So true ;-)

ZULU NYLON GEAR mega admin pouch

For a while now, I’ve been looking around on the internet for a big enough pouch to accommodate all my small arms instruction gear like whistle, chrono, instruction sheets, safety briefings, markers, ….  A lot of the time I had to search for a piece of equipment  that was stowed in another place but didn’t know where I’d put it. A nice, large enough, means of stowage, would certainly help me with that. A central place to stow everything I need on the range concerning instruction.

I came across the ZULU nylon gear website and saw their mega admin pouch and ordered one. I have to say they send it very fast with tracking, but it was held up by Belgian customs. Accompanied by an extra 28€ of import taxes it finally arrived two weeks after I ordered it. Due to the tracking I could see that it arrived in BEL about two days after I ordered the pouch.

But it was worth the wait!

I ordered a Coyote Brown pouch without the plastic map insert that can be bought as an option. At first glance the admin pouch is very well made with 1000d coated Cordura. Overall dimensions of the mega admin pouch is 23 cm wide x 15 cm tall x 2,5 cm deep

The admin pouch is big enough to accommodate a A5 booklet. Even the width of the pouch is more than enough for a 2 cm wide booklet.

The main compartment is zippered and has elastic fittings and slots for a wide range of extra gear. The two halfs are held together with a adjustable 550 paracord but this can be removed. This feature is handy when the pouch is installed on a chest rig at chest height so that it doesn’t completely fall open, but stays at a desired angle like a tactical desktop ;-)

On the front side, the mega admin pouch also features an extra admin pouch which is completely covered with velcro for attaching your name tab or favorite morale patch. Inside you can again organize your gear due to the elastic fittings. Next to the front pouch there is another universal pouch which can be used to fit a tactical light, multitool, … The Velcro covered flap can be adjusted to your needs or completely removed.

On left, right and bottom sides there are also extra attachment for additional gear.

On the backside there are provision for Molle attachment to be used in conjunction with Malice clips.

Conclusion, I’m very happy with the Zulu Nylon Gear Mega Admin Pouch. Now I have efficient storage for all my instructional range gear.

Ballistic Effects Testing‏

A nice video depicting the ballistic effects with different calibers.

Pmag for the FNC

If you are interested in the weapon & gear scene you've probably heard of MAGPUL. http://www.magpul.com/

MAGPUL is an innovating company which produces accessories for weapons like slings, sights, handguards, stocks, ... They even designed their own weapon system, the MASADA.

One of their most popular items is the Pmag. Made from an impact and crush resistant polymer construction, it was first announced in early 2007. The Pmag is a 30-round 5.56 NATO Polymer MAGazine for AR15/M16 platform weapons. With millions fielded to military, law enforcement, and commercial users, PMAGs have become the de facto standard for magazine reliability and durability. Since 2007 the Pmag underwent a lot of modification to be compatible with other weapon systems than the AR family. Since some time MAGPUL has Pmag M version which is fully compatible with our FN FNC. (theversion marking is visible on the bottom plate of the mag)

I have tried some Pmags and must say they feel light and platic like, because they are ;-) But after shooting a couple of mags I wasimpressed.

They claim to be stoppage free compared to the Stanag metal magazines. I checked both mags and must say that the follower is much smoother on the Pmag and doesn't tilt when pushed on one end.

Neverthless, the goldon rule still stands: Only put 28 rounds in a 30 round magazine.
Even the Pmag tend to jam the FNC when fully loaded.


I've been using them for over a year now and have had no issues what so ever. They come in a variaty of versions and colours and have their own accesories like a dust cap (included) and magpuls.

From left to right, Stanag metal mag, standard Pmag, Pmag with maglevel.

Once again, they are tough ;-)

Lightweigt, effective earprotection

A lot of people use the issued Comtac active earprotection headsets but when they have to be used in conjunction with the issued Schubert helmet we get into trouble.
In searching for a lightweight, effective, comfortable earprotection, I came across the Surefire Earpro EP3 Sonic Defenders.

I've been using these for about 2 years now and they are just great. No more hassle with headset and helmet. They fit perfect and can be used the whole day long.

The earpro also provides an additional stopper that can be manually inserted for even more protection.

Features

• 24dB* Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) with stoppers inserted
• Lowers potentially dangerous noise levels above 85dB
• Hear safe sound levels (with stoppers out) as if you weren't wearing ear plugs
• Ergonomic design and double-flange stem design conforms to ear shape for comfort and secure retention
• Made from hypoallergenic, medical-grade polymer that's soft, durable, and long-lasting
• Low-profile design allows you to keep them in place while wearing a mask, helmet, hat, or while using phone, headphones, or supplemental hearing muffs

Even for people with bigger or smaller ears, Surefire provides different sizes. (S, M & L)

I bought mine through Ebay but it seems that they are widely available in EU for about 15€

Some music after the range

A few months ago I came accross a shop that was producing portable MP3 player in the form of wooden boxes and 50 cal ammo cases. I was keen on the idea and started searching for all the pieces so I could build one of my own.

