Ceramic Vs. Metal Plates

There's no telling when a fire fight might break out, and being prepared is what will give you the advantage and the ability to go home that night. The best course of action is to avoid getting shot, but should that happen, you want to be wearing some body armor. It comes down to 2 choices, ceramic or metal plates.

Ceramic plates are the most common form of armor you will see. These plates can offer you level 4 protection at a fraction of the weight of their metal counterparts. This is a big benefit when you might have to be humping into your destination with a ruck and other gear. If a fire fight does erupt, they allow for you to be much more maneuverable. The downside to these is that they shatter should they get hit, sometimes even if they are dropped on the floor. That being said, they will take a round or two but after that you are vulnerable. Also, they are bulky which means that it could cause some gear issues if you are not use to it.

Metal plates are the exact opposite in almost every way. They are slim, but heavy and harder to maneuver in. The primary benefit to these plates is that if you are getting lit up, which is not desirable or recommended, they will be able to take multiple rounds depending on the caliber. The drawback to these, however, is that should you get hit, the round can potentially fragment and shoot up to your face or lower extremities causing damage or possibly death.

The best course of action is to not get hit, but should that happen, you want to have the right equipment to get you out of that situation in one piece. Given the choice, I will always choose ceramic plates over metal. My intentions are not to get hit, therefore I don't need a heavy metal plate that can take a lot of rounds. I would much rather run with the ceramic and should I get hit, be able to bounce back and move quickly to cover.

Love for Molle Belts

I use to always go into the field with my BlackHawk S.T.R.I.K.E. vest and it worked great! That was until the summer months came and coupled with a layer of clothing and armor underneath, it got pretty hot at times. Somedays, I would drink up my entire Camelback and still have another half of the shift left to go. I started searching for other options to aleviate the discomfort of profusive sweating, and that brought me to the padded molle belt.

When I first started to consider switching to a padded belt, the CDI (Chicks Dig It) factor was holding me captive to my original vest set up. Finally, I decided to take the lunge and took all the essentials I needed for work and strapped them on to my BlackHawk Padded Patrol Belt. It only took an instant to notice how much lighter and more agile I felt without having gear clunking around in front of me, not to mention the relief in body temperature. I instantly became a fan!

After wearing my belt in the field for some time, I noticed one major flaw, it loosened up on it's own! There were times that I would be on patrol and I would have to stop in order to tighten up my belt so it didn't drag around my thighs. It was getting to the point where I considered reverting back to my vest and forgetting all about the belt idea when I discovered High Speed Gear Inc's Sure-Grip Padded Gear Belt.

Unlike the Padded Patrol Belt, the Sure Grip features neoprene on the inside of the belt. This keeps it securely in place once it is on and adds an extra level of comfort to the user. It has enough columns of molle built into it to comfortably carry your equipment. On mine I have my flashbang, pistol, med pouch, two Fast-Mags, knife and radio. The best feature about this belt as opposed to other molle belts is that the inner belt is velcroed in place for a secure fit. After I started using this belt, I knew that my days of using the chest rig was done!

As I said before, I reccomend the molle belts as a way of carrying your essential mission equipment. Depending on the nature of the situation you may want to carry more equipment such as magazines if you are serving a high risk warrant. When the summer months are hot, however, and you just need the essentials, I highly reccomend the molle belt as a way to stay cool and travel lighter. Stay safe!

Survival Bracelets: What to Look For

A new trend in gear is the 550 cord survival bracelets. These are nifty little gadgets that can supply you with varying amounts of 550 cord if need any, and you never know when that might be. Before you go buying the coolest looking one though, take a moment to make sure you are getting the best quality for your buck.

First, take a look at how many different colors of cord is in the bracelet. If there multiple colors, it means that the cords are fused at some point and the integrity of the 550lbs test has been compromised. Instead, look for bracelets that are one color and made from one strand of 550 cord.

Don't pay extra for the buckle! Some companies make bracelets using stainless steel latches. While these are very secure, you could save yourself the money by purchasing one with a plastic buckle instead. Just make sure that the buckle is strong enough that you can't just pull it apart.

