The Nightstick TWM-30 pistol light is a weapon-mounted light (WML) designed as a handgun light from the flashlight brand Nightstick, a subsidiary of Bayco Nightstick. You’ll find information and reviews of it below. 

 

• Nightstick TWM-30 Pistol Light   David Reeder

 

• Nightstick’s TWM-30F – A Low Key Light    Travis Pike

 

• TWM-30: NightStick’s Handgun WML     David Higginbotham

 

The Nightstick TWM-30 Pistol Light 

David Reeder, 8-28-21

 

The Nightstick TWM-30 pistol light is (as of this writing) the latest weapon-mounted light (WML) from Bayco’s Nightstick brand of flashlights. To be fair, TWM-30 isn’t any duller a name than TLR-1, PL350, or X300, I was just struggling to come up with a pithy title. 

Regardless, the TWM-30 is now available. And in a season of new WML availabilities like the recently released Modlite PL350 (q.v.) and the rumored-to-be-coming-soon Cloud Defensive handgun light. the new Nightstick pistol light has a few interesting things to commend it. 

It sports a 1200 lumen (9,379 candela ) LED with a 194-meter beam distance, momentary switching capability (which is a major point for many people), and a runtime that’s roughly 45 minutes longer than its more expensive competitors.

So, I’m cautiously optimistic this may be the best build and highest functioning handgun light for the money we’ve seen in quite some time. We’ll soon see. 

 

BLUF: Check out the Nightstick TMW-30 Full-Size Handgun Tactical Weapon Light

 

• First, is the manufacturer: Nightstick. Now, Nightstick taken without context might give one the impression that they’re one of several second-tier WML manufacturers out there. To be candid, that was exactly my impression. However, as it turns out, Nightstick — in the form of Bayco — has been building hard use lights for the construction, mining, and similar industries (and for fire and rescue services) for nearly 40 years.

This doesn’t provide an apples-to-apples certainty that their expertise and quality will carry over from headlamps to tactical lights necessarily, nor are the demands upon (and strictures of) a weapon light necessarily identical to that of an “intrinsically safe” industrial light. 

But a light someone’s life might depend on is, in the end, a light someone’s life might depend on. That’s true whether you’re dealing with mostly peaceful protesters in a back alley of Seattle, running an urban rescue operation surrounded by shattered concrete and rebar, or carving away at a 40-inch coal seam in the Logan Orion. 

• Second, are some of the features. Specifically, how those features stack up to competing WMLs. Some of the features will no doubt look familiar to you, but some are much better than I’d anticipated they’d be. 

Here’s the rundown.

Nightstick TWM Full Size Handgun Light Specs and Features

• Available initially in black and olive green; FDE coming soon
• Glass-filled nylon polymer battery door that appears to be the most secure battery door in its class
• Aircraft-grade 6061 T-6 aluminum housing
• Type III hard-anodized finish
• LED technology
• 1.75-hour run time
• 1,200-lumen maximum output
• 9,379 candela 
• 194-meter range
• Ambidextrous controls (single-motion switches)
• Momentary or constant-on modes
• User-selectable strobe mode
• User-selectable battery-safe mode
• IP-X7 Waterproof rated
• 2m drop rated
• Impact and chemical resistant
• Serialized for personal identification
• Power Source: CR123
• Package Contents: Light, 3 cross-rail inserts, 2 cross-rail mounting cap head screws, Allen wrench, 2 CR123 Lithium batteries
• Compatible with all existing TWM-Series-compatible holsters
• Compatible with TLR-1 shape profile holsters
• Rail mount modularity (q.v.)

TWM-30 Holsters

I almost forgot. Holsters can be a deal-breaker for many people, myself included. It’s a pain in the ass to get a new holster just because you got a new light. More so if you’re forced to get more than one. 

TWM-30 = TLR-1

The Nightstick TWM-30 has the same form factor as the Streamlight TLR-1 holster(s) you may already have. This includes both the OWB PHLster Floodlight and the IWB PHLster Floodlight. 

If you’re running a Surefire, you’re outta luck (for right now at least). 

Stand by for some reviews as soon as my crew gets ’em done and submitted!

Here’s how Nightstick describes the light:

Cut through the darkness and illuminate targets for quick, positive identification with the Nightstick® TMW-30 Full-Size Handgun Tactical Weapon Light. Featuring a Type III hard-coat anodized, aircraft-grade 6061 T6 aluminum housing, this weapon light offers superior corrosion and shock resistance for reliable performance under stress. The super-bright LED delivers an impressive 1,200-lumen maximum output (194-meter range), optimized for threat identification and target discrimination with a defined halo for superior peripheral illumination in CQB environments.

Fully ambidextrous, enhanced single-motion controls deliver quick, reliable control with both right- and left-handed shooters. User-selectable momentary-on and constant-on lighting modes keep you in full control of your light discipline, while strobe and battery safe modes are easily enabled or disabled with 2 unique switch actions. Operating on two CR123 batteries (included), this weapon light delivers 1.75 hours of runtime, while a glass-filled nylon polymer battery door allows for quick battery changes to keep you in the fight. The TWM-30F is compatible with all existing TWM-Series-compatible holsters including duty, OWB, IWB, and AIWB models.

Not compatible with rechargeable batteries. IPX7 waterproof. Manufacturer’s limited lifetime warranty.

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The Nightstick TWM-30F – A Low Key Illumination

Travis Pike, 8/30/21

 

The world of weapon lights is both big and small. Big in that a search of the term weapon-mounted light will turn up dozens and dozens of results. Small (in fact quite small) when you only consider the good WMLs.

I take that in stride and give new lights a fair shake. That’s what I’m doing in this look at the brand new (as of right now) Nightstick TWM-30F. This is a full-sized weapon light designed for full-sized and compact firearms. It’s a large framed light that fits in the class of both the X300U and TLR-1.

Now that I have one of these lights in hand, I’ve hit the ground running and given it a fair shake. Well, maybe less than fair. Whenever something new comes out, I like to run nice and hard to shake it loose. I don’t purposely try to break things, but let’s be real, you guys like negative reviews more than positive ones. Let’s see how the Nightstick TWM-30F shakes out.

