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5 Of The Best Lever-Action Rifle Options Available Today

By
Richard A. Mann
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5

Lever-Action Rifle Lead

Five singularly American lever-action rifle choices for hunting or home defense.

What Are The Top Lever-Action Rifles:

You can rave all you want about how we won two world wars with the .30-06 and how the Colt Peacemaker is the iconic symbol of American freedom.

However, when it comes to the firearm that truly represents our country, it is, without question, the lever-action rifle. I’ve often said it’s because every American has a little cowboy in them, but there’s more to it than that. Lever-action rifles are so loved by the freest men in the world because they are so useful. They provide all the accuracy necessary for most of the shooting that needs to be done, they’re handy, fast to operate and, well, singularly American.

When I was young, I was all about the bolt-action, because I looked at lever guns as ancient artifacts. But, as I grew older and gained more experience, I realized every man needs at least one lever gun—and ideally, several.

Here’s a look at my five favorites. All are guns I use regularly for everything from squirrels to buffalo. They might give you some ideas about configuring your own perfect lever gun.

Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine .327 Federal Magnum

Lever-Action Rifle Henry 3
The Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine is a compact and handy rifle. In true lever-action fashion, it doesn’t have a redundant safety—the hammer is the safety.

I’ve been a fan of the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge since its inception. This is a good-shooting, compact carbine that will handle both .327 Federal Magnum and .32 H&R Magnum ammunition. It comes with a leaf rear sight with a ladder and a brass-beaded front. I installed an XS Sights fully adjustable aperture rear sight. This required a new front sight—and a tall one at that. (If you decide to install XS Sights on your Henry Big Boy Steel, the front sight will need to be about 0.65 inch tall.)

Lever Action Rifle Spec 1

This is one of my guns that stays loaded. It lives in my closet beside my bed with a magazine full of Federal’s 100-grain JSP loads. They’ll generate more than 2,000 fps from the Henry’s barrel and are just as capable for dealing with bad guys as they are for deer. The carbine’s trigger has a good, crisp pull weight of 3.5 pounds, and I really like the straight grip. It, in conjunction with the large loop, makes the rifle easy to carry at my side in one hand.

My favorite feature is the lack of an extra safety. This rifle is made the way a lever gun ought to be: The hammer and trigger are the safety. In the Henry tradition, the Big Boy is loaded through the magazine tube. This makes loading as you go impossible, but it also makes unloading at the end of a hunt easy and safe.

Raise Your Lever-Action IQ:

Marlin 336 Dark Series .30-30 Winchester

Lever-Action Rifle Marlin Dark
Equipped as shown, this Marlin Dark Series 336 in .30-30 Winchester is suitable for hunting a wide variety of game and even for personal protection

I coach a high school boys’ soccer team, and my assistant runs a pawn shop. I was visiting one day and noticed a used Marlin on the rack. We haggled for a moment, and I ended up getting the rifle for under $150. Given that I’d scored such a sweet deal, my intention was to lightly customize this lever gun and create sort of a general-purpose rifle.

Lever Action Rifle Spec 2

The project got moved to the back burner, and a year later, the only thing really new was that Marlin had introduced its Dark Series.

The features of the Dark Series 336 in .30-30 Winchester almost mirrored the customizations I’d planned for my pawn shop score. It has a hard-coat textured paint on the stock that’s solvent resistant, a black, parkerized metal finish, an XS Sights Lever Rail and a 16-inch barrel with a threaded muzzle. It even comes with a paracord-wrapped big loop lever and sling. The only thing I added was a Leupold VX-II 1.5-4x scout scope that has had a German No. 1 reticle installed by the Leupold Custom Shop. This is an extremely handy rifle and a rugged setup.

So, I now have a great project lever gun for sale. If you’re looking for a good deal on a used .30-30, give me a call. However, I’m betting that you—like me—should probably just opt for one of the new Marlin Dark Series 336s!

 

Brockman Custom Marlin 1894 .327 Federal Magnum

Lever-Action Rifle Brockman-1
Jim Brockman’s masterful machining work on the octagonal barrel of this Marlin 1894 allows for the direct attachment of a scout scope in Talley rings.

About a decade ago, Marlin offered its 1894 Cowboy chambered for the .32 H&R Magnum. It was intended to appeal to cowboy action shooters who were running .32 H&R Single Sixes. Marlin did not make many of these and, in a couple of years, it was discontinued. Look hard, and you can find one used … but expect to pay north of a grand.

Lever Action Rifle Spec 3

Because I’m a devotee of the .327 Federal Magnum, I purchased the first one of these rifles I could find with the intention of having it rechambered. The man I found to do the job was Jim Brockman of Brockman’s Custom Rifles. In addition to opening the chamber to .327 Federal Magnum, Jim cut the long, 24-inch barrel and magazine to 16 inches and gave the muzzle a deep crown. He opened the loop on the lever, performed an exquisite action job and installed a set of his Gen III adjustable/tritium sights. But the coolest modification Jim performed was to cut receptors in the octagonal barrel for Talley scope rings. This allows me to go between the open sights and a scout scope with just the twist of two levers. (In case you’re wondering, this customization requires a high level of gunsmithing skill.)

The little Marlin is now one of my favorite rifles. I don’t let a deer season go by that I don’t take it to the timber, and I’ve used it for groundhogs, squirrels and a variety of vermin around my home. In fact, my oldest daughter took her first deer with this rifle.

Marlin Custom Shop 1895 Modern Lever Hunter .45-70 Government

Lever-Action Rifle Marlin Custom Shop
Offered with a variety of finishes, the Marlin Custom Shop Model 1895 Modern Lever Hunter is an attractive and finely crafted lever gun

The first time I hunted buffalo in Africa, I did so with a factory-stock Marlin 1895 SBL. This is a short-barreled, stainless steel version of the standard 1895, but it has a pistol grip stock, larger lever loop and an XS Sights Lever Rail. I really enjoyed the rifle during the safari, taking a warthog, reedbuck and, after a bit of a gun battle that ended a lot closer than I would have liked, a buffalo.

Lever Action Rifle Spec 4

That was in 2013. In 2018, I had the opportunity to do it again. Although I’d planned to use the same rifle, as fortune had it, I ended up with a Marlin Custom Shop version that’s very similar: the 1985 Modern Lever Hunter out of the Marlin Custom Shop. It’s one of the shop’s top sellers and is configured very similarly to the 1895 SBL. However, it comes with a tuned action and a variety of finishes on the metal and wood. Mine is covered in Cerakote. It’s black on all the metal parts and sports a cool camo pattern—to match my Remington Custom Shop Scout Rifle—on the stock. It’s fitted with an XS Lever Rail, but for this hunt, I decided to forego optics and run the open sights.

Due to a poorly placed first shot (my fault), the buffalo hunt turned into another gun battle. But the rifle performed flawlessly and was used to take a variety of other game, including several warthogs and a mountain zebra.
The Modern Lever Hunter does not get a lot of use here, at home, but it’s comforting to know it’s there in the safe … just in case I need to knock the snot out of something.

 

Dove Custom Marlin 336 Takedown .35 Remington

Lever-Action Rifle Takedown
The Dove Custom takedown model 336 is a work of art and is ideally adapted to vehicle or backpack portage.

I’ve always had an ongoing affair with the .35 Remington and have owned several, including a limited-edition Marlin 336 built like its famous Guide Gun. It was a fantastic rifle, and I took several deer with it. However, the integral muzzle brake made it unpleasant to shoot. A couple of years ago, a friend in Florida found me a pristine 336 in .35 Remington, and I snagged it for a good price.
Lever Action Rifle Spec 5
My local gunsmith—Jerry Dove of Dove Custom Guns—had been making takedown lever guns, and I figured this would be the ideal platform for his genius to work on. Jerry crafts a cool and very rugged steel junction just forward of the receiver and mates it with a screw-locked magazine tube. This allows you to take the rifle apart—right in the middle—in about 10 seconds. It’s an ideal solution for a gun you might want to carry in your pack (it will even fit in a motorcycle saddlebag) or keep conveniently stored behind the seat in your pickup.

In addition to the nifty takedown feature, Jerry also installed a scout scope rail on the barrel, along with XS sights. A slicked-up action, fantastic trigger, VersaCarry AmmoCaddy and a saddle-ring safety replacement from Beartooth Mercantile that allows the rifle to work with a single-point sling all round out what is probably my favorite of all the lever-action rifles I own. I’ve yet to take it to the timber, but when I do, the critters had better look out—this gun and I get along quite well.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

MDT ESS Chassis: Redefining The Modern Precision Rifle

By
Gun Digest Editors
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0
Sponsored Content

MDT ESS Chassis On Shooting Mat

The MDT ESS chassis is the cream of the crop and just the ticket to get your bolt-action to live up to its full potential.

How The MDT ESS Chassis Makes A More Precise Rifle:

  • Solid metal frame provides rigidity required to improve accuracy.
  • Buttstock is completely adjustable, fitting any shooter's frame.
  • Modular design allows shooters to tailor chassis to particular applications.
  • Drop-in installation for a wide spectrum of today's most popular rifle actions.

Accurate rifles are nothing new. Irons that could knock the eye out of an eagle on a quarter at 100 paces have nearly always existed. Getting your hands on one … that’s another matter. Either they took a fat wallet and good gunsmith in your hip pocket or hours of free time and plenty of know-how to turn one out. Working knowledge of glass epoxy didn’t hurt either.

Those days have vanished with the smoking section in restaurants and TV antennas on houses. Much as we might gripe about this and that in the firearms world, there is no better time to live if you’re a shooter.

Off the shelf, ammunition is engineered to the level of jet fighters. Modern optics deliver clarity once only available at a planetarium. And off-the-shelf rifles are so consistently made, you could choose one at random and expect near tack-driver performance.

MDT ESS Chassis On Tire

Impressive as these great leaps forward are, they pale in comparison one advancement in particular. The rifle chassis is the tie that binds all the other advancements together, ensuring they live up to the meticulous work put into perfecting them. And few options provide more punch for the penny than Modular Driven Technology’s Elite Sniper System or ESS. At the business end of this Canadian masterpiece, 1,000 yards is much closer than you think.

At The Heart Of The MDT ESS

When you shoulder the MDT ESS you’re struck by one thing – this thing is solid. Brick outhouse solid. Which is good, given the chassis is aimed primarily at competitive shooters and those serious about taking their marksmanship the distance … then some.

