Should You Replace Your AR-15 Buffer and Springs?

May 11, 2017

AR-15 Buffer and Springs article is an excerpt from Gun smithing the AR-15: The Bench Manual by Patrick Sweeney.

The subject of buffers has been one of confusion for some years now. The use of buffers in rifles, particularly ARs with A1 or A2 stock assemblies, is simple. It’s Hobson’s choice — use the originals, because they haven’t changed and don’t need to be. The rifle buffer is the longer, two-flanged one. The rifle spring is the one with 41 to 43 coils. (Yes, you can and should count them, just so you know for sure and know what they look like.)

When it comes to AR-15 rifle buffer and springs, more is not better. You do not want a heavier buffer, and you do not need a longer or stronger spring. Regular readers of mine know the record: a rifle we encountered in a class had an “extra strong” spring that was so strong the rifle would not work. The spring had no less than 50 coils!

Carbine buffers have one rim, are shorter in length, with recoil springs sporting 37 to 39 coils. Despite the buffer being lighter and the spring being shorter, they are correct for use in telestock tubes. Actually, they work pretty well … when they work. When they don’t work, you need to tend to them. Carbines, unlike rifles, can benefit from some buffer improvements.

rifle-buffer-and-spring-59 — The rifle buffer weight is longer, with two flanges, and won’t fit in the carbine tube nor allow the action to cycle.

The buffer in both rifles and carbines is built as a dead-blow hammer. The weights inside are meant to rattle back and forth. When the bolt-carrier assembly closes, the carrier strikes the rear of the barrel extension. Steel-on-steel is a near-perfect elastic collision, and the result is a bouncing carrier. In semi-auto fire this does not matter as it is done several eons before your finger can press the trigger again. However, in full-auto fire, the autosear can release the hammer, bouncing the carrier as the hammer falls. If the hammer happens to come forward when the carrier has bounced, and is far enough back (it doesn’t take much), the bottom edge of the carrier prevents the hammer from contacting the firing pin. The result is the hammer resting on the firing pin with a loaded round in the chamber.

I had this happen in a class a few years ago. A Deputy from a nearby county arrived in our class (he wasn’t a student) with a malfunctioning select-fire SBR carbine. He had driven over from two counties away because his issued duty carbine was malfunctioning. After a brief description of the problem, I had him load and fire into the backstop. Sure enough, his rifle stopped. We opened it up, and yes, the hammer was forward and there was a live round in the chamber. I pulled out the buffer weight (standard carbine) and replaced it with an H3 marked buffer. He then did three full-mag dumps in full auto. Relieved, and with a grin on his face, he thanked me effusively.

AR-buffers-02 — Top, a standard carbine buffer.Middle, a JP Enterprises competition lightweight buffer.Bottom, the original Armalite buffer, less than two ounces.

The weights inside are held to the rear of the carrier by inertia as the carrier goes forward, and then when the carrier stops, the weights move forward inside of the buffer an extra fraction of an inch and hit the inside front face of the carrier just as the carrier would be bouncing.

Again, for semi-auto work, this doesn’t matter. What does matter is that the weights are steel. When the carbine is a regular (more-or-less) 16-inch or so barreled upper, the steel weights work okay. However, if you shorten the barrel, install a suppressor, or do both, you have problems. Not bounce problems, but mass and inertia problems.

The shorter barrels need larger ports in order to deliver enough gas to the system in much shorter dwell time. This changes the timing and force of the gas arrival; many SBRs benefit from a heavier buffer. Buffers are made heavier at the manufacturer by substituting one or more of the steel weights with identically sized ones made of tungsten. One swapped weight is an “H” buffer, two swapped an H2 and all three an H3.

AR-buffer-54 — Inspect your buffer. This one gave up the ghost in the rifle and had to be wrestled out.

Generally speaking, if you have buffers to try, use the heaviest in your carbine, with the following limits: Use the lightest-power ammo you typically use, and keep your AR dirty and dry. Use the heaviest buffer that will still lock open in those conditions, when the magazine is empty. The brass will be less abused and you will feel less recoil.
A quick aside, the Army, as they are wont to do, re-invented the wheel by upgrading buffers and congratulated themselves for being so clever. They added a new buffer to inventory, with instructions on where, when and in what rifle or carbine to install it. They call it the H6 buffer. It’s comprised of six weights, each half the size and thickness of the regular weights and fits inside of the buffer assembly. I have been told they are packed in there so that they do not move and do not act as a dead-blow hammer. Time will tell if that particular aspect induces malfunctions.
If you have an H3, you have a buffer that weighs the same as the H6, but has the dead-blow attribute — so don’t go changing unless higher command orders you. The H3 is better than the H6.

AR-buffer-56 — Here is a carbine buffer, disassembled next to an intact one. You can see the three weights and their fiber-synthetic pads.

A special case is the pistol-caliber conversion, particularly the 9mm. Colt only ever made the AR in 9mm (no .40 or .45) so if you have a .40 or .45 you have something really off the beaten path. The Colt 9mm buffer is a special one, with extra weight added by means of a steel sleeve over the buffer body. The 9mm carbines and sub machine guns, or SMGs are not gas-operated, they are straight blowback, and need the extra mass to control timing and force of recoil. In a 9mm, the heavier the buffer, the better.

Buffers are made simply by lathe-turning rods of 6061 aluminum, anodizing, installing the weights and end cap. The synthetic cap keeps the buffer and tube from being hammered as the buffer weight bottoms out in the recoil stroke. The soft synthetic end cap is held in by means of a roll pin, and we have seen some of those pins work loose as of late. Check on your buffer occasionally just to make sure it isn’t one magazine away from disintegrating. (Trust me. That would be bad.)

While the relatively soft synthetic cap provides a bit of recoil relief, that didn’t keep people from improving it. The improvement comes in the form of a buffer, modified to have an internal or external spring on a shaft, which acts as a spring-loaded plunger. When the buffer bottoms out, the plunger soaks up more recoil while allowing the buffer mass to continue moving. This spreads the recoil impulse out over a longer period (measured in hundredths of a second, but still enough to notice) making the system seem softer in recoil. The total is the same, but the time is increased. Think of it as credit in monthly payments. The total cost is the same, but you get more time to deal with it.

So, what are the drawbacks? For one, such buffers tend to be lighter than the heaviest ones available. They provide a decreased recoil impulse when the system bottoms out, but do so with more velocity than they would have had with a heavier buffer. If the rod bends, or the spring wears or breaks, the advantage is lost. And they cost more than the standard and heavy buffers. Still, they do work. If you can feel the difference and are willing to pay the price, then go for it.

Bouncing springs

The buffer spring is full-diameter — it fills the aluminum tube in which it rests. Attached to it is a hard plastic stock. When the gun is fired, the cycling spring rubs against the tube, transmitting noise directly to your jawbone. One of the mechanisms of hearing is bone conduction. You hear things in part because your bones, being hard mineral structures, conduct sound relatively well. That’s why ear plugs do not offer as much protection as over-the-ear muffs do. The muffs cover some of the bone that would be conducting noise.

AR-buffers-57 — The H is on the right, the H3 on the left, and in-between is one of the really bad plastic ones with lead shot. Avoid that one like the plague.

Well, the buffer tube conducts the noise directly to your jaw, and then to your ear. Some find the noise noticeable, even annoying. Others don’t notice it or their face offers enough dampening to keep bone conduction to a minimum. Yes, having a fat face can protect your hearing.

John Paul of JP Enterprises solved that problem by building a recoil spring along the lines of the spring-loaded buffer, but more. The entire recoil spring assembly is a captured system with weights and spring on a central rod. You do not need a buffer with this design as it has its own buffer mass built in.

Installation is easy. Open the upper and lower. Pull out the standard buffer and spring. Install the JP system with the weights to the front. Close, reload and continue.
Paul, not being one to leave things alone, improved it to the v.2.0 system, offering a .308 version.

The big advantage is no spring boing. The spring rides on its own central rod, thus it cannot contact the buffer tube — nor rub against it.

AR-buffer-12 — The H is on the right, the H3 on the left, and in-between is one of the really bad plastic ones with lead shot. Avoid that one like the plague.

Buffer problems

Buffers may be durable but they do not last as long as carriers. The biggest problems are cheaply made or counterfeit buffers. I’ve seen them with mangled plastic backs made out of a cheap substitute polymer. (How can you get cheaper than plastic? They manage somehow.) For a while back in the 1980s and 1990s, we saw plastic molded buffers that were filled with lead shot. Those were awful. If you have one in a Colt (Colt even made and used them for a while, but not on military rifles), replace it and do not regret changing a factory-original setup. On this score Colt did wrong, and you should not suffer as a result.

One really egregious buffer I saw a while ago was made from lathe-turned heads (the nailhead-looking part) married to tubing. It probably would have worked fine except that the maker was even cheaper than cheap and didn’t use seamless tubing. The tube split on the seam, driving the plastic part into the buffer body until the weights inside stopped it. We had to wrestle that one out of the stock because it was binding on the spring.

Then there are those that are lathe-turned but not anodized. The faces that rest against the carrier on these get chewed to pieces in short order.

And who can forget the particularly craptasticbuffers that had a single steel weight inside. Yes, it clacked back and forth when you shook it, and caused the most spectacular malfunctions.

Quick check

To see if your rifle has the proper parts, unload, open it up, and pull the buffer and spring out.

Shake the buffer. Do you hear the weights clacking back and forth? Good.
If you hear shot rustling around in there, replace the buffer.
Count the coils. There should be 37 to 39 for carbines, 41 to 43 for rifles.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from Gun smithing the AR-15: The Bench Manual by Patrick Sweeney.

How To: Testing the Potential of AK Accuracy

Patrick Sweeney

May 10, 2017

AK Accuracy is underrated. — Don’t let anyone tell you an AK can’t shoot or is just a bullet hose. Here, I’ve shot a perfect score on the qualification course,
using a borrowed AK-74.

Over the years, the Kalashnikov has been pegged as an inaccurate firearm. But is it a fair assessment of the rifle? What can marksmen truly expect when it comes to AK accuracy?

Just how accurate can an AK be?

Before we can answer that question, we have to ask a few others. First, how accurate is the ammunition itself? And how do we go about measuring accuracy?

The common gunwriter method is to shoot a group, slap a scale across the widest spread holes, subtract the bullet diameter and voilà! There’s your group size and accuracy. But is this really a valid measurement method? Not exactly. The more informative method is to shoot more than one group, and more than the three-shot norm for hunters, and those who write for hunters. Hunters have reasonable (you’ll notice I did not say “good,” just reasonable) reasons for three-shot groups.

Once measured, this is translated from the ruler to a theoretical dispersion called “minute of angle,” or MOA. Angles are measured in degrees. Each degree is subdivided into minutes. A 1/60th of a degree is one minute of angle, and is pretty close to 1 inch at 100 yards. So, a “1 MOA rifle” will theoretically shoot a 1-inch group at 100 yards, a 2-inch group at 200 and so on.