 

Nightstick TWM-30F Specifications

Before we dive into the field of how great or how bad the Nightstick TWM-30F is, let’s take a peek at the specifications.

Lumens – 1,200 Lumens
Candela – 9379
Range – 194 meters
Run Time – 1 hour 45 minutes
Batteries – 2 CR123As

The first two specs in that list are interesting. First is the fact we’ve got 1,200 lumens of power. Measured by lumens, hat’s more light than both the Streamlight TLR-1 and the Surefire X300U. It comes second only to the new Modlite PL-350’s 1,350 lumens. However, the candela level falls below the leading competitors by a fair margin. Lots of lumens with lower candela make the light appropriate for close-range defensive use.

Included with the Nightstick TWM-30F is a rail key set. You get three to accommodate a wide variety of handguns, including Glocks, Sigs, HKs, and the like. Installing the keys is easy and can be done quickly. Unscrew an Allen screw, swap keys, and re-tighten it.

Ergonomics

From the ground up, the ergonomics are on point. We have an ambidextrous set of switches that are super easy to access. They don’t rotate to activate, and they are a simple press-forward design. It’s very clicky with lots of good tactile feedback. You can press slightly downward, or you can press inward. Basically, as long as you can press the switch, it will activate and firelight forward.

You can swap between constant and momentary, and ‘ten’ tap a strobe function into the system if you so choose. A battery-safe mode can also be activated should you want it. It’s all done through the two rear switches.

I prefer just the constant and momentary modes. Constant switches on with a short press, and momentary is done with a long press. It’s very simple and intuitive.

As a full-sized light, it does fit better on full-sized guns. When you go compact, a fair bit hangs off the front. However, with the right rail key, it’s secured without issue.

Note: The Nightstick TWM-30F requires a Phillips head screwdriver to swap batteries, so keep that in mind when you’re in the field.

 

Night Time Performance

I was honestly pretty shocked when I first sent a blast of light forward from the Nightstick TWM-30F. It’s got a surprising blast and is quite capable outdoors. The beam is a bit warm, with a slight yellow hue. As weapon light users will usually attest, a warmer beam does a great job of defeating photonic barriers and blinding bad guys.

The light has tons of spill, more than the pictures represent (because taking photos of light at night can be tough.)

It’s enough light to grant you excellent peripheral vision. The hotspot is quite potent and very powerful. I went back to 50 yards in the dead of night and easily lit up a target. At that range, I’m stretching my own capabilities with a handgun and most certainly the legal limits of self-defense.

The Nightstick TWM-30F pushes a ton of light out and does so impressively.

I put a photonic barrier between me and a “threat” and tried to see if the beam could defeat it. My photonic barrier was my pole barn lights. This creates a barrier of light that makes it impossible for me to see from one side to the other and identify the threat.

Well, impossible without a good light.

I hit the go button, and I was pleasantly surprised I saw my green polymer target on the other side. Before I turned on the Nightstick TWM-30F, I couldn’t see the green target at all. Once the beam was in play, I spotted him through the photonic barrier without issue.

I can say I’m initially impressed by the power of the Nightstick. It certainly casts a bright beam forward and does an outstanding job of lighting up the world around you. Now we have to see if it continues to project that strength over time.

 

A Surprising Twist

As I fooled around with the Nightstick TWM-30F, I slowly felt a wave of deja vu hit. Something was familiar about the light, but it didn’t catch me at first. I had never used a Nightstick light before.

As I used and abused the Nightstick TWM-30F, I realized its shape and size were quite close to the Streamlight TLR-1.

This had me asking if the Nightstick fit into TLR-1 rated holsters. I grabbed my Phlster Floodlight and quickly found out that, yep, it fits. It fits perfectly and works without issue. In fact, it even fits without issue in my Blackhawk Omnivore with its active retention device.

The biggest problem with buying a new light is holster availability. Well, the Nightstick has built-in support, so that’s nice.

Will other TLR-holsters (as in from other manufacturers) accept it? The manufacturer says they will. We’ll see if that holds true. 

 

Let’s Beat the Sh!t Out Of It!

This is my favorite part of testing stuff: taking it behind the barn and giving it the old Yella treatment! Well, kind of. I don’t like to think I do crazy stupid torture tests, but I will look at the supposed ratings and test those specific ratings.

Drop Test

Nightstick claims the TWM-30F can withstand a 2-meter drop. Now I’m an American, and I only understand measurements used by countries who’ve gone to the moon. It turns out 2 meters is 6.5 feet. As a dude whose almost 6.5 feet tall, I held the light attached to a blue gun above my head and let it drop.

Over and over, at various angles to see if it would fail. For the last few drops, I even left it on to see if it would shut off when dropped—no such luck. The Nightstick TWM-30F took the beating better than Butch Coolidge.

 

Going Higher

I guess it could survive two meters, but what about a ten-foot drop? Well, up the ladder I went, and after fighting off a nest of wasps, I dropped it time and time again. Again, the Nightstick kept ticking and never even flickered at the abuse I tossed at it (or tossed it from). 

Water Test

With an IPX7 rating, the TWM-30F can be tossed in water for 30 minutes. I did just that.

I filled a bucket of water and dropped it in. Then I left it there. I went and mopped, did some dishes, and made my world-famous muffins. While I intended to leave it there for 30 minutes, it was actually about 36 minutes total. The good news is that the Nightstick TWM-30F took the extra time underwater in stride.

Hit a Punching Bag

Let’s pretend for a moment that I live a much more exciting life than I actually, currently do, and I need to use my gun as an impact weapon.

Maybe I’m experienced in gun-fu.

Can the light take the abuse? Well, let’s find out. I got a little fella I call Bob from Century. The Bob is a tool used to practice martial arts, boxing, and now pistol-whipping. I slammed the blue gun and downward, forward, and side to side to really shake things up.

The Nightstick (and, to be fair, Bob also) took the beating without tapping out.

 

 

Cleared Hot to Light It Up

The Nightstick TWM-30F surprised me. I had never used a Nightstick light before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I went in blind but came out and saw the light, so to speak. The Nightstick TWM-30F is a fantastic little light; it’s durable, affordable, and bright. I’m now a fair bit curious as to what else Nightstick has and will be taking a second look at their products.

