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Scream Factory / Sacred Bones Records The Fog Blu-Ray + 7″ Vinyl Set – PRE-ORDER

Thursday, August 18th, 2022

I’m a huge fan of John Carpenter films (as if previous posts didn’t make that clear), and I’ve been pretty on top of collecting the Scream Factory/Sacred Bones Records collaborative Blu-Ray and vinyl releases of some of his most famous and beloved films. The most recent film to be added to this collection is 1980’s ‘The Fog’. Like the other films in this collection, the set consists of a special slip cover with art by Chris Bilheimer, containing a Blu-Ray collectors edition release of the film, and a 7″ vinyl record of music from or related to the film; for The Fog, it’s the main theme, and a newly-recorded rendition of the track “Walk to the Lighthouse”.

This is a pre-order item, and is set to release on September 13th this year.

www.sacredbonesrecords.com/products/sbr302-john-carpenter-the-fog

5.11 DEBUTS “CALL TO SERVICE” PODCAST

Thursday, September 17th, 2020

Irvine, CA (September 17, 2020) – 5.11, Inc., the global innovator of purpose-built apparel, footwear and gear, has debuted a weekly podcast, “Call to Service” – Presented by 5.11. The mission of the podcast is to provide an inside look into the lives of public safety personnel and provide dialogue between professionals. Guests vary from an array of backgrounds including tactical operators, law enforcement, fire, emergency services, and active and veteran military personnel.

5.11 as a company was built on servicing the professional community through producing end-user-tested apparel and gear that meets the needs of life’s most demanding missions. Over the years, 5.11 has introduced several other initiatives to bridge the professional and civilian communities including programs like Quiet Warrior, Everyday Hero, and in-store ABR (Always Be Ready) Academies where 5.11 provides cost-free clinics for store patrons instructed by professionals in an effort to educate guests on areas of expertise such as trauma/first aid, fitness, and concealed carry.

“In trying to figure out a way to truly honor our first responders and frontline workers, we came to the conclusion as a team that telling their stories was the first step to doing that,” said 5.11’s Chief Marketing Officer, Debra Radcliff. “Our hope for “Call to Service” is that in learning about the professional community and what they endure on a daily basis.”

““Call to Service” has the opportunity to act as a platform to dive into current day trends from a larger collective of individuals,” said 5.11’s Director of Professional Marketing, Chris Skahill. “This process of sharing information between a strong mix of guests from a variety of assignments and backgrounds across regions will give visibility to different practices and comparisons allowing for opportunities for growth.”

“Call to Service” will be hosted by 5.11’s Director of Southwest Sales, Will Ayres. Ayres has been with 5.11 for 9 years. Working across the globe for 5.11 during his tenure, Ayres has spoken with countless public safety workers and understands the hardships these individuals face on a daily basis as well as the importance that dependable gear, like 5.11’s, carries for these men and women.

The first “Call to Service” podcast featured an interview with former US Navy SEAL and Tident Concepts, LLC President, Jeff Gonzalez, followed by ShivWorks founder and former law enforcement and SWAT officer, Craig Douglas. In the coming weeks, “Call to Service” will feature interviews with Mike Pannone, former operational member of U.S. Marine Reconnaissance, Army Special Forces (Green Beret) and 1st SFOD-D (Delta); Larry Zanoff, Israeli army combat veteran; a SWAT department from Southern California; Rick Hogg, 29-year US Army Special Operation Combat Veteran and owner of War HOGG Tactical; Ryan Starling, active San Bernardino County Firefighter and SWAT Engineer Paramedic.

“Call to Service” episodes will be available each Thursday, and can be found on a variety of platforms, including iTunes, Google, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Castbox, Amazon and iHeart.

Activision/Infinity Ward Appropriates BCM/BPRE Promotional Imagery for Latest Call of Duty Release

Monday, September 23rd, 2019

Back in 2013, prior to the release of Call of Duty: Ghosts, a beta for the game featured a slightly-altered version of the Mil-Spec Monkey logo as an in-game player customization icon.

Needless to say, this was not an authorized use of that copyrighted material. And, it looks like Activision and Infinity Ward are at it again:

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This is a loading screen for the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

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And this is promotional imagery for BCM and BPRE. Strikingly similar, aren’t they?

For the curious, this image was featured in promotional materials for BCM’s line of .300 Blackout carbines, among other uses.

Not to excuse the use of this imagery, but it’s worth mentioning that the new Modern Warfare is currently in a pre-release state, and it’s possible that this is being used as placeholder art until the game launches later this year. Still, you’d figure that a big corporation like Activision would be a bit more cautious when it comes to potential intellectual property violations for their multi-billion dollar franchise.

