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AR-15 Review: Del-Ton Tapco

By
Patrick Sweeney
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5
A reliable rifle, but one thing I’d have to change is the SAW-shape grip. As you can see, the extra length and swell doesn’t do anything for my grip.
A reliable rifle, but one thing I’d have to change is the SAW-shape grip. As you can see, the extra length and swell doesn’t do anything for my grip.

Del-Ton makes good rifles, even though some shooters are so class-based they won’t acknowledge any rifle not made by the “best” or “mil-spec” companies. Their loss, says Patrick Sweeney in this AR-15 review.

There are those who spend an inordinate amount of time producing lists that rank items. The top ten this, the bottom ten that, the “good” the “bad” and the “ugly.” Okay, that last one is a movie, but even movies get ranked. In the AR-verse, those who rank go to a lot of trouble to rank rifles and producers. Woe to the manufacturer who does not make the top of such lists.

Combining with Tapco, Del-Ton offers a nicely-spec’d rifle that is a good starting point. Or just a good rifle, period.
Combining with Tapco, Del-Ton offers a nicely-spec’d rifle that is a good starting point. Or just a good rifle, period.

Well, there are makers of ARs you should avoid. But a lot of the talk is based on assumptions, small sample sizes and just plain “I had a bad rifle, so they are all bad” reasoning.

I’ve wanted to investigate the Del-Ton rifle line, but I never managed to get around to it, until now. And in case you haven’t made the connection, Del-Ton is one of the companies that some list makers love to hate. The Del-Ton carbine sent to me is a collaboration between Del-Ton and Tapco.

Located in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, Del-Ton offers a huge array of rifles and carbines, as well as parts for them, accessories and all the mouth-watering goodies you could ever wish to bolt to your AR. Many of the items they list are made by manufacturers who are on the tops of lists of “good” ARs, so it is kind of hard to square that with “Del-Ton isn’t good” venom.

Tapco comes in for its share (fair or not) of dislike, and again, I can’t see it. Sure, they may use different polymers, formulations that won’t stand up well to NATO-spec chemical, biological and radiation warfare decontamination. Do you really need that? And if you do, let me know where you live, so I can stay the heck away.

Marked with the Del-Ton logo, a stylized DTI, and with the flat-top rail slots numbered and filled, the carbine is smoothly finished and deep black. No purple or gray here.

The rifle itself is your basic stoner-style carbine, direct gas impingement with a 16” barrel complete with M4/203 barrel cut, and a fixed front sight base. The important parts are all in the details. Not that the details themselves are always critical, but attention to detail tells us a lot about those who make an item.

The front sight is fixed, but it is “F” marked and the correct height for an M4 carbine. While the rifle as-sent did not come with a rear sight, any you would wish to bolt to it will line up correctly with the front sight. Some makers overlook this and ship a flat-top upper with a non-F height front sight, presenting problems in getting the thing to sight in. Not so with Del-Ton.

Del-Ton makes good rifles, even though some shooters are so class-based they won’t acknowledge any rifle not made by the “best” or “mil-spec” companies. Their loss.
Del-Ton makes good rifles, even though some shooters are so class-based they won’t acknowledge any rifle not made by the “best” or “mil-spec” companies. Their loss.

It is also held on with taper pins, another good sign. The barrel has a 1/9 twist, which isn’t mil-spec, but common, and has a 5.56 chamber. And yes, that is a detail that is critical, as I mentioned in the chapter on the differences between this and the .223. I used my Michigun chamber gauge to check, and while I can feel a little bit of rubbing at the rifling leade, the neck and throat are 5.56 length and diameter. Well done, Del-Ton.

The stock is standard M4, but with a twist: it is sand/desert color (aka flat dark earth), made by Tapco and so-marked. (And just as a small departure from my usual dispassionate, reasoned and detached observation, who the heck named this? I mean, “dark” earth? Where would this color be dark? Some place with white sand beaches? Okay then, in the Caribbean it is dark. The rest of the world calls it tan, beige, sand or worse.) The stock slides on a commercial-diameter buffer tube, while inside of it is an “H” buffer. While military-diameter buffer tubes are theoretically better, I’ve given up caring about which is which. Does it fit? Yes, this one does fit well. Then we’re fine. The buffer tube castle nut is staked, heavily, and in two places.

Inside, the hammer is a modified (the top, autosear lug is ground off) M16 hammer, the carrier is a shrouded (M16) carrier with the auto-sear shoulder ground back. The trigger pull is proper mil-spec, in that you can feel the over-travel when you dry-fire, but when shooting you don’t.

The Tapco handguard offers rail estate, albeit a bit portly for my tastes. But some of the shooters who tried it loved it, so it simply proves you should try things for yourself.
The Tapco handguard offers rail estate, albeit a bit portly for my tastes. But some of the shooters who tried it loved it, so it simply proves you should try things for yourself.

