Why Would Anyone Want A 9mm Revolver?

November 17, 2020

No matter how you slice it, a 9mm revolver is always a compromise.

Why Doesn't the 9mm Revolver Live Up To Expectations:

In all but a few cases, the rimless cartridge requires moon or semi-moon clips to function in a revolver.
Reliablity can be an issue, because because firing pin depth and primer height is occasionally in question.
If a case has split in the chamber or a hot handload has flattened and expanded the cartridge case, clean ejection can be compromised.
Most factory loads are optimized for 4-inch barreled pistols, thus lose performance in snubby carry revolvers.
It's more difficult to make accurate 9mm ammo when compared directly to the .38 Special.

What image pops into your mind? Cowboys? Gunslingers? Your favorite Western film? Shooting wadcutters in a bull’s-eye match? Hunting game at bowhunting distances?

The vast majority of people don’t think of the 9x19mm cartridge when talking about revolvers. It offers some unique angles for revolver fans … and some deficiencies as well.

9mm Revolvers vs. Semi-Automatics

There are very few revolver designs that are truly optimized for the 9mm cartridge. Of course, there have been many attempts at viability. But, for the most part, revolvers use rimmed cartridges. The frame size, barrel length and many other small design elements give a heavy preference to the use of a semi-automatic when looking at small, rimless cartridges such as the 9mm.

In general, revolvers have never really been designed to use rimless cartridges. It would be a fair assessment to say that they’ve been adapted to that use only in circumstances for which it’s been necessary for military supply channels or commercial relevance.

Here, .38 Special loads (left) display heavy and tough 158-grain Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman bullets made of hard-cast lead. This is a potent load! The 9mm is noticeably shorter than the .38 Special and is easier to load and eject. Nevertheless, as far as dedicated ammunition for use in revolvers is concerned, it offers less.

There existed some problems, because many of the early guns didn’t have chambers cut that would allow them to fire without a moon clip holding the base of the cartridges in place.

It’s possible to use moon clips with both rimmed and rimless cartridges, depending on the revolver model. You insert all the cartridges together and, because they’re held together at the rims, they all eject at once as well. If the chamber is not cut to allow the use of single rounds, the rimless cases can fall deeper into the cylinder and would need to be punched out as a result. The gun would, of course, not fire in this case.

This brings us to the question of reliability in a revolver chambered for rimless pistol cartridges. In my experience, these tend to be the least reliable revolvers, because the critical dimension of firing pin depth and primer height is occasionally in question, depending on if a moon clip is used or not.

A brake on a 9mm? The recoil of the 9mm in a semi-auto is mild, and the slide and recoil process soaks up most of the energy generated by the cartridge. The 9mm in a revolver offers stiffer recoil for a few reasons, the most influential being that it has a great deal of velocity to build up in a very small case. The snappy recoil in a revolver, as opposed to the smoother recoil of the .38 Special (which can use bulkier and slower-burning powder), is noticeable by comparison.

A revolver is always a manual-ejection proposition. This can be a struggle with rimless cartridges, because most revolvers are designed to push cases out of the cylinder using their rim. Ejection with a moon clip is quite easy and fast; however, it can also be compromised if a case has split in the chamber or a hot handload has flattened and expanded the cartridge case. In that case, the entire gun can be taken out of commission instantly.

Despite the general consensus that revolvers are more reliable than semi-automatics (a fact that’s slowly changing these days due to advanced compact guns), clearing a complicated malfunction with a wheelgun can be next to impossible in the field. The internal mechanisms of many revolvers, while time-honored designs, are fragile compared to modern semi-autos that don’t suffer from issues such as cylinder timing and complicated internal lock work.

Load Up On More 9mm Knowledge:

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Why Are 9mm Revolvers still Made?

In my opinion, the sole reason that 9mm revolvers are still made is because of the popularity of the 9mm cartridge. It’s no stretch to say that it’s the most popular centerfire pistol cartridge in the world. It offers a tremendous number of benefits to a tremendous number of people and, as a result, it’s seen spectacular advances in bullet technology and in the guns made to fire it.

The revolver versus the automatic. The Glock 19X is lighter and about the same overall size as the PC 986—despite carrying more than double the ammunition. The 19X is also capable of generating higher velocity and less recoil. Revolvers are excellent, but the claim that reliability is superior is becoming less and less true in today’s pistol market.

The public has accepted the 9mm for its practical assets—great penetration, high capacity and low recoil. Today’s world is no longer a revolver world, because inexpensive and reliable automatic pistols can be had almost anywhere and offer the most benefits to the most people in cost, training and ammo availability.

If you’re a first-time handgun purchaser and are looking to buy a revolver for self-defense, the 9mm cartridge is not your best bet when it comes to reliability in a small self-defense gun. Options such as the .38 Special are far superior in this role. If you already own several 9mm pistols or are set up to reload ammunition for the cartridge, owning a 9mm revolver is more feasible.

9mm vs. Legacy Revolver Cartridges

The pressure at which the 9mm operates is designed to ensure reliable operation in semi-autos. The powder used and the taper of the case are there to ensure reliable feeding and ejection. This isn’t true of the legacy revolver cartridges that the 9mm competes against in a revolver.

The “Jerry Miculek” monogram on the side of this S&W is a blatant hint at the intended use of the revolver. Revolvers are popular in some forms of competition, but they require a completely different set of skills than do automatic pistols.

The primary competitor the 9mm faces in a revolver is a .38 Special. While many revolver rounds have come and gone over the years, the .38 Special has never lost relevance. Ammunition for the .38 Special in this role has become more advanced over time, and it’s quite good for what it is.

Today’s .38 Special suffers from several things, including a failure to evolve to meet the cartridge’s realistic end use. Most people who own and shoot .38 revolvers have them with barrels that are 2 inches or less. Contrasting this is most ammunition still designed to work at the velocities generated by 4-inch barrels—the typical standard for law enforcement for more than 70 years in the 20th century. What resulted from this are essentially two classes of .38 Special: one that addresses modern carry guns and one that makes use of slower-burning powders that never achieve significant velocity in small guns.

When looking at the 9mm in a small revolver, it does everything that the .38 Special can. However, it, too, suffers from the fact that most 9mm ammunition is designed around 4-inch barrels common on midsized automatics. The .38 Special generally has an advantage in available bullet weight and bullet types, because there’s no real 9mm ammunition offered specifically for revolvers.

Extracting with a full moon clip is fast and easy. Extraction without one is iffy at best—and impossible in some cases, depending on design. While magazines are flat and easily carried, the moon clip is bulky and easily bent if not stored safely. It’s also easier to hang up on pockets and pouches than a pistol magazine.

Extremely powerful options from companies such as Buffalo Bore allow the .38 Special to have a significant leg up on the 9mm with identically sized pocket revolvers. The .38 also has a generally higher threshold for accuracy because the bullets have substantially less “jump” through the cylinder gap into the barrel. That’s not to say 9mm revolvers are inaccurate; it’s just that they’re harder to make accurate when compared directly to the .38 Special.

Ammunition in .38 Special and .357 Magnum specifically designed for self-defense in a short-barreled revolver is typically superior to what is available for 9mm (given identically sized guns). You wouldn’t be bad off with a 9mm LCR, but if it were a first-time gun purchase or something you intended as a backup, there really isn’t a reason to go with 9mm (barring the economic factor or the idea of having a single pistol caliber for all your handguns).

As far as power goes, the 9mm falls into an odd space, because it can produce excellent velocity; but the fact that most factory ammo is not loaded nearly as hot as it could be severely handicaps its performance in a revolver. Factory ammo has to be powerful enough to allow an automatic pistol to cycle, but not so powerful that it could damage the gun.

The highest capacity found in a 9mm revolver is eight rounds. This is the same as many common carry guns that chamber the cartridge with seven in the mag and one in the pipe. It’s more common to find conversion guns that use a spare 9mm cylinder than it is to find dedicated 9mm revolvers.

With a 4-inch barrel on a revolver, you’ll almost always be able to produce higher velocities with identical bullet weights in .38 Special. However, if the same guns were to all use full moon clips, the 9mm would offer a significant advantage in terms of reload speed because of its much shorter case body.

So, Why Own One?

The revolver has become something of a specialized tool. For aficionados of the wheelgun, there’s nothing better than a slick S&W or Colt Python.

I don’t think the 9mm will gain a significant market share of the revolver business. As modern automatics continue to improve, revolvers have to continue to specialize or simply appeal to nostalgia to remain relevant. Many of the revolvers chambered for the ubiquitous 9mm are simply there to feed a niche market.

The Performance Center 986 offers a seven-round capacity. The gun is smooth and crisp, with a trigger to drool over. But it’s not more powerful than S&W’s own Shield 9 and is substantially heavier and with less onboard ammunition. Who’d benefit from a gun such as this? That’s up to you.

In more than one sense, the 9mm revolver will always be limited by the 9mm cartridge. I doubt there’s a company willing to make a high-pressure, revolver-only 9mm load—knowing that a novice or a devil-may-care shooter might, either by ignorance or design, chamber it in an automatic pistol and blow their hand off. It’s simply not feasible when the .38 Special and .357 Magnum already exist in relative abundance.

At the end of the day, the 9mm chambered in revolver will always be a compromise.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

6.5 PRC Vs 6.5 Creedmoor: What Does What Better?

Elwood Shelton

November 16, 2020

Nearly kissing cousins, we demystify where the 6.5 PRC excels and when you should turn to the 6.5 Creedmoor.

