EssTac Shotgun Cards

I doubt I have any regular viewers, if you will, but if I do: sorry for the hiatus. I... Just got bored. Deal with it.

Some blahblahblah about side saddles, if you aren't familiar:

There are a couple options out there for long guns. Naturally the carbine is the best. If you should be forced into utilizing a shotgun in a defensive scenario, whether by departmental constraints, stupidity, the hand of god- whatever, it will probably feature a tubular magazine. Tube-feeders have very low mag capacities and thus shotgun side saddles were ushered in to provide shotgun operators with as many rounds on the weapon as possible. Finally, within the world of shotgun side saddles, there are a couple options. Over the past decade or so, Mesa Tactical's aluminum offerings have more or less dominated the respectable market with Tac Star's chasing behind shouting "I sell better and work just fine, really!" More recently, a return to "tactical nylon" has come about in the world of side saddles and EssTac's Shotgun Card is a fine example. The primary reasons for using an elastic retention system over the plastic of a Tac Star or the aluminum and Santoprene or whatever of a Mesa saddle are as follows: The shotgun is a violent weapon system. It throws everything on it around quite a bit. If you can find a side saddle that is rigid in construction AND retains shells perfectly under heavy and extended periods of recoil AND allows them to be easily removed when needed, I'll eat my MSM hat, the one with the earpro in it. In addition to that, there have been periodical reports on various internet forums of mounting hardware for heavier saddles such as Mesa's shearing under recoil. If you would like to only base your product selection on empirical knowledge, more power to you and go ahead and buy Mesa. Otherwise, read on.

EssTac's Shotgun Card is a simple 2"x~7.4" piece of rigid webbing with a 1.5" wide elastic strap sewn along it, double stitched at regular intervals, (0.9"-1"), to allow it to accept and retain 7 of any length 12 gauge shell. This is not a new concept, but it is certainly a cheaply executed iteration of the concept with definite bonuses over alternative side saddle options. I wont try to sit here and justify what I bought to both you and me. No system is perfect and it certainly has its downsides. Jus sayin. It's got its ups, too.

The card ships with a small loop of cordage at one end. This cordage features a 7-strand core and is double stitched through both the elastic and rigid 2" webbing base. It is easily cut by the end user. As with any paracord, just take a lighter to it and pinch it to finish it off nicely. I ditched mine because A. I dont need any sort of pull to extract the card from a pouch or to remove it from a weapon or loop platform, I can just grab the goddamned card itself, and B. loops of anything are snag hazards, and snag hazards that are attached to firearms are just liabilities. The cord can also get stuck on the card's hook backing and disrupt its ability to secure itself to a weapon. Other manufacturers have begun offering cards with simple, no-frills extra bits of material at the ends, not loops, to ease drawing the card from a pocket and removing it from a weapon. Again, I ask why. But. Whatever. As I will explain later, another nice thing about cheap nylon gear as opposed to expensive aluminum components is that you can modify just about anything about it easily and without feeling like you're wasting money/destroying something valuable.

The read of the card is entirely covered with hook material. Die-cut loop backers are available through a couple reatilers and do NOT ship with the cards themselves. Alternatively, adhesive-backed loop strips from 3M work just fine, and like other die-cut offerings, can be cut to any size, shape, form, whathaveyou to accomodate various receivers and various needs. For example, if this is a department gun and no permanent modifications may be made to it and the serial must be visible for inventory purposes, just cut the backer so the serials visible and when you're through with the side saddle altogether, a simple wash gets any adhesive still on the receiver off and shes good to go in a few minutes with no tools.

I have had no issues with the card falling off or coming partially off the gun. The hook material can also be cut out at on corner to ease removal from the weapon if the quick change capabilities of this system are really that important to you.

Feeding the elastic loops is certainly harder than loading a rigid carrier. If one were to reason it out, they'd find that increased speed and ease of use is always appreciated... hooowever loading a side saddle is not something you do when you need rounds on target, so the marginal increase in loading time becomes something near a non-issue. It really is not that difficult and you'll become quite adept with it. Retention issues with recoil and EssTac's shotgun cards are not unheard of, although as usual EssTac customer service is beyond awesome and if they stitched the elastic a little too loose, just call them up and let them know and they will replace it for you.