The carrier key is properly (read: heavily) staked, and the interior of the gas tube and the carrier are both properly hard-chromed. While the carrier and bolt are not marked as to the manufacturer, they have the typical machining marks that you’d see on carriers by any of the top-quality makers. That is, none, as the surface is properly bead-blasted before being parkerized. Obvious care has gone into these parts. If Del-Ton doesn’t make them themselves, they take care in obtaining them from someone who knows how to tend to details. The extractor spring is correctly installed and has the black insert in it.

The feed ramps are M4, lowered down into the receiver cross-section ramps, and the machining was done before the upper was anodized.

The handguard is the Tapco Intrafuse handguard. It is a rigid but not free-float handguard, with a rail the full length on top and bottom, and half-length side rails. The bottom and side rails have covers, while the top rail is left alone. You can leave it as-is, or take the cover or covers off and mount gear there. With the covers on, the handguard is a bit portly. But some like that, and if you find it is just a bit biggish, you can take the covers off. Me, I like to run handguards as small and trim as I can, so leaving them off would be my choice.

However, I left them on for testing simply because it makes it easier to keep everything together when it comes time to send stuff back. (Yes, I send stuff back. Manufacturers are not commonly in the habit of sending out expensive freebies, and in the early years I would get requests for the missing bits and parts, if I wasn’t careful to keep things all together.)

The pistol grip is one of those things that just puzzle the heck out of me. The Tapco pistol grip on this rifle is their take on the SAW/M249 grip. The angle is different from the original AR, and the grip itself is wider, with a taper out towards the bottom. Those that love the SAW will love this one. Me, I am not a fan of the M249 grip.

To be fair, while every time I handled the Del-Ton carbine while not on the range, I curled my lip a bit whenever I had to hold the pistol grip, when I was shooting it I never noticed what kind of grip is on it. Always go by what improves your score or performance and not what feels or looks good at the moment. And especially don’t go with what is “tactical” cool, or mil-spec. If it improves your score, it is good. If it doesn’t, it isn’t. And if it hurts your performance…..well, ditch it.

Along with the rifle, in a Del-Ton marked hard case, came a pair of Tapco Intrafuse Gen II magazines, also in flat dark earth. Tapco has continued to compete in the magazine arena, and the Gen II magazines feature anti-tilt followers, with generous gunk clearance to allow unwanted debris to pass, a 17-7 stainless spring, and improved feedlip dimensions that make the Gen II a drop-free magazine even when loaded. I was not to the stage of AR abuse that I later began, so I didn’t have a chance to abuse either the Del-Ton or the Tapco magazines.

Really, if you didn’t turn it over and look at the “Del-Ton” on the other side, could you tell it wasn’t a “tier one” rifle?
Really, if you didn’t turn it over and look at the “Del-Ton” on the other side, could you tell it wasn’t a “tier one” rifle?

Since the rifle arrived lacking a BUIS, and I needed something with which to aim, I simply bolted on an EOTech sight to do drills and added an Insight ATPIAL to check sight tower clearance and function. The EOTech bolted right on (no surprise there) and the ATPIAL cleared the sight tower, so I was good to go. In blasting a bunch of ammo through the Del-Ton carbine, I found only one problem: one of the magazines was not happy with a match 52 grain hollowpoint load I find to be quite accurate.

An “F” marked front sight forging, so your folding rears will fit and getting zeroed won’t be a hassle.
An “F” marked front sight forging, so your folding rears will fit and getting zeroed won’t be a hassle.

To be fair, this is a varmint load, designed to be a prairie dog tactical nuke and not what you’d use in a defensive carbine. It is also far too expensive to be used simply blasting in a defensive carbine class. Plus, only one of the magazines had problems, and then only occasionally. Everything else fed flawlessly. A definite case of “if it hurts, don’t do it.”

If I were to use the Del-Ton carbine as a defensive rifle, I’d certainly make sure it worked 100% with whatever defensive load I was using. If I really had to use the 52 grain varmint load, say on varmints, I wouldn’t worry about occasional malfunctions. I have never read yet of a shooter being charged by varmints.

For formal accuracy testing I clamped a 30mm Famous Maker 4-12X scope in a LaRue mount on top of the receiver. What I found was that this particular rifle loves, to an excessive degree, Hornady TAP 55 grain ammo. I would have to seriously over-indulge in coffee to give myself the shakes sufficient to shoot a group over 1.5 inches in size. Most hovered right under one inch.

The rest of the ammo I tried shot equally gratifying groups. One detail I wanted to check was the accuracy with one of the new heavy bullet loads. Some 1/9 barrels shoot the 75 and 77 grain loads fine, others aren’t so happy with them. The Del-Ton carbine showed a bit of accuracy drop-off, but still shot well. I would have to spend some time with it to see if the accuracy improves as the barrel breaks in, or not.

