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TruGlo’s TruTec Xtreme: The Best Tactical Red-Dot Performance-to-Price Option?

By
Rob Reaser
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The TruTec Xtreme is taking economical, tactical red-dot optics to the next level.

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored content from TruGlo.

TruTecXtreme

Magnified optics may get much of the attention these days as MSR fans seek to push the limits of long-distance accuracy, yet it’s the red-dot that continue to rule the practical tactical side of town — and for good reason. From CQB work to fast-action steel ranging from “here” to “way out there,” nothing beats a red-dot optic for lightning-quick target acquisition.

Choosing a red-dot that’s right for you, however, can be an exercise in excessive frustration. With so many models to choose from amongst so many different manufacturers, many consumers give up the hair-splitting decision process and simply default to the seemingly best value for their budget. Yet even at the “price value” level, choosing one optic over another can be challenging. This is when a manufacturer’s reputation and peer reviews come into play.

The TruTec Xtreme 30mm Red-Dot Sight

One of the leading sight-solution manufacturers that has earned benefit-of-the-doubt status is TRUGLO, Inc. As an industry leader in fiber-optic sight technology for the last quarter century, TRUGLO has gradually expanded its product offerings to encompass a broad range of weapon platforms and applications — all while keeping product innovation and cost-to-performance ratio in clear view. Their latest product for the MSR crowd — the TruTec Xtreme 30mm red-dot — certainly follows that well-trod path.

The Xtreme 30mm, as the name implies, is built on a 30mm tube chassis to deliver a wide field of view. That’s a major plus for close-range work when you need to get that sight picture fast. It’s also a treasured asset during low light conditions.

Another big thumbs up comes from the included machined aluminum cantilever mount. Designed to secure to Picatinny or Weaver-style rails, the mount is confidently solid and proportioned to allow the Xtreme to co-witness with iron backup sights — another win for real-world tactical applications. The height of the co-witness is an added benefit — the TruTec Xtreme comes with the perfect height instead of trying to determine the needed mounting height.

Downrange View Of The TruTec Xtreme

The operator’s view of the TruTec Xtreme is on par with optics we’ve tested that carry a significantly higher price tag. The glass offers sharp downrange visibility and the 30mm objective lens provides good light transmission even toward the ragged sides of dusk and dawn. What we most appreciate about the sight picture, though, is the 2-MOA reticle. While most optics in this price range come with a 3- or 4-MOA red-dot, the Xtreme presents a crisp 2-MOA dot. For targeting silhouettes and steel beyond the 100-meter mark, that’s exactly what we want.

To set point-of-impact, the TruTec Xtreme makes the job easy with windage and elevation adjustments calibrated for 1/2-MOA. That means one click moves the point-of-impact approximately 1/2-inch at 100 yards. Since most shooters zero their red-dots for 50 yards, one click moves the POI about 1/4-inch. Combined with the 2-MOA reticle, this allows for some tight zeroing. Once you’ve set your zero, screw-on caps keep your adjustments safe. For added convenience, the Xtreme comes with integrated cap lanyards to keep the caps secured to the optic chassis (another high-end touch without the high-end price).

Astute optic buyers are probably wondering about parallax. TRUGLO sets the TruTec Xtreme’s to be parallax-free at 50 yards. Shooting on the extreme near or far sides of 50 yards can cause a POI shift, but we’ve found that staying within the recommended middle two-thirds of the field of view effectively kicks this issue to the curb. As for eye relief, it’s unlimited, so place the Xtreme on your rail where it’s most comfortable for your shooting style.

The Circuitry Of The TruTec Xtreme

Regarding the user interface and electronic function of the TruTec Xtreme 30mm, TRUGLO keeps it simple, yet the operation has a sophisticated flair. The “+” and “-” buttons located on the left side of the housing control everything. These, of course, allow you to adjust the brightness level of the red-dot to achieve just the right sharpness for the ambient light conditions.

This is a good ergonomic design because the buttons are large enough to manipulate while wearing gloves and their side-mount position lets you control the unit easily with your supporting hand, so you never have to disturb your grip to make adjustments. Also, there’s no independent on/off switch to complicate matters. Simply depress either button to turn the sight on if the TruTec Xtreme is in full shut-down mode.

The cool thing about this sight, though, is that you never really need to shut it down. That’s because the TruTec Xtreme 30mm has “intelligent” wake/sleep modes that utilize a sensitive motion sensor. When the optic is turned on and no motion is detected after 10 minutes (the default time), the unit automatically saves the current brightness setting and enters sleep mode. Any movement of the rifle/optic while it’s in this state will automatically turn on the red-dot, making the firearm ready for action as soon as you pick it up.

As mentioned, this is an extremely sensitive motion sensor so, unlike most motion-sensitive red-dots on the market, there’s no need to bump the Xtreme to turn it on. (Yeah, striking your optic to turn it on never seemed like a good idea to us, either.) The Xtreme also lets you change the sleep mode to activate after one hour or 12 hours instead of the default 10 minutes, or it can be completely disabled. The choice is yours.

If you’re worried about long-term sleep mode running down the battery, don’t. TRUGLO has developed a rather sophisticated electronic technology that allows the Xtreme to remain on (or in sleep mode) at a very low power state. Although we have not been able to test the duration of battery life while the optic is sleeping, the company states that the single CR2032 battery source can last for several years in this mode.

Again, this is performance that matches or rivals optics costing twice as much. Of course, if you’re more comfortable with completely shutting down the unit for long-term storage, a hard shut-off is a simple matter of pressing both the “+” and “-” buttons simultaneously. The longevity of this scope is accentuated by its water resistance design and features an O-ring sealed battery.

Stylin’ And Profilin’

Although most tactical firearm enthusiasts acknowledge that guns are tools, not works of art, aesthetics often factor into the purchasing decision. The TruTec Xtreme 30mm and cantilever mount exude authority and an all-business demeanor with their matte black finish and crisp lines. In other words, this is no poser optic — the looks back up the performance.

With an MSRP of $258 (we’ve found it on online for as low as $148.81), that’s our idea of “bang for the buck.”

TruTec Xtreme 30mm Red-Dot Key Features

  • 2-MOA reticle for precision aiming
  • 30mm objective lens
  • Digital push-button controls
  • Programmable automatic sleep mode
  • Motion-sensitive wake feature automatically turns on the dot when the optic is moved
  • Multiple brightness settings
  • Operates for thousands of hours on single CR2032 battery
  • Click windage and elevation adjustments
  • Machined aluminum cantilever Picatinny mount included
  • Integrated lanyard system prevents loss of screw-down W/E caps
  • Wide field of view
  • Unlimited eye relief
  • Optimal co-witness height for backup iron sights
  • Flip-up lens caps included
  • Water-resistant / fog-proof
  • Mounts to standard Picatinny or Weaver-style rails

For more information on the TrueTec Xtrem Red-Dot, please visit: www.truglo.com

Modern Shooter: Custom Advantage With H&H Precision Rifles

By
Gun Digest Editors
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Find out how to go the extra mile with a custom rifle on the next Modern Shooter.

Why go custom? It’s a legitimate question, given the state of today’s firearms manufacturing, which in a word is “excellent.” Examples of off-the-shelf tack drivers are legion and, expense-wise, within most if not all riflemen’s reach. If you’re aiming to hit the mark 500-yards out, almost everything made today with a bolt-action and in an appropriate caliber will get the job done — consistently. If your goal is a half-mile or better, then an entirely different tool is required.

These extreme ranges are where the ten-thousandth-of-an-inch tolerances on a custom rig like the ones turned out by H&H Precision Rifles payoff. And the results of this minute attention to detail are spectacular. The right optics and proper understanding of ballistics, sending a round dead on target a couple ridges over, time-and-time again, is more than doable, it’s an out-and-out reality.

A tour and trigger time with the H&H Precision crew made Luke Hartle a believer. Then again, striking a metal plate at 1,400 yards tends to hold conversion powers akin to those found on the road to Damascus. Though, the Editor-in-Chief of Gun Digest the Magazine isn’t changing his name to “Paul” anytime soon, he is more than happy to preach the extra dollars spent in going with a finely tailored rig is far from money wasted. It’s an investment, guaranteed to pay off every time you squeeze the trigger.

Find out more about how H&H Precision Rifles makes the magic happen in the shop and the field on next episode of Modern Shooter.

Gun Digest Author Massaro Bags Amber Literary Award

By
Gun Digest Editors
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Phil Massaro named 2019 John T. Amber Literary Award Winner.

Massaro–1
Phil Massaro

An old hand on the Safari circuit, Phil Massaro knows his way around dangerous game rifles. This knowledge has earned the New York native his share of heads on his trophy wall and a place in some of the country’s most illustrious gun publications. Recently, it also bagged him another prize, though not the kind with a goring risk involved.

Phil Massaro was chosen as the 2019 winner of the John T. Amber Literary Award. The accomplished hunter, custom ammunition manufacturer and writer earned the rare honor for his article British Style, German Engineered, detailing the Heym Model 89B double rifle that appeared in the 2018 edition of Gun Digest. Never content to simply put a gun through its pace purely off the firing line, Massaro evaluated the fine double gun on the hunt in Mozambique where he matched it against Cape buffalo. The Hemingwayesque exposé not only proved highly informative, but also wildly entertaining – all the elements of an Amber Award winner.

In addition to writing for Gun Digest annual, Massaro is the editor of Handloader’s Digest, 19th Edition and has written a number of books for the publisher, including Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to Reloading, Understanding Ballistics and most recently Gun Digest Big Book of Ballistics. He is also a host of Modern Shooter TV and has a monthly column on reloading in Gun Digest the Magazine, drawing from his years of custom ammunition manufacturing for his business, Massaro Ballistic Laboratories.

The John T. Amber Award is presented each year to a Gun Digest Contributor whose work demonstrates significant knowledge of the subject matter through experience and research, and also for the ability to express it in a way to inform, inspire and entertain the annual’s readers. The award is named for the late John Amber, who served as the editor of Gun Digest from 1951 to 1979 and is fondly remembered by many readers and industry people of his knowledge and love of fie firearms. Read more about Massaro and the John T. Amber Literary Award in Gun Digest 2019.

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Understanding The AR-10 Upper Receiver

By
Elwood Shelton
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2

Mastering the particulars of the AR-10 upper receiver helps you get more out of the heavy metal brute.

What you need to know about the AR-10 upper:

  • Two main patterns: DPMS and ArmaLite.
  • DPMS has a rounded rear cut.
  • ArmaLite has an angular rear cut.
  • DPMS barrel nut thread pattern is 1-7/16” and 16 TPI-2A.
  • ArmaLite barrel nut thread pattern is 1-7/16” and 18 TPI-3A.
  • Barrels, barrel extensions, bolt carrier group and firing pin should all be of the same pattern.
  • These components can be used in another pattern’s upper receiver.

It’s an old song and dance — AR rifles are as versatile as the day is long. Nearly any conceivable long-gun application falls into its wheelhouse, from home defense to long-range shooting, and nailing mid-range targets in between. If you can think of an objective, you can configure your rifle to excel at it.

AR-10-Upper-feat

For the most part, the modularity of the AR system gives the firearm its unique flexibility. And thanks to the military wing of the family — M-16 and M4 Carbine — there’s no shortage of upgrades, accessories and ways to build a rifle. That is if you’re talking about the AR-15.

Standardized, the rifle is nearly limitless in compatible parts that make it shoot faster, more accurately and with greater effect. Not quite so with its bigger (and older) brother, the AR-10.

Having been adopted by a few militaries over the years, the larger-caliber platform doesn’t enjoy the AR-15’s universalism. Nearly 99.9-percent of all Mil-Spec parts from different manufacturers will work with each other in Eugene Stoner’s gas-impingement masterpiece, the AR-15. Not so with the much more atomized world of the AR-10.

AR-10-Upper-1
Palmetto State Amory GEN2 PA10 upper.

Here, designs are freewheeling and proudly idiosyncratic. Far from relegating the AR-10 to one-trick-pony status, its more specific nature simply means more forethought and consideration when buying, building, upgrading and maintaining one. And this holds no more true than where all the action happens on the rifle.

