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Gun Review: Seekins Precision SP10

By
Steve Gaspar
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Seekins Precision’s SP10 in 6.5 Creedmoor is a large-frame black rifle that delivers accuracy, even as distances stretch.

  • The new SP10 is available in the increasingly popular 6.5 Creedmoor, a capable long-range cartridge.
  • Seekins Precision's SP10 is a highly accurate rifle packed with features such as Seekins' SP3R handguard, ambidextrous controls and a crisp 3.5-pound single-stage trigger.
  • At $2,650, the SP10 is expensive, but quality costs, and it's a price some shooters will be willing to pay for a quality precision rifle.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has taken the long-range world by storm over a relatively short period of time. Ammunition manufacturers have taken notice and are now producing high-quality factory ammunition for shooters seeking recreation as well as competition or hunting success. The flat trajectory, low recoil and high ballistic coefficients make the cartridge a natural for anyone wanting to stretch their limits.

For a long while, this was a bolt-action-only affair. Enter Seekins Precision.

Glen Seekins has been making great rifles in Lewiston, Idaho, for many years. The company’s reputation for quality and accuracy is as strong as anything in the industry.

Its SP10 was introduced a few years ago as a large-frame black rifle in .308. When Seekins started producing the SP10 in 6.5 Creedmoor, this writer had to take the plunge. This article profiles this superb rifle.

Seekins Precision SP10 - 1Feature-Packed Rifle
With many black rifles, modifications must be made to stock components in order to increase accuracy. This rifle is a semi-automatic tack driver right out of the box, with virtually nothing left for improvement by the end user. Just add a scope mount and quality optic and go shoot out to 500 yards with little effort whatsoever — and 1,000 yards with a ballistic app and some practice.

The SP10 upper and lower are CNC machined from 7075-T6 billet aluminum, and just like all Seekins Precision actions, they are perfectly mated. The fit between the upper and the handguard is tight enough to appear monolithic at first glance, but upon close inspection, they can be seen as two separate pieces. However, the top rail extends beyond the action and over the barrel mount.

At first, this seems trivial, but this extra space comes in handy for mounting a rifle level (see below). This extra rail real estate on the upper would also be useful for other optic setups, such as a clip-on thermal scope.

The controls on the lower receiver are truly ambidextrous, including the safety, magazine release and bolt release. A very nice feature is the ambidextrous bolt catch, which may be used to lock the bolt back from either side. The single-stage trigger is tuned from the factory at 3.5 pounds and is very crisp. A Strike Industries charging handle and Melonite-coated bolt carrier group round out the action.

The handguard is the 15-inch Seekins Precision SP3R, a free-float design, which is flat on the bottom for stable shooting off of bags or barriers. The version tested had KeyMod slots, although M-LOK is another option. The hardcoat anodized finish on the SP3R perfectly matches that of the action. The barrel is a 22-inch match-grade stainless barrel with a 1:8 twist.

The gas system is rifle length and uses a Melonite-coated gas tube. The Seekins Precision adjustable gas block is a set screw and adjustment screw design. The muzzle brake is the Seekins Advanced Tactical Compensator, which minimizes the already light recoil of the 6.5 Creedmoor.

The stock and grip are from Magpul, the latter being an MOE+ with a storage compartment. The Magpul PRS stock is a proven design, with tool-free adjustments for cheek height and length of pull. One 20-round Magpul magazine is included with the rifle.

Seekins Precision Send iT sidebarSend iT Electronic Rifle Level
The Send iT electronic rifle level manufactured by Long Range Arms is the invention of longtime precision shooter Bennie Cooley. It is an extremely well-thought-out product for long-range shooters. The cant of a riflescope — how much the vertical reticle varies from being truly vertical due to tilt introduced during scope installation or by the shooter while shooting — has very little effect at short ranges. However, at 1,000 yards or more, this becomes a material issue.

To combat this, shooters commonly use bubble levels to install scopes and rifle-mounted bubble levels during shooting. “The accuracy of spirit levels is limited by the manufacturing process to 15-20 degrees max,” said Cooley in a recent interview. The Send iT electronic level is designed to detect and display deviations from vertical within 2/10ths of 1 degree.

Seekins Precision SP10 -sidebar 2The accuracy advantage of the Send iT is only its first attraction. The sensitivity may be modified by the user anywhere from 2/10ths of a degree to 1 degree. Five LED lights indicate whether the rifle is canted — two blue lights, two red lights and one green light in the center.

A green light indicates the rifle is level to within 2/10ths of a degree if the sensitivity is on that setting. One blue light indicates 2/10ths cant, and two blue lights mean 4/20ths off of level. The red lights mean the same thing going the other way.

Beyond increased accuracy, the LED indicators on the Send iT level are very easy to see — especially for older eyes. “We average 4-6 seconds faster shots,” said Cooley. In a precision rifle match, that amount of time per shot is an eternity. This writer can no longer see a crisp clear bubble level while behind a riflescope, but the Send iT level lights are obvious and easy to read even using peripheral vision.

The third advantage is the unit may be mounted to a rail at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, or 9 o’clock. Finally, the Send iT electronic rifle level can be used to ensure that scopes are installed perfectly vertically every time. ($225; LongRangeArms.com)

Seekins Precision SP10 - 3Testing And Reflections
Unboxing the rifle was a bit like Christmas morning the year I was 12 and my dad presented me with my first gun. The Seekins Precision SP10 had this writer grinning like a little kid.

The SP10 is gorgeous. All controls have a precision feel, and the hard coat anodized finish on the action and handguard is pure black satin goodness. This rifle is dead sexy. A trip to the range couldn’t happen fast enough.

At 10.5 pounds unscoped, one would think it handles like a beast, but that is not the case. While not a lightweight rifle, the SP10 is well balanced and easy to use.

A side focus Leupold VX6 4-24×52 was selected as an optic, and for the first run to the range, a Larue 34mm QD one-piece scope mount was used. The latter will be swapped out for Seekins Precision rings in the near future.

Seekins Precision SP10 - 4Hornady 140-gr ELD Match ammunition was used to sight in the rifle and to shoot a few groups. A KeyMod rail section was attached to the bottom of the SP3R rail system, allowing an Atlas bipod from Accu-Shot to be used during testing.

Sub-MOA groups from day one were produced with Hornady’s factory ammunition. The rifle performed as perfectly as it looked.

All of this beauty, precision and accuracy comes at a price: $2,650. But quality costs money, and for those who adhere to the “buy once, cry once” school of purchasing, the SP10 is absolutely worth considering. The fact that the SP10 6.5 Creedmoor is currently back-ordered on the Seekins website should tell readers one thing: This rifle is a shooter, as many people are finding out.

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the July 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

New Rifle: M&P15T With Crimson Trace LiNQ System

By
Elwood Shelton
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M&P15T with M-LOK and Crimson Trace LiNQ System

The M&P15T is optimized for low-light situations with the Crimson Trace LiNQ system and eminently configurable with an M-LOK handguard.

  • The M&P15T offers low-light performance out of the box with Crimson Trace's multi-functional LiNQ system, which boasts both green laser sight and 300-lumen light.
  • The LiNQ system is ideal for tactical rifles, remotely operated with grip controls for intuitive operation.
  • The Magpul M&P15T's handguard offers plenty of real estate to configure the carbine to a shooter's tastes, with M-LOK ports running the entirety of the circumference.
  • The carbine itself boasts 5R rifling, an optimized lands design and configuration meant to cause less bullet deformity and promote accuracy.

Getting left in the dark is always a concern with defensive firearms. In turn, the accessories market abounds with every conceivable method of keeping guns on target when light is scarce.

Recently, Smith & Wesson teamed up with Crimson Trace to tackle this issue right out of the box, mating a couple of the companies’ most popular products in a shot to own the night. The M&P15T outfits the gunmaker’s highly affordable AR with the laser-sight specialist’s multi-function LiNQ system for a package well adapted to send rounds where they need to go, no matter how dim the situation.

“The M&P15T rifle was the perfect platform to showcase the award-winning LiNQ, wireless operated system,” said Lane Tobiassen, President of Crimson Trace. “Together with Jan Mladek, General Manager for the M&P Brand, we were able to collaborate and develop a firearm package that showcases the versatility of the LiNQ as well as the ability of the M&P15T rifle to adapt to accessories.”

Crimson Trace LiNQ System mounted on the Smith & Wesson M&P15T

The LiNQ is a multi-function unit that offers the M&P15T more than an aiming solution. In addition to its green laser sight, the system also has a 300-lumen LED light capable of illuminating a target in most close- to medium-range situations. To top it all off, the entire LiNQ unit (mounted at the extreme forward of the handguard) is remotely operated. The controls are conveniently situated on the carbine’s grip, making the actuation of the laser sight and light intuitive.

The 16-inch-barreled carbine itself comes outfitted with a 13-inch handguard, slimmed for ease of handling, and compatible with Magpul’s M-LOK system. Furthermore, the M&P15T has a modular free-floating rail system and comes standard with Magpul MBUS popup front and rear sights. And finally, it boasts 5R rifling, an improved lands design and configuration meant to reduce bullet deformity, thus sending a much more uniform and stable projectile downrange accurately.

The extras on the M&P15T do bump up its price compared to the rest of the typically economical line, with an MSRP of $1,449. But for shooters looking for low-light performance in a tactical rifle straight from the box, the package deal might be a small price to pay.

New Precision Rifle: Savage Model 10 GRS

By
Elwood Shelton
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Savage is again taking aim at precision shooters with the Model 10 GRS, a moderately priced rifle long on features.

  • The Savage Model 10 GRS is available in three calibers that are favorites of long-range shooters — .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor and 6mm Creedmoor.
  • The Savage Model 10 GRS features a fully adjustable stock from the Norwegian stock maker GRS.
  • The rifle boasts a heavy barrel, fluted to make it more nimble when taken afield, and is also outfitted with Savage's proprietary AccuTrigger, allowing shooters to adjust the pull weight.
  • The rifle is modestly priced when compared to other firearms in its class at $1,449.

It could be argued, with ample supporting evidence, we are living in the golden age of bolt-action rifles. Steady as the march of time, gun companies have ticked out new and impressive precision models in recent years, each aimed at pitching jacketed lead a country mile and right on target. At this point in the game, the weakest link in making a long shot come in is the shooter himself — as it should be.

Savage has continued its march into the ultra-precise shooting world with a dressed up variation of one of its most popular models. And given the advanced system the gunmaker is offering, the Model 10 GRS appears more than capable of going the distance and perhaps farther.

Model 10 GRS

The obvious keystone of Savage’s new shooting system — available in .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor and 6mm Creedmoor — is its fully adjustable stock, adaptable to any person behind the trigger with literally a push of a button. The ingenious split-nut system is courtesy of Norwegian stock specialists GRS and appears to be its Berserk model.

In addition to boasting the ever-necessary cheek riser, it also comes with a full 3 inches of play in the length of pull. These features, when adjusted properly, go a long way in facilitating consistent shouldering of the rifle and intuitively puts the shooter’s eye straight down his scope and on target.

GRS has also paid attention to the little touches that should do their part in milking the most stability, control and potential accuracy out of the Model 10. The stock features a rubberized full grip and forend, giving shooters maximum command of the rifle, even when sweat or precipitation work their way into the equation. And the elongated buttstock is formed to function seamlessly with a rear bag when shooting prone.

Model 10 GRS

Beyond the ergonomics, the GRS also brings a load of rigidity to the rifle, with the use of Durethan. The fiberglass-reinforced nylon is just the ticket for injecting the stiffness required for precision work. And it also boasts pillar-bedding blocks made of 65-percent fiberglass, ensuring there is no play in the Model 10’s free-floated barrel.

Savage has also played its part in making certain the Model 10 GRS shoots straight, particularly when it comes to the barrel. The button-rifled heavy barrel should endow the rifle with excellent harmonics, even when it’s heated up from long shot strings. But the company hasn’t made the new Model 10 purely a bench rifle, fluting the barrel to keep it nimble if taken into the field; each of the three caliber choices weighs in at 9.5 pounds or less.

