Parabellum Armament AK Adaptive Rail System (AKARS)

How it works:

Horizontal stability is achieved by the three 'fingers' that go into the rear sight mount (as you can see in the video it's very tight).  The factory rear sight is removed but the spring is retained.

Vertical stability is achieved by the top cover being pressed up into the carrier return spring by the rear sight spring, or at least that's how I understand it....   (I'm a financial analyst by training, not an engineer).  You can move the top cover slightly up and down but it always returns to the same up position due to the spring pressure.

Testing:

I zero'd the TRS 25 on my SGL-31 then ran 90 rounds through it, removing the top cover after each magazine then I fired the test shots and groups (shown in the video) at 50m while removing the top cover and banging on it from a few different angles.

I then moved back to 100m and removed the top cover again and took a few shots at a 10'' steel plate ---all hits (again shown in the video).   After I turned the camera off I continued to fire/remove the cover several more times throughout the day.

Pros:
-Maintained zero throughout testing.
-Easy installation.  Hex wrenches were provided and the directions are pretty straight forward. 
-The finish on the product is even and generally looks good.  It matches the Arsenal paint pretty closely.
-Made in the USA.
-It has a lower 1/3 co-witness with micro dot type red dots.
-The rear sight is integral to the unit so you don't have to purchase a separate one.
-It allows for easy cleaning after shooting corrosive ammo as opposed to gas tube type optics mounts.
-Reasonably priced.


Cons:
-The top cover rubbed against both the Krebs safety used in the review and the factory safety.  I have since took a file to the inside of the top cover eliminating the issue but I'd like to see it modified like the Romanian top covers to eliminate this.
-I'd like to see the rear sight moved to the rear of the unit allowing for a longer sight radius. 
-When removing the gas tube the lever gets stuck on the 'fingers' of the front of the rail (hard to explain in writing but I demonstrate it in the video).  

In the end, none of the cons would stop me from buying another but everything can be improved.   The most important thing most of you are likely concerned with is whether it maintains zero and mine certainly does.

Caracal F Review

I've often posted here with high praise for the Caracal pistols so I figured I'd knock out a review of the Caracal F.   Here are some of the pros/cons of the gun according to yours truly:
Pros:
-Reliable.  The gun has well over 1,000 rounds (not sure on the exact count, I've let many people borrow the pistol to try out) with 0 malfunctions of any kind.
-Price.  I picked the gun up for $399 shipped.
-Accurate.  This gun is like a 1911 in that it tends to make average shooters shoot like good shooters
-Very low bore axis resulting in an extremely soft shooting gun.
-Excellent trigger.  It's smooth with no stacking.  It breaks extremely cleanly and has a positive reset
-Great finish.  The Plasox (with nitriding) finish is holding up very well thus far
-It has a loaded chamber indicator on the top of the slide allowing the user to check that it is loaded without having to conduct a press check
-Very good ergonomics.  Everyone that has shot the gun seems to comment on how good it feels in their hands
-18+1 capacity while only weighing 26oz
-Passed the WTD 91 (German armed forces) testing in 2006
-Has been adopted by several nations' standard military sidearm; many police agencies in Italy and Germany have adopted it as well
-It's classified as an IDPA production gun
-Easy to clean and maintain.   Requires very little lubrication as well
-Interior parts are coated with the Plasox finish as well
-Ambi controls (except for the slide lock)
-Spare parts including springs are available from Caracal-USA now (this is relatively new)
-The Caracal F mags can be used in the C and SC models.
Cons:
-Little aftermarket support
-Night sights are not available in the US currently.  I spoke with Caracal USA last month and they said they are working with several manufacturers currently but they don't have a date yet as to when they'll be released
-The rear sight is part of the firing pin assembly.  This will either make aftermarket sights more expensive or limit some to front sight only
-The guns are made in the UAE and Germany.   The UAE made guns are the only ones available in the US currently.  (I don't care about this but it's a common point brought up so I'm including it so people don't say "you didn't mention where it was made....")
-In order to detail strip the gun you have to deal with roll pins.  Not a big deal but I'd prefer not to if I didn't have to
-The slide lock protrudes to far.  I hit it with my thumb about 50% of the time if I'm not conscious of it and many people I've let shoot it have the exact same issue
-The vast majority of the guns imported have been recalled.  The latest is that the guns will be completely replaced with a new gun at no expense to the owner or you can choose to get a full purchase price refund.   So far, their customer service has been great on this end but it's kind of a wait and see with these guns to see how it all shakes out.  Many quality brands have had guns recalled or "upgraded" in the past and as long as they make it right I have no problem with it...


Here's a video of me shooting the gun, a tabletop review with some comparisons to the Glock 17, and a chronograph test with some popular defensive loads:

Chrono data:

Winchester Ranger 115gr JHP: 1128fps, 325 ft/lbs energy
Federal HST 124gr JHP: 1126fps, 349 ft/lbs energy
Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P JHP: 1234fps, 419 ft/lbs energy.

Cleveland Holster's IWB Holster Review

Just a quick run down of the pros/cons Cleveland Holsters tuckable hybrid holster.

Pros:
-1 piece horsehide is the standard backing.
-Kydex extends past the belt line allowing for easier one handed reholstering
-Black oxide coated screws/clips
-All steel belt clips
-Two 'cuts' available.  The model above is the 'cut' version.  It's still very comfortable...
-Comes with loctite for securing the screws after setting up the holster as you want to.
-US made

Cons:
-Cost.  These holsters are on the higher end of the hybrid holster spectrum.  That said, they are as good if not better than others on the market and many of the 'upgrades' from other holster makers are standard here so it's certainly a cost/value issue there.  

