by Scott Smith | Contributing Editor
KleenPaks from KleenBore to give your firearms a thorough cleaning when you don’t have a big kit.
As I sit here, Labor Day weekend is a week off, it’s sunny, and near 85 outside, yet I am pondering what Santa might be bringing all the good hunters, shooters and outdoorsman/women. This year we found a mix of items that will make good gifts for friends and family. There are new cleaning kits/products, tools, enhancements for handguns, new items to carry your firearms and new clothing.
Let’s start with keeping your firearms clean while traveling to matches or on hunts. Kleenbore’s (Phone: 800-347-1200; Online: www.safariland.com) KleenPak is a complete cleaning kit that fits in the palm of your hand. This kit is a pull through cable with brush/mop, small brush, a wipe with Break Free and a 2ml tube of Break Free to clean the bore. I have used this kit to clean my 3-Gun stable after getting caught in the rain at the Brownells/Rockcastle Pro-Am and found it to work as well as a full size kit. This kit is designed to be used once or a few times, but I found the cable, brush and mop to be as well made as those sold for long-term use. These kits are available for 12-Ga., .30 and .22 caliber rifle, 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP and .22LR pistols. One kit costs $11.70 while a ten pack will set you back $126.30. These kits will make ideal gifts for any shooter on your list.
A line of Birchwood Casey’s newest firearms care products will keep them running for years to come.
Birchwood Casey (Phone: 800-746-6862; Online: birchwoodcasey.com) is another company that offers shooters innovative and quality cleaning products. For long term storage Hopper Spit is what you want. Clean your firearms, spray Hopper Spit on a clean rag and wipe down your firearm with Hopper Spit and your firearm is ready for storage. This $14.40, 11-oz can will do several firearms making them much more resistant to corrosion than just an “oiled” firearm.
For folks who run their firearms hard, try lubricating them with MLP solid film. This lubricant film requires you to clean and wipe off excess lubricant. Apply the dry film pen to bearing surfaces, let dry at room temperature for 6 hours before assembly. I found MLP to work great on the bolt/bolt carrier group of AR style rifles even under sustained fire with a suppressor. MLP helped speed cleaning of carbon build-up making it worth the $12.70 price.
The last two cleaners are Renewable Oil and Grease. These products are made from USDA-certified biobased lubricants. Renewable Grease is designed to operate in temperatures from -40F to 427F. These products arrived in time to test them out during the heat of summer. During long range sessions in 90F+ temps neither the grease nor oil cooked off. I put a couple pistols in the freezer with the oil and grease as the rail lube and found the pistols moved just like they had been stored at room temperature. To make it easy to carry Renewable Grease in your range bag it comes in a $5, 0.5-oz tube and the Renewable Oil is available at $8.80 for a 2-oz spray. Once again Birchwood Casey is bringing shooters some of the most technical cleaning and lubricating solutions on the market.
Real Avid’s AR15 and Pistol tools, showing all that is packed into a small package.
To make firearms maintenance easy on the range or at home, check out Real Avid (Phone: 800-286-0567; Online: realavid.com). This past January at the SHOT Show, I perused the AR15 ($79.99) and Pistol Tool ($39.99). These two tools are well made with each sub-tool locking in place and their location is well thought out.
The Real Avid pistol tool’s most prominent feature is the bushing wrench for a GM/OM which is also the “hammer” to aid in removing various pins with the 3/32” punch. You will also find a bit driver to hold the six included bits that fit the most common screws on handguns. Under the bit driver is a fine tool metal file to aid in fitting a sight. For those with laser sights you will find four Bondhus Protanium hex wrenches to adjust the beam. The last tool is the 3” tanto blade because all tools need a knife to open targets, cut bands on ammunition or whatever other use you need a knife for.
The AR Tool will fix or clean almost everything on an AR; to clean everything you will need a cleaning kit. You will find the AR Tool will allow you to detail strip an AR, scrape all the angles/around the bolt carry groups, open a bolt that has been jammed from a double feed, easily adjust sights, install optics, etc.
Like its contemporaries, the Real Avid AR Tool is a set of folding needle-nose pliers, but these are spring loaded, making operation easier. What sets this tool apart from others is the 10 function bolt/firing pin/cam scraper to facilitate more thorough cleaning of the bolt to ensure proper function. The inclusion of a multi-bit driver ensures you do not have to look for a bit to snug up sights, optics, etc. Another tool that is included but often overlooked is a sight tool to adjust both four and five-pin front sights. Another tool that makes short work of double feeds is the bolt override that folds into the handle; this tool allows you to quickly retract the bolt to clear the firearm. When folded the non-jointed end acts as a drive hammer and there is a glass breaker built in too.
Real Avid’s tools are innovative and carry easily in your range bag or in the case of the AR Tool attached to MOLLE kit. These two tools will quickly become favorites of whoever you give them to as a gift and they will thank you every time one get used.
Vertx’s A-Range Bag is designed to meet your needs for competition, training, or just a day plinking.
When it comes to carrying gear to the range you need a good range bag that will keep your gear organized. This past year I used a Vertx (Phone: 513-793-5400; Online: vertx.com) A-Range Bag. This bag is 10”X12”X19” with a dual “u” zipper top for easy access to gear stowed in the top. Below this are two stowable pull-out drawers that are held in place by the lay-flat cover with loop material on it. Above the trays are two mesh zipper pockets to secure items like keys, cameras, cell phones, etc. On the opposite side is a full length zipper pouch that also has loop material. These panels are designed to work with Vertx’s Tactigami accessories; which include holsters, mag pouches and adapter panels, allowing you to adapt this bag to your needs.
