PMCI - May 2021

MAR2021
CONTENTS
4 TOP LEVEL TRAINING - WOFT: FOR THOSE WHO REGULARLY TRAIN ON AND OFF
THE RANGE, HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT’S NEXT? TRAMPAS LEADS OFF THIS
ISSUE AND BREAKS THE FIRST RULE OF FIGHT CLUB CHECKING OUT AND TELLING ALL
WHAT LIES BEHIND THE DOORS OF A TIER 1 TRAINING FACILITY CALLED WEST ORLANDO
FIREARMS TRAINING, BETTER KNOWN AS WOFT!
8 KEEPING IT REAL ON THE SMOKELESS RANGE: IN COVID’S WAKE SEVERAL TRENDS
TO THE FIREARMS AND FIREARMS TRAINING INDUSTRY TOOK FORM, AND THROUGH
#TRAINFL TRAMPAS’ MISSION WAS TO CHALLENGE OTHER INSTRUCTORS TO JOIN IN
HELPING FIND NEW “OUT OF THE BOX” OPTIONS TO HELP NEW GUN OWNERS AND HIS
RESEARCH LED HIM TO THE SMOKELESS RANGE BY LASER AMMO
14 GEAR ON TEST: “GEAR FOR THE GOOD GUYS” COURTESY OF THE PMCI TEAM
18 GEAR: PLATE CARRIERS; GO OR NO?: PROTECTION AND LOAD-BEARING IN ONE
HIT? THEN A PLATE CARRIER COULD BE THE VERY THING AS PMCI AGAIN LOOKS BACK
INTO THE PAST AND BRINGS THINGS FULLY UP TO DATE
22 GEAR: CHOOSING THE RIGHT BELT: THE RIGHT BELT IS ANOTHER OFTEN OVERLOOKED
ITEM WHEN IT COMES TO PUTTING YOUR EDC OR RANGE GEAR TOGETHER, SO TRAMPAS
TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING THE RIGHT ONE
26 KNIVES AND TOOLS: HSP DARTER: THIS TIME, TRAMPAS STEPS THROUGH THE “FAN BOYS”
AND THEIR TOYS TO SPOTLIGHT AN EVERYDAY CARRY FIXED BLADE CALLED THE HSP DARTER.
30 PACKING IT UP: WHEN IT COMES TO USING A PACK THERE ARE MANY DIFFERING
OPINIONS AS TO WHAT IS BEST, OR INDEED IF YOU SHOULD BOTHER CARRYING ONE AT
ALL AS A PART OF YOUR EDC/TACTICAL GEAR! BILL TAKES A LOOK AT THIS QUESTION
FROM SEVERAL ANGLES
34 FIREARMS: SIG M18: IN THIS ISSUE, TRAMPAS EXPLORES WHY THE M18 IS WELL
ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING ONE OF THE NEW KINGS OF THE CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS
AND CIVILIAN APPLICATION MARKETS. TO QUOTE THE GREAT CAESAR, “ANERRIPHTHO
KYBOS!” TRANSLATION “LET THE DIE BE CAST”
38 TRAINING: TAT3D – ADVANCED TARGETING SYSTEMS: ANYONE WHO HAS EVER
BEEN INVOLVED IN DIRECT ACTION KNOWS ALL TOO WELL THAT LIFE RESIDES IN THE
THIRD DIMENSION AND LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN ON PAPER! THANKFULLY, THERE
ARE THREE DIMENSIONAL HUMANOID TARGETS FROM THE TAT3D-ATS COMPANY IN WHICH ARE
DESIGNED FROM THE GROUND UP TO PROVIDE THE MOST REALISTIC TRAINING POSSIBLE
42 6MM TRAINING – MIL LEVEL WITH G&G ARMAMENT: WITH “6MM TRAINING”
FINALLY ATTAINING NOT ONLY AN ACCEPTABLE, BUT INDEED A WELCOME VOICE IN THE
FOREARMS WORLD PERHAPS IT’S TIME FOR US TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE MORE OF SOME
OF THE COMPANIES THAT ARE BEHIND SOME OF THE EXCELLENT PLATFORM OPTIONS
OUT THERE, SO BILL GOES “INSIDE G&G ARMAMENT”
46 BOOK REVIEW: “COUNTERINSURGENCY: THEORY AND REALITY”
48 INDUSTRY VACANCIES: LOOKING FOR WORK? JUST CHECK HERE.
Copyright © Calibre Publishing 2020. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the
express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The
Editors reserve the right to edit submissions prior to publication.
Thank you for downloading this Edition of PMCI, the FREE digital publication dedicated to PMC Operatives. PMCI is written by
individuals with first-hand knowledge and experience of the subject they write about - and all of whom have an intimate
understanding of what the role entails and the day to day challenges faced by those working in this industry.
PMCI will provide a platform to review and discuss the things to matter to all of us, such personal equipment, training, employment
and lifestylestyle management - and these are also our core fundamentals. We hope you enjoy this Edition of PMCI and if you have
any feedback or comments, or would like to contrubute to future issues, please let us know by email to: editor@pmcimagazine.com
Editor (UK): Bill Thomas
Deputy Ed (USA): Trampas Swanson
Graphic Design: Baz Thakur/
Deadshot Design
Publisher: Nigel Streeter
Cover pic: Robbie Allmon
www.p2conceptstraining.com
PMCI magazine is a digital-only publication
available FREE OF CHARGE via the PMCI
App on a wide range of digital platforms,
including iOS, Android and Windows. For
more information, visit www.pocketmags.
com and search “PMCI”.
PMCI can also be read online at:
www.issuu.com, www.magzter.com
and www.readly.com
Calibre Publishing Limited
Wyche Innovation Centre,
Walwyn Road,
Upper Colwall,
Malvern,
Worcestershire,
WR13 6PL
Tel: 01684 878 003
Web: www.pmcimagazine.com
©Calibre Publishing Limited 2019
Letter, idea or question?
Got something to say? A question for our
experts? An article or article idea? Drop us a
line and let us know. Either email the editor
(editor@pmcimagazine.com), write to us at
the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk
to us on Twitter or Facebook.
2

T E L L T H E T I M E ,
A L L T H E T I M E .
Tr i t i u m i l l u m i n a t e d w a t c h e s
t h a t s t ay v i s i b l e a l l n i g h t .
E xc l u s i vely av a i l a b l e o n l i n e
W W W. N I T E WATC H E S .C O M

TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING
4
WOFT
For those who regularly train on and off the range, have you ever wondered what’s next? At some point, you’ve read
everything available about thought, theory and tactics of gunfighting from Col. Cooper and Massad Ayoob to Scott Reitz
and Clint Smith. You’ve taken courses offered through your department, organization or on your own with training from
traditional civilian resources. Maybe you’ve even traveled far and wide to meet and learn directly from some of these
cultural icons in person to further develop your knowledge and skills, but yet several burning questions STILL remain - TS
How can you test your instinctive reflexes,
judgement, and knowledge without a
deployment to an active war zone or dangerous
weekend in Chicago?
Where could you find this type of training?
Who are the reputable trainers offering it?
In this issue of PMCI Magazine, we explore the
answer!
Until recently, the one place that truly offers
the best in total immersive situational training
has been swirling around by way of word of mouth between
some of the nation’s top firearm trainers and small circles elite
students. Those “in the know” such as celebrities, top executives
for firearms manufacturers and even the head of a major
firearms training and carry insurance organization all trained
in the shadows off the beaten commercial path at this private
facility located in central Florida. Now, we break the first rule of
Fight Club by talking about what lies behind the doors of a Tier
1 training facility called West Orlando Firearms Training or better
known as WOFT.
Not long ago, fellow gun writer, Jim Wenzel and I decided to
reach out and find out more information on WOFT after hearing
rave reviews from close friends after their training experience.
Not only did we get a reply from the WOFT President and CEO,
Philip Toppino, Jim and I were personally invited down to tour
the facility. After clearing our schedule not to miss such a great
invitation, Jim and I hit the road amidst a pre-dawn
rainstorm. Within a couple of hours, the clouds had
lifted into a beautiful sunny Florida day as we entered the gated
facility known as WOFT. In the drive we were warmly greeted by
Mr. Toppino himself, who graciously became the day’s tour guide
and valued friend. What resulted was a great opportunity to sit
down and be able to share what we learned to our PMCI readers.
PMCI: Philip welcome to PMCI Magazine and thank you for taking
time out of your busy schedule to discuss what exactly it is that
WOFT offers that attracts such elite trainers and students. If you
don’t mind, could you share with our readers a little bit about
your background and how WOFT originated?
WOFT: I love meeting quality Americans and thank you for
investing the time to visit. I believe that Scenario Training is an
essential skill Americans should prioritize when it comes to their
safety. We offer Scenario Safety Training throttled to your skillset
and hard focused on showing civilians safety concepts to be a
hard target and allowing them the best possible family-friendly
experience. WOFT is currently working to develop some basic
online training information as a “what you need to know before
you visit to get the most of your experience at WOFT.”
That should be available on our website in the coming
months.
One of my many mentors, Dom Raso, speaks about being an
Asset for your Family / loved ones, and that’s what our Goal is at
WOFT, to learn collectively how to best detect and deescalate a
potentially violent situation and avoid conflict at all cost.
My background is not military or law enforcement but a
regular law-abiding, freedom-loving American who traveled the

country for many years seeking the best possible experience for a
CCW permit holder. I want to be the best protector as a Husband
and Father of 2, and training must be connected to reality. WOFT
originated because I have three criteria that need to be checked
to invest my valuable time. 1) I must be learning something with
purpose, 2) it must be safe fun, and 3) my Family needs to be
with me.
PMCI: Exactly how large is the WOFT facility, and what does it
encompass?
WOFT: Until recently, we were invite-only. 1st and 2nd rule
of Fight Club. With a background check and a character witness,
one can visit our private 20-acre property and have the potential
to be introduced to an affluent training experience not found in
many other places in the country.
PMCI: What sort of classes do you offer?
WOFT: We are full-service but cater and specialize in Scenario
Safety Training for Civilians. Coming up on our 10th year and only
able to host 2,632 guests annually, few if any of your readers will
have the chance to visit because of return guests selling out each
course we schedule.
PMCI: How big are your typical classes? Instructor ratios, etc?
WOFT: We average a 3 to 1 student to instructor ratio, and
class sizes are typically 20-25 guests. Most of the time, it’s
closer to 2.2 to 1 because many guest instructors flow through
as students. That’s part of the magic that many readers have not
experienced anywhere else.
PMCI: What qualities do you look for in a WOFT instructor?
WOFT: We do not train our guests but mentor them. Are you
constantly learning and upgrading your skills? Are you a team
player and sometimes a teacher but always a student? Family is
everything.
PMCI: How long are your classes? Typical cost per day?
WOFT: Three days. US$1,000/day/guest. The days are
broken up into before lunch and after lunch. 2 training stations/
day. Three days allows us six training stations to learn and apply
concepts.
Catered food, Custom Course Jersey, Ammo, Gear/Equipment,
video, and photographer to help capture the priceless moments
are included.
PMCI: As a former SWAT operator, now husband and father of
two young daughters, I know that traveling to train usually
means a weekend or sometimes even a week away from the
daily routine. Please tell our readers about how WOFT offers a full
family dynamic.
WOFT: Your Family is welcome and encouraged to visit and
practice safety concepts with you. With a high instructor-tostudent
ratio, we can cater to a family of 4 like yourself based
on your priorities. It’s an entirely customized experience to keep
the Family together in certain stations and “divide and conquer”
learning safety concepts throttled to each guest’s ability and body
type. Hard to convey and, just like the Matrix, something you
must see for yourself.
PMCI: At the end of the day, what is the key aspect you and
your instructors wish to have students take away from their WOFT
experience?
WOFT: Students take away to Avoid Conflict at all Cost. Start
the path to be the best version of yourself for your Family.
Your Goal should be Excellence, not perfection. No one is perfect,
yet everyone can be better.
TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
6TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING
Guests will be safer when you leave that day than when you
arrived, and we do that by the Aggregation of Marginal Gains.
It’s not some magic wand someone waives, and you are now
safe. Safety is an illusion, and you are your own first responder.
We take what’s more likely to happen and focus on getting
good at that first. We are not going to push you off into the
deep end and go too hard too fast. This is not a boot camp,
and our mission is to learn you and your priorities, show you
safety concepts and role-play scenarios to help you practice for
something you never want to fail at.
PMCI: What are some upcoming projects WOFT may be working
on for future and returning students to expect to see?
WOFT: Our large group Scenario class during December is our
Flagship course. It will be year 7 gas station and year 9 coffee
shop scenarios combined.
We spend 1-day running large group force-on-force
scenarios, unlike most have ever experienced. What gear you
wear depends on the potential level of the experience you could
have.
Training at WOFT makes one “forever spoiled… never again to
be the same”.
Once you have custom training like this, it’s addicting.
PMCI: Now that readers have a better understanding of the
resources and valuable training available, where can they find
more information about upcoming training dates and events in
order to register?
WOFT: Visit www.woft.com to learn more and apply for
courses.
Our ask is for you to invite Legislators to visit WOFT and learn
safety concepts. Unfortunately, most running for office
and our elected representatives are indeed not educated when
it comes to Firearms. Our goal is to be a resource for them to get
educated to make educated decisions about our country and our
freedoms. We created a GoFundMe account to help subsidize
that effort. It’s a shame that with all the money being thrown
away with “elections and advertising,” funds are not being used
efficiently to influence the influencers.
GoFundMe search - Legislator Education Project
Gofund.me/5f4556c6

