please=20
post them here on our forum!
Every year I write 52 equipment reviews. While that may =
not=20
seem like a lot, I also write 52 recreational equipment =
reviews,=20
52 editorial or training articles and a LOT of other =
training=20
material. Am I crying the blues? Oh, hell no! I get to =
play with a=20
lot of cool kit=85 and some not so cool. I thought, as =
we=92re nearing=20
Christmas, I=92d take a look back at what I consider to be =
the=20
equipment highlights for 2008. I actually got to write up =
some=20
pretty neat stuff that might make good Christmas gifts =
too.
Knoxx Recoil Reducing Stocks
Prior to SHOT Show I had =
never heard of=20
Knoxx Stocks. As I own a shotgun and a lever action =
.30-.30 rifle,=20
had I known about a recoil reducing stock, I most =
assuredly would=20
have tried it out. I had never heard of such. So, there I =
found=20
myself, walking around the BlackHawk booth at SHOT and I =
find a=20
collection of shelves with stocks on them: Knoxx Stocks. =
Then and=20
there I began to learn about the stocks and how the came =
to be=20
acquired by BlackHawk. Shortly thereafter I received a =
T&E=20
shotgun stock for my Remington 870. Once it was installed =
I began=20
to shoot with it and I wanted to report on what I found... =
or felt=20
would be a better way to put it.
As you can see in the cutaway picture above and to the =
right,=20
the Knoxx Stock has two spring systems in it that absorb =
part of=20
the weapon's recoil before it is transfered to the =
shooter's=20
shoulder. The springs - as I understand things - work in =
order.=20
The one you can see in the pistol grip begins stretching =
to absorb=20
recoil as the action of the weapon rides back. Once that =
spring is=20
at or near full extension then more energy is transfered =
into the=20
horizontal spring in the stock which absorbs more recoil =
before=20
energy is transfered to the shooter.
P.C. Tactical Video Cam
No, that =93P.C.=94 does =
NOT stand for=20
=93politically correct.=94 Anyone who has read my writing =
for more=20
than a month or so knows that my name and =93politically =
correct=94=20
rarely, if ever, belong in the same sentence. That PC =
stands for=20
Pacific Concepts. I found this company displaying a new =
tactical=20
camera at SHOT Show and had to stop to take a look. What =
caught my=20
attention was the fact that the camera was both wireless =
and=20
waterproof and I could have one for under $200. Of course, =
I had=20
to see how easy it would break with a price like that. =
Here=92s what=20
I found out. First, the price: Could you really get a =
camera to=20
mount on your weapon for under $200? The answer was and is =
yes.=20
The next thing I wondered was what kind of performance - =
as far as=20
capture and transmission of imagery - you got for the =
price? The=20
answer is a mixed bag: You get great imagery capture but =
not=20
transmission. Designed to capture action as it occurs for =
use in=20
After Action Reviews and/or court evidenciary proceedings, =
the=20
TacCam doesn't transmit the images it captures. It stores =
them on=20
an SD memory card (standard and inexpensive in computer =
media=20
storage) for playback as necessary. To achieve playback =
after the=20
fact you can either connect the USB or RCA cables to play =
the=20
video back on your computer or television, or you can =
remove the=20
SD card and put it in your computer's chip slot.
The TacCam runs on two AA batteries. When you look at =
the=20
memory capacity compared to the power supply you find that =
- at=20
the best quality settings - you can get about one hour of =
audio=20
and video onto a 2 gigabyte SD card. The published =
material says=20
the TacCam "works with up to a 2 gig card" although I've =
not tried=20
putting in a larger capacity memory card. It may work with =
larger.=20
So, one hour of a/v capture. The batteries? One new pair =
will=20
operate the camera for up to two hours. Okay... so the =
batteries=20
will last long enough to fill the SD memory card - even if =
we CAN=20
buy and use a 4Gb card. At a 30-frames-per-second capture =
rate the=20
video is 640 x 480 VGA resolution. What does that mean in =
plane=20
English? Anything faster than 24-frames-per-second is =
generally=20
viewed by we humans an uninterupted flowing video. 30 =
frames per=20
second is 25% faster than what we need to "see video" as =
video.=20
640 x 480 isn't huge but has been a standard in digital =
recording=20
for a number of years now and is more than acceptable for =
the=20
intended purpose.
Night-Ops =
Sentinel
Not long ago I had a conversation with a Chief of =
Police in=20
Pennsylvania and all we were discussing was =93tactical =
handheld=20
flashlights=94. I was talking about how much of an =
improvement=20
today=92s were over those of yesteryear and the Chief =
stood by ONE=20
characteristic that prevented him from purchasing them =
agency=20
wide: the CR123 3V Lithium batteries. He wanted a light =
that would=20
do as well on something a lot more common: AA batteries. =
Well=20
Chief, you got what you want; meet the Sentinel tactical =
handheld=20
flashlights from Night-Ops.
