Pics from 3 Day Tactical Course

Just thought I'd share some pics of a 3 day Tactical Course that me and my son attended. I was one of the instructors. The Primary Instructor is a good friend of mine and a prior SWAT operator. The other AI is a retired COL (SPEC OPS). The students consisted of civilians, military personnel, and LEOs.

Day 1: Tactical Pistol/Carbine
Day 2: Tactical Pistol
Day 3: Hand-to-Hand Combat (Krav Maga system)

Group Photo:



My son preppin his load out for the course. He was using a Glock 19 and an H&K MP5:



Me & Primary Instructor engaging targets at 15 yds:




Me & my son sharing a moment:



Uzi 9mm, 3 rd. controlled burst, low light conditions, forward assault:



Other "action" pics:

The Art of Tactical Camouflage

While thumbing through the February 6, 2007 issue of Guns&Ammo's Combat Tactics magazine, I came across an interesting article titled "Tactical Spray Paint" by Alfred Cripps. From eyeballin' the title of this article, the first obvious thing that came to mind was camouflaging your rig. I was expecting the usual camo patterns found on catalogues that look too perfect that they're no longer camouflaged...those paint jobs that have absolutely no blending of colors done by individuals who are more worried about how thier rigs are going to look on a picture rather than the tactical purpose of camouflaging your rig to begin with...if you know what I mean. Needless to say, my expectations were dead wrong.

Enter the work of Jesse Gorham of Three Wolves Tactical.

Cited from his website: Located in the high desert of the Eastern Sierra, Three Wolves Tactical is owned and operated by Jesse Gorham, a full time police officer in California since 1988. Jesse conducts his Three Wolves business in his off time. In addition to his investigative duties, he is one of three department Rangemasters. Initially Jesse started working his trade on Department owned weapons (sniper rifles and Glocks) and the personal weapons of his colleagues. As word of his work spread, local area shooters sought him out to paint hunting rifles. In October 2004, Jesse published his own web site and is offering his services to anyone in need of his skills. In addition to his skills as a gunsmith/armorer and artist, Jesse is a highly skilled shooter, both handgun and long rifle, and a certified trainer in both disciplines.

Jesse does all of his work by hand resulting in paint jobs that are all individually uniquie. He uses high quality flat enamel paint. 4-5 applications of enamel paint & 2 applications of clear coat go on each rig. One of the reasons I decided to have Jesse paint my rig is because I didn't want to be locked in to one specific camo pattern as you are when using some of the more permanent methods(i.e. - Duracoat, Ceracoat, etc.)...definitely comes into play when you're working in different operational environments. All you have to do is simply strip the paint off and apply a new camo pattern. I've been told that touch ups were extremely easy, but I can bet my work will be nowhere near compared to the talented hand of Jesse's. Turn around time for my rig was only a couple of weeks and you just can't beat his prices! No matter what type of camo pattern you want on your rig, Jesse can probably reproduce it...from tiger stripe to digital patterns...you name it. You'd be amazed at what he can do. Just check out his website for detailed pics (courtesy of Ichiro Nagata) of the camo jobs he's done for customers. You won't be disappointed.

Here are before and after pics of my rig.

Before:



and After:







(Photographs Courtesy of Jesse Gorham)

Thanks Jesse.

From a more than satisfied customer.

-Doc

DPMS Panther AP-4, AR-15 Carbine

RANGE REPORT - AS PROMISED

I promised a range report when the temperature dropped below 100 degrees and the monsoons went away. On Thursday, 8/2/2007, the temperature dropped to 99 degrees and the rain stopped, so I loaded up and went to the range. Unfortunately, it was also 40% humidity, so it was a bit muggy. Here is the review of the rifle that I sent to DPMS at their request.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: DPMS Panther AP-4 Carbine
Model: RFA2-AP4
Type: AR-15 flat top carbine with removable carry handle and 6 position collapsible stock.
Caliber: 5.56x45mm
Barrel Length: 16”
Rifle Length: 36 3/8”
Weight: 7 lbs. empty
Capacity: 30 rounds
Price as delivered: $904.00

Out of the Box:
The first item of note was that the rifle came in a rifle case from the manufacturer. The case is not of high quality, but adequate to protect the rifle in transit. The finish on the rifle was excellent. The lightly textured black Teflon finish showed no obvious blemishes. The rifle came with a nylon sling and cleaning kit. The second item of note was the magazines, which are aluminum, mil-spec magazines from D&H Industries. The notable item is that the magazines are Teflon coated like the upper and lower receivers on the rifle. This is a nice touch that may extend the life of the finish on the magazines.

Closer Inspection:
Closer inspection of the rifle showed no blemishes in the finish. All metal parts on the entire rifle are well oiled by the manufacturer to prevent rust and corrosion prior to it arriving in the buyer’s hands. While cleaning and inspecting the rifle, I noted that the inside of the bolt carrier is hard chromed to limit wear from the movement of the bolt and gas rings. The upper and lower receivers fit together tightly. The bolt carrier cycles smoothly. The trigger is a bit heavy. It is crisp, with very little feeling of it creeping, like most AR-15 rifles do. All in all, the fit and function of the weapon is excellent.

Range Report:
The rifle was fired from 25 and 50 yards. It was accurate right out of the box, requiring no adjustment to set the sights to zero. The rifle functioned flawlessly through 140 rounds. It patterned 3 inch groups at 50 yards from a standing position, off hand, with no rest or support. Magazines from 3 manufactures, D&H Industries, Colt, and Adventureline, were used in the rifle. All 3 manufacturer’s magazines fed perfectly, and dropped free from the rifle without assistance. I feel as though my range report is a bit short and uneventful, but that was the way the AP-4 performed. It was uneventful at the range. The rifle was reliable out of the box, and didn’t seem to require any break in period. It shot well, without any hiccups.

Conclusion:
This is a fine example of an AR-15 carbine. I have owned and fired AR-15 rifles from many manufacturers, including big name companies and small custom shops. This rifle stacks up to any big name company’s offering, and exceeds the offering of some of the small custom shops as well. The DPMS rifle shows as good or better quality than most other carbines on the market, and they do it for a price below most other manufacturers. This is an excellent product at an excellent price.

UPDATE - Target Pics

At the request if Shadow 6, I now have target pics from this rifle. I made another trip to the range on 8/7/07 to function test a Magpul PMAG, and took the DPMS Panther along to get targets for Shadow 6. The PMAG functioned flawlessly, by the way. Next test for the PMAG - dashboard of a patrol car in Arizona summer heat. (Yes, the mag is unloaded.)

First volley - 5 rounds, 50 yards, standing, off hand - no rest.

Second volley - 5 rounds, 50 yards, standing, off hand, no rest.

This one is a different rifle. This is a POF-USA, 9.25" barrel, short barreled rifle. This 5 shot volley was fired from 50 yards, off hand, no rest. I realize there are only 4 holes. The 5th was one of those stealth bullets that doesn't appear on radar, or infrared, or paper targets. In other words, I missed the damned target. :-)

Take care and be safe,

SAO1911

What can you get for $12.00 these days?

May 21-23, 2007, Laughlin, Nevada - Back in May, I attended the first annual "1 Inch to 100 Yards" conference in Laughlin, Nevada. This conference was presented by Khyber Training Group, and included classroom training in defensive tactics such as hand to hand and edged weapon skills. The final day was spent on the range, and included skill building in handgun presented by Matt Burkett, as well as demonstrations by the firearms related sponsors of the training symposium. Sponsors included names such as Blackwater Gear, Crimson Trace, Sigarms, RBR Tactical Armor, ITT, XS Sight Systems, Baker Batshield, Blauer Tactical Systems, and many others. This was a well thought out, well presented program. It was hard to believe that this was Khyber's first time out on a presentation of this type. The training was informative, and geared toward everyone from the street cop to the soldier in the field. Khyber has already stated that they are going to extend the length of the classes next year, as some of the topics just couldn't be covered completely in 2-4 hour blocks. This should improve the presentation of an event that was incredible to begin with.

The price of registration for the 2007 conference was $225.00. Khyber has not announced the price for the 2008 conference. The 2008 conference is supposed to be a full four day, instead of three day event. Khyber is going to offer two days of live fire range training, including blocks on rifle and shotgun skills.

Here is the kicker. I have teased you with the $12.00 question, "What can you get for $12.00 these days?" At the 2007 conference, the Khyber Group had a hospitality mixer the first evening, and a banquet and raffle on the second evening of the three day event. Bullhead City Chief of Police Rodney Head made a motivational speech as the key note speaker. The raffle was incredible, with over $20,000 in merchandise donated by the sponsers. From Blackwater Gear to training DVDs, tactical tomahawks to body armor, a Smith & Wesson M&P pistol to a DPMS Panther AP-4 rifle, everyone who attended the banquet took home something from the raffle. Khyber provided one raffle ticket to each attendee with their registration. Additional raffle tickets were available for $5.00 each, or 3 for $12.00. So, I bought 3 extra tickets for, you guessed it, $12.00. Here is what I got for my $12.00.....

I would like to thank Khyber Training Group, including Wes Doss and his family, Shawn Brooks, and all the trainers and sponsors that made the 2007 1 Inch to 100 Yard conference happen. I would especially like to thank DPMS Inc. and Evin Galbraith for donating the $12.00 DPMS Panther AP-4 rifle.

