History of S&S Precision
S&S was founded in 2007 and is owned by veterans, a factor that weighs heavily on their
designs, manufacturing and end products. Their products are made for use by Military Units, Federal Government and Law Enforcement Professionals. The expanding company employs various engineering and technical specialists and their products are shipped worldwide.
For more info - visit S&S Precision website.
Why S&S Precision?
S&S Precision are one of my favourite manufacturers of tactical equipment due to being affordable, equipment being battle proven, consistently delivering high quality products and their ability to hone in on requirements from multiple customers and develop new and innovative products. This blog again follows on from the combination of SEAL Team based 1st Line Gear tactical equipment reviews that I've recently written around the S&S Precision products;
All of the above blogs combine together and ultimately feed into the blog - 'Seal Team - Behind the kit - 1st Line Gear' where I've broken down the 1st Line Gear utilised by each of the operators within SEAL Teams' Bravo.
Whilst studying the hundreds of hi-res images, promotional materials, YouTube clips and episodes themselves, something stood out of 2B9 PERRYs' 1st Line Gear. It appeared to be an M79 sawn grenade launcher strapped into a holster fitted with an RMR (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) sight. After some initial research around various grenade launcher holsters and knowing that the show utilises real steel manufacturers and products, it led me to the S&S Precision Grenade Launcher Holster (GLH). The shape, colour and size fitted with what was onscreen. One change that was apparent was the bungee cord fix points in the show did not match the product, therefore it had been modified by the shows prop team to work with the M79. Watch this space...
The GLH used by PERRY was only seen in two episodes in Season 1; 'Enemy of my Enemy' and 'The Graveyard of Empires'. Whilst the M79 was never used it certainly made an impact as again, the M79 is said to continue to be used by Special Forces globally as a genuine force multiplier. Purchase of the GLH enabled a further step towards a screen accurate replica of the 1st Line Gear used by Bravo, whilst remaining a necessary and functional item.
In the first image below, the M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is fitted into the GLH and the images underneath show the parts that make the GLH (image sourced from the S&S Precision Product Catalogue). The second image is of the GLH in use in an operational theatre.
Product details
Herein lies the product descriptions from the website;
Designed to retain the standalone HK GLM/M320 Grenade Launcher on the operator's equipment.
All plastic design that mounts onto MOLLE
Rubber padding for noise reduction and Secondary Bungee retention system included
O-Ring on barrel puck to keep dust and debris out of the grenade launcher barrel
Left or Right side versions available
Modularity utilizing Gear Retention Track™ (GRT)
P/N: GLH-003
Packaging
The Grenade Launcher Holster (GLH) and accessories are all packaged in a clear plastic tough bag with the S&S Precision product sticker on the front detailing product colour and the Product Number (P/N). The GLH is only available currently in Coyote Tan and is available in either the left or right hand configuration. The P/N is simply GLH-003. On the rear of the bag is the 'Made in the USA 757' sticker which references a collective of small businesses based in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA region.
Parts included
The GLH package includes a number of parts;
Left Handed GLH
Trifecta Connecta (Tri Con)
2x screws + 2x plain inserts
Gear Retention Track Webbing Adapter (GRT WA)
GLH & Tri Con rubber 'connection pad' (glued on)
Barrel puck & O-ring
Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) Retention Bungee 1 (fixed)
Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) Retention Bungee 2 (removable)
GLM Retention Bungee 2 operators sheet
Product exterior in detail
The GLH is fairly small, lightweight and manufactured of strengthened plastic material that has been heat shaped. Designed to be attached to the Trifecta Connecta and further connected to the Gear Retention Track Webbing Adapter (WA) or the Belt Adapter (BA), the GLH utilises the Tri Con and WA all together. To have the Tri Con and WA included in the package is a huge benefit as they can both be used with a multitude of other S&S Precision GRT gear as shown on the Gear Retention Track & Accessories page of their website. The surfaces of the GLH and WA are all Coyote Tan in colour and overall it has a solid feel. The S&S Precision logo is laser engraved onto the trigger guard area on the front of the GLH.
On the rear of the GLH is the S&S Precision name and P/N also laser engraved.
The GLH also features the 'barrel puck'. This circular polymer part is for the barrel of the GLM to fit tightly onto, with the O-ring designed to keep dust and debris out of the barrel. In addition to this, the barrel puck further keeps the launcher securely in position.
GLH Measurements
The GLH is not large and when utilised on 1st Line Gear empty, it is barely noticeable. With a GLM mounted, obviously the total weight increases and will likely require balancing of the 1st Line Gear to ensure it's not heavy on one side. Below are a list of dimensions based upon the measurements from the 1st image. The 2nd image is a standard size comparison of the GLH next to a Magpul PMAG30 Gen M3.
Height 20.5cm
Width 11.6cm
Depth 7cm
Height GLH + WA 24cm
Width GLH + WA 12.3cm
Depth GLH + WA 9cm
Width (vertical upright only) 5.7cm
GLH weighs a total of 151g.
GLH + Tri Con weighs 184g.
GLH + Tri Con + WA weighs 225g.
