Product Recommendations
This is a list of the products that we have personally tested, and even abused by some people’s standards. We would and do trust our lives with these products, and can recommend them with confidence. Most information on the internet is supported by behind the scences incentives like kickbacks, sponsorships, and marketing campaigns. Our opinion cannot be bought by anyone, and we only recommend and sell products that we have personally tested.
Weapon Lights
Weapon lights come in all different sizes and prices. We have had more lights fail than some would believe. Pressure pads have gone out during night hunts, flickering that would make you think the light was strobing intentionally, and electronics destroying themselves from high round counts.
Here are our recommendations:
Surefire 640 Duel Fuel Turbo
Just like the original 640DF, these lights are bomb-proof (did not actually blow any up lol). The turbo models are fantastic for cutting through dust, smoke, and fog, and can be used effectively in less than ideal environments. If you want that high candela that will allow easy positive identification out to 150 yards, this is the light to pick. The light is packed with 90,000 to 100,000 candela, which is going to provide you with an insane throw. It outperforms everything else in its class in either reliability, output, mounting solutions, or all of the above
Streamlight TLR 1HL
The TLR 1HL has been the best, and most usable for us by far. As a right handed shooter, two hand shooting is a breeze due to the switch design. Momentary is easy and does not require you to break your grip. Single handed manipulations are just as easy. We have carried these lights every day, and have put tens of thousands of rounds down range with them. We have never seen one go down. They don’t have the flex or the price tag of an X300, but we have found them to be exactly what we need.
Surefire 640 Duel Fuel
These lights have unmatched reliablity, a great flood for a home defense rifle, and have never failed on our AR’s, AK’s, Shotguns, or FRT rifles. This is light does not have the best candela, so it is harder to punch through dust, smoke, and fog, but it will light up a room or building. Positive identification range is around 75 yards. The main purpose of this light is to throw as much light down range as possible. With its 12,800 to 16,000 candela, paired with 1200 to 1500 lumens, this 640 will light up a room, barn, building, vehicle, or anything that you aim it at. This is our top choice for a high-output home defense weapon-mounted light.
Surefire X300 Turbo
If you want high candela in a pistol light, the Surefire X300 Turbo is the light for you. If you do not have a budget, the X300 series of lights are great options to consider, specifically the turbo models. Although they are pricey in comparison to the TLR1-HL, they are better performers as standalone lights. We still prefer the switches on the TLR1 over the X300, but the raw performance is hard to beat.
Rifle Slings
Slings are one of the top three items needed for every rifle that you own. You need a solid light, a good pair of sights/optic, and a sling to keep it attached to you. It doesn’t need to be complicated, so here is our criteria:
- It must have a quick adjustment that only moves when needed
- It is comfortable enough to wear all day
- It stays attached to the rifle
Here are our recommendations:
Blue Force Gear Vickers Sling
Great for a general purpose rifle, pdw, or home defense rifle. Intuitive adjustments, robust material, and can be attached via QD or direct mounting solutions. These slings have been used by the US military throughout the world. LEO agencies across the country have also used BFG products, including this sling for decades. If they are good enough for the brave men and women serving our country foreign and domestic, they will serve you well.
Blue Force Gear Padded Vickers Sling
This sling is functionally the same as the original Vickers Sling, but is padded for extra comfort. Great for rifles heavier than 10lbs for prolonged use. This one is our top choice for those IAR or SPR setups. The Military has used these slings since 2012, and are often ordered alongside the standard Vickers Sling. The USMC has been known to use them for M27 IAR’s, M249s, and M240Bs, so it will serve you well on that Red Right Hand or Lima Six rifle you are putting together
Ferro Concepts Slingster
Just like the BFG slings, this sling has an intuitive adjustment system, and meets all of the criteria for a solid sling. Ferro Concepts took a different approach, and includes removable padding, so it can accommodate any role that you need it to play. As a side note, the adjustment system is aluminum and will mark your rifle up. But it can be rubbed off with some scotch bright if you care about your rifle staying pretty. The rubber pull tab for the adjustment system is preferable over the pull tabs that as similar in material to the rest of the sling. It is easier to find, especially while in the dark or in a hurry
Rifle Optics
There are so many fantastic rifle optics out there, so we are just going to give some of our favorite rifle optics and tell you why we recommend them. Budget is everything when it comes to optics, but you will have a very difficult time getting an optic set up with magnification for less than $1,000
Here are our recommendations:
Aimpoint Comp M4/M4S
These optics were legitimately designed to be bomb proof for starters. The Comp M4 series of optics has seen combat all over the world, and they have been in service by the US military since 2007, and are still being fielded today. Besides the history lesson, these optics have fantastic features like the 80,000 hour battery life off of one AA battery, mount options from tons of quality riser companies, and you can pick one of these up on the used market for less than $500.
