Quick Look: Infidel Body Armor

Awhile back we did some on camera shooting of the EnGarde Body Armor  Level III and IV Plates, we were new to doing reviews at the time and learned a lot. Well now we have the opportunity to run another test on a body armor plate thanks to Infidel Body Armor, they sent us one of their 10x12 Plates to use for test and eval.

The last time we did a body armor test we set the plates against a back stop, while that did give us a good idea of what the trauma would be like behind the plate we really couldn't see just how much. This time we are planning on setting blocks of clay behind the plate so we can get a good idea of just how much force is transferred rearward. We will also be checking for spalling since this plate is made of 1/4" AR500 steel with an anti spalling material layered over it.

Just some quick facts about the Infidel Body Armor plates, they are as stated above made from 1/4" AR500 steel and lined with 1/4" of anti spalling material. They are curved so they fit comfortably against the body, and the angled cut makes it easy to shoulder your rifle without setting it on the plate. Each plate weighs a little under 9 pounds, and is rated as a Level III Stand Alone plate.

We are really looking forward to getting some testing time with this plate and are excited to relay the information back to you our viewers. Make sure to check back for the written review and the video soon.

Quick Look: Kaw Valley Precision Linear Comp

Since we here at SpartanTC Reviews have been checking out so many different compensators over the past couple months we figured we would get our hands on a couple more to try out. Recently we contacted Kaw Valley Precision about their Linear Compensator, it was one that a few of you had asked about it, and I had actually seen it a few times while browsing around the internet. KVP was awesomely quick to get back with us and help get our hands on one to test out.

(The new SpartanTC Reviews AR outfitted with the Kaw Valley Precision Linear Comp)

For those who do not know what a linear compensator is here is an answer taken directly from KVP's website.

What is a Linear Compensator? 

A linear compensator is a muzzle device designed to collect and direct all the muzzle gases forward, away from the shooter.  Unlike other types of muzzle devices, KVP linear comps actually lower the decibel the shooter experiences while shooting the rifle. This lowered perceived decibel is especially noticeable in shorter barreled rifles while shooting high power rounds. 

When you first pick up the KVP Linear Comp you can tell right away that it is a solid piece of work, and won't be damaged easily. The machining is really clean on it, and the finish is really well done and seems like it will stand up to quite a bit of abuse.

If you take a close look at the KVP Linear Comp you will notice that the only holes that it has are pointing forward. While this gives it a very different look I am really looking forward to taking it out to the range and seeing how much "quieter" it is over the other comps we have used.

We are hoping to get the new SpartanTC Reviews Test AR out to the range very soon and get some video, along with our initial thoughts on shooting with this comp. Make sure to stay to keep checking back as there are lots of reviews in the works!

Strike Industries J-Comp

I recently had the opportunity to take the Strike Industries J-Comp out to the range and get some shooting in with it. I decided I would write down some of my initial thoughts on it before we head out to the range to do some more shooting with it.

 (Left to Right- 556 Tactical Stryker Comp, Strike Industries J-Comp, 556 Tactical StrykeHyde)

As you can see in the picture above the overall length of the SI J-Comp is slightly longer than the other two muzzle devices, however when it's installed it doesn't look awkward like some other comps I have used before.

One of the first things that you notice about it is the interesting design. It was designed after the Japanese Type 89 Assault Rifle muzzle device, so it is a unique comp to say the least.

The rear two ports are meant to reduce recoil and redirect the concussive force you get from a typical compensator, and the front ports are meant to reduce muzzle flash. This means that it should be the best of both worlds when it comes to reducing recoil while still aiding with hiding the flash. 

The reduction in the concussive force from my experience is not as good as some of the more expensive comps (such as the Lantac Dragon) but at the price point of $39.99 it does a decent job. It does create a dust signature to the sides of the muzzle when shooting prone but the amount of dust created isn't all that bad.

As far as reducing muzzle rise goes the J-Comp does a fair job, while I haven't tried shooting rapidly with it yet the comp does a pretty good job of controlling muzzle rise and allows you to get back on target quickly.

