I’m a happy user of Plano All Weather rifle and pistol hard cases. Plano Molding harks from Plano,
I’m a fan of Plano’s All Weather hard cases. Maybe you haven’t encountered them but they are solid, waterproof, and have pluckable foam so you can easily custom fit whatever firearm(s) you want to store.
It’s a big case for sure. ID is 51.5x14x5.5 inches. OD is 53.5x17x7 inches.The pluckable foam makes customization easy and there are keys for the locking latches.I lay my rifles on the foam and then pluck out the sections until I get the fit I want.Once I get the rifle situated, I’ll then do whatever other “pockets” I need for magazines, ammo, etc. In general, I like to keep the weapon away from the edges as much as I can to ensure protection. Once everything is done, I spray the bottom of the pluckable foam layer (it is removable) and then spray it with 3M Super 77 spray adhesive to lock it in place. Savage Stealth Evolution .338 Lapua in an All Weather case. This one fell out of the back of a UTV as my friend Scott decided to fly up a hill. It protected the rifle and optic no problem.This is a Sabatti Urban Sniper in .308 in an older first generation All Weather case. One thing they changed with the new models was to get rid of the annoying end snaps – especially the one under the handle to the right.
Summary
If you are looking for a very decent hard case for your rifle or pistol, check out the Plano All Weather cases. I’ve been using them for years and can honestly say I’ve never had a weapon damaged in their care.
Note, I have to buy all of my parts – nothing here was paid for by sponsors, etc. I do make a small amount if you click on an ad and buy something but that is it. You’re getting my real opinion on stuff.
If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@ro*********.com. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.
A fellow emailed me wanting to upgrade his from the generic OEM Glock sights that I don’t think really excite anyone to something that would be more visible in general and also work in the dark. My answer was immediate – go with the TRUGLO TFX Pro Tritium and Fiber Optic Xtreme sights.
The featured photo above shows how bright they are on my G17 slide on it. I bought these sights by the way – so you are getting my honest opinion.
Folks, these are my hands down favorite sights for a number of reasons:
They are CNC machined from steel and have a durable black nitride finish — they are not soft plastic.
They do not need batteries – the lit dots are via fiber optics when there is light and sealed tritium when it is dark so you are covered regardless of the light available. The tritium ought to fluoresce (emit light) for about 10-20 years and I’ll worry about replacing them then.
I really like the three green dot configuration – two on the rear sight and one on the front. The front also has an orange ring that you can see when there is light but is green when operating off the tritium only.
The rear sight goes into the slide’s groove very easily and is then secured with a set screw. Some sights can be a bear to install but not these.
The rear sight is big enough that it can help you rack the slide one handed in a one-handed emergency.
They have a 12 year warranty.
They are assembled in the USA – the tritium capsules are made in Switzerland.
What Glock models are supported?
Because these are so popular TRUGLO is making a variety of models to support the different Glock configurations that are out there. I assembled the following table and you can also check their webpage if you want:
This gives you a better view of the sights overall. This is the TFX Pro TG13GL1PC with the fixed rear sight. I really like the sight picture these give day or night.
Here’s the rear sight and you can just barely see the set screw that secures the sight between the two “ears”. The slot at the top of each fiber optic is where it collects light to illuminate the dot. If there isn’t any light then that is where the tritium capsules take over.
Here’s the front sight. The orange ring is nice during the day and you only see the green tritium dot in the dark.
Well, trying to take a photo in the dark of three green dots with a cell phone camera was an experience. I went in a basement room and shut the door to cut off light. It’s fuzzy but you get the idea – all three dots are nicely lit in any lighting condition.
Do they have lower cost models also?
Yes, they do. The Tritium series just has the tritium for illumination in the dark and show as bright white dots during the day.
They also make a Tritium Pro series that builds on the Tritium base model and adds an orange ring to the front sight plus the back sight is bigger and that makes it easier if you need to rack the slide with one hand.
I find these sights to be an incredible improvement over the plain Glock sights – they are easy to see and aid with rapid aiming. I really do like these sights and use them personally. I strongly recommend them.
I hope this helps you out.
