Every rifle Patrick Sweeney owns has had the following things checked and, if need-be, tended to. It just so happens that winter is the ideal time for these easy AR-15 DIY projects.
Gas keys have to be tight, and the best way to make sure they stay tight is to stake the screws in. That means a MOACKS.
Chamber check for 5.56 leade, with M-guns gauge. If not 5.56, it gets M-guns 5.56 reamed. (I long ago gave up checking headspace, as the problem has not been a problem for so long, it wasn’t worth the effort. Someday that will “bite” me, but until then….)
AR-15 rifles with .223 Remington leades have caused more problems than anything else with the exception of the next step.
The only barrels not to be reamed are those which have been treated to the Melonite process. This makes the steel surface so hard it will take the edge off the leade reamer. The carrier key is staked, double-staked, and if I thought it would help and still had the tools, I’d tack-weld the thing on.
Gas blow-by from the carrier key is the cause of many other problems, problems that have in the past been erroneously attributed to other sources.
This calls for use of the MOACKS (carrier key staking tool), after disassembling, cleaning and then applying Loctite.
If the stock is a fixed stock, A1 or A2, I make sure it is tight. The A1/A2 gets the screw removed and checked. If it has a nylon locking section, great. If it has a smear of blue Loctite, fine. If not, I use blue and tighten it down.
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If it is a tele-stock, I make sure everything is tight and aligned, and I then stake the castle nut.
I take off the pistol grip, remove the spring that activates the selector plunger, and apply a small wedge/diamond of masking tape to it. I then jam the spring back down into the pistol grip, tape end first. The tape makes sure the spring doesn’t fall out when next I disassemble the pistol grip.
I do all the inspections I’ve described, to make sure all the parts are there, tight, straight, and properly secured. I then paint-in the various parts that might try to move, such as BUIS, and then I’m done.
Well, done until the next round of experimentation, adjustment, trying new gear, etc.
Ruger has reintroduced its 22 Charger pistol with some wrinkles to make it a perfect plinker.
Ruger has never shied away from unique firearms designs – the 22 Charger is an example. And the rimfire pistol has returned in all its glory, now available in two models to suit nearly any plinking need.
If anything can be said about Ruger, the gun maker has never shied away from unique firearm designs. The 22 Charger is one shining example.
The .22 rimfire, introduced in 2007, cuts one of the most recognizable silhouettes in the world of firearms. Its long frame, with a 10-inch barrel and 10/22 receiver mounted on it, seemingly begs shooters to blow an afternoon or whole day plinking away.
After a short absence from the market, Ruger has reintroduced the Charger. And the New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer appears to have thrown some interesting twists into the pistol’s design.
The most striking tweak Ruger has made is offering two models of the Charger. The company has retained the classic fixed frame, but also thrown a takedown model into the mix.
The new variant makes sense, given the size of the firearm. At 19.25-inches in overall length, the pistol definitely does not fall into the sub-compact category. With the ability to effectively halve the Charger’s length, the pistol will most likely make more camping trips and the like.
The takedown model weighs a hair more than the classic. It tips the scales at 3.22 pounds, 1.44 ounces more than the classic. And the takedown model has a green laminate stock, compared to the classic’s brown.
The dissimilarities between the models, however, end there. Both models of the new Charger feature a number of upgrades that follow some popular shooting trends.
Ruger has embraced the modular movement with the new charger, outfitting them with A2-style pistol grips. The grips are familiar to a wide swath of the shooting world and can be easily swapped out with any preferred AR grips.
The takedown model of the 22 Charger makes the pistols size much more manageable.
The company has also made the gun easier to add optics to, doing away with the old scope base. A factory mounted Picatinny rail has taken its place, making a red-dot sight or scope a snap to throw on top of the receiver.
Ruger has also opted for more capacity with the Charger, including one BX-15, 15-round magazine. The earlier iteration of the pistol included Ruger’s 10-round rotary magazine.
Both Chargers, like the original, are shipped with a bi-pod, which can be attached to the stock without tools. It is held in place by a swivel stud, located at the forend of the firearm.
The pistols also have ½”-28 threaded barrels that accept most flash hiders and suppressors. The barrels themselves are cold hammer forged and boast 1:16” rifling.
Going pistol in 10/22 costs a bit more than going carbine. The classic Charger has an MSRP of $309, with the takedown model is listed at $409.
Ruger’s decision to pull the Super Redhawk (SRH) in .480 Ruger from production several years back sent a shockwave through the ranks of .480 aficionados across the land. But now the big bore is back — with a vengeance.
Think about this: if Ruger won’t produce a revolver chambered in .480 Ruger, why would anyone else? Was Ruger sounding the death knell of the .480? Apparently not. It’s okay to relax and let your guard down now, as the .480 SRH is back, tanned, rested and ready to wreak havoc on the hunt.
But let’s back up to 2001. Ruger had just released a new Super Redhawk in a proprietary cartridge bearing its name (the first cartridge to ever bear the Ruger moniker), resplendent in the love-it-or-hate-it Target Gray finish. Upon returning to California from an overseas assignment, as was my habit in those days, after being away for year-long stretches, I dropped in on my local gun shop to say hello and catch up (and, inevitably, buy more guns). In the display case, drawing me toward it like a beacon, was the new .480 Ruger Super Redhawk, in all its gray glory and big-bore perfection.
