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.450 Bushmaster Ammo: Is There A Cheap Way To Keep One Fed?

By
Elwood Shelton
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3
The .450 Bushmaster ammo can prove taxing
Especially in terms of hunting, going big-bore can pay dividends. But fitting the bill for .450 Bushmaster ammo can prove taxing.

Staying flush in .450 Bushmaster ammo, given its price, can prove a challenge. That is unless you take its production into your own hands.

Why You Should Consider Reloading For The .450 Bushmaster:

  • The basement for factory ammo is around $1 per round.
  • Reloads, depending on brass life, can cut that in half if not by two-thirds.
  • You have the potential of a much more accurate round than what you'd buy off the shelf.
  • While most factory ammo is hunting focused, you have many more options off your reloading bench.

The old joke goes, if you want to know what it’s like to own a boat pour cold water over yourself while burning $100 bills. Owners of a rifle chambered in .450 Bushmaster can empathize. Not so much with the physical soaking, but with the monetary one. Trigger-time with the big-bore beast is a lot of things—fun, fruitful, impressive—but cheap isn’t one of them.

Outside .338 Lapua Mag and .50 BMG shooters and other extreme long-range cartridges, few wrangle with a more confiscatory ammunition budget than devotees of the .450 Bushmaster. Basement, you’re looking at $1 per trigger pull and it goes up steeply from there. Spendy, to say the least. Insane when compared to the typical price of widely used AR/hunting cartridges, which you can send roughly 1 ¼ to five rounds downrange for the same cost of one Bushmaster.

Just to get a better handle, here’s how several popular and common cartridges shake out per round per AmmoSeek.com:

  • .223 Remington: 18₵
  • .30-06 Springfield: 49₵
  • .270 Winchester: 58₵
  • .300 Winchester Magnum: 75₵
  • .300 Blackout: 65₵

Quite a pickle, one that has ramifications. Proficiency and mastery depend on training. The more it costs to train, likely the less you’ll do. The less you do, the more your proficiency suffers. In short, not good.

Economics Of .450 Bushmaster Ammo

So, why the top dollar when it comes to .450 Bushmaster ammo? It’s history mainly. Designed more than a decade ago, the main purpose of the .450 Bushmaster was a hunting round for the AR that hit harder than the standard .223. Mission accomplished, with the cartridge more than capable of kicking a 250-grain bullet out at 2,200 fps at the muzzle. More than enough to put any whitetail into permanent relaxation.

Hornady was among the first to offer factory-loaded .450 Bushmaster ammo.
Hornady was among the first to offer factory-loaded .450 Bushmaster ammo.

Hornady was fast out of the gates with an excellent load topped with a 250-grain Flex Tip bullet designed for the Bushy. From there, the concept and ammo options proved a slow burn.

The .450 Bushmaster ammo market never really caught fire from there, until certain Midwestern states greenlit the cartridge for their deer seasons. This spurred some growth in ammunition options, with Remington, Winchester and others getting into the game. But overall, demand was regional. No reason to dial the .450 Bushmaster ammunition line to 11 if there was only marginal interest outside some of the Great Lakes states.

In turn, the majority of the factory-loaded stuff is all hunting oriented, generally loaded with a bullet purpose-built for the job and expected to sell in mass in only a few states. Unfortunate, given .450 Bushmaster ammo is ripe for diversification, given its inherent design.

A Different Route To .450 Affordability

The .450 Bushmaster is a rifle cartridge, but loaded with a pistol bullet. A fairly abundant pistol bullet to boot—. 45-caliber (.452). True enough, not all .45 bullets are up to the demands of the .450 Bushmaster—generally speaking, it's got to be the variety meant for souped-up .45 Colt or .454 Casull. But given the popularity of these calibers, there is still a wealth of options—affordable ones at that. Which means, you guessed it, the .450 Bushmaster is ripe for reloading.

Like any straight-walled cartridge, there aren't many curveballs reloading the .450 Bushmaster. However, keep to your specs if you're shooting it through an AR.
Like any straight-walled cartridge, there aren't many curveballs reloading the .450 Bushmaster. However, keep to your specs if you're shooting it through an AR.

True enough, handloading takes the pressure off your wallet no matter the caliber, but it’s absurd with the Bushy. Assuming you’ll use the bass a minimum of four times (a very conservative estimation), it’s possible to whittle down your per-round .450 Bushmaster ammo costs to less than half that of the factory stuff. Twice as much training for the same cost, perhaps three times as much if you’re a savvy reloading components shopper.

Even better, you have the opportunity to greatly diversify your .450 Bushmaster ammo options. Be it an FMJ target round or a gas-checked lead hunter, you have a wealth of possibilities when it comes to loading for this behemoth.

Go Big!:

Aside from the standard reloading advice of building up your loads, piecing together your own .450 Bushmaster ammo doesn’t hold a ton of surprise. Being straight-walled case with a slight, special attention must be paid to expanding the mouth before seating the bullet, then crimping after the bullet is seated. In both cases, a little goes a long way. In particular with the crimp, given the cartridge headspaces off the mouth. A few thousands of an inch is enough to get the job done.

Case length can end up being an afterthought for many with straight-wall cases, but this is a mistake if your Bushmaster happens to be an AR-15. It is wise to keep to book numbers and trim to length unless you enjoy clearing jams.

Not common in factory loads, a target option with a FMJ bullet in .450 Bushmaster is more than doable on the reloading bench.
Not common in factory loads, a target option with a FMJ bullet in .450 Bushmaster is more than doable on the reloading bench.

As to powder, most .450 Bushmaster ammo calls for propellants with burn rates similar to big-bore handguns—in the medium range. Unusually, a crowd favorite for the cartridge is Hodgdon’s Lil Gun, a specialty powder developed for .410 shotguns. It and most powders match well with a 250- to 260-grain bullet, particularly standbys such as Hornady Flex Tip, which moderately improve the bullet’s ballistic coefficient. Not quite consistent MOA improvement, but dead-on minute of deer for certain.

No matter your choice of components and power, you should keep your expectations within reason. Out to 200 yards, the .450 Bushmaster tends to be flat shooting and with enough tinkering and familiarity with your rifle, you can get respectable accuracy. But you’re also dealing with bullets—by and large—with poor sectional density—essentially how well they’ll penetrate. In turn, especially for hunting, you shouldn’t go in thinking you’re going to cook up a magical round that's going to double the effective range of your Bushmaster.

Parting Shot

Big-bore rifles still have a place in the pantheon of shooting, particularly the modern iterations made to beef up the tried-and-true AR platform. Not only are they unique, but for certain geographical regions, they’re indispensable tools for hunting. Even with more competition to the market, the .450 Bushmaster will remain the first choice for many, especially if they take the time to reduce the cost of feed one.

Ammo Brief: Smoking Hot 28 Nosler

By
Gun Digest Editors
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0

28 Nosler 1

OK, you have an itch to send a 7mm screaming to its limits, then the 28 Nosler is right down your alley.

What Are The Specifics Of The 28 Nosler:

  • Shares the same case dimensions as its sibling, the 26 Nosler.
  • Its fat case gives it ample powder capacity.
  • Loaded hot, it can kick a 160-grain bullet out at 3,300 fps at the muzzle.

Historical Notes
In 2015, Nosler created its new .28 Nosler by necking up the .26 Nosler case—itself a derivative of the 7mm RUM case, which descended from the .404 Jeffery. Nosler supports this new cartridge with Nosler brass, Trophy Grade ammunition and M48 rifles in 26-inch barrel configurations.

The .28 Nosler is the only cartridge in the family (.22, .26, .27 [wildcat], .28, .30, .33, .35 and .36 Nosler) that shares all the .26 Nosler case dimensions, with the exception of being necked-up. The .27 Nosler wildcat was changed from the .26 as well. The case might be the same length, but the shoulder datum was brought back to a shorter dimension.

Nosler said there were two main reasons these features were changed between cartridges: Designers wanted to stay within a 3.340 maximum COAL and had to design around the longest-ogive Nosler bullets in each caliber. Getting up to .30-caliber-and-larger sizes necessitates shortening the brass—and therefore, moving the shoulder accordingly to preserve adequate neck length.

The most important reason the shoulder and length dimensions were changed was to prevent cross-caliber chambering. For example, bullet and neck diameter, alone, are not enough to guarantee that someone can’t force a .28 Nosler shell into a .27 Nosler chamber. By bringing the shoulder back on the .27, it can prevent serious injury if a shooter inadvertently chambers and fires a larger-caliber shell in the smaller chamber.

On-Target Ammunition Information:

General Comments
The fat case creates powder space, with a water capacity of 93.8 grains when loaded with a 150-grain AccuBond Long Range spitzer, according to Nosler specs. The rebated-rim centerfire rifle cartridge shares the same overall cartridge length (3.340 inches) as the .26 Nosler, which allows it to be chambered in standard-length actions. Likewise, the .284-caliber (7mm) centerfire .28 Nosler has the same 3.340-inch maximum cartridge overall length as the .30-06, but the case length is 2.590 inches, with a 35-degree shoulder. Accordingly, the .28 Nosler cartridge case can be formed by necking up a .26 Nosler case to 7mm (.284 inch) diameter.

Slower-burning powders and high load densities generally yield the best loads. Some of the best are with Norma 217 and RL 33, but other propellants of similar speed also give excellent results. For family “bragging rights,” the .26 Nosler is capable of firing a 129-grain AccuBond LR bullet at a muzzle velocity of 3,400 fps, but the .28 Nosler launches a 160-grain AccuBond at 3,300 fps, and the .30 Nosler fires a 180-grain AccuBond at 3,200 fps.

Nosler

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

Colt Python: Is The Reboot Revolver A Plum Or Lemon?

By
Patrick Sweeney
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7
The Colt Python is back—and it’s badder than ever! Well, in most respects, it’s actually “gooder” than ever.
The Colt Python is back—and it’s badder than ever! Well, in most respects, it’s actually “gooder” than ever.

The re-introduction of the Colt Python has been a rollercoaster of excitement and disappointment. So what's the story: is this the second coming or a troubled handgun?

How Does The New Python Differ From The Old:

  • Improved stainless steel used in the frame and barrel.
  • More cross-section at the rear of the frame for a more resiliant sight base.
  • Simplified internals with fewer parts.
  • Updated dual-action leaf spring.
  • Front sight is user replacable.

The Colt Python was lusted after by many. It was not, however, acquired by many. Part of that was due to the cost, because the Python typically cost twice as much as any other DA revolver of its time. It was first offered by Colt back in the mid-1950s, but the earliest movie reference I can find is from 1969. After that, it was quite the popular option.

Nevertheless, the price put off a lot of shooters; that, and the reputation for being a bit fragile. Even well into the IPSC competition era, not many people who owned .357 Magnums shot a steady diet of .357 magnum-level ammo through any handgun. Most shooters would put a box of magnums through their revolvers once a year. If they shot more, it was more likely that the revolver in question saw mostly .38 Special ammo. The .38s cost less and also hammered your hantds less.

Colt being Colt—that is, a wholly owned subsidiary of one mega-corporation or another—it simply kept on making Pythons and charging what it could … until it just couldn’t do it anymore. And then, Colt stopped making Pythons.

The reaction was immediate. Prices shot up. Unfired Pythons, new in the box, started selling for stupid-high prices. I mean, when you could sell a NIB Python for enough to purchase a well-equipped small car, the 21st century was not turning out the way I’d expected.

The new frame shape and rear sight: The sight has to be tougher than the old one, because that sight was fragile.
The new frame shape and rear sight: The sight has to be tougher than the old one, because that sight was fragile.

The next step was amazingly un-Colt. The company fired up the AutoCAD and set about making a new Python. I wish Colt had called it that—the “New Python,” I mean. We will, for a long time forward, have to go through the “Who’s on first?” routine of “a new Python or a New Python” to distinguish the new stainless ones made in the 21st century from an unfired one made “back in the day.”

The New Colt Python

Colt selected a new and improved stainless steel and took advantage of the advances in metallurgy since the Chevy Bel Air was the hottest thing from Detroit. It changed the frame at the rear sight to give it a bit more cross-section and to accommodate the new rear sight. That’s a very good thing, because the rear sight on Pythons (and also used in old Gold Cups) was known to be fragile. The new one looks tougher. The front is a red ramp, just like the old ones. However, you can change this one on your own.

The internals have been changed. Colt managed to keep the basics of the Python action, but it dropped the parts number of the lockwork by over a dozen. Fewer parts are usually a good thing. Colt kept the dual-action leaf spring, but it updated it.

One of the details of modern manufacturing is the 2D punch code. If they don’t have it yet, every firearm you buy soon will.
One of the details of modern manufacturing is the 2D punch code. If they don’t have it yet, every firearm you buy soon will.

