Glock made a lot of noise this year with the introduction of the G40. The long-slide 10mm is just the ticket to get handgun hunters’ hearts a thumping. But, as fans of the Austrian pistols know, this wasn’t the company’s first foray into large-bore handguns.
Glock has had a long history with the 10mm, offering two models in the caliber before this year. The above video, from YouTube gun guru Sootch00, gives a good rundown of one of these beasts – the Glock 20.
Watch the entire video, because he gives a solid synopsis of the round’s history and the gun’s unique applications around the world. He also makes a pretty good case on why, despite being a relatively large handgun, the G20 might be a better personal-defense option than some other large-bore options out there.
Most interestingly, Sootch00’s highest rating of the G20 comes from its shootablity – not a complement common to the caliber. He credits Glock building the pistol around the caliber for this trait, something not found in pistols that are just 10mm adaptations of existing designs.
POF-USA’s ReVolt Rifle offers shooters a precision AR-platform rifle, legal from sea to shining sea.
POF’s Revolt Rifle reworks the AR platform with a straight-pull action, making for an extremely precise firearm that has the benefit of being legal from sea to shining sea.
In the world of MIL-SPEC firearms, it can be difficult to be original. But Patriot Ordnance Factory has found a way.
The Arizona-based manufacturer has won a place in many shooters’ hearts with its innovative piston-driven AR-style rifles. Now the company has made a move to put an entirely different twist to the platform.
The ReVolt Rifle, in short, offers shooters the precision of a bolt-action with the flexibility of an AR. POF-USA has accomplished this by making its new creation a straight-pull action, built off the AR platform.
Much of the advancement comes in a often overlooked feature of the AR-style system – the charging handle. POF-USA has enlarged it, making the ambidextrous feature easier to manipulate. And it has also modified how it attaches to the bolt-carrier group, which essentially has remained the same.
The handle fits into a pocket of the carrier, allowing it to be quickly removed from the action. This is plays into the overall design, as the charging hand doubles as a tool, meant to aid in adding or subtracting accessories from the rifle’s rail.
Given the gun doesn’t not rely on POF-USA’s piston system, the already fine accuracy of the AR platform is enhanced. The company boasts the ReVolt is a sub-MOA firearm.
Driving tacks, however, isn’t the rifle’s only selling point. Its availability also could put it atop of some shooters’ wish lists, given POF-USA has designed the ReVolt to be legal in all 50 states – even as the company points out, “The 13 Original Colonies, where the Tories live.”
The gun’s compliance is achieved not only through being a straight-pull action, but also from its captive pivot pin in the front of the receiver. This, at all times, keeps the upper and lower receiver attached.
The firearm, at least in the video below, appears to achieve a decent cycling rate. This is especially true when a bipod and rest are incorporated, freeing up the off hand to work the handle.
Perhaps helping the ReVolt’s rate of fire is POF-USA including its E² Extraction system. Simply put, the chamber has four channels allowing a small amount of gas to escape around the neck of the cartridge, making extraction easier.
The ReVolt is available in two calibers, the Heavy .308 Win/7.62x51mm NATO and Light .223 Rem/5.56x45mm NATO. The firearms are compatible with all MIL-SPEC magazines and comes with a number of POF-USA’s proprietary features (see specs below).
The MSRP of the ReVolt Heavy model is $2,949 and the Light $2,229. POF-USA is also making a Light upper assembly available, MSRP $1,399.
ReVolt Light Specs Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO/.223 Rem Action: Straight Pull Weight: 8.2 pound empty Barrel: 18.5-inches match grade, nitride heat treated, deep fluted, heavy contour Length: 38.5-inches collapsed Finish: NP3 Rifling: 1:8, ½”-28 thread Handguard: POF Free Floating Monolithic M Rail 14.5 inch, M-Lok Compatible Muzzle Device: POF Triple Port Muzzle Break Trigger: POF single stage, 4-pound pull Furniture: LUTH-AR MBA, Magpul MOE Grip Fire Control:Ambidextrous bolt release, safety selector, bolt catch, magazine release Includes: 10-round Magpul PMAG
ReVolt Heavy Specs Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO/.308 Win Action: Straight Pull Weight: 9.2 pound empty Barrel: 18.5-inches match grade, nitride heat treated, deep fluted, heavy contour Length: 40-inches collapsed Finish: NP3 Rifling: 1:10, 5/8×24 thread Handguard: POF Free Floating Monolithic M Rail 14.5 inch, M-Lok Compatible Muzzle Device: POF Triple Port Muzzle Break Trigger: POF single stage, 4-pound pull Furniture: LUTH-AR MBA, Magpul MOE Grip Fire Control: Ambidextrous bolt release, safety selector, bolt catch, magazine release Includes: 10-round Magpul PMAG
It was nearly a year ago when the publishers of Gun Digest announced the creation of a whole new brand designed to serve today’s shooting enthusiast. At the heart of this new media effort is Modern Shooter television, a program designed to share the how-to skills and behind-the-scenes views of the firearms world like nothing seen anywhere else.
The quarterly Modern Shooter magazine, now in its fourth issue, serves as a print mirror of the TV show with deeper details and insight behind the great action captured by the program’s cameras.
Since that first announcement of the new television show, the Modern Shooter crew has been busy traveling the country meeting with and filming some of the top shooting experts and firearms manufacturers across the nation. Now, finally, with the start of 2015, Modern Shooter leads the way on Sportsman Channel’s Monday night primetime shooting block of television, airing at 8 p.m. (EST) January through June.