A hunter is not going to take more than three, four shots at any given game animal. If you need more than that, it isn’t a hunt, it is a fight, or a culling operation, and you do not need to worry about minute-of-angle accuracy for the follow-up shots in a fight. Plus, most hunters take a “cold bore” shot. The rifle and ammunition are both at ambient temperature. They aren’t heated up from a long string of fire, so how accurate the rifle is or isn’t, when it is heated up, is immaterial.

A target shooter cares about accuracy from a hot barrel. If you are competing in High Power, you’ll be firing 10 shots in a minute, or 70 seconds. That barrel will get hot. If it changes point of impact or group size while it heats up, you’re pretty much non-competitive regardless of your skill level.

Military rifles are expected to work regardless of the climate, temperature, lack of cleaning, etc. And a hot barrel, well, when you’re in a fight, there’s no such thing as a timeout for barrel cooling. Keep that in mind when you read about the acceptable accuracy level of service rifles.

AK Accuracy is right on par. — There’s a reason AKs have been with us for three-quarters of a century and will likely be with us for that long into the future.

So, hunters, competitive shooters and the military all look at accuracy from different perspectives. Each perspective weighs the variables differently and measures results with a different yardstick.

The use-a-ruler method lacks a certain statistical precision. If the groups are wide side to side, or up and down, or are composed of a knot of holes with one flier always present, simply measuring the widest holes doesn’t tell you much. Then there is the tendency to improve our skills by culling. “Well, I slapped the trigger on one shot. That has to have been the one out of the group, so we’ll call it good with the rest.” Uh-huh. Good luck with that, Bucky. A “called flier” is just that. If you saw the front sight go high-left on the break, and the wide shot is indeed high and left, then you can call that shot out of the group on account of your trigger control. (Or lack thereof.) But if you have no idea where it went when you slapped the trigger, you can’t just toss the bad one. For all you know, that one you slapped went into the center of the group, and the flier was a clean trigger press.

But enough soapboxing.

The military uses several processes, one called the Mean Radius, the other Radial Standard Deviation. Basically, the process is simple, if not arduous. (You can read pages and pages of analysis on the mathematics involved; they are not hard to find.) The ammo to be tested is fired through a machine rest, a universal receiver into which is screwed a precision barrel. The location of each and every shot is measured. Then the center of the group is plotted or calculated. Next, each shot is measured for its individual distance from the calculated/measured group center. The average of the distances is the Mean Radius. The distances can be mathematically massaged by calculating the standard deviation for the distances of the holes in the group, where the standard deviation is a value of the dispersion of the plotted locations.

The more accurate the ammunition being tested, the lower the Mean Radius will be, and the lower the Standard Deviation. They do not necessarily tell you the same thing, and they will not be the same numerical values. Also, there is no “conversion factor” for MOA to MR or RSD. MOA is a simple measurement, and the other two are statistical calculations that also come with a percentage of confidence. As in “the Radial Standard Deviation of production load #123 is 1.59 inches, with a 95 percent confidence level.” When you read that (as an example) the “accepted accuracy” of a given lot of ammunition is within the 3 inches at 100 meters the Army feels is useful, they are not buying inaccurate ammunition. Or, when you read that “An average M16A2, with M855 ammunition, typically shoots 3.5 MOA” the Army is not buying crap. The military standard is measured with 10-shot groups. They do not “throw out fliers” because in a machine rest, there aren’t any. Every shot hits where it hits because that is what the ammunition does, not because the quarter-ton universal rest, barrel and stand, flinched. When they test rifles, they use known samples that are relevant examples of the type to be tested. They are fired from fixed rests, with no human interference. Only after all that does a person get involved, and the results, with good record keeping, can be plotted over time and be very predictable.

AK Accuracy can be good. — Sure, it’s no match rifle, but the AK is accurate enough.

And remember, the Army rightly expects a rifle to go bang every time, and to deliver its bullet pretty close to the intended spot on the target. In any climate, situation, or location.

Think of it this way. A rifle that “only” shoots a 3.5 MOA group will deliver a bullet within a 10.5-inch circle at 300 yards. Hold a ruler up, across your chest. Then tell me that “3.5 MOA isn’t accurate enough.”

But, how do we tell accuracy in an AK? First, we need something more accurate than an AK, to test the ammo and parse out its contribution to the system. That’s where CZ comes in. Lacking a machine rest or a universal receiver, a bolt-action rifle with a good scope on top, fired from a solid bench and a rifle rest is the best way to determine ammunition accuracy. The lists of bolt-action rifles are not exactly replete with models chambered in 7.62×39. There was the Ruger Hawkeye Compact, from 2009-2012; the Mini Mauser Mark X, imported by Interarms — the Mini has been available off and on in .223 since the late 1980s, but the 7.62×39 version was only sporadically available; and the Savage 10FCM Scout, which was available for a while, and Savage rifles have very good barrels. But we are really left with one choice.

The only bolt-action factory rifle chambered in 7.62×39 (with a bonus: a detachable magazine) that I’m aware of is the CZ 527 carbine, one of which I happen to possess. Based on a shortened Brno action, it has a single-feed, single-stack five-round magazine, and since it was designed and made in Europe, they have a clue about 7.62×39. The chamber is dimensioned to CIP specs, and the bore is made for .311-inch diameter bullets. Being a euro rifle, it does not have the receiver drilled and tapped for scope mounts, instead using a dovetail system, thus CZ-specific rings and bases. Since CZ USA also has the rings, that isn’t an issue.

AK Accuracy is under estimated. — The AK’s accuracy is plenty good enough to get the job done.

This does, however, pose something of a problem. If we have a barrel made for .311-inch bullets, and we use ammunition that is loaded with .308-inch bullets, accuracy may not be all it could be. But then, we’re using the ammo elsewhere in rifles (AKs) that have bores dimensioned for .311-inch bullets, so the accuracy results should translate well. The twist rate of the CZ 527 is listed as 1:9, which is a bit faster than the spec rate for the AK, with a twist of 1:9.45. A small thing when punching paper from the bench.

The Testing Process
I took the rifle to the range and shot groups with it. I fired four, five-shot groups with each type of ammo available, at 100 yards, and measured all the hits.

The results were as expected. A good batch of ammo, from the bench, with a scope, from a bolt-action rifle, shot to about 2 MOA. The less-premium ammunition ran in the 3-4 MOA range. Which isn’t too bad, really. Oh, I know, as I pointed out earlier, that we Americans are all superb shots. And it is our birthright as Americans to own (and expect every rifle to be) a sub-MOA rifle. Yeah, but we aren’t, and they aren’t. And a lightweight, handy little carbine like the 527, especially with no extra effort put into bedding it, isn’t going to be sub-MOA.

But as a cross-check for AK accuracy, it is a solid performer.

So, when you mount a scope on your AK, and you find you are still “only” shooting 3 MOA from the bench, keep this in mind — you’re doing good, running pretty much at the limits of the system.

This article is from the Gun Digest Book of the AK & SKS, Volume 2.

Heckler & Koch Introduces VP9SK Pistol

Drew Warden

May 10, 2017

Heckler & Koch has brought out its new VP9SK, a subcompact version of its highly popular and incredibly reliable VP9 full-size pistol in 9mm.

A few years back when Heckler & Koch unveiled its VP9 9mm striker-fired pistol, it made a pretty substantial splash in the gun industry. In the time since, the VP (which stands for Volkspistole, or “people’s pistol”) line has only continued to grow. Within the past two years, HK has added a .40 S&W variant in the VP40 and tactical models and different finish options for both calibers. Now, the company is at it again with a new subcompact model in the VP9SK.

Announced just ahead of the recent NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Atlanta, the new HK VP9SK is the first subcompact offering in the VP family of pistols. As such, it offers added concealabilty while retaining the great features of its larger brethren. This includes HK’s VP precision strike trigger, which has a pretty high reputation courtesy of its crisp, single-action break and quick reset.

“The VP9SK is the right combination of compact size and firepower for a subcompact — and it’s loaded with unique HK features like our adjustable ergonomic grip, the only grip in the industry that can be customized to fit any shooter,” said Michael Holley, HK-USA Vice President for Commercial Sales and Marketing. “The VP9SK possesses the accuracy and durability that shooters know they can expect from a Heckler & Koch pistol.”

The adjustable ergonomic grip, a major highlight of earlier VP models, has obviously been scaled down with the VP9SK. However, its functionality and flexibility remain the same. The grip adjusts to fit any user via the interchangeable backstraps and lateral grip panels, and there are also finger grooves on the front of the grip instinctively placed for shooters.

As an added bonus in the ergonomics department, the VP9SK’s controls are also completely ambidextrous. There are slide releases on both sides of the frame, and the gun’s paddle-style magazine release favors both right- and left-handed shooters. And, the new VP9SK also carries over HK’s patented charging supports found on earlier full-size models — polymer inserts mounted on each side of the rear of the slide that offer improved leverage for manipulation.

HK VP9SK pistol - night sights and extender — New HK VP9SK pistol equipped with optional night sights and hooked floorplate.

Of course, the most important difference is the change in dimensions, which takes the VP9 from a full-size duty pistol to a subcompact perfect for concealed carry. The VP9SK shaves .73 inch off the overall length of the VP9, .84 inch off the height and 2.49 ounces off the weight. Some of those figures might not sound that impressive, but it’s just enough to make the VP9SK a serious contender as a carry gun.

The new VP9SK incorporates an abbreviated Picatinny rail up front, an addition not all carry guns feature but one that’s beneficial for those using a laser sight or a weapon-mounted light. The gun is compatible with a variety of HK magazines, including compact double-stack 10-rounders with flat or hooked ergonomic floorplates. According to HK, later in the year there will also be 13- and 15-round magazines with sleeves that mimic the grip profile of the manufacturer’s full-size VP models.

The brand new VP9SK is available at a fairly reasonable $719, which, incidentally, is exactly the same as for HK’s full-size VP9 and VP40. Like other HK guns, the VP9SK comes with the manufacturer’s Lifetime Warranty.

For more information, check out the specifications below, or visit the HK-USA website.

Specifications:

HK VP9SK
Type: Semi-auto, striker fired
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.39 in., cold hammer forged, polygonal
Overall Length: 6.61 in.
Height: 4.57 in.
Width: 1.31 in.
Weight: 23.07 (with empty magazine)
Grip: Polymer, adjustable ergonomic with interchangeable backstraps and grip panels
Sights: White three dot, (night sights also available)
Trigger: HK VP precision strike single action
Capacity: 10 rounds (13 and 15 rounds in the future)
Price: $719
Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

Polymer Composite Bullet Accuracy Put to the Test

Brad Miller

May 9, 2017

Innovative people in the shooting industry are always coming up with something new to explore. New guns, new cartridges, new bullets. One of the more interesting new developments is the polymer composite bullet offered by Polycase Inceptor and Ruger ammunition.

