Walther’s 5-inch PPQ M2 in .40 S&W defies the blockiness of typical striker-fired pistols.
Last fall I acquired a Walther PPQ M2 with a 4-inch barrel in 9mm. It was one of those rare moments when you are handed a pistol, and as soon as you grip it, you know it’s going home with you. This immediately became my carry 9mm. Walther is now also producing the PPQ with a 5-inch barrel and as good as the 4-inch barreled model is, this one is even better.
Six weight-reducing cutouts and the serrated top rib break the glare on the sight plane.
The first thing you notice when you pick up a PPQ is the wonderful ergonomic feel of the pistol and the excellent trigger. The grip is slender with a width of 1.3 inches but still hand filling, and if for some reason it still doesn’t feel perfect, the gun comes supplied with three interchangeable backstrap inserts to fit a small, medium or large hand.
The texturing on the grip keeps the pistol from moving in the hand during recoil without imprinting an aggressive waffle pattern on your palm. The pull on my new pistol breaks at a very clean 5.4 pounds with a short take-up and a fast and prominent reset, all of which leads to excellent accuracy.
Even with the extra power of the .40 S&W cartridge, a shooter can still make fast, accurate follow-up shots without a problem. The top of the slide has been contoured with six weight reducing cutouts and a serrated top rib to break up potential glare on the sight plane. The frame also contains an accessory rail for those who wish to mount a light or laser device on the pistol.
Sights are enhanced with three white dots that seem to be pretty standard these days. The difference between the Walther and the rest of the pack is that the dot on the front is fairly large and easy to see. A nice touch is the windage adjustable rear sight. On the right side of the rear sight is a recessed adjustment screw allowing you to fine tune the sights in any direction.
Shots Fired
Using a standing two-hand hold in a modified Weaver stance the PPQ produced the following results. At 21 feet, eight rounds of Magtech 115-grain Full Metal Jacketed ammo grouped into 1.42 inches. Five of those rounds gave me a .77-inch cluster. Five rounds of Federal Premium 135-grain Guard Dog ammo came in at .75 inches. Five rounds of Winchester PDX1 180-grain Bonded Jacketed Hollow Point ammo produced four rounds in a .60-inch cluster with one flier opening up the group to still impressive 1.37 inches.
Five rounds of Dynamic Research Technologies 105-grain Hollow Point put four rounds into a .87-inch cluster with one flier opening the group up to 1.09 inches. At 35 feet, 12 rounds of the Magtech 115-grain ammunition came in at 2.7 inches with eight rounds giving me a 2-inch cluster. It didn’t really matter what I loaded the gun with. It shot tight groups and cycled all of the loads without fail.
Tested with a variety of loads, the PPQ delivered consistent groups. Author photo
The Winchester PDX1 ammunition had a little more kick than the other rounds, and I tend to think it would thump the bad guy pretty good. This is what I will carry in the PPQ. Due to its light weight and rounded grip, it is much easier to carry than a 5-inch barreled Government Model 1911, which is about a half-inch longer and a quarter pound heavier than the PPQ.
The accuracy is surprising, as I have never found the .40 S&W to be as precise as the 9mm and .45 ACP. While the PPQ M2 Long slide is a wonderful self-defense pistol, with its smooth trigger, it would also make a great competition gun for IDPA as well as Steel Challenge Matches for those who may be thinking along the competitive lines. Either way, you can’t go wrong with Walther’s PPQ M2 in .40 S&W. It’s a great handgun.
Walther PPQ M2 5-Inch Caliber: .40 S&W Capacity: 11 +1 Magazines: 2 11-round magazines Barrel: 5 in. Sights: 3-dot, rear adjustable for windage Frame: Polymer, matte black finish Slide: Tenifer coated, matte black finish Length: 8.1 in. Height: 5.3 in. Width: 1.3 in. Weight: 1.6 lbs. Options: Mag loader, adjustable back strap panels, gun lock. Metal self-illumination or metal Tritium night sights also available. SRP: $649 Website: waltherarms.com
Get some solid tips and tricks to properly drawing a handgun in a vehicle.
When it comes to personal defense of any kind, there is always a need to expect the unexpected.
Danger never announces itself. In fact, it has the deadly tendency of catching people completely off guard. This even goes for those of us who concealed carry.
One such example is the topic of the National Shooting Sports Foundation video above – drawing a handgun in a vehicle. As Adam Painchaud of Sig Saur Academy shows, getting at a gun while in a car or truck isn’t rocket science, but does require some adjustments to do it properly.
As demonstrated by Painchaud, presenting a handgun in a vehicle really comes down to body manipulation. When the butt of the pistol is buried in a seat, a typical draw just isn’t going to cut it.
Painchaud also touches on some other salient concepts concerning concealed carry in a car. For those who spend a majority of time behind the wheel, the instructor even suggests a break from the typical holster configuration might be in order.
For such individuals, a holster easy to get at while seated – such as an ankle holster – might be just the ticket. Or the most logical move might be installing a special vehicle mount, such as the Gum Creek Vehicle Handgun Mount.
No matter how someone who concealed carries decides to handle what can be a tight situation in a car, Pinchaud’s final advice is golden – practice. Doing so you’ll be ready to take the wheel when the rubber hits the road.
Magnum Research has introduced its three models of Desert Eagle 1911s in stainless steel versions, such as the above full-sized 1911G.
For those who love the icy good looks of stainless steel on pistols, your hearts should get a thumping with the news coming out of Magnum Research.
The Minnesota manufacturer recently announced it is releasing the three models of its popular Desert Eagle 1911 deck out in the lustrous metal. And the move has the potential to do more than just pique the interests of those who live for gun aesthetics.
