The Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight 1911 is an elegant gun that’s big on power and small on size.
I am a huge fan of 1911-style pistols, and I use them for hunting (especially 10mm Auto models), home defense (night stand .45) and just punching paper at the range. But I’ve shied away from using a 1911 as a concealed carry handgun. Oh, I’ve tried it. And while others might have a different experience, I’ve found that full-sized 1911s are just too large and heavy for me to carry comfortably under a shirt or jacket.
The last couple years, though, have seen gun makers turning out smaller versions of their 1911s in .45 ACP, specifically with concealed carry in mind. Among the latest entrants into this market—and among the best I’ve used—is Republic Forge’s new Defiant Lightweight 1911.
At 30 ounces unloaded, the Defiant Lightweight is by no means a pocket pistol. But it is still nifty and fairly compact, a pistol that points naturally, is accurate and looks great. It’s a half-dozen or more ounces lighter than other full-sized Republic Forge 1911s. That weight savings is achieved via a frame made from 7075 T-6 Aluminum (also known as “Aircraft Aluminum”) and a 3.6-inch barrel.
All that and, with one in the chamber, the Defiant Lightweight still packs seven rounds of .45 ACP stopping power.
My time with the Defiant Lightweight included a day at the range, as well as a day’s concealed carry of the pistol. Range time came first.
For my testing, I used four brands of .45 ACP ammunition, three of them for accuracy testing: Aguila, 230-grain FMJ; American Eagle, 230-grain FMJ; and Remington UMC, 230-grain FMJ.
Accuracy testing was done at 25 yards from a rest. Next, and to better simulate a concealed carry situation, I shot at 10 yards offhand. In both cases, I was impressed with the Lightweight’s accuracy.
At 25 yards from a sandbag rest, the best five-shot group came with the American Eagle load, and measured 1.46 inches. The largest group was 2.43 inches with the Aguila ammunition. Given the Lightweight’s 3.6-inch long barrel, I’m not sure you could really expect much more from a pistol.
At 10 yards offhand, Remington’s UMC took the top spot with a group right at one inch. The American Eagle held a group of 1.17 inches, while the Aguila hit 1.21 inches. If I took my time? The groups were less than 1.5 inches, no matter which ammo was used.
The only functional problem came after 100 rounds or so had been run through the pistol. With a new magazine inserted, the first round of the American Eagle ammo would not feed into the chamber, the tip of the bullet pressed right against the bottom of the feed ramp.
A quick inspection revealed that the feed ramp was quite dirty. I was without oil or a cleaning spray (I’d left my accessories range bag at home!), so I wet a piece of paper towel with my saliva and wiped the ramp clean. Once that was done, the American Eagle rounds fed easily enough into the Lightweight.
(Of note, the other two types of ammunition I used didn’t have this feeding problem even with a blackened feed ramp. I’m not sure why, but for some reason the end of the bullet on the American Eagle rounds seemed to stick to the feed ramp, while the others slid over the grime and into the chamber.)
Shooting the Defiant Lightweight was a pleasure. The pistol’s weight naturally dropped down and back into the rear of my palm, snug and comfortable.
The ambidextrous wing safety snapped up/on easily with my right thumb and minimal effort, while it snapped down/off just as nicely. The grip safety required firm pressure, but not the undue squeezing needed for some 1911s I have used.
The magazine release is on the left side of the pistol (though it can be moved to either side), and the magazines popped out with one thumb’s worth of pressure.
The Lightweight’s slide works fairly easy; it isn’t 9mm pistol easy, but easier than most 1911s I’ve used. The cocking serrations at the rear of the slide are located at just the right place to assist in pushing back the slide.
The Defiant’s trigger broke at a very crisp 3.5 pounds with no take up. You squeeze the trigger, and the pistol goes off. It resets very quickly, too.
The metal of the front strap is nicely checkered, at 25 lines per inch, providing a superior grip for your bottom three fingers—a great aid to getting back on target after the first shot.
The VZ Grips on the Defiant are amazing. The front halves of the grips, facing the barrel end, are dimpled. The rear halves are crafted from a series of cuts that slant down at about a 45-degree angle.
The dimples grip your shooting hand fingers and the top of the palm of that hand very firmly. Meanwhile, the angled cuts perfectly grip and hold the rear palm of the non-shooting hand, stabilizing the pistol.
Modified Trijicon Night Sights sit atop the pistol, and they line up fast and naturally. According to Jeff Meister, Republic Forge’s Master Gunsmith, the Defiant Lightweight—like all of the gun maker’s pistols—features Republic Forge’s proprietary, patented recoil system featuring a flat wire recoil spring.
“The recoil spring will last for at least 15,000 rounds,” said Meister.
As far as various options like Cerakoting, colors, different grips and sights, etc., Meister noted that the Republic Forge website has a “Build Your Own 1911” feature that lets you select from the company’s full range of accessories and options. The site will also show you what these options look like on the pistol of your choice and provide you with a price per option/accessory, as well as a final total price.
Speaking of price, the Defiant Lightweight comes in at a hefty $2,995. No small change. At the same time, Meister added, each pistol is handmade, one at a time, at the company’s facility in Perryton, Texas. All parts are American made.
The Defiant, like every Republic Forge pistol, also comes with a Full Lifetime Warranty (minus misuse and abuse of course). Yes, it costs a lot of money. But you get a great deal of gun for that cash. You also get a handgun that, I suspect, will be passed down within your family, for generations to come.
Specifications:
Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight Caliber: .45 ACP Action: Single, semi-automatic Weight: 30 oz. (unloaded) Frame: Full-sized Commander, made from 7075 T-6 Aluminum Slide: 4340 Carbon Steel, heat-treated to 38-41 Rockwell Barrel: 416 Stainless Steel Barrel Length: 3.6 inches Trigger: Lightweight, skeletonized Trigger Pull: 3.5 pounds Sights: Republic Forge Night Sights with straight-eight Tritium configuration Price: $2,995 Manufacturer: Republic Forge; RepublicForge.com
One hunter took the Legendary Arms Works Professional rifle on an African safari to see how it performed. The results speak for themselves.
Halloween, 2015 // Steenbokpan, South Africa
The temperature at daybreak was well into the 80s as PH Nick Prinsloo and I climbed into the back of the Toyota Cruiser. He handed up the .300 Magnum, and we set off for the kudu haunts. After an hour spent looking for tracks, my wife hit me in the leg, eyes wide, and threw her hands in the air in two rising spirals.
“Kudu?”
“Kudu!”
She was the only one who saw the bull, and he had apparently beat feet for safer country. Nick and I dismounted and began a stalk of the area.
The terrain was incredible. Marula trees gave way to the rooibos, interspersed with small rocky kopjes the color of rust. The hours went by as we did our best to combat the swirling wind fueled by the now over 100-degree temperatures, but there was no sign of the bull.
We had actually given up for the morning when we finally caught the flick of a huge ear belonging to a kudu cow. We redoubled our efforts, despite the torturous heat, and within a couple hundred yards, we saw the bull we were after.
Unfortunately, he saw us first and began that familiar kudu sprint away from danger. The sticks were hastily spread, and Nick uttered the two words I’d longed to hear for over a decade: “Shoot him!”
The Professional came to my shoulder and onto the sticks in one effortless move, and the instant I had the shot in the Bushnell’s crosshairs, the Timney trigger broke as if commanded by thought and seemingly without my hand playing any part. I don’t recall the recoil, but I do vividly remember the bull falling out of the scope. Nick’s slap on the back was the icing on the cake.
Legendary Arms Works is a collaboration between two well known industry names: It is the marriage of the Ed Brown Model 704 action and Mark Bansner’s fantastic fiberglass stocks, and simply put, they are made properly. There are three models: The Closer, The Professional and The Big Five.
When you take a rifle on safari, it needs to be utterly reliable; there is little chance that you will find someone to fix your rifle in the bush. I chose the Professional because of the design features that Legendary puts into its guns.
The Action The Model 704 action is a slim, trim, controlled round feed affair. It is a round action, which affords a comfortable grip on the rifle when carried under the floorplate.
But the 704 is not your traditional Mauser-style controlled round feed with a huge claw-style extractor; the bolt has the profile and appearance of the push-feed rifles. A slot in the bottom of the bolt face cleanly picks up the cartridge, and a full 1/3 of the remaining bolt face is a huge extractor.
Let all skepticism be put aside; even with ammunition on the hot side of the spectrum and temperatures that topped out at 112 degrees, there were no extraction problems whatsoever. The 704 uses a blade-style ejector, and the fluted bolt adds a bit of style to the deal. The magazine loads its cartridges to the left first, the opposite of most bolt-action rifles, and the hinged floorplate provides quick unloading of the firearm.
The Professional’s magazine holds three .300 Winchester cartridges, and you can chamber a fourth if you’re so inclined. A three-position wing safety, a la the Model 70 Winchester, permits safe unloading of the rifle, without putting it into battery.
To round things off, the Legendary Rifles — including the Professional — come with a hand-tuned Timney trigger that breaks at just about 3¼ pounds, perfect for a hunting rifle.
The Stock Mark Bansner has long been in the stock-making business — formerly operating High Tech Specialties — and the stock provided with the Legendary Arms Works Professional is a winner. A graceful, sloping pistol grip, which will guarantee that you don’t get that nasty knuckle-split from recoil in the hard-kicking calibers, fits nicely in your hand, and the tri-color green pebble finish is rough enough to give a good grip (even with sweaty hands in the African sun) and prevent any of that smooth surface reflection.
The comb is designed to give proper eye alignment with a riflescope, and the length of pull — 13½ inches — fits most hunters like a glove. Good stock fit and cheek weld make any rifle a pleasure to shoot, and the Professional is no exception. A pliable Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad takes up what recoil the rifle dishes out, and I must say, even at 8.1 pounds fully dressed, the .300 Winchester was extremely manageable.
Legendary Arms Works uses aluminum bedding blocks to secure the 704 action to the fiberglass stock, which enhances accuracy. All said, I’m not particularly a fan of synthetic stocks, but the hand-laid fiberglass stocks from Legendary Arms Works are among the best I’ve ever used.
