Quick Thoughts- SIRT Training Pistol

I have had The SIRT training pistol for a few months now and have been using it on and off for awhile. When I first received it I wasn't sure how I would use it and what it would actually do for "training", especially since I feel that training without the recoil or the ability to rack the slide for a reload isn't super beneficial for trained actions. However as I spent time with the SIRT I saw what some of the benefits are.

One of the first things that I noticed when I picked it up was the weight, while it's not exactly the weight of my Glock 19 fully loaded with 147gr HP's (it's about 10 ounces lighter), it does have a nice weighted feel to it. Also the construction and materials are pretty good quality, it doesn't feel cheap when you hold it. It holds just like a Glock 17, which for me is ok but the fact that I have done a grip reduction to my Glock 19 it does mess with the grip angle I am used to.

One of the things that I really appreciate about the SIRT was the fact that the trigger pull, weight, and reset can all be adjusted. Since I run the McNally trigger on my G19 being able to adjust the trigger on the SIRT to be closer to the actual trigger pull and reset that I have is an awesome bonus. Also the fact that there is a take up indicator is great, especially since it will remain on if you do not go beyond the reset distance which allows you to train for quicker follow up shots.

Having the all black sights works well for me since I run the Pro i-Dots on my carry pistol, instead of having the typical stock Glock sights installed on the SIRT it makes me feel much more comfortable with the way I line up either set of sights. After using the SIRT a few times I did notice that my presenting sight alignment did improve, and more often than not my first trigger pull resulted in the laser marking exactly where I was aiming.

Having the ability to drop the magazine, and insert another one is awesome. However not being able to insert the magazine during slide lock, and then bringing my hand back over the top to rack the slide back into battery is a training downfall for me. While this is one thing I feel is a downfall, it does not render the training pistol as useless, it just lacks one of the things that I use during training.

I had used the SIRT for a few weeks before I took my last Combat Focus Shooting class, and I did notice some improvement with my presentation from the holster, first shot and follow up shot placements, and overall trigger control. I was extremely pleased to see these improvements. I know part of them were from training with live rounds at the range, and the other part were from practicing with the SIRT.

Overall the SIRT does have it's place in my training, where it lacks in some features it makes up for in adjustability and savings on ammo costs. It does help you focus on trigger pull without constantly having to dry fire your carry gun, and it gives great visual feedback when the trigger is pulled. Like I said at the beginning of this post, I wasn't sure where it would fit in for me as far as a training tool, but the more I have used it at home the more I have grown to like it.

Why Hydrodipping Sucks For People Who Use There Guns

As many of you know I had my G19 slide hydrodipped in Kryptek Typhon pattern this past summer, sure it looks cool and it makes my Glock unique but honestly Hydrodipping is pointless unless you are a gun collector.

The reason that I say this is because it will scrape and flake off when you do constant holstering and unholstering. After 2 Combat Focus Shooting classes and quite a few trips to the range, you can see just how much has chipped off of my slide.

If you are one of those gun owners who worries about getting a scratch on your gun, or who cleans it after every trip to the range, then I would say hydrodipping may be a way to go for you. However if you truly use your gun, carry it daily, practice drawing it often, then hydrodip is not the way to go unless you don't mind tearing it up.

I personally don't mind the fact that my slide shows a bunch of wear, to me it shows that I have run the gun hard enough to know I can trust my life with it. All of the damage to the hydrodip just adds character and makes the gun that much more unique.

Some Thoughts on Armor Plates

Over the past few months we have had the awesome opportunity to shoot at plates from 3 different companies. Each one had different results, some were what I would consider devastating, while others were extremely impressive. When we started this journey I knew zilch about body armor, and had never even seen a plate in person. Thankfully there were some companies who were willing to help us out in our endevour to learn more.

The first plates that we had the opportunity to shoot were the EnGarde Body armor plates, they sent us a level III dyneema plate and a level IV ceramic plate to shoot and abuse as we saw fit. We did just that, if you watch the video we posted you can see that we shot them with multiple rounds from multiple calibers. Both performed amazingly. I was told multiple times how fragile the ceramic plates are and how they don't work beyond the abuse of a few rounds, but our findings were a bit different. At 25 yards we shot the ceramic plate so many times that there was hardly any of the ceramic left intact, but not a single of the rounds we put into it defeated the plate. The only round we were unable to procure were 30-06 AP rounds, and that's due to state laws. With the level III plate we literally shot it until it had split in half after being hit with a 7.62x54R and even then it still stopped a .308 round and 5.56 XM193 and XM855 rounds.

