Utilizing cutting-edge materials, the Proof Research Conviction Ti rifle provides the utmost in mobility and accuracy.
What Set The Conviction Ti Apart From Other Precision Rifles:
Lightweight and rugged titanium receiver
Rigid, featherweight carbon-fiber wrapped barrel
Weight reducing laid carbon-fiber stock
If you haven’t heard about Proof Research, you haven’t been paying attention. The firearms world lousy with the cutting-edge manufacturer’s lightweight, high-strength barrels. Seem nearly every featherweight rig to hit the scene recently—whether destine for backcountry adventure or match gold—wears one. A little secret, you don’t have to turn to another gunmaker to reap the benefits of Proof’s carbon-fiber wrapped gems. They’ll sell you the complete package—lock, stock and, of course, barrel.
The latest in the Montana concern’s impressive and growing lineup is the Conviction Ti Long-Range Precision Tactical Rifle. A lightweight precision bolt-action, the rifle is long on carbon fiber, not unusual for a company that has made its name working in the material. What is is the composition of Conviction Ti’s receiver. If you paid attention to the gun’s name and are up on the Periodic Table you might have already guessed, it’s titanium.
Known for its low density and high strength, as well as corrosion resistance, the metal is an ideal material for a lightweight and rugged shooter. It goes a way in keeping the Conviction Ti frivolous in heft, despite sporting a sizable precision stock. Tipping the scales at 6.4 pounds to 8.1 pounds depending on caliber, the rifle weighs a fraction of most in its class. Even when decked out with optic, suppressor and bipod, the rifle comes in under 13 pounds, nearly half of other traditional tactical systems. An asset that makes it a superlative option where accuracy and mobility are at a premium, be it hunting or a tactical endeavor.
Mated to the sturdy receiver is a Proof Research match-grade carbon-fiber wrapped barrel (20 to 28 inches depending on caliber), which is then precision bedded via twin pillars to the company’s laid carbon-fiber stock. Fully adjustable for comb height and length of pull, and rigid as set concrete, with a near-vertical grip and wide fore-end, the stock is designed for repeatable accuracy, no matter who gets behind the trigger. Proof Research further enhances the Conviction Ti with a Trigger Tech Trigger, integral optics rail, oversized ball or tactical bolt handle and low-profile flush cups. At the outset, Proof Research is offering the Conviction Ti in a healthy cross-section of long-range favorites and up-and-comers, including 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm Rem. Mag., 28 Nosler, 308 Win., 300 WSM, 300 Win. Mag., 300 PRC and 300 RUM. Additionally, the stock is available in nine different colors, though six of them come at a premium. As do some other extras, such as custom barrel length.
Speaking of money, the Proof Research Conviction Ti rings up at what most would consider a pretty penny with a starting price of $8,499. A small price for mobility, ruggedness and accuracy.
Conviction Ti Specs: Weight: 6lbs-6oz – 8lbs-2oz Barrel Length: 20 to 28 inches (Custom lengths available) Twist: 1:7 to 1:10 depending on caliber Barrel Contour: Sendero Magazine Type: DBM Cerakote Action Colors: Flat Dark Earth, Olive Drab, Black, Tungsten, Sniper Gray Stock Color: One color standard. Two, three, and four-color options also available Bolt Knob: Modified ball or Tactical Muzzle: Finished/Unthreaded (Muzzle Brakes available for an additional charge) Length of Pull: Standard 13 5/8 inches (custom options available) MSRP: Starting at $8,499
For more information on the Conviction Ti, please visit proofresearch.com.
Bullet design improved by leaps and bounds in recent decades and continues to get better. See what are the hottest projectiles for 2020.
The projectile has been a part of mankind’s culture since the first rock was hurled though the air. While so many of us quibble over cartridge conformation, wood versus synthetic stocks and the barrel length of our EDC carry gun, the only part of the equation that touches a game animal, hits a target or neutralizes a threat is the bullet.
The pure lead bullet was the most popular choice (and still remains in use to this day) until the copper-jacketed bullet came into play in the late 1880s. Adding a jacket of copper drastically reduced fouling, allowed the bullet to handle velocities a lead bullet couldn’t and slowed the expansion rate.
With few exceptions, the cup-and-core bullet design remained the standard for the next 70 years or so, and the performance of this bullet style heavily influenced our cartridge choices, in both handgun and long gun, whether in expanding soft-point or full-metal-jacket configuration. John Nosler’s Partition was among the first—if not the first—radical change to the standard cup-and-core bullet design.
01. A 140-grain Berger Hybrid loaded in 6.5-284 Norma makes a great long-range target load.
In addition to the construction of our bullets, the conformation has also changed radically. Many factors have allowed us to take our rifles to unprecedented distances, and the bullets have most certainly evolved with the science of long-range shooting.
Likewise, handgun bullets have experienced a parallel evolution, with the lead projectiles of the late-19th and early-20th centuries sharing time with the engineered marvels we have today. Whether you’re a hunter, target shooter or handgunner, your choice of bullet design is paramount to getting the job done.
Meat Making Bullet Designs
Nosler’s Partition sparked a revolution. We have bonded-core bullets, monometal bullets, hunting bullets designed to fragment and hunting bullets with better ballistic coefficient values than yesteryear’s target bullets; some of them have a combination of these features.
Modern match bullets: the Hornady A-Tip Match, Sierra Tipped MatchKing and the Berger Hybrid.
For most of us pursuing whitetail deer, a good cup-and-core bullet such as a Sierra GameKing or Hornady InterLock will definitely get the job done … if it has enough sectional density. Heavier game will surely benefit from a bonded-core bullet—which fuses the copper jacket to the lead core—because the expansion is slowed and the penetration is deeper.
Monometal bullets, such as the fantastic Barnes TSX and TTSX, Hornady GMX, Federal Trophy Copper, Norma EcoStrike and Nosler E-Tip, have no lead core (a legal requirement in some areas), so bullet separation isn’t a concern. Remember that these bullets will be longer than their lead-core counterparts of the same weight and caliber. This changes the center of gravity and, in some instances, a standard twist rate won’t stabilize a monometal bullet of common weight.
Get On Target With Bullets:
Do Hornady A-Tip Bullets Change The Long-Range Game?
The polymer-tipped bullet design is extremely popular as well. Nosler’s Ballistic Tip, the Norma TipStrike, Hornady’s SST and ELD-X, and Sierra’s Tipped GameKing are all excellent examples of tipped cup-and-core bullets. These bullets often use a boat tail, are wonderfully accurate and deliver rapid expansion. All these bullets are seriously accurate and work well under windy conditions, as well as at longer ranges.
Federal’s Trophy Bonded Tip is a stout and accurate bullet design, making it a great choice for an all-around hunting bullet.
Cutting Edge Bullets uses a fragmenting design, in which the ogive of the bullet is designed to break into a set of blades that cause severe trauma for about 6 inches into the wound channel while the base of the all-copper bullet remains at caliber dimension for excellent penetration. Many of CEB’s Raptor series offer the options of using a polymer tip or for the bullet to remain a hollow-point. They, too, are seriously accurate bullets.
The bullets that mix some of these features have become incredibly popular. Federal’s Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and Trophy Bonded Tip use a lead core for the front half of the bullet—bonded to the thick jacket—with a solid-copper base. The Bear Claw is a stout bullet, even if it does have a lesser ballistic coefficient than the Trophy Bonded Tip.
I find the Trophy Bonded Tip to be a sleeper. I took this bullet to Namibia last spring in a .300 H&H Magnum and a .280 Ackley Improved and had perfect results. In fact, I didn’t recover a single bullet on the safari, even in animals as large as eland. The Trophy Bonded Tip evolved into the Edge TLR—a great bullet design for long-range hunting—and finally into this year’s new Terminal Ascent from Federal.
The Hornady ELD Match, loaded in 6.5-284 Norma, makes an excellent long-range choice.
With its Slipstream polymer tip, an AccuChannel groove on the bullet shank (to reduce drag and fouling) and a boat-tail design, Federal has a winner here. The Terminal Ascent will give good expansion at velocities as low as 1,350 fps. In some cartridges, this will translate to more than 1,000 yards.
Now, I don’t shoot at game that far away, but it’s nice to know there’s no question of expansion at the outer limits of my own range. This bullet might just be the quintessential blend of a high ballistic coefficient, weight retention (from its bonded core), accuracy and terminal performance.
Bullets such as the Swift Scirocco, with a thick copper jacket that’s chemically bonded to the full-length lead core, along with a polymer tip and boat tail, will surely earn the favor of magnum shooters: It will hold together on close shots and yet still expand at farther distances. The Norma BondStrike is similar, making it a good choice for those who hunt at longer ranges.
The Nosler E-Tip is a much-too-often-overlooked monometal hunting bullet.
Heavy-for-caliber bullets are highly popular for hunting at longer ranges, because they retain much of their energy and resist wind deflection well. Berger’s Extreme Outer Limits Elite Hunter line uses heavyweight bullets (sometimes requiring faster twist rates) for long shots. Berger’s 170-grain, .277-inch bullet in the new .27 Nosler should make for a wonderful combination for fans of that bore diameter, giving a breath of fresh air.
