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Brian McCombie

A Perfect 10: Best 10mm Pistol Options (2023)

Updated 5/24/2023

Since its introduction, the 10mm Auto has been putting magnum power into semi-auto pistols. In recent years, it's had a bit of a resurgence in popularity.

What are seven dependable 10mm Auto pistols for hunting, defense and target shooting?

My introduction to the 10mm Auto came in the fall of 2014. I wanted to try some handgun hunting, and I’m a huge fan of 1911-style pistols. But the .45 ACP just didn’t have the punch needed for deer and hog hunting — not at any sort of distance anyway. I kept reading about this 10mm Auto, though, available in 1911-type pistols and with power nearly on par with the .41 Magnum.

My first 10mm was a PARA Elite LS Hunter with a 6-inch barrel, and I used it on a couple of deer hunts that fall. Unsuccessfully. Anytime I went afield with the PARA, I either saw no deer or they were 200 yards away. But in the spring of 2015 I took the PARA to Texas in search of feral hogs. Seven hogs later, I was hooked.

So, yes, I am a relative newbie to the 10mm Auto, but so is nearly everyone else. That said, if you require THE EXPERT’s wisdom — on this or any other topic — just post a question or a statement on a gun forum or Facebook. He’ll find you and inform you.

But during the past 3 years, I’ve had the good fortune to shoot more than 15 different models of 10mm pistols, reviewing several of them for publications. I’ve fired a couple thousand rounds of 10mm Auto in that time, using a dozen brands of ammunition, on the range and afield — the latter while taking wild hogs and deer.

These are among the things I’ve learned about the amazing 10mm Auto.

10mm Auto -Hunting10mm Auto Basics

First, if you can shoot it well, the 10mm is a much more powerful self-defense round compared to the 9mm or .40 S&W. The larger weight of 10mm bullets and the sheer ballistic superiority of the 10mm round make it so. Most 10mm rounds are loaded with 180- to 200-grain bullets and zip along at 1,150 to 1,250 feet per second (fps) at the muzzle. This is why, for example, handgun hunters use the 10mm — not the 9mm.

Second, it does take some time and practice for most people to learn to shoot the 10mm well. The reason? It has considerably more recoil than the 9mm or the .40 S&W. And more than the .45 ACP, too, I’d argue, unless you are using .45 ACP+P loads. Most pistols made for the 10mm are considerably heavier than other semi-autos, so they can be harder to aim with consistency, too.

Get An Edge On The 10MM:

Third, the 10mm is a versatile round, able to shoot farther and with more power than most semi-automatics. They are a lot of fun to shoot and to hunt with, and they should be at the top of every handgunner’s “to-do” list.

The Glory Days

The history of the 10mm is wrapped up with Col. Jeff Cooper, founder of the Gunsite training facility and the father of the “Modern Technique” style of pistol training. Cooper was a huge fan of the 1911 platform. But he also understood the limitations of the .45 ACP round. While the big, lumbering 230-grain bullet was a great fight-stopper at relatively close ranges, it quickly lost power as distances increased.

According to various sources, Col. Cooper wanted a better combat pistol round, one with enough energy to launch a 200-grain bullet at 1,200 fps. Some have labeled Cooper as the “inventor” of the 10mm. But gun writer Richard Mann, who has researched and written about Cooper more than anyone I know, says Cooper was more of an “inspiration” to the genesis of the 10mm, not the guy who made it.

In 1983, the 10mm Auto was introduced to the world in the form of the Bren Ten semi-automatic pistol. The initial ammunition, according to Cartridges of the World, 13th Edition, was designed and loaded by Norma with a 200-grain bullet. “Muzzle energy is about double that of the .45 Automatic,” the book’s authors note.

After the infamous 1986 Miami bank robbery — which saw two FBI agents killed by a pair of very well-armed bank robbers — the FBI looked for a new round; the FBI’s duty-issued 9mm had proven itself generally ineffective against the two Miami hoods. The 10mm was the agency’s choice — but only for a while. The 10mm’s stout recoil and fairly expensive ammunition led the FBI to eventually switch over to the .40 S&W.

For nearly 20 years, the 10mm languished. The occasional pistol was produced, and ammunition offerings were very limited across the board.

But it certainly didn’t go away.

10mm Auto main-1The 10mm Auto Renaissance

PARA and a couple other gun makers got the 10mm going once again several years ago: PARA unveiled the aforementioned Elite LS Hunter, and from this the round and pistol began its current steady resurgence.

Now, I doubt that the 10mm will ever be as popular as its smaller 9mm cousin. There’s too much recoil in the 10mm round for most shooters, and too much weight in most of the pistols chambered for it. And that’s okay.

But we like bigger and faster. When shooters started to see more 10mms on the market and began hearing that the 10mm round was indeed bigger and faster than the 9mm and the .40 S&W — with superior muzzle energy versus the .45 ACP — more people like myself started trying it. And we quickly discovered what a gem a good 10mm pistol truly is.

Among the current 10mm Auto pistol offerings on the market, here are seven great ones that I have used, and do recommend:

10mm Auto Colt Delta Elite Rail

Colt Delta Elite Rail Gun

Colt was one of the few gun makers that kept offering the 10mm in lean times, in the form of the Delta Elite, a 1911 with a 5-inch barrel. This newest variation has a rail beneath the barrel for mounting hardware. I put 300 rounds through one recently, and it’s a solid, accurate pistol. The Novak sights are a real treat.

MSRP: $1,299, colt.com

10mm Auto Glock 20

Glock 20

The Glock 20 has been around for many years, and it’s a nice handgun: accurate, durable, lighter in weight than most 10s and packs lots of firepower with its 15-round magazine and one in the chamber. For years, folks hunting in big bear country have favored this model as a back-up sidearm.

MSRP: $649; glock.com

10mm MP feature

Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0

The various sizes and flavors of Smith & Wesson's M&P series have all become very popular, whether it be for home defense, concealed carry or any other task. The pistol family became much more versatile, however, when Smith added the option of 10mm to the lineup in 2021.

Of the 10mm Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 pistols, there are five available models in total. Two have a 4-inch barrel, one with a manual safety and one without, and two have a 4.6-inch barrel, also with or without a safety. The final and newest model is a Performance Center variant, and it features a 5-inch barrel with a ported barrel and slide as well as other Performance Center upgrades. Regardless of the model selected, all have optics-ready slides. The rest of the pistols' details are otherwise exactly what the public has come to love and expect of a Smith & Wesson M&P.

MSRP: Starts at $659; smith-wesson.com

P220 10mm

SIG Sauer P220 Legion

SIG’s P220 line started life as a .45 ACP, but a while back the company introduced some 10mm variants of the P220 as well. Currently, however, the only model offered by SIG in 10mm is the P220 Legion Full-Size. Featuring a Legion Gray finish, these pistols sport 5-inch barrels, SRT (Short-Reset Trigger) DA/SA triggers and steel guide rods. They also come with optics-ready slides and X-RAY3 Day/Night sights.

You may want to try and find some now-discontinued 10mm P220s on the used market, such as the Hunter with a Kryptek camo finish, as the Legion series guns are from SIG's top-shelf and cost a pretty penny. That said, if you can afford it, the upgrades found throughout the P220 Legion should be appreciated.

MSRP: Unpublished, ~$1,599 street price; sigsauer.com

10mm Auto Ruger SR1911

Ruger SR1911

Ruger got into the 10mm game recently by offering its SR 1911 in that caliber. A fully adjustable Bomar rear sight, a blacked-out front target sight and a stainless-steel bull barrel add up to very impressive accuracy. The rubberized grips also provide a solid hold.

MSRP: $1,269; ruger.com

10mm Auto Republic Forge 10mm Long Slide

Republic Forge 10mm Long Slide

Made one at a time by true 1911 craftsmen, Republic Forge is the Rolls Royce of 1911s, with the 10mm Long Slide model a contender for the best 10mm I’ve ever used. Very accurate and extremely reliable, the Long Slide has a 6-inch barrel, and it can be had in all manner of color and finish options, various grips and Novak Night or Bomar sights.

MSRP: Starts at $4,915; republicforge.com

Springfield XDM elite

Springfield Armory XD-M Elite

Maybe the best in the affordable category of 10mm pistol options, the XD-M Elite holds its own again all comers. The line of Springfield Armory’s polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols are renowned for well thought out ergonomics, making it a very controllable launchpad for the “Perfect 10”. Plus the guns are available in a slew of configurations from compact carry piece to the duty-sized and optic-ready tactical OSP. Honestly, the XD-M in all its iterations offers shooters an accurate and solid 10mm pistol—one many have found more than fills the role of a heavy hitter.

MSRP: $653; springfield-armory.com

As mentioned, the 10mm isn’t likely to win any peoples’ choice awards anytime soon. There’s simply too much gun and too much recoil for it to gain the foothold the 9mm has enjoyed. That said, the 10mm will always be a performance frontrunner in regard to the “bang you get for your boom.”

10mm Auto AmmoBonus: 10mm Auto Ammo Options

If you love your 10mm, you must feed it, and there are more ammunition choices today in this caliber than ever before. Among those I have used and do recommend, are:

Barnes Bullets: The VOR-TX firing a 155-grain all-copper XPB Bullet is ideally suited for whitetail deer and hog hunting.

SIG Sauer: The Elite Performance FMJ in 10mm is a solid range and practice round, while the 10mm V-Crown load with a 180-grain JHP bullet is a great option for both hunting and self-defense.

Federal Premium: Federal’s American Eagle line of range ammo includes the 10mm with a 180-grain FMJ bullet, and it’s a workman’s choice for practice. And what about for hunting? The Vital-Shok Trophy Bonded with a 180-grain JHP bullet is tough to beat.

Hornady: The Critical Duty 10mm round with a 175-grain FlexLock bullet has “man stopper” written all over it. Gel tests say so, too. For hunters, the Custom brand is the choice. It’s loaded with the 180-grain XTP bullet, a lead core covered by gilding metal, for deep penetration on the toughest game animals and reliable expansion.

Remington: The Remington UMC in 10mm is about the most reasonably priced choice for the range I have found. It’s clean burning, too.

Team Never Quit: Team Never Quit was created by retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell (yes, the Lone Survivor guy), and his TNQ 10mm self-defense round fires a 155-grain solid copper bullet that’s very accurate, up close and 40 yards away. The 125-grain frangible load is a 1,360 fps screamer (out of the R1Hunter) and is fine for training on steel at close ranges.

