This year has been a wonderful year for so many reasons.  We have seen more and more of you come to the website and participate with us.  The blog has been growing steadily which has provided much satisfaction.  Many of you are now first time gun owners as of last November.  All in all a good year.

As I look back on 2009, I am pleased that we have introduced a few new things to you this year like the Ruger SP101 conversion.  We are sometimes asked to do things just like this that have become so popular they just stay with us.

We have also tried hard to keep you in the loop with good information on a variety of topics that included many different product reviews.  I have been most interested to see all of your interest in the Taurus Judge.  Does this mean more and more of you are buying shotgun pistols, or are you just casually interested?

Well, here are some things to watch out for in the coming weeks and months as we get ready for 2010:

1. AR-15- there are some big things happening here with the AR-15 platform.  Things are falling into place after a 5 month process.  We love the platform, and think you will love what we will be offering.
2. More product reviews.  Woolrich has been so good to us this year.  They have consistently responded with product for us every single time we have asked for it.  Right now we have requested products from Blackhawk, 5.11, and Eotac for a tactical polo round up.  Hopefully we will have something for you soon.
3. New variations of the SM-1 package.  If you have an M-3 light, we have something cool for you.
4. More information on competitive shooting sports.
5. Finally, we are trying to work out the beginnings of Mossy Creek Training Academy, to begin offering the CCW permit for the State of TN.

Here is what we need from you: ideas, products to review and of course interesting projects.  The ideas can be about anything gun related.  The products to be reviewed can be sent to us anytime your company would like.  The interesting projects are always welcome.

I just got this today and thought I would share it with you.  Woolrich makes cool clothes, but they also do a lot for the men and women of the armed forces.  This throw would make a nice Christmas present for anyone on your list, and it would give you the satisfaction of knowing your gift blessed someone else as well.

WOOLRICH ELITE SERIES TACTICAL DONATES $7,000 TO WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

Portions of “Freedom Throw” Blanket Sales Benefit Non-Profit Organization Improving Lives of Injured Service Men and Women

WOOLRICH, Pa. (November 12, 2009) – Less than a year after introducing the “Freedom Throw” wool blanket, Woolrich Elite Series Tactical announces it has donated $7,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), www.woundedwarriorproject.org, a non-profit organization that honors and empowers wounded warriors. WWP provides veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, combat stress, or who have been physically injured with beneficial programs and a network of support from like service members.

“We are proud to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause,” said Jerry Rinder, vice president of sales and marketing for Woolrich Elite Series Tactical. “Woolrich has a long history serving the military, dating back to the Civil War. We feel it’s important to continue that tradition, and the Wounded Warrior Project is a natural partnership. It’s a crucial element in the recovery of our injured service members and their families.”

“Wounded Warrior Project is thankful for this support from Woolrich Elite Series Tactical,” said Executive Director Steven Nardizzi. “Our goal is to ensure this generation of veterans is the most successful and well-adjusted in our nation’s history, and with this generous donation from Woolrich we can continue this important work.”

The “Freedom Throw” is handcrafted in the Woolrich woolen mill in Woolrich, Pennsylvania in a red, white, and blue design inspired by the American flag. The throw, $100.00, is 84 percent wool and 16 percent nylon.

The “Freedom Throw” is available from Woolrich Elite Series Tactical retailers nationwide. Information on the complete Elite Series Tactical line and a list of authorized retailers can be found at www.WoolrichEliteSeriesTactical.com.

There exists a wide gulf in my house when it comes to the clothing that I wear.  My wife and I were headed out to dinner Friday night with some family members.  We weren’t going to go anywhere out of the ordinary, and it wasn’t designed to be a really nice dinner either.  Something along the lines of O’Charley’s or Applebees.

As we got ready to leave I heard the dreaded phrase . . “are you wearing those pants?”  I have a little bit of a cynical side, so I really wanted to say, “Actually this is a figment of your imagination,” but I showed restraint.  What she was alluding to were the pair of Woolrich Elite Series Discreet Pants pictured below.

I replied that I wasn’t wearing tactical pants.  Notice that there are no pockets for knives, AR Magazines, medic kits, or any of the other cool things that you might normally find on a good pair of tacticals.  However, my wife pointed out that regular khakis don’t have a key ring sewn onto the front belt loop, and that the back pockets are normally not cut in a wierd shape.