So, what do you actually need? I suggest mating the choice of bullet to the game at hand. A .308 Winchester with a 150-grain cup-and-core bullet design might be perfectly acceptable for deer, even at longer ranges. Nevertheless, when you’re headed out for moose or elk, I’d sure feel better with a 175-grain Federal Terminal Ascent or 180-grain Norma BondStrike.
For bear over bait, for which shots are surely inside of 100 yards, the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Nosler Partition or Swift A-Frame would be well-suited, because the lesser ballistic coefficient value isn’t nearly as important as the structural integrity of the bullet.
The Sweet Ring of Steel
Like hunting bullets, target bullets have experienced the same evolution. For example, the Sierra MatchKing has been the benchmark of the target community for decades—and rightly so. Some shooters feel we need look no further, yet even Sierra has seen the wisdom of modern advancements with its Tipped MatchKing bullets. Berger’s target line, including its VLD and Hybrid bullets, and featuring the excellent J4 bullet jacket, have been widely embraced.
Hornady’s A-Tip Match,—seriously consistent and truly accurate.
Hornady has long offered target bullets but, in recent years, it’s seriously raised the bar. Its ELD Match, with the Heat Shield tip that’s resistant to melting from friction, is certainly a wonderfully accurate target bullet. Even so, I found Hornady’s A-Tip Match design to be a step above. Using a machined aluminum tip (you can’t feel the seam between tip and jacket), this bullet is seriously consistent—and very impressive.
What do you actually need? The answer lies in an honest evaluation of how far you’ll be shooting. If you’re into the one-mile game, I’d give that Hornady A-Tip Match a long look. It’s not cheap, but it performed better than anything I’ve ever used. This is not to say there are flies on the Bergers or the Sierras: Experimenting with different bullet designs at long ranges and arriving at that magical combination is a big part of the game.
Bet Your Life on It
More folks are carrying and training with their handguns than ever before, and those guns need to be fed.
The traditional training bullets—FMJs and lead soft-points—are still valid, but each comes with its own issue. FMJs can splatter on up-close steel targets, running the risk of injury; and the lead projectiles will make a mess of your barrel. As an affordable and effective training option, I like Federal SynTech, a polymer-coated lead bullet that’s available in loaded factory ammunition and as a component.
Cutting Edge Bullet’s PHD (Personal Home Defense), shown here in .45 ACP. Note the skived ogive, which breaks off upon impact.
The defensive handgun bullet has come just as far as our rifle bullet. Sure, the jacketed hollow-point still works, but when you see that law enforcement adopts bullets such as Federal’s Hydra-Shok, there’s something to be said for the performance. I’m a big fan of the HST, with its consistent expansion and deep penetration.
Always pushing forward and armed with a team of brilliant engineers, Federal released the Hydra-Shok Deep, which features a redesigned centerpost in order to perform better in FBI protocol testing. The terminal performance of this bullet ranks among the best available.
Traditional designs, such as the Speer GoldDot and Hornady XTP, still work as well as they did decades ago, but even Speer has seen fit to update its design: It released the GoldDot 2, which uses a shallow hollow point filled with an elastomer for more-consistent expansion.
Monometal bullets have also made it into the handgun market. Barnes offers its XPB pistol bullet, and Cutting Edge loads its bullets in the Personal Home Defense line. Hunters can look at the Swift A-Frame line for revolvers, as well as Hornady’s FTX line.
So, with a whole bunch of great choices, both traditional and radical, what should you be carrying?
Quite obviously, the jacketed hollow-point has worked for generations and will continue to do so. But perhaps this will tell you how I feel: I carry Federal HST in my EDC gun.
A luxury revolver, the stunning Korth Mongoose Silver has the look and performance to match its price tag.
What Sets the Mongoose Silver Apart From Other .357 Magnums:
Defining DTC silver coating on all metal parts.
Available cylinder upgrade makes it compatible with 9mm Luger.
Extremely strong frame makes it among the strongest revolvers on the market.
Superb fit and finish thanks to Korth's one-at-at-time manufacturing standard.
Extremely limited run of the revolver adds to its exclusivity.
For the land of the 9mm Luger and some outright classic semi-auto pistols, Germany sure has a knack with revolvers. Case in point, Korth Waffen. Some chalk Korth revolvers as the best to ever come down the pike. Certainly, its handguns are priced that way.
The Teutonic titan of high-class wheelguns has upped the ante with its newest creation. A slicked-up version of its classic .357 Magnum Mongoose, the Korth Mongoose Silver adds BBQ good looks to high performance in what might be described as the total package. And, of course, along with the aesthetics comes a premium price tag of (a second to clutch your wallet) $5,199. Try to sneak that purchase under your significant other’s nose.
Korth Waffen is becoming a more common brand stateside, with the German manufacturer’s partnership with Blackhawk Custom. Since 2016, the American custom 1911 maker has offered a healthy selection of Korth revolvers on its site, including classics such as the Sky Hawk, Mongoose and Super Sport. All the revolvers are made in Germany, adhering to Korth’s stringent one-at-a-time manufacturing standards, but with input from Blackhawk. Across the board, it’s been limited to .357 Magnum options, though the German gunmaker does offer other calibers to its European customers.
As to the latest release, the Korth Mongoose Silver is a limited edition with a small production run planned. Much of this has to do with the manufacturing process, which entails extra steps over and above a run-of-the-mill Mongoose. In particular, the additional polishing is required on every surface that receives the gun's defining semi-gloss silver diamond-like coating (DTC). More than turning heads, the unique DTC also improves the longevity of the Mongoose Silver, reducing corrosion and general wear.
Beautifully designed, the revolver features a full-length round underlug, a full-length serrated top strap (reducing glare) and a set of high-grade Turkish Walnut grips complete with finger grooves. The Korth Mongoose Silver wears a fully adjustable target rear sight and gold bead front. And it is offered with a uniquely Korth feature (an additional purchase), an extra cylinder so it can shoot 9mm Luger. Clipless, the cylinder makes the revolver a triple threat—.357 Magnum, .38 Special and 9mm.
Both 4- and 6-inch barreled versions of the revolver are slated, though at present only the larger model is available on the Blackhawk website. For its size, the revolver is light, weighing in at 34 ounces. The model measures in at just over 6-inches tall and 11.5-inches in overall length.
Certainly, the Korth Mongoose Silver is a status revolver with a price tag to match. But, if you have the money to afford it, the .357 will most definitely turn heads.
For more information on the Korth Mongoose Silver, please visit nighthawkcustom.com.
The infamous 1986 Miami Shootout forever changed law enforcement training, equipment and tactics.
Editor's Note: On April 11, 1986, in Miami, Florida, eight FBI agents and two bank robbers engaged in a five-minute gunfight. One-hundred and fifty shots were fired during the incident. In the end, two FBI agents and the bank robbers were dead, and nine out of the 10 participants were shot. Infamously known a the 1986 Miami Shootout forever changed law enforcement training, equipment and tactics throughout the United States. The man who stopped the end the bloody incident—Special Agent Edmundo Mireles—chronicled the events in his masterfully written book FBI Miami Firefight: Five Minutes that Changed the Bureau. What follows is an excerpt from Chapter 16 of the book, titled: Five Minutes that Changed the Bureau.
Later in 1988, the FBI hosted the “Wound Ballistics Seminar/Workshop.” Very early in the Miami gun battle, (Agent) Jerry Dove fired a bullet that stopped about two inches short of (bank robber Michael) Platt's heart. After this supposed “non-survivable” hit, Platt continued to fight and went on to kill Jerry. All other things aside, the Miami Shootout was an ammunition failure. The FTU (Firearms Training Unit) gathered national experts on wound ballistics: military experts, homicide investigators, and medical examiners. It was hoped that these experts could come to a consensus as to how best to stop a “human target.”
It was important to understand that Jerry’s shot happened before any of the agents were seriously wounded. Jerry’s shot went through Platt’s right arm, severing his brachial artery, moving up and into the left side of his chest, traversing through his right lung, and stopping about two inches from his heart. It is speculated that this hit would stop 90 to 98 percent of most people. However, this did not stop Platt. He kept fighting. The shooting ended with Platt killing two agents and wounding five agents. Both subjects died. The 90 percent casualty rate led to the Wound Ballistics Workshop and an ammunition study.
Illustration of Jerry Dove's bullet path into Michael Platt in the early minutes of the Miami Shootout. The bullet stopped 2-inches shy of Platt's heart, yet, by most standards and most circumstances would have been considered lethal.
The group consensus was that, with the exception of a sniper using a rifle to make a “one shot, one kill” head shot or a spinal cord hit, it was difficult to stop a Human Target. The group consensus on handgun ammo was that “size” did matter. A larger handgun bullet caused larger wounds, which in turn generally led to rapid, faster bleeding. Rapid bleeding led to quicker incapacitation, either by passing out or death. This study dramatically altered the way law enforcement thought about handgun ammunition. However, this consensus caused its own problems. Large caliber handgun rounds were .357 magnum. .45, .44 magnum. Obviously these calibers required large frame weapons. Holding a large frame weapon requires large hands. Many small people don’t have large hands. Therein is the problem!
This led to another project that the FBI started to work on, which was the “ballistics” testing project. I had nothing to do with that project except observe. However, observing gives me partial credit for the research. Kind of like getting a trophy for being on a sports team even if you rode the bench. What the FTU did was prepare tests of 9mm, 10mm, .38, .357, .380, and .45 caliber bullets under reproducible conditions to see how they performed. Everything was documented for future reference so the tests could be reproduced by anyone with the equipment to validate the original findings. Ballistic gelatin, a testing medium scientifically correlated to simulate muscle tissue, was used in the testing. It provides a consistent and reliable testing material for ballistics testing.
