Chances are, you have a pretty good idea of what is cover, and what isn’t.  If you have been professionally trained, and that professional training was founded in this man’s reality, you have an even better idea of what cover is.  Problem is, you are probably in the minority.  What is and isn’t cover is factually misunderstood to a pretty high level of incompetence.  Many people simply believe that certain things are cover, certain things aren’t cover, and both beliefs are wrong depending on what object we are talking about.  As much as you may want to believe that a refrigerator or that spruce tree will stop incoming fire, neither have an NIJ rating so it’s a best guess scenario unless you’ve been lucky enough to attend a ballistics lab class, and by lucky I mean sought one out and went.

The fact is, your world is full of cover and concealment, and when it comes to teaching people the difference between the two, our industry actually does a pretty bad job; such a bad job that even industry professionals can’t quantify certain objects as cover even though they are demonstrably so.  Why?  Because there are different opinions on what qualifies as cover, and those opinions can be (and often are) driven by a reluctance to be wrong and an adherence to dogma from one camp or another.   Some of it is also based on personal experience (or lack thereof) and that feeds into the previous statement as well.

So let’s look at the definition of cover.

Cover is any object that will, with a high likelihood, stop incoming fire for an indeterminate amount of time.

That’s right; that which will stop bullets, will not do so forever.  Obviously it goes without saying that it’s going to take you a great deal of .308 to chip through a 600 pound granite boulder, but only a scant few to work through a red brick wall.  I’ve seen concrete filled cinder block stand up to less than a magazine of 5.56 before a usable hole was opened (it was about the size of a golf ball, but it was there).  Some objects are going to be better than others, some will last longer than others, and some objects, even though you may have never witnessed them being shot in person, or shot them yourself, by size, density and makeup, lend themselves to common sense as being cover (or at least highly likely).  I have personally never seen any caliber fired at a construction grader blade, but based on its material and purpose I can safely assume it would stop smaller calibers with ease.

So now that we are on the same page about what cover is, we can talk about what it isn’t.  Cover isn’t conveniently sized, conveniently placed, at a convenient distance, or always readily apparent.  Sometimes cover is a fire hydrant, or a concrete parking stop.  Sometimes cover is a pressure treated wire pole or maybe even a dumpster (which are usually good for handgun calibers, at least).  The situation in which you need cover, is going to dictate exactly what cover is present.

You may be asking yourself why this is even being discussed, and frankly I’d be right there with you if it was not for a recent uptick in conversations about vehicle courses and the use of cars as cover; see the car is a pretty common object to encounter, and certain parts of the car offer excellent cover, but that cover doesn’t meet some people’s definitions of cover, so they are dismissing the prudent practice of teaching those points of cover all together.  Let me be clear; nothing an average car offers is conveniently sized cover; but then, what is?

Small Cover Examples

There are parts of certain cars, such as the B pillar, that offer a good deal of cover, but the width of that cover can be as little as six inches.  Six inches isn’t much at all, but you know what? It’s better than nothing and the intelligent shooter would use it only if a better option was not readily available at the moment cover was needed.  Maybe the issue isn’t as much with some people teaching about cars as it is about a lack of critical thinking on the topic and of course, sacred cows being challenged.

My first introduction to cover was a concrete fox hole at Ft. Benning.  That was cover.  It was a lot of cover, and in addition to being a range training aid, it actually was cover…as opposed to nearly every other cover I have ever been trained on, or used to train students.

VTAC walls are not cover, blue barrels are not cover, particle board and 2×4’s are not cover, yet they are used worldwide to simulate cover.  Basically as teaching aides to teach students how to work in and around cover with whatever weapon is the topic of training.  Now it’s the instructors job to drive home what real life cover actually is, and talk about it to a point that a student has a strong understanding of what cover actually means.  This point is monumentally important since those VTAC walls and blue barrels are horrible representations of real life common cover objects.

You know what is cover?  Any car I roll onto a range to teach with.  You know how I know its cover?  Because we are going to shoot it.  All cars (cars being a catch-all colloquial term for light passenger vehicles to include; cars, sedans, trucks, SUVs, Vans, etc) are not created equal, but thanks to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, specifically their issued Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (parts 571, 583, 589 if you are interested in reading it) cites a number of features and standards that each vehicle sold must have and while not intended to provide ballistic protection by design, do so anyway.  Legally required cover; pretty damn awesome if you need it.  Don’t misunderstand me, a vehicle is not an ideal place to fight from, nor around, but we often don’t get to choose where a fight happens, and since a motor vehicle is a common object, it would be quite foolish to ignore any potential advantages they may provide.  So when I teach a student that the C pillar hub on a sedan can provide 8” of cover; that’s not nearly as much cover as provided by a VTAC wall, except one is a prop and the other isn’t.

We are going to shoot that car with handgun and rifle and show the results.  Every possible point of cover on the car body is going to be demonstrated.  Learning will occur.  What will also occur is an in-depth lecture on best practices and smart decisions regarding the use of a vehicle as cover.  You cant always get off the X.  Sometimes the vehicle is all there is.  There are some very vocal voices in the training world talking about fire and maneuver, or moving to superior cover, or shooting and moving and communicating.  These are all sound techniques when they are techniques that can be used.  Often all they do is presuppose that such things are possible in the moment or at all.

