Paired with the 22 Nosler, the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon is a rifle designed to precisely knock the stuffing out of any varmint unlucky enough to end up in its crosshairs.
What the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler Brings to the Table
Chambered in the powerful 22 Nosler, the Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon brings break-neck velocities to the AR platform.
Upon testing, the Varmageddon lived up to its billing, pushing 55-grain projectiles better than 3,000 fps on average.
The rifle and ammunition were a match made in heaven when it came to accuracy, repeatedly printing sub-MOA groups at 100 yards.
The Varmageddon is built to excel at precise work, boasting a crisp-breaking Geissele SD-E Trigger and highly adaptable Magpul PRS stock.
While comparable to a lengthened and necked down 6.8 SPC, the proprietary 22 Nosler is a breed of its own.
Tempting as it might be, the 22 Nosler is not compatible with the AR’s presently chambered 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem.
Already a dynamite choice for varmints and predators, given the choice of heftier projectiles, the Varmageddon in 22 Nosler could be a medium-game option.
At the 2017 SHOT Show, the shooting sports industry’s largest trade show, Nosler introduced its newest round, the 22 Nosler. Nosler claimed this new round was the fastest, most powerful .22-caliber centerfire round available that would reliably feed and function in the AR — capable of pushing a 55-grain Nosler Trophy Grade bullet at 3,350 feet per second (fps) from an AR-15 fitted with an 18-inch barrel, and a 77-grain Match Grade competition bullet at 2,950 fps. At nearly 300 fps faster than a standard .223 Remington/ 5.56 NATO, the 22 Nosler delivered 30-percent more energy than either round.
A few months later, Noveske Rifleworks, of Grants Pass, Ore., and working in conjunction with Nosler, debuted a new version of its Varmageddon AR rifle, offering it in, yes, 22 Nosler.
A new round and a new rifle. It was a combination begging to be tried out, and that’s exactly what I did recently, matching a new-in-the-box Varmageddon with both the 55-grain and 77-grain versions of the 22 Nosler ammunition. I topped the rig with another relative newcomer to the shooting sports, a Trijicon AccuPower 1-8×28 scope.
Results? Impressive. As advertised, the new 22 Nosler is an FPS screamer. It’s also very accurate. At the same time, the 22 Nosler Varmageddon rifle is a pleasure to shoot, has a fine trigger and feels great on the shoulder.
Range Time At my local outdoor shooting range, I zeroed the Varmageddon at 50 yards using the 55-grain Trophy Grade round, shooting from a sandbag rest. Then, I took on targets at 100 yards. Right from the start, I was very impressed with the accuracy achieved from this scope/rifle/round combination.
With the 55-grain round, my best three-shot group was .433 inch, my best four-shot group was .623 inch, and my best five-shot cluster came in at .940 inch. The 77-grain Match Grade load did fine, too, with groups of .681 and .609 inch for three- and four-shot groups, respectively. And I actually punched six shots into a 1.00-inch group!
That .681-inch three-shot group, by the way, was done with my very last three shots. At that point, the rifle had seen over 200 rounds through it, and, even with a cool-down period midway through, the barrel was hot enough to blister the skin. And it was still shooting sub-MOA!
Then, I chronographed both rounds using my PACT Professional XP Chronograph from Brownells. Firing 10 rounds of each, the 55-grain Trophy Grade locked in at an average of 3,308.2 fps, and the 77-grain Match Grade averaged 2,815.3 fps. That put the 55-grain load within 48 fps of Nosler’s stated velocity, and within 135 fps of the velocity for the 77-grain bullet.
One Sweet Shooter Working with Nosler, Noveske introduced its first Varmageddon rifles several years ago, chambering them in the most popular varmint cartridges, including .223. The Noveske Varmageddon in 22 Nosler makes the above-cited accuracy easier to achiever than a lot of similar AR’s, and it all starts with the trigger. The two-stage Geissele. SD-E Trigger is extremely smooth, with a 2.2-pound first stage, followed by a 1.11-pound pull to actually fire the rifle. It resets quickly, too.
The Varmageddon’s Magpul furniture is comfortable and looks good, too. The PRS stock is easy to adjust for length of pull, cant and comb-height. It even sports two short picatinny mounting points along the bottom read edge of the butt for use of a monopod. The MOE Grip provides a hand-filling, tactile feel, with a built-in storage compartment.
The ambidextrous safety is easily operated with one thumb, and the magazine release ejects the magazine with authority. The Noveske Super Bad Ass Charging Handle is also one of the easiest and most functional charging handles I have ever used, and it greatly decreases the chances of short stroking the handle and creating a feeding malfunction.
The only problem I can see with the Varmageddon is its weight. All by itself, the rifle tips the scales at 10 pounds. Add a scope, mounting hardware and ammunition, and you are probably at 11.5 pounds. For a bench shooter taking on a field of prairie dogs, that weight is no big deal. Yet for the varmint or predator hunter who does a good deal of hiking in search of prey, 11 or 12 pounds can be a real load. He or she will want to invest in a solid two-point sling and a good set of shooting sticks before taking the Varmageddon afield.
A Whole New Animal The magazines for the 22 Nosler are actually standard 6.8 Remington SPC magazines. So, does that mean the 22 Nosler is a reconfigured 6.8 SPC round?
Not so, said Mason Payer, Nosler’s marketing manager.
“Really, there is no parent cartridge,” said Payer. “The 22 Nosler is its own animal. The closest design which could be claimed is a 6.8 Rem. SPC that has been lengthened, necked down to .22 caliber, given a 30-degree shoulder and had the rim rebated to 0.378 inches. Or, you could say it is a .30-30 Winchester that has been shortened, necked down to .22 caliber, given a 30-degree shoulder and had the rim rebated to 0.378 inches.”
He added, “In the end, it’s easier to say it is what it is: a new cartridge!”
The Varmageddon is the first complete rifle available in 22 Nosler, but it certainly won’t be the last. Payer noted that at least 10 rifle makers are currently working on complete rifles chambered in 22 Nosler, and even more gun makers are producing 22 Nosler uppers.
I suspect some rifle makers are currently designing — if not actually manufacturing — 22 Nosler bolt actions, too. While the 55-grain ballistic tip bullet leaves an 18-inch AR barrel at an extremely fast 3,300 fps, the same round in a 24-inch barrel rockets out at an amazing 3,500 fps. Similarly, the 77-grain target round is rated at 3,100 fps with that 24-inch barrel, an increase of a good 200 fps from the 18-inch barrel.
For those shooters who love speed — and there are many, many of us — harnessing that 3,500 fps will be very attractive, and a bolt action will likely be the way to go.
Making the Transition If you already own an AR-15 in .223 Rem./5.56 NATO, you might be tempted to tinker with your rig to make 22 Nosler work. But do not try this! As Payer stressed, you can’t simply open up a .223 Remington chamber to fit 22 Nosler specifications. The shoulder of the 22 Nosler was set back to a slightly shorter dimension than the .223 Remington to prevent the .223 Rem. from being accidentally chambered in a 22 Nosler.
“Because of this, in order to convert a .223 Remington AR-15 barrel to 22 Nosler, you would need to remove the barrel extension, set the barrel back one turn, re-chamber the barrel to 22 Nosler, and then reinstall the barrel extension while keeping the gas port precisely at the 12 o’clock vertical position,” Payer said. “Realistically, this would require the services of a qualified gunsmith.”
It’s much safer and cheaper to simply invest in a 22 Nosler upper, swap out that upper with your existing AR-15 and then buy a few 6.8 SPC magazines.
Currently, the only ammo choices are the 55-grain Trophy and the 77-grain Match rounds, both of which are made by Nosler. The company also will be introducing other 22 Nosler ammo options in 2017. Expect other manufacturers to begin offering their own versions of the ammunition, too.
For reloaders, Nosler offers 22 Nosler brass and bullets. Reloading information can be found at 22Nosler.com.
Parting Shots Whether or not the 22 Nosler is going to set the AR World on fire is unknown. But a very fast round that can reach out at long distance, and is damned accurate, will certainly find a home with many shooters.
The 22 Nosler would seem to have potential hunting applications for medium-sized game, too. Nosler currently manufactures a 90-grain Ballistic Tip Hunting Bullet in 6mm. If Nosler took its 77-grain load and reconfigured the bullet into a Ballistic Hunting Tip? Hunters would have a round quite capable of taking down deer-sized game, opening up the 22 Nosler to even more shooters.
As with all aspects of shooting, particularly at long range, learning to properly read the wind requires practice and familiarity with the basics.
How can you use natural environmental elements to help read the wind and make adjustments?
Mirage, which refers to the way light rays are bent due to the heat difference of the ground and the air, can be used, if they’re moving, to help illustrate wind direction and intensity.
Grass, leaves, tree branches and other flora are good indicators of wind speed and direction.
If you’re hunting in a foreign environment, use a windmeter to measure values and their effects on flora; then, you can estimate wind values at range based on the amount of movement of that particular plant.
Canyons can prove particularly challenging, especially if compound winds are present. Make sure you understand how canyon walls affect wind currents.
No matter what you’re shooting, you need to know how to read the wind. It’s certainly not an easy prospect, especially as the distances get long.
Yes, a Kestrel weather meter or similar tool will accurately indicate both the wind speed and direction in relation to the target. This is definitely good information, but it is only a part of the puzzle.
There will invariably be shooting situations where the wind at the target is completely different from the wind at your location. Couple that with variations in terrain, elevation and weather conditions, and you’ve got quite a chore on your hands.
Understanding how to read the wind is no easy task. I recently had the honor of spending quite a bit of time beside Doug “Dog” Pritchard, an ex-Navy Seal who is not only one helluva shot, but also an expert at calling wind.
I got to play the role of both shooter and spotter with him, as I wanted to concentrate on learning to call wind for other shooters as much as shoot the long distances available at the FTW Ranch. It didn’t take long for me to figure out what Pritchard was basing his calls on, and why.
We’d look through the spotting scopes, observing several key indicators and comparing them to the wind directions and values we were feeling at our location. Pritchard explained how he unravels the mystery, using little clues presented by nature, as well as knowledge of terrain and how winds behave in canyons and valleys.
I can’t imagine a more difficult set of scenarios than those presented at the FTW Ranch. Tim Fallon & Company have handpicked some incredible shooting challenges that present steep angles, long distances and impossible wind conditions. Some of these targets combine all three factors — to an extreme degree — and really test the skill set of any experienced shooter.
The Barksdale area of Texas is canyon country, and the daily temperature differentials cause the winds to swirl, gust, calm down and pick back up in a matter of minutes. We had to use every available piece of evidence to determine correct calls.
We’d look for blowing grass, fluttering leaves; hell, we’d even use the butterflies to find out what was going on. Mirage, if present, was a definite help, as was the flight pattern of buzzards and other birds riding the winds and thermals.
Using Mirage Mirage is a phenomenon in which light rays are bent due to the heat difference of the ground and the air; if you’ve ever seen the heat shimmer on hot asphalt, you’ve seen mirage. You can use those bent light rays and the direction they’re moving (if at all) to help with wind observations.
Looking through your spotting scope, if you see the lines of mirage “boiling” or running vertically, you can assume a zero- to 3-mph wind value. If running at 45 degrees or so, you can assume a 3- to 5-mph wind value. If it looks as if it’s running horizontally, but slightly broken up, your wind value will be 5 to 8 mph, and if it’s running horizontally in a straight, consistent manner, you’ve got 8 mph and up, and will be able to determine the factor with other methods.
Mirage is most visible on a bright, sunny day. At FTW, when we had trouble picking up mirage, we’d use the spotting scope to focus on a point closer to the target, and like magic, the mirage would appear. Even so, it is useful only under certain conditions, so you need other clues to help make the correct wind call.
Natural Clues Grass is always helpful, as it is easily moved by the slightest winds. A 3-mph wind will move the grass, and a 5-mph wind will move grass significantly.
Leaves are another aid that can save the day. If you’re hunting in an area like Texas, where much of the vegetation holds its leaves year-round, you have many good indicators, but what if you’re hunting the Tioga, or the wide-open crop fields of the northern U.S.? Odds are there will always be something to gauge the wind velocity, even if it’s the remnants of last autumn’s leaves or the top of one of the stunted evergreens that grow at higher latitudes.
If you’re a traveling hunter, and you’re in a new environment where the foliage and vegetation seem foreign, a handheld weather station will come in very handy. If you watch the wind’s effects on the new flora, and measure that value with your wind meter, it will give you a much better idea of what the values will be while you are hunting. Cedar trees are a great indicator, as the tops act like a wind flag, and if you know what the wind speed is for certain movements, you’ll more than likely be right.
Putting It Into Use If you’ve got some trees with full leaves, you can quickly ascertain wind direction — even in light winds — by determining if there is movement on one side of the tree or the other. Pritchard and I were discussing, well, debating — OK, we were nearly arguing — about a particular shot and what the wind values should be. I had (I thought) followed all the proper procedures, and made a call of “no wind,” and had instructed the shooter to hold the left edge of the 6-inch plate, to give the proper adjustment for spin drift at that distance.
“Nope, have him go right at it. You’ve got some right-to-left down there; it’ll compensate for the spin drift.”
I looked again, and again, and it wasn’t there. I saw a butterfly float by, just as happy as could be, about half way to the target, and I couldn’t pick up any mirage, so I didn’t know what he was getting at.
“Where are you seeing wind, Dog? I got nuthin’.”
“See that live oak, about 15 yards left of and above the plate? Watch those leaves just on the right edge; they’re blowing ever so slightly at the top. Because of the bullet arc (the target was 700 yards out), that slight right-to-left wind will cancel the spin drift.”
Dammit, I didn’t see it, and in my effort to shine in front of the Professor, I didn’t think to look at the top of the tree, in order to compensate for the entire trajectory arc of the bullet. The shooter held for the center of the plate, and I watched the paint splatter one-inch to the left of center.
Professor Dog had given a clinic, and I learned my lesson. My wind call would’ve pushed that bullet off the left side of the plate.
Conflicting Wind Currents Calling wind into or across a valley can pose a different set of problems. If hunting or shooting in canyon country, the wind can behave much like water. You might see signs of wind on top of the hills, and though it may appear dead calm at the bottom of the valley, there might be wind acting much like a waterfall — rushing over one edge and creating an eddy of moving air along the wall of the canyon.
I learned this hard lesson at the ranch when we were set up on a range that predominately worked perpendicular to the bottom of the valley, but had two targets running roughly parallel to the valley wall. The most difficult shot was an 18-inch plate at 585 yards, along that wall.