And those looking to slap on a muzzle brake or a suppressor need not fret; the muzzle is threaded — 5/8-24 pattern.

Model 10 GRS

Like all Savage rifles, the Model 10 GRS comes with the company’s proprietary user-adjustable AccuTrigger (1.5 to 6 pounds). It utilizes a four-round, flush-fit magazine, but is compatible with larger-capacity options. And it has flush cup sling loops and sling mount for bipod.

The question, as it is with anything long-range shooting oriented, is how many pay periods will it take to get one in a gun safe. Fewer than most would figure. At $1,449 for all three calibers, the Savage Model 10 GRS is most definitely at the lower end of the precision rifle price range. And if it owns the X-ring like the company promises, the new Model 10 GRS could be money well spent.

Specifications:

Savage Model 10 GRS
Caliber: .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor
Barrel Length: .308 Win. 20 in., 6.5 Creedmoor 24 in., 6mm Creedmoor 26 in.
Stock: GRS, Durethan
Twist Rate: .308 Win. 1:10, 6.5 Creedmoor 1:8, 6mm Creedmoor 1:7.5
Weight: .308 Win. 8.9 lbs., 6.5 Creedmoor 9.2 lbs., 6mm Creedmoor 9.5 lbs.
Overall Length: .308 Win. 40 in., 6.5 Creedmoor 44 in., 6mm Creedmoor 46 in.
MSRP: $1,449

Hunting: The Hard-Hitting .45-Caliber Revolver Cartridges

By
Max Prasac
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The .45s are a very versatile group of cartridges, ranging from the .45 Colt on the bottom end up to the high-velocity champ, the .460 S&W Magnum, at the top end. My personal favorite is the smallest and lowest pressure producer, the .45 Colt. Lower pressure leads to lower recoil and lower noise levels. I don’t place a premium on velocity potential, but there is no denying that increasing velocity increases the range of effectiveness, if you want to reach out a bit farther than typical handgun hunting distances.

What are the hard-hitting .45s?

Kim Ralston took this Maine black bear at 45 yards using Freedom Arms Model 97 .45 colt with 5.5-inch barrel. It’s topped with a 4 MOA JPoint sight and shoots a Hornady 250 XTP over 20.5 grains of 2400. Photo by K. Ralston
Kim Ralston took this Maine black bear at 45 yards using a Freedom Arms Model 97 .45 Colt with 5.5-inch barrel. It’s topped with a 4 MOA JPoint sight and shoots a Hornady 250 XTP over 20.5 grains of 2400. Photo by K. Ralston

.45 Colt

This segment really is the story of two cartridges. Born in 1873, this old black-powder cartridge never seems to get its just due. Think of the .45 Colt as the Rodney Dangerfield of big-bore handgun rounds (a reference older readers will get!). Rarely is it loaded to potential from the factory because of the vast number of older revolvers in circulation that are incapable of handling the higher pressure, modern smokeless loads that would most likely reduce them to shrapnel. Basically, full-power loads in those old guns are lawsuits waiting to happen. So, due to liability issues, the .45 Colt is rarely ever viewed in the same vein as the .44 Magnum.

No slouch even in black-powder form, the .45 Colt in modern times really takes on a different persona. Load it to its full potential, and it will give the much-vaunted .454 Casull a run for its money and leave the .44 Magnum sucking wind in its rear-view mirror. But before you roll out the hate mail, keep in mind that I own at least a half-dozen .44 Mags of all shapes and sizes. It’s just that I am a bigger fan of the modern .45 Colt. If there ever was a do-it-all cartridge, the .45 Colt would be at the top of the heap.

Gun scribe Ross Seyfried is also a big fan of the .45 Colt and chose one to use against Cape buffalo in the mid-1980s. Seyfried evidently had a great deal of confidence in the capabilities of the round — when loaded to potential — and his own ability on the trigger. In an article in Handloader magazine, while discussing the merits of the .44 Magnum, Seyfried said, “In the midst of this I began working in Africa. It was a handgunner’s paradise. Plenty of deer- and elk-like critters could be stalked within honest handgun range. Many could be taken with the .44 Magnum, but I always felt like I was asking a boy to do a man’s job.” Almost losing a trophy kudu shot with his trusty .44 Magnum further exposed that round as an underachiever of sorts on really huge game, and Seyfried’s confidence in the .44 Magnum fell.

.45 Colt Cartridge

About this time, a gentleman by the name of John Linebaugh began pestering Seyfried with letters and phone calls touting the .45 Colt as a significant step up and over the legendary .44. The two finally met, and Linebaugh offered Seyfried the chance to shoot his .45 Colt over the chronograph. Ross declined, stepping back an adequete distance and taking cover, as he truly expected the revolver to come apart like a grenade in Linebaugh’s hands. But, the chrono’ told the true story — six times in a row, the 310-grain bullets traveling at 1,500 fps. Remarkable!

The biggest shock came when Seyfried, expecting to pound the surely mangled cartridge cases out of their chambers, was able to lift them out with minimal effort. Linebaugh was definitely on to something, and Seyfried immediately commissioned him to build one of these super .45 Colts. As for my love affair with the cartridge, what’s good enough for Ross Seyfried is certainly good enough for me.

One need not load the .45 Colt to Casull levels to enjoy a leg up in effectiveness. Loaded to much lower pressure levels, the .45 Colt will not leave you needing more.

.454 Casull

Lynn Thompson, a masterful handgun hunter, killed this Cape buffalo with his Freedom Arms Model 83 in .454 Casull. Photo by L. Thompson
Lynn Thompson, a masterful handgun hunter, killed this Cape buffalo with his Freedom Arms Model 83 in .454 Casull. Photo by L. Thompson

In the early 1950s, while Elmer Keith was hot-rodding the .44 Special, Dick Casull turned his attention to the .45 Colt and building special five-shot cylinders on Colt Single Action Army revolvers. In those days, with limited gunpowder options, one had to get creative in order to achieve high velocities. Casull was able to get a full 2,000 fps out of a 230-grain (one designed for use in the .45 ACP round) bullet by loading two grains of Unique, 25 grains of H2400 and three grains of Bullseye. At the time, highly compacted triplex loads were the only path to achieving the pressures necessary to reach the velocities he sought.

Manufacturers of .454 Casull ammunition have remained true to the original design parameters, offering some very high-velocity loads. However, with modern powders, the .454 is loaded to lower levels than the SAAMI maximum spec, as they are able to achieve the desired velocities without touching the maximum pressure ceiling. The pressures are still high, relatively speaking, but lower than the max allotted levels. The Casull also shines with heavy-for-caliber bullets, though care must be taken when loading them at high velocities, for such recipes have a propensity for testing the integrity of the crimp.

In 1983, the Freedom Arms Model 83 was introduced in Dick Casull’s souped-up .45-caliber cartridge. Never before had such a high-pressure revolver round been produced nor a gun that could live under the abuse generated by it. Other manufacturers, such as Ruger and Taurus, followed suit years later with their own super-strong revolvers chambered in .454 Casull, as this round required a revolver of much stronger construction than any made for the .44 Magnum.

This was not only because of the higher pressures, but also because Dick Casull specified a longer case to prevent the accidental use of .454 Casull ammunition in .45 Colt revolvers of inadequate strength. Additionally, Casull specified a small rifle primer pocket to strengthen the head of the case by virtue of leaving more material in this area.

.454 Casull Cartridge next to a .45 Colt

I think of the .454 Casull as the .378 Weatherby of the revolver world, as neither is really pleasant to shoot when loaded to spec. The .454 Casull generates horrendous recoil and has caused its fair share of injuries. Most .454 Casull ammunition manufacturers load the cartridge short of its full velocity and pressure (SAAMI specification) potential. However, paper ballistics sell, and even loaded down a bit, the .454 can still boast potent numbers. There is no other commercially available handgun cartridge that has a maximum SAAMI pressure specification as high as the .454 Casull, though the .460 and .500 S&W Magnums come close.

At the end of the day, the .454 Casull is a very flexible cartridge, which was Dick Casull’s vision from inception. What he wanted and what was ultimately delivered was a cartridge and revolver combination that can be loaded from mild to extremely wild, as the shooter’s desires and needs dictate. I think Dick Casull succeeded impressively.

.460 Smith & Wesson Magnum

Guide Don Martin with Ernest Holloway and the grizzly bear that charged them.
Guide Don Martin with Ernest Holloway and the grizzly bear that charged them.

Smith & Wesson’s long-range wonder cartridge was introduced in 2005, housed in the company’s X-frame platform. Boasting a case length of a full 1.8 inches, the .460 is basically a stretched .454 Casull. This new cartridge was designed in the same vein as the .454 — high pressure, high velocity, long range. The .460 S&W Magnum has the distinction of being the highest-velocity production revolver cartridge in existence, with some factory loads able to exceed 2,300 fps.

With an overall cartridge length of 2.30 inches, the .460 XVR will also safely chamber and fire .454 Casull and .45 Colt ammo. However, I have not been able to extract acceptable accuracy shooting various loads of .45 Colt or .454 Casull through my test XVR.

.460 S&W Mag. cartridge next to .45 Colt

Not a terribly efficient round, the .460 excels with both light and heavy bullets, but it will not outshine the .454 Casull by much when mid-weight bullets are loaded. Similar pressures can be achieved, and, by increasing the payload, the results aren’t dramatic. That said, in most factory loads, the .460 pushes a lightweight bullet at high speeds, just as intended. In this iteration, it does well on thin-skinned game, but light, frangible bullets at high velocity are a recipe for disaster on truly large animals. Fortunately, the .460 is very effective loaded with heavy bullets as well.

The price you pay for choosing the .460 S&W Magnum is the size of the revolver necessary to hold the oversized cartridge. Then again, every decision you make comes with a price.

.45-70 Government
I know I’m going against the fabric of this by including a rifle round in the lineup. Having said that, this is another cartridge worth mentioning, as it is popular in the one production revolver produced in this old workhorse of a caliber. That revolver is Magnum Research’s BFR — Big Frame Revolver. This super-sized offering is big on size and power with surprisingly moderate recoil.

.45-70 Govt. cartridge next to .45 Colt

In its nomenclature, “.45” denoted the caliber and “70” the number of grains of black powder. This old warrior is still hanging around, more viable and youthful than ever. Introduced in 1873 at the U.S. Army’s Springfield Armory, the .45-70 in modern form is quite the performer, one able to mimic the .454 Casull in a handgun, but at much lower chamber pressures. We are talking about modern smokeless powder loads here, not the .45-70 in black-powder form. Granted, it takes a lot of revolver to house the big .45-70 round, but the bulk of the BFR serves to tame the cartridge quite a bit over a lighter revolver loaded to similar levels as the .454 Casull. The nominal bullet diameter is .458 inches, and the case length 2.10 inches.

I took delivery of a BFR in .45-70 with a 7.5-inch barrel. The long-framed revolver has surprisingly good balance, despite its exaggerated proportions. The trigger was good and broke cleanly at about 3.5 pounds. All BFRs have a free-wheeling pawl, and the fit and finish is very good.

This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest Book of Hunting Revolvers.

Six Classic Must-Have Centerfire Semi-Auto Pistol Designs

By
Elwood Shelton
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In the modern era of firearms, one type of gun seems to dominate all others — the semi-automatic pistol.

The fast-shooting handguns allot superior firepower, fast reload times and dead-on accuracy. And nowadays, they’re everywhere — from concealed carry holsters to the deer woods. The development of the semi-auto pistol has been marked with some icons that stir the imagination of any true firearms nut. With that in mind, we're going to look at Six Must-Have Classic Centerfire Semi-Auto Pistol that are solid additions to any holster or gun safe.

What are some of the true classic semi-auto pistol designs?

M1911

M1911A1 semi-auto pistol
Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

Aside from the Colt Single Action Army, no other pistol stirs more emotions than the M1911. Then again, few firearms have seen the action and performed as valiantly as John M. Browning’s short-recoil miracle.

