MAR2021
CONTENTS 4 TOP LEVEL TRAINING - WOFT: FOR THOSE WHO REGULARLY TRAIN ON AND OFF THE RANGE, HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT’S NEXT? TRAMPAS LEADS OFF THIS ISSUE AND BREAKS THE FIRST RULE OF FIGHT CLUB CHECKING OUT AND TELLING ALL WHAT LIES BEHIND THE DOORS OF A TIER 1 TRAINING FACILITY CALLED WEST ORLANDO FIREARMS TRAINING, BETTER KNOWN AS WOFT! 8 KEEPING IT REAL ON THE SMOKELESS RANGE: IN COVID’S WAKE SEVERAL TRENDS TO THE FIREARMS AND FIREARMS TRAINING INDUSTRY TOOK FORM, AND THROUGH #TRAINFL TRAMPAS’ MISSION WAS TO CHALLENGE OTHER INSTRUCTORS TO JOIN IN HELPING FIND NEW “OUT OF THE BOX” OPTIONS TO HELP NEW GUN OWNERS AND HIS RESEARCH LED HIM TO THE SMOKELESS RANGE BY LASER AMMO
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18 GEAR: PLATE CARRIERS; GO OR NO?: PROTECTION AND LOAD-BEARING IN ONE HIT? THEN A PLATE CARRIER COULD BE THE VERY THING AS PMCI AGAIN LOOKS BACK INTO THE PAST AND BRINGS THINGS FULLY UP TO DATE
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22 GEAR: CHOOSING THE RIGHT BELT: THE RIGHT BELT IS ANOTHER OFTEN OVERLOOKED ITEM WHEN IT COMES TO PUTTING YOUR EDC OR RANGE GEAR TOGETHER, SO TRAMPAS TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING THE RIGHT ONE 26 KNIVES AND TOOLS: HSP DARTER: THIS TIME, TRAMPAS STEPS THROUGH THE “FAN BOYS” AND THEIR TOYS TO SPOTLIGHT AN EVERYDAY CARRY FIXED BLADE CALLED THE HSP DARTER. 30 PACKING IT UP: WHEN IT COMES TO USING A PACK THERE ARE MANY DIFFERING OPINIONS AS TO WHAT IS BEST, OR INDEED IF YOU SHOULD BOTHER CARRYING ONE AT ALL AS A PART OF YOUR EDC/TACTICAL GEAR! BILL TAKES A LOOK AT THIS QUESTION FROM SEVERAL ANGLES 34 FIREARMS: SIG M18: IN THIS ISSUE, TRAMPAS EXPLORES WHY THE M18 IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING ONE OF THE NEW KINGS OF THE CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS AND CIVILIAN APPLICATION MARKETS. TO QUOTE THE GREAT CAESAR, “ANERRIPHTHO KYBOS!” TRANSLATION “LET THE DIE BE CAST”
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42 6MM TRAINING – MIL LEVEL WITH G&G ARMAMENT: WITH “6MM TRAINING” FINALLY ATTAINING NOT ONLY AN ACCEPTABLE, BUT INDEED A WELCOME VOICE IN THE FOREARMS WORLD PERHAPS IT’S TIME FOR US TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE MORE OF SOME OF THE COMPANIES THAT ARE BEHIND SOME OF THE EXCELLENT PLATFORM OPTIONS OUT THERE, SO BILL GOES “INSIDE G&G ARMAMENT”
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Editors reserve the right to edit submissions prior to publication. Thank you for downloading this Edition of PMCI, the FREE digital publication dedicated to PMC Operatives. PMCI is written by individuals with first-hand knowledge and experience of the subject they write about - and all of whom have an intimate understanding of what the role entails and the day to day challenges faced by those working in this industry. PMCI will provide a platform to review and discuss the things to matter to all of us, such personal equipment, training, employment and lifestylestyle management - and these are also our core fundamentals. We hope you enjoy this Edition of PMCI and if you have any feedback or comments, or would like to contrubute to future issues, please let us know by email to: editor@pmcimagazine.com
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TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING
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WOFT
For those who regularly train on and off the range, have you ever wondered what’s next? At some point, you’ve read everything available about thought, theory and tactics of gunfighting from Col. Cooper and Massad Ayoob to Scott Reitz and Clint Smith. You’ve taken courses offered through your department, organization or on your own with training from traditional civilian resources. Maybe you’ve even traveled far and wide to meet and learn directly from some of these cultural icons in person to further develop your knowledge and skills, but yet several burning questions STILL remain - TS
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ow can you test your instinctive reflexes, judgement, and knowledge without a deployment to an active war zone or dangerous weekend in Chicago? Where could you find this type of training? Who are the reputable trainers offering it? In this issue of PMCI Magazine, we explore the answer! Until recently, the one place that truly offers the best in total immersive situational training has been swirling around by way of word of mouth between some of the nation’s top firearm trainers and small circles elite students. Those “in the know” such as celebrities, top executives for firearms manufacturers and even the head of a major firearms training and carry insurance organization all trained in the shadows off the beaten commercial path at this private facility located in central Florida. Now, we break the first rule of Fight Club by talking about what lies behind the doors of a Tier 1 training facility called West Orlando Firearms Training or better known as WOFT. Not long ago, fellow gun writer, Jim Wenzel and I decided to reach out and find out more information on WOFT after hearing rave reviews from close friends after their training experience. Not only did we get a reply from the WOFT President and CEO, Philip Toppino, Jim and I were personally invited down to tour the facility. After clearing our schedule not to miss such a great invitation, Jim and I hit the road amidst a pre-dawn rainstorm. Within a couple of hours, the clouds had
lifted into a beautiful sunny Florida day as we entered the gated facility known as WOFT. In the drive we were warmly greeted by Mr. Toppino himself, who graciously became the day’s tour guide and valued friend. What resulted was a great opportunity to sit down and be able to share what we learned to our PMCI readers. PMCI: Philip welcome to PMCI Magazine and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to discuss what exactly it is that WOFT offers that attracts such elite trainers and students. If you don’t mind, could you share with our readers a little bit about your background and how WOFT originated? WOFT: I love meeting quality Americans and thank you for investing the time to visit. I believe that Scenario Training is an essential skill Americans should prioritize when it comes to their safety. We offer Scenario Safety Training throttled to your skillset and hard focused on showing civilians safety concepts to be a hard target and allowing them the best possible family-friendly experience. WOFT is currently working to develop some basic online training information as a “what you need to know before you visit to get the most of your experience at WOFT.” That should be available on our website in the coming months. One of my many mentors, Dom Raso, speaks about being an Asset for your Family / loved ones, and that’s what our Goal is at WOFT, to learn collectively how to best detect and deescalate a potentially violent situation and avoid conflict at all cost. My background is not military or law enforcement but a regular law-abiding, freedom-loving American who traveled the
PMCI: Exactly how large is the WOFT facility, and what does it encompass? WOFT: Until recently, we were invite-only. 1st and 2nd rule of Fight Club. With a background check and a character witness, one can visit our private 20-acre property and have the potential to be introduced to an affluent training experience not found in many other places in the country. PMCI: What sort of classes do you offer? WOFT: We are full-service but cater and specialize in Scenario Safety Training for Civilians. Coming up on our 10th year and only able to host 2,632 guests annually, few if any of your readers will have the chance to visit because of return guests selling out each course we schedule. PMCI: How big are your typical classes? Instructor ratios, etc? WOFT: We average a 3 to 1 student to instructor ratio, and class sizes are typically 20-25 guests. Most of the time, it’s closer to 2.2 to 1 because many guest instructors flow through as students. That’s part of the magic that many readers have not experienced anywhere else. PMCI: What qualities do you look for in a WOFT instructor? WOFT: We do not train our guests but mentor them. Are you constantly learning and upgrading your skills? Are you a team player and sometimes a teacher but always a student? Family is everything. PMCI: How long are your classes? Typical cost per day? WOFT: Three days. US$1,000/day/guest. The days are broken up into before lunch and after lunch. 2 training stations/ day. Three days allows us six training stations to learn and apply concepts. Catered food, Custom Course Jersey, Ammo, Gear/Equipment, video, and photographer to help capture the priceless moments
are included. PMCI: As a former SWAT operator, now husband and father of two young daughters, I know that traveling to train usually means a weekend or sometimes even a week away from the daily routine. Please tell our readers about how WOFT offers a full family dynamic. WOFT: Your Family is welcome and encouraged to visit and practice safety concepts with you. With a high instructor-tostudent ratio, we can cater to a family of 4 like yourself based on your priorities. It’s an entirely customized experience to keep the Family together in certain stations and “divide and conquer” learning safety concepts throttled to each guest’s ability and body type. Hard to convey and, just like the Matrix, something you must see for yourself. PMCI: At the end of the day, what is the key aspect you and your instructors wish to have students take away from their WOFT experience? WOFT: Students take away to Avoid Conflict at all Cost. Start the path to be the best version of yourself for your Family. Your Goal should be Excellence, not perfection. No one is perfect, yet everyone can be better.
TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING
country for many years seeking the best possible experience for a CCW permit holder. I want to be the best protector as a Husband and Father of 2, and training must be connected to reality. WOFT originated because I have three criteria that need to be checked to invest my valuable time. 1) I must be learning something with purpose, 2) it must be safe fun, and 3) my Family needs to be with me.
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TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING
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Guests will be safer when you leave that day than when you arrived, and we do that by the Aggregation of Marginal Gains. It’s not some magic wand someone waives, and you are now safe. Safety is an illusion, and you are your own first responder. We take what’s more likely to happen and focus on getting good at that first. We are not going to push you off into the deep end and go too hard too fast. This is not a boot camp, and our mission is to learn you and your priorities, show you safety concepts and role-play scenarios to help you practice for something you never want to fail at. PMCI: What are some upcoming projects WOFT may be working on for future and returning students to expect to see? WOFT: Our large group Scenario class during December is our Flagship course. It will be year 7 gas station and year 9 coffee shop scenarios combined. We spend 1-day running large group force-on-force scenarios, unlike most have ever experienced. What gear you wear depends on the potential level of the experience you could have. Training at WOFT makes one “forever spoiled… never again to be the same”. Once you have custom training like this, it’s addicting. PMCI: Now that readers have a better understanding of the resources and valuable training available, where can they find more information about upcoming training dates and events in order to register? WOFT: Visit www.woft.com to learn more and apply for courses. Our ask is for you to invite Legislators to visit WOFT and learn safety concepts. Unfortunately, most running for office
and our elected representatives are indeed not educated when it comes to Firearms. Our goal is to be a resource for them to get educated to make educated decisions about our country and our freedoms. We created a GoFundMe account to help subsidize that effort. It’s a shame that with all the money being thrown away with “elections and advertising,” funds are not being used efficiently to influence the influencers. GoFundMe search - Legislator Education Project Gofund.me/5f4556c6
During our time at WOFT, Philip Toppino gave Jim and I the full tour of the amazing facility to see the blade and low light rooms, coffee shop, catwalk observation areas, live fire range, shoot house and so much more. Takeaways from this visit were many. Seeing how much time, money and resources were devoted into making WOFT so immersive stressed just how overlooked this dynamic of self-defense training is within the industry. The bulk of traditional defensive training weighs heavily on the proficiency level one achieves of using a tool such as a gun or knife. More emphasis on knowing WHEN to use the tools at hand and even more importantly knowing WHEN NOT to use them should be equally stressed. WOFT does a great job of not just talking about these topics but letting the students experience for themselves the ramifications of making the wrong decisions in a safe training environment. This can often be such a true learning opportunity that is ends up being a major factor in saving lives in the future. Keep in mind, WOFT is not just a training facility but a family’s homestead open for the higher learning of others. The staff and other attendees Jim and I were introduced to during our visit were highly dedicated, professional, friendly, and mission oriented. The training grounds from the main house to the immaculately clean training rooms were equally impressive. Even the spacious restrooms were head and shoulders above what is found in most indoor / outdoor training facilities. Best of all, NO porta potties! To go from many other training locations to WOFT has the same feeling as transitioning from a state fair to a Disney resort property. This is so apparent that WOFT has an unofficial nickname as the Tactical Disneyland. Students may be referred to as guests but always treated as WOFT family. The experience of everything that lies behind the doors of
this elite “Fight Club” can only truly be understood by those who can attend their training. Organizations such as the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) regards WOFT as one of the top five training facilities in the country. When you consider the other four facilities on that list are over ten times the size of WOFT, it is even more impressive! If you have the ability and resources to travel to central Florida and train with West Orlando Firearms Training, PMCI Magazine highly recommends doing so. Thank you to Philip Toppino and the WOFT family for sharing their insights and allowing PMCI Magazine and our readers a peek inside this special place!
TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING
FINAL THOUGHTS
SMOKELESS RANGE
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LASER AMMO: SMOKELESS RANGE
COVID-19, THE BIGGEST SHOCK TO OUR DAILY OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN OVER 40 YEARS. WHETHER THE ACTUAL ILLNESS OR THE SOCIAL ECONOMIC DRAMA THAT ACCOMPANIED IT WERE THE MOST DANGEROUS ASPECTS, THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THAT. PERHAPS ONLY TIME WILL TELL BUT FOR NOW, WE ARE ALREADY GETTING A GLIMPSE OF THE SHORT TERM AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS TO THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, BUT IN COVID’S WAKE SEVERAL TRENDS TO THE FIREARMS AND FIREARMS TRAINING INDUSTRY TOOK FORM! -TS
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anges closed and are now slow to open back up a year later. Firearms sales went through the roof and continue to rise currently. Ammunition disappeared in what seemed like a span of only a matter of days only to return in extremely limited and expensive supply. All these factors in their unique ways contributed to a gaping hole in quality firearms training for both the professional and civilian alike. As an instructor, I saw concealed carry courses rapidly fill up with students, but more advanced courses decrease in attendance due to the required higher round counts for more effective training. I watched as good friends in the training industry lost needed revenue and ended up closing their doors when new gun owners needed them most due to lack of resources. At that point, I decided to not only begin to search for better training solutions but larger changes in the training dynamic as well. Through my company, the Swanson Training Group, I created the #TrainFL movement on social media. The mission was to challenge other instructors to join in helping find new “out of the box” options to help the over 7 million new gun owners created over that time.
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The best option I found was to go high tech and consider investing into a training simulator that would allow students to break free of the traditional static one-way range perspective. Through my research, I discovered the Smokeless Range by Laser Ammo. This was an interactive computer program using drop in laser cartridges or SIRT guns to develop marksmanship skills. The system was set up to even go beyond the mechanical and develop the critical judgement skills of “shoot / no shoot” scenarios as they unfold in real time during training. While the Smokeless Range technology appeared to be more advanced, I was no stranger to simulator training. During my service as a SWAT operator in the early 2000’s, I was privy to some cutting-edge technology then for its time. We trained with simmunitions, PALS and FATS systems ran by military bases as well as state and federal Law Enforcement agencies. All were great products that immersed the end user deeper into more realistic scenarios. Sadly, each of these elite systems came with a hefty price tag. Most were so expensive that this type of training was limited to destination training and not “in house” options. Thankfully, as time moved forward and technology got better and more portable,
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A few days after our conversation, Mitch dropped by my home with all the needed equipment and accessories for the Smokeless Range. As he erected the 6 ft screen, standard throw camera and projector, Mitch walked me through the entire set up and take down process. The heart of the system was a Dell gaming style computer with various modules of the Smokeless Range program downloaded onto it. Laser Ammo offers several packages with different combinations of individual programs on it. The basic program is called Judgmental & Marksmanship. In addition, Mitch also had the Open Range, Video Scenario Trainer Pro, and IPSC Competitive Shooter packages. Accompanying the system were a plethora of Laser Ammo brand drop in laser cartridges for pistols, rifles, and shotguns. In additional, there were several different models of Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger (SIRT) Training Pistols was developed by NextLevel Training.
Over the next few months of working with the system, I saw firsthand how beneficial the Smokeless Range was and what I would need to get started with my own set up. Although Mitch mentioned needed lighting conditions, I learned the hard way on a few vital specification details on my own. The system must be set up in a room with controlled lighting with very little sunlight and no harsh lights over screen or in the view the camera ridges as well. The size of the screen also plays a huge part of set up. With the portable 6 ft screen, the projected image was smaller than the systems intended specs of having images between 8 ft to 10 ft wide. The smaller imagine often required the projector brightness to be dialed down and in some cases prevented the system to configure altogether. Once the system was set up, it ran flawlessly each time I used it. Between initial classes taught with it, I would love the Smokeless Range set up in the front room of our home which at the time only housed our gun safes and range equipment while waiting for new furniture to turn it into a living room area once the original was finished being renovated into a billiard room. As I taught classes and trained on the system, I began to save up revenue and clear room on the credit card to ensure our training company owned one of these systems as soon as possible. When the time came to purchase our own system, the first item ordered was a 110” (9 Ft) Elite Screens Yard Master Aluminum Frame Indoor / Outdoor Projector screen. From the first day and beyond, the projector brightness and image size were never a problem again. The larger aluminum frame screen is quick and easy to set up virtually anywhere with just one person in a matter of minutes. As a bonus, when I purchased my Smokeless Range system, the software had just been updated to version 2.0. Programs seemed to run faster, images looked
SMOKELESS RANGE
companies such as Laser Ammo have begun to market to the civilian firearms trainers. As I read more about the Smokeless Range program online, I began to ask around locally and in trainer forums on social media for feedback from those who may have trained with it or possibly owned a system. Within a few days, I seriously lucked out. A good friend of mine, Mitch Holloway, (US Army ret.) informed me that he not only had a lot of experience with the Smokeless Range system but personally owned one. After a highly informative discussion about the benefits of the system, Mitch offered to let me borrow his set up to learn more firsthand to determine if it was worth the in vestment. With a generous offer like that, the only answer one can possibly give is YES!
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SMOKELESS RANGE
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sharper and new challenges added from the original system I was use to running with the borrowed unit. Although, purchasing a more updated Dell laptop Core i7 10th gen with 2 TB of RAM and a NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080 graphics card to run everything with probably helped much of that as well. To go along with the new system, I invested in Laser Ammo drop in cartridges, TARYAG shotgun shells, Redpoint Arms revolver drop in cartridges and SIRT “Glock style” pistols by NextLevel Training. I even managed to save some money on the SIRT pistols by using the discount code “STG2020” that I often share with our students and readers. Stay tuned for more information in later articles on other great laser equipped options to use with the Smokeless Range.
SMOKELESS RANGE REQUIREMENTS
System: Windows 7, 8.1 or 10 PC built no earlier than 2015 (Does not run on a Mac) Windows 10 preferable Disk Space: Minimum for just the Smokeless Range with no Add-ons is 500MB or more. The more add-ons you load the more space you will need. Example, VST Pro with 65 scenes needs 3GB of Hard Disk space Graphics Card: Intel HD or better (Must support a minimum of 1280x720 resolution) RAM Memory: 8GB RAM DDR2 or more Camera: Smokeless Range Short Throw USB Laser Tracking Camera (Ships with standard throw camera) Projector: Capable of 1280x720 resolution and 2000 to 3500 Lumens (Depending on Screen Size) - Short Throw ViewSonic PS501W Programs: Judgmental & Marksmanship, Open Range, Video
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Scenario Trainer Pro, and IPSC Competitive Shooter packages Screen: 110” (9 Ft) Elite Screens Yard Master Aluminum Frame Indoor / Outdoor Projector screen Training tools: 650nm Red or 780nm IR training laser (Laser Ammo 9mm, TARYAG shotgun shells, Redpoint Arms revolver drop in cartridges and SIRT pistols by NextLevel Training
VIRTUAL RANGE TIME
During the course of the past six months of working with both the original and now Smokeless Range 2.0, I have taught dozens of students. First with one on one student instruction as I learned how to efficiently set up and run the system. In February, I taught a classroom of 20 ladies attending the TWAW Florida State Shoot. This group consisted of both novice shooters and experienced shooters including several NRA & USCCA Instructors and Training Counselors. Despite the range of experience, each lady was able to find challenges and get a new perspective on both the video scenario simulations as well as the real-world experienced instruction I provided to put what they experienced into better context. This initial large class and their amazing feedback set the tone for what has now developed into our STG Simulator Courses using the Smokeless Range. To start the class off, our instructors give a short lecture on the Universal Safety Rules: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Always Treat All Guns as if They are Loaded Never Point Your Firearm at Anything You Do Not Wish to Destroy Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger Until Ready to Fire Always be Sure of Your Target and What Lies Beyond
but it also reinforces the reality that often just being a good witness is the best option in civilian encounters. The range of emotion and action / inaction observed during this stage of the course has been truly educational as an instructor.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With over US$5000 personally invested in equipment, Smokeless Range software and accessories, the truth is, this is not a cheap training option. However, the reality of what caliber of training the Smokeless Range offers is head and shoulders above other items on the market. The only comparable training simulator on the market is used by military and law enforcement only and involves a tractor trailer to make it mobile and starts at approximately US$20,000. As for the benefits of simulation versus live fire, I have learned from working with the Smokeless Range there is a lot of quality training for all skill levels that can be done off a live fire range. Some of the benefits involve aspects that are simply not as safe to practice with live fire initially if at all. After each round a student runs, the class can walk through either the skill challenge or video scenario and discuss techniques and decisions made to improve group performance. Teachable moments for an instructor to use can be rare. As I found with the simulator, challenges can provide a higher volume of these value aspects of training. For those wishing to simply improve accuracy and speed for competition purposes rather than self-defense, the IPSC Competitive Shooter program recently purchased as an add-on works great. This program offers ten challenging stages of steel plates, swinging cardboard IPSC and IDPA targets as well as the dreaded Texas Star. With the stages being times scored on misses, hits, and aggregate time, it has appealed to the full spectrum of shooters who have worked with it. Most importantly, this has appealed to non-shooters and kids alike. My own daughters who are 7 and soon to be 5 years old have continually worked with this program. Their skills have improved immensely in just a short period of time by keeping them challenged and tuned into training. As a parent, just seeing what the system has done for my kids’ confidence and firearms proficiency in training without treating it like a video game has been worth the investment alone. As an instructor and training counselor, what the results have shown with being an amazing training aid for teaching our STG methodology and mindset have been equally impressive. In short, the Smokeless Range helped our company and students defeat the fallout of COVID-19, let it help you and others defeat your opposition with its wide range of skill building and decision-making challenges. To find out more about the studies and amazing research published by some of the world’s top resources on the benefits of use of force simulation training and the Smokeless Range, visit www.Laser-Ammo.com to download data from Carleton University, the Interpol Police Training Journal and FLETC Journal. Search from all the great training products from the simulator options to training accessories offered to help build your skills or the skills of your students. If carrying a firearm is part of your everyday personal or professional life, your time and money are well spent on training with the Smokeless Range platform. Until next issue, keep your batteries fresh and your mind sharp!
SMOKELESS RANGE
Afterwards, our instructors discuss the responsibilities and laws governing carry a firearm in our state or host state when traveling. Then its only to stage one of the simulator training with the Judgmental & Marksmanship program. This is the series of ten marksmanship training drills that comes with the base Smokeless Range system when you purchase it from Laser Ammo. Beginning with Target Shooting module, this presents a static target in which you can change the distance (depth in feet / yards) as well as a selection of targets from silhouettes, IDPA, human form and threat targets to train with. Once students get comfortable with proper sight picture, sight alignment, trigger press for pistol, shotgun, or rifle platforms they may be using, we transfer to the other programs. These vary from shooting clay pigeons to transitioning targets to keep students’ eyes and sights moving. The Can Toss involves tin cans lofted into the air at intervals for shooters to try and time the arc of movement to achieve solid hits. This challenges students early into the training to follow the cans with their eyes and process whether they wish to track or “ambush” the intended target. Moving into the Speed Drill gets those trigger fingers really working as students cycle from red “shoot” targets and black “no shoot” targets as fast as possible from stage to state under a set time for score. The Speed Drill and the Dueling Tree program really get students stirred up and the competitive juices flowing. The key to these drills is to not only get a student’s blood flowing but their brain quickly processing. The best part of the Dueling Tree program is twofold. First, allows students to see how fast they are compared to another live human being. Secondly, it helps them understand that when shooting quickly, how important hits count more so than speed. This is an imperative concept to remember when in an actual gunfight. The most appropriate ending to this group of stages is the Match Target Drill. As the stage starts, a specific-colored shape flashes onto the screen below a group of other shapes and colors. The shooter must identify and acquire the corresponding match as quickly as possible and place a shot onto target. Students are scored on their response time, misses and wrong selections. This is another value training aid to impress upon the students to never let their trigger fingers outrun their brain. Once fundamentals are hitting their stride, the Open Range series of programs offers more speed and precision from stages featuring turning targets, steel plates and even zombies. Hostage “shoot / no shoot” targets like the Angry Peacock drill and “Smoke and Hope” steel plate challenges are great for pushing speed and accuracy to the limits. There are also military M4 rifle target stages added into the 2.0 version to keep those rifle skills sharp. The accompanying Open Range Editor feature allows the end user to even add custom targets to be downloaded for use such as the dreaded Dot Torture drill and our company’s challenging STG Warm Up drill. All drills are a natural skill builder for the final program we use for class called the Video Scenario Trainer aka VST Pro. The VST Pro offers over 65 live video scenarios that can be manipulated by the system operator to change in script using “hot keys” based on the student’s success or failure in verbal commands. This helps make scenarios new and fresh when ran multiple times. Scenes including road rage, domestic violence, armed robbery, and more play out in real time as each student determines their appropriate response. Not only does this really bring prospective to how fast the world can turn upside down,
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RUNNING ON EMPTY Do you ever get that feeling that you’re really having to fight hard to keep pushing along at the moment? If you do, then don’t despair as you are 100% not alone! As the global pandemic grinds inexorably onwards, and whilst some of you may be reading this issue in a country that is still ravaged by this awful virus, things are improving slowly, and WE ARE getting through this together! However, the “together” part of that last statement is not what it was, and our physical “togetherness” has been more than a little curtailed hasn’t it? Although we are now more able to meet, and to start reclaiming the lives that C-19 has stolen from us, what the last year has proved to me is that when it really comes down to it, you must be at one with yourself before you can begin to share yourself confidently with others. Trampas recently posted a comment on his personal social media from Jocko Willink, retired naval officer, Navy SEAL, and author of “Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual” along the lines of “don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on Discipline” and never has this been truer and more apt than now. Discipline, both mental and physical, is what gets us through the day, especially self-discipline; when motivation wains and you are indeed running on empty emotionally and mentally it’s self-discipline that will keep you driving forward! You may think that you can’t take another step, and that you can’t work out whether up is down any more, but having that self-discipline and self-reliance at your core means that YOU WILL move forward, and we all know you must NEVER stop moving forward! This is not something that comes naturally or easily, but it is something that you can learn, and self-discipline comes hand in
hand with self-worth and self-reliance. Don’t blame bad stuff on others, stand firm and embrace responsibility for your actions, or indeed inactions. Don’t think “oh, woe is me” because inevitably some has it worse than you do, or “why does this always happen to me” when you should be thinking “what can I do positively stop that happening again?” We always say “Train Hard, Stay in the Fight” and that’s not just about knowing your drills and knowing how to shoot. This ethos should encompass every aspect of our lives, as when we become competent in one thing, that gives us the self-confidence to drive on and learn or do something more. And of course, as we all emerge from isolation around the globe into our respective new worlds, being who you are and having worth and confidence in yourself will let you once again fully embrace the company of others, and revel in it! To conclude I’ll come back to some more wise words from Jocko; “NO MORE. No more excuses. No more: “I’ll start tomorrow.” No more: “Just this once.” No more accepting the shortfalls of my own will. No more taking the easy road. No more bowing down to whatever unhealthy or unproductive thoughts float through my mind.” Just be yourself, know your true worth and believe in it, and take pride in that. Stay frosty, and see you on the flip-side!
