Advanced Performance AR15 Furniture Kit with 3 AR Mags – An Incredible Value

Whether it is your first lower parts kit, build, or complete purchase, or you’re tired of the same old furniture, taking a look at new AR 15 furniture kits is something on everyone’s radar at some point. The fact that there are so many different options for so many different needs, hands, and applications creates the necessity to dive into the world of AR Grips, stocks, and mags. Whether it’s a bigger grip with more surface area or larger cheek-weld on the stock, very slight differences between brands or companies can land you a grip, stock, or mag that fits you and your AR 15 perfectly. For the most part, an upgrade to any AR 15 Furniture set usually tackles one or more important factors making the entire platform work more effectively. Check out the breakdown of THRiL’s unique AR 15 Furniture Kit.

What is in the AR Kit? 

The AR 15 furniture kit is one of the best options out there to upgrade your AR 15’s grip and stock simultaneously, while also allowing you to acquire 3 more 30 round AR15 Mags. So what is so special about the grip, the stock, and the magazine? Each offers a host of features that surpass any competitor’s products, and the quality construction, solution-driven design, and unrelenting work ethic to perfection give all THRiL products an edge. We believe in it, and know this edge is passed onto the user on their own rifle platform. The grip, stock, and AR magazine each have eye-catching features that can individually stand up to any product in the industry. Moreover, packaged together, the kit gives an unmatched value on quality AR 15 furniture parts and mags. Check each of them out below. 

AR Grip – RTG – Rugged Tactical Grip 

You’ll be hard pressed to find a better sized AR grip that offers an aggressive stippled texture for intense tactile feedback. This level of texture promotes responsive weapon movements, improved agility, and a better guarantee of grip in even the harshest environments. 

With these features targeted during design, a grip for fast paced rigorous use and competition was born. The Rugged Tactical Grip has a 19.5 degree angle, which coupled with the aggressive laser texturing offers an extremely effective AR Grip at a competitive price point. If you are looking for a grip that gives you noticable advanced performance compared to anything you have previously outfitted on your AR15, this is the AR grip for you. The grip comes in black in the AR Kit currently but is available for individual purchase in Flat Dark Earth (FDE) and Gray.  

Combat Competition Stock

With the same fast-paced and rigorous use in mind behind the grip design, the Combat Competition Stock was an obvious companion the industry needed. This Mil-Spec combat AR 15 stock offers several well-thought-out features that other stocks fail to address. 

First, the recessed latch reduces the likelihood of snags and unwanted restrictions on clothing or other items in a fast-paced environment. The stock offers smooth transitions to different stock positions and a stable, secure, and tight fit on Mil-Spec buffer tubes. The Combat Competition AR Stock also offers ambidextrous QD sling mounts at two different locations for discerning competition shooters.  The combat competition stock comes in black in the AR Kit currently, but is available for individual purchase in Flat Dark Earth (FDE) and Gray.  

PMX 30 Round AR 15 Magazine 

This is the real bread winner for the AR 15 Furniture Kit deal offered, 3 industry leading Ar 15 Mags. Chambered in 5.56/.223, the polymer-matrix construction (PMX) offers extreme durability and performance. 

The mags feature an anti-tilt follower and stainless steel spring for dependability in any situation. The elastomeric strike plate located at the bottom of the mag ensures stability if and when dropped, even fully loaded. The Ar 15 Mags comes in black in the AR Kit currently, but they are available for individual purchase in Flat Dark Earth (FDE) and Gray.  Buy them here individually

AR 15 Furniture Kit Reviews 

Want to see the kit in action? Check out the reviews under the product page, or take a look at the videos above within the blog and below. The feedback is exactly what is expected, dependable performance and durability. 

The Firearm Guy Reviews the AR 15 Furniture Kit 

Here is a Del-Ton Sierra 316L Optics Ready Carbine range review. This is one heck of a deal for a quality built carbine rifle. I also added a Thril parts including a CCS stock, a RTG grip and PMX mags. Combined, the package is really nice. Check it out and let me know your thoughts on this rifle.

Texas Plinking – THRiL AR Kit – New Racing AR 15 

In this video I show y’all my latest AR15. This one however was put together with more of a “racing” purpose in mind. I tried to keep it simple yet effective for fast target shooting. It’s a Del-Ton DTI SXT with THRiL stock & grip, SJC brake and a Timney trigger. Optic is a Vortex Razor HD Gen II-E 1-6×24 with Vortex cantilever mount. What do y’all think about this rig?

