Behind The Scenes: The H&H Precision Story

June 30, 2017

H&H Precision pairs with the Orias Chassis. The result: A rifle boasting a ¼-MOA guarantee and exceptional diversity.

What does it take to elevate a rifle’s capabilities to an exceptional level of accuracy? High-quality materials fed into top-precision machines operated by heavily experienced technicians? Maybe. But I’d argue that every single firearm brought to market should have all those qualifications.

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I’m not talking about “minute-of-whitetail” accuracy or a gun capable of ringing a 10-inch steel plate at 600 yards. I’m talking about a level of accuracy that was all but inaccessible — barely even fathomable — to civilian shooters a few years ago.

There are a few trends abuzz right now in the shooting world wildly unparalleled in both form and function.

On one hand, you’ve got long-standing, well-respected firearms manufacturers that are kicking out sub-$400 rifles capable of producing consistent sub-MOA groups even when operated by riflemen of moderate skillsets. Think Ruger’s American rifles, the Savage Axis, Mossberg’s Patriot and Remington’s Model 783. And there are others.

For shooters whose version of success is measured in punched big-game tags as much as tightly perforated paper, these guns — and this entire trending category — is a dream come true both in regard to performance and price.

And then there are “the freaks” — a growing fraternity of those who, by definition, create a “very unusual and unexpected event or situation.”

These are the gunsmiths, engineers, machinists and shooters who demand — and are willing to pay for — perfection that’s measured by thousandths of an inch in the shop and by fractions of MOA on the line.

Imagine a precision rifle that can produce ¼-MOA groups. Every shot. From every gun that rolls out of that shop. Yeah, that’s freaky.

Defining Precision
Ken Hagen’s passion for the shooting sports bloomed at very young age and took roots with a family that was heavily involved in outdoor activities. From age 2 and beyond, Hagen was never left behind when his family headed afield.

“I can remember standing in the front seat of an old ’60s Chevy pickup and watching my grandmother shoot antelope and deer,” said Hagen. “She stretched across the hood in true redneck fashion, wearing hair curlers and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. Much like a Labrador retriever with a strong desire to chase and retrieve, I found myself consumed with the passion to hunt and shoot, too.”

Admittedly, Hagen didn’t do well in grade school because of his daydreams about hunting and shooting while in class. Nothing was more important to him than hunting and shooting, and it wasn’t until he lost his hunting privileges due to poor grades that he found the motivation to start paying a bit more attention in class.

“My grandfather had me on a sliding scale when it came to school grades,” added Hagen. “An ‘A’ got me in on elk, deer, antelope and small-game hunts. ‘Bs’ got me in on deer and antelope. A ‘C’ got me in on small game. If I came home with a ‘D,’ I lost my rifle and my hunting privileges. And an ‘F’ … well, I didn’t dare go there.”

Hagen’s grandfather was also a builder, and at age 8, the pair built Hagen’s first high-power rifle together in his shop — a sporterized Springfield .30-06. The stock was honed from an old block of walnut, which was hand-carved and with jade inlays.
And that’s the proverbial spark that lit the passion of rifle building for Hagen.

From Passion To Profession
“Shooting and building rifles have always been my passion,” said Hagen, “but my drive is fueled even further when I can become part of peoples’ experience. It’s not just about building rifles — it’s about being part of something people are proud to own. It’s a privileged honor when people select my products and services.”

Every H&H Precision rifle is built one at a time, from start to finish. Hagen’s attention to detail and devotion to build the best rifle for that customer is solely set aside for that customer, and it’s his one-at-a-time devotion that allows him to do it. With each rifle, Hagen promises himself to build to his best ability and never cut any corners, regardless of timelines and production schedules.

“There are hundreds of custom rifle manufacturers on the market producing exceptional rifles,” added Hagen. “So when a customer picks H&H Precision over the others, I owe it to them to do my best work. I build for special operations groups who’re called to duty when lives are at stake and failure is not an option. I’m not a first-responder or a soldier on the battlefield, but I help serve to protect and defend in other ways.”

Every H&H Precision rifle is tested under video to prove ¼-MOA accuracy with a Target Cam System and two cameras. Each customer gets a video of their rifle shooting the groups.

Not only is that unparalleled proof of Ken’s commitment to perfection, it’s almost as if the customer is standing next to Hagen when he’s testing their rife — every shot and every bullet hole develops on the screen and is captured by that video.

“My philosophy is simple: If a manufacturer never proved a rifle can shoot ¼-MOA, then how can they guarantee it?” said Hagen. “I hear stories of manufacturers who say it but never prove it — and we all know talk is cheap. The H&H Precision slogan is as simple as my business philosophy: ‘We don’t just say it — we prove it!’

“Customer satisfaction is priority No. 1,” added Hagen. “If, for any reason, a customer doesn’t like one of my rifles within a reasonable timeline, I will refund or replace the rifle. I will never stick a customer with a rifle they’re not satisfied with. H&H Precision is the safest bet in town when investing in a high-end rifle.”

Even in the current, highly competitive landscape of precision rifle shooters and builders, Ken Hagen’s intuition and gunsmithing experience is largely unparalleled. He’s also equipped with the latest technologies and machine shop equipment and is backed by years of experience to provide a full service operation.

The circle of people who know Hagen’s top-secret processes of precision gunsmithing is incredibly tiny, but Hagen accredits much of his success — and his ability to guarantee ¼-MOA — on the Orias Chassis.

Orias Chassis
The Orias Chassis system, developed and built by Killer Innovations and Mega Arms, has quickly evolved into one of the most advanced chassis systems available.

Developed around the patent-pending self-adjusting recoil lug alignment system, the Orias Chassis has a free-floating half-round on the backside of the recoil lug that’s held in place by two small magnets. The half-round is free to rotate to perfectly match the angularity of the recoil lug on the receiver as the wedge clamp in the front of the recoil lug forces back into the half-round.

This proprietary system eliminates any minute angularity differences between the receiver’s recoil lug and the Orias chassis, which can cause serious accuracy problems at long ranges. The configuration of this system also allows for the removal and re-installation of the receiver with a zero point-of-impact shift when torqued to the proper sequence.

The Orias Chassis is cut from a solid block of 7075-T651 aluminum. Although 7075 is nearly twice the cost of 6061 aluminum, it’s roughly 40 percent stronger and notably lighter, creating an incredibly strong yet lightweight platform for precision rifle shooters who appreciate and demand the attention to detail that can set a rifle apart from the crowd.

Weighing 2.1 pounds and topped off in a Mil-Spec Type 3 hard-anodized finish, each Orias Chassis is equipped with a removable rear trunnion that accepts an AR-style buttstock. To complete the customizing attributes of the Orias, a quick-detach accessory rail, located over the barrel, is available as an optional accessory.

The Bottom Line
“The Orias Chassis gives H&H Precision rifles an incredibly unique, maneuverable, light and highly functioning feel,” said Hagen. “The palm swell provides the feel of a competition rifle, while the forend creates the feel of a lightweight, quick-handling hunting rifle. A rifle is only as good as its weakest link, and nothing else on the market comes close to performing like the Orias Chassis.”

Essentially, with decades of gunsmithing experience from Hagen and hundreds of hours of machining work to perfect the Orias Chassis, comes perfection through time. Hunters, competitive shooters, long-range marksmen, military personnel or law enforcement snipers — there’s a bit of each of these shooting disciplines crafted into each H&H Precision rifle.

Rare is the rifle capable of delivering such incredible accuracy while still offering so much diversity. You might even call it freaky.

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

Five Top Big-Bore ARs and Cartridges

Brad Fitzpatrick

June 30, 2017

Think the AR platform is only good for target shooting, defense and predator and varmint hunting? Think again. Check out these five great big-bore ARs and cartridges geared toward bigger tasks and larger game.

This likely won’t shock you, but the sales of AR rifles and accessories have skyrocketed in the past five years. In the early 2000s, there were only a handful of companies that built and sold ARs, but this year there were more than a hundred companies displaying new AR rifles, parts and accessories at the annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

Big-Bore ARs - Defense Shooting — Learn to Run Your AR Like a Pro with *AR-15 Skills & Drills*.

This comes despite the anti-gun media’s seek-and-destroy mission aimed at vilifying all things AR. These guns have survived the onslaught of attacks because the AR platform itself is so versatile, so functional and so much fun to shoot.

Besides being a great gun for casual shooting, competitive shooting and defensive applications, the AR makes a fantastic hunting rifle. ARs are the fastest-growing subset of hunting rifles, and many companies are now building ARs designed specifically for the game field. These rifles are accurate, customizable and allow for very fast-follow-up shots, but until recently, their use has been largely limited to predators and varmints.

That, too, is changing. More and more deer hunters are carrying AR rifles, and the platform has become one of the top choices for hog hunters.

But what about larger stuff? What about pursuing creatures that can turn the tables and can – in an instant – turn the hunter into the hunted? Is there a place in the realm of dangerous game hunting for big-bore ARs?

One of the most common charges levied against AR rifles by the sensational anti-gun media is that these rifles shoot flatter and hit harder than traditional hunting designs like bolt actions, the mythic higher-powered, high-power rifle.

In truth, the most common AR chambering, the 5.56/.223, is somewhat anemic compared to popular hunting calibers like the .30-06 and .300 Winchester Magnum, and it is a far less potent cartridge than the old elephant slayers like the .458 Winchester Magnum, .416 Rigby, and the like.

The anti-gun media never lets ballistics get in the way of a good story, but hunters and shooters obsess over energy and trajectory charts. You don’t have to spend much time researching to realize that the standard 5.56/.223 isn’t considered much of a deer round (although there are some hunters who swear by its effectiveness and have seen a lot of deer harvested with that cartridge), and it isn’t even legal in many states.

But the AR-10 platform chambered in .308/7.62×51 offers considerably more knockdown power, and other cartridges like the 6.8 SPC and .260 Remington are versatile hunting rounds that can be chambered in AR rifles.

But again, what about even larger game such as bears, bison and other large, heavy, potentially dangerous animals? Is there an AR suitable for that class of game?

In truth, there are many. There are several options for hunters looking to pursue the largest game with their AR and plenty of effective cartridges.

The good news is that many of these cartridges are sufficient on a wide variety of game, so whether you’re tackling big hogs or brown bears, one rifle will do it all. Versatility is, after all, one of the hallmarks of the AR platform.

Here’s a selection of five of the best big-bore ARs and cartridges for hunting the largest, toughest and potentially dangerous animals.

Rock River Arms LAR-458 Beast in .458 SOCOM
The Beast is chambered in .458 SOCOM, a cartridge that was designed in the early 2000s to provide more energy and more lethality for Special Forces teams using AR rifles. Capable of firing bullets weighing up to 600 grains, the more popular weights for hunting are in the 250- to 325-grain range because they shoot flatter and carry higher energy along their trajectory curve.

