I'm alive and back with a mod for Black Trident Quasimodo holster

I will at some point do a recap on my hiatus, but long story short I was busy trying to survive and did not really had lot of energy left for anything else. Anyway, recently I was looking for things to write about and I was in need of IWB holster for SFP9 (VP9). I was looking for something comfortable to use as both AIWB and IWB holster in "front quarter" (in my case 9 to 12 o'clock position) carry. 

My attention went to Quasimodo holster made by Black Trident from Austria. What piqued my interest was very clever way that Black Trident uses holster geometry to have good gun position without any additional claws or wedges added to the holster. Also, as a bonus, while I ordered holster for HK SFP9 (VP9/VP40), and it accommodates all sizes (yes... even SFP9CC aka VP9CC fits, but looks like in pants from older brother) it also fits my old and trusty HK P2000SK. 

However, as we live in unperfect world, this holster natively does not allow tucking shirt between gun and a belt, as it uses Discreet Carry Concepts Monoblock Clip. This was not a deal breaker, as 90%+ of time I'm casual with shirt or hoodie. But for this times, when I suit up full bussines, I would like to be able to tak jacket off and not show a gun to everyone. To facilitate this need I ordered an option - UltiTuck clip from Ulticlip. It works, I guess, and clip being hidden under the belt (clip grabs pants edge). But good things end here. Tucking shirt into this clip is a PITA and you have like an inch of space here, so shirt doesn't go in deep. 

Other solution was to use additional mounting points provided by Black Trident for single IWB clip. I put single DCC HLR Gear Clip in this point. OK, so problem solved end of rant. Not so fast! While single HLR clip provided option to easily carry with shirt both over or tucked, as immortal Robert A. Heinlein wrote "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch". Single, narrow clip, even as good as DCC HLR (best clips I ever used!), is not providing good vertical stability for holster. One minute holster is canted forward, next minute is canted backward. Damn thing does not want to stay straight as I want it to do. 

This made me think, that best vertical stability comes from double clip holsters. But they have problem of really being position specific. I needed to come up with some solution, and I started thinking. I came up with number of more (most) or less (least) stupid solutions until quite simple idea come up to me. Then I needed some material, some tools and behold! 

Montrala's Mod for Quasimodo!

What I did, was to take a piece of polymer bar from DIY store, cut it to size and drill 4 holes. They I used 2 DCC HLR clips with mounting hardware from original clip and additional Ulticlip one to convert my Quasimodo from single-clip design into tuckable, double clip design. Now holster is both as stable as it was with wide DCC Monoblock and has full tuckable functionality of using narrow DCC HLR. All this without loosing comfort and concealability of great Quasimodo Holster.

If you like Quasimodo and want to give it a try, but want also tuckable version, now you know what to do.

I took HK SFP9L OR with Aimpoint ACRO C1 to IPSC match - you want believe what happened!

Actually nothing really shocking, but since I baited you here, you can well read and watch match video ;)

Recently I received from Aimpoint T&E sample of their new, pistol oriented ACRO C-1 sight. Thanks to HK distributor in Poland, Cenzin sp. z o.o., I was able to put my hands on optic ready HK SFP9L OR. Aimpoint provided correct mounting adapter plate for HK OR system and I was good to go. And what place better to test, shot of real life use, than competition?

So I took this combo to L1 IPSC match, registered in Production Optics division. As new rules allowed I uses modified trigger I used Lazy Wolf trigger and HKParts match springs set. Some anti skid tape on grip and good to go. In short, this kit is better than shooter. Acquiring dot is easier than on open design sights, however it is possible to loose dot, especially when shooting in non standard position just after magazine change.

I was only shooter in Production Optics on this match, so I won with myself ;) But there was also overall match results, with all divisions together and I had 64% and a change of Open division winner. I'm sure that with more time with this combo (I just had enough time to zero it properly at 20m) and I could do much better!

HK P2000SK and Shield RMSc goes IPSC

I was recently tinkering with my P2000SK to make it a bit more "modern". With help of my local gunsmith (Top Gun in Warsaw) it got slide cut for Glock M.O.S. plates (it was done long before HK presented OR plates and I used adapter plates to be able to test different RDS). Basically changes are:
.
1. Shield RMSc 4MOA plus M.O.S. adapter on loan from RWS Cetus (Shield distributor in Poland)
2. LEM V4.1 trigger
3. HK45C magazine release
4. Talon Grips in rubber black provided by Talon Grips (https://talongungrips.com/pistol-grips/hk/p2000sk.html)
5. Viridian C5L

This was part of my project to make modernized sub-compact carry pistol. One of things to asses is how good it works "on the clock". Shooting drills on training is one thing, but shooting competition puts more pressure. Since IPSC allow now guns wit RDS into Production Optic and Production Optic Light divisions I entered L1 IPSC match with my P2000SK. I used 10 round magazines (rules allow 15 rounds loaded in magazine) and removed laser/light to comply. How it worked out you can see on video below. Some remarks on lessons learned are put in video desctiption. Tell me what you think!