The dominant sidearm for the U.S. military for the majority of the 20th century, the M1911A1 stormed the beaches of Normandy and patrolled Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Even after its retirement as the military’s official service pistol in 1986, an act of sacrilege to some members of the armed services, the .45 ACP has remained a staple on the modern battlefield.

Adopted in 1911, the original M1911 was a response to the poor showing by the Colt M1892 revolver against the Moro guerrillas in the Philippine-American War. The .38 Colt just couldn’t put down these determined adversaries, so the military called for a new service pistol, one that would be at least a .45 caliber. Browning’s pistol performed nearly flawlessly in the ensuing military trials, not failing once in the torturous last leg. Despite its already strong design, the M1911 was tweaked in the inter war years with the relatively minor modifications, and then designated the M1911A1.

The iconic single-action semi-automatic lives on today in nearly perfect renditions of the original models and tricked-out versions purpose built for everything from concealed carry to competition. Heck, even if you demand the real McCoy, there are plenty of the original military models floating around. But any way you go, no gun safe is complete without this true American classic.

Browning Hi-Power

Browning Hi-Power semi-automatic pistol
This is yet another pistol with John Browning’s fingerprints all over it. But the gun genius doesn’t get to take sole credit for one of the most prolific military sidearms of all time. Browning died well before the Hi-Power was finished, leaving his protégé at FN, Dieudonné Saive, to put the final touches on the pistol and see it through to production in 1935.

The 9mm had a rocky road from drawing board to cold, hard steel. Much of this was due to the French Military dragging its feet on adopting the pistol, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. This indecision allowed time for patents to run out on another Browning classic — the M1911 — that Saive borrowed heavily from to come up with the Hi-Power we know today.

Like the 1911, the Hi-Power is a short-recoil, single-action semi-automatic, in principle operating identically to the American icon. But there is a notable difference between the pistols, in particular how their barrels unlock. The Hi-Power uses a cam arrangement actuated by a hardened bar in the frame, opposed to the 1911’s toggle link. As minor as it might seem, this point would have a major ripple effect on the gun world, dominating semi-auto pistol design up to present date.

Arguably the major factor for the Hi-Power’s profusion, adopted by more than 50 militaries across the world, is capacity. With 13 rounds of peppy Parabellum — nearly twice that of other semis of the day — the pistol gave operators a decisive advantage.

In America it might not hold the same prestige as Browning’s 1911, but everywhere else the Hi-Power is king of the world.

Luger P08

Luger P08 semi-auto pistol
Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

With its connections to the Third Reich, this semi-automatic has more sinister overtones than perhaps any other pistol created. But purely from a firearms enthusiast’s standpoint, the P08 is a near work of art. The Luger, as it’s better known, saw extensive combat in both World Wars, was a major factor in popularizing the 9mm, and might be the coolest pistol to come down the pike.

What makes it so dang appealing to gun cranks is its toggle-lock action. The Luger was perhaps the best-known example of this form of short-recoil operation, but it is not the sole one to utilize the design. Georg Luger’s close friend Hugo Borchardt developed his C-93 pistol around the toggle lock, inspired by the Maxim machine gun’s use of it. As an aside, the toggle-lock mechanism is found in much earlier firearms designs, such as the Volcanic rifle.

The system made the Luger deadly accurate, since there was very little barrel movement in the course of firing. And it allowed for a certain amount of resiliency in the system. The Luger could still operate even with a budged barrel, since it wasn’t shrouded by a slide.

But as is always the case in any engineering endeavor, there were tradeoffs with the Luger. In this case it was complexity and cost — one led to the other. The slick little 9mm cost as much as three Mauser rifles out of the box, with perhaps half or a quarter of the battlefield utility of the bolt action.

Still, the German soldiers couldn’t get enough Lugers, with millions produced up to it being replaced by the Walther P-38 in 1938. And today, collector and shooters with a yen for true classics still flock to this wicked little pistol.

Walther P38

Walther P-38 semi-automatic pistol
Photo: Askild Antonsen

Carl Walther had a tall task ahead of him in 1930s Germany — build an economical military pistol that would outperform the beloved Luger. He went one better and changed the combat pistol world.

The P38, adopted by the German military in 1938, was the first service pistol outfitted with a double-action/single-action trigger. And by all accounts, it was the first pistol to combine this fire control with a locked breech. The configuration has since swept militaries and police forces around the world, even going so far as replacing the U.S. Army’s beloved 1911 in the form of the Beretta M9.

The P38’s DA/SA trigger gave it a leg up on many of its contemporaries. Generally, pistols such as the M1911 were supposed to be carried in condition 3 (hammer down, chamber empty), meaning the slide must be racked to get it into action. On the other hand, the P38 only took a squeeze of the trigger to send a round down range.

The P38 configuration was groundbreaking for its time. Before, DA/SA was strictly a blowback operation affair, found in near equal Walther classics, the PP and PPK. Carl Walther actually made a run at the military contract with a scaled-up version of the PP — Model MP — also chambered in 9mm. But the round proved too powerful for the design.

The eight-round 9mm was well-regarded by the troops as a reliable and accurate pistol that delivered when called upon. And unlike its predecessor — the Luger — it was painfully simple to troubleshoot in the field.

The P38 definitely stole some aesthetic points from the Luger. But there is no arguing Walther’s service pistol stands in a class of its own.

CZ 75

CZ 75 Semi-auto pistol

If imitation is truly the highest form of flattery, then there are plenty of gunmakers fawning over what this pistol brings to the table. Few other handguns in the modern era have spawned more clones and outright copies than this Eastern European masterwork.

Sure, much of copycatting is do to the CZ 75’s designer, František Koucký, hamstrung when it came to international patent protections. But it also had a great deal to do with his 9mm being one heck of a pistol in and of itself. It wasn’t called a “Wonder-Nine” for nothing.

What the CZ 75 brought to the table was large capacity mated with a well-designed double-action/single-action trigger. The Czech masterpiece could rattle off 15 rounds like it was telling bad jokes, which, especially in competitive circles, turned heads immediately. And, overall, its trigger got high marks — smooth in double action and snappy in single.

On top of that, it had a unique aspect when it came to DA/SA pistols — it could be carried in condition 1. Going “cocked and locked” appealed to many (once again, think competitors) and is a rare feature on this style of pistol.

While the CZ 75 clones are innumerable, it is easy to see the pistol’s roots are sunk deep in another classic design — the Browning Hi-Power. This includes the Czech gun’s lines and cam system to unlock the barrel. But Koucký put his own twist on the pistol, such as the slide riding inside the frame rails, counter to most semi-automatics.

While there is ample opportunity to get a hold of a CZ 75 in function only, it’s worth holding out for the actual number. After all, there’s a reason why everyone wanted to copy the original.

Glock 17

The Gen 4 Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol
The Gen 4 Glock 17

What can an engineer with no background in firearms and a familiarity with cutting-edge materials do to the gun world? How about turn it on its ear.

Gaston Glock’s Glock 17 wasn’t the first polymer-framed pistol to hit the market, but it certainly was the first successful one. Though, in all truth, the word success misses the mark, because the little 9mm, initially designed as an Austrian service pistol, did a whole bunch more. It essentially redefined the market from 1982 on.

The Glock 17’s reduced weight, simple design and natural shootability made it a worldwide sensation and an instant classic. And it took a blink of an eye to achieve. After assembling a team of European shooting and firearms experts to offer design points, it was only months before Glock came up with the prototype he’d submit to the military trials.

Aside from materials, the other revolutionary design point is the Glock 17’s trigger. The double-action-only trigger (called ‘Safe-Action’ by Glock) offered one of the most consistent pulls to that date. Squeeze after squeeze, the striker-fired trigger breaks at a predictable 5.5 pounds — a big boost to any shooter’s accuracy potential.

Of course, shooting a Glock comes at a cost — the 17 and its blocky black cohorts have all the charm of a sod house. But when your life is in the balance, Glock’s ugly is plum beautiful.

How-To: Dry-Run Drills to Master the AR

By
Tiger McKee
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0

AR dry fire practice

Whether you’re new to the AR or are getting acclimated to a brand new rifle, deliberate and mindful dry runs will jump start mastery of the firearm.

  • The author recommends dry practice with the AR to fully understand the rifle's controls and how they operate.
  • Proof the AR by shooting it at close range, looking for tight groups; the zero is of secondary concern at this point.
  • At the start of dry practice, ensure you are in your proper stance, running a mental checklist from the feet up.
  • Shoulder your AR and make certain you're on target and are establishing a natural point of aim.
  • Once you move on to live fire, every step, from shouldering the AR to breaking the shot, should be deliberate and thoughtful.

If you are new to the AR, I highly recommend plenty of dry practice before ever firing a shot. It’s important to get a good idea of how the AR works before going to the range.

In the beginning, don’t worry about zeroing the AR or adjusting the sights for a precise alignment for you and the carbine. Start with a close, large target, such as 25 yards or even closer. Your shots might not go into the center of the target until it’s zeroed. What you’re looking for is a tight group size, all the shots in the same area. Then, later, you can adjust the sights to move that group so the bullets are impacting on the center of the target.

Dry Practice And Establishing Your Natural Point of Aim

Start by confirming the AR is empty and clear. Make sure you’re in the proper stance, and run a mental checklist from the feet up through the body and out the muzzle to confirm that everything is correct.

Once you have everything squared away, come up from the low ready and on target. As you come on target, the safety is disengaged, and once you’re on target, your finger goes to the trigger. At this point, if you have a good base or platform you should have a sight picture, the alignment of the sights between your eyes and the target.

Hold this position, close your eyes, and inhale/exhale about three times. Open your eyes, and see where the sights are aiming. If the sight picture has drifted left or right, then you need to adjust your stance by re-positioning the feet so the sights are back on target. Everything from the feet up should remain the same. (Don’t worry about the elevation, or up and down. The focus here is on the lateral positioning, left and right.) Repeat the process.

Once you have a good stance, the sights should be on target when you open your eyes. You are establishing your natural point of aim, which means your body is in a relaxed, consistent position, relying on bone support as much as possible as opposed to muscle tension. (The same technique applies to all other firing positions.) Eventually, you’ll be able to acquire a good point of aim without having to go through this process, but in the beginning it’s important to take your time and get a good position before ever firing a shot.

Live Fire

For your first shots, start at a close distance of about 15 yards or so. After establishing your stance, keep everything in the same position, and from the low ready, load the AR. Remember to use the proper technique, and focus on loading, as opposed to thinking about shooting while you’re trying to load. Think about one thing at a time.

Moving on to AR live fire

From the low ready, come up, disengaging the safety as the muzzle rises. Once you’re on target place your finger on the trigger. Perform any adjustments that may be necessary to fine-tune your sight picture. Focus on the front sight, or with a red-dot your focus is on the target, and smoothly start applying pressure to the trigger. Eventually, the AR decides it’s time to fire.

Follow through, which means recover from the recoil, reacquiring a sight picture and resetting the trigger. “Do I need to shoot again,” you ask yourself. The answer is no; you’re only firing one round. Come off the trigger, off the target, into the low ready position, and engage the safety. Now, finally, you can look to see where the round hit. But, don’t worry about where the hit is. I know this sounds confusing. The purpose of shooting is to hit the target, right? Actually, right now the main point is to focus on the fundamentals and make sure to follow through completely, as opposed to immediately coming off the trigger and target to locate where the shot went. You’ve got to establish good habits from the beginning. Plus, remember, you haven’t zeroed the AR yet, so the hit might not be exactly where you’re aiming on the target.

Repeat the process, performing the same sequence and firing another shot. Do it again, consciously thinking about each step, one step at a time. Eventually you start to see a group forming. All the shots are clustering in one location on the target.