The original used a “V” spring. Properly made, these will last almost forever. British Best shotguns customarily use V springs, and some of those shotguns have recorded hundreds of thousands of rounds without a fault. The problem is, they require skilled workmen to fabricate them, and people with those skills cost money to employ. Worse yet, the Python action required skilled workmen to assemble—and time. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: The Python was designed at a time when steel was expensive and skilled labor was cheap. Today, those variables are flipped. As a result, the new Python uses a two-arm spring that isn’t a “V” but a “U” in shape.

Internals

Some of the internals show the hallmarks of MIM fabrication, which, in and of itself, is not a bad thing anymore. It used to be, but isn’t. The end result of the changes is a markedly improved double-action pull.

I had a chance to test the new Python against three classic Pythons, as well as my own 1936-made Official Police—the same frame the Python was built on. The DA on the new Python is much better: The old Pythons had a 9-pound DA (the OP was a bit heavier than that, but it’s also a .22LR and needs a bit more “oomph” to ensure ignition), and the new Python shows a 7-pound DA stroke. Back when I was shooting PPC, I would have put up with the Python cost (and fragile rear sight) to get an out-of-the-box DA of 7 pounds.

The muzzle on the Python has a recessed crown now. Back in the day, it was just a flat face with a slight bevel at the bore.
The muzzle on the Python has a recessed crown now. Back in the day, it was just a flat face with a slight bevel at the bore.

Alas, all is not sweetness and light. The single-action pull of the old Pythons and the OP was 3 pounds—clean, crisp and perfect for those wanting to shoot bullseye (which was pretty much the only competition to be found back in 1955, the first year of Python production). The new Python has a 5-pound trigger pull, and it isn’t clean and crisp. However, the bright side of this is that making a single-action trigger pull cleaner and lighter is a whole lot easier (especially with the Python) than doing the same to the DA. So, Colt has done the hard work for us here.

Externals

The externals are much the same, but there are a few improvements. The barrel is the same full, under-lugged design, with the vent rib on top. However, where the originals were just a flat face, the crown is recessed. The front sight on the originals was pinned in place. If you wanted it changed, you needed either a pistol smith or pistol-smithing skills and tools. Now, the front sight is user-changeable.

The ejector rod is the same (the too-short-to-fully-eject length) as the originals. I just have to shake my head. With all the extras Colt put in, couldn’t it have made the ejector rod longer enough to at least make sure .38 Special cases would clear the star?

This is the red ramp sight that was such a leap forward back in the 1950s. Now, we take it for granted or even view it as a bit “retro.”
This is the red ramp sight that was such a leap forward back in the 1950s. Now, we take it for granted or even view it as a bit “retro.”

The six-shot cylinder still has the locking slots cut off center to allow for the thickest possible chamber wall. The action is still timed so the instant the cylinder locks up, the hammer falls.

Colt also went with a set of walnut stocks; it calls them “target” stocks. They do look good, and they do feel good in the hand … at first, anyway, for me. There’s a sculpting line on the upper rear of the grips to make the lines clean, smooth and flowing. It’s also a line that puts an edge right at the heel of my thumb. My grip is not like most. I choke up on a revolver to the point that the hammer brushes my hand in DA shooting. That sculpting line hammers my hand on every shot. So, I have to either hold lower, wear gloves … or swap grips.

With .38s, the Python is a pussycat. Of course, with 42 ounces of steel behind it, how much recoil can a .38 Special produce? Even a +P one? And, as I mentioned before, that’s what most shooters would put through their Pythons back then—and most probably will today. We, of course, won’t.

The author contacted Colt to address Internet reports of the revolver’s cylinder failing to advance between shots. According to Colt, a very small number of new Pythons were returned to the factory for “functional issues.” Interpret that how you will, but the author fell in love with his new snake gun.
The author contacted Colt to address Internet reports of the revolver’s cylinder failing to advance between shots. According to Colt, a very small number of new Pythons were returned to the factory for “functional issues.” Interpret that how you will, but the author fell in love with his new snake gun.

Now, when the Python—the new Python—came out, there were a few people who promptly broke them. (For a change, that wasn’t me.) Word spread that the new Python had some dodgy part or parts, and they would break if you looked at them cross-eyed. Oh, really?

Becoming a Believer

After I did the expected testing and shooting, I dug into the ammo bunker and came up with a pile of .38 and .357 ammo. And a pair of gloves.

I figured that on a range trip, I’d shoot as much .357 as I could stand and then switch to .38s. I’d see if I could break the Python (hey, it was a loaner, so we needed to know, right?). Well, I failed. The Python shot just fine and perked right along through all the ammo I tested in it.

To find out what was up, I asked my source at Colt, Justin Baldini. Out of the 4,000-plus Pythons shipped to date, Colt has had fewer than 10 returned for a functional issue. So much for the pants-wetting hysteria of Internet “experts.” Additionally, the company’s had about 40 returned for cosmetics (mostly of them because some people were unhappy with the crowning treatment).

The new Python has one fault the old ones had: The ejector rod isn’t long enough to fully press out the cases.
The new Python has one fault the old ones had: The ejector rod isn’t long enough to fully press out the cases.

Now, the ammo I tested I grabbed off the shelf as a cross-section of likely ammo that end-users might choose. I chose the Hornady because it’s soft-shooting and accurate, and you could shoot it all day and not work up a sweat. The high-velocity crowd will be pleased with the Super Vel, because if you have to get a .357-inch bullet there as quickly as possible, this is the one. For those who want to practice for defensive, 125-grain JHPs, the Sig load will replicate the recoil and muzzle blast they produce. And for hunters? Yes—Hornady FTX LeveRevolution is “rifle” ammo. However, if you want to use a .357 Magnum for hunting, this load, in the Python, is going to work well.

Python

Sure, the corner on the grips pounded me, even through the gloves, but that’s what gloves are for. And were I to keep this Python, I’d find grips that fit me better. This one is going back to Colt in due time, because I got the “gotta-have-a-Python” bug out of my system a long time ago.

But that doesn’t mean you have to pass up one of them. Turn off the Internet video, go out and handle one at a gun shop near you. Once you stroke through the DA trigger pull, you’ll be a believer.

Colt Python Specs:
Type: Double-action revolver
Caliber: .357 Magnum
Capacity: 6 rounds
Barrel: 4.25-in. or 6-in.
Length: 9.75 in.
Weight: 42 oz.
Trigger: 5 lb. (SA); 7 lb. (DA)
Finish: Polished stainless steel
MSRP: $1,499

For more information on the Colt Python, please visit colt.com.

The article originally appeared in the June 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Find Out More About Iconic Colt

First Look: Phoenix Weaponry Integrally Suppressed Shotguns

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Phoenix Weaponry Eliza Action

Lovingly dubbed “Cindy” and “Eliza”, the integrally suppressed shotguns from Phoenix Weaponry speak with a soft voice, but pack a punch.

Unless you’re Anton Chigurh, you might generally consider suppressors a pistol or rifle deal. That’s pretty much where the market is centered, but certainly, cans aren’t exclusive to these types of firearms. While more niche, noise-reduction devices are available to knock the edge off your shotgun, which given some model’s reports is no bad old deal. Though, up to this point, few have come close in terms of elegance to what Phoenix Weaponry has cooked up. Meet “Cindy” and “Eliza”.

Integrally suppressed Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 pump-action shotguns, the system enhances the smoothbores’ noise signature and enhances their performance while maintaining much of the guns' original footprint. Cindy is Phoenix Weaponry’s entry-level model, while Eliza is an upgraded iteration with top-to-bottom enhancements(more on that in a second). In both cases, the outcome is impressive, though it takes the custom gunmaker some doing to get there.

Phoenix Weaponry Eliza integrally-suppressed shotgun.
Phoenix Weaponry Eliza integrally-suppressed shotgun.

Phoenix Weaponry starts with an 870 or 500 factory barrel, removes a fore section of sight rib where the suppressor mounts and machines ports into the sides of the barrel. From there, the rear sleeve cap is installed along with the front suppressor threads and the company’s proprietary 6-inch Delta Monocore suppressor core. Finishing it off, Phoenix Weaponry fits a sleeve and end cap … voilà, an integrally suppressed barrel. One, worth mentioning, that doesn’t do much to add to the shotgun’s overall size or weight—tacking on 1 pound and 5 inches in length.

“We have achieved the perfect balance between sound suppression, ability to change your chokes, and ammo functionality up to 3.5-inch shells.” Phoenix Weaponry Owner Aaron Cayce said. “You can use everything from buckshot to birdshot and even slugs through our integrally suppressed shotguns.”

As to the models, Cindy is pretty much an off-the-shelf 870 or 500 with the suppression system install, as well as the forcing cone extended and chamber polished. Eliza is, well, a bit more dolled up. Along with Cindy’s assets, it also has its action deburred and polished, as well as your choice of winter/spring/summer Duracoat camouflage, Magpul, Houge or Mesa Tactical furniture and the addition of a side-saddle shell holder.

The basic Cindy and Eliza packages are 12-gauge, but being a custom gunmaker Phoenix Weaponry will put the system together in other bores. Of course, the guns are NFA items, in turn, you owe the Feds their cut—both in money and hoop-jumping. And the manufacturer already isn’t exactly giving them away, especially compared to stock 870s and 500s. The base price for Cindy is $1,350 and Eliza $2,550. But if you’re shooting for a stealthier Turkey season or the like, either shotgun will most likely prove a great value.

For more information on Phoenix Weaponry's Cindy and Eliza, please visit phoenixweaponry.com

Draw A Bead On Shotguns:

First Look: Rock River Arms RUK-9BT

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

RRA RUK-9BT

Meet your backpack's new best friend, the small and mighty RUK-9BT 9mm.

Coronavirus be damned! Rock River Arms (RRA) is releasing guns, pandemic, or no pandemic.

In the Illinois gunmaker’s sights as of late is its AR pistol lineup, which it recently bolstered with a 9mm option that goes by the handle RUK-9BT. Overall a slick and compact option that boasts the features most look for in this terse style of gun, include Glock magazine compatibility. Face it, the Austrian company calls the shots when it comes to mags. But hey, makes it simple to build a collection.

As to the RUK-9BT’s tale of the tape, it comes in at a very manageable 5 pound and measures in at 24-inches with the SB Tactical SBA3 5-position brace fully extended, a hair over 21 inches collapsed. The pistol’s 4.5-inch chrome-moly-lined barrel is topped off with a Smith Vortex flash suppressor and is mated with aircraft-grade aluminum extruded and billet receivers. RRA tops the RUK-9BT off with its proprietary two-stage trigger, lightweight free-float 4.25-inch handguard (M-Lok compatible) and NSP flip-up sights. A tidy package, fit for any backpack or truck cab.

The MSRP on the RUK-9BT is $1,350 and ships a handstop and one magazine.

More From RRA:

Colona, IL – Rock River Arms, one of the industry's most respected names in Modern Sporting Rifles and pistols, has announced an addition to the company's expanding lineup of AR-platform pistols. The new RUK-9BT was developed to address the needs and interests of shooters with an eye toward home and mobile defense capabilities.

The RUK-9BT is highlighted by a 4.5-inch chrome-lined barrel chambered in 9×19. Combined with its 4.25-inch RRA lightweight free-float handguard and SB Tactical SBA3 adjustable stabilizing arm brace, the RUK-9BT is exceptionally compact, light, and sized for maximum portability.

Based on RRA's own BT-9 billet lower receiver, the RUK-9BT incorporates a flared magwell that accepts GLOCK magazines. This allows the pistol to work in unison with a 9mm GLOCK primary or backup carry gun, ensuring ammo and magazine cross-compatibility anytime, anywhere.

Additional standard features of the RUK-9BT include an RRA two-stage trigger for precise trigger control and reduced shot disturbance, an integrated winter trigger guard to accommodate gloved hands, Smith Vortex flash suppressor, Low-Pro hand stop, and a Hogue rubber grip that offers superior firearm retention in a pistol platform. Also included are RRA's NSP flip-up front and rear sights designed for use as the primary sighting system or as a backup for an owner-installed red dot optic.

RRA RUK-9BT Specs:
Caliber: 9mm
Lower Receiver: BT-9 billet aluminum with GLOCK-compatible flared magwell and integrated winter trigger guard
Upper Receiver: extruded aluminum A4
Barrel: 4.5-inch chrome-lined, 1:10 twist
Muzzle Device: Smith Vortex flash suppressor, 1/2-36 thread
Trigger: RRA two-stage
Handguard: RRA lightweight free-float rail, 4.25-inch pistol length, M-LOK compatible
Grip: Hogue rubber pistol
Arm Brace: SB Tactical SBA3 stabilizing arm brace, 6-position adjustable
Length: 23.5 inches extended
Sights: RRA NSP flip-up front and rear
Includes: one GLOCK-compatible magazine, Low-Pro M-LOK compatible hand stop, manual, warranty
MSRP: $1,350

For more information on the RUK-9BT, please visit rockriverarms.com.