The incorporation of stainless steel into the lineup of Magnum Research’s 1911G, 1911C and 1911U also should make the guns more carry friendly. The corrosion-resistant metal can be just the ticket for those shooting for a carry pistol that can withstand humid conditions or ones that promote body moister.
The three models cover nearly any size a 1911 shooter might aim to hang on his or her hip.
The 1911G is the Kahr Arms’ subsidiary’s full-sized pistol, boasting a 5.05-inch barrel and 8.625-inch overall length. The slide width is 1.28-inches and it weighs in at a hefty 36.2 ounces. The 1911C is slightly smaller with a 4.33-inch barrel length, an overall length of 7.87 inches and weight of 3.9 ounces.
The 1911U is the company’s 3-inch barreled concealed carry model. It has an overall length of 6.85 inches and a height is 5 inches. It tips the scales at 25.8 ounces.
The 1911C (above) and 1911U (below), decked out in stainless steel.
The grips of the three .45 ACPs have front-strap checkering at 20 lines per inch. They have a high-profile sculptured rear sights, drift adjustable for windage, and pinned-in white dot front sights.
The 1911G and 1911C each ship with two eight-round magazines. The 1911U comes with two six-round magazines.
All three models have the Series 70 configuration, meaning they boast the original trigger system of the 1911, without the passive safety. This should appeal to purists of the pistol and those who are after the crisp, high-performance trigger pull the 1911 is known for.
Magnum Research lists the trigger-pull weight of the pistols at 3 to 4 pounds and a trigger reach of 2.77 inches.
The pistols are priced well in relation to most 1911s on the market. The 1911G and 1911C both have MSRPs of $904. The 1911U comes in a bit more expensive with an MSRP of $1,019.
Of all the shots in sporting clays, the tower station might be the most maddening.
Like a smug Canada goose on a pass shot, the clay nearly scraps the stratosphere and leaves shooters busting nothing but the wide blue yonder. There is hope, however, at grasping the tricky mechanics it takes to make this a smooth shot.
Gil Ash gives some solid tips on just this subject in the above video produced by the National Shooting Sports Association. The central thrust the owner of OSP Shooting School gets at is adjusting grip and stance to get a fast and solid lead on the clays.
Ash basically advocates narrowing each to facilitate faster shouldering and better balance when in the shadow of the tower. It appears to be fairly logical advice, giving more flexibility to the shooter to quickly and accurately get a lead on the clay.
Of course, and as always, you'll have to watch the video to learn the finer points of his lesson.
The .284 Winchester almost slipped into obscurity, but was saved when it was embraced by F-Class and other long-distance shooters and was reborn as the 6.5×284 Norma.
Back in 1963, the cartridge designers at Winchester introduced a new cartridge to the marketplace. Dubbed the .284 Winchester, it was designed specifically to produce ballistics equal to the .270 Winchester and .280 Remington, but in a case that was the same general length as the .308 case that would fit in the Winchester Model 100 autoloader and the Winchester Model 88 lever action rifles.
They succeeded by designing a rebated rim case with a greater diameter that provided a powder capacity about the same as the .270 and .280.
Although the designers met their design goal, the cartridge, and the rifles it was designed for, turned out to be considerably less than a smashing success. Savage made a few Model 99s in that chambering, and Ruger also did a run of M77 rifles chambered for the cartridge. To my knowledge, no other cartridge manufacturer except Winchester ever loaded the cartridge.
By all reasonable measures, an unpopular cartridge chambered in relatively unpopular rifles, and available from only one source, should quickly disappear from the market. The .284 Winchester cartridge was headed in that direction and would have made it there quickly had it not been for one factory.
Wildcatters found the case design suited the development of a few very useful non-standard cartridges, primary of which was the 6.5-284, legitimized by the Swedish ammunition maker Norma in 1999 and renamed the 6.5-284 Norma cartridge. The reason — the cartridge found its niche among long-range target shooters.
I am told that these days it is the most widely used non-wildcat cartridge in F-Class and 1000 yard benchrest matches. For awhile, a variation of the 6.5-284 Norma held the 1000 yard benchrest record of 1.564 inch! That record was broken (group size 1.403”) in 2007, but the cartridge is still very popular with long-range competitors.
It is slowly gaining an inroad into the hunter's market as well.
For awhile, a variation of the 6.5×284 Norma held the 1000 yard benchrest record of 1.564 inch!
The 6.5mm chambering in various forms have long been popular in Europe and in Africa, but have gained acceptance in the US market very slowly. The US sporting market aversion to any cartridge designated with a mm following it has long had a very hard row to hoe among American shooters. That seems to be changing however.
Even my old pal and fellow curmudgeon David Petzal, seems to have taken a liking to the cartridge. Dave, for those readers that have been languishing under a very large rock for a half-century or so, has been writing for Field & Stream since the era of the quill pen and ink well. He has, during those many decades, earned the enviable reputation of not liking much of anything. However, even Dave wrote a two-part review of the 6.5-284 Norma in his Field & Stream blog that is reasonably favorable. Reasonably favorable from Petzal would be the equivalent of a gun-wrenching, wall climbing, flag waving, brass-band booming hoopla coming from anyone else.
He found the cartridge capable of extreme accuracy, while delivering the goods with light recoil. Typical of Petzal, he also wrote, “And one other fringe benefit: If, when someone asks you in hunting camp what caliber your rifle is, and you say “6.5-284,” people will have no idea what the hell you're talking about and will think you know all about guns and shooting. I've been dining off this for years.”
It’s been quite a few years since the Galil has been available in the U.S. market. But that’s soon about to change.
