Home Blog Page 267

Glock 20 Review: A Viable Hunting Handgun?

By
Max Prasac
-
7
The author took this wild hog in Florida with the Glock 20. Author Photo
The author took this wild hog in Florida with the Glock 20. Author Photo

In this Glock 20 review, big bore revolver expert Max Prasac outfits a G20 with an RMR optic and optional charging handle and goes after some pork.

Points That Make The Glock 20 A Viable Hunting Pistol:

  • Powerful 10mm chambering
  • Exceptional reliability
  • Simple Glock design allows trouble-shooting in the field
  • Light enough not to encumber a hunt

This will not be an evaluation from a concealed-carry perspective. It’s a full-sized gun, in a full-sized chambering, and I am not interested in how well I can conceal it under a jacket. I am approaching this test as an evaluation from the perspective of a handgun hunter.

But first, let’s take a quick look at the Glock 20 itself. The G20 is built on the full-sized polymer frame so it is no delicate flower. Full-sized is also the manner in which I would describe the grip. The standard magazine capacity is 15 rounds and the standard barrel length is 4.6 inches and comes equipped with fixed front and rear sights. Fully loaded, the Glock 20 tips the scales at just less than 40 ounces. I will spare you the mechanical details as that is not why we are here.

First Impressions

We ordered this RMR mounting kit by Strike Industries from Brownell’s. We also added the optional charging handle to aid in cycling the slide with the RMR mounted. Author Photo
We ordered this RMR mounting kit by Strike Industries from Brownell’s. We also added the optional charging handle to aid in cycling the slide with the RMR mounted. Author Photo

Okay, so I’ve shot more than a few Glocks in my lifetime and the thing that sticks with me the most is that they are dead reliable and seem to always run. However, I never really considered one as a serious hunting piece. For me, hunting handguns hold no more than six rounds, or five if chambered in a meaningful caliber. As I mentioned earlier, my daily carry guns are revolvers. Don’t roll your eyes, there is nothing more valuable than reliability, accuracy and familiarity with regards to your carry gun.

Glock Reviews You Need To Read

My first thoughts were that the grip is a bit on the thick side, but that’s okay if the shooter has big mitts. Also, the grip angle is wrong for me, glaringly evident when I shot the G20 off of the bench. However, the bench isn’t everything and only tells part of the story. I reserved judgment until I could flog the Glock in the field.

Since the plan was for me to evaluate the Glock 20 as a hunting handgun, I started by ordering what I felt were a number of 10mm loads obviously intended for more than personal protection. Federal’s new 10mm load featuring 180-grain Trophy Bonded jacketed soft points (see page 48) got the nod as did a couple of offerings by Double Tap Ammunition, the most serious being their 200-grain hard-cast load. It is important to note that I never once in my test regimen experienced anything even resembling a jam or a malfunction. Granted, my testing offers a small sample, but it is reassuring.

I shot the Glock initially for familiarization with a number of loads, and concluded that if I was going to stretch its usable range out a bit, it would be beneficial to add a Trijicom RMR reflexive sight. In order to use the RMR, the rear sight needs to be drifted out. I used a wooden dowel and a hammer, with the slide in a vise. There is a specific tool for the job available from Brownells, and the RMR requires a Strike Industries mounting kit that I also ordered from Brownells. We also installed the optional rear sight-charging handle to aid in cycling the slide with the mounted RMR.

I ordered my Glock 20 with the optional additional six-inch barrel. To be honest, I was unimpressed with the accuracy exhibited by the longer barrel and promptly returned the original piece to its rightful place and my accuracy improved dramatically.

Once bench testing for accuracy and sight-in were complete, I practiced in a variety of field positions, to include predominantly offhand shooting. Yeah, it’s the most difficult position to become proficient with, but it prepares you for nearly anything you may encounter in the field.

Glock Talk: Discover More Tips & Reviews

The True Test

The Glock 20 is chambered in the powerful 10mm round. Author Photo
The Glock 20 is chambered in the powerful 10mm round. Author Photo

I booked a flight to Palm Beach, Fla. one long weekend with the G20 in tow. My good friend Jeff has a large hunting lease not far from Palm Beach, and like much of Florida, it is overrun with an abundance of big, feral hogs.

My brother-in-law Vincent and I headed to the property early Saturday morning to meet Jeff. The morning session was uneventful, so we took the hottest part of the day off until the late afternoon. In warm climes like Florida, hogs will lay up during the hottest part of the day, reemerging to forage when the temperatures drop in the late afternoon and early evening. We came up empty on the second session as well.

Driving back to camp, I was riding on the seat mounted on the back of Jeff’s truck—a genuine Florida swamp buggy—looking for dark shapes moving in the waning light.  We drove by a road that forked to the left of the main road and as I looked down there I spotted movement—way down at the end of the road. I banged on the roof of the truck and Jeff stood on the brakes. I told him to back up and there they were, a good 1,000 yards away, black shapes moving in and out of the brush.

Though quite a ways off, I jumped down, Glock in hand, and made the long stalk. Jeff and Vincent got out of the truck and watched in amusement while I picked my way down that road towards the wild hogs. I managed to get within 20 yards of the edge of a field, where I could see the tops of the tall grass moving and hear grunting.  One hog exited and I could make him out clearly. I centered the dot on his shoulder and let one 180-grain Trophy Bonded bullet fly.

My aim was true and the hog went down, while hogs exploded en masse out of the field in all directions. As I moved in a little closer, my downed hog made an attempt to get up, but I shot him in the neck and any notion of escape was immediately abandoned. Meanwhile I centered on another that was in high gear and squeezed the next two shots on him while he retreated into the stand of trees and brush just to my right. The smoke cleared, and silence ensued.

