Gear Reviews

Reloading a shotgun quickly is one of the skills that marks an experienced shooter. Staying organized is key, as is accessibility. SOE Gear makes chest rigs that keep ammo front and center, right where you need it. The Micro-Rig is a great option for hunting and home defense, and a no-brainer for the tactical shooter.

Less than a decade ago the standard for military assaulters was a 2.5 inch thick super stiff belt, to which you attached your pistol and pistol mags. Usually with duct tape. They were heavy, uncomfortable, and had a bad habit of rubbing your body raw when you wore them over 2 hours. In short, they sucked, but they were all we had. You don’t know what you are missing until you get an awesome piece of gear. And the VTAC Brokos is that.

Most coverage of concealed carry guns focuses on thin, polymer framed autos that try to pack increasingly larger rounds into smaller packages. Revolvers are treated as antiquated. But Smith & Wesson hasn’t given up on the wheel gun, and the new M&P Bodyguard with an even more effective Crimson Trace laser is making a compelling case for the old-school five shot.

If you are a serious shooter, a good spotting scope is a must. I see people shooting long range all the time, then trying to check their shots through a rifle scope. But if I were to make a list of gear I have to have to do my reviews efficiently, this would be in the top five, right up there with my ear protection, my bench rest, and my box of screwdrivers. Lately, it has been the Meopta MeoPro 80 HD.

If you are serious about training, you will eventually stop punching paper and seek out moving targets. Umarex has been making huge strides with realistic versions of popular guns, and now you can train force-on-force, without the consequences of actually getting shot. But I’m here to tell you that you don’t want to get hit. It hurts much worse than I’d imagined.

Hand guards are typically the first thing I want to swap out on a stock AR. How a gun feels in my hands makes a serious first impression, even before I’ve pulled the trigger. A*B Arms, a veteran owned company who manufactures here in the states, has made a deceptively simple hand guard that improves the ergonomics and heat dispersion of the carbine length rifle.

Somtimes a gun case is just a gun case. Sometimes a gun case is a great way to carry a gun, and it keeps all of your gear organized too. And when you can open that case up and go prone with everything you need at your fingertips, all the better. That’s the Galati Gear Combat Ready Shooter’s Mat and Carry Case.

We’re opening up an in-depth series on safes with a look at a convenient method of fast-access handgun storage. The Winchester eVault Micro 3.0 is a deceptively simple biometric safe. With the simple swipe of a finger (or any on of 15 fingers–if you have that many) the eVault opens. It is a basic level of security perfect for a desk, a bedside, or the car.

Don’t stand beside someone shooting an AR. It is loud. Even with ear protection. And if you’re the one shooting, watch where you put that support hand. Don’t reach too far forward. Or, better yet, pick up a Kineti-Tech muzzle brake and sound redirecting sleeve. This combo solves both problems. And it is an easy DIY.