Note, I have to buy all of my parts – nothing here was paid for by sponsors, etc. I do make a small amount if you click on an ad and buy something but that is it. You’re getting my real opinion on stuff.
If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@ro*********.com. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.
I was always so impressed by all the firearm articles where someone used this mysterious tool called a “chronograph” to report the speeds of bullets. They’d then use formulas, bullet weights, ballistics coefficients and what not to determine an approximated trajectory with velocity and energy along the way. I even bought one once and instantly hated the hassle – I had to set it up, shoot between the wires, don’t let the light mess with the readings, etc. I always wanted someone to come out with an affordable, easy-to-use, radar chronograph. When Garmin released the Xero C1 and reviews came pouring in, I knew I had to buy one.
Features
Uses 24Ghz microwave radar
Measures projectile speeds from 100 to 5,000 FPS with a +/-0.1% error margin
Needs at least 20 yards to measure rifle bullets, less for slower pistol rounds. Arrows can be measure in about 7 yards
I haven’t read a maximum range though I am sure there is one. The minimums are stated above plus it is recommended the units be 5-15″ from the muzzle
Lithium-Ion Rechargeable battery – recharges via USB and is good for 2,000 shots or up to 6 hours
Shotview App runs on your phone to collect data
It’s small and portable – 3″x2.4″x1.36″ without the tripod that detaches
Weight is only 0.23 pounds without the tripod or 0.35pounds with it
Two of my curious meat head dogs wanted to see what was going on and take part. Well, I figured I’d include them in the photo.The unit itself is surprisingly tiny. I wear XL sized gloves to put the 3.03″ x 2.38″ x 1.36″ dimensions in perspective.This is the microwave emitter side of the unit plus the small included bipod. The unit on the bottom is threaded for the standard 1/4-20 UNC thread.Here it is assembled. It’s about 5.1″x4.5″x5.5″.
Setup
No more juggling batteries, hauling crap around, etc. You plug this thing in and let it charge. Download the Shotview app to your phone and install it. Once the Xero C1 is charged, follow the instructions for pairing the Bluetooth to your phone. That’s it and that’s also assuming you want to use the app.
Getting ready to actually use the Xero C1 takes less than a minute after you turn it on and follow the on-screen prompts.
Range Visit
Wow is it fast and easy to set up. Open the case, thread on the tripod and open it. Turn it on, answer the questions on the screen and it’s running.
Five shots from my Zastava M77 using old Remington 168gr match ammo that I wanted to use up. You can see the Minimum, Maximum and Average for the session as well as the velocity of the last bullet fired in big numbers. We were shooting all of the .308s at 100 yards and nothing seemed to phase the little Xero C1. No error messages or wildly different velocities. It was a bright sunny day and the temperature was around 75-80F.German Hirtenberger StG 58 7.62mm ammo fired from a .308 IWI Galil Ace.
With the app you can record sessions and see the various velocities bullet by bullet if you want. You can also user the Xero C1 standalone if you want to do your own thing.
Summary
All I can say is “WOW!”. I don’t even know where my old chronograph went but when I find it, I’ll donate it. The Xero C1 is amazing and at this price point, they knocked the socks off everyone in the industry. I heartily recommend this.
Note, I have to buy all of my parts – nothing here was paid for by sponsors, etc. I do make a small amount if you click on an ad and buy something but that is it. You’re getting my real opinion on stuff.
If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@ro*********.com. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.
I like target shooting but have a tremor – that’s not a great combination. I am always on the hunt for better rifle rests when shooting from a bench. I owned the Caldwell Rock BR for a couple of years and it is a darned good rest in its own right. I wanted to see the Caldwell Precision Turret Rest was better.
The reason I bought the new Precision Turret was that I planned to do some test firing of four different .308 rifles and wanted to see if I could improve my own accuracy by using a better rest. Thus, I did some digging and went with the Precision Turret due to a combination of reviews, features and price.
Here are the two rests next to each other. On the left is the Caldwell Precision Turret Rest and on the right is the far lower Rock BR.We were setting up when I snapped this photo. The rear bag goes with the Rock rest – it’s too low for use with the Precision Turret.