By now it was nearly dark. We recovered hog number one but couldn’t locate hog number two in the thick palmetto until the morning. Success. I’m really beginning to like the G20 about now.
I clearly found the G20’s strengths on multiple, fleeing porcine targets. The red dot aids in rapid target acquisition in low light. I have been using red dot-type sights on hunting revolvers for years.  I don’t feel the G20 is limited to the role I pressed it to serve, but it sure was the right tool for the job. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on much larger game animals at reasonable distances.

I never shot the G20 past the 50-yard mark and I felt most comfortable with it under 40 yards. I feel that in stock configuration, this is close to the limit in respect to range, at least in my hands, but there are a number of aftermarket parts available that will considerably improve upon the stock platform. This is not an indictment of the G20, as I felt that within my self-imposed limits, this is one very effective hunting sidearm, one that I look forward to hunting with more in the future.

Some like to call the 10mm the .41 Magnum of the auto pistol world. Not quite, but the 10mm does boast a large diameter (.40 caliber), and when loaded to spec offers quite impressive ballistics.
Some like to call the 10mm the .41 Magnum of the auto pistol world. Not quite, but the 10mm does boast a large diameter (.40 caliber), and when loaded to spec offers quite impressive ballistics.

I don’t hunt with a handgun to take long shots. That is not why I am in it. I like practicing fieldcraft, stalking and getting close by stealth. This is the challenge to me as a hunter. If you are looking for a sidearm, at a reasonable price, that can pull double duty as a personal defense piece and a primary hunting piece, the Glock 20 will serve you well.

Glock 20
Type:    Semi-automatic pistol
Caliber:    10mm
Barrel:    4.6 in./ 1:9.84 twist/RH
Sights:    Fixed front/fixed rear
Capacity:    15 + 1 shots
Weight:    30.89 oz (empty), 39.71 oz (loaded)
Trigger Pull:    5.5 lbs.
Grips:    Polymer
Overall Length:    8.22 inches
SRP:    $600
Contact:    glock.com

Learn More About Glock Options

Browning AB3 Stalker Review

By
Doug Howlett
-
0

Browning AB3 Stalker Review.

Built somewhat on the company’s famed A-Bolt rifle design, first introduced in 1985, the new AB3 seeks to incorporate that same precision and quality that A-Bolt fans celebrate, while eliminating some of the more costly bells and whistles.

There’s nothing fancy about this rifle, but then, for a price-conscious hunter looking for a gun that can put a shot where aimed there doesn’t need to be anything fancy about it. The metal finish is matte blue paired with a matte black synthetic stock that conceals well and can take a beating with little consequence.

The AB3 boasts a new bolt design with a mere 60-degree lift for fast, easy shot cycling that doesn’t force the shooter to lift his cheek from the stock. The bolt is plated with matte electroless nickel for smoother operation and added resistance to corrosion.

The AB3 also copies some features from Browning’s popular X-Bolt line, chiefly, the way the barrel is made. The rifle’s free-floating barrel, like the X-Bolt, is made from cold-rolled steel that is then button-rifled, a process that greatly aids accuracy in modern rifle design.

A target-type crown allows for the uniform release of gasses as the bullet exits the muzzle to prevent potential shift in trajectory.

The receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounts, and Browning even makes mounts for the rifle. The standard length steel action is also designed to allow for close mounting of the scope to the receiver for a better sight line when aiming.

Other features include a top-tang safety, a bolt unlock button that allows the chamber to be unloaded with the safety in the on-safe position, a detachable 4- or 3-round box magazine depending on caliber, an Inflex Technology recoil pad designed to direct recoil away from the face and shoulder, textured gripping surfaces and steel swing swivels for ready attachment of a sling and/or bipod.

The AB3 Composite Stalker is available in four chamberings—.300 Win. Mag., .270 Win., .30-06 and 7mm Rem. Mag. The rifle retails for just under $600.

Field Performance

It doesn’t take an expensive rifle to tag a prized whitetail buck, but it does take one that shoots accurately.
It doesn’t take an expensive rifle to tag a prized whitetail buck, but it does take one that shoots accurately.

As for the performance in testing of the .300 Win. Mag. AB3 model, it shot precisely as I expected a rifle of this blend of value and features would.

If you’re looking to shoot competitively, you may have to settle for second or third place. If you’re looking to punch a hole into the vitals of a heavy-racked buck without draining your bank account on a firearm, game on.

I tested three different loads in the AB3 including a 180-grain Winchester Accubond CT, a 150-grain PHP Winchester Power Max Bonded load and a specially handloaded round from Massaro Ballistic Laboratories pushing a 180-grain Scirocco.

The rifle was settled in on a Champion Premium Shooting Rest and tested on Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C targets set at 100 yards. The the initial groups with each load were decent, the Power Max Bonded and Massaro loads both producing groups inside 1.5 and 2 inches, while the Accubond CT strayed a bit more with groups at 2.5 inches.

But then, between the 91-degree day (and I was shooting in direct sunlight) and the scorching heat generated by the magnum cartridges, the barrel turned sizzling hot and the accuracy eroded, placing flyers sometimes an inch or two outside the rest of the  group.

Heat can have that impact on any barrel, and when allowed to cool before shooting, the groups tightened right back up. Fortunately, when taking that all-important shot at a trophy animal, one shot is all you will typically need. For that, the Browning AB3 Composite Stalker is certainly up to the task.

