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Choosing A Handgun For Concealed Carry: Factors To Consider

By
Jorge Amselle
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When choosing a handgun for concealed carry, the gun must fit the individual, not just the task at hand. Use these tips to find the best handgun for your needs.

A gun is a tool and you need the right one for the job. But, unlike most other tools, guns are made to fit the individual, not just the task at hand. The gun you use to hunt pheasants could be used for self-defense but probably not for concealed carry. Likewise, a gun that might be great for home defense might not be well suited for concealed carry. The gun that a full-grown man can shoot and carry comfortably might not be the right gun for a smaller-stature person.

That said, high-quality firearms can be expensive, and it’s imperative you train regularly with each gun you carry. While it would be nice to have the resources to own a different gun for various clothing options and for all four seasons, and to have the time to train and become proficient in their use, this is not realistic for most people. Most people who carry a concealed firearm stick with one or two guns. What follows are a few basic ideas and suggestions to find the gun that will best suit your needs the majority of the time.

Revolvers

One of the earliest single-barrel repeating handguns was the revolver, so named because the cartridges are stored in a cylinder that revolves to line each cartridge up with the barrel in turn. The oldest self-contained, cartridge-firing revolvers operated in single-action mode, meaning the user had to manually cock the hammer for each shot in order to fire the gun. These types of single-action revolvers are still being made, but are relegated to use by collectors and history buffs, as well as cowboy action shooters. While they can certainly be used for self defense and concealed carry—and many were used that way in the past—they are not ideal for the modern handgun user.

The modern, double-action revolver was developed more than 100 years ago. Pulling the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer to fire the gun. The result is that double-action revolvers are very easy to operate. They don’t have a safety latch you need to disengage before you can fire or a lot of other extraneous controls.

Replacement grips make it easy to adjust the revolver for a custom fit.
Replacement grips make it easy to adjust the revolver for a custom fit.

Advantages Of Revolvers For Concealed Carry

Simplicity is the hallmark and main advantage of using a revolver for self-defense. Pushing or pulling a simple latch can swing the cylinder of the revolver swung open, revealing the separate chambers that each hold one cartridge. To unload it, you just tip the barrel up and press the extractor rod in the front. To load, you tip the barrel down, insert the cartridges and then close the cylinder. The revolver is now ready to fire.

Even those with weak hands or other ailments can easily accomplish this simple operation. Since there are no other buttons or mechanisms, the revolver, now loaded, is always ready to be fired and the user doesn’t have to worry about doing anything other than aiming the gun and squeezing the trigger. If a cartridge malfunctions in an emergency, the user can squeeze the trigger again and the cylinder will rotate to the next cartridge and fire that one. Note: If a cartridge fails to fire on the range, keep the gun pointed downrange and wait 30 seconds before proceeding.

Many revolvers are also more versatile in the ammunition they can use. Since the chambers are individual, bullet shape can be more varied. Also, each chamber is sized primarily for width, so it’s easy to use smaller-caliber cartridges that are the same diameter. The most common revolvers used for personal defense are chambered in .357 Mag. and .38 Special, which have the same diameter. The Magnum is longer and more powerful.

If you buy a revolver chambered in .357 Mag., you have the option of shooting .38 Special ammunition, which is cheaper and has a lot less recoil. A revolver chambered in the more powerful cartridge will have a slightly longer cylinder and is generally larger and heavier than one built for .38 Special ammunition. However, the ammunition versatility enables you to switch among cartridges if ammunition of one type is harder to find. The other advantage is that different people with different sensitivities to recoil can use the same gun by simply changing the ammunition.

Be aware that while you can load the shorter .38 Special cartridges in a revolver chambered for .357 Mag., the inverse is not true and should never be attempted.

You also have much more versatility on grip selection with a revolver. Underneath the grips of most revolvers there’s a small metal frame. The grips simply fit around this, and you can choose between a small grip, which is easier to conceal, or a larger grip, which makes the gun more comfortable and easier to shoot. A grip can be selected to fit the shooter’s individual hand size and shooting preferences.

Revolvers are much less prone to jamming or malfunctioning, and they can be fired through clothing (such as from inside a pocket) if needed with much less risk of the clothing interfering with the operation of the gun. They are easier to clean because there is no disassembly—you just open the cylinder, unload and clean it. Finally, in a worst case scenario, where there’s a struggle and you have to fire at contact distance (the barrel of the gun is pressed against an assailant), this pressure will not stop the revolver from functioning.

Disadvantages

One of the main disadvantages of a revolver for personal protection is its limited cartridge capacity. Revolvers typically accommodate six rounds in the cylinder, but smaller pocket-sized revolvers might have only a capacity of five rounds. There are larger revolvers that will fit as many as eight rounds, but these are generally ill-suited for concealed carry because of their size. The other disadvantage is that revolvers are slower to reload because you have to eject the spent cartridges and then reload them one at a time. A speed strip or speed loader can expedite the process somewhat.

Because of the cylinder, revolvers are also a bit wider, which can make them somewhat harder to conceal. In a double-action revolver the only “safety” is the pull-weight of the trigger and the length of the trigger squeeze. For most double-action revolvers, the amount of pressure the shooter needs to apply to the trigger in order to fire the gun can vary from 9 to 17 pounds and require an inch of travel. For some people, this might be too much to comfortably handle, but even for the most experienced shooters it can sometimes pose a problem.

The more pressure you have to apply to the trigger and the more time you spend squeezing the trigger, the harder it is to keep the sights on target. Shooting a double-action revolver both rapidly and accurately takes a lot of practice, but keep in mind you only need to achieve combat accuracy for self defense, meaning center mass hits at very close distances.

One consideration that applies to concealed carry in particular is with revolvers that have an exposed hammer. An exposed hammer gives the shooter the option of firing the gun in the standard double-action mode or in single-action mode by manually cocking the hammer. In single-action mode, the trigger becomes much lighter to fire and has much less distance to travel. This makes it easier to fire with greater accuracy, but it’s very seldom needed in a self-defense situation. The disadvantage is that the exposed hammer can get caught up in clothing when you draw it from a holster quickly.

While revolvers are generally very reliable, they are not jam proof (contrary to popular perception). Jams or malfunctions can occur as a result of an ammunition issue that can lock up the cylinder and prevent it from turning. Likewise, if dirt or debris gets stuck underneath the cylinder extractor, the cylinder won’t turn and the gun will not fire. Clearing these malfunctions requires opening the cylinder (if you can), dumping the entire contents, clearing the debris and reloading. If you have no spare ammunition, you will need to salvage the dumped rounds that are still good. This will be time consuming.

Semi-Automatic Handguns

A modern semi-automatic pistol is an entirely different animal, and there are several features of note. First, there’s a magazine contained inside the grip that holds the cartridges, the number of which depends on the size of the magazine, the size of the gun and the size of the ammunition. Above the grip and frame is the slide, which operates the gun. Inside the slide is the barrel with a chamber that holds one cartridge at a time located at the rear.

The use of a magazine means the shooter can reload a pistol quickly and easily.
The use of a magazine means the shooter can reload a pistol quickly and easily.

Operation of a pistol is as follows. First, load the desired number of rounds one at a time into the magazine, up to the maximum it will accommodate. The magazine is spring loaded, so the more rounds you load the harder they are to push down. Many people prefer to use a loading tool that makes the job much easier on the thumbs. Also, note that it’s very easy to load the rounds in backward and that the gun won’t work if you do, so pay attention that the rounds face the front of the magazine.

Next, insert the magazine fully into the bottom of the grip until it clicks in place. Chamber the first round by fully retracting the slide and then releasing it. This strips the top cartridge from the magazine and feeds it into the chamber at the rear of the barrel. At this point the gun is ready to fire, and when you squeeze the trigger, the slide will retract on its own, expelling the empty cartridge case, and then go forward to load a fresh cartridge into the chamber. The gun will fire with each squeeze of the trigger until it is empty.

There is significant variety in design for semi-automatics (far greater than for revolvers) and the choices can seem daunting. It’s important to understand the basic design differences and their advantages and disadvantages in order to select the handgun that will best fit your individual needs and preferences.

Advantages Of Pistols

There’s a good reason why police departments across America made a determined switch from revolvers to semi-automatics: firepower. A full-sized pistol can accommodate as many as 17 rounds or more plus one in the chamber. An officer usually carries two spare magazines as well, so he can easily and quickly reload by simply pressing the magazine release button (which drops the empty magazine) and inserting a full magazine.

Of course, most people are not going to select a full-sized pistol for concealed carry. But even with a very compact pocket pistol with only a six-round magazine, when you count the round in the chamber, the carrying capacity is seven rounds—two more than in a pocket revolver. And you can also carry a very flat and compact spare magazine should you need to reload quickly.

Due to their design, semi-auto pistols are flatter and smaller than any defensive revolver, which makes them easier to conceal. The way the slide operates also helps to reduce recoil relative to the cartridge and the size and weight of the pistol. Many pistols will also go to slide lock—the slide locks to the rear and the action is open—on the last shot. This provides immediate visual confirmation that the gun is empty.

Like revolvers, semi-automatic pistols can be had in single-action, double-action or both. The key difference is that a single-action pistol needs only to be cocked for the first shot. The slide operation automatically cocks the hammer for each subsequent shot. A double-action-only pistol might have a hammer (visible or internal) or might be striker-fired. The advantage to both single-action-only and double-action-only pistols is that the trigger pull is the same for every shot.

Singe-action and striker-fired semi-autos also have the benefit of a relatively light trigger squeeze, with a short trigger pull in the case of the single-action and a long trigger pull in the case of the striker-fired pistol. They both also generally have short resets so the trigger doesn’t have to go all of the way forward before it can be squeezed again to fire it. This makes it easier to shoot faster, which is an advantage in a close-range defensive scenario.

Many semi-automatic pistols use both double-action and single-action operation. Typically, the hammer will be in the down position for the first shot, making it a longer and heavier double-action trigger squeeze. The gun will operate in the single-action mode for all of the following shots. The advantage with this system is that you have the safety of a long, heavy trigger pull for the first shot and the accuracy and speed of a single-action trigger squeeze for all of the following shots. You do need to get used to two different trigger pulls, however.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of the semi-automatic pistol is that there’s a steeper learning curve for beginners. Each pistol might have controls that are different from others. The magazine release, which allows the user to remove the magazine, might be in different locations and might be located on different sides of the gun. Many semi-automatics (less so on small pocket pistols) will also have a slide lock/release lever that locks the slide to the rear. Each will have its own method of disassembly for cleaning and maintenance, and some of these can be a bit complicated.

Different semi-automatic pistols have different safety mechanisms, ranging from grip safeties that require a firm grip to operate to thumb safeties that must be manually deactivated. Some pistols have trigger safeties that prevent the trigger from moving backward unless squeezed from the middle. Others have various internal safeties that are always in effect until the trigger is squeezed.

The grip size on a pistol is also largely fixed, although there are replacement grips and other accessories that can help adjust the grip to suit the individual better. Many pistols also include replaceable panels, but this is found mostly on the midsize and larger pistols. Operating the slide might also be difficult for someone with smaller hands, hand injuries or poor hand strength, although some manufacturers make pistols with slides that are easier to manipulate. With practice most people can handle slide manipulation.

Reliability can also be a concern. If anything obstructs the movement of the slide, such as clothing, it likely will not cycle properly. Pistols are also much more sensitive to ammunition selection, and some types of ammunition might not function reliably in some pistols. With certain types of pistols, it’s possible to inadvertently hit the magazine release and then be left with the one shot in the chamber and a magazine on the ground.

Clearing jams is typically faster with a pistol, depending on the nature of the malfunction. The types of malfunctions that can occur with a pistol are more varied, although there is a generally accepted standard method for dealing with these quickly. First, slap the base of the magazine to make sure it is fully and firmly inserted. Next, rack and release the slide to clear the malfunction. These steps should be done while maintaining your focus on the threat (and not looking at the gun). If this fails to correct the malfunction, look at the gun to diagnose the nature of the problem and correct it. Note: If possible, taking cover at this point might be a good idea.

Most modern pistols are designed with what is called a hammer drop safety. This is an internal mechanical device that prevents the gun from firing if it’s accidentally dropped. It is unusual, but if you drop a loaded gun at just the right angle on a hard surface with just the right amount of force, there’s a chance it will fire. The hammer drop safety is designed to prevent this.

However, there is no such safety on some pocket pistols and some older pistols. In these cases, the manufacturer recommends carrying the gun with an empty chamber. This means that for concealed carry, you would have a full magazine in your gun but no round in the chamber. If you needed to use it, you would first have to chamber a round, which will slow you down and is not ideal. Most people (myself included) ignore this warning and prefer speed over the very slight risk. The choice is yours, however, and if you opt for one of these pocket pistols, you have been warned.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to Concealed Carry, available now at GunDigestStore.com.

Gun Review: Is EDC X9 The Best Pistol Ever Made?

By
Richard A. Mann
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Wilson Combat’s EDC X9 is an elegant, yet highly functional pistol for carry and defense, and in the author’s mind, it’s simply the best.

What makes the EDC X9 stand out against the rest?

  • It's a 1911, sans the grip safety, and has an aluminum frame and stainless steel slide.
  • Its 15+1 capacity exceeds the Hi-Power’s and is more comfortable to grip.
  • At 29 ounces, the EDC X9 is nearly the same weight as a Glock 17.
  • It has a Wilson Combat Battlesight with a .145-inch notch and green fiber optic front.
  • It features Wilson’s Enhanced Reliability System that optimizes function to ammo power.

Declaring a pistol to be the “best ever” is brazen statement. At least a half-dozen pistols could contend for that title. And then there’s the reality that a pistol’s mission and user must be factored in. This is exactly why we have so many pistols to choose from; different situations and different people require and like different things. Still, based on my experiences, I’m comfortable in stepping out on the preverbal limb and proclaiming The Wilson Combat EDC X9 is the best pistol ever made.

Compact, comfortable to carry and shoot, accurate and reliable. That’s exactly what you need in a pistol.
Compact, comfortable to carry and shoot, accurate and reliable. That’s exactly what you need in a pistol.

