PMCI - October 2020

OCT2020

CONTENTS 4 “SPOTTING DANGER BEFORE IT SPOTS YOU” PMCI GETS DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AS WE TALK DIRECT TO THE AUTHOR, US ARMY VETERAN, FORMER CORRECTIONS OFFICER, US FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL, TRAINER AND CEO OF Q-SERIES, LLC, GARY QUESENBERRY! 10 FIREARMS SECURITY ON THE MOVE: CONSOLE VAULT TRAMPAS TAKES A CLOSE LOOK AT CONSOLE VAULT, A VEHICULAR SAFE STORAGE SOLUTION FOR THOSE ON THE MOVE

Editor (UK): Bill Thomas

15 EDITORS COMMENT

Deputy Ed (USA): Trampas Swanson

16 GEAR ON TEST: “GEAR FOR THE GOOD GUYS” COURTESY OF THE PMCI TEAM

Graphic Design: Baz Thakur/

20 GEAR: TACTICAL FLEECE: AS THE TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO FALL BILL WARPS UP WITH AN IN-DEPTH REPORT ON THE BENEFIT OF THE “TACTICAL FLEECE”

Deadshot Design

22 TACTICAL INNOVATION: ATTACKSENSE UPDATE: CONTINUING HIS COVERAGE OF GOOD PRACTICE WHEN TRAINING SAFELY AT HOME, BILL BRINGS IN AN UPDATE ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FROM ATTACKSENSE SMART TARGETS

Cover pic: Courtesy Gary Quesenberry

24 TRAINING TOOLS: REALISTIC TARGET COMPANY: ANALYSING REALISTIC TARGETS FOR REAL TIME DECISION MAKING AND ACTION! 30 KNIVES AND TOOLS: MICROTECH SCARAB: ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR THE US NAVY SEALS, TRAMPAS FINALLY GETS TO GRIPS WITH THE ELUSIVE MICROTECH QD SCARAB! 34 FIREARMS: RUGER 5.7: IN 2019, RUGER FIREARMS THREW THE GUN INDUSTRY FOR A LOOP BY ANNOUNCING A NEW SEMI-AUTO PISTOL CHAMBERED IN 5.7X28MM SO THIS TIME PMCI GETS TO THE RANGE TO FIND OUT WHAT ALL THE CHATTER IS ABOUT 38 OPTICS: UH-1 GEN II HOLOGRAPHIC SIGHT: TRAMPAS TAKES A LOOK AT THE “URBAN RIFLE” AND IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY VORTEX’S NEWEST RELEASE, THE GEN II UPDATE OF THE AMG UH-1 AND WHY HE’S HAVE NOW SWITCHED OVER TO IT 42 SKILLS AND DRILLS: HAMMERED PAIRS AND FAILURE TO STOP: FORMER CONTRACTOR ANDY N CONTINUES WITH HIS USUAL WRY TAKE ON THE “SKILLS AND DRILLS” THAT ARE INVALUABLE TO ANY SHOOTER 44 6MM TRAINING: UMAREX GLOCK 17 GEN 4: IF YOU’RE GOING TO TRAIN WITH WHAT YOU CARRY THEN BILL SUGGESTS THAT IF YOU CARRY A GLOCK, YOU SHOULD TRAIN WITH A GLOCK! 48 TRAINING: CHOOSING YOUR PROVIDER: THIS TIME PMCI ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME NEW CONTRIBUTOR PAUL FROM ARG IN THE UK WHO BRINGS SOME TIPS WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING YOUR TRAINING PROVIDER 49 BOOK REVIEW: “CALL SIGN CHAOS” IS A CLEAR ACCOUNT OF LEARNING HOW TO LEAD IN A CHAOTIC WORLD, BY GENERAL JIM MATTIS 50 INDUSTRY VACANCIES: LOOKING FOR WORK? JUST CHECK HERE.

PMCI magazine is a digital-only publication available FREE OF CHARGE via the PMCI App on a wide range of digital platforms, including iOS, Android and Windows. For more information, visit www.pocketmags. com and search “PMCI”.

PMC I c a n a l s o b e rea d o n l i n e at : www.issuu.com, www.magzter.com and www.readly.com Calibre Publishing Limited Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PL Tel: 01684 878 003 Web: www.pmcimagazine.com ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2019 Letter, idea or question?

Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article or article idea? Drop us a

Copyright © Calibre Publishing 2020. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

line and let us know. Either email the editor

system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the

(editor@pmcimagazine.com), write to us at

express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The

the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk

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

2

Publisher: Nigel Streeter

to us on Twitter or Facebook.

TELL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME. Trit ium illuminated watches t hat stay visible all night.

Exclusively available online WWW.NITEWATCHES.COM

SPOTTING DANGER

SPOTTING DANGER WITH GARY QUESENBERRY OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST TWENTY YEARS, TRAMPAS HAS WORKED IN AND AROUND LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS THROUGH VARIOUS TASK FORCES BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO THE FIREARMS AND TRAINING INDUSTRIES. HIS TRAVELS HAVE LED HIM AROUND THE USA TO MEET SOME AMAZING PEOPLE AND LEARN MANY VALUABLE LIFESAVING SKILLS. OF THESE SKILLS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TO LEARN AND PASS ALONG TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND STUDENTS IS THAT OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. SO IMPORTANT IN FACT, PMCI DECIDED TO INVITE A SPECIAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT TO JOIN US AND DISCUSS HIS NEW BOOK ON THE TOPIC! - TS.

W

hile knowing how to proficiently handle a firearm, razor sharp blade or throw hands

like a cage fighter are great skills to have, we don’t use any of these abilities to nearly any fraction of the frequency of which we either consciously or subconsciously use our inborn senses and abilities. To the untrained, it may simply be accredited as a “gut feeling” or “women’s intuition” but for the trained, it is called Situational Awareness and we recognize at some level what an imperative part of our daily survival skills it makes up. Regardless of label, the truth is, everyone can stand to get better and mostly importantly, fully understand WHY this is important to do so.

Recently a book titled, “SPOTTING DANGER BEFORE IT SPOTS YOU” by Gary Quesenberry was published in which it fearlessly tackles the tough topic of Situational Awareness. Two things drove me to immediately purchase this book. First, this is a difficult topic that can easily lend itself to become victim to the slippery slope of a writer’s ego and opinion rather than hard fact. Secondly, I was familiar with the author, Gary Quesenberry, and his background.

Some of you may remember Gary as the cool as ice, level headed contestant on Season 3 of Top Shot which aired on the History Channel. Gary made such an impression with the fans and

producers; he was invited back onto the show in Season 5 as an AllStar contestant. What you may not know is that Gary Quesenberry is a US Army Veteran, former Corrections Officer and current US Federal Air Marshal, trainer and CEO of Q-Series, LLC. After reading the book, not only was I happy to see the author avoided easy to fail opinionated pitfalls, but basically just provided readers with a simple, easy to follow textbook for situational awareness. Not only did Quesenberry go well beyond courses such as the NRA’s Refuse to be a Victim concept but he went well in depth with WHY understanding this topic and HOW its applicable to everyone on the planet as well. Very few people could write a book this rich in information with the vast experience, wisdom, and humbleness of Gary Quesenberry. Not for one second during my time reading this book or the second time going back through it with a highlighter and making notes did I feel any sense of ego from the author. Quesenberry was spot on with citing other great works available on the topic and managed to tie the information together smoother and easier than the others for the average reader to learn and identify with the material.

Having met and spoken with Gary several times over the years about Law Enforcement, Top Shot and mutual friends from the show, I decided to reach out and ask him to join us to discuss his book and the subject matter at hand. Despite being in the midst of retirement from the US Air Marshal Service and expanding his

current and future training ventures, Gary gladly accepted the invitation to stop in and speak with us.

THE CONVERSATION

Quesenberry: My personal definition of situational awareness is simple, it’s the ability to identify and process environmental cues to accurately predict the actions of others. Real situational awareness goes quite a bit deeper than just keeping your back against the wall and watching exits. It involves equal measures of comprehension, planning, and intuition.

I wrote Spotting Danger Before It Spots You because in my line of work. I see people every day with their heads buried in their phones, headphones in, completely cut off from the world around them. It’s a dangerous state to be in and I wanted to take what I had learned as a Federal Air Marshal and pass that along to the general population to help them to be more aware of the dangers that surround them.

PMCI: The book is broken down into three phases, could you briefly explain these?

Quesenberry: Absolutely! The book is broken down into three equally important phases of learning.

Phase one: Understand the threat Real situational awareness requires a shift in perspective. It’s not enough to just walk around in a state of hyper-vigilance, thinking that nothing within your line of sight will go unnoticed. You have

Phase two: Build your situational awareness This is where we get into the mechanics of situational awareness. We discuss things like Coopers colors and the levels of awareness. The OODA loop and the reactionary gap as well as discuss tips and techniques for the best way to position yourself in any given situation so that you optimize your chances of a safe escape from a violent encounter.

Phase Three: Develop Personal Defenses Once you’re familiar with the basics of awareness, you can see that when it comes to the threat of a violent attack, being proactive is a much better option than being reactive. Knowing what to look for and how to interpret what you see, gives you more time to develop a plan of action should the need arise. In its simplest terms, there are four basic options when it comes to self-preservation: avoidance, escape, de-escalation, and confrontation. These are the issues we tackle in Phase three.

PMCI: One key aspect of understanding the threat comes in clearly defining two types of predators lurking among our society both foreign and abroad. Could you share with our readers how they differ?

SPOTTING DANGER

PMCI: Gary, welcome to PMCI Magazine and thank you for joining us to discuss such a valuable topic for civilians and armed professionals alike. Let’s start by discussing, what is your personal definition of situational awareness and how did it prompt you to write SPOTTING DANGER BEFORE IT SPOTS YOU?

to be able to see yourself and others from the perspective of a predator. This isn’t easy for a lot of people. For the most part, we all want to see the best in others, and the fact that someone else could possibly view us as a target of opportunity is hard to imagine. The unfortunate truth is that there are predators among us, and unless we can change the way we think, we may be walking around looking like easy prey without even knowing it. Phase one points those predatory behaviors out and teaches you how to recognize them in others.

Quesenberry: Sure. Predatory people can be broken down into

pmcimagazine.com

SPOTTING DANGER

pmcimagazine.com

6

two basic groups, resource predators and process predators. It’s very important to understand the two basic types of predators and how they differ. A resource predator is looking for tangible items, be it cash, jewelry, or even your shoes. They’ve decided that they need something and that they’re going to take it from you. Predators in this category include your basic mugger, pickpocket or burglar. In some cases, if a resource predator confronts you and you just give them the thing they want, they go away. The process predator, on the other hand, is much different. The process predator isn’t interested in your watch or wallet; they get off on the act of violence itself. This category of predator includes the likes of rapists and murderers. They are dangerous, and you should avoid them at all costs because if they can get the upper hand, they will hurt you!

PMCI: What factors have you discovered over the years primarily drive predators to commit crimes?

Quesenberry: Motivations between the two categories of predators can vary, but violent behavior is primarily driven by one of four things, money, ego, territory, and emotion.

Money – Like it or not, money is a consideration in almost every aspect of our lives. Commonly, it’s the lack of money that drives people to commit irrational acts. In the absence of money, desperation can creep in, and people will go to any length to satisfy their needs. According to the Bureau of Justice, more than eighteen percent of inmates in federal prisons committed their crimes to get money for drugs. Alcohol, drugs, sex, you name it, if there is a need for it, you can guarantee that money is what gets it. For some people, when money is unavailable, crime is a reasonable alternative.

Ego – On the surface, this one seems to be a little less common, but we all have egos, it’s the part of us that feels the need to be special. People will go to extremes to protect that feeling because it feeds their self-image, which can lead them into some pretty dangerous situations. We all like to think that no matter what the threat may be, we will be the ones rushing headlong into danger and saving the day, but that isn’t always the best option. My book is about your personal safety and how the early detection and avoidance of danger is the best way to ensure the wellbeing of you and those you love. Overinflated egos can often lead to bad decision-making and unnecessary confrontation.

Territory – Humans are territorial creatures and will fight to protect what they consider to be theirs. An entirely peaceful, law-abiding citizen can become incredibly violent when they feel that something within their territory has been threatened.

A person’s home is their territory. When a mother takes her children to the park, that area becomes an extension of her territory, and she will protect it viciously from anyone who she feels poses a danger to her children. The same goes for criminals.

They survey their surroundings and stake claims on everything from street corners to door stoops. They become aggressive and often violent when they feel their territory is being encroached upon. To avoid all this, it’s important that you become familiar with the places you frequent and aware of any areas where your presence may cause problems.

Emotion – Violence is frequently driven by emotion. From jealous spouses to disgruntled employees and bullied teenagers, violent crimes such as mass shootings are often triggered by emotional responses. The level of emotion attached to religious beliefs has served as the primary influence

behind acts of terrorism and the recruitment of others to extremist causes. Emotion is an incredibly powerful force, and it can be very unpredictable. Violence that is compelled by emotion tends to be excessively punishing.

Regardless of the motivating factors behind crime, the end result is always the same for the victim. The shock, emotional trauma, and physical damages that are suffered during an act of violence can resonate with the victims for years after the event.

For this reason, it’s crucial that you have a good understanding of situational awareness and how it plays a role in your personal safety.

PMCI: What are some simple ways for people to be able to look at their environment through the eyes of a predator?

Quesenberry: In my book I give simple practical exercise at the end of each chapter to help you develop the skills you need to complete each phase. Here’s one I’ll share with you to help you think more like a predator and see yourself from their perspective.

Randomly pick someone out in a crowd. Using what you’ve learned in chapter one, evaluate them based on what I call the seven-second PROD. Follow the steps below to identify someone who lacks proper defenses, and could be the potential target of an attack.

