As promised, here are a few quick crappy pics and my initial thoughts & comments on the BT12QK. The package arrived yesterday, intact, 6 days post-credit card charge. Included in the package was an Accu-Shot hat, and free BT14 sling stud for the PRS. Kasey emailed a while back that he intended to include these as a thank you to us for being patient. When's the last time you DIDN'T experience a delay Gen 1 product?!? Besides, I think I ordered it within 10 minutes of his initial email saying that he was starting a list. The wait wasn't bad at all. Also included is Kasey's card and a ussnipers.com ace card sticker.
It would appear that I got the first one!
I'm not going to beat the pictoral to death, so here it is up:
and down:
Here it is as grasped. It's worth noting that I have smalllllll hands. I was able to operate the button with my middle finger and lift the stock with my thumb.
If you use your thumb, and don't otherwise support the weight of the stock, it will slip down and bite your finger. I don't see this as a real risk, when you're using it, you'll likely have the pistol grip in your other hand anyway. Even when I set up the above picture, it wasn't painful or anything. There's not a sharp edge to be found.
I installed it on my AR10. The setup includes a Larue 13.2, ARMS adapter w/ Harris 6-9 swivel bipod. With the bipod on it's lowest setting and the monopod at the highest, it put the rifle on more of a downslope of ½" per foot. I measured the muzzle at 7" off the counter. If my math is on that means you can shoot targets as close at 14' from the muzzle keeping all three points on the ground.
The only non-metal I can find on it is small bottom cap and the washer between the large knob and the locking ring. I don't have an appropriate scale, but it's lighter than it looks.
There is no detectable movement in any direction when locked up or down. I tried, unsuccessfully, to get it to rattle.
The release button was sticky the first few times operating it. It has since smoothed out. Note: I have yet to put a drop of oil on it.
Time will tell how tough the quick knob is, but I'm gambling that it will outlast me. I'd gamble that this could be used to perform dental work, if need be, without issue. The only caveat is that if it were extended, I don't know how the threads would survive. Anyone want to let me bludgeon them w/ an AR10 to find out?
I gave it the tried and true "track the cat from across the living room" test. I don't know if this will make me any more accurate, but I can tell already that it will enable the shooter to build a near sandbag steady position in just a second. I'd wait for the cat to stop, put the j-point right under his eye, drop the knob to the carpet and you're within a turn or two of being "on". Letting the weight of the gun push down predictably brings the aiming point up just a bit. You simply spin the knob to fine tune.
If anyone wants to play with my knob... feel free to do so at FDCC this month!