Cleaning and lubricating your firearms in one felled swoop, Clenzoil streamlines your gun cleaning process.
There are rare cases where someone enjoys cleaning their guns more than shooting them. Maybe if you worked at the Cody Firearms Museum you might find a certain satisfaction in breathing new life into old steel. Even then, it’s a safe bet that somewhere in the back of your mind you’d still linger on the idea of sending hot lead, not cold cotton, down the bore of an original Colt Single Action Army revolver or what have you.
The Elegant Power Of The Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .45 Colt
Gun owning means gun cleaning. You might as well make the best and most of it, use it as an opportunity to enhance the overall experience and ensure your gun is in tip-top condition the next time you’re behind the trigger. Next to having the right gun cleaning gear, the most important factor in guaranteeing this happens is employing the right solvents and lubricants. Clenzoil streamlines this process, by giving you both of these in one marvelous gun cleaning product.
The one-step cleaner and lubricant has been among the most trusted gun-care products for nearly three-quarters of a century now. Powerful enough to remove oils, dirt, copper, lead and other contaminants, Clenzoil busts up and clears out all the gunk that fouls your gun’s bore and other metal surfaces. It also provides a thin, non-greasy coat that prevents rust and lubricates all moving parts. That’s enough in and of itself to give it a crack, but Clenzoil also does a number on wood and leather. Yes, you heard that right. The same cleaning agent you use to strip copper from your grooves can keep your sling supple and soft as well.
Certainly, Clenzoil won’t stop you from having to clean your guns. But given its incredible versatility, it will make it a heck of a lot quicker and more thorough process.
For more information on Clenzoil, please visit www.clenzoil.com.
The booths are broken down, the convention center cleared out and another chapter of SHOT Show is in the books.
While the sheer magnitude of the event is always enthralling, overall the latest iteration of the world’s largest outdoors and firearms exhibition wasn’t earth-shattering. Pistol-grip smoothbore firearms have been done time and time again. Single-stack polymer-framed pistols are as common as Tuesday now. And the 6.5 Creedmoor, what rifle maker doesn’t have one in their stable?
This situation is unsurprising, given inventories are still high and buying appetites are not nearly as ravenous as they were a few years back. People, wisely or not, feel politically safe for the moment and aren’t racing to make purchases to beat potential legislation to the wire. This makes for the perfect storm where the addition of a thumb safety or FDE finish model constitutes a new release.
Still, even without a nuclear-level release the past week in Las Vegas, there were still quite a few head-turners at the Sands Expo Center. Guns done right, built to perform and well worth the time and effort to check out. To that end, here are four that caught our attention. There a plenty more out there, but these particular ones got us excited about 2019 prospects.
Daniel Defense Delta 5
Best known for their top-shelf ARs, Daniel Defense made a break from semi-automatic rifles this year with its innovative Delta 5 bolt-action rifle. A switch-barrel design, the company presently offers .308 Win., 7mm-08 and 6.5 Creedmoor barrels, and said there is the potential for more calibers down the pike.
No matter what it’s launching, the Delta 5 is – from muzzle to buttstock – made to land dead on target again and again. To this end, the rifle boasts a fully adjustable carbon-fiber reinforced stock, with a mini-chassis that creates a rigid platform for the stainless-steel action and CHF barrel. Furthermore, its Timney Elite Hunter single-stage trigger – user adjustable between 1.5 to 4.5 pounds – breaks as crisply as you’d expect. Behind the trigger (no live fire this time around), the Delta 5 feels intuitive and a natural choice for anything from an antelope hunt to banging steel the next county over.
More than anything, you get a sense of ownership with the rifle. No matter your application, with the Delta 5 you have the tools at your disposal to have the right rifle.
When it comes to box-magazine fed semi-autos, AK-pattern shotguns have ruled the roost. Though, in recent years, AR-style smoothbores have made headway. And if the Armscor VR80 12-gauge is any indication, this familiar configuration’s future looks bright.
First and foremost, the new gun works. Granted, this isn’t backed up with a 1,000-round torture test, by any means. But from limited range time and plenty of scuttlebutt, the short-stroke piston operated gun just plain chews through what it’s fed.
Even better, if you know how to run an AR, you know how to run a VR80. Yes, it does have a side charging handle, but the mag release and thumb safety are right where they should be, making the gun highly intuitive. Furthermore, its nimble frame makes it feel like an AR on the shoulder, only one that pitches, say, 41 pellets of #4 buckshot instead of 5.56 NATO each trigger pull.
For 3-Gun competitors, it could prove a boon – a reliable smoothbore that provides a nearly seamless transition is gold. But, blasting targets or coyotes, you could do a heck of a lot worse than a VR80.
Colt has made waves since the reintroduction of its double-action revolver line and got people jabbering over it again this year. For good reason. The reboot of a .357 Magnum revolver has been a long time coming, and the new King Cobra doesn’t disappoint.
Though, this gun is a long ways from the original iteration. Through and through, the new King Cobra is a carry gun, from its trim 3.5-inch barrel to its integral rear sights. Given the rest of the Cobra line is comprised of snubbie .38 Specials, this should come as no surprise.
Well balanced, the King Cobra performs well above what you’d expect out of a smallish .357. The gun is controllable, and when shooting double-action – thanks to a very smooth trigger – the King Cobra proves highly accurate. Its Hogue Overmolded grips don’t hurt either.
Certainly, there are many who would like to see the rebirth of the Python and only time will tell if this is little more than a pipe dream. But for the time being the King Cobra should more than satiate the hunger for a .357 Colt.
In all honesty, it would have been very interesting if Mossberg would have dusted off the tried-and-true “Brownie” design to jump back into the pistol world. To what end? Who’s to say? But it would have been interesting. The gunmaker, however, did the next best thing – cooked up another small pistol much more applicable to the modern day – the MC1sc.
Outside of the single-stack 9mm coming from Mossberg and a unique removable firing pin takedown, the pistol doesn’t hold many surprises. If you know the class of firearms you know what the MC1sc brings to the table. But just because the polymer-framed striker-fired pistol is familiar in a very established niche doesn’t mean Mossberg doesn’t have something to crow about.
The MC1sc is well put together, with a respectable trigger, is intuitive to shoot and comes with the little extras – steel sights, positive grip texturing, flat-faced trigger. What more could you ask for? If it’s affordability, the 9mm has that in spades to boot. Easily one of the most economical pistols in its class, the MC1sc is hard not to consider if you are shopping the single-stack marketplace. Which should have the competition sweating.
Lever-action rifles have been around a long time. Patented in 1860, the Henry was the first, and they quickly became known as a rifle you loaded on Sunday and shot all week. Next to the semi-automatic, the lever-action is the fastest cycling repeating rifle. This is partly due to its lever-operated mechanism, but also because the last movement when operating the action solids the buttstock into the shoulder. Ironically, for a rifle that’s been around for more than 150 years, few know how to run one properly.
Like with any firearm, the elements of running one correctly are the same: You must be able to confirm its condition, operate it, load it, mount it, fire it, unload it and service it. And, you should know how to clear stoppages. Here’s look at each aspect of running a lever gun, so that you can let all the cowboy in you come to life.
What Condition Is My Lever Gun In?
Firearms are carried or stored in a variety of conditions. The lever gun is no different. Knowing these conditions helps you better have your rifle at the proper stage of ready, and fosters safety.
When loading straight-wall cartridges — like the .45-70 Govt. — into the loading gate of a lever gun, you can partially insert them, and then push them home with the next cartridge.
Condition 1: Magazine tube loaded, round in chamber, hammer cocked and safety off. This is the proper condition for a lever-action rifle right before it’s fired. It should not be carried or fondled in this condition. Some lever-actions have a safety. Traditionalists scoff at their existence and they’ve been known to cause a click in the field when the shooter forgets it’s engaged. In Condition 1, the safety is not engaged.
Condition 2: Magazine tube loaded, round in chamber, hammer forward or at half cock, and safety off. This is the generally accepted carry method for a lever-action rifle. The hammer must be manually cocked before the rifle can be fired. For lever guns with safeties, a version of Condition 2 is with the hammer cocked and the safety on.
Condition 3: Magazine tube loaded, chamber empty, hammer forward or at half cock, safety off. Some prefer this method of carry for lever guns. When the need to shoot arises the action is levered as the rifle is brought to shoulder. In Condition 3, the safety — if so equipped — should not be engaged; it creates an additional needless step to execute before a shot can be fired.
Condition 4: Magazine tube empty, chamber empty, hammer forward and safety off. This is the typical condition in which lever guns are stored.
Loading And Unloading
With the exception of magazine-fed lever-actions, like the Browning BLR and a few others, lever guns are loaded in one of two ways. Cartridges are shoved, one at a time, through a loading gate on the side of the action. Or, they’re inserted into through the magazine tube. In either case, during loading the hammer should be forward.