Polymer is making its way into all aspects of the shooting sport, from polymer frames to polymer coatings on bullets. Now polymer is a major component of the bullet itself. Polycase bullets are made from a mixture of powdered copper and polymer and are produced via injection molding.

The bullets come in two flavors, solid or fluted. The solid bullets are either a round nose RNP (Round Nose Precision) or flat nose TNP (Truncated Nose Precision) configuration. The unique ARX (Advanced Rotational Extreme) bullet has three flutes in the nose that redirect hydraulic forces laterally.

As of this writing, Polycase bullets are available in .380 Auto, 9mm Luger, .38 Spl, .357 Magnum, .40 S&W, .45 Auto and .45 Colt ammunition for handguns. Loads for .458 SOCOM are made by SBR Ammunition, and .50 Beowulf is made by Alexander Arms. Polycase loads both the round nose and ARX bullets for its handgun calibers, and the ARX is used for the rifle rounds. Ruger only loads the ARX bullets.

The solids have the same profile as conventional bullets with a round or flat nose and are suitable for practice and training. The ARX bullet’s uniquely shaped fluted nose is designed to harness hydraulic force in a fluid medium to transfer kinetic energy to the target, and it is ideal for self-defense.

The ARX bullets do not expand. They rely on the flutes, combined with the bullet’s rotation, to produce hydrostatic shock to create a large temporary wound cavity during penetration. This differs from conventional hollowpoint bullets that rely on expansion. The manufacturer claims that ARX bullets create “temporary (wound) cavities that match or exceed any bullet in the same caliber.” The ARX bullets have significant penetration in gelatin but generally stop by 16 inches, thereby reducing the chance of over-penetration.

The polymer bullets weigh roughly 70 percent of that of conventional lead bullets. This means they can be driven to higher velocities, which aids in producing the hydrostatic effects. Additional benefits of the polymer bullets include less recoil, less bullet drop and reduced ricochet from steel targets.

The unconventional nature of these bullets raises questions about how well they shoot. They are, after all, very different from anything we usually put down our bore. Do they shoot straight? Accuracy was tested with 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 Auto ammunition fired from guns mounted in a Ransom Rest.

The 9mm ammunition was Inceptor 84-grain RNP and Ruger +P 80-grain ARX. The .40 S&W ammunition was Inceptor 114-grain TNP and 107-grain ARX. The .45 Auto ammunition was Inceptor 130-grain RNP and Ruger 118-grain ARX.

I’ve seen different bullet weights for some of these calibers. For example, I’ve found three different advertised weights for the .40 S&W ARX bullets. Polycase shows an 88-grain bullet on their website, while my Polycase ammunition has a 107-grain bullet. Cheaper Than Dirt lists both 97- and 107-grain bullets in Polycase Inceptor ammo. The Ruger website shows a 97-grain bullet, but the Cheaper Than Dirt website shows Ruger ammunition with a 107-grain bullet.

One bullet of each type was pulled and weighed. Most were close to the advertised weight. The oddball was the .40 S&W TNP bullet that was 11 grains light.

Accuracy was tested at 25 yards. Ten shots were fired into a single group. Velocity was recorded with a Shooting Chrony chronograph at about 10 feet. The test guns were a Glock G19, a Para Ordnance .40 Smith & Wesson pistol with a 5-inch Ed Brown barrel and a Caspian 1911 .45 Automatic pistol with a 5-inch Kart barrel.

Accuracy of 10-shot groups ranged from around 2 inches to a little over 4 inches. My experience with these guns is that these are typical group sizes that I see with factory ammunition. Some ammo shoots worse than what I found with these copper/polymer bullets, and some shoots better. That’s good news. Just because they’re different it doesn’t mean that they don’t behave like our customary fare.

The ARX rounds produced smaller groups than the RNP/TNP bullets in all three guns. I wouldn’t exactly call the ARX round match-grade ammunition, but it is more than sufficient for self-defense purposes. It does show that injection-molded bullets can shoot as accurately as traditional jacketed or lead bullets.

I noticed a distinct smell when these rounds were fired. It was a stronger smell than what I’ve experienced with polymer-coated lead bullets, which have their own distinct odor. This is not really a downside to these bullets, just something to keep in mind when you fire them for the first time.

The price of the ARX ammunition is in the same range as most hollowpoint ammunition, and is less than some brands, so you won’t have to sell the farm to give it a try. And I noticed that one retailer has 50-round boxes of 9mm RNP ammunition for just $12.98. That’s the same price as regular jacketed ammunition.

The fluted ARX bullet is similar to the star-nosed Lehigh Defense Xtreme Penetrator and Xtreme Defense bullets. All of these bullet designs offer something different than conventional expanding hollowpoint bullets. They produce large wound channels through hydraulic force without expansion. This means they won’t fail to perform as designed from being plugged up like a hollowpoint can.

If you want to try something different, this new copper/polymer ammunition should be high on your list.

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

Gun Review: CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Carbine

Doug Larson

May 9, 2017

CZ’s new Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Carbine is a slick, user-friendly firearm that’s well suited as a serious home defender or as a fun plinker at the range.

Many readers have heard of the Skorpion vz.61. A small, easily carried machine pistol with a wire buttstock and chambered in 7.65mm Browning (.32 ACP), the gun has a mystique about it that fascinates many. After development was completed in 1961, the gun was first adopted by the Czechoslovak State Police and then the Czech Army.

The original blowback-action Skorpion was fed from a detachable box magazine that was located in front of the trigger, and the gun fired from a closed bolt, permitting more accurate single-round fire. After the fall of the iron curtain, production of the Skorpion continued off and on by Ceska Zbrojovka (CZ) until the last unit was produced in 1994.

Early on in the life of the Skorpion, it was recognized that a major flaw was the low-powered .32 ACP chambering, so development began on new chamberings like 9mm Makarov, .380 ACP and 9mm Luger. Various commercial versions were offered, but all failed in the marketplace.

The Same, Only Different

The name and basic concept of the Skorpion lived on at CZ, and in 2005, the company produced a prototype submachine gun called the XCZ 868. While there were a few subtle similarities to the original vz.61 Skorpion, the new prototype design had little in common with it. Nevertheless, the new prototype led to the 2009 introduction of the Scorpion EVO 3 A1, a select-fire submachine gun chambered in 9mm Luger.

The new gun caught on, perhaps partially because of its namesake, but more probably because of its features and usefulness. While it is a blowback-operated, magazine-fed submachine gun, it is chambered in the much more reasonably powered 9mm Luger instead of the .32 ACP. It also has a collapsible buttstock that can be folded to the side and a handguard to which a vertical foregrip can be attached.

With the success of the Scorpion EVO 3 A1, CZ decided to make a semi-automatic commercial version, and designated it the Scorpion EVO 3 S1. Originally introduced in the US as a pistol with no buttstock, CZ now has made available a carbine version that is the subject of this review.

Features

Chambered in 9mm Luger, the Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Carbine is supplied with two 20-round polymer magazines. Thirty-round magazines are also available. The magazine well is beveled to encourage fast reloads, and the ambidextrous magazine latch is a lever located on the front of the trigger guard that can be activated by pushing it forward with the trigger finger or with the thumb of the offhand while removing the magazine. Magazines did not always drop free on the test gun.

The trigger guard is generously sized to accommodate a gloved finger, and the single-stage trigger on the sample broke at about 9 pounds after some creep. The pistol grip can be moved fore or aft to adjust the distance the trigger finger must reach.

The handguard and upper and lower receivers are polymer. And running from the rear of the upper receiver to the front of the handguard is a polymer Picatinny-style rail to which can be attached an optic. The gun comes with an elevation-adjustable post front sight and a windage-adjustable aperture rear sight. CZ even supplies a tool for sight adjustments. There are actually four apertures, each of a different size so the shooter can choose between fast target acquisition and a more precise sight picture. Just rotating the aperture toward the front or rear brings the next aperture into alignment.

The handguard features Magpul M-LOK attachment points along the bottom and on both sides for the addition of accessories such as lights, lasers or vertical foregrips. And since the handguard is polymer, it did a good job of insulating the hand from barrel heat. The barrel measures 16.2 inches in length, has a black finish and 1/2×28 threads at the business end. A brake is installed at the muzzle and was effective in reducing muzzle rise.

A collapsible polymer buttstock can be folded to the right for transport and storage. Grasping the butt from the rear and squeezing a large lever just forward of the buttpad releases the lock to allow a change in length. By pushing a large button on the left side of the gun at the junction of the receiver and buttstock, the buttstock can be folded to the right. In an emergency, the gun can be fired with the buttstock folded.

There are two eyelets for the attachment of a sling, one at the front and one at the rear, on both sides of the upper receiver. Also, at the rear of the upper receiver on the left side is a slot through which a sling can be threaded.

Take Down

Disassembly for cleaning is straightforward. After double checking to make sure the gun is not loaded, the charging handle is retracted and pushed up to lock it to the rear. Then disengage the pin that secures the lower receiver to the upper. Pull the lower receiver to the rear and down to separate it from the upper. Next, with the thumb, grasp the bolt from the bottom and pull it to the rear and away from the upper. The recoil spring assembly is captured by the bolt. No further disassembly is recommended. Assembly, as they say, is in reverse order.

Running the gun is simple. The charging handle located on the left side of the gun forward of the receiver, can be switched to the right side if desired. It is non-reciprocating, but can be locked to the rear by retracting it and pushing upward, catching it in a slot. Releasing it to go forward requires merely slapping it down.

After the last round is fired, the bolt is held to the rear. Once a fresh magazine is inserted, the charging handle can be pulled all the way to the rear and released, or the bolt release, located on the left side of the receiver just above and forward of the trigger, can be pressed down. Either allows the bolt to go forward into battery, feeding a round into the chamber.

Safety

The ambidextrous safety selector has two positions, safe and fire, denoted by a red and white icon. The safety on the sample gun was stiff, but not unusable, and may become easier to manipulate over time. However, it was difficult for some shooters to reach with the thumb of the firing hand when holding the pistol grip.

Additionally, the first knuckle of the trigger finger of some shooters was bumped by the lever during recoil. Fortunately, Apex Tactical makes an aftermarket safety selector that solves the problem. It is easy to install and requires no modifications to the gun.

The Scorpion carbine was pleasant to shoot, and no malfunctions whatsoever were experienced with the sample gun. At 50 yards, a reasonable range for a pistol-caliber carbine accuracy test, the gun consistently printed groups just over an inch. That’s respectable.

CZ may have a winner with the Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Carbine. For more information, contact CZ-USA, 800- 955-4486, CZ-USA.com.

Specifications:

CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Carbine
Type: Semi-auto, blowback
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Barrel Length: 16.2 in.
Overall Length: 36 in.
Weight: 6.06 lbs.
Stock: Synthetic collapsible and folding
Sights: Windage- and elevation-adjustable rear aperture and front post
Finish: Black
Capacity: 20 or 30 rounds
MSRP: $999

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

Video: Competition-Proven Aguila Ammunition

Gun Digest Editors

May 8, 2017

Aguila Ammunition is making a name for itself as the choice of serious shooters. Find out how this ammo, born south of the border, is earning its stripes with the pros on competition circuits.