FINAL THOUGHTS
During our time at WOFT, Philip Toppino gave Jim and I the full
tour of the amazing facility to see the blade and low light rooms,
coffee shop, catwalk observation areas, live fire range, shoot
house and so much more. Takeaways from this visit were many.
Seeing how much time, money and resources were devoted
into making WOFT so immersive stressed just how overlooked
this dynamic of self-defense training is within the industry. The
bulk of traditional defensive training weighs heavily on the
proficiency level one achieves of using a tool such as a gun or
knife. More emphasis on knowing WHEN to use the tools at hand
and even more importantly knowing WHEN NOT to use them
should be equally stressed. WOFT does a great job of not just
talking about these topics but letting the students experience for
themselves the ramifications of making the wrong decisions in a
safe training environment. This can often be such a true learning
opportunity that is ends up being a major factor in saving lives
in the future.
Keep in mind, WOFT is not just a training facility but a family’s
homestead open for the higher learning of others. The staff
and other attendees Jim and I were introduced to during our
visit were highly dedicated, professional, friendly, and mission
oriented. The training grounds from the main house to the
immaculately clean training rooms were equally impressive.
Even the spacious restrooms were head and shoulders above
what is found in most indoor / outdoor training facilities. Best of
all, NO porta potties! To go from many other training locations
to WOFT has the same feeling as transitioning from a state fair
to a Disney resort property. This is so apparent that WOFT has an
unofficial nickname as the Tactical Disneyland. Students may be
referred to as guests but always treated as WOFT family.
The experience of everything that lies behind the doors of
this elite “Fight Club” can only truly be understood by those who
can attend their training. Organizations such as the United States
Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) regards WOFT as one of the
top five training facilities in the country. When you consider the
other four facilities on that list are over ten times the size of
WOFT, it is even more impressive! If you have the ability and
resources to travel to central Florida and train with West Orlando
Firearms Training, PMCI Magazine highly recommends doing so.
Thank you to Philip Toppino and the WOFT family for
sharing their insights and allowing PMCI Magazine
and our readers a peek inside this special place!
TOTAL IMMERSIVE SITUATIONAL TRAINING

pmcimagazine.com
SMOKELESS RANGE
LASER AMMO: SMOKELESS RANGE
COVID-19, THE BIGGEST SHOCK TO OUR DAILY OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN OVER 40 YEARS. WHETHER THE
ACTUAL ILLNESS OR THE SOCIAL ECONOMIC DRAMA THAT ACCOMPANIED IT WERE THE MOST DANGEROUS
ASPECTS, THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THAT. PERHAPS ONLY TIME WILL TELL BUT FOR NOW, WE ARE ALREADY
GETTING A GLIMPSE OF THE SHORT TERM AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS TO THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, BUT IN
COVID’S WAKE SEVERAL TRENDS TO THE FIREARMS AND FIREARMS TRAINING INDUSTRY TOOK FORM! -TS
Ranges closed and are now slow to open back
up a year later. Firearms sales went through
the roof and continue to rise currently.
Ammunition disappeared in what seemed like
a span of only a matter of days only to return
in extremely limited and expensive supply. All
these factors in their unique ways contributed
to a gaping hole in quality firearms training for
both the professional and civilian alike.
As an instructor, I saw concealed carry courses
rapidly fill up with students, but more advanced courses
decrease in attendance due to the required higher round
counts for more effective training. I watched as good friends
in the training industry lost needed revenue and ended up
closing their doors when new gun owners needed them most
due to lack of resources. At that point, I decided to not only
begin to search for better training solutions but larger changes
in the training dynamic as well. Through my company, the
Swanson Training Group, I created the #TrainFL movement on
social media. The mission was to challenge other instructors
to join in helping find new “out of the box” options to help
the over 7 million new gun owners created over that time.
The best option I found was to go high tech and consider
investing into a training simulator that would allow students
to break free of the traditional static one-way range
perspective. Through my research, I discovered the Smokeless
Range by Laser Ammo. This was an interactive computer
program using drop in laser cartridges or SIRT guns to develop
marksmanship skills. The system was set up to even go
beyond the mechanical and develop the critical judgement
skills of “shoot / no shoot” scenarios as they unfold in real
time during training.
While the Smokeless Range technology appeared to be
more advanced, I was no stranger to simulator training.
During my service as a SWAT operator in the early 2000’s,
I was privy to some cutting-edge technology then for its time.
We trained with simmunitions, PALS and FATS systems ran by
military bases as well as state and federal Law Enforcement
agencies. All were great products that immersed the end
user deeper into more realistic scenarios. Sadly, each of these
elite systems came with a hefty price tag. Most were so
expensive that this type of training was limited to destination
training and not “in house” options. Thankfully, as time
moved forward and technology got better and more portable,
8

companies such as Laser Ammo have begun to market to the
civilian firearms trainers.
As I read more about the Smokeless Range program online,
I began to ask around locally and in trainer forums on social
media for feedback from those who may have trained with
it or possibly owned a system. Within a few days, I seriously
lucked out. A good friend of mine, Mitch Holloway, (US Army
ret.) informed me that he not only had a lot of experience with
the Smokeless Range system but personally owned one. After a
highly informative discussion about the benefits of the system,
Mitch offered to let me borrow his set up to learn more firsthand
to determine if it was worth the in vestment. With a generous
offer like that, the only answer one can possibly give is YES!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A few days after our conversation, Mitch dropped by my
home with all the needed equipment and accessories for the
Smokeless Range. As he erected the 6 ft screen, standard throw
camera and projector, Mitch walked me through the entire set
up and take down process. The heart of the system was a Dell
gaming style computer with various modules of the Smokeless
Range program downloaded onto it. Laser Ammo offers several
packages with different combinations of individual programs on
it. The basic program is called Judgmental & Marksmanship. In
addition, Mitch also had the Open Range, Video Scenario Trainer
Pro, and IPSC Competitive Shooter packages. Accompanying
the system were a plethora of Laser Ammo brand drop in laser
cartridges for pistols, rifles, and shotguns. In additional, there
were several different models of Shot Indicating Resetting
Trigger (SIRT) Training Pistols was developed by NextLevel
Training.
Over the next few months of working with the system, I saw
firsthand how beneficial the Smokeless Range was and what I
would need to get started with my own set up. Although Mitch
mentioned needed lighting conditions, I learned the hard way
on a few vital specification details on my own. The system
must be set up in a room with controlled lighting with very
little sunlight and no harsh lights over screen or in the view the
camera ridges as well. The size of the screen also plays a huge
part of set up. With the portable 6 ft screen, the projected image
was smaller than the systems intended specs of having images
between 8 ft to 10 ft wide. The smaller imagine often required
the projector brightness to be dialed down and in some cases
prevented the system to configure altogether.
Once the system was set up, it ran flawlessly each time I
used it. Between initial classes taught with it, I would love the
Smokeless Range set up in the front room of our home which at
the time only housed our gun safes and range equipment while
waiting for new furniture to turn it into a living room area once
the original was finished being renovated into a billiard room.
As I taught classes and trained on the system, I began to save up
revenue and clear room on the credit card to ensure our training
company owned one of these systems as soon as possible.
When the time came to purchase our own system, the
first item ordered was a 110” (9 Ft) Elite Screens Yard Master
Aluminum Frame Indoor / Outdoor Projector screen. From the
first day and beyond, the projector brightness and image size
were never a problem again. The larger aluminum frame screen
is quick and easy to set up virtually anywhere with just one
person in a matter of minutes. As a bonus, when I purchased my
Smokeless Range system, the software had just been updated
to version 2.0. Programs seemed to run faster, images looked
SMOKELESS RANGE
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
SMOKELESS RANGE
sharper and new challenges added from the original system
I was use to running with the borrowed unit. Although,
purchasing a more updated Dell laptop Core i7 10th gen with
2 TB of RAM and a NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card
to run everything with probably helped much of that as well.
To go along with the new system, I invested in Laser
Ammo drop in cartridges, TARYAG shotgun shells, Redpoint
Arms revolver drop in cartridges and SIRT “Glock style” pistols
by NextLevel Training. I even managed to save some money
on the SIRT pistols by using the discount code “STG2020”
that I often share with our students and readers. Stay tuned
for more information in later articles on other great laser
equipped options to use with the Smokeless Range.
SMOKELESS RANGE REQUIREMENTS
System: Windows 7, 8.1 or 10 PC built no earlier than 2015
(Does not run on a Mac) Windows 10 preferable
Disk Space: Minimum for just the Smokeless Range with no
Add-ons is 500MB or more. The more add-ons you load the
more space you will need. Example, VST Pro with 65 scenes
needs 3GB of Hard Disk space
Graphics Card: Intel HD or better (Must support a minimum of
1280x720 resolution)
RAM Memory: 8GB RAM DDR2 or more
Camera: Smokeless Range Short Throw USB Laser Tracking
Camera (Ships with standard throw camera)
Projector: Capable of 1280x720 resolution and 2000 to 3500
Lumens (Depending on Screen Size) - Short Throw ViewSonic
PS501W
Programs: Judgmental & Marksmanship, Open Range, Video
Scenario Trainer Pro, and IPSC Competitive Shooter packages
Screen: 110” (9 Ft) Elite Screens Yard Master Aluminum Frame
Indoor / Outdoor Projector screen
Training tools: 650nm Red or 780nm IR training laser (Laser
Ammo 9mm, TARYAG shotgun shells, Redpoint Arms revolver
drop in cartridges and SIRT pistols by NextLevel Training
VIRTUAL RANGE TIME
During the course of the past six months of working with both
the original and now Smokeless Range 2.0, I have taught
dozens of students. First with one on one student instruction
as I learned how to efficiently set up and run the system.
In February, I taught a classroom of 20 ladies attending the
TWAW Florida State Shoot. This group consisted of both novice
shooters and experienced shooters including several NRA &
USCCA Instructors and Training Counselors. Despite the range
of experience, each lady was able to find challenges and get
a new perspective on both the video scenario simulations as
well as the real-world experienced instruction I provided to
put what they experienced into better context.
This initial large class and their amazing feedback set
the tone for what has now developed into our STG Simulator
Courses using the Smokeless Range. To start the class off, our
instructors give a short lecture on the Universal Safety Rules:
1. Always Treat All Guns as if They are Loaded
2. Never Point Your Firearm at Anything You Do Not Wish to Destroy
3. Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger Until Ready to Fire
4. Always be Sure of Your Target and What Lies Beyond
10

Afterwards, our instructors discuss the responsibilities and
laws governing carry a firearm in our state or host state when
traveling. Then its only to stage one of the simulator training
with the Judgmental & Marksmanship program. This is the
series of ten marksmanship training drills that comes with the
base Smokeless Range system when you purchase it from Laser
Ammo. Beginning with Target Shooting module, this presents a
static target in which you can change the distance (depth in feet
/ yards) as well as a selection of targets from silhouettes, IDPA,
human form and threat targets to train with. Once students get
comfortable with proper sight picture, sight alignment, trigger
press for pistol, shotgun, or rifle platforms they may be using,
we transfer to the other programs.
These vary from shooting clay pigeons to transitioning
targets to keep students’ eyes and sights moving. The Can Toss
involves tin cans lofted into the air at intervals for shooters to
try and time the arc of movement to achieve solid hits. This
challenges students early into the training to follow the cans
with their eyes and process whether they wish to track or
“ambush” the intended target. Moving into the Speed Drill gets
those trigger fingers really working as students cycle from red
“shoot” targets and black “no shoot” targets as fast as possible
from stage to state under a set time for score.
The Speed Drill and the Dueling Tree program really get
students stirred up and the competitive juices flowing. The key
to these drills is to not only get a student’s blood flowing but
their brain quickly processing. The best part of the Dueling Tree
program is twofold. First, allows students to see how fast they
are compared to another live human being. Secondly, it helps
them understand that when shooting quickly, how important
hits count more so than speed. This is an imperative concept to
remember when in an actual gunfight.
The most appropriate ending to this group of stages is the
Match Target Drill. As the stage starts, a specific-colored shape
flashes onto the screen below a group of other shapes and
colors.
The shooter must identify and acquire the corresponding
match as quickly as possible and place a shot onto target.
Students are scored on their response time, misses and wrong
selections. This is another value training aid to impress upon the
students to never let their trigger fingers outrun their brain.
Once fundamentals are hitting their stride, the Open Range
series of programs offers more speed and precision from stages
featuring turning targets, steel plates and even zombies. Hostage
“shoot / no shoot” targets like the Angry Peacock drill and
“Smoke and Hope” steel plate challenges are great for pushing
speed and accuracy to the limits. There are also military M4
rifle target stages added into the 2.0 version to keep those rifle
skills sharp. The accompanying Open Range Editor feature allows
the end user to even add custom targets to be downloaded for
use such as the dreaded Dot Torture drill and our company’s
challenging STG Warm Up drill. All drills are a natural skill builder
for the final program we use for class called the Video Scenario
Trainer aka VST Pro.
The VST Pro offers over 65 live video scenarios that can be
manipulated by the system operator to change in script using
“hot keys” based on the student’s success or failure in verbal
commands. This helps make scenarios new and fresh when ran
multiple times. Scenes including road rage, domestic violence,
armed robbery, and more play out in real time as each student
determines their appropriate response. Not only does this really
bring prospective to how fast the world can turn upside down,
but it also reinforces the reality that often just being a good
witness is the best option in civilian encounters. The range of
emotion and action / inaction observed during this stage of the
course has been truly educational as an instructor.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With over US$5000 personally invested in equipment, Smokeless
Range software and accessories, the truth is, this is not a cheap
training option. However, the reality of what caliber of training
the Smokeless Range offers is head and shoulders above other
items on the market. The only comparable training simulator
on the market is used by military and law enforcement only
and involves a tractor trailer to make it mobile and starts at
approximately US$20,000.
As for the benefits of simulation versus live fire, I have
learned from working with the Smokeless Range there is a lot
of quality training for all skill levels that can be done off a live
fire range. Some of the benefits involve aspects that are simply
not as safe to practice with live fire initially if at all. After each
round a student runs, the class can walk through either the skill
challenge or video scenario and discuss techniques and decisions
made to improve group performance. Teachable moments for
an instructor to use can be rare. As I found with the simulator,
challenges can provide a higher volume of these value aspects
of training.
For those wishing to simply improve accuracy and speed
for competition purposes rather than self-defense, the IPSC
Competitive Shooter program recently purchased as an add-on
works great. This program offers ten challenging stages of steel
plates, swinging cardboard IPSC and IDPA targets as well as the
dreaded Texas Star. With the stages being times scored on misses,
hits, and aggregate time, it has appealed to the full spectrum
of shooters who have worked with it. Most importantly, this has
appealed to non-shooters and kids alike. My own daughters who
are 7 and soon to be 5 years old have continually worked with
this program. Their skills have improved immensely in just a
short period of time by keeping them challenged and tuned into
training. As a parent, just seeing what the system has done for
my kids’ confidence and firearms proficiency in training without
treating it like a video game has been worth the investment
alone. As an instructor and training counselor, what the results
have shown with being an amazing training aid for teaching our
STG methodology and mindset have been equally impressive.
In short, the Smokeless Range helped our company and
students defeat the fallout of COVID-19, let it help you and others
defeat your opposition with its wide range of skill building and
decision-making challenges. To find out more about the studies
and amazing research published by some of the world’s top
resources on the benefits of use of force simulation training and
the Smokeless Range, visit www.Laser-Ammo.com to download
data from Carleton University, the Interpol Police Training Journal
and FLETC Journal. Search from all the great training products
from the simulator options to training accessories offered to
help build your skills or the skills of your students. If carrying
a firearm is part of your everyday personal or professional
life, your time and money are well spent on training with the
Smokeless Range platform. Until next issue, keep your
batteries fresh and your mind sharp!
SMOKELESS RANGE
pmcimagazine.com

