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The products that caught Abner Miranda’s eye at SHOT Show 2011.
Abner Miranda is currently a patrolman for Signal Mountain (Tenn.) Police Department. He’s a Spanish interpreter, an FBI trained hostage negotiator, and an AR-15 and Glock armorer.
Editor’s note: Law Officer hooked up once again with the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s SHOT Show to provide premiere police training at the premiere shooting sports conference. When officers weren’t learning, they were scouring the floors for the latest in police equipment. In fact, the law enforcement pavilion at SHOT is its fastest growing section, and the week-long conference provides ample opportunity to shop the aisles for gear that will make you a better, safer cop. If you’re interested in attending next year’s SHOT Show—Jan.17–20, 2012—keep an eye on www.LawOfficer.com for updates.
Here’s an optic that’s recently come into the forefront in the world of mini reflex sights. After exhaustive testing, the Insight Tech-Gear Mini Red Dot Sight (MRDS) is the latest optic to be adopted by the Department of Defense. Built to rugged military specs, the MRDS is designed with CQC in mind—which is why it’s an excellent optic for police use. The lightweight reflex sight mounts to MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny and Weaver-style rails, and it can also be piggy-backed onto ACOGs. It’s offered in a non-reflective black or tan finish with either a 3.5 MOA or 7.0 MOA dot size. The MRDS features auto-adjusting dot intensity, but it also offers the operator a manual dot intensity adjustment with four brightness settings to include an NVG compatible setting. The MRDS is waterproof to 66 feet for two hours. It’s been frozen, drop-tested, subjected to a 48-hour salt fog, tested to withstand vibration, submitted to extreme temperature shock and shot on a variety of firearms for tens of thousands of rounds. It’s powered by a single 1632 battery that allows the unit to operate for one-year in auto mode. It weighs just 0.85 oz., including battery. So the question is: Would I use one? I already do. This is what is on my personal rifle that spends the night under my bed. I trust my life and that of my family to it.
Insight Tech-Gear—www.InsightTechGear.com
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Ka-Bar law enforcement knives are an established and much-needed weapon for today’s LEO. These knives were designed in conjunction with John Benner, the owner of Tactical Defense Institute (TDI) in Bethany Ridge, Ohio. TDI has been a leader in weapons training for decades. The newest addition to the Kabar lineup is a folder version of their knife. These knives are designed for lightning-fast deployment and they’re a great way to end a “gun grab.” The shape of these knives allows an officer to deploy, reach around to the attacker and open up the entire arm, thus severing every muscle group and tendon. (They will probably let go of your gun after that.) Note: With the Ka-Bar/TDI knives you can do this while your shooting hand is on your gun. These are stout knives, in either the serrated or straight edge, and they’re a great value.
Ka-Bar—www.Kabar.com
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I sought out the VirTra Systems booth in hope of trying out its simulator. I was in luck, and they ran me through a couple of demos on their 300 LE. Not only does the 300 LE use five high-resolution screens to bring the scenario to life, the very floor you stand upon is wired for sound. I was run through a reenactment of an actual event in which two officers were dealing with a drunk in an alleyway in mid-morning—when suddenly they were fired upon from the rear by a suicide-by-cop attacker. Nothing gets your attention more directly than pain. So VirTra Systems uses a small shocking device called the Threat-Fire, which delivers a sharp snap of electricity to the officer to let them know that they’ve been hit. I was so intent on keeping my eye on my fellow officer that I failed to turn and watch my surroundings. That inattention cost me a zap in the back, which spun me around. As I turned and aimed at the source of the audible gunfire, I saw a man stepping out of a white pick-up truck, firing on us. I returned fire fast and hard while fighting the recoil of the CO2-charged Glock 22 in my hands. Yes, you read that correctly: The weapon is totally wireless and actually creates a vigorous recoil that feels pretty darn close to the real thing. A full selection of weapons and less-lethal devices are also integrated into the VirTra simulators, which allow you to adjust your response as things progress. As I fired on the subject, I hit him with at least one of multiple shots. I knew this because as he went down he left a smear of blood along the side of his truck. I quickly rotated, sucked in a deep breath to break my tunnel vision and scanned for more threats. Guess what happened next: He got up and fired on me again. To say that VirTra Systems got it right would be an understatement, and they offer a wide assortment of prices, sizes and options to suit your department’s needs and budget.
