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Robert Sadowski

The .41 Magnum: Is The Middle Magnum Still Relevant? 

The .41 Magnum… does the “Mama Bear” magnum still have a place today?

The .41 Magnum was the solution for a law enforcement caliber in between the .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. With better ballistic performance than the .357 Magnum, the .41 Magnum also has less recoil than the .44 Magnum. That all sounds good on paper, but in reality, the .41 Magnum never caught on the same way as .357 and .44.

It very well may have even been reduced to a mere footnote in Cartridges of the World, but it’s been kept alive by a loyal yet small following of enthusiasts, especially handgun hunters.

41-Magnum-ammo-comparison
From left to right: .44 Special, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 ACP. 

Gun Writers, S&W and Remington 

The .41 Magnum started out as an idea from a long-time cowboy and hunter turned gun writer. Elmer Keith, the man behind the .44 Magnum cartridge, had been experimenting with .41 caliber rounds since back in the mid-1950s. Keith's vision for a .41 caliber “police load” was a 200-grain semi-wadcutter bullet moving at 900 fps. For hunting, he envisioned a heavy magnum load consisting of 210-grain JHP bullet moving 1,300 to 1,400 fps. Keith had influence with both Remington and Smith & Wesson, so those manufacturers listened when Keith had an idea. Two other wheelgunners and firearm scribes, Bill Jordan and Skeeter Skelton, also lobbied Remington about the caliber.

Elmer-Keith-Auction-091615
The legendary Elmer Keith (right).

Jordan was a retired border patrol agent and thought the .41 caliber cartridge potentially the perfect law enforcement round in a low-velocity police load. In theory, it would be more effective than the .38 Special and .357 Magnum while also proving more controllable than the .44 Magnum, which at the time was the most powerful handgun cartridge on the planet.  

One thing to remember is that back in the early 1960s, bullet technology was not what it is today. Since shooters were in awe of the .44 Magnum and anything labeled magnum, Remington decided to officially call the new caliber the .41 Remington Magnum and juice up the velocity against the advice of Jordan and Keith.

Jordan was also in favor of chambering the .41 Magnum in a S&W K-frame revolver. In 1964 Remington offered the new round with a muzzle velocity jacked up to 1,500 fps and S&W decided to chamber the round in an N-frame revolver, the same as the .44 Magnum, and call it the Model 57.  

SW-Model-57-41-Magnum-RIA
A S&W Model 57, blued with an 8.3-inch barrel. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

S&W Model 57 and Model 58 Introduced 

The Model 57 had adjustable sights, oversized wood Goncalo Alves grips and was available in a variety of barrel lengths: 4, 6, and 8.3 inches. This was the target or hunting version of S&W’s .41 Magnum revolver. Law Enforcement was enticed with the Model 58, which was like a Model 10 only on steroids. The Model 58 was a spartan, no-frills version of the Model 57. In fact, S&W called the Model 58 the .41 M&P in advertisements touting 2.5 times more stopping power than the .38 Special with a “city” load consisting of a 210-grain flat-nose bullet that “moves just fast enough” and “puts more wallop, where you need it.”  Marketing hyperbole aside, the Model 58 had fixed sights, a 4-inch barrel, and service-style Magna grips. Both revolvers weighed about 41 ounces and were available in either a nickel or a blued finish. 

SW-Model-58-41-Magnum-RIA
A S&W Model 58 with a nickel finish and a 4-inch barrel. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

S&W also introduced a stainless steel version of the Model 57 and called it the Model 657. It was produced from 1986 to 2008. 

.41 Magnum In The Streets And In The Field 

The .41 Magnum was squarely aimed at the law enforcement market, but long story short, LEOs were just not interested in a revolver that was bigger, heavier and chambered for an even more recoil-producing round than the .357 Magnum. Police departments in Texas and Nevada, however, did issue Model 58s to officers as well as the San Francisco Police Department and a few smaller agencies across the U.S. The fact was the caliber had too much recoil for the average officer, so agency reception was generally lukewarm at best. 

Keith took the first few Model 57s on a polar bear hunt and used the new .41 Magnum cartridge on caribou with excellent results. Keith touted the slight advantage in ballistics, accuracy and lesser recoil compared to .44 Magnum. The .41 Magnum started to earn respect from hunters because it could do just about everything the .44 Magnum could do while generating less kick. Metallic silhouette shooters also liked the accuracy of the .41 Magnum and the pure hurt it put on steel chickens, pigs, turkeys, and rams out to 200 meters. 

41-Rem-Mag

Other gun manufacturers like Marlin produced lever-action rifles for .41 Magnum, Ruger produced double- and single-action revolvers, Thompson Center created a single-shot pistol and Magnum Research even made a Desert Eagle chambered for the cartridge. So, while there are some .41 Mag. guns out there, the cartridge never gained enough popularity for there to be an abundance of options.

.41 Magnum Ballistics 

If the .41 Magnum has a sweet spot for bullets, it’s a 210-grain jacketed hollow point. This bullet is the most common and is usually loaded to a muzzle velocity of 1,200 to 1,550 fps out of a handgun depending on barrel length. The same 210-grain bullet out of a 20-inch rifle barrel has a muzzle velocity closer to 1,700 fps. 

For handgun hunters, the .41 Magnum shoots relatively flat out to 100 yards. At 100 yards, with a 50-yard zero, a 210-grain bullet drops about 3 inches. If the kill zone of a whitetail deer is 8 inches in diameter—the size of a paper plate—then you can hold dead on out to 100 yards. All Shooter's Calculator tables were calculated presuming a 1.5-inch sight height, a 10 mph 90-degree crosswind, zero corrections for atmosphere and a 50-yard zero.

41-Mag-revolver-table-shooters-calculator

For rifle hunters using a 20-inch barrel, the same 210-grain load will produce noticeably more muzzle velocity. So, if we continue with my paper plate kill zone analysis, a dead hold out to 130 yards is possible with the same 50-yard zero. 

41-Mag-rifle-table-shooters-calculator

While the .41 Magnum may not be a wrist cracker like the .44 Magnum, it does have noticeably more recoil than a .357 Magnum revolver. My second magnum revolver was a Model 57 with a 4-inch barrel, and I was happy it was a heavy N-frame. Shooting the .41 Magnum out of a rifle is a totally different experience, of course, as recoil is mild. 

Magnum Revolver Calibers Match Up 

When comparing three common loads of .41 Magnum, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, you can see that the .41 Mag. shoots much flatter and has 722 foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards. The .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum have 387 foot-pounds and 663 foot-pounds of energy, respectively. From a hunter’s perspective, at least between these three loads, the .41 Mag. is a better choice than either of the other two. 

41-Mag-comparison-chart-shooters-calculator

What’s .41 Magnum good for?  

The size and weight of any .41 Magnum revolver will make it impractical as a daily concealed carry gun. Though, if for some reason you did decide to carry a .41 Mag., I’d suggest using rounds loaded to lower velocities like Keith and Jordan originally advocated for. Powerful heavy magnum loads for EDC could be a liability, for instance, if the bullet passes through a bad guy in a coffee shop and causes collateral damage. That said, the .41 Magnum is a good option for personal protection when you are in big bear country. 

In my opinion, the .41 Mag. is still a great caliber for hunting. At close to moderate distances, a revolver chambered for .41 Magnum can take whitetail deer, wild pigs and black bears. I’ve used it on medium game with both iron sights and scopes and I like its performance and how it’s easier on recoil. Don’t get me wrong, when shooting high-velocity loads, the .41 Mag. has a stout kick. More manageable is perhaps the best way to describe the recoil. You can squeeze out more of that .41 Mag. goodness out of a rifle. In a rifle, it is quite capable at distances up to 100 yards and even farther depending on your marksmanship. 

SW-657-RIA
A S&W 657 outfitted with a scope. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Guns Chambered In .41 Magnum 

As you would expect, there are not a lot of .41 Magnum handguns and rifles being produced today, but the ones that are still being built really bring out the best that the .41 Magnum cartridge has to offer. S&W’s Classic series offers a 6-inch barrel model that is an excellent choice for hunting. I’d like S&W to re-release the Model 57 with a 4-inch tube and the Model 58, and they just might do that if we ask often enough. Ruger chambers their New Model Blackhawk in .41 Mag., and this is another great option for hunting or bear protection. The only current-production rifle chambered in .41 Mag is the Henry lever-action Big Boy, and I can’t think of a more enjoyable rifle to shoot .41 Mag. through than that. Any one of these newly manufactured guns will be more than fine for hunting, but you will have a few more options to choose from if you consider the used market too.

Henry-Big-Boy
A Henry Big Boy in .41 Magnum.

.41 Magnum Ammo

Because both the .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum are more popular calibers, there are obviously many more ammo choices. The ammo selection for the .41 Magnum is much leaner in comparison, and these days you’ll probably have better luck finding it online rather than stocked at your local gun store. As far as prices go, .357 Magnum remains the most affordable of this trio while .41 Magnum is the most expensive, though not by much more than .44 Magnum on average.

My go-to round is the 210-grain JHP Federal Power-Shok. It has a muzzle velocity of 1,230 fps and 705 foot-pounds of energy out of a 4-inch barrel. This has been my stand-by hunting load for deer and I have used this ammo for years with good results. MSRP is $51.99 per box of 20.

41-Rem-Mag-Federal

When I want to crank up the velocity and energy, I turn to the 170-grain JHP from Buffalo Bore. Out of a 4-inch barrel that lighter bullet blasts out with a velocity of 1,640 fps and 1,028 foot-pounds. With a 25-yard zero, this load only drops 2.5 inches at 100 yards, making it an excellent choice for hunting. That said, the recoil and cost are both painful so you won’t be shooting it that often. It sells for about $2.70 per round. 

We have black bears where I take my hikes, and to me, a bear is a bear no matter what size or color. I also hunt wild pigs and don’t like to track them, so I load up with Grizzly 265-grain Wide Long Nose Gas Check ammo. These bullets are designed to penetrate and crush bone with a 1,400 fps muzzle velocity and 1,153 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. Another excellent hunting round with plenty of wallop. The cost per round is about $2.30. 

For a lighter bullet with a flatter trajectory, you could also consider the Hornady LeverEvolution load with a 190-grain FTX bullet. This is a great round to use through a lever-action gun. Muzzle velocity is more than 1,620 fps and energy will be over 1,107 foot-pounds. Those numbers were calculated using a 10-inch barrel, so while they’d be a little lower out of most revolvers, the performance would also be more impressive when using a rifle. This comes in 20-round boxes for about $1.40 per round. 

41-Mag-Hornady-LeverEvolution

Remington still makes .41 Mag. ammo too, but it only produces one do-all load with a 210-grain jacketed soft point that is designed for hunting and defense. It has an advertised velocity of 1,300 fps and 788 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. This ammo comes 20 to a box and costs about $2.50 a round. 

Is .41 Magnum Still Relevant? 

If I were asked by someone looking to get into handgun hunting and they were on the fence between a .44 Mag and .41 Mag., I would suggest the .44 Mag. There are more firearm choices available and a wider selection of ammo. It is not as flat shooting and it has more recoil, but all of that can be managed with the right load and the distance to the target. Plus, you can shoot .44 Special ammo in a gun chambered in .44 Mag. If you want something unique, then the .41 Mag remains a solid choice. I like it for the fact it’s an unusual caliber and it provides slightly better performance in some areas than the .44 Magnum without its wrist-cracking recoil. For a caliber that never really took off, the .41 Mag. sure does have staying power. 


More On Hunting Revolvers:

Best .30-30 Winchester Ammo For Deer & Big Game 

The .30-30 Winchester is still an excellent medium game cartridge, so here’s a look at the best hunting loads available.

What Are The Best .30-30 Winchester Loads For Hunting?:

Other Great .30-30 Hunting Loads:

There was a time in deer camps when the “Thirty-Thirty” reigned supreme. The .30-30 Winchester cartridge offers a good compromise between power and recoil, plus the rifles and carbines it was typically chambered in were easy to maneuver and carry all day. While many hunters started with a .30-30 before moving on to something bigger, plenty of others chose to stick with it. After all, why fix what ain’t broken? With modern advances in ammunition and new cartridges being introduced, one would expect the .30-30 Winchester (with over a century of use under its belt) to have faded away into the sunset. Not a chance. The .30-30 is the American deer cartridge, and it remains the benchmark by which all others are compared. 

.30-30 Is Born

Winchester had been providing Americans with lever-action guns since the 1860s, and while popular and effective, these older models were designed to only shoot black powder cartridges. This includes the first iteration of the Winchester Model 1894 which was chambered for .32-40 Winchester and .38-55 Winchester. Smokeless powder was beginning to catch on, however, and Winchester decided to keep up with the times. Just one year after the Model 94 was introduced, the design was revamped to use a harder steel to allow the use of higher-pressure smokeless powder cartridges. The smokeless cartridge they developed for the new Model 94 was called .30 Winchester Centerfire or .30 WCF, more commonly known today as .30-30. This cartridge and rifle combo is perhaps the most popular hunting setup ever made.

30-30-Winchester

The new .30-30 round was originally loaded with a 160-grain .30-caliber bullet over 30 grains of early smokeless powder. This was the old-fashioned way of naming a cartridge similar to the .45-70 Government—.45 caliber bullet over 70 grains of black powder. The .30-30 name stuck. That original load had a muzzle velocity of about 1,970 fps. 

While 1,970 fps is slow by today’s standards, back in the late 1890s the cartridge was seen as a fast, flat-shooting round. It was popular from the beginning, and that helped stoke the legendary status of the cartridge. Today the .30-30 has two common bullet weights in its sweet spot: 150- and 170-grain. Lighter and heavier bullets are available, but these two weights best show off the .30-30’s abilities. 

Game Getter 

In the U.S. alone the .30-30 has been used to hunt all sizes and types of beasts: whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, caribou, elk, moose, and black bear as well as wolves, coyotes and an assortment of other varmints and critters. The round is quite capable of taking game at modest ranges. It is by no means a long-range cartridge. The caliber is best suited in scenarios where shots will be under 100 yards. It is a caliber for the woods and not the prairies for sure. 

30-30-winchester-antlers

Common .30-30 Loads 

The most common .30-30 factory loads are with 150- and 170-grain bullets. Looking at Winchester factory data on Power-Point ammo, the 150-grain soft point has a muzzle velocity of 2,390 fps and 1,902 foot-pounds of energy. The Power-Point 170-grain load only loses a bit of speed and energy with a muzzle velocity of 2,200 fps and 1,827 foot-pounds. The best zero for both of these loads is 100 yards. At 200 yards, the 150-grain bullet drops almost 6.5 inches and has 1,116 foot-pounds of energy left, which means the round is capable of a 200-yard shot but only by a capable marksman. For most hunters, that holdover makes for a tricky shot that is best to pass by. 

One more bullet weight offered for the .30-30 is the 125-grain soft point. Remington makes this cartridge as a managed recoil round. It offers more velocity, but less energy downrange than either the 150- or 170-grain bullets. Another less common bullet weight to consider is 190 grains. These rounds are best suited for long-range shooting or defense in grizzly country. 

The best update .30-30 has received in the recent past was in 2006 when Hornady introduced LEVERevolution ammo. One drawback of .30-30 ammo is the need to use flat- or round-nose bullets. The reason for this is the cartridges feed from a tubular magazine, with the bullet of one round touching the primer of the cartridge in front of it. The blunt bullet design ensures the tip of the bullet doesn’t accidentally fire the cartridge in front during recoil or when dropped. The bad news is these round- and flat-nose bullets have a lousy BC and drag through the air. Hornady cleverly placed a soft rubber tip on a more pointed bullet with a better BC which translates into increased accuracy and power at longer ranges. Best of all, they’re safe to use in tube mags.

Hornady loads these rounds with 140- and 160-grain bullets that have muzzle velocities of 2,465 fps and 2,400 fps, respectively. As you can see in the chart below, the Hornady 140-grain bullet has a slightly flatter trajectory and drops less than five inches at 200 yards. Less common are 165- and 175-grain cartridges. Both of these bullets are specialized, subsonic bullets that offer low noise and reduced recoil. 

30-30-shooterscalc-table-1

.30-30 Vs. Modern Cartridges 

Two modern cartridges that have similar ballistics to the .30-30 are 300 BLK and .350 Legend. The 300 BLK was designed to fire a .30 caliber bullet in AR-15-style rifles. This cartridge is offered in sub and supersonic options in bullet weights ranging from 100 to 220 grains. Winchester offers a 150-grain bullet in the 300 BLK under their Power-Point line. The .350 Legend was designed for use in states that allow straight-wall cartridges and is used in AR-15, bolt-action and single-shot rifles. Bullet weights for the .350 Legend range from 140 to 255 grains with 150-grain bullets being popular. This chart compares the two modern 150-grain bullet loads—the 300 BLK and .350 Legend—against the old-school 150-grain .30-30.  

30-30-shooterscalc-table-2

What’s newer doesn’t necessarily translate into better. All three of these rounds are evenly matched, but interestingly, the .30-30 actually shoots a bit flatter than the 300 BLK and .350 Legend. At 200 yards the 300 BLK drops 11.3 inches and the 350 Legend drops 7.5 inches; the .30-30 only drops 6.4 inches. At 100 yards, the .30-30 has 1,468 foot-pounds of energy, the .350 Legend has 1,290 foot-pounds and the 300 BLK has only 907 foot-pounds. Clearly, the ballistics of the older .30-30 is the top dog in this comparison. All three calibers offer mild recoil. The only disadvantage I see with the .30-30 is the limited types of rifles chambered for it. You have your choice of a lever-action or a lever-action. That might be a detriment to some hunters, while others may just want to cowboy up. Hunting ammo cost for all three calibers is comparable. 

So, why choose the .30-30? The cartridge has been around for well over 100 years now and in that time it’s more than proven itself in the field. It’s a timeless, all-American cartridge that can serve you just as well today as it did when it was invented (or likely even better, given modern ammo developments). If you’re a hunter looking to bag some game with a lever-action, the venerable .30-30 remains an excellent option.

Top Ten .30-30 Hunting Loads 

Winchester Super-X

Winchester-30-WCF-SuperX

Super-X ammo is loaded with 150-grain hollow point bullets that feature a rearward weight design to enhance bullet accuracy. At the business end, the jacketed hollow point offers rapid expansion on impact. I’ve used these 150-grain bullets in the past and found that at 50 yards they knock deer down. Factory data states muzzle velocity is 2,390 fps and muzzle energy is 1,902 foot-pounds. The cost per round is about $1.97 or $40 for a box of twenty. Winchester usually runs old-school mail-in rebates where you snail mail your receipt and UPC code on the side of the box, along with a form. All that paperwork knocks a few bucks off the price. This is a great option for deer, black bear and pigs. 

Winchester Power-Point

Winchester-Power-Point-30-WCF

This time-proven ammunition uses a 170-grain Power-Point bullet for more penetration. I have shot a lot of this ammo, as have many other deer and bear hunters, in all types of lever-actions, and found I can depend on it to help me fill my tag. Factory muzzle velocity is stated at 2,200 fps and energy is rated at 1,827 foot-pounds. I actually got a bit more speed—2,233 fps—out of my Winchester Model 94 Short Rifle with a 20-inch barrel, and that was on a cold day. Average groups measured 1.8 inches at 50 yards using open sights. This ammo is less expensive than other Winchester cartridges. Expect to pay about $1.20 a round or a bit over $24 for a full box of twenty. Another good option for deer, pigs, and black bear. 

Remington Core-Lokt

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This .30-30 ammo choice is really a go-to deer cartridge. The 150-grain Core-Lokt soft point bullet with the scallop edge jacket has been extremely popular with hunters for decades. It’s a no-nonsense bullet designed to mushroom on impact. Remington’s marketing used to call Core-Lokt bullets the deadliest mushrooms in the woods. Dad's pal had a Sears Model 100 lever-action (that was made by Winchester) that grouped Core-Lokts at 2.1 inches at 50 yards with open sights. That’s MOD (Minute Of Deer) in my book. Muzzle velocity and energy are 2,390 fps and 1,902 foot-pounds, respectively. They go for about $1.40 each or $28 for twenty. It also comes in a 170-grain bullet version and a 125-grain Managed Recoil option that produces 50 percent less recoil. A good option for deer. 