With straight-wall lever gun cartridges — .45-70 Govt., .357 Mag., .44 Mag., etc. — it’s beneficial to the loading process if you only insert the cartridge about halfway into the loading gate. Then, with the next cartridge, you push on the head of the partially inserted cartridge with the bullet of the next, forcing the first into the magazine tube. With tapered cases like the .30-30 Winchester, the cartridge might not stay partially inserted into the loading gate, and this system may not work.
To get a cartridge into the chamber, simply cycle the lever. But, you have to do it like you mean it. A gentle or short stroke can lead to a stoppage. Once a cartridge is in the chamber, you should fire the rifle, place it in Condition 2, or unload it. To place the rifle into Condition 2, place your thumb on the hammer, and while holding pressure, press the trigger. This will release the hammer. As you ease the hammer forward, remove your finger from the trigger and lower the hammer to half-cock. If the rifle is equipped with a safety, you can engage it first to prevent a loud bang should your thumb slip from the hammer.
More Lever-Action Info:
Big-Bore Lever-Actions: Steel Henry .45-70 Is Golden
It’s also a good idea to be able to swiftly load a lever gun that’s empty with a single cartridge. To do this, fully open the lever and shove a cartridge in through the ejection port, bullet first. This is accomplished with the rifle on the shoulder and in the firing position. With practice, savvy lever gun runners can also load the magazine tube through the loading gate while the rifle is on the shoulder. Both skills are good to have and should be practiced.
The easiest way is to unload a lever gun is to cycle the cartridges through the action while the rifle is pointed in a safe direction. While doing this, make sure your finger is out of the lever and away from the trigger. If the rifle is equipped with a safety, it should be engaged.
Lever guns that are loaded directly into the magazine tube are friendlier when it comes to unloading. With the hammer down, remove the plunger from the tube and dump the cartridges out. Then, you can cycle the cartridge in the chamber out by operating the lever while keeping the muzzle in a safe direction.
Mounting A Lever-Action Rifle
Most lever guns are svelte, quick-handling rifles, lending themselves to snap shooting. Many mistakenly snap the butt of the stock to the shoulder, and this increases engagement time. You should snap the rifle up, level with your eye, with the buttstock about an inch or so from your shoulder. Keep both eyes open and you’ll be able to see the target and the sights. As you do this, cock the hammer or remove the safety to place the rifle in Condition 1. The last motion should be pulling the rifle back, snug, against your shoulder.
Firing A Lever-Action Rifle
When you fire a lever-action rifle, the lever should be cycled immediately. Do not remove the rifle from your shoulder to cycle the action.
As with any gun, concentrate on the sights, and while keeping them aligned on target, apply pressure on the trigger. When the rifle fires, hold the trigger to the rear, and when you reach the top of the recoil cycle, lever the action and press your trigger finger forward against the front of the trigger guard. As the rifle settles back on target you can reacquire the sights and target, and then place your finger back on the trigger. During the entire process, the butt of the rifle should never leave your shoulder.
Preventative Maintenance
Lever guns need lubrication to run smoothly. This does not mean you spray them down with your favorite gun juice. Too much oil will attract dust and gum things up. For best results, take your lever gun apart. This means removing the buttstock to access the lever and trigger mechanisms, and removing the bolt. Consult your owner’s manual for specific instructions.
Once disassembled, apply a small amount of oil to the exterior of the bolt, including all locking surfaces. Next, apply a dab to the actuator or end of the lever, the disconnector and any surface showing wear. Also lightly lubricate the trigger/hammer and hammer spring. Finally, apply a touch to any surface showing wear. Wear indicates metal-to-metal contact. Some oil here will smooth action operation and guard against corrosion. The process should only take a few minutes and about a dozen drops of oil.
Clearing A Stoppage
Lever guns can jam. Sometimes cartridges or empty cases get fouled in the action because it’s not cycled with authority, or because a part is worn or broken. Sometimes a cartridge can jump the stop and slip behind the loading gate. In some cases you can clear these stoppages by holding your mouth right and rattling the rifle. In other instances, you may have to remove the lever and even the bolt to sort it all out. This makes knowing how to field strip your lever gun and keeping a screwdriver handy all that more important.
The best way to avoid a stoppage is to keep your rifle well maintained, only use factory or proven ammunition of the right size and length, and every time you cycle the lever, do it like you mean it.
A Little Bit Of Cowboy
I’ve used lever guns to successfully take game as small as tree squirrels and as large as a buffalo. Though short-range weapons, they make fantastic hunting tools and can aptly serve in the survival/personal protection role as well. But to get in touch with your inner cowboy, you need to know how to run one right.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
One of the best non-magnum .35-caliber cartridges, the .358 Winchester is both accurate and effective.
How the .358 Winchester tops other .35-caliber cartridges:
Adequate for any North American Game
Capable of pitching a 250-grain bullet 2,200 at the muzzle
Factory performance can be improved upon by reloading
Known as 8.8x51mm in Europe
Introduced in 1955 by Winchester for its Model 70 Lightweight bolt-action and Model 88 lever-action rifles, the .358 Winchester is based on the .308 Winchester case necked up. It’s known in Europe as the 8.8x51mm. Many European rifle makers chamber the round. In the United States, only the Browning BLR lever-action is currently chambered for this cartridge. The Model 99 Savage was also once available in .358 Win. The .358 Winchester is one of the best commercial (non-magnum) .35-caliber cartridges turned out by any American manufacturer. It’s a big improvement over the .35 Remington, slightly more powerful than the old .35 Winchester, and more useful than the .348 Winchester.
As the .308 Winchester is a shortened version of the .30-06, by the same token the .358 Win. is a shortened .35 Whelen. With its spitzer-pointed bullets, the .358 is a good medium- to long-range cartridge with capabilities out to 250 yards on big game. With the 250-grain bullet, it’s better than the .30-06 on heavy game at close ranges. The .358 in a bolt-action rifle with a good scope is as accurate as any hunting cartridge available. Performance can be improved by handloading.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
If there is one gun that might do it all, short of long-distance work, it’s the shotgun. The jack-of-all-trades is an absolute bruiser in a fight, arming shooters with overwhelming firepower. Shotguns have literally taken nearly every game species known to man, from the very smallest to the absolute largest (we’re talking elephants here people). And finally, certain specimens are among the most elegant and coveted guns ever forged from blued steel and walnut. Honestly, if your gun safe is devoid of a shotgun it is truly not complete. Thankfully, the firearms world is brimming with excellent examples, many among the most affordable guns around. So what are you waiting for? Check out these 10 classic shotguns you’ve got to own and find that smoothbore that can do it all for you.
Winchester Model 97
Yeah, the Model 97 took its fair share of game in its 60 years of production, but that’s not why it’s remembered. U.S. doughboys thinning the German ranks in World War I with the “Trench Gun” or “Trench Broom” is what etched this John Browning design into history. The Model 97 was apparently so effective at its job during the Great War, the Germans filed a diplomatic protest over the weapon, claiming the shotgun was illegal per the Hague Convention due to it causing unnecessary suffering. Crocodile tears for the purveyors of poison gas and inventors of the modern flamethrower. The 97 was essentially the evolution of another Browning shotgun design, the Model 1893, strengthened to handle new-for-the-time smokeless powders.
Browning Automatic-5
Introduced in 1903, the iconic “Humpback” was perhaps one of the most successful sporting arms ever conceived. It’s no wonder, as it was a product of the legendary John M. Browning’s mind. This classic was one of the most flexible autoloaders of its day, able to shoot a wide variety of loads, thanks to Browning’s ingenious reversible friction ring. Before this point, most autoloaders were only capable of cycling specific loads. To boot, the Auto-5 would chew through shells rain, shine or choked with duck marsh mud. Despite Browning ceasing the production of the original A5 in 1999, they can still be found at a reasonable price, for shotgunners willing to do some digging for this true classic. A few years back, Browning also reintroduced a version of this classic using a short-recoil operated system it has dubbed Kinematic Drive.
Winchester Model 12
Known as “The Perfect Repeater,” for the better part of the 20th Century this was the shotgun by which all other pump actions were measured. The Model 12 was Thomas C. Johnson’s improvement of John Browning’s Model 1897, the primary modification being the internalized hammer. In addition to giving the shotgun cleaner lines, this change also did away with any visual obstructions between shots, thus making it faster for a hunter to bag a coveted double. The Model 12 struck a cord with the shooting public upon its release in 1912, with 100,000 initially sold its first two years of production. In particular, the shotgun’s ability to really reach out — 60 yards or better — made it among the most popular fowling pieces to ever come down the pike. Winchester would go on to produce more than 2 million of the fast shooting and deadly accurate smoothbores. And it was the only shotgun to ever be offered in more than 100 different variations and configurations during its lifetime.
Browning Superposed
Like nearly all of John Browning’s designs, his last gun truly shifted the sands of the shooting world. The firearms genius did not come up with the over/under shotgun concept — Boss & Co. introduced its design in 1909. Instead, Browning came up with a design that could be mass-produced — what became know as the Superposed. In turn, the moderately priced double became the classic field gun for bird hunters of all stripes, particularly in America. It’s no wonder. Not only is the Superposed a shooter, it’s also a looker. Though not all the credit of this absolute classic should go to Browning himself. He died before the firearm was finished. His son Val Browning saw his father’s final work through to production. And every wing and clay shooter today owes a debt of gratitude to this son’s dedication.