The Barrel My Professional rifle came with a 24-inch, No. 3 contour, fluted barrel with a detachable muzzle brake. A 1:10-inch twist allows the use of the heaviest .30-caliber bullets, and this rifle showed an equal liking for many different bullet weights.
Muzzle brakes and I usually don’t get along well, but the brake provided by Legendary really took the sting out of the bench work. However, for field use, where hearing protection is generally not used, the brake can be screwed off and replaced with a cap, which comes with the rifle (Author’s note: the cap fell out of my rifle bag while packing for safari, and I had to bear the torture of the muzzle brake. I already have tinnitus, and that didn’t help. Remember the cap, folks!). The machine work on the barrel/brake joint is so fine that you literally have to search to find the seam.
Legendary Arms Works uses a gray Cerakote finish on all metal parts of the Professional rifle, right down to the firing pin, so there is no worry about rust. My sweaty hands can tear a good blued finish to pieces in a short amount of time, but the Cerakote is impervious to even my hands.
The Sights The Legendary Arms Works Professional comes with a clean barrel, but it is factory equipped with Weaver-style cross-slot bases. It wasn’t difficult at all to attach a Bushnell Elite 3500 2.5-10x40mm — a perfect choice for the varying style of shots that the South African bush can present. As you’ll find out, I’m very happy I chose that magnification range.
The close work, in heavy bush, can easily be handled by a scope with a magnification range of 2.5 to 3x, yet when the ranges exceed 200 yards, I’m awfully grateful for 9 or 10x. The Bushnell 3500 Elite is a very clear riflescope, and took adjustment perfectly.
At the Bench Any good rifle will show its merits at the bench; accuracy is usually the single biggest factor in deciding the worth of a rifle headed on an important hunt. I used a couple of factory loads for initial sighting in and barrel break in: the Federal Vital Shok 180-grain Nosler Partition load and the Winchester 180-grain Power Point load.
I’ve had the best results with 180-grain bullets in the .300 Winchester, and this rifle liked them as well, with the Winchester load printing just over MOA accuracy and the Federal load just under. Either would have been an acceptable choice for a plains game safari, but I had something different in mind.
The .300 Winchester Magnum isn’t a difficult cartridge to handload for; it is one of those cartridges that falls under the loose category of “inherently accurate.” The case will perform well with powders in the medium to very slow range, say anything from IMR4064 and Varget to H4831SC and Reloder 25.
Find a charge that your barrel likes, spark it with a good magnum primer, and you should be in business. I’ve used many different bullets and many different powders over the years, and it has never been a very difficult prospect to get a good .300 to shoot well.
I’ve been experimenting with Cutting Edge Bullets, a company out of Drifting, Pennsylvania, that makes monometal copper and brass bullets that are turned on a CNC lathe. The bullets are predominately of hollowpoint design, and instead of the traditional mushroom-type expansion, the wall of the bullet along the hollowpoint breaks into several “blades” upon impact, causing nasty impact trauma, while the base of the bullet remains at caliber dimension and gives deep penetration.
They are very consistent bullet to bullet, and that simple fact enhances accuracy greatly. They had worked very well on a safari in April/May 2015 in .404 Jeffery and .416 Rigby, in both South Africa and Zimbabwe, so I was keen to use them in the Legendary Arms Works Professional for this hunt.
Based on the performance in the bigger guns — using bullets much lighter for caliber than the traditional loads — I looked at the Cutting Edge Copper Raptor 150-grain boat tail hollowpoint. I know, a 150-grain bullet shouldn’t be a smart choice for animals the size of kudu or bigger, but the performance of the Cutting Edge Raptor convinced me that albeit being lighter than normal, it would get the job done right.
Because this hunt would be conducted at the end of October and beginning of November, I knew the temperatures in the Steenbokpan area could swell the mercury very easily. I chose a new powder, one that would be insensitive to the temperature extremes: the new Enduron IMR4451, a stick powder with a burn rate slightly slower than good old IMR4350, and just perfect for the .300 Winchester Mangum.
The Enduron line of powders has been engineered to give consistent velocities across a wide range of temperatures, from sub-zero to sweltering tropical heat. My buddy Chris Hodgdon, President of the Hodgdon Powder Company that produces IMR powders, told me that this would be the first use of IMR4451 in Africa.
The second load I chose with this powder/bullet combination gave me a three-shot group measuring 0.9 inches and cruising along at 3,325 feet per second (fps), and those results were repeatable. The Norma cases I was using showed no signs of high pressure, and even though I developed the load at 55 degrees, I had faith in IMR’s claim that the temperature fluctuation would be very low.
Their claim held up. When we arrived in South Africa, we drove to the hunting concession and immediately checked the zero of the rifles.
Temps were in the 90s, yet the Professional and its Bushnell Elite scope held zero perfectly on the 9,000-mile trip, and even in the warmer climate, there were no signs of higher pressures. There was no change in the point of impact, so we were all set to go hunting.
On the Hunt During the course of a safari, your rifle can take quite a beating, and any weak spots can be brought to light quickly. On the truck, off the truck, loaded, unloaded, dragged through the brush, encrusted in dust, rinse and repeat.
The Professional took everything I could throw at it and handled it all just as its name would indicate. No matter how long the stalk was, or how many miles we put on our boots, the Professional was a pleasure to carry. Every cartridge fed perfectly, the safety stayed where I put it no matter how thick the acacia and stick-and-hook thorns got, and the rifle did everything I asked of it.
That kudu I told you about earlier was taken on the run at 70 yards, with the Bushnell set at 2.5x. The magnification was low enough for quick target acquisition, and the crosshair bold enough to get a fast shot where it needed to go; kudu bulls don’t stick around very long waiting for you to get the crosshairs where they need to be.
The Bushnell Elite 3500 also offered enough eye relief to be used with sunglasses; I have a pair of Serengeti glasses that offer good protection from the African sun, and the polarized lenses actually aid in spotting African game in the bush.
The waterbuck bull was a different story.
We were actually following the tracks of some very spooky impala on quite a long stalk. My wife wanted the impala ram in a very bad way, so while we were tracking the herd I was kind of bumbling along at the rear of the parade trying not to alert any game and watching the ground for the occasional leopard track that explained why the impala and zebra were acting so spooky.
When Nick Prinsloo told me that the impala were clearly running, and much too fast to attempt to catch them, we made our way back to the sand road to meet the truck — and the cooler full of ice water. Everybody in front of me stopped short in the middle of the road and motioned like crazy for me to come up where they stood.
Sebastian Jonker, our other PH, said in a harsh whisper “Your waterbuck is lying down across the pan; he has no idea we’re here. Take him man.” Some 217 yards away, a gorgeous waterbuck bull was indeed napping.
No pressure here — two Professional Hunters and my wife watching me, and a waterbuck with his vitals all squashed down on the ground offering a very small target.
I cranked the Bushnell up to 10x, got The Professional onto the sticks, and waited for the small circle that the crosshairs were making to become even smaller. I knew the shot felt good when the Timney trigger broke, and when the sound of the bullet hitting flesh came back on the wind, all the stress washed away.
The bull stood, stumbled on wobbly legs for 15 yards and fell down dead. “Dead, and doesn’t know it,” as the great Harry Selby once said.
So, as you can see, the Legendary Arms Works Professional turned out to be a great choice for my safari, or any other hunt on any continent, for that matter.
The controlled round feed and crisp trigger made shooting under pressure a dream; the Bushnell Elite 3500 was clear and gave plenty of contrast to get the job done. Those Cutting Edge Copper Raptor bullets worked perfectly, hitting right where they were aimed and performing as advertized: I only recovered the base of one bullet, and that was from the kudu.
And if you’re a handloader, give the Enduron line from IMR a try. You’ll be happy with it.
Keep your eyes on Legendary Arms Works; these rifles are going to be on the scene for some time to come. When you make a rifle that performs this well, it’s bound to stick around.
With the ability to easily breakdown into easily concealed components, the Ruger SR-556 Takedown might be the ultimate knapsack AR.
Compact, covert, and discreet — all words that describe the relatively new Ruger SR-556 Takedown. Takedown rifles have a cool allure with the metallic sound of multiple parts mating together to form an accurately shooting rifle.
The Ruger SR-556 Takedown has that same cool, incognito presence, and after a few pulls, twists and clicks, it’s all business. It’s a refined AR that can do a job and melt back into the scenery slung over your shoulder in a knapsack.
The DNA of the AR-15 design essentially makes it a takedown rifle. After all, the upper receiver can easily and quickly be removed from the lower receiver, breaking down the rifle into two pieces. The issue is that the upper receiver makes up the bulk of length.
By my estimation, the typical AR-15 with a 16-inch barrel has an upper receiver that is 24.5 inches long, and depending on the muzzle device, that length could be even longer. Stowing over 24 inches of forged aluminum and hammered steel is not particularly easy. Think a large duffel bag.
What the Ruger SR-556 Takedown does is allow the user to remove the barrel from the upper receiver so the respective lengths are 17.87 inches and 18.5 inches. The lower receiver is 15.75 inches with the stock collapsed. This small package fits inside its own knapsack that looks like it belongs in academia rather than in a UH-60 Black Hawk.
The beauty of the Ruger Takedown is its simplicity. It takes me about 10 seconds to assemble or disassemble the rifle. I’m not racing to complete that task, it is just that simple. And I like simple.
The Ruger breaks down into three components: lower receiver assembly, upper receiver/handguard assembly and barrel/piston system assembly. The first step to disassemble the Ruger is to pull out the pivot and takedown pins and separate the lower from the upper and remove the bolt carrier group (BCG) from the upper.
Second, move the slider bar on the underside of the handguard toward the rear of the rifle. Third, twist the barrel assembly clockwise with the muzzle facing away from you and pull the barrel free from the handguard.
Done. What is left are three manageable pieces that fit inside a small knapsack with pockets for each component.
The knapsack does have MOLLE straps, so it does look a bit tactical, and the patch with the Ruger logo is attached with hook and loops so you can replace it. From the outside, you cannot tell an AR resides inside the bag.