EDITORS COMMENT
EDITORS COMMENT
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GEAR ON TEST
HELIKON-TEX ROGUE HOODIE “Old” is the new “new” it would seem when it comes to camo gear, and this time we pick up the story of the re-introduction of “Tigerstripe” by Helikon-Tex, our old friends from Poland! In the last issue of PMCI I talked about the fact that our good friends at Helikon-Tex had recently released both pants and shorts of a thoroughly modern style in the venerable “Tiger” pattern, and said that I hoped there would be more to come from them using this excellent camouflage, and what a difference just a few weeks makes! I said in the review that I hoped Helikon-Tex would do more with the pattern, and it looks like my comments have been heeded as they’ve recently announced the ROGUE HOODIE that will be available in both Multicam Black/Black, and Tigerstripe/Black, and it looks absolutely righteous in both patterns! The ROGUE HOODIE (Full Zip) is a tactical urban hoodie made for “military style” fans. The combination of a loose cut and ten pockets makes it easy to carry all the elements of your EDC gear in it. The main pockets have additional organizers that will allow you to properly arrange the equipment and protect it against loss. YKK® zipped chest and shoulder pockets allow for quick and direct access to documents or a small, flat wallet. The use of a tear-resistant 50% Cotton/50% Nylon rip-stop fabric additionally strengthens the panels on the hoodie, whilst the additional polyester fabrics will ensure give and comfort in all the right places! The elasticated cuffs and the cord-adjustable hood provide temperature comfort on cold days too.
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The hoodie is available in two unique colour and camouflage combinations, thanks to which it will suit those who like to stand out in the crowd (or indeed disappear into the woods)! It will allow you to emphasize your passions while going to town, to the shooting range or the gym. Additional velcro panels on the shoulders allow easy personalization. I am liking this A LOT, and again, I hope that this is just the next garment to appear in a growing range for the future, and that Helikon-Tex will have more for me to show soon! You can rest assured that my own order has already been placed, and although I could be all young and groovy with MC Black, I’m going all traditionalist this time by embracing good old “Tiger”, and you can keep an eye on this story as it develops by checking out www. helikon-tex.com!
FIRST TACTICAL RECOIL RANGE BAG Over the course of the past year we’ve spent more time on our “at-home” short ranges and on our woodland range than ever before, and in some ways it’s been an absolute delight!
SPECIFICATIONS Main compartment: 18” L x 11” H x 9” D / 45.7cm L x 27.9cm H x 22.9cm D Front pockets (x2): 8.5” L x 9” H x 2” D / 21.6cm L x 22.9cm H x 5.0cm D Side pockets (x2): 7.5” L x 8.5” H x 3” D / 19.1cm L x 21.6cm H x 7.6cm D Carrier compartment: 16.25” W x 7” H x 5.5” D / 41.3cm W x 17.8cm H x 14.0cm D Approx. Capacity 2470 cubic inches / 40.5 liters Weight 4.4 lbs / 2.0 kg Pockets: 6 external, 13 internal, 2 padded dividers 600D polyester YKK® zippers Duraflex® hardware Depending on your exact needs you can mix and match the Recoil Range Bag with First Tactical’s Pistol Sleeves and TACTIX packs (check them all out at www.firsttactical.com or www. firsttactical.co.uk) cover you even for a full day of shooting, and we can see that the Recoil is going to become a trusted long-term range partner!
GEAR ON TEST
We can think of nothing better to alleviate the tedium of lockdown than heading to the range to put a serious amount of rounds downrange, and although we’ve missed the companionship of our friends due to having to undertake range testing on a purely individual basis, getting your groove on with your favourite platform can be a real reliever of tension! And of course you need some great gear even when you’re just heading out for a range session, and in addition to a pack a good Range Bag is a must. Carrying your eyepro, earpro, pistols, magazines and all that you need for a safe and effective range session is a breeze with First Tactical’s Recoil Range Bag. Designed with tough 600D polyester and closed foam padding to keep your gear organised while on the go, specialised internal pockets and compartments suit all your storage needs in this first class tactical bag. Stiff padded dividers compartmentalise the pull out for superior organisation. Complete with two padded pistol pockets with ten pistol mag pockets the interior pull-out organiser makes keeping everything just where you need it
simplicity itself. There’s a specialised compartment for storage of cleaning kit and tools, and the pocket flap unzips and folds down to reveal an oil resistant lining made for your pistol cleaning needs. Depending on your requirements, the main compartment has a hook/loop flap, which opens the zipper loop allowing the zipper sliders to overlap for easy locking.
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GEAR ON TEST
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NEW GEAR FROM PENTAGON
We’ve been trying some new gear in from tactical and outdoor specialist Pentagon, and at the time of writing this week has started wet and windy again, but we’re already thinking about those long, hot days of summer, and as last year was frankly a bit of a bust for obvious reasons, this summer is looking good for some full-throttle rangetime! Whilst the weather has stayed inclement though we’ve been having some great results with the new PANTHIRAS jacket! Ideal for this time of year, lightweight and practical, the PANTHIRAS Jacket is made of breathable fabrics with light insulation for added warmth. The jacket comes with an adjustable hood with an elastic volume adjuster cord on the back, a high collar with a chin guard and a full front YKK zipper with a glove-friendly pull. There are two zipped hand pockets and one internal zipped pocket for documents, keys, or other personal belongings. The elasticated cuffs, bottom hem and hood, provide excellent protection from the wind or rain, so the PANTHIRAS Jacket is ideal for everyday wear too!
FEATURES INCLUDE: • • • • • • • • • •
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Adjustable hood with an elastic cord on the back High collar with chin guard Full front YKK zipper with a glove-friendly pull Two zipped hand pockets One internal zipped pocket for documents Gusseted underarm design for ease of movement Elasticated cuffs, bottom hem and hood Hanging loop Material: 88% Nylon 12% Elastane Insulation material: 60Gsm, 3M Insulation padding
Hopefully though the days of having to bulk-up with multiple layers will soon be behind us, and a simple tactical shirt’/pants combo is going to be the thing that we all need, and the latest LYCOS garments look great! Durable and practical, the Lycos Jacket from Pentagon is made of high-density Ripstop fabric and comes with water-repellent coating. The jacket feature a re-designed collar, full two-way front zipper with a glove-friendly pull, and a storm flap secured with hook-and-loop tabs. There are two large zipped upper arm pockets with pen slots and two large chest pockets with a flap closing censured with hook-and-loop tabs. The jacket also comes with easy to roll up ergonomic sleeves with reinforced elbows and hook-and-loop adjustable sleeve cuffs. The matching Lycos Combat Pants have been specially designed to be strong enough for highly demanding outdoor users yet stylish enough for casual everyday use. Made of the same high-density Ripstop fabric they provide tactical practicality combined with a professional look. These trousers feature two deep hand pockets with reinforced edging, two rear pockets with flaps and two utility or mag pockets on the front. Four spacious cargo pockets placed on the front and sides allow for storing tools or personal accessories. The trousers come with externally accessible reinforced knee pockets for pads secured with strong hook-and-loop tabs. The LYCOS suit is well-priced for those on a budget, and are available in block colours mix with more casual clothing, so if you’re looking for a “go to BDU” then these are most certainly worth a look, and ours came from www.military1st.co.uk
VX BUCKLE UP GUN CARRIER BLACK / DARK COYOTE / GREEN / VCAM / SRP: £79.95
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS
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PLATE CARRIERS, GO OR NO GO? Over the last few years it seems that the plate carrier has become the chosen method of load bearing and magazine carriage for tactical shooters worldwide, but do we REALLY need them, and why are they so popular now? Bill takes a look back over his older gear and to find an answer… -BT
W
hen I was a schoolboy and army cadet the thought of wearing what is in essence a fancy, fussified “bulletproof vest” was a million miles away from my first choice of load-bearing gear, and the fact that these days we would all have one, or more, plate carrier in our kit collection didn’t even factor in my thinking! Yes, some 1958 pattern webbing was the very thing I needed, and to this day I am still a huge fan of this type of gear, although even our belt kits have become more streamlined and “lo drag”. If someone had mentioned “armour” to me at that point, or indeed during my brief interlude with the OTC at college, my first thought would probably have been of King Arthur and his Knights, and indeed if you look at the history books then “armour” has been with us in one shape or form for almost as long as humans have gone to war with one another. Initially cured hides and leather armour provided protection for the warrior, as did layers of silk in Eastern cultures, but as the understanding of metals and of metalworking grew, so did armour protection really start to blossom, first in the form of “chainmail”, and later in the form of the metal plate armour we associate with those same knights of old.
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However, as quickly as metalworking evolved, so did the science of ballistic weapons! The bow gave way to the crossbow, and the increased power and efficiency of the bolt soon started to make many forms of plate armour obsolete, the negative of weight and bulk (and indeed price!) outweighing the level of protection given. Of course the introduction of the firearm accelerated this trend, but as both crossbows and early firearms were slow to load and fire, some armours remained popular although the die had been cast…
Institute of Justice (NIJ) levels for “bulletproof (I’ll come back to that…) armour” which describe the various strengths and sizes of ammunition that said armour can protect against; essentially, the higher the level, the more powerful the round it can protect against, and each level is capable of stopping lower level attacks.