Step one: PERCEPTION. Evaluate the person’s body language, posture and walking patterns to establish your initial perception of them. Do they appear to be unaware and timid, or confident and alert? If they are confident and alert, move

PMCI: For those who come to the harsh realization they are a bit more of a “soft” target than they realized, what are some things they can practice to “get hard”?

Quesenberry: It’s all really about perception. How do you think other people view you? Do you come across as outgoing and independent, or are you more introverted and shy? How others perceive us has everything to do with the way we are treated, and it is a key element in how criminals target their victims.

You don’t have to be a black belt in Ju-Jitsu or even carry a gun.

There’s a whole section in my book that covers how simply lifting your head up and walking with confidence can be enough to turn potential attackers away from you.

PMCI: When out and about in our daily environments, what are some key items to pay close attention to our surroundings and those who inhabit them?

Quesenberry: One. Get your head out of your phone and pay attention to your surroundings. Once you do that, you’ll be amazed at the way you see people acting. The best advice I can

give is to always look out for the pre-incident indicators that people will display before the commit a violent act. These “preincident indicators” can be applied universally regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. They’re identifiable patterns of behavior that we all adhere to, and they dictate where your focus should be when you’re dialing into your surroundings.

They include things like Hidden hands, Inexplicable presence, Target glancing, Sudden change of movement, Inappropriate clothing, Seeking a position of advantage, Impeding your movement, Unsolicited attempts at conversation...

I cover each of these in great detail in my book.

PMCI: Gary, I want to thank you for joining us at PMCI and sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience. Before we wrap, can you offer our readers some advice on how to tie all this great information together to help strengthen our overall awareness abilities and strengthen your defenses?

Quesenberry: It’s been my pleasure and I’ll leave you with this: Situational awareness is a lot like dieting. To do it right, requires you to commit to a lifestyle change. My advice is to read the book. Put your phone away when you’re out in public and pay attention to your surroundings. These three simple steps will automatically change the way you are perceived and go a long way in preserving your wellbeing.

FINAL THOUGHTS

To wrap up this feature, I wanted to share a few final thoughts on our guest, Gary Quesenberry, and his book. For those fortunate enough to have meet or got to know him, Gary is the consummate quiet professional, who carries himself with confidence, offers polite and friendly southern hospitality conversation to those he knows. During his time on the television show, TOP SHOT featured on the History Channel, the contestants were made to not only compete but live together in one house for over six weeks. This was done in hopes of stirring the typical reality TV shot drama that normally happens when you get “strangers picked to live in a house and have their lives taped to find out what happens when things stop being polite and start being real.” Through two seasons, Gary showed viewers a level of maturity, compassion, leadership, and honor that few have done before or since.

When I think about the top picks for books to help people understand the dangers around us and improve our mindset and abilities, there are traditionally four, now five books I highly recommend.

These include: “The Gift of Fear” Gavin deBecker. “Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps’ Hunter Program Can Save Your Life” by Patrick Van Horne and Jason A. Riley, “On Killing” by Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman, “Violence of Mind” Varg Freeborn and now, “Spotting Danger Before It Spots You” by Gary Quesenberry. For more about Gary, his company Q-Series, LLC and this book and future releases, visit www.

GaryQuesenberry.com and www.QSeriesLLC.com . Until next time folks, keep your head on a swivel and stay deadly my friends!

SPOTTING DANGER

on to another person in the crowd. If they appear to be unaware and timid, move on to step two.

Step two: RISK. Evaluate the risk involved. Does this person pose a risk to your safety? Do they look like they would put up a fight or raise an alarm if attacked?

Are they with a group? If the answer to either of these questions was yes, move on to another person and start over.

If the answer was no, move to step three.

Step three: OBSERVABLE VALUE. Does this person have any observable signs of value such as a smartphone, backpack, laptop, headphones, expensive sunglasses or purse? If they don’t, move to another person and start over. If they do, move on to step four.

Step Four: DEFENSES. Does this person display any visible signs of defenses? Do they look strong and capable? Are they alert to their surrounding and unlikely to allow an unwanted approach? If so, move on to another person and start over. If they display no outward signs of defenses, congratulations!

You’ve found your target.

This is a simple observational exercise that increases your awareness of how others move through and interact with their environments. The more you practice it, the faster the process occurs and in time will take only a matter of seconds to conduct.

By identifying those people who could be a potential victim, you also become more aware of your personal patterns of behavior and can more readily correct the weaknesses in your own defenses.

TECH: CONSOLE VAULT

pmcimagazine.com

CONSOLE VAULT

AS AN AVID PRACTITIONER OF LEGALLY CARRYING A CONCEALED FIREARM EVERY DAY AND TEACHING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME THROUGH THE TRAINING COURSES OUR COMPANY OFFERS, TRAMPAS IS CONSTANTLY AWARE OF AREAS IN WHICH HE CANNOT POSSESS A FIREARM, AND LOOKS TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THOSE MOMENTS WHEN HE NEEDS TO SECURE HIS “TOOLS” WHEN MOBILE. - TS

M

y lifestyle often requires me to stop in at the post office, escort my kids to school or accompany my whole family inside other “Gun Free Zones” such as theme parks that prohibit other perceived weapons as well such as pocket knives or multi-tools. During travel, some states such as Maryland may not recognize my Florida concealed carry credentials, thus requiring my firearm to be fully secured in some fashion to not be in violation of their laws.

Over the years, I have looked at several different options to be able to secure my firearms and other tools safely when needed inside my vehicle without drawing attention to it, the goal to be readily accessible, discreet, and secure from my kids or anyone else from being able to gain unauthorized access. The Liberty vault safe was my first option due to its steel construction and low profile to fit under my driver’s seat.

The drawback to this option for me was the keyed lock was so to access and the box would slide out from under the seat if I had to hit the brakes hard in traffic. (Living in Florida,

10

this is a regular thing!) The safe held one medium sized pistol and not much else. I could not argue for security however, it was attached to the seat post by a thick braided coated cable.

I decided after a few months to upgrade to the Rapid Vehicle Gun Safe from Hornady. This had all the bells and whistles it seems. The biometric sensor quickly opened the safe door beside my interior console and offered a secure steel body mounted upright in Chevy Suburban. The major drawback to this option was being constantly asked about the safe. This meant, it was extremely visible and stuck out like a sore thumb from the average vehicle interior.

Fortunately, before giving up all hope of security and discreetly storing my firearm or spare firearm for road trips, I stumbled across www.consolevault.com online. I entered my vehicle information and the answer to all my problems seemed to be quickly answered. The company, Console Vault offers professionally constructed personal safes that specially fit many cars, trucks and even motorcycles based on the specific make and model. These vaults are constructed of heavy duty 12 gauge steel with a triple guard locking system offered with keyed, 3 and 4 digit combo locks options. I

When I arrived home with the kids, I was quite pleased with the way everything mounted and operated. As I discussed with my wife, Candace, later that evening, I am happy to not only have a secure, out of view place to lock up my carry gun when needed but to also offer our family a secure third firearm and spare magazine storage area. Since Candace and I both carry concealed daily, we often like to keep extra magazines or a larger firearm option such as a full sized Glock 19 or SIG P320 in the console for backup during long trips away from a readily available rifle, shotgun or PDW. Retailing around US$269, the console vault is not the cheapest option I have tried, but it certainly is the best one I have found thus far. The make and model specific design reduces slop and overall generic feeling the other options gave with their universal fit and finish. The Console Vault is clearly a professional’s choice in its clean lines and styling. This product goes well beyond giving our family that piece of mind and feeling of safety and security in what matters most. I highly recommend the Console Vault as serious consideration for anyone needing a well-built vehicle security option and recommend it as one of our Top Five Gear On Review Products of the Year.

TECH: CONSOLE VAULT

immediately ordered one for my Suburban and within a week, it arrived.

The first thing I noticed as I removed the vault from its packaging was the very noticeable heft of it. The shape of safe mimicked the inside of my console perfectly and offered a spot on the top facing of the vault to relocate my USB plug originally located on the back wall inside the console.

The instructions seemed very straightforward and only required the use of a Phillips head screwdriver for the two mounting screws for the vault and two smaller screws for the USB mount.

Due to the Console Vault arriving only minutes before I needed to leave to pick up my kids from school, I decided to take it with me. My typical afternoon outside of the office during the week includes a 45 minute wait parked in the parent’s pick up line at school in which I jockey for a fast pick up and quick egress from the road raged soccer moms operating minivans by arriving early and staking out my parking spot up front. This daily downtime is normally spent returning emails, making calls to vendors for review products and managing schedules for our onstaff firearms instructors. This day however, I spent about ten minutes reviewing the instructions to verify they were indeed as simple as they appeared.

I opened the console between my front seats and located two mounting screws in the bottom. I removed both and then used the screw driver to pop the USB port free of the inside wall. I then dropped the steel safe unit into the console and positioned it to line up with the two holes in the floor. Using two long screws provide with the kit, I secured the safe into the console floor. I then placed the steel facing plate down on top as it fit like a glove with the contour of the console top and sealed the double-sided adhesive strips tightly.

Using two smaller screws provided with the kit, I mounted the USB port into its new, easier to access position. Within ten minutes, the Suburban was now equipped with a highly discreet secure steel vault equipped with a 3 digit combination lock.

Once quickly unlocked, the heavy duty access door springs open ready for action with the simple twist of a knob.

pmcimagazine.com

‘Our Mission’ In 2018 it was identified that up to 20% of military personnel were suffering from mental health disorders such as PTSD CROPS Coffee was established as a way of supporting our troops past and present by donating all our profits to Veterans mental health charity Combat Stress Sometimes it’s all about the simple things in life and nothing makes you smile like a good cup of coffee to lift your sprits As a veteran own company, we are dedicated in supporting our troops, and would like to thank you for your support To purchase and support, visit

www.cropscoffee.com

VX BUCKLE UP GUN CARRIER BLACK / DARK COYOTE / GREEN / VCAM / SRP: £79.95

HEADS ON A SWIVEL, STILL GOOD TO GO! Just when it seems like we’ve seen the very worst that 2020 can throw at us, the situation changes yet again and we’re thrown another curveball to wrap our already-aching heads around!

It seems to me that 2020 is a year of challenge, and year that just keeps on throwing up new problems seemingly at random, as if to see how we can deal with them, dig in, and still drive on. If it’s not having to deal with a global pandemic and all the randomness that this appears to generate from the “powers-thatbe”, it’s from people taking to the streets for seemingly whatever reason appears to enrage them at any given moment in time.

Fuelled by hate-speak both in the mainstream press, and most certainly on open-to-every-nut social media platforms, folk seem to be rising up to make their views heard, no matter how unjustified and ridiculous those views may be. There are some arguments that have a grounding in reality and truth, and I for one say that the truth should never be hidden from view, no matter how unpalatable that truth should be, but it would appear that half-truths and downright lies are the order of the day.

To coin an old adage it’s not that I don’t care about politics, because I believe you must care to have a view on where things truly stand, I just don’t rightly care for politicians! Whilst I am certain that there are many honourable people out there who stand for election based on their strongly-held beliefs, their altruism, and their desire to see the lot of the common man or woman improve, these days it would seem that it’s all about talking heads, soundbytes, and barely cogent arguments to prove fallacious points.

But this my friends is the system that we live in, where we uphold the laws, and in fact the morals, of what we have voted for. We may not get our “politician of choice” running things, but

such is a diplomatic society, and we get to vote again and make our “one small voice” heard if we don’t like what we’re seeing.

We have choice, perhaps not every moment of every day as we would truly wish, but still we have it.

Let’s remember for a moment that we have pride in our respective countries, in the fact that we have freedoms to enjoy, and that there are those out there that put their lives on the line each and every day so that this freedom may continue. I have friends in the military, and I have friends in the police, and they don’t always like what they are asked to do on a personal basis sometimes, but they go ahead and carry out their sworn duties to uphold law, and make life that bit safer for all of the rest of us.

Let us not forget that we have all placed our vote, and will get to do so again. Let us not place the burden of doing the right thing in the harshest of settings just on the shoulders of those we pay to do so, as that’s just a (if you’ll pardon the huge and deliberate pun) cop out.

As always I urge you to take responsibility for your own actions, to stop for a moment before you act in anger, frustration or fear, to take stock of the situation before you as a whole and then act accordingly with fairness, tolerance, and calm-headedness.

Do not rise to the bait of the hate-mongers and those that would wish to see the world burn; keep your head firmly on a swivel, and let’s move things on for the better as right-thinking people the world over.

Until next time, watch your six, and keep safe wherever you are!

EDITORS COMMENT

EDITORS COMMENT

pmcimagazine.com

GEAR ON TEST

CIVILIAN LAB GRAYMAN PILLBOX HARDSHELL DAYPACK

If you need to carry photographic equipment as a part of your “day job” then it’s always good to look at what the pros are using, and if you want something that’s fit for purpose but that doesn’t immediately scream “tactical” then gear from Civilian Lab might be just what you’re looking for!

Civilian Lab is the parent company of HAZARD 4 and has many years of experience manufacturing top quality outdoor adventure, extreme sport, and travel gear in innovative configurations and form factors. It’s had countless users asking over those years for tactical and professional versions of that gear.

The “rumour mill” has it that a number of their customers have snipped off the iconic orange Civilian® tags and brought their products into professional field use and the combat arena. Whether at FBI headquarters in Quantico Virginia, a medevac helicopter service in the American Midwest, Iraq, or aboard an Airforce spy plane, Hazard 4® DNA has served there. Civilian Lab is the line that gives their response to the wishes of the selfless few putting themselves on the line as a daily part of their job, and extensively incorporates their input.

The GRAYMAN PILLBOX HARDSHELL DAYPACK is a new type of tactical EDC backpack with revolutionary modular design and lightweight build, and has been purpose-made for keeping valuable electronics and gear safe and to prevent against damage from within and without.