Post by TacticalFanboy.com

Shell Shock Technologies Signs Don Aman as Newest Sponsored Shooter

Sunday, July 14th, 2019

Shell Shock Technologies will be supplying Aman with its NAS3 cases for his 2019 competitive season.

Westport, Conn. (June 2019) – Shell Shock Technologies, LLC., an early stage technology, and manufacturing company focused on developing innovative case technologies for the ammunition industry, is pleased to announce it has signed Don Aman as its newest sponsored shooter. Shell Shock Technologies will be supplying Aman with its NAS3 cases during his 2019 USPSA competitive season. He will be shooting his CZ CZECHMATE running 9mm at 170 power factor.

“Shell Shock Technologies’ NAS3 9mm cases are by far the best all-around 9mm cases I have ever seen or shot. This technology will revolutionize the reloading industry and I am so proud to be a part of the Shell Shock Technologies’ team. The old brass case technology has officially been put on notice!” Aman commented.

Aman has been involved in the shooting sports for over 20 years as a competitive shooter, reloader, Las Vegas survivor and a staunch pro-gun advocate. He started casting his own bullets in 2016 and quickly realized it was becoming a lost art. He began to read anything he could get his hands on regarding the art of casting lead and now shares this information with his subscribers on the Bullets for Freedom YouTube and UGETube Channel. During 2019, he will be traveling throughout the Northwest competing in many Level 1, 2 and 3 matches as part of the USPSA competitive season.

Aman can be seen competing next at the 2019 Northwest Challenge, to be held at the Paul Bunyan Rifle and Sportsman’s Club in Puyallup, Washington, July 12 – 14, 2019.

About Shell Shock Technologies NAS3 Cases:

NAS3 9mm cases are 50 percent lighter than brass cases, offer greater lubricity and will not abrade, clog, foul, wear-out or damage breach and ejector mechanisms. The cases offer greater corrosion resistance, tensile strength (2x stronger) and elasticity than brass. NAS3 cases will not split, chip, crack or grow (stretch) and are fully reloadable (using S3 Reload dies) and can be reloaded many more times than brass cases. NAS3 cases have been tested successfully by customers to pressures over 70k psi. NAS3 cases can be picked up with a magnet. The head can be colored for branding purposes and easy load identification.

NAS3 is “Best in Class” for maintaining consistent velocity between rounds. In an independent test performed by H.P. White Laboratory (a major munitions testing facility), rounds fired using NAS3 cases achieved a velocity standard deviation of 0.093 FPS (124-grain FMJ bullet, 4.2 grains Titegroup powder, 10 rounds, extreme variation 3fps).

To learn more about Shell Shock’s revolutionary technology, visit www.shellshocktech.com.

Guns Lots Of Guns

Monday, July 8th, 2019

‘Guns Lots Of Guns’ is a project by artist/illustrator Dan Fontana “celebrating the most unique and fearsome weapons from sci-fi, movies and video games.” The official website for the project shows off two upcoming posters detailing weapons from various fictional universes. The posters will be Giclee printed using ultrachrome inks on hahnemuhle 308 GSM archival paper. Now, the nuances of those details go way above my head, but you can easily assume these are intended to be some real high-quality prints.

www.gunslotsofguns.art

You can also check out Dan’s Instagram to see individual pieces of some of the weapons to be featured in the posters, including the Zorg Industries ZF-1, the M-27 Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle from Terminator, the Coreburner from Escape from L.A., and plenty more.

www.instagram.com/danfontanastudio

Strike-Hold! – Top 10 Must-Have Airsoft Guns That Don’t Exist – Yet

Thursday, May 16th, 2019

One advantage of airsoft over ‘real steel’ firearms, is you can own airsoft replicas of guns that would normally be out of reach of civilian hands. Having a gas-powered, training-grade airsoft clone of a select-fire, cool guy gun, like, say, an MP7, sure beats not being able to have one at all. However, even with the myriad awesome airsoft replicas out there (Stoner 99 LMG, anyone?), some guns – whether they be classic, early 20th century weapons, rare pre-production models that never got far past the prototype stage, or modern firearms still in development – are just begging for an airsoft replica, but inexplicably don’t have one available. Strike-Hold! has compiled a list of 10 of these guns that are just begging for an Airsoft replica.

It’s a good read, so check it out at the link below:

strikehold.net/2019/05/15/top-10-must-have-airsoft-guns-that-dont-exist-yet

Seriously, why hasn’t anyone come out with an airsoft G11 yet?

The Vault Dweller’s Official Cookbook

Sunday, August 5th, 2018

If you’ve every played Fallout, and figured you really wanted to eat those hundreds-years-old deviled eggs, or have some molerat bits, then this is the cookbook for you. Granted, these dishes won’t be irradiated, and there probably isn’t a recipe for Blotafly roast, but I’m personally eager to see what takes the place of Deathclaw in this recipe book.