Remington Model 31
In some circles, there was no finer pump action ever produced. But there was a very good reason for this — there was a lot of sweat equity invested in this Remington. The silky-smooth action coveted by bird hunters and competitive shooters alike was due to hand fitting of its parts. This, and the Model 31’s extensive machining, not only made for a superior shooting experience, it also sowed the seed of its demise. As time wore on, it became less and less profitable for Remington to produce its first side-ejecting pump action. On the bright side, the C.C. Loomis and John Pedersen design would provide the foundation of another truly classic Remington shotgun — the 870. (Photo: Rock Island Auction Company)
Being the longest produced pump-action shotgun should tell you a little bit about the tough-as-nails Model 37. Like many of the other classics, the shotgun not only saw action afield but also in war, serving in U.S. operations from World War II to Vietnam. It was also a widespread choice of police departments. One of the Model 37’s great advantages was its bottom load/ejection port, which made it a truly ambidextrous firearm. Ithaca engineer Harry Howland did the final refinements on the Model 37 before its release in 1937. And if its design seems familiar, it should. The shotgun’s roots are in another legendary smoothbore, the John Browning and John Pederson designed Remington Model 17. The Model 37 is essentially the Model 17. Ithaca waited out the patents limits on the Model 17 to produce a pump action that could compete with the then-ubiquitous Winchester Model 12.
Remington Model 870
Today, if you say shotgun, it’s likely one model comes to mind — the 870. Why not? The pump action is as common as dust mites, with more than 11 million produced since it was introduced in 1950. The heir apparent of the Remington Model 31, the Model 870 carried on a number of the elder smoothbore’s desirable features, but in a much more easy to manufacture package. What made the pump action so appealing — aside from its affordability — was its reliability and wide spectrum of configurations. Its first year alone, there were 15 different variations to choose from. In its time, the 870 has filled every conceivable role that could be demanded of a smoothbore, tackling every size and shape of game, reporting for duty with various military forces around the world and cleaning up the streets in the hands of law enforcement. A wide variety of models are still being produced today.
Mossberg 500
Rugged as they come, it’s no wonder why more than 10 million Mossberg 500s have been produced. Introduced in 1960, and from the branch of the Remington 31 in the shotgun family tree, the pump action was designed by Mossberg lead engineer Carl Benson. But it had its hiccups to start, with the early model’s single action bar known to bend and sometimes break. Not exactly a desirable trait. Mossberg weathered the problems then added another bar to remedy the issue once Remington’s patent on twin action bars ran out in 1970. The Mossberg 500 offered shooters, military and law enforcement a reliable pump action ready for any kind of duty. It also did so on the cheap, as one of the most affordable smoothbores around. Like the 870, there are many different variations of the 500 in current production.
Remington Model 1100
Wayne Leek made a bold statement when he introduced the new semi-auto to the Remington executives: “[I]t’s going to revolutionize shotgun shooting.” But it was a boast that had legs. The 1100 arguably ushered in the age of gas-operated shotguns for the masses. The 1100 wasn’t the first gas-operated smoothbore to come down the pike, but it was the first truly reliable variation, and one that didn’t kick like a mule. This made it a dynamite option for high-volume shooters, whether they were busting up blue rock or downing doves by the dozens. On top of that, the 1100 was proportioned just right so that even new shooters could intuitively shoulder the shotgun. The secret was its narrow comb. The semi-automatic is still a favorite today and is an excellent choice for those looking for an autoloader that won’t break the bank.
Benelli Super Black Eagle
Gas-operated shotguns, for a spell, seemed to put their recoil-driven counterparts on their heels, until the eagle landed. With its ingeniously simple inertia action and excellent handling, the Benelli Super Black Eagle became a staple of duck blinds and goose pits up and down flyways. Similar to Browning’s Auto-5, the Eagle was as reliable as the march of time, giving waterfowlers — and other hunters — peace of mind they’d knock birds out of the sky, no matter how deep into the cattails they ventured. Add in its ability to really reach out, and, well, it became a classic nearly the moment it was introduced in 1991. The captivating aspect of the shotgun is its innovative action, designed by Bruno Civolani in 1967. He tried to unsuccessfully sell it to a number of gunmakers, until he happened upon Benelli — then better known as a motorcycle maker. And dedicated wing shooters have reaped the benefits ever since.
Check out the new gun gear and optics we mined out of the SHOT Show underground.
Given the noise the big dogs of the gun industry make during the SHOT Show, it difficult to catch the rising stars. But we headed to the SHOT Show underground and found the up-and-coming guns, gear and optics that should make your wish list.
Get a look at the new must-have guns, optics, ammo and targets unveiled at SHOT Show 2019.
The first day of SHOT Show 2019 is in the bag, and there are some pretty cool new guns and gear heading your way. From long-range targets that definitively let you know you’ve made a hit to one of the hottest new carry guns to hit the market, here are the highlights from the show.
Check out the world’s largest gun, ammo and gear exhibition. Shot Show 2019 is just getting underway and there’s a lot to see.
Big-name gun, ammo and gear makers are what comes to mind when you think Shot Show. But there’s another side to the firearms Meca. Down below in the underground, the up-and-comer and small companies are all vying to be your next go-to gem.
The Umarex .50-caliber Hammer air rifle hits the market — hard.
How the Umarex Hammer air rifle performs on part with traditional guns:
Pre-charged pneumatic air rifle.
Capable of pitching 550-grain .50-caliber bullet 760 fps at muzzle.
Maximum of 4,500 psi.
Lightspeed valve regulates each shot for consistency.
Lightweight carbon-fiber main tank.
2-pound straight-pull bolt throw cocks gun.
Positioned on the shooting bench, I took a breath and slowly tightened up on the trigger. A small burst of air puffed my cheek and blew my hair up. I was shooting the new Umarex .50-caliber Hammer Air Rifle, and instead of recoil in my shoulder, I felt the subtle escape of air — all part of the engineering of the rifle.
The powerhouse of the Hammer is located high and tight below the barrel. The air tank holds enough to produce three, full-power shots.
With 3,000 psi launching each bullet, the Hammer shoots consistently and accurately. Call it what you may — high-powered, high-velocity, high-performance, most powerful production, or thse fastest production air rifle to hit the market — the Hammer fits the bill.
High-powered air rifles are not new and have a long history going back to the settlement and colonization of North America. The Lewis and Clark expedition that mapped a route across the Western United States in the early 1800s used a Girandoni air rifle to hunt and show off their firepower. The cast-iron buttstock held 800 psi, which took 1,300 strokes on an air pump to fill and could shoot a hole through a board at 100 yards with accuracy.
The old-technology air rifle is credited with the success of the expedition traveling from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean without significant loss of life. The Girandoni intimidated Native Americans who did not realize the expedition only had one of the rifles that were regularly used to display its unique firepower — but the accuracy, range and repeatability made it look formidable.
With an airgun, the reloads look a bit different. Additional bullets, plus an additional air canister, are part of the field gear.
Modern air rifles are also extremely effective firearms, and when I lined up my target and placed the first two bullets out of the Hammer in the same place, it became obvious this wasn’t the type of air rifle I used as a child.
The Secret: Lightspeed Valve
The Hammer has a built-in compressed air tank with a regulated valve that can be charged to 4,500 psi. The carbon-fiber tank has a capacity of 24 cubic inches and is nestled out of the way under the barrel, and a pressure gauge allows the shooter to know the exact charge in the main tank. The Hammer can be charged from a larger air tank with a regulated valve on the side. It only takes seconds to charge the Hammer on the range or in the field to have three more shots at full charge.
The pressure in the main tank is used to charge each shot to 3,000 psi, meaning there are three shots in a full tank. The secret to the effectiveness of the Hammer is the Lightspeed valve, which keeps every shot consistent with a massive dump of air to generate the velocity for the projectile you choose. The air dumps so fast that you feel a burst of air release off side ports when you pull the trigger.
One-Finger Cocking
The cocking handle is located on the side of the gun and only takes 2 pounds of pressure to operate, with a 2-inch straight-pull bolt. You can cock the gun with one finger while continuing to look down the barrel or through the scope. When cocking the rifle, the magazine automatically advances, placing a bullet at the base of the barrel.
The Hammer barrel is 29.5 inches long and is more than capable of dropping 1-inch groups at 50 yards.
The Hammer’s Lightspeed valve, coupled with a precision regulator, instantly pulses a measure of air compressed to 3,000 psi, behind the projectile when the cocking mechanism is pulled back. This ground-breaking patent-pending system proficiently propels a .50 caliber, 550-grain lead slug at a muzzle velocity of 760 fps, and a 250-grain slug at more than 1,000 fps.
With an extreme amount of pressure being held back, you might assume the trigger pull to be heavy or sluggish, but it breaks clean with minimal effort, allowing for greater accuracy and consistent shooting. There is slight recoil felt, but nothing that pushes the barrel off target. The rifle does make an audible “pop” instead of a loud bang and is in no way silent, but the sound is less intrusive than burning gunpowder.
