With a large touch-screen display, Lyman’s Pro-Touch 1500 Reloading Scale appears more than user friendly.
With a large touch screen, Lyman's Pro-Touch 1500 Reloading Scale looks to have all the user-friendly features needed for long reloading sessions.
A couple hours squinting at a set of calipers and a reloading scale can really take its toil on your eyes. It’s one of the prices reloaders pay in putting together precision ammunition.
Lyman, however, appears ready to take pity on the souls and lens of handloaders with its new digital scale. The Connecticut manufacturer’s Pro-Touch 1500 Reloading Scale looks to have a display to make long reloading session a bit easier, at least on the eyes.
The digital device has nearly 1-inch tall numbers on its weight display, which should make it a snap to take advantage of its sensitivity. Also aiding its readability is the option to turn on soft blue back lighting that really appears to highlight the overall display.
The display is one of the most eye-catching – and saving – features of the Pro-Touch Scale, but it’s not the only one Lyman has packed into the device. As its name suggests, the scale has a slightly different operating system than most digital options today.
The company has integrated the controls into the display with the scale operated from a touch screen. This seems to have two advantages. First, the control buttons are given enough breathing room to avoid fat-fingering them, typically a rarity on devices of this size. And second, they appear to share the same attribute as the weight display – they’re easy to read.
Also, given where touch-screen technology stands today, the controls should also be more responsive than traditional push-buttons systems.
As far as what the scale is capable of, well it should handle most handloaders’ needs. The Pro-Touch has a 1,500-grain capacity and is accurate to one-tenth of a grain. As a nice touch, the scale can work in grains or grams.
The scale comes with a double-spout powder pan, a feature that makes it ambidextrous. It comes with a calibration weight, to help ensure accuracy, and also a dust cover to keep it clean and functional when not in use.
The unit can plug into any 115V wall outlet and is also available in a 230V European model. But the scale can also run off three AAA batteries if a reloader wants to do away with the hassle of wires.
Like all Lyman digital scales, the Pro-Touch 1500 is outfitted with the company’s E-Shield anti-static and anti-drift technology, fully shielding it against electronic interference. The MSRP on the scale is $99.95.
The venerable .308 Winchester, the king of short cartridges. Photo Massaro Media Group
Ever since the .308 came out, shorter cartridges have been all the rage. But short-action rounds present reloaders with a unique set of challenges in getting the most out of the cartridges. Here's a primer on reloading short magnums.
The trend to make cartridges shorter has been with us since the 1940s, with the .308 Winchester being developed to replace the .30-06 Springfield.
The .308 case spawned an entire family of cartridges, from 6mm in diameter all the way up to .358. It wasn’t long before the Remington folks developed a line of short-action magnums, namely the .350 Remington Magnum and 6.5mm Remington Magnum. They didn’t exactly set the world on fire, but when Winchester announced the WSM, or Winchester Short Magnum, line of cartridges, the game was changed, and the short-action rifles had true magnum capabilities.
To the handloader, they can deliver a whole lot of power in a tiny package, but they come with their own set of unique challenges. Let’s talk about some tips for loading for the volumetrically challenged.
Starting with the .308 family of cases, you shouldn’t really encounter a case capacity problem until you hit the .308 itself. It’s not really a problem, as much as it is a challenge to find a recipe that will deliver velocities that approach the factory standard, especially with the bullets on the heavier end of the spectrum.
Look to some of the ball powders; Hodgdon’s H380 and Winchester 748 come to mind quickly. They will fit better in the compact case, and help to avoid the compressed loads that can become a pain in the arse.
The .338 Federal amplifies the problem and the .358 Winchester, although not nearly as popular as it once was, suffers the same fate. The longer spitzers that the bigger cases in these calibers drive so well will drastically compromise the capacity of these cases. For instance, using a medium length bullet in .338, say the 210 grain Swift Scirocco II, you’ll have to compress the load to 115 percent of case capacity with certain powders to achieve respectable velocities. This will not do.
Look instead to the bullets that are flat based and of semi-spitzer ogive; they keep their weight forward and take up less room in the case. I like the lighter Swift A-Frame and the North Fork semi-spitzer for these cases, as their bonded core design will prevent premature bullet breakup.
The Short Magnums offer a different set of hurdles. Like most magnum cartridges, they will show a preference for longer bullets, and for powder charges that nearly fill the case. This may pose an issue with the longest of bullets, especially the monometal bullets that are heavy for caliber.