Understanding The AR-10 Upper Receiver

Like Kleenex is to facial tissue, AR-10 is to rifles. It is a specific trademarked designation that over the years has become slang to describe an entire class. Properly used, AR-10 specifically means a particular rifle — the original one designed by Eugen Stoner and still in production today by ArmaLite. There are riffs off the design, a lot of them, but properly defined they are not AR-10s. Their specs are different and they don’t play nice with other patterns of the rifle. To maintain sanity, we’ll only focus on the two most common you’ll encounter the gun store: the original AR-10 still made by ArmaLite and DPMS or LR-308.

In the AR-10 (used in the generic context here on out), the receivers are the defining aspect of the different patterns. As pointed out in a previous post concerning AR-10 lower receivers, the dividing line is their geometry. Simply put, the DPMS has an elliptical rear cut, while ArmaLite has an angular.

AR-10 Essentials: Hit the Bullseye Every Time

Cut to fit these particular shapes, the different AR-10 upper receivers are incompatible with another pattern’s lower. They’re meant to mingle with their own kind. Yes, you can shimmy an ArmaLite upper on to a DPMS lower (the inverse is not true) and get a functional rifle. However, due to gaps between the receivers, this is potentially a dangerous firearm, especially if you experience a ruptured case. A side note, this exclusivity extends to the barrel nut as well, given ArmaLite’s thread pattern is 1-7/16” and 18 TPI-3A, and DPMS 1-7/16” and 16 TPI-2A.

AR-10-Upper-3
Carpenter 158 HPT/MPI Bolt Carrier Group for an AR-10.

Nuanced and adding complexity to the already complex AR-10 story, the real issues with compatibility in the upper isn’t so much the receiver itself. The main components are the concern. Here we’re talking barrels, barrel extensions, bolt carrier groups and firing pins.

While there is no end of online chatter among home gunsmiths claiming to have mixed and matched these parts, it’s an inadvisable practice. You are dealing with tight tolerances concerning headspace, where a sour experiment can result in — at best — a ruined rifle. In the case of the firing pin, for example, an Armalite pattern in a DPMS bolt can become stuck, setting up the undesirable and dangerous possibility of the bolt closing firing a cartridge – the dreaded “slam fire.”

The safe rule of thumb when dealing with these components is to pick a pattern and stick with it all the way through. You buy an ArmaLite barrel for a build, plan on going ArmaLite on the rest of the parts. Upgrading a DPMS pattern rifle’s bolt, better plan on making sure your choice is compatible. There is some wiggle room here, mainly in context to the receiver they’ll go into. As long as the parts are uniform in pattern, they can go in the other pattern’s upper receiver.

AR-10-Upper-2
DPMS pattern firing pin by Palmetto State Armory.

Thankfully, regardless of pattern, quality barrels abound for both ArmaLite and DPMS. Given it is the most common pattern when it comes to anything AR-10, the advantage goes to the latter. There are just more choices when it comes the DPMS, not just with barrels, but across the board. Not that you lose by choosing ArmaLite, but it comes with a real sticky point when shopping for a compatible BCG.

Payoff – AR-10 Calibers

The Gordian knot that is the AR-10 almost doesn’t seem worth untying. Until you cut through to the rifle’s payoff – firepower and caliber versatility.

While the AR-15 chambering choices have grown over the years, they still pale in comparison to its bigger brother. Especially in the power department. Originally chambered for the .308 Win./7.62x51mm NATO, AR-10 calibers have grown to included cartridges as new as the 6.5 Creedmoor and as old as the .45-70 Govt. In general, especially concerning the popular patterns, mainly the short-action rounds have been the focus — .243 Win., .260 Rem., 7mm-08. Though, as insinuated with the .45-70 example, AR-10 calibers know no bounds, as long as you’re willing to go proprietary.

Part of the original design points for the 6.5 Creedmoor was it had to work with an AR-10, which it does nicely.
Part of the original design points for the 6.5 Creedmoor was it had to work with an AR-10, which it does nicely.

This feature of the gun, arguably, make it potentially more versatile than its little brother — at least in medium- to long-ranges. The AR-10 excels in competition, tact applications, hunting and nearly anything that requires more velocity and energy than an intermediate cartridge provides.

Parting Shot

Yup, the minutia of the AR-10 is about as clear as mud. For some, obviously, this is more than they want or are willing to chew through. There are obvious reasons why the D.I.Y. rifleman has a love affair with the Mil-Spec AR-15. Yet, there is an allure to decoding the AR-10. It might not be as simple a nut to crack as its little brother, but for those willing to put in the work the payoff is potentially greater.

Video: Last-Ditch Defensive Gun Takeaway

By
Gun Digest Editors
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Far from a first-line technique, a properly executed defensive gun takeaway is potentially a lifesaver.

As a gun owner it’s simple to pigeonhole the concept of self-defense. We practice, we carry, we’re prepared.

Despite this vigilance, there are circumstances where an armed citizen can find themselves unarmed or unable to access their gun. In a scenario such as this, if a thug gets the drop on you and seems determined to pull the trigger what then? Options are slim, but Lek Nazi presents one last-ditch prospect that has the potential to snatch you from the jaws of catastrophe — a defensive gun takeaway.

Certainly, the maneuver the founder of New York’s Double Eagle Tactical Training demonstrates should be considered utterly the last playable card, when no other route is available. Furthermore, it’s not an improvised move, but precisely executed from years of practice and with forethought. Finally, it has its limitations — if an assailant is out of arm’s reach you’ll grasp at air. However, trained up on a gun takeaway and not faint of heart, it’s potentially a lifesaver.

It bears repeating, unless you’ve got high-level hand-to-hand combat experience with the Israel Defense Force, this technique requires expert instruction. Also, this is an out-and-out, end-of-the-road option. By a magnitude of ten, escape or accessing your personal-defense gun — if the opportunity presents itself – are much better choices.

That said, the idea of a gun takeaway does give us something to consider. Self-defense shouldn’t purely rely on one factor, say your firearm. If possible, a complete arsenal, including hand-to-hand defense, isn’t a bad goal to have, if you take self-defense seriously. The more options at your disposal, the greater likelihood you’ll protect your life.

How To: Customizing The Glock

By
Yamil Sued
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How one gun writer had constructed a custom Glock 19 over the years.

Why the Glock is so customizable:

  • Ample selection of aftermarket parts.
  • Ease of installing upgrades.
  • The improved performance once parts are installed.

One of the main reasons Glock has become such a popular pistol in recreation, competition and law enforcement circles is the ease of customization and nearly unlimited availability of aftermarket parts and manufacturers. From slides, barrels, triggers and strikers, to minor accessories, the shooter can create countless combinations.

Custom-Glock-2

I own a Gen 2 Glock 19. I can’t recall how long I’ve owned this particular pistol, but according to the serial number, it was manufactured in October 1994, making it almost 24 years old. I’ve carried this particular pistol on and off since 2004, and I’ve done several upgrades along the way.

My first modification happened in 2005, when I replaced pretty much everything except the frame, barrel, slide and extractor with factory Glock parts purchased at Brownells. I’ve changed sights several times. I just replaced my Tru-Glo TFO sights with yellow rears to the new Tru-Glo TFX Pro Sights, and I will be leaving these on for a long time.

For the trigger, I picked my favorite: the APEX Action Enhancement Kit for Glock. This particular kit is designed for the Gen 2, 3 and 4 9mm/.40 S&W models only, but a trigger for the Gen 5 is already available.

For the sake of reliability, durability and aesthetics, I sent my slide to ROBAR to get the NP3 finish added. I did that refinish almost 10 years ago and the NP3 only needs a little polishing once in a while to look like I had it done yesterday.

I wanted my frame to be unique, so I contacted Molon Labe, LLC, and had my frame laser-engraved with a honeycomb texture, which not only looks great but gives me a more positive grip on the pistol.

To finish it all, I picked up a couple of accessories from Molon Labe. They have a great selection of baseplates, striker plates and grip plugs for all generations and calibers of Glock pistols, and they can also custom engrave any logo you desire.

There are so many other ways to customize your Glock pistols, from lights and lasers that can be attached to rail models to custom paint jobs done by a plethora of authorized Cerakote applicators that will take your Glock to the next level. The limit is only dictated by your imagination.

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

Gun Storage: Is The SecureIt CradleGrid The Ultimate Solution?

By
Luke Hartle
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CradleGrid offers a new way to look at the organized storage of your firearms.

The Advantage CradelGrid and SecureIt Offer:

  • System consists of three components: a grid panel, gun cradles, and a tiered base.
  • Can configure to user needs and firearms.
  • SecureIt also offers under bed and closet secuity systems and gun lockers.

Are you familiar with the archer’s paradox? In short, it’s a phenomenon used to describe the situation of how an arrow leaves a bow and its seemingly inevitable collision with the bow itself in order to hit the target. But upon releasing the string, the arrow of course never does hit the bow. The solution to the paradox: The arrow bends.

CradleGrid-1

If there were such a thing as a shooter’s paradox, it would be the collision every gun owner has when trying to find a solution for secure firearms storage. The solution to the current paradox: The gun owner is forced to bend to cost or immobility of a massive safe — or both.

But it’s 2018. We put a man on the moon in 1969, so why are we still stuck in gun storage purgatory?

Well, we’re not.

Thinking Inside The Box … Er, Safe

Modular gun safes aren’t really anything new, but in this category more than most, you get what you pay for: a cramped tin box that will most likely do the job of keeping your guns secure, but they have little to offer outside of that — especially when it comes to keep your guns organized and safe from one another in the form of in-safe dings and scratches. And most are certainly not user-friendly in terms of assembly and relocation.

CradleGrid-4

But here’s the revolution: CradleGrid.

Working with the Army’s Special Forces, SecureIt developed a pretty sweet system that’s as simple as it is fully customizable. The 

Think of it this way: Everyone is familiar with a pegboard system that many of us use on the back wall of our reloading bench to secure components, or on the garage wall to hang and organize tools. CradleGrid is like a highly-developed rendition of that system, featuring a series of integrated grooves. To those grooves attach a variety of accessories, including multiple variations of handgun mounting options, long guns cradles, variously sized shelves and small parts bins.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a full, walk-in gun room, these CradleGrid panels can be attached directly to the wall and outfitted with any mix-and-match of accessories to secure and display any and every gun configuration you can get your hands on. It’s a fully customizable system.

CradleGrid-2

But because most of us simply don’t have the room for that luxury — myself definitely included there — the CradleGrid is the foundation upon which the entire SecureIt family of gun safes is built.

For under-cabinet and under-bed storage, the Fast Box Models 40 ($289) and 47 ($299) are sleek and concealable … and a vertical kit is also available for those who looking to stand the safe on-end in a closet.

SecureIt also makes a more conventionally sized Agile Model 40 ($499), and the flagship Model 52 ($599). These two safes feature Knockdown Technology, which means they store and ship flat. Assembly can be done by one person in a matter of minutes with just a single wrench, and all assembly components are housed inside to give the safe a clean, sleek look — and more importantly, to be completely inaccessible when locked. A Quad Model ($1,859) is also available, where two Model 52s are attached side-by-side, and two Model 40s are attached on top of those two.

Parting Thoughts

You’ll never hear me say that a huge, heavy, insulated gun safe isn’t worth it — I just don’t think it’s necessary. If you check the fire rating riveted to the inside of your safe’s door, and then research the actual internal heat index of most house fires, it becomes obvious that your guns won’t hold out long until the inside of the safe turns into a microwave. And weight? Well, I paid two guys (yes, they were definitely big guys) to carry my safe from the garage to my basement when I moved. So, on a long weekend vacation for me, two bad dudes could carry it out of there if they were really determined. Likely? Nope. Possible. Yep?

Fast-Box-47

My advice: Don’t over think — or overpay for — secure gun storage.

For more information on CradleGride, please visit SecureIt at: www.secureitgunstorage.com.

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

Heavy Metal: Building An AR-10

By
Patrick Sweeney
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0

If you want to compete in the Heavy Metal Division of 3-Gun, you’ll need an AR-10. Here are the basics.

