After doing this test, I’ll never hesitate to recommend a Troy Battlemag to an end user. Those damn things are tough as nails.
Tag: AR15
SHOT Show news: derpy AR triggers and guns you can’t buy
Switching gears this morning to bring you the worst of SHOT Show, and we begin with a company called Fostech, best known for making the AK Bumpski stock, which is a fun piece of kit for turning money into smoke and noise. At SHOT, they announced their new drop in AR trigger, called “Echo.” Here’s what it is, and why it’s derp: when you pull the trigger to fire your AR, it fires a round. Then when you let the trigger reset, it fires another round! It’s such a dumb, pointless, and potentially unsafe idea I predict it will sell like hotcakes to derpy-clownshoe guys who just can’t wait to drop one into their shitty homebuild AR so they can do wicked sick double taps at the range with their idiot friends. Ugh.
Up next in red-hot derp, we have the perpetual purveyors of putrid products, Kel-Tec. Oh yes, my favorite whipping boy is bringing out three new products, which means they’ll ship two to Oleg Volk for photography and never actually send any to dealers. First up, is an NFA-ready Kel-Tec Shotgun, to which I have to ask…why? Who wanted this product? The only people who actually own Kel-Tecs are some pretend operators who throw them around padded rooms. Anyway, now they have a version that drops the capacity by four rounds and shortens it up so it’s an NFA item. It also comes with a vertical handguard that will probably shear off under vigorous operation so can pump a round into your hand!
They’re also introducing a new version of their Sub-2000 carbine, which is a gun I really want to like except for that fact that I’ve seen two of them blow right the hell up from out of battery detonations. But now you can blow yourself up using M&P magazines, or Sig P226/Beretta 92 mags all in the same gun! Awesome!
But really, the worst offender is this stupid trigger. It’s just dumb. It’s also potentially dangerous, but then again the sort of people who buy it probably aren’t really overly concerned with safety anyway.
I need a drink.
SHOT Show 2016 new product: LiNQ by Crimson Trace
One of the new products for 2016 that I’m legitimately interested in is LiNQ from Crimson Trace. In simple terms, it brings the best feature of Crimson Trace’s laser grips, instinctive activation, to the world of AR15 pattern rifles. How does it do this? Dark sorcery Science. Here’s Crimson Trace’s explanation:
LiNQ™ combines a green laser sight and 300-Lumen LED white light with Instinctive Activation™ for AR-Type Modern Sporting Rifles. Utilizing a secure, individual connection, LiNQ offers complete wireless control of the laser and light module. The replacement grip is ergonomically designed for quick activation and mode changes, eliminating the need to reach for the rifle’s forend to operate.
Bluetooth in guns? What a fascinating modern age we live in. Hit up Crimson Trace’s website for more information.
Smith & Wesson® Introduces 2nd Generation M&P® 15 SPORT™ Rifle
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 11, 2016) — Smith & Wesson Corp. today announced that it has expanded its popular M&P family of Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs) with the introduction of the M&P15 SPORT II — a 2nd generation M&P15 SPORT rifle. Backed by the company’s reputation for high quality components and consistent, proven reliability, the new M&P15 SPORT II offers enhanced upgrades to the original, industry leading M&P15 SPORT rifle. Delivering a ready-to-go package with the additional features of a forward bolt assist and dust cover, the M&P15 SPORT II provides added value to this already time-tested platform.
Dependable, accurate and engineered for a wide variety of recreational, sport shooting and professional applications, the M&P15 SPORT II provides the best combination of price and function. Manufactured on a forged upper and lower receiver constructed of 7075 T6 aluminum, the new M&P15 SPORT II is as rugged as it is capable. Chambered in 5.56 NATO, the new rifle has been fitted with a 16-inch barrel comprised of 4140 steel with a 1 in 9-inch twist. For added longevity, the rifle features a durable corrosion resistant Armornite® finish along with a chrome-lined bolt carrier, gas key and firing pin.
The M&P15 SPORT II comes with an adjustable, folding Magpul® MBUS® rear sight and an adjustable A2-post front sight. The standard rifle has been furnished with a six-position telescopic butt stock and a 30-round PMAG®. The MSR measures 35 inches with the stock fully extended and 32 inches collapsed. The M&P15 SPORT II has an unloaded weight of 6.5 pounds and is standard with an A2-style flash suppressor and a forged, integral trigger guard.
The M&P15 SPORT II will also be available in state compliant models.
For more information on Smith & Wesson’s M&P family of products, including the complete line of M&P15 SPORT rifles, please visit www.smith-wesson.com.
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based leader in firearm manufacturing and design, delivering a broad portfolio of quality firearms, related products, and training to the global military, law enforcement, and consumer markets. The company’s firearm division brands include Smith & Wesson®, M&P®, and Thompson/Center Arms™. As an industry leading manufacturer of shooting, reloading, gunsmithing and gun cleaning supplies, the company’s accessories division produces innovative, top quality products under Battenfeld Technologies, Inc., including Caldwell® Shooting Supplies, Wheeler® Engineering, Tipton® Gun Cleaning Supplies, Frankford Arsenal® Reloading Tools, Lockdown® Vault Accessories, and Hooyman™ Premium Tree Saws. Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and Missouri. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com.
Top 5 AR optics under $500
You just bought an AR15, and because you’re a smart person, you bought a quality AR from a quality manufacturer like Colt or Smith & Wesson. Unfortunately, that means you’re out about $1,000 (unless you bought an M&P15 Sport), and you’ve only got $500 left to spend on an optic, because let’s face it your AR needs an optic. Luckily, we are in living in a pretty awesome world right now where decent glass is more affordable than ever. Here are 5 AR optics, each of which I or someone on staff has personal experience with for under $500 that I recommend. These are not presented in any particular order.
