What’s the Deal with TSS Shotgun Shells?

By

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July 27, 2018

Are the new TSS shotgun shells all they’re made out to be? Can they be used for home defense?

How TSS shotgun shell perform better than lead:

TSS stands for “tungsten super shot.”
Tungsten is denser and harder than lead.
Whereas water is 1 g/cc in density, lead 11.3 g/cc, tungsten is 18 g/cc.
The density allows the TSS to fly further.
Hardness allows shot to maintain its form, thus create a better pattern.
Tighter patterns make smaller gauges more viable on longer shots.

Unless you have been living under the proverbial rock, you’ve likely heard some scuttlebutt about TSS shotgun shells. TSS — meaning “tungsten super shot” — has become all the rage in the shotgun world, mainly in turkey hunting circles. But a little testing proved it can do so much more.

Although not new, TSS has recently been brought mainstream by Federal Ammo. Turkey hunters are salivating, but the new load also has plenty to offer those who like a shotgun for home defense duties.

TSS is not new. An almost cult-like group of turkey hunters has been handloading TSS for several years.

Reports of this mysterious shot began to surface on the internet, and several websites sprang up where members of the TSS cadre would meet and talk over recipes for loads. Word of incredible patterns at ranges previously unheard of spread across the land. The word was out, and for shotguns, TSS was the new magic metal.

Federal Brings TSS To The Masses

Federal Premium Ammunition introduced a new TSS shotshell this past January at SHOT Show, and the buzz was immediate. The HeavyWeight TSS load was greatly anticipated and hit the market about a year after Apex Ammunition started selling TSS shotgun shells. The HeavyWeight load features TSS shot in No. 7 and No. 9 shot in three gauges: 12, 20 and .410.

Who needs a .410 turkey load? One of the virtues of this shot that TSS devotees like to preach is that the heavier-than-lead material makes the smaller gauges a viable option over the bigger 12-gauge boomers.

Besides the TSS shot, Federal’s new load has some other qualities going for it, including buffering the shot and a rolled crimp on the end of the shell. Buffering the shot is as important with TSS as it is with lead.

“Buffer evenly distributes the ignition force throughout the payload, allowing for uniform separation of the shot at muzzle exit,” said Federal Premium Shotshell Engineer Adam Moser. “Buffering lead shot also helps reduce pellet deformation caused by ignition forces.

The 3-inch No. 9 Federal HeavyWeight TSS shoots with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps, and put 611 pellets in a 5-inch circle from 10 yards with an extra full choke (upper left). When used with an open bore (below), the pattern turns into a clean, single hole. Sound backward? It’s all about the relationship between the choke and the wad. — The 3-inch No. 9 Federal HeavyWeight TSS shoots with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps, and put 611 pellets in a 5-inch circle from 10 yards with an extra full choke. When used with an open bore above, the pattern turns into a clean, single hole. Sound backward? It’s all about the relationship between the choke and the wad.

“A roll crimp on the shell helps provide uniform compression of the buffered payload, which generates consistent ballistics and better pattern efficiency,” Moser added. Combined with a clear plastic card wad, it also ensures that the entire buffer remains sealed inside the cartridge.

Another important aspect of the HeavyWeight TSS load is the FliteControl Flex Wad, which was introduced with the launch of Federal Premium’s redesigned Black Cloud waterfowl shotshells. The wad’s design is meant to improve pattern density and consistency when fired through ported and non-ported chokes.

“The wad’s redesigned rear-deploying brake fins and side-mounted vents stimulate the payload for separation from the wad at the right moment for the densest, most consistent patterns,” said Dan Compton, Shotshell Product Line Manager. To do this, Federal Premium engineers beefed up the wad’s brake system, starting by reinforcing the wad’s flexible rear fins with sturdy supportive gussets.

“We rely on gas pressure from inside the barrel to flex the fins and open them, which triggers the shot to separate from the wad,” Compton added. “If there’s not enough pressure, the wad doesn’t slow down enough for optimum separation.”

Intrigued as always with anything that comes out of shotgun, I decided to find out more about this scattergun magic potion. What is TSS, anyway? How does it compare with conventional shotshells? Are TSS loads good for anything besides turkey hunting? Can I really kill turkeys at 85 yards with TSS (OK, I’m kidding on that one, but just a little)?

Pay attention now, class — today’s lesson is on Tungsten Super Shot.

TSS 101: The ‘Magic Metal’

Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally in the earth and is also known as “wolfram.” The name tungsten comes from a Swedish term, tungs sten, meaning heavy stone, and it’s used to make several items including tungsten-carbide drill bits and filaments for light bulbs. Although tungsten is mined all over the world, most comes from China and tungsten shot is made there as well. The TSS shot we shoot is about 95 percent tungsten, with the remainder being made up of nickel, iron or copper.

For turkey hunters, comparing lead and tungsten is like comparing apples to oranges. Where tungsten really shines is in pellet count (using smaller pellets while retaining energy), and especially at extended ranges.

It’s tungsten’s weight (density), along with its hardness, that makes it shine as a pellet for shotshells. Density is usually measured in grams per milliliter, and most tungsten shot is 18 g/cc. Water, by comparison, is 1 g/cc, and lead is about 11.3 g/cc.

For our purposes here in comparing the performance of shotgun pellets, think of two pellets of equal size— one is lead and the other is tungsten. Now, think about playing fetch with your dog and throwing two balls of equal size; one is a whiffle ball and the other is a baseball. The baseball is heavier and denser than the whiffle ball, which will fly farther and hit a target with more force.

Don’t do as I did and confuse density with hardness: they are two different things. If you put a lead and a tungsten shot pellet in a set of pliers and clamp down on them, you’ll deform the lead pellet long before the tungsten.

A shotgun is an imprecise weapon, and shot pellets have a wild ride from the muzzle to the target. Lead pellets are bumping into each other and shot in the rear is pushing on pellets in the front of the load. Lead will deform under these conditions, and misshapen pellets tend to fly erratically and make holes in the pattern.

Tungsten shot, being many times harder than lead, maintains its form and will hold a better pattern. Because it’s harder and heavier, smaller tungsten shot will perform on the level of much larger lead shot. Number 9 shot, once thought of as unheard of for hunting purposes, has become the darling of the TSS world. The difference in loading No. 9s compared to No. 4 shot is phenomenal. A 3-inch, 1¾-ounce load of No. 9 shot will contain about 637 pellets, while the same load of No. 4’s will give you about 256. It’s all in the math.

How Does It ‘Stack Up?’

There are dozens of shotshell loads available for comparison to TSS ammunition. To simplify things, I wanted to compare TSS performance with a standard turkey load and a home defense shotshell. I have used Remington Nitro Turkey loads for several years and know others who have as well, and I’ve seen more than a few turkeys fall to this shotshell.

While the TSS patterns are impressive, you pay for what you get. A cache of Federal HeavyWeight No. 9s will run you north of $40 per ﬁ ve-count box.

The Remington Nitro Turkey loads (12 gauge, 3 inch, 1 7/8-ounce No. 4 lead shot) and the Federal HeavyWeight TSS (12 gauge, 3-inch, 1¾-ounce No. 9 tungsten shot) were fired onto paper targets and into Clear Ballistics gel at 35 yards. Clear Ballistics is a synthetic gelatin created to test terminal performance of projectiles from firearms. The material is completely reusable and transparent, so you can easily see the penetration of bullets or pellets after the shot. It’s really cool stuff and reveals a lot of info.

The shotgun used for this was a CZ-USA Magnum Reaper (CZ’s new turkey gun), which is an over-under shotgun with 26-inch barrels. The choke tube used was the Xtra Full choke that’s supplied with the CZ Magnum Reaper.

At 35 yards, the Remington Nitro load put 45 pellets in a 5-inch circle, with an estimated velocity of 800 fps; this translates to 204 foot pounds of energy (fpe) delivered to the target. The Federal HeavyWeight round hit the 5-inch circle with 103 pellets, at an estimated velocity of 750 fps, creating 155 foot pounds of energy smacking the target. The Remington lead No. 4s penetrated the Clear Ballistics gel approximately 6½ inches, and the Federal TSS tungsten shot penetrated 6 inches.

I found it interesting that the Federal No. 9 TSS shot embedded in a mostly uniform pattern, with the majority of the pellets having traveled the same depth in the ballistic gelatin. The Remington No. 4 lead pellets pierced the medium about 6½ inches — a few went deeper than that, and several traveled less. While I don’t have any real slow-motion video proof, this would indicate the TSS load is delivering the shot charge to the target in an even manner, with a short shot string.

Some would say this is an unimpressive showing for the TSS load because it produced slightly less foot pounds of energy and velocity to the target. You must, however, look at the number of pellets. While 45 pellets for the lead in a 5-inch circle is certainly not bad, 103 TSS pellets is twice as good. It should also be noted that a TSS-specific choke tube would produce a higher pellet count on the target. Double the number of pellets would certainly give more room for error when taking a bead on a turkey’s head.

The TSS Takeaway

A bonus for the advent of using TSS shot is going to be the increased use of the smaller gauge shotguns. You will see more 20 gauge and .410 shotguns used on turkeys than ever before. This will translate to older hunters with bad shoulders, lady hunters, kids and really anyone tired of being pounded by 12-gauge loads going afield, and that’s a good thing. Look for a revival in the use of the .410 shotguns.

TSS shot, because of its properties, is going to deliver more shot on target, be it paper, ducks or turkeys. At traditional or moderate ranges (up to 40 yards), some would question the need for the much more expensive TSS loads (MSRP for a box of five 12-gauge, 3-inch Federal HeavyWeight TSS shells is $44.95; a 3½-inch box of five will run about $49.95), but for every hash mark past the 40 yard line, tungsten shot is going to prove its worth exponentially. Think of it this way: How many times are most of us going to pull the trigger during turkey season anyway?

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

Which Is The Right Choice?: AR-15 Vs. AK-47

By

Tiger McKee

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July 26, 2018

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Like day and night, the AR-15 and AK-47 were designed for different purposes. Which one is right for you?

The major differences between AR-15 and AK-47:

AK-47s shoots 7.62x39mm.
AR-15s were originally chambered 5.56x45mm.
AKs have a maximum effective range of about 300 yards.
ARs have a maximum effective range of about 800 yards and beyond.
The Russian gun operates with a long-stroke piston.
The American rifle utilizes a variation of the gas impingement system.
ARs are more modular than AKs.

Debating on whether the AR or the AK is “better” is like arguing whether a Ford Mustang is superior to a John Deere tractor. Both have four wheels, engines and transmissions, but they were designed for completely different applications. The AR and AK do exactly what they were designed to do, and they both do it well.

The AR was a riﬂ e, ﬁ ring the intermediate cartridge. Only later was it produced as a carbine with a 16-inch barrel. The AK was designed for the 7.62x39 cartridge, and is a large submachine gun. — The AR was a riﬂe, ﬁring the intermediate cartridge. Only later was it produced as a carbine with a 16-inch barrel. The AK was designed for the 7.62×39 cartridge, and is a large submachine gun.

WWII was the catalyst for both weapons. There was no more trench warfare — the Germans had launched the “Blitzkrieg,” or “lightning war.” This principle relied on tanks, artillery and aircraft, and plenty of ground troops to smash through the enemy, overwhelming their defenses. During the first half of WWII, the Germans were almost unstoppable. Post war, the winners began studying, testing and designing weapons and tactics based on this new paradigm.

The time of the “intermediate” cartridge had arrived. During the war, battle rifles ruled the field. These rifles fired full-size cartridges — the 7.62x54R Mosin Nagant or the American .30-06 M1 — with an effective range of 800 yards or so. Studies from WWII showed fights occurred at much shorter distances, and more rounds fired increased the chances of winning. Full-auto fire used by Germans during the war was the path to victory. The intermediate cartridge, the German Sturmgewher, was smaller and fired from a shorter, lightweight platform and was controllable during full-auto fire. The smaller round also allowed soldiers to carry the ammunition necessary to sustain a high rate of fire.