  • In addition to a survival gun, the AR-10 can be used in 3-Gun competition in the Heavy Metal division.
  • Mega Machine and Brownell’s are popular sources for AR-10 parts.
  • Armalite is among one of the better makers of AR-10s as battle rifles and for competition.
When Heavy Metal Division began, iron sights ruled and life was good. Then a lot of shooters got older and found optics were better. Thus, Heavy Metal Tactical was born.
When Heavy Metal Division began, iron sights ruled and life was good. Then a lot of shooters got older and found optics were better. Thus, Heavy Metal Tactical was born.

The High-Performance AR-10

The Heavy Metal division is a step back in time, especially when it comes to caliber and sights. A rifle used in Heavy Metal division can only be chambered in .308 Winchester/7.62 NATO.

You can only shoot Major ammunition, there is no Minor in Heavy Metal. So, that means a 320 power factor, and for a 150-grain bullet, that means a velocity of at least 2,100 fps. Since the factory loadings of .308 will usually fire a 150-grain bullet at 2,400 to 2,500 fps, making Major is easy. It is dealing with the recoil that is hard.

The Mega Machine .308, at the start.
The Mega Machine .308, at the start.

A Heavy Metal rifle is allowed a muzzle brake, but it cannot be lager in diameter than 1 inch, nor longer than 3 inches. On a .223/5.56 rifle, a brake or comp that size is all you really need. On a .308 rifle, that is asking a lot of a brake. While a muzzle brake that small can take the sting or thump out of shooting a .308, it won’t make it as soft to shoot as that same size would on a .223.

You are limited to magazines that hold 20 rounds. In the beginning of Heavy Metal, only iron sights were allowed, but once more shooters wanted to try it (and the shooters who were doing it got a bit older),

Heavy Metal Tactical was created, and one optical sight was permitted. That is one sight, red-dot or magnifying, period. Heavy Metal Limited still does not allow an optical sight. No bipod, no flashlight, but a suppressor is permitted.

Heavy Metal was a way for traditional rifle shooters, or rather, shooters of traditional rifles, to compete, and not be put at a disadvantage compared to a tuned AR-15. Back in “the day” this meant M1As, FALs, the occasional Garand, and various HK rifles.

Now, with the advent of the modern AR-10 variant, you see AR-10s. When we started this, the only .308 ARs to be had were rarities, original AR-10s, usually select-fire. But now the .30 AR is pretty common, and that’s what you see.

I built mine on a Mega Machine receiver set. The receivers, barrel, bolt and handguard came as a set, and that’s all you really need to get started, because the rest of it is all standard AR-15.

Armalite makes a 7.62 rifle. The older version uses modified M14 magazines.
Armalite makes a 7.62 rifle. The older version uses modified M14 magazines.

Yep, triggers, pistol grips, stock, those are all regular items out of Brownells or from AR makers that you can use to finish the build of your Heavy Metal thumper.

One drawback to the AR-10 is that there is no mil-spec, so, each maker has had to re-invent and de-bug the design themselves. Once you go with a maker, you are stuck with them for parts. At least, the proprietary parts.

As a result, you’ll find that you can do the externals and the common parts, and thank goodness, the magazines, in common.

AR-10 Essentials: Hit the Bullseye Every Time

Most will work with Magpul 7.62 magazines. One exemplar is Armalite. They started this before Magpul was around, and as a result, Armalite modified M14 magazines to work in their AR-10. So, there are older Armalites that use those proprietary magazines. Otherwise, everyone uses Magpuls.

So, you have to use the proprietary parts of the manufacturer. You get to use all the other standard AR-15 items, you get to use the most-excellent Magpuls, and you get to shoot a “real” rifle in .30.

What’s not to like?

Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from Gunsmithing the AR-15: Building the Performance AR, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

Oddities: The AK Bullpup?

By
Marco Vorobiev
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The K-3 Armenian Avtomat is an AK bullpup configuration. Here’s how this oddball and related AK variants came to be.

The advantage of the K-3 AK:

  • Designed sometime prior to 1996, the K-3 AK bullpup is based on the standard AK-74 rifle.
  • According to the bullpup’s designers, it’s cheaper, more accurate and has less recoil.
  • Bullpup AKs were issued to Russian special forces.
  • The Ukrainian version of the bullpup AK is the Vepr Avtomat.
The Russian Special Purpose Weapon Complex OC-14 Groza is based on the AK-74 and preceded Armenian or Ukrainian variants. However, it is produced in very small runs.
The Russian Special Purpose Weapon Complex OC-14 Groza is based on the AK-74 and preceded Armenian or Ukrainian variants. However, it is produced in very small runs.

Reconfigured Variants – AK Bullpups

Apart from the licensed and unlicensed AK-74 copies, there were a couple of variants that were simply made out of existing rifles. These were reconfigured externally by the engineers to comply with requirements of their respective militaries and were re-issued as locally made rifles with local designations.

The K-3 is an Armenian Avtomat of the bullpup configuration. It was developed by the Defense Industry Department of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia in 1996. The K-3 bullpup is based on the standard AK-74 rifle and entered service with the Armenian Defense Force in 1999. Today the K-3 sees limited service with special operations troops in Armenia, and was never intended or supplied for export.

  • Weight: 2.7 kg
  • Length: 700mm
  • Barrel length: 415mm
  • Caliber: 5.45X39mm
  • Rate of fire: shots/min: 600-650 rounds/second
  • Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (2,953 fps)
  • Aim range: 400 meters (437 yards)
  • Feed: standard AK-74 30- or 45-round magazines
The Armenian-made K-3 Avtomat is based on the Soviet AK-74, but very different in configuration and appearance. It is the first mass produced bullpup AK-74 variant.
The Armenian-made K-3 Avtomat is based on the Soviet AK-74, but very different in configuration and appearance. It is the first mass produced bullpup AK-74 variant.

Very little is known about this variant, only that for the first time the K-3 5.45mm Avtomat was introduced to a wide audience in 1996. Despite the fact that the principle of operation is practically identical to the standard AK-74, its bullpup configuration is drastically different. Part of the gun’s trigger group (hammer to be precise) and the magazine are located behind the pistol grip and the trigger.

Typically, the Kalashnikov safety/selector lever is left in the back of the receiver. The ejection of empty casings is to the right, making shooting from the left shoulder difficult. Sights are made on high blocks, diopter rear sight is adjustable in range. The muzzle brake has a modified design to facilitate the launching of 3K-3 fragmentation grenades also developed in Armenia. To fire a rifle grenade, a regular live cartridge is used.

The K-3 Avtomat is similar to the AK-74. However, according to the gun’s creators, it is cheaper and more accurate, and has less recoil. The Armenian bullpup is made mostly out of metal. Its design includes an accessory rail for mounting a standard 4X-power PSO-1 optical sight, which is also produced in Armenia.

Regardless, it’s commendable for any country to develop and produce a firearm of its own design, especially such a small country like Armenia. The fact remains that most of the former Soviet republics have stockpiles of awesome Soviet-built AKMs and AK-74s. Not using free, proven guns that you already have is like pissing against the wind. Why do it? That’s why the bulk of the Armenian armed forces are armed with the best variants of Soviet-built 7.62mm and 5.45mm AKs.

Get More Bullpup Info:

One more bullpup comes to us from the Ukraine. We all know about the Vepr rifles here in the U.S., but this one is of a different breed.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, each of its former republics tried to prove independence in all possible ways and, naturally, without creating firearms of their own design the independence would not be complete.

The Ukrainian bullpup Vepr Avtomat is based on the Soviet AK-74, or rather built from it.
The Ukrainian bullpup Vepr Avtomat is based on the Soviet AK-74, or rather built from it.

Because providing its armed forces with domestically produced weapons is the best proof of the country’s independence, the Ukraine was actively proving its independence in this way. As it turned out, there were a lot of people in the Ukraine who had pretty good and original ideas about firearms, as well as a well-developed scientific and industrial base that could easily be employed in development of such firearms.

The Ukrainian version of the bullpup AK was the Vepr Avtomat. This gun was introduced in 2003, and was developed in association with a rather interesting organization, the Scientific and Technical Center for Precision Engineering of the National Space Agency of Ukraine.

At the time of its introduction, there were jokes floating around about the type of weapon the Vepr represented, considering the entity that made it. Most popular was that the Vepr was a gun for the space wars. However, all jokes aside, the new Avtomat turned out to be nothing to laugh at. When the Vepr was released, some specialists compared it to the infamous Russian special purpose weapon complex, the Groza. I would not go as far as agreeing with those specialists, but in many respects such a comparison is valid.

Just like the Groza, the Ukrainian Vepr was based on the AK-74, and also like the Groza, the Vepr was configured as a bullpup Avtomat. However, unlike the Groza, the new Ukrainian Avtomat was not chambered for 9x39mm or 7.62x39mm (calibers used by the Russian Groza), but for the 5.45x39mm cartridge. Even though the Vepr acquired some Groza features that are common in bullpup guns, it did not acquire the Groza’s characteristics.

Unlike the Armenian or Ukrainian bullpups, the OC-14 Avtomat/grenade launcher named Groza is a versatile weapon that can be configured for different missions. It fires a special 9x39mm sub-sonic round.
Unlike the Armenian or Ukrainian bullpups, the OC-14 Avtomat/grenade launcher named Groza is a versatile weapon that can be configured for different missions. It fires a special 9x39mm sub-sonic round.

The main feature of the Vepr is that it was possible to maintain the maximum compatibility of parts and assemblies with the AK-74. This was very important for the Ukrainians, since they inherited a huge stockpile of AK-74 Avtomats after the fall of the Soviet Union. The considerable numbers of Soviet AKs provided the barreled actions for the new guns, and an almost infinite source of repair parts and assemblies.

The weight of the new Avtomat is 3.45 kgs (7.6 lbs.) empty; the length is only 702mm (27.64 inches), with a barrel length that is standard for a full-length Avtomat, at 415mm (16.34 inches). That is where the differences from the AK-74 end. The muzzle velocity is 900 m/s (2,953 fps), the automatic rate of fire is 600 rounds per minute, and the gun feeds out of standard 30- to 40-round AK-74/RPK-74 magazines. Basically, the new Vepr is the AK-74 in bullpup configuration.

However, the new Ukrainian gun had several advantages over its Soviet counterpart. Combined with the fact that the Vepr uses the 5.45×39 cartridge that already has a low impulse, the bullpup configuration produces better accuracy when fired in full-auto mode.

The gun became more manageable at that rate. The Vepr kept the performance characteristics of its full-length cousins but offered a far more compact package. One may ask, why isn’t everybody converting their AKs to bullpup configuration? There are several reasons.

The Groza-1 is chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge and was designed for use by Russian special operation troops.
The Groza-1 is chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge and was designed for use by Russian special operation troops.

In the bullpup configuration, the Avtomat lost its balance. This takes getting used to when firing. The ejection of spent casings to the right, with typical AK “gusto,” makes it impossible for a lefty to use this gun. Even when a right-handed shooter uses it, the face is way too close to the ejection port. Inhaling the powder gases caused irritation in the shooter’s throat and eyes. Not the most pleasant feeling.

The magazine change is cumbersome to say the least. Unlike AR-style magazine retention, where the mag is simply pushed into the mag-well, the AK mag has to be rocked into retention, not an easy thing to do under one’s armpit. The sight line (sight radius) had been shortened, negatively affecting long-range accuracy.

However, any modern optical or collimator sight takes care of that. When scrutinizing the Ukrainian Vepr, one must remember that shooters can get used to the new configuration and become proficient with magazine changes, leaving only the one serious shortcoming—the location of the ejection port in relation to the shooter’s face.

In addition to the gun’s layout, changes were made to the controls. Immediately noticeable is the placement of the charging handle. It has been moved ahead over the barrel and it is no longer reciprocal, i.e., it remains in place when the gun is fired. The charging handle could be placed on either side for right- or left-handed operation. The safety lever on the Vepr is a lateral button that is located above the trigger, which is an improvement compared to the standard AK.

R6712_AK-47-Evolution-AK-Bullpup-3

However, a more important design element of the Vepr is the fact that handguards and other components are not affixed to the barrel, making it almost a floating barrel if not for the gas block. This design feature played a significant role in improving the accuracy of the gun.