Make sure it the cord is made in the USA! Other countries like China make knock off versions of 550 cord, but American made paracord still requires it to withstand a 550lbs test. If it doesn't have this stamp of approval, don't waste your time or money.

Paracord bracelets are a very simple piece of gear that is always handy to have on hand. With a little practice, you can make your own. There are plenty of YouTube videos out there that tell you how, but if you are going to purchase one, follow these simple notes to ensure that you are getting a quality product.

5 Quick Upgrades to Improve Your AR-15 Performance

The AR-15 is perhaps the most dynamic and customizable weapon system on the free market today. The amount of gear you can slap on this war horse is almost endless and can become pretty pricey, but how much do you really need to improve how your weapon handles? The truth is that you only need 5 pieces of gear (most relatively cheap) to instantly improve your AR; a sling, foregrip, buffer, buffer spring, and a muzzle break. Before you go investing in that spendy ACOG or EOTech you've been eyeing, try these products first.

The Sling (APRX $30):

The sling is commonly associated as being the means by which you carry your weapon, but if utilized correctly it can provide support to counter the recoil. While slings come in multiple makes and models, I prefer the 2-point slings because of their versatility and simplicity. I’ve ran with the Viking Tactics 2-point sling for years and I love it! To turn your sling into a support base for your shooting position, all you have to do is tighten it to reduce the play in your rifle when aiming down the sights. When preparing to shoot, you should be using a little muscle to keep the sights steady. This is when you know that you have a steady base to shoot from.

The Foregrip: (APRX $65):

Adding a fore grip to your AR-15 will instantly provide you with a steady place to put your support hand on to allow for faster sight acquisition and stability. I am a huge fan of the Tango Down stubby vertical grip. I feels more natural in the hand and the bottom unscrews to allow for storage of extra batteries for electronics. If you do not like the vertical grips, Magpul makes an angled grip that relieves wrist strain for those who prefer not to install traditional foregrips. This is a simple part that takes approximately a minute to install and can benefit the shooter almost immediately. I talk more about the proper use of the foregrip in my post, You're Using Your Foregrip Wrong! Here's Why...

The Buffer (APRX $20-30)

Here is where it starts getting fun because this is a quick swap that will noticeably reduce your recoil the next time you shoot. The manufacturer's buffer, in my opinion, is just a little too light. Installing a heavier buffer will reduce the amount of force being thrown back at you when you shoot since there is more resistance because of the increased weight. If you look at the flat end of it in a Colt AR-15 for example, you will probably see something to the effect of “H1.” This is the lightest buffer they install in their AR's. The next heaviest buffer plug would be the H2. They do make H3 buffers that are the heaviest, but I would shy away from these as they have just a little too much weight for the common AR-15. There are a few other buffer out there, but the one I prefer is the Spike's ST-T2 buffer because it uses tungsten powder as opposed to weights. Just a personal preference, but I am happy with it's results.

The Buffer Spring (APRX $8)

Of course with your heavier buffer, you are going to need a better buffer spring to go along with it. I'll save you all hours of researching and tell you to just go with the Sprinco Blue Spring. This is just strong enough to counter the added weight without causing cycling issues. To date I have put around 3,000 rounds through my AR-15 using the Blue Spring, and I've yet to have ANY issues with it. I have heard of some people using their Red Spring, which is heavier, but I don't see a need for any extra resistance that could cause malfunctions. Even if you don't plan on getting a heavier buffer, the buffer spring needs to be replaced eventually, so take my advice and get yourself a Sprinco Blue Spring.

The Muzzle Break ($135-165):

Muzzle breaks come in many forms from multiple manufacturer's (I'm currently running the SureFire MB556K on mine and I love it!) but they are all intended to reduce the recoil for fast follow-up shots. This is the only part I have listed here that you may consider pricey depending on your budget, but unlike all the other goodies I've talked about, this is the one mod that will drastically boost your shooting performance. Muzzle Breaks are fairly easy to install given the right equipment such as the Hammerhead Rifle Tool. Simply unscrew the existing muzzle break, add the necessary washers, apply a little lock tight, and screw your new break on. This is the most crucial product you will need if your aim is to minimize the felt recoil of your rifle. It makes the weapon a dream to shoot and your follow up shots will dramatically improve!