Admittedly, no pistol is going to be the best for every situation or every person. My bet is that if you put 10 random men in a room, they’ll all be wearing different underwear for the exact same reason. For a pistol to contend for the title of best ever, it must be suitable for a wide range of applications, and it must comfortably fit a large cross section of the population. Maybe the best way to present my argument is to compare the EDC X9 to some of the best pistols of all time.

The 1911 Platform

The 1911 platform — it has to be called a platform because the gun has morphed into so many different variants — has a lot going for it. First and foremost is the trigger action. That short, single-action pull is easy to master and can be tuned to an almost flawless feel. Additionally, the 1911 is a strong pistol. It’s common to see blown apart pistols with mangled hands to go with them on the Internet. Those social media click magnets are rare with the 1911. What I and many others like most about the 1911 is the thumb safety. And finally, lots of shooters find the 1911’s grip angle makes it a natural pointer.

With the EDC X9,there is no grip safety. Instead, it has a pivoting backstrap that allows access to the internals and holds the grip panels in place.
With the EDC X9, there is no grip safety. Instead, it has a pivoting backstrap that allows access to the internals and holds the grip panels in place.

At its heart, the EDC X9 is a 1911. It has the 1911’s single-action trigger and firing mechanism. But, unlike the 1911, the EDC X9 has no grip safety. In fact, the pistol is disassembled in a rather unique way; the backstrap is hinged and rotates away from the grip frame. The EDC X9 has the traditional 1911 thumb safety, which, when used as intended, circumvents one of the most common self-inflicted firearms injuries — shooting yourself in the leg or ass because you stupidly holstered your handgun with your finger on the trigger.

The Browning Hi-Power

The first time someone handed me a Browning Hi-Power, I realized what all the hype was about. It was the most comfortable pistol I’d ever held in my hand, and most who’ve experienced the Hi-Power will agree. I’ve owned several and have carried one a lot. They’re also unfailingly reliable, and the pivoting single-action trigger is easy to master. The Hi-Power is also very slim for the 13-round capacity it offers. And, it is after all, the first widely successful high-capacity 9mm pistol ever made.

The Wilson Combat EDC X9 is light, compact, reliable and holds 15+1 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition. It is essentially a modern agglomeration of the 1911, Hi-Power and Glock.
The Wilson Combat EDC X9 is light, compact, reliable and holds 15+1 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition. It is essentially a modern agglomeration of the 1911, Hi-Power and Glock.

As comfortable as the Hi-Power is in hand, many shooters — including me — find the short beavertail problematic because the hammer can bite the web of your hand when the pistol is fired. That’s why my Hi-Power was sent to Nighthawk for an expensive, but elegant and comfortable, extended beavertail. The first time I held the EDC X9 I said, “This feels like my Hi-Power.” After I shot the EDC X9 I said, “Nope. This feels better.” Not only is the EDC X9 more comfortable than a Hi-Power, it holds more ammo. The capacity is 15+1 to be exact.

The Glock 17

The Glock 17 or some variant of that pistol would have to be considered the most popular pistol of the 21st Century. The Glock’s high capacity, in conjunction with its light polymer frame, makes it an ideal pistol for everyday carry or for fighting. I’ll give the Glock its due, but I never really liked the pistol, even though as a cop I carried one for 13 years. With the exception of the modern single-stacked Glocks, I’ve never held one that fit my hand well. And, too, I’ve seen a number of Glocks that would have generated a lot of social media traffic due to their exploded state.

Flutes have been added on the outside of the barrel and chamber to reduce weight and add a bit of class to the pistol.
Flutes have been added on the outside of the barrel and chamber to reduce weight and add a bit of class to the pistol.

A Glock 17 weighs 25.06 ounces and holds 17+1 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition. It’s 8.03 inches long and 1.18 inches wide. It also has a trigger that only a lover of water pistols would like. The Wilson Combat EDC X9 weighs 4 ounces more and is about a half-inch shorter and less than a quarter-inch wider. Fully loaded, it has a capacity of 15+1. Comparing only these numbers, I might give the Glock a slight advantage. However, factor in the trigger and the EDC X9 is so superior to the Glock, a comparison is foolish.

The EDC X9

Wilson Combat started the EDC X9 project in 2015. The pistol is available with or without an accessory rail and comes coated with Wilson Combat’s matte-black Armor-Tuff finish. The slide is machined from 416R stainless-steel, with a weight reducing, trimmed down, tri-cut-like top. The sights are first rate. At the rear is a Wilson Combat Battlesight with a wide .145-inch U-shaped notch. Combined with the green fiber-optic front sight, what you have are sights you see, not sights you have to look for. A tritium front sight option is also available.

The EDC X9 also utilizes the Wilson Combat Enhanced Reliability System (ERS.) This is a proprietary system designed to optimize functioning with the varying power levels of 9mm ammunition. What you might find most interesting is that this pistol does not require proprietary magazines. The EDC X9 accepts modified Walther PPQ magazines. The real innovation, however, is the grip frame. The grip panels on the EDC X9 are not attached via screws; the side of the frame is dovetailed to accept thin G10 panels. They are held in place by the one-piece backstrap, which replaces the common 1911 grip safety.

The Wilson Combat EDC X9 might just be the best pistol ever.
The Wilson Combat EDC X9 might just be the best pistol ever.

Another element of interest is the lack of checkering on the EDC X9. Most semi- or full-custom 1911s sport fine checkering on the front strap and mainspring housing. Not this pistol. Wilson Combat chose to use its XTAC, deep-grooved diamond pattern for the front and rear of the grip, and at the front and rear of the slide. This is a robust treatment that seems to glue the pistol to your hand. It reminds me of what a small and sanded pineapple might feel like. If you drop this pistol, it will be because you’re dead, not because you lost your grip.

Assessing Shots Fired

During the past several months, I’ve shot the hell out of this pistol. I’ve fired every example of 9mm Luger ammo I have on hand through it trying to make it jam. It hasn’t, and this included ammo loaded with very light-for-caliber bullets, heavy hard-cast bullets and yes, even CCI shot shells. The EDC X9 will eat anything you feed it, and spit the brass out so consistently you can catch it all in a five-gallon bucket.

(above) The grip frame of the EDC X9 has the Wilson Combat XTAC treatment. This is a very aggressive checkering-like pattern that masterfully enhances your purchase on the pistol.
(above) The grip frame of the EDC X9 has the Wilson Combat XTAC treatment. This is a very aggressive checkering-like pattern that masterfully enhances your purchase on the pistol.

The EDC X9 is a very precise shooting handgun, too; it will deliver more precision on target than I’m capable of extracting from a carry gun. And, as generalized as that statement is, maybe there’s a better representation of how well the EDC X9 and I get along. For many years, I’ve used the Forty-Five Drill as a standard for measuring the efficiency of a carry gun. Its simple: I draw from concealment and fire five shots, at a 5-inch circle, at 5 yards, with the goal of completing the drill in less than 5 seconds. My best, second best and third best times on this drill were all fired with the EDC X9!

The Best Pistol Ever

EDC-Specs
I’m sure by now I’ve at least perked your interest enough that you’ll browse over to the Wilson Combat website and find the EDC X9. When you do, you might have a bit of sticker shock; the EDC X9 has a suggested retail price of $2,895. For that money, you could buy a decent 1911, an original Hi-Power and a new Glock 17. But then you would have three handguns that are, individually, almost perfect. If you could figure out a way to throw them in a dark box where they might have an illicit firearms threesome, the offspring might be the equal of the EDC X9.

Unless you possess some magical powers, that’s not going to happen. Which means, if you want the best pistol ever made, you’re going to have to pay for it. After spending a couple months with an EDC X9, that’s what I’m doing. I’m selling a few good guns so I can have one best gun. After all, I can only shoot one at a time — it might as well be the best gun my money can buy.

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

Modern Shooter: At H&H Precision Rifles’ Shooting School

By
Gun Digest Editors
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The world is not composed of benchrests. So, why do shooters learn and train like it is? They certainly won’t at H&H Precision Rifles’ shooting school.

Once a year, the gunmaker offers customers who have purchased a new rifle a weekend shooting camp. The proud H&H rifle owners delve deep into the ins and outs of their precision instruments, ensuring the firearms are as familiar as their mothers’ voices. Additionally, they are steeped in the finer points of making their rifles perform through a healthy dose of meticulous precision shooting instruction.

And the last place they are likely to find themselves learning over these couple of days is at a tame old shooting range. Like real life, H&H challenges its students to make shots down in the dust, off rocky outcroppings and with the wind blowing high-desert grass in their faces.

The Modern Shooter team was lucky enough to get a peek into H&H Precision’s elite school in this week’s episode. And as the above clip shows, the expert instructors leave no stone unturned. From mitigating heartbeat interference to managing uneven terrain to sling methods that milk every ounce of accuracy, camp attendants come away with the tools and techniques to be true marksmen and women.

Rigorous, in-depth and challenging, H&H Precision doesn’t put on a summer camp. For shooters, they host something entirely better.

Catch the rest of the action of this heart-pounding episode of Modern Shooter 10:00 p.m. EST Friday on the Pursuit Channel. The episode rebroadcasts Monday at 12 p.m. EST and Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. EST.

How To: Crimping Handgun Cases

By
Philip Massaro
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Handloading ammo for your favorite handgun shouldn’t be difficult, but you should never skimp on the crimping process.

What to know about crimping:

  • At the most basic there are two types of crimps: roll crimp and taper crimp.
  • A roll crimp is when the mouth of the case is rolled into the bullet's cannelure.
  • A taper crimp is where the sidewalls are squeezed against the bullet to secure things.
  • Roll crimping is used on most magnum revolver loads — those bullets with a cannelure.
  • Taper crimping is preferred for most autoloading pistol cartridges.
  • A third method, the “combo crimp” is another option.

Handgun cases generally aren’t a difficult prospect to load for, but the crimping process might require some additional attention in order to keep things as consistent as possible.

There are, generally, two types of crimps:

  • 1. Roll crimp: Where the mouth of the case is physically rolled into the bullet’s cannelure
  • 2. Taper crimp: Where the case mouth is left alone and the sidewalls are squeezed against the bullet to keep things in place

Crimping Pistol Cases-7Roll With It
Revolver loads using a bullet with a cannelure utilize the roll crimp. The true hard-kicking magnum cases, such as the .44 Rem. Mag., the .454 Casull and the .500 S&W, will easily cause a bullet to slip forward out of the case mouth. This bullet slip — also referred to as pulling crimp — can and will cause your cylinder to lock up tighter than a drum, and the fix is not easy. So, I make sure to put a nice, heavy roll crimp on all my revolver cartridges.

The process is rather simple and uses the seater die to apply the crimp. What I do, while setting up my dies, is to make several dummy cartridges to get the crimp and seating depth perfect before I start loading cartridges. Inside the seating die, at the very top of the die, is a small shelf that rolls the case mouth toward the center point of the case. It takes some experimentation — and several ruined cases — to find the proper amount of crimp by adjusting the seating die body up and down until you get it right.

Crimping Pistol Cases-6Once you do find it, and lock the die body down in the press, you’ll be all set — that is, until you switch bullets. A different bullet will most likely have a slightly different seating depth, and you’ll have to adjust the seater itself until you get the cannelure centered perfectly on the case mouth.

Roll crimping works best if you keep all your brass trimmed to the same uniform length. If your brass isn’t uniform, the short cases won’t have enough crimp, and the long cases will have too much crimp, bulging the case and making for feeding problems in the cylinder. I like to trim all my cases to the SAAMI-specified length, or just slightly shorter (I’ve had a few runs of brass that actually came short from the factory), so as to keep it all neat, tidy and uniform.

Crimping Pistol Cases-1Taming The Taper
Taper crimping is the preferred crimping method for the autoloading pistol cartridges and for revolver cases using bullets with no cannelure. A separate crimping die is employed, which will squeeze the case walls tightly against the shank of the bullet.

Because almost all of our popular rimless pistol cases — think 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and .45 ACP — use a good, square case mouth for headspacing, a roll crimp wouldn’t be a good idea, and the taper crimp is more than adequate to keep the bullets where you seat them during the violent cycling of the action.

Crimping Pistol Cases-4Applying any roll crimping to a cartridge that headspaces off the case mouth will definitely affect the case length, and it will create possible headspace issues, including errant velocities. The taper crimp method also works for the wheelguns, either in lieu of a roll crimp — again, for bullets with no cannelure — or in conjunction with a roll crimp, to further keep things in order and in place.

I’m a huge fan of the Redding Micro-Adjustable Taper Crimp dies because they’re furnished with a micrometer adjustment at the top of the die to allow the loader to precisely adjust the amount of crimp applied to the cartridges. It’s especially handy if you use a progressive press because you can quickly and accurately adjust the crimp should you switch brands of brass and find you require more or less. These dies allow for more precise adjustment, using the micrometer in lieu of adjustment via the die body, which relies on the pitch of the threads and that can introduce a bit of unnecessary slop into the mix.

Crimping Pistol Cases-5The ‘Combo’ Crimp
There’s a third method, a combination of the two types, designed for use with those cartridges that don’t headspace off the case mouth. The Redding Profile Crimp Dies combine the roll crimp and taper crimp for the ultimate in uniform crimping. These dies require the bullet to be seated first — and they must be seated to very tight tolerances in order to achieve the best consistent results — and the crimping is done in a secondary phase.

The cases then have both a roll crimp and taper crimp applied, giving extremely uniform results. I’ve used this method for making ammunition for the .44 Rem. Mag., .38 Special and .357 Mag., and I’ve noticed a marked improvement in accuracy and uniform velocities throughout.

Don’t get too crazy with the amount of crimp you apply; a light profile crimp will hold things nice and tight while not overworking your cases. The Profile Crimp dies might take a bit of getting used to, but once you’ve got things adjusted properly, you might find yourself wondering how you ever lived without them. These dies can help wring the most accuracy out of an already solid target pistol.

Crimping Pistol Cases-3They are also available with a micrometer adjustment, as the Micro-Adjustable Profile Crimp die, giving the same precise adjustment that the Micro-Adjustable Taper Crimp dies do. As a side note, Redding produces these crimp dies for many of the popular straight-walled rifle cases, such as the .45-70 Govt. and .458 Win. Mag., and many of the older black-powder-era cartridges like the .38-40 Win. and .32-20 Win.