What’s interesting is that the Soviets, known for their heavy-handed bureaucracy, moved quickly through development and fielding of the AK-47. Design began in 1945, and the AK-47 was issued to troops in 1949. The United States, known for its innovation, took a longer route. Due to political pressure, financing or stubbornness, the United States adopted the .308 caliber M14 in the mid 1950s. The M14 is still a heavy battle rifle, and the .308’s recoil was too much to control on full auto. It didn’t perform well against the automatic fire of the AK in Vietnam, and it was replaced by the fully automatic AR-15, known now as the M16, in the mid ‘60s.

Design Differences

The AK-47, which was attributed to Kalashnikov but designed by a team, is a simple, rugged and reliable large submachine gun. Although it’s simple, don’t let that fool you: As Soviet weapon designer Georgy Shapgin said, “Complexity is easy. Simplicity is difficult.” In fact, Kalashnikov’s original designs were too complex, and the team made hundreds of modifications before the final design.

The AR is a little more complicated than the AK. Here you can see the bolt groups, with the AK components on top, which are not made to be taken apart. The AR allows you to change out things like the extractor or spring without special tools or knowledge.

The AK is easy to manufacture and cheap to produce. The original design used stamped and welded receivers, with furniture made from birch wood laminate, which is cheap and durable. It was built with loose tolerances, making the AK a “self-cleaning” carbine because its fired dirt and debris were blown out of the AK.

The AR/M16 is almost a direct contrast to the AK. Although Stoner borrowed from others, just as Kalashnikov, the ultimate product was unique. It’s more complex in design and manufacture. The AR-15/M16, originally only offered as a rifle, utilized aluminum, plastic and a unique gas impingement system that made recoil extremely controllable. In design and application, the AR-15/M16 is for professional soldiers.

Due to the AR’s modular design — it’s easy to swap out parts — the civilian market contributed heavily to the development of aftermarket parts. This included free-floating handguards, a variety of barrel/caliber options and improved trigger assemblies, just to name a few. The introduction of the flat-top upper receiver in the early ‘90s was a major factor. Instead of a carry handle, the upper has Picatinny rail on top to attach various sights. The military incorporated many of these features into specialized rifles and carbines.

It took longer for accessories for the AK to come to market. One factor was the lack of availability. AKs didn’t really become popular and available in the United States until the 1990s. Plus, the AK is not as modular as the AR. Today, there are plenty of aftermarket parts for the AK, and radical customizations are available. It’s almost at the point where it’s sometimes difficult to rapidly distinguish between an accessorized AR and an AK.

Function Differences

The AK’s simplicity makes it easy to “learn.” A large number of Soviet troops were uneducated, couldn’t read or write and spoke various languages. You don’t need a technical manual to learn how to operate and maintain the AK: It field strips down into six main parts, which makes it easy to maintain. Critical components with tight tolerances are not made to be disassembled unless absolutely necessary. In fact, it’s so simple it became the standard weapon for child soldiers, small boys forced into combat during the African civil wars of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

On the left is the .223 Rem./5.56 NATO. In the middle is the 7.62x39, with the newer 5.45x39 round for the AK-74. Each round does exactly what it’s designed to. Which one you need depends on what you’re doing. — On the left is the .223 Rem./5.56 NATO. In the middle is the 7.62×39, with the newer 5.45×39 round for the AK-74. Each round does exactly what it’s designed to. Which one you need depends on what you’re doing.

The AR is more complicated than the AK, but its ergonomics are much better. For example, it has a charging handle and a bolt catch. When the bolt is locked to the rear, such as during an empty reload, you use the bolt catch as a release as opposed to cycling the charging handle. This is much more efficient than cycling the charging handle — with the AK the charging handle is used for everything. Once you know the right techniques, it’s easy for a right- or left-handed shooter to operate the AR efficiently.

Reliability Differences

Nobody questions the AK’s reliability. It has functioned well in every kind of environment and under all conditions. The gas piston design is perfect: You can bury an AK in the dirt, come back a year later, crack the bolt open with your foot on the charging handle, dump some motor oil in it and bang away. AKs work.

Initially, the AR experienced some growing pains due to specs changed in the design and the components used in the ammunition. Since then, it’s definitely earned the title of “America’s Rifle,” and it’s the longest serving standard-issue rifle of America’s armed forces. Most people think the AR’s gas impingement functions too dirty for reliability. They will run dirty — we have one with more than 20,000 rounds through it without a cleaning. The key, however, is lubrication. Keep your AR “wet” and it will run reliably. At some point you may need to replace an extractor or ejector spring or the gas rings on the bolt, but this is an easy task.

Accuracy Differences

The AK-47 fires a 7.69×39 round (the AK-74, an updated version of the classic, fires the 5.45×39 caliber). Due to its loose tolerances, the AK isn’t known for surgical accuracy. It will group 6 inches or so at 100 yards, with a maximum effective range of about 300 yards. For the AK’s design and purpose, this was deemed good enough. Today, there are accurized versions of the AK, but to me this goes against the grain of its design.

The AR is built to tighter tolerances than the AK, making it extremely accurate. The first Colt H-Bar I bought in the 1980s shoots 1-inch groups at 100 yards exactly as it came from the factory. With the proper barrel/twist rate and the right ammo, the AR is capable of getting accurate hits out to 800 yards and beyond.

Which One?

So, which one is best for you? I recommend at least one of each! Both the AK and the AR are reliable, easy to shoot and fun, and they perform exactly as designed. I prefer to stick with the original concepts — my ARs are gas impingement and fire .223 Rem./5.56 NATO. My AKs are 7.62×39 with no modifications.

But, if you so desire, you can have an AR with the AK’s gas piston design, one that fires 7.62×39 ammo or an AK that shoots .223/5.56 ammo. Regardless of which direction you go, remember that it’s up to you to learn how to use it safely and efficiently, and to have the knowledge and parts to maintain it, ensuring reliable service for years to come.

Our Top Articles on AR-15 Builds and Performance

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Comparing AR-10 and AR-15 – How Stoner’s Rifles Stack Up
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Assembling an AR-15 Lower – Putting The Internals Together
How it Works: AR-15 Upper Parts & Assembly
Buyer’s Guide: AR Pistol Braces
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Choosing AR-15 Calibers – What Should You Chamber Your Carbine?

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

10mm Handguns and the FBI

By

Bill Vanderpool

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July 25, 2018

1

The FBI’s brief dalliance with 10mm handguns led to the development of the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge, and experts are still divided on the question of the 10mm’s application for law enforcement.

The history of the 10mm and the FBI:

The Miami shootout of April 11, 1986, led to bullet penetration and ammo tests for the FBI.
The FBI’s move to 10mm was short-lived, with incessant problems with the S&W Model 1076.
10mm ammo proved expensive, large-framed handguns difficult to shoot, leading to the development of the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge.

While the FBI no longer uses 10mm handguns, what it learned following the Miami shootout and subsequent testing of the 10mm and .40 S&W influenced today’s 9mm ammunition and handguns. Photos: FBI unless otherwise noted.

Why FBI Considered and Tested 10mm Handguns

After the official inquiry by FBIHQ into the Miami shootout, the Training Division sent a group of instructor/agents to the scene under the direction of FTU Unit Chief Tom Miller, not to determine what the Miami agents had done right or wrong, but how their training and equipment had performed, and what had to be changed. I was part of that group.

Several factors, including regulations on firearms, were changed. But one striking flaw was discovered: the performance of the ammunition. Key to this was a shot taken by Jerry Dove, whose 9mm projectile hit one of the subjects in the arm, penetrated the chest, and then stopped just short of the heart.

Up to that time, the penetration of the round was not considered as important as expansion. Federal and local agencies measured expansion almost solely anticipating a target facing the shooter squarely with only 10 to 12 inches of penetration required. No thought had been given to subjects sideways to the shooter or arms and guns in the way. But now it became apparent more penetration was critical.

Back at the Academy, a team of experts was assembled, including ballistic technicians and top medical examiners from around the country. This resulted in the Wound Ballistic Workshop, held for three days at the FBI Academy in September of 1987. One of the key members of this committee was Colonel (Dr.) Martin L. Fackler, MD, FACS, who was at that time the U.S. Army’s chief wound ballistics expert and was stationed at the Letterman Army Institute of Research.

Initial testing included the .38 Special service load as a standard, against the 9mm, 10mm loaded by the FTU at about 950 fps and the .45 Auto. Photo by author

Another very important member was Dr. Vincent J. M. DiMaio, one of the nation’s leading authorities on wounds and wound ballistics. He is the author of the 1985 book, Gunshot Wounds. The findings of this gathering identified criteria for future ammunition selection, predominately a requirement for penetration of at least 12 inches in 10 percent ballistic gelatin.

Caliber was not considered as important as bullet placement and penetration and the 9mm vs .45 ACP controversy was initially sidestepped. As a stopgap, the Bureau adopted the 9mm Winchester 147-grain subsonic jacketed hollowpoint as its service round.

This highly accurate round, originally designed for suppressed military handguns, gave excellent penetration. In fact, it is still in use by many law enforcement agencies who have chosen to stay with the 9mm. The new FBI service load, recently adopted, is a similar subsonic load, the Speer 147-grain jacketed hollowpoint designated the G2.

I started formal testing of Winchester’s new 147-grain subsonic load in August of 1987. The round had gone through extensive military testing, primarily through the Naval Weapons Support Center. The original projectile weighed 140 grains in two bullet designs. These bullets in a subsonic loading did not reliably operate the gun action, or the “impulse” of the round.

Technicians estimated an additional 5 percent bullet weight was required, hence the unusual weight of 147 grains. The loading was originally intended for the S&W “Hush Puppy,” a modified Model 459 with suppressor, built for the Navy Seals. At that time, terminal ballistic testing was conducted in 20 percent gelatin. After the Wound Ballistic Workshop concluded, we changed to 10 percent to be in line with the majority of other test facilities.

After further testing of the round, the FBI adopted it for all 9mm weapons in inventory. The fact the round was subsonic was not a criteria, although it was used in the few MP5SDs (suppressed) in Bureau inventory. A bonus came to light as Olin Winchester started testing its round for commercial use. It was found to be very accurate, so they marketed it as the “Olin Super Match” or OSM.

The infamous Smith & Wesson Model 1076. It suffered from the pressure of trying to obtain the best gun/ammunition combination for the FBI in a short time period.

The loading gave excellent performance, though was later replaced by the Federal 147-grain subsonic, after I was removed from the ballistics program. The Federal version tended to fragment when fired in long-barreled weapons but was continued in use for several years. It is interesting that the latest 9mm loading for the Bureau is a 147-grain subsonic, this one manufactured by Speer utilizing its Gold Dot bullet with modifications.

In April of 1988, due to increased interest in the original round by other law enforcement agencies, I wrote a published report entitled, Adoption of the 9MM 147-Grain JHP By The FBI explaining why this particular round was selected.

The FBI Ballistics Program

Then the FBI’s ballistics program became official. I was initially appointed to head up the group on a full-time basis and received valuable assistance from other personnel in and out of the Firearms Training Unit as well as from the firearms and ammunition industry. Hundreds of pounds of ballistic gelatin was prepared and shot. This was new territory and we had to design test racks for the various tests, material to shoot through that could be duplicated. We even had to contact car companies to obtain specifications on window glass and door panels.

We took over the left lane of the indoor range. Targets were shot with both test barrels as well as actual service firearms. In the end, it became apparent that the ideal round for law enforcement, or at least for the FBI, might be a .40 caliber, aka the 10mm, the exact midway between the 9mm and .45.

But it was recognized that not all shots against subjects occurred without some sort of barrier between. Shooting statistics were studied and, over time, a .40-round protocol was developed, using automobile glass, sheet steel, plywood, plasterboard and layers of clothing. These tests eventually became the standard of ammunition testing for law enforcement and were adopted by most ammunition companies. While it has changed somewhat during the following years, it is still the basis for selection by many agencies, including the Bureau.

This testing resulting in the FBI’s adoption of the 10mm round, downloaded to about 950 fps, using a Sierra 180-grain jacketed hollowpoint. The long round, however, required a very large frame pistol. Adopted was the Smith & Wesson Model 1076.

For accuracy results with a test barrel, a sketch by the author resulted in this unique machine rest built by Joe Kiesel in the Gun Vault. Photo by author

A shorter 10mm round, already loaded as a “wildcat,” would have been ideal, but the development of the .40 S&W was then a closely held secret between Smith & Wesson and Winchester. The shorter round would have allowed the use of medium frame pistols, much more practical for law enforcement use. Apparently, S&W didn’t want the competition.