RUNNING ON EMPTY
Do you ever get that feeling that you’re really having to fight
hard to keep pushing along at the moment? If you do, then don’t
despair as you are 100% not alone! As the global pandemic grinds
inexorably onwards, and whilst some of you may be reading this
issue in a country that is still ravaged by this awful virus, things
are improving slowly, and WE ARE getting through this together!
However, the “together” part of that last statement is not what
it was, and our physical “togetherness” has been more than a little
curtailed hasn’t it? Although we are now more able to meet, and
to start reclaiming the lives that C-19 has stolen from us, what
the last year has proved to me is that when it really comes down
to it, you must be at one with yourself before you can begin to
share yourself confidently with others.
Trampas recently posted a comment on his personal social
media from Jocko Willink, retired naval officer, Navy SEAL, and
author of “Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual” along the
lines of “don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there
and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation.
Count on Discipline” and never has this been truer and more apt
than now.
Discipline, both mental and physical, is what gets us through
the day, especially self-discipline; when motivation wains and
you are indeed running on empty emotionally and mentally it’s
self-discipline that will keep you driving forward! You may think
that you can’t take another step, and that you can’t work out
whether up is down any more, but having that self-discipline and
self-reliance at your core means that YOU WILL move forward, and
we all know you must NEVER stop moving forward!
This is not something that comes naturally or easily, but it is
something that you can learn, and self-discipline comes hand in
EDITORS
COMMENT
hand with self-worth and self-reliance. Don’t blame bad stuff on
others, stand firm and embrace responsibility for your actions, or
indeed inactions. Don’t think “oh, woe is me” because inevitably
some has it worse than you do, or “why does this always happen
to me” when you should be thinking “what can I do positively
stop that happening again?”
We always say “Train Hard, Stay in the Fight” and that’s not just
about knowing your drills and knowing how to shoot. This ethos
should encompass every aspect of our lives, as when we become
competent in one thing, that gives us the self-confidence to drive
on and learn or do something more.
And of course, as we all emerge from isolation around the
globe into our respective new worlds, being who you are and
having worth and confidence in yourself will let you once again
fully embrace the company of others, and revel in it! To conclude
I’ll come back to some more wise words from Jocko;
“NO MORE. No more excuses. No more: “I’ll start tomorrow.”
No more: “Just this once.” No more accepting the shortfalls of my
own will. No more taking the easy road. No more bowing down
to whatever unhealthy or unproductive thoughts float through my
mind.”
Just be yourself, know your true worth and believe in it, and
take pride in that.
Stay frosty, and see you on the flip-side!
EDITORS COMMENT

pmcimagazine.com
HELIKON-TEX ROGUE HOODIE
GEAR ON TEST
“Old” is the new “new” it would seem when it comes
to camo gear, and this time we pick up the story of the
re-introduction of “Tigerstripe” by Helikon-Tex, our old
friends from Poland!
In the last issue of PMCI I talked about the fact that our
good friends at Helikon-Tex had recently released both
pants and shorts of a thoroughly modern style in the
venerable “Tiger” pattern, and said that I hoped there
would be more to come from them using this excellent
camouflage, and what a difference just a few weeks
makes!
I said in the review that I hoped Helikon-Tex would do
more with the pattern, and it looks like my comments
have been heeded as they’ve recently announced the
ROGUE HOODIE that will be available in both Multicam
Black/Black, and Tigerstripe/Black, and it looks absolutely
righteous in both patterns!
The ROGUE HOODIE (Full Zip) is a tactical urban hoodie
made for “military style” fans. The combination of a loose
cut and ten pockets makes it easy to carry all the elements
of your EDC gear in it. The main pockets have additional
organizers that will allow you to properly arrange the
equipment and protect it against loss. YKK® zipped chest
and shoulder pockets allow for quick and direct access to
documents or a small, flat wallet.
The use of a tear-resistant 50% Cotton/50% Nylon
rip-stop fabric additionally strengthens the panels on the
hoodie, whilst the additional polyester fabrics will ensure
give and comfort in all the right places! The elasticated
cuffs and the cord-adjustable hood provide temperature
comfort on cold days too.
The hoodie is available in two unique colour and
camouflage combinations, thanks to which it will suit those
who like to stand out in the crowd (or indeed disappear
into the woods)! It will allow you to emphasize your
passions while going to town, to the shooting range or
the gym. Additional velcro panels on the shoulders allow
easy personalization.
I am liking this A LOT, and again, I hope that this is
just the next garment to appear in a growing range for
the future, and that Helikon-Tex will have more for me to
show soon! You can rest assured that my own order has
already been placed, and although I could be all young
and groovy with MC Black, I’m going all traditionalist this
time by embracing good old “Tiger”, and you can keep
an eye on this story as it develops by checking out www.
helikon-tex.com!
14

FIRST TACTICAL RECOIL RANGE
BAG
Over the course of the past year we’ve spent more time
on our “at-home” short ranges and on our woodland
range than ever before, and in some ways it’s been
an absolute delight!
We can think of nothing better to alleviate the tedium of
lockdown than heading to the range to put a serious amount
of rounds downrange, and although we’ve missed the
companionship of our friends due to having to undertake
range testing on a purely individual basis, getting your
groove on with your favourite platform can be a real reliever
of tension!
And of course you need some great gear even when
you’re just heading out for a range session, and in addition
to a pack a good Range Bag is a must. Carrying your eyepro,
earpro, pistols, magazines and all that you need for a safe
and effective range session is a breeze with First Tactical’s
Recoil Range Bag. Designed with tough 600D polyester and
closed foam padding to keep your gear organised while on
the go, specialised internal pockets and compartments suit
all your storage needs in this first class tactical bag.
Stiff padded dividers compartmentalise the pull out for
superior organisation. Complete with two padded pistol
pockets with ten pistol mag pockets the interior pull-out
organiser makes keeping everything just where you need it
simplicity itself. There’s a specialised compartment for storage
of cleaning kit and tools, and the pocket flap unzips and folds
down to reveal an oil resistant lining made for your pistol
cleaning needs. Depending on your requirements, the main
compartment has a hook/loop flap, which opens the zipper
loop allowing the zipper sliders to overlap for easy locking.
SPECIFICATIONS
Main compartment: 18” L x 11” H x 9” D / 45.7cm L x 27.9cm
H x 22.9cm D
Front pockets (x2): 8.5” L x 9” H x 2” D / 21.6cm L x 22.9cm
H x 5.0cm D
Side pockets (x2): 7.5” L x 8.5” H x 3” D / 19.1cm L x 21.6cm
H x 7.6cm D
Carrier compartment: 16.25” W x 7” H x 5.5” D / 41.3cm W
x 17.8cm H x 14.0cm D
Approx. Capacity 2470 cubic inches / 40.5 liters
Weight 4.4 lbs / 2.0 kg
Pockets: 6 external, 13 internal, 2 padded dividers
600D polyester
YKK® zippers
Duraflex® hardware
Depending on your exact needs you can mix and match the
Recoil Range Bag with First Tactical’s Pistol Sleeves and TACTIX
packs (check them all out at www.firsttactical.com or www.
firsttactical.co.uk) cover you even for a full day of shooting,
and we can see that the Recoil is going to become a trusted
long-term range partner!
GEAR ON TEST
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
GEAR ON TEST
NEW GEAR FROM PENTAGON
We’ve been trying some new gear in from tactical
and outdoor specialist Pentagon, and at the time of
writing this week has started wet and windy again,
but we’re already thinking about those long, hot days
of summer, and as last year was frankly a bit of a bust
for obvious reasons, this summer is looking good for
some full-throttle rangetime!
Whilst the weather has stayed inclement though we’ve been
having some great results with the new PANTHIRAS jacket! Ideal
for this time of year, lightweight and practical, the PANTHIRAS
Jacket is made of breathable fabrics with light insulation for
added warmth. The jacket comes with an adjustable hood with
an elastic volume adjuster cord on the back, a high collar with
a chin guard and a full front YKK zipper with a glove-friendly
pull. There are two zipped hand pockets and one internal zipped
pocket for documents, keys, or other personal belongings. The
elasticated cuffs, bottom hem and hood, provide excellent
protection from the wind or rain, so the PANTHIRAS Jacket is
ideal for everyday wear too!
FEATURES INCLUDE:
• Adjustable hood with an elastic cord on the back
• High collar with chin guard
• Full front YKK zipper with a glove-friendly pull
• Two zipped hand pockets
• One internal zipped pocket for documents
• Gusseted underarm design for ease of movement
• Elasticated cuffs, bottom hem and hood
• Hanging loop
• Material: 88% Nylon 12% Elastane
• Insulation material: 60Gsm, 3M Insulation padding
Hopefully though the days of having to bulk-up with multiple
layers will soon be behind us, and a simple tactical shirt’/pants
combo is going to be the thing that we all need, and the latest
LYCOS garments look great!
Durable and practical, the Lycos Jacket from Pentagon is made
of high-density Ripstop fabric and comes with water-repellent
coating. The jacket feature a re-designed collar, full two-way
front zipper with a glove-friendly pull, and a storm flap secured
with hook-and-loop tabs. There are two large zipped upper arm
pockets with pen slots and two large chest pockets with a flap
closing censured with hook-and-loop tabs. The jacket also comes
with easy to roll up ergonomic sleeves with reinforced elbows
and hook-and-loop adjustable sleeve cuffs.
The matching Lycos Combat Pants have been specially
designed to be strong enough for highly demanding outdoor
users yet stylish enough for casual everyday use. Made of the
same high-density Ripstop fabric they provide tactical practicality
combined with a professional look. These trousers feature two
deep hand pockets with reinforced edging, two rear pockets with
flaps and two utility or mag pockets on the front. Four spacious
cargo pockets placed on the front and sides allow for storing
tools or personal accessories. The trousers come with externally
accessible reinforced knee pockets for pads secured with strong
hook-and-loop tabs.
The LYCOS suit is well-priced for those on a budget, and are
available in block colours mix with more casual clothing, so if
you’re looking for a “go to BDU” then these are most certainly
worth a look, and ours came from www.military1st.co.uk
16

VX BUCKLE UP
GUN CARRIER
BLACK / DARK COYOTE
/ GREEN / VCAM
/ SRP: £79.95

pmcimagazine.com
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS
PLATE CARRIERS, GO OR NO GO?
Over the last few years it seems that the plate carrier has become the chosen method of load bearing
and magazine carriage for tactical shooters worldwide, but do we REALLY need them, and why are they
so popular now? Bill takes a look back over his older gear and to find an answer… -BT
When I was a schoolboy and army cadet
the thought of wearing what is in
essence a fancy, fussified “bulletproof
vest” was a million miles away from
my first choice of load-bearing gear,
and the fact that these days we would
all have one, or more, plate carrier in
our kit collection didn’t even factor in
my thinking! Yes, some 1958 pattern
webbing was the very thing I needed,
and to this day I am still a huge fan of this type of gear, although
even our belt kits have become more streamlined and “lo drag”.
If someone had mentioned “armour” to me at that point,
or indeed during my brief interlude with the OTC at college,
my first thought would probably have been of King Arthur and
his Knights, and indeed if you look at the history books then
“armour” has been with us in one shape or form for almost as
long as humans have gone to war with one another. Initially
cured hides and leather armour provided protection for the
warrior, as did layers of silk in Eastern cultures, but as the
understanding of metals and of metalworking grew, so did
armour protection really start to blossom, first in the form of
“chainmail”, and later in the form of the metal plate armour
we associate with those same knights of old.
However, as quickly as metalworking evolved, so did the science
of ballistic weapons! The bow gave way to the crossbow, and
the increased power and efficiency of the bolt soon started
to make many forms of plate armour obsolete, the negative
of weight and bulk (and indeed price!) outweighing the level
of protection given. Of course the introduction of the firearm
accelerated this trend, but as both crossbows and early firearms
were slow to load and fire, some armours remained popular
although the die had been cast…
18

Institute of Justice (NIJ) levels for “bulletproof (I’ll come back to
that…) armour” which describe the various strengths and sizes
of ammunition that said armour can protect against; essentially,
the higher the level, the more powerful the round it can protect
against, and each level is capable of stopping lower level attacks.
Fast forward to the 20th Century, and of course metal-plate
armour systems were still around in both WWI and WWII, but for
the basic infantry soldier the new focus on fast, mobile warfighting
saw it largely disappear, and the trend for non-armoured troops
became the norm throughout the Cold War period. Yes, armour
using thick layers of metal were used by American soldiers in the
Korean and Vietnam wars, but these were specialist items for
specific end-users, and were extremely uncomfortable in those
hot and humid environments!
Once upon a time, and not so long ago if I’m honest, an “Armour
Vest” was exactly that, a vest into which you fitted plates to protect
you from harm, and again, it wasn’t too long ago that these were
simply called “bulletproof vests”, although that in itself was a
bit of a misnomer! Not truly “bullet proof”, the majority of vests
were just about able to protect your vital core and organs from
pistol-calibre rounds, and movies and police shows of the time
would often refer to bullets that would still penetrate these as
“cop killers” as the vests were predominantly used by LEOs.
Reading online, the website of www.safeguardarmor.com tells
me that;
“The most important development in the body armour industry was
the use of plastics in creating strong yet light fibres. These fibres
were used by DuPont in the 1960s to create Kevlar, a brand known
to all as being used in bullet proof vests. These plastics, known as
aramids, create fibres with an extremely high strength-to-weight
ratio that are still flexible, offering great potential for dispersing
energy and coping with impacts. Similar products began to be
created by other companies that utilised aramids and plastics, and
soon body armour became stronger, lighter and more accessible
than it had ever been.”
And this, my fellow shooterists is where things started to get
real for what has become the plate carrier of today, as with the
introduction of high-tech, lightweight (in relative terms!) armour
plate constructions, the user could remain highly mobile whilst
at the same time benefitting from quite significant levels of
core protection! A plate carrier and its associated load-bearing
equipment are within. the reach of all shooters, including
“interested and informed civilians” like you and I.
Armour plates themselves come in many shapes and sizes these
days, and are made from the most effective materials available to
counter differing threat levels; I won’t go into this area in any detail
here as it’s a specialised subject that deserves much more space and
expertise, but suffice to say you can easily look up the US National
CARRYING “TECH”
However, as discussed earlier, as materials science moved on
apace, armour technology moved swiftly on with it; plates became
more protective, better able to withstand larger calibres (even
though impact trauma was still an issue, once explained to me
in no uncertain terms by a prior-service USMC friend who’d taken
an AK round to centre mass and lived to tell the tale thanks to
his body armour!), and lighter, although “lighter” is a somewhat
relative term. That efficacy though meant that a plate carrier, or
PC, that combined the vest with load-carrying capability became
both feasible and a reality. A plate carrier and its associated loadbearing
equipment are within. the reach of all shooters, including
“interested and informed civilians” like you and I.
Of course soldiers and professional users encounter high levels
of threat, requiring the greatest level of ballistic protection possible;
additional attachments for neck, arm, and groin protection are
often recommended as well. PCs therefore are in my mind quite a
strange concept for range shooters and those involved with static
training, as we really don’t need (I sincerely hope!) the ballistic
protection they offer, or at least that given by the plates they
conceal, to protect us from “splashback”, now do we? From an
overall training perspective though, the humble “Armour Vest” has
been transformed in recent years into something far more useful,
carrying not only protective plates but also all the other “rattle”
that we may carry into harms way with us!
When it comes to Plate Carriers themselves, what we all use,
almost to the point of exclusivity today, are “overt” armour carriers.
Unlike some of the low volume body armour vests (LVBAV) used by
security and law enforcement personnel, and for those in need of
non-visible protection and that are highly concealable, our carriers
are made to be worn over clothing. Although they are pretty much
all available in plain block colours, most designs will also come in
a multitude of camouflage patterns, just pick your poison!
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS

pmcimagazine.com
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS
These days it’s almost impossible to find an image of a
soldier, and indeed many police officers, where some form of
PC system isn’t in evidence, and whilst I would revert to my
comment that perhaps we may not need the ballistic protection
element for training purposes, there is of course the old adage
that you “should train how you fight”. Whilst the “military”
plate carrier has changed in increments though, the “civvy”
versions are pushing the boundaries of design, even being
created to carry mock, weighted “plates” for exercise purposes;
I actually came across a guy wearing a 5.11 TacTec the other
day when I was out with the hound, running happily wearing it!
And it must be said that there are even some interesting and
unique designs out there designed specifically more noncritical,
non-duty use, and those are making the PC even more
affordable for even the most budget-oriented user, and you
know what, some of them are actually pretty darn functional!
ONE CARRIER TO BIND THEM ALL!
Whilst many potential buyers undoubtedly want a plate carrier
model from one of the “Names” out there, and there’s nothing
wrong with aspiring to that level if you so desire, the fact is
that there are now PC designs at a fraction of the price that
function well, and that mimic some of the most up-to-date
design concepts from the real world.
Perhaps it’s because of my more widespread interests in
things tactical that I seem to always see conversations online
about the very latest “tacticool brand” and comments about
how important it is for me to have them. Fact is that I gave up
following fashion a LONG time ago over function, and instead
look at what works best for me not only practically, but also in
terms of my bank balance! There are many systems out there
on which to spend (or waste) your money, but at the moment
I have to say that I’m a BIG fan of the “Buckle/Vecro” plate
carrier systems that give HUGE versatility for very little money.
Now the premise of the “Buckle/Velcro” system, a system
that I’m fond of and backed by such manufacturers like Warrior
Assault Systems in the UK with their LOW PROFILE CARRIER V2
and Direct Action from Poland with their SPITFIRE and their
new BEARCAT, is really all about the plate carrier and how you
set that up; some of us have been around long enough that
we have multiple sets of gear to use with different platforms,
with different pouch configurations to take that into account.
What the “Buckle/Velcro” system does is to take that
principle and give you a solution that is totally customisable,
and that’s achieved by having different pouch panels which do
indeed simply “buckle and velcro” to a single armour-carrying
base.
20

These systems all have a front and rear plate panel pocket, good
load-spreading shoulder padding, an elastic cummerbund for a great
fit and a fast-clip/velcro front panel for quick changes of your kit to
save time; these clips and the large velcro panels are compatible
with pouch panels and some even with chest rigs, and herein lies
the clever bit! Say you want to set up your plate carrier for general
range use; well simply attach a magazine panel to the velcro and
buckle it in place. Running hot and heavy drills? No problem, just
add a multi-mission panel and you’re all set with rifle/carbine
mag pouches, pistol mag pouches, and even some elastic loops
for cyalumes and bangs! Rocking an AK or a 9mm platform?
Again, no issue as there are even panels specifically for this!
My personal “go to” rig these days is the minimalist SPITFIRE;
it’s beautifully made and cut, and the materials and components
are absolutely first rate! Put together using proprietary laser-cut
laminate, Cordura 500D and softshell materials the carrier benefits
from front plate only configuration using the chest rig interface,
optional pads on front, back and shoulders area for improved airflow,
a zippered chest admin pocket, and PTT and comms wires / antenna
routing attachment points, and there’s even an accessory armour
package for heavy configuration in development!
The back panel zipper attachment system is compatible with
Crye Precision AVS, whilst the chest Rig attachment system is
compatible with Mayflower / Velocity Systems offering you even
further options! Thanks to numerous clever design elements, back
panels and optional side armour compatible cummerbunds you
are able to set up the carrier the way you actually need it. It’s at
the same time and incredibly durable platform, and is unique in its
modularity, converting to a cut-away rig in just a few simple steps,
allowing for quick donning, doffing and medical access thanks to
Hypalon pullers.
I’ve now put the SPITFIRE through its paces on numerous range
days and training courses with my usual plates fitted, and thus
far I’m impressed. Although the Spitfire is certainly smaller than
the WARRIOR DCS carrier I usually work with the plate support is
excellent, and the pressure exerted both around the torso and over
the shoulders is nicely balanced and spread evenly. The “captured”
female buckles for the front carrying system are tidily achieved,
meaning that you can easily change out your load carrying options;
say you want to set up your plate carrier for light use? Simply attach
a SPITFIRE MK II SLICK CARBINE MAG FLAP, SPITFIRE SMG FLAP, or
SPITFIRE SHOTGUN SHELL FLAP to the velcro and buckle it in place.
Running hot and heavy with a full training load? No problem, simply
use the CHEST RIG INTERFACE (which also means you can use the
Spitfire in Front Panel Only mode) and you’re all set with rifle/
carbine mag pouches, pistol mag pouches, along with space for
bangs and admin items. If you need to carry more load as part of
your modular system Direct Action offer a number of excellent back
panel add-ons like the SPITFIRE MK II BACKPACK PANEL or SPITFIRE
MK II UTILITY BACK PANEL so you’re all set!
Bottom line is that if you want one piece of tactical gear that
will let you carry everything you need, from magazines to comms,
from FAKs and SOFFT to hydration systems on the rear, then the
not-so-humble PC is actually worth a darn close look… I own a bit
of a collection from an old OSPREY MKII in DDPM, through a number
of Warrior Assault Systems DCS rigs, right up to the relatively new
low-profile Direct Action SPITFIRE, and I use medium plates in them
all to offset the weight of the big old hydration bladder on the rear
as I usually train with a small sustainment pack in place; obviously
you need to check the legal position of the plates themselves where
you live!
Whilst you may look at folk wearing a fancy plate carrier and
think on them as either preppers, elitists or that they have more
money than sense, the fact is that PCs are made for a purpose, and
that’s to protect your vital organs whilst giving you the ability to
keep all you need in your immediate “workspace”!
Sure, it’s not going to be right for every single environment
or scenario you might encounter, and certainly not for
everyday wear to the grocery store, but a decent Plate
Carrier is going to tick an awful lot of boxes when it comes
to carrying and accessing all your “shooty gear” if things
go south!
KIT: PLATE CARRIERS
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
KIT: NEXBELT EDC GUN BELT
NEXBELT EDC GUN BELT
Volumes upon volumes of articles are produced each month globally about EDC (Every Day Carry)
gear. Guns, knives, tourniquets, flashlights, spare magazine holders and more are debated as to
which are the best and how they should be carried. Unfortunately, one crucial piece of gear is rarely
discussed which ties it all together, the gun belt. Without a quality made gun belt, many of these
items could not be carried or done so securely enough to be as safe as possible. This issue, we
feature a new take on the traditional gun belt that offers better safety, durability and versatility
from a company called Nexbelt. -TS
Let’s start with addressing the elephant in the room
named “comfort”. Everyone has heard the saying
about carrying gear over long periods of time as
“ounces become pounds quickly”. The only people
who have ever gotten excited about that concept
were drug cartels and that is for an entirely different
context! The rest of us dread constant weight
dragging us down and the less securely it is attached
to us, the worse it’s going to feel. When you carry 3 lbs of
handgun, spare mags, knives, tourniquets, flashlights and more,
it sucks by the end of the day regardless of how it’s carried.
Modern gun guru and direct discipline of Col. Cooper,
Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch said it best when he stated,
“Carrying a gun isn’t meant to be comfortable, it’s meant to be
COMFORTING.” By this, we can take that the firearm and gear
we carry is there to give us a piece of mind that we are better
equipped with it than without it if any of it is needed in an
emergency. Simply put, comfort be damned.
Like many, I have always employed one of two types of gun
belt for EDC. The first being the tactical “gun guy” favorite, the
Condura “instructor belt” with the steel rappelling ring that is
never used by anyone casually. This style belt screams, “I’m
carrying a gun” but to its defense, it carries gear well while
maintaining a clean and professional appearance. The slide loop
adjustments allow for the perfect fit with or without the Inside
the Waistband holster in place. This belt is great for the training
but does not necessary blend well in everyday wear when you
are not trying to look “tactical”.
The second type belt I use regularly is the traditional
leather gun belt from either Crossbreed holsters or from custom
holster maker, Ben King of King’s Holsters. The belts from both
manufacturers are well built and have lasted years but feature
the standard belt hole adjustment design. These are set to
allow for specific set adjustments in which my waist always
falls in between. On one notch its too loose and I feel like I am
pulling my pants up every 5 minutes and, on another notch, it
22

pmcimagazine.com
KIT: NEXBELT EDC GUN BELT
is a bit too tight, and it starts to rub as the day wears on. Keep in
mind, this is not a knock on either manufacturer, this has been the
bane of any belt using this system for many years.
A few months ago, I discovered the company, Nexbelt and their
wide catalogue of ratchet adjustment belts. While this adjustment
system technology has been in existence in the Asian market for
over 25 yards, Nexbelt has been instrumental in re-engineering
it for the U.S. market for the past 7 years. Aside from upgrading
the leather used for the belts, the designers at Nexbelt upgraded
from simple pin construction to solid steel screws used to give
better stability and integrity. All items built on the company’s own
tools and molds in house to ensure the best quality possible.
I sorted through a spectrum of products starting with ratcheting
golf belts with hidden baller markers and bottle openers. Next
were flashy dress belts that had the appearance of a traditional
leather belt and hole adjustment, but underneath were the same
unique ratchet adjustment buckles. As neither of these styles
really apply to my “on and off the range” lifestyle, I continued
to “swipe left” as they say. Finally, I came to the Nexbelt EDC
section and things really started to hit home. These belts were
rated for carrying a firearm securely and came in a section of very
professional looking every day wear belts or “straps” as they call
them and their corresponding buckles. I ordered two belt styles
to try out, one with the Condura style material strap with the
Titian buckle and one with a black leather strap and sharp looking
everyday wear satin nickel buckle called the Blacknite.
All belts ship with a 50” length that you trim off the excess
material not needed to start out of the box with the right
measurement. Once you find your correct length and trim, the
exposed edge is then inserted into the buckle and secured with
two steel screws that lock the strap in. As the end of the tampered
end of the belt is inserted into the buckle to tighten around the
waist, audible clicks confirm each adjustment track is locking in
until the desired tension is reached. To release the belt setting, a
small button along the bottom left of the buckle must be pressed
in to allow the belt to reverse direction.
The first belt came in grey with a subdued black powder
coat buckle called the Titan. It was an oval shaped minimalistic
open style buckle with no sharp edges or corners to dig into my
stomach when seated. At first glance, you would assume it would
be a weak design and simply snap during heavy use. To the
contrary, the steal construction gives the buckle a solid heft to it
and all the strength needed for a hard use belt. Does it double as
a rappelling belt? NO and I do not wish for it to. It does exactly the
job I ask everyday in the classroom and on the range for it to do. It
supports my gun and my gear and maintains a clean appearance
in my duties as a NRA & USCCA Training Counselor and Instructor.
Off the range, I routinely alternate between carrying my
SIG P320 AXG Scorpion or SIG P365 XL, both chambered in 9
mm. Both pistols ride in custom holsters from my good friend,
John Phillips aka the “King of Kydex” at Survivor Creek Tactical.
Regardless which gun I carried before trying the Nexbelt, having a
gun in an Inside the Waistband holster always put me in between
adjustments on a traditional leather belt. My second belt ordered,
the Blacknite, was specifically for everyday wear with jeans or
khakis when I am not trying to look like a firearm’s professional
features a good-looking black leather strap and a squared shaped
satin nickel finished buckle. I received several comments about
how good the belt looked from people who had no idea what sort
of concealed equipment I was currently carrying with that belt.
Thanks to the ratcheting system on the Nexbelt, the Blacknite
allowed for me to have the clean every day look of a top-quality
black leather belt with the benefit of a high-end custom fit.
Despite its thin profile of either belt tested, the rigidity of the belts
was amazing. They did not droop or sag under the weight of the
pistol and holster. The EDC belt series design from start to finish
was intended on specifically supporting firearms and related
equipment without the sacrifice of concealability or security.
With the wide verity of styles, colors, and materials available
in the Nexbelt EDC series, you could match a quality gun belt to
virtually any social or occupational requirement while maintaining
a professional appearance. Retailing from $59.99 to $74.99,
these belts are well worth the investment in the
quality and convenience of having such precise
adjustments available. After spending months
wearing these belts 7 days a week, I believe the
future of gun belts is now upon us. To find out
more about Nexbelt products, visit www.nexbelt.
com and find one that fits your unique needs.
24