Your crimp is a key part of the handgun ammo equation and can easily even out your velocities and tighten up your group sizes. After all, that’s a huge part of the reason we handload in the first place. A little bit of extra attention to the crimp will go a long way toward producing the best ammunition available.

Editor's Note: This “Reloading Bench” column is an excerpt from the September 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

How-To: Identify And Clear Handgun Malfunctions

By
Steve Sieberts
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Learn to quickly identify and clear the most common handgun malfunctions and get back in the game with these pistol malfunction drills.

The most common handgun malfunctions include:

  • Failure to feed
  • Failure to chamber
  • Failure to lock
  • Failure to fire
  • Failure to unlock
  • Failure to extract
  • Failure to eject
  • Failure to cock

Several types of handgun malfunctions can occur in a semi-auto handgun and the first thing a shooter needs to do is identify the type of malfunction. Before we get into the malfunction terms, let me explain the eight cycles of operation that any firearm goes through in the firing cycle. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 155mm Howitzer or a 22 LR Derringer, these are fundamental to any firearm.

Cycles Of Operation In Any Firearm

Feeding – This cycle starts when the bolt, slide, breechblock, while moving forward, contacts the cartridge in the magazine and gets the cartridge out of the magazine and started into the chamber. In single-shot handguns like the Thompson/Center Contender, feeding is performed by the shooter’s hand, then chambering is performed when the cartridge is seated by hand into the chamber, which leads to:

Chambering – This is where the cartridge enters and seats into the chamber of the firearm.

Locking – This cycle is where the breechblock (slide, bolt, etc.) is locked with the barrel. This cycle can vary from firearm to firearm, blowback pocket pistols are “locked” at the slide and barrel by the spring tension of the recoil spring, while a recoil operated firearm like an M1911 the barrel is locked to the slide by the top locking lugs, and is also locked to the frame by sitting on the slide stop pin, which is mounted crossways into the frame.

Firing – The cartridge is fired by the firing pin or striker indenting the primer, crushing and detonating the primer pellet.

Unlocking – This cycle is where the chamber pressure of the fired cartridge drops to a safe level allowing the slide, or breechblock to unlock from the barrel.

Extraction – The cycle is where the cartridge is extracted by the extractor, and removed from the chamber.

Ejection – This cycle is where the fired case is completely ejected away from the firearm by the ejector.

Cocking – This is the cycle where the firearm’s trigger mechanism is reset in order to fire the next cartridge.

When malfunctions happen in a match, like in this photo, malfunction drills allow the shooter to clear the gun and get it back into the game without going into a panic.
When malfunctions happen in a match, like in this photo, malfunction drills allow the shooter to clear the gun and get it back into the game without going into a panic.

Handgun Malfunctions: The Terms To Know

Now that we have a basic understanding of how the firearm operates, we can better understand how it can malfunction. Here is some basic handgun malfunction nomenclature:

Failure to feed – This is where the ammunition may start to come out of the magazine, but the slide’s forward motion has stopped before the cartridge has fully exited the magazine. There could be several reasons for this. Usually, with a semi-auto pistol, this malfunction is either related to a bad magazine or with the use of reloaded ammunition not assembled correctly.

Failure to chamber – This is where the cartridge has exited the magazine but is not fully seated into the chamber and the slide is not completely closed.

Failure to lock – This is where the cartridge is fully into the chamber, but the slide is just out of battery enough to not fully close, and the trigger mechanism is disconnected, rendering the pistol unable to fire.

Failure to fire – Here, you pull the trigger, the hammer or striker falls and there is no kaboom! There could also be several reasons for this.

Failure to unlock – This is extremely unusual in a semi-auto. Normally if the pistol fires, the slide will move rearward, except in very unusual circumstances.

Failure to extract – The pistol fired, but it left an empty case in the chamber. This is usually a pretty bad condition when it happens on the firing line in a match, but is usually a pretty simple fix back in the shop.

Failure to eject – This is where the cartridge fired and was pulled out of the chamber, but the spent case did not clear the gun. It was not ejected away from the pistol.

Failure to cock – This is where the hammer follows the slide down during the firing cycle. This is always a bad situation. Sometimes, there wasn’t enough power in the cartridge to fully push the slide rearward and also not far enough to the rear to cock the hammer. Usually this is a squib load. If it’s not a squib load, then there is an issue with the hammer and/or sear engagement, and a gunsmith needs to get involved. If it is a squib load, you need to immediately get the pistol off the firing line, and get the bullet cleared out of the barrel. Bullets usually get stuck in the barrel from squib loads.

Now that we have a basic understanding of the functioning cycles of a firearm and basic malfunction terms, we can go through some of most common malfunctions that semi-auto firearms will experience, and drills to clear a malfunction and keep you in contention in a match situation. This section will focus on malfunction drills for the competitive shooter, which may or may not be different from a tactical or self-defense drill.

Here, the shooter has identified the malfunction, and instinctively knows how to clear it.
Here, the shooter has identified the malfunction, and instinctively knows how to clear it.

Pistol Malfunction Drills

Now that we have an understanding of what a malfunction is, the next point to learn is how to identify what type of malfunction you are dealing with. Different malfunctions require different clearing steps. The first step in clearing a pistol with a malfunction that happens during a match is to determine as quickly as possible what the nature of problem is, then, also as quickly as possible, apply the proper corrective action.

Failure to feed – If, at the start of the stage, the pistol fired one or more rounds, and you have a failure to feed, this could be either an ammunition or magazine problem. This is why it’s important to test the gun at the range with a variety of different handloads and factory loads, with a variety of magazines, not under match conditions. Shoot as much as possible with your match gun, match ammo, match magazines, etc. While testing at the range, try testing the pistol with factory ammunition and see if you can replicate the malfunction. If you can, it’s not the ammo, and is therefore likely a magazine issue and you should try changing magazines. If it still malfunctions with different magazines and factory ammo, then it’s likely an issue with the pistol. Regardless, you are on the firing line and the pistol fails to feed after firing a round or several rounds and the clock is running. Depending on how far the round tried to feed into the chamber, you can try to clear it quickly by just racking the slide back, and letting it go forward. This is actually best performed as the Tap Rack Bang Drill.

Tap the bottom of the magazine to make sure it’s seated, rack the slide, then try to fire the gun. This will likely eject the offending cartridge and feed in a new one, getting the pistol back into the game. Sometimes, this is caused by reloaded ammo, where the case may not have received enough crimp on the case mouth or the round may be seated a little too long or too deeply. Semi-auto handguns are sometimes a little finicky about seating depth. Ejecting that round and getting a fresh round into the gun will usually get you back in the game.

As a side note, semi-wadcutter ammunition is more finicky than round-nose ball ammo. If you reload for bullseye, semi-wadcutter is almost mandatory, since you want the cleanest hole in the target as possible for scoring purposes. The problem with semi-wadcutter ammunition is that it’s sometimes a little hard to feed properly, so many top shooters load their match ammunition with round nose “hardball” bullets for better feeding.

Failure to Feed 2 – This is where you are firing a string and the gun tries to feed a round into the gun but has an empty piece of brass or a live round halfway into the chamber, and is trying to feed another round on top of that one. This is a fairly uncommon but serious malfunction in that the shooter can’t just rack the slide and continue shooting. The shooter needs to strip the magazine out of the gun, cycle the slide two or three times quickly, then insert a fresh magazine, cycle the slide and try to continue shooting.

Failure to Feed 3 – This one doesn’t happen very often, and is usually an ammunition or cleaning or maintenance problem. This is where the slide feeds the round forward, but doesn’t quite go all the way into battery, with the slide staying out of battery just enough to activate the disconnector and render the pistol inoperable. Usually, you can bump the slide with the palm of the hand to seat the slide and fire the gun. If not, try cycling the action to remove that round and feed in another one.

Failure to Fire 1 – This is a situation where you have a single action semi-automatic like a 1911 with a thumb safety, or a DA/SA like a Beretta pistol with an external safety. You draw, present to the target, press the trigger and nothing happens. If you have a 1911-type pistol, chances are that the safety is engaged, and you failed to fully disengage the thumb safety. If you have a pistol like the Beretta, you will be pressing the trigger, the trigger will go to the rear, but it will feel like it’s disconnected, which it is. If/when it happens, be prepared for some good-natured ribbing from your shooting buddies. You may also have too high of a grip on the gun, thereby activating the grip safety. Funny things can happen when the buzzer goes off, and I’ve seen this happen more than once. If you press the trigger and the trigger doesn’t move and the gun just seems like it’s locked up, it’s because it is. Disengage the safety, re-acquire the target and commence shooting the string.

Failure to Fire 2 – You are on the firing line getting ready to shoot a stage, your firearm is loaded and in the holster, and you have a plan in your mind on how to complete this stage. You nod to the RO that you are ready. You hear the beep, draw the handgun, get a sight picture, press the trigger and the hammer falls with a sickening click. You have one of two situations: when you were given the command to load, you did not fully seat the magazine, and when the slide was cycled to get the first round in the chamber, it ran over the top of the first cartridge in the magazine and the gun didn’t load and chamber the first round; or the cartridge did load and is sitting in the chamber, but the primer, for some reason, did not detonate, either by not being impacted by the firing pin, or if the primer was struck by the firing pin, you have a dead primer.

Regardless, you have a gun that didn’t go off, and the timer is ticking, so you have to get the gun back in action. The way to do this is to simply rack the slide. Do this forcefully by taking the finger off the trigger, and then pulling the slide to the rear and letting it go, slingshot-style. This should get the offending round out of the chamber a fresh round into the gun. Re-acquire the sights and sight picture and engage the target. When doing this, make sure that the ejection port is not covered up by your weak, or non-firing hand to ensure the round has plenty of room to clear the gun. Always remember to check the chamber when you load the gun, this will make sure that a cartridge actually went into the chamber when the gun was loaded.

Here, the fresh magazine has been inserted and the slide is about to be released, recharging the gun.
Here, the fresh magazine has been inserted and the slide is about to be released, recharging the gun.

Failure to extract – This is usually caused by an extremely worn or possibly a broken extractor. Not much you can do with this malfunction other than clear the gun, take it off the firing line and turn it over to a qualified gunsmith.

Failure to eject – This is usually caused by an underpowered cartridge that doesn’t have enough recoil energy to fully push the slide to the rear and kick out the empty case. Always check your reloading manuals to make sure you are loading a middle-of-the-road cartridge. You want a Goldilocks round. Not too much power, which will wear out both the gun and the shooter, but not under-powered to where the gun malfunctions.

One form of ejection malfunction is called a stovepipe. It doesn’t happen too often, but I’ve seen it a few times. This is where the empty brass is not fully ejected and is caught by the slide going forward feeding in the next round. This is called a stovepipe jam because the empty cartridge case is poking up out of the ejection port and looks like a stovepipe. This type of malfunction happens from time to time and when it does, the gun is actually in the process of feeding a new round into the chamber and the spent case doesn’t clear the ejection port before the slide is starting to close while feeding in the new cartridge. The best way to clear this jam is to simply wipe the brass out of the gun with the non-firing hand from front to back, the slide should then close on the live round and then you begin firing again.

In malfunctions with semi-auto pistols, many times failures to feed and failures to eject are not caused by a mechanical failure. They are actually caused by shooter error. Weak recoil spring and weak magazine spring can cause all types of malfunctions, but a weak grip, or a shooter not having firm resistance in the arms will cause many of the types of the failures discussed here. The reason is that the semi-auto pistol has to have a firm surface for the recoil spring to operate against. If the shooter doesn’t have a firm grip and tension in the arms, it will take away energy from the recoil spring, making it difficult for the spring to do its work.

I’ve actually demonstrated this on the firing line by taking a bullseye pistol that was functioning normally and, with a weak grip and just enough tension in the arms to keep the gun level, inducing a failure to feed and eject twice out of two, five-round magazines. Granted, the recoil spring on a bullseye gun is very light, usually about four pounds lighter than a stock Colt 1911 spring, so it was easier to take away energy from that system, as opposed to a full strength recoil spring on a stock gun, but the concept is the same. If the recoil spring is a little worn and the gun is dirty, it becomes easier to have these sorts of handgun malfunctions if the shooter doesn’t do his or her part.

This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to Competitive Pistol Shooting.

The Box Magazine-Fed Shotgun Quandary

By
Larry Case
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The box magazine-fed shotgun is nothing new and has always stirred heated debate. Here are a few points to know before you decide for or against them.

What you need to know about box magazine fed shotguns?

  • AK-style shotguns have utilized detachable magazines for decades.
  • Pump-action shotguns are the newest addition to the box-magazine shotgun family.
  • Detachable magazines excel in tactical situations, making reloads faster.
  • Box magazines put the weight of the gun at its middle.
  • Balanced, they are quicker pointing and more stable.
  • They cut down on reload time compared to tube-fed magazines.
  • Box magazine-fed shotguns transition between different ammunition more quickly.

A detachable box magazine on a shotgun is a lot like Sasquatch, Moth Man and the Easter Bunny. Some of us believe in them; many of us don’t. Much like the Glock vs. the 1911 debate and other inane gun arguments, this topic can make things lively in the barbershop and the lunchroom, and it keeps gun writers from starving to death.

box magazine shotgun -quan-first

The concept of a box magazine fed shotgun is not new, and has actually been around for quite a while. Still, for many all this remains too unconventional and should not be talked about in polite company, like the time your Uncle Ed got drunk and fell into the Christmas tree.

The box magazine fed shotgun comes from a different side of the universe compared to a rifle. Rifle cartridges are metallic, slender and usually pointed, ideal for sliding out of the confines of a magazine and into the chamber of a rifle. Shotgun shells are the opposite in that they are blunt, heavy and made of plastic, which can become dented and deformed — not exactly perfect for making the gun function well.

Box magazine - shotgun Mossberg-590MHere are some of the arguments on tube versus the detachable magazines fed shotgun that you might hear around gun club benches, gun store counters, Internet forums and other institutions of higher learning.

• A box magazine fed shotgun is not practical. Shotgun shells are large and take up a lot of room, so a magazine that will hold a sufficient amount of ammo has to be big and bulky. This makes the shotgun unwieldy and hard to balance, and the magazine might catch on something during a fracas.

• A shotgun with a tube magazine is OK for hunting, but in tactical situations, reloading is too slow and difficult under stress, and you might be limited on magazine capacity.

