The Leatherman Tool Group makes some amazing tools for a wide variety of purposes. We recently reviewed the Leatherman MUT, a tool dedicated to the maintenance of the M16 series rifles. For those looking for a lighter, smaller and less expensive option for M16/M4/AR maintenance the Leatherman Rail may be the answer. Continue reading Leatherman Rail Review
KRG X-Ray Chassis for Remington 700 and Tikka T3
Kinetic Research Group is preparing to release a new lightweight, lower cost chassis system in 2014. The new chassis, dubbed the X-Ray, will have similar ergonomics to the flagship Whiskey-3 Chassis (W3C). The new chassis will utilize many polymer components to reduce weight and manufacturing costs. The X-Ray will utilize the same “backbone” as the W3C possibly allowing the end user to upgrade the forend and buttstock over time. Both the W3C and X-Ray Chassis feature a V-bedding system for quick bolt-in installation of your barreled action. The chassis allows for most oversized recoil lugs and barrel diameters of up to 1.5″. The forend will have mounting holes at various positions for the addition of rails, barrier stops, and sling mounting points. Continue reading KRG X-Ray Chassis for Remington 700 and Tikka T3
Merry Christmas 2013
Mail Call Mondays Season 2 #48 – Marine Sniper Ghillie Suit Overview
Cerakote Firearms Coatings
A trip down any tactical rifle firing line is often like looking at a black and white photo. Black rifle after black rifle. Repeating over and over again. Some shooters are happy with their rifles just like they came out of the box. Others would like to add a little “personality” to theirs. When Cerakote Firearms Coatings contacted us, we jumped at the chance to add a little flair to one of our rifles.
The rifle we chose to send off to Cerakote was Sarah’s XLR Evolution equipped Remington 700. This rifle started life as a plain-jane 26″ ADL Varmint rifle. We had the barrel cut back and threaded by Suppressed Armament Systems. Then we added a JP Tactical Compesator to take recoil down a notch. This setup was a great shooting rifle, but the sea of black was just “blah”. Continue reading Cerakote Firearms Coatings
TacLites M600 Heavy Utility Flashlight Review
The flashlight has been a core tool for Law Enforcement and Military personnel since it was first patented in 1899. Since then, the cardboard tube and bulky batteries have evolved into a countless number of designs. Some are cheaply made, disposable junk. Some are finely machined tools. The TacLites Flashlights fall into the latter category.
TacLites sent us one of their finely crafted M600 Heavy Utility Flashlights (HUF) to evaluate. The flashlight body is constructed of 6061 Aluminum and aggressively grooved to provide a sure grip. The body is 1″ diameter in order to fit many weapon mount options. Our test model was black anodized, but KG Guncoat finish is also available.
TacLites uses a “p60” style drop in LED module. This offers a wide variety of beam color and intensity options. Out test model came equipped with a Cree XM-L2 emitter and three power options (5%, 30%, 100%). At full power the light is rated at 800 Lumens.
While we don’t have any method to test the actual lumen output of a flashlight, I found that the TacLites M600 was the brightest of all of my handheld lights. The full-power setting easily illuminated 100-200 yard targets. Continue reading TacLites M600 Heavy Utility Flashlight Review
Mail Call Mondays Season 2 #47 – Lead Smelters, Ghillie Suits, Air Rifles and More!
Lead Smelter Closing: Will Your Ammo Be Affected?
On December 31, 2013 the last primary lead smelter in the US will cease operation. News of the closure had prompted questions about future ammunition supply.
The Doe Run Smelter in Herculaneum, Mo. is a primary lead smelter. It is used to produce lead from raw ore, taken from the ground. Eighty percent of the lead consumed in the US is used to produce batteries. The recycle rate of these batteries is approximately 98 percent. Ammunition production only accounts for three percent of lead used. Sierra announced on their website that the lead used in their bullets is recycled lead, and comes from several sources in order to maintain a constant supply.
Federal stated in their FAQ that it does not anticipate any additional strain in their ability to obtain lead.
At this time it does not appear that ammunition supply will be effected. However it will be interesting to see if this will prompt ammunition companies to look to lead replacements in the future. In the future a new smelter may be constructed with currently existing environmental technologies to comply with EPA air quality regulations.
Sources: NRA-ILA, Sierra Bullets, Federal Premium Ammunition, DoeRun.com
Registration is Open for the March 2014 Precision Rifle Series Match at Woody’s
Registration is open for the March 8-9, 2014 Precision Rifle Series Match at Woody’s Hunt & Rifle Club outside of New Hill, NC. This looks to be the first eastern Precision Rifle Series match of 2014. Rules and round count have not been posted yet.
More info is available on Woody’s Website.
Desert Tactical Arms Rebranded to Desert Tech
Desert Tactical Arms announced today that they are rebranding their company to “Desert Tech”. The company cites the change as “essential to provide a global brand that unites the arms, ammunition, and training companies.” Desert Tactical Arms was founded in 2007. Since then, the company has grown to incorporate 55,000 acre training canter and has added in house ammunition manufacturing.
More information is available on the Desert Tech website.
