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Self-Defense: .357 SIG And .357 Magnum Ammo Considerations

By
Patrick Sweeney
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From the right gun, most .357 SIG and .357 Magnum ammo choices are the best and hardest-hitting self-defense rounds.

Pros and cons of the .357 Magnum and .357 SIG:

Pros:

  • Exceed FBI test standards for penetration.
  • Able to defeat the most common barriers.
  • Excellent performance no matter the bullet weight.
  • .357 Magnum has among the best reputations as a stopper.
  • .357 Magnum can also shoot .38 Special.

Cons:

  • Both cartridges require barrel length to achieve desired performance.
  • Given barrel considerations, carry options aren’t a fit for every armed citizen.
  • Excessive muzzle blast.
  • Recoil with full-powered loads can be excessive.

The .357s are the start of the revolver cartridges that have enough horsepower to easily pass the FBI tests. This is both good and bad. It’s good in that you can count on any of the modern bullet designs to get the job done. No new bullet, in either .357 Magnum or .357 Sig, will fail the tests. They will all, in any weight (the .357 Sig doesn’t offer many choices there, but that’s not a big deal) penetrate well past the minimum depth, expand, and do so even after passing through barriers.

colt-python

No, the problem is blast and recoil.

A .357 Magnum load in particular was the focus of stopping power inquiry a few decades ago. The 125-grain JHP was seen, even by those who were not fans of the “smaller” calibers, as having a sterling reputation as a stopper. As well it should have. The projected velocity of the 125 JHP was 1,450 fps. That was not the real velocity, of course, but that was what everyone used as their goal, their aspirational speed, if you will.

If you want power and performance in an autoloading pistol, then the Hornady Critical Duty .357 Sig delivers. Just don’t expect this out of a compact pistol. Short barrels and the Sig are not a happy combo. Image courtesy Black Hills.
If you want power and performance in an autoloading pistol, then the Hornady Critical Duty .357 Sig delivers. Just don’t expect this out of a compact pistol. Short barrels and the Sig are not a happy combo. Image courtesy Black Hills.

It came close out of a 6-inch barrel, doing high 1,300s, but out of the more-common carry gun it was between 1,250 and 1,300 fps. Which was plenty to get the job done.

Where in the 9mm the research was to produce a bullet that would expand at the velocities that could be generated, in the .357 the task was to design a bullet that would hold together at the velocities already existing.

.357 Sig

The Sig was designed to deliver the ballistics of the .357 Magnum out of an autoloading pistol. The case is essentially (but not as a practical, handloading matter) the .40 S&W necked down to 9mm. It has a capacity close to that of the .357 Magnum, and therefore can generate the same velocities as the longer revolver cartridge.

If you want compact, then this FNP does that. But chambered in .357 Sig, you are hobbling it with the shorter barrel. Better to have gone for the FN in 9mm and gained a lot more in magazine capacity. Still, it is hard to fault the accuracy.
If you want compact, then this FNP does that. But chambered in .357 Sig, you are hobbling it with the shorter barrel. Better to have gone for the FN in 9mm and gained a lot more in magazine capacity. Still, it is hard to fault the accuracy.

But, and this is important to understand, it is limited in the same way the .357 Magnum is: it needs barrel length to deliver. If you expect to get the full .357 Sig ballistics out of a 4-inch barrel, you are kidding yourself. If you go for a compact .357 Sig, you are basically doing the 9mm+P+ dance, but only with more noise and blast.

More .357 Magnum Articles:

So, if you want the full .357 Sig power, you have to be willing to pack a full-sized handgun. If you are not willing to pack the biggest one, then save yourself the hassle and step back to a 9mm, since that is about all the velocity you will be getting anyway.

.357 Magnum and .38s

The barrel of lightweight revolvers gives you a clue about limits. Pay attention so you don’t get in trouble, and know your own limits, too.
The barrel of lightweight revolvers gives you a clue about limits. Pay attention so you don’t get in trouble, and know your own limits, too.

One of the big advantages of the .357 Magnum is that revolvers chambered in it can also readily fire .38 Special ammunition. This is good, as it allows for less-strenuous practice. This is bad if you use .38s for practice and then load up with full-power .357 Magnum ammo for EDC. This was supposedly one of the problems encountered in the Newhall incident. At the time, the California Highway patrol and many other law enforcement agencies felt it entirely appropriate to practice with .38s (sometimes even soft-recoiling .38 wadcutter ammo) and then carry .357s on duty.

One problem is that the shorter .38 cases cause lead and powder residue buildup in the chambers. The bigger problem is that the practice isn’t similar enough to be useful.

If you want to use .38s in a .357 because you don’t want the recoil, and want a stronger, longer-lasting revolver, go right ahead. Just don’t think that practicing with .38 is going to fully prepare you to use your revolve when loaded with .357 Magnum ammo.

Light bullets

The lightest carry revolvers often have a warning to not use the lightest bullets. This is for good reason: the bullets will “jump the crimp” due to inertia and recoil. While it is rare for a round to pull longer (the revolver moves back, the bullet “attempts” to stay in place) enough that it will tie up a revolver in only four or five shots, you should not risk it.

This is what a full-sized pistol and Critical Duty gets you.
This is what a full-sized pistol and Critical Duty gets you.

If you want to test, fair warning: the recoil is beyond stout, it is sharp enough to be painful, and you can easily work yourself into a flinch. In fact, you probably shouldn’t use full-power .357 Magnum ammo in the lightest-available carry revolvers. It’s just no fun and you can’t really practice, just learn what your pain threshold is.

Choosing ammo

The problem is not picking what works, they all work. The problem is in picking something you can live with. In addition to the advice with other calibers (use what is reliable, use what is accurate), you can add use what you can stand to shoot.

In a certain sense, you could call me a professional shooter. I shoot more ammo on an annual basis than most people walk by at the big-box store when they go to buy ammo for a day at the range. I have shot, and continue to shoot, every handgun caliber made. Several times a week I’m at the range, and several times a year I spend a week at a class, range, seminar or other industry function. I shoot a lot.

In any revolver caliber, a longer barrel gets you more velocity. It is a trade-off between handiness and speed.
In any revolver caliber, a longer barrel gets you more velocity. It is a trade-off between handiness and speed.

I don’t find any full-power .357 Magnum ammo to be fun in any revolver below the medium-frame all-steel ones. One of my favorites is an old S&W M-65, 3-inch, in .357. That I’ll shoot a lot, but not all day. If I’m shooting all day with .357s, then they go through the M-27. The lightweights? Unless it is for an article or a test, I will only put .38s, and not a lot of .38+Ps, through them. It’s just no fun, it’s too painful and I don’t want to learn a flinch.

This will take some work and range time. That’s good, because there is no such thing as too much, and certainly there is such a thing as too little. The bad news is that this may be work, could be annoyingly painful and will take time.

Now, in the .357 Sig I have one top choice, and that is the Hornady Critical Duty. Of course, I’ll only pack it in a full-sized pistol, but boy, what performance you get.

Ammo performance chart:

.357 Sig

Brand, bulletvelocitypenetration*expansion
Sig V-Crown, 125 gr129811.5”.676”
Winchester Defend 125 gr131112.75”.581”
Fiocchi FMJTC 124 gr136631”.355”
Corbon JHP 125 gr147013.5”.614”
Georgia Arms FMJ 125 gr144929”.355”
Hornady FTX 115 gr119914.5”.568”
Hornady XTP 124 gr139415”.549”
Hornady XTP 147 gr124116.5”.504”
Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr120614”.605”
Speer Gold Dot 125 gr132915.5”.599”
Michigan Ammo FMJ 125 gr132432”.355”
Sig Sauer V-Crown 125 gr133214”.710”

.357 Magnum

Brand, bulletvelocitypenetration*expansion
Super Vel 110 gr133911.75”.546”
Black Hills XTP 125 gr**108316.75”.525”
Black Hills XTP 125 gr***134014”.589”
Hornady FTX 125 gr125713”.575”
Sig V-Crown 125 gr1394——
Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr124114.5”.604”
Aguila JSP 158 gr1183——
Federal Premium 158 gr1172——
Hornady XTP 158 gr**119918”.567”
Black Hills XTP 158 gr***122219.25”.553”
Remington L-SWC 158 gr1201——

* Bare gelatin for penetration and expansion, unless otherwise indicated
** 4” barrel
*** 6” barrel

Editor’s Notes: This article is an excerpt from Choosing Handgun Ammo: The Facts That Matter Most for Self-Defense by Patrick Sweeney.

Magnum Opus: Your Guide to the .357

6 Semi-Auto Pistol Options For Any Occasion

By
Dick Jones
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Everyone has favorites — and I’m no different — but I do get to shoot and evaluate a lot of different semi-auto pistols. Here are my favorites by category.

Sub-Sub-Compact: Ruger LCP II

Ruger-LCP-II-(1)

Of the tiny guns, my hands-down favorite is the Ruger LCP II. It was a good pistol to begin with, and they fixed everything I complained about on the original. It’s very affordable, and it’s as easy to conceal as any gun on the market. While I’d prefer a larger caliber, modern .380 ammunition is more effective for defense than the standard .38 Special round-nosed load most law enforcement carried until just a few years back. The trigger replicates a striker-fired trigger even though it has an internal hammer, the slide is easy for weak hands to operate, and it locks back on the last round. For its diminutive size, it’s reasonably easy to shoot well.

Read More: Ruger LCP II Full Review

Low-Effort Defense: S&W .380 Shield EZ

S&W-Shield-EZ

I had to create this category specifically for the Smith and Wesson .380 Shield EZ because it’s the gun I’ve been crying for. There are so many older people, especially women, who simply don’t have the hand strength to operate most guns. People with low hand strength need personal defense and they need a gun they can operate.

Read More: S&W .380 Shield EZ – Smooth Operator

Based on the popular M&P .22 Compact from Smith & Wesson, the .380 EZ is easier to operate than many .22s. The slide is well shaped for grip, the recoil spring is light, the magazine has a loading assist button and there’s a grip safety. I’d suggest the version without a manual safety because those likely to purchase this gun probably aren’t going to do the training required to operate a manual safety under duress.

Sub-Compact Single-Stack: Sig P365

Sig-P365

There are a lot of great pistols in this category. It’s the largest category of defensive guns and it’s dominated by the Smith and Wesson Shield. This is a crowded field and it’s really hard to find a bad gun in the lot. Besides the Shield, Ruger’s excellent EC9 is a great gun at a great price. The Glock 43 is the most graceful and handy of these. The Springfield Armory XDs has a grip safety, and I really like that, but I have to give the nod to the P365.

Read More: Sig P365 – Small Package, Big Performance

The SIG P365 has every feature a subcompact single-stack should have, except it isn’t a true single-stack. It isn’t a double-stack either. I’ve put it in that class because its width is just 1 inch, as narrow as other single-stacks. The remarkable thing is the capacity of 10 + 1, giving it the capacity of some double-stack pistols and a weight of just 18 ounces.

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It also has a trigger style I like. The trigger is a long, sweeping pull that’s light in weight but with a long enough stroke to make it safe to carry without a manual safety. It’s been my experience that most novices shoot better when they don’t know the exact instant the trigger breaks, preventing recoil anticipation. The price is also reasonable for the class at $599 and will likely settle down a bit more once demand catches up.