The Sentinel PL1-AA measures 6.3" long, weights just =
under 4=20
ounces and pumps 35 lumens of light out of a unit using =
two AA=20
batteries. Not content to sit back and bask in the =
successful=20
solution that was presented by the Sentinel PL1-AA, the =
folks at=20
Night-Ops kept working to find a way to get more light out =
of the=20
unit. You see, while 35 lumens if fine for a camp light, =
hunting=20
light, emergency vehicle light, etc, it's really =
insufficient for=20
tactical work. By using a 3-Watt CREE LED in front of =
those two AA=20
batteries, Night-Ops was able to produce the Sentinel =
PL3-AA XTR.=20
Measuring just over 6" long and weighing just under five =
ounces,=20
the PL3-AA XTR produces 60 lumens of light. That's the =
same amount=20
of light as one of those old heavy pipe lights that used =
six=20
D-cell batteries.
Grip Pod
Long time readers of my reviews know that I=92m in =
favor of any=20
product that performs as it is advertised; serves the =
purpose it=20
was designed for; and increases the versatility of any =
given=20
weapon. Many of today=92s close quarters weapons are =
equipped with=20
vertical foregrips while others have folding bipods so =
they can=20
double as close quarters fire support or precision =
weapons. The Grip Pod fulfills both functions in a =
simple=20
compact unit. Let=92s take a look.
The Grip Pod System (or G.P.S.) is available =
manufactured from Aluminum or Polymer. The measurements =
are the=20
same but the weight is different. Closed the "system" is =
only=20
5.75" long. Open to the bipod configuration it's 8.25" =
with a leg=20
base width of 7.125". The polymer version weighs 7 ounces =
(just=20
under a half pound) with the aluminum version weighing 4 =
ounces=20
more (11 ounces).
Tac-Pack Battle =
Pack
In various other venues I have written about the need =
for every=20
police officer and soldier to have available to them the =
immediate=20
potentially life-saving supplies required to control =
severe blood=20
loss. Deaths due to extremity wounds in the war zones; the =
need to=20
treat wounded survivors at spree shooting events (VA Tech =
as the=20
example); the rural deputy who waits for help after =
surviving a=20
shooting; these are examples of times when proper medical =
supplies=20
ON the person could save a life. This week=92s review is =
of another=20
product that contains such supplies: the Battle Pack from =
Tactical=20
Medical Packs.
I have previously reviewed some of the products from =
Tactical=20
Medical Packs and was impressed with their Tac-Pack and =
Tac-Pack=20
QC (same as Tac-Pack but added in Quick Clot). Where the =
Tac-Pack=20
was perfect sized to be fit into a suit coat interior =
pocket, or=20
to put several of them in a police officer's utility =
blue's cargo=20
pocket, the Battle Pack adds in more supplies and is sized =
(thanks=20
to the vacuum sealing) to fit in the cargo pocket of ACUs =
(or=20
similar).
As you can see from the above photo, the Battle Pack =
(Option 2)=20
contains all of the following:=20
- Latex-Free Gloves=20
- Compression Bandage=20
- TK-4 One Handed Tourniquet=20
- Chest Seal=20
- Combat Medic Pre-Cut Rolled Duct Tape=20
- 50gr. Quick-Clot.=20
- Compressed Gauze 4.1 yds=20
- Medical 5.25" Scissors=20
- Nasopharyngeal Airway w/Lubricant=20
- 10 Gauge Angio-Catheter
The test Battle Pack Option 1 that I have measured 7" =
long by=20
5.5" wide by 2" thick. It fits perfectly in a large =
utility pouch=20
as manufactured by most companies that make MOLLE / STRIKE =
or=20
similar mounting system pouches. For those among us who =
like to=20
read directions while under the stress of treating a =
wounded=20
comrade, detail principal or other individual, there are=20
directions on the back of the packaging of the Battle =
Pack.=20
Paraphrased they say to don your protective gear first and =
to try=20
direct pressure to control bleeding. If that fails then =
try the=20
Quick Clot. If that fails then use the tourniquet. That's =
pretty=20
simple and everything you need to attempt all three are in =
the=20
pack.
Those are my five top highlights from '08. With January =
(and=20
SHOT Show) just around the figurative corner I can =
honestly say=20
I'm eager to see what the new year will bring. Rest =
assured,=20
you'll read about a bunch of it right here!
Stay Safe!
Don't forget to check out our Recreational=20
Equipment Review looking at our 2008 highlights for =
"that side=20
of the house".
This=20
week's Feature Article discussing the importance of =
performing=20
After Action Reviews on our own decision making process in =
high=20
stress training.
For a listing of all reviews in=20
chronological order, GO=20
HERE.