High Exposure

No I do not. I have a Knoxx Recoil Reducing Stock on my work shotgun and I hate it. I shoot slower with it on a timer, it beats the crap out of my face, and I have found it to be not quality gear compared to the other good options out there. For normal shotgun shooting, I much prefer a standard stock with a short 11" LOP ( I like the Seedfeed and Hogue Youth/Bantam models). Now, my "social" shotgun, a Remington 870, has a pistol grip and adjustable stock (Mesa Tactical LEO Adapter with a Magpul MIAD grip, an Vltor AR receiver extension and Vltor EMod stock). I find that in certain situations, the compromise from what I prefer is necessary for how I may have to use the "Boomstick" with the gear I may be wearing and the tasks I may have to complete with it. When working with a long gun in a tactical or team environment there are many times where you have to control the long gun with only one hand while the other hand is occupied - opening a door, transmitting on a radio, communicating with a team member, messing with your gear, setting up breaching equipment, messing with your NODs, etc.... I have found that the pistol grip has the advantage over a standard stock in these instances of controlling, shouldering and even firing the shotgun one handed. The adjustable stock is useful when your kit changes based on the weather appropriate slothing and armor you may be running.

What platform are you mounting them to? What RDS are you using? Why not go the traditional Flip-Up BUIS route if you are trying to unclutter your sight picture? At $230 for the DD sights, is it cheaper to buy a quick-detach mount for your optic? I have used them but I did not like them. They are a sub-optimal choice at best. You can make them work, but the traditional type BUIS have a much shallower learning curve. I have only used/seen them used in conjunction with magnified optics that don't allow tradition iron sights or BUIS to be mounted or deployed effectively. I know they are big in the race gun/space gun crowd, but I have never used these types of sights on an M4/AR-15 type rifle with a RDS.

Update concerning the letter shown in the OP and the publicity it has garnered nationwide. Gun Owners Puch Back: A Former Marine's Letter to Diane Feinstein

I agree with Abe as well, but I still have hope for the US. I don't think we are as bad off as we seem, but I do see us heading in that direction. That however, is a discussion for another thread.

Correct. Afghanistan has a bloody and violent history. I was referring specifically to the men we are currently fighting, many who grew up or fought during the Soviet Occupation years, and have been at war since the 80's against a technologically superior enemy, and the comparison of those men to us. We freaked out when we couldn't get gasoline for a week after a hurricane and went without electricity for 10-14 days. Do you truly think we could fight a Guerilla war against a modern invading army?

2 quick points. First, I am not disagreeing with you regarding our current enemy. They are committed, tenacious, and willing to die for their beliefs. Not an easy foe to defeat. Comparing the Taliban/AQ/your average third world fighter to most American hunters is like comparing apples to a venti mocha late with soy milk and a twist of lemon. The people we are fighting "over there" are used to hard life. The Afghanis have been fighting one war or another on their soil since at least the 80's. They dont have AC, heat, electricity, running water. They don't need $200 boots and $400 jackets to stay warm outside. They are hard people, that can make hard decisions in order to win. We, on the other hand, are mostly soft. Three days in the cold/wet/heat, without a meal, a shower, or the internet and most people in the US would be so demoralized they would happily walk into enemy hands for some shelter and food. Most of the Americans you meet are not the Jed Eckert type. Most Americans would not know how to build a landmine, terrain associate, grow and store food, read a map, fix an engine, butcher an animal, build a shelter, place an IED, patch a wound, or design an ambush. Most of us can set a DVR, order McDonalds, and text message with the best of them though. Yes, I know the above doesn't apply to everyone in the US. I also know that on sites like this the opposite is typically true, and the majority of people here could do a lot of the things we need to survive. However WE are in the significant minority in this nation. Second, the Iraqi and Afghani "Insurgents" are not fighting a viscious, maurading, conquering army. If our goal was to wipe out the population, break their backs, take territory, hold it and actually conquer nations in the Middle East/SW Asia and we had politicians and command staff with the intestinal fortitude to do it, it would have been a much different war in Iraq, and would be a much different war in Afghanistan (and probably Iran, Syria, Jordan, and Pakistan by now as well). We are fighting a war and trying to remain the "White Hats". To do this we limit the ROE that would keep our men and women the safest and in return we remain in the "favor of the rest of the "civilized" world. The use of arty, armor, aviation platforms, even individual weapons such as rockets, 203 rounds and frags that have any chance of civilian casualty or property damage are seriously underused due to the fear of collateral damage and the following disapproving snickers, finger wagging, and cries of "Imperialism" by the rest of the planet. A million hunters armed with AR's, bolt guns, lever guns, black powder, bows and arrows (keep in mind that those numbers stated in the OP don't reflect only Americans hunting with modern firearms) would be no match for a modern, well equipped, well trained, invading force with armor, arty, a solid communications network, aerial support, satellite surveillance, and - here is the important part - a Government and Command Staff determined to break our backs and rule us. Yes, there would be a guerilla campain that would last years. There would be holdouts, fighters, and resistance. We would kill a lot of the enemy, but without assistance from a legitimate modern military, it would be a holding action destined to lose.