Sub-Compact Double-Stack: Springfield XD Mod 2, 3.3

Springfield-XDs-(1)

This one has to go to Springfield Armory and their excellent XD Mod 2, 3.3. With a grip that offers enough surface for sweaty hands and a passive grip safety, the shorter Mod 2 is a great pistol. The trigger is good, the passive safety makes it a great choice for less experienced shooters, and the shape of the slide makes it easy to charge and clear. I like grip safeties because defensive guns are hidden away under clothing, and inserting a pistol into a holster surrounded by loose clothing is a great way to generate an accidental discharge. It’s easy to teach new shooters to place their thumb on the rear of the slide when holstering, serving not only to help get the index finger further away from the trigger, but also assuring that the slide is in battery by press checking as the gun is inserted. The Mod 2 is easy to shoot well with great sights and a good trigger.

Compact: Glock 19

G19-(1)

There are a lot of great double-stack compact pistols at the gun shop, but I’ll probably get hate mail if I do this rundown without mentioning Glock. The Glock 19 is everything a defensive pistol should be: It’s reasonably priced, more reliable than a Ford F150 and easy to shoot well. It’s been proven since it was introduced, and the only people who say bad things about Glocks do so for emotional reasons rather than functional ones.

See Also: The Top 5 Glock Pistols For Anything

They’re not pretty, there’s no effort spent on bells and whistles, but they do everything they were designed to do … and the G19 is my favorite of the bunch.

Service-Sized Pistol: Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0

M&P-2.0-(1)

Once again, there are a lot of great choices in this category, but my choice of the best service-sized pistol is Smith and Wesson’s M&P 2.0. The improvements to the trigger and grip surfaces bring the M&P to a level of function that deserves note in a field of excellent pistols. With multiple grip inserts that are easy to change, functional sights and an aggressive grip texture that’s the best yet on a production pistol, the M&P 2.0 checks all the boxes. It also benefits from an extensive range of holster and aftermarket upgrade options.

You might notice that I didn’t include a single 1911-style pistol in my picks. Before you push the send button to tell me I’m an idiot, please take into consideration that most people who purchase defensive handguns spend almost zero time on real training and practice. While they’re great guns, 1911s and similar designs require extensive practice and training to handle effectively.

Read More: S&W M&P 2.0 Full Review

Law enforcement officers are required to train and qualify on a regular basis — and yet only a handful of departments issue traditional single-action semi-autos to their departments. This is based on painful experiences of officers having trouble operating a more complicated weapons system. In the hands of a trained up individual, these guns are wonderful and that’s why you see them in competitions, but most civilians simply aren’t proficient enough to be safe and competent with them.

While these are my choices, you likely have different preferences. We all like different things, otherwise, there would only be one gun in each category and I’d have nothing to write about. For that matter, I guess there’d only be one category.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Shooter’s Guide 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Shifting Winds: SIG BDX Changing Shooting For The Better

By
Luke Hartle
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Though it sounds complex at first, the Sig BDX system is simply a smartphone, rangefinder and riflescope combination that calculates holdover. The rest is up to you.

How the Sig BDX system is changing shooting:

  • Sig BDX smartphone app programmable for a number of rifles and loads.
  • Kilo rangefinder provides app the ballistic and environment input.
  • Sierra3 rifle scope presents the holdover in an illuminated dot.
  • System calculates real-time and alerts if a new holdover has been calculated.
  • Anti-cant system adjusts to rifle’s angle.
  • App alerts shooter if potential shot is out of range.

On May 3 of this year, I entered a conference hall in Dallas on the eve of the 2018 NRA Annual Convention and Meetings under the promise of not disclosing what I was about to see until the embargo was officially lifted at 9 am the following morning — at the open of the show. The curtain lifted, jaws dropped — and I’ve been fielding questions from readers and friends alike ever since.

SIG-BDX-3

Behind that curtain was the new Sig BDX (Ballistic Data Xchange) System, a cutting edge collaboration of rangefinder, riflescope and smartphone that makes holdover calculations so bulletproof that it almost seems unfathomable. I hate the phrase “game changer,” but if ever there was a category-revolutionizing product worthy of that moniker, this very well seems to be it.

Similar products are have been on the market for quite a while now, but each has its drawbacks. The Burris Eliminator is a great rangefinding riflescope, but it does kinda look like you’ve got a couch strapped to your rifle by the time you’re all done. And it’s arguable that no one makes a better rangefinding riflescope than Swarovski, but I could buy a pretty solid winter beater car for about the same cost.

While no product in this category is truly perfect — we are dealing with aiming solutions that involve batteries — the Sig BDX system seems to have the edge in just about every facet of the technology, and that includes price. I say “seems” because, well … this system is that new. Though the introduction was made in early May, product is now just becoming available. And because Sig has designed this beast to be a hunter’s new best friend, you need this information now to properly determine if this is an optical pool into which you want to dip your toe.

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Sig is calling the reticle around which this system revolves the “BDX-R1 Digital Ballistic Reticle,” claiming that this entire setup is capable of providing a ballistic solution out to 8000 yards with 1 MOA of accuracy. That’s bold. But — if you’ve used ballistic apps before, you should already know the “garbage in, garbage out” mantra: The information this system provides is only as good as the information you put into it.

So, let’s break this BDX System down, piece by piece, and have an in-depth look at what makes the Sig BDX System tick because it seems pretty intense at first glance. However, although the technology that goes into this system far extends the reach of my cognitive grasp, the user interface is very straight forward, and that’s what matters.

The Brains

Sig-scope

You already own the brains of the BDX System: your smartphone. Through either Google Play or the App Store, down load the “Sig BDX” app for whatever you’re packing, Android or iPhone, and create a profile much like you would on Facebook — except for your rifle: Luke’s Creedmoor, Big John … heck, maybe you’ve got a gun named “Battle Axe” after your wife (may I suggest password protecting your phone?).

The app allows for profile creation to match a handful of your rifles, and it’ll ask you all the basics — caliber, manufacturer, bullet, ballistic model — and even a few intimate details to make sure it knows your gun inside and out. Remember: This is the brain that feeds the entire system the necessary data.

If you’ve previously worked at all with a ballistic app, this is going to be old hat. And once you’re in the field, you can update the Sig BDX app with environmental conditions, including altitude, temperature, wind speed and wind direction. The more you can help BDX, the more BDX can help you in return. Precision is the name of the game here.

Via Bluetooth, exactly like when your phone tells your truck what songs to play through the speakers, the BDX app uses your smartphone to translate all your rifle’s ballistic information (remember what you shared with your app about the Battle Axe?) with the rangefinder.

The Translator

SIG-BDX-5

The Kilo rangefinder is the middle man in this system. It takes your rifle’s ballistic information and the environmental information you input into the app, and it cross-references all that with real-time range readings — and then translates and feeds that info to the riflescope.

At present, there are four Kilos in the BDX system: 1400, 1800, 2200 and 2400 — starting at $299.99. The Kilo2400BDX also features built-in environmental-reading capabilities.

Once your phone and the rangefinder are paired, the Kilo operates exactly as any other rangefinder does: Press a button to get the digital display to wake up and then press away to range to your heart’s desire — it’s talking to your riflescope via Bluetooth the entire time.

The Eyes

SIG-BDX-1

There are currently four Sierra3 riflescopes compatible with the BDX system: 3.5-10x42mm, 4.5-14x44mm, 4.5-14x50mm and 6.5-20x52mm — with prices starting at $599.99.

On the outside, the Sierra3 looks like most any other riflescope — almost. On the magnification adjustment ring, there’s a small blue light that indicates when the rangefinder has locked a range and successfully transmitted that information to the Sierra3.

Everything up to this point — the profile information uploaded to the app, the environmental data, the range provided by the Kilo rangefinder — everything has been a building block to make sure that when you look into the scope and prepare to pull the trigger, the correct holdover dot in the reticle is exactly where it should be. Place the yellow dot where you want the bullet to impact and go to work.

Peace Of Mind

SIG-BDX-10

There’s a lot going on in this system that must fall into the trust category. The beauty of this system is that you’re allowing it to completely calculate your hold point. The scary part of this system is that you’re allowing it to completely calculate your hold point.

When the Sierra3 is searching for data from the rangefinder, the blue indicator light on the magnification ring flashes slowly. When the data had been locked, the blue light glows solid. And because things can happen quickly, the light flashes quickly when there’s new holdover dot update from the rangefinder. Think of it as your riflescope letting you know what it’s thinking through Morse code. There still needs to be trust that everything is going to work and that trust must come through range time, but that little blue indicator light is a nice visual addition to affirm that all the guts are working correctly.

Just A Riflescope

SIG-BDX-7

Minus the blue indicator light (which is not really noticeable then the scope is off), the Sierra3BDX riflescopes look and operate like any other “traditional” riflescope. Each wears HD glass, a 30mm maintube, side-focus parallax adjustments and Sig’s LevelPlex digital anti-cant system. And when the system is shut down, the reticle looks like any other duplex configuration.

Changing Winds

There’s no doubt the entire BDX System is going to rattle a few cages. Sig knows this. And, quite frankly, it took me a bit of thought to settle on the moral conclusion that this entire system is set up to force the shooter to do more work on the front end though data input so that there’s less room for computation errors on the back end — during the shot.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Video: The Cane Gun And Clandestine Self-Defense Firearms

By
Gun Digest Editors
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Popular in the mid to late 19th Century, the cane gun was the choice of the well-dressed armed citizen.

Compact, polymer-framed pistols dominate concealed carry nowadays, but it wasn’t always that way. Long before the plastic fantastics and even snubby revolvers, a completely different, arguably odd class of firearms gained favor for everyday carry. Though, in many cases, the guns tended to look like anything but a gun. That was the whole idea.

Popular in the mid to late 19th Century, cane guns and other clandestine firearms were all the rage. Wholly impractical in use, the guns nonetheless gained a toehold among a particular class of armed citizen. In particular, the more gentlemanly types. At the time, the well-dressed man simply did not leave home without a cane. What better accessory to build a gun around? They’d been sticking swords into them for some time, after all.

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Cane gun manufacturers abounded, among the most regarded was Remington. From 1858 until 1888, the company produced nearly 5,000 of the firearms, originally designed by J.F. Thomas. The gunmaker first built .31 and .44 caliber black powder percussion-cap models, later .22 and .32 caliber rimfire versions. In any case, the gun delivered a thief or villain a nasty surprise, biding the owner of the secreted firearm could cock, deploy the hidden trigger and aim before having their head stove-in with a barrel stave or cobblestone. Long odds, but better than nothing.

Canes guns are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to clandestine firearms. Pocketknives, iron keys, writing utensils, pocket watches, belt buckles, you name it, at some point an inventive soul has outfitted the common object with an ignition system and trigger. Sadly, these dual-purpose gadgets typically performed subpar in their original and self-defense roles.

For more information on the NRA Museum, please visit: www.nramuseum.org.

Kimber’s Advanced Tactical Line Continues To Hit The Mark

By
L.P. Brezny
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From the first Advanced Tactical rifle to the new SOC II and SRC II configurations, Kimber continues to prove it’s much more than a high-end handgun company.

How the Advanced Tactical series excels at long-range shooting:

  • Model 8400 action parallels the stout Winchester Model 70.
  • Match-grade chamber.
  • 2.5-pound trigger.
  • Stainless steel, button-rifled barrel.
  • Monolithic aluminum stock.
  • Adjustable drop at heel and comb.

