Ah the shotgun โฆ as ubiquitous as cravenness in politics, but a whole load more useful, and enjoyable. Arguably the most versatile of all firearms, outside of going center mass on a nickel at 1,000 paces it will get most jobs done. Hunting, home defense, plain olโ busting clays โ itโs got you covered. And the scattergun continues to get better.
Weโre not just talking guns here, though there are some real gems that shine through as of late. But also what you feed these ravenous beasts. Never before have shotgun shells been better designed and higher performing than today, with cutting-edge shot and materials milking the most out of your favorite smoothbore. Turkeys and intruders beware.
A new year well upon us, thereโs already been some solid additions to the shotgun end of the market and plenty to add to your guns safe. So, without further ado, here are eight new shotguns and shotgun ammo options you need on your radar.
Winchester Ammunition Xpert Snow Goose
Xpert Snow Goose shotshells were designed with the hardcore snow geese hunter in mind and combines two of Winchesterโs waterfowl technologies: Xpert steel shot and the Diamond Cut Wad. Xpert Snow Goose is available in 12 gauge 3-inch and 3.5-inch BB, and also with a duplex payload of No. 1 and No. 2 shot. These shotshells also use a gray hulls, so leery snow geese are less likely to spot the pile of hulls around your blind when the shooting is good. MSRP: $16.50 for 3-inch Xpert box of 25; $21 for 3ยฝ-inchers // www.winchester.com
CZ-USA CZ 1012
Brand new for CZ-USA is an auto-loading shotgun thatโs not gas operated. The new CZ 1012 makes use of a spring-bolt system, which stores the energy of the fired shell and uses it to rotate and unlock the twin lugs of the barrel extension and eject the spent casing. The functioning advantages are huge: The amount of fouling and powder residue is greatly decreased, and cleaning the gun is much less a concern. The CZ 1012 has a 28-inch barrel and five extended chokes tubes, weighs 6ยฝ pounds and two of the models have a cool grey or bronze finish. MSRP: $659 // www.cz-usa.com
CZ-USA Bobwhite G2
CZ-USA also brought back a popular double-barrel shotgun: the Bobwhite G2. This trim little gun has a straight English-style stock with double triggers and a new durable finish, 28-inch barrels and ships with five chokes. The Bobwhite has been improved with a CNC-machined receiver and a new internal spring system using coil instead of leaf springs, which last longer and retain their tension and elasticity better. The 28 gauge model is a petite little thing thatโs very seductive and weighs 5ยฝ pounds. MSRP: $655 // www.cz-usa.com
Several new shotguns are to be released by Charles Daly for 2019, and one is the AR-12S shotgun, featuring a 19.75-inch barrel with a modified Beretta/Benelli Mobil Choke, chambered in 3-inch 12-gauge. It has an adjustable comb, a carry handle, adjustable rear sight and standard front sight, and it comes with a single-stack five-round magazine. MSRP: $517 // www.charlesdaly.com
Charles Daly Honcho Tactical Triple
Also new in the lineup is the Honcho Tactical Triple, featuring three 18.5-inch barrels with a bottom-barrel-mounted Pic rail. The gun is available in 12-gauge or .410 bore, both with 3-inch chambers. Fire sequence: right, left, top. Intimidation factor as a home defense weapon: off the charts. MSRP: $1,299 // www.charlesdaly.com
Mossberg 590 Nightstick
The Mossberg 590 Nightstick is the latest edition in the series built on the Model 590 action. The Nightstick features a 14-inch heavy-walled barrel, a 5+1 round capacity and a matte blue finish. The main event here is the wood furniture on this gun, which gives a retro look that has to be noticed. MSRP: $539 // www.mossberg.com
Benelli 828U Sport
There is no doubt that Benelli makes some fine shotguns with its proven inertia system. So, for the company to bring out its first O/U shotgun is big news, even though it was officially new early in 2018. The Benelli 828U Sport features excellent ergonomics, and some of the goodies include an adjustable weighting system to adjust the balance of the shotgun, matte blue finish and AA-Grade satin walnut. The 828U is built around a steel receiver for additional weight, and the improved grip angle and comb height work in conjunction with the tall rib and sight channel to point fast and swing smooth. MSRP: $4,399 // https://www.benelliusa.com/
Browning TSS Tungsten Turkey
Browning is announcing its new TSS Tungsten Turkey loads with new duplex payloads of No. 7 and 9 shot, as well as No. 7 shot. The TSS shot used in these loads has a high density of 18gm/cc, which means greater pellet energy and longer range performance. The duplex payloads of No. 7 and 9 shot deliver three times more pellets on target and 30 percent deeper penetration in a 20-inch circle at 60 yards when compared to standard No. 5 lead loads. A .410 bore of No. 9 TSS shot offering is also available and boasts 70 percent more pellets in a 20-inch circle at 60 yards vs. standard 12 gauge No. 5 lead loads โฆ and it provides similar penetration. MSRP: $44, 12 gauge 3-inch box of five; $39 for 20 gauge // www.browningammo.com
Editor’s Notes: This article originally appeared in the December 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Priced to move, the Wrangler Single-Six gives any shooter a shot to get into the classic single-action rimfire revolver.
How the Wrangler Single-Six offers an affordable option in the line:
With $249 MSRP, nearly every shooter can afford the revolver
Cast-aluminum frame and synthetic grips cut down on price and weight
Revolverโs other major parts โ barrel, cylinder, trigger, hammer, sear โ steel constructed
Cerakote finish gives the gun a uniform and attractive look
Handy free-cylinder modification makes loading and unloading fast and easy
Successful beyond comprehension, Rugerโs Mark Series pistols suck the air out of the room when talking .22 LR handguns. Unfortunate, given the gunmaker has about a shooting-range full of other top-notch rimfire heaters that are on equal footing with the iconic semi-automatic. Not the least of them, the Single-Six.
Born on the wave of Western movie popularity in the early 1950s, the single-action .22 revolver is among the classiest and most enjoyable rimfire handguns ever conceived. I confess Iโm biased in my appraisal. I have a Single-Nine โ the sixโs larger-capacity compatriot โ and find few guns more pleasurable, whether varmint hunting or keeping soda cans in line.
Those who are familiar with the Ruger six-shooter know, as pleasant as they are, theyโre also difficult to get into. A starting MSRP of $629, the revolver only get spendier from that point. No matter how you cut it, thatโs a pricy plinker.
Ruger appears to have solved this issue with the introduction of its economy Wrangler Single-Six line of revolvers. With an MSRP of $249, the revolvers donโt take as much hand wringing to get you to crack open your wallet. Though, as expected, Ruger has tweaked a few aspects of the gun to eke out the savings. In particular, how the .22 six-shooter is made.
The most notable cost-controlling measures are the Wrangler Single-Sixโs cast aluminum frame and the use of plastic grips. While it might not achieve the same level as the all-steel and hard rubber or wood grips of the original, the new construction method has some benefits away from dollars and cents. Specifically, the Wrangler Single-Six is a bit lighter, which gives it the potential to be a bit quicker in the hand. At the very least, the revolver should turn out easier on your hip if you’re humping the backcountry for squirrels and woodchucks.
The rest of the Wranglerโs major parts โ barrel, cylinder, sear, hammer, trigger โ are all steel. Despite the material differences, the revolver is beautifully uniform in appearance, thanks to a Cerakote finish. This aspect also allows Ruger to offer the Wrangler Single-Six in a number of different finishes, including silver, black and a very attractive burnt bronze.
Outside of color, there isnโt much diversity in the Wrangler line at present. Thereโs only a 4.62-inch barrel model and itโs exclusively a .22 LR. But it comes with everything youโve come to expect from a Single-Six, such as Vaquero style front blade sight, notched rear and transfer bar safety. The Wrangler also features a free-spinning cylinder modification, which makes loading and unloading the revolver much easier. Essentially, the cylinder is free to spin either way unimpeded when the loading gate is open.
Overall the Wrangler Single-Six will do what Iโm certain Ruger intended, give shooters little reason to look anywhere else when it comes to a single-action .22 LR revolver.
Wrangler Single-Six Specs
Caliber: .22 LR Grips: Checkered Synthetic Capacity: 6 Front Sight: Blade Barrel Length: 4.62″ Finish: Black, Silver and Burnt Bronze Cerakote Frame Material: Aluminum Alloy Rear Sight: Integral Overall Length: 10.25″ Weight: 30 oz. Twist: 1:14″ RH Grooves: 6 MSRP: $249
For more information on the Wrangler Single-Six, please visit www.ruger.com.
Featuring an integrally-suppressed barrel, Daniel Defense’s DDM4ISR proves a nimble and quite carbine.
As human nature goes, itโs easy to get caught thinking thereโs only one way to skin a cat. When it comes to firearms, perhaps nowhere is this more demonstrable than suppressors. Most get it into their heads the muzzle device must be a separate accessory, something screwed on and off whenever you need to hush up a gun. Logical, given this style of suppressor dominates the market, but blinds us to an entirely different class of noise reduction devices that may prove wholly more useful for some applications.