So far with the limited time I have spent with it I am not completely sold on it to the point that I would install it on all of my rifles. It is however well priced and a very well machined compensator, which does what it is advertised to do. Hopefully I will get the opportunity soon to take it out for some night shooting and we can see how well it hides the flash.

Make sure to check back for updates in the near future.

EPLowers Polymer Lower

A few weeks ago I had talked with Chris from www.EPLowers.com about the 80% polymer lowers that they are producing, he was really informative and helpful. He was awesome enough to engrave the SpartanTC81 logo into the lower, which made this already cool project even better in my eyes.

The reason that the EP Lowers can be finished using a Dremel and a drill, is that the firing control group pocket contains a white polymer. The idea behind it is to remove all of the white polymer from inside the pocket until you get to the solid black (or whichever color your lower is). Once you get to the solid color you will still have to remove some of the colored polymer to allow for the proper fit of the firing control group.

In the picture above you can see a good majority of the white polymer has been removed. Notice the black "bars" that are on the sides, these help you gauge where you are at while using the Dremel to remove the white polymer. They do disappear when you are close to the bottom and at that point it is important to take your time and watch for the final layer of white polymer to give way to the colored polymer below.

Above you can see that there are a lot of shavings from removing the white polymer. If you have access to a shop vac I highly suggest rigging it so that it will aide in the removal of the shavings while you are working.

As you get further down and the walls of the white polymer become thinner you can actually use a set of pliers to remove it.

Above you can see that the white polymer has given way to the black polymer below. You will also notice that the trigger hole will need to be milled/dremeled out to allow for the trigger to fit in. When you do this be careful not to remove too much or it will be possible for your springs to fall through the hole.

When drilling the holes for the trigger and hammer pins I highly suggest drilling straight through from one side to the other. The directions on EP Lowers site say to do them one side at a time, which I did and because I was doing it by hand the drill walked and ended up miss drilling the holes (this was my fault). I ended up with the left side holes sitting lower than the right side, and this lead to the hammer being off center, which lead to the trigger not releasing it. 

Also my selector hole was off, it still worked but was extremely stiff due to it being angled.

Even though I miss drilled the holes I was able to fill them with epoxy (double bubble extra strength epoxy) and drill from the right hand side. This straightened out the issues and will be strong enough to hold the pins and selector in place (however I chose to go with KNS anti walk pins just to make sure they won't move).

As for the quality of the lower, I cannot speak on the durability of it yet since I haven't had the opportunity to toss an upper on it and run it to the range; but it does have a solid feel. It has very little give compared to some of the other polymer lowers I have messed with before and the polymer has a nice feel to it. The "finish" of the polymer is clean and some people who have seen the pictures of the lower have actually mistaken it for a billet lower. 

Once I have a few hundred rounds on it at the range I will be writing a follow up post along with some videos of it performing at the range. I have no doubt that it will work just fine and will be a great range rifle.

Overall this was an awesome learning experience, it gave me a whole new appreciation for building a lower. If you like to tinker on your own firearms and are looking for a new project head on over to www.EPLowers.com and check out what they have to offer.

Lantac Dragon Compensator

Lantac USA recently announced the release of their Dragon Compensator for 5.56/.223 with plans to release a 30Cal version in the near future. They have done a great deal of hyping for the release of the 5.56 Dragon comp, so the question in my mind was "does it meet all of the hype?", and of course the only way to find out was to get my hands on one and take it out for some range time.

SPECIFICATION:

Caliber: 5.56X45mm / .223

Material: Super Hard Milspec Steel

Finish: Nitride QPQ

Dimensions: L: 2.570'', DIA: .870''

Weight: 3.2oz

Thread: 1/2-28 UNEF R/H

Serial Numbered for Quality Control

Made in the USA.

When you first catch sight of this compensator you immediately see a resemblance to the muzzle device of an AK-74, with the 4 top ports and the 3 sleek open ports on either side of it. It is one extremely nice looking compensator that just seems to scream that not only does it look good but it will perform just as nicely as it looks.

As soon as it was installed on the S&W M&P AR-15 the range began to call out to it, and once it was out on the range it answered that call.

