| M34 Tactical (ARMT) Assault Rifle Multi-tool |
| Sunday, 25 July 2010 20:10 |
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A beefy flat head screw driver is formed on one end offering many uses. The thick depth (about 1.5mm) fits the robust theme of the tool design and will work great on optics that use big ol' screws. Although still usable, the thickness makes it harder to use on the other suggested actions such as removing pieces from the bolt carrier for cleaning. If things are getting extra funky in there, the size allows the flat head to be used as a carbon scraper. For additional functionality, 2 bit tools are included that fit in a supplied slot (#2 Phillips and SQ2 hex bit); don't let that stop you from swaping them out if others suit your needs better. I'll admit I wasn't super jazzed to see the bits held in the tool by bands, however in practice they do work out pretty well. The bits lay nicely inside the ARMT to keeps things slim and I can shake the tool without any noise. In the past I've seen other tools supply an external bit carrier which tends to be quite easy to lose as it doesn't connect to the main tool. That said, there is nothing wrong with carrying an extra little bit holder to expand your tool capability with the ARMT. For my particular sample tool, I was only able to fit the bits in the hex slot one way which actually works out fine as it makes the additional band not required. I would say keep it that way and just add a label on the tool, but then lefties would get the shaft on usability. The error tolerance between the ARMT and the bits apparently can vary, so after some jiggling and elbow grease I was able to get the bits in either direction. The band over the bit hole surprisingly works out fine where one side is pushed to a side, preferably towards the curve expansion so the band doesn't pop out of the retention notches, and the other covers the hole to keep the bit from falling through. Since the bit mounts perpendicularly you may not be able to get to all places you want to or have to perform short rotations. The bit hole is near the end of the tool, which helps, but is not the same as a long screwdriver type bit holder when it comes to getting to harder to reach screws. For change considerations I would be interested in seeing if a third bit could be held in the tool interior without degrading much strength. For something more drastic, perhaps the slots could even be adjusted to hold some traditional L-shaped Allen keys. Storage is somewhat of a concern due to all the pokey ends, so if possible I recommend placing in a slim sleeve-type pocket making the best use of the flat side of the tool. Tossing it loose in a bigger than needed pocket may cause holes over time. The ARMT is also claimed to be a good last defense fighting tool, which I find a little funny as that occasion would likely only occur if no other weapons are around and the enemy sneaks up on you while you are cleaning your rifle, however I will say the grip gives a combat weapon type feel that I don't think any other AR tool does. Despite the bands used are quality o-rings I will keep an eye on their durability since I see signs of wear on the edges of the one stretched further than the others. The ARMT makes for an a solid new AR tool option since armorer tools will be much larger and single-tool while the more traditional shaped folding AR specific multi-tools will be less rugged. Other than the usage of the bits, there are no moving parts so the core of the ARMT is quite battlefield durable. Specs:
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