Get On Target With The AR:

First Look: Savage Arms 110 Ultralite

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Savage 110 Ultralight

Lean, accurate and well priced, the Savage Arms 110 Ultralite is ready for your next backcountry adventure.

Stripped down and light … there’s a time and place for it. Say, for example, elk season and that saddle two ridgelines back. About then not only does it pay to weight out your kit, but also run a rifle lean and tough as a belt-holder welterweight. Of course, you’ll pony up a mint to procure such an iron or you would have until late.

Mountain rifles still run at a premium end of the market, logical given their use of cutting-edge lightweight materials. In recent years, with bigger names jumping into the game, the specialized shooters have become less exorbitant, though still on the spendy side. Case in point, Savage Arms 110 Ultralite.

Built on the company’s tried-and-true Model 110 action, the gun has a number of notable modifications to make it near as easy to hump in and out of the woods as your shadow. Chief among these, a carbon-fiber wrapped stainless steel barrel. Manufactured by PROOF Research (Who else?), the fire tube not only lightens the 110 Ultralite’s overall burden but also ups its accuracy potential with its rigidity and cut rifling. To boot, it comes with a threaded muzzle—5/8-24 pattern, with factory-installed cap—in case you run a brake or suppressor on the hunt.

Savage 110 Ultralight 3

Savage doesn’t stop there, engineering a number of other weight savers into the rifle, including a spiral-fluted bolt and skeletonized receiver. In the end, your left with a rifle that runs 6-pounds or less, depending on caliber. And to that end, there are ample choices with the 110 Ultralite coming in some eight chamberings. These include standbys such as .30-06 Springfield, .280 Ackley Improved and .270 Winchester, along with new favorites like 6.5 Creedmoor and 28 Nosler.

A tidy package fit for a serious back-country hunter, but it will still cost you. Savage has a $1,499 MSRP on the rifle, which compared to a stock 110 hunter is a bit steep. But shop other mountain rifles, it comes in at a relative bargain—one certain to make your next high-country adventure much less backbreaking.

Savage 110 Ultralight 1

110 Ultralite Specs:
Action: Bolt
Barrel Color: Black Carbon Fiber
Barrel Finish: Matte
Barrel Length: 22-24 inches (depending on caliber)
Barrel Material: Carbon Wrapped Stainless
Calibers: 308 Win., .270 Win., 28 Nosler, 280 AI, .30-06 Springfield, .300 WSM, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC
Magazine Capacity: 2-4
Hand: Right
Length of Pull: 13.75 inches
Magazine: Detachable Box Magazine
Overall Length: 42.5 inches
Rate of Twist (in): 1 in 10 5GR
Receiver Color: Melonite Black
Receiver Finish: Matte
Receiver Material: Stainless Steel
Stock Color: Grey
Stock Finish: Matte
Stock Material: Synthetic
Stock Type: Sporter
Weight: 5.8-6 pounds (depending on caliber)
MSRP: $1,499.00

For more information on the Savage 110 Ultralight, please visit savagearms.com.

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Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1: Not Just Another .30-30

By
Richard A. Mann
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1

Ruger No. 1 4

Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1 K1A Light Sporter in .30-30 Winchester offers single-shot elegance.

While the Internet is all ablaze with arguments about the 6.5 Creedmoor and whether anyone should be shooting animals at long range (does anyone know the real definition of “long range”?), in the real world, real hunters are creeping through the timber with a .30-30 and bringing home the venison.

In fact, the .30-30 Winchester has been doing that for more than a century. As effective as the cartridge has been, it is, however, indelibly linked to the lever-action rifle. Fortunately, Lipsey’s thinks outside the box.

Exclusive Offerings

Lipsey’s (Lipseys.com) was formed in 1953 as a wholesale hunting and fishing distributor. The original name of the company was S&S Sporting Goods. In 1977, the business was purchased by Richard Lipsey and family and, in 1993, the name was changed.

For those who handload, Nosler’s 125-grain AccuBond bullet is an ideal companion to the Ruger No. 1 in .30-30. At distance, it will shoot flat and hit hard while delivering excellent terminal performance.
For those who handload, Nosler’s 125-grain AccuBond bullet is an ideal companion to the Ruger No. 1 in .30-30. At distance, it will shoot flat and hit hard while delivering excellent terminal performance.

Located in Louisiana, Lipsey’s is one of the largest independently owned, single-location firearms distributors in the United States. The company is very proud of its relationships with firearms manufacturers, and these relationships allow Lipsey’s to frequently offer exclusive/limited-edition firearms.

For the most part, Lipsey’s exclusive firearms are well-thought-out variations of popular models. No, they’re not “Elvis” commemorative guns; they’re guns that have a track record of being appreciated by shooters, but with a different stock or finish or that are quite commonly chambered for a cartridge that’s not a standard offering by the manufacturer. Because shooters and hunters have emotional attachments to some guns and cartridges, this latter type of exclusive offering often has a great appeal.

An excellent example of a popular cartridge that’s missing from most standard lines is the .257 Roberts. It has a cult-like following, but those who are in love with it have limited options when it comes to new guns. Lipsey’s worked with Ruger to develop an exclusive Ruger No. 1 in stainless steel and with a Mannlicher-style stock.

Another .30-30 Winchester Chambering

And that brings us to the subject of this dissertation: Another exclusive Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1 is available chambered for the .30-30 Winchester. Now, what you’re probably wondering is, Why, for the love of Jack O’Connor, would someone chamber a lever-gun cartridge in a single-shot?

We all hope to get the job done with one shot, but it might not work out that way. Having a mechanism to swiftly load a single-shot rifle is a good idea for hunters.
We all hope to get the job done with one shot, but it might not work out that way. Having a mechanism to swiftly load a single-shot rifle is a good idea for hunters.

To find the answer, just go back and read the first paragraph. I’ll repeat it here just to make sure you get the point: The .30-30 Winchester has been killing big-game animals all over the world for over a century. African professional hunter Wally Johnson even used a .30-30 to kill lions. Simply put: It works. Yeah, I know, by modern standards, it’s considered a ballistic underperformer … but do you really know the terminal performance capabilities of the .30-30 Winchester?

Testing Effectiveness

A few years back, I tested a variety of Remington Core-Lokt loads at 100 yards in 10 percent ordnance gelatin. The goal was to reveal the effectiveness of what is now considered an antiquated bullet style.

I tested loads for the .243 Winchester, .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield and .338 Winchester Magnum. The average penetration depth was 19.25 inches, and the average expansion was 1.95 times original bullet diameter.

The Ruger No. 1 is a single-shot rifle with a Farquharson-style internal hammer and falling-block action. It has been in production since 1967.
The Ruger No. 1 is a single-shot rifle with a Farquharson-style internal hammer and falling-block action. It has been in production since 1967.

The old .30-30 Winchester with a 150-grain Core-Lokt bullet penetrated 3.75 inches deeper than the average and expanded to 1.72 times 0.30-caliber. For those who do not own a calculator or might be mathematically challenged, that .30-caliber bullet had an expanded diameter of 0.53 inch. And, by the way, the .30-30 Winchester load expanded just as much as the .338 Winchester magnum load—and penetrated deeper!

You’re probably thinking that while the .30-30 might be effective at close range, those blunt-nosed bullets have a trajectory as if you’re throwing a couch. Well, you’re right: With a real-world muzzle velocity of about 2,400 fps, a .30-caliber bullet with a ballistic coefficient of under 0.200, when sighted dead-on at 100 yards, will drop 8 inches at 200 yards and 30 inches at 300 (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson—the strongest man in the world—might, indeed, throw a couch flatter than that!).

The Ruger No. 1 Logic

However, if you could load a bullet such as a Nosler 125-grain AccuBond to, let’s say, 2,550 fps, all of a sudden, the .30-30 Winchester takes on a different personality. The thing is, in its most common form—which is a lever-action rifle—you can’t use pointed bullets such as the Nosler 125-grian AccuBond.

An ammo-management device for a single-shot rifle is a must. This Versacarry Ammocaddy that attaches directly to the rifle stock via Velcro is a perfect solution.
An ammo-management device for a single-shot rifle is a must. This Versacarry Ammocaddy that attaches directly to the rifle stock via Velcro is a perfect solution.

And there lies the beauty of a Ruger No. 1 in .30-30 Winchester: You can use pointy, highly aerodynamic and more terminally efficient bullets that will shoot flatter and deliver a higher level of terminal performance.

For example, if you push a 125-grain Nosler AccuBond to 2,550 fps and sight the rifle dead-on at 100 yards, that bullet will only drop 5 inches at 200 yards and only 18 inches at 300. Just as importantly for the hunter, at 200 yards, that bullet will be traveling almost twice as fast as a 150-grain round-nosed bullet and will deliver more than twice the energy. In addition, a 150-grain round-nosed bullet fired from a .30-30 Winchester will not impact with a fast enough velocity at 300 yards to initiate expansion.

So, there you have the logic behind the concept of a Ruger No. 1 chambered for the .30-30 Winchester. Sure, you could still shoot all the commercial factory .30-30 Winchester loads—even the flatter-shooting LeverEvolution options from Hornady. But, with the Ruger No. 1, you have the option of custom-loading just about any .30-caliber bullet you’d like.

The Alexander Henry-style forend on the Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1 in .30-30 Winchester adds a bit of class to an already elegant rifle.
The Alexander Henry-style forend on the Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1 in .30-30 Winchester adds a bit of class to an already elegant rifle.

When I found out Lipsey’s had teamed with Ruger to offer an Exclusive No. 1 chambered for the ,30-30 Winchester, I had to have one. With all the metal in stainless steel contrasting with rich walnut, it’s a visually appealing rifle (that’s gun writer speak for saying it’s damned beautiful). The rifle is fitted with a quarter rib that includes a folding leaf rear sight and integral scope mounts. There’s also an elevated gold-bead front sight. It has the very attractive, grooved Alexander Henry forend and a slim, 22-inch stainless steel barrel with a 1:10 twist. As with all Ruger No. 1 rifles, scope rings (medium height) are included, and out of the box, it weighs 7 pounds.

Scoping the Ruger No. 1

The first priority was to scope this rifle, because my old eyes just don’t work as they used to with open sights. One of the issues with scoping a Ruger No. 1 deals with eye relief.

Because the rings attach directly to the quarter rib, they place the riflescope a bit far forward. If you’re one of those who really stretches their neck forward when they shoot, this is not an issue. However, “turtle-necking” is not conducive to accurate or snap shooting. Your head should remain erect when you shoot a rifle, and your neck muscles should be relaxed. The hurdle for me was to find a riflescope offering enough eye relief so that I could shoot the Ruger No. 1 properly and comfortably.

An Aside: The VX-Freedom Scout

Ironically, I’d just received a new Leupold riflescope to test: the renovated VX-II 1.5-4X28 Scout Scope ( now called the VX-Freedom Scout). In truth, this isn’t a scout scope; scout scopes should have a minimum eye relief of about 10 inches. The VX-Freedom has 6.9 inches of eye relief on low power and 6.0 inches on the highest magnification. As it turned out, this is just about the ideal eye relief for the Ruger No. 1.

The Ruger No. 1 has a two-position safety that is located on the rifle’s tang. The “fire” position is the forward position.
The Ruger No. 1 has a two-position safety that is located on the rifle’s tang. The “fire” position is the forward position.

I mounted it in the rings supplied with the rifle, but it was too high for optimum use. So, I had to order a set of low stainless rings from Ruger. Mounted in those, the VX-Freedom was superbly suited to the Ruger No. 1.

This is a fantastic little riflescope. It’s exceptionally clear, adjustments are spot on, and it holds zero without fail. Just as importantly, it’s compact. At fewer than 10 ounces, it’s very light for a variable-powered optic. The power range was also ideal when paired with my intentions for this rifle. I wanted to use it for deer and bear here, in West Virginia. With this riflescope set at 1.5x, I could easily execute a swift snap shot on a bounding whitetail; and, at times of reduced light, or if I needed to reach out a bit, 4x magnification would suffice.

125-Grain Nosler AccuBond Handloads

I didn’t even mess with shooting factory ammunition for this rifle. My intention all along was to load the excellent 125-grain Nosler AccuBond. I’ve used it in Africa with great success out of a .30 Remington AR bolt-action rifle on a variety of species. I was set on it as the primary projectile for this rifle. I took some once-fired, nickel-plated Federal brass and dropped in 33 grains of Benchmark powder ahead of a Remington 91/2 primer. I then seated the bullet so it was just off the lands. The first three shots clustered into a nice group measuring 0.74 inch, center to center.