The early models of Vepr were equipped with sights taken directly from the AK, but as the sighting line was reduced due to a change in the weapon’s layout, it was decided to replace standard AK “U”-slot rear sights with a diopter or “peephole” type. Both sights are mounted high and both fold out of the way of reflex, collimator or optical sights. The Vepr Avtomat is configured to accept a wide range of such aiming devices.

Initially, the Vepr was developed to accept the grenade launcher similar to the Russian Groza complex. This way one would designate the Vepr as a complex and not just an Avtomat. Unfortunately, the standard GP-25 grenade launcher was not compatible with the gun in bullpup configuration. A special modification had to be developed.

It turns out that, with the grenade launcher installed, the gun is more stable when firing. Its balance becomes more evenly distributed, although the weight of the gun is increased. An interesting detail is that when the grenade launcher is installed, the Avtomat’s safety also becomes the grenade launcher safety. This totally makes sense.

In the end, the Ukrainian-built Vepr Avtomat is just another version of the AK-74. I’m sure its creators would argue until red in the face that it is the next step in the AK development, citing how they were able to improve accuracy and reduce the dimensions.

The Russian OC-14 Groza shooting complex is produced in very limited numbers and destined for Russia’s special operations operatives, who can configure it to the mission at hand.
The Russian OC-14 Groza shooting complex is produced in very limited numbers and destined for Russia’s special operations operatives, who can configure it to the mission at hand.

But, you don’t need to be Samuel Colt or John Browning to see that it’s just the same gun dressed in prettier rags. Also, with positives like accuracy and reduced dimensions, the Vepr also inherited all the bullpup configuration shortcomings, like cumbersome magazine changes and rear-heavy balance, among others.

I read somewhere that Vepr creators claimed the Vepr had fewer parts than its AK predecessor. Well, again, no special education required to see that their claim is erroneous. They removed the stock and the lower and upper handguards, and added a massive butt plate, cheek piece, trigger linkages, two-piece lower handguard, gas tube cover and folding sights. Basic mathematics is not in their favor.

Today, Vepr Avtomats see service along with standard-configuration Soviet-built AK-74s in the hands of the Ukrainian armed forces. However, they are not widely used or issued to the regular infantry troops. Use of the Vepr is reserved to where its compactness is a requirement.

The rest of the troops have to be content with Mr. Reliable AK-74 Kalashnikov Avtomat. It was always easier and cheaper to grab a ready and proven gun from the warehouse than to create and mass-produce something new. Today, the Vepr project is suspended.

Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from AK-47: Survival and Evolution of the World’s Most Prolific Gun, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

The Five Top Glock Pistols For Any Application

By
Yamil Sued
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Love ’em or hate ’em, the Glock train continues to roll.

What are the top Glocks:

During the past 30 years, the name “Glock” has come to symbolize quality and reliability. But that wasn’t the case when it was first introduced to the American market in the mid ‘80s. American gun owners were more than skeptical about the “plastic gun.” Some were dismissive, and others were just downright mean.

Glock-lead

In return, Glock came up with a great idea to change the minds of American gun owners: put the pistols in their hands and allow the shooters to not only handle them, but to shoot them. This led to the creation of the Glock Range Program.

Until 1990, I’d only seen Glocks on the gun store shelves. But one day, our small local range had all these brand-new Glock pistols, in all models and calibers (9mm and .40 S&W at that time). There they were, ready to be rented at a reasonable price, and that was it for me — I was hooked. I had never seen rental pistols at any of the ranges I’d been to, and this quickly became a great concept that allowed members to test drive Glocks and pick the model and caliber that best fit their likes and needs.

Glock Reviews You Need To Read

After a couple of years, the American market embraced the plastic gun, and Glock has become an important part of the landscape for law enforcement and recreational shooters alike.

Building Momentum

The first Glock to hit our shores was the Model 17, in what has been named the first generation, which was a 17-round pistol with a pebble texture grip and very simple controls. In 1988, the Gen 2 pistols were introduced, with changes like a checkered front strap and serrated back strap. During the lifetime of the Gen 2 run, some simple changes were also introduced, such as a captured one-piece guide rod system and minor changes in the magazine floor plate.

In 1998, we saw the introduction of the Gen 3 models. These guns featured upgrades like an accessory rail (called the Universal Glock rail) to allow the mounting of laser sights, tactical lights and other accessories. Thumb rests on both sides of the frame and finger grooves on the front strap also appeared.

During the middle of the Gen 3 lifetime, several more changes were made to the Glock line, including a modified extractor that serves as a loaded chamber indicator, an enlarged locking block and an extra cross pin (to aid the distribution of bolt thrust forces exerted by the locking block) located above the trigger pin. The Gen 3 frames were offered in black, flat dark earth and olive drab. Other models, like a non-firing dummy pistol (“P” models), non-firing dummy pistols with resetting triggers (“R” models) with a bright red frame, and simunition practice pistols (“T” models) with a bright blue frame, were also released.

Then, at the end of the G3 lifespan, the RTF2 (Rough Textured Frame 2) was introduced. These variations featured a new checkering texture around the grip and new scalloped serrations at the rear of the slide.

In early 2010, Gen 4 Glocks were introduced. The Gen 4 modifications were mostly ergonomic, such as a modified rough-textured frame and grip checkering. A new recoil spring assembly was also introduced, along with an enlarged reversible ambidextrous magazine release. Magazines were modified to accept the ambidextrous magazine release, and accessory interchangeable backstraps of different sizes and shapes were released.

The basic grip size and shape of the Gen 4 Glock pistols is slightly smaller compared to previous generations, and some parts on the Gen 4 models can’t be interchanged with previous models. During the early introduction of those Gen 4 pistols, Glock announced a recoil system exchange program, where owners were sent a new modified recoil system in exchange for the recoil system originally shipped with the pistols.

In 2016, the FBI issued a solicitation to Glock for 9mm duty pistols, which deviated from the Gen 4 pistols and led Glock to develop the M Series pistols. In turn, the M Series pistols led to development of the Gen 5 pistols in 2017.

Modifications to the Gen 5 Glocks were centered on improving reliability and ergonomics, and changes included an ambidextrous slide stop, revised style of polygonal rifling that Glock named “Glock Marksman Barrel,” deeper recessed barrel crown, the removal of finger grooves from the frame, flared magazine well, the reintroduction of the half-moon cutout in the bottom of the front strap, beveled and rounded front of the slide, and removal of the extra locking block pin introduced on the Gen 3 pistols.

The magazines on the Gen 5 pistols feature slight differences from their predecessors, with a slightly redesigned baseplate for easy removal and an orange follower for easy identification.

Glock Talk: Discover More Tips & Reviews

Glock 34

G-34
Originally advertised as “practical and tactical,” the Glock 34 and 35 were designed specifically for the International Practical Pistol Confederation (ISPC) market and in accordance to IPSC rules. Released in 1998, the Glock 34 was an instant hit with Practical Pistol Shooters all over the world.

Ironically, when production division was started in 2000, the Glock 34 and 35 were excluded because of their 5.25-inch barrels; IPSC had set a limit of 5 inches for barrel length. But that didn’t stop the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) and the International Defensive Shooting Association (IDPA) to allow the Glock 34 to compete in their Production (USPSA), SSP (IDPA) and ESP (IDPA) Divisions.

Today, the Glock 34 is the most popular Glock pistol in those divisions. I’ve owned several versions of the Glock 34 and have used it for USPSA and IDPA alike, and I can’t wait for the release of the Glock 34 Gen 5. Glock, are you listening?

Glock 22

Glock-22-40S-W
After the release of the .40 S&W cartridge, specifically designed for the law enforcement market, it didn’t take long for Glock to manufacture a pistol for this exciting new cartridge — and they hit a home run. The Glock 22 quickly became the most adopted handgun in the American law enforcement community, with countless departments switching to both the .40 S&W cartridge and the Glock 22 as their main service pistol.

For more than a decade, it seems like every department — federal, state, county and city departments — was carrying a Glock 22. Now, with the improvements in 9mm ballistics and bullet design during the past 2–3 years, many departments are switching back to the 9mm cartridge due to its higher capacity and lower recoil, and many officers are welcoming back the easier-to-shoot 9mm cartridge.

Glock 26

glock26_9mm
Released in 1994, the Glock 26 is often referred to as the “Baby Glock” and was nothing more than a chopped down version of the classic Glock 17. Using the same basic configuration as the Glock 17, its grip was reduced to hold only 10 rounds and its slide reduced to accept its 3.42-inch barrel.

With the growing number of states allowing civilians to carry handguns concealed, the Glock 26 became the first choice for many concealed carry participants, and it also served as backup for both the civilian market and law enforcement personnel alike. Today, with a plethora of smaller and slimmer handguns in the market, the Glock 26 has lost some of its market, but is still a great choice for backup and CCW.

Glock Glock 17

G-17
The one that started it all, the Glock 17, has become the flagship for the Glock family of handguns, now in its 5th generation. The Glock 17 has just about every market cornered. From law enforcement to recreational shooters, self-defense, military and competitive shooters, the medium-sized Glock 17 is the classic against which other striker-fired pistols are measured.

With a capacity of 17 rounds and a 4.48-inch barrel, the Glock 17 remains one of the most-used pistols in the world. I prefer the Glock 17 for competition over the more popular Glock 34; the grip is exactly the same as the longer-barreled Glock 34, but I find the shorter barrel and slide easier to transition from target to target, making it my No. 1 choice for both USPSA and IDPA matches.

Glock 19

glock-19
Released in 1998, at the same time as the Gen 2 pistols, the Glock 19 has become a classic. With more compact dimensions compared to the larger Glock 17, the Glock 19 was designed around a 15-round magazine and a more compact 4.01-inch barrel, making it just about the perfect size for concealed carry while affording the shooter a good capacity of ammunition.

I’ve carried a Glock 19 on and off for the past 15 years, and to this day I find it one of the most comfortable pistols for everyday carry. And with the numbers of Glock 19s sold, I guess I’m not the only one who considers the Glock 19 to be the best Glock for self-defense.

The Final Round

As a longtime Glock user, I’ve owned and fired every one of the pistols on this list. I’ve liked them all, but I can’t pick one of these models over the others — they all have a purpose and they all work great. I will continue to use my Glock 17 for competition and recreational shooting, and my Glock 19 Gen 2 for everyday carry. I guess more than 30 years of experience has made Glock my choice for recreation, competition and self-defense.

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

Learn More About Glock Options

5 Concealed Carry Myths Busted

By
Massad Ayoob
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When it comes to concealed carry, there are lots of statements portrayed as facts that are, in truth, myths.

What are the concealed carry myths:

When friends and family find out that you carry concealed, you become their resident guru on the topic. In that role, part of your job will be busting myths they heard, often from trusted others. Their big brother or their Uncle George might have more credibility with them than you do yet, so you’ll need more than “take my word for it” to put them straight.

Concealed-Carry-Myths-4

Hopefully, the following will be of some help when you, the resident Advanced Concealed Carrier, impart necessary reality lessons to those new to the discipline.

Five Myths Of Concealed Carry

Sometimes, what seems like good advice at the time is proven later to be not so great. The record shows that decades ago, when more adult Americans smoked than not, popular magazines carried ads in which physicians endorsed this or that brand of cigarette. Brand A was an excellent aid to digestion after meals, one doctor said. The menthol in Brand B was soothing to a sore throat, another physician opined.

Today, of course, we know better. Oncologists who’ve treated patients suffering from throat cancer will tell you that those old claims are bunk. They sure sounded authoritative back in the day, though. Some advice on gunfight survival goes back to the same era. And some of it is just as suspect. Let’s look at a few examples.

Myth #1: A Good Shoot Is A Good Shoot

In the old days, there was some truth to this. When it was reasonably clear that a good guy had shot a bad guy, the criminal justice system ruled it to be a justifiable action and things were pretty much done with. Oh, there might have been a lawsuit here or there, but it was not common to see a huge wrongful death lawsuit levied on the shooter after a fatal use of force in legitimate defense of oneself or others.

Concealed-Carry-Myths-2

Slowly, things changed. The gun control movement gained traction in the 1960s after the assassinations of President Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy. This time, the mainstream media went in the same direction, gathering a huge momentum that remains today.

