Challenging The 5.56 NATO: The LWRCI 6.8 SPCII

By

-

August 8, 2019

A culmination of a slew of incremental changes, the LWRCI Six8 aims to tackle the 5.56 AR's supremacy.

What The LWRCI Six8 Stands Out :

The barrel is 8.5 inches long, NiCorr treated and has a twist of 1:10 inches.
Barrel is heavy profile, which keeps it a bit nose-heavy (I find this good for follow-through and tracking a moving target) and soaks up heat.
With a threaded muzzle and adjustable piston system, the pistol can easily accommodate a suppressor.
Lower handguard bolts directly to the upper receiver, leaving the barrel nut to do its job without being imposed upon.
A standard bolt has been built it for the 6.8.
Six8 magazine is wider than a USGI 5.56 magazine to properly stack the fatter 6.8 cases.

The LWRCI Six8 is the culmination of many incremental changes. It’s fashionable to be “revolutionary” or “boundary-pushing” these days. Well, real progress is made with incremental changes that add up to something that’s far beyond the original. The Six8 is what the AR would have been if the powers-that-be hadn’t been so invested in NIH — Not Invented Here.

There has always been a cohort of shooters who have not been happy with the AR-15. Some didn’t like the gas system. Others found the aluminum and plastic construction just not “manly” (not enough steel and no walnut).

LWRCI Six8 Dust Cover — From the right side, there’s only one clue the LWRCI is ambidextrous: the bolt release, which is located above and behind the magazine button.

And others objected to the 5.56 NATO cartridge. As a CQB and jungle cartridge, it actually worked then, and it works now, at least in the full-sized rifle. Push the 55-grain FMJs out of a carbine or an SBR, and the distance at which it works closes in sharply.

How It Works

Briefly, the 55 FMJ works through yaw and fragmentation. When it loses enough velocity, it fails to fragment. Out of a rifle, the 55-grain FMJ bullet — the load commonly known as M-193 or XM-193 — fragments out to 200 yards or so. But as you shorten the barrel, you lose velocity, and that pulls in the fragmentation distance. By the time you get down to the SBRs, the pistols — the real shorties —you can have a firearm with a zero frag distance. No, really, an AR pistol with a 7-inch barrel has lost so much velocity that the bullet will not yaw and fragment at any distance.

What to do? Well, the Army had a chance some years ago and passed on it. The project was spearheaded by service personnel in the know and was pushed by the SF community. It was called the 6.8 SPC … actually, the 6.8 Remington SPC, to be complete.

The problem with the 5.56 was, well, being 5.56mm. To get more weight, you needed to increase diameter. But the .223 case was too small to get heavier bullets up to useful velocities.

LWRCI Six8 Magazine — The Magpul-made magazine is not only 6.8 specific, it is also LWRCI specific.

So, Remington took the old .30 Remington case, developed back before World War I, shortened it, necked it down to accept a .277-diameter bullet and made the package fit an AR-15 magazine. The result was a cartridge that could push a 115-grain bullet to almost 2,600 fps out of a rifle.

The advantages were seen as many: It fit into the AR. It needed only a new bolt and a new barrel to swap rifles and carbines. It even used the same magazines.

Pros and Cons

However, there were problems. Oh, the big problem was that Army ordnance wasn’t interested in anything that wouldn’t culminate in a multi-billion-dollar project. The Army had to have something that was so great a leap over the existing system that it would be hailed as a genius for having developed it. (OK, I’ll lay off the coffee and get back to our LWRCI Six8 now.)

The mechanical problems with the 6.8 SPC come down to two things: the bolt and the magazine. By simply opening up the existing bolt face, it’s easy to accommodate the 6.8 in an AR package. But the bolt for the AR was designed and proportioned for the 5.56. Asking it to handle a bigger cartridge that’s firing a heavier bullet is asking a lot.

LWRCI Six8 Controls — On the left side of the lower receiver, you can see all the ambidextrous goodness the LWRCI Six8-A5 has.

The idea of not having to change magazines was also appealing. However, the magazine for the AR, like the bolt, was designed for a smaller cartridge. Does the 6.8 work out of AR mags? Yes and no. I have a sample of 6.8 rifles, all rebuilt from 5.56. One of them was a real pain in the neck. It refused to feed reliably until I had sorted out the magazines it likes. I have them labeled, and I keep them with it, because if I use other mags it refuses to work reliably. This became so apparent so quickly that magazine makers altered AR mags to be 6.8-specific and offered them as such.

Need More AR Knowledge:

7 Affordable 9mm Carbine Options
Top Options In AR Pistols From Daniel Defense
Properly Using A Defensive AR-15 From Cover
Should You Own A Pistol Caliber Carbine?

This actually makes the problem worse. We now find ourselves with two sets of magazines, and both fit both rifles. Both hold both cartridges, and yet, each will fail to feed if used in the wrong rifle-magazine-ammunition combination.

LWRCI to the Rescue

So LWRCI set about solving this problem. Oh, and they solved another one along the way.

There are actually two 6.8 SPC chambers. One is the original, and the other is the 6.8 SPC II. The difference is the length of the leade; yes, this’s exactly the same situation as we find in the .223 versus 5.56 chamber dimensions. You want a 6.8 SPC II chamber in your 6.8.

LWRCI Six8 Rear Sight — The LWRCI Skirmish
sights fold, and the rear rotates to give you a small or larger aperture.

The subject of our inquiry is the LWRCI Six8 pistol. The model sent to me was the Six8-A5, done up in OD Green. You can have yours in OD Green, Patriot Brown, Flat Dark Earth or black. The colors are Cerakote, applied in-house by LWRCI. The black is mil-spec anodizing.

The barrel is 8.5 inches long, NiCorr treated and has a twist of 1:10 inches. NiCorr is a nitride surface treatment, done to the LWRCI cold hammer-forged barrel. It increases surface hardness to a marked degree and also increases corrosion resistance. As a result, there’s no need for a hard chrome plating in the bore. The 1:10 twist is plenty fast enough to stabilize any bullet you’re going to be using in the 6.8.

The barrel is given a heavy profile, which keeps it a bit nose-heavy (I find this good for follow-through and tracking a moving target) and soaks up heat. Despite the barrel diameter, the Six8-A5 pistol only tips the scales at 6¼ pounds. The muzzle is threaded 5/8×24, so you can mount a muzzle device other than the flash hider LWRCI ships it with. The piston system is adjustable, so it can easily accommodate a suppressor. At the other end, LWRCI reams the Six8 to the 6.8 SPC II chamber dimensions.

Above the barrel is the LWRCI piston system. This is a spring assembly, rod and cup, and they can be removed (but not without a bit of a struggle) for cleaning. The piston system removes the big objection some have with the direct-impingement design, because with a piston, none of the hot gases are directed back into the upper receiver.

LWRCI Six8 Sight — The LWRCI Skirmish
front sight.

The free-float handguard has a removable top. By unscrewing the knobs on the front of the handguard, you can slide the upper portion a bit and then lift it off. Doing this gains you access to the piston system, should you ever want to disassemble and clean it. I’ve been running a couple of other LWRCI carbines for some time now, and I have managed to resist the temptation to clean the piston system. Even so, they have yet to fail me.

Instead of clamping the handguards onto a mil-spec barrel nut or a proprietary one, the front of the upper receiver is altered to be the base of the lower handguard. The handguard bolts directly to the upper receiver, leaving the barrel nut to do its job without being imposed upon.

The upper handguard is also railed its full length and meshes perfectly with the rail of the upper receiver. LWRCI installs its own Skirmish sights, folding BUIS front and rear, so you’re ready to go right out of the box.

To complete the ensemble of the upper assembly, LWRCI uses an ambidextrous charging handle. The lower is full ambidextrous, with mag catch, bolt release and selector working on both sides.

LWRCI Six8 Piston Installed — Here, you see the top of the
handguard off, ready for piston disassembly.

The receiver extension, aka “buffer tube,” is a simple tube with a raised collar to stop the arm brace from moving forward. Clamped between the rear of the receiver and the castle nut, LWRCI has positioned a QD sling swivel attachment point. Again, it’s ambidextrous.

Noteworthy Alterations

The two big changes that LWRCI has made in order to make the Six8 work the way the original project was intended to are not readily apparent.

First up: the bolt. LWRCI took the standard bolt and built it for the 6.8. It has a fully supported bolt face, the extractor has dual springs to power it, and the extractor claw has been improved to gain 20 percent more purchase on the rim. The company machined a recess around the rim of the bolt face to collect debris and to keep it from causing problems before you can scrub it away.

The bolt and carrier are nickel-boron coated for increased lubricity, ease of cleaning and easy identification. All these steps improve function, durability and service life of the bolt. The other big change is the magazine. LWRCI collaborated with Magpul, and they made sure the new cartridge got a proper magazine.

LWRCI Six8 Barrel — The barrel is clearly marked, and the
NiCorr treatment makes it harder than sin and tougher
than an auditor’s heart.

The Six8 magazine is wider than a USGI 5.56 magazine to properly stack the fatter 6.8 cases. The magazine has feed lips proportioned to feed the 6.8 out of the proper double-stack configuration. Internally, the Six8 magazine is a continuous-curve shell. The USGI 30 round magazines are a straight upper tube with a curved lower half. The lower receiver is machined to accept this new magazine.

And, as a very clever decision, LWRCI and Magpul moved the magazine catch slot just enough so that a regular AR magazine won’t lock into place in the Six8. As a final touch, the magazine features a bright-red follower so you can tell at a glance which is which.

The resulting package is a compact, relatively lightweight (a comparable AR-15 in 5.56 can be had under 6 pounds, but to do that, you give up the piston system and the heavy barrel) self-loading rifle that holds 30 rounds of 6.8 Remington SPC ammo.

Why Choose the 6.8?

Now, one might ask: Why a 6.8 pistol? Aren’t you giving up the power advantage the 6.8 gives you over the 5.56? You aren’t, and the answer is related to the square-cube law — that is, the size or strength of something goes up by the square, but the mass goes up by the cube.

A 115-grain 6.8 bullet doesn’t have to depend on fragmentation to work. You can count on expansion … if you want expansion. If you’re using FMJs, the mass (the 6.8, at 115 grains, has 209 percent the mass of the 55-grain bullet in an M-193 load) delivers the ballistic punch. If you need barrier performance, a bonded 115-grain 6.8 bullet is going to do much better than any similarly constructed 5.56 bullet. And the chronograph results tell us just what a barrel as stubby as the Six8-A5 can deliver.

One thing to keep in mind if you decide to reload your 6.8 ammo: primers. The original design, done by Remington, called for a large rifle primer. That, like the original short-leade chamber dimension, has been retained by Remington. Hornady loads the SPC with small rifle primers. If you order up new brass from Starline, they, too, will ship you cases with small rifle primer pockets.

As a “truck gun,” the LWRCI Six8-A5 would be a great little emergency tool. You have plenty of oomph to defeat barriers. You have the power to reach out past the immediate vicinity. If you’re out in the country and have need of it, the 6.8 SPCII can easily reach out to a couple of hundred yards. With a low-powered scope on it, that would be even easier.

For more information on the Six8, please visit www.lwrci.com.

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

Springfield Range Officer Compact Vs. Nighthawk Custom T4

By

Dick Jones

-

August 7, 2019

0

If you stack the one-gunsmith made Nighthawk Custom T4 against the production Springfield Armory Range Officer Compact, how do things shake out?

What Are The Highpoints Of Each 1911:

The T4 is a high-quality gun built by one gunsmith.
Front strap is cut higher and contoured for a high grip to aid in fast recoil recovery.
Rear sight is a Heinie Straight Eight Slant Pro Tritium night sight with a tritium front sight.
Range Officer Compat features a 4-inch, stainless, match-grade, fully supported bull barrel.
The pistol's sights are fiber-optic front and low-profile combat rear.
Its rigger and hammer are skeletonized, and the trigger is backlash adjustable.

Like a million other subjects for discussion, the question of what makes the best pistol for personal defense will never be resolved—and for good reason. We all have different lifestyles; but if we were all the same, there would be only one universal defensive pistol—and, I suppose, one each of all other categories of products.

The Nighthawk Custom T4

I recently reviewed a truly exceptional defensive pistol that only a few people will choose to carry: Nighthawk’s T4. However, if there’s a group of gun enthusiasts who appreciate this level of craftsmanship geared for everyday use, it’s the readers of Gun Digest.

It’s a high-quality gun built by one gunsmith (who stamps his initials on the gun before it leaves the factory) and is built on the officer-sized frame with a 3.8-inch match-grade bull barrel. This makes it more compact but only sacrifices one round of capacity. There are cuts to reduce weight, the frame is thinned, and the G10 grips are thinner than normal for better concealability.