The Rock BR has some real nice features
The foot spikes really get a good grip on our wood range tables. There are rubber pads you can optionally buy that prevent the spikes from damaging a surface if you need it.
At 13 pounds and very beefy, it doesn’t move – especially if the spiked feet are dug in
It has a great elevation ring that allows you to precisely adjust the height
That ring is on bearings so raising or lowering the saddle is very smooth
The saddle is adjustable to better fit the forearm of your rifle
It can get really low to the table or go as high as 11.5″
You will either need to shoulder the rifle or use a bag, and Caldwell sells many varieties, for the rear/shoulder portion of the stock.
Assembly was quick and easy.
Cool features of the Precision Turret
The feet are tipped with rubber and will not damage surfaces
The legs are solid steel and it weighs 10.6 pounds
The front non-marring saddle clamps the forearm in position
The legs are adjustable for height and can be set differently if you need to level the rest up to 6″.
The elevation and tilt are controlled through a ball connection that allows the saddle to move and you lock it in place.
Fine elevation control is done via the pistol grip platform. This works great if your firearm has a grip that can reach the platform and most of mine do.
Assembly was quick and easy.
This the Precision Turret holding a .308 Aero M5 with a 20 round magazine. John was holding the grip and using the grip platform to get him in the ballpark. The .308s did move the Precision Turret around a bit but not a lot. The Rock BR is a solid precision rifle rest. I dont have photos of me using it with my Aero Solus — I forgot to ask John to take some photos when we were at the range with both rests.
The Differences
The Rock can go lower to the table and the Precision Turret is higher and can better accomodate rifles with larger magazines
I feel the vertical adjustment in the Rock is smoother and doesn’t need a pistol grip
The Precision Turret really needs a rifle with a pistol grip to handle vertical adjustment.
The Rock has zero flex but the Precision Target is sensitive to how much pressure you apply to the pistol grip platform
The Rock either needs you to shoulder the rifle or use a rear bag. The Precision Target’s clamp and pistol grip platform hold the rifle in place — if there is a pistol grip – let me stress that.
Here you can see the pistol grip of the M77 resting on the pistol grip platform. The wheel to the front of the rest tilts the platform up or down thus changing the elevation of the barrel. Unfortunately that platform is not rigid and if you change the amount of pressure on the platform then the point of impact will shift.
The Verdict
They really are rests for two different use cases:
The Rock is really a precision rifle rest – hence having Bench Rest (BR) in the name. It is low to the table, heavy, rigid and excels at providing a solid front platform. I’d use the Rock rather than the Precision Turret for those situations.
The Precision Turret works best with rifles that have a pistol grip and a magazine that needs height for clearance. It is not as rigid as the Rock but I found I could figure out the loading to work the way I wanted it to. At any rate, if I plan to shoot a designated marksman rifle (DMR) with a pistol grip and magazine, I’d use the Precision target.
In Summary
I am keeping both rests because of the two different use cases. I have not had any problems with either one and recommend both. In case you are wondering – I bought both off Amazon and Caldwell didn’t pay or compensate me in any way.
I hope this helps you out.
Note, I have to buy all of my parts – nothing here was paid for by sponsors, etc. I do make a small amount if you click on an ad and buy something but that is it. You’re getting my real opinion on stuff.
If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@ro*********.com. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.
Do you have an old HK grip, or any other plastic item, you want to rejuvenate? Or maybe you bought one of the contract grips, washed it and now it’s a dull grey and all of the scratches stand out and you want to make it look better? It’s easier than you might think.
Clean the grip
I recently boought a bunch of the the surplus HK33 “contract grips” that were made by SME Arms and Ordnance manufacturer, Malaysia under license from HK and most of them really needed cleaning – everything from cosmoline to brown masking tape with numbers were on them.
The first thing is to really clean the grip. I use a Vevor 30L ultrasonic cleaner[click here for a review I did on mine] with Simple Green HD and water in it but you can use any warm-to-hot soapy water and something to scrub with to clean it up. Use compressed air to blow it dry real quick before any exposed steel surfaces rust.
These HK33 grips are a mess. Most are beaten up to some extent. Many were covered in cosmoline – that grip on the top that is shiny is coated in it. Some even had old dry masking tape wrapped around the actual hand-grip portion.
