Are You OnPoint?

This Month’s product review focuses on Command Arms Accessories’ Stock Saddle for the M16 family of weapons:

Having owned a civilian version of the M4 carbine for many years, I found myself asking more of the standard stock configurations. Up until the past few years, the un-modified M16 family of weapons offered either a fixed stock, collapsable Type 1 stock, or collapsable Type 2 stock. The fixed stock is the standard for the 20″ barreled rifles, with the Type 1 (CAR stock) and Type 2 (current M4) collapsable stocks being used on the shorter 16″ and 14.5″ barreled carbines. I’ve found that while the standard fixed stock M16/AR15 offers great stability and a repeatable cheek weld for long distance shots, it lacks the versatility and manueverability of a collapsable stock for close-quarters applications. The Type 1 and Type 2 collapsable stocks allow for more precise adjustments, but tend to lack a solid and consistent cheek weld due to the fact that your face is resting against the relatively skinny buffer tube of the rifle. Up until now, the only solution to my dilemma was discarding traditional stocks and upgrading to a solution costing between $150 and $300. Notice I said “Up until now!”

Command Arms Accessories designed a product that provided a solution to the cheek-weld problem of collapsable stocks. This Stock Saddle attaches to the Type 1 or Type 2 stock, provides water-proof provisions for battery storage (mandated by today’s optics platforms and light/laser attachments), increases the surface area of the cheek-weld, and provides sling attachment points. At a price point of around $22, the CAA Stock Saddle is an attractive solution to someone who finds the traditional stock options lacking in the ergonomics department. Replacement stock solutions cost several times more, yet they provide the same end result.

Enough talk for now, how about some pics! You don’t need to tell Erik of RHP that a picture is worth a thousand words!

The Good: The saddle makes the cheek weld 100x better when in the closed down ore “one out” position, stores batteries, and provides sling loops

The Bad: The Type 1 CAR stock required modification. I had to dremel off the sling loop on top of the CAR stock. The M4 (Type 2) stock doesn’t have this loop, but the design of the original CAR stock (Type 1) incorporates the loop which locks the sling strap in position. The screw-to-nut arrangement is lacking! I wound up using Elmer’s glue to get the nuts to stay put so they wouldn’t fall out of place while I screwed the saddle down into the stock body.

The Ugly: It makes the stock look like the LMT “Crane” stock. Probably not everyone’s spot of tea, but I kinda like it. Now that the stock has been modified, if I ever decide to leave this configuration, I better be prepared to buy a whole new stock. To me it was worth it, as the skinny CAR stock didn’t feel comfy with regards to the cheek weld. If I wasn’t happy with it as it was, there would’ve been no sense keeping it anyways. This was my last ditch solution to not spending $150-$300 for a different stock.

You can pick up this accessory at On Point Firearms at a reduced price!

-Erik @ On Point

This beautiful custom Ruger Vaquero is owned by my friend, Bill Colby. It is a stainless Ruger Vaquero in .45LC with a custom power action job, trigger job, and jeweled hammer and trigger by Bob Cogan, owner of APW Cogan Custom.

Cogan is one of the premier gunsmiths in the country. He handles custom work for Massad Ayoob, Springfield Armory, Kel-Tec, Rock River Arms, and STI.

Is the new Dark Earth finish from Springfield a bellwether for the shooting industry? Or is this color scheme just another inane marketing ploy, created to sell more pistols?

The introduction of polymer technology in recent decades has certainly contributed to this latest innovation. No, Springfield didn’t do it first, but their new Dark Earth color is grabbing attention from buyers. The finish is billed as the ideal color for a new era in urban combat, centered around the middle east, I suppose. A sand-colored pistola seems appropriate for a region covered in the stuff. However, will shooters see a benefit in the new look?

At present, demand for black/blued firearms is much greater than for their trendy, multi-colored counterparts, even in the military and law enforcement circles that I service. As a gun dealer, I sell many AR15s each month, but only a fraction of those have desert tan or olive drab furniture. Kel-Tec offers pistols in a variety of colors including blue, od green, grey, and even pink, but our best seller is black. Last year, Heckler & Koch introduced a color concept line of their own: USP pistols in urban grey, olive drab, and desert tan. The olive drab version sold well, but the grey and tan versions were dismissed by many buyers. On the other hand, 1911s with exotic finishes sell quite well. Consider the Kimber Desert Warrior, Springfield Loaded 1911s in OD Armory Kote, and two-tone Wilson Combat pistols in olive drab and grey. Despite long waits, many buyers are holding out for black versions of the popular new FN FS2000 and PS90, in lieu of purchasing one in olive drab.

Only time will tell if these finishes become a mainstay in the industry. For now, get in line for the Dark Earth XDs. The 3 units we’ve received are already gone!

Until next time, stay On Point!
–Evan

Taurus is sending shock waves through the gun industry with its latest pistol, the PT1911, a copy of the venerable 1911. The 1911 has always been an exciting topic for gun writers. It’s a classic design that offers reliability, accuracy, and nostalgia. This offering from Taurus is no different. So what’s causing the furore?

For around $500, you can have a completely loaded, stainless steel Taurus 1911. No, this is not your typical stripped-down, mil spec model. This is a full-featured 1911 with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a gun costing 4 times as much! Consider the Heine straight-8 sights, forged stainless slide and frame, vented trigger, 30lpi checkering on the front grip, trigger guard, and back strap! It also has a factory upgraded trigger job, beaver tail, target hammer, and 8rd magazines with bumper (slam) pads.

For the money, you can’t beat this 1911. Nothing out there comes as complete out of the box as this Taurus. Frankly, I’m excited to sell them. Demand is high, so they’re hard to keep in stock. There are four versions right now. You choose stainless or blued, with or without the integral tactical rail.

If you’re interested in one of these fantastic pistols, please feel free to contact me via e-mail: Evan@OnPointFirearms.com
We have a waiting list for these pistols, so orders will be on a first come, first served basis. Thanks!

– Evan

After a disheartening experience during a two gun competition, I realized that I had been asking too much of my tightly fit 1911 pistol. The tight tolerances of the more accurate specimens do not fare well in a sandy environment. I found myself thumbing my slide forward to get my pistol to return to battery. After the pistol cleared itself of sand, it ran fine. Unfortunately, by that time, my competition scores were already in the gutter. I am still a huge fan of the 1911, but the reality is, the tight fit models don’t do well in muddy/sandy environments. This put me back on the market for a .45ACP that would work in the filthiest of environs.

I have always been a fan of the Heckler and Koch pistols. They were the first firearms manufacturer to use polymer frames. This innovation in polymer was used in both handguns and rifles by this tier 1 manufacturer with great success. My business parnter had owned a USP for several years, and had also acquired some P7 PSP pistols. They all performed flawlessly. At the time, I owned SIGs, Glocks, an HS2000 (now called the Springfield XD) and a 1911. My collection needed a trustworthy .45 caliber piece, and the H&K USP 45 was calling my name! I wanted an extremely reliable pistol capable of cocked and locked carry (like the 1911 it was replacing), but with higher capacity. After waiting a while for them to become available again, I finally secured one with twelve round magazines. Now it was time to hit the range.

My first impressions of the USP while firing were that of utter shock. I was amazed at how little recoil it had, as I was expecting a more harsh recoil due to the polymer frame. This low recoil is due in part to the HK recoil reduction system. Some have complained that this recoil system causes the pistol not to fall back on target as well as other pistols. I did not find this to be the case at all. With little muzzle rise, the USP 45 easily returned on target. I quickly shot a smiley face pattern at 7 yards, and later had no problem drilling single hole groups. My only complaint to date is that the Variant 1 pistols exhibit a long and heavy double action trigger pull. This is not an issue to me, as I will be using this pistol almost exclusively in cocked and locked mode.

I give the HK USP series a “Must Buy” rating for anyone who is serious about combat handguns. There are many quality polymer handguns on the market, but in my opinion, the H&K is THE BEST of the bunch! You would expect that to be the case, as H&K was the true pioneer of polymer firearm technology, contrary to most people’s belief that it was Gaston Glock who deserves the recognition. These USP pistols rarely, if ever, malfunction, a trait we’ve come to expect from anything with the H&K badge. As a longtime SIG lover, I have to admit that at the current time, the H&K USP pistol is a better buy than any SIG P-Series handgun. You get a more durable finish, the availability for a hi-capacity .45 auto, ability to carry cocked and locked, all at a lower sticker price!