Down Range Gear Gen 3 NRL mounted to USGI helmet plate on MICH

Down Range Gear makes several items that are unique based on the owner’s experience as a Marine with combat service in Iraq.  The NOD Retention Lanyard is designed to attach the NVG (Night Vision Goggle) tube to the helmet via a small side release buckle in case the mount inadvertently detaches from the helmet.  They make several different versions depending on the type of helmet mounting plate.  It attaches to the tube of the NVG using a tie wrap, on the helmet side a small piece of nylon with a slit is placed behind the mounting plate and sandwiched between the plate and helmet secured by the helmet plate mounting screw.

Gen 3 on the left and Gen 2 on the right- note difference in male and female end buckles

I ended up ordering from 2 different companies as 1 company did not have the color I wanted, when I received both items I realized they were slightly different.  One being a Gen 2 and the second one being a Gen 3.  Both were designed to be used with the standard issue USGI mounting plate. The differences are subtle but significant enough that I would not be able to use them interchangeably.  I had intended to get 2 NRL’s so that I could mount one to an older PASGT helmet and the other to a MICH- in case I needed to switch helmets I would still have the retention ability.

The NRL’s were not that expensive and I chalked it up as a learning experience to contact the vendor before purchasing again in the future.  When I posted an AAR (After Action Review) on Lightfighter.net, the owner of Down Range Gear contacted me offline with an offer to send me the correct versions at no charge.  All he needed was an address, the type of mount I was using and what color I wanted.

Gen 2 NRL's mounted behind USGI mounting plates

I received two brand new Gen 2 NRL’s in the mail shortly thereafter and was able to change the one for the MICH so that both helmets now use the same NRL attachment system.

I am impressed by the quality of the product which fills a niche for those that need to secure sensitive items (serial numbered or just expensive) without  having to resort to bailing wire or 550 paracord.  The quick detach system also includes a slider that allows the user to clip the NRL to PALS webbing when not attached to the helmet.

www.downrangegear.com

www.lmsdefense.com

Gear Sector already makes some of the slimmest low profile mounts for sling attachments and flashlight mounts and he wanted something that would be completely ambidextrous to allow activation of the light switch when shooting from either shoulder.

Gear Sector Dual Light Mounts on various AR's

Fast forward  a year and there was enough demand that Gear Sector had a limited run manufactured.  The result is an efficient and extremely sleek mount that allows the user to have 2 flashlights mounted on the weapon.

The advantages for having 2 flashlights on the gun are:

• Allow for activation of the flashlight when shooting from either shoulder without changing the support hand grip.
• Having a back up light on the gun in case one light dies,
• Configuring 2 different output bulbs so that you can have a higher output light on the gun if you need to scan a long hallway or a long distance if outside
• Utilizing 2 different types of lights such as using one white light and another IR light if using night vision
• Using a filter to allow for use of one light as a Nav or signaling light while retaining an immediate white light capability

The mount is lightweight and durable with only 3 allen screws, one for each light ring and one to mount the light to the rail.  It is priced reasonably and when coupled with an inexpensive light such as the Surefire G2 it gives the shooter an extremely efficient but flexible light package.

www.gearsector.com

At about the same time a friend gave me an unused kevlar groin protector, the same type that gets issued to our military folks overseas but not always used.  I decided I would try to incorporate the soft armor panel in to the micro-rig.

Original concept of micro-rig

My needs were simple, 2 single AR mag pouches, a med pouch, a tourniquet holder, flashlight pouch, utility pouch and a slot for EMT shears.  All of this sewn on to an armor carrier.

I found Zulu Nylon Gear on the web after doing a bit of searching.  It was a small shop that was still willing to do custom projects even though they were trying to expand in to higher volume sales.

I emailed Joel Z. and described what I was looking to have made.  He was interested and eventually I would send him the armor panel and some of the contents I was planning to stock the med kit with.  He made a few suggestions and together we were able to come up with a pretty decent carrier for not a lot of money.  The armor carrier is only rated to stop handgun rounds but as a civilian it would be unlikely that I would really need anything more.  It also provides an extra layer of protection while on the range.

Zulu Tactical Nylon- custom armor micro-rig

Custom rig with flaps open- Joel suggested the chemlight holders sewn in to inside flap of med pouch

X harness was chosen to simplify things, mesh pocket sewn in for admin stuff

I’ve worn it a few times in training classes and it is comfortable and fits well.  There are a few things I would change though and will update once I get them modified.