Out of the handful of different compensators I have shot with over the past couple of years my biggest complaint was that each one of them when being used under the range cover rattled my brains and made my sinuses hurt. However this was not the case with the Lantac Dragon, instead of forcing the majority of the concussive force upwards in an effort to keep the muzzle down the majority of the concussive force was pushed foward and away from the shooter. This resulted in a much more pleasant shooting experience when under the range cover. 

Now even though the majority of the force is pushed out the sides and forward, it doesn't mean that the compensator was not effective at doing its job of keeping the muzzle from rising. Instead this was one of the flattest shooting compensators I have used, there was literally no muzzle rise after each shot; and to top it off the amount of felt recoil was also reduced. Pair the lack of muzzle rise with the reduced feel of recoil and you have the ability to quickly aquire your target.

At 100 yards using a Lucid Red Dot I was able to continually smack the 10" metal gong, and double taps were amazingly easy to control and still ring the gong. It brought a sense of controllability I have been looking for when it comes to using an AR and firing quickly.

Overall I was extremely impressed with the performance of the Dragon Compensator and cannot wait to get my hands on one for each of the AR builds that I am currently working on. 

If you have been looking for a great compensator to slap onto your AR, this is one that I highly suggest you look into.

You can preorder one through Harris Tactical using the following link.

http://www.harristacticalonline.com/Lantac-Dragon-556-Muzzle-Brake-LAN-DGN556B.htm

Iron Hammer Armory .300 Blackout Upper Review

A couple months back I started talking with Iron Hammer Armory about the AK's that they have been producing and also the line of AR's that they have been working on putting out. There have been a lot of conversations between Martin and myself and I have come to really appreciate the information that I get from him whenever I ask questions. So when I was asked if I would be up for testing and reviewing the IHA .300BLK complete upper I told them heck yes, I would love to get my hands on any AR upper to take out and test anytime I can.

When I picked up the upper from a friend's shop I was really impressed with the way that it looked, with the Stainless Steel Barrel coming out from under a black hand guard it has such a cool look to it. What I thought was really awesome was that the Hand Guard was from ODIN Works which is another company whose products I have heard great things about and had hoped at some point I would get to check out in person.

While I personally prefer a longer hand guard on my AR uppers the 9.5" that the IHA is outfitted with does give it a very clean look since it allows the SS barrel to really stand out. I took some time to field strip the upper and give it a good cleaning and applied FIREClean to it like I do with all of my other firearms (yes even when I do testing for companies I still give it a good clean before and after shooting), this gave me the chance to check out the workmanship that has gone into the building of this upper.

First thing that I noticed was that there was not a single blemish to be found inside and out, and the BCG was staked correctly and everything fit together really well. It was very noticeable that there was great pride taken in assembling the upper. The laser etching on the receiver and the charging handle is a very nice touch and adds some character to the overall build also.

The ODIN Works hand guard is very sleek and very comfortable to hold since it is smooth on the sides with one small section of rail on the bottom side at the front. The rail matches up perfectly with the receiver and gives it a nice continuous look. The overall construction of the ODIN Works hand guard is really good, while being lightweight it did not feel cheap or flimsy like it could break at any second. Just from the short amount of time that I have had with it I have decided I will be using one of their longer hand guards on one of my future builds.

When I was able to take the upper out to the range it was both too windy and too busy for me to be able to setup the cameras to capture any good videos of me firing it, there was also the issue of the wind blowing down the target stand that I was trying to use to zero it in. So finally I gave up and just aimed for the steel plate that we had setup down range. Even though the scope I was using was garbage I was able to figure out where to place the reticle to ring the steel, and once that was figured out I can tell you the steel just kept ringing. 

Every shot that I was sending down range was hitting it's intended spot, and even though I did not have a paper target to measure exactly how accurate this upper is, the side by side and stacked marks on the steel were enough for me to consider this an accurate barrel and with a properly sighted scope and a worked up hand load it should be hitting Sub MOA (I am not an expert marksman but I have shot both well made and crappy made barrels and this is well made). 

