justken2u
03-10-2009, 06:44 PM
Reality Based Training requires the most realistic training devices possible. One of my jobs is to ensure the training community gets the most up to date and accurate information without any of the spin that companies are so famous for putting on products that will often operationally fall short of the rhetoric. Since David Luxton and I brought the SIMUNITION FX marking cartridge to market from our humble roots (http://www.armiger.net/about_us.htm) in Ottawa, Canada, I have continued to develop Reality Based Training policy through books and classes (http://www.armiger.net) and stay connected to the competitive products available so that users can make their purchasing decisions based on sound, unbiased information. One of those competitive products has been ATK’s new Force-on Force training ammunition. (http://www.forceonforce.com/MarkerRounds.html)
I have had the opportunity to follow the design and development of this cartridge and have done so with great interest. Prior to being able to recommend it to my students as a viable training option, I needed to ensure that it would be functionally reliable, accurate and as safe as the products I have currently been using. So far, I’m impressed with the Force-on-Force ammunition on all of these fronts. It has proven functionally reliable in the SIMUNITION conversion, and I have actually found it to be marginally more accurate than the FX marking cartridges (http://www.simunition.com/cartridges/fx_training_en.php). It is price comparable to the FX cartridge, functions well without any possibility of damage to the SIMUNITION conversion device and provides a slightly greater felt recoil than FX. I find it interesting to note that rumors suggest SIMUNITION is attempting to frighten their clients away from using Force-on-Force ammunition in their conversion kits, suggesting that there might be a liability exposure or safety hazard created by doing so. ATK, in response, has issued a statement indicating that they will absorb any of the alleged hazards and will replace any kit that is damaged by the use of their ammunition in the SIMUNITION kits. Of course this is, to me, kind of funny. The ATK ammunition is powered simply by a primer. The SIMUNITION conversion are designed to withstand the inadvertent detonation of a live cartridge without injury to the shooter. Given this, it is physically impossible for this little training cartridge to do any damage to either the kit or the shooter, except of course any damage that could otherwise be caused by misuse of these training technologies independent of the brand of ammunition you are using.
A couple of advantages that I have noticed of the Force-on-Force ammunition over the FX marking cartridge is that you can fire a much greater number of rounds without the necessity for running a wire brush through the bore, and the cartridges are completely lead free which substantially reduces any potential OSHA issues associated with lead contamination. The benefit of the bore becoming less fouled by plastic residue is that the user is much less likely to experience the all-too-common malfunctions that are caused by a projectile becoming lodged in the bore due to lack of cleaning. Clean up of the marking substance is about the same.
While I have not at this time determined any disadvantages, should any arise I will amend this posting.
All in all, I have to give the Force-on-Force ammunition high marks and will use it equally in my training programs with other munitions that meet my testing standards.
As for protective equipment, although this review is not specifically addressing that type of gear, I’ll reiterate for some readers who have asked the question. My personal preference for protective head gear is the ATK Force One system (http://www.forceonforce.com/ProtectiveGear.html). It provides the most useful level of head protection I have been able to find on the market. I have yet to have this helmet fog, unlike it’s SIMUNITION FX 9000 series counterparts (http://www.simunition.com/protective_equipment/fx_protective_equipment_en.php) that is an echo and fog chamber, a heat magnet, and claustrophobic to the point that I have witnessed students yank them off their heads in the middle of gunfight simulations. I prohibit their use in my programs. SIMUNTION does, however, make decent gloves and acceptable throat protectors. Their groin protection is my personal choice for my students.
Feel free to post your equipment questions on this forum. You know I’ll tell you the truth as I see it!
Until next time, train hard and train safe.
Ken Murray
I have had the opportunity to follow the design and development of this cartridge and have done so with great interest. Prior to being able to recommend it to my students as a viable training option, I needed to ensure that it would be functionally reliable, accurate and as safe as the products I have currently been using. So far, I’m impressed with the Force-on-Force ammunition on all of these fronts. It has proven functionally reliable in the SIMUNITION conversion, and I have actually found it to be marginally more accurate than the FX marking cartridges (http://www.simunition.com/cartridges/fx_training_en.php). It is price comparable to the FX cartridge, functions well without any possibility of damage to the SIMUNITION conversion device and provides a slightly greater felt recoil than FX. I find it interesting to note that rumors suggest SIMUNITION is attempting to frighten their clients away from using Force-on-Force ammunition in their conversion kits, suggesting that there might be a liability exposure or safety hazard created by doing so. ATK, in response, has issued a statement indicating that they will absorb any of the alleged hazards and will replace any kit that is damaged by the use of their ammunition in the SIMUNITION kits. Of course this is, to me, kind of funny. The ATK ammunition is powered simply by a primer. The SIMUNITION conversion are designed to withstand the inadvertent detonation of a live cartridge without injury to the shooter. Given this, it is physically impossible for this little training cartridge to do any damage to either the kit or the shooter, except of course any damage that could otherwise be caused by misuse of these training technologies independent of the brand of ammunition you are using.
A couple of advantages that I have noticed of the Force-on-Force ammunition over the FX marking cartridge is that you can fire a much greater number of rounds without the necessity for running a wire brush through the bore, and the cartridges are completely lead free which substantially reduces any potential OSHA issues associated with lead contamination. The benefit of the bore becoming less fouled by plastic residue is that the user is much less likely to experience the all-too-common malfunctions that are caused by a projectile becoming lodged in the bore due to lack of cleaning. Clean up of the marking substance is about the same.
While I have not at this time determined any disadvantages, should any arise I will amend this posting.
All in all, I have to give the Force-on-Force ammunition high marks and will use it equally in my training programs with other munitions that meet my testing standards.
As for protective equipment, although this review is not specifically addressing that type of gear, I’ll reiterate for some readers who have asked the question. My personal preference for protective head gear is the ATK Force One system (http://www.forceonforce.com/ProtectiveGear.html). It provides the most useful level of head protection I have been able to find on the market. I have yet to have this helmet fog, unlike it’s SIMUNITION FX 9000 series counterparts (http://www.simunition.com/protective_equipment/fx_protective_equipment_en.php) that is an echo and fog chamber, a heat magnet, and claustrophobic to the point that I have witnessed students yank them off their heads in the middle of gunfight simulations. I prohibit their use in my programs. SIMUNTION does, however, make decent gloves and acceptable throat protectors. Their groin protection is my personal choice for my students.
Feel free to post your equipment questions on this forum. You know I’ll tell you the truth as I see it!
Until next time, train hard and train safe.
Ken Murray