Ruger’s advertising campaign of the day boasted more energy than the .44 Magnum and less recoil than the .454 Casull—both stable mates in the Super Redhawk lineup. For me at least, the .480 SRH looked to be the perfect Goldilocks cartridge. However, with the big revolver arms race heating up, the great idea of the .480 Ruger never stood a chance. It couldn’t brag having the most size, the most velocity or the most muzzle energy. Those attributes were being rightfully claimed by Smith & Wesson. However, those in the know recognized that the .480 Ruger was merely a cut-down .475 Linebaugh. In hardcore handgun hunting circles, John Linebaugh’s creation, the .475 Linebaugh, has earned legendary status as one of the preeminent big-game revolver cartridges.
The first handful of factory loads offered the public did not show the true potential of this cartridge and were overshadowed by the aggressive marketing of the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum, and later, the .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum. The lightest load featured a jacketed hollow-point of 275 grains, the other two loads featuring 325-grain bullets at an advertised 1,325 fps.
Max broke in the new .480 SRH on a couple of small wild hogs in North Carolina, accompanied by Buffalo Creek Guide Service (buffalocreekguideservice.com). Handloads featuring 220-grain Cutting Edge Bullets Raptors at 1,700 fps were used to dispatch the two barbeque hogs. Author Photo
Like the .454 Casull version of the Super Redhawk, the .480’s cylinder is also carved out of special high-strength steel called “465 Carpenter,” a steel that was torture tested by Ruger to make absolutely certain it was up to the task of repeated 65,000 psi abuse, such as only the .454 Casull can dish out. While the cylinder walls are thinner on the .480 iteration, the maximum pressure specification for the .480 Ruger is considerably lower than Dick Casull’s wonder cartridge.
The Redhawk’s Return
The big news for 2014 is the return of the .480 Ruger Super Redhawk. Plagued with purported sticky extraction since its inception in 2001, the on-again, off-again .480 Ruger SRH is back for good now. Upon first glance, the new .480 SRH is basically the same. Under more careful scrutiny, some differences present themselves, most notably the front sight and the thing it’s attached to.
Back now with only one barrel length offered, a 7½-inch bull barrel (without taper), a revised front sight and new chamber dimensions (remember the complaint about the .480 Ruger SRH has always been a sticky extraction), I acquired the first new .480 SRH to leave the factory. Gone is the love-it-or-hate-it Target Gray finish and in its place is an attractive satin stainless steel finish. Ruger engineers cited that the wear characteristics of the gray finish were not up to its standards, and that once the finish became worn, it could not be touched up or reapplied. Since Target Gray met with mixed reviews from the start, the decision was made to discontinue it.
Gone from the product lineup is the 9½-inch barreled version of the .480 Super Redhawk; I personally felt that barrel length made for a cumbersome and rather unwieldy revolver, so it won’t be missed by me. Even the 7½-inch version is a bit on the long side for my tastes, but I can live with it, particularly when a revolver proves to be as unbelievably accurate as this one, but more on that later.
Hogue’s excellent Tamer grips now come standard on all Super Redhawk models, a welcome addition; adding those grips is a change I have made to every SRH I have owned in the past. The Tamers come with an integral Sorbathane insert in the backstrap area that rests in the web of your hand, precisely where hard-kicking double-action revolvers deliver their punishment. Another pleasant surprise was the creep-less trigger pull that came in at right around four pounds in single-action mode.
The Prodigal Gun didn’t disappoint at the range. I fitted the new Super Redhawk with an Ultradot 30 red dot-type sight mounted via Ruger’s 30mm rings (the rings supplied with the SRH are of the 25mm, or one-inch variety). Not the ideal set-up for shooting groups off of the bench, I was more concerned with performance in the field on game.
I hit the range with a number of factory loads before developing my own, just to get a baseline and to see how the new SRH would perform. The SRH delivered consistent accuracy, the likes of which I have rarely encountered—especially from a production handgun right out of the box. In the Field
The game test would be in Argentina. I booked a hunt with Caza y Safaris (cazaysafaris.com) for water buffalo in the province of Buenos Aires. I loaded up CEB’s 340-grain solid bullets (made of copper), at right around 1,300 fps. We spent hours in the mild weather playing cat and mouse games with a small herd of water buffalo.
My first shot was at 30 yards, a double lung hit, but despite the mortal wound, I unloaded into the fleeing animal, my PH firing as well, to prevent the buffalo from going to water and making recovery problematic. Unequivocally, I am of the mindset that a hunter shoots until his game is down for good. The 1,500-pound bull went less than 25 yards before piling up and succumbing to the .480 Ruger. I am pleased that the .480 Ruger SRH is back.
The Super Redhawk platform is able to handle the most powerful revolver cartridges ever created. The look may not be for everyone, but there is pure beauty in function for me, and if beauty is measured by function, the Super Redhawk in .480 Ruger is Miss Universe.
IWI has two new UZI models on tap for the new year. The UZI PRO SB (above) comes outfitted with a collapsible brace.
Two semi-automatic versions of the famed UZI sub-machine gun will debut at the 2015 SHOT Show.
There is no mistaking an UZI.
The submachine gun’s boxy lines and snub-nosed barrel are among the most recognizable in the world of firearms. And soon, the iconic gun will be available to US shooters.
