BCM Complete AR15 Upper and Lower Receivers -  Due to the sheer number of different AR15 manufacturers currently avalible, selecting which company to go with can be confusing and intimidating. One of the best references I have found to show someone cost vs. features of different AR15 carbines is Rob Sloyer's M4 Comparison and Specs Chart. At the bottom of each column of features is the retail price of each carbine.Considering the quality, the upper and lower receiver features, the price point, over 80 complete upper receiver options, and the field reports, it's to see why BCM complete upper receivers, complete lower receivers, and complete carbines have become so popular.   [more >>]

Bravo Company - BCM 03 MSF (Modular Split Front) Chest Harness -  Let me start off by saying I didn't invent the 2 piece chest rig with yoke and hydro carrier. The original design goes back to the late 70's / early 80's. The South African M83 battle vest is probably the original 2 piece chest rig that featured a yoke and hydration carrier. I have been using 2 piece chest rigs since 2000 for both work and training classes. The main complaint I had with all of the designs I used over the years was most 2 piece chest rigs were either too large and/or too cumbersome for my needs. Most of the designs listed above were geared toward military users.   [more >>]

Danger Close Consulting Surefire G2 Light Mount -  About a month ago Jon of Danger Close Consulting, LLC announced his company would be offering three different low-profile light mounts for the Surefire G2, Surefire 6P, or Surefire "E" series lights. I have been running the Danger Close Surefire G2 mount for a few weeks, and I've been very impressed with the design and the quality. I have tried the light mount on several different rail systems. I had no issues fitting the light mount onto LaRue, Daniel Defense (Lite, RIS II, and Omega X), Vltor VIS, PRI, or KAC free float rails. Even though the specs and shapes of each of these rail systems are a little different, the Danger Close light mount fit each rail without issue, and kept the light very close to the rail.   [more >>]

Blue Force Gear D.A.P. Discreet Carbine Case -  I am always on the hunt for the perfect carbine case. I'm always looking for new designs that are compact, lightweight, modular, and carry the gear that I need to carry. I have to carry my carbine into work everyday, so I like having a bag or case that has the ability to carry the carbine and all of the associated gear for the carbine. This limits the number of gear bags / gun cases I have to carry into work, and have laying under my desk. My initial intent was to use the Discreet Case to carry an a short barreled AR15 to work.   [more >>]

ScopeFly for the Trijicon ACOG -  I purchased my first Trijicon TA11 in 1998. With the TA11, TA31, TA33, and several other ACOGs, daylight illuminiation is provided by a fiber optic tube that is located on the top of the ACOG. One of the first things I noticed about the TA11 was due to the fiber optic being on top, during a bright sunny day, the the fiber optic tube would gather too much light and the effect would be that the red reticle would "bloom". For years shooters have covered the fiber optic tube on their ACOG's with black electrical tape and various other items to help control how much light enters the fiber optic tube.   [more >>]

Blue Force Gear D.A.P. Pack (Small) -  I recently heard that Blue Force Gear was coming out with a new line of gear. The new line was called D.A.P. (Denied Area Pattern). The first item to be released was the D.A.P. Pack (small) along with accessories for the DAP Pack. The DAP Pack (small) is designed as a 1 day pack. I've been using a 3 day pack "Assault Packs" for my daily needs for several years. Often times I find that a 3 day pack is too large, cumbersome, and bulky for most of my day to day needs and a smaller and thinner pack would be much more useful.   [more >>]

Knights Armament Company (KAC) Triple Tap Muzzle Brake -  I fired the Surefire 556k muzzle brake and KAC Triple Tap muzzle brake back to back. The Surefire 556k was noticeably louder and I noticed the blast more, but reduction in muzzle flip was very good. First thing I noticed when I shot Chris Costa's KAC upper was that the it lacked the obnoxious blast of the Surefire 556k and wasn't nearly as loud, yet recoil reduction was close to that of the Surefire 556K (not the same, but close). Due to it's design, the KAC Triple Tap dispurses gases and blast in approxiamtely a 320 degree area, instead of just at 3 and 9 o'clock like most muzzle brakes.   [more >>]

Blue Force Gear SOC-C Modular Belt System (updated with armor package) -  I often use training classes as a test bed for testing guns, gear, and accessories. At carbine courses in the past I usually wore my SWAT gear or some sort of body armor, plate carrier, or chest rig that I was testing at the time. At Pat Rogers’ 3 day Carbine Operator’s Course last month I decided to change gears and try a padded belt system and suspenders. I have used several different padded belt systems over the years. My main complaints about all the padded belt systems I have used is they all tend to be bulky, cumbersome, moved around too much, had a tendency to ride up in the area of the back or on my support side, and weren’t all that comfortable.   [more >>]

Primary Weapons System (PWS) Custom DNTC Compensator -  I liked the Primary Wepons DNTC as it looked very simular to the USGI A2 (with the two rear rings and wrench flats). The DNTC has a nice, clean, familiar (looks like the USGI A2) look to it. The only thing I didn't like about the Primary Weapons DNTC was the overall lenght. To me, the DNTC looked to long on a 16" mid-length barrel with a front sight tower. Performance is paramount, but we all want gear that performs well and is aesthetically pleasing.   [more >>]

Blue Force Gear Redi-Mod -  Over the last decade I have used and removed the Boonie Packer Redi-Mag a few times. The reason for getting rid of the Redi-Mag was a majority of the time when I deploy a rifle I'm wearing some type of load bearing gear due to my current assignment. Like many other products on the market the Redi-Mag has gotten lighter. The folks at Blue Force Gear have taken the Boonie Packer Redi-Mag and cut off extra material not needed. The modification done by Blue Force Gear reduces the weight of the Redi-Mag by 25%. Blue Force Gear calls their modified version the "Redi-Mod"   [more >>]

Primary Weapons System Todd's Tiny One Compensator -  I have been using an AR15 with a 16” barrel with a mid-length gas system and a standard front sight tower as my competition (run and gun) gun for the last few years and had been running a USGI A2 compensator on it. I really liked the FSC556, but it looked too long on the mid-length barrel with the standard front sight tower. I wanted something that something that would reduce muzzle flip, but was approximately the same length as the USGI A2 compensator. After a little research I found that the PWS FSC556 was 2.10”, the DNTC was 2.00”, and the USGI A2 compensator was approximately 1.75”.   [more >>]

Blue Force Gear Universal Wire Loop (UWL) -  A year or so ago when Blue Force Gear first introducted their Universal Wire Loop (UWL) Adapter, the product didn't really catch my attention because most of my guns use rail mounted sling swivels. I didn't see much utility for the UWL on the AR platform. I wrote the UWL off as a product that may be useful on AK's and other platforms that did not lend themselves to effectively mounting the numerous types of nylon slings currently avalible on the market. I have overestimated the utility of a product in the past and I have underestimated the utility of a product in the past. This is another example of me underestimating the utility / usefulness of a product.   [more >>]

Aimpoint 3x Magnifier and LaRue Tactical QD Pivot Mount -  For several years I have been trying to find the "perfect optic" for work. I needed something that was very proficient in a CQB enviornment (non magnified electronic red dot) and something that would give me some magnification for situations that took place at longer distances. There are times where an electronic red dot rules the day and other times where a magnified optic is more desirable. However, there is almost never the time or opportunity to take one optic off the gun and replace it with another while in the middle of a mission.   [more >>]