Tactical Machining AR Lower / Palmetto State Armory LPK

I recently had the opportunity to assemble yet another AR rifle from random parts around the house.  After reading various reviews and having used most of the big name manufacturers such as Colt, Bushmaster, RRA, Stag, Armalite, Spikes, Superior, Essential, Mega, and Aero Precision; I decided to try another brand.  As this is a newer company, I couldn't find too many reviews about their stripped lower.  Out of the reviews I stumbled across, none of them seemingly had anything bad to say about the lower or the company.

Upon visual inspection, the lower showed excellent finish with none of the flashing left over from the forging process that Colt and Bushmaster love to leave on their products.  Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures before slapping the lower parts kit into the lower.  Everything went in as expected and took approximately 15 minutes to assemble.  I should note that the LPK used was from Palmetto State Armory and also exhibited excellent fit and finish.  Coincidentally, the LPK happened to be the cheapest set available as well.  It is head over heels better than the DPMS trigger parts I have used in the past.

 The lower is a low shelf with a properly beveled magazine well.  My only complaint is the FIRE and SAFE markings are a little larger than most manufacturers.  Everything from USGI aluminum to Magpul PMAGs drop free and seat properly in the magazine well.  Here is the clincher though.  Out of all the receivers I have used or complete rifles from "Tier 1" manufacturers, this lower has the best upper to lower fit with any number of upper receivers I have tried it with.  I do not know how TM does this, but I'm sold on the internal dimensions they use.  The upper and lower receiver assembly slide together with no noticeable play whatsoever.  This isn't the typical out of spec super tight take down pin syndrome some lowers exhibit. No accuwedge or foam earplug required for proper upper/lower fit here.

The dye used in the anondization is also a perfect match for the my A2 upper (USGI surplus) with a deep, thick, black hardcoat.

This is by far the nicest lower I have yet seen or used when it comes to fit and finish.  Could I do with no logo?  Sure.  But given that every manufacturer plasters a giant billboard on the side of their lower, this one was done with reasonable good taste.  No deer head on my rifle.

Dealextreme Flashlight Review

So in my latest support of sweatshop labor, I've ordered a couple of flashlights from DX aka Deal Extreme. Recently, DX has created a drop ship warehouse in the US rather than shipping everything from their suppliers in China.  While browsing their site, I came across a rather small and unique flashlight that seems to be perfect for EDC.  Rather than the traditional baton style flashlight design, this one is a mini angle head with a reverse clicky switch on top.

This thing is deceivingly small as it runs off of a single CR123A or RCR123A battery.  Although the belt clip seems to be of quality similar to my E2E, it is only secured with two screws of unknown length and quality.  We will see how long it lasts. The anodization appears quite thick and not the usual cheap finish found my some of my other lights.  It may actually be type III hardcoat.  Only time and hard use will tell on this one. 

For a size comparison, check out the next picture that shows the light disassembled into its main components.

You'll notice that the barrel of the light is approximately the length of a CR123 battery. Being an angle head design, the reflector projects from the bod at a 90 degree angle; which shortens the overall length compared to a traditionally flashlight design.  The lens is glass and the LED appears to be a CREE XP-E. In typical Chinese fashion, all o-rings and the power switch are glow-in-the-dark material.  If you don't like the GITD switch cover and o-rings, you can order replacement switch covers from DX and find regular o-rings at your local hardware store.  It comes fairly dry, so a dab of dielectric grease is in order.

This thing is proving to be pretty useful as it is smaller than a roll of dimes and puts out more light as a Surefire G2 LED.  There are three modes accessible through the reverse clicky switch on top of the light. The user interface also remembers the last state the light was in and reverts to the last known mode upon activation. The one annoyance is the strobe "feature."  It really serves no purpose and is just an extra step when switching between high and low modes.  Other than that minor gripe, this light has so far exceeded my expectations for a $12 flashlight that takes rechargeable or primary batteries.