Browning AB3 Composite Stalker

Caliber:    .300 Win. Mag. (tested), .270 Win. Mag., .30-06, 7mm Rem. Mag.
Action Type:    Bolt-action
Receiver:    Matte blued steel
Barrel:    22-inch button-rifled matte blue steel with 1:10-inch rifling
Magazine:    3-round detachable box (magnums), 4-round detachable box (standard calibers)
Trigger:    3.5-lb. pull integrated trigger with oversized guard
Sights:    None, receiver drilled and tapped for scope mounts
Stock:    Matte black synthetic
Weight:    6 lbs., 13 oz.
Overall Length:    42 ¾ in.
Accessories:    Inflex Recoil Pad, swing swivels
SRP:    $599
Website:    browning.com

This article is excerpted from the October 9, 2014 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Ruger Introduces 3-inch Barreled LCRx

By
Elwood Shelton
-
2
Ruger has expanded its LCRx line, now offering the revolver in a model with a 3-inch barrel in .38 Special +P.
Ruger has expanded its LCRx line, now offering the revolver in a model with a 3-inch barrel in .38 Special +P.

The popular Ruger LCRx has gotten a bit bigger with the introduction of a 3-inch barreled model.

The Ruger LCR line has earned a dedicated following for some pretty good reasons. In short, the revolvers are highly concealable and offer the reliability inherent to the platform.

But the New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer is taking a bit of a departure in the most recent addition to the line. Ruger recently announced it is introducing a 3-inch barreled model of the LCRx, giving shooters all the virtues of a longer barrel on the innovative revolver.

For all intents and purposes, the extended barrel should add up to a more controllable handgun. The longer barrel means the gun has a bit more weight where it counts, the muzzle. In turn, the felt recoil should be reduced on the new .38 Special +P.

The new LCRx could also be a more versatile handgun than its predecessors. Like the other guns in the line, the new LCRx is light and small enough to be a concealed carry option. It weights in at 15.7 ounces and has an overall length of 7.5 inches. But with the potential added accuracy from the extended barrel, the handgun could have the ability to be a nifty recreational revolver in an affordable caliber.

Helping the LCRx's cred as a potential lights-out plinker is its exposed hammer, allowing the revolver to fire as a double- or single-action. Unfortunately, there was no data available for the trigger-pull weight for each mode at the time of writing.

While the new LCRx has a single-action option, Ruger highly touts the double-action for the line. The company's friction-reducing cam fire control system aims to be a smooth double-action trigger pull. It is suppose to build gradually and peak later in the trigger stroke, resulting in what the company says is better control and a trigger pull that feels much lighter than it actually is.

While the new Ruger LCRx has a elongated barrel, it maintains all the popular feature of earlier models in the line.
While the new Ruger LCRx has a elongated barrel, it maintains all the popular feature of earlier models in the line.

The revolver has a fully adjustable rear sight for both windage and elevation. It features a full-length Hogue Tamer Grip without finger grooves to make for more comfortable shooting. The new LCRx also comes outfitted with a grip peg, making switching grips a snap.

Like the older iterations of the LCR, the new version is made of a number of different materials, to keep it rugged, yet light. The handgun has polymer fire control housing, an aerospace grade aluminum monolithic frame, and an extensively fluted stainless steel cylinder.

The new LCRx is priced similar to the rest of the line, presently listed on the Ruger website with an MSRP of $529.

5 Gift Ideas for Gun Owners Who “Have Everything”

By
Gun Digest Editors
-
0

Finding gifts for gun owners can be a bit challenging if the recipients already “have everything.”

Gift for Gun Owners #1: Snagmag

  • Snagmag ReviewGreat concealed carry gift idea
  • A “wish I’d thought of that” product

The Snagmag concealed carry magazine holster makes pocketing spare ammunition a breeze. 

Gun Digest Tip: Make sure you know the model number of the pistol the recipient uses for concealed carry. Each Snagmag is model specific.

Gift for Gun Owners #2: Gun Safe Lights

  • Best gun safe lightsPerfect for anyone with a gun safe
  • Come in packs of two
  • Small enough to fit inside a stocking

These universal, easy-to-install Gun Digest gun safe lights turn on and off automatically with long-lasting LEDs. The lights solve one of the most common problems to storing a gun: dark gun safes. Pick up four lights (that’s two two-packs) for medium to large safes. 

Gun Digest Tip: Best gifted with a pack of AAA batteries.

Gift for Gun Owners #3: Great Guns Daily Calendar

  • CalendarIt’s still 2014 – they don’t have this yet!
  • A Gun Digest exclusive

You can’t go wrong with this page-a-day calendar, which offers photos and information across the spectrum of firearms.

 

Gift for Gun Owners #4: Firearm Patent Print Posters

  • Cool and interesting art
  • Popular models available
  • Did we already say they’re cool?

The most popular firearms of today started as sketches yesterday. Display a piece of gun history with a firearm patent print posters. Four models are available, and any one of them will look terrific on the wall.

Gun Digest Tip: These posters don’t come with frames, so you may want to pick one up.

Gift for Gun Owners #5: 2015 Standard Catalog of Firearms

  • standard-catalog-2015Lists of firearm prices
  • On its 25th edition, so you know it’s good
  • Wide appeal
  • Recently released, so the gun owner on your list probably doesn’t have it

The 2015 Standard Catalog of Firearms contains pricing and condition information for thousands and thousands of guns. If the pricing information isn’t enough, it contains tons of trivia. You can’t go wrong with this book.

Gun Digest Tip: This book is similar but not quite the same as The Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices and the Blue Book of Gun Values. Completing the trifecta will ensure your favorite gun owner is covered. This is one area where there’s no such thing as too much information.