The Smith & Wesson 1076 exhibited some problems from the start. Guns were returned to the factory for adjustment. To confuse the situation even more, some performed flawlessly throughout new agent training. Others continued to have problems.

One new agent enjoyed a perfectly performing pistol until the last qualification, just before his graduation, when his 1076 seriously jammed up. An entire new agent class lost confidence in the gun and requested a different make and model. But to be fair, the pressure to develop something good and fast created a lot of pressure on both Smith & Wesson as well as the FTU personnel tasked with the procurement. It was a steep learning curve for both.

Then an agent in the Miami office participated in a heavy arrest. When he arrived at the jail with the subject, he tried to unload his 1076 and found it jammed shut. After booking the prisoner, he went directly to the Bureau’s nearby range and tried to fire it without success. Nor could he unload the gun. A mallet had to be used to get the pistol open.

When word of this reached the Gun Vault at Quantico, instructors were given permission to leave any problem guns loaded and send them to Quantico. They didn’t have to wait long. Another handgun, this time in the Tampa Division, also jammed up. The special agent involved flew to Washington, DC with the gun on his hip (and another brand for backup) to deliver to the Gun Vault.

A test stand was designed and built by the academy shops to handle the various tests to be performed.

The 1076 was shortly dropped from FBI use due to reliability problems and the Bureau went back to the SIG P228 and P226, still using the subsonic 9mm loading. The Bureau would later issue Glocks in .40 S&W caliber, with basically the same ballistics as the FBI handloaded 10mm.

Had the S&W 1076s worked flawlessly, in my opinion they still would not have been popular with the agent population due to their size and weight. One evaluation occurred for the new pistol when a variety of agents from around the country were called to Quantico to fire the weapon on numerous courses. At the end of the week, they were given the opportunity to evaluate their findings. On the evening of the last day of the session, my phone rang at home.

It was a woman who had been in one of my new agent classes. She was a lawyer from a large Eastern city and had done well in my class. She was in tears. She told me that the 1076 was so large and so heavy that she had serious difficulties shooting it. She concluded by saying, “If they make me carry that gun, I will have to resign.”

On September 5, 1991, the Firearms Training Unit published a document entitled, SMITH & WESSON 10MM MODEL 1076 SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL. The document gives the timeline for the procurement, starting in January of 1990 when the contract was signed for 9,500 pistols and ending in August of 1991 with the recall of the (decocking) S&W 9mm, 10mm and .45-cal. pistols. It describes the number of malfunctions of the 1076 vs. the SIG P226 and detailed charts listing the number and type of malfunctions. Under Conclusions, the document lists:

1. S&W has not demonstrated the ability to produce a reliable, durable weapon for the FBI.
2. There is and will be a confidence problem concerning the S&W Model 1076 in the minds of FBI Special Agents.
3. The FBI has spent enough time and money in this effort.

And under Recommendations:
1. Terminate the contract with S&W for the Model 1076 (funding can be restored).
2. Prepare for another emergency procurement of pistols (up to 2,000 weapons for approximately $1 million.
3. Conduct weapons needs analysis for the FBI.
4. Write specifications and RFP (solicitation); Test weapons and begin new contract.

The test results were confirmed by Special Agent Steve Band PhD. and his associates, members of the Institutional Research and Development Unit. Photo by author

In April of 1991, then Director William Sessions approved the formation of a working group to study the 10mm situation. The group looked into the original procurement, the problems with the sample and issue guns and made recommendations to correct any problems, one way or another.

The group was headed up by Special Agent in Charge Danny O. Coulson, who had plenty of experience with weapons as the first head of the Hostage Rescue Team. The group was composed of agents from headquarters and the field spread throughout Quantico, instructors, students, gunsmiths and supervisors.

When the study was completed, Coulson presented a memo through channels that was dated May 30, 1991. In it, there were 23 recommendations. Among them, the group suggested the Training Division immediately recall all Smith & Wesson 1076 pistols to make modifications to ensure their reliability and cease issuing this model to agents and agents in training.

All agents who have personally owned weapons or are trained in other Bureau weapons be instructed to utilize them while their 1076s are being repaired or be retrained to another Bureau weapon. That the current contract requirement for S&W to supply 11- and 15-round magazines be dropped and that only 9-round mags be issued.

The report went on to recommend that Gun Vault personnel make no adjustments to 1076s prior to issuance. (There was some controversy if the Gun Vault repairs or adjustments contributed to the problems with the pistols and the study group wanted to eliminate this consideration.) In addition, it was recommended that future pistol contracts call for a longevity of less than 40,000 rounds. Another was that the FBI abandon the concept of a single model handgun for all agents. The report reads, “The developmental phase of the S&W Model 1076 pistol embraced the concept that the FBI would have one gun for all of its agents, that gun being the 1076. It is the finding of this Study Group that that is an inappropriate concept and one that should be abandoned.

“It is the finding of this Study Group that the FBI should pursue a ‘family of weapons’ that would provide sufficient flexibility to our agents based upon personal abilities, personal preferences, and assignment. These weapons should include revolvers, 9mm pistols, 10mm pistols, .45-caliber pistols, and .40-caliber pistols.

“It should be noted that the .40 caliber Smith & Wesson that was developed parallel to the development of our 10mm round and pistol achieves approximately the same ballistic characteristics as the FBI 10mm light. Because of its shorter case, a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol can be made smaller, and it can be double stacked to allow for higher capacity magazines.”

The group also recognized the possibility of including another Smith & Wesson model, the smaller 1086 in double-action only. They wrote, “One new female Agent of small stature and hand size was determined to be incapable of qualifying with the Model 1076 pistol.

The report of the Wound Ballistic Workshop has been studied by countless law enforcement agencies as well as the majority of ammunition manufacturers.

This agent’s hands were not large enough to cycle the double action trigger pull on the Model 1076. As a result, she had not qualified with this weapon. Unit Chief PLEDGER arranged for the purchase of a Model 1086 10mm Smith & Wesson in double action only. After being issued this weapon, and after an appropriate period of training, she qualified on her next attempt with this weapon. The foresight of Mr. PLEDGER in providing her with this weapon allowed us to keep on the rolls a qualified individual who we may have lost to the attrition of a firearms failure.”

“This Study Group has determined that a significant number of individuals interviewed and those who responded to surveys produced by the Study Group, are critical of the relatively large size of the current 1076.”

As to ammunition, the group recommended the adoption of a less expensive training round and suggested changing procedures for future procurements. At that time, the FBI was paying considerably more for 10mm ammunition than any other handgun round.

In 1990, the ammunition program was turned over to Special Agent Wade Plucker and Technician Ted Hollabaugh, a former Marine Corps and FBI armorer. Jointly, they ran the Ballistic Research Facility (BRF) for several years, making changes in techniques and equipment.

Today, the BRF is the ultimate in ammunition testing. Headed then by Supervisory Special Agent Buford Boone, this modern, multi-million dollar facility tests ammunition from around the country and the world. Buford and his staff answered inquiries from law enforcement and military agencies on a constant basis, often more than a hundred a month, supplying technical information not affordable to the average agency. Official letterhead requests are required.

The agencies receive data, not opinions. The results of testing at the BRF are not available to the public but test results of ammunition are supplied to the respective manufacturers to improve their products.

On a 2011 visit to the facility, located in an inconspicuous building at the FBI Academy ranges, Buford pointed out to me two charts, depicting expansion of service ammunition. One showed about half of the forty projectiles tested had expanded. The other chart illustrated 100 percent expansion in the various tests. “That is the result, in part, of our feedback to the manufacturers.” Buford stated. “By studying our test results of their ammo, they can improve their own product. And we all can benefit from that. Our forty-round test protocol today is fully repeatable, scientific and valid.”

The report on the FBI’s adoption of the 9mm, 147-grain round also attracted attention from the law enforcement and ammunition field.

The testing currently performed at the facility is way beyond what was done back in the 1990s. The state-of-the-art facility now includes high speed photography, extreme temperature testing from minus 40 to plus 140 degrees and accuracy evaluation with instant results downloaded to computers. And it is not just limited to ammunition. BRF also assists in weapons and body armor testing as well and conducts R&D for theoretical ballistic load development. BRF can handle interior, exterior and terminal ballistic testing and to that end, maintains a library of reference firearms in house. Its reloading area would make any varmint hunter jealous.

Supervisory Special Agent Boone retired in 2012. His successor had already been chosen. Supervisory Special Agent Scott Patterson had been on board then for more than 18 months and had a healthy overlap to “learn the ropes.” By the time of his retirement, Buford was so well respected by the industry that Speer produced a special run of .40 S&W ammunition with his name on the headstamp.

With the assistance of his capable staff, the Ballistic Research Facility is still in good hands. Recently, we discussed the new 9mm service round. Patterson stated that extensive testing has proven that it is at least as effective as any .40 S&W load. The nine is easier on guns and is easier to fire accurately. But he went on to say that there is no so-called wonder bullet. “The best bullet in the world can’t overcome a miss,” he said. And to that I add: you should continue to fire until your target is no longer a threat.

Our Top Articles on 10mm Firearms

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Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from Guns of the FBI, A History of the Bureau’s Firearms and Training, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

Video: Game Planning For Competitive Shooting Success

By

Gun Digest Editors

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July 24, 2018

0

A little forethought of a stage goes a long ways toward success in a competitive shooting match.

It’s common with any athletic contest, physical execution gets the commendation. But like anything beyond the level of tiddlywinks, games are won and lost by what happens between the ears. Competitive shooting is no different. Concentration and forethought are as important as speed and accuracy, if not more so. Particularly at the pace pros move and shoot.

Familiar with the mental challenges of shooting competitions — from practical pistol to Three-Gun – pro shooter (and competitor on History Channel’s Top Gun) Maggie Reese is a master at managing a stage. And like the majority of shooting sports in general, her success begins long before the timer beeps and she unholsters her gun. Using a USPA set up as an example, Reese walks through how she approaches a stage before shooting it, giving a step-by-step take on her game plan. In short, it’s a process of ensuring there are no surprises so her shooting ability can take over.

In particular, Reese builds a mental map of the positions she needs to take to successfully engage each target, as well as how to efficiently shoot more complex targets — such as a whirligig — to maximize her speed in the stage. Additionally, she takes into account where along the course she’ll need to execute key manipulations of her pistol, such as a reload — a make-or-break element of any shooting competition. If that isn’t enough, there’s also the question of checking gear, making certain it’s in working order and situated correctly so they aren’t stones to trip over en route to a top time.

No question, there are a lot of variables to juggle before the first round flies. Daunting to those new to shooting competitions, even newbies can excel more than they expect. It’s simply a matter of taking the time to think through how they’ll shoot before they ever grip their gun.

For more information on Colt, please visit: www.colt.com.

Braced 9mm Pistols: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Review

By

Robert Sadowski

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July 24, 2018

0

The Scorpion EVO 3 S1 from CZ is a semi-auto braced pistol chambered in 9mm, with incredible accuracy and versatility as a truck or survival gun.

What the CZ Scorpion EVO S1 offers:

A blowback design ensures accuracy of around 1 inch at 25 yards with the CZ Scorpion EVO S1.
The Scorpion is a semi-automatic 9mm braced pistol like the original full-auto variant.
With rails for optics and a threaded barrel, the sky’s the limit when it comes to accessories and mods.

The semi-automatic CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 uses a blowback mechanism encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver.

The Scorpion EVO 3 S1 from CZ has a reputation to live up to. The original Skorpion vz. 61 is a select-fire, blowback-operated pistol chambered in .32 ACP with a cyclic rate of 850 rounds per minute.

The Scorpion is an updated semi-automatic version that uses a blowback mechanism, though with a fiber-reinforced polymer receiver in lieu of stamped steel.

The receiver of the Scorpion is made of two polymer halves that sandwich together with a trigger group that snaps underneath and a handguard that slides over the barrel.

The barrel is equipped with a CZ flash hider attached via 1/2×28 threads so you can fit either 1/2×28 or 18×1 accessories to the muzzle. The Scorpion has a blocky look that makes it appear heavier and larger than it actually is.