I was reticent to go the elastic route. I've used Mesas and I very much like them. Most of all I like that, (so long as their mounting hardware holds up), they will still be functioning probably long after I die, depending on how much use they get. The elastic of the EssTac Shotgun Card does not offer such longevity. Unfortunate, but nothing's perfect. Luckily they're cheap to replace, bout $15, and will probably last the average shooter a couple of months at least. I can see them being worn out much quicker if the shooter often lays the weapon down on its left side. Elastic like this also lets you know when its time to replace it. You'll notice pitting and you'll start to see the rubber strands inside it in time to order a replacement, especially if you order from SKD.

I have noticed that the rough edge of the card can cut my thumb at its first knuckle when I bring my strong hand up into a higher grip to access the slide release on Mossbergs. Like the safety edge biting into your thumb, or cutting up your fingers ramming rounds into the tube, it would not even be noticed under stress and is not a serious issue. That said, I expect Stu over at EssTac could pretty easily figure out how to slip some 5038 tape over the edges and clear this up.

Regardless of what type of monte carlo stock you're running, nylon side saddles can easily be adapted for use on the stock as well. Even if you've gone with a 12" LOP and the card is longer than the stock body, a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and a lighter will make short work of taking off a round or two from a carrier such as this. Of course, be sure to cut on the right side of the elastic's stitching...

 
I've probably forgotten something about this product. Oh well. That's all I can muster at this hour.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this or other equipment, feel free to ask away. I'll respond to the best of my ability. Cheers.

OTTE Gear DK Jacket

Before getting into the DK, I'd like to say a few words about "tactical" jackets so that I might convince any viewers who would turn to customers to save their money and get a normal damned jacket.

I have heard only good things about such "tactical" shells and jackets from TAD, OTTE, SORD, etc., but I have also come to realize that many outdoorsy companies present similar offerings without the $200+ increase in price for a bit of Velcro on your shoulders. Yes, these companies use exclusively fantastic fabrics that can withstand the fury of ten thousand suns and yes, cheaper jackets will repel water and refuse to fray just as well without looking conspicuous. As I will explain later, some shells from Mountain Hard Wear, The North Face and the like even offer better features in terms of pockets, their layout and the general fit of the garment.

And for fucks sake. I once saw a guy in an airport wearing a TAD jacket with morale patches all over his shoulders. For fucks sake dont be that idiot. Be prepared, but not overtly so.

OTTE is, I have found, fairly unknown even among the tactical community. I once sat next to another guy on a plane who sported a TAD jacket and a Mystery Ranch bag but he said he'd never heard of OTTE. I wouldn't worry, though. Given the quality of their products, I doubt that they're a bunch of startup guys in a shed in New York. The DK I have and one a friend got when OTTE had a sale a couple months back are nothing short of amazing. It is designed to be a highly lightweight, water-repelling shell ONLY. There is absolutely NO insulation of any sort. If you plan to use it year-round, plan to buy extra layers. I took the DK skiing about 5 months ago at Wolf Creek in Colorado. This was not the coldest weather I have experienced while wearing the DK, but it certainly got plenty of snow and water on it during that trip.

With only cotton base layers, I was fine. Apart from some snow up the back of my shirt from some nasty wipeouts, the DK refused to allow me to get wet. (I did not ski with patches). On other occasions I've taken the DK out (with plenty of layers) in sub-zero conditions and had no issues with anything freezing up. Except my nose hair.

The collar is high enough when popped to keep shoulder straps, slings and brass off your neck. I wouldnt worry about abrasion with a sling, either. It might wear the DWR coating faster, but the Durastretch Tweave fabric used throughout the jacket's shell has held up nicely. I've negotiated countless concrete and steel edges when rappelling in this thing and despite just sliding over some of them on my belly, no evidence of wear can be found on the jacket today.

Speaking of the coating, the Schoeller NanoSphere coating has worn faster than any other DWR-coated fabric I have ever owned. Out of the box, you could do the traditional hold-it-under-a-sink-and-then-shit-yourself-when-its-totally-dry test. But after about two months (without washing it once) water stopped even beading on the surface. After a wash it did not improve noticeably.

There are two large internal pockets. Open tops on each of them, no closure method of any type. This lack of closure does not bother me... The fact that they left a portion of the side of the pocket at the very bottom of the pocket wide open bothers me quite a lot. If you have some explanation for the lack of complete stitching on these pockets, please go ahead and explain away in a comment. Otherwise, I will continue to be annoyed at the internal pockets' inability to securely retain anything smaller than say a water bottle. Surefires, phones, pens, knives, they all fall out. Sometimes you dont notice and its an expensive loss. Sometimes you need what was dropped and it was a very expensive loss.