VirTra Systems—www.VirTra.com
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Consider this a preview. I stopped by the FLIR booth and got scanned by the latest in thermal imaging. As I stood in front of their booth, I looked at myself on the screen and was able to see the outline of my cell phone in one pocket and my badge in the other. The image would be nearly the same in low- or no-light situations. I don’t think much else needs to be explained as to how effective this technology is at finding people and or finding things on people. From a tactical standpoint, the new binocular set-up is a great improvement over the monocular H-Series. There’s less fatigue on the eye, for one thing, and I got a faster focus this way. Other advantages include the ability to record without holding down a record button. I haven’t had a chance to test this in the field yet, but as far as I can tell, this will be a game- changer, with applications from reconnaissance to border security to tactical response. It’s a rugged, effective and simple tool that will improve your response.
FLIR —www.FLIR.com
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At SHOT, I was looking for something specific—a true innovation in hearing protection. At the E.A.R. Inc. booth, they were busy pumping multi-colored molding materials into peoples’ ears. Let’s just face it: When you walk by a booth filled with guys in director’s chairs with stuff hanging out of their ears, you’re gonna stop and look. I saw I’d found exactly what I was looking for. Until now you were never able to purchase a multi-functional, dual-filtered hearing protector that was designed to help you hear speech better in noise—that can be hooked up to two-way radio communications. This is huge. Fact: If a piece of gear doesn’t work or fit it won’t get used, and today’s hearing plugs minimize one’s ability to hear critical sounds needed for communications and environmental awareness. The HearPlugz-DF incorporates breathable, moisture-resistant acoustical filters that improve sound quality when the ear is overloaded with excess noise—continuous or impact noise! What does this mean? These will take the edge off gunfire but voices and comms will come right through. The attenuation factor increases as noise increases. This is achieved through battery-free, dual-baffle technology embedded in the plugs. But wait, there’s more! Not only do these come in your typical plug in configuration, they can also be molded into custom ear molds.
E.A.R. Inc.—www.EARinc.com
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No matter how many agencies adopt rifles, the shotgun will never lose its place and relevance in our world. Nothing else can do what a shotgun can. For breaching, putting down injured animals and stopping major trouble, nothing beats a shotgun. The very sound of one being racked is an attention getter. I stopped in at the Kel-Tec booth to check out what they had in this new shotgun of theirs, the KSG. It has an overall length of 26.1 inches, which makes for a short, mobile weapon. It’s mostly polymer, which I like because it keeps the weight down to 6.9 lbs. Take that scant weight and throw in the amazing magazine capacity of 14-plus-1 rounds and you’ve really got something great going for you. Up until now you had to have a whopping long shotgun to have only 8 or 9 rounds. Now you can have 14 in something that’s about as long as an MP5. (Aside: I heard someone at the booth—not an employee of Kel-Tec—say: “With two separate magazines, you can load lethal rounds in one and less than lethal in the other.” Clearly, the fellow who made the suggestion of loading lethal and less-lethal rounds into the same gun either hasn’t been involved in weapons training or he’s … an imbecile. Professionally trained cops know better and would never consider loading a KSG in such an irresponsible manner.)