This is a pre-order item, and is supposed to release October 23rd, the day of the great war.

https://gear.bethesda.net/products/fallout-the-vault-dwellers-official-cookbook

Firearms Guide 9th Edition with 8,000 Schematics & Blueprints Just Published!

Tuesday, June 19th, 2018

For Immediate Release

World’s Largest Gun Guide on your Keychain!

Los Angeles, CA, Impressum Media, June 19th 2018 — Impressum Media, publisher of the Firearms Guide series of guns & ammo reference and value guides is proud to introduce their new 9th Edition. The new Firearms Guide 9th Edition is published as an online publication at www.FirearmsGuide.com for gun enthusiasts worldwide and for retail distribution / gun shops on a super fast Flash Drive: Firearms Guide 9th Edition Flash Drive & Online Combo, a shelf ready product with free updates.

After 12 years of development, this new 9th Edition of Firearms Guide grew so much that it became too big for a double-layer DVD (max 7.4GB) so it is published on a 16GB USB Flash Drive as a Flash Drive & Online Combo.

The new Firearms Guide 9th Edition Flash Drive & Online combo is:
1. A Reference Guide that presents over 73,000 antique and modern firearms, air guns and ammunition from 1,110 manufacturers worldwide
– presents guns with tech specs –50,000 hi-res pictures – features – ballistics – prices
– computer searchable with 14 different search criteria: caliber, year, price, action, etc

2. A Gun Value Guide that presents antique and modern guns with gun values online based off of the 100% – 30% condition ratings – ideal for gun traders & collectors

3. A Gun Schematics & Blueprints Library with 8,000 printable gun schematics, parts lists and blueprints for all types of antique and modern guns – ideal for gunsmiths
This year hundreds and hundreds of blueprints for antique guns are added and also original Russian blueprints for complete AK-s, but also for 1911-s and AR-s.

4. Target Library & US-EU Caliber Chart – it presents 650 printable targets (zombies, animals, silhouettes, crosshairs, etc) and convenient caliber two-way conversion chart for American and European calibers

5. Better than Google – With 14 search criteria you can perform simple or complex searches that you cannot do with Google and get precise search result. For example, if you type in Google “polymer frame pistol in 9mm” your search result is 482,000 web pages. The same search in Firearms Guide will bring up 300 relevant pistols.

“With this new combo you get two products – Off-line and Online Editions. The Flash Drive Edition is a super fast, modern standalone off-line edition for PC and Mac that you can carry on your keychain. The Flash Drive also carries activation codes for the Online Edition that, once activated, our users can access from any computer and tablet from any location, 24/7. Updates are free.” states Chris Mijic, editor of Firearms Guide.

The new 9th edition is $29.95. Flash Drive & Online Combo is $39.95. Free Updates. Please find more info at http://www.firearmsguide.com

World Champion Shooter Julie Golob Targets Firearm Safety with Children’s Book

Wednesday, January 10th, 2018

Toys, Tools, Guns & Rules: A Children’s Book About Gun Safety hits online stores

KANSAS CITY, MO (January 4, 2018) – Author Julie Golob is a prominent voice for sharing safe, responsible gun ownership throughout the firearms industry and beyond. Golob is a decorated multi-time world and national champion, an Army veteran, and a mother of two, and her newest book, Toys, Tools, Guns & Rules: A Children’s Book About Gun Safety, encourages families to begin having conversations about firearms with children at a young age.

Julie_Childrens_Book_Nov2017.indd

There are millions of guns in the United States alone. Despite how polarizing the media and politics make the topic of firearms, Golob emphasizes that we must talk with our children about guns and firearm safety to protect them and help prevent deaths and injuries. Her book Toys, Tools, Guns & Rules helps parents break the ice with kids on this taboo topic.

Golob’s career as a competitive shooter (she holds more than 50 world and national titles), military service, and expertise as a firearms instructor helped prepare her to write her first children’s book.

“I’ve been around firearms and the shooting sports all my life. As a mother of two young children, I wrote Toys, Tools, Guns & Rules to continue to teach my daughters about guns and firearm safety at a young age. My goal is to provide parents this educational resource to help encourage an open conversation with kids, because gun safety is for everyone.”

Throughout the 40-page book, Golob uses colorful and realistic imagery, illustrated by Nancy Batra, to inspire vital conversations about guns—starting by comparing firearms to other potentially dangerous adult tools. Parents and children can view some of the many different types of firearms and what they can look like. Toys, Tools, Guns & Rules provides parents with the opportunity to educate curious minds about how firearms work, call out the most dangerous parts of a gun, and identify adults children might know and encounter who safely and responsibly use firearms.