Federal Power-Shok

Federal-PowerShok-30-WCF

This is another go-to .30-30 deer round loaded with a 150-grain jacketed soft point flat-nose bullet. Some Marlin 336 hunters find it very accurate in their rifles. Ballistics are what you expect: 2,390 fps muzzle velocity and 1,902 foot-pounds of energy. This ammo is affordable at about $1.13 per round; boxes are about $23. At this price, you can buy more ammo for next season or share it with that buddy who never seems to have ammo come hunting season. Also a good option for whitetails.

Federal Premium Barnes TSX

Federal-Barnes-30-WCF

I'm a big fan of Barnes TSX bullets since they retain weight, consistently expand to nearly double the diameter and offer great penetration. They have a monolithic copper construction, too, and the bullet shank is grooved for accuracy. The 150-grain offers great penetration, so if it’s feral pigs or black bear you are after, I'd load up with these. Out of my Winchester 94, muzzle velocity clocked at 2,200 fps and 1,641 foot-pounds of energy. I averaged 1.5-inch groups at 50 yards. These rounds are a bit pricey, as they have an MSRP of about $56 per box. This a good option for larger body animals like moose and elk where more penetration is required. It’s also a good choice where hunting regulations dictate or encourage the use of non-lead bullets. 

Prvi Partizan

PPU-30-30-170gr

I have had excellent results with this Serbian-produced ammo in a variety of different calibers, especially the .30-30 loaded with a 170-grain soft point. Not only is this ammo inexpensive, but it does not compromise on performance. It cycles smoothly and loads easily. Muzzle velocity is 2,181 fps and muzzle energy is 1,792 foot-pounds. I have seen this ammo advertised as low as $1.04 a round or $21 for a box of twenty. That strokes the frugal Yankee in me. Good choice for deer and pigs.

Hornady LEVERevolution

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The 160-grain FTX bullet literally revolutionized ballistics out of the lever-action rifle. I recommend this for everything from whitetails, pigs and black bear to even large game like moose out to 100 yards. The secret to the performance of this ammo is the elastomer Flex Tip of the FTX bullets. These pointed bullets are safe to use in tubular magazines, and the higher BC offers a flatter trajectory so it drops less than the typical .30-30 bullet. Muzzle velocity is 2,400 fps and muzzle energy is 2,046 foot-pounds. Zero your gun at 200 yards and it will shoot about 3 inches high at 100, but that means you can hold dead-on out to 200 yards and still nail the kill zone of a whitetail. My Model 94 groups these Hornady loads at 1.1 inches at 50 yards. The only downside is price, as these can often go for over $1.50 per round. This is a great choice for black bear, elk, moose and longer shots on deer.

Buffalo Bore

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This 190-grain jacketed flat-nose round is jacked up in speed and power with a muzzle velocity of 2,100 fps out of the typical 20-inch barrel on .30-30 rifles. The load uses a Hawk Bullet with a hard core and thicker than typical jacket so it penetrates more than it expands. This is a heavy-duty round well suited for larger beasts like elk and moose or protection in grizzly bear country. This is definitely no plinking round though, as MSRP is about $86 for a box of 20. I do not recommend this round for deer because the bullet will easily over-penetrate.

Barnes Pioneer

Barnes-Pioneer

This ammunition is specifically designed for use in lever-action rifles to cycle smoothly and deliver on performance. The 190-grain all-copper flat-nose projectile offers expansion, weight retention and penetration with a muzzle velocity of 2,040 fps and 1,756 foot-pounds of energy. This is a great general-use cartridge for deer, boar and black bear. The price is a little steep, about $2.15 per round or $34 for twenty rounds.

Nosler E-Tip

Nosler-30-30

This ammunition uses an all-copper 150-grain round-nose polymer-tip bullet. The bullet's boat-tail configuration reduces drag and, when combined with the streamlined polymer tip, wrings out longer-distance shots. Like all Nosler E-tip bullets, the polycarbonate tip prevents deformation in the magazine while boosting aerodynamic efficiency and initiating expansion on contact. Muzzle velocity is 2,250 fps and energy is 1,698 foot-pounds. The cost is about $2.90 per round or $58.00 for a box of 20 rounds.


Raise Your Ammo IQ:

Review: Springfield Prodigy DS Full-Size & Commander

The author reviews Springfield Armory’s 2011-style handgun line, including both the Springfield Prodigy 4.25-inch and the 5-inch model.

Any double-stack, hammer-fired 1911-style pistol has become known as a “2011.” And Springfield Armory flipped the 2011’s script with the introduction of the 1911 DS Prodigy in a 4.25-inch barrel Commander-size model and a 5-inch barrel full-size variant. Not only is the full-size version ready to rumble through stages at match competitions, but the more compact 4.25-inch Prodigy takes concealed carry to a whole new level of 1911 performance.

Springfield-Prodigy-slide
Springfield Armory’s DS Prodigy is a 2011-style pistol (double-stack 1911) that is not only fast shooting and accurate but affordable. Here the author reviews two versions, the full-size 5-inch with open sights and the Commander-sized 4.25-inch model with a red-dot sight.

If you compete, you probably already know that STI, which has since morphed into Staccato, coined the 2011 name decades ago, transforming competition shooting and the pistols used. An authentic 2011 is a 1911-style platform with a steel slide and frame, less the grip portion. A polymer grip module bolts onto the steel frame to provide room for the thicker, double-stack magazine. By comparison, the standard 1911 platform uses a single-stack mag, and the grip is integral to the frame.

Gun-Digest-2024-78t
This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest 2024, 78th Edition, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

The sole purpose of double-stack 2011s was and still is to shoot fast and accurately at steel or cardboard targets. They are high-performance, high-end, custom race guns — so expensive you might have to sell an organ. However, with the new Prodigy line, Springfield Armory enables shooters to get into a 9mm double-stack for a lot less, so you can keep your kidney.

Each 1911 DS (DS stands for Double Stack) pistol employs a steel slide and frame comprising the slide rails, the recoil spring inside the dustcover, and the fire-control components. To this, the polymer module is bolted. While that may sound like Springfield Frankenstein-ed the 1911 DS, the polymer grip module blends seamlessly with the steel components. The grip has more girth than a standard 1911 but feels less chubby than some striker-fired double-stack pistol grips. The grip’s texture is like fine sandpaper. I found myself wanting to grip the pistol; it just feels good in the hand. The triggerguard is undercut for a higher grip and less muzzle flip, and the magazine well is flared, so it slurps up the tapered double-stack magazines fast when reloading.

Springfield-Prodigy-barrel
A full-length guide rod ensures the Prodigy runs and cycles smoothly.

The pistols use a bushing-less bull barrel that flares at the muzzle and mates with the inside of the slide. It’s made with an integral feed ramp, so 9mm cartridges feed smoothly and reliably. The case is also fully supported. Like other Springfield Armory models with this barrel setup, it requires a hex wrench for disassembly (Springfield supplies the wrench). The slide has a traditional dome shape, and coarse slide serrations fore and aft, offering plenty of traction to rack the slide and do a press check. The slide-to-frame fit is tight with no wiggle. Racking the slide or doing a press check, I discovered how smooth and slick it was to manipulate. The Prodigy has a two-piece guide rod that acts like a full-length rod. The back half of the rod is like a GI-length rod but threaded on the end to mate with the second piece. It provides smoother recoil.

The sights are another feature where Springfield pushed the pistol squarely into the 21st century. The front sight post is dovetailed to the slide and houses a green fiber tube, so the front sight pops when aiming. The rear sight is flush with the rear of the slide and serrated to cut glare. It has a U-notch groove. OK, that may seem pretty vanilla, so here is the innovative part: Springfield partnered with Agency Arms to develop an interchangeable optics plate system. The rear sight is part of the optics plate. What I like about this setup is that the plate is half-dovetailed into the slide, which takes the shear force during recoil rather than the screws holding the optic to the gun. The pistols have a Trijicon RMR-footprint optics adapter plate, popular with several other red-dot sight manufacturers.

Springfield-Prodigy-agency-optics
Springfield partnered with Agency Arms to develop an interchangeable optics plate system on the DS pistols, and the rear sight is part of the optics plate.

Controls consist of an extended ambidextrous thumb safety that crisply clicks on and off. The slide stop is inset into the nearly full-length dustcover, yet can be used to rest your support hand thumb. The magazine release button is serrated and slightly extended to make reloads a hair faster than a standard one. The trigger is a three-hole aluminum affair with a curved, serrated face and is adjustable for overtravel. The polymer grip module guides the trigger, making the rearward press smooth. The grip safety has a decent speed bump and an upswept beavertail that keeps beefy hands from being bitten by hammer and slide.

Springfield-Prodigy-DS
Course slide serrations fore and aft allow effortless slide racking, especially when doing a press check.

The most finicky component in a 2011 platform is the magazine. Springfield uses DuraMag to build the 17-round flush fit and 20-round extended mags. Springfield also offers a 26-rounder. The floor plate is polymer, and the magazine tube is steel. There are three witness holes at 5, 10, and 17 rounds on the flush fit mag and an extra hole at the 20-round mark on the 20-round extended magazine. Springfield Prodigy magazines will function in Staccato P guns and vice versa.

Springfield-Prodigy-magazines
Notice how the magazine tapers to a single stack at the top. That taper makes for a smooth and fast reload.

My function testing included both a Springfield Prodigy 4.25- and 5-inch model. Both guns are available with iron sights and optics ready or with a factory-mounted Springfield Hex Dragonfly red dot. I ran iron sights on the 5-inch Prodigy; on the 4.25-inch model, I mounted a Crimson Trace CTS-1250 compact reflex sight with a round 3.25 MOA red aiming dot. The tall Prodigy sights co-witness with the Crimson Trace, and in the event the battery gives up the ghost, you can still use the irons.

Springfield-Prodigy-425-review-feature

I started with speed shooting some Failure to Stop or Mozambique Drills on plain cardboard IPSC/USPSA targets and immediately noticed how smoothly the pistols cycled. The recoil pulse in the 4.25-inch model was soft, and the pistol’s weight enables you to stay on target. The recoil pulse on the 5-inch gun was not as soft, but it was still easy to control. I found these handguns forgiving, which makes you a better shot. I shoot many compact- and full-size striker-fire pistols, so the transition to the Prodigy’s grip felt familiar. However, the trigger was different — in a good way. There was slight takeup on both models until I hit the wall, and the trigger broke at 5.3 pounds on average. Could the pull weight be better? Sure. I want a clean 3.5 to 4 pounds, but that’s just me being hyper-critical. Trigger reset is fast, enabling quicker follow-up shots.

Springfield-Prodigy-shooting
The 4.25-inch-barreled Prodigy has soft recoil and cycles like butter. With the Crimson Trace red-dot optic, shots can be surgical.

I shouldn’t complain about the trigger pull since I was shooting 5-shot groups at 25 yards that average 1.2 inches with the 4.25-inch red dot-equipped pistol and 2 inches with the 5-inch pistol’s iron sights.

Springfield-Prodigy-425-and-5-inch-with-target
Each Prodigy DS shot accurately; the author’s best group with the Commander-sized 2011 was .7 inch.

Shooting the 4.25-inch gun was an exercise in precision. A red-dot optic provides a distinct advantage in accuracy. The data from Remington HTP and SIG V-Crown defense ammo showed that my best groups were 1.1 and .97 inches, respectively. Sure, that was using a rest, but shooting offhand, I easily clustered holes center of mass. It liked the inexpensive Federal American Eagle ammo. My best group measured .7 inches! Looking at the Springfield Prodigy 4.25-inch through an EDC lens, I could see myself carrying it. It may be a bit heavier than a single stack, but that is manageable with the right holster and belt.

Springfield-Prodigy-425-and-5-inch-table

Shooting the 5-inch Prodigy old-school style, meaning iron sights, I didn’t feel disadvantaged. The sights allow fast target acquisition, and the soft recoil ensures faster follow-up shots. The big version also liked the inexpensive 115-grain training ammo from Winchester and Federal, giving me a best group of 1.34 and 1.19 inches, respectively. With the 5-inch model, I almost felt like I was cheating shooting the Mozambique Drill. The heavy pistol chugged through rounds begging me to slap the go switch faster.

Both pistols ran exceptionally well. No issues of any kind were encountered.

The Prodigy is a fast-shooting pistol with an excellent trigger reset and outstanding recoil control. These pistols beg to be run fast and hard. Springfield has a couple of winners here that offer superb value and performance for the price.

Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 5″ Specs:

  • Caliber: 9mm
  • Action Type: Semi-auto, short-recoil-operated, SAO trigger
  • Overall Length: 8.5 inches
  • Overall Height: 5.5 inches
  • Maximum Width: 1.2 inches
  • Weight Unloaded: 33 ounces
  • Barrel: 5 inches, forged stainless steel, match grade, bull
  • Frame Finish/Material: Matte black Cerakote/steel
  • Slide Finish/Material: Matte black Cerakote/steel
  • Grip: Textured polymer
  • Magazine: 17+1 and 20+1
  • Sights: Green fiber-optic front, black serrated U-notch rear
  • MSRP: $1,499

Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 4.25″ Specs:

  • Caliber: 9mm
  • Action Type: Semi-auto, short-recoil-operated, SAO trigger
  • Overall Length: 7.8 inches
  • Overall Height: 5.5 inches
  • Maximum Width: 1.2 inches
  • Weight Unloaded: 32.5 ounces
  • Barrel: 4.25 inches, forged stainless steel, match grade, bull
  • Frame Finish/Material: Matte black Cerakote/steel
  • Slide Finish/Material: Matte black Cerakote/steel
  • Grip: Textured polymer
  • Magazine: 17+1 and 20+1
  • Sights: Green fiber-optic front, black serrated U-notch rear
  • MSRP: $1,499
  • Website: springfield-armory.com

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt of Gun Digest 2024, 78th edition.


More Handgun Reviews:

The 8-Gauge Shotgun: Forgotten Fowler

While the 8-gauge shotgun is obsolete and illegal for hunting, it still serves a purpose today.

The 8-gauge shotgun was, emphasis on was, a specialized fowling piece dating back to 19th-century waterfowl hunters. At that time, 8-gauge shotguns were loaded with a handful of black powder and threw up to two ounces of lead shot at a time. The barrels on these shotguns were long, often 30 inches or more, and that extra barrel length allowed the black powder to achieve maximum velocity. The 8 gauge could reach out to 80 and even up to 100 yards. I can only imagine that the recoil was incredibly stout.

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A Westley Richards double-barrel 8-gauge shotgun. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Barrels on older 8-gauge shotguns made before 1900 were made of Damascus, iron and steel layers that were hammered and twisted into a tube. A typical black powder load with Damascus barrels meant 1.5 to 2 ounces of lead shot. These barrels work as intended with blackpowder loads but will peel back like a banana if smokeless shells are used due to the higher pressure. Early 8-gauge shotguns were flintlock and percussion guns, some with a single barrel and others with double barrels. These shotguns were specialized tools intended for use on waterfowl.

19th Century Heyday

Market hunters, those hunters that harvested birds to sell commercially, used 8-gauge shotguns to kill multiple birds with one shot, similar to a punt gun. Punt guns were too large to shoot from the shoulder and were typically mounted to the bow of a small boat. These were obviously far less maneuverable than an 8-gauge shotgun designed to be fired from the shoulder. This type of hunting pre-dated hunting and fishing regulations and waterfowl like the Labrador duck were hunted to extinction by 1878. Market hunters not only sold the meat but also the feathers of certain birds for use in ladies’ hats which made quite the fashion statement at the time.

holland-and-holland-8-gauge-duck-gun
A Holland & Holland single-barrel 8-gauge duck gun. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The 8-gauge made the transition to cartridge shells, as did 10- and 12-gauge shotguns, but it was never as popular as those two smaller gauges. By the late 19th century, the barrels on 8-gauge shotguns were made of fluid steel and able to take the pressure of smokeless powder. That meant the 8 gauge could deliver a load of lead shot in the range of 2 to 2.5 ounces. These 8-gauge shotguns ranged from inexpensive scatterguns perfect for a family settling in the West to lavishly engraved side-by-sides suited for royalty. European double gun maker Greener was one of the more famous builders of 8-gauge guns.

8-gauge-shotgun-feature-Greener
An engraved Greener double-barrel 8-gauge duck gun. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The largest manufacturer of 8-gauge shotguns in the U.S. was Parker Brothers, though the company only built 246 guns in total. Colt was well known in the late 19th century for the Model 1883 side-by-side shotgun. These doubles were typically only available in 10- and 12-gauge, but Colt did produce one 8-gauge model as a custom build for President Grover Cleveland, an avid hunter and two-term president. 

President-Cleveland-hunting
A painting of President Cleveland on the hunt with one of his shotguns. Image: The Saturday Evening Post.

Dangerous Game Loads For 8-Gauge Shotguns

Blackpowder 8-gauge cartridges found another use in Africa when loaded with a large lead bullet like an 862-grain spherical ball or 1,257-grain conical bullet. These loads produced muzzle velocities of 1,645 fps and 1,500 fps, respectively. The 8 gauge was considered the standard caliber on all dangerous game besides elephants (the 4 gauge was reserved for pachyderms). These side-by-side guns typically weighed about 15 pounds, but I am sure the weight was welcomed when touching off a shell.

8-bore-bullet-comparison
An illustration comparing a solid 8-bore projectile with others that were common in its day.

Obsolete And Illegal By The 20th Century

By the time 8-gauge cartridges became available, the writing was already on the wall—it was simply too cumbersome compared to 10- and 12-gauge shotguns. Sure, the 8-gauge held more shot than the smaller two did, but that proved to be what market hunters wanted. While 8-gauge shells came in lengths ranging from 3 to 4 inches, the maximum length for 10- and 12-gauge shells was only 3.5 inches.

If user preference for the more manageable sizes wasn’t enough to kill the 8-gauge shotgun, the 1918 ban on using anything larger than 10-gauge for hunting migratory birds was the final nail in the coffin, at least in the U.S.

The 8-Gauge Today: Masterblasters And Ringblasters

While the 8 gauge is as extinct as the Labrador duck in the traditional sense, it is still used for industrial purposes today. From the mid-20th century throughout today, the 8 gauge has found another role, just not in duck blinds or on African plains.

The 8 gauge is used for tough industrial jobs found in power plants, incinerators, kilns, silos and other work environments for certain tasks. In silos, for example, an 8-gauge shell can be used to clear out excess build-up. In places like power plants, these loads are designed to be deployed as part of the maintenance process to prevent excessive ash accumulation while the plant is online.

winchester-ringblaster
The Winchester Ringblaster.

To fire these shells, massive single-shot industrial 8-gauge shotguns are used. They’re mounted to an assembly with large elevation and traverse wheels for aiming and have a lever or lanyard for the operator to pull as a firing mechanism. There are two major versions of these in use, one from Remington Industrial called the Masterblaster and one from Winchester Industrial Products called the Ringblaster.

Other models are designed for use in smaller spaces that are more portable, but these still require a tripod that suspends the shotgun from a chain. These smaller models are Remington’s Boiler Gun and Winchester’s Western Industrial Tool, and they’re specifically used in large power plant boilers for blasting off gunk that would take too long to remove by hand. While 8 gauge is no longer used in a traditional sense, the existence of these tools is enough to keep it from truly being considered extinct.

Expensive Wall Hangers

If you want an 8-gauge shotgun today, expect to pay a premium. Even the most basic models in less-than-stellar condition typically sell for between $1,000 and $2,500, and guns from desirable manufacturers like Greener can go for over $10,000.

John-Dickson-Son-8-gauge-shotgun
A John Dickson & Son 8-gauge duck gun. This one sold for over $8,000 in 2023. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

You’ll find them in many forms, ranging from single-barrel guns with a flint or percussion side lock to double-barrels with or without hammers. The rarity of these guns is what drives their price, and since you can’t find ammo to shoot them with anymore, they’ll be some very expensive wall hangers. Hunting one down definitely isn’t recommended for most people, but if you feel like you must add an 8-gauge shotgun to your collection, best of luck on finding a good deal.


More On Shotguns:

The .257 Weatherby Magnum: Long-Range Hunters’ Darling

The author takes a closer look at .257 Weatherby Magnum, a darling of long-range hunters everywhere and the favorite cartridge of the man who invented it.