I didn’t have a chance to go out to the National Guard base and thrash the little plastic “ivans” on the computer pop-up course, but I have no doubts that with it I could easily post more clean scores. Del-Ton, I should have looked at your rifles earlier, but I’m glad I finally did.

Now, if someone tells you that Del-Ton isn’t as good as something from the ABC tier, well, maybe, maybe not. The real questions are these: Does theirs work better? Does theirs shoot more accurately? Can they shoot theirs faster and more accurately than you can shoot yours? Unless the answers to all of these is an unequivocal “yes” then pay no attention and keep on shooting.

From Customization to Performance: Our Best AR-15 Insights

This article is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Book of the AR-15, Vol. 4.

AR-15 Review: Wilson Combat 6.8

By
Patrick Sweeney
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2
One of the Wilson 6.8 rifles, here with an Aimpoint M4 on it. You’ll note that the Wilson BUIS doesn’t crowd the Aimpoint, and when it flips up the Wilson BUIS won’t bang the M4.
One of the Wilson 6.8 rifles, here with an Aimpoint M4 on it. You’ll note that the Wilson BUIS doesn’t crowd the Aimpoint, and when it flips up the Wilson BUIS won’t bang the M4.

Everyone knows a Wilson Combat 1911 is top of the line. In this AR-15 review, Patrick Sweeney argues the same can be said for the Wilson Combat 6.8.

If you spend any time at all in a competitive endeavor, you’ll quickly realize that skill at any given contest does not necessarily carry over to another. The list of professional ballplayers (football, baseball, whatever) who were good on the field, and then good as a coach, is small. The list of professional sports figures who go on to open successful businesses is small, indeed.

Skill in any endeavor is a rare thing. We should expect, therefore, that skill in two would be rarer still. Which is one of the things that makes Bill Wilson rare. Were I given to the usual sloppy hyperbole that modern writing schools seem to encourage so much, I’d call him unique. He isn’t. As good as he is, he isn’t the only one to be successful as a businessman in the field in which he saw such fame as a competitor. And make no mistake, he was a heavyweight back in the early days of IPSC, and he’s a heavyweight now in the field of custom guns.

The folding Wilson front sight, which blends in nicely with the top rail of the free-float Wilson handguard.
The folding Wilson front sight, which blends in nicely with the top rail of the free-float Wilson handguard.

Starting with 1911s, Bill has expanded to the modern triumvirate of defensive artillery: the 1911, the 870, and the AR. Wilson ARs are built on 7075-T6 forgings, precision machined (and in this day and age that means CNC multi-axis machines) and hard-coat anodized. The receivers are then given a Wilson Armor-Tuff baked-on epoxy finish, in your choice of green, black, tan, gray or stainless, depending on the model. They all have Wilson match-grade barrels, 16, 18 or 20 inches, depending on what model you choose. The smallbores have 5.56 chambers for reliable chambering and to avoid the problems that .223 chambers can bring when fed a diet of 5.56-spec ammo.

As with his 1911s, you can get a standard, Wilson-spec rifle: just pick the catalog number, phone or email your order, and your FFL will be receiving it in short order. Or you can custom-build the AR of your heart’s desire by starting with a Wilson model and substituting items such as flash hiders (Vortex, A2 or Wilson Tactical Muzzle brake?), stocks (Magpul or M4?), folding sights (Wilson makes a handful, front and rear), and your choice of railed handguard – and do you want low-profile rail ladders, or full-profile rail covers?

Scope mounts, optics, pistol grips, charging handles, bolt releases, foregrips, all can be spec’d and either left as-is or Armor-Tuff® coated to match.

But you knew all that, right? I mean, you’re an AR fan who stays in the know, so none of that is news to you. Well, guess again; Wilson is now making rifles in 6.8.

Developed to provide a significant increase in terminal effectiveness without making recoil onerous, the 6.8 Remington SPC is a big step up. If you want a rifle chambered in a cartridge a lot more suited to hunting (and it will pass muster even in States where the DNR does not allow .223/5.56 for deer hunting) while being the modern, reliable, and accurate rifle of the 21st century, the 6.8 is a good choice. The Wilson 6.8 project simply takes the already-excellent Wilson AR and replaces the 5.56 parts with 6.8.

The other Wilson 6.8 that arrived had a Trijicon scope on it, to take advantage of the long-range capabilities of the 6.8 cartridge. Too bad my home range is only good out to 100 yards.
The other Wilson 6.8 that arrived had a Trijicon scope on it, to take advantage of the long-range capabilities of the 6.8 cartridge. Too bad my home range is only good out to 100 yards.