The next plates we shot were the Infidel Body Armor plates. What I found the most interesting about these was the fact that there were so many hyped up videos and reviews about the plates, so we figured they would perform well. However they did not, we were able to defeat 2 of the plates that they had sent for testing. We used common hunting rounds, some XM193 and XM855 rounds, and were able to punch clean holes through the plates.

 Not quite what I would call confidence building. Add the fact that these plates are HEAVY, the anti spalling isn't as good as other companies, and they are made of target steel, they are not something I would ever put my life on the line with. 

Lastly we had the opportunity to test and shoot the AR500Armor.com plates. These performed leaps and bounds above the IBA plates, and we are still using it as a dinger target for the range to this date. It was hit with multiple calibers and multiple rounds and still hasn't failed.

However this plate suffers the same flaw as the IBA plate when it comes to the weight, it is very heavy and makes for a very heavy setup in a plate carrier. Also a down side to using steel and antispalling is that after multiple shots the coating peeled away allowing tons of shrapnel to escape, which would lead to some pretty nasty injuries.

What I have learned is that while AR500 plates are on the less expensive side and will stand up to multiple rounds they are still not a replacement for proper body armor without some sort of trauma pad or soft body armor to go under them.

There is this strange phenomenon I have come across during research and asking questions on the page. People prefer plates with multiple hit capability, and therefore tend to lean towards the steel plates since it is said that ceramic plates are only good for 6 hits.

Let that sink in real quick.........

People are apparently concerned that they would get hit multiple times in their plates and therefore they need a plate that can stand up to that. 

Again think about that logic. 

You aren't going to be standing in one place if you are being shot at, and if you get hit once you better be moving right after that. Also depending on the size of the round the plate is hit with the kinetic energy that is transferred from the round striking will cause internal injuries, and quite possibly death. Even though the plate stops a round does not mean that it stops the transfer of energy, it has to go somewhere.

[The day after I started writing this post AR500Armor.com released the information about their newest item. It is a trauma plate to go between your body and your plate, in theory this should assist in disbursing the kinetic energy from the plate taking a round. This would make their plates a more feasible option for those who still want to go with steel armor.]

The biggest thing that I can stress the most is that you need to do your research before purchasing body armor. Don't buy into the hype that many of the newer companies are putting out there. Don't skimp on something you are purchasing to possibly save your life some day.

Also, if you feel that the weight of the plates combined with your carrier and other items attached to your carrier are too heavy, figure out where to trim the weight. Be it lighter plates, less tacticool gear, etc. DO NOT buy into the stupid saying of "If it's too heavy just train with it more often." or "Just get in better shape." The human body can endure a lot, but that does not mean that you should overload yourself. Again your plates, carrier, and gear are meant to save your life not cause you to become overworked, fatigued, and an easy target.

There are many more things I could talk about but for now I will leave this post where it is at. 

Some Thoughts on GB's

Now that I have your attention with the title, continue reading please. 

This past weekend Lane and I had the opportunity to take the Combat Focus Shooting course that was put on by Down Range Firearms Training, and in the class there were several LEO's and a hand full of civilians. One of those civilians was a female, and even though it was a warmer day here in Oklahoma she was still dressed in proper range attire and not like a gun bunny. Let me just say that it was awesome to see her out there getting some trigger time and training done, it is something we need to see more often. 

What we do not need to see is the oversexualization of women and them being used to sell the newest and coolest tactical piece of junk. Yes it is true that sex sells but seriously folks there is a point that you have to wonder, "is the product she is posing with a good product or are people buying it because there's a scantily clad woman holding it?". I cannot name how many YouTube channels and Facebook pages I have seen that are for the Gun Bunnies of the industry, and their likes are off the charts because they go out and do videos with tight clothing on. Heck I've even seen channels that are run by guys who exploit the fact that they have a cute girlfriend who goes out to the range with them. Sure some of these girls can shoot but they do so in a way that I personally cannot take them seriously.

I have been asked before why we don't post pictures of scantily clad gun bunnies (because apparently it brings in more likes and views). My answer is that there is no need for it, if a product is good, or our reviews are good then what is the point of having a half naked woman in a picture? Why is it so acceptable to treat women in the industry as objects rather than the shooters that some of them really are?

I am sure there are plenty of people who will disagree with my view, and you are more than welcome to your opinion and views, just don't expect mine to change.

Just say no to Gun Bunnies.

