Eaton Tactical Innovations – Gunformz Pelican 1720 V14 Foam Insert

Judgement Drill

Last fall I flew to South Florida for Sage Dynamics’ Home Defense class.  Flying commercial meant buying an appropriate case to transport my firearms and accessories.  Considering that I’d have the monetary equivalent of a gently used Civic in the case, I wanted to keep everything as organized and protected as I could.  After fumbling with the usual DIY methods, I discovered the semi-custom foam inserts from Eaton Tactical Innovations.  I wrote about my experience with them here: Eaton Tactical Innovations - Pelican 1720 V3 Foam Case Insert 

Fast forward a few months, and I had signed up for another Sage Dynamics class.  This time, Defensive Rifle with Jon Dufresne.  Located at the Ross Lake Plantation in Georgia, I’d be making the trip via a 7-hour car ride.  I planned to pack my dedicated practice/training pistol, my suppressed 11.5” SBR and a 14.5” upper.  I would mainly use the SBR for night vision shooting/pig hunting and swap to the 14.5” upper for the class.  Looking at my Pelican 1720 case, I figured it had enough room for everything to fit with the right insert.  Browsing ETI’s website, I noticed a lot more foam configurations for Pelican cases, as well as Pelican Storm and more the budget friendly Plano cases.  The inserts are now known as Gunformz, and they have also expanded their lineup of inserts for the bottom foam layer, for magazines and pistols.  I found the 1720 V14.  It features a main compartment for an assembled 14.5” or longer rifle, a cutout for an 11.5” or longer suppressed upper, one pistol cutout, and various pockets for accessories.  This was nearly exactly what I needed.

 

Gunformz AR 1720 V14

I received the insert in under a week.  I removed the insert from its black plastic shipping bag, grabbed a thin bladed utility knife, and began freeing the sections of foam from their cutouts.  After a bit of trial and error, I had trimmed a few sections manually to account for my rifle rails, pressure pads, and muzzle devices.  I then  filled the remaining compartments with a spare pistol mag, pistol suppressor, sling, muzzle blast shield, and my Dbal A3.  I did however run into a small snag with the pistol cutout.  I neglected to take a close look at the position of the pistol slot.  It’s very close to the top of the insert, with no room for slide mounted optic.  This wasn’t a huge deal since I was driving, but if I was flying commercial I’d have had to pack my pistol with a checked bag.

Checking ETI’s website and found a 1720 bottom layer insert, the ARBL 1720 V2.  It holds 5 rifle mags, 5 pistol mags, and optic equipped handgun.  Unfortunately, I was leaving in a day, but placed the order knowing I’d need it in the future.

Once I had everything in its place, I had some difficulty closing the case.  The rifles are wider than the thickness of the top foam.  While I did cut pockets to clear my rifle mounted lights in the factory lid foam, having the second upper near the latches required pressing hard on the lid to close the latches.  The last thing I did before leaving was order a replacement convoluted (eggcrate) foam panel for the lid.

All day Saturday, the foam was exposed to the Georgia heat and humidity.  We were constantly brushing off the loose, sandy soil from the range mixed with sweat, sunscreen, and bug spray (OMG the gnats!).  Day two ended with heavy rain.  I was thankful for the non-moisture absorbing closed cell foam and remembering to bring a pair of beach towels.  (It always rains at Sage classes.)

 

Blasters

I returned from the class late Sunday night, and my wife (probably rolling her eyes at yet “more gun s**t”) had left the 42” long black plastic package in my office.  I noticed one change from my current bottom foam insert.  The rifle mag cutouts are precut for 30-round AR15 magazines as well as larger AR10 magazines.  Since I now run compensators on my pistols, I did have to enlarge the pistol cutout, but I had to do the same on my V3 insert.  At least with my configurations, the pistols aren’t directly under any of the wider parts of the rifles, so I don’t have to worry about the optic buttons getting pressed.

 

Gunformz ARBL 1720 V2

Once again, I’m impressed with not only the performance and durability of the inserts, but at 1/5 the cost of a custom insert, the value is excellent.  At $64.99 on Brownells, the cost is comparable to a solid replacement foam piece and a hot wire cutter without any of the hassle.  And now that these are available for inexpensive Plano cases, I’m going to pick up a lighter duty 36” Plano rifle case for general range and road trip use.