The barrel is a stainless medium weight match grade barrel with a 1:11 twist and an SPC II chamber. That means you have the pressure-lowering benefits of the new throat and leade and the accuracy of a match barrel but the relatively slow twist to increase bullet instability on impact. The gas system is mid-length, for a lower port pressure and less abrupt gas flow, while still maintaining a length-enough gas dwell time for reliable function. You have a choice of 16- or 18-inch barrels, and the railed forearm is appropriately proportioned for each. The match barrel is guaranteed to deliver MOA accuracy with match-grade ammo.

The new Wilson Combat Quadrail is interesting. It is fully-railed on top, but on the side the rails are carved off just forward of the midpoint. That gives you a slimmer, more oval shape, and one that doesn’t have rails to gnaw at your hands. But the forward sections of rail provide plenty of space to mount lights, lasers, and other tactical goodies.

The Wilson handguard, with the rear rails shaved off. It proves a less “bite-y” gripping surface and also gives you an oval to index the rifle vertically.
The Wilson handguard, with the rear rails shaved off. It proves a less “bite-y” gripping surface and also gives you an oval to index the rifle vertically.

The trigger is the Wilson single stage TTU for a clean and crisp letoff, but one that feels like any other AR trigger, just a lot nicer. If you opt for a complete rifle, you get Magpul stock and pistol grip. If , however, you already have an AR (let us hope it is a Wilson, so the upper won’t feel lonely) then you can simply acquire a Wilson 6.8 upper to put on your existing lower.

Now, if you want to shave half a pound off your full-up weight, then the Wilson Tactical Hunter Lightweight 6.8 SPC will do that. With a 16-inch barrel of a slightly slimmer profile, the Tactical Hunter becomes a very light, handy, mid-power hunting rifle, and one with guaranteed MOA accuracy.

But wait, we’re not done yet. Options! You get options.

You can replace the single-stage TTU with the two-stage TTU and get a target/competition trigger pull in your rifle. The single stage is 3.5 pounds, the double is 3, but the difference is greater than that. on a single-stage trigger, you press on the trigger, and when you reach the break point, 3.5 pounds, the trigger moves and the hammer falls. On a two-stage trigger, you take up a pound and a half of slack, and then another pound and a half releases the hammer. If you decide not to shoot, letting go of the trigger relaxes that pound and a half of take-up you started.

You can also opt for a Wilson oversized bolt stop, if you’re using it in competition. You have your choice of a fixed or folding front sight, and two different folding rear sights, as well as an A2 detachable carry handle rear.
Scope rings: you get a choice of one-inch or 30mm, and they fit over the folding Wilson rear sights.

Or you can simply build your Wilson 6.8 as an M4 clone.

The Wilson BUIS is spring-loaded. Press the lock button and it pops up on its own.
The Wilson BUIS is spring-loaded. Press the lock button and it pops up on its own.

If you want to do the work yourself, Bill is more than happy to accommodate you. You can order up a 6.8 barrel, in one of six length/profile/fluted or unfluted combinations, and a bolt and carrier combo made for Wilson by LMT, complete with NP3 plating. Magazines, ammo, flash hiders, and case gauges for the reloaders are all available from Bill. As I said, he’s a really good businessman.

The LMT-manufactured bolt, combined with the SPC II chamber, means many years of trouble-free 6.8 shooting lie ahead.
The LMT-manufactured bolt, combined with the SPC II chamber, means many years of trouble-free 6.8 shooting lie ahead.

The two things that jumped out at me when I had a chance to handle and shoot the Wilson 6.8 were the handguards and the front sight. The new FUFS is a sleek and clean folded sight that locks in either the up or down position. When it is folded, it is not just unobtrusive, it is almost hidden. And when it is up, it is locked there. The button to unlock it is guarded, so it is highly unlikely that you will accidentally brush the button and partially fold your front sight.

If you are wedded to sights on the rail, Wilson also offers a folding front sight that fits there, too.

The Combat Quadrail has full-length top and bottom rails, but the side rails are sculpted on the rear two-thirds or so. This gives you a firm hold without the “bite” of rails on the sides. It also give you a better index on the front hand, so you know if the rifle is vertical as it comes up, and you don’t have to hunt for the sights once you’ve shouldered it. As a bonus, there are eight threaded holes (1/4″X20) where you can bolt on something that needs more than just a rail or that can be bolted on and take up less space than a quick detach system requires.

Made from 6065 T5 and hard anodized, you’re going to have to work to wear this one out.

How did they shoot? Do you really have to ask that? With a Trijicon 3-9 on one Tactical Custom and an Aimpoint M4 on the other, the results were as expected: lots of easy fast, close-range hosing on drills, and nice, even, small clusters on the 100-yard targets. The Wilson triggers made shooting a breeze, and the rifles ran flawlessly.