Modern Shooter television will be unlike any other shooting program on television as it seeks to gather some of the most knowledgeable personalities in the firearms world, such as famed instructor and gun writer Massad Ayoob, to teach you each week how to be become a better, more informed shooter.
Modern Shooter has also attracted some of the biggest manufacturers in the firearms industry including Colt, Glock, Ruger and Silencer Shop. Recent filming stops have included a week spent on the range with members of the Glock shooting team, and visits to Colt and Ruger, which provided unprecedented access to their facilities. As this goes to press, the crew is on a one-of-a-kind Texas adventure with the team from Silencer Shop, who displayed how suppressors enhance the total hunting experience.
We are thrilled for the premier of Modern Shooter and now that the line is hot, we are confident shooters everywhere will want to make the program must-see viewing each week.
New episodes of Modern Shooter TV airs on Sportsman Channel 8 p.m. ET Monday; replays of the week’s episodes are then broadcast 9 a.m. ET Thursday and 12 a.m. Sunday.
As the world’s oldest firearms manufacturer, there is little under the sun Beretta hasn’t taken a crack at making. Given this, the Italian company’s newest handgun is a bit of a surprise.
One would have thought that in around half a millennia of gun making, Beretta would have produced a full-sized striker-fired pistol somewhere along the way. Alas it hasn’t until now.
The company filled this hole in its catalog at the Feb. 22 IDEX (International Defense Exhibition and Conference Show) held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. At the convention, Beretta unveiled the APX, a model the company said in a press release completes its full-sized pistol portfolio.
While the length of time it has taken Beretta to produce this style of pistol might be shocking, for those following recent events in the American military, the company moving in this direction isn’t.
The U.S. Army announced in the summer of 2015 it was set to replace the Beretta M9 as its service pistol; the 9mm had been the branch’s sidearm of choice since 1985, replacing the M1911A1, a pattern of pistol that had seen service in both World Wars. Then in December, the service’s Configuration Control Board denied a submission by Beretta of an updated version of the pistol – the M9A3.
Beretta stated, the APX was specifically designed to meet the needs of military and law enforcement. And announced at IDEX that the pistol would by submitted as the company’s entrant for the U.S. Army Modular Handgun System – the program to find the new military sidearm.
In-depth details about the pistol are scant, outside of caliber and capacity. The APX will be initially available in a 17+1 round 9x19mm model, and 15+1 .40 S&W and 9x21mm IMI. The handgun will feature a Picatinny rail for the addition of accessories and a trigger safety.
The initial iteration of the Beretta APX is bound for the military and law enforcement, however the company plans to release variations for the civilian market. No date was given on this release or the pistol’s pricing.
What is ballistics? Well, like love it’s, complicated. But if you have around 20 minutes, this video of a vintage U.S. Army training film does a pretty good job of demystifying the multifaceted subject.
The film, circa 1949, touches on all three forms of ballistics – internal, external and terminal. And it gets into some more complex subjects, of which some shooters unfortunately are never exposed.
On this point, the film does a superb job of explaining how the physical shape of a propellant actually influences its burn rate and pressure it produces. Good info, especially for those who wondered how some modern gunpowders can achieve higher velocities, with reduced chamber pressure.
As kind of a fun twist, the film isn’t purely concerned with ballistics in regards to small arms. It also applies the concepts to artillery and missiles. Even so, it’s worth an entire watch, if you’re looking to bone up on the subject.
More than anything, the video will make you appreciate how far we’ve come regarding ballistics in the half-century since the film was made. Just be happy that putting together ballistic data on your firearms doesn’t require a room-sized “computing machine” or a slide ruler, for that matter.
This versatile handgun designed for defense proves it is no gimmick.
When Taurus introduced a .45/.410 revolver, it found instant popularity and sales. The series was dubbed “the Judge” when the company discovered the .410 revolvers were popular as a defensive sidearm for judges, since a .410 shot load would have excellent short range stopping power and less chance of collateral damage to bystanders at even medium ranges.
The Judge has a solid following and remains one of the more popular handguns in the Taurus line. In my experience, there are two kinds of people, those who love the Judge and those who hate it. It seems a lot of gun writers view it with a certain level of disdain, but the Judge, especially the Public Defender version, has a lot of redeeming virtues.
Taurus Public Defender Review
In the same cylinder, a Public Defender owner can carry two snake shot-sized shotgun loads and three hard-hitting 250-grain .45 Long Colt loads for a good mix of protection. Author Photo
In the standard all-metal configurations, the Judge is a bit heavy and bulky for daily carry, though no more than the full-sized service pistols some carry. My test gun came in at 23 ounces, so a fully loaded Defender would come in with a loaded weight a bit less than a compact double stack .40. Due to the fact it’s a revolver, it would be a bit thicker, but it would have a slightly shorter profile.
What makes the Defender attractive is the level of versatility it offers. With birdshot, it would be a spectacular snake killer and a devastating defense firearm at very short ranges. For an apartment dweller, the potential for a stray round could be disastrous and by judicial choice (no pun intended) of shot size, unwanted penetration could be negated.
Most defensive situations occur at less than 3 yards, and backup .45 Colt loads could certainly be loaded for subsequent shots. Of course, not all handguns are purchased for urban defense; many are used as protection from both two- and four-legged aggressors. In the event you need a broad-based revolver, capable of handling a lot of different situations, the Judge has real merit.
