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So you just got your new bow, what now? Take it to your local bow shop and get it fitted. This is especially important if you purchased a used bow or are new to the archery game all together. Everyone’s draw is a little different. The bow shop will help you determine yours and ensure you have arrows to match. 

*Please don’t ignore this, you or someone else could be seriously injured.

While at the bow shop make sure that they help you shoot some paper. The pattern left by your arrow tearing through the target will determine if adjustments need to be made or if you are good to go. Finally, before you leave take a full-draw and make sure that the peep is aligned with your vision. Sometimes strings can get twisted when a shop uses a bow press and you wont know until you full-draw. You will have some break-in to do if you are starting out with a new bow.  Ask the shop what they recommend for your specific model. 

At the Range

Now the fun part begins. As for gear, I always bring a range finder, archer’s tool, archer’s block (if not at a professional range), bow wax, release, and some small repair items. If you’ve never zero’d a bow before, try to take someone along that has. In the video below I am simply making sure that my pins haven’t shifted during the off-season. You don’t need a lot of room once you get your accuracy under control. If you are new, I recommend going to a professional range, this way if you miss the target no one will get hurt. 

Start using more of your actual hunting items as you grow more comfortable with your bow. If you are going to hunt with gloves, wear them. Using a face cowl? Then practice with it. Adding different clothes can change the feel of the bow. You don’t want the first time shooting with your hunting gear to be your actual hunt.  Eventually work up to a loaded backpack and try going a short walk/jog before shooting. The more you can replicate your hunting conditions, the better off you will be.

With archery season around the corner there is sure to be some questions out there. If you would like something specific reviewed, explained, or expanded-on please feel free to contact us via comms check and we will do our best to address it. 

(Featured Image Courtesy of outdooralabama.com)

– Robert McCartney for LoadoutRoom.com

In today’s increasingly violent and dangerous world, the need for a well built pistol holster is as important as ever. We never know when and where a threat to our safety, or the safety of our loved ones, will present itself. Being able to deploy a side arm effectively can mean the difference between life and death in these situations. When shopping for holsters there are a few things to take into consideration, such as what material you want and what style of holster would best suit your needs. Whether that holster be made of leather, kydex, or some other polymer is solely up to your preference as the user. There are dozens of brands and styles of holsters on the market, with more being rolled out almost monthly. How do you sort through this maze?

In the recent past Nick “The Reaper” Irving has talked about his preferred type of conceal carry options for a sidearm. Former Green Beret Mark Miller and I have also covered concealed or covert carry options, and pistols. What we have presented are just a few of the options available on the firearm accessory market. What happens when you need an open carry or duty holster for your sidearm? Many of us who served in the Armed Forces are familiar with the Bianchi M12 Beretta 9mm or the Blackhawk SERPA style holsters. Within this group of veterans, there are many who were not pleased with them, or they don’t fit our current needs. With the help of the Safariland Group, a solution to this problem exists.

The Safariland Group is no stranger to the pistol holster market. With more than fifty years of experience, they are also no stranger to the readers of our site. Safariland has had six different products reviewed by our staff, and today we present the seventh. The Safariland Model 7004 7TS SLS Tactical Holster. The 7004 7TS SLS is a leg-drop holster packed with features which make it ideal for anyone looking for a holster with a safety retention system to use while performing vehicle based operations or law enforcement/security duties.

Type Models of weapons supported:

69 popular models from Beretta, Glock ,Sig Arms, Heckler & Koch, Smith & Wesson, Taurus & Walther

Weight: 15.6 Oz

Length: Holster: varies according to pistol

Curved leg shroud: 7” long 5 3/4:”’wide

Colors Available: Black or Flat Dark Earth

Construction Materials: Proprietary Dupont Nylon blend, Stainless steel springs in the Self Locking System

MSRP: $153 – $168

Unique Features:

• Proprietary Dupont Nylon blend protects your firearms finish from wear
• Raised interior spaces create airspace around your weapon to prevent debris from coming in contact with your weapon
• Extreme heat tolerance tested to +300*F
• Extreme cold tolerance tested to -50*F
• Can be submerged in water indefinitely and retain shape and performance
• Matte finish for easy cleaning and maintenance
• Compatible with all Safariland holster mounting systems
• Non slip backing on thigh strap reduces holster movement during motion
• Self Locking System rotating hood for safety and retention

Application:

• Ideally suited for military, law enforcement, and security personnel
• Anyone needing a holster while performing vehicle mounted operations
• Anyone wanting a holster that is easily accessible, while also featuring a weapon safety and retention device
• Competitive pistol shooters

Pros:

• Easily accessible
• Able to tolerate wide range of temperatures
• Manufacturer with proven history of quality products
• Built-in retention device
• Easily adjustable between different users

Cons:

• The Self Locking System might take some getting used to
• Cost
• Thigh holsters may not be appealing to some potential users.