One of the tricks for getting the most out of short magnums, such as the .300 WSM, left, and the .270 WSM, right, is finding the right powder match. Photo Massaro Media Group
These cartridges have also given me fits when it comes to finding a powder that will deliver consistent velocities with good accuracy, especially the .270 WSM. But, I’ve found a couple of powders that have worked out, and maybe they’ll save you some time, money and stomach lining. Reloder-17, from Alliant Powder, has solved the problem in both the .270 WSM and the less-popular 7mm WSM. The .300 WSM has shown a preference for IMR4350, Reloder-19, and Accurate Mag Pro, depending on the bullet I was loading for. I haven’t loaded for the .325 WSM, but looking at the load data I’d suspect that powders of the same burn rate would be a smart place to start developing your loads.
The same can be said of the .300 and .338 Ruger Compact Magnums, and the WSSM (Winchester Super Short Magnum) cartridges; they are not very forgiving to load for, but once the solution is found, you’ll get the performance you’re after. My gut tells me that these cartridges may not be with us in the next decade, there is just not enough demand for them. Reloading may be the only way to keep these rifles fed.
When it comes to the short magnums, I’ve asked myself more than once “Are they worth it?” I’m still on the fence.
I love the .308 family of cases, as they are a breeze to load for, but the feeding issues in certain rifles, loading dilemmas, and lack of magazine capacity have kept me from choosing one for a hunting rifle. Or, mayhaps better stated, I’ve had such good fortune with the .30-06-length magnum cartridges that I haven’t yet had reason to stray.
The choice is ultimately yours, but if you choose one of the shorties I hope this information helps you on your way.
When it comes to dispelling myths about suppressors and advocating for the expanded rights of their use, few companies can hold a candle to SilencerCo. And the Utah-based manufacturer has launched an interesting new campaign to keep people informed about activism regarding the device, while promoting their many uses.
Tagged as #FightTheNoise on Twitter and Instagram, SilencerCo is attempting to mobilize political support for pro-suppressor legislation when it pops up at the state or Federal level. Along the way, the company plans to throw a little swag around.
From SilencerCo's website:
SilencerCo will reach out to you during important times of legislative action; by adding your voice, we can become that much more effective in making ourselves heard. To thank you for your support, we will send regular supply drops of #FightTheNoise propaganda and enter you into our monthly suppressor and EasyTrust™ giveaways – the winners of which are chosen solely from members of The Suppressed.
Now and then we will up the ante and choose a compatriot to receive a never¬before¬-offered gift – starting with VIP treatment at SilencerCo’s own Precision Rifle Series™ Quiet Riot Match this June. You’ll fly, stay, shoot, receive instruction from a SilencerCo product expert, and be given your own personalized rifle and silencer ¬all for free. Because leading a movement is no small feat, and we believe it should come with perks.
You can go here to learn more about SilencerCo’s campaign and how to sign up. And if you are interested in suppressor rights, also take the time to check out the American Suppressor Association, who has partnered with the manufacturer in this campaign.
Learn more about suppressors, their development and applications in the edition of Modern Shooter completely dedicated to the device. Check It Out
From concealed carry handguns, to dedicated target blasters, to exquisite show pieces for the gun collector, there is something for every handgunner in this semi-auto handgun gallery from Gun Digest 2015.
Massad Ayoob visits Glock Headquarters to check out the Glock 43, a new compact, single stack 9mm handgun.
Following a visit to Glock in Smyrna, Georgia, Mas Ayoob writes of Glock's little G43:
Neat little gun. More in common with the little Glock 42 .380 that garnered enormous sales after its introduction in January 2014 than with the “baby Glock” G26 of 1996. Shot straight and reliably during the time I had with it, though I hope to put my already-ordered test samples through more strenuous paces.
As Mas points out in the video, the much-clamored-for single-stack 9mm Glock experienced no issues that could be attributed to the gun — he notes one hiccup from a defective cartridge, and one dropped mag due to user error — and accuracy was excellent.
There is a simple equation between shooting and reloading — the more you do of one the more you do of the other.
There is typically only one barrier when it comes to slinging more lead at the reloading bench to slinging more at the range — the press. While single-stage models are the bread and butter of building a precision round, when it comes to high-volume reloading a progressive press is a must.
And this year, RCBS is really shooting to help those who chew through ammo get the lead out. The subsidiary of Minnesota-based Vista Outdoor is releasing two new progressive presses it touts as being able to churn out 600 or more rounds per hour.
The Pro Chucker 5 and Pro Chucker 7 appear to have all the bells and whistles to make them dandy ammunition factories. The latter especially has the potential to get ammo hounds’ tongues hanging.