A single citizen, a solitary LEO, this is the lens I’m looking through.  If I’m speaking to the military I can presuppose a fire team, a squad, support vehicles, CAS, all manner of organized hate that can be exploited to stop an enemy.  These are not techniques for the man and wife, or the officer on a traffic stop in rural America or a parking lot in urban USA.  I cannot presuppose the presence of other cover when we talk about the car because that cover will not always be there; so we talk about the car.  We talk about the car, we demonstrate the car, and then we talk about other sources of cover.  That 8” of cover may not be much, and it may not be enough for someone who prefers the cover of a tree or hesco, but it might just be all there is for a few seconds, a few minutes, or at all.  For anyone with a realistic expectation of shooting around cars, it would be foolish to not go over this information and dispel the world of myths that are out there regarding vehicles.  Would you be shocked to learn that a 1960’s American sedan is less cover than a 2016 American sedan?   Because it is, thanks to better safety regulations on auto construction.  Meanwhile, plywood used for notch walls is largely the same as it was 50 years ago.

It is not convenient or possible in some cases to demo real world cover in classes, so it’s understandable that blue barrels and plywood rule the cover instruction world…but those shapes have a dark side and that dark side is teaching instructors and students alike that cover must be huge, much larger than the shooter, to be of any use.  We accept body armor in 10”x12” but turn our noses up at something that could be 6”x22”, 8”24”, 10”x30” worth of cover?   I’m up, he sees me, I’m down is a basic level of operation and presupposes that there’s somewhere to go, or time to go there.  I’m not in the business of planning how a student’s fight will happen, or what will be available for them when it does.  I’m also not in the business of ignoring instruction on a very common object just because not all of the cover it can provide is conveniently sized to one school of thought’s arbitrary dimensions.  I am in the business of teaching a student to identify the best cover for the moment, regardless of size, and considering it as an option.  I can roll a Crown Vic or a Camry onto a range; not so much the corner of a Wawas or the flower bed from in front of the local hospital.  I can go over the theory of cover, and demonstrate in person the cover provided by a car to people who want to know about fighting in and around cars and isn’t that part of what training is supposed to be, realistic as possible?

Cover is any object that can stop incoming fire for an indeterminate amount of time.  You’ll notice that there is no size included in that definition.  Size of cover is a luxury.  Multiple objects of cover to choose from are a luxury.  Superior cover in close distance is a luxury.  We want the luxuries of cover, but we must also be prepared to fight without them.   So if you are trying to shoe horn military tactics for cover into non-military settings, maybe question the mission and goal, because not everything translates.  In fact, very little does.  Everything I learned about cover in the Infantry was based on the premise of a fire team or squad or larger element.  If the foundation for using cover is based on the luxury of multiple team members, do those same techniques apply to the single officer or single mother?  Is the equipment, mission or environment the same?  No, likely it’s not.  You cannot repurpose military techniques for solo civilian use.  Sure it makes for good entertainment and a weekend warrior experience out in the woods, but it’s not nearly as useful as tailoring the lesson to the realities of the student, as opposed to pushing a tailored reality onto the memories of the student.

Cover just is.  We are better served talking about all of it that commonly exists, and helping the student plan around it than always wishing and driving for something that may not be there.

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In today’s world of mass shootings and terrorist attacks, an increasing number of people are looking to be prepared for such an event. Weapons and training should play a central role in that preparation, but so should gear. As threats have evolved so has the approach to being prepared – enter the plate carrier. Plates are one of those things that you really don’t need…until you do. Good rigs also give you options for attaching various pouches so your gear and ammo is where you need it, when you need it – on your person.

Police and Military personnel have worn body armor for years, and the reason for this is simple, it saves lives. I personally have a buddy that took a couple of AK rounds to the chest, and were it not for his ESAPIs, he probably wouldn’t have survived.

HighCom Trooper ACAP, image via HighCom

Having worn plate carriers for years I can say that they are not all created equal, and I was favorably impressed with the rig I’ve been playing with from HighCom Security. The first thing I do when trying out a new rig is to wear it: while working out, running, at the range, and on the job. I had the chance to run this system for several months and found it to be very rugged with absolutely no durability issues.

Initial Impressions

The main things I look for in a plate carrier are quality, functionality, and comfort. It has to be designed well, able to stand up to the rigors of daily hard use, not overly bulky, and fit well enough to wear for hours on end. The Trooper ACAP boasts many of the features you would see on a good plate carrier: MOLLE, drag handle, some Velcro front and back, and holds a set of plates securely. In addition, there were a few features that set it apart.

Design

There is plenty of MOLLE to attach whatever your heart desires and the top several inches is also Velcro covered for all of your cool guy patches. The vest is proportioned well and it didn’t restrict my mobility at all.

HighCom states that this carrier was designed for quick deployment situations, but I also found it to be very comfortable, even during the course of a 12 hour shift. There are several design features that I attribute to this.