Kel-Tec
—www.Kel-Tec.com
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The first time I looked at the ad for StressVest, I asked myself, “I wonder how that thing works?” The short answer is: It works well, and I got the full rundown on this superb product. I look for any reason to get some trigger time in. However, static range-shooting is only good for target practice. The instant you have another person fully engaged in trying to kill, all static training is null. Wouldn’t it be good to have something that can give you solid two-way training without the mess and mind-numbing pain associated with sim rounds? That’s what the designers of the StressVest thought. The simple setup of this system lends itself to being used a lot. It consists of a vest with an integrated control panel and a shock/vibrate device that hooks to the inside of your belt. What makes the StressVest so appealing is that you can use either the dedicated, Glock-style training pistol or you can insert a Laser Ammo SureStrike insert into your duty pistol. This insert renders your firearm utterly incapable of chambering a live round and emits a laser pulse. Because there are no projectiles flying through the air, there’s no need for padding and masks. Both officer and role player wear a vest and have a weapon. When the laser energy is registered as a hit on the vest the electrode gives a sharp snap of electricity to the officer. This is so intense that it has the ability to double you over in pain. If the training officer should choose to do so, the electrode unit can be programmed to emit an increasingly more painful jolt every few seconds so as to simulate one’s injury getting worse. This teaches the officer to get cover and manage their combat focus through pain. I’m a cop, and, yes, I’ve been Tased. The StressVest is nowhere near that level of horror. It feels more like the hit you get from 110 volts of wall current, but only for an instant. It’s this pain that takes the giggles out of training and gets your focus. Pain is the true litmus test of grit in combat. Delivering pain to the officer is a good idea. However, if you deliver repeated pain to the role player/trainer, they’re pretty much going to start taking a dive so as to minimize their level of abuse. The StressVest can be tailored to handle this. For the role player, it can be set to just deliver a vibration impulse instead of electric shock. This allows the role player to know they’re hit and react accordingly, without the compounding effects of getting zapped from repeated run-ins with officers. StressVest is, in my estimation, the perfect tool for small agencies that need effective training on a tight budget. Added bonus: With StressVest, you can run full scenarios in any environment or building without fear of destroying things with flying objects. StressVest—www.StressVest.com
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I’m an avid shooter and tester of all things gun related. This means that my range bag always has optics and lights in it that get swapped around from gun to gun. One of my big irritations is the constant hunt for a specific tool for a gun-specific job. Well, those days are now gone, thanks to the Gun Tool by Real Avid. My multi-tool can’t hold a candle to this thing. The Gun Tool is the most versatile and handy combo a shooter can carry. It features 18 of the most frequently used long gun tools— including five torx and allen wrenches and four magnetic hex drive bits—in a compact and ergonomic folding frame. A stout claw-point blade is ideal for opening ammo boxes, and the pin punch makes quick work of weapons disassembly. The multi-function choke wrench fits most tubes from .410 to 10 gauge and doubles as a scope windage and elevation adjuster. A durable stainless-steel and grip-coat polymer frame neatly houses every implement. Unlike multi-tools, the Gun Tool has been built from the specific needs, insights and frustrations of hunters and shooters. Tools include a 420-stainless-steel claw-point blade; a gun pin-punch; a choke wrench in 10-, 12-, 16-, 20-, 28-gauge, as well as .410; a scope windage/elevation blade; a torx drive in T20, T15 and T10; an allen hex drive in 3/32" and 5/32"; a magnetic 3/16" driver; 1/8" and 3/16" flat screwdrivers; a Phillips 1 and 2 screwdriver; magnetic bit storage block with an access door; and a 420-stainless-steel frame with rubber-grip-coated polymer jackets.
Real Avid
—www.RealAvid.com
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I’m a long-time user of Pelican cases. Lately, I’ve been doing more traveling with my duty firearms in tow. The Federal Aviation Administration stipulates that firearms must be locked in a case certified air safe, and Pelican cases meet or exceed those criteria. One of the features that I like about the 1510 Carry-On Case is that if you choose to use it as a carry-on case, there’s a configuration that allows for the organization of your clothes and toiletries—even a protective sleeve for your notebook or iPad. Should you choose to actually check the case, the 1510 can be configured with pre-scored foam inserts. Although the 1510 isn’t long enough to accommodate an assembled rifle, it will fit one that’s been disassembled. To put it bluntly, trouble might find you if you dress in “shoot-me-first” clothes and your luggage screams, “Gun!” Pelican has clearly addressed some of the unspoken needs of gun-toting professionals in their low-key 1510 line. Check it out.