Learn More About MDT Chassis And Gear:

Weighing in at just shy of 5 pounds, I’m not sure it would do for much outside a precision rifle or F-Class match, unless you happened to be a glutton for punishment hunting. Yet, MDT has designed the chassis to modify to whatever objective you might have at hand. Much as their name implies, the company emphasizes the modularity of their systems, almost as heavily as they do their accuracy. It’s the heart of their systems and apparent on the ESS – particularly its fore-end.

MDT ESS Chassis Carbon Fiber Forend

Attaching via pair of Allen screws, the component removes as quickly and easily as a barreled-action slips into the chassis itself. And with four fore-end options to choose from, the rifle chassis has a wealth of configurations. These include aluminum full rail, night vision rail and even a streamlined, no rail versions, with length options of 13, 15 and 18 inches. More recently, for the weight conscious and tactically minded, MDT added a carbon fiber option to the mix, which they’ve been promising for some time.

In each case, the ESS fore-ends come with ample M-Lok slots, which is a boon, as anyone who’s shot a chassis rifle knows. For a long time, proprietary accessory attachment points were the rule, making it somewhat a hassle to get a cant level or other kit installed.

Interestingly, MDT also includes a sling swivel in addition to QD cups on their fore-ends. Though, paint me dubious, I figure 9 out of 10 shooters replace the swivel with a rail fairly quickly after opening the box.

MDT ESS Chassis buttstock

The buttstock also gets the modular treatment, with MDT giving you the choice between standard SRS-X, folding SRS-FS and SRS-X Elite models upon order. No matter your choice, you get supreme customizability to your body frame via thumb wheel adjustments for both length of pull and comb rise – 1 inch each. Also, there’s no worry about knocking them out of adjustment, as both have locking bolts. Additionally, the butt pad is height adjustable, which lets you dial the main interface into yourself.

A quick note on the stock options. All of them are on target, but you do get a couple extras with the Elite version, including a steel buttpad for added balance and a stability-enhancing second guide rod.

Installation

If you’ve ever dealt with an aftermarket stock or even an ill-fitting factory one, you understand the challenge you face. It’s a balancing act of sorts, removing and adding just the right material so your barreled action fits without so much as a wiggle. It’s about the furthest thing from an out-of-the-box experience as there is.

MDT ESS Chassis Forend

Given its materials, the ESS comes to you nearly custom fit for your action. No epoxy or Dremel tool required. This means you can pop your rifle into the chassis the day you receive it and expect to see results. Generally, it’s just a matter of removing the barreled action from its old stock, putting it into the chassis and torquing down the new action screws MDT provides.

Fit and convenience aren’t the only advantages of the ESS. It’s bedding is also miles away from what you’re most likely used to. In fact, MDT’s V-block bedding beats about everything else hands down. The geometry of the main interface between action and chassis creates a monolithic contact point between the two elements. Simply put, this means the barreled-action isn’t going anywhere, no matter the recoil. Furthermore, the recoil lug mortise in the ESS not only accommodate factory spec options, but also beefier aftermarket upgrades, up to .375 inch and tapered.

Ergonomics And Shooting Enhancements

You never knew you needed cruise control until you finally bought a car with the option. Then, most likely, you were ruined for all time on models without it. Fair warning, the same holds for the MDT ESS’s ergonomics.

MDT ESS Chassis Thumb Shelf

You might not have thought you needed a pistol grip or a thumb rest on your bolt-action. But brother, when you’re holding on target for an extended period, attempting to execute pristine trigger control, you’ll wonder how you did without them. And that goes for several other facets of the ESS system, each improving your accuracy, increasing your comfort and just plain enhancing your turn bolt.

A wide fore-end, perfect for nuzzling down on a rest, and barricade stop on the front of the mag well, are two such examples. The one that particularly sticks out is the ambidextrous magazine release situated between the trigger guard and magazine well.

When you become familiar with the ESS’s controls, it’s quite possible to drop an ACIS magazine (what the system is compatible with) and reload all without pulling your eye from the scope. That’s a major advantage, one not generally found on traditional stock options.

Parting Shot

The MDT ESS is a competitive-level chassis, designed to deliver on the most challenging shots. If you’re looking for a little something for your next match gun, the chassis should be on your radar. Especially if you aren’t looking to break the bank. Few top-shelf options compete with its $990 MSRP.

MDT ESS Chassis On Bench

That said, even if you aren’t gunning for gold, the ESS still should remain a consideration. Certainly, it might not fit the bill for a lightweight, surgical hunter or entry-level accuracy enhancer. But for those unwilling to settle for average groups or truly want to test their and their rifle’s potential, the MDT ESS will deliver. That’s what it was designed to do.

7 Defensive Handgun Training Myths

By
Bob Whaley
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0
Gun-Training-Personal-Defense
Myths, such as the one about using your sights in a defensive scenario, are common but should be dispelled by competent instructors.

There are many myths out there when it comes to proper defensive handgun training techniques. Here, seven of the most common are debunked.

1. YOU WON’T USE YOUR SIGHTS IN A GUN FIGHT

I know; we have study after study, reams of empirical evidence and the commentary of really smart folks that say you will not use your sights under stress (Oh Lord, I hate that word). Most of the studies are based either on simulated gunfights under laboratory conditions or interviews with individuals involved in gunfights. In the case of the former, no simulation, no matter how carefully constructed, can exactly re-construct what occurs in real life. More on that later.

In the latter case, I’ve read lots of studies based on participant interviews, and with those supporting the “won’t-use-your-sights” theory, one thing always jumps out at me. We will accept that an individual will perform any number of actions without conscious thought as a result of deeply ingrained training leading to unconscious competence.

When, however, that same participant expresses any doubt about using the sights—an action they have performed literally thousands of times—the researcher will immediately conclude the sights were not utilized. If you accept that the shooter performs various actions due to ingrained training, why do we discount that phenomenon when it comes to using the sights? Could it be that the shooter used the sights and just didn’t register the action because it was so ingrained he performed it without conscious thought?

Your training is what you’ll fall back on in a defensive situation. Make sure you’ve trained to a high level.
Your training is what you’ll fall back on in a defensive situation. Make sure you’ve trained to a high level.

Well, I’ve done my own study. Thirty years of police work with 15 years on my department’s full-time SWAT team and (wait for it) two shootings. I know two is not a big number, but it’s a whole lot more than most of the researchers have experienced! And I used my sights in both instances. Friends of mine who have preformed well in shootings will say they performed well because they used their sights. We used our sights because we trained with outstanding instructors who demanded excellence. Then we obtained the experience to remain calm under pressure.

I will add one more thought on the use of sights in a gunfight. If you disregard your sighting system (iron sights, red dot or visible laser) and fixate on your target, you will most likely miss. I trained in instinct/unsighted/reflexive fire throughout the years, and it is impressive on a static range. History has shown, however, that unsighted fire leads to failure in actual shootings. Remember, the universal hit rate is 100 percent. A hundred percent of the time you launch a projectile down range, you will hit something.

Using the sights gives you the best chance of hitting your intended target and solving your problem. Fixating on the threat and blowing rounds somewhere down there ensures you’ll likely miss your intended target and hit an unintended target. That unintended target may be an inanimate object or a 4-year-old child. It’s your choice. Ensure success or accept failure.

2. FORCE-ON-FORCE TRAINING IS JUST LIKE THE REAL THING

No. Nope. No way! Don’t get me wrong. Force-on-force training is a vital category of training and, if done right, can give you a low-level base of experience—the final level of training. But force-on-force is not “exactly like real life.” How do I know? Remember those two shootings?

First, force-on-force training should be carefully constructed to validate training presented in the class. The training should provide you with all the answers. All you need to do is figure out the question during the exercise. Next, the best exercises are based on real world events, not the instructor’s imagination. Last, the instructor should not allow the exercise to descend to the level of a paintball game or allow the students to “stress out” (Man, I hate that word). Exercises should be carefully controlled so the student achieves all the needed training goals. But, to be clear, force-on-force is not “just like real life.”

3. YOU WILL RISE TO THE OCCASION

In fact, you will default to your level of training. Further, in a real event, your skills will likely deteriorate, at least in the initial encounter. You must have highly developed physical and mental skills to perform at a level that will ensure success. A fighting or combat mindset without the skills to back up that mindset is useless. Mindset alone is “talking the talk.”

Developing skills to back up your mindset is “walking the walk.” You have to have both. So many people in the defensive weapon craft community want to take short cuts in training. Go ahead, it’s only life and death. What is your life worth to you? Put in the work, and you won’t have to rise to the occasion. The occasion will have to rise to your level of competence, and you will have won before the fight even begins.

4. IT’S NATURAL/INSTINCTIVE

This comment is usually attached to the instructor’s favorite technique, position or method of performing a given act. With the exception of natural point of aim, there’s nothing about using a gun that’s instinctive or natural. It’s learned behavior.

You either learned it in a class, saw it on TV, heard someone talking about whatever it is you think came natural or you learned it by some other means. How do I know? I know because I make pretty good money teaching fighting arts, including use of a variety of firearms. If this activity was natural or instinctive, anyone of any age could shoot. They wouldn’t need to be taught; they would instinctively know what to do. It would be truly hardwired behavior.

Ask yourself: Did you know how to shoot before someone taught you? Of course not!
Shooting is learned behavior. You will learn, accept and perform what you believe is relevant to you and what you believe is valid. An instructor that explains everything by saying a given action is natural/instinctive either doesn’t know what he’s talking about or is too lazy to explain his training program. Either way, he’s shortchanging the student. The technique may be perfectly valid. But it’s learned behavior. Find an instructor who knows how to teach.

5. EVERYONE DOES THIS (INSERT INSTRUCTOR’S FAVORITE TECHNIQUE)

Virtually no aspect of shooting is instinctive or natural. Only training will ensure you act appropriately in the situation.
Virtually no aspect of shooting is instinctive or natural. Only training will ensure you act appropriately in the situation.

There are no universal actions in response to stimuli of any kind. How we react/respond is based on our individual experiences, training/education and perceptions. A couple examples come to mind.
Years ago, there was this popular idea that—when surprised—everyone would crouch down and square up to the perceived threat. Remember that thing about me being assigned to a full-time SWAT team for over 15 years? Well, my buddies and I thought about that. Want to see someone surprised? Knock down their door and burst through pointing guns at them, throwing flash bangs and yelling to get on the ground. Then you see what people really do when startled. Freeze in place, turn and run, assume a fetal position (lying, sitting or standing no less) but very few squared up to us because those were the ones that got launched, and very few got launched! Most people, after an initial shock, followed directions. The reactions to our induced shock were individual. Nobody did the same thing as the last guy.