First, the vest was designed with an overlapping cummerbund with a double overlap closure; this allowed it to be adjusted and snugged up comfortably. If a vest doesn’t fit well and flaps around while moving, it’s going to get replaced.

I like to wear my plates as high as possible. This gets the vest off my belt, keeps it from restricting my mobility, and most importantly, positions the plates directly over my vital organs.

The shoulder straps were easily adjustable to position the plates correctly and the movable pads eased the shoulder strain. The pads are also removable if you don’t like the bulk. One of my pet peeves is having big bulky shoulder straps on plate carriers. They make it very difficult to get the buttstock into your shoulder or to get a consistent cheek weld. However, even with these pads in place I didn’t experience any issues running a carbine.

Another feature that I appreciated from a comfort standpoint was that HighCom lined the area between the plates and your body with a thin layer of foam. This really kept the edges of the plates from digging in, which is particularly nice if you spend much time riding in vehicles. While the overlapping system and the foam insert did add some bulk to the vest, I would still consider it low profile, and it isn’t too obtrusive when worn under a loose fitting jacket.

Final Thoughts

There are a myriad of plate carriers out there. Some may have more options, some may be a bit lighter, but for an across the board option that is built well, wears very comfortably and is priced right, the Trooper ACAP is a solid performer. Grab a couple plates, slap on a mag pouch or two, add your patches, rubber band on a tourniquet, and you’ll have some serious peace of mind should the bullets ever start flying.

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At a recent town hall I held, several people said they wanted to explore smart gun technology to reduce accidents…Others mentioned liability reform to make sure those who are negligent with a gun are held financially responsible.

How many more times must this happen before we make this violence stop?

House Bills 4261-2, which would close the “open carry” loophole in state law to prohibit the open carry of firearms on the premises of schools, hospitals, day care centers, libraries and other sensitive public places.

The above three quotes are from a 24 February, 2016 article by Detroit Free Press guest writer and Democratic State Representative Jon Hoadley from Michigan’s 60th District regarding the recent and horrific killings that took place in Kalamazoo, MI.

The article is filled with the same political rhetoric that is used each time a firearm is used in the commission of a crime by those who would have good people disarmed.

I recently responded to a gem of an editorial by a “News Leader” at the Flint Journal where in a whirlwind of nonsense and emotion, the author clamored for the halt of all handgun sales because the tool of the crime was in fact a semi-automatic handgun. Both articles (one being at least far more well written than the other) revert back to the same stance that all freedom-loving Americans should be very concerned with: There are people out there who would have you continue to give up rights for the illusion of safety.

Cluelessness

Every time someone suggests a restriction on people’s rights because of the actions of a few, we must assume one of two things: Intentional Action or Gross Ignorance.

Mr. Hoadley, like every other politician who would have defensive rights of good people whittled away, chooses to pander to those who have no clue about firearms, why a free people should be armed, being a responsible gun owner, lawful use of force, and the God-given rights guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment.

We hear the usual buzzwords like: universal background checks, waiting periods, expansion of gun-free-zones, NRA, and my personal favorites – “High Capacity Clips” and “Barrel Shrouds.” You know, the “shoulder things that go up” according to Carolyn McCarthy.

Let’s not forget CA State Senator Kevin de Leon and his “ghost guns”

In today’s United States, we have politicians that literally get up in front of us and make statements to the tune of, “We have to pass the bill so we can find out what’s in it!” (Nancy Pelosi) and scarier yet, Americans that are perfectly ok with it.

Mr. Hoadley writes that in his recent town hall meeting he discussed his desire to explore “smart gun technology” to prevent accidents. Any person with a clue regarding the safe handling of firearms knows that the strict adherence to the established and practiced 4-life rules of firearms handling will prevent accidents and not break the bank. I find it humorous that in the history of stoves and the hundreds of thousands of people that have been badly burned, I don’t need to buy a stove with Apple’s HAL v2.0 operating system to ensure that I can cook dinner safely. Yes, yes, enemies of freedom, stoves (cars, baseball bats, hammers, acid, pressure cookers) weren’t designed to kill so my argument is invalid.

Just because this country is headed the way of “smart technology” for everything, it does not mean that the movie “Idiocracy” needs to move any closer to a documentary.

When we as grown adults find that a skill set in our lives is lacking, we train with the end goal of fixing the shortcoming. This can be seen in our teen driver’s training courses just like the one I attended at Loy Norrix High School decades ago. We as adults know that with time, dedication, and training that we can accomplish tasks properly in the course of our lives.

We educate our kids on pool safety, fire safety, driver safety, drug safety, reproductive safety, etc, etc, yet the mere suggestion that we (collectively) should provide firearms safety for all our valued young people sends outrage through the “morally superior” sheep who would demand their children be victims of crime or ignorance.

Others mentioned liability reform to make sure those who are negligent with a gun are held financially responsible.