Israel Weapons Industries US will debut two semiautomatic versions of the firearm at the 2015 SHOT Show. The UZI PRO and UZI PRO SB might not feature the incredible rate of fire of Uziel Gal’s original creation, but they certainly appear to have plenty to offer shooters.
The UZI PRO and PRO SB each have advanced polymer pistol grips, incorporating integrated magazine releases for fast reloads. The 9mm pistols have cocking handles located on the receiver, allowing for a full-length Picattiny rail on the top of the pistols. And they each have a short rail below the barrel, giving the smallish platform more room for accessories.
There is, however, a big difference between the two models. The PRO is configured in the classic pistol style, while the PRO SB comes outfitted with a stabilizing brace.
The side-folding brace is produced by SB Tactical, the innovators of braces for AR-style pistols and other large-format pistols. There was no length given for the brace, but it appears in pictures equal to the 9.5-inch long UZI pistol.
UZIs are among the most recognizable firearms in the world.
The blow-back operated pistols have 4.5-inch cold-hammer forged barrels, which are outfitted with 1:10” twist rifling. The PRO and PRO SB are both listed with a weight of 3.66 pounds; it’s a fair guess the SB actually is a bit heavier with its brace.
The pistols have a conventional manual thumb safety, a firing pin block and a grip safety that must be depressed before the gun can be cocked and fired. The guns come with two magazines, one with a 20-round capacity, the other 25 round.
Owning an UZI doesn’t come cheap, even as a semiautomatic variant. But the pistols don’t exactly break the bank either. The UZI PRO has an MSRP of $1,109 and the UZI PRO SB is listed at $1,309.
Lupua has a slew of new ammunition and reloading products that should catch shooters' eyes.
The clock is ticking down for the 2015 SHOT Show, which means more and more companies are leaking their new products for the coming year. One of the most recent to let the cat out of the bag is one of Europe’s largest ammunition manufacturers.
Lapua recently announced it is adding four new products to its catalog, and each has the potential to intrigue a wide swath of the shooting world. Check out what the Finnish company (part of the NAMMO Group) has in store.
.300 AAC Blackout Cartridges Of all the new products Lapua has slated, this has the potential to be the most significant. The addition of the 300 Blackout should reach more shooters than any other product the company is introducing, given the growing popularity of the round.
The Blackout has found a place in the shooting world among those searching for a 30-caliber round that performs well in the AR-15. It has also developed fans due to its supressability when loaded as a sub-sonic round.
While the company has announced it is adding the 300 Blackout to its catalog, it did not release the specs for the cartridge.
ScenarL Bullet
The brand name Scenar is familiar to competitive shooters. The line of match bullets have captured their share or records since their introduction in the 1980s.
Lapua is introducing a new generation of their high-performance projectile in its ScenarL line. However, the company has not attempted to reinvent the wheel with the new bullets.
The bullets themselves have not been redesigned, instead the manufacturing process has been refined. The company promises a high-precision product in its press release, touting the ScenarL line’s:
Closer weight tolerances, tighter jacket wall concentricity standards, and greater uniformity in every dimension, starting from the gilding metal cup, lead wire and jacket forming, ending up to core-jacket assembly, boat tail pressing and tipping.
ScenarL Bullets
ScenarL Cartridges
.224 (5.69mm/.224) 4.5g/69gr.
.223Rem. 4.5g/69gr.
.224 (5.69mm/.224) GB545 5.0g/77gr.
6mm BR 6.8g/105gr.
6mm (6.16mm/.243) 5.8g/90gr
6,5×47 Lapua 7.8g/120gr
6mm (6.16mm/.243) 6.8g/105gr
6,5×47 Lapua 8.8g/136gr
6.5mm (6.72mm/.264) 7.8g/120gr
6,5×55 SE (slow) 7.8g/120gr
6.5mm (6.72mm/.264) 8.8g/136gr
6,5×55 SE (fast) 7.8g/120gr
.30 (7.83mm/.308) 10.0g/155gr
6,5×55 SE 8.8g/136gr
.30 (7.83mm/.308) 11.3g/175gr
.308 Win. 11.3/175gr
.30 (7.83mm/.308) 14.3g/220gr
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.30 (7.83mm/.308) 14.3g/220gr
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.30 (7.83mm/.308) 14.3g/220gr
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7mm-08 Remington, 8x57mm IS Brass
Lapua has expanded its reloading options in 2015, adding cases for the 7mm-08 Remington and 8x57mm IS. The 7mm-08 Remington is popular in High Power Silhouette competition round, as well as a respected hunting cartridge. While the 8x57mm IS has been a staple of the European hunting community for more than a century. Lapua has long been praised for the tight tolerance and attention to detail in the production of its brass.
If you’re a .380 ACP fan, then 2014 was your year.
The market was flooded with handguns chambered for the John M. Browning-designed cartridge, fueled by the growing interest in concealed carry. And the field got a bit more crowded before the New Year, with a manufacturer familiar with the .380 introducing a new pistol in the caliber.
Bersa added another .380 to its roster, expanding its Concealed Carry line with the BP380. And while the company already produces a highly popular .380 pistol – the Thunder – its new offering definitely seems to fill a place in the Argentinean manufacturer’s catalog.
The new BP380 offers shooters a polymer-framed option in the caliber that is also striker fired. Both have been among the most popular features in recent years for those hunting for a concealed carry pistol.