What Are The Defining Points Between the 6.5 PRC and 6.5 Creedmoor:

The PRC has more case capacity and generates more velocity.
Generally speaking, this improves the cartridges down-range performance compared to the Creedmoor.
Additionally, it also make it favored by hunters.
The Creedmoor generates less recoil making it more adept at placing multiple shots in short succession.
While not moving as fast as the PRC, the cartridge is a proven hunter.

Plainly speaking, there’s been a lot of hubbub about the 6.5 Creedmoor. Granted, there’s good reason. The ballistically talented cartridge has extended the rifleman’s reach considerably, giving even novices a tool to more aptly hit at a country mile. But don’t act like the almighty Creedmoor is mankind’s first foray into the six-and-a-half, nor its most recent.

Scandinavians have packed iceboxes full of moose meat for nearly a century using the sweet little caliber (6.5×55 Swede). And it’s been in the long-range shooter’s quiver for quite a spell with wunderkinds such as the .260 Remington and .264 Winchester Magnum. More recently, the 6.5mm has taken on a new guise as a do-all beltless magnum—the 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge). While it hasn’t garnered as much fanfare as the 6.5 Creedmoor, the cartridge nevertheless has done its part in the meteoric rise of the 6.5. And in some cases, arms shooters with what some consider a much more appropriate tool.

So, exactly how does the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor comparison shake out and which is better at what?

The History Of The 6.5s

In both cases, the cartridges have their genesis at Hornady, under the guidance of David Emory. The company’s former senior ballistician shepherded both the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5 PRC through development and to market. And while the goal of the cartridges is somewhat similar, their origins are different and add symmetry to the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor discussion.

As many have heard by now, the Creedmoor was born from long-range shooting competitions and back-of-the-envelope engineering between Emory and champion shooter Dennis DeMille. A bull session over the shortcomings of long-range cartridges—a majority of which were wildcats at the time—the duo hashed out a list of the characteristic for what would become the 6.5 Creedmoor. These included:

Good ballistic coefficient to buck wind and drag
Deliver higher velocity than other 6mm and 6.5 rounds
Low chamber pressure to extend case and barrel life
Low recoil
Easy to reload
Fit in an AR-10 and short-bolt action

While many shooters utilize the 6.5 Creedmoor for more than ringing steel—it’s a grand medium game cartridge—its birth came about through competition. For the 6.5 PRC, match gold was only half the aim.

George Gardner, owner of GA Precision, had a dual-purpose in mind with the supersized 6.5—hunting and Precision Rifle Series competition. A tough nut to crack, given the two pursuits are at odds by some accounts. Particularly when it comes to PRS rules, which dictate sanctioned cartridges cannot have muzzle velocities exceeding 3,200 fps. To this, he wanted the highest ballistic coefficient (BC) bullets compatible with the cartridge. Furthermore, Gardner also desired a cartridge compatible with a short-action receiver—all the more efficient in competitive situations. After a brief diversion—due to brass shortages—into the 6.5 SAUM (Short Action Ultra Magnum), the concept came to fruition in the 6.5 PRC.

More 6.5mm Info

Top 22 Sharp-Shooting 6.5 Creedmoor Rifles
Practical Overview Of 6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics
14 Red-Hot 6.5 Creedmoor Ammunition Options
The 6.5 Creedmoor Vs .308 Winchester
6.5 PRC: Extending The Rifleman’s Reach
Best 6.5 PRC Ammo Available Right Now
8 Affordable 6.5 PRC Rifle Options For Precision Work

Creedmoor And PRC Performance

Not miles away, but different enough, the development parameters for the cartridges define the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor conversation. Where the Creedmoor was a harmonizing endeavor for a balanced competitive cartridge, the PRC was one pushing the redline without going over. In both cases, easier said than done. But difficult to argue successfully accomplished on both counts.

Essentially, the dividing characteristic between the 6.5s is their cases. For the 6.5 Creedmoor, Emory and crew turned to the Hornady-developed, though somewhat obscure .30 TC for the parent. What drew them to it were some admirable dimensional traits. In particular, minimal body taper and a 30-degree shoulder angle gave vital capacity to the 1.920-inch case allowing it to seat the long 6.5mm bullets to maximum COL (cartridge overall length), without displacing powder.

Again, Hornady looked in-house for a parent case for the 6.5 PRC—the .300 Ruger Compact Magnum. Providing just the right balance between the case-capacity to reach the 3,200 fps mark at the muzzle and size to operate flawlessly in a short action, the case proved ideal for the PRC project. As a side note, the PRC does not fit the technical definition of a short-action cartridge, with a maximum COL of 2.955. Nevertheless, it works in the abbreviated actions.

The 6.5 PRC has markedly enhanced capacity compared to the Creedmoor thanks to its parent case—around 28-percent—which adds up to more velocity—the 8-percent neighborhood. This adds up downrange. A quick example might shed some light. Take Hornady’s 147-grain 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC Match loads, topped with identical bullets (Extra Low Drag Match), with identical BCs (.697 G1). The PRC pushes its bullet from the muzzle of a 24-inch barrel at 2,910 fps compared to the Creedmoor’s 2,695 fps. That’s a difference of 215 fps, at 1,000 yards this means around 50-inches less drop and push the mark at which the bullet goes sub-sonic by another 250 or so yards.

Trajectory comparision between Hornady's 6.5 Creedmoor 147 gr ELD Match and 6.5 PRC 147 gr ELD Match. Both have identical bullets, with an identical .697 ballistic coefficent. Yet, thanks to a greater velocity, the 6.5 PRC outperforms the Creedmoor downrange.

It doesn’t take a Camp Perry shooter to realize this is a boon to precision shooters. But hunters benefit as well. Velocity is the primary factor in the consistent expansion and penetration of modern hunting bullets. The PRC has it in spades, leading some to dub it the ultimate game cartridge in the caliber, capable of harvesting animals as large as elk.

6.5 PRC Vs 6.5 Creedmoor Usage

While performance certainly draws a bright line in the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor debate, the cartridges’ applications once again unite them. Both are more than a qualified match and hunting options. Though, shooters organically seem to have defined which is preferred for each discipline.

While the 6.5 Creedmoor is more than capable of putting meat on the table, particularly—but not exclusively—deer-sized game and down, target and competitive shooters have tended to embrace the cartridge. On the flip side, the 6.5 PRC has dominated the hunting market with the majority of rifles chambered for it the sporting variety. Factory-loaded ammo too is also almost exclusively tailored to hunting.

Hornady A-Tip 11 6.5 PRC vs Creedmoor — The 135-grain, 6.5mm bullet—handloaded in the Creedmoor case—was efficient enough to stay supersonic out to one mile.

Performance at the margins is probably what has segregated the two 6.5s to their respective shooting camps. The PRC is most certainly among the tamest magnum cartridges on the market but does generate a greater recoil impulse than the Creedmoor. Match shooters work to track their hits, the less kick tends to make this more feasible. Hunters can endure a blink, but failure in terminal performance isn’t an option. As stated previously, the Creedmoor is a hunter, but the PRC certainly has a magnitude of peace of mind loaded in its larger-capacity case.

Cartridge Deciding Point

Laying out the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor, which is really better at what? There’s a lot of ‘Meh…” in the answer. The PRC gives the shooter a bit more range and flatter trajectory while offering a little more security when used on big game. But the Creedmoor still goes the distance, in a less punishing fashion, and can still net you a wall hanger. Really, like all things firearms, the deciding point doesn’t so much come down to the cartridge as it does the shooter.

Expand Your Knowledge on Creedmoor Ammo

History of 6.5 Creedmoor – From Inception to Modern Success
A Detailed 6.5 Creedmoor 129 Grain Ballistics Chart for Hunters and Shooters
What’s the Difference Between 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Creedmoor?

First Look: Prairie Storm 28- And 16-Gauge Loads

Elwood Shelton

November 13, 2020

Boasting Federal's cutting-edge shot and wad, Prairie Storm gives the classic bores a leg up.

In some places down South, if you aren’t shooting quail with a 28-gauge you’re plum cheating. Hitting just as hard as larger bores, its lighter payload tends to preserve meat, not to mention show what a sharp shot you happen to be. To boot, the ol’ 28 is about a pleasurable as you can get in the recoil department—no small potatoes for any volume wing shooting. No wonder, in recent years it’s crept out of it Dixy stronghold and gained advocates across the country.

Good news if you happen to favor this petite gauge, Federal Premium has expanded one of its most popular and potent upland ammunition lines to it and another classic bore. Prairie Storm is now available for 28- and 16-gauge, giving enthusiasts of these standbys an utterly devastating option for knocking down birds on the wing. Shot is part of the equation in the ammo’s effectiveness, the wad is the other.

To the latter, Prairie Storm utilizes Federal’s Flitecontrol Flex wad, an improvement on the original design. In particular, the wad now has slits to produce back pressure and release the shot, as well as reinforcement at the rear. The toughened up component delivers the same tight pattern shooters have come to expect from Flitecontrol, but in a system that works with ported chokes. A feature shotgunners have demanded for some time.

As to the shot load, it’s Federal’s renowned Flitestopper, a unique payload of 70-percent standard copper-plated lead and 30-percent Flitestopper lead. The latter has a raised cutting ridge on its hemisphere, giving it the unparalleled ability to slice through feathers and flesh, without loss or adverse effects on ballistics or flight characteristics.

At present, Federal offers four loads of Prairie Strom for the two gauges, all in 2 ¾-inch shells. For 16-gauge, there are No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 shot options all with 1 1/8-ounce payloads. And for 28-gauge, there is No. 6 shot option with a 13/16-ounce payload. Across the board, the MSRP on 16-gauge ammo is $35.99 and for 28-gauge $34.99.

For more information on Prairie Storm, please visit federalpremium.com.

Draw A Bead On Shotguns:

Classic Shotguns You've Got To Own
12 Affordable Pump-Action Shotgun Options
Understanding The Semi-Auto Shotgun
Lever-Action Shotgun: Past, Present And Future
7 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options
Practical Guide To The Tactical Shotgun

Ammo Brief: Going The Extra Mile With The .50 BMG

Gun Digest Editors

November 12, 2020

Originally designed for Browning's heavy machine gun, the .50 BMG more recently has become an extreme long-range wunderkind.

What The .50 BMG Capable Of:

Armor-piercing capabilities when loaded with a sabot round.
Accurately achieving hits well past the 1-mile mark.
Pushing a 675-grain projectile 3,000 fps at the muzzle.

Historical Notes

The .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun) was invented by its namesake and adopted into United States military service in 1918 for John M. Browning’s famous heavy machine gun. His attentions in this area were prompted by a battlefield need recognized during World War I. There have been other developments; and, at least once, the Pentagon considered dropping the .50 BMG in favor of more-modern and generally bigger chamberings. However, the .50 BMG has remained. The advent of saboted loads generating 4,500 fps muzzle velocities and having devastating armor-penetration capabilities, as well as its performance in the Gulf War, cemented its continued existence as a stable part of NATO’s arsenal.

Battlefield use is against light-armored vehicles to ranges of a mile or more. And, used against the unprotected foot soldier, it’s effective to several times that range.

Check Out Our: Reloading Data Center

General Comments

There’s long been interest in the .50 BMG as a quasi-sporting round. Today, the most significant sporting use for this chambering is long-range accuracy shooting, with some competitions exceeding one mile, and there’ve been a couple of King of 2 Mile matches held. The 1,000-yard .50-caliber record, as of this writing, is a five-shot group of just under 2 inches on centers.

Several bolt-action rifles are currently available for the Big 50. The .50 BMG easily launches the 750-grain bullets available for it at 2,700 fps. The lighter, 647-grain bullets available can be launched at 3,000 fps. For obvious reasons, sporting rifles chambered for the Big 50 uniformly feature muzzle brakes and weigh 20 pounds or more. Recoil is harsh until the rifle’s weight approaches 30 pounds.

Commercial ammunition is available for the .50 BMG from PMC and Hornady, among others, that are loading both once-fired and new brass and calling their offerings “factory new.” Components and specialized tools and equipment to handload this cartridge are available to the advanced reloader.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Cartridges of the World, 16th Edition.

Raise Your Ammo IQ:

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6 Gun Sales Worth Catching: Defensive Shotgun Special (Nov. 12, 2020)

Gun Digest Editors

November 12, 2020

Not finding what you're looking for at your local gun store? Take advantage of these online gun sales, ammo deals and gear specials.

Rounding up the right gun is linear-algebra tough right now. A surge of panic buyers are snapping up pistols, rifles, shotguns, slingshots and peashooters (not to mention ammo) fasters than they roll off the line. In a bid to aid our gun-buying audience, we’re rounding up a few weekly gun sales we believe hit the mark for quality, affordability and, above all, availability. In full disclosure, we’ll make a few bucks (it won't cost you extra) if you use our links. If you don’t, no hard feelings, we get it. Remember, nearly all these items are time and availability limited, so don’t wait … you'll regret it if you do.

TriStar Cobra Tactical

Known for performing well above their price points, TriStar’s shotguns are typically solid values. When it comes to extremely affordable home-defense pump-action shotguns, it’s difficult to beat the Cobra Tactical. The 18-inch barreled 12-gauge can handle 3-inch shells and has a respectable 5-round capacity. It’s a pump-action, in turn, reliable as the day is long and has some nice extras, such as a spring-loaded forearms for fast cycling, Picatinny rail on the forearm for accessories attachment and blade front sight. And right now, the Palmetto Armory has them at a price that can’t be beaten!

Black Aces Tactical 12-Gauge

A nifty system, all in all. Black Aces’ Tactical 12-Gauge is more than a typical pump-action, it’s a system. The 18.5-inch barreled gun is sold with both a shoulder stock and shockwave grip, allowing shooters an extremely versatile and nimble system. The shotgun is chambered to handle up to 3-inch shells, has a 5-round tubular magazine, front and rear sights and comes with three chokes and a hard case. The nickel plating is nice too, giving the gun a measure of corrosion resistance.

Charles Daly AR-12S

A pretty svelte and effective system, the AR-12S is also an affordable box-fed shotgun option. A gas-operated semi-automatic, the gun proves a relatively smooth and reliable shooter. AR-style accouterments—carry handle, adjustable buttstock, AR-style controls—make the gun a familiar option for anyone that’s handled the rifle. The 19.5-inch barreled AR-12S comes with a 5-round magazine, is chambered for 3-inch shells and compatible with Beretta/Benelli chokes.

Tristar Sporting Arms KRX Tactical

The KRX Tactical has been around a spell and has proven somewhat popular. Again, this is a gas-operated, box-fed semi-auto patterned after the AR-15. Thus, the gun is very familiar to many shooters, with its controls and ergonomics what you’d expect them to be. It has some solid upgrades on many of the guns in its class, including a chrome-lined chamber and barrel, full-length Picatinny rail on top and fully adjustable rear sight and fiber optic front.

Ammo Sales

Par for course, ammo is tight out there folks. But Lucky Gunner has two 12-gauge ammo deals available, both 00 buckshot.

Nobel Sport 2-3/4″ 00 Buckshot

Fiocchi 2-3/4″ 00 Buckshot

Rewiew And Insight On The Guns And Gear For Sale:

Gun Review: Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield
How It Works: The AR-15 Upper
AR-15 Lower: Putting The Internals Together
Gun Collecting: The AR-7 Survival Gun
Ammo Brief: America’s ‘New’ Favorite — 9mm Luger

First Look: Sauer 404 Synchro XTC

Elwood Shelton

November 11, 2020

Lightweight and built for precision, the Sauer 404 Synchro XTC is engineered to seamlessly combined accuracy and flexibility.

What Sets The Synchro XTC Apart From Other Rifles:

Switch barrel and bolt-head design allows rifle to jump between numerous calibers.
Hand-laid carbon-fiber stock and fluted barrel combine for a featherweight package.
Fully adjustable buttstock improves fit and accuracy potential of the gun.
Graduated trigger setting lets the shooter know the exact break weight.

Outside the AR world, jumping calibers on the same rifle is a somewhat foreign concept to American shooters. Not so in Germany. Partly as a skirt around somewhat onerous laws and partly a bit of engineering showboating, Teutonic gunmakers have embraced and perfected the switch-barrel concept. Perhaps non more than J.P. Sauer & Sons.

Released around a half-decade ago, the Sauer 404 redefined flexibility with a bolt-action able to climb up and down the spectrum of calibers with the greatest of ease. Thank the ingenious swappable bolt head, along with the interchangeable barrels, for the world’s most protean long-gun. Subsequently, the line has only improved over the years, culminating recently in one of the company's sharpest shooters —the Sauer 404 Synchro XTC. A hybrid hunter-precision option, the rifle incorporates the best of both for a rifle that's accurate and versatile in the same breath.

Where it’s at on the 404 Synchro XTC is its stock. Sure enough, a thumbhole stock is enough to get many to turn their noses up at the rifle. For those who get past this—or just plain love them—there is quite a foundation to the rifle. Rigid and stable, the hand-laid carbon-fiber stock is the ideal platform for consistent accuracy, further aided by a fully adjustable buttstock. Both length of pull and comb height are modifiable, ensuring shooters address the rifle the same every time they're behind the trigger.

And it’s light. The 404 Synchro XTC’s stock and fluted barrel, combine for a 5.9- to 6.2-pound package (depending on caliber), which almost flirts with mountain-rifle heft. Of course, if the rifle is bored up through its modular design it has the potential to thump a bit. But ample recoil pad and the thumbhole’s pistol grip should make it more bearable than a traditional featherweight rifle.

Take Aim At Rifles:

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It being a Sauer creation, the 404 Synchro XTC has a load of nifty extras most hunters or target shooters should appreciate. Its manual cocking system, a button at the rear of the bolt that cocks and uncocks the rifle silently, makes it among the safest long guns on the market. And the gun’s adjustable trigger is graduated—marked with Roman numerals—making it simple to discern if the rifle is set for a 1.2-, 1.6-, 2.2- or 2.7-pound break.

At present, Sauer offers the 404 Synchro XTC in 14 different calibers, from .243 Winchester up to .404 Jeffery. Though, there is a little question of price. Hate to burst bubbles, the rifle isn’t cheap, starting at $8,199. On the other hand, the money might be worth it given the Synchro is the closest thing to a do-all rifle there is.

For more information on the 404 Synchro XTC, please visit jpsauer-usa.com.

Magnificent Mite: Wilson Combat EDC X9S

Richard A. Mann

November 11, 2020

The new EDC X9S from Wilson Combat is a smaller, more compact version of its very-well-received EDC X9.

Ideally adapted to every day carry, the revamped Wilson Combat EDC X9S is smaller but just as magnificent.

What Sets The EDC X9S Apart From Other Compacts:

- Built on a rugged alloy frame.
- Sized to match most of the popular striker-fired compacts.
- Utilizes Sig P226/228 magazines.
- Designed sans a grip safety.
- A bit hefty, it does a number on recoil.
- Reliable as the day is long.

I would like to introduce you to a new defensive handgun. It’s the EDC X9S from Wilson Combat.

Now, unless this is the first gun magazine you’ve ever read or your Internet is broken, you’ve surely heard of Wilson Combat. The company was founded by Bill Wilson, who started his gunsmithing business in 1977 in the back of his family’s jewelry store in Berryville, Arkansas. Wilson Combat has now grown to become one of the largest employers in the area and a premier manufacturer of what many consider the best custom 1911s in the world.

Younger shooters might not know Bill Wilson’s history. In addition to building an impeccable reputation as a gunsmith, he was the Pistolsmith of the Year in 2002, a top-level IPSC competitor, former director of USPSA and one of the co-founders of the International Defensive Pistol Association.

Those interested in a compact, high-capacity, everyday-carry gun of the finest quality should take the time to “test drive” the Wilson Combat EDC X9S.

Bill is now retired. Well, not really. Bill doesn’t sit around watching Starsky and Hutch reruns; he supports Wilson Combat by providing research-and-development services. Essentially, he comes up with cool stuff for Wilson Combat to build, and then he shoots it until he knows it works.

In 2017, Wilson Combat introduced the EDC X9. Being a near-perfect amalgamation of the best of what a 1911, Browning Hi Power and Glock 19 had to offer, the EDC X9 is a magnificent defensive handgun.

Still Magnificent, Just Smaller

But, with the understanding that a more compact handgun was more popular for concealed carry, Wilson Combat began working on a smaller version of the EDC X9. The EDC X9S has just been recently released, and I got to spend about a week working with one. Because of its size, reliability and ease of shooting, it’s ideally adapted for everyday carry.

It’s basically an evolution of the EDC platform. Wilson Combat’s main goal with the EDC X9S was to design a first-rate, 10+1-capacity pistol that was about the same basic size as an S&W M&P Shield. But, unlike the Shield or similarly sized Glocks, the EDC X9S is not made of plastic; it’s built on an alloy frame and accepts double-stacked 9mm magazines. In fact, it uses 10-round Sig Sauer P226/228 magazines. The trigger, magazine release, hammer, thumb safety, ejector and tilting barrel recoil system are very 1911-ish in style.

Just slightly larger than your hand, the EDC X9S is similarly sized to the Glock 26 and S&W Shield.

However, the EDC X9S, like all the pistols in the EDC line, lacks a grip safety. The backstrap, which houses the mainspring, is hinged at the top rear of the frame, just as on the larger EDC X9. It’s released by inserting a punch into a hole in the bottom of the backstrap, and it pivots out of the way for access to the internals.

The pistol has a 3-inch, coned-and-fluted barrel that’s ramped. It doesn’t have a barrel bushing but does have a dual recoil spring. The slide is removed just as on any other 1911 but, unlike traditional 1911s, the extractor is external and user serviceable. The pistol’s grip is sculpted with Wilson Combat’s X-Tac treatment, and a similar pattern replaces the common 1911 grasping grooves at the rear of the slide.

Slide and Trigger

The EDC X9S doesn’t have grip panels. The textured sides of the aluminum grip are flat and integral to the frame. For its compact size, it’s not that light. As a comparison, a fully loaded Glock 26 is 4 ounces lighter. This quarter-pound difference is kind of a big deal, because that extra weight is in the slide, helping to dampen recoil and allowing for faster target recovery and follow-up shots. In essence, it makes the EDC X9S more comfortable to shoot.

Thanks to an outstanding trigger—with the shortest reset I’ve ever experienced—the EDC X9S is very easy to shoot fast and accurately. I’ve already written here about the “Forty-Five Drill” I use to evaluate defensive handguns. In that drill, the goal is to draw from concealment and fire five shots into a 5-inch circle at 5 yards in under five seconds. My average time for five runs with the EDC X9S was 3.37 seconds, with only one shot—fired during the first run—landing outside the 5-inch circle. The pistol was also extremely reliable; I tried to make it jam, but I couldn’t.

The EDC X9S Balance

With the EDC X9S, Wilson Combat has done a wonderful job of finding a balance between concealability and shootability. The grip will comfortably fit a wide range of hand sizes. It’s not too heavy, and if you compare all its dimensions with a Glock 26’s, the two pistols are, for all practical purposes, the same exact size. (I have to admit that I like my larger EDC X9 a bit better, but I’m accustomed to carrying a commander-sized 1911/Browning Hi Power pistol on a daily basis. For others who might want high capacity combined with ultra-concealment, the EDC X9S is a better choice.)

The Wilson Combat EDC X9S utilizes a double-stack 9mm magazine for a total capacity of 10+1 rounds. Each pistol is also shipped with an extended, 15-round magazine.

I consider Bill Wilson one of the best—if not the best—pistolsmiths in the world when it comes to defensive handguns. I’d also rate Wilson Combat as the top source for custom 1911 or 1911-styled handguns.

The new Wilson Combat EDC X9S is the current premier evolution of the 1911, and if you’re looking for a compact carry gun, it should be on top of the list of handguns you want to check out. Although some will scoff at its base price of $2,695 (yeah, I know: You can buy five Glock 19s for the same price), there’s a certain pride and comfort in knowing you own the very best.

EDC X9S Specs
Available Calibers: 9mm
Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds
Barrel Length: 3.25 inches
Overall Length: 6.75 inches
Sight Radius: 5 inches
Height: 4.5 inches
Width: 1.25 inches
Weight Empty: 25.2 ounces
Weight Loaded: 29.7 ounces
Accuracy Guarantee: 1.5 inch at 25 yards

For more information on the EDC X9S, please visit wilsoncombat.com.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Raise Your Wilson Combat IQ:

First Look: Sarsilmaz SAR9 X Platinum 9mm

Elwood Shelton

November 10, 2020

Coming with everything you require to carry out of the box, the SAR9 X Platinum ends up a tidy upgrade package.

What Does Sarsilmaz's 9mm Come With:

Paddle holster
Double magazine pouch
Magazine loader
Accessory flashlight
Carrying case

Sarsilmaz is one of the largest small arms manufacturers in the world that many haven’t heard of. Yeah, historically there's been a few import geeks here and there who’d have one of the Turkish concern’s guns, but not enough of them to really start a trend. This changed somewhat a few years back with the introduction of SAR9 to the American market, giving shooters a Glock-ish option at a decidedly non-Glock-ish price.

Sarsilmaz continues to profit off the tidy striker-fired pistol, recently expanding the line to include the SAR9 X Platinum. While not wandering too far off the company’s winning formula, the gun boasts enough upgrades and extras to pique the interest of those after a decked out 9mm at a decent price. How decent? Sarsilmaz released the black-finished version of the 9mm with an MSRP of $422 and the stainless-steel model with an MSRP of $444. In the scheme of things, not bad for a duty-sized striker-fired.

As to the gun’s bells and whistles, much of it comes in the accessories pack, which includes a paddle holster, double magazine pouch, magazine loader, accessory flashlight and carrying case. Though, the SAR9 X Platinum has a few upgrades on the original iteration, including a Cerakote finished slide with cuts to reduce weight, and a match-style barrel, crowned to ensure the integrity of the bore.

From there, the pistol gets fairly familiar to the SAR9. If you want the full lowdown on the original, Richard Mann did an extensive review on the SAR9. But in thumbnail, like the SAR9, SAR9 X Platinum is a polymer-framed striker-fired pistol with a fairly low bore axis, which makes it a relatively manageable and quick shooter. It also has a manual thumb safety, which will draw cheers or jeers depending on who you are. And the Platinum comes in at a fairly manageable 27.5 ounces and sports a 4.5-inch barrel. It comes with one 17- and one 19-round magazine or two 10-round magazines in capacity restricted states.

SAR9 X Platinum Specs:
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1 / 17+1
Barrel Length: 4.4″
Overall Length: 7.6″
Overall Heigth: 5.5″
Overall Width: 1.4″
Weight: 27.5 oz.

For more information on the SAR9 X Platinum, please visit sarusa.com.

Load Up On More 9mm Knowledge:

11 Affordable 9mm Carbine Options
9 Best Single-Stack 9mm Pistol Options For Concealed Carry
6 Top Double-Stack 9mm Pistols For Concealed Carry
7 Best 9mm Pistol Designs Of All Time
5 9mm Revolver Options Sized Right For Everyday Carry
How To Choose The Best 9mm Ammo For Self-Defense
Is The 9mm Luger The Best All-Around Defensive Cartridge?

Springfield XD-S Mod.2 OSP Takes The Single-Stack Optics-Ready

Elwood Shelton

November 10, 2020

Boasting a slide cut, the Springfield XD-S Mod.2 OSP gives shooters an optic-ready, single-stack option.

What Does the Springfield Pistol Bring To The Table:

Compatiblity with a wide swath of micro red-dot optics.
Solid base to mount a red-dot without compromising the pistol's concealablity.
The performance that has grown the XD-S line's popularity.