 

 Travis Pike
 

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NightStick’s TWM-30 Handgun WML

David Higginbotham, 8/31/21 

 

Nightstick isn’t entirely new to the weapon-mounted light game. The company has a much deeper history with other industries, like fire service and mining, but they’re bringing their expertise from years in the field to a new line of lights for guns. Happily, we got an early look at the Nightstick TWM-30.

This is a first-impression piece here–the basics on the TWM-30. If you want to dive into all of the specs and more detail, check out the intro piece here.

The Nightstick TWM-30 is a seriously bright light. 1,200 lumens, as the box above denotes, is bright. Do not cut this joker on until you have it pointed in a safe direction.

Inside, the light is so bright that I find it a bit blinding, even when it isn’t pointed at me — but that’s hitting the switch in full darkness. Outside, it is less effulgent, as there’s less to immediately bounce the light back.

The cone of light that comes off of the TWM-30 has a bright center spot and a wide–less bright–flood. This is a useful tool for highlighting a wide area of your surroundings while also pinpointing a more narrow area of your target.

And 1,200 lumens is a kind of weapon in its own right. The light, even the spill, is blinding.

Installing the TWM-30

This is a new system to me. The TWM-30 connects to the typical Picatinny rail, but there are two places where this connection happens.

The first is the predictable Picatinny claw action on the sides of the light. In the middle, on the backside, is an insert that has a bar for indexing slots on the rail itself. While this doesn’t add grip to the connection, it does prevent the light from moving forward and back on the rail.

At the side of the TWM-30, a stainless bolt tightens the light to the rail. This system is familiar enough to most of us. The tension provided in this connection is enough to hold the light in place on the gun.

Inside, two CR123 A batteries provide the juice for the 1,200 lumens of the TWM-30. Run time should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:45. Like most lights, you’ll need to have the battery in place before you install the light.

The design of the body feels robust. If I can get off track for a moment, I’ll put in one word of caution. The hot surface warning is legit. This thing gets hot. This is not a light I’d leave on long. If you need a flashlight, get a flashlight.

The Nightstick TWM-30 comes with three small panels that can be used to dial in the fit for different rails. One comes installed, and there are two extras in the bag. From the backside, as you see below, they look the same.

On the flip-side, though, are letters and a cross-bar for fitting to a rail. These are meant for larger pistols and won’t fit on any of the micro-9s I’ve got kicking around.

The machining on the panels is nice. They only go into the body in one direction. There’s no way to goof them up, unless you were to loosen the screw that holds it down. Even that, though, isn’t likely as Nightstick has provided a spare.

The TWM-30 in operation

 

 

Finding the right fit with the TWM-30

This is a Goldilocks kind of thing, but I’m going to start with the Nightstick TWM-30 mounted on the gun I have on hand that it fits on best –a Springfield Armory TRP.

Getting the TWM-30 in place is complicated by the length of the body. It is almost long enough that it needs a channel to allow for the trigger guard on most pistols. Otherwise, the switches are flush with, or ahead of the trigger guard. That isn’t the end of the world, but I like the way it fits on the TRP.

The Nightstick TWM-30 on an Adams Arms AA19 wasn’t as perfect. As you can see in the image below, with insert #2–which should work–the slant of the trigger guard prevents it from seating. This is why there are multiple inserts.

With insert #1, the TWM-30 sits on the gun. I can still run the switches with that trigger finger with little difficulty. I’d prefer to have the light back against that trigger guard and don’t like that gap there, but it fits and is still easily controlled.

The Nightstick TWM-30 on the Sig Sauer P226 presented similar problems. Though it fit, the activation switches on the TWM-30 required a bit more reach. And the unit wasn’t seated fully on the rail.

And you can see in the image below that the under-side of the light was exposed a bit just past where the frame ends. This includes the screw that holds the insert to the light body. If that screw shifts during extended shooting, the light should stay in place. But I’d rather have that bolt covered up by the gun itself, as it is on the TRP.

This problem is hardly unique to this light. There’s not an industry standard for how these rail slots are placed on a frame. They’re all damn-near the same, but sometimes damn-near is not enough.

Even though the spacing of a Picatinny slot is standardized, the distance between the first slot and the trigger guard is often determined by the spacing of the end of the rail at the muzzle-end of the gun. Follow that logic?

In the image below, I’ve got the inserts lined up in order on three guns. They look very similar here, but that’s deceptive. The body of the light adds length that makes fitment a bit of a mix-and-match game.

 

One big thing in the Nightstick TWM-30’s favor is the bolt that holds it to the rail. While the little screw holding the insert in place in the image below will help determine spacing, the knurled bolt holds it to the rail. And that bolt is spring-loaded.

The spring pushes the bolt out, holding the light onto the rail (even when it isn’t locked down tight). Should the bolt come loose, that spring should keep the light on the gun (in combination with the rail-spacer insert below it, which would prevent the light from simply sliding off the rail).

Holstering the Nightstick TWM-30

Details on holsters are still hazy–our intro article suggests that it fits in the TLR1 holsters. There’s a very good chance that the TWM-30 will also fit in holsters designed for the SureFire X300–at least those that aren’t wet-molded leather or form-fitting Kydex.

I’m thinking here of the holsters from Safariland.

Safariland maintains intense tolerances for their retention devices, but the holster bodies on some of those are more open in the muzzle-end to allow for a variety of lights.

On the Range with the Nightstick TWM-30

The light should run for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Nightstick says it is water-resistant down to a meter. While this isn’t very deep, few of us swim with our guns. It is more about the confidence to know the light can handle sweat and rain with no problem.

These are early days with the TWM-30. We shot for a couple of hours, off and on, and didn’t kill the light or the batteries. It handled recoil well and didn’t shoot loose.

 

 

The Nightstick TWM-30 is currently selling for $129.99. If you want a light that can crank out the lumens and one with an impressive run time, this might be the one for you.

 

DH

 

 

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The world of concealed carry pistols has never been bigger. In fact, I could say that every year for the last ten years and be correct. The market changes quite a bit, and fads come and go. The current fad has strayed away from the smallest gun possible with more focus on capacity. These days, it seems the minimal accepted capacity is ten rounds.

Today we are doing a little SIG P365 vs. G43X showdown. Since the Sig P365 kicked this whole thing off, it makes sense that the P365 gets to go first against its most steadfast competitors. One of the latest is the Glock 43X.

The P365 kicks the crap out of the original Glock 43. When the Sig P365 premiered, the Glock 43 ruled as king of the single stacks. Like Yertle the turtle, the king collapsed on itself when a little resistance popped up. The Sig P365 hit the ground running by being essentially the same size as the Glock 43 but packed an additional four rounds.

How does the Sig P365 stand up to the G43X? That’s the question and that we are trying to solve today with our Sig P365 vs Glock 43X bout for blood.

Why Not P365 XL vs Glock 43X?

Off the bat, I know some comments are going to pop up asking me the whys behind my logic. One of those questions will undoubtedly be why a Sig P365 vs Glock 43X article and not one about the XL series vs. the G43X? Or the P365 vs the G48?

Well, to be honest, the G43X and P365 standard models are more comparable. The P365 XL and Glock 48 are in a slightly different category in my mind. The P365 XL vs Glock 48 would be comparable. In the future, we might explore that, but for now, we are focusing on the little guys and keeping it to the P365 vs G43X.

These two guns are the more compact models. They have shorter barrels, similar ballistics, and similar handling capabilities.

Sig P365 vs Glock 43X Specs Showdown

When we look at the specs in our P365 vs. G43X, we have to keep things in context. Both guns are designed for concealed carry and as backup firearms for duty use.

As such, they tend to try to be small, lightweight, and easily concealable. At the same time, we all know that the smaller a gun gets, the harder it is to control. With that in mind, let’s look at the numbers. We all know numbers never lie y’all.

Size Matters, Boys

Guys, size matters, regardless of what they tell you. Accept it, embrace it, and pay attention to it.

We’ll start with length because we all know length is the most important thing. Sig’s P365 measures out to 5.8 inches with a 3.1-inch barrel. Glock plastic fantastic G43X measures 6.5 inches total with a 3.41-inch barrel. Sig’s more compact lengthwise, but the G43X’s barrel provides a little more velocity, and a longer barrel makes a more controllable firearm.

A Tall Drink of Water

Height is quite important as well. The Glock 43X is 5.04 inches tall and the Sig P365 is 4.3 inches tall with its flush-fitting ten-round magazine. Here is where most shooters will see the biggest difference. Both guns hold ten rounds at these measurements, but the Sig is considerably shorter.

When you carry with a focus on concealment, the height measurement matters, and a taller gun often has a longer grip. We can conceal the barrel and slide of the pistol in an IWB rig, but that grip pokes out and makes concealment a little tougher.

Sig pulls ahead in this little Sig P365 vs Glock 43X showdown.

Tipping the Scales

Both the P365 and G43X provide a lightweight platform that leans on polymer to keep things light and easy to handle. The Sig weighs 17.8 ounces with an empty magazine, and the Glock weighs 18.7 ounces with an empty magazine. The difference here is hardly discernible.

Sig P365 vs Glock 43X Features Break Down

What features matter to you? That could make a big difference when you look into purchasing your firearm. Let’s dig into the features of each gun and see if one pulls ahead of the other in our P365 Vs. G43X match.

Both include two magazines that each hold ten rounds. Glock includes a mag loader, which is nice. Sig includes a magazine with a flush floor plate and a magazine with a finger extension. Both Glock and Sig offer optics-ready options if you want to take that route.

Sig does include the very nice XRAY3 day and night sights that are made entirely from metal. Glock includes their always terrible plastic polymer sights that everyone changes immediately.

The P365 also uses the fire control unit concept that allows users to swap frames and slides to change the gun with aftermarket options. It’s handy, and I use it with a metal frame module, or an XL slide, or any combination of aftermarket parts.

The P365 magazine design allows it to be incredibly efficient. As such, you can purchase 12 and 15 round magazines that offer substantially more capacity than the Glock 43X. Even with the 12 rounder in place, the Sig P365 remains shorter than the G43X.

On the Range

Both guns provide a very nice ergonomic grip. The Sig uses a high trigger undercut and high beavertail to allow for a nice high grip on the gun. The Glock 43X’s longer grip provides a nice hand-filling grip similar in length to the famed Glock 19. Comfort-wise, both feel nice and provide sufficient texture to keep the gun in my hand and to shoot comfortably.

Both guns are more than accurate enough. The Glock sights suck but don’t inhibit accuracy. The bright Sig sights make it easy to see and focus on the front sight. Both have crisp triggers, and if I had to pick one, the Sig has a smoother trigger. The longer sight radius of the Glock 43X did make a little difference at longer ranges.

When I stretched my legs out to 25 yards, I found myself ringing a six-inch gong more consistently with the Glock 43X. Something can be said for not only the longer sight radius but, the longer grip as well. I’ve been shooting the P365 for years now but found myself hitting that 6-inch gong ten out of ten times more consistently with the G43X.

When you mix in speed, the G43X handles better. That more substantial grip gives my big hands more to hold onto, and the longer barrel helps with muzzle rise, I’m sure. The G43X delivers when you need to lay down the trigger fast with a higher degree of accuracy.

For concealed carry purposes, both guns succeed, but for our Sig P365 vs Glock 43X contest, the G43X provides a little more accuracy.

What About Reliability?

I can happily report that both guns have proven to be incredibly reliable. I’ve fired thousands of rounds through the Sig P365 with maybe a handful of malfunctions, hard primers, and the like. The Glock 43X has delivered a flawless performance in the last 450 rounds, including with various magazines and magazine extensions. This category is awash in our Sig P365 vs Glock 43X contest.

Reloading

When I started shooting and running different drills, I didn’t see huge gaps in performance in most categories. What I did see was a clear difference when it came to reloading. My big hands force me to utilize the pinky extension on the P365. When I reload the P365, I have to be observant to release that pinky, or I pin the magazine in place.

The full-length grip of the Glock 43X means no pinky to pin in the magazine. I can drop the magazine free and not have to think about it. It’s a fast, more intuitive reload and worth noting.

So Who Wins?