• For tactical situations, a shotgun with a tube magazine works well, as the shooter can perform the “shoot one, load one” discipline (tactical reloading) and keep the magazine topped off.

• Tube-fed shotguns carry the majority of the weight forward. This helps with felt recoil and makes the gun easier to control while firing.

• The box magazine fed shotgun bear the weight of the ammo roughly in the middle of the gun. This stabilizes the weapon and makes it easier to point and get on target.

Even before the recent unveiling of the box magazine fed pump shotgun, such as the Remington 870 DM and Mossberg Mag-Fed 590, there was a small selection of this style to choose from, albeit all semi-autos. Utilizing the AK-47's long-stroke piston operation, guns such as the Molot Vepr 12 and Saiga 12 have become popular tactical shotgun options in some corners of the shooting world.

As their fans are more than familiar, the guns are fast and powerful, offering overwhelming firepower and fast reloads. Additionally, they transition loads as quickly as you can change magazines. Ideal, however, the system still draws its share of detractors. Though, their disapproval, in many cases, could be classified as unwarranted.

Critics of these guns like to point to problems with failures to feed causing malfunctions. If a gas-operated semi-auto shotgun is having trouble, the problem is often the ammo, not the gun. Inexpensive, low-brass shotgun shells might not have enough power to make the shotgun cycle properly. So, before you dismiss the new shotgun you just acquired as a “cheap Russian-made piece of junk,” you should take a look at the cheap shells you might have just picked up at Wally World.

Obviously, this is not an issue with magazine fed pump shotguns, perhaps opening their versatility. The 870 DM and 590 will happily chew through light field loads at the trap range and ask for seconds. Then, with nary a burp, gnaw on 3-inch buckshot loads. A bit more tactical-practical.

Pro or con, the magazine fed shotgun is here to stay, namely because it's already been around for a spell. 

This article originally appeared in the February 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. Article expanded.

Handgun Training: 7 Critical Aspects of Pistol Shooting

By
Steve Sieberts
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This shooter controls the recoil in the Glock G35 with good fundamentals of Stance, Position and Grip.
This shooter controls the recoil in the Glock G35 with good fundamentals of Stance, Position and Grip.

Seven fundamentals of handgun training apply whether you’re training for self-defense, competing at a match, on the silhouette range or plinking with a .22 pistol.

The seven fundamentals of basic pistol marksmanship are:

  1. Stance
  2. Position
  3. Grip
  4. Sight alignment
  5. Trigger control
  6. Breathing
  7. Mental discipline

Stance

Step 1 is the stance. The stance as it applies to the handgun is nothing more than the position of feet and body relative to the target. It sounds simple, but it’s actually one of the most critical and also one of the most often overlooked aspects of pistol shooting. The reason it’s so important is that the stance is the foundation upon which all of the other fundamentals are built. If the shooter’s stance isn’t solid, then the delivery of the shot or shots to the target won’t be at their optimum.

The stance for a bullseye shooter is going to be much different than that of a person firing in one of the action shooting sports. For the bullseye shooter, assuming a right-handed shooter, the stance will be standing at about a 45-degree angle to the target, with the feet approximately shoulder width apart, and about 60 percent of the weight out on the balls of the feet. Always keep the knees flexed a little, and keep the non-firing hand in the pocket. Why? Because if the non-firing arm is not anchored with the hand in the pocket, or at least with the thumb hooked into the pocket, the arm will swing slightly during firing, and will act as a counter-balance to the firing hand, causing is to sway slightly and making it difficult to stay on target.

For an action shooter, there are two basic types of stances: the Weaver and the Isosceles. The Weaver stance is very good for managing recoil of some of the sharper recoiling handguns. It does this by using isometric tension between the firing and non-firing, or support, hand. Basically the shooter is creating a push-pull arrangement in the arms. The firing arm is pushing slightly forward, and the support hand is pulling back. It’s a very effective way of firing a powerful handgun accurately, and is still taught at the Gunsite Academy, Jeff Cooper’s iconic shooting school.

handgun training Comp_Shoot395
In the classic Weaver stance, the body is at an angle, the weak side elbow bent, and the strong-side arm is straight. The firing arm should be pushed forward, and the weak side arm should be pulled back. This helps lock in the upper body and is a great way to control recoil.
In the Isosceles stance, the body faces straight on to the target, with the arms pushed out, shoulders rolled forward, and the upper body leaning forward with 60% of the weight on the balls of the feet.
In the Isosceles stance, the body faces straight on to the target, with the arms pushed out, shoulders rolled forward, and the upper body leaning forward with 60% of the weight on the balls of the feet.

Position

The second fundamental is position. This is nothing more than taking the stance and introducing a target. With the stance, we are not yet factoring in the target, we are just trying to establish a good foundation. Now, with position, we are attempting to take the stance and make sure that we are positioned naturally toward the target, or, put another way, we are trying to find our natural point of aim.

On the range, a good way to practice this is to get into a comfortable stance, then, take the pistol in a good firing grip with both hands, close the eyes, and raise the pistol toward the target, open the eye and the pistol should be aiming at the center of the target. If it isn’t, close your eyes, lower the pistol and pivot on the left foot and move the right foot slightly forward or backward while holding the pistol out at arm’s length to move the pistol left or right relative to the target. Raise the pistol and open your eyes, the pistol should be pointing at, or close to the target.

The best method is the one you feel most comfortable with. Talk to different shooters and get their opinion, try different techniques and then decide what works best for you.

Grip

The next fundamental is grip, and this part sounds easy, simply pick the pistol up, and you are gripping it, right? Not so fast. There are several do’s and don’ts when establishing the proper firing grip. Two of the main aspects of establishing a proper grip are consistency and tension.

Also, the firing hand and arm need to absorb the recoil and be an aid to a quick recovery, especially when firing the timed and rapid fire stages.

As I mentioned, one of the key aspects of the grip is consistency, not only in the application of the grip but also in the tension applied. Too loose of a grip, and the pistol will shift in the hand during firing. Too tight, and two things happen: the hand will tremble, and the trigger finger is partly immobilized.

Another aspect of the grip that many shooters discuss is placement of the trigger finger. The two most common ways are the pad of the finger and the first joint. Both are used by many champion shooters, so decide which one is more comfortable and go with it.

The next feature about the grip is that it needs to allow a natural point of aim. This means that when the pistol is brought up to the target, the front and rear sights should be in natural alignment, and there should not be any need to shift the pistol in the hand in order to get proper sight alignment.

Another aspect of the grip is the thumb of the firing hand. Make sure that the thumb does not drag on the slide, as this can strip energy from the recoiling slide and cause failures to feed and eject.

I’ve talked about aspects of the grip that you’ll want to do, now here are a couple of don’ts. Don’t use what’s called a “teacup” grip. This is where the non-firing hand acts as a “saucer” to the pistol’s “teacup.” This type of grip offers little countering to the effects of recoil. The pistol will twist right out of the non-firing hand with this grip.

Also, don’t fail to use the proper amount of tension in the wrist and forearm. This is really important, especially with semi-auto handguns, which need a solid platform for the gun to properly feed, chamber extract and eject.

Although you don’t want to fire a string with a grip that’s too loose, having a grip that’s too tight has its own issues. If the grip is too tight and there’s too much tension in the firing hand, it has a tendency to cause the trigger finger to freeze up, and not be as nimble and quick. This can cause all sorts of trouble when trying to fire off a quick string of shots.

This shooter shows good form with a high grip on the gun, shoulders rolled forward, with elbows with good tension but not stiff, and his upper body leaning forward to control the recoil of the G35 in 40 S&W.
This shooter shows good form with a high grip on the gun, shoulders rolled forward, with elbows with good tension but not stiff, and his upper body leaning forward to control the recoil of the G35 in 40 S&W.

Sight Alignment

The next fundamental is sight alignment. In order to shoot a handgun with any accuracy, the pistol’s sights need to be in alignment, but what does that mean? Sight alignment is nothing more than the front sight post centered within the rear sight notch, with equal daylight on both sides of the front sight post, and the top of the front sight level with the top of the rear sight. The shooter then has to maintain that good sight alignment when the hammer or striker of the handgun falls and the cartridge is fired. The better the sight alignment is when the bullet exits the barrel, the better the results on the target will be.

It’s important to understand the difference between sight alignment, and sight picture. Sight alignment is nothing more than the relationship of the front and rear sights to each other. This is what the shooter should be focusing on, and more importantly, the focus should almost always be on the front sight specifically. Bullseye shooters, weekend plinkers, or any shooter who is trying to deliver a deliberate, aimed shot or series of well-aimed shots, needs to focus on pure sight alignment, and must have pinpoint focus on the front sight as the shot or shots are delivered. The target should be slightly blurry, and the rear sight should also be blurry. The front sight needs to be in sharp, crystal clear focus during the delivery of the shot for best results.

So how does sight alignment square with the use of red dot sights? Since we don’t have a front or rear sight, there is no sight alignment, so we have to focus more on sight picture.

In the paster drill, try to keep all of the shots on a single paster at 3 yards. This demonstrates good sight alignment and trigger control.
In the paster drill, try to keep all of the shots on a single paster at 3 yards. This demonstrates good sight alignment and trigger control.

Trigger Control

The next fundamental is trigger control. The smooth release of the trigger mechanism of any firearm is a critical factor is the delivery of an accurate shot. On the face of it, it’s a very simple act. Simply apply steady building pressure with the trigger finger to a small strip of metal or polymer, until the amount of force needed to overcome the friction of the mechanism is achieved and the tension contained in the sear or striker spring is released. But within that simple act is a complex series of events that have to take place.

The interesting aspect of trigger control that shooters must understand is contained in the words “steady building pressure.” It’s the part of trigger control that high-level shooters have mastered, and new shooters struggle with. New shooters do not yet understand that the trigger must be pressed straight to the rear, with steady building pressure, while at the same time trying to maintain as near to perfect sight alignment as possible. The better the sights are aligned when the sear disengages the striker or firing pin hits the primer and the bullet exits the barrel (which by the way, is a lot longer process than most people think), the better the shot will be.

Think of firing a series of well-aimed shots like wheel that’s spinning. The wheel represents the steady application of trigger pressure. Now imagine a fixed point on the wheel is where the sear releases and the gun fires, but the gun only fires when the fixed point reaches the top of its revolution. The wheel spins at a steady rate, and can turn slowly or quickly, but when the fixed point reaches the top, the gun fires. So in this analogy, no matter the speed of the wheel, the trigger pressure is applied at a steady rate. This is trigger control; being able to apply steady building pressure to the trigger until the pistol fires without disturbing the alignment of the sights. It’s these kinds of analogies that shooters use to visualize different shooting concepts.

Trigger finger placement is very important no matter what shooting discipline you are engaged in. Here, there is too little trigger finger applying pressure. This finger position will likely cause the pressure on the trigger to be applied to the left side, and not straight to the rear as it should be.
Trigger finger placement is very important no matter what shooting discipline you are engaged in. Here, there is too little trigger finger applying pressure. This finger position will likely cause the pressure on the trigger to be applied to the left side, and not straight to the rear as it should be.

Breathing

The next fundamental is breathing. Good breathing techniques are extremely important in all types of shooting, from the slow fire match in bullseye, to speed shooting steel targets, which typically is over in less than two or three seconds.

Breathing oxygenates the blood, which sharpens your vision and enhances the visual acuity. It also helps you relax and that makes it easier to overcome the dreaded “match nerves.”

All shooters, and especially handgun shooters, will have a small amount of movement while holding a pistol at arm’s length. It doesn’t matter is the shooter is using one hand, two hands, or even in the laying down in the Creedmore position on the pistol silhouette range. The pistol will be moving around. Rifle shooters call this the “wobble area.” Pistol shooters, being the sophisticated, dashing and debonair marksman we are, call it the “arc of movement.” The key to delivering an accurate shot (and remember, if we can deliver a single accurate shot, delivering multiple shots just requires speeding up the trigger finger) is reducing the amount of movement to the smallest level possible, and that’s where proper breathing techniques come in. The key is to get the arc of movement, or wobble area at its smallest, at the point where enough trigger pressure is applied to fire the pistol.

When delivering a string of shots, be it on steel or some other type of action shooting, taking a few deep breaths will relax the muscles and remove much of the tension, ease the match nerves and help you compose yourself prior to the sound of the buzzer. Dry fire really helps with this and good dry fire routines will definitely help lower scores.

In this drill, the shooter fires into the berm, focusing on trigger control without a target and getting used to applying a steady rhythm to the application of trigger pressure. This drill can also be performed indoors, with a blank target and dry firing the pistol, and focusing on the sights without a target.
In this drill, the shooter fires into the berm, focusing on trigger control without a target and getting used to applying a steady rhythm to the application of trigger pressure. This drill can also be performed indoors, with a blank target and dry firing the pistol, and focusing on the sights without a target.

Mental Discipline

The last fundamental of marksmanship is mental discipline. Shooting is both a physical and a mental game, which is one reason why I enjoy competitive shooting so much. The ratio of physical versus mental depends on the level of expertise of the individual shooter.

A good example of this is to compare the level of shooter that competes at the Olympic level, and the new weekend shooter learning how to shoot with their first pistol. With the Olympic shooter, especially in a discipline like free pistol, the shooter gets two hours to fire 60 shots at a very small target at 50 meters. For these shooters, the game is 95% mental and only about 5% physical.

Compare those shooters to the new, weekend shooter with their first firearm. Hopefully, they’ve been taught at least the basics of marksmanship, so they understand about stance, position, grip, but probably not. They are focused on aiming the pistol and trying to get a hit somewhere on the target. For these new shooters, the ratio is 90% physical and 10% mental.

Whether firing a single shot or a string of shots, there are steps you can take to be successful. One of the most important points is to have a routine. Almost all athletes have a pre-game routine and shooters are no different. The fundamental of mental discipline comes down to developing a plan that comprises several steps or a routine, and it starts with preparation. This includes all of the details prior to the match such as making sure your range bag or gun box is ready, and that you have enough ammunition to shoot the match, including additional for alibis or malfunctions.

Next step in planning is to decide in advance how you are going to shoot the day’s match, how you are going to shoot a particular string or even a single shot. Determine when and where the best place to reload is while on the move, how you are going to handle the wind at Camp Perry, or what is the best sequence to engage multiple targets in a steel match. Remember, having a plan is a very good way to reduce match nerves, because you are focusing on how you are going to approach the stage or string, not focusing on fear of failure, which is the primary cause of pre-match nervousness.