The test events conducted were as follows:
Test 1: Bare gelatin at 10 feet, control test. Test 2: Light clothing at 20 yards. (T-shirt, flannel shirt) Test 3: Heavy clothing at 10 feet. (T-shirt, flannel shirt, 10 oz. down, cotton denim) Test 4: Automotive sheet metal at 10 feet. (Two pieces of 20-gauge hot-rolled steel spaced 3” apart). This simulates the thinnest portion of an automobile door. Test 5: Wallboard (drywall) at 10 feet. (Two pieces of standard 1/2” gypsum wallboard spaced 3-1/2” apart.) This simulates standard wall construction. Test 6: Plywood at 10 feet. (One piece of 3/4” AA fir plywood.) Test 7: Automobile glass at 10 feet. (Standard windshield glass mounted at a 45° angle.) Shooting was done from a 15° angle to simulate the position of an officer at the left front (driver’s side) of an automobile. Test 8: Automobile glass at 20 yards. Same as Test No. 7, except the shot was fired from directly in front of the car.
While gelatin testing is commonplace, this was the first time that anyone had developed an objective methodology for the evaluation of law enforcement ammunition based upon real world shooting situations. The tests using windshield glass and sheet metal were the most challenging. These tests eliminated the 9mm and .38 Special. If a law enforcement agency has a remote possibility of shooting around cars, it would be wiser to consider the heavier calibers.
Vehicle position at the start of the of the April 11, 1986 Miami Shootout.
The tests showed that kinetic (muzzle) energy isn’t a reliable predictor of bullet performance. Another issue was “hollow point” bullets. The study also proved something many law enforcement agencies have known: The expansion of hollow point bullets is unreliable. In the tests where hollow point bullets had to penetrate barriers like dry wall and plywood, expansion was rare. Shots through both wallboard and plywood showed that the hollow point was routinely plugged by material and the projectile performed as if it were a round nose (ball) bullet. Shooting through car doors and front windshield glass was telling. Most shots through windshield glass and car doors stripped out about 50 percent of the bullet weight as it passed through the barrier. If you fired a bullet weighing 150 grains, what came out the other end was a bullet weighing 75 grains or less. It has been a long time since I retired, so maybe bullet manufactures have improved their rounds to surpass the original test results.
Keeping in mind that the Wound Ballistics Workshop concluded that size does matter, and the ballistics testing demonstrated that shooting through barriers affects bullet performance, the FTU selected the .40 caliber round as the optimum service round to be carried by FBI agents. The FTU also had to take into consideration employees with small hands, so there had to be a balance between caliber and the size of the pistol frame. In the real world “one size does not fit all,” but the FBI tried to accommodate the largest percentage of the agent population without having to buy and fit each agent with a personal pistol. That cost would have been prohibitive. The Smith & Wesson gun company eventually produced a .40 caliber bullet for law enforcement and civilian use. Over the years, the Bureau went through several different gun manufacturers assessing which gun platform best served the FBI’s needs. However, the .40 round is still in use today.
To repeat, bullet size does matter when trying to stop a large land mammal like a human being. That is why the FBI’s ballistic testing was so cutting edge and important for law enforcement across the country. In that regard, rifles are better than handguns because rifles fire larger caliber rounds at higher velocity. As my old USMC drill sergeant use to say, “Getting hit by a rifle bullet will fuck up your health record!” Case in point was me: The rifle bullet that hit my left arm “fucked up my health record” and temporarily took me out of the fight.
Post-incident photographs of an FBI vehicle.
Another lesson tied to the wound ballistics and caliber debate was the “bullet capacity” of law enforcement handguns. A revolver normally carries six bullets. Semi-automatic pistols at that time could carry anywhere from eight to fifteen bullets. A person with a revolver has to reload after shooting six times. A person with a fifteen-shot pistol can keep shooting while the revolver has to be reloaded. (Agents) Gordon (McNeill) and Jake (Hanlon) both stated that they felt the most vulnerable when they ran out of ammo and had to reload. They had to take their eyes off the threat and look at their weapon to reload. A person with fifteen-round magazines can keep fighting. Replacing a magazine is easier and faster than reloading a revolver. This led the FBI transition from revolvers to high capacity pistols.
The FBI Training Division at Quantico reviewed the Firearms Training Unit (FTU) curriculum, and the FTU started to add more “combat” shooting courses: Moving and shooting, shooting one-handed, reloading one-handed, shooting with your weak hand, shooting at moving targets, shooting from cars, and shooting at smaller targets. It added a more realistic style of training as opposed to shooting in straight lines at stationary targets. There was also an increase in car stop training.
The FBI also procured more shotguns and semi-auto 9mm MP-5 submachine guns with thirty-round magazines. The numbers meant that every two agents would have a shotgun or MP-5 with them in case they needed more firepower. The FBI also authorized agents to purchase their own assault rifles for use on duty. The stipulations were that the assault rifles had to be consistent with the FBI’s current issued weapons, which was the Colt M-16 platform. Regular FBI agents (non-SWAT trained) could only purchase semi-automatic assault rifles, had to register their weapon with the FBI, and had to qualify with their weapons a minimum of once a year.
The FBI also researched, designed, and procured “gun racks” for all these new long weapons. If you look at a standard marked police car, you may see a shotgun rack in between the front seats of the car. It is placed there for faster accessibility. FBI cars are not marked, so you can’t have a shotgun racked in the front seat area without drawing attention to the car. Plus this would mark the car as a target for a break-in to take the weapon. The FBI designed a gun rack that was secure and out of sight yet still accessible to the agents in the front seat.
For more than a decade, this is a topic that has been guaranteed to not only sell gun magazines, but to generate a flurry of angry letters to the editors. Gun expert Dave Arnold was the first to make a key point about it. “A lot of this argument,” Dave said, “is simply a matter of terminology.”
As one who has been in or around the center of that debate since 1990, I’ll certainly buy that! Let’s see if we can’t quantify our terms at the very beginning so we’re all working off the same sheet of music.
Two concepts need to be understood first: index and coordinates. Index is what lines up the gun with that which is to be shot. Coordinates are the things we have to accomplish to achieve index.
There are perhaps three possible indices by which we can line up our gun with the target or the threat:
Body Position Index: This would be the situation where you can’t see where the gun is aimed, so you’re using a certain body position to align the gun with the target. In the obsolete FBI crouch, the coordinates are backside low, upper body forward, gun punched forward to keep it from going too low. In the speed rock, discussed elsewhere in this book, the coordinates include leaning the upper torso all the way back to bring the forearm lateral as the gun is fired immediately upon levering upward away from the holster. In pure hip-shooting, you are relying on either long-term muscle memory developed through exhaustive practice, or by a degree of talent few of us could ever hope to possess. I would define any type of body position index as “point shooting.”
Visual Index: This is where you are indexing by seeing the gun or the gunsights superimposed on the target. If you can see the gun is on target, I consider this aimed fire. Whether you are superimposing the silhouette of the whole gun over the target, or looking over the top of it, or taking a classic sight picture, the only question remaining is whether it’s coarsely aimed fire or precisely aimed fire.
Artificial Index: This would be something like a laser sight. Let’s say you have a ballistic raid shield in one hand, and a gun in the other. It will be awkward and difficult to bend the arm into a position where you can aim through the Lexan view port using the regular sights. If you reach your gun around the side of the shield and see your red dot on target, the artificial mechanism of the projected laser dot has indexed the weapon for you, rather than you visually aligning the gun or aligning it by body position index.
Since the laser sight is by no means universal, this argument of point shooting versus aimed fire really comes down to an issue of body position index versus visual index.
The use of a laser site is not consider point shooting, given once you see the dot on target the device has indexed your weapon.
The middle-road position is, “practice both.” That saves controversy, but if you’re teaching cops or others with limited time who can’t waste even minutes on useless stuff because you don’t have as much time as you need to give them key life-saving skills, you can’t afford to have controversy any more. A great many police departments have either gotten away from point shooting entirely, or they have given it very short shrift. The reason is that their cops get into a lot of shootings, and they can quickly find out what works and what doesn’t. Departments that have learned to re-emphasize sighted combat fire include LAPD and NYPD, to name but a few. Both saw a significant jump in hit percentages in actual gunfights after renewing their emphasis on visually indexing the duty sidearms.
A book could be written on this topic — some have been, and more will be — but let’s cut to the chase. The bottom line is this; a lifetime of studying real-world gunfight dynamics has taught this author that true point shooting simply doesn’t work, except for a handful of extremely skilled and highly practiced shooters.
Dennis Martin, the martial arts and small arms expert who for some time was Great Britain’s coordinator for the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, has little use for point shooting. He told me, “When the SAS had as their primary mission the eradication of enemy soldiers in combat, they taught point shooting with a high volume of gunfire. But as soon as their mission was changed to include hostage rescue, they switched from point shooting to Col. Cooper’s concept of the ‘flash sight picture.’ Now they had to shoot through narrow channels between innocent people, and it would have been irresponsible to do that without aiming their weapons.”