Trijicon Credo 1-6 SFP
In the world of LPVO’s, there are tons of different options and features. This configuration is the best for what we are looking for out of a combat LVPO on a 5.56 rifle for engagements and positive identification out to 400 yards. The SFP option in the credo provides the best 1x on the market, with no fisheye effect. If you need to use the BDC reticle, you will more than likely be at 6x magnification as well, which will also be significantly clearer than optics with a larger erector ratio (I.E. 1-8, 1-10, etc). Most LPVO’s are over constrained and are not the best at anything, but this is the best optic at being a LPVO for the original intended purpose.
Eotech EXPS 3
This is an obvious choice for any serious quality optic list. The Eotech is a fantastic and robust optic, that is not only very functional, but is one of the best looking optics on a rifle (Rule #1: It has to look good). It is fantastic under night vision, the best in combination with magnifiers, and the donut of death is notorious for its use in CQB. The only major downside is the Eotech tax, which is the horrendous battery life for a dot if you want it on constantly (600-ish hours on realistic daylight bright settings). It is perfect for any rifle that you know you are going to use, because you just have to press the buttons for 4 or 8 hours of run time, but we prefer a dot that is constantly on for a truck rifle or a bedside rifle.
Rifle Magazines
To keep it short and sweet, there is way more bad then there is good in the magazine market. Don’t trust any magazine or ammo that you have not personally used in your rifle. Just because someone on Youtube says that they had fantastic luck does not mean that you should blindly take their word for it.
Here are our recommendations:
Magpul Gen 3 Pmags
These are the holy grail of reliable magazines, and we are not the first to figure this one out. The generation 3 Pmags are our go-to magazines, and they outfit all of our fighting loadouts. Not only have we abused them beyond Magpul’s recommendations, but so have hundreds of thousands of other people across the world. If there is a war being fought, they are being fought with these magazines, and for good reason. If you can afford to pick up the windowed version, we recommend it.
Lancer L5AWM Gen 2
There are people, whose opinion I trust, that place these magazines on the same pedestal as the almighty gen 3 Pmag. We have run tens of thousands of rounds on these magazines with no problem. If you want an alternative to the Pmag because of the steel feed lips, or you just like the vibe of lancers more, this is a fantastic choice that we would run in a duty rifle. They do cost more, and they do not have the pedigree of the Pmags, but they have been nothing but fantastic for us.
GI Mags
The ol’ reliable GI magazines are still used all over the world, and with the right upgrades, they are uber reliable. Okay Industries and Brownells are great options if you are in the market for these mags. The main problems with these mags generally come from the followers. As long as you replace the standard follower with a quality anti-tilt follower, like the Magpul followers, you are good to go. Fantastic option for carrying magazines in surplus mag pouches, and for those early GWOT vibes.
Magpul Gen 2 Pmags
We tested 3 of these generation 2 pmags over the course of ten thousand rounds, and had zero malfunctions during the testing. The only problems that can occur with these magazines is over insertion on an open bolt. As long as you are conscious of this, and do not slam your mag in the gun, you will never run into any problems from these magazines. Fantastic option for those who want to stack cheap magazines in the gun safe so you don’t have thousands of loose rounds laying around in boxes.
Rifle Suppressors
Almost every company makes their own suppressors now, and there are tons of great suppressors on the market. It would be impossible to test them all, although Pew Science is trying his best. From our own research, we have purchased and ran tens of thousands of rounds through several cans, and we have developed love for some, and hate with others
Here are our recommendations:
Cat White Bread 718 (WB)
This suppressor is in the running with some of the best 5.56 cans on the market. It is lightweight, low back pressure, and has a great sound signature. It is also hub compatible, so you can run your SF, B&T, Silencer CO, Plan B, or your Keymo systems no problem. You also have the option to direct thread for the lightest package possible. Full auto rated, 14.6 ounces, 5.5inch minimum barrel length, and can withstand temperatures up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.
B&T XH 556-SC
If you are looking for a lightweight can that can take absurd round counts, and is very low back pressure, this is the can for you. B&T comes out with new models almost every 6 months, so it is hard to keep up with their product line, but we can promise you that this is the can to pick up. This suppressor has passed the nato standard testing (22,000 rounds consisting of 95 cycles of 240 rounds of full auto fire), produces less sound signature than every K-sized can we have compared it to, and comes in at a ridiculous 10.8 ounces with their mounting hub. It is hub compatible as well, but if you already have Surefire muzzle devices on all of your rifles, this is a fantastic can to pick up.