Once frowned upon as unreliable and burdensome, red-dot optics have stormed the gun world in recent years. Thank the world’s optics makers for this sea change. Shrunken down and tough as an Abrams tank, the next generation of micro red-dots are at once unassuming and battle tough. Not to mention, once mastered, they’ll get you on target in a split second.

Springfield Armory embraced the aiming technology a while ago, releasing optic-ready models such as Hellcat and XD-M. But the gun company has gone back to its roots with its recent entrant to this niche, expanding its most popular pistol line with a model ready to piggyback a red-dot. Shake hands with the Springfield XD-S Mod.2 OSP (Optic Sight Pistol).

Retaining the features shooters have grown to love, Springfield enhances the pistol with a factory-milled slide for the direct mounting of red-dot optics. At once, the mount reduces the profile of the sight making it more compatible with concealed carry and aids the optic in absorbing the recoil impulse of the pistol. Sure enough, the XD-S Mod.2 OSP is 9mm—not the buckiest of calibers, but enough produces to loosen screws or knock off the zero on lessor systems. When not in use, Springfield supplies a polymer cover plate, which fits seamlessly on the side and features cocking serrations to aid in manipulation.

The single-stack pistol is available with a factory-installed Crimson Trace CTS-1500 an auto-dimming unit that features a 3.5 MOA reticle. A sight cut in the optic allows XD-S Mod.2 OSP’s U-notch rear and front ramp sights to co-witnesses through the red-dot, but the iron sights do not appear to be high-rise. This could possibly cause issues with other optics. To that end, what other optics play nice with the pistol? Shield Sights series of mini-red dots, SIG Sauer Romeo Zero, Leupold DeltaPoint and the like.

As to the pistol itself, there are few surprises away from the slide. It’s pretty much an XD-S: polymer frame, striker-fired, 7+1-round and 9+1 capacity, ambidextrous mag release, passive grip and trigger safety, fairly positive front and back strap texturing. The one thing to be said, on optic on the pistol isn’t the worst idea to come down the road and should help the 3.3-inch gun accuracy given its terse sight radius. It’s fairly affordable to boot, the standard XD-S Mod.2 OSP’s MSRP set at $425 and the option with a Crimson Trace sight $549.

XD-S Mod.2 OSP Specs:
Caliber: 9mm
Color: Black
Barrel: 3.3″ Hammer Forged Steel, Melonite® Finish, 1:10
Slide: Forged Steel, Melonite® Finish
Frame: Black Polymer w /Enhanced Grip Texture
Sights: White Dot Front, Serrated Rear, Crimson Trace CTS-1500 Red Dot
Recoil System: Dual Captive Recoil Spring w/ Full Length Guide Rod
Grip Width: .9″
Magazines: (1) 7-Round, (1) 9-Round Extended
Weight: 21.5 oz w/ Flush Mag, 22.5 oz w/ Extended Mag
Length: 6.3″
Height: 4.4″ w/ Flush Mag, 5″ w/ Extended Mag
MSRP: $429; Crimson Trace sight $549

For more information on the XD-S Mod.2 OSP Specs, please visit springfield-armory.com.

Muzzle Velocity, Accuracy And The Variables That Matter

Philip Massaro

November 9, 2020

Desired muzzle velocity and downrange accuracy prove elusive goals off the reloading bench. Exactly what factors are you dealing with in the chase for each?

Accuracy in a rifle—even though “precision” is the word we actually should be using—is something every reloader is after. And, once we see a muzzle velocity figure published for a particular cartridge, there’s little others can do to drive that benchmark from the mind.

Comparing the data in several reloading manuals, you’ll find some rather wide variations in muzzle velocity figures, even for the same load. You’ll sometimes see significant differences in the maximum charge weight, as well as the velocity for that weight charge. It can be maddening, especially when you’ve chosen a particular cartridge for the velocity potential and you see numbers that are, well, disappointing.

Why does this happen? And why, when you see a target from a friend or acquaintance produce a target from a particular “recipe,” doesn’t your rifle produce a similar group?

Variables to Consider

Firstly, modern rifles are showing more-consistent results than we’ve ever seen. When I was a younger man, anyone who had a 1 MOA rifle was talked about in reverent whispers—as if they owned some mythical weapon blessed by divinity. Of course, many hunters were using iron-sighted lever-action carbines, and minute-of-pie-plate at 100 paces was “good enough.”

But, I feel modern rifles are also the best available. Inexpensive rifles are delivering groups that would have surely turned the heads of our grandfathers. We’re seeing sub-MOA guarantees on more models each year—to the point that a rifle that delivers a 2-inch group at 100 yards causes the shooter to make a face as if they’ve just taken a mouthful of sour milk.

Carefully handloaded 6.5-284 Norma ammunition, which is wonderfully accurate, is slightly below expectations in the velocity department.

I’m not suggesting you call off the pursuit of accuracy in your handloads once you hit the 2 MOA mark, but I am saying that not every rifle is capable of ½ MOA performance. The individuality of your barrel most definitely comes into play where group size is concerned, and there are so many variations that it sometimes seems no two are alike.

For example, my 6.5-284 Norma is a Savage rifle—from its custom shop—and it’s most definitely one of the most accurate rifles I own, giving 1/3 to ½ MOA groups out to 500 yards. However, it shows a definite preference for flat-based bullets, and I suspect the bore might be a bit “loose.” In spite of a 25-inch barrel, the velocities for this rifle are lower than expected across the board, further confirming my suspicion.

Also, consider this: I’ve seen more than one of the modern, high-BC bullets need time to settle down, giving better groups at 300 yards than at 100 yards. I suppose the bullet, like a spinning top, needs some time to obtain the perfect stability. I’ve seen this phenomenon with the longer, heavier-for-caliber bullets, such as the Nosler AccuBond, Hornady ELD-X and ELD Match, along with other similar bullets.

Target Muzzle Velocity Figures

Reaching a target muzzle velocity figure in your handloads can be equally challenging.

Taking a look at any box of ammunition, you’ll see a certain muzzle velocity listed. Is that gospel? Certainly not, because the manufacturer has no idea what type of firearm you’ll be firing that ammunition from, its barrel length or any other parameter. The same can be said for a reloading manual.

Keeping a record of the velocities of your handloads will help you in years to come.

For example, the original .416 Rigby load used a 410-grain bullet at 2,350 fps for 5,000 ft-lb of muzzle energy. This has been a benchmark for comparing newly developed cartridges; and, if a cartridge doesn’t develop those velocity and energy figures, it’s generally been frowned upon.

The problem is, a ballistic pendulum and a long test barrel were used to obtain those “defining figures,” and when original ammunition for the .416 Rigby was put through a modern chronograph, the results were eye-opening. Muzzle velocities of 2,150 to 2,175 fps were observed, lowering the energy values closer to the 4,000 ft-lb mark.

Wouldn’t that make the .416 Rigby ineffective? No one ever knew the difference … certainly not the game animals.

I’ve seen some .308 Winchesters beat the muzzle velocity of the .30-06 Springfield, and I’ve seen .30-06 Springfields that can outperform some .300 Winchester Magnums. In both instances, it had to do with the particular barrel. Such is the way of the world of ballistics: There are no absolutes.

Load Up On Reloading Info:

The Flexible And Forgiving .30-06 Springfield
The .45 Colt: A Wheelgun Classic
.300 Win. Mag.: The Answer To Most Hunting Questions
Tips For Reloading the .223 Remington

Accuracy vs. Velocity

In most of my rifles, the majority of which are for hunting, I prefer to squabble over accuracy more than velocity. I’m not willing to give up a whole ton of velocity, but coming up 50 to 100 fps light isn’t going to crush me.

In my .404 Jeffery, the data indicated I should’ve been getting 2,325 fps with the particular powder charge of Reloder 15 I was using. However, no matter how hard I shook the chronograph, all I could get was 2,280 fps. It was the characteristics of my particular barrel and, with extreme spreads of 15 fps, the accuracy was certainly there, averaging ¾ MOA from the big gun.

Using a good chronograph, such as the Oehler 35P seen in the background, will help determine trajectory and wind deflection values.

Working with a custom 7mm Remington Magnum and 175-grain Nosler AccuBonds, I found wonderful accuracy—only to find that the muzzle velocity was slightly more than 2,500 fps instead of the 2,925 fps it should have generated. For reasons I can’t quite explain, this particular powder just didn’t get along with that rifle. Therefore, I switched powders and equaled the accuracy while reaching proper velocities.

There are many factors affecting velocity: barrel length, variations in bore diameter and the little, inexplicable “gremlins” that cause reloaders to mutter inaudible sentences.

Be sure to consider a reloading manual as a laboratory report; that is, it’s a snapshot of the performance of a certain bullet, with a certain powder charge, in the manual’s particular test barrel. This is why all the books of data suggest strongly that you start at the bottom of the charge weights and work up slowly; your rifle might develop higher pressures faster than the test barrel did.

I also recommend that you keep copious notes regarding your rifle and load development. Make note of the case brand, primer brand and type, powder charge (and perhaps even the lot number), and bullet brand and weight. If you experiment with a good number of different loads, you might start to draw your own conclusions regarding your barrel, as compared to the various test barrels.

Don’t get too hung up on it. As long as your loads do what you need them to do, the goal has been met.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Best 6.5 PRC Ammo Available Right Now

Elwood Shelton

November 6, 2020

Load up on the right 6.5 PRC ammo and you take your shooting to a new level.