Greatest Cartridges: The Rise of the 5.56X45 NATO

By
Tom Turpin
-
2
The adoption of the .223/5.56 NATO was accepted by the U.S. Military in 1963 and was then adopted by NATO as the standard caliber in 1977.
The adoption of the .223/5.56 NATO was accepted by the U.S. Military in 1963 and was then adopted by NATO as the standard caliber in 1977.

At the time this cartridge was adopted for military use in the United States, we were in the middle of a great state of change.

WWII was over with the US forces and it's allies finally rolling over the Nazi powers in Germany, and then ending the conflict in Asia by dropping two newly developed and terrifying bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The ink was hardly dry on the surrender documents when we found ourselves embroiled on the Korean peninsula. We were in the process of changing from piston driven aircraft to the new fangled jet technology.

The military also went through the throes of developing a new cartridge and a new rifle to handle it, and then replaced the M1 Garand chambered for the .30-06 with the M-14 rifle chambered for the 7.62×51 NATO cartridge. About the only thing this change did that was positive, was to finally achieve a NATO standard cartridge. The other issues, those of weight, power, and rate of fire, were essentially very little different from its predecessor.

In the late 50s, the ArmaLite Company along with some others were working on a much smaller high velocity cartridge/assault rifle combination to address the shortfalls in the 7.62×51 cartridge and the M-14 rifle. Initially they considered using the commercially available .222 Remington cartridge, but it was apparent that the cartridge was too small to meet army established requirements.

After considerable experimentation, Remington came out with a similar but larger round, calling it the .223 Remington. This cartridge, named the 5.56×45 by the military, along with ArmaLite's M16 rifle, were adopted by the U.S. Military in 1963, and Remington introduced the civilianized version of the cartridge to the public a year later in 1964.

The military determined that an 8-man team armed with the M16/5.56×45 combo would have the same firepower as an 11-man team armed with the M14/7.62×51. The difference was due to the size and weight differential between the two armaments. NATO agreed in 1977 to accept the 5.56×45 round as a NATO standard, with some minor variations in loading and bullet design.

The acceptance of the M16 and its 5.56×45 cartridge was not without controversy. Initially, the rifle was criticized frequently after its introduction to the battlefield in RVN. It had a habit of jamming at most inopportune times. Some changes were made and most of those criticisms went away.

There has been a continuing debate among the military as to the wisdom of eliminating much of the marksmanship training received by the military recruits, relying much more on firepower than on marksmanship, particularly at longer ranges.

The light .223/5.56 NATO cartridge allowed soldiers more ammunition, thus allowed for an advantage in firepower.
The light .223/5.56 NATO cartridge allowed soldiers more ammunition, thus allowed for an advantage in firepower.

This debate continues, but the arguments are not against the 5.56×45 cartridge per se, but more against the training and employment doctrines. Those arguments will, most likely, continue until us old timers have all died off and no one remembers long range marksmanship training as it used to be.

As a matter of interest, the 5.56×45 and the .223 Remington, while very similar, are not precisely identical. The military version is loaded to somewhat higher pressures than is the civilian version. There are some slight variations in some commercial chamber dimensions, and if the military 5.56×45 ammunition is fired in a .223 Remington chamber, SAAMI established pressure maximums can sometimes be exceeded.

While I personally have never heard of any real problems from this situation, firing military ammo in commercial .223 chambered rifles is not a good idea.

IMR Introducing Enduron Powders in 2015

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0
IMR is shooting to help guns stay clean with every trigger pull with its Enduron propellents.
IMR is shooting to help guns stay clean with every trigger pull with its Enduron propellents.

Come 2015, IMR Legendary Powders’ extensive catalog is set to grow. And the latest propellants to join the lineup do more than just send bullets down range.

The three powders that make up IMR’s new Enduron line also help to tidy up a gun each time the trigger is pulled. The powders achieve this by the addition of copper fouling eliminator that interacts with the barrel upon firing.

The Kansas-based brand – part of Hodgdon – also touted other aspects of its three new propellants – IMR 4166, IMR 4451 and IMR 7977. Among the extruded powders' favorable attributes include insensitivity to temperature extremes and small grain size for easy measuring.

Below are the product descriptions for each propellent from IMR's website.

IMR 4166
Enduron

This fine, extruded propellant is the first in the series of Enduron Technology powders. The main features of the Enduron series are copper fouling eliminator, insensitivity to temperature changes, ideal loading density and being environmentally friendly. IMR 4166 is the perfect burn speed for cartridges like the 308 Win/7.62mm NATO, 22-250 Remington, 257 Roberts and dozens more. Positively, a versatile, match grade propellant.

IMR 4451
Enduron

Another new Enduron extruded powder, IMR 4451, gives top performance in the venerable 30-06, 270 Winchester and 300 Winchester Short Magnum, to name just a few. This propellant is ideally suited for many, many mid-range burn speed cartridges. Simply scroll through the list of cartridges on the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center, and see how many of your favorite cartridges are covered with this fine powder. Once the shooter tries this one in that favorite cartridge, his search is over!

IMR 7977
Enduron

The slowest burn rate Enduron Technology extruded powder is IMR 7977, and is a true magnum cartridge propellant. It yields outstanding performance in such cartridges as the 300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum, 338 Lapua and a host of others. Loading density is perfect for magnums, nicely filling the case at maximum charges, contributing to superb uniformity and accuracy. The 7mm Remington Magnum “never had it so good”!

Reloaders-Guide

Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Reloading

 

Beretta, Wilson Combat Team Up to Produce 92G Brigadier Tactical

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0

As Massad Ayoob points out in the above video from Personal Defense World, the utterance of Bill Wilson’s name typically brings one gun to mind – the venerable 1911 pistol.