It features an ambidextrous thumb safety and mag release. The safety rotates to either safe or fire mode. Some shooters find the safety selector raps against their knuckle when firing. It is also difficult to flip on/off with the thumb of the shooting hand. HB Industries sells a Right Safety Delete V2 that removes the right-side safety lever. I would invest in this aftermarket product if you want to really run the Scorpion.

Sights were well-designed and serrated on the shooter-facing side to cut glare.

The magazine release is built into the front of the trigger guard with coarse serrations, thus your trigger finger can easily dump a mag, or you can use the thumb of your supporting hand. The cocking handle can be swapped for either a right- or left-handed shooter. It operates like an HK MP5 — very easily and locks back after the last round.

Not a lot of strength is required to cock the pistol or lock it back. With the adjustable pistol grip, you can increase or decrease the distance from the backstrap to the trigger face. The grip is relatively smooth on the sides, but the front and rear straps are serrated. The grip butt is flared so your hand does not slide off even in rapid fire. The bolt release is located on the left side in a similar location as an AR-15 bolt release button.

The top side features an 11-inch Picatinny-style rail with steel front and rear sights attached. The front post is adjustable for elevation and protected by wings. A tool comes with the pistol to adjust the front sight. The rear sight has four aperture choices that rotate and click into place and is adjustable for windage with a flat blade screwdriver or a cartridge rim. The shooter-facing side of the sight is serrated to cut glare.

The Picatinny rail allows plenty of options if you want to mount a red-dot or reflex sight. The handguard has rails at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions if you want to mount a tactical light or laser pointer.

The CZ Scorpion EVO features a hand stop to ensure your support hand doesn’t slip past the muzzle. Note the ample rail space.

A hand stop is located at the very end of the handguard as a vital piece of safety gear because your supporting hand can easily slip in front of the muzzle. You can also use the stop to push the pistol toward the target while your shooting hand pulls back. This is another way to fire more steadily.

The trigger has a slight curve and is coarsely serrated. The trigger guard is plenty large, so the Scorpion EVO can be operated with gloved hands.

The Scorpion is well balanced. I can shoot it one-handed, but fatigue sets in quickly. The ergonomics are good except for the safety selector. The Scorpion is compact and light. An adapter kit that is a buffer tube attaches to a SIG brace. Two 20-round magazines and a bore snake cleaning rod are included. Additional 10- and 30-round magazines are available.

The mags are a translucent polymer, so you can easily see remaining ammo. And they are easy to load. The feed lips of the magazine are polymer and I did not see any significant wear after running the Scorpion.

All ammunition cycled flawlessly through the Scorpion. Magazines seated easily and with authority. The pistol is easy to cock since you can pull back on the cocking lever with your support hand and provide good resistance with the firing hand. I fired the Scorpion with and without a sling and concluded the sling offered a steadier aiming position.

With Winchester Train ammo using 147-gr. FMJ bullets the Scorpion averaged five-shot 1.05-inch groups at 25 yards.

Bench rest accuracy was very good, averaging about one inch for five rounds at 25 yards. I consistently grouped five shots into 0.5 inches with the Hornady American Gunner and Winchester Train ammo.

The Scorpion EVO had more felt recoil than the other two pistols due to the simple blowback mechanism. (The CZ’s blowback system uses the force of a fired cartridge to throw back the bolt.) Even so, the pistol was easy to adapt to and manipulate.

Reloads were fast and smooth. The bolt locked back after the last shot fired. The pistol was easy to shoot with both eyes open. I would prefer a lighter trigger, my sample measured 8.4 pounds, but accuracy was good even with the heavy pull.

In conclusion, recoil was more noticeable due to the blowback mechanism. The ambidextrous safety selector bumped my knuckle when shooting but that is an easy fix. The CZ was easy to cock, and the operating handle was reversible. It is very adaptable for mounting optics, stabilizing braces and other accessories.

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1
CALIBER: 9mm
ACTION: Blowback
TRIGGER: Single Action
BARREL LENGTH: 7.72 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: 16.0 in. (w/o brace), 23.85 in. (w/ brace)
WEIGHT: 5 lbs. (empty)
SIGHTS: Fully Adjustable Aperture/Post
FINISH: Matte Black
GRIP: Smooth Polymer
BRACE: SIG SB
CAPACITY: 20+1

Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from 9mm: Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

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Henry Big Boy: The Best Pistol-Caliber Long-Gun?

By

Elwood Shelton

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July 23, 2018

2

Affordable, classic and a performer, the Henry Big Boy is top of the heap when it comes to pistol-caliber carbines and rifles.

What makes the Henry Big Boy the best pistol-caliber long-gun:

20-inch barrel adds 300 to 400 fps of muzzle velocity to a magnum pistol cartridge compared to 4-inch barrel revolver.
Heft eats recoil making magnum cartridge more manageable.
Longer sight radius improves accuracy potential compared to a handgun.
Cycling requires only two movements and does not require rebuilding a sight picture from scratch.
Can shoot not only magnums, but the cartridges they’re based on.
Nine models, three with carbine and rifle options and up to five chambering options, there are 44 Big Boy variations to choose from.
Affordable compared to other fine pistol-caliber rifle in its class.
One drawback, no loading gate.

It’s a strange class of firearms. Pistol-caliber carbines and rifles, for the most part, are out on the fringes of the gun world — at least in their most modern form. Near refugees from a cyberpunk novel, many of the newest examples take cutting-edge beyond the pale and often times end up in plug-ugly territory.

Additionally, there’s the gnawing question, “Is it really worth it?” By and large, scaling up a pistol cartridge’s platform (again in the most modern terms) is an exercise in diminishing returns. Capable plinkers and manageable home-defense options for those (perhaps through no fault of their own) are less than adroit with a handgun, overall they tend to offer few of the advantages of a legitimate rifle or full-fledged pistol. Might as well get a shotgun.

There is an exception for those willing to embrace an older, nonetheless potent and, dare I say, practical firearm. From Winchester’s Model 1866 and 1892 to Marlin’s 1894, shooters can get behind a long gun that legitimately upgrades a pistol cartridge’s performance, comes just shy of many semi-auto’s capabilities and remains as timeless as any firearm forged since the advent of smokeless powder. And in this particular sub-category of guns, it’s difficult to argue that any shine brighter than Henry Big Boy carbines and rifles.

Finding the sweet spot in price, function and gunny good looks, the Big Boy is hard to beat and arguably is the best when it comes to pistol-caliber long guns. Here’s why.

Magnum Chambering

Like a half-ton truck with a scooter’s engine, lack of power is the main gripe about pistol-caliber long guns. There’s simply not enough oomph to get most shooters excited. The Henry Big Boy (and most pistol caliber lever-actions for that matter) turn this argument on its ear.

T9918-Handloading-Revolver-Ammo-3 — Out of a gun like this 1957 Smith & Wesson Pre-Model 29 with a 6 ½-inch barrel, the .44 Magnum is a handful. Fired from a Henry Big Boy, it’s a kitten.

Chambered in the most popular handgun magnums (and a couple black sheep too), the lever-actions pack more than enough punch to get the most diehard doubter to turn his or her head. And more so than the semi-auto pistol cartridges, magnums only shoot sweeter out of the likes of a Big Boy.

Give or take, a magnum round gains in the neighborhood of 300 to 400 fps of muzzle velocity jumping from 4-inch barreled revolver to an 18-inch long gun, according to data from BallisticsByTheInch.com. Some cartridges’ ballistics can become downright strophic with the extra bore. The .357 Magnum, for one, can easily top the 2,000 fps mark at the muzzle out of a 20-inch barreled Henry. Not only does this extend a cartridges’ potential operational range, but also makes them more viable hunting options for everyday shooters. Out of a revolver, big-bore .44 and .41 magnums are handfuls. Shot from a Big Boy they’re kittens.

Shootability

Dovetailing off the last point, the Henry Big Boy opens magnum pistol cartridges to nearly every shooter. Given their longer sight radius and easy-to-use semi-Buckhorn rear sight, they make shooting a magnum round accurately a much simpler affair.

However, what they do to recoil is perhaps the more important aspect of the Henrys. Big Boys run from 7-pounds flat in the All-Weather Model to just shy of 9-pound in a model such as the Classic. Heft and a buttstock, for the most part, reduces a magnum’s kick to a mere suggestion of what it is out of a handgun.

Finally, of all non-semi-autos, lever-actions are the simplest to shoot quickly without losing accuracy. Given you never have to move your head when cycling the rifle, you never have to rebuild your sight picture from scratch. Additionally, it takes only two motions, compared to a bolt-action’s four, to chamber a fresh round in a lever-action.

Ammunition Options

Who doesn’t like options? This line of Henry rifles gives you plenty of them if you buy in magnum. The great thing about the hot-rods, the cartridges they’re base on work in the rifles as well. In turn, if you buy a .357 Magnum Henry you also get a .38 Special, the .44 Mag a .44 Special, and the .327 Fed. Mag. (Steel, Classic and Carbine models) a .32 S&W Long and a .32 H&R Mag. Hard to beat.

357-cartridges — The .357 Magnum is pistol-caliber dynamite out of a Henry Big Boy.

The .41 Mag. and .45 Colt are a bit trickier, given they don’t have commercial cartridge counterparts — obvious in the second case, since the cartridge isn’t a magnum. Though, there’s a case it doesn’t hold back the latter — for handloaders at least — given you can cook up nearly two-cartridges worth of rounds for the venerable .45. Everything from temperate target and plinking rounds to blistering hot and hard-hitting hunting options. Either way, Big Boys have you covered across the board.

Selection

Up to this point, one could argue you aren’t getting anything out of a Henry you wouldn’t out of a Winchester or Marlin. But selection is where the Big Boy starts pulling away. There are nine models of the pistol-caliber rifles and carbines and every one of them comes with a minimum of three chambering (.357 Mag./.38 Spc., .44 Mag/.44 Spc., .45 Colt). A few, such as the brass-receiver Classic, have five caliber options. Additionally, the Color Case Hardened, Steel and Special Edition II have both rifle and carbine variations. A good dilemma, you potentially have 44 Big Boys to sift through before you find the one that’s right for you.

Affordable Class

Winchester puts up a pretty good fight in this category, however, Henry wins out. First off, Henry is the master of the copper and zinc alloy we call brass and nothing shines quite a brightly as their receivers fresh out of the box. Furthermore, the company has a good eye for walnut, which in all models goes a long way in giving their guns soul.

Secondly, and perhaps more weighty, the affordability of a Big Boy can’t be beaten. The line starts at $893 (MSRP) with the Steel Model, a couple hundred dollar less than the most affordable 1892. And if you want some of the classic accouterments — octagon barrel, engraving, etc. — the Big Boy grows in price, however, stay extremely competitive compared with anything in is class. Is there another brass-receiver rifle with scrollwork, outside the Big Boy Deluxe Engraved II, that runs less than $2,000? To top it all off, all Henrys are completely American made — which still counts (or should) for something, at least in the gun world.

Devil His Due

Prattling on about the Henry Big Boy, you’d think there was nary a chink in the line’s armor. However, there is one aspect of its design that may turn some potential fans off and I would be remiss not discussing. Unlike Winchester and Marlin’s pistol-caliber long guns, the Henry’s do not have a loading gate. Small in the scheme of things, it does make reloading more arduous (less so than an 1860) and topping off the magazine a no go. With Henry, reloading is purely accomplished through the guns’ tubular magazine. Never wrestled with one before? I assure you it’s not a grease-lightning affair.

That said, the Henry Big Boy rifles have a 10-round capacity and the carbines 7-rounds; practically speaking that’s more than enough on tap to tackle most any job — even the vast majority of self-defense situations shy of a battalion assault. A bothersome aspect, perhaps. A deal breaker, by no means, considering everything else the Henry Big Boys bring to the table.

Ammunition: Shotgun Slugs 101

By

Larry Case

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July 23, 2018

4

Modern-day shotgun slugs have had their own evolution and history, and as you may suspect, they’re not all created equal.

What styles of shotgun slugs are available today:

Foster Slugs
Brenneke Slugs
Sabot Slugs

In general, there are two main types of shotgun slugs: Full-bore slugs, in essence, fill up most of the bore of the shotgun as they travel down the barrel, and sabot slugs that employ a plastic sabot to engage the rifling and then drop off after it leaves the barrel, much like a wad deviates from a load of birdshot in flight.