The grip of the Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1 in .30-30 Winchester has a stainless cap with a brass Ruger emblem inlay.
The grip of the Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1 in .30-30 Winchester has a stainless cap with a brass Ruger emblem inlay.

I loaded up 40 more rounds, fired five to zero the rifle 1 inch high at 100 yards, and fired several more at 200 yards to check trajectory and precision. At 200 yards, the bullets dropped about 3 inches, and a three-shot group measured 1.47 inches, center to center. It was one of the easiest and fastest load workup and zeroing sessions I’ve had. I just knew this rifle and I were destined for greatness.

I was wrong.

As it turned out, I hunted the entire West Virginia deer season, and the only deer with antlers I put eyes on was while I was hunting with my daughter. I didn’t even have a rifle with me (after all, it was her hunt).

However, for me, there were two positive takeaways. The first was that Lipsey’s exclusive Ruger No. 1 in .30-30 Winchester and I sure looked good in the timber. The second? Well, there’s always next year.

Consider This

There should be three takeaways for you. The first is that overlooking the ballistic potential of the .30-30 Winchester as a big-game hunting cartridge is a mistake. For those of us who hunt on our hind legs and believe success is found with feet—not fps—the .30-30 Winchester will get the job done.

Ruger No. 1 1

The second is that this exclusive-edition Ruger No. 1 is a fine-shooting and good-looking rifle your hunting buddies will covet.

The third is that visiting the Lipsey’s website on a regular basis is a good idea; you never know what the next exclusive gun it offers will be. It just might be a rifle you’ve always wanted but that’s now chambered for a cartridge you cannot live without.

Lipsey’s Ruger No. 1 Specs
Manufacturer: Ruger
Distributor: Lipsey’s
Model: K1A Light Sporter
Action: Single shot
Chambering: .30-30 Winchester
Finish: Brushed stainless
Stock: Walnut
Weight: 7 lbs.
Capacity: 1
Barrel: 22 in., 1:10 twist
Overall Length: 38.5 in.
Sights: Gold-bead front, folding leaf rear
Safety: Two position, tang mounted
Accessories: Stainless steel, medium-height scope rings
MSRP: $1,919

For more information on the Libsey's Ruger No.1, please visit ruger.com.

The article originally appeared in the December 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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Reloading: The Art of Seating Primers by Hand

By
Patrick Sweeney
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0
The RCBS hand-priming system does not come with a shell holder, so be sure you include one in your order.
The RCBS
hand-priming system does not come with a shell holder, so be sure you include one in your order.

Seating primers by hand is time consuming, sometimes arduous and a must for building those rounds that really matter.

There’s a phrase the British use: “Horses for courses.” This means you select the tool for the job and not figure out a way to make the (perhaps not entirely suitable) tool you already have do the work that needs be done.

When it comes to priming cases, every reloading press made comes with an adapter to seat primers. This is an interesting situation: You have a 2-foot steel handle onto which you can throw your entire body weight as a lever to seat a pressure-sensitive item that weighs the smallest fraction of an ounce. Those who use this method have to learn a particular sensitivity to the feedback the operation provides them—and put up with a few mangled and even detonated primers as they learn the limits.

Or, you can go with something that has less leverage and more sensitivity.

Here’s The Right Tool

The RCBS hand priming device is just such a tool. It has a tray onto which you can slide an entire sleeve of primers—100 in all—so you don’t risk handling them, dropping them and getting body oil and sweat onto them, possibly causing problems.

The process is simple: You assemble the primer system with either a large or small primer adapter and seating rod. You install a shell holder appropriate for the caliber you are seating. You then slide on the tray of primers, close the lid and get to work.

Tilting your hand allows you to slide one primer at a time into the feed system, install a case, seat and then repeat.

However, There Are Limits

First of all, you have to have a shell holder for each caliber you want to seat primers in. Luckily, this isn’t a big deal. Shell holders are $10 to $12 each, and one size fits many. If, for example, you buy the shell holder for a .30-06, it will work for any case that has the same rim diameter; you know—all the usual suspects. Second, your brass has to already be cleaned, sized, de-primed, trimmed (if it’s a caliber that needs trimming) and ready to load.

This isn’t much of a problem, because you’ll have to have done all this to your brass anyway for any other priming system. It’s a tad slow, but it’s precise and allows for great sensitivity in seating.

Load Up On Reloading Info:

OK, a bit of a confession here: I use this setup only for some reloading, not all. On my progressive presses, primer seating happens as part of the loading process. So, I feed clean brass in and let the press do the sizing, de-priming, seat primers as the case moves along and finish with powder, bullet and crimp. Most of my ammo for most of my shooting is loaded this way.

Great For Sensitive Seating

I did use the RCBS (and other, earlier systems) for sensitive primer seating—specifically, revolvers with tuned actions. When a DA revolver has the action slicked up and lightened to the point that factory primers become a bit uncertain to ignite, you have to go to extra lengths. Consequently, I would change the reloading process for my competition ammunition.

With just hand strength to seat primers, as well as poor leverage, you have great sensitivity about just how the task is going.
With just hand strength to seat primers, as well as poor leverage, you have great sensitivity about just how the task is going.

This was for .45 ACP, but the process would work fine for other calibers. I’d clean the brass as squeaky-clean as I could and then used a special toolhead setup to just resize and deprime. Then, I’d tumble the de-primed brass to clean out the primer pockets. Why? Because if I’m going to do all this work, I want to get as much benefit as possible, that’s why.

I’d inspect the cases after the second cleaning to make sure there were no primer flash holes with tumbling media caught in there (there was always some). Then, I’d hand-seat primers, making sure they were fully seated and at the optimal sensitivity.

Finally, they’d be run through another toolhead setup with a sizing die lacking a decapping pin and no primers in the primer feed system. They’d be sized (not that they needed it) and then get powder in the already-primed cases, bullet and crimp.

Yes, Yes … And Yes

Was it a lot of work? Did it take extra time? Was it worth it?

Well, the two team gold medals from IPSC World Shoots resting on the counter in my office would say, “Yes.”

All my practice ammo was loaded the regular way for most of the shooting. But when it came time to load the match ammo and the practice ammo with the match trigger-setting tune-up a couple of weeks before a Nationals or the World Shoot, that ammo was loaded the second way.

If you are loading experimental ammo and want to decrease the weight of variables, hand-seating primers will help there. To get the greatest sensitivity and consistency in match ammo, hand-seating works.

If you want volume, you have to settle for a certain amount of “common denominator” in primer seating consistency—a lot of time, but that’s just fine. For the rest of the time, there’s the RCBS hand priming tool.

The article originally appeared in the November 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

First Look: Speer Gold Dot Rifle Ammunition

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Speer Gold Dog Rifle 2

Offering excellent accuracy and terminal performance, Speer Gold Dot Rifle Ammunition proves a deadly defensive option for your long gun.

Studied or practiced concealed carry for any amount of time chances are you’ve heard of Gold Dot. Speer’s tried-and-true defensive ammunition has been the choice of numerous law enforcement agencies and armed citizens for years, offering consistent and devastating performance. Now, the ammo-maker is taking the line in a new direction, one might say it’s going big with Gold Dot.

The Speer Gold Dot Rifle ammunition line offers loads for three of the most popular personal defensive long-gun calibers: .223 Rem., .300 Blackout and .308 Win. And like the company’s handgun options, each is tuned for the utmost accuracy and terminal performance. Despite a new twist to the line, Speer achieves this by employing much of the same engineering that went into Gold Dot handgun ammo, particularly bullet design.

The bullet’s bonded core process—what Speer calls “Uni-Core”—is what makes this stuff dynamite. It comes down to weight retention, with the soft-point’s alloy lead core chemically bonded to its copper jacket ensuring it doesn’t break up once it reaches its target. At the same time, it has an excellent expansion profile, consistently and massively mushrooming. This combination creates a single devastating wound channel, thus increases the chances of neutralizing a threat.

Speer Gold Dog Rifle 1

In all, there are five Speer Gold Dot Rifle loads:

  • 55-grain .223 Remington: Muzzle Velocity 3,600 fps, BC .251
  • 62-grain .223 Remington: Muzzle Velocity 2,750 fps, BC .310
  • 75-grain .223 Remington: Muzzle Velocity 2,775 fps, BC .400
  • 150-grain .300 Blackout: Muzzle Velocity 1,900 fps, BC .330
  • 150-grain .308 Winchester: Muzzle Velocity 2,820 fps, BC .414

The other notable, Speer has opted for a nickel-coated case for Gold Dot Rifle. No big surprise. Common to the Gold Dot family, the more lustrous metal generally is considered smoother feeding and makes it easier to check the status of a gun. As to cost, a box of 20 runs between $25.99 and $30.99, depending on caliber and bullet weight.

More From Speer:

LEWISTON, Idaho –– Speer Gold Dot Handgun ammunition’s reliability has made it the No. 1 choice for law enforcement. Now Speer is offering the same performance for self-defense rifle applications. New Gold Dot Rifle ammunition is engineered to provide industry-leading performance in FBI protocol testing through barrels less than 16 inches long. Shipments of this new product have begun to arrive at dealers.

Speer Gold Dog Rifle 3

The bullets loaded in the new Gold Dot Rifle ammunition line are built using Speer’s exclusive Uni-Cor method. The jacket is bonded to the core one atom at a time, virtually eliminating core-jacket separation and creating a projectile that’s accurate, tough and consistent through all common barriers.

Features & Benefits
-New self-defense rifle loads optimized for peak FBI protocol performance through barrels shorter than 16 inches
-75-grain 223 Rem. recommended for 1-in-9-inch barrel twist or faster
-55-grain 223 Rem. option offers reduced penetration for less risk to bystanders
-Consistent penetration and expansion through common barriers
-Extremely uniform jacket maximizes accuracy
-Gold Dot technology virtually eliminates core-jacket separation
-Nickel-plated brass
-Reliable, sensitive primers

For more information on Gold Dot Rifle ammunition, please visit speer.com

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Buffalo Bore Ammo: Strictly Big Bore, Strictly Business

By
Max Prasac
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0

Deadly serious shooting requires deadly serious ammunition. Buffalo Bore fits the bill perfectly, dusting its competition in every possible way.

How Buffalo Bore Ammunition Goes A Step Beyond:

  • Company legitimized the .475 and .500 Linebaughs with first factory loads.
  • Best known for big-bore calibers, ammo maker catalog starts at .223 Rem and goes up from there.
  • Hardcast lead bullets are the manufactures bread and butter, but they offer a full array of monometal bullets.
  • Extensively tested, the ammo often times they help shooter home in on the correct load for their gun.

Tim Sundles of Salmon, Idaho, is the proprietor of Buffalo Bore Ammunition. An enthusiastic hunter and real outdoorsman, Tim has the distinction of bringing the fabulous .475 and .500 Linebaughs to legitimacy with the very first factory ammunition ever offered and turned a hobby into his life pursuit, as well as a thriving business based on high-quality products.

It didn’t start out that way, because he was a contractor in northern California before making the move to the ammunition manufacturing industry. Tim credits Ross Seyfried with the patience and willingness to impart to him the finer points in load development, both in theory and practical application. And when he starts getting impatient, Tim is quick to remember the graciousness of Seyfried.

Pre-Buffalo Bore Background

Tim started out in 1983 with the release of the FA 83 in .454 Casull. He immediately bought six of them and began experimenting with a variety of loads.

Prior to the release of the FA 83, Tim had been playing with heavy .44 Magnum and .45 Colt loads. He got to know John Linebaugh and was introduced to the .500 Linebaugh. In those days, brass and bullets were hard to come by, but Tim commissioned John to build him a number of .475 and .500 Linebaugh revolvers. Tim performed a lot of load development for these cartridges, and John kept sending his customers to Tim to load ammunition for them.

The handwriting was on the wall: One day, John asked Tim to go into the business of manufacturing specialty ammunition—particularly for John’s signature cartridges, the .475 and .500 Linebaughs. Tim contacted Starline to make brass and, in 1997, he opened the doors of Buffalo Bore Ammunition.

GO BIG!:

Tim started out by making .475 and .500 Linebaugh ammunition, but soon, he added the popular .44 Magnum, .45 Colt and .454 Casull. Eventually, he contacted Bob Baker of Freedom Arms and pestered him to build a revolver in .475 Linebaugh. By the time Freedom Arms offered the Model 83 in .475, Buffalo Bore had ammo on its shelves, ready to supply the masses of “masochists.”

A Herd of Ammo Choices

Tim also quickly moved into the realm of the rifle and offers variety with each caliber category in the form of various bullet choices. These meet every need—from punching paper, shooting steel and hunting everything from woodchucks to elephant (and everything else in between that walks, crawls or slithers).