Where that plate was placed, the wall of the canyon got steeper than where we were shooting. The winds were just everywhere, if that makes any sense.
Looking from our shooting position, it was clear the winds were hard, right to left, coming into the canyon, but I saw the slight left to right just in front of the target. It was a compound wind, definitely two different scenarios on the way to the target.
I was shooting for this exercise, but Pritchard insisted that I call my own wind. I looked and studied the scene, studied and looked some more, and decided the predominant right-to-left wind would take precedence. I adjusted my hold into that right wind and touched one off.
In proud fashion, Pritchard announced a miss, two feet off the plate’s right edge. The wind was curling like water at the bottom of the valley, and rolling left to right.
Once it was explained, I shot the plate with no issue, but had that been a game animal, I’d have either completely missed it or — worse yet — wounded it.
These ideas, and other visual clues in the hunting fields, are what the SAAM course at the FTW is all about. Other shooting situations there, especially on the longer shooting ranges, employed a multitude of flags to indicate both wind direction and intensity. It’s quite easy to understand what a great aid this is to any shooter, especially when you’ve got a good dope card or Kestrel unit at your side.
Working Out The Basics My good buddy Donnie Thorne served our country in the U.S. Marine Corps, as a machine gunner in Viet Nam. During basic training, he shot “Expert” and attained the highest score in his platoon. I asked him to recall what he could about his training — it’s funny how Marines never seem to forget that training — and he answered my inquiries as if he’d returned from basic two weeks ago.
“We were trained with the M14 rifle in 7.62 NATO, but spent days, literally days, with an empty rifle, practicing the proper sighting technique on a 55-gallon drum, with small black dots painted on it,” Thorne recalled. “Sight alignment, in various positions from kneeling to sitting to standing to prone, was demonstrated and taught for hours on end. We’d mark targets for other recruits, and then return to sight practice. I only got to fire live ammunition the day before qualification. We were allotted 50 rounds, to the best of my recollection, for practice. On qualification day, we shot targets at 200, 300 and 500 yards. I shot 228 out of a possible 250, earning the title of Expert, even landing 50 out of 50 at the 500-yard target.
“For wind compensation,” he continued, “we were taught to dial a certain amount on the windage adjustment of the rear peep sight, and the range flags would indicate both direction of wind and its speed, based on the distance out from the flag pole. Obviously, the stronger the wind, the farther from the pole it will blow the flag, and we would adjust our wind hold based on the flag values. Our instruction booklet would give us the values, and the correlating rifle sight adjustments.
“It’s funny, learning trigger control and reading the wind in the Corps definitely helped me as a hunter; it also had a direct influence on my passion for single-shot rifles. I love a good target-style .22 Long Rifle, with a peep sight and a long sighting radius, as well as big-game rifles like the Ruger No. 1. Having just one shot, and the patience and precision to make it count, are things I attribute to the Marine Corps. I love the improvements in modern riflescopes and bullets, but at 66, I’m not much of gadget guy. I prefer relying on my training and practice, and if it’s too far, I like to get closer.”
Personally, I used to avoid shooting my rifles on really windy days, as the group size would start to fall apart. These days, I actually prefer to shoot in the wind, once the rifle and the load are proven, to better hone my wind calling skills.
I like to observe how the trees and grass are moving, measure those values with my Kestrel, and make mental notes to keep myself sharp. If you practice enough, it becomes second nature, and while there are difficult situations like I’ve described earlier, the more wind calling you do, the smaller the amount of error will become.
But, just as it is with all shooting, calling the wind will require constant mental exercise; you can’t do it once or twice a year and remain proficient. Wind is a predictable effect, assuming the values are known and things are constant. Making correct adjustments to overcome those effects — that’s the key to successful shooting.
As temperatures climb in the late spring and reach a peak in the dog days of summer, many dress down to meet the occasion. T-shirts and shorts start to replace long pants and jackets as the predominant articles of clothing. And those who carry concealed might opt for summer carry guns that are lighter, smaller and less likely to print with their new warm-weather wardrobe.
There are a number of great pistols and revolvers that are well suited, or can be adapted, to fill this role. But the best are those that are dependable, small enough in size and weight to be easily and comfortably concealed in light clothing, and shootable enough to get the job done if called upon in a fight.
The options presented below don’t represent a comprehensive list of all the great summertime carry guns available. However, most of them are tried-and-true designs that will serve the shooter admirably. The majority weigh less than 20 ounces — with some coming in quite a bit less — and most are about 6 inches in length or less. And, all of these come in at under $800 for their base model.
Without further ado, here are 13 of the top summer carry guns available to shooters right now.
Photo by Alex Landeen.
1. Ruger LCP II Ruger’s original LCP has proved itself highly capable as a pocket, or micro .380 ACP pistol for carry. In its nearly decade-long existence, it’s become one of the most popular pistols in that category due to its reliability, compact design and affordability, with its incredible $259 MSRP.
These days, while the original LCP still certainly remains a serviceable option, Ruger has upgraded the platform with some beneficial changes in the form of the new LCP II. Probably the two most critical upgrades are the improvements made to the trigger and the addition of a last-round-hold-open function on the LCP II’s slide.
Obviously, the triggers on double-action pocket .380s designed for carry are not known for being overly impressive, but Ruger was able to improve upon the LCP’s trigger quite markedly in this new version. The trigger pull is substantially smoother, being fairly light and crisp, as well as quicker on the reset — and it incorporates a bladed trigger safety.
The last-round hold-open feature is of course important to many shooters, as it is a visual indicator of an empty mag; plus, it aids in slide manipulation. Other features, such as the grip, ergonomics and sights, are also upgraded, and the end price is still a highly affordable $349. And with dimensions of 5.17 inches in length, .75 inch in width and 3.71 inches in height, and a weight of just 10.6 ounces, you could hardly do better than the LCP II in terms of a micro .380.
2. Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard 380 A fairly compelling argument could be made for including the M&P Shield on this list. On basic configurations, the Shield’s weight hovers right around 20 ounces; the gun is a touch over 6 inches in overall length, has a standard capacity of 7+1, can be found at some pretty affordable prices and has established itself as a dependable carry piece.
That said, if you want something a little more compact for summer wear, the M&P Bodyguard 380 is an excellent option. Like the Shield, the Bodyguard is priced affordably, with an MSRP of $379. Street prices can be even less.
You go from 9mm down to .380 ACP, which means it’s less potent, but you do shave off almost 8 ounces of weight and about an inch in length. The double-action-only trigger isn’t as good as the Shield’s striker-fired trigger, and the sights are probably a slight step down as well, from white dot to stainless steel adjustable. However, the trade off for increased concealability and comfort might be worth it to some.
3. SIG Sauer P938 The P938 has been around for several years now, and its predecessor, the P238, has been around a couple years longer. The original P238 is a scaled down version of the 1911 chambered in .380 ACP.
The P938 is, of course, a slightly beefed up version of the P238 in 9mm. As such, it’s a touch longer and heavier (.4 inch and .8 ounce, respectively), but certainly nothing too dramatic.
Like the earlier P238, it has a fairly crisp 7.5-pound single-action trigger pull and similar 1911-style controls and safety. Both are available with SIGLITE night sights, a major plus for those who carry, as most defensive shootings occur in low light. And both fall into SIG’s micro-compact frame size category, meaning either is suitable in a pocket pistol role.
However, when the dimensional differences are so small, and since we live in a world where bigger is better and more is always better than less, it’s hard not to argue for the 9mm P938. One of the downsides to both these guns is that the price for either is something many will struggle with: The P238 starts at $679, while the P938 begins at $760. This is more than many pay for their compact or subcompact daily carry gun, and it’s a higher starting point than any of the other models on this list, so they might be hard to justify for some as summer carry guns.
A less expensive option from SIG is the subcompact P290RS ($492); though, it does have a slightly longer, and heavier, double-action trigger pull at about 9 pounds, and it weighs just a touch more. As a side note on the P238 and P938, SIG recently introduced “We The People” versions of both guns, which feature a beautiful distressed finish and commemorative patriotic engravings.
4. Glock 43 A lot of people who know a good deal about concealed carry handguns have referred to the Glock 19 as a perfect, or nearly perfect, gun for carry. It’s big enough to shoot well pretty easily, yet small enough to conceal with the right holster and clothing choice. It’s got Glock’s standard and fairly decent 5.5-pound trigger, and is loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm boom. And, it’s a Glock, which means it’s pretty much guaranteed to be reliable. This is, of course, why the G19 has been and continues to be one of the most popular handguns on the market.
But in truth, for some, and especially during warm, summer weather, it’s just not quite as light and concealable as you’d like it to be. The Glock 43 is, without question, both of those things.
Fully loaded, the G43 weighs a bit more than 22 ounces. It’s 6.26 inches in length, 4.25 inches in height and just a touch over 1 inch in width. Now, to get these figures, you do sacrifice quite a lot in terms of round count — 15 down to six — but if it’s a decision between carrying a smaller, lower-capacity gun and not carrying anything, it’s really no decision at all.
When the G43 officially launched in 2015, there was a ton of hype surrounding the new 9mm single-stack pistol. It, of course, followed on the heels of Glock’s even lighter G42 in .380 ACP, which, although nice, wasn’t what shooters had wanted for years (incidentally, the G42 is also a great option for a summertime carry gun).
The G43 hasn’t had the same amount of time to establish itself as the G19 has had, but I think many would say that the hype given the 43, while immense, probably isn’t undeserved. It’s a very shootable gun, conceals easily and offers Glock’s proven reliability. And if you’re one of those people who thinks six rounds isn’t enough to get the job done, there’s always Glock’s 26 (AKA the “Baby Glock”), which weighs about 4 ounces more but does offer a 10-round standard capacity.
5. Colt Mustang One of the older handgun designs to make this list so far, the Colt Mustang (essentially a scaled down 1911 in .380 ACP), in various forms, has been around since 1983. Throughout the ‘80s several improvements and additional models were introduced, and in the early- to mid-90s, two other models were added.
Then, in the late ‘90s, the Mustang was discontinued. This was done, according to some sources, in order for Colt to shift more focus to military sales.
Regardless, given the boom in the civilian concealed carry market within the past decade or so, Colt decided to reintroduce the Mustang back in 2011. When it was first introduced in 1983, the .380 ACP Mustang weighed 21.75 ounces and lacked a safety. The two Mustangs Colt currently lists in its catalog today range in weight from 11.5 to 12.5 ounces, and both feature a thumb safety, with the Mustang Lite’s being ambidextrous.
Today’s Mustangs offer a 6+1 capacity and are designed to be a bit more durable than their predecessors. Both models have an overall length of 5.5 inches, a height of 3.9 inches and a width of 1.06 inches. Given these dimensions and their scant weight, these two modern-day Mustangs are highly concealable and easy to carry comfortably.
The front sight on the Pocketlite model is a fixed blade, whereas it is dovetailed on the Lite. Rear sights are dovetailed on both models.
Despite its relatively miniscule size, the Mustang remains fairly shootable. Much of this can be attributed to the frame design, as well as a relatively crisp, single-action trigger pull between 4.5 and 6 pounds.
6. Ruger LCR/LCRx The LCR, or Lightweight Compact Revolver, line has been pretty successful for Ruger ever since its introduction in 2009. At the time, it was something of a groundbreaking new release.
It was billed as the first-ever production revolver to feature a polymer grip frame. The little wheelgun also featured some of the most aggressive cylinder fluting on any revolver of the time, which, like the polymer grip frame, helped to reduce weight. The LCR weighed in at a scant 13.5 ounces, making it one of the lightest production revolvers at the time.
Initially introduced in just two models, today it is available in a host of different models and calibers, including versions with external hammers (designated the LCRx). Chamberings today include the original .38 Special +P as well as the .22 LR, .22 WMR, 9mm, .357 Magnum and the relatively new .327 Federal Magnum.
With the exception, perhaps, of the .22 LR and .22 WMR, all of these calibers are adequate for personal defense. Felt recoil might become an issue at the higher end of this gun’s caliber range (.327 Federal and .357 Magnum) given its light weight, but with adrenaline pumping through your body during a close-range defensive encounter, that might be less noticeable. Luckily, both those chamberings offer lighter-recoiling options for training purposes (.32 S&W, .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnum for the .327 Federal and .38 Special for the .357 Magnum) if you desire.
With an overall length on most models of 6.50 inches and a weight of just 13.5 ounces on the lightest models — add about 4 ounces for .357 Magnum or .327 Federal — Ruger LCRs are perfect summer carry guns, particularly if you prefer revolvers.
7. Kahr CM9 Kahr Arms might not have the brand name recognition of, say, SIG Sauer or Glock, and it might not produce flashy, sexy-looking designs, but the company has quietly been producing solid, reliable handguns ever since its founding in 1995. One of these perfectly suited for carry is the CM9.
Falling within Kahr’s “Value” series, the CM9 is a Browning-style locked-breech pistol that features a 3-inch, conventionally rifled barrel (as opposed to the match-grade polygonal-rifled barrel of the “Premium” PM9), a textured polymer grip, a black polymer frame, a matte stainless slide and drift-adjustable white dot sights. It utilizes a six-round, flush-floorplate magazine and comes equipped with a pretty solid double-action-only (DAO) trigger.
The CM9 weighs just 14 ounces unloaded. It is 5.42 inches in overall length, 4 inches in height and less than an inch in width. All of that adds up to one very concealable 9mm pistol, even in the dog days of summer. And with an MSRP of just $460, you won’t have to break the bank for this concealed carry piece, which comes with a lot of features and quality for the price. If you’re looking for something even more concealable and are willing to step down to a .380, Kahr’s CW380 is another option.
8. Kimber Micro/Micro 9 Founded as Kimber of Oregon in 1979, the manufacturer was initially known for its rifle production. However, after some troubles and eventual ownership changes, the company — now headquartered in Yonkers, New York — came to be well known as a producer of fine, high-quality 1911-style pistols.
While much of Kimber’s catalog is devoted to full-size 1911s, the manufacturer does offer two lines of highly concealable Micro pistols chambered in either .380 ACP or 9mm. Like the previously discussed Colt Mustang and SIG P938 and P238, these guns are scaled down versions of the 1911.
Both Micro and Micro 9 pistols feature a crisp, single-action trigger with a factory setting of around 7 pounds and share a similar 1911-style thumb safety, slide release and magazine release. Other standard features across both lines include a lowered and flared ejection port, a beveled magazine well and steel sights mounted in machined dovetails. Both the Micro (.380 ACP) and Micro 9 (9mm) pistols sport six-round magazine capacities.