If you aren’t interested in ultrasonic cleaners, you can also have very good luck with hot soapy water. I used to recommend brake cleaner but that has really lost its cleaning power as various regulations have really reduced its strength.
This is a 30 liter Vevor ultrasonic cleaner filled with Simple Green Pro HD heated to 158F (70C). It gets rid of pretty much everything in 15 minutes including most if not all of the paint in the lettering.
Dealing with scratches and small nicks
Major repairs can be a challenge. Filling them with black epoxy or black super glue creates visible repairs. Black super glue to close a clean crack works surprisingly well. Starbond makes a black super glue that is superb at closing cracks plus bonding clean surfaces together in general – click here to see it at Amazon
For minor scrapes and scratches, the best approach I have found is to use 0000 (sometimes called “quadruple ought” or super fine) steel wool and vigorously rub down surfaces to get rid of scratches and any plastic sticking up from getting nicked. The benefit I have found with it vs. sandpaper is that it doesn’t destroy the surface finish as easily.
This is an actual HK German SEF grip converted for use on an MP5K. I used 0000 steel wool to knock over any sticking out plastic and reduce minor scratches. I find careful use of steel wool helps me improve the surface some without destroying the pebbled finish on the plastic.
Restoring the black color
Black plastic fades as the surface layer loses its oil/moisturizers. The trick to try and replace those lost chemicals and bring the color back.
Black plastic that has been ultrasonically cleaned is greyish and you can see all of the scratches. If you don’t know it’s coming you can have a “what just happened” moment.
The treatment I use is made by Car Guys and is called “Plastic Restorer”. Again, make sure the grip is clean and then rub this stuff in. I use nitrile gloves and work it in. You want a thin film there. I let the stuff sit overnight and buff it off with a shop towel the next day. It does a nice job and will last for sometime. I’m not exactly sure how long – I’ve been using it for almost six months and nothing has faded yet.
On this HK SEF grip, it’s been cleaned and I used steel wool to knock down any rough spots. Next up is applying Car Guys Plastic Restorer.The actual cream that comes out is an odd blue grey color. I wear nitrile gloves, put the cream in my glove and then apply enough to leave a film. It does need to have a light film – not super thick but something like this. It has to sit to work, I try to let it sit overnight if I can. They say at least 10 minutes but I find the longer the better. You then wipe it down and remove any residue on the surface,This is the same grip. It sat overnight and then I wiped it down the following day.Same grip – other side.These are four of the grey ashen grips shows above after following this process.Same grips – the other side.
Summary
I did not know why black colored platics fade with time. Now I do and the Car Guys Plastic Restorer works on more colors than just black. Click here for it on Amazon – there’s a reason there are over 31,000 reviews and a score of 4.4. It’s that good. So, whether it’s plastic on firearms, cars or something else, this stuff might really help you bring the color back.
One perk is that it does seal and provide UV protection after it is applied. I’ve been using it for six months and nothing has faded yet but then again, no finish lasts forever so I would bet that some day I will need to touch things up.
Note: This stuff isn’t for headlights and it doesn’t fix physically damaged plastic when there is a thick crust of oxidation or scratches. It’s meant to bring the color back is all.
I hope this helps you out.
Note, I have to buy all of my parts – nothing here was paid for by sponsors, etc. I do make a small amount if you click on an ad and buy something but that is it. You’re getting my real opinion on stuff.
If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@ro*********.com. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.
I’m old enough to have grown up with iron sights. It wasn’t until I wasn’t until I was a teenager that I bought my first four power scope for my pump up Crosman airgun. In 1990, I bought my first red dot scope – a big Aimpoint thing that went on my .44 Desert Eagle. Today, 34 years later, I have all kinds of optics, lights and lasers. Do you know what most of them have in common? They all take batteries of one type of another. So, here’s a question for you – when was the last time you checked or replaced your device’s batteries?
My dad was in the 6th infantry at the end of WWII and he drilled into me the need to clean and lubricate firearms. Every time we went plinking it was followed by running patches and then lubricating the .22 rifle. Maintaining firearms was second nature but back then there were no electronic do-dads on firearms. Now, years and years later and a few range trips where optics wouldn’t work due to dead batteries, checking batteries and having spares was added to the list.