What weโre aiming at here are integrally suppressed firearms. Certainly, the system might not be for you if youโre after for one can to cover a swath of guns. But if youโre looking for a little something to enhance the capabilities of a tactical carbine, itโs tough to beat an outfit such as Daniel Defenseโs DDM4ISR. One gander at the integrally suppressed gun and itโs easy to see why.
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In addition to excellent sound suppression, the DDM4ISR maintains highly nimble dimensions. With the suppression system, the 300 BLKโs barrel measures in at 16-inches, which keeps it familiar to any AR user and cat-quick in CQB. You couldnโt ask for better if you were considering a long gun tuned for home defense. Or simply a system that tailored to a โTโ for suppression and performance.
Developed for optimal terminal performance from the AR-15, the Wilson Combat .300 HAM’R shoots to be the modern day .30-30.
The .300 HAMโR has 18 percent more retained velocity, 40 percent more energy and a 56 percent flatter trajectory than the .300 BLK at 200 yards.
Any AR-15 platform rifle can be converted to .300 HAMโR with a barrel change and the use of .300 BLK mags.
The .300 HAMโR, with its 1:15 twist match-grade barrel, is optimized for accuracy with 110-grain to 135-grain bullets.
Factory Starline-produced .300 HAMโR cases are available, but cases can be made from common and available 5.56 Rem./.223 NATO brass.
The .300 HAMโR has a 300 fps velocity and 400 ft-lbs. of energy advantage over the .300 BLK at the muzzle.
The .300 HAMโR rifles and barrels are available in 16.25-inch, 18-inch and 20-inch lengths with different profiles.
If you ever wanted to own Bill Wilsonโs โ the Bill Wilson of Wilson Combat, that is โ favorite hunting cartridge, nowโs your chance. After a 13-year courtship, the new .300 HAMโR is his ballistic one and only.
The author ๏ฌres the .300 HAMโR during an industry event at Bill Wilsonโs private ranch in Texas, where he had excellent results engaging steel targets out to 500 yards with the ri๏ฌe.
โItโs absolutely my favorite cartridge,โ said Wilson. โOn my ranch, I probably wonโt use anything else from here on out.โ
Since Wilson is one of those men who can and does have just about every kind of gun and cartridge combination there is, knowing heโs committed to just one cartridge should have your attention. So, letโs dissect the .300 HAMโR.
Another AR Cartridge?
The .300 HAMโR is an AR-15-capable cartridge created from the .223 Remington case by necking it up to .30 caliber. Itโs designed to handle bullet bulletweights from 110 to 150 grains, with the overall cartridge length being 2.260 inches, the case length being 1.603 inches and sporting a 30-degree neck. Officially, Wilson Combat tells us โthe .300 HAMโR was developed for optimal terminal performance and offers near .308 Winchester effectiveness, amazing accuracy and low recoil in the lightweight and compact WC15 platform.โ
The 300 HAMโR is available in the WC15 Ultralight Hunter con๏ฌ guration, which gives AR-platform hunters a lightweight, hard-hitting medium-gamecapable ri๏ฌ e with better-than-MOA accuracy. The Ultralight Hunter WC15 trims weight everywhere it can โ and nowhere it shouldnโt.
But why?
โI wanted something that would be effective at hunting most animals in North America โ in a small, light package,โ Wilson said.
Of course, Wilson already knew about and used the 6.8 SPC, the .300 BLK, the 5.56 NATO, his own 7.62x40mm and a host of other cartridges in his preferred WC semi-automatic platforms โฆ yet he wanted more. Why? Maybe it was the perfectionist in him. Maybe it was his constant tinkering mind. Maybe it was because he simply could demand more, or maybe it was a combination of all three.
The Ranch Ri๏ฌe Package version of the .300 HAMโR weighs 6.2 pounds and comes topped with a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40mm scope.
Regardless, for more than a decade, Bill Wilson whittled away at his idea of the perfect โpractical rangeโ gun. Note: Bill considers ranges out to 250 yards as practical hunting distances. โI can count on two hands โ probably one hand โ the number of times Iโve had to shoot farther than 250 yards,โ he added. โIโve always just gotten closer to my targets.โ
Some early users of the .300 HAMโR have dubbed the AR-15 cartridge as the โmodern day .30-30 Winchester,โ which is quite the endorsement, referencing one of the most popular and successful hunting cartridges of all time. The team at Wilson Combat โ and longtime friend of Wilson and fellow gun writer, Terrill Hoffman โ thought so, too.
โDuring the early testing, we were calling it the .30-30 AR,โ said Wilson. โThat was the name on the original chamber reamer print and what we engraved on early test barrels. My buddy, Terrill, said something to the effect of, โOnly us old guys know and care much about the old thuty-thuty.โ So, we came up with a bunch of potential names, and my son, Ryan, said, โWe just came out with the .458 HAMโR and we have a trademark on HAMโR โฆ so letโs call it the .300 HAMโR!โ
The Bill Wilson Ranch Ri๏ฌ e features a threaded, matchgrade barrel with Circle WC Ranch logo.
โNow, 13 years later, after thousands of rounds downrange, several scrap barrels and hundreds of dead Texas feral hogs, we have the .300 HAMโR that not only meets all of my original goals, but it exceeds them.โ
Not surprisingly, Wilsonโs research and results back up his claims.
Why The .300 HAMโR Is Worth A Look
Wilson Combatโs website serves host to Billโs own testimony that terminal performance testing, on more than 200 Texas feral hogs, has proven the .300 HAMโR to kill much more effectively than the 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 7.62ร39 or 300 BLK. Again, thatโs on the Wilson Combat website, but itโs a bold statement.
The Ranch Ri๏ฌ e is Bill Wilsonโs personal choice from years of hunting his private ranch in Texas โ the .300 HAMโR spent 13 years in development. Wilson wanted a short, accurate, reliable and hard-hitting gun capable of hunting the majority of North American game animals.
One of the reasons the .300 HAMโR is Wilsonโs favorite is because of its designed accuracy.
โI really like accurate guns, and itโs laser accurate,โ said Wilson. He credits the cartridgeโs accuracy to its marriage of bullet weights to twist rates.
โAccuracy has proven to be outstanding,โ he added. โSub MOA groups are the norm with multiple bullet choices for varying applications, such as hunting, target shooting and tactical use.โ Wilson didnโt try one or even two different recipes to get bullets to stabilize: He was thorough.
โI did a lot of work finding the right twist rate for the .300 HAMโR,โ said Wilson. โWe ran everything from 1:10, 1:11, 1:12, 1:13 and 1:14, and ultimately what we learned was the 1:15 twist rate gave us the best accuracy with consistent ยฝ-inch groups โ and my best three-shot group measuring .160 at 100 yards. The 1:15 twist rate is right at the cutting edge for stability in the 125- to 130-grain bullets. The 130-grain bullet running at about 2,520 fps is the sweet spot for the .300 HAMโR. Iโve found that the 130-grain Speer Hot Core and the 150-grain Hornady SST bullets work the best.โ
Built Around the WC15
One big advantage of the .300 HAMโR is that it comes in a Wilson Combat semi-auto rifle. Iโve been fortunate enough to hunt with Wilson for pigs and Nilgai, using all three WC platforms: the WC10, the WC12 and the WC15 โ and every experience has been mechanically superb with flawless terminal performance from any cartridge he recommended during the hunts. Regardless of the cartridge a gun owner chooses, Wilson Combat rifles are some of the best available because of that same attention to detail and perfection, which helped create the .300 HAMโR.
โWeโve spared no expense in development, testing and production of our rifles,โ said Wilson. โIf we could build a better one โ we would. A big advantage Wilson Combat has is the fact that Iโve been a serious hunter since the early โ70s, and I obviously have a very keen personal interest in Wilson Combat making the very best ARs on the market, whether for hunting or tactical use.
This exploded view of a disassembled WC Ranch Ri๏ฌe shows the WC15 in its basic sections
โIโm shooting and testing AR product virtually on a daily basisโ he added. โHere at the ranch, weโre fortunate to have shooting ranges out to 800 yards for extensive accuracy testing. Also, I hog hunt at least 325 days out of the year, and Iโm also deer hunting more than 120 days a year, with annual harvests of 200-plus hogs and 50-plus deer, all with ARs. Who else proves their product like that?โ
The .300 HAMโR is available in five different WC15 configurations: The Ultralight Ranger, the Ranger, the Ultralight Hunter, the Tactical Hunter and the Bill Wilson Ranch Rifle package.
Lastly, during a recent phone interview with Wilson about this cartridge, he informed me he was headed to an elk hunt with his new .300 HAMโR. Yes, Wilson sees his .300 HAMโR as an elk gun โ he sees it as a hog, deer, black bear, coyote and pronghorn gun, too.
Bill Wilson gets some trigger time with his creation, the .300 HAMโR, at his private ranch in Texas.