"Gun Bunny" pic

BattleWerx Glock Battle Slide w/ RMR Cut Review

Fourteen weeks.  That's how long my slide was gone.  But before you conclude that that's an awfully long turn around time for some slide work, BattleWerx was in the middle of moving their entire operation to a new building.  I also specified a black nitride refinish, which typically adds up to three weeks no matter who you send it to.  They contacted me right after I placed my order to let me know there would be a delay.  I wasn't in a hurry, so I boxed up my gen4 G19 slide and shipped it off.

Last year I attended Sage Dynamic's 2-Day Vehicle Defense class.  Shortly after drooling over some of the other students guns, I decided I wanted a no-compromises gun for training and EDC.  As much as I liked my Unity Atom slide, I knew a dedicated milled slide would position the RMR lower and further back on the slide, reclaiming some of the lost sight radius when mounting irons forward of the optic.  I also wanted more than five lines of front serrations and a more robust finish.  While I've had excellent results from JagerWerks (four slides so far) BattleWerx sprung up on my radar when they introduced their anti-flicker plate for the RMR.  A raised boss on the plate mean I don't have to use electrical tape, hot glue, foil shims, or any other other remedies to prevent my RMR dot from flickering if the battery shifts.  They only have four slide packages. Battle Slide and three flavors of Gripper.  While all are functional, the Battle Slide looks fantastic while doing so.  One key difference between the BattleSlide cut and the others is the way the cuts are milled.  Instead of a square endmill which leaves perfect 90 degree corners, the BattleSlide is cut with a radiused end mill, leaving a profile more like a table-top ramp.  You can see a close-up of the profile below.

Serrations milled with a radiused bit.

The result isn't as sharp or aggressive as traditional square cut serrations, but the forward raked chevrons provide plenty of grip.  While the slide corners are chamfered, they still allow my Safariland ALS holster to lock on the ejection port corner, and the trapezoidal cross section of the top serrations allow the ALS hook to glide over them instead of catching on them and getting worn down.

Another difference is the method in which they secure the RMR to the slide.  Most RMR cuts are designed to secure the RMR at the front and rear of the body.  Though commonly used, two raised bosses at the front of the pocket are unnecessary since the recoil forces are distributed by the body of the RMR.  BattleWerx and a number of other companies instead mill raised indexing posts that are threaded for the RMR screws.  This allows the pocket to be cut deeper while also providing more threads for the screws to engage.  This allows the BattleWerx RMR cut to be 0.020" deeper than the traditional method.  This moves the RMR closer to the boreline, fractionally reduces weight, and compensates for the .010" thickess of a sealing plate.  The RMR and sealing plate are easy to align due to the threaded posts as well during installation.  A drop of Loctite and firm turn of the allen wrench are all that's needed to lock down the included mounting screws.

The black nitride finish is perfect.  While the nitriding is outsourced, the preparation is not.  The flats and edges are sanded by hand to ensure no burrs or milling marks.  The slide arrived with a new striker channel installed.  I completed it with a Blacklist barrel, 10-8 sights, and OEM internals before reuniting it with my frame.  Racking the slide, and feeling how smooth it glides over the rails and trigger connector, I decided I would probably never Cerakote my slides again.  Cerakote can add more thickness to a treated part than nitride.  This was most evident at the breechface and striker plunger hole on some previous slides.  The barrel and plunger would hang up slightly until the Cerakote wore away.  While Cerakote supposedly provides more corrosion resistance, nitride is tougher and more innately slick.  The gun cycles when dirty and bone dry, even with a full sized suppressor.

I've run this gun as my EDC, training, and HD gun.  It's sighted in for standard pressure 147 Gold Dots at 15 yards and has run a few thousand runs of Lawman 147 and 115 AE without a single problem.  Last fall, I ran it hard along side my CZ P-10C and PWS MK111 at Sage Dynamics Defense in the Home with boring consistency.  Recently, I added Agency Arms new 417 compensator and experienced follow-up shot nirvana.  

HD setup.  Reliable with stock recoil spring.