SilencerCo Velos LBP
The Velos is the quietest and one of the most overbuilt suppressors on this list. It is heavier at 15.2 ounces, but you get a very quiet can at the muzzle, beltfed ratings from Silencer Co, low back pressure, and it comes with a muzzle device. This is a fantastic choice for a modern IAR setup that needs to lay down high volumes of fire, keep the signature down, and keep the gas down for a comfortable shooting experience. We have ran this can the most with FRT’s and it is very hard to find any other suppressor that can hang with the Velos
Surefire RC2
If there is going to be a recommended suppressor list, the RC2 has to be on it somewhere. If you are looking for a bombproof, battlefield-tested suppressor, this can is the one. If Marines can kill them, you won’t either (paraphrasing the guy from Silencer Shop, but he brings up a great point). These cans are gassy, and they are heavy enough to drive nails with, but they perform exactly how you want a can to when out in the field. The RC2 is notorious for its very low flash signature, and fantastic overall signature reduction. The full back pressure is a drawback compared to modern cans, but they can’t compete in flash reduction and the pedigree of the RC2.
Pistol Optics
Just like rifle optics, there are so many pistol optics on the market. The quantity of optics, mixed with the insane amount of Youtube reviewers pushing products, it is very difficult to jump into the handgun red dot market with no experience and get it right the first, or the second, or even the third time. We have used and abused handgun red dots for many years, and we have worked on thousands of customers’ handguns with red dots. There are very few people in the entire industry who have dealt with more handgun optics than our gunsmiths.
Trijicon RMR HD
If money is not of concern, this is the first choice that I would recommend to someone. The RMRHD is insanely durable, has a large enough window for competition shooting, and is an American-made optic. If you do not need an enclosed emitter, this is hands down the best optic on the market. Forged titanium body, Trijicon’s premium electronics, and their patented RMR hood shape that is the strongest structure geometrically for an optic hood. To put it simply, it is an over-engineered, and over-built optic that would have a really good shot at surviving a drop test off of the Empire State Building.
Holosun 508T
If you want an optic that can really take a beating, but not break the bank, this is the best option on the market. We have never seen one break, they are half the price of the RMRHD, and the 508T has 90% of the features and qualities that the RMRHD has. It is made in China, which we are not a fan of, but due to the mismanagement of our manufacturing industry in America over the last 80 years, most Americans cannot always afford American-made products (Truly depressing and repulsive to think about). This optic also has a forged titanium body, so it will outlive most other optics head-to-head. The main con with the Holosun, besides being made in China, is the battery life. Holosun’s electronics are solid and have worked reliably for millions of firearm owners, but if you carry your pistol every day with a Holosun optic, your battery will die every 6 months on an appropriate daylight setting. Change your batteries when you should, and these optics will serve you great.
Holosun 507 Comp
For the money, the HS507 Comp is the best optic on the market for those who want the biggest window possible for competition and those who sacrifice structural integrity for a better sight picture. Although we do believe that the SRO is what we wish everyone could buy, the Holosun 507 Comp has made that optic obsolete to everyone in the competition market. For the price and the features, most people are only buying these optics for their pistols over the Trijicon SRO. You can carry with the 507 Comp, we have had them on EDC pistols for years with tens of thousands of rounds with no issues. Just like every other Holosun, you will need to change the batteries around that 6-month mark, especially if you use the multi-reticle system instead of just a dot.
Aimpoint Acro P2
If you are looking for a tank of an optic with an enclosed emitter, the number one choice is the Aimpoint Acro P2. For Law Enforcement, Military personnel, or anyone who has an outside-the-waistband holster with their optic exposed to rain, mud, and debris, we recommend an enclosed emitter optic. The Acro P1’s did have a fogging problem that was supposedly resolved, and we have not seen any evidence that the problem is still occurring. These optics are used by LEO all over the country and the world, and I don’t see that changing for many years to come. If you can deal with the smaller optic window and the unique mounting system, the Acro P2 is a bombproof choice.
Holosun EPS Carry
For those who need a subcompact pistol in their arsenal, the EPS Carry is a solid choice. For a Glock 43X, a Sig 365, and other pistols in that size range, the EPS Carry will serve you well. It is a reasonably tough optic, it has an enclosed emitter so you can clean the glass easily from your fanny pack lint, and it directly mounts to any slide milled for the RMSc footprint. Of course you need to swap the battery out every 6 months like the rest of the Holosun optics, but set a date on your phone and forget about it. Just like the 508T, it is made in China, but we have not seen any problems with these optics.