I found myself liking the G43X way more than I thought I would. It still runs with the single stack design, which limits its potential when facing the Sig P365. I do prefer the more efficient design of the P365 in terms of size and capacity. If I was a big Glock guy, I would go with the G43X. It delivers that stock-standard Glock experience you are well associated with. If you are looking for the smallest but most efficient carry gun, then the P365 wins. It’s a tough call, and both of our P365 Vs. G43X contestants are fantastic pistols.

Which would you choose? Let us know below!

 

In a gun world that seems to be overflowing with polymer pistols, it’s nice to see a steel-framed model hit the market. When that steel pistol comes from a respected brand like Walther Arms, it’s even better. In this video review, the guys at AmmoLand TV go through a 1,000-round test of the Walther PPQ Q4 Steel-Frame pistol covering pros, cons, and everything in between.

So, how does the steel frame change things?

Grant has this to say regarding the heft of this gun (being steel-framed tends to add on the ounces, after all):

“Speaking of which, there is…no felt recoil and very little muzzle rise with the Walther. Now, this is no doubt in…part [due] to the weapon’s very heavy 40 ounce, overall, unloaded weight. You did not hear that incorrectly. Yes, it weighs more than a full-size CZ SP01. But, just like the CZ, has almost no felt recoil as a result of a very clean action combined with its hefty weight. And although it sounds a little crazy, the combination of all that weight and the 9mm round’s already pretty negligible recoil impulse, [but] the gun feels like shooting a full-size 22 when you’re shooting full-powered 9 through it.”

He goes on to admit it is “extremely heavy” but that Walther is still marketing it as a concealed carry firearm. And here’s the thing: being heavy shouldn’t automatically make a gun seem unsuitable for carry. Many factors must be considered including your wardrobe, daily activities, holster, and gun belt. But when it comes right down to it, most gun owners are capable of carrying larger, heavier guns than they realize. It really is all in the holster and belt combination. If one is of poor quality, it won’t be much help if the other is fantastic. Be sure your holster provides the proper retention, positioning, and comfort — but pair it with a well-made gun belt. This might be a heavier pistol but you can certainly use it as your EDC (EveryDay Carry) if you want.

Check out the video to find out what else Grant had to say about this pistol:

Walther PPQ Q4 Features

Walther summarizes the PPQ Q4 Steel Frame:

“A feat in firearm engineering that simply must be felt to be believed, the Q4 Steel Frame will surpass all expectations with its unrivaled accuracy and performance. Its steel frame – precision machined from solid steel billet – improves ergonomics with a wrap-around grip panel, extended beavertail, full length picatinny rail and recessed slide release. The weight distribution of the steel frame drastically reduces recoil to improve shooter performance, ultimately contributing to overall efficiently.”

The pistol weighs 39.7 ounces empty, and with a 15-round capacity it definitely has some bulk to it when it’s loaded. It’s a semiautomatic chambered in 9mm with a 4.0-inch barrel and testing has shown it to be accurate. With an overall height of 5.4 inches and an overall length of 7.4 inches, it will take extra effort to conceal it, but it’s not impossible.

Is the heavier weight a good thing?

Yes, there are a few reasons that the increased weight can be beneficial, including increased:

• recoil mitigation
• accuracy
• durability

Check out the video above for more details or take a look at Walther’s website here.

Walther PPQ Q4 Specifications

Manufacturer: Walther Arms

Model: PPQ Q4 Steel Frame

Caliber: 9mm

Capacity: 15 rounds

Barrel length: 4.0 inches

Trigger Pull: 5.6 pounds

Overall length: 7.4 inches

Overall Height: 5.4 inches

Width: 1.3 inches

Weight: 39.7 ounces, empty

MSPR: $1499

I bet you’re wondering how I got here, wearing a goofy hockey mask and a comically oversized Heat vest.

Well, to really tell the story, I have to go back, way back, to like — the end of April. Forgotten Weapons released a video called “Forgotten Weapons Will Rock and Roll at the Drop of a Hat.”

It’s a sweet video. In it, Ian of Forgotten Weapons, Matt Haught of Symtac Consulting, and friends reenacted the Heat Bank robbery as best as they safely could. They wore suits, masks, used old-school ARs and wore Heat replica vests. The video is sweet and it served as both a cool video and an announcement of sorts for the Heat vest pre-order at the Forgotten Weapons website.

I was …Uhm, sold. I’ve wanted one of these vests since I saw the film Heat. If you’ve never seen the movie, fix that. Go see it. Near the end, a bank robbery occurs, and the robbers wear vests adorned with magazines under their coats. It’s a simple setup unique to the film and honestly always appealed to me. I instantly got in on the pre-order and eagerly awaited the arrival of my sweet Heat vest.

I planned to dress up in my suit and do a bit of my own rundown of the Heat shootout, armed with the vest and a duffel bag full of sand. I ordered a copy of the Hockey mask seen at the beginning of the film and couldn’t wait.

The Youtuber Conundrum

I have a rule. Don’t order crap from Youtubers. Not just in the gun world, but it seems like anytime a Youtuber has a product to sell, it’s crap. The thing is, Ian has sold some sweet-ass books on historical firearms. They are incredibly well-done books, and I look forward to his book on Chinese Warlord pistols.

So with that in mind, I broke my rule, and even when faced with a warning of no refunds, I dialed in my credit card number and sent 90 bucks over the interwebs.

I’m sad to say, the Youtuber selling crap meme maintains its strength with the Heat vest.

So this is the Sizemore Heat Vest?

The Heat Vest came in two sizes, M/L and XL/XXL. I’m 6 foot, 5 inches tall, and weigh 280 pounds. I ordered the XL/XXL variant. Heck, that’s my shirt size, so it makes sense I went with the ‘Sizemore’ option. After watching the Youtube video and seeing Ian posing with the vest, I expected the vest to fit. Honestly, I figured it might be a bit small.

Sadly, I was mistaken. The Heat vest I received was comically oversized for me. I’m pretty sure I’ve never actually had an issue with something too big for me, so that was a first. I tried to adjust the vest. I put it on the tightest D-ring and adjusted the rear as tight as I possibly could — and it’s still massively oversized. I felt like a five-year-old playing dress-up in his dad’s clothes.