Also available in 9mm, my test gun was a .45 ACP. Everything about this gun spells “custom build.” With 25-lines-per-inch checkering on the front and back straps, aggressive G10 grip panels and coarse cocking serrations, there will be no problems with the T4’s grip. There’s a substantial beavertail that’s melted for comfort, as well as the thumb safety, and every surface is dehorned and shaped for smoothness and comfort.

Nighthawk T4 beavertail — The T4's beavertail is generous, with a grip safety bump for thinner hands.

The front strap is cut higher and contoured for a high grip to aid in fast recoil recovery. The rear sight is a Heinie Straight Eight Slant Pro Tritium night sight with a tritium front sight. The trigger is adjustable for backlash and skeletonized, as is the hammer. The T4 comes in a very nice soft case, along with two magazines and a sample target signed by the builder.

As one would expect, the T4 is accurate, reliable and a pleasure to shoot. However, a lot of guns are accurate, reliable and a pleasure to shoot. I suspect that a lot of people would choose a Nighthawk Customs T4 … except for one issue: It has an MSRP of $3,499.

The Springfield Range Officer Compact

I shoot a lot of different guns, and I’m amazed at just how many excellent guns are available today. It’s harder now to buy a bad gun than it is to purchase a good one. Modern technology and design methods have created a wonderland of excellent firearms at very reasonable prices.

Springfield Armory Range Officer Compact 2 — he Range Officer comes in a hard case with a holster, magazine pouch, loader and two six-round magazines. And, with an MSRP of $924, it’s about one-fourth the price of the Nighthawk Custom T4.

Springfield Armory’s Range Officer Compact is just such a gun. It is also an officer-sized 1911 with an officer-sized frame. It features a 4-inch, stainless, match-grade, fully supported bull barrel. It also has a flat wire recoil spring on a full-length guide rod, along with a forged alloy frame and a carbon-steel forged slide. The Range Officer’s sights are fiber-optic front and low-profile combat rear. The trigger and hammer are skeletonized, and the trigger is backlash adjustable.

The Range Officer comes in a hard case with a holster, magazine pouch, loader and two six-round magazines. It’s accurate, reliable and fun to shoot. The MSRP is $924; the gun shop price is well under one-fourth the price of the Nighthawk Custom T4.

In thinking about this article, I pulled my Range Officer Compact out of the safe. I did a review on this gun a few years back—and wound up sending Springfield a check instead of sending back the gun.

As a writer, I’ve tested almost every gun in Springfield’s lineup—from a Super Match M1A to the diminutive 911 subcompact. In testing, I’ve never experienced a single malfunction from all those guns. My go-to production-class pistol is a well-worn XDm 9. Thousands of rounds have gone through it—with zero malfunctions, except for two bad rounds.

Comparisons

I tested the Range Officer and the Nighthawk in the same session and discovered noticeable differences.

While the Range Officer has a good trigger, the Nighthawk has an exceptionally good trigger. Racking the slide on the Nighthawk impresses one with extreme high-tolerance fit. The Heinie Straight Eight Slant Pro rear sight on the Nighthawk enhances the ability to cycle the gun easily with one hand and provides a good sight picture in any light. I have no doubt the Nighthawk is more accurate, although few shooters have the skill level to exploit that accuracy.

So, the question is, Why spend four times as much money for a gun that has similar features and, for all intents and purposes, performs the same functions?

To use an old cliché, “Pride of ownership is what separates us from animals.” It’s the same reason some people wear a Timex watch and some wear a Rolex. No one who wears a Timex watch smiles with satisfaction when he straps it on his wrist. No one ever tells the story of how their grandpa passed his Timex watch down.

Both guns are excellent defensive pistols. Both perform well and will do the job we hope we never need to use them for. It’s your money, it’s your holster, it’s your choice. Isn’t it nice that we get to choose?

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

Testing The Effects Of Moisture On Ammunition

By

Richard A. Mann

-

August 6, 2019

2

There's truth in the adage “Keep your powder dry,” especially in the days of frizzen pans and blackpowder. But in the age of metallic cartridges, what is the effect of moisture on ammunition?

How Did Moisture Affect Ammunition In The Tests:

Short term exposure for 10 minutes or less saw no effect on performance.
Long term exposure, 24 hours, affected most ammunition in one way or another.
Generally, moisture effects manifested in misfires and reduced velocity.

The maxim, “Keep your powder dry,” has been attributed to Oliver Cromwell. It first appeared in an 1834 poem written by William Blacker, with the full passage being, “Put your trust in God, my boys, and keep your powder dry.” It became a common salutation with mountain men who were hardy folk, who without dry powder would not have lived long at all. Though particularly good advice to anyone relying on a firearm for survival — wet gunpowder will not burn — the adage has since morphed into advice of a more general nature, suggesting you should always be prepared to take action.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times, and more than 20 years ago I realized first hand how important this guidance could be. I was assigned as the designated marksman for the police agency I worked for. We had secured a dozen cases of Federal Match ammunition. Being a small department, this was a major investment, and the stuff shot exceptionally well in my issue Remington 700 Police rifle. Then, it started raining, and it seemed like it would never stop. When it did stop, the water was more than a foot deep in the police department armory.

Moisture Effect Ammunition 15 — To test the notion that you can seal ammunition from water contamination with fingernail polish, these 20 cartridges were painted and submerged in water for 24 hours.

We’d stored our ammunition on the floor and it had all been submerged for more than 24 hours. The concern was that it would not go bang. This, of course, might not be all that big of a deal on the target range or while deer hunting. In a police situation, it is unacceptable. I took a case of the ammo to the range and began shooting. Surprisingly, I found that 85 percent of the ammunition worked perfectly, the other 15 would not fire.

How Much Water Can Ammo Handle?
I had not thought all that much about how water resistant that ammunition had seemed to be until last year when I left some hunting ammunition in the back of an ATV. It rained all night and the ammo became completely submerged. The next day I tested the ammo and every single round went off and hit the target. Commercial ammunition is not waterproofed by manufacturers but this got me to wondering — in a general sense — just how long ammunition can be exposed to water and still be expected to deliver 100 percent reliability. So, I conducted a test.

Moisture Effect Ammunition 2 — The five loads that were tested were submerged in water at varying periods between 10 seconds and 24 hours.

I selected five loads and submitted them to four different levels of water exposure. However, before anything got wet, I shot 10 rounds of each load over a chronograph to establish a performance standard. Then, I submerged each load in water for 10 seconds to simulate dropping a cartridge in a mud puddle or stream like you might while on the range or hunting. This had absolutely no effect on the ammo. Velocities remained constant and every cartridge fired. In the next test, I submerged the cartridges for a full 60 seconds. The results were exactly like the first test. Velocities were consistent and every round fired.

Get The Dope On Ballistics:

Practical Overview Of 6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics
The Effects Of Humidity On Bullet Trajectory
The Effects Of Air Temperature On Bullet Flight
Bullet Efficiency And Ballistic Coefficients
Exterior Ballistics Explained

While right in the middle of this experiment we were hit with 16 inches of snow. Though after the previous water tests I figured the effort a waste, I still tossed 10 cartridges from each load into the snow for 10 minutes. This could obviously happen in real life; if you’ve every dropped some loose rounds in snow, you know how long it can take to find them all. The results, as expected at this point, were just like the two previous water tests: The snow had no effect on the ammunition.

Moisture Effect Ammunition 9 — For this test the ammunition was dropped in snow for 10 minutes. This exposure had no impact at all on performance.

Though short of a flood or total incompetence on your part, having your ammunition submerged for a full day is very unlikely. Still, I wanted to test the long-term water-resistance of the ammunition, so submerged 10 rounds of each load for 24 hours. That’s when things started getting interesting.

Only two of the loads — the Black Hills 45 Auto load and the Federal 9mm load — delivered 100 percent reliability. The Remington .223 load had one misfire out of 10, and my 45 Auto handloads were also 90 percent reliable. The load that was most affected by the water was the Federal 22 LR load; out of 10 rounds, only one fired, and the velocity was 13 percent slower.

Moisture Effect Ammunition 7 — After soaking in water for the specified periods, the ammunition was strained with a strainer and then fired without having time to dry.

Interestingly, the velocities for my handloads seemed to be even more affected; they were 15 percent slower. We can assume that in the case — no pun intended — of these cartridges, the water might have contaminated some of the power.

Homemade Water Resistance
This got me to thinking. I’ve been told numerous times you can waterproof your ammo by sealing the primer and bullet with fingernail polish. It sounded logical and I’d just assumed it would work. Since I was right in the middle of a wet mess, I figured I might as well test that, too. I sealed the bullet and primer of 10 of the Remington .223 cartridges and 10 of my 45 Auto handloads. I let the polish dry for 24 hours and then submerged the rounds in water for 24 hours.

Granted, a 10-round test in any of these experiments is not a very large sample. However, I was not looking for definitive answers — I was looking for indicators of how water would or could negatively impact the performance of ammunition.

In the fingernail polish sealing test, 100 percent of the .223 Remington rounds fired, but only eight out of 10 of my handloads fired. For all practical purposes, the velocity of the sealed .223 Remington rounds was identical to the unsealed rounds, which had also been submerged for 24 hours. However, my sealed handloads had and average velocity identical to those that never saw water. Still, I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re wasting your time trying to seal ammunition with fingernail polish. With both loads, the overall reliability percentage was the same — 18 out of 20 unsealed, and 18 out of 20 sealed.

Moisture Effect Ammunition 11 — The Federal American Eagle 9mm Luger ammo was exposed to all five tests and remained 100 percent reliable.

Military ammunition is about the only “sealed” ammunition and it is subjected to rigorous testing. According to Mike Lake at Nosler, “The requirements generally involve a few types of tests — humidity, submersion and temperature. Testing is done at different temperatures and pressure/vacuum levels to simulate deep-water submersion and airplane rides in humid environments. That, plus temperature change, will actually draw moisture inside the case through the bullet/neck and primer/pocket interfaces.

“Sealing involves the use of low-viscosity wicking sealants that are applied to these interfaces after loading,” he added. “They are typically UV cured or anaerobic sealing compounds. I’ve also seen the old-school type where they applied a tar-like substance inside the case mouth before seating the bullet. It would form a seal when the bullet was squished [seated] home.”

Comprehensive Analysis
What does all this and my testing tell us? Well, if your ammunition — common consumer/sporting ammunition — gets submerged in water for a minute or less, don’t worry about it. However, after somewhere between 60 seconds and 24 hours of submersion, you can start to expect to potentially see deterioration in performance. But, aside from about a 10 percent failure rate, and possibly very slightly slower velocities, are there any other concerns?

Moisture Effect Ammunition 12 — Of all the ammo tested 22 LR ammunition was the most susceptible to water. This is not a brand thing; it’s a characteristic of rimfire ammo, regardless of manufacturer.

There is. According to Gary Gronfor, one of the smart guys at Federal Ammunition, “Once ammunition has been wet, submerged or in a wet range bag or hunting coat, it becomes unreliable and untrustworthy. Moisture can enter thru the primer pocket, the crimp, the case mouth, or around the head on a shotshell, contaminating the primer and/or the propellant. The result is a bullet or wad in bore [a squib load where the bullet fails to fully exit the barrel] which undetected leads to bulged or blown barrels, other types of gun damage and possible injury to the shooter or bystander. Numerous times every year, we get ammunition and damaged guns and barrels that we are able to determine, that the ammo has been moisture contaminated.

“End-user hunters and target shooters aren’t the only ones who experience moisture contamination,” Gronfor added. “Over the years, we’ve had Law Enforcement Departments and Agencies who dump their training ammo into large buckets to facilitate easier loading for training or qualifications, and normally these sessions are conducted in rain, snow or shine. The buckets hold water and when the ammo isn’t all shot during the session, the range officers forget to empty the water. So, the next day or week when training is continued, suddenly the shooters experience misfires or bloopers or bullets/wads in bore and think they have an ammo issue, never thinking that this is an issue of their own making.”

Moisture Effect Ammunition 13 — This Black Hills .45 Auto load remained 100 percent reliable after being exposed to 24 hours of submersion in water.

Going forward, I’d feel confident trusting any ammunition that had not been exposed — fully submerged — in water for more than a minute or so. For ammunition that has been underwater for anything longer than a minute, and if I was planning to use it to save my life, I’d replace it. You could regulate any potential water damaged munitions to practice and plinking but should do so with caution; a squib load — undetected — could end your day at the range, your gun, and possibly your fingers and eyesight.

Interestingly, the last words of advice from Gronfor at Federal were, “… one thing hasn’t changed since the invention of black powder: ‘Keep your powder dry’ are words to live by if you own a firearm.”
Here’s a tip of the hat to Mr. Cromwell.

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

Pro Series M Magazine Fed, Semi-Automatic Shotgun

By

Elwood Shelton

-

August 6, 2019

2

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.