You really do owe it to yourself to shoot a Wilson. You won’t be disappointed.

This article is an excerpt from the The Gun Digest Book of the AR-15 Vol. III.

Handgun Review: Colt Lightweight Commander

By
Mark Kakkuri
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1

The Colt Lightweight Commander - the classic and concealable 1911.

In this Gun Digest handgun review, Mark Kakkuri looks at the Colt Lightweight Commander – a classic, capable and concealable 1911.

Very few guns have a century-long legacy like the 1911. It has served U.S. Armed Forces for decades and been labeled as one of the finest fighting handguns in the world. Whereas dozens of manufacturers have taken on John Moses Browning’s design and continue to produce more 1911s than ever, arguably the 1911 design most often referred to is a variant of the original by Colt.

Firearms enthusiasts of every stripe have written and read thousands of articles about the Colt 1911. For most, it’s a love/hate thing with passionate rhetoric usually reserved for discussions on religion and politics. Moreover, gun reviews by their very nature can be quite subjective: after all, what you shoot best may not be what another person shoots best.

This is true of the Colt 1911 and every other handgun ever tested and written up in a gun magazine.

Slide safety of the Colt Lightweight Commander.In my handgun review of a modern Colt Lightweight Commander I want first to admit – gladly – biases and subjectivity. I am one reviewer with one opinion. Second, in the interest of full disclosure, I’ll admit that I like the 1911 platform—there is sheer genius in some of the design elements. But I also like snub-nosed revolvers. Few handguns fit my hand better than a CZ. And I like Glocks. Biases accounted for, let’s get down to business.

The bottom line on the Colt Lightweight Commander is that the gun is all business and that can be both a strength and a weakness. Suitable for plinking on the range, racing in competition, and carrying concealed in daily life, the Lightweight Commander aptly does all these things – that’s its strength. Its weakness is that it functions well but not with the finesse of other pistols.

I can already hear the objections: finesse, you say, is for ballerinas or cake decorators. The Colt 1911 is a last-ditch defensive tool, a combat handgun that fires the burly .45 ACP cartridge. It’s what my Grandpa carried in World War II. Agreed. While few other handguns share the legacy of service of the Colt 1911, other handguns outshine the Colt Lightweight Commander in terms of weight (lighter), feel (smoother), or deployment (simpler).

Other factors such as magazine capacity and price are also important but I’m not going to factor those in here. Where the Colt shines, however, is in its overall execution. In other words, being “all business” means it is extremely effective at doing what it is designed to do: accurately discharging .45 ACP bullets at a target.

1911 aficionados, me included, can and will argue the many merits of the platform: legacy, ballistics, specific design features, and more. Some may even argue that the notion of finesse does not belong in the matter of defensive arms. That’s a discussion for another day. For now, I’m going to try to capture the four main reasons the 1911 is best described as “all business.”

The new Colt Lightweight Commander features the same elegant lines as the original.

The Four C’s of an All-Business Pistol: Classic

Classic begins with an overall appearance that is professional but functional. The Colt Lightweight Commander’s rich, reddish-brown rosewood stocks offset it’s otherwise understated gunmetal gray coloring. An upswept beavertail grip safety and slide cocking serration along with low profile Novak sights present a familiar and trusted look. Yet every good-looking feature is entirely functional. The brushed aluminum alloy frame yields a lighter overall weight.

The stocks provide excellent purchase and, in their 118-degree angle, offer natural pointability. The grip safety allows a shooter to safely hold the Colt in the web of the hand, maintain a solid grip, and in conjunction with the stocks, quickly bring the muzzle back on target when shooting. Other pistols offer better ergonomics or stocks with greater purchase. Other pistols allow a barrel to sit lower in the hand. Very few pistols; however, combine all of these functional elements like a 1911. These elements have changed very little.

Wilson Combat 1911 mags work great in the Colt Lightweight Commander.Capable

Generally firearms only become classics if they prove themselves to be capable. The Colt Lightweight Commander is indeed a capable shooter, meaning it is easy and intuitive to aim and squeeze the trigger. It accurately delivers .45 ACP bullets to point of aim, without fuss. Yes, with a 1911 you have to master squeezing a grip safety, disengaging a manual safety, and squeezing a single-action trigger. Mastery of these and other elements demands practice, practice, practice.

Of course, safe, regular, consistent practice provides the means to mastering any handgun, not just 1911’s. But once a 1911 shooter masters these movements, the act of safely aiming and accurately firing becomes second nature. Some firearms experts recommend double-action revolvers or double-action-only semiautomatic pistols for new shooters or for those who cannot put in the practice required to master the more complex action of a 1911.

“Simpler” handguns may indeed be “easier” to fire as they may have no manual safety and may offer a long, smooth trigger stroke. All firearm safety and engagement rules accounted for, if a shooter is at the point of squeezing a trigger to fire a handgun, it is hard to beat the easy, short, glass rod snap of a 1911 trigger.