The A-Range Bag can be had in black or smoke gray exteriors both of which come with a tan interior so you can find small items. The dual handles have a wrap closure to make it easier to carry the bag and an adjustable shoulder strap for those long hauls. This strap can be configured for left or right cant to fit how you prefer to carry the bag. Another feature of this bag is the security cable that runs the entire length of the bag so you can secure your bag into your vehicle or at the range so it cannot be snatched and grabbed. Vertx also includes a magazine carrier that holds six magazines and easily fits into the large zipper pouch.
The A-Range Bag is impressive. I like the big fully opening top, it makes storing and accessing competition gear and hearing protection easy. The two slash pockets in the main pouch are ideal for shooting glasses, sunscreen, bug spray etc. The organizer trays keep magazines, ammunition right at hand and contained. The raised feet on bottom keep the bag from sliding around the back of my SUV which is really cool.
Overall Vertx’s A-Range Bag is an awesome piece of kit. It is the perfect range bag for competition or going to a training class, it has a place for everything and keeps everything in its place. With its features, the retail price of $219.95 is in line with the competition. If you watch online or sign-up for Vertx’s newsletter, you will find substantial savings on this and other Vertx gear. If you don’t get this bag under your tree, use your Christmas cash and get one; you won’t regret it.
For those times when you cannot use a holster, 5.11 Tactical’s Select Carry Pistol Pouch is hard to beat.
Another bag I use for carrying a firearm is 5.11 Tactical’s (Phone: 866-451-1726; Online: 511tactical.com) Select Carry Pistol Pouch (SCPP). I know many will scream, “it’s a fanny pack are you kidding?” No, I am not kidding. When out for things like a daily walk or jog, I don’t want to carry more than the bare essentials—my ID, a couple of dollars and my G19 with a spare magazine. The Select Carry Pistol Pouch allows me to do that. The thing I like about it is that it can be had red/steel gray, charcoal, or navy/steel gray so it does not scream “GUN!” Another attractive feature is the price, $37.99.
I used the SCPP many a hot summer day this past year and even when the temps and humidity were both hitting 80+, I did not find my groin soaked from sweat. This is due to the compact size of the SCPP and the mesh back which allows it to somewhat breath. The elastic loops keep both my G19 and a spare magazine secure even when you open the front flap with the ambidextrous openers. If you have someone who is active and is out and about in clothing that will not allow them to wear a holster the SCPP is a good choice. The Select Carry Pistol Pouch also works well for those who have disabilities where a traditional holster will not work for them. You will find the Select Carry Pistol Pouch to be a good gift for those who need a non-traditional carry method.
One holster that caught my eye this year is the Proctor OWB (Online: wayofthegun.us). This is a straight drop strong side holster designed by former Army Special Forces Instructor/Operator Frank Proctor. He took his ideas to Off the Grid Concepts and the Proctor OWB was born as was the Proctor IWB.
Available only for Glock 17/22, 34/35 and S&W M&Ps, this is a traditional black kydex holster with an offset drop shank. While some may question the drop offset, keep in mind this holster was designed to be a range holster. The drop offset gives you a smooth draw and will keep you from getting tangled up in gear if you are wearing a tactical vest during training. This holster is legal for USPSA Limited and Production Class and makes a fine training holster. In northern climes it could be used for concealed carry under winter garb.
How good is this holster? It’s the choice of the designer and he is rated a USPSA Grandmaster Limited Class and Master in IDPA Stock Service Pistol and this is his competition/work holster. I like my Proctor OWB enough that I Duracoated to a kryptekish pattern with stencils from Montactical and it fits my 20-year old G17 like a champ. At $92 it is competitively priced for such a versatile piece of kit.
Last up on the 2015 Gift List is a pair of pants and boots from Under Armour (Phone: 888-727-6687; Online: underarmour.com). Under Armour (UA) has been a force in athletic and hunting apparel but seemed to dabble at the competition, ranger, and casual side of the industry. This year it seems UA wants back into that part of the market with the Storm Tactical Pants and Boots.
What I liked about the Storm Pants is their stretch properties, thanks to the polyester ripstop fabric. This material is treated with a DWR finish so the material repels water and resists stains. The cargo pockets have internal magazine pouches and close with buttons for ease of access and security. The front slash pockets have a flap so you have a place to put your clip-it knife. You will find pistol magazine pouches in the right front pocket. For comfort the waistband has extra stretch so you can move freely or be comfortable if you over-indulge at dinner. For those of us that shoot, an important feature UA addressed is placement of the belt loops, which will not interfere with an outside the waistband holster. Overall the Under Armour Storm Tactical Pants get high marks. They are some of the best fitting pants I have worn. These pants come in Marine OD, black and desert sand and will set you back $79.99 a pair.
Under Armour has been known for the comfort of their athletic shoes. This year UA introduced Infil GTX. This Gore-Tex-lined boot fits and feels like a running shoe and thanks to the carbon fiber shank is just as lightweight. To reduce odor and fight bacteria UA uses a Cupron (copper infused) sockliner which in wet humid conditions is a blessing. When you look at the forefoot you notice the Auxetic form-fitting mesh to reduce weight and give you more support. Further increasing toughness and support is the TPU toe and heel cap which molds the upper to the aggressive UA outsole. I found the Infil to give good grip on wet rainy days shooting several USPSA matches in June. They give good traction in all directions and for their weight give excellent lateral support while being all-day comfortable. You can get the Infil GTX in black, Ridge Reaper Barren, and desert sand with A-Tacs camo. With all the technology in the Infil GTX the $189.99 price tag is not outrageous.
While this article skimmed the surface of available gifts, I hope it gave you some ideas of what’s available. I wish you all a Happy Hanukah, Merry Christmas and a safe New Year. When you get out to the range with your new gear be safe, shoot straight and have fun.
