Category: Rifles

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Rifles

Stark Equipment SE-2 AR-15 Grips with Sling Mount

Stark Equipment is now shipping their latest product, the SE-2 Sling Grip for AR-15 style rifles. The SE-2 is the first AR-15 pistol grip to be integrated with an ambidextrous sling mount.

The SE-2 is available in two versions. The Hook Mount provides a loop compatible with most common sling hooks. The Swivel Mount allows the attachment of push-button sling swivels.

The SE-2’s sling mount is located above the hand and below the buffer tube, with a low profile design that stays out of the way of even fully collapsed M4-style stocks. When added to AR pistols, the SE-2 provides excellent one-handed control while providing sling attachment that doesn’t clutter up the receiver extension.

Extensive strength testing has been performed on the SE-2 to ensure a reliable attachment point that you can depend on.

Just like the original SE-1 Pistol Grip, the design of the SE-2 enhances weapon ergonomics and functionality, bringing M16, M4 and AR-15 style weapons to a higher level of control and comfort. The grip has been designed for a wide range of hand sizes and shooting demands. Features include a smooth integral trigger guard to increase comfort, textured surface for added grip and storage for batteries or other equipment.

The SE-2 Sling Grip is available in Black, Dark Earth and OD Green.

stark_se2_03

These grips are considered to be very good AR-15 grips by a number of people. Mossberg is now using the Stark Equipment SE-1 grips on a number of their AR-15 (modern sporting rifles). The grips feel good in the hand and these offer the benefit of having a quick-attach, quick-detach point for adding a sling. These SE-2 grips are available in black, but other colors such as foliage green, olive drab, flat dark earth and more will likely be available in the near future.

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Rifles

KAC Chainsaw Machine Gun

Mossberg Chainsaw

Somehow I missed this gem at the 2009 SHOT Show. Knight’s Armament showed a new chainsaw-styled machine gun, which is based on the Stoner LMG (light machine gun). This functioning chainsaw machine gun is belt-fed, chambered in 5.56, and has an integral suppressor and 37mm flare launcher. Oh, and the appearance kicks ass.

Knight’s said that this machine gun was more of a fun expriment than a serious exercise in a new platform development. However, they make an excellent point, which was with new sighting systems, bringing a rifle to your shoulder to align the sights may be obsolete in the near future. If so, something like the chainsaw machine gun may be a better alternative as a shooting platform. The concept is certainly worth exploring.

The non-machinegun chainsaw is a fairly ergonomic tool that many people use regularly. I’ve always found chainsaws to be a natural extension of my arm and easy to wield without any real training or optics. Granted, shooting a machinegun-like device from the hip is different, but I think the ergonomics can make sense.

Imagine having an optic on the gun that relays a signal via wire or Bluetooth to a heads up display integrated into the helmet. It may sound like an Aliens rip-off, but I think the system could work.

My question is: Can you shoot this gun without yelling “get some!”? I’m not sure. Knight’s Armament has a real flair for developing the fun guns, and this one is right at the top of the fun chart. Mossberg went on to develop a shotgun that uses a chainsaw-like appearance:

Mossberg Chainsaw

The Mossberg Chainsaw shotgun is a curious design, but not nearly as fun or practical as the KAC Chainsaw machinegun. Mossberg makes a few good use-cases for their shotgun, such as breeching duties, but I think the hip-fired machine gun is a more useful tool.

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Rifles

Addax Tactical Gas Piston AR-15 Upper

Addax Tactical AR-15 gas piston uppers.

There has been much talk about improving the AR-15/M-16 with a gas piston system rather than the direct gas impingement system in use since the 60’s. Companies like the Ruger have attempted to capitalize on this trend by producing gas piston rifles such as the SR556. If you already own an AR or two, you can retrofit your gun with a piston system, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars.

Addax Tactical makes a gas piston upper for the AR-platform called the ATAC-GPU or Advanced Tactical AR Carbine Gas Piston Upper. Addax Tactical states the ATAC-GPU “utilizes a specially designed, self regulating, long stroke piston system for enhanced dwell time and lower recoil.”

The ATAC-GPU is manufactured with mil-spec and match-grade parts, and Addax Tactical says it is built tough enough for all law enforcement and military applications.

Available options for the ATAC-GPU include Vltor MUR upper receivers, cold hammer forged 16″ barrels, 10.5″ – 16″ mil-spec barrels, compensators, flash suppressors, and a variety of Cerrakote finishes. Addax offer the uppers in 5.56 (aka .223) and 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC. Prices start at $875 and go up depending on what options you want.

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Update: This specific system is not currently available from Addax Tactical. Other AR-15 piston uppers are available from Addax and other companies. A quick Google search can help you find a system that will work for you. I do not know if this system will be coming available in the future, or if this is a dead product now. If someone has any insight into this piston upper situation, please add to the discussion in the comments section below. I know I would like to know more information, and I’m sure other readers would like to hear about it as well. Also, if there is anyone who is running one of these uppers now, let us know how you like it.

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Rifles

Magpul PMAG AR-15 Magazine

Magpul is known for producing some of the most talked about tactical gear in modern production. Whether it is the FMG-9 machine pistol or theBushmaster ACR, Magpul always seems to be involved in the latest, coolest tactical gear. The Magpul PMAG is no exception.

The PMAG is Magpul’s polymer AR-15 magazine that has proven to be one of the more popular AR magazines on the market.

The PMAG comes in two basic models: standard and MagLevel. The MagLevel features a clear plastic window on the side of the magazine and a painted magazine spring that allows you to get an approximate round count with the weapon still in the rifle. The standard PMAG comes in 20 or 30 round versions, while the MagLevel PMAG is 30 round only.

The PMAG has waffle-style texturing on the body of the magazine to enhance your grip. The body of the mag feels solid, but not too thick.

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Rifles Shooting Gear

Tango Down ARC-L AR-15 Magazine Review

In March, Tango Down introduced a new polymer AR-15 magazine called the ARC-L. Tango Down took a different approach to the AR-15 magazine, and designed something new that is worth looking at.

Tango Down developed the ARC-L magazine by going back to the drawing board and taking a hard look at ammunition feeding in the AR-15 platform. Tango Down started with the understanding that 30-round magazines in the AR-15 are curved, yet the magazine well in the AR-15 is straight.

Tango Down magazine review

Instead of utilizing a single piece of molded plastic, the Tango Down magazine is a two-part assembly that snaps together (permanently) in the middle. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is to have a straight portion that is in the magazine well, with a curved portion that is the part extending beyond the magazine well.

Tango Down says by using the two-piece construction they can mix various polymers for different portions of the magazine:

We can also mix materials, impossible with conventional plastic magazines. We can offer transparent lower/high tensile strength upper sectioned magazines that avoid the brittle feed lip issue of all-transparent material construction.

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