Additionally, the .458 SOCOM ammunition fits in standard metal GI 5.56 magazines because the two cartridges are the same length. They are not, however, the same diameter.

You can fit seven .458 SOCOM cartridges in a 20-round GI magazine, 10 in a 30 round magazine. That’s a lot of firepower available in a hurry. Most hunting loads generate energy levels north of 2,200 foot-pounds, making this an excellent choice for bear defense.

The Beast is aptly named, with its heavy 14.5-inch barrel crowned with an aggressive Beast Brake. It comes with an RRA Delta CAR adjustable stock that can be customized to fit the shooter and the situation, and the full-length RRA TRO-STD handguard offers plenty of real estate for a sufficient hold on the rifle.

The flat-top receiver is great for mounting optics (a red dot like the new Trijicon MRO would be the perfect choice), and the rifle comes with two short and one standard-length accessory rails. The Beast weighs just 7.6 pounds, fairly light for a dangerous game rifle, but recoil is manageable considering the knockdown power of this rifle.

One note: All .458 SOCOM ammunition should be loaded from the magazine and not directly into the chamber for safety reasons. ($1,540; RockRiverArms.com)

Alexander Arms Hunter in .50 Beowulf
The .50 Beowulf is Alexander Arms’ own design. Based on the .50 Action Express and modified to function in AR rifles, the Beowulf ups the AR ante when it comes to power.

Like the SOCOM, it began life as a cartridge designed to offer a horsepower upgrade over the standard 5.56×45 cartridge, and it does so stunningly. The cartridge found favor with military and law enforcement agencies because it wouldn’t bounce off window glass in vehicles, but it certainly has applications for hunting large, dangerous game as well.

For starters, the cartridge generates between 2,200 and 2,800 foot-pounds of energy and places a half-inch hole in whatever it strikes. Alexander Arms offers a variety of loads for the Beowulf, including 350-grain brass spitzer and XTP loads that will work for hunters. The cartridge has plenty of power for short- to moderate-range hunting of species like bear, elk, moose, large feral hogs and even bison, and it serves as a functional backup gun in bear country.

Alexander Arms offers a selection of uppers and lowers, but the company also sells complete Beowulf rifles. The Hunter Complete Rifle is the variant designed specifically for sport hunting, and it comes with a rifle-length, composite, free-floating handguard; flat-top receiver; a 16.5-inch button-rifled chrome moly barrel; 49/64-20 barrel thread; and Kryptek Highlander camo.

Like the Beast, the Alexander Arms’ flattop design makes it easy for mounting optics, and the rounded handguard is comfortable and offers a stable grip. The stock is a B5 Systems SOPMOD Bravo, which is collapsible, and the gun comes with the company’s Tactical Blade Trigger. It’s a serious dangerous game AR designed for the largest, heaviest game. ($1,750; AlexanderArms.com)

DPMS Lite Hunter in .338 Federal
The sleek Lite Hunter from DPMS is a featherweight by AR standards, weighing in at less than 8 pounds. This reduced weight is achieved with the help of a lightweight barrel profile as well as a carbon fiber free-float handguard.

The Lite Hunter is devoid of all unneeded features and comes with an A2 stock, a flat-top extruded 7029 T6 upper and a two-stage match trigger. It’s a sleek, impressive design that works very well in the field.

The Lite Hunter is chambered in a number of standard AR-10 class cartridges: .243 Winchester, .260 Remington and .308. But it’s also available in the often overlooked and extremely versatile .338 Federal, which is based on a standard .308 Winchester cartridge necked up to use available .338-inch bullets.

The caliber is capable of producing better than 3,000 foot-pounds of energy and, since it is based on the .308, brass is widely available. The .338 Federal is an effective and efficient deer and hog cartridge and a very good elk and moose cartridge.

It provides plenty of power for defense against large bears, and it has a trajectory curve that is relatively flat. It’s certainly one of the most versatile cartridges on this list.

Plus, if you switch between a bolt gun and an AR, it’s a great choice because Savage and other companies make bolt-action rifles in the same caliber. It’s a cartridge that’s capable of taking anything on the American continent. ($1,499; DPMSInc.com)

NEMO Arms Watchman & Omen in .338 Winchester Magnum
NEMO has challenged the notion of conventional AR designs and caliber offerings with the introduction of powerful new rifles chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum and, recently, the .338 Winchester Magnum. These cartridges are better than five decades old, but they have proven themselves as two of the best all-around cartridges for large, dangerous game like bears. Both the .300 and .338 are capable of delivering more than 4,000 foot-pounds of energy, and both have earned enviable reputations for long-range work.

Just how widely accepted are they? In a survey I did of Alaskan brown bear guides, the .338 Winchester Magnum was recommended more than any other cartridge, and there are actually more animals in the Boone & Crockett record book that have been harvested with the .300 Winchester Magnum than the .30-06. Ammo is widely available, and there’s a huge selection of tough hunting bullets for both cartridges.

The NEMO line has expanded greatly over the last few years. Some of its most popular offerings are the OMEN ASP, a lightweight MSR that is chambered in .300 Win. Mag.

It has a hard-anodized finish 7075 billet receiver, a 16-inch barrel, nickel boron bolt release, enhanced magnum buffer, Geissele two-stage trigger and much more. Best of all, it weighs just 9.4 pounds and is extremely accurate.

The larger Watchman 2.0 features a long 24-inch barrel for maximum velocity and flat trajectory. If you’re serious about hunting big game like elk and moose at extended range with a precision built AR, the offerings from NEMO are a good place to start looking. ($5,000- ; NEMOArms.com)

Bushmaster 450 in .450 Bushmaster
What if you could simply swap your AR upper to go from a varmint/predator/target rifle to a serious big-bore, bear-stopping defensive round? That’s the beauty of the .450 Bushmaster – like the .458 SOCOM, you can buy an extra upper for your AR rifle and you’ve got a big bore in tow.

The .450 Bushmaster cartridge is capable of attaining 2,200 feet per second from a 20-inch barrel and generating almost 2,700 foot-pounds of energy, a substantial blow from an AR-15-based rifle. That’s on par with the .308 Winchester, and the Bushmaster delivers a much larger diameter bullet.

The .450, when sighted in 2.5 inches high at 100 yards with a Hornady 250-grain FTX, is 3.4 inches low at 200 yards, a respectable trajectory curve. The big .452-inch bullets are capable of delivering serious big-game stopping power at close range, and there’s no doubt that this rifle would work well on the largest deer.

But if you have an AR-15 and are looking for bear medicine, then the .450 might be just the ticket. It’s relatively light (especially with a 16-inch upper), and so long as Hornady is supplying ammo, it won’t be hard to get your hands on factory loads.

Of course, you can buy complete rifles from Bushmaster, but the company’s prime seller has been the upper, which is far cheaper for the current AR owner than buying a brand-new gun.

This is certainly a great caliber for backup in bear country, and you could pack your 5.56 upper in your gear bag on a western hunt so you could chase elk or bears and, when you are tagged out, swap uppers and spend a few days shooting rock chucks. ($600- ; Bushmaster.com)

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the April 2016 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gun Review: Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter

Gun Digest Editors

June 29, 2017

Rugged, precise and with brute power to spare, the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter is ready to tangle with the nastiest game North America can throw at you.

“This rifle makes me feel like Thomas Jefferson,” exclaimed my friend Cody, ret. U.S. Marine Corp., after he blasted seven rapid-fire rounds of .50 Beowulf into the Arizona dirt. “I might as well have a bald eagle perched on my shoulder right now; there’s a whole lot of freedom going on here,” said Cody as he gazed into the vast desert of the Prescott National Forest with the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter.

Cody was not alone in his charismatic reactions from shooting the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf rifle for the first time. The brute power of the Beowulf cartridge results in a dramatic report that seems to make shooters howl like a werewolf after every trigger pull.

The rifle produces a distinct thumping muzzle blast that literally makes shooters feel the hair on their head move. Surprisingly, although the .50-caliber cartridge produces a whopping 2,400 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, its felt recoil is comparable to a 12-gauge shotgun with 2-3/4-inch bird shot.

Howl at the Moon
Exotic as it may be, the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter AR-15 still oozes practicality. Chambered for .50 Beowulf, the beastly cartridge undoubtedly has the ability to harvest every big game animal in North America. According to Alexander Arms, “The heavy bullets from the Beowulf are quite capable of breaking both shoulders of a moose.”

Retaining the familiar dimensions and ergonomics of a standard AR-15 carbine, this rifle’s big bore is one of the only components that distinguishes it from typical ARs. In fact, the .50 Beowulf is compatible with standard AR-15 upper and lower receivers, handguards, buffer systems and small parts.

The only major differences between the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter and a standard AR-15 are its barrel, bolt, gas block and magazine. In fact, it is entirely possible to slap a complete .50 Beowulf upper receiver onto a standard AR-15 lower receiver and maintain total functionality.

A standard AR-15 buffer and buffer spring do not even need to be replaced to effectively handle the .50 Beowulf’s increased recoil, as the Beowulf cartridge was designed to work specifically with standard lower receiver components.

While the .50 Beowulf cartridge adds an extraordinary “wow” factor, the rifle comes packed with more mouth-watering features right out of the box.

Most notably, its stylish and functional Kryptek Highlander Camo finish makes this rifle a true hunting tool. Hunters will also enjoy the lightweight G10 composite mid-length free-floating handguard that includes a built-in sling swivel stud and rail attachment points at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-o’clock positions.

Under the handguard, a 16.5-inch chrome-moly button-rifled barrel with a 1-in-20-inch twist rate launches massive 335-grain projectiles at 1,800 feet-per-second.

Threaded to the barrel for recoil reduction and muzzle rise mitigation is an Alexander Arms Millenium Compensator, which disperses energy through an oversized four-port design that billows visible flames in daylight conditions. At the rear of the rifle, a B5 Systems SOPMOD adjustable buttstock provides counterbalance to the rifle and offers ample comfort for the shooter, despite the Beowulf’s significant recoil.

Interestingly, Alexander Arms purposely omits an ejection port cover from the upper receiver, even though it maintains hinge points where an ejection port cover traditionally attaches.

According to Alexander Arms, “the hinge points are left on the receiver because the upper receiver would cost more to manufacture by removing them from the design. They are not left specifically so that port doors can be retrofitted to the upper, and we do not encourage this retrofitting.”

Given the enlarged size of the ejection port compared to a normal AR-15 to account for the Beowulf’s larger brass, a standard dust cover would not fit, nor is it really needed.

Inside the hand-fitted receivers, a specialized bolt face and extractor cycles .50 Beowulf rounds from proprietary magazines each time the shooter pulls Alexander Arms’ Tactical Trigger. The standard AR-15 fire control system includes a lightweight hammer and a single-stage, blade-style trigger that consistently measures just less than 4 pounds of pull weight.