arg.uk.com

pmcimagazine.com
KNIVES: HSP DARTER
26
HSP DARTER
Throughout the history of mankind, the edged tool has played a vital part of the human evolution and
survival. In war as well as peace time, the knife specifically has not only been an important tool but
a cultural symbol of status and skill as well. -TS
Never has this been more prevalent in our society
than today’s culture in which hundreds of social
media groups and collectors around the world.
Many are constantly vying for what a custom
blade maker will create next or movie character
such as John Wick carried in a movie. While
this may be good for the industry, it has slowly
dwindled down in true meaning to a select
segment of real warriors around the globe, who legitimately
depend their lives on well-made tools. This month, PMCI steps
through the “fan boys” and their toys to spotlight an everyday
carry fixed blade called the HSP Darter.
This knife was a collaboration between two U.S. military
veteran owned companies, Haley Strategic Partners (HSP) and
Toor Knives. Both companies have plenty of direct-action and
survival experience to know what it takes to create a good
blade. HSP has been known for years for their innovative chest
rigs, rifle slings and other Tier 1 products combining lightweight
yet durable materials to give highs speed operators the absolute
best in options. Teaming up with a renown blade maker such as
Toor Knives with such an impressive reputation for top quality
blades from start to finish completely in the U.S.A just seemed
like a natural combination.
DESIGN AND BUILD
Spearheaded by HSP founder himself, Travis Haley, the Darter
was designed for fighting and light utility use for survival across
a wide spectrum. The collaboration blade project combined
experience and cutting-edge technology with a goal of creating
a well-balanced and reliable tool for real world end users. Is it
the perfect knife? No, because we live in the real world in which
one tool cannot come close to doing everything function. This is
the hidden truth of the knife world outsiders do not understand.
Even Travis Haley admits the perfect knife does not exist and it
was not the goal of their collaborative efforts with Toor Knives
to create a “Do All” knife. The Darter’s goal was to be a knife that
works well doing many things in a multitude of environments.
What the HSP / Toor Knives creation turned about to be in
the end can only be described by three things, Form, Function,
and a bit of HSP Flair.
This blade itself offers a full tang construction using Nextgen
CPM3V steel heat treated to 60 Rockwell hardness and coated
with KG Gun Coat to protect against rust and undue wear. The
sharp serrations along the spine are purposely designed to
bypass certain regional restrictions on double edged blades
while still offering many of the core benefits. Regardless, if you

are using the blade with a traditional forward hammer grip or
reverse grip edge out (RGEO), these serrations allow for a deep
cut into biceps / triceps when trapping arms in extreme close
quarters, working the back of the neck or cleanly cutting through
denim material to sever a quadricep or hamstring.
The jimping around the knife’s pommel offers a great thumb
over style reverse grip. The pommel’s rounded point works well
for strikes to pressure points and other target areas. To aid in
retention, the pointed end of the pommel features a lanyard hole
large enough to loop 550 paracord. Anyone who has lost a knife
into the water during maritime activities or narrowly missed a toe
due to losing grip from a dropped knife during arduous cutting
task can fully appreciate a good lanyard retention cord.
The G10 scales on each side of the knife’s grip feature a
signature Darter Dragonfly pattern machined into them to go
along with the HSP dragonfly logo. HSP offers three color options
for these scales: Coyote, Disruptive Grey and Ranger Green with
offsetting-colored liners for an added flair. These beautifully cut
scales work well for retaining solid purchase on the knife and
complete blade control even in the harshest conditions such as
weather, sweat or blood.
Each knife comes complete with a Kydex Toor Flex-Tech
sheath with UltiClip for secure quick attachment inside the waist
band of your pants or gear pocket. If you wish to lash the taco
style sheath to any MOLLE equipped gear using 550 paracord,
the large open rivets running down the edge side. As an added
accessory to further illustrate how well thought out this sheath
is, it ships with an adhesive backed wrap material to affix it onto
gear via hook and loop method. I regularly run a HSP D3CRM
Micro chest rig when training with carbines such as the Uzi, MP5
and SBR AR and AK platforms. Since the magazine pouches are
mounted into the rig by sandwiching them along the inside back
panel via hook and loop, the sheath tucks in and holds rock solid
beside them in an easy to access vertical position. The sheath’s
blade retention allows for fast deployment while still confidently
holding in place while climbing or going to the ground.
Darter Specs:
Overall Length – 8.5″
Blade Length – 4.25″
Handle Length – 4.25″
Handle Material – G10 with Steel CPM3V tang
KNIVES: HSP DARTER

Blade Thickness – 0.1875″
Blade Hardness – 59 – 61 Rockwell
Weight – 5.3 oz
MSRP - $395
Over the past four months, I have been working with both the
Darter and its trainer regularly. Not only do I use it for my own
training but for our Swanson Training Group (STG) defense courses
as well. Unlike the popular myth of needing a large Ka-Bar for
fighting or survival, the Darter / trainer brings reality into context.
It indexes well, moves quickly inside tight spaces, and still
offers enough blade length for feathering wood for fire tinder and
even larger branches for kindling. Deep serrations in the jimping
along the spine offer a purchase point for the thumb to apply
needed pressure for notching wood or starting a fire using a ferro
rod. The serrations along the spine sever thicker branches to fuel
fires or create other survival tools.
Not only do I carry this blade on my gear when training, but
I often include the Darter as part of my EDC (everyday carry) as
well, opposite of my SIG 365 XL 9mm. From my law enforcement
experience, I know all too well how valuable a tool accessible
to your weak hand can be when fighting to get to a firearm on
your strong side during a fight for your life. Small, fixed blades
are the fastest and most effective tools for immediate results.
The contour of the Darter’s pointed blade profile can easily pierce
between ribs or slice through tendons and muscle with its razorsharp
edge.
TRAIN AND CARRY
Perhaps my favorite aspect of the HSP Darter is that each knife
comes with a dedicated training blade. This top quality, basic
trainer is provided as part of the Darter package to promote it
being extensively used to develop subconscious memory (often
erroneously referred to as “muscle” memory”) of how the blade
feels and reacts in the hand during fast, deliberate strikes. I am
often dismayed how blade makers charge premium prices and
then charge over US$100 for a lightweight aluminum trainer. The
Darter comes with a heavyweight trainer that feels like the live
blade.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I found several aspects of the HSP Darter that I really
liked. The grip felt very natural while the edge was extremely
sharp, and the tip pieced deeply into meat and several fabrics
without breaking. Despite its smaller size, the knife had a solid
heft to it which aids in performance throughout a wide range
of tasks. The balance falls just under the index finger and rides
securely inside its Kydex sheath regardless of the orientation
mounted.
Unfortunately, these blades are a limited product project with
each blade bearing a unique production number. If I broke or
lost the knife, I would not hesitate to replace it with one of the
many similar Toor standard production blades offered if another
Darter were not available. If I were to focus more on Bushcrafting
specifically, I would bring a mission specific designed blade such
as the Toor Field 2.0 outdoor knife. In a perfect world, most
people would agree with me to always use the right tool for the
job, but the simple fact is that you may never know when one
dynamic may change into a totally different situation. For this
reason, I choose the Darter as my EDC.
Retailing for US$395, the Darter is priced along with other
top performing blades in the industry. Unlike the others, the HSP
/ Toor collaboration ships with the previously mentioned trainer
inside the presentation box. This makes the combo package even
more of a value for those in the market for a solid
performing EDC knife. To find out more about the HSP
Darter and other great products from Toor Knives, visit
www.HaleyStrategic.com and www.ToorKnives.com.
Until next issue, keep your blades sharp and your
minds sharper!
KNIVES: HSP DARTER

I’m going to come straight out and say this, I’m a pack
believer! Call it what you will, pack, backpack, ruc,
rucsac, or gear-hauler, it’s all the same to me, but
in my opinion EVERY shooter worth their salt should
be able to carry all they need for a training day,
and indeed if you’re into any kind of “preparation”
I don’t believe you can consider yourself “full on”
unless you own a pack or “go bag” that’s able to
keep you in the field for multiple days!
I worked for many years for one of the very best pack makers
in the outdoor performance industry before I decided to
devote myself entirely to shooting and matters tactical, so
you could say I know a thing or three about how a pack
should be put together, how it should be fitted, and indeed
how it should be packed and used. I’ve spent many, many
days with different packs on my own back, and covered lots
of miles in the wild places of the world with my life strapped
to my back.
I’ve seen many cheap packs fail, and many people ending
up in a world of hurt due to this, or to poor fitment.
A badly fitting back will sit wrong and lead to fatigue
very quickly, and the way you carry items inside will also
have a bearing, but that’s a topic for another day. In this
article I’m going to look specifically at what I (and many
others!) term “Patrol Packs”, models up to 45 litres that will
take you from a day training right up to a multi-day clementpmcimagazine.com
KIT: PACKS
CHOOSING YOUR PATROL PACK
When it comes to using a pack there are many differing opinions as to what is best, or indeed if you
should bother carrying one at all as a part of your EDC/tactical gear! Bill takes a look at this question
from several angles, and comes up with some solutions that may make you think again!
30

weather scenario. “Big Packs”, or in military parlance, “Bergans”,
for winter use are a whole other ballgame, and although many of
the principles are the same they are beasts with a character and
temperament all of their own, and deserve to be treated with
utmost respect!
Choosing the best “patrol pack” is a difficult and personal
thing, and there is no single definitive answer as to what will
be best for you, but ultimately it’s all about getting the job done
safely and efficiently; there is simply “no one fits all” patrol pack
that will suit every individual, and it all really comes down to how
you’re planning to use it
For any situation that’s going to involve more than you
can carry in your pockets, you’re going to need a pack! Even a
sustainment pack fitted to the back of your plate carrier will help,
and as much as I love these, I will usually opt for a standalone
pack for a number of reasons. You may think that “all packs are
equal” but they actually have lots of functional differences. I am
of the opinion that even one pack will not be adequate for all
scenarios, and even as a believer in “light is right” I have multiple
packs for different scenarios; having two to three dedicated packs
can cover you for pretty much any scenario you find yourself in,
and although you can wing it with a single model, having more
than one allows you more choice, and more tactical flexibility.
Are you a person that likes to cover all the bases, one that
is prepared for any kind of weather that “Old Ma Nature” may
throw at you, the player that’s prepared to bivvy at the drop of a
hat? To begin to work out what size and type of pack is right for
you, first think about the following:
• Fit: This is paramount to me for a tactical pack; if it weren’t I
could just drag around a big old trash bag containing my worldly
goods!
• Role: How you’ll use the your pack, and in what setting, can
will give you an idea of the features you’ll need
• Capacity: Just HOW MUCH gear are you going to be lugging (ask
yourself why; do you REALLY need it all!)
• Features: How many pockets do you need, and why? How easy
is the pack to access? How easy is it to dump if you need to bug
out fast?
Patrol packs come in all sizes, great and small, so when you’re
thinking about what you need to buy, REALLY think about what
you need to have in it. Can the pack swallow up a box or two of
ammo, a cleaning kit, some snacks, and water for a day on the
range? Will it be large enough to carry and extra layer and your
waterproofs on a bad-weather day? Do you need to carry any
specialist items like comms? Let’s look at things by size first!
• Up to 10 litres : These can be great for a range day where you
just need to have a few choice essentials, and are usually pretty
stable as most models will be designed for hi-speed pursuits
where little bulk or weight is really carried. They’re great if you
can head back to the car whenever you need to, but at any other
time you’ll be wanting something bigger!
• 10–20 litres: This is my “go to size” if I’m going to be working
close to a base or from vehicles, as generous re-supply will still
be relatively close at hand. At the larger end of this spectrum a
20 litre pack will let you carry additional shell garments, a more
substantial FAK, and more food and water so you can sustain
yourself for a longer period if needed
• 20–45 litres: When it comes to multi-day training scenarios
then this is where I look to have enough packed on my back
to last, with occasional re-supply of rations and water, for some
considerable time! I’ve gone into packing lists for multi-day
scenarios before, but the 40-45 litre mark is where this really
clicks into gear for me; you can go smaller if you’re REALLY superminimalist,
but around 40 litres is the absolute sweet spot as far
as I’m concerned!
KEEPING THINGS STABLE
You’ll find that many smaller, lightweight packs do an excellent
job of adapting to the shape of your back, and if you’re in 0-20
litre territory you can make do with very little mechanical support
as part of the pack construction. When you move up in size, and
therefore potentially in the weight that you may carry though, you
need a little help to get the right fit and correct support that will
help you avoid discomfort and fatigue! Many mid-size packs have
an internal frame that helps support the weight you’re carrying;
some will have plastic parts that add lightweight structure, whilst
others will make use of alloy rods or staves to support the load.
Bottom line; the sturdier the frame, the more the pack, and
you, can handle safely and comfortably!
But the framework of the pack is only the beginning of
getting the “fit” right, and your pack should be as individual in
how it interacts with your body as you are! A good pack “fit” will
give you the correct size appropriate for your torso length (NOT
your height), and will offer support via the hip belt which should
be a snug fit if it’s a padded version such as those you’ll find on
larger models; for the smaller, low-volume, low-weight packs the
hip belt can be more minimal and is really there for stability.
You’ll find that some mid-size packs are available in multiple
sizes to fit a range of torso lengths, and that ranges vary by
manufacturer and by gender. While trying frame-packs on,
position the hip belt so the top edge is just above your hips, then
look at how the shoulder straps work on your back and shoulders
themselves; with no weight in the pack, the straps should sit
slightly proud of your shoulders, enough that you can slip a finger
beneath without feeling pressure, as when you add weight the
straps will be pulled down. If there is a big gap the pack is likely
too long for you! If at all possible try on your potential new loadpartner
with some weight in; most good stores or outfitters will
have weight bags specifically for this. Some packs feature an
adjustable torso that lets you really dial-in the fit; if you struggle
to find the right fit with other packs, consider one with an
adjustable torso. This is also a good idea if you’ll be sharing the
pack with someone too!
KIT: PACKS
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
KIT: PACKS
Hip belts on daypacks usually accommodate a wide range of hip
sizes, so when trying a pack on, just make sure you can get the
hip belt loose enough or snug enough to fit comfortably around
your hips! Female-specific backpacks usually have dimensions
that are generally shorter than on men’s or unisex packs, and
hip belts and shoulder straps that are contoured with the female
form in mind. Because women’s packs have smaller frame sizes,
they often work well for youngsters too.
On a good pack you’ll find additional features that will let
you get it set up specifically for you, and one to ensure that
you have, whatever the size of the pack may be, is a Sternum
Strap! This mid-chest strap found on most packs allows you to
draw in the shoulder straps, which in turn can boost your overall
carry comfort and stability. This is particularly useful on uneven
terrain where an awkward step or slip could cause your pack to
shift to one side and throw you even further off-balance.
MAKING YOUR PACK WORK FOR YOU!
In the past the majority of packs were of a top-loading design,
and this has been around probably since the first pack was
ever made! Items that you didn’t need until you set up your
camp or overnight position were stuffed deep and dark inside,
with quick-access items towards the top. However, time and
technology moves ever on, and just because this is the way it
was done “back then” isn’t the best or most useful way now!
My access preference has been changed in recent years
thanks to the arrival of packs with front-openings, sometimes
called panel or “clamshell” access. This design offers a main
storage compartment that is accessed via a U-shaped zipper;
when fully opened, the front panel can be moved completely
aside, making it far easier to load and keep organised even
when you’re searching for something deep inside. In addition
some packs may feature base access to the interior in addition
to a top or front opening. This can (sometimes) be handy for
accessing gear or clothing at the bottom of your pack without
having to take everything out first, but it’s certainly not on
my “must have feature” list, especially now with “clamshell”
designs.
Whatever your choice for access options, and this is part of the
personal aspect of your pack, there’s a few more things that you
can look for to make sure you have all the features you could
possibly need, and I don’t just mean extra lines of MOLLE or a
big Velcro section for your morale patches!
USEFUL features to look for are:
• Hydration Compatibilty: most good packs now have an
internal sleeve so that you can slip in a hydration reservoir,
along with ports for the drinking hose (also useful for comms
cabling!)
• Mesh/Breathable Back Panel: Some packs have a ventilated
or “breathable” back panel made of mesh that’s constructed so
the pack rides along a few inches away from your back. This
allows a steady flow of air to combat getting a sweaty back,
and allows breathable clothing to at least have a chance of
working properly!
• Sleeping Bag Compartment: At the larger end of the Patrol
Pack spectrum some older-style top-loaders will still have zip
access to a sleeping bag compartment at the bottom of the
pack. Frankly this is something I can do without, as my sleeping
bag only ever comes out when I’m hunkering down at the end
of the day!
• Raincover: If, like me, you live and train in an area where
“liquid sunshine” is a regular occurrence this is a great feature
to have! Trust me, most packs ARE NOT waterproof, and even if
you have your gear stored in drybags, a raincover will stop the
pack fabric from wetting out and gaining weight!
Whatever features you decide will be right for you will be
exactly that, RIGHT for YOU, and don’t let anyone tell you that a
feature is wrong if YOU find it useful! Decide what you need your
pack for, what REALLY needs to go on it, and buy accordingly.
If there’s one thing to get right, it’s the fit. Don’t be swayed
by a pack just because it’s in the right camo pattern or colour
to match the rest of you oh-so-gucci-gear, find one that fits
you properly that you can carry all day long if you need to! As
always, I’d suggest trying a pack before you buy, but once you
know what you need you can buy with confidence each and
every time!
My thanks go to www.military1st.co.uk for
the product images shown with this article, and if
you’re in need of a good pack then head on over
to take a look at the extensive range they have on
offer from some superb brands! Many thanks also to
www.511tactical.com for additional images.
32