From the nation’s major TV networks and the influential big city newspapers and national news magazines, to the groves of academe, it became popular to treat guns and the people who owned them as an embarrassing, dangerous manifestation of low-class stupidity. This also applied for ordinary people who picked up a gun in legitimate self-defense. It was as if the journalists’ style guide automatically decreed that the term “vigilante” be applied to those who saved themselves and others from being victimized.

Today, a good shoot isn’t a “good shoot” until the authorities say so and the last false allegation of a “bad shoot” has been decisively stamped out. It’s a predictable aftermath that must be prepared for, just as the gunfight must be prepared for well beforehand.

Myth #2: Aim For Center Mass

This was a poor choice of words even in the old days, and that’s still true. If you think about it, the center of mass on a standing human is somewhere in his abdominal area. A bullet there may or may not prove fatal later, but it’s not very likely to instantly disable a violent man now, and the latter of course is what we need to ensure the survival of the good guys.

Concealed-Carry-Myths-3

The way to stop a criminal from shooting at you is to deliver your bullet to a part of the body he needs in order to keep shooting at you, and to make that part of his body stop working. I’ve told my students for decades that they should have a copy of Gray’s Anatomy right next to their shooting manuals.

Read Dr. Jim Williams’ excellent book Tactical Anatomy. An ER physician with extensive experience treating gunshot wounds and intensive firearms training himself, Dr. Williams details the proper points of aim from various angles when the object of shooting is to render a homicidal criminal incapable of carrying out his murderous actions.

Myth #3: He Who Shoots First, Wins

This is untrue on multiple levels. Gunfights are not won by the guy who makes the first loud noise. They’re not even won by the first guy who gets a hit. In Springfield, Missouri, in the 19th century, Wild Bill Hickok met Dave Tutt in the town square, in what may have been the only time in the Old West that two men actually did have a “walk and draw” contest in the middle of the street. Tutt panicked and opened fire on Hickok when they were some 70 yards apart. His bullets missed. Hickok coolly stood his ground, aimed carefully and ended the fight by putting a .36-caliber round through his antagonist’s heart.

In the more famous gunfight at OK Corral, Wyatt Earp’s brother, Morgan, was shot down by a bullet that went across his shoulders and chipped one of his vertebrae, and Doc Holliday received a glancing wound to the hip from Frank McLaury’s Colt .44. A moment later, McLaury fell dead, killed instantly when Holliday shot him in the chest and the wounded Morgan Earp almost simultaneously shot him in the head.

Concealed-Carry-Myths-1

Even severe wounds may not seriously disable a committed combatant. I’ve had the privilege of meeting many hero cops who’ve survived hellacious gunfight injuries and gone on to prevail. One is Stacy Lim of the LAPD. She was shot in the heart with a .357 Mag revolver at the opening of her encounter. She returned fire with her Beretta 9mm, killing her antagonist with four solid hits out of the four she fired. She recovered to return to full duty, and today is one of the nation’s most respected police firearms instructors.

Another is Officer Jared Reston of Jacksonville, Florida. He was shot in the face at point-blank range by a gunman armed with a .45 ACP who then fired six more bullets into Reston when he fell. Jared returned fire from the ground with his Glock .40. He killed the assailant and recovered to return to patrol and SWAT duty.

These were the good guys and gals. But the bad guys can be just as resilient, and we would all do well to remember that it took Stacy four dead-on hits to drop her opponent, and Jared had to shoot his would-be murderer seven times before the guy stopped trying to kill him.

Myth #4: If You Can’t Do It With …

“If you can’t do it with six (or five), you can’t do it at all.” There are a whole lot of people who wouldn’t have survived high-volume firefights if they only had five or six cartridges at the time. Let’s look at some of the shootouts we’ve already discussed.

Concealed-Carry-Myths-5

Hickok did indeed kill Tutt with a single shot — but he had a second Colt in his waistband to back up the first if more shots had been required. When Holliday shot Tom McLaury at the end of the OK Corral shootout in Tombstone, Arizona, it was his third gun of the fight. Holliday had already emptied a double-barrel shotgun (killing Frank McLaury’s brother, Tom), and a Colt SAA before drawing his backup Colt Lightning revolver to shoot Frank. Fast-forward to modern times: Officer Jared Reston, severely wounded, had to unleash most of the rounds in his 16-shot Glock 22 to finish his deadly fight in Jacksonville.

It happens to armed citizens, too. I’ve lost count of the shootings I’ve reviewed over the years where the good guys ran out of ammunition. Rich Davis fired all of the six shots he had and hit all three of the armed robbers he faced while delivering pizzas, but one of them was still up and running and able to shoot and wound him twice. That night in the emergency room, it occurred to him that there had to be something better than one’s own body to stop bullets with, and he was inspired to invent the soft body armor that has since saved thousands of police lives.

I spoke at two trials, one criminal and one civil, for an attorney who had to shoot a man who pulled a gun on him in his law office. His nine-shot 9mm was at slide-lock, having delivered nine solid hits, before his opponent slumped and died. He survived both the gunfight and the trials, but it had been terribly close because he had no more ammunition at all when the gun duel ended.

There are other reasons to carry spare ammunition. With a semi-automatic pistol, as many firearms instructors will tell you, a cardinal cause of malfunctions is a magazine problem. Often, this can only be rectified by ripping the bad magazine out of the gun and replacing it with a fresh one. This naturally requires a fresh magazine to be right there on your person.

Myth #5: Choice Of Equipment Doesn’t Matter

There aren’t a whole lot of gunfight survivors who will agree on that premise. A lifetime of studying these incidents has taught me that the choice of equipment is about fourth down on the list of priorities for survival. It is preceded by mindset, tactics and skill at arms. We all agree that a hit with a .22 beats a miss with a .44 Mag, and so on.

That said, though, you will be better served with a weapon you can shoot well at high speed, and with ammunition that hits hard on the receiving end. I’m not sure who first said, “No gunfight survivor has ever said that he wished he had less powerful ammunition or fewer shots available,” but that sage pretty much nailed it.

You definitely want hollow-point loads designed to expand in diameter and penetrate to optimum depths. Some people like to kid themselves that they’re saving money by buying non-expanding “ball” ammunition at cheap, generic prices. You’re only saving money if you’re getting adequate performance for less cost. I’m not aware of a single major police department in the United States still using ball ammunition in their duty handguns, even though they would certainly be motivated to cut costs. We are seeing police departments laying off cops, and even small towns disbanding their police departments, because of budget crunches. Why are they still paying premium prices for hollow-point ammunition? Because a very long history of gunfights has shown that it works more effectively to stop armed criminals more quickly.

Hollow-points are also safer for innocent bystanders, whether cops, security professionals or armed citizens fire them. The hollow-nosed bullet’s expansion slows it down and usually leaves it lodged in the opposite side of the opponent’s body and clothing, or lying on the ground a few feet behind him, spent.

A 9mm or .45 FMJ round can go through two bystanders and into a third deep enough to leave three innocents lying dead on the ground. Before you ignore that, go to FindLaw.com and look up the definition of “deliberate indifference.” Even a soulless sociopath would realize that this could sustain a criminal charge of manslaughter, and a civil suit for wrongful death or injury, and any good person with a three-digit IQ would realize that their own loved ones are the most likely “bystanders” to be present in a home-defense shooting.

Challenging Caliber ‘Norms’

It’s become popular on the Internet to claim that there is no difference between chamberings. That the 9mm, for instance, is equal to the .40 S&W or .45 ACP, bullet type for bullet type, in terms of “stopping power.” That is an argument that simply defies logic. A 9mm-diameter bullet weighing 147 grains is the same as a 10mm-diameter .40 bullet weighing 180 grains, or an 11.25mm-diameter .45 ACP +P bullet weighing 230 grains, when they’re all going within 50 feet per second of each other? Really? History, common sense and logic say otherwise.

The 9mm-diameter bullets, well-designed and loaded to higher velocities, can certainly give the larger calibers a run for their money. The best 9mm and .357 Mag or .357 SIG loads may well outperform lower-tech .45 ACP and .45 Colt loads in terms of relevant wound volume. The issue is more complicated than it sounds, but the bottom line is that there are more effective and less effective cartridges for defense use, and they’re not all created equal.

If you have to fight for your life with a firearm, I absolutely agree with Mark Moritz that “the first rule of gunfighting is, have a gun.” I’d rather you have a .380 — or, for that matter, a .22 — than no gun at all. I realize that my dress code and my occupation may allow me to carry larger hardware than you. At the same time, convenience and economy must be balanced with the fact that you already decided you needed to be armed, and you need to have a firearm adequate to the task if you are in fact involved in a gunfight.

There are certainly good reasons to use a 9mm instead of a .45. If the shooter is distinctly better at hitting with speed with a 9mm — or feels a need for more, smaller bullets rather than fewer larger ones in the same sized gun — we’re looking at good reasons to choose the 9mm. When I travel to other countries, I usually carry a 9mm simply because the ammunition is much more readily available there than the .40, .45, .357 SIG, etc. But if you’re going to choose a smaller-caliber gun, choose it for real reasons, not delusional ones that do not pass the tests of history, logic and common sense.

Common Sense

Personal and home defense aren’t just about the gun. The gun is simply one component of a much larger whole. Home security encompasses locks, alarms and hardened perimeters. Your family needs to have a plan for emergencies, whether that emergency is a house fire or a home invasion. Communications and emergency illumination are part of the package. A Neighborhood Watch program can be priceless.

The world of the defensive firearm is rife with myths, and only some of them have been dealt with here. Anyone who keeps a firearm for home defense, or lawfully carries one in public, needs to apply his or her own common sense. We are, after all, literally talking about life and death when we assess these matters.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt of Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, Volume 2.

Should You Carry Your Pistol Cocked And Locked?

By
Rich Grassi
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Many are wary of carrying their pistols in Condition One — cocked and locked — but is that fear based in reality or merely perception?

The conditions of readiness for a single-action, semi-auto pistol:

  • Condition One: Round in chamber, hammer cocked, safety on.
  • Condition Two: Round in chamber, hammer down.
  • Condition Three: Empty chamber, hammer down.

While at a media event in Arizona late last year, I was asked about the difference in perceptions about various handguns and their conditions of readiness. As we were close to Gunsite Academy, home of the Modern Technique of the Pistol, it was common to see various makes of 1911-pattern pistols cocked and holstered.

Cocked-1

I remembered back when I first became a policeman in the late 1970s. Jeff Cooper had already determined that a part of the Modern Technique of the Pistol was the “heavy-duty self-loading pistol” — at that time, it was the Colt Government Model (or Commander) in .45 ACP, carried in “Condition One” — chamber loaded over a full magazine, hammer cocked and thumb safety on.

Visuals Anxiety

People would see my Colt National Match in the Safariland high ride duty holster and nervously tell me, “Your pistol is cocked.”

“I’d hope so,” was my response.

As time went on, we had one officer carrying a Colt Series 70 Government in his Don Hume Jordan River Holster, thumb-break strap, in Condition Two — hammer down on a loaded chamber with a full magazine. He had no ambidextrous safety lever and elected to carry that gun anyway.

The Remington Model 870 shotgun has been in common use by police and hunters for more than 40 years. The gun in the photo has the hammer, hidden inside the receiver — cocked. That’s commonly done as one pursues upland game or in responses to emergency calls ... without the cocked hammer concerns. Think about that.
The Remington Model 870 shotgun has been in common use by police and hunters for more than 40 years. The gun in the photo has the hammer, hidden inside the receiver — cocked. That’s commonly done as one pursues upland game or in responses to emergency calls … without the cocked hammer concerns. Think about that.

Our sergeant carried a Gold Cup; there was a smattering of other Government Models and a Browning P-35, all of which were carried in Condition One. To say it made the uninitiated, unready and incapable nervous is an understatement.

One of those worthies, a good guy who just didn’t get the deal, came into dispatch one night with his Smith & Wesson Model 13 .357 Magnum cocked in the Jordan River Holster, the over-the-hammer strap stretched between the hammer nose and the frame. Attempts to explain the problems inherent with such a relationship just led to the observation that semi-auto pistols were being carried that way.