The front of the bag is made of a thermoformed front shell with external HardPoint double grommets for attaching bungee cords, carabiners, lights and other HardPoint items.

The camera compartment can fit any mirrorless or APS-C system and comes with internal soft lining, and movable

16

padded dividers in various sizes to adjust it to your needs.

The front clamshell zip opening compartment features administration organiser panel with various sleeve pockets, a hook-and-loop field with MOLLE system, internal padded sleeve compartment for laptop, hook-and-loop gusset system to attach the shell to the bag and inner loop lining on the shell for additional gear or pouches. The bag also comes with CCW compartment with two-way zip opening and soft lining material. MOLLE attachments points on both sides of the pack can be used to attach additional pouches or gear.

On the back of the pack there are padded and ergonomic shoulder straps with attachment points, quick release buckles and hook-and-loop hydration hose holder, an adjustable and removable chest strap with quick release buckle, adjustable and removable waist strap with lockable quick release buckle and ergonomically padded back panel to provide an excellent breathability and comfort of wearing.

This well thought backpack using some of the very latest “design-tweaks” and newest technologies in a durable and sturdy build is a perfect EDC carrying solution, especially if you carry cameras and lenses, but the versatility of it makes it also useful as a daily-use bag. It is perfect not only photography professionals but also for those that appreciate something a bit different, but something that’s designed to protect your equipment whilst serving you all day long, and all year round.

Check out mote items from the Civilian Lab range by visiting www.military1st. co.uk

HAZARD 4 HEAVY WATER DIVER TITANIUM TRITIUM WATCH We’ve long been fans of the unique designs that have come from the HAZARD 4 brand, and it looks like they’re breaking new ground again with a selection of high-quality, high-performance watches; with a couple of qualified divers in the PMCI team this is right up our alley!

GEAR ON TEST

With water resistance of up to 300 meters and highly visible 3D military stencil-cut numerals, the Heavy Water Diver Titanium Tritium (HWDT) Watch from HAZARD 4 comes with hypoallergenic titanium case, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass and custom T.P.R. band.

Additionally, this highly unique action watch features self-contained ever glow tritium-vial lamps which are selfpowered and don’t require charging. Continuous glow (night or day) is achieved by combining hydrogen-3 gas (tritium/ H3), glass tubes, and phosphors into self-contained minilamps which don’t fade overnight and are feather-light.

Arriving in an extremely neat military-grade thermoformed Coyote case (which we can see numerous other uses for!) with brown dial, black and brown bezel, black hands and graphics the HWDT offers self-contained everglow tritiumvial lamps with green hours and hands, yellow noon, and a green bezel. There’s a GMT daylight ring with an additional hand for tracking second time zone, and a daylight ring and additional hand for tracking a second time zone.

Set I a light, strong, and hypoallergenic titanium case, there’s an aggressively knurled unidirectional bezel with tritium marker in “12” porthole, scratch-resistant A.R. sapphire crystal glass, and a crystal interior with anti-reflective coating.

The watch offers scratch resistant machined bezel markers, and has a high water resistance feature set with a screw-down case-back and crown. The large, highly visible, 3D military stencil-cut numerals with integral 24-hour military time scale marry up with boldly styled, broad, super legible hands to make everything easy on the eye for those moments when you just need to grab a quick glance at your “time expired”.

With user-service fast-change strap screw-in pins the rubber straps have a clever moisture wicking map texture, relief trench and multiple buckle holes • Case diameter: 50mm • Case thickness: 15mm • Strap horn width: 24mm • Depth rating: 300m/990’ • Movement: Ronda 515 Quartz • Date window position: at 4 o’clock • Case material: Titanium (Bead-Blast) • Manufacturing: Swiss Movement • Weight: 110g

represents great value for any serious adventure lover!

Check out the entire HAZARD 4 line by visiting www. hazard4.com, and our thanks to www.military1st.co.uk for bringing this great piece of equipment to our attention!

Overall this is exactly the kind of thing we’ve come to expect from HAZARD 4 a thoroughly neat package that shows their quirky yet innovative design style in one tough package that’s designed to perform in the most adverse of conditions! With technology usually used only for critical applications, the Heavy Water Diver Titanium Tritium Watch from Hazard 4

pmcimagazine.com

GEAR ON TEST

pmcimagazine.com

18

INFORCE WMLX WHITE – GEN 2 Once upon a time a weapon mounted light (WML) stuck out from the rail of your rifle or carbine, and as those of you that have used one in earnest they are all too easy to snag on clothing, equipment, and external obstacles even when used effectively. INFORCE have been making their name for their more ergonomic WML designs, so we’ve taken a look at the Gen 2 WMLx… We’ve writen quite a lot of words about “no light/ low light” training in PMCI, so as you mat guess we’re always looking for new solutions when it comes to “getting game on” effectively in these conditions. The INFORCE brand of products is distributed in over 40 countries and is currently used by every branch of the U.S. Military and the majority of federal law enforcement agencies, and their stated mission is: “To design, manufacture and deliver products of superior quality, performance and value for every mission, task and theatre of operation.”

Recently we’ve had the chance to really get to grips with the latest models from relative newcomer INFORCE, and we’re really liking their WMLx White – Gen 2 due to its sleek design, ease of mounting, and ease of operation. The WMLx White – Gen 2 sets the standard for balancing output, reliability, and value in a compact white-light capability for your rifle or carbine.

Extensively proven amidst prolonged rapid firing, rough handling, and harsh conditions, it is a match for adversity in any situation.

You can really turn night into day out to mid-range targets with 800 lumens of concentrated white light, synced to your press of a button, with enough “gas in the tank” for up to two hours of continuous output with a single set of two lithium batteries.

Press, click, and double click between momentary, constant, and strobe functions. Flip a switch and simplify to momentaryonly, or twist and secure into lockout mode, it’s all there, quite

literally at your fingertips, and once you’ve mastered the techniques it’s simplicity itself yo toggle between modes, and the thing that we most like about the WMLx is that’s it’s super-fast to lock onto your primary platform without the need for tools thanks to a clever “locking bar” mechanism that simply clamps onto your chosen rail position, locks securely in place, and stays put until YOU decide to remove it! The light also sits snug to the rail, minimising those potential snags and catches, and if you decide to run it OTB it stays incredibly close to the bore, although if you run it behind even a folded BUIS you may get minimal “shadowing”.

Overall this a great addition to your “no light/low light” box of tricks, and at under 3oz/85g you can carry it with virtually no weight penalty; it’s even “wallet-friendly” compared to some of its competitors so there’s no reason not to give one a try!

Please do check out https://inforce-mil.com for more information on this model and others in the line, and ours came from www.tactical-kit.co.uk

GEAR ON TEST

5.11 XPRT® 3.0 WATERPROOF 6” BOOT

We’re keeping a little with our them of “low key” gear on test this time with a look at the latest version of the XPRT boot from industry giant 5.11, and a new colour that will look at home whether you wear them on the range or on the street!

We have already talked in the past about the 5.11 XPRT boots, and very nice they are too! The XPRT 2.0 boots that we looked at a while back combine the best features of high-performance European hiking boots with elite tactical boots, with features such as a padded neoprene ankle, durable ripstop nylon frame, a BI-FIT insole that provides lightweight, sturdy comfort, and an eVent® membrane which makes the boots waterproof and breathable.

As 5.11 like to tell us though “a tactical shift can take you just about anywhere”, and this is why you need a boot that will blend in, that looks great a performs even better whether you’re wearing tactical pants or just your favourite blue jeans! But even in the most undemanding of situations you still need footwear that’s built for anything you might throw at it, and that’s why you need an outsole that grips everywhere, like on wet or dry surfaces, along with a footbed that helps reduce fatigue.

The XPRT® 3.0 delivers that and more. Aggressive performance is assured in this athletic-style boot that features a polishable, full-grain waterproof leather, and an eVent® waterproof breathable and blood borne pathogen resistant membrane; Bill used to work direct with eVent in a “past life” and has bored us all stupid with his “factoids” on its benefits, but suffice to say eVent technology is designed to perform at the very highest levels of breathability which makes it a perfect choice for footwear!

The XPRT’s are also built on a Vibram® Ananasi outsole with the Vibram Megagrip for traction on all sorts of terrain, and an OrthoLite imperial foodbed adds moisture wicking properties and

long lasting comfort. The XPRT® 3.0 also features a Ghillie lacing system with 5.11s sausage laces that keep the fit locked in.

All XPRT boots are NTOA Tested so you can be sure of their worth, comfort and durability, and the XPRT 3.0 delivers that and more. Whilst the boots benefit from all the great technologies at 5.11s disposal, the fact of the matter is that they fit and perform splendidly, and with the new “Cognac” brown colour look pretty spot-on too!

You can check out the full 5.11 range at www.511tactical.com, and they’re available at www.tactree.co.uk if you’re in the UK.

pmcimagazine.com

KIT: TACTICAL FLEECES

pmcimagazine.com

KIT: TACTICAL FLEECES Although they are nothing new, one of the most-overlooked bits of kit in our “tactical wardrobe” is the fleece, but it’s actually one of the most versatile garments that you can own, both for training and for general use! As we head into the colder months of the year Bill takes a look at some of the models he’s been using and abusing and brings us the benefit of his years of use and technical garment knowledge!

I

t’s a common misconception that when the temperature plummets, wearing the thickest clothing possible is the ideal solution, but in reality most technical users, including shooters like you and I, can benefit from a variation on a layered clothing system. I’ve covered the system itself in some detail in the past, but this time I’d like to focus your thinking on one garment that is often overlooked when it comes to “Gucci” shells and softshells, and that’s the fleece.

As shooters, like other outdoor users, we are often exposed to challenging weather conditions and thus need performance clothing. A fleece jacket or pullover is an incredibly useful and versatile garment because it provides insulation and can be worn either as an outer layer (in dry weather) or as a mid-layer under a shell layer (in wet or snowy weather).

Fleeces are very comfortable to wear, quick-drying, moisturewicking and breathable. Due to these qualities, they are perfect for wearing directly over a base-layer as a mid-layer. They also provide good warmth even if they get exposed to moisture (high humidity, rain etc.) and are less expensive than many other insulated garments.

20

If you like, think of a fleece like a technical string vest! A fleece by its very nature has a very open structure, and this means that when worn underneath an outer shell garment air is trapped in the “holes” and quickly warms up. These microscopic “holes” also allows moisture vapour to pass easily within your clothing system, transferring moisture away from your wicking baselayer, through the fleece mid-layer, to the breathable shell-layer where it can be dispersed, aiding massively to your overall comfort and performance.

Sometimes simply called “the insulation layer”, the midlayer provides warmth. Usually a mid-layer is either a fleece or an insulated jacket. Like a base- layer, a mid-layer should be breathable and able to retain heat; many insulated jackets will help to keep you warm, but suffer badly in the breathability stakes once you’re doing anything other than standing still. A mid-layer is worn directly over a base layer when the base-layer alone can’t provide sufficient warmth. The main function of a mid-layer is to provide thermal insulation; mid-layers include fleece jackets, fleece sweaters, wool sweaters, down jackets and jackets with synthetic insulation. Fleece fabric though is typically very breathable and comfortable to wear all day long; it

can have a profound effect on your comfort too; too thick and you’ll start to overheat, too thin and you’ll still feel cold! As a rule of thumb I tend to go for “mid-weight” (iro 200g/m2) fleeces unless I’m heading somewhere super-cold as these do tend to provide a great balance of heat-retention against comfort. I actually own a “family” of fleece garments from different manufacturers though, as style and cut variations can add to the performance of the fleece fabric itself.

BANG FOR BUCK!

Now it may surprise many of you that one of my most favourite fleece garments, one that I wear almost every day, and that I’m actually wearing as I write, is the Tactical Fleece Hoody from good old VIPER in the UK; constructed of a lightweight and durable fleece it’s the absolutely perfect mid-layer, and although it does sport

KIT: TACTICAL FLEECES

also absorbs very little moisture (less than 0.4% in its own weight, unlike down!), dries very fast and efficiently wicks moisture away from the skin. Some fleece fabrics include stretch fibres to increase mobility.

Fleece garments are usually made of polyester fleece which is a soft and comfortable fabric that comes in different “weights”, normally from 100g/m2 to 300g/m2. Different “weights” offer different levels of insulation; for example a jacket made of fleece with a density of 100 g/m2 will be less warm than a jacket made of fleece with a density of 300 g/m2. When it comes to finishes, one of the recent trends is to use a grid pattern, and it is a fact that fleece fabrics with a grid pattern (back to the string vest!) are better at trapping the body-warmed air and thus provide a better warmth-to-weight ratio.

It’s important to understand that different “weights” of fleece

KIT: TACTICAL FLEECES

pmcimagazine.com

velcro on both arms it’s very low-key. It’s quite close fitting, which is technically correct to maximise breathability, but the hood and “kangaroo” pocket means that you can really warm yourself up easily.

VIPER though have been quietly busy during the “lockdown” period, and the new STORM and ARMOUR Hoodies are both made from a new VIPER fabric, that although not strictly a “fleece”, looks like it will wear well, basically a 300gm polyester bonded Ribtech fabric with a polyester brushed lining. The Armour Hoodie is a great choice for those who are looking for a versatile sweatshirt, and it works really great when worn on its own or as a under layer when the weather is less forgiving. The hood can be adjusted using drawstring and the front pocket is a handy storage. To keep you warm and cosy the hoodie is lined with 300gms polyester bonded Ribtech fleece.

using heat treated hook and loop patches on both shoulders.

The STORM hoody is a different beast, with the addition of polyester 5od peached contrast fabric in key areas. With a full zip this has a far more “technical” fit than the ARMOUR, and is the perfect mid-layer garment for wearing beneath a shell jacket when the weather turns really bad!