CARRYING “TECH”
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS
Fast forward to the 20th Century, and of course metal-plate armour systems were still around in both WWI and WWII, but for the basic infantry soldier the new focus on fast, mobile warfighting saw it largely disappear, and the trend for non-armoured troops became the norm throughout the Cold War period. Yes, armour using thick layers of metal were used by American soldiers in the Korean and Vietnam wars, but these were specialist items for specific end-users, and were extremely uncomfortable in those hot and humid environments! Once upon a time, and not so long ago if I’m honest, an “Armour Vest” was exactly that, a vest into which you fitted plates to protect you from harm, and again, it wasn’t too long ago that these were simply called “bulletproof vests”, although that in itself was a bit of a misnomer! Not truly “bullet proof”, the majority of vests were just about able to protect your vital core and organs from pistol-calibre rounds, and movies and police shows of the time would often refer to bullets that would still penetrate these as “cop killers” as the vests were predominantly used by LEOs. Reading online, the website of www.safeguardarmor.com tells me that; “The most important development in the body armour industry was the use of plastics in creating strong yet light fibres. These fibres were used by DuPont in the 1960s to create Kevlar, a brand known to all as being used in bullet proof vests. These plastics, known as aramids, create fibres with an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio that are still flexible, offering great potential for dispersing energy and coping with impacts. Similar products began to be created by other companies that utilised aramids and plastics, and soon body armour became stronger, lighter and more accessible than it had ever been.” And this, my fellow shooterists is where things started to get real for what has become the plate carrier of today, as with the introduction of high-tech, lightweight (in relative terms!) armour plate constructions, the user could remain highly mobile whilst at the same time benefitting from quite significant levels of core protection! A plate carrier and its associated load-bearing equipment are within. the reach of all shooters, including “interested and informed civilians” like you and I. Armour plates themselves come in many shapes and sizes these days, and are made from the most effective materials available to counter differing threat levels; I won’t go into this area in any detail here as it’s a specialised subject that deserves much more space and expertise, but suffice to say you can easily look up the US National
However, as discussed earlier, as materials science moved on apace, armour technology moved swiftly on with it; plates became more protective, better able to withstand larger calibres (even though impact trauma was still an issue, once explained to me in no uncertain terms by a prior-service USMC friend who’d taken an AK round to centre mass and lived to tell the tale thanks to his body armour!), and lighter, although “lighter” is a somewhat relative term. That efficacy though meant that a plate carrier, or PC, that combined the vest with load-carrying capability became both feasible and a reality. A plate carrier and its associated loadbearing equipment are within. the reach of all shooters, including “interested and informed civilians” like you and I. Of course soldiers and professional users encounter high levels of threat, requiring the greatest level of ballistic protection possible; additional attachments for neck, arm, and groin protection are often recommended as well. PCs therefore are in my mind quite a strange concept for range shooters and those involved with static training, as we really don’t need (I sincerely hope!) the ballistic protection they offer, or at least that given by the plates they conceal, to protect us from “splashback”, now do we? From an overall training perspective though, the humble “Armour Vest” has been transformed in recent years into something far more useful, carrying not only protective plates but also all the other “rattle” that we may carry into harms way with us! When it comes to Plate Carriers themselves, what we all use, almost to the point of exclusivity today, are “overt” armour carriers. Unlike some of the low volume body armour vests (LVBAV) used by security and law enforcement personnel, and for those in need of non-visible protection and that are highly concealable, our carriers are made to be worn over clothing. Although they are pretty much all available in plain block colours, most designs will also come in a multitude of camouflage patterns, just pick your poison!
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS
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These days it’s almost impossible to find an image of a soldier, and indeed many police officers, where some form of PC system isn’t in evidence, and whilst I would revert to my comment that perhaps we may not need the ballistic protection element for training purposes, there is of course the old adage that you “should train how you fight”. Whilst the “military” plate carrier has changed in increments though, the “civvy” versions are pushing the boundaries of design, even being created to carry mock, weighted “plates” for exercise purposes; I actually came across a guy wearing a 5.11 TacTec the other day when I was out with the hound, running happily wearing it! And it must be said that there are even some interesting and unique designs out there designed specifically more noncritical, non-duty use, and those are making the PC even more affordable for even the most budget-oriented user, and you know what, some of them are actually pretty darn functional!
ONE CARRIER TO BIND THEM ALL!
Whilst many potential buyers undoubtedly want a plate carrier model from one of the “Names” out there, and there’s nothing wrong with aspiring to that level if you so desire, the fact is that there are now PC designs at a fraction of the price that function well, and that mimic some of the most up-to-date design concepts from the real world. Perhaps it’s because of my more widespread interests in things tactical that I seem to always see conversations online about the very latest “tacticool brand” and comments about how important it is for me to have them. Fact is that I gave up following fashion a LONG time ago over function, and instead look at what works best for me not only practically, but also in terms of my bank balance! There are many systems out there on which to spend (or waste) your money, but at the moment I have to say that I’m a BIG fan of the “Buckle/Vecro” plate carrier systems that give HUGE versatility for very little money. Now the premise of the “Buckle/Velcro” system, a system that I’m fond of and backed by such manufacturers like Warrior
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Assault Systems in the UK with their LOW PROFILE CARRIER V2 and Direct Action from Poland with their SPITFIRE and their new BEARCAT, is really all about the plate carrier and how you set that up; some of us have been around long enough that we have multiple sets of gear to use with different platforms, with different pouch configurations to take that into account. What the “Buckle/Velcro” system does is to take that principle and give you a solution that is totally customisable, and that’s achieved by having different pouch panels which do indeed simply “buckle and velcro” to a single armour-carrying base.
female buckles for the front carrying system are tidily achieved, meaning that you can easily change out your load carrying options; say you want to set up your plate carrier for light use? Simply attach a SPITFIRE MK II SLICK CARBINE MAG FLAP, SPITFIRE SMG FLAP, or SPITFIRE SHOTGUN SHELL FLAP to the velcro and buckle it in place. Running hot and heavy with a full training load? No problem, simply use the CHEST RIG INTERFACE (which also means you can use the Spitfire in Front Panel Only mode) and you’re all set with rifle/ carbine mag pouches, pistol mag pouches, along with space for bangs and admin items. If you need to carry more load as part of your modular system Direct Action offer a number of excellent back panel add-ons like the SPITFIRE MK II BACKPACK PANEL or SPITFIRE MK II UTILITY BACK PANEL so you’re all set! Bottom line is that if you want one piece of tactical gear that will let you carry everything you need, from magazines to comms, from FAKs and SOFFT to hydration systems on the rear, then the not-so-humble PC is actually worth a darn close look… I own a bit of a collection from an old OSPREY MKII in DDPM, through a number of Warrior Assault Systems DCS rigs, right up to the relatively new low-profile Direct Action SPITFIRE, and I use medium plates in them all to offset the weight of the big old hydration bladder on the rear as I usually train with a small sustainment pack in place; obviously you need to check the legal position of the plates themselves where you live! Whilst you may look at folk wearing a fancy plate carrier and think on them as either preppers, elitists or that they have more money than sense, the fact is that PCs are made for a purpose, and that’s to protect your vital organs whilst giving you the ability to keep all you need in your immediate “workspace”! Sure, it’s not going to be right for every single environment or scenario you might encounter, and certainly not for everyday wear to the grocery store, but a decent Plate Carrier is going to tick an awful lot of boxes when it comes to carrying and accessing all your “shooty gear” if things go south!
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS
These systems all have a front and rear plate panel pocket, good load-spreading shoulder padding, an elastic cummerbund for a great fit and a fast-clip/velcro front panel for quick changes of your kit to save time; these clips and the large velcro panels are compatible with pouch panels and some even with chest rigs, and herein lies the clever bit! Say you want to set up your plate carrier for general range use; well simply attach a magazine panel to the velcro and buckle it in place. Running hot and heavy drills? No problem, just add a multi-mission panel and you’re all set with rifle/carbine mag pouches, pistol mag pouches, and even some elastic loops for cyalumes and bangs! Rocking an AK or a 9mm platform? Again, no issue as there are even panels specifically for this! My personal “go to” rig these days is the minimalist SPITFIRE; it’s beautifully made and cut, and the materials and components are absolutely first rate! Put together using proprietary laser-cut laminate, Cordura 500D and softshell materials the carrier benefits from front plate only configuration using the chest rig interface, optional pads on front, back and shoulders area for improved airflow, a zippered chest admin pocket, and PTT and comms wires / antenna routing attachment points, and there’s even an accessory armour package for heavy configuration in development! The back panel zipper attachment system is compatible with Crye Precision AVS, whilst the chest Rig attachment system is compatible with Mayflower / Velocity Systems offering you even further options! Thanks to numerous clever design elements, back panels and optional side armour compatible cummerbunds you are able to set up the carrier the way you actually need it. It’s at the same time and incredibly durable platform, and is unique in its modularity, converting to a cut-away rig in just a few simple steps, allowing for quick donning, doffing and medical access thanks to Hypalon pullers. I’ve now put the SPITFIRE through its paces on numerous range days and training courses with my usual plates fitted, and thus far I’m impressed. Although the Spitfire is certainly smaller than the WARRIOR DCS carrier I usually work with the plate support is excellent, and the pressure exerted both around the torso and over the shoulders is nicely balanced and spread evenly. The “captured”
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KIT: NEXBELT EDC GUN BELT
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NEXBELT EDC GUN BELT Volumes upon volumes of articles are produced each month globally about EDC (Every Day Carry) gear. Guns, knives, tourniquets, flashlights, spare magazine holders and more are debated as to which are the best and how they should be carried. Unfortunately, one crucial piece of gear is rarely discussed which ties it all together, the gun belt. Without a quality made gun belt, many of these items could not be carried or done so securely enough to be as safe as possible. This issue, we feature a new take on the traditional gun belt that offers better safety, durability and versatility from a company called Nexbelt. -TS
L
et’s start with addressing the elephant in the room named “comfort”. Everyone has heard the saying about carrying gear over long periods of time as “ounces become pounds quickly”. The only people who have ever gotten excited about that concept were drug cartels and that is for an entirely different context! The rest of us dread constant weight dragging us down and the less securely it is attached to us, the worse it’s going to feel. When you carry 3 lbs of handgun, spare mags, knives, tourniquets, flashlights and more, it sucks by the end of the day regardless of how it’s carried. Modern gun guru and direct discipline of Col. Cooper, Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch said it best when he stated, “Carrying a gun isn’t meant to be comfortable, it’s meant to be COMFORTING.” By this, we can take that the firearm and gear we carry is there to give us a piece of mind that we are better equipped with it than without it if any of it is needed in an emergency. Simply put, comfort be damned.
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Like many, I have always employed one of two types of gun belt for EDC. The first being the tactical “gun guy” favorite, the Condura “instructor belt” with the steel rappelling ring that is never used by anyone casually. This style belt screams, “I’m carrying a gun” but to its defense, it carries gear well while maintaining a clean and professional appearance. The slide loop adjustments allow for the perfect fit with or without the Inside the Waistband holster in place. This belt is great for the training but does not necessary blend well in everyday wear when you are not trying to look “tactical”. The second type belt I use regularly is the traditional leather gun belt from either Crossbreed holsters or from custom holster maker, Ben King of King’s Holsters. The belts from both manufacturers are well built and have lasted years but feature the standard belt hole adjustment design. These are set to allow for specific set adjustments in which my waist always falls in between. On one notch its too loose and I feel like I am pulling my pants up every 5 minutes and, on another notch, it
KIT: NEXBELT EDC GUN BELT
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small button along the bottom left of the buckle must be pressed in to allow the belt to reverse direction. The first belt came in grey with a subdued black powder coat buckle called the Titan. It was an oval shaped minimalistic open style buckle with no sharp edges or corners to dig into my stomach when seated. At first glance, you would assume it would be a weak design and simply snap during heavy use. To the contrary, the steal construction gives the buckle a solid heft to it and all the strength needed for a hard use belt. Does it double as a rappelling belt? NO and I do not wish for it to. It does exactly the job I ask everyday in the classroom and on the range for it to do. It supports my gun and my gear and maintains a clean appearance in my duties as a NRA & USCCA Training Counselor and Instructor. is a bit too tight, and it starts to rub as the day wears on. Keep in mind, this is not a knock on either manufacturer, this has been the bane of any belt using this system for many years. A few months ago, I discovered the company, Nexbelt and their wide catalogue of ratchet adjustment belts. While this adjustment system technology has been in existence in the Asian market for over 25 yards, Nexbelt has been instrumental in re-engineering it for the U.S. market for the past 7 years. Aside from upgrading the leather used for the belts, the designers at Nexbelt upgraded from simple pin construction to solid steel screws used to give better stability and integrity. All items built on the company’s own tools and molds in house to ensure the best quality possible.
I sorted through a spectrum of products starting with ratcheting golf belts with hidden baller markers and bottle openers. Next were flashy dress belts that had the appearance of a traditional leather belt and hole adjustment, but underneath were the same unique ratchet adjustment buckles. As neither of these styles really apply to my “on and off the range” lifestyle, I continued to “swipe left” as they say. Finally, I came to the Nexbelt EDC section and things really started to hit home. These belts were rated for carrying a firearm securely and came in a section of very professional looking every day wear belts or “straps” as they call them and their corresponding buckles. I ordered two belt styles to try out, one with the Condura style material strap with the Titian buckle and one with a black leather strap and sharp looking everyday wear satin nickel buckle called the Blacknite. All belts ship with a 50” length that you trim off the excess material not needed to start out of the box with the right measurement. Once you find your correct length and trim, the exposed edge is then inserted into the buckle and secured with two steel screws that lock the strap in. As the end of the tampered end of the belt is inserted into the buckle to tighten around the waist, audible clicks confirm each adjustment track is locking in until the desired tension is reached. To release the belt setting, a
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Off the range, I routinely alternate between carrying my SIG P320 AXG Scorpion or SIG P365 XL, both chambered in 9 mm. Both pistols ride in custom holsters from my good friend, John Phillips aka the “King of Kydex” at Survivor Creek Tactical. Regardless which gun I carried before trying the Nexbelt, having a gun in an Inside the Waistband holster always put me in between adjustments on a traditional leather belt. My second belt ordered, the Blacknite, was specifically for everyday wear with jeans or khakis when I am not trying to look like a firearm’s professional features a good-looking black leather strap and a squared shaped satin nickel finished buckle. I received several comments about how good the belt looked from people who had no idea what sort of concealed equipment I was currently carrying with that belt. Thanks to the ratcheting system on the Nexbelt, the Blacknite allowed for me to have the clean every day look of a top-quality black leather belt with the benefit of a high-end custom fit. Despite its thin profile of either belt tested, the rigidity of the belts was amazing. They did not droop or sag under the weight of the pistol and holster. The EDC belt series design from start to finish was intended on specifically supporting firearms and related equipment without the sacrifice of concealability or security. With the wide verity of styles, colors, and materials available in the Nexbelt EDC series, you could match a quality gun belt to virtually any social or occupational requirement while maintaining a professional appearance. Retailing from $59.99 to $74.99, these belts are well worth the investment in the quality and convenience of having such precise adjustments available. After spending months wearing these belts 7 days a week, I believe the future of gun belts is now upon us. To find out more about Nexbelt products, visit www.nexbelt. com and find one that fits your unique needs.