Overall the AR 15 Furniture Kit offers incredible value considering the features you are getting for the price in each particular piece of gear within the kit. If you like what you see be sure to stay tuned for the PMX MPX mag, and more great products from THRiL in the coming months and years!

 IV888 AR15 Furniture Kit Review

IraqVeteran8888 takes a look at the THRiL AR 15 Furniture Kit, a rugged tactical AR Grip, Combat Competition Stock, and 3 PMX 30 Round AR Mags. IV888 runs through the RTG Grip, CCS Stock, and the mags on a Del-Ton Sport AR15 at his range. 

Each product has some major features that stand out in any review or comparison directly shown next to other products. This is why THRiL AR Furniture, and the AR Kit specifically offers extremely competitive high-quality gear at even more competitive pricing! For $99 the Ar 15 Furniture kit (in all black) is yours! Check out each individual facet of this kit and see if it is the right fit, and the right value for you! 

What is in the AR 15 Furniture Kit? 

The Rugged Tactical Grip offers a stippled AR 15 Grip that is aggressive enough to offer extreme performance without sacrificing the comfort with an overly rough or excessive textured grip. This gives a perfect balance for combat, completion, or any fast paced use for your AR 15. 

The Combat Competition Stock offers multiple QD points already installed, with standard sling slots as well. The real key here is the Mil-Spec fit offering a tight, stable and solid buffer tube positioning, but with a recessed latch that reduces snag! 

The PMX AR 15 Magazine is a 30 round mag with great texture across the mag face, an anti-tilt follower, and stainless steel spring. The major feature here is an elastomeric strike plate on the bottom offering durability and stability on a mag that may be dropped, empty or full!

Check out the AR 15 Furniture Kit now or buy the products individually and in FDE, Black, or Gray! You can even more AR kit or individual part reviews in our blog or in the product reviews on the AR Kit page. Click below, find the kit, and test it for yourself! We stand behind our USA Made products and know you will too once you run a mag or two through your setup! 

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A Look at Some THRiL AR15 Accessories

THRiL USA takes pride in producing products that are of the highest quality and functionality. So we were pleased to receive high marks on a couple of recent video reviews from the gun gurus at Beyond Seclusion. Beyond Seclusion field tests the Combat Competition Stock (CCS) Buttstock, PMX 30-Round Magazine, and Rugged Tactical Grip (RTG) and had some great things to say about THRiL’s AR15 furniture.

Also, see below for a special mention from Brandon at Texas Plinking! Brandon did a field test on the new SXT Dark Earth from Del-Ton using some of the THRiL AR15 accessories.

Beyond Seclusion Review

Beyond Seclusion gave THRiL high praise for all three products: CCS buttstock, RTG grip, and PMX 30-round magazine. Starting with the CCS buttstock, he was impressed by the snag-free design. What Drew really loved on the CCS though, was the two ambidextrous QD attachment points since he is such a proponent of the quick attachment style. 

Competitor buttstocks tend to be wobbly and noisy. Drew noted this and mentioned that he really likes the near-zero wobble of the CCS buttstock, and the fact that it is compatible with mil-spec buffer tubes (the CCS buttstock only fits mil-spec buffer tubes).

Drew absolutely loves the RTG grip and he let THRiL USA know! He is such a fan, he replaced the grips on nearly all his AR15s. The thing Drew liked most about it was the ergonomic 19.5-degree angle and the thinner profile, which he says fits smaller and medium hands better. Beyond Seclusion’s choice was THRiL USA’s RTG grip over competitor brands.

On the PMX 30-round mag, Drew liked the solid construction with the rubberized strike plate. He also really liked the high-visibility, red-colored follower, and stainless-steel spring. As mentioned, it makes it more obvious when the mag is empty and the breach is open. While the PMX’s saw-tooth textured finger-grip appeals to shooters who like to hold the magazine with their support hand, this was not a personal benefit for Beyond Seclusion.

Running a magazine dump on his SBR, Drew finished off his review remarking the CCS was a flawless magazine.

Special Mentions from Texas Plinking

Brandon at Texas Plinking did a field test on the new SXT Dark Earth from Del-Ton using THRiL AR15 accessories. For his test, he decided to do something a little different and trick the SXT out as a Three Gun competition gun. He replaced the stock trigger, added the appropriate glass, and replaced some of the stock furniture using THRiL parts.

Specifically, he added the CCS buttstock, RTG grip, and PMX 30-round magazine to the SXT Dark Earth. He echoed the sentiments of Beyond Seclusion, calling the CCS “very solid,” and that it “feels very, very good.” You gotta love that “no wobble!”