In typical Bill Wilson style, a few days later he backed up his words with results. While I was copyediting this story, I got an email from Bill Wilson telling me he just shot a 4×5 management bull elk at 175 yards with his .300 HAMโR, loaded with a Hornady 150-grain SST.
โThe bullet entrance was 6 inches behind the front shoulder, and the perfectly expanded bullet was recovered under the skin on the off-side shoulder,โ Wilson said. โIโm guessing 75 percent weight retention. The elk ran 20 yards and was down. I donโt know how you could ask for more.โ
No, Bill Wilson: I donโt know how I could ask for anything more โ but chances are good that, if thereโs more to be had, youโll find it.
Getting a solid handle on the different makes and models will make your first gun all the more practical and enjoyable.
First kiss. First car. First gun. Nothing quite compares to each. Though the last can prove the most bewildering to get right.
The simple fact is, thereโs a lot of guns available. With that, comes a lot of confusion over which exactly will serve your needs best. When you become more seasoned, figuring out these differences seems trivial. For most, a quick glance and youโll determine the end use of a particular model. If youโre among the newly anointed, itโs not so easy. At first glimpse, range candy might appear the perfect carry option, until itโs sticking out like a polymer carbuncle on your hip.
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More than anything, buying your first gun โ and doing it correctly โ is a matter of taking time. Time to understand your needs as a shooter. Time to study the options to best serve your needs. Time to test and find out what exactly fits you best.
This is a difficult prospect. Not so much that itโs complicated, but that it takes a modicum of self-control to see it through. A tall task if youโre falling in love with a blue-steel beauty shimmering under gun counter glass.
Talk to the employees at a reputable gun store. Read reviews on the makes and models youโre interested in. And make a hole in your schedule to find a range that rents guns and shoot the ones youโve got your eye on. Do this and your first gun wonโt be your last, but it will most like be enduring.
Putting a new twist on an old system, MTM’s Metal Ammo Can Tray gets your ammunition into shipshape.
How Metal Ammo Can Trays Get Your Extra Rounds In Order:
Works in conjunction with common .30- and .50-caliber ammo cans
Trays are stackable keeping everything in order
Made of sturdy plastic, the tray can be carried fully loaded
Has tie-down holes to secure to a vehicle
There are about a million and one things sexier than ammo storage. Except, itโs an issue youโll have to take the reins of sooner or later โ unless you buy your stuff one box at a time (unlikely). Or maybe you love digging around to find those green tips you got on sale last month, instead of shooting them.
MTM Case-Guard is generally a good place to turn when it comes to getting your shooting gear in order. And their new Metal Ammo Can Tray seems right in line with making sure you have your ammunition in shipshape. Working in conjunction with .30- and .50-caliber metal ammo cans (who doesnโt have a load of those?), the trays create a stackable system. Best yet, they’re affordable as all get out, with a starting MSRP of $10.31.
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Since 1968, MTM has continued to design and produce products for the shooting enthusiast. From ammo boxes to gun rests to clay target throwers, MTM offers a huge variety of products essential to the sportsman. MTM introduces a practical way to transport and store the millions of 30 and 50 caliber metal ammo cans that are currently in use today. The Metal Ammo Can Tray is ideal for stacking, storing and carrying traditional metal military ammo cans.
The Dark Earth cans are made of high impact plastic, made right in the USA. Each tray securely holds multiple ammo cans- 30 cal tray holds up to four cans, while the 50 cal tray can store up to three. Trays are stackable with or without ammo cans in them and can be stacked tall. The new Metal ammo Can Trays are excellent for organizing ammo, tactical gear, tools and survival gear. Each tray is capable of holding up to 100lbs of gear and includes tie-down holes for easy transportation.
**Tray only, ammo cans not included
For complete details and purchasing information please visit http://www.mtmcase-gard.com.
Metal Ammo Can Tray for 30 or 50 Cal Features: โขEach tray securely holds multiple metal ammo cans โขTrays are stackable with or without ammo cans โขExcellent for organizing ammo, tactical gear, tools and survival gear โขEach tray will hold up to 100 lbs. gear โขTie down holes for easy ATV attachment โขMade in the USA โขMSRP: $10.31 (MAC30) โข$11.53 (MAC50)
For more information on the MTM Case-Guard Metal Ammo Can Tray, please visit .
Pairing Savage Arms with Vortex Optics, the 110 APEX Hunter XP just made hunting season a whole lot easier.
What The 110 APEX Hunter XP Offers:
Model 110 rifle in 17 chamberings
3-9x40mm Crossfire II
Adjustable AccuTrigger
Synthetic stock with adjustable length of pull
Left-handed and Muddy Girl stock available in certain calibers
Ready to hunt? Right now? Thereโs no need to go out and piece together the perfect rig, since Savage Arms has done all the heavy lifting for you. Introducing the 110 APEX Hunter XP, the gunmaker has paired its well-known bolt-action with Vortex Opticsโ top-notch 3-9x40mm Crossfire II scope. More than enough to put meat on the table.
The package deal comes in 17 different chamberings, many in left-hand models and a handful with the option of Muddy Girl Camo. The Model 110 rifle comes outfitted with Savageโs adjustable AccuTrigger and an adjustable stock. However, itโs not the companyโs relatively new AccuStock, as itโs only adjustable for length of pull, perhaps a bit more practical in a hunting rifle. The scope has multi-coated lenses, a single piece 1-inch main tube and features capped turrets, to ensure they keep their zero.
The 110 APEX Hunter XP comes in at a relatively economical $700. If you need to get outfitted just this minute, the deal is fairly tough to beat.
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WESTFIELD, Massachusetts โ โ Savage is proud to introduce the 110 Apex Hunter XP, which pairs a Model 110 rifle with a 3-9x40mm Vortex Crossfire II scope that comes mounted, bore-sighted and ready to hunt. Shipments of these firearms have been delivered to dealers.
The platform provides accuracy and adjustability like no other package rifle thanks to the Savage AccuTrigger, thread- in headspacing, floating bolt head and precision button-rifled barrel. Plus, its length-of-pull can be quickly adjusted to fit any hunter for better comfort and consistency. The Crossfire II Dead-Hold BDC reticle makes it easier to place accurate shots at extended range, and the optic is securely mounted to a one-piece EGW 0 MOA rail.
Features โขRedesigned Model 110 rifle โข3-9x40mm Vortex Crossfire II scope, mounted and bore-sighted โขDead-Hold BDC reticleโs hashmark design reduces guesswork on holdover and windage โขVortex Hunter medium rings and one-piece EGW 0 MOA rail โขUser-adjustable AccuTrigger โขAdjustable length-of-pull โขModern ergonomics โขDetachable box magazine โขAvailable in left-hand models and with Muddy Girl stock
The available model list also includes the 110 APEX Hunter XP in left-hand and Muddy Girl Camo options, plus the 110 APEX Storm XP which is the stainless steel receiver and barrel option.
The Winchester Model 12 shotgun set the mold โ and then broke it โ for what a pump-action gun should be.
What Makes the Winchester Model 12 An Exceptional Pump-Action:
Internal hammer streamlines an action made from a single billet of forged steel
Internal parts are all hand fitted giving it an extremely smooth action
Bolt locks directly into the receiver, making the action exceedingly strong
Overall graceful lines that make it a real looker
Offered in 12, 16 and 20 gauge
I will never be able to look at a Model 12 Winchester shotgun without thinking of him. Tall and lanky, he was one of those guys who seemed all disjointed and clumsy, but he wasnโt. He could walk in the mountains all day and he didnโt seem to tire. His long legs gave him a stride that was seemingly impossible to keep up with.
The internal parts of the Model 12 action were all hand-fitted and machined to precise specifications. This gave the Model 12 its reputation for a smooth action with excellent reliability, and itโs the primary reason why so many of these guns still work and see the fields today.
As a boy, I have a distinct memory of following him and I was almost always running, running to catch up. I can see him ahead of me, a Winchester Model 12 casually resting on his shoulder as he disappeared behind some big oak or tangle of brush. I guess he waited for me at times; he never left me in the woods.
I called him my โhunting uncleโ because he was a friend of my fatherโs, but not blood kin. He was inherited from my dad and, after a few years, I was allowed to venture into the grouse and turkey woods with him even if Dad couldnโt make it that day.
Itโs funny how kids see things in the world: At the time, I never questioned how he was able to spend so much time in the woods with me and a Model 12 shotgun. He didnโt seem to have a regular job, a wife and family, or any of the other things that would keep most people from going hunting whenever they wanted. I never asked him about any of this because I just wanted to go hunting. And he did, too, so we went. Things were much simpler then.
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We had ruffed grouse in my part of the world back then, in numbers far exceeding what we have now. He always had good dog, either a skinny pointer or cat-footed setter with a bloodied tip on its tail โ and let me tell you, they were some kind of deadly. Iโm sure he missed sometimes, but I canโt remember it. If there was more than one bird on a flush or he needed a second shot, I could hear the cha-chank of the action between rounds โฆ but it was lightning fast. He did all of this with a battle-worn Winchester Model 12 that had an action as smooth as newly churned butter. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever be able to shoot like him.