UPDATE: My result was 65% of division winner.

Leviathan Awakes

No, this post is not about excellent Sci-Fi series The Expanse and neither about book with this title. It is about what apparently happened recently to Heckler & Koch.

Obviously one of things that happened is HK433. Still behind the glass, still in late prototype stage, still confirmation on expected prices, but it is here. But that is not all. Far from it.

Second glass box on HK booth at Enforce Tac fairs hold short barreled
versions of G36 and HK416 in .300 Whisper aka .300 AAC Blackout. Yes. Finally HK joins the band and better late than never. But this is not all. Far from it.

Is Polish MSBS rifle is as good as dead?

This is not factual information, but opinion piece based on my personal assessment of future of MSBS rifle program. Please take it with grain of salt.

MSBS program is in place for over 10 years already. It should be enough to design and start manufacturing of 2 or even 3 designs. What we have after this time is:

1. 100+ MSBS straight pull repeating blank firing rifles delivered to Ceremonial Company of Polish Armed Forces.
2. Some prototypes of MSBS delivered for informal testing by Border Guard and Prison Service.
3. MSBS in military certification trials scheduled to end later this year (those are not acceptance tests!)
4. MSBS bulpup is even no longer presented by FB Radom on trade fair exhibition.

This of course does not outright mean that program will be canceled or rifle will not be adopted. But there is one big nail to MSBS coffin:

New style barrel extension in HK416A5 and MR223A3

HK416A5 (and MR223A3) does have numerous changes and upgrades over older variants. Some are easily noticeable, some require closer inspection and some are well hidden. One of this well hidden differences is design of how barrel extension interfaces with upper receiver and how it is positioned.
In my opinion new method whit cut out in barrel extension and wedge on upper receiver is much better idea that classic barrel extension pin in AR15. New design is simpler, stronger, more fool proof and provide better positioning in barrel in relation to upper receiver.

Trijicon HD sights on my HK45C

Yes, I'm alive! Sorry for long hiatus, but "real life" come in way. Happens.

Anyway, Santa come little earlier this year with nice set of Trijicon HD sights for my HK45C. I used first opportunity to install them. It was not easy, but they sit in place. Then I went to verify zero on the range. On picture you can see two 25 round groups. First was on 15m (some 16+ yards), second on 25m (some 27+ yards) - I think it is easy to tell them apart on first glance. POA was top of front sight "slice" bulls-eye in half (at least I tried to keep it there). Both shot offhand with two hand grip, slow pace (and breaks to change/load magazines every 5 rounds). Looks like I need to adjust POA a little, but overall I'm really impressed with this sights. They do agree with my eyes. I will see how they work on some IDPA matches at first opportunity, but I expect them to do just fine. Previously I used Heinie Straight 8 sights, but those did not work good for me. I did not care much for dot over dot alignment and POA/POI relation was completely of for me with POI much higher than on stock sights. Finally I went back to stock HK sights. But looks like Trijicon HD sights will stay here for good. I also need to replace my aging Meprolight sights on P2000SK and SFP9-SF will need nice set of sights, when I get one in my hands.

New Aimpoint Micro T2

I just got info that Aimpoint is going to show new Micro T2 at Eurosatory fair.  It has updated body, with flip-caps, ability to ad anti-reflective device, shielded turret and increased body ruggedness. There is also new reflective coating on lenses to improve quality of view, delivers 5 years on one battery and is water tight to 25m. Basically this is all that was revealed for now. I must say it looks slick. Can't wait to put my hands on one and look trough it. (picture: Aimpoint)

Cutting HK MR223/MR556 barrel - good, bad or ugly?

There were several discussion on cutting and re-profiling 16.5" heavy match barrel that HK installs in MR223 and MR556 series rifles. Profile is rather mater of personal choice and taste, but cutting down generates some controversy. HK claims that when they cold hammer forge their barrels, they make them in way that barrel bore has a swage (constricts) toward muzzle. Barrel is manufactured for it's final length, so cutting it down remove this narrower portion and affects barrel performance. I decided to find out how it turns out in real world.

2 new 3Gun matches videos

Here are 2 videos from recent 3Gun matches. First one is Liga Sportera match, shot up to 300m at military range. Second one is 3Gun Nation Club Series rules match shot rather up close with max 50m distance. More info in descriptions for each video.

 

 

3 competition videos

I just added 3 videos from competitions in April. 2 are from 3Gun matches and 1 is from IDPA match.