pmcimagazine.com
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320
SIG M18 320
And the winner is…the SIG M18! In 2017 SIG SAUER captured the world’s attention when it was announced
by the US Military that the model M18 along with its full-sized counterpart, the model M17, had won
the long, grueling US Military Modular Handgun System trails. This competition was held in search to
find the Army and Air Force’s next standard issue handguns. The winner of the trails would replace the
aging Beretta M9 and SIG M11 9 mm pistols as they were coming to and end of their service life. -TS
These two new SIG models were slightly
modified variants of SIG’s striker fired P320 line
of handguns built specifically to compete in the
trials. By tag teaming the M17 and compact
M18 together, SIG was able to defeat other
major heavy weights in the modular handgun
world including the likes of Glock with their
model 19X, Beretta’s APX system and Smith &
Wesson’s M&P 2.0 among others. This is quite
the accomplishment considering SIG Sauer did not even venture
to cross the Rubicon into the world of polymer striker fired
pistols until 2014! With this potentially lucrative victory, SIG
firmly established themselves as a major player in the hottest
handgun category firearms industry has to offer.
As with anything first seen in the military trials, it takes
months if not years before the actual full-scale production to
begin and firearms reach their clients. After that, it can still take
a year or so before surplus firearms and civilian market variants
trickle down to the contractor and civilian circles. Now, four
years later, the final models of these firearms are now being
widely issued to all military branches, including the US Marine
Corps, who recently adopted the M18 as their official side arm
of choice. The surplus guns as well as a civilian production line
aptly titled the M17 320 and M18 320 are now available to the
entire firearms market. In this issue, we will explore why the
M18 is well on its way to becoming one of the new kings of
the clandestine operations and civilian application markets. To
quote the great Caesar, “Anerriphtho Kybos!” translation “Let
the die be cast”.
FIRST LOOK
To fully appreciate the M18 pistol, you must understand it is all
about modularity. The military trials were specifically looking
for a handgun system that could allow the maximum versatility
possible for the end user, including being able to change grip
frame sizes, slides, and barrels while still be technically the
same serialized handgun. Traditionally, the frame of any firearm
would bear the serial number and would be widely regulated
and heralded as the technical “firearm” with all other parts
such as the slide, barrel, etc. considered accessories.
34

With SIG’s new modular system, the trigger and corresponding
inner workings known as the fire control system are housed into
a small metal structure which bears the actual serial number.
When inserted into the frame, the serial number can be
seen through a small window cut out in the polymer grip
frame. This allows the end user to use the same modular fire
control unit in a compact M18 grip frame and switch it out for
any other size frame offered in the series without changing the
integrity of the overall design and legal definition of the pistol.
Last fall, the folks at SIG Sauer sent over samples of the M17 &
M18 320 on the heels of our coverage of the SIG 320
LEGION here in the pages of PMCI Magazine. As fellow writer,
Clint Steele did a well thought out overview of the M17 to kick
things off, I continued to work with the M18 in comparison to
what we liked and may have originally disliked about the larger
version. Ultimately, it was determined the only real difference
between the two new models was simply about an inch more
barrel and slide on the larger duty sized M17.
Both Clint and I really liked the SIGLITE Front / Night Sights
and the fact the rear sights were on a removable plate set up
for directly mounting one of SIG’s top performing ROMEO1 red dots.
Neither of us seemed to be a fan of the manual safety. With
over two decades of shared time in on striker fired platforms,
a safety seems a bit out of place. This would simply take more
time to get used to.
Like the M17 320, the M18 shipped with a flush fit 17 round and
two extended 21 round magazines for added firepower readily
assessable. These steel magazines are built like tanks and offer
the shooter a high level in confidence in their reliability. Just
having eight extra rounds in a standard load out was a great
feeling straight out the gate! Like the standard SIG Carry model,
the M18 is considered a compact size and a direct challenger
for those like me who used to regularly carry a Glock model 19
with a standard 15 round magazine. Unlike the box Glock, SIG
pistols are known for being more curvy, contoured, and sleek
feeling in the shooters hand. The M18 is no exception as it
seemed to fit my hand like a glove.
M18 vs 320: What is the difference? The most noticeable
difference in the M17 / 18 submitted for military trails and
civilian models aside from the obvious coyote PVD coating
of the M series was the inclusion of an ambidextrous thumb
safety to meet military specifications. This slight change to the
original specs of the 320 series got a lot of people’s attention
started driving more attention to the existing 320 line.
M18 vs M18 320: Is there a big difference? The short answer
is no. The only difference as explained direct from SIG Sauer
representatives is that guns produced for the military trials
featured matching a FDE colored trigger, take down, magazine
release and slide lock lever. The civilian versions simply feature
the controls in a contrasting black finish.
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320

pmcimagazine.com
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320
M18 SPECS
CALIBER: 9mm
MAGS INCLUDED (1) 17rd / (2) 21rd Steel Mags
SIGHTS
SIGLITE Front / Night Sight Rear Plate
PISTOL SIZE SIG Carry
OVERALL LENGTH 7.2 in
OVERALL WIDTH 1.6 in
HEIGHT
5.5 in
BARREL LENGTH 3.9 in
WEIGHT 28.1 oz
SIGHT RADIUS 5.8 in
TRIGGER ACTION Strike Fire
GRIP COLOR Coyote Tan
BARREL MATERIAL Stainless Steel
SLIDE FINISH Coyote PVD
SLIDE MATERIAL Stainless Steel
RANGE TIME
As eager as I was to get on the range and really get some time
in with the M18, I must admit there was fear of some early bias.
After being spoiled with the heavier Tungsten infused
polymer frame of the 320 X5 LEGION and the 1911 style spring
set up, I feared comparing the M18 a bit too harshly. Fortunately,
this was not the case as I began often carrying the pistol during
my trips to the indoor range at Bullseye Guns in Jacksonville,
FL and the outdoor private range known as the Baldwin Pistol
School ran by good friend and training expert, Tom Martin.
As the only really negative in my SIG 320 X5 LEGION review,
front sight found on the pistol. As it was designed as an “out
of the box” competition gun, the thin bright red infused front
sight in combination with a blacked out rear sights made
perfect sense to see small targets in good lighting conditions
quickly. As a self-defense instructor and primarily a defensive
minded shooter, I was not a fan of the fiber optic sights in the
least. In my training and carry world, targets are large, up close,
typically in low to no light. The possibility of the gun striking a
wall or the ground in a fight is real enough that I prefer to have
steel night sights over fiber optics. The SIGLITE night sights on
the M18 were perfect for my eyes to acquire quickly and carry
with the confidence of having durable battle-ready sights. As
an added bonus, the rear sight plate is removable to allow for
optics such as the robust SIG ROMEO1 PRO or crowd favorite
Holosun 507 red dot.
During these COVID defiant range sessions, as mentioned,
I was joined by NRA / USCCA Instructor, Clint Steele to help
weigh in on the long-term research in conjunction with the M17.
While the testing round counts did not reach into the
thousands due to the early onset of the current ammo shortages,
it did exceed the 600 round mark between teaching classes,
field testing and shooting demos. During this time, there were
only four stoppages in the form of misfires. All four were found
to be part of a bad lot of bulk ammunition sent to us from a
previously unknown small company. At the suggestion of our
wise PMCI editor, Bill Pryce Thomas, Clint and I explored the
world of supplemental training via the M17 Green Gas 6 mm
(Airsoft) pistol sent directly over from SIG SAUER.
tAs Clint mentioned in his previous article, the overall
feel and performance of the reciprocating slide and 21 round
limited magazines gave us a great concept of round counts
and action familiarity. While as evident with the success of our
sister publication Airsoft Action, the concept of 6mm training is
not at all new to the rest of the world, but here in the United
States, we have been so distracted by real steel and lead that
alternative sources for safe and innovative training are sadly
slow to be explored. While our Swanson Training Group has
been spent the past two years learning all we could from our
teammates such as Bill and John, we as former real-world
operators have not seen, until recently at least, many of our US
36

contemporaries follow suit until the ammunition shortage was
well into its second full quarter. Even now, I would say only 30%
of trainers have embraced the benefits of “6mm training”. For
the purposes of this article, the ability to spend more time with
the gun in hand, working around barriers, inside our homes and
businesses with a tool that feels and looks the exact same has
been invaluable!
While the traditional curved trigger of the M18 felt a bit odd
to me in the beginning of training after a year of only shooting
flat faced triggers, the 6mm M17 helped these issues become
second nature. I noticed my overall performance working
with the M18 increase to that of the LEGION X5 as well due
to working regularly with both the 6 mm and the 320 version
of the SIRT pistol from www.NextLevelTraining.com . This
specialized trainer shoots a laser rather than a plastic bb and
can be used in conjunction with computer programs such as
the LASR shot recorder system and the highly advanced video
simulation system called the Smokeless Gun Range from the
folks at www.LaserAmmo.com . While the SIRT can be viewed
as a pricey initial investment, the manufacturers, Next Level
Training were kind enough to offer our staff, students and you
the readers a 10% discount via code: STG2020 to save money
where we could in our endeavors to reduce our learning curve.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Over the past twenty-five years or more, I have shot a lot of
striker fired guns. Hell let’s be honest, not only have a shot them,
but I also even bought a lot of striker fired guns. Some touting
to be the “next big thing” only to end up a disappointment as
others proved to simply being a “one off” from a generic design
leaving me grossly underwhelmed. I have carried polymer guns
as a professional and civilian up to and including betting my life
on them and the safety of others. Please take note when I say
the SIG M18 320 is the REAL DEAL. Despite early valid issues
with accidently discharges when dropped on their rear with
other unwarranted claims by soldiers attempting to cover up
what is later discovered to be negligent behavior and not faulty
equipment, the M series is now solid and here to stay.
In comparison to the X5 LEGION and even the M17, I
found the M18 balanced better in the hand and rode more
comfortably in a inside the waistband holster from good friend,
John Phillips, aka the “King of Kydex” at Survivor Creek Tactical.
Loaded for carry with the 17 round magazine, a simply stuffed
a spare 21 round mag in my front left pocket to be accessible
with my non dominant hand for easier reloading. As the Florida
spring begins to heat the world back up to high humidity
and roasting range sessions, the M18 will start to pull duty
alongside my P365 XL. When dress code dictates, the M18 will
ride in the steel console lock box with the smaller P365 XL in
my waistband. This rotating combo both compliment the HSP /
Toor Darter fixed blade knife carried on the belt opposite the gun.
In my opinion, the only real competition the M18 has in
the civilian compact striker fire market lies in other models
of the P320 series. Some prefer the larger frame of the M18
while others may prefer the Tungsten impregnated weight of
the Legion versions. Until a few months ago, I was 100% on
board with the M18 320 as my favorite until SIG refused to rest
on their laurels. In our last issue of PMCI Magazine, I reviewed
the most recent in the P320 series named the AXG series. What
makes it different is the implementation of a metal frame
instead of polymer while retaining the benefits of a striker fired
system.
Depending on your preferences, I believe the M18 is a front
runner for many in a 320 series that may truly offer something
for everyone. The selection seems to only continue to grow at
an impressive pace. To find out what is currently
new with the series or to learn more about any
of SIG’s line of handguns and rifles, visit www.
SigSauer.com and find out firsthand why this
company is widely regarded as the “professional’s
choice”. Until next issue, just remember, “In a
world of sheep and wolves, be a Lion”!!
FIREARMS - SIG M18 320

pmcimagazine.com
TRAINING: TAT3D
TAT3D – ADVANCED TARGETING SYSTEMS
One of the biggest challenges in training is the ability to add the most realism and depth into it. For decades,
even the most elite military, law enforcement and private security teams in the world have been using twodimensional
targets for the bulk of their primary training. - TS
Anyone who has ever been involved in direct
action knows all too well that life resides in
the third dimension and looks a lot different
than on paper. This simple fact is what creates
the gap between range training and realworld
application. Thankfully, there are three
dimensional humanoid targets from the TAT3D-
ATS company in which are designed from the
ground up to provide the most realistic training
possible via several “X factors” other products simply cannot
provide. Let’s learn more about this innovative company and meet
the flagship model of these targets that goes by the name Mario.
PANDEMIC DISCOVERY
Like most people around the world, the COVID pandemic forced
many of us to have more unexpected time on our hands than
any of us wanted. Rather than sitting around letting moss grow
and dust settle, I spent much of the down time when not training
to find better training options for myself and our students. I had
discovered TAT3D-ATS targets being demonstrated online and
really liked what I saw. The possibilities of what these targets
could be used for with our Swanson Training Group (STG) could
be endless but I from what I understood, it was only an Italian
based company. During this same time, our company was in the
transition of partnering with a fantastic host range, Bullseye Guns
of Jacksonville located here in Florida.
As our team was settling into our new home and getting to
know the range staff, I became good friends with the general
manager, Bill Biggert. As a Navy veteran and lifelong firearms
enthusiast, Bill was a wealth of knowledge and the leading
push for his company’s growth and success. I soon learned, the
company that owned Bullseye Guns was none other than Talon
Holdings, who also owns Talon Precision Optics. I recognized this
company as the owners of highly advanced TrackingPoint optics
and Precision-Guided Rifles as well as none other than TAT3D
Advanced Target Systems (TAT3D-ATS). As it turns out, this is a
licensed partner of the Italian based company in which produces
the same targets from molds not only here in the United States,
but less than 20 mins from my home and 5 minutes from our
partner range. I immediately dug in and began to learn all that I
could about these targets and was given an opportunity to work
up close and personal with several samples of these targets.
IT’S ME, MARIO!
As the most realistic, modular 3D humanoid target on the market,
Mario offers a fully ballistic option for training that is quick and
easy to set up. Constructed of super resilient polyurethane using
optical scans of the real human form gives an amazingly realistic
38