Zulu micro-rig worn

Website can be found at: Zulu Nylon Gear

]]> http://treehopr.net/blog/2010/10/zulu-nylon-gear-custom-armor-micro-rig/feed/ 0 http://treehopr.net/blog/2010/10/viking-tactics-brokos-belt/ http://treehopr.net/blog/2010/10/viking-tactics-brokos-belt/#comments Sun, 10 Oct 2010 18:16:22 +0000 http://treehopr.net/blog/?p=411 I just ran this belt along with the VTAC Operator Cobra Rigger’s belt at the Pat Rogers 4 Day shoot house course. I had previously worn it for a 2 Day Basic Carbine class with Redback One/Jason Falla.

The last few years I’ve been running an Eagle Duty Belt with FB mag pouches (AR and pistol), a Safariland 6004 mounted directly to the belt, Eagle SAS Dump pouch on the 6 o’clock position and a Diamondback Tactical SSE pouch at about the 7 o’clock position.

It has worked extremely well, the only negatives are that the belt can shift around (I don’t wear keepers) and the weight of the belt can eventually take a toll on my hips.

I’d looked in to the BFG SOC-C belt, the ATS War Belt, Eagle MOLLE Belt and even briefly considered the Crye Blast belt but didn’t like how the all MOLLE platforms would require a drop leg holster or some sort of MOLLE adapter for the holster.

When I saw this on the VTAC site I was intrigued. The concept of being able to run a rigger’s belt vs. a duty belt would save some bulk and also allow me to have MOLLE pouches but retain the ability to use normal belt mounted accessories.

I ordered one up along with the Cobra Rigger’s Belt since I didn’t want to have to thread the belt end every time I took the belt on and off.

The inside mesh definitely works well, the width and slight padding help to disperse the weight so the belt doesn’t bite in to your hips.

The PALS webbing made it easy to attach the Fastmags to the VTAC sleeve, I like the Fastmags since they’re a lit bit lower profile and dry out a lot faster when wet. Haven’t had any problems with retention in my limited use of them. I picked up the EAG Dump pouch (made by Crye Precision) this week and mounted it to the PALS webbing as a stopgap measure but will mount it directly to the belt when I get the chance.

The only negative I’ve had so far is that the inner Cobra Rigger’s belt is a size large, I recently taped at 36″ on my waist so in order to have the belt on through the sleeve and over the trousers and be able to bring the free running end back to attach to the velcro on the Rigger’s belt I’ll need to bump up to an XL Cobra Rigger’s Belt- or lose weight…

I picked up the VTAC Thumbdrive holster and it feels a lot more secure to the belt than my Safariland did, the Safariland wasn’t as snug and it would sometimes lift up the belt when I was doing a really fast draw. The quality of the 5.11/Blade-tech holster doesn’t seem to be as durable as the 6004. The thumbdrive release mechanism works well but definitely is an adjustment from the bale on the 6004- I figure that’s just a training issue so I’m not too concerned about it.

Quality is as is good as anything else I’ve owned from all the reputable nylon manufacturers and delivery time from Melynda at VTAC was fast (it actually showed both items on backorder when I placed my order online).

I just need to add a pistol mag, hand held light and possibly a CGT pouch to make it complete.

The VTAC Brokos Belt can be found at:

Viking Tactics

SKD Tactical

Change of rail from DD Lite 9.5 FSP to older Larue 7.0

Upon initial inspection I noticed a few changes beyond the specified rail replacement.  I chose a Larue 7.0 rail to replace the Daniel Defense Lite 9.5 FSP after reading on the internet that Wes Grant of MSTN, an authorized PWS installer,  refused to use those types of rails for the PWS conversion because he felt the rail obstructed access to the set screws.

Gas block pin- note front site is mounted backwards and gas block has been refinished

The most obvious discrepancy was that the folks at PWS installed the Centurion HK style Diopter back up iron sights on backwards.  Next I noticed that the gas block was now pinned which was the proposed solution for the most recent problems I had.  The gas block itself no longer had the etched PWS logo on there and by the looks of it they refinished the gas block entirely in a black finish.

I took the sights off and reinstalled them with loc-tite but did not have a chance to test fire it prior to the Bennie Cooley carbine class.