I imagine it’s a 4 or 5 XL at best. It droops off of me, and the shoulders will slide off of me with gentle movement. When I walk, it seems to drip off, especially when loaded down with loaded magazines. In the video by Forgotten Weapons, the vests looked perfectly sized, and they certainly didn’t fall off the wearers while shooting and moving.

I loaded the vest down and tried it under my suit coat. It’s way too big to fit under the coat, so I abandoned the idea I originally had and avoided a dry cleaning bill. I still had a 36 dollar hockey mask, so you guys are getting to see that at a minimum.

What About Using It?

As I mentioned, the Heat vest just kind of falls off of me with any real movement. Well, the magazines also tend to just fall out of it too.

These elastic bands are way too big for a standard AR-15 magazine. I walked 30 yards, and this was the result.

I lost two mags and almost lost a third. If I bend over, the magazines fall out of the shoulder are pouches. I honestly didn’t expect excellent, duty grade retention, but I don’t think mags should pop out when they are jostled or just when you walk. I’m betting if the vest fit tighter, the magazines would be less likely to jump ship so fast.

I never intended to use the Heat Vest for anything serious, but I would like to have some fun in it at the range. Maybe take it to the next “Retro” match at my local range and goof off a bit. Sadly I can’t even do that.

I will say the Daniel Defense 32 round magazines fit much better than the regular 30 rounders. They are a hair longer and don’t flop out.

Retrieving the magazines makes me thankful for modern chest rigs. Of all the things I can complain about, I don’t think mentioning the ergonomics of a 1995 chest rig made for a movie is really necessary. It’s just the nature of the design and not a knock on the product’s quality.

Fixing the Situation

I emailed Forgotten Weapons customer support after I received the vest. I received a quick response saying they were aware of the problem and were investigating the size issue. I waited and followed up about two weeks after asking if there was a solution. I have yet to hear back regarding the solution.

Hopefully, the Forgotten Weapons crew can fix this situation. I’m not the only one who found the Heat vest way too large. Owners of both the M/L and XL/XXL found the vest to be way too big and the retention to be terrible. If the situation’s fixed, then I will most certainly give the vest another shot at the range and rewrite or update this review.

My ultimate goal for the Heat vest was to play at the range a few times, then hang it up on a mannequin and make it a conversation piece. Sadly, they don’t make mannequins this size, so what can I do?

Hopefully, in a month, I’ll be rewriting this and be psyched about my well-fitting Heat vest. Until then, be aware of these being sold on the secondary market.

People seem to be marking them up a bit much and not mentioning the size issue at all. If Forgotten Weapons fixes first-owner problems, you might not be covered when purchasing on the secondary market. I’m gonna go watch Heat again and get Galil fever once more.

(Going back for Waingro was a mistake btw.)

 

 

 

Who doesn’t love more capacity in their fighting rifle? Thirty rounds are the standard, but we’ve never been satisfied with the standard, right? The more rounds a gun holds, the less likely you’ll have to reload. For guns tasked with laying down sustaining fire, we turn to belts. Magazine-fed weapons are often enhanced by the presence of an extended magazine or a drum. The Beta C-Mag might be the biggest solution to the problem of needing more capacity.

The Beta C-Mag first saw life in 1987 when it received a patent for its rather unique design. The C in C-Mag stands for century. Get it? Century equals 100 years, and the drums hold 100 rounds. Clever, and admittedly, it rolls off the tongue. Since then, the Beta C-Mag has been a rather controversial drum magazine. In fact, hating on the C-Mag has been the only thing gun grabbers and freedom enthusiasts have had in common.

Gun grabbers hate freedom, and anything offering 100 rounds of ammunition on tap irks them, and to be fair, anything holding more than 1 round of ammunition irks them. At the other end of the spectrum, freedom enthusiasts, gun lovers, and soldiers dislike them because they don’t seem to be all that functional. Before we get into that, let’s talk a little bit more about the history and purpose of the C-Mag.

What’s The Purpose of the C-Mag

That’s easy, and not to sound like Tim Allen in the 90s, it’s for more power! Specifically, more firepower. The Beta C-MAG offered soldiers, police, or whoever a hundred rounds on tap. For soldiers, this allowed them to open up without the need to reload. In a firefight gaining fire, superiority can mean the difference between winning and gettin’ dead. Soldiers could use their rifles as quasi-suppressive weapons when a firefight kicks off.

The C-Mag is a drum design that actually uses two drums to accomplish the mighty task of holding 100 rounds of 5.56. The drum design also allows the user to get into a half-decent prone position without a giant jutting drum making it awkward.

The awkward design has earned it some rather vulgar names, such as the ‘titty’ mag and the ‘chode.’ I don’t partake in such uncouth terms, but they deserve to be mentioned as part of the gun’s history.

A History of the Beta C-Mag

Beta produced the magazine with military contracts in mind and approached big Army with their marvelous idea in the early 90s. The DOD and Spec Ops community tested the drums, and they reportedly failed pretty hard.

In 2001 the GWOT kicked off, and a reportedly new and improved Beta C-Mag came to be. Again it was offered to the Army, who was gearing up to go kick ass in Afghanistan. Well, at the time, stuff like this was getting snatched up left and right and taken overseas.

Soldiers were issued the C-Mag in both Afghanistan and Iraq from small unit orders. In the early days of the GWOT, linked ammo was reportedly scarce in the country. Units fell back to using full auto M4s and M16s and for fire suppression, and the C-Mag granted them the capacity to make do.

Proper Testing

The Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division procured and tested magazines, and well, they found that they still weren’t up to snuff. Based on this testing, USSOCOM sent out a stop order to prohibit the use of Beta C-Mags. As it happens, the message didn’t get down to everyone.

The Rapid Equipping Force was a program set up to get soldiers the gear they need in 180 days or less. It would test and evaluate products and see if they were suitable for combat conditions. They acquired some Beta C-Mag drums and conducted testing in Iraq. They found the drums unsuitable for combat and sent them back.

The drums hit the streets, and soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division tested the drum in Kandahar under the supervision of a third-party consulting firm. They put the rifles through SAWs and M4s and quickly discovered they weren’t up to snuff.

