Among the most important fundamentals, a proper handgun grip ensures you'll put rounds on target.
Next to sight alignment and trigger control, a proper handgun grip is among the most important fundamentals of accurate shooting. And contrary to popular belief, there’s more to it than simply grabbing your heater.
Essentially, a fundamental handgun grip has four parts to it:
Strong Hand Placement – High as possible on the handgun’s grip.
Alignment – The bore should line up with your forearm.
Support Hand Placement – Wrapped around your strong hand and applying 80 percent of the pressure to your grip.
Thumb Placement – Stack strong hand over support with a pistol or support hand lapping strong with a revolver.
Nothing too tough and, when done properly, it gives you complete control over your pistol or revolver while managing recoil. Yet, for some, there might still be a hitch in their giddyap. The grip might be textbook, proper finger placement on the trigger impossible. It happens more often than you’d figure. Generally, it means you’ll either have to swap out for smaller backstraps (if that’s an option on your pistol) or go hunting for a better fitting gun.
If this isn’t an issue, your still not out of the wood in developing a proper handgun grip. The next step is practice, practice and some more practice. Getting a handle on your gun takes programming your grip to muscle memory. It needs to become second nature. The good news is, it simply means spending more time with your firearm.
Does birdshot provide the stopping power you need without concerns of over penetration? We test to find out.
Is Birdshot Wise For Home Defense:
Fine shot, delivered from close-range tends to pattern very close together and will leave a wound much like a shotgun slug.
While a standard wall (in testing) will stop much of the birdshot, it's still wise to consider the potential for bystander injury.
If in a home alone, buck might be a more potent option.
Right after the much beloved 1911 pistol versus Glock handguns argument, maybe no other firearms topic enjoys as much debate as shotguns for home defense. And because the shotgun is such a versatile weapon and can fire drastically different types of ammunition, this leads to another dimension in the debate: Which is what type of ammo is best for home defense? Law enforcement agencies have long used No. 00 buckshot as the ammo of choice, and within the effective yardage boundaries of buckshot, there’s no doubt it is effective.
In my time of wearing a badge and toting a gun, I saw lots of people that had been shot, including many with shotguns. Some were murders, some were intruders in homes and a lot were hunting-related shootings — both people being mistaken for game and accidental discharges. One thing always surprised me: how many fatalities actually occurred with shotguns, even at some distance. Though the pattern of the shot had acquired some spread, often some of the shot would find its way to the victim’s vitals … and it was lights out.
The specter that always arises is the issue of using large buckshot for home defense purposes, or instead using something that’s seemingly tamer, such as in shotshells loaded with No. 6 or No. 7½ shot. Proponents of large buckshot will say that No. 00 buck loads are needed to put down an aggressor. Those who chose smaller shot for these situations maintain that buckshot tends to have too much penetration and will endanger others in the house when it shoots through walls.
The test including the construction of simulation wall, including two layers of sheetrock, fiberglass insulation and 2×4 studs. A second wall with a gel block was added 4 feet behind the first, to simulate an in-home hallway.
So, all that leads to one question: Is smaller shot adequate for home defense concerns and safer for others in the house? Let’s see.
Build The Wall
I built two walls, double-sided with drywall or sheetrock, whatever you call it in your part of the country. The walls were framed in 2×4 pine lumber with studs in the middle, spaced 16 inches on center, and rolled fiberglass insulation between the studs. In other words, they’re much like walls found in most stick-built houses across America.
The walls were placed about four feet apart to simulate this scenario: If you fire at an intruder in your home with birdshot loads — and miss — what happens to the first wall on impact, what would the effect be on anyone in the simulated hallway, and how would the opposite wall stand up to the pellets? Also to be noted is the spread of the pattern at 10, 15 and 20 feet. Remember: We’re talking about confrontations occurring in the home here, and most would be at very close range.
Pattern from No. 00 buck, fired from 15 feet, detailing the exit from back of the second wall.
I placed blocks of Clear Ballistics gel in front of the second wall to get some idea about what penetration would be like if a person should be standing in the hallway when the shot came through the first wall.
The entire test was done with a new Retay USA shotgun, the Masai Mara Warden. Retay makes a full line of the Masai Mara (named for a wildlife reserve in Kenya) shotguns in field guns, turkey and waterfowl models. The Warden is a tactical-home defense model and the latest of this line. All of the testing was done with a modified choke. I used 2¾-inch Aguila sporting clays shotgun ammo, packing 1 1/8-ounce of No. 7½ shot moving at 1,325 fps.
Redecorating With A Shotgun
Aided by my able assistant, shots were fired into the first wall from 5, 10, 15 and 20 feet. All of the shot payloads penetrated both sides of the first wall, making a neat hole in the center of the pattern, very similar to that of a slug.
Pattern of No. 7½ birdshot, shot from 20 feet, entrance hole into first wall.
The shot then struck the Clear Ballistics gel and the second wall. Regarding the shot that struck the wall and not the gel: All of it penetrated the front of the wall. Virtually none of the No. 7½ shot emerged from the rear of the second wall, with the exception of one pellet.
And just because I knew it would come up in the mind of someone — maybe everyone — reading this, I fired one round of Remington No. 00 buckshot from 15 feet. The buckshot did not seem to slow down on either wall, and the pattern was about the same on the entrance of the first wall as compared to where it exited the second wall.
Here’s how the information on the test shots into the wall shook out.
Thoughts On Shooting Holes In Walls
I would think it’s clear that an assailant at any of the ranges noted (and somewhat beyond) has had a very bad day if shot with birdshot of any size. This is somewhat intuitive information, but a payload of fine shot, delivered from close-range tends to pattern very close together and will leave a wound much like a shotgun slug.
I cannot address this fact without reminding shooters that sights on a tactical or home defense shotgun are very important. The tired old adage of “just point the shotgun in the general direction because you can’t miss” really needs to go away. The cold, hard truth is that you can miss. Look at the pattern sizes of the accompanying images: In home defense situations in close quarters with adrenaline running full blast, missing is very easy to do. Open rifle sights on a shotgun are vital, and large ghost-ring rear sight is even better.
Also important here is the fact that friendlies and family members behind a wall inside the home are very much at risk if we send a load of shot their way. The data shows that after the second wall of standard construction, you may be OK when shooting fine shot — but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it. Knowing where others are located in the home is very important if you ever find yourself in a home defense fiasco.
Another important point is the big difference between birdshot and No. 00 buckshot. We’ve shown that fine shot will be very lethal to your intended target, but it’s more easily stopped by walls inside the home. If you’re alone in your home or think you will always know where family members are located (I wouldn’t bet the farm on that, either), then No. 00 buck might be the way to go — but remember how it exited from the second wall.
This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Handloading is all about creating personalized options, but going overboard can get messy.
How To Cut The Clutter Of Too Many Loads For One Rifle:
Evaluate what you use the rifle for the most and stick to the loads that work best for those applications.
Find powders that enhance more than one caliber, instead of specific ones.
Stock up on the particular components that produce you best loads.
Perhaps the actual question posed in the title of this column should have read, “How many is too many?” I have long preached the virtues of reloading, and how versatile it can make a cartridge. It doesn’t really matter whether we’re talking about handgun or rifle ammunition, sooner or later an eager reloader falls into the trap: Too many loads for one particular gun. I’ve been as guilty as anyone, and it’s left me with a mess.
Now, I’m not suggesting that we all need to be a one load/one cartridge shooter, because I enjoy the diversity of owning many different rifles and handguns, but I fully admit I have way too many loads for certain rifles. It started with my .308 Winchester: Once I successfully made it go bang, I spent a few deer seasons with those first handloads, but it wasn’t long until the bug bit me and I started the experimentation. I went completely down the rabbit hole, and soon I had coyote loads built around the 125-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, close-up deer loads built around the 165-grain bullets, far-away deer loads built around 150-grain boat-tail spitzers, bear loads with 180-grainers and moose loads with 200-grain premium slugs.
The author’s stable of .300 Winchester loads: 150-grain Cutting Edge Raptor, 180-grain Swift Scirocco II, 200-grain Swift A-Frame and 220-grain Hornady InterLock. The 220 could be removed because the 200 A-Frame can handle the same duties
In theory, this worked perfectly, except that it left me with a ton of overlap and a bit of a mess on the bench. Though I swore I wouldn’t do it, I did the same thing with the .300 Winchester Magnum, though I ended up using that cartridge in a few more situations than I did the .308 Winchester. The same went for the .45 Colt revolver — and the .38 Special, and the .375 H&H Magnum — and so on and so on.