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In addition, Golob provides a useful guide for parents on how to make the most out of the book, so that they can answer questions and establish family and home rules regarding firearms. Coloring printouts and additional free resources are also available at kidsgunsafetybook.com.

Toys, Tools, Guns & Rules: A Children’s Book About Gun Safety is available through Amazon.com. Visit kidsgunsafetybook.com for more information.

Vickers Guide: 1911 Reprint

Wednesday, January 25th, 2017

Dustjacket_Front

The original Vickers Guide: 1911 proved to be popular enough that it went out of print in 5 months, which prompted Mott Lake Publishing to produce a reprint, which is expected to start shipping May 15th, 2017.

www.vickersguide.com/1911

They’re not just reprinting the book as an exact copy, however, as they’re giving fans the opportunity to pick the new cover of the book from one of the three 1911 models below (write ins are also an option on the survey page):

Survey ends January 27th, 2017.

www.surveymonkey.com/r/WMPMDX8

Building A Live-Ammo-Firing Han Solo Blaster

Wednesday, December 9th, 2015

blaster

In an article written for NRA Shooting Illustrated, author Bob Boyd details the process of building a live fire version of Han Solo’s iconic DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol, easily recognizable as having been based on a Mauser C96 pistol. It’s a good read, detailing the cost and methods behind procuring and installing the necessary components to make the DL-44 replica as movie accurate as possible. Now the question is, who’s willing to track down a Sterling SMG and make it into a convincing, live firing E-11 replica?

www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2014/2/20/building-a-live-ammo-firing-han-solo-blaster

Dazzle It App

Thursday, October 1st, 2015

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You may be wondering why we’re covering a mobile device app inspired by and featuring the recent work of Sir Peter Blake, celebrated pop artist. Well, it all has to do with a bit of history in the application of camouflage.

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This is an image of the USS West Mahomet, painted in Dazzle camouflage, which involves complex patterns of geometric shapes in contrasting colors, interrupting and intersecting each other. It was used by the British and United States principally during WWI, and was designed to make it difficult for enemy vessels to estimate a ship’s range, speed, and heading.

IMG_4130

The Dazzle It app allows users to ‘Dazzle’ any image available on their phone, or taken by their camera, by putting it through any one of various filters. This new camouflage pattern can then be applied to a variety of virtual ships and other watercraft which displays as a 3D model. As you can see in the images, we decided to go a bit more contemporary, utilizing a MultiCam base and putting it through a ‘Kaleidoscope’ pattern.

We then applied this pattern to various ships, including the HMS President.

FullSizeRender

There’s even an augmented reality aspect of the app, which allows you to anchor the ship of your choosing to a live background. We found this to be a little wonky in practice, but that might have something to do with trying to place a camouflaged ship on a camouflage background.

The Dazzle It app is available through both iTunes and the Google Play store for free.

itunes.apple.com/us/app/dazzle-it/id1022780620

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.uk.corporationpop.dazzleships

This article was originally published on Soldier Systems Daily.

Airsoft Extreme Has Launched A New Website

Friday, July 24th, 2015

AEX New Site

Airsoft Extreme has launched a new website, AEX Super Stores. Along with the new site, they’re also running a 10%-off sale on all orders from the new site. Use coupon code AEXNEWSITE to apply the discount. On top of that, all orders over $100 will receive a free bag of 5000 bb’s.

Check out the video below to see an overview of the new site:

aexsuperstores.com

Snake Eyes Unhooded

Friday, February 20th, 2015

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Good luck finding another pic of Snake Eyes without his helmet on.
This is Matt from Tactical Pro Shop with Ray Park on the set of GI Joe in New Orleans during filming in 2011.

Camera And Photos From Battle Of The Bulge Found 70 Years Later

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014

archambeau001_image002

Part of Company C, 1st Battalion, 317th Infantry Regiment, T/5 Louis J Archambeau was one of 89,000 allied causalities during The Battle of the Bulge. A camera of his was found 70 years later in a foxhole, containing photos from the days leading up to the battle.

The full story and more images can be found here: www.thetroubleshooters.com/80th/archambeau001

Thanks to Travis Getz for the tip!

Edit: Unfortunately, the link was taken down, as was the entire photo gallery. The reasoning is as follows:

UPDATE: I have removed the photos that were originally posted. Unfortunately, embarrassingly, and dishearteningly, at least two of the photos have been found in the National Archives and were not from Louis’s camera. Thus, I have removed the entire set. Thetroubleshooters.com has removed the photos as well. To clarify, Mark Anderson and Terry Janes were acting in good faith based on the information provided to them, and the camera was discovered by Mark Anderson at the coordinates provided below. He was not, however, present in the dark room in Echternach (where the film was supposedly developed), nor did he see the negatives or prints. Also, Terry Janes, historian at thetroubleshooters.com, has removed all suspect information from the source that provided the photos. From what I understand, two of the photos are from the US Army Signal Corps. Please accept my sincerest apologies.

