Solidius
08-03-13, 21:44
This is part Gun review, part AAR....
Unity Tactical ATOM Gear review / Costa Ludus AAR – Tulsa, OK 7/26 – 7/28/13
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9402816361_2ba96c52b5_c.jpg
I have attended formal firearms training in the past, everything from local slower paced classes to traveling for higher end classes. Having taken a carbine class with Chris before, I expected a good pace to the course. Additionally I was fortunate enough to be able to take a prototype ATOM slide for my S&W M&P 9mm courtesy of Trent Zimmer president of Unity Tactical. It was equipped with an Aimpoint T1 Micro. I have two full size M&P’s in 9mm one stock, and one with the APEX trigger and duty kit.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3717/9402835331_658636b92e_c.jpg
I’ll talk briefly about the class itself as there are many AARs on Chris’s classes, and I don’t know that my experience would differ greatly from others posted. I will say this is the first 3 day course I’ve attended. I felt that the first day of fundamentals I really needed to shake the rust off, this ammo situation has really hurt my ability to train regularly, and it showed. So the first day really helped get back to basics and was a good pre-curser to day 2 and 3. The 2nd and 3rd days were fun and really were educational. I have noticed that Chris’s teaching has changed a bit since I had last taken a class from him. Even more focus on self-diagnosis and problem solving on the fly. His mindset talks really drive home the need to be a master of your tools. A really good solid course, that’s worth every penny.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7427/9405595384_c71051bb0e_c.jpg
I ran the ATOM slide most of the time, I started with it on my frame with the stock trigger. It was hard going to a stock trigger, but I think it was good practice. The first thing I noticed being the first time I shot more than a few rounds out of a red dot equipped gun is that distance is where this type of setup shines. Up close I found myself even a little slower at first, losing the red dot on occasion. Chris recommended tracking the front sight during extension to the class (majority running irons), and this translated well with using the T1 as well. I was able to get the red dot on target much faster. When I talk about this type of setup shining at distance is at 25 yards with standard pistol sites if your shooting at a 4 inch dot your front sight covers a good portion of your target, and that is magnified even more at further distances. With the T1 I could see the entirety of the target I was aiming for, making it much easier to be precise.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/9402829337_099190deb6_c.jpg
On the second day I did everything from concealment, and to my surprise I didn't have any snags on the T1 micro. I used an OWB holster in right hand appendix position with an un-tucked shirt. Using the T1 Micro had become very comfortable, and I was feeling very confident with it. On the third day I decided to move the APEX striker block over to the Atom frame, and use my frame with the APEX kit installed. Okay now this was like cheating, which is a good thing, I was conscious of my struggling with the factory S&W trigger compared to the Apex but now I had good sights, and a good trigger(funny how factory triggers don't bother you too much, until you get a nicer trigger, poof all the sudden I'm a trigger snob). This made life a lot easier, which means I could focus on other things, and learn more.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/9402833267_cf950be82b_c.jpg
I know a lot of folks would ask why you would want to put a T1 on a pistol, compared to the smaller RMR. My opinion is that the T1 is measurably tougher and it’s dot emitter is protected unlike the RMR, it has a longer battery life, the dot is smaller than most versions of the RMR, allowing for more precision, and suffers only one negative, mass. After seeing firsthand how the ATOM worked from concealment I’d even like to see an ATOM slide for the M&P compact. An inadvertent plus is the T1 micro also becomes a charging handle on the gun allowing you use it for one handed malfunction drills, and even just power stroking the gun on a mag change. You can do the same thing with an RMR but I noticed that you get sweat, oil, mud etc on the front lens when using it this way, where the forward lens on the T1 is more recessed.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5335/9405587678_9a1866aedf_c.jpg
Function: With the extra 2 ounces or so I was curious how the gun would run. I did a light coat of Fireclean before the class, and a brief wipe down with a dry paper towel between day 2 and 3, the thing ran like a champ. The majority(probably 1600rds) of the 2000 rds expended were with the ATOM silde. Ammunition was LAX factory reloads.