Defining Air Rifle Energy
Umarex is claiming to have the most powerful big bore air rifle to hit the market. It’s a bold statement, but when you look at the numbers, you’ll quickly understand. The sidebar features a table showing several different bullets and weights, complete with velocity and energy. A soft-lead, 400-grain bullet traveling at 860 fps and hitting with 657 ft-lbs. of energy is impressive. Very impressive.
Where It All Began
The Hammer has been developed, designed and engineered in America — and it’s being made in the United States as well. The rifles are assembled in Fort Smith, Arkansas, within the Umarex USA facility. Adam Blalock, CEO of Umarex USA, Inc. said, “We continually look for products that we can make right here in the USA and, more specifically, within the walls of our building in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The Hammer represents powerful innovation in air rifles, and I couldn’t be more excited that we’re equipped to build it right here.”
Large, heavy lead bullets are the key to the Hammer’s quickly lethal capabilities. With a 185-grain slug, the Hammer boasts a muzzle velocity of more than 1,100 fps. With a 550-grain slug, muzzle velocities more than 750 fps are still achieved.
The Hammer wasn’t engineered overnight, and several designs and prototypes were crafted before perfecting it. The valves, regulated air and unique magazine all needed to be faultless and align to work flawlessly … and easily.
Repeatable Results
The Umarex Hammer offers several features that shooters and hunters will embrace. In addition to being the most powerful airgun delivering three regulated, full-power shots, it’s the only production big-bore air rifle that offers multiple shots from its unique chamber magazine. There’s no fumbling to insert a bullet into the barrel: The removable magazine is pre-loaded with two bullets and inserted into the gun. When you cock the rifle, the bullet is automatically loaded into place. Shoot, cock the rifle a second time, and the next bullet is ready to fly down the barrel.
Double-Safe Security
The Hammer utilizes two safeties: A conventional trigger block, and a magazine lockout that prevents it from discharging without a magazine inserted.
“You won’t find safety mechanisms to this extent on any other big bores,” said Steve Lamboy, Senior Director of Strategic Development at Umarex USA. “The Umarex Hammer is the most powerful production air rifle in the world, so we charged our engineers, from the beginning, to incorporate safety mechanisms.”
An Advanced Polymer Stock
The stock, forearm and other synthetic components are produced from Nymax, an advanced polymer that withstands the rugged treatment required in the outdoor hunting and shooting world. Umarex collaborated with designers from the IQ Design group at PolyOne to add three locations into the rifle’s forearm that accept M-LOK accessories and incorporate a sling stud into the lower half of the rear stock.
The stock on the Hammer is smooth with tight-fighting components. The first time you pick up a Hammer, the stock design will stand out with fit and feel. More importantly, the unique stock helps reduce the overall weight of the rifle, making it functional for a wide variety of hunting and shooting applications.
Shooting enthusiasts will quickly note additional features that include a standard AR Magpul grip, quick disconnect Foster fitting to fill the onboard air cylinder, externally visible air pressure gauge, a button-rifled .50-caliber barrel and 8.5 inches of Picatinny rail.
The True Test
A true test for the Umarex Hammer was a spring bear hunt in Alberta, Canada. With some of the first production rifles, a crew of hunters set out to see what the Hammer could do in a hunting situation. And, why not pick game that can bite back?
On the fourth day of the hunt, I noticed a brown-phased bear carefully sauntering my way. The beautiful brown walked a gauntlet of logs in silent motion, stopping about 30 yards from my stand where it stared in my direction, lifted its nose and captured the smells of anything close. It took several minutes for the bear to work its way in, and when it walked behind the barrel, and I could still see part of its back over the top — I knew it was a great color-phased bear with good maturity.
On the range, the author saw 1-inch groups consistently. In the field, members of the author’s bear camp went eight for eight … and none of the bears required tracking.
I hoped to shoot the bear but was going to wait for the perfect broadside shot. Of course, the bear plopped down on the ground facing me and fed for 15 minutes while I checked it through my scope. It teased me but never offered a clear view of its side profile.
The bear finally stood up and wandered behind the bait, and when it returned, it offered a full view of its right side. Steady on my shooting sticks, I wasted little time clicking off the safety and tightening up on the trigger. At the sound of the shot, the bear cart-wheeled twice, found its footing and charged about 12 yards into the trees. I had already cocked my rifle again and was following it with my scope for a follow-up shot when it fell to the ground. I had taken my first bear with an air rifle and was shaking with excitement.
Not only was the Hammer effective, but it was quiet and easy to shoot. The large bullet made short work of tracking, which is always an important consideration when hunting bears. Being able to watch the animal tip over is always a relief, knowing no tracking is required.
The bear was a unique shade of brown and grew as I got closer to it on the ground. Stretching close to 6.5 feet from nose to tail, I knew it was a great bear. My bear had fresh wounds from fighting and showed all the signs of being a mature boar. My first air rifle black bear hunt was an enormous success, and I can’t wait for a repeat performance.
There were eight bears shot with a Hammer air rifle, using several different bullets, and none required any tracking. Airguns — and the Hammer specifically — have indeed evolved.
For more information on the Umarex Hammer .50-caliber, please visit: www.umarexusa.com.
Sako’s Model 85 Bavarian sports a very unique action and stock combination that pair exceptionally well for in-field accuracy.
What sets the Model 85 Bravarian apart:
Three locking lugs
Control-round feed
Mechanical ejection
Three-position safety
Traditional German stock — hog back comb and Schnabel forend
More vertical pistol grip with pronounced palm swell
There aren’t many ways to improve upon the legendary 6.5×55 Swede, but wrapping it in the fine Finnish craftsmanship of a Sako rifle probably doesn’t hurt. I recently had the privilege to find out when Sako sent me a “Swede” in their Model 85 Bavarian to review.
sako 013
The first thing you need to know about Sako is that they didn’t start building firearms for fun. They built them to save their homeland, Finland, from overwhelming Russian aggression. Such motivation produces the kind of firearms manufacturing quality control that only a country’s sovereign survival inspires. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to brave a Russian winter to test the Sako chambered in the aptly-selected Scandinavian military cartridge. No, I chose to head south for my winter weapons review to Kimberly, South Africa, much to the dismay of the local zebra, kudu, steenbok and warthog populations.
Reviewing a European rifle chambered in 6.5×55 Swede isn’t rare.
“The Swedish Mauser caliber is a very popular hunting cartridge in our neighbor country, Sweden,” said Philip Jones, Product Manager of rifles and ammunition, Beretta USA Corp. “Sako has been selling these rifles there for a long time and, today, Sako and Tikka are the No. 1 hunting rifles in Sweden, so I think Sako has very good knowledge how to build the best 6.5×55 rifles offered today.”
Speaking of Tikka, and this might settle or even start a few spirited discussions around elk camp: According to Jones, a Sako-built rifle is not simply a dressed-up Tikka. They’re two completely different rifles. Jones was direct:
“In regard to manufacturing process, the largest difference [from Tikka] is that the Sako 85 bolt starts as a hammered preform with the bolt handle,” Jones added. “When we machine the bolt of the Model 85, the whole bolt body is one single piece of metal, including bolt handle. With Tikka, we manufacture the bolt body separately from the bolt handle, which is attached later. Feature-wise, there are more differences, such as the Sako 85 has three locking lugs, is control-round feed, has mechanical ejection and uses a three-position safety. Also, we do not use synthetic parts in the barreled action or in magazines as we do on Tikka rifles.”
The Best From The Bavarian
Within the stable of Sako’s fine rifles, the Bavarian stands out.
“We offer many rifles in 6.5×55 caliber,” said Jones. “But the uniqueness of Bavarian rifle is in the stock.”
Why? Because of its German influence, which is an interesting twist, because Finland ended up fighting more than the Russians late in WWII — they chased off the Nazi’s as well.
“The stock has very traditional German features, like the ‘hog back’ rear stock comb and, as they call it in Germany, (a) Schnabel-style forend,” he said. This design favors the use of traditional iron sights, which the rifle had, and a thin, long wood signature. On the range and in the field, I preferred the ergonomics of a thinner stock, finding the rifle easier to carry, point and position in a variety of hunting situations.”
Jones expanded on the difference in the Sako 85 Bavarian from other Model 85s, and the subtle changes played well in the field for me.
“The pistol grip is more vertical compared to our other traditional wooden stock models, and it has a very pronounced palm swell,” said Jones. “All Bavarian rifles have hand-detailing on the edges of the checkering patterns, adding one nice unique detail. Also, the length of pull 14.6 inches is slightly longer compared to our other traditional wood stocks, which range from 13.5 to 14 inches in length of pull.”
The rifle was easily too long for me. I’m barely 5 feet, 5 inches tall, and my length of pull stretches at 12.5 inches. Still, on numerous occasions, I was able to pull the long-stocked, long barreled (22.5 inches) Sako from my tucked and seated position, load it, shoulder it and fire accurately on moving targets.