Schmaltz Products Launches Schmacon, The Un-Bacon

Thursday, May 15th, 2014

Schmaltz Products, LLC has just released Schmacon, a smoked & cured glazed beef product when they claim makes a perfect bacon alternative for military foodservice located in countries where pork products aren’t available.

Schmacon
Sweet, Smokey Flavor and Crispness in a Versatile Beef Alternative to Bacon

(Chicago, IL) – Schmaltz Products, LLC announces the launch of Schmacon™, Smoked & Cured Glazed Beef Slices, an innovative alternative to pork bacon with smokey and sweet flavor and a meaty and crisp texture. Schmacon is whole muscle beef seasoned with a proprietary spice blend and cure recipe inspired by its Inventor Howard Bender’s deli roots. It fits right into the food trend landscape of unusual and adventuresome meats and unexpected blendings of flavors and textures.

“Schmacon is delicious and unlike anything else on the market,” says Howard Bender, CEO of Schmaltz Products LLC , who makes Schmacon. Bender is the Culinary Institute of America-trained chef and deli entrepreneur behind this unique product. “Beef factors heavily into deli menus, and seeing what was going on with bacon, I envisioned a beef product that could capture some of the same magic.”

Schmacon tastes indulgent, but in fact it is lower in fat, calories and sodium than traditional bacon. The carefully-trimmed beef that is used has little fat and a patent-pending process is responsible for the crispy finish that rivals that of pork bacon. It comes ready to crisp and serve and can be prepared in a variety of ways including the oven, microwave and stove-top. The result is an easy to prepare, delicious to eat, take on a traditional food favorite that provides an alternative for those who do not eat pork products or are watching their diet. And it’s a welcome, tasty option for people who simply love meat.

Schmacon can stand on its own or amplify the flavors of breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, salads and more with a smokey-sweet boost. “Food trends right now are all about contrasting flavors and textures like sweet and salty. And crispy is huge as well,” says Bender. “Schmacon makes it really easy to get that kind of flavor and texture layering. Of course it’s a winner on a plate of eggs as well.”

Schmacon is already getting enthusiastic response in the foodservice market as it makes its official debut at the National Restaurant Association Show on May 17-20, 2014, where it will receive an innovation award. Foodservice distribution giant, Sysco, has picked it up as have some major universities, restaurants and clubs. It is currently available through online retailer schmaltzonline.com and plans are in place for retail distribution before year’s end.

Things Are Getting Real For The BATFE’s Firearms Technology Branch

Thursday, April 17th, 2014

Sometimes, you can get to know a bit about someone by taking a peek at their shopping list.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was served a lawsuit last week by SIG Sauer. This suit immediately followed ATF’s public chastising from a judge in a similar case brought by Innovative Arms (both cases where muzzle brakes were submitted for testing and classification and deemed “silencers” by the ATF, but no decibel reduction testing was provided to back up their determinations). It might be of interest to other muzzle device manufacturers (and possibly the legal team at SIG Sauer) that ATF themselves this month has admitted that their own sound testing equipment “…has reached end of life and requires an upgrade.” and has issued a sole-source solicitation to purchase a new “computer controlled firearm silencer testing system” from a Virginia-based Bruel & Kjaer representative that custom built ATF’s last system in 2005.

Click to view .pdf

FedBizOpps SIMS Solicitation

Recently, ATF’s Firearms Technology Branch claimed that Innovator Enterprises, Inc.’s Stabilizer Brake was a highly-restricted silencer, even though the manufacturer’s intent was to make a freely-sold, unregulated recoil device. The ATF’s determination, however, was shot down with no small amount of candor by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia when Innovator Enterprises sued the ATF over the mischaracterization. District Judge John Bates’ commentary read that the ATF’s “decision to classify the Stabilizer Brake as a ‘firearm silencer’ is ‘arbitrary and capricious’ for at least two reasons: the agency failed to ‘articulate a satisfactory explanation’ for its decision and the agency failed to ‘examine the relevant data’ before coming to a final conclusion.”

The Court noted that the ATF did not provide any proof or determination of the Stabilizer brake’s ability to reduce noise, but gave FTB the benefit of the doubt by assuming “Although the FTB (Firearms Technology Branch) utilizes state-of-the-art sound metering equipment, these tests do not affect the classification of any item.” But ATF themselves, in what may wind up being an unfortunately-timed admission from them in any upcoming court cases, gives justification of their purchase by admitting that their sound metering equipment is actually not “state-of-the-art” but rather “has reached end of life.”