Conditions Of Readiness

Of course, it was Jeff Cooper, founder of the Modern Technique of the Pistol, who devised the “conditions.” Condition One, designed around the “heavy duty self-loading pistol” — the single-action semi-auto of the day, is “cocked and locked.” The chamber is loaded from a magazine and a full magazine seated into the pistol. The safety is “on,” locking the sear and the slide. On the presentation, the gun is drawn and, as it levels toward the threat, the safety is pressed “off.”

The modern striker-fired pistol, while “semi-cocked,” draws no cocked pistol comments — even though it’s closer to a single-action-analog than double-action.
The modern striker-fired pistol, while “semi-cocked,” draws no cocked pistol comments — even though it’s closer to a single-action-analog than double-action.

After shooting, the safety is only applied after you “look and assess” ensuring you don’t need to shoot anymore. The thumb rides the safety while firing, but placed under the safety as the gun is replaced into the holster.

Condition Two is a loaded pistol with the hammer down on a loaded chamber — a risky thing, lowering the hammer on a single-action pistol. There’s no upside to doing so. You have to cock the hammer on the draw, something that’s prone to be fumbled.

Condition Three is “half loaded.” There’s an empty chamber over a loaded magazine — so-called Israeli Carry. It’s simply ignorant to carry a self-defense pistol in this way. If you really need a gun, the time isn’t there to load the pistol. Worse, after firing, you’ll want to get the gun out of your hands before responding police arrive.

The draw — and re-holstering — can be safely accomplished with training.
The draw — and re-holstering — can be safely accomplished with training.

Are you going to fumble around and unload the chamber every time you return the gun to the holster? At any old cold, rainy night in a windy parking lot — after someone tried to kill you and you had to shoot?

The most common service pistol of that time — and one of the most commonly made sidearms of the current era — is the 1911. If you have one to carry for defense purposes, you carry in Condition One.

And, if someone sees it, you’ll hear the same thing. “Hey, mister. Your pistol’s cocked.”

If It Can’t Be Seen, It’s Okay

The truth is that High Standard pump shotguns, Ithaca Model 37s, Remington 870s and old Winchester Model 12s, were routinely cocked and seldom was a word heard about those. Since the demise of the Winchester Model 1897 — with its exposed hammer — “out of sight, out of mind” was order of the day.

The Springfield Armory XD-E is a new hammer-fired compact pistol. For those afraid of carrying cocked and locked or striker-fired guns, the XD-E is a better choice than chamber-empty carry.
The Springfield Armory XD-E is a new hammer-fired compact pistol. For those afraid of carrying cocked and locked or striker-fired guns, the XD-E is a better choice than chamber-empty carry.

For all those terrified at Condition One semi-autos, a percentage carried hunting shotguns afield for upland game and waterfowl — every one with the hidden hammers cocked — and never considered the issue.

Now we have the modern striker-fired pistol, a gun I consider a real innovation. Made possible by modern techniques of manufacture, they tend to be reliable, easily maintained and have ease-of-use as a feature contributing to ease of training. To say that they’re not cocked and are double-action rivals the current mainstream silliness about gender identity.

If we call them “double-action,” they’re magically safer than the Condition One 1911-pattern pistol.

That is silly.

Many manufacturers now make striker-fired semi-autos for CCW carriers who don’t like the feel of a cocked hammer.
Many manufacturers now make striker-fired semi-autos for CCW carriers who don’t like the feel of a cocked hammer.

I realize that the initiator of this manufacturing trend has a pistol that won’t fire until the trigger bar pushes the striker back just that extra bit to make release and ignition possible. To say that’s the same as a trigger bar pushing a hammer from rest back past the full-cock notch, allowing it to slip, slam forward and light the primer — no, I’m not buying that.

It doesn’t take as much effort, nor distance, and the springs aren’t at rest in the modern striker-fired pistol. But people can’t see a cocked hammer, so it’s okay.

Testing What’s ‘Really Safe’

The problem is that some people fear the striker-fired wonders of the current era and decide on another alternative: just carry the gun half-loaded — Condition Three. These worthies, many with their recently acquired permits to carry concealed weapons and with the education of Hollywood and good ol’ Uncle Bob who “shotguns his whole life,” carry their gun with a fully loaded magazine under an empty chamber.

That’s not a good plan. If you’re relying on that pistol as a component of your defense plan, it’s going to predictably let you down through no fault of its own.

Again, consider the time: People with considerable experience in the fields of lethal violence calculate you might have up to 3 seconds before you start taking gunfire or become the recipient of a contact weapon’s assault — that’s on the long side. It doesn’t take a timer, though shot timer applications are available for smartphones. It’s long enough to have someone time you with a stopwatch.

Using an empty gun with no magazine, draw from concealment on the signal to start and rack the action, ending in a decent trigger press while sights are on a small target. Understanding that the real thing will never be as easy as doing it dry, you’ll find you’re pressed for time.

Now change it up: Have your timer start throwing things at you while you try to draw and make a dry snap in a safe direction. The key is that if the thrown item hits you, consider it the equivalent of a gunshot wound. You’ll quickly figure out that just drawing to a single accurate hit isn’t as easy as people on YouTube make it look — even if you don’t have to load the gun during the draw.

I understand. Some people are nervous with striker guns and will foolishly carry them chamber empty. This isn’t a solution but another kind of problem. If you can’t internalize the fact that you’re carrying a loaded gun, perhaps you shouldn’t carry a gun at all.

Mechanical Safety

How can a cocked 1911-format pistol be safely carried? What if that hammer just flies forward?

Well, if the gun is unmodified and in good repair, no.

When you apply the safety, a part of it rotates into a position blocking the base of the sear. This prevents the sear from releasing the hammer. On pre- or non-Series 80 guns, the sear would be captured by the half-cock notch if the sear hook on the hammer were to break. With the Series 80 firing pin plunger, the firing pin would be held in place, unless the trigger were pressed, likewise preventing an accidental discharge. The stud that locks the sear will also not allow the hammer to fall if the safety is engaged.

What keeps the Glock from spontaneously firing while in the holster? The striker still needs to attain some rearward travel against spring pressure before it can travel forward — which is likewise prevented unless the trigger is pressed.

As to long guns, they traditionally don’t have “drop safe” features, aren’t carried in holsters that cover triggers, often have only cross-bolt safeties that prevent movement of the trigger but not the hammer off the sear nor the firing pin block. See? That revered fowling piece you take in search of upland game can be very touchy.

The difference is that we carry (or should carry) handguns daily, all the time, in close proximity. Please, no “truck guns” or off-body carry — except in extreme and rare circumstances.

Editor’s Notes: This article originally appeared in the Concealed Carry issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Test and Evaluation: Kahr CM9 Review

By
Robert Sadowski
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What the Kahr CM9 offers:

  • The Kahr CM9 is a simplified PM9, making it functional and affordable.
  • Micro-compact 9mms can be a handful to shoot, but the CM9 is surprisingly controllable.
  • New and female shooters will like the CM9’s easy-to-rack slide.
The Kahr CM9 — ultra compact and easily concealable.
The Kahr CM9 — ultra compact and easily concealable.

It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention and that is exactly how Kahr Arms started.

Justin Moon was an avid shooter but wanted a truly ultra-compact 9mm pistol that was totally reliable and easily concealable. In 1996, the Kahr K9 debuted and completely changed the way shooters and those who carry concealed define a compact handgun.

Small pistols can be difficult to operate due to their size, but the Kahr CM9 is easy. The trigger is smooth and consistent.
Small pistols can be difficult to operate due to their size, but the Kahr CM9 is easy. The trigger is smooth and consistent.

Moon designed his first compact semi-auto with a stainless-steel frame. Chambering it in 9mm gave it teeth. It was all good, but it was a bit heavy. The next evolution of the design was the PM9, which incorporated a lightweight polymer frame. What more could concealed carriers want? A less expensive pistol maybe? Enter the CM9, a 9mm subcompact pistol that won’t take a large bite out of your wallet but performs flawlessly.

The CM9 is everything the PM9 is except for a few modifications that make it much more affordable. Think of the CM9 as a PM9 stripped of all unnecessary adornment. The CM9 has less machining of the slide, and the roll marks on the slide aren’t as refined. The front sight is pinned in place instead of the PM9’s dovetailed blade.

The controls, namely the slide stop lever, are metal injection molded. Instead of polygonal rifling, the CM9 has conventional cut rifling. It is shipped with one magazine. The aesthetics are the shortcut to cost savings but there are no shortcuts when it comes to the internal mechanism. The CM9’s internal parts are the same as the PM9, as is the polymer frame.

On the outside, the CM9 is a bit of a plain-Jane but on the inside, it is a beauty that maintains Kahr’s reputation for sweet-shooting pistols. These cost-saving modifications may make the CM9 look slightly different from the PM9, but they lop off some $200 from the price tag. A great shooter at a really good price.

The CM9 uses a Browning-style locked-breech design with a striker-fire mechanism that operates with a passive firing pin safety. The Kahr design is notable for its smooth pull, which feels like a slicked-up DAO revolver. When the trigger is depressed a double-lobed cocking cam rotates and draws the striker to the rear, deactivating the firing pin block.

The system is very safe as well as smooth and consistent. Trigger pull averages about 6 pounds, 8 ounces. The smooth, wide trigger no doubt makes the pull feel less.

Performing a reload with a small pistol can be difficult and requires a slight change in technique.
Performing a reload with a small pistol can be difficult and requires a slight change in technique.

Kahr pistols are known for their thin girth and lightweight heft and the CM9 is no different. Many times, as the size of the pistol shrinks, the ability to operate and shoot it accurately diminish, too.

Some compact 9mm pistols have hard-to-rack slides and some have small controls. The CM9’s slide is easy to work. The angled serrations at the rear give good purchase. The sights are made of polymer and are a dot and bar setup. The front sight has a white dot while the rear sports a white vertical bar so when the sights are aligned they form a lowercase “i.” It is a fast sighting system to use.

The rear sight is dovetailed in place and can be adjusted left or right using a brass punch and hammer or a sight pusher. The external extractor acts as a loaded chamber indicator, slightly protruding when a round or empty case is chambered. The pistol uses a solid recoil rod that no doubt aids accuracy.

The frame of the CM9 offers plenty of texture where it is needed, like the front and rear grip straps and the sides of the grip. The coarsely checkered pattern on the front and rear grip straps make the small gun easier to control when firing hot 9mm rounds in rapid fire.

The grip sides have a stippled texture that works even when firing with sweaty hands. The oval mag release button is serrated and easily manipulated with the thumb of a right-handed shooter. It protrudes just enough and works consistently, allowing empty magazines to fall free. The grip is short, so most shooters will need to curl their small finger under the magazine.

The CM9 has very good accuracy for a small value-priced handgun.
The CM9 has very good accuracy for a small value-priced handgun.

The slide stop is full size, unlike many subcompact pistols that have smaller controls. After the last round is fired the slide locks back giving you a visual clue that it’s time to reload. The slide stop — with its serrated surface — is easily manipulated to close the slide on a fresh magazine; or, the slide can be pulled rearward, so it flies forward into battery.

The 6-round magazine is all metal save for the polymer follower. It fits flush with the butt. Witness holes in the magazine body let you know how many cartridges are loaded. Speaking of loading, stuffing the magazine even to full capacity is easy on your thumb. The lips of the magazine are rounded. No cut thumbs.

According to the manual, Kahr recommends you fire at least 200 rounds to ensure it will perform reliably. Not many manufacturers state that in their literature but we all know that any mechanism needs to be broken in.

With that in mind, I had an assortment of reloads and factory ammo to run through the CM9. The reloads were — to be honest — not the best-looking cartridges. They were plenty tarnished and had been through the reloading press a few times. The Kahr chewed through them all. It just fired and ejected the brass with no questions asked. I have used these reloads on other 9mms and found other guns choked on them.

The concealed carry holster the author used with the Kahr CM9 is a Crossbreed MiniTuck IWB (inside-the-waistband) with a forward cant.
The concealed carry holster the author used with the Kahr CM9 is a Crossbreed MiniTuck IWB
(inside-the-waistband) with a forward cant.