Opinion Based On Testing
All the talk over gun shop counters proves nothing except that opinions are like excuses—everybody has one. I decided to form an opinion based on actual testing, and I came away a bit surprised.
Since a Public Defender will handle everything from serious stopping .45 Colt defensive rounds to skeet loads suited for dispatching snakes, I decided to test the whole gamut. I called Winchester Ammunition and requested No. 9 shot AA skeet loads, No. 4 hunting loads, rifled slugs and the popular PDX1 .410 Defense Disc loads.
I also tested .45 Colt loads, the 750 fps 250-grain Cowboy Action load and the Super X 255 grain 860 fps load that delivers a whopping 410 ft-lbs. of energy. No one will argue that the .45 ACP isn’t a capable stopper and the Super X 255 load exceeds the energy levels of the Winchester Defender .45 ACP load at 392 ft-lbs. True, the Public Defender only has five rounds in a cylinder, but most compact .45s with similar weight and dimensions only hold six or seven.
Shooting the Public Defender is fun, provided you don’t mind recoil and muzzle blast. I actually enjoyed my morning of testing, though I admit, the Defender is a hard kicker. I began with AA skeet loads. At about 5 yards, they provide a dense enough pattern to allow only a very skinny and lucky snake to avoid destruction.
For defense, they’ll certainly deter, but even at a distance of 5 feet, they failed to penetrate ½-inch oriented strand board (OSB) as used for construction. For the apartment dweller, I’d recommend the No. 4 load.
For shooting snakes, the pattern would be pretty spotty at 5 yards, but at 5 feet, they penetrated the hard OSB and blew out sections of it. Certainly they would penetrate a rib cage and cause massive hemorrhaging, which is the only reliable stopping factor when it comes to handgun calibers.
While I didn’t build wall sections for testing, I seriously doubt the No. 4 shot load would penetrate two thicknesses of drywall gypsum. The most impressive looking effect came from the PDX1 Defender load with three-plated discs and 12-plated BB shot. The PDX1 simply beats the center out of a target. At normal defense distances of under 7 yards, it would be both painful and devastating, the discs would likely penetrate the rib cage and the BBs would pepper the attacker all over the targeted area.
I also tried shooting rifled slugs but they’re less accurate and more expensive than .45 Colt loads and therefore not recommended.
Shooting the .45 Colt loads, I was impressed by the accuracy potential of the Public Defender. To center the X in a USPSA Dirty Bird target, I needed to hold about 2 inches low at 10 yards. While the rifling of the Judge series is more shallow than normal because of the .410 chambering, accuracy was certainly acceptable. My 10-yard, five-shot groups were always ragged holes unless I called a shot out.
The real argument for the merit of the Polymer Judge is versatility. In the same cylinder, the user can carry two No. 9 shot snake loads and three hard-hitting, 250-grain .45 caliber bullets. For the backpacker, this means real utility.
The time it takes to swing out the cylinder and switch from a bear or pig stopper to a snake-dispatching load is less than two seconds. For quite some time, I carried a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special revolver as my daily carry gun.
I eventually began leaving it in the safe in favor of a lighter, but similarly powerful 340 S&W .357. The Bulldog is a defensive carry gun only. The Public Defender is much more versatile, and the .44 Special and .45 Colt have almost identical ballistics.
Everyone is certainly entitled to his own opinion, but as for me, I can certainly see a lot of merit to the Public Defender, and it would be my first choice as a kit gun for an extended outing in rough country.
Taurus Public Defender Caliber: .45 Colt/.410 Capacity: 5 rounds Barrel: 2.5 in. with shallow rifling Sights: High-visibility front and windage adjustable rear Frame: Steel and polymer Length: 7.875 in. Height: 4.6 in. Weight: 23 oz. Options: N/A SRP: $653 Website: taurususa.com
If you are a cowboy action shooter, you’re most likely familiar with Black Hills Ammunition. The company made a name, in part, feeding old west single-action revolvers and repeating rifles with authentic ammunition for that genre of firearms. But the South Dakota company has full lines of cartridges for modern rifles and handguns. And it’s a catalog that continues to grow; below are the newest additions to Black Hills Ammunition’s lineup for 2015.
.338 Lapua, 250-grain Nosler AccuBond
Black Hills already had a modest lineup of rounds for the precision long-distance .338 Lupua. But the company has expanded its collection with a round topped with a shooter favorite – Nosler AccuBond. The company’s aim with the load was to provide a premium performance option in a caliber that has few off the shelf. The 250-grain projectile was chosen, according to the company, due to its optimum performance in rifles with standard twist rates. Black Hills measured the round’s muzzle velocity at 2,850 fps and muzzle energy at 4,500 ft-lbs.
.308 Winchester, 168-grain Sierra Tipped MatchKing
Black Hills Ammunition has expanded its partnership with Sierra Bullets to produce what should be a top load for precision shooters. The company is releasing a .308 round topped with a Tipped MatchKing bullet in the popular 168-grain weight. The weight is preferred choice of many match shooters and law-enforcement snipers. And it should prove even more so with the Sierra bullet’s superb ballistic coefficient, which ranges from .462 to .535, depending on velocity.