The Court goes even further to question the history of “what exactly Congress was concerned about in deciding to regulate silencers at the federal level”, and points out a study showing that “The 1934 congressional debates [over what became the National Firearms Act] provide no explanation about why silencers were licensed” in the first place.

The ATF’s National Firearms Act Branch is incredibly overworked and understaffed. It is constantly inundated with tens of thousands of silencer transfers, and is currently dealing with the frustrations of a contractor’s failed e-Forms website (that was supposed to help ease their workload and speed the processing times of these transfers). Add the issue of being repeatedly sued over arbitrary determinations – on what is not even a firearm to begin with, but rather a harmless noise-pollution reduction device – it is certainly a ripe time for Congress to assess if suppressors should be removed from the purview of the NFA entirely.

– Kel Whelan

Kel Whelan has spent decades working NFA issues, and is well known to many in the firearms industry. Plus, he can always recommend a great place to eat.

Blind Marksman “Sees” Targets and Hears Success

Tuesday, April 8th, 2014

Ace gunner incorporates Tannerite® Exploding Targets into Virtual Vision system

Pleasant Hill, OR (April 4, 2014) – Target secured. Gun raised. A deafening silence envelops the range. The shooter touches one off, narrowly missing the mark. A catcaller barks, “What are you blind or something?” If the shooter were Jim Miekka, his answer would be “why yes, I am.” But if the gunner truly was Miekka, well, it’s likely the target would have been obliterated and broadcast with a percussion that is distinctively Tannerite®. Miekka doesn’t miss all that often.

Miekka, known at his local Hermosa, Florida gun club as “The Midnight Gunslinger,” lost his sight at the youthful age of 26. The accident that claimed Miekka’s vision damaged a hand as well, but the accredited marksman points out emphatically that the injury hasn’t hampered his gun handling skills. In fact, besides being adroit at long-range target shooting, Miekka more than holds his own as a quick-draw gunslinger, knocking down cowboy targets like Wyatt Earp.

On the range, Miekka is able to hit four out of five targets at 100 yards. Think about that. Four out of five targets at a 100 yards, without ever seeing them… To administer that level of accuracy, Miekka, the inventor, combines his uncanny shooting skills with homespun technology.

Miekka invented “Virtual Vision,” a system that utilizes sound waves to help blind shooters “see” an 8-inch target at 100 yards. At the core is a scope with a 75-times magnifier of his own creation. Headphones in place, Miekka homes in on pings that ultimately lead him to the bulls-eye. The technology isn’t simple, but roundabout terms, essentially uses an artificial imaging device and photo cells to convert electricity into sound, giving whole new meaning to sighting-in a rifle.

Because of Miekka’s brainchild, rifle shooting has become a growing recreation for people without sight. Adding Tannerite® Exploding Targets to the equation has further bolstered that popularity. The resulting explosion lets shooters know instantly if they’ve hit their mark.

Miekka isn’t known only for his firearms mastery or invention of Virtual Vision, either. On an even larger scale, the mathematician and former physics teacher developed “The Hindenburg Omen”, a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) indicator that predicts market crashes before they happen.

Suffice to say Miekka is a problem solver. And Tannerite® is proud to be part of one particular solution.

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www.tannerite.com

KRISS Expands The Vector Product Line With Magpul Enhancements

Thursday, January 16th, 2014

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KRISS launches the Vector “Enhanced” Series for its line of .45ACP firearms featuring new customization options and Magpul Accessories.

January 14, 2014 – Las Vegas, Nevada, United States – The KRISS Vector Enhanced Series is comprised of the Vector CRB and SBR models equipped with an M4 stock adaptor, Magpul UBR stock and MBUS flip sights. The scheduled release date for the Enhanced Series is set for Q2 with an MSRP targeted at $1,995.00.
The Magpul stock and MBUS sights give the Vector a similar feel to the ubiquitous AR-15. The stock adaptor, which makes the attachment of the UBR stock possible, will be available for sale separately and allows for a new avenue of customization for the Vector. Magpul MBUS Sights equipped on the Enhanced Series were designed specifically to match the Vector’s unique shape.

According to KRISS USA Marketing Manager Tim Seargeant, the Enhanced Series will feel familiar to more shooters, making it easier to adapt to the Vector’s futuristic design, and is now more customizable.

“The KRISS Super V technology inside the Vector is designed to enhance shooting performance by mitigating recoil forces. Magpul products aim to enhance shooting performance through external upgrades. The Vector with Magpul accessories is a great pairing.” Seargeant adds.

For more information regarding the Vector Enhanced Series, visit KRISS at SHOT Show Booth #432 or go online at www.kriss-usa.com .

Tactical Tailor now building in PenCott

Thursday, November 7th, 2013

Lakewood, WA — 05 NOV 13 – Tactical Tailor, supplier of rugged, 100% American-made tactical equipment to Warfighters around the world, is proud to announce it will be building equipment in the PenCott family of camouflage patterns.

