PDN, CrossBreed, Springfield, Crimson Trace and More Team Up in $9,500 Giveaway
Personal Defense Network (PDN) has teamed up with CrossBreed Holsters, Springfield Armory, Cannon Safes, Gun Talk Media, Crimson Trace, Action Target, Propper International, Recoil Magazine, and Hexmag to give away $9,500 worth of merchandise to one lucky winner.
The contest, which started February 17 and runs through March 26, can be entered through CrossBreed’s website: www.CrossBreedholsters.com. Each entry has a chance to enter up to 53 times by liking and sharing on social media. See CrossBreed Holsters’ website for complete details.
The winning package includes:
- Cannon Safe – 5940 64 Gun Safe
- Springfield Armory – EMP with Concealed Carry Contour Grip⠀
- Propper – Apparel and Gear Pack⠀
- CrossBreed Holsters, LLC – Holsters Crossover Belt, Reversible Nylon Belt, SuperTuck Holster, Bedside Backup, Gideon Mag Carrier Pack, and ARK Bag 5 Pack
- Crimson Trace – Rail Master Universal Light
- Freedom Munitions (Official) – 1,000 Rounds of 9mm 135gr ProMatch Ammo⠀
- Hexmag – 12 Pack AR15 Mags with All Accessories Range Pack⠀
- Springfield Armory – Saint Rifle Sponsored By Hexmag
- American Trigger Corp – AR Gold Adjustable Flat Trigger
- Freedom Munitions (Official) – 1,000 Rounds of 223 55gr FMJ Ammo
- Crimson Trace – LiNQ System
- Action Target – 45 Degree Static Target⠀
- Action Target – PT Dueling Tree HD
- PACT Inc. – Club Timer III⠀
- Gun Talk – Knowledge Vault Prize Pack
- Personal Defense Network – One Year Gold Membership & 11 DVD Bundle
Beauty or Beast – Ergo Delta Grip for Revolvers
Change Isn’t Always Easy but, Sometimes it’s for the Better
We got our first look at Ergo‘s Delta Grip a couple years ago at the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. My first thought was that it was bizarre looking – maybe even a little ugly. They certainly do not look like traditional revolver grips. When we handled the chained-down demo unit in the Ergo booth, it felt every bit as foreign as it looked and, always being one to judge a book by its cover, I decided that it wasn’t for me. Frankly, I wondered how they got it so wrong given how much I liked the original Ergo Suregrip on AR-15 builds.
Fast forward to the most recent SHOT Show Range Day. The GunLink team stopped by the Ergo tent, where they were showing off the new Delta grip for the Ruger LCR in addition to the original Smith & Wesson model, to speak with the company rep. While there, I mentioned my limited experience with the Delta grip and how my initial reaction was to be turned off by it, despite never having fired a shot from a revolver outfitted with the chunky stocks. After he explained some of the reasoning behind the Delta’s design and offered to send us a test set, we agreed that it was time for us to pull the trigger – so to speak – on the new revolver grips and we soon had a set inbound to install on an AirWeight J-frame Smith & Wesson.
The Delta grip – to be sure – is a substantial paradigm shift for revolver shooters. There are grips made of hard plastic, soft rubber, and wood; there are bird’s head, over-molded, flared, fat, and skinny grips; and there are slip-on and wraparound grip covers. However, until the Delta, we had not seen a grip quite like this. Continue reading
Shot-Force Pro Brings Innovation to AR500 Targets
Several members of the GunLink team have spent at least some portion of their lives in southern Ohio, so the area has a place in our hearts. Although most of us have since spread throughout the country, we were happy to discover Nelsonville-based Shot-Force Pro while wandering the SHOT Show dungeon this past January. It is always nice to run in to someone from “back home” when travelling.
In addition to catching up on Ohio news and being introduced to company founder Steve Davis and his team while visiting their booth in Las Vegas, we were also introduced to some of their innovative targets. On a recent trip back to our old AO, we had the opportunity to stop by and visit the Shot Force facility and see where the magic happens. While there, we also got to put rounds on just about every kind of target that they currently produce as well as getting a behind the scenes look at some of the new target systems that are still in the R&D phase.
After a lively discussion on guns and politics, we got to take a look at the Shot Force production area, including stacks upon stacks of hardened steel plates, the plasma cutting table that transforms them from generic plates into their various shapes, and finished products – clad in brightly colored powder coating – waiting to be shipped out. Continue reading
Meet the GunLink Defensive Fighting Rifle SBR
How We Built Out Our Go-To Short Barreled Rifle
A short barreled rifle, while requiring some extra hoops to jump through to obtain (more or less depending on your filing method, now that 41F is in full effect), can be a valuable tool, offering numerous benefits over a full-length rifle as a defensive weapon.
As anyone who has had practical training can tell you, maneuvering through the hallways and rooms of your home to investigate a bump in the night is exponentially easier without those extra inches sticking out past your support hand. While firing any firearm indoors will likely lead to permanent hearing damage or loss, that risk can be substantially mitigated by using a suppressor. Putting a can on an AR can push OAL past 40″ on carbines or closer to 50″ on rifles – hardly maneuverable at all – while mounting one to an SBR might make it only as long as an unsuppressed rifle by itself. While those benefits really shine when clearing rooms and maneuvering through halls and doorways, the likelihood of having to use your AR to defend your home is relatively remote; however, there are also practical benefits. An SBR is lighter, shorter, and much easier to store and transport, both in terms of the space it takes up as well as the options for covert carry cases.
I have always been interested in NFA firearms and one of the things that you frequently hear from owners of such firearms is that one of the big joys of ownership is the ability to share them with others. Before jumping into the world of NFA, I always figured that this was nonsense and all of the fun came from the fact that one owned a machinegun, SBR, SBS, silencer or other fun, interesting weapon. After Team GunLink started “stamp collecting,” we realized that it is truly a pleasure to see the smiles on people’s faces when they shoot with them.
One of the NFA firearms that we most frequently take to the range and classes and post about on social media is an AR-type modern sporting rifle based SBR. Here is how we configured our go-to SBR – the GunLink Defensive (Fighting) Rifle – it’s GDFR.
Alien Gear Rolls Out New Cloak Mod OWB Paddle Holster
The GunLink team has been enjoying Alien Gear’s holsters since we bought our first one shortly after they went on sale and have been wearing them almost exclusively as our primary holsters. Colder winter months, however, as well as different kinds of dress and situations occasionally alter my carry methods from my favorite old Cloak Tuck 1.0 IWB to an OWB holster. While I don’t prefer it in a lot of situations, especially in the hot shorts-and-tshirt months, I do like the convenience and ease of access (and not having to wear over-sized pants) afforded by OWB carry. That is why I was excited to see the latest new product coming out of the Alien Gear workshop at January’s SHOT Show: a new modular OWB paddle holster.
This cool, versatile holster has now moved from vaporware to CCW-wear with the official roll-out of the new holster. I look forward to getting one to try out for myself. The official announcement of the new model is below. Continue reading