It’s a common misconception that all rimfire ammunition is equal. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Like all ammo, regardless of caliber, quality in engineering and manufacturing play incredibly consequential roles in a rimfire round’s performance. If it’s made right, it will shoot right. Perhaps few understand the importance of consistently performing ammunition like Pro Shooter John Nagel. The three-time USPSA and SCSA Grand Master actively searched for superior competition ammunition and found it hands down in Aguila.

In the above video, Nagel recounts how the Mexican manufacturer’s ammo rose to the top of his potential competition options. This included an extensive torture test of the ammo in which it performed beyond his expectations. He also delves into the minutia of what makes high-performing competition ammunition and why Aguila ticked off all the boxes for him.

Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of Nagel’s discussion with Gun Digest Digital Editor Luke Hartle is exactly what type of Aguila Ammunition he shoots. Spoiler, it’s not special rounds specifically cooked up for him — it’s straight off Aguila’s assembly line.

Watch the video to get the inside scoop on Aguila Ammunition, John Nagel and competitive shooting ammo. Also check out more great gear reviews and shooting tips at Gun Digest’s YouTube page.

Ballistics Made Simple
The Big Book of Ballistics simplifies and demystifies this daunting aspect of reloading and shooting in a practical, down-to-earth guide to the subject.From ignition in the cartridge to dynamics down the bore to the bullet blasting out a target, Phil Massaro unravels exactly what happens after the trigger is pulled. Get Your Copy Now

Reloading: How To Load Dangerous Game Ammo

Philip Massaro

May 5, 2017

Handloading dangerous game ammo is not inherently different than loading for other game species, the stakes are just higher, which means reliability is crucial.

I’ve been told I’m crazy, near suicidal, for using handloaded ammunition on hunts for dangerous game. “You can’t rely on that stuff! You’re going to get killed.” Nonsense; nothing could be further from the truth. Just as you trust yourself to pull the trigger on any dangerous game animal, because you’ve honed your skills as a shooter, you must trust your skills as a reloader to produce dangerous game ammo that is as reliable, if not more reliable, than the factory stuff.

Loading Dangerous game ammo - 1 — The author uses a Redding Reloading T7 turret press to load the .404 Jeffrey.

Not that you’d ever skimp on your reloading procedure, irrespective of intended purpose, dangerous game ammo requires a special level of detail. What we’re looking for here is utter reliability and uniformity, so the last thing you’ll be concerned with when the excrement hits the oscillator is your ammunition. I like to be ultra-critical of the condition of brass if I’m using once- or twice-fired, checking diligently for issues with the rim and/or cracks in the neck area. If you’re using new brass, and there’s no reason not to, I like to make sure all of it is trimmed to a uniform length, and that all the flash holes are touched up.

The loading procedure is really no different than any other ammunition, except that you may want to consider some of the field conditions on a dangerous game hunt. The very recoil of the big-bore rifles can pose an issue for the ammunition sitting in the magazine, or in the left barrel of a double. I like using the Redding seating dies, especially for the straight-walled cartridges like the .458 Winchester Magnum and .458 Lott, as the die contains a built-in crimp ring, to keep those bullets where you put them. I usually don’t crimp dangerous game cartridges that have a bottleneck, as even the .375 H&H and .416 Remington have plenty of neck tension, but there’s nothing wrong with using a crimp if you so choose.

The heat and/or cold of a dangerous game hunt can affect pressures generated by your ammunition, and we should do whatever we can to keep pressures and velocities as uniform as possible. Looking at older cartridges, like the .416 Rigby, you’ll see a voluminous case, designed to keep pressures as low as possible. The original propellant for the Rigby —and several other classic big-bore safari cartridges—was Cordite; one of the original problems with it was a definite sensitivity to temperature fluctuation.

With a big-bore rifle in hand, you may find yourself hunting in freezing temperatures glassing for grizzly, or on the tracks of elephant in 100˚F-plus heat. I like to use a powder that will minimize the effects of temperature extremes, like Hogdgon’s Extreme powders and the IMR Enduron line, both of which maintain consistent velocities and pressures across a wide range of temperatures. Within each of these product lines is a powder that will serve well in the large cases.

The .375 H&H is well-served by IMR4166, VARGET and H4350 — I prefer the highest load density — and the .450/400 3-in. NE worked very well with 400-grain Peregrine bullets over H4831SC. My .404 Jeffery also likes H4350, driving the 400-grain slugs to 2,275 fps, with groups hanging right around 1 MOA. These loads have been used in temperatures up to 110˚, with no extraction issues whatsoever. H322, one of Hodgdon’s Extreme spherical powders, has made loading the .458 Winchester Magnum much easier for me, having a 2 ½-inch case, which some feel compromises performance, especially with the heavier 500-grain bullets.

When my Dad took a .458 Win. to Tanzania, H322 and 500-grain A-Square Dead Tough bullets made a great combination, giving an even 2,150 fps on the chronograph, and more-than-acceptable accuracy. H4831 is the powder of choice for my 6.5-284 Norma and .300 Winchester Magnum, and it works very well in the huge cases of the .505 Gibbs Magnum and .500 Nitro Express.

Just like any factory ammunition I intend to take into a dangerous situation, I make sure all of the assembled cartridges I’m taking on safari will chamber and extract in the rifle I’m bringing, as a feeding problem in the heat of the moment is never a good thing. Make sure you actually practice chambering rounds, as this is the only surefire way to find out what you’re working with in a critical moment.

Using a Redding full-length resizing die will guarantee your ammo will feed like a dream. I do my best to adhere to the SAAMI specified C.O.L., so I know that the cartridges will function properly through the magazine. Rather than experiment with cartridge lengths longer than SAAMI-standard, I tinker up and down with the powder charge weight to obtain the accuracy I’m after.

Loading Dangerous game - 4 — The author likes to use Redding’s dies for straight-walled cartridges like the .458 Lott.

I’ve found with some of the big-bore cartridges like the .375, .416s and .404 that I prefer accuracy over the idea of wringing every last drop of velocity out of the case. I’ve seen the .375 H&H operate just as well at 2,400 fps as it does at 2,550 fps, and the .404, which made its reputation pushing a 400-grain bullet at 2,150 fps, can easily achieve 2,300 fps and superb accuracy with modern powders. But when it comes to the lineup of Nitro Express cartridges, most of which operate at a muzzle velocity of 2,050 to 2,150 fps, you really don’t want to dip much below those figures. It’ll take a bit more experimentation, especially if the rifle is a double, to achieve a balance of velocity and accuracy. That .458 Win. Mag. caught a bad rap because the original ammunition was running at 1,900 fps or so instead of the advertized 2,150 fps, and penetration suffered. Keep the velocities as close as possible to the factory levels to ensure good field performance from the Nitro Express cartridges.

If, like me, you enjoy the performance of the monometal bullets, you must realize that they will take up a bit more room in the case than their cup-and-core counterparts. Bearing surfaces change, as do pressure curves, so you’ll need to take a good look at the manufacturer’s load data to ensure you stay within safe limits, and that you maintain good velocities.

To touch upon the initial point — that it’s foolish to hunt dangerous game with handloads — I feel that my own ammunition has a level of attention that no factory can duplicate, and I’ve used my own stuff to take bears, Cape buffalo and elephant. Give it your best, as you would with your shooting skills, and you’ll have one more point of pride as a hunter.

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

Review: The 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum

Brad Fitzpatrick

May 4, 2017

It’s been a while since Weatherby added a new cartridge to its stable, and its new thoroughbred, the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, has horsepower to spare.

More than two decades ago, I sat down on a concrete bench at a rifle range in southern Ohio and touched off the very first centerfire round of my shooting career. That round was a .300 Weatherby Magnum; the rifle was a light sporter with a hard plastic butt plate that my grandfather owned. The memory of that first trigger break and the terrific roar and slap that followed will remain etched in my mind forever. As will the odd feeling of being snowed upon in July; the muzzle had been positioned just ahead of the foam gun case, and the blast sent the case’s foam innards high into the air. Very dramatic.

6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum - comparison - Weatherby cartridges — The 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum is flanked by the .257 Weatherby Magnum (left) and the .270 Weatherby Magnum (right). The .257 and .270 Weatherbys are based on shortened .300 H&H Magnum cases, and the 6.5-300 is based on the full-sized .300 Weatherby Magnum. As such, it dwarfs its siblings.

Fast-forward to the present day, and you’ll find me at that same range on that same bench. Things have changed a bit; time has taught me to handle recoil better, and the 70 pounds I’ve packed on since the early ’90s have equipped me to deal with the punch of a powerful rifle. I’m shooting another Weatherby Magnum, this time through a Mark V rifle with a (thank goodness) soft recoil pad, and the cartridge itself is an offspring of the mighty .300 Weatherby that first ushered me into the world of centerfire shooting 20 years ago. This time the experience is far, far more enjoyable.

It had been 17 years since the team at Weatherby added a new magnum cartridge to their line, but that changed in 2015 with the announcement of the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum. The new round is based on the .300 Weatherby Magnum, which traces back to the .300 H&H Magnum. Roy Weatherby improved the H&H cartridge and gave his new .300 magnum the signature double-radius shoulder that became a trademark of the Weatherby brand. The 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, then, is simply a necked-down .300 Weatherby Magnum, and although wildcatters had played with the round for some time, it wasn’t officially part of the Weatherby lineup until last year.

Ten years ago it was proper to write that the 6.5 had never been a popular bullet choice for American hunters; the 6.5×55 Swede was popular in Europe, but it never became a standout stateside. In the late 1950s, Winchester introduced the .264 Win. Mag. (equivalent of the metric 6.5), but a lack of suitable slow-burning powders and a limited selection of tough 6.5mm bullets restricted the .264’s appeal. The .260 Remington had its followers and was a good cartridge, but to say the 6.5s were an American favorite was inaccurate.

6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum comparison 6.5 cartridges — 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser, .264 Winchester Magnum and 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum. Once, the .264 Winchester pushed the envelope for maximum 6.5 speed, but today the 6.5-300 is the king of this cartridge class, and it beats the Winchester by a wide margin.

All this has changed in the last decade. The 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel renewed interest in the .264s. Long, heavy bullets with high BCs flew flat, penetrated deep, and recoil was minimal. By this time, powder development permitted more flexibility, and shooters became fascinated by these metrics. The .264 Win. Mag. saw an uptick in sales, and once-obscure rounds like the 6.5-.284 Norma, primarily relegated to long-range shooting applications, began seeing life as a hunting cartridge. Nosler decided to start loading its own headstamped ammo, and its first offering was the successful 26 Nosler, itself a screamer of a cartridge.