Culling The Clutter
Over time, I’d be left with a handful of each load — maybe enough for a hunt, maybe not — stuffed in a box and collecting dust. The resulting hodgepodge got to me one day, and I vowed to get things under control. I rethought the entire process, reflecting on what I was actually using each rifle for, and making a conscious decision to trim things down.
I settled on the 165-grain Sierra GameKing for the .308 Winchester, because that would handle what I used that rifle for most — deer and black bears. For the .300 Winchester, I found that the 180-grain bullets gave me the best balance of accuracy and velocity, so unless there was some instance where I felt that wouldn’t fit the bill, the Swift Scirocco II got the nod. The .375 H&H shot so well with the 300-grain bullets that I really didn’t see any reason to use anything else; the trajectory was flat enough and the energy and penetration was excellent, so most of my time spent with that rifle saw 300-grain Swift A-Frames sent down the barrel, and that formula worked very well for me.
The author devised a .308 Winchester load for just about every conceivable hunting situation, but the end result was a lot of overlap … and a lot of miscellaneous ammunition.
The same can be said for powder selections. In an attempt to maximize the performance of each bullet weight, I ended up with more powders than I needed. There were some specialty situations — my .22-250 Remington runs on H380 and that powder is reserved for that cartridge — but what I tried to do was find some common ground between my cartridges.
I got the .300 Winchester to run very well on IMR 4350, and in time, I got that powder to work very well in the .375 H&H. The .308 Winchester and IMR4064 go together like peanut butter and jelly, so there was no question there. I could make that work in the .375 without too much trouble — it’s actually an ideal powder for that old case — and it would function in the .22-250 Remington, though not as accurate as my H380 load, but in a pinch it would suffice for coyote season.
All this wonderful planning ended with the ammunition drought of 2013; factory ammunition was simply flying off the shelves — to the point where the cupboard was bare — and by mid-year even components were becoming a rarity. Brass cases were being hoarded, reloaders were buying up nearly any powder they could get — and trying to make it work — to propel what component bullets they could find. I refer to this 2-year period as the “Dark Ages of Reloading,” and I’m personally grateful that the drought only lasted about 2 years, but it was scary. What it did for me, however, was to reaffirm my idea of simplicity for my own rifles.
Finding The Sweet Spot
I knew what I needed to fuel those rifles and handguns I depended upon most, and once supplies of the components I needed became available, I picked up enough powder, primers and bullets to make sure I wouldn’t be caught short. This buying en masse actually improved my handloads, as I had larger quantities of the same lot of product. For powder, instead of buying a 1-pound can as I needed it, I invested in 8-pound containers: I saw an improvement in accuracy, as this removed the lot-to-lot variations in burn rate. The same could be said for primers; having at least 1,000 of each type on-hand at any given time allowed me not only to fuel my own rifles, but I could help out a friend or two if needed.
For his .22-250 Remington, the author (finally) settled on one load for all: a 53-grain Sierra MatchKing, handling both predators/varmints and target shooting alike.
Being completely honest, once I began writing books and magazine articles about reloading, I got to know most of the biggest names in the reloading industry. During the course of testing and evaluation for so many of these articles, I have been provided with many different components to test, and the struggle of obtaining what I need is not what it was years ago, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t remember what it was like to scramble for components.
While I use my own rifles and pistols for the majority of the testing, I tend to pick one or two loads for each of them and stock up on those components. Yes, I can improvise with the library of data I’ve amassed, but it’s a good feeling going back to a proven load; it’s almost the same as an old, familiar rifle on the opening day of deer season.
In no way do I want to discourage experimentation with your handloading. As a matter of fact, I feel that versatility represents one of the joys of the hobby, but overdoing it can tend to drive you crazy. Evaluate what your shooting needs are, whether it’s a target load or hunting load, and once you have the formula nailed, stock up on the components for that particular recipe. Sometimes simplicity is the best approach.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The more than century-old debate of .45ACP vs 9mm rages on. But in the end does one cartridge really outperform the other?
How does the .45 ACP stack up against the 9mm:
Unfired there's only 0.095-inch difference between .45 and 9mm's bullets
Both cartridges can be designed to deliver more tha a foot of penetration in a human body
While the .45 does fire heavier bullets, a 9mm gun generally has more capacity
Are you as sick of hearing this argument as I am? This has been an ongoing debate for more than 100 years. Here’s the thing: There’s no definitive way to prove which cartridge is better. Yeah, I know, you’re thinking that the .45 ACP shoots a larger-diameter and heavier bullet, therefore it has to be better. Ok, let’s consider the facts, and disregard the hype, so we can better understand this squabble.
First of all, an unfired bullet .45 ACP bullet is exactly 0.095 of an inch larger in diameter than an unfired 9mm Luger bullet. That’s just a shade larger than the thickness of a quarter. After the bullet deforms due to impact, the difference in diameter is really what matters, and that varies a lot.
Much like the shadows they cast, from a terminal performance standpoint, there is really not much difference in the 9mm, 40 S&W or .45 Auto.
Secondly, because the 9mm Luger operates at a higher pressure — 35,000 psi as opposed to 21,000 psi for the .45 ACP — it launches its bullets much faster. This, in conjunction with the faster twist rate of 9mm barrels, makes it easier to design bullets for the 9mm that will reliably expand over a broader velocity spectrum. A bullet fired from a 9mm Luger has twice the rotational velocity of one fired from a .45 ACP.
Thirdly, ammunition for both cartridges can be designed to deliver more than a foot of penetration in a human body. The FBI says that’s about all you need. Since both end up at about the same diameter, and both penetrate about the same distance, what else really matters?
Finally, the 9mm can be housed in smaller and lighter handguns. In similar-sized handguns, it can also hold more ammunition. And, because the 9mm Luger delivers less recoil, you can put more shots on target faster. The .45 ACP is not really any better than the 9mm Luger, it’s just different. Pick the one you like, learn how to shoot it and stop wasting time arguing about something neither you nor anyone else will ever be able to prove.
Capable of ranging at extreme distances and linkable to a smart device, Sig's KILO3000BDX Rangefinding Binoculars are set to take your shooting to the next level.
How The KILO3000BDX Rangefinding Binoculars Ups Your game:
LightWave DSP rangefinder engine ranges out to 5,000 yards
HyperScan technology providing 4 range updates per second
Linkable to Ballistic Data Xchange riflescope and smartdevice
Over the years, Sig Sauer has transcended the label “gunmaker” to become a full-service firearms and accessories manufacturer. Suppressors, ammunition, laser sights, mounts … if it goes bang, the juggernaut most likely has something to enhance it. Though Sig has drawn the most attention in one area in particular as of late – optics.
The Best Tactical Red-Dot Performance-to-Price Option?
Shifting Winds: SIG BDX Changing Shooting For The Better
Concocting some of the most cutting-edge aiming devices, the company has carved a solid and distinctive niche into the market. And it continues to roll out the hits. The most recent the KILO3000BDX Rangefinding Binoculars. In addition to high-performance glass and precise LightWave DSP range finder that can take reading out to 5,000 yards on reflective targets, it has a software edge on the competition. Linkable to a smart device, thus Sig’s Ballistic Data Xchange app, the KILO3000BDX Rangefinding Binoculars help produce real-time shooting solutions.
More from Sig Sauer:
NEWINGTON, N.H. –SIG SAUER Electro-Optics is pleased to announce the 2019 Industry Choice, Optic of the Year KILO3000BDX Rangefinding Binoculars are now shipping.
The SIG SAUER Electro-Optics KILO3000BDX Rangefinding Binoculars are the world’s most advanced laser rangefinder binocular. They can be used on their own or be paired with a Ballistic Data Xchange (BDX) Riflescope and SIG BDX app. The BDX system allows input of ballistics data and environmental conditions to calculate the exact holdover solution to target. This information is displayed in the KILO3000BDX and can be transmitted to any BDX riflescope to display the exact holdover dot.