Fast forward to today, and I have another slide on its way to BattleWerx.  I recently became enamored with Glocks gen3 RTF2 frame.  I had one done by JagerWerks (Yeti package), but my second slide and Ameriglo GL-429 sights are heading straight to BattleWerx for their Gripper package with RMR cut (irons forward) and of course, black nitride.  I chose the simpler Gripper package because I didn't want top serrations to interfere with my ALS holster (they are cut square on the Enhanced Gripper) and I found myself using the rear sight/RMR body to manipulate the slide anyway.  I still wanted front serrations, just in case, and to offset some of the additional RMR weight.  Fortunately, BattleWerx has completed their shop move, so lead times are back down to normal.  I should only have to endure a five to six week wait.  Until then, I have my BattleSlide to keep me company.

Gripper slide from BattleWerx (stock photo)

TR Holsters - P-10C Light Bearing OWB and New Belt Loops

It was time to give my tan P-10C some love.  My black P-10C lives in a Kryptek Raid OWB kydex holster from TR Holsters.  This is my IDPA/USPSA rig.  My EDC is a soon to be RMR'd fde P-10C that spends its days AIWB.   I'm signed up for a Sage Dynamics Home Defense class in November revolving around working a carbine and pistol in a shoot house, I'll need an OWB holster since AIWB would be somewhat impractical.  I don't want to tear up my competition holster, and it doesn't have a provision for a light anyway.  The solution, an OWB holster for my P-10C/TLR1 and double mag carrier in Multicam from TR Holsters.

The kydex is 0.080" thick and the holster is constructed with the same excellent finish and attention to detail as I've seen previously.  The gun/light combo fit a little tighter than I'd like for a range or competition holster, but not so tight that I couldn't get a clean draw without the holster pulling my pants up to my armpits.  I figured it would loosen up a bit with use.  Since this holster doesn't have active retention, I like the extra security in case the grip hangs up on obstacles, my sling, or other gear.  The mag carrier does have a tension adjustment screw, which I adjusted tighter than my competition setup.

My schedule being what it is, I couldn't get to the range for a few weeks, but that didn't mean I couldn't do some testing.  I loaded everything onto my Ares Gear Aegis belt, and spent Labor Day catching up on yard work in the August sun.  I mowed my lawn and edged the fences and sidewalks.  I also replaced a sprinkler head, re-staked some landscape edging, hand pulled a few dozen weeds, trimmed the hedges, spread a few bags of mulch, and refreshed the kid's sandbox.  Other than a few odd looks from the neighbors, the day was uneventful.  Everything on my belt was covered in a mix of soil, sweat, and mulch.  Even after rolling over top of them a few times, my pistol and magazines didn't move.

"Yard Work" Carry

Later in the evening, I examined the kydex for wear.  As expected, there were a few scratches in the MultiCam, but I didn't see any evidence of cracks in the holster, carrier, or belt loops.  After cleaning everything off, I started experimenting with TR Holsters new belt loops.  These are similar their standard injection molded loops, but the body side is angled about 25 degrees.  They allow the wearer to adjust the entry and exit angles of the belt, effectively changing the curvature of the holster to better fit different body types.  These can by combined as the user sees fit for better comfort, or to slightly alter the angle that the holster sits against the body.

Standard Loops

Angled Loops for less curve

Angled loops for more curve

After trying several combinations, I found that using a straight loop in the rear and an angled loop up front works best for me.  I did the same with my other IDPA holster, also from TR.

My preferred combo

TR OWB holster with angled front loop

Obviously, suburban homeowner activities aren't a true test, but family, work, and two freaking hurricanes were conspiring to keep me off the range for a while.  I finally got some outdoor range time a few days ago.  In preparation for my upcoming class, I practiced weak shoulder carbine drills, and non-dominant eye shooting with the pistol.  I'll also ran through some austere positions (supine, urban prone) to further test the durability and function of the holster.

I didn't drive over them with a truck or anything unrealistic, but I did run them pretty hard.  The holsters held up perfectly.