Wilson could make one sing in competition and now his company – Wilson Combat – produces one of the world’s most sought after lines of the handgun. Which makes the latest pistol to bear Wilson’s name so unusual.

Few would have ever imagined an iteration of the Beretta 92 rolling out of Wilson’s Arkansas factory. But that is exactly what is happening with the introduction of the Beretta/Wilson Combat 92G Brigadier Tactical.

In essence, the 9mm pistol is the revival of the Beretta 92G-SD Brigadier, a Cadillac version of the Italian company’s 92 line. Though, there has been some tweaks made to the original design in the new 92G Brigadier to give it higher functionality and more aesthetic appeal.

Alas, you’ll have to watch the video to find out what Beretta and Wilson have in store for shooters. But as Ayoob shows, the well-respected companies have packed plenty into the $1,195 pistol.

As a side note, and briefly touched upon in the video, the MSRP on the pistol is actually not bad. The original Beretta 92G-SD had only a 3-year run (2002-2005), in turn specimens can be rare and spendy.

Classic Combat Handguns

Gun Digest Book of Classic Combat Handguns

 

EOTech Introduces Two New Holographic Sights

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0
EOTech's new Model 518 (above) and 558 aim to be more convenient sights for shooters, since the a designed to accept AA batteries.
EOTech's new Model 518 (above) and 558 aim to be more convenient sights for shooters, since the a designed to accept AA batteries.

When it comes to holographic sights, EOTech has its share of fans. And with a recent announcement, the company is certain to a get a few of them to update the holiday gift wish list – in a hurry.

The subsidiary of Level 3 Communications, revealed it will release two new sights before the end of the year. And both the Model 558 and 518 should be on store shelves soon enough to make it under a Christmas Tree or a Festivus Pole.

The twist on the new sights by the Michigan manufacturer is how each is powered. Both the 558 and 518 get their juice from ubiquitous AA batteries, among the most commonly found in the world.

The rub is, however, the units get different lifespans depending on the grade of AA used. Lithium batteries last up to 1,000 hours of continual use at a nominal setting in each unit, while alkaline batteries yield 600 hours of continual use.

This is not the first product EOTech has aimed to make more user friendly with an easier-to-find power source. Recently, the company introduced its Laser Battery Cap, which retrofits its sights to run off AAs.

For the most part, the two new sights have many of the same features and are nearly identical in size and weight. Both the 558 and 518 boast side-button functionality, are compatible with magnifiers and tip the scales at a manageable 13.3 ounces.

The big difference between the units is the 558 is set up to run with Generation I-III night-vision optics. It is also waterproof to 33 feet, compared to 10 feet for the 518. And the unit has 30 brightness setting, opposed to the other sight’s 20.

The EOTech Model 558 holographic sight is compatible with Generation I-III night-vision optics.
The EOTech Model 558 holographic sight is compatible with Generation I-III night-vision optics.

Both sights are 5.5-inches long, 2.2-inches in width and 2.8-inches in height. Each is outfitted one dot, red reticles, designed for quick target acquisition. The red dot measures in at 1 MOA, while the surrounding ring is 65 MOA.

The sights are easily added and removed via a quick detach mount that is compatible with Weaver or Mil-Spec Picatinny rails. Like most other EOTech sights with the quick detach mount, the units have been designed to be within 1 MOA upon remounting after removal.

Like most high-end holographic sights, the new EOTech units cost a bit of coin. The Model 518 is listed with an MSRP of $539 on the company’s website, the Model 558 has a $629 price tag.

AR-15 Collection

The Ultimate AR-15 Collection — Learn about America's favorite rifle, inside and out.

 

Newson Aims at Elegance with Beretta 486

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0
Famed designer Marc Newson has given a new take on the age-old side-by-side shotgun with the newly introduced Beretta 486.
Famed designer Marc Newson has given a new take on the age-old side-by-side shotgun with the newly introduced Beretta 486.

For the more technology-centered readers out there, Marc Newson’s name might be readily identifiable.

Most know the famed industrial designer from the headlines he made when he joined Apple earlier this fall. But the Austrian has also made a splash in an unexpected circle as of late – the firearms world.

Newson has taken a crack at firearms design, teaming up with the world’s oldest gun manufacturer. And the results of his partnership with Beretta have been spectacular.

Your eye can’t help but be caught by the Newson designed Beretta 486. The firearm retains the integrity of the age-old side-by-side shotgun, while incorporating clean modern lines.

This was the ultimate goal Beretta said in a press release, and it plays itself out in a number of features of the gun.

One of the most eye-catching aspects of the Beretta 486 is the Asian-inspired engraving on the receiver – an homage to the homelands of the pheasant.
One of the most eye-catching aspects of the Beretta 486 is the Asian-inspired engraving on the receiver – an homage to the homelands of the pheasant.

Perhaps the area the company has most heavily touted is the refinement of the safety catch. Newson has refined the tang safety by removing the tang, and breaching the gap with the burled walnut stock.

The way Beretta put it is the feature is a “bridge of wood” that spans the space between receiver and the safety.

“The main focus for my design of the 486 was to simplify and rationalize all the surfaces,” Newson said, on Beretta’s website. “Specifically streamlining the area of the action.”

Newson also left his mark on the receiver, rounding all its edges to give it an elegant and smooth look. He removed the screws from the trigger guard, instead attaching it via a milled guide to refine the gun’s lines yet more. And he slimmed down the forend of the shotgun, to give it a sleeker look.

Newson topped off the 486 with an intricate laser engraving on all exposed metal of the receiver. It is an Asian motif, including Japanese cherry blossoms and chrysanthemums and Chinese dragons. The engraving might sound a bit out the ordinary for a shotgun from an Italian company, until Newson explains how it ties into some of the game likely to be taken by the firearm.