Mention the .257 Weatherby Magnum and I think of a hunting cartridge that has plenty of reach and power. A caliber that shoots so flat you can hold dead-on at target out to 300 yards. It is an easy cartridge to shoot long range and it is just as suited for shooting gophers and coyotes, as it is for white-tails, speed goats, and muleys. Larger game, too, if you are a dead-eye.

257-Weatherby-Magnum-feature
The Weatherby Vanguard MOA rifle chambered for .257 Weatherby Magnum.

The bonus with this cartridge is that the recoil won’t jolt your shoulder out of the socket. It is an older cartridge, first introduced in 1944 while World War II was still going on. Yet the .257 Weatherby Magnum has endured with hunters because it does all the right things. I’ve even heard that it was Roy Weatherby’s favorite caliber. There is a lot to like about the .257 Weatherby.

From Gophers To Cape Buffalos

Roy Weatherby was a wildcatter at heart and developed a range of proprietary hunting calibers suitable to use on everything from prairie dogs to elephants. While most hunters keep the .257 Weatherby Magnum between the guard rails by using it on varmints up to medium-size game, Roy and other hunters have and still use the caliber on bigger game like moose and elk.

bob-coues-deer
This nice 10-point Coues deer was taken by Bob Robb at 350 yards in January 2012 in Chihuahua, Mexico with the .257 Weatherby Magnum.

Roy even used the .257 Weatherby Magnum on one of his many African hunting trips to bag a cape buffalo. Roy used a .25-caliber 100-grain Nosler Partition bullet (I’ve been told this was his favorite load) on the beast when most hunters use larger calibers and much heavier bullets. That was how confident Roy was with the .257 Weatherby Magnum and his shooting ability, and that helped give the .257 Weatherby Magnum a reputation and appeal that continues to this day. In my mind, the .257 Weatherby Magnum is one of those few calibers that has an aura about it.

Speed Kills

Twenty-five calibers, or “quarters bores,” have been around since the late 19th century. Winchester’s .25-35 was one of the first smokeless powder sporting cartridges. The .25-36 Marlin was another along with the .25-20 Single Shot, .25-21 Stevens, and others. These were anemic cartridges that were short on power and punch and most are now obsolete.

The .25-35 Winchester is still around and it pushes a 117-grain bullet at about 2,200 fps, which elicits a yawn from me. It wasn’t until 1915 when quarter bores started to sizzle when the 250-3000 Savage or .250 Savage was introduced. This was the first commercial cartridge to break 3,000 fps. Now that has my attention.

A few years later a wildcatter named Ned Roberts developed the .257 Roberts which spit out most bullets in the 60- to 100-grain range from 3,800 to 3,100 fps. The .257 Roberts is another one of those calibers that has an aura, and for decades the .257 Roberts was at the top of the quarter bore heap since it was excellent for both varmints and deer.

There are magnums, and there are magnums (left to right): .256 Winchester, .257 Weatherby, 6.5 Rem., .264 Win., .350 Rem. and .358 Norma.
There are magnums, and there are magnums (left to right): .256 Winchester, .257 Weatherby, 6.5 Rem., .264 Win., .350 Rem. and .358 Norma.

Then in 1944 another wildcatter by the name of Roy Weatherby completely rewrote the recipe on .25-caliber cartridges when he introduced the .257 Weatherby Magnum. The .257 Weatherby Magnum left all the other quarter bores choking on its dust by pushing 87-grain bullets to velocities over 3,800 fps, and heavier 100- and 120-grain bullets at 3,600 and 3,300 fps. Translate those bullets and speeds into energy and that’s 2,827 foot-pounds for the 87-grain soft point, 2,882 foot-pounds for the 100-grain soft point and 2,911 foot-pounds with the 120-grain soft point. These factory loads offer a powerful punch.

.257 Weatherby Magnum Parent Case

Weatherby designed the .257 Weatherby Magnum by shortening a .300 H&H Magnum case to 2.5 inches and necking it down to .25 caliber. The .300 H&H is a belted magnum because it uses a belted case which has a pronounced belt around the base of the case used for headspacing.

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.257 Weatherby Magnum. Photo: Wikipedia.

Two other Weatherby cartridges, the .270 Weatherby Magnum developed in 1943 and the 7mm Weatherby Magnum in 1940, share the same parent case. At the time when the calibers were introduced, Roy Weatherby used the slowest burning powder available which was IMR-4350. All these cartridges have a sexy-looking, double-radius shoulder which is iconic to nearly all Weatherby cartridges. The marketing myth with the double-radius shoulder was the energy from the burning propellant flowed more efficiently, but the truth is Roy Weatherby didn’t want his calibers to be easily reloaded by handloaders. That’s all since changed.

Weatherby-store
Weatherby’s outgrew its space, and, in 1951, relocated to Firestone Boulevard just around the corner from the original store. It housed the store, gun shops, offices and even a 100-yard underground rifle range. Sportsmen and women came from far and near to visit Weatherby’s. (Photo credit: Weatherby).

.257 Weatherby Magnum Versus Old And New Calibers

Perhaps the biggest long-time competitor to the .257 Weatherby Magnum is the .25-06 Remington. The .25-06 Remington also started out as a wildcat cartridge dating back to the 1920s. A.O. Niedner necked down a .30-06 case for a .25 caliber bullet. For years it was a wildcatter’s load until Remington started to produce it under the name .25-06 Remington in 1969. This caliber has been and continues to be popular with varmint hunters and those chasing medium game. It offers a good apples-to-apples to the .257 Weatherby Magnum. The 6.5 Creedmoor is not a quarter bore caliber but is a very popular modern caliber and it can help to provide context.

In the Shooter’s Calculator chart below, I used factory data to compare a 100-grain bullet from the .257 Weatherby Magnum with a 110-grain .25-06 Remington bullet and a 120-grain bullet from the 6.5 Creedmoor; all are zeroed at 300 yards. All three calibers perform similarly out to 400 yards, and the interesting thing is the .257 Weatherby Magnum shows it shoots flatter and drops less than either the .25-06 Remington and the 6.5 Creedmoor starting at 500 yards and farther.

257 Weatherby shooterscalc chart
Data in the trajectory chart uses a Drag Function of G1 and a zero of 300 yards.

Range And Power

At 300 yards, the .257 Weatherby delivers 1,650 foot-pounds of energy compared to the .25-06 Remington at 1,572 foot-pounds and the 6.5 Creedmoor at 1,549 foot-pounds. The .257 Weatherby Magnum is a speed demon at the muzzle taking off at 3,570 fps. The .25-06 Remington generates 3,140 fps and the 6.5 Creedmoor clocks in at 3,050 fps. This all means that downrange the .257 Weatherby Magnum has more punch than either of these two calibers.

This also translates to more felt recoil in the .257 Weatherby Magnum. In my opinion, the recoil from the .257 Weatherby Magnum is similar to a .270 Winchester. Is there a downside to the .257 Weatherby Magnum? Barrel life can be shortened if you do not allow the barrel to cool down. I typically fire three rounds and let the barrel chill out. You could easily burn out a barrel shooting up a prairie dog town. I zero two inches high at 100 yards, and the .257 Weatherby is dead on at 300 yards. No guesswork involved.

Is The .257 Weatherby Magnum Useful?

As you can see with the ballistic chart comparison, a more modern caliber like 6.5 Creedmoor can do just about anything the Is the .257 Weatherby Magnum can do. So why hasn’t the .257 Weatherby Magnum been moved to the obsolete cartridges chapter in the latest edition of the Cartridges Of The World? In my opinion, it comes down to two reasons.

257-Weatherby-2
The Weatherby Vanguard MOA on the hunt.

One reason is the .257 Weatherby Magnum offers excellent performance even if it was designed when tail fins were standard equipment on automobiles. The second reason is the .257 Weatherby Magnum is easy and forgiving because it shoots so flat. When zeroed in at 300 yards there is no need to compensate. Sure, the bullet is 3 inches high at 200 yards, but that still means the shot will be in the kill zone on deer and antelope. It shoots flatter than flat with no guesswork. The .257 Weatherby Magnum is simple like that. No trajectory cheat sheets taped to the stock because most of my hunting is under 400 yards. Could I push the .257 Weatherby farther? Sure, and that’s when I’ll need to compensate.

Reloading The .257 Weatherby Magnum

Knowing the twist rate on your Weatherby rifle is important. Early Weatherbys built in Germany before 1972 have a 1:12-inch twist. Don’t expect to shoot bullets larger than 100 grains with these rifles since the rifling will not stabilize heavier bullets. Newer rifles chambered in .257 Weatherby Magnum have a 1:10-inch twist rate and can stabilize 115- and 120-grain bullets.

One of the quirks with the .257 Weatherby is the amount of freebore in the chamber. A characteristic of the .257 Weatherby is the longer throat which means it is not possible to seat the bullet close to or in contact with the lands of the rifling. The best solution is to seat bullets as long as the rifle’s magazine allows, up to a 3.25-inch overall case length, and make sure they have a good crimp.

Quantities of reloading components that once seemed like more than enough start to look relatively thin when retailers put replacements on years-long back-order.

The large capacity cases and small bore size of the .257 Weatherby make it a great candidate for an overbore cartridge and as such dictates a slow burning propellent, especially for rifles with a 26-inch barrel. Alliant Reloader 25 or RL-25 is an excellent overall choice of powder for a wide range of bullet weights. If you are loading light 85-grain bullets for varmints, RL-19 and H4350 are good choices. For heavier 110-grain bullets, Hodgen IMR 4350, RL22, and H1000 are good medium- to slow-burn propellant choices.

There is a wide range of bullet choices for the .257 Weatherby. For varmints there is Barnes’ excellent TTSX 80-grain bullet, Hornady’s 75-grain V-Max and Nosler’s 85-grain Spitzer Ballistic Tip Varmint. If deer is your quarry, then there are several good 100-, 110-, 115- and 120-grain bullet options. While the .257 Weatherby is used on elk, I’d reload with a bullet that offers good penetration like Nosler’s 115-grain Partition or 100-grain lead-free E-Tip. Hornady’s 117-grain Boat Tail Spire Point is also a good choice for penetration.

.257 Weatherby Rifles

At times I think the .257 Weatherby is a well-kept secret among those of us who think reading reloading data is exciting. It gets overlooked with all the shiny new calibers available. Weatherby originally chambered the caliber in the Mark V action that features nine locking lugs. As a young hunter who could only afford bargain-brand rifles, I lusted after the Mark V Deluxe with a glossy walnut stock and steel blued so bright it almost sparkled. The Mark V Deluxe is retro-cool. The Mark V is also available in Accumark, Weathermark, Carbonmark and other models with lightweight carbon stocks with stainless steel metal and Cerakote finishes.

Weatherby-Mk-V-RIAC
A Weatherby Mark V in .257 Weatherby Magnum. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The Vanguard line of rifles from Weatherby offers all the quality Weatherby is noted for but with a two-lug action at a more modest price. I’m a fan of the Synthetic series. So is my wallet.

The newest Weatherby, the Model 307, is also a two-lug bolt with a cylindrical action that’s designed to accommodate old-school calibers as well as newer calibers in short and long actions. You can also build your own rifle, as Weatherby is offering just the action for custom builds.

Weatherby Model 307 feature
Weatherby Model 307 rifles and the standalone builder's action.

High-end European rifle maker, Blaser, offers the R8 and R93 models that are as expensive as they are elegant. Over the years, Remington chambered the .257 Weatherby in the Model 700 and custom gunmakers like Cooper Firearms have offered the .257 Weatherby as well. Custom builds with Winchester Model 70 and Ruger No.1 actions have also been mated with new barrels for the caliber.

.257 Weatherby Ammo Availability

For years, you could only buy .257 Weatherby Magnum cartridges or any of Weatherby’s calibers only from Weatherby itself. Weatherby had his cartridges produced by Norma in the early days, but today RWS does the commercial loading for Weatherby. Other ammunition manufacturers like HSM, Hornady, Nosler, and Double Tap also produce ammo. Ammo is available, but like many magnum calibers, it often causes a bit of sticker shock with a 20-round box going for about $5 to $6 per round.

257-Weatherby-Magnum-new-ammo

Should You Invest In A .257 Weatherby Magnum?

The .257 Weatherby is superb as a medium-game cartridge. White-tail and mule deer, sheep and antelope are its sweet spot. With lighter bullets, it’s good on varmints too. Are there any good reasons to invest in the .257 Weatherby? If you crave a flat shooting, high-velocity cartridge with mild recoil, then the .257 Weatherby should be on your shortlist, especially if you like old-school hot-rod calibers that perform.


Raise Your Ammo IQ:

The Karabiner 98k: The Best Combat Bolt-Action Rifle Ever Made

The author does a deep dive into the German Karabiner 98k and discusses why it’s likely the best infantry bolt-action rifle to ever see combat.

Brilliant ideas often do not materialize overnight, nor is their significance always immediately understood. Usually, it takes time, revision, testing, and incremental changes before they can be fully realized, and that is exactly how the story of the Karabiner 98k plays out.

Mauser K98k feature, karabiner 98k
A 1939-production K98k. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Paul Mauser revolutionized combat rifle technology in the late 19th century by producing what would become the most storied family of bolt-action rifles ever made. Mauser’s first rifle designs emerged in the days of black powder cartridges and evolved as spire point bullets and smokeless powder came into use. His rifles were so well built, reliable, safe and accurate that legions of countries armed themselves with Mauser rifles throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

These include Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, El Salvador, Estonia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Saudi Arabia just to name a few. Take a globe, spin it and stop it with your finger. The country your finger lands on more than likely was armed with a Mauser bolt-action rifle at one point or another, and that’s only counting military rifles. If you include civilian sporter-style Mausers too, hunters have used and loved them on every continent for just as long, including through today.

Evolution Of Mauser Rifles

The first successful Mauser rifle was the Model 1871, a single-shot bolt-action chambered in a metallic-case 11.15×60 mm R blackpowder cartridge. It featured a wing safety and the bolt locked up with the receiver bridge. An improved, repeater version with a tubular magazine was introduced in 1884 and called the 71/84. The 71/84 was adopted by the German Empire and renamed the Infanterie-Gewehr 71. A modified version of this rifle called the Mauser Model 1887 was made for Turkey as well. 

Mauser-1871
A Mauser Model 1871. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Increased Firepower

Enhanced designs began to roll out of the Mauser factory with each succeeding model improving upon the previous. In the early 1880s, more powerful smokeless powder rapidly replaced black powder cartridges. Mauser designed two different variations of the same rifle for the German Rifle Test Commission (Gewehr-Prüfungskommission), but these rifles were not ready for prime time due to the death of Paul Mauser’s brother, Wilhelm, who was the financier of the company. These two rifles became known as the 89 Belgian Mauser and the 91 Argentine Mauser. The most notable improvement was the ability to load the internal box magazine via stripper clip, greatly increasing the Mauser’s rate of fire.

Another upgrade was the new 7.65x53mm Mauser chambering, a first-generation smokeless powder cartridge that used pointed, spire-style bullets. The next feature to evolve was the claw extractor introduced with the Model 92. The Spanish Mauser or Mauser Model 1893 would receive the iconic controlled feed action, a feature that is now synonymous with Mauser rifles. The claw extractor on the bolt grips the rim of the cartridge before the round is stripped from the magazine into the chamber. This model was adopted by Spain, the Ottoman Empire, and other countries.

Mauser-controlled-feed-action
The bolt of a Karabiner 98k with its controlled feed action.

The model 93 introduced a new 5-round, staggered-column, internal box magazine that could be reloaded quickly by pushing a stripper clip from the top of the receiver with the bolt open. It also debuted with another new caliber design by Mauser, the 7x57mm cartridge that is more commonly known as 7mm Mauser. The Model 94 followed and was adopted by Sweden. The Model 1895 deviated from the Model 1893 by using an improved cylindrical bolt face in lieu of the square bolt face of the Model 93. The Model 1895 also incorporated a shoulder behind the bolt handle in order to provide additional locking in case of bolt failure. It was used by Chile, China, Iran, Serbia, and Uruguay among other countries.

In 1893, both Sweden and Norway adopted the new 6.5x55mm cartridge, known as the 6.5mm Swede, and Mauser chambered the Model 1896 rifle in this caliber. This Mauser design also added gas-escape holes and an integral guide rib on the bolt body. 

Swedish-Mauser
A Swedish Mauser. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Baptism In The Trenches

By 1898, the Mauser design morphed into the Gewehr 98 and what could be called the prequel to the most successful Mauser ever produced. The Gewehr 98 was adopted by the German Army in 1898 and was in service until 1935. It featured an internal box magazine that was fed by a 5-round stripper clip and incorporated the Mauser controlled-feed action. It weighed about nine pounds, had a 29-inch-long barrel and a total length of 49.2 inches. The Gewhr 98, like all Mauser rifles before it, had a straight bolt handle that jutted out at a ninety-degree angle on the right side of the rifle. This rifle was used by German forces during the First World War, but due to its long length, it proved to be a hindrance in the cramped conditions of trench warfare.

Gewehr-98
A Gewehr 98. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The Gewehr 98 was chambered for the Patrone 88, or M/88, a rimless bottleneck 8mm cartridge and another first-generation smokeless propellent caliber. It was loaded with a 225-grain round-nose, full metal jacket bullet and produced muzzle velocities of about 2,034 fps. The maximum effective range was about 550 yards. This round was used by the German military until 1904 when it was replaced by the S Patrone cartridge, best known as 8mm Mauser (also known as 7.92x57mm and 8x57mm).

The Karabiner 98k: A Better Mauser

Steyr-K98k
A Steyr-made K98k with its bayonet. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The Karabiner 98k evolved from the Gewehr 98, and the name should already give you an idea about the new rifle’s features. It was called a Karabiner (carbine) rather than Gewehr (rifle), and the “k” suffix stood for “kurz”, meaning short. Also commonly referred to as the Kar98k, 98k and K98k, the Karabiner 98k was adopted by the German Wehrmacht as its standard service rifle in 1935. It featured a shorter 23.6-inch barrel, a controlled-feed action and a 5-round internal magazine loaded via stripper clips. Single rounds could also be loaded by pushing them into the magazine with your thumb.

The action was simplified and used only 29 parts. By comparison, the Gewehr 98’s used 44 parts. Additionally, the bolt handle was turned down to facilitate rapid operation and allowed for mounting an optic on the receiver. It has a ninety-degree lift with two locking lugs that mate inside the receiver at the 12 and 6 o’clock locations. The controlled feed action uses a non-rotating extractor that grasps the cartridge by the rim when loading and unloading, and the receiver was made of steel forgings which were then machined. 

Stripped-K98k-action
A disassembled Karabiner 98k action. Photo: Wikipedia.

The three-position manual safety was also simple and user-friendly. It flicked to the left to fire, straight up to prevent firing but allow the bolt to be manipulated and to the right to lock both the firing pin and bolt. The middle position served as a sort of dashboard dumb light as it obscured the sights, informing the user that they need to switch it to fire or safe. In another good design choice, the location of the safety allowed for it to be easily manipulated by the firing hand thumb.

The Langevisier, or rollercoaster rear sight, of the Gewehr 98 was replaced with a tangent leaf sight on the K98k. This new sight was flatter and did not obstruct the view on the sides when aiming as the older sight did. Starting in 1939, the front post sight incorporated a hood as well to reduce glare and protect the front sight post. These sights offered a good field of view for combat, but they did not lend themselves as well to precise aiming.

Early Karabiner 98k rifles had a one-piece wood stock but starting in 1937 they used a beech wood laminate stock that was stronger, more immune to warping and cheaper to manufacture than hardwood. The stock also featured a steel buttplate and a metal disc attached to the side of the buttstock that was used to disassemble the bolt.

It didn’t take long after production of the Karabiner 98k started for it to begin being recognized as the preeminent combat bolt-action rifle. Its brilliance was in its simplicity, strength, safety and accuracy, eventually leading to some 14.6 million K98k rifles being produced. World War II began in 1939, just four years after its adoption, yet all branches of the German military were geared up with the latest Mauser when it came time to use them.

8mm Mauser

The 7.92x57mm Mauser caliber was used by Germany in both World Wars. The M/88 round used in the Gewehr 98 was a first-generation smokeless powder cartridge and did not take advantage of the newer spire-point bullets being developed. The German military developed the S Patrone to leverage the new developments in bullet shape and smokeless powder. The “S” stands for the German word for spire point bullet and “Patrone” means “cartridge”. This cartridge used a 153-grain bullet with new smokeless powder that increased muzzle velocity to about 2,881 fps, significantly greater than the older M/88 cartridge.