Items needed:

• 50 cal ammo case
• Motorcycle amplifier 12V
• 5mm MDF plates
• Velcro
• Lead battery 12V, 11Ah
• 2ea 10cm 2 way speakers
• 2ea 12cm fan protectors
• Black spray paint
• Woofer tube
• Power switch
• Screws and washers
• Nuts and bolts
• Tech 7 glue
• DIY battery monitor
• Tri colour LED
• Audio cable
• Sanding paper

I started out cutting the speaker and speaker mounting holes on the side of the ammo case. Not forgetting the smaller woofer hole in between. On the side I drilled a hole to install the power switch. When drilling make sure the switch will be positioned so that you can manipulate it from the hole in the side open/closing lever of the ammo case. Then I trimmed the MDF plate so it would fit nicely inside the case. The back plate was trimmed to the full interior length of the case. The previous cut out holes were transferred on the front MDF plate and cut out. Using Tech 7 I glued the MDF plates into place with the exception of the back plate. This should be able to slide out if necessary because I was planning to mount all electronics and battery on it.

In order to check the battery status I looked for a circuit that showed the status through a tri colour led. Green above 11,5V, Orange between 11,5V - 10,8V and red below 10,8V. These values can be changed with the potmeters.
http://kd1jv.qrpradio.com/batmon/batmon.HTM

I made the circuit on a experimental board and drilled a 5mm hole in the woofer tube. From the outside the battery status was visible through the bass tube.
The two fan protectors were sanded and sprayed black. After drying I cured the paint by baking the protectors in the oven for about 20 min at 200°. Try to do this without the misses at home because it tends to smell.

After mounting the speakers, protectors and switch it was time to install all electronics on the back plate. On the left I installed the amplifier with screws and in the middle the battery. The battery is held in place by a self made Velcro harness so changing it isn't a big issue. Mount the battery with the connections to the top so that recharging is easy. On the right I mounted the battery monitor. With this setup the ammo box will also be in balance. The battery alone weighs a couple of kg.

Last but not least I wired everything up and added an Ipod for testing. Closed up the case and the sound was just great.

A nice gadget when maintaining your weapons ;-)

The best of two worlds, the ultimate holster for your sidearm!

During a instruction course in Leopoldsburg I got to know a guy from 1para who was leaving in a couple of weeks for OMLT ops in afghanistan. He was complaining about some shortcomings on the current issue tactical sidearm holster. He was on a quest for the ultimate FN Browning High Power, alias GP (Grand Puisance), holster. One that would draw fast, wasn't pulling constantly your belt down and still would stay in place when running after the bad guys.

You have to know there are dozens of good systems out there but all them have some negative points one way or the other. For example there are only a couple of brands who make holsters for the GP like Fobus and Safariland.

Safariland must be one of the best systems on the market. They use a quick release locking lever to secure the sidearm in the holster wich is made out of strong and durable Kidex.

On the other hand these brands use only one wide strap of webbing to attach the holster to the belt.

Blackhawk was aware of this problem and introduced the CQC system where the platform is atached to the belt with two seperate hinged straps deviding the pullforce on the belt in half.

So we got a winner? .... Nope, they don't make holsters for the GP :-(

What if we merged the two best features of both systems together? Wouldn't that be a nice wedding?.

Here's the result. Holster from Safariland and legpannel from Blackhawk.

Belgian Defence acquired the new version of the CAT, "Combat Application Tourniquet". 

The improved features of the CAT are:

-white Self-adhering band with "Time" indications so that the time of fixing the CAT can be noted directly on it. 

-the windlass rod is thickend in the middle because earlier version tended to brake when used under stress.

Belgian Defence chooses Aimpoint M4

Recently, the Belgian Defence adapted about 800 Aimpoint M4 to put on the standard issue FN FNC. The first batch was distributed to the Belgian OMLT's in Afghanistan.

More info about the Aimpoint M4.

The earlier adapted Eotech 522 are only for use with the FN F2000 Tactical.

Belgian Military Championship Combat Shooting

During 4-7 october the "Belgian Military Championship Combat Shooting" was held in March en Famenne.
Here's some video footage from stage 2 and 3 taken with a V.I.O. shoulder mounted camera.