One of my personal favourites though when it comes to “mid-weight” fleece jackets is probably the Aviceda from Clawgear. Although this design has been in their range for a while, this lightweight mid-layer garment is extremely comfortable to wear and the styling allows a full range of unrestricted movement. It’s made from a 100% polyester fleece fabric which looks and feels great, and high quality YKK zips are used throughout. The fleece itself is water repellent and breathes extremely well, making the Aviceda a superb layering piece.

I especially like the low-profile hood which works perfectly in conjunction with a hard or softshell outer layer, effectively eliminating cold spots around the neckline.

The Aviceda also benefits from two lower, mesh-lined handwarmer pockets, pockets on both upper arms with velcro patches for team/unit patches, and an inner pocket which allows routing for comms cables; the outer pockets are neatly trimmed with black fabric which gives the jacket a visually stunning appearance as well. Weighing in at just 410g the Aviceda is easy to pack and takes up minimal space in a pack, so it’s absolutely ideal if you want to stow it away “just in case”. Overall it’s a superbly designed jacket made of high end fabrics and components, and the finish of it just oozes quality and attention to detail.

WINTER WEIGHT!

The adjustable elasticated cuffs with thumbholes will help with temperature control. You can create a personalised look

22

A “heavy” fleece garment is just the thing for when it gets REALLY cold, but I use that term only because the garments in question are “heavier” than their mid-weight counterparts! By way of illustration the Clawgear Milvago MKII hooded jacket weighs in at just 750g, and offers a whole heap of warmth!

Clawgear have really worked their “technical knowledge magic” of fit and function into the Milvago; this heavier-weight

available in solid block colours which means they are just as wearable for daily use as they are in a range setting, and if you look after them they’ll give you great service for years to come!

KIT: TACTICAL FLEECES

fleece mid-layer garment is again extremely comfortable to wear, and styled with a dynamic tactical end user in mind.

The Milvago also benefits from two lower fully-lined handwarmer pockets, pockets on both upper arms with velcro patches for team/ unit patches, and an inner pocket which allows routing for comms cables; the outer pockets are very low profile which gives the jacket a visually stunning appearance as well. Like the lighter-weight Aviceda the Milvago is water repellent and breathes well; for me the hood is a great addition, and it works amazingly well as a liner beneath an outer shell garment, giving seamless coverage up and over the neck.

If you want to look at the “grid” style of fleece though then HelikonTex are real masters when it comes to fleece products and I’ve had one of their heavyweight hooded Patriot jackets in my gear locker for over TEN years now and it’s still wearable!

They offer a fabulous selection of performance fleece products in various weights within their range so you can custom tailor your gear to your own performance level or task.

The Alpha Hoodie Jacket is a superb example. This fleece jacket is warm, comfortable and a part of Helikon’s Urban line.

It’s an enhanced version of the Alpha Tactical Grid Fleece and now features a hood with chin guard and a strong full-front YKK zipper, which can be fastened high around the neck.

It also has a zip chest pocket with a comms port inside, two lower zip pockets and an elastic drawstring with cord locks on both sides sewn into the waistband. The cuffs are elasticated, tight enough to keep the arms from riding up, but not as tight as to be uncomfortable. The majority of the sewn seams are flat-locked there are zero abrasion points. The front face of the jacket is also mesh lined, adding to the overall insulative properties and giving some degree of wind protection.

The fit of the all the fleeces featured here is quite technical, all of them fitting snugly to avoid creating cold “dead air spaces” when you wear them as part of a layering system. I’m normally an XL in jackets and in all the garments I’ve described sizing is spot on. If however you are still carrying a few extra pounds you might consider going up one size!

Excellent fleece garments are easy to find in good retailers (both dedicated tactical and good outdoor stores and outfitters), and having a couple of different weights to choose from is certainly worth your investment. All the models I’ve quoted in this article are

pmcimagazine.com

ATTACKSENSE UPDATE

pmcimagazine.com

ATTACKSENSE UPDATE – PEER TO PEER TRAINING If you’re a regular reader of PMCI then you’ll know that some of the contributors, especially those in the UK where access to live fire training is limited, have been making good use of their “6mm” tools to keep their skills and drills up to date with the AttackSense Samrt target System, and now it looks like things are getting even more interesting with live peer to peer “ranking data” available!

-BT

E

arlier this month I had the great opportunity to have both Neil and Rob, the guys behind the exceptional AttackSense Smart Target training system, on site at one of our shoots and I’m pleased to report that they had a lot of updates to give us in relation to the system, how it’s been faring after long-term operation and also how they aim to improve things further!

Our own system has been running flat-out for some considerable time now, and we’ve been able to give feedback to the guys in areas we feel could be improved for longevity and durability (such as physical protection to the batteries that live on the rear of the individual targets) and they really do open their ears to what we are able to tell them. It strikes me that they are 100% in this for the “long haul” and not just another “here today, gone tomorrow” training system.

It would appear that we are truly blessed at the moment when it comes to safe, use-at-home training systems, and as this long-drawn-out-summer staggers towards its socially

24

distanced end, it has proved the absolute importance of systems that we can use safely and effectively at home with limited space (and that can be transferred to a larger training workspace later), systems that allow us to keep our all-important training focused and regular.

Training is something that should never stop, as even shortterm lapses will eat into our hard won ability and proficiency, and I have to admit that having a (temporary it would appear) lull in the meeting safety guidelines here in the UK allowed some of us to finally get together in person again to train as a group… okay, it was elbow bumps rather than “man hugs”, and back slaps rather than high-fives when we got together, but at least we were all out and training as a group again; the sun shone, much BS was traded, and we all just enjoyed one another’s company as the gun belts went on again.

NEXT GEN “PEER TO PEER”

The app already provides immediate feedback of hits including missed targets and reaction times, along with “good guy” actions that simulate friendly targets to keep you switched on. Shooter enrolment and round history provides improvement tracking and competitive analysis. As the smart target system has really taken off in the UK and Europe as a “competitive” system, Neil and Rob have worked further on this side too, and now AttackSense enables viewing of leader-boards, personal improvement and run history from anywhere, with their enhanced ShooterID app.

This new addition enables shooters to view previous runs, performance gains and current leader-board positions in their own AttackSense ShooterID app. Range operators can now enrol in AttackSense’s cloud services for free, allowing information to be uploaded centrally and enabling features that benefit both shooters and range operators.

NEIL TOLD ME:

“Feedback on social media and at events we’ve attended frequently points to shooters wanting to track their performance and keep tabs on their current leader-board positions away from the range, and this latest improvement now makes that possible.

We know our interactive digital displays when used at sites and ranges have a big impact on engaging shooters waiting for their turn, and this extends the competitive atmosphere out beyond their time on the range”.

ATTACKSENSE UPDATE

One of the high points on the day, where we’d set up our existing AttackSense system anyway, was the introduction by Neil of two new target types, a Dual Zone (see Andy’s “Skills and Drills” article this this issue on what this type of target is so important) setup, and a massively challenging 120x120mm “small” target that really keeps you on your toes! This of course is in addition that that main setup, and to recap for newcomers, AttackSense is an electronic target system designed for 6mm and Simunition rounds, providing an exciting new way to practise skills and compete with friends using non-lethal ammunition. The smart targets connect wirelessly to the AttackSense Commander app, creating varied training simulations and competitive multi-shooter opportunities.

It’s a reactive target system that’s versatile, easy to use and provides an immersive training environment in a wide variety of uses. Targets work wirelessly across a large area and connect to an app that lets shooters act out a variety of target practise, competitive shooting and multi-shooter scenarios. Users can initiate a variety of pre-built single shooter, multiple shooter and team rounds, or design complex custom scenarios to complement a training programme. Actionable statistics allows shooters of all abilities to identify points of weakness and improve on their shooting skills and other disciplines.

Available in multiple form factors and with a variety of installation options, AttackSense targets can be used indoors or outdoors in any environment, and up to an area up to 1000 square meters and 65 individual targets, with up to 128 shots per round.

Different types of round provide a variety of training scenarios and rounds are fully customisable for any types of ability and deployment. The bolt-action mode allows for reload times to be built in for sniper rifles and other single shot platforms. Shooters can compete individually with automatic shooter ranking, or compete head to head with shooting gallery and duelling tree modes. Wirelessly upgradable and with frequent updates, targets are future-proofed and deliver a great return on investment.

pmcimagazine.com

ATTACKSENSE UPDATE

pmcimagazine.com

26

ShooterID is AttackSense’s mechanism for quickly enrolling shooters into a range, using QR codes that uniquely identify a shooter across any AttackSense system. ShooterID codes can be generated by the range operator or by shooters themselves in the ShooterID app.

The new system works through range operators enrolling into AttackSense’s ShooterID portal, which sets up a secure connection between the range and AttackSense’s cloud services. Ranges that aren’t always connected to the Internet can still use the system as data is stored locally and pushed to the service when the tablet running the AttackSense Commander app is periodically connected to an Internet network.

With this first release shooters can view and diagnose previous shoots, view their relative leader-board positions and track their improvement over time through the AttackSense ShooterID app, available now on Android and shortly on IOS. Shooters can view visits to every AttackSense system, so as more ranges enrol into the system shooters will see their improvements over multiple sites in a single view. AttackSense plans to grow this capability over time with more exciting features that will develop inter-site competitive frameworks and improved performance diagnostics.

In competitive practical shooting tournaments, scoring is often laborious, time consuming and leads to downtime on the range. ShooterID can simplify the registration process, negate scoring complexity and errors, and provide real-time visibility of participant rankings leading to faster paced and more engaging competitions.

The benefits for range operators are significant; competition amongst shooters not only leads to more range time but also encourages shooters to improve in order to climb the ranks. For more formal training environments, the AttackSense ShooterID portal enables Range Officers to review performance and diagnose all aspects of a single run away from the range, allowing more in-depth analysis without tying up range time.

Of course there is also a benefit when it comes to training with your regular crew, as long as everyone has access to the same target setup, and to me this is where the “peer to peer” really starts to enter the picture! With access now to “relative leader-board positions” amongst your training group you can now see, and track, improvements against those whose opinion

matters to you, and potentially this could be done in “real time” across multiple physical shooting locations, even with a trainer online to talk you through your mistakes!

I’ve yet to discuss this aspect fully with Neil and Rob, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I shall be; heck, I could even go head to head with Trampas and the US crew at last… from the UK… and see how my “at home training” really stacks up in reality!

For more information visit www.attacksense. com, or for existing AttackSense system owners, visit shooterid.attacksense.com to enrol.

Helikon-Tex®

SFU NEXT Pants® Mk2 Improved battlefield classics

• Two large hook & loop closed cargo pockets on the sides • Redesigned to fit better • Reinforcements on seat and knees

CHECK OUT NEW HELIKON-TEX® SFU NEXT PANTS® MKII

Journey to Perfection

REALISTIC TARGETS CHANGING THE TRAINING DYNAMIC WITH THE REALISTIC TARGET COMPANY

T

hroughout my law enforcement career, the standard training for our department, as with many agencies across our state, consisted of a static range with a solid color (black, blue, or green) human silhouette known as a B-27 target.

It was only during my regular training as part of the SWAT team away from the patrol, upper brass, and investigations personnel in which things were

a bit more “dynamic”. Items such as movement, team building skills and working angles came into play. Sadly, we were still limited to the standard B-27 target, even after I first became part of the Sniper Unit. Fortunately, during one of the many “sniper” schools the Sheriff’s Office training division were able to send my unit to, I discovered the Realistic Target Company.

The Realistic Target Company is owned by a veteran and former sworn law enforcement officer who is aware, firsthand, of the demands placed on Law Enforcement. The company has been in business since 1985. At the time of my Law Enforcement service, the Realistic Target Company was very well known in the tactical precision world for developing a detailed human target at almost a 1 to 1 scale.

These targets featured male and female subjects holding either a handgun, rifle or other object with the ability to cover up the weapon to make “no-shoot” targets as well. Some targets even featured two figures, one being a hostage with an assailant standing behind her with only a limited field of view

28

for a critical mass shot into the body or head. For inexperienced officers who have never had a human in their sights before, peering through a optic and seeing human face with their eyes feeling as if they are staring back at you can be quite the load on the human psyche. Being able to set that aside in training to better perform the task at hand in the real world to save someone’s life offers a great value.

Heckler and Kock even had a special target made for mass production by the Realistic Target Company that featured both the human threat image as well as several smaller precision targets surrounding the main image. These additional targets were approximately 3” in diameter featuring circle, square, triangle and diamond shapes in varying colors to test a shooters speed and accuracy. These targets added value in breaking shooter’s tunnel vision as well. In the Law Enforcement training community and elite Military circles, these targets also transitioned well to submachine guns and handguns.

After retirement, I became a civilian firearms trainer certified as an Instructor for the NRA and as both an Instructor and Training Counselor for the USCCA through our Swanson Training Group.

I enjoyed working with the public and those special shooters that became regular students for more advanced classes. When it came time to start teaching recreational shooters how to transfer marksmanship and sport shooting over to self-defense training, I wanted to find targets to help them grasp the reality

REALISTIC TARGETS

of what they were training to fight. At first, I selected true, photo realistic targets from several companies to help students overcome the mental stress of having to aim at a real image of another human being. The problem I discovered was most photo realistic images were blurry or had a bit too much detail for students to focus on their training goals.

After a year or so, I decided to research to see if the Realistic Target Company was still in business. To my joy, the company was not only still making artist renditions of human targets but had several new ones available for sale as well. The color and detail in these targets were much richer and captured the shooter’s eye closer to the way a real-life human target would rather than a distorted photo imagine. The first time I used the targets on a dark range for a night fighting class using only flashlights, I even had one student briefly succumb to the emotional fear of the image appearing from the darkness on its approach towards her. An hour later, that student was able to use the target and training to work her way through one of her biggest fears in life. That moment was proof these targets worked and could change lives.