It seems like the folks at Mr. Hoadley’s town hall meeting are new to this funny little litigious society that we have here in the ol’ US of A. Gun owners, like all of those who live in this country, can be held criminally AND civilly liable for almost any action that hurts another person and/or damages property. On top of the fact that all of us are subject to lawsuit at almost any time for looking wrong at an easily-offended delicate flower, gun owners are subject to THOUSANDS of laws just to exercise their Constitutionally protected right. Regardless of the weight of law that can be brought to bear on those who act irresponsibly or criminally with a firearm, there are those who would levy more law on their neighbors and at the same time, demand “leniency” for the “misunderstood youth” who violently attack others.

Cowardice

If we think about the many things that we as humans must become proficient in our lives to survive to adulthood, the task list is quite daunting. The ability to raise children, drive cars, work for a living, identify things that can help us and things that can hurt us, the list continues almost forever. One of the most beautiful things about the idea of freedom, is the right to choose what we will or will not adhere to – even knowing the consequence of our actions could prove fatal.

An adult who understands that they could become proficient in the use of firearms, understands that some threats can only be dealt with through the judicious use of deadly force with a firearm, adhere to the rules and laws governing a responsibly armed citizen, teach others about firearms, carry a firearm in public safely, and use a firearm to defend innocent life yet chooses NOT to do any of these things is doing exactly what a free person has the right to do.

What we should be concerned with is the grown adult that makes the choice to disregard all of the above yet has dependents that would be defenseless without them. It is common place for some ignorant Americans who choose not to be educated about firearms to take that stance as “morally superior” to those who would bear arms to defend themselves and others.

What is a person saying who has children and knows that they could choose to properly defend their family but would have them all victims of violence because “guns are bad?” Why would supposedly competent Americans allow their loved ones to be defenseless against evil-doers that care nothing for law or life?

Ignorance about the lawful use of firearms is just fine as long as we work to correct our shortfalls with educations and experience. Wanton, intentional disregard for the safety of our loved ones should raise red flags with all sides of the aisle.

Complicity

As mentioned previously, when anyone, especially a politician, makes a call to have the rights of their countrymen restricted further, (completely against their oath of office mind you) we must assume that the decision falls into two categories: Intentional Action or Gross Ignorance.

The first time that I wrote regarding Mr. Hoadley’s actions as a political involved the town hall meeting discussed in this editorial where a member of the MDFI alumni attempted to attend the meeting while lawfully armed (Church – open carrying with CPL) and was asked to disarm after 12 minutes (all recorded) in the building and after shaking Mr. Hoadleys hand.

Afterwards, Mr. Hoadley actually stopped by on Facebook to respond.

Politicians and those citizens who would have you disarmed (or have any rights taken away) who are well aware that criminals don’t care about laws, ignore gun free zone signage, look for unarmed victims, and have other hidden agendas are the biggest threat that we have in today’s America.

“Representatives” like Feinstein and Pelosi that shout from the podium to have your firearms seized while surrounded by men and women with guns are quickly labeled as hypocritical but most don’t truly delve into the real threat to free thinking citizens everywhere- they continue to get elected.

In his article, Mr. Hoadley outlines several headlines from proposed “Common Sense” legislation that work ONLY to restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens while doing nothing to actually stop gun crime:

House Bills 4261-2, which would close the “open carry” loophole in state law to prohibit the open carry of firearms on the premises of schools, hospitals, day care centers, libraries and other sensitive public places.

Common Sense Answer: Open Carry is not a loophole. Citizens have the right to be armed anywhere in public. Criminals, as outlined by every shooting in gun-free zones around the country could give a rat’s ass about your imaginary line legislation. Law abiding armed citizens are assets.

HBs 4590, 4591 and 4592, which would close the private sale loophole to require universal background checks in Michigan.

Common Sense Answer: Maybe not convenient for your article, but the alleged Kalamazoo shooter evidently (the investigation is still ongoing) passed not only a background check for his gun (Federal) but also a background check for his Uber employment (private). Please let me know how many more background checks you think will prove my point. (If only background checks were required for TSA…I digress.)

HBs 4942-3, which would create a Gun Violence Restraining Order allowing for the removal of firearms from those whom are identified as someone clearly troubled and susceptible of doing harm to themselves and/or others.

Common Sense Answer: When a judge issues a restraining order on a citizen, they take into account the fact that they are removing constitutionally protected rights (firearms) from that person and they only do so under weight of evidence, as all Americans should expect under due process. Any attempt to make the removal of rights possible based on “hearsay,” or no evidence is criminal (and possible in California.)

HBs 4944-5, which would allow schools, hospitals, day care centers, places of worship and other such places to prohibit the open carry of firearms on their property.

Common Sense Answer: As a Constitutional Libertarian who values all citizen rights (just like a politician should…you know, like the oath they took stated), private establishments should have the ability to govern their property however they like (like the ability to have smoking in their bar without government overreach) but on public property, citizens’ rights trump the desires of those who disagree.

In closing on what should be a much longer discussion, we as responsible citizens must continue to get involved with our rights and engage those who would have them removed.

Our challenge is sifting through the statements made by those who would have you disarmed through the stroke of a pen, and at the muzzle of a gun, to find out if their actions are that of someone in power without a clue, or a person bent on forcing agenda on their fellow man.