What Sets The Pro Series M Apart From Other Mag-Fed Shotguns:

More traditional configuration
Uses Saiga 12 magazines and drums
Can chamber 3-inch 12-gauge shells
Uses Benelli Mobile chokes
Ambidextrous charging handle

Generally speaking, box-magazine fed, semi-automatic shotguns have usually come in two variations – those based on the AK and those based on the AR. Now, Black Aces Tactical gives shooters a more traditional choice with the introduction of the Pro Series M.

The release comes in conjunction with Black Aces Tactical’s introduction of its M Pump line of magazine-fed, pump-action shotguns. And both semi and repeater have a common and appealing thread – Saiga 12 magazines. Yup … box and drum. That’s a rather nice break from what shooters have seen in the recent wave of similar scatterguns, which have gone proprietary with feeding systems. Saiga mags aren’t difficult to dig up and come in several capacities, so you’ll have the ability to match your firepower to your objective at hand. To start you off, Black Aces includes a 5-round mag.

In all Black Aces Tactical offers four variants of both the Pro Series M and M Pump. Each is available in either black synthetic or walnut stocks and outfitted with a 24- or 18.5-inch barrel. Mix and match to suit your needs. The shotguns are fairly well priced, as well. The Pro Series M runs $449 for the synthetic stock model and $499 for the walnut; the M Pump $399 for the synthetic and $469 for the walnut.

While there’s no official word on this yet, given Black Aces Tactical’s history shooters might expect a new variant sometime on the horizon. The company has been fairly prolific in its production of shorty smoothbore “firearms”, in turn, it should come as no great shock if these new configurations are abbreviated.

Load Up On More Shotgun Content:

Practical Guide To The Tactical Shotgun
Does This Mossberg 590 Tactical Shotgun Blow The Rest Away?
Top Four Remington 870 Tactical Shotgun Options
Ammunition: Shotgun Slugs 101

For more information on the Pro Series M and M Pump, please visit www.blackacestactical.com.

Reloading The Old Reliable .30-06 Springfield

By

Philip Massaro

-

August 5, 2019

0

reloading the springfield — The .30-06 case can easy handle the longer monometal bullets, such as the 180-grain Barnes TTSX.

Easy like Sunday morning, reliable as a well-aged Labrador, the .30-06 Springfield continues to serve reloader well.

Why The .30-06 Springfield Is Among The Best Cartridges To Reload:

The Springfield represents what might be the most well-balanced case design in the most well-balanced bore diameter available.
It delivers a velocity range that makes all sorts of sense for hunting common animals at sensible ranges.
In a properly stocked rifle, nearly anyone can learn to shoot the .30-06 well.
Overall, it is compatible one of the widest ranges of powders and bullets of any rifle.
With a properly loaded round, the Springfield can definitely be a tack driver.

As if it weren’t already potent enough with its various factory loadings, handloading for the .30-06 Springfield is one of the easiest — and most rewarding — tasks a new handloader can take on. The initial cartridge, carrying many of the attributes of the 7×57 Mauser, popped onto the scene in 1903, and it received an immediate revision in 1906, when the Army shortened the case length from 2.540 inches to 2.494 inches.

In addition, they lightened the bullet from the 220-grain slug of the .30-40 Krag to the 150-grain spitzer bullet. The military history of the .30-06 Springfield is evident: It had the starring role in a pair of World Wars, but the hunting and civilian shooting history is equally important.

The Springfield represents what might be the most well-balanced case design in the most well-balanced bore diameter available, at least as it matters to the hunter. Firstly, the .308-inch bore diameter has an awful lot to offer the reloader, with bullets weighing between 100 and 250 grains.

Secondly, the Springfield case — in addition to being the benchmark for all .30-caliber cases — is of a nearly perfect size, in that it delivers a velocity range that makes all sorts of sense for common animals at sensible ranges. Is the .30-06 a cartridge designed for ultra-long ranges? Probably not, yet when mated to a good bullet, it does make a viable 1,000-yard target cartridge. The ought-six has been used for all sorts of game species, from rabbits to rhinos. While the African heavyweights might not be the best use of a good .30-06, they are about the only species that the old cartridge doesn’t handle well.

great bullets and powder — A good 165-grain bullet and IMR4350 make a lethal combination in the .30-06 Springfield.

Thirdly, the shooting characteristics of the Springfield are such that nearly anyone can learn to shoot it … and shoot it well. In a properly stocked rifle, the recoil of the Springfield is completely manageable, and it can be further mitigated by handloading the cartridge.

Ease Through Versatility

In addition to having that excellent choice of projectiles, the .30-06 Springfield can digest a wide variety of powders, from the faster rifle choices like IMR3031, across the spectrum to the slow-burning Reloder 25 and 26. The case has a neck length of 0.385 inch, giving plenty of tension, even with the longest bullets. And, the 1:10 twist rate of most .30-06 rifles will stabilize all but the longest target bullets.

Though it isn’t exactly new and shiny, the Springfield can be seriously accurate, as USMC Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock proved. I have cooked up more than a few handloads for clients headed around the globe, which printed ½-MOA, and those were built around hunting bullets.

The .30-06 Springfield is still extremely popular, with ammo and reloading die sales still ranking in the Top 10. I have found that the Springfield makes an excellent cartridge to teach a new reloader because it’s large enough to avoid the numerous compressed loads that the .308 Winchester has, and it doesn’t have the associated case stretching issues that the belted .300 Winchester Magnum does.

round-nose bullets — The 220-grain Hornady InterLock is a great choice for large game at closer ranges in the .30-06 case.

The Springfield is a simple and effective design, allowing a reloader to learn the effects of various combinations rather quickly. For example, while the .30-06 has plenty of room in the case to load the longer monometal bullets, the faster-burning powders show a definite advantage in both accuracy and velocity. It was in the .30-06 case that I first came across this phenomenon, and it has saved me quite a bit of time and heartache in other cartridges.

The Reloading Process

The reloading process is as simple as the case design itself. The .30-06 runs on a standard large rifle primer, and I’ve used just about every one on the market, all with success, though I prefer the Federal Gold Medal Match GM210M and the CCI 200. I’ve had good results using many different brands of cases, though as with most cartridges, the match-grade cases have given the best results. The 17½-degree shoulder is an excellent blend of good headspacing and smooth feeding, and the .30-06 has been adapted to just about every rifle action type ever conceived.

For bolt-action rifles, you have much more latitude than with most other actions. You can choose to neck size your cases — giving more concentricity and therefore better accuracy — as the bolt guns have the camming power to handle the slightly larger case body. I do prefer to use full-length resized cases for those hunting trips that might require a rapid follow-up shot, as the neck-sized ammo can be a bit difficult to feed quickly. The autoloaders, pumps and single-shots require a full-length resized case to operate smoothly, and a small base resizing die can really make a difference.

Load Up On Reloading Info:

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

I don’t really crimp my .30-06 cases, no matter what bullet I’m using — unless it’s for target shooting in a military autoloader, and then I use a taper crimp, and just enough to make sure the bullets won’t “pull” during the cycling process. My buddy, Robin Sharpless, at Redding Reloading has done some extensive testing, and he’s found that some rifles can cause the overall length of the cartridge to increase as much as 0.009 inch once slammed into the chamber.

quality brass for the .30-06 — Premium cases, like these from Nosler, will certainly help keep things as uniform as possible.

A reloader who has a .30-06 can custom tailor their ammunition to their own hunting situation, whether it’s for coyotes or deer, elk or bear. I highly recommend resisting the temptation to try and turn your .30-06 into a .300 Magnum; in spite of what some folks would have you believe, the velocities of the .30-06 are more than adequate for almost all of your hunting shots, out to sane distances. I do enjoy hunting with a .300 Winchester, but I’ve never felt handicapped when hunting with a .30-06, nor do I want to beat the snot out of an ’06 rifle trying to make it into something it isn’t.

For an all-around hunting load, I like either a 165- or 180-grain bullet at 2,800 fps or 2,750 fps, respectively. I’ve had excellent results with the 180-grain Nosler Partition over a healthy charge of IMR4350, as well as the 165-grain Partition over a charge of Reloder 19. The 180-grain Barnes TTSX over a charge of IMR4166 makes another sound all-around load, especially for those traveling hunters who hunt in many different climates.
For those who like the upper and lower ends of the bullet weights, the 220-grain Woodleigh Weldcore or Hornady InterLock make excellent bear medicine, and there are many 130-, 140- and 150-grain bullets that will handle deer and antelope across a hayfield or on the prairie.

The .30-06 can be a good candidate for cast bullets; they are cheap to make and a great way to have a new shooter become familiar with their rifle, without the recoil of full house loads. Another excellent attribute of the .30-06 case is the sheer amount of data available for it, with the option of using those loads on the slower end of the spectrum. Here in the Northeast, where our deer shots rarely exceed 100 to 125 yards, or for those situations in the South where a feeder is employed, a reduced velocity load will still be very effective.

I’ve included a list of some of my favorite .30-06 loads, and I’ll still give you the standard caveat: Work up from the bottom of the published data. You’ll see some fast powders, some slow powders, light bullets, heavy bullets and a few middle-of-the-road loads; that’s just a testament to the versatility of the .30-06 case. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but I’d say I’ve had an easier time developing loads for the .30-06 than for any other rifle cartridge.

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

Purchase The Components Used In This Article:

7 Out-Of-Sight Optics For Every Range And Budget

By

Luke Hartle

-

August 2, 2019

1

Ready to get on target? Check out these top optics.

What are the best optics to come out recently:

Crimson Trace CTS-1100 Battlesight
BSA AIR 4-12×44 Outlook Air Riflescope
RT-S MOD 5 GEN2 6-24X50IR-FFP
Nikon P-Tactical SuperDot
Monarch M5 3-12x42SF M BDC
Revic PMR 428
Sig Sauer Romeo8 Red Dot

If you've drawn a live breath in the last 25 years or so, you’re more than cognizant there’s been a revolution in how we aim our guns. Not that iron sights are smoldering on the ash heap of history, but the advancements in optics have — for the most part — relegated them to second fiddle. Rest assured, they're in the bullpen, always warmed up if called into the game, but if you’re shooting to get and stay on target nowadays your eye is behind a piece of glass — close-, mid- and long-range.

Read Also: Top Optics From 2018

Is it for the best? Like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder. A more complex system, certainly there’s an argument they create stomping room for gremlins to creep into your weapons system. But the results of a fully-operational optic, be it a long-range scope for antelope season or an up-close-and-personal red-dot on a self-defense carbine, speak for themselves. They just plain get you on target and keep you there.

Choices abound in aiming solutions, and not everyone is worth your time and hard-earned money. But we’ve got the inside edge on the glass that will get you (and your bullet, of course) where it needs to go. So, without further foofaraw, here are seven out-of-sight optics that will help you drop your next round exactly where it needs to be.

2019 Updates

Crimson Trace CTS-1100 Battlesight

New for 2019 is Crimson Trace’s new battlesight, the CTS-1100, which offers a fixed 3.5x magnification with an illuminated reticle, complete with holdover that matches most 5.56 rounds out to 500 yards when fired out of a carbine-length barrel. This is a terrific solution for engaging a field of full-sized silhouettes out to standard combat distances or for any hunting for which a large field of view is required. MSRP: $549

BSA AIR 4-12×44 Outlook Air Riflescope

Included in the line of BSA air riflescopes is this very versatile 4-12x magnification offering. This scope is built specifically to handle the reverse recoil that tears a normal scope to pieces on the inside. With parallax settings all the way down to 10 yards, this is an ideal setup for close-range pest control, as well as introductory target shooting for new shooters. MSRP: $113.99

RT-S MOD 5 GEN2 6-24X50IR-FFP

The Mod 5 is Riton’s mid-grade line of optics. The 6-24x option of this line provides precision shooters with everything they need for long-range engagements—and for a price that doesn’t break the bank. This optic includes an illuminated reticle, as well as MOA subtentions that span down the entire length of the reticle, thus allowing for less dialing and faster shots. MSRP: $569

Nikon P-Tactical SuperDot

The Nikon P tactical SuperDot has offered shooters a lightning-fast ultra-bright alternative to iron sights. With 10 different brightness settings, a shooter can tailor the 2 MOA dot to best suit their eyes and light conditions. The first two settings are even night vision-compatible for the professional or the late-night hog or coyote hunter.
MSRP: $199.95

Monarch M5 3-12x42SF M BDC

The M5 is built on a robust 30mm tube that gives it enough adjustment to reach out to the long ranges that have become commonplace in today’s hunting scenarios. This new line from Nikon also incorporates its spring-loaded turret cap system for tool-less resets once a shooter has achieved zero. The 4x zoom of the 3-12x magnification range of this optic makes it an ideal whitetail scope with the BDC reticle. MSRP: $499.95

Revic PMR 428

The biggest challenge in long-range shooting is knowing what the environment will do to your trajectory. The Revic PMR 428 is a robust, high-quality optic that incorporates a weather station and ballistic calculator to give you an instantaneous fire solution that requires nothing more than a spin of the elevation turret. Built on a 34mm main tube, the Revic allows for adjustment that will exceed what most rifles are capable of. MSRP: $2,850