TRAINING: TAT3D
body shape to these targets. Internal organ imprints on the inside
of chest panel to give vital zone perspective during after action
review of shot placement. The arms offer articulation at the
shoulder, elbow, and wrist as well as a turning head to pose these
targets in an array of poses from standing at various heights by
using the 1x1 wooden planks locked into the very stable plastic
base plate or have the target in the seated position by not using
the stands.
With an overall weight of only 35 lbs., the modular target can
be broken down for transport in many lighter weight pieces. Seven
full size targets and their stands can be fit into two 32 gallon totes
and transported by one person quickly on and off the range.
After thousands of impacted rounds parts needing replaced can
be individually ordered to give your target new life.
PROPER MINDSET
The basic concept of designing the TAT3D-ATS target system is to
promote better critical thinking and increased lethality of action
of when needed by being able to be positioned in a variety of
ways and shot thousands of times before any of the modular parts
require being replaced, these targets also have a wide range of
ballistic props that can be held in the target’s hands. TAT3D offers
knives, rifles, pistols, radios, broken bottles, grenades and more
that are made of the same material as the targets. This helps the
props survive being shot during training. The ability for the hands to
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
TRAINING: TAT3D
hold such widely different objects allows for a myriad of “shoot /
no shoot” scenarios to be set up to promote thinking and internal
data processing before shooting.
The gap between 2D paper targets and 3D creates a possible
hesitation in even the highest of skilled operators during real
world application of lethal force. Hesitation can end up as inaction
or cause a rush in decision making in which could lead to an error
in judgement. After the action, the sad fact is, the detachment
between training to reality also aids in causing Post Traumatic
Syndrome (PTSD). For the armed professional, the use of the TAT3D-
ATS can increase an operator’s lethality through desensitization
of engaging a human form. As the company states, this is an
expansion of the concepts detailed by Lt. Col. Grossman’s book,
“On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War”. The
ability to prepare for combat and the neutralization of enemy
combatants is known to reduce PTSD in many cases studied
extensively by Col. Grossman.
ON THE RANGE
Some of the most fun our training group gets enjoy annually is
the volunteer work donated to The Well Armed Woman (TWAW)
Shooting Chapters national not-for-profit organization. This firearm
/ self-defense based women’s shooting club focuses on the
three E’s, Equip, Educate and Empower other ladies across the
country. My wife, Candace Swanson established the first Florida
chapter over eight years ago and went on to help over 20 other
chapters become established since. Currently, there are over 800
members in our state and over 16000 nationally. Each year, the
Florida chapters come together under the painstaking planning
and management of Candace and her close-knit team to enjoy a
weekend of training and celebration by way of a TWAW FL Annual
State Shoot. Over 200 members attended and enjoy the labor of
love for a staff of about 50 volunteers from all over the country
including top trainers from the USCCA, various SWAT teams,
government agents from the US and Brazil, private security
contractors, former SEALS, SOF and more.
For our STG training team which is partly comprised of none
other than PMCI Magazine’s own Clint Steele and Jim Wenzel, this
is an opportunity to field test gear for a wide spectrum of skilled
shooters who attend our training over the weekend. Many of
these field tests end up as part of our data reported in various
videos, social media posts and articles such as those in PMCI
Magazine. Between the amazing ladies who come through each
of the two-hour blocks of instruction held throughout the day and
the fellow instructors dropping in to assist in testing equipment,
the amount of quality feedback received in a short period of time
results in what could take months to accumulate otherwise.
This past February, the TAT3D-ATS ballistic mannequins made
their appearance as part of our STG – Urban Rifle course at this
40

year’s TWAW FL State Shoot hosted by the OK Corral Gun Club
located in Okeechobee, FL. As our STG team were given full use of
the facility’s 360-degree range, we designed a course of fire that
would take full advantage of the space allotted. This course was
meant to teach shooters how to efficiently load, move, problem
solve, acquire correct targets and effectively shoot to score the best
possible shots on target given the changing variables presented
from target to target. The rifle platform used was open to what
would typically be used inside and around the home or property
distance such as short, barreled AK-47 and AR-15 to carbine variants
and some even some pistol caliber carbines.
After confirming zero, each line of shooters ran through skill
building exercises such as target identification and acquisition
drills before individually entering the final course of fire. During
this final individual drill, each shooter was escorted from stage to
stage featuring a barricade such as barrels stacked, aligned in a
serpentine path, PTS Barricades with multi-shooting port options
or simply orange cones to circle as they engage TAT3D-ATS targets
from as far away as 30 yards to up close and personal distances
of 5 to 7 yards. Each target was dressed in a white T shirt for the
instructors escorting each shooter to be able to call hits using the
dark lead marks left.
Here are the takeaways from what our team observed. The
clothing on the targets was loose enough fitted to allow the
slight wind constantly blowing over the range to cause the shirts
to move on and off the target’s chest as if they were breathing.
As this was the first experience most of these shooters had ever
experienced having a 3D humanoid target in their sights, it was a
bit overwhelming to some. As shooters raised up their sights on
target, some were observed pausing to take a deep breath before
continuing to forward with the exercise.
By positioning “No Shoot” targets in front of “Shoot” targets
in a hostage situation and using barricades to partially obstruct
traditional center of mass many have learned to sight in on, this
provided unique challenges to many shooters. Just by walking
through the course of fire they engaged Mario and his fellow target
models, Maria and Jackie, shooters arrived at the end of the course
shaking, sweating, and seriously pumped up on adrenaline. The
general consensus of each evolution of shooters who came through
our course was that “Things got real, really quick!”.
The survey provided the following week after the event further
reflected the excitement and shock shooters had from engaging
the TAT3D-ATS targets. Many went a step further and emailed
the Swanson Training Group directly to thank us for all our hard
work and to comment about how they felt better prepared to
defend their home with a rifle now. Several thanked our staff for
challenging them to think beyond paper targets and traditional
training to ease concerns and even some fears of going blank if
they ever had to defend themselves. Needless to say, the clear
evidence of truly giving them a better perspective and sense of
empowerment was worth all the hard work and sacrifice our staff
put into the weekend.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When it comes to the benefits of training with the TAT3DATS
targets, I honestly believe its only limited to your imagination.
With options such as steel plates to get immediate auditory
feedback and cardboard inserts to target your groupings as the
rounds pass through, many of the traditional basic skills can easily
and in some cases be better performed before even venturing into
the advanced skillset applications.
For armed professional units who regularly train in the dark,
the TAT3D-ATS targets give off a remarkably similar glow as a
human being when viewed through night-vision googles.
Traditional paper targets normally do not register well if at all
during this process. With the addition of real-world gear, prop guns
and other items, the reduced lighting conditions can really aid in
bringing these targets to life when training. Our team has seen
firsthand this effect on people during training in bright sunlight
outdoors and reduced lighting on indoor ranges.
Retailing for around US$349 with the basic set up (Mario,
Maria and Jackie) with target stand included, as well as the Bob
model with non-articulable arms retailing at US$215, in the big
picture, these are very affordable for most professional trainers
and agencies to have enough of these to set up valuable training
situations to propel training well beyond the two-dimensional
realm. Want even more from a target system? Not long ago, the
TAT3D-ATS team unveiled a motorized radio-controlled version
playfully referred to by the command staff as “Mario Cart”. Its
quick, menacing and charges like a raging bull to add even more
adrenaline to your system.
Before wrapping up this article, I would like to leave readers
with this final thought. According to the United States Department
of Veteran Affairs, experts estimate that up to 20% of Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, up to
10% of Gulf War veterans and over 30% of Vietnam War veterans
have experienced PTSD. The numbers of Law Enforcement and
Private Military Contractors are also steadily on the rise as our
world’s dynamic involving violence and direct-action increase. The
demand for PTSD treatment across the board continues to grow as
established training becomes defunded or stuck in a rut with its
evolution.
Based on my experience and time with these targets, I concur
with TAT3D-ATS company in seeing an opportunity to mitigate
the steep increase in PTSD through proper training and the
desensitization aspect of their system. Simply put, if these Tier 1
level targets are within your personal or commercial
budget, I highly recommend purchasing and training
with TAT3D-ATS. To find out more about Mario and the
rest of the next generation of training targets, visit
www.tat3dats.com (government sales available). Until
next issue, Train Hard. Continue the Fight!
TRAINING: TAT3D
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
TRAINING: 6MM
42

GETTING INSIDE WITH G&G ARMAMENT
With “6MM Training” finally attaining not only an acceptable, but indeed a welcome voice in the forearms
world perhaps it’s time for us to show you a little more of some of the companies behind some of the excellent
platform options out there, and it may surprise you to discover that some, such as G&G Armament in Taiwan,
are already well advanced in working with both police and military units to provide safe and effective training
tools! Bill tells us the story…
O
kay, I’m not for one moment going to try and pull
the wool over anyone’s eyes that when we talk
about “6MM Training Platforms” we are talking
about anything other than “airsoft replicas”; yes,
the very self-same replicas that you’ll find on old
paintball fields and some actually very advanced
dedicated skirmish sites worldwide in the hands
of enthusiast players quite literally “having a blast”
each and every weekend!
However, how many times have you heard now-famous shooting
luminaries start their story with “it all began with my Red Ryder…”
so let’s not be TOO harsh on these BB-spitting creations, as unlike
that beloved Daisy model some of them actually replicate real-world
firearms down to exact weight, size, and every other specification
you can imagine, and many of them are of extremely high quality,
offering performance that once again might make you sit back and
think… hard!
When I was at SHOT with Trampas and Clint back in 2019 I spent
some time showing them what I believe are amongst the most
versatile non-lethal firearm training tools ever, and it’s been great to
see both of them adopting a new direction as they now also believe
that “6MM” can assist them in filling their ever-growing, never-tobe-full
training toolboxes!
I spent some time with Clint showing him both gas-powered
pistols and “AR” models, and he found it incredible that just like the
“real deal” he could pretty much create the platform he wanted,
using the same style of accessory parts that he would mount on a
real .223 carbine. He asked me about stocks, rails, optics, different
barrel lengths, and accessories and all I could tell him was “yup,
no problem, you can build that” and it was a joy to see a new
appreciation dawn for him.
And the creation of what many may still see as “toys” is just
as large a business in the big, wide shooting world as any, and by
way of illustration I’d like to introduce you to one of the “big guys”
in the 6MM world, G&G Armament, and I’d like to thank my friend
Stu Mortimer who lives in Taiwan for helping me out with this.
When I asked Stu about G&G he told me that nestled in
Shengang township, just on the outskirts west of Taichung (Taiwan’s
central city and major manufacturing base) Guay & Guay Armament
(G&G) moved to their current facility a decade ago, following a
need to expand their operations as they grew their own product
lines and shifted focus toward final assembly and front end research
and development of airsoft replicas to meet a growing market both
domestically and abroad.
Originally G&G began trading in 1986 not far from their current
location; starting out with importation of Japanese goods such as
toys and stationery they soon diversified into supplying Japanese
airsoft goods to the Taiwanese market as airsoft began growing in
popularity in Asia and further afield. Frustrated with the apparent
lack of responsiveness or availability of spare parts to satisfy their
customer’s service needs, G&G eventually derived the ability to
reverse engineer their own components to serve as spares in the
Taiwanese market.
They soon acquired sufficient stock and variety of components
to produce their own guns entirely - and so the modern form of
the business was born; James Liao - the founding father of the
company decided first to attempt an M14 replica, having served
in the Republic of China Marines Special Forces himself, a certain
desire to make their first replica one of his trusted service rifle was
inevitable. Originally derived from the components and gearboxes
of others, Mr Liao soon decided to look toward developing homegrown
designs and subsystems, coining the name of the company
‘Guay & Guay’ that translates as ‘strange/different’ as an ethos for
the burgeoning airsoft manufacturer, one daring to be different,
rather than following everyone else’s products, and not afraid to
take risks in the market not just with new or odd aesthetics, but
also developing new internal operating mechanisms or components
without fear of failure.
MOVING FORWARD
With the progression of the business and a growing product range
their first milestone in terms of a brand new operating system came
in the form of their pneumatic blowback system, a first of its kind
for electric airsoft guns, which did not require the recoil simulation
assembly to be mechanically connected to the gear system as with
other earlier competitor’s offerings.
The range of models offered continued to grow with various
themes or replications of real counterparts; with some direct
TRAINING: 6MM
pmcimagazine.com