In many shooting circles, Kimber has been known as a big-time high-end handgun company. Still, the fact remains that this firearms company is also right up front in the game of supplying the military, police and civilian marksmen with high-grade, long-range tactical firearms as well.

Kimber-Advanced-Tactical-1

During some 5 years hunting Australia for commercial ‘roo and hogs, as well as covering the American West for everything from grass rats to big game, several Kimber rifles in the long-range Kimber Model 8400 group have returned some very successful results as precision shooting systems on targets that were anything but close.

As a personal rifle built by Kimber, I have coveted my Model 8400 in the Advanced Tactical .308 Win. variant of the company’s product line. These rifles were once chambered on both .308 Winchester and .300 Win. Mag. prior to the current craze covering the 6.5 Creedmoor as a long-range shooting option.

Rest assured my friends — the 6.5 Creedmoor, being Hornady’s new long-range variant, is a shooter, and I own several of these rifles as standard go-to 1,400-yard tools. However, to set aside the .308 Winchester, being the mother case for just about everything new nowadays, is not befitting in terms of my personnel reflections as to rifles and cartridges that can hit targets well into the next zip code.

Therefore, in support of this review, my own Kimber Model 8400 Advanced Tactical in .308 Winchester will be the go-to rifle regarding the workhorse side of real-time, live-fire field coverage.

This approach is not to set aside the current advancements being made by Kimber in the long-range rifle department, and as such I will parallel my views on the brand’s current models regarding field performance, and therefore keeping their new tools of the long-range road in mind along the way.

From this 100-yard target out to the 1,000-yard gong, the Kimber Advanced Tactical produced consistent sub-MOA accuracy — especially with the author’s handloads.
From this 100-yard target out to the 1,000-yard gong, the Kimber Advanced Tactical produced consistent sub-MOA accuracy — especially with the author’s handloads.

Regardless of whether you call the Kimber action a series 84-M or Model 8400, this is a Mauser long-extractor design that parallels the old-school Winchester Model 70 very closely. Why not? The old 70 has carried the mail just about forever, and as such Kimber lost no time in getting on board with this design as an example of a precision rifle action. Tack on a 22-inch match-grade chamber and barrel guaranteed to shoot ½ MOA, and you’ve got an effective long-range shooting platform.

My Kimber Advanced Tactical carries a Leupold MARK IV military-grade optic in MOA graduations, and it retains a solid, bolted weld to the 1913 mil-spec Picatinny rail. Military grade bases and rings are employed to hold the system together, and so far this has been exactly the case in terms of field performance.

The new Kimber Advanced Tactical SOC II makes use of the also new McRees Precision custom chassis stock, which uses the full-bridge Picatinny rail over the 8400-M receiver. I have indicated this information about the rifle stock because, for the most part, this is primarily what separates the two rifles.

As for barreled actions, these rifle are just about the same. Keep this fact in mind because it will help to understand the performance ability variations between the Kimber Advanced Tactical rifles (my current M8400), as well as the new chassis-stocked Advanced Tactical ll addition to the line.

Downrange Dominance

At the 100-yard mark by way of some Black Hills Ammunition 168-grain Sierra TMK’s, I drilled a three-shot sighting zero check in a clean Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-See target measuring 0.761 inches, but the group was 1 inch high. Dropping five clicks so as to be painting a dead-on 100-yard zero, it was time to turn loose a round much further downrange. My Kimber is not anything close to foreign to me, and I feel that the Leupold Mark IV optic is like a set of reading glasses. With the 2.5-pound Timney trigger, the rifle is definitely an old friend.

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Loading three rounds into the “hidden” magazine, which has sense been changed to a box designed system much like that found on the AI (Accuracy International) rifle, I set my crosshairs on the 400-yard steel after elevating my turret adjustments 5.7 MOA. My Hornady database had indicated some drop-figure firing solutions all the way to 1,000 yards, and the information given back by my computer was dead-on the money.

After sending three rounds into the 400-yard steel target, I then clicked up an additional 3.0 MOA on the elevation turret dial. I was now on an impact-corrected sight picture as applied to the 500-yard steel, and promptly sent a series of three rounds downrange. What returned to me was the solid slap of a jacked bullet against armor-plated steel for a second time.

The final flat-land shot was at the 600-yard steel, which is a 48-inch gong, with a secondary target being my AT steel torso. With my drop adjusted to 12.9 MOA, I proceeded to send eight rounds in slow fire downrange. The first round sent mud high into the air as I realized I had pulled low — then, settling down, the next seven rounds slapped the big gong hard.

As a final series of rounds for group accuracy, I shot the clean white AT target with three slow-fire rounds, which returned by a later measurement a 4.5-inch group. The Kimber was shooting sub-MOA at 600 yards.

The author’s original Kimber Advanced Tactical wears a Leupold Mark IV riflescope for working 1,000yard steel.
The author’s original Kimber Advanced Tactical wears a Leupold Mark IV riflescope for working 1,000yard steel.

Moving up and down range on the gongs with some additional two-shot sequences was about as effortless and shooting a .22 rimfire at a 5-foot-tall duck inside a closet. It was time to make a move.

Dead Horse Ridge

My range is located at a place called Dead Horse Ridge because horses are buried right under my feet in terms of where I have placed my shooting bench, high above a wide and deep valley that stretches for a full mile from north to south. This shooting position is among my very favorite because I can drive right up to it, unload my gear and be sitting at 300 feet high with a very massive prairie dog town and steel targets all lined up across the valley flats in front of me. This location is where more than one long-range shooter has developed a “feel” for the craft.

This time, I was setting up my Kimber .308 Win. Advanced Tactical rifle, with its standard-of-the-breed Kimber 8400 action, and McMillan custom composite aircraft bedded aluminum stock. My objective? I was preparing to send some 168-grain Sierra TMK’s downrange at my 1,000-yard diamond-plate gong.

Chambering my .308 Win. handloads — consisting of once-fired Lake City Match brass, Federal LR primers, 35.0 grains of Varget and topped off with the 168-grain Sierra Tipped MatchKing bullet — it was time to run the 2,844-fps rounds over the wild blue yonder toward some solid, cold steel.

For those who can appreciate how much the details matter, the air was mild at 78 degrees Fahrenheit, the winds were starting out very light out of the northwest, with a 33 percent value factor in terms of adjusting for a right-to-left bullet drift.

Kimber’s new Advanced Tactical SOC (Special Operations Capable) looks much different from the original Advanced Tactical rifle, though it wears the same honored sub-MOA guarantee designation
Kimber’s new Advanced Tactical SOC II (Special Operations Capable) looks much different from the original Advanced Tactical rifle, though it wears the same honored sub-MOA guarantee designation

With no spotter, I was forced to spot with my own rifle scope, and with the time lag of a couple of seconds between trigger press to impact, I was able to adjust my scope sights so as to observe a hit or miss at the target. In most cases, I’m also able to tip off an ear muff so as to pick up the “clang” of the steel plate upon bullet impact as well.

With the well-stocked 14-pound Kimber producing some recoil reduction, this task is not at all hard to accomplish, but it does have some effect on my follow-through. If I had been shooting the new Kimber Advanced Tactical II, the muzzle is set up for a suppressor, and this would have aided greatly in noting the sound of a bullet hitting home.

The day also provided a few additional elements that we often see when targets are located in the next zip code: At the point, I was about to send the first round downrange, a puff of wind hit my left ear at a rough angle of 25 degrees, which indicated a complete switch in the wind. Downrange, however, about 500 yards away judging by moving prairie grass, it was blowing in the opposite direction.

Not only had the wind shifted, but it was blowing my bullet impact sound away from me, and that meant two nasty events were about to take place: First, I could not hear my bullets impact, and secondly, the mud-coated earth was not about to give back an indication of a short round or wide hit air-to-ground strike bullet impact signature (“splash” as it’s call in the business.) In effect, I was shooting as blind as a bat.

Flipping off the wing-arm-style Model 70-type safety, I set a sight picture after turning up my MOA clicks 33.5 graduations. Off the high ridge, my bullet was dropping about the height of a four-story building and acting more like a bomb than a bullet by the time it reached the 1,000-yard mark. Good luck on this one, I muttered to myself as I broke 2.5 pounds of smooth trigger pull.

Silent Precision

The author zeros his “old school” Kimber Advanced Tactical. Kimber has recently released new Tactical models, boasting the same ½-MOA guarantee.
The author zeros his “old school” Kimber Advanced Tactical. Kimber has recently released new Tactical models, boasting the same ½-MOA guarantee.

After firing six timed rounds, I had no idea where — or if — I had hit. For two of the rounds I thought I could hear a dull thud, which could have indicated a couple of hits. With no point in shooting more valuable hand-made ammunition, I packed up the gear and jumped on the ATV for a check downrange.

Reaching my steel targets, I found that I’d hit the large gong with four out of the six shots fired. The bullets had gone low and right, indicating that the left-to-right winds indeed had an effect on the shots. As usual, the Kimber Advanced Tactical had come through, lacking any indication whatsoever of an issue regarding the handling of a long-range bullet.

The basic group size at 1,000 yard came in at 8.0 inches, which, like the previous 600-yard group, illustrated that the Kimber was sending sub MOA groups at 1,000 yards.

Kimber long-range rifles are available through many sources, and even my rifle — an early model — is still very much in demand. The Advanced Tactical II in .308 Win. wears an MSRP of $3,838, the Advanced Tactical SOC .308 Win. retails at $3,898, and the Advanced Tactical SRC II features an MSRP of $2,160. Patrol Police Sniper Tactical Models are available for an MSRP of about $2,158.

Kimber-Advanced-Tactical-3

With most models chambered in .308 Win. — or 7.62 NATO, if you will — the current new models are chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor as well. I believe that, with the advancement of the .300 Win. Mag. within the American Army’s sniper circles, the Advanced Tactical will come back in the .300 Win. Mag. as well.

Kimber Advanced Tactical Specs:
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Weight: 11.8 pounds
Length: Adjustable
Accuracy: Sub 0.5 MOA
Barrel: Stainless-steel
Finish: Matte black Kimpro II
Barrel Length: 22 inches
Twist Rate: Right-hand, four-groove, 1:10
Chambering: Match-grade
Muzzle: Threaded
Trigger: Factory, 3.5 pounds
Stock: Aluminum
Length Of Pull: 13.7 inches
Stock: Folding
Accessory Rail: M-Lok, night vision mount
Magazine: Box, 5-round
Safety: Three-position, Model 70-type wing
Action: Mauser long-claw extractor

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Long-Range Shooting 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

If You Had To Pick Just One Cartridge, What Would It Be?

By
Philip Massaro
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6

Choosing an all-around cartridge requires a bit of honest soul searching.

How to pick an all-around cartridge:

  • Accept no one cartridge does it all.
  • Figure out what class of game you’ll hunt most.
  • Consider the overall availability of the cartridge.
  • Choose one you are comfortable with and can master.

I’m often asked by prospective rifle buyers which cartridge to choose for an all-around hunting rifle. It’s a difficult question to answer, because everyone’s bucket list is different, and there are so many good choices on the market today. Some like the traditional, highly popular cartridges, and some prefer to walk a different path — and it’s that variety that makes the decision so interesting.

