Placeholder for full review of
October 2017 TacPack box contents
The October box was a bit better than the September box, if only because we are suckers for cool blades. This box had a neat knife from Bastion, a couple of AR parts from XTECH Tactical and JP Enterprises, and a TacPack patch.

The
Bastion EDC Carbon Fiber Gentleman's Knife was the big winner out of this box. We were prepared to be disappointed by the TacPack teasers about a "$90 knife" in the week or two leading up to the box arriving; knives in that range usually don't have what you look for in a couple hundred dollar knife, and they don't usually bring much more to the table over a $30-50 knife.
However, once it got here, I was pleasantly surprised - I think I found my new "dress knife."

The first thing I noticed was "wow, this is a fancy box for a knife" - followed immediately by "how the hell do you open this fancy box?" The next thing was "dang, it came out of its spot in the fancy box and has been flopping around in there."

After getting my mind off of the box, the next obvious observation was that this was one sexy knife. The scales are 3K carbon fiber (3000 filaments per tow) and are mostly matte/semi-gloss. The bevel on the black ceramic blade is matte, the rest of the blade is very high gloss, and the thumb stud reminds me of some fancy-looking cuff links.

Owing to the carbon fiber handle and ceramic blade, the knife weighs next to nothing - just over two ounces(!). The blade is 3.25" and OAL is 7.5". The tip-down (only) clip lets it ride pretty deep so it isn't hanging out of your pocket. The looks, size, weight, and carry depth are why I say that I've found my new dress knife. I don't have to play dress-up very often, but when I do, I think this knife will look much more at home in my slacks than the blades I usually carry.

On the flip side of the coin, however, one of the big draws of this knife is also one of its downfalls. The ceramic blade looks fantastic, hardly weighs anything, and should keep a good edge for a long time if not abused. It is also stupid-hard, which will make it hard to sharpen when it does lose its edge and it will also make it more brittle and susceptible to breaking if used like many of us use our EDC knives. If your EDC knife usage is like my dress-up-knife usage (cutting strings off of clothes, opening envelopes, and cutting your sandwich in half), then this can be a great EDC knive. If you use your EDC knife for breaking down piles of boxes, small prying jobs, and fighting off backs of ninjas or badgers, I don't know that it will last a long time.
Next up was the XTECH Adjustable Tactical Grip for AR platform rifles. I think I remember seeing this at SHOT Show a few years ago and thinking it was kind of a goofy thing. My opinion has not changed significantly since then.

What this is, is two pieces of an AR-15 grip that you can bolt together to create a 17°, 25°, or 33° grip angle.


I understand that XTech has patented this adjustment mechanism, so this is the same grip (maybe with a slightly different texture) as the
BAD Adjustable Tactical Grip and CobraTac Multi-Mission Grip.
The adjustable grip is a neat thing to play around with, but we see a number of faults with it. Not that we have seen a lot of pistol grip failures, but I would be wary of introducing another place for a weapon that you count on to fail. To make things more
interesting, in addition to the grip itself, this introduces more non-standard parts into the mix: the grip screw. Not only is it longer than regular grip screws (if you want extras/replacements, you'll have to figure out how to source them) but, instead of a slotted or 3/16" hex head like every other grip screw I can find around here, it uses a 5/32 hex head. That way, if you have to install the odd-ball screw you had to source, you also have to keep around a bastard size hex wrench - which is also necessary to make angle adjustments.
The grip is comfortable enough in texture and at its various angles - from full-chicken-wing 33° down to the more vertical 17° -
which are achieved by backing out the grip screw a few turns, moving the grip, and re-tightening the screw. The material is all hard polymer with four different textures on it: fairly smooth on the body, something pretty similar on the front and forward sides, a little more aggressive on the rear sides, and horizontally lined down the back.



We have a few different grips on different rifles around GunLink HQ, depending on shooter preference and the purpose of the rifle (mostly more vertical
Magpul K2+ grips, FWIW). However, we prefer to figure out what we want/need on the rifle, go with that, and stay with that instead of swapping out grips/angles.
If you will stay with one angle, why not choose a well-made, standard part with that angle and keep it? If you need to change out grip angles based on the application, why not (other than duplicating the cost) choose a dependable standard part for each application and swap them out using standard tools/components? Or, if you want to stick with just one grip, why not one that bolts on in the standard fashion, but adjusts through modular front and rear panels like the
Magpul MIAD?
If you just had a standard pistol grip on your AR and wanted to think about trying out different grips and angles, or if you want the ability to be able to change angles on your range or hunting rifle, this XTECH is a decent inclusion for the TacPack box. It probably is not something that we would have purchased on our own, but we appreciate having one to try out and it does a good job of rounding out the subscription box.
Next out of the October TacPack box was the
JP Enterprises AR-15 Spring set - a kit consisting of reduced-weight trigger, hammer, and disconnecter springs for the AR fire control group.

Despite the fact that *some* of the GunLink team inexplicably cannot tell the difference, I like a great trigger in my rifles and few ARs around here have stock triggers in them. The big hurdle toward putting something like a Geissele, Timney, LaRue, etc. trigger in a rifle is obviously the price. When you can get a very basic entry-level AR for $400-500 these days, dropping 30-60% of the rifle's cost on a trigger can be unappealing.

While it won't cure all of the woes of a GI trigger, the kit will certainly help out by reducing the pull weight. While we have not installed it in a rifle yet, it made a noticeable difference when installed with GI components in a
LaRue TAC Trigger Action Chassis. Although it adds about an extra half pound to the trigger pull, this "enhanced reliability" kit includes the red hammer spring instead of both "JP Yellows" - which should result in more reliable ignition of soft (and, usually, hard) primers.
Instructions are also included for optimizing standard FCG components.
Wrapping up the October box is a 'priceless' halloween themed black and orange TacPack morale patch. It's a fun addition for subscribers to play velcro dress-up.

From the box insert:
The October pack has more customization items for your AR plus an incredibly high quality and high valued knife from the crew at Bastion. We are going all in for the Fall and Holiday month packs coming up starting with this one so stay tuned!
Bastion EDC Knife (92.00) – This super unique knife is ultra-light, slim and makes for an ideal minimalist carry blade. The knife features a ceramic blade with a handle that is made of pure 3K carbon fiber making it very durable and corrosion resistant. The knife features a tip-down clip and a lanyard hole.
XTech Adjustable AR15 Grip (25.00) – The XTECH Tactical Grip features a simple adjustment featuring 3 angles (170, 250, 330) that allow the operator to pick what suits them. XTECH is made in the USA!
JP Enterprises Trigger 3.5# Spring Kit (11.00) – These precision-calibrated springs produce a consistent 3.51b pull. These can also be used with properly prepared (instructions included) mil-spec trigger/hammer components to produce a 4- to 5-1b. pull.
TacPack Patch (Priceless)-Trick or treat? We chose treat with this new Halloween themed chute-patch!