Overall Performance:

Never having used a holster with a retention system, such as the Self Locking System, I wasn’t sure if I would like it. My previous experience with open carry style holsters was limited to the aforementioned Bianchi M12 holster, for a military issued Beretta M9 pistol. Upon opening the package I was pleasantly surprised to find that the inside of the thigh strap featured two lines of raised material that appeared to act as a gripping agent, which help hold the holster securely in place.

One of the drawbacks I had previously heard about thigh holsters was that they tend to bounce around and slide up and down the wearer’s thigh during running, crouching, and other movements during drills. None of this was present in the drills and tests I performed. The strap left no marks or residue on the pants worn. To me, it’s obvious that the folks at Safariland really did their homework on this part of the holster, and listened to consumers’ advice and input.

Using the Self Locking System

The Self Locking System is a key component of this pistol holster. The use of a locking gate on duty holsters is becoming a mandatory item in the world of law enforcement and security work. This feature is intended to help enhance officer safety. The SLS is a well thought out feature, and it’s use can be mastered quickly through pistol deployment drills. I feel it is a step above other competing systems. The internal components of the SLS Hood system feature stainless steel springs and chemically resistant polymers, which resist wear and provide a functional holster in even the most austere conditions. If the holster is exposed to severe conditions for prolonged periods of time or repeatedly, Safariland suggests flushing the mechanism with warm water. Once it is dry, the user should actuate the rotating hood, and apply  a small amount of lubricant to the mechanism. Safariland also recommends that a few drops of the same lubricant you use on your pistol be applied to the spring of the rotating hood.

As you can tell from the video, using the Safariland 7004 7TS SLS holster is rather simple. You depress the hood with your thumb, flip it forward, and draw the pistol. You are then ready to engage targets. Honestly, I was skeptical of the holster at first. My skepticism evaporated after a few minutes of drills. The thigh and belt straps both feature hook and loop style retention bands, which secure any excess material. Once the final adjustments have been made, these retention bands can be placed in a manner that not only assists with streamlining excess material, but can help prevent the loss of tension. These help provide an uncluttered holster fit, which reduces the risk of snagging during drills and use. Features like this are what set Safariland ahead of competitors in the market of tactical style holsters.

I hope you enjoyed our inside look at Safariland’s newest holster offering. If you are in the market for an open carry style holster, and use a commonly available full size or compact semi automatic pistol, I would highly suggest you check out their web site at www.safariland.com. Using their website to find your weapon specific holster is a simple process.

Be sure to check back often, and if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions drop us a line. Use the Comms Check Link to send us a message or Twitter , Instagram, Facebook. You can always simply post a comment here. One of the team members will get back to you, and answer your questions. We are committed to helping our readers in their adventures.

Quote of the Week:
Freedom lies in being bold. — Robert Frost, American Poet 1874-1963

– Rick Dembroski for LoadoutRoom.com

When it comes to your survivability, setting up a shelter and getting a fire going can be the difference between life and death. If conditions are less than ideal and you’re on the verge of going hypothermic then time is not in your favor. If you are out on the trail and a weather system moves in you’re going to need something up fast to protect you from the elements. There typically won’t be enough time to setup an elaborate shelter system or tent.

I keep my emergency shelter and fire kit together at all times. This is not part of my kit that I use on a regular basis. It’s reserved for emergencies and is generally kept in the bottom of my pack. The key here is to be able to pull the kit out of my pack and have both a shelter up and a fire going in 5 minutes – or as quickly and easily as possible. This is also a fun skill to practice in a controlled environment. By practicing this several times you build your confidence knowing you can increase your chances of survival if called upon to do so.

Emergency shelter/Fire Kit Contents:

8′ X 8′ Nylon Tarp – The square shape allows you to make an extremely quick shelter if the situation dictates. I also prep mine with tie outs on each corner made with bank line. These combined with the bungee cords will reduce the chance of the grommets ripping out in high winds. A square tarp lends itself to more configuration options than a rectangle shaped tarp – just my personal opinion.

(4) Bungee Cords – I prefer these over trying to tie knots in a stressful situation where time is not on your side. It’s much easier to wrap bungee cords around a tree than to try and remember which knot to use and how to tie it.

(4) ABS Plastic Stakes – the advantage to these over your stainless steel or titanium stakes is their design. The end of these stakes are squared off so that you can use a rock, axe head, or any other blunt object to pound them into hard ground. They also contain a hole just below the squared off head to use to secure para-cord too for use with shelter building.