5.56x45mm, 70-grain Hornady GMX
Black Hills new 70-grain 5.56 is just the medicine for those searching for a high-performing monometal round. The load features a Hornady GMX monolithic copper alloy bullet. The longer projectile offers shooters an outstanding .350 ballistic coefficient. This combined with its weight and 95-percent retention of mass after impact, the round has excellent terminal ballistics and can really reach out and touch a critter. It also gives law enforcement a solid choice for a barrier penetration. Note, the load is designed to function with 1:7- and 1:8-inch twist rates.
5.56x45mm, 69-grain Sierra Tipped MatchKing
Black Hills has been busy with one of America’s most popular calibers – the 5.56. This new load is 69-grain round designed for the 1:9-inch twist rate, common in many AR-style rifles. Mated with a Sierra Tipped MatchKing bullet, the round offers shooters an impressive ballistic coefficient for the caliber – .375. This gives the round the qualities of a standard 77-grain load in a lighter projectile.
General Douglas McArthur made famous an U.S. Army balled when he quoted the refrain, “Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away.” That certainly seems to hold true in regards to the Lee-Enfield.
For some time now, it has been known the venerable British bolt-action rifle was going to take another step in disappearing from military service completely. Canada has been discussing switching its Rangers over from the No. 4 Mk1 since 2011, but things have picked up in recent months.
Colt Canada was selected to design the new rifle last fall for the force and will have a batch of 125 ready to be tested at the 2015 Operation Nanook training exercises. After which, the new platform will be phased in from over the next few years. Here are the specifics about the move from The Globe and Mail:
After testing and tweaks, Colt Canada will then make more than 6,500 rifles, along with spare parts and accessories, which the Canadian Rangers will gradually start to use between the middle of next year (2015) and the end of 2019.
The new rifle is expected to be similar to the Lee-Enfield, especially in one particular design feature – it is reported to be a bolt-action. This is important, given the Rangers usual area of operation.
The Rangers are a Canadian Forces reserve whose main duties are sovereignty patrols and surveillance in the country’s sparsely populated northern regions. These volunteers – many Inuit – operate in and around the Artic Circle.
Bolt-action rifles provide the Rangers with a robust platform that functions no matter what in the sub-zero conditions. That’s a piece of mind for the reservists, whether the they have to face down potential invaders or a rogue polar bear.
The switch is being made from the Lee-Enfield, mainly due to the lack of replace parts and rifles. The .303 British chambered rifles were purchased in 1947, according to the Metro News, a few years after the Rangers were formed.
Amazingly, Rangers, up to this day, were outfitted from this batch. For any gun enthusiasts, the thought of pristine, unfired Lee-Enfields, in their original boxes is enough to send the mind reeling.
There is no word if there will be any surplus Lee-Enfield rifles available, but here’s to hoping.
Buy the best carry handgun you can afford and it’s still only as good as the ammo you load it with. When it comes to self defense, it’s important to trust that your ammunition will do the job. Here are five defensive ammo loads you can trust your life to.
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Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self Defense By Massad Ayoob This guide will help you understand 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, Ayoob discusses the steps a responsible armed citizen should take in order to properly prepare for or help mitigate a lethal force situation. Learn more
A 1911 review of a downsized semi-auto pistol that is made for carry.
The author produced extremely tight groups with the Range Officer Compact using Winchester Target and Win 1911 loads. Author Photo
My first experience with large caliber semi-auto pistols was with a 1911. For many years, a 1911 was the only centerfire semi-auto I owned, and I learned to love John Browning’s remarkable design. Try to imagine any other mechanical design that’s still at the zenith of its life after more than 100 years of use. 1911s have been the mainstay of competition pistols since a few years after their introduction, and they’re still at the top.
Last year, I reviewed Springfield Armory’s Range Officer in 9mm. One of my friends who’s competed in almost every imaginable kind of competition and shot dozens of 1911s during his shooting career remarked that the 9mm Range Officer was one of the nicest out-of-the-box pistols he’s ever shot. He even proclaimed it to perhaps be the best bargain in modern firearms.
Originally a candidate in a Defense Department trial to find a lighter service pistol for officers, the Colt Commander was the first lightweight 1911. Chambered in 9mm and with an aluminum alloy frame and a 4¼-inch barrel, Colt put the Commander into production in 1950.
When I found out Springfield Armory was making a compact version, I knew I had to try one out and emailed Springfield Armory that same day requesting a test gun. The Range Officer Compact is a smaller gun than the Colt Commander of my youth. It has a 4-inch barrel and an aluminum alloy frame, and an Officer-length grip.
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The front strap is smooth and the flat back strap is checkered in a high-grip, fine checkering pattern. There’s an extended beavertail grip safety with a generous bump at the bottom to allow shooters with thin hands to engage the grip safety.
My hands are slender enough that I can’t rest my thumb on the thumb safety of guns without the bump and still be sure I’ll keep the grip safety engaged. The thumb safety is oversized and on the right side only. I think this is a good idea on a carry 1911.
While I haven’t carried a 1911 as a daily CCH gun, I’ve had friends in law enforcement advise me that an ambidextrous safety might not be a good idea on a carry 1911 because it can be disengaged by seat belts and other objects the shooter comes in contact with. If you need a left-hand safety, it’s an easy and economical add on.
The trigger is a long, lightweight speed trigger. On my test gun the trigger broke with a slight amount of creep at just over 5 pounds, reasonable for a concealed carry defense gun. There are angled, generous cocking serrations on the rear area of the slide. The hammer is a skeletonized Commander style.