With seven stages, the Pro Chucker 7 looks to do everything except polish the finished cartridge. The press has stations for sizing/de-priming, expansion, powder charging, powder checking, bullet feed, seating and crimping.
The Pro Chucker 5 appears to offer plenty, as well. The only stations missing on the abbreviated version are for bullet feed and crimping.
The Pro Chucker 5 is nearly identical to its bigger brother, except it is missing bullet feed and crimping stations.
One of the handier aspects of both presses, one RCBS plays up in its catalog, is their hardy automatically indexing system. The heart of this operation is a robust stud attached to the base of the press that forces the shellplate into the proper position, even it there is fouling present.
RCBS has an automatic bullet feeding system available for the new Pro Chucker 7, which should help reloaders pick up the pace. They will, however, have to manually feed the brass for the time being.
It’s reported the company has an automated brass feeding system for both models in the works, complete with electric hopper. Though it has not released when the addition will be available. But, the rear frame — of both presses — is already tapped to accept the upgrade.
Both the Pro Chucker 5 and 7 are designed for fast turnover in switching between cartridges. This is facilitated by RCBS’s Quick Change die plate and powder metering systems.
The die plate allows the integral components to be pre-adjusted and swapped out on the fly. Then the metering system can be drained of powder without having to remove the hopper from the press.
RCBS is not giving the Pro Chucker 5 and 7 away, but the systems are competitively priced compared to other progressive presses on the market. The five-station press has an MSRP of $778.95, while the seven-stage model is priced $1,098.95.
Learn ammo reloading from some of the top professionals in the field with this handy digital collection. With six indispensable references, this collection has everything you need to produce you own precision ammunition, whether for rifle, pistol or shotgun. Make Better Ammo Now
There are some valid excuses in having missed Glock’s recent endeavors into single-stack pistols.
Perhaps you’ve been on a two-year sabbatical to wildest New Guinea. Or maybe you’ve sworn off all modern media, including that new-fangled newspaper.
Really, those could be the only justifications for the Glock 42 and 43 flying under your radar, even if you're only mildly interested in handguns. The single-stack .380 ACP (G42) and 9mm (G43) have had the swarm of Glock fans buzzing since 2014.
Of course, this isn’t the Austrian/U.S. manufacturer’s first endeavor into the slim and concealable design. The company has had a single-stack .45 ACP in its catalog for the past 15 years – the venerable Glock 36.
The above video from TyFromMD, gives a pretty comprehensive overview of Glock’s very first single-stack pistol and shows it in action. Also, taking a gander at the G36 is a good reminder the company is an old hand at this design, despite the hubbub of its newest editions.
The Quick Vent Safe from Quick Safes clandestinely keeps you and your firearms safe. Disguised as a air return vent, the safe secures your handguns and valuables, and is easily accessed in a moment's notice with RFID technology. Keep Safe
By the numbers, the infamous Luger has been involved in more combat kills and casualties than any other handgun.
Collecting the timeless gunfighting pistols: The Luger, the 1911A1 and Single Action Army.
The three greatest gunfighting pistols of all time, based on the number of kills and casualties made with them, are the Luger, the M1911A1 and the Colt Single Action Army. The circumstances surrounding these exploits are not likely to ever be duplicated again so their positions seem safe for all time.
The Luger
The author believes it is the best pointing and most accurate military pistol ever issued.
Used worldwide in the first part of the 20th century, the Luger saw its greatest action in German hands during the two World Wars. It was during the First World War that it earned the distinction of being the only pistol that was a major tactical weapon capable of winning a war. But for the entry of the United States in the war, it likely would have tipped the scales in Germany’s favor.
The story is rarely told today, as the victors write the history books and the losers’ exploits are often deliberately left out whenever the history re-writers can get away with it. Such is the case with the story of the Luger.
While World War I was defined by barbed wire, machine guns and artillery, combat in the trenches was an incredibly close-quarters battle. Entrenching tools and knives often had the advantage over rifles and bayonets in the crush of battle in the confined spaces of the trenches. This is where a pistol is best. Even at the closest quarters you can hold off your enemy with your left hand while you shoot him with the pistol in your right.
It was reported that the British and the French were reluctant to issue pistols to all of their rank and file because the soldiers were mutinying in large numbers. Also, the pistol was still an officer’s badge of rank and something that just wasn’t shared with enlisted men.
The German army had a different attitude. It was run like a very strict authoritarian family. Mutiny was never a consideration. When the troops needed pistols the Fatherland set out to supply them, despite the fact that the Luger pistol cost three times as much to manufacture as the Mauser rifle.