The next important phase of mental discipline is to relax and focus. The shooter needs to approach the shot or series of shots relaxed and ready to shoot.

The next part of mental discipline is to analyze. If a shooter cannot analyze a shot or a string of shots, they will never be able to improve and will just keep making the same mistakes over and over.

The last element involved with the mental game of shooting is correction. After you’ve done all of the previous steps, step back and see if the plan you developed actually worked. If not, what happened and why? This mental aspect of the game can be applied whether you are an IPSC competitor, silhouette shooter, Cowboy Action or a weekend plinker.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to Competitive Pistol Shooting.

10 Guns From The Old West You’ve Got To Know

By
Elwood Shelton
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These were the “smoke wagons,” “street howitzers” and repeaters that tamed the American West.

What were the guns that won the West?

Was there one gun that won the West?

Certainly, in popular history, the Winchester Model 1873 is given this distinction. While the trusty ol' lever-action shooting iron more than earned its stripes in military conflicts, range wars and protecting the Back 40, it far from single-handedly tamed the vast American frontier.

In reality, no one gun can make the claim. It was a vast arsenal of different revolvers and rifles and shotguns of every conceivable design, make and model that carved this nation from coastline to coastline.

Even if there was no single gun that won the West, there are certainly some six-shooters, repeaters and other great guns that more than pulled their share of the weight during this era. With that in mind, here are the 10 guns you have to know from the Old West. While there were many other firearms that left their mark on this time, these were among the most important.

Colt Paterson

RIA_May14_1147 old west
Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

While not as storied as some Colts, the first commercially successful repeating firearm, nonetheless, left its mark on the West. Patented in 1836 and produced until 1842, just a little more than 2,000 of the cap-and-ball revolvers were manufactured. Despite their limited numbers, the Colt Patersons found their way into a number of definitive conflicts in the mid-1800s.

Among the most storied was the Battle of Bandera Pass, which marked the turning point of the Texas-Indian wars. In the early 1840s fight, 50 or so Texas Rangers, led by legendary Captain John “Jack” Hays, routed a vastly superior force of Comanche, thanks in large part to their five-shot Colt Patersons.

This wasn’t the only time Hays prevailed against overwhelming odds due to the revolver. Previously in the Battle of Walker Creek and his Big Fight at Enchantment Rock, the Paterson proved its worth. While the revolver came in many calibers, the .36-caliber No. 5 became known as the “Texas Patterson” for its use by the Rangers.

Henry 1860

henry1 - old west
Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

Though limited in use, the 1860 Henry proved itself a wicked weapon in the Civil War. But its devastating effect was perhaps best demonstrated in another heralded American battle — the Little Bighorn.

Armed with the brass-receiver beauties, among other repeaters, Sioux and Cheyenne Warriors utterly devastated the 7th Cavalry. Some archaeological evidence points to 134 firearms in the hands of the Indians, 62 of them Henrys.

The cavalry, on the other hand, was armed with single-shot Springfield Model 1873 rifles firing the now-notorious copper cartridges — known to expand and jam the breech. So it seems George Armstrong Custer and his men weren’t only outnumbered that late June day, they were also vastly outgunned.

Beyond formal conflict, the Henry was a mainstay among many pioneers during westward expansion. Its 15 rounds of .44 Henry rimfire not only proved adequate for protecting a homestead or scaring off cattle rustlers, but also bagging the odd deer. 


Colt Single Action Army

Colt-Single-Action-Revolver - old west
No other gun sums up the Wild West like this Colt. Introduced in 1873 originally as a Cavalry revolver, the Single Action Army spread across the frontier like a prairie fire.

Perhaps no single gun hung off the hips of more cowboys, lawmen and outlaws than this revolver. The likes of Wyatt Earp, John Selman, John Wesley Hardin, Bat Masterson and many others all favored the Colt and for good reason. The revolver was well balanced, provided a fast rate of fire and superior ergonomics. To the last two points, the six-gun's design allowed it to rock back in the hand upon firing, setting the shooter up to cock the hammer for his next shot. On top of that, the Colt SAA packed a wallop, particularly in its most prominent chamberings — .44-40 WCF and .45 Colt.

The Colt SAA wasn’t infallible, however. Slow on the reload and only able to be safely loaded with five rounds (unless an hombre wanted to lose a pinky toe), the gun could quickly be out of the fight and slow to reenter. But in competent hands, and there were many, there was no deadlier weapon on the American frontier.


Colt 1851 Navy

Colt-1851-Navy - old west
Named for the Republic of Texas Navy, ironically, this gun saw little action on the high sea. But on the vast American frontier, the handsome six-gun was among the most prolific cap-and-ball revolvers. Some quarter of a million were made between 1850 and 1873.

Though on the surface it doesn’t appear so, what made the gun so desirable, aside from its smooth handling and potency, was its portability. Designed as a sidearm, the 1851 Navy was much lighter than similar revolvers — the Walker Colt and Colt Dragoon. In turn, an hombre could easily keep this peace of mind at hand out of the saddle.

In its cap-and-ball form, the Navy was a .36-caliber gun, but toward the 1870s a number of the revolvers were converted to accept .38-caliber metallic cartridges. The 1851 saw prolific use in the Civil War and across the West. Robert E. Lee carried a Navy while serving with the 2nd Cavalry in Texas, and it was the preferred revolver of no less than James “Wild Bill” Hickok.


1873 Springfield Trapdoor

1873-Springfield-Trapdoor - old west
In an age filled with some of the most iconic repeaters to ever drop a hammer, the Springfield Trapdoor seems downright frumpy. The single-shot rifle, however, was among the most plentiful firearms out West.

This is primarily due to it being the U.S. Army service rifle for the better part of the American age of expansion (1873 to 1892). It was a mainstay for both sides of the intermittent conflict known as the Indian Wars and a fairly solid rifle once the bugs were worked out.

Its main sticky point, literally, was the rifle’s early ammunition. The Trapdoor initially shot .45-70 Government ammo loaded in copper cases, which, when heated, expanded and had a tendency of jamming the breech with devastating consequences. Many blame this flaw as one of the reasons the 7th Calvary was routed at the Little Bighorn.

Custer’s last stand prompted the Army into action and eventually to adopt brass cases, which made all the difference in the world. The .45-70 round itself was more than enough to handle anything a soldier set his sights on out to 1,000 yards. And given this potential, the Army began to emphasized marksmanship. Shooting practice and, eventually, competitions became a more regular part of training, preparing soldiers to use the rifle with crack-shot accuracy on the open prairie.

Winchester Model 1873

Winchester-1873 - old west
Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

Arguably the most famous and recognizable rifle of the Old West, the 1873 is a true icon of the frontier. The iron-framed, lever-action rifle was ideal in a saddle scabbard or at the homestead, ready to take care of any chore a revolver couldn’t handle. And plenty of good and bad men had chores for the 1873, with the likes of William F. Cody, the Texas Rangers, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy and a long list of other Western notables employing the rifle.

In addition to its ease of use and low maintenance, what made the 1873 a success was Winchester chambering it for a number of its proprietary pistol ammunition — .44-40, .38-40 and .32-20. This took a load of burden off a buckaroo during a period when logistics were not at the top of their game. A fella never knew when a desperado might highjack the latest ammunition delivery heading to the local general store thus leave a pistol or rifle high and dry.

The rifle was also awash across the West, with some half-million manufactured before the turn of the 19th Century. Honestly, no self-respecting lawman, rancher or outlaw would be caught without one.


Double-Barreled Shotgun

coach_single_triggers_large_12ga_supreme - old west
New take on the old gun. The Stoeger Coach Single Trigger Supreme.

Certainly, the 1873 Winchester Rifle and Colt Single Action Army were as abundant as tumbleweeds out West; but they most likely paled in numbers to the simple double-barreled shotgun. The firearm was ubiquitous, brought in droves by pioneers heading for new lives in the West.

Double-barreled shotguns came from all corners of the globe, many rolling out of local blacksmith shops. And they made a lot of sense as a tool to tame the land, given their flexibility. Capable of bagging nearly any game known to man — be it covered in fur or feather — the shotgun also doubled as one of the most notorious defensive arms ever to bare a trigger.

There was a good likelihood every lawman had one at hand and they were heavily utilized to guard stagecoaches in their shortened coach gun variation. But the double-barrel shotgun was also the stock-in-trade for some of the wickedest men to roam the West. “Deacon” Jim Miller, for one, cottoned to the brutal instrument and used it to devastating effect on a number of occasions.


Sharps Rifle

1874-Sharps - old west
Uberti USA's take on the 1874 Sharps. Photo: Uberti

While it saw its share of military battles and the odd lawman might have one at hand, the venerable Sharps left its mark on the West in a much different fashion than many of this era's storied firearms — hunting. During the hide-hunting era of the American frontier, the powerful single-shot rifle felled more buffalo than perhaps any other firearm. It was ideal for the task.

Chambered for powerful rounds such as .50-90, .50-110 and .45-70, the falling-block rifle was reasonably accurate, allowing hunters to harvest buffalo at relatively long ranges. This is a black mark against the rifle today, with commercial hunting typically blamed for pushing the prairie behemoth to the brink of extinction.

Even with the ballistics to drop a buffalo more than 1,000-yards out, there is modern research that points more to disease than the Sharps and other big-bore rifles in the animal’s disappearance. Either way, the rifle still had an impact — be it large or small — and today is considered by many as iconic in the West as the Colt SAA and Winchester 1873.


Smith & Wesson Model 3

SW-Model-3 - old west
Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

The first revolver that fired metallic cartridges adopted by the U.S. Military, it didn’t take long for this break-top beast to catch on with good and bad men alike. From lawmen like Pat Garrett to outlaws such as John King Fisher, the Model 3 delivered the goods.

Chambered originally in .44 S&W — later in other .44-caliber variants, as well as .38 — the six-shooter offered more than enough power to take care of even the most stubborn adversary. On top of that, it was fast to reload. Opening from the top to expose all six cylinders, a gunslinger could quickly get the single action back into a fight.

This was a distinct advantage in an era where old cap-and-ball revolvers were still prevalent. Even the beloved Colt Single Action Army couldn't beat out the Model 3 since it had to be reloaded one cartridge at a time.

Winchester 1886

RIA-LOT1005 - old west
Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

John M. Browning, of course, left a mark on the Old West, perhaps no more so than with his first repeating rifle with Winchester. A stronger rifle than the Model 1876, with vertical locking bolts, the ’86 was also sleeker and easier to handle. And it vastly outgunned the majority of repeaters of the day, shooting some of the most powerful big-game cartridges around (and well) — .45-70, .45-90 and .50-110.

Perhaps best of all, it added a dimension of firepower to the equation with the lever action’s nine-round tubular magazine. In one fell swoop, the single-shot rolling-block rifles were outclassed and obsolete on the hunt. But it wasn’t only hunters who saw the benefit of the massive and powerful Model 1886.

Bob Dalton of the notorious bank and train robbing Dalton Gang is reported to have carried the lever action. And a number of the hired Texas killers — known as the “Invaders” — utilized the rifle in Wyoming’s Johnson County War.

New Optics: Bushnell Tac Optics Line

By
Elwood Shelton
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With five new riflescopes and three red-dot optics, Bushnell's Tac Optics line is designed to get shooters on target no matter their range.

What does Bushnell's new Tac optics line bring to the table:

  • With prices from $360 to $1,446, the Tac Optics line has options for every budget.
  • The riflescopes have power range options including 10x, 5-15x, 6-24x and 4.5-30x.
  • They are outfitted, depending on model, with 40mm or 50mm objective lenses.
  • There are three Tac Optics red dots: Mini Cannon, Lil P(rism) and Big D(ot).
  • The Mini Cannon offers four reticles, the Lil P(rism) is among the smallest prism sights available, and the Big D(ot) offers an extended field of view.

Iron sights… it’s tough to beat them. They are ready for action the moment a shooter is and provide practical accuracy and speed to those who know how to handle them. But even with the advantages the rock-solid and age-old aiming solution offers, modern technology has enhanced the shooter's ability to hit a target or targets, more precisely and with greater rapidity than ever before.

TAC Optics-First
Photo: Bushnell

Optics, in every shape and size, have revolutionized modern shooting, making marksmen — whether close or long range — more efficient. This is especially true when it comes advancements in optics tailored to get the most out of AR-15-style rifles and other tactical arms. Bushnell Optics has turned an especially studied eye to this corner of the shooting world in 2018, introducing a new scope and red-dot optics line engineered to milk the most out of today’s most popular semi-automatic rifles.

The Tac Optics line is a full-spectrum family of eight aiming solutions, covering every conceivable shooting situation and range. And with prices ranging from around $360 to $1,446, the line has an option to fit nearly every budget.

For the most part, Tac Optics riflescopes are adjustable power, with 5-15x, 6-24x and 4.5-30x options. The company ensures each optic has the ability to keep pace with its magnification, outfitting them with generous 40mm and 50mm objective lenses and multi-coating all lens surfaces to enhance image delivery. And they are set up with, depending on the model, standard Mil-Dot reticles.

The exceptions are the 6-25x50mm Tac Optics scopes, which come with the option of an illuminated Mil-Dot reticle or an elaborate G2 reticle. These scopes are ideally set up to take full advantage of their reticles, given both have them placed on the first focal plane, and are thus usable no matter the magnification. Uniquely, the new line also boasts a fixed-power option (10x) with a 40mm objective lens that is ideal for those who embrace a much simpler system.

Tac optics -second
Photo: Bushnell

Each Tac Optics scope features well-sized turrets with ample adjustment for windage and elevation — 50 to 120 MOA. And weighing from 15 to 27 ounces, the scopes aren’t overburdening even on the lightest rifle setup.

Bushnell has also released three new red-dot optics in the Tac Optics line: the Mini Cannon, Lil P(rism) and Big D(ot). Each is designed to deliver superior battery life and bring a little something different to the table. The Mini Cannon offers the versatility of four reticle options at the push of a button. The Lil P is one of the industry’s smallest prism sights now available. And the Big D delivers an extremely large field of view with its massive 37mm objective lens.