Sig Sauer Romeo8 Red Dot

The Sig Sauer Romeo8 is the latest evolution of its signature red-dot line. The Romeo8 was designed to meet and exceed the ruggedness requirements of the military, law enforcement and the civilian shooter who is particularly hard on their gear. Sig’s new-for-2019 optic utilizes an interchangeable 2 MOA reticle that can be switched on the fly to four different styles, many of which include ballistic holdovers to accommodate long-range shots. MSRP: $599.99

Scope Out More Optics Info:

8 Revolutionary Reticles For Long-Range Accuracy
Buying the Perfect Precision Scope
The Best Tactical Red-Dot Performance-to-Price Option?
Shifting Winds: SIG BDX Changing Shooting For The Better

Top From 2018

Vortex Crossfire

Vortex knows that for close-in work and general shooting tasks, it’s tough to beat a high-quality red-dot when both fast target acquisition and precision count. The Crossfire is designed to be incredibly light, ultra-compact and extremely durable. The sight features a 2-MOA red dot bracketed by a skeletonized housing unit that features 1x magnification — all from a package that weighs a touch over 5 ounces and measures 2.5 inches in length. MSRP: $220 www.vortexoptics.com

Nikon Black FX1000

Engineered to deliver consistently long shots with confident precision, the Nikon Black FX1000 is a 4-16X50mm configuration poised to be a serious contender in the long-range area. The FX1000 integrates Nikon’s long-standing optics reputation into a first-focal-plane system to create sharp images and ergonomic dialing functionality at any magnification and at any distance. Glass-etched tactical reticles are paired with high-speed turrets to quickly create repeatable distance corrections and intuitive holds. In addition, the FX1000 introductions Nikon’s new Black Return-to-Zero integral zero-stop. MSRP: $650 www.nikonsportoptics.com

SIG Electro-Optics Romeo5 and Juliette4

The Romeo5 compact 1x20mm red-dot provides a 1x aiming solution, ultra-low parallax, unlimited eye-relief and more than 50,000 hours of runtime. The sight also features Sig Electro-Optics’ MOTAC (Motion Activated Illumination) technology, which increases battery life by shutting down the system when not in use and instantly activates the system when it senses the slightest vibration or movement. The Juliette4 is a 4x magnifier designed to work as a stand-alone magnification unit or in conjunction with reflex optics. The magnifier can be adjusted for height and has a PowerCam 90-degree mount so it can be quickly flipped to the side as needed. MSRP: $219/Romeo5; $479/Juliette4 www.sigsauer.com

Leupold Mark 5HD

Leupold touts the Mark5HD as up to 20 ounces lighter than other scopes in its class. In addition, exterior lens surfaces are treated with DiamondCoat 2 for high light transmission, solid edge-to-edge clarity and extreme low-light performance. The Mark 5HD features three revolutions of elevation adjustment to keep pace with long-range rifles and ammo, audible click adjustments on the turrets and a high-speed throw lever. Configurations include the 5-25x56mm and 3.6-18X44mm (pictured). MSRP: $2,400 www.leupold.com

Tract TORIC UHD 4-20X50mm

The Tract Toric UHD (Ultra-High Definition) 4-20x50mm riflescope features an optical design that promotes maximum light transmission using SCHOTT High Transmission glass, ED lenses and a fully multi-coated lens system. Engineered in the United States and built in Japan, the Toric is designed around a 30mm main tube and, despite being a relatively new brand, has gotten up to speed very quickly in regard to packing in all the bells and whistles serious shooters expect — and even a few features that setting the bar, including a very unique reticle system. They’re definitely worth a look. MSRP: $1,154 www.tractoptics.com

March Optics Genesis ELR

The Genesis was born a few years ago by a team of long-range shooters searching for a scope that could be used to shoot more than 2 miles without external influences. According to March Optics, the Genesis “will extend the accuracy capability of modern rifles without the need for modifications, including inclined rails, adjustable mounts or prism systems.” The Genesis ELR 6-60X56mm features up to 400 MOA of elevation, uses first-focal-plane technology — and the design allows the shooter to always see through the central part of the lens to maximize clarity and definition. Also incorporated is the High Master lens system, utilizing ED lenses with high refractive index glass for high resolution and natural color right to the edge of the image. MSRP: $5,000 www.marchoptics.com

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2018 Shooter's Guide issue and updated from the 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Frank Melloni contributed to this article.

Springfield Armory Introduces M1A Tanker

By

Elwood Shelton

-

August 1, 2019

1

A throwback tribute to an M1 Garand that never made it past prototype, the M1A Tanker nonetheless looks like a slick little carbine.

Springfield Armory M1A Tanker Specs:

- Caliber: 7.62X51MM NATO (.308WIN)
- Length: 37.25″
- Front Sight: XS Post w/ Tritium Insert, .125 Blade
- Barrel: 16.25″; Twist 1 In 11″; RH; 6-Groove Carbon Steel
- Weight: 8.75 lbs.
- Rear Sight: Ghost Ring Aperture .135″ w/MOA Adjustment for both Windage and Elevation
- Magazine: 1 – 10 Round, Parkerized Steel
- Stock: Walnut
- MSRP:$1,987.00

Springfield Armory's looks to throwback with its new M1A Tanker, but there's not much to throwback to. Marketing mainly. That's pretty much all that exists when it comes to the gun inspiring the addition — the Tanker M1 Garand.

Essentially, this variation of the old warhorse, at least the ones that made it to market, was cooked up after World War II by enterprising dealers of military surplus. Shorten up the barrel a bit (to 18 inches typically), call it a “Tanker” Garand, let the gun buyer's imagination put it in a Sherman at Arracourt or the Bulge. Solid plan. A couple smaller gunmakers still turn them out.

To be completely fair, there were a couple prototype Tanker Garands produced — the M1E5 and T26. But neither made it much further than testing. Word is they were pretty tough on their internals and produced a muzzle blast akin to a small supernova. Though there were some field modified abbreviated Garands made on the fly during the war, but they most likely didn't go by the “Tanker” moniker.

Remington Model 11: Behind The Business End Of A Family Jewel

By

Joe Arterburn

-

August 1, 2019

5

Few feelings parallel that of pulling the trigger of a family treasure, such as Grandpa's Remington Model 11.

What You Need To Know About The Remington Model 11:

The shotgun is a licensed version of John Browning's Auto 5.
Remington produced the John Browning design from 1905 to 1926.
Long-recoil action, the barrel and bolt both move back upon recoil.
Adjustable friction rings allows the shotgun to shoot light and heavy loads.
Available in 12-, 16- and 20-gauge models.

Ellsworth E. Arterburn, my great-grandfather, was an early promoter of Chase County, in the southwest corner of Nebraska. Old plat maps show parcels of land he bought and sold as the county was settled in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His advertising in eastern states like Illinois, touting the agricultural riches of the county, were apparently effective because my Uncle Keith’s research turns up numerous parcels changing hands as the county was settled.

One parcel in the western reaches of the county included a 35-acre lake, bordered by an earthen dam holding back the Frenchman River to create a reservoir that provided irrigation through a snaking canal. The lake also provided recreation year-around: fishing and swimming in warm months, hunting in the later months, ice skating in winter. Ice was also cut from the lake and stored in an underground icehouse for use throughout warmer months.

My grandfather, Roley W. Arterburn, told his father that he wanted to live on that parcel, known as Lakeview Ranch, and become a farmer and rancher. According to Uncle Keith, Ellsworth told his son he didn’t know anything about being a farmer or rancher, to which my grandfather replied, “I can learn.”

Remington Model 11 Buttpad — The 103-year-old rubber recoil pad is brittle with age, losing small rubber crumbs with continued use.

And so he did. He and Grandma Ruby raised their family — my aunts, Barbara and Virginia; my father, Roley Ellsworth; and Uncles Keith and Kermit — in a two-story clapboard house a couple hundred yards from the lake. That’s the same house in which I grew up.

In addition to being a farmer and rancher, Grandpa was a pheasant hunter, hunting to add to the dinner table and regularly hosting officers from the McCook Army Air Base, one of 11 Army Air Corps training bases in Nebraska during World War II.

A New Family Member

At some point, Grandpa acquired a Remington Model 11, wearing John M. Browning’s famous Auto 5 humpback design, which was also the first successful semi-auto shotgun and the first made in the United States. Nowhere on his 12-gauge is it stamped “Model 11” — but it’s all Model 11 and, according to Remington records, it was manufactured in 1915.

Remington Model 11 Receiver Rear — The edge of the broken-off stock section has been worn smooth with lots of years and thousands of shots worth of use.

Neither Uncle Keith nor Uncle Kermit remembers when their father acquired the shotgun, but both remember him hunting with it, and hunting with it themselves. “I shot it a lot,” Keith said. “I learned on a .410, but the first 12-gauge I shot was my Dad’s.”

Kermit remembers shooting the Remington Model 11 and, one time, “It went fully automatic and just emptied five shells all at once: bang, bang, bang, bang, bang,” he said. A pin, since repaired, had sheared off, causing the “eye-opening” incident, he said.

On The Mark With More Shotgun Info:

5 Best Slug Gun Options Ready For Deer Season
Kent Elite Target: Less Recoil, More Fun
Operation Shotgun Recoil Reduction
8 Classic Field Shotguns That Won’t Quit
Browning Auto-Five Shotgun Started It All

Keith used the Remington Model 11 on a rabbit and coyote roundup, where neighbors encircled a large expanse of open pasture and walked slowly toward the middle, shooting coyotes and jackrabbits as the circle tightened. The roundups had two purposes: knock down the population of coyotes, which preyed on calves, and provide coyote and rabbit furs to be sold.

Remington Model 11 Full View — The stock, though dinged from use, still shows nice grain for a gun of this vintage.

Kermit also remembers his father encouraging him to take the Remington Model 11 and sneak on Canada geese sitting on the edge of lake ice. Though ducks were common, he reported that seeing geese was unusual in those days, so he slipped up on them and shot, bagging three. They then spent most of the day rounding up a boat and working through the ice to retrieve them.

Neither Keith nor Kermit recall how a chunk of the stock was broken off. A piece is missing on the top right side of the grip, but it must not have made any difference to Grandpa because the broken edges and ridges are worn smooth with use.

Coming Of Age For The Auto 5

To say Browning’s Auto 5 design (so-called because it held five shotshells: four in the magazine and one in the chamber) was innovative doesn’t begin to explain how far ahead of its time it actually was. It would be decades before competitors were to come up with a successful competitive design. The Auto 5 was revolutionary in the truest sense of the word, and it was quickly adopted by hunters, clay shooters, law enforcement and the military. In fact, A5s served from World War II through Vietnam. Before commercial game hunting ended in 1916 with the Migratory Bird Treaty, the five-shot semi-autos were favorites of market hunters who made use of its rapid-repeating firepower.

Outlaws also liked the firepower of the A5. Clyde Barrow reportedly favored one with a sawed-off stock and barrel. Bonnie and Clyde posed for a now-famous gag photo of Bonnie holding a sawed-off A5 on Clyde as she reaches for a revolver in his waistband.

Remington Model 11 Receiver Side — The famous humpback — or square-stern — receiver of the Model 11 accommodates the bolt as it’s driven back by recoil.

According to Browning himself, the semi-automatic shotgun was the most challenging design he faced during his lengthy and innovative career. He succeeded with a long recoil design in which the barrel and bolt both move back upon recoil; the recoil spring around the magazine tube then drives the barrel forward as the bolt is held back, allowing the spent shell to eject and a new shell to be lifted up from the magazine and be driven into the chamber as the bolt returns, pushed by the action spring housed in the stock. Simple, right?

Learn More: Browning Auto-5: Those Hammerin’ Humpbacks

This started in 1898, remember, on the heels of Browning’s successful Winchester Model 97 pump-action shotgun design. The trick with the semi-auto was how to regulate the force of recoil so it would work with light-recoil loads or heavy game loads. If built for heavy loads, light loads wouldn’t have the power to cycle; if built for light loads, heavy loads would hammer with excessive recoil that would batter the gun.

Browning and his brothers reportedly went through several variations, testing each extensively, and finally arriving at a system of adjustable friction rings that slide over the magazine tube and regulate the compression of the recoil spring. If you planned to shoot light loads, you set the rings a certain way; for heavy loads, a simple adjustment to how the rings were arranged was needed.

Remington Model 11 Receiver Bottom — The serial number is stamped on the ramp of the loading gate of the author’s Model 11.

And, by the way, it’s not so much a humpback design as it is a more a squared-off action that accommodates the bolt being driven back by recoil — but the humpback moniker has stuck.

Browning took the A5 design to Winchester, which had patented (Winchester filed patents for Browning, who shied from doing the paperwork) and purchased many of his previous designs. But, Winchester balked at Browning’s insistence for royalty payments, so Browning took it to Remington in 1902.