Brandon also remarked that he really liked the RTG grip. He said it “has a nice slant to it” and that the “texturing is really, really strong so you won’t lose your grip on it,” and that it “is very rough, but you not going to mar your hand.”

Thanks Brandon!

THRiL USA would like to thank Beyond Seclusion, and Texas Plinking for their excitement about these products and rave reviews on our THRiL AR15 accessories. Check out their YouTube channels and reviews of everything firearms and outdoors!

Military Arms Channel Takes a Look at THRiL Mags and AR Accessories feature

Military Arms Channel Takes a Look at THRiL Mags and AR Accessories | SHOT SHOW 2020

The 2020 SHOT Show is in the books and we revealed some awesome new THRiL mags and AR accessories for this year. If you’re a firearm fanatic, you have a lot to be excited about. In the video below, the Military Arms Channel caught up with us at the THRiL booth to look through the new firearm accessories. Check it out below and then learn more about the THRiL products below the video. 

Why THRiL Products? 

Before we launch into the firearm products and AR accessories discussed in the video, why should you consider buying from THRiL? Our product appeal is in our name – THRiL stands for Tactical, Hunting, Recreation, and Loyalty. If you use your firearms for any of these purposes, you will like our products, which we stand by. All our items are developed and manufactured in the USA with durable and rugged materials so they last. We also support our country’s service men and women by donating to charities that support them. If you’re passionate about tactical shooting, hunting hogs or coyotes, plinking at the shooting range, or supporting our country’s military personnel, you’re going to love our products. 

New THRiL Mags and AR Accessories

The first item they discuss on the video is an AKV 9mm magazine that THRiL designed and developed for PSA in 2018, which is in addition to the new PSA U9 mag. Building on that success and experience, several new THRiL products were developed for 2020 that we think you’re going to like. 

Bantam Stock

This new and compact stock has a smaller profile and footprint to reduce weight (it weighs under 4 ounces). It comes with inserts to attach a butt plate to suit your preference. This stock also features a snag-free design because the pivoting point adjustment is located on the front. And with a tensioning device on the inside, you can firmly and securely attach it without it wiggling loose.

THRil AR accessories PMX 22 Magazine

PMX 22 Magazine

This modern version of the 10/22 magazine has a straightened stack that feeds straight so the rounds don’t get twisted. It has a rubber strike plate on the bottom to make it more durable. It also features a recessed magazine loader to make loading easier, which is located on the back of the magazine so you can’t stall it if you grip the magazine. This is one of the new THRiL products coming out in 2020, and it will retail for $29.99.

THRil AR accessories PMX AR Magazine

PMX AR Magazine

As with the 10-22 design, this PMX AR magazine comes with a rubber strike plate too. It has a saw-tooth design for good grip even with gloves on, but its rounded edges make it more ergonomic. The durable polymer-matrix (PMX) design features a 30-round mag developed for AR15 and M4 receivers. This item retails for $13.49. 

THRil AR accessories RTG Rugged Tactical Grip

Rugged Tactical Grip

The new Rugged Tactical Grip (RTG) features a coarse, laser-etched grip to allow good contact with your gloves, but it still feels good from an ergonomic standpoint. It also comes in a few different colors so you can customize your rifle the way you want. The THRiL RTG is compatible with AR15 and M4 receivers. This item retails for $16.99. 

THRil AR accessories PMX SM9 Magazine

SM9 Magazine

Building on the design of the THRiL scorpion magazinethe PMX SM9 magazine is another one of the new THRiL products introduced at SHOT. It is a 35-round mag with steel wrap-around feed lips and a rubber strike plate. This item will retail for $39.99. 

THRil AR accessories CCS Combat Competition Stock

 

CCS Stock

The Combat Competition Stock (CCS) is named after its primary purpose: for those in combat situations or who like to compete. It is lightweight and streamlined with a recessed latch so you don’t snag it on anything. It has a removable rubberized butt plate and internal tensioning device. The CCS also has dual QD sling mounts. This item retails for $57.99. 

We hope you’ll try these new products out yourself this year. A big part of the appeal for most AR owners is being able to customize your guns. With these great options, you have plenty to add. 

NEW 2020 AR Accessories at SHOT Show | THRiL AR mag, RTG Grip, CCS Competition Stock


Matt from THRiL showed off some of his company’s new AR furniture and magazines at Shot Show 2020 with ar15.com. Here we’ll do a quick breakdown of their current and future offerings.

The THRiL RTG Grip

The RTG or “Rugged Tactical Grip” sports an ergonomic, fluid, and aesthetically pleasing design. It carries exactly what it needs to as far as a replacement for the standard A2 pistol grip.