Here’s what I want to share with you – if you want to count on your electronic gadgets, you need to maintain the batteries too.
Why bother checking?
First off, batteries have a finite capacity and that as we use them, they eventually run out and need to be changed.
Second, batteries have a shelf-life. In other words, they are chemical devices and at some point, the chemicals are depleted, no reaction can occur so no power comes out. The packaging may say the lithium batteries are good for 10 years – well, that is from when they were made and not when they went in your device.
Also, just when did you buy those batteries anyways? Get older and you’ll understand that last part more. If the packaging doesn’t have a date, I write down when I bought it and guess they are about a year old. I have Surefire CR123A batteries that hit 10 years – time flies by.
You might want to write either the date you bought batteries or the expiry date on the box. In this case, Surefire writes the expiration date on each battery – “04-2033”. I wrote the purchase date on the box so I can track orders but you use whatever system works for you.
As an aside, I take comments like “Our optic’s batteries will last 10,000 hours” or some huge number with some skepticism because they are usually estimated from testing and with a number of assumptions. Your real battery life might vary. So, that cool slide mounted optic you just bought with a huge hour claim — I’d recommend you know how to change the battery and keep a spare around just in case.
Improving Device Reliability
Let me share with you a few things to increase device reliability that concerns the batteries:
1. Know how to change the battery in each device. That might sound simple but sometimes somebody else installs a battery for you on a new optic and then you don’t know what type it is or where it goes so find out and practice doing it.
In the case of Vortex Crossfire red dots, the CR2032 battery is under a cap on the rotating brightness knob.
2. If you log work on your device, include batteries. I am honestly not this organized but some guys are.
3. If you have no idea how old or depleted a battery is in a device, change it. Some guys change batteries before they head to the range. I’ve talked to a few law enforcement officers that say they change the batteries in their lights before they go do something and that’s an option if you have time.
Energizer brand batteries will have a “Use by” date. If you look at the bottom of this CR2032 package, you will see the date is 3/2033. Lithium batteries have a 10 year shelf-life so these were probably made in 3/2023. By the way, a common scam on eBay and Amazon is to sell batteries nearing the end of their shelf-life at steep discounts so be careful who you buy from.
4. Test your device before you go to the range or at least every six months. Shorter if your device is mission critical. Now, just because it powers on doesn’t mean it will last – the battery might be near the end of its life but at least you have an idea. If you want to go the extra mile and have a multimeter, find out what the acceptable voltage range is for that type of battery and discard it when it nears the bottom.
5. Always keep spares – both in your house as well as your range bag. I can’t tell you how many shooting sessions were saved because I had a spare battery in my bag. On the flip side, I’ve had a few range sessions where the firearm had to go back in its case because an optic was dead.
Two days ago, while I am writing this post, I took my brother-in-law and nephew shooting the other day and the CR123A battery in my Vortex UH-1 holographic optic was dead. We were only able to shoot my 10mm Stribog because I had spare Surefire CR123A batteries in the Stribog’s carry case.
6. Buy quality batteries from a reputable seller. Did you know a lot of devices that use CR123A will not be covered if you use a no-name brand battery? Yeah – they had problems with cheap CR123As catching on fire and people wanting warranty coverage so the big device vendors expressly mention that cheap batteries will invalidate their warranties.
Also, not all batteries are created equal – some supposed alkaline or lithium batteries hold a fraction of a charge compared to name brands such as Duracell, Energizer, Panasonic and Surefire. Not to mention that cheap batteries may “pop” open and leak corrosive acids in your battery compartment. In short, don’t go cheap on the batteries for something you need to rely on.
7. Have a plan if the device stops working. This is critical – your red dot, laser or whatever stops working then what will you do? For example, practice shooting a pistol both with the device on and off. Do you have back up sights? Do you need to remove the optic to use the sights? What will you do?
Build For Reliability
Now, I need to expand a bit on that last one when it comes to optics. At this point in life, whenever possible, I want one of two things to be possible – my first choice is to co-witness the optic with the iron sights so even if the device stops working, I can immediately continue with the iron sights with no lost time.