The Buffalo Bore lineup includes calibers from .223 Rem. all the way up to .50 Alaskan, but the brand is best known for building top-notch big-bore hunting ammo.
The Buffalo Bore lineup includes calibers from .223 Rem. all the way up to .50 Alaskan, but the brand is best known for building top-notch big-bore hunting ammo.

The impressive Buffalo Bore lineup starts at .223 and covers some less-likely calibers, such as .348 Winchester and .35 Whelen, all the way up to .50 Alaskan. Tim even has you lead-free California types covered with a wide range of Barnes monometal loads.

A forward thinker, Tim offers a number of differing lines of ammunition for various purposes. He went a step further than most ammo manufacturers by creating ammunition lines to help consumers home in on the correct load for his/her application.

Taking the guesswork out of your choice is a welcome attribute for purpose-built ammunition, such as the aforementioned “lead-free” line of California legal hunting ammunition that features copper Barnes bullets.

Tim also set about creating pistol loads that could turn the average personal-defense pistol into a credible bear-defense weapon.

“So many people have one pistol for street carry or home defense. We wanted them to have a viable outdoor load when they go camping, hiking or fishing,” Tim explained.

Well aware of the positive attributes offered by flat-nosed, hardcast bullets in bigger calibers on large game, he created a line of ammunition dubbed “Outdoorsman” in 9mm, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .40 S&W, 10mm and .45 ACP. These feature a heavy-for-caliber, hardcast, flat-nosed bullet for uncompromising straight-line penetration.

The newest line of ammunition from Buffalo Bore is the Dangerous Game (DG) line, which focuses on big-game revolver calibers. Featuring Lehigh Defense-sourced copper flat-nosed, solid bullets, The DG line guarantees unequaled penetrative potential and is impervious to heavy bones. The .45/70 Government is included in this impressive lineup.

Buffalo Bore Ammo 5
Buffalo Bore ammunition is never far from the conversation when hunters discuss dangerous game, where a hunting bullet can very quickly become the last line of defense.

Tim was candid when we spoke: “If your main concern is price, we’re not your company, but if performance is your greatest concern, look no further than Buffalo Bore.” Indeed, Mr. Sundles.

Today, Buffalo Bore offers quality ammunition in roughly 70 or so calibers and more than 250 different loads.

The Dangerous-Game Line of Handgun Ammunition

For hunters seeking the ultimate terminal performance on game, the choices are many. For those thrill-seekers wishing to pit their mettle against dangerous game, the choices are more narrowly represented, with prices to typically match their exclusivity. And the field narrows to a sliver for the handgun hunter seeking the ultimate test against animals that are labeled “dangerous” out of a propensity to inflict damage upon those brave (or mentally challenged) enough to throw their hat into this dicey ring, where the battle isn’t concluded by a draw but by the drawing of a last breath.

JRH Wild Bovine Testing

With that in mind, a group of handgun hunters (yours truly included) began gathering at Action Outdoor Adventures, a hunting preserve in Hondo, Texas, with the sole purpose of testing handgun loads, calibers and bullets on wild bovine flesh.

I have tested bullet performance in a number of “accepted” media, knowing full well that nothing makes up for real flesh and blood (and don’t forget bone) when testing the terminal effectiveness of a given load.

Taking it a step further: Testing bullet performance in live, 1,000-pound-plus wild bovines, with their correspondingly heavy frames and musculature (and often bad attitudes, as I have found out on numerous occasions), is the finest and most definitive testing available. Of course, this comes with a price that is significantly higher than, well, wet newsprint testing (but it’s all in the name of science).

This modest first gathering, officially dubbed the “JRH Holiday Bovine Bash” (in honor of the man who first cooked it up—master gunsmith and handgun hunter Jack Huntington), has evolved into a week-long, hard-core test that results in mountains of usable data on terminal bullet performance out of revolvers.

The “Love Child” Bullet

With that in mind, I approached Tim Sundles roughly two years ago about creating a line of dangerous-game ammunition utilizing a monolithic solid bullet. In our extensive (and expensive) bovine flesh-testing, we have found that the preferred hardcast bullet has limitations based on material capability: It cannot be overdriven, because the nose shape will be compromised and, in some cases, bone impact will do the same, thus impeding straight-line penetration and damage.

Got a large-frame wheelgun that requires a very special diet? The Buffalo Bore menu has lots of options.
Got a large-frame wheelgun that requires a very special diet? The Buffalo Bore menu has lots of options.

The solution is a bullet of the same type (with respect to nose profile) that is made from a material impervious to high-impact velocities. At the time of my proposition, there were scant few options available on the monolithic solid front that were not cost prohibitive.

Once I got wind of Lehigh Defense’s flat-nosed, copper handgun bullets—which were priced at a reasonable level, considering the precision quality of the products—I revisited this tiring conversation with Tim.

He responded in the positive, and the connection was made between Buffalo Bore and Lehigh Defense. In a matter of months, the resulting “love child” consists of nine different calibers: .44 Magnum, .45 Colt +P, .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, .480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh, .500 JRH, .500 S&W Magnum and the ubiquitous .45/70 Government, giving lever-action fans a direct path to Africa’s Big 5.

These bullets cost a little more but are a pittance, compared to the misfortune of watching a five-figure trophy fee disappear into the brush, never to be seen again—all because you wanted to save a few pennies on bargain-basement bullets.

There are many areas in which you can save a few dollars here and there, but your ammunition isn’t one of them. Spare yourself the headache and heartache.

For more information on Buffalo Bore, please visit buffalobore.com.

The article originally appeared in the December 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Springfield Armory M1A: The M14 Soldiers On

By
Elwood Shelton
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5
Springfield Armory M1A National Match ... still a favorite among those going the distance.
Springfield Armory M1A National Match … still a favorite among those going the distance.

While the short service life of the M14 should have made it a military footnote, the design remains as popular as ever thanks in part to the Springfield Armory M1A.

What Are The Current M1A Variations:

  • M1A Standard Issue
  • M1A National Match
  • M1A Super Match
  • M1A Loaded
  • M1A Scout Squad
  • M1A SOCOM

Short service typically doesn’t equate to legendary. The M14 is a decided exception.

Among the briefest runs (1957-1964) as the American military’s main battle rifle, the steel and birch (sometimes walnut) beast has all the makings of a historical footnote. Today, the rifle spurs debate hot enough to cook off a freshly chambered round. Did the M14 get the short end of the stick in as the country’s infantry spear point? Or only was it only there due to politics and nostalgia? When not flaming each other in the comment section of a post, honestly, both sides have valid points to the worthiness of the rifle. No matter what banner you hoist in the fray, there’s no denying the M14 won’t soon be forgotten.

Barbershop-worthy ponderations fuel one part of the rifle’s longevity. Springfield Armory, the other. Cornerstone to the gunmaker’s catalog, its semi-auto rendition of the M14—the equally iconic M1A—keeps the legend alive. And even if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool AR, AK, FAL, G3, or what-have-you man or woman, if you’re honest with yourself, you’d make room in your gun safe for this throwback icon.

A Much Too Small Thumbnail Of The M14

Blood blue as a Boston brahmin, the M14 is a direct descendant of perhaps America’s most cherished battle rifle—the M1 Garand. Which to some extent may have also set it up for bumpy road from the start. When your pop whipped the Germans and Japanese in one fell swoop and has battles such as Normandy, Bastogne, Monte Cassino, Tarawa and Iwo Jima on his resume, it’s fair to say you have a lot to live up to. For the most part, the M14 did a solid job stepping into the Garand’s shoes. Confirmed kills at 500-yard-plus, the M14 was an out-and-out killer in a studied marksman’s hands and as reliable as its predecessor. “Jam proof” is a bridge too far, but overall it could chew through ammo in the nastiest of circumstances. Leave it at that the M14 would have fared well on most counts.

Meant not only to succeed the M1 Garand, but a host of other military firearms, the M14 had a load of expectations heaped on its shoulders.
Meant not only to succeed the M1 Garand, but a host of other military firearms, the M14 had a load of expectations heaped on its shoulders.

Except replacing the “greatest battle implement ever devised” was only the start. The M14 was set up with an almost impossible task: take the reins not only from the Garand, but a host of other proven weapons systems—M2 Carbine, M3 submachine gun and the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), among others. Disparate guns for disparate purposes. One gun to rule them all was only going to lead to disappointment. The M14 did.

First off, to understand why the rifle succeeded and struggled we have to look at exactly what it was. And what it was was an improved M1 Garand. Built around the gas-operated rotating bolt similar, but not a mirror of the Garand’s, the rifle proved extremely reliable. To this, the Ordnance Department added a removable box magazine—a 20-round job that rocked in similarly to an AK—which gave it more capacity, as well as, theoretically, a faster reload time. It also boasted an excellent 22-inch barrel and was chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO, a ballistic twin to the Garand’s .30-06 Springfield, but a more efficient cartridge in a semi-auto/full-auto system. Adding on the same rear aperture sight and buttstock as the M1 meant you knew the M14 if you knew the Garand, and found some much-wanted upgrades along the way.

The flipside, it was large, weighing more than 10 pounds loaded. And more notoriously, it was select-fire. The rub with select-fire, the M14 was about as agreeable as an angry badger, particularly fired from an unsupported position. The 7.62 is a rifle cartridge, not an intermediate rifle cartridge, but a full-fledged, centerfire rifle cartridge fit for taking down any North American game or enemy soldiers and is still favored by many precision shooters. Stopping power abounds, and so does recoil. When flipped over to rat-a-tat-tat and moving some 750 bullets downrange per minute, it proved more than the average soldier could wield to any effect. The first shot, yeah, it was on target. After that, it’s anyone’s guess—usually high and to the right, ineffectively or dangerously so. Perhaps this is why the selector of the M14 takes such conscious effort to dial to full auto.

While its service as the U.S.'s main battle rifle was short, the M14 has played an important specialized role, especially in recent conflicts serving as the fast shooting, accurate tool of designated marksmen.
While its service as the U.S.'s main battle rifle was short, the M14 has played an important specialized role, especially in recent conflicts serving as the fast shooting, accurate tool of designated marksmen.

So yes, it could engage close targets with a high volume of fire—what study after study coming out of World War II said was key and was reinforced in the confines of Vietnam jungles. But with impact to influence a firefight, that’s negligible. Certainly, in this facet, it struggled against the dominant arm of the day—the Soviet AK-47. Plus, .30-caliber isn’t exactly peanuts to spray around the countryside and adds a whole heap of weight to a kit.

So, was that it? Did weight and disagreeableness in full auto kill the M14’s military career? Was 7.62 too expensive to feed a proverbial bullet hose? Did Defense Secretary Robert McNamara hit on to something about wood and steel being the wrong material for a jungle fight? Or did just plain politics (of which there was a lot) lead to the demise of the M14 and the adoption of what would become known as the M16?

Honestly, there’s a book's worth of parsing out in those questions and about a metric ton of other queries. For our purposes, it's fair to say the M14 succeeded in some areas, labored in others, but for the most part, proved a legitimate improvement of the M1 Garand. So much so that it found a second life in the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, where long-range engagements became more common. And it still has civilians pining for it today. In the latter case, Springfield Armory is owed a debt of gratitude.

Born Again As The M1A

When McNamara switched the military’s horses, he did so mid-gallop. All the branches accepted the M16 in 1964 and all M14 purchases were cut off simultaneously, which left a heap of spare parts for the dispossessed rifle. Around a decade later, an enterprising company figured there was money to be made in all those M14 bits and pieces. Springfield Armory (the company) couldn’t have been more correct.

Built from surplus military parts, the orginal M1A Springfield sold was a dead ringer for an M14, save the select fire.
Built from surplus military parts, the original M1A Springfield sold was a dead ringer for an M14, save the select fire. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

The Springfield M1A tapped into the lore of the M14, a rifle, once accurized, that was up to snuff of the original National Match iterations of days gone by. Of course, Federal firearms regulations being what they were and are, the accurate irons underwent one major modification—they are semi-automatic, so not true-to-life M14 clones. That said, there’s not much separating the M1A and M14—one fairly inconspicuous lug in the receiver. So, as real McCoy’s go, Springfield Armory the company was right on target with their rifle.

Much of this was a function of using USGI surplus to build the rifle, but as that stock has dried up the company has had to procure or make their own parts. Yes, the receivers are investment cast, not drop forged like original milsurp builds. Aside from that, the M1A is a spitting image of the M14, which in the hands of a knowledgeable shooter is more than evident downrange. It’s little surprise that the M1A is still a staple at high-power rifle matches, found occasionally on the hunt and is the rifle of choice for the Appleseed Project. Love it or hate it, the rifle performs. And it’s evolved.

The Many M1A Options

The firearms market being what it is, if you aren’t innovating you’re most likely falling behind. In turn, Springfield has progressed the M1A over years matching and sometimes anticipating shooters’ tastes. All the while, they have remained true to the foundation of the modified M14 design, particularly the pillars of accuracy and reliability.