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KNIVES: HSP DARTER
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HSP DARTER Throughout the history of mankind, the edged tool has played a vital part of the human evolution and survival. In war as well as peace time, the knife specifically has not only been an important tool but a cultural symbol of status and skill as well. -TS
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ever
has this been more prevalent in our society than today’s culture in which hundreds of social media groups and collectors around the world. Many are constantly vying for what a custom blade maker will create next or movie character such as John Wick carried in a movie. While this may be good for the industry, it has slowly dwindled down in true meaning to a select segment of real warriors around the globe, who legitimately depend their lives on well-made tools. This month, PMCI steps through the “fan boys” and their toys to spotlight an everyday carry fixed blade called the HSP Darter. This knife was a collaboration between two U.S. military veteran owned companies, Haley Strategic Partners (HSP) and Toor Knives. Both companies have plenty of direct-action and survival experience to know what it takes to create a good blade. HSP has been known for years for their innovative chest rigs, rifle slings and other Tier 1 products combining lightweight yet durable materials to give highs speed operators the absolute best in options. Teaming up with a renown blade maker such as Toor Knives with such an impressive reputation for top quality blades from start to finish completely in the U.S.A just seemed like a natural combination.
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DESIGN AND BUILD
Spearheaded by HSP founder himself, Travis Haley, the Darter was designed for fighting and light utility use for survival across a wide spectrum. The collaboration blade project combined experience and cutting-edge technology with a goal of creating a well-balanced and reliable tool for real world end users. Is it the perfect knife? No, because we live in the real world in which one tool cannot come close to doing everything function. This is the hidden truth of the knife world outsiders do not understand. Even Travis Haley admits the perfect knife does not exist and it was not the goal of their collaborative efforts with Toor Knives to create a “Do All” knife. The Darter’s goal was to be a knife that works well doing many things in a multitude of environments. What the HSP / Toor Knives creation turned about to be in the end can only be described by three things, Form, Function, and a bit of HSP Flair. This blade itself offers a full tang construction using Nextgen CPM3V steel heat treated to 60 Rockwell hardness and coated with KG Gun Coat to protect against rust and undue wear. The sharp serrations along the spine are purposely designed to bypass certain regional restrictions on double edged blades while still offering many of the core benefits. Regardless, if you
Each knife comes complete with a Kydex Toor Flex-Tech sheath with UltiClip for secure quick attachment inside the waist band of your pants or gear pocket. If you wish to lash the taco style sheath to any MOLLE equipped gear using 550 paracord, the large open rivets running down the edge side. As an added accessory to further illustrate how well thought out this sheath is, it ships with an adhesive backed wrap material to affix it onto gear via hook and loop method. I regularly run a HSP D3CRM Micro chest rig when training with carbines such as the Uzi, MP5 and SBR AR and AK platforms. Since the magazine pouches are mounted into the rig by sandwiching them along the inside back panel via hook and loop, the sheath tucks in and holds rock solid beside them in an easy to access vertical position. The sheath’s blade retention allows for fast deployment while still confidently holding in place while climbing or going to the ground.
Darter Specs:
Overall Length – 8.5″ Blade Length – 4.25″ Handle Length – 4.25″ Handle Material – G10 with Steel CPM3V tang
KNIVES: HSP DARTER
are using the blade with a traditional forward hammer grip or reverse grip edge out (RGEO), these serrations allow for a deep cut into biceps / triceps when trapping arms in extreme close quarters, working the back of the neck or cleanly cutting through denim material to sever a quadricep or hamstring. The jimping around the knife’s pommel offers a great thumb over style reverse grip. The pommel’s rounded point works well for strikes to pressure points and other target areas. To aid in retention, the pointed end of the pommel features a lanyard hole large enough to loop 550 paracord. Anyone who has lost a knife into the water during maritime activities or narrowly missed a toe due to losing grip from a dropped knife during arduous cutting task can fully appreciate a good lanyard retention cord. The G10 scales on each side of the knife’s grip feature a signature Darter Dragonfly pattern machined into them to go along with the HSP dragonfly logo. HSP offers three color options for these scales: Coyote, Disruptive Grey and Ranger Green with offsetting-colored liners for an added flair. These beautifully cut scales work well for retaining solid purchase on the knife and complete blade control even in the harshest conditions such as weather, sweat or blood.
Blade Thickness – 0.1875″ Blade Hardness – 59 – 61 Rockwell Weight – 5.3 oz MSRP - $395
Over the past four months, I have been working with both the Darter and its trainer regularly. Not only do I use it for my own training but for our Swanson Training Group (STG) defense courses as well. Unlike the popular myth of needing a large Ka-Bar for fighting or survival, the Darter / trainer brings reality into context. It indexes well, moves quickly inside tight spaces, and still offers enough blade length for feathering wood for fire tinder and even larger branches for kindling. Deep serrations in the jimping along the spine offer a purchase point for the thumb to apply needed pressure for notching wood or starting a fire using a ferro rod. The serrations along the spine sever thicker branches to fuel fires or create other survival tools. Not only do I carry this blade on my gear when training, but I often include the Darter as part of my EDC (everyday carry) as well, opposite of my SIG 365 XL 9mm. From my law enforcement experience, I know all too well how valuable a tool accessible to your weak hand can be when fighting to get to a firearm on your strong side during a fight for your life. Small, fixed blades are the fastest and most effective tools for immediate results. The contour of the Darter’s pointed blade profile can easily pierce between ribs or slice through tendons and muscle with its razorsharp edge.
TRAIN AND CARRY
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I found several aspects of the HSP Darter that I really liked. The grip felt very natural while the edge was extremely sharp, and the tip pieced deeply into meat and several fabrics without breaking. Despite its smaller size, the knife had a solid heft to it which aids in performance throughout a wide range of tasks. The balance falls just under the index finger and rides securely inside its Kydex sheath regardless of the orientation mounted. Unfortunately, these blades are a limited product project with each blade bearing a unique production number. If I broke or lost the knife, I would not hesitate to replace it with one of the many similar Toor standard production blades offered if another Darter were not available. If I were to focus more on Bushcrafting specifically, I would bring a mission specific designed blade such as the Toor Field 2.0 outdoor knife. In a perfect world, most people would agree with me to always use the right tool for the job, but the simple fact is that you may never know when one dynamic may change into a totally different situation. For this reason, I choose the Darter as my EDC. Retailing for US$395, the Darter is priced along with other top performing blades in the industry. Unlike the others, the HSP / Toor collaboration ships with the previously mentioned trainer inside the presentation box. This makes the combo package even more of a value for those in the market for a solid performing EDC knife. To find out more about the HSP Darter and other great products from Toor Knives, visit www.HaleyStrategic.com and www.ToorKnives.com. Until next issue, keep your blades sharp and your minds sharper!
KNIVES: HSP DARTER
Perhaps my favorite aspect of the HSP Darter is that each knife comes with a dedicated training blade. This top quality, basic trainer is provided as part of the Darter package to promote it being extensively used to develop subconscious memory (often erroneously referred to as “muscle” memory”) of how the blade feels and reacts in the hand during fast, deliberate strikes. I am often dismayed how blade makers charge premium prices and then charge over US$100 for a lightweight aluminum trainer. The Darter comes with a heavyweight trainer that feels like the live blade.
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KIT: PACKS
CHOOSING YOUR PATROL PACK When it comes to using a pack there are many differing opinions as to what is best, or indeed if you should bother carrying one at all as a part of your EDC/tactical gear! Bill takes a look at this question from several angles, and comes up with some solutions that may make you think again!
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’m going to come straight out and say this, I’m a pack believer! Call it what you will, pack, backpack, ruc, rucsac, or gear-hauler, it’s all the same to me, but in my opinion EVERY shooter worth their salt should be able to carry all they need for a training day, and indeed if you’re into any kind of “preparation” I don’t believe you can consider yourself “full on” unless you own a pack or “go bag” that’s able to keep you in the field for multiple days! I worked for many years for one of the very best pack makers in the outdoor performance industry before I decided to devote myself entirely to shooting and matters tactical, so you could say I know a thing or three about how a pack should be put together, how it should be fitted, and indeed how it should be packed and used. I’ve spent many, many days with different packs on my own back, and covered lots of miles in the wild places of the world with my life strapped to my back. I’ve seen many cheap packs fail, and many people ending up in a world of hurt due to this, or to poor fitment. A badly fitting back will sit wrong and lead to fatigue very quickly, and the way you carry items inside will also have a bearing, but that’s a topic for another day. In this article I’m going to look specifically at what I (and many others!) term “Patrol Packs”, models up to 45 litres that will take you from a day training right up to a multi-day clement-
weather scenario. “Big Packs”, or in military parlance, “Bergans”, for winter use are a whole other ballgame, and although many of the principles are the same they are beasts with a character and temperament all of their own, and deserve to be treated with utmost respect! Choosing the best “patrol pack” is a difficult and personal thing, and there is no single definitive answer as to what will be best for you, but ultimately it’s all about getting the job done safely and efficiently; there is simply “no one fits all” patrol pack that will suit every individual, and it all really comes down to how you’re planning to use it For any situation that’s going to involve more than you can carry in your pockets, you’re going to need a pack! Even a sustainment pack fitted to the back of your plate carrier will help,
KEEPING THINGS STABLE
and as much as I love these, I will usually opt for a standalone pack for a number of reasons. You may think that “all packs are equal” but they actually have lots of functional differences. I am of the opinion that even one pack will not be adequate for all scenarios, and even as a believer in “light is right” I have multiple packs for different scenarios; having two to three dedicated packs can cover you for pretty much any scenario you find yourself in, and although you can wing it with a single model, having more than one allows you more choice, and more tactical flexibility. Are you a person that likes to cover all the bases, one that is prepared for any kind of weather that “Old Ma Nature” may throw at you, the player that’s prepared to bivvy at the drop of a hat? To begin to work out what size and type of pack is right for you, first think about the following: • Fit: This is paramount to me for a tactical pack; if it weren’t I could just drag around a big old trash bag containing my worldly goods! • Role: How you’ll use the your pack, and in what setting, can will give you an idea of the features you’ll need • Capacity: Just HOW MUCH gear are you going to be lugging (ask yourself why; do you REALLY need it all!) • Features: How many pockets do you need, and why? How easy is the pack to access? How easy is it to dump if you need to bug out fast? Patrol packs come in all sizes, great and small, so when you’re thinking about what you need to buy, REALLY think about what
You’ll find that many smaller, lightweight packs do an excellent job of adapting to the shape of your back, and if you’re in 0-20 litre territory you can make do with very little mechanical support as part of the pack construction. When you move up in size, and therefore potentially in the weight that you may carry though, you need a little help to get the right fit and correct support that will help you avoid discomfort and fatigue! Many mid-size packs have an internal frame that helps support the weight you’re carrying; some will have plastic parts that add lightweight structure, whilst others will make use of alloy rods or staves to support the load. Bottom line; the sturdier the frame, the more the pack, and you, can handle safely and comfortably! But the framework of the pack is only the beginning of getting the “fit” right, and your pack should be as individual in how it interacts with your body as you are! A good pack “fit” will give you the correct size appropriate for your torso length (NOT your height), and will offer support via the hip belt which should be a snug fit if it’s a padded version such as those you’ll find on larger models; for the smaller, low-volume, low-weight packs the hip belt can be more minimal and is really there for stability. You’ll find that some mid-size packs are available in multiple sizes to fit a range of torso lengths, and that ranges vary by manufacturer and by gender. While trying frame-packs on, position the hip belt so the top edge is just above your hips, then look at how the shoulder straps work on your back and shoulders themselves; with no weight in the pack, the straps should sit slightly proud of your shoulders, enough that you can slip a finger beneath without feeling pressure, as when you add weight the straps will be pulled down. If there is a big gap the pack is likely too long for you! If at all possible try on your potential new loadpartner with some weight in; most good stores or outfitters will have weight bags specifically for this. Some packs feature an adjustable torso that lets you really dial-in the fit; if you struggle to find the right fit with other packs, consider one with an adjustable torso. This is also a good idea if you’ll be sharing the pack with someone too!