He was a Model 12 man all the way, though he had other shotguns, and lots of them. He had a house full of guns, but the Model 12 Winchester was his hands-down favorite. โFinest pump gun ever made,โ I can still hear him say when he would catch me handling one of his collection. This man, who was way larger than life to me as a kid, held the Winchester Model 12 as possibly the greatest shotgun ever made. Was it?
The Man From Utah And Beyond
Most discussions on the history of any iconic firearm start with John Moses Browning. At the risk of stating the obvious, Browning was a certifiable genius in firearm design whose name is linked to dozens of well-known guns โ including the Colt 1911 pistol, the Browning A5 shotgun, the Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle and the Model 1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) โ to name only a few.
Shotgun history lore holds that Winchester wanted John Browning to design a repeating shotgun, and Browning wanted to go with a pump-action model. Winchester at the time believed they needed to stay with a lever-action gun because this was their trademark, so Browning gave the world the Winchester 1887 shotgun.
The Model 1887 did OK, but it had some demons in the form of functioning issues, and Winchester relented and gave John Browning the go-ahead to work on a pump-action shotgun. Browning whipped out the Winchester Model 1893 in short order, and this gun was soon replaced by the Model 1897 (aka the Model 97): a solid, tank-like shotgun that sold for more than 60 years.
Some sources give John Browning the credit for the Winchester Model 12 shotgun, but the real daddy of the Model 12 was a fellow working for Winchester by the name of Thomas Crossley Johnson.
T.C. Johnson went to work at Winchester at the tender age of 23 and worked there almost 50 years, accumulating 125 patents on firearms โ including the Model 21 double-barreled shotgun and the Model 12. Johnson took the basic idea for Browningโs 1897 pump gun and reworked it to give us the most elegant, streamlined shotgun seen up to this point. What T.C. Johnson did, in a stroke of genius differing from Browning, was to do away with that awful exposed hammer on the Winchester model.
The Model 97 had many fans and still does, but these were the ones who had learned to keep their thumb out of the way of the slide, which moves reward from the receiver to cock the gun as the action is worked. For this reason, some dubbed the Model 97 the โthumb buster,โ and although most shooters only made this mistake once, T.C. Johnson knew there was a better way.
The Perfect Repeater
Johnson worked his magic and developed an internal hammer inside a streamlined receiver made from a single billet of forged steel. The internal parts of the action were all hand-fitted and machined to precise specifications. This gave the Winchester Model 12 its reputation for a smooth action, probably unrivaled to this day.
While the internal workings of the Model 97 were no slouch, the Model 12 action is stronger in that the bolt locks directly into the receiver. The safety is located on the front of the trigger guard where it should be because the finger of the shooter naturally rests there, not on the rear of the trigger guard. The trigger pull on a Model 12 is superior to any pump gun offered today, which is something most shooters donโt think about.
Most Model 12 shotguns produced had no trigger disconnector. This means, like its predecessor the Model 97, it could be โslam fired.โ By depressing and holding the trigger a round can be fired every time the action is worked. Other than a combat situation, the actual practicality for this type of firing may be questionable, but a skilled shooter can slam fire a Model 12 faster than most auto-loading shotguns can be cycled.
When the Model 1912 made the scene in 1912 (shortened to โModel 12โ in 1919), it soon became the darling of hunters, trap and skeet shooters, and shotgunners in general. Remember: Up until this point, most people were shooting double-barrel shotguns; the age of the repeating shotgun was just starting.
The Model 97 had been around awhile, but when shooters saw the graceful lines of the Model 12 compared to the homely old thumb buster โ97, it was love at first sight. The Model 12 seduced many a shooter โ and it did so for the next 46 years. The Winchester salespeople dubbed it โThe Perfect Repeater,โ and most sportsman and shooters believed it.
For reasons that are not really clear, the first year of the Model 1912 shotgun produced only 20-gauge offerings. In 1913, it became available in 12 and 16 gauge, and in 1934 a 28-gauge version was added. (If you find a 28-gauge Model 12, you had better buy it or I will). If you find a .410 Model 12, you had really better buy it because Winchester never made one.
Winchester engineer William Roemer designed a perfectly scaled-down version of the Model 12 for the .410 bore: It was christened the Model 42 and produced from 1933-1963 in Field, Deluxe and Skeet models. A Model 42 Winchester is a thing of beauty, and I always thought any man (or woman) shooting skeet with a Model 42 had a certain sense of style. The Model 12 man from my youth had one Model 42 he let get away from him in a trade, and I think he regretted it to the grave.
The total list of all available models and variations of the Winchester Model 12 can boggle the mind of the most ardent Model 12 aficionado. Field guns were offered in 12, 16 and 20 gauges with full, modified and improved-cylinder choked barrels. Screw-in chokes had made the scene by the late 1950s, and Winchester offered them in the โway ahead of its timeโ Model 59 โ but thatโs another story completely for another issue.
Trap and Skeet guns, Deluxe Pigeon Grades and Super Field Grades were all there to lust after. Among the variations available, Model 12s could be ordered with a Cutts Compensator or a Poly Choke; they were ugly as hell but they shot like a house on fire. Barrels on Model 12s were Winchester proof steel and made in standard blue, stainless and nickel steel. You have to figure a man carrying a Model 12 with a nickel steel barrel is not to be trifled with.
By the middle 1950s, a standard order Model 12 had an MSRP of $93.85. That was with a plain barrel and no rib; it weighed 7.5 pounds and had a very pretty American walnut stock and forearm. The Pigeon Grade VR Trap Gun model, at about the same time, sold for $260, the most expensive Model 12 in its day. Try to find one for that now.
Like the Model 97, the Ithaca Model 37 and others, the Model 12 had a long run with the military starting in World War I and extending all the way into the Vietnam era. Model 12 shotguns became known as โtrench gunsโ and were supplied with heat shields on the barrel and bayonet lugs. Can you imagine troops in trench warfare slam-firing a Model 12? A few years later they could have been back in Kansas, pheasant hunting with the exact same gun.
The Model 12 era really ended in 1950 when Remington trotted out the Model 870 pump gun. The very things that made the Model 12 what it was โ the machined, hand-fitted inner workings of the shotgun โ made it too expensive to produce. This was a new age of stamped parts and lower production costs.
The Winchester Model 12 was discontinued as a production gun in 1964, and the world tilted a little on its axis that day.
Editor’s Notes: This article originally appeared in the December 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Enhanced for professional duty, the Legion Series takes the best pistols SIG has to offer and makes them better.
Among the most familiar names in firearms, SIG Sauer has produced its share of true classics. Whether youโre talking about the battle-tough P229 or the bullseye battering P210, the gunmaker has rolled out pistols renowned for their ability to excel under the direst circumstances. What might have flown under your radar are the premium editions of the companyโs legends rolled out in recent years.
It might not sound possible, but the SIG Legion Series takes the best the gunmaker has and makes them better. Thatโs saying a lot, given how these pistols performed in the first place. But, with some truly practical upgrades, the Legion Series is made to take the worst the world can throw at them and give it back twice as hard.
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The Elegant Power Of The Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .45 Colt
SIGโs picked their top pistols โ both full-sized and compact variations โ to make up the line of guns. Real tooth chippers, including the P938, P229, P226 and P220. Good choices one and all, but how exactly are they different from the standard models? Letโs take a look at what exactly makes the guns of the Legion Series absolute gems:
Cerakote Elite Legion gray coating
Custom G-10 grips with a Legion medallion
SIG SAUER Electro-Optics X-RAY high visibility day/night sights
Three magazines standard
Reduced and contoured Elite beavertail, which allows for a higher grip
More aggressive front strap checkering and additional checkering under the trigger guard
X-Five undercut for more control of the pistol
Front cocking serrations
For more information on the SIG Legion Series, please visit www.sigsauer.com.
An inside-the-action look at the ARK, the Creative Arms AK-47 variant built for long-range accuracy.
What is Creative Arms’ ARK And How Can It Reach Out:
The rifle is an AK-47, AR-15 hybrid
Creative Arms machines all parts in house for a superb fit
Incorporates a full-length Picatinny rail system to stabilize optics
Built around AK-style bolt, carrier group and trunnion for reliability
AR-15 pattern fire-control group that can use drop-in triggers
Want an Accurate AK-47? Donโt bother packing your passport to go east to the Red Square. Instead, just pack an appetite for everything corn-flavored and head to Iowa.
Yes, Iowa.