Overall, it’s quite clear Alexander Arms has gone to great lengths to ensure the proprietary components of the .50 Beowulf Hunter rifle coordinate perfectly with its standard AR-15 parts. Premium components and custom refinement make this firearm a truly unique rifle that combines exotic details with unmatched utility.

Performance
Unrivaled endurance gives wolves the evolutionary advantage to take down game much larger or faster than the wolf itself. Throughout testing of the Beowulf Hunter rifle, the gun showed no signs of slowing down after several hundred rounds, and had zero malfunctions.

Although the .50 Beowulf cartridge operates at relatively low pressures given its muzzle energy, its brute power provides plenty of thrust to push the bolt carrier group out of battery and rearward to initiate reliable cycling. The 37 grains of powder that propelled the 335-grain FMJ load during testing provided plenty of power to keep things moving consistently.

While the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter is capable of anchoring big game at distances of 200 yards, the cartridge really shines inside 100 yards. It’s for that reason we decided to use a zero magnification Aimpoint Micro H-1 optic for testing.

Although the rifle is certainly capable of greater accuracy with a magnified optic, the configuration used for testing would be highly effective for objectives such as close-range feral hog control or even home defense applications.

One might think this rifle is much too beastly for home defense; however, when loaded with 200-grain Polycase Inceptor ARX ammunition, the typical risks of over penetration are greatly mitigated compared to FMJ ammo.

By their nature, the terminal ballistics of Inceptor ARX bullets includes extreme fragmentation in soft targets. In exchange for deep penetration, the bullet rapidly dumps its energy into the target, creating dramatic tissue damage and massive wound channels.

Given its ability to excel at a variety of objectives from hunting to home defense, it’s quite clear the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter would make for a great truck gun. While there’s no real definition of “truck gun,” this rifle is a solid example of a reliable all-purpose tool that can go anywhere and do anything.

If you live among wolves, you have to act like a wolf. The .50 Beowulf Hunter rifle from Alexander Arms is truly the alpha dog of the pack, making typical AR-15s look like toy poodles in comparison. With its custom touches and big-bore barrel, Alexander Arms sets the standard for the level of craftsmanship and reliability that should be expected from an AR-15.

Literally the only thing the author doesn’t like about this rifle is the cost and availability of .50 Beowulf ammunition. The author has fired nearly every AR-15 on the market today, and the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter ranks in his Top 5 overall favorite production ARs to date.

Specifications:

Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter
Caliber: .50 Beowulf
Action: Direct Impingement Gas, Semi-Automatic
Finish: Kyptek Highlander Camouflage
Capacity: 7+1
Length: 37.25 in. extended; 43.125 in. collapsed
Trigger: Alexander Arms Tactical Trigger (3 lbs., 15 oz. pull weight)
Stock: B5 System SOPMOD Bravo Collapsible
Barrel: 16.5 in., chrome moly, 1:20 twist
Muzzle: Millenium Compensator, 49/64-20 RH thread
MSRP: $1,750

Editor’s Note: The article is an excerpt from the April 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

How To: Keeping A Shooting Data Book

Tiger McKee

June 29, 2017

Serious shooters keep a DOPE or data book on particular weapons for a good reason. When called into duty, no matter the situation, they have a solid idea about how the firearm will perform.

Everyone who owns a precision rifle keeps a DOPE or data book on that weapon – at least they do if they are serious shooters. Typical information includes details on cold bore shots.

Normally the point of impact on the first shot fired from a clean, cold barrel will be slightly different from shots fired after that. You record each cold shot, building up enough data to know exactly where that first shot is heading.

By gathering and recording data, you know the difference between a shot fired when the air temp is a chilly 15 degrees and the humidity is low vs. a hot day of 95 degrees with humidity to match. You have a record of the changes that will occur if you switch from a 55-grain bullet to one weighing 75 grains. I recommend doing the same thing for every firearm you own.

Most of the people I know who get into firearms, no matter the reason, eventually end up with a small collection of weapons. After all, you need a few pistols for carry, a variety of rifles and carbines, and of course probably a dose of shotguns.

At some point it becomes difficult to keep track of everything, especially like when you changed out a buffer spring, how many rounds have been fired through a specific barrel, or what make bolt group is in a particular AR. The solution is to develop a log or data book for each firearm you own.

In my spec sheets I include detailed information about what parts were used to assemble that weapon. There is a record of when it’s been cleaned, how many rounds it’s fired, or when the recoil spring was last changed.

I keep track of when the battery was changed in the red-dot sight. When a part breaks, I know what brand it was, how long it lasted and what to replace it with. There are targets in the file so I know what group to expect from that particular weapon with specific type or brand ammo.

Keeping targets gives me a reference to look back at. If all the sudden AR #3 is shooting 3-inch groups at 100 yards instead of 1-inch groups, I know there’s a problem I need to look at.

Keeping this information is also good if you need to take your AR to a gunsmith for repairs or modifications. This way they don’t have to try guess about anything; it’s all written down and recorded for reference.

I’m an old school guy and keep written records. Plus, if I have a clean sheet of paper, I can draw out illustrations for documenting a certain point, or attach pictures to the file.

Yes, you could keep your notes on a computer, but remember that the act of writing something down helps implant it in the mind. Typing or entering data on a computer spreadsheet provides you with a record, but it doesn’t make the same mental connections.

For the average AR, you probably don’t need to record every shot or the weather conditions and the amount of info you would with a precision rifle. Unless of course your precision rifle is an AR, a Special Purpose Rifle, or SPR. But you do need to keep a record of all the different modifications made, bullet trajectory for different distances – including wind shifts – and other major details of that weapon.

Owning and using a firearm is serious business, especially if we’re talking about possibly using it for self-defense. Approach all the different aspects of this accordingly. Document everything about your weapons, just as you do with your training and practice.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from AR-15 Skills & Drills.

Gallery: Top 10 Fun Guns for the Fourth of July

Drew Warden

June 29, 2017

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There’s no better way to celebrate Independence Day than by enjoying your Second Amendment rights. Here are 10 fun guns sure to put a smile on your face on July Fourth.

The Second Amendment rights afforded to us in this country represent one of the defining aspects of American culture. And as the Fourth of July holiday approaches, it’s important to keep those rights in mind, and to celebrate those rights along with our independence.

One of the best ways to do that, of course, is to get out and shoot over the holiday.

Above is a list of 10 fun guns to consider for your trip to the range, private land or your own backyard for the Fourth. The list covers a mix of guns that are fun, and in some cases both fun and relevant to our country’s history. It is designed to be relatively broad and inclusive, but does get slightly more specific in some cases.

This list is in no way definitive, nor is it prescriptive. It’s just good fun.

There are lots of fun guns out there. That’s why many of us have large gun safes and more than a few firearms. Some are on this list, and some are not.

Check out the list above to see which guns made the cut, and if you feel something’s been overlooked, let us know in the comments section. All opinions are valid, and these types of debates are always fun.

Hot-Rodding the .45 Colt

Max Prasac

June 28, 2017

Here it is in all of its buffalo killing glory, the Linebaugh-built .45 Colt Seville belonging to Ross Seyfried. Photo by R. Seyfried

Through the efforts of John Linebaugh, Dick Casull and Ross Seyfried, the .45 Colt took the leap from the Old West to modern-day big-game hunting.

Head afield with Gun Digest Book of Hunting Revolvers.

The discussion of hunting revolvers wouldn’t be complete without a look back at John Linebaugh’s work building “Super .45s” on Seville revolvers (U.S. Sporting Arms) in the early ’80s. Hot-rodding the .45 Colt cartridge was nothing new, but it wasn’t widespread either. Dick Casull had been doing just that since the 1950s.

The .45 Colt wasn’t really looked at as a contender, particularly with all of the old Single Action Army models that were in the hands of shooters. Instead, it was viewed more as a has-been that had seen its glory days a long time ago.

Linebaugh and Casull were visionaries in that they could see the potential the old Colt had to offer, if housed in an adequate revolver where the .45 could stretch its legs a bit. Casull’s exploits are legendary, but Linebaugh’s work with the .45 cannot be ignored and deserves to be examined.

Let me step off to the side of this conversation for a moment and introduce another player in this tale, a man by the name of Ross Seyfried.

If anyone has led an unusual and interesting life — including ranching, writing, guiding in the States and Africa, and trail blazing — that would be Seyfried. We have cited a number of his seminal works before, and for a good reason.

If he wrote about it, it was thoroughly vetted and tested, and you could take his conclusions to the bank. Without his contributions to handgunning, the likes of John Linebaugh may never have been known, which would have been tragic to say the very least.

The .45 Colt (center) still stack up well against to younger big-bore behemoths, the .44 Rem. Mag. (left) and .454 Casull (right). — The .45 Colt (center) still stacks up well against younger, big-bore behemoths, the .44 Rem. Mag. (left) and .454 Casull (right).

Growing up on a ranch in eastern Colorado, Seyfried got his first revolver, a Smith & Wesson Model 19 in .357 Magnum, when he was only a freshman in high school. He tried every commercial load available, including those with the highest velocity and lightest bullets, and reports that they didn’t live up to his expectations.

An avid reader of Elmer Keith, the young Seyfried sat down with a pen and paper and wrote Keith of his test results. Keith promptly replied back that the .357 was useless and that Seyfried should acquire a .44 Magnum, and that is exactly what he did. Seyfried even carried a 4-inch Model 29 in Africa, loaded with the requisite 250-grain Keith loads and found it left him wanting more, having used it on many wounded game animals.

Then, John Linebaugh entered his life, and the game changed. Linebaugh convinced Seyfried of an alternative, a perfect revolver for hunting big game that was a sizable step up, over and beyond the vaunted .44 Magnum.

An incredulous and skeptical Seyfried invited Linebaugh to his ranch to give him a demonstration from a good, safe distance away. Not only was he impressed with this display of power, but he was also determined to find out for himself how this rejuvenated .45 Colt would perform in Africa, a wonderful “laboratory” for testing his new pet caliber. The results spoke for themselves and culminated in Seyfried killing a Cape buffalo with a .45 Colt — with no big double rifle backing him up.

Renewed interest in the .45 Colt led to other big-bore advancements, such as the .454 Casull. This particular one is an John Linebaugh custom Seville in .454 Casull with a six-shot oversized cylinder. — Renewed interest in the .45 Colt led to other big-bore advancements, such as the .454 Casull. This particular one is a John Linebaugh custom Seville in .454 Casull with a six-shot oversized cylinder.

As a gunwriter with Guns & Ammo magazine, he had a platform on which to float new ideas to a wary and skeptical audience. But unlike many, Seyfried walked the walk and was in a position to talk about it.