The interior pocket fabric is also very thin, with patterned perforations. It is nowhere near waterproof so I highly doubt that the holes in the pockets are there for drainage.

There are 20" pit zips but I almost never use them. OTTE included an elastic strap inside each sleeve with some Velcro on it for use as a sleeve keeper. I also never use that. Ever.

Shock cord and GTSP-style locks are used to adjust the fit at the waist, or just below. When carrying a P220 OWB I once had the end of the right adjuster catch on the base of the holster (Galco) and stop my draw dead in its tracks. I was able to repeat the problem. While this is probably unlikely to occur, I imagine that OTTE could easily move the adjusters to the very front or rear of the jacket's base and eliminate the possibility of this issue ever recurring.

The DK packs down to become pretty compact. The fabric is pretty scratchy, theres a fair bit of Nylon in there. Not the most comfortable of pillows but better than a backpack. Remember to keep your jacket in mind when searching for a soft shooting platform for precision rifles. I find they make better rests than a bulky and sometimes bumpy backpack stuffed with crap.

The two exterior pockets are secured with small YKK zips and some thin cordage pulls. No complaints here. The zipper does not reach the base of the pocket, so even if you forget to close it, important stuff like phones, wallets, etc., are retained fairly well.

The main zipper is also YKK. It does NOT ship with a pull attached, I used 550. Beneath the zipper, running the length of the zipper, is a rubber strip with suede-esque backing. Water-resistance, I suppose.

Wrist size is adjustable via hook and loop. Not exactly secure. Regularly comes undone and must be reattached. Sleeves are large enough to fit over large glove gauntlets. Sleeves will roll up and stay that way as long as you want them to.

Note that this is a water-resistant shell, not a water-proof one. Heavy rain will and has soaked mine through, though even when soaked the fabric remains stretchy enough to fit a handle of Jack in one of the interior pockets. I think this is a decent demonstration of the pocket's capacity. You can carry quite a bit of shit in there.

The DK has a rather smock-like fit to it. I ordered a Medium and received what appeared to be an extra large, but it was indeed marked with "M." It is very loose and has absolutely no inherent form to it. This translates into a natural range of motion for the wearer and very easy concealing of a handgun. Not my first choice, again, for an inconspicuous covering garment, but effective. Not many people will notice the Velcro in public so its not like wearing daisy dukes and a tube top, but be sure to at least avoid Multicam if you plan on sporting the DK in public.

The bicep pockets are massive and will fit a very respectable booboo kit. Flat supplies such as gauze pads, bandaids and alcohol pads fit very easily. Combat Gauze and tape fit easily and print a little more. TKs, 4" IBDs, massive packages of rolled gauze and even some abdominal dressings fit. If you dont like the idea of extra med supplies on your arms, these pockets are always a good place to stuff gloves, small earpro, pens, cameras, phones, etc. when wearing load-bearing equipment and not given space for an admin pouch for that stuff.

A small loop is provided. I find that this is rarely appreciated in the wilderness, where one can simply throw their jacket over any branch, but absolutely lovely in a public restroom when you need to shit but dont want to unnecessarily dirty up your $250 jacket.

The stitching on the Velcro has yet to weaken noticeably. Corners are all still held in tight.

I have put only one hole in it thus far, and I'd like to keep it that way. Screwed up a landing on my mountain bike and ended up eating some asphalt. The hole pictured below, compared to a penny, was the only mark on the jacket. Just below the elbow. Elbow was still bruised, but the jacket saved it from an annoying scuff.

All in all a decent shell. Could use a few small improvements in my opinion, but overall I'm certainly happy with it.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this or other equipment, feel free to ask away. I'll respond to the best of my ability. Cheers.

Cobra Buckle Tests

If they needed any additional credit to their name, I packed a couple Cobras I've got with rocky sand and dirt in an attempt to induce malfunctions. As with any mechanism, the action after packing it with debris was not as smooth as when it was clean, but both buckles, (an FC25B and an FC45SA-XL), remained in working order. Both still locked and unlocked fairly easily, sometimes requiring a slight tug to unlock fully. After locking and unlocking them a couple times, they freed up. This minor test was about a week ago and neither buckle has been cleaned yet. Neither shows ostensible signs of ever being mucked up and I feel that the FC25B is still professional-looking enough for daily wear on my belt.