There are no rattles or clunking of metal to belie the contents. The case measures 22.5 inches long by 7 inches thick and 7.5 inches wide. Ruger also supplies three Magpul 30-round magazines that fit inside the knapsack with the disassembled components.
Ruger really studied the takedown concept to make the system repeatable, secure and rugged. The rear of the barrel has lugs that mate with grooves in the upper receiver. The components lock securely together even when dirtied up from extended use. Plus, there are no small parts to lose because the parts snap together. And no tools are required.
Ruger was also smart to use its piston system AR. The Ruger barrel/piston system component was sturdy.
If I accidentally dropped it, it would no doubt come out unscathed. I don’t want to worry about babying a rifle, and the Ruger design gave me that confidence.
Another check in the upside column with the Ruger SR-556 Takedown is its ability to swap calibers. Ruger sells an optional caliber conversion kit so you can shoot .300 AAC BLK, as well as 5.56mm NATO, making the Ruger compatible for most situations: hunting, plinking and home defense.
Finally, the Takedown is hands down easier to clean than the typical AR-15.
All the cool takedown characteristics aside, performance is where the bullet hits the rifling so to speak.
A concern I had was a shift in zero. How is the zero impacted when removing and replacing the barrel?
The answer is: It isn’t with the Ruger Takedown.
During range testing, I removed the barrel numerous times (if you do the same, remember to use gloves). In all cases, I found there was no significant shift in zero.
Ruger’s piston-system AR is the Cadillac of the company’s AR line, keeping the BCG cool with less felt recoil. The rifle employs a two-stage, four-position gas valve system. There are four settings marked “0,” “1,” “2,” and “3,” with “0” closing the valve so the SR-556 acts like a single-shot rifle.
The “1” setting allows the least gas to enter the system or is the lowest setting; “3” allows the most gas or is the highest setting. This system has less felt recoil and allows the user to regulate the gas to the piston to ensure proper operation especially when running subsonic ammo with a can.
The Takedown has a forged lower and upper receiver. Ruger decide to opt for premium furniture on the Takedown, with a Magpul MOE SL stock that has no rattle and gives a nice cheek weld. The Magpul MOE pistol grip feels good in hand.
The selector lever, bolt release and magazine release are all Mil-Spec. It is equipped with a forward assist and has a manganese phosphate, hardcoat anodized finish.
The Elite 452 AR Trigger is Ruger’s proprietary two-stage trigger. My sample averaged 4.5 pounds.
I liked the take up in the first stage. The second stage had a short, crisp break. It is a trigger that helps accuracy at short and long range.
The upper receiver features Ruger’s proprietary KeyMod handguard, which feels thin and is comfortable to hold. Folding sights are mounted on the top of the upper.
The front sight can be adjusted for both elevation and windage, so zero stays with the barrel. The rear sight is also adjustable.
The barrel is cold hammer-forged Mil-Spec 41V45 chrome-moly-vanadium steel, chrome-lined, and is equipped with Ruger’s flash suppressor.
At the range, the trigger helped with accuracy. Using inexpensive Aguila 62-grain FMJs and IMI 55-grain FMJs, I was able to shoot five-shot groups of 0.8 and 0.9 inch, respectively, at 100 yards using open sights.
The economy Federal American Eagle ammo was no slouch either, averaging 1-inch groups. On average, you can expect about 1- to 1.5-inch groups at 100 yards with this rifle. I liked the smooth operation of the piston system, and along with the rubber buttpad, you get less felt recoil.
The Ruger SR-556 Takedown is good to go out of the box — I mean knapsack. It is an easy rifle to dis- and re-assemble, and it shoots just as easy.
As it turns out, big surprises can come in small packages.
Upland hunters have a few more choices when it comes to how they feed their 28-gauge, with Federal Premium adding three new shells for the minimalist bore.
The 28-gauge is one of those gems of the shotgun world only a select few experience. Typically, it’s the dedicated quail hunters and serious small-bore skeet shooters that are privy to this classic, easy-shooting and flexible gauge.
It’s a shame because, given the right loads, the 28-gauge can hold its own against the 20-gauge. At the same time, it can be shot longer without a shoulder developing a touch of “smoothbore arthritis” the next day.
Most likely, one of the hobbles to wider adoption of the 28-gauge has been its relatively hard-to-find, and thus somewhat pricey, ammunition. But in recent years, the market has seemed to loosen, with some of the major ammo players upping their game on the minimalist bore.
One of the longer-running advocates of the 28-gauge has been Federal Premium Ammunition, which recently expanded it’s already respectable offerings for the bore. The Minnesota company added a trio of shotshell options from its Game-Shok line, giving upland hunters some solid new choices the next time they head to knock bobwhites out of the sky.
The heavy field loads each come with 1-ounce payloads and in three different shot sizes — 5, 6 and 7.5. According to the company’s specs, the shells push their shot hard, each with a muzzle velocity of 1,220 fps. Given all these 28-gauge shells’ 2 3/4-inch chambers, obviously the shells are sized accordingly.
The additions grows Federal’s 28-gauge offerings to 10 different loads, which also includes two specially designed for competition shooting. Currently, the company is offering the new Game-Shok loads in boxes of 25 at an MSRP of $19.95 across the board. It’s definitely more than what it costs to feed a 12-gauge, but in the scheme of the 28, it’s pretty economical.
Other than certain rounds specifically designed to work in conjunction with a suppressor, handloading for a gun outfitted with a can can be challenging… but not impossible.
“Quiet on the set!” People’s ears are tired of the loud report of rifles, and here in the States, we’re finally making a larger move toward embracing rifles equipped with a suppressor.
Unfortunately, they’re not yet legal in all states — here in New York State, for example, where fun is illegal and smiling is a misdemeanor, they’re definitely out — but it sure is nice when the fella next to you at the range has a can instead of a brake. Personally, I have ringing in my ears from too many years of exposure to gun fire (nobody wore ear pro when I was growing up) and from decades of playing in loud rock bands (louder is, in fact, better). I wear ear protection at the range — sometimes combining two types — and probably should while hunting.
The installation of a suppressor on the end of your rifle undoubtedly cuts down the decibels, but what does it do to your ammunition? What effect does it have on the pressures generated, and the trajectory curve of the bullet?
Well, I’ve done some playing around, and I believe that in the handloading world, we need to take suppressors into consideration when developing a load. Just as a longer barrel will invariably generate a higher velocity than a shorter barrel, all things being equal, the addition of a suppressor has generally shown to increase the velocity of a given load compared to a naked muzzle.
I saw this for the first time down at the FTW Ranch in Texas, shooting next to a great guy named Nate who had a sweet 6.5 Creedmoor, threaded for both a muzzle brake and a suppressor. After a full day of shooting, Nate decided to swap out the brake for the can, and immediately noticed a change in point of impact as well as the warning signs of high pressure. His bolt was sticky on the upstroke, and I could see flattened primers.
Puzzled, I asked him to switch out the can and the brake to see if something was wrong with the ammunition. Nope, ammo was good, but the problem reared its ugly head again when trying the can.
We let the barrel completely cool, and tried it again. The situation improved, but we had to let the can cool between shots. While I wish we’d had a chronograph to actually measure the velocity difference with and without the can, having seen countless numbers of cartridges running at high pressures, I can tell you there was a definite velocity/pressure increase.
This will translate directly to anyone handloading for a rifle with a suppressor. Sometimes when developing loads, you may find the point of high pressure and back your load off just enough to be safe, while maintaining accuracy. The addition of a suppressor can bring those pressure levels back up into the danger zone.
Should you run into a similar situation, my recommendation would be to re-work the load with the suppressor installed, verifying that pressures are safe, and then try it again with the can removed. I’d be willing to wager that with a bit of experimentation you’ll find a load that works well in both situations.
Bottom line is that the addition of a suppressor will, in most instances, behave like a longer barrel, and generally increase muzzle velocities.
Subsonic Loads This is the other part of the quiet equation. The .300 AAC BLK, pushing a 220-grain spitzer bullet to somewhere between 1,050 fps and 1,080 fps, showed us just how much a quiet, yet powerful, load can be. Handloading subsonic loads, in a rifle case larger than the Blackout, can be a difficult proposition.
At just about 1,080 fps — depending on the temperature of the day — the bullet leaving the muzzle will break the speed of sound and create a sonic boom, resulting in the majority of the report we hear from a firearm being discharged (the other portion being the gases slamming into the atmosphere at a supersonic rate). Reduce that bullet’s velocity to below the speed of sound, and all you’ll hear is the gas explosion, hence the immediate discernable difference between supersonic and subsonic ammunition.
For the Blackout, you can easily handload to subsonic velocities using Reloder 7, IMR4227 or H4198 and a 220- or 240-grain bullet; just be careful not to vary from the listed load in the manual, as there is no room to move.
Other cartridges will pose a challenge. I’d say your best bet would be to use a heavy-for-caliber bullet and a case with limited capacity. The .308 Win., .30-30 WCF and more than likely the .250-3000 Savage could all be loaded to subsonic velocities using IMR Trail Boss powder.
This is a funky powder, looking like miniature Cheerios, that is very light for volume. It comes in the same size can as a pound of smokeless powder but only weighs 9 ounces.
Here’s the loading process according to IMR: Pick a bullet and a seating depth, and carefully mark the outside of the case where the base of the bullet will sit. Fill the case to that point with Trail Boss, and then weigh it on your scale.
This will be your maximum (volumetric) load, though the pressures will be significantly lower than that of smokeless powder. You can reduce that maximum load by 70 percent for a safe starting load, and work up toward that maximum figure if you choose.
I’ve seen published data that indicates that a .308 Win., .30-30 WCF, .30-06 Springfield and even the .375 H&H and .416 Rem. Mag. can all be loaded with Trail Boss to obtain subsonic results, but it’s going to take a bit of experimenting to see which bullets will perform best in your gun. Perhaps this powder would serve as a good reason to cast some good, old-fashioned lead bullets, and get back to roots. I can also see where Trail Boss would serve very well in teaching a new shooter how to handle a big game rifle, without the report and recoil associated with the full house loads, especially in those big guns.
Get the most out of your black rifle with these excellent new AR optics, many purposefully built for America’s favorite rifle.