The KILO3000BDX Features the revolutionary LightWave DSP™ rangefinder engine for extreme speed and distance capabilities, HyperScan™ technology providing 4 range updates per second, and the Lumatic™ display that automatically calibrates display brightness to ambient light conditions.
KILO3000BDX Rangefinding Binocular Specs:
Range: Up to (1500 Deer)(2000 Trees)(5000 Reflective) Reticle: Circle Overall Length: 5.75” Overall Width: 5.00” Height: 2.5” Weight: 31 oz. Field of View: 320 ft. at 1,000 yards Eye Relief: 18mm Objective Lens Diameter: 42mm MSRP: $1,439.99
For more information on Sig Sauer optics, please visit www.sigsauer.com.
Notice the luminescence of the new XS Sights’ DXT2 Big Dot front sight in well-lit conditions.
There's no missing the XS Sights DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights, which is a good thing when it comes to fast target acquisition.
How XS Sights DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights Get You On Target Fast:
Large front sight paired with V-notch rear
Optic Yellow or Orage outline on front sight draws the eye to its proper focal point
Tritium vial in both front and rear sights to enhance low-light aiming
Increased visibility and brightness from convex dot on the front
If you know anything about shooting a handgun at all, you know that in order to hit your target you need to be able to see your sights. This is of course why we’ve seen so much advancement in sights over the years, and why aftermarket sights have become so popular. XS Sights has been at the forefront of this movement.
Starting with a Texas Deputy Sherriff’s notion that sights similar to those that work on dangerous game rifles could be useful in situations defensive handguns are most commonly employed, XS Sights has continued to innovate on that concept. Their newest offering is the DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights (MSRP: $176).
The new XS Sights’ DXT2 Optic Orange sight in bright light.
The driving force behind these new sights was to increase front sight visibility in all lighting conditions. At its inception, the XS Big Dot Sight was simply a large white circle. Gunsite Academy founder Jeff Cooper, who laid the foundation on which all modern defensive handgun training has been founded, liked them so much he had them installed on his every day carry Colt’s Commander. He clearly believed in sights you could see. Later, the addition of a tritium vial to the center of the Big Dot was available and quickly became one of the most trusted defensive handgun sights.
Of course, there are many so-called experts who believe a large — 0.180 inch — front sight is too big to allow for precise shooting. Admittedly, if you are accustomed to conventional defensive handgun sights, there is a learning curve. But it’s short. When I took my first 250 Pistol Course at Gunsite Academy, I used a 1911 fitted with XS Big Dot Sights. I used that gun to win the class shoot off. Additionally, when my wife was first starting to learn to shoot a handgun, we found the Big Dot sights seemed to instinctively direct her to focus on the front sight, which is a helpful thing for beginners.
The Evolution Of Aiming
The new XS Sights’ DXT2 Optic Orange sight in low light.
The new DXT2 version sight is identical to the old, except instead of a large white outline of the Tritium vial, you have the option of choosing one in Optic Yellow or Optic Orange. Paired with the V-notch rear sight, you get a sight system that drives your focus to the front sight and the downrange threat, with an unobstructed view to either side.
Additionally, the new patent-pending colored glow dot — in yellow or orange — absorbs light, causing the front sight to glow before it’s dark enough to see the tritium center. The glow dot even stores energy enabling it’s radiance to last. You simply place the glowing big dot above the vertical white/tritium stripe in the rear V-notch — dotting the “i” — for a super-fast-to-acquire sight picture you can see in any light.
A photo of the XS Sights’ Big Dot front sight on Jeff Cooper’s Colt’s Commander.
Optic Yellow is the most visible color in low light and is a direct replacement for the first-generation white Big Dot sight. In bright light, Optic Yellow outperforms white because it doesn’t wash out on light backgrounds. Optic Orange is the best for bright light settings such as shooting outside in daylight and offers a high-glow intensity that maintains visibility in decreasing light levels. The DXT2 Big Dots are four times as bright in low light as the originals, thanks to the XS Sights patent-pending glow dot.
The improved visibility and increased brightness is due to pairing the convex dot with patented photo luminescent properties. The outward curve of the dot increases the amount of surface area, exposing it to more light, and the optical clarity amplifies light absorption, which increases the excitement of the yellow or orange glow dot properties. In hillbilly terms, that means the new DXT2 sights are just a hell of a lot easier to see all the time. But most importantly, they’re so bright they seemingly pull your eye to them.
A photo of the XS Sights’ rear sight on Jeff Cooper’s Colt’s Commander.
DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights are backed by a 10-year, no-questions-asked warranty and will be initially available for all Glocks; S&W M&P full-size and compact pistols; the M&P Shield; Sig Sauer P320, P226 and P229 pistols; Springfield XDs and the FNH FN509 in early 2019. They retail for only $132, and short of buying lots of practice ammunition and investing in a class at Gunsite Academy, they might represent the best money you can spend with regard to your defensive handgun.
I asked XS Sights to send me handgun outfitted with these new sights. The first thing I did with this pistol was to stand in a semi-dark room — with varying light sources from all angles — and rotate 360 degrees while looking at the sights. The view varied as the light changed but the sights were brilliantly visible at all times. The only situation you could be in where you could not see these sights is one in which you have your eyes closed.
I’ll not be so bold as to declare these new DXT2 sights from XS Sights are the best sights for everyone. We’re all different. Some of us have very good vision, others not so much. And, some folks just simply shoot better with different types of sights. But, what I will suggest — and argue with anyone — is that no matter what sight you choose for your defensive handgun, you best choose one that you can see in any situation. The easier that sight is to see, the faster you can get it on target.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Check out what's on the market when it comes to light and compact carry guns for women.
Often times, women require a different setup when they go armed. The most obvious is the holster and where they situate it, given clothing and body shape differences. But the type of handgun chosen can also be among the issues that need addressing. However, like any shooter, there’s a simple solution to finding the right heater.
Tune In More Gun Digest TV:
Video: Pro Series Model 986 Puts A Different Spin On The 9mm
Picking the best firearm for your needs requires, above all, a solid evaluation of skills and lifestyle. Many first-time shooters — be they women or men — believe a light and compact pistol or revolver is the logical choice. In reality, it could potentially prove problematic. Featherweight guns are known for generating more recoil and, due to their short sight radius, can be more difficult to aim accurately. The flip side, a full-sized option is plum hard to conceal, not to mention carry. If it proves too difficult to tote every day, many will throw up their hands and leave it a home, where it won’t do a lick of good in a self-defense situation.
Perhaps among the easiest — not to mention enjoyable — ways to winnow down the selection process is to find a range that rents guns. Nothing beats hands-on testing of a firearm for forming an opinion about what fits your ability and, potentially carry regime.
Howa is set to expand its HS Precision and Hogue rifle lines with options in the long-range specialist calibers.
How the new chamberings enhance Howa's line up:
Both the rifles are configured as hunting options, but are more than capable for target shooting.
Howa will add the new chamberings in 2020.
At the heart of each new rifle is Howa's well-respected 1500 barreled action.
For penny pinchers with a yen for long-range accuracy, Howa has become the go-to gunmaker. Offering a full slate of precision chassis, hunting and target rifles, the Japanese manufacturer has won ardent fans with performance and price tag. And Howa doesn’t appear ready to give up its mantle as the economic precision king anytime soon.
The gunmaker, imported and sold by Legacy Sports International, recently announced two new chamberings coming up within the next year. Joining the roster, the .300 PRC and 6.5 PRC, which the company will offer in the HS Precision and Hogue rifles in 2020. All in all, the additions bolster what are already impressive caliber choices in each line.
At the heart of both rifles is the Howa 1500 barreled action, which features two-lug push feed bolt, three-position safety and comes outfitted with the company’s two-stage Howa Actuator Controlled Trigger System (HACT for short). The difference between the two is the stock, with the Hogue (obviously) set in Hogue’s Overmolded model and the HS Precision (again obviously) in HS Precision’s carbon fiber stock, which is hand laminated with Kevlar and fiberglass. Both are pillar bedded and have straight combs. Hunters for certain… though nobody will tell if you pick one up for target shooting.