This is as clear an explanation of the problems with point shooting as I’ve ever seen. As an expert witness for the courts in weapons and shooting cases for more than 20 years, I realized early on that again and again, point shooting was culpable when the wrong people were hit by the good guy’s fire.
At one time, point shooting was an instructed technique in law enforcement.
One case, a man “pointed” his .38 for a warning shot and hit, crippling for life, a man he said he was trying to miss. More common are people hitting those other than the ones they’re trying to hit. I was retained on behalf of one police officer who “point-shot” at the tire of a car that was going toward a brother officer and instead hit in the head and killed a person inside the vehicle. I was retained on behalf of another who, at little more than arm’s length from a murderer trying to shoot him, resorted to the point shooting he had been taught and missed with all but one shot. The one hit, almost miraculously, nailed the bad guy in the arm and cut the radial nerve, preventing his attacker from pulling the trigger. But one of his misses struck, and horribly crippled for life, an innocent bystander — one of the potential victims the officer was trying to protect.
You don’t need too many cases like that to understand why true point shooting, firing without being able to see where the gun is oriented, can quickly pass the point of diminishing returns. Law school students are taught that the exemplar of recklessness is a “blind man with a gun.” A person who is firing a gun when they can’t see whether or not it’s on target is, in effect, a blind man with a gun. It could be eloquently argued in court that, ipso facto, firing without being able to see where the gun is aimed creates recklessness. In turn, recklessness is the key ingredient in the crime of Manslaughter and in a civil court lawsuit based on Wrongful Death or Wrongful Injury. Enough said?
Dual purpose and on target, the Viridian HS1 keeps you in control and on the mark.
What the HS1 Brings To Your AR:
M-Lok Mounts
Pressure Pad Activation
Daytime-visible Green Laser
Ergonomic Design for Pistols and Rifles
Single 1/3n battery
Adjustable for Windage and Elevation
Simple concepts oftentimes prove the most useful. That perfectly pegs Viridian's new addition to its catalog.
Pulling double duty, the HS1 is the first and only hand stop laser sighting device on the market. Hard to believe it’s taken this long for someone to cook up this concept, given the AR-15 is more than a half-century old. Yet it should prove mighty versatile as a quick acquisition, low-light option.
“The HS1 combines the functionality of an AR hand stop with the rapid target acquisition provided by a Viridian green laser,” said Brian Hedeen, President and CEO at Viridian. “The combination makes for a much more ergonomic rifle and cuts down on the attachments that add bulk to a gun’s foregrip.”
Where the Viridian HS1 might prove most fruitful is attached to AR pistols and short-barreled rifles (for those who have the pocket change to afford the latter). Generally speaking, both benefit from a hand stop, if for no other reason than keeping digits from creeping dangerously close to the muzzle. Add in a laser sight and you’ve got a tidy and fast close-quarters aiming system. Though, don’t discount its usefulness on a carbine either.
As to the particulars of the Viridian HS1, it uses a highly visible green laser, which extends its use to some daylight applications. M-Lok mounts make it compatible with a wide spectrum handguards. And it has a simple operating system, powering on via a pressure pad on the stop. As expected, the laser sight is fully adjustable for bullet drop and windage and is a relatively light power user, running off a single 1/3n battery.
Of course, given the extended functionality of the Viridian HS1, it does cost more than the average hand stop with an MSRP of $179. But those in search of a fast and accurate close-in aiming solution for their AR that should prove a value.
Looking to extend your big-bore behemoth's usefulness in the field? Accurate 5744 Powder is your answer for taming these beasts.
What Accurate 5744 Offers:
A fast-burning, double-based, extruded powder.
Works in a wide spectrum of cartridges from .17 caliber all the way up to big-bore rifles.
Excellent choice for reduced-velocity big-bore loads.
To a shooter who’s unfamiliar with the recoil of a cartridge suitable for African dangerous-game animals, it can be nothing short of hellacious.
The versatility of the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, .416 Rigby, .404 Jeffery and .458 Winchester Magnum has been long proven, but to many shooters, the full-house loads represent the fast track to a flinch. Yes, inevitably, the shooter will need to become proficient with the bullet weights and velocities for which these types of cartridges were designed.
Nevertheless, there are many instances for which a hunter would want to use their big-bore rifle on lighter game here in the lower 48 states. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking the .375 for whitetails, but you certainly don’t need 4,000 ft.-lbs. of energy to kill a deer.
Want to take the .404 Jeffery for feral hogs? Do you like to practice with the .470 NE without the punishment to your shoulder? Well, there’s a means of generating low-velocity ammunition without the dangers associated with the weird pressure spikes from under-pressure cartridges: Accurate 5744 powder.
Powder Locker Must-Have
This unique and highly useful powder serves many purposes (although it’s leaned on rather heavily for the reduced big-bore loads) and actually relieves a few headaches along the way. I think Accurate 5744 is a powder every reloader should have in their powder locker; it works in so many different cartridges, and you might find yourself reaching for it more often than you’d think.
Accurate 5744 is a perfect choice for larger, straight-walled pistol cartridges such as the .45 Colt.
In short, 5744 is a fast-burning, double-based, extruded powder that, when used in its normal capacity, is a perfect fuel for large-capacity handgun cases—from the .41 Remington Magnum to the .44 Remington Magnum, .45 Colt and .454 Casull, right up through the behemoth .500 Smith & Wesson. In the rifle cases, 5744 is well-suited to the .17 and .22 Hornet, .222 and .223 Remington, as well as the 7mm-08 Remington, .308 Winchester and the WSM family.
It will serve as a reduced-load powder choice in the aforementioned big-bore cartridges and is an optimum choice in those larger black-powder cartridges, such as the .45-70 Government and the .45-110 and .45-120. It also serves many of the lever-gun cartridges, such as the .30-30 Winchester, .35 Remington, .348 Winchester and .358 Winchester. This powder is one of the most useful, if not the most useful, powders to have in your arsenal.
The size of the extruded grains of Accurate 5744 are significantly larger than those of most other extruded powders, and that additional bulk takes up enough room in the big cases so that no filler is required. In spite of very low load densities, there’s no erratic ignition, and velocities stay rather consistent. And, when you tailor the load to your comfort level, even a beast such as the .416 Rigby can be tamed.
However, because it’s a powder that gives a standard performance level, I’ve had very good results in the .30-30 Winchester case in rifles old and new. My Winchester 94AE XTR, with its 20-inch barrel, likes a 150-grain Nosler Combined Technology round-nose bullet of more than 23.7 grains of 5744 for 2,175 fps. That rifle was never the most accurate, although through handloading, I’ve seen the best results it has had to offer; and the 5744 load ranks among the best of my “pet” loads.
All-Around Great Choice
For this deer season, my father lent me the rifle he shot his first deer with—a sweet, octagonal-barreled Model 1893 Marlin in .30-30 Winchester that was manufactured in 1902. I took it easy on the old girl in regard to pressure and velocity, and it showed a preference for 5744 as well, although the rifle liked the 170-grain slugs, especially the round-nose Nosler Partition. At 2,110 fps, this classic setup will take whitetail, black bear and more.
Accurate 5744 is a bulky powder, as is easily discernible when comparing its grain structure to other extruded powders such as Hodgdon’s Varget.
It also shines in the Winchester Short Magnums, and while the .300 WSM is probably the one of the bunch that will remain with us (just my prediction), Accurate 5744 is also well-suited to the .270 WSM and 7mm WSM. I’ve often found the WSM series to be among the finicky cartridges, but I’ve added Accurate 5744 to the short list of powders (Reloder 17 heads that list) I reach for when loading the WSMs. It works equally well for full-house loads and reduced loads in the .300 WSM, so a reloader can work from .308 Winchester velocities right up though the magnum velocities.
Accurate 5744 is also a great choice for straight-walled cartridges such as the .444 Marlin, .458 Winchester Magnum, .450 BushMaster and the .45-70 Government, especially with lead bullets. It seems to be ideal in those cases, although when the capacity increases to the size of the .458 Lott, you’ll need another choice.
In the larger handgun cases, 5744 works as a standard-performance in some and a reduced-load powder in others. In the .45 Colt—one of my particular favorites—25.0 grains of 5744 will drive the 255-grain lead bullet (made so famous in the classic load for the Colt Single Action Army revolvers) in my Ruger Blackhawk to a muzzle velocity of 1,300 fps. This is a higher-pressure load, reserved for strong actions such as the Blackhawk; however, 18.0 grains will give pressures suitable for all .45 Colt guns at a muzzle velocity of right around 950 fps. In the .454 Casull, it’s a reduced-load powder; yet, in the .44 Remington Magnum, it gives full-power velocities.
Big-Bore Power Without The Recoil
However, it’s in the reduced-velocity big-bore loads where 5744 really shines. I have used it in the .404 Jeffery, .416 Rigby and .375 H&H with great effect. With just 46.0 grains of 5744 and a 400-grain Hornady round-nose, I got 1,725 fps and a reduction in felt recoil of 25 to 30 percent. It’s still plenty of gun for lighter game—think .45-70 with a better sectional density—but it’s much easier on the shoulder and a great way to train with your buffalo/elephant rifle.