Eaton Tactical Innovations - Pelican 1720 V3 Foam Case Insert

ETI 1720 v3 with HD class gear

Next month I will be travelling to Florida for a Defense In The Home class by Sage Dynamics.  This is a live fire course that will take place in a shoot house.  For most rifle classes, I'll bring a suppressed rifle, class handgun, and EDC handgun.  Since this is an HD focused class, I also wanted room for a pistol suppressor.  Since I don't have the time to drive the 13 hours, I'm going to have to fly commercial.  This will be my first flight with firearms, and considering I'll be packing NFA items, I won't be leaving anything to chance.

The first step was to file my form 20s (permission to travel with NFA items) with the ATF.  I received my approval in 30 days.  Second was a case to secure my guns.  The industry standard is the Pelican case, and I wasn't going to risk $10k worth of equipment by saving $80 on a cheaper case.  I chose the 1720 model.  I wanted a case that was large enough to carry up to a 16" AR with suppressor and two RMR'd pistols.  Case in hand, the next step was to cut out the foam insert to keep everything from bouncing around.  I didn't want to use pick-and-pluck foam since it absorbs moisture and degrades quickly over time, leaving black dust particles everywhere.  It also looks like a Minecraft level when done.  I watched a few videos on YouTube, broke out my electric carving knife and went to work on the factory foam insert.

Pelican Foam - Functional but ugly.

Pelican Foam - My guns deserve better.

Keeping the knife perpendicular to the foam as it flexed and squished in my hands was a royal pain.  I'm normally pretty handy, but the results speak for themselves.  It would work, but considering the time and expense up to this point, it looked shoddy and I didn't want to cheap out now.  I also doubted if the soft foam would hold up long term and there was still the problem of moisture soaking into the foam.  Next I tried a Kaizen foam insert.  I found an over-sized sheet on Amazon, trimmed it to fit the case, and then cut the pattern for the guns.  But the layers didn't peel away cleanly when doing large sections like for the buttstock and pistol areas, leaving chunks of foam in an uneven mess.  The cutout bottoms looked like the surface of a cratered moon.

Kaizen Foam - from buttstock section

Kaizen might be fine for organizing tools in a drawer, but in this application it looked half-assed.  Most of the pics I've seen online don't show the cutouts up close, and they often show the finished cutout with equipment inserted, masking imperfections.  For a truly professional look, custom foam inserts are available online, but cost nearly as much as the Pelican case.

As luck would have it, a few days later, Jon Dufresne (one of the instructors who will be teaching the HD class), posted a video and write up on the ETI 1700 V3 case.  I went to ETI's website but was disappointed to find that they didn't offer a similar version for the 1720.  I sent an email inquiring about a 1720 sized insert and received a response from the owner, Frank Eaton.  He said that the insert I was looking for was already in production and would be available the following week.  He sent me a Paypal invoice and 3 days later, my insert arrived.  It was wrapped in a simple black plastic sleeve to minimize shipping costs.  $73.99 in total.  Compared to the $58 I spent on the Kaizen foam, this is an awesome value.  A .58" thick solid foam insert serves as the bottom, while the 1.15" main insert is CNC water-jet cut for the guns, magazines, and other accessories.  The larger cutouts have 1/4" sections that are left uncut, requiring the user to trim them with a razor or utility knife.  This keeps them from popping out during shipping.

ETI - Rifle Cutout and Optic Pucks

ETI - Pistol Cutout

ETI - Rifle Rail Pucks

The gun compartments have mostly pre-cut sections for longer barrels, grips, optics, lights, etc.  The sections can be removed simply by trimming away the last bit of retaining foam.  I simply laid my guns over the cutouts and removed the offending blocks.  I only had to manually trim the foam to fit the steep angled Magpul K grip and a section for the second pistol's RMR.  I removed an extra barrel section to accommodate my 14.5" rifle with suppressor, but saved that piece to re-insert when using the shorter gun.  Being able to leave the suppressor on my rifle means I can utilize the suppressor compartment for my pistol can or additional rifle mags.  The utility compartments can hold cleaning kits, NV, and IR lasers.  There is an oval shaped hole behind the pistol grip that I couldn't see an obvious use for, so I threw in my LDAG.  The last optional step is to hot glue the 1" thick cutout section to the 1/2" thick base pad.  I skipped this step since I don't know what sections I might want to remove in the future.