In a bizarre turn of events, Remington’s president, Martellus Hartley, died of a heart attack moments before he was to meet with Browning. Browning then took his design to the FN factory in Belgium, where the shotguns were produced until 1975. In 1905, an agreement was in place for Remington to produce the shotguns in the United States, which they did from 1905 to 1947 — the Remington Model 11. After Browning’s death at the age of 71 in 1926, the design was licensed to Savage, which produced them from 1930 to 1949.

Passing The Torch

Knowing my interest in firearms, Uncle Keith presented me with Grandpa’s Remington Model 11 — with the caveat that it never leaves the Arterburn family. That will not be an issue, with my three sons and, so far, two grandkids — and another on the way.

Remington Model 11 Barrel Rollmark — A detail of the barrel, reading: Remington Arms — Union Metallic Cartridge Co., Remington Works, Illion, N.Y. U.S.A. Browning’s Patents Oct. 9, 1900, Dec. 17, 1901, Sept. 30, 1902, June 16, 1903.

I gave the shotgun a quick inspection: The action was smooth, probably from cycling thousands of rounds. The bluing was worn to a gray patina; the stock and forearm were nicked, dinged and well used. And, the barrel showed fouling that dated back to who knows how far.

The safety of Grandpa’s shotgun is a sliding bar just ahead of the trigger, inside the trigger guard, which was the original design before the safety was shifted to a behind-the-trigger crossbolt system. Its barrel, with a solid rib leading to a brass bead sight, is fixed with a full choke and is so stamped just forward of the action.

Before I took it apart for cleaning, and to get a better handle on adjusting the recoil-regulating friction rings, I called gunsmith David Orten.

Remington Model 11 Brass Bead — The solid rib, topped with a matte or matted finish, ends at a brass bead sight.

Breaking the Remington Model 11 down was simple: again, that’s a mark of Browning’s genius. Removing the threaded endcap allowed me to slide off the forearm and barrel, leaving the recoil spring and friction rings easily accessed. The trick, Orten said, was knowing which way to face the beveled end of the steel friction ring, which would provide adjustable braking action. Photocopies of the original manual, including diagrams on adjusting the friction rings, are available online. I’d read that a diagram was originally included inside the forearm, but that’s not the case with Grandpa’s shotgun.

I cleaned the barrel and all disassembled parts, but fearing the assemblage of screws and locking screws, I resisted taking the action apart, settling for a thorough hosing with Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber. After lightly lubricating with Barricade, I reassembled according to Orten’s instructions and set out to shoot a few clays.

My plan was to focus on the first five shots. The first I fired harmlessly into the ground to assure everything was in working order; then I launched four clays. Grandpa’s Remington Model 11 came up and pointed easily and naturally, and we broke each clay in turn. No brag, just fact … as Walter Brennan would say. I’m not an ace shooter of clays, but something about the shotgun helped pick up my slack.

Remington Model 11 Disassembled — Rudimentary breakdown of the Model 11
shows its major components: barrel, action, forearm, recoil spring, steel and bronze friction rings, and threaded end cap.

There will be more clays to come, but I’m really looking forward to next pheasant season. I’d like to think Grandpa will be there with me.

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

Daniel Defense Expands DD5 Line Of AR-10 Rifles

By

Elwood Shelton

-

July 31, 2019

0

With five new rifles to choose from and the addition of the 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 Remington calibers, shooters have plenty to look forward to in the DD5 line extension.

Over the years, Daniel Defense has more than made a name for itself as one of the top purveyors of high-end, AR-style rifles. A crowd favorite, the Georgia gunmaker’s AR-10 rifle – the DD5. Previously purely a .308 affair, Daniel Defense has breathed new life into the series with a massive expansion, which includes upgraded parts, new barrel lengths and the addition of two new calibers.

AR-10 Essentials: Hit the Bullseye Every Time

The good stuff first. The DD5 is now available in 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 Remington, which should set precision shooters’ collective hearts aflutter. The cartridges are known for their downrange performance and should be dandy out of the new models. The 6.5 CM is available in both the 18-inch barreled V4 and 20-inch V5 models, while the .260 Rem is strictly available in the latter. Furthermore, the gunmaker has introduced a revamped 16-inch barreled .308 – the V3 – as well as offering it in the V4. The rifles feature a load of improvements, including:

Two-position user-adjustable gas block
DLC-coated bolt carrier group designed for easy to maintenance and to operate in all conditions
Cold Hammer Forged barrel with 4-Bolt Connection System for increased stability and accuracy
Ambidextrous controls, including bolt catch, magazine release, safety selector, furniture, and an all-new GRIP-N-RIP charging handle

The fate of the original V1 and V2 rifles are unclear, as Daniel Defense no longer lists them on their website. However, all of the new DD5 rifles are backward compatible and can interface with the older iterations. As expected, the guns run a pretty penny – each with an MSRP of $2,500.

DD5 V3 Specs

Mounting System: M-LOK
Caliber: 7.62 x 51mm / .308 Winchester
Muzzle Thread: 5⁄8×24 TPI (Threads Per Inch)
Gas System: Intermediate
Barrel Length: 16″
Barrel Profile: S2W® [Strength-to-Weight]
Product Weight: 8.3 LBS
Length: 33 3/8″ – 37″
Magazine: Magpul PMAG 20-Round
Case: Daniel Defense Full-Latch Impact Plastic Case
MSRP: $2,500

DD5 V4 Specs

Mounting System: M-LOK
Caliber: 7.62 x 51mm / .308 Winchester; 6.5 Creedmoor
Muzzle Thread: 5⁄8×24 TPI (Threads Per Inch)
Gas System: Rifle
Barrel Length: 18″
Barrel Profile: S2W® [Strength-to-Weight]
Product Weight: 8.6 LBS
Length: 35 3/8″ – 39″
Magazine: Magpul PMAG 20-Round
Case: Daniel Defense Full-Latch Impact Plastic Case
MSRP: $2,500

DD5 V5 Specs

Mounting System: M-LOK
Caliber: .260 Rem; 6.5 Creedmoor
Muzzle Thread: 5⁄8×24 TPI (Threads Per Inch)
Gas System: Rifle + 1
Barrel Length: 20″
Barrel Profile: S2W® [Strength-to-Weight]
Product Weight: 8.9 LBS
Length: 38 3/8″ – 41 5/8″
Magazine: Magpul PMAG 20-Round
Case: Daniel Defense Full-Latch Impact Plastic Case
MSRP: $2,500

For more information on the DD5, please visit www.danieldefense.com.

How Riflescopes Perform At A Higher Level Than Ever Before

By

Frank Melloni

-

July 31, 2019

0

The modern scope is a marvel, able to take more abuse, yet excel at its job like never before. Here's how some of the top options pull off this feat.

How Modern Scopes Have Been Improved To Hold A Zero:

More robust turrets and erector assemblies
Improved lens geometry and coatings
Reinforced circuit boards on electronic models
Scopes specifically designed for the rifles on which they'll be mounted

Riflescopes are part modern marvel and part work of art. With the earliest designs dating back to the mid-1800s, a once relatively simple product now rivals the finest Swiss chronographs.

Optics are not only that precise, they are designed to maintain that precision with every shock they endure. Many methods of achieving this have been in use over the years, and most recent advancements have given way to even more repeatable designs.

Keep It Steady

Naturally, zero is affected by ammunition type, weather and target distance. However, a scope must not drift out of zero from the standard practices of transport and firing.

By cross-cutting an optic, the author was able to illustrate the springs that hold the erector tube in place. Notice the multiple directions of tension they impart on the erector tube alongside it. (Photo: Frank Melloni)

If a scope is drifting zero by, let’s say, one minute of angle, your gun can only be (at best) one minute of angle accurate because of the error imparted by the optic. For this reason, this is the most critical of criteria for selecting a scope. This ability even supersedes clarity of glass and magnification range. Essentially, a scope that can’t hold zero is good for nothing more than a spotter. Until recently, being able to keep zero meant shelling out big bucks.

I decided to reach out to some manufacturers and chat up their staffs for a deeper look on how their new designs are keeping minute-of-angle precision after the routine abuse from magnum calibers, rough service and even reverse recoil, as is seen in airgun scopes.

Riton: The New Kids

Riton is a relatively new company, opening its doors in 2013. In just six years, it has gained some major industry attention among hunters, target shooters and PRS competitors. After working directly with CEO Brady Speth on several occasions, I can easily endorse Riton—not only for its quality products, but also for its passion for customer service.

I don’t get into comparison research very often, but Riton’s warranty is simply unheard of. Should you ever experience a problem with one of its optics, you will receive a new product within 48 hours of the company receiving the old one. No repairs, no refurbs; just a fresh product out the door as soon as possible.

The spiral cut on the erector tube facilitates the forward and rearward motion that makes it possible to adjust magnification power. This slot and its engagement surfaces, such as those attached to the collar (also pictured) must be machined precisely in order to hold this position. (Photo: Frank Melloni)

My complete satisfaction with the brand came when I fired a three-shot group at 1,000-plus yards that landed inside of 4 inches. This was done with an RT-S MOD 7 5-25x56IR that features a first focal plane lens, locking turrets and Riton’s signature spring system that reinforces the erector tube to ensure it stays put.

I reached out to Riton Business Development Manager Jerimiah Alexander to provide some insight on this system and how Riton is able to keep this level of precision.

“The number-one reason that Riton scopes hold zero: They are built right and built tough,” Alexander explained. “Our turrets are built tough, and the ‘gears’ are made of strong material that keeps them tight. We use high-quality brass and stainless steel for turrets and other components. Our tubes are machined from one piece of 6061 T6 aircraft-grade aluminum.

“You can feel the positive clicks when rotating our dials. There’s a return spring that provides tension and pushes the erector assembly back to zero. This must also be a quality piece so that it performs perfectly and does so under stress. We also have an additional set screw that holds the spring and assembly solidly in place.

Attached to the turret is a post that puts pressure on your erector tube. This pressure changes its position, which, in turn, changes your zero. Finely machined parts make up the entire apparatus. If each click puts a different amount on, your results will not be predictable or repeatable. (Photo: Frank Melloni)

“We also stay innovative,” Alexander added, “which means we’re constantly changing and making adjustments. Secondly, we have some proprietary things we wish not to share. This is partly how we stay ahead of the game.”

Nikon: 100 Years Strong

Nikon has been at it since 1917 and has always been synonymous with “quality” … but usually at a price.

When it comes to building an affordable scope, the hardest hurdle to jump is the glass itself. When trying to set a price point, most scope manufacturers will exhaust their budgets for a projected market on this one critical component—and with good reason. Nikon manufacturers all of its own glass in-house, thereby throttling that cost down to leave enough budget to build high-quality internals and still hit a low price point.

Nikon’s largest-scale success in this area came in 2017 with the release of the affordable BLACK series of optics. This series brought brilliant, affordable, long-range and AR-style scopes into just about any shooter’s budget.

Riflescope 4 — The Bushnell Elite Tactical is the company’s most advanced optic of the bunch. PRS has named the Elite Tactical its official optic, and Bushnell could not be more proud. The author has used one on a heavy-hitting .308 Winchester for years without function loss.

According to Nikon Brand Strategist Collin Russell, “As one of the few makers of optical glass in the world, Nikon has a unique advantage of having the knowledge and experience to specify and select the exact type of glass, lens geometry and multi-coatings needed to optimize the performance of any given optic.”

I agree completely with this statement, because the only way to eliminate cost without sacrificing quality is to increase control. (Maybe it’s a testament to the old adage, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”)

Sig Sauer: From Pistol To Parallax

When we think of Sig Sauer, we think of iconic firearms. However, in recent years, Sig has branched out to offer equally high-quality lines of optics to match its firearms. Sig’s electro-optic lines include the simple and brilliant Romeo series of red-dot sights and its highly sophisticated Tango target scopes.

The Tango series includes the electronic LevelPlex system that is used to indicate cant right inside the reticle. This system is positioned there so that a shooter does not have to take their eye off the target before sending that long-range shot.

Riflescope 2 — The Bushnell Forge is a terrific example of how research-and-development will lead to better products. Competitive shooters all over the world are using these to connect at distance—and still have some gas money in their pockets to get to matches.

Scott Smith, Sig’s vice president of product development, explained how the company keeps these components from getting destroyed during use:

“All of the PCBAs (printed circuit board assemblies) embedded in our scopes and reflex sights are extensively live-fire-tested. The boards in many cases are potted (epoxied) into place and mechanically restrained for impact testing.

“For example, our reflex sights were tested at up to 8,000 Gs. We found that the PCBAs must be mechanically constrained with both fasteners and epoxy, including several of the key components having to be conformal coated and epoxied onto the PCBA. The PCBA had to be constrained across the entire PCBA to prevent any type of flexing during recoil. In addition, our PCBAs feature a keep-alive capability that keeps the microcontroller powered up, even during intermittent loss of power. All Tangos are tested to greater than 1,000 Gs.”