Concealable

The Colt Lightweight Commander, even with its 4.25-inch barrel, is easy to conceal with the right holsters. Much credit goes the thin slide – well under one inch in most variations. Eminently concealable in an inside-the-waistband holster, the Colt Lightweight Commander can disappear under just a T-shirt and shorts.

That’s because thin and flat is actually easier to hide than small and chunky. Granted, other handguns exist that are thinner and flatter than the 1911. At some point, however, too much reduction in size negatively affects a pistol’s capability. In other words, if you can’t shoot a small pistol well, then what’s the point of carrying it concealed for self-protection? The Colt Lightweight Commander weighs in at 27 ounces (unloaded) but its excellent concealability is more a function of its thin and flat design.

The Lightweight Commander Model 1911 by Colt.

Commanding

This Colt Lightweight Commander bears the Colt logo: a young horse rearing. It’s a fitting image as this 1911 is indeed powerful and sometimes tough to control. Even with all its excellent design features working in conjunction, this pony still gives a healthy kick in the form of recoil.

It’s not outrageous or obnoxious, but it is commanding in two respects: First, you’re firing the mighty .45 ACP cartridge, one of the most effective defensive rounds in handgun history that delivers a wallop of energy to a target. Second, you’re firing the mighty .45 ACP cartridge, a round that packs a wallop of recoil for the shooter. With the Colt Lightweight Commander, one of the lightest in Colt’s 1911 lineup, whatever recoil the gun cannot absorb will be transferred to the shooter.

Add the loud report, muzzle rise, and the psychological effects of firing this gun and you’ll see why regular practice is a must. Other handguns, due to their designs, are downright easy to shoot. Or at least they are less punishing than this 1911. As such, you won’t be breaking in the Colt; the Colt will be breaking you in.

Colt Lightweight Commander XSE Series Specs

■ Model 04860XS
■ Ambidextrous Safety Lock
■ Novak Low Mount Carry Sights with Dots
■ Enhanced Hammer
■ Extended Ambidextrous Safety Lock
■ Colt Upswept Beavertail Grip Safety
■ 3-Hole Aluminum Trigger
■ Lowered and Flared Ejection Port
■ Full Length Guide Rod
■ Front and Rear Slide Serrations
■ 4.25-inch barrel
■.45 ACP
■ 8-round capacity
■ Aluminum alloy frame
■ Cerakote stainless receiver
■ Stainless steel slide
■ www.coltsmfg.com

This article appeared in the December 3, 2012 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. 

What Do You Think About the President’s Gun Plan?

By
Gun Digest Editors
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33
What is an AR-15?
Is this an assault weapon? How many cartridges are in that magazine? Is Patrick Sweeney angry or just concentrating? Is it possible to even tell by a quick glance at a photo? The answers can be found below.

 

On Jan. 16, President Barack Obama unveiled 23 executive orders and a four-point legislative plan as part of a package of gun control measures. They reflected the results of firearms discussions led by the White House after the Sandy Hook mass murders. The firearms community hasn't stopped talking since, and neither have many people normally unfamiliar with guns. It seems everyone has an opinion. Living Ready wants to help sort fact from fiction.

Living Ready, which originally was a special edition of Gun Digest, doesn't deal much with opinions. It deals in hard information. Unfortunately, inarguable information is lacking in this gun law discussion.

Muddying the waters are terms like “assault weapon” and “high-capacity magazine,” which lack consistent definitions and leave much up to interpretation or manipulation. These words are bantered about by politicians, advocacy groups, everyday folks and, yes, even firearms enthusiasts. That these opaque terms are woven into laws should disturb anyone desiring government transparency.

Living Ready was founded on a mission of clear-cut education. From bug-out bags and home survival kits to backup generators and growing food, there is no room for obscurity when lives are on the line. Only rock-solid information matters. The rest is just noise.

The same goes with the firearms discussion. Gun owners, Second Amendment advocates, gun control groups, lawmakers, law enforcement, firearm collectors, dealers, retailers and people who have never even touched a gun all owe it to themselves to be informed before drawing any conclusions. Living Ready recommends these books for the best information anywhere on these topics.

What is an assault rifle?* Gun Digest Book of the AR-15 Series Set – Fact or fiction: “AR stands for assault rifle.” Answer: Fiction. It actually stands for “Armalite.” That's just one of the many misconceptions about the AR-15, the much-maligned “assault weapon” referenced by politicians and pundits. Is it a killing machine or a rifle with practical applications? Expert Patrick Sweeney dives into AR-15s like no one else in this four-book set.