Pelican—www.Pelican.com
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For years I’ve been preaching the virtues of short-barreled rifles (SBR). It’s nice to see a company like Barrett, which is known for monster rifles, getting into the SBR market. The compact REC7 is accurate and reliable based on what I saw at SHOT Show media day at the range, where folks were lined up in droves to shoot the thing non-stop all day. The REC7 is an AR variant designed specifically for CQC, which is pretty much all that we do as cops. Battle rifles have little applicability in police work, and I’m pleased to see more manufacturers getting into the swing of all things SBR. The REC7 was designed to be cop proof. That means that it’s tough as nails, needs little lube or maintenance and is reliable to the extreme. The REC7 rifle’s dependability stems largely from its innovative operating system. Using a minimum number of parts, the piston system separates heat and powder residue from the bolt carrier and trigger assembly. The rifle runs cool and clean, reducing maintenance requirements and increasing endurance. The patented chrome-lined, fluted gas block prevents excessive carbon buildup from operation under adverse conditions. The one-piece 17-4 stainless-steel piston transfers energy to the anti-tilt bolt carrier. Machined from a monolithic block of 8620 steel, the carrier features an integral piston strike-face. The Barrett Enhanced Bolt is made from high-strength 9310 steel. The bolt is designed specifically for use in the piston operated REC7, not just adapted from a direct gas bolt. The bolt’s gas-ring-free design is easy to clean. Reinforced at critical points, every bolt is proofed and magnetic-particle inspected to guarantee reliable performance. The REC7 is available in 5.56 NATO and 6.8 SPC. Barrett—www.Barrett.net
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Anyone who’s been into AR-15s for any length of time will know what I mean when I say MK18 MOD0. And yet do you really know what makes an MK18 what it is? I’ll admit that I’m guilty of generically using the term MK18 to denote a rifle with a barrel length of 10.3 inches. However, these weapons have specific configurations and specs that make them distinctive pieces. To throw the name around detracts from the purity of the product. At SHOT, I met Kevin O’Neill and Alan Brown, who’ve started a company called High Caliber Sales LLC. The brief explanation about these men is that they’ve trained there, shot that and were part of the groups of engineers that designed it. When you hear “Crane Arsenal,” you know some good stuff has come from that facility. High Caliber Sales LLC has ties to Crane and some of their components are made by the very same people who make goodies for Uncle Sam. I urge you to check out their website and see the high quality of firearms they offer.
High Caliber Sales LLC—
www.HighCaliberSales.com
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Magnum unveiled its MulitCam boots at SHOT Show to great fanfare. These are impressive, cutting-edge boots used and created by military American and British Special Forces in Afghanistan. Traditional boot camouflaging is done in patches: Not so with these. It is a continuous, seamless camo pattern from the sole to the uppers. Featuring hydrophobic Ion-Mask technology, the boot materials themselves shed water. The MultiCam is available in two versions: the sturdy Sidewinder and the feature-rich Spider. They will be available this fall. Magnum is of course known for superb boots and shoes, but did you know that their apparel line is top notch too? Magnum Nano Tec Polos are the only thing I wear when I’m off duty. These shirts have survived hard range time, daily work around the house, oil changes on my truck and hard work outs at the gym. And yet, they still look nice enough to wear to dinner with my wife. These shirts are as rugged as polyester but soft as cotton. They’re moisture-wicking, color-fast and fade-resistant. These shirts don’t wrinkle, deform, sag or tear. The Magnum Nano Tec Polo shirts are the last shirts you’ll ever have to buy. Magnum—www.MagnumBoots.com
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Trolling the halls of SHOT with my buddy and fellow shooting enthusiast Ross Kruse, we came across a booth marked: “G.P.S. Wild About Shooting.” There was no doubt what these folks make because the table was filled with bags—lots of them. They had bags of varying sizes and colors, all dedicated to one thing: shooting. More specifically, they’re dedicated to the arranging of all of the stuff that goes along with shooting. This series of bags and cases features a well-thought-out storage system of separate pockets that store your most frequently used items for their protection and easy retrieval. G.P.S. Wild About Shooting has designed this new series of bags and cases around their proprietary Visual I.D. Storage System that helps the shooter quickly access shooting glasses, ear plugs, ear muffs, tools, binoculars, cleaning items and more. Each specific series of these new bags and cases are tailored to the unique requirements of the shotgun, hand gun or long gun. I purchased one at SHOT and the bag is truly well designed. I was able to comfortably store all of my shooting items from a much larger bag down into this medium-size range bag. It’s already gone to the range with me several times, and when I need something, I just look at the bag and automatically see where it is. G.P.S. Wild About Shooting has taken the simple pictogram method and put it to good use.
