Vern Evans
Good gear won’t let you down, except when it will. Even the best of the best will eventually fail or at the very least require maintenance, tuning, tightening, tweaking, or changing.
If you’re going to invest in your guns, you should invest in your tools as well. FixIt Sticks is a prime example of not settling for less than the best. Ready for anything, these tools have really impressed me.
TWO KITS, ONE RANGE BAG
The Basic Kit
- All-in-One Torque Driver (15-65 in-lbs)
- T-Way T-Handle Wrench
- 15 different bits: T10, T15, T20, T25, [Hex 3/32″, 5/64″, 1/8″, 5/32″, 3/16″, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm], P1, Slotted 5mm
- 1/2″ socket and 1/4″ bit adapter set
- Zippered case with molded accessory holder
Of the two kits, this is the one that I actually liked the best. This kit is small, but in a good way. It’s the perfect size to fit in a chest rig or side pocket of a range bag. The all-in-one torque limiter is easy to use and does a great job, it also saves a lot of space and money.
A simple T-handle just does what you need it to do. It feels good in your hand and it’s built like a tank.
15 bits covers most of what you’re going to run into. However, it won’t cover it all. While these are all you need for mounting a scope and most general maintenance on firearms, it comes up short when you’re trying to zero optics or set zero-stops. For smaller bits needed in those cases, I had to reach for a cheap set of Amazon bits.
Still, I kept that cheap set in the zippered case and it made for an easy set of tools to keep around that covered 95% of my needs.
Long Range Competiton Kit
- Ratchet T-Handle w/Locking Hex Drive
- 15, 25, 45, 65 in-lbs torque limiters or All-In-One Torque Driver
- 1/2″ Socket/Adapter
- Mini Pry Bar
- Pin Punch Set (1/16″, 3/32″, 1/8″, 5/32″, 3/16″, 1/4″)
- Bronze Scraper
- Steel Pick
- Cleaning Brush Bit
- Set of two 8-32 adapters
- Machined Aluminum Bubble Level Set, which includes: magnetic level & rail clamp level/anti-cant device with precise UK-sourced bubble vials
- Stainless Steel Rod Set (6) with .223/6.5/.30 Brass Adapters & Ball Bearing Drive (locks into T-handle, assembles to 44″)
- 3/16″ Extended Action Bit
- 5/32″ Extended Action Bit
- 24 Chrome Plated Bits: T8, T10, T15, T20, T25, T27, T30, P1, P2, [Hex 0.050″, 5/64″, 3/32″, 1/8″, 7/64″, 9/64″, 5/32″, 3/16″, 1/4″, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm] [Slotted 3/16″, 3/32″]
- Magnetic Velcro Patch
- Micro Fiber Lens Cloth
- Torque Value Reference/Conversion Card
- Soft Carrying Case with molded, low-profile bit holders designed to hold any bit/accessory with a standard 1/4″ Base
This is a lot of tools. Like, a LOT of tools. Just like the smaller kit, everything is incredibly well-made and works amazingly well. With more tools just comes more options and a wider range of problem-solving capability. The addition of a punch set and extended action bits are a great touch.
Adding more bits also means that I’ve never run into a scope or optic that this set doesn’t fit. From mounting to zeroing, I can do it all.
To test out everything FixIt Sticks offered, they sent this kit out with the individual limiters. Comparing them side-by-side with the all-in-one… I like the all-in-one better.
The individual limiters are great, I have no problem with them, but the all-in-one does the same job but easier with less weight and less space.
Confused about why the two options exist, FixIt Sticks gave some insight. Durability is equal for both designs and should retain accuracy for at least 20,000 cycles.
Due to the manufacturing process, the all-in-one is slightly less accurate with a +/- of 10%. The individual limiters have a +/- of just 6%.
With that in mind, I feel totally comfortable using the all-in-one. That said, if you have a dedicated use for a specific toque setting — the individual limiters might be a nice option. For example, before I sold my Desert Tech MDRx, I had a special 85-in.lb FixIt Sticks limiter for the barrel assembly. Special tool for a special job.