First and foremost, this insert just works.  All my items are well protected.  Not only is everything safe from rough handling and the elements, but the closed cell foam doesn't retain moisture.  I can appreciate that after my last rain soaked class.  The versatility of the pre-cut pucks, means I don't need another insert just to change out equipment.  The cost is only marginally more than blank foam from Pelican or Kaizen, and nearly identical to Pelican's pick-and-pull inserts.  Subjectively, the presentation value is off the charts.  Opening the case feels professional and businesslike.  As an added bonus, the foam guns make neat training aids.  My 4-year old loves them.  

"Nerf" guns

I only wish the insert had more rifle magazine storage.  I try to bring at least six magazines to a training class to minimize reloading downtime, and to have extras if one gets compromised in some way.  TSA regulations allow ammunition to be packed as long as it is stored in factory boxes or loaded in magazines.  (American Airlines does NOT allow ammo to be stored in magazines.)  Pelican cases have a 1.5" thick foam pad in the lid, and two 1.5" foam pads in the main compartment.  The bottom foam seemed like a lot of wasted storage space.  I sent an e-mail to ETI asking if they had considered producing a base insert with shallow cutouts for magazines.  A day later, I received an email stating it was being considered, followed by another e-mail with this photo asking me if I'd like one of the first runs.

Photo from ETI e-mail

A few days later, and $46.99 poorer, a familiar black bag was waiting on my porch.   To keep costs down, ETI only cut the mag compartments for 30 rounders.  Trimming them to secure a 10 round magazine was no problem, nor was adding clearance for my MagPod equipped magazines.  This brings my total rifle mag count from 2 to 9, and pistol mags from 7 to 11.  Unfortunately I can't fill every magazine with ammo since it would put me over the 11 pound ammo limit set by the TSA.  Nine 30-round mags of 55gr .223 and 100 rounds of 9mm keep me a few ounces under the limit.  Since I haven't yet glued the upper layers together, I have to remove all my gear before lifting out the upper insert, but it's a small price to pay to be able to pack everything in a single case.  Considering baggage fees, it pays for itself in one round trip.

CZ P-10C - Jagerwerks RMR cut

After shooting over 4,000 rounds between my two P-10Cs, I'm  ready to start transitioning away from the Glock platform for EDC.  Since I purchased my P-10Cs, I had been waiting for someone to offer the exact slide milling services I wanted.  RMR with irons forward, extended front/top serrations, and black nitride.  A bunch of companies have cropped up offering RMR milling, but I've been hesitant.  I've seen some RMR cuts that are very far forward, to allow ample space for the mounting screws to clear the striker safety tunnel, but covering the extractor pin, and placing the rear sight dovetail very close to the ejection port.  Others skip the recoil bosses, and while they aren't really needed, I prefer to have them.  Also, while RMR cuts aren't a secret, very few shops have been forthcoming about how they do their cuts and why.  When someone goes into detail about their processes, it shows pride in their work and confidence that they are providing the best product they can.  One company that ticks all the boxes for me is JagerWerks.  I've had work done by them in the past and when they announced that they'd be taking CZ slides, I decided to wait.  For what seemed like an eternity (less than a month) I saw RMR'd P-10Cs pop up on social media from other reputable shops, but they were all missing at one or more of the features I wanted, and I didn't want to settle.

When P-10C services appeared on JagerWerk's webpage, I placed the order and shipped my slide without hesitation.  Their RMR cut is far enough back to expose the extractor pin.  It positions the RMR and rear sight (in front of the RMR) in about the same position as my Unity Atom slide.  The RMR cut is .185" deep, compared to the ~.120" deep cut on most Glocks.  While not low enough to use factory height sights, I can get a lower 1/3 co-witness without absurdly tall suppressor sights.  Another small detail is that they give the RMR cut a .2 degree downward angle to compensate for the RMRs higher height over bore than the factory sights.  Considering the RMR has 150 MOA of adjustment range, this step is largely unnecessary, but it's another example of attention to detail that may go overlooked at other shops.  While front top serrations by themselves are nothing new, they also offer chamfer serrations that blend the factory front serrations up into the top serrations.  I often find myself griping the front of the slide buy the smooth sloped portion, so the additional traction provided by the serrations and the sharp corners is welcome.  As an added benefit, the additional weight reduction compensates for the RMR.  The whole assembly weighs the same as my factory slide with HTAC sights, 12.0 oz.  Finally, they offer black nitride refinishing (outsourced).  While I have been impressed by the Cerakote jobs they've done for me in the past, I prefer black nitride for its durability, and I'm willing to wait up to three more weeks.