In the above video, Casey Flack of Israel Weapons Industries showcases the next generation of the Galil at the NASGW Expo. And by his estimations, fans of the firearm won't have to wait long to handle the Galil ACE, with the gun set hit American shores around April 2015.
Actually, fans of the AK variant will have a tough choice to make come spring, given there are two models of the firearm set to be released.
IWI is introducing the Galil ACE 32, a full-sized model of the 7.62×39 rifle with a 16-inch barrel. It is also releasing the ACE 31, an 8.3-inch barreled pistol version with a SB15-type brace system.
Much of the early press on the new Galil has centered around IWI addressing one of the main complains about the firearm – its weight. The new carbine weighs in at 7.5 pounds, quite a bit lighter than the original.
Part of the weight issue was due to the original Galil being modeled after another AK variant, the Finnish Rk 62. Like the Rk 62, the older Galil had completely milled upper and lower receivers. The company trimmed some of the weight on the new firearm by opting for a polymer lower.
IWI has thrown in a lot of other refinements shooters will most likely love, as well. One that jumps out right away is the gun’s charging handle has been moved to the left side, making it easier for right handers to juice the firearm.
IWI has also put a dust cover over the port where the handle runs, a pretty slick feature. This should keep the gun running much cleaner, keeping dust, mud and debris out of the receiver.
The only piece of info not to come out yet is what the firearms will be priced.
Check out of the rest of the video to see what else is in store from the new Galil. Suffice to say, those who love AKs will most likely find a lot to like about the new Galil ACE.
This suppressor on a Mossberg .223 MVP reduced the report to that of a powerful air rifle. No ear protection needed. James Card Photo
Misperceptions about the ability to own a gun suppressor abound. Getting one is actually easier than you think.
Choose Your Suppressor
Suppressor shooting events are becoming more common and give you a chance to evaluate models. James Card Photo
The idea of firing a shot with little noise is naturally intriguing to many of us who love to shoot, and in the past couple of years I’ve noticed more and more suppressors in the hands of individuals, both at the range and at competitions.
In fact, the suppressor/silencer industry has become one of the fastest growing segments in the firearms market today. One of the reasons for this growth is that many states have relaxed laws concerning their purchase and use, and folks are learning the process just isn’t as intimidating as they once thought it was.
Since the cost of a suppressor can be as much as the firearm it’s attached to, and the tax stamp required costs $200 in addition to the cost of the suppressor, it makes sense to have the ability to use the suppressor on more than one gun. That flexibility should be part of the decision when choosing the right suppressor for your needs.
As in the selection of any other device, there are trade-offs to be made when selecting a suppressor. Rimfire units can be quite small and light but will not work on centerfire guns. All other considerations being the same, larger units are more efficient but, of course, are heavier and bulkier.
Centerfire silencers can be used on rimfires, but they should be made with the capability to disassemble and clean because rimfire ammunition tends to be much more dirty.
If you choose to use your suppressor on different guns, you’ll want a unit that’s easy to remove and replace. In choosing a suppressor, you should also take into consideration the rate of fire. High rates of fire really heat up smaller units and can damage them.
I recently tested a Yankee Hill 9mm silencer that uses a serviceable one-piece baffle and a quick twist ½-inch 28 thread that’s compatible with rimfire versions of M4, M16 and AR-15 rifles. It’s designed to be used on 9mm pistols and rifles, but it works equally well on .22 rimfire ARs, .22 pistols and other rimfire rifles, giving complete versatility in the ability to be used on any gun fitted with an adapter.
If the suppressor is only to be used on a single rifle or pistol, the mounting system can be simpler, and there is some additional cost for quick-change systems. Some guns are integrally suppressed, with the silencer built into the barrel unit for a lighter, cleaner look.
For centerfire rifles, suppressor units can be multipurpose as well. Chris Cerino, of “Top Shot” television fame, uses a Gemtech .308 can on his Remington 700 and has a quick adapter for his .223 AR platform rifles, as well.
“I know there may some loss of efficiency, but the .308 works so well I really can’t tell it from a dedicated .223 unit. The level of sound suppression seems as good, though the unit is heavier and larger than a dedicated .223 unit,” Cerino says. “There’s a great bonus in the ability to get double duty out of the .30 caliber unit.”
Caliber Selection & Sound
Decide what you want to use it for and match the suppressor to the job. James Card Photo
Of course, if you want truly quiet operation, caliber selection is tantamount. In pistol and rimfire calibers, finding subsonic ammunition isn’t that difficult. For centerfire rifle use, it’s quite a bit more difficult. The .300 Blackout, created by Advanced Armament Corp. in cooperation with Remington Defense, has the same case base as the .223 round and therefore works perfectly in AR-platform rifles and magazines.
The .300 Blackout was developed specifically for use in suppressed firearms, and is capable of taking deer-sized animals with bullets from 200 to 250 grains at subsonic speeds. In supersonic loadings with lighter bullets, it duplicates the 7.62×39. A suppressor designed for .300 Blackout can be used on ARs in .223, as well as rimfire pistols and rifles.
In some states, recent laws have made it easier to obtain a suppressor. For instance, in my home state of North Carolina, a December 12, 2012, change in the law makes the legal requirements identical to federal law, and thus the process simpler.
This year our state passed a law that allows for using a silencer for hunting. Other states have passed similar laws. Your dealer can inform you on the requirements in your state.
With the growing interest in suppressors and the simplicity of obtaining them, this is becoming a fast growing part of recreational shooting. Silencers or suppressors offer practical applications for recreational and competitive shooting, as well as hunting. While the process to silencer/suppressor ownership isn’t simple, it’s only a little more complicated than the process of buying a surplus M1 rifle from the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
Get Your Own
This Walther is fairly compact and handles well even with the silencer attached. Author Photo
You can register the purchase of a suppressor in three ways: as an individual, as a trust or as a corporation. All have advantages, but the most expedient for most people is to set up a trust (See “NFA Trusts” page 26). Most silencer companies can refer you to a lawyer who can assist you with setting up the trust, and some claim to be able to process the trust in as little as 24 hours. Currently, 39 states allow private ownership of suppressors.