This. At work I have 50+ PMags issued to my people for training and duty use. They stay loaded 24-7 in mag pouches without dustcovers. They are shot often in training then immediately reloaded with new issue duty ammo and put back in their pouches waiting for the day we may need them. I have 15 pmags that go back to 2007 that have been treated this way. I have had exactly zero issues with my mags. Load them then forget them. Hell, I throw the dustcovers in the trash.

Second Video? What second video? ETA: Tori has attended the OBRPC Steel Challenge Regional Championship Match in June the last 3 years or so. Maybe this year Michelle will tag along...

Danger! Danger! Unasked for advice Move your optic forward a few slots (looks like 4 or 5 slots would be about perfect). Place it so that the window of your EOTech is over your magazine well, in the center of balance of the rifle. It will make the rifle feel lighter and faster in your hands and drive better when you transition targets.

The "Lightbulb" that your equiment is sub-par or set up ineffeciently comes on over a lot of peoples heads in Uncle Pat's classes. I will be attending my 6th EAG class at the end of January in Philly, and I am planning on at least one more this year. Great way to shake out your gear.

Actually they are there to protect you against: Him: and these guys: and these animals: in an effort to avoid this: This: or this: Are you Seriously copmparing the NYPD to Nazis and the East German Grenzaufklärungszug?

No

I would be very surprised of it was ESU and not a Hercules Unit that you saw. ESU doesn't have the manpower to stand a static security gig, they are way too busy doing other things and are stretched pretty thin already. What was described by the OP is right in the Herc Unit wheelhouse. Did you see their shoulder patch? Did it have a fire truck like this? Anyway, you could give him on optic, but he would probably put it on backwards anyway LOL! Isn't there a Federal office in or near the JJ Center? I remember their being FBI officer or some such agency ther as well... Sent from my iPad

I think a sling and a white light are the 2 most important pieces of gear you need on a fighting or HD long gun. In fact, I think they are necessities not accessories. That being said, I despise 3 point slings, they offer ZERO advantages and are worthless IMO. Single point slings have some advantages, namely ease of weapon manipulation and switching shoulders, but also a lot of disadvantages for a fighting rifle - they dangle unsecured without a hand on the rifle, they hang low, and offer no support when shooting. In my experience carrying a rifle for extended periods of time, the adjustable 2 point slings (VTAC VCAS or BFG VCAS) attached to your rifle in the right location are where it's at. I run a BFG VCAS 2 point adjustable slings on all of my long guns. I like to keep both attachment points as close to the receiver/center of balance of the weapon as possible. This maximizes the adjustability of the sling, allows it to be cinched down tight to my chest or my back, with very little flopping around, in the event I need both hands for another task. The adjustable 2 point provides single point sling like ease of switching shoulders, the single point "quickness" when driving the rifle while still being able to snug it up for longer shots, and it provides uncluttered weapon manipulations (loading, clearing stoppages/malfunctions). It also lets you get into and out of asymmetrical/atypical shooting positions without fighting the rifle, your gear, or the sling just like a single point sling. On an AR I keep it attached to the front of the receiver, at the rear of the rail on the strong side, and the rear of the receiver on the support side in a Tangodown PR4. Attaching the sling at the rear to the support side locks the rifle to your body during transitions by trapping the pistol grip against your chest. It also allows you to transition shoulders without having to drop your support arm out of the sling, or make any large adjustments on the slider. Best of both worlds. I do not like the Magpul MS3 sling. It is innovative and has some neat features, but the sling is hard to adjust, uncomfortable, and I never use it in single point mode. I actually butchered my MS3 and used the hardware on a VCAS sling so I could use the VCAS with an ASAP plate and MOE MS3 sling mount. I like this option, but it is expensive buying 2 slings.

If this was in the city the those guys are most likely Hercules units not ESU - what most people think of as NYPDs SWAT (strangely ESUs unofficial motto is "SWAT we're not" as SWAT type work is only a very small part of their duties) Having Herc teams at a large public events like that is a typical show of force to give the impression that it is a secure venue.