Marc Newson provided the lines to the Beretta 486, while the Italian gun maker chipped in such features as its cold-forged hammered Optima Bore Barrels.
Marc Newson provided the lines to the Beretta 486, while the Italian gun maker chipped in such features as its cold-forged hammered Optima Bore Barrels.

“My initial source of inspiration came from the idea that pheasants originate and are native to Asia, before being widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird,” he said. “For me it was important to somehow pay homage to this and incorporate a subtle Asian influence into the design.”

Beretta doesn’t appear to have skimped on their end of the project. The company has outfitted the 486 with cold-hammer forged Optima Bore Barrels, which boasts Beretta’s Triblock technology, eliminating welding lines.

No prices were given for the Beretta 486, however, a comparable Beretta side-by-side (the 486 Parallelo) has an MSRP of $5,350. Given the names behind the new Model 486, expect the new Beretta shotgun to also fetch top dollar.

Modern Custom Guns, 2nd Edition

Modern Custom Guns, 2nd Edition, Functional Art!

Video: Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House at Work

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0

The Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House was established in 1813 by an act of British Parliament. And today, the historic testing agency still resides in the same building.

In essence, proof houses test the safety of firearms – particularly the barrels. And they do so in a simple way – firing an over-pressured charge.

The method separates the wheat from the chaff quickly. Properly made barrels and chambers make it through the trial by fire. Those with imperfections split or crack.

Above is a cool video I stumbled upon at Gun Lab, detailing the Birmingham Proof House testing barrels more than 60 years ago. It’s certainly appears to be a much more dramatic method than the copper crusher or piezoelectric systems of today.

Video: Ruger’s American Rifle Predator Model

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0

Ruger’s American Rifle has made a lot of waves since it was introduced in 2012. For good reason, few firearms boast the performance of the bolt-action line for its price tag.

The American Rifle’s popularity has been no more evident than this year with Ruger kicking open the floodgates on the line. The New Hampshire/Arizona gun maker has introduced 11 new models of the rifle, one to accommodate nearly every stripe of shooter.

Among the new offerings is one tailored for those who live to chase coyotes, prairie dogs and other varmints – American Rifle Predator. This is exactly the model Jeff Quinn of Gun Blast goes over in the above video.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Quinn’s look at the Predator model is its interaction with a suppressor. Near the end of the video, he slaps a Tactical Solutions “Karma” Suppressor on the .223/5.56 NATO rifle with impressive results.

First, Quinn demonstrates how easy it is to add a suppressor to pre-threaded rifles that are becoming increasingly common. Second, and more importantly, he shows how much the Predator’s report can be deadened – which is considerably in this caliber.

Watch the entire video, because Quinn gives a fairly in depth look at the features common across the American Rifle line and Predator model in particular. He also shows the $489 MSRP rifle is certainly accurate, drilling a 5/8-inch five-shot group at 100 yards.

Standard Catalog of Ruger.

Standard Catalog of Ruger Firearms

 

Greatest Cartridges: .458 Winchester Magnum, Taming Dangerous Game

By
Tom Turpin
-
5
When facing brutes, such as Cape Buffalo, the .458 Winchester Magnum has become the modern standard. Dangerous game hunters wouldn't want to face Mbogo with anything less.
When facing brutes, such as Cape Buffalo, the .458 Winchester Magnum has become the modern standard. Dangerous game hunters wouldn't want to face Mbogo with anything less.

In the days when “the sun never set” on the British Empire, the colonization of vast areas on the African continent and most all of India resulted in a requirement for heavy caliber, powerful rifles and ammunition to protect the homesteads from large and often dangerous animals.

In addition, a fledgling business of outfitting and guiding foreign hunters in pursuit of these animals was developing, primarily in Kenya, but spreading throughout the continent. Rifles chambered for such exotic sounding names like .470 Nitro Express (NE), .475 #2 NE, .500 NE, and many others, along with the necessary ammunition, began showing up in both Africa and India. With few exceptions there was but one source of the necessary ammunition, and that was the UK firm called Kynoch.

Things went along just peachy for a while. Eventually, however, Kynoch learned that, as necessary as the ammunition manufacture for these big game cartridges was, they couldn't make any money loading them. The volume requirements required to make it profitable just weren't there, so, they did what prudent businessmen do and ceased production on most of the cartridges. This had the effect of turning lots of very handsome and very expensive firearms effectively into boat anchors. Without ammunition they were essentially useless.

In the early fifties, the Management at Olin Corp. saw an opportunity to fill the void by introducing their famous Winchester Model 70 bolt action rifle in some new chamberings, one of which was designed specifically for dangerous-game hunting in both Africa and India. They called it the .458 Winchester Magnum.

Olin introduced it to the shooting world in 1956. It was designed to duplicate the ballistics of the .450 NE, .470 NE and other similar cartridges. Winchester engineers modified and shortened the .375 H&H cartridge case, and loaded a 500 grain bullet in front of enough powder to provide a muzzle velocity of about 2150 feet per second (FPS), basically replicating the Nitro Express cartridges ballistically.

Olin then hired African Professional Hunter David Ommanney to be their “Winchester's Man in Africa,” and followed up with a blistering advertising campaign to sell both rifles and ammunition. It became an initial success, with PHs, wardens, wildlife managers and other professionals, along with the few visiting hunters venturing to that part of the world searching for elephant, buffalo, rhino, lions, tigers, etc., arming themselves with the new development.

The .458 Winchester Magnum became the world standard dangerous-game cartridge rather quickly, due in part to the fact that both the ammunition and rifles to shoot it were very substantially less expensive than British-made rifles, particularly since no ammunition was being produced for them.