As if the .375 H&H Magnum weren’t one of the most versatile cartridges ever made, the use of 5744 makes it even more so. No time at the range can adequately reproduce a real-life hunting scenario, and using 40 grains of Accurate 5744 and a 220- or 235-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,250 fps brings the big gun down into the realm of the obscure .375 Winchester cartridge. Light bullet, low recoil, yet perfect for deer and hogs—what more could you want? Spending time with your chosen rifle is priceless, and when the time comes to take it on safari or north to Alaska, you’ll be happy it feels so familiar.
Even the .30-06 Springfield and other popular medium calibers can benefit from Accurate 5744, because the velocity can be brought down into the .30-30 Winchester range for a younger shooter or even a new shooter. Want a kid to grow into a big-game rifle without needing to buy several different calibers? Think about the combination of the Savage AccuFit stock (or any other system via which the length of pull can be changed to accommodate a growing hunter) and ammunition ranging from .30-30 power levels right up to full-throttle ’06 stuff. That rifle will stay with him or her for life.
On the Burn Rate Chart, 5744 definitely comes in on the faster end of the spectrum (a bit slower than Hodgdon’s H110 and a bit faster than IMR4198), but because of the way it performs in so many different scenarios, 5744 warrants a place on your reloading bench—even if it’s for no other reason than to offer the reduced loads to new shooters. Pick up a pound and see how nice it is to practice with a big-bore … without the recoil.
When I was growing up in Texas in the 1950s, one of my uncles had a Winchester Model 97 with a 32-inch, full-choke barrel. I remember asking him why he had the 32-inch barrel.
“Turkeys,” he said. “Gotta reach out for them turkeys.”
The Model 97 took its fair share of game in its 60 years of production, but that’s not why it’s remembered.
U.S. doughboys thinning the German ranks in World War I with the “Trench Gun” or “Trench Broom” is what etched this John Browning design into history. The Model 97 was apparently so effective at its job during the Great War that the Germans filed a diplomatic protest over the weapon, claiming the shotgun was illegal (per the Hague Convention, due to it causing unnecessary suffering. Really? Crocodile tears for the purveyors of poison gas and inventors of the modern flamethrower).
Winchester Model 1897 Standard
The 97 was essentially the evolution of another Browning shotgun design, the Model 1893, strengthened to handle new-for-the-time smokeless powders.
The Configurations
The Model 1897 replaced the Model 1893. Similar to the 1893, the new model had several improvements, such as a stronger frame and a chamber made longer to handle 2.75-inch shells. In addition, the frame top was covered to force complete side ejection, and the stock was made longer and with less drop. It was available in 12- or 16-gauge. The 12-gauge could be had in solid or takedown styles; the 16-gauge in takedown only. Winchester offered the new Model 1897 in barrel lengths of 20, 26, 28, 30 and 32 inches in practically all the choke options, from full to cylinder.
The Model 1897 was a great seller for Winchester: During its 60-year production span, 1,025,000 guns were sold.
The Model 1897 adapter allowed the attachment of the M1917 bayonet.
The Model 1897 could be ordered in several different configurations:
Standard Gun 12- or 16-gauge: 30-inch barrel (12-gauge) and 28-inch barrel (16-gauge); plain walnut modified pistol-grip stock, grooved slide handle, steel buttplate (standard).
Trap Gun 12- or 16-gauge: 30-inch barrel (12-gauge) and 28-inch barrel (16-gauge); fancy walnut stock, oil finish, checkered pistol-/straight-grip stock, checkered slide handle. Marked “TRAP” on the bottom of the frame.
Pigeon Gun 12- or 16-gauge with a 28-inch barrel on both gauges; straight-/pistol-grip stock, hand-engraved receiver.
Tournament Gun 12-gauge only: 30-inch barrel; select walnut checkered, straight-grip stock, checkered slide handle, top of receiver matted to reduce glare.
Brush Gun 12- or 16-gauge: 26-inch barrel; cylinder choke has a slightly shorter magazine tube than the standard gun, plain walnut modified pistol grip stock, grooved slide handle.
Brush Gun, Takedown Same as the Brush Gun but with a takedown feature, standard-length magazine tube.
Constructed from carbon fiber, TruGlo's TAC•POD Carbon Pro Bipod cuts down on your rifle systems weight, while maximizing its ruggedness.
How TruGlo's TAC•POD Carbon Pro Enhances Your Rifle:
Lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum construction
Padded rubberized feet for positive surface grip
Pivoting base for precision leveling on uneven surfaces
Long and short models optimized to particular shooting styles
Decking a rifle out for anything except range work, ounces equal pounds should be at the top of the mind. Tack a few things on, next thing you know that lightweight backcountry rifle is a plum drag to tote over hither and yon. Gear makers in recent years have become more conscious of this fact, designing their equipment not only for functionality but also for convenience.
Count TruGlo among them. Best known for its high-visibility aiming solutions, the Texas company recently expanded into featherweight shooting supports with the introduction of TAC•POD Carbon Pro Biopod. As its name suggests, has a healthy serving of carbon fiber in its construction. The legs of bipod are constructed from extremely lightweight and rugged material, while the base and hinges are made of weight-saving aluminum.
In addition to cutting down on the weight of a rifle system, the TAC•POD Carbon Pro also offers the functionality shooters look for in a bipod. Some of these include Picatinny-rail compatibility for easy mounting, padded rubberized feet for a positive surface grip and pivoting base Constructed from carbon fiber and aluminum, the TAC•POD Carbon Pro offers maximum strength with minimum weight. The mount quickly attaches to Picatinny-style rails and has a rotating design for easy shooting angle adjustment without repositioning the legs. Padded rubberized feet provide positive grip retention and the pivoting base offers precision leveling on uneven surfaces. To that last point, it’s a ball-joint design that, when unlocked, allows the bipod to pan, tilt and roll to adapt to any shooting position or surface pitch.
TAC•POD Carbon Pro has equally easy to adjust legs, thanks to twist-lock controls, which allows independent control of each leg. Equally as nice, push-button leg locks for smooth deployment of the system.
Available in two models, short( 6-9 inches) and long (9-13 inches), A push-button leg lock provides smooth deployment—locking the legs in the up or down position. A twist-lock length adjustment allows each leg to independently extend.
As anyone who’s shopped for bipods knows, they generally don’t come in cheap and TruGlo isn’t giving the TAC•POD Carbon Pro away. But with an $82.99 MSRP on the short model and $94.99 on the long model, and given the construction, the bipod proves a relatively good value.
For more information on TAC•POD Carbon Pro, please visit truglo.com.
Priced right and solidly made, the Churchill 220 Field has the right stuff to make hunting season a blast.
What Does The Churchill 220 Field Offer Hunters:
Very manageable 20-gauge chambering
Reliable gas-operation that also mitigates recoil.
Lightweight polymer stock and aluminum receiver.
Balanced handling for a smooth swing and consistent follow through.
Days growing shorter and autumn’s cool winds just around the corner, it’s getting time to think about knocking birds off the wing. Coincidentally, this also means shotguns should rise to the top of the mind.
If either of those itches have struck you, you’re in luck given the European American Armory Corporation unveiled its newest import recently–the Churchill 220 Field. While the polymer-stocked semi-automatic certainly isn’t a British best gun, it is solidly enough built and has the features to ensure a thrilling hunting season this fall. Chief among these, the 20-gauge’s overall affordable price. Manufactured by the Turkish firm Akkar, the gun comes in at a very affordable $414 MSRP, making it accessible to nearly any shooter’s budget.
Youth model's spacer system.
So, what sort of gun do you get for the money? A pretty solid one with the Churchill 220 Field boasting a number of assets that should make it a pleasure to take on the hunt. First off, it’s a featherweight with the 28-inch barrel model—the largest in the line—tipping the scales at 6.3 pounds. The 26-inch barrel model comes in a hair under that and 24-inch Youth version at 5.85 pounds. Many might worry given the lightweight the guns are thumber, but given its gas operation should prove relatively mild—especially in 20 gauge.
Other notables of the Churchill 220 Field include vent rib, slim aircraft-grade aluminum receiver, front bead and excellent balance. The final point makes the semi-automatic extremely smooth on the swing and easy to follow through on shots. All the elements required to birds in the bag. Finally, the Youth model is set to grow with the shooter, featuring a spacer system to modify the length of pull. For the price, the Churchill offers plenty.
Grazing off hi-cap Para magazines, the 9mm Rock Island TAC series keeps plenty on tap for anything that goes bump in the night.
Why The Rock Island TAC Series Is An Ideal Home-Defense Pistol:
Utilizing Para Ordinance magazines, the pistol can potentially 22-rounds of 9mm on tap.
A weighty 3-pounds, the all-steel 1911 is extremely mild to shoot, even with +P loads.
Its lightweight trigger is easy to manage and accurate to boot.
G10 grips keep your hands tightly in control.
Boasting a magazine funnel, the pistol is lightning fast to reload.
An accessories rail lets you tack on a light for nighttime work.
One of the “evergreen” tactical problems that some obsess over is how and when to do a proper reload. Entire book chapters have been devoted to this subject, as well as countless magazine articles.
After all, it would be most embarrassing to be standing at the pearly gates, trying to explain to Saint Peter, “Well, I would have done all right if I’d just had another round or two to use.” The mockery you’d receive from those behind you in line who “knew” they would have done better might be unbearable. (Do they issue halos with an asterisk in heaven?)