The effectiveness camouflage should not gauged by popularity, nor aesthetic appeal. Camouflage is measured by its ability to mask shape and form to prevent detection. The successful use of camouflage—or its compromise—often determines mission success, mission failure and even mission completion. It is for this reason that Hyde Definition calls their patterns Mission Critical Camouflage, and it’s because of PenCott’s efficacy that TT added the Badlands and GreenZone variants to its equipment camo pattern options.

“We haven’t just looked at T&E results,” says Tactical Tailor’s GW Ayers, “We did our own research. We took it to the field and sent it overseas…the results are in. We need to offer PenCott.”

“Tactical Tailor makes some of the most rock solid and effective gear on the planet,” says Lawrence Holsworth, Hyde Definition’s Director of Business Development. “It’s a great honor to be working with them—and a testament to the effectiveness of PenCott’s patterns that they chose us.”

Hyde Definition’s family of patterns features a unique, hybrid, 3-in1 pattern geometry that is more organic and natural looking than typical camouflages. It provides superior concealment at all ranges. Founder Dominic Hyde realized the deficiencies of many such patterns years ago and set out to design a new pattern geometry that would be more effective and adaptable than any other patterns available.

“The PenCott patterns are enjoying great growth internationally,” Holsworth advises, “so teaming up with Tactical Tailor will help us consolidate and build on that success in the US market as well.”

Tactical Tailor will initially be offering equipment in BadLands (for dry, upland, bushland, semi-arid and transitional terrain) and GreenZone (for verdant temperate, tropical and semi-tropical operations). There are two other patterns, with a fifth in development: SandStorm (for arid, desert terrain) and SnowDrift (for snow and winter terrain). The last pattern is called MetroPolis. It’s an urban/industrial/low-light pattern scheduled for release in 2014.

“Sandstorm and SnowDrift are great patterns, no doubt,” Ayers continues, shading his eyes with a grin and looking into the distance. “and MetroPolis is intriguing. However, I can neither confirm nor deny we’ll be doing anything with those in the future.”

View the entire line of Tactical Tailor PenCott offerings: http://www.tacticaltailor.com/pencottproducts.aspx

Learn more about PenCott’s international use: in use all around the world: https://www.facebook.com/Pencottcamouflage

BlackFoot Studios Enters Partnership With Killhouse Games,Inc.

Friday, November 1st, 2013

COLUMBUS, Ohio – October 30, 2013 – BlackFoot Studios LLC announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Killhouse Games, Inc. to license Door Kickers for developing premiere simulations and training products for the world’s militaries and law enforcement agencies.

“Killhouse Games is a small company of passionate game developers, with the respect and knowledge it takes to create a product which properly captures the spirit of modern urban combat,” said John Sonedecker, founder of BlackFoot Studios. “We’re proud to partner with a company that shares similar values to our own.”

The Door Kickers platform is perfectly suited to BlackFoot Studios’ vision for their products. It provides both the low development costs and versatility needed to quickly iterate and deliver content.

“It’s a really clever and easy-to-learn engine, which will run on basically any machine,” says Sonedecker. “It gives us the opportunity to develop a product for quick deployment, and it affords our customers the added convenience of easily producing their own modifications and additional content. We’re really excited to deliver the educational simulation tools needed to train today’s warfighters and first responders, to safely execute some of the world’s toughest jobs.”

“The top down perspective and clear graphics in Door Kickers are designed to put the emphasis on presenting the tactical situation, and from day one we had a training version in mind” says Dan Dimitrescu, co-founder of KillHouse Games. “Having followed Blackfoot Studios for the past couple of years I knew John’s experience in developing for the discerning gamer and the military trainer alike. With their intimate knowledge of the subject matter and the solid ethics that guide them in business, we are thrilled to have Blackfoot studios develop the Simulation and Training version of our game. They are in a great position to capitalize on our technology and to deliver the maximum of quality to the end user – the man on the line.”

Door Kickers: Simulations & Training will focus on the planning and execution phases of Close Quarters Battle (CQB) employed by many of today’s military and police forces. It will allow instructors to teach and then grade the methods of their trainees, using an easy-to-use interface. BlackFoot Studios plans worldwide availability of Door Kickers: Simulations & Training to government and law enforcement agencies, in the first quarter of 2014.

www.blackfootstudios.com/

inthekillhouse.com/

Women’s Day – Outer Space Station

Sunday, October 27th, 2013

magazineopen1

Back in the late 70s, Women’s Day magazine ran an article detailing a DIY space station playset that was perfect for the initial run of Kenner Star Wars action figures. An article the Star Wars Collectors Archive website not only details the history of the playset, but also includes instructions, should you have the desire to build a set for yourself.