Winchester: I recently used the Winchester Super X 10mm Personal Protection load with a 175-grain Silvertip JHP bullet. It proven very accurate at 20 and 25 yards. I’m still waiting for Winchester to make a Razor Boar load in 10mm for my hog hunting, though.

PolyCase: PolyCase is scheduled to be coming out with a new 10mm load firing a 91-grain copper and polymer bullet, rated at a scary 1,800 fps out of the barrel. I used several hundred rounds of this new ammo during PolyCase’s testing phase, and it’s accurate and consistent, with no feeding or ejection problems.

Many more 10mm ammunition brands and pistols are available today, too, and I expect a good number of new entries in coming years. Yes, it’s a great time to be a fan of the 10mm. Jump in now, before the 10mm waters get too crowded!

Editor's Note: This article is an updated excerpt from Gun Digest the Magazine.

Rifle Review: Team Never Quit Mk12CF Special Purpose Rifle

The new Team Never Quit Mk12CF Special Purpose Rifle is a rugged tack driver fit for a number of purposes.

What to know about the new Mk12CF Special Purpose Rifle:

  • The Team Never Quit (TNQ) MK12CF SPR is a nimbler version of the MK12 Mod-1 SPR.
  • It retains all the excellent accuracy of the prior model.
  • A best group of .431 inch was achieved at 100 yards.
  • The Mk12CF SPR comes in two models, one with a Proof Research carbon-fiber barrel.
  • The other features a more traditional stainless-steel barrel.

Most Americans know Marcus Luttrell through Lone Survivor, Luttrell’s autobiographical book about his time as a Navy SEAL, and which was later made into the movie of the same name starring Mark Wahlberg. The central action of the book and the movie concerns Operation Red Wings, a mission by Luttrell and three other SEALS to find a top Taliban leader in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush in June of 2005.

Team-No-Quit-first Mk12CF

Unfortunately, Red Wings did not go as planned, with Luttrell and his compatriots fighting a running battle against Taliban guerillas well before they found their intended target. Greatly outnumbered, the SEALS were killed one by one, except for Luttrell, who escaped by falling down the side of a mountain, literally, and was found and given sanctuary by a local Afghan villager.

When Luttrell retired from the Navy, he returned to his home in Texas and, among other things, continued to participate in three of his life’s passions: firearms, shooting and hunting. This led Luttrell to team up with friend and ex-SEAL Team member Garrett Golden. Golden is co-owner of the gun-making concern G2 Precision of Porter, Texas, and the two went to work on re-designing their duty rifle, the Mk12 Mod-1 SPR rifle. It was a fine rifle — very accurate and reliable — yet it weighed more than 10 pounds.

What they created is the Team Never Quit Mk12CF Special Purpose Rifle (SPR), built by G2 Precision. The Mk12CF SPR concept was to keep all the original rifle’s accuracy, precision and reliability, but with considerably less weight. Plus, Luttrell and Golden added a number of enhancements to increase the original’s functionality.

Team-Never-Quit-Sixth - Mk12CF

Recently debuted to the shooting public, the Mk12CF SPR comes in two models: a Proof Research carbon fiber-barreled Mk12CF SPR that weighs just 6 pounds, 11 ounces; and an Mk12CF SPR with a stainless-steel barrel that’s exactly 1 pound heavier.

As Luttrell said when the rifle was introduced, “This is the rifle I would want to take with me into battle.”

Less Beef, More Bite
I was fortunate enough to have access to both models of the Mk12CF SPR, among the very first production rifles, and spend a good deal of time with them at the range.

The Mk12CF SPR is chambered in .223 Wylde, so it can fire both .223 Rem. and 5.56x45mm rounds, and it operates on a rifle-length direct impingement gas system. Both models sport 18-inch barrels and feature the same set of controls.

Team-Never-Quit-second MK12CF

Before the end of my first magazine, my initial impression of the rifle was that the Mk12CF SPR just feels right. In hand. On the shoulder. Over a rest. Part of that good feeling has to do with the relative lightness of these ARs, and it’s easy to forget this about the AR-15 rifle as it was imagined and created: It’s supposed to be fairly light.

Somewhere along its evolutionary path, the AR-15 got heavier and heavier, even as it became more and more popular. More metal. Longer barrels. Full-length handguards. Stouter receivers. What had been a standard 6.5- to 7-pound rifle quickly became an 8-pounder. And then a 9-pounder. Today, you can still pick from a rather large selection of 10-pound AR-15s. Often very accurate and fine shooting rifles, these ARs are still a far cry from what Eugene Stoner’s original design sought to accomplish: a reliable combat rifle that was nimble and rugged.

The Mk12CF SPR feels like the rifle Stoner created — with numerous upgrades of course.

For example, the mag release, bolt catch and fire selector on the Mk12CF SPR models each have a dimpled texture on the contact surfaces that makes them easier to use and manipulate than standard Mil-Spec options.

Team-Never-Quit-seventh - Mk12CF

The full-sized Raptor Ambi charging handle lets you pull back the bolt smoothly and without the need for much force. The handle is easily reached, too, even with an optic mounted atop the rifles. The ERGO Pistol Grip molds to your hand, even when that hand is wet, sweaty and dirty, and the CMC Curved Two-Stage trigger snaps off cleanly and easily, and resets very fast.

The Mk12CF SPR also has a forward assist. Many AR makers are foregoing this, but I’m always glad when an AR I’m using has the assist. Shoot any AR long enough and hard enough, and you will find times where you want and need a forward assist. What if you don’t have one and are in a situation where pulling back at the charging handle isn’t an option? Then you invariably find yourself trying to push the bolt forward with all sorts of things definitely not made for the job, including car keys, screw drivers or empty brass cases. Your scratched up bolt will bear witness to what you really needed: a forward assist!

Accuracy In Spades
While in no way qualifying as a torture test, I did run more than 300 rounds through the two rifles without a single failure to feed or eject. I would also note that I used seven different types of .223 Rem. and 5.56x45mm ammunition, some of it made with high quality components, some of it not so much. The rifles handled all of it without a hiccup, and the bolt stayed open at the end of every magazine.

Team-Never-quite-acc

I shot approximately 150 rounds with each rifle, starting with the carbon fiber barreled model. Then, for my accuracy and ballistics testing, I switched to the stainless-steel barrel model and shot another 150 rounds. For an optic, I mounted a Leupold 3-9x40mm Mark AR scope on it, securing it with a one-piece Leupold Integral Mounting System mount.

I used three types of ammunition, all in .223 Rem., for my accuracy testing with the Mk12CF SPR stainless rifle: Browning BXV Predator and Varmint with a 50-grain poly-tipped bullet, Dynamic Research Technologies (DRT) Terminal Shock and a 55-grain HP frangible bullet, and Hornady’s 55-grain FMJ/BT load. All groups were fired at 100 yards from a sandbagged rest. The range was located outdoors; the day was sunny, with temperatures in the low 70s, with a light breeze quartering from left to right through the shooting.

For the five-shot and three-shot groups, the DRT ammunition took top honors. My best three-shot DRT group came in at .431 inch, and .866 inch for my top five-shot spread. The other two ammunition brands also posted numerous sub-MOA groupings, including the Browning load that drilled four shots into a group of just .463 inch.

Once the accuracy evaluation was done, I set up my PACT Professional XP Chronograph from Brownells, and fired 10 rounds of each ammo brand through the device. All three brands of ammunition came in right where you’d expect them to be, taking the SAMMI-rated fps velocities recorded with a 24-inch barrel, and adjusting for the somewhat diminished velocities you achieve with the Mk12CF SPR’s 18-inch barrels (see chart).
Team-never-quit-specs
What’s the only thing I wish were different about the rifle? The compensator brakes. While they certainly work to lessen recoil and do direct the muzzle blast away from the front of the rifles, they also tend to direct that blast back toward the shooter. A couple of shots on a hunt won’t be a big deal for the shooter. But when you’re firing dozens of rounds at a time, the smoke and debris coming back into your face — and going into your nose and lungs — becomes quite uncomfortable and distracting.

And what about uses for the Mk12CF SPR rifle? Given its lighter weight and long-range potential, the rifle will be a first-rate predator and varmint rifle, especially for the hunter walking a good number of miles during a day. Those same features make the rifle a good fit for various competitive shooting events, too, and an AR platform is usually a solid all-around choice for home defense.

The Team Never Quit Mk12CF SPR rifles can be ordered from the G2 website at G2Precision.com or through select authorized dealers.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2017 Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gun Review: Savage MSR 15 Recon

Savage joins the AR market in a big way with four new rifles, including the sweet-shooting and fast-handling MSR 15 Recon.

Savage MSR 15 Recon Snapshot:

  • Savage is aggressively charging into the AR market with its line of MSRs (Modern Savage Rifle), with four already released and more on the horizon.
  • The tested model — the MSR 15 Recon — comes decked out in Blackhawk tactical furniture and Blackhawk flip-up sights, and boasts 5R rifling.
  • Through more than 400 rounds of testing, the MSR 15 Recon functioned flawlessly, though the rifle produced more recoil than expected from an AR.
  • The MSR 15 Recon produced the best groups shooting Hornady V-Max ammunition, with 1.5-inch five-shot groups the average.
  • Overall, in the author's opinion, the MSR 15 Recon is a solid, hardworking choice for hunters, plinkers and those looking for a home-defense option.

Earlier this year, Savage entered into the AR market. Given how crowded and competitive this market has become, you might think Savage would’ve taken a cautious approach, maybe offering up a single rifle to test the waters. But they didn’t.

Instead, Savage Arms rolled out an entire line of AR-15 and AR-10 models, four rifles in all. Dubbed “MSRs,” for “Modern Savage Rifle,” the rifle line is made up of two larger-caliber MSR 10s and a pair of .223/5.56 MSR 15s, the Patrol and the Recon. Savage looks to have more MSR variations coming in the near future. That, on its own, is impressive, and fairly aggressive, too, suggesting that Savage is in the AR game for the long haul.

MSR 15 Recon 2

I had the chance to test one of these new ARs, the MSR 15 Recon model. I found it to be a very functional rifle, accurate and quite reliable. It’s good-looking, too, with a tough finish and excellent Blackhawk tactical furniture.