The .300 PRC and 6.5 PRC – Precision Rifle Cartridge – are beltless magnums created by Hornady. The .300 is a necked down .375 Ruger and reportedly has more pep than the wildly popular .300 Win Mag. According to Hornady, it will push a 225-grain bullet 2,860 fps at the muzzle. The 6.5 PRC parent case is the .300 Ruger Compact Magnum and gives the fans of the trendy caliber more case capacity to work with than the Creedmoor. This extra space for powder gives it around an 8-percent increase on the established 6.5.
Howa has yet to release pricing on the rifles, but presently HS Precision options have an MSRP that starts at $1,099 and the Hogue $529.
More from Howa:
RENO, NV –– Legacy Sports International and HOWA Precision Rifles announce plans to introduce the .300 PRC and 6.5 PRC Chamberings into its HS Precision and HOGUE offerings. All will come with threaded barrels, muzzle breaks and 24” or 26” standard barrel offerings.
Howa Hogue Rifle
The new HOWA magnum caliber platforms in the .300 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) will take advantage of the recent cartridge developments for long and heavy caliber bullets best suited and utilized for delivering the highest levels of accuracy and ballistic coefficient which is perfect for laser like performance on everything from punching paper or ringing gongs at 1,000 yards to cleanly harvesting big game with deadly knockdown power at mid to long range.
The new HOWA 6.5 PRC (6.5 Creedmoor’s Big Brother!) offers a step up from the 6.5 Creedmoor craze to an even flatter trajectory and extended-range performance. Providing over 200 FPS in velocity over the very popular 6.5 Creedmoor offering.
These two new HOWA long range calibers in .300 PRC and 6.5 PRC will provide excellent results down range at a reasonable price and all with a Lifetime Warranty and a SUB MOA assurance.
The 300 PRC will be available starting December 1st and the 6.5 PRC will be available at the beginning of 2020.
It’s fast, but do the ballistic numbers for the .204 Ruger measure up to its competition? You better believe they do and then some.
How the .204 Ruger Is Right On Target For Predator Hunting:
Dead-flat shooter with a measly 28.1-inch drop at 500 yards.
Small caliber does less damage to pelts retaining their value.
.222 Remington Magnum case gives handloaders plenty of capacity in which to work.
Excellent go-between from the Hornet class cartridges and the .22-250.
Bearly a lick of recoil, making it extremely fast on follow-up shots.
If you’ve ever wondered if a meager bullet measuring only 5 millimeters in diameter and weighing a mere 40 grains matters, ask a coyote grave digger. Chances are good it’s helping keep him in business.
Much more than a coyote grave digger’s business development tool, that tiny polymer-tipped copper and lead song-dog sleeping pill sits atop a .204 Ruger case, and it’s as relevant today to predator hunters — and at the range for shooters who simply love speed — as it was when it debuted 45 years ago.
The Hornady V-Max bullet is an ideal coyote choice because the bullet is frangible, and in the pint-sized .204 Ruger it does minimum damage to pelts.
Technically, the .204 Ruger was created jointly by Ruger and Hornady in 2004. Hornady and Ruger based their 5mm hotrod on the .222 Remington Magnum case by simply necking it down to .204 inches, moving the shoulder forward and increasing its angle to 30 degrees.
I say “technically’ because I think the idea for the .204 Ruger actually began in California in 1960. You see, on May 16, 1960 —at the Hughes Research Laboratory — Theodore Maiman created the technology which I believe led directly to the development of this pint-sized coyote killer. Maiman, a physicist, operated the first device that emitted a beam of light amplificated by a stimulated emission of radiation. Physicists, unlike gun writers, don’t get paid by the word, so his creation’s name became shorter and simpler as an acronym: L-A-S-E-R. Today, we just call it a laser.
Laser? Really? Yes, really. In fact, if you don’t think “laser” when you think of the .204 Ruger, then, you my friend, don’t know the true personality of the .204 Ruger.
The CZ 527 Varmint rifle chambered in .204 Ruger is a reliable, accurate bolt-action rifle that works well on the range or in the field hunting predators. The .204 Ruger is a cartridge capable of purging a lot of song dogs from farms, or for high-speed fun at the range.
“Fast, flat and not fat, the .204 Ruger generally leaves one nice little hole,” said native Texan and Idaho guide and outfitter Brooks Murphy, who has hunted more than his fair share of pint-sized predators like coyotes and bobcats all over the United States. “It’s a great go-between from the Hornet-class cartridges to the .22-250 Remington without the risk of being associated with the ‘tacti-cool’ crowd at the range or in the field while eradicating rodent or predator problems.”
The key laser-like word Murphy uttered was “flat.” Indeed, the .204 Ruger is remarkably flat considering it shoots a bullet propelled by hot gasses emitted from the burning of gunpowder and not a stimulated emission of radiation. After all, what other word would you use to describe a cartridge which, factory loaded, can give shooters a bullet with a measly 28.1-inch drop at 500 yards?
Targeting A Relevant Niche
The .204 Ruger’s reputation is quite relevant in the gun manufacturer’s community as well. When I needed a rifle and cartridge for some Virginia coyote hunting CZ-USA’s Zach Hein suggested I shoot a .204 Ruger based on its accuracy, range, ammunition availability and proven track record as a coyote killer nationwide. He focused on the fact that it’s got plenty of range to it, is quite accurate, and when it hits the critters it doesn’t ruin the fur as badly as other bigger cartridges.
The .204 Ruger spend a lot of time in low-light red conditions because predator hunting is often a nighttime activity, and predator hunters — especially those wanting a lethal round that doesn’t destroy pelts — have gravitated to the cartridge.
Now, some of us don’t care if we blow coyotes up like watermelons hit by an AMTRAK train, but some people certainly collect and sell animal pelts, so massive wound channels or worse — coyotes blown apart — aren’t going to fare well on the market.
As part of the research for this story, I used the very gun Hein suggested: a CZ-527 Varmint chambered in .204 Ruger. I took things one step farther and added a Wilson Combat WC-15 in .204 Ruger as well because, quite frankly, who doesn’t want us to hunt coyotes with a semi-automatic .204 Ruger? Coyote life insurance agents, that’s who.
Both guns worked and shot remarkably well. Both guns shot ½ MOA accuracy with factory loads. Both guns carried light, pointed fast and gave me confidence while on the prowl. That says a lot about the cartridge’s capabilities. As a few have already told us, what weapons platform you put a .204 Ruger in doesn’t matter much outside of style points. What matters is it’s chambered in the flat-shooting .204 Ruger.
It’s Flat-Out Fast
In today’s ultra-modern scope-it, dope-it and rope-it long-range shooting world, why would anyone care how flat a cartridge shoots anymore? Shooters care because it means it increases the odds of success. The flatter a cartridge shoots, the greater a margin of error it allows shooters to have on range estimation, aim, shooter technique, and the like.
The .204 Ruger serves predator hunters well in the Wilson Combat WC-15 Recon Tactical rifle when paired with a high-quality day/night optic, such as this ATN X-Sight II HD 3-14x scope.
So, when you’re dealing with an animal like a coyote, which can range from 1.9-2.2 feet in height at the shoulder and weigh anywhere from 15-46 pounds — and happens to run between 35-43 miles per hour — you’ll take all of the ballistic help you can get. The .204 Ruger’s ultra-flat trajectory is quite a bit of help.
Tack on the fact that the .204 Ruger has less recoil than me when I mistakenly drink unsweet tea, and shooters find it much easier to take multiple shots within the same sight picture because the rifle isn’t kicking them off their scopes. Multiple shots? Not me, I never miss, you say. Of course not, but what about when your coyote brings his friends? Follow-up shots can make a big difference whether you think you might miss (someday) or not.
Realistic Expectations
Excited about the .204 Ruger? Good. But it’s time for a reality check: The .204 Ruger isn’t truly a laser, of course. In fact, it’s not really all that flat when you compare it to one. You see, like the state of Kansas, most people think the flight of a .204 Ruger is constantly flat, but it’s not. By the way, according to a University of Kansas news story in 2014 by Brendan M. Lynch, Kansas — geographically speaking — is only the seventh flattest state in America, with Florida (yes, Florida) ranking No. 1, followed by Illinois, North Dakota, Louisiana, Minnesota, Delaware … and then the Jayhawk state.
No, the .204 Ruger got its reputation as a “laser” because, compared to just about everything else powered by gunpowder, it shoots flat — like Florida, not Kansas — and it’s deadly like lasers you see in the movies (pew, pew).