Much grip

Sharp.

Same weight before and after.

JagerWerks no longer requires sending the optic in with the slide for a custom fit.  While I was leery of universal cuts in the past, Trijicon's tolerances are extremely tight, within .001", well within the capabilities of a competent machinist.  I've had no issues with universal cuts, at least with RMRs, on my BattleWerx, Unity Atom, and Glock MOS slides.  Agency Arms uses universal cuts and I've yet to hear of a complaint.  I've also had no issues with my ADM and Midwest Industries RMR mounts.

For the sights, I chose to go with my favorite setup from Dawson Precision.  After doing some quick math, I settled on a P-09 .215" tall fiber optic front and a Glock MOS .225" tall black rear.  This gives me 0.075" of rear sight visible in the RMR window.  While this may seem too low for some, I give the optic priority, and it's still tall enough to get a good back-up sight picture.  I chose a fiber optic front for several reasons.  I often lose black front sights against dark backgrounds, and when shooting from very unorthodox positions, I don't always immediately acquire the RMR dot.  At my last vehicle class, when twisted around the driver seat and firing left handed, I liked having the green dot to fall back on if I lost my dot.  I chose green because I'm unlikely to confuse it with the red dot of the RMR.  Since both dots are on different focal planes, when I'm threat focused, the RMR dot is clear while the green dot disappears into the periphery.  I run my RMRs two down from the brightest setting, so the brighter red dot is almost always brighter and gets visual priority over the fiber dot.  I included these with my disassembled slide and shipped them off.  Two weeks later, I received a message from JagerWerks asking which color dot I wanted in my front sight, followed closely by a shipping notification.  Total time out of my hands including shipping: 25 days.

Accessible extractor pin

The slide arrived with the sights installed, with the rears perfectly centered in the dovetail.  I reinstalled the slides internals, noting how much more even the black nitride finish was compared to my stock slide.  My RMR literally "snapped" in.

It sits low, slightly higher than my CZC HTAC competition sights.

Low co-witness

I grabbed several boxes of ammo and headed to the range.  First I checked the irons at 25 yards with a wrist rest.  My POI was 1" high but centered.  While the sights were fine for shooting groups, their low height in the window was a hindrance at speed.  Then I got the RMR zeroed and shot some basic drills.  I didn't rack the slide with the RMR off any barricades or otherwise test the durability of the RMR cut as I hadn't yet applied any threadlocker.  I planned to re-install the RMR with Loctite and confirm return to zero first.  For this session, I shot 300 rounds to get familiar with the RMR'd P-10C.

With the exception of the sights, I'm in love with this package.  Manipulating the slide from the front is nearly effortless now, and the optic/rear sight placement works with all of my holsters.  The P-10 points more naturally for me than my Glocks, so I acquire the dot more consistently on the draw.  The lower optic height over bore also helps in this regard.  "Dot Torture" is still torturous, but the hold over required is less extreme inside of 7 yards.

As far my Glocks are concerned, even with the release of their new 5th Gen models, I doubt I'll be purchasing any more Glocks or related gear.  My G19 will continue duty as a suppressed nightstand gun since there are no threaded barrels or 31 round magazines available for the P-10C...yet.  And my G26 with still be my "quick errand"/"t-shirt" gun at least until the sub-compact P-10S is released.

***Update***

I replaced the front with a  .265" Dawson P09 and the rear with a .360" Ameriglo GL-408 sight.  POI is about 1.5" higher than POA, requiring a slight 6 o'clock hold at 25 yards.  Also, the rear sight is wider than the slide cut and overhangs slightly, but not enough to be a snag hazzard.  I have another set of these sights to use on my second P-10C.  It's currently at JagerWerks for the same slide package.

Slight rear sight overhang on both sides.

Low but effective

Bottom Co-Witness