You see, for more than 2 years I tried to answer the question: Can an AK-47 shoot to 500 yards accurately? A few manufacturers I talked to liked the idea of trying to prove it, but one by one they all backed away. Then, a few months ago, I met Bob Folkestad, owner of Creative Arms headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. I asked him the same question, and his answer was, โYes.โ In fact, I think his verbatim answer was: โYes, come out to Iowa and weโll do it in the morning, then Iโll take you to the Iowa State Fair.โ
So, I jumped on a redeye to the Hawkeye state, slept fast, and then walked 500 yards downr ange, stood in an old-school range pit, and watched two of Bobโs rifles โ one known as an โARK,โ which is a AK/AR hybrid, and the other one more an AK-47 puristโs rendition first created by Arsenal and then tweaked by the staff at Creative Arms โ shoot a little less than 5-inch, five-shot groups with off-the-shelf factory-loaded Hornady 123-grain 7.62x39mm ammunition. We promptly went to the Iowa State Fair afterward.
It sounds rather casual โ because it was. You see, things really were that simple in Iowa for Bob. He knew his guns were accurate, and he knew Iโd like to see my first Midwestern state fair. The fact that he guided me through both mind-blowing experiences so matter-of-factly speaks to just how routine building accurate guns is for him.
Centering On Creative Arms
To understand Bobโs guns, it helps to understand how and why Bob started building them in the first place. โThe idea for building my own guns probably started in my mind when I was really young,โ Bob said. โMy grandfather worked at John Deere in the โexperimental designingโ department, and he was also an amateur rifle builder โ and we shot very often.โ
Both the Creative Arms ARK and the Creative Arms enhanced Arsenal AK-47 shot sub-MOA five-shot groups to 500 yards using off-the-shelf factory ammunition from Hornady. Handloaded ammunition was shot as well, including using custom-machined bullets, but the Hornady ammunition performed the best in the long-range tests.
Indeed, if youโve ever worked on a farm, you understand how and why Bobโs unique kind of agricultural ingenuity played so well into building better guns. Tools need to work every day, year-around on a farm. Itโs not a matter of convenience to build something right โ itโs the standard โ because farm work, frankly, is just too damn hard to tolerate junk.
Thus, for Bob, the engineering transition from farm machinery to firearms, rooted in a keen sense of craftmanship and durability, was easy because it was led by his passion for shooting.
โI have always had a love for guns, and Iโve had the privilege to sell them to some cool manufactures and distributors,โ added Bob. โIt just snowballed into something bigger because we already had the engineering and machining capability. Thatโs how it started: tools, AR receivers, ARK rifle, complete billet AR receiver sets and guns, suppressors and AR10โs. Prior to Creative Arms, I built AKโs for my personal use and still build a limited quantity per year myself for customers.โ
The โLong-Rangeโ AK
Back to 500-yard minute-of-angle-accurate AKs: Building one isnโt as complicated as you might think. Historically, the AK platform simply hasnโt been needed to do work at longer ranges, and the downrange energy of the 7.62x39mm cartridge is the chain that yanks on the AKโs capability collar, not necessarily the platformโs accuracy capabilities. Either through myth, urban legend, ignorance or hate, the 7.62x39mm cartridge and its AK platform has a reputation for being, well โฆ just good enough to be broadside-of-a-Baryshnikov accurate.
The ARK is a unique and patented blending of the AR and AK platforms from Creative Arms in Des Moines, Iowa. Note the rigid Picatinny rail on the receiver of the ARK, which gives the 7.62x39mm ARK a distinct accuracy advantage over its traditional AK-47 cousins because of the solid optics mount it provides.
However, both the cartridge and the weapons platform are far more accurate than we may realize (or are willing to admit), especially if your knowledge of Russian military heritage doesnโt include the common usage of names like Vasily Zaytsev, Stepan Vasilievich Petrenko, Vasilij Ivanovich Golosov, Fyodor Trofimovich Dyachenko, Fyodor Matveyevich Okhlopkov, Mikhail Ivanovich Budenkov, Vladimir Nikolaevich Pchelintsev, Ivan Nikolayevich Kulbertinov, Nikolay Yakovlevich Ilyin or Ivan Mihailovich Sidorenko.
โThe AK is accurate, and thatโs the truth,โ Bob said. โMost shooters do not like the shorter sight radius and grew up shooting guns with a longer site radius. Given that, it seems that pistol shooters shoot AKs very well.โ
Some more truth โ and this shouldnโt come as a surprise to anyone reading a firearms magazine, accuracy โ is that accuracy isnโt as much about the design of a firearm as much as it is the quality of the operator and how well the firearm is built to begin with.
Creative Arms left no engineering possibility unturned โ and even created their own 7.62mm bullets to test during the long-range work with the ARK and AK-47.
โRealistically, accuracy is about training and the quality of the gun,โ Bob said. โYou do get what you pay for, so a $500 surplus AK with a cheap barrel is not going to shoot as well as a gun that has a $300-400 barrel. We make our own barrels for the ARK and AKs, but others, such as Faxon, make some really high-quality barrels that shoot well. So, to prioritize, the barrel is the most important item in the gun and it needs to be backed up with a high-quality bolt and trunnion.
โThe next most important items are the trigger and optics mounting,โ added Folkestad. โAgain, AKs are accurate, though its optics-mounting options are not as stable as traditional Picatinny rail systems. You cannot cantilever a scope over 4-6 inches and expect it to be as solid as a scope solid-mounted to rails, so a stamped AK with a side scope mount is not as stable as our ARK, milled AK or an AK with a Krebโs-type rail.โ
Dissecting The AK Cluster
Bob is a lover of all things AK. So, for his fellow AK fans, he has some simple advice as to what he would do with any AK presented to him to make it as accurate as it can be.
The ARK was shot suppressed with Creative Armsโ own line of cans. The sub-MOA groups were all shot with the suppressors attached.
โAKs are relatively straight-forward, so if someone sent me a gun, we want to make sure it has a good barrel โ thatโs most important,โ Bob said. โThen, I would polish the moving surfaces, de-burr the trunnion, bolt head and bolt carrier. I would change the trigger (CMC or ALG). Most AKs have bad paint that does not hold up to some gun-cleaning chemicals, so we generally shot peen blast and Cerakote them, too.โ
Like any firearm platform, there are AKs that can be bought at entry-level prices, then then there are AKs that fall into the, โHoney, weโre going to miss our mortgage payment this monthโ category. To help put some parameters on all of this, I flat-out asked Bob this question: โWhat does an inexpensive AK get me, versus one that will cost a good chunk of change?โ
According to Bob, whatโs true in any business is true in the AK world. โTime spent doing a good job makes the difference,โ he said. โMany guns are good but not finished well. Many have good barrels, but the finish leaves something to be desired. Most high-end guys do not make all of their parts, and thatโs where weโre a little different because we have all the CNC machinery in-house to build anything we want, anytime.โ
Defining The ARK
I keep talking about an ARK, so letโs take a look at what an ARK is: In short, the ARK name makes it sound a lot like an AR and an AK all mixed together, and thatโs exactly what it is. Itโs a Creative Arms firearm which, according to Bob, takes the best of the AR platform and merges it with the best of the AK platform.
One of the weaknesses of the AK platform is securely mounting optics, which can hamper repeatable accuracy at long ranges. A side-mount remedies this.
โIt is kind of a long story,โ said Bob. โWe were doing some design work for Brownells and we ended up getting our 07 FFL and SOT. The guys in the shop wanted to build some ARโs โ so I let them โ and then I thought about the AR and the AK. At that time there were not many good trigger options for the AK, so I thought wow, โLetโs build a milled receiver AK that has an AR trigger group, full-length rail system and a buffer-tube-style stock mount.โ
โAfter four patents, $500k-plus and a few years โฆ we got It dialed in to be a cool sporting rifle,โ Folkestad added. โOur thought was that there were enough AR variants in the market. We build many AR-15 and AR-10 style rifles, as well as OEM rifles for several other manufactures, so this was something different in the market.โ
When Creative Arms was designing the ARK, they stuck with the 7.62x39mm cartridge purposely. โThe 7.62×39 is cheap to shoot and a good round for midsized game out to about 250 yards,โ Bob said. โWe make .300 Blackout and 5.56 NATO in ARs, and at the time we were working on the ARK there was a big ban on ammo in 5.45x39mm, so we did not use that caliber. However, we can make the ARK in 5.45x39mm, but itโs a limited market due to lower-priced ammo and most Americans would rather shoot an AR variant.โ
Creative Arms takes great pride in the fact that they manufacture all of the parts in-house for the guns they sell.
Now, letโs make one thing clear. Creative Arms, Bob Folkestad โ and even little ole me, the gun writer โ know quite well that an ARK is not an AK-47. Itโs an AK hybrid. We also know that the AK following is by far the most boisterous in the firearms community, so how they reacted to the ARK was absolutely noticed by Creative Arms.
So, how did the AK crowd react?
โThey love it or they hate it,โ said Bob. โI am an AK purist personally, and I have 20 or so in my personal collection from several countries and calibers. AK owners do not drink the same Kool Aid as the AR guys do โ theyโre much tougher on any AK variants that are new. If itโs from the (former) Eastern Block countries or Russia, they love them. Dedicated AK shooters pick apart my guns โ until they shoot one.โ
So, if youโre not a card-carrying member of the โAK-47 or nothingโ crowd, how do you decide between an ARK or an AK platform to blow through a few cases of 7.62x39mm ammunition? Even for Bob, itโs a hard question.