For factory ammunition, I had hot Hornady Critical Duty 9mm +P with a 135-grain FlexLock on hand. The FlexLock bullets fill the hollowpoint with a soft rubber that expands the bullet in a variety of media.

For standard pressure ammo, I tried Hornady Steel Match with a 115-grain HAP (Hornady Action Pistol) bullet, and some new manufacture Black Hills loaded with a 115-grain FMJ. The Black Hills stuff was the fastest out of the CM9 averaging about 1,030 fps; the Hornady loads ranged from 909 fps (Critical Duty) to 922 fps (Steel Match).

Shooting for accuracy at 15 yards, I used a rest and squeezed off each round slowly and deliberately. Five-shot groups averaged about 2.5 inches, which was great performance out of such a small-barreled handgun, especially one with a double-action trigger.

For rapid-fire testing, I placed a D-1 tombstone-style target at 15 yards. The drill involved me picking up the Kahr from the shooting bench and placing three rounds as fast as I could into the 8-inch ring of the target. By the time the ammo boxes were empty I was quickly tapping the targets consistently in the right spot.

The CM9 feels thin, none of that chunky grip you get with other double-stack polymer-framed models. Even with the +P loads, there is little muzzle flip. It is easy to control.

As a concealed carry handgun, the CM9 is easy to hide and a pleasure to carry. It is a quality compact 9mm at an affordable price that makes sense for armed citizens.
As a concealed carry handgun, the CM9 is easy to hide and a pleasure to carry. It is a quality compact 9mm at an affordable price that makes sense for armed citizens.

As a concealed carry handgun, the CM9 is easy to hide and a pleasure to carry. It is a quality compact 9mm at an affordable price that makes sense for armed citizens.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: Kahr CM9
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Short Recoil, Locked Breech
TRIGGER: Double-Action Only
BARREL LENGTH: 3.0 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 5.42 in.
WEIGHT: 15.9 oz. (unloaded)
GRIPS: Textured Polymer
SIGHTS: White Bar-Dot Combat
FINISH: Black Frame/Stainless Slide
CAPACITY: 6+1, Single-Stack Magazine

This excerpt is from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber.

4 Reasons Why The 1911 Remains On Top

By
Elwood Shelton
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More than 100-years-old and going strong. How the iconic 1911 still remains among the best pistol options.

Why the 1911 is among the best:

The 1911 continues to soldier on more than 100 years after its design. That’s fairly impressive, given there are few other guns or, for that matter, machines in general that have shown such longevity. What made the John M. Browning design so resilient? After all, new and proficient twists to semi-automatic pistols have hit the market over the years, not to mention breakthroughs in the materials used to make them.

Like all successes, the 1911 has thrived for multiple reasons. From a top-notch design to excellent manufacturing and outstanding performance, the pistol just plain delivers — from an Armscor economy model all the way up to a Gold Cup Trophy model Colt 1911. Regardless of make or price point, however, every iteration of the iconic pistol holds certain aspects in common, and that’s what we’re looking at today. So, without further ado, here are the top four reasons why the 1911 endures.

Trigger

Among its greatest assets, the 1911 trigger is one of the best in the pistol world. Designed to travel straight backward, the trigger helps keeps the sights in line during this critical stage of breaking a shot. There is no play or pivot to it, just smooth, linear travel. Furthermore, as a single-action semi-automatic, it is light, short, crisp and predictable. Combine these elements and you’ve got the recipe for superior accuracy.

SR1911-feat

This isn’t to say there aren’t fine triggers found in other corners of the handgun world. Yes, there are double-actions and striker-fired out there smooth as glass that will get you on target. But the 1911 trigger’s assets are part and parcel of its design. From a bargain basement entry-level model all the way through a match-grade STI or Colt 1911, the trigger far outperforms nearly everything else.

Frame

In contemporary handguns, polymer frames are king. Concealed carry calls most of the tunes nowadays, so it’s of little surprise the lightweight material has gained preference. Yet, there are advantages to sticking with cold, hard steel. Chief among them is the material’s heft.

Raise Your 1911 IQ:

Yes, getting used to carrying a heavier pistol such as the 1911 requires adjustment, but doing so arms you with a more shootable pistol. A gun’s weight plays a large role in how much recoil it produces. In turn, shooters generally contend with less muzzle flip with a 1911, especially the heavier Commander and Government models. Even an aluminum-framed Lightweight Commander tips the scales considerably more than most comparable polymers.

Lead_1911-HC-Beauty

There is also the durability issue. Put away your knives polymer-frame fans, we’re not talking in the short run. Polymer pistols aren’t pushovers when it comes to rough-and-tumble use; they’ll stand up to pretty much anything. Yet, the jury is still out if a century from now they’ll remain functional. Yes, they’ll still exist, there’s no debating that, but will they resist degrading or becoming dangerous? Time will tell.

John Browning’s pistol has already passed this test. There are original M1911s that still shoot today. Certainly, they too, can break down, especially the slide. However, there’s no arguing they’ve proven a legacy firearm.

Accuracy

There’s a reason why the 100-plus-year-old design continues to dominate competitive pistol shooting, and it’s not its striking good looks. Among the most accurate pistols available, a match-grade Kimber, Dan Wesson or Colt 1911 easily print 2.5-inch, five-shot groups at 25 yards from the box, if not better. Tuned by a competent gunsmith, the margin is further reduced.

Furthermore, it’s possible to make a run-of-the-mill 1911 run like a Gold-Cup type pistol. Obviously, it takes money and a craftsman who knows his trade to bring it up to this level, but the possibility is inherent in the design.

Tangential to this, the gun’s ergonomics are superb. Its grip design makes the pistol almost a part of your body, making target acquisition second nature and building a sight picture intuitive. Additionally, the controls are right where they need to be. A testament to how well the 1911 is laid out is how many modern guns have copied it.

History

By now, we’re all familiar with the 1911’s story. A John M. Browning design, nearly flawless in field trials, a history of honorable service in two World Wars and countless conflicts, and the pistol is still running hard today. Few guns in production are more intertwined with American history than this handgun. When you holster the 1911, you’re truly carrying a piece of your history around with you.

Many might write this off as a case of nostalgia and little more. But there is a practical argument as to why the pistol’s past means something today. Again and again, the 1911 has proved itself, and rarely, if ever, been found wanting – from Cantigny to the Mekong Delta. If that doesn’t provide peace of mind in the pistol you holster, little else will.

Check out these other great articles on:
Colt 1911 .45 and other chamberings
Colt 1911 competition pistols
Colt 1911 grips, holster, sights and other accessories and upgrades.

Colt 1911 Government Model And Beyond

By
Karl Karash
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The 1911 has come a long way since Colt’s original 1911 Government Model.

The differences between Colt 1911 Models in .45 ACP:

  • Government: 5-inch barrel, 8+1 capacity (originally 7+1).
  • Commander: 4.25-inch barrel, 8+1 capacity.
  • Officer: 3.5-inch barrel, 6 and 7+1 capacity.
  • Defender: 3-inch barrel, 7+1 capacity.

The venerable Model 1911A1 was manufactured by Colt (and others during World War II) until 1971. Shortly after the war, Colt introduced a new gun, the Commander, which was based on the Colt 1911 Government design. This gun was essentially a shortened version of the A1 and was manufactured with a 4.25-inch barrel. Formerly, a 5-inch barrel had been the standard for full size semi-autos. The new gun was the first to feature an aluminum frame. It was a startling innovation at the time because the handgun mindset was mostly limited to steel. Nevertheless, the shooting public readily accepted the Commander.

Model 1911, early commercial model
Early commercial Colt 1911 Government Model.

Bone Up On Legendary Colt Firearms

Subsequently, Colt produced the same pistol with a steel frame and named this more traditional model a “Combat Commander.” Ever since, the term “Commander” has been used to designate 1911s that have 4.25-inch barrels. (The aluminum-framed gun was eventually, but not immediately, dubbed the “Lightweight Commander.”)

Not long afterward, Colt introduced a pistol with a 3.5-inch barrel, looking to develop a firearm that would satisfy the concealed carry market. Colt called this gun the “Officer’s Model.” It had a shorter length overall frame and used lightweight six-round magazines. This model name is used today to denote the smallest versions of particular models, versions with shorter barrels and frames.

Combat Commander, blued fi nish
Combat Commander, blued finish

In the 1970s, the MK IV Series 70 Government Model superseded the standard Government Model. The main modifications in the new model were a slightly heavier slide and a slotted collet barrel bushing.

In 1983 Colt introduced its MK IV Series 80 models, which had an additional passive firing pin safety lock that did not allow the pistol to fire if the trigger was not pulled to the end of its travel. Although some people feel that the change had a negative effect on trigger pull, it is probably a necessary evil in a highly litigious world. Still, it has not been completely accepted by higher level competition shooters who want a “decent trigger pull” on their firearms. (An identical firing pin safety mechanism is also used by the way in high-capacity pistols from Para Ordnance.) At this time, the half-cock notch was also redesigned.

Mk IV Series 80 Offi cer’s ACP
Mk IV Series 80 Officer’s ACP

In the 1990s, Colt developed an “Enhanced Series” of 1911s. These were of course modified Series 80 pistols, with several factory alterations that many serious shooters would previously have performed by a custom gunsmith. The alterations included a beavertail grip safety, beveled magazine well, flared ejection port and a notch underneath the rear of the trigger guard, which allowed the pistol to sit lower in the shooter’s hand.

At the beginning of 1992 another change was made and the resulting model was designated the 1991A1. Colt then recommended this pistol, with its flat mainspring housing, as an updated version of their classic 1911. Included in the series were the Government models, the Commander, the Officer’s model, the Gold Cup and the Combat Elite.

Colt Model O Series 90 Defender
Colt Model O Series 90 Defender

All of these enhancements — along with caliber choices — were the result of Colt’s desire to meet shooters’ demand for a more customized pistol. Colt selected several of the most popular modifications to incorporate in their new and enhanced models. The changes included a beavertail safety grip, a slotted Commander style hammer, a relief cut under the trigger guard, a beveled magazine well, a slightly longer trigger, a flat top rib and angled slide serrations. Consequently, from its earliest incarnation – which the casual observer would with difficulty distinguish from the latest – the Model 1911A1 may be the most modified handgun in the world.

Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from the Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms, 2nd Edition.

Find Out More About Iconic Colt

FBI Sniper Rifles Through The Years

By
Bill Vanderpool
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Early FBI sniper rifles were surprisingly basic. Today’s FBI HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) models are the tip of the spear in long-range shooting accuracy and features.

Advancements in FBI sniper rifles:

  • Early FBI sniper rifles were crude tools, but still performed when called upon.
  • The Bureau modified many Model 700s and Model 70s at the USMC Armorer at Quantico.
  • Today’s FBI H-S Precision .308 rifle is state-of-the-art. And it’s available for civilian purchase.

The author behind one of the earlier sniper rifles at the FBI’s Ballistic Research Facility range. Photo: Boone
The author behind one of the earlier sniper rifles at the FBI’s Ballistic Research Facility range. Photo: Boone

On Friday, July 23, 1971, Special Agent Ken Lovin of the FBI’s New York Field Office found himself at Kennedy Airport, carrying a Remington Model 760 rifle in .308 caliber. About 125 to 150 yards away was Richard Oberfall, who had hijacked an airliner out of La Guardia and then allowed it to return after the pilot advised he couldn’t fly that aircraft to Italy.

After landing at La Guardia, Oberfall forced an airline mechanic to drive him to Kennedy with a stewardess as a hostage. There he threatened her life, keeping a revolver pointed at her head as he stood next to a plane bound for Italy. With a reputation of being “one hell of a shot,” Agent Lovin was given the “green light” to take down the hijacker.

The sniper tower and target building facade was a very basic system but fun to shoot. The facade is gone and the tower is being used by the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team for other purposes.
The sniper tower and target building facade was a very basic system but fun to shoot. The facade is gone and the tower is being used by the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team for other purposes.

When Oberfell, clearly agitated, shifted his gun away from his hostage, Agent Lovin took the shot, hitting the gunman center chest. Lovin shifted his position slightly and took a second shot, not knowing Oberfell was already dead or dying from the full metal jacketed round.

