Ruger's new SR1911 in 10mm is an economical handgun hunting option that doesn't skimp on functionality.
For the better part of its history, the 10mm has resided at the periphery of the handgun cartridge world. There are a number of reasons for this unfortunate position, but it is one that is fast changing.
The 10mm has been born again hard in the shooting mainstream as the preferred round for handgun hunting with a semi-automatic. And the marketplace has been quick to respond with some of the biggest names in gunmaking releasing models decked out to chase everything from hogs to whitetails.
Ruger is the most recent, with the New Hampshire manufacturer introducing the SR1911 in 10mm this month and pitching it as an ideal medium-game option. However, the new full-sized 1911, boasting a 5-inch barrel and 8+1 capacity, departs a bit from what has recently been hitting the market, offering hunters a more affordable, but austere pistol.
A bull barrel and full-length recoil spring guide rod have been added to the new SR1911 in 10mm to handle the powerful round.
In particular, Ruger has averted its eye from pre-packaging the 1911 with an optic or optic mount — which seems to have been becoming standard out of the box on hunting pistols nowadays. The company has still focused on providing a solid sighting system, outfitting the new 10mm with Bomar-style adjustable rear sights.
This is an important addition to a pistol aimed at pursuing game, freeing hunters to tweak both windage and elevation in the field. And this is only the second pistol from the SR1911 line that has been configured as such, the other being the .45 ACP target model. The front sight is a simple post, but it is dovetailed, so it is easily replaced.
Ruger's New SR1911 Design
Ruger had to tweak the overall design a bit from the rest of the line for the SR1911 to digest the powerful round. This is particularly seen with the 10mm’s full-length recoil spring guide rod and the use of a bushing-less bull barrel. The added material in the barrel ups the handgun’s overall weight to 40 ounces, which isn’t a bad thing, giving it the heft to tame the round’s recoil. It should also help facilitate fast follow-up shots, should the occasion call for it, with more weight forward to retard muzzle flip.
The new SR1911's matte stainless steel finish and skeletonized trigger and hammer give the gun a striking appearance.
One facet Ruger hasn’t strayed from with regard to the rest of the SR1911 line is the series 70 firing system. Utilizing the original 1911 firing system, free of the trigger-activated firing pin block safety, ensures the pistol has a clean pull from pre-travel through break, thus upping a shooter’s accuracy potential with the firearm. The use of lightweight, yet durable titanium for the firing pin still keeps the pistol drop safe, a must in the rugged terrain in which game is found.
The SR1911 in 10mm obviously has a flat mainspring housing with ample checkering, and the grip is further enhanced with rubberized panels. Combined with a high beavertail safety, cut with memory grooves, these features should facilitate a solid purchase on the pistol. However, if a hunter has a preferred panel style, the factory-installed version is replaceable.
The 10mm’s slide and frame are constructed out of CNC milled stainless steel, giving the SR1911 an excellent fit. And it has an eye-catching matte finish, which is accented further by the gun’s black barrel, beavertail and grip panels. Ruger has also given the new 1911 a customized look with the gun’s skeletonized hammer and aluminum trigger.
In the scheme of recently released 10mm pistols meant for hunting, Ruger’s SR1911 version comes in at a very economical MSRP of $1,019. However, compared to what’s been hitting the market as of late, this is a much more Spartan offering. But for many hunters ready to holster up to head afield, it should have everything they need.
The SR1911 in 10mm offers hunters an economical option for heading afield.
Specifications for the Ruger SR1911 in 10mm
Caliber: 10mm Capacity: 8+1 Slide Material: Stainless Steel Barrel: 5 in. Grip Frame: Low-Glare Stainless Steel Grip Panels: Black Rubberized Model Type: Target Slide Finish: Low-Glare Stainless Width: 1.34 in. Sights: Bomar-style Adjustable Weight: 40.4 oz. Overall Length: 8.67 in. Height: 5.45 in. Grooves: 6 Twist: 1:16″ RH MSRP: $1,019.00
Magnum Research has delivered a winner with its recent Baby Desert Eagle III in 9mm. It's a rugged, steel-frame gun that proved both accurate and reliable.
Having previously had an opportunity to put the .40-caliber polymer-framed version of the Baby Desert Eagle through its paces early in 2016, when an all-steel version of this pistol in 9mm showed up unexpectedly, I didn’t waste time gathering ammunition and heading to the range. After all, here was a rare opportunity to test two versions of the same pistol, in different calibers, just to see how well they stacked up to one another — and the publicity. What might have been a boring experience the second time around was actually rather revealing.
Magnum Research, owned by Kahr Arms, imports the Baby Desert Eagle. The gun is no lightweight, hitting the scale at 38.6 ounces (unloaded). Out of the box, it feels a bit heavy, but it is a stout pistol that gives the immediate impression that it won’t break when the going gets tough.
This pistol has a 4.52-inch barrel, and it comes with either two 10- or 15-round magazines, depending upon the jurisdiction. My test piece had the 15-rounders, and both feature steel bodies with bright red synthetic followers and black synthetic floorplates. They can be disassembled easily for cleaning.
The steel frame in this double/single-action pistol features an integral accessory rail ahead of the trigger guard. The thin polymer grip panels are held in place with a single screw, and they are textured on the rear for a firm hold. The front strap is grooved to enhance the grip, and the squared trigger guard has grooves and is sized large enough for use while wearing gloves.
The rear of the frame features an ample beavertail that some might suggest is a bit long. In my opinion, this absolutely precludes the possibility of the slide biting your gun hand during a cycle, and anybody who has ever suffered such a pinch will appreciate that.
For all intents and purposes, this Baby Desert Eagle version is a “Desert Eagle” in name only. While visually similar to the original legendary pistol, when you tear it apart, it is a rather conventional semi-auto internally, and it spits out lead with the best of them.
Takedown is remarkably simple. Pair two small dots at the rear of the slide and frame, pop out the slide stop/release (right to left) and the slide and barrel come forward off the frame. The barrel can then be removed for a full cleaning. It all goes back together by reversing the steps.
I will say this up front: Be sure to clean the shipping oils from the rails and other surfaces, and add a good lubricant to the rails before shooting. Ditto, add a couple of drops of oil to the full-length recoil spring guide. I had a single malfunction on the third shot that was my fault for simply giving the gun a good surface wipe without making sure the rails and guide rod were properly lubed, but a drop or two of Outers gun oil had it running like a sports car in short order with both FMJ and JHP rounds from Black Hills, SIG Sauer and Browning.
Fitted with low profile three-dot sights dovetailed on the front and rear of the slide, my test pistol shot a bit low at 10 and 25 yards, but not so much that I worried about how it might perform in a gunfight. It’s worth noting that my earlier experience with the polymer-framed model also saw it shooting a bit low.
My groups, fired from a sandbag rest, were fairly consistent with the exception of a flyer here and there, regardless of the bullet weight and type. The pistol seemed to like 124-grain bullets best, although I did get some decent results with Browning’s heavier practice and street ammunition.