The Micro weighs 13.4 ounces empty, has an overall length of 5.6 inches, a height of 4 inches and a width of 1.08 inches. The slightly larger Micro 9 weighs 15.6 ounces empty, is 6.1 inches in overall length, is 4.07 inches in height and is 1.66 inches in width. The Micro starts at $527, while the Micro 9 starts at $654.
Both are a little more than some are willing to pay for a summer carry gun, but they offer some pretty good features and come from a respected maker of 1911s. And their dimensions make them well adapted for carry in all conditions.
9. Smith & Wesson Model 642 This little J-Frame revolver has been a big seller for Smith & Wesson for years. Its lineage traces back to the “Centennial” family of S&W revolvers, which came out in 1952.
These days, there are several currently produced Model 642 revolvers available to buyers in S&W’s catalog. All are prized for their relatively light weight, concealability, ease of use, reliability and .38 Special + P chambering.
In these times of widespread semi-auto pistols of all shapes, sizes and colors, it might seem hard to believe that small wheelguns like this J-Frame have hung around, but they remain one of S&W’s most popular items. And this is so for good reason.
Revolvers are almost foolproof in their operation, and with their generally long, double-action trigger pulls, they’re typically quite safe. For those lacking grip strength, they’re incredibly easy to load and unload, which is not always the case for semi-autos. And because many — like the 642 — feature an enclosed hammer, they won’t snag on clothing.
The basic Model 642 has an overall length of 6.3 inches and a weight of 14.4 ounces, making it well suited for carry. It’s also palatable, price-wise, starting at just $469. Although I’ve selected the Model 642 specifically, many of S&W’s other J-Frame revolvers are similarly worthy choices.
10. Kel-Tec P3AT This little pocket pistol gem dropped on the scene in 2003, and it made a pretty decent splash on arrival. With an astonishing weight of just 8.3 ounces unloaded, at the time of its release, this gun was (and might remain) the lightest production .380 ACP pistol in the world. Its impact can be seen in the number of micro .380s produced in its wake, including Ruger’s own LCP, which does, at least in external appearance, share many characteristics.
Designed based off Kel-Tec’s earlier P-32 — another micro, but chambered in .32 ACP — the P3AT is a locked-breech pistol, unlike many other similarly sized pistols, which are straight blowback. This allowed the engineers at Kel-Tec to use a lighter slide, permitting even more weight reduction.
The gun is 5.2 inches in overall length, 3.5 inches in height and .77 inch in width. And despite these diminutive dimensions, it still manages to pack in six rounds of .380 ACP. That’s quite a bit of bang in a teeny, tiny package.
The little P3AT might not be much to look at, but it does offer pretty unprecedented firepower for the weight. A number of features had to be omitted to achieve this, which is why the gun doesn’t include a slide stop or a safety (aside from its long, double-action-only trigger pull) and has no slide-hold-open feature after the last shot. The magazine release is also very small; on the plus side, that means it’s a little more difficult to accidentally activate in the course of carry.
The sights on the P3AT could be better. They’re basically a simple fixed notch rear and fixed front blade. However, on a gun with a 2.7-inch barrel, you’re probably not expecting competition-grade accuracy.
The gun’s MSRP is listed at $338.18; however, you can likely pick one of these up for markedly less. Over the past decade plus, the P3AT has garnered a pretty decent reputation for what it is and its capabilities in that role. It’s generally been fairly reliable, shootable enough to get the job done at close range and utterly concealable.
Photo by Alex Landeen.
11. Springfield XD-S This might be one of the more controversial additions to this list just on the point of weight alone. Up until now, every other inclusion has had an empty weight below 20 ounces. Across all models in this Springfield line, weight with an empty magazine is above 20 ounces.
Despite this, the XD-S remains a good choice for summer because it is still fairly easy to conceal. With a length of 6.3 inches, a height of 4.4 inches and a width of .9 inch, it actually compares pretty favorably with several of the previous inclusions. And you get an easy-to-shoot CCW that’s available in some beefier defensive calibers such as .40 S&W or .45 ACP.
Sights on the XD-S are quite good. The front is a fiber optic, and the dovetail rear sight is steel. The fiber optic up front is a great focal point that naturally draws the eye, and the clean, striker-fired trigger of the XD-S makes it easier to put rounds on target than many of the double-action guns on this list. And with MSRPs starting right at $500, your wallet can rest easy.
12. Bersa Thunder 380 CC First produced by the Argentina-based Bersa, S.A. back in 1995, the Thunder 380 has been a capable .380 ACP pistol for carry and personal defense for the past two decades and change. Eagle Imports, Inc. is the exclusive importer of Bersa handguns in the U.S., and today’s crop of Bersa Thunder 380s offer even more versatility than the original design.
One of the newer models perfectly suited as a summer concealed carry gun is the Thunder 380 CC (Concealed Carry), which is itself available in several different models. The nice thing about any of the CC models is that they are lighter than the standard Thunder 380, coming in at 16.4 ounces instead of the usual 20 ounces or so.
Most people, even just by looking at it, can see the visual similarities between the Thunder 380 and Walther’s classic PPK pistol. The nice thing about Bersa’s gun is that it generally sells for much less than the Walther PPK, something you’re sure to appreciate if you’re on a budget. This is especially true if you’re just looking for summer carry guns.
The Thunder 380 CC has a capacity of 8+1, and the gun has an overall length of 6 inches, a height of 4.6 inches and a width of 1 inch on the dot. The sights, which consist of a simple fixed notch rear and fixed front blade, could be better, but all in all, the Thunder 380 CC is a great choice for its relatively easy concealment, decent shootability and proven reliability.
Photo by Jeff Jones.
13. Walther Arms PPS M2 Released in 2016, the PPS M2 is an upgrade to Walther’s earlier PPS, which debuted publicly in 2007. A few changes were made on the PPS M2, but probably the two most notable were the addition of a new, ergonomic grip similar to that found on the Walther PPQ line of pistols and the use of a more traditional thumb-activated magazine release instead of the European-styled ambidextrous paddle release on the PPS.
Dimensionally, however, the guns remain almost identical. Both have an overall length of 6.3 inches, a height of 4.4 inches and a width of 1 inch. The new M2 version is about 4/10ths of an ounce lighter, but that’s pretty negligible.
The PPS M2 uses three-dot metal sights and has a 6.1-pound trigger pull with a minimal amount of travel and a short, distinctive reset. Chambered in 9mm, the PPS M2 offers a capacity of six or seven rounds.
At 21.1 ounces empty, like the XD-S, it’s one of the heavier guns on this list, but it too remains highly concealable. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter and are willing to slide down to .380 ACP, Walther’s PK380 at 18 ounces empty is another quality German option. With a difference of about 3 ounces, though, I’d be hard pressed not to go the 9mm route with the PPS M2.
The PPK is another option, and I feel obligated to mention it here because it’s a model that has influenced handgun design a great deal, particularly as it relates to .380 ACP and other small, micro-style pistols. I didn’t include it on this list because it is a little heavy in comparison to some of the other .380s mentioned at 22.1 ounces empty. It’s also a bit more expensive than some of the other .380 models. It appears in some respects with the inclusion of the Bersa Thunder 380, and again here as a sort of honorable mention.
Parting Shots So, that’s it. Those are 13 of the best summer carry guns currently available to shooters, along with a few alternatives thrown in for good measure.
This is by no means THE comprehensive list of the absolute best summer carry guns. Many other options exist out there that are still plenty serviceable. If you think there’s been an important omission or if your favorite is missing, feel free to sound off in the comments.
The 9mm Luger has always been a widely used cartridge ever since its introduction in 1902, and it remains highly popular among American shooters.
Why is the 9mm America’s most popular handgun caliber?
The 9mm’s popularity has sky rocketed, offering shooters a high-powered round that is still manageable.
Married to the most popular military sidearm in the world, the Browning Hi-Power, the acceptance of the versatile German cartridge soon spread.
More recently, the 9mm has become a popular concealed carry caliber, due to even new shooters being able to master the most important factor to defensive shooting in pistols chambered for it — shot placement.
Affordability, wide selection of guns and solid ballistics all continue to make the 9mm the most shot round in the country.
While there may be better cartridges for some situations, none have the winning combination of power, accuracy and economy exhibited by the 9mm Luger. When handgun and ammunition sales are rung up, shooters vote with their hard-earned dollars, and after all these years, the Nine wins the popularity contest.
It remains much more popular than the .40 and the .45. The .40 S&W is a compromise caliber but doesn’t seem to have won many converts outside of police work, and that position has been seriously eroded. The .40’s snappy recoil in compact handguns is one reason for its loss in popularity. Another is that the 9mm is practically as effective as the .40 given the new breed of highly developed 9mm ammunition.
The 9mm is a high-powered handgun cartridge — there is no doubt about that, but it isn’t a cartridge that demands a burly he-man to control it. Slightly built shooters and female shooters have no problem with the 9mm when proper technique is applied. The caliber is so popular that it is being offered in handguns that once were bastions of the .45. Ruger’s introduction of the SR1911 9mm has been met with great applause and expectation. This handgun is easy to shoot well and accurate. An aluminum-frame 1911 is easy to carry all day and the lightweight Ruger 9mm doesn’t kick much compared to the lightweight .45. Yet, with modern loads, the 9mm has real authority. Even the .38 Super has lost a portion of its limited popularity with the improvement of the 9mm Luger.
The 9mm has come a long way since its introduction as a German service cartridge in 1902. The German Luger was used extensively in World War I, and the first submachine guns were chambered for the 9mm Luger cartridge.
Introduced in 1935, the Browning Hi-Power went on to become the single most popular service pistol in the world. The armed forces of over 100 nations acquired the Browning, all in 9mm Luger chambering. After World War II the allies had excellent 9mm SMGs in the form of the Sten and Sterling, and others were developed. The 9mm Luger became the 9mm NATO cartridge in due course.
Along the way there have been certain milestone handguns that made the popularity of the 9mm handgun inevitable. The ascendency of the Browning Hi-Power handgun is one milestone. Another is the adoption of the 9mm Luger cartridge by Poland for use in their Radom pistol. This is to the best of my knowledge the first instance of the adoption of the service cartridge of an enemy nation based purely on performance. The Walther P38 was a highly influential 9mm handgun. The allies were so impressed with the P38 that eventually the United States adopted a highly modified P38 pistol in the form of the Beretta 92. Today, the Beretta A3 variant is the current service pistol, and by all indications will continue to serve well into the next decade. (Editor’s Note: Following the results of the Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS) competition this year, it looks like SIG’s P320 will be the next service handgun)
It is also a good cartridge for concealed-carry handguns. It is controllable in a handgun of 21 ounces or more. In compact pistols such as the Glock 19, the cartridge is downright docile. A steel-frame pistol such as the Browning Hi-Power or CZ 75 offers brilliantly fast recovery from recoil. The 9mm is easily controlled in the larger pistols and never becomes a bear even in subcompacts.
Even shooters who later will move on to heavier calibers should begin with the 9mm Luger cartridge. I have seen a number of students come to my shooting classes with a handgun that recoils too much. A new student will likely become discouraged or develop a flinch that is difficult to train away. The single most important component of combat marksmanship is shot placement. The typical beginning shooter is well served with the 9mm. If you insist on a larger caliber you should learn to use a full-size-frame handgun if you choose the .45, or a Glock 22-size if you choose the .40 caliber. If the pistol is too heavy, you will not carry it — and if it kicks too much you will not practice with it.
There are several more reasons why the 9mm remains so popular.
Economy It isn’t unusual to see special deals on the price of 9mm Luger ammunition. Full-metal-jacket (FMJ) loads are commonly available at good prices. Just check the ammo section of Cheaper Than Dirt!, Midsouth Shooters Supply, Brownells or Cabela’s for bargains. Sale prices for 9mm FMJ is often half the price of comparable .40- and .45-caliber loads. Even premium defensive ammo is less than the larger calibers. On average, my recent searches indicate that ammunition can be found in 500-round quantities for the average price of 350 rounds of comparable .45 ACP cartridges. This means more practice. Yet, it is the larger caliber that demands more practice ammunition to master! Use the logic ladder.
The Guns Some of the finest handguns in the world are chambered in 9mm Luger caliber. These include the SIG P226, Beretta 92, HK VP9 and the Glock 19. They are famously reliable and accurate. Even inexpensive pistols such as the Canik T 100 will get the job done, simply with a little less style. In compact carry guns, the Smith and Wesson Shield, Glock 26 and Springfield XD are excellent choices. This year has seen the introduction of the Ruger SR1911, the Honor Defense Honor Guard and the Arex Rex Zero, all of which exhibit excellent quality.
Ballistics This is the big question. Despite some pretty strange statements and non-standard science, the 9mm cannot produce a wound equal to the .45 ACP, given similar bullet technology. The .40 S&W and the .357 Magnum give superior results in testing. But then the 9mm can be enough with the proper load, and that is the bottom line. A loading with good quality control and cartridge integrity is the first choice. Every maker doesn’t have the same quality control, primer seal and case mouth seal, and especially bullet technology. The loading must maintain the balance of expansion and penetration. This means adequate penetration must not be compromised. This means 12 inches of water or gelatin. (Law enforcement, with the need to penetrate barriers and vehicles, needs more penetration.) It has enough energy to maintain high-velocity penetration and expansion.
No, the 9mm isn’t my choice for defense against a pack of feral dogs or a bear, but for most personal defense situations, the 9mm has the necessary power with proper loads to get the job done. And the best loads mean a lot! The 9mm FMJ loads we use for practice are poor defensive loads, but then few of us deploy a FMJ load if we have a choice. Good control, accuracy and a good balance of expansion and penetration work. As an example, Hornady recently introduced a 124-grain XTP +P load in the American Gunner line. This loading is affordable and offers excellent performance from my personal testing. Also, Winchester offers the PDX in 124-grain +P that offers excellent wound ballistics.
If you prefer not to use a +P loading, there are a number of standard loads that offer good performance. Black Hills Ammunition offers the EXP (Extra Power) loading that is as fast as possible in 9mm without going into +P territory. Performance is excellent. The SIG Sauer Elite 124-grain V Crown is also a good, fast load not +P rated. The Hornady Critical Defense 115 grain is another solid choice. Winchester’s Silvertip has been around for decades, although the newest version is considerably improved over the original. These loads all offer good performance, are readily available and exhibit excellent quality control. Federal’s 124-grain HST is another good choice. Federal recently introduced a low-recoil 150-grain HST specifically for use in compact 9mm handguns. Performance is interesting. While recoil is low, expansion is good.