While the price for the upper is still up in the air until IHA is able to get the production of them moving I will say that it is a very nice upper with some very nice features, I am sure that the price will contend with many of the other companies that are building uppers, and even if it is a little higher the quality and craftsmanship that is put into it shows. Below you will find a graphic that has the breakdown of the parts used for this upper, all of the parts are nice quality parts that should give you a long happy service life from it.

I would like to thank Martin at Iron Hammer Armory for allowing me the opportunity to take this upper out to the range and check it out, this was the first time that I have been able to test a new product for a company before it's release and I am hoping that I will get the opportunity to do that more often.

MyGunDB Initial Review

I was recently contacted by Alan Ellis to check out and review a Firearms Database program that he created, called MyGunDB.  Of course I said yes.  I went to the website to see what the program was all about and to see what others have been saying about it.  The website is clean, simple to navigate, and provides basic info about the program, along with several screenshots to help you understand what the program itself looks like.  After browsing the site for several minutes, I was definitely intrigued.  I downloaded the full program and started exploring.

Here are my initial thoughts on MyGunDB:

First thing that I noticed about the program was how easy it is to navigate.  There is nothing complicated about it.  Everything is pretty self explanatory which is one thing that I always look for in new programs.  It only took me all of ten minutes to figure out what each tab did and how to enter and change information as I needed.

I started with the Firearm Data tab which has several sub tabs that allow you to put in a massive amount of information about each individual firearm that you own.  Details like brand, model, serial number, caliber all fall under the initial information that you input when adding a new firearm to the inventory. The cool thing about this is that after you have input the information it brings up a running list of the firearms you have in a column to the left, which you can click on and it will take you directly to the info for the gun you have chosen.  Other things like barrel length, twist rate, sights, etc. can also be input into the system, which when you have more than one of a specific firearm and there are differences between the two you can keep all of that info sorted.

                                      

Under the Firearm tab there is also an option for accessories so you know what holsters, mags, and lights you have with the firearm.  I know, for myself, I have multiple magazines for each firearm that accepts magazines, and several different holsters that I use.  This is just a nice way to keep track of all of the gear that you have for that specific firearm.  If you end up selling it later on down the road, you will already have a list of what gear you have that can be sold with it.

The next tab I believe would be great for FFL's and private collectors - it is the Pictures tab.  I can understand how, in a large inventory of firearms, it can be easy to mix up which one is which when there are multiples of the same model that are available in different colors.  Having the option to add a picture of each specific firearm, and having it connected to all of the information you have already input into this database, in my opinion, would make it much easier to keep tabs on everything in your inventory.

The Purchase/Sold tab is another great option to have.  Honestly, I wish I had this program for all of the firearms that I have sold over the past couple of years.  It keeps a detailed record of the purchases and sales that you have made - ideal for dealers who have a large volume of sales every day.

Moving on the the Ammo tab, I was surprised to see how detailed the information for your current ammo supply could be.  It is really easy to add an ammo type, and when you do, information like brand, bullet weight, caliber, and other information can be input and then shown on the main screen of the ammo tab.  This is really cool because you can also input how much of each caliber, bullet weight, and brand that you have, which then gives you a running tally.  What's even better is that you can go in and highlight the specific round you used at the range that day and simply type in how many rounds you used, hit the subtract button, and your number is automatically updated for that round.

Also, for you reloaders out there, the ammo tab has a very cool option.  It gives you the ability to input all of the information for the rounds that you are currently loading, and designates your reloads with an asterisk so they are quickly identified.  The information that you can input includes, C.O.L., powder brand, powder weight, brand of bullet, and other options. This in my opinion, as a reloader, is a great tool to have because you can add notes for the rounds that you are reloading.

The Maintenance Tab is an option that would rarely ever be used by me, but I am sure that anyone who likes to keep a detailed record of cleanings, parts replacements, and other maintenance, this it would be a great way to record what you have done or have had done, and the cost of the maintenance.

As someone who typically scours the internet looking for the best deals before making a purchase (even though the current market there are very few to be found), I appreciate the fact that there is a Deals Tab. In the top section of the deals tab there is a running list directly from SlickGuns.com and then below has folders that contain addresses to many different firearms sites where you can usually find a good deal.  This is a great idea and is something that I am sure I will check a couple times a day.