I started to argue, but then thought better of it, because she was right. Which leads me to this.  Why not offer the Discreet Pant that is actually discreet?  5.11 doesn’t offer one, Woolrich comes close, but in the end they are simply tactical pants.  I love these pants, but they could be a little more refined with the subtraction of the two things my wife mentioned.  I’m not looking for Polo chinos, but something in between would be perfect.  Who knows, maybe they will design a pant like that and call it the MCC pant, and you can all say you heard it first.

It has been a very wet week, and it got me thinking about the new Woolrich Breathable Parka.  You by now know how much we think of the Woolrich Elite Series of clothing.  They are well constructed, a great value, and are highly functional.

Recently we tested their parka.  I took this parka to Ukraine with me two weeks ago because our host told us we would probably need a good raincoat.  Not only did it serve to keep me dry, but it was a great outer layer when the weather turned cold.

The coat has all the tactical pockets you expect from Woolrich, but it also looks great.  My favorite feature is the hood that is contained in a velcro pouch so it’s not flopping around.  The hood can also be unzipped from the jacket if you want to take it off completely.

These are a great addition for your fall.  Not only will they provide you everything you need for CCW or duty needs, but they also look good enough to wear around town.  Check them out at Woolrich.

We recently had the opportunity to test the Woolrich Elite Lighweight Pants.  These pants have all the features that you need in tactical pant, but they are made from a lighter material to make them comfortable for those in hotter climates.

No doubt Woolrich had operators in mind who have to play in the sand box on a regular basis, and these pants fit this mission well.  They are made from 1.5 ounces less thick material than the regular version, but other than that they are identical.

We tested these pants for several weeks including shooting several IDPA matches in them when temperatures rose above 90 degrees.  We found them to be very comfortable and free moving when performing any task associated with action shooting.

One feature we particularly like is the back pocket which has a smaller pocket inside it for a wallet.  Many pants in this category have a back pocket that feels as big as a rucksack.  Having a smaller pocket was nice for wallets and other items that you don’t want floating around.

Even those these pants are considerably lighter, they appear to be durable and hold up well for their intended purpose.  If you are going to shoot outside this summer, but don’t want to wear shorts, these pants should be considered.

Many of you that read the blog regularly are probably familiar with the 5.11 Tactical Clothing Line from the Royal Robbins company.  For several years they have been the industry standard for guys that want a tactical pant without a uniformed look, and they have always been popular at most of the shooting sports matches.   I have first hand experience with many of their products from my days in the Law Enforcement community.  Their products hold up well, are comfortable to wear, and you can find them on-line for very reasonable prices.

A company you may not have heard much about is the Woolrich Elite Series.  They offer products that are similar in form and function to the 5.11 line of clothing.  We have been testing the Elite series for a while and have found them to be adequate in some areas and excellent in others.  A few of the products we really like are the Elite Discreet Pant, the Elite Lightweight Vest, and the Elite Discreet Carry Short-Sleeve Shirt.

The Elite Discreet Pant is made of rugged material, but it is missing some features normally found on tactical pants that scream tactical.  These pants don’t have cargo pockets, but they retain the large rear pockets.  They are similarly priced to the 5.11 line, and we would rate them a little better in overall look.  The one thing we noticed is they fit a little tighter than the 5.11 counterparts, but overall we would highly recommend this pant.

The Elite Lightweight vest may be our overall favorite product for those of you who want to be in IDPA or IPSC.  It differs from the 5.11 offering in that it has been scaled back to not include all of the pockets.  It has what you need, but nothing more.  For a tactical operator it may be a little slim on options, but it is much more comfortable to wear.  We love the fit and finish and think it is a great value, but it is still not for you to wear to the mall!!  Keep it on the range Rambo.

The final item that we tried out was the Elite Discreet Carry Short-Sleeve shirt.  These shirts are designed to be worn like a Hawaiian shirt for CCW purposes.  The shirts are priced very well, and the overall look is very nice.  However, we found it very hard to use for CCW purposes.  It simply prints the gun too much.  We also had a problem with the button holes on the shirts tearing after a while.  This isn’t a deal breaker because the shirts are not that expensive, but it is something to keep in mind.  Finally, if a wrinkled shirt bothers you this shirt may not be for you.  It looks great when pressed, but it wrinkles quickly.  Overall we probably wouldn’t recommend this one as something you need for your tactical/competition needs.

If you haven’t tried out the Elite Series from Woolrich, you really should.  If you are a competitive shooter, you should definitely check out the vest.  It is top notch.  As this industry grows, there will be more and more companies coming out with items specifically designed for shooters, and that means you should continue to have more great options like these.