Foster Slugs

Federal’s TruBall slug is of the Foster design, meaning it has a hollow rear portion. Modern technology, however, has allowed for tweaks and design changes that have led to ever increasing accuracy.

This is the original slug created to be fired in a smoothbore shotgun. Karl M. Foster started making them for neighbors in the early ‘30s as people were looking for something to knock down a deer to feed families during the Great Depression. Foster originally hand-cast these slugs and filed grooves on the side for rifling, which is much the same as Foster-type slugs appear today.

The Foster slug’s greatest characteristic is a hollow rear portion, which puts most of the weight near the tip of the slug. If the slug starts to yaw in flight, which they almost always do, the weight forward aspect is thought to bring the slug back into a straighter, more stable flight … much the same as a badminton shuttlecock or air rifle pellet works.

Foster slugs are also known as “American” slugs to distinguish them from European-type slugs such as the Brenneke. Rifling on the Foster slug gives it no gyroscopic spin advantage as barrel rifling does with a rifle bullet, but the grooves on the side of these shotgun slugs do allow for easier transition as they’re swaged down to pass through various chokes.

Foster slugs are capable of being fired through most shotgun chokes, rifled choke tubes and rifled shotgun barrels — though shooting a Foster through a rifled barrel will do little more than dramatically foul the rifling. Stay away from super-tight turkey chokes with any slug; at the very least, “pinching” will occur and group sizes will be measured in feet, not inches.

For reasons not clear to anyone, including me, gun writers in the era when Foster was around confused his name with the Forster Brothers who made reloading tools during this same period. So, sometimes you may see “Forster” when referring to the Foster-style slug.

Brenneke Slugs

The Winchester Deer Season slugs also took a page from the Foster playbook, though they feature a polymer “tail” that acts much like ﬂ etching on an arrow.

The German Wilhelm Brenneke gave us the Brenneke slug in 1898. The chief variance from the Foster slug is that the Brenneke is solid and has a wad attached to the rear of the slug that remains on the slug after firing. The wad may be plastic, cellulose fiber or felt, and it gives the slug stabilization in flight.

Like the Foster, the grooves on the side of the Brenneke give it no spin stability but do help with moving into a choke with less deformation. The Brenneke slug is solid and gives more penetration with less deformity and is often chosen for dangerous animal applications, as well as some military and law enforcement needs.

Sabot Slugs

For the slug shooter looking to maximize range, there is no better combination of a sabot-style slug and a fully riﬂ ed slug barrel. Add a polymer tip to the equation, and accuracy — as well as terminal performance — get pretty impressive.

The shotgun slug that so many of us have trouble pronouncing (sab-oh, the “a” is short and the “t” is silent), a plastic sabot encases the slug and engages the barrel’s rifling, giving the slug much of the spin advantage of a rifle bullet. To be most effective, the sabot needs to drop from the slug as soon as possible after leaving the barrel, much like a birdshot wad.

Shotgun slugs came out of the dark ages with the advent of the sabot slug and rifled shotgun barrels. What we have now with sabots is, in effect, rifle bullets the size of shotgun slugs (.72 caliber for 12 gauge and .61 for 20 gauge). This is a huge piece of lead or copper cast downrange at the target. Ballistic-tip slugs slip through the air with a much greater ballistic coefficient than the punkin’ ball slugs of old, which means they fly farther with greater retained velocity. Many slug shooters will tell you that, with the right gun and slug combination, 200-yard shots are not out of the question.

Blast Through the Basics: All About Shotguns

Best AR Style Shotgun – A Comprehensive Review
Best 410 Pump Shotgun – A Buyer’s Guide
Best Over Under Shotgun – Affordable Doubles
Best Home-Defense Shotguns
Double Barrel Shotgun Reviews – Affordable Doubles
What is an 8 Gauge Shotgun? Everything You Need to Know
<Best Tactical Shotguns A Comprehensive Guide
Lever Action Shotgun Reviews – The Past, Present And Future
The Best Pump Action Shotgun Guide
Bullpup Shotgun Buying Guide – Best Options for Self-Defense

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

What Exactly Is A Magnum?

By

Jon R. Sundra

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July 20, 2018

1

It’s difficult to define where regular cartridges end and magnums begin.

Why defining a magnum is difficult:

In the ‘60s and ‘70s, it meant a cartridge more powerful than “normal.”
Typically based on the belted Holland & Holland case.
This was not a hard and fast standard.
Many typical “standard” cartridges had magnum performance, such as the .25-08.
Some “magnum” cartridges were less than powerful, such as the .256 Win. Mag.

There was a time when the term “magnum” was fairly well defined. I’m talking back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, when the word pretty much meant a cartridge more powerful than “normal” and was usually based on the belted Holland & Holland case. In fact, in the eyes of many, if it didn’t have a belt, it couldn’t be a magnum — that’s how synonymous the two words became. As always, though, there were many exceptions to the rule. Back in its early days as a wildcat, for example, the .25-06 certainly provided magnum performance if the “standard” for the caliber was the .257 Roberts. Yet it was never called the “.25-06 Magnum.”

At the other end of the .25-caliber spectrum was the .256 Winchester Magnum, a bastard of a cartridge if even there was one. Originally designed as a pistol cartridge, what limited popularity it achieved it was in the Marlin Model 62 Levermatic rifle. Based on the .357 Magnum pistol case necked down to .25 caliber, as a rifle cartridge it was pitiful, sending a 60-grain bullet of low sectional density and ballistic coefficient at 2,760 fps. If we again cite the .257 Roberts as representing the performance standard for the caliber, it would have qualified as a super magnum compared to the .256! Incidentally, I actually owned one of those Marlin Levermatics, and the .256 Win. Magnum was the cartridge with which I started my handloading career.

Anyway, another and even better example of confusing nomenclature is the .220 Swift. When it was introduced in 1932, it absolutely blew the doors off any other .22 centerfire cartridge, yet like the .25-06, it too never received the magnum imprimatur. Even when the .222 Rem. Magnum was introduced in 1958, the Swift pushed the same weight bullets about 500 fps faster, yet it was … well, just a Swift, not a magnum.

Grasping For Consistency

Like I said, there are many exceptions to the rule, but for the most part there was some thread of consistency throughout cartridge nomenclature. I guess when you get right down to it, a cartridge is regarded as a “magnum” if its performance — usually based on velocity, but not always, as in the case of shotshells — is higher than the nominal standard. Today, we have many true magnums that have no belt, plus we have short magnums, ultra magnums and “enhanced performance” cartridges, so determining what those standards are is a lot more confusing than it used to be.

The .300 Win. Mag., left, was the fourth cartridge in a series of belted magnums designed to ﬁ t in a standard long action. The other Winchester Magnums are, from left to right, the .264, .338 and .458, all based on the .375 H&H Mag. case.

I do think, however, we would all agree that the performance “standard” for our two most popular hunting calibers, the 7mm and .30, are represented by the .280 Rem. and the .30-06. In other words, a muzzle velocity of around 2,800-2,850 fps for a 150-grain 7mm bullet, and 2,750 fps or thereabouts for a 180-grain slug in a .30-06, represent “standard” cartridge performance for those respective calibers. Any cartridge that increases those nominal velocities by 150-200 fps would qualify as magnums, whether they’re called that or not.

Continuing that thread, the 7mm Rem. Mag. and .300 Win. Mag. best exemplify what most of us mean by magnum in those respective calibers. Of course, we now have the 7mm and .300 Win. Short Magnums, which duplicate the aforementioned rounds, but with a shorter, squatter case — and without that once almost-mandatory appendage known as a belt.

Then we have in those same two calibers the 7mm and .300 Remington Ultra Mags, both of which deserve that superlative moniker because they do indeed provide another significant step up in performance over “standard magnums” if you will, which has to qualify as an oxymoron if ever there was one!

A Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless chambered in .300 Win. Mag.

What in recent years has further blurred the lines between standard, magnum and ultra-magnum performance is best characterized by Hornady’s original Light Magnum line of enhanced performance ammunition. By using proprietary loading procedures and propellants specifically formulated for them, Hornady was able to boost velocities in non-magnum cartridges by as much as 140 fps over the nominal standards, with no increase in pressures. After a couple of years, Hornady applied that same technology to magnum calibers, but they felt they had to somehow distinguish it from non-magnum calibers, so they called it “Heavy Magnum,” even though the velocity gains averaged about the same.

For example, the Light Magnum 165-grain .308 Win. load clocked 2,840 fps compared to 2,700 for the standard loading. In .300 Win. the Heavy Magnum load exited at 3,120 fps, or 170 fps over the standard load. Thankfully, the Hornady folks realized the potential for confusion and have since chosen to change the name to Superformance, and it applies to all such enhanced loadings whether magnums or not.

Further blurring the lines between standard and magnum performance is that Hornady has applied this same technology in its development of proprietary cartridge lines for Ruger, Thompson/Center and Marlin. The Ruger Compact Magnums — the .300 and .338 T/C, and the .300 and .338 Marlin Express — are all examples of cartridges that provide significant more velocities than they could otherwise given their case capacities.

Today’s Mauser M98 Magnum is very similar to Peter Paul Mauser’s original — with a few upgrades, including plasma-nutrided metal, a new trigger design and a three-position wing safety.

Even more dramatic, though, is the performance gains achieved when these same loading techniques are applied to classic lever-action cartridges like the .30-30, .35 Rem., .444 Marlin and .450 Marlin in conjunction with Hornady’s development of FlexTip bullets that allow spitzer-shaped projectiles to be used in the heretofore verboten tubular magazines of classic lever-action rifles like the Marlin 336 and Winchester Model 94. The gains in velocity, coupled with the flatter trajectories of these much more streamlined bullets, have elevated the overall performance of these old guns to where they would qualify as “magnums” when compared to the standard loadings, and the flat or round-nosed bullets these guns were traditionally saddled with.

Making Sense Of It All

No, the term “magnum” doesn’t have quite the same connotations it once did. There are cartridges today that produce magnum and even super-magnum performance, yet are not so designated — the 7.82 Lazzeroni Warbird and .460 Dakota are consummate examples.

Then there are those that wear a belt and don’t qualify, such as the 6.5 and .350 Remington Magnums; they only duplicate, if that, the performance of the 6.5-06 wildcat and the .35 Whelen, respectively. And lastly there are those that, through enhanced loading techniques and the use of specially formulated propellants, find themselves in that no-man’s land between standard and magnum performance.

There was a time when, in the eyes of many riﬂ emen, if a cartridge didn’t have a belt it couldn’t be a magnum — the two words “belted magnum” became nearly inseparable.

Thanks to our penchant for trying to pigeon-hole everything into neatly defined categories, we find ourselves more frustrated than ever. But, what difference does it really make?

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

5 Best Slug Gun Options Ready For Deer Season

By

Larry Case

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July 20, 2018

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Though very often overlooked, the slug gun continues to evolve — which means much-improved accuracy.

I knew I had arrived. Dad put a handful of green “punkin’ ball” shells in my coat pocket and told me I could load up when it got daylight. “Stay on this stand, don’t make any noise and don’t shoot if the deer is too far away — about 50 yards is your limit.” He turned and disappeared into the darkness. Long speeches were not the style in those days.

Four hours and a dried out turkey sandwich from Thanksgiving dinner later, I stood over my first deer. It was a little fork-horn buck, and I would not have been any more proud if it had been a Boone and Crockett monster. The old Model 37 Ithaca 16-gauge pump gun, the same shotgun we grouse hunted with, and the Remington slugs had done the job. That’s how we did it in the ‘60s.

Maybe no other modern shotgun has evolved as much as the slug gun, shotguns specifically employed for shooting solid “ball” ammunition. The original concept of shooting lead slugs was to give shotgun shooters more versatility in the game they could take. This is exactly what our colonial ancestors did with smoothbore muskets and “fowling pieces.” The Revolutionary-War-era hunter and soldier could load Old Betsy with a solid ball of lead, or one ball and a few large buckshot (known as “buck and ball”), or a load of fine birdshot. In this manner, he could hunt rabbits, birds, deer — and Redcoats.

Today’s Slug Guns

Rifling the barrel of a shotgun has brought us to a brave new world in slug shooting. Some states still require the use of a shotgun when hunting whitetails with a firearm, and several companies continue to offer — and evolve — their slug gun lineups.