I was able to zero the rifle with no issues using an Eotech 516 and Wolf 62 grain hollow point.

It was downhill from there as I managed to make it through about half a day of training and probably less than 400 rounds before it began having failures to extract again which was the same problems I have had with the two previous returns to PWS.

Closer view of pin through barrel

I swapped out the carbine in it’s entirety and used another DI (Direct Impingement) carbine for the duration of the course.  I will most likely take it to the range to confirm the short stroking issues before returning it to PWS for a refund.

Right side of gas block with Daniel Defense Lite 9.5 FSP rail

Round count for carbine in the class was slightly less than 800 rounds.  The PWS upper performed impressively for the first two days of the class without a single malfunction shooting crappy Brown Bear Classic .223.  Despite being shot from a variety of positions including in variations of prone where plenty of dirt and debris were being kicked up.  I had fired an estimated 400 rounds on two different range days prior to this class.

On Day 3 the problems began when I was attempting to complete a shooting drill around vehicles.  I shot it strong hand only with no problems but when I went to shoot support hand only, it appeared that the weapon was short stroking, I would fire a round and then manually cycle the bolt before firing again, still doing this with just my support hand.  The drill also required a single magazine change which I completed but the multiple repeated malfunction clearances took a toll on me.  At one point I had to “mortar” the weapon in order to get the charging handle to go back.

It was frustrating and much of the drill’s value was lost as I had to fight the weapon to complete the drill.  I cleared the weapon and took it off the line to investigate and found that the gas block was loose, enough that it would wiggle with just finger pressure.

Note scratched to barrel due to shooting around vehicles and barricades

I emailed PWS that evening and they immediately offered to have it sent in for repair.  The plan is to install a taper pin to keep the gas block fixed.  So far all 3 problems I’ve had with this weapon have been related to the gas system.  The first time PWS opened up the gas port, the second time they stated that their was a subtle taper to the barrel and finally, the gas block was shot loose.  I suspect the Daniel Defense Lite 9.5 FSP rail may be making it difficult for them to properly secure the gas block using the set screws.  I may have them change it out to a Larue 7.0 rail when I send it in to see if that makes it easier.

I remain extremely impressed by the customer service at PWS but am starting to lose confidence in their system, both in design and execution.  I look forward to getting my upper back and running the gun through its paces.  I hope that PWS can finally resolve these teething issues to deliver the enhanced reliability it was advertised for.

Shooting a pistol is much more difficult than any other weapon, including a shotgun.  This is due to several factors to include pistol design, human anatomy, human psychology and not insignificantly- Hollywood.  I grew up watching TV shows and movies that had absolutely terrible weapons handling scenes but of course didn’t realize it at the time.  All those “training scars” would have to be fixed with lots of training.

It took me several years to get to a point where I felt confident with a pistol and I am fortunate enough to have trained with some excellent instructors.  I am most heavily influenced by the folks at TigerSwan as their strong emphasis on accuracy requires that your fundamental techniques be sound.  They teach a modified Isosceles and I have found that it works very well for me.   I would recommend their classes without hesitation, the prices seem steep compared to other well known instructors but the difference is you may go to another class and have 2 instructors for a class of 24, at TigerSwan you are more likely to have 3 instructors for a class of 12.

The Stance:

Feet shoulder width apart- Firing Side (FS) foot slightly behind Support Side (SS) foot.  The toes of your FS foot should be even with the instep of your SS foot.

Weight should be on the balls of your feet, heels slightly off the ground.

“Enough to slide a dime underneath your heels”- Tony Copper

Knees slightly bent with your hips squared up to the target.

Shoulders should be squared up with your hips and leaning slightly forward so that your upper body is above the balls of your feet.

Head may dip chin slightly but your eyes stay up and pistol will be brought up in to your line of sight rather than presenting the pistol and bringing your head down to the sights.

Your arms will extend all the way out, once you have acquired your sight picture and sight alignment relax just a little bit so that your elbows aren’t locked out.

Your stance sets you up for your Natural Point of Aim (NPA) which is the natural position that your body and pistol are indexed for as you present the pistol.  Try closing your eyes and pushing the pistol out to its normal firing position before opening your eyes to locate the sights.  That is your NPA- you want the NPA to be in line with your sights and target.

