Category Archives: Florida Companies

RDR Holsters Micro Carry Review

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Randall

RDR (Rounds Down Range) Holsters is a Hollywood, FL company making Kydex™ holsters and accessory carriers for most major brands of concealed carry handguns.  One of our longtime readers here at ThinBlueFlorida, M@ (Matt–get it?), met me at SHOT Show out on the main floor.  Funny, we both traveled all the way from Florida just to meet in Nevada.  M@, who works for RDR, brought me a RDR Micro Carry holster for my Kahr PM9. Founded by two brothers, RDR is visibly represented by owner Jeff Wilber.  Mr. Wilber is very active in the firearms industry.  In January 2013, it was announced that Mr. Wilber would be the new Sales … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Florida Companies, Off Duty, SHOT Show | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Blueguns by Ring’s Manufacturing

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Randall

I was lucky to have a lengthy chat with John Ring, the owner of Blueguns, at SHOT Show.  He is a very interesting gentleman with an equally engaging story about his Melbourne, Florida company.  It seems that Mr. Ring was originally in the business of renting props to Hollywood.  Ring and his associates began making rubber guns and other items for movies.  As they progressed, the company began making the polyurethane blue guns that we now use in law enforcement training.  Mr. Ring said 5 to 10% of their business is still on the big screen. In the photo at the top are four new blue guns for 2013:  a … Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, Florida Companies | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Shooting a Venture Ballistics Level III Shield

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Randall

In a earlier article, I talked about visiting the Venture Ballistic Composites manufacturing facility.  I was given a few test shields by Venture President Todd Garrett.  He also “loaned” me a Level III shield from one of their upcoming projects.  He encouraged us to shoot it.  So we did. On the range, we fired two .308 Winchester Federal Match Grade 168 grain BTHP bullets and an American Eagle 5.56 X 45 FMJ at a Venture Ballistics Level III blank.  The distance was 25 yards.  The .308’s were fired by a Springfield Armory M14.  The 5.56 was shot from an Adams Arms AR-15.  The firing order was .308, 5.56, and .308.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida Companies, Protective Armor, SWAT | Tagged | Leave a comment

Intrepid Networks “Sting” Police Technology

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Randall

If there is one thing I have noticed that is lacking in our tactical operations and drug busts, it is a solid situational orientation to our ground assets in a fluid incident.  For example, when coordinating a buy-bust takedown you may have multiple units working within the scenario:  narcotics officers, confidential informants, SWAT members, uniformed patrol, heck, throw in a K9 team or two.  Each of these personnel has distinct function, but often no one knows exactly where the other one is in relation to the target. Intrepid Networks, with roots in Central Florida, has designed their Sting software platform as a way to increase law enforcement’s situational awareness and … Continue reading →

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New Kel-Tec CL-43 Flashlight

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Randall

This is an image of the new Kel-Tec CL-43 flashlight that is a handheld aluminum-bodied, LED offering from the Cocoa, Florida gunmaker. The CL-43 boasts 420 lumens from a Cree XP-G LED emitter, running off three CR123 batteries. A rearward clicking button at the midpoint of the light switches the light-emitting diode on and off. I was aghast when I saw this photo. Kel-Tec says, “The switch is operated like the trigger of a gun…” Sympathetic reflex activity in the dominant hand could easily lead to a negligent discharge in this grip. I see what they are trying to accomplish from an ergonomic standpoint, but under stress I believe this … Continue reading →

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Testing National Police Ammunition’s Simulated Duty Round

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Randall

National Police Ammunition is an ATF licensed South Florida manufacturer of law enforcement ammunition.  NPA specializes in lead-free, frangible ammo and has developed the SDR, or Simulated Duty Round, for police applications. The SDR is designed to mimic the performance of police duty rounds and be an accurate, reliable, and cost effective alternative.  NPA lists some of the following advantages: • Proprietary loading techniques prevents projectiles breaking when chambered which is common with frangible ammunition • Power factor equivalency “Felt” recoil • Line of Sight = Point of Impact • Fully Frangible non jacketed projectile • Reduced ricochet • Available with lead-free, heavy metal free primers (standard primers also available) … Continue reading →

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High Noon Holsters Side Effect Review

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Randall

High Noon Holsters is a West Central Florida maker of custom cowhide and horsehide gun holsters.  I saw the High Noon Holsters Side Effect hanging on a rack in the LGS.  I needed a good concealed carry holster for my Glock 27, so I sprung for it. As a bit of background, about ten years ago I met High Noon’s owner Justin.  He was making his holsters out of the garage of his Florida home at that time.  He was a super nice guy who had worked for one of the larger holster companies.  Justin decided to go off on his own to produce holsters of his design and manufacture.  … Continue reading →

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Visit to Venture Ballistic Composites Shield Factory

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Randall

I was in Pinellas County yesterday to visit the manufacturing plant for Venture Ballistic Composites, Inc., a maker of  bullet-resistant shields for law enforcement and the Military.  Venture’s President Todd Garrett talked shop and showed me their proprietary method for building ballistic shields.  He even demonstrated this by building one from the ground up while I was there.  Very cool!  No photos, please–trade secrets. Venture Ballistics is a strongly anchored Florida company that uses American made products and buys from vendors within 50 miles of the shop.  Garrett said their aim is to produce shields which exceed NIJ standards for protection, are lightweight, and are affordable.  In the first year … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida Companies, Protective Armor, Technology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Diamondback DB9 Long Term Test and Review

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Randall

In January of 2011, I was walking through the static vendor booths at SHOT Show’s Media Day at the Range and saw a familiar pistol that somehow looked off-kilter. It was a stretched Diamondback Firearms DB380 pistol.  No.  It was something new. Diamondback Firearms makes striker-fired polymer framed pistols and (soon) shotguns AR -15’s in Cocoa, Florida.  After successfully marketing a micro-compact .380 ACP pistol, the company began producing a 9mm version.  This was the gun I saw on the table. I handled the unloaded gun in the booth.  It looked very promising, however, for its diminutive size, I worried about how it would actually handle in the hand when … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Florida Companies, Off Duty, Officer Safety, SHOT Show, Street | Tagged , , , , , | 25 Comments