Sure, you can shoot your AR with iron sights. You might even hit your target. But why take chances? Why not top your favorite black rifle with a scope, a red dot sight or even a night vision sight — AR optics designed to do exactly what you want them to do?
The good news is that you’ve got lots of great choices. Whether you want a close-quarters sight that allows instant target acquisition or something that offers tack-driving precision at long ranges, there’s something out there just for you.
The SIG Sauer P226 RX mates the excellent Romeo 1 red dot to the manufacturer’s classic defensive handgun.
In my Gun Digest book, Handgun Training for Personal Protection, published in 2013, I included a chapter on red dot sights. The first line of that chapter read, “Breath deep and you can smell the future.”
From there I went on to describe what a red dot sight was and gave a lot of credit to former XS Sights pointman Dave Biggers for pushing the concept of red dot sights on defensive handguns. I concluded the chapter with, “The future is coming. When it gets here, we will all shoot better and faster.”
Sometimes it seems like the future is a long way off. In this case, it’s already here.
Yes, I know, for some time various firearms manufacturers have offered handguns that are reflex sight-ready. However, with SIG Sauer stepping into the optics world with both feet, the manufacturer became optimally positioned to address the issue.
For 2017, the company is offering a number of its defensive handguns either reflex sight-ready or equipped with a miniature red dot right out of the box.
What’s a Red Dot?
Before delving into the future SIG has brought us, we first need to understand what a red dot sight is. “Red dot” has morphed into a term to describe any compact, zero- to low-magnification optical sight with an illuminated aiming point. Kind of like how the word “Coke” is often used to describe any cola.
True red dot sights are reflex sights. The dot is an LED (Light-emitting diode) projected onto a lens. There are essentially two styles of reflex sights. One is very compact and L shaped; the other is tube shaped, similar to a conventional riflescope.
With the L-shaped sights, the beam from the diode is exposed to the elements, and this means dirt and such could obstruct it. With the tube designs – which are much larger – everything is contained.
Red dot/reflex sights are not to be confused with holographic sights. A holographic sight has a photograph of a reticle sandwiched between layers of glass. The reticle is illuminated by a laser beam projected into the glass.
SIG Sauer offers two reflex sights and several red dot sights. The company’s “tube” models are what they call red dots.
SIG’s smallest reflex sight is the Romeo 1. It is 1.8 inches long and weighs less than an ounce. It also has a 3 MOA red dot, five brightness settings and is powered by a CR1632 battery. The Romeo 1 has motion-activated technology that powers it up when it senses motion and powers the unit down when it does not. Given its minuscule size, it’s the perfect optical sight for SIG Sauer to match to some of its pistols.
The RX Line
SIG Sauer’s aptly named RX line – RX is defined as: A remedy, cure or solution for a disorder or problem – will soon encapsulate most of the SIG Sauer Classic Series pistols, including the 220, 226, 228, 229 and even the 320.
These pistols will ship with the Romeo 1 sight installed. If the owner wants to remove the sight at some point, SIG Sauer will offer a plate to fill the gap left in the slide. (The slides on these pistols will be machined to accept the lowest possible mounting of the Romeo 1 sight.)
The Romeo 1 is parallax free. This means you don’t have to have your head directly behind the sight, and the dot does not have to be in the center of the sight window, for you to hit what the dot is on.
You just put the dot on the spot you want to shoot and pull the trigger. Until you have actually fired a handgun with a red dot sight, don’t knock it. You simply have to experience it to believe how fast it can be and how much it can improve your shooting.
You see, like with a laser, the red dot sight allows you to maintain a target focus and keep both eyes open; you won’t have to line up a rear sight with a front sight, and then line both up with the target. (This is the problem SIG Sauer’s RX pistols cure.) Yes, there is a learning curve, but hands down, when it comes to speed and accuracy, the reflex sight is the most intuitive sight system available for a handgun.
The problems with the reflex sight are threefold. It makes the handgun larger, and holster selection becomes problematic (this should be rapidly changing).
Secondly, to be suitable for personal protection, the handgun’s sights must remain useable while the sight is in place. It may become broken or covered in debris and unusable (SIG Sauer uses higher than normal sights on its RX pistols to allow them to be used with the reflex sight in place).
And finally, reflection from dust on the lens can become an issue in harsh lighting. So, with holster makers solving the first issue, and SIG Sauer addressing the second, in time I suspect technology will take care of the third.
The P226 RX
The SIG Sauer P226 was designed for the military, is used by elite forces, and has proven to be a first-class combat pistol. SIG Sauer currently offers nine different versions, including one chambered for the .22 LR, priced from $630 to $1,413.
The P226 RX is chambered for the 9mm Luger, and it features an alloy frame, stainless slide with a Nitron finish and an accessory rail.
The RX identifier means this pistol comes with a SIG Sauer Electro-Optics Romeo 1 reflex sight. The top of the slide has been machined to position this sight as low as possible, and taller than normal three-dot Tritium suppressor-like sights are fitted to the slide to allow for their use in case the shooter prefers, or in case the optic might fail.
The P226 RX SIG Sauer sent for review was the SAO version. It comes with an ambidextrous safety and has a very good single-action trigger, with a pull weight of 4.5 pounds.
Of course, the SIG P226 is nothing new; the pistol has been around since 1980, and the SAO version since 2013. What I wanted to see was how well this pistol would shoot, and how much better, if any, I could shoot it with the reflex sight as compared to the fixed sights.
The first thing I did was test five different loads from a sandbag bench rest at 20 yards, firing three, 10-shot groups. The results can be seen in the accompanying chart, but two things are notable.
First, the pistol shot very well with the reflex sight, averaging 1.56 inches for all 15 of the 10-shot groups. Secondly, by shooting several more 10-shot groups using the fixed sights, I found that the use of the reflex sight reduced group size by 25 percent.
Several groups were also fired at 50 yards using both the reflex and fixed sights. At that distance, the reflex sight performed 39 percent better than the fixed sights!
I also subjected the pistol to my favorite defensive handgun drill, which I call the 45 Drill. In this drill, the object is to get five hits inside a 5-inch circle, at 5 yards, in less than 5 seconds, starting with the pistol holstered and concealed.
Using the reflex sight, my average time for this drill was 3.88 seconds. With the fixed sights, my average time was 3.92 seconds. Now, this might not seem like much of an advantage, but like I mentioned, there is a learning curve with reflex-sighted handguns, and I am at the low end of that loop.
For some it might seem a large leap to commit to a reflex sight on a defensive handgun, and that’s understood. Plastic pistols like the Glock and electronic sighting systems like lasers were once considered a leap of faith, too.
Both have since proven their worth, and I think the reflex sight on a defensive handgun will ultimately do the same. Oh, by the way, I fired almost 500 rounds through the P226 RX using five different munitions, and there was not a single stoppage.
Back to the Future
Largely, civilian defensive handgun trends are driven by law enforcement. Law enforcement’s resistance to change is just the nature of the beast.
Those in charge are generally long-term officers who learned to do things a certain way, with certain types of gear. Until they’re convinced otherwise, or until they’re replaced with the next generation, change will be slow. Compound this with the fact that money matters, and it’s hard to get a government agency to spend the kind of money needed for reflex-sighted pistols.
For us average folk, cost will always be an issue, too. SIG Sauer’s RX line of pistols should retail for around a thousand bucks depending on the model. And, that includes the Romeo 1 sight, which has a suggested price of $359.99.
The future is coming. Some of it is already here. Prepare to shoot better and faster.
Specifications:
SIG Sauer P226 RX Caliber: 9mm Luger Barrel: 4.4 in. Length: 7.7 in. Weight: 34.4 oz. Height: 6.4 in. Sights: Three-dot tritium, high profile fixed sights, Romeo 1 reflex sight. Finish: Hard coat anodized (frame) Nitron (slide) MSRP: $1,359 Manufacturer: SIG Sauer; SIGSauer.com
Practice makes perfect, unless it’s the wrong kind of practice. And from the standpoint of prepping for defensive handgun use, dry reload practice might be more of a hindrance than help.
It’s tempting to practice your reloads to make them faster. Many in the business will prescribe such things as weighted dummy practice magazines, or real magazines loaded with Snap-Caps or weighted dummy rounds, to practice with.
My experience doing this in a competition environment was not altogether successful: While I got really fast at the manipulation part, that didn’t help everything else that went along with the need to reload my gun.
What I see with most students is that the recognition of slide lock – the indication to perform the learned skill of reloading the gun – is usually (and usually by far) the most inefficient part of the process.
That brief period of time while they stop to analyze what happened and then decide to initiate that reload almost always exceeds the time they shaved on the manipulation portion by doing endless dry repetitions of the reload. It was certainly the case with me.
Dry practice omits that stimulus of achieving slide lock in a string of fire. In dry practice, the slide is pre-locked to the rear; there is no stimulus of the slide dynamically locking itself to the rear, no change in recoil pattern because of the difference in weight distribution and no sensation of the slide failing to return to battery.
All of those things, taken together, are what tell you that your gun is out of ammunition and needs to be recharged. Without that, you have to spend time analyzing why the gun isn’t running and then decide to initiate the reload. With that stimulus, you can use the brain’s ability for recognition and recall to make that decision (and execute that decision) far more efficiently.
I’ll recommend some dry practice simply to get used to the mechanics of the reload, particularly if the student is having trouble in that area, but beyond that I believe it’s far more important to practice that skill in context, in the manner that you’ll actually need to use it.
That means shooting to experience slide lock and developing the ability to perform the reload in direct response to that stimulus, without cognitive thought. The only way to do that is to use live ammunition on a real range.
In Defensive Pistol Fundamentals, Grant Cunningham discusses the concepts, skills, and equipment you’ll need to overcome this worst-case scenario. While the concepts and skills discussed can certainly be utilized while using a variety of different firearms, this guide specifically covers the use of a semiautomatic pistol. Get Your Copy Now
Optimized and race ready, Ruger’s new SP101 Match Champion should hit the target with competitive wheelgun shooters.