Thanks to its weight, the recoil of the 9mm ammunition was easily manageable. And some of that ammunition was pretty zippy. The hottest load out of this pistol was the 115-grain SIG Sauer FMJ, averaging 1,248 fps, and right behind it was the 124-grain Black Hills JHP crossing the screens at an average of 1,239 fps. The 115-grain SIG JHP moved out at 1,210 fps, and the 124-grain SIG JHP left the muzzle at 1,178 fps. Browning’s 147-grain BPX JHP clocked in at 1,076 fps, while the Browning 147-grain FMJ moved out slightly faster at 1,094 fps. That’s going to get anyone’s undivided attention.
At 12 yards, all of these rounds grouped within 2½ inches, and while I was shooting, I focused my attention on some chunks of broken clay targets at the 25 yard line, and either broke them smaller or came close enough to put the hurt on a larger target.
While I found the double-action trigger squeeze to be a bit of a stretch in my average-sized hand, once the pistol went to single action, it was far more comfortable. There was a bit of creep, but once I got used to it, it really didn’t affect marksmanship.
Like many 9mm pistols that seem to be based on the inside-the-frame CZ 75 design, the Baby Desert Eagle has a slide-mounted decocker/safety that is positioned where the rear cocking serrations are located. This makes for a bit of an awkward cycling of the slide, but one gets used to it. The pistol functions when the lever is in the “up” position, and it is safe with the lever down.
Though not as light as its polymer-framed sibling, the all-steel model in 9mm is a comfortable shooter, and for someone looking for a tough, full-size pistol of modern design in that caliber, this one might be a good choice. It may take some handgunners a bit of getting used to, but at the end of the day, this import will seem right at home.
Specifications:
Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle III Action: Semi-auto, DA/SA Caliber: 9mm Barrel: 4.52 in. Weight: 38.6 oz. Overall Length: 8.25 in. Slide: Steel finished in black oxide Frame: Steel Safety: Slide-mounted, safety/decocker Sights: Low profile three dot fixed Capacity: 10 or 15 rounds MSRP: $646.00 Manufacturer: BUL Ltd. Importer: Magnum Research/Kahr Arms
Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the Summer 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
With sturdy Kydex construction and an innovative design, Clinger Holsters more than delivers on its promise of absolute concealment.
Carry holsters are, it sometimes seems, like opinions — everybody’s got one. From Kydex to leather, and everything in between, it seems there’s an almost unlimited supply of options from an ever-increasing number of manufacturers, which makes it hard to know where to start. A recent review of two holsters from Clinger — the V2 No Print Wonder and the Stingray — hit the sweet spot for carry rigs, whether you’re toting around a full-size or compact handgun for personal defense.
The Clinger Holsters V2 No Print Wonder is designed to handle heavier loads like the Springfield XD 4-inch 9mm that I test drove the carry rig with for a month. It features a Kydex shell with two tabs, one a Kydex Cling Tab, the other a leather tab.
Both tabs feature belt clips, and when you tighten your belt, the Cling Tab, located on the lower grip side of the holster, pulls the grip in tight to your body. The leather tab flexes with your waistline, adding to the comfort you need with daily use. The No Print Wonder, which is adjustable for cant, keeps a full-size handgun parallel with your torso, keeping the grip from pointing away from your body and eliminating the concealed part of your carry gun.
In terms of everyday carry, I found the No Print Wonder to be extremely comfortable, and it works as advertised — it leaves a minimal footprint on your side, even with a larger handgun. I dress business casual often, so the fact that the V2 is tuckable is an absolute must.
The holster is incredibly stable, even with a lot of activity and movement. At the same time, it’s comfortable in the truck or at a desk when worn at the 3 o’clock position, and after a full day’s wear, I was still comfortable. One concern was how the Cling Tab had a tendency to push the belt outward, sometimes adding bulk, but I found this to be consistent with holsters of this type, and the tradeoff with creating a small footprint was well worth it. The V2 No Print Wonder retails for $70.
The second holster, the Clinger Holsters Stingray, features a Kydex shell with a single belt clip on the rear side of the holster. It is ideally designed for smaller handguns that require less support when carrying. For this wear test, I utilized Ruger’s new American Compact handgun in 9mm.
Like the No Print Wonder, the Stingray also keeps a low profile on your side. The main difference is a single belt clip rather than two, which does create a bit less stability when carrying for some shooters. I did not notice an appreciable difference in comfort, however, with the Stingray.
Both holsters can be adjusted for retention pressure, and the V2 can also be converted to a Stingray holster (keep that in mind if you want one holster to fill both roles). The Stingray carries an MSRP of $39.99.
In terms of recommendations, the Stingray is great for smaller-framed handguns in the sub- and compact categories, although lots of shooters carry large handguns in it. The Stingray rides with roughly a 0-15-degree cant (adjustable) and offers slightly less stability, in my opinion, something I’d be concerned about with a full-size handgun (though some people aren’t bothered by it at all). I also like the Cling Tab for a full-size, as it helps keep a small footprint and improves concealability at just the right angle.
As far as versatility in carry positions, I’d go with the Stingray — you can wear it at the 3 or 5 o’clock positions, or appendix carry if you so desire. Both of these Clinger Holsters are great and would likely meet your needs, depending on preference and handgun selection.
More than a single perspective, Straight Talk on Armed Defenseoffers an in-depth, full-spectrum study of the most important self-defense and concealed carry topics from today's top experts. The timely reference gathers the sage advice of Massad Ayoob and 11 other respected armed-defense authorities to deliver decades of practical know-how in one convenient volume. Get Your Copy Now
Properly communicating with police after an incident that involved lethal force will save you trouble in the long run.
Massad Ayoob clearly makes the case for communicating with police early on post incident. His excellent book Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry: 2nd Edition clearly indicates that oftentimes the first person to call the police is construed as the victim. I could not agree more. Further, police often respond to fight calls or incidents where both parties involved claim innocence and insist the other side started it.
If the other party has friends or witnesses and you don’t, expect them to all point the finger at you regardless of your assailant’s guilt. If you have witnesses as well, police will take statements from both sides, but unless there was a bus full of nuns who witnessed the incident, you will likely be treated as a suspect until your innocence is proven by investigators.
You have to understand that police have a very jaundiced eye and that everyone claims innocence. Even suspects with guns or dope found in their pockets exclaim, “Those ain’t my pants!” or “That’s not my gun!” Because of this, uniformed responding officers treat everyone in a shooting as a suspect at first. It is in their vital interest to secure and stabilize the scene.
You need to respectfully articulate, “I am the victim! That man tried to rob me!” or whatever the crime may be. As Mas Ayoob points out stating, “I will sign charges!” is a good thing because many police deal with uncooperative “victims” (usually bad guys themselves) who refuse to prosecute their assailants.