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The grip is aggressively laser textured and formed as part of the polymer molding process during its manufacturing, giving it excellent feedback while promoting responsive weapon movements and improved agility. The texture was described as “almost skateboard grip tape” in feel.

The overall design of the pistol grip is simplistic and effective, and with a price point of $16.99, it compares well against other competitors. The pistol grip currently ships from their site in Black, Flat Dark Earth and Gray.

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The THRiL PMX AR Magazine

Their 5.56 x 45mm 30rd AR magazine offering is constructed of a durable fiberglass nylon polymer, with an ergonomically designed spine and checkered texture for better grip upon insertion into the weapon. The mag also has finger grooves for better overall grip, and reverse texture to help with pouch extraction. This magazine really lines up the needs of shooters who compete and need as much edge as possible on their loading and reloading speed.

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The rubber over molded floor plate on the bottom of the magazine helps with durability when mags are dropped and adds some extra grip as well. The PMX currently sells for $13.49 on their website, and ships in the same three colors as their pistol grip; Black, Flat Dark Earth and Gray.

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The CCS Combat Competition Stock

With a very SOPMOD style design, the CCS Combat Competition Stock catches your eye immediately as a practical and aesthetically pleasing design. The cheek weld is pronounced and void of possible beard-hair traps, which are generally viewed as a design flaw on many other stocks that attempt to provide cheek weld.

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Throughout the stock there are multiple choices for sling attachment points, including a QD swivel button mount, as well as three sling slots. This allows shooters multiple configurations and gives practical combat shooters the options they need to carry as well. The stock is adjustable, leaving availability to shooters to change length as needed.

Overall the stock provides all of the options that its competitors do while also maintaining a sleek design and leaving bulk out of the picture. The current MSRP on their website is $57.99 in the same three colors for the PMX and the RTG.

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Some of the exciting new mag options that were revealed as well were the SM9 MPX 9mm magazine and the PMX 22LR 25rnd Magazine, both of which feature a similar design and thought process that went into the PMX AR magazine. The expected release date for the SM9 magazine on their website is March 31st, 2020, and the PMX 22 magazine is expected to be released sometime in the summer of 2020.

Everything You Wanted to Know About the PSA U9 Mag

Every once in a while, something really cool comes along in the firearm world. It’s safe to say this new partnership between THRiL and Palmetto State Armory (PSA) is one of those things. The new PSA U9 mag is a great option for anyone interested in smooth shooting performance, durability, and extra rounds, which is pretty much everyone. Check out the great features in this new AK 9mm magazine, why it is different from other options, and hear several reviews from real people who have put hundreds or thousands of rounds through them. If you’re obsessed with tactical gear, you’ll like reading more below and checking out the gun reviews.

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Limitations of Old Magazines

One of the biggest problems that many people have with other CZ or AK-V magazines revolves around feeding issues. While that’s only a slight headache or inconvenience if you’re just out plinking at the gun range, it can be extremely serious if you use it in law enforcement or military applications. Many of them are also smaller capacity magazines, which means you will have to switch them out and reload more often. Again, that’s not a huge issue, but it can add up over the course of the day. Also, older versions can be more difficult to reload. These issues are all resolved with the new magazine.

Features of the New PSA U9 Mag

The new PSA U9 mag is an extremely durable magazine with several awesome features. It is constructed with the THRiL polymer-matrix (PMX) material for extremely high durability and performance. This PMX technology provides exceptional impact resistance. The magazine also contains stainless steel feed lips and an elastomeric strike plate to help improve performance from many other magazine options. It is very easy to load and cycles rounds through very efficiently and smoothly. This 9mm magazine is also bigger than many others you might already own and can hold up to 35 rounds, offering a new viewpoint in the debate between 20 and 30 round magazines.

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Which Guns for the PSA U9 Mag

That all sounds great, right? But which guns can you actually use the PSA U9 mag with? You have a little flexibility here, as you can either use it with the CZ Scorpion or PSA AK-V 9mm options. Both of them are fun guns, so you really can’t go wrong here.

The CZ Scorpion EVO is an awesome little gun that any tactical gun nut will love. Although it is extensively used by law enforcement and military, civilian shooters love it for some fun shooting at the gun range too. Chambered in 9mm, it has very light recoil to help you shoot all day, but it is a durable gun. It is very versatile too and can be run as a pistol, carbine rifle, or SBR. While you can, of course, use the Scorpion magazines in it, it also works with the PSA U9 mag.

The new PSA AK-V 9mm Pistol is yet another great option that can unsurprisingly accept the PSA U9 magazine. Similar to the CZ Scorpion, it is chambered in 9mm for comfortable, all-day shooting without going bankrupt from ammunition. This well-constructed gun cycles rounds with ease given the blowback design. Simply, this is one fun and reliable gun to shoot.