Creative Arms owner Bob Folkestad is a self-admitted AK-47 purest, but he saw the opportunity to improve upon the AK platform by merging the AK action with AR furniture to make his unique ARK rifle.
โItโs like buying tennis shoes: What do you want?โ said Bob. โOur guns are 100 percent USA made, we make our own bolts, carrier, trunnion, gas tube, receiver, rails and handguards. Itโs a solid gun, and to make it this way we needed to bring everything in-house. If a potential buyer wants to put an optic on a sporting rifle in 7.62×39, add a rail and have countless furniture, grip and trigger options โ then the ARK is a good platform.โ
You canโt buy happiness, but you can buy Reloder 15 … and thatโs pretty much the same thing.
How Reloder 15 Edges Other Powders In Its Class:
Medium burn rate powder, somewhere between IMR4064 and Varget
Suitable for cartridges from the .17 up to the .375 H&H
Can be sensitive to extreme temperature fluctuations
The slow burn and low pressure also results in less felt recoil
Overall, this improves the accuracy potential of a rifle shot to shot
There are many useful powders available to us handloaders, and many that are suitable across a wide selection of cartridges. Good olโ IMR4064 and Hodgdonโs Varget are two great examples of nearly universal powders, but, as of late, Iโve been reaching for Alliantโs Reloder 15 more often than not.
Alliantโs Reloder 15 is an extruded stick powder, with a short grain structure in order to meter well.
On the burn rate chart, Reloder 15 sits just about perfectly between IMR4064 and Varget, meaning that it is a medium-burning powder that can fill an awful lot of roles. As stated on the can, the powder is perfectly suited to both the .223 Rem./5.56 NATO cartridge and the .308 Win./7.62 NATO โ itโs the powder loaded in the military M118LR cartridge โ but thatโs only the beginning.
Yes, Iโve used it in the .308 Winchester with bullets from 150 to 180 grains, with great results, but that cartridge can be fed just about anything and still perform well. It makes a great choice for both the .22-250 Remington and the .220 Swift, taking advantage of the case capacity, and generating respectable velocities in the pair of varmint classics. It also can serve well in the .308โs offspring, from the .243 Winchester up through the 7mm-08 Rem. to the .338 Federal and .358 Winchester.
Alliant gives load data for the .270 Winchester, .280 Remington and .35 Whelen, in addition to the .30-โ06 parent case, and though RL-15 is on the faster end of the spectrum for those cases, it will work, and work well. It also gives good performance in some of the magnum cases, such as the WSMs, WSSMs and even the 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum, though itโs best used with the lighter bullets for the latter two cartridges.
With the use of a Kynoch foam wad, Reloder 15 gave excellent accuracy and velocity in the authorโs .470 Nitro Express.
On the far ends of the spectrum, RL-15 is a good choice for the diminutive .17 Remington, as well as the .375 H&H Magnum, .416 Remington Magnum and .458 Lott; itโs a stellar choice for the .416 Rem. Mag., as that case loves powders in the RL-15/4064/Varget class. Itโs also a great all-around choice for the .375 H&H for all bullet weights, giving a good blend of velocity and manageable recoil, as well as low pressure for the African heat.
Pushing The Big Boys
Itโs in the bigger cases that I recently found Reloder 15 to be a huge help, as my pal Mike McNulty and I prepared for our safari to Zimbabwe. Mike was taking the first Heym Express by Martini in .505 Gibbs to roll off the line, and I was taking my Heym 89B double rifle in .470 Nitro Express. Both of us would be hunting Cape buffalo, and the October heat in Zimbabwe is notorious for being brutal, so I was concerned with keeping pressures as low as possible.
The .505 Gibbs is a behemoth of a case, fully capable of digesting 140 grains of powder at a rip โ and it can generate soul-crushing recoil. Mike and I had developed a couple of loads around a 525-grain bullet and copious amounts of Reloder 22 and Hodgdonโs H4831SC (right around 130 grains); while the accuracy and velocities were more than acceptable, the recoil was โstoutโ to understate the situation.
Having a burn rate in the middle of the spectrum, Reloder 15 will serve the handloader in cartridges from the .17 Remington to the .505 Gibbs. Itโs a perfect choice for the .308 Winchester.
Nosing through the Woodleigh Bullets Reloading Manual โ a volume that any reloader of big game cartridges should definitely have in his or her collection โ I noticed there was a listing for RL-15, between 102.0 and 104.0 grains to achieve the classic velocity of 2,150 fps. However, that lighter charge required the use of a foam wad to keep the powder charged compressed up against the primer.
So, I grabbed some of the Kynoch No. 2 wads I had ordered for my .470 NE (more about that in a minute), poured out 102.0 grains of Reloder 15, and we headed to the range. The results were astounding, at least to me. We obtained ยพ-inch groups at 50 yards โ better than the other, slower burning powders โ and yet the velocities were on par, running at 2,165 fps. But, and itโs a huge but, the felt recoil dropped off at least 15 percent; it was easily visible in the way the rifle handled at the bench. Low pressures, less recoil, and the same ballistics โฆ whatโs not to love?
Dealing With Doubles
The same principal applied to my .470 NE, though the loading process is a bit different for a double rifle than for any single barrel rifle. Double rifles are regulated to have a bullet from each barrel strike (essentially) the same point at about 75 yards, and they are regulated with a particular brand of ammunition at a particular velocity.
The .505 Gibbs with 525 Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized solids, and a charge of Reloder 15, gave great performance with significantly reduced recoil.
My Heym rifle was regulated with Hornady DGX-Bonded ammo, driving a 500-grain bullet at 2,150 fps, so in order to obtain the fantastic accuracy that the factory obtained โ my test target showed a left and a right about ยฝ-inch apart โ Iโd have to find that same velocity for my handloads. Itโs a different concept, loading to a target velocity, but I quickly had it figured out.
I would be hunting with 500-grain Peregrine BushMaster soft-points and 500-grain Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer solids, and instead of the slower burning H4831SC, RL-22 or RL-25, I once again leaned on Reloader 15 for the reduction in recoil. I loaded up sets of cartridges in one-grain increments from 87.0 to 90.0-grain charge weights, and I sat down with my Oehler 35P chronograph.
The pairs of bullets โ one each from each barrel โ would tell the tale of what my double preferred, as they would probably start out low and wide at the bottom end of the spectrum, rise and come together as the rifle showed what it prefers, and finally rise higher and separate as velocities continue to increase.
Think the big elephant guns arenโt accurate? The .505 Gibbs and Reloder 15 should surely convince you otherwise.
Without boring you with all the data, 88.0 grains of RL-15 gave me 1ยพ-inch pairs, with the velocity matching the Hornady load within 15 fps and a velocity spread of 8 fps. Comparing these cartridges with the H4831SC loads โ which gave more than acceptable results โ the felt recoil again dropped off considerably, while I easily made the target velocity of 2,160 fps. Two good Cape buffalo bulls fell quickly to the Peregrine/Sledgehammer combination, despite the 112-degree Zimbabwean heat.
A Note On Temps
Reloader 15 has been criticized for being a bit sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and I can see where a shooter might be concerned in extreme cold or hot situations. I did my load development in 90-degree heat, leaving the ammunition in the sun in order to best prepare for my safari, so there was no real noticeable difference in point of impact due to the increased temperatures. Were I preparing to take this rifle into an environment where temps were in the 40-50 degree range, I would definitely measure the velocities in the cooler air, and possibly make an adjustment in charge weight for the double rifle. Such is the nature of the beast.
If youโre loading for a good number of cartridges, including the ones Iโve mentioned throughout this article, Reloder 15 can easily be the universal answer to a lot of reloading questions; take a look at the rifle cartridges you load for, and Iโd be willing to bet if theyโre in the middle of the road, you can make Reloder 15 work for you.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Syntech Defense is not your typical hollow point defensive ammo. Designed to fragment, the synthetic-jacket bullet shoots for devastating terminal performance.
How Syntech Defense Is Different From Traditional Hollow Point Ammo:
Synthetic jacket instead of copper
Bullet designed to fragment in four pieces
Produces one primary wound channel and three secondary
Core achieves 12 to 18 inches of penetration
A few years back, Federal Premium went a completely different direction with bullet design โ synthetic. A pretty crazy concept, a fully synthetic jacket over a lead core. One might even go so far as to say it just doesnโt sound right. But the Syntech line of handgun ammo proved it could perform, so itโs earned a comfortable niche in the shooting world.
Up to now, Federal has maintained the line strictly as range fodder, but recently let the reins out introducing Syntech Defense. Yup, plastic-coated lifesavers for all the favorite defensive calibers. In all, the ammo-maker has released 138-grain 9mm, 175-grain .40 S&W and 205-grain .45 ACP options. Thereโs likely more to come.