Patrone-88-vs-S-Patrone-8mm-Mauser
Two 8mm Mauser cartridges, Patrone 88 (left) vs. S Patrone. Photo: Wikipedia.

The bores of Karabiner 98k rifles were also redesigned to be more compatible with the new 7.92x57mm round. This was necessary as the S Patrone bullet had a diameter of .323 inches while the bullet diameter of the M/88 round was only .318 inches. 

The S Patrone was phased out in 1933 and replaced with the s.S. Patrone, a cartridge originally used for long-range machine guns during WWI. It was loaded with heavy, pointed, full metal jacket 198-grain bullets. This round produced less muzzle flash out of the shorter barrel Karabiner 98k than S Patron, and it offered better ballistic performance than most other rifle cartridges during WWII. Out of the K98k, it produced a muzzle velocity of about 2,493 fps and the bullet could penetrate 33 inches of dry pine wood at 109 yards. Effective range with open sights was 550 yards and with an optic it could reach out to slightly over 1,000 yards.

Lead was scarce in Germany during the war, so the S.m.E. round was developed in 1940 that used a spitzer 178-grain bullet with a mild steel core.

Mauser-stripper-clip, karabiner 98k
A K98k being loaded with a stripper clip of 8mm Mauser. Photo: Wikipedia.

Wartime Production Ramp-Up

Mauser did not produce all of the 14.6 million Karabiner 98k rifles manufactured, as the surge in production from 1934 to 1945 required others to contribute as well. The receivers were stamped with a numerical factory code indicating the date and location of manufacture. In 1937, the numeric code was changed to letter codes.

Mauser-receiver-markings
The receiver markings of a K98k. The “337” indicates it was produced at Gustloff Werke. Photo: Wikipedia/Auckland Museum.

Besides the Mauser facilities in Oberndorf (factory codes: 42 ; svw45 ; byf) and Borigwalde (243 ; ar), other manufacturers included Erfurter Maschinen- und Werkzeugfabrik known as ERMA (27 ; ax), Sauer & Sohn (147 ; ce), Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik (237 ; duv), Gustloff Werke (337 ; bcd), Steyr-Daimler-Puch (660 ; Enz) and Waffenwerke Brünn (945 ; swp45 ; dot). These factories were scattered primarily throughout Germany, but in some occupied territories as well.

Born For Battle

The Karabiner 98k saw use by the German military in all theaters in which they fought: Europe, North Africa, the Soviet Union, Finland and Norway. At the start of the war, the K98k fought against similar slow-firing bolt-action weapons such as the British Lee-Enfield and the Soviet Mosin-Nagant. While the Mauser with its 5-round capacity was at a disadvantage compared to the faster-shooting Lee-Enfield and its 10-round magazine, it still managed to hold its own. However, when pitted against semiautomatics like the M1 Garand, it was clearly outmatched.

Nazi-with-Mauser-and-MG34
Two SS soldiers, one with a K98k slung across his back.

This isn’t said to denigrate the Karabiner 98k, as the downfall of all bolt-action combat rifles was the advent of semiautomatic rifles and select-fire weapons that were introduced toward the end of the war. The K98k was never updated during the war, but it was cheapened and simplified to decrease production costs and time. Known as Kriegsmodell variants, the changes implemented were steps back, not forward. Germany, like other countries, focused most of its efforts on manufacturing more modern self-loading firearms rather than on improving the Mauser.

To non-Germans, captured K98k rifles were as good as gold, and they were used by every resistance and partisan group that could get its hands on some. The Soviet Army also used captured Kar98k rifles due to small arms shortages early in the war.

Karabiner 98k Wartime Variants

Perhaps the most iconic K98k variants are the sniper models. Some rifles that were exceptionally accurate during factory testing were set aside and fitted with a Zeiss Zielvier 4× (ZF39) telescopic sight, giving the rifle an effective range of over 1,000 yards. Other 6x and 8x power optics were used as well as optics manufactured by Ajack, Hensoldt, Kahles and Opticotechna Dialytan. About 132,000 of these sniper variants were produced.

K98k-sniper
A German soldier with a sniper variant Karabiner 98k.

A designated marksman variant known as the K98ks was developed as well, and this was outfitted with a 1.5x power Zf 41 scope. This scope had a long eye relief and was mounted forward of the receiver, scout rifle style, via a quick-detach lever.

Other wartime variants included some experimental designs such as paratrooper models and a .22-caliber training version known as the KKW cadet rifle.

Post-War Service 

When World War II ended, many Karabiner 98k rifles had been captured by the Soviet Union and sent to Soviet arsenals to be refurbished. The USSR would go on to supply allied governments with these rifles (and other captured German and Soviet-produced weapons) during the Korean and Vietnam wars where they would be used against Americans once again.

The K98k was in such abundant supply after WWII that plenty of other nations continued to use them as well, on both sides of the Iron Curtain. From East to West Germany, Yugoslavia to Israel, the K98k still saw widespread use for many years after Nazi Germany’s defeat.

IDF-K98k
Two Israeli IDF soldiers training with K98k rifles in 1954.

Refurbished Yugo Mausers

Yugoslavia was in dire need of weapons after WWII ended. Zastava, a Yugoslavian arms maker, refurbished German Karabiner 98k rifles to help fill the gap. These rifles can be identified by the Yugoslavian communist party crest and by the “/48” that was added to the “Mod.98” designation originally stamped on the receiver. 

Austria also modified surplus K98k rifles into sniper rifles in 1958, designating them as the SSG 98k. These rifles were rechambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, given free-floated barrels, bedded in sporting style stocks and fitted with Kahles ZF 58 4×41 optics.

SSG98k
The SSG 98k. Photo: User “Absolut” on the TheK98kforum.

Collecting Mauser Rifles

The glory days of collecting inexpensive Mausers have gone the way of the rotary dial phone. Those for sale today are almost exclusively either incredibly expensive, in extremely poor condition, or both.

In 2023, you can expect a Karabiner 98k in NRA good condition to cost well over $1,000. A well-used K98k, one with a dented stock or pitted metal that might be suitable for a weekend shooter or a wall hanger, will be in the $500 to $700 range. For those who just want a facsimile of a K98k and don’t care about its country of origin, the Zastava M48 is a much more affordable option.

Zastava-M48
A Yugoslavian M48. Photo: Wikipedia.

The Mauser Legacy

The Karabiner 98k owes its stature as the best combat bolt-action to all the Mauser rifles that came before it. That took a lot of R&D. While the famous Karabiner was at the top of its class at the start of WWII, all bolt-actions were well on their way out as infantry weapons by the war’s end. Despite this, thanks to its massive production numbers, the K98k saw combat longer than most would have expected, continuing through today and likely far into the future as well. Even if that’s mostly in the hands of non-state actors now, Mauser’s legacy lives on.


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Lee-Enfield: Right Arm Of The Empire

An in-depth look at the Lee-Enfield, one of the most successful military bolt-action rifles ever produced.

The Lee–Enfield rifle was a cutting-edge design when it was adopted by the British military in 1895. It was issued throughout the British Empire and became one of the most recognized bolt-action rifles ever deployed. While overshadowed by the Mauser and the Mosin-Nagant, the Lee-Enfield is still the third most-produced bolt-action in history with an estimated 17 million units made.

Lee-Enfield-feature
A Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk 2. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Not many rifles can claim to have spanned centuries of active use like the Lee-Enfield can. It transformed into new variants as warfare changed in the late 19th and 20th centuries, but the Lee-Enfield was first fielded in 1899 during the Second Boer War and it has seen much action since then, including contemporary conflicts in the Middle East.

The story of the Lee-Enfield starts with the Lee-Metford rifle, which was adopted by the British Army in 1888. The Lee-Metford rifle takes its name from Jame Paris Lee, who designed the action, and William Ellis Metford who designed the rifling. Developed in the time of black powder cartridges, the Lee-Metford was a high-tech rifle design that offered rapid-fire compared to the slow-to-reload single-shot Martini-Enfield rifles it replaced. The military liked the Lee-Metford, but the conversion to smokeless powder cartridges forced the Lee-Metford to evolve into the Lee-Enfield we know today.

Lee-Metford
A Lee-Metford Mk 2. Photo: Wikipedia.

Rear-Locking Lug Action

As you may already know, the Mauser 98 locks into its action using two primary lugs at the front of the bolt. A result of this is that the Mauser requires a 90-degree bolt lift to cycle and that action blocks the user’s sight picture. Despite this, the Mauser 98 was still an excellent gun that had the most lasting impact on bolt-action rifle design in the years that followed. While the Lee-Enfield action may have never become as ubiquitous as the Mauser’s, its different design resulted in some distinct advantages as well.

This is mainly because the locking lugs on the Lee-Enfield are found closer to the rear of the bolt, and they lock into the receiver bridge instead of the receiver ring like on Mauser rifles. This difference not only makes it potentially faster to cycle the bolt than on a Mauser-style action, but it also doesn’t block the shooter’s vision since it only requires a 60-degree bolt lift. The Lee-Enfield has a shorter bolt travel distance because of this as well. These details came together to make the Lee-Enfield the fastest cycling bolt-action rifle of its day.

Enfield-bolt-apex
A Lee-Enfield bolt. Notice one of the two rear locking lugs visible on its top. Photo: Apex Gun Parts.

If there is a negative aspect to the rear lug action, it is accuracy. Since the front of the bolt does not lock into the receiver, it has more play than a Mauser-style action does. While this gave Mausers the edge in accuracy, the speed advantage of Enfields was arguably more useful for a military rifle.

The Lee-Enfield also used a detachable 10-round box magazine. This was a unique feature at the time, but old-school army leadership assumed that soldiers would lose the magazine. Today, our soldiers are equipped with multiple magazines and don’t think twice about dropping them during a reload. This philosophy wasn’t feasible back then, however, so despite having detachable magazines the soldiers were expected to recharge them with stripper clips while they were still loaded into the rifle.

Mad Minute

The potential speed and firepower of the Lee-Enfield were demonstrated in a shooting exercise developed before WWI called the “Mad Minute”. A rifleman, in the prone position, shoots at a 48-inch target at 300 yards and tries to hit the target as many times as they can in one minute. A trained rifleman could easily get 20 to 30 hits in 60 seconds. Compared to the Mauser 98’s accepted rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute, you see that the Enfield could potentially make aimed shots twice as fast.

Mad-Minute
British troops training with an SMLE Mk III. Photo: Wikipedia.

While the rear lug action of the Lee-Enfield was novel, the barrel length of 25.2 inches was controversial. The established shooting community thought a rifle needed a long barrel for better accuracy, which turned out to be untrue. The Lee-Enfield used a barrel length between a rifle and carbine, and it provided a good balance between maneuverability and ballistic efficacy.

There are several Lee-Enfield variants, which we’ll get into later, but suffice to say the Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee–Enfield Mk III, or SMLE Mk III, was the model that started the rifle’s excellent reputation when it was adopted in 1907 in time for WWI. By WWII, the Lee-Enfield had morphed into the No. 4 which canonized the rifle’s reputation as one of the best military rifles the world has ever known.

Arming The British Empire

In the late 1890s, England was the predominant military power in the world and ruled over the British Empire which was made up of dominions, colonies and territories around the globe. The expression used at the time was “the empire on which the sun never sets”, referring to how the sun was always shining on at least one of its overseas possessions.

The British Commonwealth Nations are former territories of the British Empire such as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, India, South Africa, Jamaica and many others. Not only was the British military armed with Lee-Enfields, but so too were the nations of the Commonwealth. All the territories were outfitted with Lee-Enfields, and they have seen action from deserts to jungles and everything in between. The rifles were about as prolific as Kalashnikovs are today.

.303 British Ballistics

303-British-stripper-clip
.303 British loaded in stripper clips. Photo: Wikipedia.

The .303 British was designed in 1887 for the Lee-Metford rifle and adopted by the British military in 1888, making it one of the most successful and lasting military cartridges ever developed. In fact, it was still used by the British until 1957 when it was replaced by the 7.62x51mm NATO. The original load of .303 British used a 215-grain round nose bullet with a copper-nickel jacket over about 70 grains of compressed black powder, although the black powder was quickly replaced with cordite once it was available in 1891. This cordite load used the same 215-grain projectile and produced velocities of about 1,970 fps.

The round-nose bullet design proved unimpressive in combat, so the British experimented with several expanding projectile designs until they were banned by the Hague Convention of 1899.

The next notable iteration of .303 British came in the form of the MK VII cartridge due to its use of the then-new spitzer bullet design. Spitzer bullets are pointed rather than rounded, and it results in a significantly higher velocity. Most modern rifle cartridges today are still loaded using spitzer bullets.

Loaded with a 174-grain full metal jacket bullet, the MK VII cartridge was capable of producing a muzzle velocity of 2,440 fps and about 2,300 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. What is unique about the MK VII round is that although it has a solid jacket, the front portion of the bullet core was made of aluminum, wood pulp or other materials. This brought the bullet’s center of gravity rearward, meaning that it would tumble upon contact and cause more severe wounds.

Most current commercial .303 British ammo is loaded with 180-grain soft point bullets for hunting and 174-grain FMJ bullets for target shooting.

Lee-Enfield Variants: From “Smelly” To Sniper

There were many variants of the Lee-Enfield made over its lifetime (more than we have the space to discuss here), each enhancing the model that preceded it. In many instances, the older variants were updated to the latest design specifications and given a new model name. To the uninitiated, Lee-Enfield model names can get confusing and read like footnotes with symbols like “*” in their designations, but we’ll get that sorted out.

MLE

MLE-MkI-CLLE
An MLE Mk I that's undergone the CLLE conversion. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The first Lee-Enfield variant was the Magazine, Lee-Enfield or MLE for short. It is sometimes referred to as “Emily” instead of pronouncing each letter “M-L-E”. These rifles were adopted in 1895 and were chambered for a .303-caliber cartridge and featured a long, 30.2-inch barrel.

A shorter version of this was called the Lee–Enfield cavalry carbine Mk I, and it was outfitted with a 21.2-inch barrel instead. The Lee-Enfield continued to evolve over the years with some being converted to load from stripper clips. These were called Charger Loading Lee–Enfields or CLLEs and first saw use in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). This war pitted Mausers against the MLE, and where the MLE fell short in comparison was its reloading speed. The Mauser could be reloaded relatively quickly by using a stripper clip to reload the internal magazine, whereas rounds needed to be inserted individually with the MLE.

SMLE

Short-Magazine-Lee-Enfield-Mk-1
An SMLE Mk I. Photo: Wikipedia.

This discovery resulted in the addition of stripper clip capabilities to the MLE, and this new design was designated as the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield or SMLE Mk I and adopted by the British military in 1904. “Short” was added to the name because its 25.1-inch barrel isn’t as long as the original MLE, but it wasn’t as short as the cavalry carbine variant either. The new SMLE designation also caused many to lovingly refer to the rifle as “Smelly.”

SMLE Mk III

nfield-Model-SMLE-MK-III
An SMLE Mk III. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The next major variant is perhaps the best known—the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III introduced in 1907. This model featured an improved stripper guide, a simplified rear ladder sight and a front sight protected by massive wings on both sides. The chamber was also altered so it could handle the Mk VII .303 British cartridge that was introduced alongside it. It was produced during WWI and found to be costly to manufacture, so a revised version—read cheaper and faster to make—was introduced in 1915 called the Mk III*. Notable changes included removing the magazine cut-off feature and changing the cocking piece from a knob to a serrated flat piece.

A sniper variant called the SMLE No. 1 Mk III* (HT) was also developed, and it featured a heavy barrel and an optic.

Lee-Enfield-No-1-Mk-III-HT
A No.1 Mk III* H.T. sniper variant. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The Mk III and Mk III* were used by British forces in World War I and found them to be tough, reliable and effective. When the war was being fought over long distances, it was common for British troops to hit German soldiers out to 600 yards. The First Battle of Ypres was fought between Allied troops, including the British, against German forces.

The Brits were so lethal with fire from the Lee-Enfields that the German Army called the battle the “Massacre of the Innocents” because of the 25,000 student volunteers who fell to British marksmanship. Plus, the speed at which the rifles could be fired caused the Germans to think the Brits were armed with machine guns at times. In the trench warfare that followed, guns were subjected to mud that could jam up the action. Another benefit of the rear lug Lee-Enfield bolt was that the front of the bolt and breech were easier to clean than Mauser actions.

The MLE, CLLE and SMLE Mk I through the Mk III* were produced by manufacturers in England, including the Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited, London Small Arms Co. Ltd. and the Royal Small Arms Factory of Enfield. Commonwealth manufacturers included Lithgow Small Arms Factory in Australia and Rifle Factory Ishapore in India.

World War II Lee-Enfield Variants

No. 4 Mk I

Lee-Enfield-No-4-Mk-I
A No. 4 Mk I*. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The next major variant was the No. 4 Mk I. This model was first produced in 1931, but it didn’t enter mass production or become officially adopted until after WWII was already underway in 1941. The primary advantage of the changes made to the No. 4 was that it was easier to manufacture.  Different from the SMLE rifles used in WWI, the barrel of the No. 4 protruded from the nose cap. The sights were also changed to a rear aperture style rear sight with an aperture for 300 yards and 600 yards. The No. 4 also had a heavier barrel and a new spike-style bayonet instead of a blade bayonet. To meet wartime production and simplify machining and assembly in 1942, modifications were made including going from five- or six-groove rifling to two-groove rifling, and the revised rifle was named the No. 4 Mk I*.

The No. 4 rifles were built in England as well as at the Small Arms Limited company in Canada, Savage Arms in the U.S. and Pakistan Ordnance Factories in Pakistan.

No. 4 Mk I (T)

Enfield-No-4-Mk-1-T
A No. 4 Mk I (T) sniper variant. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

The No. 4 was also developed into a sniper rifle. These rifles were hand-selected at the factory for their accuracy. The rifle needed to place seven shots in a five-inch circle at 200 yards and six shots in a 10-inch circle at 400 yards. These rifles were then outfitted with a wooden cheekpiece and scope and designated as the No. 4 Mk I (T) or No. 4 Mk I* (T).

Rifle No. 5 Mk I

Enfield-Jungle-Carbine
A No.5 Mk I “Jungle Carbine”. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Late in WWII, a carbine version of No. 4 was created with a shorter barrel that lightened the rifle by two pounds. The barrel was fitted with a cone-shaped flash hider and a rubber butt pad was used in place of a metal butt plate. This rifle was named Rifle No. 5 Mk I. Unofficially it is called the “Jungle Carbine,” a name coined by British and Commonwealth troops in the Pacific Theater.

WWII saw massive changes in warfare and weapons. While a rifle with good accuracy was suited to much of the long-range fighting of WWI, the No. 4 began to show its age in WWII. Bolt-action rifles were slow and heavy compared to many of the newer self-loading weapons being used by Germany. While the No. 4 did perform well, like the other bolt-actions of WWII, its days of frontline service were numbered. Despite this, the No. 4 is still used in limited capacities by some Commonwealth countries today and has the distinction of being the second oldest bolt-action still in official use, with the oldest being the Mosin-Nagant.

When Britain adopted the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, the No. 4 Mk I (T) and No. 4 Mk I* (T) sniper rifles were rechambered for it and designated as the L42A1. These remained in service until the 1990s.

From Battlefields to Hunting Camps

Surplus Lee-Enfield rifles, like many military rifles, have found their way into many hunting camps over the years. While not as popular in the U.S., hunters in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa still commonly use the rifle. Sporterized Enfield rifles typically have cut-down stocks and are equipped with a scope.

Collecting Lee-Enfield Rifles

Due to the sheer number of rifles built, there are plenty of Lee-Enfields on the commercial market. The most common variants are the SMLE No. 1 Mk III and the No. 4 Mk I, and they can be found in a wide range of conditions. They can be easily found for sale by various online retailers and auction sites, but if you care about the rifle’s history, the key thing is to stay away from sporterized guns that were bubba-fied by amateur gunsmiths into hunting rifles. Also, many of the cooler variants such as Jungle Carbines are often fakes or reproductions, so keep an eye out for details if you want an authentic one.

Nicer condition rifles and more rare variants such as sniper models will obviously command a much higher price, but you can still find a decent shooter-grade Lee-Enfield for less than $600 if you shop around.