For everything else, all-in-one.
One small gripe about both the all-in-one and the individual limiters is that nearly all of my scopes ask for either 18-in.lb or 20-in.lb for mounting the ring screws. FixIt Sticks individual limiters are offered in 15-in.lb and 25-in.lb and the all-in-one is marked at 0, 15, and 25-in.lb. I normally use the all-in-one and split the difference between the 15 and 25 mark. Close enough.
RECOMMENDED?
The basic FixIt Sticks kit is easy to recommend. The T-Handle is great, the all-in-one limiter is awesome, and the bits are great quality. Throw a small light, maybe some lube, and extra bits in the case and you’re good to go.
$120 for the kit seems fairly reasonable since you get the T-Handle, torque limiter, bits, and a case. In my book, this is the kit that almost everyone should jump on. Also, grab the brass hammer bit they offer. It’s cheap and it adds a little extra to your options.
But the Long Range Competiton Kit is… really expensive. $392 for the all-in-one and $456 with the individual limiters.
The tools are great, very well made, easy to use, and rock solid. If you want a one-and-done solution, this kit makes it super easy to just grab and go.
But: the cleaning rod is a big price increase for something that is not required in my perspective and can be done with a much, much cheaper tool. Separately, the cleaning rod kit from FixIt Sticks is $116. For my uses, a cheap rod is fine to knock brass out once every couple of years it needs to be done. For actual cleaning, my precision rifles are cleaned with dedicated tools.
Same for the bubble level. FixIt Sticks sells them separately for $55, Wheeler sells a set for $15. FixIt Stick’s levels are way nicer, but my Wheeler set has done right by me for several dozens of scope mountings in the last 6 years.
The prybar, pick, brush, bronze scraper, and pin punch set are all useful and nice to have — but do you really need the fancy version of these otherwise pretty basic tools?
The more time spent with the FixIt Stick kits the more I equate them to tools from Snap-On. Expensive, very well made, excellent at what their task is, and often show innovation that you don’t find in other tools. But, just like Snap-On, sometimes it’s a bit overkill.
Is a $200 Snap-On flathead a great tool? Hell yes. Is it practically better than a $10 Harbor Freight flathead? Almost never.
The basic kit is a rockstar winner. But the larger kit might be gluttonous.
But long range shooting ain’t cheap and there is something to be said for having your tools all in one package and built to a higher standard than you truly need. If your rifle outshoots you, why not have a toolset that outperforms you also?
| Rifle & Optic Toolkit w/ All-In-One Torque Driver | $120 | |
| Long Range Competition Toolkit | $392 |  |
BRVO TACTICAL LONG RANGE PRECISION CLASS
While the larger Long Range Competition Kit from FixIt Sticks might be a bit much, it does get the job done and provides a layer of security that all your bases are covered. Even the ones you didn’t know you needed covering.
BRVO Tactical is a training group out near Heber, AZ. One of the classes they run on their 100-acre training grounds is an intro to long range precision. Since you’re very much in the middle of nowhere, it’s a good idea to bring all the tools for all the things. This was the first big outing I had with the mega pack of FixIt Sticks and they proved their value.
From helping another shooter remount their scope, to fixing the screws that came loose in my buttstock, to double-checking all the torque values after a dropped rifle, the kit had everything all at once and I never had to question it.
That level of security and coverage isn’t something you get from one of the smaller tool packs.
But you could also build out one of the smaller packs.
While both methods have merit, I did really like just having one pack that did all the things.
And if you’re wondering, the BRVO Tactical class was fantastic. I highly recommend it if you’re interested in learning how to shoot small targets at long distances in difficult conditions.
LOOSE ROUNDS
FixIt Sticks have earned a permanent place in my range bag and on my bench. Doing what I do, I do a lot of tinkering on guns and putting together builds. Shooting a couple dozen matches per year also puts a lot of wear and use on my guns that require some field maintenance at times. FixIt Sticks have never let me down and have saved the day more than once.
They aren’t cheap, but they are absolutely worth it.
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