This conference is worth attending for anyone in law enforcement, military, or private contract security. If you have the means to attend in 2008, I would recommend it. Khyber is already advertising May 20-23, 2008 as the second annual conference. The website for the conference is under construction, but I would suggest checking it out for more information.

1 Inch to 100 Yard Conference Website

Khyber Training Website

Take care and Be Safe,

SAO1911

P.S. - I'll post a review and range report on the AP-4 seperately when the temperature drops below 100 degrees in Arizona and the monsoons go away.

Springfield Armory Operator 1911, .45 ACP

with M-6 Tactical Light and Laser

I will start with my daily carry weapon. My primary handgun of choice is a Springfield Armory Operator 1911. Those of you working for agencies that restrict your carry weapon to the weapon issued will appreciate that in October of 2004 my department hired one of the greatest supervisors I have ever worked for. Among the immediate changes he made was to request policy change allowing us to carry our weapon of choice, rather than being required to carry the weapon issued to us. Shortly after the policy change took place, my birthday rolled around, and our local gun shop (which we refer to as the 4th Street substation), happened to have a Springfield Armory Operator with integrated light rail in the case. As you can probably guess, I bought myself a birthday present.

This firearm was excellent right out of the box. The trigger pull was crisp, fit and finish was top notch. I have several Colt 1911 pistols and one other Springfield. The other Springfield is a 1990 production. Although I have no complaints about the function of my old Springfield, it is a typical 1911 rattle trap, complete with slide that can be visibly moved side to side on the lower frame. This Springfield is in a totally different class than my old Springfield. I have had opportunity to handle and shoot many of the high end 1911 pistols, including Wilson, Kimber, Caspian, Colt customs, and several competition handguns. The quality and workmanship in this Springfield is on par with the quality of the combat weapons from Wilson and Kimber, at about half the price.

When my department required that I carry the issue weapon, I was carrying a Glock 21, .45 ACP. I was raised on 1911s, and the Glock 21 just didn't feel right in my hand. The grips were too large, and the grip was tilted too far forward. While carrying the Glock, I had gotten used to having a tactical light on my pistol, and therefore was happy to find a 1911 with an integrated rail.

The only upgrades I have made to the Springfield Operator are the aforementioned M-6 Tactical Light and Laser, a Wilson Combat magazine well, and custom laser etched Alumagrips. I use Wilson Combat 8 round magazines in the pistol. The pistol came with tritium night sights from the factory, so no sight upgrade was necessary. This pistol also comes from the factory with an extended ambidextrous safety, commander style hammer, and a beavertail, raised grip safety. Accuracy is excellent out to 50 yards.

For accessories, I carry Bianchi Accumold nylon duty gear. Nylon is the greatest thing that ever happened to law enforcement. I entered the LE game when the only option was leather. The lighter weight and lack of the new leather squeak are a Godsend. I actually carry a Glock 21 magazine pouch, as it permits me to carry four spare magazines instead of only two. This means that including the ammo in my gun, I carry a total of 41 rounds. With the Glock 21, with two spare mags, I was carrying 40 rounds with double stack magazines. My holster is a Safariland model 6280. Both my partner and I had a problem with the rotating hood on the 6280. When we sat down in the patrol car, our body armor would press down on the hood, rotating it forward. This was solved using the hood cover that is visible in the photo. The hood cover does not effect thumb placement or effect the draw stroke. One of the positive aspects of this holster is that it allows the weapon to be carried with the tactical light affixed at all times.

Any questions, feel free to ask. For my next post, I will discuss my backup pistol, a Glock 26, 9mm.

Be Safe.

SAO1911

My new GAP SASS (with can!!)

For those wondering, this is why I sold my SR-25.....
The GA Precision SASS.
Custom built by the good people at GA Precision Rifles. Built on a DPMS 308 upper and lower, 20 inch OBERMEYER (YEAH BABY!!)barrel, Magpul PRS (308, not 223) stock, Daniel Defense 12 inch lite rail, RRA NM tweaked two stage trigger, Armalite adjustable gas block, LaRue bipod mount, Harris bipod, PSG-1 grip, Badger Ordinance tactical latch, Leupold Vari-X III 4.5-14x50 Illuminated Mil dot Reticle, Leupold Mark 4 30mm flat top scope rings, Leuopold Scope Smith Lens Shade, Butler Creek front and rear flip up lens covers, Stoney Point Removable Target knobs, Soundtech Black Star Suppressor (custom threaded to this barrel by GAP).

Just some quick snapshots:

OK...I'll start the debate - DI or Piston AR Platform: Which do you prefer and why?

Stirring the pot...