Avoid statements such as, “I didn’t mean to shoot him” or, “The gun just went off…” These types of statements indicate the shooting was not intentional or was accidental, which destroys an intentional self-defense claim later. These types of statements are made by law-abiding citizens who are not used to violence. What they really meant to say was, “I didn’t want to have to shoot him. He left me no choice.” These spontaneous utterances will be recorded by officers in their Action Taken reports or addendums to the investigator’s report and can hurt you later if/when you make an official statement.
Keep your mouth shut except for the following. Officers frequently get in trouble when they shoot their mouth off or make statements indicating anger. It is completely understandable why you might be fairly well upset about a man who just tried to kill you or your family but making statements such as, “F*ck you! You got what you deserved! I hope you f’ing die!” indicate anger to most witnesses. Verbal parting shots as the suspect is wheeled away on a paramedic gurney such as, “See you later sucker!” or similar will not go over well with a possible jury later.
Limit what you say to uniformed police on the scene or to investigators who show up. You do want to clearly state:
You are the victim
Where any evidence might be located such as empty casings
You also want to indicate where you were, where they were and in which direction you and he fired
Ask for a “victim advocate”
Most cities have victim advocacy programs that actually help victims of crime. They can provide emergency housing, advise you on the legal process and even provide funds for new deadbolts or a new door, for instance, if you cannot afford them. Victim advocates will “hold your hand” during the trial of your suspect and the involved legal process.
Victim Assistance has been a long supported charity of my wife and mine, because they really help the victims of crime. That said some may be anti-gun, so they may elect not to aid you after a shooting.
Remember that everything you say will be recorded, and anticipate that everything will be captured on video tape as well.
The ATN X-Sight II is a truly affordable night vision optic that also comes loaded with a number of other excellent features.
In this modern “Call of Duty” world, we often find ourselves walking away from the controller and into the game itself. This is evident once you pick up the new ATN X-Sight II HD. The X-Sight II is the product of several thousand hours of research and development geared toward bringing a feature-packed digital optic to the consumer for a price that fits nearly every budget.
Imagine a day/night optic that not only provides ranging capabilities and ballistic corrections but gives you the opportunity to film the shot in HD, all for under $700. Have I grabbed your attention?
Good, read on to see what I thought of it once I had it on the range.
The Package Has Been Delivered
Taking it out of the box, my first impression was that it wasn’t as heavy as I imagined. Weighing in at just a hair over 2.5 pounds, it wasn’t the monster that I was expecting at all.
The unit runs on four AA batteries that are kept in place by a beefy screw-on cap. Although the manufacturer recommend lithium batteries, I found that good rechargeable batteries provided up to 3 hours of scouting use. Utilizing the camera, range finder, etc., will undoubtedly drain them faster, but the battery lifespan is certainly adequate for a day on the range or a morning in a tree stand. No tools are needed to change batteries, so the practice of carrying replacements is practical. Better still, ATN offers an optional Power Weapon Kit (ATNCorp.com; $99) that provides 22 hours of use contained in a handy butt stock pouch.
Mounting is simple via the Picatinny mount that comes already attached. The mount has a unique spring tensioner to keep the screws from loosening during operation, eliminating the need for thread locker. An optional 850mW infrared illuminator (included) can be attached to the optic for use in pitch black scenarios. Once the optic is weapon mounted, all that’s left is to install an SD card (up to 64 GB) and press the power button.
Fire It Up!
Once you hit the power button, you are taken to the home screen. From here you are ready to take a shot or navigate the menus for the various features. Without sounding like a commercial, let me list some of the features that you have at your disposal, and then we’ll examine the most intriguing of the batch:
Night vision
Digital still and video camera
WiFi
Compass
Look angle display
Rangefinder
Ballistic calculator with automatic correction
This optic actually starts to pay for itself once you factor in the money that you save if you were to purchase each of these standalone devices. Not to mention lugging all that equipment around isn’t much fun either.
Go Ballistic
The ballistic features grabbed my attention right away. With experience in long-range shooting, I can appreciate all the work that the X-Sight II HD would save the casual hunter.
With traditional optics, you would need to range your target via reticle use, laser rangefinder or the use of skills that take years to perfect, and then calculate your drop based on DOPE or separate ballistic software. After that, you have to “judge” how much distance to subtract to accommodate the slope that you are shooting from and then make a precise shot – all before the target moves or the wind changes!
The X-Sight II HD uses a two-step system to do the math for you; all you have to know is the approximate size of the target, then range the feet and head. It’ll spit out a distance and, based on your own ballistic input, give you a shot correction to place a first-round hit.
Centering Up
Zeroing on this optic is different than what most shooters are used to. The scope is zeroed through a process that involves firing a shot, and then putting the reticle where it actually hit and pressing the enter button. Of course, if your shot is off the paper, then you must start closer and work your way back in small increments.
The X-Sight II doesn’t have traditional windage and elevation knobs, something that lost some points with me. However, it does have the ability to save preset zeros, which I thought was pretty useful and certainly much faster than dialing up. This feature allows you to not only save zeros for different distances, but for different guns as well. This becomes very helpful if you’re utilizing a multi-caliber system like the War Lock in our Frontier Tactical test rifle.
We tested the repeatability of this function with the Frontier Tactical 300 BLK War Lock Kit (FrontierTactical.com; $1,200), firing a very true Team Never Quit subsonic 200-grain round (SnakeRiverShootingProducts.com; $28.99). Switching from our 15-yard profile to our 200-yard profile, we kept a solid zero at both distances.
The scope comes pre-programmed with seven reticle styles. Among them include a BDC and a Mil-dot. We found the Mil-dot scale to be true 7.3x magnification, with each windage subtention representing 2 mils, and each elevation subtention representing 1. If you are an MOA fan, we found the subtention to be 1 MOA on the elevation axis and 2 on the windage line at exactly 12x zoom.
This information provides yet another way to range a target. Aside from style, you can also change colors, providing solutions for daytime and nighttime shooting as well as a blue option for our colorblind friends.
Light Up the Night
While all of the aforementioned features are certainly attainable for the price point at hand, the one that sets this optic apart is of course the night vision. Night vision alone can exceed the cost of the X-Sight II HD by four times, or more. ATN did an amazing job of making it affordable, yet not cutting corners in contrast or sharpness.
The end user can change themes from B&W to traditional green, as well as adjust light sensitivity on the go. Unlike conventional day/night optics, activating night vision accidentally during the day will not damage the X-Sight II.
We used the night vision feature to aid our ongoing struggle with pest control. Among our zero profiles is a 15-yard zero for our Wolf Jager .22 XP PCP air rifle (RLAirgunSupply.com/jager; $1,124.95), transforming it into the ideal tool to control raccoons, opossums or whatever lurks in the night around your trashcans. The X-Sight II HD will work well on any pre-charged pneumatic or CO2 air gun, just be sure to stay away from spring piston powered systems. As this style can, and will damage most optics.