What's The Best 6.5 PRC Ammo

Hornady Precision Hunter
Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond
Federal Premium Trophy Accent
Hornady Match

For all the recent fervor around the 6.5 caliber and all their long-range goodness, the 6.5 PRC has proven a slow burn. Don’t misconstrue this. Guns for the magnumtized 6.5 Creedmoor have flourished and the heavy-hitting six-and-a-half has developed a dedicated following—especially among hunters—since its release a few years back. But the comparably, the 6.5 PRC has taken rear mammary to its smaller sibling. The proof is in the pudding, ammunition selection.

Thumb through the virtual pages of any ammo retailer and you find the pickings are somewhat slim for the big dog 6.5. Not nil mind you, but compared to the new(ish) 6.5 Creedmoor—heck even the little cousin 6mm Creedmoor—6.5 PRC ammo doesn’t abound. Luckily what’s out there is good, particularly if you’re looking to take the 6.5 on the hunt. We’ve select four of the best 6.5 PRC ammo options out there presently, hopefully, there’ll be more as the years ware on. But before we go there, perhaps we should discuss why you might want to consider the beltless magnum.

Why Shoot 6.5 PRC

Aside from the stock answer of, Why the heck not shoot it?, there’s a pretty simple reason—it outperforms the 6.5 Creedmoor. You get all the ballistic goodness of the caliber, backed up with a larger powder charge. That means more velocity, which leads to better downrange and terminal performance.

The brass tacks are thus, the 6.5 PRC has 28 percent more case capacity than the 6.5 Creedmoor, which producing an 8-percent increase in velocity. Downrange makes a difference. Take a 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC ammo loaded with the same bullet, you’ll deal with nearly 50-inches less drop at the 1,000-yard mark and enjoy another 250 or so yards more super-sonic flight with the bigger 6.5 cartridge. Not small potatoes.

In the bargain, you’ll still get a relatively mild shooting caliber. Will it kick? More than a 6.5 Creedmoor, but much less than a majority of magnum-class cartridges—of course, depending on the heft of your rifle. It certainly not as drastic as jumping from .308 Winchester to .300 Winchester Magnum. Additionally, the 6.5 PRC is absolutely dynamite on large game, leading many to dub it the ultimate hunting round in the caliber. Pretty tidy package, all in all.

Best Hunting 6.5 PRC Ammo

Hornady Precision Hunter

The roots of the cartridge don’t get any deeper than this. Along with Hornady Match, Precision hunter was the 6.5 PRC ammo option to hit the market and still stand up against the competition. The stuff is loaded pretty hot, pushing a 143-grain ELD-X bullet 2,960 fps at the muzzle, giving it the chops to harvest game at the limits of an ethical shot. While the bullet itself has an excellent ballistic coefficient (.625) thanks to its sleek secant ogive, boattail design, and heat-resistant polymer tip, it also performs admirably once it’s at its destination. Designed to retain 50 to 60 of its weight, no matter the distance, the bullet produces devastating wound channels on whatever you lay your crosshairs on.

Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond

Nosler has met few 6.5 cartridges it didn’t love—this includes the PRC. Luck for hunters, given its Trophy-Grade AccuBond stuff, is among the most potent big-game medicine on the shelves. Topped with the 140- and 142-grain polymer-tipped AccuBond bullets, the 6.5 PRC ammo is tough enough to handle the likes of elk, moose, and everything down. Boasting a bonded-core, the bullet won’t fly apart once at its terminal destination. Aided by the 6.5 exceptional sectional density, it bores deep into game ensuring you hit vitals. It’ll fly too. With a respectable .509 ballistic coefficient, expect Nosler Trophy grade to excel even at your limits.

Federal Premium Trophy Accent

A bit lighter, but no less devastating opting, Federal’s 130-grain Trophy Accent is another option that gets the caliber to live up to its full ballistic potential. A few of the ammo’s basics. The Terminal Accent bullet (.532 BC) is polymer-tipped and has a bonded core, ensuring it hangs together once at its target. And Federal loads them so they scoot at 3,000 fps at the muzzle. But the bullet itself has some interesting design features not found in other 6.5 PRC ammo. In particular, it has a specialized groove, which aids in optimal performance out of a wide variety of rifles. No secret sauce there. But how it’s designed, with an angled rear wall, improves its aerodynamics and reduces bullet drop at longer ranges. Trophy Accent is a great option for those long, windy shots at pronghorns on the prairie or sheep in a gusty basin.

Best Match 6.5 PRC Ammo

Hornady Match

As we alluded to above, there’s another Hornady option on this list. The bad of the matter, at present time it’s about the only factory loaded 6.5 PRC ammo tailored to match shooting on the market. Picking are slim folks. The good, it’s an excellent long-range option. Hornady’s Extra Low Drag (ELD) bullets are a favorite of competitive shooters and don’t disappoint in this ammo. A bit heavy for caliber, the 147-grain bullets deliver a highest-in-class ballistic coefficient at .697. This adds up to a projectile that shoots flatter and is more impervious to wind drift. It also maintains its BC in flight, thanks to its heat impervious Heat Shield tip that does not degrade due to air friction. The larger bullet means a tad less case capacity, but Hornady still goes to the hilt, milking 2,910 fps of velocity at the muzzle from it.

More 6.5 Creedmoor

Top 10 Sharpshooting 6.5 Creedmoor Rifles
A Practical Overview of 6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics
Top Brass: 11 Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Options
Bragging Rights:.308 Winchester vs. 6.5 Creedmoor
6.5 PRC: Extending The Rifleman’s Reach
8 Affordable6.5 PRC Rifle Options For Precision Work

Thumbs-Up To Ben’s Easy Magazine Loader
By
Patrick Sweeney
-
November 4, 2020
0
Big mags can be hard to load, but that’s not so with the BEML.
Ben’s Easy Magazine Loader it's exactly as it sounds.
Loading magazines is a hassle. Loading high-capacity magazines, with few exceptions, is even more of a hassle. There are now machines, some even electrically powered, that load magazines. But they take up space, and they cost money.
How to save your thumbs and not bust the bank? BEML to the rescue.
So Easy
The BEML, or Ben’s Easy Magazine Loader, is one of those “Why didn’t I think of that!” devices that I find fascinating. It’s dead simple: a handle with two parallel rods.
To use it, you place the magazine on the bench, base down. Put a loaded round on the two rods. Use the rods to push the follower or top round down until there is clearance, and then slide the round on the BEML under the feed lips. Repeat as necessary.
Now, on something such as a 1911 magazine, this might not be the tool you need. Some magazines have sharp edges or corners, and it’s just easier to use the BEML. Some double-stack 9mm magazines are easier to stuff than others. Some are a real pain. (You know which ones they are; no need for me to call out the offenders … Mr. Polymer.)
Ben's Easy Magazine Reloader And Pistol-Caliber Carbines
Where it becomes a real aid is when you are loading up a pistol-caliber carbine. Getting the last rounds into a 17-round magazine is hard. But getting the last dozen rounds into a 33-round magazine or an extended-capacity 50-round magazine can bring tears to your eyes (yes, Virginia, there are 50-round magazines for PCC. Competition shooters use them every weekend across America. God, I love this country!).
The BEML is not caliber-specific, because the rod spacing allows use in 9mm to .45. The designer/company owner says the BEML can go all the way down to .25 ACP. However, I’ve got to say that if you find loading the last of six rounds into your .25 ACP pistol to be a chore, you really need to be eating your Wheaties.
Use Ben's Easy Magazine Reloader's rods to depress the top cartridge. Then, slide the next one off the rods and under the feed lip.
Once I had a chance to test the BEML in a few magazines, I found myself wondering where Ben’s Outdoor Design was when I was shooting PCC in the early days and used a carbine that required Sten gun magazines. That was a real monster to load—a double-stack magazine that fed from a single central point. I had an array of loading-assist devices to get those things filled up, and back in the “medium-old” days, none of them was very satisfactory.
A Word to the Wise
Fair warning: The BEML is small enough so that if you lose track of it at the range, it might not come home with you. It could easily “disappear” into someone else’s range bag if you’re at a range where such things are not dealt with via summary hangings! But there’s a convenient hole in the handle, so you can chain the BEML to your range bag.
The BEML costs only $12.95. As simple as it is, if your son or daughter has any shop skills (and their school still offers shop classes), they could make one once they had one to copy.
But why do that? This is America, where cleverness is supposed to be rewarded; and I can’t see saving a few bucks by ripping off someone’s clever idea. I’m going to buy a bunch more and chain one to each range bag I commonly use.
For more information on the BEML, please visit bensoutdoordesign.com
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Expand Your Gear IQ:
BallisticsARC: Owning The Wind With Real-Time Data
5 Top Barrel Cooler Options So You Don’t Get Hot Under The Collar
10 Pocket Holsters For Easy Everyday Carry
Three Affordable Chronograph Options To Check Your Speed