First video is recent Liga Sportera match. It was not my best performance so far. Partially I blame gear (obviously! it is always gear problem!), but I'm afraid I had my own part in this.

IDPA @ Makówka - Round 1

Last Sunday we shot small IDPA match (5 stages, 62 shots) organized by TSK Ba-Bach. This is first round of series of matches aimed on revive IDPA in Poland and convince more shooters to join. Matches schedule can be found at http://www.idpa.com/clubprofile/ba-bach .

I used my HK45C to compete in CDP. I'm trying to learn shooting .45. For now I'm definitely too slow but I feel like slowly gaining confidence. I think Heinie Straight 8 sights are not best for my eye problems. I must try Trijicon HD for faster front sight acquisition.

IWA 2014 - Minox ZP8 Tactical 1-8x24

One of most interesting things I noticed on IWA was new 1-8x tactical scope from German company Minox.

IWA 2014 - Walther CCP

On IWA I had my first opportunity to see Walther CCP 9mmx19. Pistol actually makes good impression. Fits hand very nice, slide is easy to operate and trigger is decent.

IWA 2014 - HK news in civilian products

I've seen several interesting things today, for example new Walther CCP with HK P7 style piston system, but now I want to cover some more HK stuff.

IWA2014 - HK at EnforceTac

Today I visited EnforceTac exhibition as prelude to IWA 2014 fairs. Managed to talk a little at HK booth and got some news. Unfortunately, looks like striker fired pistol (HK SFP9) will be delayed more. They have prototype at the booth but not for open play or taking photos. But this delay might actually lead to good news, because they want to refine some aspects of pistol. Other news will be presented soon (hopefully tomorrow - I will believe when I see it) - new version of civilian HK416, named HK MR223A3. It is supposed to have (or at least mimic) features of HK416A5, including ambidextrous layout.

First 3Gun Liga Sportera match in 2014 - Season Opener

My first match this year and (as shameful as it sounds) almost first opportunity to shoot at all this year (I just managed to verify zero on my rifle and to learn POA/POI relation for B&P Big Game slugs on my shotgun).

Fortunately organizers prepared a bit easier shooting that they could. Mostly because they were afraid that in bad weather we could not shoot all stages due to slow pace. But looks like we have beautiful Spring this Winter (but we had share of snow and low temp as well).

New seasons sees number of changes in Liga Sportera rulebook. Most of them apply to all divisions, but some significant ones apply to shotguns in Open division and makes it more balanced for both magazine fed and tube fed shotguns. It still probably needs some fine-tune but is better (from my point of view at least) that it used to be. But one of general changes (starting condition of firearm) gave me some hard time. Before, firearms that we pick up during course of fire where loaded, chamber empty, slide/bolt closed, hammer down and safety could be in off position. Now safety must be on even with empty chamber (if technically possible). You can easily see that on at least 2 stages (Stage 5 and 3) it took me some time to go, find my brains and let it figure out why the hell my shotgun is not going bang. Hopefully I will learn fast.

On this match I used my 14.5" HK MR223 rifle with Aimpoint MicroT1, 18.5"  Benelli M1 Super 90 shotgun and Glock 17 Gen4 with slide mounted Vortex Razor Red Dot. I also used new HK polymer translucent magazines. So far they work flawless for me and I like them very much. I do also try new way to (not) clean my guns. All were primed with Fireclean gun oil(?). I intend to shoot them some more before I even try to clean them, maybe except few passes of Otis Ripcord in my rifle barrel.

It has been to long

Looks like I went to winter sleep or something, but I'm slowly stretching my limbs and going back. For this Sunday I will have first 3Gun Liga Sportera match this season, so short report and video will show up sometime next week. My P30L is well past 2000 rounds no cleaning and no lube. It is becoming boring, because it just works. As I wrote before, this test was pointless anyway. First week of March I go for IWA2014 fairs in Nuremberg. Hopefully I will have some exciting news or at least some nice pictures to throw on blog. Anyway, welcome to 2014!

Blaszanka shoot-off championship 2013

Last weekend we had our small shoot-off championship in Blaszanka competition (loosely based on IPSC shoot-off rules). I managed to finish on 4th place (or more properly did not manage to finish 3rd or higher). Here is short video mix from this match made by my friend Obione. Enjoy.

Glock 17 Gen2 ends its career in style

My friend had and Glock 17. It was Gen2 (CNM series), that he bought used some10+ years ago. It was not used a lot by security company that owned it, they mostly carry, rarely shoot (even for training). But my friend, he shot it a lot. And he shot it good (he is one of best IPSC and IDPA shooters in country). He even cleaned it... once a year or so. (Pictures inside!)