FOG HORN a Twobirds Flying Publication

18October2011
By:SalPalma FOGHORNBLOG

CTC Defense MVF-600 Laser Integrated Modular Vertical Foregrip

Figure1MVF600switchsideview(allmodulesremoved).

TheMVF600attachestoanyPicatinny railequippedrifleorcarbine. Attachmenttotherailisachievedvia twoclawsthattightentotherailwith 3/8inchnutcertainlynotas convenientasaquickattach/detach leverbutthatisaverysmallpointto drilldownon. Afourpositionmodeswitchiseasily accessibleandoperatedevenwitha glovedhand. Figure1showsthemodeswitchinthe offposition.Movingitonepositionto theleft,fromtheoffposition,activates thelaseronlymode;thenextposition enablesmomentarylaserandlight;the lastpositionenablesconstantlaserand light.

TheM4withitslimitedrailspaceis increasinglyladenwithmore accessories,optics(dayandnight)and lights.NotonlyistheM4carbine runningoutofrailspace,butcontrolling thosedevices,allofwhichcomewith pressuretapeswitches,isbecoming problematic.EnterthefolksatCTC Defense. UsingtechnologythatitsVicePresident andDirectorDaleSuzukidescribesas spiraldevelopment,CrimsonTrace

CorporationsDefenseDivisionhas takenasignificantstridetowards addressingagrowingproblembutthe storygetsbetter.

Figure2Modulemechanicalandelectricalinterface

Copyright 2011, Sal Palma, dba Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved.

FOG HORN a Twobirds Flying Publication

Onboththeportandstarboardsidesof thegripyoullfindthemechanicaland electricalinterfacesforthemodules. Themodulesarekeyedandindexedso thereisnopossibilityofdisorientingthe moduleonthegripIcallthatfeature makingitsailorproof.

Figure5waterproofbatterycompartment.

Figure3Moduleinterfacetogripassembly

Removingandinstallingthemoduleson thegripbodyiselegantlysimple.Align themodulekeyonthegripnotch;press themoduleintothegripbodysothat theelectricalcontactsengageand rotatethelockinglever.

Figure6Frontviewrevealsstrobeswitch.

Figure4Modulelockinglever

Systempowerisdeliveredviatwo CR123Abatterieshouseinthegrip body.

OnthemuzzlesideoftheMVF600, youllfindthestrobeoperatingswitch. Depressingtheswitchcausesthe200 lumenweaponlighttostrobe.Thereis onemodeofoperationavailableand thatsmomentary.Pressandholdto strobe,atan8Hzcyclerate,then releasetostop. Duringtesting,Iremovedandinstalled modulesaswellasthegripfromthe weaponwithnoreturntozeroissuesat all.

Copyright 2011, Sal Palma, dba Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved.

FOG HORN a Twobirds Flying Publication

Figure7Verticalgriphousesthepowersourceandtwo activationswitches.Thesmallertopswitchcontrolsthe moduleontherightsideofthegripandthelargeswitch controlstheleftsidemodule.

Ivetakenyouonaneighborhoodtour ofCTCsMVF600togetitsarchitecture outoftheway,andfocusonwhat makestheMVF600brilliant. Tobegin,theMVF600freesupspace onwhatisbecominganincreasingly crowdedrailsystem.Byconcentrating powersource,controlsandfunctionin theverticalgrip,theoperatorcanmore readilyremovebulkyaccessoriesthat areimpedimentstoweaponhandling.

Second,itcreatesafullyambidextrous centralcontrolpointforelectrooptics andlights. Presently,operatorsareoften confrontedwithpressureswitches installedonthe3and9oclockrail positions,andontheleftandrightsides oftheinstalledverticalforegrip;a situationfarfromdesirable. UsingCTCsspiraldevelopment approach,amodulecanbedeveloped providingtheappropriateinterfaceback totheMVF600sothatcontrolofan electroopticcanbeconsolidatedatthe grip. CurrentlyCTCDefenseoffersavisible lasermodule,IRlasermodule;white lightmoduleandanMVF600switch port.But,thestorycontinuesandthe moduleoptionsmaysomedayinclude: MPEGcamera,LRFinterface,datahub ports,etc.Ofcourseyoudidnthear thatfromme. TheremayalsobeapossibilitythatCTC Defensewillopenupthearchitectureto allowothermanufacturerstodevelop modulescapableofattachingtothe MVF600onlyspeculationonmypart. TheMVF600iscurrentlyunder evaluationbyanumberoforganizations andIamfairlycertainthatthose reviewswilldriveadditionalmodule development.However,asitstands rightnow,CTCDefensesMVF600is somethingthatyoullwanttoaddto yourweaponsystemsbecauseitis simplyisbrilliant! SP

Copyright 2011, Sal Palma, dba Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved.

FOG HORN a Twobirds Flying Publication

ManufacturersSpecifications
1. VisibleRed<5mW/Class1, 635nm,1.8mrad 2. LEDPowerGeneralIllumination Setting:200Lm 3. VisualDisruption:200Lm@8Hz Strobe 4. WeightofBaseUnitw/Laserand LEDComponentsw/Batteries: 16.5oz;15.3ozw/oBatteries 5. DimensionsofBaseUnitw/Laser andLEDComponents:H5.3 (136mm);W3.3(86mm);D3.3 (86mm) 6. Materials:HighStrength Polymer/HardAnodized Aluminum/4040CSteel 7. Batteries:(2)CR123 8. BatteryLifeContinuousHours WhiteLight:4to6Hours 9. BatteryLifeContinuousHours Laser:48Hours 10.WindageandElevation AdjustmentsforLaser Component 11.MasterOn/OffSwitchfor CompleteUnitorIndividual ComponentControl; 12.MomentaryStrobeand MomentaryOn/Off 13.InstinctiveActivation

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Copyright 2011, Sal Palma, dba Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved.