Tag Archives: PWS MK114

Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24mm SFP Review

by GunGuy

Vortex has become known as a company that brings better than class performance for a great price. Their PST line is made in the Philippines, which is common and makes some great glass and optics for other companies too. The PST differs from the HD line in that they have illuminated reticles.

The 1-4 PST is just the ticket for a short to medium range optic. The glass is very good and just as importantly the eye relief is very forgiving. This scope offers more dialing than I think is needed on an optic of 4x, but that is all user preference. The MRAD reticle along with the MIL adjustments means that you can quickly dial if you choose to. For example if you call a 1 MIL wind with the scope at 4x you would just dial 10 .1 MIL adjustments on your windage dial. No complicated math that comes from using a MIL reticle with MOA adjustments. Also the adjustments are very easy to make, so its worth running a rubber band or electrical tape over the knobs to keep from accidentally adjusting them by rubbing them on gear.

An important note to mention is that as a Second Focus Plane scope the reticle is only ‘right’ at one power, usually the highest and on this scope it is at 4X. That means a 1 MIL read with the scope at 2x would actually be 2MIL.

I’ve used this scope for tactical carbine class with ranges from muzzle to 450 yards and it works amazingly. At these ranges I don’t see a big enough difference in glass that I feel the need to run a different optic. This is a great scope and Vortex is a good company that stands behind their products with great customer service. If you don’t like it and aren’t happy they will do whatever they can to make it right. Buy with confidence, highly recommended.

PWS Vortex Viper PST
PWS Vortex Viper PST

Vortex PST MOA Reticle

Vortex Viper PST 1-4x

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Magpul Dynamic Carbine 1 Review

by GunGuy

I spent 3 great days in Yakima last month taking Magpul’s Dynamic Carbine 1 course taught by Jon Canipe and Caylen Wojcik. It was the ammo panic that made it possible, some students cancelled making room for those of us who contacted Magpul later. Magpul asked us to fill out some non-disclosure and other information forms that had to be submitted along with the proof of citizenship etc. docs about 3 months prior the class. After a few weeks I finally heard back from Magpul, but with the good news: they accepted my friend and I to the class and we were offered the required count (1250 rounds) of 5.56 ammo at $7 per box of 20.

The class took place at the range on Sun Targets road about 20 minutes from Yakima. The weather was quite warm and during the day progressively got warmer (60F in the morning to about 75F during the day). After a brief introduction the instructors reminded to us about the ITAR and said that the regulations are enforced more and more now, with some heavy charges for stuff like sending a plastic stock to Norway.

Without going into too many details, I can say that the way the course is taught has changed dramatically since Chris Costa and Travis Haley left Magpul Dynamics. Lots of stuff is thrown out and things have been simplified. Jon Canipe’s (our main carbine instructor) style of explaining and teaching stuff was precise and to the point, without any military hardcore yelling and suited everyone, except to one female student who joked about multiple repetitions of the f word. Caylen Wojcik, who teaches Precision Rifle and DMR classes, added a lot of interesting info on using carbines at longer distances. We successfully engaged a 12” plate at 450 yards located on a steep hill with non-magnified red dot sights. Both instructors, were super attentive and addressed course related questions in-depth offering their enormous knowledge.

At the end of each day, instructors ran a small competition that combined all the skills learned during that day. A friend of mine won the 1st day’s timed rifle shooting string from 3 positions: standing, kneeling and prone and got a new STR stock as a prize. I won the 2nd day’s timed competition drill (those IDPA drills helped a lot): 3 man size targets had to be engaged at the center of mass circle, any shots outside automatically meant disqualification. The twist was we had to use 3 mags with 5 rounds each, shooting the 1st target 1 time, the 2nd target 2 times, 3rd 3 times, again the 2th target 4 times and finally the 1st target 5 times. The prize included the STR stock and M3 sling (both Magpul products). The 3rd day’s mini competition was the most impressive one: 20 rounds on metal plate targets at various distances, whoever shoots them with least number of rounds wins. Jon himself showed it first. He used an Aimpoint T1 optic sight and engaged all 5 targets in a fast sequence with 1st round hits! That was very impressive, because he shot the same ammo as we did (55gr) and but didn’t practice with us that day. The competition was won by one of the students who took Caylen’s Precision Rifle class. With wind gusts up to 10mph that student repeated almost identically what Jon did just 5 minutes before and got a bunch of new model PMAGs an MS3 sling.

I’m still digesting tons of information we were taught and resting as 10 hour days in the hills of Yakima is not something I usually do on a regular basis. I definitely recommend this class and other ones to anyone who wants to learn AR fundamentals, push their skills to a new level or just simply refresh the existing ones. The Designated Marksman Rifle and Precision Rifle courses are on my list now.

Here are a few pictures:
Jon is teaching engagements from behind a barricade, notice his “space” gun with the new slim profile Magpul BUIS:

Magpul_Carbine_1

PWS MK114 and LMT AR – These bad boys were hitting steel at 450 yards

Magpul_Carbine_2

Mid Distance Range

Magpul_Carbine_3

 

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