Seyfried stoked the fires of our imaginations with tales of slaying the wild beasts of Africa with only a revolver, introducing us mere mortals to such exotic and unknown calibers like the .475 and .500 Linebaughs, and the mythically powerful Maximums. He showed us that not only could the biggest and most ferocious animals be conquered with revolvers, but that their effectiveness was no fluke, with repeatable results. Seyfried didn’t just talk about it, he went out and backed his theories with quantifiable and tangible results from the field.

His contributions to big-bore revolver development, shooting and hunting cannot be understated. He was a seriously competitive shooter, having won the 1981 World Practical Pistol Championships. A licensed professional hunter in Tanzania and Zambia, he spoke from a place of authority. Until recently, he served as a guide and outfitter in Oregon.

Seyfried reports that he has come full circle and that after many rodeos with some truly big and nasty calibers, he is back to the .45 Colt. He claims to have crossed that line of old age and practicality.

We spoke at length, and in a candid and unguarded moment, he mentioned that his greatest regret in life was “not being able to hand Elmer Keith a five-shot .45 Colt. Not only would he have loved it, he was a man who would have been able to use it for all it was worth.”

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest Book of Hunting Revolvers.

Handgun Review: Wilson Combat Tactical Carry

Richard A. Mann

June 28, 2017

The Wilson Combat Tactical Carry masterfully blends artistry with functionality in a pistol you can trust your life with.

After signing up to take my second 250 Pistol Class at Gunsite Academy, I contacted Bill Wilson with Wilson Combat to ask if he had a pistol I could borrow. Why? During my first 250 Pistol Class, I watched half of the students struggle with either poorly constructed pistols or pistols that broke. I knew the quality of my training would be partially dependent on the performance of my pistol. Bill said he had just the gun for me, the new Wilson Combat Tactical Carry in 9mm Luger.

But 1911s in 9mm have a reputation for being less than reliable. In fact, during the first day of the class one of the instructors indicated he was “concerned” my 9mm 1911 would be problematic. (He might not have noticed it was built by Wilson Combat.)

A pistol is by nature a defensive weapon. True, they are used for sport shooting and hunting, but at its very core it’s a life saving tool. Since we’re not talking about implements intended to appease the hobbyist, the performance of a pistol cannot be compromised. It must be as unfailingly reliable and accurate as math. There is no wiggle room; a defensive handgun must work.

During Gunsite Academy’s 250 Pistol Class, specifically the Crimson Trace laser-integrated version, which includes an additional night shoot, you’ll fire more than 1,000 rounds. You won’t have time to field strip and clean your handgun unless you want to sacrifice training opportunity. If your gun continually hiccups or breaks, you lose out. Just like you’d lose out if it did the same thing while a meth head was whacking you with a claw hammer.

A quality defensive handgun course does several important things. It allows you to establish a basic foundation for continued training, and it vets your weapon and related gear.

Most of the gun reviews that populate the firearms periodicals are built around the informal and limited, one or two-day evaluation. But this article is different. It’s not about a $500 polymer fun gun; it’s about a $3,750, exquisitely crafted mechanical piece of art built from steel.

If I’m going to tell you that you need a pistol that costs as much as a used pickup truck, I best be basing that advice on an assessment steeped in real word practicality. So, lets get the particulars out of the way first.

Was It Reliable?

During the class I fired 1,217 rounds out of the Wilson Combat Tactical Carry pistol. I had three failures to feed. The first was the first shot I fired with my strong hand only, and I suspected I limp-wristed the pistol because that was the last of it. I had two other failures to feed when firing the 67 rounds of low-recoiling frangible ammunition that’s mandated for use in the simulators.

For what its worth, stoppages with the frangible ammo are common with every platform and, in truth, their clearance adds to the training value of the course. That said, there’s another reason I suspect these stoppages occurred; I’ll get to that shortly.

Was It Accurate?

I imagine some will be taking my name in vain when I admit that I did not shoot this pistol from a bench rest to determine its accuracy potential. After all, is that not the way all firearms reviews are conducted? Well, yes it is. But let me go on record now by saying that bench rest testing a fighting handgun makes about as much sense as peeing on an electric fence.

I have yet to find a modern defensive handgun that did not deliver adequate accuracy. More importantly, as it relates to the Wilson Combat Tactical Carry, when I received the pistol I put two magazines of Nosler Defense 9mm +P load into one ragged hole at 10 yards from the standing, off-hand position. What else do you need to know?

Well, you might want to know that on the school drill for the class I fired a score of 47 out of 50. I had one round outside the 8-inch center circle. It was my fault; I rushed the second round from 10 yards.

On the EL-Prez Drill, which is kind of the bar used to establish basic defensive shooting proficiency at Gunsite, I scored a 70 out of a possible 60, by getting all my hits in two seconds less than the 10-second par time. Like every Wilson Combat pistol I ‘ve ever fired, the Tactical Carry will shoot better than I can. If you can shoot better than this pistol, I’ll eat my hat.

The Details

The Tactical Carry is a full-size, steel-framed 1911 chambered for the 9mm Luger, .38 Super, or .45 ACP. It has an empty weight of 37.5 ounces and it (the pistol, not you) is guaranteed to shoot groups smaller than an inch at 25 yards. Bill Wilson designed the Tactical Carry as a next generation full-size custom pistol.

The full-size steel frame is fitted with a round butt, one-piece magwell, and it comes with many of Wilson Combat’s popular performance and cosmetic options – options like, carry cuts, ball end mill slide cuts, a serrated top and rear of slide, and a countersunk slide stop post. The reduced profile concealment grip safety and hammer in conjunction with round butt magwell round out the basic package.

In detail, there’s more. The front strap and main spring housing are checkered at 30 lines per inch and the pistol is fitted with a Tactical thumb safety and G10 Starburst grips, with Torx head screws. The trigger was wiggle and rattle free, and it broke as crisp and clean as a politician’s promise at 3.25 pounds.

The slide is carbon steel with a heavy machine chamfering on the bottom edges. The 5-inch, stainless, match grade barrel has a flush cut, reverse crown and the chamber is fluted. Standard sights are the Wilson Combat Battlesight with a green fiber optic front.

What I Liked

This pistol is free of sharp edges, and that is something you’ll appreciate if you’re going to carry it and shoot it a lot. It also had fine enough checkering that it did not eat skin, but was still coarse enough to provide a solid purchase.

There were none of those silly forward grasping grooves on the slide; your hand has no business being that close to the muzzle of a pistol. And, I could field strip the pistol without the aid of the bushing wrench that was supplied with the very nice soft carry case the pistol came in.

What I really liked were the sights. I’ve been a fan of XS Sights’ Big Dot Sights for a long time. In fact, every defensive pistol I own is fitted with them. However, I found the Wilson Combat Battlesight, with its wide U notch, combined with the green fiber optic front sight, to be their equal.

They were a perfect partner to the Crimson Trace green laser grips. When I saw green on target – fiber optic or laser – I pulled the trigger.

What I Didn’t Like

I have a big thumb and the narrow, Tactical safety was a bit trim for me to ride my thumb on while shooting. This caused me to press my thumb against the slide in order to keep it on top of the safety where it should be. In fact, I’m convinced that my proclivity to ride the safety so tight, with sometimes pressure on the slide, is what contributed to all three of the failure to feed stoppages I experienced. I’d rather have a standard width extended safety.

I removed the Starburst grips that came on the pistol. Not because I did not like them but because my defensive handguns all have lasers on them.

I’ll not go into all the positive reasons for that here. If you want to fully comprehend the necessity and use of lasers, I suggest you pick up a copy of my book, Handgun Training for Personal Protection.

Why Should I Buy One?

The 21st century trend with defensive handguns is pistols you can purchase for less than a paycheck. That’s fine, as long as you do not plan to shoot your pistol a lot, or trust the only life you have to it.

For me, a defensive handgun is not a weekend toy simply for fun at the range, valuable as those types of guns are. I’d not buy a Wilson Combat pistol so I could brag to buddies about how much money I spent. I’d buy one so that when the elephant steps into the room, I‘ll know I’m equipped to sort out the problem.

Someday, you’ll want to hand the pistol you have shot thousands of times and trusted your life to down to you son or daughter. With a Wilson Combat Tactical Carry, they’ll be able to do the same thing one day. And, they will know that Daddy knew something about pistols and did not skimp on the things that really mattered.

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

How To: Creating a Custom Day/Night Ruger 10/22

Steve Gaspar

June 28, 2017

In this custom build, a standard factory Ruger 10/22 is transformed into a suppressed predator and varmint slayer capable of daytime or nighttime operation.

Many shooters own or have fired a Ruger 10/22. For some, it was their first rifle, their first real gun.

With millions of them sold since 1964, the accessory aftermarket for customizing Ruger 10/22s is very robust. These rifles can easily be transformed from stock, Plain Jane wood-stock-blued-barrel guns to nearly Star Wars status. This article covers the conversion of a stock factory Ruger 10/22 into a compact and stealthy day/night rifle designed to deal with daytime varmints and nocturnal pests.

There are many versions of the Ruger 10/22 available from the factory. For this project, I used the bare-bones model 1103, essentially for the action alone.

Immediately after purchase, I removed the stock as well as the trigger group and barrel. These items were later sold to cover part of the cost of this build. Although it carries an MSRP of $309, the model 1103 10/22 carbine can be found on sale for about $250.

After stripping the rifle to the action, I did some work to the bolt. Using a belt sander, I gave the back of the bolt a new radius to raise the part that strikes the trigger when the action cycles. This is done to smooth out the action.

Ruger 10/22 custom build - 2 — The action largely remains the same, but just about every other element has been tinkered with.

Then, using 240-grit sandpaper, I polished the surfaces of the bolt that mate to the action. This was followed with 400-grit sandpaper on a flat surface using some oil. Any factory imperfections inside the action were taken down with a Dremel.

I replaced the stock charging handle and spring with a KIDD charging handle assembly. The KIDD is quite a bit smoother than the stock option, as it is precision ground and polished.

Next, I added a Ruger BX trigger assembly after modifying the bolt catch to release simply by pulling back on it. This bolt catch upgrade can be done in about 5 minutes with a Dremel. The BX trigger breaks crisply at about 3 pounds, and helps increase accuracy. The BX simply drops in after pulling the two action pins.

Finally, I replaced the stock steel buffer with a soft aftermarket model. All of these upgrades made the action far smoother than how it arrived from the factory. A Hogue Overmolded stock in ghillie tan was selected for this stealthy rig. The rubber overmolding keeps the stock very quiet for when things go bump in the night.

In order to be able to easily attach a light to the rifle, I made an aggressive modification to the stock. A polymer Magpul picatinny rail section was attached to the underside of the stock near the sling stud.

This customization was not simple, as part of the inside of the stock had to be removed with a Dremel to make room for fasteners. Also, the bottom of the stock angles toward the barrel, so the rail section had to be sanded down at an angle to get alignment between the light and the bore.

The light I chose was the Inforce WML IR/visible torch. This light has one of the easiest to use quick-detach (QD) mechanisms out there and toggles between visible and IR light quickly. It only weighs 3 ounces, and it puts out 200 lumens of visible light and 850 nm/75mW of infrared output.

When used with a helmet mounted PVS-14 night vision device, the IR illuminator/laser combination create a point-and-click solution for close-range nighttime varmints. For IR illumination beyond about 30 yards, another IR flashlight is required.

One choice here is the Torch PRO Mk II from TNVC (TNVC.com). The Torch Pro is a bit overkill for this Ruger 10/22 application, but it can also be used for long-range nighttime predator hunting. Check your local game laws for legality.

The barrel I chose was the SB-X by Tactical Solutions. The SB-X is a unique design, which allows for a suppressor to be recessed inside a permanently attached barrel shroud. This gives the finished product the practical length of a short barreled rifle (SBR) with a suppressor attached, without the need for an SBR tax stamp from the ATF (The suppressor still requires a tax stamp).

The rifled portion of the SB-X barrel is 12.375 inches, but the ATF considers the shroud part of the barrel. The resulting ATF barrel length is 16.625 inches. The threads are standard 1/2×28.

The SB-X is made from 6061-T6 aluminum and is very lightweight. A chromoly steel barrel liner delivers good accuracy.

The barrel must be fit to the action by lightly sanding the barrel extension by hand using 400-grit sand paper. This is a quick and easy operation. After fitting the barrel, the v-block is replaced and torqued to about 10 inch/pounds.

I selected the Tactical Solutions Axiom from the Silencer Shop (SilencerShop.com). The Axiom’s titanium body and baffle stack keep the weight low at about 6 ounces. Running .22LR ammunition clogs suppressors, so they must be disassembled and cleaned periodically (usually about every 1,000 rounds). The Axiom design uses a split, stainless steel tube that surrounds the baffle stack, which makes maintenance easier.

At just under 6 inches in length, the Axiom is a perfect match to the SB-X barrel. The end of the suppressor sticks out just an inch or so from the end of the shroud. The Axiom can stand up to full auto fire for everything from .22LR to .17HMR and even 5.7 x 28mm.

The daytime optic chosen was a Burris Fast Fire red dot sight atop a Tactical Solutions one-piece Picatinny base. This little red dot is lightweight, fast-pointing and easy to zero. It is perfectly at home on a 10/22.

A red dot sight is not intended for long-range precision, but for predators and varmints inside 100 yards, it is more than adequate. Using the red dot sight, the rifle groups a couple of types of ammunition around an inch at 50 yards for five-shot groups (see table).

For nighttime operations, an infrared laser from Crimson Trace was added just in front of the red dot. While the red dot does not appear to the casual observer to clear the laser it actually does.

Ruger 10/22 build - comparison — A before and after shot illustrating where the rifle began, and where it ended up.

This dual sighting set up broadens the applications for this rifle significantly. When used with helmet mounted night vision, it is easily capable of hitting coyote-sized targets at 100 yards with good shot placement using only the infrared laser. Shouldering the rifle in the usual sense is not even necessary. Just point and click.

Alternatively, by using the visible light and the red dot sight, similar results can be had without the need for night vision. And of course the red dot works very well during the day.

One very practical application for this rig is to carry at the ready when approaching coyote hunting stands day or night. Coyotes or random varmints accidentally happened upon en route to a stand may be engaged without ruining that set.

This is particularly true with subsonic ammunition because the thump of the impact is louder than the report of the rifle. This high-speed, low-drag project was very easy to accomplish, and the end result is a welcome addition to this writer’s gun collection.

Specifications:

Ruger 10/22 Customized Day/Night Rifle
Action: Ruger 10/22 model 1103, MSRP $309, Ruger.com
Stock: Hogue Overmolded, MSRP $89.95, HogueInc.com
Barrel: Tactical Solutions SB-X, MSRP $295.00, TacticalSol.com
Trigger: Ruger BX Trigger Assembly, MSRP $89.95, Ruger.com
Charging Handle Assembly: KIDD bolt handle charging assembly with guide rod and springs, MSRP $35.95, KiddInnovativeDesign.com
Suppressor: Tactical Solutions Axiom, MSRP $440, TacticalSol.com
Optic: Burris Fast Fire 2, MSRP $239, BurrisOptics.com
Scope Base: Tactical Solutions 1 piece base, MSRP $33, TacticalSol.com
Laser: Crimson Trace 201-IR infrared laser, MSRP $269, CrimsonTrace.com
Illuminator: Inforce WML IR/visible weapon light, MSRP $165, Inforce-Mil.com
Illuminator option for longer range: TNVC Torch PRO Mk II, MSRP $248 with mount, TNVC.com

This article is an excerpt from the November 2016 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

New Gear: Nikon LaserForce Rangefinder Binoculars

Elwood Shelton

June 27, 2017

Equipped with a powerful integrated laser rangefinder, the Nikon LaserForce Rangefinder Binoculars are designed to help hunters bring the long-shot in.

As precision rifles have become more commonplace during big-game season, shots at deer, elk and other species have gotten much longer.

No doubt, this is a thrilling prospect. Not only is making an ethical, clean kill at distance among one of the most satisfying challenges to best. It also ups the odds of bagging a trophy worthy of any hunter’s wall.

With that said, hunters who test their marksmanship afield have to hold themselves to an exceedingly high standard. It is their duty to make sure that when they pull the trigger their bullet lands on its intended target.

This takes dedication to the art and science of marksmanship — plenty of range time, familiarity with a firearm and a good handle on ballistics. It also requires some essential gear that guarantees everything falls into place on those delicate shots, ensuring they’re perfect.

Nikon recently released an indispensable tool perfect for just this job. The Japanese manufacturer’s LaserForce Rangefinder Binoculars not only arms hunters with a high-quality set of optics, but ones that deliver accurate ranging to the yard.

This, as any shooter who has tested themselves at distance knows, is key data allowing for precise scope adjustments to compensate for bullet drop. And with a laser rangefinder powerful enough to exactly measure distances out to 1,900 yards at the push of a button, Nikon has created an instrument that covers nearly every feasible hunting situation.

The measurements appear instantaneously on an OLED display and can read out in .1-yard increments to 100 yards, and in 1-yard increments beyond that distance. The display has four brightness adjustments, giving hunters the ability to collect their shooting data in any lighting conditions.

Making the ranging feature of the binos even more powerful is Nikon’s ID (incline/decline) Technology, which compensates for the effects slope has on trajectory. Honestly, this is a must on this type of equipment to make it truly functional, given a great deal of the geography where longer-shots are taken tends to be mountainous, or at the least hilly.

The LaserForce Rangefinder Binoculars themselves provide hunters with a solid optic. All of the 10x42mm binos’ optics are made of ED (extra-low dispersion) Glass. The material delivers a sharper, more precise image, vastly reducing the fuzziness of chromatic aberration common to ordinary lenses. In concert with multicoating on every lens and prism surface, the binoculars deliver a superior image in nearly any lighting environment.

The binos are also constructed to last a lifetime. A metal die-cast body provides the LaserForce Rangefinder Binoculars with the durability to survive the most rugged hunts. And a tough rubber armor hide helps make the unit shockproof and easy to handle.

Like most solid optics, especially those with the bells and whistles of a rangefinder, the LaserForce Rangefinder Binoculars cost more than the discount-store variety. But in the scheme of things, its $1,199.95 MSRP is more than reasonable, given its potential to not only find a long shot, but make it come in.

Review: Henry Lever Action Octagon Magnum

Richard A. Mann

June 22, 2017

The made-in-America Henry Lever Action Octagon Magnum is an accurate, affordable rimfire that’s loads of fun and perfect for small game or general plinking.

The lever-action rimfire rifle has always been a favorite with American shooters and hunters. Not only does it bring with it a connection to the iconic old west, it is a viable and useful tool. Countless shooters have cut their teeth on a lever-action rimfire rifle, and countless others have relied on one to pot small game and serve as a sort of makeshift ranch rifle. At one time, lever-action rimfire rifles were prevalent, but that’s not the case anymore. Fortunately, Henry Repeating Arms has not forgotten their usefulness. The Henry Lever Action Octagon Magnum is sort of a big boy’s toy to take you back to simpler times.

Henry Repeating Arms is now America’s leading builder of lever-action rifles. It is also one of the top five long gun manufacturers in the United States. It was Benjamin Tyler Henry who conceived the first practical, lever-action, repeating rifle. Patented in 1860, the Henry rifle gave a single man the firepower of a dozen marksmen armed with muzzle-loading muskets. During the Civil War the Henry rifle earned the reputation of, “a rifle that you could load on Sunday and shoot all week long.”

With that rifle, Henry ushered in the age of the repeating rifle, and that legacy is carried on today by a family-owned business with a new motto of “Made in America, or Not Made At All.” Henry is headquartered in Bayonne, New Jersey, and has a second manufacturing facility located in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. They have more than 400 employees and build more than 300,000 Henry rifles every year. Henry also offers a lifetime guarantee on every firearm they manufacture.

The Henry Lever Action Octagon Magnum rifle is just one of a host of lever-action rimfires the company offers. A lithe little rifle, it feels almost alive when you pick it up. Its trim lines aid its quick-handling nature, and the high-visibility sights grab your attention as soon as the rifle finds your shoulder. Every now and again you’ll run across a rifle you just cannot seem to put down, and that was the case with this one. Not too heavy, not too long – as the baby bear said, “This one’s just right.”

The rifle’s signature feature is its octagonal 20-inch barrel. Reminiscent of lever-action rifles popular during the turn of the 20th century, the trim barrel instantly evokes a bit of nostalgia. Just forward of the receiver the barrel is dovetailed for a drift-adjustable leaf sight, which is fitted with a sliding elevator. But the semi-buckhorn blade on this sight also has a screw-adjustable notch, highlighted with a white diamond. This allows you to tune the sights to be dead-on at the distance of your choice.

The front sight is also dovetailed into the octagon barrel. It is a solid piece of steel with a blade and a 0.10-inch brass bead. Even with my aging eyes, I could make out a decent sight picture; good enough to hit a snuff can at 30 yards about every time. I’m not a fan of optical sights on lever-action rifles, but if that is your thing, the receiver on the Henry Lever Action Octagon Magnum has an integral 3/8-inch rimfire rail that will allow direct scope attachment. Even though I can shoot with a bit more precision if I use an optical sight, all of the testing with this rifle was conducted with the factory open sights. Lever-action rifles were never intended to wear a riflescope.

All of the steel surfaces on the rifle had a nice, deep blued finish. It married well with the black anodized aluminum receiver and barrel band. By using an aluminum receiver, Henry can shave weight and manufacturing costs. The buttstock and forearm were formed from American walnut, and the wood-to-metal fit, along with the finish on the wood, was nicely executed. The rifle was just as pleasing to the eye as to the hand, and everyone who looked at it or handled it found a smile.

Over the course of several days, I fired more than 300 rounds through this rifle using a variety of .22 Magnum loads. There was not a single stoppage or malfunction of any kind. The rifle was easy to load, the action was easy to cycle, and the sights were easy to see. Most importantly, the trigger was exceptional, and not just by lever-action rifle standards. It had absolutely no take-up and broke crisply at 3.75 pounds. For most new factory rifles, you’ll have to visit a gunsmith or buy a Timney to get a trigger this good.

It should also be noted that the Henry Lever Action Octagon Magnum does not have a safety – at least not a modern one. Original lever actions had a half cock notch on the hammer that served as the safety. When ready to fire, you fully cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger. If you decided not to fire, you depressed the trigger while holding the hammer, lowering it to half cock. This is the safety Henry has chosen for the Lever Action Octagon Magnum, and lever-action purists, or any cowboys if they are still around, will surely appreciate it.

In an age and time when semi-automatic rifles seem to rule the world, it’s nice to see a manufacturer clinging to an American heritage. Not only is Henry doing that, they are offering a fine-shooting rimfire magnum rifle at an affordable price, and it comes with a lifetime guarantee. If that’s not enough, remember, you can always load this rifle on Sunday and shoot all week. Well, at least in theory. This rifle is so fun to shoot, it won’t stay loaded near that long.

Specifications:

Henry Lever Action Octagon Magnum
Model Number: H001TM
Chambering: .22 Magnum
Capacity: 12
Length: 38.5 in.
Barrel: 20 in., polished blued steel
Twist: 1 in 14, RH, 6 grooves
Receiver: Aluminum
Weight: 5 lbs., 15 oz.
Stock: American Walnut
Sights: Fully adjustable semi-buckhorn rear, with adjustable white diamond insert and brass bead front sight.
MSRP: $550.00
Manufacturer: Henry Repeating Arms, HenryUSA.com

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

New Gun: Ruger Introduces SR1911 in 10mm

Elwood Shelton

June 22, 2017

Ruger’s new SR1911 in 10mm is an economical handgun hunting option that doesn’t skimp on functionality.

For the better part of its history, the 10mm has resided at the periphery of the handgun cartridge world. There are a number of reasons for this unfortunate position, but it is one that is fast changing.

The 10mm has been born again hard in the shooting mainstream as the preferred round for handgun hunting with a semi-automatic. And the marketplace has been quick to respond with some of the biggest names in gunmaking releasing models decked out to chase everything from hogs to whitetails.

Ruger is the most recent, with the New Hampshire manufacturer introducing the SR1911 in 10mm this month and pitching it as an ideal medium-game option. However, the new full-sized 1911, boasting a 5-inch barrel and 8+1 capacity, departs a bit from what has recently been hitting the market, offering hunters a more affordable, but austere pistol.

A bull barrel and full-length recoil spring guide rod have been added to the new SR1911 in 10mm to handle the powerful round.

In particular, Ruger has averted its eye from pre-packaging the 1911 with an optic or optic mount — which seems to have been becoming standard out of the box on hunting pistols nowadays. The company has still focused on providing a solid sighting system, outfitting the new 10mm with Bomar-style adjustable rear sights.

This is an important addition to a pistol aimed at pursuing game, freeing hunters to tweak both windage and elevation in the field. And this is only the second pistol from the SR1911 line that has been configured as such, the other being the .45 ACP target model. The front sight is a simple post, but it is dovetailed, so it is easily replaced.

Ruger’s New SR1911 Design

Ruger had to tweak the overall design a bit from the rest of the line for the SR1911 to digest the powerful round. This is particularly seen with the 10mm’s full-length recoil spring guide rod and the use of a bushing-less bull barrel. The added material in the barrel ups the handgun’s overall weight to 40 ounces, which isn’t a bad thing, giving it the heft to tame the round’s recoil. It should also help facilitate fast follow-up shots, should the occasion call for it, with more weight forward to retard muzzle flip.

The new SR1911's matte stainless steel finish and skeletonized trigger and hammer give the gun a striking appearance. — The new SR1911’s matte stainless steel finish and skeletonized trigger and hammer give the gun a striking appearance.

One facet Ruger hasn’t strayed from with regard to the rest of the SR1911 line is the series 70 firing system. Utilizing the original 1911 firing system, free of the trigger-activated firing pin block safety, ensures the pistol has a clean pull from pre-travel through break, thus upping a shooter’s accuracy potential with the firearm. The use of lightweight, yet durable titanium for the firing pin still keeps the pistol drop safe, a must in the rugged terrain in which game is found.

The SR1911 in 10mm obviously has a flat mainspring housing with ample checkering, and the grip is further enhanced with rubberized panels. Combined with a high beavertail safety, cut with memory grooves, these features should facilitate a solid purchase on the pistol. However, if a hunter has a preferred panel style, the factory-installed version is replaceable.

The 10mm’s slide and frame are constructed out of CNC milled stainless steel, giving the SR1911 an excellent fit. And it has an eye-catching matte finish, which is accented further by the gun’s black barrel, beavertail and grip panels. Ruger has also given the new 1911 a customized look with the gun’s skeletonized hammer and aluminum trigger.

In the scheme of recently released 10mm pistols meant for hunting, Ruger’s SR1911 version comes in at a very economical MSRP of $1,019. However, compared to what’s been hitting the market as of late, this is a much more Spartan offering. But for many hunters ready to holster up to head afield, it should have everything they need.

The SR1911 in 10mm offers hunters an economical option of which to head afield. — The SR1911 in 10mm offers hunters an economical option for heading afield.

Specifications for the Ruger SR1911 in 10mm

Caliber: 10mm
Capacity: 8+1
Slide Material: Stainless Steel
Barrel: 5 in.
Grip Frame: Low-Glare Stainless Steel
Grip Panels: Black Rubberized
Model Type: Target
Slide Finish: Low-Glare Stainless
Width: 1.34 in.
Sights: Bomar-style Adjustable
Weight: 40.4 oz.
Overall Length: 8.67 in.
Height: 5.45 in.
Grooves: 6
Twist: 1:16″ RH
MSRP: $1,019.00

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Review: Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle III 9mm

Dave Workman

June 22, 2017

Magnum Research has delivered a winner with its recent Baby Desert Eagle III in 9mm. It’s a rugged, steel-frame gun that proved both accurate and reliable.

Having previously had an opportunity to put the .40-caliber polymer-framed version of the Baby Desert Eagle through its paces early in 2016, when an all-steel version of this pistol in 9mm showed up unexpectedly, I didn’t waste time gathering ammunition and heading to the range. After all, here was a rare opportunity to test two versions of the same pistol, in different calibers, just to see how well they stacked up to one another — and the publicity. What might have been a boring experience the second time around was actually rather revealing.

Magnum Research, owned by Kahr Arms, imports the Baby Desert Eagle. The gun is no lightweight, hitting the scale at 38.6 ounces (unloaded). Out of the box, it feels a bit heavy, but it is a stout pistol that gives the immediate impression that it won’t break when the going gets tough.

This pistol has a 4.52-inch barrel, and it comes with either two 10- or 15-round magazines, depending upon the jurisdiction. My test piece had the 15-rounders, and both feature steel bodies with bright red synthetic followers and black synthetic floorplates. They can be disassembled easily for cleaning.

The steel frame in this double/single-action pistol features an integral accessory rail ahead of the trigger guard. The thin polymer grip panels are held in place with a single screw, and they are textured on the rear for a firm hold. The front strap is grooved to enhance the grip, and the squared trigger guard has grooves and is sized large enough for use while wearing gloves.

The rear of the frame features an ample beavertail that some might suggest is a bit long. In my opinion, this absolutely precludes the possibility of the slide biting your gun hand during a cycle, and anybody who has ever suffered such a pinch will appreciate that.

For all intents and purposes, this Baby Desert Eagle version is a “Desert Eagle” in name only. While visually similar to the original legendary pistol, when you tear it apart, it is a rather conventional semi-auto internally, and it spits out lead with the best of them.

Takedown is remarkably simple. Pair two small dots at the rear of the slide and frame, pop out the slide stop/release (right to left) and the slide and barrel come forward off the frame. The barrel can then be removed for a full cleaning. It all goes back together by reversing the steps.

I will say this up front: Be sure to clean the shipping oils from the rails and other surfaces, and add a good lubricant to the rails before shooting. Ditto, add a couple of drops of oil to the full-length recoil spring guide. I had a single malfunction on the third shot that was my fault for simply giving the gun a good surface wipe without making sure the rails and guide rod were properly lubed, but a drop or two of Outers gun oil had it running like a sports car in short order with both FMJ and JHP rounds from Black Hills, SIG Sauer and Browning.

Fitted with low profile three-dot sights dovetailed on the front and rear of the slide, my test pistol shot a bit low at 10 and 25 yards, but not so much that I worried about how it might perform in a gunfight. It’s worth noting that my earlier experience with the polymer-framed model also saw it shooting a bit low.

My groups, fired from a sandbag rest, were fairly consistent with the exception of a flyer here and there, regardless of the bullet weight and type. The pistol seemed to like 124-grain bullets best, although I did get some decent results with Browning’s heavier practice and street ammunition.

Thanks to its weight, the recoil of the 9mm ammunition was easily manageable. And some of that ammunition was pretty zippy. The hottest load out of this pistol was the 115-grain SIG Sauer FMJ, averaging 1,248 fps, and right behind it was the 124-grain Black Hills JHP crossing the screens at an average of 1,239 fps. The 115-grain SIG JHP moved out at 1,210 fps, and the 124-grain SIG JHP left the muzzle at 1,178 fps. Browning’s 147-grain BPX JHP clocked in at 1,076 fps, while the Browning 147-grain FMJ moved out slightly faster at 1,094 fps. That’s going to get anyone’s undivided attention.

At 12 yards, all of these rounds grouped within 2½ inches, and while I was shooting, I focused my attention on some chunks of broken clay targets at the 25 yard line, and either broke them smaller or came close enough to put the hurt on a larger target.

While I found the double-action trigger squeeze to be a bit of a stretch in my average-sized hand, once the pistol went to single action, it was far more comfortable. There was a bit of creep, but once I got used to it, it really didn’t affect marksmanship.

Like many 9mm pistols that seem to be based on the inside-the-frame CZ 75 design, the Baby Desert Eagle has a slide-mounted decocker/safety that is positioned where the rear cocking serrations are located. This makes for a bit of an awkward cycling of the slide, but one gets used to it. The pistol functions when the lever is in the “up” position, and it is safe with the lever down.

Though not as light as its polymer-framed sibling, the all-steel model in 9mm is a comfortable shooter, and for someone looking for a tough, full-size pistol of modern design in that caliber, this one might be a good choice. It may take some handgunners a bit of getting used to, but at the end of the day, this import will seem right at home.

Specifications:

Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle III
Action: Semi-auto, DA/SA
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 4.52 in.
Weight: 38.6 oz.
Overall Length: 8.25 in.
Slide: Steel finished in black oxide
Frame: Steel
Safety: Slide-mounted, safety/decocker
Sights: Low profile three dot fixed
Capacity: 10 or 15 rounds
MSRP: $646.00
Manufacturer: BUL Ltd.
Importer: Magnum Research/Kahr Arms

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

Load Up On More 9mm Knowledge:

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Gear Review: Stuck On Clinger Holsters

Eric Conn

June 21, 2017

With sturdy Kydex construction and an innovative design, Clinger Holsters more than delivers on its promise of absolute concealment.

Carry holsters are, it sometimes seems, like opinions — everybody’s got one. From Kydex to leather, and everything in between, it seems there’s an almost unlimited supply of options from an ever-increasing number of manufacturers, which makes it hard to know where to start. A recent review of two holsters from Clinger — the V2 No Print Wonder and the Stingray — hit the sweet spot for carry rigs, whether you’re toting around a full-size or compact handgun for personal defense.

The Clinger Holsters V2 No Print Wonder is designed to handle heavier loads like the Springfield XD 4-inch 9mm that I test drove the carry rig with for a month. It features a Kydex shell with two tabs, one a Kydex Cling Tab, the other a leather tab.

Both tabs feature belt clips, and when you tighten your belt, the Cling Tab, located on the lower grip side of the holster, pulls the grip in tight to your body. The leather tab flexes with your waistline, adding to the comfort you need with daily use. The No Print Wonder, which is adjustable for cant, keeps a full-size handgun parallel with your torso, keeping the grip from pointing away from your body and eliminating the concealed part of your carry gun.

In terms of everyday carry, I found the No Print Wonder to be extremely comfortable, and it works as advertised — it leaves a minimal footprint on your side, even with a larger handgun. I dress business casual often, so the fact that the V2 is tuckable is an absolute must.

The holster is incredibly stable, even with a lot of activity and movement. At the same time, it’s comfortable in the truck or at a desk when worn at the 3 o’clock position, and after a full day’s wear, I was still comfortable. One concern was how the Cling Tab had a tendency to push the belt outward, sometimes adding bulk, but I found this to be consistent with holsters of this type, and the tradeoff with creating a small footprint was well worth it. The V2 No Print Wonder retails for $70.

The second holster, the Clinger Holsters Stingray, features a Kydex shell with a single belt clip on the rear side of the holster. It is ideally designed for smaller handguns that require less support when carrying. For this wear test, I utilized Ruger’s new American Compact handgun in 9mm.

Like the No Print Wonder, the Stingray also keeps a low profile on your side. The main difference is a single belt clip rather than two, which does create a bit less stability when carrying for some shooters. I did not notice an appreciable difference in comfort, however, with the Stingray.

Both holsters can be adjusted for retention pressure, and the V2 can also be converted to a Stingray holster (keep that in mind if you want one holster to fill both roles). The Stingray carries an MSRP of $39.99.

In terms of recommendations, the Stingray is great for smaller-framed handguns in the sub- and compact categories, although lots of shooters carry large handguns in it. The Stingray rides with roughly a 0-15-degree cant (adjustable) and offers slightly less stability, in my opinion, something I’d be concerned about with a full-size handgun (though some people aren’t bothered by it at all). I also like the Cling Tab for a full-size, as it helps keep a small footprint and improves concealability at just the right angle.

As far as versatility in carry positions, I’d go with the Stingray — you can wear it at the 3 or 5 o’clock positions, or appendix carry if you so desire. Both of these Clinger Holsters are great and would likely meet your needs, depending on preference and handgun selection.

Editor’s Note: This article is from the May 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Many Angles to Self-Defense

More than a single perspective, Straight Talk on Armed Defense offers an in-depth, full-spectrum study of the most important self-defense and concealed carry topics from today’s top experts. The timely reference gathers the sage advice of Massad Ayoob and 11 other respected armed-defense authorities to deliver decades of practical know-how in one convenient volume. Get Your Copy Now

Tips For Communicating With Police After Shootings

Kevin Davis

June 20, 2017

Properly communicating with police after an incident that involved lethal force will save you trouble in the long run.

Massad Ayoob clearly makes the case for communicating with police early on post incident. His excellent book Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry: 2nd Edition clearly indicates that oftentimes the first person to call the police is construed as the victim. I could not agree more. Further, police often respond to fight calls or incidents where both parties involved claim innocence and insist the other side started it.

communicating with police - 3 — Arm yourself with the knowledge to carry with confidence with Citizen’s Guide to Armed Defense.

If the other party has friends or witnesses and you don’t, expect them to all point the finger at you regardless of your assailant’s guilt. If you have witnesses as well, police will take statements from both sides, but unless there was a bus full of nuns who witnessed the incident, you will likely be treated as a suspect until your innocence is proven by investigators.

You have to understand that police have a very jaundiced eye and that everyone claims innocence. Even suspects with guns or dope found in their pockets exclaim, “Those ain’t my pants!” or “That’s not my gun!” Because of this, uniformed responding officers treat everyone in a shooting as a suspect at first. It is in their vital interest to secure and stabilize the scene.

You need to respectfully articulate, “I am the victim! That man tried to rob me!” or whatever the crime may be. As Mas Ayoob points out stating, “I will sign charges!” is a good thing because many police deal with uncooperative “victims” (usually bad guys themselves) who refuse to prosecute their assailants.

Avoid statements such as, “I didn’t mean to shoot him” or, “The gun just went off…” These types of statements indicate the shooting was not intentional or was accidental, which destroys an intentional self-defense claim later. These types of statements are made by law-abiding citizens who are not used to violence. What they really meant to say was, “I didn’t want to have to shoot him. He left me no choice.” These spontaneous utterances will be recorded by officers in their Action Taken reports or addendums to the investigator’s report and can hurt you later if/when you make an official statement.

Keep your mouth shut except for the following. Officers frequently get in trouble when they shoot their mouth off or make statements indicating anger. It is completely understandable why you might be fairly well upset about a man who just tried to kill you or your family but making statements such as, “F*ck you! You got what you deserved! I hope you f’ing die!” indicate anger to most witnesses. Verbal parting shots as the suspect is wheeled away on a paramedic gurney such as, “See you later sucker!” or similar will not go over well with a possible jury later.

Limit what you say to uniformed police on the scene or to investigators who show up. You do want to clearly state:

You are the victim
Where any evidence might be located such as empty casings
You also want to indicate where you were, where they were and in which direction you and he fired
Ask for a “victim advocate”

Most cities have victim advocacy programs that actually help victims of crime. They can provide emergency housing, advise you on the legal process and even provide funds for new deadbolts or a new door, for instance, if you cannot afford them. Victim advocates will “hold your hand” during the trial of your suspect and the involved legal process.

Victim Assistance has been a long supported charity of my wife and mine, because they really help the victims of crime. That said some may be anti-gun, so they may elect not to aid you after a shooting.

Remember that everything you say will be recorded, and anticipate that everything will be captured on video tape as well.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from Citizen’s Guide to Armed Defense.

Gear Review: ATN X-Sight II HD Night Vision Optic

Frank Melloni

June 20, 2017

The ATN X-Sight II is a truly affordable night vision optic that also comes loaded with a number of other excellent features.

In this modern “Call of Duty” world, we often find ourselves walking away from the controller and into the game itself. This is evident once you pick up the new ATN X-Sight II HD. The X-Sight II is the product of several thousand hours of research and development geared toward bringing a feature-packed digital optic to the consumer for a price that fits nearly every budget.

Imagine a day/night optic that not only provides ranging capabilities and ballistic corrections but gives you the opportunity to film the shot in HD, all for under $700. Have I grabbed your attention?

Good, read on to see what I thought of it once I had it on the range.

The Package Has Been Delivered

Taking it out of the box, my first impression was that it wasn’t as heavy as I imagined. Weighing in at just a hair over 2.5 pounds, it wasn’t the monster that I was expecting at all.

The unit runs on four AA batteries that are kept in place by a beefy screw-on cap. Although the manufacturer recommend lithium batteries, I found that good rechargeable batteries provided up to 3 hours of scouting use. Utilizing the camera, range finder, etc., will undoubtedly drain them faster, but the battery lifespan is certainly adequate for a day on the range or a morning in a tree stand. No tools are needed to change batteries, so the practice of carrying replacements is practical. Better still, ATN offers an optional Power Weapon Kit (ATNCorp.com; $99) that provides 22 hours of use contained in a handy butt stock pouch.

Mounting is simple via the Picatinny mount that comes already attached. The mount has a unique spring tensioner to keep the screws from loosening during operation, eliminating the need for thread locker. An optional 850mW infrared illuminator (included) can be attached to the optic for use in pitch black scenarios. Once the optic is weapon mounted, all that’s left is to install an SD card (up to 64 GB) and press the power button.

Fire It Up!

Once you hit the power button, you are taken to the home screen. From here you are ready to take a shot or navigate the menus for the various features. Without sounding like a commercial, let me list some of the features that you have at your disposal, and then we’ll examine the most intriguing of the batch:

Night vision
Digital still and video camera
WiFi
Compass
Look angle display
Rangefinder
Ballistic calculator with automatic correction

This optic actually starts to pay for itself once you factor in the money that you save if you were to purchase each of these standalone devices. Not to mention lugging all that equipment around isn’t much fun either.

Go Ballistic

The ballistic features grabbed my attention right away. With experience in long-range shooting, I can appreciate all the work that the X-Sight II HD would save the casual hunter.

With traditional optics, you would need to range your target via reticle use, laser rangefinder or the use of skills that take years to perfect, and then calculate your drop based on DOPE or separate ballistic software. After that, you have to “judge” how much distance to subtract to accommodate the slope that you are shooting from and then make a precise shot – all before the target moves or the wind changes!

The X-Sight II HD uses a two-step system to do the math for you; all you have to know is the approximate size of the target, then range the feet and head. It’ll spit out a distance and, based on your own ballistic input, give you a shot correction to place a first-round hit.

Centering Up

Zeroing on this optic is different than what most shooters are used to. The scope is zeroed through a process that involves firing a shot, and then putting the reticle where it actually hit and pressing the enter button. Of course, if your shot is off the paper, then you must start closer and work your way back in small increments.

The X-Sight II doesn’t have traditional windage and elevation knobs, something that lost some points with me. However, it does have the ability to save preset zeros, which I thought was pretty useful and certainly much faster than dialing up. This feature allows you to not only save zeros for different distances, but for different guns as well. This becomes very helpful if you’re utilizing a multi-caliber system like the War Lock in our Frontier Tactical test rifle.

We tested the repeatability of this function with the Frontier Tactical 300 BLK War Lock Kit (FrontierTactical.com; $1,200), firing a very true Team Never Quit subsonic 200-grain round (SnakeRiverShootingProducts.com; $28.99). Switching from our 15-yard profile to our 200-yard profile, we kept a solid zero at both distances.

The scope comes pre-programmed with seven reticle styles. Among them include a BDC and a Mil-dot. We found the Mil-dot scale to be true 7.3x magnification, with each windage subtention representing 2 mils, and each elevation subtention representing 1. If you are an MOA fan, we found the subtention to be 1 MOA on the elevation axis and 2 on the windage line at exactly 12x zoom.

This information provides yet another way to range a target. Aside from style, you can also change colors, providing solutions for daytime and nighttime shooting as well as a blue option for our colorblind friends.

Light Up the Night

While all of the aforementioned features are certainly attainable for the price point at hand, the one that sets this optic apart is of course the night vision. Night vision alone can exceed the cost of the X-Sight II HD by four times, or more. ATN did an amazing job of making it affordable, yet not cutting corners in contrast or sharpness.

The end user can change themes from B&W to traditional green, as well as adjust light sensitivity on the go. Unlike conventional day/night optics, activating night vision accidentally during the day will not damage the X-Sight II.

We used the night vision feature to aid our ongoing struggle with pest control. Among our zero profiles is a 15-yard zero for our Wolf Jager .22 XP PCP air rifle (RLAirgunSupply.com/jager; $1,124.95), transforming it into the ideal tool to control raccoons, opossums or whatever lurks in the night around your trashcans. The X-Sight II HD will work well on any pre-charged pneumatic or CO2 air gun, just be sure to stay away from spring piston powered systems. As this style can, and will damage most optics.

Media Savvy

The last feature to note is the X-Sight’s media suite that allows for still photography and full HD video. While afield we see many interesting things that we would like to remember such as tracks, scrapes, waypoints and off-season game that we might want to keep track of for later in the year. Having this sight mounted onto our rifle kept us from having to dig for our phone or standalone camera when these photo opportunities presented themselves.

While these features are not new to the market, the recoil-activated video system (RAV) makes them truly unique. The RAV buffers approximately 10 seconds of video and automatically records when it detects recoil. Therefore, while hunting you don’t have to be concerned with flipping on the camera if you are hoping to record the shot of a lifetime. After the pursuit, you will wind up with a video that includes the instant before the shot, the shot and what happened afterwards!

The unit also is WiFi capable, transmitting what you see to a tablet or smart phone. This feature is very handy for training new shooters or just sharing the fun with someone on the range.

Does the Job

Using this optic for our testing left very little to be desired, other than a wider field of view. Only seeing 64 inches at 25 yards on the lowest magnification setting means it does take some time find your target, particularly if there aren’t any defining objects in the landscape.

However, if you are looking for an all-encompassing piece of equipment that has a terrific price point, this is it. Consider one for your next predator hunt, big game hunt or even just an everyday range session, as this will fit the bill without breaking the bank.

For more info visit ATNCorp.com.

Specifications:

ATN X-Sight II HD
Generation: Smart HD Optics
Magnification: 5x-20x Digital Zoom
Eye Relief: 65mm
IR Illuminator: 850mW Detachable
Sensor: HD 1080p 130 Sensor
Ports: Micro HDMI, Micro USB, Micro SD
Power: 4 AA batteries, or extended power kit
Compatible Mounts: A.R.M.S #17 or #35, LaRue LT270, American Defense AD 170
Data Storage: Micro SD card, up to 64 Gb
Video Out: 1080p at 30 fps
Remote View Finder: Yes, via iOS or Android app
Dimensions: 11.36 in. x 3.5 in. x 3.45 in.
Weight: 2.55 lbs.
MSRP: $699

How To: Choosing the Right AR Barrel Twist Rate

Tiger McKee

June 20, 2017

The intended use of your rifle dictates bullet choice, and bullet choice dictates the proper AR barrel twist rate.

One of the great mysteries about the 5.56 NATO AR is “barrel twist.” This refers to the twist rate of the rifling in the barrel that applies spin to the bullet — spin stabilizes the bullet — and it’s something that many shooters don’t know that much about. Using the correct bullet to match your AR barrel twist rate, or vice versa, is critical for accuracy.

The “rifling” refers to the grooves cut into the inside of the barrel. The rifling spins the bullet, creating stability and accuracy, just like when you throw a football. This is why barrels have evolved from “smoothbores” with no rifling, to barrels with rifling, starting in the 1500s. Hence the term, “rifle.”

Rifling is rated by “twist rate,” which indicates the distance required for one groove to make a complete turn, rotating 360 degrees. A barrel with 1:12 rifling is a slow twist, meaning it takes 12 inches for the groove to make a full rotation. Said another way, a bullet must travel through the barrel 12 inches before it spins one complete rotation. A 1:7 twist is faster — one rotation in 7 inches — and applies more spin to the bullet.

You can usually get away with spinning a bullet faster than necessary, but a bullet that’s spinning too slowly isn’t stable and won’t be very accurate. Nearly every AR manufactured today has the barrel’s twist rate stamped into the outside of the barrel.

Why are there different twist rates for the AR? Because there’s such a wide variety of bullet weights available. But to fully understand this, we need to look at a little bit of AR history.

AR Barrel Twist - M16A1 Reissue — The new Colt M16A1 Reissue utilizes a slower 1:12 twist rate, much like the older, original M16A1s.

The Birth Of The AR
After World War II, with a brief interruption for the Korean War, the American military decided that a lightweight rifle shooting a bullet of “intermediate” weight — so troops could carry more ammo — was the key to victory. The original Armalite AR-15, later adopted as the M-16, was designed to be an “assault” rifle, firing a .223-caliber bullet with an effective range out to 300 yards. This would replace larger “battle” rifles that fired a heavier bullet, such as the .308 round, and were accurate for distances out to about 800 yards.

The first AR-15s and M-16s had a 1:14 twist, which provided the original 55-grain bullet, the XM193, with good accuracy and effective stopping power. As soon as the bullet hit anything denser than air, it immediately started to tumble and fragment. This was the combination that gave the .223 its reputation for “exploding.”

As a result, bullets started to get heavier. The XM196, the original tracer round, was heavier than the XM193. But the 1:14 twist rate was too slow to stabilize the heavier bullet, and 1:12 rifling became standard. This rate would be used in military barrels until the A2 version of the M-16 was adopted in the 1980s.

With the birth of the NATO round M855, a 62-grain bullet with a “penetrator” core for punching through steel and such, came the need for a faster twist rate. The twist rate was increased from 1:12 to 1:7 inches of travel, or twice the rate used in earlier versions of AR rifles.

At the same time, the civilian market began using heavier bullets to increase the accuracy of the AR, especially at longer distances. This required changing the twist rate of the barrel to provide the spin necessary for the heavier bullets. (Keep in mind that as bullets get heavier they generally get longer, which is also a factor.)

Commercially available ARs began to show up with a 1:9 twist rate, which provided stability to a wider range of bullet weights. Long-distance shooters began using 1:8 and 1:7 twist rates for bullets weighing 70-80 grains.

So, How Do You Choose?
What twist rate do you need? It depends on what you’re going to do with your AR.

A carbine set up for self-defense is going to differ from a rifle set up for competitive shooting at long distances or varmint shooting. And for self-defense, it would be a very rare situation where you’re justified in shooting a threat at long distance, and at closer distances, over-penetration can occur with heavier bullets.

You choose bullets based on the anticipated use of your AR. The bullets you need determine the twist rate of the barrel. Or, the AR you have dictates what ammunition you use.

For example, with an older, original AR and a 1:12 barrel, you’re going to be limited to 55-grain bullets and lighter weight varmint rounds, which are usually in the 40-grain plus weight range. This barrel will not provide stability to anything heavier than 55-grain bullets. A heavy bullet without enough twist is unstable. You can shoot them, but you’ll see bullets going through the target sideways, and accuracy is definitely going to suffer.

A 1:9 twist, which is found in a lot of commercial ARs, works well with 55- to 68-grain projectiles. If you want to shoot heavier bullets, those up to about 77 grains, you’ll need a 1:8 twist.

The 1:7 twist, currently the standard for military weapons, works well with bullets up to 80 grains. This “fast” twist might create problems with extremely lightweight varmint rounds, such as 36-grain bullets, but it will work well with most everything else. Again, you can shoot lighter weight bullets with a faster twist, but as mentioned, shooting heavy bullets in a slow twist will cause problems.

As long as you have a fairly “recent” AR and you’re not shooting bullets at the extreme ends of the weight spectrum — in the 30-grain or 80-grain ranges — you’ll probably be safe with the barrel you have. Buy a variety of ammunition with different weight bullets and test-fire them to discover what works best in your AR.

If you’re going to build an AR for a specific application, especially when you want to get the maximum accuracy available, you’ll want to match the barrel twist to the bullet you’re going to use.

The AR is a fantastic firearm; you can set one up for almost any purpose. The key is knowing what you want it to do, and then researching to find out what you need to fit that application. This is especially true for barrel twist and bullet weight, ensuring you have the right combination to hit your target accurately.

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

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Think the AR platform is only good for target shooting, defense and predator and varmint hunting? Think again. Check out these five great big-bore ARs and cartridges geared toward bigger tasks and larger game.

Rugged, precise and with brute power to spare, the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter is ready to tangle with the nastiest game North America can throw at you.

Serious shooters keep a DOPE or data book on particular weapons for a good reason. When called into duty, no matter the situation, they have a solid idea about how the firearm will perform.

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There’s no better way to celebrate Independence Day than by enjoying your Second Amendment rights. Here are 10 fun guns sure to put a smile on your face on July Fourth.

Through the efforts of John Linebaugh, Dick Casull and Ross Seyfried, the .45 Colt took the leap from the Old West to modern-day big-game hunting.

Equipped with a powerful integrated laser rangefinder, the Nikon LaserForce Rangefinder Binoculars are designed to help hunters bring the long-shot in.

Ruger’s new SR1911 in 10mm is an economical handgun hunting option that doesn’t skimp on functionality.

Ruger’s New SR1911 Design

Specifications for the Ruger SR1911 in 10mm

10mm Guns Unloaded: Our Best Reads

Magnum Research has delivered a winner with its recent Baby Desert Eagle III in 9mm. It’s a rugged, steel-frame gun that proved both accurate and reliable.

Load Up On More 9mm Knowledge:

With sturdy Kydex construction and an innovative design, Clinger Holsters more than delivers on its promise of absolute concealment.

Properly communicating with police after an incident that involved lethal force will save you trouble in the long run.

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