Load Up On More Ammo Knowledge:
Federal Premium Expands Hydra-Shok To .40 S&W And .45 ACP
As you could already guess, Syntech Defense doesnโt operate like your everyday, average hollow point โ mushrooming to produce a single large wound channel. Instead, itโs akin to some monometal defensive options โ splitting apart to create multiple wound cavities. As Federal puts it, the bullet is engineered to break into four sections, three petals and a deep-penetrating core. From the companyโs numbers, the core penetrates 12 to 18 inches of ballistic gel through heavy clothing; the petals around 6 inches.
What do you think about Federal Premiumโs new offering? Would you load up with it? Tell us below.
More from Federal Premium:
From the No. 1 Brand in Handgun Ammunition, Federal is proud to introduce new Syntech Defense. These loads produce dynamic terminal performance with a hollow-point bullet that separates into three segments and a deep-penetrating core on impact. Shipments of Syntech Defense ammunition have been delivered to dealers.
The original Syntech changed the range forever. Now, the technology is also revolutionizing protection. The bullet in Syntech Defense has a core that penetrates 12 to 18 inches through bare ballistics gel and heavy clothing โ a critical benchmark in self-defense situations and the best terminal performance of any round in its class. The segments create three secondary wound channels, each more than 6 inches deep, adding to the terminal effect.
Like all Syntech loads, an advanced polymer jacket eliminates lead and copper fouling and drastically reduces damaging heat and friction in the barrel. Its Federal exclusive Catalyst primer provides hot, extremely reliable ignition without the use of lead.
Features & Benefits โข Best terminal performance in its class โข Hollow-point bullet separates into three segments and a deep-penetrating core on impact โข Core achieves 12 to 18 inches of penetration in both bare ballistics gel and through heavy clothing โข Segments create three secondary wound channels more than 6 inches deep โข Blue polymer jacket reduces barrel heat and friction and eliminates metal fouling โข Extremely reliable Catalyst lead-free primer
A completely redesigned release system and new cutting-edge material, the Blackhawk T-Series succeeds over the Serpa.
How The Blackhawk T-Series Improves The Quick-Release Retention System:
Thumb pressure release the pistol in the natural motion of gripping the gun.
Low-friction interior facilitates a fast draw and quick re-holster.
Lining dampens sound drawing the pistol.
Glass-fiber backed polymer exterior made battle tough.
Available in level-2 and level-3 retention systems.
One of the overlooked features of a holster โ next to keeping your pistol on your hip and your booger hook off its trigger โ is keeping your gun out of a bad guyโs hands. For many, this important duty is achieved by remaining clandestine. Felonious meatheads canโt yank what they donโt know is there. But there are circumstances โ duty or open carry โ that require more than just friction to keep a gun secure and in your possession.
More retention devices are required, hopefully in a system that doesnโt slow down your draw to the point of peril. Seconds count, so the last thing you need is fumbling fingers around a retention-release system. For holster makers, itโs a tricky balance to achieve โ kind of like fast and accurate behind the trigger takes time to develop. But with the release of the T-Series Holster, Blackhawk might have found the middle road between a secure sidearm and a speedy presentation.
The Anti-Serpa
For many years, next to the old thumb-break holsters, one of the best known level-2 retention options was Blackhawkโs Serpa. Pushbutton operated, the polymer hanger released your sidearm with the flick of your index finger. On paper, it sounded brilliant. In practice, it could prove otherwise. Operating it properly and efficiently required plenty of familiarity with the system. Even then draw mechanics had to remain pristine and particular to the Serpa.
For more information on concealed carry holsters check out:
Going back to the drawing board, Blackhawk turned everything around on the T-Series, literally, making all the difference in the world. Instead of the index finger, the thumb actuates the release mechanism on the level-2 L2D and level-3 L3D holsters. Might not sound like a huge switch, but trust me it is, making the system nearly second nature to operate โ and quickly with little training. The genius is the T-Series functions flawlessly through the natural motion of acquiring a master grip. When done properly, it is as effortless as drawing from any level-1 holster. Arguably, when your execution is perfect, easier.
T-Series release button located on the inside of the holster, actuated by your thumb, through the natural motion of gripping your pistol.
Furthermore, the placement of the T-Seriesโ release, along with a redesigned spring system, gives the user peace of mind it will work each time. Not always the case with the Serpa The older holsterโs release button was notorious for its susceptibility to jam with debris. A dangerous situation for what is essentially a duty holster, but an issue Blackhawk says the T-Series eliminates.
In addition to the new release system, the T-Series also features an industry-first dual-shot molding process. The exterior is constructed of a battle tough glass-fiber back polymer, while the interior is a silky smooth and quiet liner. The liner reduces friction substantially, allowing the gun to race out on the draw and slip back in quickly on the re-holster. An added benefit, it also reduces sound.
On The Firing Line With The T-Series
I recently had the opportunity to put the T-Series through its paces at the range. Over the course of three hours and more than 400 rounds, I would have to say the holster more than lives up to its billing. The T-Series L2D indeed facilitates a fast draw and takes little time to master.
Exterior of the T-Series made of a durable glass-fiber backed polymer.
The holster does take some getting used to. You canโt sweep in on the rear of your pistol, otherwise, your thumb will run headlong into a shield at the back of the release paddle. Frustrating at first, when I was getting used to the rig and trying to keep expediency a premium. But programming a linear approach to muscle-memory was a minor hurdle. And once conditioned, the holster was a pleasure to work with โ which we did extensively under the bark of a former Marine firearms instructor.
In short, the T-Series is fast, secure and, above all, intuitive. About everything you want out of a level-2 retention holster.
Parting Shot
Out of the gates, the T-Series is only fitted for one gun, logically the ubiquitous Glock 17. Though, you can expect new models and accessories to appear through the end of the year. This includes variations with a speed cut (sadly ours did not feature this), fitted for weapons-mounted lights and, of course, various makes and models.
When they are released for your particular pistol, the holster is worth a look. Whether for your job or style of carry, the T-Series address all the issues of its sibling Serpa in an innovative, but more importantly, effective manner.
A side note for the Serpa diehards: donโt worry, Blackhawkโs new holster isnโt knocking it off the shelves. The company is and will continue to make it.
For more information on the T-Series Holster, please visit www.blackhawk.com.
Building, upgrading and becoming proficient with your AR-15 can quickly add up to big bucks. So how should you spend your money to get the most out of your carbine?
What Are The AR-15 Essential You Should Prioritize Your Money For:
Cleaning and maintance gear
Spare and replacement parts: pins, springs, etc.
Magazines and ammo
Proper training and educational material
Each year brings about an assortment of new products and supplemental gear thatโs released for the AR platform โ even different configurations of rifles, carbines and โnewโ calibers.
The โessentialsโ category includes everything needed to keep your AR running. Small parts, such as pins, springs, detents and such are affordable and small โ so you can carry them with you in the field. Keep some funds ready for when you find a good buy on ammo and magazines, or anything else necessary to ensure you donโt get caught out of commission.
Everyone likes procuring new gear. Sometimes itโs something we really need โ it fits a specific application โ or itโs a new piece of gear we simply want. And then there are training classes we want to schedule and attend.
Few of us have the ability to buy everything we need or desire, which means we have to choose. So, when it comes to budgeting your โAR dollars,โ there are main โclustersโ I like to organize all this into: essentials, entertainment and education.
AR-15 Essentials
The โessentialsโ include everything necessary to clean, maintain and operate the AR. Every AR owner should know how to properly clean their rifle and maintain it, swapping out small parts as needed. There are a few special tools youโll need to correctly clean the AR, such as a chamber brush. This brush cleans the lugs in the barrel extension, where lugs of the bolt mate up โ and at the same time itโs cleaning the chamber.
Also, get a good cleaning rod, which means a one-piece rod thatโs coated. I use Dewey. And get a bore guide: It protects the chamber and keeps the cleaning rod traveling straight down the barrel, and thatโs highly recommended. The proper cleaning gear isnโt cheap, but it protects your weapon for a lifetime of use. Make sure to budget for the good stuff.
Books can fall into the โeducationโ or โentertainmentโ category. They donโt have to be AR-specific for you to learn something, and thereโs great works both past and contemporary that a rifleman or woman should read.
The AR is one of the great firearms ever designed. Youโve heard me say it before, and youโll hear me say it again. Its simplicity and modular design make is easy to maintain, and most of the parts you need to keep on-hand are small and affordable. Get a breakdown on the parts, and then get replacements and extras. This includes pins, springs and detents for the trigger and bolt groups. Having spare bolt is a good idea.
Items such as magazines and ammo also fall into this category. The availability and price of ARs and related gear can be very fluid โฆ and the same is true of ammo. Iโve seen this scenario olay out several times during the past 40 years: A tragedy occurs. Politicians and the media start talking โgun control. And then anything related to the AR either sells out or rises greatly in price โ regardless of the caliber. Almost overnight.