The Luger proved up to the challenge. It took in stride the mud, dust and sand maelstrom that was a WWI artillery barrage and kept on working when the famed Smith & Wesson Triple-Lock Revolvers were jamming. It would continue firing when its barrel was bulged from being clogged with mud. A Browning-style gun with the slide over the barrel is jammed solid until a new barrel can be installed when its barrel is bulged.
This feature saved so many German lives in the First World War that when the P38 was designed, the army specifications demanded a fully exposed barrel on it. All the Luger needs for reliability is a magazine spring that is as strong as you can get in the magazine and proper ammo—standard velocity ammo of the proper overall length. Hot loads cycle the action too fast for the magazine to feed cartridges in position to chamber before the bolt rides them down. This was never a problem with German army issue ammo.
A larger problem was the fact that the average German soldier was not a pistol shooter. The Luger handled that problem better than any pistol before or since. The Luger is the best pointing pistol ever made, bar none. Just point at the target and you hit it. It is as simple as that. It is also the most accurate pistol you will ever find. Most any good Luger will shoot a 10mm group with 9mm ammo at 25 yards.
Armed with the Luger the German troops proved a terror in trench fighting. Every stormtrooper was issued one regardless of rank, and production was geared up to equip every combat soldier by late 1918 or 1919. The Luger was a key factor in the new stormtrooper tactics as well as the new infiltration strategies of General Von Hutier and Colonel Bruchmuller, which had knocked Russia out of the war. The intensity of the trench fighting and the number of kills made by the Luger was staggering.
World War II saw more intense fighting with the Luger often being used against Russian human-wave assaults. Sometimes it was the officer’s only weapon and sometimes it was the last thing he had loaded magazines for. At those close ranges one could hardly miss. Once more the tally went up drastically. Add to these figures the numbers of the other countries’ armies that used the Luger and you get a number far exceeding any other pistol.
A well-worn, pitted Remington Rand M1911A1 from WWII that will still shoot 2½-inch groups at 25 yards all day long. There is play in the slide to allow plenty of room for dirt and sand, but it does not hurt its accuracy one bit. It has never jammed under any conditions. This is a gun to stake your life on.
The 1911A1
The number two spot in numbers of enemies killed should go to the M1911A1 .45. During the first part of the 20th century Americans took great pride in their skill with a pistol. There have always been American soldiers who prefer the pistol to the rifle at close range, “close range” being a relative term that some will take out to 100 yards or more. Nothing is faster on target than a pistol and that fact has saved the life of many a pistoleer in combat.
Some readers will disagree with the author’s number two ranking of what many call the “World’s Greatest Fighting Pistol.” But remember, he is using historical numbers of kills and casualties.
Ramping up pistol production took priority over rifle production when America entered WWI. Unlike the French and British, the Americans were quick to issue pistols to anyone who needed one. WWII saw more handgun use with house-to-house and jungle fighting all within easy pistol range.
Americans got their first look at human-wave assaults with the Japanese banzai charges in the Pacific Theater. They experienced them again in Korea when the Chinese communists obeyed their Russian advisors and launched the same sort of human-wave assaults Russia had used against Germany in WWII. The M1911A1 has also seen close-quarters fighting in Vietnam and subsequent wars.
The M1911A1 is the most reliable pistol in harsh conditions that is possible to make. I have seen an M1911A1 throw sand out of every joint with the first shot and keep on firing. An unaltered military M1911A1 will tolerate more rust, dust, sand and mud than any pistol ever made and continue to fight.
Its FMJ 230-grain bullet is a sure fight stopper with a hit to the vitals. It is a natural pointer, and with a little practice many shooters can’t seem to miss with it. My Betty has shot every coin out of the air with one as long as I had pocket change to throw for her. While it comes in second to the Luger in the number of people killed with it, the M1911A1 remains the ultimate fighting pistol.
The Model 1873 Colt Single Action Army revolver with a 4¾-inch barrel in .45 Colt, the classic gunfighter’s weapon of the Old West.
Colt Single Action Army
Cocking the Colt Single Action Army is done with the thumb laid crossways over the hammer so the hand remains positioned as high as possible for accurate pointing.
Finally, we come to the classic gunfighter’s revolver, the Colt Single Action Army .45 Model of 1873. The old cowboy sixgun is what the public thinks of when they think of a gunfighter’s gun, although its tally of kills is below that of the Luger and M1911A1.
Most of its kills were racked up on the frontier where many a pistoleer insisted it was as accurate as a rifle out to long carbine ranges, and would proceed to prove it to any doubters.