Deliberate AR practice

When you’re working on these fundamentals you might have a round or two that isn’t grouped with the others. For right now, ignore these. I know, they stick out and cry out for attention. If you start thinking about what went wrong, you’re not thinking about what to do right. As long as you’re shooting, you’re always going to have a “flyer” here and there. Ignore the fliers, focus on the group you’ve shot, and think about what you did right for all of those instead of thinking about the anomalies. It’s all about reinforcing the positives and creating confidence in your abilities.

Once you’ve got the hang of firing one shot at a time, start working on firing two-shot groups. After that’s looking good, work on shooting three-round groups. Although you’re firing multiple-round groups, think about each shot as a separate entity all its own. Slow down, make one good shot, and then repeat as needed. Regardless of how many rounds you fire, after the last one, always follow through, preparing to fire another shot. Ask yourself if you need to shoot again, and then you’re off the trigger, off the target and safety on.

Once you’re getting good groups, then you can start adjusting the sights to zero the AR, and working from extended distances and/or with smaller targets. Don’t worry about shooting or firing fast, especially in the beginning. Concentrate on applying the fundamentals and making good hits.

Video: World’s Smallest Rifle — SIG Sauer’s MCX Rattler

By
Gun Digest Editors
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1

SIG Sauer's new MCX Rattler is being described as the world's smallest rifle, and it packs a lot of firepower into an incredibly small package.

SIG Sauer has been doing a lot of innovative things with its already-innovative MCX platform recently. Earlier this summer, the manufacturer debuted its MCX Virtus, an upgraded version of its standard MCX, modified based on input from various special operations soldiers and built to achieve a service life beyond 20,000 rounds without replacement parts. Now, SIG has officially unveiled another impressive adaptation of the platform: the new MCX Rattler.

Designed, again, based on requests from Tier 1 operators, the MCX Rattler is billed as the world's smallest rifle. With its stock folded, the entire package is smaller than just the MCX Virtus' standard 16-inch barrel alone.

SIG Sauer MCX Rattler - 1And folding the stock does nothing to hinder the functionality of the rifle. All controls remain accessible, and the gun can still be fired with ease. Plus, the stock can quickly and simply be switched back and forth between the extended and folded positions, meaning it can be stored discreetly and rapidly brought into the fight.

Externally, the rifle appears to share quite a few characteristics with the previous MCX Virtus. However, the differences are also pretty obvious as well. The MCX Rattler features a much shorter barrel and a correspondingly shorter handguard.

Given its very short barrel, the standard MCX Rattler is an NFA affair. Some will be just fine with that. Others might not be.

Luckily for those individuals, it looks like SIG might also be offering an MCX Rattler pistol variant, which will feature an SB brace. This is sure to be a popular item and big seller, given the lack of NFA hassles.

Check out the video above to learn more about the groundbreaking new MCX Rattler and to see the rifle in action.

Raise Your Sig Sauer IQ:

New Rifle: Christensen Arms Mesa Long Range

By
Elwood Shelton
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0

Christensen Arms has expanded its bolt-action rifle collection to include the Mesa Long Range, a little number tailored for precision work both at the range and in the field.

  • The Mesa Long Range rifle is configured for precision long-distance work, whether it's long-range target shooting or hunting.
  • The carbon fiber composite stock is the bedrock of the rifle, providing convenient user adjustments and a rigid shooting platform.
  • The Mesa Long Range has a removable side-baffle muzzle break, taming the rifle's recoil.
  • The precision rifle utilizes Christensen Arms' Invar pillar bedding system, to reduce accuracy fluctuations caused by temperature change.

Christensen Arms has had a busy year, adding some notable new pistols and AR-style rifles to its catalog. But the Utah-based company hasn't turned a blind eye to its high-performance bolt-action rifle lineup, with a recent and intriguing new addition: the Mesa Long Range.

The new Mesa Long Range rifle puts the company's materials know how to work to produce what looks to be a true tack-driver. And it comes at a relatively reasonable price for a Christensen rifle. While the bolt action should be a hit with long-range shooters of every stripe, its late-summer release definitely shows the company has its sights set for those aiming to take distant cracks at elk, deer and other critters.

Mesa Long Range Rifle - 1

The heart of the Mesa system is an attractive carbon fiber composite stock — black with a gray webbing pattern — that offers shooters a rigid base for precision work, and a key adjustment to ensure a proper fit to their frame. In particular, the adjustable cheek riser facilities a solid weld to the stock and proper eye alignment with the optic. Interestingly, the system operates with spacers, which, while perhaps not as easy to tune on the fly, should add an element of ruggedness to the rifle, maintaining fit even on the longest of hunts.

Christensen Arms has opted for a stainless-steel barrel on the Mesa, button rifled. It adds weight to the rifle, which isn't a bad thing when it comes to precision work. The barrel is a medium Palma contour, so it should be a bit more manageable in the field, yet rigid enough to maintain accuracy. And it comes topped off with a slick-looking side-baffle muzzle brake, aimed at cutting down on felt recoil.

Like all of Christensen Arms' bolt-action rifles, the barrel is free floated, utilizing a unique pillar bedding system. The company uses Invar — a nickel-iron alloy — for its pillars because it does not expand or contract with temperature change, thus minimizing accuracy fluctuations that are commonly found in more sensitive materials. Furthermore, Christensen spot beds the area around the recoil lug to ensure the stability and rigidity of the system even further.

Mesa Long Range Rifle - 2

Presently, Christensen Arms is offering the Mesa Long Range in five caliber choices (6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win., 28 Nosler, 7mm Rem. Mag., .300 Win. Mag.), each with an optimized barrel length and twist rate for long-distance work. It also gives the shooter everything he needs to squeeze off the most accurate shot possible with its match-grade trigger, preset at the factory at 2.5 to 3.5 pounds.

The Mesa Long Range, relative to the rest of Christensen's catalog, is affordable with a MSRP of $1,595. For some shooters, that price still might be pretty steep. But, as always, precision comes at a price.

Specifications:

Mesa Long Range Rifle:
Calibers: 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win., 28 Nosler, 7mm Rem. Mag., .300 Win. Mag.
Barrel Length: 6.5 Creedmoor 26 in., .308 Win. 24 in., 28 Nosler 26 in., 7mm Rem. Mag. 26 in., .300 Win. Mag. 26 in.
Twist Rate: 6.5 Creedmoor 1:8, .308 Win. 1:10, 28 Nosler 1:9, 7mm Rem. Mag. 1:9, .300 Win. Mag. 1:10
Weight: 8.9 lbs. short action, 9.9 lbs. long action
Capacity: 6.5 Creedmoor 4+1, .308 Win. 4+1, 28 Nosler 4+1, 7mm Rem. Mag. 3+1, .300 Win. Mag. 3+1
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
Stock: Carbon Fiber Composite
Thread Pattern: 5/8×24
Finish: Tungsten Cerakote
MSRP: $1,595

5 Dangerous Game Bullets To Bet Your Life On

By
Philip Massaro
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0

When facing the most dangerous game animals on the face of the Earth, you don't want a bullet that goes to pieces when it matters most.

The Dangerous Game Bullets to Bet Your Life On:

Those of us who enjoy the pursuit of dangerous game spend an extraordinary amount of time focusing on the gear we use; it has to perform flawlessly, as our very lives depend upon it. I’m not the kind of hunter who holds one form of hunting above another, as though dangerous game is somehow superior to other game animals, but I do know if my deer rifle malfunctions, odds are my life won’t be in danger. The same cannot be said for the truly dangerous game animals.

One malfunction — whether from an errant shot, a misfire or a bullet that simply doesn’t reach the vitals — and things can turn nasty in the blink of an eye. Rogue elephants, mauling leopards, grizzlies that just won’t die, or the charge of the Cape buffalo — ”Black Death” as he is affectionately known — all can very easily turn the tide with tusk, tooth, horn and claw.

While there are volumes written about appropriate cartridges and rifles for dangerous game, we must agree that in the end it is the bullet, and only the bullet, that does the job. Let’s look at what makes a good dangerous game bullet tick.

First, you’ll want a bullet heavy enough to penetrate sufficiently to reach and destroy the vitals from any angle. Second, you’ll want a bullet tough enough to resist premature expansion, which prevents sufficient penetration. Different animals require different levels of performance, but here are my choices for good dangerous game bullets, based upon my own experiences.

The Nosler Partition

Dangerous Game Bullets Nosler Partition

The Godfather of Premium Bullets still makes a fine choice for dangerous game, for anything smaller than elephant. Having been developed for penetration, John Nosler ensured his bullet would hold together by leaving a horizontal partition of thick copper between two lead cores; this way the front core expands upon impact, while the rear core stays intact to ensure deep penetration. This design has been with us since 1948, and, in any suitable dangerous game caliber at sane impact velocities, you’ll end the argument. Choose the heaviest weight for your given caliber for the best results.

The Swift A-Frame

Dangerous Game Bullets Swift A-Frame

This is my particular favorite soft-point for everything south of elephant. It is a design similar to the Nosler Partition in that there is two lead cores separated by a thick wall of copper, but in the Swift A-Frame’s case, the jacket is thicker, and the front core is chemically bonded to the core, slowing the expansion and increasing penetration. The A-Frame simply works. It is an accurate bullet that will retain 90 percent of its weight when recovered, and I’ve trusted it to perform all over the world, from North America to Africa, on game as gnarly as Cape buffalo. The classic recovered A-Frame has a slight rivet shape just behind the partition and expands well enough to wreck the vitals of the largest buffalo or grizzly bear, while often penetrating the entire animal. For dangerous game like buffalo, grizzly, lion and hippo, you really can’t go wrong with an A-Frame.

The Hornady InterLock

Dangerous Game Bullets Hornady InterLock

For a cup-and-core bullet to be used on dangerous game, I like the Hornady InterLock, preferably when in the round-nose configuration and with a high sectional density. Hornady makes some great models within this line, like the 300-grain .375-inch and 400-grain .416-inch. Both will cleanly take bear and buffalo and are just about perfect for lion. There is enough exposed lead at the nose to provide good, but not radical, expansion, and at the aforementioned weights the sectional density figure will be well over 0.300, the accepted minimum for good performance on dangerous game. The bullet’s cannelure locks the jacket to the lead core (hence the name), and among the other qualities, I’ve found these bullets to be very accurate. I also like the fact that Hornady makes them in lighter calibers like a 160-grain 6.5mm, or a 220-grain .308-inch, which would be perfect for the African leopard.

The North Fork Semi-Spitzer

Dangerous Game Bullets North Fork Semi-Spitzer

The Oregon firm of North Fork bullets makes a fine bullet for dangerous game. Its semi-spitzer bullets are a chemically bonded marriage of pure copper and pure lead, with the lead core taking up the front half of the bullet. The rear section of the bullet is a pure copper shank and the bearing surface is comprised of small grooves to keep pressures down. This design keeps the weight forward and it gives straight-line penetration, often exiting the offside of even the largest animals. North Fork also offers these bullets in heavier than normal weights, such as 350-grain .375s, 430-grain .416s, and 550-grain .458s. I firmly believe that the heavier bullets are a fine choice for settling an argument when things get up close and personal. The semi-spitzer meplat transfers energy quickly, and those few North Forks that have been recovered from game animals have shown good expansion. North Fork has a winner with this bullet.

The Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid

Dangerous Game Bullets Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid

The solid bullet, which has no exposed lead or is designed not to expand at all, is usually reserved for the toughest jobs like penetrating the skull of an elephant or for back-up shots on Cape buffalo or hippo. They are called upon when penetration is a must and the vitals must be reached from any angle. For decades, these bullets were comprised of a lead core, a thick steel jacket and a thin covering of gilding metal. That has changed with the Woodleigh Hydro solid. It is a monometal bullet with driving bands on the shank to reduce pressure and fouling, but the neat feature of this bullet is the small cup at the meplat. This tiny addition creates a hydrostatic shockwave, destroying tissue in an 8- to 12-inch radius around the entire path of the bullet, while the bullet exits at caliber dimension. This gives us a bullet that can be used on smaller game without the huge exit wounds, yet works perfectly for dangerous game. I used this bullet in Africa in my Heym .404 Jeffery, at 400 grains, and took impala and blue wildebeest very cleanly. I also put the penetrative qualities of this bullet to the test with two body shots on a huge-bodied Zimbabwean bull elephant. The Woodleigh Hydro passed through the entire body with two quartering-toward shots and put the bull down quickly and effectively. I think this design represents the future of dangerous game bullet technology. I know I’ll be using them again.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2016 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Concealed Carry: Is The .380 ACP Enough For Self-Defense?