Ruger has built great renown with its revolver lines. Single or double action, they’re known to be tough-as-nails and dependable as daybreak. Only thing was, until recently, if you were looking to race them, well you’d better break out your wallet.
That is because, for the most part, they required a bit of tinkering to make them competition ready. This changed in a big way a few years back with the New Hampshire gunmaker’s release of its purpose-built competition revolver — the 9mm GP100 Match Champion. And Ruger has followed up recently with a new model, which has plenty of potential for grabbing competitive shooters’ attention – if for no other reason than its caliber.
The newly released SP101 Match Champion is chambered for one of the most popular competitive revolver rounds, the .357 Magnum. This gives competitors an option that will make the major power factor each and every match. But Ruger has provided a litany of other reasons to give this shining thoroughbred a serious look aside from its chambering.
While the lively handling 4.2-inch full-lug barrel is what might catch most shooters’ eyes, it’s what can’t be seen that really separates this revolver from the rest of the SP101 line. Ruger has given the handgun’s internals the works, polishing and optimizing the springs and hammer strut. Combined with trigger and hammer shims, the SP101 Match delivers a smooth double-action trigger pull complete with a consistent let off.
The revolver’s triple-locking cylinder has also been enhanced, chamfered to make reloads that much speedier. The barrel has been cut with an 11-degree target crown to ensure competition accuracy. And the gun comes outfitted with attractive Altamont hardwood grips that feature fairly aggressive stippling and checkered sides to facilitate a solid, positive grip no matter the conditions. Finally, the SP101 Match boasts a fully adjustable rear sight and a fiber optic front, which should give shooters a clear target picture, even on the fly.
Like the rest of the .357 Magnums in the SP101 line, the Match Champion variation holds only five rounds. This could put off some competitors, as it means they will be fighting the clock more with reloads than those wielding six shooters.
Given the extra work Ruger has poured into the SP101 Match Champion, it costs a hair more than the average revolver from the line. But with an $859 MSRP, the handgun is still a fairly affordable option for those looking for a revolver ready to race out of the box.
Specifications:
Ruger SP101 Match Champion Grips: Altamont Stippled/Checkered Hardwood Front Sight: Fiber Optic Barrel Length: 4.20 in. Material: Stainless Steel Capacity: 5 Rear Sight: Adjustable Twist: 1:16 in. RH Finish: Gloss Stainless Overall Length: 9.12 in. Weight: 30 oz. Grooves: 5 MSRP: $859.00
A relatively new ammunition maker, HPR has shaken up the shooting world producing affordable, high-quality ammo to send down range.
While packing up after an extended range session, I turned to my friend and said, “It looks like I’ll be spending the week reloading; I’m getting low.” Not my favorite activity but a necessary evil for the high-volume shooter.
Over a decade ago, I turned to handloading because, first, I needed clean, accurate ammo, and second, I couldn’t afford the ammo that complimented my ability. Ten years ago, these were my only options. Today, however, we have better options — we have HPR.
With the manufacturer’s first rounds rolling off the line in 2010, HPR has shaken up the industry with quality, affordable ammo. We set out to evaluate the company’s entire line, which has grown vastly since its initial offerings of ball ammo in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP.
To understand HPR, one needs to understand their roots. In 2008, after the market crashed, the Antich family set out for a new business venture, and, lucky for us, they decided on ammo. After acquiring a small production plant in Payson, Arizona, the High Precision Range (HPR) ammo brand was born.
Utilizing the decades of experience that aeronautical engineer Jeff Antich acquired through his work with Lockheed Martin on projects such as the F22 Raptor, precision and repeatability are built into every round.
There are three cornerstones of the HPR brand: It’s all-American, load-specific and performance driven.
All American HPR ammo is made from the best American components and is inspected by U.S. citizens. Right down to the packaging, this ammo doesn’t have to travel very far to hit your shelves. Not only is HPR’s quality control paramount, the company is committed to American-made quality.
Load Specific Each offering is made for its target application. HPR didn’t buy into the one-size-fits-all theory of making factory ammo. Rather than just splitting the difference, HPR has optimized each and every powder charge.
Let’s start with a look at its basic JHP line. The .380 ACP JHP round is developed to produce reliable expansion at a low velocity to allow fast follow-up shots on the tiny pocket pistols that dominate that market. The .357 Magnum is designed to be among the hottest loads on the market, ensuring ethical harvests on game.
For our friends concerned with their hearing, the Emcon line was created specifically for suppressor use. Rather than poke and pray, HPR created this line with not only their own ballisticians but the engineers at SilencerCo as well. Each load is developed for a purpose.
Performance Driven The manufacturer’s newest line, Black Ops, highlights this final aspect of the HPR business model. The Black Ops line consists of the company’s proprietary OTF bullet. The OTF, or open-tipped frangible bullet, is loaded into a nickel-plated case and charged with the correct power charge to reduce muzzle flash and flip.
All components ensure that you come out ahead in low-light situations. The nickel plating makes nighttime chamber checks a breeze, while the powder produces little flash that would damage night vision or cause temporary blindness. However, nothing can steal the show from the projectile that is designed to separate on impact and transfer 100 percent of its energy into the target, while minimizing the chance of overpenetration.
Range Day Having worked with OTF rounds, we requested some of HPR’s new .300 BLK ammo, ball 9mm and .45 ACP JHP. After opening the UPS box and looking down at some of the most elaborate packaging that I have ever seen ammo in, range day wasn’t far behind.
The first round tested was the 230-grain JHP in .45 ACP. The chosen test gun was Colt’s new Competition pistol (Colt.com, $899). The ammo functioned flawlessly with the absence of the common failure to feed issue that this combination of pistol and ammo is commonly plagued with. Accuracy was impressive, with the best 15-yard group coming in at just .75 inches.
After the success of the .45 ACP test, we turned over to the 115-grain TMJ in 9mm. Satisfied with the performance from a match-grade pistol, we utilized a Canik TP9 (Canik55.com, $399). The Canik has a well-earned reputation as the best value in poly striker-fired pistols, and this test only further proved that testament, as our first group downrange measured .83 inches. This wasn’t far off from every other group sent downrange that day.
On the same day, we tested the .300 BLK rounds. For the rifle, we utilized the revolutionary WAR LOCK system from Frontier Tactical (FrontierTactical.com, $1,200). This new modular design allows you to simply swap barrels without changing the entire upper. This system saves you money on optics, bolt carrier groups, charging handles and anything else that you might have to buy two of when changing the entire upper.
Using the company’s 18-inch .300 BLK barrel, we topped our test rifle with a Meopta ZD 6-24×56 tactical scope (MeoptaSportsOptics.com, $2,070) set into a Warne LRSKEL30TG one piece mount (WarneScopeMounts.com, $140). The 24x optic ensures perfect sight picture, while the mount ensures position repeatability. At 100 yards our rifle rested in “The Rock” shooting rest, courtesy of Caldwell (BTIBrands.com, $110).
The first rounds downrange were the 110-grain TAC-TX loading. Flawless cycling and astonishing accuracy were the byproduct of these carefully selected and blended components. These rounds rivaled my best handloads with groups as small as .63 inches on the 100-yard target. There was no questioning that the 110-grain bullet is a perfect match for the 1:8.5-in. twist barrel.
Our final test round was the 150-grain soft point. The group on these opened up a bit but was still a respectable 1.71 inches. The intended purpose of this round is deer and hog hunting, which makes that minute of accuracy trade-off for a faster follow-up shot a no brainer.
Final Analysis The HPR rounds fired and functioned very well in many different firearms and platforms. At just a few dollars more a box, it isn’t a substantial price difference for match-grade ammo. It is very clean burning, making life easier when you get home and dig in for cleaning and maintenance.
Be sure to pick up a box or case next time you hit the range. On the range and on the cleaning bench, HPR simply provides a better shooting experience.
Getting a grasp on where an assailant must be shot to neutralize a threat and the power needed from a concealed carry handgun to do so goes a long way in making informed choices when going armed.
The object of carrying a firearm as a matter of daily routine is based on the conviction that you have the right to defend your life or the life of someone else. While it’s certainly true that the presence of a firearm can prevent violence from happening by discouraging a would-be assailant, the mere presence of the firearm isn’t always enough, and sometimes deadly force must be used.
When this decision has to be made, the object is to stop the aggressor quickly before he can harm you or someone else. Until technology develops Star Trek-style “phasers” that can be set to “stun,” this means imparting enough damage to the perpetrator to cause him to cease aggressive activity.
Some individuals cease aggression when confronted with a firearm. Some give up when shot, no matter how serious or trivial the wound.
Unfortunately, some aggressors don’t stop until they’re physically unable to continue. When I was growing up, I got the impression that any time someone was shot, they simply froze and fell down, incapacitated. On television, Matt Dillon almost always shot the bad guy in the stomach and the bad guy would grasp the wound, look stunned and fall dead.
Sometimes the person who was shot would survive, but they almost always fell to the ground and became immobile. In later TV shows and movies, the gunshot victim would be thrown across the room or spin around as if hit by a baseball bat and fall. Apparently the modern prop guns are much more powerful than the ones Matt Dillon and The Rifleman, Lucas McCain, had access to.
A shot to the brain stem will cause instant incapacitation because it interrupts the ability to breathe and control voluntary movement. A shot that severs the spinal cord above the base of the neck will prevent voluntary movement of the arms and legs.
While a shot fired to any other part of the body other than the central nervous system can cause the assailant to cease aggression, there’s no certainty that it will.
Loss of blood will also incapacitate an assailant, but the result will not be instant. The body contains about five liters of blood, and a person must lose about two liters before losing consciousness.
Severing the aorta will cause the assailant to bleed out in the shortest possible time, but will still allow voluntary action for at least five seconds. Any deer hunter can tell you a heart-shot deer can run a hundred yards.
An aggressor with his heart shot out can still have time to kill you and others in your family. Wounds to major arteries can cause death, but it won’t be instant.
Having said this, a high percentage of humans cease aggression after receiving a single gunshot, even if it’s not a fatal wound. The cessation of aggression isn’t because the body is incapable, but because the mental and physical shock of the gunshot effectively takes the fight out of the aggressor.
