This year was the first time since 2019 that I have been able to take a vacation. I knew I needed a break with a bit of time for myself and some fresh air, but I didn’t realize just how badly I needed it. It was nice to get away for a week with less technology (when was the last time you spent a week without your phone in your pocket?) and enjoy some clean, fresh air. A vacation isn’t quite the same for me unless it involves some range time, so I brought along a selection of my firearms to get some trigger time on.
Before leaving I changed out the trigger in my T1 SBR that I mentioned in a previous article. I swear by the quality, durability, and reliability of the Geissele SSA-E, but for future projects I’d like to have an option to run an easier and more affordable trigger. I installed a Rise Armament Rave 140 trigger in my SBR. I was running it suppressed with the Griffin Armament RECCE 5, which blows far less gas back into the receiver than my Surefire SOCOM suppressor. Even so I was immediately met with problems from the trigger. Within the first magazine it began to fail to reset. By the third magazine I decided to swap the upper onto the lower from my duty rifle. My duty rifle is built with a Geissele SSA-E and ran 100% without issue. In order to be fair, I will admit that I don’t believe the Rise Armament trigger was intended to be used in a gassy SBR in a duty setting, however to suffer such significant failure so early on in the assessment was exceptionally disappointing. I immediately put in an order for another trigger that I have heard nothing but good things about and will run that once it arrives. I do not recommend the Rise Armament Rave 140 trigger for anything beyond range toys or properly gassed, clean shooting sporting rifles. Even then, there are better triggers out there that can be had for less.
The Griffin Armament RECCE 5 was the exact opposite of the trigger. It was a wonderful piece of equipment to have and made the shooting experience very enjoyable. I was immediately blown away by how much less gas was getting blown back through the receiver compared to the Surefire SOCOM 556-SB2. On the first range day with little breeze the gas was manageable to the point I didn’t feel the need to lower the rifle from ready position just to get the gas away from my face for a second between engagements. That excites me because it means it would be more pleasant to shoot in an enclosed space like a hallway or small room with little to no ventilation. I was able to shoot without earplugs and suffered no discomfort to my ears. When I let some fellow shooters have a go I was surprised to hear how much quieter it is when someone else is shooting it. I feel that the muzzle report was so minimal that the cycle of the action is actually what made it seem like the gun was significantly louder to me as the operator.
I did get to shoot a few things just for fun. I finally had an opportunity to take out my Traditions Hawken Carbine and put a few rounds through that. It may not be fast, but those blackpowder muzzle loaders are a lot of fun to shoot. I also was testing out another platform I am working on and have some things about it that need some work before I tear into it. It’s still in development, so I can’t be too hard on it, but when I do a post about that project I will point out a few shortcomings of the platform that should have been addressed by the manufacturer.
I also brought along my G Force Arms Filthy Pheasant 12ga Over/Under. That gun, for being such an affordable platform, really impressed me. It’s a Turkish import, so I didn’t have high expectations, but I shot A LOT of trap over the course of the week and managed to carry my team to 3rd place in a trap competition using the G Force set up with a 3/4 Choke. I know 3rd doesn’t sound impressive, but the last time I ever shot trap was 10 years ago and I was not very good. I feel I should also mention that until just a few months ago I hated shotguns. I felt they weren’t a prudent investment for someone like me who has a focus on tactical shooting rather than sport shooting. I will admit, shotguns can be fun, they have their place, and the ability to eliminate a fast-moving aerial target is a nice tool to have. I may get into shooting trap a bit more as time goes on. For now, I’m glad I was able to get such an impressive performer at such a super budget price.
Needless to say, it has been a good week and a very good vacation. Since I’ve been working night shift for so long it was good to get out and get some color back in my skin, breathe some fresh air, and just feel happy to be alive. Mental health is important, and every once in a while its a good thing to just put the phone down, get out of service range, abandon the wifi, and reconnect with who we are without all that. I know my readership is small, but I hope those of you who get this far take this to heart as much as I hope you listen to the technical stuff I talk about. Take care of yourselves. I promise, you may not know it, but you are all someone’s reason for being here.
Until the next one, keep your chin up, keep your head down, and keep your eyes open.
Grey Matter Guano 