Over the past five years, the Realistic Targets have proven to be a true game changer time and time again during training. The overlays portray everything from the subjects holding cameras and cell phones to knives and Molotov cocktails to force students to use their observation and reaction skills accordingly as the targets present themselves via turning and approaching targets as well as when students move through shoot houses using live fire, UTM and 6mm trainers. Being able to see the human threats clearly on the move helps get the students’ adrenaline following to induce the stress of real time decision making and action.

Targets average about US$0.66 each and can be ordered in large bulk quantities to reduce the individual target pricing significantly. To find out more about these products, visit www.RealisticTarget.com for your future training needs. Until next issue, Train Hard. Continue the Fight!

pmcimagazine.com

MICROTECH KNIVES: SCARAB

pmcimagazine.com

MICROTECH SCARAB In the knife community, there is perhaps nothing more captivating than the “SWWWICK” sound of an automatic knife. Whether it’s the classic linage of the stiletto switchblade from our favorite gangster movies or if it’s the mystique of being banned in several states, the automatic knife remains on the top of every blade fan’s “must have list”. -TS

O

30

n top of this list is the crème de la crème of automatics in the form of the out the front opening (OTF) knife. These blades are often cloned by cheap Chinese companies that could never hold a candle to the craftsmanship and precision that goes into building a reliable OTF knife. One name in the industry seems to constantly rise to the top of this category with each high quality model made is Microtech.

This Pennsylvania based company also has a second base of operations in North Carolina as well, which is a testament to its rapid growth since Microtech’s official start in Florida back in 1994. Almost right out the gate, Microtech seemed to have their sights set on the special warfare community who would benefit greatly from their products.

In 2007, Microtech even established a sister company, Microtech Small Arms Research (MSAR), which engineered the original STG-5.56 rifle. The creation of this company would mark Microtech as becoming the first knife company to create its own firearms division. Year after year to date, new designs, color and blade options have rolled out of the Microtech factories to continue their hold on the top of the knife industry mountain. At the summit of this mountain lies the best of the best in the form of the Microtech Scarab. As

with anything labeled “the best” in a given category, these blades are usually hard to come by and accompanied by

FIRST LOOK

During my time researching the Microtech Scarab, I was amazed to discover just how many variations there were for this model.

This particular knife seemed to offer every option in the book including color choice, blade finish, serrations, blade shape, and everything else you could imagine! The exact model I was able to obtain through Recon Rifles is listed as the Microtech QD Scarab 178-11 AP S/E Apocalyptic Serrated Auto. This is one hell of a title for a pocket carry blade only 8.35” fully open. Aside from a slight grade of steel difference used for the blade, the only change from the original Navy version and the 178-11 version I had on hand was the lack of a tritium dot on each slide of the side mounted action button. Normally reserved for applications such as night sights on firearms, the addition of this tritium insert on the Navy version would be beneficial for finding the action button in the deep dark waters. Since I am not a deep sea diver, don’t like the thought of being eaten by sharks and too old to join the Navy, I will gladly settle for the lack of this feature on my test sample.

So what makes this knife so special? To begin with, let’s look at the way the action operates. By being listed as dual action, this means, when you press the side mounted action button forward, the blade launches forward into place in the blink of an eye via a high tension spring. When you pull the action button rearward, the blade retracts equally as fast by a second spring. Due to its design, at no time is either spring remaining under full tension, which greatly increases reliability and the overall lifespan of the knife.

The tip down carry design is facilitated by a full hardened spring tempered stainless steel ambidextrous mounted pocket clip held in place by a carbide glass breaker on the end. Not only does this dull pointed device work well on glass, it could also work well for pressure point strikes in a self-defense situation.

The sure grip machined 6061 T6 aircraft aluminum handle has a skateboard tape style traction that works great in controlling the knife even in the wettest environments.

The most noticeable feature of the blade is the non-reflective, durable Apocalyptic finish built to endure the harshest hot, cold, dirt and water environments. Normally, along the left side of the blade, the Microtech logo and its unique serial number can be clearly found. On this particular sample, it was so blurry due to the heavy blade finish; it was nearly impossible to make out. I briefly even questioned if this could be a high quality knock off but ruled

that out once I was able to confirm the valid number. If you were only interested in this knife as a safe queen or collectable, this would not be the best option available on the market for a “show pony”. Every aspect of the Scarab is built for extreme use and carry.

SPECS

Overall Length open: 8.35” Length Closed: 4.8” Blade Length: 3.5” Blade Material: S30V Blade Grind: Flat Blade Shape: Drop Point, Partially Serrated Edge Handle Material: Machined 6061 T6 Aircraft Aluminum Weight: 3.6 oz.

Carry: Tip down via a spring tempered stainless steel ambidextrous mounting clip.

Action: Dual Action, Quick Deployment, Thumb Slide Activated

WHY CARRY DAILY? For this section, I’d like to address the elephant in the room usually caused when discussing this next subject. I often get asked why I even carry a knife every day. Two reasons which make picking the right knife absolutely imperative immediately come to mind without writing my first book. The first is the fact I was born and raised in the south, where I was taught by my Grandpa and my Dad, if a man has his pants on; he should at the very least have a good knife in his pocket. The usefulness of a quality knife has come into play almost every day since I was 7 years old and started carrying one. With peeling apples, cutting out tangles in fishing line, cutting price tags off the wife’s new purchases and slicing open packages, the tasks seem to never end when carrying a knife. I often give grown men a cross look when someone has to ask me to borrow a knife because I am perplexed as to why they don’t have one of their own. Five years ago, Grandpa passed away, but the lessons he taught about me about life and the responsibilities as a man in today’s world still remain and will continue to last the rest of my life.

Secondly, for a good chunk of my adult life, I served as a Deputy Sheriff in my former home state of North Carolina. Every day I would notice civilian’s eyes drift to my right side where my firearm rode religiously yet never paid a second look at the large folding knife clipped to my left pocket. Through hours and hours of training, I studied the mistakes made by my brothers and sisters in blue who were sadly killed in the line of duty. Often, it was due to being overpowered and having their firearm stripped from their holster with only the ability to grapple for everything they had in them to attempt to stop this from happening. As I attended various training, I learned the importance of having a reliable, razor sharp knife accessible via the opposite had from my gun side to be able to deploy and use to cut away any attempt at gaining access to my firearm. Several times in real world situations, brief attempts were quickly resolved when they heard the “SWWWICK” sound of my left hand deploying a blade headed straight for a vital part of their anatomy. Thankfully, no serious blood had to be shed and I always made it home in one piece.

Lessons learned on duty strongly carried over into my civilian life after the badge just as the one’s learned from my time prior to LE service.

MICROTECH KNIVES: SCARAB

a hefty price tag compared to other blades. This being said, of course, I had to find one for review!

Originally designed for the US Navy SEALs as an all-purpose duty knife that would be the first automatic knife to reliably open past the 30M mark underwater, the Scarab seemed to be only available at first in very limited availably. Its connection to such an elite group and its limited production only added to its attraction to die hard blade collectors. Due to Microtech being as elusive to contact directly as their blades are to come by in stores for purchase, my quest to review one of these Tier 1 blades has taken almost a full year to complete. Ever since attending Blade Show 2017 in Atlanta, I attempted to email and call Microtech marketing numerous times only to deal with condescending and very skeptical white collar suits, who obviously aren’t the people who these blades are designed for. Not to be one who lets people influence my opinions on products, I pushed onward without the direct assistance of Microtech in order to bring our readers one of the best names in the industry to read about. With the help of a good friend, Preston Mishikaiwa over at Recon Rifles in Orange Park, Florida, I was finally able to obtain a sample. Once Preston worked his magic, I had a Microtech QD Scarab in my hands in just a matter of a few short weeks.

DAILY CARRY OBSERVATIONS For the past two years, I have carried the Microtech Scarab as part of my daily carry knife. For the abundance of folks I have seen posting in online forums lately, this consists of carefully

pmcimagazine.com

MICROTECH KNIVES: SCARAB

pmcimagazine.com

carrying the knife around clipped inside an empty pocket and only deploying it for adult “show and tell” with friends. Sadly for my test sample, this had no chance of being the case. This Scarab shared duty being carried in a front left pocket opposite of my concealed carry pistol on my right side. It battled space with my wallet (thanks to the insistence of my chiropractor) and various loose coins.

The only major complaint about this handy auto-blade is the tension in which must be applied to the action button in order to deploy and especially retract the blade. Set to be stiff by the factory in order to “lawyer proof” its product, the amount of pressure required is a bit more than it should be for deployment and absolutely stupid hard in order to retract the blade. Out of every 10 people who wanted to try the Scarab and experience the classic “SWWWICK” sound of the super-fast blade deployment, 9 of those folks needed to either use two hands to pull the action button back in order to close the knife, or could not do so at all!!

I find this absolutely ridiculous. I contacted Microtech about this issue with a resounding “oh well, that’s how they all are” type attitude. Upon further research concerning this issue and Microtech’s less than stellar customer service (minus the lady who answers the phone at the front desk, she’s super friendly and polite), it seems the poor attitude and rough action button are both common factors. Over the testing period, I cannot say the button got any easier mechanically, but my thumbs did get functionally strong enough to open and close the blade quickly with either hand in a matter of weeks. This is a failure in knife economics but a strange positive in functional strength training. Once this was worked out, it ceased to be a second thought from then on and nice to know someone else couldn’t easily use my own knife against me.

With this issue brought to light, what makes this blade so great? First, unlike most OTF blades I have tried in the past, the Scarab locked up super tight and had zero “wiggle” to the blade when deployed. Everything about this knife’s design is credit to the precision and quality materials that went into building it. The balance and control over the Scarab is incredibly comfortable and gives the user the confidence to really bear down on a cut. The razor sharp edge made quick work of daily

32

tasks such as slicing cardboard backers while teaching at the range, cutting 550 paracord for tie downs and other random chores. I found myself using the knife more and more as time went on. Over the past couple of years carrying it, I have cut several materials that normally quickly dull the edges of my past carry blades. While the edge needed to be sharpened a year ago, the blade and mechanics have held rock solid.

Thanks to the edge master himself, Simon Michael at Atavistic Edgeworks, I am still able to shave the hair off my arm with the Scarab’s edge despite a year’s worth of hard use.

FINAL THOUGHTS To spare an extra 2000 words on the T&E process, I will go ahead and boil it down to the end results. With a retail price ranging from US$570-$603, finding the model perfect for you at the price you are comfortable paying seems to be a lot like buying a car. This feature will cost “X” while this feature will run “Y” on top of the base US$500+ price. This comes extremely close to the cost of the HK VP9 or Glock model 19 pistol I have in my daily carry rotation! I will again state if you are just a knife collector that wants a pretty “safe queen”, this is NOT your knife. For those of us that train hard and care dearly about what we carry for use with everyday tasks and realize those tools may be the very items needed to defend our life and the lives of our loved ones, this blade is a rock solid choice.

When it comes to my tools, it is far less of a concern about price as it is what will work every time and work well. This should always be the case. If you can’t afford a top quality tool, save up and make it a priority to obtain them at some point.

Does someone need to spend US$600 on an OFT auto-blade?

No, but if having this particular style knife is important to you, it is more than worth it to carry a simple, high quality pocket knife until you can afford a Microtech Scarab. Once the Microtech and I had time to “mesh”, I found it to be a boost of confidence in my pocket each day knowing I had one of the best options available on the market.

As for their customer service and executive staff, I hope that others have better luck than I did and can enjoy owning a high quality knife.

www.arg.uk.com

FIREARMS - RUGER-57

pmcimagazine.com

RUGER-57 Late December of 2019, Ruger Firearms threw the gun industry for a loop by announcing a new semi-auto pistol chambered in 5.7x28mm aptly named the Ruger-57. This nearly 30 year old cartridge, commonly perceived to be pertinent only to a niche market, was suddenly, the main topic of conversation! -TS

T

he puzzling announcement came mere weeks before heading into the annual industry only event, SHOT SHOW in Las Vegas, NV. Naturally, several questions came to mind regarding ammunition availability, price point and overall design. When the PMCI team landed boots on the ground in Las Vegas in January, Ruger’s new pistol was on the top of the priority list to check out in person.

To understand the pistol, you must first understand why the 5.7x28mm was designed to begin with. The 5.7 (pronounced Five-Seven) was created to offer a viable anti-personnel round that would be softer recoiling and flatter shooting than most pistol calibers to be used in not only handguns, but personal defense weapons (PDW) and submachine carbines.

Through a collaboration with Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FN) the Five-seveN pistol and P90 submachine carbine (PS90 civilian variant) were created to employ the bottled necked .224 40 grain bullet driven in the 5.7x28mm cartridge. The unique looking top loading bullpup design offered 50 round magazine capacity in a tight, compact package that would make any operators working in and around vehicles, close quarter protection agents or security force specialists take notice.

During the United Nations weapons trials, the specifications called for a carbine and pistol to be created

34

using the same cartridge. FN Herstal with the 50 round loadout of the P90 and their newly created Five-seveN pistol boasting 20 round magazine capacity. The P90 offered a full-auto package capable of using supersonic ammunition to defend common IIIA ballistic soft armor while still being

FIREARMS - RUGER-57

able to cycle subsonic ammunition with a suppressor for much quieter clandestine operations. (Subsonic ammunition is not commercially available in the United States) Not only was the UN sold on what they saw, in the years shortly afterwards, the United States Secret Service and over three dozen other military, law enforcement agencies and task forces around the globe jumped on board.

As with many military weapons, the “trickle down” effect of civilian sales soon followed and for a span of a few years, the FN pistol and rifle combinations were quite popular among elite collectors and shooters who favor exotic designs of all things NOT the AR or AK platform. My personal journey with the 5.7 cartridge came in 2009 while I was still an active duty SWAT sniper for a Sheriff’s office in eastern North Carolina. I purchased a FN PS90 upon the suggestion of a close friend and fellow Deputy Sheriff, who was always on the forefront of new shooting tech. I was so impressed with the magazine capacity, accuracy, and lack of recoil, I followed up by purchasing the FN Five-seveN pistol a few months later.