Overall, I am really impressed with the MyGunDB program. It is very easy to navigate and quickly pickup on how to input information into it, and just as easily retrieve and modify the information that you have saved in the program. I believe that it would be great tool for FFL's and major collectors.  However, for guys like myself with a smaller collection, it is a bit overkill to have the whole program.  It's more than I need.  What would be awesome to see, would be an Ammo Database program for a smaller fee.  This is something that I know I would use quite a bit and it would help me keep much better tabs on where I am at with my current ammo supply.

Full registration for the program is $44.95 and Basic Registration is $24.95, both of which I believe are fair prices for a program that covers as much as it does and makes maintaining a record of everything you have much easier.

The difference between the levels of the program are as follows:

Full version has NO limits.
Free version is limited to 10 firearms
Basic only disables Ammo, Maintenance, and Holsters tabs, A&D reports, and allows 3 images per firearm

(There is a mobile app available for both the iPhone and Android.  I will be downloading the iPhone version in the near future; once I have a little time to mess around with it, I will be sure to post a review of it for any of you who may be interested.)

RGuns Nickel Boron BCG

I must admit that the idea of the Nickel Boron coating on a BCG is pretty cool to me, I had seen many people posting about them on different forums and Youtube videos. Needless to say I was intrigued and wanted to get one for the Spartan build, but when I started looking around for parts the market had already become sparse with parts. I had searched through all of my reliable websites looking for a good deal on a BCG, but I kept coming up empty handed, that was until one day I happened to check Aim Surplus and there was a RGuns Nickel Boron BCG and the price was well within my budget.  Without doing any research I quickly ordered it before they ran out of them (apparently I bought one of the last few because the next day they were sold out and haven't had any since), I was quite happy with the price I was able to get it at. That was until I began to research the RGuns BCG, during my research I had found out that the extractor springs that come in them are extremely weak and almost always needed to be replaced, and apparently some other people have run into issues with the coating peeling off within a few hundred rounds. Of course with all reviews they need to be taken with "a grain of salt" because some people are naturally complainers, and some people really just complain about stuff because they want to. With that said I still ordered an extractor spring replacement kit from BCM, just in case the spring that came stock in the BCG was actually weak.

When I received the BCG from Aim Surplus I was happy to see that the coating was smooth as could be (I even handed it to my wife and she asked if there was any oil on it because it felt slick), there were no major flaws to be found in it and everything looked to be within spec (to the naked eye). Needless to say I was impressed with the product received and was excited to get out to the range with it and run a few hundred rounds down range with it. But sadly it had to sit with all of the other parts waiting for the Spartan lower to come in from 2 Vets Arms.

I couldn't wait until the Spartan lower was in my hands to take my completed upper out to the range and put some rounds through it. Luckily I have a coworker who likes firearms nearly as much as I do, and I had just completed a build for him. So we headed out to the range to test out his build and make sure that everything was functioning properly for the build, and of course allow me the opportunity to make sure that everything on my upper build was working also. Once I had the adjustable gas block zeroed in I had hoped that everything was good to go, however I was having an FTE issue. I quickly figured out that it was the ejector spring, it was too weak to actually eject the brass and I didn't take the replacement spring with me to the range.

When I got home I pulled the old ejector spring out and saw that it was about a coil and a half shorter than the new one, and I knew that was exactly what the issue had been at the range. Getting the new spring in required a lot more force than was required to get the old one out so I knew that once this one was in everything would be good to go.

Once I had my build all completed I went back out to the range within a couple days and fired off around 120 rounds just to make sure that everything was functioning perfectly. I no longer had any failure to ejects and the brass/steel was being tossed in a nice pile a couple feet to my right. The BCM replacement spring was just the ticket to get this BCG working just like it should.

So far I have run around 350 rounds down range using this BCG and I have not run into any other hiccups after replacing the ejector spring. I just recently pulled it apart to give it a good cleaning so I could have some pictures to show what it looks like after that many rounds, and it cleaned up rather nice. There is some staining in the Nickel Boron coating but it is still slick to the touch despite the staining. I am confident that this BCG will give me thousands of rounds reliably out at the range, and I am glad that it is easy to clean up, even though I am sure that I could have easily run a thousand rounds through it without and issues.