This requires perfect practice.

“Practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent, perfect practice makes perfect.”- Pat Rogers

Your NPA is significant because if it is off then your body will have to compensate for that by turning your upper body toward the target; this introduces unnecessary tension and torque in to your shooting platform.

The Grip:

Start by getting a good firing grip on your pistol with just your firing hand and presenting it out to the target.  More than likely your knuckles will be slightly under the trigger guard and your middle finger to your pinky will be wrapped around to the side of the pistol.  The web of your hand will feel like it is seated in to the back strap of the pistol and the meat of your thumb will be slightly to the left of the frame (assuming a right handed shooter), this feels comfortable and secure. Your thumb will feel snug to the frame and your trigger finger will have a gap between the frame.

The problem with this grip is that it allows the natural mechanics of your body to work against your shooting.  With the 3 fingers wrapped around the side of the pistol this can introduce torque if they have a sympathetic muscle response to you squeezing the trigger, so every time your index finger squeezes the trigger your other 3 fingers squeeze the gun.  It also places your trigger finger much deeper in to the trigger guard so that you increase the likely hood that you are “pushing” the gun every time you squeeze the trigger. By having the meat of your thumb against the rear of the frame you are actually placing the pistol on the edge of the web of your hand rather than the deepest pocket of webbing.

Try holding the pistol again but now rotate your grip slightly so that your knuckles are along the right forward edge of the grip frame.  Your lower 3 fingers should be pressed against the front of the frame and the meat of your thumb will be farther out to the left of the rear of the frame.  Your trigger finger should feel much more snug to the frame.  Lock your FS wrist- this will prevent problems associated with limp-wristing. It will feel awkward initially until you can train out of it.

This grip “fixes” several issues with the previous grip, by having the 3 fingers more in line with the front of the frame any sympathetic squeezing will be on front/rear axis rather than a left/right axis.  By having your trigger finger less deep in to the trigger guard it allows the first pad of the finger to be more consistent on the trigger itself.  With your thumb farther out it places the rear back strap deeper in to the web of your hand.

Your support hand will do most of the “gripping” since your firing hand’s job is to squeeze the trigger.  The mix should be about 70/30 with the majority always going to the support hand.  It can be as much as 90/10 or as little as 60/40 but understand that your support hand will be gripping much more than the firing hand.  Start by extending your support hand out toward the target and pointing at it with your index finger.  There should be a straight line from your shoulder to your fingertip to the target.  Now rotate your hand down 45 degrees so that your thumb takes the place of your index finger.  The imaginary straight line now goes from your shoulder to your thumb to the target.

Next, wrap your support hand around the front of the pistol while consciously thinking about covering up as much of the exposed frame of the pistol as possible with your support hand’s palm.  Your SS thumb should be pressed against the frame and parallel to the bore.  Your FS thumb will be resting over the back of your SS thumb.  Both arms should be locked out at this point so take a deep breath and as you exhale relax your elbows enough to take away the tension.  Your sights should be on target and your grip should be firm but not tense.  You may feel your FS fingernails digging in to your SS palm when gripping the pistol.

My friend Shannon showed me this grip (he got it from Todd Jarrett as far back as 2000) and it has made a huge improvement in my gun handling.

The Sights:

Most often broken down to sight picture and sight alignment there is quite a bit of detail to both upon closer examination.

Sight alignment is whether your sights are aligned with the bore of your gun, generally speaking they are always mechanically aligned- what changes is your perception of that sight alignment.

You have parallel deviation and angular deviation.  An example of parallel deviation would be if you placed the pistol in a vise with the sights perfectly lined up on a target, if you move your head slightly left or right it would appear that the sights are no longer on target when if fact they still are.  It is your position relative to the sights that has changed.  An example of angular deviation exists would be if you took that vise and moved it slightly offline but your head stayed in the same location.  So the sights are now “off” but nothing else has changed.

This is significant because the key to marksmanship is to be able to press the trigger without disturbing the sights.  By understanding that concept you can now self-correct when you shoot on your own.

Sight Picture is the relationship between your eyes/brain and the sights themselves.  For years I was taught and practiced to hard focus on the front sight.  At close ranges it was common to take a “flash sight picture” and let the bullets fly.  By itself it is a valid technique but the flaw in that was there was no adjustment once the ranges increased.  By hard focusing on the front sight and leaving the target and rear sights blurry it allows the introduction of the angular deviation.  You are focusing on the pivot point so if there is an angular deviation you won’t be able to distinguish it, that is to say of the 3 components of your sight picture you are focusing on only 1of them.