Individuals with their systems pumped full of adrenalin or drugs are much less likely to give up when dealt a lethal blow. The problem is you can’t count on the cessation of aggressive behavior after one shot.
The old argument was that high-velocity handgun rounds could produce hydrostatic shock that would affect neural function, effectively stopping the assailant instantly. The first mention of pressure waves and the human body that I could find in the scientific literature was presented by E. Harvey Newton and his research group at Princeton University in 1947.
Under the theory of hydrostatic shock, a high velocity bullet created hydraulic shock waves in the body, and these shock waves did collateral damage to organs not directly contacted by the wound channel.
While the concept of hydrostatic shock is generally accepted, there are detractors. My personal opinion, based on multiple post-mortems of whitetail deer and feral pigs, supports hydrostatic shock as a factor, but the example of the deer who runs off after his heart has been turned to jelly illustrates that hydrostatic shock isn’t something that will always provide the stoppage of a drug-crazed assailant.
Compounding the problem for the concealed carry citizen is the fact that few handguns suitable for daily carry produce enough velocity to produce the level of hydrostatic shock the experts agree will sufficiently and consistently cause enough neural disruption to produce hydrostatic shock, much less instantly stop an assailant.
Studies show some evidence that hydrostatic shock does produce results, but not consistently enough to count on. With sufficient penetration, there can be neural effects from gunshot wounds from handguns, but there’s no certainty of instant stoppage, and instant stoppage is the desired effect.
The upshot of all this is there’s simply no way to instantly stop an assailant other than hitting the brain stem or spinal column. Even a shot to the lobes of the brain doesn’t always produce an instant or even fatal result.
Having said this, it would require skills very few possess to accurately place such a shot, much less do it under the stressful conditions of self-defense.
Faced with these facts, it becomes obvious that there’s no magic formula for instant incapacitation other than a feat of almost superhuman marksmanship. The brain stem or that tiny section of spinal cord is simply too small a target to be considered a good choice.
The military and law enforcement choose to put their emphasis on a less difficult target area, from the base of the neck across the chest down to the base of the sternum. Within this area are the heart and lungs as well as the spinal column.
Any shot from an adequately-powered firearm delivered in this area is likely to be lethal and also likely to deliver enough punch to take the fight out of all but the most determined attacker. About the same size as the A zone on most competitive shooting targets, this area is well within the capabilities of a practiced shooter at the distances where most civilian defense situations occur.
While most vulnerable organs are centrally located in an area large enough for an accurate shot to find them, they’re fairly well protected by the skeletal system. For a straight-on shot, the sternum protects the spinal column and much of the heart, which also happens to be the best target.
Like much of creation, the human body is well-designed to protect the most vital areas. Certainly, there are many handgun calibers capable of penetrating the sternum, but the sternum is capable of protecting vital organs against smaller, less effective calibers.
According to military studies, the third-most-likely target to disable an assailant is the pelvic girdle or the hips. Breaking a hip will certainly prevent your enemy from walking, but it won’t stop him from using a firearm. For that reason and because the likelihood the shot won’t actually stop the bad guy by breaking his hip, it’s suggested that targeting the pelvic area isn’t a good idea.
Almost anyone can manage a level of proficiency that will allow hitting the targeted chest area from normal defensive distances. In teaching the North Carolina Concealed Carry Certification, I’ve learned almost everyone can keep 90 percent of their shots in an 8-inch area at 7 yards.
Of course, this is shooting in good light conditions, with plenty of time, and under no stress other than the normal stress beginning shooters have when shooting for record for the first time in their lives.
In order to perform reasonably well under difficult conditions, most people need to be able to perform very well under optimum conditions. It’s not at all unusual for a police/criminal gunfight to involve several shots fired with no one getting hit, and police generally spend more time in training than civilians.
The best preparation for the armed citizen is to train enough to be confident and comfortable with their carry gun and choose a gun with reasonable stopping power while being small and light enough that it’ll be comfortable to carry every day.
To review all this, we know the only area that’s certain to instantly stop an assailant is too small to target under almost any imaginable set of circumstances. We also know the second choice is large enough for a person of average expertise to hit, but that area is fairly well protected by bone structure.
Based on this information, the well-prepared armed citizen should focus on carry and gun handling skills, marksmanship and carrying a firearm with enough power to penetrate the sternum. Under these circumstances, it’s reasonable to say the concealed carry citizen is properly prepared.
Are you interested in carrying a handgun for self defense, but don’t know where to start? Perhaps you’re already an armed citizen and are looking for a new carry choice? Let the Gun Digest Guide to Concealed Carry Firearms be your complete guide to the fast-growing world of concealed carry handguns. With practical, real-world advice and insight from an author with decades of experience, this guide can help you make the best possible choice for a concealed carry handgun. Get Your Copy Now
An eminently flexible cartridge, the .375 H&H Magnum is suitable for a wide array of species.
All-around cartridge.” Three simple words, yet the fuel for campfire arguments heard ‘round the world. It’s a subjective phrase; and the answer truly lies in what your shooting or hunting situation dictates.
To some, it may be the .270 Winchester or the .30-06 Springfield, maybe a .300 Winchester Magnum. But if you enjoy hunting the largest creatures on earth, you may need a little more, in terms of both bullet weight and bore diameter; even in the large-bore circles, the same argument will rage.
Undeniably, the .375 H&H Magnum will certainly pop into that conversation, as it represents two things: first, a cartridge that can take any game animal that walks, and second, the recoil produced by this cartridge can be at the top end of a shooter’s tolerance.
I’ll be the first to admit that the .375 H&H has some wonderful factory ammunition choices — I absolutely love the Federal Premium Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load, as well as the Norma Oryx 300-grain load — but it truly comes to life when handloaded. It is very flexible as a caliber; there are bullets available weighing from 235 grains up to 350 grains, and they are all very useful in the hunting fields.
One of the beauties of the .375 H&H Magnum is this flexibility: It can be used on deer and deer-sized game, it makes an excellent bear gun — irrespective of species — and handles all African game, including elephant. Common bullets weigh 235, 250, 260, 270, 300 and 350 grains, and all have their place in the hunting world.
I’ll illustrate some examples of my favorite loads and loading techniques, from lightest to heaviest. All my .375 H&H Magnum loads are sparked by a large rifle magnum primer, and I use the Federal Gold Medal Match GM215M almost exclusively for this cartridge.
NOTE: Make sure before trying any of the loads I’ve listed, that you consult your reloading manual and work your way up from the minimum, checking for pressure signs along the way and stopping should you find dangerous pressures before I did.
Among the 235-grain bullets, I like a couple specifically.
The 235-grain Speer HotCor is an affordable and effective practice tool, especially for someone who wants to become familiar with the H&H without all the recoil. It’s been tried in the field and has shown to be extremely frangible, even on deer.
The 235-grain Cutting Edge ER Raptor is an extremely effective hunting bullet, and when seated over a load of 61.0 grains of Norma 200 powder, will yield a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps in a surprisingly easy-to-shoot combination. This load has been used for numerous plains game species — kudu, sable, warthog, zebra, wildebeest and more — as well as whitetail deer. It’s flat shooting and makes a perfect companion to the 300-grain loads.
The 250- and 260-grain bullets also make a good choice for lighter and medium game.
I’ve used a 250-grain Sierra Game King, over 67.0 grains of Hodgdon’s Varget, for an accurate and effective African plains game load, neatly taking gemsbok, hartebeest, reedbuck and steenbok; I’ve even used it for caribou, far up into Quebec.
The Nosler 260-grain AccuBond is in the same class — though it may fly a little flatter than the Sierra — and has also proved its worth and would make a great choice for elk and moose, or for distant eland and kudu. Seat that bullet over 71.0 grains of Alliant’s Reloder 15, and I’ll show you how much my Winchester 70 likes this load, putting three shots into ¾ inch, at a muzzle velocity of 2,680 fps.
I like the Hornady 270-grain InterLock, as I like many of the InterLock bullets, and I think it makes an excellent choice as a black bear load. Spire point, flat base, cannelure for crimping if you so choose, and enough structural integrity to hold together at moderate velocities, the 270-grain InterLock is an accurate and affordable bullet. My rifle likes the same load I use for the 260-grain AccuBond — 71.0 grains of Reloder 15.
This brings us to the 300-grain slugs, which are possibly my favorite among the lot. One of the beauties of the .375 H&H Magnum case is its ability to put different bullets to the same point of impact, within reason.
My .375s, especially the Legendary Arms Works Big Five, likes just about any 300-grain bullet over a load of 77.0 grains of IMR4350, and I mean nearly any bullet of this weight.
Though the load is within one grain of the listed maximum, it doesn’t seem to matter about bearing surface or lead core versus monometal; the gun just shoots this load. Soft points, solids, it doesn’t seem to matter — I’d pick a new bullet and work the load up from the bottom, and lo and behold, there would be the accuracy. Some of the longer monometal bullets may pose an issue with load compression, but I’ve been able to make it work with all but the longest designs.
If you’re not comfortable with the compressed load, my second choice for the 300-grain bullets would be IMR4064, but IMR4350 is my favorite. Depending on the bullet, that accuracy would run from ¾-inch three-shot groups to 1¼-inch groups; more than enough for a hunting rifle, and especially for a .375 H&H.
My favorites among the 300-grain bullets are the Swift A-Frame, Peregrine BushMaster, and North Fork semi-spitzer. Any one of the three would make an excellent choice for a Cape buffalo.
Switch to a well-constructed solid, and you’ve got good elephant medicine, and a good choice for hippo. Most of my 300-grain loads run at or about 2,525 fps.
If you choose to go heavy, say the 350-grain Barnes TSX or the 350-grain Woodleigh Weldcore, look to use a powder that takes up a bit less room. I like Hodgdon’s H4350, and I’ve had good results between 68.5 and 70.0 grains, reaching muzzle velocities of 2,250 to 2,275 fps, depending on which bullet you choose.
Case preparation is an important part of the process with the belted case; make sure you keep a good eye on the area just north of the belt, as this is where the most stretching occurs. I keep my cases trimmed to an even 2.850 inches, to match any and all new cases.