The 9mm’s future? It is more popular than ever and is an excellent choice for personal defense — given a reliable handgun and intelligent ammunition choice.
We take it for granted that higher capacity pistols are the most logical choice for concealed carry, but are they really the best option for the majority of armed citizens?
Do you really need a higher capacity pistol for concealed carry?
For armed citizens, slim and light concealed carry pieces make more sense than carrying a full-sized, high-capacity handgun.
Smaller semi-automatics can be more difficult to truly master, given they are inherently more difficult to control shot to shot.
Women need to take into consideration how prepared they are to correct common malfunctions of semi-automatic pistols.
Revolvers clear away many of the technical hurdles of concealed carry firearms, but at the expense of capacity.
Overall, the revolver’s capacity is sufficient for the majority of self-defense situations and is an easy-to-carry and operate handgun.
Unlike police, civilians never intentionally move toward an assailant. In most cases, by the time deadly force becomes an unwanted option, the civilian has retreated. Civilians very rarely confront multiple assailants, and most of our encounters are at less than 3 yards, with 2.3 being the average number of shots fired. Our defensive firearm requirements are completely different from the needs of a sworn police officer, whose job is to intervene against criminal activity rather than simply defend against it. So why do so many citizens choose to arm themselves with higher capacity handguns that are more suited to police work than to their daily lives and requirements for personal defense?
Those of us who make the commitment to be capable of defending ourselves, rather than relying on society and hoping for the best, almost always choose a handgun as our primary choice. This is because carrying a handgun makes more sense than toting a tactical shotgun or carbine.
We know this choice is a compromise. A shotgun or rifle is almost always more effective in a fight than a handgun. We choose the handgun because we balance the threat against the convenience. Police carry handguns rather than shotguns or carbines for the same reasons.
Since our needs are different than the needs of sworn officers, doesn’t it make sense for civilians to arm themselves with firearms that match their needs rather than the needs of police officers?
In our shooting classes, we advocate our students choose firearms more in line with their lifestyles and the possible situations they might face. We don’t advocate carrying large-capacity, full-sized firearms, unless the person is exposed to a very high risk. We recommend our students choose a firearm that will interfere less with their daily lives, but is still up to the potential threats they may face.
In recent years, there have been several excellent choices in slim, concealable semi-auto carry guns. Guns like the S&W Shield and Springfield XDs offer a smaller and less burdensome choice.
They come in the same calibers as their larger, double-stack, service counterparts, with a reduction of about half the magazine capacity. They’re reliable, and have similar triggers and sights as their larger counterparts. They’re harder to shoot well, but far easier to conceal and more comfortable to carry.
But for many of our female students, operating the slide of the compact semi-autos is a difficult task. In a situation where a malfunction occurs, it would be a daunting task for them to get the gun cleared and running again during a life threatening situation.
Modern semi-autos are very reliable, but they do malfunction for various reasons, and under pressure individuals without extensive training can have trouble getting the gun going again. Let’s face it: Most civilians train very little. Having said that, these guns are very good and offer a viable option with power, concealability, and capability for a fast reload.
The smaller subcompacts are probably the smallest compromise of size and power. For women and others with weak hands, their small size can make them even more difficult to operate.
The standard chambering of .380 is generally considered borderline, but when concealability is the primary issue, they’re very good. Again, they generally have a capacity of six or seven shots and can be quickly reloaded.
Our number one choice — and the gun both my wife and I carry — is a compact five-shot revolver.
The modern five-shot, compact revolver is lightweight, sometimes weighing less than a loaded spare magazine for a full-size gun. Guns that are unobtrusive are more likely to be with you, and guns that carry like a boat anchor are more likely to be left at home.
A .25 ACP in your hand is more effective than a .44 magnum at home. Small guns are much easier to conceal than big ones, and the five-shot revolver is only slightly harder to conceal than the subcompact .380s.
The modern compact revolver is quite accurate out to 10 yards, 3 yards beyond the distance considered critical when facing an assailant who doesn’t have a gun. Remember, the average self-defense shooting confrontation occurs at less than 3 yards. Adding a laser sighting device aids in accuracy, and 70 percent of all defensive shooting situations happen in low-light conditions.
While there are more powerful firearms available, modern defensive ammunition in .38 Special +P and .357 Magnum are viable stoppers. Compact revolvers are among the most reliable repeating firearms in history, and if a round doesn’t fire, you simply pull the trigger again.
I doubt there are many who read this who have more experience in daily carry of a firearm than Chris Cerino. You may know Chris from Top Shot, or from Gun Talk and Guns and Gear on TV.
Chris has spent his entire adult life as a sworn officer, park ranger, police officer, and Federal Air Marshal and Air Marshal Trainer. Chris’ life has been spent carrying a gun and assessing threats.
He’s spent the last 12 years of his life teaching other law officers, military, and civilians how to shoot. His everyday carry gun is a S&W 642 five-shot .38 Special revolver.
In writing this, there’s no doubt there are many who’ll scoff and say five or six shots from a small mid-caliber revolver or semi-automatic is hardly sufficient to stop a determined assailant, and that only a large-caliber, large-capacity semi-auto is a reliable defense firearm. Few of those would argue a shotgun wouldn’t do a better job than the handgun, but of course it isn’t convenient to carry a shotgun everywhere.
Police officers, whose lives are on the line every day, are willing to compromise and carry a double-stack full-sized semi-auto instead of a shotgun or carbine. Doesn’t it make sense for an ordinary citizen who lives a peaceful life to compromise down to a smaller, less obtrusive gun with less magazine capacity?
Get the most out of your tactical shotgun with these easily installed and affordable upgrades that are certain to make your smoothbore even more effective.
What are some great tactical shotgun upgrades to increase performance in your scattergun?
To truly harness the potential of your tactical shotgun, an improved sighting system is required.
A shell carrier is a must to manage your tactical shotgun’s spare ammo and keep it at hand.
Adding a flashlight to your tactical shotgun can be tricky, but there are a slew of mounting options that make it easy.
A stock buttstock just won’t cut it with a tactical shotgun; get something that will give you supreme control over your smoothbore.
When it comes to defending your hearth and home, few firearms beat the tried-and-true shotgun. The age-old weapon is as versatile as it is devastating, and in a close-quarters defensive situation, there isn’t much that can outgun it. Typically, shotguns are ready to protect you and yours right out of the box. But like all defensive arms, there are a few tweaks here and there that can make the deadly scattergun even more effective. So, without further ado, here are 4 Must-Have Tactical Shotgun Upgrades.
Sights
First and foremost, you have to get on target — accurately. And for the most part, that good old factory-installed brass bead can be used with good effect, as proven by so many police shotguns that are so equipped, but there are even better choices
Ghost ring sights are generally the preferred sighting system for shotguns, giving users extremely fast target acquisition and transition capabilities, not to mention enhanced accuracy. They also elevate a smoothbore’s medium-range effectiveness quite nicely.
Luckily, many modern tactical models already come outfitted with them. If your particular shotgun does not, or you’re looking to upgrade, there are many solid options on the market. Manufacturers such as Vang Comp Systems and XS Sight Systems, for instance, offer models with much more functionality, including fully adjustable rear aperture and tritium inserts for the front sight. On top of that, they’re winged, protecting the sights themselves and preventing them from getting snagged on gear.
Like all the shooting world, red-dot optics have infiltrated the realm of shotguns — for good reason. They plain work in ensuring payload meets target. Of course, opting for something such as an AimPoint Micro T-1 or a Meprolight Mepro-21 will run a considerable amount more than iron sights. But they can be well worth the money. Peace of mind that you’ll send a slug or buckshot exactly where the dot lands is priceless.
Shell Carrier
The typical, unaltered shotgun holds five to six rounds in its magazine, so spare shells are a must. But managing this extra ammunition can be among the greatest challenges for smoothbore operators. Shotshells, after all, might be some of the most unwieldy of all modern ammo. Side carriers are the most logical and efficient solution to this problem. Mounted directly on the receiver, the rigs can, in some cases, put as many as eight shells in sight and within reach. Mesa Tactical and TacStar provide some of the most popular models available today, at relatively affordable prices.
While practical, side carriers might not suit every shooter. For those who frown upon the ideal of toting ammo on their receiver, buttstock carriers are the way to go. The fabric sleeves are easy to install, are typically inexpensive and abound. BLACKHAWK!, Uncle Mike’s and many other manufacturers offer excellent options and can dang near be found at any gun or outdoor retailer.
Lights
Being able to see what you’re shooting at is an obvious must for a defensive weapon. And given the likelihood of having to confront an intruder or protect your family in the dark, a light source would be a pretty dang good idea. Tactical shotguns can be a bit trickier than tactical rifles to outfit with a flashlight, given they usually don’t come with M-Lok or KeyMod real estate. But there have been a number of innovative solutions over time allowing shotgunners to light up their guns.
For those who run pump actions, SureFire has one of the most intriguing lighting upgrades — the DSF Series Forend Weaponlight. The forend replacement comes with a built in SureFire flashlight and easily accessible controls, completely integrating into the existing platform. The drawback is the DSF is a hefty investment.
Those who are a bit thriftier when it comes to upgrades might look at a plain-old flashlight mount or rail addition. GG&G offers a handy rail mount that installs directly to the forend that also includes sling mount. It is simple and nicely designed to offer plenty of functionality, especially because it allows you to run a pressure switch. CDM Gear also has a nifty system that attaches between the barrel and magazine. This allows the user to move his light much more forward on his weapon, but does somewhat limit remote-control possibilities.
Stock
Shotgun stock systems have come a long way in recent years, and upgrades are typically a vast improvement from the factory installs. They are more adjustable to the user’s frame, thus making scatterguns more intuitive to use. They offer better grip designs, in turn improving control. And they’re engineered to mitigate recoil, just plain making the smootbores more accurate on follow-up shots.
There is a whole array of options out there to fit your personal preferences. Magpul’s SGA Buttstock offers a bit of a more traditional style, but with the advantage of an enhanced grip and the option of a cheek riser. And while more set in size (there are two lengths to choose from), Hogue Overmolded Stocks are a sturdy conventional option and come with an ample buttpad to tame the thump.
For those searching for a true tactical feel to their shotgun, it’s hard to beat Fab Defense’s M4 Buttstocks. As the name suggests, they are modeled after the M4 carbine’s adjustable buttstock, and so can be tailored to any frame. On top of that, they feature a pistol-style grip that is just the ticket in gaining supreme control over a scattergun.
Want to get the most out of your .30-06 Springfield loads? Check out these tips for handloading this classic hunting cartridge.
What are some basic tips to keep in mind when reloading the .30-06 Springfield?
The .30-06 Springfield remains one of the most versatile hunting calibers, and there are loads of options when it comes to handloading.
The .30-06 will run on many powders, but the author prefers the slower-burning options, such as IMR4350 and Reloder 19 and 22
The author trims all cases, even new brass, to the .30-06’s standard case length of 2.494 inches
There are many pet handloads out there that will produce good results, but one of the most versatile involves 180-grain bullets (Sierra ProHunter or Swift A-Frame) atop 54.5 grains of IMR4350
The .30-06 Springfield remains one of our most popular hunting cartridges, even 110 years after its introduction. It’s a cartridge that can effectively use the full gamut of .30-caliber bullets, and, as you’ll soon see, is rather easy to load for.
There is plenty of good .30-06 brass on the market, even when times are tough, and .30 caliber is one of our most popular. While the .30-06 has been produced in just about every action form conceivable, from single shots to autoloaders to pumps, the bolt actions are the most popular.
If you’re loading for a bolt gun or single shot, you may take full advantage of the neck sizing technique, but for the autoloaders, slides and any other action, you need to full-length resize your brass.
How To Get Started Reloading A good set of dies, such as the RCBS full-length resize and seater dies, and an RCBS No. 3 shellholder, will do almost everything you need. The .30-06 runs on a standard large rifle primer, like the CCI200 or Federal No. 210, though I actually prefer the Federal Gold Medal Match GM210 primer.
The ’06 has a case length of 2.494 inches, and I trim all my brass to that length — even the new stuff (some new brass will actually run a touch long) — and I give all the case mouths a good chamfer and deburring.
For powder choices, the Ought-Six will run on a multitude of powders, from the faster burning powders in the IMR3031 range, to the mediums like IMR4064, IMR 4451 and Reloder 15, to the slower burning IMR4350 and Reloder 19 and 22. The last group of powders is where I’ve found the best velocity and accuracy with most bullets. I like Federal and Norma cases for most of my loads.
The .30-06 Springfield is still the benchmark of the .30-caliber cartridges. It will push the 125- and 130-grain bullets over 3,200 fps without much difficulty, yet the heavy-for-caliber 220-grain slugs will still leave the muzzle at 2,500 fps.
Like I said, the ’06 isn’t a difficult prospect to reload. I’d like to share some of my favorite loads, some that have proved themselves in more than a few different rifles.
Disclaimer I’m going to put this out there now, and you’ll see it many times in my column: Regardless of the load data I share with you, you must start at the bottom of the load data in your reloading manual and work your way up slowly, looking for pressure signs. You can’t just hop in at the data listed; it may not work well in your rifle, and all barrels are different.
Favorite Handloads With a 125-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, a perfect choice for coyotes and other varmints, I like to seat it over 55.0 grains of Alliant Reloder 15, for 3,275 fps. The Nosler Ballistic Tip is an accurate, if frangible, bullet, and this load has printed ¾ MOA in many rifles.
The 150-grain bullet makes a good long-range choice for the ’06, especially with a premium bonded-core bullet. The Swift Scirocco II is one of my favorites, having a good, long ogive and an effective boat tail, in addition to a nice polymer tip to enhance the BC, often having a retained weight of 85-90 percent.
Seat that Scirocco to 3.340 inches (the maximum Cartridge Overall Length for the .30-06) over top of 61.0 grains of Reloder 19 for 2,950 fps and a rather flat-shooting combination. This makes an excellent deer/sheep/antelope load.
The 165-grain bullets make a great all-around choice for most of our North American hunting, as well as a great African plains game bullet, if properly constructed. I’ve used a couple with good results.
The Sierra Game King boat tail hollowpoint is a fantastic bullet for deer, bear and elk. I know, you’re thinking hollowpoint, and therefore extremely frangible, but the Sierra bullet has a thick jacket and is capable of handling even magnum impact velocities. I’ve used it on deer for years in a number of .30-caliber cartridges with nothing but fantastic results. It has shined in the .30-06 on top of 55.0 grains of IMR-4350, with a CCI200 primer, giving an even 2,700 fps at the muzzle and sub-MOA accuracy in a number of rifles.