My brother has XDm 45 with a Trijicon RMR equipped, but he has send it back to Trijicon twice, and that's really what got me searching for a red dot gun with a tougher optic(not to say the RMR is not tough as nails, but anecdotal experience had me hesitant to go that route). So I'll be glad to snag one of these when these go to production.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/9426654193_39dc7b1469_o.png
I have no affiliation with Unity Tactical, Trent was just nice enough to let me run a prototype in this class, so a big thanks to him, as I am just an regular guy, not a pro shooter, forearms instructor or the like...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7404/9405579398_e3c5f52bfa_c.jpg
Unity Tactical ATOM Gear review / Costa Ludus AAR – Tulsa, OK 7/26 – 7/28/13
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9402816361_2ba96c52b5_c.jpg
I have attended formal firearms training in the past, everything from local slower paced classes to traveling for higher end classes. Having taken a carbine class with Chris before, I expected a good pace to the course. Additionally I was fortunate enough to be able to take a prototype ATOM slide for my S&W M&P 9mm courtesy of Trent Zimmer president of Unity Tactical. It was equipped with an Aimpoint T1 Micro. I have two full size M&P’s in 9mm one stock, and one with the APEX trigger and duty kit.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3717/9402835331_658636b92e_c.jpg
I’ll talk briefly about the class itself as there are many AARs on Chris’s classes, and I don’t know that my experience would differ greatly from others posted. I will say this is the first 3 day course I’ve attended. I felt that the first day of fundamentals I really needed to shake the rust off, this ammo situation has really hurt my ability to train regularly, and it showed. So the first day really helped get back to basics and was a good pre-curser to day 2 and 3. The 2nd and 3rd days were fun and really were educational. I have noticed that Chris’s teaching has changed a bit since I had last taken a class from him. Even more focus on self-diagnosis and problem solving on the fly. His mindset talks really drive home the need to be a master of your tools. A really good solid course, that’s worth every penny.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7427/9405595384_c71051bb0e_c.jpg
I ran the ATOM slide most of the time, I started with it on my frame with the stock trigger. It was hard going to a stock trigger, but I think it was good practice. The first thing I noticed being the first time I shot more than a few rounds out of a red dot equipped gun is that distance is where this type of setup shines. Up close I found myself even a little slower at first, losing the red dot on occasion. Chris recommended tracking the front sight during extension to the class (majority running irons), and this translated well with using the T1 as well. I was able to get the red dot on target much faster. When I talk about this type of setup shining at distance is at 25 yards with standard pistol sites if your shooting at a 4 inch dot your front sight covers a good portion of your target, and that is magnified even more at further distances. With the T1 I could see the entirety of the target I was aiming for, making it much easier to be precise.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/9402829337_099190deb6_c.jpg
On the second day I did everything from concealment, and to my surprise I didn't have any snags on the T1 micro. I used an OWB holster in right hand appendix position with an un-tucked shirt. Using the T1 Micro had become very comfortable, and I was feeling very confident with it. On the third day I decided to move the APEX striker block over to the Atom frame, and use my frame with the APEX kit installed. Okay now this was like cheating, which is a good thing, I was conscious of my struggling with the factory S&W trigger compared to the Apex but now I had good sights, and a good trigger(funny how factory triggers don't bother you too much, until you get a nicer trigger, poof all the sudden I'm a trigger snob). This made life a lot easier, which means I could focus on other things, and learn more.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/9402833267_cf950be82b_c.jpg
I know a lot of folks would ask why you would want to put a T1 on a pistol, compared to the smaller RMR. My opinion is that the T1 is measurably tougher and it’s dot emitter is protected unlike the RMR, it has a longer battery life, the dot is smaller than most versions of the RMR, allowing for more precision, and suffers only one negative, mass. After seeing firsthand how the ATOM worked from concealment I’d even like to see an ATOM slide for the M&P compact. An inadvertent plus is the T1 micro also becomes a charging handle on the gun allowing you use it for one handed malfunction drills, and even just power stroking the gun on a mag change. You can do the same thing with an RMR but I noticed that you get sweat, oil, mud etc on the front lens when using it this way, where the forward lens on the T1 is more recessed.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5335/9405587678_9a1866aedf_c.jpg
Function: With the extra 2 ounces or so I was curious how the gun would run. I did a light coat of Fireclean before the class, and a brief wipe down with a dry paper towel between day 2 and 3, the thing ran like a champ. The majority(probably 1600rds) of the 2000 rds expended were with the ATOM silde. Ammunition was LAX factory reloads.
My brother has XDm 45 with a Trijicon RMR equipped, but he has send it back to Trijicon twice, and that's really what got me searching for a red dot gun with a tougher optic(not to say the RMR is not tough as nails, but anecdotal experience had me hesitant to go that route). So I'll be glad to snag one of these when these go to production.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/9426654193_39dc7b1469_o.png
I have no affiliation with Unity Tactical, Trent was just nice enough to let me run a prototype in this class, so a big thanks to him, as I am just an regular guy, not a pro shooter, forearms instructor or the like...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7404/9405579398_e3c5f52bfa_c.jpg