The Lee-Enfield’s Legacy

Captured-Enfield-Iraq
A Lee-Enfield along with some more modern weapons captured by U.S. Marines in Iraq. Photo: Wikipedia.

Considering just how many times the Lee-Enfield was redesigned, updated and modified over the years, it’s no surprise that it remained in service for as long as it did. Early in its life, it was a close competitor to arguably more successful rifles like the Mauser 98. Later on, when WWII came, the rifle may have been a bit outdated by contemporary standards, but it still served the British well. Perhaps a completely new, auto-loading design would have been preferable, but with time and money in short supply, the No. 4 proved good enough to see Britain to victory.

The Lee-Enfield has been used in most of the world’s significant conflicts since it was invented, and it’s still used today the world over by everyone from sportsmen to police to guerilla forces. Odds are, that will never change.


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M1 Carbine: Unlocking The Legacy Of The War Baby

Ready to explore the fascinating world of the M1 Carbine? Whether you're seeking an original piece of history or a top-notch reproduction, we've got you covered.

The year was 1938 when the first request for a light rifle or carbine was made by the Chief of Infantry to the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Department. For support troops, those soldiers who kept the war machine rolling, the M1 Garand was too long and unwieldy, the Thompson submachine gun was too heavy and expensive and the M1911A1 pistol had limited range. An intermediate solution was needed for staff, officers, artillerymen, radiomen, drivers, NCOs, cooks in the chow hall and all the other soldiers that shore up combat troops.

The new rifle needed to be light, easy to maneuver with while slung over your back and chambered in a caliber between the powerful .30-06 Springfield cartridge of the Garand and the .45 ACP of the Thompson and the 1911. The result was the M1 Carbine.

It was lightweight at just over 5 pounds, only 35.6 inches in length (smaller than a yardstick) and chambered in the new .30 Carbine cartridge. Approval for the carbine came in 1940 when the world was in the throes of World War II and the M1 Carbine played a significant role in that conflict and several others that followed.

M1-carbine-feature
A 1944 Winchester M1 Carbine. Photo: rockislandauction.com.

M1 Carbine Design

Before its adoption, the design of the M1 Carbine still needed to be drawn out, prototyped and tested. That didn’t happen in the offices and test labs of the Ordnance Department. The M1 Carbine design actually started on a Caledonia State Prison Farm in Halifax County, North Carolina.

A convicted murderer by the name of David Williams was an inmate in this minimum-security facility and had an aptitude for anything mechanical. Williams was especially good at designing firearms and he devised a short-stroke gas piston operating system for a rifle while serving his time. The gas system he devised became the basis for the M1 Carbine.

After Williams was paroled, he went to the War Department to show off his designs. In response, Army Ordnance suggested Winchester should hire the ex-convict, which it did.  Williams, along with other Winchester engineers, then combined his short-stroke piston design with a rifle design that was started at Winchester by Ed Browning, John Browning’s brother. 

By 1941, the final result was a carbine that used a rotating bolt, an operating slide and a short-stroke gas piston. When a shot is fired, gas is siphoned off to push back on the operating slide which then drives the rotating bolt rearward to eject a spent case. The recoil spring brings it all back home while scraping a fresh round out of the detachable box magazine.

M2-diagram
An exploded view of the M2 Carbine, which at its core is identical to how an M1 functions. Photo: Wikipedia.

The new carbine was lighter than the 9.5-pound M1 Garand and almost 8 inches shorter in length. It was equipped with a smooth wood stock, a 17.75-inch barrel with a 1:20 twist rate and its sights consisted of a rear aperture and a front wing-protected post. The M1 Carbine featured a semi-automatic action and was fed from 15-round detachable box magazines. With the design established, the only obstacle left to tackle was production. Issue? The U.S. was going to need a lot of carbines to keep up with the war demand.

Production Ramp-Up During WWII

Winchester could not possibly build all the carbines needed. The U.S. government hired contractors to produce the M1 Carbine to bolster production numbers. By far the largest producer was the Inland division of General Motors, but some ten different contractors produced the M1 Carbine. These included IBM, Underwood, Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation, Quality Hardware and Machine Corp., Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company, National Postal Meter Company, Commercial Controls Corp., The Standard Products Company and Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors. 

M1-receiver-Rock-Ola
An M1 Carbine receiver with Rock-Ola production markings. Rock-Ola otherwise primarily produced juke boxes and similar machines. Photo: rockislandauction.com.

By mid-1941, the first M1 carbines were delivered to front-line troops with over 6 million M1 Carbines produced before the end of World War II. By that time, four official variants and a few more sub-variants had been produced. In 1945, military production of the M1 Carbine family stopped.

The M1 Carbine In Combat

For the most part, the M1 Carbine performed as designed. In combat use, it was small in size, lightweight and maneuverable, plus it had firepower with 15- and later 30-round magazines. However, the edge the M1 Carbine had in handling was hampered by the reputation surrounding the performance of .30 Carbine ammunition.

Action reports from WWII told of soldiers having to shoot enemy combatants multiple times before they went down. Some theorize this had more to do with the soldier's aim and missing shots they believed were hits, rather than the cartridge's supposed anemic ballistics.

Much of the lore surrounding the cartridge's stopping power seems to be a myth in retrospect. On paper, the .30 Carbine has decent ballistics for a cartridge its size. Despite reports from the Korean War, modern testing has conclusively debunked the idea the frozen jackets of Chinese troops were enough to stop .30 Carbine. The cartridge has proven capable of penetrating some level IIIA soft armor, in turn, poor effect on targets was more likely due to subpar shot placement. That said, it obviously can’t hold a candle to .30-06.

Marine-M1-carbine
A U.S. Marine armed with an M1 Carbine. Photo: Wikipedia.

Despite its reputation, regardless of its validity, the use of the M1 Carbine by U.S. troops spanned not only WWII, but the Korean War and the Vietnam War as well. American troops weren’t the only ones to shoulder the M1 either, as some of our allies used the rifle during these conflicts. Due to the sheer volume of production and wide proliferation, the carbine later saw considerable use in conflicts without direct American involvement too. Some American law enforcement agencies from the 1950s through the 1970s utilized the M1, and here it earned a generally better reputation than it did with military users.

.30 Carbine Ballistics

The .30 Carbine cartridge was designed as an in-between caliber. Because it’s typically compared to higher velocity and more powerful loads, it is often considered underpowered. Winchester chose the .32 Winchester Self-Loading cartridge (.32 WSL) as the parent case for the .30 Carbine, but it was modified to a rimless case design and featured a smaller diameter bullet. While the .32 WSL was in the same class as the .32-20—not a sizzler by any stretch of the imagination—the propellants produced in the 1940s marginally cranked up the performance of .30 Carbine.

30-carbine-comparison
From left to right: .30 Carbine, 7.92x33mm, 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm, 7.62x51mm NATO. Photo: Wikipedia.

The M1 Carbine pushes a 110-grain bullet with an average muzzle velocity of 1,990 fps and produces an average muzzle energy of 967 foot-pounds. As per Hatcher’s Notebook, the Cal. .30 M2 ball ammo of the Garand was loaded with a 152-grain bullet and had an average muzzle velocity of 2,805 fps and a muzzle energy of 2,656 foot-pounds.

Comparing the two, .30 Carbine has about 29-percent less muzzle velocity and 63-percent less muzzle energy. Compared to .45 ACP fired from a 1911, however, the .30 Carbine has an edge. The standard .45 ACP loading of the day used a 230-grain FMJ with a muzzle velocity of 830 fps and 352 foot-pounds of muzzle energy on average. That means that .30 Carbine has about 140-percent more muzzle velocity and about 175-percent more muzzle energy than .45 ACP when fired from their respective WWII-issue weapons. Considering that the M1 Carbine was intended as a replacement defensive weapon for personnel that would have otherwise been issued a 1911, that’s not bad at all.

Modern .30 Carbine Ammo

Fresh .30 Carbine ammo is still relatively plentiful today. Remington, Federal, Aguila, IMI, PPU, Magtech, Winchester, Hornady, Buffalo Bore, Sellier& Bellot and others all produce it. The bulk of these are target loads featuring a typical 110-grain FMJ bullet. However, companies like Hornady and Underwood offer some defensive loads as well such as the 110-grain FTX and the 85-grain Lehigh Xtreme Cavitator. Hunting ammo choices are mainly composed of soft-point 110-grain bullets.

Hornady-FTX-30-Carbine
Hornady Critical Defense in .30 Carbine.

All I can say about .30 Carbine is it can kill deer at close range, meaning under 100 yards. I have hunted whitetail deer with the .30 Carbine and it can fill your freezer. I’ve used Hornady ammo with good results, but that said, I would not recommend going out of your way to use the .30 Carbine for deer hunting given the abundance of other options today.

M1 Carbine Major Variants

M1 And M1A1 Carbines

The original and most common version of the carbine is the standard M1, featuring smooth wood stocks and non-adjustable, flip-over rear sights with apertures for 100- and 300-yards. The M1A1 Carbine sports a side folding wire stock instead, but is otherwise identical to the M1. The M1A1 is also known as the paratrooper model given it was designed to be used by U.S. Army Airborne units.

M1A1
An Inland M1A1 Carbine. Photo: rockislandauction.com.

M2 And M2A1 Carbines

With the introduction of the M2 variant in late 1944, the carbine was given select-fire capabilities and a 30-round magazine. This variant was widely used during the Korean War, much more than in WWII where they only witnessed the tail-end of the conflict. The M2 paratrooper variant was designated the M2A1 and was similar to the M1A1.

M2-Carbine
A Winchester M2 Carbine with its 30-round magazine. Photo: rockislandauction.com.

M3 Carbine

M3-carbine-with-battery
An M3 Carbine with its scope and battery pack. Photo: Wikipedia.

Perhaps the most unique variant was the M3. This version was just an M2 fitted with a mount for early-generation infrared night vision scopes. The whole setup weighed over 30 pounds, and despite being cutting-edge technology for its time, the scopes only had an effective range of about 70-100 yards.

M1 Variant Nuances

Sights

Early M1s had a non-adjustable rear sight. This sight had two apertures, one for 100 yards and one for 300 yards. By the end of WWII, an adjustable rear sight had replaced the original flip-up rear sight.

Barrel Bands

There were also three types of barrel bands on M1 Carbines.

Type 1: This was the most common variation and featured a narrow band retained by the band spring.

Type 2: This M1 appeared in 1944 with a wide band that better secured the barrel to the stock.

Type 3: By 1945, this variation included a bayonet lug as well. Many M1s had their barrel bands upgraded to the Type III after 1945.

M1-Carbine-barrel-band-comparison
A Type 1 barrel band (top) versus a Type 3 band (bottom). Photo: rockislandauction.com.

M1 Carbine Stocks

Stocks are also classified into three types.

Type 1: These stocks are the earliest and are referred to as “high wood” with the stock nearly covering the operating handle and featuring an I-shaped oiler slot in the rear stock. The oiler also held the canvas sling in place.

Type 2: These stocks are wartime production and feature an oval oiler slot and high wood. The high wood stocks were easily damaged, so the

Type 3: This stock, called low wood, was designed and used from 1944 onward. As the name implies, the stock was cut away from the operating handle.This variation also features an oval oiler slot.

It's worthwhile to note, the forend profiles of early stocks are straight while later-production stocks had a “pot belly” that sloped down. Early handguards also had two rivets while later variants had four.

Safety

The safety is another feature that changed during war production. Early guns had a push-button safety which was similar in size to the magazine release. To avoid confusion among soldiers, the safety was replaced with a rotary-style safety. Many M1s were later retrofitted with a rotary safety as well.

Surplus M1 Carbines

By the mid-1950s, surplus M1 Carbines started to become available on the commercial market. The CMP sold surplus M1 Carbines for $18.50, and at the time would ship them directly to your house (ah, the good old days). Carbines, ammo and extra magazines were all in abundance in those days.

Many veterans bought them due to familiarity and nostalgia, others purchased them for home defense given how handy and easy they are to shoot. Many also enjoyed using the carbine for hunting small- to medium-size game.

Even in the 1980s, M1 Carbines were regularly seen on the used rack in gun stores. Prices back then were about $200 to $300. Some 200,000 M1 Carbines from South Korea were allowed to be sold in the U.S. under the Reagan administration. The days of inexpensive surplus M1 Carbines, however, are now over.

The Clinton administration blocked sales of surplus M1 Carbines from the Philippines, Turkey and Pakistan. The Obama administrated similarly axed surplus sales of M1s from South Korea in 2010. These guns qualify as “curios or relics” and are legal to sell in the U.S., but they were sadly destroyed instead. There are probably still more M1 Carbines sitting in warehouses abroad, but the odds of them ever being imported are disappointingly slim.

M1-Carbine-w-bayonet
A surplus Winchester M1 Carbine with a 30-round magazine and bayonet. Photo: rockislandauction.com.

Collecting The M1 Carbine

When it comes to collecting the surplus M1s that are already circulating on the secondhand market it’s, unfortunately, a tough nut to crack. This is because there are a ton of very minute, nuanced details that can majorly impact a carbine’s value. If you really want to get into it, you will need to do research beyond the information provided in this article.

The general condition, the rarity of the manufacturer or variant, the originality, subtle details like the barrel band or stock pattern and even a gun’s serial number can all play a huge role. There are also forgeries to watch out for on top of learning how to identify original features. These are all things that you can teach yourself, but it will require time and dedication before you’re educated enough to start dropping large sums on expanding your collection without worrying about getting scammed.

Reproduction M1 Carbines

After WWII, several firearms manufacturers produced copies of the M1 Carbine. Iver Johnson, AMPCO, Erma, Universal Firearms and Plainfield Machine Company are just a few that have existed over the years. The quality varied among these manufacturers, with some using a mix of original surplus and new-production parts and others building them with entirely new commercial components. Not all GI parts are compatible with commercial guns.

Currently, there are still a few manufacturers cranking out reproduction M1 Carbines. Inland Mfg. (which is not the original Inland Mfg. but a new company started in 2013), Auto-Ordnance (which is part of Kahr Arms) and Chiappa are three of them. Of these, some are more faithful reproductions than others, with some true clones and others the company’s interpretation of the M1. Chiappa’s, for instance, is chambered for 9mm or .22 LR and uses a blowback action.

Chiappa-9mm-carbine
The Chiappa M1-9 Carbine in 9mm.

What Sort Of M1 Carbine Should I Buy?

When considering an M1 Carbine, you need to ask yourself: Do I want to continue to shoot an original which will diminish its value, or shoot the heck out of a reproduction? My thought with reproduction guns is not to give it a hallowed slot in my gun safe, but to shoot it a lot.

Inland Mfg. offers eight variants of the M1 Carbine, and my favorite is the 1945 M1 with a Type III barrel band. While some of the Inland M1 Carbines take creative license with the look and features. However, when you shoulder an Inland Mfg. M1 1945, it makes you wonder whether it just came off the production line in 1945. It even has period-correct features like a round bolt and low wood stock. The new Inland Mfg. M1 Carbines are so close to original specifications Inland marks the underside of the barrel and inside the stock to prevent these carbines from being sold as WWII-vintage firearms by unscrupulous gun traders.

Inland-MFG-commercial-M1-Carbine
A new-production commercial M1 1945 Carbine from Inland Mfg.

Another favorite of mine is the Auto-Ordnance M1 Carbine Paratrooper, which is a reproduction of the M1A1 with a folding wire stock. Add shooting the Paratrooper from the hip with the stocked folded to your bucket list. You'll have a silly grin on your face after running through a 30-round mag.

Given the collectability of surplus guns, reproductions allow one to shoot them as much as desired without worrying about eroding the value of an original. Reproductions also cost less than originals and are pretty much guaranteed to run out of the box, while surplus guns often need some tweaking and some cleaning.

Getting Started With An M1 Carbine

There are a lot of complexities and nuances to collecting surplus M1s. There is also the expense.

If you have your heart set on a surplus M1, expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 for a shooter in good condition. Rebuilds are cheaper but will have mismatched parts, but that's alright for a gun you are going to shoot. Reproductions are, honestly, the best option if all you want is a range toy. These guns are less expensive, but won't appreciate in value like originals.

Regardless of the exact variant you end up with, M1 Carbines are a ton of fun to shoot and will forever hold a prominent space in the pantheon of historically significant military small arms. 


More Classic Military Guns:

.277 Fury: The Army’s Newest Cartridge’s Background And Ballistics

A closer look at the development, adoption and ballistics of .277 Fury, the U.S. Army’s newest cartridge.

The .277 Fury is a beast of a cartridge designed to shoot flatter and transfer more energy to its target at farther distances. The U.S. Army calls the round “next generation,” and based on .277 Fury’s capabilities, that is not an exaggeration.

Compared to the current-issue service cartridges it’s slated to replace like 5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm, the .277 Fury offers greater energy, improved terminal ballistics and higher ballistic coefficient bullets that slip through the air with ease. It appears that America has settled on a new battle rifle cartridge to arm its troops, but just how much better is it?

SIG-277-Fury-feature

Why was the .277 Fury Developed?

The U.S. Military is always looking for an edge. In 2017, the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program was launched by the U.S. Army with the goal of replacing the M4 carbine and M249 SAW light machine gun, both chambered in 5.56 NATO, as well as the M240 machine gun in 7.62 NATO. These have served the military well—the 5.56 since 1963 and the 7.62 from way back in 1954. But warfare changes. The cartridges that our military currently uses are effective, but the 5.56, for example, has had known penetration issues in combat. Body armor has evolved to be lighter and tougher, and that means rifle cartridges need to evolve in tandem.

For the new cartridge of the NGSW program, the Army specified that it wanted a 6.8mm or .277-caliber bullet. This has been a long-time desire and has resulted in aborted attempts at the caliber, such as the 6.8mm Remington SPC. For its latest effort, the Army had its own .277-caliber bullets designed by Picatinny Arsenal weighing 130 and 140 grains with velocity potentials of more than 3,100 feet per second. 

Furthermore, firearms manufacturers were invited by the Army to submit cartridge and rifle designs for review, essentially integrated systems. For the rifle, the specifications dictated it could not be longer than 35 inches and could only weigh up to 12 pounds with accessories and optics. The weapon-cartridge system also needed to penetrate body armor out to 500 meters, hit targets out to 610 meters, and suppress targets out to 1,200 meters.

Army-NGSW-Program

SIG's entry to the program was the 6.8×51mm Common Cartridge chambered in its XM5 rifle and XM250 LMG. SIG’s new cartridge has a maximum overall length of 2.83 inches, which means it will load and feed from any 7.62 NATO (.308 Winchester) detachable box magazine. Other submissions to the program included manufacturers such as General Dynamics and Textron Systems. 

In 2020, SAAMI, the organization that creates standards for ammunition, approved the round as the .277 SIG Fury, which sounds a helluva lot sexier than 6.8×51mm. In 2022, the Army adopted the round alongside SIG’s rifle and LMG. Uncle Sam now not only has a new cartridge, but a couple of new guns to shoot it with.

Speed + Energy = Fury 

So, why would the Army want a new 6.8mm cartridge? It already had 7.62, which is battle-proven, as well as 6.5 Creedmoor which is loved by long-range competitive shooters. The answer? The .277 has superior velocity and energy.

However, there was a tradeoff in this arms race, particularly relating to chamber pressure.

To achieve the Army’s desired ballistic properties, the chamber pressure of .277 Fury is a mind-blowing 80,000 PSI. By comparison, 5.56 NATO produces about 60,000 PSI and 7.62 NATO about 62,000 PSI. Other calibers used by the military don’t even come close to the pressure generated by the .277 Fury. The massive .50 BMG only produces about 53,000 PSI, and the .338 Lapua Magnum about 61,000 PSI. The 80,000 PSI generated by .277 Fury is a lot of pressure to contain in a cartridge case, and it’s why not just any rifle can handle it.

Case Study: .277 Fury

The extremely high chamber pressure of .277 Fury forced SIG to rethink traditional cartridge case design. Because brass alone is not enough to contain it, the company took the hybrid approach and designed a casing made of multiple types of metal.

To reinforce the .277 Fury, it uses a stainless steel base attached to a brass body via an aluminum locking washer. The base is much more robust and is strong enough to withstand the high pressure that would literally blow apart a traditional brass cartridge case. 