By
Kat Ainsworth
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11

Pistols chambered for .380 ACP have grown in popularity due to their compact size and concealability. But does the round bring enough to the table to be viable for self-defense?

Should you trust your life to the .380 ACP?

  • When John Moses Browning designed the .380 ACP in the early 1900s, he built it for the era’s blowback pistols.
  • The different .380 ACP rounds tested had vastly different penetration capabilities, and a number of them were unable to defeat various barriers, let alone reach FBI penetration minimums.
  • Wound-cavity analysis tells a similar story concerning the .380 ACP, with individuals shot by the round able to function seconds to minutes after being shot.
  • As might be expected, larger-diameter bullets produce more devastating wound cavities and have a greater likelihood of striking vital organs.
  • While any gun is better than no gun at all, it is the author's contention pistols chambered in .380 ACP are best served as backup guns and not primary self-defense handguns.

Nearly three-quarters of a century ago, on January 30, 1948, Hindu nationalism advocate Nathuram Godse carried out an assassination. At 5:17 p.m., he used a possibly stolen Beretta M1934 to shoot Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi three times in the chest, point-blank. In doing so, Godse sealed his own fate — he would be hanged in 1949 — and made Gandhi a martyr to his cause. The Beretta used was chambered in 9x17mm Corto, another designation for the cartridge more commonly known stateside as the .380 ACP.

Gandhi’s assassination is just one of many instances — famous and otherwise — where the cartridge has been utilized with deadly results. Does this mean the .380 ACP is a powerful round, or is it only fatal in rare instances?

Three pistols chambered for .380 ACP
When John Moses Browning designed the .380 ACP in the early 1900s, he built it for the era’s blowback pistols, specifically the Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless. Blowback-operated pistols lack a barrel-locking mechanism; the combination of the slide’s mass and the recoil spring’s strength bear the brunt of recoil.

Arm Yourself With More Concealed Carry Knowledge

Today, many pistols chambered in the cartridge follow the original blowback design, but others use a locked-breech action in which the slide and barrel initially recoil in tandem, but then the barrel stops moving while the slide continues rearward (of course, variations abound). Browning’s design might be more than one century old, but it continues to influence the firearms world to this day.

When it comes to the .380 ACP, gun owners tend to love it or hate it — middle ground is uncommon in the “great caliber debate.” Many claim it’s too small, and it is, indeed, a diminutive cartridge. It has an overall length of .984 inch, a bullet diameter of .355 inch and a maximum pressure of 21,500 psi.

When compared to a cartridge such as the 10mm with its SAAMI overall length of 1.250 inches, bullet diameter of .400 inch and maximum pressure of 33,000 psi, it appears even smaller. However, the .380 vs 9mm, with its matching bullet diameter of .355 inch, the issue becomes more complex.

So, what it comes down to is real-life performance. In the gun world, ballistic knowledge is power, so let’s take a look at how the .380 ACP performs in gel tests and wound studies.

Ballistic Gel Testing

.380 ACP round penetrating 10 inches into ballistics gel.

Ballistic gel is the medium used by manufacturers and writers to test the terminal ballistics of various bullets. Protocols for its use are typically based on the FBI’s ammunition test, which the agency undertook almost 30 years ago following the Pyrrhic victory of the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout, during which two agents were killed and five were wounded in a firefight against a pair of serial bank robbers. The shootout brought up questions regarding caliber capabilities, and the ammunition testing protocols the FBI created a few years later remain the guidelines to this day.

According to the protocol, bare gel or gel covered by heavy clothing, automotive sheet metal, wallboard, plywood or automotive glass is shot from a distance of 10 feet. Bullets must then penetrate to a minimum depth of 12 inches to be considered effective, a number based on anatomical averages and the belief that erring on the side of too much is better than too little. When the FBI performed their tests in 1989, they used 24 tons of gel, and measurements were made blind — agents didn’t know what caliber they were measuring — for statistical accuracy.

As for ammunition, there are untold numbers of manufacturers in the United States, thanks to startups and relatively unknown or new companies, but there are only a few dozen that are well established and even fewer well-known manufacturers. For the purposes of this test I used defensive .380 ACP loads from Federal Premium Ammunition, Hornady, Barnes Bullets, Dynamic Research Technologies (DRT) and Snake River Shooting Products (SRSP) Team Never Quit. The variation of loads among these established brands made them ideal for comparison. Handguns used included the Ruger LCP II, Kimber Micro Advocate, Remington RM380, Glock 42 and Browning Black Label. Some data was supplied by manufacturers.

.380 ACP penetration table.

In bare gelatin, the most impressive performance came from DRT’s 85-grain Terminal Shock JHP with an average penetration depth of 11.40 inches, although the SRSP Team Never Quit 75-grain Frangible HP was right behind it at 10.90 inches. Conversely, the Barnes 80-grain TAC-XPD penetrated the shallowest, with an average penetration depth of 7.75 inches.

Of course, the average assailant will be clothed, meaning further testing was required. With heavy clothing over the gel block, Hornady’s Critical Defense 90-grain FTX reported the greatest average penetration of 10.25 inches; Federal Premium’s Personal Defense 99-grain HST was fairly close at 9.325 inches.

So, what do all these numbers mean? Going by the FBI’s protocol requiring a minimum penetration depth of 12 inches, frangible HPs such as DRT and SRSP Team Never Quit come close — but not quite — while rounds such as Barnes’ TAC-XPD fall noticeably short.

Analyzing Wound Cavities
Although ballistic gel is designed to simulate the density of human tissue and potential resulting wound cavities, nothing beats going to the source. Numerous gunshot wound studies have been done by surgeons, coroners and, of course, the FBI. This means there’s a decent amount of data readily available.

As reported by Dr. Andreas Grabinsky, the program director for emergency and trauma anesthesia at Harborview Medical Center, which is the only Level I trauma center in Washington State, approximately 76 percent of gunshot wounds are from handguns. Dr. Grabinsky also states relevant wounding factors include bullet diameter and penetration depth, both of which correlate to tissue damage. Tissue damage refers to the temporary and permanent wound cavities a bullet creates; the immediate, temporary cavity occurs when the bullet enters, but it quickly collapses, resulting in the permanent cavity.

Ruger LCP II in .380 ACP

Dr. Grabinksy repeatedly states the significance of penetration, saying even millimeters matter when it comes to damaging vital organs, blood vessels or arteries. He references experiences of gunshot wound victims shot by calibers 9mm and smaller — which includes the .380 ACP — having had no problem walking around and functioning anywhere from seconds to minutes after being shot.

In 2006, a coroner wrote a report titled, “Terminal Ballistics as Viewed in a Morgue.” He stated he performed an average of 8.2 autopsies a day and chose to be blunt in his findings. “I absolutely despise a 9mm for defensive situations … and a .380 ACP as well,” he wrote, adding he will “take a slow-moving .45 ACP to a gunfight any day.” In addition, he stated that when a gunshot wound victim crossed his autopsy table with multiple rounds in their bodies, those bullets were typically .380 ACP or 9mm, while single-shot gunshot wound victims were usually shot by .40 S&W or .45 ACP.

Finally, there’s the real-life experience of now-retired police Sergeant and US Army veteran Tim Crawford. Sergeant Crawford made his feelings immediately clear: “Never .380 ACP as a defensive round. I made a run one night on a guy who had been shot 7 times with a .380 ACP. It was a drug deal gone bad. [After being shot] the guy whooped the shooter’s ass and took his gun away from him. Made my mind up on it. And the guy lived.”

.380 Handguns In Stock:

Expand Your Knowledge on .380 ACP Firearms and Ammo

The Bottom Line

Remington RM380 in .380 ACP

So, is the .380 ACP a viable self-defense choice?

From a medical perspective — and here I delve into my own relevant experiences in my past life in emergency veterinary medicine — there’s no denying that a bigger hole drops an assailant faster, as they lose vital fluids. Hydrostatic shock is an oft-argued reality influenced by factors such as velocity, proximity, placement and bullet diameter. Larger diameter bullets also mean a better likelihood of striking vital organs and breaking through bone, rather than potentially ricocheting harmlessly away. Other factors also come into play, such as psychological state and the ingestion of drugs capable of spiking adrenaline and strength.

Ballistics has come a long way in recent years, with vast improvements in propellants and bullet designs. But even with those improvements, some things haven’t changed. For example, bullet diameter for a given round hasn’t suddenly increased. From a self-defense perspective, the .380 ACP performs to its greatest ability at close ranges, and by close I mean less than 3 yards — closer is even better.

And, as always, shot placement is king.

.380 ACP Ammo In Stock:

Trauma center studies report cranial shots to be the deadliest, with multiple close-range center mass shots —those striking vital organs or arteries — being second deadliest. In short, a .380 ACP is best served as your BUG (backup gun), the pistol you pocket or ankle carry as insurance.

Pistol in .380 ACP ready for ballistics testing.

This is not to disparage the .380 ACP, but it’s simply to state the facts medically, in terms of ballistics and based on the personal experiences of law enforcement officers and doctors. It’s enjoyed popularity for some time now based largely on affordability and concealability — which are undeniably fantastic — but where gun owners tend to go wrong is in utilizing it as their EDC (every day carry). There are situations where a pocket pistol is the only option due to legalities or other matters, but throughout our 50 states, those scenarios are the exception to the rule.

The late Col. Jeff Cooper once said, “The first rule of gunfighting is to have a gun.” It’s a good rule to follow, meaning any gun — even one of a smaller caliber — is better than no gun at all. A gun collecting dust in your safe does you no good, so get the gun you’ll actually train with and carry. Of course, Cooper also said, “Perhaps the first thing you should demand of your gun is that it be unfair.” Do you think a .380 ACP gives you an “unfair” (read: good) advantage over an attacker? Based on the aforementioned facts, I don’t think it does. Not at all.

And I, for one, want that unfair advantage.

Table of .380 ACP ballistic data.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Concealed Carry 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Expand Your Knowledge on Concealed Carry

Ammo: Does Case Shape Really Matter?

By
Fred Zeglin
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1

There have been a number of factory and wildcat cartridges that have played with case design. But has it had any real effect on ballistics?

Hot shots about a case design's effects on ballistics:

  • As far back as 1946, gun writers and experts already concluded case shape had no effect on velocity or pressure.
  • No matter how a case is shaped, if it is measured against one of the same caliber and capacity, it will have near identical internal ballistics.
  • Col. G.O. Ashley did a load of range work comparing the .257 Ackley and a wildcat of the same caliber called the .25x60mm C.A. to support the conclusion case shape has little to no effect on ballistic performance.
  • Despite this evidence, there are still wildcatters and manufacturers who claim to have innovative case designs and promise the moon when it comes to performance.
  • Ackley himself acknowledged the limitations of cartridge design, saying: “There is no evidence which substantiates the claim that one cartridge design is more accurate than another.”

As far back as July, 1946, American Rifleman ran an article by C.C. Merideth discussing this very question of case design. His conclusion, “… we must arrive at the conviction that any variation in pressure to velocity ratio ensuing from any alteration in chamber shape is negligible as compared to other purely mechanical changes, such as altering bullet diameter, wear in the throat and many other possible differences between any two apparently identical rifles.”

Bob Hutton knew of the Merideth article mentioned above; he was sure he could disprove the conclusions drawn there almost 20 years earlier. He created a wildcat with the same case capacity as the .219 Donaldson Wasp in a short, fat configuration. Prior to testing, he expected that the design would allow the use of slower burning powders for better overall results. In testing, he found that it required the exact same powder and charge and delivered identical results.

case - A cartridge’s energy is often touted as the measure of its knockdown power when, in fact, it is more indicative of the round’s killing power.