Mr. Hoadley stated, “We often hear that all it takes to stop a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with one. Dalton was a good guy – until the moment he wasn’t.”

Then why, Mr. Hoadley, would you ask me to be anywhere with people you say are “ok” in a place where you have made me defenseless?

Food for thought.

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JF Blades is a custom knife shop run by Josh Frey in small town California. I discovered Josh on Instagram a year or two ago, started following and then decided I had to try out a Hybrid.

The Hybrid, now on version 2, is a small to medium (smedium?) fixed blade knife coming in at under 8″ in overall length with a 3.5″ cutting edge. I have both the original Hybrid, and the improved Hybrid 2.0. Version 2 of the Hybrid added some ergonomic improvements, and changed the blade steel from 1084 to A2. I’ve been carrying the Hybrid nearly every day for many months now, and it has become one of my absolute favorite fixed blade knives for its functionality and versatility.

Specs

Blade and Steel

The Hybrid is made from A2 Tool Steel, which I’m very happy with after months and months of hard use. A2 is an air hardened, high carbon steel with a good combination of strength and toughness. You can check out the technical data on A2 steel here, but charts can only tell you so much in my opinion. Heat treat, blade design and thickness, edge geometry, etc, all play a role in how the final product performs, so the only way to truly know how a knife will perform is to use it. More on that in a bit.

High carbon steel of course will rust more easily than a “stainless” steel, which isn’t a big deal, but something to be aware of. For example, my Hybrid developed a bit of light surface rust following an antelope hunt last fall, but that was because I didn’t get all of the blood cleaned off after use. Take care of your blade and it will take care of you.

The blade shape is a simple and highly functional design. There are no crazy compound grinds, which look great but are less than functional in most real world use. It has a clean, high flat grind, a good amount of belly, and a gentle sweep up to a very useful and strong drop point. The Hybrid also has a 90 degree sharp spine for striking a fire steel, which works great.

Edge retention on my Hybrid has been great, and the A2 steel isn’t hard to bring back to life when it’s time to touch up the edge.

Thickness

The Hybrid has a blade thickness of .135″, which is one of the reasons I was drawn to the design originally. The Hybrid’s thinner blade is a welcome departure from what appears to be an industry trend towards thicker knives marketed for survival/hunting/wilderness use. Talking to Josh and some other knife makers, it sounds like the reason for this “thicker is better” trend is simple: overbuilt knives sell. For whatever reason, guys just seem to like them.

Now that’s all fine and dandy, to each their own, but it tells me that most people aren’t actually using their knives for anything other than cutting tape off boxes, because if they were, they’d know that thicker does not equal better in most applications. All other things being equal (grind, steel, edge geometry, etc), a thinner blade will slice and cut better, and do it with less weight. About the only application where a thicker, heavier knife is better is chopping, which I almost never do with a knife.

Handle and Ergonomics

JF Blades Hybrid 2.0 handle and sheath

The Hybrid handle comes with a few options. For handle material, you can choose either canvas or linen Micarta, with G10 liners as an option, and either standard (pictured here) or scalloped (textured).

Both standard and scalloped feel great in hand, ergonomics are spot on even in prolonged use. No excess rubbing or hot spots, especially with the standard, non-textured handle scales.

In Use

As I mentioned, I’ve been carrying the Hybrid for months. I’ve carried it with me on countless wilderness outings and hunting trips, gutted and skinned game, processed kindling for I don’t know how many fires, prepared food, processed an antelope, etc.

My buddy debreasting a wild turkey with version 1 of the Hybrid

The Hybrid has really lived up to its name as a do it all blade. It strikes a great balance between a large survival knife and a smaller hunting/skinning knife, and still manages to be very useful in both respects. It’s not a large chopper, obviously, but it can do just about everything else.

Field dressing a Montana antelope, fall 2015

Wrapping Up

I really can’t recommend the Hybrid highly enough for everything from daily utility work to hiking, hunting, and other wilderness use. At the time of writing, you can order a Hybrid for $185, which is less than some production competitive options. That’s an incredible price for such a great custom knife. If you’re smart, you’ll order two, put one on your belt and the other in your bug out/hunting bag.

JF Blades – Web, Instagram, YouTube

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There are a lot of ways to carry spare magazines these days, both rifle and pistol. When choosing a mag pouch/carrier for your rifle or pistol mags, there are basically two approaches. You can get pouches made specifically for your mags, like from a custom Kydex shop, or you can get “universal” pouches that will fit a wide variety of mags, as well as other things besides mags.

G-Code Scorpion, image via G-Code

One of the best, if not the best, universal mag pouches is the G-Code Scorpion Series of mag carriers. Scorpion pouches are made from Kydex with binding cord holding the Kydex pieces together. The interior of Scorpion pouches are lined with Tactical Fuzz, the same material used on their popular INCOG holster, which provides friction to help retain the mag, as well as masking noise on the draw.