Sights are a combat style two-dot rear and a high-visibility front with both green and red replacement material provided. The slide sports a flat Parkerized finish, and the aluminum frame is black Hardcoat anodized and matches well. The grips are thin cocobolo with double diamonds at the attachment screws and the familiar crossed cannons Springfield Armory logo.
A Bull-Barreled Gun
The RO Compact breaks down simply like any 1911. The stainless steel barrel works with a full-length recoil spring guide rod and dual recoil springs. Author Photo
While the standard Range Officer is straight laced all the way, the design of the Range Officer is drastically different from the build of older 1911s. The Compact is a bull-barreled gun without a barrel bushing. The stainless steel match-grade barrel features a fully supported ramp, and there’s a full-length recoil spring guide rod and dual recoil springs.
Shooting the Range Officer Compact is similar to shooting an old style Commander except with better sights and more ergonomic controls. Recoil with 230-grain hardball and +P defense loads is snappy but manageable. It’s my theory that you carry a gun more than you shoot it, and if you use the gun to defend yourself, you’ll never feel the recoil. Obviously, second shot recovery is always an issue with hard kicking guns, but no one will argue the potential of the .45 ACP round, and heavy guns often get left at home.
Accuracy was more than adequate, though it seemed to take 50 or so rounds for it to settle down. Of course, this might have been me. After a couple hundred rounds, I managed a pretty respectable 10-shot group at 10 yards. Slow fire and rapid fire were both manageable and plenty accurate. It wasn’t a problem running the plate machine at 10 yards while staying on the standard six-second time limit.
Most of my shooting was done with Winchester 230-grain Target and Win 1911 230-grain Target. I also ran a couple of boxes of 185-grain Silvertips, and there wasn’t a single malfunction.
Like the standard Range Officer, the Range Officer Compact is a lot of gun for the money. If I were to voice a suggestion, it would be to include at least one slightly longer magazine for pocket carry or perhaps to extend the magazine just a bit to allow for seven rounds. Of course, longer magazines for 1911s are not difficult to find. Extra magazine capacity is always a good thing.
The RO Compact functions flawlessly and is more than accurate enough for the purpose intended. There’s a hard plastic case with a holster, magazine pouch, two six-round magazines, tools and extra sight insert material. As is the usual case for Springfield Armory, it’s a lot of gun and an excellent value.
This article also appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The Range Officer Compact boasts a combat-style two-dot rear and high-visibility front sight with replaceable red and green dots. Author Photo
Springfield Armory Range Officer Compact Caliber: .45 ACP Capacity: 6 + 1 Magazines: Blued steel with witness holes Barrel: 4-in. stainless steel, ramped match grade Sights: Two-dot combat style rear and high-visibility front Frame: Aluminum alloy with anodized matte finish Slide: Forged steel, Parkerized Length: 7.6 in. Height: 5 in. Weight: 28.5 oz. Options: Comes with a hard plastic case, holster, magazine pouch, two six-round magazines, tools and extra sight insert material SRP: $970 Website: springfield-armory.com
Whether boiling hot or icy cold, temperature has an effect on a cartridge’s pressure. Though, less so today through advances in modern smokeless powder.
Pressure spikes and drops due to temperature have long been a bane of a reloader’s existence. However, advancements in propellants have mitigated the variable of smokeless powder temperature sensitivity, in many respects.
To understand smokeless powder temperature sensitivity, a look back at cartridge history and development is in order.
In the early days of the 20th century, when cordite was the propellant du jour, the reputation of cartridges was made and/or broken based on their performance in the heat of the tropics.
You see, the firearms were regulated and pressure tested in the relatively cool climate of England and Europe, and were then carried off by brave sportsmen into the brutal heat of India and Africa. In that heat, the pressures spiked and extraction of cases became difficult, if not impossible. The cordite was the culprit, as the chemical compound was extremely sensitive to fluctuations on temperature.
The answer to the problem, at least temporarily, resulted in some of our most famous cartridge cases. The .416 Rigby, for example, was made with an oversized case to keep the pressures low when loaded with cordite. Those low pressures, and the ease and reliability of extraction, bestowed the solid reputation that the .416 Rigby had earned even before being launched into super stardom by Robert Ruark.
Modern smokeless powders solved much of that problem, giving not only a boost in attainable velocities, but a much more stable platform, however there is still a certain level of smokeless powder temperature sensitivity that rears its ugly head. The usual accepted value was a 1 fps gain or loss per degree Fahrenheit of deviation from 68-degrees. So, if you were to measure your velocity of say, 3,000 fps at 68-degrees, and were to retest, you could expect 3,012 fps at 80-degrees when chasing African plains game, and 2,950 fps at 18-degrees when hunting deer in Canada.
Now, to a hunter, if the accuracy was within reason, this could easily be overcome, but to a benchrest target shooter, this would be unacceptable, because it would open up the tiny groups they seek. Reloder-19, which I absolutely adore, has been among the chief culprits of this phenomenon. For this reason, I always developed my loads in the extreme heat of summer, so they would function anywhere in the world, from Africa to Alberta, with no pressure problems. Developing a load in the cold of winter could produce dangerous pressures in the heat of the Zambezi Valley.
Modern smokeless powders, such as IMR’s Enduron line, are designed to have almost no pressure fluctuation from 0- to 125-degrees F. That pretty much covers every shooting situation.