Anyone new to hard armor/PCs will find this link useful. Most that have worn hard armor/PCs in the past will most likely find it useful as well. Gunfighter Anatomy: Proper Wear of Armor: http://sixty-six.org/x_drive/proper_wear_of_armor.pdf

"The Black Count" by Tom Reiss Excellent book about the life of Alexander Dumas, the father of the author of the "Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Three Musketeers". He was a black man, the son of a slave, and was considered by many to be the best soldier and fighting man in all of 18th century Europe. He rose from a private to being a Commander of armies during the height of the Revolution in campaigns across Europe and the Middle East. "Leadership and Training for the Fight" - Ret MSG Paul Howe A discourse on leadership applicable to Military, LEO and the Business world. Good book with lots of lessons. Reading it for the 3rd time. Learning something new each time. "The Hobbit" - Tolkien I just saw the movie and hadn't read it in ages. Wanted to see how close the movie was to the book as I didn't remember alot of the movie being in the book... I read constantly, but I get book "A.D.D." and need to bounce around a bit. I try to be reading 1 fiction, 1 non-fiction, and 1 professional development book at the same time.

Jermz1987, How do you get to the safety with that stock configuration on the Mariner? I never thought a pistol grip with a stock was a good match for the Manual of Arms on a Mossberg. Also, that is the Mesa Tactical High Tube Adapter, not the LEO Adapter. Your 870 is niiiiice! Happy New Year!

I learned to shoot a pistol on a G23. I carry a G22 and G27 everyday at work, a G23 off duty an shoot a G35 in competition. I am .40 Glock guy. I bought an M&P .45. I shot about 1000 rounds through it and sold it. It was too different in grip, feel, and trigger from the Glocks and brought my ability with the Glocks down a few notches when I spent my training time on a different platform. If ever I wasn't mandated to carry a G22 I may try one again. Then again, I have so much time on the Glock system I don't know if I want to invest the time and the training budget (ammo, range time, professional instruction) to learn a new platform to the level of competence I am at with my current pistols. As always, YMMV and all that

Good luck and have fun!

My primary armor for SWAT duties is an MSA SOHPC with DBT level IIIa plate backers and side armor and MSA level 3 icw plates. I really like this setup as it is comfortable for long periods of time, light (compared to the ninja turtle vest I wear sometimes - MSA RBV), streamlined, I shoot better with it, I am much more maneuverable with this over a traditional entry type vest, and it holds all my crap. I spend a lot of time in this kit both working and training. I can not recommend it enough. A PROTECH Plate Rack carrier that has RBR lvl 3/4 icw plates in it, no cummerbund. This rides in the radio car with me for gun calls, active shooter, warrant service stuff. It is designed to go on over the concealed armor I am already wearing while on patrol and still clear a duty belt allowing me to draw from a standard duty holster mounted at the belt line. It is good kit, quick to get on, very streamlined and well thought out, but not as comfortable at the SOHPC, and not setup to carry as much gear. If I was going to buy a new PC for personal use, it would be the Shellback Tactical Banshee. If I was going to buy a new PC for personal use, and money was not a limiting factor, I would look at the Crye, Tyr, and First Spear models. If I was going to buy a new PC for work use it would be either a Mayflower R&C APC or London Bridge Trading 6094B, or another SOHPC. Get your armor first, then get a carrier. You need to fit the armor to you, then the carrier to the armor, not the other way around. Also, not all hard armor stops all threats. Do your research.

Do you have any pistols that could take a .22 conversion slide? I have the AA .22 conversion for full size 9mm/.40 S&W/.357Sig Glocks and it has been flawless. It lets me use the same holsters and mag pouches as the standard pistol and will run you less than $300.

Keep in mind you are opening yourself to greater scrutiny and giving lawyers an easy way to exploit a self induced chink in your armor if you modify a safety feature on any gun, and it ends up used in a legal self defense shooting, or there is an accident involving said firearm. Ugly legalese on the slide or not, you are better off buying the gun in the condition you want it, unaltered, as delivered from the factory. Now, I am not saying that the lawyer would be right calling you "a bloodthirsty gun owner with so little regard for safety that you purposely altered your gun to remove inherent safety features installed on the gun at the factory" or some such thing on the stand, but being lawyers, they will if the think it will net their client 1 more cent.

Did a quick search and could not find this posted previously. I find it amusing that those who have no problem being paid to portray violent acts with firearms in movies and on TV find it necessary to comment on gun control.

Moisture causes aramid fibers to deteriorate. Rain, humidity, sweat, all are harmful to bullet resistant vests and factor into the reasoning behind the 5 year "life span" of US manufactured vests and the NIJ replacement standards for concealed body armor. Now, BA doesn't just magically expire after 5 years. I have shot 20 year old concealed armor to see what would happen and it stopped everything it was rated for. But if it was submerged I wouldn't trust it to work 100% as advertised and would chuck it or shoot it to experiment. I absolutely would not sell used armor and especially not armor that got wet, I wouldn't even give it away. Too much liability in this day and age.