By installing this equipment on your AR-15, you will be well on your way to better shooting and sitting on Cloud 9 in control heaven! I hope that the named gear suggestions I have made will help you in your search and that the next time you are at the range you will have a better confidence in your weapon and shooting ability.

You're Using Your Foregrip Wrong! Here's Why...

Nothing triggers my pet peeve nerve more than seeing someone on the firing line who looks like their are trying to strangle their foregrip. It is an all too common mistake that significantly reduces the effectiveness that having a foregrip can produce. I know many AR shooters who have foregrips on their weapon system and they utilize it in this manner. Before you start running a foregrip or before you continue teaching yourself bad habits, allow me to correct you...

The Correct Method:


First of all, the foregrip should be placed on the bottom of your weapon system (yes, sadly I have seen them mounted on the side) and they should be located as far forward to the tip of the barrel as possible. Now, instead of gripping it, use it as support for your lower three fingers on your support hand. If you have a swivel mount for your sling, you can create a nice nook for your thumb and forefinger if you have it placed just above the foregrip. You will notice that your hands are now in the same configuration as if you were shooting a pistol, just farther apart.





   

WRONG!





CORRECT



       

        CORRECT
           (reverse angle)

Why This is Correct:

If you grip the foregrip with the whole fist, you are doing little to improve your accuracy or stability. The fist grip creates a bend in your elbow that will be a focal point for the recoil and it will take longer for follow up shots. If the foregrip is located closer to the magazine well, the recoil will be hardly be reduced at all as there is much of the rifle that is uncontrolled. Although it may look cool having the foregrip farther back, the energy generated from your shot will cause your point of aim to be thrown off. Having your support hand in the position I have described will allow you to quickly attain your sight acquisition and manage the recoil as there is little left of the weapon that you do not have control of.

Now that you are fortified with the knowledge of the correct posture for utilizing the foregrip, you can correct your buddies and see for yourself how they will instantly improve on the firing line. Have fun training and shoot straight!

Faster Reloads with the Magpul B.A.D. Lever

You can clutter your AR with a plethora of gadgets that to help it function better, but what happens when your weapon runs dry and the fight still rages on? You have to get your weapon up and running and get back on the trigger. The time it takes to reload could be the difference between going home that day or taking a long dirt nap. A fast reload is the product of repetitive practice and drills, but the Magpul B.A.D. Lever has made this process slightly faster and can save the operator valuable seconds when they are needed the most. Those that run with the B.A.D. Lever have found it to be invaluable to their reload speeds and with a $30 price tag, it is one of the cheapest pieces of equipment you could add to your AR furniture.

The B.A.D. Lever allows for the operator to control the bolt release on the left hand side of the weapon with your trigger finger on the right. It takes minutes to install and as the name implies, it does this by utilizing a lever. When the weapon runs dry, the lever will lock out and once you insert a fresh mag, you can operate the B.A.D. Lever with a simple flick of the trigger finger. Unfortunately for you lefties out there, this product won't be of much use to you on a standard AR, but for righties, it is a godsend!

I started running with the B.A.D. Lever three years ago. Like any new piece of gear, mishaps were to be expected. I would sometimes hit the lever prematurely and send the bolt forward before my mag was set and would have to use the charging handle to reload. Over time and with practice, I began to enjoy the benefits of this device. On the firing line it became obvious how much faster it had made me when I compared myself to my teammates. Let me tell you, it's a good feeling when you are up and running while your buddy next to you is still fumbling to hit his bolt release!

The Magpul B.A.D. Lever is a simple and reliable product in a market that is otherwise cluttered with more complex pieces of gear. It's price makes it a must for anyone looking to speed up their reloads and get back in the fight. If you haven't tried the B.A.D. Lever yet, do yourself and your team a favor and test it out for yourself!