As impressed with the PS90 as I was, the companion pistol fell short of expectations. After owning the gun for over six months, I quickly sketched out everything I did not care for with the pistol. The Five-seveN’s grip felt too thick due to needing to accommodate the 20 round magazine containing the longer than normal pistol round. Bore offset felt uncomfortable during recoil causing an exaggerated muzzles flip. Finally, the trigger pull, and trigger reset left much to be desired with a “spongey” over travel.

Naturally, this was the primary drive behind having some many questions and quite honestly, doubts when Ruger announced their new handgun.

pmcimagazine.com

FIREARMS - RUGER-57

pmcimagazine.com

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Arriving in Las Vegas, our team only had to wait less than 24 hours until our NSSF Industry Day at the Range event began.

As I deboarded the bus at the range with our team, I walked straight to the Ruger booth and asked to get to work learning about Ruger-57 pistol. As the Ruger representative loaded up several 20 round magazines for me to work through, we discussed the overall design of the new gun.

Immediately I could feel the grip was far different than that of my old FN Five-seveN pistol. To explain it best, it was like going from a boxy feeling Glock to the slim grips of a 1911.

Front to rear, the grip securely held the 20 magazine in place but did not take up all of my hand when holding it. The pistol seemed to point on target easily and offered a comfortable angle. Looking down the gun, I saw a vivid green fiber optic front sight that contrasted perfectly against the blacked out rear adjustable sights. Steel targets started at 5 yards and worked out to 25 yards with center mass hits as fast as I could fire the gun. I moved to the adjoining range and continued getting hits on the 100 yards torso shaped steel. The Ruger-57 shot as flat as a laser pistol! I immediately submitted a request to have a media sample sent to our office for a more in-depth inspection after the show.

36

RUGER-57 SPECS Model: Caliber: Barrel: Twist: Total Length: Action: Sights: Muzzle Velocity: MSRP:

16401 5.7x28mm 4.94�

1:9 8.65�

Delayed Blowback Adjustable 2780 ft/s $799

RANGE TIME Approximately two weeks after SHOT SHOW, a Ruger-57 arrived at my office from the manufacturer. The gun shipped in a large plastic hard case along with two steel 20 round magazines. As I handled the unloaded pistol in my office, details from my initial look weeks earlier were more noticeable. The textured grip felt good in my hands. The trigger guard undercut allowed for my hand nest high on the grip comfortably as I switched from supported and unsupported grip. The ambidextrous controls were easy to reach and extremely comfortable to use during dry firing.

Eager to spend some quality time shooting the Ruger-57 again, I packed up my gear with a half dozen boxes of 40 grain ammunition from American Eagle and FN then heading to my

FINAL THOUGHTS To wrap this feature, it boils down to hard facts. The Ruger-57 pistol is simply fun to shoot. Its accurate and has an impressive range producing impressive groups. Is it a viable combat pistol?

It is in my opinion the Ruger is a much better option that of the FN Five-seveN pistol selected by many of the world’s elite agencies and military groups. The Ruger topped the FN design in overall feel, control, accuracy, recoil mitigation and speed of follow up shots.

Fair warning before falling in love with this round or the firearms revolving around it, this is not the cheapest caliber on the market. I have seen pricing per box of 50 range from

US$15.99 to as high as US$34.99 depending on the market at the time. On the plus side, if you are looking to pair up a modern day pistol and subgun together for high volume of fire without being heavily weighted down in your bugout or duty gear, the Ruger-57 and FN PS90 are a great choice. With 50 rounds in the subgun and 20 rounds in the Ruger, this puts your immediate loadout at 70 rounds of available firepower before even discussing spare magazines for either!

I decided to even poll other shooters who own or have owned and shoot both the Ruger-57 and FN Five-seveN extensively The Ruger was an overwhelming group choice among many members of the FN P90 & PS90 online “chat” group. Kyle Crooks, a member who graciously provided the side by side comparison photos, summed it up well in his thoughts.

I and two of my fellow shooters on the range all shot them (Ruger-57 & FN Five-seveN) side by side and everyone really likes the Ruger as much if not a little more than the FN. I guess I would say the weight of the metal Ruger just feels better built than the polymer FN. Both shoot great though.” I feel this statement from Kyle is a strong testament to the “X” factors the Ruger-57 provides over the FN pistol. I agree with Kyle, the Ruger simply feels better in addition to the raw data gained in comparison.

Retailing for US$799, the Ruger-57 retailed pre-COVID demand for around $699, practically half the cost of an original FN Five-seveN design. Unfortunately, recent Ruger-57 pistol sales in a high gun demand market have been selling for over $1000 on the secondary market. Still, much less than a FN variant can be found. Nothing against all the hard work and cutting-edge success FN has had during their time, it is my opinion that the Ruger-57 is the future of the 5.7x24mm pistol platform. I have even briefly tested a short barrel rifle produced

by Diamondback Firearms that uses the Ruger-57 magazines to run 5.7 through the AR platform.

More on the optics ready aspect of the Ruger-57 as well as a threaded barrel direct from the manufacturer to come soon. This will include developing information on dedicated suppressors coming from well respected brands in our industry.

To learn more about current Ruger products, visit www.Ruger.com as well as continue to sign onto PMCI Magazine for future information to come about this platform. I promise, you will not want to miss our follow up issue coming in 2021!

FIREARMS - RUGER-57

local range. Once I arrived at On Target Sports in Orange Park, the time quickly passed breaking in the pistol. My favorite aspect of shooting the Ruger-57 is the minimum recoil and extreme controllability of the pistol. The previously mentioned green fiber optic front sight quickly came into sight after each shot allowing for rapid follow up shots.

A key aspect for that came from the crisp breaking trigger.

If I had a negative to point out during any of the test period, it would be the trigger reset felt approximately 30% longer than that of my SIG 320 trigger. Despite having small / medium size hands, I did not have any problem running the gun quickly and accurately. Keep in mind, despite appearing to be a striker-fired pistol, it is NOT. My first instinct was to compare the trigger pull to that of my SIG 320 or a Glock 34, which are both lighter striker-fired guns. When comparing to other hammer fired pistols, the Ruger is head and shoulders above everything but the HK P30. Compared to my original experience with the FN Five-seveN pistol, the Ruger-57 is still a great improvement.

Quick not to mention for those who finish their reloading cycle with thumbing the slide lock lever, this is not your gun.

The slide lock does its job perfectly to lock back the slide after the last round is fired or if you manually lock it back without the magazine inserted. However, releasing the slide entails pulling the slide rearward and releasing as intended.

In attempting to simply “thumb” the lever downward with the strong hand grip, it is very stiff and requires a good bit of force.

Keep it simple and focus on gross motor skills, there will be zero issues.

The intangibles the Ruger-57 offers is in the overall profile of the gun; the beveled front of the slide and frame help ease in smooth reholstering to help guide the gun into place. The height over bore ratio of the Ruger vs the FN variant is much lower, making recoil much more manageable and in line with the forearm. Between the previously mentioned undercut in the trigger guard for the higher grip and the slight protrusion in the front of the trigger guard to anchor the index finger of my support hand, it allowed for a much flatter shooting platform.

This will come into play even more once optics are installed for a later review.

At the end of the day, I learned the Ruger-57 was not quite a simple “no tool” needed pistol to break down and clean. As with many pistols, you must empty the magazine, then lock the slide to the rear first. Then as you rotate the take down lever downward, it must be punched out from right to left from the frame. In many attempts, I failed to do so with just my fingertip and wiggling the lever out. I simply used the floor plate of the magazine to achieve my goal, but in my opinion at least, negates it from being a true, “no tool” necessary gun at that point.

VORTEX OPTICS

pmcimagazine.com

VORTEX OPTICS: UH-1 GEN II HOLOGRAPHIC SIGHT As former military and law enforcement operators, now professional firearms instructors, some of the PMCI staff are often asked about their personal choices in products such as rifles, everyday carry pistols and optics. A hot topic lately comes in the form of personal choice in “Urban Rifle” optics. -TS-

M

38

any readers may have seen several appearances of one of my AR-15 carbines chambered in 5.56mm. The Sons of Liberty Gun Works build easy to spot with its good looking MultiCam Cerakote finish done by Blown Deadline Custom.

What many have emailed to ask over the past year or so has been the Vortex Optics AMG UH-1 holographic sight. In this article, we will discuss that optic as well as Vortex’s newest release, the Gen II update of the AMG UH-1 and why I have now switched over to it. First, let us take a few moments to discuss just what the “Urban Rifle” stigma is and why it is necessary to understand its proper application.

The term “Urban Rifle” seems to be an ambiguous reference within the gun community with arguments as to which firearms fall into that category and what the true application of this platform is for. As defined by gun guru, Clint Smith of the prestigious firearms training institute, Thunder Ranch, it more so relates to intended distance for training and

practical use rather than platform used. According to Smith, an urban rifle is preferably (but not limited to) any magazine fed, easily maneuverable iron sighted rifle which may be enhanced with low-powered or red dot optics in which distances used

VORTEX OPTICS

will take into account common urban environments. Distances to consider the most are across the room, down the hall, across the house, across the front yard or across a parking lot. Training can range from 3 yards to 300 yards for extreme maximum but mainly, the majority of the shots will fall in the 3 yard to 100 – 150 yard range. Unlike many 16” to 20” barreled battle rifles in which 50 and 100 yard zeros are based, Urban Rifle barrels are often 16” or under, set to a 25 yard zero. There rifles may include many short barreled rifles outside the AR-15 platform such as the AK-47 in the Krinkov configuration, the FN P90 / PS90 and even pistol caliber platforms such as the MP5 / MP5K configurations to name a few.

To make Urban Rifles faster to put into action under a wider range of lighting, quality optics can help greatly when properly employed. Low-powered optics tend to work well in offering a variable range of use but lack a true zero magnification at the bottom of the spectrum. This can cause depth perception on targets at close quarter distances to become skewed. Quality red dots and holographic optics truly prevail in this area. The target and true range perception are a direct 1 to 1 as seen with the non-dominant eye when shooting.

For years, the EOTech brand of holographic sights reined supreme in offering a wide field of view, durable optic housing, and a unique circular reticle with a center dot. A few years ago, issues with thermal drift at extreme temperatures rocked

EOTech’s contract and commercial sales left wary customers looking for a new optics supplier. Prolonged exposure under negative 40 degrees and over 120 degrees would cause the unit’s sight to be off as much as 6” – 12” inches off center at 100 yards. This extreme drift could cause a complete miss on a human size target at such a relatively short distance. Due to the thousands of EOTech users being sent back in for full refunds, I remember being amazed there were evidently that many folks shooting in the Artic and Sahara-like environments outside of military applications.

Vortex Optics was quick to hit the market with a viable alternative for those not looking for a single red dot optic such as an Aimpoint called the AMG UH-1 holographic sight. I admit, I was very skeptical to the intentions of the optics release given the timing of it all. Was this a rushed design to profit on EOTech’s stumble or a truly new direction for the Vortex product line?

According to Vortex, this design had been in the works for years to offer a more diverse product to their customers but with the timing of EOTech’s troubles gave cause to invest more heavily in the UH-1’s completion. Having used several models of EOTech’s for years, I can honestly say the AMG UH-1 was a better overall product. Unlike the EOTech with its plastic housing and metal cage guard, the UH-1’s all metal construction, sleeker design and easier to use controls all make for a much better product.

VORTEX OPTICS

pmcimagazine.com

Switching out the Gen I AMG UH-1 with the newer Gen II, did not require any tools and was completed in less than five minutes.

The both optics incorporate a simple tension adjustable throw lever to mount and unmount the unit. The new Gen II version was just as easy with the throw of a lever to tightly secure it into place. I installed the CR123 battery that was supplied with the unit and we were in business; using the right side adjustment screws which offer 100 minutes of angle of range in both the windage and elevation. Less than 48 hours after its arrival, the new sight was mounted and, on the range, to begin an intense three month range evaluation.

AMG UH-1 GEN II FIRST LOOK To further solidify its intentions to remain in the holographic sight market, Vortex Optics introduced a Gen II version of the AMG UH-1 optic earlier this year. Unlike the Gen I, the Gen II did not offer a rechargeable option but did provide a muchneeded Night Vision compatibility for operators running NODs. Fortunately, Vortex readily sent over a sample of the Gen II UH-1 for examination and testing.

Once the unit arrived at my office, I noticed the new, subdued all black box the Gen II was packaged in. No longer did Vortex Optics run the “Razor” title in conjunction with the AMG series brand. Upon removing the optic from the box, it appeared to be roughly the same size as the older model, measuring 3.9” long and 2.7” tall. According to the Vortex Optics website, the total unit only weighed in at 11 oz.

40

UH-1 Gen II Specs Mount Type: Weaver/Picatinny Magnification:

1x Dot Color:

Bright Red Dot Size: 1 MOA Eye Relief:

Unlimited Adjustment Graduation: 1/2 MOA Max Elevation Adjustment: 100 MOA Max Windage Adjustment: 100 MOA Parallax Setting: Parallax Free Length: 3.9 inches Weight: 11.0 oz

RANGE TIME In true Urban Rifle fashion, my rifle was equipped with a set of Magpul flip up iron sights which were able to 1/3 co-witness with the optic’s reticle. Bore sighting off of the established iron sight data only took a few clicks up and to the left from the factory setting. By bore sighting the UH-1 ahead of time greatly reduced my time getting the rifle zeroed at 25 yards down to a matter of two strings of five shots resulting in a need for a minimal amount of adjustments during live fire. With ½ minute

FINAL THOUGHTS Overall, my experience with the Gen II AMG UH-1 was enjoyable.