You can co-witness a Vortex Crossfire red dot on a MP5K when you use a low profile B&T mount. It’s a pleasure to shoot and reliable. If the red dot should fail for any reason, I can just use the iron sights.
If that is not possible then I want the optic on a quick release mount that I can get off the weapon in a hurry. You’ll notice most of firearms have American Defense quick release mounts because they are quality and I can count on them. You can use whatever name brand you like but I would not recommend cheap no-name mounts because stuff bends, they don’t return to zero when remounted, etc.
On this one, an MKE rail was used. The rail allows you to use the sights but the optic will not co-witness with them. So, if I need to get the optic off in a hurry, it’s on a low-profile ADM quick release mount.
Practice For Resiliency
Resliency is the property of a material to bend and turn to its original shape. In your case, if an optic fails, how do you stay in the game?You can do all kinds of the stuff above and then life throws you a curve ball – what do you do?
Part of the answer is to mentally rehearse what you will do and then a very important point is to actually practice with the device turned off. How will you aim? How will your transition to a backup light or whatever? How do you get the optic out of the way in a hurry if necessary so you can use the backup sights that are blocked by the mount? It’s one thing to think about these things and another to do them. For example, the quick release levers for American Defense mounts have a small button that must be pressed for the levers to turn. You wouldn’t want to be fumbling around with them if you are in a rush – they move out of the way very easily with practice.
Rechargeable Batteries Introduce New Variables
“No more changing batteries” sounds great but there are still things you need to consider. If you have a device with a rechargeable battery, like a thermal or night vision optic, then remember three it takes time to charge them. To me, this is their biggest Achille’s heel – you can’t swap the batteries and go so plan accordingly. You need to also consider how long will it store a charge and how long will it run? Can you plug in a USB battery pack to extend the life or recharge it?
Even rechargeable batteries have a limited life – it may be three, five or seven years or they may tell you the number of times it can be charged and discharged but you need to have an idea.
Buying Batteries
Amazon is just about the cheapest place I have found to buy batteries. Look for name brands — I only recommend Duracell, Energizer, Panasonic and Surefire. There are dozens if not hundreds of brands out there and not all are good. Whether brand name or no-name, be sure to read reviews before you buy something from a seller other than Amazon directly:
Quick trivia for you – the “C” in CR means it is a lithium battery. The “R” means it is a round shape.
Summary
Electronics are everywhere these days and sometimes we don’t think twice about them. If you want to rely on your firearm and it has an electornic device on it, like a dot optic or light, always factor your devices’ batteries into your maintenance plans. That’s the first part and preventive maintenance certainly helps but you also need to plan and practice in advance if the optic or whatever device fails.
I hope this helps you out.
Note, I have to buy all of my parts – nothing here was paid for by sponsors, etc. I do make a small amount if you click on an ad and buy something but that is it. You’re getting my real opinion on stuff.
If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@ro*********.com. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.
Have you ever needed to use a nylon soft-sided rifle or pistol case only to find a seam is pulling apart? Yeah, that happened to me again the other day figured it would be a good time to share a trick with you.
I re-use my cases and went to use a flat dark earth colored Midway rifle case only to find that a seam along an edge was pulling apart. Nylon is tricky – on one hand it is pretty strong and rot resistant but on the other, if you don’t pay close attention to what you are sewing and get to close to the edge or lack proper reinforcement, it can pull apart.
I bought two of these cases many, many years ago when Midway had a sale. How many years ago? So many that I have absolutely no idea how many – that’s the best I can tell you. Maybe 8-10+ years ago. The warranty was history long ago so I needed to fix the case. What I have found is that gluing the seam works wonders. The earlier you catch it the less obvious it is.
I didn’t think to take photos until part way into the repair. You need a glue that can bend and flex without snapping so any glue that dries, cures and is rigid will not work. I used Gear Aid’s Seam Grip WP have have also had very good luck with ShoeGoo. I am very impressed by Seam Grip and that is what I use the most. I’ll use the ShoeGoo too – don’t get me wrong and it works – it’s just that Seam Grip has become my go-to over the years. The one perk of Shoe Goo is that they have a black colored formulation.