Zero Tolerance 0400ST

I've owned this 0400ST for about two years now and honestly if I had to chose one knife to carry for the rest of my life, this would definitely be up there. If I had to chose one folder to carry through the Zombie Apocalypse, again, this would definitely be in the running. The 0400 is simply a damned solid knife.

The basics:

- Blade length: 3.875"
- OAL (Open): 8.5"
- OAL (Closed): 5"
- Locking system: Liner
- Blade material: S30-V SS
- Blade coating: Tungsten DLC
- Handle material: "Aircraft-grade aluminum" (probably anodized 6061) with "Trac-Tec" rubberized inserts
- Liner material: "Titanium"
- Weight: 5.1 oz. (a relatively heavy sucker)

It features the ZT Speed Safe assisted-opening system. I have had no issues with this system ever malfunctioning in any way, despite an extended period of testing and less than ideal operating conditions. I've had SOG assisted openers turn to manual openers on me. This knife and its assisted-opening system show no signs of ever giving out in any way.

The pocket clip is held in place by two small star screws (the same size as the screws that hold the two aluminum plates that constitute the handles together) and it is reversible for tip up or down carry, but it can only be affixed to one side of the handle. The other side of the handle features the rubbery Trac-Tec grip inserts. Like everything else on the knife, they're solid as hell and have not budged since the day I opened it. The handles do feature a lanyard hole which easily fits paracord.

The modified tanto blade features an ambidextrous fixed thumb stud and an "index finger protrusion" should you choose to open it with your index finger instead of your thumb. I find this method preferable. The ST model's blade features some interesting "curtain" serrations. I find them impossible to sharpen, but I have had no need to do so. The also cut far easier than traditional serrations, just much smoother. They do not get caught on cordage or anything really. Love em. The blade geometry is interesting. I'm no engineer, so I can't say it's any stronger than a simple flat ground, but it's at least interesting to me. Here's a decent shot of one that showcases the blade geometry:

I went with the 0400 as opposed to an 0300 as most people would have simply because I wanted a metal-handled knife. As can be seen in the top image of this post, I've had to use this knife as a hammer a couple of times. I understand that this is by no means good for the knife as a whole or the soft aluminum handles, but I'm not really concerned with what's good for it. I am simply satisfied that, like 6Ps do and G2s don't, it works as a hammer when needed. I am sure that 0300s would work rather well in this respect as well, however I have no interest in splitting a polymer grip panel and ruining an otherwise usable knife. The handles are also very well deburred. Unlike some knives I've experimented with carrying, this knife's handles feature no sharp edges, corners, etc., to screw with your hands when you just want to reach in your pocket for a phone or whatever.

Pocketed:

I've found this steel to be particularly susceptible to cosmetic rust if left wet in an enclosed, humid area. A simple once-over with a bore brush would take care of the amount that I'm talking about, and if available some solvent would certainly help clean things up. This is perhaps the only negative thing I have to say about this knife. Of course, only the exposed steel will rust. I have noticed VERY few and very small wear spots on the blade coating, for the most part it has remained like-new. The anodization on the handles has taken a beating and shows many nicks and scratches. As can also be seen in the original photo, the tips of the handles have been mirror polished by about two years of tip-down carry in a pocket with a leatherman, keys, etc.

I've used the tip for prying more times than I can remember. The spine is nice and beefy near the tip and I've had no issues with chipping.

The blade's hinge is an adjustable larger star screw and nut. I left it alone. Straight from the factory mine opened plenty fast.

Like most liner lockers, you can jam enough crap between the liner and the handle to jam the blade open, but it's a simple matter of pulling out a backup knife to remove the obstruction in order to right things.

I've seen advertisements for it claiming that it has a "razor sharp edge." I've owned many knives and this is by no means sharp. Several Gerbers I've had have been significantly sharper. This is, of course, not altogether a bad thing. You may not be able to shave with it, but it will forever retain what little edge it does have.

Lockup is absolutely rock solid. I am not able to detect any movement of the blade in any direction when locked open.

Closed:

If you have any questions or comments regarding this or other equipment, feel free to ask away. I'll respond to the best of my ability. Cheers.

Jones Tactical Cobra 1.5" EDB

Ive had my Jones Tactical Cobra 1.5" Every Day Belt for a couple of months now and I honestly don't believe that there's a better everyday belt system on the market.

