P1010794

If you’re like me, you can never remember how many rounds you have left in your magazines. I know that I should know, but I don’t. For those similarly afflicted, Radetec has started shipping a round counting grip system that will check your ammo levels every time you fire a shot and let you know how many trigger pulls are left until the gun runs dry. There are three versions: one with a single light that lets you know when there are three rounds left, a two digit display (above) that shows the total round count, and an AR-15 version for standard magazines. Prices are $160, $170 and $195 respectively. They’ve given us one to try so we’ll let you know how it works… as soon as I get some free time.

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54 COMMENTS

  1. With AR why not save money and use windowed p mags? I don’t always have trouble with remembering round count but I know hickok45 does.

  2. …meanwhile, the rest of us will just have to continue using our brains to know how many rounds we fired…

  5. Ok… I’ll admit. This looks cool. I wonder if there is a way to make a bluetooth version for Google Glass? Combine it with a gun camera HUD and you’ve got yourself a rather effective tactical advantage. (In theory)

    • That should be trivial to implement. Just need something to send signal when fired, glass does the display. just a simple low power ir led in the line of sight that turns on when fired. triggering the led could be mechanical or via a shock sensor.

      Use QRC codes on your mags to update capacity and ammo info, so the gun does not need to recognize the mags. Or if low light is an issue, have a mag trigger a identifying signal on loading. Based on the mag, the led lights up at a different frequency. Mag ID could be done via nfc sticker (no need for new mags) but may require more powerful tech on the gun.

      You could even put the active tech in your glove, so when you grab a mag and load it, it would update the glass config to calculate the new round count.

      Anything that is attached to the firearm needs to be strictly KISS, to reduce the powerdraw, even better if it is totally passive.

      I would think that the biggest issue will be the fact that Glass is not really combat gear, or even range gear. You would need a mil-spec version. And (big and) you still need your smartphone in working and powered-on condition.

      • Look at the trend in SOF, it is trying to keep your gear slick, not keep adding more and more features. What scenario do you imagine that somebody would need for this.

        • Think non-lame corner shot. A rail mounted camera would be the size of a small pen light. The cool part is that there is plenty of space inside the weapon for most of the electronics.

      • Google is becoming a major defense contractor. Expect it.

        They acquired Boston Dynamics last year, they have a cozy relationship with a lot of three letter agencies that are interested in their data…

  7. “Now, I know what you’re thinking. ‘Did he fire six shots or only five?’ To tell you the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement.” But according to my round counter, I fired 5 shots, BLAM…

  11. Oh i’m absolutely getting this shit once the prices drop if it’s just like the BR from Halo. Yes, i’m a young shooter… We like the shit from video games just like older generations liked things from Western movies. Can’t wait to be show up to the range with this gadget on my AR 😀 Hopefully you can change the round count on it for those of us in constitutionally challenged states like NJ.

    • You need to focus less on the cool factor and learn to keep things like round-count in the back of your head as you’re shooting…

      I am also a gamer and rely on the HUD to tell me what’s left in the mag while playing, but there’s a lot of other feedback from my weapon I DON’T get in game, which is why I don’t count naturally… I also don’t personally have access to fully-automatic firearms outside the game which helps.

      Seriously, teach yourself to count your rounds. Someday you’ll thank yourself

  12. With your focus on the target and your front sight, and the distances and scenarios in which handguns are employed, isn’t this a bit useless? If you have the time to look at your counter, shouldn’t you be done shooting what you were shooting at?

    I guess I just see this as “tacti-cool” instead of “tactical”, and look forward to seeing some wanna be gun fighter at the range telling me how important it is.

    “A” for innovation, but a total round counter for a rifle would be better (I.e. Rounds expended), in reference to preventative maintenance

  16. Nick, you shoot competitively. How is it that you can’t keep track of your round count? Serious question.

  17. would rather just spend the time practicing my reload. Besides isnt that why the last three rounds are tracer?

  18. I might see where this comes in handy for LEO’s but even then the number of cases where this would help are limited. Cool, we have “Aliens” tech round counting firearms…but I want my pulse rifle

  20. The amount of ALIENS references in this thread has restored my faith in humanity.
    “I say we nuke freedom group from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.”

  21. Ok I’m not charging for this patent….

    I’m waiting for the bluetooth model to display it as an overlay in the corner of my red dot display.

  25. ?
    I am continually amazed at the crap some will add to their tools that serve no reasonable need.

    Get off my lawn.

  29. This is not a new concept, IIRC late 80’s or so a company made a analog type device, the numbers looked more like the mileage indicator on an old car. They also tried to market it to competition shooters and Police, lost somewhere in obscurity just like I suspect this device will be.

  30. Counting is free, and my pistol has a built-in feature for letting me know the magazine is empty called a slide lock. No thanks.

  31. Just one more thing that can go wrong in the field. Completely unnecessary, even for on-duty carry. Sure, it would make for a nice range gimick or another accessory to add on to your over accessorized pistol. You know, the one with the light, the laser, the optical sight and now, the round counter. It’s the gun everyone wants to shoot but no one wants to carry. A range toy extraordinaire.

    • Totally agree.

      I shoot my handgun until the slide locks back and then I drop the mag and put a new one and it shoot it until the slide locks back.

      Maybe I’m not doing it right?

  32. I was all for the fun factor on a borgged out carbine until I read the guns.com review of this product.
    It seems that you have to modify your magazines with a magnet under the follower for the counter to work. I’m fine replacing my grips, but I have enough problems getting a decent magazine that functions consistently without introducing further issues.
    Seriously, if there was a way for this to work with just the grips I’d be all for it as a fun range item.
    But as it stands…no.

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