If you missed this year’s Federal Range Day, sponsored by ADS, Inc., have no fear – it’s coming back next year! We can certainly attest it’s a must-see, must-attend event in 2018. The event was held at Trijicon’s Crucible Training Facility in Fredericksburg, VA on Friday, June 9 from 0900 to 1400. Attendees with a valid Government ID were given hands-on access to 100+ vendors and thousands of products. Spotterup.com witnessed some of the most successful and experienced companies in the game deliver custom, innovative, and cost-effective solutions to ADS customers in a personal yet confidential setting.
Numerous vendors: Our team met with representatives from novel companies such as: Armorvent, Tru-Spec, Atlantic Signal, Sorinex, Outdoor Research, and many more. Going to Federal Range Day to talk to ADS’ leading vendors would’ve sufficed; add in live-fire ranges, free ammunition, and fresh BBQ and this event couldn’t get any better. If your agency is looking for new products and effective technology, this was the place to be.
Jay at the Angel Armor booth
Showing off the MATBOCK Berserker Carrier which weighs a light 14 oz.
Multiple Ranges: Critical yet comfortable clothing, smart accessories, and effective weaponry were spread out smartly at the vendor booths. But Federal Range Day wouldn’t be a range without firepower. ADS hosted five separate ranges: Trijicon, Sig Sauer, VertX, Daniel Defense, and CADEX Defense.
The Spotterup team of writers swung by Sig Sauer first and tested a Sig Sauer MPX 9mm carbine with a red-dot. They generously gave each shooter 10 rounds in a drill in which participants had three separate moving targets mounted to a robotic unit called a Targobot from Targamite.
Targamite’s product allows shooters to experience the “world’s first portable, battery operated, live-fire moving target that is designed to behave unpredictably, like real threats in the real world.” Two of the targets depicted a hostage and the third was the actual target. The targets were set up behind a window 15 yards away and were constantly rotating and overlapping to test the shooter’s accuracy, trigger disciple and decision making. It was a quick, simple drill; shoot the target when you can and don’t shoot the hostages. It was a fun drill to get the blood pumping. * from Targamite’s website
The carbine had light recoiling, was easy to shoot, and reacquired the target quickly. It seems to be a fine choice as a home-defense weapon, small game camp gun, or for law enforcement departments not authorized for larger calibers. It was a challenge for our writer to use the MPX with the quickly changing targets on the Targabot. Clearly this is a great mechanism for any agencies’ training departments to utilize and get results with focused practice.
We moved over to the Force on Force and VertX range as well. It was a simple run down of the SIMUNITIONS round they had and how to use them on different firearms. We shot paintballs at a human target and were able to catch a little bit of the Glock draw demonstration using a VertX concealed carry bag.
The Daniel Defense station had an extensive line-up of carbines for familiarization fire, and we tried them all; 5.56mm, 7.62 x 51mm, 300 BLK versions were available with various red-dot and magnified optics, and some of the rifles had suppressors. The targets at the end of the 100-yard range were a variety of steel plates from probably six to eight-inch circles to larger torso-shaped targets. All the weapons functioned flawlessly using P-Mags and Hexmags.
Our Spotterup writer Dale, had never fired a 300 Blackout suppressed carbine before, and he managed to shoot it very well. He stated it felt almost like firing a .22 LR rifle, with little noise and recoil. The company’s guns are well built, with tightly fitting uppers and lowers, and reliable in hot weather after hundreds of rounds. We did not see any shooters with malfunctions. If you or your department or unit can afford the Daniel Defense rifle, you will not be disappointed in the quality, as it stands apart from the sea of other AR guns on the market. Each one of the representatives there were extremely accommodating. Overall, the Daniel Defense guys did an amazing job keeping the shooters moving through and ensuring the firing went on without a hitch. It was a great day.
Jay is firing a suppressed Daniel Defense M4 in 300 BLK.
ADS continues to impress with a bedrock of solid and steady picks of vendors to outfit the end-user. Their weapons and optics selection is very robust and departments should take a good look. Based on what our writers saw on display, companies like ADS work tirelessly to take a fresh look at solutions to improve the operational performance of end users and those who need to be ‘kitted’ out.
If you missed your chance at Federal Range Day this year, be sure to check out Warrior Expo East taking place this July 13 and 14 in Virginia Beach, VA.
*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.
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