All-Around-Cartridge-10

To answer the question properly, we’ll need to identify exactly which species and hunting situations you’ll anticipate the rifle will handle, and then move forward from there. If you’re an avid whitetail deer hunter and that’s your primary focus, the answer could lie in cartridges ranging from 6mm up to the .30 calibers, with many great choices in between.

The 6.5mm cartridges are a wonderful choice for the deer hunter, offering a flat trajectory and fantastic performance in the wind. They will neither pound your shoulder to bits nor generate a ton of bloodshot meat, providing you select one of the milder cartridges. Certainly, the .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield will also make a fantastic choice for the deer hunter, as the lighter 150- and 165-grain bullets give respectable hunting trajectories and plenty of horsepower for any deer, anywhere.

Likewise, any of the moderate 7mm cartridges are a good choice, as the 140- to 160-grain bullets make wonderful deer medicine. It may come down to availability, which will explain the continued popularity of the .30-06 Springfield and .308 Winchester (or does the success of the cartridge dictate availability?), but if you choose a 7×64 Brenneke — a cartridge certainly worthy of the “all-around” moniker — you’re most definitely going to have trouble finding ammunition at a rural sporting goods store.

If you want your cartridge to handle species larger than deer, the rifle game changes, as does the definition of the all-around cartridge. If your dreams include elk, moose and bear, perhaps the minimum bore diameter needs to increase slightly. The 6.5mm through .308-inch calibers have certainly taken the larger ungulates cleanly, but for me a sensible all-around choice starts at 7mm, as the capability to launch the 175-grain bullets makes a lot of sense. The .280 Remington, 7mm Remington Magnum, .30-06 (again) and .300 Winchester Magnum all make perfect sense, mainly due to the balance of manageable recoil and energy delivered.

More ammunition articles:

Bump up to dangerous game, and you’ll meet yet another definition of “all-around.” Brown bears, bison, water buffalo, elephant, Cape buffalo and other big beasts require a different level of power. Most of the African countries have a caliber minimum of .375-inch, and while that makes sense, there a number of choices of cartridges within that bore diameter and the neighboring .40 calibers. Likewise, if Africa and its legal minimums are not something that appeals to you, the choice may change yet again, with the .338 Winchester Magnum and .35 Whelen neatly handling the big bears and large moose as well.

Again, this is a highly subjective topic. Let’s look at some of the classic scenarios, so you can choose your own in a smart, effective manner.

Worldwide: One And Done

If you’re sincerely after one rifle to hunt the entire world, there are very few choices. The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum — while it will handle a bull elephant just fine — is actually a flat-shooting rifle that makes a logical choice for smaller game, including many of our species here in North America. The 300-grain bullets are a perfect choice for brown bears, including the huge Kodiak, as well as making an excellent moose rifle. The lighter bullets — say 250, 260 and 270 grains — will handle elk and moose, as well as black bears. Load a monometal 230- or 235-grain bullet in the .375 H&H and you’ll see muzzle velocities of around 2,800 fps, making for a flat-shooting rifle along the lines of a .338 Winchester Magnum. I have buddies who love their .375, and they take them out for deer hunting annually, resulting in clean kills (obviously) and very little ruined meat.

The .30-06 Springfi eld offers a wide diversity of bullet choices, as well as a wide diversity of hunting applications.
The .30-06 Springfi eld offers a wide diversity of bullet choices, as well as a wide diversity of hunting applications.

Before you cock an eyebrow and question the sanity of the author, please realize that the .375 H&H is considered the perfect cartridge for a mixed-bag safari, and that in addition to Cape buffalo and elephant, it’s responsible for a large number of impala, bushbuck, reedbuck and even duiker and steenbok, all of which are smaller than our whitetail deer. If you feel that a 300-grain bullet is a bit too light for the biggest game animals, look to the 350-grain Woodleigh Weldcore and FMJ. They are available as a component bullet and as loaded in the Norma African PH ammunition line.

Many of the same attributes of the .375 H&H can be said about the .375 Ruger, though ammunition is nowhere near as plentiful. That most certainly plays a role in choosing an all-around cartridge, especially while travelling abroad. The various .416s, and I’ll include my personal favorite .404 Jeffery, offer a similar level of flexibility, but with an emphasis on the heavier end of the spectrum. The 400-grain bullets handle the big game perfectly, and with a marked improvement, but they give up the lower end of the spectrum. They bottom out at about 300 grains, while topping out at 450 grains, but they are geared much more toward being a true big game rifle. For the most flexibility, look to the .375 H&H.

North America: One And Done

If staying in North America and you want to purchase a rifle for all of our game including the biggest bears, think about a cartridge that has the capability of launching a 250-grain bullet of decent diameter. Yes, I know that many of the biggest bears are killed each year with a good old 180-grain .30 caliber, but that’s not nearly as effective as one of the .338s or .35s.

The .243 Winchester can be a great all-around cartridge for the deer/coyote hunter, but it will have trouble handling larger game.
The .243 Winchester can be a great all-around cartridge for the deer/coyote hunter, but it will have trouble handling larger game.

Though a rarity, I feel the .338-06 A-Square makes a great all-around choice, as it can use bullets from 176 grains (in the Cutting Edge Raptor) up to 250 grains. But, it hasn’t really caught on — for reasons I can’t explain — so getting ammunition can be difficult, but it does exist. The .338 Winchester Magnum — once touted as the definitive elk cartridge — is absolutely a candidate for the North American all-around cartridge. It has the aforementioned range of .338-inch bullets and it can handle some of the 275-grain component bullets if you really want to get heavy.

The .35 Whelen and .358 Norma Magnum will push the 250-grain .358-inch bullets to respectable velocities, handling North America’s heavyweights, but you give up quite a bit on the low end, and I feel the .338 Winchester’s popularity makes it the most readily available of this lot. It can also be snotty off the bench — I prefer the .375’s recoil over the .338 Winchester’s — but it is very effective in the field.

At the very bottom of the spectrum for the heavyweights, I feel the .30-caliber cartridges with 200- or 220-grain bullets can get the job done. If you’re the guy who plans maybe one or two hunts for the great bears of the north and absolutely refuses to purchase another rifle for the trip, a .30-06 or .300 Winchester loaded with heavy, premium bullets will serve as an all-around choice.

Deer: One And Done

The .35 Whelen is a cartridge capable of handling large North American game.
The .35 Whelen is a cartridge capable of handling large North American game.

Coming down to the deer/sheep/elk/antelope class, there are a multitude of choices that will serve. Bullet construction has certainly changed the old adages and caliber minimums; the bullets that our grandfathers used were certainly not as tough as the selection we have here in the 21st century. Jack O’Connor championed the .270 Winchester, and he was heavily criticized by Elmer Keith — but had Keith seen the modern bullets we have today, he may very well have changed his mind. And yes, the .270 Winchester is a perfectly viable elk gun. For elk, I feel a bullet weighing between 140 and 250 grains, of appropriate sectional density (above 0.270) should get the job done very well.

Even among the deer hunting cartridges, the species and location of deer can affect the choice. A whitetail buck in the south is not the same as a whitetail buck in Saskatchewan, and while a 6mm cartridge may be perfectly adequate for the former, I’d recommend a larger bore for the latter. Add in the possibility of larger-bodied mule deer, or a distant shot on a Dall’s sheep, Coues deer or pronghorn antelope, and you have to really think about what you’re going to purchase.

As I stated earlier, I like the 6.5mm cartridges for an all-around deer gun, and I like the 7mms and .30s just as much. For an all-around cartridge in this class, I’d like it to be able to use bullets between 120 and 180 grains, and to be able to retain at least 1,000 ft.-lbs. of energy at the 400-yard mark. This includes the faster .25 caliber cartridges through the .30s, with a muzzle velocity between 2,500 and 3,000 fps with a bullet on the heavier side of average should suffice.

Looking at all these ideas, it’s really no wonder why the .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, .270 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor and .300 Winchester Magnum remain such fantastic sellers: They cover quite a few bases and deliver all the performance that many hunters will ever need. It’s also no surprise that the .375 H&H Magnum remains so popular among the Northern hunters here in North America and among so many African hunters. All these cartridges are relatively mild, in comparison to the huge-cased super-magnums, yet offer a definite ballistic advantage over the .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Government, which are constrained by flat-nose bullets and a rainbow-like trajectory.

Availability Matters

The .375 H&H Magnum is equally at home among large North American game as it is among large African game.
The .375 H&H Magnum is equally at home among large North American game as it is among large African game.

In my opinion, to classify a cartridge as an all-around choice, ammunition needs to be readily available. There are many choices that offer a ballistic formula which mimics or equals those we consider a perfect all-around choice, which are simply difficult to obtain. Certainly the 7mm WSM offers a sound ballistic formula; a game animal would never know whether the 7mm bullet was launched from a WSM cartridge or a belted Remington Magnum. But owning a rifle chambered for 7mm WSM comes with the issue of finding a reliable source of ammunition.

The same can be said for some of my other favorites, which are admitted rarities. The 6.5-284 Norma — which is my personal favorite among the herd of 6.5mm cartridges — has fewer choices among the factory loadings than I would like to see, and while I can handload all the ammunition I’ll ever need for it, it’s hard to find on the shelves of smaller gun shops. My beloved .318 Westley Richards, an admitted rarity with wonderful and highly usable ballistics, has but one factory offering, and the availability of that is spotty at best. The 7×64 Brenneke I mentioned earlier is the ballistic twin of the .280 Remington and perfectly viable for hunting the majority of the world’s popular game animals, but it suffers from the same ammunition drought. The .300 Holland & Holland Magnum sits comfortably between the .30-06 and the .300 Winchester — just about perfect as an all-around cartridge — but it has been pushed off the stage.

Should we all own at least one rifle in the top-selling hunting calibers? It might not be a bad idea, especially if you plan to travel, but I’ve always championed the oddballs as well as the safe, sensible choices. My choices for a two-gun traveling battery began as a .300 Winchester and .375 H&H, but somehow morphed into a .318 Westley Richards and .404 Jeffery over the years. Either combination would suffice, but I appreciate the nostalgia of the “different” cartridges, especially those of yesteryear that have fallen to the wayside. I doubt there’s a hunting situation where either pair would have an advantage, considering the shooting distances on my hunts are usually within 200 yards. But, undeniably, the ammunition for the .300 Win. Mag./.375 H&H combo is much easier to come by than for the latter.

So, when shopping for your next purchase, sit down and mentally evaluate exactly what you’ll be asking of the cartridge. Even if you hunt in the thick woods, having a rifle with the capability of handling a bean-field shot isn’t a bad thing. I know I’ve ended up hunting places I could never have imagined as a younger man, and it was nice to be able to simply change the bullet style or shape to take my old favorite “all-‘rounder” to some new hunting scenario, affording me the comfort of a rifle I know very well, albeit in a strange land.

All-Around-Cartridge-12
The author’s African battery began as the .330 Winchester Magnum and .375 H&H [left], but it has morphed into the less popular, but nostalgic, .318 Westley Richards and .404 Jeffery [right].
Oftentimes, the top-selling cartridges are selling so well for a reason: They really do get the job done across the board.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Picking Up The Pace With The Ripcord Speedloader

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0

Slight, light and effective, the incredibly simple Ripcord Speedloader represents the next step in defensive revolver technology.