Ithaca Model 37 Deer Slayer III

The Model 37 Ithaca pump gun has been around a long time, and this shotgun has killed more deer than Lewis and Clark. The 37 was designed by none other than John M. Browning and was first produced in 1937. The Deer Slayer III features a solid steel receiver CNC machined from one piece of steel, as is the heavy-walled 26-inch fluted barrel (1:26 twist), which is fixed to the receiver. The Model 37 is famous for its bottom ejection and loading port. If you’re used to an 870 or other side-ejection-port gun, it may be like Bluegrass music — you’ll either love it or you’ll hate it. The Model 37 Deer Slayer III is a lot of history and gun for the money. Cost depends on the grade of walnut stock you order. MSRP: $1,350 and up

Remington Model 870 SPS Super Slug

It’s always hard to find something yet to be said about the virtues of the Model 870 — with more than 11 million of these guns sold, somebody must like them. Remington took the solid action of the 870 and made a slug gun out of it, adding a thumbhole stock and a thicker barrel, but they did something else that other slug gun makers have not: Remington pinned the barrel to the receiver for extra stability, which means better accuracy. The barrel is fluted to minimize weight and heat buildup, and the Super Cell recoil pad will be appreciated when shooting some hard-thumping slugs. The receiver is also drilled and tapped, and a Weaver-type rail is included. MSRP: $829

Winchester SX4 Cantilever Buck

New for 2018, the SX4 slug gun is fast handling and fast cycling, which is what the SX Winchester shotguns are famous for. This is a dedicated slug gun with a 22-inch rifled barrel, adjustable rifle-style sights with TruGlo front fiber-optic, and a cantilever optic-mounting base. The self-adjusting Active Valve System in the Winchester SX shotguns has been tested by time and will take some of the felt recoil out of heavy slug loads, which is always a blessing. In addition, the ambidextrous cross-bolt safety is quickly interchangeable, and length-of-pull spacers allow you to adjust to shooter size — or when you’re wearing four layers of clothing while trying not to freeze on your stand. MSRP: $959.99

Savage 212 and 220

I’ve seen deer camps in shotgun-only states where most of the crowd shoots a Savage 212 (12 gauge) or the 220 (20 gauge). This gun has a loyal following, and it’s mostly because of the accuracy. Paired with the right ammo, this shotgun is a legitimate 200-yard gun. This is largely due to a bolt-action design — other shotguns are usually pumps or semi-autos, and these actions can allow too much play in the bore, chamber and throat for rifle-like accuracy. Savage also put the user-friendly AccuTrigger on these guns and an oversize bolt handle, both of which are great for when you’re fumbling with gloves on. The button-rifled, 22-inch matte-blued carbon-steel barrel is drilled and tapped for mounting a scope, and the magazine is a detachable box that holds two rounds. MSRP: $704

Stoeger 3000R

The Stoeger 3000 line of semi-autos has been around a while — long enough to earn a reputation of reliability and a lot of gun for the price. Stoeger’s semi-auto shotguns feature the Inertia Driven system, and it’s one of the simplest and cleanest-running shotgun actions around. It’s an inertia system though, not a gas gun, so you will feel some of the heavy slugs you shoot. The 3000R slug variant has a 24-inch rifled barrel with a 1:35 rate of twist and a cantilever scope mount. The 3000R doesn’t have all the frills of more expensive slug guns, but with such an attractive price tag you’ll get used to it quickly. MSRP: $619

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

Henry Shotgun Options In .410 Prove Quick Fun

By

Elwood Shelton

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July 19, 2018

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Quick shooting and eye-catching, the small-bore Henry shotgun models are instant classics.

What these Henry Shotguns offer:

Based on Henry’s .45-70 Government rifle.
Available in two models: 20-inch barreled Rare Carbine and 24-inch shotgun.
Carbine has semi-buckhorn sights and blade front with brass insert.
Shotgun has simple brass bead front sight.
Carbine has integral cylinder choke, the shotgun a removable invector-style choke.
Chamber 2 1/2-inch shells.
5-round capacity.
Both models weigh around 7.5 pounds.
Each is stocked in straight-grained American walnut.

Not exactly continuing where Benjamin Tyler Henry left off, Henry Repeating Arms nevertheless has kept the classic lever-action not only relevant in the age of semi-autos, but sought after. Masterworks in hardwood, steel and brass, perhaps no single gunmaker has inspired more devotees in the past three decades than the New Jersey concern.

Honestly, Henry fans’ enthusiasm knows no bounds and they have the bulging gun racks, cabinets and safes to prove it. Get behind a Big Boy, or any of their other lever guns really, and you’ll quickly understand their fanaticism.

Henry rifles — faithful replicas and modern-day improvements alike — have and are the company’s bread and butter. However, the manufacturer struck out in a new direction in 2017 with a pair of lightning-fast smoothbore lever-actions that are as fun as they are timeless. Chambered in mild .410, the lever-action Henry Shotgun and Rare Carbine Shotgun offer shooters of nearly any age possibly the classiest and most unique small-bore scatterguns to pitch shot around today.

Perhaps not as versatile as others in their class (namely because they’re not a dual-purpose .45 Colt — no rifling), the shotguns still prove desirable and, for small jobs, practical. Jackrabbits in the sage, pigeons on the roost, coyotes too curious for their own good — none are safe with a Henry shotgun loaded and a capable man or woman on the lever. Equally so, any fun-gunning target of which you can conceive.

It’s not much of a stretch to claim, Henry may have turned out one of the most enjoyable smoothbores in recent times. One any shooter would be proud to add to their collection.

Surveying The Henry Shotguns

Likely to spark a bout of déjà vu, the Henry shotguns seem very familiar. Hadn’t the company done this before? In fact, they had and do, except as a .45-70 Government.

Based on the blued model of the large-bore rifle, the small-bore shotguns are, for the most part, spitting images. The echo between rifle and shotgun is especially pronounced with the 20-inch barreled Rare Carbine, given it boasts a fully adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight, in addition to coming fully drilled and tapped for a scope, like the .45-70. The 24-inch barreled model, on the other hand, has a much more shotgun feel to it, with a simple brass bead.

Both configurations of Henry shotgun feature a tubular magazine that holds five 2 1/2 -inch shells. The shell size is adequate, but certainly won’t win accolades from those who insist on 3-inch magnums. Yet, there is plenty of exceptional fodder to feed on in the 2 1/2 pasture — there are loads for nearly any operation you could possibly demand of a .410.

Aside from sights and barrel length, the choke is the other point of departure in the shotgun models. The Rare Carbine has a cylinder bore integral to its barrel; the 24-inch barreled shotgun has a factory-installed removable invector-style full choke, opening up patterning options.

Built for practical use, the .410s boast a number of features modern shooters will find convenient. Steel swivel studs help make the guns more mobile. The absence of a cross-bolt safety makes them faster to get into the game. And thanks to a transfer-bar safety, the guns can be safely carried with a round in the chamber and the hammer down. Additionally, the shotguns lack a half-cock position for the hammer.

Then there’s the aesthetics, which both shotguns have in spades. Similar to almost every Henry, the head-turner of the guns is their richly finished sticks of straight-grained American walnut. The hardwood is set off with rich bluing. The only complaint in the looks department — no brass-receiver model.

Ammo Options

Buckshot, such as Remington HD Ultimate Defense or Federal Premium Person Defense, performs admirably out of the shotguns. Tight-patterning in general, once you get over the fact you’re shooting self-defense shells you appreciate the potential for other targets, such as close-quarters coyotes. For small game up to turkey, No. 4 and 6 shot is more than enough medicine and nearly every ammo maker offers something in this range — Winchester and Remington leading the way. There is also an abundance of slugs, which opens the Henry shotguns up for deer season or a bit more distant attempts at running dogs. Brenneke has a 1/4-ounce option and Winchester a 1/5-ounce. In either case, they should prove more than adequate 50-yards and beyond.

What’s It Good For?

Not a world-beater compared to a 12- or even 20-gauge, the .410 is still a potent bore. Whitetail (it is legal for deer in many states) and smaller quarry are all fair game. There is no more testing game than sub-small gauge skeet. And for general firearms enjoyment, there are few that hold a candle to the smallest commercial bore.

Certainly, you’re working with fewer pellets per trigger pull, but learning to close in on quarry can make up the difference. The Henry’s alleviates some of the density issues with a leg up in speed. With practice, lever-actions are among the quickest shooting firearms short of a semi-automatic. Add in the light recoil of the .410, the Henry shotguns have the potential of blinding speed shot to shot. Where this pays off particularly, outside of a missed single in skeet, are bulk shooting opportunities. Arguably, there are few potential pest eradicators more suited for the job than the Henrys, whether you’re talking about a den of pesky raccoons or a hayloft full of rock doves.

Furthermore, the Henry shotguns’ bores are well suited for the job, particularly in ever-more-common crowded rural areas. Unlike a .22, there’s little worry of most reasonable shots endangering an unseen neighbor out trimming a bush or clearing brush. And the report is minimal enough to make a noise complaint improbable.

How about self-defense? Undoubtedly, the Henry shotguns could fill the role in a pinch and there are ample loads to transform this fun gun into a defensive maven. However, given the guns’ large sizes and the dubious effectiveness of some .410 loads, they might not top the list of self-defense long guns.

Parting Shot

Given the multitudes of larger bores, it’s difficult to get whomped up about a .410. Henry, nevertheless, has found a way. The drawback of the guns are their steep prices, particularly for a small bore. The 24-inch barreled model runs $947 and the carbine a slightly more affordable $893. Examples of more economical smoothbores are legion and possibly more attractive for casual shooters.

If money is no object, then these Henry shotguns are what jackrabbit hunting dreams and high-speed casual shooting sessions are made of. All in all the guns are quite a feat. Like the lever-action itself, Henry has found a way to make the smallest commercial bore not only relevant, but desirable.

Shotgun Specs
Barrel Length: 24″
Barrel Type: Round Blued Steel
Rate of Twist: Smooth/Full Invector Style Choke
Overall Length: 44.5″
Weight: 7.54 lbs.
Chamber: 2 1/2″
Receiver Finish: Blued Steel
Rear Sight: none
Front Sight: Brass Bead
Scopeability: N/A
Stock Material: American Walnut
Buttplate/Pad: Black Ventilated Rubber Recoil Pad
Length of Pull: 14″
Safety: Transfer Bar
Choke: Screw in Invector Choke
MSRP: $947

Rare Carbine Specs
Barrel Length: 20″
Barrel Type: Round Blued Steel
Rate of Twist: Smooth/Cyl. Bore
Overall Length: 40.5″
Weight: 7.33 lbs.
Chamber: 2 1/2″
Receiver Finish: Blued Steel
Rear Sight: Fully Adj. Semi-Buckhorn w/ Diamond Insert
Front Sight: Brass Bead
Scopeability: Drilled and Tapped
Stock Material: American Walnut
Buttplate/Pad: Black Ventilated Rubber Recoil Pad
Length of Pull: 14″
Safety: Transfer Bar
Choke: Cylinder Bore
MSRP: $893

Pushing The Limits With Extreme Long Range Shooting Competitions

By

Frank Galli

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July 19, 2018

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Shooting’s new super sport: extreme long range.

What is and does it take to compete in Extreme Long-Range shooting:

Beyond the 1,000-yard mark, generally starting around 1,500 yards.
Targets are 36-inches square.
From a cold rifle, a shooter must put three shots on target.
Variants of the .375 CT are generally the most successful rifles.
.30-caliber magnums and .338s are also viable.
Clarity and resolution are more important optics qualities than magnification.
Bullets require speed combined with a high ballistic coefficient.

Shooting precision rifles at extended ranges is growing increasingly popular. Extreme long-range (ELR) shooting is often defined as distances beyond 1,000 yards, though some many argue ELR “starts” at about 1,500 yards. Wherever that answer lies for you, more people are shooting out to ELR distances — and claiming various levels of success along the way.

In the ELR game, nothing comes cheap. Heavy actions, feeding long barrels and built on massive stocks, are the norm.

As part of Sniper’s Hide, I have been involved in Extreme Long-Range shooting for many years. I enjoy it so much that I’m also working with a group of like-minded shooters to standardize what constitutes a “World Record Shot.” Alongside the likes of companies such as Applied Ballistics, McMillan Stocks, Cutting Edge Bullets and Warner Tool, as well as with individuals such as David Tubb, standards are on the horizon.