The second example is the universal startle reflex, i.e. throwing up their hands in response to sudden stimuli. Ummm, ever been hit in the face by a fist, pillow, ball etc? Hands didn’t come up, eh? Let that happen enough, and you’ll get those hands up. Practice it enough, and throwing your hands up in a startle response indeed becomes ingrained. It can become ingrained to the point you may just do that instead of what is really needed in the moment like moving, going directly to your gun or deflecting an incoming punch or gun pointing at you.

You can build similar actions among a training population. That can be good or bad based on the nature of the instruction. Responses have to be based on the circumstances of the event. Broad-based skills are important, but you must be able to remain calm enough to select the right tool for the job. If you buy into the universal action myth, you may just find the universal action you had to be taught anyway doesn’t fit your problem. That means you’ve wasted time, and time is a commodity you don’t have in a life or death situation.

O.K., I admit, I’m a horrible person. I wanted to test this theory, so I used my 3-year-old granddaughter as a guinea pig. I took a sponge ball (not a baseball, so I guess I’m not too bad) and tossed it at her head. In response to that stimulus, she did not, in fact, perform a universal action of lifting her hands to protect her head. In fact, the sponge ball bounced off her head. She thought that was hilarious! It was a sponge ball! After several attempts and Pawpaw showing her how to get her hands up, she’s starting to get pretty good at getting her hands on the ball. Catching will come. She had to learn how to lift her hands to protect her head.

6. HEART RATE DETERMINES YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM PHYSICAL ACTIONS

Ok, here’s an admission. Nothing I’ve stated so far is my original idea. I have read comments and counter comments to virtually all the myths presented here and compared the credentials of the commenters. Heck, bouncing the sponge ball (come on, it was just a sponge ball) off the granddaughter’s head wasn’t even my idea! So when this myth came up years ago, I was curious if it had validity.

I talked to doctors and a variety of trainers who both did and did not agree with the concept. The trainers were split just about 50/50 for and against the concept. The doctors, who included sports medicine specialists and cardiologists, all said the concept was without merit. I deferred to the docs, and this myth has pretty much been de-bunked over time.

The docs all indicated the same thing. If your heart beats too slow or too fast, it eventually stops working. Not good! That’s the only effect your heart has on performance. As long as your heart beats within a range that doesn’t adversely affect your health—in other words you die—you can pretty much do whatever you have trained to do. Pretty simple actually.

7. EVERYONE RESPONDS TO STRESS IN THE SAME WAY

Stress—Oh Lord, I really hate that word! This myth relates to myth #5 in that the proponents of this myth advance the idea that everyone will experience the same effects under stress (Oh Lord, oh Lord, I really, really hate that word). First of all, we all do not perceive the same things as stressful. Some folks can sleep soundly through the craziest of circumstances while others fall apart if their mail is late. Beyond perception, we are all wired differently in relation to our individual ability to manage stressful situations. Training and experience can help us manage critical incidents more efficiently, but on a virtual cellular level, some folks will just always do better than others in these situations.

Why do I hate the word stress so much? It’s a perfectly good word. It’s only six letters. It’s easy to spell. And it’s also so overused it has virtually no meaning left. Everything is stressful to someone. There’s no way we can say  that any of us have universal responses to stress. Folks, simply put this one out of your mind. Might you be excited in a shooting? Yep. Might you wet your pants? Yep. Might you stand there and sling lead like you’ve done it everyday of your life and it’s a perfectly normal part of you day? Yep. And you won’t know exactly how you’re going to react in that situation until you’ve been there.

So, there they are. Seven myths I’ve encountered in my many years of training and engaging in the defensive application of firearms. Some are the result of well-meaning individuals attempting to explain something they just did not really understand or because they didn’t have the skills necessary to investigate the issue. Others have come about because someone was simply trying to differentiate his training program from another instructor’s. Either way, they are myths that absolutely get in the way of training proven over time in the hands of competent operators. If anything, I hope this information can help you avoid these myths and keep you from wasting your limited training time and money on non-productive concepts.

This article appeared in the November 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. Click here to download the full issue.

Glock 44: Austrian Company Moves Into Rimfire Market

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Glock-44-1

The Glock 44 is the company's first foray into rimfires and appears a solid choice for an economical trainer.

How Does The Glock 44 Measure Up To Other Rimfires:

  • Dimensionally mirrors the Glock 19
  • Lightweight, only tipping the scales around 12 ounces
  • Tested to work with a multitude of different ammunition

A new Glock gun? Depending on who you are, you’re either doing backflips or gritting your teeth. No matter where you stand on the Glock spectrum (lover or hater), you'll have to agree the prolific pistol maker has certainly gone a different route with its latest addition. The Glock 44 is the company’s first foray into rimfire pistols and is most certainly made with economical training in mind.

The .22 pistol is styled after the 5th Generation Glock 19, mimicking the same operation and feel of the ubiquitous pistol.

Now, devotees of the iconic 9mm have the perfect tool to bone up muscle memory and skills, but at a fraction of the cost. Though, you needn’t be a G19 fanboy or girl to justify purchasing the Glock 44; by all rights, it should prove an exceptional option for those just cutting their teeth on shooting sports.

G44 Is All Glock

Aside from light recoil and cheap ammo, the G44 has all the desirable assets shooters have come to expect from a Glock. These include a removable backstrap system to fit the gun to the hand, adjustable rear sights, cocking serrations fore and aft, ambidextrous slide lock and ghost hole chamber indicator.

Find Your Next .22 Pistol:

Additionally, the Glock 44 boasts a 4.02-inch barrel and is 7.28-inches in overall length, which mirrors the G19. Except, the .22 LR is much lighter, tipping the scales at 12.63 ounces. Much of this weight savings is due to the rimfire’s hybrid steel-polymer slide; the rails are steel, but the body is polymer.

Glock 44 Capacity and Price

The Glock 44 ships with two 10-round magazines and upon launch early in 2020, a threaded-barrel suppressor-ready model will be available.

Interestingly, the pistol has polygonal rifling, which historically doesn’t play nice with non-jacketed rounds.

That said, Glock said it ran tests into the thousands of rounds with a wide variety of ammunition without a hitch.

As to price, Glock doesn’t have one listed on its site. For what it’s worth, Internet scuttlebutt pegs the MSRP at $400.

For more information on the Glock 44, please visit www.plink44.com.

Glock 44 Specs
Length (Overall): 7.28 inch
Slide Length: 6.85 inch
Width (Overall): 1.26 inch
Slide Width: 1.00 inch
Height incl.Mag.: 5.04 inch
Trigger Distance: 2.76 inch

Learn More About Glock Options

4 Must-Have MDT Chassis Rifle Upgrades

By
Gun Digest Editors
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Sponsored Content

Rifle-Chassis-mdt_lss_gen2_rock

While Modular Driven Technologies (MDT) is best known for its rifle chassis, it also cooks up a load of accessories that enhance the platform.

What Are The Top 4 MDT Chassis Rifle Upgrades:

The main reason why a shooter jumps into a rifle chassis is for the accuracy enhancement. Pretty good reason, given the results, are fairly dramatic. Providing the rigidity and custom bedding required to accurately extend a rifle’s range, the system is an out-and-out marvel. But, building a tack-driver isn’t the only benefit of a rifle chassis.

If you purchase one of Modular Driven Technologies’ (MDT) platforms, there’s also a matter of configurability. In that, there’s a lot of it. The company lives up to its name by providing an easily modified system that conforms to individual shooters’ wants and needs.

That’s what we're going to look at today, some of MDT’s best accessories to truly customize your chassis rifle. Whether you’re shooting for a way to enhance your rifle’s optics or custom fit the chassis to your frame, these 4 top MDT accessories are sure to hit a bullseye.

MDT Skeleton Carbine Stock

Upgrade MDT Skeleton Carbine Stock

Once primarily the tool of competitive shooters, the rifle chassis is growing in application. In turn, a weighty, recoil soaking rig – what the precision marksmen prefer – isn’t always the top choice for an everyday shooter.

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Learn More About MDT Chassis And Gear:

  • Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Bolt-Action To A Rifle Chassis
  • MDT ESS Chassis: Redefining The Modern Precision Rifle
  • MDT LSS Gen2 Chassis: Flexible Foundation Of A Precision Rifle

Weight savings is often at a premium for some, which is where MDT’s Skeleton Carbine Stocks shine. With three models to choose from – SCS, SCS Lite and Composite – the stocks tip the scales at between 1.41 pounds and 1.96 pounds. Real featherweights. At the same tick, they don’t skip where it counts – adjustability. Each model has 1 inch of play in length of pull and a full 1.5 inches in cheek rise. Additionally, the SCS has 10 degrees of cant adjustment and vertical butt pad adjustment.

While the carbine stocks work with any of the company’s chassis, with an adapter in some cases, they aren’t limited strictly to MDT. Any chassis compatible with AR-style buffer tubes can be outfitted with the cutting-edge stocks.

MSRP: $120

MDT Ckye-Pod

Upgrade mdt-ckyepod

Developed for competitive shooters, the Ckye-Pod has the potential to help plenty of other marksmen get on target. Hunters, for one, should find the 21-ounce bipod useful. Certainly, there are lighter options out there, but few with the versatility and performance of this anodized aluminum unit.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Ckye-Pod is its one-hand operation, allowing the user to quickly adjust it from 4.5 to 15.5 inches in height. MDT offers it configured for both right- and left-hand shooters. Furthermore, it delivers 170 degrees of cant, 360 degrees of pan capability and an integrated barricade stop. Pretty much everything to ensure you have a solid rest.

It comes outfitted with a proprietary spiked foot/claw for excellent traction but accepts any Atlas style feet if you need to switch up. Also, it’s available in Picatinny and Arca mount options.

MSRP: $499

MDT One-Piece Scope Mount

Upgrade MDT One-Piece Scope Mount

Rigidity doesn’t only play a role in keeping a rifle accurate, but also a scope. If you have a flimsy base, it doesn’t matter how expensive an optic you run you won’t his squat.

MDT has cooked up a gem when it comes to providing a solid platform for your scope with the One-Piece Scope Mount. While the matching set of precision-machined rings and four cross bolts are impressive on the Picatinny-compatible base, it’s a little extra the company threw in that catches the eye. The mount has an integrated recoil lug, which ensures your rifle won’t kick your scope out of zero. Additionally, when used correctly, you can transfer the scope from platform to platform with better repeatability and less “zero offset”.