How the Ripcord Speedloader give you an edge:

  • Reloads take a split second.
  • Lightweight compared to other speedloaders.
  • Smaller circumference and height.
  • Intuitive grip and rip action.
  • Extremely economical.

Revolvers are reassuring. Yes, contrary to popular belief, they can malfunction. But, more times than not a trigger pull results in a bang, not a click – particularly if properly maintained. This clockwork reliability, more than anything, is what keeps the good ol’ wheelgun a top choice for a conceal carry, especially for those who desire a simpler manual of arms.

Ripcord-Speedloader

Well, almost. One area where revolvers lag behind in the simplicity department, at least compared to their semi-automatic cousins, is reloading. Heaven forbid five or six shots don’t do the job, because getting one back into the fight is a molasses affair in contrast to pistols. Certainly, speedloaders simplify the process and, as their name promises, hustles up reloading. Yet, another problem crops up with most of these options in their unwieldiness.

To a degree, CK Tactical has lessened these issues with the introduction of the Ripcord Speedloader. Slight, light and effective, the incredibly simple system represents the next step in defensive revolver technology. I’d hasten to say, the only drawback of the Ripcord Speedloader is someone didn’t cook up the concept years ago.

Essentially the Ripcord is a strip of molded plastic, with retention clips for five or six rounds of .357 Mag. or .38 Spc. ammunition, that locks in on itself to form a ring. This makes it fairly reminiscent of traditional HKS and Safariland speedloaders, but this is also where the similarities end. Operation of CK Tactical’s device is much simpler, only requiring a pull of the locking tab to release the rounds. And it only takes a split second to achieve, in a much more intuitive fashion. There’s no button to search for or dial to crank. Furthermore, the motion of emptying the Ripcord also clears it from the cylinder, thus makes it quicker to close and get back to its job.

More Concealed Carry Articles:

While speed is what will catch most shooters’ attention with the Ripcord, it’s not the only reason to give the speedloader a look. Convenience is perhaps its greatest asset. Given it’s a strip of plastic, it adds virtually no weight to what you’ll carry. Additionally, since there’s no release button, its stature is considerably less than traditional models – merely the length of your ammunition is all you’ll contend with. Also, it has an overall smaller circumference.

Yes, it still forms a bulky circle, which is always a challenge. But overall it’s much more manageable than most traditional options.

The downside to the Ripcord, it does require practice to master. You should expect that with any concealed carry gear. And, the speedloader doesn’t appear as if it would play well with tight-fitting clothes where retrieval might unlock the unit. This is solved easily enough with carrying the Ripcord in a coat pocket or opting for different apparel – nothing new for armed citizens.

Overall, though, the Ripcord Speedloader seems to have a wealth of potential, especially for the price. At $10 for a pack of two, there are few other true speedloader options out there that can compete.

Nowadays, new innovations for the age-old revolver design are rare. That comes with the territory. But CK Tactical has certainly found a way to push the wheelgun’s defensive usefulness forward with the Ripcord Speedloader. That’s no small accomplishment.

5 Shot Model Fits:
Charter Arms, Rossi: 68; Ruger: SP101, LCR; S&W: 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 49, 60, 340, 360; Taurus: 85, 605, 651, 851.
6 Shot Model Fits:
Charter Arms; Chiappa: Rhino; Dan Wesson; Rossi: 971, 951, 851, 351; Ruger: GP100; S&W: 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 64, 65, 66, 67, 586, 686, 581, 681; Taurus: 606, 65, 66, 80, 82.
MSRP: $10 pack of two.

For more information on the Ripcord Speedloader, please visit: www.cktactical.com/.

Video: The Guns That Made It Through 9/11

By
Gun Digest Editors
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0

Beaten and battered, these 9/11 survivors serve as a tribute to the heroism of first responders that day.

As expected from a renowned institution such as the NRA Museum, there is an arsenal’s worth of world-class and pristine guns. Yet, among the most cherished firearms in the collection are two that break that mold. They are beat-up, scorched and bearly met what would most consider the definition of a gun any longer. Yet, their history and what they survived make them as unique as the men who carried them.

New York Police Officers Walter Weaver and John D’Allara each rushed into the World Trade Center after the terror attacks of 9/11. Working to save trapped victims, like many first responders that day, ended up costing both them their lives when the towers collapsed. Recovered from the ashes, Weaver’s Model 640 backup revolver and D’Allara’s 5906 service pistol now hold places of honor in the Museum’s law enforcement display.

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Finishes fire stripped and frames battered, the handguns aren’t much to look at, especially if you heart thumps over the expertly maintained. But aesthetics are beside the point with these guns. Beaten as they may be, the guns speak volumes to the valor and courage shown in the face of one of the country’s most tragic events. And they go way beyond the men who carried them, serving as a reminder of all the men and women who lost their lives so others might survive. 

For more information on the NRA Museum, please visit: www.nramuseum.org.

Small But Mighty SAINT Edge Pistol

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Optimized for CQB, Springfield Armory’s SAINT Edge Pistol offers big performance in a small package.

What are the SAINT Edge Pistol’s features:

  • 24.6- to 28.5-inch length
  • Around 6-pound weight
  • 10.3-inch barrel
  • Adjustable flip-up sights
  • Maxim Defense CQB 4-positions brace
  • SA single-stage match trigger
  • Carbine-length gas system
  • Full-length M-LOK compatible handguard

One of the more dynamic gun designs to gain traction in recent years is the AR pistol. Certainly, it occupies strange territory — too big to efficiently conceal, too small to get everything out of a rifle cartridge. Yet, despite this awkward position, the AR pistol is vastly useful. Outside of short-barreled rifle, no other gun provides a more overwhelming advantage in CQB — where nimbleness and mobility can win the day.

Saint-Edge-Pistol-2

Springfield Armory is taking another crack at this configuration with what amounts to a rather intriguing addition. A shrunk down version of its top-line AR, the SAINT Edge Pistol aims at the premium end of the market and shoots for the same level of performance. Does it? That’s for time to tell, but it certainly boasts a heck of brace system.

That’s the eye-catcher of the rig, a Maxim Defense CQB brace with plenty of play in adjustment. Shooters have a full 2 inches of length at their disposal, all but ensuring they have a solid handle on the 5.56 NATO pistol, whether they shoot two handed or one. Furthermore, it’s anything except flimsy, with twin steel struts making up the heart of the system.

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  • SCAR 20S Brings MK20 SSR Accuracy To Civilians
  • Springfield Armory Releases 10mm XD(M)

Other notables on the SAINT Edge Pistol include fully adjustable flip-up sights, full-length M-LOK compatible handguard, lightweight (just under 6 pounds), Accu-Tite tension system receivers, forward handstop and adjustable gas block. The final feature is nice if you ever happen to thread on a suppressor. Though, getting all these goodies comes at a price, with the SAINT Edge Pistol ringing up at $1,559.

From the company:

GENESEO, ILL. – Springfield Armory’s brand new SAINT Edge Pistol combines the most popular features of the most premium ­SAINT in the lineup with the compact shootability of a pistol platform.

With the same features that make the SAINT Edge a premium rifle, the SAINT Edge Pistol in 5.56 allows for maximum portability and ease of use in close quarters. The lightweight billet-machined lower receiver compliments the patent-pending full-length free float handguard, and the 10.3” lightweight 1:8 twist CMV barrel creates a comfortable, quick-handling and versatile platform. The rugged Maxim Defense CQB adjustable pistol brace reduces size, stabilizes recoil, and enhances accuracy in one or two-handed operation.

The lower receiver is machined, rather than forged, from aircraft grade 7075 T6 billet aluminum, and features Springfield Armory’s proprietary adjustable Accu-Tite™ tension system, designed to eliminate movement between the upper and lower receivers. A crisp SA match short reset trigger system provides the feel of a competition trigger in a tactical platform. The flat-top upper receiver is Type lll hard-coat anodized 7075 T6 aluminum, with a forward assist and M4 feed ramps for reliable cycling. The enhanced M16 bolt carrier group is finished with super-hard Melonite® and carries a premium 9310 HPT/MPI steel bolt, superior to Mil-Spec. The charging handle is Springfield Armory’s exclusive mid-size design for enhanced operation.

The patent-pending slim free-float aluminum handguard is M-Lok compatible to give you an almost unlimited choice of accessories, with multiple mounting points for slings, lights and other equipment. An aluminum forward hand stop is included to keep your support hand clear of the muzzle. Under the handguard, a carbine-length, multi/mode adjustable gas block allows for tuning to specific ammo or suppressor use, and is pinned to the barrel for reliable operation, eliminating the concern of the block coming out of alignment. Unlike other “optics ready” pistols that are unusable out of the box, the Edge Pistol comes complete with front and rear spring loaded flip-up sights, allowing you to take this SAINT immediately to the range. The ½ MOA windage adjustable dual aperture rear sight, and ½ MOA elevation-adjustable front sight can be folded down or used to co-witness with optics.

The compact SAINT Edge Pistol is the perfect companion for personal defense. At just 24.6” with the brace collapsed, and weighing only 5 lbs, 11.5 ounces, the newest SAINT pistol from Springfield Armory delivers a lot of power in a small package.

Saint-Edge-Pistol-3
SAINT Edge Pistol Specs:
CALIBER: 5.56x45mm (.223 REM)
LENGTH: 24.6″ Collapsed / 28.5″ Extended
WEIGHT: 5 lbs 11.5 oz
UPPER RECEIVER: Forged Type III Hard Coat Anodized, 7075 T6 Aluminum
LOWER RECEIVER: 7075 T6 Billet w/ Accu-Tite™ Tension System
BARREL: 10.3″ Lightweight Profile CMV, 1:8 Twist, Melonite®
GAS SYSTEM: Carbine Length .625, SA Low-Profile Adjustable Gas Block
TRIGGER: SA Match Single Stage w/ Short Reset
SIGHTS: Front: SA SPring Loaded Flip-Up, 1/2 MOA Elevation Adjustable, Rear: SA Spring Loaded Low Profile Flip-UP, Dual Aperture Sight, 1/2 MOA Windage Adjustable
TRIGGER GUARD: Integral to Receiver
PISTOL GRIP: Bravo Company Mod 3
HANDGUARD: M-Lok Aluminum SA Patent Pending Free FLoat w/ SA Locking Tabs & Forward Hand Stop
FOREARM BRACE: Maxim Defense CQB, Adjustable 4-Positions
BUFFER ASSEMBLY: Maxim System
RECEIVER EXTENSION: Integral w/ Maxim System
CHARGING HANDLE: SA Mid-Size
BOLT CARRIER GROUP: Enhanced M16, Melonite®, HPT/MPI 9310 Steel Bolt
MAGAZINE: 1 – 30 Round Magpul PMag Gen M3
CASE: Soft Pistol Case
MSRP: $1,559.00

For more information on the SAINT Edge Pistol, please visit: www.springfield-armory.com.

Aussie-Style Accuracy With The Lithgow LA102

By
Jon R. Sundra
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0

The Lithgow LA102 has no problem dishing out sub-MOA pills, one after another.

What the Lithgow LA102 offers:

  • Cold-forged, military-grade steel barrel.
  • High-tensile steel receiver.
  • Three lug bolt.
  • Adjustable length of pull.
  • Available in .223 Rem., .243 Win., .308 Win and 6.5 Creedmoor.
  • 2.9-pound trigger pull.
  • Picatiny rail for optics addition.
  • Threaded Muzzle.
  • Three-postion thumb safety.
  • Walnut Stock.