When Weatherby decided to enter the 6.5 market, the company immediately went for the top spot. The 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum bested even the Nosler, with the initial load firing a 127-grain Barnes LRX bullet at 3,531 feet per second (fps) from the muzzle. That equates to better than 3,500 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. By comparison, the .260 Remington firing a 120-grain bullet at 2,890 fps produces around 2,225 foot-pounds of energy. The .270 Winchester with a 130-grain bullet at 3,060 fps generates just over 2,700 foot-pounds of punch. In terms of energy alone, the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum sits squarely between the .30-06 and .300 Winchester Magnums. At 400 yards, the Weatherby is still generating almost as much energy as the .260 Remington produces at the muzzle.

High velocity and long, heavy-for-caliber bullets equate to excellent downrange trajectory, too. The maximum point blank range of the 127-grain LRX is an astounding 345 yards for a 6-inch kill zone. On most game, with your rifle properly zeroed, you can hold in the center of the vitals and won’t need to adjust for holdover to almost 350 paces. For hunters who don’t want to dial their scope for range — and there are many in this category — flat-shooting cartridges like the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum are the answer. The maximum range for most hunters is about 350 yards, and a cartridge like the 6.5-300 takes the guesswork out of shooting.

6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum - Mark V closeup — Roy Weatherby pioneered fast cartridges, and there’s little doubt he’d be proud that his name is on the new 6.5-300. The new belted magnum from Paso Robles is the first new Weatherby design in almost 20 years.

“Since the early days at Weatherby, our family name has been synonymous with ballistic superiority,” said Adam Weatherby, executive vice president and COO of the brand. “The 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum is proof that Weatherby continues to be the leader in high-velocity cartridges and reinforces our claim that nothing shoots flatter, hits harder or is more accurate. I was able to use the round on several big-game hunts last year and was more than pleased with its performance on shots ranging between 100-400 yards, where the drop was, practically speaking, non-existent. We know that our customers expect high velocity from us and so for Weatherby to introduce the fastest 6.5mm on the planet seemed only fitting.”

Adam Weatherby has probably taken more animals than anyone with the new 6.5-300, so he’s had plenty of chances to see how it performs afield. Last year Adam harvested a Dall sheep, mountain caribou and a bull elk with the rifle — all one shot kills — and Brenda Weatherby, Adam’s wife, dropped a six-point bull elk in Idaho on public land with — you guessed it — one round. The 6.5-300 is well equipped for almost any big game hunt. It would be ideal for long-range shooting on deer (think whitetails in the senderos, cross-canyon shots on muleys or Coues deer in the desert) and mountain sheep. Laser-beam accuracy makes it perfect for antelope, and even though a few critics might dismiss the cartridge as too small for elk, in the right hands and with the right bullet, it has proven effective.

6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum - target — A 1 ¼-inch group like this at 100 yards is perfectly acceptable for most hunting rifles. But this group was shot at 200 yards, which is very impressive.

I had a chance to test Weatherby’s new Select Plus 6.5-300 ammo firing the 127-grain Barnes LRX bullets, the only load available at test time (a 130-grain Scirocco and 140-grain A-Frame are coming, too). I was promised 3,531 fps, and the average velocity over my chronograph was 3,520 — less than margin of error — so I’d say Weatherby lived up to its published figures. The rifle I tested was a Mark V Accumark, which comes with a hand-laid composite stock, No. 3 contour stainless fluted barrel and the famed Weatherby nine-lug push-feed action. It’s a sleek, solid rifle that is now backed by a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee.

6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum - group 100 yd — Is the Mark V/6.5-300 combo capable of excellent accuracy? Judge for yourself. This 100-yard group was produced using 127-grain Barnes LRX bullets and measures just a shade over .6 inches wide. The average group in this test was just .76.

The test rifle managed to best that margin considerably; at 100 yards the smallest three-shot group was .61 inch wide, and the average was just .76 inch for three groups. Thoroughly satisfied with the 6.5-300 Accumark’s performance at 100 yards, I moved to the 200-yard bench. The three test groups at that range measured 1.25 inches, 1.34 inches and 1.49 inches for an average of 1.36 inches, between .6 and .7 MOA. That’s pretty outstanding for an off-the-shelf rifle with factory ammo. Recoil wasn’t punishing; the Mark V has an excellent stock and recoil pad, and with a weight of 8¾ pounds, the Accumark does an admirable job bridling the hyper-velocity 6.5-300. By my estimation, you can expect 7mm Rem. Mag. recoil, certainly less than the .300 magnums generate, but muzzle blast is heavy.

Currently, the 6.5-300 is available in the Mark V line of rifles, which aren’t inexpensive (the Accumark’s MSRP is $2,300). But the Mark V is an extensive line, and there are many options. The Mark V offers a level of build quality and pride of ownership that have been hallmarks of the rifle for over five decades. It’s one of the safest rifles you can buy, and Roy Weatherby painstakingly developed it to handle very hot, high-powered magnums. The new 6.5-300 is certainly powerful, and that cavernous case — with a capacity of roughly 100 grains of water — provides storage for a whole bunch of gunpowder. Like true thoroughbreds, the Weatherby Magnum cartridges thrive when pushed hard. If you think you can handload this cartridge down to modest velocities, you likely won’t be impressed with the results.

The 6.5-300 Weatherby needs to burn a lot of powder in that quest for 3,531 fps, and loaded ammo is listed at $95 a box. So you can make a reasonable argument against the cartridge in terms of sheer cost of ownership. But Aston Martin wouldn’t sell many cars if they had to justify them as the most frugal option, and James Bond could certainly have driven something more affordable if he simply wanted to get from point A to point B. Speed comes at a price, but the 6.5-300 offers a very flat-shooting, accurate, deadly option, and when coupled with a Mark V rifle and topped with a good scope, there are few animals short of the largest and most dangerous beasts for which this cartridge is not well-equipped, and long-range shooting is made simpler by that pancake-flat trajectory.

Roy Weatherby deserves credit for more than launching a string of fast cartridges that bear his name on their headstamps. He ushered in the Magnum Era, and if you thought that era passed into history, think again. Shooters and hunters still love fast loads, and Ed and Adam Weatherby haven’t forgotten that. The 6.5-300 faces stiff competition from other loads, specifically Nosler’s fast 26 that predates it by a couple years, but the Weatherby has muscled its way to the top of the 6.5 hill, and there are precious few things this cartridge won’t do.

The New Mark V
The Mark V rifle, introduced in 1958, received a facelift last year. While the heart of the rifle — that nine-lug (six on non-magnums), fluted, vented, push-feed bolt — remains the same, there were some significant changes to the overall design. For starters, the wrist of the stock is slimmer and has a slight palm swell. This ensures a comfortable and secure grip on the rifle and is better for managing recoil. The forearm diameter has been trimmed down as well, and the overall feel of the rifle has been improved.

The most significant improvements are the addition of a hand-lapped barrel — which allows the brand to offer a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee across the line — and the addition of the new LXX trigger. The LXX has a wider face (wide enough, indeed, for the addition of a Flying W) and engagement surfaces that are precision ground and polished. The result is a crisp, clean, break. The trigger is adjustable down to 2.5 pounds, and that’s where the trigger on the rifle I tested was set. For more information visit Weatherby.com.

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

NEW GEAR: SIG Sauer Optics for Shooters

Drew Warden

May 4, 2017

There were a few new additions to the SIG Sauer optics lineup at the recent 2017 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits: the ROMEO5X and ROMEO5XDR red dots and the JULIET4 magnifier.

The SIG Sauer optics line has been growing pretty steadily ever since it was first announced a few years back. At the recent 2017 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, the manufacturer added a few more new offerings to the line — two red dot models, as well as a magnifier.

The new red dot additions include the ROMEO5X and ROMEO5XDR. Meanwhile, the new magnifier is the JULIET4, which offers 4x magnification for any and all red dots.

ROMEO5X and ROMEO5XDR
The “X” in the new ROMEO5X and ROMEO5XDR stands for “extended” life, and that’s exactly what the user will get. Both of these new SIG Sauer optics utilize a single, common AAA battery for an increase in effective runtime. The previous ROMEO5 runs off a CR2032 battery.

The ROMEO5XDR offers an additional benefit in the form of a Dual Reticle (DR). The user is able to choose between a standard 2 MOA dot or a 65 MOA circle dot for even quicker target acquisition.

“The ROMEO5 has proven to be a very practical and popular red dot sight at an affordable price,” said Andy York, president of the SIG Sauer Electro-Optics division. “We are excited to expand the value further with both extended runtime and multiple reticle options for our AR customers.”

And, of course, both of these new models utilize the earlier ROMEO5’s sturdy, lightweight design and feature the same high-performance coatings and SIG’s MOTAC (Motion Activated Illumination) to enhance battery life.

Specifications:

SIG Sauer ROMEO5X (5XDR)
Dot Size: 2 MOA; 2 MOA or 65 MOA Circle (5XDR)
Magnification: 1x
Clear Aperture: .787 in./20mm
Illumination Settings: 8 day/2 NV
Elevation Adjustment Range: +/- 40 MOA Minimum
Windage Adjustment Range: +/- 40 MOA Minimum
Weight: 5.1 oz./145 g (with riser mount and AAA Alkaline battery)
Waterproofing: IPX-7
MSRP: $239.99 (ROMEO5X); $299.99 (ROMEO5XDR)

JULIET4 Magnifier
The first magnifier in the SIG Sauer optics line, the JULIET4 quickly enhances the magnification of any standard red dot from 1x to 4x. This makes it a great option for any instances where a combination of close- and medium-range engagements may be present.

The new JULIET4 magnifier comes equipped with a PowerCam 90-degree mount system, which means the shooter can easily transition between magnified and non-magnified shooting. The optic also features a quick-detach mount with built-in recoil lugs. The result is a magnifier that’s both easy to remove and rock-steady while mounted.

In terms of durability, the JULIET4 utilizes an aircraft-grade CNC aluminum housing and incorporates front thread-in lens protectors and flip-back rear protectors to defend against the elements. The optic also comes with spacers for adjusting height.

Although the new JULIET4 4x magnifier is compatible with all red dots, it’s tailored for SIG’s own ROMEO red dots.

“The new JULIET4 Magnifier works with any and all red dot sights,” York said, “but it was designed as an integrated optical system when used in conjunction with SIG’s new ROMEO4 and ROMEO6 red dot sights with ballistic holdover reticles. This amazing new combo allows for fast, intuitive red dot target acquisition that transforms instantly into a 4X magnified riflescope with ballistic holds.”

Specifications:

SIG Sauer JULIET4 Magnifier
Magnification: 4x
Field of View: 6.25 degrees
Objective Lens Clear Aperture: 24mm
Exit Pupil: 6.0mm
Eye Relief: 65mm
Diopter Range: +/-2
Adjustment Range: +/-45 MOA
Waterproofing: 20m, 1 hour
Overall Length: 4.2 in., 107mm
Overall Height: 2.6 in., 66mm
Overall Width: 2.1 in., 53mm
Weight: 12.5 oz., 357g
MSRP: $479

Reloading: Temperature Sensitive Powder?