A one-piece unit, made from precision-machined aluminum, the mount is available for scopes with both 34mm and 35mm main tube bodies.

MSRP: $330

MDT Elite Muzzle Brake

Update mdt_elite_muzzle_brake_recoil_reduction_3_

Often times, shooters peg more weight as the only way to fight recoil. But there are other, lightweight solutions. MDT produces one such option with its Elite Muzzle Brake.

Boasting 35-degree angled baffles, the muzzle device reduces recoil up to 66-percent, thus gives you the ability to maintain on target shot to shot. Also, the brake has a straight-cut baffle at the rear, reducing the concussive forces of a shot. In turn, your rifle’s bark won’t bite as much.

The brake is Tunable through an overlapping lock nut, which also makes indexing the alloy-steel device a cinch. Available for ½-28, ⅝-24, ¾-24, 18×1.0 and 18×1.5 thread sizes.

MSRP: $119

The Lonesome Story Of The Long-Lost 8mm

By
Jay Pinsky
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2

8mm Mauser 1

The 8mm Mauser and other 8mm cartridges are deadly accurate and versatile as a Swiss Army knife. So, why are they virtually unknown in the U.S.?

Why Didn't The 8mm Mauser Make It In The U.S.?

  • It didn't realy do anything the .30-06 wasn't capable of.
  • Historically, there's been a lack of bullet weight options.
  • The bullet diameter change (.318 to .323) years ago confused many shooters.

Some might think success in life is all about who you know.

The same could be said for rifle calibers. Some cartridges ought to be more popular. Case in point—the mighty 8mm Mauser.

Like many successful American cartridges, the German-created 7.92x57mm owes its beginning to the military. (Notice that I didn’t say, “8mm Mauser.”)

8mm Mauser 4
The 8mm caliber has a wide range of cartridges using it because it was developed in the late 1800s. Here, we can compare the relatively mild 8mm Mauser 198-grain load to a 8mm Remington Magnum 200-grain load. The 8mm Mauser is its own case, and the 8mm Remington Magnum was developed from the .375 H&H case.

According to Norma, “The designation, ‘Mauser,’ is actually a misnomer, because the cartridge was developed by a German military commission at Spandau Arsenal for a forerunner of the famous Mauser rifle, which was adopted in 1898.”

Of course, the Swedish ammunition company is right. In 1888, the German Rifle Testing Commission did develop what we commonly call the 8mm Mauser. SAAMI calls it the 8mm Mauser or the 8x57mm, and the European C.I.P. calls the 7.92x57mm the 8×57 IS (which is precisely what’s stamped on the barrel of the brand-new Sauer 100 Classic on loan to me for this story).

Back then, however, it was simply called Cartridge 88 or Patrone 88. You might even know it as the M/88. Regardless, the octo-millimeter pushed a massive .318 (groove)-caliber, 225-grain bullet at 2,000 fps down a lanky, 29.1-inch barrel. In 1888, that was impressive.

By April 1903, the Germans had tweaked the M/88 quite a bit. In 1894, they changed the original .319-inch diameter to .323 to improve the cartridge’s accuracy and reduce barrel wear. It worked. The Germans had figured out that a more aerodynamic bullet that was also lighter flew better than the 225-grain, round-nosed bullet.

8mm Mauser 5
After World War II, there were a lot of Mauser 98 actions available in the United States, with many chambered in 8mm Mauser. While 8mm Mauser ammunition could be found, it was rare, so resourceful Americans rechambered their 8mm Mausers to use the .30-06 Springfield case, and the 8mm-06 wildcat was born. The Interarms X action shown here—actually an 8mm-06 Improved—was built by Zastava of Serbia and imported into the United States under the Interarms X name. It’s a large-ring Mauser 98 action copy and a favorite of many collectors.

As a result, they started loading the 7.92x57mm with a 153-grain, spire-point bullet and created a new gunpowder as well. These changes also worked and, by 1904, the M/88 had evolved into the lighter, faster, longer-lasting 7.92x57mm Mauser S.

Designation Clarification

I’ll let Norma explains the “S” and “J” designations for the 7.92x57mm as follows:

“The ‘J’ in the name stands for ‘Infanterie.’ The ‘J’ is due to a mistake resulting from the previous use of gothic letters in Germany and has no significance regarding bullet size. But, in 1905, the German army switched from a round-nosed, 226-grain bullet to a 154-grain, pointed boattail bullet. At the same time, the diameter of the bullet was altered from .318 inch to the present standard of .323 inch. Accordingly, the ‘S’ (for ‘Spitzer’) means that the barrel is made for .323-inch bullets.”

German Engineering Genius

How good was the new 7.92x57mm Mauser S? Not only did the Germans use it during World War II, so did the Polish, the Chinese … and the British. A bloody 8mm? Yes! They used in it their Besa machine guns. And who could blame them?

Say what you will about the politics of the German war machines of yesteryear, there’s no denying their engineering genius.

8mm Mauser 6
The Sauer 100 Classic chambered in 8×57 IS and the Interarms X custom rifle chambered in 8mm-06 Improved are two examples of how the 8mm Mauser has remained relevant in today’s highly competitive hunting and shooting market. Both cartridges can handle heavy bullets, with the 8mm-06 Improved giving the .323-caliber bullets a bit more speed. The far more common .30-06 Springfield case makes handloading the 8mm-06 relatively simple and is a great choice for new handloaders who want to enjoy a wildcat cartridge.

Case in point: Back in 1933, the German army understood long-range shooting, because it fed its 8mm-armed snipers 198-grain bullets with a ballistic coefficent of .593 (G1), which is so aerodynamically slick that it would make today’s PRS shooters wet their pants. The 7.92x57mm, loaded with the 198-grain bullets, gave the German army arguably the best performing standard rifle bullet of World War II.

One would think a cartridge with that kind of pedigree would have a bigger following in the United States. I do realize that if my only exposure to a cartridge were via it being shot at me, I wouldn’t like it, no matter how well designed it was. Thus, I can forgive America’s Greatest Generation for snubbing its nose at the 8mm Mauser. Still, there are plenty of other reasons the 8mm Mauser (and, honestly, all 8mm-caliber cartridges) doesn’t do well here.

“In my opinion, the 8mm never really thrived in the United States because it didn’t really do anything the .30-06 wasn’t capable of doing,” said Zach Waterman of Nosler Ammunition. “The .30-06 was also the cartridge most members of the military were familiar with at the beginning of the last century; and, in my experience, people generally stick to what they know.

“I believe another limitation of the 8mm Mauser is the lack of bullet weight options that also have relatively low BCs. Nosler offers 180- and 200-grain bullet weight options, and that’s it. Compare that to the ubiquitous (and more powerful) 338 Win. Mag., which has bullet weight options ranging from 180 to 300 grains, making this cartridge more appealing to a broader demographic.”

8mm Mauser 8
The 8mm Mauser is still very popular worldwide. Here, we see a factory box of Prvi Partizan 198-grain 8x57mm JS full-metal-jacket ammunition used for long-range shooting.

Waterman is mostly correct. However, the 8mm—specifically, the .323-caliber—is a little more popular than just the two bullets he mentioned.

MidwayUSA lists 34 different bullets you can reload. The most popular is Nosler’s 180-grain Ballistic Tip, followed by Hornady’s clever 170-grain SST and Nosler’s do-it-all 200-grain AccuBond. Folks who roll their own ammunition can find bullets ranging from 150 grains all the way up to 250 grains. The most popular bullet weight to manufacture for the .323 8mm is, by far, the 200-grain variety, because MidwayUSA lists no fewer than nine of them for sale. Need a high-BC bullet? Some of the 8mms have BCs as high as the .520s.

Duane Siercks, the lead ballistics technician at Sierra, agreed with Waterman and expands his opinion about the less-popular 8mm-caliber for Americans: “The bullet diameter change (.318 to .323) years ago really confused a lot of shooters. The .30-06 was able to outperform the 8×57. The wildcat 8mm-06 probably did as much for the 8mm as anything.”

The 8mm-06

So, what is an 8mm-06, and why does it exist?

8mm Mauser 3
The 8mm Mauser inspired plenty of wildcats; one of the most popular is the 8mm-06 and its peppier 8mm-06 Improved version. On the left is an unfired 8mm-06 with a Hornady 150-grain Interlock bullet loaded with IMR 4064 powder. On the right is the fire-formed “improved” case with a 40-degree shoulder, which added as much as 5 percent more powder capacity. The 8mm-06 Improved cartridges were fire-formed in a custom-built Zastava-built Interarms X-based rifle owned by the author.

After World War II, there were a lot of surplus Mauser rifles available in 8x57JS in the United States. While Mauser rifles were plentiful, 8x57JS ammunition was not. However, Americans quickly figured out how to make 8x57JS ammunition from .30-06 Springfield cases. Wildcatters then figured out that simply necking-up a .30-06 Springfield case to accept the 8mm bullet gave Americans a robust cartridge. The 8mm-06 outperformed the 8x57JS by as much as 200 fps and up to 50 fps faster than equivalent .30-06 Springfield loads.

I own an Interarms X-based custom rifle chambered in 8mm-06 Improved, which adds an honest 1 to 3 percent increase in velocity over the 8mm-06. So, I’m pushing a 200-grain Nosler Partition out of my 24-inch, 8mm-06 Improved barrel at about 2,800 fps. That will do just fine for anything in North America and most things everywhere else. In addition, I can get .30-06 Springfield brass everywhere, and I have a set of custom 8mm-06 Improved reloading dies from Redding.

Nevertheless, the 8mm-06 isn’t the only .323-caliber cartridge still breathing, however faintly, in the United States. The 8mm Remington Magnum and the much newer .325 WSM top the list of 8mm cartridges that Americans use enough of to register sales these days.

“Nosler only offers three 8mm offerings—the 8×57 JS Mauser, .325 WSM and 8mm Rem. Mag., with the .325 WSM being the most popular by a large margin,” said Waterman. “The .325 WSM came out of the gate with a lot of momentum after it was introduced along with the other WSMs, so I think there are a lot of rifles chambered in that cartridge. But not a lot of ammunition offerings are available for those folks, which keeps our ammo sales for that cartridge pretty strong. I’ve personally taken the .325 WSM to Africa, and it performed perfectly on all the plains game I was after. I’ve also seen it shine in the tundra of northern Canada on caribou. My 8mm bullet-of-choice and our most popular offering is the 200-grain AccuBond. If you’re looking for .338 Win. Mag. performance in a short-action, it’s hard to beat the .325 WSM shooting a 200-grain AccuBond.”