M1A Standard Issue
M1A M14 Standard 2

A faithful reproduction of the M14, the M1A standard is the semi-auto rendition Springfield has marketed since 1974. Originally composed of surplus parts, the .308 Win. is now an in-house build, but still right on target with a 22-inch barrel, long birdcage flash suppressor, adjustable rear aperture sight and National Match front sight. You can stay old school with a walnut stock or choose a little more element-friendly composite.

M1A National Match

Springfield Armory M1A National Match ... still a favorite among those going the distance.
Springfield Armory M1A National Match … still a favorite among those going the distance.

Match shooters rejoiced when this model came out, loaded up with everything to gun for gold. Competitive upgrades include medium weight match barrel, glass bedded stock, tuned two-stage trigger and .595-inch micro-adjustable hooded aperture rear sight (1/2 MOA per click). Chambered strictly in .308 Win., the rifle is available with a 22-inch carbon steel or stainless steel barrel.

M1A Super Match
M1A M14 Super Match

Essentially a National Match with one weighty upgrade—a 22-inch Douglas Heavy Match barrel, carbon or stainless steel. The .308 Win.’s six-groove, 1:10 twist bore is push-button rifled, a process only second to cut rifling for uniformity. In addition to barrel material, you can choose between a glass-bedded walnut stock or McMillan fiberglass stock.

M1A Loaded
M1A M14 Loaded

Configured for long-range work, the M1A Loaded offers much of the same accuracy potential as the National Match at a bit more affordable price point. There are also some interesting options in the series, including both .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor chamberings, and fully-adjustable precision stock. Of course, if you want, walnut is still available.

M1A Scout Squad
M1A M14 Scout

Perhaps not a by-the-book rendition of Col. Jeff Cooper’s scout-rifle concept, the M1A Scout Squad is nonetheless an interesting twist. In addition to trim dimensions, thanks in part to its 18-inch barrel, the .308 has a Picatinny rail to forward mount a scope. Additionally, it’s available with a wood or black composite stock.

M1A SOCOM
M1A M14 SOCOM

Perhaps the most radical break from the traditional M14 design, the SOCOM makes the “gravel belly” system fit for close quarters. The most abbreviated M1A in the line, the carbine has a terse 16.25-inch barrel, kept short by a radical redesigned break that keeps the .308’s recoil manageable without increasing its footprint. It also comes in some interesting configurations, including an adjustable buttstock model with AK-style grip. More recently, the “Tanker” SOCOM hit the scene, a take on concept Garands of World War II.

Parting Shot

Arguments over whether the M14, therefore the M1A, deserves the title of an all-time great rifle won’t subside anytime soon. It’s a Rorschach test of sorts. Some view it as an overpriced relic, while others see the last great fighting implement. In any case, the rifle certainly improves on an already proven system. It will pick fleas at 500 paces in the right hands, and it’s demonstrated it was battle-worthy 40-years after it was written off. It’s a mixed legacy to be sure, but one any true shooter should make room for in their collection.

For more information on the M1A, please visit springfield-armory.com

More On Springfield Armory:

Classic Guns: Remington Model 760 Series And Other Pump-Actions

By
Jerry Lee
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2

The Remington Model 760 was exceptionally accurate and fast shooting, but was far from the first pump-action gem “Big Green” turned out.

What Are The Advantages Of The Pump-Action Rifle:

  • Among the fastest manually operated actions.
  • Inherently, the pump is ambidextrous.
  • The rifle can use loads semi-autos would fail to cycle.
  • Certain designs have proven exceptionally accurate.

The slide-action, or pump, firearm has often been described as uniquely American. While the first patent for the design was issued in the 1850s in England, pump guns—both shotguns and rifles—never really caught on in the United Kingdom or Europe. Many shooters “across the pond” look upon them with disdain, as do some in the United States. Yet, others swear by them.

The pump has many advantages: It’s the fastest and easiest to use of the manually operated actions; it’s ambidextrous (although empty cases are ejected into the lefty shooter’s field of view); and the operation gives the pump the ability to use ammo loads of varying power that a semi-auto would fail to cycle.

Slide-action fans have been compared to drivers who prefer a stick shift transmission. Some people just prefer a hands-on relationship with things. There are hunters who have nothing but slide-action shotguns, rimfires and centerfire rifles in their gun safes. If you like a pump, you like a pump.

Pump-Action Shotgun's Backstory

Remington has a long history with slide-actions. What was called the Remington Repeating Shotgun was introduced in 1908. Two years later, it was renamed the Model 10.

Remington pump shotgun designs evolved through the first half of the century. Several popular models were offered: the Model 17, 29 and the 31. Then, in 1950, the great Model 870 was announced. It is still in production, with more than 11 million sold, making it the most manufactured shotgun in firearms history.

This Model 760 Gamemaster is a .30-06 manufactured in 1956.
This Model 760 Gamemaster is a .30-06 manufactured in 1956. Photo: GunsAmerica.com

Slide-action rifles became a part of Remington’s legacy in 1909 with the introduction of the Model 12 .22 rimfire. It evolved into the 121 in the 1930s and was replaced in the ‘50s by the 572, which is still in production today.

Remington Centerfire Pump-Actions

The focus of this month’s column is the Remington centerfire slide-action family of firearms.

More Gun Collecting Info:

Big Green’s history with this category of rifles goes back to the Model 14. It was introduced in 1912 and was chambered for three Remington rounds: the .25 Rem., .30 Rem. and .32 Rem.—all rimless versions of the .25-35, .30-30 and .32 Win. Special.

A variant, the 14½, was added in 1913 and was offered in the popular .38-40 and .44-40 Winchester calibers. The Model 14 and 14½ were in production until 1935, when they were replaced by the Model 141, which was made until 1950. The 141 was chambered for the same cartridges as the Model 14—.25 Rem., .30 Rem. and .32 Rem.—as well as the .35 Remington.

Another early Remington slide-action centerfire was the Model 25, in production from 1923 to 1936. It was offered in .25-20 and .32-20, two very popular small-game cartridges of the day.

In April 1952, Remington introduced the first slide-action rifle that was chambered for popular big-game cartridges such as the .30-06, .270 Win. and .300 Savage. This was the Model 760 Gamemaster. Other original chamberings included the .222 Rem., .244 Rem., .257 Roberts, .280 Rem., .35 Rem. and later, the .243, 6mm Rem. and .308 Winchester.

The Model 760 was replaced in 1981 by the similar, but upgraded, Model 7600. It’s still in production today.
The Model 760 was replaced in 1981 by the similar, but upgraded, Model 7600. It’s still in production today.

The Model 760 introduced several improvements over the 141, including dual-action bars and a detachable magazine that allowed the use of spitzer bullets. The standard model came with a 22-inch barrel, but there was also a carbine version with an 18½-inch barrel.

The slide-action Model 760 was an accurate rifle and was able to keep up with the famous bolt-action target guns. In 1961, a U.S. shooter won the double-shot aggregate at the World Championship in Oslo, Norway, with a 760, and another took second place in the single-shot World Championship in Cairo, Egypt. 1

The Model 760 remained in production until 1981, when it was replaced by the Model 7600. Over its 28-year run, 1,034,462 Model 760 Gamemasters were manufactured. This included several Deluxe and High Grade models, such as Remington’s Peerless and Premier grades, which featured extensive engraving. 2

Some of the rarer calibers are worth a considerable premium over standard chamberings.

FOOTNOTES
1: Pa Was a Pump Gun Man, 62nd Edition, Gerald Peterson, Gun Digest, 2008
2: The History of Remington Firearms, Roy Marcot, Chartwell Books, 2011

For more information on Remington pump-action guns, please visit remington.com.

The article originally appeared in the October 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

World War I Weapons: Allied Rifles

By
Gun Digest Editors
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1

A conflict fueled by old tactics and new weapons, the “Great War” was brutality incarnate. Here's a look at the rifles that eventually helped the Allies win World War I.

WWI Weapons By Country:

The-Illustrated-History-of-Firearms-Second-Edition
This article is an excerpt from The Illustrated History of Firearms, 2nd Edition. From the earliest hand cannons dating back to 1350, to the finest sporting rifles of the 21st Century, this 2nd edition of The Illustrated History of Firearms covers them all. Get Your Copy

The Great War, now commonly referred to as World War I, began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in June 1914. By mid-August 1914 most of the major European powers were at war. The United States entered on the side of the British and French in April 1917.

WWI signaled the end of the age in which conflicts were settled with some semblance of chivalry. It was a war of rapidly changing technology, fought using tactics of the Napoleonic era. Companies, even battalions of soldiers, were thrown against squads of men, each squad manning a single machine gun capable of firing 800 rounds a minute. One General responded to the rapid destruction of his entire Division by telling his men to “dig, dig, dig, until you are safe.”

By Christmas 1914 a trench system wound its way from the Belgian coast on the North Sea to the Swiss border some 1500 kilometers away! For four years, until November 1918, the trenches remained in place, virtually unchanged. The word stalemate entered the dictionary to describe a useless situation with no foreseeable conclusion. The result was 8.5 million dead and 21 million maimed and disabled, plus 12.5 million civilian casualties.

The bolt-action rifle was standard armament among the 30 nations involved in this global conflict, with some members of the Allies – countries at war with Germany – paying licensing fees for their rifles to the German firm of Waffenfabrik Mauser. The dominating firearm of the war was the machine gun. Once thought wasteful and expensive, its use ensured that neither side could advance on the other without incurring horrifying losses. The war was brought to an end on November 11, 1918, by the combination of overwhelming Allied offensive action and the spread of revolution throughout Germany that forced the Kaiser's abdication and the replacement of the monarchy with a civilian government willing to surrender.

WWI Allied Rifles

A variety of bolt-action arms were used by the Allied nations in WWI to equip their infantry units. Some countries found that demand for rifles could not keep pace with production so other models for which tooling and machinery already existed were put into service production. Canadian soldiers, for example, were armed with either homegrown Ross rifles the Models 1905 or 1910, the British Enfield SMLE #1 Mk III, or American-made Pattern 14 Enfields!

United States World War I Rifles

U.S. Springfield Model 1903 Bolt-Action Rifle

World War I Rifle U.S. Springfi eld Model 1903

Bolt-Action-.30-06-circa 1903-1930: The Springfield ‘03 was the American standard service rifle from 1903 to 1936. It first saw service in the Philippines in 1903. Issued in WWI and WWII, it was still in service as a sniper rifle in Korea and Vietnam.

Pedersen Device Mounted On U.S. Springfield Model 1903 Mk I Bolt-Action Rifle

World War I Gun_Pedersen device mounted on U.S. Springfi eld Model 1903

Semi-Automatic-.30 caliber-circa 1918-1920: The top-secret Pedersen device, also known as the “Automatic Pistol Caliber .30 Model of 1918,” was a semi-automatic conversion for the bolt-action Springfield rifle. The 1903 Mk I rifles intended to use the Pedersen device had a small port milled into the left receiver to allow spent cases to be ejected. Approximately 65,000 Pedersen devices were manufactured and were intended to be used in the Spring Offensive of 1919. When World War I came to a close with the Armistice on November 11, 1918, no future need was foreseen for the Pedersen devices and they were destroyed.

U.S. Remington Model 1917

WWI Weapon_ U.S. Remington Model 1917 Bolt-Action Rifle

Bolt-Action-.30-06-circa 1917-1919: Over two million M1917s were manufactured by Eddystone, Remington, and Winchester.

U.S. Winchester Prototype Model 1917

WWI Weapon_U.S. Winchester Prototype Model 1917

Bolt-Action Magazine Rifle-.30-06-circa 1917: U.S. Winchester Prototype Model 1917 Bolt-Action Magazine Rifle – .30-06 – circa 1917 – This unmarked tool room example of a Winchester Model 1917 bolt-action rifle was part of a collection assembled by a former production line superintendent at Winchester.

U.S. Springfield Model 1903

World War I Weapon_U.S. Springfield Model 1903

Bolt-Action (relic condition)-.30-06-circa 1903-1907: Buried in a French field, this relic M1903 rifle was recovered in 1963.

U.S. Springfield Model 1903 Sniper Rifle

WWI Sniper Rifle_U.S. Springfield Model 1903 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle-.30-06-circa 1907-1919: The U.S. Warner-Swazey-scoped sniper was the first .30-06 bolt-action sniper rifle. Note extended “Air Service” 20-round magazine.

Arm Yourself With More Military Firearms Knowlege:

British World War I Rifles

British Enfield No. 3 Mk I

WWI Guns_British Enfield No. 3 Mk I

Bolt-Action Rifle-.303 British-circa 1914.