In order to minimize the angular deviation you can adjust the focus of your eyes so that the front and rear sights are crisp, this still leaves the target blurry but you now have 2 out of 3 components of your sight picture in focus.  This has an even more significant effect at longer ranges.  As you focus on the sights themselves to ensure that you have equidistant light between the edges of the front sight within the pocket of the rear sight notch you should also ensure that the top edge of the front sight and top edges of the rear sight are even.  By focusing on those 3 edges you have now made an even finer focus point to further minimize your angular deviation.

One key point about sight picture is to follow through after squeezing the trigger, what commonly happens is we have a natural desire to see where the bullet went thereby pulling the gun down prematurely.  After squeezing the shot off bring the gun back on target and re-acquire a second sight picture before bringing the gun off the target.

Trigger Control:

A fine motor skill that is difficult, but not impossible to master.  It is also the most perishable motor skill when it comes to pistol shooting.  Pretend you have an invisible gun in your firing hand, grip it the way you normally would and then “squeeze” the trigger.  For most people the other fingers of their hand will also move.  To only contract one finger is an unnatural motion that must be trained.  Practice doing that until you can isolate just your index finger to squeeze while the rest of your hand remains motionless.

Then attempt to do the same while dry firing an unloaded pistol.  Place the first pad of your index finger on the trigger and attempt to squeeze the trigger straight to the rear without disturbing the sights.  I normally will think press, press, press, press until the trigger breaks.  This should be a surprise break without me anticipating when the shot will go off.  Once you squeeze the trigger to the rear relax your trigger finger enough to ease to reset without coming off the trigger.

Common problems for trigger squeeze include having the finger in too deep thereby “pushing” the gun, anticipating the shot and therefore “jerking” the trigger, trying to force the shot by “mashing” the trigger so that the gun dips down when you fire, or you can “slap” the trigger by coming off of it and reengaging the trigger after every shot.

Miscellaneous:

Some other things to think about are visualization and breathing.  By visualizing what you are doing before you do it you’ve already created the mental road map of what is supposed to happen which makes it easier for your body to simply do it.

Breathing is important to shooting because the more oxygenated your blood is the more efficiently your body can function.  That oxygenation affects everything from your ability to see to the physical tasks of actually holding and firing the pistol to your brain recognizing various stimuli and reacting to them.

Conclusion:

This doesn’t cover everything that it would take to learn to shoot but it is a solid foundation to build upon.  These are all things that you can practice at home without live ammunition so it doesn’t cost you anything other than time.

My idea of a practical carbine

This is a carbine that evolved over 4 years, from when I first started taking formalized firearms training until now.  I’m sure that it will continue to evolve as new products are introduced to the market and as my ongoing training may take me in different directions.

I wanted to explain the different features of this set up and why I chose them.  This is a weapon that would fit almost anyone’s definition of a “Frankengun”, it is made up of a variety of parts from multiple manufacturers and installed over a period of years but it works…

Starting from the muzzle:

A2 Flash Hider- I needed this gun to fit in a 36″ Contico gun case and found that anything longer than this wouldn’t fit.

A2 Front Sight Base- I wanted the durability of a pinned in gas block and the ruggedness of a fixed front sight.  I added a tritium front sight post in case my optic fails and I still have to be able to acquire a sight picture in low light.

Colt 1/9 twist barrel- This came as part of previous upper that had an A2 carry handle upper receiver, I had Steve at ADCO firearms turn the barrel down from the original HBAR profile to .750 under the free float tube.

JP/VTAC free float tube- After using other rail systems I found the only things I needed mounted to the tube were a light and a sling attachment.  For a carbine length rail system that works out to about 5 inches of rail being utilized out of 28 inches of rail available.  I chose the VTAC because the bolt on rails are modular allowing you to position them where you need them without having the cheese grater effect common to other rail systems.  It also saves you from having to buy rail covers for those rails that you are not using.

Because the JP tube is round and doesn’t have all those rails it makes it extremely comfortable to hold on to even without gloves.  The Front Sight Pocket extension was added because it allows me to reach further out on the weapon for greater control as well as to push the weapon mounted lights past the Front Sight Assembly.