Today’s shooters often can’t get the same results because they don’t grip it and cock it correctly. If you cock it like you would a double-action revolver with the thumb held lengthways behind the hammer, it will throw your grip low to the round bottom of the gun, and it will tend to shoot to one side or another without ever pointing very well.
The correct way is to lay the thumb crossways on the hammer and cock it as you would one of the old cap-and-ball Colts with the vertical hammer. This throws your grip high. You should have the cocked hammer forced against the top of your hand, with the ball of the hand behind the trigger finger squeezing one of the flat Colt logo panels, and the thumb squeezing against the other.
The old gunfighter’s secret grip is necessary to make the Colt Single Action point its best. The palm of the hand is against the backstrap, not beside it. The grip is as high as possible with the hammer spur digging into the back of the hand. The flat Colt logo panels at the top of the grip are squeezed between the thumb and the ball of the hand at the base of the trigger finger, both of which are angled downward. The trigger is hooked by the first joint of the trigger finger, while the tip of the trigger touches the tip of the thumb. Squeezing the flat logo panels aligns the gun with whatever you are pointing at, and squeezing the trigger is converted into a steadying force instead of a disruptive force – enabling the shooter to get the maximum accuracy from the gun and cartridge.
Put the first joint of the trigger finger over that narrow trigger, and if possible touch the tip of the trigger finger to the tip of the thumb. This puts the gun’s backstrap against the center of the palm of your hand. Squeezing the flat logo panels aligns the sights with whatever you are pointing at, and squeezing the trigger at the same time converts the act of pulling the trigger into a steadying affect, instead of disrupting the aim.
This is the only pistol I have shot like this. Many people say the single action rolls back in the hand with recoil. I have never felt any recoil nor have I experienced the gun moving in my hand with this grip. This is an old gunfighter’s secret and I believe I’m the only writer ever to put it in print.
The 19th century design of the SAA does have its limitations. Since it lacks a hammer bar safety like later revolvers, it must be carried with the hammer down over an empty chamber for safety. This is accomplished by loading one chamber, skipping one, loading four and then cocking. You can now lower the hammer down on an empty chamber.
Since it is almost as slow to reload as a cap-and-ball revolver using paper cartridges, you don’t want to take this gun into a gunfight where you have more than five opponents. However, it is so fast and sure with those five shots that you will find it an excellent choice for five or fewer enemies. The .45 Colt, like the .45 ACP, was designed to stop a 1,500-pound cavalry horse with one shot, which it does easily. Obviously, man stopping comes easy with either caliber.
These pistols all share an ease of accuracy due to the best pointing characteristics possible. They are all very reliable in service use – with the M1911A1 being the most reliable pistol of all time. Even today there is no handgun approaching its level of effectiveness in combat. Anyone planning on using a pistol for gunfighting should confine his search to these three.
This article is excerpted from the Gun Digest 2015 annual book.
A Ruger LCR decked out with Hogue Grips, in this case the polymer G10s.
In no small way, Ruger has helped reinvent the concealed carry revolver.
With the New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer’s LCR offering shooters options weighing in at less than a pound, the wheelguns are more than designed to be constant companions.
There, however, can be a price to pay in wielding the light polymer-frame firearms – recoil and muzzle flip. Ruger, in part, has helped combat these challenges by the inclusion of the Hogue Tamer Monogrip.
Now, shooters can further tailor their purchase of the concealable revolvers with Hogue enlarging its grip selection for the LCR series.
The Nevada manufacturer has expanded its Tamer line with a number of new options for the handguns. And it has introduced a couple of new models custom fit for the LCRs with enclosed hammers.
The two choices that are compatible with the entire series of the Ruger revolvers are Hogue’s OverMolded Rubber Grips with finger grooves and a full-sized model without finger grooves. Each offers shooters a bit different option, depending on their needs.
The grooved model gives shooters a strong positive grip on their revolver and tactile reference points that can be key for a smooth draw. It also provides a non-slip texture, boasting a grippy over-stippled surface, common to the OverMolded line.
The grooveless option possesses similar stippling as the aforementioned model, but it has slightly different dimensions. The grip features a longer butt, which allots maximum recoil damping and accommodates shooters with larger hands.
Hogue’s full-size Tamer grips are just the ticket for those with larger hands or looking for more recoil absorption.
The models absorb much of the recoil due to their unique design. In addition to their exterior rubber, the grips also have internal rubber inserts that further reduce the guns' kick. Also, they feature in ingenious harden polymer guide embedded on the left side for speed loaders.
Hogue has also released a special Tamer for LCR models with enclosed hammers. The company’s Bantam Boot is designed to facilitate a clean draw, particularly if the revolver is carried in a pocket.