Hutton, while discussing the concept of modern cartridge design (including improved cases), wrote, “Shape, in the mathematics of interior ballistics, makes no difference.” It's important to understand that we are talking about internal ballistics not how the case functions in a given chamber design. The idea is simple and easily demonstrated. If a cartridge holds 40 grains of powder and if all other variables are equal it will produce statistically identical results along with any other design of the same caliber with any shape chamber you can imagine so long as it also holds 40 grains of powder.

Col. G.O. Ashley did an article that required a fair amount of actual range work. He and a couple of gunsmiths used a .257 Ackley Improved and a wildcat called the “.25x60mm C.A.” The idea was to have cartridges of the same caliber and capacity with totally different shapes (the exact discussion we are interested in here). The two cartridges ended up within 1.1 grains water weight capacity, about as close as you could get. These tests showed that the Ackley case delivered between 3 and 12 fps more velocity than the .25x60mm C.A., statistically that is a zero, especially since the 1.1-grain edge in capacity belonged to the Ackley Improved. All this is in support of Hutton’s statement that case shape has no effect on internal ballistics or how the powder is consumed in the process of driving a projectile down the bore.

Most recently, the SMc line of cartridges came to the market. Mic McPherson and By Smalley partnered to create www.superiorballistics.com (a now defunct web site) to promote their ideas. “SMc naming designation accounts for caliber and usable case capacity. For example, our 5/35 SMc is a 20-caliber (5mm) cartridge holding about 35 grains of water (to base of neck). One important patented design characteristic of all SMc cartridges is a powder column that is between about 2 times and about 2.1 times bullet diameter.”

case - Figuring out the greatest cartridges of all time has the benefit of having to test a ton of ammo.

This is the newest design to claim improvements in ballistics via case design. In reading over the data provided on their site no pressure data was provided. Knowing that pressure and velocity are directly correlated you have to assume from the velocities reported for the 5/35 SMc that they are not afraid to load hot. Now to be fair, they are using high quality brass and this probably helps with handling pressure as the cases are relatively thick in the wall and designed for top pressures.

The only new information that this line of cartridges brings to the table is a fairly extensive test of barrel heating. The conclusion of McPherson in a nutshell is that the SMc design produces less barrel heating and possibly less throat damage than other cases tested.

It appears from the data reported that contentions about barrel heating were proved out in McPherson’s tests. He went on to say that the test should be repeated to insure the results were accurate. So, how does this relate to our axiom that case design has no effect on internal ballistics and velocity? I would say that only further testing could determine if the ideas of the SMc really have merit. Nearly thirty years of experience in gunsmithing, reloading, and barrel making tell me that it’s not likely that any increase in velocity is a result of the design in question, but rather a result of hot loads.

So where does the increased velocity come from in an Ackley Improved case design? It’s very simple — more case capacity. Ackley did not merely change the shape of the case. He added, in most cases, a fair amount of case capacity, which allows for more powder while holding the overall pressure to the same limits. This added capacity is only available for increased loading after the cases are fireformed to the chamber.

Customers often ask, “What pressure does that wildcat operate at?” The answer is, exactly the same pressure as the factory counterpart, or parent case.

Ackley thought he could exceed the pressures of the factory cases … that might be true with antiquated designs like the .30-30 WCF or the .25-35. Cases with a lot of taper were often originally held to lower chamber pressures. It is not true of more modern designs that already have relatively straight walled cases and sharp shoulders, also modern cases normally are designed for higher pressures. A good example of a high pressure design is the .270 Winchester, it was one of the first cases to be loaded to full potential by the factory, modern SAAMI specifications show the .270 at 65,000 psi.

Case - One of the better groups shot from the author’s custom .280 AI. The Nosler Custom 140 gr. AccuBond outshot reloads in the accuracy department.

The .30-06, which many consider to be modern in design, is limited to 60,000 psi by SAAMI. The factories tend to load .30-06 ammo below that pressure level. Why? Because there are large numbers of older and often weaker rifles in general use, so it is wise of the factories to hold those pressures down.

In the case of the .270 Winchester, it was never available in these weaker actions from the factories, and they do not have to take responsibility for custom guns on old actions, so they load it to full potential. This gives us an insight into the reason that Ackley perceived his .270 AI to be no real improvement over the .270 Winchester.

Once fireformed, a .30-06 AI can be loaded to the full potential of the brass. In a modern high quality action that is at least 60,000 psi, and most wildcatters will go straight for the 65,000 psi as SAAMI uses with the .270 and many other modern cartridges.

If you check the pressure on the average handload in any caliber you will find that it is well above the pressures of factory ammunition. So it’s easy to see why folks think that case shape increases velocity. In reality it is simply more powder and the fact that you are probably loading hotter than the factory.

Ackley should have the final word here. “There are no Wildcat cartridges which are actually revolutionary. There are a few which fill gaps between existing commercial cartridges. There are many more which are no better and perhaps not as good as their commercial counterparts.

“There is no evidence which substantiates the claim that one cartridge design is more accurate than another. It certainly cannot be demonstrated that inaccurate barrels can be made more accurate by simply rechambering them to some so-called ‘improved’ cartridge or Wildcat caliber.”

Editor's Note: This excerpt is from P.O. Ackley: America's Gunsmith available exclusively at GunDigestStore.com.

Gun Review: The Turnbull Ruger Mark IV

By
Eric Conn
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0

The Turnbull Ruger Mark IV leaves a unique mark on the iconic rimfire pistol.

  • The Turnbull Ruger Mark IV marries the iconic rimfire handgun design with a truly recognizable firearms finish to create an instant classic.
  • As custom as the Turnbull Ruger Mark IV looks, it's actually pretty easy on the pocketbook — only $30 more than the MSRP Ruger lists its Target model.
  • Outside of Turnbull's aesthetic touches, the Ruger Mark IV is identical to the Target model and comes with all the usual accoutrements.
  • For shooters searching for a unique firearm that performs as good as it looks, and doesn't break the bank, the Turnbull Ruger Mark IV nails the bullseye.

The legacy that Bill Ruger left behind at Sturm, Ruger, & Co., Inc., has had an incredible amount to do with his Ruger Standard pistol, which was originally introduced in 1949 and has seen several updates that endure to this day. Designed by Ruger himself, chambered in .22 Long Rifle and based off the WWII-era Japanese Nambu pistol, the Standard has gone through several iterations, first as the Mark I, II, and III, and most recently as the Mark IV. Nothing qualifies as a classic firearm like a design that’s endured over a span of almost 70 years and continues to be one of the most popular firearms ever made.

Turnbull Ruger Mark IV on target.

But what happens when you take a legendary brand like Ruger, with the latest version of perhaps its most quintessential firearm, and pair it with one of the most recognizable gun restoration and finishing companies around? You get the Turnbull Ruger Mark IV, a pistol that joins two iconic looks for a finished product that is sure to turn heads at the art gallery or the shooting range.

Make Your Mark
Although Doug Turnbull’s New York-based Restoration & Manufacturing Co. does a full scale of restoration and finishing of firearms, it is best known and most easily recognizable for its color casehardening. Not surprisingly, that’s what sets the Turnbull Mark IV off from a standard Ruger-issued firearm, and boy does it make a difference. While Ruger offers several models of the newly released Mark IV, the Turnbull edition plays off the Target pistol and is, of course, chambered in .22 LR.

One of the biggest questions I’ve gotten so far about the pistol on the Gun Digest Facebook page is how much more expensive it must be than a standard Ruger Mark IV. After all, for a pistol that sexy, most people assume there would be a hefty price tag to match. Interestingly enough, the Turnbull version comes in at $595, just $30 more than the MSRP listed on Ruger’s website for the Target model.

Features

Turnbull engraving on the barrel of the Turnbull Ruger Mark IV.

Along with the color casehardening, the Turnbull Mark IV also features a Turnbull engraving on the right-hand side of the barrel, while maintaining all the standard Ruger engravings. Outside of the casehardening and the engravings, all other features are identical to the Mark IV Target model.

The Mark IV comes with two 10-round magazines and features a bull barrel that measures 5.5 inches in length. The barrel has a 1:16-inch twist and an overall length of 9.75 inches. Total weight of the pistol is right around 36 ounces (unloaded), while height measures 5.5 inches and width is 1.2 inches. The Mark IV features an adjustable rear sight, checkered synthetic grip and fixed front sight.

In terms of controls, the Mark IV is designed with an ambidextrous, manual thumb safety, contoured side ejection port and rear bolt operation. Ruger also gives you the option of converting the safety to left side only. The bolt features grooved bolt ears that are easy to grasp, gloves or not, and a left-side magazine release. The pistol will not fire without the magazine, and the mag drops free when released. The frame is a one-piece, CNC-machined, aluminum design, with alloy steel barrel and receiver. Conveniently, the receiver is drilled and tapped for a Weaver-style rail, perfect for optics mounting.

Disassembled Turnbull Ruger Mark IV.

The huge change from the Mark III to the Mark IV is the ease of disassembly for cleaning and maintenance. With the Mark III, introduced in the early 2000s, disassembly seemingly required an entire gunsmithing toolkit, which made field stripping a nightmare. Ruger listened to its customers, however, and the Mark IV now features an incredibly easy push button takedown procedure. The takedown button is located at the rear of the grip frame, just below the bolt. To disassemble, simply lock the bolt back, flip the safety up, and push the takedown button. The rear of the receiver will release, and as you push the barrel/receiver forward it disconnects at the front of the grip frame. The bolt slides out. It’s really that simple; no tools required.

While it seems like a relatively minor upgrade for some folks, those of us who burn through countless rounds at the target range know how important the takedown and cleaning process is. I’ve hated certain vehicles I’ve owned simply because the oil was a nightmare to change — similar issue with cleaning the older Mark pistols. Now that Ruger’s simplified the takedown and maintenance process, there are going to be a lot of happy campers in the .22 pistol world.

Accuracy and Function
At the range, the Mark IV did not disappoint. Sure, it’s a head-turner, but it’s also a tack-driving workhorse. I fired 100 rounds as quickly as I could reload two 10-round magazines, utilizing CCI’s 36-grain, copper-plated .22 LR Hollow Points, and had exactly zero feeding or function issues. As it’s always been — and hence the longstanding popularity of the design — the Mark IV is exceptionally well built, functions flawlessly, and delivers pin-point accuracy.

Fully adjustable rear sights of the Turnbull Ruger Mark IV.

For testing, I shot from 20-yards at the Caldwell B.R. Pivot bench from sandbags, with average five-shot groups coming in between 1.5-2 inches. I also shot two 20-round groups in as rapid succession as I could muster while maintaining accuracy, and all but a pair of holes hit within a 5-inch circle. The trigger is decent, with an audible reset. Overall, the Mark IV is extremely fun to shoot, produces little recoil (making it great for teaching new shooters proper pistol mechanics), and is highly accurate.

Parting Shots
It’s hard to imagine a more winning combination of companies than Turnbull and Ruger. At one level, you could say Turnbull’s take on the Mark IV is merely cosmetic, and in a sense that’s true. But it’s such a riveting, eye-catching makeover that it drastically turns a mass-produced pistol into a standout work of art. From the gun store to the range, and Instagram to Facebook, the Turnbull Ruger Mark IV has had folks drooling over keyboards and glass counters, and rightly so.

The Turnbull Ruger Mark IV striking a pose.

Not only does the Mark IV function well and produce stellar accuracy, it’s now got a simple takedown procedure thanks to a friendly little button at the rear of the gun. It’s optics ready, and it features Turnbull’s iconic color casehardened look. The pistol gives shooters the rare opportunity to own a relatively inexpensive handgun with a custom look and feel. Definitely worth the price of admission.

Editor's Note: This article appeared in the May 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gun Gear: SIG Sauer LevelPlex Technology

By
Luke Hartle
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0

SIG Electro-Optics’ LevelPlex sets new standards in long-range riflescopes.