The new handgun is identical in size and shape of earlier models in the Concealed Carry line, which should be good news for anyone intrigued with the pistol. The pistols appear to have the dimensions to make them comfortable carry pieces.
Like the 9mm and 40 S&W models, the BP380 tips the scales at 21.5 ounces and has an overall length of 6.35 inches. But the tale of the tape that really catches the eye is the pistol’s width – a mere .94 inches. In addition to reducing printing, the slenderness of the pistol has the potential to make it a popular option for those who carry inside the waistband.
The pistol boasts a 3.3-inch barrel, a factor in its concealability. But, the shorter barrel has the potential to increase the felt recoil and muzzle flip compared to larger pistols. These issues, as with many in shooting, can be addressed if a person is dedicated to learning how to handle the idiosyncrasies of the firearm.
Like the 9mm model, the BP380’s single-stack magazine holds eight rounds and has a loaded-chamber indicator that is both visual and tactile. The pistol also have a number of safety features, including a trigger safety, integral locking system, magazine disconnect, trigger safety and an automatic firing-pin safety.
The BP380 is outfitted with three-dot sights. If the system isn’t what a shooter wants, they are interchangeable with any aftermarket options compatible Sig Sauer #8 (front) and Glock (rear). Bersa also offers some cosmetic choices for its new pistol. The BP380 comes in a matte black finish or duotone.
The new pistol MSRP is in the neighborhood of many comparable handguns, presently listed at $430.
If it has to do with tactical and the AR-15 rifle, it’s probably for sale at Black Weapons Armory.
Late this summer, the top rifles he is selling are higher-end AR’s, especially those made by LWRC International, gun department manager Tommy Rompel said.
The R.E.P.R. by LWRC, in 7.62 NATO, and LWRC’s M6 Individual Carbine, 5.56 NATO, are currently tops with his customers, says Rompel. The R.E.P.R. sells for over $3,000, the M6 for around $2,200.
Entry-level AR’s are being discounted from his suppliers at 10 to 20-percent versus prices from just six months ago, but buyers really have not reacted to the potential savings, Rompel notes.
Trijicon and AimPoint are his best movers in optics. Customers especially like the Trijicon ACOG TA31 and TA11 models, priced at right around $1,300 apiece.
Rompel could sell a lot more ball ammunition in the 9mm, .40S&W, and .45 ACP handgun calibers. Could. But his distributors can’t seem to find much of it.
“It just looks to us like the ammo makers just are not making that much ball ammo right now. We’re not sure why,” he said.
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the Aug. 28, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to the AR-15 by Richard A. Mann presents a comprehensive and user-friendly look at today’s most popular modern sporting rifle. Among a wide variety of topics, the firearms expert and noted author provides helpful ammunition and accuracy tips, an explanation of the AR platform, a wide range of AR-15 applications, and much more, enhanced by 250 black and white photos. Keep up with the increasing popularity of the versatile AR-15 with this indispensable shooter’s guide.
Hornady's first and only rifle is presently up for auction – The Hornady Number One. Photo: Gun Broker.
Hornady is better known for manufacturing reloading supplies and ammunition. But the renowned company has recently taken a foray into gun making, producing a one-of-a-kind Hornady rifle now up for auction.
Anyone who’s been around shooting for any amount of time is quick to recognize the name Hornady.
The Nebraska manufacturer has more than made a name for itself churning out bullets, reloading supplies and ammunition for the past half century. But for the first time, the iconic moniker is hanging off something besides Hornady’s cherry-red presses and cartridge headstamps.
The company recently announced it has produced its first and only firearm – The Hornady Number One. And while the thought of another gun company hitting the market might appeal to some, the higher-ups at Hornady are quick to quell any expectations.
“We don't mean to alarm our friends at Remington, Winchester or Ruger. Hornady has no plans of going into the gun business,” Steve Hornady, Hornady president said in a press release.
The Hornady Number One is presently up for sale at Gunbroker and as of Dec. 31 had a top bid of $22,025. And the shooting world will get a gander at the rifle first hand at the upcoming 2015 SHOT Show as one of the convention’s featured firearms.
The firearm was manufactured to help raise money for organizations and programs that promote America's hunting and shooting sports heritage. All proceeds from the rifle's sale will go to such programs and organizations.
While Hornady’s name is on the bolt-action .300 Ruger Compact Magnum, the company gives credit to many others. Hunting Heritage Trust was pointed to as a partner in the rifle’s creation, as well as a number of respected names in the shooting sports industry.
Bill Wiseman & Company, Inc. of College Station, Texas was credited for crafting the precision barrel and action of The Hornady Number One. And a select American Walnut stock was fitted and checkered by Clem Boyd of Lucid Solutions for those occasions when the gun will be on display.
This display stock has the Hornady name inlayed into it with African padauk wood wafers. The padauk wafers are also used as grip cap and butt pad spacers. The reddish-orange wood was specifically selected to pay tribute to the well-known Hornady color scheme.
The Hornady Number One actually is equipped with two custom-fit stocks.
In addition to a precision barrel and action and walnut stock, The Hornady Number One also has incredible engraving. Photo: Gun Broker.
For the times the high bidder wants to actually use the unique rifle, the firearm can slip it into is is custom-fit Hogue camo stock. The Hornady Number one is also outfitted with a Leupold VX-6 2.5×12, 42mm scope, mounted with Talley rings and integral base.