The newer smokeless powder developments, like Hodgdon’s Extreme line, IMR’s Enduro powders and Alliant’s new Reloder 23 and 26 are all designed to have virtually no pressure fluctuation in a range of temperatures from 0-degrees to 125-degrees F, which pretty well sums up our hunting extremes, and certainly covers the benchrest crowd that are legally sane.
The Extreme line from Hodgdon has been with us for a while, and includes H-4831SC and Varget, both of which have shown to be fantastic powders, and perfect for magnum and standard cases, respectively. IMR 4166, 4451 and 7977 are a trio giving a burn rate that sort mimic (but are in no way interchangeable, don’t even think it!) with IMR 4064, 4350 and 7828, suitable for most, if not all, rifle cartridges. The Reloder 23 and 26 powders are along the lines (again, in no way interchangeable) of the proven Reloder 22 and 25.
The problem is that you’d have to work up new loads. Or, you can look at it like a new adventure, with more time at the bench, and that is never a bad thing!
Looking for some tacticool in your plinker? Walther’s version of the HK G36 might be right down your alley.
Walther has always been able to capture a cool factor in its guns. Perhaps that’s why the PPK ended up as James Bond’s preferred sidearm for all those years.
In more recent times, the German gun maker has undertaken an intriguing project, producing rimfire models of historic tactical firearms. From Uzis to M4 Carbines, Walther has a load of iconic pistols and rifles all chambered in .22 long rifle.
The company’s most recent edition to the collection is its take on a firearm from another Teutonic gun maker – also known for producing some slick wares itself. A .22 long rifle version of Heckler & Koch’s G36 joined Walther’s rimfire family at the 2015 SHOT Show and appears to be dead on.
The G36 is not as well known as some of HK’s other firearms, such as the one it replaced as the Bundeswehr’s (German Federal Defense) main service rifle in the 1990s – the G3. But the .223 Remington/5.56x45mm has seen its share of action in around two decades of use.
Walther’s .22 take on the original should get purists’ hearts a thumping, given the attention to detail. But it’s more than the rimfire rifle’s aesthetics that makes it intriguing. The gun’s action is also pretty nifty.
Like the HK iteration, the entire bolt-carrier group – including charging handle – moves on Walther’s version of the G36. It seems like a nice touch, for those shooting for authenticity in their plinkers.
The similarities between the original and .22 caliber don’t end there. Some of the other features the 5.56 and .22 G36s share include a folding stock (Walther can fire folded too), three-pin assembly using HK pins, brass deflector, bolt hold open and ambidextrous safety and charging handle.
Like the original H&K G36, Walther’s rimfire model features a folding stock.
The charging handle is especially intriguing, no matter if you’re talking about HK’s or Walther’s version. The handle is on top of the receiver and flips to one side or the other, depending on the shooter’s preference. When firing, it is conveniently tucked away on top of the rifle’s receiver, so its reciprocation doesn’t get in the way of shooting.
Walther’s G36 comes with a muzzle break that can be removed and the barrel has a 1/2″x28 thread. This is standard for rimfires and allows for the addition of nearly any suppressor. The gun is a straight blowback semiautomatic and has 10-, 20-, and 30-round magazines available.
The Walther rifle has a fixed and hooded front sight and an aperture rear that is adjustable for windage and elevation. The rifle has an 18.1-inch barrel, weighs 5.1 pounds without a magazine and is 37.8 inches in overall length with the stock unfolded and 28.2 inch with it folded.
As a sidenote, the length of the Walther G36 are only about an inch shorter than the first iteration of the HK original.
Walther’s new .22, however, does run a bit more than most rimfires presently available on the market. But, for those who pine tacticool in their plinkers, the G36’s MSRP of $599 might not be too steep.
Walther’s HK G36 Specifications Caliber: .22 Long Rifle Mag Capacity: 10/20/30 rnds Weight with Mag: 6.74 lbs Overall Length: 37.8 in Barrel Length: 18.1 in Operation: Blowback Front Sight: Fixed Front Sights Rear Sight: Adjustable For Windage & Elevation
Whether it’s for fast-flying ducks or wide-swinging geese, these heavy hitting waterfowl guns will help you bag a limit this—and every—winter.
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Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to Shotguns
From shotgun expert Terry Wieland, Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to Shotguns provides everything you need to know about shotguns in tight, lively text and sharp photos. Get the facts on singles, doubles, pumps and semi-autos, ammunition, handloading your own ammunition, shotgun games, hunting and sporting uses. Learn more
Katana AR-15 review of a new rifle that is like the sword it is named after: a well-balanced and maneuverable weapon that is deadly in the right hands.
In this era of multiple-rail AR-15s, all tricked out with optics, back-up sights, foregrips, lights, lasers and more, it was a surprise for me to lift the new Katana AR-15 out of its box and realize, “Man, this is one light AR!”
I have to admit, that lack of weight — less than 6 pounds — concerned me a bit. As a guy who regularly uses those fully geared-up AR-15s and AR-10s, I am used to the heft. I guess that I have also begun to assume that heft equals quality. The lightweight ARs are fine for plinking and popping ground squirrels, but a bigger job requires a stouter rifle.
At the range, though, I discovered two things. First, the Katana, manufactured by MHT Defense of Wedowee, Ala., is a quality-made rifle, capable of great accuracy and versatility. Second, an AR does not have to weigh 9 pounds to be effective.