Alas, after a few years in the field, problems began cropping up. Muzzle velocities were often discovered to be substantially less than the advertised velocities, frequently less than 2000 fps instead of 2150, and erratic performance issues.

Winchester investigated and found that the heavily compressed loads of ball powder that they were using, had a habit of clumping together causing fickle ignition and less than desirable performance. These were not welcome attributes for a dangerous-game rifle. Winchester addressed the problem and corrected it, but considerable damage was already done to the reputation of the cartridge.

A comparison of different .458-caliber ammunition. From the left, .458 Winchester Magnum, .458 Lott, .460 Weatherby Magnum.
A comparison of different .458-caliber ammunition. From the left, .458 Winchester Magnum, .458 Lott, .460 Weatherby Magnum. Photo: Peter Gnanapragasam.

Well known outdoor writer Jack Lott, managed to get himself into a tussle with a cape buffalo he had wounded using the .458 Win Mag. Needless to say, he didn't win the wrestling match and was hammered pretty good. He didn't do Winchester any favors writing about his experience in the outdoor press. As a result of his experience, he lengthened the .458 Winchester cartridge case by .300” and called his creation the .458 Lott. The added powder capacity, as well as advances in powder technology, made achieving Winchester's goal with the Win Mag round easily achievable.

Even so, the .458 Winchester Magnum set the standard for dangerous-game cartridges.

Most ammunition manufacturers load factory ammo for it, and most rifle manufacturers make rifles chambered for the round. In spite of past glitches with the ammo, it works and it works very well. Armed with a quality rifle chambered for the .458 Win Mag, and the ability to shoot it accurately, the hunter need fear very little in today's hunting world.

Springfield Armory Introduces XD Mod.2

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0
Springfield Armory has released an updated version of its popular XD pistol – the XD Mod.2. The big news on the gun, enhanced ergonomics that aim to make it a smoother shooter.
Springfield Armory has released an updated version of its popular XD pistol – the XD Mod.2. The big news on the gun, enhanced ergonomics that aim to make it a smoother shooter.

It’s pretty easy to get a handle on the news coming out of Springfield Armory. Really, the latest edition to Illinois company’s catalog all comes down to grips.

To be more exact, the XD Mod.2 aims to give shooters a more pleasant purchase through some ergonomic tweaks. The most notable on the 3-inch barreled sub-compact is what Springfield Armory touts as Grip Zones.

Essentially, the three “Zones” on the grip each have their own unique texturing, promoting a more solid handle on the gun. It is a marked break from the original XD’s design, which boasted much more traditional grip texturing.

The new surfaces on the Croatian-made pistol – being released in 9mm and 40 S&W – are meant to interact with specific parts of the hand.

Zone 1, on the front of the grip, has an anti-slip surface that is less assertive to work in conjunction with more sensitive parts of the hand. Zone 2, at the rear of the grip, has much more aggressive texturing, encouraging more friction and a firm hold. Zone 3, covering all other areas of the grip, is moderately textured and is meant to support the other two zones.

While the most noticeable, the Grip Zones aren’t the only tweaks Springfield has made to the sub-compact. The company has also reduced the grip, frame and slide size on the double-stack pistol.

The tweaks in the dimensions appear to only bolster the XD Mod.2’s concealed carry credentials. As does the streamlining of many of the corners and curves of the gun, making it less likely to snag.

The pistol also has a new set of sights. Springfield upgraded the front sight to a red fiber optic. The rear sight is still a two dot, though its profile has been lowered, and is still constructed of steel to facilitate its use in racking the slide.

The XD Mod.2 retains many of the features that made the line popular in the first place. The pistol still has an ambidextrous magazine release, blade and grip safeties and excellent capacity. The 9mm version still holds 13+1 (16+1 with the X-Tension magazine) rounds and the 40 S&W 9+1 (12+1 with the X-Tension).

No word on when the pistol will be officially released, but Springfield has given the price on the new XD Mod.2. All-black versions have an MSRP of $565, while bi-tone models run $599.

Market Trends: Concealed Carry Market Affecting Caliber Choice

By
Brian McCombie
-
0

380-ammoGlenn Duncan — Duncan’s Outdoor Shop, Bay City, Mich.

The concealed carry market is still very hot in Michigan, but it has had its effects on what shooters are buying.

In particular, Glenn Duncan has noted a somewhat drastic change in pistol choices due to a tight ammunition market.

The owner of Duncan's Outdoor has seen a shift due to a general lack of .380 ACP ammunition. His customers are opting for 9mm compacts versus the .380 models many would actually come into the store to purchase.

“They can’t get the ammo, so they’re not willing to buy the gun,” Duncan says.

The good news? That ammo reality has the store’s smaller 9mm SIG Sauer’s and Ruger’s selling well.

The warmer weather from this past spring should have had Duncan’s moving many .22 rimfire rifles for plinking and varmint hunting. Not so this year.

“That market’s kind of dead for us,” Duncan said, thanks to the continued scarcity of .22 LR ammunition, he believes.

Local turkey hunters were buying some shotguns, but the trend here is toward used scatterguns and not for new, turkey-specific models.

Area hunters want a more general purpose shotgun, Duncan explains, one that can bag a turkey, knock down pheasants, and be used as a slug gun during deer season, and are generally not willing to spend big bucks for a tricked out “turkey gun.”