SIG-277-Fury-diagram

Though, the Fury thankfully isn’t pigeonholed to this radical case design. The cartridge can be downloaded to 65,000 PSI which allows it to safely use conventional brass cases. But this raises the question, what is the benefit of a chamber pressure at 80,000 PSI with a 135-grain bullet traveling at 3,000 fps? 

Quite simply, a flatter trajectory and more energy down range.

.277 Fury Ballistics

Compare the ballistics of .277 Fury to other military calibers like the 5.56 and 7.62 NATO and you soon see that the Fury has a distinct edge. When you pit the trajectory of .277 Fury against that of 5.56, 7.62, and 6.5 Creedmoor, you see that some bullets fall like stones. 

According to SIG, the .277 Fury loaded with a 150-grain bullet has a muzzle velocity of 3,120 fps out of a 24-inch barrel.  Compared to other currently used military cartridges, this is impressive. The common 149-grain M80 load of 7.62 from Lake City has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,790 fps when fired from a 22-inch barrel. The 62-grain M855 load of 5.56 can achieve a muzzle velocity of 3,110 fps when fired from a 20-inch barrel, and 143-grain Hornady ELD-X 6.5 Creedmoor has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,700 fps out of a 24-inch barrel. While that may not seem like that big of a difference for some of these, the trajectory table should speak for itself.

Shooterscalc-trajectory-table-277-Fury-fixed-2
Made with ShootersCalculator using a drag function of G1, a zero of 200 yards, a 1.5-inch sight height, a 90-degree 10 mph crosswind and zero corrections for atmosphere.

At 1,000 yards, the .277 Fury drops only 253.6 inches. On the other hand, the 6.5 Creedmoor drops about 306 inches, 5.56 NATO drops 421 inches and the 7.62 NATO drops 354 inches. Data doesn’t lie, and the Fury shoots much flatter than these other service cartridges. Comparably, it also delivers a beastly amount of energy. 

shooterscalc-muzzle-energy-table
Made using ShootersCalculator.

There is a 33-percent difference in muzzle energy between the .277 Fury and the 6.5 Creedmoor, a 23-percent difference between it and the 7.62 NATO and a whopping 83.5-percent difference between the cartridge and the 5.56 NATO. Why is this important? Kinetic energy helps to better understand the cartridge’s terminal ballistics, particularly its potential to penetrate a target.

Fast and Fury-ous Ammo Options

Since the .277 Fury is so new, only SIG is currently producing commercially available ammo. SIG’s offerings include a long-ran

ge target load and two hunting loads. While two of these cartridges produce pressures low enough to be used with traditional brass casings, one of the hunting loads is juiced up enough to require the new hybrid case design. Note that while all these loads are expensive, they can typically be found for less than the listed MSRPs.

ELITE BALL FMJ 277 SIG FURY

ELITE-BALL-FMJ-277-SIG-FURY

This is the target load, and it uses a 135-grain FMJ bullet with a 0.475 BC. Factory data states that muzzle velocity from a 16-inch barrel is 2,750 fps and 3,000 fps from a 24-inch barrel. This round is specifically designed for long-range shooting. Expect to pay about $1.70 per round for this option, as 20-round boxes have an MSRP of about $34. 

277 SIG FURY, 130gr, VENARI SOFT POINT HUNTING

277-SIG-FURY-130gr-VENARI-SOFT-POINT-HUNTING

If you want to put meat on the table, SIG’s traditional 130-grain soft-point option offers an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,710 fps and muzzle energy of 2,120 foot-pounds. This round is designed for whitetail deer up to elk. With an MSRP of about $42 per 20-round box, each trigger pull will cost about $2.10.

ELITE BONDED POLYMER TIPPED 277 SIG FURY HYBRID

ELITE-BONDED-POLYMER-TIPPED-277-SIG-FURY-HYBRID

The hybrid cartridge load uses a 150-grain polymer-tipped, boat-tail Nosler Accubond bullet that offers military-grade horsepower for the hunt. Utilizing the stainless-steel base hybrid case, the round cranks out 3,120 fps muzzle velocity from a 24-inch barrel and produces around 3,243 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. This performance isn’t cheap since 20-round boxes have an MSRP of about $80, resulting in a cost of about $4 per shot.

.277 Fury Rifles

When the .277 Fury was introduced to the shooting public in 2019, the only rifle chambered in the caliber was the SIG Cross, a lightweight minimalist bolt-action hunting rifle that weighs 6.5 pounds naked without a scope. 

CROSS-PRS Feature
The SIG Sauer CROSS PRS.

SIG has since offered the MCX-Spear chambered in the cartridge as well, the company’s civilian version of the U.S. Army’s XM7 rifle. The semi-automatic rifle has similar features as an AR-15/AR-10 platform, but it uses a short-stroke piston in lieu of the direct gas impingement system found in typical ARs. Either of these rifles would do good work as a long-distance target rifle, but if I had my choice, I’d choose the lightweight bolt action, especially for hunting in rough terrain. 

MCX-Spear feature
The commercial variant of the SIG MCX-SPEAR.

At present, no other rifle manufacturers are producing guns chambered in .277 Fury. Part of the reason could be gunmakers are waiting to see if the caliber catches on with the public. Another reason could be the nature of the cartridge itself. 

Making a .277 Fury rifle is not just a simple matter of swapping barrels in an action. The pressure generated by the round means a trip back to the drawing board to beef up receiver designs or completely rework a gun. That’s a significant expense for a cartridge that is yet to prove its mainstream appeal. For companies that aren’t SIG, wait-and-see just might be the best strategy.

Niche Cartridge?

Does the introduction of the .277 Fury mean that 5.56 and 7.62 are going to be shelved? Hardly. The military will continue to use both for a long time as they work on integrating the new weapons and ammunition, and civilian shooters are too invested at this point to give either cartridge up. The future of .277 Fury with the civilian population will likely continue to increase as well, particularly if more ammunition manufacturers load the round and more rifles are chambered for it.

SIG-Spear-Mag-loading

The Fury has both long-range competition shooting and hunting applications, but both areas have numerous rivals when it comes to performance and availability. However, the edge the .277 Fury has is huge—U.S. Military approval and backing. Nearly every caliber used by the military eventually becomes popular with civilians, and with time, this may prove true for the .277 Fury, too. 

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to more precisely express the percentage difference of muzzle energy between cartridges.


More NGSW Stuff:

Carry Calibers: .40 S&W Vs. .45 ACP Vs. 9mm

In the eternal debate of .40 S&W Vs. .45 ACP Vs. 9mm, which cartridge reigns supreme for concealed carry and self-defense?

So now that we know a bit about the specifications and data for the 9mm cartridge, what is it that makes it so popular? It does not have stellar, tack-driving accuracy like other pistol calibers, nor does it have the power of other cartridges. It is far from the perfect cartridge but is still the most prevalent worldwide. Even science gives the 9mm low marks compared to larger calibers.

It’s simple physics. A bigger, heavier bullet carrying more energy means a deeper and larger wound channel. So why is the 9mm king? There are three reasons: Shootability, increased magazine capacity, and ammunition choices.

40-sw-vs-45-acp-vs-9mm-feature

Before we get into these, let’s talk physics and math. A light projectile sheds velocity and energy faster than a heavier one. More velocity equates to more energy. More energy factors into the amount of penetration, which affects terminal performance. Energy is the benchmark by which we rate a bullet’s performance. To sum up this fast physics lesson: all things being equal, a larger, heavier bullet will penetrate deeper than a lighter one.

The move to the 9mm was not an instant success, as the Illinois State Police learned. As mentioned in an earlier chapter, they were one of the first U.S. law enforcement agencies to adopt the 9mm in the Smith & Wesson Model 39. The standard-issue round was either 100- or 115-grain, standard velocity. The load was mediocre at best as the troopers found out, but when they changed to 115-grain hollow-point +P+, those .380-inch bullets leaving the muzzle of their Model 39s at a velocity of 1,300 fps changed the game. The initial 9mm rounds at the time used by law enforcement did not yet reach the nine’s full potential.

9mm-Book
This is an excerpt from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

One of the issues our military experienced with the 9mm was dissatisfaction with the M9 pistol specifically and ammunition in general. It boiled down to a report compiled by the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) and released in 2006 titled, “Soldier Perspectives on Small Arms in Combat.” The report detailed a formal independent review of soldier opinions of their small arms in combat situations. Specifically, the Project Manager, Soldier Weapons (PMSW) wanted to know soldier perspectives on the reliability and durability of the M9 pistol, as well as the M4 and M16 (A2 and A4) rifles, and the M249 light machine gun. These four weapon systems are the standard-issue guns being used by Army soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Just to level set the results, weapon reliability is defined as “soldier level of confidence that their weapon will fire without a stoppage in the combat environment.” Weapon durability is defined as “soldier level of confidence that their weapon will not suffer breakage or failure that necessitates repair before further use.” Survey participants included over 2,600 soldiers who had returned from Iraq or Afghanistan and who had engaged in a firefight using the weapons listed.

The net result was that soldiers were least satisfied with the M9 compared to the other weapons and “the most frequent recommendations included weapons and ammunition with more stopping power/lethality; higher quality magazines for the M9, M4 and M16; more durable ammo belt links and drum systems for the M249; and reduced size and weight in the M16 and M249.”

Call it lethality, stopping power or knock-down power, but there is no such thing as a caliber with this magic attribute. The truth is a combination of bullet placement and design, and follow-up, are what stop a threat. If a shooter does his job and places the shot accurately the 9mm can stop a threat. Our bodies can take an enormous amount of punishment. Our organs can move around inside us, so what might have been a good hit is not. There are numerous examples of people who are shot in a gunfight and did not realize they were hit until after the fight was over.

40-sw-vs-45-acp-vs-9mm-table

It may be ironic that the Mozambique Drill is a technique used with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, during the Mozambican War of Independence from 1964 to 1974. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Lourenço Marques, which is now called Maputo. He turned a corner and came face-to-face — about 10 paces — with a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest.

This was a traditional “double tap” maneuver. According to Rousseau during a conversation with Jeff Cooper, Rousseau hit the guerrilla on either side of the sternum, which is typically sufficient to kill a man. Yet the guerrilla was still advancing, so he tried for a headshot and instead hit the guerrilla through the base of his neck, severing the spinal cord. Cooper, the founder of the Gunsite Academy shooting school and father of the “modern technique” of pistol shooting, decided to incorporate a drill similar to what Rousseau had experienced. Cooper called it the “Mozambique Drill.”

The drill has you fire the first two shots to the center of mass and then a slight pause. The pause allows you to assess the situation and determine if a third shot is needed to the head. The drill has since been renamed Failure Drill or Failed to Stop Drill due to political correctness. No doubt Cooper is rolling over in his grave over that, since he had no patience for political correctness — only fast, precise shooting.

I’ve talked to some recent veterans who have combat experience with the M9 and, according to some of them, the reason it has a 15-round magazine is that you need two shots to immobilize an opponent. That is due to the M882 cartridge, the U.S. military load for the 9mm—not the handgun itself. The military has plans to change the 9mm load and may even walk away from the FMJ ball ammo and use a more effective bullet.

With no further ado, here are the reasons the 9mm beats all other cartridges for combat and self-defense.

Shootability

When the 10mm Auto was dropped by the FBI in favor of the .40 S&W, law enforcement agencies nationwide followed suit and shifted to the .40, dropping the 9mm in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Even so, for most LE agencies the breakup with the nine would be short. The .40 S&W had what they wanted: a larger bullet at a higher velocity that created a larger and hence more lethal wound channel. At one time, manufacturers were introducing pistols in .40 S&W first and then following up with the same handgun chambered in 9mm. The H&K USP model is an example. Today, the .40 S&W might be considered, but now most handgun manufacturers introduce 9mm first, then .40 S&W and maybe .45 ACP.

Author-Shooting-controllability-vs-9mm
Muzzle energy isn’t the only standard by which to judge calibers. Ammo cost, speed on target and capacity are all top considerations.

The .45 ACP has been in use with our military since WWI and is a proven combat caliber. The problem with it is recoil. Even with full-size, steel receiver pistols like the 1911, the .45 ACP is a handful to control. Pistols chambered in 9mm — from subcompacts to full-size models — have less recoil and that translates into you shooting the pistol better. Better shooting means better accuracy. Faster follow-up shots are one of the 9mm’s greatest benefits.

.40 S&W Vs. .45 ACP Vs. 9mm: Magazine Capacity

Additional magazine capacity of the 9mm is a benefit over the .40 S&W and .45 ACP. For example, look at the Smith & Wesson M&P series. The M&P 9 has a capacity of 17+1 rounds. The M&P 40 has a capacity of 15+1, and the M&P 45 has a 10+1 round capacity. The 9mm offers less reloading and more shooting — something to think about if you get into a gunfight. The ability to confront multiple threats with more firepower and not have to take time to reload is a plus. Most who carry do not have spare ammo on them (they should). Concealing a 9mm pistol means more rounds on hand.

caliber-capacity
The typical double-stack 9mm has a capacity of at least 16+1 rounds. The .40 S&W has 15+1, and the .45 ACP 10+1.

Ammunition Choices

Since the 9mm is so popular there are many bullet options loaded by nearly every ammunition manufacturer. From fast 115-grain ammo to slower and heavier 147-grain rounds, the 9mm offers choice. The cost of 9mm ammo is less than .40 S&W and .45 ACP. Plus, it is easy to find 9mm ammo at nearly any store that sells ammunition. That means you can train more often and longer for less cost.

handgun-ammo-boxes
The 9mm offers a wide assortment of ammunition choices. Here’s a small sample of 9mm cartridges available.

The 9mm was once embraced, tossed aside, and now embraced again. It’s not a compromise cartridge — you now have more round capacity with bullets that provide wound cavities pacing those caused by larger cartridges. Times have changed and so has the 9mm.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt of 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber.


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Retro AR-15: The Old Rifles That Inspired The New Ones

Retro AR-15 12
An AR-10 rifle that was the precursor to the black rifle produced by the Dutch company of Artillerie-Inrichtengen. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

Looking back on the forward-thinking black rifle with a new-production retro AR-15 options.

There was a time when the black rifle, what we’ve come to refer to as the AR-15 today, might not ever have happened. In fact, in the beginning there were several times when Armalite went back to the drawing board, so to speak. Other U.S. government projects like SALVO and AGILE greatly impacted the development of the so-called black rifle. Truth be told, the AR wasn’t even black in the beginning. When the barrels of early prototypes exploded during Army tests, you would think that would have halted any further development. It didn’t, it just made Armalite think smarter.

When a new caliber was adopted by the U.S. government, a complete redo of the rifle morphed into a new variant. Then there was trouble brewing in a southeast Asian country no one ever heard of called Vietnam. These events collided in the late 1950s and early 1960s to spawn the “black rifle” moniker — the nickname given to the AR-15 (Armalite’s name), the Model 601 (Colt’s nomenclature) and the M16 (the U.S. military designation). You see, the story of the black rifle is not cut and dry, but filled will glorious moments of success, the agony of defeat and ultimate perseverance. Perhaps the pivotal moment took place on a warm summer day in 1960 when two watermelons spectacularly demonstrated the effectiveness of the black rifle and the 5.56mm NATO cartridge to a brash Air Force general. But we’re getting ahead of the story. Let’s back up to 1956 and Hollywood, California. That’s where and when the black rifle’s story starts.

Retro AR-15 3
Jungle warfare helped shape the design of the black rifle. It was also the first time the rifle saw combat. Photo: DoD

Birth Of The AR-15

In the mid–1950s, Armalite Corporation was a small machine shop in Hollywood, California, that was immersed in creating cutting-edge weapon designs. Its business model was to design a weapon and then license the design to a manufacturer, and its claim to fame was the AR-5 and AR-7 survival rifles designed for the Air Force. Armalite’s ideas needed funding, so it became a subdivision of Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. It hired Eugene Stoner as chief design engineer. Yes, the Eugene Stoner. Under Stoner’s direction, Robert Fremont and L. James Sullivan developed and engineered new small arms designs.

In fall 1956, Armalite developed an ultra-modern combat rifle. The prototype was designated the AR-10 and it was unlike any rifle — non-reciprocating charging handle, hinged upper and lower, modular components, select-fire, gas-operated direct impingement system, lightweight aluminum receiver, synthetic stock, aluminum/steel barrel to name just a few unique design characteristics — and it was chambered in 7.62mm. The Armalite promo film shows a soldier emerging from the ocean firing an AR-10 in full-auto as he walks up onto the beach. Think I’m kidding? Google “Armalite promo video” and if you are of a certain age the sound and quality of this video will remind you of movie reels you were forced to watch in high school: except this one will have you glued to the edge of your seat and will give you an idea of what Armalite was up to when communication technology consisted of a rotary dial telephone.

Armalite hurriedly submitted four sample rifles into the U.S. Army’s tests for a replacement of the M1 Garand. The competition was Springfield Armory, which submitted the T44E4, and Fabrique Nationale, which entered the FAL. During torture testing, the AR-10’s barrel burst and so, one would think, the U.S. government’s confidence in Armalite. The AR-10 could have gone down as a footnote in military arms history. The Springfield Armory T44, a more conventional design — basically an M1 Garand with a removable magazine — got the nod from the military and, in 1957, the Army designated it the M14.

Retro AR-15 2
By the time the Vietnam War was under way, the main-issue rifle was an M16. Photo: DoD

Far from licking its wounds, Armalite licensed the AR-10 to Artillerie Inrichtingen in Holland to manufacture the rifles to fulfill contracts with Cuba, Nicaragua, Portugal, Sudan, Guatemala, Italy and Burma. But the real money would be made with a U.S. military contract, not some banana republic or small country that might pony up cash for a paltry 1,000 rifles.

While the Army opted for the M14, it also funded the SALVO research project in which high-velocity .22-caliber weapons were found to have the same lethal power as .30-caliber weapons, but without the recoil or lack of control in full-auto fire. Plus, a soldier could carry more .22-caliber cartridges than .30-caliber ones — more firepower per soldier.


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Armalite shifted gears and developed the AR-15, borrowing many features from the AR-10. The AR-15 was space-age and high-tech compared to other military rifles at the time. Ten AR-15 rifles were tested at Fort Benning, Aberdeen Proving Ground and in the Arctic in 1958. Testing discovered the design needed modifications, but the final reports stated the AR-15 was a viable replacement for the .30-caliber M14. Armalite didn’t pop the champagne cork just yet. There were backdoor deals going on and production of the M14 rifle continued. Armalite was hemorrhaging money so Fairchild sold the manufacturing and marketing rights to Colt’s Patent Firearms and Manufacturing Corporation in Hartford, Connecticut. Colt then began the hard sell of the AR-15 to the U.S. military. It wasn’t a question of if the AR-15 was going to be adopted by the military but when.

Retro AR-15 9
An Army Specialist fires an M16A2 rifle from the kneeling position during the weapons qualification in 2016. Note the round handguard and birdcage muzzle device. Photo: DoD

Under Live Fire

In 1960 in Hagerstown, Maryland, a Colt salesperson demonstrated the AR-15 to General Curtis LeMay, Air Force Chief of Staff. This is where the watermelons come in. LeMay was convinced of the killing power of the AR-15 and requested an order for 80,000 AR-15 rifles for the Air Force. The military was loathed to have two different caliber rifles in service and President John F. Kennedy nixed LeMay’s request. LeMay would not take no for an answer. And then there was this troubling thing in southeast Asia. Before the 1960s, Vietnam was virtually unknown to most Americans. That would soon change.

The goal of Project AGILE was to deter the communist presence in South Vietnam. AGILE was launched in 1961, and a handful of prototype AR-15s designated by Colt as the Model 601 were sent to South Vietnam for testing and evaluation. Design tweaks were made, and the Colt Model 602 — also known as the XM16 — succeeded the 601. These early rifles had a buttstock, pistol grip and handguard with a green finish. They were still not yet black. The test rifles were well received by users. The next year, an additional 1,000 were sent to South Vietnam for use by Special Operations forces and advisors. In combat the rifles proved to be effective, and the power of the 5.56mm cartridge made devastating kills on enemy combatants.

The year 1963 cemented the black rifle’s fate. While the military was still stuck on the conventionally designed M14, the reports from AGILE recommended adoption of the AR-15 platform and the military ordered rifles. This is when the black rifle got a black eye.