What makes SIG Sauer's LevelPlex digital anti-cant system a game changer?

  • LevelPlex is an integrated leveling system designed to eliminate the cant to improve accuracy, particularly at long range.
  • The system features two indicators, one on either side of the reticle. These indicators come in the form of yellow arrows, which describe the direction the scope needs to be adjusted to remove the cant.
  • It is six times more accurate than a typical bubble level with a +/- 0.5-degree of accuracy, with a user-selectable option of +/- 1-degree of sensitivity.

Take a minute to think about the cell phone you were holding to your head a decade ago. Did it have a hinge? How about a telescoping antennae? Heck, did it even have a screen?

And now look at the cell phone sitting on your desk, hanging on your hip or resting in your pocket as you read this. Things have definitely changed in the world of cell phones due to technological advancements and consumer demands.

But let’s bring this back to the gun world. Are things really so different here? Think back to the setup you were shooting a decade ago — competition, long-range, hunting, long gun, handgun — the platform doesn’t much matter. Does it look anything like the setup you’re shooting today? The odds are good that it doesn’t, and if it does, you might be missing out.

SIG Sauer LevelPlex - Tango6 - 1With this being the new technology column inside the Gun Digest long-range issue, it’s fitting to dive a bit deeper here and examine the recent technological advancements in a long-range setup. These days, half-MOA groups from rifles that are also capable of delivering consistent hits well past 1,000 yards are not exceptional … they’re expected. And shooters who, a decade ago, considered 600 yards to be long range now test the limits of their setups on 1-mile targets. In the words of Tracy Lawrence, “The only thing that stays the same is that everything changes.” Everything.

So what’s changed? Man has not evolved so dramatically during the past 10 years that new hand/eye coordination techniques have allowed us to suddenly ring steel at previously unreachable distances. We have, however, discovered new manufacturing techniques for building rifles, new tweaks for enhancing the ballistic coefficient of ammunition and improved components for optics that allow us to see farther and aim more precisely than top shooters of a decade ago ever imagined.

In today’s long-range shooting world, there is no keystone. A setup is only as good as the weakest link in the chain, and with thanks given again to the technological advancements in rifles, optics and ammunition, it’s become much easier to make sure the weakest link in your setup is you — and that’s a very good thing.

SIG Sauer LevelPlex Tango6 - 2“Looking” Into The Future
Even the best long-distance rifles out there, those capable of shooting a group measuring a fraction of MOA, are all but worthless without a riflescope of equal — or superior — quality. That’s not the rifle’s shortcoming; it’s the shooter’s … we simply can’t see without them.

So what measures quality in a long-distance riflescope? Superior glass with state-of-the-art technology is obvious, and so are meticulously machined components for precise and accurate windage and elevation adjustment. And given the wide range of people who have recently taken to long-range shooting, a handful of reticle options should also be available. Of course, a rugged design is also necessary to withstand the hard and active use of a modern gunner.

But in my opinion, all those are standard, must-have qualities to establish a baseline. It’s 2017, and anything short of exceptional will not keep pace with the rapidly changing and growing world of long-range shooting and long-range hunting.

A short time ago, SIG’s Electro-Optics division unveiled its LevelPlex technology, which is nothing more than an integrated leveling system designed to eliminate the cant from a long-range shooting setup. I say “nothing more” because the system is amazingly simple to operate even though the technology is refining industry standards.

Think about this: Even with today’s ultra-high-end riflescopes, the reticle is very unlikely to sit perfectly plumb with the turrets. I’ve heard varying statistics, but most sources put the reticle off plumb from the turrets anywhere from 0.1-5 degrees. Think about that — 5 degrees! Even at half that deviance, you’ll miss your target by as much as 2 feet at 1,000 yards for simply assuming that the reticle sits plumb with the scope’s turrets that you used to level the scope to your rifle.

The takeaway here is to remember that accuracy depends on having your reticle plumb to your rifle, not the turrets plumb to the rifle. This same principle also applies to shooter-introduced cant on a riflescope that’s already been mounted plumb to the rifle: A perfectly mounted riflescope is futile if the shooter cants the rifle upon firing. You’ll likely never notice a 3-degree cant at 300 yards, but you can bet the farm that the repercussion will be measured in feet — not inches — as you close in on 1,000 yards.

SIG Sauer LevelPlex Tango6 - 4Here’s how LevelPlex works: When you look through the riflescope, two indicators will be present, one on either side of the reticle. These indicators come in the form of yellow arrows. So, if your rifle is canted to the right, the right “up” arrow/indicator will illuminate, instructing you to raise that side back to level, at which point the illuminator will turn off. Same goes for left cant. It’s literally that simple.

SIG Sauer LevelPlex reticleAccording to SIG, the LevelPlex anti-cant system is 6 times more accurate than a typical bubble level with a +/- 0.5-degree of accuracy, with a user-selectable option of +/- 1-degree of sensitivity. At present, the technology comes in SIG’s Tango6 line, available in 5-30x56mm, 4-24x50mm and 3-18x44mm models with four reticle options — though it’s likely a safe assumption that this technology will spread like wildfire through other SIG riflescopes, including the “tactical hunting” Whiskey5 line.

While LevelPlex is the coolest and arguably most technologically advanced piece of the Tango6 riflescope, SIG has incorporated a pile of other sweet features, including a free SIG Ballistic Turret (SBT) Dial that’s custom-engraved to match your unique ballistics and environmental conditions — and a fully transferrable lifetime guarantee.

Here’s the hitch: Depending upon model specifics, the SIG Electro-Optics Tango6 with LevelPlex will hit you in the pocketbook at a tune of $1,700-$3,200. Now, that said, let me remind you that there’s nothing else on the market like this and, when playing the 1,000-yard game, nothing comes cheap — or easy.

Editor's Note: This “Modern Gunnery” column is an excerpt from the June 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Upgrading A Surplus Browning Hi Power

By
Doug Larson
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1

Browning Hi-Power revitalized - 6

ROBAR Guns helps to revive and revitalize a standard surplus Browning Hi Power, and the result is a beautiful, functional pistol.

Some classic or historical firearms of value probably shouldn't be customized, but if you do want to go that route with a standard surplus Browning Hi Power, here are some options:

  • Upgrading the sights, stippling the front strap, installing an extended safety and adding quality grip panels are a few basic ways to improve the gun.
  • More in-depth customizations can include extending the beavertail and enhancing the trigger.
  • With the help of ROBAR Guns, you can also have them apply a variety of durable and lubricating finishes — Teflon, Roguard and NP3 finishes were applied to parts of this gun.

How many times has the following statement been made? “I wish this gun could talk. Think of the stories it could tell.” There’s a mystique about a well-used, old gun that spurs the imagination. Where was this gun during its service? Who carried it? Has it been fired in combat? Those are just some of the questions such a gun evokes.

While some wish to keep a vintage gun in its aged condition, others want more. So some firearms with a history, however obscure the history may be, are reworked to bring them back to even better condition than when they left the factory. Doing such work on a gun with a verifiable connection to a particular historical event or famous person is probably not a wise choice, but taking a run-of-the-mill old firearm, resurrecting it and turning it into a work of beauty is sometimes a worthwhile pursuit.

The Browning-designed Hi-Power, or High Power, was adopted as a military sidearm by Belgium in 1935. Originally built by Farbrique Nationale (FN) and eventually called the Grande Puissance (High Power), it was also manufactured in the U.S. by Browning Arms Company.

To avoid confusion with Browning’s High-Power rifle, Browning called its pistol the Hi Power. So technically, a gun made by FN is a High Power and one made by Browning Arms Company is a Hi Power. Because most readers are used to the name Hi Power, that will be used here.

In continuous production somewhere in the world since 1935, it has been adopted for use by military and police units around the globe. And as older Hi-Powers are replaced, they often find their way into the U.S. surplus market, like the one featured here that was purchased from AIM Surplus (AIMSurplus.com).

It is a Mark II version, and according to the serial number decoder found on the Browning website (Browning.com), it was originally built in Belgium by FN in 1985. AIM Surplus’ price was $430. Not bad for a functioning handgun made by FN.

Browning Hi-Power revitalized - 1The Before
In full working condition when received, it had obviously led a rough life as evidenced by scratches and gouges on the surface. The trigger broke at about 6 pounds after a bit of creep, followed by some overtravel. It was not a really bad trigger, but the shooter needed to concentrate carefully on the press to obtain good results. Groups at 25 yards from a rest averaged from just less than 5 inches to a little more than 9 inches. The gun was reliable and adequate, with no malfunctions encountered in testing.

But the gun could be improved, so it was taken to ROBAR (ROBARGuns.com), a specialty gunsmithing company located in Phoenix, Ariz. Among other areas of expertise, ROBAR can take a well-used Hi Power and make it into a like-new gun that’s a better shooter than when it left the factory. ROBAR’s Hi Power specialist is gunsmith Jodi Gritus.

Despite the rough appearance of the gun when turned over to ROBAR, Gritus displayed no hesitation in taking on the task of turning the vintage Hi Power into a gun its owner would be proud to display and that could be used in confidence for self defense.

Upgrading A Classic
Sights on the Mk II Hi Power are less than optimal, so a set of three-dot LoMount Carry tritium night sights were obtained from Novak (NovakSights.com). These are superb sights that have become an industry standard but required ROBAR to cut dovetails into the slide in order to install them.

Browning Hi-Power revitalized - 5To give the gun a truly custom look, other features were added. Hi Powers have a small beavertail, allowing the hammer spur to bite some shooters, so ROBAR extended the beavertail, shaping it to accommodate the custom Cylinder & Slide Type 2 hammer with its skeletonized spur. Despite welding additional metal to the frame and then shaping by hand, the frame appears to have left the factory with the extended beavertail.

Another unique custom feature is the lanyard ring. Lanyards served a valuable purpose years ago, and kept a dropped gun from disappearing. They lost favor for a period but have seen a comeback. Many original Hi Powers had a lanyard ring, and the ring on the surplus gun featured here was misshapen and of little value. But ROBAR designed a new one that fits sleekly into the heel of the gun.

ROBAR lightly stippled the frontstrap to provide a more secure gripping surface. Light stippling was chosen because heavy stippling can abrade the hand, especially during extended training sessions where the gun is drawn and holstered repeatedly.

Light stippling on the frontstrap provides just enough friction for a solid grip without drawing blood. Nicely checkered Cocobolo panels were installed and also improve the grip. And the beautiful grain compliments the gun’s two-tone finish.

ROBAR is well known for metal finishes; its sister company, Coating Technologies, Inc., specializes in that field and is located in the same building. Three finishes were applied to the Hi Power.

The frame was coated with OD Green Poly-T2, which is a modified epoxy coating that is embedded with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) — commonly known by the trademarked name of Teflon. Available in different colors, Poly-T2 provides both lubricity and corrosion resistance, being able to withstand over 1,000 hours of salt spray.

The slide was finished with black Roguard, a tough molybdenum-disulfide based polymer finish that also provides lubricity and is corrosion resistant. It is very thin, about .0005 inch, so it does not significantly change the dimensions of gun parts. Like the Poly-T2, it has a lifetime warranty.

Internal parts and the magazine were finished with NP3, an electroless nickel finish, which is very hard, corrosion resistant and is embedded with small particles of PTFE to provide lubricity. NP3 is so slick that most residue from shooting wipes off with a soft cloth. Incidentally, NP3 is used on critical parts of the International Space Station. Even the outside of the new, match-grade Bar-Sto barrel was finished with NP3.

ROBAR also performed a trigger job, removed the bothersome magazine disconnector, polished and installed a new sear and installed a Cylinder & Slide trigger pull reduction spring kit. Those new parts and the NP3 finish resulted in a much better trigger pull. Although the pull weight is only a little less than the original, the creep has disappeared and the break is very crisp.

