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Tools of the trade

Tools of the trade

If you are a shooter then you will have some form of tool kit. All guns need maintenance; some more than others; certainly semi-autos of any calibre! As an AR15 owner I began to look at specific tools to help to maintain my rimfire semis, which includes an AR-type as well as a Rimfire Magic 10/22.

So what’s on text? Leatherman’s MUT, Rail and Pump, Gerber eFECT and CRKT’s Crimson Trace Picatinny and RBT along with Real Avid who make a Ruger 10/22 tool and Mossy Oak with their Gunsmith Tool. I also enlisted the help of a Firearms instructor in the British Army. He shoots and owns AR’s among other guns and gave me his input. Let’s kick off with AR specific ones.

THE REAL AVID GUN TOOL RUGER EDITION

CONTACT: VIKING ARMS LTD, 01423 780810, WWW.REALAVID.COM

The Real Avid Gun Tool Ruger edition has 18 functions and looks like a large penknife - disassembly pin, choke key (10 down to 28-bore and a driver for a Ruger M77 stock screw), knife blade and large flat blade screwdriver in a Swiss Army non-locking pivot point layout. It also has the Torx and Allen keys on a swing-out system. The other side has a lid over a four compartment section holding 3/16” bits which fit in a magnetic holder on the end of the tool.

THE GERBER EFECT (FIELD EXPEDIENT CLEANING TOOL)

CONTACT: FISKARS UK, 0121 7960 444 WWW.GERBERGEAR.COM

I managed to get two for £100 from E-Bay but Amazon UK has them for £100 each. In the US they can be obtained for as little as $60. It is a very specific AR tool and in the smallest package of all on review. The eFECT was created for the distinct purpose of cleaning and maintaining an AR15 / M16 / M4 variant firearm. Developed with direct input and feedback from US Military personal it incorporates components that make field cleaning faster and more precise. It’s compatible and interchangeable with the Otis cleaning components such as brushes, scrapers, picks and rods. It has six fold out functions - three per side. There’s a fine pick, flat screw driver and a sight adjusting tool, nylon brush, pin punch and carbon scraper. All the tools lock out with a spring loaded sliding catch; it comes in a nylon pouch and is small and compact. Both the instructor and I like it a lot.

THE LEATHERMAN MUT/RAIL/PUMP

CONTACT: WHITBY & CO LTD, WWW.WHITBYANDCO.CO.UK, WWW.LEATHERMAN.COM

These three tools are readily available in the UK. I have used a MUT for a few years. It’s built around Leatherman’s folding pliers system. There are 18 functions, but only two are AR-specific - pin punch for disassembly and a bronze scraper shaped to the inside of a .223/5.56mm bolt. Don’t get me wrong the rest are very useful, like a knife and saw, I take mine to the range every time I go. It is the most expensive here at £171, but the robustness and quality justify that high price tag. The design is faultless with all the tools and bits are stowed securely in the handles, which can even lock closed if needed.

Cheaper are the Rail and the Pump. The former is AR specific as it has a front sight adjusting tool as well as a disassembly pin, the other two removable tools are a single bar with a Posi and a flat blade screwdriver bit and a second with a 7/64 and T15 Torx bit. The same two long bits as on the MUT and all commonly found on AR’s. Our Army instructor liked the Rail and used it to adjust the front sight on his SGC .22 AR. The Pump is just for shotguns and has a choke tube tool and a gut hook. Aimed primarily at hunters it can also be used on ARs that do not have open post sights as it has the same three tools as the Rail. They only weigh 66 grams and have a carabineer clip, making them portable. Rather than staying in the range bag they are no trouble for the shooter to carry with them at the firing point. At the thirty pounds mark they are not expensive at all.

THE MOSSY OAK GUNSMITH POCKET TOOL

MARCHWOOD, 01543 424255

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The Mossy Oak Gunsmith tool looks identical to the Real Avid Ruger tool, apart from being partially covered in their camouflage pattern. It is the same design and layout too but is slightly more expensive. Gone is the very large flat blade made for the Ruger stock screw to be replaced by a T20 Torx bit. The choke key goes from 10-bore down to .410, where the Ruger has a longer flat blade section for a Ruger M77 stock screw.

THE CRKT CTC PICATINNY TOOL AND CTC RBT (RANGE BAG TOOL)

CONTACT: HENNIE HAYNES, 033 0300 0400, WWW.HEINNIE.COM, WWW.CRKT.COM

These next two are available from Heinnie Haynes. The CRKT CTC Picatinny is made in conjunction with the Crimson Trace laser company and is specifically designed for their MVF-515 AR laser foregrip. It features a 70mm serrated blade with an ejection pin, 8mm wrench, a scraper, hex bit driver with a small flat head, Phillips Torx 20 and hex 3/32 bits. The .028 and .050 Allen keys all made from 8Cr14MoV steel for adjusting the MVF-515 laser. It is very well made and has a pocket clip, and the disassembly punch needed for AR’s. The CTC RBT has the same two Allen keys for adjusting CTC lasers as the Picatinny but is ultra-compact and has a small part serrated blade plus flat and Posi screw driver tools and a bottle opener.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

As the firearms instructor pointed out, once you have adjusted your AR front post sight it should very rarely need to be done again. That’s why I can see why Leatherman did not fit one on their MUT. Bear in mind they are all American made so any Allen key will be imperial, although the MUT Rail and Pump all share the same two double ended long bits including a T15 Torx. The T15 is also on the Mossy Oak, Ruger and CRKT Picatinny. The 7/64 Allen key shared by most of them is the size for B Square and other makes of scope mounts as well as other American made stuff. If you want a cleaning tool the Gerber is the best. I think a small flat blade for adjusting optics is a must on any gun tool, all the ones tested did. I also find a knife blade useful at the range; the MUT even has a hammer, which I have used a few times.

We both rated the tools in order of if we would buy one. Our two selections were not the same, which goes to prove each shooter has to make their own mind up on the features they want/need in a tool. He had the MUT at the bottom of his list and I had it at the top. The instructor’s top choice was the Mossy Oak as he also has a shotgun and that has all the items he needs. As for my AR the MUT will stay in my range bag but the Rail will make its way into my pocket.

I also had Tom Walton, the most experienced shotgun shooter I have ever known, look over the tools. He instantly liked the Leatherman Pump tool and he even gutted a large hare with it to try out the gut hook - it works. These are all very useful tools and there is something for every shooter, be it rifle, shotgun or general shooting.

My thanks to Hennie Haynes for supplying all the Leatherman and CRKT tools.

 

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