The TAC Optics red dots are shockproof and feature adjustable brightness settings to adapt to whatever lighting conditions a shooter might face. The 1x optics are also unobtrusive, weighing in at 7 to 13 ounces.

Specifications:

Tac Optics 10x40mm
Magnification/Objective: 10x 40mm
Reticle: Mil-Dot
Focal Plane: N/A
Elevation Travel: 85 MOA
Windage Travel: 85 MOA
Elevation Per Revolution: 10 MOA
Tube Diameter: 1 inch
Eye Relief MAX Power: 3.4 inches
Field of View: 10.5 inches at 10x
Weight: 15 weight
Length: 11.8 inches
MSRP: $361.95

Tac Optics 4.5-30x50mm
Magnification/Objective: 4.5-30x 50mm
Reticle: Mil-Dot
Focal Plane: Second
Elevation Travel: 120 MOA
Windage Travel: 70 MOA
Elevation Per Revolution: 12 MOA
Tube Diameter: 30mm
Eye Relief MAX Power: 3.8 inch
Field of View: 22 inches at 4.5x/4 inches at 30x
Weight: 21 ounces
Length: 13.4 length
MSRP: $1,352.45

Tac Optics 5-15x40mm
Magnification/Objective: 5-15x 40mm
Reticle: Mil-Dot
Focal Plane: Second
Elevation Travel: 50 MOA
Windage Travel: 50 MOA
Elevation Per Revolution: 12 MOA
Tube Diameter: 1 inch
Eye Relief MAX Power: 3.4 inches
Field of View: 21 inches at 5x/7 inches at 15X
Weight: 21 ounces
Length: 14.3 inches
MSRP: $650.95

Tac Optics 6-24×50 Illuminated Mil-Dot
Magnification/Objective: 6-24x 50mm
Reticle: Illuminated Mil-Dot
Focal Plane: First
Elevation Travel: 80 MOA
Windage Travel: 80 MOA
Elevation Per Revolution: 5 Mil
Tube Diameter: 30mm
Eye Relief MAX Power: 3.4 inches
Field of View: 17 inches at 6x/4.5 inches at 24x
Weight: 27 ounces
Length: 13.8 inches
MSRP: $1,446.45

Tac Optics 6-24×50 G2
Magnification/Objective: 6-24x 50mm
Reticle: G2
Focal Plane: First
Elevation Travel: 80 MOA
Windage Travel: 80 MOA
Elevation Per Revolution: 5 Mil
Tube Diameter: 30mm
Eye Relief MAX Power: 3.4 inches
Field of View: 17 inches at 6x/4.5 inches at 24x
Weight: 27 ounces
Length: 13.8 inches
MSRP: $1,408.45

Big D Red Dot
Magnification/Objective: 1x 37mm
Reticle: 5 MOA Dot
Parallax Free Distance: 50 yards
Weight: 13.2 ounces
Length: 3 inches
Eye Relief: Unlimited
Click Value: .5 MOA
Adjustment Range: 100+ MOA
Brightness Settings: 8
MSRP: $358.45

Lil P
Magnification/Objective: 1x
Reticle: TBA
Parallax Free Distance: 50 yards
Weight: 8 ounces
Length: 2.5 inches
Eye Relief: Unlimited
Click Value: .5 MOA
Adjustment Range: 100+ MOA
Brightness Settings: 10
MSRP: $359.95

Mini Cannon
Magnification/Objective: 1x 25mm
Reticle: 4 Options
Parallax Free Distance: 50 yards
Weight: 7.4 ounces
Length: 3 inches
Eye Relief: Unlimited
Click Value: 1 MOA
Adjustment Range: 100+ MOA
Brightness Settings: 8
MSRP: $358.45

Modern Shooter: On Safari At The FTW Ranch

By
Gun Digest Editors
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The dream of many hunters is testing their skills, and nerves, against some of the world’s most dangerous game. But such a potentially harrowing endeavor isn’t something a greenhorn just jumps into — unless they have a death wish. That’s where FTW Ranch comes in. Nestled in the Texas Hill Country, the expansive facility hones hunters to face game of the most treacherous type.

This week, Modern Shooter goes on safari to the premier shooting school to get a first-hand lesson on the shooting and decision-making skills required to take aim at the world’s most deadly creatures. And the team quickly picks up that the FTW method is much more intensive than simply dropping rounds on photo-realistic targets in a controlled range environment.

In the above clip, Phil Massaro gets behind the business end of a Krieghoff .458 Win. Mag. over/under to participate in a simulated Cape buffalo charge. Though a seasoned African hunter, the Gun Digest author, and custom ammunition manufacturer shows exactly how perilous tangling with these critters can be. Certainly, it’s not as real as Africa, but it’s as close as you’ll get here in the states.

Gun Review: Magnum Research BFR .444 Marlin

By
Max Prasac
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2

Constantly evolving, now available is the Magnum Research BFR .444 Marlin. It's a heavy hitter with a classy-looking bisley grip.

What to know about the new Magnum Research BFR:

  • Magnum Research's latest iteration of its BFR is chambered in the potent .444 Marlin.
  • The BFR has an excellent trigger, which breaks around 3 pounds.
  • BFRs come drilled and tapped for optics mounting.
  • The gun comes equipped with an excellent, Bisley-style grip.
  • It's available at pretty good price: $1,184.

I noted some years back that the long-framed BFR (Big Framed Revolver) possessed “comic book proportions.” Some folks took exception to my remark as being somewhat derogatory, no matter how I meant my comment to be interpreted. It looks like the revolver was grabbed by the barrel and by the grip and stretched to accommodate a host of long-cased rifle cartridges. Hence the previous comment.

What I didn’t tell you then, but I’m compelled to tell you now, is that the long-framed BFR, irrespective of chambering, is a well thought-out, well-executed and exceedingly accurate precision hunting revolver that balances surprisingly well.

There have been some subtle yet significant refinements over the years, and this latest version is the best one ever. Previous iterations utilized a number of Ruger-sourced internal parts, but those days are behind Magnum Research as they are now producing all BFR parts locally. The trigger guard has been lowered and moved forward approximately 1/8 inch to allow for more room for a gloved trigger finger, and the increase in space between the shooter’s middle knuckle and the trigger guard during recoil makes for a much friendlier shooting experience.

You might also notice the new hammer profile, allowing easier gloved manipulation and decreasing the chances of your glove getting pinched between the hammer spur and the frame. Note that these are Minnesota cold weather concessions! The steady evolution of the BFR indicates that the Magnum Research management is actually listening to the consumer.

Magnum Research BFR -444-Marlin-5A Mission For The .444 Marlin

When it comes to hunting revolvers, my preferences have always leaned toward compact size and pack-ability (that’s a technical term). For me, this has always been a big part of the allure of handgun hunting. While I’ve dabbled occasionally deliberately in the long-framed BFRs in the past, I recently went to the Dark Side and ordered up a long-framed BFR in .444 Marlin, a cartridge that’s not nearly as popular now as it was years ago. But this was no ordinary test I was conducting. No, I wanted a revolver for plains game hunting in South Africa, where my shots would likely be at longer range, benefitting from a flatter shooting cartridge in a platform that could better take advantage of the .444’s attributes.

I specified a 10-inch barrel to get the most of the high-velocity potential of the .444 Marlin, along with Magnum Research’s new Bisley grip frame, a recent addition in response to all of the requests for a Bisley-type grip. I also specified black Micarta grips to hang on to, a tough yet attractive grip material that’s perfect for the less-than-ideal conditions one often encounters in the field, as they are impervious to inclement weather, blood, chemicals, etc.

Magnum Research BFR 444 Marlin-3A Bisley By Any Other Name

A note about Magnum’s Bisley: I have heard grumblings from some on the Internet that the BFR Bisley is not a true Bisley as far as the design is concerned. I would remind critics that the more well-known Bisley by Ruger is also an interpretation of the design that originated with Colt as a target-style grip named after a range in England. They’re both interpretations of the original design and a better execution in this author’s opinion.

As with Ruger’s version, Magnum’s Bisley was designed to better control and mitigate the effects of heavy recoil. Unlike Ruger’s Bisley, however, Magnum Research has provided ample room between the shooter’s knuckles and the trigger guard, all but removing the threat of busted knuckles and the potential for developing a flinch as a result. In separate testing, I offered my abusive .500 JRH BFR to a couple of novice shooters to try, and they were impressed with the ease with which they handled the heavy recoil due to the Bisley’s superior design. Yes, it’s that good.

Magnum Research BFR -444-Marlin-4Custom Care

The revolver came from Magnum Research’s custom shop, the Precision Center, and arrived with the fit and finish I have come to expect from them, but the most pleasant surprise was the creep-less, glass-rod-like break of the Precision Center-tuned trigger. When tested, it broke at precisely 3 pounds. The man who does the action tuning for Magnum Research deserves a full commendation for such a smooth and pleasure-inducing action, and it’s by far the best trigger I have ever received from a revolver manufacturer. I cannot overstate the importance of a good trigger to build confidence and competent shooting.

The entire revolver is constructed from tough 17-4PH stainless-steel and, like all BFRs, comes with a five-shot counter-bored cylinder — a nice detail that allows for a partially loaded cylinder to be safely shot without fear of frame/loading gate damage from unsupported case heads. Another nice feature is the freewheeling pawl, which allows for easier loading and unloading, as the cylinder will rotate in either direction when the loading gate is open. This is an invaluable feature, particularly in the field where sometimes you need to top your revolver off in a hurry.

Magnum Research BFR -444-Marlin-6Optics-Ready Options

Because my intent was to perhaps shoot at ranges previously treated by me as outside of my comfort zone, I planned on equipping my new BFR with a scope of some sort. A fixed four-power Leupold handgun scope got the nod, mounted on the Magnum Research-provided scope base. BFRs all come drilled and tapped for optics if the owner so chooses. The excellent Weaver-style base comes with the three necessary mounting screws and is a snap to affix. Attaching the scope to the base are a pair of Leupold quick release rings.

Despite my optical enhancements, the BFR comes with an excellent adjustable rear sight sourced from LPA that is a vast improvement over the old Ruger piece and provides a sharp sight picture. I chose a four-power scope to give me significant magnification without exaggerating my wobbles more than necessary! Though, truth be told, it took me some time to get really comfortable shooting with the glass installed.

A Cartridge Of The Kings

If you are unfamiliar with the .444 Marlin, this is a cartridge that was designed by the powers that be at Marlin for use in lever-action rifles. In essence, the .444 Marlin is a .44 Magnum on steroids. The case is straight-walled and was lengthened nearly a full inch over the relatively diminutive .44 Mag. case and is rimmed like the .44 Mag.

While the maximum allowable pressure ceiling for the .444 Marlin (44,000 CUP) is considerably higher than that of the .44 Magnum (36,000 PSI), the .444 features a WHOLE lot more case capacity. Combine the two and you have the recipe for pretty impressive velocities. Like the .44 Mag., the .444 uses a .429-inch diameter bullet. A consideration with regards to bullet selection is that the velocities the .444 is able to generate require a much tougher bullet than the .44 Mag. It’s a fact of life.

Magnum Research BFR -444-Marlin-2Next on the agenda was gathering the limited number of factory loads available in this relatively eclectic cartridge. Due to the .444 Marlin’s limited popularity, I was only able to source a few different loads. However, I wouldn’t be discouraged or dissuaded from getting a BFR in .444 Marlin, as the few loads we were able to get our hands on did not leave us feeling like we needed something more.

Hornady offers LEVERevolution 265-grain FTX loads, and I sourced two different loads from Buffalo Bore Ammunition, a 335-grain hardcast load and a 270-grain JFP load. Keep in mind that Hornady does not recommend its .444 Marlin ammunition be used in a revolver because the thicker rifle primer cup might compromise ignition. That being said, I never experienced anything but reliable ignition with any of the above listed loads.

To fully exploit the capabilities of Magnum’s .444 Marlin BFR, one needs to handload. There are a number of powders available that are well suited to the relatively short barrel and cylinder gap such as IMR 4198 and Reloder 7. Monometal bullets, such as those from Barnes, Cutting Edge Bullets and Lehigh Defense, are well suited for this application and can withstand high impact velocities.

Magnum Research BFR -444-Marlin-7Amazing Accuracy

My first trips to the range netted great accuracy. Once I got the scope on paper, I pushed the targets out to 25 yards, then 50, and lastly, at a later date, 100 yards (see accuracy table). As long as I did my part, the BFR delivered. Because this revolver was slated to be my plains game firearm, I was pleased with the accuracy displayed and also surprised by the lack of recoil, particularly compared to the .45/70 BFRs I have shot rather extensively. The kick is there; it’s just not objectionable.

So what’s next? Practice, practice and some more practice. Also, I’m planning on stretching the .444 BFR out to 200 yards and even beyond. For a no-compromise, high-quality primary hunting revolver, look no further than Magnum Research’s latest BFR. This is a really tough combination to beat, offering performance and reliability at a pretty affordable price-point. Price is listed at $1,184.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the January 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gun Review: Remington 870 DM Shotgun

By
Larry Case
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1

Remington revamps a classic with its new 870 DM line of mag-fed shotguns.

How has Remington revitalized one of the most popular shotguns of all-time with its new 870 DM?

  • The 870 was introduced in the early 1950s and is the best-selling shotgun of all time
  • The newest variation — the 870 DM — features a detachable magazine.
  • The tested shotgun loaded easily and fed without flaw.
  • The magazine releases via a lever situated at front.
  • There are five models available ranging from basic to tactical and hunting models.

Anybody who knows anything about art knows about the Mona Lisa. Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting is recognized by most people on the planet and is reportedly insured for 800 million dollars. Most of us don’t know much about art, but we know what we like, and we like the Mona Lisa.

Box-First

Likewise, anyone who knows anything about scatterguns is familiar with the Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun. The Model 870 came to us in 1950 (some will tell you 1951) and went on to become the best-selling shotgun of all time, now numbering more than 11 million sold. American shotgunners know what they like, and they like the 870.

The Ever Popular 870

There are Remington 870 pump guns sitting in closets, gun cabinets and bedroom corners all over America. We’re on our third generation of hunters and shooters that grew up on an 870, and they have used it to shoot almost anything that walks, crawls or flys, from big bears to bobwhite quail. In fact, I would like to see all the ducks and geese in one pile that have been taken with a Remington 870!