KIT: PACKS
you need to have in it. Can the pack swallow up a box or two of ammo, a cleaning kit, some snacks, and water for a day on the range? Will it be large enough to carry and extra layer and your waterproofs on a bad-weather day? Do you need to carry any specialist items like comms? Let’s look at things by size first! • Up to 10 litres : These can be great for a range day where you just need to have a few choice essentials, and are usually pretty stable as most models will be designed for hi-speed pursuits where little bulk or weight is really carried. They’re great if you can head back to the car whenever you need to, but at any other time you’ll be wanting something bigger! • 10–20 litres: This is my “go to size” if I’m going to be working close to a base or from vehicles, as generous re-supply will still be relatively close at hand. At the larger end of this spectrum a 20 litre pack will let you carry additional shell garments, a more substantial FAK, and more food and water so you can sustain yourself for a longer period if needed • 20–45 litres: When it comes to multi-day training scenarios then this is where I look to have enough packed on my back to last, with occasional re-supply of rations and water, for some considerable time! I’ve gone into packing lists for multi-day scenarios before, but the 40-45 litre mark is where this really clicks into gear for me; you can go smaller if you’re REALLY superminimalist, but around 40 litres is the absolute sweet spot as far as I’m concerned!
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pmcimagazine.com Hip belts on daypacks usually accommodate a wide range of hip sizes, so when trying a pack on, just make sure you can get the hip belt loose enough or snug enough to fit comfortably around your hips! Female-specific backpacks usually have dimensions that are generally shorter than on men’s or unisex packs, and hip belts and shoulder straps that are contoured with the female form in mind. Because women’s packs have smaller frame sizes, they often work well for youngsters too. On a good pack you’ll find additional features that will let you get it set up specifically for you, and one to ensure that you have, whatever the size of the pack may be, is a Sternum Strap! This mid-chest strap found on most packs allows you to draw in the shoulder straps, which in turn can boost your overall carry comfort and stability. This is particularly useful on uneven terrain where an awkward step or slip could cause your pack to shift to one side and throw you even further off-balance.
KIT: PACKS
MAKING YOUR PACK WORK FOR YOU!
In the past the majority of packs were of a top-loading design, and this has been around probably since the first pack was ever made! Items that you didn’t need until you set up your camp or overnight position were stuffed deep and dark inside, with quick-access items towards the top. However, time and technology moves ever on, and just because this is the way it was done “back then” isn’t the best or most useful way now! My access preference has been changed in recent years thanks to the arrival of packs with front-openings, sometimes called panel or “clamshell” access. This design offers a main storage compartment that is accessed via a U-shaped zipper; when fully opened, the front panel can be moved completely aside, making it far easier to load and keep organised even when you’re searching for something deep inside. In addition some packs may feature base access to the interior in addition to a top or front opening. This can (sometimes) be handy for accessing gear or clothing at the bottom of your pack without having to take everything out first, but it’s certainly not on my “must have feature” list, especially now with “clamshell” designs.
Whatever your choice for access options, and this is part of the personal aspect of your pack, there’s a few more things that you can look for to make sure you have all the features you could possibly need, and I don’t just mean extra lines of MOLLE or a big Velcro section for your morale patches!
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USEFUL features to look for are: • Hydration Compatibilty: most good packs now have an internal sleeve so that you can slip in a hydration reservoir, along with ports for the drinking hose (also useful for comms cabling!) • Mesh/Breathable Back Panel: Some packs have a ventilated or “breathable” back panel made of mesh that’s constructed so the pack rides along a few inches away from your back. This allows a steady flow of air to combat getting a sweaty back, and allows breathable clothing to at least have a chance of working properly! • Sleeping Bag Compartment: At the larger end of the Patrol Pack spectrum some older-style top-loaders will still have zip access to a sleeping bag compartment at the bottom of the pack. Frankly this is something I can do without, as my sleeping bag only ever comes out when I’m hunkering down at the end of the day! • Raincover: If, like me, you live and train in an area where “liquid sunshine” is a regular occurrence this is a great feature to have! Trust me, most packs ARE NOT waterproof, and even if you have your gear stored in drybags, a raincover will stop the pack fabric from wetting out and gaining weight!
Whatever features you decide will be right for you will be exactly that, RIGHT for YOU, and don’t let anyone tell you that a feature is wrong if YOU find it useful! Decide what you need your pack for, what REALLY needs to go on it, and buy accordingly. If there’s one thing to get right, it’s the fit. Don’t be swayed by a pack just because it’s in the right camo pattern or colour to match the rest of you oh-so-gucci-gear, find one that fits you properly that you can carry all day long if you need to! As always, I’d suggest trying a pack before you buy, but once you know what you need you can buy with confidence each and every time! My thanks go to www.military1st.co.uk for the product images shown with this article, and if you’re in need of a good pack then head on over to take a look at the extensive range they have on offer from some superb brands! Many thanks also to www.511tactical.com for additional images.
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320
pmcimagazine.com
SIG M18 320 And the winner is…the SIG M18! In 2017 SIG SAUER captured the world’s attention when it was announced by the US Military that the model M18 along with its full-sized counterpart, the model M17, had won the long, grueling US Military Modular Handgun System trails. This competition was held in search to find the Army and Air Force’s next standard issue handguns. The winner of the trails would replace the aging Beretta M9 and SIG M11 9 mm pistols as they were coming to and end of their service life. -TS
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hese two new SIG models were slightly modified variants of SIG’s striker fired P320 line of handguns built specifically to compete in the trials. By tag teaming the M17 and compact M18 together, SIG was able to defeat other major heavy weights in the modular handgun world including the likes of Glock with their model 19X, Beretta’s APX system and Smith & Wesson’s M&P 2.0 among others. This is quite the accomplishment considering SIG Sauer did not even venture to cross the Rubicon into the world of polymer striker fired pistols until 2014! With this potentially lucrative victory, SIG firmly established themselves as a major player in the hottest handgun category firearms industry has to offer. As with anything first seen in the military trials, it takes months if not years before the actual full-scale production to begin and firearms reach their clients. After that, it can still take a year or so before surplus firearms and civilian market variants trickle down to the contractor and civilian circles. Now, four years later, the final models of these firearms are now being
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widely issued to all military branches, including the US Marine Corps, who recently adopted the M18 as their official side arm of choice. The surplus guns as well as a civilian production line aptly titled the M17 320 and M18 320 are now available to the entire firearms market. In this issue, we will explore why the M18 is well on its way to becoming one of the new kings of the clandestine operations and civilian application markets. To quote the great Caesar, “Anerriphtho Kybos!” translation “Let the die be cast”.
FIRST LOOK
To fully appreciate the M18 pistol, you must understand it is all about modularity. The military trials were specifically looking for a handgun system that could allow the maximum versatility possible for the end user, including being able to change grip frame sizes, slides, and barrels while still be technically the same serialized handgun. Traditionally, the frame of any firearm would bear the serial number and would be widely regulated and heralded as the technical “firearm” with all other parts such as the slide, barrel, etc. considered accessories.
Like the M17 320, the M18 shipped with a flush fit 17 round and two extended 21 round magazines for added firepower readily assessable. These steel magazines are built like tanks and offer the shooter a high level in confidence in their reliability. Just having eight extra rounds in a standard load out was a great feeling straight out the gate! Like the standard SIG Carry model, the M18 is considered a compact size and a direct challenger for those like me who used to regularly carry a Glock model 19 with a standard 15 round magazine. Unlike the box Glock, SIG pistols are known for being more curvy, contoured, and sleek feeling in the shooters hand. The M18 is no exception as it seemed to fit my hand like a glove. M18 vs 320: What is the difference? The most noticeable difference in the M17 / 18 submitted for military trails and civilian models aside from the obvious coyote PVD coating of the M series was the inclusion of an ambidextrous thumb safety to meet military specifications. This slight change to the original specs of the 320 series got a lot of people’s attention started driving more attention to the existing 320 line. M18 vs M18 320: Is there a big difference? The short answer is no. The only difference as explained direct from SIG Sauer representatives is that guns produced for the military trials featured matching a FDE colored trigger, take down, magazine release and slide lock lever. The civilian versions simply feature the controls in a contrasting black finish.
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320
With SIG’s new modular system, the trigger and corresponding inner workings known as the fire control system are housed into a small metal structure which bears the actual serial number. When inserted into the frame, the serial number can be seen through a small window cut out in the polymer grip frame. This allows the end user to use the same modular fire control unit in a compact M18 grip frame and switch it out for any other size frame offered in the series without changing the integrity of the overall design and legal definition of the pistol. Last fall, the folks at SIG Sauer sent over samples of the M17 & M18 320 on the heels of our coverage of the SIG 320 LEGION here in the pages of PMCI Magazine. As fellow writer, Clint Steele did a well thought out overview of the M17 to kick things off, I continued to work with the M18 in comparison to what we liked and may have originally disliked about the larger version. Ultimately, it was determined the only real difference between the two new models was simply about an inch more barrel and slide on the larger duty sized M17. Both Clint and I really liked the SIGLITE Front / Night Sights and the fact the rear sights were on a removable plate set up for directly mounting one of SIG’s top performing ROMEO1 red dots. Neither of us seemed to be a fan of the manual safety. With over two decades of shared time in on striker fired platforms, a safety seems a bit out of place. This would simply take more time to get used to.
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320
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M18 SPECS
CALIBER: MAGS INCLUDED SIGHTS PISTOL SIZE OVERALL LENGTH OVERALL WIDTH HEIGHT BARREL LENGTH WEIGHT SIGHT RADIUS TRIGGER ACTION GRIP COLOR BARREL MATERIAL SLIDE FINISH SLIDE MATERIAL
RANGE TIME
9mm (1) 17rd / (2) 21rd Steel Mags SIGLITE Front / Night Sight Rear Plate SIG Carry 7.2 in 1.6 in 5.5 in 3.9 in 28.1 oz 5.8 in Strike Fire Coyote Tan Stainless Steel Coyote PVD Stainless Steel
As eager as I was to get on the range and really get some time in with the M18, I must admit there was fear of some early bias. After being spoiled with the heavier Tungsten infused polymer frame of the 320 X5 LEGION and the 1911 style spring set up, I feared comparing the M18 a bit too harshly. Fortunately, this was not the case as I began often carrying the pistol during my trips to the indoor range at Bullseye Guns in Jacksonville, FL and the outdoor private range known as the Baldwin Pistol School ran by good friend and training expert, Tom Martin. As the only really negative in my SIG 320 X5 LEGION review, front sight found on the pistol. As it was designed as an “out of the box” competition gun, the thin bright red infused front sight in combination with a blacked out rear sights made perfect sense to see small targets in good lighting conditions quickly. As a self-defense instructor and primarily a defensive
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minded shooter, I was not a fan of the fiber optic sights in the least. In my training and carry world, targets are large, up close, typically in low to no light. The possibility of the gun striking a wall or the ground in a fight is real enough that I prefer to have steel night sights over fiber optics. The SIGLITE night sights on the M18 were perfect for my eyes to acquire quickly and carry with the confidence of having durable battle-ready sights. As an added bonus, the rear sight plate is removable to allow for optics such as the robust SIG ROMEO1 PRO or crowd favorite Holosun 507 red dot. During these COVID defiant range sessions, as mentioned, I was joined by NRA / USCCA Instructor, Clint Steele to help weigh in on the long-term research in conjunction with the M17. While the testing round counts did not reach into the thousands due to the early onset of the current ammo shortages, it did exceed the 600 round mark between teaching classes, field testing and shooting demos. During this time, there were only four stoppages in the form of misfires. All four were found to be part of a bad lot of bulk ammunition sent to us from a previously unknown small company. At the suggestion of our wise PMCI editor, Bill Pryce Thomas, Clint and I explored the world of supplemental training via the M17 Green Gas 6 mm (Airsoft) pistol sent directly over from SIG SAUER. tAs Clint mentioned in his previous article, the overall feel and performance of the reciprocating slide and 21 round limited magazines gave us a great concept of round counts and action familiarity. While as evident with the success of our sister publication Airsoft Action, the concept of 6mm training is not at all new to the rest of the world, but here in the United States, we have been so distracted by real steel and lead that alternative sources for safe and innovative training are sadly slow to be explored. While our Swanson Training Group has been spent the past two years learning all we could from our teammates such as Bill and John, we as former real-world operators have not seen, until recently at least, many of our US
FINAL THOUGHTS
Over the past twenty-five years or more, I have shot a lot of striker fired guns. Hell let’s be honest, not only have a shot them, but I also even bought a lot of striker fired guns. Some touting to be the “next big thing” only to end up a disappointment as others proved to simply being a “one off” from a generic design leaving me grossly underwhelmed. I have carried polymer guns as a professional and civilian up to and including betting my life on them and the safety of others. Please take note when I say the SIG M18 320 is the REAL DEAL. Despite early valid issues with accidently discharges when dropped on their rear with other unwarranted claims by soldiers attempting to cover up what is later discovered to be negligent behavior and not faulty equipment, the M series is now solid and here to stay.