The gun’s engraving was done by David Baron and Baron Engraving of Trumbull, Conn. No company has engraved more SHOT Show firearms than Baron Technology, according to the press release.
To complement the Hornady package, the gun will be delivered with a case of Hornady .300 RCM cartridges with each box in the case signed by Steve Hornady. In addition, the high bidder will receive a signed Letter of Authenticity from Hornady.
The rifle will be displayed at the SHOT Show and ultimately in the home or office of the high bidder in a custom glass and walnut display case by Scout Products of Webb City, Missouri.
In keeping with SHOT Show auction tradition, the Hornady rifle will be auctioned exclusively at GunBroker. The online auction will conclude at 5:00 pm Eastern Time on Friday, January 23, 2015, the final day of the 2015 SHOT Show.
The Hornady Number One needs only auction for more than $136,014.00 to break the all-time SHOT Show Rifle Auction record set in 2013.
True stories of everyday armed citizens taking action to defend themselves and others.
A man entered a Subway sandwich shop in San Antonio, Texas, and said he was armed. He threatened to shoot someone if an employee didn’t hand over the store’s cash. Instead, a customer with a concealed carry permit drew his handgun and told the would-be robber not to move until the police arrived. At which point, the San Antonio Express-News reports, the man ran out of the shop.
In Harris County, Texas, Dan Reynolds heard his back window crash apart. He grabbed his 12-gauge shotgun and went to investigate. He fired once when he saw a man in a hoodie climbing in through the shattered window. Reynolds tells KPRC News in Houston that he has no regrets about shooting the intruder; in fact, he also had a handgun with him in case the shotgun wasn’t enough.
A homeowner in Antioch, Tenn., recently opened fire on a masked and armed intruder, killing the man. The homeowner, according to WKRM.com, and his wife were watching television when the armed man entered their home and demanded money and other valuables. The homeowner got his .45-caliber pistol, and in the shooting that ensued hit the robber several times. The intruder died shortly after being transported to a local hospital.
In a story that reminds us that home defense doesn’t necessarily mean against humans, a man in Lady Lake, Fla., awoke to the sound of his home being trashed, grabbed his firearm and confronted the home invader—what turned out to be a wild, 500-pound black bear. “I figured when I yelled it would take off, but it didn’t,” Victor Peters tells WFTV Channel 9. “It just looked right at me and started coming toward the window where I was (standing), so that’s when I fired.” It was the second time the bear broke in. Peters believe it was after dog food.
Among the topics discussed, this guide will help you understand any legal and ethical issues concerning the use of lethal force by private citizens. You’ll also learn about the social and psychological issues surrounding the use of lethal force for self-defense or in defense of others. In addition to exploring these issues, Ayoob also discusses the steps a responsible armed citizen can and should take in order to properly prepare for or help mitigate a lethal force situation. Learn more
Why some guns can handle the pressure of +P ammunition and others cannot.
When discussing defensive handguns, a lot is said about calibers that are one-shot stoppers. The object of defensive ammunition is to stop the threat, and in most cases that means wielding a lethal blow to the assailant. But in reality, the concept of a pistol caliber that can reliably stop a bad guy with one shot is not possible under normal conditions.
A recent study of incapacitation data by the FBI Training Division states: “Shots to the central nervous system [CNS] at the level of the cervical spine [neck] or above are the only means to reliably cause immediate incapacitation. In this case, any of the calibers commonly used in law enforcement, regardless of expansion, would suffice for obvious reasons. Other than shots to the CNS, the most reliable means for affecting rapid incapacitation is by placing shots to large vital organs, thus causing rapid blood loss.”
While a single shot to the brain has instant stopping capability, shots to the head in defensive situations are rarely the best choice.
Most law enforcement officers and civilians simply don’t have the capability to make such shots reliably under the obvious stress of a life-threatening situation. As a result, ammunition for defense should be capable of penetrating sufficiently to access vital organs and generate massive blood loss. Until the 1970s, most ammunition for defensive use was the same ammunition used for target practice, training and military use.
None of this ammunition provided bullet expansion. No handgun ammunition for practical defense applications is capable of producing hydrostatic shock, which disrupts tissue far beyond the wound channel. Handgun calibers rely on penetration and the size of the wound channel. Expansion of the bullet helps, but there must be reliable penetration to get to those vital areas.
The energy produced by ammunition is what provides penetration and expansion. The more energy, the better the chance the projectile will penetrate and/or expand. In modern calibers like .357 SIG or .38 Super, all firearms available are of sufficiently recent manufacture to assure they can handle the pressures of modern defensive ammunition. This is not the case with rounds like .380 ACP, .45 Colt or .38 Special.
These rounds have been around for a century or more, and many of the guns chambered for them simply couldn’t handle a sizable increase in pressure. This is why .357 and .44 Magnum rounds are just slightly longer than their non-magnum counterparts. The longer case precluded their use in older guns that couldn’t handle the higher pressures.
Arguably, the first +P round was .38 Super. It’s an identical case to the old .38 Auto, but .38 Super is loaded to about 36,000 psi compared to .38 Auto at about 26,000 psi. While simply changing the name of the round worked, the ammunition manufacturers needed a designation to indicate ammunition made for modern firearms engineered to handle higher pressure, hence the development of +P and +P+ ammunition.