COW-Collection

Cartridges of the World Collection

Whether it's ballistics data you're after to help choose the right cartridge for the job, cartridge design and load data to assist you in wildcatting efforts, or simply an interest in the history and evolution of cartridges, the Cartridges of the World Collection has everything you need. The collection includes: Cartridges of the World, 14th Edition, Ammo Encyclopedia, 5th Edition, Gun Digest the Magazine’s special Ammo Issue and the American Standard Bullet Poster.

Thoughts on Dry Fire Practice

By
Grant Cunningham
-
1

Dry fire should be an important part of any firearms training, but are shooters getting all they can out of the practice? Grant Cunningham suggests there is a more productive way to get the most out of pulling the trigger sans ammo.

Practicing a smooth trigger press is quite difficult with live ammunition; the recoil of the gun masks movement of the sights (and the “feel” needed when first learning the double actions). That recoil also interferes with your ability to judge if you’re correctly maintaining your grasp pressure.

Dry firing allows you to divorce the act from the recoil and lets you feel what a proper trigger is really like. Dry fire also makes it easy to feel grasp strength and if you’re maintaining it consistently. Paying close attention to these things in dry fire will make a huge difference in live fire control.

While some may scoff at this, I’m generally not an advocate of extensive dry fire practice for defensive shooting. That isn’t to say that it’s completely useless, though, because some – of the right kind and in the right proportion – can be extremely helpful in developing proper trigger control.

I recommend doing just enough dry fire practice at home that you develop the ability to maintain a perfect sight alignment for the full stroke (press and return) of the trigger 100% of the time. Once you’ve achieved that, I maintain that further dry fire in isolation is of little value. That doesn’t mean dry fire is completely useless, only that it might be best done at a different time and place.

In my experience, I found that once I actually fixed in my mind what proper trigger control felt like, any further dry firing was better done at the range just before live fire. This immediate transition from the lessons of dry fire to the application of those lessons in live fire provides far more benefit than endlessly dry firing off the range.

I suggest that when you go to the range start by doing a few dry fire repetitions, perhaps a dozen or so, which will be an immense help in fixing in your mind exactly what your hands should be doing. Immediately switching to live fire allows you to transfer the skills to actual shooting. My students have often reported that doing so makes both their dry fire and live fire sessions much more productive.

Editor's Note: This article is a excerpt from Grant Cunningham's Defensive Pistol Fundamentals.

Colt Introduces New M.A.R.C. 901 Series

By
Elwood Shelton
-
0
Colt's new M.A.R.C. 901 Series, such as the above AR901-16S, aims at the utmost flexibility. Each gun not only is set up for nearly endless rail configurations, but the platform can also switch between AR-10 and AR-15.
Colt's new M.A.R.C. 901 Series, such as the above AR901-16S, aims at the utmost flexibility. Each gun not only is set up for nearly endless rail configurations, but the platform can also switch between AR-10 and AR-15.

Colt's new M.A.R.C. 901 Series aims to take versatility to the next level, giving shooters a platform that simply switches between AR-15 and AR-10.

From barrel length to rail configuration, the AR can be decked out to tackle nearly any challenge. Heck, just that aspect alone is one of the main drivers of the platform's popularity.

Colt, however, aims to take the flexibility concept a step further by evolving one its most versatile firearms into an entire line.

The four new rifles that make M.A.R.C. 901 Series are basically the evolution of the LE901-16S. And like the original model, the new family of firearms can be configured to take on any trial.

Perhaps, the biggest selling point of the M.A.R.C. (Modular AR Carbine) family’s flexibility is its ability to switch between the two most popular AR calibers. The new guns are sold as AR-10, chambered .308 Winchester, but can quickly become an AR-15.

The series is designed to accept any of Colt’s Mil-Spec .223/5.56 upper receiver with a conversion kit. The kit, sold separately, scales down the magwell, buffer and action spring to shoot the lighter round.

The LE901-16S kicked off the concept of switching between AR-10 and 15, and remains an option in the M.A.R.C. 901 Series. But the four new rifles that have been added to the family aim to take the platform’s flexibility a step further.

The new models – LE901-16SE, LE901 FDE-16SE, LE901-18SE and AR901-16S – achieve much of their adaptability through their rail systems.

Each SE model has a fixed rail at the 12 o’clock position on the receiver and provision to mount rails at the 3,6 and 9 o’clock positions. The AR901-16S features a flat-top upper receiver and a tubular forend, with provisions to mount rails on 16 different planes.

All of the carbines, except the LE901-18SE, are outfitted with 16.1-inch free-floating barrels. Like its numerical designation suggests, the 18SE is designed for those who prefer a longer 18-inch free-floating barrel.

All models in the M.A.R.C. 901 family boast chrome-lined barrels, for longer life and less fouling. And they have a 1:12-inch twist rate (right hand), which will stabilize bullets up to 168 grains.

The SE models of the M.A.R.C. all have VLTOR adjustable buttstocks, while the AR901-16S has a B5 Bravo Buttstock. In both cases, the firearms with 16-inch barrels can be adjusted from 34.24 inches to 37.5 inches in overall length.

All but the FDE-16SE come with flat black finishes. The FDE model, on the other hand, has a flat dark earth finish on its upper and lower receivers along with matching furniture.

The SE models of the direct-impingement rifles each come outfitted with flip-up adjustable sights. The AR901-16S does not come with a sighting system included.

The MSRP on the M.A.R.C. 901 Series is as follows: LE901-16SE and LE901-18SE $2,181, LE901 FDE-16SE $2,281 and AR901-16S $1,623.

1...266267268...432Page 267 of 432

MUST READ ARTICLES

Get The

Magazine

Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing.

Subscribe Now

Get The

Newsletter

Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com.

Sign Up

Get The

Book

Get the 79th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book.

Buy Now

Information

Subscriptions

Resources

Business