Standard features on the 85 Bavarian include adjustable open sights and a single-stage trigger that’s adjustable from 2 to 4 pounds.
To my point, the wood stock’s shape and enhancements weren’t simply aesthetically pleasing, they influenced my ability to engage dynamic game with the rifle, and that’s a big deal on a safari, elk hunt, or any other hunting application.
The palm swell and pistol grip angle helped me place the rifle properly to shoot quickly on animals in motion. The ergonomics of the stock begged me to actively hunt with the sharp checkering, giving me a firm grip, and the as-advertised larger palm swell giving my hand plenty of real estate to anchor into a strong grip in uncontrolled shooting situations, lending credibility to the idea Sako intended this rifle for hunting and not bench rest work. It’s as if the rifle wanted to go on a safari, with or without me.
Indeed, the Bavarian was, according to Sako, a perfect choice for my safari.
Sako 85 actions come in six different sizes and utilize Sako’s unique extractors for reliable cartridge handling and feeding.
“(The) Bavarian is very good option for plains game in Africa,” said Jones. “A couple of main reasons for choosing it are: It offers mechanical ejection, which is a must when traveling with a rifle in remote places so that the ejection can never fail like can happen with the plunger type ejection; and, it offers quick target acquisition via open sights. If optics are damaged during the hunt or in traveling, the rifle is still a perfectly capable tool for hunting.”
These two keys points focus on what you need your rifle to do above all else — work. Sako’s reputation for high quality is built upon manufacturing a rifle meant to work in the most arduous environments, whether it’s on a hunt or the front lines of combat. Let’s take a closer look at what makes a Sako different from other bolt-action rifles, including the Mauser-style action.
What Sets Sako Apart?
According to Jones, Sako 85 rifles have a controlled-round feed action, but it’s designed differently compared to the Mauser 98 system while still achieving the same reliability.
“The Sako 85 bolt face has an opening on the bottom, where the cartridge can go from the magazine and the Sako-style extractor will keep the cartridge in the bolt face no matter what position the rifle is,” he said. “The ejector placement in the bottom middle of the bolt is also quite unique to the Sako 85. The Sako 85 control-round feed is, in every essence, a control-round feed as is the Mauser version — they both do the same thing. Then, when compared to a normal push-feed action, this control-round feed has clear benefits in difficult shooting situations: If the bolt is cycled when moving with the rifle, it offers a much more reliable cartridge feed into the chamber.”
My experience with the Sako action has proven it to be reliable, but in my opinion — mechanically speaking — it doesn’t equate to same performance of a Mauser-based traditional controlled-round feed action. It is, however, very different, and in my limited experience better than a standard push-feed action. Regardless, both push- and controlled-round feed actions work in the hands of a rifleman who use them properly.
Both push- and controlled-round feed actions have disadvantages and advantages, and I was more impressed with the ergonomics of the Sako stock — it’s the most accurate 6.5×55 Swede I’ve ever shot. On numerous occasions, in low and high stress situations while on my safari in Africa, the Sako rifle never failed to cycle, extract, load or place the bullet precisely where I aimed it.
The oil-finished walnut stock of the 85 Bavarian features unique ergonomics that aid in quick shouldering for fast target acquisition on both stationary and moving targets.
The Sako 85 Bavarian I carried had the longer 22.5-inch barrel, and wisely, it sported a 1:8-inch twist rate to stabilize the kinds of bullets I’d need to maximize the 6.5×55 Swede’s world-class long-range accuracy.
On top of this Sako I used a Zeiss V4 4-16x50mm riflescope and Talley rings. One note to the quality of the scope and rings: My rifle, which bounced around on a 16-hour flight from Virginia to Kimberly, South Africa, only needed one shot on the range to verify zero before we hunted in South Africa. The high-quality glass inside that Zeiss optic paid off on my zebra hunt when I had to shoot in low-light conditions with sunset coming, the animals under the shade of several Acacia trees, and the zebra’s striped camouflage working quite well on my depth perfection.
But Does It Shoot?
How does the Sako shoot? In short, like its $1,998 price tag suggests it ought to, the 85 Bavarian is a knock-out. After shooting a variety of ammunition from Hornady, Nosler and Norma, I settled on the 156-grain Norma Oryx for Africa because of its heavier bullet weight, construction and superb accuracy.
Earlier in the year I used the same ammunition to take an Idaho black bear at 90 yards with a CZ 557 chambered in 6.5×55 Swede, so when the Norma ammo grouped well again in this rifle, I felt confident it would work on whatever Africa had in store for me. I was right.
From the bench to the South African high desert mountains — to low-light stalks in heavy brush, instant jump shots on 200-pound warthogs in a full sprint, bipod-assisted 200-meter shots on Zebra, Steenbok, and Kudu — it worked.
For hunters, a test where the final grades are based on tags filled, taxidermy bills created and memories made are the best grades any rifle can ask for.
Shooting a shotgun is easy, right? Everybody knows you just point the muzzle in the general direction of the target and pull the trigger. With all those hundreds of shot pellets it’s hard to miss. But — somehow — we do miss … and some of us miss a lot.
Dave Miller doesn’t miss with a shotgun very often. In fact, he probably misses less than anyone you know. Miller is the Shotgun Product Manager and Pro Shooter for CZ-USA, maker of many fine shotguns, rifles and handguns. Forget about Dave Miller as a Master Class Sporting Clay shooter and National Sporting Clays Association Level 2 Instructor. Forget about 2015, when Dave Miller landed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most clay targets shot in 1 hour — 3,653.
Do that math: That’s one clay busted, on average, every 0.99 seconds.
All this sums up to the fact that Dave Miller basically shoots shotguns for a living, and precious few of us can say that. Who better than Miller to provide some tips on improving our scattergun skills?
So, here are five common mistakes us shotgunners make, and advice from Dave Miller on how to deal with them. Remember, some tips are specific for bird hunting, some for clay shooting — and some will help with both.
Mistake No. 1: Looking at the gun first
“You can’t shoot what you can’t see,” Miller said. “Train yourself to look at the target, and then move the gun.” Miller noted that it’s not really necessary to “see” the gun — that is, the rib and the end of the barrel — if your eyes are on the target and you mount the gun properly. “Remember, its eyes first and then the gun,” Miller added.
In hunting situations, Miller noted that it’s especially important to concentrate on a flushing or incoming bird and not the gun. Is it a hen or a rooster pheasant? What species and gender of waterfowl is it? You can’t tell if you’re looking at the gun. Also, clearly seeing the target and what is beyond it addresses obvious safety concerns as well.
Mistake No. 2: Not moving to the target
Ever had a grouse or pheasant erupt from cover as you face an angle away from the bird? Then, in haste, we often take the shot from an awkward, twisted position — and often we then miss. Miller stressed that moving to the target in a motion he calls, “step to the shot,” is very important.
“You have to take the time to move your feet and step in front of the target,” Miller said. “In this way, you’re in the proper body position to move the gun in front of the bird. Think about starting with the gun ahead of the bird, even at the low ready position when possible.”
Remember, there’s plenty of time to do this. When that grouse or pheasant or quail explodes out of cover, shooters tend to think they must shoot immediately or lose out. How fast is that pheasant flying anyway? Check the velocity on the shotshell on the box you’re using. Thirteen-hundred fps is almost 900 miles an hour, and the bird certainly isn’t moving away that quickly. You have time to step into the shot and get into the right position.
Mistake No. 3: Not inserting the muzzle ahead of the target
“There’s nothing good on the backside of the target,” Miller said. “Never get behind, and always mount the gun ahead of the target.
From the sporting clays box to the wingshooting fields, Miller breaks down his shot process into a series of repeatable steps that have become second-nature during every single station and flush.
“In wingshooting, most birds are taken with a ‘cut-off’ move, which is where the muzzle is inserted in front of the bird from a line different than that of the target — to cut it off,” he added.
In clay target situations, the cut-off move is usually applied when the shooter is moving from the first target to the second in doubles. The shooter kills the first clay and then moves the muzzle directly in front of the second to cut it off. The key is to keep the barrel moving to avoid falling behind the pace of the target. Once behind, it’s extremely difficult to catch up.
Mistake No. 4: Fearing the rabbit
Many sporting clay shooters get spooked by the “rabbit” station. The way the target is presented, bouncing along the ground at a speed likened to an aspirin shot out of a .257 Roberts, can give any shooter nervous twitches at the line.
“Remember that the rabbit is a ‘type’ of target, not just the presentation,” Miller said. “This clay is thicker and harder to break than other clays. This means that the rabbit is heavy and loses its spin faster than other targets.
Practice doesn’t make perfect, but more time spent shooting from the sporting clays box does equal more feathers in the upland vest.
“Targets break easier when they’re spinning,” added Miller. “In clay shooting, centrifugal force is your friend for an easier break.”
For this reason, Miller instructs that the shooter should almost always plan to break the target while it’s under power to take advantage of the spin. In other words, attacking a rabbit quickly gives the shooter the added advantage of centrifugal force to break that clay with a less-perfect shot.