One Size Fits All

The G-Code Scorpion mag pouches are a “one size fits all” affair within category – double stack pistol mag, single stack pistol mag, 5.56 mags, and 7.62 mags. So, for example, if you buy a 5.56 Scorpion mag pouch, it will fit all manner of 5.56 mags: USGI, Magpul, Lancer, etc.

Lancer rifle mag, Magpul rifle mag, flashlight, Glock pistol mag

The same goes for pistol mags, double and single stack.

Modular

Scorpion pouches are also modular – they can be worn stacked, are ambidextrous and RTI compatible, and can integrate with all G-Code mounting accessories.

G-Code Scorpion, image via G-Code

G-Code Scorpion Mounting Options, image via G-Code

Durability and Retention

Scorpion pouches are as durable as you would expect from a Kydex product. I’m a few months in, and you can barely tell I’ve used my pouches. Another thing I like about them is that if they get muddy from use, just take them off your belt or carrier, hose them off and let them dry. Done.

Retention is of course relative, everyone has their own preference. I’ve found the Scorpion retention spot on - I haven’t had any problems with mags coming out doing drills or while running. If the Tactical Fuzz along with the cordage adjustment don’t give you the retention you need, you could always rig up additional retention with shock cord.

Wrapping Up

G-Code Scorpion mag pouches are simple, durable, modular, and affordable. You can buy a set of pouches for your rifle and pistol, and if you make a gear change somewhere along the line, chances are you won’t have to worry about also changing your mag pouches. To me that’s a win. Check out the G-Code Scorpion line, I think you’ll be glad you did.

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Five years ago, US Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed by criminals who obtained weapons supplied by Operation Fast and Furious. Five years later, we still don’t have answers.

You might remember Trek’s Trek, 2,000 Miles for the Brian Terry Foundation. One man and his bike, raising awareness and funds to support the Brian Terry Foundation (BTF). It was a pretty epic journey that Trek will likely never forget. Well today Trek is back, this time sans bike, with the announcement below of the second Danger Zone Auction, an auction starting in January to raise money for the BTF.

The Danger Zone Auction will be two parts: one part will be live at SHOT Show 2016, and the second part will be online at GunBroker.com starting January 2. There are a LOT of items up for bid, and each item will have its own auction page where anyone with a GunBoker account will be able to participate (GunBroker accounts are free). Each auction will terminate at midnight PST on January 21, which is the night of the Danger Zone event at SHOT Show.

Stay tuned for more information on how you can bid on some great gear to support an even better cause, and check out the press release below.

DANGER ZONE AUCTION

TO BENEFIT THE BRIAN TERRY FOUNDATION

It has been 5 long years since US Border Patrol Agent Brian A Terry’s life was taken by criminals armed with weapons supplied by the US Government’ failed OPERATION: FAST AND FURIOUS. Since then, only foreign actors involved in the killing have been brought to trial and convicted in US courts. To this day, not a single member of our government has been held accountable for their roles in an operation that armed narco-terror groups and cost the lives of hundreds if not thousands of innocents including Brian Terry. At every turn, powers that be in our own administration continue to keep answers from the family of a man who gave all for his nation.

Today, Brian’s family continue their quest for answers all while working to ensure that the legacy of Brian A Terry remain in the forefront of Americans everywhere. A Marine, small-town cop, Border Patrol Agent, and member of the esteemed BORTAC, Brian was the epitome of a patriot looking only to make the world a better place. The Brian Terry Foundation continues that legacy in its many missions. 100% volunteer run by Brian’s family, the BTF fights to get answers and accountability regarding Brian’s murder, offers scholarships to young people on their quest to become law enforcement officers, and gives assistance to the families of fallen Border Patrol agents in need.

Starting on 2 January, 2016, the Brian Terry Foundation with the help from ATEi of Michigan, Dark Angel Medical of Colorado, 88 Tactical of Nebraska, American Defense Manufacturing of Wisconsin, and Ballistic Radio of Ohio are teaming up with dozens of other companies to kick off the 2nd annual Danger Zone Auction to benefit the Brian Terry Foundation.

Throughout January, all Americans will have the opportunity to join an amazing fundraising auction that will continue to fund the BTF for years!  The online superpower GunBroker.com has generously offered the use of their site fee-free where over 50 items from across the firearms and firearm training industry will auctioned off and 100% of the proceeds heading to the Brian Terry Foundation.

If you are interested in joining the happenings at the Danger Zone auction, learning more about the life and legacy of Brian A Terry, or donating direct to the foundation, please check out HonorBrianTerry.com and follow the foundation on Facebook.

We want answers. With your help, we’ll get them.

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Stamp collectors, take notice. Griffin Armament announced a new silencer (suppressor if you prefer that term) today named the Optimus that looks pretty awesome.

New for winter 2015 – the Griffin Optimus provides competitive flagship like performance across calibers from .22lr to .300 Winchester Magnum. With the full size configuration, (optional) mid-size config, pistol config, 3-lug config, and direct thread configurations possible, the Optimus provides unparalleled versatility to suppress a seemingly impossible assortment of firearms.

One can that works from .22 LR to .300 Win Mag, and is even handgun compatible, with an MSRP of $1,095. Check out the video below.

