Do you think wearing on-body cameras on duty should be mandatory?
Last month, we gave you a look at some of the items from SHOT that immediately caught our attention. This month, we're going to open up the briefcase, and the boxes, load the CDs and the jump drives, and give you our Best of Show report.
Today, rifle optics that once were only seen on SWAT weapons are now commonplace on patrol rifles. A lot has changed in less than 10 years. Which begs the question, What innovations are likely to change law enforcement CQB optics between now and 2021?
I have been using Streamlight flashlights since I went to my first SHOT Show many years ago. I have always found them to be durable, bright, and affordably priced. The TL-2 X is another great addition to the company's family of tactical lights.
This year, the law enforcement section of the show wound through both floors of the Sands Expo Center and into numerous ballrooms in the Venetian Hotel. Exhibitors along the law enforcement aisles were showing everything from machine guns to mannequins, ranging in size from vehicles to lights the size of a stick of Dentyne gum.
The first and foremost reason people use any form of mounted optics is they provide a fast, accurate sight. Second, be they red dot or truly telescopic, sights have shrunk in size, making them better suited for duty.
While the U.S. military has largely transitioned en masse to using optics on issued M4 carbines and other weapons, many American law enforcement agencies continue to use patrol rifles and carbines with iron sights and no optics. So the question is valid: Do you really need combat optics on your patrol rifle?
When it comes to gear and gadgets for duty applications, many of us are drawn to the coolest, most expensive items. That's true of weapons and it's true of weapon accessories such as optics. But what's more important is to find the right optics to fit your mission. Options include red dot sights, variable focal length short scopes often used on shotguns, and of course true precision scopes meant for use on a precision rifle.
When it comes to gear and gadgets for duty applications, many of us are drawn to the coolest, most expensive items. That's true of weapons and it's true of weapon accessories such as optics. But do we really have to have the priciest gear to achieve our mission? Maybe. Maybe not.
The year's new long-gun optics.