Ground Cloth – You’re going to need a moisture barrier between you and the ground. Sitting on the wet ground is not fun at all and just makes a bad situation that much worse. Having that extra piece of material will give you more comfort and boost your morale when you need it most. The ground cloth can be something as simple as a 55 gallon drum liner, piece of Cordura fabric, or a remnant of Tyvek material used by construction companies.

UST StrikeForce w/two micro inferno sticks in the handle – Again we are going to want a fire going quickly. We don’t want to be taking the time looking around for dry tinder. The idea here is to get the Micro Inferno stick ignited and then start putting smaller sticks on it to build up your fire. If they are damp that’s ok since the Micro Inferno will burn for a good 5 minutes allowing the damp sticks to dry out and burn.

Shelter Configuration(s):

The most common is a lean-to style shelter. The pitch of the shelter can be adjusted quickly depending on your desired outcome – low pitch to maximize warmth from the fire and reduce loss of body heat or high pitch to maximize air flow and shade on a hot sunny day. For the lean-to shelter this setup will require your tarp, two bungee cords, and two ABS plastic stakes – that’s it!

The other style shelter is the wedge shelter. This goes up extremely quick since it requires only one tree or some type of vertical anchor point. The wedge shelter gives you cover on three of the four sides making it very advantageous in a wet and windy situation. the required gear for this is your tarp, three ABS plastic stakes, and a single bungee cord.

Getting the fire going:

Once you have your shelter up and stable its time to get a fire going. By using the combination of the UST Strike Force and the Micro Inferno I am guaranteed a flame in seconds. Just open the cap to the Strike Force handle, pull out one of the two sticks, open the stick to expose the inner fibers thus creating a surface area for the sparks, and finally using the Strike Force to drive sparks off the ferro rod onto the Micro Inferno. Once the Micro Inferno has ignited you have about 5 minutes to gather other sticks and kindling to fuel the fire.

Once you practice this a few times in a controlled environment I guarantee you’ll be able to get down to under 10 minutes for both the shelter setup and sustainable fire.

Get outside, practice your skills, build confidence, and be prepared.

*Send us a picture of your shelter/fire setup and get featured on the Loadout Room.

– Scott Witner for LoadoutRoom.com

Shortly after the Communists were victorious in their revolution and ousting of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, they set to strengthen their armed forces. The problems with Imperial Russian military thinking became obvious to the Soviets after they suffered more than 5 million casualties in World War One. The Russian’s only machine gun available at that time was the Maxim machine gun. The Maxim, while revolutionary in design, was problematic for several reasons. Chiefly, it wasn’t very portable and water-cooled, meaning the outside jacket of the weapon had to be refilled with clean water in order to prevent malfunctions.

That all changed in 1927 when Soviet weapons engineer Vasily Alekseyevich Degtyaryov submitted his prototype for what is commonly refer to as the DP-28 Light Machine Gun. His new design was exactly what the Red Army was looking for – a highly portable machine gun to serve in support of Infantry attacks. The new machine gun was made by the thousands at the V.A. Degtyarev Weapons Plant located in Kovrov, Russia. The city of Kovrov is located 166 miles East of Moscow, a location far enough behind Russian defenses that it allowed the plant to safely continue production of these guns even at the height of Operation Barbarossa – the Nazi invasion of Russia

The apparent trademark of Soviet engineering is: if something is worth being built, it’s worth being overbuilt with as few parts as possible, and it must be able to function in terrible conditions. This thought process is evident in almost every Russian/Soviet design that I can think of, and it’s particularly prevalent in the DP-28. Comprised of less than 80 total parts, the machine gun was renowned for being able to function effectively in dirt, sand, and snow. The new machine gun, as well as being rugged and dependable, fired the same 7.62x54R cartridge as the standard issue Soviet rifle, the Mosin Nagant. In my opinion, this was an idea the Soviets borrowed from their World War One allies. The British and American forces both had light machine guns that fired the same cartridge as their main battle rifle.

Since it’s only available as a fully automatic weapon, the DP-28 isn’t a weapon that most readers will see at the range on the weekends. In the United States, thanks to laws such as the National Firearms Act and the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986, civilian ownership of machine guns is increasingly rare, and very expensive. That doesn’t mean they can’t be owned it’s just a matter of doing paperwork and procedure. If you are a firearms manufacturer with a BATFE Class 02/07 license, you can apply and build your own machine guns. OR  you can be lucky enough to have a friend with one. I am fortunate to be friends with James Foley of Arctic Arms, and he was kind enough to let us put some rounds down range with a 1944 produced DP-28. This trip to the range also afforded me the opportunity to ask him questions about its strengths and weaknesses.