Reviews of the New PSA U9 Mag

So now you know more about the PSA 9mm magazine and which guns it works with. But before buying new products, it’s always nice to hear about other people’s experience with it. That’s why we’ve included a few gun and magazine reviews below to help you make the choice.

PSA AK-V Mag in CZ Scorpion SBR

This guy ran several of the PSA magazines through the CZ Scorpion EVO 3S1 SBR. Check out the video below for more details about his experience with the gun and magazines.

Credit: Not an Operator

As you can see, he shot five magazines (each with a 35 round capacity) in the Scorpion with no performance issues. He did note that the PSA U9 mag did not drop free from the CZ Scorpion SBR as well as the CZ magazine. But that’s largely a matter of personal preference and you could probably correct that with a little modification if it bothered you. You probably also noticed that he simply picked the magazines up off the snow-covered ground, and they performed perfectly with no fuss. That can be important if you’re shooting in all kinds of different conditions.

PSA AK-V Mag in PSA AK-V 9mm

The same guy from above tried the new PSA AK-V 9mm pistol with the new PSA U9 mag and a Scorpion magazine. He shot about 850 rounds through the gun (700 of which were magnums) using different types of ammunition. Here’s what he thought of it all after a day at the range.

Credit: Not an Operator

The vast majority of the shooting was flawless and smooth. But he did have a few small cycling issues. The four failures to eject and one slam/bump fire were on the CZ Scorpion magazines, but the PSA U9 mags all performed well. There was one failure to feed with the PSA AK-V mag, but that could have been due to the type of ammunition as it did not occur the rest of the time using a different ammunition brand/type. While he observed that the new PSA U9 mag was much easier to load than the Scorpion mag, the PSA magazine was harder to seat until it had shot over 100 rounds. The issues with the other magazines are consistent with what others have noticed, as discussed in the section above.

If this all sounds interesting to you, check out the new magazine and try it for yourself. It is a high-quality product that’s super durable and very reliable. If you shoot your gun with any regularity, it makes sense to use the best products for them. It will save you time, reduce your headaches, and give you more opportunities to fling some lead down range.

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Fast Action, Run, and Gun with these Awesome Pistol Caliber Carbines

Pistol Caliber Carbines or PCC are all the latest rage on the range. Shooters from coast to coast are picking up short barreled, fast handling auto-loaders built on pistol caliber actions. PCC rifles are a terrific addition to any collection, and they fit many roles that lie somewhere between a pistol and a high velocity center fire rifle. Let’s take a look at some of the best options out there for the shooter today.

Why All the Hype?

Pistol Caliber Carbines fit a unique sweet spot for shooters that suite many use cases and manufacturers are taking notice. By capitalizing on low velocity, light recoil, and light weight pistol rounds, PCC rifles excel in many disciplines, offering shooters options for competition, home defense, tactical work, and range time.

  • Three Gun – Three gun competitions have gained widespread popularity as shooters become more tactically minded. The three gun community quickly realized the usefulness of a short fast handling rifle that can be fired at low velocity targets, and at close range. PCCs chambered in 9mm or 45 ACP are safe to run on ranges built for pistol use, even indoors, and they add a new element of cool to the competition. 
  • Ranch Rifle – A short, easy to handle rifle that can ride in the pickup, stay at the cabin, and be at the ready in camp is indispensable. A good ranch rifle is sturdy, quick to point, and ready for varmints that go bump in the night. The small form factor of pistol ammunition makes it practical to load 20 or 30 rounds in a mag, and keep the rifle light enough to pack around. For varmint action inside of 100 yards, a handy pistol caliber carbine is just the ticket. 
  • Range Time – A good range gun should be fun to shoot, easy to operate, and economical to feed ammunition into. PCC rifles hit high marks on all accounts. Taking a Saturday afternoon at the range and running a pistol caliber carbine through its paces is enjoyable, the recoil is light, and ammo in 9mm is a fraction of the cost of .223 or .308. Putting in some time behind the trigger on a PCC offers versatility to shoot prone, standing, kneeling, or even from a bench; these little rifles have a lot to offer, and on a budget.

The Head of the Class

With the popularity of pistol caliber carbines comes a market full of options. Firearm manufacturers are rolling out handy little rifles chambered in various pistol cartridges with all sorts of features. Collapsible stocks, threaded barrels, take down models, even rifles that accept Glock pistol magazines are on the shelves. How do you make sense of the options? What’s the best fit for you and your budget? Here are 5 exceptional options on the market that will put some bang in your buck!

