My Patrol Rifle

Matt Landfair

Matt Six Actual
Staff member
Administrator
My current work rifle setup.

16" SOLGW carbine
Aimpoint T2
Unity FAST micro mount
Modlite OKW
B.E. Meyers KIJI IR illuminator
Kinetic Development Group QD mounts x2
DeadAir Pyro with Blast Shield
B5 Systems grip & stock
Blue Force Gear sling
Magpul rail covers and magazine

This rifle has not been shot to the extent of others. It was purchased with the intent to have a lighter weight, more simple, and a purpose driven solution for basic patrol functions.

1.jpg

Unity FAST micro mount.
Most and nearly all of my rifle deployments at work end up in a standing position or walking through areas searching. The height of the mount puts my head in a more natural position (I am also 6'5"). With night vision or a gas mask, it it places the optic at a more usable level, clearing potential obstructions.
I have shot this prone. It's not the best, but still usable.
There is an open channel right under the optic where irons can be found as shown in the second picture. Irons are secondary and do not take precedence over other primary systems.
2.jpg3.jpg

The following covers three aspects- selection of the illuminator, position of the illuminator, using QD on the light and illuminator.
I selected the KIJI as an IR illuminator to be used in conjunction with the Aimpoint when using nightvision. Patrol use of nightvision here is severely limited, so I pretty much only break it out when I am working solo or on a specific task solo.
I have the KIJI mounted there so it it available and out of the way. When I need it and it turns into my primary illumination source (using nvg), I swap it with the OKW. This is how QD comes into play. Swapping positions of the two lights take seconds. My ability to use nvg is a bonus anyway.

4.jpg5.jpg

DeadAir Pyro with Blast Shield.
Am I going to be shooting in the dark at non-illuminated threats - probably not. Does my weaponlight overpower muzzle flash? Yes. Am I going to be doing Ninja things? No. The odds of shooting under nvg during an incident is about zero.
Responding to an incident where my rifle might be used will probably include armed backup as well - what are the odds they will all have silencers? Low. I decided to keep cans at home and not on work guns.
The Pyro with Blast Shield, however, acts like the old Noveske Flaming Pig and redirects concussive blasts forward. That means shooting indoors can be a little less teeth shattering. That also means I am nice to people to my right and left while shooting.
The Pyro attaches directly to my Nox muzzle device, and the Blast Shield is an added piece that does that redirection.

7.jpg
 

Stanislao

Regular Member
Is there technical reason for the 16" barrel, or was the decision driven by the NFA? In the event of SBRs becoming less encumbered, will you switch to a different barrel length and if so what length?

Thoughts on lacking any kind of magnification? I've seen arguments for magnification in short range police work, mostly centered around identifying held objects and making shots on barely exposed people otherwise shielded by cover/concealment.
 

jBravo3

Regular Member
20230201_125301~2.jpg

We're running your rifle's kid brother at work on the other side of the country, with no complaints.

11.5 (issued) SOLGW
No IR, no can (for now/atm)
Aimpoint T2
Unity FAST Micro Mount (backup irons are nice to have and convenient on this setup, and are approximately minute of man from 25 or so - prone is not optimal with this mount, but in most usage cases it is optimal - for us)
Modlite OKW/Unity Hot Button
B5 grip/stock
Padded Sierratac

Regarding the above question about magnification, there has been some renewed/recent staff discussion at my agency about the potential need for magnification on patrol rifles, especially based on some fairly local and recent incidents/AARs. I'm open to it, and see more positives than negatives.

As always, mission, (and *cough* budget, time and availability) drives equipment. Context matters, and possibilities and probabilities must be weighed and considered.
 

Stanislao

Regular Member
Are you expecting any action on this front? Would be amazing but I haven't even heard any rumors.
I am expecting confusion, chaos and other such things for a year or two at least. Any speculation beyond that suffers from that monster Pandora left in the jar: hope.
 

Matt Landfair

Matt Six Actual
Staff member
Administrator
Is there technical reason for the 16" barrel, or was the decision driven by the NFA? In the event of SBRs becoming less encumbered, will you switch to a different barrel length and if so what length?

Thoughts on lacking any kind of magnification? I've seen arguments for magnification in short range police work, mostly centered around identifying held objects and making shots on barely exposed people otherwise shielded by cover/concealment.

16" just to simplify my life and keep sbrs at home and more frequently used. If NFA is no longer a thing, I'd go 12.5.

Regarding magnification, I used to use an lpvo on an older patrol rifle. Since I'm the only one around here that has practical experience with nvg and I have it readily available unlike most, an IR laser won't be worth using. If others are around, I'm using white light. When I am using nvg (perimeter alone for example), this optic setup with KIJI makes most sense for me. My MAWL is on my 12.5" lpvo rifle at home. I might rotated lpvo back in while on dayshift.
 
Damn, been thinking the last little while my 12.5 is too damn heavy and I made a spreadsheet comparing weights of my current LPVO/dot to various setups and switching to unity/T2 I would save 1.73 Pounds and that sounds really nice. can always keep a magnifier around for the reasons and still save a pound.
 

Dave0317

Newbie
Damn, been thinking the last little while my 12.5 is too damn heavy and I made a spreadsheet comparing weights of my current LPVO/dot to various setups and switching to unity/T2 I would save 1.73 Pounds and that sounds really nice. can always keep a magnifier around for the reasons and still save a pound.
I’ve been looking at the same issue here. Never used to be a problem before we had NVGs and suppressors. Once you have an Aimpoint, light, DBAL, suppressor, etc. weight starts adding up. We added LPVOs to a couple guys rifles and those things are definitely noticeably heavier.

Right now we will put LPVOs on the sniper certified guys entry rifles. Largely because there won’t be the learning curve of properly zeroing and making adjustments to power, focus, etc.

Someday, as technology improves, I could see the whole entry team running them. Or, even most of Patrol for that matter.
 

pointblank4445

Established
Someday, as technology improves, I could see the whole entry team running them. Or, even most of Patrol for that matter.

As someone who has pleaded for (checks watch) nearly a decade now with anyone who would listen to ease up on pushing sub-optimal performance in 1:9, 1:10, 1:12 erector ratios and stupid high top-end magnification and come back to Earth and give us better, lighter, more efficient 1:4, 1:5, 1:6 ratio optics in the form of say 12oz 1-4x, 16oz 1-6x, 24oz 3-15x optics. If that is the "improvement" you're waiting on, let me say...don't hold your breath.

That said,
The tech required IS there as are viable options, what's behind for most is:
- Knowledge and understanding of how to select the proper optic
- Understanding of how to train and employ said optic

While the "sniper" guys may/should know what all the stadia mean, running out and grabbing the "best" without understanding of needs, specs, features ends in disappointment and may not be ideal for enhancing the methodology/tactics of the (above)average patrol person but the "tech" is there.

This is where weapon setup factors in. Maybe I run an 18350 white light instead of the 18650, optimize my rail barrel length/profile, chose my stock wisely. Point being if you want it, you can make it work. While delicate, the fine balancing act of full performance capacity, one can have their cake and eat it too within reason.
 
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