At the time of writing, I didn’t see the Optimus listed on the Griffin Armament website, but you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about availability.

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Back when I was a uniformed patrol officer, I wore my concealable soft armor underneath my uniform, like many cops still do.  It can be extremely uncomfortable and gets warm very quickly.  I remember being drenched in sweat after a foot chase or wrestling match with a suspect, then having to sit in front of a computer in my hot, smelly vest to finish the paperwork.  It would have been great if my armor had been worn in an external carrier allowing me to remove it and cool off without going all “Magic Mike” with my uniform shirt.  Fortunately for uniformed law enforcement and security personnel, more and more departments are authorizing the use of external armor carriers.

There are a lot of external armor carriers on the market.  Most of them are designed around military armor sizing standards like SPEAR/BALCS cut armor panels or ESAPI hard armor plates.  This can be an issue for law enforcement officers that are issued concealable soft armor.  These armor panels are cut for low visibility and are generally designed to be worn under a uniform shirt or other clothing.  So the sizes and shapes of these panels can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and presents a problem when looking for a properly fitted external carrier.

Several companies make “universal” armor carriers that are shaped to allow different types of soft armor panels to fit inside them.  Having worn several of these carriers, I have found that sometimes my armor panels are very loose inside certain carriers and will jostle around inside the vest.  I have also worn “universal” carriers where I had to fold the ends of my armor panels just to get them to fit.

Blauer has come up with a practical and innovative solution to this problem with their ArmorSkin line of products.  This line includes an ArmorSkin carrier that looks like a traditional uniform shirt, ArmorSkin base shirts in short and long sleeve variants, and the topic of this review, the ArmorSkin Tactical Vest Carrier.  Where other vests require that you remove your soft armor panels from their original carrier, the Blauer vests allow you to simply install your original carrier inside of the Blauer vest.  This means that you can adjust your armor to fit you the same way it did when you wore it under your uniform, only now you have the ArmorSkin carrier as a shell on top of that.  Relying on your original carrier straps ensures you can get the right fit.

Testing

I started testing by setting up the TacVest and hitting the range.  I spent time running pistol, shotgun, and rifle drills to help evaluate how all the features of the vest worked for me with different weapons systems and in different situations.

After wearing the vest for firearms and CQB training, I decided to use it on duty to see how it worked out.  I volunteered to assist with some take-downs using marked units and uniformed officers.  I found that the navy blue ArmorSkin vest matches perfectly with the Blauer uniform pants and shirt.  Despite being covered in MOLLE, the ArmorSkin TacVest still managed to give a professional, uniform appearance.

It was great having most of my police equipment placed on the ArmorSkin TacVest because it took a little weight off of my duty belt and also allowed me to access some of my equipment more readily while sitting inside of a vehicle.  During my duty time with the vest I did not come across any issues with fit, function, or quality.  I did not really even notice the small bit of play between my equipment pouches and the vest caused by the administrative pockets.

The only thing about the TacVest I did not like was that it does not accept hard armor plates.  When I was a patrol officer I had a plate carrier in the trunk in case I came up against a suspect with a rifle or ran into some sort of active shooter situation.  I was able to just throw this external plate carrier over my slick soft armor and uniform shirt.  Wearing the TacVest though, this would not be possible because you already have a carrier on with all sorts of pouches and accessories attached to it.  It would be impractical to throw another vest over all of that.  If Blauer can think of a way to add hard armor pockets to this vest, it would truly do it all.

Features

The ArmorSkin TacVest is made of rip-stop nylon and feels to be tough and well constructed.  The vest is covered in PALS webbing on the front and rear panels but remain slick on the sides.  The webbing is sewn evenly and consistently and held up tightly during my testing.

On either shoulder of the vest are grip pads for stabilizing long guns during use.  I found that the grip pads work well and did aid grabbing the butt stocks of my rifle and shotgun while shooting.  During shoulder transition drills with the rifle and occasionally when firing from alternative positions, I found that sometimes the butt of my rifle would engage the grip pad before I really had it tucked in to the exact position I needed.  Normally I’d be able to adjust by just fluidly sliding the butt stock of my rifle incrementally.  Sometimes with the Blauer vest, the grip pads worked a little too well and the rifle was locked in to whatever positions it was in.  The grip pads truly shine when using your shotgun.  Though thin and unobtrusive, the grip pads seemed to provide just enough cushion to make high round count shotgun training just a little easier on my shoulders.

The TacVest features two thin rows of hook material on the front and back of the vest for adding identification patches.  I originally thought these rows were also MOLLE but realized they were not when I attempted to attach a small admin pouch to them.  It would have been nice if these rows of hook had also retained function as pals webbing but after getting the vest set up I really did not miss those rows too much.

There are two internal pockets in the front of the vest.  I tried to place a Motorola APX 7000 in to the radio pocket on the right but had a few issues.  When using the shorter battery, the radio sat too deeply into the pocket and I could not access the transmit button.  When I switched to the longer battery, the radio sat higher and I could reach the top third of the transmit button, however the elastic retention strap sewn in to the vest was too short to close over the radio.  So if you plan to use this pocket for a radio you may want need to use a Push-To-Talk (PTT) or an external microphone/speaker.