Media Savvy
The last feature to note is the X-Sight’s media suite that allows for still photography and full HD video. While afield we see many interesting things that we would like to remember such as tracks, scrapes, waypoints and off-season game that we might want to keep track of for later in the year. Having this sight mounted onto our rifle kept us from having to dig for our phone or standalone camera when these photo opportunities presented themselves.
While these features are not new to the market, the recoil-activated video system (RAV) makes them truly unique. The RAV buffers approximately 10 seconds of video and automatically records when it detects recoil. Therefore, while hunting you don’t have to be concerned with flipping on the camera if you are hoping to record the shot of a lifetime. After the pursuit, you will wind up with a video that includes the instant before the shot, the shot and what happened afterwards!
The unit also is WiFi capable, transmitting what you see to a tablet or smart phone. This feature is very handy for training new shooters or just sharing the fun with someone on the range.
Does the Job
Using this optic for our testing left very little to be desired, other than a wider field of view. Only seeing 64 inches at 25 yards on the lowest magnification setting means it does take some time find your target, particularly if there aren’t any defining objects in the landscape.
However, if you are looking for an all-encompassing piece of equipment that has a terrific price point, this is it. Consider one for your next predator hunt, big game hunt or even just an everyday range session, as this will fit the bill without breaking the bank.
ATN X-Sight II HD Generation: Smart HD Optics Magnification: 5x-20x Digital Zoom Eye Relief: 65mm IR Illuminator: 850mW Detachable Sensor: HD 1080p 130 Sensor Ports: Micro HDMI, Micro USB, Micro SD Power: 4 AA batteries, or extended power kit Compatible Mounts: A.R.M.S #17 or #35, LaRue LT270, American Defense AD 170 Data Storage: Micro SD card, up to 64 Gb Video Out: 1080p at 30 fps Remote View Finder: Yes, via iOS or Android app Dimensions: 11.36 in. x 3.5 in. x 3.45 in. Weight: 2.55 lbs. MSRP: $699
The intended use of your rifle dictates bullet choice, and bullet choice dictates the proper AR barrel twist rate.
One of the great mysteries about the 5.56 NATO AR is “barrel twist.” This refers to the twist rate of the rifling in the barrel that applies spin to the bullet — spin stabilizes the bullet — and it’s something that many shooters don’t know that much about. Using the correct bullet to match your AR barrel twist rate, or vice versa, is critical for accuracy.
The “rifling” refers to the grooves cut into the inside of the barrel. The rifling spins the bullet, creating stability and accuracy, just like when you throw a football. This is why barrels have evolved from “smoothbores” with no rifling, to barrels with rifling, starting in the 1500s. Hence the term, “rifle.”
Rifling is rated by “twist rate,” which indicates the distance required for one groove to make a complete turn, rotating 360 degrees. A barrel with 1:12 rifling is a slow twist, meaning it takes 12 inches for the groove to make a full rotation. Said another way, a bullet must travel through the barrel 12 inches before it spins one complete rotation. A 1:7 twist is faster — one rotation in 7 inches — and applies more spin to the bullet.
You can usually get away with spinning a bullet faster than necessary, but a bullet that’s spinning too slowly isn’t stable and won’t be very accurate. Nearly every AR manufactured today has the barrel’s twist rate stamped into the outside of the barrel.
Why are there different twist rates for the AR? Because there’s such a wide variety of bullet weights available. But to fully understand this, we need to look at a little bit of AR history.
The new Colt M16A1 Reissue utilizes a slower 1:12 twist rate, much like the older, original M16A1s.
The Birth Of The AR After World War II, with a brief interruption for the Korean War, the American military decided that a lightweight rifle shooting a bullet of “intermediate” weight — so troops could carry more ammo — was the key to victory. The original Armalite AR-15, later adopted as the M-16, was designed to be an “assault” rifle, firing a .223-caliber bullet with an effective range out to 300 yards. This would replace larger “battle” rifles that fired a heavier bullet, such as the .308 round, and were accurate for distances out to about 800 yards.
The first AR-15s and M-16s had a 1:14 twist, which provided the original 55-grain bullet, the XM193, with good accuracy and effective stopping power. As soon as the bullet hit anything denser than air, it immediately started to tumble and fragment. This was the combination that gave the .223 its reputation for “exploding.”
As a result, bullets started to get heavier. The XM196, the original tracer round, was heavier than the XM193. But the 1:14 twist rate was too slow to stabilize the heavier bullet, and 1:12 rifling became standard. This rate would be used in military barrels until the A2 version of the M-16 was adopted in the 1980s.
With the birth of the NATO round M855, a 62-grain bullet with a “penetrator” core for punching through steel and such, came the need for a faster twist rate. The twist rate was increased from 1:12 to 1:7 inches of travel, or twice the rate used in earlier versions of AR rifles.
At the same time, the civilian market began using heavier bullets to increase the accuracy of the AR, especially at longer distances. This required changing the twist rate of the barrel to provide the spin necessary for the heavier bullets. (Keep in mind that as bullets get heavier they generally get longer, which is also a factor.)
Commercially available ARs began to show up with a 1:9 twist rate, which provided stability to a wider range of bullet weights. Long-distance shooters began using 1:8 and 1:7 twist rates for bullets weighing 70-80 grains.
So, How Do You Choose? What twist rate do you need? It depends on what you’re going to do with your AR.
A carbine set up for self-defense is going to differ from a rifle set up for competitive shooting at long distances or varmint shooting. And for self-defense, it would be a very rare situation where you’re justified in shooting a threat at long distance, and at closer distances, over-penetration can occur with heavier bullets.
You choose bullets based on the anticipated use of your AR. The bullets you need determine the twist rate of the barrel. Or, the AR you have dictates what ammunition you use.
For example, with an older, original AR and a 1:12 barrel, you’re going to be limited to 55-grain bullets and lighter weight varmint rounds, which are usually in the 40-grain plus weight range. This barrel will not provide stability to anything heavier than 55-grain bullets. A heavy bullet without enough twist is unstable. You can shoot them, but you’ll see bullets going through the target sideways, and accuracy is definitely going to suffer.
A 1:9 twist, which is found in a lot of commercial ARs, works well with 55- to 68-grain projectiles. If you want to shoot heavier bullets, those up to about 77 grains, you’ll need a 1:8 twist.
The 1:7 twist, currently the standard for military weapons, works well with bullets up to 80 grains. This “fast” twist might create problems with extremely lightweight varmint rounds, such as 36-grain bullets, but it will work well with most everything else. Again, you can shoot lighter weight bullets with a faster twist, but as mentioned, shooting heavy bullets in a slow twist will cause problems.
As long as you have a fairly “recent” AR and you’re not shooting bullets at the extreme ends of the weight spectrum — in the 30-grain or 80-grain ranges — you’ll probably be safe with the barrel you have. Buy a variety of ammunition with different weight bullets and test-fire them to discover what works best in your AR.