First Impressions
The MSR 15 Recon came with Blackhawk Flip-Up sights, front and rear. I removed the back sight to mount an optic, a new Millett DMS-2 (Designated Marksman Scope), a 1-6X24mm tactical scope. I secured the scope with a quick-detach Alamo Four Star mount, the DLOC-M4-30mm.

Before shooting, I ran some oiled cleaning patches through the barrel, and they came out clean. Next, I used spray lube on the inside of the upper receiver and the bolt carrier group. Both areas showed a light coating of oil, but I find that ARs run better wet than not, hence the extra lubrication.

I had two separate shooting sessions with the Recon and ran four different brands of ammunition through it. In all, it fired off more than 400 rounds, and I had only a single malfunction when an empty brass case didn’t eject all the way. Otherwise, no problems. The MSR 15 Recon ejected brass forcefully, flinging it a good 5-plus yards away. The bolt also stayed open at the end of each magazine.

MSR 15 Recon - 1

At my first shooting session, I zeroed the Millet DMS-2 at 50 yards using Hornady V-Max ammunition, and once I was on the bullseye, I moved to 100 yards. But I didn’t do much for true accuracy testing that first day; I was more interested in finding out how the rifle operated and felt.

The rifle felt very comfortable on the shoulder. But my initial impressions included one surprise: The MSR 15 Recon recoils more than any other .223 Rem. AR I can remember. It’s nothing severe, yet the stock popped back into my shoulder with more force than any .223 Rem. I’ve shot in a good while. If I had fired the rifle blindfolded, I would’ve guessed I was using an AR chambered in .243 Win. which, in the long run, still is very manageable.

Why that extra recoil? I’m not sure, but it could have something to do with the recoil spring. The gas system is another possibility; however, Savage made it clear it had gone to some lengths to match the gas system to the rifles. According to Savage press materials:

“ … many rifles today have 16-inch, mid-length barrels paired with a carbine-length gas system intended for use with a 14-inch carbine barrel. This creates an over-gassed situation that increases recoil and reduces accuracy and durability. All Savage MSR 15 models with 16-inch barrels feature the appropriate mid-length gas system to alleviate this problem.”

MSR 15 Recon

If the gas system is fine, I can only guess there’s some difference in the recoil spring versus other ARs or the Blackhawk Axiom Carbine Stock isn’t absorbing much recoil. Again, to be clear, the recoil certainly isn’t aggressive enough to be a deal-breaker.

The Recon uses Blackhawk’s AR Blaze trigger. Initially, it was quite stiff and required some practice to make a shot without jerking the rifle. The trigger loosened up noticeably with use, and by my second shooting session I felt it was at “Mil-Spec Plus.” It’s not custom, but it is a solid trigger with a clean break. My Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge measured the AR Blaze at an average of 6.5 pounds.

At The Range
For accuracy testing at 100 yards, I used three brands of .223 Rem. ammunition: American Eagle Varmint & Predator, 50-grain JHP; Federal Premium Tactical Rifle Urban (Law Enforcement), 55-grain tactical ballistic tip; and Hornady V-Max, 55-grain.

I got some nice three- and four-shot groups under one inch, but I could only accomplish a single sub-MOA group for five shots. That was a .980-inch group fired with the American Eagle ammunition. That ammo also produced a four-shot group of .668 inch, while the Hornady printed a three-shot cluster at .660 inch. The Hornady V-Max also had the best average of five-shot groups at 1.5 inches.

Savage Engineering
“Savage didn’t make the decision to enter the modern sporting rifle market on a whim, and the configurations didn’t happen overnight,” said JJ Reich, Savage’s communications manager. “We’re best known for our purpose-built bolt actions. But few people realize Savage has also been in the AR business, off and on, for years, quietly creating high-quality barrels for other manufacturers, all the while honing the process to a fine art.”

For barrels on all MSR 15s, Savage employs 5R rifling. Traditional rifling cuts a symmetrical series of four to six lands and grooves directly across from each other. It works and has produced some very accurate rifle barrels. Unfortunately, the 90-degree corners where the lands meet the grooves are hard to clean; fouling can and does build up here, eventually degrading accuracy.

Plus, placing lands directly across from each other constricts bullets tightly, which can lead to deformation and negatively affect accuracy. In 5R rifling, lands are slightly slanted, in a more polygonal shape. They’re easier to clean and less prone to collect fouling. Lands are lined up across from grooves, cradling the bullet just enough to spin it without unnecessary constriction.

MSR 15 Recon 3

Savage also treats all MSR barrels, inside and out, with its “Melonite QPQ” process, the latter part being short for “quench, polish, quench.” The Melonite thermochemical process produces a long-lasting, non-reflective finish harder than chrome and that produces less friction, providing first-rate wear and corrosion resistance

In other words, there’s no worry about wetness, grime or oil sneaking in a degrading the reliability or accuracy of the gun.

Furniture on the Recon includes a free-floating M-LOK handguard and a Blackhawk Knoxx AR grip. The Knoxx grip filled my hand nicely and provided a very tactile surface. The full-length handguard offers plenty of attachment points for a variety of accessories.

The rifle’s twist rate of 1:8 should allow it to handle all loads fine, except maybe the heaviest (1:7 is usually best for these), which means recreational shooters, varmint hunters, plinkers and those needing an AR for home defense should find the Recon a solid, hard-working choice.

 

 

Editor Notes: This article is from the Fall 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gun Review: Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler

Paired with the 22 Nosler, the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon is a rifle designed to precisely knock the stuffing out of any varmint unlucky enough to end up in its crosshairs.

What the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler Brings to the Table

  • Chambered in the powerful 22 Nosler, the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon brings break-neck velocities to the AR platform.
  • Upon testing, the Varmageddon lived up to its billing, pushing 55-grain projectiles better than 3,000 fps on average.
  • The rifle and ammunition were a match made in heaven when it came to accuracy, repeatedly printing sub-MOA groups at 100 yards.
  • The Varmageddon is built to excel at precise work, boasting a crisp-breaking Geissele SD-E Trigger and highly adaptable Magpul PRS stock.
  • While comparable to a lengthened and necked down 6.8 SPC, the proprietary 22 Nosler is a breed of its own.
  • Tempting as it might be, the 22 Nosler is not compatible with the AR's presently chambered 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem.
  • Already a dynamite choice for varmints and predators, given the choice of heftier projectiles, the Varmageddon in 22 Nosler could be a medium-game option.

At the 2017 SHOT Show, the shooting sports industry’s largest trade show, Nosler introduced its newest round, the 22 Nosler. Nosler claimed this new round was the fastest, most powerful .22-caliber centerfire round available that would reliably feed and function in the AR — capable of pushing a 55-grain Nosler Trophy Grade bullet at 3,350 feet per second (fps) from an AR-15 fitted with an 18-inch barrel, and a 77-grain Match Grade competition bullet at 2,950 fps. At nearly 300 fps faster than a standard .223 Remington/ 5.56 NATO, the 22 Nosler delivered 30-percent more energy than either round.

A few months later, Noveske Rifleworks, of Grants Pass, Ore., and working in conjunction with Nosler, debuted a new version of its Varmageddon AR rifle, offering it in, yes, 22 Nosler.

A new round and a new rifle. It was a combination begging to be tried out, and that’s exactly what I did recently, matching a new-in-the-box Varmageddon with both the 55-grain and 77-grain versions of the 22 Nosler ammunition. I topped the rig with another relative newcomer to the shooting sports, a Trijicon AccuPower 1-8×28 scope.

Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler arms hunters with a precise and powerful rifle.

Results? Impressive. As advertised, the new 22 Nosler is an FPS screamer. It’s also very accurate. At the same time, the 22 Nosler Varmageddon rifle is a pleasure to shoot, has a fine trigger and feels great on the shoulder.

Range Time
At my local outdoor shooting range, I zeroed the Varmageddon at 50 yards using the 55-grain Trophy Grade round, shooting from a sandbag rest. Then, I took on targets at 100 yards. Right from the start, I was very impressed with the accuracy achieved from this scope/rifle/round combination.

With the 55-grain round, my best three-shot group was .433 inch, my best four-shot group was .623 inch, and my best five-shot cluster came in at .940 inch. The 77-grain Match Grade load did fine, too, with groups of .681 and .609 inch for three- and four-shot groups, respectively. And I actually punched six shots into a 1.00-inch group!

That .681-inch three-shot group, by the way, was done with my very last three shots. At that point, the rifle had seen over 200 rounds through it, and, even with a cool-down period midway through, the barrel was hot enough to blister the skin. And it was still shooting sub-MOA!

Range results of the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler.

Then, I chronographed both rounds using my PACT Professional XP Chronograph from Brownells. Firing 10 rounds of each, the 55-grain Trophy Grade locked in at an average of 3,308.2 fps, and the 77-grain Match Grade averaged 2,815.3 fps. That put the 55-grain load within 48 fps of Nosler’s stated velocity, and within 135 fps of the velocity for the 77-grain bullet.

One Sweet Shooter
Working with Nosler, Noveske introduced its first Varmageddon rifles several years ago, chambering them in the most popular varmint cartridges, including .223. The Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler makes the above-cited accuracy easier to achiever than a lot of similar AR’s, and it all starts with the trigger. The two-stage Geissele. SD-E Trigger is extremely smooth, with a 2.2-pound first stage, followed by a 1.11-pound pull to actually fire the rifle. It resets quickly, too.

The Varmageddon’s Magpul furniture is comfortable and looks good, too. The PRS stock is easy to adjust for length of pull, cant and comb-height. It even sports two short picatinny mounting points along the bottom read edge of the butt for use of a monopod. The MOE Grip provides a hand-filling, tactile feel, with a built-in storage compartment.

Precision built, the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler is a pleasure to shoot.

The ambidextrous safety is easily operated with one thumb, and the magazine release ejects the magazine with authority. The Noveske Super Bad Ass Charging Handle is also one of the easiest and most functional charging handles I have ever used, and it greatly decreases the chances of short stroking the handle and creating a feeding malfunction.

The only problem I can see with the Varmageddon is its weight. All by itself, the rifle tips the scales at 10 pounds. Add a scope, mounting hardware and ammunition, and you are probably at 11.5 pounds. For a bench shooter taking on a field of prairie dogs, that weight is no big deal. Yet for the varmint or predator hunter who does a good deal of hiking in search of prey, 11 or 12 pounds can be a real load. He or she will want to invest in a solid two-point sling and a good set of shooting sticks before taking the Varmageddon afield.

