the formula used to determine which category your load will fall into is projectile weight (in grains) times velocity (in feet per second) divided by 1,000. So, for example, a 150-grain 9mm bullet traveling at 850 fps will have a power factor of 127.5. For USPSA and IDPA competition, a power factor of 125 is the minimum requirement. A major power factor must be above 165. In USPSA…

The M249S Para is its latest addition to FN’s Military Collector series, which includes two AR-15s as close as you can get to the M4A1 and M16A4, and three semi-auto versions of the M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW). Chambered in 5.56mm NATO, the M249S is made as closely as possible to FN’s military version, but without the full-auto capability. The “S” in its model name designates that it is semi-auto only, and the Para version is distinguished by its collapsible stock and 16.1-inch barrel, instead of the standard 20-inch barrel. The M249S traces its lineage to the Minimi light machine gun developed by FN in Belgium and first unveiled in 1974. After testing by the U.S. Army, it was officially adopted in 1982 from a list of four candidates and…

ASP SENTINEL e3 FLASHLIGHTS Because there is no such thing as having too many backup options on the street, ASP has introduced its first triple-fuel flashlights: the Sentinel e3 and Sentinel X e3. These lights ship with a 16340 lithium-ion battery that recharges inside the light, providing a potent 400 lumens of output. If you don’t have time to recharge, just swap out the rechargeable battery for a CR123A disposable cell. No CR123A? No problem. You can also put in a common AA battery without any special adapter. You give up some lumens as you work your way down through the backup battery options, but you’ll stay up and running. (asp-usa.com) CRIMSON TRACE LG-459 LASERGUARDS Crimson Trace has unveiled two new Laserguards designed specifically for Smith & Wesson’s M&P380 Shield…

The prone position is the most stable position a shooter can take, but depending on your scenario, you may need to brace your rifle a little higher off the ground to clear your field of view from grass, vegetation or other obstacles. A good solution for this is a tripod with a dedicated rifle saddle like those from Hog Saddle. If you’ve already equipped your rifle with a folding bipod, don’t be fooled into thinking that is the only stable shooting aid. Even bipods with the longest extendable legs can’t compare to the stability of a third leg. Also, a good tripod will allow you to change the elevation of the rifle for comfortable shooting from kneeling, seated and standing positions. A good tripod will essentially allow you to move…

Standing on frozen grass while snow and sleet spit on me, I stamped my feet and rubbed my hands, vigorously trying to warm them. The temperatures weren’t that low at the U.S. Shooting Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this past December, but the humidity was high, and the combination was miserable. Walther Marketing Manager Cody Osborn had assembled a group of gun writers at a quiet pistol bay to make an important pre-launch announcement. “Our goal is to push the performance limits of our flagship PPQ product family beyond what is possible in a polymer-framed gun. We’ve invited you here to see and shoot our brand-new Q5 Match SF pistol—a steel-framed version of our already popular polymer-framed Q5 Match gun.” THE PERFECT MATCH Walther introduced the Q5 Match a couple of…

Sound suppressors are here to stay, despite the failure of the Hearing Protection Act to get traction in Congress and a severe downturn in demand in 2017 and 2018. Though the current National Firearms Action (NFA) complications and $200 stamp tax prevent suppressors from becoming mainstream, new makers continually emerge to take the place of small firms that have dropped out, while established players continue to create new designs. Here are some of the more interesting designs hitting the market today. 1 AAC HALCYON The Halcyon from Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) is a modular rimfire suppressor that can also handle 5.7x28mm rounds and is full-auto rated for all except the .22 WMR. It’s also made with a far more sophisticated design than many rimfire suppressors. It uses titanium K-baffles shielded…

Tennessee enjoys a special designation when it comes to military service. It’s known as the Volunteer State, and Tennesseans have long stood up to fight at critical moments in American history, forever cementing its status. From Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans to 30,000 Tennesseans raising an army of volunteers to fight in the Mexican-American War, Tennesseans have seemingly always led the way. And though historians disagree on which seminal act solidified Tennessee’s volunteer legacy, the names alone string together its glorious history—Davy Crockett, Sam Houston and Alvin York, to name a few—along with an untold number who have volunteered their service, and lives, for the U.S. military. Today, that volunteer spirt lives on when the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team takes the field in the vaunted…

Over the past couple of years, I’ve heard a common complaint about the gun industry: boredom. That’s not to say that shooting is boring, but there is a growing perception that firearms are suffering from a lack of innovation. If you believe that, you’re not alone, for there is someone else who shares the same sentiment—someone who’s been at this game for many years and accomplished more than most. He is also someone hell-bent on doing what other companies can’t or won’t. His name is Kevin Brittingham, the “people’s CEO.” “I think the gun industry overall is very boring. I didn’t fall in love with guns. I love the innovation,” Brittingham told me during a very candid interview. He is unlike anyone I’ve ever encountered in the gun space. He’s…

Gunfights break out at night. Although stats vary, we can accept that around three-quarters of all officer-involved or personal-defense shootings take place in darkness. Study after study from sources such as the FBI have proven this, along with the fact that marksmanship skills seem to virtually fly out the window when the sun goes down. Effective hit rates usually drop in the dark by more than 30 percent. You need the right training and equipment to get to work on the bad guys, get the job done and get home in one piece. This brings us to SureFire’s MasterFire Rapid Deployment Holster (RDH), which, combined with your duty/defense pistol and a SureFire H-Series Weapon-Light, makes training with, carrying and employing your light easier, safer and faster. THE BASICS First of…

Many shooters will recognize Gabby Franco from the History Channel’s hugely popular show Top Shot. She appeared in Season 4 and then again in Season 5, which was dedicated to the all-stars. Just prior to its Q5 launch, Walther signed Franco as a brand ambassador. She first used Walther pistols while representing Venezuela in the Olympics. Franco now brings to the role her 25 years of shooting experience as an instructor, speaker and Second Amendment advocate. I had the chance to speak with Gabby Franco and fellow Walther teammate Michelle Waldran while we were on the range in Tulsa. Franco said, “We’re excited about the new Q5 Match Steel Frame. For competition use, it is hard to beat, with its very smooth trigger pull, and you can adjust it to…

Trijicon’s REAP-IR series brings practicality to the world of thermal imaging without sacrificing reliability. Designed with Trijicon’s usual focus on military applications, these thermal optics can be used with confidence in virtually any weather condition. Four different models are currently available with 20mm, 35mm and 60mm objectives, and they retail from $6,999 to $9,499. Each REAP-IR offers a 640x480 sensor resolution and can be used with either 30Hz (in power save mode) or 60Hz frame rates. The 20mm, 35mm and 60mm models offer 1.5X, 2.5X and 4.5X optical magnification, respectively, but they can each go up to 8X with digital magnification. The base field of view (FOV) for the 20mm model is 22 degrees, while the 35mm offers 12 degrees and the 60mm provides 7 degrees. Finally, the units are…

Every year, optics manufacturers step up their game by offering scopes and sights with state-of-the-art technology. This means better glass, easy-to-use reticles and controls to handle a variety of shooting situations, and tank-tough construction. We’ve rounded up some of the best new scopes here, including those with first-focal-plane (FFP) and second-focal-plane (SFP) reticles, as well as reflex and holographic sights built for fast targeting at closer ranges. So let’s get on target, and remember: Buy once, cry once. 1 AIMPOINT ACRO P-1 In the world of tactical close-range optics, few companies can boast the reputation for longevity and durability as Aimpoint. But this Swedish optics company hadn’t ventured into the dedicated pistol sight market until recently. From its inception, the Acro P-1 was designed for hard use on handguns. The…