I opted to just attach a modular radio pouch via MOLLE.  The pocket on the left would be a great place for pens, handcuff key, small notebook, or other items.  The interior of the pocket is very slick though and there is nothing to secure the pocket closed.  So I would not recommend tossing your cellular phone or anything valuable in there.  I feel these pockets would have been more useful if they could zippered shut or secured with hook and loop.  It should also be noted that the pockets cause there to be a slight amount of play when you attach pouches.

The zippers on both sides of the vest are high quality, YKK hardware and should hold up to rough use for years.  The side panels are made of a breathable, stretch material.  This allows for some of that hot air inside your armor to vent out a little, and the elasticity of the fabric allow the vest to expand and contract with your breathing… also great if you are in to fad dieting but eventually just go back to donuts.

Wrapping Up

Overall I think Blauer has a really great product here in the ArmorSkin TacVest.  It looks at home over a Blauer base shirt, uniform shirt, or even over a t-shirt.  It accommodates an incredibly wide range of armor shapes and offers plenty of MOLLE real estate to configure for different uses.  I can see this vest being used by uniform patrol officers, proactive teams, or even plain-clothes detectives that need to throw on soft armor and equipment very quickly before taking enforcement action.

Though there are very minor changes I would like to see in the design, I had no issues with the vest in practical use and would be completely happy if I was issued this vest for duty.  This thing can fulfill just about any law enforcement role you need it to.  So if you are looking for a versatile armor carrier but do not need to wear hard armor plates, chances are that the Blauer ArmorSkin TacVest can do the job for you.

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Griffin Armament is now shipping the new 30SD (mod2) Suppressor. Completely redesigned for increased strength and durability, the 30SD features a tube “chassis” machined entirely from billet 17-4 with an integral blast chamber and front mount support.  Additionally, the new 30SD features a Patent Pending fluting that increases surface area by 40%, which leads to increased cooling efficiency and durability.  This fluting also increases strength-to-weight ratio allowing a stronger suppressor to be made to weight specifications of weaker silencers.

The patent pending baffle system ensures industry leading sound performance.  Many QD systems on the market feature metal on metal ratcheting components prone to wear by design.  The Griffin SDQD interface eliminates the possibility of wear by use of its heavy duty spring plate/ locking gate system.  Near infinite attachments are possible without wear to the SDQD interface.  Upon request from elite tactical units, a low profile flash suppressor was also integrated to further reduce flash signature.  Included with the 30SD is a 2 port 30 caliber muzzle brake, and for a limited time, when purchased through SilencerShop.com, an additional 5.56mm M4SD Hammer Comp mount is provided. Griffin Armament has maintained pricing on the 30SD silencer despite numerous performance upgrades in the interest of customer satisfaction.

Features

Fluted Tube Chassis for increased strength, cooling, and service life

• Tuned baffling improves multi-cal performance
• Integral low-profile flash suppressor
• Ratings – RECCE 7:
  – 7.5″ 5.56mm
  – 8″ 300BLK
  – 8″ 7.62×39
  – 8″ 6.8SPC
  – 12.5″ 7.62×51
• 24” 300WM
• TIG Fusion Welded
• Repeatable POI shift
• Wear Free QD System
• 30SD 2 Port Brake Included
• 5.56mm M4SD Hammer Comp included for limited time at SilencerShop.com
• Silencer Pouch included

Griffin Armament 30SD (7.62mm) QD Suppressor

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If you need a plate carrier, this one is for you. The folks at Shellback Tactical have the Banshee plate carrier back in stock, and sent over a discount code for Monderno readers.

Shellback Tactical Banshee, photo via Shellback

The Shellback Tactical Banshee is a low profile PC that is available in Black, Coyote, Multicam and Ranger Green.

Specs

• 500D Cordura
• Lightweight Shoulder Pads Included
• New Color Options
• Lighter than before
• The most advanced plate carrier to outperform anything on the market and withstand whatever you throw at it.
• Extreme versatility with several PALS web attachment points covering the front, back and shoulders of the vest.
• Fully adjustable and padded front, back and shoulder areas.
• Two area of loop for identifiers
• Fits over soft body armor/Uniforms
• Heavy Duty bar tacking at key stress points
• Wire, antenna or hydration hose guides
• Removable Cummerbund with interior and exterior PALS for side plates
• Low Profile/ Lightweight
• Quick Release Buckle secondary securing system
• Drag Handle
• Made in the USA
• Lifetime Warranty
• Dimensions of the Cummerbund each side that accepts soft armor 17in x 6in
• Weight of the BANSHEE empty 2lbs 5 oz
• Will accept up to 10×12 Level 3 and 4 ESAPI OR SIMILAR PLATES and Plate Backers. Currently, the pockets will not accept the XL ESAPI plates.

Discount Code

Use the coupon code monderno15 at checkout to receive 15% off your Banshee purchase at the Shellback Tactical website.

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