The striking thing about this sniper incident is that Special Agent Lovin was not a Bureau sniper (the FBI had no SWAT teams in 1971). Nor was he an FBI firearms instructor at that time. And the rifle he used was a basic pump-action hunting rifle, fitted with a Bausch and Lomb 4x scope that he had never fired before! There was no legitimate sniper rifle in the Bureau’s inventory. That was the status of the FBI’s sniper program in 1971. But things would soon change.

Colonel Walter R. Walsh, USMC Retired, was in the first FBI new agent class to be officially armed after Federal legislation, in 1934. “We had Winchester Model 07s in .351 caliber and a few, beautiful Springfield sporters with micrometer sights, he said. “None of these rifles had scopes.”

In 1965, Special Agent Terry Anderson was killed in a shootout with two “mountain men” near Shade Gap, Pennsylvania. In the manhunt that followed, Special Agent Jack Kirsch, then the Pittsburg Division’s Training Coordinator, issued four scoped Winchesters from inventory.

The Remington Model 760 rifle was equipped with a Baush & Lomb 4x scope with external mounts. Its accuracy was not adequate for sniper rifle use.
The Remington Model 760 rifle was equipped with a Baush & Lomb 4x scope with external mounts. Its accuracy was not adequate for sniper rifle use.

As Kirsch relates, “They were pre-war Model 70s, in .30-06 with wood stocks and standard barrels. All four had four-digit serial numbers. Two were scoped with 2 ½ power Lyman Alaskans and two with 4-power Weavers. I also borrowed four similar rifles from agencies in the area and a couple agents used their personal hunting rifles.”

After being transferred to the FBI Academy at Quantico, Kirsch found the Bureau had adopted Remington Model 760s in .308 caliber. The reason given was that they had a similar action as the 870 pump-action shotguns then in use.

The original order was for 800 carbines with “iron sights” but the order was changed to include 400 of the rifles with Baush and Lomb 4x scopes with external adjustments. Unfortunately, it was found the rifles’ accuracy was no better than the carbines.

These carbines and rifles were issued to the field but they were, by no means, adequate sniper rifles. Many were kept at Quantico for training purposes. Special Agent John Cox, assigned to the Firearms Training Unit at the academy, used the 760s in training and demonstrations but in 1971 at the standoff at Wounded Knee he and other agents there used M16s borrowed from the military.

These 760s saw very little use in the field. Instead, they were used at the Academy for new agent and initial sniper training when that started. A two story “sniper tower” was erected at the range complex, with a steel fronted target area about 50 yards out with reactive military bobber targets in the windows. Ammunition used was .308 plastic short range training rounds by Dynamit Nobel. This ammunition was also used by new agents on the standard 50-yard ranges for familiarization firing.

About this time, the FBI purchased its first precision rifle, the Remington Model 700 with heavy barrels in .223 caliber. The rifles were extremely accurate in spite of not being tuned or glass bedded. They had standard Redfield 3-9x hunting scopes. Ultimately it was learned that the scopes and light caliber would be limiting factors in a sniper application.

The Remington Model 700 in .223 caliber was an accurate rifle in spite of its lack of glass bedding and a very basic scope.
The Remington Model 700 in .223 caliber was an accurate rifle in spite of its lack of glass bedding and a very basic scope.

However, it is known that a number were used for sniper practice in the Western U.S. in populated prairie dog town areas. I personally know of one Special Agent in Charge who kept one in his Bucar [Special vehicle for FBI agents – Ed.] in case he was attacked by the rodents while traveling throughout his territory.

Although issued to the field, some were kept at Quantico for the initial SWAT training then being conducted for police officers. Agents Cal Ford, Ken Lovin, Tase Bailey and others ran these one-week classes even before the FBI had its own official snipers.

In the early 1970s, attempts were made to acquire adequate rifles from other sources. Lou Padula, Principal Firearms Instructor at the Washington Field Office acquired several pre-64 Winchester Model 70s in .30-06 from the Bureau of Prisons.

The Remington M1903A4 with an M84 scope was an early SWAT-issue sniper rifle.
The Remington M1903A4 with an M84 scope was an early SWAT-issue sniper rifle.

In addition, he obtained a number of Springfield 03A3s from the military. These rifles were in almost new condition and were scoped with either the Lyman Alaskan 2½-power or the Weaver in 4x. Many were shipped to the field as stop gap weapons and some were used at Quantico for training. In addition, Special Agent Padula acquired some match-grade M14s with ART (Automatic Ranging and Trajectory) scopes that were distributed to the field offices.

I entered the FBI in 1973. My second assignment was at the Washington Field Office where I became a firearms instructor in addition to duties on the fugitive squad. In December, 1978, I attended a three-week police sniper school at Fort Meade, Maryland, taught by the Army’s Advanced Marksmanship Unit there. Shortly thereafter, I was assigned as a sniper on one of our field office’s SWAT teams.

My issue rifle was an old Winchester Model 70, pre-64, in .30-06 with a Redfield 3-9x hunting scope. The rifle had a wood stock, standard barrel and was not glass bedded. The only match-grade ammunition available for it was military M72 in full metal jacket.

The first FBI sniper rifles in .308 were built on existing pre-64 Model 70 actions.
The first FBI sniper rifles in .308 were built on existing pre-64 Model 70 actions.

Concerned with using FMJ rounds, I converted a batch of M72 to “Mexican Match” by replacing the original projectiles with Sierra 168-grain MatchKings. It was unofficial but effective.

In early 1979, I went to Larry Schmidle, then the FTU Unit Chief, and told him that I believed the FBI’s sniper rifle program was seriously lacking. I mentioned that the Bureau-issued Remington Model 700 heavy barrels in .223 and 760s in .308 were inadequate. “What’s your point?” he asked. I then asked his permission to buy a personal 700 heavy barrel in .308 for official use as a sniper. He thought a few moments and then said, “Do it.” No paperwork was required then, just Larry’s OK.

I bought the rifle and mounted one of those wonderful Weaver T10s on it, then used on the Secret Service’s rifles. FBI gunsmith Joe Kiesel glass bedded it for me and added a rubber butt pad. I scrounged Federal .308 Match ammunition from the Marines and was in business. That rifle shot to less than a half minute and I kept it for years, finally letting it go to a local police sniper who had to supply his own. I was transferred to the FTU late in 1979 and never had to use that rifle in a SWAT operation.

In the meantime, it was finally recognized that the FBI needed better rifles. Tase Bailey, Lon Lacey and others had to go no farther than next door to find out what they needed. The Marine’s Weapons Training Battalion and Scout Sniper School’s gunsmiths and instructors lent their expertise.

Remington Model 700s with Unertl scopes were used by the Hostage Rescue Team. John Unertl vis-ited the FBI Academy at one point.
Remington Model 700s with Unertl scopes were used by the Hostage Rescue Team. John Unertl vis-ited the FBI Academy at one point.

One was a Gunnery Sergeant named Carlos Hathcock. They examined the FBI rifles then in use and advised “take them to Lunga (the reservoir near the academy) as anchors.” Their minimum requirements included a heavy, match-grade barrel, glass bedding and better scopes. The Marines also recommended fiberglass stocks but that would have to wait.

FBI gunsmiths Joe Kiesel and former Marine Corps armorer Ray Sweet built prototypes, using pre-64 Model 70 actions and stocks and Douglas heavy barrels. The first couple of rifles utilized Redfield scopes. The Marines used the Unertl fixed 10-power but the Bureau wanted a variable scope for the much shorter ranges anticipated in domestic law enforcement.

They settled on the Leupold 3.5-10x with a matte finish, the first with this finish the now infamous optics company ever built. These rifles were chambered in .308 caliber and the ammunition of choice was Federal .308 Match, using the Sierra 168-grain hollowpoint boat-tail bullet. It remained the primary sniper round for the Bureau until recently.

Early in 1980, I was part of a committee establishing the specifications for the new sniper rifles. Selected was the Winchester Model 70, pre-64 action (the FBI had a large inventory of these), heavy Douglas barrels in .308 caliber, and the 3.5-10x Leupold scope.

This Russian Dragunov sniper rifle tested at FBI FTU. The author fires it on the Rifle Deck.
This Russian Dragunov sniper rifle tested at FBI FTU. The author fires it on the Rifle Deck.

The committee also wanted McMillan fiberglass stocks but were overruled, at least at that time, and the original wood stocks with glass bedding were used. Rifle building commenced and the guns were instant hits, quickly accepted in the field. As the pre-64 actions were used up, a switch was made to post-64 Model 70s but shortly thereafter the FBI started buying Remington Model 700 actions.

Actually, they purchased barreled actions as Remington would not sell the actions without barrels, even to the FBI, until recently. There were a lot of standard-weight Remington .308 barrels stacked around the Gun Vault. Douglas barrels were used for field SWAT use, but Hart stainless steel barrels were installed on the rifles used by the Hostage Rescue Team.

Later, all rifles were fitted with Hart barrels. The fiberglass McMillan stocks were finally adopted and used on all FBI-built rifles from then on. The field SWAT teams continued to use the 3.5-10x Leupold but HRT started using the same Unertl 10x as fielded by the Marines.

The rifles were found to be extremely accurate and very reliable. The “Quarter Inch Club” was founded and any Bureau sniper who shot a three round, quarter-inch group at 200 yards was eligible. With minor variations, this rifle was in use throughout the 1980s and 90s.

The H-S Precision sniper rifle has served the FBI, as well as other federal agencies and some foreign governments, for more than a decade. Photo: H-S Precision
The H-S Precision sniper rifle has served the FBI, as well as other federal agencies and some foreign governments, for more than a decade. Photo: H-S Precision

Manufacture and maintenance was handled by a group of FBI gunsmiths and former USMC armorers then working at the FBI Gun Vault, including Ted Hollabaugh, who helped with some of the design work and set up the original Quarter Inch Club. Many of these rifles were still in use until recently.

Originally, the Firearms Training Unit was tasked with teaching rifle marksmanship and sniper tactics. (FBIHQ prefers to call us countersnipers, a less harsh nomenclature.) Course outlines were prepared and modified and sniper courses were taught at Quantico and around the United States. Classes were also taught overseas.

Supervisory Special Agent Urey Patrick, later to become Assistant Unit Chief at FTU, wrote a manual entitled, Advanced Rifle Training for the Observer/Sniper. In addition to sniper tactics, the excellent manual included ballistics tables based on the Federal Gold Medal .308 Match, using the Sierra 168-grain match hollowpoint, our sole sniper round at that time.

Improvements were constantly being made to the rifles assembled at Quantico. The original McMillan black stocks were replaced with the three color urban variation and these were then replaced with the A3 with adjustable length of pull and cheek piece.

A limited number of rifles were issued with Aquila (Litton) P/N MWS2500 night sights in 4-power but this required a separate rifle dedicated to this scope.
In 2002, the FBI announced a procurement for a new sniper rifle.

Strick specifications were set for accuracy, reliability and use. Thousands of dollars and man hours were spent to wring out the offerings and when the smoke cleared, a dual award was made to H-S Precision and FN. Virtually all the rifles purchased have been H-S Precision and there are no FN rifles in the field. The rifles are a complete package, including case, cleaning gear and required tools.

Today’s H-S Precision FBI sniper rifle.
Today’s H-S Precision FBI sniper rifle.

More important, all repairs were to be made by the manufacturer, releasing the Gun Vault from this requirement. Deliveries have been made and, to date, show outstanding performance. These rifles are scoped with the Leupold Mark 4, 3.5-10x Long Range with the 30mm tube and side focus. The scopes are mounted on McCann rails. Now a decade has passed and the H-S guns have proved to give excellent performance.

Also issued with these rifles is the Universal Night Sight by Optical Systems Technology of Freeport, Pennsylvania. These devices can be mounted in front of the existing scope, allowing the same rifle to be used day and night. The sale of these night vision devices is limited to law enforcement and military.

By the way, the H-S package as selected by the FBI can be purchased by other agencies and even civilians. You just can’t get the “FBI” serial number prefix.

This package has also been adopted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Israel Defense Forces, among others. Indeed, when it comes to sniper rifles, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has come a long way from the days of old wood-stocked .351s and pump-action 760s.

This excerpt is from Guns of the FBI, A History of the Bureau’s Firearms and Training.

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