The 165-grain Nosler Partition is another favorite in the .30-06, and when mated with 57.0 grains of Reloder-19, sparked by a Federal GM210M primer, it makes a good choice for deer, elk and much of the African plains game. I’ve measured it at 2,725 fps to 2,750 fps, depending on the rifle, and it’s really hard to argue with the performance of the Nosler Partition.
The 180-grain bullets are the staple in the .30-06, and there are a ton to choose from. I’ve used a pair that actually worked very well with the same powder charge.
The Sierra 180-grain ProHunter, a flat-based spitzer, and the 180-grain Swift A-Frame, a flat-based semi-spitzer with a partition and a bonded core, both gave great accuracy and good velocity when sitting atop a load of 54.5 grains of IMR4350 and ignited by a Federal 210 primer. The Sierra came out at 2,650 fps, while the Swift A-Frame came into the world at 2,680 fps. This combination could easily account for 95 percent of the world’s game, and that’s one of the beautiful features of the .30-06 Springfield.
For heavier game, the 220-grain slugs make a good choice, especially at short to medium ranges. The .30-06 can push the heavy bullets up to 2,500 fps, but I found the accuracy at 2,400 fps on the button. A Hornady 220-grain round-nose InterLock over 52.0 grains of Reloder 19 gave groups of just under one-inch at 100 yards. Not too shabby for such a big slug, and good for just about anything you’d use a .30-caliber rifle for.
Final Considerations While there are those that would argue with me, I don’t crimp bullets for the .30-06 unless I’m loading for a semi-automatic; I feel there’s enough neck tension to keep things in place. If you want to crimp, you can set the RCBS seater die up to give a good roll crimp, but be sure your bullet has a cannelure, or you’ll damage the bullet and have some serious feeding issues.
I get one dummy cartridge setup to the proper seating depth, loosen the seater plug, and screw the die body lower, in small increments, until I see the crimp I want. I then use the dummy cartridge to help set the seater plug depth once again.
One last caveat: There are many good sources for military ’06 brass on the market, but be careful when using them; the military stuff has a thicker case wall, and therefore a smaller combustion chamber, and it will reach higher pressure with less powder when compared to the commercial cases.
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the May 2016 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nation’s history. The most widely accepted figure estimates 620,000 men lost their lives in the four years of war. However, new research pegs it higher at 750,000, even 850,000. Even on the low estimates, the number of American dead from this single conflict was massive, and was not equaled in combined death toll of all other American wars until Vietnam.
Disease in an era before antibiotics was the main culprit to these horrendous figures, more than 2 percent of the country’s population then. But weaponry advancements also played a large role. More accurate firearms, able to be fired at a higher rate, combined with outdated military tactics to pulverize vast swaths of men in the blue and the gray. To get a better handle on exactly why this seminal war was as bloody as it was, here are the 8 Long Guns You Have to Know from the American Civil War.
Springfield Model 1861
The first mass-produced American rifled musket, the 1861 was the most utilized long arm of the Civil War. The rifled musket was the dominant military long-gun design of the day and, as its name suggests, was a stepping stone between the musket and rifle. Like the musket, the projectile was smaller than the bore, allowing for fast loading, even when the arm was fouled with black-powder residue. But unlike previous iterations of the musket, the bore was rifled, which allowed the Model 1861 and its ilk to take full advantage of a deadly new technology — the Minié ball.
The conical projectile, developed by French Army officer Claude-Etienne Minié in 1849, delivered before then unheard-of accuracy to military long guns. Captain James H. Burton improved the American Minié ball fired by the Springfield by hollowing the base of the soft-lead bullet. This allowed the projectile to expand upon firing and take hold of the rifling, and in turn stabilize and be truly accurate. Both Union and Confederate armies used this accuracy to devastating effect, flinging the .58-caliber, 500-grain Minié balls at each other from up to 500 yards out. Engagements, however, generally happened at much closer range, making the 1861 all the more deadly.
The 9-pound, 40-inch-barreled Model 1861 was also a more reliable weapon than preceding military arms through the use of percussion caps. Despite these improvements, the Springfield’s rate of fire was similar to a musket’s, around three aimed shots per minute. Good thing, too, because battlefield surgeons already had their hands more than full at the pace soldiers were being wounded and killed by the Model 1861.
Pattern 1853 Enfield
Considered by many to be the premier Minié-style rifled musket of the day, the Pattern 1853 Enfield could readily outperform its counterparts on the battlefield. The British-made arm, the primary long gun of the Empire at the time, proved effective out to 900 yards, 400 yards farther than almost any other rifled musket in the Civil War. While both sides used the 1853, it was a particularly important arm in Confederates’ hodgepodge arsenal. Given the South’s smaller manufacturing base compared to the North, it was imperative it import arms.
England became one of the Rebels’ main arms dealers, with a number of small private gunmakers from around London and Birmingham supplying up to 350,000 Pattern 1853s. This was not Britain’s first go-around with a rifle bound to shoot Minié-style projectiles. Instead, the .58-caliber rifle (it shot a .577-caliber Minié ball) was an improvement on larger-bore predecessors. The rifled musket had a 39-inch barrel attached to a walnut stock by three barrel bands, leading it to be called an “Enfield three band” by some. The rifle was used as early as the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 and was a staple long gun through to the final battles of the war.
The Lorenz Rifle (again a rifled musket of the Minié variety) had highly mixed reviews in the Civil War. The Austrian-made firearm was used by both sides and was considered by some to be superior to the 1853 Enfield. To others, they were next to trash. At the root of the wide chasm in opinion on the Austrian Empire’s service arm appears to be manufacturing standards of the fairly complex weapon. If well made, it was well regarded. But there were plenty of examples of poorly crafted Lorenzs, as historian Joseph Bilby has noted:
“The 125th Illinois was issued Austrian rifle-muskets in .58 caliber of ‘which not over one-half were perfect…many will not explode a cap.’ The 125th’s regimental historian complained that some of the Austrian guns’ nipples ‘were not entirely drilled out,’ and some could not mount a bayonet without hammering it on. The 130th Illinois reported that ‘one-third or three-eights of these arms [Austrian] are defective.’”
The Lorenz was a bit like playing craps, if craps entailed being killed if the dice were faulty. Nevertheless, the rifles were heavily imported with an estimated 350,000 making their way into the hands of both Union and Confederate soldiers.
Christian Sharps’ falling-block still stirs the hearts of marksmen today. And why not? Not only is the Sharps perhaps one of the most elegant rifles to come out of the Civil War era, it also performed. There are numerous accounts of Union soldiers connecting shots from just shy of 1,000 yards with the revolutionary Sharps. But it took some doing to get the rifle variation into the hands of the 1st and 2nd Regiments of U.S. Sharpshooters. It is said Gen. Hiram Berdan had to circumvent his superiors and essentially appeal to President Lincoln himself to get the Sharps in play.
The Sharps Carbine, on the other hand, had no such problems. The firearm was the most used carbine of the war and the most commonly carried by Union cavalry, with some 90,000 produced. The .52-caliber’s self-contained cartridges could be easily loaded on horseback, giving a mounted soldier a weapon that had an effective rate of fire of 8 to 10 shots a minute. Shooting 475-grain bullets, that’s a lot of lead down range. The Sharps continued to make history after the war. Chambered in the powerful .45-70 Government, the rifle was the choice of many commercial buffalo hunters on the American frontier. And it can still be found harvesting game today.
Similar to the Pattern 1853, this was another British import the Confederates relied upon, mainly their sharpshooters. And it might be one of the most unique long-gun designs of the war, and perhaps overall firearms history. That is, if you consider a gun designed to fire hexagonal bullets a bit odd. Sir Joseph Whitworth was the man behind the machine, inspired by cannon design in conceiving his polygonal rifled long gun. His goal was to build a replacement for the Pattern 1853. He certainly built a gun that outperformed it, at one trial striking targets at 2,000 yards, 600 yards better than the Enfield. Despite the rifle’s impressive capabilities the British military did not adopt the .451-caliber Whitworth.
Serendipitously, Sir Whitworth found another market for his rifle at the outset of the American Civil War — the Confederates. Despite somewhat limited use, the muzzleloader still reached mythological status with Rebel sharpshooters who achieved some truly astounding shots with the rifle, and in the process struck terror into Union troops. Prohibitive cost, however, stymied wider adoption. Where a domestically produced rifle would cost around $25, a cased Whitworth with 1,000 rounds of ammunition would cost a stunning $1,000.
Spencer Repeating Rifle/Carbine
In a conflict dominated by muzzleloaders and single-shot rifles, the Spencer Repeating Rifle had to have seemed like a godsend. With seven rounds of .56-56 Spencer rimfire on tap, the rifle delivered overwhelming firepower for the time. While perhaps not as fast between shots as other repeaters that made their appearance in the Civil War — it had to be manually cocked — the Spencer was perhaps the most reliable. Christopher Spencer’s design limited the chance of dirt and other obstructions from rendering the carbine non-functional, an important feature for a rifle bound for battle. The tubular magazine in the buttstock was quick on the reload too, particularly with the aid of a Blakeslee cartridge tube, which made its appearance later in the war.
While mainly a Union firearm, a few did fall into the hands of the Confederates. And despite its overall popularity with the troops, few of the rifle variation made it into their hands. Only 13,000 Spencer rifles were purchased by the Union. The Spencer carbine, on the other hand, was widely utilized, with around 90,000 being produced for the war effort. Behind the Sharps, it was the most used cavalry carbine of the war.
Besides being known for his poor generalship, stylish facial hair and being the first president of the NRA, Ambrose Burnside was also a firearms innovator. In the early 1850s, Burnside resigned his military commission to work exclusively on his breech-loading carbine design. The .54-caliber turned out to be a boon for the Union cavalry, giving them a quick-to-reload firearm, built to withstand the trials of battle.
The single-shot rotating-block carbine utilized one of the breakthrough firearms technologies of the time — the self-contained cartridge. Though, its strange conical-shaped cartridge could occasionally get stuck in the breech after firing. Even with this flaw, the Burnside went on to become the third most used carbine of the war, behind the Sharps and Spencer, seeing action in nearly every battle in the conflict. The rifle potentially had another downside however. It is suggested by some that the Burnside Carbine was what vaulted Burnside the man to the upper ranks of the Union Army and on to debacles in the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of the Crater.
The “rifle that you could load on Sunday and shoot all week long” was a boon to the soldier who could get his hands on one. But there were relatively few that did. Officially, less than 2,000 of the revolutionary, lever-action repeating rifles were procured by the Union. But the Henry made its way into Civil War lore through soldiers spending their own hard-earned pay on the brass-receiver beasts. Some Confederates got a hold of Henry rifles too, but faced the same problem they did when they captured a Sharps or a Spencer — ammunition. Once they shot what they had on hand, there was no way to replenish their supplies, given the ammo manufacturers were based in the North.
With 16+1 rounds of .44 Henry rimfire ammunition on tap, the rifle would have been money well spent. As with the Spencer, it provided overwhelming firepower in a conflict dominated by muzzleloaders. But the 24-inch, 9-pound brainchild of Benjamin Henry did have its weak points. Its external tubular magazine could get fouled or damaged, which was trouble for a weapon that’s advantage was rate of fire. And the .44 round was relatively weaker compared to the dominant repeater of the time, the Spencer. But even with those drawbacks, it’s hard to argue that a soldier with a Henry in his hands didn’t have a great advantage over nearly any enemy he met.
The classic Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum is a stunning piece with an intriguing history, and it’s still a very popular item with collectors.
What makes the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum so collectable?
Introduced in 1935 and built on the large N-Frame, Smith & Wesson’s .357 Magnum was a classic revolver
Highly collectable, the .357 Magnum models are those produced before S&W introduced its numbering system in 1957
Registered .357 Magnum revolvers are the most valuable, with values ranging from $7,500 to $10,000, or more, depending on who owned them
With an intriguing history and a variety of models, the .357 Magnum will likely continue to be a desirable collector’s item
When the .38 Special cartridge was introduced in 1902 it was a considerable improvement over the earlier black-powder .38s of the 1870s — the .38 Long Colt and .38 Smith & Wesson. The .38 Special was a well-balanced, all-around cartridge and quickly became popular with law enforcement and the military, as well as with civilian shooters. Before long it became the standard to which all other revolver cartridges were compared.
For much of the 20th century, any time you saw a revolver on a policeman’s belt, it was a probably a .38 Special. But there were exceptions. By the early 1930s, the automobile began to change life in the U.S. Unfortunately, among these changes was a surge in bank robberies, with the bad guys making their getaways in fast cars. Lawmen saw a need for a more powerful cartridge than the .38 Special, something that could penetrate the steel doors and bodies of an automobile. This was not to replace the .38 Special but to give an option to lawmen in various agencies.
One option was the .38 Super in Colt’s 1911 semi-auto pistol. For several reasons, however, many in law enforcement had not yet accepted this great cartridge/gun combination. This was a time when the semi-auto was still not fully trusted, and the same could be said about expanding bullets in automatics (though the FMJ .38 Super penetrated auto bodies very well). But in the 1930s, the revolver was still king.
For several years, gun writers Elmer Keith, Philip Sharpe and others had been experimenting with powerful .38 Special handloads. Their results encouraged the engineers at Winchester’s ammunition division to take on the project, and by 1934, the .357 Magnum was born. By adding about a tenth of an inch to the case length of the .38 Special, velocity almost doubled to 1,515 feet per second for a 158-grain bullet out of an 8.375-inch barrel. The first handgun cartridge worthy of the name Magnum was a reality. It was an immediate success.
Now, for the gun to shoot it. The concept of a heavy-duty .38 Special was not new. In 1930, Smith & Wesson had introduced the .38/44 (.38 on a .44 frame) revolver, which was designed for high-pressure .38 Special loads. As the name suggests, the .38/44 was made on the large N-frame, which dated back to the .44 Hand Ejector Triple Lock of 1908. It was no surprise, then, when the .357 Magnum was built on the N-frame.
The cartridge and the Smith & Wesson revolver were both introduced in 1935, with the handgun given the same name as the cartridge. Essentially a custom-made, hand-fitted gun, it could be ordered with virtually any barrel length from 3½ to 8¾ inches. Standard features included adjustable rear and post front sights, blue or nickel finish and a checkered rib atop the barrel. Six different rear sights were available, and an interchangeable front sight blade was included for use with .38 Special ammunition.
Many of the first .357 Magnum models were registered in the name of the original owner and came with a certificate listing the serial number and any custom features. According to Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition (Gun Digest Books, 2016) by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas, it is believed that about 5,224 Registered .357 Magnums were made between 1935 and 1939, and 1,142 Non-Registered models were made between 1938 and 1941.