Retro AR-15 13
Originally the M16 was not issued with a cleaning kit. That changed when jamming issues caused American soldiers to die in combat. Photo: DoD

In 1965, the XM16E1 was issued to troops without cleaning supplies or instructions. Two versions of the rifle were made: the M16 without a forward assist for the Air Force and the XM16E1 with a forward assist for the other branches of the military. The Army ordered 85,000 XM16E1 rifles and the Air Force 19,000 M16s. These rifles were the first true black rifles, as they featured black furniture. The XM16E1 sported a fixed buttstock, triangular handguard and a three-prong “duck-bill” flash suppressor on a 20-inch barrel. Standard issue was a 20-round magazine.

In 1964, the .223 Remington/5.56x45mm cartridge was officially adopted by the U.S. Army for use in the AR-15 platform. What caused the black eye and congressional investigations concerned gun powder. There were insufficient quantities of 5.56mm ammo on hand so the military changed the type of gun powder in the ammunition to speed up delivery. The nitrocellulose-based powder the rifle was designed to use was replaced with a nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin-based powder that left a residue in the rifle’s mechanism.

The AR-15’s gas impingement system was designed as self-cleaning, requiring minimal maintenance. Originally the M16 was not issued with a cleaning kit, but that soon changed as U.S. soldiers began to experience stoppages in combat with cartridge cases lodged in the chamber. U.S. casualties were discovered, literally with soldiers killed over rifles disassembled while trying to fix jams. Congress soon intervened as evidence of jamming rifles mounted and an investigation was launched. It was found that the main issue for the failure-to-extract stoppages was the gun powder in the ammunition.

Retro AR-15 10
These rifles appear to be M16A1s, in use toward the end of the Vietnam War. Note the triangular handguard. Photo: DoD

Rifle Of Many Faces

By 1967 the problems with the XM16E1 were addressed and the rifle was standardized as the M16A1 with a chrome-lined chamber, the recoil buffer was modified for the ammo, the “duck-bill” flash suppressor was replaced by the A1 “bird-cage” flash suppressor. The three-prong muzzle device would catch on vegetation and gear. The three-position safety selector on M16A1 is marked “safe,” “semi-automatic” and “fully automatic.” The firing modes on the A2 are marked “safe,” “semi-automatic” and “burst.” A cleaning kit was supplied to troops, too. Will Eisner’s comic manual, The M16A1 Rifle: Operation and Preventive Maintenance, was passed out among G.I.s. With the design changes and maintenance, the reliability of the black rifle increased, and so too did our troops’ confidence with the rifle.

A short-barreled variant, the XM177 Commando, was also distributed during the Vietnam War. This rifle with a 10-inch barrel was more compact and maneuverable in thick jungle cover. The XM177 used a distinct-looking muzzle device to reduce flash and moderate sound. The carbine had a CAR adjustable buttstock, which was the precursor to the M2-style buttstock. The handguard was round. By the mid–1980s, the Marines requested extensive design changes and adopted the M16A2. Some of the requested changes were a thicker barrel with new twist-rate, new sights, different flash suppressor, brass deflector and three-round burst among others. The M16A3 is a full-auto version for use by SEAL forces.

The fourth generation M16 is the M16A4, which has a removable carry handle so optics can be mounted. It features quad rails to mount vertical grips, tactical lights and laser pointers. The M16A4 is what most U.S. troops now use and is the most modern variant.

Retro AR-15 8
Marines take the last objective during a simulated raid as part of urban training. These are M16A4 variants. Photo: DoD

The most current compact version is the M4 carbine with a 14.5-inch barrel that makes the weapon more easily maneuverable in vehicles and in urban combat situations such as in buildings. With the shortened barrel there are reports of less-than-stellar terminal ballistics. Remember, the platform was designed around a 20-inch barrel.

New Old Rifles

While black-rifle scholars know there were other, numerous AR models as the design was constantly tweaked, there are also black-rifle enthusiasts who covet original models and hoard original parts kits like gold. There are reproduction retro AR-15 rifles available from Brownells and Troy Industries and I have had some quality trigger time with these rifles. Brownells offers reproductions of the AR-10, AR-15, Model 601, XM16E1 and M16A1. All these rifles are true to the original models down to the fine details. They are a viable option to owning an original. Troy Industries reproduces the XM177 model and calls it the XM177E2 Commemorative. Stag Arms and Rock River Arms make versions of the M16A2.

While the Black rifle has been in use with the U.S. military for over 56 years, there is still much life left in this iconic, groundbreaking rifle design. The story of the black rifle doesn’t end here.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest 2020, now available at GunDigestStore.com.

Sig P6: Remembering A West German Icon Of The Cold War

Sig p6 17
The P6, like all modern SIG pistols, does not use a barrel bushing. In that respect it’s like the Browning Hi Power.

Affordable and effective, the West German-built P6 continues to be a bargain worth hunting down.

P6 Vs. P225

  • P6 has a heavier 24-pound mainspring.
  • Its rollmarks are next to the ejection port and include the police department it was sold to.
  • The feed ramp on the original P6 was designed for FMJ ammunition.
  • Notch on the hammer was designed to bend or break to avoid a discharge if the pistol was dropped.

I did not expect to be drawn into a cult. But that’s what happened. In 2000, Germany’s police departments were dumping their P6 pistols on the surplus market. There were loads of surplus SIG SAUER P6 pistols suddenly available. Back then, a double-stack 9mm pistol was on everyone's bucket list.

Why would you want a 9mm that held only 8+1 rounds when 15+1 and 17+1 capacity pistols were available? Think girth. I have average-size hands and some double-stack 9mm pistols can be a chore to grasp comfortably. I’ve always preferred thin-gripped pistols for two reasons: I can grip the pistol better and I usually can shoot them better. When I saw a 9mm SIG SAUER P6 for about $350 I was interested. When I picked it up out of its bright blue plastic box and held it, I immediately knew the gun was going home with me.

Sig p6 20
The SIG P6 is a compact 9mm handgun that handles like a full-size pistol. The author carried it concealed until, due to fear of having to replace expensive parts, it was “retired” in favor of more modern choices.

The grip was comfortable and easy to control. The P6 was compact yet felt like a full-size pistol. But then there was the trigger, a long stroke that tested finger muscles. It was not as heavy as the trigger pull of a surplus Polish P-64, but in the same neighborhood. I told myself springs were made to be replaced and left with the P6 under my arm. I would soon find out the P6 was an efficient single-stack nine, and little did I know I had just joined the tribe called SIG. I would soon learn why these fantastic pistols garner such a cult-like following. I had become a SIG initiate.

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The history of the P6 is like many firearms built for the military or law enforcement: There is a need to sharply cut the production cost of the weapon, yet ensure it is reliable, safe, accurate and easy to operate. In the mid–1970s during the height of the Cold War, when Germany was divided into East and West Germany, the West German police force decided to replace its aging handguns and created a set of specifications for a new pistol. The German police were carrying a Walther PP chambered in .32 ACP. That pistol had been introduced in 1929. It was a good pistol, but was dated and chambered an anemic cartridge. The German police wanted a similar-sized pistol, only chambered in 9mm.

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Front grip-strap serrations provide a good hold on the P6. These features, coupled with its 9mm chambering, make it a very controllable handgun, and quite accurate.

All the big players — Walther, SIG SAUER and Heckler & Koch — ramped up to develop a new pistol that would meet the spec. Back then, steel stamping was a manufacturing method that greatly reduced material and labor cost. Walther offered up the P5, which was basically an up-dated World War II-era P38. Heckler & Koch overthought the German police specifications and created the P7. This was a compact 9mm with a squeeze cocker, and gas-delayed blowback locking action. The P7 would also become revered among semi-automatic pistol aficionados, but it turned out to be too expensive to build and the German police passed. SIG presented the P225, which was a slimmed-down version of its P220. The P225 used all the features of the P220 but in a more compact size. (The P225 is 6.9 inches long and has a 3.6-inch barrel while the P220 sports a 4.4-inch barrel.) At its widest point, the P225 measures 1.3 inches while the grip is 1.2 inches thick. Unloaded it weighs 30.5 ounces.

The P220 was unique as it used a modified Browning link system, which has since been copied by numerous pistol manufacturers. The SIG system locks the barrel and slide together using an enlarged breech section on the inlet of the barrel lug. Upon firing, the barrel and slide move rearward together, then the barrel tilts as the slide continues rearward to eject the empty case and scrapes a fresh round from the magazine, loading it into the chamber. The P220 also uses a double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger system, where the first shot is fired double action and all subsequent shots are fired single action. What SIG added to the P220 was a decocking lever that allowed the right-handed user to decock the hammer and place the pistol in double-action mode.

The P225 had all these features but the real innovation was the way the pistol was manufactured. The slide was made of stamped steel and welded together with a steel breechblock pinned into the slide. It was inexpensive to produce and that ultimately was one of the reasons the German police purchased it.

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Marking on the right side of the slide indicates this is an authentic German police-issue SIG. “P6” indicates the model, “NW” for Nordrhein-Westfalen state police, and “9/80” means the pistol was proofed in September 1980.

Safety features on the P225 included an automatic firing pin block that is deactivated when the trigger is pressed fully rearward. It also incorporated a drop safety. The SIG P225 was safe, accurate, reliable, inexpensive and chambered in 9mm. The German government approved pistols for sale to police and designated the models with a “P” for police (Polizei) and, after the P225 was configured to West German standards, it was called the P6.

So what are the differences between the P225 and P6? The P6 has a heavier 24-pound DA trigger pull. That was the trigger pull I first experienced with the P6. A long, heavy trigger pull was considered an added safety feature. It takes real effort to pull it. The P6 mainspring weight was increased to 24 pounds from the 18-pound mainspring in the P225. Perhaps the most noticeable difference is the odd-looking spur hammer, specification for which came directly from the German pistol standard. The notch was intentionally designed to bend or snap off due to an accidental drop. It serves as a visual indicator of a dropped gun incident.

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The SIG P6 field-strips quickly and easily. This also endeared it to the German police agencies that used it.

Another difference with the P6 was the barrel feed ramp. The shape of the P6’s ramp differed slightly from the P226. The P6 was designed to use FMJ ammunition — the standard ammo of the time. You might find your P6 doesn’t tolerate modern JHP ammunition.

Lastly, the markings on the P6 differ from the P225. The P6 is void of the SIG P225 rollmarks and has “P6” stamped on the right side of the slide just forward of the ejection port. West German agency markings can also be found on the right side of the slide and are typically two to three uppercase letters. Mine reads “NW” for Nordrhein-Westfalen state police. Toward the muzzle is the date code production in the form of month and year. Mine reads “9/80” which indicates a pistol proofed in September 1980. The side and barrel also share the same last three digits of the serial number, which tells me my P6 has all matching serial numbers.

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P6 disassembly breaks down into a few components, easy to clean and maintain.

When I first handled the P6 I experienced its superbly designed grip. It’s thin, yet has some palm swell, which was an improvement over the plain-checkered plastic grip. It’s compact and points well, and tears down like most SIG DA/SA pistols, which means disassembly for cleaning is fast, simple and intuitive. It is an older pistol so you won’t find a captured recoil spring like you will on a modern model. The sights are modern, meaning they are large and allow you to easily acquire the target. As I wrote earlier, the trigger was the feature that dated the P6. Trigger reach was excessive and took too much effort to fire in DA. In SA, pull was about half the weight of the DA pull.

My P6 shows no preference for bullet type and in fact chews through JHPs as easily as it does FMJs. After I purchased the P6 I carried the pistol concealed for a while and retired it only because I was afraid a part would break, and I wouldn’t be able to find a replacement or the parts would cost as much as a new polymer-frame pistol. I’ve had various SIG handguns pass through my hands and the P6 is the one I’ve kept.

Sig p6 Range

I tend to speak with reverence about the P6 as do others. It’s compact and yet performs like a full-size pistol. As us proud members of the SIG cult know all too well, there are many reasons why the P225 was reintroduced!

SIG SAUER P6 (P225) SPECS
CALIBER: 9x19mm Parabellum
ACTION: Semi-Automatic, short recoil-operated, locked breech
TRIGGER: Single-action/double-action
BARREL LENGTH: 3.9 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 7.1 in.
WEIGHT: 30.4 oz. (unloaded)
GRIP: Checkered polymer
SIGHTS: Fixed, notch rear/blade front
FINISH: Blued
CAPACITY: 8+1, single-stack magazine


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Which Is Best: Kimber Micro 9 Or SIG P938?

Both Kimber Micro 9 and SIG P938 are slim and potent concealed carry pieces, but which one comes out on top?

Commonground between the Kimber Micro 9 and SIG P938:

  • Both use a 1911-style platform.
  • Each has barrels at or near 3-inches.
  • They utilize single-stack magazines.
  • The pistols have full-sized sights.
  • Each has 1911 controls.
  • Both have sarrated triggers.

The Kimber Micro 9 Desert Tan.
The Kimber Micro 9 Desert Tan.

Although both the SIG Emporer Scorpion P938 and Kimber Micro 9 use a 1911-style platform, what separates these two micro shooters is aesthetics, controls and ergonomics. The Kimber Micro 9 Desert Tan (LG) with laser grip and the SIG Emperor Scorpion P938 are both micro 9mm pistols with barrels that measure 3- and 3.3-inches, respectively, and have a single-stack magazine — clearly designed for concealed carry.

These micro 1911s look similar to the full size, but the systems are quite different.

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Scaled down for concealment, the Kimber and SIG are packed with 1911 design elements. Those include the controls, single-action trigger, and grip angle, all adding up to make a truly backup-sized 1911. If you are familiar with the 1911 then the transition to one of the micro 1911s will be seamless.

The Kimber Micro 9 Two-Tone (DN) is a subcompact single-action 9mm based on the 1911. The large TruGlo sights make it feel like you are aiming a full-size handgun.
The Kimber Micro 9 Two-Tone (DN) is a subcompact single-action 9mm based on the 1911. The large TruGlo sights make it feel like you are aiming a full-size handgun.

The thumb safety, slide release and magazine release are just like those in the 1911 design. These mini 9mms disassemble with ease so maintenance is not a chore.

For speed testing, I performed the Bill Drill at 7 yards, firing a magazine as fast as I could while keeping hits in an 8-inch circle. The intent of this drill is to improve speed without eroding accuracy.

It also was an opportunity to run the pistols dry, check for slide lock-back, perform numerous magazine changes, and repeatedly use the slide release as well as test rapid sight alignment and trigger press. I started at the low-ready position. Here’s what I found running these micros muzzle to muzzle.

The Kimber Micro 9 Desert Tan (LG) looks like a shrunken Government 1911 model with its rounded slide top and internal extractor. The fit and finish are well executed and held up during testing. The model was equipped with Crimson Trace laser grips, which in my opinion enhances the shootability of the tiny handgun at close range.

The pistol came in a soft case with two magazines, each of which had an extended rubber bumper floorplate that act as a finger rest. The floorplate is rounded on all edges. In fact, the edges of the Micro 9 are rounded making it snag-free for a smooth draw from deep concealment.

I liked the large 3-dot sights. Speaking of sights, those found on both the Kimber and SIG are similar in size to ones used on full-sized guns, which made shooting easier.

The Kimber has a left-side thumb safety like the setup on a Government 1911A1. It’s easy for a right-handed shooter to manipulate the safety with the thumb of their shooting hand, though the SIG provides a bit more safety lever surface area and was slightly easier to manipulate.

A button on the front strap activates the laser grips. Simply grasping the pistol activates the laser. I could also loosen my grip and turn it off. I liked the ease of activation and use. A switch on the left grip allowed me to completely turn off the laser.

The Kimber Micro 9 is a joy to conceal, and accuracy at 25 yards was quite good.
The Kimber Micro 9 is a joy to conceal, and accuracy at 25 yards was quite good.

The grips themselves have textured polymer and felt thicker in my hands compared to the SIG. The SIG felt thin and flat. Its mag release button was simple to work and dumped the stainless magazines freely.

The Micro 9 has slightly more hammer surface area for texture than the SIG, so it is a bit easier to cock, though neither were difficult. The Micro 9 has a slightly larger beavertail than the SIG so ham-fisted testers feel more comfortable shooting the Kimber.

The trigger is serrated so your trigger finger pad or first knuckle stick to it better during recoil. There is a polymer insert in the rear strap with fine checkering that helps keep a grip on the gun when shooting. Field stripping is easier than a Government 1911 and is the same for both pistols.

In hand, I liked both guns but be aware these lightweight 9mms can produce recoil. That said, the recoil from either was controllable, even pleasant. The Kimber slide required 14 pounds of force to rack and cock, slightly less than the SIG.

Twenty-five yards is pushing the range of these small pistols but, due to the single-action trigger, large sights, and a rest, I was able to shoot five-shot groups that averaged 4 inches. My best group was with Aguila 124-grain FMJ ammo — a 3.2-inch group. In close range, I was able to shoot them fast and accurately.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: Kimber, Micro 9 Desert Tan (LG)
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Short Recoil, Locked Breech
TRIGGER: Single Action
BARREL LENGTH: 3.15 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 6.1 in.
WEIGHT: 15.6 oz. (unloaded)
GRIPS: Checkered Polymer Crimson Trace Laser Grips
SIGHTS: 3-Dot, Laser Pointer
FINISH: Desert Tan/Matte Black
CAPACITY: 6+1, Single-Stack Magazine

The SIG P938 Emperor Scorpion in 9mm.
The SIG P938 Emperor Scorpion in 9mm.

SIG Sauer P938 Emperor Scorpion

The SIG Sauer P938 Emperor Scorpion is striking in appearance with an FDE (flat dark earth) finish and G10 grips. It comes in a hard case with two stainless-steel magazines; one with a finger rest and one without, the latter of which fits flush in the butt. In the case was a SIG polymer OWB (outside-the-waistband) holster.

I used the magazine with the floorplate finger rest for most of the testing since I liked this setup the best. The finish was well executed on the SIG — no surprise there. I expected the SIG to run and it did. But first, let’s get into what makes the SIG different from the Kimber.

The slide of the little SIG is shaped like those found on SIG’s other models. That is, blockier and squared off. Sights are large, allowing you to be in charge. This model features Siglite 3-dot night sights. It took about 15 pounds of effort to rack the slide and cock it.

I liked the fact the SIG had serrations at the muzzle and rear of the slide. (The Kimber had serrations only at the rear.) I appreciated being able to rack the slide using a variety of methods. I also found the larger sights allowed me to rack the slide on the edge of a Kydex holster, tabletop, and nearly any edge. The outside edges of the SIG are sharper and less smooth than the Kimber.

938-9-escpn-tb

The SIG features an external extractor and an ambidextrous thumb safety that is slightly easier to manipulate than the Kimber. There is a bit more metal to allow me to flick it on and off without drastically changing my grip.

The serrated hammer has a bit less surface area to grasp and cock than the Kimber. The beavertail is smaller than the Kimber’s, but I did not experience hammer bite. The face of the trigger is serrated, useful when shooting for speed.

The SIG is much flatter and thinner. The rest found on the floorplate is handy — it makes the pistol feel like a larger piece. What set these micro nines apart from other striker-fire or DAO 9mm pistols is their relatively large sights. The SIG is a small pistol, but it feels like a large one and is easier to shoot.
Using a rest and shooting out to 25 yards, the SIG was a pleasure to shoot due to its grip, sights and crisp single-action trigger.

I was able to put five rounds into a 3.1-inch group with Armscor 124-grain FMJ ammunition. On average, the handgun grouped 3.5 inches. In terms of accuracy, I would say the SIG and Kimber were comparable. For the speed shooting phase of testing, I favored the toothy texture of the SIG as it stayed adhered to my hand with no discomfort. The front grip strap is checkered, and it has a plastic checkered insert in the rear strap — lots of texture without being raspy to the hand. The Kimber laser grips are slicker to the grasp.

938-9-sel-ambi_1

Both pistols performed flawlessly. At close range, the Kimber Micro 9mm is accurate and easy to handle. The laser allows faster aiming in dark conditions while the full-size sights make aiming easier. I like all the smoothed edges and the beavertail.

The SIG feels thinner and has a better texture than the Kimber. The SIG has large night sights that served me well. Recoil is pleasant but more noticeable with these lightweight micro nines.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: SIG Sauer P938 Emperor Scorpion
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Short Recoil, Locked Breech
TRIGGER: Single Action
BARREL LENGTH: 3.0 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 6.0 in.
WEIGHT: 16.0 oz. (unloaded)
GRIPS: Piranha G10 with Medallion
SIGHTS: 3-Dot, Siglite Night Sights
FINISH: FDE
CAPACITY: 6+1, Single-Stack Magazine

Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber, available now at GunDigestStore.com.