Yes, the .325 WSM has helped resurrect the 8mm today—much as the 8mm-06 did after World War II. In fact, the WSM craze a few years ago that spawned the .325 WSM was revolutionary to 8mm-caliber bullet-lovers, because it inspired bullet manufacturers to pay attention to the 8mm again.

8mm Mauser 2
The 8mm Remington Magnum is a spectacular big-game cartridge that delivers substantial energy for .323-caliber fans. Here, the 200-grain Swift A-Frame bullet is factory loaded by Remington to give shooters 3,734 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. The 8mm Remington Magnum is a violent cartridge with a significant amount of recoil … and limited fans across the globe.

Newer, better bullets help any caliber, and the 8mm wasn’t any different—with better-built bullets offering high-speed terminal performance and less drag for flatter, faster flights toward the shooter’s intended target. The 8x57JS crowd can, and have, taken advantage of the technology applied to 8mm bullets these days.

According to Siercks, the popular 8mm bullets for them are the 150 and 175 SPTs. “The 8×57 will always have a loyal following. With 150-grain bullets for deer and 175 for elk-sized game, it is a solid performer. The .325 gives considerable ballistic advantage without the punishing recoil of the 8mm Rem. Mag. The .325 is certainly capable of harvesting all but dangerous game.”

Still, in America, the 7mm and .30-caliber bullets reign supreme. Even so, don’t ignore the mighty 8mm-caliber.

Waterman pointed out, “I’ve seen 7mm and .30-caliber bullets do some impressive things in the field, but the 8mm has more frontal surface area and, in my opinion, hits like a Mack truck. It might not possess the higher BCs the 7mm and .30-caliber bullets have, but for distances of 400 yards and in, that’s not really a concern anyway. Flatter trajectories can be achieved with the 8mm options; 9.3s simply don’t have the velocities behind them that the 8mms have.”

Ballistic Coefficients

Let’s take a closer look at the BCs of 8mm bullets compared to similarly weighted .30-caliber bullets. The 8mm (.323) 180-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip gives shooters a ballistic coefficient (BC) (G1) of .394 and a sectional density (SD) of .247. The equivalent .30-caliber Nosler Ballistic Tip gives a BC of .507 and an SD of .271. This one is no contest with the .30-caliber, leaving the .323-caliber, 180-grain bullet in the dust.

Let’s move up to 200-grain AccuBonds. The .323-caliber, 200-grain AccuBond has a BC of .450 and SD of .274. The .30-caliber, 200-grain AccuBond has a BC of .588 and SD of .301. Again, the .30-caliber bullet blows the ballistic doors off the 8mm bullet.

On-Target Ammunition Information:

Let’s go bigger: How does the 8mm bullet fare against the popular .338-caliber bullets?

The 8mm (.323) 180-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip gives shooters a ballistic coefficient (BC) (G1) of .394 and SD of .247, whereas the .338-caliber bullet weighing 180-grainers falls short of the .323-caliber with a BC of .372 and SD of just .225. When comparing Nosler AccuBond 200-grainers, the 8mm does better with a BC of .450 and SD of .274, versus the .338-caliber, 200-grain BC of .414 and SD of .250.

Simply put: Physics can’t be denied. The .323-caliber bullets fall ballistically right in between the .30-caliber and .338-caliber bullets— a big “duh” there, folks. Ballistically speaking, it is cursed with what some of us know to be the dreaded “middle child syndrome.”

According to Siercks, “The 8mm cartridges are great for all medium-sized game, but I cannot say they are better than 9.3mm or 30-caliber. Their nearest rival would probably be .35-caliber for performance.”

In the end, does the 8mm Mauser—and, more specifically, the 8mm caliber—do anything better than its more popular American calibers to the north and south of its size?
“Not in my opinion,” said Waterman. “I think that’s the very reason it hasn’t taken off in the United States.”

Even so, this Oregon-based bullet PR representative did offer some advice about how to make the .323-caliber relevant: “The only thing I can think of is to reinvent the caliber with faster twist rates and longer, high-BC bullet offerings. That definitely seems to be the trend with folks who are looking to improve upon what they already have.”

The bottom line? The 8mm Mauser and the rest of the .323-caliber cartridges will never be voted “most popular” in the ballistics yearbook then, now or in the future. It will, however, give any caliber a run for its money in another category—”most likely to succeed”—because the 8mm has been, and always will be … enough.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

First Look: Heckler & Koch SP5

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Heckler Koch SP5 1

With the same look and feel as the Heckler & Koch MP5, the SP5 is made to mirror the legend.

How The HK SP5 Mimicks The Iconic MP5:

  • 8.86-inch Navy type barrel
  • Threaded tri-lug adaptor
  • Paddle magazine release
  • Fluted chamber and chrome-lined bore
  • Roller-delayed blowback operated

Well, here's a little something to stuff a stocking. Dubbed the SP5, the semi-automatic is close as you'll get to Heckler & Koch's legendary MP5–short of getting on Secret Service detail. Look, feel, the whole shebang, except full-auto. You can't have everything.

Still, you get pretty dang close, with the 9mm SP5 boasting an 8.86-inch Navy type barrel with threaded tri-lug adaptor, paddle magazine release, fluted chamber and chrome-lined bore. And, of course, it’s roller-delayed blowback operated, which is a staple of Heckler & Koch. Also, it’s a boon in the semi-auto version, given it should help guarantee the accuracy of the pistol, not to mention make it more pleasurable to shoot. Adding a bit more authenticity, the pistol also rolls off the same line as the MP5 in HK's Oberndorf factory in southwest Germany. This should reflect in the SP5’s quality, given the same workforce that produces its full-automatic cousin are the folks putting together the civilian variant.

Heckler Koch SP5

As far as the gun’s specs, it’s 17.8 inches in length, weighs 5.1-pounds and is 2.48-inches in width. It’s outfitted with a rear sling ring, for the use of elastic style slings and, not quite true to form, has rear notch sight drum (the MP5 uses an aperture). Additionally, the rear cap is replaceable with a brace or stock, if you’re up for paying to make it an NFA short-barreled rifle.

The drawback of procuring a fairly authentic civilian rendition of the MP5 is Heckler & Koch isn’t exactly giving it away. The company lists the MSRP at $2,799. Furthermore, HK isn’t turning them out continuously, stating it’s limited to due to other projects.

More From Heckler & Koch:

Columbus, Georgia — Heckler & Koch is proud to announce the US availability of the HK SP5, the only authentic sporting version of the legendary MP5 submachine gun available.

The SP5 was developed by HK as a semiautomatic, civilian sporting pistol that matches the look and feel of the legendary MP5 submachine gun.

“Our whole team is very proud and very excited to finally bring the SP5 to the US,” HK-USA COO/CSO Mike Holley said. “The MP5 isn’t just a customer favorite, it’s an HK employee favorite too. So, we are just thrilled to roll out the most authentic semiautomatic-only version of it we’ve seen in the US.”

Designed and manufactured to meet the definition of a civilian pistol, the SP5 is loaded with authentic features, like a Navy barrel with threaded tri-lug adaptor, paddle magazine release, fluted chamber and chrome-lined bore.

Heckler Koch SP5 2

The backbone of the SP5 is the roller-delayed blowback operating system, which is legendary for its accuracy, reliability, and smooth shooting dynamic. Originally perfected on the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle, it has been used on several other HK firearms still serving today around the world.

The SP5 is manufactured in Heckler & Koch’s Oberndorf factory in southwest Germany. It retains many of the critical elements of the MP5, including its precision-machined components and attention to detail. This high level of quality and workmanship is a result of making the SP5 in the same factory, on the same lines, and by the same workforce that has been making MP5s for years.

A wide variety of accessories can be added to increase its functionality. As the world’s most popular pistol-caliber carbine platform, the MP5 and SP5 are supported by an aftermarket loaded with lots of great accessories.

The SP5 is shipping now. MSRP is $2,799.

For more information on the SP5, please visit www.heckler-koch.com/en.html.

More Info On Heckler & Koch:

4 Qualities Your Concealed Carry Gun Must Have

By
Tom Givens
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Concealed Carry Gun 1
Whether selecting a handgun, a holster or other item of equipment the first thing we must ask ourselves is, “What is it for?” In our context, we need a handgun we can discreetly conceal on our person as we go about our daily routine so we can respond to a sudden, unforeseen crisis in which our life is in immediate danger. That is a pretty specific context.

Don’t ask what is the best concealed carry gun, ask if a particular make, model and chambering have these aspects.

What Are The Requirements Of A Life-Saving Concealed Carry Gun:

  • Reliable—It must work every time.
  • Effective—It must be capable of rapidly and reliably putting down a grown man.
  • Wearable—It must be portable enough to carry at all times.
  • Ergonomic—It must be easily operated.

The sidearm is a piece of emergency-safety equipment carried on the person in anticipation of need and intended to immediately terminate a sudden, lethal attack. For various reasons, a lot of people who wear a sidearm seem to forget completely the reason it’s there and focus their attention on features such as handiness, how concealable it is, its weight or even cosmetic appearance. Given the very serious purpose of the sidearm, that is sheer folly.

Concealed-Carry-Class Cover
This article is an excerpt from Concealed Carry Class: The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics, now available at the GunDigestStore.com.

If you are truly convinced you don’t really need a sidearm for your personal safety, why bother to wear one at all? On the other hand, if you recognize such a need, doesn’t the fact that you need a firearm for protection of your life indicate that you should have a piece well-suited to the task? You might remind yourself the only reason we would draw our pistol is because we believe our own life or that of a loved one is in grave, immediate, mortal danger.

A word we need to keep in mind in any facet of this discipline is “context.” When we select any tool, the first question we have to ask is, “What are we trying to do?” If you have a screw sticking out of a threaded aperture, you need a screwdriver. If you have a piece of conduit you need to cut in half, you need a hacksaw. When you need one, the other will likely do you no good. The same is true of equipment in our context.

Cover Your Six, Get More Conceald Carry Info:

The true requirements of a personal-fighting pistol run somewhat contrary to fad, fashion and the imagination of certain gun-magazine writers. A good, solid defensive pistol is apt to be less flashy, innovative or sexy than the current fad; but that should not influence your selection. Instead, as with any type of emergency-safety equipment, your selection should be based on the equipment’s intended purpose and the circumstances under which you might need it.