S&W .357 Magnum Gun Values The Registered .357 Magnum models are the most collectible of all Smith & Wesson revolvers today, and there is nothing to indicate that this is likely to change in the near future. Non-Registered .357 Magnums are also very much sought after by collectors, in part because fewer of them were made. Estimated values for Registered models in Very Good to Excellent condition with registration certificate and original box range from $7,500 to $10,000, and for Non-Registered guns from $4,500 to $7,500. New-In-Box models can demand $18,000 to $20,000. Of course, special models and celebrity-owned examples can go for much more. Elmer Keith’s personal prototype, for example, brought $28,750 at a James D. Julia Auction in 2015.
Most students of Smith & Wesson know that serial number 1 was presented to J. Edgar Hoover, the first Director of the F.B.I. This was in April of 1935. Currently, the location of this gun is a mystery, but in collector’s circles it is believed to still exist. What’s its value? One can only guess.
Among the rare features that can significantly increase the value of a .357 Magnum model is a nickel finish. It is believed that no more than 150 to 175 nickel guns were made. Some value estimates say these guns are worth double what blued models would bring. Special grips can also make a big difference. Less than 50 .357 Magnum revolvers are believed to have been shipped with factory ivory, pearl or stag grips. Factory engraved models are very rare; less than a dozen were made.
Keep in mind that before buying or selling any of the models mentioned here it is very important to obtain a letter of authentication detailing the features of the gun in question and when and to whom it was shipped. For more information, contact Smith-WessonForum.com, where you can download a form to use for the letter. Cost for this service currently is $75, which is money well spent.
The serial number range for the pre-war .357 Magnum revolvers started at 45756 and ended with 62489 in 1941 when the U.S. entered World War II. This range of numbers also includes those for other N-frame models. After the war, production resumed in 1946 with an “S” prefix added to the serial number at S71801. These early transitional post-war models of the .357 Magnum are quite collectible, especially those with longer barrel lengths.
Smith & Wesson made a few changes to the .357 Magnum in 1950, including the new short-throw hammer design. In 1957, the company went to a numbering system for each handgun, and the .357 Magnum became the Model 27. The name had changed, but it was still a beautiful example of the gunmaker’s art. When I was a young lad, I remember a photograph of a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum with a 3½-inch barrel in my early ’50s edition of Shooter’s Bible. I would frequently pick up the book and turn to the S&W section to look at the photo again and again. That was a gun!
Aimpoint is shooting to be the go-to red dot for wing and clay shooters with its shotgun-specific Micro S-1 sight.
What features make the Aimpoint Micro S-1 a great sight for shotguns?
The Aimpoint Micro S-1 is a red-dot sight built specifically for shotgun use.
It features a 6 MOA dot set in the bottom third of the sight, and uses very low mounts.
With this placement, it essentially acts as an electronic bead.
It mounts in a forward position on the vent rib of a large majority of shotguns.
As with other Aimpoints, the S-1 is parallax free and has many brightness settings.
Red-dot sights have definitely carved their niche in the shooting world.
From the ideal fast-acquisition aiming solution for mean-as-hell tactical rifles to just the right way to draw a bead on deer in suffocating thick timber, the handy electronic sights are just about perfect for all close-range work, except shooting birds on the wing. And now the red dot is shooting to gun that down as well.
The Aimpoint Micro S-1 is designed for use on the ventilated rib of a shotgun, and it aims to be the cutting-edge way to draw a bead on birds and clays. The Swedish company touts it as the ideal method to deal with cross-eye dominance, poor cheek welds and other shotgunning foibles. And there is some weight to that argument.
Like all of Aimpoint’s wares, the Micro S-1 is completely parallax free; in turn, it doesn’t matter where the red dot is in the sight, the shot will follow it exactly. This means no matter how the shooter’s head is positioned, as long as he keeps the dot on the lead — and follows through — he’ll put his pattern on target.
The S-1 is designed differently than what most have become accustomed to with red dots. The 6 MOA dot sits in the bottom third of the sight, for all intents and purposes recreating an electronic version of a physical bead. And it mounts extremely low on interchangeable base plates that make it compatible with the majority of shotgun makes and models. It is also meant to mount much more forward on the gun, again somewhat mimicking a physical bead.
Like traditional red dots, its has light intensity adjustment — 12 in this case — which makes it perfect for any shooting conditions, bright or dim. And being an Aimpoint, the high-strength aluminum body is water- and shock-resistant, so it’s ready for the most rugged hunts, no matter how deep into the duck marsh a hunter might push. The Micro S-1 should also be able to serve multiple roles, being just as comfortable for use on turkey and deer as on dove and duck.
Red dots have stormed every other corner of the shooting world, so it will be interesting to see how Aimpoint does with fowling pieces. Upland hunters and waterfowlers are a traditional bunch, after all. But maybe there are a few that want to be on the cutting edge and have the $804 lying around to give the Micro S-1 a run in the field.
The Mossberg Patriot in .270 Winchester conquers mule deer country.
Mossberg Patriot Review Snapshot:
With an MSRP of $421, the Mossberg Patriot is a highly affordable, field-ready rifle.
Equipped with Mossberg’s (2- to 7-pound) Lightning Bolt-Action (LBA) Trigger, the Patriot is highly accurate.
Other features include a Kryptek Highlander camo synthetic stock and 22-inch barrel.
Chambered in the classic .270 Win., this rifle proved plenty capable for mule deer.
A life of hunting is so often a war of attrition against a series of emotionally draining obstacles until, at long last, hustle and circumstance converge in distinct moments that will define not only the hunt, but also the hunter. So many times, despite our best efforts, that opportunity never arises, which only fuels the hunger that drives us in search of game. When a particular leg of our journey finally ends with meat for the table, a story has been written that will remain with us always.
I’d spent the entire month of September exhausting myself in pursuit of elk, to no avail. Then came first rifle elk season, which ended just the way it began, meatless. So crushing and consistent were the blows — like when another public land hunter walked into my set and drove off a nice 5×5 bull just before I could take the shot — that I began to question my why. Why am I out here? Why do I deprive myself of sleep, camp out in rainstorms, trek through double-black-diamond terrain, and go scouting in the truck at 4 a.m.? Driving down to the grocery store, or buying a side of beef off a local rancher, is a hell of a lot easier, and probably cheaper, too.
In the end, hunting is in my soul. I can’t shake it. So I did what I always do — I loaded up the truck, grabbed my rifle — a Mossberg Patriot in .270 Winchester, with Kryptek Highlander camo stock — and shooting bench, and went to get sighted in for Colorado’s mule deer season. As long as you’re fighting, there’s a chance. Focus on the process. Control what you can control. Failure isn’t going home empty handed; failure is giving up. Character is about what you do after you get knocked down.
Nothing gets me re-energized like the smell of gunpowder from a rifle that produces tight little clusters of punched paper. I call it “aromatherapy,” and it works every time. For one thing, the Patriot features Mossberg’s Lightning Bolt-Action (LBA) trigger, which is adjustable to between 2-7 pounds, breaks evenly and crisply, and is a huge part of the accuracy equation. The other major factor is the barrel, which on this rifle is 22 inches long, fluted and features a matte-blued finish. My first three rounds, which happened to come with Hornady’s 140-grain InterLock bullet in the American Whitetail lineup, produced a miniscule cluster of holes on the target, set 100 yards distant. Measuring less than .80 inch, that first group was a harbinger of great things to come for the Patriot and me.
Not only is the Patriot sleek and comfortable to shoot, it now comes in Kryptek’s Highlander camo. As much as I love a finely crafted wood stock, I’ve got to admit I’m a sucker for the pattern on this rifle. The Kryptek variant is also available in other standard calibers, including .243 Win., .30-06 Springfield, .308 Win. and .300 Win. Mag. Length of pull (13.75 inches) is a little long for my short stature (5 feet, 8 inches), but it was still manageable to shoot, and I did not experience any problem with recoil as a result. The rifle retails for an almost unbelievable $421, which is why the fine folks at Mossberg are never going to see this one again.
I topped the rifle with Leupold’s new VX-6 2-12x42mm CDS illuminated reticle scope, which retails for $1,559. I know, I know. That’s a lot of scope for a $400 rifle, but the old adage, you get what you pay for, is never more true than with premium glass. An absolute champion of low light, the VX-6 has an adjustable, push-button, red-dot illumination system that optimizes accuracy in any light. The Custom Dial System (CDS) turret allows you to send load data to the Leupold Custom Shop, which will build you a yardage-marked elevation turret for quick and easy ranging on targets. We included the scope in our annual Gear of the Year issue in 2016, because it really is that spectacular.
The Patriot comes with Weaver-style mounts, which have to be removed for use with Leupold’s Dual Dovetail bases and rings. It’s a simple swap: All you have to do is remove two Allen screws on each base, then install the new bases, which are Remington-700-style in the case of this Patriot rifle. Once the new bases are attached, Leupold rings are locked into place with a wooden dowel; you can then secure the scope with the top portion of the rings.
Loaded for Bear…and Muleys I put several other loads through the rifle, including Hornady’s 130-grain GMX and SST Superformance loads, as well as Federal’s 130-grain Fusion, 150-grain Nosler Partition, 130-grain Copper, and 140-grain Trophy Bonded Tip. The largest group came in at 1.10 inches, while the consistent average was well under the 1-inch standard. That’s pretty impressive, but highly expected from Federal and Hornady, two ammo manufacturers that never fail to impress.
While any of these loads would perform on mule deer, especially in the tried-and-true .270 Winchester, I opted for the 130-grain GMX when it came time to head afield. I’d never killed an animal with that load and I wanted to see whether it lived up to its billing. Not that it’s always necessary, but I personally feel most comfortable with a bullet that’s going to deliver premium accuracy, reliable expansion and incredible penetration, and solid copper will certainly do that. The GMX is a tipped copper-alloy bullet that leaves the barrel at 3,190 fps and in .270 Win. retains sufficient energy and manageable drop out to 450 yards.
The other load that happens to be one of my favorites is Federal’s Trophy Bonded Tip. I’ve seen it blow through shoulders, penetrate remarkably well and yet still retain a considerable portion of its mass. It’s a highly accurate round, features a bonded jacket/core, and solid rear shank for unparalleled penetration. When I work as hard as I do to find game, I don’t want to worry about the bullet coming apart or failing to penetrate through the vitals — a confidence I’ve gained in the Trophy Bonded Tip.
On to Greener Pastures I parked the truck and climbed over the first hill I came to. It was an unusually warm morning for late October, and before the sun ever crested the ridge to my back it was nearly 50 degrees in the high country. As I reached the top of the hill, my heart now beating in my chest, daylight crept across the blackened horizon. Cloud cover cast an extra layer of insulation upon the hill country and blocked out the stars. I knelt down amidst the sea of sage and watched as the world awakened.
As soon as there was enough light to make anything out, I spotted several does working the bottom of the valley below me onto the next hillside. I ranged them with my Swarovski 8×42 EL Rangefinding binos at 350 yards. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something that gets every deer hunter’s blood moving — running does. If there’s a running doe in the rut, there’s a buck not far behind.
Sure enough, a 4×4 came darting across the scene, does scattering in every direction. As quickly as it began, the buck disappeared over the horizon. My heart sank, but I forced myself to stay focused. Control what you can control. I crept closer, shrinking the gap between me and the remaining does down to 215 yards. I sat there for 15 minutes. Nothing happened.
Finally, thank God, he reappeared, working the hillside in a hyperactive frenzy. I quickly dug my Primos Trigger-Sticks tripod into the slope, located the buck in my scope, and prayed for just one pause in his erratic stride. He cleared two oak brush and, for a split second, stood still. I squeezed the trigger, heard the impact. The blast echoed down the valley. Clean press, clean hit. He darted off, maybe 20 yards, then dropped. Blood trailing wasn’t necessary, but there were enormous chunks of lung strewn about his escape route. I later discovered that the bullet had vaporized both lungs and blown the back of the heart off—pinpoint accuracy with phenomenal bullet performance.
I could hardly control my elation. The jagged road of disappointment had led me to this fine moment. Later, when my three sons were helping me field dress and skin the deer, my 9-year-old said, “Isn’t it amazing, Dad? It just takes one moment to turn everything around. And you never know when that’s going to be.” How right he was.
Parting Shots Maybe the best thing I can say about the Patriot in .270 Win. is that I’m buying it rather than sending it back. The trigger is not just good, but outstanding. Same with the barrel, which is a tack driver. It’s an unbeatable package for a rifle with a price tag south of $500. It’s everything you’d expect — and more — from the Mossberg name.
The Daniel Defense Wave 7.62 is the Georgia-based company’s first standalone suppressor, and one of the first in the industry to be entirely 3D printed.
Daniel Defense Wave 7.62 Snapshot:
Daniel Defense’s first suppressor, and one of the industry’s first major 3D-printed centerfire suppressors
Features a one-piece Inconel baffle/tube with advanced cascading baffle geometry
It utilizes no welds, which are some of the weaker points in traditional suppressors
Reduces sound by 30 dB in 5.56, 40 dB in .300 BLK
Available in quick-detach (QD) or direct-thread (DT) models
Rated for use with 5.56 NATO up to .300 Win. Mag.
It’s no secret that 3D printing technology has had an influence on the firearms industry. Whether used to rapidly produce prototypes of new products during the research and development phase or to create a finished product, 3D printing has become a key piece of technology for many in the business. This can clearly be seen with one of the newest pieces of gear to hit the market, the Daniel Defense Wave 7.62 3D printed suppressor.
Officially launched back at the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, the new Daniel Defense Wave 7.62 is created using a laser sintering 3D printing approach, which essentially means it uses a laser to fuse materials together and form the desired 3D shape. According to Daniel Defense, this is the same 3D printing approach often used to create parts for space rockets.
The Wave, which is Daniel Defense’s first standalone suppressor, has to be one of the first 3D-printed cans to be produced and offered by a well-known name in the industry. Others have produced 3D-printed suppressors in the past, including rimfire versions as well as a few for centerfire cartridges, but none, it seems, with the brand recognition of Daniel Defense.
The Daniel Defense Wave 7.62 features a one-piece Inconel baffle/tube that utilizes what the company refers to as an advanced cascading baffle geometry, which is designed to effectively attenuate sound. According to the manufacturer’s website, the suppressor reduces sound by around 30 dB with 5.56 NATO and by around 40 dB with .300 BLK.