pmcimagazine.com
TRAINING: 6MM
partnerships with more permissive manufacturers such as Knights
Armament Company and Fabrique Nationale in the past, and
deriving thematic replicas similar to other real weapons where
the licensing arrangements of less permissive manufacturers
became too much of an encumbrance to deal with, many of
G&G’s more recent product lines are derived from a blend of real
firearms and their pertinent features to create very ergonomic
and easily operated shooting platforms.
In terms of their company structure and reach, their current facility
homes their hundred or so employees dealing with management,
international sales, research & development, design and final
assembly; since their move in the early 2010’s they have changed
their production model to outsourcing all of their components to
subcontractors, focusing solely on assembly and test in house, as
well as front end design and rapid prototyping to assure quality
and suitability for the end user prior to final release of designs to
their suppliers.
Supplying up to a hundred and twenty thousand units in total
a year if working to maximum capacity, their best-selling lines
account for nearly half of all that capacity; moving around fifty
thousand guns annually in that range, all of their products are
made to order in batches tailored to every end stockist’s local
legal requirements - producing a range of gearbox assemblies to
suit the likes of US, south American, European, Korean or Japanese
power output restrictions - as well as consideration for the likes
of orange tipped muzzles or two tone colour schemes for some
markets, all of which are shipped to nearly 60 countries that G&G
service worldwide.
In line with Mr Liao’s desire to spread education and a positive
public opinion of airsoft as far and wide as possible, many of
these countries are also invited to field national teams in the
ever growing G&G Armament World Cup shooting competition
- with many countries already attending over the last four years
events pre-Covid, giving ever greater international recognition to
airsoft as a legitimate, active, healthy, focused and team building
hobby which can hopefully overcome its apparently ever present
negative connotations or media perception; in Taiwan, as in the
UK and no doubt elsewhere, there is a predominantly anti- gun
sentiment in many people who see anything remotely firearmsrelated
as having criminal connections or otherwise raising very
negative press or public reactions.
TURNING TO TRAINING
Alongside the World Cup events, G&G actively engages with
national military, law enforcement, government and educational
establishments to spread a positive message about the benefits
of responsible shooting cultures and even produced aesthetically
accurate and real weight replicas of the Republic of China Armed
Forces’ standard T91 weapons platform to aid in training of service
personnel in Force on Force situations or general range work and
weapons handling prior to progressing to live fire weapons.
In conjunction with these efforts G&G have also produced
a variety of multi-functional electronic targeting systems which
react to BB strikes and change lighting colour or allow an array
of targets to be programmed for time trials or other shooting
range games to test user’s marksmanship and reaction times,
some of which they have set up on their facilities top floor in
44

their conference facilities where they welcome various regional and
international guests and allow them to try their hand in situ!
G&G recognise that changes in the way we live today, along
with advances in weapon technologies, mean that modern ground
encounters gradually progress from traditional field combat to urban
warfare, where there is more focus on faster reaction times, shorter
engagement ranges and rapid action in close quarter settings. They
also understand that tension and pressure in a current-day scenario
is far higher, and that this needs to be mitigated.
Corresponding to new combat situations, building a traditional
live-fire, or even simunitions, training facility will cost a huge amount
and place numerous challenges such as environmental protection,
loud noises, and even user-error on the staff. Also weapon control
procedures, security risks and personnel management create
challenges that make effective training more difficult to keep up
with when it’s all “live”.
G&G found that the Taiwanese National Defense units faced all
these challenges in training, so they learned from the West Point
Academy and the Swiss Police Department that using a “6MM”
option for some training could be safer but still efficacious. Their
advanced program can fully use any and all available space in any
facility and substantially lowers the training cost. “Airsoft” training
has now been proven to have beneficial result on improving muscle
memory, personal adherence to mission, combat process, entry
drills for room clearing and response to crisis.
Many Military Training Centres in Taiwan have now adopted
G&G Armament airsoft training platforms and their electronic
target system. Cadets must be trained with an airsoft platform for
a certain amount of hours before live round training commences,
and this advanced training program increases the training pattern
and lowers the security risk. Training facilities can be rearranged
or changed dependant on the purpose of the training or mission,
and this program improves Close Quarter combat skills and reaction
under pressure. Because of the durability, simulation capability and
high product quality, the cost for military training has been lowered
without any sacrifice in eventual performance.
Approved by military and law enforcement from many other
countries and field tested by the Taiwanese Army, and they
welcome all training facilities and organizations to contract them
for more information and let us help you build a more effective and
inexpensive training system.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So, by using G&G’s obvious success, not just in the business world,
but also in driving forward advancement in safe training processes,
it’s pretty clear to me that “6MM Training”, or airsoft, or whatever
clever name you might wish to use for essentially what is the same
thing, is with us to stay!
Trampas has illustrated in this very issue that with the current
ammunition situation we all need to be smart to keep our personal
training tempos up to speed, and coming from a country where I
can’t own a semi-auto rifle over .22 or a live-fire handgun in any
meaningful form, “6MM” is where it’s at for me a lot of the time
until I travel overseas.
Yes, I know after a lifetime of shooting the real thing that a
“BB Gun” ain’t gonna give me everything I need when it comes
to my personal shooting skills, but it will certainly help me in that
direction. Frankly, if it’s good enough for military and police units to
train with, then it’s certainly good enough for me!
With ongoing licencing arrangements with some well-known
firearms manufacturers and new developments in G&G’s own gas
MGCR “training rifle” technology on the table in addition to the
work they’ve already done with their growing range of handgun
models, sometimes it’s as easy as winding in our own egos and
accepting that something simple, safe, and relatively
cheap is going to actually prove beneficial. Thankfully
companies like G&G are there to help us when that
realisation finally dawns!
My sincere thanks go to my good friends in Taiwan,
Stu Mortimer for the insight, and Rick at G&G Armament
(www.guay2.com) for all their kind help in creating this
article.
TRAINING: 6MM
pmcimagazine.com

Helikon-Tex®
SFU NEXT Pants® Mk2
Improved battlefield classics
• Two large hook & loop
closed cargo pockets
on the sides
• Redesigned to fit better
• Reinforcements on seat
and knees
CHECK OUT NEW HELIKON-TEX®SFU NEXT PANTS®MKII
Journey to Perfection

PMCI
BOOK REVIEW
I'd like to take the time to introduce
you to our model featured left, a
friend of mine named Travis Partyka,
affectionally known as 'Big Red',
being 6'4" and 240lbs. He was the
real deal, 2-14INF 10th MTN DIV
Sniper, contractor and my friend.
Well remembered and sorely missed
27/6/84 - 24/01/21 RIP TP.
Baz, PMCI Team.
COUNTERINSURGENCY:
THEORY AND REALITY
In today’s world I think it’s important that we understand certain
things better than we have in the past, and as we live in societies
that are seeing discord from the populace as never before in
recent years, one of the topics I wish to understand more is that
of counter-insurgency, and as a wider topic the insurgencies that
have come together to create what we now refer to a “COIN”,
and I’ve been lucky enough to have a copy of Counterinsurgency:
Theory and Reality to check out.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any
“military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas
or revolutionaries” and can be considered “war” by a state
against a non-state adversary. Counterinsurgency can be further
defined as the efforts to defeat and confine a rebellion against a
constituted authority. While it has become a buzz-word in the last
twenty years, it is as old as society itself, and in military sciences,
counterinsurgency is one of the main operational approaches of
irregular warfare..
The concise history offered in Counterinsurgency: Theory and
Reality discusses the development of modern counterinsurgency
over the last two hundred years, beginning with the origins of
modern insurgency from the concept of ‘small wars’ and colonial
warfare, through the ideas of early insurgents including Clausewitz
and the theories of Lawrence of Arabia, to the methods of 20thcentury
insurgents, including Mao and Che Guevara.
It then examines a number of post-1945 insurgencies and how
western armies have tried to counter them, in particular how the
French tried to counter insurgencies in Indochina and Algeria,
and then the US in Vietnam, and the reaction to the American
experience there. This is compared with the British approach in
the years after World War II, particularly in Malaya, but also in
Kenya and Northern Ireland.
Against this backdrop the book offers an examination of
counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Iraq, the rise of COIN
literature, and the subsequent backlash against that literature,
concluding with a discussion on the future of COIN.
Counterinsurgency: Theory and Reality is available currently
on pre-order, releasing on June 30, 2021.
Daniel Whittingham is Lecturer in the History of Warfare and
Conflict at the Department of History, University of Birmingham.
He is interested in all aspects of the conduct of war, but with a
particular focus on British military history, military thought and
strategy. His main research interests are British colonial warfare
in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, counterinsurgency,
the First World War and the Second World War. Stuart Mitchell is
Senior Lecturer at the Department of War Studies, Royal Military
Academy Sandhurst. He has taught counterinsurgency to the
British Army for several years as well as to overseas personnel
on diplomatic visits.
Publisher : Casemate (June 30, 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 192 pages
ISBN-10 : 1612009484
ISBN-13 : 978-1612009483
BOOK REVIEW
pmcimagazine.com

Advanced Security Protection
http://www.advancedsecurityprotection.com/
AKE Group
http://www.akegroup.com/
Ambrey Risk
http://www.ambreyrisk.com
Antipirates.Org
http://www.antipirates.org/
APPDS
http://www.appds.co.uk/
Aquatic Marine Ltd
http://www.aquaticmarineltd.com
Protect Asia Group
http://www.protectasia.com/
Secopex
http://www.secopex.com/
Aspida
http://www.aspida.org/
Associated Risk Maritime Risk Management
http://www.associated-risks.com
Bancroft Maritime Security Solutions
http://www.maritimesecuritysolutions.co.uk
Bechtel Corporation
http://www.bechtel.com/
Black Pearl
http://www.blackpearlmaritimesecurity.com/
Blackstone Consultancy
http://www.blackstoneconsultancy.com;
Blue Hackle
http://www.bluehackle.com/
Blue Waters Partners Global
http://www.preparedex.com/
BP Global
http://www.bp.com/
Britam Defence
http://www.britamdefence.com/
British Maritime Solutions
http://britishmaritimesolutions.com
BW Offshore
http://www.bwoffshore.com/
Calibre International Security
http://www.calibre-international.com/
Chilport
http://www.chilport.co.uk/
Chiron Resources
http://www.chironresources.com
Clearwater Special Projects
http://www.bodyguarding.co.uk/
Control Risks
http://www.control-risks.com
Decatur Maritime Security
http://www.decaturms.com/
48

Drum Cussac
http://www.drum-cussac.com/Index.aspx
Dryad Maritime
http://www.dryadmaritime.com/
Edinburgh International
http://www.edinburghint.com/home/
Elite Maritime Protection Services
http://www.elitemaritimeprotection.com
EOS Risk Management
https://www.eosrisk.com/
Erus Maritime
http://www.erusrisk.com
Espada
http://www.espadaservices.com
Ex Military Recruitment
https://www.exmil.co.uk
Exploration Logistics Group
http://www.frontiermedex.com/
G4S Maritime
http://www.g4s.uk.com
Genesis Security Group
http://genesissecurity.com/
Global Executive Outreach
http://www.geo-ops.com/
Global Risk Security
http://www.globalrisksecurity.
co.uk/
Global Solace
http://www.solaceglobal.com/
Global Strategies Group
http://www.globalgroup.com/
Grail Security
http://www.grail.co.za
Halliburton
http://www.halliburton.com/en-USage
Halogen Security
http://www.halogensecurity.com/
Hart Maritime
http://www.hartsecurity.com
Hill & Associates
http://www.hillassoc.com
HP TerraMarine International
http://www.hpterramarine.com/
Hudson Trident
http://hudsonanalytix.com
ICTS
http://www.icts.co.uk
IMSA Ltd
http://www.imsaltd.com/
International Executive Recruiting
http://www.iernetwork.com
International Maritime Security
http://www.intmarsec.co.uk
International Maritime Security
http://www.intmarsec.co.uk/
International Security Network
http://www.isn.eu.com
ISC Gulf
http://www.iscgulf.com/
ISSG Sea Marshalls
http://www.issg-seamarshals.com/

Janusian Risk Advisory Group
http://www.riskadvisory.net/
Kroll
http://www.kroll.com/
Longmoor Group
http://www.longmoor-security.com
Lotus Maritime Security
http://www.lotusmaritime.com
Lotus Projects
http://www.lpyemen.com
Maersk
http://www.maersk.com/pages/default.aspx
Magregor Protection Services
http://macgregorprotectionservices.com
MTResolution
http://www.mtresolution.com/
MUSC
http://www.sps-global.com
Naval Guards
http://www.navalguards.com
Neptune Security
http://www.neptunemaritimesecurity.com/
NNK Group
https://www.nnkcorporation.com
NYA International
http://www.nyainternational.com
Ocean Marshalls
http://www.oceanmarshalls.com
March Security
www.marchsecurity.com
Maritime Risk International
http://www.maritimeriskinternational.com/
Marsec
http://www.marsec.eu.com
MAST
http://www.mast-commercial.com
McRoberts Maritime Security
http://www.mcrobertsmaritime.com/
Merchant Maritime Warfare Centre
http://www.mmwc.org/
Minimal Risk
http://www.minimalrisk.co.uk/
MSS
http://www.mss-uk.com
Ocean Protective Services
http://oceanprotectionservices.com
Oceaneering International
http://www.oceaneering.com/
Olchon
http://www.olchon.co.uk/
Olive Group
http://www.olivegroup.com/
Orchid Security
http://www.orchid-office.com/
Oxberry Risk Strategies
http://www.oxberryrisk.com/maritime_services
Pilgrim Group
http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com
Pilgrim Security
http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com
50

Pistris
http://www.pistris.com/Index.html
Protect Asia Group
http://www.protectasia.com/
PVI Ltd
http://www.pviltd.com/
Raven Special Projects Ltd
http://www.ravenspecialprojects.com
Red Cell Security
http://www.redcellsecurity.co.uk
Redfour-MSS
http://www.redfour-group.com
Saladin Security Group
http://www.saladin-security.com/
Saladin Security
http://www.saladin-security.com/
Salama Fikira
http://www.salamafikira.com/
SMS
www.specialistmarineservices.com
Tor International
http://www.torinternational.com/
Trojan Securities International
http://www.trojansecurities.com/
Orchid Security
http://www.orchid-office.com/
Blackstone Consultancy
http://www.blackstoneconsultancy.com/
Pilgrim Group
http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com/
Maritime Risk International
http://www.maritimeriskinternational.com/
International Maritime Security
http://www.intmarsec.co.uk/
Raven Special Projects Ltd
http://www.ravenspecialprojects.com/
Salamanca Risk Management
http://www.salamancarm.com
Sea Marshalls Ltd UK
http://www.seamarshals.com
SEAL
http://www.sealsecurity.com/
Securescot
http://www.securescot.com
Securewest International
http://www.securewest.com/
Security Networking Events
http://snespecialprojects.com/
Security Networking Events
http://snespecialprojects.com/
Securoquest
http://www.securoquest.co.za
Shield Risk Consulting
http://www.shield.eu/services/maritime-security/
Shipguard
http://www.mss-uk.com
SMS
www.specialistmarineservices.com
SPS
http://www.sps-global.com
Tactical Intel
http://www.tacticalintel.com/
Thalassic
http://www.thalassic.co.uk/
Tor International
http://www.torinternational.com/
Torcuss
http://www.torcuss.co.za/
Triskle TSL
http://www.triskelservices.com
Triton Security
http://www.tritoninternationalltd.com
Trojan Securities
http://www.trojansecurities.com
Veritas International
http://www.veritas-international.com/