Don’t think so? One of flattest commercially available factory loads from Hornady at 500 yards from a centerfire rifle is the .204 Ruger 40-grain V-Max. At 500 yards it drops just 28.1 inches while still screaming the ballistic equivalent death song of “Enter Sandman” to any coyote it encounters with a blazing speed of 2,133 fps and 404 ft-lbs. of energy, which is 82 ft-lbs. of energy more at 500 yards than a Hornady .22 WMR 30-grain V-Max bullet at the muzzle. Note that, like any cartridge, handloaders can customize the .204 Ruger with their own recipes as well, but Hornady’s factory loaded 40-grain A-Max is all I need to prove my point.
Other Comparable Contenders
What about the .22-250 Remington? It’s flatter, right? No. It’s not. Sticking within the same Hornady family of commercially available cartridges, the best the .22-250 Remington can do at 500 yards 29.1 inches of drop. Now, it hits a bit harder with 445 ft-lbs. of energy, but it’s also slower, going a pedestrian-like 2,003 fps compared to the 40-grain coyote sleep aid pushed by the .204 Ruger. Think the powerhouse .22-250 Remington’s 50-grain V-Max handles the wind better than the pesky .204 Ruger 40-grain V-Max? Think again. With a 10 mph crosswind, the .204 Ruger’s 40-grain V-Max bullet needs a windage adjustment of 1.81 MOA at 500 yards to stay on target, whereas the .22-250 Remington’s 50-grain V-Max bullet needs 2.37 MOA. So, the idea that the .22-250 Remington handles the wind better than the .204 Ruger is, well, just hot air.
Now hold on a minute …
What about the ultra-ballistically slick 6mm Creedmoor and the 87-grain bullet Hornady loads for it? That’s got to be an amazing coyote load, right? It absolutely is. However, compared to the 40-grain .204 Ruger, it’s a rainbow warrior with a massive 7.4-inch negative difference in bullet drop at 500 yards.
Sure, the 6mm Creedmoor’s 87-grain load bucks the wind better, needing only 1.47 MOA worth of an adjustment for a 10 mph crosswind versus the .204 Ruger’s 1.81 MOA, and the 87-grain V-Max hits like the Hammer of Thor with a whopping 844 ft-lbs. of energy compared to the wooden spoon-like 404 ft-lbs. of the 40-grain .204 Ruger, but that’s 7.4 inches below the point of this story which is that the .204 Ruger is an ultra-flat, hit-hard-enough predator cartridge.
Parting Shot
Is the .204 Ruger relevant? Absolutely. It’s an effective, affordable, available predator cartridge more than capable and is a highly proven slayer of small predators at wow-that’s-far distances. Some cartridges hit harder, farther. Some go faster. Most kick harder, cost more to shoot, and take your point-of-aim off your target from recoil more than the .204 Ruger.
MidwayUSA lists at least 10 different .204 Ruger ammo options, and handloaders can make the cartridge do some incredible things. Lots of rifle manufacturers make both inexpensive and fancy rifles for hunters, and there’s no shortage of coyotes willing to test a .204 Ruger’s capability. So, the only irrelevant thing about the .204 Ruger is questioning its place in your predator gun arsenal in the first place.
For more information on companies mentioned in this story, please visit:
These two Sierra ProHunter bullets delieverd near identical terminal performance, even though the one on the right weighed 20 percent more than the other.
At one time, bullet weight held great significance in terminal performance. But modern materials and designs have changed this dramatically.
When It Comes To Bullet Weight, Do Lightweight Projectiles Out Perform Heavy Options:
When weigh held more importance when non-expanding lead bullets and before true controlled-expansion bullets.
With better engineering and materials, light- and mid-weight bullets have similar performance to the heavy ones.
The lighter bullets also have the advantage of less recoil.
There was a time when bullet weight really mattered. This was back when bullets were made of lead and were essentially non-expanding. The importance of bullet weight continued when the velocities of rifle cartridges began to rise near the 3,000-fps mark. When that happened, many hunters opted for heavier bullets because they thought they worked better.
Truth is, they did work better — not so much because they were heavier, but because they were moving slower. Bullet technology had not advanced to the point where engineering true controlled-expansion bullets were possible. Light bullets at high velocity tended to break apart and reduce penetration. The heavy-for-caliber bullets were still ambling along at moderate velocities, so they held together and penetrated deeper.
After John Nosler introduced the partition bullet design, things began to change. Various companies introduced new and better-designed bullets that could withstand high-impact velocities. With the modern bullets we have today, bullet weight is simply not that important. In fact, given similarly designed bullets, they will all deform to about the same frontal diameter and penetrate to the same depth, regardless of weight.
For example, consider .308-caliber Sierra Pro Hunter bullets fired from a .308 Winchester. The 150-grain version with a muzzle velocity of 2,590 fps will penetrate between 12 and 13 inches, and it will deform with a frontal diameter of about 0.64-inch. The same 180-grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2,450 fps will perform almost identically. You’ll see a larger difference in recoil energy than anywhere else; the 180-grain load will generate about 8 percent more recoil than the 150-grain bullet.
When it comes to selecting optimum bullet weight for just about any cartridge and any application, you’ll get the best balance of what that cartridge has to offer if you choose a bullet weight that is middle of the road. For example, with common .308 Winchester factory ammunition, you’ll see bullet weights from 110 to 180 grains. That puts 150 grains right about in the middle. For most general-purpose applications, something close to 150 grains will be the best option.
The same applies to defensive handgun cartridges: With the 9mm Luger, most loads have bullet weights between 115 and 147 grains. That means the popular 124-grain loads will generally give you the best balance of performance.
At one time, heavier bullets were a good idea. Today, with the modern bullet technology we have — in all but very specialized situations — the mid-weight bullets are best, and even the lightest bullets can do wonders.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Engineered as top-line race guns, the Walther Q5 Match series is long on features and performance.
BMW, Mercedes, Audi … when you think of fine German engineering cars are what typically come to mind. However, the country has more than its fair share of expert gunmakers. Mauser, Heckler & Koch and, of course, Walther have impeccable reputations their tightly built and highly functioning firearms. In recent years, Walther especially has turned heads with its specialist competition pistols – the Q5 Match Series.
What makes the two models – Q5 Match and Q5 Match Steel – that compose the line stand out, isn’t simply the shootability and accuracy of the 9mms. But also a slew of features designed to give you a leg up in gunning for gold. Among the most notable, and common to all the Q5 Series pistols, are fiber optic front and rear sights, lightening cuts in the slide, slide cut for optics mounting, ambidextrous slide lock and adjustable backstrap. A pretty nice package right out of the box.
Tune In More Gun Digest TV:
Video: Pro Series Model 986 Puts A Different Spin On The 9mm
As their designations suggest, there is a difference in the materials used to make Walther Q5 Match pistols. Originally polymer-framed, the gun company new steel model is meant to add a bit more heft to the gun, thus soak up recoil and make it faster shot to shot. An iteration competitors have requested for some time now.
Overall, Walther’s Q5 Match series has built a solid reputation in and out of matches. It’s easy to see why.
For more information on the Walther Q5 Match series, please visit www.waltherarms.com.
Accounts for aerodynamic jump casued by crosswinds
Provides real-time and accurate environmentals
Looking to go the distance? A partnership between Kestrel and Hornady might be of interest. The wind/weather meter specialist and ammunition maker have teamed up to produce a unique device meant to help shooters connect at the longest ranges.
The Kestrel 5700 Ballistics Weather Meter with Hornady 4DOF puts a twist on figuring out shooting solutions, using Hornady’s unique ballistic calculator. Instead of figuring out trajectory through a bullet’s ballistic coefficient, the company’s 4DOF calculator uses drag coefficient along with physical modeling of the projectile, its mass and aerodynamics. Furthermore, the Kestrel 5700 calculates the bullet’s aerodynamic jump, the vertical shift it experiences when it encounters a crosswind. Of course, all of this is done with real-time readings from the weather meter.
The 5700 Ballistics Weather Meter with Hornady 4DOF is presently available and has an MSRP of $499.