Having spent almost two full years with the Gen I version, I

was immediately comfortable with the platform and continue currently with running the newer version on my rifle. I found the optic to be incredibly comfortable with running with both eyes open due to the slightly larger sight window than the original design.

This also made for teaching new shooters to do the same much easier.

The Gen II offers 15 daylight settings to find the perfect balance of brightness and target visibility while also delivering night vision users 4 separate settings for optimal usage as well.

I hope to see be able to run the whole system with night vision this fall with some special projects on the upcoming schedule.

With a listed MSRP of US$799, I was pleased to see larger online retailers offering the Gen II units between US$499 and US$550. The comfortable height over bore ratio in relation to my cheek weld felt natural each time I mounted the gun and allowed for effortless consistency to aid in accuracy. This is not something easily found at any price point from what I have found. I feel that the UH-1 is a great competitor in the holographic sight market and delivers a lot of high-end options for a great mid-range price. As compared to the red dot market, the lack of noticeable parallax is well worth stepping up to the holographic sight market with the UH-1.

To learn more about the Gen II UH-1 and other great Vortex products, visit www.VortexOptics.com and find one that best fits your needs. Until next issue, Train Hard and Continue the Fight!

VORTEX OPTICS

of angle adjustments, sighting in at 25 yards would allow for 1/8” clicks at that distance in order to fine tune my zero.

As I worked my way through targets beginning at 5 yards, I was able to use the triangle located in the bottom of the reticle to reduce my height over bore hold over and put shots dead on to Point of Aim / Point of Impact (POA/POI) at 10 yards running drills from the low ready to snap shooting center mass. As I moved out to 8” inch plates and reduced torso targets at 25 and 30 yards, I noticed the reticle appeared clearer to me than the previous generation. This observation however will vary from person to person as each person’s eyes may adapted to the reticle differently depending on if the shooter has any sort of astigmatism and if so, to what degree. Due to this and other factors, the cold hard truth is that red dots and holographic sights are not for everyone.

Two main benefits of the UH-1 reticle over standard red dots aside from the bottom triangle for CQB are the ring surrounding the center dot and the points on each side of the ring. For fast acquisition onto large targets at close distance, you can “circle” your target and fire quickly. The UH-1 reticle makes shooting on the move easier by simply focusing on the ring circling the vital zone on the target, while clearly being able to see and identify each target as I travel. As for moving targets such as the running man targets, the points on each side are proportional to the center 1 MOA dot to track and side to side movement and deliver consistent and accurate fire.

SKILLS & DRILLS

pmcimagazine.com

SKILLS & DRILLS With our good friend and valued PMCI contributor Andy N fully back in the fold, he shares the experience he has gained both in the UK military and “on the circuit” as he continues with his usual wry take on the “Skills and Drills” that are invaluable to any shooter!!!

O

ver the next few issues of PMCI I want to share with you some of the drills that I like to work in my own time, and also revive some of the forgotten old school drills from bygone days that still have a place in your skill tank. A lot of these drills are basic drills that we should have done at the very beginning of our career, so they shouldn’t be too alien. I want to start off with two simple drills in this issue with the first being the hammered pairs drill followed by the infamous Mozambique drill.

HAMMERED PAIRS Remember if it’s worth shooting, it’s worth shooting twice.

Hammered pairs, double tap, or accelerated pairs is a drill that should be practiced whenever on the range. To lay down a good solid pair you need good trigger control, trigger reset and sight alignment and sight picture. This drill isn’t hard or complicated it’s just something that should be practiced in case you need that immediate second shot. Getting to know your sights and how the trigger feels during reset is key to this drill.

42

Any target will do for this however I tend to use a 2” circle from 7 yards when shooting handguns, and a further distance for long guns. Taking my time to verify my fundamentals, stance, grip etc, I place several strings of pairs on target. Gaining a sight picture then squeezing the trigger to the rear for the first shot.

As the muzzle comes back to target on recoil, release the trigger until you feel the sear reset. You should be able to feel this in your finger even with gloves on. As soon as the muzzle stabilizes, gain a second sight picture and squeeze off the second round. Again as the muzzle comes to rest on recoil reset the trigger again and gain your third sight picture to finish the drill.

This gives me conformation that what I’m doing is right. Once I am happy with my results and all feels well I will start the drill from the holster and slowly speed up the firing sequence. It’s good to push yourself but not too hard, remember this is a drill to confirm your actions are good.

MOZAMBIQUE DRILL The Mozambique drill, also known as the failure to stop drill, is most probably the most known of the shooting skills but in common knowledge it’s history is little known. The drill requires the shooter to fire two shots to the chest with a follow up shot to

protection. If you wear body armour as part of your uniform or issue kit then it’s a good idea that you wear this as it’s almost certainly what you will be wearing if the lead is coming your way.

Set the target at approximately the same height as you at 7 yards from your firing point. As this is all about training, this is your opportunity to take things slow and concentrate on all the fundamentals so you can get things right. Forget speed at this point.

Concentrate on the fundamentals and getting fluid in the drill.

Speed will come with time. On cue bring the weapon up to the target, acquire a sight picture on the thoracic cavity of the target and fire hammered pairs (double tap) into the target.

Immediately bring the front sight up to the octal cranial cavity and acquire a third sight picture. Fire one precise shot into the head.

If all’s gone to plan you should have three well placed holes in the target. In reality your adversary should have gone to ground and you should have followed them down with your muzzle.

Practice this drill over again until you can do it without thinking.

Practice dry fire first, paying attention to all the fundamentals and safety before going on to live fire. That’s all there is to the Mozambique drill. Get those first two rounds into the chest as quickly as you can to slow the target down and take time to get that head shot in as precisely as possible.

Until next time, keep safe, and keep training!

SKILLS & DRILLS

the head. But where did this drill originate and by whom?

We can give thanks for the Mozambique drill to Mike Rousseau, a Rhodesian mercenary fighting in the Mozambican war of independence 1946 - 1974. Legend has it that Rousseau rounded a corner while fighting at Lourenco airport (now modern day Maputo) and came face to face with a Frelimo guerrilla armed with an AK47 rifle at around 7 yards. Rousseau instinctively brought his Browning HP35 handgun up to bear and placed hammered pairs into the thoracic cavity of his foe. Realising that his adversary was still advancing towards him Rousseau took a third shot at his head.

The round entered the base of the guerrilla’s neck and severed the spinal cord.

While talking to Geoff Cooper, founder of Gunsight academy, Rousseau recalled his story which was then incorporated into the curriculum at Gunsight as the Mozambique drill in the late 70’s.

In 1980 Larry Mudgett and John Helms of the Los Angeles Police Department SWAT attended a course at Gunsight and gained permission to teach the Mozambique drill to the LAPD. With concerns that the word “Mozambique” might cause racist overtones, Mudgett and Helms renamed the drill “Failure to Stop Drill”.

This is a simple drill to do that I do with both rifle and pistol. I’m working these drills with 6mm training platforms in mind as this will enable you to train almost anywhere you want from in the field to at home in your back yard.

You will require a target, any anatomy target or IDPA practice target will do, and of course your weapon and eyes and ear

pmcimagazine.com

TRAINING: 6MM GLOCK

pmcimagazine.com

6MM TRAINING – SAFE TRAINING WITH GLOCK Even when it comes to “6mm Training” there are moments when only “the real thing” will do, and although there are many pistols out there that will do the job, when it comes to training with a Glock, why not just train with a Glock? Bill gets hands on with a righteous 6mm replica in the form of the officially licenced Glock 17 Gen 4 from Umarex. -BT-

W

hen it comes to training we talk an awful lot about how repetition and the construction of a “muscle memory” can help us to become a better, safer, more controlled, and ultimately more effective shooter and although I do try to crosstrain with multiple firearm platforms, when it comes to my personal choice I am pretty much a foreswarn “Glock/AR man”.

I do have a love for the big .306/7.62mm rifles, but I guess that just harkens back to my formative years when for me “7.62 was king” and the L1A1 SLR was our “long” of choice; if truth be told though my rifle-shooting days started with the venerable SMLE in .303, so I’m a believer in those big-boy rounds, something that led me to becoming a fan of the AK in 7.62x39! That said, .223/5.56mm has become pretty much “de riguer” these days when it comes to carbines, so these days that’s good enough for me.

But time, and the popularity of certain rounds, waxes and wains and for me there has only really ever been one single calibre of personal choice for handguns, and that’s 9mm! Now I know that might not gain me many fans amongst certain parts of the US shooting fraternity, so I will admit to a bit of a failing when it comes to Kimbers and STI “1911” models, but I

44

Umarex Sportwaffen GmbH & Co. KG are based in Germany, but in 2006 the North American subsidiary of Umarex, Umarex USA, was created after acquisition of the American marketers of the RWS brand (formerly part of Dynamit Nobel), which they continue to market. Umarex USA markets Umarex replicas under license from various firearm brands that include Beretta, Browning, Colt, Hammerli, H&K, Makarov, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, UZI, Walther and most importantly for this article, Glock.

SAFE 6MM TRAINING Now one of the main reasons I and the PMCI crew have stressed when it comes to the benefit of training with a “6MM” (airsoft if you must) model is that they are (relatively) safe; yes, they still fire a projectile, albeit a 6mm BB, at a low, non-lethal muzzle velocity and that’s why we always advocate at least eye protection when you’re training on the range, and urge you to consider higher levels of protection if you’re embarking on any force-on-force scenario, but with the proper safety precautions in place you’re not going to do any more damage than a nasty wee welt on exposed skin.

The benefit is in the fact that you can train virtually anywhere using smart target systems and dry-fire, at any time. You don’t need to book a slot on the range, and you certainly don’t need to spend hundreds of bucks to get into a daily training regimen if you so desire; some “cool guy” shooting glasses, a bottle of BBs and some gas and you’re pretty much good to go!

But, and this is a BIG BUT, what if your safe training platform bears zero resemblance to the firearm that you carry every day?

Whilst in my mind any form of training is beneficial, would you not prefer to train with the pistol you actually own?

Enter, stage right, the Glock 17 Gen 4 gas blowback pistol from Umarex!

Now we all know the story of Glock, but the story of Umarex themselves is equally interesting! Ever since its establishment in 1972, Umarex has been pushing towards new horizons. Its founders, Wulf-Heinz Pflaumer and Franz Wonisch, had a strong entrepreneurial spirit and set themselves ambitious goals. Together with more than 850 dedicated employees and partners in Germany and abroad, they achieved their objectives, and of that there is no doubt!

Today the company is managed by the second generation of managing partners, Eyck Pflaumer and Martin Wonisch, and millions of people enjoy shooting with guns that can be bought over the counter. Umarex has created a world of adventure for sport shooters, recreational shooters and hunters, and its high-performance models permit training under highly realistic conditions.

TRAINING: 6MM GLOCK

started shooting handgun in earnest using the 9×19mm Parabellum Browning Hi Power so again, it’s kind of stuck with me; I’m not saying for a moment that I haven’t tried other calibres and found them efficacious, but I’m “comfortable” with 9mm and have spent many happy hours (and no small amount of money!) sending those rounds downrange.

During my time in living in the USA I was a bit like a kid in a candy store as I was able to try pretty much anything on offer at my regular range, and I was able to shoot a couple of times a week with civilian, LE and military friends. However, although I DID indeed “try” many different models of handgun in varying calibres, when it came to attending training courses I inevitably ended up with a 9mm Glock 17 in my holster.

The Glock 17 has been my personal handgun of choice for many years now, and given the chance I would always choose one both for “muscle memory” reasons, and the fact that I know it to be a reliable tool that will serve all my needs as long as I maintain it correctly, and I KNOW that I am not alone in believing this! Fact is that the Glock, and pointedly the 17, is one of the most popular handguns in the world, beloved of both civilians and professional users, and although there are many fancy-schmancy upgrades available most folk I know keep theirs thoroughly well-maintained, yet also thoroughly stock.

6MM GLOCK; OFFICIAL! Now I was reading very recently (thanks to AmmoLand.com) that Glock have now won a six-year legal battle in the USA to protect both their trademarks and their “trade dress” against cloning in the airsoft world. This comes as no surprise to me whatsoever as we are now seeing more and more firearms manufacturers taking their business “in house”, and I do to some extent at least put this down to the fact that more and more of us are using the “6mm option” for training, and owners of real firearms expect their “replica” do be every bit as good as their “real”.

Firearm manufacturers do what they do best, and that’s making, marketing, and selling firearms. They are not known for making “airsoft guns” for good reason, it’s not been their market, or has it? Yes, it has and the smart “early adopter” industry money has already gone down the licencing route. “Licenced” replicas may sometimes cost a little more than the unbranded “clone” models

pmcimagazine.com

TRAINING: 6MM GLOCK

pmcimagazine.com

(in some cases considerably more!), and to date we have in honesty seen sub-par items made under licence, not all of them for sure, but some. Again, it’s my opinion, but if we are paying for something that is more expensive surely we should be able to have an expectation too of at least solid performance!

The Glock replicas created by Umarex have always been good, but the latest generation has really moved things forward again!

After years without an official “6mm” option licensed by Glock, Umarex finally sealed the deal and subsequently assigned Vega Force Company (VFC) to manufacture pistols for the brand; regular readers will know that we rate VFC training platforms highly, so this to us is very good news!

To quote my friend Steve T who has done some “deep digging” on this particular story already: “VFC could have simply chosen to add those all-important trades and ramp up production on their existing models but by all accounts, the results were altogether better from the get-go. I’ve owned a number of VFC pistols over the years and they’ve always been “OK”. Way better than the lowest common denominator, but still a tier below the premiere league. But since being founded in 2004, VFC has continually improved its offerings. Strictly in terms of VFC’s Glock offerings, the consensus is that while earlier models were accurate but not entirely effective, the latest models have

46

matched the company’s ambitions for its “gas AR” range.”