theswca.com/images-speci/womansday/

Drunk Dial Congress

Saturday, October 12th, 2013

Drunk Dial Congress

Drunk Dial Congress is a service website by Revolution Messaging that takes your phone number, which allows the service to call you and then connect you to the office of a random member of Congress, where the call is generally fielded by an unpaid, essential employee. The website also provides drink recipes and talking points to use when you call. A little outlandish, but if it gets people talking to any representatives at all, it could be a good thing.

drunkdialcongress.org/

Penn & Teller To Perform At 2014 SHOT Show State Of The Industry Dinner

Friday, October 11th, 2013

Penn and Teller

SHOT Show 2014 will quickly be upon us, and with every SHOT comes the State of the Industry Dinner, and with every State of the Industry Dinner comes the entertainment. This year’s entertainment is comedy and magic duo Penn & Teller, who regularly perform at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, and are also pro Second Amendment.

www.shotshowblog.com/penn-teller-to-perform-at-2014-shot-show-state-of-the-industry-dinner/

PDT Intros Force 1 Helmet To Airsoft Market

Thursday, October 3rd, 2013

Force 1 helmet

ALAMO, Calif. – October 3, 2013 – Practical Defense Training Technologies (PDT) today announced the availability of its Force 1 Helmet to the Airsoft market. Previously, PDT products have been available exclusively to the military and law enforcement communities for non-lethal training ammunition (NLTA) engagements. With its broad market release, civilian Airsoft enthusiasts can now access military-grade helmets that provide the ultimate fit, form and function.

The Force 1 helmet incorporates a full face mask to provide superior impact protection. PDT engineered proper ventilation characteristics into every aspect of the helmet and utilizes proprietary anti-fogging dual lens technology to create true no-fog head armor. Fogging is largely a ventilation issue that results from helmet designs, coupled with the fact that most lower-end helmets use a single lens polycarbonate. Much like dual pane windows, PDT’s anti-fogging dual lens helps mitigate the two temperature extremes (hotter inside, colder outside) that cause fogging. This ensures maximum visibility and peripheral vision for a true-to-life kinetic experience during Airsoft engagements.

“Head armor affects performance, as it directly affects the application of senses most closely associated with combative skill development – sight, sound and feel,” said Gordon Potter, a 15-year U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and president of PDT Technologies. “Bulky and restrictive designs can obstruct visibility and peripheral vision. PDT’s sleek helmet design supports the user’s sense of feel to weapon system feature manipulation and employment. Our goal is to keep people safe by preventing, minimizing or eliminating personal injury. We are proud to make this level of personal protective equipment available to the civilian market, while continuing to support military and law enforcement applications of Airsoft for training purposes.”

“There are a lot of people using Airsoft out there right now,” said Ken Murray, Director of Training, Armiger Police Training Institute and Co-Founder of SIMUNITION®. “Airsoft can embed in your skin, knock out your teeth, and certainly destroy your eyes. People say one of the advantages of Airsoft is that you don’t need all this personal protective equipment. They’re absolutely wrong. In my opinion, if you’re going to be conducting Airsoft training, you should use the same level of protective gear as that used for conventional marketing cartridges. I’m a big fan of PDT’s gear. From the helmet to the neck protector and protective hood, this is just the top gear on the planet. PDT is certainly the best helmet that I’ve seen in the market. The first and foremost feature is that this thing just does not fog. I can always see clearly through this helmet. It’s also very comfortable and non-claustrophobic.”

Conducting Airsoft training or recreation without the use of proper protective equipment can result in serious injuries, with the eyes, ears, face and neck being most prone to projectile strikes. PDT’s helmet is made from resilient molded mask parts that offer superior impact protection. A durable mesh cover in the lower mask prevents projectiles from passing through and promotes optimal airflow. A rubber goggle frame with soft gaskets fits comfortably against the face. Backside padded head protection is made from durable rip stop nylon material, and perforated ear cover protection prevents loss of audibility. When used in conjunction with PDT’s neck armor and padded hood, the Force 1 helmet ensures complete impact protection with no skin exposure. The Force 1 Helmet is also constructed of closed-cell, low density polymer materials that do not absorb moisture, making it easier to wipe and clean for multi-person use.

Regularly priced at $98.95, the Force 1 helmet is currently on sale for the special price of $79.95. PDT also offers a full line of personal protective equipment for Airsoft users, including padded hoods, hand armor, and chest, neck and groin protectors. Items can be purchased individually, or users can take advantage of the PDT Go Bag, which includes a full set of PPE and a marking knife for close quarters combat training, in PDT’s signature duffel bag. For more information or to purchase, please call (925) 708-1212 or visit www.pdt-tech.com.