They include Alabama; Arkansas; Alaska; Arizona; Colorado; Connecticut; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Indiana; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Michigan; Missouri; Mississippi; Montana; North Dakota; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Mexico; North Carolina; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Presently, gun-rights groups are working in the other 11 states to secure the legal use of suppressors for target shooting or hunting use. Odds are with so many states permitting suppressor ownership, it’s a good bet you are among the number of recreational shooters who can buy and own your very own silencer.
Modern Shooter sponsor Silencer Shop makes getting your own suppressor easy. They walk buyers through the entire application and purchasing process and even track approval of your application with the BATFE. Visit their website at silencershop.com.
TacStar's SideSaddle and Picatinny Rail Mount allows shooters to tote along six extra shells to feed an always hungry smooth bore.
The new SideSaddle and Picatinny Rail Mount from TacStar expands Remington shotgun ammo capacity and optics options.
When it comes to outfitting a tactical shotgun, there are typically two considerations that top the list.
First, there is always the need to tote around extra ammo to feed what sometimes seems to be the insatiable appetite of a smoothbore. Next, there is normally the need to add a rail of some kind for the addition of other accessories.
For fans of one of the most popular shotgun makers in the country, TacStar appears to have solved both problems in one felled swoop. The subsidiary of Connecticut-based Lyman recently released its SideSaddle and Picatinny Rail Mount in a model compatible with Remington 12-gauges.
The 13-ounce unit is designed to fit on Remington’s 870, 1100 and 11-87 and can be installed without a gunsmith. The system simply screws on through two pin holes on the receiver of the three models that retain the fire control.
Once mounted, the SideSaddle allows shooters to carry six more shells on the left-hand side of the receiver. It also allows for the quick and easy addition of an accessory on the Picatinny Rail, situated right above the receiver.
The rail mount on the SideSaddle is designed for maximum stability, giving optics a firm platform to operate off.
The configuration of the rail is designed mainly for the addition of an optic. With this in mind, the SideSaddle appears to have been engineered for maximum stability in mind. In particular, the unit straddles the receiver giving it four points of contact with its bolts.
The rail feature also should give the SideSaddle some crossover appeal with hunters. It could especially be popular with many turkey hunters who like to draw a bead on gobblers with a red-dot optic.
No matter how the unit is called into action, it looks like it should be a fairly durable and convenient addition to a shotgun.
The SideSaddle is made of billet aluminum and boasts a hard coat anodized finish. And the unit tips the scales at only 13 ounces.
But the shell holder/rail does have a bit of a price tag. Presently, TacStar has the shotgun rail mount listed with an MSRP of $89.98.
These gun safe lights from Gun Digest easily install in any gun safe, use AAA batteries and offer motion-detecting LED illumination for hands-free use.
Update: Gun Safe Lights are sold out in the Gun Digest Store – However…
Check out these great alternatives available on Amazon. Motion Sensing, Battery Operated, Affordable, Adhesive lights to brighten any safe when you need them:
Just Say “No” to Dark Gun Safes
In the tradition of the best-selling Snagmag concealed carry ammunition holster, Gun Digest is proud to partner with Mr. Beams to present the latest “wish I’d thought of that” product: Gun Safe Lights. Available exclusively at GunDigestStore.com, these lights solve one of the most common problems in firearms: a dark gun safe.
Not everyone has a top-of-the-line, deluxe gun safe with built-in lights. However, most gun owners keep their safes in basements, closets, beneath staircases and other obscure parts of the home. That usually means the first step to opening the safe is grabbing a flashlight.
The Gun Safe Lights from Gun Digest free up both your hands and provide plenty of light no matter where the safe is located. Using an adhesive strip and/or screws (included), this two-pack of Gun Safe Lights install in any safe in a matter of minutes. The long-lasting LED lights turn on and off automatically whenever the door is opened or shut. There are no buttons to press. These lights offer 100 percent hands-free operation.
Even better, the Gun Safe Lights use AAA batteries. There are no wires to string across the safe or specialty batteries to order. Each Gun Safe Light is self-contained, so you’ll have access to your firearms, ammunition and other important items during any emergency.
Only $19.99 for a Two-Pack
Staying true to the simple philosophy of this new product, Gun Digest is offering a two-pack of these gun safe lights for only $19.99. Batteries aren’t included, but you’ll get adhesive strips, screws and the Gun Digest logo on each pair of lights.
Gun Safe Light Recommendations
The Gun Safe Lights are universal, but there are some considerations for your gun safes.
For smaller safes, Gun Digest recommends at least two lights. For medium to larger safes, at least four lights are suggested. If your gun safe has shelving, get a pair of lights for each shelf.
When using the adhesive strips, keep in mind the bond is the strongest when first installed inside the gun safe. Repositioning the light a second or third time loosens that adhesive bond. Depending on your gun safe, you may want to use the adhesive strip or the screws.
Excellent as Gifts for Gun Owners
These new Gun Safe Lights will fit perfectly into any gun safe – or stocking hung with care.
P3 Ultimate Target Stands looks to make shooting setup and takedown a snap.
CTK Precision’s P3 Ultimate Target Stand is an intriguing system allowing shooters to set up targets nearly anywhere.
Whether on public lands or at a buddy’s farm outside of town, it’s great to have a place to go shooting – especially without a range fee.