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  • Scorpion EVO 3 – CZ USA imports this fantastically versatile 9mm from the Czech Republic. The Scorpion line and action is offered in various varieties including the standard carbine with a folding stock, an arm brace SBR, and even a pistol. The Scorpion platform is chock full of great features like a threaded barrel and ambidextrous controls. Chambered in 9mm, the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 is at the top of our list for its reliability, simple design, and price point.

pistol caliber carbines KRISS Vector Super V

KRISS Vector Super V – KRISS USA has turned a lot of heads with their out of the box solution to building a pistol caliber carbine rifle. Their non-linear operating system directs recoil down and away from the shooters shoulder not only reducing felt recoil, but also reducing muzzle jump. Available in 9mm, 45 ACP, 10mm, .40 S&W, and .357; these little rifles accept Glock mags and hit high marks for practicality and usefulness.

pistol caliber carbines Ruger PC Carbine 9Ruger PC Carbine 9 – Ruger is a longtime trusted name in the firearms industry. The iconic 10-22, mini 14, and their American bolt action rifles have been long trusted partners in the field for American sportsmen. Not to let the pistol caliber carbine platform outrun them, Ruger developed a winner in their PC (pistol caliber) rifle. Built on the tried and true 10-22 action, but in 9mm the Ruger PC Carbine is a handy little rifle that takes down to fit into a pack. Closer to a classic style rifle than the others on our list, the Ruger PC Carbine fits a more traditional rifle offering in a pistol caliber.

pistol caliber carbines Taurus Circuit Judge

Taurus Circuit Judge – Taurus took the Pistol Caliber Carbine in a unique direction with their Rossi Circuit Judge revolver action rifle. This little shooter can handle both .410 shotgun loads and 45LC pistol rounds. A handi rifle for home defense, at the ranch, around camp, or in the truck. Built on a 5 shot revolving action, this pistol caliber carbine’s action is simple and reliable with very little to go wrong. Here you may sacrifice high capacity magazines for simplicity. The Rossi Circuit Judge by Taurus is in a class of its own.

pistol caliber carbines TNW Aero Survival Rifle

TNW Aero Survival Rifle – The guys over at TNW Firearms took a lot into consideration when they put together their Aero Survival Rifle. Based out of Oregon, TNW is a young company when it comes to firearm manufacturers, but they’ve developed a real winner in their Aero pistol caliber carbine. Built to be a handy take down rifle, the Aero is based around the Armalite AR-7. The rifle is a lightweight 5 ½ pounds and easily packed into an everyday backpack. The Aero resembles easily without any tools, and accepts Glock mags. This rifle is offered in more cailbers than any others on our list including .22LR, .22Mag, 17HMR, 9mm, 10mm, 45 ACP, .40S&W, and .357SIG.

pistol caliber carbines MechTech conversion

Bonus Rifle – Not technically a Pistol Caliber Carbine, but definitely worth mentioning is the MechTech conversion. Essential an upper receiver with barrel and stock that matches up with the action and lower receiver of a pistol. Turn your “baby Glock” into a sub-compact pistol caliber carbine in just a few minutes. Available for Glocks, Springfield XD, and 1911s; the MechTech conversion will quickly turn your 9mm, 45 ACP, 40S&W, or 10MM pistol into a shoulder stocked carbine rifle.

Pistol caliber carbines have taken the shooting industry by storm over the past several years, and it doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. It is definitely a buyer’s market with more and more options available in carbine rifles chambered in pistol calibers. Whether you are looking for a defensive weapon, are a tactical operator, need a camp rifle, or just a weekend plinker; there is a pistol caliber carbine that will fit your needs.

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Special Forces Techniques For Conceal Carry

This week, Instructor Zee takes us through his 3 favorite drills for training with your concealed carry pistol. 

Viewers seemed to love our series of videos that covered the CTEs, or Critical Task Evaluation drills, showing the actual tests that many Special Operation units use to gauge their shooting skill level. We get lots of comments from viewers telling us how that have practiced and can match the standards that we listed. That’s great, and it should be everyone’s goal. However, please note that our Special Operations Forces (or at least my last unit) are required to pass all these drills “cold.” By that, I mean that they don’t get any time to warm up. In other words, these guys must be ready to perform to standard, at the drop of a dime, day or night, when the situation presents itself. 

Likewise, here at Tactical Rifleman, we believe that if you carry a concealed firearm for self-defense, you should be able to perform to standard, at the drop of a dime, day or night, when the “moment of truth” presents itself. 