It achieves this by the inclusion of a smooth polymer exterior that minimizes clothing snags. The grip still gives shooters a firm handle, however, with the incorporation of rubber strips on the front and back of the grips.
Hogue has also introduced a second grip option for LCRs with encased hammers, its G10 model. The hard polymer grips gives shooters a more traditional choice that draws clean, while still offering a firm handle on the revolver through aggressive stippling.
The MSRP on the OverMolded and G10 grips range from $59.95 to $79.95. Each variety of grip is available in a number of colors.
Gun Digest Publisher Jim Schlender was invited March 3 to Glock’s factory in Smyrna, Ga., for what he thought was just going to be a tour of the production floor. But when he was asked to autograph a disclosure statement, he knew this was not going to be an ordinary tramp around Glock’s digs. And it wasn’t.
Turned out Mr. Schlender was part of a very select group of gun scribes that got the first gander at one of the most anticipated pistols in a spell — the Glock 43.
Yes, the mythical single-stack 9mm was finally a reality and our Publisher got to be one of the first ones outside the gun company to pull the trigger on one. His first impressions of the petite polymer striker-fired — slim, trim and manageable to shoot:
Most noticeable when you handle and fire the new pistol is that the grip has shrunk from the G26’s 1.2 inches to an inch at its widest point, with the slide at .87-inch. In the world of compact 9s, those fractions of inches are a very big deal. Just as importantly for those on a quest for a little 9 that’s still large enough to actually shoot well but isn’t cumbersome to carry, the G43 weighs in at only a pound unloaded. Compared to the G26’s nearly 22 ounces unloaded, this is a substantial difference.
On the firing line, I found the G43 had enough weight and bulk to make stout 9mm defense ammo manageable while its trimmed-down profile was slim enough to quiet any objections by those who, for whatever reason, find a double-stack configuration to their dislike.
Glock is set to formally introduce the G43 at the April 10-12 NRA annual meetings and convention, held this year in Nashville, Tenn. Until then, here’s a bunch of photos from the head honcho’s sneak peak at the 9mm. Yeah, we know, it's not the same as shooting it yourself.
The Faro Adapter allows the SCAR to cut a trimmer figure with the addition of an AR buttstock.
While the FN-SCAR itself is a slick and dependable rifle, for many shooters its buttstock leaves something to be desired. Despite the convenience of folding, it is bulky and the platform doesn't offer many aftermarket upgrades.
Mesa Tactical, however, might have a solution for SCAR fans shooting for a slighter silhouette on their firearm. The California accessories manufacturer has recently introduced a system that opens the floodgates in regards to the rifle’s rear furniture.
The company is giving shooters of the short-stroke gas piston rifle more stock options through the release of its Faro Adapter. The accessory appears to be just a little piece of metal, but attached to a SCAR, it makes nearly any AR-style stock available for use.
Replacing the SCAR’s buttstock assembly, the cast aluminum adapter is designed to accept almost any rifle- or carbine-length buffer tube. From there, it is just a matter of selecting which stock is right for that particular shooter.
The Faro Adapter is simple in design, but opens a wealth of stock options on the SCAR.
The addition of the adapter does change, somewhat, the characteristics of the platform, such as the comb height in relation to the SCAR's top Picatinny rail. But this relationship will be familiar to many shooters, as it is identical to that of a flat top AR.
The Faro Adapter is designed to quickly adopt a popular tactical system as well, with steel ambidextrous push-button style QD Sling attachment points.
The adapter is available for both the SCAR 16S and SCAR 17S and comes in a matte black or flat dark earth finish. The company also has made available telescoping stock adapters that are compatible with nearly any AR buttstock.
Perhaps the only drawback to the Faro Adapter system is it takes away the folding function of the SCAR’s proprietary buttstock. For many, however, it is a compromise they are willing to make, given the options the adapter opens.
The MSRP on the Faro Adapter is $65 for black finish and $75 for Flat Dark Earth. The MSRP for the adapter and receiver extension is $110 for black finish and $120 for Flat Dark Earth.
Despite having the potential case capacity to really throw a heavy bullet down range, those who reload for the .22-250 are typically stuck with lighter projectiles, given the slow twist rate of their rifles.
When chewing over potential bullet weights, it is key to take a firearm's barrel twist rate into consideration. It can determine the best bullet for your intended application.
I own and love a Ruger Model 77, in .22-250 Remington.