More from Kestrel and Hornady:
BOOTHWYN, PA – Kestrel Ballistics, the leading brand in rugged American-built weather meters and long-range shooting accessories, has partnered with Hornady, the premier manufacturer of bullets, ammunition, reloading tools and more, to launch an all new advanced ballistics weather meter for hunters and shooters. The Kestrel 5700 Ballistics Weather Meter with Hornady 4DOF ($499) is now available online and currently shipping to customers.
Combining reliable onsite environmental measurements with precise Hornady 4DOF trajectory solutions – this all-in-one, compact unit is fully functional as a tool for long-range precision shooting. With the full power of the 4DOF ballistic app now integrated in the Kestrel meter, shooters can leave the phone behind and rely on the durable, compact Kestrel unit for the critical target data they need in the field. The built-in Hornady 4DOF Ballistic engine provides trajectory solutions based on projectile Drag Coefficient along with the exact physical modeling of the projectile and its mass and aerodynamic properties. Coupled with features like zero angle and aerodynamic jump, it is ideal for long-range calculations. Accounting for all environmental and ballistic variables that affects bullet trajectory over distance, the Kestrel with integrated 4DOF solver quickly and accurately delivers dead-on aiming solutions for any rifle or round.
Key Features •Accurate Environmentals – Measures wind speed and direction, temperature, altitude, and more and automatically updates the shooting solution •4DOF Solver & G1/G7 Ballistics Solver – Extensive library of independently tested bullet data •User-Friendly – Easy operation for outdoor use with large buttons for navigating screens and entering information along with bright, clear backlit display readable in direct sunlight or low light situations •Rugged, All-Weather Durability — IP-67 Waterproof, MIL-STD-810 drop-tested, and backed by a 5-Year Warranty •Long-lasting Power – Powered by 1 AA Lithium battery, expect hundreds of hours of use from a reliable tool that won’t quit when you need it most •Load & Go Convenience – Set up a Gun Profile via the free Kestrel LiNK app, then the Kestrel unit is field-ready allowing users to calculate trajectories under any conditions, even in areas without cellular service
For more information on the Kestrel 5700 Ballistics Weather Meter with Hornady 4DOF, please visit www.kestrelballistics.com.
The popularity of 6mm cartridges has waxed and waned over the decades, but appears to be peaking again.
What are the 6mm Cartridges:
6mm Lee Navy
6mm Creedmoor
6mm Remington (.244 Remington)
6mm Apex
6mm PPC
6mm BR
6mm AR
6mm XC
.243 Winchester
.243 WSSM
.240 Weatherby Magnum
.244 H&H Magnum
6mm SAW
6mm Dasher
In 1955, both Remington and Winchester introduced a 6mm cartridge. Remington dubbed theirs the .244 Rem., while Winchester went with .243 Win. It was a different time back then … a time when versatility in a rifle and cartridge was the mantra. The .30-06, for example, was venerated as the king of cartridges because it could take on any game anywhere in the world but for rhino, Cape buffalo and elephant. So, the prevailing sentiment of the day was that one rifle, plus a .22 caliber of some sort, was all a guy needed.
It was also the age of the vertical “gun magazine.” Now, those firearms aficionados with more than just a passing interest in guns and hunting, which included me, had access to all that was new and exciting gun-wise. It was then — the late 1950s — that I developed into a full-fledged rifle weenie. I devoured every gun magazine I could get my hands on, and it was rare that there wasn’t at least one article every month in each of those pubs talking about the “War of the 6s.” But, as it turned out, it was no contest at all: The .243 Winchester had won hands down, and for good reason.
Some of the 100-yard groups fired with a Ruger American in 6mm Creedmoor.
To fully appreciate what was also happening at the time that influenced the 6mm story, it’s noteworthy that varmint/predator hunting was coming of age. Not that hunting groundhogs, prairie dogs, fox and coyotes was anything new: it was becoming much more popular than it had been in the past. As for the “big game” side of the story, if truth be told, a huge percentage of America’s hunters never hunt anything larger than deer, and that was a big factor explaining the attraction to the .24 bore. A 6mm may not be the ideal deer caliber, but it’s certainly adequate out to distances that 98 percent of all deer are harvested.
The 6mm Showdown
So, the stage was set. Winchester saw its .243 as a “dual purpose” cartridge, one that was equally suited to hunting deer and vermin. The popular perception was that, with a .243 Win., you had two rifles in one. As such, the initial factory ammunition offerings consisted of an 80-grain varmint load, and a 100-grain deer load. Remington, on the other hand, envisioned its .244 as a long-range varmint/predator cartridge, and as such it offered factory ammunition loads of 75 and 90 grains.
The first of the majors to chamber for the 6mm Creedmoor was Ruger with its American. Shown here is the example the author has previously reviewed.
Three of the biggest proponents of the .243 Win. were a Texas gun writer by the name of Byron Dalrymple; famed gun writer Warren Page; and Fred Huntington, founder of RCBS. Both Page and Huntington developed wildcat .24s based on the 7.62 NATO (.308 Win.) case, which were almost identical to what would become the .243 Win. As for Dalrymple, he slew a ton of Texas whitetails and coyotes, and he wrote dozens of articles praising the .243 Win. like it was the second coming.
The .244 Rem., on the other hand, got much less press, and much of it lacked enthusiasm. Here again, Page and Huntington were in the picture because both had also developed wildcat .24s based on the .257 Roberts case, which prompted Remington to choose it for their .244. Right from the get-go the consensus among the gun writers of the day was that the .243 Winchester’s 100-grain load was an excellent deer dispatcher, but somehow a 90-grain slug out of a .244 Rem. was not. That was pretty much bullpucky, but that was the general perception — and perception is everything.
For the 50th anniversary of the 6mm Rem., Remington chose to honor it with a special edition of the Model 700 CDL.
Now, if you were a handloader, the situation should have been easily remedied, but it so happened that Remington chose a 1:12 twist for its .244, while Winchester went with the faster 1:10 twist for its offspring. Again, it was the writers of the day who cautioned that a 1:12 twist might not stabilize 100-grain bullets. Personally, my experience with the .244 Rem. was that it stabilized handloaded 100-grain bullets just fine. But again, there was that cloud of doubt.
If that weren’t enough to derail the .244 Rem., the last nail in its coffin was that the Remington Model 722 in which it was chambered was a dog. Its stock had all the appeal of a 2×4, and its ungainly 26-inch barrel did not a handy deer rifle make. The .243 Winchester’s home, on the other hand, was the svelte Model 70 Featherweight with a 22-inch barrel, and the Standard Grade which had a 24-inch spout.
At left is .308 Winchester, next 6.5 Creedmoor, then 6mm Creedmoor.
Remington changed the twist rate to 1:10 around 1958, but it was too late; the damage had been done. The round languished until 1963, when along with the rolling out of the buzzard-turned-swan Model 700 rifle, the .244 Rem. was reintroduced as the 6mm Rem., and with it, two new loadings: a 100-grain slug at 3,190 fps, and an 80-grain at 3,450 fps. Back then, nominal factory ballistics were established in 26-inch test barrels, so they were optimistic to say the least. And to make sure there were no stability problems, they went with a 1:9 twist!
The Then-New 6mm
From the ballistic standpoint, the .244/6mm Rem. case, being based on the .257 Roberts hull, has slightly more powder capacity than the .243 Win., and it’s therefore capable of imparting a bit more velocity. That’s borne out by current factory ammo specs showing the 6mm Rem. 100-grain load exiting at 3,100 fps, and the .243 Win. at 2,960 fps. In handloaded form, the difference is more than that. Nevertheless, the 6mm Remington has never rivaled the .243 Winchester’s popularity.
Another of the author’s 6mms was this Star-barreled BSA action in a Fajen Regent stock.
However, being the iconoclast I am, I naturally went with the 6mm Rem. It was 1965 as I recall, and it was also one of the first centerfire rifles I built after getting out of school. I purchased a commercial Mauser action, had it barreled and set it into a stock from Herter’s. Before I went on to bigger and better things, I took a mule deer, two pronghorns, three black bears and about 300 groundhogs with that rifle. I had such success with the cartridge that I acquired two more 6mm Rem. rifles: one was a Ruger No.1B, which I restocked, and the other I built on a BSA action, a Douglas barrel and a Fajen stock. Both saw action out West and in Canada.