If you’re going to build an AR for a specific application, especially when you want to get the maximum accuracy available, you’ll want to match the barrel twist to the bullet you’re going to use.
The AR is a fantastic firearm; you can set one up for almost any purpose. The key is knowing what you want it to do, and then researching to find out what you need to fit that application. This is especially true for barrel twist and bullet weight, ensuring you have the right combination to hit your target accurately.
I’ll be politically correct and call an AR or black rifle an MSR. MSR might stand for Modern Sporting Rifle, but these rifles are everywhere. This year, black rifles have come out of the shadows, and I think MSR should stand for Main Stream Rifle seeing as nearly every rifle manufacturer produces its own version of the MSR. To use a term, they are ubiquitous. Sure, there are MSRs that prefer the shadows, ready to defend, but there are those that compete, punch steel at distance and hunt, too. Here are a few rifles worth noting.
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Editor's Note: This article is from the 2017 Shooters Guide issue of Gun Digest the Magazine
Designed to bring a little more stopping power to the AR platform, the 6.8 Remington SPC serves both tactical and hunting purposes.
Anecdotal reports from U.S. forces involved in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years indicate the six decade-old 7.62×39 cartridge and AK47 rifle may be more effective in combat than the U.S. M4 carbines firing the 5.56×45 cartridge. In 2003, Steve Holland and Cris Murray, individuals associated with special forces and marksmanship units, developed a special-purpose cartridge to improve combat effectiveness in short-barreled (16.5-inch) M4 carbines used for special operations.
The resulting 6.8 Remington SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) achieved favorable results in actual usage, but had not been officially adopted by the U.S. Army, as of 2005. The cartridge is under review by the U.S. Marine Corps and FBI.
Intended to launch heavier bullets than the standard U.S. 5.56 round, the 6.8 Remington SPC uses the 1906-vintage .30 Remington cartridge shortened and necked down to accept a .270-caliber (6.8mm) bullet. Holland and Murray selected the .30 Remington as a parent case for two reasons. First, bolts for the M-16 family of rifles and carbines can readily be manufactured to accept the .30 Remington’s case head diameter (.420). Second, standard 20-round and 30-round M-16 magazines can accept the 6.8 SPC without change.
After extensive test firings into ordnance gel blocks, and on military firing ranges with the .30 Remington cases sized for .30, 7mm, .270, 6.5mm, and 6mm bullets, .270-caliber bullets delivered the best balance of velocity, accuracy and terminal performance. Hornady and Remington offer loaded 6.8 SPC ammunition.
The cartridge is chambered by Barrett, DPMS, PRI and YHM in AR-15 rifles; by both SSK Industries and Thompson/Center in Contender, G2, and Encore single-shot actions; by Remington in bolt-action rifles; and by custom gunsmiths on CZ-527 bolt-actions. It is a good whitetail deer cartridge.
With an increased field of view and superior light transmission capabilities, Nikon's new Monarch HG Binoculars are set to search for targets.
It’s been preached before: You need a solid set of binoculars. After all, you can’t hit a target if you can’t find it.
With this in mind, a bit of recent news from Nikon should get shooters and hunters alike giving the Japanese company a look. The 100-year-old firm recently released an upgrade to one of its most popular lines, and it appears to have all the qualities to help shooter nail down their targets.
The Monarch HG Binoculars are the successors to Nikon’s EDG line and boast some impressive improvements. Aside from more manageable dimensions, always a plus for gear bound for the field, the binos offer one of the best fields of view without having to make the jump to extra-wide angle optics. At 1,000 yards, the 8x42mm Monarch has an extensive 435-foot FOV, and the 10x42mm model has a 362-foot FOV. This arms hunters with binoculars that can glass more landscape in a shorter period of time.
Much of the improved field of view is accomplished by Nikon’s use of a field flattener lens system, sharpening the view all the way to the periphery. Previously, this was technology nearly exclusive to photographic lenses, but given the company’s presence in that market, it is no surprise it has bled over to its sporting optics division.
Images should be crisper and clearer with the Monarch HG Binoculars than previous models, with Nikon building the optics around extra-low dispersion glass. The material delivers a sharper, more precise image, vastly reducing the fuzziness of chromatic aberration common to ordinary lenses.
Adding to the crispness of the Monarch’s view is the extensive coating process Nikon has employed. All transmitting surfaces receive a multi coating — a dielectric high-reflective multilayer coating is applied to the roof prisms and an anti-reflection coating on air-to-glass surfaces to top it all off. According to Nikon’s resources, this — combined with generous 42mm objective lenses — is supposed to boost light transmission up to 92 percent. What this means in the field is not only precise images, but also the ability to function in even the lowest-light situations.
The 8x42mm model of the Monarch HG Binoculars has an MSRP of $979, while the 10x42mm model is priced at $999.99. Not bad for a quality mid-range optic that’s built to last a lifetime.
Learn to Run Your AR Like a Pro Master the versatile and potent AR-15 under the tutelage of one of the nation’s foremost tactical trainers with the help of AR-15 Skills & Drills. The 272-page guide introduces shooters to Tiger McKee’s methods for developing and honing the skills necessary to manipulate the AR efficiently and shoot it accurately. Get Your Copy Now
Off-the-shelf ammunition is top notch nowadays, but for guaranteed long-range accuracy, nothing beats handloading your own ammo.
Except for shooting a factory .223 Remington, for which you can find ammo almost anyplace nowadays, most long-range cartridges are going to require you to handload, if for no other reason than to be able to shoot more often for less money. But, just so you know, when you begin handloading, you will find yourself plummeted into an endless learning curve (or so it at least seems that way).
Building your own loads will produce an understanding of basic ballistics: bullet drop, velocity loss at different ranges, what powders will produce the best loads in your individual rifle, etc. But it’s worth getting it down, because handloaders always have an edge in the field. Yes, new factory loads today are indeed a far cry from what was available in my early days of rifle shooting, but you can always tinker with a handload and pull a few hundredths of an inch off that group size.
Certainly you can save some hard-earned money over those factory loads. Just by having the spent brass to work with you’re saving, and you can surely shoot for half or one-third the price of factory-rolled ammo, when it comes to the bigger, more expensive cartridges.
When I buy a new rifle, I run a series of handloads through it after a break-in period with factory ammo. What I’m searching for is that special sweet spot in powder charge, bullet weight and design, and even, in some cases, primer brand.
When that hotly accurate load is created, my new rifle will shave off a quarter-inch or more from its group size discovered during the break-in round. Truly, you should be able to cut groups to under a half-inch at 100 yards by handloading.
If your rifle sends a bullet to exactly one-half of an inch at 100 yards, that same group will be 1½ inches at 300 yards, two inches at 400 yards, and 2½ inches at 500 yards. That 500-yard shot can easily be a miss on a fat prairie dog, even without factoring in wind, temperature, altitude and about a dozen other elements that can make you miss the shot.