Now, we are not saying that you should be able to conduct all the Special Operations CTEs to standard with your concealed carry pistol. However, there are basic drills that you need to be able to do: Draw, Speed Reload, and Rapid Engagement. 

Where we see flaws in people’s training, is that they always “dress down” for shooting on the range. In other words, they wear clothing that they know that they can draw and shoot fast from. A classic example of this can be found at local IDPA competitions. These competitions require that competitors shoot while wearing cover garments. Cool. However, MOST competitors wear those ugly “Photographer Vests” (with weighted pocket), so they can quickly throw the jacket back and get a faster draw.  That’s not real life. 

Real life is what you are wearing right now. Real life is what you are going to wear tomorrow, wear next week, next month, next season. What you wear daily changes, or at least I hope it does, and really changes once the seasons/weather gets really hot or really cold. 

So, why don’t we train that way? You consider yourself “prepared” because you are carrying a gun. Have you ever quickly drawn and engaged a target while wearing today’s outfit?

Here’s an easy drill that will change your life for the better… Once you get up in the morning and dress for the day; before you load your pistol and leave the house, go ahead and Dry-Fire ten (10) draws from that holster and that outfit you are wearing. Now, remember to ENSURE that the firearm is UNLOADED. Sounds like a “no brainer” but you would be surprised how many people leave their concealed carry guns loaded all night. Again, this is simple, once you are dressed and you have clipped on that holster; before you load your pistol, practice your draw. Easy. Pick a spot on the wall in a safe direction and dry fire. Rack the slide, reholster, and repeat nine more times. Did I mention Ensuring that the pistol was UNLOADED? 

This will do several things. First, it will ensure that you can actually draw safely from that outfit, without cloth, strings, zippers, and other crap interfering with your draw. Second, it will change the way you dress, I assure you. Third, it will give you confidence that, at the moment of truth, you can safely draw and fire your concealed carry firearm. Plus, all the daily loading and unloading will ensure that you keep that firearm fully functional and free of lint, dust, rust, and everything else that I see on guy’s concealed carry rigs. 

Always give yourself a few dry runs with your set up for the day, and always run some plain clothes and concealed carry set up drills when you do finally make it out to the range. 

Zee’s three drills are simple… First, draw from concealment with a single shot on target. Second, draw and engage, Reload (preferably from behind cover if available) and fire again. Lastly, Zee recommends the “Now” drill; which is pounding the target with a whole magazine, quickly reloading, and then sending one more bullet to stop the clock. This last drill will help you build on handling the sharp recoil impulse of some small pistols while still driving those sights back down into the center of the target. 

The cornerstone of being a Green Beret or any other Special Operations Soldier is training and knowing the basics! As you can see, there is not much flare or pizazz to these few shooting drills shown. Don’t be fooled though, as there are many important components that are being worked that apply to many more complex drills. I suggest doing these basic drills until you have acceptable accuracy and speed (safety always first). Once you are easily executing these drills, instead of graduating to other shooting drills, add some stressors to the mix. A few things you can add that will give you some stress and better simulate a real life threatening scenario are: time standards (shot timer), physical activity(sprints or calisthenics), target variations (smaller, target ID, hostage, etc), or even an audience of peers watching you. We like to add all of these stressors with a large dose of “shit talking” while the other guy is shooting. 

After that, get some “Force on Force” training with training munitions (UTM/Simmunitions/etc) that really puts your skills to the test in a 2-way gun fight. Remember, the flat range with no bad guys is the easiest place to execute shooting drills; you can only go so far there. If you want to be challenged and really increase your shooting skills; come train with us in one of our Tactical Rifleman shooting courses, that you can find at Tacticalrifleman.com.

For more go to http://www.tacticalrifleman.com/ and Follow TR on Twitter-http://bit.ly/TACrman

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How to Clear A Room in Close Quarters Combat

In this video, Jason covers a technique for maintaining balance while crossing the threshold into a room, during CQB. If you are watching this video because you want to learn “Close Quarters Battle”… Well, then you are in the wrong place, because we won’t share tactics that the enemy can use against our warfighters overseas. If you want to learn tactics, come and sign up for a class.

That said, we are all about covering all the fine details, and this week, we are going to get into a few Close Quarters Combat (CQC) tips and techniques.  CQC is practiced over the course of all Special Forces careers and endless hours are spent honing these skills as it is sometimes considered the “bread and butter” of the trade.  
 