A Cylinder & Slide extended strong side safety replaced the old stock safety, making activation much easier and more positive. Dings and dents acquired over the years were removed, and the feed ramp and breach face were polished to improve feeding.

Browning Hi-Power revitalized - 4The After
Range testing was done using two holsters available off-the-shelf from Comp-Tac (Comp-Tac.com) and Blade-Tech (Blade-Tech.com), into which the customized Hi-Power fit despite the installation of the larger Novak sights. The customized gun now displays much better handling characteristics, and accuracy off the bench has improved dramatically — from the previously mentioned 5 to 9 inches to about 3 to 4 inches.

The price for customization depends on the parts and features ordered, but retail for the test gun, including the cost of the original surplus gun, was just under $3,000. Sure, a new Hi Power will cost less, and not everyone can afford the custom touches, but for others, the end result is worth it. And the gun is impressive.

For more information, contact ROBAR Companies, 623-581-2648, ROBARGuns.com.

This article is an excerpt from the Summer 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Classic Guns: The Revolutionary Savage Model 99

By
Jerry Lee
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2

A design truly ahead of its time, the Savage Model 99 is deadly on deer, and it can command quite a bit of value on the open market.

What made the Savage Model 99 an innovative design, and why is it collectable today?

  • Like Savage's Model 1895, which preceded it, the Savage Model 99 was a hammerless lever-action rifle.
  • It used a rotary magazine, which circumvented the issue of using cartridges with pointed bullets in a tubular-fed lever gun.
  • Over its lifetime, the Model 99 was available in a wide array of calibers (including more modern ones), but the two most popular were the .250 Savage and the .300 Savage.
  • Rifles chambered in some of the more obscure calibers are quite valuable in the collector's market, with the .22 High Power commanding the highest values.

The sleek and streamlined Savage Model 1895 looked like something out of the future when it appeared in the last decade of the 19th century. It was the first firearm produced by the Savage Repeating Arms Company, and its slim, flat, hammerless design was in sharp contrast to the popular, visible-hammer models available from Winchester and Marlin since the 1860s. The rounded profile let shooters know that something new in hunting rifles had arrived.

The 1895 was unique in many respects. Its internal rotary magazine was the first of its type and was designed for cartridges with pointed bullets, unlike the tubular-fed Winchesters and Marlins that were limited to round-nose bullets.

The Savage was also the first lever action with a coil mainspring, an improvement over the leaf springs on other brands. One of its advantages was a faster lock time.

Another interesting feature was a hole in the top of the bolt that showed the status of the firing pin. A “C” was visible if the rifle was cocked, and an “F” indicated that the round had been fired. This opening apparently led to cleaning problems and was eliminated on the later Model 1899.

Savage Model 99 - 1
Photo courtesy of Wayne Van Zwoll.

Humble Beginnings
Arthur William Savage was just 30 years old when he received a patent for his first rifle in 1887. It was a lever action with a small Martini-type lever meant to be operated with the shooter’s little finger. In 1892, a prototype of what was known as the Savage No. 1 with a 29-inch barrel and full-length stock was submitted to the Ordnance Trials for the military market.

When the Krag-Jorgensen bolt action was chosen to be the U.S. Service Rifle, Savage went back to the drawing board and made a few changes to the rifle to make it more suitable for the civilian market. He received a patent in 1893 for this new design and then went on to develop a new cartridge, the .303 Savage with ballistics similar to the .30 WCF/.30-30 Winchester.

At the time, Savage was a prominent citizen of Utica, New York, and was Superintendent of the Utica Belt Line Railroad. He put together a group of investors and founded the Savage Repeating Arms Company in 1894.

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    • The following year, the Model 1895 rifle went into production. Barrel lengths of 20, 26 or 30 inches were offered, either in round or half octagon/half round design and chambered only in .303 Savage.

    Only about 6,000 Model 1895s were made in its short 4-year life span, making it a rare and popular model among Savage collectors. Exact production numbers apparently do not exist. Some published sources say more than 8,000 were manufactured.

    The first Model 1895s were manufactured by the Marlin company, which also made the original tooling for the rifle. Savage was a new company and didn’t have the tooling or manpower to produce the guns, and Arthur Savage contracted with Marlin to make the 1895. These rifles are marked with “JM” for John Marlin on the barrel under the fore-end.

    Once again, Savage production files are sketchy. Some sources indicate that all 1895s were made by Marlin while others say it was only the first 5,000.

    Arriving at the Model 99
    The action and several other features were modified in 1899, and the Model 1899 was born. These included a cartridge indicator visible through a hole in the left side of the receiver to show remaining rounds. A cocking indicator consisting of a small bar on top of the bolt was added and replaced a few years later with a small pin that protruded through a hole atop the receiver.

    The original safety was located near the rear of the trigger and locked the lever and the trigger. In 1960, Savage placed a two-position thumb safety atop the rear of the receiver. Throughout its almost 100-year run, there were several iron sight variations.

    Savage Model 99 - Savage 250The Model 1895s were chambered for only one round, the .303 Savage. With the Savage Model 99, the .30-30 was added, plus several other Winchester calibers like the .25-35, .32-40 and .38-55. Later models were made in .22 Savage High Power (1912), and then the two most popular Model 99 chamberings for many years, the .250-3000 (1915) and .300 Savage (1920).

    This was about the time the official name of the model had become the Model 99.

    In the 1950s, more modern calibers were offered like the .243 Win., .308 Win., .358 Win. and .284 Winchester. It would also become available in 7mm-08 Remington and .375 Win.

    The Savage Model 99 became one of the most popular deer rifles in America, in part because of the excellent .250-3000 and .300 Savage cartridges that it introduced. As the first factory round to break the 3,000 feet-per-second (fps) velocity barrier, the .250-3000 received a lot of attention from outdoor writers. There were a few rather exaggerated claims about the killing power of high-velocity bullets on big game, but it was ideally suited for deer. The recoil was less than most other deer rifles of the day, and that made the fast little .250 a popular choice with many hunters for that reason.

    When the .243 and 6mm Remington came along in the 1950s, the .250 Savage — as its name had officially become — lost some of its sizzle, as did the similar .257 Roberts. But the .250 still has a place in the heart of many who know that for most deer hunting, it is all the gun you will ever need.

    The .30 caliber has long been an all-American favorite, and the .300 Savage fit neatly into the list of the .30s. It created a nice little niche between the .30-30 and .30-06, a position it held for more than 30 years, until the .308 Winchester came along in the ‘50s.

    To this day, like its little .250 brother, the .300 Savage remains an excellent cartridge for deer-size game at reasonable ranges. Some hunters believe the larger and heavier .300 bullet is a bit better in the brush than the lighter and faster .250, but that’s always been difficult to prove.

    Savage Model 99 - 2Valuable Collector Models
    More than 25 variants of the Model 1899/99 were manufactured over its 98-year life span. Some of the more interesting are these:

    • Combination Cased Set .300 Savage/.410 Shotgun – Made from 1922 to 1934, the interchangeable shotgun barrel could only be used as a single shot because the rotary magazine was not designed for shotshells. Estimated value today, very good to excellent condition: $2,000 to $4,000.
    • Model 99K – The highest grade 99 with engraved receiver and high-grade walnut stock. President Franklin Roosevelt presented one of these in the 1940s to the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a renowned big-game hunter. Estimated value: $2,500 to $3,000.
    • Model 1899-D Military Musket – Made from 1899 to 1915, including several hundred for the Canadian Home Guard during World War I. In .303 Savage with a 28- or 30-inch barrel with two barrel bands and a full-length military stock. Estimated value: $5,000 to $6,000.
    • Model 99-H Carbine – Made in .250 Savage, .300 Savage, .303 and .30-30 from 1923 to 1940 with a curved, carbine-style buttplate. Later models had a barrel band on the fore-end and a ramp front sight. Estimated value: $800 to $1,200.

    Many other variants were produced in the period from the 1960s to the 1990s and can be found on the used gun market in the $400 to $800 price range, not collector’s items but solid, serviceable hunting rifles.

    The rarest calibers are the .22 Hi Power, .25-35, .32-40, .38-55, .284 Win. and .375 Win. Expect to pay a premium for these, up to 100 percent for the .22 High Power.

    The last Savage Model 99 came off the assembly line 20 years ago, in 1997. Why Savage didn’t keep it going for another couple of years is anyone’s guess, but it probably had something to do with the cost of production. As a fan of the rifle, I remember looking forward to seeing a 100th Anniversary edition, but it was never to be.

    Editor's Note: This “Collector's Corner” column is an excerpt from the August 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

    Federal Premium Releases New Hunting Rounds

    By
    Elwood Shelton
    -
    0

    Hunting season is creeping up, so there's no better time to start considering what you'll feed your trusty deer rifle. Federal Premium has four solid new choices for this year, each perfect for putting meat on the table and trophies on the wall.

    Federal Premium has you covered if you're on the hunt for a new deer round:

    .300 Win. Mag. and .300 WSM Power-Shok


    Fans of .30-caliber magnums have a few new choices when it comes to monometal bullets with the extension of the Federal Premium Power-Shok line. The company recently added its first rounds topped with full copper-alloy projectiles for the .300 Win. Mag., and .300 WSM. And those looking to tackle nearly any game in North America — and most of the world for that matter — should be pleased with the offerings.

    Both rounds boast 180-grain hollow point bullets and deliver the goods for hunters looking to really reach out. Both leave the muzzle at right about 2,960 fps and deliver a crushing 1,500 ft-lbs of energy 400 yards out. The bullets themselves are designed for controlled expansion, delivering deep penetration and devastating wound channels. The rounds are loaded in Federal’s brass and feature the company’s Catalyst high-performance primers, ensuring efficient ignition of all the propellant in the large cases. 

    The MSRP of the rounds fall in line with a majority of monometal offerings available today — $45.95 for 20 rounds of .300 WSM and $39.95 for the .300 Win. Mag.

    6.5 Creedmoor Trophy Copper


    The 6.5 Creedmoor has really come into its own over the past several years. This is as true in the hunting field as it is in the category of long-range target shooting. The excellent ballistic coefficients of most of the 6.5 bullets alone speak volumes to the long-range potential and inherent accuracy of the cartridge. And Federal Premium has introduced what looks to be a solid option for those on the stalk in areas with lead-ammo restrictions or looking for a round with the potential for deep penetration. 

    The 6.5 Creedmoor Trophy Copper round puts a 120-grain monometal projectile tailor-made to produce the most devastating wound channels possible, even at the most distant ranges, at a hunter's disposal. Helping the bullet to this end is a polymer-tipped cavity, designed to reliably expand the bullet once it reaches its target. 

    On top of that, and common to monometal bullets in general, the bullet retains 99 percent of its weight, even on the deepest penetration. The bullet also features grooved shanks, ensuring the best possible accuracy over a wide spectrum of firearms.

    The new 6.5 Creedmoor Trophy Copper round presently has a MSRP of $47.95 on a box of 20 cartridges.

    6.5 Grendel Fusion MSR


    Once purely a round favored by target shooters, hunters have come to embrace what the 6.5 Grendel brings to the table. Harnessing the superior ballistics of 6.5 bullets and slapping them in cartridges that excel in ARs has been a boon for those who get the opportunity to take long shots at whitetails. 

    Federal Premium has given Grendel hunters more fodder to consider with the recent expansion of its Fusion MSR line. Topped with a 120-grain projectile and tailored for peak performance in 16-inch-barreled black rifles, the new round looks ready to put meat on the table this hunting season. 

    The soft-point bullets leave the muzzle at an impressive 2,600 fps and hit like a freight train, dumping nearly 600 ft-lbs of energy into a target 500 yards out. And hunters have the peace of mind that the bullet will perform, even at range, with the meaty, copper jackets skived at the tip to ensure complete expansion and deadly wound channels. On top of that, the jackets are molecularly fused to the soft lead cores, ensuring the bullets retain a maximum amount of weight deep into a target. 

    Presently, the MSRP on a box of 20 6.5 Grendel 120-grain Fusion MSR is $29.95.

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