The amount of pressure change isn’t a standard percentage, but rather it’s based on the individual caliber and the design of the firearms available. For instance, the pressure increase for .38 Special and 9mm Luger is only about 10 percent, but the pressure increase for .45 Colt is almost double the pressure of standard ammunition.
This is because the original .45 Colt was a black powder round, and there are a lot of very old guns still capable of shooting that round. The modern guns chambered for the .45 Colt round are almost identical to guns chambered for .44 Magnum and are capable of much higher pressures without distress.
Just because a firearm is of newer manufacture doesn’t mean it’s capable of handling +P ammunition. Guns designed as such will have the +P designation indicated with the caliber. The advantages of +P are obvious, but they do come with the disadvantage of more recoil and muzzle blast.
For defensive situations, more power is better, provided you can handle it. Remember, however, that if you face a life-threatening situation, you’re not likely to feel the recoil, just like hunters don’t notice the recoil when taking game. Normal training can be done with standard ammunition, but +P defensive ammunition will give you a better chance if you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having to use your gun to defend your life.
The Florida company goes big with its Diamondback FS Nine striker-fired semi-auto.
My first experience with Diamondback Firearms was when regular Gun Digest contributor Dick Jones reviewed the company’s diminutive DB9 pistol for the magazine. Diamondback had just been purchased by fellow Florida-based firearms manufacturer Taurus and, with the new ownership, was flush with bringing bold, new ideas to market.
We had a DB9 sent to the office for photos and additional range testing, which provided ample trigger time behind the lightweight gun. Being a minimalist when it comes to carry-intended firearms—I can barely stand the size and weight of today’s cell phones in my pocket—I loved the tiny dimensions of the DB9. But as anyone who has fired downsized firearms in heavy or standard-sized calibers, they know these smaller guns, as friendly as they are to carry, aren’t always so friendly to shoot.
I didn’t have any problems with the DB9, but admit it was a handful of recoil with each shot; recoil that could present some accuracy issues with smaller stature or weaker handed shooters. When the company entered the full-size handgun market with the introduction of their DB FS Nine semi-auto in 2014, they came in with an option that sacrificed the compactness, but with it, also made it much more enjoyable in the hand. While concealed carry is certainly a big driver when it comes to sales, virtually every firearm fan still loves to simply shoot and shoot a lot. It’s here that the FS Nine delivers.
The Gun
The 9mm semi-auto is a double-action-only, striker-fired pistol that combines a black polymer frame with a black stainless steel slide. While some may shake their head at the prospect of another full-size polymer striker gun on store shelves, the overall configuration of the gun is unique in appearance and feel. This is a firearm designed with shooter comfort and tactical ergonomics in mind.
The gun has an almost space-age appearance with a beefy, cant-forward grip set with the squared-off, narrow, notched slide. Rather than offer replaceable back straps, the FS Nine has a fixed blackstrap design with swells in the grip and tapers behind the trigger for a firm, comfortable hold.
Textured surfaces along the sides and rear of the grip enhance a solid grip, while a beavertail extension aids proper hand placement and protects the hand from the rearward action of the slide. A flared magwell, as well as indents at the base of the grip and just above the extended baseplate of the 15-round magazine (when inserted), promote rapid mag swaps when shooting for time or necessity.
The slide itself boasts bold serrations toward the front and rear sides for a better handhold when racking a load into the chamber. It’s topped with highly visible, Glock-style fixed, white three-dot sights that aid with rapid target acquisition and provide a huge visual boost when aiming in bright, as well as low-light situations, or for some of us, with weaker, aging eyes.
The FS Nine positions itself as a solid home defense gun by allowing the easy mounting of laser sights or a tactical mounted light with a five-groove, 2.75-inch lower Picatinny rail integrated in the dust cover of the slide below the barrel. The flat-fronted trigger guard is smooth with a slight inward curvature to allow for a reliable finger rest depending on your shooting style and preferred grip.
Diamondback also included a trigger safety and firing pin block safety, as well as a visible cocking indicator in the rear of the slide for added safety when carrying or on the range.
At the Range
I first broke the FS Nine out during a range session with a mix of new and experienced shooters. I wanted to get other’s impressions of the gun, which based on visual appearance alone, some liked, some didn’t. The swelled palm combined with the narrow slide threw some folks off when they talked about its looks, but when they held it in their hand, their tones changed a good bit. Everyone agreed it was one of the more comfortable guns to hold that we had available to shoot that day during our informal shoot.
We ran a wide mix of cartridges through the 15-round mag that day, including FMJ loads from American Eagle (approximately 200 rounds of that ammo) both FMJ and hollow-point loads from Winchester’s white box line and high-end hollow-point rounds from HPR Ammunition. The FS Nine loved them all.
Probably running between 400 to 500 rounds through the gun in a single afternoon, we experienced not a single jam. The gun tends to eject spent cases more up over the shooter’s right shoulder than outward like some other semi-auto models we had on hand, which is meant merely as an observation. Whether that is good or bad, I don’t think it makes a difference. The gun fired and fired and fired. The accuracy was decent, delivering just over fist-sized center-of-mass groups at 15 to 20 yards from shooters not using rests.
The FS Nine is an easy-to-shoot, reliable full-size gun. At under $500, it is worthy of consideration for someone looking for a budget-friendly firearm they can take to the range for lengthy target sessions or even keep close at hand in a lockbox at home should a defensive need arise.