DP-28 Specifications:

• Year Built: 1944 (Production run 1928-1967)
• Caliber: 7.62mm X 54R
• Weight: 20.12 lbs (9.12 Kg)
• Barrel Length: 23.4” (604mm)
• Overall Length: 50.0” (1270 mm)
• Magazine Capacity: 47 round pan style
• Application: suppression fire

Unique Features:

• 47 round top mounted pan magazine
• Bottom ejection of spent rounds
• Grip safety
• Large well protected rear sight.

Pros:

• Built like a tank
• Ability to reduce felt recoil of large-caliber rifle
• Slower cyclic rate allowing operator to keep rounds on target easier

Cons:

• Poor bi-pod design often noted as a weak point
• Odd loading of smaller than expected capacity magazine.

Shooting Impressions:

The DP-28 is a large and imposing piece of military hardware. It is purposely built to destroy targets no matter if it’s paper, a piece of scrap steel, a car, or a German bunker. That fact becomes obvious the first time a person inspects and handles the weapon. When I first got to the range with James, we went over the history of his particular DP-28. He shared his on and off again issues with the recoil springs, which I learned was one area on a DP-28 that can be problematic. The recoil spring is located under the barrel and can lose its temper and ability to compress fully due to overheating.

After defeating the steel Soviet tuna can shaped ammunition container, with the help of a can opener, I began to load the 47 round drum. I quickly found out that it’s an awkward pain in the ass procedure. The magazine pan has a ring on the outside to rotate one half of the magazine while you feed rounds into it from the other side. It all sounds easy until you are trying to hold the steel pizza pan against your torso, turning the coil spring via the ring, and simultaneously loading rounds into the opposite side of the drum. Luckily, James is well versed in this procedure and we got everything squared away in short order.

James took the lead to demonstrate the manual of arms for the DP-28, then ran through the first forty-seven rounds of the day. While watching the first rounds pour downrange, I thought it was odd to see the ejection of spent shells from the bottom, since most machine guns I have fired feature side ejection ports. You can also notice the top of the magazine pan turning as it unloads rounds. This makes sense when you stop and think about how the gun is operating, but it’s interesting to see a magazine uncoil. This was my first experience with pan-fed machine guns.

When it was my turn to fire the DP-28, I readied myself behind the twenty pound Bolshevik blaster, loaded a fresh drum into the feed lips, and secured it. Racking the bolt, I gripped the machine gun, and placed my support hand in the proper position. I squeezed the trigger, and expecting a loud BOOM, heard only a deafening SILENCE. Nothing. Just silence. I thought “I must have the safety on”, it was then that James said “Oh yeah, it has a grip safety”.

Someone once told me: “If in doubt at all, ask questions” . Well this was one time I didn’t ask enough questions. There I was, one second feeling like a bad ass, the next second feeling like a stupid crayon eater. Once I solved the enigma of the grip safety, I tried to squeeze off short 3-5 round bursts at the target down range. To my surprise the recoil wasn’t as terrible as I had expected, and, with a much slower cyclic rate than other machine guns, it was easier to keep the bursts short and conserve rounds. I have fired other weapons that use the 7.62 x 54R cartridge and they seemed to have a more pronounced recoil than the DP-28. The concussion from firing short bursts was also less than I had anticipated.

That afternoon we went through six pans of ammo, firing it in alternating short and long bursts, with very few stoppages. The fact we used old Soviet corrosive ammo straight from the can with few problems, speaks volumes about this 71-year-old machine gun and the Soviets method of sealing the ammunition cans. Due to the bottom ejection of spent rounds I found it refreshing to not have hot brass raining down on my head. At my local range, when shooting guns that eject spent rounds from the top or side, they tend to bounce off the ceiling and rafters of the covered shooting lanes.

The DP-28 served the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies for nearly 40 years as their main infantry light machine gun. It’s ability to perform well under extreme conditions and ease of maintenance extended its lifespan in spite of the bi-pod being its weakest point. Starting in 1961 the DP-28 slowly was replaced by the PK-M, medium machine gun. Although removed from front line service, the DP-28 has been captured in the hands of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan as late as 2012, and was often seen in the hands of revolutionaries in both the Libyan and Syrian Civil Wars.

Thanks for stopping by The Loadout Room. Keep checking back for new updates on gear, guns and adventure. You can contact us any time on the Comms Check, through Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Also feel free to comment in the section below. We have an exciting summer lined up for our readers.

– Rick Dembroski for LoadoutRoom.com