It has a Hogue overmolded stock, a sweet Timney trigger, and a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20x40AO riflescope, and I love this rifle. But this rifle suffers from an affliction, an affliction that I despise. It cannot shoot bullets heavier than 55 grains. This makes me sad, because if any case could push the 69, 77, 80 grain and heavier .224 bullets, it would be the .22-250 and the .220 Swift.
But, alas, they can’t. Why, you ask? I’m glad you did.
The simple reason that my little beloved rifle is limited to the 55 grainers and under is the rate of twist of my barrel. The standard Ruger twist rate for the .22-250 Remington is 1:14”, so that the bullet will make one complete revolution in 14 inches of barrel length. This twist rate is too slow to stabilize bullets longer than 55 grains; those longer bullets need to spin faster in order to maintain a stable flight pattern downrange.
If the bullet loses its stability, it will start to tumble in flight, and will strike the target in some sort of sideways fashion, leaving a hole in the target much larger than caliber sized. It can resemble the side profile of the bullet; it is better known among shooters as “keyholing”, because the impression on the target looks just like the keyhole of yesteryear.
Bullet stabilization is a funky thing. As bullets get longer they need to spin faster to stay stable in flight. This is the very physical property that has broken, or at least tarnished, the reputations of several great cartridges throughout history.
The .308 Winchester comes immediately to mind. It is my father’s favorite cartridge of all time, and as an inquisitive youth, I looked up the bullet weights and couldn’t figure out why it could use all the .30 caliber bullets, with the exception of 220 grains and heavier. Pop told me it was case capacity, but I found out otherwise. The .30-’06 uses a twist rate of 1:10” and the .308 Winchester uses (or I might say, “used.” Things have changed) a 1:12″, and that slight difference precludes the .308 from stabilizing the 220-grain bullets.
The .244 Remington is another example of twist-rate-mortality. Based on the 7x57mm Mauser case, the .244 could, potentially, drive the 6mm bullets to wonderful velocities. However, the Remington developers used a 1:12” twist rate, which can stabilize 90-grain bullets at the heaviest.
As the 6mm bores were conceived as a dual-purpose deer/varmint round, shooters wanted to utilize the 100 and 105-grain bullets for deer. The .243 Winchester, based on the smaller .308 Winchester (51mm long) case, was conceived with a 1:9” twist, and could stabilize the longer, heavier bullets with no issue at all. The history is written, and the .244, even after the twist rate change and a new moniker of “6mm Remington,” lost the market share and popularity contest long ago.
It was a mystery to the author growing up why the .308 Winchester wasn’t then compatible with a 220-grain bullet. With some investigation, he discovered it was the twist rates available at that time in that cartridge that limited it.
How do we handloaders use this information for our purposes? Sometimes, when looking at a particular bullet to play with, we should know whether or not the case (and barrel) we are loading for can handle it.
Berger Bullets has a twist rate calculator on their website, and it can be very handy. Firstly, you need to know the twist rate of your barrel. Using a cleaning rod and a tight patch, you can make a mark on the top of the rod, and measure the distance along the rod once it makes one full revolution. Knowing the twist rate of the barrel, you can plug in the data and the calculator will tell you the bullet weights that you twist rate and caliber will stabilize best.
After all, there’s no point in throwing lead knuckleballs after you’ve loaded all that ammo so carefully.
This comes via a Gun Digest editor who was de-junking some draws. It’s a raffle ticket from a couple years back he bought on a grouse-hunting trip to northern Wisconsin. To some, the idea of a gun raffle — with proceeds going to the local school — held at the local tavern (after the pie auction, of course) seems a bit out of the ordinary. As for us, we believe there would be a heck of a lot fewer budgetary shortfalls if more school followed Lugerville and other small towns' leads.
The American university has become known for encouraging an experimental attitude in its students. That’s leading to results some of those institutions may never have expected.
Collegiate competitive shooting is on the upswing, according to a recent article in the Washington Post. And swelling the ranks of these teams and clubs are, in many cases, newly minted shooters.
The above video from the Post, provides a good example in Renee Murphy. The captain of the George Mason University Trap and Skeet Club said she picked up a gun for the first time shortly before heading off to college, then pretty much joined the school’s club on a whim.
The other interesting aspect of the uptick in college-level competitive shooting is where it’s happening. The article begins by profiling competitors at MIT, then goes on to list a number of unexpected institutions:
Teams are thriving at a diverse range of schools: Yale, Harvard, the University of Maryland, George Mason University, and even smaller schools such as Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and Connors State College in Oklahoma.
“We literally have way more students interested than we can handle,” said Steve Goldstein, one of MIT’s pistol coaches.