I’ve also found that the .375 H&H Magnum has enough neck tension that crimping is not necessary. It’s quite fine to crimp if that makes you comfortable, and a good seating die will give a good roll crimp — I like the Redding seater die’s crimping — but I really don’t crimp my .375 H&H loads often.
The firm of Holland & Holland gave us what I consider to be one of the few cartridges that are truly universal. I’ve used it all over Africa and North America and wouldn’t hesitate to take it on any hunt, anywhere.
The potency and flexibility of the cartridge is undeniable. It will run a diverse selection of powders, and with our modern bullets, it becomes even more versatile.
The 3.8-inch barreled IWI US Jericho 941 is a rugged little pistol that’s perfect for tactical and concealed carry applications.
IWI has a long-standing history of firearms manufacturing and development, dating back to 1933 when it was first known solely as Israel Military Industries (IMI). Working closely with the Israel Defense Forces, it created legendary weapons such as the Uzi and Galil, and more recently the Tavor, and of course the Jericho 941.
The firearms it turned out were designed to withstand the type of rough urban combat that the Israelis were constantly encountering. In 2005, the firearms side of the company was sold and renamed Israel Weapons Industries, or simply IWI, and began commercial sales of these classic firearms. Later in 2012, the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania based IWI US brought out the first civilian versions of the Tavor, and of course the modern Jericho 941 that we bring you today.
A Rocky Start
Originally released in 1990, the Jericho 941 had a rough start. The pistol gets its numerical designation from the two calibers that it could readily fire.
The end user had the choice of using standard 9mm, or the then-new .41 Action Express (AE) with a simple field conversion. Of course, with the commercial success and acceptance of .40 S&W, the .41 AE went the way of the dodo.
Ammo and conversion barrels for .41 AE eventually became next to impossible to find. With half the reason to buy this pistol being more than an arm’s length away, most believe this lead to its unpopularity.
Classic Roots
The pistol itself was a masterpiece. The Jericho’s design was based off the venerable CZ-75.
This gave way to perfect function and ergonomics. Aesthetics were certainly slick, with the gun having a resemblance to a scaled down Desert Eagle.
This eventually earned it the nickname “Baby Eagle,” even though they had nothing to do with each other. The all-steel design was also very pleasing to purists who have had to endure the rapid emergence of the polymer-framed pistol market.
Today’s Jericho 941
Today, IWI US brings us its most updated series of the Jericho pistols. The pistol is available in both its original steel-framed version as well as a modernized polymer frame.
Abandoning the now obsolete .41 AE, each version is available in either 9mm or .40 S&W. The mid-sized steel pistol also gives an option of .45 ACP for a little extra kick from the waistband.
Both the steel and the polymer-framed pistols are available in either a full-sized version sporting a 4.4-inch barrel or a mid-sized version with a reduced barrel length of 3.8 inches. For testing, we were loaned a polymer mid-sized gun in 9mm ($559 MSRP).
The Jericho still retains the original double-action/single-action configuration it was introduced with. Along the slide, you will find a cross block safety in lieu of a de-cocking lever.
I found this desirable, as it gives you the option of carrying it locked and cocked or hammer down. Without getting into the debate over the two, I thought it was nice to see both schools of thought taken care of on the same platform.
Trigger squeeze broke in single action at 5 pounds, 2 ounces, while in double action, it required 11 pounds, 6 ounces of force to make it go bang. This is no doubt to reduce the chance of accidental discharge should you have a threat at gunpoint. The NYPD actually uses a trigger of nearly the same weight on their officers’ Glocks for the same reason.
A Lyman digital trigger pull scale (LymanProducts.com; $74.99) was used to determine these values. Although the double-action trigger was stiff, it’s fair to point out that there’s almost no reason to ever have to take a double-action shot as long as you are carrying with the hammer cocked and the safety on. If you are of the hammer down school of thought, all it takes is practice to get accurate.
The grip of the pistol is also very different from anything else on the market. The 941 has a very sharp grip angle that will appeal to Glock shooters.
However, it has a palm swell that is very low to meet the heel of your hand, making it very comfortable to shoot. The finger grooves also are a nice addition as long as your hand fills them correctly.
Range Day
The much anticipated range day brought us mist and periodic showers…weather that is never desirable for a plinking session but always makes for good data when testing. We weren’t gentle on the Jericho 941; we left it in the downpours to really test the durability of the Israeli pistol and see how a little moisture affected our grip. In other words, we wanted to see what it was made of!
Shooting the Jericho was very effortless. Even damp, it was easy to keep a firm grip during recoil and place controlled pairs on our Shootsteel.com full-sized IPSC target (ShootSteel.com; $207).
Although it has a high bore axis, the 941 comes back on target relatively fast with little effort. All rounds cycled perfectly without a single hang up all day, no matter how bad the elements were to it.
We collected data using a defensive load, a practice load and a competition load. We chose HPR’s new Black Ops OTF 85-grain round as our defensive test load, Freedom Munitions’ new 115-grain RN American Steel Round, and built our competition loads up with Hodgdon Titegroup Powder, X-Treme 124-grain RN bullets and Wolf WPA Small Pistol Primers.
The HPR OTF rounds (Open Tipped Frangible) are designed to shatter, yet remain straight through soft barriers such as glass and dry wall. This round gave us groups hovering right around 3.5 inches at 15 yards.
Freedom Munitions American Steel ammo provides the shooter economical steel-cased rounds that forgo the polymer coating. To solve the functioning issues that sometimes arise with steel ammo, the cases have been brass plated.
This round brought in consistent groups right around the 4-inch mark at the same distance. Our handload was made from competitors’ go-to components, providing a light round that brought in accuracy in the 3-inch neighborhood at that same 15 yards.
The pistol provided serviceable accuracy with all loads. At 15 yards, we didn’t have any groups break the 5-inch mark. This level of accuracy will be sufficient for most defensive carry situations.
Back on the Bench
Getting the pistol back to the bench, we took it down for a thorough cleaning. It had a rough day in the rain, so it certainly was called for.
To accomplish fieldstripping, simply align the mark on the slide with the mark on the frame, and then remove the takedown lever. Once the lever is removed, the slide will ride the rails straight off of the frame.
After they are separated, the recoil spring guide slips off of the barrel and the spring off of that. The barrel can now be lifted out of the slide with no effort.
In other words, pretty standard takedown. It was noted that the recoil spring system consisted of two springs, attenuating the recoil pulse and giving us that fast repeatability in our controlled pair drills.
We cleaned the pistol with Hoppe’s new foaming bore cleaner (Hoppes.com), then wiped it dry and lubricated it. It really was that simple.
Final Analysis
The new polymer 3.8-inch Jericho 941 provided lightweight, controllable firepower with a variety of carry options. This gun would be most at home in the defensive and tactical market, as it digests all types of ammo in even less-than-perfect weather conditions.
Accuracy is less than match grade, so you may want to stick to the 4.4-inch barreled version if you plan on running it in USPSA or IDPA, although the accuracy with the little guy will certainly have you competitive in steel challenge. Overall, I like the new lightweight version of the classic IWI service pistol.
For more information be sure to check out www.iwi.us.
Specifications:
IWI US Jericho 941 Type: Short Recoil Semi-Auto Caliber: 9mm or .40 S&W Composition: Polymer frame, Steel Slide Capacity: 17rd 9mm / 13rd .40 S&W Barrel: 3.8 in. Cold Hammer Forged Overall length: 7.6 in. Weight: 1.6 lbs. Sights: Adjustable – Black w/ White dot Safety: Cross Block / non decocking MSRP: $559 Manufacturer: IWI USA, (717) 695-2081, www.iwi.us
This article is an excerpt from the Fall 2016 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Everyone wins with the groundbreaking rimfire pistol, the Smith & Wesson SW22 Victory.
Few things are as alluring as a .22 handgun. Back in the day, my best friend had a Ruger Single Six; I coveted it like nothing else, but my father was not a handgun fan, so I was 18 before I had my own.
Of late, we don’t see much rimfire handgun innovation because of the current infatuation with defensive handguns and modern sporting rifles. We also too often forget that sometimes shooting just needs to be fun.
It started a trend, and Smith & Wesson’s new SW22 Victory pistol might do the same thing. It is affordable, accurate, modular, and it’s appearing at a time when a lot of new shooters really need a good .22 pistol.
S&W started from scratch with the SW22 Victory, which is a full-size – man-size – pistol. That’s not to say women or young shooters cannot handle it; it just means this is not a compact, flimsy, polymer, lightweight handgun.
Out of the box, the Victory weighs 36 ounces. By comparison, a Glock model 19 weighs about 24 ounces. The Victory’s heft comes from its all stainless steel construction and its robust 0.865-inch diameter bull barrel.
Disassembly Outwardly, the Victory is reminiscent of the coveted and long discontinued Colt Woodsman, which is an exquisite .22 pistol. But that’s where the similarities end.
The Victory can be easily disassembled by removing a single screw located just forward of the trigger guard. Similar to an AR-15, with the screw removed, the upper assembly can be detached and the bolt simply slides out.
At this point, the pistol’s barrel can be taken out by removing another screw, permitting the easy installation of aftermarket barrels. Assembly is the same procedure in reverse order.
Controls and Operation
Control wise, the SW22 has an easy-to-operate thumb safety on the left side of the frame. Forward of that, in the customary position, is the slide lock. The magazine release is also located on the left side, just to the rear of the trigger guard.
Even though this pistol has no exposed hammer, it’s a single action and there’s an adjustable trigger stop, but a disconnect prevents it from firing unless the magazine is inserted. This is generally not conducive to a good trigger action. But, according to my Timney pull gauge, the SW22’s trigger broke at a consistent 3 pounds, with an almost unperceivable amount of creep.
The sights employ the ever more common fiber optics. The ramped front sight has a single green fiber optic insert, and the rear has two, providing the three-dot sight configuration now so popular.
The fully adjustable rear sight is fitted into an unusually long base, but there’s a reason for this. S&W engineers creatively contrived the base to attach at the front with a single screw, and in the rear by a slot an extension in the upper receiver hooks into. This allows you to easily remove the rear sight and install a Picatinny rail.