G.P.S. Wild About Shooting—www.GOutDoorsProducts.com
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Gun Tote’n Mamas is an affordable line of Concealed Carry handbags that was inspired and developed by women for women. I’m sure that many of you are asking yourselves, “Why is Abner pushing stuff made for chicks?” First of all, because I have cop friends who are chicks, and, secondly, because I happen to be married to a chick. The big drawback of concealment purses and bags has always been a lack of style and purpose-driven design. In 2008, their parent company, Kingport Industries, exhibited at SHOT Show for the first time. In the travel goods and accessory leather products industry for over 35 years, they displayed and demonstrated products, including handbags. But this is SHOT Show: “So do you make concealment bags?” They recognized the overwhelming need for reasonably priced, high-quality, multi-tasking, concealed carry bags without compromise on design, construction and, most important, leather. If you’re going to make a purse you must use leather. Otherwise, it looks like something other than a purse and screams “gun!” Gun Tote’n Mamas did their homework and worked through issues and concerns expressed to them by instructors of concealed-carry weapons classes all across the U.S. Even the Navy SEALS got involved in this project. I’ve looked closely at their product line up and handled some of them at SHOT and can tell you two things right off hand. The first is that this stuff doesn’t scream “gun!” The second is that the quality of the work is excellent. They even embed steel cable in their shoulder straps so that you’ll not fall prey to slash and grab attacks. It’s a rough and tumble world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still look like a lady off duty.
Gun Tote’n Mamas—www.GunTotenMamas.com
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You can just tell this thing was invented by a cop. First off, it’s solid—built of thick, square aluminum. But it’s also lightweight. So what is it? Developed by retired Houston PD SWAT operator Sandy Wall, the WallBanger is basically an integrator that ties together several existing Safariland products. You can break and rake windows while emitting OC spray Or you can use the pressure of a flash-bang explosion to break open locked doors. Or you can attach a video head and peer into windows. Mr. Wall wields it like an old pro, but there are a lot of options with this tool. In fact, so many that Safariland is offering full one-day instructor’s training courses. I could see this being of great use to a SWAT team. Why? Because of its versatility. It takes the place of many tools. We all know how tense those moments can be—when you’re trying to figure out the severity of the incident or break in to a suspect building—and anything that removes redundancies from our toolbox while providing multiple, valuable options is worth serious consideration.
Safariland—www.TheWallBanger.com
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The Streamlight Knucklehead is a light you’ll use Streamlight makes a solid, high-quality product. That’s well known. They also innovate, and the Knucklehead is a case in point. This incredibly versatile tool caught my eye and the more I looked, the more impressed I was with its incredible functionality. This is a bright—200 lumens bright at peak power—shockproof light with a highly adjustable beam and a powerful magnet— and I mean, a very powerful magnet. It’s also got an integrated folding hook. Between the magnet and the hook, you should always be able to light up your area of interest. The Knucklehead is powered by a rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery, but it can also run on four AAs. It features several beam intensities and a flash, and, maybe best of all, it’s backed by the rock-solid Streamlight lifetime guarantee. I’ve been called a knucklehead, but that’s not why I love this product. It’s just a great tool for so many situations. —Editor-in-Chief Dale Stockton
Streamlight—www.Streamlight.com
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