The key to reloading for long-range accuracy is to not go wild. Start by deciding on a few well-tested and well-researched loads. With a press, scale, powder measure and a set of dies, you’re in business to begin your experimentation. (Load tables appear in Chapter 2.)
I shop around for used dies that are in good shape; at gun shows I often find rifle presses at bargain prices. How long will all that loading equipment last? My Redding powder measure has been kicking out powder charges for better than 47 years to date, and my RCBS “C” frame press isn’t far behind.
From the days of the buffalo rifles in .45-70 (our first long-range tools), to the heyday of the .30-06 Springfield, one thing is for sure, and that is that rifle cartridges do fall by the side of the trail in favor of newer and better products.
Take, for instance, the newer Winchester WSM series of wide-bodied short cartridges in .270 and .300 calibers, both of which quickly usurped the WSSM line of cartridges from Winchester. Overall, today’s newer cartridges tend to burn powder more efficiently, reduce recoil levels even in lightweight rifles, and have been developing a good track record among big-game and varmint hunters in the field.
Bullet designs are also always being researched and improved upon. I worked on several new bullet types and charges for magazine articles in 2005. During that time, I found that VLD (Very Low Drag) bullets did improve group size and reduce drop figures. When VLD-classified bullets are designed, they are manufactured to make maximum use of boat-tail bases, long, smooth nose cones and a good ballistic coefficient (BC).
As most of you know (or should know), BC is the factored number assigned to a bullet that will demonstrates how efficient it will be as it flies. The higher the BC, the better that bullet will perform, at least most of the time.
There are problems with this system in that, at very low velocity, the BC calculation dies a quick death. Also, as the same bullet is fired in different rifles and cartridges and at various velocities, its BC number will change. Add high altitude and other atmospheric conditions and, again the BC numbers all roll out differently. That said, the best way to determine a bullet’s performance profile in real time, of course, is to shoot it.
Sure, you’ll smile and act politely happy over that grotesque olive and paisley tie or discount aisle “World’s No. 1 Dad” coffee mug come Father’s Day. But down deep we know you were hoping for more. Something to satiate your always-itchy trigger finger and calm the twitch in your dominant shooting eye.
Well, this is the year to finally break that string of forgettable Father’s Day gifts and get what you really want and will always use. Of course we mean the ultimate salute to all your dadly duties, a brand-spanking-new gun. We’re here to help.
Here are 10 ammo-eating, made-for-dad firearms you should be asking for this Father’s Day. And these, we promise, will not end up in the back of your bedroom closet or in a garage sale, next to that dang ugly tie.
The .475 Turnbull lever gun from Doug Turnbull and his talented staff is a jaw-dropping and highly functional piece of art.
No firearm stands out quite like a Turnbull. In a world of synthetic stocks and sub-$500 rifles, the company bearing Doug Turnbull’s name is well known for making what he calls functional art, replete with top-shelf wood stocks and the classic look of color case hardening. It’s the one firearm that, without fail, produces prolonged stares and jaw-dropping admiration at the gun store and on the range.
Turnbull Restoration & Manufacturing, Co., as the name implies, was started several decades ago with the restoration of fine firearms in mind but has since grown in the production of original works of fine art. Doug now produces everything from .470 and .475 lever guns to the new and stunning Ruger Mark IV and a host of 1911s, all with iconic looks and impressive functionality. While some carry price tags in the thousands, others, like the Mark IV, bear incredible value at less than $600.
What’s even more impressive, perhaps, is that Turnbull’s guns function and shoot as well as any I’ve ever handled. The .475 Turnbull, which is built off the Winchester 1886 lever-gun platform, is no exception.
Featuring a high-quality wood stock, color-case-hardened receiver and octagonal barrel, side load and top ejection ports, the .475 produced highly impressive accuracy results and ran like a champ when we recently reviewed it. Pretty to look at and even better to shoot—that’s my kind of rifle.
Form Meets Function Winchester’s original 1886 was designed by none other than John Moses Browning and built to withstand large calibers of the time like the .45-70, .45-90 WCF and .40-82 WCF. Since then it’s been adapted to take on other big bores, like the .45-90 Sharps and, in the slightly modified Model 71, the .348 Winchester.
Over a century after its introduction, Turnbull modified the 1886 to accept his new cartridge, the .475 Turnbull. The .475 relies upon a blown-out and necked-up .348 Win. case with a .475-caliber bullet, a caliber that is widely available for reloading purposes. It’s a great round for reloaders, as dies are available from Hornady and RCBS, as well as a host of bullets from Barnes and Nosler. Turnbull also sells many of these components on its website.
Turnbull also produces and sells ammunition for the .475, which is what I utilized for this review. Accuracy testing was conducted with 425-grain lead bullets leaving the muzzle at 1,700 fps, though bullet options are available from 350-500 grains, with load velocities varying from 1,900-2,500 fps.
I also utilized the 350-grain Barnes TSX loads, which hit like a freight train and are supremely accurate, especially given how poorly I typically shoot iron-sighted rifles. Shooting freehand at 50 yards to simulate an actual field hunting experience, the 350-grain bullets came in right around an inch, and from a bench rest and Caldwell lead sled were much better even at 100 yards.
The 350-grain TSX load produces a muzzle velocity of around 2,300 fps with a whopping 4,110 ft.-lbs. of energy, which is why the .475 is considered a major player in the big and dangerous game category. Of course more energy and larger bullets mean serious increases in recoil, which is why I appreciate the plush rubber recoil pad rather than the standard brass butt plate.
The .475 Turnbull features side loading and top ejection ports, which is why the rifle comes standard with iron sights. The 26-inch octagonal barrel bears the resemblance of the original 1886, though newer steel advancements allow the rifle to handle the increased pressures of the .475 cartridge (generally between 40,000-42,000 psi).
The original 1886 action can handle the newer load, but the old barrels could not, which is why a restored and converted 1886 gets a new barrel. To put things in perspective, a 350-grain bullet in the .475 Turnbull produces velocities roughly 900 fps faster than the .45-70 Government with a 300-grain bullet, with about 2,800 ft.-lbs. of additional energy. Again, recoil is greater, but so is your “stopping power.” With the right bullet, you can do some serious big and dangerous game hunting with the .475 Turnbull.
Doug also makes a .470 Turnbull, which offers very similar ballistics: The 350-grain Barnes TSX leaves the muzzle at 2,300 fps with a shoulder-pounding and beast-stopping 4,110 ft.-lbs. of energy. The main difference is that the .470 is slightly shorter and fits in the Marlin Model 1895 action. The parent case of the .470 is still the .348 Win., though the .470 case measures 2.55 inches instead of 2.78 for the .475. The .470 features a shoulder angle of 10 degrees, while the .475 has an angle of roughly 17 degrees. For the sake of comparison, the .470 is more or less ballistically equivalent to the .450 Marlin.