One of the more interesting aspects of the Daniel Defense Wave’s 3D-printed design is that it removes the need for welds. Welds are typically some of the weakest points in traditional suppressor designs, so removing those could certainly improve durability.
The suppressor also comes equipped with the Acme Thread Quick-Clamping System, which clamps securely to a 17-4PH stainless steel muzzle device. The heavy acme threads on the muzzle device disrupt the buildup of carbon, allowing for easy removal of the can even after it’s been used extensively.
The new Daniel Defense Wave 7.62 3D-printed suppressor is rated from 5.56 NATO up to .300 Winchester Magnum. It weighs 17.2 ounces and is 7.6 inches long.
There are two models available. The quick-detach (QD) version is available for $1,157, while the direct-thread (DT) model is listed at $986.
More than just shooting off a bench rest, these AR-15 drills are meant to help you improve the handling of your rifle, along with your marksmanship.
The following AR-15 drills are just a few you can use to develop your shooting skills with an AR. These are drills I have used to improve my own shooting, and I’ve also used when instructing others. A benefit of these drills is that they offer a scoring mechanism, so you can keep track of your progress and evaluate your abilities. If you can meet the standards for a particular drill, you can consider your performance better than average, if not reasonably good.
Basic Prone This is a basic sight alignment and trigger control drill, one designed to reinforce the basic principles of marksmanship. When you first conduct this drill, run it at 50 yards. When you can complete the drill miss free at that distance, increase the range to 100 yards. (If you are shooting an AR with open sights, work at 25 and 50 yards.) Concentrate on the basics of your position, breathing, sight alignment and trigger control — and, at first, go at your own pace. There’s no reason to try to complete this drill within the time limit if you cannot complete it while taking all the time you need.
Start in the prone position with the rifle loaded and the safety on. At the start signal, fire one shot each at 10 different 2-inch Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C circles placed at 50 yards. Each hit is worth 10 points, and the goal is to get 10 hits — 100 points — within 60 seconds. Subtract 10 points for every miss and one point for every second over 60 seconds. Once you successfully complete the drill without any misses at the 50-yard range, move the targets out to 100 yards.
Practical Prone Drill The purpose of this drill is to establish that you can make precision shots at various ranges; you’ll have to compensate for bullet trajectory. This can be done by holding high or low, depending on how your rifle is sighted in. You can also click-in the trajectory compensation with the target turrets on your rifle scope or you might employ a ballistic reticle with additional aiming points for each distance.
You’ll need three Birchwood Casey 5½-inch Shoot-N-C circle targets, one each placed at 100, 200 and 300 yards. (If you are shooting an AR with open sights, adjust the distance to the targets to 50, 100, and 150 yards.) Start in the prone position with the rifle loaded and the safety on. You can use a bipod or sandbags as a front rest, but nothing but body parts as a rear rest.
At the start signal, fire one shot at the 100-yard target, two shots at the 200-yard target, three shots at the 300-yard target, and then four more shots at the 100-yard target. The goal is to obtain all 10 hits within 30 seconds for a total score of 100 points. Subtract 10 points for every miss and one point for every second over 60 seconds.
Regardless how your AR is sighted in, the bullet’s point of impact (POI) will be different than your point of aim (POA) at each range. The key to completing this drill within the time limit and obtaining hits at each range is to use the correct point of aim at each distance.
Basic Sitting Start in the seated position with the rifle loaded and the safety on. At the start signal, fire one shot each at 10 different Birchwood Casey 5½-inch Snoot-N-C circle targets placed at 100 yards. (If you are shooting an AR with open sights, restrict the maximum range to 50 yards.) Each hit is worth 10 points, and the goal is to get 10 hits within 60 seconds. Subtract 10 points for every miss and one point for every second over 60 seconds.
Practical Sitting Drill You’ll need 5½-inch Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C circle targets placed at 50, 75 and 100 yards. Start in the seated position with the rifle loaded and the safety on. At the start signal, fire one shot at the 50-yard target, two shots at the 75-yard target, three shots at the 100-yard target, and then four more shots at the 50-yard target. (If you are using an AR with iron sights, adjust the distance to the targets to 25, 50 and 75 yards.) The goal is to obtain all 10 hits (each hit is worth 10 points) within 30 seconds for a total score of 100 points. Subtract one point for every miss and one point for every second over 30 seconds.
Basic Kneeling Start in the kneeling position with the rifle loaded and the safety on. At the start signal, fire one shot each at 10 different 5½-inch Birchwood Casey Snoot-N-C circle targets placed at 75 yards. Each hit is worth 10 points, and the goal is to get 10 hits within 60 seconds. Subtract 10 points for every miss and one point for every second over 60 seconds.
Practical Kneeling Drill You’ll need 5½-inch Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C circle targets placed at 25, 50 and 75 yards. Start in the seated position with the rifle loaded and the safety on. At the start signal, fire one shot at the 25-yard target, two shots at the 50-yard target, three shots at the 75-yard target, and then four more shots at the 25-yard target. The goal is to obtain all 10 hits within 30 seconds for a total score of 100 points. Subtract 10 points for every miss and one point for every second over 30 seconds.
Basic Standing From the standing position, fire one shot each at 10 different 5½-inch Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C circle targets placed at 50 yards. Each hit is worth 10 points, and the goal is to get 10 hits within 60 seconds. Subtract 10 points for every miss and one point for every second over 60 seconds.
Practical Standing Drill You’ll need 5½-inch Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C circle targets placed at 25, 50, and 75 yards. Start in the standing position, either in the indoor or outdoor ready position, with the rifle loaded and the safety on. At the start signal, fire two shots at the 25-yard target, two shots at the 50-yard target, two-shots at the 25-yard target, two shots at the 75-yard target, and two more shots at the 25-yard target. The goal is to obtain all 10 hits within 30 seconds for a total score of 100 points. Subtract 10 points for every miss and one point for every second over 30 seconds.
V-DRILL You will need five Birchwood Casey Eze-Scorer TQ-19 (#37001) silhouette targets. Place one target at five yards, two at six yards and two at seven yards. The target array should form a “V,” with the five-yard target in the center flanked on each side by the 6- and 7-yards targets, about a foot separating the targets laterally.
Start with the rifle in the outdoor ready position with the safety on. At the start signal, engage the targets as follows:
Center target: two shots
Left 6-yard target: two shots
Center target: two shots
Right 6-yard target: two shots
Center target: two shots
Left 7-yard target: two shots
Center target: two shots
Right 7-yard target: two shots
Center target: two shots
You will fire 18 shots total, and the goal is to obtain a hit in the light-grey zone of each silhouette target with each shot. Take your total time and add five seconds for every miss and one second for every hit in the dark-grey zone. If you get 17 light-grey zone hits in 6.28 seconds, your score would be 11.28 seconds. A great score is 5.00 or less, a good score is 10.00 or less, and average is about 15.00.
The Ruger No. 1 rifle is a classic single-shot that has stood the test of time and continues to produce respectable accuracy.
Why is the Ruger No. 1 such a classic rifle?
In production since the 1960s, the Ruger No. 1 is a timeless classic that’s still relevant
The No. 1 is a modernized Farquharson with an internal hammer falling block action
A benefit of the No. 1’s design with tang safety is that it’s truly ambidextrous
Perfectly capable of sub-MOA groups, the No. 1 can still compete with the best of them
Available in numerous calibers, there’s a No. 1 rifle for almost any hunting task
It’s hard to imagine my sporting life without the invention of the Ruger No. 1 rifle. Although I received mine about 10 years after its formal introduction, looking at my gun rack, eight of them are still there standing tall. Granted, I use them all for varmint and small game hunting, so the calibers are mostly in the .20- to .22-caliber range. Nevertheless, they have all served me well and allowed me to experiment with some vintage wildcats. And the fact that it’s a single-shot has definitely added to the challenge of any of my hunts. I believe at the time I paid around $250 for my .22-250 Remington copy.
If we want to drop accolades on one person, it just has to be Bill Ruger, and as shooters, we have been lucky to have him on our side. Starting out in a small shop in Connecticut, he built an empire — not by following others — but by going out on his own with specialized designs, cartridge availability and having a natural insight on what sportsmen like you and I like to use in the field. We’ve all seen it in the magnum handguns, the famous M77 bolt action “classic” rifles and even Bill going out on a limb by introducing a Ruger shotgun in 20 gauge as his first scattergun out of the gate.
However, I firmly believe the single-shot rifle was the dearest to his heart. In his collection, he had a nice assortment of the classics — to wit, Sharps, Gibbs Farquharson, Westley-Richards — all of which gave him the idea to come up with a modern, under-lever single-shot with a price point to match that of the average hunter, now 50 years on the market. In the end, Ruger and his design team came up with a modernized Farquharson that, through its lifetime, was chambered for almost three dozen cartridges from the .218 Bee to the .458 Winchester Magnum and available in seven distinct models, not to mention special editions and the offshoot of the No. 1, which was the No. 3.
For field hunters, it’s a natural, especially for deep woods hunters. Many of us have been raised on the Winchester Model 94, and you know how that goes. Because of the thinness of the receiver, the gun is handy to carry while climbing over old blow downs, dodging bramble bushes and small saplings. The same is in the offering of the No. 1, especially if you choose a model with open sights, as the bulk of a mounted scope is absent on this type of gun.
Using the No. 1 Light Sporter for example, the barrel is a curt 22 inches; placing it on your shoulder negates any field carry, as the tip of the barrel rarely goes over the top of your cap, making walking easy. Interesting to note is that because the No. 1 is devoid of a long, bolt-type action, my Model 1-B in .204 Ruger with its 26-inch barrel is the same length (42½ inches) as my pet Savage Model 114 in .270 Winchester, which can be an advantage to long-range shooters using modern magnum ammunition. For scabbard use, the lack of a bolt handle makes insertion or retrieval of the gun too easy to mention, and with the addition of a tang safety (forward to fire, down for safe), this gun is a natural for both right- and left-handed shooters.
While the model variations have been cut back through a change in the distributorship of the No. 1, many are still available as special runs or on the secondary market. Presently, Lipsey’s of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has taken over the franchise of the No. 1s, and although they list six different models of the gun, be advised, they are limited on cartridge availability, with only one specific caliber per model.
I assume this will change, as waiting for the right cartridge can be painful especially at this pace. Here, a quick check at GunBroker, Classic Sporting Arms or Cabela’s will provide a long list of guns (both new and used) for sale.
For variety, the Ruger No. 1 has something for everyone. Over the ensuing years I’ve had, purchased and traded most every model they have, but the one that is my all-time favorite is the No. 1 Standard rifle.
This is the one with the extended forearm, which is perfect for my type of varmint hunting. I started out with one in 1976 in .22-250 Remington, and it’s still turning out groups around a half-inch with the Hornady 60-grain Spire Point bullet. That rifle is still in my gunroom sitting proudly on the rack.
In addition to this Standard rifle with a tapered 26-inch barrel, there are a half-dozen more to add with the barrel lengths in parenthesis. The Light Sporter (22-inch), Medium Sporter (26-inch), Special Varminter (24-inch heavy), Tropical (24-inch heavy), International (20-inch lightweight) and the Standard Light Sporter complete with a handy 22-inch barrel. All Ruger No. 1s came with a set of Ruger rings that mounted on an elegant quarter rib attached to each rifle at the factory.
For the purpose of wringing out the details, let’s stay with the Ruger No. 1 Standard rifle.
When detailing the stock, it is easy to see Bill Ruger had his two cents of involvement, as the stock is classic in every way. There is no line-disturbing comb, nor is there a cheekpiece on the left side of the buttstock.
This is what makes the No. 1 so popular with both right- and left-handed shooters. With the tang-mounted safety and no bolt to mar the operation, this is truly an ambidextrous rifle for all to enjoy.
Regardless of the model, the buttstock is finished off with a handsome and classic rubber recoil pad with a black spacer. The pistol grip has a pleasant sweep to it, and I find it comfortable whether braced on an old log or lying prone on the ground. A Ruger grip cap and a rear sling stud finishes this part of the gun off in grand style. Length of pull is 13½ inches.
With my Standard, the front part of the stock is considered to be a semi-beavertail in design and measures over a foot long from the receiver to the muzzle end of the stock. It is held to the gun via a hanger and an angled screw that, when tightened down, actually pulls the wood up and towards the front of the receiver for support and to enhance accuracy.
On my guns and samples received recently, the final finish is done in a satin patina, smooth to the touch, and covers the stock with a feeling the old masters laid down on classic guns at the turn of the century. There is more than ample checkering on the No. 1, and it covers both the pistol grip and forend of the gun.
On the former, recently, a new pattern of sorts has appeared that offers rear extension of the point pattern now standard on all No. 1s. On the latter, the point pattern continues, less subdued, nevertheless with good coverage for holding the gun.
All of the inletting is first class, with the area around the tang, trigger guard and barrel channel cut with precision. With reference to the receiver, the wood to metal fit is finished “proud,” which simply means it is not finished flush with the receiver itself. While some may object to this, this method keeps the receiver pristine, as the final finishing process will not scratch this highly polished surface, making the gun more economical to build with a lower price point.
Looking back, I can remember that the Ruger No. 1 was a premium rifle and, with this, deserved semi-fancy to fancy wood. In the beginning years, most if not all had better than select wood; in fact, I can remember wood that was outright gorgeous.
It seems over the years pricing has gone up, but the quality of the wood has gone down. Occasionally, there is a rifle with a strong grain structure, but on the whole, there is nothing of the caliber of the guns long ago. In any event, if you have the time to scout around, there are handsome stocks to be found.
The receiver, barrel and related parts are finished to a rich, blue patina in keeping with the origin of this particular gun. The investment cast action takes its look from the Farquharson rifles of the past, but it is redesigned and modified for the modern shooter.
Compared to traditional bolt-action rifles, the basic receiver is only 2½ inches long but actually measures about 5½ inches long if you include the area out to the rear of the tang housing the safety and related internal parts. As mentioned before, the width of the receiver comes to 1½ inches — perfect for those who like to hand carry their weapon into the woods.
Bill Ruger and his design team had many thoughts on how to make the gun function perfectly every time while keeping it trim right down to the muzzle. They did this by moving the mainspring forward and within the protection of the forearm. From a design standpoint, the gun is considered hammerless and upon cocking the gun with the operating lever, the falling block drops down, coming to rest within the confines of the receiver. In fact, one interesting feature of this rifle is that when the gun is cocked, the very tip of the hammer shows as a cocking indicator at the forward part of the operating lever.