Raise Your Sig Sauer IQ:

Test and Evaluation: Kahr CM9 Review

From 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber, author Robert Sadowski shakes down a fine micro 9mm handgun in this Kahr CM9 review.

What the Kahr CM9 offers:

  • The Kahr CM9 is a simplified PM9, making it functional and affordable.
  • Micro-compact 9mms can be a handful to shoot, but the CM9 is surprisingly controllable.
  • New and female shooters will like the CM9’s easy-to-rack slide.

The Kahr CM9 — ultra compact and easily concealable.
The Kahr CM9 — ultra compact and easily concealable.

It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention and that is exactly how Kahr Arms started.

Justin Moon was an avid shooter but wanted a truly ultra-compact 9mm pistol that was totally reliable and easily concealable. In 1996, the Kahr K9 debuted and completely changed the way shooters and those who carry concealed define a compact handgun.

Small pistols can be difficult to operate due to their size, but the Kahr CM9 is easy. The trigger is smooth and consistent.
Small pistols can be difficult to operate due to their size, but the Kahr CM9 is easy. The trigger is smooth and consistent.

Moon designed his first compact semi-auto with a stainless-steel frame. Chambering it in 9mm gave it teeth. It was all good, but it was a bit heavy. The next evolution of the design was the PM9, which incorporated a lightweight polymer frame. What more could concealed carriers want? A less expensive pistol maybe? Enter the CM9, a 9mm subcompact pistol that won’t take a large bite out of your wallet but performs flawlessly.

The CM9 is everything the PM9 is except for a few modifications that make it much more affordable. Think of the CM9 as a PM9 stripped of all unnecessary adornment. The CM9 has less machining of the slide, and the roll marks on the slide aren’t as refined. The front sight is pinned in place instead of the PM9’s dovetailed blade.

The controls, namely the slide stop lever, are metal injection molded. Instead of polygonal rifling, the CM9 has conventional cut rifling. It is shipped with one magazine. The aesthetics are the shortcut to cost savings but there are no shortcuts when it comes to the internal mechanism. The CM9’s internal parts are the same as the PM9, as is the polymer frame.

On the outside, the CM9 is a bit of a plain-Jane but on the inside, it is a beauty that maintains Kahr’s reputation for sweet-shooting pistols. These cost-saving modifications may make the CM9 look slightly different from the PM9, but they lop off some $200 from the price tag. A great shooter at a really good price.

The CM9 uses a Browning-style locked-breech design with a striker-fire mechanism that operates with a passive firing pin safety. The Kahr design is notable for its smooth pull, which feels like a slicked-up DAO revolver. When the trigger is depressed a double-lobed cocking cam rotates and draws the striker to the rear, deactivating the firing pin block.

The system is very safe as well as smooth and consistent. Trigger pull averages about 6 pounds, 8 ounces. The smooth, wide trigger no doubt makes the pull feel less.

Performing a reload with a small pistol can be difficult and requires a slight change in technique.
Performing a reload with a small pistol can be difficult and requires a slight change in technique.

Kahr pistols are known for their thin girth and lightweight heft and the CM9 is no different. Many times, as the size of the pistol shrinks, the ability to operate and shoot it accurately diminish, too.

Some compact 9mm pistols have hard-to-rack slides and some have small controls. The CM9’s slide is easy to work. The angled serrations at the rear give good purchase. The sights are made of polymer and are a dot and bar setup. The front sight has a white dot while the rear sports a white vertical bar so when the sights are aligned they form a lowercase “i.” It is a fast sighting system to use.

The rear sight is dovetailed in place and can be adjusted left or right using a brass punch and hammer or a sight pusher. The external extractor acts as a loaded chamber indicator, slightly protruding when a round or empty case is chambered. The pistol uses a solid recoil rod that no doubt aids accuracy.

The frame of the CM9 offers plenty of texture where it is needed, like the front and rear grip straps and the sides of the grip. The coarsely checkered pattern on the front and rear grip straps make the small gun easier to control when firing hot 9mm rounds in rapid fire.

The grip sides have a stippled texture that works even when firing with sweaty hands. The oval mag release button is serrated and easily manipulated with the thumb of a right-handed shooter. It protrudes just enough and works consistently, allowing empty magazines to fall free. The grip is short, so most shooters will need to curl their small finger under the magazine.

The CM9 has very good accuracy for a small value-priced handgun.
The CM9 has very good accuracy for a small value-priced handgun.

The slide stop is full size, unlike many subcompact pistols that have smaller controls. After the last round is fired the slide locks back giving you a visual clue that it’s time to reload. The slide stop — with its serrated surface — is easily manipulated to close the slide on a fresh magazine; or, the slide can be pulled rearward, so it flies forward into battery.

The 6-round magazine is all metal save for the polymer follower. It fits flush with the butt. Witness holes in the magazine body let you know how many cartridges are loaded. Speaking of loading, stuffing the magazine even to full capacity is easy on your thumb. The lips of the magazine are rounded. No cut thumbs.

According to the manual, Kahr recommends you fire at least 200 rounds to ensure it will perform reliably. Not many manufacturers state that in their literature but we all know that any mechanism needs to be broken in.

With that in mind, I had an assortment of reloads and factory ammo to run through the CM9. The reloads were — to be honest — not the best-looking cartridges. They were plenty tarnished and had been through the reloading press a few times. The Kahr chewed through them all. It just fired and ejected the brass with no questions asked. I have used these reloads on other 9mms and found other guns choked on them.

The concealed carry holster the author used with the Kahr CM9 is a Crossbreed MiniTuck IWB (inside-the-waistband) with a forward cant.
The concealed carry holster the author used with the Kahr CM9 is a Crossbreed MiniTuck IWB
(inside-the-waistband) with a forward cant.

For factory ammunition, I had hot Hornady Critical Duty 9mm +P with a 135-grain FlexLock on hand. The FlexLock bullets fill the hollowpoint with a soft rubber that expands the bullet in a variety of media.

For standard pressure ammo, I tried Hornady Steel Match with a 115-grain HAP (Hornady Action Pistol) bullet, and some new manufacture Black Hills loaded with a 115-grain FMJ. The Black Hills stuff was the fastest out of the CM9 averaging about 1,030 fps; the Hornady loads ranged from 909 fps (Critical Duty) to 922 fps (Steel Match).

Shooting for accuracy at 15 yards, I used a rest and squeezed off each round slowly and deliberately. Five-shot groups averaged about 2.5 inches, which was great performance out of such a small-barreled handgun, especially one with a double-action trigger.

For rapid-fire testing, I placed a D-1 tombstone-style target at 15 yards. The drill involved me picking up the Kahr from the shooting bench and placing three rounds as fast as I could into the 8-inch ring of the target. By the time the ammo boxes were empty I was quickly tapping the targets consistently in the right spot.

The CM9 feels thin, none of that chunky grip you get with other double-stack polymer-framed models. Even with the +P loads, there is little muzzle flip. It is easy to control.

As a concealed carry handgun, the CM9 is easy to hide and a pleasure to carry. It is a quality compact 9mm at an affordable price that makes sense for armed citizens.
As a concealed carry handgun, the CM9 is easy to hide and a pleasure to carry. It is a quality compact 9mm at an affordable price that makes sense for armed citizens.

As a concealed carry handgun, the CM9 is easy to hide and a pleasure to carry. It is a quality compact 9mm at an affordable price that makes sense for armed citizens.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: Kahr CM9
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Short Recoil, Locked Breech
TRIGGER: Double-Action Only
BARREL LENGTH: 3.0 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 5.42 in.
WEIGHT: 15.9 oz. (unloaded)
GRIPS: Textured Polymer
SIGHTS: White Bar-Dot Combat
FINISH: Black Frame/Stainless Slide
CAPACITY: 6+1, Single-Stack Magazine

This excerpt is from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber.

Striker-Fire 9mms: Glock G19 MOS Review

Is there a place in concealed carry for 9mm handguns with reflex-style optics? In this Glock G19 MOS review, Robert Sadowski answers with an unequivocal yes!

  • With a little practice, concealing, drawing and shooting are very doable with a reflex-optic handgun.
  • The Glock MOS G19 was fast on target and even quicker on follow-up shots.
  • With groups around an inch at 25 yards, it’s hard to argue with the accuracy of the reflex-sighted Glock.

The Glock G19 Gen4 MOS allows the operator to mount a small reflex red-dot sight. This will no doubt change the way the next generation of concealed carry users defend themselves.
The Glock G19 Gen4 MOS allows the operator to mount a small reflex red-dot sight. This will no doubt change the way the next generation of concealed carry users defend themselves.

A dramatic change in how concealed carry pistols are equipped has evolved with the G19 Gen4 MOS (Modular Optic System).

This Glock allows you to easily mount a small reflex red-dot sight and will no doubt change the way the next generation of concealed carry users defend themselves. Fast target acquisition and easy-to-conceal reflex sights are the next step in high-tech defense and this Glock made the transition from irons to optics seamless.

I put a G19 Gen4 MOS pistol through the day-in and day-out tasks we all do: strapping on a holster, holstering and carrying the gun, then removing it and starting all over the next day.

The G19 Gen4 MOS is nearly the same as current Glock 19 pistols except for a cover plate just forward of the rear sight.
The G19 Gen4 MOS is nearly the same as current Glock 19 pistols except for a cover plate just forward of the rear sight.

But the carry portion is only part of the story of the optics-ready Glock. The G19 took well to the Leupold DeltaPoint it wore. After a box of cartridges, I was drawing, aiming and hitting targets like I had carried it for years. Will iron sights become backup as they have on AR rifles? I say yes, and Glock has made it easier and infinitely more practical to mount an optic on a concealed carry pistol.

The Glock compact G19 is one of the most popular defense pistols available. It really does not need any introduction.

My expectation was the handgun would perform flawlessly, adapt to my hand size, and be extremely reliable. The G19 Gen4 MOS is nearly the same as current G19 pistols except for a cover plate just forward of the rear sight.

In MOS configuration, it is only a matter of removing two screws and the cover plate, choosing the MOS adaptor plate that is compatible with your reflex sight, mounting the adaptor plate to the slide, and affixing optic to the adapter plate. It actually takes more time to describe mounting an optic on the Glock than doing it.

The MOS adaptor plates are compatible with reflex red-dot sights from a number of manufacturers: Trijicon, Leupold, Meopta, C-More, Doctor, and Insight. The footprint of the adaptor plate on the slide is small, but the actual optic footprint will vary in width and height depending on the manufacturer. They all weigh nearly the same.

The G19 Gen4 MOS is nearly the same as current Glock 19 pistols except for a cover plate just forward of the rear sight.
The G19 Gen4 MOS is nearly the same as current Glock 19 pistols except for a cover plate just forward of the rear sight.

The Leupold DeltaPoint I mounted sits low on the slide. Its width is 1.2 inches, while the width of the G19 slide is 1.0 inches. An eighth of an inch of the DeltaPoint hangs over each side due to the shape of the sight’s widow. It sits at an inch high, while standard Glock sights poke up 1/8-inch.

I’ve used red-dots for competition shooting, which affords greater speed over traditional iron sights. Plus, there is only one plane to focus on when aiming a red-dot. The three sight planes of traditional open sights — rear, front and target — need to be aligned for shots to hit accurately.

It takes practice and training. A reflex sight is far easier to acquire the target, aim, fire, and get back on target. Carrying a concealed pistol equipped with a reflex red-dot sight does not pose a drastic change in the way you carry, but it will change the ease with which you aim.

The iron sights on the G19 are standard height and do not co-witness with the DeltaPoint. Battery life is an issue with any electronics. Optics are rugged and can take abuse, but there is that voice in the back of your head asking what happens when the batteries die.

R6779-9mm-Glock-G19-MOS-Review-4

Here’s one thing I found: In a pinch if the battery dies you can use the window of the reflex sight as an extra-large makeshift peep sight in conjunction with the front blade. For close distance, I tried that very thing out to 10 and 15 yards and it worked effectively allowing me to hit a target 18 inches in width or about the width of the average human torso.

Battery life should not be an issue barring unforeseen circumstances. Even if dropped in water the DeltaPoint is waterproof. Using any battery-operated accessory requires an additional maintenance task, routinely changing batteries like you do in a flashlight or smoke detector. It becomes second nature and ensures you are not caught unawares.

To carry the G19 I used a DGS Arms CDC (Compact Discreet Carry) Kydex IWB (Inside-the-Waistband) holster. I’ve used this holster to carry a standard G19 in appendix carry. Using a pencil, I marked the holster and used a Dremel tool to cut a slot to allow the handgun with mounted DeltaPoint to be completely holstered.

There are now several makers producing holsters for red-dot-equipped handguns.

I found the red-dot did not affect my concealed carry routine. I did need to slightly modify my training when drawing the new Glock from concealment. The taller sights have the potential to snag on concealing garments when drawing if you don’t grab that shirttail and yank it as high as you can (which you should do anyway regardless of your carry gun’s sights).

From a rest, the author attained surgical accuracy with the Glock. He was using the Hornady American Gunner ammo loaded with 115-grain XTP bullets.
From a rest, the author attained surgical accuracy with the Glock. He was using the Hornady American Gunner ammo loaded with 115-grain XTP bullets.

I did find the DeltaPoint made a great handle to rack the slide if needed. I admit I used it as a handle a lot to see if the sight would come loose or go out of zero. Nothing doing. I even employed the sight to rack the slide against the edge of the shooting bench, my holster mouth, and with my hand during a reload. Using the sight as a grip means it gets fingerprints.

Concealed carry also means lint can build up in the sight window. Part of my new routine became to blow out any lint or debris that would build up using the same canned air I use to clean out my computer keyboard.

The real test is making holes in paper. I averaged about 1.7 inches for 5-shot groups using a rest. Firing offhand and finding the red-dot in the sight window took a bit of ramp-up time. By the second magazine, I was drawing and aiming as if I had always used a red-dot on my concealed carry pistol.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: Glock G19 Gen4 MOS
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Locked Breech, Recoil Operated
BARREL LENGTH: 4.02 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 7.28 in.
WEIGHT: 21.16 oz. (empty)
SIGHTS: Fixed, Dot/Outline
TRIGGER: Striker Fire
FINISH: Matte Black
GRIPS: Textured Polymer Modular Backstraps
CAPACITY: 15+1

Glock 19 screen capture

This excerpt is from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber.

Braced 9mm Pistols: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Review

The Scorpion EVO 3 S1 from CZ is a semi-auto braced pistol chambered in 9mm, with incredible accuracy and versatility as a truck or survival gun.

What the CZ Scorpion EVO S1 offers:

  • A blowback design ensures accuracy of around 1 inch at 25 yards with the CZ Scorpion EVO S1.
  • The Scorpion is a semi-automatic 9mm braced pistol like the original full-auto variant.
  • With rails for optics and a threaded barrel, the sky’s the limit when it comes to accessories and mods.

The semi-automatic CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 uses a blowback mechanism encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver.
The semi-automatic CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 uses a blowback mechanism encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver.

The Scorpion EVO 3 S1 from CZ has a reputation to live up to. The original Skorpion vz. 61 is a select-fire, blowback-operated pistol chambered in .32 ACP with a cyclic rate of 850 rounds per minute.

The Scorpion is an updated semi-automatic version that uses a blowback mechanism, though with a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver in lieu of stamped steel.

The receiver of the Scorpion is made of two polymer halves that sandwich together with a trigger group that snaps underneath and a handguard that slides over the barrel.

The barrel is equipped with a CZ flash hider attached via 1/2×28 threads so you can fit either 1/2×28 or 18×1 accessories to the muzzle. The Scorpion has a blocky look that makes it appear heavier and larger than it actually is.

It features an ambidextrous thumb safety and mag release. The safety rotates to either safe or fire mode. Some shooters find the safety selector raps against their knuckle when firing. It is also difficult to flip on/off with the thumb of the shooting hand. HB Industries sells a Right Safety Delete V2 that removes the right-side safety lever. I would invest in this aftermarket product if you want to really run the Scorpion.

Sights were well-designed and serrated on the shooter-facing side to cut glare.
Sights were well-designed and serrated on the shooter-facing side to cut glare.

The magazine release is built into the front of the trigger guard with coarse serrations, thus your trigger finger can easily dump a mag, or you can use the thumb of your supporting hand. The cocking handle can be swapped for either a right- or left-handed shooter. It operates like an HK MP5 — very easily and locks back after the last round.

Not a lot of strength is required to cock the pistol or lock it back. With the adjustable pistol grip, you can increase or decrease the distance from the backstrap to the trigger face. The grip is relatively smooth on the sides, but the front and rear straps are serrated. The grip butt is flared so your hand does not slide off even in rapid fire. The bolt release is located on the left side in a similar location as an AR-15 bolt release button.

The top side features an 11-inch Picatinny-style rail with steel front and rear sights attached. The front post is adjustable for elevation and protected by wings. A tool comes with the pistol to adjust the front sight. The rear sight has four aperture choices that rotate and click into place and is adjustable for windage with a flat blade screwdriver or a cartridge rim. The shooter-facing side of the sight is serrated to cut glare.

The Picatinny rail allows plenty of options if you want to mount a red-dot or reflex sight. The handguard has rails at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions if you want to mount a tactical light or laser pointer.

The CZ Scorpion EVO features a hand stop to ensure your support hand doesn’t slip past the muzzle. Note the ample rail space.
The CZ Scorpion EVO features a hand stop to ensure your support hand doesn’t slip past the muzzle. Note the ample rail space.

A hand stop is located at the very end of the handguard as a vital piece of safety gear because your supporting hand can easily slip in front of the muzzle. You can also use the stop to push the pistol toward the target while your shooting hand pulls back. This is another way to fire more steadily.

The trigger has a slight curve and is coarsely serrated. The trigger guard is plenty large, so the Scorpion EVO can be operated with gloved hands.

The Scorpion is well balanced. I can shoot it one-handed, but fatigue sets in quickly. The ergonomics are good except for the safety selector. The Scorpion is compact and light. An adapter kit that is a buffer tube attaches to a SIG brace. Two 20-round magazines and a bore snake cleaning rod are included. Additional 10- and 30-round magazines are available.

The mags are a translucent polymer, so you can easily see remaining ammo. And they are easy to load. The feed lips of the magazine are polymer and I did not see any significant wear after running the Scorpion.

All ammunition cycled flawlessly through the Scorpion. Magazines seated easily and with authority. The pistol is easy to cock since you can pull back on the cocking lever with your support hand and provide good resistance with the firing hand. I fired the Scorpion with and without a sling and concluded the sling offered a steadier aiming position.

With Winchester Train ammo using 147-gr. FMJ bullets the Scorpion averaged five-shot 1.05-inch groups at 25 yards.
With Winchester Train ammo using 147-gr. FMJ bullets the Scorpion averaged five-shot 1.05-inch groups at 25 yards.

Bench rest accuracy was very good, averaging about one inch for five rounds at 25 yards. I consistently grouped five shots into 0.5 inches with the Hornady American Gunner and Winchester Train ammo.

The Scorpion EVO had more felt recoil than the other two pistols due to the simple blowback mechanism. (The CZ’s blowback system uses the force of a fired cartridge to throw back the bolt.) Even so, the pistol was easy to adapt to and manipulate.

Reloads were fast and smooth. The bolt locked back after the last shot fired. The pistol was easy to shoot with both eyes open. I would prefer a lighter trigger, my sample measured 8.4 pounds, but accuracy was good even with the heavy pull.

In conclusion, recoil was more noticeable due to the blowback mechanism. The ambidextrous safety selector bumped my knuckle when shooting but that is an easy fix. The CZ was easy to cock, and the operating handle was reversible. It is very adaptable for mounting optics, stabilizing braces and other accessories.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Blowback
TRIGGER: Single Action
BARREL LENGTH: 7.72 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 16.0 in. (w/o brace), 23.85 in. (w/ brace)
WEIGHT: 5 lbs. (empty)
SIGHTS: Fully Adjustable Aperture/Post
FINISH: Matte Black
GRIP: Smooth Polymer
BRACE: SIG SB
CAPACITY: 20+1

Scorpion-9mm

Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

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