Diamondback DB FS Nine CALIBER: 9mm Capacity: 15+1 Magazines: One 15-round magazine Barrel: 4.75-in. chromemoly Sights: Fixed, three-dot Frame: Black polymer Slide: Matte Melonite-coated stainless steel Trigger: 5.5 lb., double-action only Length: 7.8 in. Height: 5.6 in. Weight: 21.5 oz. Options: Hard plastic carry case and lock SRP: $485 Website: diamondbackfirearms.com
There's nothing like a little trigger time to put a smile on your face. Here are some sweet targets to make shooting more fun and improve your skills.
Caldwell Shootin’ Gallery Motorized Rimfire Metal Target Moving targets can be a shooter’s biggest challenge and Caldwell’s Shootin’ Gallery Motorized Rimfire Metal Target delivers more fun than a carnival midway. The motor-driven, interactive system allows you to shoot a steady stream of moving targets without pause. Hit 2-inch targets fold over and resent as they re-emerge from the other side of the rotation. Includes a rechargeable battery and charger. Runs 4 to 6 hours on a single charge. ($300; www.btibrands.com)
Champion DuraSeal Spinner Targets Movement, color and inexpensive, but durable targets are what Champion’s DuraSeal Spinners deliver. DuraSeal is a self-healing material capable of handling nearly any caliber bullet. The target’s unique design allows for rapid target acquisition thanks to its bold colors, yet still requires precise aim. Good for handgun as well as most rifle calibers all the way up to .50 caliber. Available in both a round and diamond design. ($35; www.championtarget.com)
Birchwood Casey Pregame Splattering Targets Add a little hunting reality as you prepare for the coming fall seasons with these splattering targets from Birchwood Casey. With three new designs added to the line, the company now offers a squirrel, mule deer and elk target that displays the game in full color along with clearly marked vital zones. Bullet holes make a visible splattering shaped fluorescent circle upon impact for easy identification of bullet strikes. Great for rifles, handguns and muzzleloaders. ($13/pack; www.birchwoodcasey.com)
Lyman’s Original TargetMan Multi-Target Stand This stand may well be the ultimate plinking stand, designed to accommodate nearly every conceivable target conceivable, whether you’ll be shooting .22s, air guns, centerfire rifles, even slingshots and bows. The stand comes with a variety of paper targets, fluorescent target pasters and balloons. There are also mounting clips capable of holding clay birds and empty cans. Assembles in minutes. ($21; www.lymanproducts.com)
Impact-22 Rolling Steel Targets For a fun reactive target that moves to a new position with every bullet strike, check out the Impact-22. The unique design utilizes three-fin heads to allow the target to be shot from any angle and from virtually any distance. For use with .22 LR caliber only. ($30; www.rollingsteeltargets.com)\
Gun Digest EZ2C High-Visibility Targets Here's an idea: See where your shots are landing with high-visibility fluorescent red and white paper targets from EZ2C and Gun Digest. They really work! Targets available in 5 different styles. ($7.29/40-Target Pack; GunDigestStore.com)
Do-All .22 Cowbell Christopher Walken isn’t the only one who “needs more cowbell.” Now shooters can have it too with Do-All Outdoors .22 Cowbell. Yeah, it seems like rimfire shooters have all the fun, but with this swinging cowbell, you can lay down a .22 track better than Blue Oyster Cult. The tone rings true, even if the paint quickly flakes off the cowbell with each bullet impact. ($40; www.doalloutdoors.com)
Caldwell Magnum Resetting Popper A high-impact resetting magnum popper is the go-to target for many action shooting series and Caldwell’s is rugged, functional and reasonably affordable. Made of premium AR-550 steel, the 14-inch by 4-inch popper sets upon a freestanding frame that puts the target 7 inches off the ground. Stakes hold it the stand firmly in place. An integrated reset spring puts the target back in place after being knocked down. Designed for a minimum distance of 100 yards when shooting centerfire loads of 3,000 fps or below. ($170; www.btibrands.com)
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Aug. 28, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
CMMG’s latest firearm is an attempt to package the best of both worlds.
The Mk47 Mutant aims to give shooters the lightness and versatility of an AR-style rifle. At the same tick, the gun is meant to be harder hitting, feeding off the AK’s 7.62×39 ammunition.
This feat has been attempted before, but not to the degree of success of CMMG’s venture. Or at least that’s Rob Pincus’ initial take on the new Mutant.
There are two areas in particular where Pincus was impressed in what CMMG has brought to the table – the bolt and the magazine. Each has plagued previous attempts at marrying the platforms, but appear to be ironed out in the Mutant.
After slinging a slew of rounds down range, Pincus does find some nits to pick. The the charging handle rubbed him the wrong way. But, to find out exactly what that issue is, you’ll have to watch the video.
It’s worth your time to do so. Not only is the rifle one of the more intriguing firearms to come down the pike in recent years. Pincus also gives shooters a good idea why it has been so difficult to crack the AR-AK code.
Magnum Research has produced a eye-catching version of its Desert Eagle, decked out in stainless steel.
Magnum Research's Desert Eagle already turns heads. But the powerful pistol might catch a few more eyes now there is a version decked out in stainless steel.
When it comes to unique handguns of the latter 20th Century, Magnum Research‘s Desert Eagle is in a league of its own.