Here’s a solution: Have enough ammo in your pistol so that you don’t need to reload. Instead of six, seven or 10 rounds, how about 17 rounds—or even more—and in a pistol that holds a light, has enough heft so that recoil isn’t a problem and that will work and work and work? In other words, how about a steel, high-capacity 9mm 1911 … as in the Rock Island TAC series?
The Rock Island TAC Series
So, take a competition-bred hi-cap 9mm, make it tactical-adapted and have it on your nightstand ready to go. Does that sound like a deal? (Cost? We’ll get to that.)
You can start with the flush magazine for 17+1 rounds. Additionally, you can use, or add, an extended baseplate to gain a couple more rounds. This is a good start.
The Rock Island TAC series on the hi-cap frames are built around the design of the Para Ordnance magazines and frame size (“built around?”—we’ll get into that). The Para is no more, but the established market of pistols means that magazines are readily available (assuming you live in a state that allows them), and they’ve been competition tested (that’s another thing we’ll discuss).
It was fashionable awhile ago to pooh-pooh competition guns as “range queens,” “maintenance hogs” or fussy, match-only guns that choked at the first sign of trouble. Well, that might have been the case when Ronald Reagan was in office, but it hasn’t been the case for decades. The guns you see on ranges these days are the most tested, proven and reliable guns to be had, because there’s a lot of loot, glory and status to be gained with reliability (not to mention personal safety), and those lessons have come down to production guns.
So, the Rock Island pistols are reliable and accurate.
The Rock Island TAC series use the hi-cap Para magazines, holding 17 rounds of 9mm per. If you want more (and who doesn’t?), you simply ring up or click on Taylor Freelance, and Robin and the crew will send you some magazine extensions. These will add four rounds to the count (a few magazines might add only three. That’s one of those quirks of the business beyond the control of anyone involved). That means you’ll be starting the “Bump-in-the-Night Olympics” with 22 rounds in the gun. When you do order extensions, be sure and specify in this case that you have a Rock Island pistol.
When it comes to 9mm ammunition, there are a lot of choices for practice and defense. Find what works for your situation and what your pistol likes.
And a reload gets you 21 more, should you be that deep in trouble.
A full-sized 9mm TAC (you can have a commander-sized one if you want) will tip the scales at 3 pounds. That’s 48 ounces. And, if you find the recoil of 9mm ammo from a 48-ounce pistol is too much, you need to re-think your options. Because it’s all steel, the TAC is going to shrug off 9mm+P loads, and the recoil will still be mild.
So Many Subtleties
The frame has a dust cover with a full-length accessory rail, so there’s almost no option you can’t mount there. Any light that’s made-to-fit-a-Picatinny” rail will fit.
There’s a lightweight trigger and, because this is a 1911, the trigger pull will be a lot easier to handle than on a basic plastic striker-fired 9mm. On the back end is an ambidextrous thumb safety, along with a generous grip safety and beavertail tang, so you’ll have a solid grip, recoil control and ease of shooting.
Below all that is a set of aggressively textured G10 grips that are designed to keep your hands tightly in control of the pistol and recoil.
At the bottom of the frame there’s an accessory that comes to you courtesy of the competition lessons learned: a magazine funnel. Yes, a tapered-top, hi-cap magazine is easy to reload, but a funnel makes it even easier. And, if your hands are the right size, the lip of the funnel acts to lock your grip in place even tighter. If you want a bigger funnel, you can have one, but the competition-sized funnels can get to humongous proportions. And, here’s a plus: The bigger funnel acts even more to give your hand a bottom ledge to lock into and keep your grip secure.
The slide has cocking serrations front and rear, which some shooters object to. They’ll often call the front serrations “holster shredders.” However, this pistol is meant for home defense, so it won’t be seeing a lot of holster use. And even if it does, the price of a shredded holster (which takes a lot of work to achieve) is a small price to pay for all these features.
The ejection port is lowered and sculpted at the rear, and there’s no way 9mm brass is going to fail to exit the scene after it’s been used to fire a round. The sights are also competition tested and proven. The fiber-optic front presents you with a red-dot in the blade—a dot that’s illuminated by ambient light. The rear sight is a low-profile, but adjustable, sight dovetailed into the slide, and it has paired white dots, one on each side of the notch. This is about as fast a setup as you’ll get (short of installing a red-dot optic).
The two white dots on the rear sight work well with the red fiber-optic front blade.
Inside, the barrel has an integral feed ramp, so the cases are fully supported, offering even more support to +P ammunition. The 5-inch barrel is going to wring out just about all the velocity any 9mm load can produce … and, these days, some of them can really generate some energy. Keep in mind, however, that hi-cap 1911s are not all sunshine and roses—they can be a handful.
The mainspring housing is flat and checkered—flat to let you get a grip and checkered to make that grip non-slip. The front strap is smooth, except for a small set of grooves, top to bottom, along the centerline. Rock Island frames are made of ordnance steel—4140 alloy—that’s given a durable, parkerized finish.
Fully checkering the frame would be expensive, so if you really feel you need a surface that’s even more non-slip than the grooves provide, do what the competition shooters do: Put a strip or swathe of skateboard tape on the front strap (for the tightest bond, degrease the front strap first).
Lights and Ammo Choices
What about a light?
There’s no lack of tactical lights for pistols; and here, you’ll have to make a decision based on your situation: What’s the farthest distance you’ll need to light up? How wide an area? What’s the background? The first time I took a super-lumen tactical light to search inside a house that was for sale, the reflection off the newly painted Navaho white walls almost blinded me. So, consider where you’ll be using the light, your needs and what options you have. In this instance for sure, there’s no such thing as “one size fits all.”
Similarly, you’ll want to tailor your bullet penetration to the task at hand. No one else to worry about? Use FBI-compliant ammo for penetration. Family members in adjacent rooms? You might want to consider loads that are less penetrating. As always, pick tools for the task … such as the Rock Island hi-cap 9mm.
An accessory rail is a great place to put a light, because when you pick up the pistol, you also have a light at your disposal. No two-handed juggling will be involved.
Testing the Rock Island TAC 9mm wasn’t any kind of an ordeal: It was a pleasant day at the range for me to generate chrono data, accuracy results and do a bunch of falling-plate drills.
Keeping In Mind … The Last Detail Is Price
Competition guns can be expensive. However, the TAC 9mm is a defensive gun with competition tuning. Its MSRP is just over $900.
Sure, you can get a plastic, striker-fired pistol for less than that, but you lose the nice trigger and the extra recoil-killing weight. Magazines are still readily available (I don’ foresee a time when you won’t be able to source a Para or Para-derived magazine), and they generally cost between $30 and $40 per. For instance, a Taylor Freelance magazine basepad that adds rounds will run you $35.
The Rock Island Armory TAC uses what the industry calls the “short-frame” magazine dimension. Consequently, you’ll want RIA-specific magazine extensions; and, if you order from a company other than Rock Island (but why would you?), make sure to buy magazines that are full length.
I have a drawer full of Para and Para-derived magazines, so when it came time to set up the Rock Island TAC, it was easy to simply haul the drawer to the range, check what fit and then range-test them in order to build a set comprising the TAC 9mm pistol, a main magazine and one or two spares. You probably don’t have a drawer like that, so buy Rock Island Armory mags—or be absolutely clear when ordering from another vendor.
At Your Bedside
With a bit of diligence, you’ll have an ensemble that has 64 rounds of 9mm at your beck and call. And, just to be clear: My Rock Island TAC looks a bit different, because I’ve had it here, at “Gun Abuse Central,” for a few years now. Rock Island changed the markings, but the pistol you’ll find today is the same solidly built hi-cap.
So, there you have it: enough ammo so that a reload is now a very, very small likelihood. But, if you do, there’s plenty more in the next one or two. This, in a soft-recoiling, accurate pistol with a light attached, all ready to go on the nightstand (and locked in the safe when you go to work each day) for security where you live. All this for not a lot of money. Is this still a great country, or what?
Rock Island Armory TAC Series Specs Type: Locked-action, self-loading pistol Caliber: 9x19mm Capacity: 17+1 rounds Barrel: 5 in. Length: 8.75 in. Weight: 48 oz. Trigger: 5 lb. Finish: Parkerized steel frame and slide Grips: G10 tactical MSRP: $906
About this time every year, gun folk get all giddy as they speculate about what new guns will be introduced. Someone, somewhere is hoping and praying Walther will bring back the P-38. Another guy has a pocket full of money—just waiting for Savage to reintroduce the Model 99. And, I’ll bet you that somewhere, someone else is convinced this is the year Marlin will reintroduce the Model 39 TDS (and by the way, if you don’t know what the Marlin 39 TDS is/was, we probably can’t be friends!).
Well, for 2020, you’ll see none of those things. Even so, there are a few gems in the mix. Here are my top 5 picks for the new year—one each for shotgun, rifle, rimfire, pistol and revolvers. Hopefully, at least one of these new guns will inspire you to conduct a quick draw with your credit card.
Shotgun: CZ-USA All Terrain Bob White
Any way you measure it, I’m not a shotgun guy. I think they’re best-suited for shooting things that fly, and I don’t shoot a lot of things that fly. My interest in shotguns is somewhere between very little and non-existent. That having been said, there’s something about the new All Terrain Bob White from CZ-USA that makes me want one … just in case I do need to shoot something that’s flying.