Fix It Sticks Kits Keep Nearly Any Gun Running Like A Top
By
Elwood Shelton
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November 4, 2020
0
Fix It Stick 3-Gun Kit
Fix It Sticks introduces competition-inspired 3-Gun and Long-Range kits, giving shooters the tools to troubleshoot their guns anywhere.
Drive around without a jack or jumper cables you’re courting fate. Not the good kind either. The dusty backroad variety, in the middle of the night, without a gas station or house light on the horizon. Likely, you’re doing the same every time you head to the range.
In all likelihood, you’ll throw a stubby flathead in your range bag when scoping in a deer rifle.
Maybe, a cleaning kit is on hand—good enough to dislodge a stuck case in a pinch. But actual, to-the-quick gun tools meant to troubleshoot accuracy-eating, gun-stopping malfunctions are an afterthought, if that, for most shooters. That’s all changing.
In recent years, Fix It Sticks has taken it upon themselves to provide shooters with comprehensive gun tools that are no more trouble to tote along than an extra box of ammo. And now the company has introduced two purpose-built, comprehensive tool kits that handle hard-use and precision firearms. Developed with input from competitive shooters, Fix It Sticks Long Range Kit and 3-Gun Kit boast an extensive array of the most useful tools, bits and torque limiters required to maintain a gun's accuracy and performance.
Tailored to tune up rifles, shotguns and handguns, Fix It Sticks 3-Gun Kit is ideal for the multi-gun shooter—even if they aren’t competitors. In addition to a multi-section cleaning rod and the company’s redesigned Take-Down Ratchet T-Handle, the kit includes:
65 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
45 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
25 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
15 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
½-inch Socket/Adapter
Mini Pry Bar
Pin Punch set
Bronze Scraper
Steel Pick
Cleaning Brush Bit
Set of two 8-32 adapters
Aimpoint Bit
.223 BCG Scraper
.308 BCG Scraper
A2 Sight Bit
Castle Nut Bit
Choke Wrench
1911 Bushing Bit
Glock Front Sight Bit
24 Chrome Plated Bits
Magnetic Patch
Microfiber Lens Cloth
Soft Carrying Case
Fix It Stick Long-Range Kit
Designed to keep precision rifles pounding the X-ring, Fix It Stick’s Long Range Kit is a must-have for anyone who goes the distance. The kit also comes with the company’s versatile Take-Down Ratchet T-Handle, cleaning rod and a number of other useful tools including:
65 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
45 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
25 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
15 Inch/Lbs torque limiter
½-inch Socket/Adapter
Mini Pry Bar
Pin Punch Set
Bronze Scraper
Steel Pick
Cleaning Brush Bit
Set of two 8-32 adapters
Bubble Level Set
3/16 inch Extended Action Bit
5/32 inch Extended Action Bit
24 Chrome Plated Bits
Magnetic Patch
Microfiber Lens Cloth
Soft Carrying Case
Be it a loose action screw, rattling handguard or flighty scope rings, Fix It Sticks has you covered with its Long Range and 3-Gun Kits. The 3-Gun Kit runs $350, while the Long Range Kit is priced $368.
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New Guns And Gear November 2020
By
Gun Digest Editors
-
November 3, 2020
0
Discover the pistols and pistol accessories that will get you on target.
What Are The Top Pistols And Pistol Gear:
Jak Slide 2.0 Belt Holster
Thyrm SwitchBack 2.0
Springfield Armory Ronin Operator 4.25-inch 1911
Jawbone Ruger PC Carbine Mag Release
S&W Performance Center M&P9 Shield EZ
Sig Sauer P938 SAS
Holosun HE508T V2
Be it self-defense or an afternoon at the range, most shooters turn to the tried-and-true semi-automatic pistol. Fans of this style of handgun presently live in a golden age, with more classic designs, new innovative models and performance-enhancing accessories available now then ever before. We’ve gathered up some of the top-pick of new pistols and pistol gear that’s recently hit the market, in every case likely to boost your performance behind the trigger.
Jak Slide 2.0 Belt Holster
Rolling out in the 1970s, the Jak Slide holster is nothing new in the world of concealed carry. But how Galco makes them now is. Turning to hybrid technology, the famed holster maker improves on the traditional design for a more responsive and safer hanger. In particular, Galco has placed a Kydex skeleton into the steerhide Jak Slide, giving it some subtle—but useful—attributes. Namely, the holster won’t collapse after the draw, making it easier and more intuitive to rehang a pistol. At the same tick, the Jak Slide is as concealable and fast as it ever was … perhaps more so. It still goes down as among the top options for those who tote a 1911. MSRP: $55, galcogunleather.com
Thyrm SwitchBack 2.0
Simple concepts oftentimes prove the most useful. That pegs the SwitchBack 2.0 perfectly. Evolving the way you manage a flashlight in a defensive situation, the intuitive attachment allows full control of your torch and handgun. It even facilitates a two-handed grip on your gun, while keeping a light on your target. Mounting securely between a flashlight’s tail cap and body, the ring hooks around a finger on the support hand, freeing up the appendage for other operations in the process. Reloading, working the slide, and even support-side shooting are all a possibility—definitely not the case with traditional flashlight techniques. If you need another selling point, a robust pocket clip is part of the package, as is compatibility with SureFire and DFT lights. MSRP: $19.99, thyrm.com
Springfield Armory Ronin Operator 4.25-inch 1911
Lightweight, rugged, and now more concealable, Springfield Armory hits the right notes with its next iteration of the Ronin Operator, configuring the pistol with a 4.25-inch barrel. Commander-sized, the pistol is the best of both worlds, easier to keep under wraps, but with bore enough to milk more ballistic potential out of the 9mm and .45 ACP rounds. Plus, it’s built to please even the most discerning 1911 snobs, complete with a traditional barrel bushing system and match-grade barrel. It’s a looker to boot. Two-tone, the aluminum-alloy-framed Ronin also sports Cross Canyon laminate wood grips, giving it an overall wicked appearance. MSRP: $849, springfield-armory.com
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Jawbone Ruger PC Carbine Mag Release
Proving wildly popular since its release, the Ruger PC Carbine has staked a claim in the PCC sphere. It only makes sense upgrades would follow. For practical use, the Jawbone Mag Release might be among the most practical. Little more than an extension, the lever has the potential to completely revamp how you run the rifle, making reloads lightning quick by placing the control within reach of the trigger finger—beats the heck out of straining forward of the trigger guard. Made from aircraft-grade aluminum, it’ll stand up to your abuse. Plus, it’s a snap to install. What more could you want? MSRP: $84.99, jawbonetactical.com
S&W Performance Center M&P9 Shield EZ
Opening semi-automatic pistols to a greater swath of the shooting world, the easy-to-manipulate M&P9 Shield EZ has proven to be a game changer. Now it’s available all decked out. Getting the Smith & Wesson Performance Center treatment, the 9mm has several upgrades that have it running like a top. Some of these consist of a ported barrel, flat-faced skeletonized trigger, aftermarket sights, and tuned action. Additionally, it’s available with some head-turning finishes that give the pistol a truly customized look, including black, silver, and gold accents. Best of all, the Shield EZ comes in at a price nearly any shooter can afford. MSRP: $588, smith-wesson.com
Sig Sauer P938 SAS
There’s more to a concealed-carry-friendly pistol than its height, width, and weight. There’s also a little question about deployment. Sig Sauer all but eliminates this concern with the release of the P938 SAS model, which is about as streamlined as you get. In addition to milling all potential catch points on the pistol’s frame and slide, it also wears what might be the lowest-rise sights on the market. Known as Flush-Mounted FT Bullseye sights, the fiber-tritium low-light option leaves almost no footprint on the 9mm, offering the peace of mind that you can get your gun in the fight at the moment of truth. MSRP: $856, sigsauer.com
Holosun HE508T V2
Not shooting with a reflex sight yet? You should consider it. Holosun gets you into the action with its new HE508T V2 optic loaded with features that’ll get you on the mark. Chief among them is the unit’s Multiple Reticle System, which offers a transition between a 32 MOA Circle and 2 MOA Dot. Plus, the optic is built for all the punishment you can dish out, constructed with a titanium body and a durable base that helps it withstand shock. And the V2 is always ready to roll when you are, with a backup solar charging system that keeps it up and running. MSRP: $435.28 red dot; $470 green dot, holosun.com