What then are the requirements for a serious personal sidearm? A sidearm must be reliable, effective, portable and ergonomic. Everything else is gravy.

Concealed Carry Gun 2

Reliability is the single most important element in the selection of a personal defense weapon. The only justification for firing a weapon at a human being is to stop that person from killing or seriously injuring you or a third party. If you need a pistol for real, you need it very badly indeed. Your pistol must work each and every time you reach for it. If it doesn’t, get it fixed or replace it.

For the next requirement, the pistol has to be effective. To be of use to you in a real-life fight, the pistol must be capable of rapidly and reliably putting down a grown man with as few hits as possible in as short a time as possible. Many handgun/cartridge combinations are simply not capable of this and should be avoided.

The third requirement for the sidearm is it must be wearable, or portable. If you do not have it with you, it will do you no good. This will not be the same handgun for a 5-foot-tall, 105-pound female and a 6-foot-5-inch, 275-pound man. In addition to overall body size and physique, hand size has a great deal to do with handgun selection. There is no one-size-fits-all sidearm and there’s nothing gender-specific about handguns. We need the most powerful and easy to shoot pistol we can adequately conceal on our person, not some tiny little gun that makes us feel better, but will not allow us to fight effectively.

The last requirement is the handgun must be ergonomic, or user-friendly. Controls such as a manual safety, slide latch, magazine release, etc., must be located so they can be worked easily, quickly and with as little shifting of the grip as possible. Many, many handguns are very poorly designed in this regard. That is because the majority of them were not designed as defensive weapons. They were designed as hunting pistols, target pistols or plinking pistols. None of those pursuits share our extreme need to be able to get the gun into action quickly and reliably.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Concealed Carry Class: The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics, now available at the GunDigestStore.com.

Rimfire Rifles: The Economical Savage Minimalist Series

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Minimalist 1

The Savage Minimalist Rimfire Rifle series aims to give shooters more bang for their buck.

How The Savage Minimalist Rimfires Delivers A Solid Deal:

  • Unique lightweight green and brown laminate stocks
  • Pre-installed Weaver-style mounts
  • Sporter-contour, button-rifled barrels
  • Available in .22 LR, .22 WMR and .17 HMR
  • An MSRP of $359

To tell the truth, it’s been quiet. Too quiet. Usually, this time of year is rife with sneak peeks and leaks of the upcoming year’s new guns. There’s been a smattering, but overall not like years past. Maybe the gun industry has run out of ideas? Eh, not quite.

There’s been some brainstorming over at Savage Arms, the Minimalist Rimfire Rifle Series is proof enough. A fairly wild departure from traditional bolt-action plinker design, as its name suggests it aims at minimal burden in the field with an overall light 5.68-pound package. If you haven’t figured out how Savage pulled it off, take a second and look at the picture again. Yes, that’s it … there’s a substantial proportion of the butt milled out of the laminate stock. Certainly unique looking, and perhaps practical outside weight savings. Though it doesn’t boast a true hook, there’re more than enough real estate to steady the rifle with the support hand in prone or off a bench.

Minimalist 3

There’s another minimal to the Minimalist—price. Savage offers the configuration in three models—.22 LR Mark II, .22 WMR 93 and .17 HMR 93R17—each with an MSRP of $359, so right around $300 when they reach your local gun store. Very affordable.

Despite the economical price, Savage didn’t skimp on the Minimalist Rimfire Rifle Series. In addition to the choice of brown or green laminate stocks, the rifles also feature pre-installed Weaver-style bases, matte-black sporter-contoured barrels, threaded muzzles and button rifling. Especially nice, they also feed off 10-round detachable box magazines and are outfitted with Savage’s user-adjustable AccuTrigger. That last feature is pretty nice and not exceedingly common on rimfires.

For more information on the Minimalist Rimfire Rifle Series, please visit www.savagearms.com.

Learn More About Savage Arms:

Best Shotgun Reviews To Nail A Superb Smoothbore

By
Gun Digest Editors
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Best Shotgun Reviews. Pheasant hunting.

Draw a bead on your next smashing smoothbore with Gun Digest‘s best shotgun reviews, lists and videos from the past year.

Be it knocking birds out of the autumn air or smash clays under the summer sun, there’s nothing quite like getting a shotgun to live up to its full potential. Really, no gun collection is truly complete without at least one workhorse smoothbore in the rack. If you or your favorite shooter is short this essential, there’s still time to wrap one up for Christmas.

While many of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have come and gone, there are still deals to be had, particularly on shotguns. To help you separate the wheat from the chaff, we’ve collected 11 of our best shotgun reviews, lists and videos from the past year to guide you along. Whether you need a little something for the spring turkey season or just want to stuff a stocking with a solid scattergun, these posts will get you on point.

7 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options

Economical over/unders and side-by-sides … might as well ask for bargain diamonds. Except for these seven affordable double-barrel shotguns that definitely buck the trend.

4 New Remington Shotguns Worth Drawing A Bead On

Recent turbulent waters of bankruptcy haven't sunk Big Green, as is evidenced by these four new Remington shotguns.

8 Classic Field Shotguns That Won’t Quit

South and Central American wingshooting destinations require shotguns be able to handle abuse and high-volume shooting.

Video: CZ-USA’s Reaper Magnum Redefines Turkey Hunting

Adding a much-needed element of flexibility to the turkey gun, the Reaper Magnum has a hunter covered no matter a tom's range.

Check Out Other Review Roundups:

Dickinson Arms Introduces Color-Case Hardened Plantation SXR

A vibrant addition to Dickinson's side-by-side line, the color-case harden Plantation SXR is a head turner.

SHOT Show 2019: The New Rimfires And Shotguns Of CZ

With a number of additions to its rimfire and shotgun catalogs, CZ-USA has a new long gun for nearly every shooter.

Pro Series M Magazine Fed, Semi-Automatic Shotgun

Black Aces Tactical offers up a box-magazine fed, semi-automatic shotgun in a more traditional configuration with the release of the Pro Series M.

Mossberg Unveils The Head-Turning 500 Centennial 12-Gauge

The Mossberg 500 Centennial is a dazzling addition to the gunmaker's anniversary collection.

Stevens Introduces 555 and 555 Enhanced In 16-Gauge

The 555 and 555 Enhanced 16-gauge options breathe new life into the versatile medium bore.

Savage Arms Model 212 and Model 220 Turkey Revamped

Upgraded and on sale through general retail outlets, the revamped Model 212 and 220 Turkey are just in time for the season.

Youth Shotgun Review: CZ 720 G2 Reduced Length

A handy little 20-gauge autoloader, the CZ 720 G2 Reduced Length is designed to win over first-time shooters.

Annealing Brass For Reloaders: Firing Up Your Case’s Lifespan

By
Philip Massaro
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3

Want more bang for your buck at the reloading bench? Learn the fine art of annealing brass.

What Is Annealing And Why Is It Important For Reloaders:

  • It's the process of heating and cooling a case so the brass regains its malleability.
  • If brass isn't annealed, it will eventually become brittle and break.
  • The process extends the life of your cases and saves you money in the long run.
  • It also tends to improve the accuracy of some rifles.

You might have noticed it on the neck and shoulder of your rifle cases—a rainbow-like coloration on the brass case. What you’re seeing is the result of a process called “annealing,” which is a means of keeping the brass soft. Simply put: The brass is heated to a temperature between 500 and 800 degrees (Fahrenheit) and then quenched to cool rapidly.

The Chosen Metal

Brass was chosen as a material for our cartridge cases for its malleability, strength and rigidity. It’s durable enough to withstand the rigors of life (copper was tried, but it proved to be too soft—as the stuck cases from the battle at the Little Big Horn showed), yet it is pliable enough to be easily formed and reshaped.

Brass, unlike steel, becomes softer when heated and immediately quenched. Again, in the opposite manner of steel, when brass is repeatedly worked, it will become brittle and crack.

Annealing Brass 2
Hornady .470 Nitro Express ammunition. The necks are clearly annealed.

In a perfect world, our cartridge case would be formed to SAAMI specification and, upon firing, the shoulder and neck portion would expand to become a perfect mirror of the chamber, fully sealing the gases in the chamber.

Load Up On Reloading Info:

Sometimes, you might find a sooty residue on the neck of your fired cases; this is from brass that hasn’t fully expanded to the chamber diameter. If you see this, odds are the brass isn’t expanding properly. Annealing can solve the problem.

Annealing for the Reloader

Lapua, Norma and Hornady brass often shows the effects of annealing at the factory (that aforementioned hazy rainbow look). And these brands will often show that they can be fired and resized more times than some of the other brands.

Annealing Brass 5
Annealed 6.5 Creedmoor brass should give longer life.

For a reloader, the ability to anneal your cases might not be such a bad thing. If you’re forming your own cases—for a wildcat design or making brass cases for an obscure or obsolete cartridge—annealing will help in the forming process and will also help preserve the cases once finished.

For example, I frequently form brass cases for my .318 Westley Richards from .30-’06 Springfield brass, and the process works the material considerably. For this particular operation, the case must be trimmed from 2.494 inches down to 2.370 inches and then run through the resizing die, which relocates the shoulder and opens the case mouth and neck from .308 inch up to .330 inch. That doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but to the grain structure of a brass case, it means a diminished life expectancy, at least in the configuration we need.

The cost of brass cases for big-bore rifles or for the rare and unusual cartridges can be huge and result in a serious investment. Some of the big Weatherby cartridges, such as the .378 and .460 Magnums, along with the big Nitro Express and other safari cartridges, can cost between $3 and $8 per case. As a reloader, I do everything to keep those expensive cases around as long as possible, including annealing the brass.

The Annealing Process

So, how can the reloader anneal their own cases?

Annealing Brass 3
Even nickel-coated brass can be annealed, although these 7mm-08 Remington cases from Federal don’t show the marks as clearly as all brass cases.

The principal idea is to heat the neck and shoulder of the case—but certainly not the body and base. A common method that’s inexpensive yet effective uses a blow torch to heat the cases just enough to get a dull-red glow and then place the cartridges into water. Do not overheat the case, because you’ll ruin it. Although the annealing results from this method might not come out as uniformly as others, it’s certainly better than nothing.

Brass Annealing Machine

I’ve found a cool (albeit expensive) unit that handles annealing very well. The folks at Annealing Made Perfect (New Zealand; AMPannealing.com) make a machine that gives all sorts of flexibility and will handle cartridges from the .17 Hornet all the way up to the .50 BMG. Described as “the world’s first and only smart annealer,” the machine is easy to use and makes it simple to customize your brass cases.