One of the more dynamic gun companies of the past decade has been Legacy Sports of Reno, Nevada. Once known primarily as the importer of the Howa line of centerfire rifles and barreled actions, the company has gradually diversified to where in addition to Howa, it now represents Lithgow Arms, Webley & Scott, Escort, Pointer and Citadel, which together have virtually every firearm type covered — from semi-auto, slide action, O/U and break-open single-shot shotguns, to bolt-action rimfire and centerfire rifles and M1911 handguns. And with their NikkoStirling line, Legacy has riflescopes and other electronic sighting devices as well.

The Lithgow LA102 Laminate in .308 Win. as tested with a Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-18x44mm scope in Warne QD lever rings weighed 10½ pounds.
The Lithgow LA102 Laminate in .308 Win. as tested with a Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-18x44mm scope in Warne QD lever rings weighed 10½ pounds.

Legacy’s latest acquisition is the Lithgow line of bolt-action rimfire and centerfire rifles from Australia. That this company would introduce a line of sporting rifles was pretty much an inevitable no-brainer, because Lithgow has been Australia’s national armory since 1912. From Gallipoli to Afghanistan, Australian Defense Forces have carried Lithgow small arms into battle.

The country’s current martial arm is the F90, a selective-fire assault rifle in 5.56×45 NATO that has gained quite a reputation among various armed forces and law enforcement agencies around the world. Lithgow, incidentally, is also the name of the town in New South Wales where the factory is located that employs 130 people.

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For their bolt-action sporting rifles, Lithgow started with clean sheets of paper, the results of which are the Model LA101 Crossover rimfire and the LA102 centerfire, both of which were introduced last year. The Model 102 was originally introduced only in a black synthetic stock but it’s now available in a brown wood laminate as well. It, along with the 6.5 Creedmoor chambering, are new this year, but the Creedmoor won’t be available for another couple of months, so the .308 Win. version got the nod.

A Growing Fat-Bolt Family

Not surprisingly, the Lithgow folks chose to go with the “fat bolt” tri-lug system for the 102. I say “not surprisingly” because most of the truly new bolt-action rifles introduced in the United States and in Europe during the past decade have adopted this design approach. When coupled with a tubular receiver and an injection-molded stock, a highly accurate, serviceable rifle can be produced more economically than can your typical Mauser-type design.

The rear of the receiver is machined to perfectly match the top line of the grip.
The rear of the receiver is machined to perfectly match the top line of the grip.

Two perfect examples are Winchester’s XPR and Ruger’s American, both of which are priced substantially lower than their flagship siblings — the Model 70 and M77 Hawkeye, respectively. That’s not to say that all rifles of this genre are “value priced” and selling in the $500 range. It’s just that if a manufacturer wants to produce a budget-class rifle, the fat-bolt tri-lug is the way to go.

In the case of the Lithgow 102, however, its suggested retail price of $1,499 has it competing with Weatherby‘s Mark V, Winchester’s Model 70 Super Grade and the pricier models in Browning’s X-Bolt line. You all know the defining characteristics: The bolt body is fatter than a Mauser-type bolt, allowing the locking lugs to be formed by relieving metal at the head.

The Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-18x44mm LRTS scope proved a handsome match and an enabler to the accuracy of the test gun.
The Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-18x44mm LRTS scope proved a handsome match and an enabler to the accuracy of the test gun.

However, inherent with the design is that the depth of the locking lugs is limited, so there has to be more of them. Normally there are three, but with the Austrian Roessler 6 there are two rows of three, and with the Weatherby Mark V Magnum, there are three rows of three for a total of nine locking lugs. The number of lugs notwithstanding, all are oriented on 120-degree centers, making for a shorter bolt rotation (handle lift). With there being no protruding lugs, only a round hole is needed for the raceway in the receiver, which allows closer tolerances between the two. The result is a much smoother and wobble-free bolt travel and faster-cycling action.

Under The Lithgow’s Hood

The 102’s receiver starts out as round bar stock, so it’s tubular. Lengthwise flutes are milled into the sides below the stock line to reduce weight, as are the facets milled into the upper sides of the receiver at the “10:30” and “1:30” positions to lend a hexagonal look. Like all other actions of this type, the ejection port is minimally sized to retain as much rigidity to the receiver as possible.

The bolt head of most tri-lug actions look exactly like that of the Lithgow 102.
The bolt head of most tri-lug actions look exactly like that of the Lithgow 102.

The 15-slot Picatinny rail is so well machined that it can almost pass for being integral; in fact, the catalog states that it is integral, but it’s not. Unlike most tubular receivers, this one does not employ a separate washer-type recoil plate sandwiched between the barrel shank and receiver face like the Remington 700, Savage 100-series or Mossberg Patriot, among others. Rather, a simple transverse slot is milled into the underside of the receiver ring that engages a steel plate imbedded in the stock. It’s just another way of transferring recoil forces and it’s as effective as any.

The bolt stop/release is a simple pivoting lever at the left side of the receiver bridge that also serves as a bolt guide, without which the bolt would rotate freely once out of battery. This characteristic is shared by all fat-bolt systems. Like its 22-inch hammer forged barrel and bolt handle, the entire receiver is Cerakote finished in a matte silver that closely resembles raw stainless. It’s quite handsome.

The test gun proved to be exceptionally accurate. Shown here are the three best groups, but the other two averaged 0.76 for a five-group average under 0.60 inches!
The test gun proved to be exceptionally accurate. Shown here are the three best groups, but the other two averaged 0.76 for a five-group average under 0.60 inches!

Looking at the head of the bolt, you could be looking at one out of a Winchester XPR, Ruger American, T/C Venture, Merkel M16, Franchi Momentum, Sabatti Saphire, Sauer 100 or a Steyr SM12, for that’s how similar are the bolt heads of tri-lug fat bolt actions! All have recessed faces, employ plunger-type ejectors, and all have their extractors sliding radially within a T-slot in the face of the right-side locking lug.

Here’s the bottom line: Once you commit to this design, there’s not a lot of room for originality. But, then again, it all works so seamlessly there’s no incentive to do so. That’s why there are now 17 tri-lug rifles available in the United States marketplace manufactured here and overseas that share the exact same design and functional characteristics.

The action and magazine are long enough for standard (.30-06 length) cartridges, so the latter is baffled for the shorter .223 Rem., .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win. chamberings.
The action and magazine are long enough for standard (.30-06 length) cartridges, so the latter is baffled for the shorter .223 Rem., .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win. chamberings.

Anyway, at the rear of the bolt we find the fire-control system, and it’s fully contained within the cap or shroud, thus being similar to that of a Model 70 Winchester. When pulled rearward from its 3 o’clock “fire” position to an approximate 4:30 position, the firing pin is locked, and so is the action. This makes it different from all other three-position Model 70-type safeties because it’s normally the middle position that engages the safety — but does not lock the bolt. In this middle position, the bolt can be removed, and by depressing a small button on the shroud, the firing pin assembly can be pulled free of the bolt body for routine maintenance. Rotating the wing to the 6 o’clock position keeps the safety engaged and locks the bolt.

Because the fire control system is fully contained within the bolt shroud, the fully adjustable trigger mechanism, which is housed in a massive non-ferrous casting, houses nothing but the trigger system. The adjustment screws are of course set and sealed at the factory, so I assume tampering would void any warranty.

The 102 comes with a 5/8 x 24 threaded and capped muzzle, thus is brake/suppressor ready. The .223 Rem. version is threaded ½ x 28.
The 102 comes with a 5/8 x 24 threaded and capped muzzle, thus is brake/suppressor ready. The .223 Rem. version is threaded ½ x 28.

With this gun, the recoil plate also serves as a bedding surface for the receiver ring. That, and a small steel platform that engages the rear action screw are the only support points for the receiver. It’s similar to true pillar bedding in that the receiver is supported at only two small contact points. The hammer-forged barrel is fully floated from the receiver on out.

The one-piece single-stack polycarbonate magazine is among the very best of its type. It weighs nothing, it’s virtually indestructible, it has integral feed lips that can’t be bent and it’s easy to charge. Cartridges feed almost effortlessly, and the magazine itself is independent of the stock. In other words, when lifting the barreled action free of the stock, the magazine and its release button come with it. The stock, then, serves only to protect the magazine and provide a handle for the rifle.

The magazine is independent of the stock. Many drop mags, especially European rifles, are stock dependent.
The magazine is independent of the stock. Many drop mags, especially European rifles, are stock dependent.

The stock is comprised of 1/16-inch veneers of firearms-grade maple laminate, which makes it just about as inert as a synthetic — and a helluva lot more attractive! Of course, laminates are a bit on the heavy side compared to synthetics of the same geometry — in this case, 8.2 pounds for the laminate vs. 7.7 for the synthetic.

Lending a rather distinctive look to this rifle is the butt hook directly behind the grip cap. It does provide more room for the left hand to squeeze and slide the rear bag for minor elevation adjustments, but the area behind the cut-out is virtually parallel with the bench, so you don’t have near the adjustment latitude that an angled, conventional toe line provides. In addition, the stippled grip and forearm panels are attractive, functional and very well executed.

Testing For Accuracy

To ready the gun for a little range work, I mounted a Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-18x44mm scope using 30mm Warne QD lever rings. With the Bushnell aboard, the field-ready rig weighed exactly 10.5 pounds — so it’s not exactly a mountain rifle!

The .308 Win. is one of my favorite rifle calibers to test and evaluate; it’s very accurate, and with the many match loadings available, it can bring out the best in a rifle’s design. Also, it doesn’t dislodge your fillings when shooting off a bench, yet it’s enough gun for 90 percent of the world’s game.

Lithgow Shot Test

As it turned out, this particular example of the Lithgow LA102 proved to be more than accurate. The star was Federal’s Matchking load, and the first three 3-shot groups measured 0.42, 0.40 and 0.64 inches! Even with a slightly warm barrel, the last two groups still measured an impressive 0.72 and 0.79 inches, for a 15-shot average of 0.59 inches!

And as is evident from the attached data table, the Black Hills load wasn’t far behind. Even the Browning BXR “deer load” averaged just over 1 MOA, with the “worst” load posting a 1.35-inch average. That, sports fans, is an accurate huntin’ rifle!

The Bottom Line

It’s hard to find fault with this rifle. It’s beautifully made, the bolt glides like it’s on ball bearings, it feeds and extracts flawlessly, the trigger breaks like a glass sliver at 2.9 pounds, and it’s accurate as hell. At $1,499, it’s the priciest of the various tri-lug fat bolt rifles out there, but given what the gun offers, it’s fairly priced. The synthetic version lists at $1399.

The only regret was that we couldn’t yet get the 6.5 Creedmoor version for a trial run, for based on past experiences with that cartridge — and especially with Hornady ammo — we can only imagine what kind of groups we could have gotten. That’s combination you should think hard about trying for yourself.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Kimber Tries Striker-Fired Again With EVO SP Line

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

With the aluminum-framed EVO SP line, Kimber aims to tackle the striker-fired market.

What are the EVO SP Models:

Best known for its stylish and dead-accurate 1911s, Kimber has shifted its attention an entirely different direction with its newest defensive pistol line. Continuing to hitch its star to recent trends, the company has gone striker-fired again with the EVO SP.