While interest in these sports is picking up there are many hints dropped in the article that these schools have a long history behind the trigger. Take MIT's practice facilities, for instance:
MIT’s pistol and rifle teams practice about four times a week underneath a gym. The range seems Paleolithic compared with higher-end establishments with expensive electronic target retrieval systems. Students send and retrieve their targets on a metal wire by winding a hand crank. Shooting booths are separated by window screens.
Interestingly, at least for the engineering school, its aging facilities are juxtaposed against its cutting-edged athletes:
Students use air guns and standard .22-caliber competition rifles and pistols. In a pinch, they have made tiny replacement parts for grips with a 3-D printer, giving them an advantage over less tech-savvy schools.
Of course, this being an article in a publication a bit less enthusiastic about competitive shooting than say Gun Digest, there tends to be low-key pearl clutching. In particular, the article wants to make it clear that the surge is due to gun industry money:
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), a powerful firearms lobbying group, has awarded more than $1 million in grants since 2009 to start about 80 programs. A couple who own a large firearms accessories company created the MidwayUSA Foundation, funding it with nearly $100 million to help youth and college programs, including MIT’s. The National Rifle Association organizes pistol and rifle tournaments, including the national championships next weekend in Fort Benning, Ga.
It would have been nice to have had some context to how this sports-wide boosterism compares to other such athletic support at the college level. Wonder if it's more or less than what the athletic shoe industry money has donated to University of Oregon football via Nike founder Phil Knight. Oh well, guess we'll never know.
Don’t let that nit picking sour you on reading the entire article, because it’s worth the time. If anything, it’s heartening to hear about a new generation of shooters discover the joy of a steady hand, sharp eye and crisp trigger break.
The .338 Lapua Mag. dates to 1983, when Research Armament Industries, in the U.S., outlined plans for a sniper cartridge driving a 250-grain .338 bullet at 3,000 fps. The sleek FMJ missile would penetrate five layers of body armor at 1,000 meters (1,094 yards).
RAI chose the Rigby case, for its modern rimless design and great capacity. But the .416 was born in a gentler time and configured for a maximum pressure of 47,137 psi.
The .338 Lapua (left) has a big advantage downrange over the .300 Winchester and .30-06.
The new .338 would exceed that limit. To guard against unacceptable case stretching and possible separation, the Rigby’s hull would get a thicker, harder web. RAI contacted BELL (Bell Extrusion Laboratories) of Bensenville, Illinois, to make the brass.
Alas, the first batch didn’t meet specs. In 1984, after building a test rifle and procuring bullets from Hornady, RAI looked to Lapua for help in pushing the project forward. Shortly thereafter, financial difficulties forced RAI out. The .338-416 project was officially cancelled.
Lapua found it worth pursuing. Partnering with Accuracy International, a young British firm, Lapua changed the dimensions and composition of the Rigby hull to brook pressures exceeding 60,000 psi.
Not only was the web thicker, brass hardness was engineered in a gradient from hard to soft, base to mouth. Lapua designed a 250-grain FMJ bullet, designating it the “LockBase B408.”
The .338 Norma (left) and parent Lapua are champs at four-digit yardages. Snipers agree!
The .338 Lapua was registered, in 1989, with the CIP (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l’Epreuve des Armes a Feu Portatives). Europe’s CIP is the equivalent of SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute), in the U.S. Both organizations provide manufacturing standards for the firearms industry.
Data for the .338 Lapua specifies a maximum pressure of 60,916 psi (piezo measure). During its development, the 300-grain Sierra MatchKing was not yet in production.
Lapua’s 250-grain LockBase VLD bullet, and the 250 Scenar, met the 3,000-fps target, generating about 4,890 ft-lbs at the muzzle. A hunting load hurling a 250-grain Nosler Partition clocked 2,940 fps. Current loads with 300-grain Sierra MatchKings exit at 2,710 fps. Lapua’s 300-grain Scenars reach 2,750 fps, carry 5,000 ft-lbs.
This is a fairly interesting twist on a ballistics experiment that has been performed many times before. Only instead of launching a bullet into a swimming pool or a tank of water the folks at NatGeo TV have opted for water balloons. Even if you have a good idea of the end results of using a .44 Magnum to pop water balloons, the video is worth a watch given some spectacular high-speed footage at the end.
The GunMate Range Bag helps you stay organized at the range! Features: main compartment covered by a rollup flap with zippers, removable hook-and-loop dividers, lockable zippered side compartments that each hold a removable padded pistol rug. The bag is ideal for carrying two handguns, spotting scope, shooting glasses and whatever else you might need. Check Out the Deal
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