In comparison to the X5 LEGION and even the M17, I found the M18 balanced better in the hand and rode more comfortably in a inside the waistband holster from good friend, John Phillips, aka the “King of Kydex” at Survivor Creek Tactical. Loaded for carry with the 17 round magazine, a simply stuffed a spare 21 round mag in my front left pocket to be accessible with my non dominant hand for easier reloading. As the Florida spring begins to heat the world back up to high humidity and roasting range sessions, the M18 will start to pull duty alongside my P365 XL. When dress code dictates, the M18 will ride in the steel console lock box with the smaller P365 XL in my waistband. This rotating combo both compliment the HSP / Toor Darter fixed blade knife carried on the belt opposite the gun. In my opinion, the only real competition the M18 has in the civilian compact striker fire market lies in other models of the P320 series. Some prefer the larger frame of the M18 while others may prefer the Tungsten impregnated weight of the Legion versions. Until a few months ago, I was 100% on board with the M18 320 as my favorite until SIG refused to rest on their laurels. In our last issue of PMCI Magazine, I reviewed the most recent in the P320 series named the AXG series. What makes it different is the implementation of a metal frame instead of polymer while retaining the benefits of a striker fired system. Depending on your preferences, I believe the M18 is a front runner for many in a 320 series that may truly offer something for everyone. The selection seems to only continue to grow at an impressive pace. To find out what is currently new with the series or to learn more about any of SIG’s line of handguns and rifles, visit www. SigSauer.com and find out firsthand why this company is widely regarded as the “professional’s choice”. Until next issue, just remember, “In a world of sheep and wolves, be a Lion”!!
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320
contemporaries follow suit until the ammunition shortage was well into its second full quarter. Even now, I would say only 30% of trainers have embraced the benefits of “6mm training”. For the purposes of this article, the ability to spend more time with the gun in hand, working around barriers, inside our homes and businesses with a tool that feels and looks the exact same has been invaluable! While the traditional curved trigger of the M18 felt a bit odd to me in the beginning of training after a year of only shooting flat faced triggers, the 6mm M17 helped these issues become second nature. I noticed my overall performance working with the M18 increase to that of the LEGION X5 as well due to working regularly with both the 6 mm and the 320 version of the SIRT pistol from www.NextLevelTraining.com . This specialized trainer shoots a laser rather than a plastic bb and can be used in conjunction with computer programs such as the LASR shot recorder system and the highly advanced video simulation system called the Smokeless Gun Range from the folks at www.LaserAmmo.com . While the SIRT can be viewed as a pricey initial investment, the manufacturers, Next Level Training were kind enough to offer our staff, students and you the readers a 10% discount via code: STG2020 to save money where we could in our endeavors to reduce our learning curve.
TRAINING: TAT3D
pmcimagazine.com
TAT3D – ADVANCED TARGETING SYSTEMS One of the biggest challenges in training is the ability to add the most realism and depth into it. For decades, even the most elite military, law enforcement and private security teams in the world have been using twodimensional targets for the bulk of their primary training. - TS
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nyone who has ever been involved in direct action knows all too well that life resides in the third dimension and looks a lot different than on paper. This simple fact is what creates the gap between range training and realworld application. Thankfully, there are three dimensional humanoid targets from the TAT3DATS company in which are designed from the ground up to provide the most realistic training possible via several “X factors” other products simply cannot provide. Let’s learn more about this innovative company and meet the flagship model of these targets that goes by the name Mario.
PANDEMIC DISCOVERY
Like most people around the world, the COVID pandemic forced many of us to have more unexpected time on our hands than any of us wanted. Rather than sitting around letting moss grow and dust settle, I spent much of the down time when not training to find better training options for myself and our students. I had discovered TAT3D-ATS targets being demonstrated online and really liked what I saw. The possibilities of what these targets could be used for with our Swanson Training Group (STG) could be endless but I from what I understood, it was only an Italian based company. During this same time, our company was in the
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transition of partnering with a fantastic host range, Bullseye Guns of Jacksonville located here in Florida. As our team was settling into our new home and getting to know the range staff, I became good friends with the general manager, Bill Biggert. As a Navy veteran and lifelong firearms enthusiast, Bill was a wealth of knowledge and the leading push for his company’s growth and success. I soon learned, the company that owned Bullseye Guns was none other than Talon Holdings, who also owns Talon Precision Optics. I recognized this company as the owners of highly advanced TrackingPoint optics and Precision-Guided Rifles as well as none other than TAT3D Advanced Target Systems (TAT3D-ATS). As it turns out, this is a licensed partner of the Italian based company in which produces the same targets from molds not only here in the United States, but less than 20 mins from my home and 5 minutes from our partner range. I immediately dug in and began to learn all that I could about these targets and was given an opportunity to work up close and personal with several samples of these targets.
IT’S ME, MARIO!
As the most realistic, modular 3D humanoid target on the market, Mario offers a fully ballistic option for training that is quick and easy to set up. Constructed of super resilient polyurethane using optical scans of the real human form gives an amazingly realistic
TRAINING: TAT3D
body shape to these targets. Internal organ imprints on the inside of chest panel to give vital zone perspective during after action review of shot placement. The arms offer articulation at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist as well as a turning head to pose these targets in an array of poses from standing at various heights by using the 1x1 wooden planks locked into the very stable plastic base plate or have the target in the seated position by not using the stands. With an overall weight of only 35 lbs., the modular target can be broken down for transport in many lighter weight pieces. Seven full size targets and their stands can be fit into two 32 gallon totes and transported by one person quickly on and off the range. After thousands of impacted rounds parts needing replaced can be individually ordered to give your target new life.
PROPER MINDSET
The basic concept of designing the TAT3D-ATS target system is to promote better critical thinking and increased lethality of action of when needed by being able to be positioned in a variety of ways and shot thousands of times before any of the modular parts require being replaced, these targets also have a wide range of ballistic props that can be held in the target’s hands. TAT3D offers knives, rifles, pistols, radios, broken bottles, grenades and more that are made of the same material as the targets. This helps the props survive being shot during training. The ability for the hands to
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TRAINING: TAT3D
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hold such widely different objects allows for a myriad of “shoot / no shoot” scenarios to be set up to promote thinking and internal data processing before shooting. The gap between 2D paper targets and 3D creates a possible hesitation in even the highest of skilled operators during real world application of lethal force. Hesitation can end up as inaction or cause a rush in decision making in which could lead to an error in judgement. After the action, the sad fact is, the detachment between training to reality also aids in causing Post Traumatic Syndrome (PTSD). For the armed professional, the use of the TAT3DATS can increase an operator’s lethality through desensitization of engaging a human form. As the company states, this is an expansion of the concepts detailed by Lt. Col. Grossman’s book, “On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War”. The ability to prepare for combat and the neutralization of enemy combatants is known to reduce PTSD in many cases studied extensively by Col. Grossman.
ON THE RANGE
Some of the most fun our training group gets enjoy annually is the volunteer work donated to The Well Armed Woman (TWAW) Shooting Chapters national not-for-profit organization. This firearm / self-defense based women’s shooting club focuses on the three E’s, Equip, Educate and Empower other ladies across the
40
country. My wife, Candace Swanson established the first Florida chapter over eight years ago and went on to help over 20 other chapters become established since. Currently, there are over 800 members in our state and over 16000 nationally. Each year, the Florida chapters come together under the painstaking planning and management of Candace and her close-knit team to enjoy a weekend of training and celebration by way of a TWAW FL Annual State Shoot. Over 200 members attended and enjoy the labor of love for a staff of about 50 volunteers from all over the country including top trainers from the USCCA, various SWAT teams, government agents from the US and Brazil, private security contractors, former SEALS, SOF and more. For our STG training team which is partly comprised of none other than PMCI Magazine’s own Clint Steele and Jim Wenzel, this is an opportunity to field test gear for a wide spectrum of skilled shooters who attend our training over the weekend. Many of these field tests end up as part of our data reported in various videos, social media posts and articles such as those in PMCI Magazine. Between the amazing ladies who come through each of the two-hour blocks of instruction held throughout the day and the fellow instructors dropping in to assist in testing equipment, the amount of quality feedback received in a short period of time results in what could take months to accumulate otherwise. This past February, the TAT3D-ATS ballistic mannequins made their appearance as part of our STG – Urban Rifle course at this
Here are the takeaways from what our team observed. The clothing on the targets was loose enough fitted to allow the slight wind constantly blowing over the range to cause the shirts to move on and off the target’s chest as if they were breathing. As this was the first experience most of these shooters had ever experienced having a 3D humanoid target in their sights, it was a bit overwhelming to some. As shooters raised up their sights on target, some were observed pausing to take a deep breath before continuing to forward with the exercise. By positioning “No Shoot” targets in front of “Shoot” targets in a hostage situation and using barricades to partially obstruct traditional center of mass many have learned to sight in on, this provided unique challenges to many shooters. Just by walking through the course of fire they engaged Mario and his fellow target models, Maria and Jackie, shooters arrived at the end of the course shaking, sweating, and seriously pumped up on adrenaline. The general consensus of each evolution of shooters who came through our course was that “Things got real, really quick!”. The survey provided the following week after the event further
reflected the excitement and shock shooters had from engaging the TAT3D-ATS targets. Many went a step further and emailed the Swanson Training Group directly to thank us for all our hard work and to comment about how they felt better prepared to defend their home with a rifle now. Several thanked our staff for challenging them to think beyond paper targets and traditional training to ease concerns and even some fears of going blank if they ever had to defend themselves. Needless to say, the clear evidence of truly giving them a better perspective and sense of empowerment was worth all the hard work and sacrifice our staff put into the weekend.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When it comes to the benefits of training with the TAT3DATS targets, I honestly believe its only limited to your imagination. With options such as steel plates to get immediate auditory feedback and cardboard inserts to target your groupings as the rounds pass through, many of the traditional basic skills can easily and in some cases be better performed before even venturing into the advanced skillset applications. For armed professional units who regularly train in the dark, the TAT3D-ATS targets give off a remarkably similar glow as a human being when viewed through night-vision googles. Traditional paper targets normally do not register well if at all during this process. With the addition of real-world gear, prop guns and other items, the reduced lighting conditions can really aid in bringing these targets to life when training. Our team has seen firsthand this effect on people during training in bright sunlight outdoors and reduced lighting on indoor ranges. Retailing for around US$349 with the basic set up (Mario, Maria and Jackie) with target stand included, as well as the Bob model with non-articulable arms retailing at US$215, in the big picture, these are very affordable for most professional trainers and agencies to have enough of these to set up valuable training situations to propel training well beyond the two-dimensional realm. Want even more from a target system? Not long ago, the TAT3D-ATS team unveiled a motorized radio-controlled version playfully referred to by the command staff as “Mario Cart”. Its quick, menacing and charges like a raging bull to add even more adrenaline to your system. Before wrapping up this article, I would like to leave readers with this final thought. According to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, experts estimate that up to 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, up to 10% of Gulf War veterans and over 30% of Vietnam War veterans have experienced PTSD. The numbers of Law Enforcement and Private Military Contractors are also steadily on the rise as our world’s dynamic involving violence and direct-action increase. The demand for PTSD treatment across the board continues to grow as established training becomes defunded or stuck in a rut with its evolution. Based on my experience and time with these targets, I concur with TAT3D-ATS company in seeing an opportunity to mitigate the steep increase in PTSD through proper training and the desensitization aspect of their system. Simply put, if these Tier 1 level targets are within your personal or commercial budget, I highly recommend purchasing and training with TAT3D-ATS. To find out more about Mario and the rest of the next generation of training targets, visit www.tat3dats.com (government sales available). Until next issue, Train Hard. Continue the Fight!
TRAINING: TAT3D
year’s TWAW FL State Shoot hosted by the OK Corral Gun Club located in Okeechobee, FL. As our STG team were given full use of the facility’s 360-degree range, we designed a course of fire that would take full advantage of the space allotted. This course was meant to teach shooters how to efficiently load, move, problem solve, acquire correct targets and effectively shoot to score the best possible shots on target given the changing variables presented from target to target. The rifle platform used was open to what would typically be used inside and around the home or property distance such as short, barreled AK-47 and AR-15 to carbine variants and some even some pistol caliber carbines. After confirming zero, each line of shooters ran through skill building exercises such as target identification and acquisition drills before individually entering the final course of fire. During this final individual drill, each shooter was escorted from stage to stage featuring a barricade such as barrels stacked, aligned in a serpentine path, PTS Barricades with multi-shooting port options or simply orange cones to circle as they engage TAT3D-ATS targets from as far away as 30 yards to up close and personal distances of 5 to 7 yards. Each target was dressed in a white T shirt for the instructors escorting each shooter to be able to call hits using the dark lead marks left.