Too often we see videos of guys launching a single round at an incredible distance only to find out they expended 15, 25, 50 — even 200+ shots to get a single hit on steel. Cue the cheers, stand up and drop the mic.

But not so fast. The goal of precision shooting is to promote precision and accuracy, and launching anything more than five rounds at a time without a hit is neither accurate nor precise. Let’s face it: If you shoot enough shots at the target, odds are you will eventually hit something. There’s no skill involved in getting lucky with a cone of lead.

In their defense, however, shooting a target at more than 2,500 yards away is as close to a drug habit as you can get without the side effects. When you see that round land just a few feet from the target, it’s incredibly hard to control the urge not to fire another round … followed up by more. The next thing you know, five rounds turns into 10, which turns into 20 — as the shooter mumbles “just one more time.” More familiar with drugs is the cost of shooting at ELR distances. In this sport, things can add up very quickly.

Extreme Long-Range Rifles

The rifle is the heart of the Exteme Long-Range shooting equation. Depending on how far your intended goal is, most are seeing some version of success with a .375 CT variant. This caliber is not only large, but it’s also costly to shoot. Guys can spend close to $8 a shot attempting to squeeze every bit of speed and accuracy out of the caliber.

Like all shooting disciplines, success can be defined by the shooter and is built with a successful rifle, optics and bullet combination. And as a general rule to ELR success, big, heavy and fast are mandatory.

In addition, extra-large actions are needed, as well barrels that may grow to be more than 32 inches in length. Tying that extremely hefty barreled action together is the stock. McMillan calls their ELR stock “The Beast” because it needs to hold all that in place. A well-constructed Extreme Long-Range shooting rig is going to run the shooter more than $5,000 — and that’s being conservative.

That said, you can certainly shoot inside 2,000 yards with smaller caliber rifles. Heavy .30-caliber rounds, such as the .300 Norma Mag., have proven very successful to these distances. I’ve accurately shot my .300 Norma Mag. to 2,500 yards. The caliber performs exceptionally well pushing a 230-grain Berger Bullet to 2,997 fps with a 25-inch barrel, and it’s not nearly as big and bulky as your typical Extreme Long-Range shooting rifle. In addition, .338s are also very popular, and they can be equally successful out to 2,500 yards. The key with the .338 is getting the muzzle velocity up to more than 2,850 fps with a 300-grain bullet.

As a side note to building a capable Extrem Long-Range shooting rifle, I want to talk left-hand gain-twist barrels. Everyone focuses on the latest scopes or the newest bullet, but many miss out when it comes to barrel upgrades. I’m using several left-hand gain-twist barrels from Bartlein Barrels. They create some of the best barrels on the market, and the left-hand gain-twist barrels are working. The gain-twist technology isn’t like it used to be — it’s much subtler as well as very accurate. It helps when shooting a variety of bullet weights, not to mention the recoil pulse supports the shooters vs. working against them.

If you’re building a new rifle for Extreme Long-Range shooting and you live in the Northern Hemisphere, consider a left-hand gain-twist barrel. You can thank me later.

Extreme Long-Range Optics

Optics are the next consideration in the overall Extreme Long-Range shooting package, and you need to consider several factors: construction and reliability, elevation adjustments, reticle type and optical performance.

Notice I didn’t mention magnification. When it comes to optics, Extreme Long-Range shooting is not about magnification — it’s about clarity and resolution. Considering the conditions one might encounter, mirage can completely obscure a target if you’re trying to put too much magnification on it. The more power you use, the more you magnify the negative elements in the air.

Nightforce is one of the most common options on the ELR line, followed by Schmidt & Bender and Vortex Gen 2 Razors. These scopes have a lot of elevation and are known to hold up to the recoil of the rifle.

Second focal plane scopes can be an advantage in this game, too. The tall, angled base used on some Extreme Long-Range shooting rifles is designed to get the most elevation out of the scope. With a second focal plane scope, you can cut the power in half and then use the reticle to double the value of the subtensions. A 10 mil/MOA reticle will instantly adjust 20 mils/MOA when placed at half power.

Today, the better option is the Charlie Tarac Unit sold by TacomHQ, which is a prism device that attaches to the rifle or scope to instantly increase the elevation. I used this device to shoot a factory .338 Lapua with factory ammo to 4,000 yards. The “Taco Unit,” as we call it, can give the end user as much as 150 mils of additional adjustment. In MOA, the prism can be preloaded with 300 MOA of internal movement — then you fine-tune your dope using the scope. Remove the device and you’re right back to your 100-yard zero.

Extreme Long-Range Bullets

After you’ve assembled your rifle, the most significant element is, of course, the bullet.

The 6.5 Creedmoor becomes all but worthless when the word “extreme” is placed in front of “long range.” Some shooters continue to work with the .338 Lapua, while many have settled into a .375 CT variant.

Picking the right bullet is more than just a weight question: You need speed combined with a high ballistic coefficient, and that might mean going a bit lighter. Years ago, we did a very detailed bullet test and found with a .338 Lapua that the 285-grain bullet was a better performer than the 300-grain bullet. The difference was speed. You need muzzle velocity to get the advertised results. Sure, you can float the bullet into the subsonic zone, and many will work — but you kill your predictability. Speed wins.

If you genuinely want to be successful shooting at ELR distances, consider solid bullets. They have a higher ballistic coefficient and they can be lighter to give you more speed. The best part is that you can push them harder, meaning not just more velocity but increased spin stability. Jacketed bullets can deform under similar conditions, thus killing performance. A fast load with a small, single-digit standard deviation is critical.

The 3×3 Standard

So where is the standard going? We’re using a 36-inch square target from 1,500 yards and beyond. We want a size that’s practical and can be replicated anywhere in the world. From a cold rifle, the shooter must put three shots on target for it to be considered a record. A shooter may only make two attempts a day, and these must be the only shots of the day. Have I mentioned you need a 4-hour window between attempts?

This basic standard is reducing the record ranges, but it’s also making those records much more meaningful. At this past SHOT Show, we had a World Record attempt with the guys from ELR Central and ELRHQ. Only three shooters out of 27 managed to hit three out of three on command. One of those shooters was John Armstrong, who was using a 7mm Rem. Mag. hunting rifle with a Super Sniper scope. He demonstrated what can be done when the shooter focuses on the shot more than his equipment. Gear matters, but as the old saying goes: “Fear the man with one rifle — he may know how to use it.”

We encourage those who want to push the limits, but we ask for accountability and data. The more we understand the conditions along with the data used to make the shot, the better off the sport will be moving forward.

Good shooting, and no wind.

5 Excellent Double-Action Revolver Options

By

Patrick Sweeney

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July 18, 2018

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Five top revolver choices from large bore to pocket pistol and everything in between.

What are some the best revolver options:

Smith & Wesson 629 Delux
Ruger GP100 Match Champion
Colt Cobra
Kimber K6s
Taurus 856

Some things change, some stay the same. When it comes to picking a revolver, you can still depend on S&W. Big to small, mild to ferocious, they offer the complete selection. They offer so many that you would have to narrow down your needs or desires before we could even begin discussing the best one to choose.

For a classic experience — but updated — the new S&W 629 Deluxe is a stainless .44 Rem Mag. that will fill the bill.

If you want big bores and medium ones, Ruger makes plenty of double-action revolvers. That wasn’t the case when I started, and I still have to remind myself that Ruger is new to this, since they have “only” been at it for just shy of 50 years. How about the new Ruger GP100 Match Champion?

Colt used to be a big player, but they fell out of the marketplace a bit some time back. They have, however, come back in a big way, in the compact carry segment, and you should look at Colt’s Cobra if you’re looking for an EDC snubby.

Ruger-GP100-Match-Champion — Ruger GP100 Match Champion

A recent surprise entrant to the revolver market is Kimber, with the K6s. They now offer it in a variety of finish and sight options.

The newest item from Taurus is their 856, a six-shot snubby that I recently had a chance to shoot. I only had to stop when it became clear that others wanted to shoot it, and I couldn’t hog all the ammo.

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

Video: Successfully Reading A Sporting Clays Station

By

Gun Digest Editors

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July 18, 2018

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Champion shooter Cory Kruse’s tips for sporting clays success.

Watch any professional sport sooner or later there’s a “How’d-they-do-that” moment. Maybe it’s an NFL quarterback finding a seam in lockdown coverage or an MLB slugger divining the sweet spot on a wicked slider. Either way, they create magic in what otherwise seems an impossible situation.

Easy to chalk up to pure unadulterated athletic skill, there’s perhaps a more important element in their success — insight. Tens of thousands of hours spent honing their craft, athletes cultivate the innate ability to know when a receiver has a step and how to read the seams of a baseball. Shooting sports are no different. The good thing for recreational and club shooters, a little forethought stepping into the box and they too can develop the acumen to bust clays like they’re shooting with radar.

Cory Kruse has a solid handle on reading a sporting clays station, and the hardware to prove it. Texas and U.S. Open champion, the pro makes dusting doubles look simpler than yelling “pull” and chalks up much of his success entering a station with a plan. Breaking down a cross pair for Gun Digest Editor-in-Chief Luke Hartle, Kruse provides his step-by-step analysis and technique for making certain blue rock doesn’t escape unscathed. Overall, his pointers are simple, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a challenge.

There’s a difference between knowing and executing. The latter taking range time to make it concept transform into action. A fair share of misses must be endured to excel in trap, skeet or sporting clays. The plus side of the process, practice means shooting, which rarely proffers many complaints.

For more information on Aguila Ammunition, please visit www.aguilaammo.com.

JM Pro Adjustable Match Trigger Advantage

By

Elwood Shelton

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July 17, 2018

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Mossberg shoots to improve AR accuracy with the release of the economical JM Pro Adjustable Match Trigger.

What Mossberg’s trigger brings to the table:

3- to 6-pound pull-weight adjustment.
User-adjustable overtravel.
Compatible with AR-15 and AR-10 rifles with .154-inch trigger and hammer pin holes.
Drop-in design for easy installment.

You needn’t be a graduate of the U.S. Army Sniper School to know a bad trigger is an accuracy thief. And on no firearm is this truer than AR-style rifles. The run of the mill mil-spec trigger found in the majority of standard AR-15 and AR-10 rifles is frustratingly below average dabbling into the downright poor. Luckily, it is among the easiest upgrades (wisely your first) of an off-the-shelf black rifle.

Certainly, you can make the rationalization you’re shooting nothing but point-blank with your carbine. Fine, good for you. Keep squeezing that gritty, squishy unit that came with your rifle. But if you hanker to get more out of your AR, especially a budget one, than sooner or later you’re going to have to up your game.

Thankfully, the proposition is getting less painful by the year, to the point now it’s almost inexcusable to shoot mil-spec. Case in point, Mossberg’s new JM Pro Adjustable Match Trigger. With an MSRP of $161, the drop-in unit does little to tax your pocketbook, yet should do plenty for your accuracy. Tunable from 3 to 6 pounds and compatible with AR-15 and AR-10 rifles (at least those with .154″ trigger and hammer pin holes), few improvements will give you more bang for your buck.

From Mossberg:

North Haven, CT – O.F. Mossberg and Sons, Inc., a leader in the firearms industry with over 100 design and utility patents and one of the most innovative firearms manufacturers, is pleased to announce the release of the JM Pro Adjustable Match Trigger, a drop-in adjustable precision trigger that is compatible with standard AR15 and AR10 rifles. Working with world-renowned, 3-Gun shooter, Jerry Miculek, Mossberg engineered the new JM Pro Adjustable Match Trigger as a standard rifle upgrade for competition and recreational shooters and hunters where trigger control and great shot placement are keys to success.
Designed and constructed for consistent, shot-after-shot accuracy with a crisp, creep-free break, this patented drop-in trigger design will fit all standard Mil-Spec AR15 and AR10 lower receivers with .154” trigger and hammer pin holes. The JM Pro trigger housing is precision-machined and the trigger pull weight is user-adjustable with a 3 to 6-pound range of adjustment. The trigger also features user-adjustable overtravel, allowing for personalization.
The JM Pro Adjustable Match Trigger (96010) is available as a Mossberg accessory (MSRP: $161) and is also featured as standard equipment in the latest MMR™ (Mossberg Modern Rifle) offerings – the MMR Tactical OR (Optics-Ready), MMR Tactical Vortex® Red/Green Dot Combo with Strikefire II optic, both chambered in 5.56mm NATO/223 Rem and the MMR Pro chambered in 5.56mm NATO/223 Rem and 224 Valkyrie.