AR15s are not finicky maintenance queens
A lot of people on the internet have this idea in their heads that AR15s are these finicky, maintenance queens that need to be constantly cleaned and scraped free of any bit of debris lest they suffer a catastrophic malfunction. There are lot of reasons why people think this, but suffice to say it’s not true. Our buddy John from Ballistic Radio, with the help of Knight’s Armament and Freedom Munitions decided to show you how not true that was, so he shot 15,000 rounds through an AR15 without cleaning it, then dumped an entire bag of sand on it. (some NSFW language, so use your headphones)
KAC SR-15 MOD2 Sand Dump Test AFTER 15,000 rounds without cleaning… from Ballistic Radio on Vimeo.
Troy 45 degree offset BattleSights
Troy is now offering their BattleSight set on 45 degree offset mounts, perfect for your TacOps competition gun or a DMR rifle.
Rifles for home defense
There’s no question that the expert consensus on rifles for home defense is that they’re good to go. In the AR15 platform, a rifle offers a considerable amount of firepower, easy handling in tight quarters, and good shootability. Most members of the family over age 12 can quite likely handle a carbine and get good hits with it. However, if you do choose a rifle for home defense, here are some things you should remember.
Get a sling
A rifle without a sling is like a carry gun without a holster. In the event that you do need to use your hands for something while running a carbine, a sling means you don’t have to put the rifle on the deck, or somewhere out of your control. Let it hang (with control) and then take care of whatever needs taking care of.
Get a white light
If someone ever tells you that white lights will give away your position in a home defense scenario, you don’t need to listen to anything else they’re going to say after that. One of the drawbacks of a rifle means that you can’t hold a flashlight in your weak hand like you could with a pistol, so you definitely need a white light. But remember, whatever your white light gets pointed at, you’re also now pointing the muzzle of your gun at it. Learn your house and how to bounce the light off surfaces to provide illumination for searching and ID without muzzling things.
Rifles are high pressure and very loud
Cooking off an un-suppressed rifle indoors without hearing protection will absolutely cause hearing damage. The shorter the rifle, the louder it’s going to be. The best option to mitigate this issue is a suppressor, but that’s not necessarily realistic for most shooters. The next best option is to keep a set of electronic earpro next to your rack. However, if you have kids around whom you may need to fire the rifle? That presents a problem, because their ears are even more sensitive. At that point, going with a lower pressure/noise option like a shotgun may make sense.
Know what your ammo does after penetrating sheetrock
There are countless studies, some good and some bad on how rifle bullets behave after passing through common interior wallboard material. Generally speaking, overpenetration isn’t an issue with .223, as many commercially available rounds fragment/destabilize after penetrating wallboard. But, you should know what your round is going to do.
Figure out how you’re going to stage the rifle, and practice from that condition
There are quite a few options for how to stage an HD gun. Probably the most common is the rifle version of the ancient “cruiser ready” status. Fully loaded magazine inserted, no round in the chamber, safety off. You could also stage it in Condition 1, fully loaded and safety on, or even loaded mag, empty chamber, and safety on, so long as you rack the bolt on an empty chamber first. Whatever ready position you set your carbine in, make sure when you’re at the range practicing with it, you practice getting it in action from that condition.
Rifles are great tools for home defense. They might not be the perfect fit for everyone and every circumstance, but they’re an incredibly versatile and easy to employ platform. I’m sure there are plenty of other things to remember about using a rifle for HD, but hopefully this list will get you started.
Thinking outside the box
Getting guns ready for Crimson Trace M3GI is always an interesting prospect. Ideally, I’d be able to set everything up with a light and a laser, but that’s not always feasible. Some guns lack the rail space for both, or in the case of my VP9 it’s impossible to find a holster that fits. However, sometimes I get creative with mounts:
That’s a Crimson Trace Railmaster Pro mounted upside down on a Warne 45 degree off-set mount. If it looks derpy to you, don’t feel bad. It looks derpy to me. The problem with the 930 SPX is that there’s no forward rail space on the handguard, so I couldn’t slap the light/laser combo on further down the gun. I obviously couldn’t mount it on the top of the rail without obstructing the sights. I have a different mount for a traditional flashlight that goes on the magazine tube…but the tube is too thick for the mount.
So out comes the Warne 45 mount, and on goes the Railmaster. Now, I should note that I haven’t shot it yet, and I’ve certainly not used it in low/no light. So I don’t know how well it’s actually going to work. One of the things that happens a lot is a light set-up seems perfectly reasonable during the day, but then when you use it at night you suddenly get a ton of light bounce and can’t see anything. That’s a very real concern with this set-up.
I’ll find out for sure once I get to Oregon next week! Here are the guns and light/laser combos the team will be running at M3GI:
- Surefire Wrist Lights
- HK VP9 with Crimson Trace Red Railmaster laser
- S&W M&P with red Lasergrip
- MuttAR-15 with Railmaster Pro Green, Leupold 1×4 optic
- Troy Defense Lamb Carbine with Railmaster Pro Green, Burris 332 optic
- Mossberg 930 SPX with extended tube and Railmaster Pro
I’ll also bring along my trusty Winchester 1300 as a back-up gun for the SPX should something go wrong, but I don’t plan on using it in the match. This really is the only 3-gun match I shoot each year, and it’s one of the best events in the shooting sports. Crimson Trace gets great range staff, sets up great stages, and generally runs an absolutely top notch event.
We almost forgot about #pumpday
In all the excitement today, we almost forgot it’s PumpDay! So send those submissions in for next week to [email protected] to be featured!
Today we have one quick submission, it’s the Troy Pump Action Rifle! Designed for those pesky states that hate freedom, the Troy PAR is..well…it’s a Pump-Action AR15. And that’s pretty dope.