(This picture was taken after cleaning it recently you can see some of the staining)

                              (These pictures were all taken prior to cleaning with 350 rounds fired)

The Spartan Build is Complete!

At the beginning of the year2 Vets Arms workshop and pick up the Spartan lowers I had preordered from them.  Yes, it was a long day of driving, but I feel that it was well worth making the 3+ hour trip to meet Dean and Amber face to face.  I am so glad that I found out about 2 Vets Arms when AR15News.com put up a picture of one of the builds that had been done for a customer.  It is really cool that they are from Oklahoma (my current home) and are both Veterans.  As I said in my Lock-N-Load Java review, I feel that it is important to support as many Veteran Owned Companies as we possibly can; they have offered their lives to this country - helping to grow their businesses is the least that we can do.
I had the opportunity to visit the

When we got down to the workshop, I was surprised to see just how small a business they actually are right now, but also immediately impressed by the number of rifles that they pump out despite their size.  If there is one thing I have learned lately, it is that the detail and care put forth by small companies that really makes for awesome quality products.  Dean and I talked shop while I was filling out the 4473.  It was great to talk with someone else who is just as excited as I am to show off and talk about guns.  After talking for a bit it was time for us to head out.  (I had taken my wife and 2 year old along for the drive, they both did amazing :) )  On the way out the door, Dean and Amber hooked us up with the a couple of t-shirts and stickers (which I appreciate more than most people would probably understand).

To say that I was excited to build one of the lowers when I got home would be an understatement.  I was literally grabbing tools and parts as I was unlocking the door to the house.  I had been waiting to get my hands on the lowers, and now that I had them in my possession I wanted to get one complete so I could scratch that lower building itch I had.  Everything went together smoothly and I could not be happier with the end result for the Spartan Build.

 Everything came together to make a fine firearm that I know will give me years of great range time.

Rainier Raptor Charging Handle

With the many different AR's that I have owned over the past 2 years there has always been a piece of the builds that seemed to be lacking to me, I know that the mil-spec charging handle has worked just fine since the creation of the AR-15 but for me it was one of the pieces I felt the least comfortable with. It was hard to pull the charging handle with gloves on, or if a scope was mounted to the AR's that I had, so this was something that I always wanted to go a different route with.  So with the Spartan build being my "dream" build I decided it was time to get a charging handle that was designed with the most versatility, in steps the Rainier Arms Raptor Charging Handle.

The first thing that I noticed when I received my Raptor was that it is a very sturdy charging handle, rigid enough to take years of abuse and keep on going. It also has a very nice anodized finish, if there are any defects in it I cannot see them with my naked eye. Overall my first impressions were that this was one of the better purchases I have made for the build, little did I know how much I would enjoy using this charging handle when I finally finished the build and got out to the range.

With it's large ambidextrous latch release I can easily charge my AR now, I have tried using every finger on both hands and the latch releases every time, and thanks to the width of the latch releases it is very easy to pull back with one or two fingers. It operates with extreme ease and locks back in place with a very sturdy click, and once in place it does not rattle or move until you release it and charge the rifle again.

I noticed with gloves on and the magnifier that I had installed that it was still very easy to get a positive grip on the Raptor, even when I could not get my fingers to fit in between because of the gloves I am still able to "blade" the latch with my palm and charge the rifle. So far the Raptor has proven to work in every situation I think I can possibly end up in, and I am sure that there are many more that it will be willing to stand up to.

So far I have run around 300 rounds through the Spartan AR, and the Raptor has been nothing but willing to work every single time I have needed to use it, it is showing very little wear so far and I believe it will be a good long while before it starts to really show any major use. If you have felt like your mil-spec charging handle is lacking something I highly recommend checking into the Rainier Arms Raptor, I am extremely happy that I did.

556 Tactical Stryker Compensator

Where do I start on this awesome compensator that I installed onto the Spartan Build?

I decided to get the Stryker Comp from 556 Tactical during their Black Friday sale, mainly based on a video that they had posted up showing just how well it kept the muzzle from rising during quick shots. Every other AR I have had always had the standard birdcage at the end, however there have been a few AR's I have shot that had compensators installed on them and it was something that I really wanted to have on my "dream" build.