The rail has 11 slots and an integral, fixed rear sight. With it in place, you can install any number of optical sights to include extended eye relief pistol scopes or compact, mini-red dots.
I opted for a Trijicon RMR using a quick release American Defense mount. Almost all the shooting, including the accuracy testing, was conducted with this sight. The versatility here cannot be overstated; with one screw you can switch back and forth between optics and sights, without loss of zero.
Ergonomically, the pistol is well configured and rides the hand comfortably. The polymer grip panels are textured, and the front and back straps exhibit a molded-in, finely checkered pattern. Everyone who handled the SW22 Victory thought the grip comfortable and stable.
The only complaint was that the bolt was a tad stiff to cycle when cocking the pistol due to the blowback action. The bolt is contoured with deep grasping grooves but the grip surface is relatively small, considering the amount of force needed to retract it. For an adult male, it should be of no consequence. Those with limited hand strength might struggle a bit.
A True Winner
Where this pistol shined was on the range. A few of the 10-shot, 25-yard groups were made up of nine shots clustering inside an inch; a single flyer ruined several of them, and I’ll take the blame for those.
Trust me, this pistol will shoot! In fact, I was able to obtain 10 out of 10 hits, shooting an 8-inch steel plate, at 50 yards, from the offhand position. Three times in a row! This is impressive because the truth is I really cannot shoot that well.
I can see no way to classify the SW22 Victory other than as a winner. It’s supremely accurate, providing plenty of precision for plinking, small-game hunting, and competition.
Its modularity with regard to aftermarket barrels and sight options sets it apart. And, maybe more importantly, it is affordable.
Smith & Wesson lists the suggested retail price at $409, but with a little shopping you should be able to round one up for less than $380.
Currently, there are three versions of the SW22. They include the standard model, a threaded barrel version for $429, and one in Highlander Kryptek camo for $ 459.
Gun writers say this all the time, but I will buy this pistol. It’s way more versatile and accurate than my childhood friend’s Single Six, and I don’t need Dad’s permission anymore.
By the way, after I grew up, Dad finally warmed to handguns. It might have happened sooner if he’d ever seen a pistol like the SW22. I think Smith & Wesson has certainly achieved a victory here!
Specifications:
Smith & Wesson SW22 Victory Type: Single action, blowback semi-automatic Chambering: .22 LR Capacity: 10 + 1 Weight: 36 ounces Length: 9.2 inches Height: 5.6 inches Barrel: 5.5 inches, stainless steel Frame: Stainless steel Bolt: Stainless steel Finish: Satin Sights: Green fiber optic front, fully adjustable fiber optic rear Grip: Polymer Accessories: Optics rail, takedown wrench Price: $409 for standard version, $429 with threaded muzzle, $459 with Kryptek Highlander camo finish Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson, Smith-Wesson.com
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the Concealed Carry 2016 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
There comes a time in every gun writer’s career when he must consider the end of the world as we know it and the apocalypse guns required to survive.
It’s not a bad exercise for anyone to undertake, given the security and safety of modern life is deceptive and fragile. There are the obvious culprits that could turn the lights out — war, plague, natural disaster. But the mundane — lack of power or hyperinflation for instance — could equally prove to be the cracks that break the façade of our comfort and security.
God forbid these end days are ever visited on us and those we love. But it’s better to tackle the scenario head on and be prepared, than to whistle past the graveyard. With that in mind, here are three must-have apocalypse guns to see you through these dark times.
While self-defense was a consideration in putting together the list, it was not the sole criteria. The apocalypse would be the ultimate survival situation, and that’s what these firearms are meant to do — help you survive. In turn, the guns chosen were also: versatile, reliable, fed with common ammunition and wide-spread enough to scrounge replacement parts, if need be.
Let us know if these apocalypse guns will see us through until we boot-strap society from the rubble or if we’re goners in the comments below.
Remington 870 or Mossberg 500
Remington Model 870 MCS
While there are diehard fans of both pump-action shotguns, each is rugged and versatile enough to handle the apocalypse. On top of that, given their sheer ubiquity, it’s plausible replacement parts could be scrounged up with minimal effort. Heck nearly every gun store and Walmart carry the dang things, and between the two more than 20 million have been produced.
Both are available with 3-inch chambers; in turn they can digest the majority of 12-gauge shells produced. With the right load, they are ideal for collecting almost any game in North America, but they would also be superlative weapons for most post-apocalyptic defense applications. Given the size of the pattern is larger than any single bullet, the margin of error is cut down in placing an effective shot. And considering most defensive encounters are at close range, a shotgun is a practical choice. On top of that, with a simple manual of arms, those who are perhaps not gun savvy can quickly learn to proficiently wield both the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500.
Mossberg Tactical 500
The admitted drawback to the pump-actions is their capacity. Off the shelf and unmodified, the top capacity 870 model holds seven shells, the 500 eight. But once again, this is survival, not small-unit tactical maneuvers. If competently handled, both smootbores should provide the firepower required for all but the direst circumstances.
A telescoping stock would be a wise upgrade, as would ghost ring sights (if not stock on the model you chose), just in case you do attempt a more distant shot at range.
AR-15 (M&P15 Sport II or Colt LE6920)
Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport II
The AR-15 wins out in this category because it provides its individual users ample firepower in a relatively simple platform and the potential of versatility. The ubiquitous black rifle could be the difference-maker if you found yourself outmanned in the ashes of society. In a world of unknowns, a couple of fully loaded 30-round magazines would provide serious peace of mind.
The dominant chambering for the rifle — 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington — should make scavenging for ammo simpler than other rifles, given its military use. That is, if it isn’t all shot up in the first week of civilization’s downfall in assaults on and in defense of grocery stores. But the AR-15 does hold an ace up its sleeve in this respect. It is not beyond consideration the components for a caliber conversion could be squirreled away or scraped up, thus giving users multiple rifles in one platform.
Colt LE6920
The AR-15 does have an Achilles’ heel, however. The rifle can be maintenance intensive, particularly ensuring the small-caliber rounds chamber properly, the direct gas impingement operating system remains functional and all components are properly lubricated. This takes time and supplies — both of which can be in short supply when cannibals are on your trail.
It’s a jungle when it comes to the AR-15 market, with a dizzying blur of makes and models. But it can be simplified by going with rifles that have been fairly well time-tested, such as the Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport II or Colt LE6920 series. Whatever brand is chosen, it’s advisable they have a dust cover, forward assist and iron sites.
Glock 41
Glock 41
Glock built its name on reliability, so it makes it a shoo-in for a survivalist’s sidearm. But out of its extensive family, which to choose? Once again, versatility is one of the names of the game here, which would make the Glock 41 the most logical choice.
The hefty .45 ACP round is not only a top choice to save your skin if Lord Humungus and his mutant warriors attack, it’s also a viable hunting round. If there are hogs in your neck of the woods, you’ll be dinning on post-apocalyptic pork chops during the end days with the 41 on your hip. The gun also has the capacity to keep it relevant in a defensive situation. You’ve got big problems if a couple of its standard 13-round magazines can’t extricate you out of a bad situation.
As a full-sized pistol, a striker-fired on top of that, the Glock 41 is configured such that new shooters can become quickly acclimated to it. The weightier gun helps manage the recoil, while the snappy trigger break aids in its accuracy. The handgun’s longer sight radius doesn’t hurt in keeping it on target either.
There are few chinks in the pistol’s armor, but there are a couple issues worth mentioning. While not rocket science, semi-automatics do require know-how to operate proficiently, particularly addressing common malfunctions. And there is something to be said about the virtues of hammer guns, whether it is the second-strike capabilities of a semi-auto or the simplicity of a revolver.
The gun would be a solid performer out of the box. The one upgrade worth considering might be a set of tritium night sights, just in case the bad guys come in the dark.
There are some solid benefits to converting the AR-15 to piston-driven operation, but it can be a bit of an undertaking. Here’s what you need to know.
Regardless of which conversion system you use, there is some preliminary work. Strip the rifle’s upper receiver bare, forward of the upper receiver. That is, remove the flash hider/muzzle device, front sight assembly or gas block, gas tube and handguards.
Only remove the delta ring assembly and barrel nut if you are changing to new handguards. The gas block or front sight assembly has to come off as the piston system replaces it.
The flash hider has to come off because that’s the only way you can get the gas block or sight off. The handguards have to come off because you need the elbow room to position and fit the piston system.
Often, when changing to a piston system, shooters also change to a new, free-float handguard, requiring removal of the delta ring assembly.
Here’s a pro tip. Given the amount of work involved, consider building a new, replacement upper receiver from parts. That way, you’d have two uppers, one DI, and one piston, and you could compare the two at the range. And since you have to strip the old receiver down, we will be looking at the installation of a piston conversion from the stripped-down point, as if you were building it up new anyway, because that gives us a common starting point.
If you are going to change to a free-float handguard, and that handguard uses a barrel nut that isn’t the standard one, you’ll have to remove the old and replace it with the new. At that point, you truly are building up the receiver from scratch.
Not all free-float handguards will clear the hardware for all piston systems. It may take some research and testing on your part to find a combination that agree. I’d offer a chart, but the handguard and the piston system makers are in a constant state of flux and the chart would be out of date before this got to the printers.
Instead, contact the handguard and piston makers. Ask if they have handguards that clear their piston systems, and which ones. Contact the piston maker and ask if they have a list of handguards that clear their piston.
Before You Start
Almost all piston systems require the removal of the entire gas system, including front sight or gas block, handguards and flash hider. I will assume for the purposes of this chapter that you have gotten to this point by means of one of two paths. You have taken your existing DI-system AR and have stripped off everything forward of the delta ring assembly and removed the bolt and carrier assembly out of the interior. Or, you have built the upper receiver and barrel from parts, and are proceeding from there with the piston system.
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.
The Republic Forge Defiant Lightweight 1911 is an elegant gun that’s big on power and small on size.
The only functional problem came after 100 rounds or so had been run through the pistol. With a new magazine inserted, the first round of the American Eagle ammo would not feed into the chamber, the tip of the bullet pressed right against the bottom of the feed ramp.