British SMLE Mk III

World War I Guns_British SMLE Mk III

Bolt-Action Rifle-.303 British-circa 1942-1943: The fast-firing SMLE could empty its ten-shot magazine in less than 20 seconds with an adept shooter.

British BSA Sparkbrook Model 1893 Mk II Magazine Lee-Metford

WWI Guns_British BSA Sparkbrook Model 1893 Mk II

Bolt-Action Rifle-.303 British-circa 1893: In WWI, British forces employed earlier Lee-Enfield models that were updated for issue.

British Farquhar-Hill Model 1909

WWI Weapons_British Farquhar-Hill Model 1909

Experimental Semi-Automatic Rifle-.303 British-circa 1909: The long recoil-operated Farquhar-Hill was intended as a squad automatic rifle and was tested by British Ordnance’s Small Arms Committee in 1908. A 20-round drum magazine was intended as the standard configuration although other magazine capacities were also tested. This example is one of the rarer semi-automatic-only versions.

Russian World War I Rifles

Russian Mosin Nagant Model 1891

World War I Rifle_Russian Mosin Nagant Model 1891

Bolt-Action Rifle-7.62mm x 54 Russian-circa 1911: Russia’s standard service rifle in World War I held five cartridges.

Remington Mosin Nagant Model 1891

WWI Rifle_Remington Mosin Nagant Model 1891

Bolt-Action Rifle-7.62mm x 54 Russian-circa 1917: This Mosin Nagant rifle was tested by NRA during the WWI period.

Russian Contract Winchester Model 1895

World War I Rifle_Russian Contract Winchester Model 1895

Lever-Action Rifle-7.62×54 Russian-circa 1915-1916: Winchester made M1895 rifles for Russia that used military stripper clips.

Canadian World World I

Canadian Ross Rifle Co. Model 1910

WWI Rifle_Canadian Ross Rifle Co. Model 1910 Straight-Pull Rifle

Straight-Pull Rifle-.280 Ross-circa 1910: Found to have a potentially dangerous bolt design, Ross rifles were sidelined from active service.

Canadian Ross Rifle Co. Model 1905

World War I Weapons_Canadian Ross Rifle Co. Model 1910 Straight-Pull Rifle

Straight-Pull Rifle-.303 British-circa 1906: The straight-pull line of Ross rifles had a reputation for being unsafe firearms due to a complicated bolt that could be incorrectly reassembled and would fail to lock the action correctly during firing. During the interwar period and during World War II, the Ross rifles still in inventory were utilized for non-firing training duties.

French World War I Rifles

French Tulle Model 1886/93 Lebel
WWI Weapons_French Tulle Model 188693 Lebel

Bolt-Action Rifle-8mm Lebel-circa 1900-1918: The French Lebel was one of the first rifles to employ both jacketed bullets and smokeless powder.

French Berthier Model 1916/27

World War I Wespons_French Berthier Model 191627

Bolt-Action Carbine-8mm Lebel-circa 1892-1920: Shorter carbines were used for cavalry and artillery units.

French St. Etienne French Model 1917

WWI Weapons_French St. Etienne French Model 1917

Semi-Automatic Rifle-8mm Lebel-circa 1917-1925: French semi-auto rifle designs did not come into use until late in WWI.

French Lebel Model 1907-15

World War I Weapons_French Lebel Model 1907-15

Bolt-Action Rifle (sectionalized)-8mm Lebel-circa 1907: This cutaway of a military firearm illustrates many of its otherwise hidden internal mechanisms.

French Berthier Model 1907/15

WWI Weapons_French Berthier Model 190715
Bolt-Action Rifle-8mm Lebel-circa 1917.

Belgian World War I Rifles

Belgian Hopkins & Allen Contract Mauser Model 1889

World War I Weapons_Belgian Hopkins & Allen Contract Mauser Model 1889

Bolt-Action Rifle-7.65mm Mauser-circa 1889-1915: H&A’s contract with Belgian authorities resulted in 180,000 M1889 rifles for WWI.

Editor's Note: The article is an excerpt from The Illustrated History of Firearms, 2nd Edition.

First Look: FN 509 Compact Tactical

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

FN 509 Compact Tactical

So, you want to run suppressed, but not full-sized? Meet the FN 509 Compact Tactical.

What The 509 Compact Brings To The Table:

  • Threaded 4.32-inch barrel
  • Optics-ready slide
  • Compatibility with more than 10 reflex sights
  • Suppressor-height night sights

Generally speaking, suppressor fun is something relegated to full-sized pistols. Plenty of gun already in hand, what difference does 5-inches of hush tube make dangling off the muzzle? Not much. Still and all, there’s no reason why big boys should have all the fun. They won’t any longer.

FN America has taken the suppressor-ready pistol small with the introduction of the 509 Compact Tactical. Flirting with dead-ringer territory with the recently release Compact model of the striker-fired 9mm, the pistol boasts an extended barrel with a 1/2×28 thread pattern just begging to host your favorite can. Yes, it comes with a factory thread protector with a hold-tight O-ring, so you won’t bang it up if you aren’t running quiet.

Pretty slick, particularly given, sans suppressor, it still retains its concealed-carry friendly dimensions. Overall, the 509 Compact Tactical weighs in at 26 ounces, boasts a 4.32-inch barrel and measures in at right around 7.5 inches. The barrel is a bit longer than the 509 Compact by just over .5 inch, but that's far from bust its ability from going undercover.

As to the other notables on the pistol, it’s optics-ready with FN’s MRD slide cut and is compatible with more than 10 miniature red-dots. Furthermore, suppressor-height night sights that can co-witness with a reflex come standard on the 509 Compact Tactical. The other goodies common to 509s are there too: respectable trigger, dual recoil spring system, MIL-STD 1913 accessory rail, enlarged trigger guard, fairly positive grip texturing and replaceable backstrap system. Sweetening the pot, FN throws in a soft case with the 509 Compact Tactical and 12-, 15-, or 24-rounds magazines. If you need more, you have your choice between matte black and FDE finishes.

As to cost, that’s one point that hasn’t shrunk with the pistol’s size. The MSRP on the 509 Compact Tactical is $1,049, around $300 over what a plain, old Compact Tactical runs. No breaks if you want to shoot suppressed.

FN 509 Compact Tactical Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Operation: Double-action
Mag Capacity: 10 or 12/15/24 Rd.
Weight: 26.2 oz.
Barrel Length: 4.32″
Overall Length: 7.4″
Twist Rate: 1:10″ RH
Height: 5.3″
Width: 1.35″
Trigger Pull: 5.5 – 7.5 lb.
Sight Radius: 5.6″
MSRP: $1,049

For more information on the FN 509 Compact Tactical, please visit fnamerica.com.

Bone Up On FN Guns:

.300 Blackout Vs .300 Whisper: Is There A Difference?

By
Patrick Sweeney
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1

300 blackout 5

Both kick out .30-caliber bullets, are pleasant shooters and can be kept quiet as a church mouse, so is there really any difference between the .300 Blackout and its predecessor the .300 Whisper?

Development Of The .300 Whisper

The beginning of the subsonic revolution in ARs came to us from J.D. Jones. To call him a prolific inventor is to use “prolific” lightly.

He has always endeavored to expand the borders of firearms performance, from the smallest to the largest. The .300 Whisper was his AR-15 cartridge for quiet shooting. The idea was simple: take a .223 case, expand the neck to hold a .30-caliber bullet, shorten it so the neck would hold the bullet at the proper place, and fit it all into an AR-15 magazine. A shortcut would be to take the .221 Fireball case, and neck it out to .30. The Fireball itself was essentially just a shortened .223, meant for use in single-shot bolt-action pistols, primarily the Remington XP100. It was the varminting answer to “How do I use a handgun to shoot varmints?”

J.D. was aided in this work by the continuing efforts of rifle target shooters. When I began shooting in the early 1970s, the bullets available for .30 rifles for target shooting were not many. You could find a 168-grain match boat tail. You could, if you were lucky and persistent, score a supply of 175-grain FMJ-BT bullets, which were used for decades before by the military.

Heavier than that, there were only hunting bullets. There were 180-grain soft points, and 220 FMJ or soft-point bullets, but they were round-nosed, and meant for use on large game. You’d have the 220s loaded in your .30-06 or .300 H&H, for use on bear, moose or elk on a hunt in Alaska or Canada.

But long-range target shooters wanted more. For long-distance shooting, the competitor has two problems: distance and wind. Distance is easy, as the targets are a known distance away, and that distance does not change. Wind, however, does.

The range of bullets the .300 Blackout and Whisper can digest is impressive. From a 110-grain soft point to a 240-grain match boat tail, you can load anything that will fit the chamber and throat.
The range of bullets the .300 Blackout and Whisper can digest is impressive. From a 110-grain soft point to a 240-grain match boat tail, you can load anything that will fit the chamber and throat.

If we assume a bullet design has the same ogive, and boat tail, then the only way to change weight is to make it longer. This is good, because a longer and heavier bullet will have a larger ballistic coefficient, or BC. BC is a measure of a bullet’s drag, compared to a theoretical object that is a standard. The higher the BC, the more efficiently a bullet passes through the air.

We’re getting a bit involved here, so stick with me. For any given cartridge, operating at a certain pressure, adding weight to a bullet means you have less velocity. You simply cannot push a (to use as an example) 168-grain .30 bullet and a 240-grain .30 bullet at the same speed. The 240, in any given cartridge, has to be going slower, simply because the pressure limit of the cartridge determines the maximum amount of energy you can use to push the bullet.

Target shooters don’t care. A bullet with a higher BC loses less velocity as it goes downrange, so the net is not to lose as much when it reaches to the target. The real boon for target shooters is that a higher-BC bullet is less affected by wind.

Get On Target With The AR:

  • A high-BC bullet is said to have less wind drift. So even with a lower starting velocity, the 240-grain .30 bullet will drift less than a 168-grain bullet in the same wind. In target shooting, riflemen must estimate the effect of wind drift in real time and adjust for it. The smaller the amount they have to adjust, the less effect an error, or change in wind, will have on their scores. They don’t care about trajectory differences, because the targets are always the same distances. Well, they were for NRA High Power. All that changed with the development of the Precision Rifle Series, where targets are at odd and differing distances. But we risk wandering, so back to it.

    OK, so from the early 1970s, to the late 1980s, the heaviest .30 bullets that could be had went from 168 grains to 220 grains. And those were pointed, match bullets.

    J.D. Jones was first, and he got his invention type-certified by CIP.
    J.D. Jones was first, and he got his invention type-certified by CIP.

    So, J.D. designed the cartridge, modified brass, trademarked it as the .300 Whisper, and began offering rifles and ammo. His work on modifying brass was a continual headache. The internal thickness of .223 and 5.56 brass is not a rigid specification once you get down past the case neck. So, he found that he had to ream some lots and brands of brass more than others. The reaming was required because the new neck was formed in the middle of the body of the original case. Differing wall thicknesses meant some rounds would not chamber unless the formed case was reamed.

    When the volume of ammunition produced required by customer orders got to be great enough, he simply went to an ammo maker, had the company get his ammunition type-certified by CIP, and then could have brass made.

    The ammo maker was Hornady, and I had the opportunity to be one of the first testers of factory ammo in a J.D. Jones-built upper for the AR-15. This was in 2011, and life was good.

    .300 Blackout Hits The Scene

    Then, controversy erupted. A new ammo maker burst onto the scene, in the form of the .300 Blackout. Developed by Advanced Armament Company, or AAC, the Blackout was brought into being because of AAC’s military customers. Those customers (or a certain subgroup of them) wanted a subsonic, heavy bullet, autoloading cartridge that would work with in their platform. That platform was the M4, so the new cartridge had to fit into AR-15 magazines, and work with AR-15 bolts.

    Remember earlier, when we discussed pressure testing, and certification agencies? AAC could not use CIP loading and certification, because the parent company of AAC, Remington, is a SAAMI member. So, the engineers at AAC had to start essentially from scratch, to design, refine, test and offer for certification, a new .30 cartridge to fit the bill.

    AAC makes rifles to go along with the cartridge it developed. And they are clearly marked, which is a very good thing.
    AAC makes rifles to go along with the cartridge it developed. And they are clearly marked, which is a very good thing.

    The end result was that the .300 Blackout and the .300 Whisper, for almost all concerned, were interchangeable.

    The .300 Blackout was type-certified by SAAMI, and Remington and everyone else began making ammo. The controversy? Some people think the design team at AAC just made a few minor changes in the dimensions to the .300 Whisper, and then handed it off to the acceptance committee. Well, they didn’t. I’ve talked to people involved, and they did their due diligence, and worked it up properly.

    The problem is, the design specifications are so narrowly defined, it is hard to be different. As an exercise in cartridge design, I dare you to design a cartridge that does what the Whisper and Blackout do, and doesn’t come so close to either that it would seem to be a duplication.