Scope Out More Optics Info:

8 Revolutionary Reticles For Long-Range Accuracy
Buying the Perfect Precision Scope
The Best Tactical Red-Dot Performance-to-Price Option?
Shifting Winds: SIG BDX Changing Shooting For The Better

This level of scrutiny certainly shows in the field. I’ve been using a 5-30x Tango6 for the past two years and have never had a need to re-zero it. A typical day in its life involves continual dialing up to 1,050 yards and back over the course of eight hours.

Bushnell: From Everyday To Every Solution

Once regarded as entry level, Bushnell has been continually improving its products in order to bring high-quality scopes to any budget. What were once considered everyday optics are quickly becoming the go-to for many hunters and target shooters. I like to give credit where it’s due: Bushnell really did address its shortcomings and spent a lot of time and money developing its products into something I trust my trophy hunts to and that many professions stake their lives on.

Vista Outdoor Inc. Communications Coordinator Vic Ziliani was gracious enough to point out what has been done to increase Bushnell’s reliability to deliver incredible scopes such as its hit success, the HDMR, and its new Forge series.

“Some of the testing and R&D we’re doing with Bushnell products now include a more-severe recoil testing, with recoiling to a minimum of .30-06 on Prime and a minimum of 300 Win. Mag/.375 H&H on anything Nitro and above; specifying higher optical quality standards with respect to resolution, coatings, light transmission and low-light performance; and tightened tolerances on mechanical and optical components to reduce the severity in misaligned optics, which can cause optical aberrations.”

The proof is certainly in the final product, because Bushnell is the official scope sponsor of PRS with its Elite Tactical. To earn attention in this discriminating group is no easy feat.

BSA: Bracing For An Unlikely Adversary

Many people look at you a little oddly when you tell them that a spring-piston air rifle will destroy a scope faster than a Barrett .50-caliber, but the truth is that they can—and do.

Airguns obviously don’t generate intense felt recoil, but they do generate an entirely different type of recoil. This recoil acts in the opposite direction due to the violent motion of the spring gas piston. This reverse recoil acts on the scope differently than a gunpowder firearm does and, in turn, it damages them, because they are being jolted in a direction they are not built to withstand.

BSA Project Manager Kyle White Over explained what has been done to make BSA's scopes take the beating air rifles put on them.
“The stronger springs and tolerances are the primary elements making these scopes worthy of use on an air rifle. The mounting rings also help. In this case, the ring closest to the shooter has a pin in it. This pin, when the scope is mounted, inserts into a hole in the mounting rail. This also helps prevent damage due to recoil and is not typically found in firearm applications.”

Final Thoughts

The technology from the Old West has fought through every major war and can be found in the hands of competitive shooters, sportsman and backyard plinksters alike. This once mind-blowing technology has been perfected in such a way that it is not only more reliable, it can also be used in more applications.

With the growth of the shooting industry this past decade, more and more quality optics are finding their way in, and many established brands are finding new success. What we know about them and how to make them better is increasing exponentially as time goes on.

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

.500 Linebaugh: Taking Revolver Cartridges To The Next Level

By

Gun Digest Editors

-

July 30, 2019

0

Nothing stands a chance up against John Linebaugh's monstrous 1/2-incher — the .500 Linebaugh.

How The .500 Linebaugh Tops Most Other Handgun Hunting Cartridges:

Capable of pitching a 500-grain bullet at more than 1,200 fps at the muzzle.
Despite a punishing recoil, it has a reputation for outstanding accuracy.
Most cartridges in its class that are more powerful are designed for use in single-shot handguns; the .500 Linebaugh is a revolver cartridge.
Suitable for African game, as well as brown bears.

The .500 Linebaugh is the design creation of John Linebaugh, who started out by converting a .45 Colt revolver from six to five shots, thus offering more strength in the cylinder. It was a successful venture, but he continued to search for a more powerful handgun.

The result is the .500 Linebaugh, which is based on the .348 Winchester cartridge and cut down to 1½ inches and reamed to .50 caliber. Linebaugh uses a large-framed Ruger Bisley revolver, because he has found that the Ruger frame is the only one that can withstand the severe recoil. He replaces the Ruger barrel with one of .50 caliber, usually 5½ inches long. However, he will cut a barrel of any length the customer desires.

The .500 proved to be a very successful round, pushing 500-grain bullets at more than 1,200 fps. Accuracy is outstanding, but recoil can only be described as severe.

Not long after Linebaugh designed this cartridge, the supply of .348 Winchester cases began to dry up, which is why he designed the .475 Linebaugh based on the readily available .45-70 Government case. Not long after the .475 was designed, Browning reintroduced its Model 1871 rifle in .348 Winchester, and so those cases are again readily available.

On The Hunt For More Big-Bore Content:

Is A .50-Caliber Handgun Actually Good For Anything?
Getting A Grip On Big-Bore Revolvers
The Exceedingly Powerful .454 Casull
.500 JRH — The Workhorse Half-Incher
Glock 10mm Pistols: The Stalwart Option

There are more-powerful pistol cartridges, but they are primarily for single-shot handguns, such as the T/C Contender.

When it comes to the revolver, this is close to the ultimate in power. Generally, in these revolvers, the .475 Linebaugh can safely be loaded to higher pressure and, therefore, can deliver more energy. Due to its accuracy and easy handling, this cartridge could prove to be an excellent heavy-game handgun cartridge and possibly a revolver cartridge suitable for taking African game.

Specialized bullets are made by Bear Ammunition. The jackets for these bullets are turned on a screw machine, and a lead core is swaged in. In terms of both accuracy and penetration, these bullets have been found to be excellent performers. Buffalo Bore offers factory-loaded ammunition.

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

What You Need To Know About Handgun Stopping Power

By

Richard A. Mann

-

July 29, 2019

0

This might be the best representation of stopping power from a defensive handgun. Nobody wants to get shot, and most lethal encounters are stopped when a handgun is pointed at the bad guy.

Stopping power is an elusive subject, but well worth consideration when trying to find the most effective self-defense handgun and ammo.

What are the four ways to stop an attacker:

A shot that will cause bleeding enough to starve the brain of oxygen.
Hitting the central nervous system.
Incapacitating them with a shot to the spine or pelvis.
Inflict enough pain in the attacker he ceases his assault.

The term “handgun stopping power” means different things to different people. In some cases, it’s used to describe ammunition’s ability to stop a bad guy. At other times it’s thought of as a way to value lethality. To understand any explanation of handgun stopping power, it’s important the distinction between “stop” and “kill” is understood. For the use of a defensive handgun to be successful, one of these results is mandatory — the other only sometimes.

If you hunt with a handgun, your goal is to kill your quarry. If you’re using a handgun in a defensive situation, your goal is to stop the assault. These are very different things. If you shoot someone, they might very well die, but any intent on your part to bring about their death equates to murder.

To be clear, we need to start at the beginning. If you pull your pistol after being attacked by some thug and they run off, you have successfully stopped the attack. That’s the most successful execution of handgun stopping power. However, the mere introduction of a handgun is not the debate most concern themselves with. What most inquiring minds want to know is what cartridge and ammunition has the best chance of ending an attack.

What ballisticians have done with modern defensive handgun ammunition is to find a balance of terminal performance that will deliver needed penetration and maximum tissue destruction.

There are several schools of thought: Some believe in high velocity, others in large-caliber heavy bullets. Within these two camps you’ll find disagreement on bullet performance. Some support deep-penetrating bullets, and others want their bullets to deliver dynamic expansion with moderate penetration. Like with every debate, there are the fence walkers who want terminal performance in between both extremes.

Let us examine the facts. Regardless of the cartridge, there’s only so much energy or power that can be directed at a threat. This is balanced by the size of handgun that can actually be carried for protection, and the amount of recoil humans can withstand. Obviously, this will vary from person to person, but the reality is there’s a limit to the power that can be harnessed in a defensive handgun. And, it’s not a lot.

Smashing Other Ballistic Myths:

.45 ACP vs 9mm: Which Is Better?
Are Ballistic Gel Penetration Tests Gospel?
Bullet Expansion: Velocity Is The Deciding Factor
Is Sectional Density A Good Measure Of A Bullet’s Penetration Potential?
The Truth About Barrel Length And Velocity

For example, it’s been proven that a .223 Remington has sufficient power to cleanly kill a 200-pound deer. A 60-grain bullet from a .223 Remington will have a muzzle velocity more than twice that of defensive handguns. The kinetic energy produced by the .223 Remington is twice as high as well. So, from a numbers standpoint, even the most potent defensive handgun cartridge is only half as powerful as one of the smallest rifle cartridges.
The key to evaluating handgun stopping power, however, is to look at the goal of using a defensive handgun, and that’s to stop/end the attack. Sure, if you kill the bad guy you have stopped the attack, but let’s again look at deer hunting as an analogy.

Many shooters stress way too much over which cartridge and ammunition is best for stopping bad guys. Many books have been written and hundreds of studies have been completed in an effort to quantify stopping power. The problem is, no matter what test we conduct to discover this, we’re making an educated guess.

It’s not uncommon for deer to run 50 yards or so after receiving a bullet through both lungs from a centerfire rifle. Why? Animals — deer or humans — die when their brain runs out of oxygen, not immediately following the perforation of the lungs or heart. This can take a few seconds, or even a minute. Trusting your life to that seems rather foolish. If someone is shooting at you or attacking you with a knife, 10 seconds is an eternity. If you’re trying to stop an attacker, you want to do it immediately!

There are essentially three ways to do this. You could destroy their central nervous system with a bullet to the brain. It works and it’s dependable, but it’s difficult to execute. You could break them down with a shot to the spine or pelvis. This might put them on the ground, but these are hard shots to execute and might not stop the attack if the bad guy has a gun, too.

Finally, there’s pain. Pain is the ultimate tool. If you can inflict enough pain, you can stop even the most violent offender. Pain is the one thing all humans respond to in a like manner: If you’re doing something that hurts bad enough, you’ll stop and, most often, stop in one hell of a hurry.

I’m not suggesting the Glaser Safety Slug is the best defensive ammunition option. However, you have to admit that getting hit with one of these would hurt ... a lot! — I’m not suggesting the Glaser Safety Slug is the best defensive ammunition option. However, you have to admit that getting hit with one of these would hurt … a lot!

Maybe the best analogy is the classic punch or kick to the groin. Even bad-to-the-bone cage fighters double-over when hit there. It’s not lethal, but when executed to perfection, it works. Another example is hitting your thumb with a hammer. It’s not lethal either, but few things will make you stop and begin a foul-mouth soliloquy as fast as a smashed thumb. Logic dictates the handgun with the most/best/fastest stopping power is one that inflicts the most pain. But, which one is that?

I don’t know the answer and doubt anyone ever will, but we can make some valid assumptions. Let’s look at two extremes. A non-expanding bullet will most often punch a hole clean through an attacker. If the bullet does not hit bone, a small-diameter hole is what you’re relying on to submit your assailant. If the bullet does hit bone — there’s about a 50 percent chance of this — bone fragments will be driven through the body, damaging more tissue.

On the other hand, a bullet like the Glaser Safety slug, loaded with either No. 6 or No. 12 shot, will not penetrate very deep, but it will create a nasty, shallow and wide wound. I’m not a doctor, but after talking with and examining gunshot victims, it’s clear to me which one would hurt the most. That itty-bitty hole will not damage near the amount of tissue as the Glaser Safety slug, and as any reasonable person would conclude, the more tissue that’s damaged, the more it will hurt.

Since we cannot always rely on pain to stop a fight, we have to hedge our bets on shot placement and a balance of tissue destruction and penetration, for a best-bet at fast incapacitation.

This should be obvious. Compare the thumb smashed with a hammer to a bad cut with a knife. The knife wound is infinitely scarier and potentially more dangerous, but cuts rarely hurt very much at all because there’s less tissue that’s traumatized. Pain is the ultimate equalizer.

The problem is, we cannot count on pain because many human predators are also quite fond of mind-altering drugs. If you’ve ever been on prescription medication, you know how effective narcotics can be at blocking pain. A crackhead might let you smash every finger he has with a hammer and only smile before he proceeds to turn you into a statistic.

So, if we cannot rely on pain or punching a hole through an attacker’s torso, what’s the answer? Logic says that if one option is too much and the other is not enough, balance must be sought. Balance, with regard to the terminal performance of defensive handgun ammunition, would be bullets that expand wide and dynamically damage a lot of tissue, while at the same time penetrating deep enough to pass through as much of the bad guy as possible.

All manners of bullets have been created in an attempt to find stopping power nirvana. Handguns were stopping bad guys with the bullets from 100 years ago, mostly because of shot placement and because folks tend to get scared and give up when shot.