I find that doing 2-3 passes with the glue to work best. I work the first one in try to secure the nylon the way I want or at least get it close. When you do the repair, go a bit further in all directions to make sure the adhesive has a good solid hold.Use something to secure everything while the glue cures. I use blue painter’s tape here. I’ve also used clamps, rubber bands, you name it to hold things in position.Not all repairs go quite the way I planned. This was the third layer of the seam glue and I put it on thick to fill up a bit of a gap and it ran on me overnight. It may not look great but it’s good to go.
Summary
Using glue to repair a seam absolutely works, I’ve done it many times and never had it let go provided I get 2-3 good coats on it and overlap the hole. Follow the directions on whatever glue you do use as this repair will take 2-3 days to do as each coat cures. If you rush it, you risk not having a strong bond.
If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@ro*********.com. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.
The Stribog line of subguns, pistols and pistol caliber carbines are really cool. When the brace fiasco erupted, I sold my 9mm SP9A1 and regretted it. When Grand Power said they were coming out with a 10mm, I was an early buyer. One question popped out though – what was out there to help load the 20 round 10mm magazines? I hate loading magazines with stiff springs as many hands start to cramp so I needed to find a loader.
First off, they are HK UMP pattern magazines
The Stribog 10mm mags are nicely made, beefy as hell and based on HK’s UMP magazines. I like that – I am really tired or proprietary mags where you have one and only one option. Using an existing mags opens up options. Now, are UMP magazines all over the place and cheap? No, they aren’t – especially not 10mm mags. HK doesn’t make 10mm UMP magazines any longer.
The 20 round magazines have stout springs and it takes a lot of work to manually insert cartridges
Real HK 10mm mags have starting costs around $139 but are 30 rounds so there is a perk for the price. Considering Stribog mags list at $45 and can sometimes be found for $39.99, I’ll stick with Stribog mags.
Stribog 10mm magazines are built like a tank
This is both a pro and a con. The top sports a lot of reinforcements making for a quite a large magazine in terms of circumference. They will not fit inside a Maglula Universal loader – I had hoped they would but it is a no-go.
The girth of the heavily built mags means most loaders will not fit them. On the other hand, those are some impressive reinforcements on the mag lips and thick walls.Front to back is about 1.62″Left to right is approximately 1.14″Distance from the botttom of the locking tab to the top of the magazine body is about 0.96-0.97. It’s molded so there’s a bit of ballparking as to the exact top.The magazine locking tab is about 0.18″ thick.
Playing a hunch
Ok, so I did some searching on .40 caliber and 10mm UMP loaders and then played a hunch. I make magazines for Rock Island Armory’s A2 HC .40 and 10mm pistols. They use a staggered magazine and my source tube for the custom mags I make is actually a Mec-Gar .45 mag. What if a UMP .45 loader would work? I had a pretty good hunch it would so I started researching them.
The UMP .45 is much more common so I had options. The one that caught my eye was from Custom Smith so I ordered it and must say I am impressed.
It is 3D printed and nicey done. Everything seems thick enough to have proper rigidity. I like finger rests on the sides to give your hand something to get hold of. I promptly loaded two mags super easy. You push down, slide the cartridge in part way, lift the loader up, slide the cartidge in the rest of the way and repeat.
Side shotThe ram that pushes the cartridges done is beefy and nicely done.Inside is nice and clean also.The UMP .45 loader fits great.The ram does a great job pushing the last cartridge down so you can slide the base of the next cartridge part way in. You then move the loader out of the way, push the cartridge all of the way in and move on to the next round.Parting photo – it works great.
Summary
Grand Power Stribog’s 10mm model uses magazines based on the HK UMP design. The Grand Power magazines are affordable and relatively easy to find. You may need to dig just a bit as the 10mm Stribog sales are outpacing magazine availability but I am sure the mag availability will catch up.
No, I wasn’t paid to write this – I had to buy it because I wanted the 10mm Stribog and manual mag loading kills my hands.
By the way, S&B 180 grain FMJ 10mm is my goto range ammo. It’s affordable and runs great. I use it for breaking in and target practice with all of my 10mms.
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