Like most iconic firearms, the Model 870 has its own posse of fiercely loyal fans. I’m pretty sure there are devotees who light candles at an 870 shrine every night and probably think there’s no reason to ever change the basic design of this shotgun.

Or is there?

Why Would You Change An Icon?

Remington recently announced something most of us thought would never happen: They changed the basic design of the Model 870 and put a detachable box magazine on the most beloved shotgun since the Winchester Model 12. I didn’t hear about the sky falling anywhere, and I don’t think the earth tilted on its axis. The new version is called the 870 DM (detachable magazine).

“The 870 DM is a concept that came about during discussions on how we could advance the pump-action shotgun in some meaningful way,” said Daniel Cox, shotgun product manager at Remington. “We quickly found most people agreed the pump-action shotgun was one of the most reliable and versatile defensive firearms we have today. In these discussions, it became clear there was only one real opportunity to improve the pump shotgun as a defensive firearm. Pump-action shotguns have limited capacity and can sometimes be slow to reload under stress when compared to other common defensive firearms used today.”

The 870 DM is more than just a conversion kit to permit the use of detachable magazines. Remington has been working on this project for years, and the action is definitely different than a standard 870’s action.
The 870 DM is more than just a conversion kit to permit the use of detachable magazines. Remington has been working on this project for years, and the action is definitely different than a standard 870’s action.

Cox went on to tell me Remington saw this as an opportunity to step out of the box and innovate to improve the pump-action shogun by offering a legitimate solution to this concern.

“The 870 DM is a pump-action shotgun that was designed to feed from a detachable magazine and not just a conversion kit on an existing gun,” he said. “This feature takes the venerable pump-action shotgun and allows users to load and reload it much faster and much more effectively right out of the box.”

Cox saying the new 870 DM is a pump gun that was designed to feed from a detachable magazine is important. Remington didn’t start this project yesterday; it has been going on for a few years. As far as making the existing 870 action convert to a detachable box magazine, don’t think for a minute that was easy. One engineer at Remington told me it was like “teaching a horse to fly.” Internally, the action of the gun is different, so there won’t be a conversion kit for the 870 you already have.

On The Range

Under full disclosure here, when I took the 870 DM to the range, I would’ve not been surprised to have some small glitch in the ammo feeding and functioning department. By that I mean it’s a new shotgun with a new concept with respect to the magazine — I expected there to be problems. This was not the case, and these may be words that I have to digest later, but to date I’ve not had a malfunction with the 870 DM. This has been through testing with several types of shotgun ammunition, including Remington, Aguila, Federal and Winchester.

When you fire the 870 DM and work the action, you will notice little difference in that of your Dad’s 870 Wingmaster. The magazine itself loads easier than I thought it would, and after a brief wearing in process the magazine inserted and released easily from the magazine well.

There are a total of five 870 DM models, each with varying furniture and designed for different purposes. Shown here is the Magpul variant, which features that manufacturer’s ergonomic SGA stock.
There are a total of five 870 DM models, each with varying furniture and designed for different purposes. Shown here is the Magpul variant, which features that manufacturer’s ergonomic SGA stock.

A word here on extraction of the 870 DM’s magazine: At first blush, I assumed the mag would drop out when the release lever was engaged, but the release lever is depressed and the magazine is stripped from the gun with the shooter’s support hand. Remington engineers had to deal with a gremlin: The pounding recoil in a 12-gauge shotgun (think 3-inch magnum loads) while keeping the magazine inserted in the gun for feeding and extracting concerns, and all the while having the magazine well with tolerances to easily insert and dump the magazine. An internal spring in the magazine well to hold the magazine in the proper position was the answer.

The furniture on this gun is by Magpul and features its ergonomic SGA stock, which means it feels good in your hand, is “grippy” and easy to hold on to, and the shape tends to get you down on the gun and into the sights quickly. The SGA stock is adjustable as to length of pull, which can be important for a defensive shotgun.

The sights on this first model of the 870 DM (there will be five models available: a Base Model, the MagPul model, a Kryptek Camo hunting model, a Base Hardwood model, and a Tactical Model with pistol grip and including an XS Sights Ghost Ring rear sight and a standard dot tritium front. The rear sight is mounted on an XS Sights Shortrail Picatinny-style rail. Target acquisition with this sight is very fast.

The Final Tally

Box-fifth
There will be those who will say putting a detachable magazine on the 870 is a terrible idea. For a defensive shotgun, they will say the long magazine is in the way when things turn lively and you can hold just as much ammo in an extended magazine tube. Maybe so, but you can start the fight with seven rounds of buckshot in the gun (six in the mag, one in the chamber) and you can definitely reload a second magazine of six rounds faster than a standard tube-fed shotgun. These sort of arguments, like the Ford and the Chevy discussions, will be going on long after I am gone.

Defensive shotgun aside, some dyed-in-the-wool 870 fans will simply think it heresy to put a box magazine on this shotgun. They may think Remington painted a mustache on the Mona Lisa. I stand on the side that doesn’t see it that way.

This article originally appeared in the February 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

10 Great New .22 Rimfire Guns To Satisfy Any Shooter

By
Dick Jones
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1

From handguns to long guns, and from ARs to lever-actions, manufacturers have recently introduced a number of great new rimfire guns sure to satisfy any shooter.

What's hot when it comes to rimfire .22s:

I’ve never asked any successful shooters — of any discipline — how often they shoot a .22 LR without getting some form of overwhelming praise for the lowly “little” .22 LR cartridge. Developed in the late 1800s, the popular .22 LR is chambered in everything from low-priced utilitarian guns to precision target rifles and pistols costing several thousand dollars. It’s been used in Olympic shooting competition since 1924, and almost everyone who shoots has a portfolio of fond memories of shooting a .22 LR.

One of the most important attributes of the .22 LR is its utility as a training vehicle. Low cost, low noise and mute recoil make learning to shoot with a .22 LR fun and without intimidation. The utility is enhanced when the training firearm looks, feels and operates like the full-sized firearm that will eventually be a part of the program. In recent years, we’ve been blessed with all kinds of useful .22s, and I have my doubts this trend will slow anytime soon.

Ruger LCRx 3-Inch .22 Revolver

5435-2
One of the first handguns I ever owned was a Smith and Wesson Model 34 Kit Gun. Released in 1953, the Kit Gun was a small-framed rimfire designed for carry any time adventure called, hence the name, “kit gun.” It was small, lightweight and available with a 2- or 4-inch barrel and adjustable sights, and Smith and Wesson recently put the Kit Gun back into the line as the eight-shot 317.

Ruger has now introduced its version of a personal adventure companion revolver in the form of the LCRx 3-inch in .22 LR. I was excited when I shot the LCRx 3-inch .38 Special a few years ago, and at that time I asked Ruger to do it in .22 LR. Apparently, I have more swing with the folks at Ruger than I thought, because it’s here.

While the Kit Gun it mimics had classic lines, the LCRx 3-inch is modern with a polymer/alloy frame and stainless-steel cylinder and barrel. The Hogue Tamer grip is comfortable and offers a pleasant grip in any weather condition. The rear sight is adjustable, as it should be, with a pinned ramp front sight. Capacity is eight rounds and the weight, at just over 17 ounces, is light enough to be unnoticeable on your hip or in your kit bag. MSRP is a reasonable $579.

Henry Frontier Long Barrel 24”

H001TLB-R-Angle_preview
Henry has been a smashing success in the modern firearms world. Beginning in 1996 with a couple of lever-action .22s reminiscent of the Winchester Model 92s I admired as a kid watching countless black and white westerns, the line expanded into centerfires and now includes a replica of the original Henry lever action that inspired the Winchester 66. The company has now grown into one of the most popular firearms companies in the United States … and for good reason.

In a world of high-tech tactical replica rimfires, the Henry Frontier 24” represents a simple and solid rimfire version of the kind of gun that truly won the West, and a lot of the Midwest to boot. The octagonal 24-inch barrel is slim and adorned with a post front sight and an adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight. The black finish and satin-finished American walnut stock are unpretentious, but blend perfectly with the classic Model 92 lines. MSRP is $470.

Smith & Wesson.22 Compact Tungsten Gray Cerakote

MP22-Compact-gray
Since its introduction, the S&W .22 compact M&P has been one of my favorite training pistols for concealed carry. The common controls, size and weight are similar to centerfire, polymer, striker-fired defensive pistols, and the low recoil, noise and low cost of rimfire ammunition means new shooters can learn fundamentals without the stress and noise of a centerfire. Simply put, the M&P rimfires are pleasant for any new shooter to learn with, regardless of past experience.

The three-dot sight system is adjustable at the rear for both windage and elevation. I equipped one with a Crimson Trace rail laser in green for diagnosing problems with new shooters. The new Tungsten Gray Cerakote finish on the frame gives them a serious big gun look, and the manual safety allows training new shooters who will be using either manual safety guns or standard striker-fired guns without manual safeties. Best of all, they’re fun for anyone to shoot, and with an MSRP of $409 for the Tungsten Gray Cerakote version and $389 for the standard, they’re affordable as well.

Ruger 10/22 Target Lite

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Ruger’s 10/22 has been a world changer since its inception. It’s reliable, reasonably accurate and the popularity it’s generated has created an entire industry of accessories and aftermarket parts. With the 10/22 Target Lite, Ruger has built many of the most popular aftermarket options into a complete gun.

It comes with a lightened black laminate thumbhole stock and the new BX trigger system that finally puts a light and crisp trigger under the index finger of the 10/22 fan right out of the box. The tensioned, cold hammer-forged barrel resides in an aluminum alloy barrel sleeve and ends with a ½-28 threaded muzzle cap that facilitates fitting a suppressor.

The weight of the 10/22 Target Lite is just 5 pounds, and the combination scope base adapter allows the mounting of either Weaver style rings or standard .22 tip-off mounts. The combination of its reduced weight, a good trigger and a stable and comfortable stock that’s adjustable for length of pull makes the 10/22 Target Lite a great candidate for the popular Rimfire Steel Challenge matches right out of the box. The MSRP is very reasonable for a gun that comes from the factory already tricked out, at $649.

KRISS USA DMK22C

DEF_DMK22C_PR_BLK_02_preview
With the AR-15 being the most popular firearm system of all time, it’s inevitable that there will be .22 rimfire clones. Most of those clones look and feel like a full-sized AR, but few operate on the same manual of arms, and none offer the level of customization of the AR firearm system. Many of the clones allow using AR triggers and furniture, but up until now, no one has offered the ability of choosing other barrel options. The KRISS DMK offers a locking bolt, 4140 chrome molly barrel, functioning forward assist, a full-sized dust cover and forged aluminum receivers — but the most innovative feature is a patent-pending interchangeable barrel adapter.

The system allows use of any aftermarket 10/22 barrel, opening up a myriad of choices to the shooter who wants to create the ultimate rimfire AR. It uses popular .22 AR magazines and comes well equipped with a floating handguard, six-position stock, a full-length top rail and flip-up sights. Based on the fact that it’s the only clone that operationally works just like a full-sized AR, including forward assist, it’s impressive, but adding the capability to upgrade barrels in almost any configuration makes it remarkable. MSRP is reasonable at $799.

Savage B22 FV-SR

B22MagFV-SR_22WMR_70503
Savage has taken the world by storm with its much-copied AccuTrigger system, which allows an extremely light and crisp trigger pull without fear of accidental discharge. This is accomplished by putting a blade that serves as an inner trigger within the main trigger. If the sear is jarred out of engagement, the inner trigger catches the sear before it can discharge the rifle. When shooting the AccuTrigger, the blade is disengaged with the shooter’s finger before engagement of the primary trigger begins. The end result is a trigger that can be adjusted to be remarkably light, while still remaining totally safe.

The addition of the AccuTrigger to a heavy, short barrel and a stock designed for precision creates an economical yet surprisingly accurate rimfire rifle. The FV-SR sports a stock that promotes accuracy with a vertical pistol grip and high comb for good head position with a scope. It comes with a forward bridge mount for an optic and a rigid 16.25-inch barrel that’s threaded for a suppressor. It uses a 10-shot rotary magazine and weighs 6 pounds. Based on Savage’s reputation for accurate and economical rifles, the FV-SR promises to be a serious performer with an MSRP of just $344.

Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical

40150-2
Ruger’s Mark series of .22 rimfire pistols has been the standard of rimfire pistols since the ’50s. The new Mark IV series was the most drastic design change since the introduction in 1949. The Mark IV series disassembles with the press of a button on the rear of the frame, making the pistols much easier to maintain than previous models. The 22/45 models, introduced in 2004, utilize the more familiar grip angle of the 1911 pistols and locates the controls in much more familiar locations for those more used to modern pistols.

The Mark IV 22/45 Tactical comes with a threaded muzzle, an adjustable rear sight and a Picatinny rail on the frame for mounting optics. Weight is just over 33 ounces, making the Tactical Mk IV perfect as a training pistol with accuracy, reliability and familiar controls. To add further appeal, the MSRP is only $529.

Keystone Sporting Arms 722 ‘PT’

KSA20460
While the .22 rimfire cartridge has utility for hunting and pest control, its greatest utility is training. Most .22 LR ammunition is low in cost, noise and recoil, making it the perfect round for training both new and experienced shooters. Keystone is known for its Cricket and Chipmunk rifles, sized and designed as the first gun of young shooters, but the Cricket line also includes some adult-sized rifles as well.

The manufacturer’s most recent offering is the 722 “PT”, a compact rimfire trainer for the aspiring long-range shooter in a chassis stock with guaranteed accuracy of one MOA. It features a seven-round magazine, an AB Arms Mod X aluminum chassis stock, a target chamber and an adjustable length of pull. With a weight of 6.3 pounds, it comes optics ready with a threaded 20-inch barrel and has an MSRP of $599.96.

DPMS RFA2-22LR

RFA2-22LR
Currently, there are multiple .22 rimfire clones of the M16/AR-15. I’ve shot most of them, but the one both my grandsons trained on is the DPMS .22 upper I’ve had for several years. My grandson, Phoenix, learned to shoot with that original upper, and his rimfire training with it translated into him winning a Junior National Championship in his first match, the now discontinued National Defense Match. It was also the first time he fired a centerfire AR-15.