The EDB is constructed from a single strip of 1.5" SCUBA webbing which has been folded at its midpoint and stitched to itself. An AustriAlpin black FC24B quick release buckle is used to attach one end to the other, so no worries about the buckle ever failing. The fold point of the SCUBA webbing is shown on the top in the picture below. The two ends of the webbing which, when stitched together, constitute the complete other end of the belt are melted into each other and pictured below the fold point. I need to have my girlfriend vacuum:

This SCUBA webbing will never rot, crack or wear out in any of the ways common to traditional, leather belts. It won't exactly be easy on your holster's attachment system either, so if you're using some fuddy Galco with leather snap loops, don't. Select from the myriad of pancake Kydex holsters on the market and benefit from the durability of polymer snap loops among many other features. I can't speak as to rubber snap loops' durability, haven't used em.

A single 1" wide strip of 17337 webbing is sewn around the SCUBA webbing and is used to facilitate adjustment and buckle attachment.

 Loop Velcro is sewn on top of this webbing on the belt's right side. It extends halfway around the belt, to the middle of the back. It is stitched straight through the SCUBA webbing on all of its sides. This Velcro is used to secure the tail of the adjustment strap coming out of the male Cobra buckle and is a nice feature that is not found on competing and similarly-designed belts such as Ares Gear's Ranger Belt. 3 inches of hook Velcro is provided on the inside of the tail of the adjustment strap for securing it to the belt and this is more than enough to keep it retained even under extreme stress.

When the belt showed up, I initially thought that the 17337 webbing was too flimsy and that it would fall apart on me after mild abrasion and loading. It's hung in there and proven itself a valuable asset. Despite its apparent delicacy, the 17337 can be fed through the male Cobra buckle very easily and thus it makes the belt extremely easy to adjust, another nice feature for adapting the belt's size for IWB or OWB carry, or the use of various IWB accessories, or simply leaving the gun in the car if you're going some place where carry is not legally permitted.

The SCUBA webbing is incredibly stiff. According to Jones Tactical's website, EDBs are now offered with some type of Tan 1.5" webbing, however it is not as stiff as the black SCUBA webbing. For those who carry IWB, I imagine that this won't matter. The stiff platform has been great when used with my OWB Blade-Tech holster. The weapon stays put and doesn't roll outward, flop around or rotate around the belt as much as with any other belt I have tried.

On the other end of the belt, the female Cobra buckle is secured with the same strip of 17337 which is then box stitched to itself. The box stitch is a little over 2" long and features double stitching on the buckle side. It is stitched straight through the SCUBA webbing on all of its sides and the double stitching does continue through the SCUBA webbing. I noticed one slightly loose thread on mine and a somewhat less than perfect "X" in the box stitch, but I honestly don't think it's anything to worry about. Just want to report accurately. The box stitch is clearly longer than the Ares Gear Ranger's, as well, which looks to be about 1" long.

I've been playing around with FC24B buckles in a couple different slings for a while but I didn't try to open a beer with one until I got this belt for some reason. Unfortunately, while a beer bottle's cap will fit well into the female buckle, you just dont have the leverage necessary to pry it off. Clearly, some redesigning on AustriAlpin's part is necessary.

When worn, the ends of the SCUBA webbing are not directly connected to each other, and so they often end up a bit diagonally opposed to each other, like so:

The above picture is a slight exaggeration. I do not believe that the lack of any direct connection between the ends of the SCUBA webbing matters and in fact it probably just makes the belt more comfortable, as it can bend and conform to the beer belly when seated.

If you plan on appendix carrying anything, you'll have to experiment with your particular holster's belt attachment system, (loops, J/C hooks, etc.), and see if they fit and work better when worn over the 17337 webbing or under it.

All in all a god damned awesome everyday belt. I probably wouldn't want it when on mission, I'd prefer some type of rigger's belt. But for all the other days... A great and, as far as I can tell, indestructible belt.

UPDATE (3/31/11): Subtle enough to not be noticed when worn with formal attire, especially considering as the buckle was concealed by my vest/tie most of the time. After extended periods, the belts stiffness can cause a bit of pain on my right hip when carrying IWB, but that may just be due to my body size/shape, holster choice, etc. And the pain wasn't exactly unbearable, just a slight annoyance, (as could be expected when tucking a handgun in your belt). Still no issues to report with respect to durability and quality of build. An excellent daily belt that's easy to transfer between different pants/shorts, unlike many other Cobra belts.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this or other equipment, feel free to ask away. I'll respond to the best of my ability. Cheers.