The Peculiar Pioneer Arms PM-63C Pistol
By
Robb Manning
-
November 2, 2020
1
The Cold War saw many interesting firearms designs, but few are as unique as the Polish PM-63, now available in the semi-auto Pioneer Arms PM-63C pistol.
Some firearms have a utilitarian look; some can be classified as beautiful; some look plain vanilla; and some firearms are flat out odd-looking. The PM-63 falls right into this last category of very odd-looking firearms.
Nevertheless, although it might look pretty weird, it’s a very well-thought-out design, and it reflects solid build quality for that era, especially for a Combloc weapon. But the select-fire PM-63 has been out of the reach of most Americans … until now. Thanks to Pioneer Arms, it’s been redesigned as the PM-63C—a civilian-legal, semi-auto pistol.
The PM-63 Design
The original PM-63 is a Polish-designed submachine gun (SMG) that’s blowback operated, hammer-fired and select-fire, with a full-auto rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute. It’s chambered in 9x18mm Makarov.
Officially named the “Pistolet Maszynowy wzor 1963” (PM Model 1963), it’s often referred to as the PM-63 RAK. It’s one of the first SMGs to incorporate the magazine well into the pistol grip, following in the footsteps of the Czechoslovakian Sa Vz 48 (aka Sa 23/24/25/26 Series) and the Israeli Uzi.
To retain pistol status with the ATF, the folding stock has been spot-welded in place, and the foregrip is permanently fixed and cannot be opened to a vertical grip.
Development started in the late 1950s by Piotr Wilniewczyc, who died in 1960, before development was complete. A team from the state-owned factory completed development, and the PM-63 was adopted into Polish military and police service in 1965. Around 80,000 were made until production stopped in 1977. It would continue on in service until it was replaced in 1984 by the PM-84 Glauberyt. During its service life, the PM-63 was adopted for use by 13 different countries and fought in 12 different wars or conflicts.
The PM-63 is unique. It’s essentially a pistol/SMG hybrid. Where most SMGs are distinctly different designs than handguns, the PM-63 looks as if it started life as a handgun and was then half morphed into an SMG. What makes it so different is that SMGs typically have an upper receiver and a reciprocating internal bolt. The PM-63 doesn’t; it uses a traditional pistol slide assembly (slide, barrel, recoil spring, guide rod).
Another unique feature is the shovel-looking protrusion in front of the barrel. It’s a muzzle compensator that directs gasses up, forcing the muzzle down, thus helping make the gun more controllable in full auto. It also makes for a great, one-handed cocking mechanism—although I don’t recommend using it unless it’s for an emergency, because using it would mean pressing the muzzle of a loaded gun into an object you could potentially destroy.
Then, there’s the monstrosity in front of the trigger guard, which is a front grip. It can be used as a grip when folded or can be opened to be used as a vertical grip. Cleverly tucked away is a folding shoulder stock made of stamped steel. It closes by sliding forward, with the arm resting firmly against the receiver and the butt folded up, nestled in a cut in the rear of the receiver.
Da … We Have More Combloc Guns:
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The AK-47: Rifle for the Motherland
SKS Collecting: The Last Hold Out?
The Makarov And Other 9x18mm Pistols
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7.62x25mm Tokarev: The Many Copies Of The Combloc Icon
A Few Details
The relatively heavy weight of the gun, the compensator and the shoulder stock—combined with the mild-recoiling 9x18mm Makarov cartridge—make the PM-63 easy to shoot, even on full auto. To further enhance shooting, there’s an inertia buffer inside the rear of the slide that reduces the rate of fire from around 850 rounds per minute to 650.
To disassemble (and assemble) the slide from the lower receiver, the tick mark on the lower receiver (located between, and just forward of, the safety and rear sight) must be positioned between the two tick marks on the slide so the barrel can be rotated.
During the cycling of the action, the barrel doesn’t tilt like most handguns do; and, despite what some Internet sources say, the barrel doesn’t rotate during the firing process either. The locking ribs on the barrel lock with the locking ribs on the lower receiver, thus holding straight in line and fixed in place.
The mag release is located in the customary position used by European handguns of this era (the bottom of the grip/mag well). However, it’s better than most grip-bottom designs, because the release lever is thumbed toward the magazine instead of away from it, which is more awkward.
The rear sight incorporates an L-shaped flip sight with one side marked for 75 meters and the other for 150 meters. The front sight is blade-styled and machined into the slide. Despite the long overall length of the gun, the sight radius is only 6 inches (about the same as a Glock G19 compact pistol). The sights are pretty good for circa 1959, but by modern standards, they’re not very functional.
The PM-63C: Civilian Legal
What do you do when you find in your inventory guns that were produced for the military market, but they’re now obsolete? You do what Pioneer Arms Corp. did: You remanufacture them into a civilian-legal version for the U.S. civilian market.
U.S. gun owners and collectors can now purchase a semi-auto-only version called the PM-63C. The only downside? There will only ever be 650 of them … because only 650 are in existence.
The PM-63C looks odd, thanks, in part, to this large monstrosity in front of the trigger well. It’s a forward grip that has been permanently fixed into the folded position, per ATF rules. In the original select-fire version, the grip can be opened into a vertical grip.
There are four key differences between the original PM-63 and the civilian-legal PM-63C. First, and most obviously, it’s been remanufactured to shoot semi-auto-only. Second, to meet ATF requirements to qualify as “not a machine gun,” it fires from a “closed bolt”—or, in this instance, a closed slide. Third, to meet the ATF requirements for a pistol and not a short-barreled rifle (SBR), the folding shoulder stock has been bead-welded in the “closed” position so that it can’t be extended. Fourth—also to meet ATF requirements—the front grip is fixed in place so it can’t be unfolded into the vertical grip.
Markings include the original PM-63 stamping (on the right side of the slide) of the serial number: the circle-11 logo and “1971,” for the year of manufacture. Forward of that is the marking of the remanufacturing company (“INTERARMS, RADOM, POLAND, PM63-C cal 9×18”). On top of the slide and behind the rear sight is the mark of the importer, PAC’s U.S. subsidiary (“PIONEER ARMS CORP., FORT ORANGE, FL”). Just behind that is PAC’s archer (“Łucznik”) logo and “RADOM”, “POLAND” and an “11.”
PM-63C pistols can be purchased from PAC’s distributer, Classic Firearms, and includes the original-issue canvas holster, two magazines (one 15-round, one 25-round) and cleaning kit.
Range Time
The PM-63C is an interesting gun, but the biggest question I had was about reliability: It’s a difficult task to take a gun designed to be fired open-bolt and convert it to reliably fire from a closed bolt. It’s one thing to design a semi-auto version from the ground up, as with many MAC-11-style guns, but to convert an actual “already-made” military surplus gun is something different.
If this were the original select-fire PM-63, pressing the lever would allow the shooter to pull the shoulder stock to the rear. On this PM-63C, the lever still works. However, the stock bar has been welded in place.
If you’ve ever pulled the trigger on a Combloc handgun, it’s like pulling a brick through a garden hose! However, my PM-63C is very different from that; it’s good … maybe even very good. It’s long, but grit-free and surprisingly light, and it averages a pull rate between 4.0 and 4.3 pounds. It’s pretty smooth, with a clean break and a short reset.
For me, reliability isn’t a big concern with a gun such as this. I’m not buying it to perform flawlessly, and it will never be used for self-defense. I have other guns for that. I’m buying it because it’s unique, and it’s a piece of Cold War history.
With that said, reliability was … okay. I didn’t put a ton of lead downrange (again, I’m not testing it in order to use it as a carry gun). In total, out of the 60 rounds I fired, I had 11 feed malfunctions. In all cases, the fresh round was about halfway into the chamber, and the slide just couldn’t push it in all the way. I believe a stouter recoil spring would resolve the issue.
Accuracy was better than expected. The PM-63C has a compact pistol-length barrel, along with a compact pistol sight radius and 1950s-era sights. I set up 12-inch targets at 25 yards and 50 yards. At both distances, I managed to get 80 or 90 percent of the hits within the 12-inch target.
With the shoulder stock in the “closed” position, the butt plate folds up under the lower receiver. Note the bead weld at the junction where the shoulder stock and shoulder stock latch pin meet, preventing it from being opened.
At those ranges, It wasn’t bad. However, although the sights are marked “75 meters” and “150 meters,” the role for this is more of PDW, which would be mostly for closer ranges. Besides, let’s keep it real: It’s chambered in 9×18 Makarov, which has slightly more power than a .380 ACP; and no one is hurtling .380 downrange at 50 yards, let alone 75 or 150.
So, I set up some targets at 12 yards, and the PM-63C fared much better. I shot five-shot groups. The Hornady Critical Defense 95-grain FTX grouped at 2.12 inches; the Sellier & Bellot 95-grain FMJ grouped at 1.59 inches; and the Fiocchi 95-grain FMJ grouped at 1.57 inches. For me, that’s good enough for this gun to be fun to shoot.
Final Verdict
The PM-63C ranks pretty high in the “most-interesting” firearms category. Because I’m a history buff and gun collector, one of the genres/topics I’m most interested in is the Combloc/Eastern Europe. When both history and guns are combined, it’s tough for me to say “no.” And for the PM-63C, I wasn’t able to!
I paid $1,300 through Pioneer Arms’ distributer, Classic Firearms. Some might scoff at the price (“I can get a nice AR for that price!” is the popular refrain), but all my gun-purchase regrets are the guns I didn’t purchase (usually, because I thought the price was too high). For me, $1,300 is higher than I want to pay, but with only 650 of these PM-63Cs in existence, it’s likely the value will go up. I can’t guarantee that it will, but I can guarantee that either way, I’ll probably never get another chance to purchase one.
Pioneer Arms PM-63C Specifications
CALIBER: 9x18mm Makarov
ACTION TYPE: Semi-auto, blowback, closed bolt
FRAME: Steel; Bakelite furniture
SLIDE: Steel
BARREL: Chrome lined, 5.9 in.
TRIGGER: 4.2 lb. (average)
SIGHTS: Flip rear sight (75 and 150 meters); blade-style front sight
WEIGHT: 3.5 lb. (empty)
OVERALL LENGTH: 13.1 in.
ACCESSORIES: 2 magazines (15- and 25-round); original canvas holster; cleaning kit
MSRP: $1,300 (distributed via ClassicFirearms.com)
For more information on the Pioneer Arms PM-63C, please visit pioneer-pac.com.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Hunting Buyer’s Guide Giveaway: Black Hills Gold Ammo
By
Gun Digest
-
November 2, 2020
0
Our 2020 Hunting Buyer's Guide takes a look at standout new products from some of your favorite manufacturers. Each manufacturer is also offering a giveaway every week for the next six weeks. Check back each week for a new giveaway.
Our first giveaway is from Black Hills Ammunition. Together with Gun Digest and RECOIL: Carnivore, Black Hills Ammunition is giving away 500 rounds of Black Hills Gold .308 Win Match 125gr Hornady GMX Ammo. Enter by subscribing to the sponsors' email newsletters.
Enter to win Black Hills Ammo!
Visit the 2020 Hunting Buyer's Guide
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