In keeping with the overall smoothness of operation, the breechblock moves up and down within the receiver at a preset 3 degrees to the rear as to allow it to move effortlessly over the rear of the cartridge case when installed into the chamber. When the lever is up, a lever latch locks the action in place. Pressing down on this lever unlocks this forward facing latch, dropping the block while resetting the action and ejecting the spent cartridge.
Ejection of the spent round is always reliable thanks to a massive ejector spring located within the forearm of the gun. Tied to a cam, this spring provides more than enough force to move any cartridge out of the gun.
For those of us who like to keep our brass for reloading, there is an adjustment within this assembly to keep the brass within the confines of the gun and not on the ground. In short, this allows the shooter to vary the pressure on this ejector as to limit the travel of the spent case out of the gun.
Years back, you could adjust the trigger to one’s preferences, but today that luxury is gone. While there are still the dual adjustment screws within the confines of the trigger assembly, going through the book shows that Ruger does not want you to “tinker” with the mechanism. To wit, Ruger goes on to say, “do not alter any factory setting,” which simply means it has been adjusted at the factory.
On the majority of my No. 1s in the rack, I am looking at an average of 4 pounds of pull with no take-up before the sear broke. Not ideal, but workable, and if I had just one criticism of the gun, it would be the adjustable (or the lack of) trigger.
On my Standard gun, the barrel is 26 inches — perfect for my affinity to vintage wildcat cartridges. It has a graceful taper out to the muzzle to a sporting diameter of .625 inches. Attached to the barrel is a quarter rib, perfect for mounting a scope, or factory installed iron sights.
With regards to a scope and eye relief, I offer this suggestion, especially with the higher-powered optics. If you have trouble getting a full image circle with your scope, purchase a set of Ruger dual rear offset rings. For some reason, I have trouble with all No. 1 guns, as I can’t seem to get close enough to the scope, and with these (available from the Service Department), they solve the problem with aplomb. On the other hand, some models have an adjustable folding-leaf sight mounted on the quarter rib, with a ramp front sight complete with a gold bead.
When it comes to accuracy with the No. 1, reams of paper have been written about this subject. For me, I have no problems, and since I handload, I can coax groups out of my guns that go under an inch or better. Equally impressive are modern factory loads in the .204 Ruger from Hornady or Remington that have placed three shots on paper at the century mark of .680 inches and .360 inches respectively.
The Ruger No. 1 offers a great deal of fun to any hunter, be it small game, big game or varmint. I have used these guns for my varmint hunting and cartridge experiments (my favorite is the .219 Donaldson Wasp) for the past 40 years, and they still continue to amaze me. For more information, contact www.lipseys.com or www.ruger.com.
The Smith & Wesson Model 629 is a heavy duty .44 Magnum revolver that’s the perfect protection for city and country.
Smith & Wesson Model 629 Review Snapshot:
A stainless steel .44 Magnum revolver, the Model 629 is based on the earlier Model 29
The potent Model 629 offers users protection from bears and other predators
The Model 629 produced adequate accuracy, with groups around 2 inches at 25 yards
Rugged and dependable, the 629 provides what users need in a .44 Magnum revolver
For many years after its introduction in 1955, the .44 Magnum was often referred to as the most powerful handgun cartridge in the world. Several other handgun cartridges have exceeded its power since then, but it still remains a powerful round that is capable of taking most North American big game.
Smith & Wesson’s Model 29 was the first production revolver chambered for the .44 Magnum, and sales skyrocketed after Clint Eastwood’s portrayal on the big screen of Inspector Harry Callahan, aka “Dirty Harry,” who dispatched the bad guys with one. Stories still circulate about movie fans buying a Model 29 and a box of cartridges, then after shooting one cylinder full of six, selling the gun and the remaining cartridges because of the sobering recoil.
The Model 29 beget the Model 629, which is a stainless steel version of the gun. Both guns, the 29 and 629, have been in the S&W inventory for many years and continue to be excellent choices for the shooter who is seeking a recreational revolver that can also serve as protection against dangerous game, wild predators or humans intent on causing bodily harm or death. So, the Model 629 reviewed here is a versatile choice.
One feature that makes the Model 629 so versatile is that not only will it handle the most powerful .44 Magnum loads, it can also safely fire .44 Special cartridges because that round is less powerful, is .125 inches shorter than the Magnum and comfortably fits in the chamber. The .44 Special not only generates considerably less recoil, making it pleasant to shoot for fun or practice, it is also a popular self-defense round with ballistics about the same as those of the revered .45 ACP. And because it is less powerful than the .44 Magnum, it generates less muzzle rise, allowing the shooter to get back on target faster for follow-up shots.
Some people want that extra magnum power though for personal defense against human predators, and carry the Model 629 loaded with .44 Magnum rounds. Generally, the ammunition chosen is a hollow point design with a projectile weight of 180 to 240 grains. At the speeds generated by the magnum load, expansion and penetration both combine to deliver serious damage on the receiving end in order to stop felonious behavior.
But the 629 offers even more versatility. When loaded with heavy, hard-hitting, solid projectiles, it is an effective defense against bears and other wild predators. So why not use hollow point expanding projectiles against bears? The answer is lack of penetration.
Bears are big animals with thick hides that are much tougher than the human skin. Bears also have massive bone structures and tough muscles that work together to protect the animal and make it more difficult to reach vital organs. And doing damage to vital organs is necessary to stop a bear in the midst of a charge. A hard cast 300-grain or heavier bullet has the energy to penetrate hide, bone and muscle and do serious damage to internal organs, where a hollow point bullet is more likely to begin expanding on impact, which slows it down and reduces penetration, so it may not go deep enough to inflict charge-stopping damage.
“Penetration is key, so hard cast or solid bullets are recommended for bear defense,” says Il Ling New, professional hunting guide and Gunsite Instructor who teaches, among other classes, Predator Defense. She adds, “At Gunsite, we recommend that a charging bear be shot in the face—ideally between the eyes and nose—to stop a charge as soon as possible. Other shots may take too long to stop the bear before it can do damage.”
Many ammunition manufacturers produce .44 Magnum and .44 Special loads with a variety of bullets suitable for anything from punching paper to dropping big, tough game. So obtaining ammo is not difficult. Ammunition is supplied by major manufactures and smaller specialty manufacturers who specialize in certain loads and cater to select clientele. And the S&W Model 629 will handle them all.
While the Model 629 is available in a variety of versions with different features, a 4-inch barreled standard version was evaluated for this article. The 629 is a large frame revolver built on S&W’s N frame, which is well suited for the recoil and pressures associated with the .44 Magnum. The gun has a bright, polished stainless steel finish with the familiar Smith & Wesson logo on the left side just below the cylinder catch.
Up front, the gun sports a blued steel ramp sight with a bright orange insert that demands attention when aiming. The rear sight is also blued steel and is adjustable for both windage and elevation by turning adjustment screws. It has a white outline to aid in acquisition when in a hurry. Since the gun can accommodate so many different .44 Special and .44 Magnum loads, an adjustable sight is an excellent feature because changing loads invariably shifts the point of impact. And an accurate zero is necessary, especially if using the gun for self defense or defense against wild predators.
The underlug beneath the barrel extends about two thirds of the distance to the muzzle. The hammer and trigger appear to be made of carbon steel, and the hammer spur is aggressively checkered for good purchase if the shooter chooses to thumb cock the revolver. The trigger has a polished, wide face that encourages a smooth, consistent trigger press when shooting the revolver double action. The double-action trigger pull on the test gun measures 13.5 pounds, whereas the single action breaks crisply at just under 4 pounds with a bit of overtravel.
A fluted cylinder on a swing-out crane has a six-round capacity, and the cylinder catch is easily activated to release the cylinder by pushing it forward. Older versions of the Model 629 were equipped with one-piece synthetic grips featuring a stippled texture and distinct finger grooves to anchor the gun in the hand. However, the newest model has a slightly different grip with less pronounced finger grooves and a cushioned backstrap to help reduce the effects of the stout recoil that the .44 Magnum can generate with heavy loads.
Shooting the Model 629 can be a pleasant experience or, depending on the shooter’s tolerance for recoil, a bit distressing. Because the gun weighs 41.5 ounces, which is about 2.5 pounds—more for those with longer barrels—most shooters can comfortably handle shooting light .44 Special loads. The traditional 240-grain .44 Magnum loads are manageable by many shooters unless a large number are fired in a single session. The heavy loads made for hunting or predator defense, those around 300 grains or more, generate what most shooters would call punishing recoil, and firing a few rounds in a session will satisfy them. Of course, there are shooters with a higher tolerance for recoil.
The Model 629 can be a very accurate gun in the right hands and is capable of delivering tight groups. The test gun delivered groups at 25 yards averaging just over 2 inches, and shooters with very sharp vision and the proper technique can probably get better results.
The sling for your carbine is like the holster for your pistol; it’s a mandatory piece of equipment. It’s also one of the most misunderstood accessories out there.
Choosing the Right Rifle Sling Snapshot:
There are three basic types of slings: shooting slings, carry slings and tactical slings
Tactical slings, most relevant to the AR, fall into three categories: single-point, two-point and three-point
Single-point slings offer hands-free operation, quick transitions to the secondary weapon and rapid on/off attachment, but also have disadvantages
The author feels the two-point is the most versatile option, while the three-point can become cumbersome
There are a variety of slings, and while it may seem simple, choosing the right sling can get complicated. Application and personal preference determine what sling is best for you. Also, keep in mind that you can always swap this gear, changing it out to fit what you are doing.
I highly recommend starting off with a simple two-point sling. Set up correctly, a two-point sling design will do everything you need, without being too complex. After working with the AR and learning how to use it, you can start experimenting with the various types, making an educated decision on what you need or what is required for your specific application. (For details on using the sling and the different carry modes, see the section on Carry Modes.)
Shooting Slings
Shooting slings are traditionally made of leather. The support arm is looped through the sling to create a more stable firing position, but only when the support elbow is resting or braced against something. For marksmanship, this is a definite advantage. (Jeff Cooper was a major proponent of shooting slings and devoted a whole chapter to this in “The Art of the Rifle.”) The competition variety takes time to loop up, and is normally reserved for matches, such as NRA High Power competition. The exception to this is the Ching Sling, designed by Eric Ching, which is very quick to loop into; however, you rarely see them in use on ARs.
A leather shooting sling is used for slinging up around the arm for stability in positions where the support arm is resting on or braced against something.
If you are going to work with a shooting sling, looping it up for stability and accuracy, you need to remember that this puts force on the handguard, pulling it downward enough to affect shot placement. With a standard-type handguard, the front fits into a handguard “cap,” which is around the barrel just behind the front sight base. The sling is connected to the handguard. Applying downward pressure to the sling pulls the barrel down. For example, with my stock AR HBAR, looping up in the sling will lower the point of impact, where the bullet hits the target, by about 6 inches at 100 yards.
In order for this pressure not to affect your shot placement, you need a free-floating handguard. This type of handguard isn’t attached to the front of the barrel. This way any pressure on the handguard doesn’t affect the barrel or your point of impact.
Carry Slings
In American carry, the rifle is over the strong-side shoulder with the muzzle pointing up.
A simple carry sling, or “two-point” sling, is a great choice for general-purpose use, self-defense or patrol officers. When adjusted to the proper length, the two-point sling is extremely versatile. It can be used for “African” carry, slung on the support side of the body with muzzle down, or “American” carry, on the strong side of the body with muzzle up. It can be looped over the neck to free up both hands, “scramble” carry, or around the neck and body, in “tactical” fashion. Add a quick-release buckle so you can get free of the sling quickly if necessary and you’ve got a good thing going.
Tactical Slings
I use the term “tactical sling” for any sling that is designed to be worn around the body, looped over the neck and underneath the support arm. While most people think this is a new thing, the U.S. cavalry used something similar in the mid- to late-1800s to free up their hands for riding. Today’s versions are broken down into three types: single, two-point and three-point.
The advantage of tactical slings is that, with the rifle slung, you have both hands free and the rifle is readily accessible for immediate use. Transitions to the pistol are simplified. Lower the rifle down with your support hand while presenting the pistol, and then with the rifle hanging you have the use of both hands for operating the pistol.
Any time you need both hands free, to climb a ladder or take control of a suspect, you don’t have to worry about what to do with the rifle. Plus, I’ve found that it works really well when I’m taking the dogs for their evening walk. I can control the dogs on their leash and still have access to my rifle.
The single-point loops around the body and attaches to the AR in one location.
The single-point sling attaches both ends of the sling to one point on the carbine, usually right behind the grip, forming a loop that goes around the body. The sling should fit tight to the body, so most come with an adjustment strap.
The advantage of a single-point sling is that it is easy to attach and detach from the carbine. For example, when it’s time to gear up you loop the sling around your body, then connect it to the AR. Once you’re done, perhaps ready to set the carbine in the rack, you unsnap the sling to release the carbine, leaving the sling looped around your body.
There are a couple of issues to be aware of, however, that I consider to be disadvantages of the single-point sling.
With the sling attached to the rifle right behind the grip, sometimes the sling gets in the way of your hand acquiring a proper grip or manipulating the safety. There is only one attachment point, so when the rifle is hanging and you don’t have the strong hand gripping and controlling the carbine, it will flop around and move about freely. When the AR is hanging on your body, the weight will seek the lowest point, so the sling will rotate around the body, which causes the AR to hang too low.
The stock is lower than the shoulder, requiring more movement to get into a firing position. The muzzle is low, so if you go into a kneeling position you have to take extra care to make sure the muzzle doesn’t dig into the ground. Firing with the muzzle blocked is dangerous and will damage your AR.
As with every piece of equipment there are advantages and disadvantages. You have to train, practice and experiment under all types of conditions until you discover what works best.
The two-point, if adjusted to the correct length, can also be used as a “tactical” sling, looping it around the neck and underneath the support-side arm.
The two-point “tactical” sling is basically the same as the two-point carry type, only normally it’ll have features such as a slide buckle for quick adjustment of the length. The two-point sling is the most versatile, and will do about anything you need. It attaches at two points, normally the rear of the stock and the front of the handguard, creating a large loop.
Once the sling is looped around the body, you adjust the length so the stock is just below the pocket of the shoulder. You don’t want it too long, which will allow too much movement when the AR is hanging, and you don’t want it too tight, because that will restrict movement and the firing positions you can use. (The Carry Mode section goes into detail on the various carry or slinging techniques you can use.)
Three-point slings attach to the rifle at the front of the handguard, on the rear on the stock — similar to a two-point — and then have another section of sling that runs between these two sections that provides quick adjustment. For me, this extra section of sling gets in the way of manipulating the AR, inserting or removing the mag, and sometimes gets caught between the strong hand and grip.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