A Whole New Animal
The magazines for the 22 Nosler are actually standard 6.8 Remington SPC magazines. So, does that mean the 22 Nosler is a reconfigured 6.8 SPC round?

Not so, said Mason Payer, Nosler’s marketing manager.

“Really, there is no parent cartridge,” said Payer. “The 22 Nosler is its own animal. The closest design which could be claimed is a 6.8 Rem. SPC that has been lengthened, necked down to .22 caliber, given a 30-degree shoulder and had the rim rebated to 0.378 inches. Or, you could say it is a .30-30 Winchester that has been shortened, necked down to .22 caliber, given a 30-degree shoulder and had the rim rebated to 0.378 inches.”

The 22 Nosler round is in a class by itself.

He added, “In the end, it’s easier to say it is what it is: a new cartridge!”

The Varmageddon is the first complete rifle available in 22 Nosler, but it certainly won’t be the last. Payer noted that at least 10 rifle makers are currently working on complete rifles chambered in 22 Nosler, and even more gun makers are producing 22 Nosler uppers.

I suspect some rifle makers are currently designing — if not actually manufacturing — 22 Nosler bolt actions, too. While the 55-grain ballistic tip bullet leaves an 18-inch AR barrel at an extremely fast 3,300 fps, the same round in a 24-inch barrel rockets out at an amazing 3,500 fps. Similarly, the 77-grain target round is rated at 3,100 fps with that 24-inch barrel, an increase of a good 200 fps from the 18-inch barrel.

For those shooters who love speed — and there are many, many of us — harnessing that 3,500 fps will be very attractive, and a bolt action will likely be the way to go.

Making the Transition
If you already own an AR-15 in .223 Rem./5.56 NATO, you might be tempted to tinker with your rig to make 22 Nosler work. But do not try this! As Payer stressed, you can’t simply open up a .223 Remington chamber to fit 22 Nosler specifications. The shoulder of the 22 Nosler was set back to a slightly shorter dimension than the .223 Remington to prevent the .223 Rem. from being accidentally chambered in a 22 Nosler.

“Because of this, in order to convert a .223 Remington AR-15 barrel to 22 Nosler, you would need to remove the barrel extension, set the barrel back one turn, re-chamber the barrel to 22 Nosler, and then reinstall the barrel extension while keeping the gas port precisely at the 12 o’clock vertical position,” Payer said. “Realistically, this would require the services of a qualified gunsmith.”

Tempting as it might be, a AR isn't able to shoot 22 Nosler without some major modifications.

It’s much safer and cheaper to simply invest in a 22 Nosler upper, swap out that upper with your existing AR-15 and then buy a few 6.8 SPC magazines.

Currently, the only ammo choices are the 55-grain Trophy and the 77-grain Match rounds, both of which are made by Nosler. The company also will be introducing other 22 Nosler ammo options in 2017. Expect other manufacturers to begin offering their own versions of the ammunition, too.

For reloaders, Nosler offers 22 Nosler brass and bullets. Reloading information can be found at 22Nosler.com.

Parting Shots
Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler specs.
Whether or not the 22 Nosler is going to set the AR World on fire is unknown. But a very fast round that can reach out at long distance, and is damned accurate, will certainly find a home with many shooters.

The 22 Nosler would seem to have potential hunting applications for medium-sized game, too. Nosler currently manufactures a 90-grain Ballistic Tip Hunting Bullet in 6mm. If Nosler took its 77-grain load and reconfigured the bullet into a Ballistic Hunting Tip? Hunters would have a round quite capable of taking down deer-sized game, opening up the 22 Nosler to even more shooters.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the July 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Review: Bushmaster Minimalist Gets Back to Basics

Bushmaster Minimalist gets back to basics in AR-15 designed.

The Bushmaster Minimalist returns to the origins of the AR design, offering a lightweight and nimble multipurpose rifle.

Bushmaster Minimalist Review Snapshot:

  • The new Bushmaster Minimalist offers everything you need and nothing you don't
  • Available in 5.56 NATO or .300 BLK, the Minimalist is a capable, lightweight carbine
  • With its ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger, the Minimalist is plenty accurate
  • Other features include AAC SquareDrop handguard and Mission First Tactical furniture

In the past several years, there has been a noticeable shift in how some AR platform rifles are being made. The shift is, in a sense, “back,” as in, back to an original concept. The AR, after all, was designed to be a lighter rifle. That might seem like a radical idea, given that I’ve hefted AR-15s, which were all of 9 pounds, unloaded, and AR-10s that could have doubled as free weights for arm curls.

Yet, as designed over 50 years ago by Eugene Stoner, the AR platform was supposed to be a light and nimble rifle, easy to carry and quick to deploy. And those design parameters are what gun manufacturers like Bushmaster are getting back to — in Bushmaster’s case with the recent debut of its new Minimalist-SD chambered in 5.56mm and .300 AAC Blackout (BLK).

I had several range sessions with a new production model Minimalist-SD in .300 BLK, as well as a three-day predator hunt with the rifle in Eastern Nevada. The Minimalist in .300 BLK is accurate, fast handling and easy to carry, in hand and with a sling. The rifle strikes me as handy enough for home-defense duties, yet still stout enough caliber-wise (in the .300 BLK) to make a good mid-range hunter for varmints, predators and larger game up to the size of deer and hogs.

Depending on the type of event, it could well be used in various shooting competitions, too.

At the Range
For my accuracy testing, I used three types of .300 BLK ammunition: Barnes’ VOR-TX with a 120-grain TAC-TX bullet; Dynamic Research Technologies’ 135-grain hollowpoint; and SIG Sauer’s Elite Performance load with the 120-grain HT bullet.

Bushmaster Minimalist's shooting range performance.

I also used a new riflescope for this phase of the testing, a Steiner P4Xi, and mounted it to the rifle with a rock-solid Alamo Four Star DLOC-M4-30MM mount. I shot the rifle at my local outdoor range, firing from a sandbagged rest; I first zeroed the Minimalist at 50 yards and then fine-tuned the rifle and scope rig at 100 yards. Accuracy testing was done at the 100-yard mark, and I have to admit I fired off my groups rather quickly, as befitting the functionality of an AR rifle.

My best overall five-shot group was with the Barnes VOR-TX ammunition, and it measured .958 inch. Overall, the Barnes also scored the tightest average groups, too, at just under 1.20 inches. The other two ammo brands punched in many five-shot groups at well under 2 inches, including a 1.12-inch group from the DRT and a 1.34-incher from the SIG Elite.

I didn’t get what I would call “tack-driving” accuracy and precision from the Minimalist, but I found the accuracy to be on par for what I normally experience with .300 BLK in ARs with 16-inch barrels.

Others might well have different experiences, but I’ve rarely found the .300 BLK in this platform to be a sub-MOA rifle. I think it’s the caliber more than anything, and for that same reason, I’d expect the Minimalist-SD in 5.56 NATO to produce noticeably tighter groups — I just find the 5.56 to be more accurate, from rifle to rifle, than the .300 BLK.

Bushmaster Minimalist in .300 Blackout.

Also, as I noted, I was firing off my groups fairly fast. So credit my fast trigger finger for somewhat larger groups (in all probability) than what would have happened had I taken more time between shots.

My Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge measured the Minimalist trigger pull at an average of 4.51 pounds. The ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger snaps off cleanly, with little to no overtravel, and it also resets very quickly. With its rifle-length AAC SquareDrop handguard, the Minimalist-SD allows for fast, solid attachment of accessories at seven different angles. Of course, as you are adding accessories, you are also adding weight — but at least you start off with a light rifle.

The Mission First Tactical Minimalist Stock is light, extends out easily and is comfortable. The only problem the stock represents is that the hooked butt could very well snag if you are moving through thick vegetation with the rifle held barrel forward. I had this occur a few times on my Nevada hunt and had to make sure I was carrying the rifle at port arms or with the barrel point down to avoid catching the hooked stock on the sea of sagebrush I often waded through.

The Minimalist employs a direct-impingement gas system. And it functions just fine. I shot off well in excess of 400 rounds of ammunition through my Minimalist and didn’t have a single jam up or even one extraction problem. The empty brass kicked out nicely, ending up at a consistent 5 feet or so from my shooting position.

Bushmaster Minimalist upper and lower receivers.

The Minimalist Afield
Unfortunately, the hunt I did with the Minimalist didn’t go as hoped. The Nevada coyotes we were after either did not get the memo to show up — or they received the memo and figured they were better off elsewhere! What I can say about the rifle was that it was a joy to carry on the many, many sets we did, in terrain that varied from sagebrush flats to steep foothills to muddy trails. And I really appreciated the rifle’s lack of weight at the end of our hunt when a particularly bad patch of mud grabbed up our truck and held it hostage. We had to hike it four miles, at night, back to the main road to get a ride to our motel. I was very glad I was not toting a 10-pound AR.

Leaner and Meaner
So, how did Bushmaster achieve this lightweight package, with the Minimalist-SD in .300 BLK coming in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and the 5.56 model at an even 6 pounds?

“The main weight savings are in the pencil-weight barrel on the 5.56,” said Adam Ballard, Bushmaster’s Senior Product Manager for Modern Sporting Rifles. “Obviously, the .300 BLK model needed a thicker barrel. But it also has a larger bore, so it’s only slightly heavier, adding just three ounces to the rifle.”

Another area where weight was pared off was the SquareDrop handguard. As Ballard noted, “It’s very slim in outer dimensions, and all the modular cutouts removed that much more material.”

Bushmaster Minimalist specsEven with trimming out a good deal of weight, Bushmaster still managed to deliver many features that might be considered upgrades on other AR’s, including a Melonite finish, an AAC 51T Blackout fast-attach silencer mount and a lightweight Mission First Tactical Grip and 30-round magazine. The 16-inch barrel is made from chrome-moly steel and is FNC treated to stand up to hard use in most field environments.

“The Minimalist-SD runs great with a silencer, too,” Ballard said, “and the rifle’s lightweight profile makes silencer use not overly tiring.”

Bushmaster decided to produce the .300 BLK models first, so that was what I received. But in April of this year, Bushmaster also began producing the 5.56 version of the rifle and shipping it to dealers.