Let’s assume an attacker is beating you with a club and you shoot him through both lungs. The troll is so high on methamphetamines that he feels nothing and continues to beat on you. But, that hole will eventually pay off: His brain will starve from oxygen deprivation and he’ll lose consciousness. Very likely, if medical aid is not rendered quickly, he’ll die.

Calculating the real-world stopping power of any handgun cartridge is impossible; we cannot predict a gunshot victim’s response. However, we can predict with some certainty how much damage a bullet might do. Short of some pain-measuring device, that’s really all we have to go on

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

The Versatility Of Nikon’s Black Force100 Scope

By

Elwood Shelton

-

July 26, 2019

0

Offering a wide range of magnifications and a versatile reticle, the Nikon Black Force100 1-6×24 riflescope delivers a flexible aiming solution for your carbine.

What Features Makes The Black Force100 A Top Tactical Optic:

Fully multi-coated optics on all air-to-glass surfaces
Wide field of view, more than 100 feet at 100 yards
Glass etched reticle for extreme durability
True 1X magnification, for both-eyes-open engagements
6X zoom ratio for ample magnification at longer ranges
Waterproof and shockproof for rugged use
30mm, one-piece main body tube provides maximum strength
Quick focus eyepiece for lightning-fast target acquisition

Versatility is usually a safe rule of thumb when it comes to scoping an AR-15. An optic with true 1X magnification at the low end that has power enough to make mid-range shots a snap typically enhances the platform, no matter your application. Certainly, this isn’t to say a red-dot or something with higher magnification isn’t called for upon occasion. But generally, those are better options for rifles you’ve designated for special purposes.

Luckily, there’s no shortage of protean optics for America’s favorite rifles. Most recently, Nikon has given shooters a new option worth considering with an addition to its Black line of tactical optics – the Black Force100. The variable-power, 1-6×24 scope offers a broad range of magnifications tailored specially to excel on a jack-of-all-trades AR.

As usual, Nikon delivers solid glass in the Black Force100 – with all air-to-glass surfaces multi-coated to maximize light transmission and ensure bright crystalline images. And it appears solidly built, constructed around a one-piece, 30mm main body tube that’s fairly unimposing in the weight department – around 20 ounces. However, the eye-catcher (quite literally) of the Black Force100 is Nikon’s new Force-MOA reticle. Glass-etched and illuminated (center dot), the reticle functions much like a red-dot in 1X magnification, yet its MOA-based hash marks provide precise hold-off and hold-over at extended ranges.

Windage and elevation adjustments of the Black Force100 are through low-profile turrets, with fairly exacting ¼-MOA-per-click increments. For fast zeroing after sighting the scope in, Nikon has outfitted the turrets with single set-screws. And it features low-profile caps, giving you the confidence the scope will maintain its zero even in the harshest conditions. Additionally, the illuminated center dot features side controls, allowing for easy toggling between 10 intensity settings.

Scope Out More Optics Info:

8 Revolutionary Reticles For Long-Range Accuracy
Buying the Perfect Precision Scope
The Best Tactical Red-Dot Performance-to-Price Option?
Shifting Winds: SIG BDX Changing Shooting For The Better

Given Nikon has made a name for itself providing relatively economical optics, the Black Force100 comes in at a fairly reasonable price – MSRP of $650. A value, given the features the scope boasts.

More from Nikon:

Melville, NY – Nikon announces an expanded level of performance and capability to its flagship tactical optics line with its new BLACK FORCE100 riflescope. This versatile new 1-6×24 optic brings a broader range of magnifications, new reticle design and increased ergonomics to users and their MSR platforms.
Through Nikon’s Glass First engineering principle, the true 1x to 6x optical system of the BLACK FORCE100 was created to facilitate distortion-free target engagements with both eyes open at 1x, and aiming precision for extended ranges when zoomed up to 6x. To achieve its bright, sharp sight pictures, all optical components of the BLACK FORCE100 are built from Nikon’s lead- and arsenic-free glass and optimized with the company’s full multilayer coating on all air-to-glass lens surfaces.
Nikon developed the all-new, multi-function FORCE-MOA glass-etched reticle specifically for the BLACK FORCE100 optical design. For high speed targeting at true 1x magnification, Nikon’s FORCE-MOA reticle integrates an illuminated 2 MOA red dot to draw the eye toward the center. The MOA-based hash mark design of the lower reticle provides holdover points for longer known ranges as determined through the calculations of a ballistic table or app.
Reticle center dot illumination is controlled by the 10-step rheostat on the left side of the turret housing and features an intermittent “off” between each brightness setting.
Windage and elevation adjustments in the BLACK FORCE100 are accomplished via low profile ¼-MOA turrets The turrets feature a single screw zero-reset to allow for fast zeroing of the turret after sight-ins. Sturdy, low profile turret caps assure extreme durability and total sighting confidence under tough conditions.
The BLACK FORCE100 is built on a robust, one-piece aluminum 30mm main body tube to provide exceptional ruggedness and optimum strength-to-weight ratios.

Black Force100 Specs:

Magnification: 1-6x
Objective Lense Diameter: 24mm
Exit Pupil: 4-12.2mm
Field of View: 18.3-111.2 ft @ 100 yds
Tube Diameter: 30mm
Objective Outside Diameter: 30mm
Eyepiece Outside Diameter: 44mm
Weight: 20.8 oz
Overall Length: 11.6 in
Adjustment Graduation: 1/4 MOA
Max Internal Adjustment: 100 MOA
Parallax Setting: 100 yds
MSRP: $650

For more information on the Black Force100, please visit www.nikonsportoptics.com.

MantisX: Simple And Effective Training

By

Elwood Shelton

-

July 26, 2019

0

For dry or live fire, the MantisX is certain to refine your marksmanship.

A visual trainer that tracks and measures your movements as you draw and break each shot, the MantisX Shooting Performance System proves invaluable in dry and live fire.

What Feedback Does The MantisX Provide:

Detailed tracking of your muzzle position before and during the trigger pull.
Analysis of likely mistakes that took a shot off target.
Audio feedback of target hits so you can keep your eyes down range.
Full history of your shots to keep track of your improvement.
Detailed grouping charts to show exactly where your hitting.

Perhaps golf, maybe fishing. If there are any other pursuits that out-do shooting in regard to gizmos and systems for improving your performance, those would be it — though it can’t be by much of a margin.

Sauntering through the SHOT Show, it takes your breath away when realizing exactly how rife the industry is with these products. There are a handful of targets and training schemes that are worth their salt and have the chops to do what they promise — make the most of your trigger time. But there are many more (many, many more) that aren’t even worth the pressure-modeled plastic they’re made from. Buyer beware.

MantisX keeps a historical record of every shot you take, mapping them on a target and providing a running score of your shooting sessions.

This is the point we interject the pleasant surprise to the latest iteration of the world’s largest firearms/outdoors expo. Because that’s what a cutting-edge piece of training gear I stumbled upon in the basement of the Sands Exposition Center has proven itself. The MantisX promises data-driven improvement in your shooting, and in my time with the impressive piece of gun tech, it has more than delivered.

What Is The MantisX

Think of MantisX as a personal shooting instructor you attach to your pistol or rifle’s accessory rail. (Don’t have one? The company sells an attachment.) From there, it catches every mistake you make between draw and trigger pull. Moreover, it then offers immediate feedback. That’s powerful information.

Around for a few years now, the device is essentially a set of gyroscopes that track and measure your movement as you break a shot. It then reports back to a free iOS or Android app — via Bluetooth — exactly how you’re fudging-up the process. And whether you knew it or not, you’re fudging it to some degree.

Slapping the trigger, MantisX knows. Flinching, MantisX will catch it. And it doesn’t cut you any slack, grading each and every shot you take.

Boot Up More Gun Tech:

Online Shooting Resources To Up Your Game
Gun Values by Gun Digest
Upping Your Game With Garmin’s Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer
Best Ballistic Calculators For Improved Long-Range Shooting

Admittedly, it’s a very humbling experience, seeing a score of 75 or (gasp) a 71 pop up when you glance at your smart device after a shot. But that’s part of the process. Like any good coach, the MantisX isn’t there to beat you down, but rather it’s designed to build you up again and keep you improving.

How it achieves this isn’t simply grading: It does this by identifying exactly what went wrong, then educating you on how to remedy your errors. Plus, it gives you a clear picture of how each shot progressed, tracking your muzzle path, measuring the magnitude of your mistakes and building a history of your progression.

Tracking your muzzle, Mantis gives you an idea of your movement during your hold (blue), trigger press (yellow) and following your trigger break (red).

There is light at the end of the tunnel, if you take what the device offers in all seriousness. But like any training, you have to invest and be willing to let the piece of shooting technology make you better. This means paying close attention to its feedback and consciously applying its corrections to the next shot. Do this and it pays dividends; I’ve experienced the impact first-hand.

My Time With MantisX

Breaking my wrists up is problematic for me. Session in and out, with my Springfield XD Sub-Compact 9mm, MantisX reports this is my main issue. Perhaps I focus too intensely on a smooth trigger pull or get lost in the front post. Whatever the reason, my wrists have a tendency to relax when the shot breaks. In my defense, it’s not much, but it’s enough that MantisX catches it.

After a little more than a week with the device’s input, I wasn’t completely cured, but I was improving. What were steady high-80 scores to start in dry-fire training evolved into the mid-90 range with more attention to keeping my wrists locked. And it’s still going up.

Without the MantisX, maybe I would have diagnosed the issue. But if I’m completely square with myself, I most likely would have missed it until I got to the range. And when I got there, I saw a marked difference from the first shots fired.

MantisX scores each shot and session, letting you know your mistakes and if you’re progressing through the dry-fire training in the comfort of your own home.

Immediately, I was where I should be at 7 yards — eating a ragged hole center mass. It was reassuring. Dry-fire practice had paid greater dividends than ever before … and it certainly had me itching for more. And with MantisX mounted and assessing my live fire, I was on the straight and narrow through a 50-round session. I didn’t expect a scant few days with any training tech to make such a difference, but the results were pleasantly undeniable.

What MantisX Offers

I’ve lived in the “Open Training” mode of MantisX, which isn’t a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. The insight allotted — shot break, muzzle tracking, running history of sessions — is enough that I’m confident it alone would continue to refine my pistol marksmanship. In the big scheme of things, the data collected borders on overwhelming.

That said, I look forward to cracking into the rest of what MantisX has to offer, which is nothing short of a complete training regime:

Timed shots
Reload drills
Support-hand shooting
Basic marksmanship training
FBI qualifications

And there’s more — much more. But a column this size wouldn’t do justice to every whipstitch of what the MantisX system has to offer. Suffice to say, it’s plenty and I’m fairly certain it has the potential to hone mine or any shooter’s skills to a finer edge.

Parting Shot

Is MantisX a replacement for live instruction? Not by a long shot. There is no substitute for firearms training from a seasoned expert. But as a training tool, the piece of gun tech is incomparable.

While it provides excellent feedback at the range, the greatest value of MantisX is for dry-fire. An important part of firearms training, the device and app make certain it bears fruit. The challenge of dry-fire is knowing for certain you’re executing each shot with the utmost precision. MantisX verifies this trigger pull to trigger pull, making the most of your time. After all, if you don’t train properly, what use is training in the first place?

There are a lot of gimmicks in the shooting world, each one promising to make you the next deadeye and beyond prepared for a real-life scenario. To a certain extent, for $149 MantisX pledges much the same. The big difference compared to the others? It delivers a training solution that’s easy to understand, seamless to navigate and comprehensive enough to make a rapid difference in your shooting skills.

For more information on the MantisX, please visit www.mantisx.com.

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

Beretta Introduces Enhanced 92X Line

By

Elwood Shelton

-

July 25, 2019

0

Long on performance features, the Beretta 92X line gives a new twist to a tried-and-true design.

How The 92X Line Outperforms Older Models:

Lighter D-Hammer spring helps maintain sight picture during trigger pull.
Featherweight trigger that breaks at 6.5 pounds in double action and 3 pounds in single.
Vertec-profile frame boasts familiar 1911 grip angle.
Available in Full-Sized, Centurion (mid-sized) and compact models.

Most of us know it as the M9. With 30-years of service under its belt as the U.S. Military’s sidearm, it's difficult not to recognize the pistol by its service designation. And perhaps no single handgun has such a bright line between advocates and critics. At least for those who used it while in uniform, the DA/SA 9mm is a love-hate proposition.

That said, the Beretta 92 (from whence the M9 came) is among the most impactful 9mm pistols of the last half-century and still has plenty of life left in it even after being replaced as the military's handgun of choice. The Italian gunmaker recently expanded the line with enhanced models going by the handle 92X. The company kicked it all off a few months ago with the sporty Beretta 92X Performance and follows up with 92X Full-Size, Centurion (mid-size) and Compact models. This gives shooters three frame sizes to choose from, each with some dandy upgrades that might change some minds about the pistol.