Originally marketed as an upper only, the RFA2 is a complete rifle offered in either M4 clone configuration or as a 16-inch bull-barreled version with a floating forend tube. Both versions use aluminum upper and lower receivers, and almost any AR option you can imagine fits and works. The only exceptions are magazine, barrel and interior parts. Any AR trigger will drop right in. The end result is a training firearm that looks and feels just like the original, but offers low-cost, low-impact shooting with an MSRP of $1,029.

Ruger Precision Rimfire

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One of the fastest growing shooting sports is precision rimfire shooting with .22 rimfire rifles, shooting targets at distances of up to 200 yards. Ruger isn’t about to miss the boat on this and has introduced the new Ruger Precision Rimfire rifle to meet the demand. A scaled down version of the centerfire Precision Rifle, it uses a glass-filled nylon chassis-style stock that’s quickly adjustable for both length of pull and cheekpiece height using a single cam lever. The ventilated 15-inch M-LOK forearm tube extends almost all the way out to the end of the hammer forged and threaded 18-inch barrel.

Designed as both a competitive rifle and a trainer, it features an extended 3-inch bolt throw to replicate shooting a centerfire, or you can set it for a standard 1.5-inch bolt throw. The 30-minute elevation scope rail allows getting a zero for really long shots; there’s even an attachment point for your squeeze bag. With a weight of 6.8 pounds, it has an MSRP of $529.

The list above dictates the overwhelming love the shooting public still has for the .22 LR. From handguns to long guns, and from ARs to lever-actions, the diversity of firearms currently being chambered for this mini yet mighty cartridge is immense — so much so that a little bit of research should find you the exact .22 LR to suit your needs and wants.

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

New Rifle: Phoenix Weaponry’s 45-70 Auto AR

By
Elwood Shelton
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4

Shooting a modified version of the powerful and classic straight-walled cartridge, Phoenix Weaponry's 45-70 Auto Christine rifle can tangle with nearly any game on earth.

How did Phoenix Weaponry take the .45-70 Government and make it the semi-auto-compatible 45-70 Auto?

  • Phoenix rebated the .45-70 Government's rim to make it function in the rifle.
  • The modification allowed the use of standard .308 AR-10 parts.
  • The rifle boasts a Douglas barrel with a 1:14 twist rate, perfect for heavier bullets.
  • The 45-70 Auto Christine has Phoenix's custom trigger, set to 3 pounds.
  • Cost is prohibitive for many shooters, with a price of $4,800.

The .45-70 Government conjures up thoughts of a bygone era of boundless buffalo herds and the equally limitless American frontier. And, against odds, the powerful straight-walled cartridge continues to elude becoming a footnote in history books as some novel relic of yesteryear. It is still alive and well today, a favorite of shooters who prefer slower, heavier rounds that can handle nearly anything that treads upon hoof, paw or foot.

45-70-auto-first
Photo: Phoenix Weaponry

There are plenty of modern-day rifles chambered for the .45-70, from classically inspired single shots to the most up-to-date lever actions. But if Phoenix Weaponry has its way, shooters will look at the more than century-old cartridge in an entirely different light from here on out. That’s because the Colorado-based AR manufacturer has its sights set on reinventing the large-bore round as fodder for a semi-automatic rifle.

In one of the more unique moves in the AR market in recent years, Phoenix Weaponry has introduced an AR-10-style rifle chambered for the classic round (or at least a version of it) — the 45-70 Auto. Also lovingly known as Christine, the rifle represents perhaps one of the greatest leaps for the cartridge since it transitioned to smokeless powder. Although, getting the good old Government up to speed for a modern rifle platform did take some doing — not to mention a smidgen of ingenuity.

The obvious hurdle to cross was the .45-70’s rimmed case. While not impossible, it would take some intensive re-engineering to modify an existing semi-automatic to reliably chew through this style of cartridge — from bolt to magazine and what have you. Phoenix opted for the easier option, and instead of tinkering the rifle around the cartridge, it re-designed the brass to the gun.

What they came up with is elegant in its simplicity. The company merely rebated the rim, essentially making the cartridge rimless, thus highly compatible with the AR-10 platform. The results were right on the money, with the modified .45-70 cartridge so in tune to the rifle Phoenix was able to utilize it’s everyday .308 Win. bolt head, carrier and receivers.

45-70 auto -second
Photo: Phoenix Weaponry

And the company didn’t have to sacrifice any of the cartridge’s performance shoehorning it into an AR-10. Phoenix claims the rebated case is reloadable with existing .45-70 data — based on Ruger No. 1 loads — and standard dies. The only thing that changes in the process is the shell holder. One compatible with a .308 is required.

Ammo, as expected in a specialty set up such as the .45-70 Auto, is a concern. Your local shooting supplies store isn’t going to be brimming with .45-70 with rebated rims anytime soon. Phoenix foresaw this issue and includes 50 introductory cases with a new rifle and the option to buy more factory-modified brass straight from the company. But Phoenix hasn’t turned its back on dyed-in-the-wool D.I.Y. folks — at least ones with lathes. Cutters are available from the company. So motivated shooters with access to a machine shop can turn off-the-shelf .45-70 Government brass on their own.

The 45-70 Auto itself appears stoutly built, constructed around Phoenix’s RFL upper and lower receivers, originally designed for the company’s .308 builds. The company turned to Douglas Barrels out of West Virginia for the chrome-moly number on the 45-70 Auto. It is attached with custom bushings, is 18 inches in length and is a custom profile — very much bull. The barrel is button rifled with a 1:14 twist, which is quite fast for the caliber and opens heavier bullet options to shooters. The barrel is topped off with Phoenix’s Chevron muzzle brake, designed to keep the line of sight free and clear shot to shot.

Christine utilizes a rifle-length gas system with a low-profile adjustable gas block. It is outfitted with Phoenix’s 15-inch, free-floating modular aluminum handguard that features in-house manufactured Picatinny rail sections for the quick addition of QD sling mounts, and what have you. And it boasts the company’s custom trigger, tuned to a crisp 3 pounds.

Finally, the 45-70 has a Magpul adjustable ACS stock and MOE pistol grip. And the nearly 10-pound rifle is Cerakoted in Flat Dark Earth and comes with a 10-round Magpul magazine, modified to hold six rounds.

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Photo: Phoenix Weaponry

There is a rub to getting a 45-70 Auto in a gun safe, however — price. An AR unique as this doesn’t come cheap; Phoenix has a hefty $4,800 basement on the behemoth and will customize as far as a shooter's wallet can handle. It’s definitely not an ‘Everyman’s’ rifle, nor does it appear Phoenix intended it to be.

Like all special ladies, Christine is one of a kind. She'll most likely attract shooters as unique as her. And they could be well served with the investment. Up to and including dangerous game, there's little on God's green earth she can't handle. 

How To: Safe Re-Holstering Tips

By
Massad Ayoob
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2

Procedural tactics regarding the safe holstering of a handgun have changed dramatically over the years. Here are some things to know.

  • Shooters should of course keep their fingers off the trigger when holstering.
  • Another trick is to place the thumb on the hammer of hammer-fired guns.
  • If the hammer is up on a 1911-style pistol, it prevents it from falling.
  • If it is down on a double-action pistol, it prevents it from rising and then falling.
  • The author suggests looking the gun into the holster at the learning stage.
  • Later, a more experienced shooter should be able to holster without looking.

There have been some new trends in the past few years on safe holstering doctrine.

In the old days, when holsters left triggers and trigger guards exposed and it was the custom to put one’s finger on the trigger as soon as the hand hit the holstered gun, any snag in the draw could result in the practitioner shooting himself, usually in the leg. Eventually, the gun world learned to demand holsters that covered the trigger guard area to prevent that. The change was good as far as it went, but in a sense it simply redistributed the nature of the negligent discharge. Now what happened was, when the finger was carelessly left on the trigger, the gun went back into the holster and the trigger finger stopped on the edge, and the gun kept moving and – BANG! A self-inflicted gunshot wound remarkably like the one from the old holster days.

Holstering -1The mantra of “keep your booger hooker off the bang switch” turned out not to be enough. I’ve seen cops who kept their belt-mounted key ring in front of the holster where, with movement or even previous strenuous activity, a key could wind up on the edge of the holster in line with the incoming trigger during holstering. There was one famous case of an old, soft leather holster bending enough that when a man inserted his Glock into it, the fold of leather hit the center of the trigger and the pistol discharged.

One of the biggest offenders is the drawstring found on warm-up jackets, hoodies, some winter coats and similar garments. We are seeing those get fouled between trigger guard and holster every year! DRAWSTRINGS ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH HOLSTERED GUNS AND UNSAFE TO WEAR WITH THEM! IF YOU CARRY A GUN, REMOVE THE DRAWSTRINGS!

It only makes sense when we are dealing with deadly weapons to put safety net after safety net in place. One that I learned early was THUMB ON HAMMER WHEN HOLSTERING. If something trips the trigger, the thumb on the hammer of a cocked 1911 or similar pistol holds that hammer back, and prevents it from firing the shot. If the hammer is down on a double-action weapon, the thumb holds it down, so it cannot rise and fall and crack off a shot. Even with an unmodified striker-fired pistol, the thumb holds the slide forward so a tight-fitting holster can’t push it out of battery, and guarantees that when the gun comes out, it is ready to fight for you.

During this same process, the trigger finger should be straight. The index finger is known colloquially as the “pointer finger,” and this helps get the gun smoothly into the holster. It also, of course, guarantees that the finger wasn’t left on the trigger during the holstering process.

As I said, I’ve been practicing and teaching this since the 1970s, and published it in 1984 in my book StressFire. No one who has followed this protocol has shot himself yet. Enough said.

Latest Re-Holstering Doctrine
Because some people have shot themselves holstering, a new mantra has emerged: Look the gun into the holster, so you can see what you are doing. Another mantra is, “You never need to holster quickly, just to draw quickly. ALWAYS holster slowly and carefully.”

By and large, that’s good advice…but “always” can be a bigger word than it looks. We need to talk.

holstering -2Full time police work only 40 hours a week not counting overtime, and there are 168 hours in a week, so every cop is off duty more than he or she is on. (As a part time cop for 43 years, I was off duty even more.) Off duty cops, or plainclothes officers, or armed citizens when they’ve had to pull a gun on the street against criminals, will be unidentifiable as Good Guys and Gals when the uniformed cops pull up. Those cops have been told “Person with a gun, there now.” The Good Guy or Gal is “Person with a gun, there now”! It behooves them to get that gun put out of sight quickly and smoothly, without taking their eyes off the person present who was so dangerous they had to pull a gun on him in the first place.

If the Bad Guy goes for a gun at that moment and you are “looking your gun into your holster,” the gun and holster may be the last thing you see before your world goes dark forever. And that doesn’t take into account the situation many cops have faced: they have the bad guy at gunpoint, the bad guy gets physical, and they decide not to shoot him but need both hands to restrain him. That gun has to be put away swiftly and surely and rather quickly, without taking the eyes off the threat.

So…this writer suggests that you look the gun into the holster ALWAYS in the learning stages, because the eyes tell the hands what to feel, and that’s the shortcut to being able to do it by feel. Don’t do it fast so much as you do it smooth, and when the proverbial “need for speed” comes, you’ll more likely be able to do it quickly by feel, even in total darkness. You DO want to be able to holster one-handed by feel. It’s an important tactical skill.

More Tips For Safe Re-holster
My colleague and friend, master instructor David Maglio, popularized the technique of clicking one’s heels together when holstering at the hip. It keeps the gun side leg out of line of the muzzle.

I like to step forward with my holster-side leg, or back with the off-side leg, for the same reason when I holster.

When holstering on the front of the body (i.e., AIWB), cantilever the upper body back at the hips, so the muzzle will at least point forward past genitalia and femoral arteries.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, Volume 2: Beyond the Basics.

First Look: Colt Night Cobra Revolver

By
Drew Warden
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0

Colt is continuing its expansion into revolvers, bringing out the upgraded Night Cobra for 2018.

What you should know about the new Colt Night Cobra revolver:

  • It is an upgraded version of last year's Cobra tailored for concealed carry.
  • The Night Cobra has a bobbed double-action-only (DAO) hammer.
  • The revolver features a matte black DLC coating for corrosion resistance and durability.
  • It features a Tritium front night sight for shooting in low light and new VZ G10 grips.
  • Its MSRP is stated as $899, $200 more than the standard Cobra.

Last year Colt revived its double-action revolver line with the introduction of its Cobra, a six-shot revolver chambered in .38 Special. At this year's SHOT Show, Colt has given revolver fans even more reason to be happy by debuting the Night Cobra, which features a few upgrades designed to make the revolver even more suited for concealed carry.

Bone Up On Legendary Colt Firearms

Namely, the new Night Cobra has a stainless steel construction with a matte black DLC coating, a new set of VZ G10 grips, a front night sight and a bobbed double-action-only (DAO) hammer. And the Night Cobra is built to handle the hotter +P defensive loads that some prefer for protection.

Colt Night Cobra -1I had a chance to shoot the new Colt Night Cobra at the 2018 Industry Day at the Range a day before SHOT Show, and I came away mostly impressed, which makes sense seeing as I found the standard Cobra pleasant to shoot last year before it was released. Obviously, the Night Cobra is a DAO affair given the lack of hammer spur, so I was limited to the double-action pull, which, with regard to concealed carry, is not necessarily a bad thing. Double-action revolvers are among the safest firearms to carry, and because the Night Cobra has the bobbed hammer, it is pretty unlikely to snag on clothing on the draw.

I also found the Tritium front night sight to be quite serviceable. Of course, a night sight on a gun designed for carry, and which may be employed in low light, is always an appreciated feature. For those who prefer a different sight, however, it looks like the front sight is also interchangeable and can be swapped out for other options.

The VZ G10 grips were comfortable and offered plenty of support and purchase. They felt a bit larger than the original grips on the standard Cobra, which actually seemed to help in terms of fit and feel. I didn't think anything was necessarily wrong with the earlier grips, but I did feel like I was shooting better with the new VZ G10 grips. 

It looks like shooters will of course have to pay a bit more for these upgrade features. The stated MSRP seems to be $899, which is $200 more than the standard Cobra. But for those searching for a good double-action revolver for carry, the new Night Cobra might be just the ticket.

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