Both rifles have the same suggested retail prices. I’m not sure if that will hold up for prices paid in-store and across the Internet; one caliber might become more popular than the other, altering the price structure. What I am sure about is that buyers will get lightweight and very functional rifles able to handle most shooting scenarios, in most shooting environments.

Editor's Note: This article is from the July 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Review: Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight

Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight - 1The Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight 1911 is an elegant gun that’s big on power and small on size.

I am a huge fan of 1911-style pistols, and I use them for hunting (especially 10mm Auto models), home defense (night stand .45) and just punching paper at the range. But I’ve shied away from using a 1911 as a concealed carry handgun. Oh, I’ve tried it. And while others might have a different experience, I’ve found that full-sized 1911s are just too large and heavy for me to carry comfortably under a shirt or jacket. 

The last couple years, though, have seen gun makers turning out smaller versions of their 1911s in .45 ACP, specifically with concealed carry in mind. Among the latest entrants into this market—and among the best I’ve used—is Republic Forge’s new Defiant Lightweight 1911. 

At 30 ounces unloaded, the Defiant Lightweight is by no means a pocket pistol. But it is still nifty and fairly compact, a pistol that points naturally, is accurate and looks great. It’s a half-dozen or more ounces lighter than other full-sized Republic Forge 1911s. That weight savings is achieved via a frame made from 7075 T-6 Aluminum (also known as “Aircraft Aluminum”) and a 3.6-inch barrel. 

All that and, with one in the chamber, the Defiant Lightweight still packs seven rounds of .45 ACP stopping power.

My time with the Defiant Lightweight included a day at the range, as well as a day’s concealed carry of the pistol. Range time came first.

For my testing, I used four brands of .45 ACP ammunition, three of them for accuracy testing: Aguila, 230-grain FMJ; American Eagle, 230-grain FMJ; and Remington UMC, 230-grain FMJ.

Accuracy testing was done at 25 yards from a rest. Next, and to better simulate a concealed carry situation, I shot at 10 yards offhand. In both cases, I was impressed with the Lightweight’s accuracy.

At 25 yards from a sandbag rest, the best five-shot group came with the American Eagle load, and measured 1.46 inches. The largest group was 2.43 inches with the Aguila ammunition. Given the Lightweight’s 3.6-inch long barrel, I’m not sure you could really expect much more from a pistol. 

At 10 yards offhand, Remington’s UMC took the top spot with a group right at one inch. The American Eagle held a group of 1.17 inches, while the Aguila hit 1.21 inches. If I took my time? The groups were less than 1.5 inches, no matter which ammo was used.

Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight - 2The only functional problem came after 100 rounds or so had been run through the pistol. With a new magazine inserted, the first round of the American Eagle ammo would not feed into the chamber, the tip of the bullet pressed right against the bottom of the feed ramp.

A quick inspection revealed that the feed ramp was quite dirty. I was without oil or a cleaning spray (I’d left my accessories range bag at home!), so I wet a piece of paper towel with my saliva and wiped the ramp clean.  Once that was done, the American Eagle rounds fed easily enough into the Lightweight.

(Of note, the other two types of ammunition I used didn’t have this feeding problem even with a blackened feed ramp. I’m not sure why, but for some reason the end of the bullet on the American Eagle rounds seemed to stick to the feed ramp, while the others slid over the grime and into the chamber.)

Shooting the Defiant Lightweight was a pleasure. The pistol’s weight naturally dropped down and back into the rear of my palm, snug and comfortable.

The ambidextrous wing safety snapped up/on easily with my right thumb and minimal effort, while it snapped down/off just as nicely. The grip safety required firm pressure, but not the undue squeezing needed for some 1911s I have used.

The magazine release is on the left side of the pistol (though it can be moved to either side), and the magazines popped out with one thumb’s worth of pressure.

The Lightweight’s slide works fairly easy; it isn't 9mm pistol easy, but easier than most 1911s I’ve used. The cocking serrations at the rear of the slide are located at just the right place to assist in pushing back the slide.

The Defiant’s trigger broke at a very crisp 3.5 pounds with no take up. You squeeze the trigger, and the pistol goes off. It resets very quickly, too.

The metal of the front strap is nicely checkered, at 25 lines per inch, providing a superior grip for your bottom three fingers—a great aid to getting back on target after the first shot.

The VZ Grips on the Defiant are amazing. The front halves of the grips, facing the barrel end, are dimpled. The rear halves are crafted from a series of cuts that slant down at about a 45-degree angle.

Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight - 4The dimples grip your shooting hand fingers and the top of the palm of that hand very firmly. Meanwhile, the angled cuts perfectly grip and hold the rear palm of the non-shooting hand, stabilizing the pistol. 

Modified Trijicon Night Sights sit atop the pistol, and they line up fast and naturally.  
According to Jeff Meister, Republic Forge’s Master Gunsmith, the Defiant Lightweight—like all of the gun maker’s pistols—features Republic Forge’s proprietary, patented recoil system featuring a flat wire recoil spring.

“The recoil spring will last for at least 15,000 rounds,” said Meister. 

As far as various options like Cerakoting, colors, different grips and sights, etc., Meister noted that the Republic Forge website has a “Build Your Own 1911” feature that lets you select from the company’s full range of accessories and options. The site will also show you what these options look like on the pistol of your choice and provide you with a price per option/accessory, as well as a final total price.

Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight - performSpeaking of price, the Defiant Lightweight comes in at a hefty $2,995. No small change. At the same time, Meister added, each pistol is handmade, one at a time, at the company’s facility in Perryton, Texas. All parts are American made.

The Defiant, like every Republic Forge pistol, also comes with a Full Lifetime Warranty (minus misuse and abuse of course). Yes, it costs a lot of money. But you get a great deal of gun for that cash. You also get a handgun that, I suspect, will be passed down within your family, for generations to come.

Specifications:

Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action: Single, semi-automatic
Weight: 30 oz. (unloaded)
Frame: Full-sized Commander, made from 7075 T-6 Aluminum
Slide: 4340 Carbon Steel, heat-treated to 38-41 Rockwell
Barrel: 416 Stainless Steel
Barrel Length: 3.6 inches
Trigger: Lightweight, skeletonized
Trigger Pull: 3.5 pounds
Sights: Republic Forge Night Sights with straight-eight Tritium configuration
Price: $2,995
Manufacturer: Republic Forge; RepublicForge.com

Editor's Note: This article is from the March 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Review: Remington New Mexico Rifle

Remington New Mexico rifle - 1The Remington New Mexico AR from Remington's Law Enforcement division is a capable rifle that can meet a variety of needs.

At its annual new products media seminar held this past October, Remington and Remington Law Enforcement showed off its latest AR-15 rifle, the R4 New Mexico, a rifle made for a law enforcement agency located in the state of the same name. “Oh, another AR,” I thought. “Uh-huh.” I didn’t yawn. Yet, the truth is, it’s pretty tough for me to get excited about yet another AR in a firearms world (and market) already awash in AR-15s.

But something in the New Mexico’s spec sheet did catch my attention: a barrel twist rate of 1:7.

I regularly use the .223 Rem./5.56mm for deer and hog hunting and have taken a good number of each animal with the round, including a 310-pound West Texas boar. The AR-15 will do the job—but not if you’re flinging 45-grain varmint loads out of the barrel.

Remington New Mexico rifle - 2For deer- and hog-sized game, I find solid bullets between 62 and 79 grains work best. But these heavier, longer bullets require barrels with a twist rate of 1:7—not the 1:8 and 1:9 that tend to be the norm—needing the faster twist rate to stabilize. You can fire these stouter bullets in barrels with 1:8 and 1:9 twist rates, but they are less accurate; in some cases, I’ve had these bullets tumble in flight, leaving keyholes in paper targets.

So, because of that 1:7 twist rate, I took a closer look at the New Mexico, liked what I saw, and asked Remington for a production unit for testing and evaluation. The rifle arrived in December 2016.

Remington New Mexico rifle - 3Ready to Hunt
The New Mexico comes standard with Troy Battle Sights, front and rear. I removed them and installed an optic on the rifle, a new EOTech Vudu 1-6x24mm, a compact, first focal plane scope with an illuminated BDC reticle.

I was leaving for a hunt soon and wanted to take the New Mexico, so my initial time with the rifle was simply getting used to it and zeroing it for the hunt. Zeroing was very easy, first at 50 yards and then onto the 100-yard targets. Within a few shots, I was placing rounds at or near the bullseye.

The hunt consisted of five days in the Mississippi Delta, mostly from enclosed stands. I did a good deal of walking to the various stands, toting the New Mexico on a two-point sling. The rifle was an easy carry at about 6.5 pounds, and its compact size made it a nice fit inside the stands.

Remington New Mexico rifle - 4It rained over half the time, and the Mississippi Delta was a regular mud fest. So I hunted with a wet and muddy rifle more often than not, and that provided a good, if unintended, field test for the hard-coat black anodized finish on the receivers and the barrel’s manganese phosphate parkerized finish. Wet or muddy, all the New Mexico required was a quick wipe down and it was ready to go. I found no rust anywhere on the outside of the rifle, even after being home a couple weeks and (having forgotten to care for the rifle) finding it in a gun case with dried mud splattered from flash hider to the front half of the handguard.

I took two deer with the New Mexico, one at 212 yards, the other at 242 yards. Both were whitetail does, right around 100 pounds each, and both dropped to through-and-through lung shots. I was impressed with the rifle’s accuracy and utility as a hunting weapon.

Remington New Mexico rifle - 5At the Range
Back home in Wisconsin, I took the New Mexico to the range for a more thorough examination. For accuracy testing, I selected three brands of .223 Rem. ammunition: Federal Premium Vital-Shok with a 62-grain Trophy Bonded tip; Fusion MSR and its 62-grain solid bullet; and Remington Hog Hammer, launching a 62-grain Barnes TSX bullet.

I also brought along a couple .223 Rem. ammo brands loaded with lighter bullets to see how these performed, too.

I shot from a sandbagged rest at 100 yards, outside; the temperature stayed right at 38 degrees Fahrenheit, with no breeze, and an overcast sky.
My very best four-shot group came in at 0.54 inch (measured with my Tool Shop electronic calipers) using the Fusion MSR. The best five-shot group was 0.61 inch with the Remington Hog Hammer.

After I was done with the various 62-grain loads, I also tried out Hornady’s Superformance with a 53-grain V-MAX bullet and pegged five-shot groups of 0.80 and 1.53 inches. Horandy’s Full Boar load with a 50-grain GMX bullet produced 0.95- and 1.20-inch groupings.