 

 

Concealed carry definition* Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, 2nd Edition – Fact or fiction: “There are people walking around armed every day and you'd never know it.” Answer: Fact. Massad Ayoob, arguably the world's foremost firearms instructor, makes the case for why concealed carry is not nearly as scary as knee-jerk reactions would have you believe. There are sound reasons why an everyday person would carry a concealed firearm. Ayoob explains them with a clarity only his decades of experience can provide.

 

 

Exploring Glock handguns* Glock Deconstructed – Fact or fiction: “Glock is another term for handgun.” Answer: Fiction. It is not a substitute for any handgun. It's a brand, and an important one at that. Author Patrick Sweeney takes a look at this influential handgun company and its renowned products.

 

 

Here's why people need guns for self-defense* Self-Defense Bundle (Armed for Personal Defense, Personal Defense for Women, Gun Digest Book of Personal Protection & Home Defense) – Fact or fiction: “The police will always be there when you need them.” Answer: Fiction. This three-book bundle explores that answer with a slate face. No macho stuff here. This is practical, pertinent information for protecting life and limb.

 

 

What are high-capacity magazines?* The Cartridge Comparison Guide – Fact or fiction: “No one needs more than one bullet in their clip.” Answer: Fiction. Also, they're called cartridges, and they usually go in magazines. There are many characteristics to ammunition. Understanding these traits will provide a better view on how to legislate magazine capacities. Even the United States Fish & Wildlife Service agrees that author Andrew Chamberlain offers a “gold mine of information” in this book.

 

 

Your Turn: Tell Living Ready What You Think

Has talk of new gun regulations changed the way you look at preparedness? Living Ready wants to hear your views. Leave a comment below.

Intelligent discussion only. That means if you make a statement, provide evidence for it. Be polite ladies and gentlemen about it. Personal attacks only encourage opposing opinions to yell louder. These issues are too important to get lost in inflammatory rhetoric.

The discussion continues on Living Ready‘s Facebook page. Be sure to stop by and “Like” the page.

Video: The New Glock 30S

By
Corey Graff
-
1

Just in time for SHOT Show 2013, Glock has released yet another model to their lineup, the Glock 30S. It's the result of feedback from the law enforcement community for a more concealable pistol, which also makes it a winner for concealed carry.

Glock calls the new model a “hybrid,” because it marries the Glock 36 slide (the .45 ACP SlimLine, with a width of 1.13 in.) to the Glock 30SF frame — making it essentially an even slimmer 30SF. It holds 10 rounds of .45 ACP.

“The G30S platform has been more than a year in the making,” explained Josh Dorsey, GLOCK Vice President. “Our original request from the field – particularly from law enforcement – was to have a more concealable .45 that still carries 10 rounds, so we utilized the G30 SF frame after it was thoroughly tested, presented and accepted as the desired frame for the G30S.”

New Glock 30S, 10 rounds of .45 ACP in a slim package.
New Glock 30S, 10 rounds of .45 ACP in a slim package.

SPECS

  • Dimensions
    1. Length (overall): 177 mm / 6.97 inch
    2. Length (slide cpl.): 172 mm / 6.77 inch
    3. Width: 32.5 mm / 1.28 inch
    4. Height with magazine: 122 mm / 4.80 inch
    5. Barrel length: 96 mm / 3.78 inch
    6. Length of twist: 400 mm / 15.75 inch
    7. Trigger distance: 72.5 mm / 2.85 inch
    8. Trigger travel to discharge: 12.5 mm / 0.49 inch
    9. Length between sights (polymer): 150 mm / 5.91 inch
  • Weight
    Glock rolled out four new Gen4 models in 2013 - the G20, G29, G30 and G33.
    Glock rolled out four new Gen4 models in 2013 – the G20, G29, G30 and G33.
    1. Pistol w/o magazine: 575 g / 20.28 oz
    2. Magazine std. empty: 70 g / 2.47 oz
    3. Magazine std. full (depending on ammo used): 280 g / 9.88 oz
  • Magazine capacity (rounds): 10
  • Barrel profile: right hand twist; octagonal
  • Standard Trigger pull: ~5.5lbs
  • Muzzle velocity V0**: 787 fps
  • Muzzle energy E0**: 317 ft lb

**depending on ammunition used

4 New Gen4 Models Introduced

Glock also added to its 2013 offerings with four new Gen4 models – the G20, G29, G30 and G33. The G20 is the massive 10mm gun favored by big game hunters, while the G29 is the compact 10mm.

The G30 Gen4 is the standard .45 ACP, also 10 rounds, and the G33 the hot little .357 SIG gun.

Gun Digest the Magazine Gets Major Upgrade

By
Corey Graff
-
0

Sneak peek at GDtM's classy new format.

The January 28, 2013 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine features the publication’s new, glossy high-quality format. Included are a gun review of the FNH FNX-45 handgun, 7 new shotguns for 2013, Glock vs. the 1911, Ultimate Survival Rifles and beefed up gun columns and coverage.