For more information on the JM Pro Adjustable Match Trigger, please visit: www.mossberg.com

Custom AR-15 SBR Truck Gun Build

By

Patrick Sweeney

-

July 17, 2018

1

When you really need a short, handy AR-15, nothing beats an SBR truck gun.

SBRs, or Short-Barreled Rifles, require an NFA tax stamp and ATF paperwork. Don’t forget!
Truck guns are short and handy, can be deployed quickly and pack a punch.
The author used a lower from Primary Weapons Systems and upper from BCM.

Performance-AR-SBR-Truck-Gun-LEAD-1021 Here is a ready-to-go SBR, a Sig M400 with a factory 11.5-inch barrel. Put a compact can on it and you have a very handy package. Or, build a clone of it. — Here is a ready-to-go SBR, a Sig M400 with a factory 11.5-inch barrel. Put a compact can on it and you have a very handy package. Or, build a clone of it.

Here we bite the bullet, accept that we’ll have to pay for the transfer tax, and build an honest-to-God SBR truck gun. Since we’re all-in on this, there’s no point in going half-measures on the parts and the build. So, we start by … wait a minute, we don’t start. We plan.

You cannot proceed in any way to making or buying an SBR until you have the approved form, with its tax stamp, in your grubby paws. Oh, you can have a rifle and the handguards, muzzle brake/flash hider, light, optics, etc., but you cannot have the barrel on-premises until you have the stamp.

Yep, SBRs have lots of flash. Ammo selection can cut that down, but the best choice is a suppressor.

And I’d even be leery of something cute, like having the SBR barrel, which you will install after you get the stamp, stored up at your cabin by the lake.

You still own it, have access to it, and unless the cabin is by a lake that requires an airline flight, it is easy to get to. No, do this by the book, buy the barrel only after you have the stamp.

As fun as they are to train and compete with, a pistol-caliber SBR as a truck gun is not the best choice. Vehicles are hard to get into or through, and using a pistol caliber makes it harder. That said, the 9mm carbine or SBR is fun, inexpensive to practice with, and easy on target steel.

Or, just buy the SBR, complete, but built/assembled to your specs.

The big advantage of an SBR is that even with a suppressor it isn’t any longer than a regular carbine.

Me, I grabbed one out of the rack. (To steal a line from the late Alan Rickman: “Benefits of a classical education.” In this case, years as a gun writer.)

I used an SBR lower from Primary Weapons Systems. It was built with one of their piston-system 7-inch barrels on it, and it has worked very well. It’s been reliable and accurate, but the muzzle blast is … oppressive. Seven inches is just too short, the blast is bad, and the velocity loss is too great. But boy, is it handy.

So, I replaced the upper with a BCM 11.5 slimline upper. This is a direct-impingement system, the traditional AR system.

The LWRC PDW stock is very compact, but has some quirks to it.

The handguard is a free-float design, it comes directly from Bravo Company, and is called their KMR. It has KeyMod slots (you can also have M-Lok if you wish) and comes out 10 inches from the receiver, close up behind the flash hider on an 11.5-inch barrel.

It is slim, and I can really wrap my hand around it. It uses a proprietary barrel nut, and the clamping screws pass through the clearance slot in the nut, so the handguard is rigidly attached to the upper.

The LWRC stock uses a proprietary spring and buffer weight/cushion that fits on the back of the carrier. Right now, it is for the LWRC piston system, but there is a DI gas system model on the way.

This was built with a BCM barrel, 11.5 inches long, and put into an M4 upper.

For the lower, I used an SBR’d lower, and installed the LWRC PDW stock on it. This is a telescoping stock that is the absolute shortest a stock can be. It requires a replacement carrier, since the buffer weight is pinned to the carrier. And, you have to choose between DI and piston.

Once installed, the collapsed LWRC PDW stock is very compact. It’ll store in a very small space, even with optics on the upper receiver of your SBR.

The buffer tube of the LWRC PDW stock is shorter than any other, and this requires that they include a socket for your torque wrench, to reach into the housing and mesh with the castle nut teeth, to tighten the stock assembly. Once it is in place, the SBR can’t be assembled or taken apart as a hinge-open firearm.

Press both takedown pins out, and then lift and pull the upper assembly off of the lower.

Once extended, the assembly is long enough to be used as a stock, albeit a short one.

To re-assemble, put the carrier and bolt into the upper, and the spring in the lower, and use the carrier tail to compress the spring back into the lower as you join the upper and lower. It is a bit involved at first, but once you learn the trick, you’re fine.

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

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Double-Action Revolver: Secret To The Trigger

By

Patrick Sweeney

-

July 16, 2018

0

Working the trigger of a double-action revolver quickly and accurately isn’t rocket science, but there is a learning curve.

How to manage a double-action revolver trigger pull:

Grip the double-action revolver high as possible on the frame.
Trigger on your trigger finger’s first joint.
If you trigger cock, refine your aim upon cocking and break the shot.
If not, continue to press smoothly through while keeping the sights on the target.
Either technique, keep the front sight buried in the target.

You don’t shoot a double-action revolver the same way you shoot a pistol. The lining up the sights, following through and not flinching — that’s all the same. But revolvers require a bit more work in the steps leading up to that. Shooting single-action is no big deal: Thumb-cock the action, aim and press. Double action? That’s different.

First, we need to be on common ground, knowing how a double-action revolver works. When you press the trigger, this happens in the following sequence of events:

The trigger starts by depressing the cylinder lock. This allows the cylinder to move as the trigger progresses. With the cylinder lock down, the hand — that part that moves in a slot in the recoil shield —begins lifting, and the tip of it contacts the rear of the cylinder. The area it contacts is the ratchet, which is a part of the extractor star. The tip of the hand presses up on one of the teeth of the ratchet, and this begins the rotation of the cylinder.

The hand lifts the cylinder until the next charge hole has come in line with the barrel. This is called carry-up. Before the cylinder has finished rotating to carry-up, the trigger releases the cylinder lock. It snaps back up, ready to drop into the next slot in line. The early release of the lock is what causes the “drag line” around the cylinder. The drag line is a cosmetic problem unless the trigger is releasing the lock so soon that you can’t advance the cylinder.

When the cylinder lock is dropping into the next lock slot, the hand has to stop lifting the cylinder. If the ratchet is not correctly timed, the action binds just as you get to the end. This is bad for accuracy. Typically, on a well-fitted revolver, the hand slips off the tooth of the ratchet but presses it from the side, making the lockup tight.

Do not grip the revolver with your hand directly behind the trigger. Get as high on the grips and frame as you can.

You can see this with an empty revolver. If you dry-fire it (it’s safe, except with rimfires) and hold the trigger back, and then try to wiggle the cylinder, you will notice it’s tight. Let go of the trigger and the cylinder has some play to it.

Revolvers are timed one of two ways. One is “staged” and the other isn’t. In an action that’s built staged, you can trigger-cock the action and stop to aim with the hammer back. You can, with practice, trigger-cock the action through the entire cylinder and never drop the hammer as if firing. Once staged, there’s still a small amount of extra trigger press needed to fire the revolver. An action that’s not staged will drop the hammer as soon as the cylinder lock drops into place.

Why do you want either? A staged action allows you to trigger-cock, then refine your aim, and fire the shot. For revolvers that were not built staged, we would attach a compressible stop behind the trigger or a shelf on the grips. For faster shooting, staging is nice, but it’s not needed.

Now, all of this happens independently of the springs inside the action. It’s possible for an action to “stack,” which is the trigger force needed to complete the operation, increasing near the end. The old Colt revolvers with a “V” spring in the action stacked. But now, with everything using coil springs, stacking is more likely caused by a very small binding in the ratchet/hand fit at the end of the stroke.

Making It Happen

Let’s get to how you operate the mechanism. First, there’s the grip. You want your hand as high on the frame as you can get it. My hand gets so high on some revolvers that when the hammer comes back on double-action, the spur touches my hand. The axis of the bore is higher on a revolver than on a pistol, and you want to take away as much of that leverage as you possibly can.

This is the author’s grip, high up on the frame. When the hammer comes back, it brushes the web of the author’s hand because his grip is so high.

Your trigger finger must rest on the trigger, not on the tip or pad, but on the first joint. The tip or the pad is fine for pistols, but you will be moving the trigger a significant distance. You can’t do that with just the tip of your finger. You also can’t do a short re-set of the trigger. It’s currently en vogue to let the trigger forward on a pistol only as far as needed to let the mechanism rest. On a revolver, that’s a sure way to make yourself crazy. When you push your finger forward to re-set the trigger, do it with as much enthusiasm as you do the press.

Next, you have to decide what kind of shooter you are. Are you going to trigger-cock the action, refine the aim and then break the shot? Or do you want to be faster than that, which will require a different approach?

Either way, you’re going to benefit from the great advantage that the double-action revolver offers you: cheap practice through dry-firing. You have your empty revolver, you have the safe location and you have targets. First, get your grip. Aim. Now press the trigger back slowly — smoothly — in a single motion. While you do this, keep the sights aligned on the target.

Don’t Stop. If the sights wobble off the target, keep pressing and get them back on target. Keep them lined up properly, don’t lunge, and don’t jerk. The only time you stop is if you have a staged revolver and you want to shoot that way. Then you press through smoothly until it stages, then refine, and continue the press until the hammer falls.

At the start of the ﬁ ring sequence, the cylinder lock is up, locking the cylinder in place.

“But, that isn’t fast, and double-action shooting has to be fast,” you say.

This is not instant gratification. This is building skills. You’re teaching your brain to keep the sights aligned while your trigger finger works the action. At first, 10 minutes will do. As you build hand strength, add time and pick up the pace. Once you’ve done this for a while, and you can keep the sights on the target, add a different skill-building exercise.

Start the next sessions without aiming, just point at the floor, and dry-fire your revolver 10 times as fast as you can. Then do your normal work. You’ll notice an increase in your trigger speed while still keeping the sights on the target. Once you start this, every time you begin your dry-fire practice, do this and build speed.

You can, at any time, go to the range and verify your skill-building. Ideally, you’ll use a steel target, and take paint with you. Paint the target a uniform color, and then shoot a small group in the center, slow-fire or single action. Use that as your aiming point, and begin the double-action revolver work. For live-fire work, start from low ready. Bring the revolver up, and start the trigger stroke as soon as the sights get near your cluster of hits. Aim, stroke, recover and repeat.

The hand is what pushes against the ejector ratchet in order to rotate the cylinder.

If your hits start to wander, you’re doing one of three things wrong: One, you’re looking at the target. Watch the front sight. Two, you’re shooting too fast — slow down. Three, you’re getting tired. Take a break.

Once you have a groove, do the same thing with your live-fire practice that you did with the dry-fire. Only you aim this time. To start your practice, get to a range where you can be close to the backstop. Load up, and from low ready, come up on a spot on the hill and shoot all six rounds, double action, just as quickly as you can and stay reasonably close to the aiming point.

The progression of your skills works like this: First, you teach your brain to aim and press the trigger while still aiming. Then, you add very fast double-action to that dry-fire skill. Next, you learn to aim and trigger-press, with real recoil, while staying in a reasonably tight group. Finally, you teach your brain to see the sights at high speed, and to work the trigger quickly.

This is all brain work. If you think of it simply as muscle memory and building up hand and finger strength, you’re missing the point. You aim by seeing, and your brain does the computing to correct aim. You want to build mental skills, not just physical skills.

The ratchet, on the back of the cylinder, is what controls timing, cylinder rotation and lockup.

And what of the staging, or not staging? Generally, you have to pick one. If you’re going to shoot very small groups in double-action, you will have to learn to stage. If you want to shoot fast and accurately, you have to learn straight-through trigger pressing. To take a more difficult shot, you simply press through more slowly.

In short, just learn to keep the front sight buried in the middle of your target, while you smoothly, cleanly, quickly, press the trigger all the way through.

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

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