The Surefire G2′s and VTAC light mounts-These were selected because it was the cheapest light mount combo that I could find and still trust for durability.  I have two on there because I have seen G2′s fail almost out of the box so an “extra” light on board the weapon adds only a little bit of weight but gives you a 100% redundant system.  The 2nd light also helps when transitioning from strong side to weak side, this allows my hand placement to mirror each other regardless of which side I’m shooting from.

M4 upper receiver- I chose to swap out the original A2 upper since the picatinny rail on the M4 upper would make it easier to mount optics.  I’ve since added a Badger Ordinance Gen I tactical latch for my charging handle, I first saw one when attending a carbine course at Gunsite years ago on an M4 from an SOTG Marine who recommended it.

Aimpoint M2- Battery life was the critical decider since I wanted a system that could be left on for years if necessary.  The 4 MOA dot is beneficial since I believe that almost any justifiable shooting case would be at close range and the bigger dot helps with that.  Aimpoint’s reputation for reliability and customer service is excellent and gives me confidence that this system will be viable for the forseeable future.  The mount is a Larue Tactical LT-150 which I like because it has a Quick Detach (QD) feature and return to zero capability.  Customer service from Larue Tactical is likewise excellent.

Larue Tactical LT-103 Back Up Iron Sight (BUIS)- A fixed rear sight saves me from having to manually flip it up as well as having simpler and more rugged construction.

Lower receiver- Built on a pre-ban Olympic Arms lower I added the ambi-safety so that I could mirror my firing grip when shooting from either side.  The Ergo Suregrip was chosen after I tried another student’s carbine while attending Paul Howe’s Advanced Hostage Rescue class and the Ergo grip fit me like a glove.

Redi-Mag- To have a spare magazine pre-loaded on board the weapon is a huge step forward in efficiency for speed reloads.  The Bolt Catch Extension (BCE) makes it easier to lock the bolt to the rear as well as sending the bolt carrier group forward.

Vltor Carbine Modstock- A collapsible stock makes it easier for transport as well as customizable for different shooters.  The Vltor also has battery compartments that can be attached to the stock and a Quick Detach socket for a sling.  The Vltor Modstock is comfortable to use and is small enough to fit in to my Contico tool box.

Viking Tactics 2 pt. Padded Sling- I’ve tried several different slings and this is the one that feels the most natural to me.  I recommend the padded over the non-padded since it is more comfortable, especially if slung for hours on end.

Sling is attached at rear of stock on firing side (outboard) rather than inside

The sling is attached to the rear of Vltor stock on the firing side so that I don’t choke myself when transitioning from strong side to support side.  The front end is attached to the tube using a basic sling connection so that I didn’t have to add on an additional piece of rail plus another sling attachment.

This is a brief summary of why I chose this configuration, your configuration may change as you evolve.

PWS Conversion piston rifle close up

PWS Gas Block and Centurion Arms HK style Front Sight

I sent in my components after placing an order through the PWS site and received my upper back a few weeks later.  I had ordered the PWS FSC556 compensator along with a barrel threading service as well as the Daniel Defense 9.5 FSP Lite rail.  My initial trip to the range proved to be a disappointment with the upper short stroking every other round.  I tried several different brands of ammo which worked with my other AR.  Same results even after using different magazines as well as swapping lower receivers.  I contacted Todd at PWS and explained what happened, he seemed surprised as they do a test fire on each upper before it leaves using Wolf (normally underpowered) ammo.  I believed him since the shell deflector on the upper had some wear marks which weren’t there when I sent the parts in.  He asked that I send it back to PWS so they could investigate the cause of failure.

After I got it back from PWS I took it out to the range and fired about 200 rounds to zero and function test it since I had planned on taking it to a carbine instructor class with Bennie Cooley.  It worked well and my confidence was restored in the weapon.  PWS stated that they opened up the gas port slightly to fix it.

I took it to the Bennie Cooley carbine course in August 2008 and ran it for the first half of the day before I started having malfunctions again.  Same symptoms, it would fire one or two rounds before having a failure to extract.  I switched rifles so that I could complete the training day before attempting to troubleshoot it later that night.  The only thing that I could see was that it appeared that the gas block was slightly loose, enough that you could see a small bit of a gap between the block and the barrel.  I tried shooting it the next day with no improvement and sent it back to PWS after the course.