Parting Shots The .475 from Turnbull is hardly inexpensive, carrying a price of $5,650, and depending on your reloading skills, the ammunition isn’t exactly what I’d call cheap, either. The rifle is a hog to carry in the field, hardly like your grandfather’s old .30-30 that you’d carry into the deer woods. That being said, it’s still relatively affordable as far as large-caliber dangerous game rifles go, and it’s stunning to behold.
Doug builds an extremely accurate rifle, too, and from our testing, the lever-action ran smoothly and without issue. Most freehand groups at 50 yards were around an inch, and just above that at 100 from the bench. Realistically I’m not going to be shooting buffalo at 500 yards with an open-sighted lever gun, so as long as you keep your own limitations and application in mind, this is a fantastic rifle.
Recoil obviously increases depending on bullet selection and load, but a good shooting bench and lead sled will mitigate a lot of discomfort, at least when you’re getting dialed in. With 350-grain and 425-grain loads, I was actually surprised by the recoil — it really wasn’t that bad.
Many of the fast magnums I’ve shot in the past left me feeling much worse, and as others have pointed out, the big bores are more of a heavy push than a snappy punch to the upper torso. Once you move to a standing position or from sticks, recoil becomes even less worrisome.
Fine and functional art, the .475 Turnbull is among the best the company has ever produced. And that’s saying a lot.
Specifications:
Turnbull Model 1886 – Turnbull 475 Caliber: .475 Turnbull Action: Lever Barrel Length: 26 in. Barrel Type: Octagonal Butt Plate: Rubber Recoil Pad Finish: Turnbull color case hardened finish Price: $5,650
With concealed carry and tactical operation in mind, Blackhawk has released a comprehensive clothing line perfect for going armed efficiently.
When experts talk about concealed carry, they often modify it with the word “lifestyle.” This isn’t just some catchy phrase to make people feel good about going armed. Instead, it’s shorthand for what happens when a citizen chooses to carry a firearm for personal defense.
This decision affects every facet of an individual’s life, from mindset to routine, and even clothing. That last point is often overlooked, but, thankfully, the days of just buying a size larger in pants and calling it good are on their way out. More and more companies are coming up with clothing literally tailored for concealed carry.
Among their ranks is Blackhawk, which recently released its new Fall Apparel line at the 2017 National Rifle Association Annual Meetings and Exhibits. The line features eight clothing styles, including pants, shirts and jackets, each configured to more comfortably and effectively carry concealed.
“We are excited about the extensions to the apparel line for Fall 2017 season,” said Jamie Lindberg, Blackhawk Senior Manager of Apparel Merchandising. “We feel confident we have a comprehensive line that really aligns with our consumer expectations of performance and quality, as well as brings a modern design aesthetic to the market.”
Blackhawk’s Perfect Shirt collection might be the most practical additions of the lot. The three new tops — Purpose Shirt, Precision Shirt and Cool React Polo — are each constructed from fabrics that resist printing. On top of that, they are breathable, making carrying on hot days that much more comfortable.
The company is also offering three new styles of pants — Shield, Pursuit and Tac Life — as well as Pursuit shorts. Each has double front belt loops, providing greater support and less chance of a carry rig sagging. And each is constructed from tear and stain-resistant fabric. To boot, the pants all come with a number of clandestine pockets for easy carry of other gear, and including model specific knife pocket, mag pouch in the cargo pocket and hidden waistband pocket.
The Field, Tac Life and Tactical Softshell jackets are equally as handy. While the Field Jacket is bit more of a traditional style, Blackhawk has outfitted the Tac Life and Tactical Softshell with a number of hidden pockets, to keep vital gear under wraps.
Blackhawk’s clothing line runs from $49.99 to $209.99 depending on the article and features.
More than a single perspective, Straight Talk on Armed Defenseoffers an in-depth, full-spectrum study of the most important self-defense and concealed carry topics from today's top experts. The timely reference gathers the sage advice of Massad Ayoob and 11 other respected armed-defense authorities to deliver decades of practical know-how in one convenient volume. Get Your Copy Now
Reloading the 7mm STW is not an overly complex process, but it's often necessary given the cartridge's lack of widespread popularity and availability. Here are a few tips for those looking to load their own.
Cartridge trends come and go, as each year we see a new cartridge released that is guaranteed to be the best thing since toilet paper. As time has proven, some are totally valid designs, and some go the way of the dodo. While I’m not about to speculate as to why some major companies release or back a particular cartridge, only to abandon the prospect of producing ammunition for those customers who have purchased rifles in that chambering, it happens. One example is the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner (STW). It was touted as the baddest 7mm Magnum available, and Layne Simpson, who had a huge part in its design, wasn’t wrong in that assessment.
But development of cartridges like the Remington Ultra Magnum series, coupled with the huge marketing capabilities that the big players possess, can push the perfectly viable cartridges, perhaps of a lesser pedigree, off the stage. Does that mean that the 7mm STW is any less of a cartridge than it once was? Certainly not.
Just as the .300 Holland & Holland has been pushed into “specialty-affair” status by the .300 Winchester Magnum, it doesn’t mean that the Super .30 is any less super, it just means ammunition is more difficult to come by. There are a few 7mm STW loads still available, but they’re few and far between.
What to do if you’re a fan and love your STW rifle? Well, friends, that’s where the reloaders come into their own. Here are a few tips to get you started in reloading the 7mm STW.
Get the Right Dies & Brass The 7mm STW is a relatively straightforward affair, being a belted cartridge maintaining the 2.850-inch case length of the .375 Holland & Holland, as does its parent cartridge, the 8mm Remington Magnum. You’ll obviously need a set of dies — I happen to have a set of Redding dies for the 7mm STW — but you’ll need to procure some brass.
Unfortunately for the STW fans, sources of new component brass are drying up. Fortunately for the STW fans, Nosler has some foresight, and offers its excellent component brass for reloading the 7mm STW. One thing you need to know about Nosler brass: Right out of the box, it’s ready to load; it’s all nicely chamfered and deburred. I can’t say that about too many other brands.
Use a Slower-Burning Powder The STW has a large case capacity for its bore diameter, so to get a good balance of uniformity and velocity, you’ll have to look at powders on the slower side of the spectrum. For a cartridge of these proportions, I like any powder with a burn rate equal to or slower than that of IMR4350, as it will fill the case well and provide the pressures needed to move bullets at the velocities they were intended to move.
Another interesting point I’ve observed over the years is that these higher velocity cartridges seem to show the best accuracy with bullets in the middle to heavy end of the weight spectrum for that particular caliber. For reloading the 7mm STW and addressing its larger case capacity, you’ll need a large rifle magnum primer, in order to consistently ignite that powder column.
Choose the Right Bullet for the Job A friend of mine needed to fuel his STW, and none of the factory offerings were really doing what he knew this rifle was capable of doing, so he called me to handload some ammo for him. He didn’t really have much of a preference as to bullet type, so I suggested we try and keep it simple and find a bullet that will both reach out well for the longer shots that the 7mm STW handles so well, yet is strong enough to maintain integrity on the closer shots with higher impact velocities.