The trouble with these little slices of paradise, however, is setting up for more formal shooting. Certainly, the wide-open spaces of BLM land are great for plinking around, but might not be the best for scoping in a rifle.
Typically, the trouble for someone aiming at tuning in an optic or shoot at silhouettes is where they attach their targets. It seems when they’re most needed trees can be scare commodities.
Luckily, there have been some elegant solutions to setting up targets in the field quickly and affordably. One that appears to score on both counts is one of CTK Precision’s newest products.
What looks to make the P3 Ultimate Target Stands so nifty is its simplicity. In essence, the system is a set of heavy-duty legs and braces that hold furring strips, of which targets are attached. But the stand's minimalism in design has some potential benefits.
Perhaps the first that pops out is the stand's potential for fast setup and takedown. The system utilizes clamping plates adjusted with screw knobs, meaning a target can be put up without the use of a single tool.
P3 Ultimate Target Stand uses furring strips to mount targets and can be adjusted to fit nearly any sized target on the market.
The other feature that could turn shooters’ heads is the stand's cost. The Wisconsin manufacturer lists the P3 with a MSRP of $60. Given furring strips typically won't break the bank, the system overall seems fairly economical.
The stand is made of 14-gauge tubing and its feet from 3/8-inch rod, which should give it the backbone for years of use. The metal pieces have an E-coat finish, helping to prevent rust in humid climates.
The legs are 24 inches in length and are angled to provide a stable four-point stance no matter how rough the terrain. The legs are also designed to be further anchored in the ground or with sandbags, if the conditions are particularly windy.
CTK appears to have gone the extra mile in making the stand stable, integrating a cleaver bracing system. Instead of just a screw fastening the furring strips, the stand utilizes clamping plates that evenly disperses pressure on the lumber.
The system comes with four large clips to attach paper or cardboard targets. But the company has thrown in some twists to make the stand a more versatile shooting accessory.
CTK sells bottle holders (MSRP $6) that quickly turn the stand into a reactive target. One gander at the video below, demonstrates the potential this extra.
Certainly, heading out into the country to shoot around isn’t an option everyone can enjoy. But for those that can, CTK certainly looks to have produced a system worth taking a shot at.
Hunters, settlers and soldiers boosted their reach and firepower with metallic cartridges and Sharps rifles. Even today, the renowned rifle is popular looking to connect with distant targets.
Loading from the breech had been a dream long before the advent of the percussion cap. As legions of mechanics struggled with repeating actions, Christian Sharps built a stronger breechloading single-shot. The New Jersey native had apprenticed under John Hall at Harpers Ferry Arsenal. In 1848, he received his first patent, for a sliding breech block. The tight breeching held promise for hunters, because it could handle cartridges that would hit hard at long range.
Sharps: The Buffalo Rifle
Sharps rifles played a signal role in the act of clearing the plains of large animals. It was a period of shameless killing and insatiable appetites. The U.S. Army turned a blind eye to the slaughter, as it advanced its own aim to bring recalcitrant Plains Indians to heel. Starving tribes capitulated.
In a 1930 edition of the Kansas City Star, hunter George Reighard explained how he shot bison:
In 1872 I organized my own outfit and went south from Fort Dodge to shoot buffaloes for their hides. I furnished the team and wagon and did the killing. [My partners] furnished the supplies and the skinning, stretching and cooking. They got half the hides…I had two big .50 Sharps rifles… .
Usually, I went to the top of some rise to spy out the herd, [then I’d] sneak up to within good ranges. Between 200 and 350 yards was all right…I carried a gun rest made from a tree crotch…
The time I made my biggest kill I lay on a slight ridge behind a tuft of weeds l00 yards from a bunch of 1,000 buffaloes… After I had killed about 25 my gun barrel became hot and began to expand. A bullet from an overheated gun does not go straight, it wobbles, so I put that gun aside and took the other. By the time that became hot the other had cooled, but then the powder smoke in front of me was so thick I could not see through it; there was not a breath of wind to carry it away, and I had to crawl backward, dragging my two guns, and work around to another position on the ridge, from which I killed 54 more. In 1½ hours I had fired 91 shots, as a count of the empty shells showed afterwards, and had killed 79 buffaloes, and we figured that they all lay within an area of about 2 acres of ground. My right hand and arm were so sore from working the gun that I was not sorry to see the remaining buffaloes start off on a brisk run … .
That expedition yielded “a few more than 1,000 buffaloes in one month.”
The last half of the 19th century was the most productive period in firearms history, albeit progress came in fits and starts. Christian Sharps fielded several forgettable rifles before his company came up with its powerful, long-range “buffalo rifles.” The first patent model Sharps was an 1841 Mississippi rifle with a new breech that featured a vertical sliding block operated by a guard-bow finger lever.
Six rifles have been produced under the Sharps name: Models 1849, 1850, 185l, 1852, 1853 and 1855. The last four were “slant-breech” rifles, the breechblock operating at a 112-degree angle to the bore. Some military versions had a “coffee mill” in the buttstock (most soldiers of the day used it to grind grain).
During the late 1850s, Sharps rifles were shipped by abolitionists to Kansas “Free Staters,” to get votes against slavery. A shipment of 200 carbines got to John Brown. In the West, the Sharps rifle became known as “Beecher’s Bible,” after a news item described abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher’s observation that, “You might as well read the Bible to buffaloes as to those fellows who follow Atchison and Stringfellow; but they have a supreme respect for the logic [of] Sharps rifles.” When the Civil War broke, the Sharps enterprise was producing 30,000 guns annually in a factory driven by a 250-horsepower, single-cylinder Corliss steam engine.