As expected from Kimber, the 9mms have all the moves to make them top EDC options. Swimming against the tide of polymer-framed pistols, one of the most notable features of the 7-round EVOs is the use of aluminum. Adding a level of ruggedness and resiliency in the frame, it doesn’t bog the pistols down in the weight department, with the EVO SP options each tipping the scales at a nimble 19-ounces — 18 ounces on the Custom Shop model.

Kimber is releasing four models in all, three of which — TLE, Two-Tone and CDP — are essentially the same, except cosmetic differences. Very similar to the other variations, the Custom Shop version does have a few other notable differences. As previously mentioned, the top-of-the-line model is lighter. Furthermore it also has Stiplex-inspired grips, backstrap and cocking serrations.

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The pistols come with a load of other aspects certain to pique discriminating arm citizens’ interest, including TruGlo Tritium Pro night sights, 7-pound trigger, match-grade crowned barrel and G10 grips and backstraps. The trigger is heavy for a striker-fired, but, on the plus side, the guns are good lookers — it’s Kimber after all. And it being the Yonkers, NY concern, they also tend to the expensive side, especially for striker-fired: $856-$1,047.

Available since November, the newest striker-fired pistols to hit the market certainly break from the herd. But also gives shooters plenty of reason to consider a premium option in this style of pistol.

EVOSP_TLE
TLE Specs:
Height (inches): 4.03
Weight (ounces empty) with empty magazine: 19
Length (inches): 6.1
Magazine capacity: 7
Operation: Striker Fired
Frame Material: Aluminum
Finish: KimPro Black
Width (inches): 1.06
Front strap checkering: 30 LPI
Slide Material: Stainless Steel
Slide Finish: FNC Black
Barrel Length (inches): 3.16
Barrel Material: Stainless steel, match grade, Deep Crown and bushingless design
Twist rate (left hand): 16
Sights: Tritium night sights
Grips: Green/Black G10 with TLE Slant-Checkered Pattern
Back Strap: Green/Black G10 with diamond checkering
Trigger: Premium aluminum
Factory setting (approximate pounds): 6.0- 7.0
MSRP: $949

EVOSP_TT
Two-Tone
Height (inches): 4.03
Weight (ounces) with empty magazine: 19
Length (inches): 6.1
Magazine capacity: 7
Operation: Striker Fired
Frame Material: Aluminum
Frame Finish: KimPro Silver
Width (inches): 1.06
Front strap checkering: 30 LPI
Slide Material: Stainless Steel
Slide Finish: FNC Black
Barrel Length (inches): 3.16
Barrel Material: Stainless steel, match grade, Deep Crown and bushingless design
Twist rate (left hand): 16
Sights: Tritium night sights
Grips: Nylon with Diamond Checkering
Grip Size: Small, Medium, and Large
Back Strap: Nylon with Diamond checkering
Back Strap Size: Regular and Large
Trigger: Premium aluminum
Factory setting (approximate pounds): 6.0- 7.0
MSRP: $856

EVOSP_CDP
CDP
Height (inches): 4.03
Weight (ounces) with empty magazine: 19
Length (inches): 6.1
Magazine capacity: 7
Operation: Striker Fired
Frame Material: Aluminum
Frame Finish: KimPro Charcoal Gray
Width (inches): 1.06
Front strap checkering: 30 LPI, Carry Melt Treatment
Slide Material: Stainless Steel
Slide Finish: FNC Black
Barrel Length (inches): 3.16
Barrel Material: Stainless steel, match grade, Deep Crown and bushingless design
Twist rate (left hand): 16
Sights: Tritium night sights
Grips: Red/Black G10 with diamond checkering
Grip Size: Medium
Back Strap: Red/Black G10 with diamond checkering
Back Strap Size: Regular
Trigger: Premium aluminum
Factory setting (approximate pounds): 6.0- 7.0
MSRP: $949

EVOSP_CS
Custom Shop
Height (inches): 4.03
Weight (ounces) with empty magazine: 18
Length (inches): 6.1
Magazine capacity: 7
Operation: Striker Fired
Frame Material: Aluminum
Frame Finish: KimPro Charcoal Gray
Width (inches): 1.06
Front strap checkering: Stiplex Inspired
Slide Material: Stainless Steel
Finish: FNC Black
Barrel Length (inches): 3.16
Barrel Material: Stainless steel, match grade, Deep Crown and bushingless design
Twist rate (left hand): 16
Sights: Tritium night sights
Grips: Gray/Black G10 with Stiplex Inspired texture
Grip Size: Medium
Back Strap: Gray/Black G10 with Stiplex Inspired texture
Back Strap Size: Large
Trigger: Premium aluminum
Factory setting (approximate pounds): 6.0- 7.0
MSRP: $1,047

Video: William Brophy’s .50-Caliber Sniper Rifle

By
Gun Digest Editors
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0

An early example, William Brophy’s improvised .50-caliber sniper rifle nonetheless got the job done.

Like the dropping of Thor’s hammer, the .50 BMG packs a punch, especially from a sniper rifle. Old news to any dedicated gun hound, the massive cartridge has been a staple for military marksmen for the past few decades, delivering devastation from afar. Positively mind-boggling, some of the shots the .50-caliber has achieved makes one wonder how the shooters spotted their target in the first place, let alone deliver the payload. But, the cartridge as a precision bad guy eraser isn’t a recent development, even if it’s captured more interest as of late.

An early advocate of the military sniper, William Brophy scratched one together during the Korean War. Then a captain in the Army, he cobbled an extreme-range rifle with what he had on hand, which happened to be a captured Soviet PTRD 14.5mm antitank rifle and a Browning M2 barrel. Rounding things out, he outfitted it with a butt pad, bipod and a 20x Unertl scope. The results, well they speak for themselves; Brophy recorded hits from 1,000- to 2,000-yards out.

More Gun Digest Videos:

  • .500 JRH — The Workhorse Half-Incher
  • The Elegant Power Of The Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .45 Colt
  • Development Of The Lever-Action Rifle
  • The Ingenious Pedersen Device
  • Properly Using A Defensive AR-15 From Cover

Clever as it was, Brophy’s .50-caliber rifle had limitations. Heavy as a pile of scrap iron, it wasn’t fit for patrol; the captain utilized the gun primarily around bases. Despite this, the concept of precisely pitching hotdog sized bullets at enemy material or the enemy himself caught on and led to some pretty interesting skunk-works creations before it became standardized. Perhaps the most intriguing was Carlos Hathcock’s M2 outfitted with an optic. In 1967, the Marine sniper set the record for the longest confirmed kill with it, a lengthy 2,500 yards – a record which would stand until 2002.

Comparably, the modern-day M107 (the Barrett M82) are downright like Corvettes compared to these steamrollers. But no matter big or small they all had the same job — helping the U.S. Military reach out and touch the enemy.

For more information on the NRA Museum, please visit: www.nramuseum.org.

Video: .500 JRH — The Workhorse Half-Incher

By
Gun Digest Editors
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1

Terminally effective, the .500 JRH has what it takes to tackle nearly any game on Earth.

Hunting something that can hunt you is no time to get coy over calibers. Accordingly, you need to gun up to something that hits hard and gets the job done, no matter the circumstances. Generally, we think of this as the realm of classic sledgehammers: .375 H&H, .416 Rigby and .500 Nitro Express. Solid choices one and all, but there’s a newer class of gun that has muscled in on these legends’ territory in their ability to smash anything in their way.

Evolving to monstrous proportions in recent decades, modern big bore revolvers more than have the chops to tackle the globe’s most deadly critters. Not for the faint of heart, nor the weak of wrist, these brutes pack a serious punch and at their very upper end expectorate serious copper-jacketed fury. And in the land of giants, nothing quite compares to .500-caliber wheelguns.

More Gun Digest Videos:

  • The Elegant Power Of The Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .45 Colt
  • Development Of The Lever-Action Rifle
  • The Ingenious Pedersen Device
  • Properly Using A Defensive AR-15 From Cover

Little known outside of serious big-bore circles, the .500 JRH might be the best of the half-inchers. The brainchild of custom revolver builder Jack R. Huntington, it was specifically designed to squeeze the .50-caliber into a standard-frame revolver. Essentially, it’s a cut down .500 Smith & Wesson – by about .225 inch. But don’t let its size fool you, it’s an out-and-out tooth chipper.

Buffalo Bore Ammunition, one of the few factories that load the cartridge, lists the muzzle velocity of its hottest 440-grain load at 1,500 fps. That’s a load of hard-cast lead moving fast, more than enough to burrow its way through the thick hide and tough bone of a Cape buffalo or the like. Though, if you have the yen for tamer North American game, there are light more manageable rounds available.

Exciting as they might seem, falling for a .500 JRH or another half-incher comes at a price. Recoil short of an angry mule, they are a handful and require time and effort to master. Furthermore, the revolvers are a far-cry from the mass-produced variety we’re used to today. Generally custom or semi-custom affairs, the .500-caliber guns tend to tax the pocket book, well before you ever add a scope or any other good.

Consequently, going half-inch takes time and dedication. What else would you expect from cartridges born to take on the most dangerous game on earth?

Mossberg Expands 590 Shockwave Line

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Mossberg expands the 590 Shockwave with three new models.

How has the 590 Shockwave line expanded:

  • 590 Nightstick
  • 590 Shock ‘N’ Saw
  • 590 Shockwave SPX

Mossberg captured smoothbore fans’ attention with the introduction of the 590 Shockwave a little over a year ago. Since then, the company has done it’s best to turn out models of the non-NFA firearm for every occasion. And continue to do so. If the previous iterations of the short scatterguns haven’t earned your affection, perhaps one of these three new additions will do the trick.

From the company:

NORTH HAVEN, CT – O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., a leading American firearms manufacturer announced today the introduction of three (3) new 12-gauge 590® Shockwave variants for the 2019 model year. The new models include the 590 Nightstick, 590 Shock ‘N’ Saw and the 590 Shockwave SPX.

Built on Mossberg’s proven pump-action design, each 590 Shockwave features an overall length of 26.37 inches; 14-inch heavy-walled barrel; non-binding twin action bars; positive steel-to-steel lock-up; an anti-jam elevator; dual extractors; and an ambidextrous top-mounted safety. 590 Shockwaves also feature convenient magazine clean-out cap; drilled and tapped anodized aluminum receiver; cylinder bore barrel with a single brass bead sight; and sling swivel studs. Unique to the 590 Shockwave models are a “bird’s head” shaped-profile grip that allows for greater control while lessening felt recoil.

590 Nightstick Non-NFA Pump-Action Firearm Specifications:
Nightstick_WOOD
A Talo Distributors exclusive, the 590 Nightstick is a 6-shot, 12-gauge firearm with a 14-inch barrel; black anodized receiver; matte black barrel and magazine tube; and is equipped with a hardwood bird’s head grip and corncob forend.