This is a 12-gauge, break-action, side-by-side shotgun with a walnut stock. That’s pretty standard. What’s not standard is that all the metal surfaces are coated with an OD green Cerakote finish. You won’t have to be concerned about rain, sleet or snow or about dropping it in the bottom of the duck boat—or hell, even in the river. CZ's new gun is also fitted with a set of rare-earth magnets that help retain most modern shells. This makes loading easy: You’ll never have to worry about accidentally dumping out the shells while bending over to work with your dog.
I’m addicted to lightweight bolt-action rifles. This means I’m also very fond of the Remington Model Seven. The Seven, essentially a shortened version of the legendary Model 700, was introduced in 1983. It’s been offered in a variety of configurations but, in my opinion, Remington never really took advantage of what this platform offers, at least until recently. Over the last several years, it seems Remington has taken a renewed interest in the Seven. For 2020, it has a new one that should appeal to any big-game hunter who likes light rifles.
The Model Seven Threaded-Mossy Oak Bottomland has a 16.5-inch barrel with 5R rifling, a threaded muzzle and comes out of the box with a 20 MOA Picatinny rail. The stock is covered in Mossy Oak Bottomland camo.
But here’s the cool part: This rifle weighs only 5.5 pounds, which means you can add a compact riflescope and carry around a 6-pound rifle chambered for either the .300 Blackout or .308 Winchester and—as you might have suspected—the 6.5 Creedmoor.
Somewhere between our fixation on the AR-15 and long-range shooting, manufacturers have forgotten about the rimfire rifle.
Not Savage. Its new Minimalist combines a classic laminate stock design with modern esthetics to achieve a lightweight platform with vastly improved ergonomics. This rifle features a button-rifled barrel and Savage’s renowned AccuTrigger. It’s chambered for either the .22LR, .22 WMR or .17 HMR and is offered in two esthetically pleasing laminate stock color combinations. The new gun comes standard with an 18-inch carbon-steel barrel and action.
To appeal to the growing desire for shooters to shoot quietly, Savage was also wise to thread the Minimalist’s muzzle to make it suppressor ready. Savage even provides a threaded muzzle cap with the rifle for times when you don’t want the suppressor attached. But here’s the best news: This rifle should retail for about $300 across the counter.
This pistol started as an experiment. It was a melding of Dan Wesson and CZ pistols and borrows the crisp single-action-fire control of a DW 1911 and combines it with the ergonomics and capacity of a CZ 75. The resulting pistol is, well, special. Intended for competition, and with both full-sized and compact variants, in reality, the DWX has much broader appeal. Its locked-breech barrel system is simple and does away with the standard 1911 link. It utilizes a double-stack magazine, and the sights are easily customized. With the ergonomics of the CZ 75, the DWX is a natural fit for most hands. This is a fantastically versatile and well-engineered pistol that has application in competition, service and self-defense. (However, it’s not cheap.)
Ever since 2005, when Colt discontinued the Python revolver, gun aficionados have bemoaned its passing as if they’d lost a best friend. Often regarded as the “Cadillac” of revolvers, the Python has become one of the most sought-after collectible handguns of all time. In some cases, prices paid for used variants in good condition could fill a gun safe full of Glocks.
The Python was made famous in the 1973 movie, Electra Glide in Blue, where Robert Blake starred as an Arizona motorcycle cop. His character, John Wintergreen, carried a two-tone Colt Python that delivered an on-screen effect similar to what Dirty Harry did for the .44 Magnum. For the past several years, rumors have run rampant that Colt would be reintroducing the Python and, on the first day of 2020, the Internet almost broke with the news that it’s actually happened.
The new Python looks and feels just like the Python of old. It will be offered in stainless steel only (if you’ve been praying for a “Wintergreen Special,” you’ll just have to keep waiting) with either a 4.25- or 6-inch barrel.
But this new Python is not the Python of old. The frame has been beefed up a bit, and the internals have been slightly modified. According to Colt, this will make the new Python better and more rugged than the original. Without a doubt, this is the biggest firearms news of 2020 and possibly the biggest handgun news of the past decade. However, in this age of concealed carry—and with the Python’s $1,500 price tag—the question remains as to whether those who’ve been begging for its reintroduction will actually shell out the cash for a duty-sized revolver that weighs 42 ounces.
You might not be able to get a two-tone Python like the one Officer John Wintergreen carried, but at least you’ll be able to finally put one of these Colt snakes in your holster!
The longevity of the .45-70 Government is the definition of a true classic cartridge.
Why The .45-70 Government Soldiers On:
Available in many classic rifles, including lever-actions and rolling blocks.
Modern ammunition has extended the range of the straight-walled cartridge.
Properly loaded, it's capable of taking almost all North American game.
Adopted by the U.S. military in 1873 with the single-shot “Trapdoor” Springfield rifle, the .45-70 Government continued as the official service cartridge for 19 years. It was replaced in 1892 by the .30-40 Krag. The .45-70 was also a popular cartridge for sporting use, and many repeating and single-shot rifles were chambered for it, including the Remington rolling block, Remington-Keene, Remington-Lee, Marlin Model 81, Winchester Model 86 and Hotchkiss, plus many others.
Although the Krag officially replaced the .45-70, in 1892, all volunteer Spanish-American War regiments—with the reported sole exception of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders—were equipped with the Trapdoor .45-70. And many state militias were armed with the .45-70 Springfields well beyond 1900.
American companies dropped the .45-70 Government as a rifle chambering in the early 1930s. However, it’s staged a major comeback in popularity. Currently, Marlin, Pedersoli, Henry, Taylor’s & Company, Cimarron and others chamber rifles for it.
Winchester once loaded many versions of the basic .45-70 Government case with different bullet weights, shapes and black powder charges. It also loaded one variant of the .45-70-405 Winchester load expressly for the Marlin 1881 lever-action rifle. That load featured a differently shaped 405-grain bullet and was head-stamped “.45-70 Mar.”
General Comments
“Old soldiers never die”—and apparently, neither do old military cartridges. The .45-70 Government has been with us for more than 125 years and is still very much alive. As a short-range cartridge for anything from deer to grizzly bear, the .45-70 will hold its own with most of our more modern developments. Its greatest fault is its curved trajectory that makes it difficult to place shots beyond 150 yards with any certainty. Hornady’s LeveRevolution pointed, polymer-tipped round helps this considerably.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Springfield and most of the other black powder rifles won’t stand pressures of more than 25,000 psi or so. This prevents using heavy loads of smokeless powder. In late-Model 86 Winchesters or other smokeless powder rifles, the .45-70 Government can be loaded to deliver very impressive performance on the heaviest species of big game. Winchester, Remington, Federal, Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore offer .45-70 ammunition.
Segmenting pellets designed to split in half on impact to double the amount of wound channels
Copper-plated pellets that are buffered to protect the pellets from deformation during the firing process leading to more consistent patterns
Federal’s Triple Plus Wad Column to help deliver the open pattern ideal for close-range performance
When it comes to shotgun ammo, plenty of time has been spent perfecting the payload to knock birds out of the sky. Not so much has been invested in improving loads for home defense. Buckshot—the most popular and potent defensive shot option—remains virtually unchanged from the days it was used to harvest whitetails. Pity, given there’s a motivated segment of the American populace who’s No. 1 choice for property defense is the tried-and-true smoothbore.
Things are changing. With the release of Federal Premium’s Force X2 copper-plated 00 FX2 Buckshot those who trust their safety to shotguns now have a tailored defensive ammunition option. One that truly multiplies buckshot’s already devastating terminal ballistics.
Split through its hemisphere, Force X2 shot is designed to divide equally in half once it reaches its target, maximizing its effect. Instead of 9 buckshot pellets creating wound channels, there are 18 increasing the potential of hitting a threat-neutralizing vital and improving energy transfer. There’s a safety factor to what the shells bring to the table, too. A high energy dump upon impact and lower-mass projectiles in the target are less likely to over penetrate, thus reducing the risk to bystanders. In most circumstances with a shotgun this would likely be a family member.
“Federal’s splitting buckshot is the first significant change to buckshot ammo in over a century. The expert ammunition engineers at Federal decided it was time for improvements in buckshot that would help in some Personal Defense situations,” said Federal Ammunition Shotshell Product Manager Dan Compton. “This new self-defense shotgun load is designed for tremendous energy transfer for a wider and larger amount of terminal damage.”
Federal loads the Force X2 shells to tamp down the 12-gauge’s recoil, potentially allowing better accuracy, particularly shot to shot. Additionally, the shot patterns tight. Force X2 showed patterns of 4½ inches at 7 yards and 14 inches at 20 yards using an improved cylinder choke in tests done by Federal engineers. Patterns of 4¼ inches at 7 yards and 12 inches at 20 yards were achieved with a modified choke. Tests using 10-percent ballistic gel were also conducted, with penetration depth of the shells varying from 5¼ to 14½ inches, with an average of 9½ inches. The average depth when pellets start segmenting is 4.5 inches after impact.
At present, Federal Premium is offering Force X2 ammunition strictly in 2 ¾-inch 12-gauge shells, loaded to produce 1,145 fps of velocity at the muzzle. The MSRP on a box of 10 shells is $22.95.
The Delta Series Compact AR Tool proves the ol’ cliche true: Big things often come in small packagets.