Using induction to generate heat, AMP makes a series of pilots, which work as spacers, to place the case mouth, neck and shoulder at the proper height within the machine. Each family of cartridges—say, the .308 Winchester, .260 Remington and .338 Federal as one family and the .30-’06 Springfield, .270 Winchester and .280 Remington as another—will use a common pilot. Simply thread the pilot into the top of the machine and, using a common shell holder that inserts into a small unit designed to keep your fingers cool, the unit can be set to a specific program time to give the proper amount of heat.

Annealing Brass 1
The AMP Mark II annealing machine is easy to use and very consistent.

You will find a chart of varying calibers on the AMP website, and within the caliber, varying brands of brass, along with the appropriate program time. Set the front display to the proper program time and hit the start button. Within seconds, you’ve got as good an annealing as you could ask for. I put the machine through its paces and found it would crank out about 300 cases per hour.

The AMP machine also is compatible with the AZTEC program, which will have the machine test (and ultimately destroy) one of your cases to determine the properties of the case, as well as how long a runtime your particular case will need.

This device should have all sorts of appeal to wildcatters who create their own unique designs. With a street price of around $1,400, this is a major investment for a single reloader. However, for a shooting club or rifle range, a group of shooters could split the cost, and it would make sense.

Annealing Brass 6

Is annealing a necessity in order to reload ammunition? No, but it most certainly extends case life—and I’ve also found it to improve accuracy in many of my rifles.

If you find yourself shooting enough to wear out cases, maybe it’s time for you to add annealing to your reloading routine.

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

Video: What Is Target-Focused Shooting?

By
Gun Digest Editors
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0

Target-focused shooting goes against many of the fundamentals you learned for handgun accuracy but might save your life in an up-close attack.

He was less than a car-length away when he attacks. Despite the surprise, you were able to unholster your gun in textbook fashion. You even punched out before he got within range to grab you. The one thing that didn’t come together, a perfect sight picture. Should you care?

When you’re talking utmost accuracy, particularly when the target gets out 10 yards and further, absolutely focusing on the front sight and getting everything perfectly aligned is imperative. In quick-and-dirty close-quarters combat, such nuances go straight out the window. These fast-paced situations call for a more intuitive style of shooting, which facilitates life-saving hits in the most expedient manner possible. What it calls for is target-focused shooting.

As its name suggests, your plane of focus is on where you’re shooting, not your front sight. Quite a bit different than what most of us have been taught. But honestly, in a lethal-force situation—particularly up close—it’s where your eye naturally draw anyhow. Though don’t fool yourself, this isn’t a point-and-shoot method. Fundamental pistol marksmanship is still in play … presentation, sight alignment, etc. You’re just not focusing on the front sight any longer.

There are limitations to target-focused shooting—primarily distance. Practicing this method, you might find you’re only effective using it out to 5 yards, maybe 3. You have to respect this and understand it only one skill in your overall defensive toolbox and only use in situations that demand it.

For more information on Walther, please visit www.waltherarms.com.

For more information on Panteao Production, please visit www.panteao.com.

Learn How To Run Your Defensive Pistol:

A Contemporary Classic: The New Savage 110 Classic

By
Brad Fitzpatrick
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0

Savage Model 110 10

The new Savage 110 Classic brings an elevated level of versatility to the traditional wood-stocked hunting rifle.

How The Savage 110 Classic's Stock Makes It A Modern Classic:

  • Combines the customizability of a polymer stock with the classic look of walnut.
  • Push-button controlled adjustable stock lets you tailor LOP and comb height.
  • Each has 1.5 inches of play.
  • Button tension can be increased or decreased with an Allen key.

When polymer rifle stocks first emerged in the 1980s, they were viewed with skepticism and disdain by many hunters. It was argued that injection-molded plastic would never have the look and feel of traditional walnut. After all, wood-stocked guns have been serving hunters since the dawn of rifledom, and traditionalists saw no reason to change.

Savage Model 110 7
The Savage 110 Classic features an oil-finish walnut stock that easily adjusts for comb height and length of pull, blending the versatility of a polymer stock with the look and feel of wood.

As it turns out, polymer stocks do have some very real advantages over wood stocks: Polymers are tough, inexpensive and, perhaps most importantly, they make it very easy to customize a rifle to fit the shooter.

Customizability + Classic Style

Savage’s new 110 Classic bolt-action rifle manages to combine the customizability of a polymer stock with the classic look of walnut. At first glance, this rifle looks like a traditional wood-stocked rifle; a gun that will appeal to the traditionalist. Closer examination reveals that the walnut stock can be quickly adjusted to perfectly fit any shooter.

Savage Model 110 6
The walnut stock features a comfortable pistol grip with a slight palm swell. The design is comfortable for shooters with various-sized hands, thus adding to the 110 Classic’s versatility.

The principle that Savage uses to accomplish this is similar to what high-end shotgun companies have been doing with competition guns for years: Competitive shotgun shooting demands exact gun fit; and, decades ago, that required shooters to go through the difficult and expensive process of having the stock adjusted.

Many modern competition shotguns have walnut stocks with adjustable comb heights and lengths of pull that allow the gun to be quickly customized to properly fit any shooter. Savage borrowed that technology and transitioned it to the rifle market. The new 110 Classic’s stock has two buttons on the right side of the stock that allow a shooter to adjust both comb height and length of pull by up to 1.5 inches. When the front button is depressed, the comb is released and can be raised, and three steel posts keep the comb secure and properly aligned. The center has cutouts that lock in place, and there are five adjustment points, each of which offers roughly a quarter-inch of adjustment.

Savage Model 110 9
The Savage 110 Classic comes with a drop-out metal box magazine that holds four rounds (three in magnum calibers). The magazine release button is located in front of the magwell.

The rear button controls length of pull in the same manner. Button tension can be adjusted using an Allen key. The adjustment buttons measure almost an inch wide, so they’re easy to locate and operate without taking your eyes off the target. And, the walnut stock has an oil finish that looks good and helps protect the wood.

Features and Details

In addition to its clever stock design, the Savage 110 Classic is a very versatile and well-built hunting rifle. It employs Savage’s proven dual-lug push-feed action with plunger-type ejector, and it also comes with the company’s user-adjustable AccuTrigger, which features a blade design to prevent impact discharges.

Savage Model 110 11
The 110 Classic comes with Savage’s AccuTrigger. The design is exceedingly safe and user-adjustable from 1.5 to 6 pounds.

The carbon-steel action and barrel feature a non-glare matte-black finish, and the sporter-profile barrel comes in lengths of 22 inches for standard calibers and 24 inches for magnums. All 110 Classic rifles come with a 9/16-28 threaded muzzle and include a thread protector. Other key features include a removable metal box magazine that holds four rounds (three in magnum calibers) and sling studs.

Learn More About Savage Arms:

The 110 Classic weighs in at around 8.1 pounds, which is fine for most hunting applications. Overall length for standard calibers ranges from 41.25 to 42.75 inches, depending upon length-of-pull adjustments, and the controls are easy to operate. There’s a three-position, tang-mounted safety that allows you to load and unload the rifle with the safety engaged, and the magazine release button is located at the front of the magazine well. Removing the bolt requires depressing a button on the front of the trigger guard and pulling the trigger.

Savage 110 range test

The 110 Classic is available in eight calibers ranging from .243 Winchester to .300 Win. Mag., all of which carry an MSRP of $999.

Expectations Met… and Exceeded

The 110 Classic I tested was chambered in .243 Winchester. I topped the rifle with a Trijicon AccuPoint 2.5-12.5x42mm scope. Removing the bolt for bore sighting or cleaning requires lowering the comb so the rear portion of the bolt doesn’t strike the stock. Once this was done, I reinserted the bolt and adjusted the comb height so that my eye was naturally aligned with the scope.

Savage Model 110 2
The 110 Classic proved capable of sub-MOA accuracy with the three Federal loads tested. These included (left to right) Barnes 85-grain TSX, Berger 95-grain Hybrid Hunter and Nosler 90-grain AccuBond.

The 110 Classic’s stock allows the shooter to adjust length of pull from roughly 12.5 to 14 inches, and because I have rather long arms, the rifle fit me best with maximum length of pull. Most other walnut stocks are built to fit the “average” shooter, so having the ability to customize the 110’s fit is a worthwhile feature. There’s no need to readjust your shooting position to make up for a stock that’s too short or too long, and the Savage allows the shooter to adopt a more natural shooting position. This increases comfort and also helps mitigate recoil.

Savage has a stellar reputation for accuracy—thanks, in part, to its use of a barrel nut that allows for perfect headspacing.

Savage Model 110 3
The 110 Classic utilizes Savage’s dual-lug push-feed action with a plunger-type ejector. The surface of the bolt has a jeweled finish.

The 110 Classic not only lived up to those high expectations, it exceeded them, producing sub-MOA groups with all three of the .243 Winchester loads tested (Federal’s Barnes TSX 85-grain, Nosler AccuBond 90-grain and the new Berger Hybrid Hunter 95-grain). All three of the loads were extremely consistent, with group sizes ranging from .68 inch to 1.08 inches at 100 yards. Every load tested averaged under an inch, making this the most accurate Savage rifle I’ve tested. Impressive!

Recoil isn’t much of a factor with a .243, but the 8-pound (10.1 pounds loaded and scoped) Savage 110 proved to be very easy to shoot. I have little doubt that the custom-fit stock improved accuracy.

Savage 110 Specs

The 110 Classic features an American-style flat comb. When elevated, the rear portion of the comb rises above the line of the stock. As a result, it’s important to ensure no portion of your face is behind the elevated portion of the stock so the force of the rifle’s recoil doesn’t rake across your cheek (a mistake I made … just once).

The AccuTrigger revolutionized bolt-action rifle production, and because it’s user-adjustable from 1.5 to 6 pounds, you can customize trigger pull weight. The test rifle came set at 2.5 pounds, which is just about perfect for my taste; however, if you want to adjust the trigger pull weight, it’s a simple process: Simply remove the action from the stock, and the trigger weight control screw can be adjusted clockwise or counterclockwise for a lighter or heavier pull.

Savage Model 110 5
Like all 110s, the Classic features a tang-mounted safety that’s easy to reach and manipulate. The three-position design allows the action to operate with the safety engaged in the middle position.