Remington New Mexico performanceFrom beginning to end, accuracy was outstanding, and I was most impressed with the last two groups with the Hornady Full Boar. By this point, I had fired over 120 rounds through a barrel that hadn’t been cleaned by me, ever. The barrel itself was hot enough to blister the skin. I was nearly two hours into the evaluation, so I wasn’t at my sharpest, either. And the very last five-shoot groups were still right around 1 inch. That’s some accuracy from a semi-automatic rifle with a 16-inch barrel.

In all the shooting I did—hunting and at the range—I never had a jam, a failure to fire or a failure to extract. The bolt stayed open at the end of every magazine.

The trigger is standard Mil-Spec, but at the higher quality end of Mil-Spec. I’ve used other Mil-Spec triggers that felt like a small file being pulled across sandpaper. Not so here. The trigger on the New Mexico snaps off very cleanly and pops back into the firing position quickly, with little to no overtravel. Some may still want to install an after-market trigger, and that’s fine, but most shooters will do fine without that addition.

Remington New Mexico rifle - 7LE Roots, All-Around Versatility
Remington Law Enforcement (LE) made the New Mexico on a contract with the New Mexico State Patrol after that agency did its own extensive testing with several AR’s.

“They wanted the reliability and the heart of the Mil-Spec AR-15 platform,” said Robin Eaves, of the Remington LE Division’s sales department. “But they wanted it to be lighter and slimmer than many of the ARs currently on the market —more of a ‘one-size-fits-all’ AR for a police force made up of hundreds of individual troopers.”

Much of that was achieved with the use of the SSK 12 mid-length Keymod rail system made by Midwest Industries, plus a Magpul Slim line stock and grip. Other features include a 16-inch M4 profile barrel, made of 4150 CMV steel. The chamber and bore are chrome lined, and the full-auto-rated bolt carrier group has a properly staked gas key. The New Mexico uses a carbine-length, direct impingement gas system and a low-profile gas block.

Remington New Mexico rifle - 6The 1:7 barrel twist, Eaves noted, is the current Mil-Spec for U.S. military AR carbines. Of course, military specifications have changed over the years. During the Vietnam War, the Mil-Spec barrel twist for the 16 was 1:12. As the services went to larger, heavier bullets, that twist rate changed, and currently, Mil-Spec barrel twist rate is, you guessed it, 1:7.

Though the New Mexico was made for law enforcement, anyone can purchase the rifle as long as they go through a Law Enforcement firearms dealer or distributor. LE officers can buy a New Mexico at a substantial discount. Eaves added that other LE agencies are now looking at the New Mexico as their duty rifle, too.

For law enforcement, hunting or recreational shooting, a shooter will find a very accurate and extremely reliable rifle in the New Mexico. It’s a rifle that will protect an officer on duty, punch paper and bring home the wild bacon (or venison), too.

Specifications

Remington New Mexico
Type: Semi-auto, direct impingement gas
Caliber: 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington
Gas System: Carbine-length system
Receivers: Mil-Spec, forged upper and lower, hard-coat black anodized
Barrel: 16 in., 4150 CMV steel, manganese phosphate parkerized finish
Trigger: Single-stage Mil-Spec duty trigger
Length: 33.25-36.25 in.
Weight: 6.5 lbs. (approx)
Handguard: Midwest Industries SSK 12 mid-length KeyMod rail
Stock: Magpul SL
Grip: Magpul SL grip
Sights: Troy Industries front and rear Folding Battle Sights
Capacity: 30 rounds
Price: Non-LE buyers – $1,715; LE customers – $1,299
Manufacturer: Remington Law Enforcement

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the May 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gun Review: Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield -1Smith & Wesson's new M&P45 Shield packs the firepower of the potent .45 Auto cartridge into the manufacturer's classic single-stack carry pistol.

First introduced in 2012, the M&P Shield line of pistols has been a huge success for Smith & Wesson, with the company selling 1 million Shields by November 2015. Slim and trim, the single-stack 9mm and .40 S&W models are a favorite with concealed carriers. But if there was one complaint, it was that the Shield wasn’t available in a larger caliber. Until now.

At the NRA Annual Meetings, Smith & Wesson launched the M&P45 Shield chambered in .45 ACP. It is a bit heavier than previous models but has essentially the same proportions as its smaller-caliber cousins.

“We were often asked at trade and consumer shows, ‘When are you coming out with a Shield in 45?'” said Jan Mladek, Smith & Wesson’s director of marketing. “Listening to our consumers, combined with our own market research, made it clear that we needed to develop an M&P Shield to chamber the popular .45 Auto.”

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield - 2I received a 45 Shield for testing and can say without hesitation that it is accurate and reliable. It will be on many people’s short list for carry, especially for those who want a smaller pistol with the ability to pack 6+1 or 7+1 rounds of the mighty .45 ACP.

For accuracy and function testing, the .45 Auto ammunition brands I used were American Eagle’s Syntech 230-grain FMJ, Creedmoor Ammunition 230-gr. FMJ, and Remington UMC 230-grain FMJ.

Also, for general shooting practice and functionality, I added two more .45 ACP loads to the mix: Dynamic Research Technologies 150-grain HP frangible and SRPS Team Never Quit Ammunition’s 155-grain HP frangible.

With well over 300 rounds through the M&P45 Shield, I experienced zero malfunctions. Every round fed fine and ejected positively; the slide stayed open when each magazine was empty.

Smith and Wesson M&P45 Shield - 3The slide and the barrel on the .45 Shield are both stainless steel and are finished in black Armornite, a very durable and corrosion-resistant finish. The M&P45 Shield came with two seven-round magazines, one a flush-fit model, the other an extended model.

Once I began firing the pistol, the first thing I really noticed was the texture on the pistol’s butt. As Mladek told me, “The 45 Shield has a new, more aggressive texture compared to our other Shield models, and it was developed for the heavier recoil of the .45 Auto round.”

I find the recoil on most mid-sized 9mm and .40 S&W’s snappy — sharp and mostly up — including Shields. The recoil on the M&P45 Shield is more substantial than these smaller calibers, of course! Yet, it’s more of a shove back into the hand versus the snappy up-pulse of the 9mm and .40 S&W Shields. The new texturing on the .45 Shield grabs the skin of the hand in a way that directs the recoil more or less straight back toward the forearm.

Of course, there is muzzle flip. You are firing a .45 Auto load out of a 3.3-inch barrel, after all. But that texturing helps you get back on target quite fast.

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield - 5Much of my range work with the new Shield was done in temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s, with very high humidity. Sweaty hands didn’t affect the superior grip on the Shield a bit. I also did my own “water test,” pouring water onto my hand and the butt of the pistol, rubbing the water into the texturing and then popping off two magazines fairly fast. My grip was still rock solid; my hand might as well have been dry.

The M&P Shields were known for pretty good triggers, and Smith & Wesson went one better with the 45 Shield, incorporating a lighter, crisper trigger; the striker-firing system makes for a fast reset, too. The trigger is also hinged, and it won’t pull back unless the tip is first engaged. A Lyman Trigger Pull Gauge measured the Shield’s trigger pull at 5.6 pounds.

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield - 6The M&P45 Shield can be had with or without a thumb safety. Mine had the safety, and it actually snapped in and out of the safe position with my thumb (not always the case with some semi-autos). The magazine release worked fine, popping out the magazine easily. I found the slide stop a little tough to engage at first. You have to move the slide all the way back to get it to engage, and it takes some practice to time the back movement of the slide with your finger pushing up on the slide stop.

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield - dataTo test accuracy, I did 25-yard shots from a rest, firing five-round groups and printing three to five groups per brand of ammunition. For a short-barrel semi-auto, I thought the accuracy was impressive. This was especially true with the Creedmoor Ammunition, a relative newcomer to the ammo industry, which laid in two five-shot groups at just over 2 inches, one at 1.83 inches, and — the overall winner of all the ammo tested — a 1.49-inch group.

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield - 6I decided a more complete testing of accuracy would need to include the M&P45 Shield at closer ranges, too, so I did the same five-round groups with the same ammo brands at 10 yards, firing from a rest. Not surprisingly, groups shrunk, by nearly a full inch.

I also used the M&P45 Shield for my daily concealed carry for the better part of a week. I used an inside-the-waistband Sticky Holster (Model MD-4) and tucked it into the small of my back. I found the 45 Shield comfortable to carry. That aggressive texturing also makes it easier to grab onto and withdraw than a number of other carry pistols I have tried.

All in all, the Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield is one fine pistol — slim and concealable, easy to use, accurate and packs that .45 Auto punch. I’ve got nothing against smaller calibers, but if an armed confrontation is coming my way? Well, in that case, I’d much prefer a carry pistol that can launch .45 ACP self-defense loads downrange versus 9mm or even .40 S&W. That’s my personal preference, and it is a comforting one.

Specifications:

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield
Type: Semi-auto, striker-fired
Frame Size: Compact Slim
Caliber: .45 Auto
Capacity: 7+1, 6+1
Barrel: 3.3 in., stainless steel, Armornite finish
Overall Length: 6.45 in.
Trigger: 5.6 lbs. (as tested)
Sights: steel, white three dot
Width: 0.99 in.
Height: 4.88 in.
Grip: Polymer, textured
Weight: 20.5 oz. (empty)
Frame: Polymer
Slide: Stainless steel, Armornite finish
Finish: Black
MSRP: $479
Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the December 2016 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Masterful Micro: Remington RM380 Review

Remington RM380 -FRemington’s little RM380 might be small, but it delivers plenty of performance when called upon.

I really wasn’t impressed at first. Yes, Remington staff told us their new pistol was small, a “micro,” as they called it. But when I got my first look at the new semi-automatic pistol, all I could think was: This baby boy is tiny. Palm-sized. Sure, that meant great concealability, and certainly Remington made the RM380 for the concealed carry market.

But I guess my love of the 1911 pistol has created certain biases in my thinking about handguns, like the notion that really small can’t be really effective.

landeen-RM380-2And then I shot the RM380—several hundred times in fact—over the next two days at the Gunsite training facility in Paulden, Arizona, in March 2015 at Remington’s early launch of this new pistol. I pretty much drilled everything I aimed to hit. Admittedly, I was shooting at close range, 10 yards and under for most of the shots, and some within just 3 yards.

