Published Article Links on Athlon Outdoors

There’s an old Shaker axiom that says, “Let it be plain and simple, of good and substan-

tial quality, unembellished by any superfluities which add nothing to its goodness or durability.” This is something I keep in mind when I set up a weapon.

I first tested the Fab Defense KPOS G1 in 2009. The KPOS comes in two ver- sions, but I prefer the G1 for reasons I’ll cover later.

During my first experience with the KPOS carbine adapter for pistols, I found it capable, light, concealable and handy. However, at every turn, I argued that it couldn’t stand up to an AR-15. Because of that, I margin- alized it. Admittedly, I was being an AR snob. But that was 2009. ARs were rising in popularity, and our nation was enjoying a burgeoning firearms industry.

Upon returning from the Advanced Combative Pistol class, I dropped into bed that Sunday night with a mental exhaustion that was only partially due to the 6.5-hour drive back home from Dayton, Ohio. As I crawled wearily under the sheets, my wife asked, “Why did you drive so far to go to this class?”

I stared at the ceiling fan for a bit, took a deep breath and said, “Because last
year at this time, I was photographing Ken Hackathorn’s classes when he said that he was pretty much done with the training circuit.”

Seldom does one get an opportunity to have a say in the design of a weapon. In early 2009 I got that opportunity. I started having conversations with Spike's Tactical CEO, Tom Miller regarding the possibility of building an AR-15 variant specifically for the LE community. The end result needed to be fully ambidextrous, rugged, lightweight, exceptionally accurate, and ultra-compact.

The other evening I was watching my kids playing in the yard. They were utterly oblivious to what their cats were doing, but I was watching the cats with rapt interest. We live in a rural area, which means that we have to contend with field mice. Watching the cats at the tree line as they began their nightly hunt, I was reminded of the importance of hearing in a combat environment. I watched as their ears would triangulate a sound; their eyes would then turn toward the source. Finally, their bodies would track the unsuspecting mouse, and that was that.

In late 2010, I received an invitation by High Caliber Training‘s (HCT) point man, Steve Reichert, to attend a special session of the world renowned Rogers Range Course (RRC). I dropped everything and headed for HCT. Accompanying me to the RRC was my friend and fellow writer/photographer Sean Utley, who, upon seeing the facility for the first time, commented on its grandeur. High Caliber Training is the counterpart facility to Tier 1 Group or, as it‘s known in military circles, T1G. 

In 2012, I was working on an article featuring some new finishes from a company offering nickel-boron
(NiB) coating services. One of the products I was set to test was a nickel-boron-coated full-auto bolt carrier group. To test something like a nickel-boron finish, you have to get it really dirty, and that requires that
the host weapon be capable of absorbing considerable abuse. I looked at the weapons I had on hand and knew that I needed to get my hands on something that was truly mil-spec so I could rule out any weapon-
induced malfunctions. I reached out to Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM) because I knew that its weapons were built correctly, ensuring I wouldn’t have any weapon-induced problems.

When the military needs to retask a weapon, component, or even design something new, they turn to places like the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Crane, Indiana. Over the years, Crane has had a hand in the development of many different war-fighting tools. Some of the most famous have been AR-15 variants that have come to be used by special forces in operations the world over.

As I reflect back on my time in uniform, I realize how blessed I was to have served my community as a peace officer. While cleaning out my file cabinet of all the LE paperwork I had accumulated over the years, I came across my training file. As I leafed through it, it dawned on me how many specialized schools I’ve attended. In the past three years alone, I have attended more tactical training than your average SWAT operator. Those who know me, recognize that I seek to learn, no matter where I go and am not

so full of myself that I can’t say, “Please show me....”

About two years ago, I was assisting a manufacturer in some R&D on a new rifle. During the process, we broke various components, even melting some. In an effort to push the rifle into a whole new level of reliability, we chose to go with Nickel Boron (NiB) parts for all the fire control and BCG components. In doing so, we erased the one uncontrollable problem with direct impingement rifles, carbon fouling. By going with NiB, you truly are thumbing your nose at conventional rifle building and maintenance, and entering a world of previously unknown levels of reliability.

Through my agency, our officers received a good intro class on the basics of operating our rifles, however, I felt the need to seek out more in-depth training. For years I’ve had the notion that, because I always score very high in my weapons competencies, I am “capable” in tactical situations with a rifle. Then I took the three-day Tactical Rifle I course at Tactical Defense Institute (TDI) and learned otherwise. It was like that moment, in my childhood, when I realized that Santa Claus wasn’t real. Say it ain’t so, Santa!

I've been waiting many years to write this article, and the subject matter didn't let me down. Several years ago, I got my hands on an IWI Tavor SAR. It was decent, but it left me wanting more. Overall, it's a quality rifle, but I knew that IWI had an even better rifle in the works. I've already seen it being used in Israel; the other question was how long it would be before it was imported into the U.S.