The Sharps Rifle was potent when used on the American Bison. Unfortunately, it was almost too potent for its own good.
The Model 1859 was followed by new models 1859, 1863 and 1865. The strength, accuracy and potent chamberings of Sharps rifles would endear them to hunters. The Civil War put them into the hands of Colonel Hiram Berdan’s Sharpshooters. Initially, these troops were equipped with muzzleloaders, and Berdan’s request for breechloaders brought only surplus Colt’s revolving rifles. These he refused, and his men threatened mutiny! They finally got Sharps, though these lacked the double set triggers Berdan had ordered. At Gettysburg, 100 sharpshooters and 200 Maine regulars held Little Round Top against 30,000 Confederates. They fired nearly 10,000 rounds in 20 minutes!
As government contracts dried up after the war, the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company shifted its focus to sportsmen. The New Model 1869 was the first cartridge Sharps with no provision for outside priming. It came in .40-50, .40-70, .44-77, .45-70 and .50-70. Only 650 were produced before the Model 1874, announced in 1870, replaced it. The 1874 in myriad forms would remain popular for 12 years. Christian Sharps died of tuberculosis, in 1874, but the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company, built on patents Sharps had bargained away to Penfield, chugged along.
The Model 1875 Sharps rifle incorporated patents by Rollin White and Nelson King. A Long-Range version shown at the Philadelphia Exposition was bought there for $300 by Colonel John Bodine. It remains the only surviving specimen, as no other 1875s were made. But Charles Overbaugh and A.O. Zischang, who had helped design the rifle, delivered a replacement.
The Model 1877 had a leaner, rounder action. Locks and barrel blanks came from Webley of England. Like the Model 1874 Creedmoor that would hand Americans their victory over the Irish in the first Creedmoor match, it excelled at distance. Fewer than 300 Model 1877s were built, in three grades priced at $75, $100 and $125. Overbaugh made 73 into scheutzen rifles. Denver dealer J.P. Lower sold 75 as “special Model 1874s.” These became known as “Lower Sharps” rifles.
Hugo Borchardt joined Sharps soon after the Model 1875’s debut. Like Nelson King of Winchester fame, who became plant superintendent at Sharps, Hugo Borchardt turned his hand to rifle design at the firm. He earned $1,855 for his first rifle, the Sharps Model 1878. The first 300 Borchardt rifles went to the Chinese government in 1877. Its action also showed up in hunting and target guns priced as low as $18.
In May 1879, Hugo Borchardt sailed to Europe seeking military contracts. He got none. Sharps’ efforts to field a repeating rifle came to naught, and the company scrambled. Retailers were given huge markdowns on re-barreled Sharps rifles. Carlos Grove & Son, of Denver, took 270 Model 1874s at $15 to $17 each! It was the beginning of the end. The Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company vanished from Connecticut records in 1905.
The Sharps rifle most celebrated is the 1874, which, if you’d bought one with double set triggers in 1878, would have cost $44. Replicas can bring a hundred times as much now. The movie Quigley Down Under introduced the Sharps to people who’d never heard the name. Following the film, in which its star, Tom Selleck, drills a bucket far away, the Quigley Match emerged in Forsyth, Montana. A bucket-shaped target, 44 inches wide at the top is 1,000 yards off—a long shot for a scoped bolt rifle. For a blackpowder Sharps, iron sights and round-nose bullets at 1,400 fps, it is indeed a challenge! Still, many shooters hit that bucket regularly!
Despite the Sharps Rifle being a more than 150-year-old design, modern manufacturers continue to product the timeless firearm. Above is a specimen from Shiloh Sharps out of Montana.
Surely the best known—and most debated—of Sharps feats occurred at the frontier town of Adobe Walls in the north Texas panhandle. Buffalo hunter Billy Dixon was one of just 28 men sleeping in the tiny settlement on June 26, 1874. At dawn, 700 Comanche warriors led by chief Quanah Parker, killed three whites before the remaining defenders barricaded themselves in buildings. Most were hunters, well armed. They repulsed the charge with withering rifle fire, but they were badly outnumbered, and many of the Comanches had repeating rifles.
Two days later, some warriors still lurked, like circling wolves, on the perimeter of Adobe Walls. As legend has it, about 15 appeared on a bluff nearly a mile off. Billy Dixon, renowned for his marksmanship, was urged to take a shot with the local saloon owner’s .50-bore 1874 Sharps. Dixon had used this rifle during the initial attack, so, when he took aim, there was more than hope at play. Still, onlookers were astonished, when, seconds after the blast, one of the Indians fell off his horse. The distance was later surveyed at 1,538 yards. Possible? Yes. Probable? Certainly not.
Wind drift aside, that bullet would have been descending so sharply that a range estimation error of just 50 yards would have caused a miss. Whether or not you believe Billy Dixon hit a Comanche at more than 1,500 yards with a blackpowder Sharps, you’ll have plenty of company! The Sharps 1874 has come to rival the Winchester 1873 as a signature rifle of the post-Civil War West.
Shiloh Sharps, a Montana company that now builds Sharps rifles after their original design, put an 1877 Sharps on its list, in 2013. Given the high quality and attention to detail lavished on the company’s 1874s, from Old Faithful hunting rifles to Creedmoor target versions—and the strong demand for them—the 1877 likely will build a list of backorders.
The ONYX IWB holster is for all-day concealment, and what makes it comfortable is the inner VentCore breathable platform that dissipates your sweat and keeps your waistline area dry. The outer shell is Kydex, and the rig attaches with stainless steel clips. Each holster is custom built. Made in the USA. (See StealthGearUSA IWB Holsters at Amazon.com)
Crossbreed
The SuperTuck Deluxe is a blend of stability and comfort. The backing is offered in horsehide, cowhide or hard-rolled cowhide. One option to consider is the Combat Cut where some of the leather is trimmed from the backing. This allows the shooter to get a better grip and a faster draw. The trade-off is a slight decrease in comfort. ($67 – $78, amazon.com)
Blackhawk!