My time at Gunsite let me examine those 1911 biases of mine and then begin to move beyond them. I had to admit that, just as you don’t expect a sub-compact car to run the Indy 500, the RM380 wasn’t designed as a long-range handgun capable of taking down a water buffalo at 150 yards. It is what it is: a small and very concealable handgun quite capable of quickly putting six rounds into the center mass of a target/aggressor at 10 yards or less. Seven rounds if you put one in the chamber and then slap in a fully loaded magazine.

In fact, at Gunsite my RM380 printed silver-dollar-sized groups of four and five shots at 7 yards and kill zone hits out to 15 yards, again and again.

One potential problem I saw: The RM380 I used at Gunsite was a pre-production model, not a production model a person could actually buy. Which led me to potential problem number two: Remington’s other small handgun, the R51, a 9mm sub-compact, was also a pretty decent little shooter in the pre-production phase. But when the pistol was actually released to the public in 2014 it had many, many quality control issues—so many that Remington issued a complete recall on it.

So I was interested to see what would happen with the RM380 when it went from pre-production to an actual factory-run. I was able to answer that question in October 2015 when I received a RM380 that had come right off the production line at Remington’s new facility in Huntsville, Alabama.

landeen-RM380-1After 100-plus rounds, using five different types of ammunition, I concluded that my production RM380 preformed as well as the pre-production model I’d used earlier. It’s a solid, accurate little handgun, very concealable, and one I plan on carrying at times when a bigger pistol just won’t fit my clothing or the situation.

There are a number of small semi-automatic carry pistols on the market today, and the majority of them are single action. Not the RM380. It’s a double-action. The trigger pull Remington rates at 10 pounds, which means you have to give the trigger a very purposeful squeeze for the hammer to come all the way back and then release. So you can pull the RM380 out of a pocket or holster with few worries about it accidently going off.

landeen-RM380-4This also makes the trigger pull fairly long, and some of the people who test fired the RM380 with me at Gunsite definitely didn’t like that feature. They were used to single actions, which traditionally have much lighter, easier to pull triggers (3- to 4-pound pulls). But you also have to carry them locked and loaded with the safety on.

If the RM380 looks familiar to some, that’s because the design is based on another pistol, the Rohrbaugh R9, a small semi-auto once produced by Rohrbaugh Firearms of New York. Last year, Remington bought Rohrbaugh and set about revamping the little pistol.

While keeping the basic design, Remington reworked the recoil system to make it much more durable, and added a slide stop lever and fixed front and rear sights.

Weighing in just a bit more than 12 ounces, the all-metal (minus the grips) RM380 has a 2.9-inch stainless steel barrel; the entire pistol measurers just 5.27 inches long. It has a fully functional slide stop that holds open at the last round, an ambidextrous magazine release and an extended beavertail grip.

Disassembly is very easy. Turn the RM380 at a 90-degree angle on its left side and gently pull back the slide until the takedown pin is aligned with the appropriate holes in the frame. Give it a jiggle and the takedown pin will fall out and the slide will disengage from the frame.

By the way, the takedown pin will not fall out if the RM380 is fired while being held sideways, a concern some shooters voiced when the first RM380s hit the market. The slide must be held back in place for the pin to be removed.

landeen-RM380-7Problems? The slide release holds back the slide fine and is recessed to avoid it snagging on clothing and gear. However, like a number of small pistols, the slide release is difficult to work when you want to actually release the slide. It’s much easier to pull back on the top of the slide to rack in a round.

The sights are small. Very small. You could argue that a .380-caliber micro need not have great sights. At micro pistol distances, you are going to be pointing and shooting, correct?

I still would like a better sight picture. Smaller caliber bullets mean bullet placement is even more important. I don’t know if Remington has plans to upgrade these sights or not, though I’d bet some manufacturer will produce an aftermarket sight or sight upgrade kit for the RM380.

Speaking of aftermarket accessories, several manufacturers are now making holsters for the RM380, both inside and outside the waistband. Crimson Trace has also made a laser sight for the pistol, the Model LG-479.

The RM380 looks to be a strong seller for Remington, especially with the $417 price tag.

Specifications:

Remington RM380
Type: Double-Action, Semi-Auto
Caliber: .380 Auto
Capacity: 6+1
Barrel Length: 2.9 in.
Barrel Material: 410 Stainless Steel
Twist Rate: 1:16-in.
Overall Length: 5.27 in.
Overall Height: 3.86 in.
Grip Material: Glass-filled nylon
Grip Design: Removable, replacement grip panels
Sights: Fixed
Trigger: Approx. 10 lbs.
Weight: 12.2 oz. (unloaded, w/o magazine)
MSRP: $417
Manufacturer: Remington

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the 2016 Concealed Carry Special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Handguns Lead the Way, While Long Gun Sales Plug Along

5_landeen-FNS-9C-8149Mike HowellBullock's Guns-n-More Inc., Flint, Mich.

Handguns are currently the top movers at Bullock's Guns-n-More Inc., notes Sales and Purchasing Manager Mike Howell.

“Our best sellers are Smith and Wesson M&P Shields in 9mm and .40 S&W calibers at $389.95,” said Howell. “Midsize Glock Generation 4 Models 19 and 23, at $539.95, and SCCY CPX-2 9mms, for $269.95, sell steadily. Customers want reliability and value, and these guns have good track records and price points.”

Long gun sales are nowhere near as strong. Yet, Bullock’s moves a respectable number of AR-15 rifles, notably the DPMS Oracle 5.56, and home defense shotguns like the Mossberg Persuader 12-gauge Pistol Grip Pumps at $349.95.

“We were in a shotgun/muzzleloader only zone for deer hunting, but we had a change to the hunting regulations last year, and now hunters can use straight-walled cartridge rifles above .35 caliber,” Howell explains. “So, .357 and .44 Magnum rifles are doing well for us, and so are .450 Bushmaster Uppers.”

A trend Howell has noticed among firearms accessories is customers coming to the store to replace items they already bought—online. “Consumers want value, but they also want products that work as advertised. They buy accessories online, then discover they are not what they thought or they do not meet their needs.”

Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.


Defensive-Pistol-Collection

Sharpen Your Defensive Shooting Skills

Are you prepared for the moment when your handgun skills could be called upon to save a life? You will be with the Defensive Pistol Shooting Skills Collection. This kit is designed to give you the knowledge and tools to perform under stress. Experts like Richard Mann and Grant Cunningham provide the tips, skills and drills you need to practice—so you're always ready with your self-defense handgun. Learn More

Vintage Long Guns Returning to Nebraska Hunting Fields

german-bolt-1Jeff McIntyre – Nebraska Gun, Lincoln, Neb.

While Nebraska Gun offers a full selection of new long guns and handguns, owner Jeff McIntyre says his establishment caters to what he terms the “experienced hobbyist” interested in more vintage firearms, often with an eye to using these older guns afield.

“I sell quite a few rifles, like pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 Featherweights, where the buyer tells me he thinks the rifle deserves a little time out in the field on a hunt,” says McIntyre. “They may not use the rifle for the entire deer season, for example. But they think it would be a neat experience to take a deer with the rifle.”

A recent Featherweight in 30-06, for example, sold here for $780.

Similarly, McIntyre recently sold a Belgian Browning A5 Magnum in 12 gauge to a man whose whole goal in buying the shotgun was to use it on Nebraska upland game.

McIntyre has seen a shift in interest in World War Two firearms. M1’s are still quite popular. But whereas German firearms from the war were in strong demand, the collectors he sees today are more interested in Japanese and even Italian military weapons of the period.

Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

The STAR Rifle: A New Star Among Tactical Bolt Guns

The Star Rifle Review.

The STAR rifle takes customization to a whole new level, offering a platform that adjusts to fit any shooter.

The Star Rifle Review. The first time I saw the new Sisk Tactical Adaptive Rifle or STAR up close, my initial thought was, “Another tactical bolt gun—Why?” And then I picked it up. My second thought: “This darn thing’s way heavy!”

Okay, I was not impressed. But then I spent a day shooting the rifle with inventor and gun maker Charlie Sisk himself, followed by a two-day session with the rifle at the Gunsite Academy, one of the country’s premier firearms training facilities. And with those two experiences, I now know that the STAR is actually a very accurate and flexible rifle, has many tactical applications, and can be an effective hunter, too.

Even though, yes, it is still heavy.

Charlie Sisk, of Dayton, Texas, made an impressive name for himself over the years with the custom hunting rifles he built at Sisk Rifles, LLC (SiskGuns.com). But as that market started to peter out several years ago, Sisk turned his attention to more tactical platforms. As he told me, one thing always bothered him about rifles in general.

“You have to fit yourself around the rifle,” Sisk said. “But we all have different builds and different ways we hold rifles. Did you ever get a rifle you couldn’t hit a thing with, but someone else got it to shoot just fine? I’d bet a lot of money it simply didn’t fit that first shooter—and never will.”

Sisk continues, “So, when I was designing the STAR, the big thing I wanted to do was make a rifle you could make fit to you. And re-adjust quickly in different scenarios, if needed.”

Sisk builds his STARs on either a Remington 700 action or one of the Savage long- and short-action receivers. (The STARs I used were all made with Remington 700 actions.) For my intro, Sisk went over the various features with me and—once he was sure I knew how to manipulate the adjustment controls—gave me a simple order.

“Set it up so it feels right—for you.”

I’ve used a rifle with adjustable stocks. But this was quite a different experience. First, I adjusted the buttstock laterally, tilting it from side to side via an adjustable joint at the stock’s wrist. This joint spins and locks into place, allowing a shooter to dial in a custom fit for maximum cheek weld and fit to your upper body structure.

The Star Rifle Review. Next, I worked the buttstock adjustment, adding and subtracting length until it felt correct. I also found that—on Sisk’s advice—the butt pad fit my shoulder best when spun around 180 degrees, technically upside down.

I made the comb fit my cheek. Last, I went back over the initial adjustments to make sure it all still fit right. It did.

True, the now-adjusted buttstock had a bent and twisted look to it—like it had been dropped down the side of a cliff and bounced off several boulders! Yet, it fit me like no rifle ever has; I lined up behind the scope at just the right height and distance without having to adjust myself to the rifle.

The handguard of the STAR is also extremely adjustable, spinning around 360 degrees, and locking into place at nearly any position. With a bi-pod attached, the handguard allows for all kinds of different braced shooting possibilities—more on that later.