Left Hand GLH vs Right Hand GLH
There are subtle differences between the left and right handed versions on the GLH which are important to note and I've detailed below. The first image below simplistically shows the aesthetic differences immediately seen when comparing the two. The older gen GLH did have a gold emblazoned S&S Precision logo that was sometimes prominent or subtle, however this has now been replaced with a simple outline of the logo as shown in the left hand GLH below.
Right hand GLH
The rubber connection pad runs nearly the full length of the upright of the GLH with 2 fixing points for the Trifecta Connecta to connect to at the top, and the 3rd fixing point at the bottom towards the barrel puck, used to secure the connection pad to the upright and keep it connected.
Left hand GLH
The rubber connection pad runs approximately halfway down the upright with only 2 fixing points for the Trifecta Connecta at the top.
Having spoken with engineers at S&S Precision there is a very specific reason as to why there is this subtle difference;
"For left-handed models, we had to cut the pad in order to allow the right side of a grenade launcher to fit appropriately. This is an update to the design for left-hand models only. If you look at the right side of the M320 grenade launcher you will see a hinge towards the front that sticks out."
As the S&S engineers mentioned, it can be seen highlighted in the red box in the image to the right, the hinge at the front of the M320 would cause the GLM to not seat correctly and securely if the connection pad was not cut. A small, yet effective adjustment to ensure that left handed users are catered for without detriment to the product or its usability.
Fitting Spacers to GLH & Fitting Tri Con to GRT WA
It is worth re-iterating that the Trifecta Connecta can if required utilise spacers to ensure that the holster stand off is correct from the belt line. If you have purchased the Tri Con previously / separately, 2x spacers are provided and you can use these with your GLH if required. These spacers though are not currently available to purchase separately.
The previous blog 'Review - S&S Precision Trifecta Connecta' has a section devoted to the installation of the spacers to the Trifecta Connecta. It further includes the dimensions and weight increase when adding the spacers. In addition to this, it also includes details on how to fit the Tri Con to the GRT WA.
Fitting Tri Con to GLH
The GLH already came preassembled when purchased, however if parts were purchased separately or if the entire package was taken apart for cleaning, it's important to be able to reassemble it correctly. The process of fitting the Tri Con to the GLH is simple and requires; GLH, Tri Con, screws, screwdriver and the GRT WA or BA.
The rubber connection pad (glued on in place) is laid onto the GLH main body with the S&S Precision logo and grooves facing towards the operator. The Tri Con is then placed underneath and the top and bottom screw holes aligned with those in the GLH main body and Connection Pad. The silver inserts can then be inserted carefully into the rear of the Tri Con and the screws inserted at the front, feeding through the connection pad, GLH main body and into the silver inserts. These screws can then be tightened until all three parts are immovable. Next is to slot the Tri Con rear rails into the WA or BA rails, pulling down until an audible click is heard.
To uninstall the GLH and Tri Con, the tab on the GRT WA must be pressed down with force from the front and the holster simultaneously pulled upwards.
Maintenance
To preserve and prolong the serviceability of products, it's highly advised to undertake regular maintenance and cleaning. The GLH is a very simple piece of kit with few parts and therefore does not take long to check over and clean. The parts can all be disassembled and reassembled quickly if required. It's advised that;
Soft brush used to remove dust / large debris from GLH and grooves.
Stiff brush used to remove dried debris.
Cloth and warm water used to wipe down all parts and if required stiff brush to remove excess debris.
Allow parts to air dry naturally.
Testing
There was honestly little to test with this product other than attaching the GLH to the 1st Line Gear via the Tri Con and GRT WA and seeing how stable it was when moving. Currently I am awaiting a GLM and once in my possession I will further be updating this testing section to show how the GLH performs. Watch this space...
Thoughts and opinion
The S&S Precision Grenade Launcher Holster is a unique and specific addition to your equipment. Unless you utilise a Grenade Launcher Module, you're unlikely to require one of these. If you do use or are issued a GLM in your role, the GLH is a compact, lightweight, no fuss item. Simplistic in design for ease of use, maintenance and free from cumbersome straps or engagement / disengagement mechanisms, mounted on 1st Line Gear when empty it's hardly noticeable, or when carrying a GLM it's securely stowed for use when required.
The GLH is not an expensive item and as mentioned it's designed to be used with a unique piece of equipment therefore it's prevalence on operations is likely to be low and due to this has limited applications. If you are after a compact, lightweight, easy to use GLH in either a left or right handed configuration, I would seriously take a look at the S&S Precision Grenade Launcher Holster. As mentioned in the breakdown above, the inclusion of both the Trifecta Connecta and the Gear Retention Track Webbing Adapter in the GLH package are 2 big positives in my book.
The GLH has been added to my 1st Line Gear as another nod to one of Bravo and I know full well that when required, it won't let me down as it's an S&S Precision product that's been tried, tested and designed for the operator.
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Final Note
I am not paid for my blogs by the manufacturers or companies that I purchase my items from. I am not offered freebies to promote a product. These blogs are purely written from my own experience in truth to help advise and inform others who may wish to purchase the items or understand more about them. If I am sent a freebie to review this will be stated at the beginning to make you aware.