PreGiveaway Giveaway!

We have decided to do a PreGiveaway!

The prize will be the Karrimor Pack that was donated by Grey Ghost Gear. This is one awesome pack!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Year Anniversary Giveaway AR-15

As we get closer to the kickoff of the Anniversary Giveaway we figured it was time to get some pictures and info out on some of the items that will be given away.

This post is for the AR-15 we will be giving away as the grand prize.

Upper and Lower Receiver: S.W.A.T. Firearms Matched Billet

Trigger: ALG ACT

Gas Block: Parallax Tactical Ultralight

BCG: JBO Premium Complete BCG (MPI Tested)

Charging Handle: Raptor

Muzzle Device: Griffin Armament M4SDII Flash Comp

Mil-Spec collapsible stock and LPK

Red Dot: Primary Arms Micro Dot

Handguard(s): Magpul MOE (Currently Installed) and Unique-AR's Hex Handguard (Currently shipping to us)

Barrel: Windham Weaponry 16" 1:9 Chrome Lined

Mag Release: ODINWorks XMR

Introducing the JoeBobOutfitters Enhanced Spartan-15 Billet Lower

Recently I was given the opportunity to get my hands on the newly released Spartan-15 Enhanced Billet Lower from JoeBobOutfitters.com and I was more than excited to get it put together.

This will be an ongoing review of this lower, but right now I am going to write down my initial impressions of the lower and also some thoughts on the enhanced features that are on the lower.

The first thing that I noticed was how much attention to detail there was on this lower, the ridges underneath the mag release button make the receiver seem less bulky (which has been a complaint for me on other billet lowers). There weren't any visible tooling marks on the lower, and the finish was perfect. There weren't any blemishes to be found, and the coating is very smooth.

Visually it is an awesome looking lower.

While building the lower last night I was very impressed with two of the enhancements that have been done to this lower. The first was that there is no need for a roll pin to install your bolt catch, instead there is a allan flush head screw. No more having to mess with installing a stubborn roll pin? Count me in.

The next enhancement that I was really impressed with was the capture screw for the rear detent spring. Granted I had to cut the spring down to fit but not having to worry about accidentally bending the spring while installing the stock is a bonus.

Overall my first impressions of this lower are all extremely positive, and one of the things that I cannot wait to get my hands on is a BAD-ASS 45* selector for it.

Black Friday Deals!

Below is a list of links to Black Friday Deals.

We will be adding links as we find them so make sure to keep checking back!

Some have already started while others won't start until tomorrow or Friday.

Primary Arms
http://info.primaryarms.com/public/?q=preview_message&fn=Link&id=dymggwrstgbuhc6pgee12anupg3cy&ssid=28757&t=3

Chase Tactical
Use coupon code BLACK15
http://www.chasetactical.com

JoeBobOutfitters
http://www.joeboboutfitters.com/BlackFriday_2013_Sales_s/16347.htm

AIM Surplus
http://www.aimsurplus.com/catalog.aspx?groupid=714&name=Specials

CivTactical
Use code:Blackrifle
http://www.civtactical.com/shop/

Anderson Rifles
http://www.andersonrifles.net

IronSite 15
http://www.isfifteen.com/bundle-deals/

CMT Tactical
https://www.cmttac.com/UHP-15-Billet-Lower

San Tan Tactical
Use code:BAD-ASS-STT-15
www.SanTanTactical.com

Palmetto State Armory
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/black-friday.html

Red Barn Armory
http://www.redbarnarmory.com/BLACKFRIDAY-s/1875.htm

Rainier Arms
http://www.rainierarms.com

Battle Comp
http://battlecomp.com

Bastion LLC
Use Code:BF30
http://www.magplates.com/

Patriot Cases
http://patriotcases.net/shop/

Savoy Leather
Use Code: BLACKFRIDAY
http://savoyleather.com

X-Products
www.xproducts.com

Four Guys Guns
http://store.fourguysguns.com/

Damage Industries
http://damageindustriesllc.com/product/kit-complete-lower-receiver-assembly

Quentin Defense
www.Quentin-Laser.com

ODIN Works K-Mod Handguard

Now that I have had the ODIN Works K-Mod 15.5" Handguard installed on the SpartanTC test rifle for 3 months I have decided it was time to go ahead and write down my thoughts on it.

One of the first things that I noticed when out shooting with the K-Mod installed was that even after a running 150-200 rounds through the rifle in a very short period of time, the handguard was only slightly warm to the touch. If ammo and money were a little more readily available I would love to do a 500-600 round dump as fast as possible just to see how hot the handguard gets, because I am confident it would still be much cooler than some of the others out there on the market.

While the KeyMod idea/option is still new on the market there are a few pieces to use on it. I was fortunate enough to receive a picatinny rail section for mounting a light or a forward grip, and also the ODIN Works low profile bipod mount (K-Pod). 

One thing that I have learned about the KeyMod mounting is that you have to use loctite or really crank down on the screws to keep them from backing out. I personally prefer to use loctite since cranking them down usually leads to rounded out Allen head screws.

The ODIN Works K-Pod is by far the lowest profile bipod mount I have seen in person, it keeps the bipod very close to the handguard.

As far as the weight of the handguad is concerned, it is one of the lighter handguards that I have used on an AR. Lane has the Strike Industries MegaFin 15" handguard installed on his AR and with both rifles stripped down they are within ounces of each other. 

Even though it is very lightweight it does not sacrifice strength. ODIN Works is so confident in the strength of their K-Mod handguards that they used them to hold up a vehicle, and they also ran one over with a truck. Needless to say I was impressed.

While I have yet to do anything crazy with mine, the pictures and videos from ODIN Works are proof enough to me that you can beat the crap out of the handguards and they would just take it and keep going.

Overall I am very impressed with the quality of the K-Mod Handguard, and even more so with the awesome customer service that ODIN Works offers. It is great to know that there are companies out there still that put out a great product, and are still very involved in providing stellar customer service.

I highly recommend getting the K-Mod Handguard if you are in the market, the price point is reasonable, and there are plenty of options for the length. They are also working on making additional bolt on parts for the K-Mod so you won't just have a handguard and no way to mount anything. 

If anyone has any questions feel free to post them in the comments section below or send us an email and we will do our best to answer them.

Why we are running the Rockethub Campaign

As many of you know we are currently running a Rockethub Campaign to help raise funds for SpartanTC Reviews, and we need as many people to donate to the campaign as possible to help us reach the goal.

What many of you may not know is that when I (Travis) started SpartanTC Reviews almost a year ago I had a decent amount of guns and gear sitting in my safe, however over the past year I have slowly sold off or traded guns and other items to fund more items for review. Sure we have had some awesome companies come along side us and help out with sending guns and gear for us to do reviews on (and we are forever grateful for the relationships we have with these companies), but there are far more items that have come out of pocket.

We love doing the reviews and videos, and we love the fact that so many people have followed us both on Facebook and YouTube. We want to continue doing them and bring larger reviews to the table, but we need to raise the funds to do so.

We will also be attending SHOT Show in January, and the shirts and stickers that we are currently selling are helping fund that trip. We are hoping that getting some face time with many of the companies at SHOT will help to bring in more gear for reviews, but we also know that many of them will offer items at a discounted rate and not free, which is another reason we have started the funding campaign.


Help us continue our momentum with SpartanTC Reviews, every little bit helps and we appreciate it more than we could ever express.

SpartanTC Reviews Campaign Link

SpartanTC Reviews 1 Year Anniversary Giveaway!

December 6th marks our 1 year anniversary of running the reviews blog and Facebook page! So to celebrate we are putting together an awesome giveaway to show our appreciation. 

Of course we wouldn't be able to make this awesome giveaway happen without the support of our good friends and sponsors, and we are very grateful for the support they have shown us over the past months and year.

The giveaway will run in a different fashion than we have run the others, this time we will do tiers of prizes. Which means every set amount of likes will result in a winner being chosen all the way up to the grand prize.

Some of the items in the giveaway will be:

Stripped Billet Lower 

AR500Armor Plates

Magazines

Plate Carrier

And much more to come

Keep watching for details on the giveaway!

RocketHub Campaign

We have received a lot of requests from people who follow the blog and Facebook page to do reviews on certain firearms, gear, and parts. Due to lack of funding we've had to postpone many of the review projects, and being newer to the review community the sites name still doesn't hold enough weight with companies to have them send out T&E stuff. So we decided to do a RocketHub crowd funding project. 

We are hoping that you all will help us reach our goal and have a successful campaign. 

There are plenty of awesome items available with each donation level, along with some very limited edition items.

http://www.rockethub.com/34989

Some Thoughts

So the past few days have been interesting, I have been told a few times that the testing we did of the Infidel armor was somehow flawed. However the AR500Armor test was completed in the same manner and stopped all the rounds the other plate couldn't. 

