The Mil-LOK may be operated in auto-lock mode or with the safety lock disabled.  The gate and safety latch are easily functioned by a single gloved or bare hand. With hook in hand, rotate the safety latch up using your thumb and pull the gate back with the index finger.  Release, and the spring-assisted gate and safety latch will automatically return to the locked & secured position, preventing unintentional load release or ring roll-out.  

In situations where it may be desirable to operate with an unlocked gate (certain combat operations or lowering equipment to untrained personnel), the lock may be disabled via a simple push-action catch on the hook spine to temporarily secure the safety in the unlocked position.  The spring-assisted gate will close as normal, but is no longer secured by the safety latch.  To return to auto-lock mode, simply press the catch release and the safety will return to the closed & locked position.

The Mil-LOK’s robust design and stainless steel construction pivots all movements about axles for simplicity and minimal maintenance.  Far superior to alternate hooks utilizing tight tolerance slide lock and ball-detent mechanisms prone to failure from grit, binding, or unintentional deactivation of the safety.  Further, the slide lock hooks do not feature the auto-lock capability of the D-LOK or Mil-LOK hoist hooks, relying solely on the operator to set the safety in the locked position for each use.

Another safety aspect of the Mil-LOK design is its inherent resistance to ring roll-out when the safety is disabled.  Equipment o-rings and equivalent v-rings having an inside diameter of 1-½" or less will not roll out with the gate closed due to the geometry.  The Mil-LOK provides users with a choice of operating in auto-lock mode for safety during regular use or disabled when required under specific conditions, while providing significantly improved safety and reliability over slide lock designs.