This particular STAR was going to be picked up by a local police officer (Texas police SWAT Teams have bought a good number of STARs already). It was a Remington 700 in .223. This rifle had a #2 contour Lilja barrel, 18-inches long, detachable magazine, outfitted with a SureFire SOCOM 762-RC suppressor and a Nightforce 3.5-15×50 NXS scope with a MOAR reticle. It also had a very smooth and creep-free Timney Trigger, model 517.

Video: Sisk STAR Rifle Review


I first fired several shots at 30 yards on Sisk’s enclosed range to make sure I was on paper, made adjustments and moved to the 100-yard target. My first shot hit the bullseye on the top and left, about 11 o’clock. The second shot touched the first on the edge towards the bullseye. Third shot?

“Damn!” I exclaimed having pulled the shot, blowing my chances for that picture-perfect three-shots-touching group. “I screwed up,” I said to Sisk, who stood several feet next to me, his eye to a spotting scope. “It wasn’t the rifle.”

“Well, you know, that’s not so bad,” Sisk said. “That third shot is less than a half inch from the first two.”

I put my eye back onto the Nightforce. So, that made this grouping slightly over one-half inch, then? Huh!

I then spent several hours shooting the STAR outside at a variety of targets, at ranges out to 280 yards. At Gunsite in Paulden, Arizona, a month later, I put 100 rounds through another STAR, this one also built on a Remington 700 action but chambered in .308 Win.

The Star Rifle Review.

Our targets at Gunsite were steel pop ups and 4- to 6-inch disks, made by MGM Targets, a co-sponsor of the event. I fired from various positions—prone, standing and standing with forearm and bi-pod turned to one side and using the bipod as a brace against a pole. I also shot from hillsides, one bi-pod leg extended farther than the other. That position worked surprisingly well because, by rotating the barrel within the handguard, I essentially removed cant.

I didn’t miss more than a handful of times, and while I’d like to take all the credit for that shooting, the truth is the rifle was a pleasure to shoot and put me on target with a comfortable and very steady rifle platform that can shoot sub-MOA all day long.

I’d always assumed that a tactical rifle for law enforcement would need to be light as movement was key to shooting scenarios. This can certainly be the case. But a couple of officers I talked to also told me that most SWAT-type calls had them setting up in position and waiting—sometimes for hours in a hostage situation or with a barricaded shooter.

In such cases, the officer has to have the rifle on target and ready—again, potentially for hours at a time. Here, the STAR excels. With bi-pod legs extended, handguard turned and locked into place, you can brace the bi-pod legs against a pole or wall, lean into the STAR and keep your rifle on target, essentially hands free if needed.

The ability to offset the stock to one side also has another big advantage: Officers can use the STAR while wearing gas masks.

The STAR has solid hunting applications, but with this large caveat: The STAR I used at Gunsite weighed a good 11.5 pounds without scope, bi-pod and ammunition. This is not the kind of rifle you are taking out West on a hunt that has you climbing up steep slopes. Run-and-gun hunting? Forget it.

The Star Rifle Review.
The author with the versatile STAR Rifle.

But in a fixed position, like a shooting house, a stand or prone on a hilltop? The rifle will do a hunter just fine.

Sisk tells me he is looking to incorporate some lighter laminate into the construction of future STAR models and is examining ways to carve some weight out of the receiver. Customers can also order the STAR with a lower profile Lilja barrel, further reducing the weight to less than 10 pounds.

At over $5,000, the cost, of course, is substantial. But take a scan of the current custom-made tactical bolt rifle offerings, and you might be surprised to discover that the STAR is actually about middle of the pack price-wise.

Standard Model STAR
Actions: Remington 700 right hand short-action or Savage long- or short-action
Caliber: Nearly any centerfire caliber a customer wants.
Stock: STAR Tactical stock in black
Barrel: #7 Lilja contour barrel, 22 inches long
Muzzle: Threaded 5/8×24 with protector
Trigger Guard: STAR Trigger Guard with one AICS type mag
Trigger: Timney Model 517
Finish: Black matte Cera-Kote on barrel
Also, custom STAR Rifles can be made to customer specs.
Cost: Prices start at $5,600. SiskGuns.com

Sisk Rifles LLC
400 County Road 2340
Dayton, Texas 77535
(936) 258-4984

Related Video:

Hunter Education On Site Leads to Strong Youth Gun Sales

Recreational Shooters
John LewisHerb Bauer Sporting Goods, Fresno, Cali.

Youth hunters and shooters are a growing part of the business done at Herb Bauer Sporting Goods, and the store itself facilitates much of that youth “traffic” by offering the state-mandated hunter education course on site.

“Our shop prides ourselves in educating many, many youths every year in our hunter education program,” says Gun Department Manager John Lewis. “Our hunter safety teacher is a second generation female instructor who has a real passion for recruiting more kids to hunt in our state! She works closely with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and coordinates many special youth hunts each year, including dove, quail and pheasant hunts.”

With these many young people coming through the store—with parents in tow—sales are very good on a number of youth model shotguns, especially single-shots made by Rossi and NEF. Top youth pump guns include Remington, Mossberg, Browning and Benelli Novas, and these young shooters prefer their new scatterguns in .20 gauge and .410.

For young rifleshooters, the Savage Rascal, a single-shot bolt-action with Savage’s AccuTrigger, is tops here.

“Air guns are popular, too, especially as we get into the holiday season where we will sell over 50 Daisy Red Ryders—after customers watch their holiday favorite video!” says Lewis. That movie, of course, is 1983’s A Christmas Story where young lead character Ralphie Parker pines for “an official” Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. The Red Ryder sells for just under $50.

Herb Bauer’s also sells a good selection of Crosman youth rifles, popular as they can shoot both BB's and lead pellets.

Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.


Gun Safety in the Home by Mas Ayoob

Gun Safety in the Home

You’ll appreciate this gun safety guide if:

  • You want to be able to provide your children with a basic understanding and respect for firearms
  • You’d like to learn about secure storage methods for firearms
  • You’re looking for information on firearm safety from the experts

Top Riflescopes in Demand with Sooner Shooters

Leupold scout scope.Abbie Starkey—Bill's Sporting Goods, Claremore, Okla.

Long-range shooting is increasingly popular in north-eastern Oklahoma, and at Bill’s Sporting Goods, that trend has made quality, high-magnification riflescopes a top seller.

“We are moving a lot more target-style scopes verses hunting scopes,” said General Manager Abbie Starkey. “Vortex, Zeiss, Leupold and Nikon are our top sellers right now for optics. In the last year, we’ve seen a large push for 6-24x50mm-style scopes. As shooters start reaching out for longer distances, they want these longer-range optics.”

The new 9mm single-stack Glock 43 “is flying out the door as quickly as we can get them in,” Starkey notes. “The subcompact field is a growing market for us right now and we love it. As the concealed carry market grows in the Midwest, the smaller style handguns are becoming increasingly popular.”

Also selling well here are M&P Shields from Smith and Wesson and Springfield XDS's.

Ruger American rifles are selling briskly, and there’s very strong interest in the new Ruger Precision Rifle. But there have been no sales because Bill’s is having trouble just getting one of the Ruger Precisions in store. Top scattergun? The Stoeger 3500 semi-auto, a mid-priced shotgun.

Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Vintage Ammunition and Their Boxes: It’s All About The Markings

old-ammunionJack LewisCowan’s Auctions, Cincinnati, Ohio

Jack Lewis, firearms specialist for Cowan’s Auction, notes that prices being paid for 19th Century firearms have dropped noticeably the last couple years. And while prices are also down for vintage ammunition, older ammo and the boxes they originally came in are still in good demand.

“Once a collector gets a certain old gun, the next thing he wants is the period ammunition that goes with it,” says Lewis. “Best prices are being paid for ammunition in the original, unopened boxes or packages.”

At a recent Cowan Auction, a full pack of six “Combustible Skin Cartridges” in .36 caliber, made by the Hazard Powder Company, sold for $517. Packages themselves can be very valuable, too. A rare pack of paper cartridges for a Colt Revolving Rifle in excellent condition, with the words, “5 Combustible envelope cartridges made of Hazards powder Expressly for Col. Colts Patent Revolving Rifle,” printed on the box, sold for $862. No ammo—just the package!

But prices here are down, too. Several years ago, for example, an unopened 100-round box of .44-caliber rimfire ammunition for the Henry Rifle sold at auction for $22,000. The next time the same container came up for auction? $12,000.

A noticeable shift Lewis has seen is the growing interest in 20th Century firearms, especially American military arms. A big winner is the Colt 1911 semi-automatic pistol. “If you have a 1911 made between World Wars One and Two? It’s going for the best prices I have ever seen.”

Another 20th Century winner: the World War One Trench Gun. “Trench guns are going for anywhere between $650 all the way to $10,000,” says Lewis. “We recently had a Stevens Trench Gun, with its bluing intact and in really fine condition, sell for $6,750. That’s an amazing price, far, far above what we would’ve seen just a few years ago.”

This brief originally appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

A Big Market for Used Law Enforcement Firearms

GlockNY-1-2Mark KittermanSummit Gun Broker, Grain Valley, Mo.

Summit Gun Broker specializes in buying up used law enforcement firearms and reselling them to individuals and gun shops.

The current top seller here, says owner Mark Kitterman, is the .40-caliber Glock 22, a Gen III, semi-automatic handgun. A recent sale on the Summit website had the Glock 22’s going for $309.

“I think a lot of agencies are looking at 9mm’s once again, and when they make the shift, we see a lot of these .40-cal Glock 22’s getting sold,” says Kitterman. “Actually, there’s so many used agency Glocks and similar polymer pistols out there, prices have gone down. I’ve seen Glocks drop about $50 over the last year.”

These Glocks tend to be in very good condition, he adds, as most agencies with a good inventory of the pistols have an employee who is also a certified Glock armorer. “They fix anything that goes wrong as it happens, and they are pretty good about doing regular maintenance on the pistols.”

The other used agency handguns Kitterman is seeing in good numbers are the SIG P226 and P229’s.

Recently, Summit bought up 1,000 shotguns—all Remingtons—from a very large agency making the switch from scatterguns to duty rifles. They sold out surprisingly fast, Kitterman notes, with the Wingmasters going for $165 each, the Police Magnums at $300.

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