Pet Project
The Katana is similar to the original AR design created by Eugene Stoner. Author Photo
The Katana is the brainchild of Tiger McKee, a shooting instructor, a Gun Digest contributor and the owner of Shootrite Firearms Academy in Guntersville, Ala. After years of watching shooting students struggle with their overly heavy, super-accessorized AR-15s, McKee went back to the basics. He began devising an AR very much along the lines of the rifles originally produced by AR inventor Eugene Stoner over 50 years ago, and modified by Colt Mfg. in the 1960s. That is: a lightweight fighting rifle, capable of doing the job in close and at distance; accurate, well balanced and maneuverable, and a shooter you can tote all day without fatigue. Which makes the Katana a very versatile rifle, a great choice for self- and home-defense, 3-Gun competition, training, hunting and just plinking.
The Katana has a 16-inch barrel with a 1:7 rate of twist. I prefer that rate of twist, as I like to use long, heavy .223 rounds for hunting deer and wild hogs. The more common 1:8 or 1:9 twist rates found on many AR-15’s are fine for 55-grain bullets, but when you start pushing bullets over 60 and 70 grains, you need the faster twist rate for better stabilization.
The Katana also has a rifle-length gas system, and a chromed chamber and bore. The barrel is finished with heavy phosphate mil-spec Parkerizing, and is tipped with a special MHT Defense three-prong flash hider. The bolt carrier is of 8620 steel, M16 spec, and with a Carpenter 158 steel bolt, a tool steel extractor, a Colt Gold extractor spring and a solid, one-piece firing pin retaining pin. Bolt, carrier and extractor are nickel-boron coated.
The upper receiver is a MHT 605 flattop and the lower is an MHT Shootrite machined from forged 7075 aluminum and finished with mil-spec hard-coat anodizing. The rifle comes equipped with a Daniel Defense A1.5 fixed sight and a heavy-duty charging handle with an extended latch.
Katana AR-15 Review
Matched with a Trijicon VCOG, the lightweight Katana is a near-perfect hog hunting rifle. Author Photo
I mounted the Katana with a new Trijicon VCOG optic (after removing the rear sight) and went to the range for two separate visits. The first visit was for general familiarity and to get the rifle zeroed. For all the testing I did with this rifle, I used Liberty Ammunition’s new Silverado rounds, a .223 with a 55-grain lead-free bullet. I found the ammunition to be quite accurate and a very clean-burning round, and it took less than a box of the Silverado, and I was hitting three- and four-shot groups at right around 1.25 inches.
On my second visit, I shot some hunting-based scenarios. With the Katana’s maneuverability, plus the VCOG’s tactical lineage, this rig screamed “Texas hog hunting” to me, especially those areas of south and west Texas I am fortunate to hunt with some regularity: thick vegetation, interspersed with pasture and clumps of mesquite. Here, you might get a poke at a hog grazing in the open at 200 yards or could get a fast 50-yard shot when a big boar trots out of the bush.
I set up a target at 100 yards. I placed another target on a cardboard box at 60 yards, the target about one foot above ground level. Both targets were black with orange diamond-shaped centers. I sat on a pad on the ground and rested the rifle in the crotch of a Primos Trigger Stick. I set the VCOG’s magnification at power level 4.
I took a couple of deep breaths and then twisted my body from right to left as if I’d just spotted a hog. Pivoting the Katana on the Trigger Stick, I lined up the Trijicon’s crosshairs on the 60-yard box target and squeezed off a quick four rounds. Then I swung the VCOG onto the 100-yard target and let loose with four more shots.
I did that sequence twice more, replacing targets, once with the VCOG set on the power level 4 illumination setting and once at power 6. The VCOG got on target quickly, especially when the crosshairs and segmented circles were lit up. Images were crisp and clearly outlined at all yardages and in lighting that ranged from overcast to sunny, to right before dark. At the 60-yard target, I strung out my four-round bursts under 3 inches, and under 2 inches at the 100-yard target, with a flier or two in there, also.
The Katana moved nicely, helped me get on target fast, and would have accounted for a dead hog had my “hunt” been for real. The Katana has an ALG Combat trigger, polished and nickel boron coated, with a trigger weight of approximately six pounds. It performs better than a mil-spec trigger but not by a lot. I found it stiff and a little balky.
I may be spoiled but my expectation is that a rifle costing nearly $2,000 should have a pretty smooth trigger when I squeeze it.
The handguard is a Precision Reflex triangular shaped full-length carbon fiber model, with rails in specified locations, plus an attached sling mount. Functional, but it will win no beauty contest. I found it somewhat bulky, too, though admittedly I have smaller hands than many people.
Originally, McKee debuted the Katana in 2010, and at the time it was being made by Red Jacket Firearms. Since then, McKee made several changes and modifications to the rifle, ended his relationship with Red Jacket and brought MHT Defense on board to make the upgraded Katana. So far it looks like a first-rate partnership that produces a first-rate rifle.