“I hate it, it keeps jamming,” said Spc. Daniel Dicker. (Defend America Newsletter)

After these numerous failures, the C-Mag drums in the wild were collected, and a policy letter was issued banning the use of the Beta C-Mag. After that, the Beta C-Mag didn’t see any action in the hills of Afghanistan or the streets of Iraq. The drum, like many drums before it, proved too finicky for military use.

Post Military Career

The Beta C-Mag might not have served with distinction, but it had a secondary career in the movies! It’s an intimidating-looking sight attached to the bottom of a gun, and it popped up in the Stargate television show. We saw it in three different guns in the Vin Diesel xXx flicks, in the film Walking Tall, in Gamer, and so many more.

Ultimately like a movie star, the drum looks good, but it necessarily needs to be good. Beta C-Mag drums are easy to find for sale, but be prepared to pay. They often retail for around 300 bucks. I’m not going to spend 300 bucks on a range toy I don’t trust.

But I will spend less than half that on the KCI Clone.

The KCI Option

These are much more affordable and likely as reliable as an authentic C-Mag, according to the Army’s testing.

I loaded up my KCI clone, and man, a hundred rounds of 5.56 makes the gun quite hefty. I couldn’t get it to catch the mag catch fully loaded with the bolt closed. If you download two rounds or insert the drum with the bolt open, you’ll be good to go.

The weight and weird bulbous design make it much easier to use in a supported position, but it’s not impossible to fire from the standing unsupported.

I dumped a hundred rounds through the KCI C-Mag clone without issue, on a square range, on a nice day, and it worked fine. I didn’t torture test it for reliability, but for giggles, I trust it to feed fine enough.

If you can accept it as a range toy, the Beta C-Mag is perfectly fine. The KCI clone functions fine, and I bet the authentic models do too on a square, perfectly permissive range with brand-new out-of-the-box ammo.

The complicated nature of the C-Mag makes it more prone to failure, likely much ammo picky, and ultimately not a great option for serious use. It’s neat, but the only real drum that’s dependable enough for duty use seems to be the Magpul D-60 and D-50 series. While they might offer less ammo, they offer more bang for your buck.

It’s funny, shooting in itself is a very analog sport. It has existed way before the digital world ever was conceived. It consists of metal, wood, glass, springs, and explosions. Some of the digital things that have crept into the long-range shooter’s arsenal range from chronographs, wind meters, laser range finders, and various displays. Kestrel has come up with a few products like the Kestrel HUD that allow you to do some extreme (here come those words everyone loves to hear) “social distancing” while on the range.

Kestrel made their name in the wind meter market, offering them for various industries. The ones we are most interested in are the ones made for shooting… I mean it is what we are all here for isn’t it?

Kestrel 5700 Sportsman

Between time away with the military, range shutdowns due to the pandemic, and a hip surgery I have spent a bit of time playing with my Kestrel 5700 Sportsman that I went through the upgrade process on to make a 5700 Elite — but more on that in another article. I am still getting used to playing with a wind meter when it comes to shooting, having previously used Kentucky Windage or a person spotting for me most of my time shooting.

With the build of The Apologizer (my entirely Canadian rifle project), it was time I got a bit more serious about my long-range shooting. I put in all the info I could (using ammo made for another gun I no longer have but have way too much of) and got fairly decent results for shooting at longer ranges than I normally did. The Kestrel 5700 gave me shooting solutions for various ranges and the menus were fairly intuitive.

When I got my Kestrel 5700 Sportsman it came in a package with a Bushnell Elite CONX laser range finder in a package deal. If you look around some dealers still have this, which is a great package deal saving you some serious coin when starting out.

What was really cool about the package was that through the PFM or pure f**king magic of Bluetooth you can pair your range finder with a Kestrel that is LiNK enabled—meaning it too has Bluetooth in it. This allows both of your fancy electronics to have a fun little conversation so when you take a wind reading and range an object it will spit out the elevation and windage changes required to hopefully hit the target. I would be remiss if I did not mention that a Kestrel wind meter can only take wind readings at your current location. What’s happening downrange can be a completely different thing however it’s a great starting point.

The Applied Ballistics engine in the 5700 Elite does do a fantastic job with elevation, and if the wind were consistent all the way down there would likely be pretty bang on every time. This is, of course, if you do your part and shoot with the fundamentals and input all of the numbers and info into your new pocket wind reading friend. Good ammo that is consistent also helps a lot as the distance grows.

I do still have some truing I need to do with the Kestrel but that will take some playing around with. However, the 5700 isn’t entirely why we are here. No, that’s just one part of the three electronic gizmo trio that does a pretty damn good job acting as your spotter when you’re at the range. The last piece of the puzzle is the Kestrel HUD.

Kestrel HUD

The Kestrel HUD  (Heads Up Display) is a fancy little display you can mount on your rifle or have sitting in the dirt next to you.

It’s built pretty damn rugged. I wouldn’t say it’s Nokia’s old-style-phone rugged, since they will be found by civilizations many thousands of years from now. I will say Kestrel did a good job making something that can take a beating, more importantly—handle the recoil of being mounted to a rifle.

Not only that, it has a temperature working range of -22F to 140F which covers pretty much any weather pattern I care to shoot in. The Kestrel HUD lets you keep your head up with your eyes focused mostly downrange—instead of fiddling with a pile of electronics.

It has several different modes on it. There is a timer at the bottom of the target screen, a DOPE (Data On Previous Engagement) screen, a single target screen that can give you live updates from the Kestrel 5700 if it is in a tripod mount, and of course the Custom Target Screen with up to 10 targets. The DOPE and custom targets screens are only available for the 5700 Elite and up so if you have a Sportsman it’s worth doing the upgrade if these are features you will use.

The screen is super easy to read in the sun as well as in the dark, with its large letters and backlight if you need that. While it is easy to read it is a pain in the ass to take pictures of due to the glossy screen. Had Kestrel gone with something like an E-Ink screen like a Kindle it would be super easy to photograph but slow to update the screen with new info.

It easily mounts to a rifle if you have space on the Picatinny rail for it to attach to. This mount also folds to the side making it easier to store in a bag or case if you don’t want to take it off.