The Epoch Level 3 Light Bearing Duty Holster is designed for Glock and Smith & Wesson M&P pistols mounted with an under-barrel pistol light. It will fit with Streamlight’s TLR-1 and TLR-2 and the SureFire X300. Made of a proprietary polymer blend, the holster has the same master grip release principle as the Serpa series of holsters, which involves a thumb-activated release that disengages both the ejection-port lock and the protective pivot guard. ($68 to $169, amazon.com)
Galco
The Royal Guard is a great choice for larger defensive pistols that are to be worn inside the pants. The rough side of the leather faces out, with the friction adding stability. The smooth side is on the inside for a quick draw and easy holstering. It is made of horsehide with a natural finish. ($100-$120, amazon.com)
Safariland
Safariland took three popular holster models and added a Cordura nylon wrap finish over the SafariLaminate thermal-molded shell. They come in MultiCam, Ranger green, coyote and khaki. The models offered are the 6004USN and the 6354DO, two tactical holster rigs; and the 6378USN, an open-top concealment hip holster. ($144-$220, amazon.com)
A striker-fired pistol with a good grip and trigger, the P320C is “boringly reliable.” David Bahde has the Sig Sauer P320C review.
Even at my early introduction to striker-fired pistols as a law officer in the 1990s, there were positives and negatives. Weight was always a consideration, as carrying a pistol 10 hours a day changes your perspective. Reliability was solid, maintenance minimal and operation simple. We parted company when it came to fit, trigger feel and accuracy. Early triggers were gritty, with significant stacking, and there was that annoying trigger safety. My large hands just did not like the square fit.
Once a personal gun could be carried, a 1911 was in my holster most of the time. Another choice was a P220 or P226, but de-cockers have always been a no-go for me. What I needed was a solid striker-fired pistol with a normal grip, standard grip angle and a metal trigger with nothing attached to it. That finally came to be with the introduction of the Sig Sauer P320 pistol.
While a few polymer striker-fired pistols addressed most of my issues, the P320 was the first to address them all. The metal trigger has no safety on it unless you want it. Take-up is minimal with a feel closer to a single-action pistol.
Accuracy is astounding given the price, and it is boringly reliable. Using a grip angle comparable to a 1911 in a contoured grip and steel dovetailed sights, it was about perfect for me. Testing the full-sized P320, it was flawless over thousands of rounds. Its only downside was size. The design allows you to switch lowers and slides, but I wanted a dedicated carry version, and Sig Sauer came through with the P320C.
C is for Carry
Standard and threaded barrels are available for the P320C. Disassembly is easy and safe as you cannot turn the takedown lever with a magazine in the pistol. Author photo
Sig Sauer’s P320 Carry is a commander-sized pistol, suitable for concealed carry, yet large enough for duty carry. Although my test pistol is 9mm, it is available in, or can be converted to, .40 S&W or .357 Sig with .45 ACP on the way. It can be configured with safeties that meet most agency needs. The fire control system meets the drop test with or without a trigger-mounted tab.
Shooters that require them can get what they need, others can leave them off providing a clean trigger, and a metal one at that. There is a distinct reset with little take-up and a crisp break at around 6 pounds. Using an ambidextrous slide stop (or release) fits either hand, and the magazine release can be switched easily. Both standard and threaded barrels are available. Carry grip frames come in small, medium and large, all with a lanyard loop, and they swap out in minutes using no tools.
Sig Sauer’s SIGLITEs are excellent night sights. Along with tritium inserts, the dots are large and easy to see. A pronounced ledge on the rear sight facilitates unconventional reloads. The pistol can also be ordered with contrast dot sights. Magazines are metal, and a cutout in the grip allows you to pull on it to clear malfunctions or to properly seat the magazine. Carry magazines hold 15 rounds, but full-size (17-round) magazines fit and function perfectly. A full-length rail accommodates lights and lasers of your choice.
There is no need to press the trigger for disassembly and cleaning. Remove the magazine and lock the slide back. Turn the takedown lever completely and the slide comes right off. Repeat in reverse when done. You cannot turn the takedown lever with a magazine in the pistol (loaded or not), making it the safest and easiest to maintain striker-fired pistol yet.
Testing
As good as the factory sights are, my 55-year-old eyes just prefer the Trijicon HD sights. Using a U-notch provides for quick aiming, and the oversized yellow or orange front sights are easy for me to see. Tritium inserts keep you on target in low-light conditions. No dots at the rear mean there is only one dot to find under stress. Tritium tubes without outlines keep them visible at night, yet subdued. A ledge for unconventional reloads and malfunction drills remains.
All of the testing was completed using my Milt Sparks 55BN holster fit to my full-sized P320. Milt Sparks remains one of the finest leather holsters you can buy. Fit is solid, finish is excellent, with construction to last a lifetime. This rig is my primary carry rig most of the time.
On the Range
The P320C spit out brass in a neat little pile no matter how fast the trigger was pulled. It ran everything thrown at it, including some steel cased ammunition. Ejection patterns are incredibly consistent. It worked with the two carry magazines supplied, as well as all of my 17-round full-sized magazines.
It worked incredibly well as a carry pistol, carried comfortably in my Milt Sparks, as well as in a custom Kydex IWB holster. This pistol was on my hip for several weeks. Weighing in at 26 ounces, it is similar to its competitors.