Katana Rifle by MHT Defense
Caliber: 5.56mm Barrel: 16-inch, lightweight profile, Parkerized, 1:7 twist Muzzle Device: Custom MHT three-prong flash hider Upper: MHT 605-style flat-top upper Lower: MHT Shootrite lower machined from forged 7075 aluminum Sights: Daniel Defense A1.5 fixed sight and front sight post Trigger: ALG Combat trigger, approx. 6 pounds Stock: Magpul MOE fixed stock or Magpul CTR adjustable stock Weight: 5 lbs., 14 ozs. Length: 35.25 inches with fixed stock Includes: Combat Labs Agile Sling, soft carry case, two 30-round magazines and a copy of The Book of Two Guns by Tiger McKee, signed and numbered to your rifle SRP: $1,850 contact: mhtdefense.com
This article also appeared in the December 11, 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
ArmaLite is going for the gold with its 3-Gun Series. The rifles are chambered in both .223/5.56 and .308/7.62.
Competitive shooters look for any edge to shave time or group tighter. And ArmaLite intends to give this spirited group of gun enthusiast a leg up.
The Illinois-based company is now shipping its line of competitive rifles, which it bills as “ready to dominate… straight out of the box!” And from what the company has released about its 3-Gun Series, they appear to be loaded with a number of extras that should take first place with many sporting shooters.
One of the more interesting aspects of the line is it is not purely made up of AR-15 style rifles. Along with models chambered in .223 Remington/5.56×45 NATO – dubbed the M-15 3-Gun – the company has also released AR-10 versions.
The .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO rifles – called the AR-10 3-Gun – could definitely find a place with match shooters looking for the superior long-range ballistics the larger caliber allots.
Both of the calibers have options that help them conform to the style of competition they will be applied. Among the more notable features along these lines are the available barrel lengths.
For those searching for a more maneuverable firearm, ready to tackle any 3-gun stage, there is a 13.5-inch barrel model. Those who require a more steady platform for high-powered rifle competition, there is a 18-inch barrel option.
All of the rifles come outfitted with ArmaLite’s tunable muzzle break, allowing shooters find the sweet spot to reduce muzzle flip and directional recoil. In the case of the shorter-barreled models, the unit is pinned and welded to avoid the definition of short-barreled rifle – which would require a tax stamp.
The rifles are outfitted with Luth-AR MBA-1 precision adjustable stocks that allow shooters to modify the firearms’ dimensions to theirs. The stock boasts both adjustable comb height and length of pull.
Keeping with the adjustable theme of the rifles, the 3-Gun Series also comes with an adjustable gas block. The guns should also win fans among the trigger conscious with a factory-installed Timney Triggers that have a crisp 3-pound pull weight.
The units are relatively light, the AR-10 models weighting in at 8.8 or 8.9 pounds depending on barrel, the AR-15s 6.6 to 7.8. Much of the weight savings comes from the from its KeyMod rail, which have 2-inch MIL-STD 1913 base at the front for sights.
The upper and lower receivers are both forged 7075-T6 aluminum. The AR-15 rifles ship with one 30-round PMAG, the AR-10 with one 25-round PMAG.
The MSRP on both AR-15 models is $1,599 and AR-10 is $2,099.
3-Gun Series Specs M-15 3-Gun Caliber: 5.56X45 mm / .223 Barrel: 13.5″ or 18″ stainless steel Rifling Twist: 1:8″ RH Muzzle Device: ArmaLite tunable brake, pinned / welded brake to make the external length 16″ Front Sight Base: 2″ MIL-STD 1913 rail section at forward 12 o’clock position of handguard Upper Receiver: Forged, flat-top with MIL-STD 1913 rail, 7075-T6 Aluminum Lower Receiver: 7075-T6 Aluminum (forged) Trigger: Timney 3 lb. single-stage Stock: MBA-1 light weight precision adjustable for length-of-pull and comb height Overall Length: 13.5″ barrel – 34.5″ / 35.5″; 18″ barrel – 39.5″ / 40.5″ Weight: 3.5″ barrel – 6.6 lbs.; 18″ barrel – 7.8 lbs. Finish: Anodized aluminum upper/lower receiver, manganese phosphated steel barrel Included with Rifle: One 30-round Magpul PMAG
AR-10 3-Gun Caliber: 7.62X51 mm /.308 Barrel: 13.5″ or 18″ stainless steel Rifling Twist: 1:10″ RH Muzzle Device: ArmaLite tunable brake pinned and welded to make the external length 16″ Front Sight Base: 2″ MIL-STD 1913 rail section at forward 12 o’clock position of handguard Upper Receiver: Forged, flat-top with MIL-STD 1913 rail, 7075-T6 Aluminum Lower Receiver: 7075-T6 Aluminum (forged) Trigger: Timney 3 lb. single-stage Stock: MBA-1 light weight precision, adjustable for length-of-pull and comb height Overall Length: 13.5″ barrel – 36.3″ / 37.3″; 18″ barrel – 40.3″ / 41.5″ Weight: 13.5″ barrel – 8.8 lbs.; 18″ barrel – 8.9″ Finish: Anodized aluminum upper/lower receiver, manganese phosphated steel barrel Included with Rifle: One 25-round Magpul PMAG
The Gun Digest Book of the Gun Digest Book of the AR-15 Digital Collection is a four-volume series of the ultimate AR-15 guides – Gun Digest Book of the AR-15, Volume I-IV. With this collection, you will learn all about the AR-15 parts and accessories necessary to customize your gun.
Wonder how a suppressor works or just need a refresher? Well, SilencerCo and the American Suppressor Association have cooked up a heck of infographic demonstrating the finer points of the system. But there is more than just an animated glimpse at the inner workings of a silencer in the infographic. It also gives an interesting look at some of the other science involved in the operation of suppressors, along with some trend lines regarding the firearm accessory.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