Competition Cometh
Thirteen years would pass after the introduction of the twin 6mm’s before any competition appeared; it was in 1968 in the form of the .240 Weatherby Magnum. Being a proprietary cartridge available only in Weatherby rifles, the .240 Wthby. Mag. didn’t actually compete with the .243 Win. or the 6mm Rem. in terms of sales, but it certainly raised the bar for .24-caliber performance.
In production-grade sporting rifles, no other commercial cartridges are as accurate as the Creeds.
Based on a unique case best described as a .30-06 with a belt, Weatherby data shows the .240 launching a 100-grain bullet at 3,405 fps, and an 80-grain bullet at 3,500 fps. It’s a bit puzzling that there would only be a 100 fps difference for 20 grains of bullet weight. The consensus among handloading data shows the 3,400 fps figure to be optimistic to the tune of about 100 fps in a 24-inch barrel. The 3,500 fps for the 80-grain, on the other hand, appears to be doable with handloads.
By the time Weatherby came out with his .240 Wthby. Mag. (it was the last cartridge in the Weatherby Magnum family designed by Roy himself), interest in the .24s was on the wane. I think it was because there was such a plethora of new and more capable cartridges being introduced in the ‘60s that the hunting community simply lost interest. I know I did.
The author with a bunch of Pennsylvania groundhogs taken with his first 6mm Rem.
Also contributing to the malaise were the gun magazines, in that they were convincing hunters that having one rifle for both varmints and deer was a compromise. You needed a varmint rifle and a deer rifle — preferably one more potent than a 6mm. Today, of course, we’re in the age of specialization. We have varmint rifles, predator rifles, mountain rifles, plains rifles, bean field rifles, hog rifles, long-range rifles … and the list goes on. It wasn’t like that back then.
One Last Hurrah
The last “nostalgic” attempt at a new 6mm hunting cartridge was the introduction of the .243 Win. Super Short Magnum in 2004. Because the Winchester folks had reasonable success with the .300 Win. Short Magnum, which they introduced in 2001 — and the .270, 7mm and 8mm versions that followed — they apparently figured, “If short is good, maybe shorter yet would be better?”
Not! The .243 WSSM, along with its sibling .224 and .257 versions, were commercial flops. Only Winchester and Browning chambered rifles for the ill-fated family, and production of those, along with ammunition, lasted but a few years.
One of two black bears to fall to the author’s Ruger No.1 in 6mm Rem.
I previously singled out the hunting community as having lost interest in the 6mm, but competitive shooters have never abandoned it. Not only do 6mm cartridges dominate 100- and 200-yard bench rest competitions, but the 1,000-yard game as well. And in the Precision Rifle Series, where once the .30-caliber was king, it has long since trended downward to smaller cartridges and smaller calibers having less recoil.
At first the trend was to 7mm, then to 6.5s — like the 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem. and 6.5-284. Today, the 6mm is showing that it may be even better-suited to shooting tiny groups at 1,000 yards. It is somewhat counterintuitive that cartridges like the 6 BRA and 6mm Dasher, which have less powder capacity than the .243 Win., can launch relatively tiny 105-grain VLD (Very Low Drag) bullets more accurately at 1,000 yards than, say, a .300 Win. Magnum or .338 Lapua.
But they do, and they have a good-enough record doing it that Hornady, who gave us the insanely popular 6.5 Creedmoor, last year rolled out a 6mm Creedmoor. I’ve already reviewed two such rifles and both were impressively accurate with factory ammo.
Bottom line: The 6mm may not be as popular as it once was with America’s hunters, but it’s the darling of those shooting the smallest groups at the longest ranges.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Drawing your firearm becomes a simple procedure if you break it down into its individual movements.
Many firearms instructors may not mean to, but often times they do. Overcomplicate the subject, that is. But when you get down to brass tacks, the defensive use of a pistol is simply a matter of quickly getting your sidearm into the fight, then getting hits on your target.
As to the first aspect, drawing your firearm is key. It’s a multi-step procedure, but one that involves relatively simple movements. Five of them to be exact:
Grip — establishing a fighting grip while the gun is still in the holster.
Draw — clearing your pistol or revolver from your holster.
Rotate — rotating the muzzle of the gun around 90 degrees so it points at your target.
Support hand — applying your support hand to your grip (also the time to disengage your manual safety, if your pistol has one).
Presentation — extending your arms into a full presentation.
Not really akin to solving a differential equation. Nonetheless, drawing your firearm requires practice for it to become efficient, effective and second nature. You also — as Richard Mann demonstrates in the above video — must consider how you carry. If you wear an exterior garment — coat, sweater, sweatshirt — you have to modify how you access your handgun to clear the garb.
In any case, if you’re a serious armed citizen, you’ll take the time to perfect how you draw your gun. Because it won’t matter a lick if you're a crack shot if you can’t get your pistol out of your holster.
Springfield has rounded out its XD-S Mod.2 line, now offering the single-stack, striker-fired in .40 Smith & Wesson.
How The XD-S Mod.2 .40 Smith & Wesson Is Ready For Carry:
6+1 capacity with flush-fit magazine and 7+1 with extended mag
Low-profile .975-inch width and 4.7-inch height
Sub-compact 3.3-inch barrel
Around 22 ounces in weight
The tidal wave of single-stack, polymer-frame, striker-fired pistols continues to roll. No fighting trend lines. Though, this time around there is a bit of a twist and good news, if you’re a fan of the “Mama Bear” .40 Smith & Wesson.
Springfield Armory recently announced the addition of the tweener caliber for its popular XD-S Mod.2 line, now giving shooters a choice of the pistol in the three most popular defensive chamberings. The series kicked off with, what else, the 9mm, which Springfield then buttressed with a .45 ACP model. And like the .40 S&W itself, the new XD-S Mod.2 strikes a middle ground between the existing options. At least, when it comes to capacity. The pistol feed off 6+1 flush-fit and 7+1 extend magazines – one less than the 9mm and one more than the .45.
If you’re familiar with the XD-S Mod.2 line, the .40 S&W won’t throw you any curveballs. It comes with the same accruements: fiber-optic front sight, tactical rack serrated rear, Melonite finish on all the steel and a 3.3-inch barrel. And like its predecessors, it’s the dimensions that made the single-stack so popular in the first place, particularly its highly concealable .975-inch width and 4.7-inch height (with flush-fit mag). The price is right too, with the XD-S Mod.2 .40 Smith & Wesson boasting an MSRP of $524.
More from Springfield Armory:
GENESEO, ILL. – Springfield Armory’s most popular selling pistol, the XD-S Mod.2, is now chambered in .40 S&W, and holds 6+1 or 7+1 rounds in this premiere concealed carry firearm.
Following the release of the XD-S Mod.2 in .45 ACP and 9mm, Springfield is bringing the .40 S&W back by customer request, rounding out the line with an ideal cartridge for the highly-respected XD-S platform. Engineered with a slim profile that is optimized for concealed carry, the small frame and single stack design achieves the ideal combination of both size and reliability.
The XD-S Mod.2 in .40 S&W features popular characteristics known throughout the XD-S Mod.2 product lineup, such as a fiber optic front sight for fast target acquisition, and a tactical-rack rear sight. This style of rear sight provides the added benefit of being able to rack the slide against objects such as a belt or door frame if neccessary. Aggressive Posi-Wedge slide serrations encourage easy manipulation of the slide, while enhanced grip texturing allows for a secure and comfortable feel for controlled, repeated rounds on target.
A high-hand grip is also encouraged through the XD-S Mod.2 frame by positioning a shooter’s hand closer to the bore axis for improved recoil control. A loaded chamber indicator allows shooters to not only see, but feel the condition of the gun when holstered or in darkness. The grip safety encourages peace of mind while carrying by rendering the firearm incapable of firing unless engaged. The XD-S Mod.2 in .40 S&W also features an enhanced short-reset trigger and memory bump similar to those on 1911s, which allows for effortless engagement of the grip safety.
The XD-S Mod.2 in .40 S&W ships with two stainless steel magazines: a 6-round mag with a pinkie rest and one 7-round extended mag. A flush floor plate is also included to offer maximum concealability.