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TRAINING: 6MM
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42
GETTING INSIDE WITH G&G ARMAMENT With “6MM Training” finally attaining not only an acceptable, but indeed a welcome voice in the forearms world perhaps it’s time for us to show you a little more of some of the companies behind some of the excellent platform options out there, and it may surprise you to discover that some, such as G&G Armament in Taiwan, are already well advanced in working with both police and military units to provide safe and effective training tools! Bill tells us the story…
reverse engineer their own components to serve as spares in the Taiwanese market. They soon acquired sufficient stock and variety of components to produce their own guns entirely - and so the modern form of the business was born; James Liao - the founding father of the company decided first to attempt an M14 replica, having served in the Republic of China Marines Special Forces himself, a certain desire to make their first replica one of his trusted service rifle was inevitable. Originally derived from the components and gearboxes of others, Mr Liao soon decided to look toward developing homegrown designs and subsystems, coining the name of the company ‘Guay & Guay’ that translates as ‘strange/different’ as an ethos for the burgeoning airsoft manufacturer, one daring to be different, rather than following everyone else’s products, and not afraid to take risks in the market not just with new or odd aesthetics, but also developing new internal operating mechanisms or components without fear of failure.
TRAINING: 6MM
O
kay, I’m not for one moment going to try and pull the wool over anyone’s eyes that when we talk about “6MM Training Platforms” we are talking about anything other than “airsoft replicas”; yes, the very self-same replicas that you’ll find on old paintball fields and some actually very advanced dedicated skirmish sites worldwide in the hands of enthusiast players quite literally “having a blast” each and every weekend! However, how many times have you heard now-famous shooting luminaries start their story with “it all began with my Red Ryder…” so let’s not be TOO harsh on these BB-spitting creations, as unlike that beloved Daisy model some of them actually replicate real-world firearms down to exact weight, size, and every other specification you can imagine, and many of them are of extremely high quality, offering performance that once again might make you sit back and think… hard! When I was at SHOT with Trampas and Clint back in 2019 I spent some time showing them what I believe are amongst the most versatile non-lethal firearm training tools ever, and it’s been great to see both of them adopting a new direction as they now also believe that “6MM” can assist them in filling their ever-growing, never-tobe-full training toolboxes! I spent some time with Clint showing him both gas-powered pistols and “AR” models, and he found it incredible that just like the “real deal” he could pretty much create the platform he wanted, using the same style of accessory parts that he would mount on a real .223 carbine. He asked me about stocks, rails, optics, different barrel lengths, and accessories and all I could tell him was “yup, no problem, you can build that” and it was a joy to see a new appreciation dawn for him. And the creation of what many may still see as “toys” is just as large a business in the big, wide shooting world as any, and by way of illustration I’d like to introduce you to one of the “big guys” in the 6MM world, G&G Armament, and I’d like to thank my friend Stu Mortimer who lives in Taiwan for helping me out with this. When I asked Stu about G&G he told me that nestled in Shengang township, just on the outskirts west of Taichung (Taiwan’s central city and major manufacturing base) Guay & Guay Armament (G&G) moved to their current facility a decade ago, following a need to expand their operations as they grew their own product lines and shifted focus toward final assembly and front end research and development of airsoft replicas to meet a growing market both domestically and abroad. Originally G&G began trading in 1986 not far from their current location; starting out with importation of Japanese goods such as toys and stationery they soon diversified into supplying Japanese airsoft goods to the Taiwanese market as airsoft began growing in popularity in Asia and further afield. Frustrated with the apparent lack of responsiveness or availability of spare parts to satisfy their customer’s service needs, G&G eventually derived the ability to
MOVING FORWARD
With the progression of the business and a growing product range their first milestone in terms of a brand new operating system came in the form of their pneumatic blowback system, a first of its kind for electric airsoft guns, which did not require the recoil simulation assembly to be mechanically connected to the gear system as with other earlier competitor’s offerings. The range of models offered continued to grow with various themes or replications of real counterparts; with some direct
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TRAINING: 6MM
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partnerships with more permissive manufacturers such as Knights Armament Company and Fabrique Nationale in the past, and deriving thematic replicas similar to other real weapons where the licensing arrangements of less permissive manufacturers became too much of an encumbrance to deal with, many of G&G’s more recent product lines are derived from a blend of real firearms and their pertinent features to create very ergonomic and easily operated shooting platforms. In terms of their company structure and reach, their current facility homes their hundred or so employees dealing with management, international sales, research & development, design and final assembly; since their move in the early 2010’s they have changed their production model to outsourcing all of their components to subcontractors, focusing solely on assembly and test in house, as well as front end design and rapid prototyping to assure quality and suitability for the end user prior to final release of designs to their suppliers. Supplying up to a hundred and twenty thousand units in total a year if working to maximum capacity, their best-selling lines account for nearly half of all that capacity; moving around fifty thousand guns annually in that range, all of their products are made to order in batches tailored to every end stockist’s local legal requirements - producing a range of gearbox assemblies to suit the likes of US, south American, European, Korean or Japanese power output restrictions - as well as consideration for the likes of orange tipped muzzles or two tone colour schemes for some markets, all of which are shipped to nearly 60 countries that G&G service worldwide. In line with Mr Liao’s desire to spread education and a positive
44
public opinion of airsoft as far and wide as possible, many of these countries are also invited to field national teams in the ever growing G&G Armament World Cup shooting competition - with many countries already attending over the last four years events pre-Covid, giving ever greater international recognition to airsoft as a legitimate, active, healthy, focused and team building hobby which can hopefully overcome its apparently ever present negative connotations or media perception; in Taiwan, as in the UK and no doubt elsewhere, there is a predominantly anti- gun sentiment in many people who see anything remotely firearmsrelated as having criminal connections or otherwise raising very negative press or public reactions.
TURNING TO TRAINING
Alongside the World Cup events, G&G actively engages with national military, law enforcement, government and educational establishments to spread a positive message about the benefits of responsible shooting cultures and even produced aesthetically accurate and real weight replicas of the Republic of China Armed Forces’ standard T91 weapons platform to aid in training of service personnel in Force on Force situations or general range work and weapons handling prior to progressing to live fire weapons. In conjunction with these efforts G&G have also produced a variety of multi-functional electronic targeting systems which react to BB strikes and change lighting colour or allow an array of targets to be programmed for time trials or other shooting range games to test user’s marksmanship and reaction times, some of which they have set up on their facilities top floor in
Approved by military and law enforcement from many other countries and field tested by the Taiwanese Army, and they welcome all training facilities and organizations to contract them for more information and let us help you build a more effective and inexpensive training system.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So, by using G&G’s obvious success, not just in the business world, but also in driving forward advancement in safe training processes, it’s pretty clear to me that “6MM Training”, or airsoft, or whatever clever name you might wish to use for essentially what is the same thing, is with us to stay! Trampas has illustrated in this very issue that with the current ammunition situation we all need to be smart to keep our personal training tempos up to speed, and coming from a country where I can’t own a semi-auto rifle over .22 or a live-fire handgun in any meaningful form, “6MM” is where it’s at for me a lot of the time until I travel overseas. Yes, I know after a lifetime of shooting the real thing that a “BB Gun” ain’t gonna give me everything I need when it comes to my personal shooting skills, but it will certainly help me in that direction. Frankly, if it’s good enough for military and police units to train with, then it’s certainly good enough for me! With ongoing licencing arrangements with some well-known firearms manufacturers and new developments in G&G’s own gas MGCR “training rifle” technology on the table in addition to the work they’ve already done with their growing range of handgun models, sometimes it’s as easy as winding in our own egos and accepting that something simple, safe, and relatively cheap is going to actually prove beneficial. Thankfully companies like G&G are there to help us when that realisation finally dawns! My sincere thanks go to my good friends in Taiwan, Stu Mortimer for the insight, and Rick at G&G Armament (www.guay2.com) for all their kind help in creating this article.
TRAINING: 6MM
their conference facilities where they welcome various regional and international guests and allow them to try their hand in situ! G&G recognise that changes in the way we live today, along with advances in weapon technologies, mean that modern ground encounters gradually progress from traditional field combat to urban warfare, where there is more focus on faster reaction times, shorter engagement ranges and rapid action in close quarter settings. They also understand that tension and pressure in a current-day scenario is far higher, and that this needs to be mitigated. Corresponding to new combat situations, building a traditional live-fire, or even simunitions, training facility will cost a huge amount and place numerous challenges such as environmental protection, loud noises, and even user-error on the staff. Also weapon control procedures, security risks and personnel management create challenges that make effective training more difficult to keep up with when it’s all “live”. G&G found that the Taiwanese National Defense units faced all these challenges in training, so they learned from the West Point Academy and the Swiss Police Department that using a “6MM” option for some training could be safer but still efficacious. Their advanced program can fully use any and all available space in any facility and substantially lowers the training cost. “Airsoft” training has now been proven to have beneficial result on improving muscle memory, personal adherence to mission, combat process, entry drills for room clearing and response to crisis. Many Military Training Centres in Taiwan have now adopted G&G Armament airsoft training platforms and their electronic target system. Cadets must be trained with an airsoft platform for a certain amount of hours before live round training commences, and this advanced training program increases the training pattern and lowers the security risk. Training facilities can be rearranged or changed dependant on the purpose of the training or mission, and this program improves Close Quarter combat skills and reaction under pressure. Because of the durability, simulation capability and high product quality, the cost for military training has been lowered without any sacrifice in eventual performance.
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PMCI
I'd like to take the time to introduce you to our model featured left, a friend of mine named Travis Partyka, affectionally known as 'Big Red', being 6'4" and 240lbs. He was the real deal, 2-14INF 10th MTN DIV Sniper, contractor and my friend. Well remembered and sorely missed 27/6/84 - 24/01/21 RIP TP.
BOOK REVIEW
Baz, PMCI Team.
COUNTERINSURGENCY: THEORY AND REALITY
BOOK REVIEW
In today’s world I think it’s important that we understand certain things better than we have in the past, and as we live in societies that are seeing discord from the populace as never before in recent years, one of the topics I wish to understand more is that of counter-insurgency, and as a wider topic the insurgencies that have come together to create what we now refer to a “COIN”, and I’ve been lucky enough to have a copy of Counterinsurgency: Theory and Reality to check out. The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any “military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionaries” and can be considered “war” by a state against a non-state adversary. Counterinsurgency can be further defined as the efforts to defeat and confine a rebellion against a constituted authority. While it has become a buzz-word in the last twenty years, it is as old as society itself, and in military sciences, counterinsurgency is one of the main operational approaches of irregular warfare.. The concise history offered in Counterinsurgency: Theory and Reality discusses the development of modern counterinsurgency over the last two hundred years, beginning with the origins of modern insurgency from the concept of ‘small wars’ and colonial warfare, through the ideas of early insurgents including Clausewitz and the theories of Lawrence of Arabia, to the methods of 20thcentury insurgents, including Mao and Che Guevara. It then examines a number of post-1945 insurgencies and how western armies have tried to counter them, in particular how the French tried to counter insurgencies in Indochina and Algeria, and then the US in Vietnam, and the reaction to the American experience there. This is compared with the British approach in the years after World War II, particularly in Malaya, but also in Kenya and Northern Ireland. Against this backdrop the book offers an examination of counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Iraq, the rise of COIN literature, and the subsequent backlash against that literature, concluding with a discussion on the future of COIN. Counterinsurgency: Theory and Reality is available currently on pre-order, releasing on June 30, 2021. Daniel Whittingham is Lecturer in the History of Warfare and Conflict at the Department of History, University of Birmingham. He is interested in all aspects of the conduct of war, but with a particular focus on British military history, military thought and strategy. His main research interests are British colonial warfare in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, counterinsurgency,
the First World War and the Second World War. Stuart Mitchell is Senior Lecturer at the Department of War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He has taught counterinsurgency to the British Army for several years as well as to overseas personnel on diplomatic visits. Publisher : Casemate (June 30, 2021) Language : English Hardcover : 192 pages ISBN-10 : 1612009484 ISBN-13 : 978-1612009483
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International Maritime Security
Trojan Securities
http://www.intmarsec.co.uk/
http://www.trojansecurities.com
Raven Special Projects Ltd
Veritas International
http://www.ravenspecialprojects.com/
http://www.veritas-international.com/
Salamanca Risk Management http://www.salamancarm.com
Sea Marshalls Ltd UK http://www.seamarshals.com