Surefire 6P with clickie tailcap and shock isolated bezel in a Larue LT606 offset mount

After speaking with several people at PWS I asked that they turn down the barrel from the HBAR profile to a mid-weight profile as the combined weight of the gas block, flashlight and barrel made it very muzzle heavy.  They charged me about $125 for that but later offered to have the gas piston assembly Ion-Bonded for me at no charge if I was willing to wait an extra few weeks.  I agreed since it seemed like a fair deal.  As far as the malfunctions I was experiencing, PWS explained that some of the factory barrels from Colt had an almost undetectable taper where the front sight base was mounted and that could cause gas leakage.

I took it out to the range again and fired another 200 rounds to confirm zero and experienced no malfunctions.  More recently I switched out the Aimpoint M2 with an Eotech 552 in a Larue mount and found that the HK style diopter sights sit too low with the Larue riser and I cannot align the iron sights through the Eotech window.  I still don’t have enough rounds through it to feel 100% confident but I have been very impressed with the professionalism and customer service from the PWS staff, they even sent me a free hat the last time I had the upper sent in.

A friend shooting the PWS AR with Eotech mounted on Larue LT-110 riser

Since the whole premise of having a piston AR is increased reliability I see no advantage to my current PWS set up over my conventional DI carbines.  I like the DD 9.5 FSP rail as I’m able to get my support hand farther out on the gun but the PWS gas block vents in that area which makes it extremely hot.  I normally wear gloves but even then I can feel the rails getting hot.  Rail covers help and I’ve switched to Magpul XT panels since they seem to offer the best balance of texture and heat shielding compared to the ladder style rail covers included with the Daniel Defense rail.

The HK style sights have been disappointing, the front sight post is fixed and too wide to make any sort of precision shot even at 50 yards to zero.  The rear diopter is too small to effectively shoot in any form of low light, you will need a white light to backlight the front sight post in order to get a clear sight picture.

Having briefly experimented with running different collapsible stocks including the Magpul MOE and Vltor Modstock, I found that because of the increased weight toward the muzzle the only stock that can counter balance that is the LMT SOPMOD buttstock.  It is also the most comfortable (and expensive) of all the options.

I have been impressed with the PWS FSC556 compensator, coupled with the piston drive and increased muzzle weight there is almost no muzzle rise even when shooting rapid fire.

The VTAC padded sling is attached to the rail using a Midwest Industries QD socket on the left side of the rail closest to the upper receiver.  I find that location allows me to run my support hand out and activate the Surefire without interfering with the sling attachment.

The grip is an Ergo ambidextrous SureGrip which fits my hand perfectly but still allows me to activate the ambi-safety without shifting my firing grip.

I have a few carbine classes scheduled before the end of the year and plan on giving the system a more thorough evaluation.

1. What weapon platform? Pistol, shotgun, carbine or some combination of both?
2. How much money are you willing to spend?
3. How much time are you willing to give up to include travel?
4. What’s your training objective?
5. Which instructor?

1) My normal recommendation is for people to take a pistol class first as the basic fundamentals of sight alignment, sight picture and trigger press can be installed immediately and is more readily transferable to other weapon platforms. Also, for most non-military people it is the most accessible whether its a night stand gun or if you have a CCW license that allows you to carry (almost) all the time. Almost all shooting ranges, both outdoor and indoor will have bays for pistols which will make it easier for you to practice once the class is finished.

Jeff Gonzales coaching student shooting on the move with pistol

A shotgun may be the most affordable and politically correct tool available for self defense but generally requires 2 handed manipulation.

I consider a carbine type weapon such as an AR or a Beretta Storm to be the most capable and easiest to shoot for defensive purposes but will cost the most. Especially if you start adding things like Red Dot Sights (RDS) and white lights.

A 2 day pistol or 3 day combination class is what I would suggest for most people. This allows you to get used to being in a structured class environment with other shooters and requires less investment in gear. A pistol, holster, magazines and magazine pouches are all you really need to start. If you plan on shooting a lot then I strongly suggest ballistic rated wraparound eye-protection (from Oakley) and electronic hearing protection (Sordin or Peltor).