The unit runs off of a single AA battery which is something to consider for battery management purposes. Nothing sucks worse than having one of the gizmos you rely on go down during a stage or while shooting because you didn’t change the batteries or forgot spares. I typically use a Batuca Battery Case since it can store AA, AAA, and CR1234A which covers most of my battery needs when shooting, although our friends over at Thyrm have a really cool new battery case.

I have mostly used the single target and multi-target screens along with the DOPE screen when shooting.

Why do I use the single target and multi-target screens? With my 5700 Sportsman Elite in a tripod that I have set the direction of fire on, I can use the laser to build my target cards for range and get live updates from the weather meter to help me adjust for windage.

I like the DOPE screen for a quick reference on targets at known distances, making my adjustments fast. The only complaint on the multi-target mode, especially for something like PRS where you end up engaging targets at multiple distances and of different shapes, is no ability yet to select pictures to help identify targets. This is where the ability to select from a list of common target shapes might aid in this. With tape and target boards you can draw whatever you want and various reference features which the Kestrel HUD doesn’t have just yet. I say yet because Kestrel is very good at listening to feedback and has the ability to do software updates to their products that add these little niceties in. Hell with the use of the LiNK app on your phone it would make building those target cards really easy. That said, being the tech geek I am, I really like having the three items talking to each other. It makes managing them a ton easier.

Nielsen-Kellerman, the parent company of Kestrel, is very invested in the shooting community. We have heard they ended up purchasing MagnetoSpeed which is pretty awesome for both companies. The MagnetoSpeed chronograph is quickly becoming one of the standards for ease of use when it comes to getting info on your bullet’s speed—not to mention the other innovative items they make like their hit indicator for steel targets. It will be interesting to see how the synergy of these companies ends up advancing the long-range shooting game.

While the Kestrel HUD is no J.A.R.V.I.S. from Ironman it has been a really handy tool in my shooting toolbox and one I hope to get even more use of when ranges allow me to shoot again. Until then, I will be spending my time doing my social distancing in the basement dry firing using the DOPE screen and my Indoor Dryfire Training System.

As a hunter on the west coast, I find myself hiking in the high mountain air with a backpack full of water, food, clothes, a tripod, spotting scope, and binoculars. To get away from the road hunters you must go where the roads end and the wilderness begins. To accomplish this, I have begun to use trekking poles to push further in the backcountry than I have in the past. Carrying trekking poles has become standard practice among many backcountry hunters as well as hikers. Trekking poles allow you to safely carry more weight, hike further, and reduce the wear on your joints. The more I learn about backcountry hunting, I find myself trying to reduce the gear I carry by finding gear (like Quick Stix Shooting Sticks …keep reading!) that can be used in several different ways.

Wiser Precision 

That’s where Wiser Precision comes in. Their multifaceted products assist hunters to accomplish the goal of bringing home clean game meat. The Wiser Precision products I am going to cover in this article function together as a system to reduce what you must carry.

First is the Quick-Stix, mount them on your trekking poles and it creates shooting sticks in just seconds.

Next is the Quick-Clip. It has a QD clamp that attaches to a Picatinny rail section on your rifle for a solid connection. The other side of the Quick-Clip is a U-shaped billet aluminum section that snaps onto the accessory ring machined into the Quick-Stix attached to your trekking poles.

 The trekking poles with Quick-Stix, and Quick-Clip, allow you to set your desired shooting height for the terrain you are dealing with and your desired shooting position in the blink of the eye.

If you must move your shooting position quickly, just move your rifle and trekking poles, (the Quick-Stix and Quick-Clip go together) so you only have to move to the next shooting location, set the system down, and fire.

Turn it into a Tripod

With Quick-Stix, you can also turn your trekking poles into a tripod by securely attach a spotting scope on top of it with the Wiser Precision 3^rd leg. For this shooting sticks configuration, you need three of their products: a pair of Trekking poles with Quick-StiX, a Quick-Clip, and a 3rd Leg.  The Quick-Clip uses the QD clamp to attach to the 3rd Leg, then the whole assembly will snap onto the accessory ring on the Quick-StiX.  Now all you need to do is add a camera ball or pan head mount of your choice and you will have yourself an ultralight tripod for your spotting scope!

Are there more uses for the Trekking pole and Quick-Stix combo?

I use this combo for a solid binocular rest. By resting your binoculars on the V of the trekking poles you can get a solid platform to rest them in, allowing you to keep glassing without your arms falling off trying to keep the bino’s still.

Depending on your trekking pole height you can also use the bipod from the Quick-Stix in the kneeling position. If you do not have the correct height on your trekking pole with the Quick-Stix, just move the base of your poles closer together to raise the height or spread them apart to lower the rest quickly. This works well when going from standing to kneeling position.

When used with the 3rd Leg and Quick-Clip you can turn your bipod into a tall tripod. This is a great option for a longer-range shot or getting a solid glassing position over tall sagebrush.

Long-range shooters, police snipers, or military can take advantage of Wiser Precision products.

Long-range shooters competing in matches can use the trekking poles, Quick-Stix, quick-clip, and 3rd leg while reducing the weight and amount of gear you must lug between shooting locations. Although it’s not what you would normally use, it is absolutely an option.

For police snipers, it might be difficult to move between locations with your gear in a quick and easy method. With the Wiser Precision products, you can attach the Quick-Clip to your rifle and trekking poles with Quick-Stix and move from location to location without separating the system parts. Also, as a police sniper, you can use the same system as an observer without changing anything but the rifle and spotting scope or binoculars. Again, this is a major weight and space savings for what you are packing.

For the military side, using trekking poles to hike those far-off lands with rugged hills could assist in reducing fatigue. Just like the police snipers, it would be a major reduction in weight and space savings and with all the savings, one could add more ammo or water to assist in mission success.

Hunting

As I am writing this, I am waiting for the opportunity to take these Wiser Precision products into the field for a hunt, I plan to take advantage of them soon with a Nevada antelope hunt coming in September. I will also be using their product for a back-country bull elk hunt in Idaho.

If you are in the market for some top-of-the-line hunting / tactical gear that will assist in reducing the weight you carry and save on space, I would definitely recommend checking out Wiser Precision products like the Quick-Stix, Quick-Clip, and the 3^rd Leg. I know you will not be disappointed with what you see, and hopefully, these quick sticks will assist you with whatever your mission is!

Big Bird Out!