Nightstick

590 Shock ‘N’ Saw Non-NFA Pump-Action Firearm Specifications:
Shock-Sawpng
The 590 Shock ‘N’ Saw is a 6-shot, 12-gauge firearm with a 14-inch barrel featuring a breacher muzzle; black anodized receiver; matte black barrel and magazine tube; Shockwave Technologies Raptor polymer bird’s head grip; aluminum M-LOK-equipped forend; and signature Mossberg chainsaw foregrip.

shock n saw

590 Shockwave SPX Non-NFA Pump-Action Firearm Specifications:
Shockwave_SPX
The 590 Shockwave SPX is a 6-shot, 12-gauge firearm with a 14-inch barrel featuring a breacher muzzle; black anodized receiver; matte black barrel and magazine tube; Shockwave Technologies Raptor polymer bird’s head grip; heatshield; aluminum side saddle with 7 polymer shell-holder units, allowing for positioning of extra shells on either side of the receiver; and a top-mounted picatinny rail.

SPX

With an overall length of 26.37 inches, the BATFE (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) has classified the compact 590 Shockwave platform as a “Non-NFA Firearm,” requiring no tax stamp for transfers. It has been classified and is considered a “firearm” under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (“GCA”), but it is not a long gun under GCA, and therefore Federal Law requires the purchaser of a 590 Shockwave to be 21 years of age.

Mossberg was the first manufacturer to bring these 14-inch barreled, non-NFA firearms to the marketplace and now offers six 12-gauge models, a 20-gauge option and 410 bore from which to choose.

For more information on the 590 Shockwave series, please visit www.mossberg.com.

More Information On 590 Shockwave:

How Steel Shot Is Slicker Than Ever Before

By
Brian Lovett
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0

The technology going into steel shot designed for waterfowl has come a long way since it was first mandated in the late ‘80s.

How Modern Steel Shot Has Improved:

  • Shells are loaded for higher velocities.
  • Playload deliver more energy.
  • Wad designs channel shot better.
  • More consistent downrange patterns.
  • Pellets are consistently round.
  • Annealing improvements maintain steels toughness.

If inanimate objects could suffer hurt feelings, steel shot might get pouty. After all, it’s endured many slights and insults in the past 30 years.

Manufacturers are changing the way shot is shaped to improve performance. Federal's Flitestopper pellets feature a cutting edge to increase tissue damage, and the pellets in Winchester's Blind Side are hex shaped in order to stack more into the shell.
Manufacturers are changing the way shot is shaped to improve performance. Federal’s Flitestopper pellets feature a cutting edge to increase tissue damage, and the pellets in Winchester’s Blind Side are hex shaped in order to stack more into the shell.

Waterfowlers maligned steel shot — actually iron and carbon in composition — when it was mandated as a nontoxic shot alternative for waterfowl hunting in the United States during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Hunters maintained that steel was far inferior to traditional lead loads, and often reported that birds flew away or barely reacted when struck with steel pellets.

Then, as tungsten- or bismuth-based nontoxic alternatives arose, many hunters abandoned steel and opened their wallets for the latest, greatest materials, many of which performed similarly or better than lead, albeit at higher costs.

But nowadays, the pendulum has swung back in favor of steel, and most shooters accept and even celebrate modern steel loads. The reason is simple: Modern steel shotshells provide lethal performance on ducks and geese. In fact, they work so well that older generations of hunters have all but forgotten what it was like to use lead, and younger waterfowlers have only experienced positive results with the only nontoxic shot they’ve used.

Steel’s Coming Of Age

The new love affair with steel is easy to understand when you consider the modern nontoxic shot scene.

“I think there are a couple of reasons for the popularity and adoption of steel as the go-to for waterfowlers,” said Ben Frank, product manager for Winchester Ammunition, which makes Super X Xpert Steel, Drylok Super Steel and Blind Side shells under the Winchester name, and BXD shotshells under the Browning brand. “One reason is cost. There is no doubt that the heavier-than-lead options work great on birds. But as prices of materials like tungsten rose, so did the cost per box.

“Most folks can’t justify $4 per trigger pull,” added Frank. “The other reason that steel is here to stay is that manufacturers have made great strides in the performance of their steel shot loads. Wads, shot, powder and primers have all seen design advancements that have helped contribute to more lethality than the steel shot of yesteryear.”

Wad design is critical in producing steel loads that are effective and lethal on waterfowl. The wad should be engineered to deliver a consistent pattern downrange every time. Left to right: Browning BXD wad, Winchester Diamond Cut wad and Federal FliteControl Flex wad.
Wad design is critical in producing steel loads that are effective and lethal on waterfowl. The wad should be engineered to deliver a consistent pattern downrange every time. Left to right: Browning BXD wad, Winchester Diamond Cut wad and Federal FliteControl Flex wad.

Dan Compton, product line manager for shotshells with Federal Premium Ammunition, which manufactures Black Cloud and Speed Shok steel shells, agreed. He said early steel offerings attempted to mimic similar lead shotshells in muzzle velocity. For example, a company might have produced a No. 4 steel load that fired pellets at about 1,300 feet per second, which was roughly the same muzzle velocity produced by a No. 4 lead shotshell with a similar payload. That steel load was far less effective, of course, because steel is about 70 percent as dense as lead, so it loses speed and downrange energy far faster.

But as manufacturers gained experience and technology improved, shotshell makers began loading faster steel loads, which gave pellets increased downrange energy and boosted lethality. Nowadays, Compton said, many companies produce 1 3/8-ounce loads with muzzle velocities of at least 1,400 fps. Many 1¼-ounce loads run about 1,450 fps, and lighter offerings can achieve speeds of 1,550 fps or faster.

“Ultimately, you have to deliver pellets to the bird with enough energy to get to the vitals,” Frank said. “Safely and consistently achieving higher velocity is key to generating effective downrange energy. Getting those pellets there in an evenly distributed pattern is almost equally as important.”

That’s where improved wad design comes in. Compton said shot gets pressured in all directions when fired from a cartridge — from behind by gases produced by powder deflagration, in front by friction from air, and from the sides by the shotgun barrel. Therefore, pellets will fly in all directions unless controlled by an efficient wad. Improved modern wads, such as Federal’s Flitecontrol Flex, control shot better, reduce muzzle pressure and channel shot in one direction, resulting in better and more consistent downrange patterns.

Also, manufacturers have improved the process of making steel shot itself, Compton said. Modern pellets are consistently round, and the process of annealing shot — heating it and letting it cool slowly to remove internal stress and toughen it — is also better.

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“I think overall tolerances have gotten better in the industry, and the steel shot you can buy today is better than what you could buy 20 to 30 years ago,” Compton said.

Proof In The Field

Technical talk from shotshell makers sounds good, but it doesn’t get to the heart of the matter — specifically, what type of performance waterfowl hunters can expect from modern steel shotshells.

Compton said modern steel loads fired through an appropriate choke — probably no tighter than modified — will deliver consistently lethal performance to about 40 yards, although claims of longer shots are common.
“Ethically, I think we should always stick to shooting out to 40 yards,” Compton added. “Your pattern really starts to open up then.”

Also shell manufacturers have imbued premium shells with special qualities to enhance performance. Black Cloud FS Steel shells, for example, use Flitestopper pellets, which have a cutting edge designed to devastate tissue on impact and create massive wound channels.

Frank said waterfowlers should consider the conditions and circumstances in which they’ll hunt before selecting a steel shotshell and load. For example, Super X Xpert Steel loads provide high-velocity payloads at affordable price points. Drylok shotshells use premium plated steel shot coupled with a wad-and-primer system designed to keep the powder and priming mix dry in harsh conditions. Blind Side uses Hex Steel for better packing density — that is, more pellets in the shell — and more trauma on impact, plus a diamond-cut wad for ideal patterns, a wad-and-primer system for water resistance, and high velocities (1,300 to 1,400 fps) for downrange energy transfer.

“I think waterfowlers should look at how they think their hunt will play out,” Frank said. “For instance, if you’re hunting in a blind with a lot of passing shots, I’d look for something with a lot of velocity that can deliver tight patterns downrange. I might not be as worried about water resistance because I am in the blind not really getting wet. However, if I am going to be standing in water for hours, (with the) shells possibly getting wet, too, water resistance becomes a real factor and decision-making attribute. If I plan on the ducks decoying or I just plan on shooting decoying ducks, I want something that I can swarm them with pellets.

“I’d also like some choke response,” Frank added. “I still want to be able to reach the end of my spread, so I’m going to try to get that swarm with something with as much velocity as I can get. Velocity and total pellet count is often a bit of a trade-off due to safe allowable pressure specifications. With Winchester and Browning products, we attempt to get the velocity as high as we can for a given payload. Finally, I’d say do a little research on the product you are thinking about purchasing and go pattern your gun.”

The Future Of Steel

As technology advances, steel shotshells will likely continue to evolve and might someday provide even greater hunting performance.

Today’s steel loads are a far cry from those introduced when the use of nontoxic shot on waterfowl became mandated. Browning’s recently developed BXD Steel is a good example of one of today’s standard steel loads with its high velocity, aerodynamically stabilized wad and premium plated round steel shot.
Today’s steel loads are a far cry from those introduced when the use of nontoxic shot on waterfowl became mandated. Browning’s recently developed BXD Steel is a good example of one of today’s standard steel loads with its high velocity, aerodynamically stabilized wad and premium plated round steel shot.

“Folks are always innovating and looking for new and better ways to improve the performance of what is on the market today,” Frank said. “I foresee folks continuing to look at new and existing materials in an effort to solve the cost equation. We haven’t hung up our thinking caps just yet, so we will continue to work to improve upon the great products we already offer. A lot of the innovative products you see today came about due to the competition in the industry. I foresee this competition continuing to help benefit today’s waterfowl hunters.”

Compton said new materials — specifically polymers — might hold the key to tomorrow’s shells. Designers might be able to use advanced polymers to produce new hulls or wads that could create tighter patterns and less recoil.

“Plastics are better than they have ever been, and people are smarter with polymers nowadays,” he said.

Whatever happens, today’s hunters can take satisfaction in knowing their steel shotshells provide in-the-field performance that lead-shooting waterfowlers of yesteryear couldn’t have imagined. It might have taken a couple of decades to get there, but for duck and goose hunters, the wait has been worthwhile.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Video: Development Of The Lever-Action Rifle

By
Gun Digest Editors
-
0

Developed by some of the most legendary names in firearms, the lever-action rifle was destined to be a classic from the start.

What’s the most quintessential American Firearm? The Colt Single Action Army? The M1 Garand? Or even the AR-15? All definitely fit the bill, but for many one particular style of gun rules the roost — the lever-action rifle.

From the 1860 Henry Rifle to the Winchester Model 1873 and the Model 1894, the guns earned their place in American history, one puff of smoke at a time. In addition, to taming the frontier, the guns also revolutionized warfare and still had time to put meat on the table. Though, given the lever-action’s pedigree, anything less than iconic would have been a disappointment. Perhaps no other style of firearm had more legendary names and know-how associated with its development than these repeating rifles.

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Most know of John Browning contributions to the lever-action. But even before that particular firearms genius got his hands on it, a bevy of other gun heavyweights were chipping away at the idea.

The earliest innovators were Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson, of Smith & Wesson fame. Developing Walter Hunt’s Rocket Ball ammunition and lever-action mechanism, the pair laid the early groundwork on the rifle. But it was a pair of other legends who would see it through to the guns we know today. Tyler Henry and his 1860 Henry Rifle refined the concept into a workable and potent reality. Then Oliver Winchester mass produced the guns so that they became as common as saddle sores in 19th Century America.

The lever-action lives on today, and it’s of little surprise. The rifle, in all its forms, was born to be among the best.

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