Right now, items such as parts, magazines and ammo are plentiful and affordable. Put some money aside to grab necessities each month. One thing is for sure: These items are always a good investment.
Speaking of investments, I consider upgrading and acquiring new gear as an investment: Iโm spending money in hopes of making things better. Some upgrades are not that stiff โ swapping out grips or changing slings. Clamping an optic on top your AR, on the other hand, is going to be more financially significant. There are budget options out there, but if the reason for shooting is important โ lives might depend on your ability to make an accurate shot every time โ you canโt skimp on that scope or red-dot sight. Study and research well, and make sure you get exactly what you need. Having to buy a piece of gear twice is a lot more expensive.
Entertainment
Sometimes, thereโs just something you want โ the โentertainmentโ category โ even though thereโs no justifiable need for it โฆ itโs just a piece of gear youโve been yearning for. Gear like this should be budgeted for over a longer period of time โ it should never be a spur of the moment decision or impulse purchase. And itโs my strong opinion that you donโt pay for something unnecessary by โborrowingโ from one of the other funds, no matter how cool it is.
Donโt forget to budget for training, which is educational and fun. Class cost includes ammo, travel expenses and any specific gear that might be needed for the instruction. After training comes practice, so youโll need to allot money for additional ammo.
For example Iโm fascinated by thermal vision gear. Iโd like to have some, but the probability of me actually needing it is extremely low. So, I keep saving โ the compact, good stuff is expensive. And who knows, maybe while Iโm saving the technology will keep advancing and the prices might drop.
Education
One area a lot of AR owners donโt budget for is training. Owning an AR โ or any firearm โ requires knowing how to use it safely and efficiently. Any time youโre around firearms, safety is your No. 1 concern โ we all know this but few invest in it. This is also true in the field and during defensive encounters.
Most everyone knows the at least some rendition of the four basic safety rules of firearm safety:
Rule I: All guns are treated as though loaded. Rule II: Never point the muzzle at anything youโre not ready or willing to shoot. Rule III: Keep your finger off the trigger until the sights are on target. Rule IV: Make sure to identify your target and whatโs surrounding and behind it.
With training, you understand why Rule II is so important with ARs. The AR has a free-floating firing pin. Every time a round is chambered, the firing pin strikes the primer, though usually not with enough force to ignite it. Even though itโs very rare, the AR can fire during loading or reloading. Keep the muzzle pointing downward in safe direction. Always.
Big purchases, such as optics, can take time to save up for. Research, and test if possible, before buying. And pay a little extra if you have to so that you get what you want, so you donโt end up having to buy again after settling for something that doesnโt really fit your needs.
The techniques used to manipulate the AR are not instinctual. The AR is ergonomic, and once learning the proper techniques for loading/unloading, reloading and clearing stoppages, youโll understand this: All the controls are in just the right place โฆ and having someone teach you how to manipulate them most efficiently is a great investment. This is especially critical for defensive use: On the range or in competition, not knowing how to reload or clear a stoppage efficiently means no trophy โ in a fight, these skills could be the difference between life and death.
Plus โ and this is important โ training introduces you to defensive principles and techniques needed to respond to a threat. Weโre not born knowing how to fight with firearms. Training, followed by plenty of practice, is required. You need to budget for training, and the ammunition required for live-fire practice after attending class.
For me, this category also includes books and other reference material. Yes, there are videos, etc out there for free, but what I call the โgoodโ stuff, both past and present, is mostly available in book format. Plus, I like to turn down pages, highlight and make notes in the book. You canโt do this on a computer. The act of writing makes a mental connection that typing doesnโt. You learn more from an actual book, but they are expensive.
As time passes, the more I realize that itโs about software โ and not hardware. I get the same amount of pleasure shooting a vintage carbine from the โ70 as I do a contemporary version of the AR. And I could use a plain-Jane carbine to defend my life.
However, my modern sporting rifle with a red-dot sight, weapon-mounted light and ALG combat trigger does make the job easier. And, regardless of how old I get, budgeting for the essentials, entertainment and education components of AR ownership still require me to keep a budget.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The 555 and 555 Enhanced 16-gauge options breathe new life into the versatile medium bore.
What Are The 555 And 555 Enhanced Features:
Chrome-lined carbon steel barrels
Turkish walnut stock
Lightweight aluminum receiver with tang-mounted safety
Single selective mechanical trigger
Manual extractors
Five interchangeable choke tubes
The 16-gauge isnโt dead yet. While the bore has been fading from American shotgunning for nearly a century, among those seeking a sleek and balanced field gun it still remains popular. Hard to find, but popular.
Stevens made it a bit easier to get into this versatile and easy handling bore recently, with the introduction of the 555 and 555 Enhanced in 16-gauge. Like many of its heralded predecessors, the Turkish-made gun is a slick and attractive over/under begging for a covey of quail or a rocketing rooster. Furthermore, the 555 Enhanced offers a touch of tradition with filigree engraving on its aluminum receiver. Outside of ornamentation, the brass tacks of the shotguns are nearly identical, both boasting chrome-lined 28-inch barrels, Turkish walnut stocks, Schnabel forends and manual extractors.
Incidentally, if you ever wondered what happened to the 16-gauge in America, Terry Weiland gives you the answer. In a word, skeet:
In the United States, the 16โs loss of popularity is generally blamed on the originators of skeet. When the rules for skeet were drawn up, in 1926, it was decreed that the game would be officially shot with four gaugesโ12, 20, 28, and .410โand that left the 16 an orphan.โ
Read the whole thing, itโs worth your time.
From Stevens:
WESTFIELD, Massachusetts – April 10, 2019 – Stevensโ new 555 Enhanced doles out world-class over-and-under performance โ and now does it in 16-gauge. Shipments of these firearms have been delivered to dealers.
The field- and trap-tested platform is light and handles fast, thanks to a lightweight aluminum receiver thatโs scaled to gauge and reinforced by a steel insert. Itโs also loaded with features, including a stylish Turkish walnut stock and chrome-lined, 28-inch carbon steel barrels.
Features โข New 16-gauge offering โข Chrome-lined carbon steel barrels โข Turkish walnut stock โข Lightweight aluminum receiver with tang-mounted safety โข Single selective mechanical trigger โข Manual extractors โข Five interchangeable choke tubes
The available model list below also includes the standard 555 blued receiver without engraving option.
Made for carry, the Security-9 Compact offers armed citizens an affordable 9mm option.
Ruger Security-9 Compact Specs:
Capacity: 10+1
Barrel Material: Alloy Steel
Barrel Finish: Blued
Barrel Length: 3.42″
Overall Length: 6.52″
Sights: Drift Adjustable
Weight: 21.9 oz.
Grip Frame: High-Performance, Glass-Filled Nylon
Slide: Material Through-Hardened Alloy Steel
Slide: Finish Blued
Slide: Width 1.02″
Height: 4.35″
Grooves: 6
Twist: 1:10″ RH
MSRP: $379
Ruger struck a nerve among shooters with the introduction of the Security-9 a little over a year ago. So it comes as no surprise the gunmaker would cook up a little something to go along with the duty-sized 9mm. Just unveiled, the Security-9 Compact comes with many of the same features as its big brother, just in a package all the more easy to conceal and carry on a regular basis.
In all, it appears a tidy little package, weighing in at 22 ounces, boasting a 3.42-inch barrel and coming in at 5.52-inches in length and 1.02-inches in width. The polymer-framed 9mm ships with two 10-round magazines and like the earlier iteration is extremely easy on the pocketbook. With an MSRP of $379, it is most certainly among the most affordable compact polymer pistols around today.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) is proud to introduce a new, compact version of the popular Security-9ยฎ pistol. Smaller, lighter and more concealable than its full-size counterpart, the Security-9 Compact is ideal for everyday carry with an overall length of 6.5โ and weighing in at just under 22 ounces. The attractive price point of both the full-size and compact models will have you wanting one of each.
The Security-9 Compact ships with two, 9mm Luger, 10-round, flush-fit steel magazines, which provide for greater concealability. Also included is one finger grip extension floorplate for added control. Extended, 15-round magazines are also available for purchase at ShopRuger.com.
The Security-9 family shares the same Secure Action used in the LCPยฎ II, which is derived from the reliable and proven hammer-fired LCP fire control system. The Secure Action combines the smooth trigger pull of the LCP with the short, crisp feel and positive reset of a single-action. Additional safety features include an integrated trigger safety; external manual safety; neutrally balanced sear with significant engagement and strong spring tension; and hammer catch to help prevent the hammer from contacting the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled.
The American-made Security-9 Compact is constructed around a rigid, precision-machined, hard-coat anodized aluminum chassis with full-length guide rails and a blued, through-hardened alloy steel slide and barrel. Identical to the full-size model, this pistol also features eye-catching sights, a textured grip frame and an easy-to-rack slide.
For more information on the Security-9 Compact, please vist www.ruger.com.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