    Or, assuming you could find someone who didn’t already know about either, and who knew enough about cartridges, pose them this problem: a .30 bullet, as heavy as possible, in a parent .223 or .221 Fireball case, that has to fit an AR magazine, feed reliably and use an unmodified bolt. They will, just as you had, come up with a clone of the Whisper and Blackout.

    The positives of the .300 Blackout and Whisper are obvious.

    The .300 Blackout and Whisper can be loaded with many different bullets, but you have to be careful with overall length. They have to fit the magazine, regardless of bullet weight.
    The .300 Blackout and Whisper can be loaded with many different bullets, but you have to be careful with overall length. They have to fit the magazine, regardless of bullet weight.

    What They Have To Offer

    You can shoot subsonic ammo, and that makes the rifle or pistol very quiet. A subsonic 240-grain bullet is going to be going, at most, at 1,050 fps. That puts it squarely in the realm of a .45 ACP+P load. However, it does it with a carbine or pistol that holds 30-round magazines, and can be teamed with a red-dot or magnifying optic. There are even .300 Blackout and Whisper loads that offer expanding bullets. If you do not have one of the expanding bullets in your .300, do not fear. I tested the Hornady subsonic .300 Whisper load when this was all new. They use a 208-grain A-Max bullet for that load. It clocks in from just under supersonic out of a carbine-length barrel, to just over 1,000 fps from a stubby eight-inch pistol or SBR tube.

    Testing in ballistic gelatin uncovered some very interesting results. Each shot would travel about 10 inches into a gel block, and then the yawing bullet would veer to the top, bottom or sides of the block, and exit. In order to recover bullets, I had to wrap the block on all sides with Kevlar vests. You might not like that, and want deeper penetration, but I have to think that a 208-grain, .308 bullet, going sideways, is going to get a lot of the job done, if not all of it.

    There are now expanding bullets for the .300s, but for many applications a non-expanding one works just fine.
    There are now expanding bullets for the .300s, but for many applications a non-expanding one works just fine.

    All the heavyweights, fired at subsonic velocities, will do much the same. I’m not sure you can make a barrel with a twist rate fast enough to keep them point-on in ballistic gel. Or living targets.

    When fed subsonic ammo, the .300 Blackout and Whisper can use a compact and lightweight suppressor, to make them even quieter. Jumping up to supersonic loads is too much stress for the lighter, more-compact suppressors, so do be careful.

    Here you can see the difference bullet weight makes. These two dummy cartridges show the distance a heavy bullet protrudes back into the case. This takes up case capacity, but since we are looking for subsonic performance with heavyweight bullets, reduced case capacity is a good thing.
    Here you can see the difference bullet weight makes. These two dummy cartridges show the distance a heavy bullet protrudes back into the case. This takes up case capacity, but since we are looking for subsonic performance with heavyweight bullets, reduced case capacity is a good thing.

    If you want a different performance envelope, you can switch to .300 Blackout and Whisper loads using 110- to 125-grain bullets, which will be delivered as much as 2,300 fps out of a 16-inch barrel. For deer hunters, this is perfect. A modern, expanding, .30 bullet of 110 to 125 grains, out of one of the .300s is soft in recoil, not overly noisy, and more than enough to bring down a whitetail. If your DNR permits deer hunting with suppressors, then you have your answer: A lightweight AR, in .300 Blackout or Whisper, with a suppressor is just the ticket for getting new shooters introduced to hunting.

    It won’t hurt their shoulders, it won’t hurt their ears, and it will certainly bring down a whitetail.

    In either loading, the .300 Blackout and Whisper do not use much powder per shot, so if you reload, powder costs are about as small as they get. This is offset by the greater cost of the bullets, as a 240-grain .308 jacketed bullet is going to cost you more than a 230-grain lead bullet for a .45 ACP. (The ballistic performance similarity.)

    Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Cartridges of the AR-15, available at GunDigestStore.com.

Accurizing The Venerable M1 Carbine

By
Robert Campbell
-
0
The commercial Plainfield, above, is shown with a 30-round magazine. The WWII Inland, below, is shown with ammunition and accessories.
The commercial Plainfield, above, is shown with a 30-round magazine. The WWII Inland, below, is shown with ammunition and accessories.

Often dismal as issued, there are a host of options to accurized the M1 Carbine and get the little rifle to sing.

Areas Of the M1 Carbine To Work On:

Among the most popular of all World War II firearms is the U.S. MI Carbine. In my opinion, there is no more enjoyable recreational shooter. Light, handy, light kicking, and very reliable, the Carbine has much to recommend.

M1 Carbine Goes To War

The Carbine was not designed as a battle weapon, but rather as a PDW, or personal defense weapon. Of course, in 1940, that term hadn’t yet been coined, but it was the gun’s purpose, intended to give soldiers behind the lines a weapon light enough to be with them at all times. Tank crewmen, truck drivers, ammo bearers, and officers had previously been armed with a handgun. The idea was to give the troops a service weapon superior to the handgun, but not as heavy and difficult to manage as the M1 Garand. Winchester succeeded admirably, with the introduction of its .30 Carbine.

The M1 Carbine was a traditionally designed rifle in some ways. It featured the typical short stock, with much of the barrel exposed, same as the Springfield and Krag carbines. But the M1 Carbine featured a modern gas-operated action, and, as it featured a 15-round magazine, soldiers were provided a considerable reserve.

.30 Carbine Ammo

Even at 70 years of age, US GI magazines are often reliable. Cheap commercial magazines are another matter.
Even at 70 years of age, US GI magazines are often reliable. Cheap commercial magazines are another matter.

The cartridge was often the subject of discussion. The new round was not a full-power rifle round, but a unique, straight-walled cartridge that has sometimes been compared to magnum-class handgun rounds; it jolts a 110-grain jacketed bullet to a little over 1900 feet per second. The view of this by some was that it did not generate sufficient velocity for effective use past 200 yards—and some say the limit is just 100. Too, the bullet did not break at the cannelure as some bullets will, which means it basically pushed a .30 hole through the target. While criticisms as to the knockdown power of the Carbine are valid and it proved to be a somewhat ineffective battle rifle, in the end, the Carbine, was a wonderful PDW weapon.

Rough Around The Edges

This brings me to another shortcoming of the M1 Carbine, right behind the power deficit of its ammunition. Truthfully, the Carbine is a bit rough around the edges when it comes to accuracy. Another well-known military rifle, the AK 47, suffers from much the same problem, but while the AK is what it is, the Carbine may be helped, and the advantage gained is often worth the effort.

The Inland carbine, above, and the Plainfield, below, differ in detail, but each is a reliable plinker with fair accuracy for tasks inside 100 yards.
The Inland carbine, above, and the Plainfield, below, differ in detail, but each is a reliable plinker with fair accuracy for tasks inside 100 yards.

I have fired my Carbines with South Korean military ammunition, jacketed loads from the major makers, and the newer CorBon DPX loading. While the custom-grade CorBon loading is the most accurate, it is so only by a small margin. A pretty decent M1 Carbine will give you a five-shot group measuring about five inches at 100 yards. An exceptional rifle will go three inches or a little more. For hitting a coyote at 35 yards, the Carbine excels. For long-range work, well, let’s hope your aspirations are recreational. As for ammunition, I am certain there are handloaded combinations that must be more accurate than factory ammunition, but I handload primarily for economy, not for precision. I have tried the proven combinations, and while they are often more accurate than factory loads, it is not by any great margin.

Recently, I elected to tighten up my Carbines as best I could. I have become interested in the Carbines, due to the introduction of the exceptional new CorBon DPX load. Locating the Plainfield at a fair price at a pawn shop was a prompting to me, too, so there we go. The work was straightforward and produced good results, all we can ask.

First things first, you need to know what you’re looking at to begin with. The rifle fieldstrips easily; the locking rat-tail tang at the rear of the receiver and the barrel band are all that hold the rifle together. (Such straightforward assembly works without complaint, but this system isn’t a solid base for accuracy.) Take a look at the rear receiver tang, which engages the recoil plate that is in the stock. If the fit is good when assembled and there is a need to depress the barrel into the stock when fitting the barrel band, then you may have a more accurate rifle. If, on the other hand, the recoil plate fit is loose, the rifle is likely inaccurate.

Rise Your Military Firearms IQ:

Recoil Plate

This is the receiver setting in the stock, showing the relationship to the recoil plate. The recoil plate has been removed for this illustration.
This is the receiver setting in the stock, showing the relationship to the recoil plate. The recoil plate has been removed for this illustration.

The are several means of tightening up the M1 Carbine that are worth a look. First and simplest is to simply tighten the screw holding the recoil plate to the stock. Admittedly, if this is loose, poor accuracy may not be noticeable at close range, but the looser groupings will be noticeable at 100 yards. It is easier to tighten the recoil plate effectively if the recoil plate is fully fitted into the stock. A method I am familiar with from the by-God-and-by-gosh school is to take the recoil plate out and peen it, a tooling maneuver that involves hitting the part until it is longer and therefore produces a tighter friction fit.

Stock

The carbine stock is pretty fat for such a little rifle. The stock lip seems to make little difference. These are typical stocks.
The carbine stock is pretty fat for such a little rifle. The stock lip seems to make little difference. These are typical stocks.

Next, you should examine the stock itself. Remember, the M1 Carbine is primarily a triumph of mass production. It has been produced by the millions and always works, but accuracy was always second to its reliability. (Yeah, the more we look at it, the M1 can almost be called the “American AK!”) Take a look at the stock and be certain it fits the Carbine well. Route out the mortise in the stock that holds the recoil plate if necessary until the barrel, with the rifle assembled, floats about a half inch above the channel in the stock. A few shavings off the back of the stock usually results in a greater effect at the barrel end. Take care and frequently drop the barreled action back into the stock to check your progress.

Barrel Bands

This barrel band has been on the rifle a long time. But the barrel has some upward spring when the band is removed, usually a good sign for potential accuracy.
This barrel band has been on the rifle a long time. But the barrel has some upward spring when the band is removed, usually a good sign for potential accuracy.

Barrel bands are a fertile field for accuracy experiments. There are several types, and I will not pretend to be an expert, but the narrow half-inch bands seem to be the worst for accuracy. They often mismatch the stock and simply do not get the job done. The alternate types that are an inch thick are much betting at snugging up. The best type of barrel band by all reports seems to be the bayonet lug type, but this design is a bit difficult to find. If this band design interests you, check with Fulton Armory first, then the pages of Shotgun News. You will probably be able to obtain decent accuracy with the standard barrel band if you check the recoil plate mortise, but the superior wide bands do help. So, after working with the recoil plate and the recoil plate mortise, then making certain the barrel is flee floating as much as possible, you should be able to observe a difference in accuracy.

Barrel

This is our simple barrel wear gauge. This barrel is good to go and should provide good accuracy.
This is our simple barrel wear gauge. This barrel is good to go and should provide good accuracy.

At this point, barrel wear is a question. The use of noncorrosive ammunition in the M1 Carbine is a great aid in barrel life. In fact, few Carbines will be found with rusty bores. But overaggressive cleaning has shortened the life of many Carbine bores. There are gauges available to test the muzzle to see just how much damage the GI bore cleaner has done, but a more simple test with a centerfire rifle cartridge is adequate for evaluation. Now, the .30 Carbine cartridge is too short to use as a gauge, so use a .308 Winchester or, better still, a .30-06 Springfield cartridge. With the Carbine checked to be certain it is unloaded and with the action locked back, attempt to fit the ball portion of the cartridge into the Carbine muzzle. If the bullet goes in up to the cartridge case mouth, your muzzle is pretty much shot out. If the bullet stops at insertion at about an eighth of an inch, you have a shooter—and in between these two will probably exhibit in-between accuracy. I admit the mechanical gauge is more scientific, but this simple test works well enough to get a preliminary grip on the potential your M1 Carbine might have.

Trigger

Clean the trigger group, and you may improve the action. The author ran his finger across the action of this carbine and came up with considerable congealed oil.
Clean the trigger group, and you may improve the action. The author ran his finger across the action of this carbine and came up with considerable congealed oil.

There is little point in addressing the trigger action. The military two-stage trigger usually breaks at 4.5 to 6 pounds. I would never attempt to file hardened parts to produce a clean break. In any case, those few competitions that specify the M1 Carbine also demand a 4.5 pound or heavier trigger action. What is beneficial is to carefully clean and lubricate the trigger action.

The .30-caliber M1 Carbine is a versatile little rifle. It is usually completely reliable, accurate enough for personal defense and pest popping, and, above all, it is user friendly. While not as inexpensive as it once was, the Carbine still remains an excellent addition to anyone’s tactical repertoire. This is a design with no flies on it.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Gun Digest 2013.

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