Get More Self-Defense Information:

Concealed Carry Sights: Which Are Best For Your Gun?
XS Sights: The F8 Definitely A Sight To See
Concealed Carry: Concealing A Single-Action Revolver
3 Simple Rules For Choosing A Defensive Handgun And Ammo

The Beretta 92X pistols all feature Vertec-profile frames, which have grip angles modeled after the 1911 and come with wraparound or flat stock panels. Furthermore, they are outfitted with D-Hammer Springs, a reduced-power type meant to improve accuracy by helping maintain the sight picture through the trigger-pull. Additionally, they boast Beretta’s new Extreme-S trigger, which decreases the reset by up to 40-percent and down to around 1mm. More importantly, especially for those who’ve pulled the trigger on older 92s, the Extreme-S reduces the break to around 6.5 pounds in double-action and just under 3 pounds in single.

Some of the other notables of the new Beretta 92X pistols include beveled magazine well for faster reloads, universal slide design which is convertible from safety-decocker (F) to decocker-only (G), oversized magazine release and accessory rail. The pistols also boast, combat sights, the front dovetailed on all three 92X models – a first according to the company. If that’s not enough, the hammer is skeletonized.

Overall, the Beretta 92X line is moderately priced, all three models are tagged with an $899 MSRP. While all this might not be enough to convert the diehard hater camp, it certainly might be enough to turn fence sitters' heads.

92X Full Sized
Action: Single/Double
Barrel length (in): 4.7
Caliber: 9×19 (PARA)
Firing Mechanism: Semiautomatic
Grip Width: 1.5″
Magazine: 17, 10
Overall height (in): 5.4
Overall length (in): 8.5
Overall width (in): 1.5
Rail: Yes
Safety: F/G
Sight radius (in): 6.1
Sights: High Visibility Orange/Black
Slide Finish: Bruniton
Weight unloaded (OZ): 33.3
MSRP: $899

92X Centurion
Action: Single/Double
Barrel length (in): 4.25
Caliber: 9×19 (PARA)
Firing Mechanism: Semiautomatic
Grip Width: 1.5″
Magazine: 17, 10
Overall height (in): 5.4
Overall length (in): 7.75
Overall width (in): 1.5
Rail: Yes
Safety: F/G
Sight radius (in): 5.75
Sights: High Visibility Orange/Black
Slide Finish: Bruniton
Weight unloaded (OZ): 28.5
MSRP: $899

92x Compact
Action: Single/Double
Barrel length (in): 4.25
Caliber: 9×19 (PARA)
Firing Mechanism: Semiautomatic
Grip Width: 1.5″
Magazine: 13, 10
Overall height (in): 5.25
Overall length (in): 7.75
Overall width (in): 1.5
Rail: Yes
Safety: F/G
Sight radius (in): 5.75
Sights: High Visibility Orange/Black
Slide Finish: Bruniton
Weight unloaded (OZ): 27.2
MSRP: $899

For more information on the Beretta 92X line, please visit www.beretta.com.

EOTech Vudu Scope And The Advancement Of Precision Glass

By

Patrick Sweeney

-

July 24, 2019

0

You can buy better glass and a better mount than ever before, for less money than in the “good old days.” — You can buy better glass and a better mount than ever before, for less money than in the
“good old days.”

Top-shelf optics have come a long way in a short time as demonstrated by the EOTech Vudu scope.

What Are The Major Scope Advancements:

Lens glass is more uniform with greater clarity.
Automated grinding and polishing create a more consistent product.
Advancements in lens coatings allow for more light transmission than ever before.
Less variability in rings and bases provide a stable mounting platform.

When I was first learning to shoot, the glass you could buy for your rifles (there were no real handgun or shotgun optics back in the Neolithic era) came in three grades: miserable, tolerable and pretty darned good. By the time I was working in gun shops, the grade of the glass had move up. You could by then choose from OK, very nice and dayum.

Today, the world is awash in good optics, and good glass is part of that. I had a chance to realize this when I looked at an EOTech Vudu scope, and I had to re-name the grades of glass again.

Today, we have very-very nice, dayum and “you’ve got to be kidding me” — from now on known as “YGTBKM.”

I recently pulled a rifle out of the rack, one that had a riflescope on it that fell into the “very nice” category of the earlier era. I checked to make sure the rifle wasn’t loaded, and I looked through the scope. Was there dust on the lens? No, it just was a very nice scope from the 1980s. The EOTech Vudu, which falls into the “dayum” category, made the 1980s scope look as if it needed some significant service work done.

Seeing The Light

How has this happened? Well, lens makers have taken advantage of chemical and testing advances to produce the base glass product used in lenses. There are much fewer impurities than in the old days, and the uniformity of the glass — both within a lens and from one lens to the next — is much greater.

Adjustments on today’s optics are better than ever. The knobs are large and easy to use, the clicks are crisp and the markings make it clear where you are in the rotation.

Optics are now calculated, and lenses designed by computer. Not that computers know anything about optics other than what we tell them, but they can make changes and predict results right now, not next week.

In the old days, it was still slide rules and desktop calculators, with the finalists in designs getting the serious mainframe computer time. Your smartphone has more computing power than the mainframes used for the 1980s optics.

More Long-Range Shooting Info:

Buying the Perfect Precision Scope
Ballistics Basics: Initial Bullet Speed
The Effects Of Air Temperature On Bullet Flight
Mils vs. MOA: Which Is The Best Long-Range Language?

Then there is the grinding and polishing. This is automated, and it’s done by machines of utmost precision. My youngest brother used to work for various companies that made and installed multi-axis machining stations. They did aerospace-level work, and the machines were so big, and they required such a stable platform, that they didn’t have foundations — they had piers.

When his company installed a machine, they bolted it not to a concrete slab with footings, but to a 10-foot cube of concrete cast into the surface of the planet. Lacking that concrete block or something even larger, the company refused to guarantee the “tenth” the machines could deliver: a ten-thousandth of an inch precision or less.

Bare glass? Don’t be crude. Modern chemistry means there is more light than ever being piped down the tube. Coatings reduce reflection, which means a higher percentage gets through.

The precision of the automated machines that now grind and polish lenses make my brother’s old company’s machines look like wood rasps stapled to a belt sander. Grinding precision is not measured in tenths, but in microns. Or, it can.

Then there are the coatings.

When light strikes a glass surface (any surface of a clear substance, really), most penetrates and is refracted, but some is reflected. In a counter-intuitive result, a particular chemical coating on the surface of the glass can reduce the amount of reflection. A coating is only effective for a small section of the light spectrum, so lens makers will multi-coat their lenses. This reduces reflection in a wider array of frequencies. This coating is the color you see on the front lens of your scope. Those coatings are also applied in a thinner and more uniform layer than ever.

By reducing reflection, scope makers increase the percentage of light that passes through to your eye.

OK, so let’s add it up: We have better-quality glass. We have more-precisely calculated, ground and polished lenses. We have coatings for the important parts of the spectrum, and those coatings are pure, uniform and consistent.
And all of that is mounted inside of tubes that are more uniformly machined that in the old days, with more robust adjustments, and in more solid mounts.

And in the category of “things we didn’t have in the old days,” how about focus or parallax adjustments on a scope? And, the Vudu also has an illuminated reticle, another never-had item back in the day.

Oh yes, the mounts.

The Mounts Do Matter

Back in the old days, we took two paths: We either used inexpensive mounts, and we mounted an inexpensive scope in them for no-big-deal applications. A $79 scope would be bolted onto a rifle with $20 bases and rings, and that was more than good enough for deer hunting. If you wanted more, you used all-steel rings and bases, hand-fitted to the rifle, and the rings were hand-lapped for uniformity.

And you’d put a “very nice” scope in that, because anything less wasn’t worth the effort.

Today? These days the scope mount manufacturers use the same multi-axis machining technology that everyone else does to produce rings and bases of startling uniformity.

As an exemplar, the Geissele mount, with an EOTech Vudu 5-25x riflescope.

Geissele machines the rings into the mount, and then marks the ring tops: You have not just front and back rings to the mount, but they are marked so you can keep them oriented correctly. If you go and try to lap the rings for a better fit, you reduce the precision. The Vudu is made with the best cost-effective glass to be had. Oh, there is better glass, but when you go up to the YGTBKM category, you aren’t just buying a scope, you are plunking down 5+ house payments just for optics. But if that’s what you want, then do it.

For the more traditional rifle shooters, simply walk to the next aisle and select from the Warne rings and bases.

We do this because we can get all this precision — this fantastic quality — for less money than the “OK” or “very nice” optics cost us back then. The MSRP on the Vudu is $2,100. The Geissele mount, $325. OK, almost $2,500 is not inexpensive. But, you can easily spend twice that for the YGTBKM scope alone.

So, let’s run the inflation calculator in reverse mode. When I began working in gun shops, the equivalent cost would have been $600. I can tell you that the scope and ring/mount setup you could have bought in 1978 for $600 would pale in comparison to the Vudu and Geissele combo.

Going back a few years before then and stealing a song lyric: these are the good old days. It’s true … at least as far as optical quality is concerned.

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

GUN DIGESTWE KNOW GUNS SO YOU KNOW GUNS

A culmination of a slew of incremental changes, the LWRCI Six8 aims to tackle the 5.56 AR's supremacy.

What The LWRCI Six8 Stands Out :

How It Works

Pros and Cons

Need More AR Knowledge:

LWRCI to the Rescue

Noteworthy Alterations

Why Choose the 6.8?

If you stack the one-gunsmith made Nighthawk Custom T4 against the production Springfield Armory Range Officer Compact, how do things shake out?

What Are The Highpoints Of Each 1911:

The Nighthawk Custom T4

More 1911 Posts:

The Springfield Range Officer Compact

Comparisons

There's truth in the adage “Keep your powder dry,” especially in the days of frizzen pans and blackpowder. But in the age of metallic cartridges, what is the effect of moisture on ammunition?

How Did Moisture Affect Ammunition In The Tests:

Get The Dope On Ballistics:

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.

What Sets The Pro Series M Apart From Other Mag-Fed Shotguns:

Load Up On More Shotgun Content:

Easy like Sunday morning, reliable as a well-aged Labrador, the .30-06 Springfield continues to serve reloader well.

Why The .30-06 Springfield Is Among The Best Cartridges To Reload:

Ease Through Versatility

The Reloading Process

Load Up On Reloading Info:

Purchase The Components Used In This Article:

Ready to get on target? Check out these top optics.

What are the best optics to come out recently:

Read Also: Top Optics From 2018

2019 Updates

Crimson Trace CTS-1100 Battlesight

BSA AIR 4-12×44 Outlook Air Riflescope

RT-S MOD 5 GEN2 6-24X50IR-FFP

Nikon P-Tactical SuperDot

Monarch M5 3-12x42SF M BDC

Revic PMR 428

Sig Sauer Romeo8 Red Dot

Scope Out More Optics Info:

Top From 2018

Vortex Crossfire

Nikon Black FX1000

SIG Electro-Optics Romeo5 and Juliette4

Leupold Mark 5HD

Tract TORIC UHD 4-20X50mm

March Optics Genesis ELR

A throwback tribute to an M1 Garand that never made it past prototype, the M1A Tanker nonetheless looks like a slick little carbine.

Springfield Armory M1A Tanker Specs:

More Rifle Articles:

Few feelings parallel that of pulling the trigger of a family treasure, such as Grandpa's Remington Model 11.

What You Need To Know About The Remington Model 11:

A New Family Member

On The Mark With More Shotgun Info:

Coming Of Age For The Auto 5

Learn More: Browning Auto-5: Those Hammerin’ Humpbacks

Passing The Torch

With five new rifles to choose from and the addition of the 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 Remington calibers, shooters have plenty to look forward to in the DD5 line extension.

AR-10 Essentials: Hit the Bullseye Every Time

DD5 V3 Specs

DD5 V4 Specs

DD5 V5 Specs

The modern scope is a marvel, able to take more abuse, yet excel at its job like never before. Here's how some of the top options pull off this feat.

How Modern Scopes Have Been Improved To Hold A Zero:

Keep It Steady

Riton: The New Kids

Nikon: 100 Years Strong

Sig Sauer: From Pistol To Parallax

Scope Out More Optics Info:

Bushnell: From Everyday To Every Solution

BSA: Bracing For An Unlikely Adversary

Final Thoughts

Nothing stands a chance up against John Linebaugh's monstrous 1/2-incher — the .500 Linebaugh.

How The .500 Linebaugh Tops Most Other Handgun Hunting Cartridges:

On The Hunt For More Big-Bore Content:

Stopping power is an elusive subject, but well worth consideration when trying to find the most effective self-defense handgun and ammo.

What are the four ways to stop an attacker:

Smashing Other Ballistic Myths:

Offering a wide range of magnifications and a versatile reticle, the Nikon Black Force100 1-6×24 riflescope delivers a flexible aiming solution for your carbine.

What Features Makes The Black Force100 A Top Tactical Optic:

Scope Out More Optics Info: