Around the Water Cooler: Q3, 2021

Sep 8, 2021
Image from NORMAShooting.com.

Online ammo sales: Seen with Federal Premium and affiliated lines, now it’s NORMA ammunition’s official online store, NORMAShooting.com. They announced that they offer ammunition “in stock, ready to ship.” The announcement notes “Whether you need ammunition for target practice, hunting purposes or defensive measures, there is plenty of ammo for sale at Norma Shooting.”

Image from GoWild.

The outdoor social media and gear platform GoWild is rewarding members for shared content and purchases. Their release says that members who create an account on GoWild will unlock their first reward of $10 to spend on GoWild’s ecommerce platform. “As members share their trophies, outdoor trips, and leave reviews on gear, they’ll get points on their profile. The more points you have, the more you can unlock.”

Screenshot from Blue Force Gear website.

Blue Force Gear, noted tactical equipment maker, has “pioneered technological innovations that have revolutionized load carriage and weapon carrying establishing the world's standard in weapon slings and the world's lightest, MOLLE compatible load carriage.” Not satisfied with that, they now have an “Articles” section that explains best use of their gear – with a compelling section on medical. It’s worth looking at.

Screenshot from Armscor/RIA website.

Last June, Rock Island Armory added a striker fired pistol to their offerings. The STK100 is a 9mm, 17-shot, aluminum framed striker-fired pistol with a grip angle like a 1911. Like a good many defense-pistol offerings, it features an optics-ready slide. The gun has apparently been getting some traction in social media, and could be for you if you like a “point-and-click interface” that weighs in at around 29 oz. But metal-framed-plastic-style guns have been moving into the market recently and it’s great to have options. RIA’s 1911 recently got a boost in Joe Chambers’ “1911 University” series too. It’s worth searching for.

The New England CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches, sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and hosted by Vermont State Rifle & Pistol Association, will be held in September at Camp Ethan Allen, Vermont. Clinics, rifle and pistol matches will be held throughout the week (Sept. 19-26, 2021).

new snub revolver model …? I just saw a post on social media about a purported sub-1-pound alloy-frame, six-shot revolver that’s forthcoming. Not sure if it’s real or not, but – properly designed and fabricated – it would be a great addition to defensive firearms. We’ll see if it materializes.

SureFire image.

SureFire, LLC reports the introduction of the Micro Scout Light Pro. Measuring less than 4 inches in length and weighing a mere 2.1 ounces, the Micro Scout Light Pro is ideal for guns with limited rail space and where concealability is critical. The recoil-resisting LED creates 300 lumens from a single rechargeable AAA battery for 1.25 hours of “constant on.”

TRUE Knives image.

 TRUE Knives releases their SmartKnife+. It’s a small pocket knife built to add some additional capabilities. This knife houses a bottle opener, a .25” bit driver with a Phillips bit included in the magnetic bit storage, three flat head screwdrivers, 6mm-14mm wrenches, wire strippers, a pry bar, a 2” inch ruler, and a 5cm ruler. All of this is housed in the high-grade stainless-steel frame.

IWI image provided by IDF.

Israel Weapon Industries announced the additional procurement of the Micro-TAVOR assault rifle by the IDF, to be in service by infantry units. The release stated that “(t)he decision was made as part of the IDF's complete annual plan, taking under consideration significant parameters such as adaptation to the forces' missions in the modern battlefield, compliance between acting duty forces and reserve and more.”

-- Rich Grassi