I really liked the Stryker Comp the second I opened the box, the quality and finish of the compensator is above any expectations I could have had. It looks super mean and honestly I am pretty sure it would make a great up close and personal weapon when you run out of ammo. The overall design is very impressive with the wavy compensator ports and the crown like front, it gives the impression that it means business.

As far as how well the Stryker Comp performs, I have been very impressed by how well it handles single shots, double taps, and "rapid" fire. I have not once felt like the muzzle was rising during my time spent out at the range, actually during fast firing I felt it pushing the muzzle down which was a totally new feeling for me but something I have come to really like about it. The other very impressive thing is that when you are firing with this comp installed and you happen to be under a metal cover at the range, everyone knows you are there and that is not just because of the loud boom, it also resonates in your sinuses.

In closing I feel for the $49.95 this is a great compensator, and by far one of my favorites that I have had the opportunity to shoot with. 556 Tactical shipped extremely fast and I had the compensator within just a few days of the order.

First Impressions of the FNH FNS-9

Out of the multiple handguns that I have owned since moving to Oklahoma in 2010 it has taken me awhile to find something that I like as much as the first gun I ever purchased, which was a Sig Sauer P226. It is like I have heard said many times, there is just something about a Sig.

In the long list of guns that I have owned since I sold the P226 there have been Glock's, M&P's, a Shield, Bodyguard, and a few others, all of which have either been traded or sold in pursuing something I like better. I still own my M&P9 that has the Apex Trigger upgrade done to it and I love using it at the range, but at the same time do not like using it as a concealed carry pistol because of the trigger upgrade.

I was at my usual gun shop one day and they had an FNH FNS-9 that someone had traded in, and I had heard a few things about the FNS but had not seen one in person yet, so I figured I would give it a closer look. When they handed it to me in the shop I was quite impressed with the way that it felt in my hands, I also felt like it pointed very naturally for me. Needless to say I found myself wanting one, but not wanting to buy someone else's problems I opted to have the shop order me one that was brand new.

After waiting a couple weeks for the gun to arrive at the shop I finally was able to pick it up, but because the gun shop that I use is in Oklahoma City which is an hour and a half away I had to wait a couple days to be able to take it out to the range. So I did like I do with every other firearm I bring home, I field stripped it and cleaned off all of the factory oil and got it ready to be warmed up and apply Frog Lube to it.

Tear down is very similar to the S&W M&P's, with just one little trick that took me a second to figure out, and that was when you move the slide forward you need to put your thumb on the back and give it just a little more push to get it over the detent for the safety. Which is actually nice if your hand accidentally slips in the process your slide won't jolt forward.

After I finished applying the Frog Lube paste and letting it dry to the point that I could rub off the excess it was ready to go to the range the next day. Having very little time to spend at the range I only took 50 rounds with me so I could get a feel for how the FNS shoots and what I was going to have to do to get used to using the european sighting (actually putting your front sight on what you want to hit).

Along with the FNS I took our M&P9 that has the Apex trigger kit installed so I could compare the two. I also took my wife with since she enjoys shooting and I also like to make sure that she is familiar with every weapon that is in our house.

I must admit that the stock trigger on a brand new FNS9 is a bit more stiff than one that is pre-owned but I know that over time the trigger will wear in and be closer to that of the pre owned one I had messed with at the store. Yet running through a quick session with it I did not feel that the trigger was bad at all, actually it was much better than the stock one that had been in the M&P, the reset is very pronounced and the pull is not super long.

I should also point out that the mags are very slick and drop freely with out any hang ups.

The night sights that are installed on the FNS are very nice quality, and are very easy to use in full light and low light environments. It does take a little getting used to using european sighting but for me I have always had an easier time with that style anyways.

Overall I really like the FNS9 so far, and I am sure as time goes on and I get more range time with it that I will like it even more. I am glad that even though it is a bigger handgun in size that I can still conceal it for everyday carry and it is still comfortable at the end of the day. I plan on giving updates as time goes on and more rounds have been run through it.