2) More expensive isn’t necessarily better but neither is cheaper. For well known itinerant instructors expect to pay about $150-$200 a day for a class. Fixed facility trainers such as Gunsite or US Training Center (formerly Blackwater) will cost a bit more than that. If you have a local instructor or range that hosts classes it may be more convenient than traveling to another location. Factor in the cost of the class itself, ammunition required- including possible shipping fees if you’re flying, airfare or gas if you’re driving, lodging, food and the costs begin to add up. Some of this can be offset if you have a friend or shooting partner that would be willing to go with you.

3) Scheduling is tough for those whose day jobs don’t include going to shooting classes. For a regular civilian plan on having a travel day before and after the class dates. In the past I have traveled the day the class ended and it always leaves me exhausted when I have go to work the next day. Spending 2 or 3 or 5 days on a range and then switching gears to go back to work can be brutal.

I’ve finished classes only to run to the airport to catch a red eye or started a 9 hour drive back home. I would strongly discourage it, this extra day gives you time to decompress and digest the information you just spent so much time and money to learn. I’ve also seen it be a distraction as students start thinking about their travel plans rather than the training on the last day. The travel day before a class is probably more important as you want to give yourself enough time to set up your gear and enough rest to start the next day fresh.

4) Maybe you just want to improve your shooting skills, or you feel that your shooting skills are adequate but want to learn some tactics so that you can apply your shooting skills in a more realistic training environment. Either way this will be a critical factor in what type of class you choose. There are instructors who focus on the basics believing that without the fundamentals you cannot progress. Others assume you have the basic marksmanship skills and emphasize learning how to manipulate the weapon and fight.

5) There are a lot of great instructors out there who are known and populate internet forums and gun magazines. Finding which one suits you is a combination of all the factors already listed. You’ll rarely read any negative posts on internet forums, partly due to politics and because many people will not take the time to write about a class they weren’t happy with.

Most of the classes that I’ve taken have come from folks with a military background so I am comfortable with that type of crowd. Go with an open mind, thick skin and sense of humor and you’ll be fine.

The folks that I’ve trained with that served in a particular US Army Special Operations Unit place a strong emphasis on the fundamentals of marksmanship. For beginners or those looking to correct bad habits I would unhesitatingly recommend TigerSwan, Paul Howe or Larry Vickers. I’m planning on taking a class with Kyle Lamb of Viking Tactics in the summer and will be able to offer an informed opinion after the class.

The TigerSwan group is one of the best kept secrets in the firearms training world. Their instructors are drawn from the elite special operations units at Ft. Bragg, NC and have years of real world experience doing the very things that the rest of us watch on CNN. They are not the cheapest but because of that class sizes are usually smaller so you get a lot more attention than you do at other classes. I heard from a friend that they ran a 3 day class for a single student who showed up and classes usually have a 3 to 1 student/instructor ratio.

TigerSwan instructors watching students shoot pistol course of fire

I’ve spent a lot of time training with Pat Rogers of EAG Tactical and in my opinion nobody does a better job of teaching you how to fight. I had to take his class a second and even third time before I could truly appreciate all the different aspects of what he was teaching. From shooting to tactics to mindset to weapon manipulations and the integration of gear to support the fight, Pat offers the total package.  Let me say that again, nobody teaches the total package better.  Pat offers a 2 Day basic carbine which I haven’t attended but if you have some basic carbine skills then his 3 day class is an excellent opportunity to get better.

Shooting on the move @ Quantico 3 Day Carbine Class with Pat Rogers

The other instructor who has been most influential on me is Bennie Cooley. I’ve taken several classes with Bennie and he emphasizes thinking your way through the fight. Perfect practice develops the muscle memory to do it right. Once he establishes that you have the capability to accurately hit the target he will push you hard on speed or he will start adding different things to force you to think. His classes are more of an intermediate level and you will get more out of it if you are in good physical shape.

Bennie Cooley demonstrating barricade shooting technique

For fixed facilities I would recommend TDI-Ohio, not as well known as other, more famous schools out there but they have a low student/instructor ratio and very good facilities. Their cadre is drawn largely from law enforcement which is a plus as they offer a different perspective on things and may be more relevant to every day civilians. An added benefit is their class tuitions are more affordable than some of the bigger name schools. I took their Tac Rifle II class and was extremely impressed.  I’m planning on attending the first Tac Rifle III class later this year.