Mistake No. 5: Not establishing a routine
“A shooting scenario can’t end the same way every time — successfully — unless you start the start the same way every time,” Miller said. The CZ-USA Pro Shooter stresses establishing a routine, and do it the exact same way regardless of the situation — every time.
“There’s always a series of steps I go through — a ritual, if you will — each and every time I enter the box,” said Miller.
Where is the target coming from?
Where can I see it the best? This is where I want to kill it.
Adjust my body and foot placement for that position.
Start the gun between where I will begin to see the bird and the point where I want to break it.
I’m looking at point A, and I’m going to break the clay when it gets to point B. I will start the gun about in the middle of these two places, at about what I call a 50 percent hold point.
After setting the Guinness World Record for most clays broken within an hour at 3,653 — that’s averaging one clay per second — Miller celebrated with a tattoo and commemorative shotgun to further exemplify a life committed to the shotgun.
For wingshooting applications, Miller suggested keeping with a routine as much as possible, carrying the gun the same way all the time — having both hands in the correct place with the barrel angled up into a safe position to maintain readiness.
And when it comes time to react when stepping into the shot — the “stutter step” that you do to position yourself and place the gun in front of the bird — do it the same way every time. Following these simple steps will put more X’s on your score sheet and more birds in the bag.
Just to be honest, I don’t except to become a shooter on the level of Dave Miller any time soon, but I do know that if I follow these tips to correct mistakes, I will hit more feathers and clays. I might even hit that dang rabbit a little more often, too.
Editor’s Notes: This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Gun Digest 2019, 73rd Edition is jammed full of comprehensive information that firearms fanatics crave. No matter if your passion is long-range rifles, fancy shotguns, gritty Old West single-action revolvers or sleek semi-auto pistols, Gun Digest 2019 delivers. Get Your Copy Now
Offered as a standalone and with the Howa 1500 barreled action, the Oryx chassis offers affordable accuracy.
What the Oryx chassis offers:
Light 4.2-pound weight
Fully adjustable length of pull and comb height
M-Lok slot on underside of forend
AICS magazine compatibility
Free floating barrel
Modular Driven Technologies makes an offer few shooters can refuse with its Oryx chassis, “A complete bolt-action rifle chassis system for under 400 bucks.” Pretty sweet, especially for those who have a yen for long-range precision on a budget.
Unsurprisingly, the Canadian company’s affordable accuracy caught the attention of Legacy Sports, who in recent years has become an epicenter of economy chassis systems. In 2019, the Nevada importer will sell both the Oryx chassis as a standalone and matched up with Howa’s 1500 barreled action, and both come in as quite a deal.
Complete rifle packages start at $1,059 and are available in 6.5 Grendel, 7.62x39mm, .223 Rem./5.56 NATO, .300 BLK, .308 Win., 6.5 CM, 6mm CM and .300 Win. Mag. This is a healthy sample of Howa’s 1500 long, short and mini actions. Staying true to its promise, the Oryx itself has an MSRP of $399 and is available for Remington, Tikka, Savage and Ruger rifles, in addition to Howa.
A one-piece integrated aluminum chassis and buttstock, the Oryx has everything you’d expect out of a chassis. This includes fully adjustable length of pull (13.25 to 15 inches) and comb height, sling swivels, rubber grips and recoil pad. When installed, it also free floats the barrel, imperative to ensure you milk all the accuracy out of your rifle.
More from Legacy Sports:
RENO, NV – (January 9, 2019) –Legacy Sports International announced the release of the ORYX by MDT now available for now available for Howa 1500 STD short actions, mini actions and long actions. The ORYX Chassis is created for the most demanding shooter by providing complete ergonomic adjustments without compromising on design or functionality.
ORYX by MDT Chassis Rifle Availability
ORYX by MDT Chassis Rifle is available for purchase through Legacy Sports International starting 1st quarter 2019. Please place your orders now through LegacySports.com.
Legacy Sports International is the North American leader for firearm imports. The company offers a wide variety of rifles, shotguns, pistols and scopes designed to meet and exceed the expectations of the most demanding shooters.
ORYX by MDT Chassis for Howa Precision Rifles
MDT worked side by side with Legacy Sports International to create a custom chassis for the Howa 1500 actions. The result was the ORYX by MDT Chassis Rifle. The ORYX by MDT Chassis is created from a full monolithic aluminum chassis with an adjustable length of pull and adjustable comb height. In addition, the large palm swell consists of an over molded grip. The ORYX by MDT Chassis has an M-LOK compatible forend and accepts AICS pattern magazines. The ergonomic fine-tuning on the ORYX by MDT Chassis Rifle enables the perfect fit to the shooter.
Additional Features:
Mini Action available in: .223 Rem, 7.62×39, & 6.5 Grendel – 20” Heavy Barrel
.300 Blackout – 16.25” Heavy Barrel
Short Action available in: 6mm CM, 6.5 CM & .308 Win – 20”, 24” & 26” Heavy Barrel
Long Action available in: .300 Win Mag
10+1 Magazine Capacity
AICS Compatible Magazine
Adjustable LOP
Adjustable Comb
Chassis available in OD Green or Gray
H.A.C.T. 2-Stage Trigger
Lifetime Warranty
SUB-Moa Guarantee
MSRP Starting at $1059
Oryx Specs
Weight: 4.2 lbs LOP: 13 – 13.5″ (Additional LOP can be achieved with a spacer kit) Material: 6061 Finish: MIL Spec Type III hard anodize Notables: Accepts AR-15 Grips (included),M-LOK pattern slots along underside of forend, Uses AICS pattern magazines,Free floating barrel
For more information on the Oryx chassis and the Howa Oryx Chassis Rifle, please visit: www.legacysports.com/.
Move over AR: The Remington 700 has already claimed and proven itself as “America’s rifle.”
Why the Remington 700 is among the best bolt-actions ever designed:
Strong action with three rings of steel supporting cartridge head.
Extremely fast lock time (3.2 milliseconds).
Known for tight barrel and chamber tolerances.
Available with two action sizes.
More than 5 million sold since 1962.
When the Model 700 was introduced by Remington in 1962, hardly anyone expected that it would dominate the rifle market for a half-century. The Winchester Model 70, in its pre-64 version, was the one that all other bolt actions were compared to at the time. The introduction of the 700 turned out to be good timing for Remington because, 2 years later, Winchester made many changes to the Model 70 that to this day make 1964 a turning point in rifle history. As is the case with most Winchester firearms, “pre-64” adds to the value.
This BDL is a .243 Winchester, one of the early models with iron sights and white-line spacers.
The 700 was the creation of the late Remington engineer Mike Walker, who died in 2013 at the age of 101. It was an update of the Models 721, 722 and 725, which were also designed by Walker. The 700 had a stronger action, promoted as having three rings of steel supporting the cartridge head — the bolt shroud, the chamber and the receiver ring. It was advertised as “the world’s strongest bolt action,” a claim that Remington still makes today.
Accuracy of the Remington 700 is excellent; in fact, it has been called the most accurate factory rifle made in the United States. Walker had given the rifle a very fast lock time (3.2 milliseconds) that contributes to its reputation for accuracy, along with the tighter bore and chamber tolerances.
The Model 700 is the most successful factory-made bolt-action rifle, with more than 5 million made to date. Remington states on its website, “For over 50 years, more Model 700s have been sold than any other bolt-action rifle before or since.” The Model 700 has been chambered for more than 50 different calibers and, over the years, has been in Remington catalogs under a staggering 900-plus SKUs (stock keeping units.)
The 700 was introduced in two action lengths and two grades, ADL and BDL. Barrels were 20 inches for standard calibers (.222 Rem., .222 Mag., .243 Win., 6mm Rem., .270 Win., .280 Rem., .308 Win., .30-06) and 23½ inches for magnums (7mm Rem., .264 Win.). A couple of years later, barrel lengths were changed to 22 and 24 inches, respectively. The ADL had a blind magazine and limited amount of pressed “checkering.” The BDL had a hinged floorplate and a stock with a fleur-de-lis pressed checkering pattern, and white line spacers at the butt plate, grip cap and the black forend tip. Initial prices were $114.95 for the ADL, $139.95 for the BDL and $15 more for magnums.
When the Model 700 came out in 1962, Remington used the occasion to introduce the 7mm Remington Magnum, which became one of the most popular chamberings. Some calibers are rare and will bring a premium on the used and collector markets. These include the .222 Rem., 6.5 and .350 Remington Magnums, 7mm Weatherby Magnum, .257 Roberts and 7×57 Mauser. Also, certain calibers are hard to find in certain models.
Most Model 700s have been, and still are, hunting rifles. The calibers offered have ranged from the .17 Fireball to the .458 Winchester, suitable for any game on earth. There have been numerous variations of hunting models, including varminters, long-range rifles, designs for younger hunters, Alaska and Africa models, extreme conditions specials and others. When you add the different types of stocks, barrel lengths and styles, sights, finishes and other options, that’s where you get the 900 SKUs.