Yes it is quite possible that the plates we shot from Infidel could have been faulty, but that's 2 plates that were faulty not just one. That is why I posted the results for everyone to see. 

I've also been seeing comments that the plates from Infidel stopped .458SOCOM, which is fine and dandy if you believe that just because a plate will stop a round it will save your life. I'm not going to go to in depth but even when a round is stopped by a plate the kinetic energy and force doesn't magically disappear, instead it is transferred through the plate and into your body. Let that sink in for a second, and think about what that energy will do to your body.

We post the information from our tests so you can make an informed decision on the products that you are looking at. We will never tell you that you should buy one thing over the other because that all breaks down to preference and budget, which not everyone's is the same.

Lynx Concealment Modular Ambi Holster

I am going to start off by saying I absolutely love this holster. It's incredibly versatile. The quality is exceptional. Every edge is glossy smooth. 

This ambidextrous appendix IWB holster can do more than the title says. It can be worn strong side from the 12:30 to 5 o'clock positions comfortably. The soft loops make it a little more difficult to put on strong side but once it's there it isn't going anywhere. 

                      (Lefty's side)

The soft loops can be swapped to the opposite side in about 45 seconds for a left handed shooter. 

With the open trigger guard bottom, it makes the retention perfect. On the draw it is smooth and easy to draw and reholstering yields a nice, positive "click". I have ran with this holster. The gun stays put and the cant doesn't change. 

With the Malice clips it comes with you can mount it to a vest with Molle webbing or even outside the waist band if you absolutely wanted to. 

The only down side to this holster that I have found is the width. Being ambidextrous, it has to cater to both crowds, which adds some width. The overall width is 1 7/8" to the outside of the rivots. 

Even with that extra bulk it can hardly even be noticed by the person wearing it and by any bystander. 

The "pull the dot" soft loops were incredibly hard to pop on and off (especially off) but once I got them loose 15-20 times they relaxed and now are easy to remove. 

Overall I think this holster system is a great option for anyone wanting a sturdy, multifunctional holster for everyday carry. 

-ShipLane

A Question for Our Readers

So recently we asked on the Facebook page what you guys and gals would like to see more of from us, be it gear, guns, specs, or reviews. One of the most common responses we received was that you would like to see more comparison posts of things like triggers, muzzle breaks, AR parts, etc. 

Being that we are just starting out our connections are still somewhat nonexistent within the industry, which in turn leads to us having to borrow or buy most of the stuff we have reviewed. Granted we have made a few connections with some great companies who have been more than gracious when working with us, but there are so many items out there that we receive questions on that we just cannot get our hands on currently due to funding.

So the question I am going to put forward here is this.

If we were to run a crowd funding campaign to help raise funds for us to purchase parts for T&E, and also to help fund a few of the items we need for video and editing, would you all be willing to help us meet a goal once we set it?

Geaux Hard Holsters Gering

My Initial thoughts on this holster have mostly followed through after carrying this on an off for a month. The design is simple yet very effective. Let's dive into details. 

Some of you might be familiar with the Raven concealment vanguard 2. This Holster system runs off basically the same principles but it expands on them. 

Both of these holsters cover up the trigger guard and leave the top of the gun exposed inside of your waistband. Both also allow you to tuck a shirt and while you're carrying due to the way that the struts on both of them are configured. 

Because of the way that this Holster sits inside the waistband you do not have to unfasten it and take it out to reholster like to do the Raven concealment vanguard 2; due to the fact that it is Kydex instead of injection molded plastic it has a much more positive click in much better retention. 

One design flaw that I have found, GHH is fixing before production, and it is the Kydex it covers up a portion of the magazine release on the Glock pistols and possibly the Smith & Wesson's also. Having full access to the mag release will allow you to clear the gun without removing the holster. 

One more flaw that I had noticed and it might just be the with the way the clips are designed but the belt loop seems to open up a little bit whenever it is flattened. It could use possibly another rubber spacer. 

When I was training with a friend, I drew and it lifted just enough to snag the Velcro part of my 5.11 nylon belt and the entire holster came out. Again, it could be a flaw with the clip.

Overall I am very pleased with the Geaux Hard Gering. It is extremely slim line and easy to conceal, even under tighter fitting clothes with the Glock 19. The biggest issue was with the clip failing at the range but I simply put my belt on the opposite direction and have had no issues since. It is very comfortable and easy to take on and off in a hurry, yet, stays in place inside of the waist band.