Here's a quick video review so you can see how it wears and get a few more angles of it:

Magpul PMAG Gen M3 Test & Review

Finished up the test video for the Magpul Gen M3 PMAG where we (me and my work buddy who conveniently has a SCAR 16 that I could use but that range wouldn't let us film ) used these mags in 5 ARs and the SCAR 16. Did a drop test with a fully loaded mag on concrete and ran some crappy ammo through them with 0 issues what-so-ever to report.

All in all it seems Magpul has another winner on their hands.  If you like PMAGs but want a little more versitility in what guns you can run them in they're a good choice.   Of course, the old (now called PMAG MOE) PMAGs are still great as well and now they're priced lower which never hurts.

Here's the test footage:

US Palm AK30 AK Magazine Review

Before I get into the review let's just get it out of the way---steel combloc mags are the standard for a reason: they're fantastic reliable/durable mags.   Ok, moving on...

I always avoided US Palm mags for two big reasons; steel mags were dirt cheap and great and US Palm mags had some serious issues when they first came out (the so called Gen1 mags) and didn't seem to live up to the claims about their product.

I got a US Palm Gen2 mag in a trade and used it off and on at the range and noticed it ran great, took abuse well, and performed well in general.   Then, I saw a site selling them for $18 shipped at the same time steel mags were going for $12-15 most places.  I took a shot and ordered a bunch of them to add some more depth to my box o' mags.   Here's what I've found with the batch:

Pros:
-They've been 100% reliable thus far through thousands of rounds in several guns.
-They're lightweight (7oz vs ~12oz for most steel mags).
-The price continues to drop.  Several sites are selling them for under $25 shipped currently.
-Steel mag prices continue to go up; especially after the election.
-Several colors are available.
-I've left mine loaded for several months with no issues to date.
-Steel cage around the entire top of the mag to include lugs (not in the lips though) seems pretty strong (as demonstrated by the AK pushups in the video below).
-They lock up tight in my AKs with little to no wobble.
-They're US parts for 922r compliance.

Cons:
-Cost.  Although the costs are going down, they're still more expensive than the proven steel surplus mags.
-Customer service.  I emailed and called them several times with questions about the design and they never responded to either form of communication.
-Reputation.  As mentioned earlier, their Gen1 mags had issues and they didn't live up to the claims they made at the time as proven by people cutting their mags in half and not finding steel where it was supposed to be.  It seems they've rectified this but that leaves a bad taste in a lot of peoples' mouths.
-No steel in the feed lips.  It hasn't been a problem yet but given the choice I'd prefer it.
-They're wider than a lot of steel mags and may not fit in combloc mag pouches.

Here's a video showing the mags in several AKs, a drop test, a size comparison with a few other AK mags, and of course a bunch of shooting:

Streamlight ProTac HL 600 Lumen Light Review

The Streamlight ProTac HL is a 600 lumen output, C4 cree LED light powered by 2 CR123 batteries that I've had for a few months now; here's a quick summary of what I've found:

Pros:
-600 lumen output on high.  It's VERY bright; see video below for the demonstration...
-"Aircraft grade" aluminum body
-Fits all 1'' light mounts
-Good checkering on the body for a good grip as a handheld light
-Scratch resistant lens
-The tail switch can be pressed for momentary on and clicked for constant on.
-Comes with a clip should you want to clip it on your belt as well as a nylon 'holster' with belt loops.
-Claimed 803 foot beam distance (I haven't been able to test this...)
-Programable for 3 modes (high/strobe/low, high only, low/high)
-O-rings on tail cap and lens (waterproof to 1m for 30 mins)
-Durable.  I used this light on pump shotguns with no impact on performance
-Can be found most places under $75
-Limited lifetime warranty
-The finish is very even and it feels solid and well made in your hand.


Cons:
-The bezel is larger than most tac lights so if you're looking to use one of the red lens covers you have already it's likely not going to fit.
-Made in China
-In high output mode the battery life is 1.25 hours but according to their chart the output starts to taper off around 50 mins.

All in all I really like the light and have ordered a second in fact.    I'm not sure it can be beat at its' price point in terms of brightness and durability.

Here's a video with some shooting footage (mounted on an AR), a low light comparison to the 104 lumen Maglite and 200 lumen Surefire 6PX Tactical, and a discussion of the pros and cons of the light:

Speer Gold Dot 64gr Soft Point Ammo Test

Just finished up the testing of the 223 Speer Gold Dot 64gr soft point round.   Here's a summary of the conditions and results.

Test conditions:
-16'' PSA mid-length chrome lined barrel
-70 degrees
-300 feet above sea level
-Test rounds fired from 7 feet
-FBI spec Clear Gel ballistics gel block (more on this below)
-4 layers of denim

Results:
-2,753 fps average velocity
-1076 ft/lbs energy
-18.5'' penetration
-Maximum expansion measurement: 0.48''
-Minimum expansion measurement: 0.35''
-Retained weight: 54 grains


The manufacture of the gel block, Clear Ballistics, claims their gel meets FBI specs for testing.   I calibrate my gel per their specs prior to testing and use 4 layers of denim per IWBA protocol.

However, by no means am I saying this test is a substitute for the great work industry professionals like Dr. Roberts and others do.   I'm just a shooter that likes to learn about the products I use.

Here's the video showing the test, the permanent cavity, and a discussion of the results.