Accuracy was excellent. Fired from 15 yards from off hand, it put five rounds of Sig Sauer Elite Performance into roughly an inch grouping. Just about every carry round fired did the same thing. Even my Black Hills FMJ was accurate; it just stacks rounds on top of each other. Recoil is minimal, no real difference from the full-sized pistol. This trigger measured 5.6 pounds using my trigger gauge. Crisp and predictable with little take-up, it lends itself to accuracy.
Reset on the trigger is positive for those in need of making fast split times on multiple shots the norm. Short of my custom 1911 pistols, nothing tested has been any faster. Using the full size in a couple 3-Gun and other matches, it is plenty fast and 100 percent reliable.
The P320 Carry is about perfect for attachment to a tactical vest. Mounting the P320C without a light on the chest rig using a Safariland ALS holster, it was easily accessible and fast. Adding various lights, it fits in my SLS holster designed for a G20 nicely. If you are an officer or other professional, this pistol will do it all with no issues. It can move from the duty holster to the tactical rig, and back into your off-duty holster, never losing effectiveness or compromising your ability to fight in most any condition.
During testing, both the Orange and Yellow HD sight was tested. The yellow became my preferred choice. The factory night sights are excellent, so most will not need to change. It also confirms the sight is the same as the P226, making personal choices possible.
Given only one pistol (full sized or carry), the Carry would be my choice. You can even add a threaded barrel. Like most pistols in this size, it remains about the perfect compromise between a true compact and a full-size pistol.
As many pistols as go through my hands, it is rare to be excited about a polymer pistol. Sig Sauer’s P320 has been a solid exception. Accurate, reliable, comfortable to carry and shoot, they are very pragmatic. Normally polymer pistols are used from need, not desire, but the P320 has changed that for me. If you are looking for a solid striker-fired pistol with unmatched modularity, make certain this is one of your choices.
The Sig Sauer P320C Type: Semiautomatic striker-fired Caliber: 9mm (tested), .40 S&W, .357 Sig Weight: 26 ozs. Overall Length: 7.2 in. Barrel Length: 3.9 in. Frame: Polymer Grips: Polymer / interchangeable grip frames Sights: SIGLITE Night Sights / Trijicon HD Sights Tested Magazine Capacity: 15+1, accepts full-size magazines (17+1) SRP: $713 Contact: sigsauer.com
This handgun review appeared in the October 9, 2014 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Exciting news as Sig – one of the big players in firearms – rolls out their own line of defensive ammo.
There was big news during the past few months from SIG Sauer with the introduction of their own line of Elite Performance handgun ammunition. It’s available in several popular calibers, all featuring the new SIG V-Crown jacketed hollowpoint. This ammunition is available in five introductory calibers and grain weights.
According to SIG, the lineup includes a .380 ACP with a 90-grain pill clocking a reported 980 fps at the muzzle, a 9mm topped by a 124-grain projectile scooting out at 1,189 fps and a .357 SIG pushing a 125-grainer at a sizzling 1,356 fps.
Up the ladder from there is a 165-grain pill in .40 S&W that leaves the muzzle at a reported 1,090 fps and naturally there’s a .45 ACP load that launches a 200-grain JHP at 918 fps.
Gun Digest has learned that there will be five more bullet weights in three calibers, 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP, and the line will quickly be expanding to include tactical and hunting rifle ammunition, the first of which will be a .300 Blackout load. (sigsauer.com)
In this timely rewrite of the world’s most authoritative work on the topic, In the Gravest Extreme, Massad Ayoob utilizes an extra thirty years of experience to discuss the ideas and issues surrounding the armed citizens’ rules of engagement. Learn more
You need not stick to hunting grounds close to home, there are some great wingshooting destinations worth checking out.
You’ve practiced until you’re proficient, and now you want to test your skills in the field.
There is no quicker way to get on some birds than many of the great sporting lodges around the nation. Not to mention, they have grand amenities, too boot.
Consider heading to Winghaven Lodge in Providence, Ky., for a few days of quail hunting behind superb dogs in the heart of bourbon country. The food is superb, and the quail hunting is equally as good.
If you’re interested in chasing wild birds in some breathtaking and remote country, check out Heaven’s Gate Outfitter’s wild chukar, hun, quail and grouse hunts in Idaho’s Seven Devils Range. For the real adventure lover, Heaven’s Gate offers horseback hunts for mountain grouse in some of the country’s most magnificent wilderness areas.
Duck hunters should plan on heading to Texas to try out Bay Flats Lodge, where tens of thousands of migrating waterfowl pass along the Gulf Coast on their southerly migration every fall.
If your heart gets thumping around military hardware, then you might need to take a deep breath before watching the above video.
In short, what Larry Vickers documents is incredible.
The proprietor of Vickers Tactical, highlights four late World War II select fire German rifles. In the process, he gives a fairly good glimpse at the foundation of many modern military firearms.
Vickers takes a look at the Sturmgewehr 44 and a few of its competitors – MK42W, Grossfuss’ Sturmgewehr and Mauser’s Sturmgewehr 45M. He also gives a glimpse of a Volksmaschienenpistole (“people’s machine pistol”), the MP 3008.
Even in this cursory exploration of the select-fire rifles, it is easy to pick out different design concepts that are still with us today. But there is another intriguing aspect to the firearms that is not brought up in the video.
The firearms documented are rare, as Vickers points out there are only 2 ½ Grossfuss StGs in existence. In turn, these guns represent nearly priceless collectors’ specimens.
How priceless?
Well, at a recent Rock Island Auction Company event a German Krieghoff FG42 drew an astounding $299,000 winning bid. It’s fair guess that if the Mauser StG 45M or Grossfuss StG ever came up on the block both would have the potential to leave it in the dust.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