The adjustable stock and comb allow the shooter to get more comfortable when shooting from the bench, but this adjustability also helps when shooting from field positions. Prone shooting is popular because it affords the shooter maximum stability while hunting, but your ability to quickly and efficiently get into a prone position is compromised by the dimensions of your stock: If length of pull is too long, you’ll be reaching too short, and you’ll have to fire from a compacted position, which inhibits a relaxed, comfortable shot. The adjustable comb is also a benefit when shooting prone, because in really awkward positions (steep uphill, steep downhill, uneven terrain), the comb can compensate for unusual head positioning.

Having the proper length of pull allows for faster shooting from kneeling or standing positions, and you can adjust it to compensate for heavy clothing. Normally, I shoot a rifle with a 14-inch length of pull, but in really cold conditions for which I’m wearing bulky clothes, having the option to shorten the rifle’s length to accommodate extra layers is a benefit.

Savage Model 110 8
With 1.5 inches of comb adjustment, the Savage 110 accommodates a wide variety of shooting styles. It’s especially valuable when shooting from field positions.

There’s nothing particularly fancy about the 110 Classic rifle, but it is a good-looking and well-executed gun. The walnut stock is rather plain, but the oil finish adds a touch of class. Wood-to-metal fit is pretty good throughout. The pistol grip is comfortably angled with a palm swell that allows for a firm hold on the gun, and the rounded fore arm is equipped with a finger groove. Both the fore arm and pistol grip feature Savage’s signature checkering with interrupting parallel lines.

The action is fairly smooth, and the magazine fits neatly into the rifle without a lot of fiddling. The lone reliability issue came when a single cartridge popped free of the magazine— the rear portion riding atop the closing bolt, which caused obvious chambering issues. Aside from that, the gun performed well.

Savage is breaking ground with the addition of an adjustable walnut stock, and I like the design. Sure, companies offer plastic spacers that allow you to manipulate length of pull, but the push-button design on the 110 Classic eliminates the need to remove the recoil pad when adjusting length of pull. The design certainly makes perfect sense when two or more hunters share a rifle, because, with just a few simple adjustments, a single gun can fit mom, dad and any kids in your house.

The new 110 Classic offers traditionalists a wood-stocked rifle that doesn’t forfeit the versatility of a polymer stock. At $999, the Classic isn’t exactly a budget rifle, but it does shoot extraordinarily well. And, it’s one of the few guns that can instantly fit anyone who fires it.

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

SCCY Adds Red-Dot Pistols With CPX Expansion

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

SCCY CPX 1

Outfitted with Crimson Trace reflex sights, the CPX series gives shooters an affordable choice in optic-ready pistols.

How SCCY's CPX line gets the edge on other optic-ready pistols:

  • Starting a less than $350, the line is among the most affordable in its class.
  • The Crimson Trace CTS-1500 provides a durable and accurate aiming solution.
  • The red-dot is attached via a slide cut, keeping it low profile and rugged.

If you’ve used one in competition or simply banging around at the range, you know the first word that comes to mind with a reflex optic—cheating. Once you get a knack for acquiring your target with the red dot, the pace at which you place hits and transition is amazingly fast. Given this, it’s no wonder optics have wandered from pistol matches to more mainstream shooting in recent years. Though at a price.

Outfitting your rig with a red dot comes at a premium, not only due to the addition of the optic itself, but also the mounting system. Slide cut models almost always run well above the standard, even if they only come outfitted with iron sights. Which makes what SCCY has accomplished all the more impressive. The new CPX line not only arms shooters with a fully outfitted optic-ready system, complete with a reflex sight, but does so at some of the best prices in the category.

Learn More About Handguns:

How low has the gunmaker gone? For the CPX-2RD and CPX 3RD, the MSRP is $339, in the case of the CPX-1RD and CPX-4RD it’s $349. That should leave enough over for a new optics-compatible holster and plenty of ammo.

Budget arms are SCCY’s trademark, but the company hasn’t skimped with its new configurations. The 9mm (CPX 1RD and CPX 2RD) and .380 ACP (CPX 3RD and CPX 4RD) pistols each come factory-outfitted with Crimson Trace CTS-1500 red dot sights, a low-rise optic ideal for a concealed-carry gun. The 3.5 MOA auto-dimming red dot gets 20,000 hours life out of a battery and comes with a three-year warranty. Furthermore, it is mounted to the CPX pistols via a slide cut, ensuring it maintains the lowest-possible profile and utmost ruggedness.

As for the pistols themselves, they’re long on features, including SCCY’s QUADLOCK Barrel for repeatable accuracy (CPX-3/CPX-4), 10+1 capacity, and fixed sights. The CPX series pistols have aircraft-grade aluminum-alloy receivers coupled with a stainless steel slide. The grip frame is made from Zytel polymer, boast finger grooves and an integrated recoil cushion on the backstrap. The one catch point for some on the hammer-fired pistols, they’re DAO. But don’t let this facet scare you off, SCCY has generally produced a more than manageable trigger, even if the pull is more than a striker-fired.

For more information on the CPX optic-ready line, please visit: www.sccy.com.

Get On Target With The 10 Best Gun Digest Books

By
Gun Digest Editors
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0

Until FN improved the metallurgy on the P-35, its .40 S&W prototypes were only lasting 2,500 rounds. Once it went to cast frames the guns had a much longer service life. If only it had done it sooner!

Need a high-velocity page-turner? Check out the top Gun Digest books from the past year.

Yeah, we all know what we want to unwrap Christmas morning … a gun. Maybe it’s Sig Sauer’s spanking new P365 SAS or a vintage Browning Auto-5. Whatever the case, a dream iron certainly makes the season merry and bright. But there are other gifts to deck the halls with that, while not as enthralling as a rifle or pistol, will still hit the mark with your favorite marksman … even if that sharp shot happens to be you. Perhaps a gun book?

As chance has it, Gun Digest is brimming with some of the most impactful firearms literature to ever roll off the presses, penned by some of the most authoritative and respected authors in the game. From detailed gunsmithing guides to firearms histories, and in-depth looks at some of the world’s most cherished guns, these tomes are certain to score a bullseye with the firearms enthusiasts in your life … no matter their interest. No joke, there’s a warehouse of this high-powered knowledge waiting to be untapped. To make matters a bit simpler, we gathered together the top 10 Gun Digest books from the past year. These are what other gun buffs have been reading and are certain to make dynamite stocking stuffer or your next page-turner.

2020 Standard Catalog Of Firearms

The definitive gun value guide for more than a quarter-century, offering more of what the firearms enthusiast and collector need — more photos, more prices and more guns!

Check Out Other Review Roundups:

Gun Digest 2020

It's “The World's Greatest Gun Book!” Need we say more?

KNIVES 2020

The annual knife enthusiasts looks forward to and needs. Bursting with full-color photos plus exclusive features not available anywhere else, it's the final word in knives.

Gun Digest Assembly/Disassembly Collection

Seven PDF books are among the most detailed firearms references available, with step-by-step instructions and comprehensive photos walking you through the takedown and reassembly of the most popular models of guns.

Cartridges Of The World, 16th Edition

Packed with over 688 pages of concise information and data on old, new and currently manufactured ammo every shooter and reloader need this in their gun library.

Glock Reference Guide, 2nd Edition

Whether you’re an experienced Glockophile or shopping for your first Glock pistol, this revised and expanded second edition is essential reading.

Gun Digest Classics

The best-of-the-best from Gun Digest‘s early years. Jack O’Connor, Elmer Keith, Col. Townsend Whelen, Warren Page and More … They’re All Here!

Big Book Of Ballistics

Simplifying and demystifying this daunting aspect of reloading and shooting, the book is a practical, down-to-earth guide to the subject.

Gunsmithing The AR-15: The Bench Manual

In essence, the vital reference is a veritable armor’s course on the AR-15.

7 Steps To Control Fear And Make Sound Decisions Under Stress

By
Tom Givens
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0

A life-or-death situation is no time to freeze up. Here are 7 steps that ensure you won't.

When a responsible person first begins going armed, he is usually haunted by two recurring questions, or self-doubts:

  1. If I’m really attacked, and my life is at stake, will I be able to handle it?
  2. What if I screw up and kill an innocent person?

This is a normal reaction, and to a degree it is healthy. We do, however, need to address these issues and resolve them, before a conflict, so they will not raise their ugly heads when we should be concentrating on winning the fight. Remember, if an unavoidable fight is thrust upon us, we MUST WIN! The alternative can be death, or crippling injury.

Concealed-Carry-Class Cover
This article is an excerpt from Concealed Carry Class: The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics, now available at the GunDigestStore.com.

The first issue to face is that of FEAR. Fear is a normal reaction to physical violence for most people. In addition, since most of us no longer have military experience and live in “civilized” surroundings, we might not have ever actually engaged in a true fight before our moment of truth in a criminal attack. This fear of the unknown is, for many, worse than the fear of being hurt or killed.

Unless you are an exceptional person, a nutcase, or a liar and you have actually been involved in armed conflict, you have tasted fear. I’m not ashamed to say I have been scared several times, and I fully expect to be scared again before my life is over. What you must learn to do is control your fear and do what you must to win.

Cover Your Six, Get More Conceald Carry Info:

Fear can be controlled and overcome, even in life-threatening circumstances. This is obviously true, and it is proven every day by hundreds of ordinary people all over the country. Here are some steps you can take to make this process easier:

1. Admit to yourself you are afraid, then move on. Concentrate your mental energies on the task at hand, not on your fear of death, injury, or loss of ego.

2. Avoid dwelling on the chance of failure. Concentrate on finding a way to win.

3. Take control of yourself. Autogenic breathing is the very best and most efficient way to do this.

4. Focus on getting the job done.

5. Have a Plan B. Always, always, always, expect Plan A to fail. Expect your gun to malfunction. Expect the suspect to stay up after being hit solidly. Expect to be injured. If any of these things occur, have a pre-planned option to continue (Plan B).

6. Turn anger into a motivator. Who does this clown think he is? What makes him think he has the right to (rob/rape/kill/pick on) me?

7. Accept an element of fate in every situation. You can get hurt by accident after doing everything right. Control everything you CAN control (selection of equipment, getting adequate training and practice, being alert, thinking tactically) so there are fewer things you CAN NOT control. Stack the odds in your favor, and fate has a lot less impact.

Courage under fire is not a matter of being without fear. It is a matter of being able to control fear and accomplish your mission, which is to stay alive. Only fools are fearless.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Concealed Carry Class: The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics, now available at the GunDigestStore.com.

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