A Model 700 .30-06 with a sling and a good scope. What more do you need?
The Model 700 tactical models are also highly respected in military and law enforcement circles. Features that set them apart from the hunting models are special stocks designs, barrels types and lengths, and finishes. Some come as special packages that are sold with scopes, bipods, cases and other accessories.
One of the rarest 700s is the EtronX VS SF, which was on the market from 1999 to 2003. While an interesting in concept, it was not a commercial success. Ammunition for the EtronX had an electronic primer, and its firing system used an electronic discharge from a 9-volt battery that provided instantaneous ignition. No moving parts meant basically zero lock time. The rifle was introduced in .22-250 Rem., .220 Swift and .243 Winchester but never became popular — just a bit radical for the mainstream shooter. However, enough were sold that Remington still makes ammunition and the electronic primers, which are needed for reloading.
Fleur-de-lis checkering pattern on an ADL Limited Edition commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Remington Company.
The Remington Custom Shop has created many special-order versions of the Model 700 over the rifle’s 57-year run. These models have different levels of engraving and wood, and from 1962 to 1983 they were known by grade designations C, D, F, Peerless and Premier. These became Grades I, II and III from 1983 to 1991. In 1992, grades were eliminated, and ever since the custom shop models have been simply called the Model 700 Custom Rifle.
Remington model 700 Estimated Values
Courtesy of Standard Catalog of Firearms, 2018 Edition.
BDL 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (2012)
NIB
EXC.
V.G.
GOOD
$1,250
$1,000
$850
$700
CUSTOM C GRADE
NIB
EXC.
V.G.
GOOD
$2,700
$2,200
$1,700
$1,200
AFRICAN PLAINS RIFLE (APR)
NIB
EXC.
V.G.
GOOD
$2,400
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
AFRICAN BIG GAME (ABG)
NIB
EXC.
V.G.
GOOD
$2,750
$2,350
$1,800
$1,250
ALASKAN WILDERNESS RIFLE (AWR)
NIB
EXC.
V.G.
GOOD
$1,400
$1,100
$850
$700
ALASKAN TI (TITANIUM)
NIB
EXC.
V.G.
GOOD
$1,750
$1,350
$1,050
$775
CLASSIC LIMITED EDITION
NIB
EXC.
V.G.
GOOD
$900
$700
$600
$500
Note: Add 25 percent for .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, 6.5 x 55 or 7 x 57
Glock extends its single-stack line with enhanced-capacity G43X and G48.
How the G43X and G48 upgrades Glock’s single-stack 9mm lineup:
10+1 capacity
Narrow width, just over 1 inch
Increased grip real estate
Front and rear cocking serrations
4-inch barrel on compact G48
Two-tone
Tight-lipped until the turn of the year, Glock has cause some rumbling with its renewed focus on its Slimline Series in 2019. Recently unveiled, the G43X Sub-Compact and G48 Compact are the newest additions to the Glock arsenal and offer some interesting twists to the gunmaker’s single-stack catalog. Essentially updated versions of the G43, the pistols are more than aesthetic upgrades to the 9mm. With more firepower and potentially easier to manipulate, the slender polymer-framed pistols are a step forward in what has already proven a popular line of guns.
So what’s new?
G48 Barrel Length
Given they both call the G43 their parent, what exactly is the difference between the G43X and G48? If you didn’t catch it from the pictures, it’s barrel length. The G48 is essentially the same gun as the 3.41-inch barreled G43X, except with a 4.17-inch barrel. The additional length should potentially make the gun easier to handle, given it is a few ticks heavier than its compatriot. Furthermore, it should have more accuracy potential, given its longer sight radius. Glock isn’t the only one that has gone this route the past decade, with other popular polymer-framed pistol makers also turning out 4-inch compact versions of their sub-compact models.
G43X And G48 Capacity
G48
When the G43 hit the scene in 2015, shooters loved its concealability, but were left somewhat up in the air with its slightly-better-than-revolver 6+1 capacity. The G43X and G48 solve this, bringing the Slimline Series close to standard compact pistols’ capacity. Granted, you get the 10+1 loadout in a much leaner frame size, an advantage over the sometimes bulky double-stack configuration.
That said, there is a piper to pay to squeeze in those additional rounds, and that is grip length. In both the G43X and G48 cases, the pistols have a 5.04-inch height with the magazine inserted, .79-inch greater than the original G43. While this modification increases firepower and grip real estate, it also increases the overall profile of the pistols. It’s not a deal-breaker for most armed citizens, but will most likely still prove a consideration among those who concealed beneath lighter attire on a regular basis.
G43X And G48 Slides
Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of the new pistols, they’re not pure black. Making them stand out among their peers, Glock has gone two-tone with the G43X and G48 outfitting them with nPVD coated silver slides. Though, that’s really secondary to the other notable on the slide – front cocking serrations. A nice addition, it should enhance manipulating the pistols, whether it’s racking the slide or press-checking the chamber.
G43X And G48 Width
G43X
At 1.06-inch in width, the original G43 still comes in as Glock’s slimiest 9mm. However, that doesn’t mean the G43X and G48 are beefed up beyond recognition. The pistols are thicker by the narrowest of margins, .04-inch. For the most part, the difference is notable on paper, but not the hip.
Price And Availablity
The G43X and G48 are set for release on January 21 and both have an MSRP of $580.
Versatile and affordable, Ruger’s Silent-SR makes going suppressed simple.
How the Silent-SR out performs other rimfire suppressors:
Compatible with .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR and 5.7×28 FN.
Manuverable 5.37-inches long.
Durible titanium tube.
Snap-together stainless-steel baffle stack.
Pig-nose baffles increase noise reduction.
You have no idea of the changes we old shooters have had to go through lately. New shooters, perusing the racks of gear, haven’t a clue of the past. Oh, old timers will moan about the loss of “quality craftsmanship,” but for most applications, a CNC machine is better than a silver-haired craftsman.
And the choices? If you had told me, back when I was learning gunsmithing, that someday Ruger would be making 1911 pistols, AR-15 rifles — and holy cow, suppressors — I would’ve laughed so hard I would have squirted coffee out of my nose. Back in those days, that possibility didn’t even appear on the horizon. And yet, here we are.
At the moment, Ruger (they are not free and easy with rumors, hints or leaks about what’s coming, so always pay attention) offer two suppressors, both for rimfires. One is a super-cool, super-trick integrally-suppressed Ruger 10/22 Takedown rifle. But it only works on the 10/22 Takedown.
The other is a “regular” threaded suppressor for use on any properly threaded .22 or other rimfire firearm. The Silent-SR (you all saw what they did there, right?) is, at first glance, just another rimfire “can.” From the outside, it looks like any other.
Well … appearances can be deceiving.
On The Inside
The Silent-SR is a basic design: a tube with baffles and end caps. However, it’s rated for an impressive list of the small stuff. It can take .22 LR and is full-auto rated for that. (Those lucky enough to take advantage of such an option, please keep it to yourselves. The rest of us are jealous enough as it is.) It can handle .22 WMR, .17 HMR and the big one here, the 5.7×28 FN cartridge. That means you 5.7 fans can now get a suppressor on your favorite tiny centerfire blaster, one that will stand up to the extra work over normal rimfires that the cartridge puts on a suppressor.
The muzzle of the author’s Ruger is threaded by the factory, and it comes with a thread protector and spring washer. Unscrew those, screw on the suppressor — and get to the fun.
Lightweight and compact, the Silent-SR is 5.37 inches long, the slightest whisker over 1 inch in diameter (1.06 inches) and weighs 6.3 ounces. Finished in flat black Cerakote, it will fit in with pretty much any rimfire firearm you care to park it on. It comes in the Ruger box, with a nylon carry pouch, with owner’s manual and a disassembly tool.
Get More Suppressor Info:
The Suppressor: How Is It Made, It Works And How To Buy One
The mount is a vanilla-plain ½-28, that is, a half-inch thread twenty-eight of them to the inch, which is the common thread pitch on all threaded rimfires — and that includes a bunch of centerfires as well.
Which brings me to a minor point: Rifles chambered in .22 LR and .223 Rem./5.56 NATO will both have threaded muzzles with a pitch of ½-28. If you’re taking a bunch of friends to the range and they’re new at this, do not let them assemble suppressors and firearms unsupervised. They won’t know not to do it, and you will be quite unhappy with the results of a .223 Rem. /5.56 NATO rifle combined with your .22LR rated suppressor.
However, in a rimfire, you’ll all have a blast. (Or not, so to speak.)
Proven Design, With A Twist
The Silent-SR is constructed the old-fashioned way, with an outer tube, internal baffles in a “stack” and front and rear end caps. But, the old-fashioned approach has been given some new twists by Ruger, and the end result is greater than the sum of the parts.
The Silent-SR, complete with carry pouch and disassembly tool.