     First, and foremost, operators have to master the fundamentals of marksmanship. That sounds simple enough… sight alignment, rotation of the selector lever, trigger squeeze, follow through; easy right? Yes and no. Yes, these skills are easy to do on a flat range with a coach telling you what drills to run. Harder, when you have a three-dimensional battle field, such as a building, and it is filled with combatants (bad guys) and non-combatants, such as women, children, dogs. So, mastery of the fundamentals is important, so that the operator has pushed these fundamentals into his subconscious mind. This takes thousands of repetitions of the same drills. He no longer must think about sight alignment and trigger squeeze, because his subconscious mind is dealing with them. That frees up his conscious mind to focus on “Is it a Threat? Is it NOT a Threat? Is it a Threat that warrants Deadly Force?”  Now, shooting subconsciously? That doesn’t sound safe, does it? However, it is extremely safe, as the subconscious mind actually works faster than the conscious mind. Think of it as driving a car. Then you first learned how to drive, you had to think about it. Coming up on a stop sign; you would think to move your right foot from the gas to the brake. Apply the directional signal. Look Left. Look Right. Then, look Left again. Then, apply the gas. Fast forward to today, where you have literally driven thousands of times, and you no longer must think about doing these things. You are now driving subconsciously. This frees up the conscious mind to watch for traffic, listen to the radio, watch for that green light turning yellow, or spot that bouncing ball coming out into the street with the running child behind it. 
 
     Once operators have mastered the fundamental of marksmanship, they then enter into the world of tactics; in this case, the fundamentals of Close Quarters Battle; Surprise, Speed, and Violence of Action. Each of these is a huge can of worms that each operator must again master. Different shaped rooms get taken different ways. Stairs and hallways are different also. Now, add flashbang grenades, mechanical & explosive breaching, low & no-light procedures; and you can see this is not as easy and they make it out to be in Hollywood. 
 
    Operators work tirelessly to perfect this craft and breakdown each phase of an assault as to increase their performance from one kinetic operation to the next.  In this video, former Navy SEAL Jason Phalin shows us a simple technique to optimize efficiency of movement into a space.  Although it may seem like common sense, even the entry through a doorway is thought about and practiced.  The way in which an operator initially enters a space is just as important as their action within.  An operator has to be on balance through all phases of an entry in order to take a well-placed shot regardless of target position.  A simple calculation of foot placement and entry procedures can be the difference between a well-aimed and balanced shot and a miss.    
 
     Jason approaches the open doorway and pivots into the room to engage any “threats” in the blind corner. Easy enough? Yes, but again, we are talking about mastering the art of CQB. So, if we can shave tenths of a second while turning the corner, that’s tenths of a second saved engaging the target. While that might only be the difference between First and Third in a USPSA pistol competition; here, we are talking about the difference between whether you pull the trigger first or whether the bad guy(s) pulls the trigger first. That is life or death here. So, we break each portion of each task down. For today, we are just talking about the “foot work” of breaking the corner. 
 
     This “footwork” starts as Jason was approaching the doorway. He has identified that it is a corner-fed room (doorway in the corner of the wall), and he has already decided that he will turn left, to the blind corner. As he continues to approach the doorway, he will adjust his gait so that his “inside foot” (the one which he will pivot on) will be timed to be the final step when he arrives at the door. This takes practice, but once mastered is as easy as a short last-minute shuffle of the feet. Upon arrival at the doorway, that last step, Jason plants ever so slightly into the room. This allows him to pivot quickly while maintaining balance, as he enters the room. A balanced body is a stable body, and a stable body makes for a more accurate shooting platform.  Remember, he is not stopping there; he has to keep moving out of the “Fatal Funnel” to allow the rest of his team to enter. 
 
     The technique shown in this video is a testament to the detail with which Green Berets and SEALs practice their trade.  So, listen up! This video will forever change the way that you enter a room and may you never be off balance again. 
 
    Now, one more time, if you want to learn CQB, sign up for a class with the Tactical Rifleman team. However, if you really want some great entertainment; go down and read all the comments under this video in the “Comments” section. Judging from some of the suggestions from the “Tactical Experts” that I’ve been reading in this comments section; I pray to God that all of our Enemy and Bad Guys are reading and listening to these suggestions. Gents, I want to answer SO MANY of these messed up comments, but we decided years ago that we would NOT discuss Tactics on Tactical Rifleman, only tips and techniques. The focus of this video is Jason talking about better “Foot Work” for assaulters that already have a basic understanding of CQB. It is NOT to teach viewers how to clear a corner-fed room. If you want to learn CQB, please come take a class; but we are not going to do this over the open internet. Thanks for watching,

Strength & Honor, TR 

For more go to http://www.tacticalrifleman.com/ and Follow TR on Twitter-http://bit.ly/TACrman