My suggestion was easy: the 150-grain Swift Scirocco II. This is a bonded-core bullet with a black polymer tip, a thick, tapering jacket and a good boat tail for a higher ballistic coefficient.
My experiences with this bullet have been nothing but positive, especially in those cartridges that can really throw a fastball, like the .300 Winchester Magnum and both the 7mm and .300 Remington Ultra Magnums. They are very accurate, often shooting less than ¾ MOA in a well-tuned rifle, and their high ballistic coefficient will help to retain as much energy as possible, as well as give good trajectory and resist wind deflection.
Perusing the Swift reloading manual, they indicated that the powder that gave the lowest deviation on velocity in the 7mm STW is Hodgdon’s H4350, and that makes perfect sense in a case like this. Spark this powder with a good large rifle magnum primer — my own personal choice is the Federal Gold Medal GM215M — and you’ve got a recipe for success.
The 150-grain Scirocco has a total length of 1.385 inches, and due to the maximum overall length of the 7mm STW at 3.600 inches, that fact translates into seating the bullet deep into the case, almost to the point where the beginning of the ogive meets the case mouth, but not quite. Mating it with Hodgdon’s H4350 gave good velocities and a decent amount of room for seating the long, boat tail bullet. Velocities with this powder will run just over 3,100 fps and will do very well across a canyon or out on the prairie flats.
Were I asked to provide ammunition for this cartridge for use against animals larger than moose, I’d probably opt for a heavy-for-caliber 175-grain bonded core bullet, but for most of the work the 7mm STW is asked to do, the 150-grain Scirocco will suffice very well.
Parting Thoughts The 7mm STW is one of the many children of the .375 H&H that has its father’s belt of brass, but headspaces off the shoulder, rendering that belt useless. It does retain the same 25-degree shoulder of its big brother, the 8mm Remington Magnum, so headspacing is not an issue at all.
If you want to try and tighten groups up even further, the Redding Deluxe Die set comes with a neck-sizing die, so you can make some custom ammunition for your own particular STW rifle, and I’ve had good results going down that road in similar cartridges, especially for long-range work. Just remember, neck sizing restricts the ammunition you create to the rifle in which it was fired, as the body of the cartridge will be a mirror image of that one particular chamber.
The 7mm STW is just one of the many victims of the sad saga of cartridge obsolescence, but we, the reloaders, can keep the fire burning brightly. Hoard that brass, and shoot on!
SKS upgrades? It almost sounds like an oxymoron. But here's what can be accomplished by a truly determined fan of the rugged Cold War relic.
When I last visited Bob Cogan, he was in St. Petersburg, Fla., right near where my grandmother used to live. When he set up shop there (and when I was visiting Grams on vacation), St. Pete was not so big. It grew to the point that there were too many retirees and yuppies willing to spend inordinate amounts of money for crappy little condos, and Bob packed up and left.
He’s now in rural Alabama, with no neighbor hassles, lower taxes and a bigger shop. He sent me a raft of SKS rifles he’d worked on, to show just what you can do with a basic rifle.
Now, be aware that the full-out efforts to make an SKS rifle into something interesting can result in spending several times the amount of dollars on custom work that you spent on the rifle, though nothing like a 1911, where you can buy a $500 pistol and spend $3,000 getting custom work done on it.
He sent a camo-painted synthetic stock SKS that had been brought in with the AK mag modification. Up front he’d added his own muzzle brake to make the already cushy SKS a softer shooter. To make it as soft as possible, he’d installed a recoil pad on the buttstock.
The pistol grip had been sculpted to provide finger grooves. A lot of people like finger grooves, but my hands must be abnormal. I’ve never found a grip yet with finger grooves where the grooves fell correctly for my hands. But if it works for you, it's golden.
Shooting this one was about as soft an experience as you can get, launching 123-grain bullets at 2,300 fps. If you rustled up some 5-shot magazines for it, you could have a super-soft hunting gun for kids or the little lady. Or, you manly types who are recoil-sensitive.
He sent another SKS rifle that had the rear sight replaced with a base for red-dot scopes, to which he had bolted on an early model Aimpoint. To get someone hooked on shooting, there’s nothing better than a red-dot scope. The ease of aiming with a red-dot makes hitting a cinch, and once new shooters start hitting, they really start liking shooting.
Another rifle had a different muzzle brake on it, and fiber-optic sights front and rear. Again, soft in recoil, and for those who are going to use iron sights, fiber optics create a glowing set of dots that you can’t fail to see.
You can have your SKS hard-chromed, as Bob has done to several of those he sent me. Or you can apply paint in whatever scheme appeals to you. Another option is to send your SKS off to Bob for the heavy-duty work that requires metalwork and the like, and once it returns, do the extra modifications that appeal to you and can be done on your workbench.
One aspect of the SKS that has never enthused me is the sights. Open sights are just not that great. Yes, you can hit what you’re aiming at, but it is a lot easier and faster to do so with aperture sights.
One company that is offering aperture sights for the SKS and AK is Tech-Sights. This aperture sight attaches to the rear of the top cover, where it offers several benefits.
First, it increases the sight radius. Here, more is definitely better. Second, it's the proper distance from the eye. Third, it can be installed and removed, depending on if you find it useful or not. There are a lot of shooters who don’t like aperture sights, and they can be removed.
Despite the limitations on the mechanism, the appeal of the SKS is multiple: It's so incredibly cheap, both to buy and feed, that it's hard to resist. If you break something on it, you can buy a new part, or a new rifle. And as long as it is running, and ammo is cheap, shooting it is fun and won’t break the bank.
This is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Book of the AK & SKS, Volume 2.
Swagger Bipods has re-envisioned how bipods are used, engineering a highly versatile shooting system designed to tackle real-life situations in the field.
A bipod certainly is a handy accessory to have on your hunting rifle. Few other bits of shooting gear do more to shore up a shot. But let's face it, for the most part, when it comes to fast action in the field, a bipod is an advantage shooters only get to utilize every now and again.
Swagger Bipods has set out to remedy this, re-engineering the accessory into a highly versatile system flexible enough to handle nearly any circumstance … or shooting position in the field … a hunt can throw at you. Gun Digest Digital Editor Luke Hartle learns exactly how adaptable the Swagger Bipod is in the above video, and how Swagger has designed their hunting bipods to outperform nearly any other support system out there. As Swagger’s Josh Kinser demonstrates, there isn’t an angle the accessory can't adjust to on the fly, all the while providing a rock-solid rest to improve your shooting skills.
The most intriguing part of the overall design is simply how easy and convenient Swagger Bipods are to use. The unit simply attaches to a swivel stud on your firearm's forearm, requiring no modification to the gun. And being made from high-impact polymer and rugged aluminum, the Swagger adds little overall weight to a firearm, making it a practical upgrade, even for those who trek deep into the backcountry.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