The Umarex licenced Glock 17 stacks up against the real deal pretty well; the Gen 4 series comes with a frame that is the full size or “Duty” model with a 17 round magazine capacity, weighing in at 705g unloaded, with an overall length of 202mm (7.95 inches).

The Modular Back Strap design of the GLOCK 17 Gen 4 allows you to change it out its grip to add comfort and control, regardless of your hand size. The surface of the frame features the new Gen4 rough textured profile, and a reversible enlarged magazine catch, changeable at user level accommodates left and right-handed operators. The “trainer” version mimics everything well, weighing in at 659g unloaded and coming in at exactly 202mm. Just like the real thing it comes with interchangeable backstraps, a slightly textured slide, and an oversized mag release!

Since VFC started working with Umarex they have taken every best possible advantage with the licence, and who could blame them? To the left of the slide is engraved not only the Glock logo, but also “17 Gen 4”, “Austria” and “9×19”. The right of the slide carries a serial number that matches the one on the ejection port.

Unlike copycat versions, you’ll also find the Glock logo to the bottom left of the grip, while the right side reads “Officially

DOWNRANGE I’ve been running the Glock 17 on NUPROL 2.0 “green bottle gas” and to date I’ve had no major issues with consistency of power, and the magazines are really standing up to being hammered on a regular basis, with no leaks apparent. The action of the pistol has been lubed after each range session, and retains the smoothness that it had when it first arrived with me; in fact, if anything the action cycles even more efficiently now than it did as new, and it was pretty smooth in the first place… it just goes to prove that even the very best models need a little time and some use to “bed in”.

Externally the finish is standing up well to going in and out of my Kydex Customs holster, and although there’s some very slight wear on the muzzle end and around the ejection port this is to be expected as Kydex is pretty unforgiving to finishes, and the blocky

slide of the Glock is not exactly “rounded”!

In terms of continued performance I’ve now logged in excess of 3000 RZR. 20g, .25g, and .30g BBs through the pistol; thus far it is still performing as new at 10m on steels and on the Attack Sense Smart Target System, with solid accuracy at that distance, the realistic maximum distance I would usually expect to use a “secondary” at.

The Glock has registered highest at 0.92 Joule/315fps on a .20g RZR, settling in at 0.86 Joule/305fps and staying there. I’ve found that now it has settled in it does like .30g RZRs as its regular fodder, and again, this is most certainly the weight I am now using.

Umarex offer a whole host of models under their licence with Glock, and all of them are worth a look if you use something other than the 17. Once again though this particular training pistol is proving to be a “keeper”, so if you’re a real Glock owner/user looking for a long-term, dependable “6mm training friend” then the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 should most definitely be on your list to try. It looks right, feels right, and shoots right; what more do you need?

My thanks again go to Steve T for his invaluable input to this article, and to Scott at www.landwarriorairsoft. com for providing this pistol for long-term evaluation.

TRAINING: 6MM GLOCK

licensed product of Glock”. One neat touch we particularly like is that the butt of the magazine also shows the Glock logo; to recharge with gas, you’ll need to press in a small button in the magazine baseplate to slide it forwards, revealing the gas fill valve. It might sound like a pain, but not only does it help make the pistol look even more real, it also only takes a second or two to achieve.

pmcimagazine.com

WHICH TRAINING PROVIDER

pmcimagazine.com

WHICH TRAINING PROVIDER

Choosing a training provider can be a difficult choice, and this time our good friend Paul Hutchinson, founder of ARG Associated Risks Group based in the UK, joins us to look at some considerations in answering this question.

Paul is a former Police Officer and Firearms Instructor and has worked with some of the world’s elite forces; he also still works as a Security Consultant so we firmly believe that his advice will help you to discover a training provider that offers current “best practice”.

No.... The answer is in the basics… if you can’t successfully hit the target each and every time on the range, under no pressure and where the rounds are only going one way. Then in the contact, in which you are probably on the back foot.. it’s simply not going to work. Especially, if you’re only or primary weapon is a pistol.

Choosing a training provider (TP) can be a difficult choice, a question often asked on social media sites such as LinkedIn. For me, when you are looking for a training provider there are two main points:

Kit and equipment does change some of our tactics but generally it doesn’t change your shooting ability. With this in mind, ensure that you are fully comprehensive and consistent in hitting the target each and every time.

1: Do your due diligence.

So, it’s generally about two things when you assess your ability, Speed & Accuracy, normally at this point people choose one over the other. Wrong, neither one is more important then the other. As fellow trainer and three time IPSC European Handgun Champion Bob Dunkley would always say, “It’s no good being the fastest one around the skills house, if you haven’t hit shit.. Nor being the most accurate, but taking a century to do it.”

2: Establish which is the best course for you, at your level (and be honest).

Make sure you do your own due diligence; not only look at student testimonials on the TP website, but also look at former students social media and what they have to say about the course facilities, content, equipment and credibility of the instructors.

Recommendations are a strong indicator but don’t be fooled.

Have a look at what facilities they have. But most of all, what exactly is being taught…! This is probably the most difficult aspect; over the years I’ve witnessed some horrific training practices across the globe. If we think of it like this, the basics are always the best. It’s what we revert to when we are under pressure (gross motor skills) and yet if you look at YouTube and other social media sites, you’ll see training providers showing clips of Gucci, new world training practices, and people believe it’s the answer.

48

Both are just as important as the other and that means getting the basics right and then practice. So before you book yourself on an advanced course, make sure you have all the basics covered. Do you’re due diligence and be honest about your current ability.

Stay safe.

PMCI

BOOK REVIEW CALL SIGN CHAOS: LEARNING TO LEAD

BOOK REVIEW

There are some leaders in the world that just can’t be ignored, and indeed should never be ignored, and for me with 44 years in the Marine Corps, James Norman Mattis is certainly right up there with the best of them! Whilst I don’t care a jot about “politicking” this man has been a leader of other men in the crucible, and when he has something to say I tend to listen.

“Call Sign Chaos” is a clear account of learning how to lead in a chaotic world, by General Jim Mattis, former American SecDef and one of the most formidable strategic thinkers of our time, and Bing West, a former assistant secretary of defense and combat Marine.

“Call Sign Chaos” is the account of Jim Mattis’s storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East.

Along the way, Mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas, and short-sighted thinking, now facing national leaders. He makes it specifically clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars.

Mattis divides his book into three parts: Direct Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Strategic Leadership. In the first part, Mattis recalls his early experiences leading Marines into battle, when he knew his troops as well as his own brothers. In the second part, he explores what it means to command thousands of troops and how to adapt your leadership style to ensure your intent is understood by your most junior troops so that they can own their mission. In the third part, Mattis describes the challenges and techniques of leadership at the strategic level, where military leaders reconcile war’s grim realities with political leaders’ human aspirations, where complexity reigns and the consequences of imprudence are severe, even catastrophic.

“Call Sign Chaos” is a memoir of a life of warfighting and lifelong learning, following along as Mattis rises from Marine recruit to four-star general. It is a journey about learning to lead and a story about how he, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy, one relevant to us all.

Jim Mattis is a Pacific Northwest native who served more than four decades as a Marine infantry officer. Following two years as the Secretary of Defense, he returned to the Northwest and is now the Davies Family Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

Bing West has written ten books about combat. He served as a Marine grunt in Vietnam and later as an assistant secretary of defense in the Reagan administration. He has been on hundreds of patrols in Iraq and Afghanistan, including many operations with General Mattis. He is a member of the Military History Working Group at the Hoover Institution. He lives with his wife, Betsy, in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Newport, Rhode Island.

Hardcover : 320 pages ISBN-10 : 0812996836 ISBN-13 : 978-0812996838 Publisher : Random House; Illustrated Edition (3 Sept. 2019)

pmcimagazine.com

50

Advanced Security Protection

Blackstone Consultancy

http://www.advancedsecurityprotection.com/

http://www.blackstoneconsultancy.com;

AKE Group

Blue Hackle

http://www.akegroup.com/

http://www.bluehackle.com/

Ambrey Risk

Blue Waters Partners Global

http://www.ambreyrisk.com

http://www.preparedex.com/

Antipirates.Org

BP Global

http://www.antipirates.org/

http://www.bp.com/

APPDS

Britam Defence

http://www.appds.co.uk/

http://www.britamdefence.com/

Aquatic Marine Ltd

British Maritime Solutions

http://www.aquaticmarineltd.com

http://britishmaritimesolutions.com

Protect Asia Group

BW Offshore

http://www.protectasia.com/

http://www.bwoffshore.com/

Secopex

Calibre International Security

http://www.secopex.com/

http://www.calibre-international.com/

Aspida

Chilport

http://www.aspida.org/

http://www.chilport.co.uk/

Associated Risk Maritime Risk Management

Chiron Resources

http://www.associated-risks.com

http://www.chironresources.com

Bancroft Maritime Security Solutions

Clearwater Special Projects

http://www.maritimesecuritysolutions.co.uk

http://www.bodyguarding.co.uk/

Bechtel Corporation

Control Risks

http://www.bechtel.com/

http://www.control-risks.com

Black Pearl

Decatur Maritime Security

http://www.blackpearlmaritimesecurity.com/

http://www.decaturms.com/

Drum Cussac

HP TerraMarine International

http://www.drum-cussac.com/Index.aspx

http://www.hpterramarine.com/

Dryad Maritime

Hudson Trident

http://www.dryadmaritime.com/

http://hudsonanalytix.com

Edinburgh International

ICTS

http://www.edinburghint.com/home/

http://www.icts.co.uk

Elite Maritime Protection Services

IMSA Ltd

http://www.elitemaritimeprotection.com

http://www.imsaltd.com/

EOS Risk Management

International Executive Recruiting

https://www.eosrisk.com/

http://www.iernetwork.com

Erus Maritime

International Maritime Security

http://www.erusrisk.com

http://www.intmarsec.co.uk

Espada

International Maritime Security

http://www.espadaservices.com

http://www.intmarsec.co.uk/

Ex Military Recruitment

International Security Network

https://www.exmil.co.uk

http://www.isn.eu.com

Exploration Logistics Group

ISC Gulf

http://www.frontiermedex.com/

http://www.iscgulf.com/

G4S Maritime

ISSG Sea Marshalls

http://www.g4s.uk.com

http://www.issg-seamarshals.com/

Genesis Security Group http://genesissecurity.com/

Global Executive Outreach http://www.geo-ops.com/

Global Risk Security http://www.globalrisksecurity. co.uk/

Global Solace http://www.solaceglobal.com/

Global Strategies Group http://www.globalgroup.com/

Grail Security http://www.grail.co.za

Halliburton http://www.halliburton.com/en-USage

Halogen Security http://www.halogensecurity.com/

Hart Maritime http://www.hartsecurity.com

Hill & Associates http://www.hillassoc.com

52

Janusian Risk Advisory Group

MTResolution

http://www.riskadvisory.net/

http://www.mtresolution.com/

Kroll

MUSC

http://www.kroll.com/

http://www.sps-global.com

Longmoor Group

Naval Guards

http://www.longmoor-security.com

http://www.navalguards.com

Lotus Maritime Security

Neptune Security

http://www.lotusmaritime.com

http://www.neptunemaritimesecurity.com/

Lotus Projects

NNK Group

http://www.lpyemen.com

https://www.nnkcorporation.com

Maersk

NYA International

http://www.maersk.com/pages/default.aspx

http://www.nyainternational.com

Magregor Protection Services

Ocean Marshalls

http://macgregorprotectionservices.com

http://www.oceanmarshalls.com

March Security

Ocean Protective Services

www.marchsecurity.com

http://oceanprotectionservices.com

Maritime Risk International

Oceaneering International

http://www.maritimeriskinternational.com/

http://www.oceaneering.com/

Marsec

Olchon

http://www.marsec.eu.com

http://www.olchon.co.uk/

MAST

Olive Group

http://www.mast-commercial.com

http://www.olivegroup.com/

McRoberts Maritime Security

Orchid Security

http://www.mcrobertsmaritime.com/

http://www.orchid-office.com/

Merchant Maritime Warfare Centre

Oxberry Risk Strategies

http://www.mmwc.org/

http://www.oxberryrisk.com/maritime_services

Minimal Risk

Pilgrim Group

http://www.minimalrisk.co.uk/

http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com

MSS

Pilgrim Security

http://www.mss-uk.com

http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com

Pistris

SEAL

http://www.pistris.com/Index.html

http://www.sealsecurity.com/

Protect Asia Group

Securescot

http://www.protectasia.com/

http://www.securescot.com

PVI Ltd

Securewest International

http://www.pviltd.com/

http://www.securewest.com/

Raven Special Projects Ltd

Security Networking Events

http://www.ravenspecialprojects.com

http://snespecialprojects.com/

Red Cell Security

Security Networking Events

http://www.redcellsecurity.co.uk

http://snespecialprojects.com/

Redfour-MSS

Securoquest

http://www.redfour-group.com

http://www.securoquest.co.za

Saladin Security Group

Shield Risk Consulting

http://www.saladin-security.com/

http://www.shield.eu/services/maritime-security/

Saladin Security

Shipguard

http://www.saladin-security.com/

http://www.mss-uk.com

Salama Fikira

SMS

http://www.salamafikira.com/

www.specialistmarineservices.com

SMS

SPS

www.specialistmarineservices.com

http://www.sps-global.com

Tor International

Tactical Intel

http://www.torinternational.com/

http://www.tacticalintel.com/

Trojan Securities International

Thalassic

http://www.trojansecurities.com/

http://www.thalassic.co.uk/

Orchid Security

Tor International

http://www.orchid-office.com/

http://www.torinternational.com/

Blackstone Consultancy

Torcuss

http://www.blackstoneconsultancy.com/

http://www.torcuss.co.za/

Pilgrim Group

Triskle TSL

http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com/

http://www.triskelservices.com

Maritime Risk International

Triton Security

http://www.maritimeriskinternational.com/

http://www.tritoninternationalltd.com

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