Wheeler Engineering offers that one little piece of gear you can’t live without in the Delta Series Compact AR Tool.
What The Delta Series Compact AR Tool Includes:
AR Carbon Multi-Scraper tool
5/64″ HEX, 7/64″ HEX, 1/8″ HEX
Pivot and Takedown Punch
#2 Phillips
Bolt Waist Scraper
Interior BCG Scraper
T10 TORX, T15 TORX, T20 TORX
A2 Front Sight Tool
3/16″ FLAT, 3/4″ WRENCH, 1/2″ WRENCH
Castle Nut Wrench
So, there you are at the range, having fun with your AR (or other firearm), and you realize something’s wrong: Something’s loose.
You can’t continue unless you tighten it. What—no toolkit? Your gun bag is sans tools?
With a few mutters, you check your car/truck/SUV. No tools. With louder muttering, you check the clubhouse at the gun club. Surely, someone has left a screwdriver lying around—something, anything. Nope; nothing.
Now, with vile curses, you load everything back into your vehicle and sullenly drive home … knowing that within five minutes of getting home, you’ll have the problem solved. If you’d just had a toolkit with you, you could’ve solved the problem there.
Well, how about a toolkit that sits in your gear bag or even your rifle case, ready, just in case?
Big Name, Great Tool
Enter Wheeler Engineering, a division of Caldwell. The tool in particular that is this month’s subject is the Delta Series Compact AR Tool, a name almost as big as the tool.
OK, what we’re looking at is a flat rectangle of stainless steel that will slide nicely into a pouch or compartment of your gun bag. An array of tools resides on its two axles. On one end are three sizes of Allen bits (5/64, 7/64 and 1/8 inch), a Phillips head screwdriver #2, and AR bolt and carrier scrapers.
The round-ended one is the bolt tail scraper for the inside of the carrier. The hole through it is for the bolt tail itself.
The other scraper has a lifting hook for the cotter pin, a cam pin scraper, bolt lug scraper, primer pin scraper and a bolt face scraper (and I’m pretty sure that in a pinch, one of these will work to lift the pull tab on a soda can!).
On the other axle are three sizes of torx drivers (T10, T15 and T20), a front sight adjustment tool and a straight-blade screwdriver with a 3/16-inch flat. In the middle of the assembly is a bar that has a ½-inch wrench opening, ¾-inch wrench opening and a castle nut wrench.
Lots and Lots of Uses
Basically, if there’s anything that comes loose on your gun—anything that can be screwed or wrenched—the Delta Series Compact AR Tool will tighten it; maybe not to the arsenal torque spec, but surely tight enough to get you through the day’s practice and back home again.
And while you’re tightening things, you can also be scraping the carbon off. (You haven’t done that recently, have you? Now’s the time.)
Three Affordable Chronograph Options To Check Your Speed
If you don’t want the Delta Series Compact AR Tool floating around in a mag pouch or banging into other gear in your shooting bag, leave it in the pouch it came in. It’s a heavy-duty woven and formed nylon pouch with a snap. This pouch will ensure the AR Tool stays away from other tools or gear.
You can see the Delta Series Compact AR Tool has a castle nut wrench on the right, along with the torx drivers, front sight tool and screwdriver.
Now, would I build an AR-15 using the Wheeler tool? No; I have tools much better suited to the assembly of a rifle than this one.
However, by the same token, I’m not going to haul that toolkit (which weighs about 15 pounds) out to the range every time I take an AR for practice, drills or testing. Heavens, no. In fact, I don’t take up trunk or cargo bed space with a hydraulic jack in case I need to change a tire. I have the emergency jack my vehicle came with, and I’ll make it work.
That’s what the Delta Series Compact AR Tool is for: If your scope gets loose or the castle nut gets loose (you should have staked it, I’m telling you), you can deal with the problem without having to drive home.
A Word to the Wise
The Delta Series Compact AR Tool doesn’t cost much: just over $30. It doesn’t weigh much or take up much room, so having one in your range bag, gear bag or rifle case—just in case—is prudent … because the tools left in the clubhouse or the work shed of your gun club just aren’t going to cut it (that is, if there are any).
At one time, you could buy a batch of Soviet-era Cosmoline and they’d throw in an SKS for free. Greatly missed, the days of sub-$100 Samozaryadny Karabin sistemy Simonovas went out with the CD player. Still, a savvy and determined gun buyer can scratch up the Cold-War icon at bargain-basement prices if, they’re willing to look. Not at late 1990s early 2000s rates mind you, but cheap nonetheless.
Nowadays if you find a rock-bottom SKS you don’t have to settle for its original wood or fiberglass stocks. Heck, you don’t even have to keep the semi-auto in its traditional configuration. Not with the rise of the SKS bullpup conversion kit.
While the options for reconfiguring your Simonova are exactly legion, they exist and endow the tried-and-true military relic with some interesting assets. We’ll look at some of the top SKS bullpup conversion kits in a moment, but we should take a moment to touch on some other points first.
Why A SKS Bullpup Conversion?
If “Why not?” isn’t a good enough answer for you, we’ve written on the pros and cons of the configuration in our best bullpup rifle options post. For a more in-depth look at the design this is worth a read. But the SKS bullpup conversion has some benefits particular to itself and in comparison to other bullpups.
Inexpensive: While there are affordable bullpup rifles on the market, few are as thrifty as an SKS conversion. Without much effort I dug up a used SKS going for $245. With more work I’m certain I could have found more economical options. Though by and large, the going price of the rifle seems to fall somewhere between $300 to $450.
The average conversion kit will run you another $350 (at the high end $650). In turn, on average you’re in anywhere from $600 to $800 total for a SKS bullpup. Not exactly chicken scratch, but far less than the nearly $2,000 most bullpup rifles demand off the shelf.
Box Magazine: Not that the stripper clip isn’t effective and quick, but this is the 21st Century. Box magazines are the standard and a world more efficient to carry and load. Magazine modification is a stable of SKS bullpup conversions and a good one at that. Why settle for 10-rounds when you potential can have three times as much on tap?
(Fairly) Easy Installation: An SKA bullpup conversion isn’t as simple as swapping stocks. At the same time, it isn’t as intricate rechambering a rifle.
What’s being done to the rifle is fairly dramatic, requiring some major modifications to how it operates. The trigger in particular. That said, shooters with a modicum of mechanical prowess and patients should be capable of switching the rifle over at home.
If the thought of banging around the inside of your rifle spooks you, fear not. Most gunsmiths are well verse in SKSs and can jimmy together your conversion at a fair price.
The Downside As with everything firearms, there are pitfalls to SKS bullpups. Among these, many conversions lack in fore-end real estate, their not left-hand friendly and the typical bullpup cons such as tail-heavy design and sometimes less than desirable trigger loom large. Deal breakers? Most likely not. More like tradeoffs—but it also depends on the shooter.
The explicit downside of the SKS conversion—particularly measured against any off-the-shelf gun—is you’re flying into the unknown. Unless you have a buddy that has one there’s no chance to test fire the configuration. In turn, you’re going by faith its how you want your Simonova.
Top Bullpup Conversion Kits
Shernic Gun Works
Photo: Guns America
Going on around of decade of producing SKS bullpup conversions, Shernic Gun Works (SG) has a good handle on what they produce. It shows. Coming with everything you need to convert your rifle, the SG kit has you covered in one felled swoop and is relatively simple to execute.
As to what you get out of it, an SKS that fairly comparable to a Travor in size and configuration. Lacking somewhat is a Travor-esque fore-end, it’s much more abbreviated on the SG conversion. Still, with the addition of vertical grip, it proves just as nimble.
Constructed of shock-resistant polymer, the bullpup's body is rugged enough for anything the real world throws at it. An extended magazine release hastens reloads. And extra space for extended-capacity magazines ensures you have plenty of firepower on tap.
Innovating the bullpups ergonomics and handling characteristics, Center Balance Systems (CBS) puts a twist on the already unique configuration. The most notable aspect is right in the company’s name—balance.
Much more to the center of the rifle, there more equilibrium to the conversion. In turn, it’s more responsive in the hands with less muzzle rise when shot. Good things.
In all, CBS offers four different kits—the SKSAR, Pug I, Pug II and Pug III. Across the board, the conversions offer plenty of rail space, twin-bar trigger linkage and support-side bolt-release mechanism CBS calls a slam bolt.
Nice as that last point is, eliminating the need to crane around to reach the charging handle, it’s the fore-end that wins points with these bullpups. There’s plenty of it on all but the Pug I, allotting the utmost control over the rifle without the addition of another accessory.
Distinctive and solidly made, Rifle Tech’s Hitech SKS bullpup conversion offers one of the best fits on the market. Mainly, because the company pre-fits all the components to your particular model. Can’t beat that.
Precision has it’s payoffs, aside from a quality fit. It also makes for one of the least painful conversion processes of the available kits. Is it drop-in, as Rifle Tech claims? Not quite. But it’s as close as you’ll get going bullpup.
As to the bullpup itself, it’s a trim affair—which is good and bad. On the one hand, the Hitech bullpup is quick to the shoulder and deftly transitions targets. On the other hand, you’ll most certainly require a vertical grip given the fore-end is nearly non-existent.
Spend the money and the Hitech is available with all sorts of extras—deflector, muzzle brake, rails, etc. But it’s à la carte and can add up quickly.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