XD-S Mod.2 .40 Smith & Wesson Specs
Recoil System: Dual Captive Recoil Spring w/ Full Length Guide Rod Sights: Fiber Optic Front & Tactical Rack Serrated White Dot Rear Weight: 22 oz – 23 oz w/ Extended Magazine Height: 4.7″ – 5.22″ w/ Extended Magazine Slide: Forged Steel, Melonite® Barrel: 3.3″ Hammer Forged Steel, Melonite® Length: 6.3″ Grip Width: .975″ Frame: Black Polymer w/ Enhanced Grip Texture Magazines: (1) 6-Round w/ Grip Extension, (1) 7-Round Extended & (1) Flush Plate MSRP: $524.00
Lethal-force events can happen in a split second, you need the capability to respond in kind. Here's how law-enforcement legend Jim Cirillo got the drop on the bad guys.
How Does Jim Cirillo's Coarse-Aim Shooting Technique Apply To Defensive Situations:
He aimed by using the outline of his handgun as his sights — if the bad guy was wider than the pistol he could get a hit.
The technique is only appropriate for close situations where the utmost precision is not required.
Straight forward, the technique requires practice — plenty of it — to safely and effectively apply it.
The British have a saying (or did, before the anti-hunting zealots made riding horses a heretical offense), “Horses for courses.” That is, if you want to win, you ride the correct horse for the course to be ridden. Cowboys understand this, as the smart ones would not select a Budweiser Clydesdale for a barrel-racing event.
And so it is with firearms. While there are good “do-all” firearms that can cover a lot of problems, you still want the best for the job. And you want the best technique.
That was the problem faced by Jim Cirillo, and the rest of the NYPD Stakeout Squad, when dealing with bad guys. In this sedate and safe second decade of the 21st century, it’s difficult to imagine just how hard and dangerous our cities were in the past. In 2016, NYC had a violent crime rate of 540 per 100,000 inhabitants. In 1969, the rate was 955, and by 1975 it would rise to 1,411. In the late 1960s, the armed robberies had an added problem: The armed robbers, having held up a bodega, were shooting the cashiers so there wouldn’t be witnesses.
This target represents the use of the Cirillo technique, featuring five sets of three shots, at max speed, at 5 yards. That’ll get the job done.
The Stakeout Squad was formed to deal with the problem. They would study the patterns, select a few bodegas and find or build hideouts in them. When the bad guys went to hold up the store, the Stakeout Squad would arrest them. As you would expect from armed criminals enacting violent felonies, there would be some resistance. Shootouts were common.
Now, for those of you who have not been in a bodega, the distances were not great. A bodega is a small store that handles all the usual odds and ends, and daily needs, of the patrons. In NYC, they could even offer more than just milk and bread, but they were small. Readers in the Midwest or far West, imagine the smallest party store or local mini-mart you’ve ever been in. Then, chop it in half, or even down to a third of that. Make the aisles narrow and not more than 50 feet long. That describes every NYC bodega I’ve ever been in. Stores today might be more roomy (I was last in a bodega in 1998), but in 1968 when the stakeout Squad was formed, they were narrow, small and not deep.
Seeing With Clarity
When he first started shooting people, Jim Cirillo saw his front sight clearly. So clearly, in fact, that he could see the grooves cut into it. The problem was, he couldn’t identify the bad guy or guys. He could identify them by color — “Shoot the guy with the blue sweatshirt on” — perhaps, but not more than that. When the light was good and the distance warranted it, he by all means used the sights.
But, he had to make sure he was shooting the right people. So, he developed an amalgam of a shooting technique that suited the situation, right there and then, at the close distances involved.
What he did was look at the perp (I know, first heretical act) and then bring the pistol up and push it forward. He would then keep most of his focus on the bad guy (second heretical act) and verify pistol alignment. Then he’d shoot the bad guy.
At 7 yards, the author found that the groups started to open up, and the pace slowed just a bit. But, the hits are good, and the results can be gratifying.
He was aiming by using the outline of the pistol or revolver as his sights. This method works out to a certain distance: As long as the outline of the bad guy was wider than that of the pistol, and he could not see the sides of the slide on either side (i.e. it was centered), he could count on getting a hit.
Now, let us be clear on this: It’s not “point” shooting. It’s not “instinctive” shooting. It’s warp-speed fast, coarse-aiming shooting.
You do not do this when you have to make a tight shot, say, on a bad guy holding a hostage. This is not an appropriate technique in that situation. Horses for courses, remember? In that situation, you bear down and see every line scored in your front sight blade, and then do a clean trigger press.
But, when turning the corner in a bodega and being faced with a bad guy at 20 feet who’s already holding a firearm? Cover the “A” zone with the back of your slide and start shooting.
I had a chance to talk to Jim at an industry gathering a couple of years before his untimely death. Yes, he used this technique, but it was one technique in his bag of skills. And, it worked with handguns — but not rifles or shotguns — all of which he used at one time or another.
And, he used it at close range. When the distance opened up or he had to make a tight shot, he used the sights. He was a skilled competition shooter, he knew how to hit what he was aiming at, and he did it.
Applying The Cirillo Method
To verify my memory and to get a sense of what this can be like, I hauled a 9mm pistol and some targets to the range.
When stepping back to 10 yards and employ thee Cirillo technique, the place slows enough that sights become competitive, and the group opens up enough that the results might not be so satisfactory. The cutoff distance for you will vary depending on the firearm, the ammunition and the amount of practice you put in.
The pistol was just the first 9mm hi-cap that I laid hands on — the excellent Walther PPQ M2 — and I loaded each magazine to 15 rounds. I set up three targets: one at 5 yards, one at 7 yards and one at 10 yards. The process was simple: On the beep, I’d bring the Walther up, shove it forward, get a Cirillo index on the target and fire three quick shots. Then I’d re-engage the timer and repeat until the magazine was empty. I did not record times; I simply shot as fast as I could get the index working for me.
At 5 yards, the USPSA target looks to be the size of a Buick, and the back of the Walther slide barely covers the “A” zone. However, by going back just 2 yards, the slide appears much wider against the cardboard. At 10 yards, the slide is almost as wide as the target. So, for the Walther, 10 yards is the outside limit of useful distance. Perhaps a pistol with a narrower slide would do better, but it also depends on your arm length.
The targets also told their tales. The 5-yard target had all 15 shots well inside of the “A” zone, and they were all in the upper half — the location I was focused on when the beep went off. Given the “shooting with my hair on fire” speed I was working at, that was pretty impressive.
At 7 yards, one shot of the 15 was left on the edge of the “A” zone, and two others were high right and out of it. The total of the shots looked quite good, but not nearly as good as those at 5 yards. So, at 30 feet, this is still working for us.
At 10 yards, well … hmmm. Not only was my shooting pace markedly slower (while still being quite brisk), I had five hits on the edge of the “A” zone, and three that are outside of it. Clearly, with this pistol at 10 yards, using the sights is smart. Just on a whim, I then set up a fresh target, and timed the 10-yard runs. At that distance, my average for three-shots, and the same general group size with the Cirillo Technique, was right around 0.80 seconds. My splits were pretty pokey by competition standards — generally at 0.20 seconds — and I got the same sort of hitting percentage.
The comparison would not be entirely fair because I was warmed up, but I did the same thing again, but this time I went into competition mode and used the sights fully, and I made sure every hit was an A-zone hit. The stats? My average three-shot set was closer to 0.70, the splits were in the upper teens and every hit was an A-zone hit.
What does this prove? That practice is more important than anything else.
Practice Trumps All
I’ve practiced using the sights for a half-century now, firing well over a million rounds. You could startle me out of a deep sleep and I’d be using the sights as I came up on the target. However, the Cirillo technique does have its uses.
But make no mistake: It, too, requires practice. As I said, this is not point-shooting and this is not instinctive — there is neither such a thing, and no viability to such approaches. You have to aim, somehow, and you have to practice.
But, if you do practice this, someday you might wake to hear a bump in the night, turn the corner and find a bad guy at close range — so close that if you spend too much time refining your sight picture, he’ll take a couple of steps forward and slap your muzzle aside. Instead, cover his center with the outline of your handgun and solve the problem, sights or no sights.
The Stakeout Squad members were too good at their job. They shot so many bad guys, so often and in such a short period of time, that people noticed. And then the Squad was disbanded. That was 1973. The crime rate in New York, and everywhere else, kept rising for some time after that. However, at least there were a few bad actors who couldn’t contribute to the rise. And some of them were “retired” from their profession by use of the Cirillo technique.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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