Philip Massaro

May 3, 2017

Powder — IMR4451 and 143-grain ELD-X bullets make a great hunting combo for the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Advancements in propellants have reduced their sensitivity to temperature fluctuations. But heat and cold still play a role in how much pressure powders produce when ignited.

If you’ve ever examined some of the classic African safari cartridges, you may have noticed they seem to be rather large in comparison to their actual powder charges. The .416 Rigby, for example, has a huge case, while modern powders have trouble using all that capacity. The reason? Cordite, which was the common propellant at the time Rigby designed the case, was extremely sensitive to pressure fluctuations brought on by a change in temperature. In order to be effective in the tropical heat of India and Africa, Rigby over-designed the case size, to keep the pressures low in the extreme heat, for reliable extraction in a dangerous game situation.

Our modern powders—even those developed by the time the Second World War came around—have made a drastic improvement over cordite, but many will still show an increase or decrease in pressure, and thereby velocity, when the temperature goes up or down. The old rule was to expect an adjustment of 2 fps per degree Fahrenheit, up or down from an ambient temperature of 68˚F, and my experiences had pretty much proved that to be true.

Before heading to Africa for a safari, I used to leave my ammunition and rifle in the summer sun for hours, and then test it for pressure signs. Hodgdon had long ago released its Extreme Powder line, including a couple of favorites like VARGET and H4831SC, which have fueled many great handloads, but the new IMR Enduron Powder line has shown to be equally efficient.

This new powder series mimics many of the classic IMR powders we’ve all known and loved, but the Enduron line has been engineered to be especially insensitive to temperature fluctuations. There are four of them, with new number designations: IMR 4166, IMR 4451, IMR 4955, and IMR 7977.

The fastest burning of the four, IMR 4166, will give a burn rate in the range of VARGET and IMR 4064; perfect for the .308 and .30-06 Springfield, yet working very well in the .22-250 and .375 H&H. If you’ve got a caliber that is fueled by the medium-burn rate powders, like H380 or IMR 4320, the new IMR 4166 may solve any temperature issues you’ve experienced. I had great results in my Legendary Arms Works .308 Winchester with this powder and 180-grain Speer Grand Slam bullets; they have been equally accurate and consistent, whether observing group size at the range in the August heat or chasing black bears behind a pack of dogs in the frozen Maine woods in November.

The IMR 4451 is along the lines of good old IMR 4350; I used this in my .300 Winchester with 150-grain Cutting Edge Raptors for my last safari, and even the 112F South African heat posed no issue for this powder. Accuracy remained consistent, and there were no pressure problems whatsoever. This powder will work perfectly in the medium-magnums, if you will, like the .338 Winchester Magnum, the .300 Winchester Short Magnum, as well as the .30-06 and its brood of raucous children, whether the hunt takes place in Nunavut or Namibia.

IMR 4955 is designed to mimic the popular IMR 4831, and it is a very versatile powder in cases like the .270 Winchester and .25-06 Remington, as well as the 6.5-284 Norma. I’ve also used it in the larger safari cases like the .404 Jeffery and .450/400 3-in. Nitro Express. IMR 4955 pushes a 125-grain Peregrine PlainsMaster bullet from the muzzle of a 6.5-284 Norma at an even 2,950 fps, with a deviation of less than 12 fps, into three-shot groups measuring right around ¾ MOA; this makes for a perfect deer and pronghorn load, in any weather condition. If you shoot a cartridge that can utilize powders in the IMR 4831 burn rate, perhaps you should give IMR 4955 a try.

IMR 7977 has a burn rate perfect for the large, long-range magnum cartridges. The 7mm Remington Magnum, the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, the .30-378 Weatherby and .338 Lapua all are well served by this slow-burning powder. 7977 is similar to, though definitely not interchangeable with, IMR 7828, which is also perfect for those large cases. Large quantities of slow-burning powders are the key to high velocity, and IMR 7977 fits the bill perfectly.

These huge-cased cartridges show their value with the slowest burn rates available, relying on a long barrel and huge powder column to develop the high pressures and correlative velocities. IMR 7977 is a powder that will not only feed these huge cases, but also keep the velocities and pressures even in a wide variety of weather conditions; you definitely don’t want to experience over pressures when the powder charges approach or exceed 100 grains, and I really like IMR 7977 for this application. It will also work in the WSM and WSSM series of cartridges, which have, at least in my experiences, been a rather finicky lot.

In addition to showing excellent tolerances for temperature changes—in a 100-degree swing, the variation is often less than 15 fps—the new Enduron line also meters very well through a powder thrower or automated dispenser. Being an extruded stick powder, cut to a grain length optimized for the modern powder throwers, the Enduron line will work almost as well as a ball powder in today’s machines. My RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 will throw consistent charges with all four of the Enduron powders; unlike those powders with longer grain structures, the grain length of the Enduron line will give consistent metering.

Will the Enduron powders replace the other classic IMR powders? I don’t think so; those have given us all some great results. But, I will say this: Whenever I have a hunt coming up in a distant location where the environment is less than optimal, I find myself reaching for one of the Enduron powders.

I can also say the same thing for when I’m testing a new bullet; the results I’ve found with this quartet have been so inspiring that I’ve made four new friends. If you’re looking for something new to try, whether it’s a new cartridge or a different bullet for an old friend, look to the Enduron line; I bet you’ll appreciate the results.

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

New AR: DoubleStar ARC 300

Elwood Shelton

May 3, 2017

The new DoubleStar ARC 300 offers shooters the reliability and weight efficiency of the line, but in the eminently suppressible .300 Blackout.

The idea behind DoubleStar’s ARC (Always Ready Carbine) when it was released a while back was not only to create a reliable rifle, but one that put a premium on weight efficiency. The Kentucky-based company produced an AR-style rifle packed with the features shooters have come to expect. At the same time, the lightweight 5.56×45 NATO carbine was sized right to be a constant companion — whether in a patrol cruiser or afield.

The ARC appears to have struck the right cords in the black gun end of the firearms market, with DoubleStar expanding the line to include a model in .300 Blackout. Introduced at the April 27-30 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Atlanta, the DoubleStar ARC 300 promises the same top performance as its predecessor, but shooting the eminently suppressible round.

The move should excite more than fans of the can, though. Expanding the platform up to .30 caliber also opens up the ARC’s potential for hunting, particularly in the corners of the country where 5.56 is a no-no for deer. The .300 BLK has also proven itself a capable hog reaper, particularly in porcine-rich regions where, in a semi-automatic platform, it excels when multiple targets present themselves simultaneously.

The 6.7-pound rifle uses forged 7075 T6 aluminum for its upper and lower receivers and is outfitted with forged internal fire control parts. It boasts a 16-inch barrel in a lightweight profile and is topped off with a Big Timber Muzzle Brake to reduce muzzle rise. With a ¾-inch counterbore, the brake threads over the barrel, sitting just outside of the handguard. The ARC 300 has a 15-inch Samson SX M-LOK Handguard with ample space for accessories. And it comes with Samson flip-up front and rear sights.

The direct-impingement rifle cuts down more weight with its Spartan Mortar Plate Buttstock. For shooters who require an adjustable buttstock, DoubleStar does include a collapsible DS4 stock. The DoubleStar ARC 300 is priced fairly competitively, with an MSRP of $1,370.99.

Specifications:

DoubleStar ARC 300
Caliber: .300 Blackout
Weight: 6.7 pounds
Operating System: Direct Gas Impingement
Overall Length: 34.5 in.
Barrel: 16 in., 416 stainless steel, free floating
Twist Rate: 1:8
Sights/Gas Block: Low Profile Gas Block, Samson flip-up front and rear sights
Muzzle Device: Big Timber Brake
Handguard: Samson 15-in. SX M-LOK Handguard
Upper Receiver: Forged aircraft-grade 7075 T6 Aluminum, Mil-Spec anodized
Lower Receiver: Forged aircraft-grade 7075 T6 Aluminum, Mil-Spec anodized
Charging Handle: Tac Latch Charging Handle
Capacity: 30 rounds
Buttstock: Mortar Plate Buttplate with 6-position commercial tube and additional DS-4 stock body
Pistol Grip: A2
MSRP: $1,370.99

CZ 455: One Rimfire To Rule Them All

Robb Manning

May 3, 2017

The CZ 455 is an eminently flexible rimfire, giving shooters endless configuration options. On top of that, the bolt-action rifle offers what every marksman wants — dead-on accuracy.

Become an expert on one of the world’s most popular firearms companies and its guns with Gun Digest Book of CZ Firearms.

The CZ 455 is the rimfire bolt action of the CZ lineup. It uses an interchangeable barrel system allowing the user to switch from one chambering to another, as well as different barrel configurations. It also allows the action to be swapped from one style of stock to another. About a minute and a couple of tools (that CZ includes with the barrels) are all that’s required.

Additional barrel kits are available at the CZ webstore and range in price from $123 to $189. Stocks are available as well, and range in price from $115 to $220. The Full Stock is a little more and costs $300, and there’s a high-speed, low-drag Precision Trainer for $690. The majority of the stocks are in the $115 to $125 price range, though, so it isn’t one of those things where people are going to get gouged for over-priced accessories. This is something I’ve always appreciated about CZ — their accessories are all priced reasonably.

The 455 uses a cold hammer-forged barrel that’s been free-floated and has the accuracy for which CZ is known.

The model sent to me for testing was the 455 American Synthetic Suppressor-Ready .22LR. The barrel is free-float and is 16.5 inches long with a 1:16-inch rate of twist. The muzzle is threaded with 1/2×28 pitch. I was able to direct-thread my SilencerCo Sparrow on to it, but I prefer to use the SilencerCo adapter, for perfect length. With all that it takes to get a suppressor, I’d rather thread it on to something made specifically for it.

The quietest and most reliable .22 subsonic suppressor ammo that I have used is the CCI Suppressor 45-grain Hollow Point, which clocks in at 970 feet per second. Plus, it’s relatively clean compared to other subsonic .22 ammo I’ve shot (.22 ammo is notoriously dirty, and the suppressor catches most of that), or probably more accurately stated, it’s not unnecessarily dirty. With the Sparrow, CCI and 455, when I pulled the trigger, all I heard was the firing pin spring, then the firing pin hitting the primer, then the bullet hitting the paper down range. It’s pretty remarkable if you’ve never used a bolt-action .22 with suppressor. It’s half as loud as my son’s Red Rider BB gun, and quieter than an electric stapler.

The action is fully machined from bar stock. It’s S.O.L.I.D., whereas the receiver walls on other .22 bolt-action rifles are thin — around .13 inch — the receiver walls on the 455 are essentially the same thickness as the 527, which is chambered in .223. The side walls where it locks up measure .25 inch, which is about the same as the full size 550. My point being that this .22 is built like a centerfire bolt action. I have one bolt-action .17 HMR rimfire, and the receiver is so thin that when I push the bolt forward — which has a narrow circumference — it almost feels like I’m leveraging the bolt handle to the right, and this really makes it hard to get the round into the chamber. Especially when I really work the bolt fast. Not so with the 455.

It comes with one five-round detachable magazine. It’s a very flimsy plastic magazine, and if it were to fall out of the rifle and inadvertently get stepped on, it would be done. As far as I can tell, this is the only weak spot in the entire rifle. They’re not even that cheap, at $28 to $36 a pop, depending on caliber and number of rounds. There is a steel five-rounder available. The biggest benefit is that it is the same magazine used in the 512, so they can be swapped out.

Mine did not come with iron sights, though some models do, including the Full Stock, Lux, Ultra Lux, Trainer and Scout. It comes with a standard 11mm dovetail machined into the receiver.

To remove the bolt, pull the trigger and it slides out. Same thing to insert it back into the receiver; just pull the trigger. The bolt has two extractors for reliable extraction. Regardless of all else, the case is going to get extracted.

The trigger is adjustable for pull weight — from the factory, mine averaged 3 pounds and half an ounce. It gets repetitive writing about these CZ triggers, but it’s just such a great trigger. There’s no take-up, no creep, you just lightly squeeze and it breaks. It’s smooth, with a crisp break.

The synthetic stock is black and has a soft-touch finish, which I like. It’s comfortable to hold and gives good purchase. It has a high, flat, “American-style” comb that works best with a scope.

It has a two-position manual safety with fire to the rear. When on safe, the bolt cannot be opened. A cocking indicator shows whether or not it’s cocked.

What I like about the 455 is that CZ includes all of the features that they do for their centerfire rifles, including the adjustable trigger.

It comes in 14 models:

American (.22 LR, .17 HMR, .22 WMR), Turkish walnut stock, 20.5-inch sporter barrel
American Synthetic (.22 LR), synthetic stock, 20.5-inch sporter barrel
American Synthetic Suppressor-Ready (tested) (.22 LR), synthetic stock, 16.5-inch barrel
American Combo (comes with both .22 LR and 17 HMR barrels), Turkish walnut stockVarmint (.22 LR, .17 HMR, .22 WMR), Turkish walnut stock, 20.5-inch long/.866-inch diameter cylindrical heavy barrel
Varmint Thumbhole Fluted (.22 LR), nutmeg laminate stock with thumbhole, 20.5-inch long/.866-inch diameter cylindrical heavy fluted barrel
Varmint Evolution® (.22 LR, .17 HMR, .22 WMR), Coyote laminate (pink available) Evolution® stock with extreme free float. 20.5-inch barrel
Varmint Tacticool Suppressor-Ready (.22 LR), laminate black stock, 16.5-inch threaded barrel (1/2×28)
Varmint Precision Trainer (.22 LR), camouflage composite stock, 20.5-inch long/.866-inch diameter cylindrical heavy barrel
Varmint Precision Trainer Suppressor-Ready (.22 LR comes in two barrels; 24-inch heavy taper and 16.5-inch heavy), camouflage composite stock, threaded barrel (1/2×28)
Full Stock (.22 LR, .17 HMR, .22 WMR), Turkish walnut, full stock, Bavarian comb, 20.5-inch barrel
Lux (.22 LR, .22 WMR), Turkish walnut stock, adjustable iron sights. 20.5-inch barrel
Ultra Lux (.22 LR), Beechwood stock, 28.6-inch barrel
Training Rifle (.22 LR), Beechwood stock with Schnabel forend. 24.8-inch barrel, adjustable tangent rear sight

The predecessor to the 455 is the model 452, which has been discontinued except for two models, the left-hand and Scout (youth). The model 452 transitioned to the 455 action in 2011, and the only one (other than the youth Scout) that continues to be made, albeit in limited numbers, is the left-hand model. The 452 barrels are threaded into the action, which is the traditional method, but it eliminates the ability to swap out barrels for different chamberings, as can be done with the 455.

The Scout is a compact youth rimfire rifle with a 12-inch length of pull. It comes with a single-round adapter installed to teach proper marksmanship, but it also accepts the .22 LR magazines for the 452 or 455. It comes blued with a basic Beechwood stock. It has open iron sights, with 11mm dovetails milled into the receiver for mounting a scope. It’s nice and light at 5.06 pounds, which is one to three pounds lighter than the other 452 or 455 models.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Book of CZ Firearms.

Shooting: Exterior Ballistics Explained

Philip Massaro

May 2, 2017

Exterior Ballistics is simply the portion of a bullet’s flight once it leaves the muzzle until it hits the target. It is important for shooters to understand the forces at play during this window, if they have their sights set on accuracy.

The primer has been struck, the powder burned, and the bullet acted upon in a most violent chain of events. Yes, our proud little metallic fledgling has left the nest! Into free air it is sent, rotating rapidly, on its course to an unknown destination. Immediately, a multitude of alien forces begin to act upon it as it rolls with the punches and reacts accordingly.

Obviously, not all bullets are built in the same fashion, and each of them react differently to the forces of their particular environment. Some are sleek and streamlined, like a fighter jet, designed for the utmost speed and efficiency, while others are built like a tank, square and strong, to breach the strongest defenses. As with mechanized implements on the battlefield, the two extremes in bullet design use completely different means to the same end, and have different applications.

Exterior ballistics deals with that portion of the bullet’s flight from the moment it leaves the muzzle until it impacts its target — whether that target is paper, steel or flesh. In a handgun, especially a defensive arm, the flight of the bullet is rather short, and the atmosphere and laws of physics have less opportunity to influence things.

In a high-powered rifle, these forces have plenty of time to show their effects. To be able to put that bullet precisely on target, you need to fully understand how the bullet will react to your environment at a wide variety of ranges. Entire lifetimes have been spent in pursuit of the accurate prediction of bullet trajectories. While the answers are out there, the science of ballistics is constantly evolving, and our ability to quantify and predict the values associated with the bullet’s path is improving all the time.

There are scientific terms associated with exterior ballistics, and they can be confusing at times. The most prevalent term we’ll need to understand is ballistic coefficient, or BC as we’ll see it abbreviated, a term that describes the bullet’s ability to resist the effects of atmospheric drag and wind drift, as compared to the base models of bullet shapes as defined by the Commission d’Experience de Gavre.

That was where a series of tests were performed at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, by the U.S. Army in the early 1880s, and the G1 bullet form (G in honor of Gavre) was adopted as the model for comparative purposes. Almost all of today’s bullets are labeled with a BC based on the G1 model, although there are newer and different models that better serve the shooter (we’ll get into detail about that later in this section).

The accuracy of a particular firearm is most often measured in the arc subtended by a minute of angle, abbreviated as MOA. One minute of angle is 1/60th of one degree on a circle, and is equal to 1.047 inches at 100 yards. For our general purposes, assume that figure as 1 inch. Thus, one MOA is 1 inch at 100 yards, 2 inches at 200 yards, 3 inches at 300 yards, and so forth.

A rifle that is said to shoot MOA will print a group of shots that measure no more than 1 inch of extreme spread at 100 yards. Since group size is measured in a function of a projecting cone, the further the distance the target is from the muzzle, the wider the arc subtended by that angle. For hunters facing shots inside of 400 yards, an MOA rifle should print a group measuring four inches at the 400-yard mark.

Wind drift is the effect of any crosswind during the bullet’s flight. It is a tricky proposition learning to ‘dope’ the wind, but it is necessary to hit distant targets in real world situations. Wind will certainly blow a bullet off its course in a horizontal direction, but in certain situations it will have a vertical effect as well. Wind drift is typically represented in inches, but I’ve seen it in MOA as well. I personally prefer inches, but the two are easily converted. MOA is an important value for precisely adjusting telescopic sights.

Now, the trajectory of a bullet is based on more than one factor. Shortly after Sir Isaac Newton had his noodle rocked by that fateful piece of fruit (I’m thinking back to the wonderful Schoolhouse Rock cartoons of my youth), he did his best to explain the laws of gravity. The resultant accepted formulae state that, with the effects of atmospheric drag aside, all small bodies will fall to the earth at the same rate. This applies to projectiles as well. Whether fired at Mach III or simply dropped from your hand, the bullet falls to the ground in the same amount of time.

When a rifle is described as flat shooting, it is because it generates a higher than normal muzzle velocity, and the bullet is allowed to cover more ground before gravity pulls it earthward. The flattest shooting cartridges have the shortest time of flight (abbreviated TOF), so that the represented curve of the bullet path looks much flatter than the slower cartridges. Combine this gravitational effect with the effects of air drag, crosswind, and atmospheric conditions, and your projectile has much to overcome before it tears out the bullseye. You can now see why the science of ballistics is so in-depth.

There is a common misconception about trajectory that can be easily misconstrued from looking at the trajectory curves printed on the back of ammunition boxes. I’ve had many people argue until they were red in the face that a bullet rises once it leaves the muzzle, and starts to drop in a rainbow-like curve. That, dear reader, is simply not the truth, though it is necessary to adjust the way you use your firearms to have that be the end result.

If you were to hold any firearm so that the line of the bore were perfectly level (perpendicular to gravitational pull), your bullet would immediately start to drop below the line of the bore, essentially never striking a target exactly where the bore was aiming, irrespective of distance to the target. There would be some (perhaps minuscule) gravitational pull. Coupled with that idea, the manner in which you sight your firearms — whether with iron sights or telescopic sights — requires your visual plane be elevated at some distance above the bore line.

So, with those two factors involved, you must elevate the bore at a certain angle upward so that the bullet path and the visual plane will cross at two specific distances. The flight of the bullet must begin below the visual plane, then rise above it, and finally cross the visual plane once again after gravity and air drag have had their time to act. The distance at which the bullet crosses the visual plane for the second time is commonly referred to as ‘zero.’ A rifle zeroed for two-hundred yards means that the curve of the bullet path will leave the muzzle, cross the visual plane at 25 to 50 yards (strongly dependent on the type and velocity of cartridge you’re using), rise a small distance above the line of the visual plane, and meet the line of the visual plane at exactly 200 yards from the muzzle.

The farther the bullet gets from the muzzle, the more drastic the effects of the atmosphere and gravity become. That ballistic coefficient or BC figure — again, the comparison of the ability of your bullet to overcome air drag and wind drift with a particular model — is not a static figure; it changes over a range of velocities.

Often when the bullet manufacturer lists a BC figure for their bullet, it is in comparison with the G1 bullet model (a model that simply doesn’t best describe most of today’s bullets) as well as being an average of the changing BC over a variety of distances and velocities. While it serves as an approximation, there are better means of representing the highly specialized bullets of the modern era, the ones that truly require an accurate representation as they are used for long-distance work.

As a reminder, the sectional density, or SD, is a ratio of the bullet’s mass (weight) to its bore diameter. While we’ll be using this characteristic much more in the terminal ballistics section, for the purposes of external ballistics your bullet’s SD figure is an important part of deriving its form factor, in comparison to a G1 or G7 bullet model, and that in turn is used for the derivation of an accurate BC.

There are also the rotational effects of a bullet that need to be taken into account for true long-range accuracy. That same spin that the barrel’s rifling imparted on the bullet not only keeps it stable in flight, but causes an effect known as spin drift at extreme ranges. If you’re serious about long-range shooting, you’ll want to know how to calculate and adjust for it.

This article is an excerpt from the Big Book of Ballistics.

New Ammo: Federal Premium Ammunition Introduces Four New Lines

Elwood Shelton

May 2, 2017

Federal Premium should get shooters fired up at the range and in the field with four new lines of ammunition.

As is expected, rifles, pistols and shotguns steal the spotlight at any firearms convention. The April 27-30, NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Atlanta were no exception. But dotted among the latest and greatest guns was their cutting-edge fodder, boasting the newest twists to get the most ballistic potential out of projectiles. Federal Premium Ammunition was among the manufacturers unveiling its latest additions to its catalog at the meeting. And the Minnesota company should get shooters fired up for the range and the field with four new lines of ammunition.

Federal Non-Typical
The company has set its sights on diehard whitetail hunters with the introduction of Federal Non-Typical centerfire rifle ammunition. Specifically designed to pursue America’s favorite big-game animal, the ammunition has everything hunters need to tag-out. Topped with an optimized soft-point bullet with a concentric jacket, Non-Typical provides top-notch accuracy and devastating terminal ballistics. Available in seven of the most-used calibers for whitetails, the ammunition is outfitted with a Federal primer and built on the company’s precision-drawn brass.

.243 Win. 100-grain $21.95
.270 Win. 130-grain $21.95
.270 Win. 150-grain $21.95
.30-30 Win. 150-grain $19.95
.30-30 Win. 170-grain $19.95
.308 Win. 150-grain $21.95
.308 Win. 180-grain $21.95
.30-06 Spring. 150-grain $21.95
.30-06 Spring. 180-grain $21.95
7mm Rem. Mag. 150-grain $27.95
.300 Win. Mag. 150-grain $27.95
.300 Win. Mag. 180-grain $27.95
6.5 Creedmoor TBD-grain $21.95

Federal Train + Protect
Going armed means not only finding the ideal defensive ammunition but also putting in the range time so it can be delivered on target effectively. Federal’s Train + Protect marries both these facets of self-defense in one convenient package. Loaded with the company’s VHP (versatile hollowpoint) bullet, the ammunition is meant to deliver accuracy off the firing line and in the field. And the instant and reliable expansion on impact ensures that if ever called to use, Train + Protect will provide the stopping power required to defend yourself and your loved ones.

9mm 115-grain 50-count $30.95
.40 S&W 180-grain 50-count $35.95
.45 Auto 230-grain 50-count $35.95
9mm 115-grain 100-count $56.95
.40 S&W 180-grain 100-count $66.95
.45 Auto 230-grain 100-count $66.95

Federal Edge TLR
Designed with long-range hunters in mind, Premium Edge TLR is engineered to provide accuracy and a massive wound channel no matter the distance. The Edge TLR bullets feature Federal’s Slipstream polymer tip, technology that ensures the projectiles reliably expand as they lose velocity. At closer ranges, the bullet’s copper shank and bonded lead core retain maximum weight, thus producing lethal penetration. The bullets offer some of the highest ballistic coefficients in Federal’s catalog, giving them incredible long-range performance. And their long sleek profiles are optimized with the company’s AccuChannel groove, a technology meant to further reduce drag.

.308 Win. 175-grain $47.95
.30-06 Spring. 175-grain $47.95
.300 Win. Mag. 200-grain $59.95
.300 Win. Short Mag. 200-grain $59.95

Federal Gold Medal Berger
Berger’s Juggernaut OTM, Hybrid OTM or BT Target are among the most popular bullets at Precision Rifle Series events. And now the highly precise projectiles highlight Federal’s newest line of precision ammunition. Gold Medal Berger features advanced boat-tail bullets with a high ballistic coefficients, providing the flattest trajectories, the least wind drift and surgical accuracy. Loaded in some of today’s most popular long-range calibers, there are few other off-the-shelf options that offer the accuracy potential of Gold Medal Berger.

.223 Rem. 73-grain Berger BT Target $32.95
6.5 Grendel 130-grain Berger Hybrid OTM $34.95
6.5 Creedmoor 130-grain Hybrid OTM $34.95
.308 Win. 185-grain Berger Juggernaut OTM $34.95

Review: Benelli Ethos 28 Gauge Shotgun

Drew Warden

May 1, 2017

The new 28-gauge Benelli Ethos is a lightweight shotgun with power above its weight class, making it a great option for the serious upland hunter.

“Looks like they’re locked up again,” said Scott, our guide for the day, as he motioned forward with his head. Up ahead, Heidi, a veteran German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP), was rooted in place, clipped tail rigid in the air, front leg bent and nose straight as an arrow pointing at the edge of a tall grass patch, where yet another pheasant was surely hunkered down. Behind her was Fox, another GSP, also locked up and honoring Heidi’s point.

I was on the left side of the patch and the dogs when Scott motioned for me and another hunter to our right to move closer. After we approached, Scott had one of the Labs we were hunting with move in to flush the bird. It didn’t take much of the Lab’s lumbering antics for the bird to decide it was time to get out of Dodge.

In a rush of commotion, the pheasant flushed from the grass and made a beeline to the left. It was the perfect shot opportunity for me, and I quickly shouldered my gun, drew down on the bird and shot, making sure to swing through. The bird (my third from this one pass) dropped immediately, shedding some feathers on its way down. A few short seconds later the dogs had retrieved it, and on we went.

This was a common occurrence over three days of hunting at Pheasant Bonanza in Tekamah, Nebraska, in late October with Benelli’s Ethos 28-gauge shotgun. In fact, it was so common that those three days of hunting may have spoiled me forever.

Smaller Goes Bigger

Debuting at the 2016 SHOT Show, the Ethos 28-gauge was an expansion of the manufacturer’s already popular Ethos shotgun line, which included 12- and 20-gauge models. The new gun brought the innovative—and stylish—Ethos design to an even lighter, 28-gauge platform.

Benelli’s decision to introduce a 28-gauge offering was an interesting one in and of itself. The 28-gauge shotgun is relatively rare in comparison to 12- and 20-gauges, which tend to see the bulk of field use, and ammo can sometimes be difficult to find. This can be especially true for suitable field loads. Target loads are often more available due to the 28-gauge’s frequent use in skeet shooting. What made this new 28-gauge Ethos even more intriguing, however, was Benelli’s choice to have the gun feature a 3-inch chamber instead of one of the typical 2¾-inch length.

The concept seems to make sense. A bigger chamber translates to a bigger shell, which can equate to more shot, increased velocity, et cetera. The one caveat to this, of course, is that you have to have an ammo manufacturer that produces 3-inch 28-gauge shells, and at the time, none of the major manufacturers had been. That’s why Benelli worked with Fiocchi to develop some 3-inch high-velocity field loads. The Fiocchi loads we used on the hunt contained 1 ounce of No. 5 lead shot and were cruising along at 1,300 fps.

So does the extra quarter inch matter? I was initially skeptical before the hunt, but after having used these shells for three days and dropping a slew of birds with them—some at pretty fair distances—I have to say, I’m a believer. I saw other writers knock down pheasants at distances approaching 60 yards, and I myself dropped one at what I’d estimate as close to 50 yards. Truly impressive for a 28-gauge. But more on the new Fiocchi shells later.

New Size, Same Great Ethos

The Ethos 28-gauge is an incredibly lightweight, smooth-swinging game gun. Weighing just a touch more than 5 pounds, it’s a real treat to carry all day through the field. And, because it’s a 28-gauge, that lightness doesn’t punish you once it’s time to shoot. I actually think I brought down more birds than I could have with my standard Benelli M2 Field 12-gauge because my follow-up shots were more accurate due to the reduced recoil.

Benelli’s newest Ethos points and swings naturally, and like the previous models, it’s also a looker. The AA Grade satin walnut stock and forend and elegant, engraved nickel-plated receiver are certainly eye-catching. While this graceful design may keep avid waterfowl hunters from tossing the Ethos in their duck blind, the gun’s svelte feel and sophisticated appearance are perfectly suited for upland hunters. It was also a perfect complement to the classy upland gear provided by Banded for our hunt.

In addition to being incredibly stylish, much of the Ethos’ design is also highly functional. The gun utilizes the same great Progressive Comfort recoil reduction system found on previous Ethos models, which makes for easier follow-up shots.

It also features an enlarged bolt release, an outward-angled cartridge drop lever and an ergonomic trigger guard and safety for gloved users. Similarly, its Easy-Loading system uses a beveled loading port, redesigned carrier and a two-part carrier latch for simpler loading. One other nice feature that was brought to my attention on the hunt was the ability to quickly unload shells using a button inside the loading port. Previously, a shooter would’ve had to manually cycle and eject each shell through the ejection port.

Of course, this new Ethos also incorporates Benelli’s dependable and clean Inertia Driven operating system. This design has proven itself as inherently reliable over the years, and it certainly did so again during the course of our hunt.

The Ethos uses the same Crio choke tubes found on other Benelli shotguns, which I’ve always found to be very good. It also comes equipped with three interchangeable fiber optic front sights for use in any lighting condition a shooter might face in the field.

Parting Shots

Benelli made a bold decision by bringing out a 28-gauge model of its Ethos shotgun, especially with a 3-inch chamber. The 28-gauge has typically occupied a sort of niche in the shotgun world, being more limited to target shooting and hunting smaller game birds while the larger gauges see the lion’s share of use. However, if what I experienced during the fabulous hunt at Pheasant Bonanza is any indication, the Ethos 28-gauge has a huge potential for success with upland hunters.

It can certainly hold its own against the 12-, 16- and 20-gauges in the pheasant fields when using those 3-inch Fiocchi high-velocity loads. During three days of hunting, I believe our group of six averaged around 100 birds or more each day, with all of them falling prey to the 28-gauge Ethos. So, in short, the gun definitely has what it takes to get the job done.

At $2,199, its price is a little steep for some hunters. However, for those looking for a lightweight 28-gauge field shotgun that looks incredible and can reliably bring down upland game, Benelli’s new Ethos is hard to beat.

Specifications:

Benelli Ethos 28
Type: Semi-auto, Inertia-Driven
Gauge: 28 Ga.
Chamber: 3 in.
Receiver: Nickel plated engraved
Stock: AA Grade satin walnut
Buttstock: Progressive Comfort recoil reduction system
Barrel: 26 in.
Overall Length: 47 in.
Length of Pull: 14 3/8 in.
Weight: 5.3 lbs.
Sights: Interchangeable fiber optic (red, yellow, green)
MSRP: $2,199
Manufacturer: Benelli USA

Locked, Loaded, and Ready: Dive Into Shotgun Basics

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

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