Chambered in the hard-hitting .50 AE, among other large calibers, the pistol is among the most powerful semiautomatics available. But the handgun’s big bore isn’t the only unusual aspect of the nearly 35-year-old design.
The pistol also cycles rounds in a unique way, relying on gas operation and rotating bolt instead of recoil, like the majority of semiautomatic handguns. Typically, the operation found on the Desert Eagle is more common in rifle, such as the AR.
Magnum Research recently has given shooters searching for a distinctive handgun another reason to consider its formidable pistol. And it is certainly an eye-catching one, at that.
The Minnesota manufacturer has introduced a stainless steel model of the Desert Eagle chambered in .50 AE. This follows a trend the company set earlier in the year, when it expanded its line of 1911 pistols to include model in the lustrous metal.
The Desert Eagle going stainless steel adds some resilience to the pistol. The metal has long been used in firearms that are exposed to climates that facilitate corrosion.
The use of the metal also gives the pistol cosmetic longevity. As pointed out in the company’s press release, stainless steel is more impervious to dings and scratches than other finishes the company offers and is easier to repair.
The new version of the Desert Eagle also has a few new features.
The stainless steel model of the pistol is offered with a standard 6-inch barrel or with integral muzzle brake. This addition makes the Desert Eagle a much more manageable handgun to shoot, reducing recoil and muzzle flip. The pistol alos boasts a new Picatinny bottom rail, allowing for the quick and easy addition of accessories.
The new version of the Desert Eagle still retains the gargantuan proportions of earlier models. The gun is 10.75 inches in length, 6.25 in height and has a slide width of 1.25 inches. The seven-round handgun tips the scales at 4 pounds 8 ounces, as well.
The Desert Eagle with the standard barrel presently has an MSRP of $1,793; the model with integral muzzle brake is listed at $1,931.
A look at the latest Colt ARs from an iconic American gun maker.
The Colt AR-15A4.
Today civilian-ready Colt AR-15s come in three types, offering rifles for personal defense, hunting and competition. During a factory tour a few years ago at Colt’s facility in Hartford, Conn., the shop floor contained cutting-edge robotic machinery with fast moving arms that spewed metal chips from aluminum forgings, all creating the monolithic upper receiver for the new 901 series.
The latest AR-15 variants are the M.A.R.C. 901 (Modular AR Carbine) family derived from the LE901-16S, which was initially developed to exceed the original SCAR requirements of a multi-caliber, single serial number modular rifle system back in 2012.
The M.A.R.C. 901 rifles are chambered in .308 Win./7.62x51mm NATO with free-floating barrels and one-piece monolithic upper receivers for exceptional accuracy.
Colt AR6951.
The lowers feature ambidextrous operating controls and bolt carriers that enable the upper receiver group to be easily swapped out for any Colt Mil-Spec upper receiver chambered in .223 Rem./5.56x45mm NATO without the use of tools, and all in less than a minute. Colt M.A.R.C. 901 rifles come in 16- or 18-inch barrels as well as a variety of furniture and finishes.
The LE6940 series rifles are similar to the LE901-16S, featuring Colt’s proprietary one-piece monolithic upper receivers that free float the barrels for enhanced accuracy. All LE6940 series rifles showcase long, continuous Mil-Spec rails that run the length of the uppers. For each, a Magpul MBUIS Rear Gen 2 sight is used with Colt’s folding front sight.
The standard LE6940 and LE6940AE-3G uses the typical direct gas impingement system and is equipped with an extended rail system and ambidextrous magazine release, bolt catch and fire selector. The LE6940P features an articulating piston system that allows the bolt carrier to remain cool.
The monolithic design makes the upper more rigid and slightly heavier than military style carbines. LE6920 variants are similar to M4s, but with 16.1-inch chrome lined barrels and a 1:7 inch twist rate, coming standard with an A2-style front sight, folding rear sight and adjustable stock. The LE6920AE is similar, but with ambidextrous controls. A Troy rail and Magpul MOE furniture are featured on the LE6920MP-R carbine. The LE6920SOCOM has a heavy barrel, Troy rail and ambidextrous controls.
Colt LE901-16S.
The LE9620MP-B is decked out in Magpul basic black. Flat Dark Earth Magpul furniture is outfitted on the LE6920MP-FDE, while the LE6920MP-OD uses Magpul’s OD (olive drab) green finish. All feature 16.1-inch barrels with the M4 contours. The AR6720 carbine features a light barrel with a 1:7 inch twist, while the AR6721 has a heavy contour barrel and a twist rate of 1:9 inches, which helps stabilize lighter 55- to 62-grain bullets.
The traditional looking AR15A4 series features longer 20-inch barrels with a 1:7 twist rate with A2-style features like the buttstock, round and grooved handguard, carry handle and front sight. The AR6951 is chambered in 9mm and takes a high-capacity 32-round stick magazine.
For long-range shooting, the standard CR6720 features a heavy stainless steel 20-inch barrel with 1:9 twist rate and a Colt scope mount with a free float handguard. For even more accuracy and muzzle velocity, the CR6724 uses a 24-inch heavy-duty stainless steel barrel at a 1:9 twist rate. After 53 years of building combat ARs, the Colt bloodline runs deep.
The company is not content to simply be the originator, but rather an innovator in AR weapons, which is evidenced in the many tactical rifle offerings available from Colt today.
This story also appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of Modern Shooter Magazine.
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.