First, the tube is made of titanium. The traditional material for the external tube of a rimfire suppressor has been aluminum. Aluminum is light, easy to machine, durable enough and inexpensive. However, Titanium is much stronger, while giving up a small but acceptable amount of weight. It’s also a lot more forgiving of heavy-handed cleaning and use, which is the one downside of an aluminum tube. Why do we worry about cleaning? Simple: Short of blackpowder cartridges, rimfire ammo — especially the lowly .22 LR — is the dirtiest ammunition you will ever shoot.
A rimfire suppressor, left uncleaned, will collect an impressive amount of powder residue, wax lubricant and flakes of metallic lead in short order. Building up range session after range session, it will soon “carbon weld” your suppressor into a single lump. That is, the buildup of gunk will make it impossible to take the suppressor apart, and the buildup will also add weight and cut down on your suppressor’s efficiency. That’s why all rimfire suppressors are made to be disassembled and cleaned.
Taking the Ruger Silent-SR apart is easy. Remove the Silent-SR from whatever firearm you’ve been using it on. Use the included disassembly tool to unscrew both the front and rear caps. Push the baffle stack out of the tube to the rear. One extra detail of the Silent-SR is that the rear cap — the mount end — has been designed so that when you wrestle the Silent-SR off of your firearm, you can’t inadvertently disassemble it.
And the extras continue: The baffle stack has been designed so each of the components snaps into the one behind it. The stack comes out as one piece, and you have to snap each baffle off of the stack to get it apart. And when you go to reassemble, you snap them back in. If you don’t snap one in, it remains misaligned with the stack, a clear indication that you are doing it wrong.
Along with the snap-apart and snap-together design, the Ruger engineers also gave you another boon. The skirt of each baffle, which is the cylindrical part that rides in the outer tube, is as close to the ID of the tube as possible. Combined with the snap-together design, it prevents the vast majority of the powder residue and other gunk from getting to the outer tube. Older designs that did not do this as well (or some, at all) meant that the powder residue was acting to lock the baffle stack inside the tube. The Silent-SR design removes almost all of that. You only get what few gases and residues that can squirt through the tiny gap between the baffle snap joints.
The disassembly tool is a simple plastic molded part, and it provides all the torque you need to loosen or tighten the caps.
So, as a result, pushing the stack out of the Silent-SR for cleaning is a lot easier.
The baffles, just like the thread mount part of the rear cap and the entire front cap, are made of 17-4 stainless-steel so you can really scrub them clean. In fact, if you want to dump them into an ultrasonic cleaner, they won’t care. (Use the correct, recommended solution, of course.)
Reassembly is also easy: just snap the baffles together. You have three types: the rear cap, the blast chamber and all the rest. The rear baffle, obviously, has to go into the rear cap, because the baffle is the thread mount. Next, you have to place the blast chamber into the mount baffle. You can tell which is the blast-chamber baffle because it’s the one that has a simple central hole through it. The rest all have what are call a “pig-nose” shape, which is meant to induce turbulence in the powder gas flow, and as a result, increase noise-dampening. All the rest can be assembled in any order.
Ruger made this easy: If you get it wrong, the assembly won’t fit. If you have to force something, stop. Needing force is a big clue that something is wrong. Find out what, correct it, and get back to proper assembly. You might notice in reassembling the stack that the rear baffle — again the mount baffle — also has a rubber O-ring on it. This is more cleverness, and it’s there to keep the gases from leaking back out of the stack, getting into the threads of the cap and seizing it to the external tube.
Installing the Silent-SR in a firearm is also easy. Make sure you have the suppressor aligned with the barrel, and rotate it until you feel the threads catch. Then spin it on until it stops, give it a snug by hand to tighten it, and get to shooting. After the first couple of magazines, check tightness again. The heat and vibration of shooting might have loosened it a bit. Snug it up again and spend your day shooting.
Silencing The Range
Unless you’ve been living in a cave someplace, you know that Ruger also makes firearms. In fact, they were making firearms with threaded muzzles before they were making suppressors, so it should come as no surprise that they can also provide you with a firearm on which to mount your Silent-SR, should you so choose. They list eight firearms families that can readily accept the Silent-SR.
Here is the stack, out of the tube but snapped together as a single unit.
I have both a 10/22 threaded for suppressors and an array of Ruger pistols, so I took the 10/22 and a new Mk IV pistol off to the range to test with the Silent-SR.
What resulted was yet another uneventful and fun day of plinking … just expending ammo. I took a bit of time to shoot some targets, but the results were pretty boring: the same size groups, and in the same location, as groups fired without the Silent-SR in place. And the best part: Even if you don’t have a threaded-muzzle Ruger rimfire, if your current rimfire is threaded and properly aligned, you can put your Silent-SR on any other rimfire.
How-To Obtain
How much is the Silent-SR? The list price is $449. Now, buying a suppressor is a bit more involved than buying a firearm (unless you happen to live in some horrible place like New York City or Southern California. New Jersey we will not even speak of.) You have to find a dealer in suppressors, and not every gun shop is licensed to do so. You’ll need to fill out an application called a Form 4 with the assistance of the dealer and mail it to the ATF, along with a check for $200. This is the transfer tax. Then you wait.
Once the transfer is approved, you then fill out the 4473 (the Silent-SR is considered a Firearm by the Feds, and thus requires a 4473 for the purchase) and then you can take it home.
Now, you may have heard of the “HPR” or Hearing Protection Act. This is proposed legislation that changes the status of suppressors at the Federal level and makes them just firearms. No $200 tax and no long wait — just the NICS check and take your suppressor home. This is proposed legislation, and until it has actually been passed, it’s no reason to delay your application and purchase.
When the Hearing Protection Act was first proposed, a lot of people just put their suppressor purchase plans on hold, waiting for the law to pass. Well, it hasn’t yet, and only a fool defers fun waiting for Congress to do the right thing.
So, we see that progress can be good, and that change might not need to be avoided. Ruger is hard at work making your plinking and other shooting less work. Such efforts should be rewarded. Get out there now and buy what you want. The fun you are otherwise putting off is your own.
Silent-SR Specs
Overall length: 5.37 inches Net length added to firearm: 5 inches Diameter: 1.06 inches Material: Titanium tube, aluminum rear cap, stainless mount, baffles and front cap Weight: 6.3 ounces Finish: Cerakote Calibers: .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR, 5.7×28 Full-auto rated: Yes Mount system available: Direct thread, ½-28 MSRP: $449
Outfitted with Crimson Trace LG-105 Lasergrips, the Performance Center Model 442 is ready for low-light duty.
How the Model 442 is set up for concealed carry:
1.875-inch barrel
Lightweight aluminum alloy frame
Crimson Trace LG-105 Lasergrips
.38 Special +P rating
Smith & Wesson has expanded its dog faithful J-Frame revolver line, introducing the Performance Center Model 442 with Crimson Trace LG-105 Lasergrips. The five-round .38 Special’s laser sight is as intuitive as can be, activating with normal grip pressure and providing fast target acquisition in low-light situations. This is the second 442 to make its appearance in the Performance Center and comes with everything you’d expect out of a pro-level revolver, including lightweight aluminum alloy frame, 1.875-inch stainless steel barrel, carbon steel cylinder, enclosed hammer and +P rating. It’s also a bit of a looker, given its two-tone finish. The MSRP of the Performance Center Model 442 with Crimson Trace LG-105 Lasergrips is $742.
More from the company:
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., (January 10, 2019) – Performance Center announced today that it has added a new, lightweight J-frame revolver to its growing line of unique concealed carry revolvers. The new Performance Center Model 442 revolver features the popular internal hammer design that is ideal for every day carry, providing a snag-free draw and quick holstering. This new revolver includes a number of hallmark Performance Center enhancements, including a sleek two-tone finish, high-polished features, Crimson Trace LG-105 Lasergrips, and a Performance Center Tuned Action.
Tony Miele, General Manager of the Performance Center, said, “For over 50 years, the J-frame revolver has provided firearm owners with an excellent personal protection firearm, designed to be lightweight and well suited for concealed carry. The new Performance Center Model 442 builds upon that heritage while delivering Performance Center enhancements designed to enrich the shooting experience. Shipping from the factory with Crimson Trace Lasergrips, the Performance Center Model 442 is a fantastic choice for concealed carry.”
Designed for concealed carry, the Performance Center Model 442 includes a Crimson Trace LG-105 laser grip with red laser for quick target acquisition in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Chambered in .38 S&W Special +P, this new revolver is double action only with a five round capacity. Additional features include a stainless steel cylinder with high-polished cylinder flutes; a high-polished thumbpiece, plate screws, and trigger; and a Performance Center tuned action for a smoother, lighter trigger pull.
The Performance Center Model 442 revolver has an MSRP of $742.
Model 442 Specs: Caliber: 38 S&W SPECIAL +P Capacity: 5 Barrel Length: 1.875″ / 4.8 cm Overall Length: 6.3″ Action: Double Action Only Grip: Crimson Trace LG-105 Lasergrips Weight: 15.0 oz / 425.2g Cylinder Material: Stainless Steel Frame Material: Aluminum Alloy
For more information on the Performance Center Model 442, please visit: www.smith-wesson.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.