“In 2013, you will find Gun Digest the Magazine with a new look: glossier paper, a better binding and a nicer overall feel as you turn every page,” said James Card, Managing Editor. “The only thing that hasn't changed is great writing on guns that serves all firearms enthusiasts and the best gun classified listings in print.”

Gun Digest the Magazine upgraded, but seeks reader input for more improvements, says editor.

“This is going to be an exciting year for Gun Digest The Magazine. We've improved the look and feel of the magazine; have redesigned it to better cover a broader array of firearms coverage, both new and collectible; and will also deliver even more shooting and gun care tips and advice, along with an increased number of gear reviews to help shooters—both new and old—improve their skills and make the best choices when making purchases at the gun shop.”

“We hope to bring a whole new attitude to the pages of GDTM with expanded gun and gear coverage, more quality writers and a more attractive, easy-to-read design for the readers. Whether you compete, hunt or just love to plink targets, shooting is one of the most fun and exciting activities a person can engage in and we hope the new GDTM reflects this in every page.”

– Doug Howlett, Editor-in-Chief

The new Gun Digest the Magazine format ramps up gun reviews and editorial coverage with high-quality color photography.

Gun Digest the Magazine is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. With a subscription to Gun Digest the Magazine, readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews, how-to instructions and Second Amendment issues.

Gun Digest the Magazine, January 28, 2013Inside This Issue

  • Gun Review: FNH FNX-45
  • 7 New Shotguns for 2013
  • Glock vs. 1911
  • Ultimate Survival Rifles
  • Gun classifieds and more

Click here to start a subscription to Gun Digest.

Did you receive a suspicious subscription offer? A bogus company is sending out Gun Digest the Magazine subscription scams.

 

Gun Digest the Magazine Digital Back IssuesRecommended: Looking for digital back-issues of Gun Digest the Magazine? Click here

– Instant Downloads
– PDF format
– More great gun reviews and articles!

Gun Review: The Rossi Wizard

By
M.D. Johnson
-
9
Considering the price of barrels versus the price of a rifle in another caliber, the Rossi Wizard is a great choice for a shooter that wants to shoot a variety of calibers on a budget.
Considering the price of barrels versus the price of a rifle in another caliber, the Rossi Wizard is a great choice for a shooter that wants to shoot a variety of calibers on a budget.

Gun review of the versatile Rossi Wizard, a unique multi-gun you can change from .22LR to .243 to .50 caliber muzzleloader!

Rossi’s transformer of a firearm known as the Wizard is one gun with many barrels. Overall I liked the little gun outfitted with the .22LR barrel. The Wizard was plenty accurate enough to justify carrying her into the September squirrel woods. And when you consider you get three guns (.243, .22 and .50 caliber) versus just one, all for under $500 – well, that tends to make an attractive offer even more attractive.

Originating in Brazil, Rossi firearms – at least the long guns – are imported into the United States by Braztech International, LC, headquartered in Miami, Florida. In her purest form, the Wizard is a single-shot hammer gun and she doesn’t get much more complicated than that.

How It Works

Beginning with the receiver, Rossi’s Xchange-a-Barrel break-action is opened via a thumb release to the right of and slightly behind the hammer. Press down, the barrel hinges open, simple as that. Interestingly enough, the little gun features not one or two, but three safety mechanisms – a traditional transfer bar safety; a manual toggle-esque S/F safety on the port side of the receiver, which prevents the hammer from reaching the transfer bar; and Rossi’s – or Taurus’, actually – keyed security system.

Locking the system, in the case of the Wizard, prevents the hammer from being fully cocked. Speaking of the hammer, the MZL does come complete with a hammer spur that is very necessary for those, such as myself, who would immediately mount optics.

The .50 caliber MZL barrel features a 1:24 twist, measures 23 inches and is drilled and tapped for a Weaver style base. It comes equipped with fiber optics sights, front and rear. A single thimble secures the ramrod to the underside of the barrel; the remainder of the rod is housed inside the forearm.

The ramrod itself is brass, with a wooden (3-3/8 inch by 3/8 inch) 8-groove handle, and measures just 15-1/2 inches long, but does telescope to a full 23-1/8 inches. The barrel exchange process is as simple as is the gun itself: unscrew the front (forearm) sling swivel, remove the forearm, break the action, and lift the barrel away from the frame.

The Wizard’s stock might best be described as a high Monte Carlo style, with no checkering on the pistol grip and only a black plastic ROSSI-emblazoned cap on the grip.

The stock attachment screw, a metric hex bolt, is located underneath the pistol cap; not in an inline configuration accessed by removing the recoil pad as is typical. The one-inch ventilated rubber recoil pad is substantial, and separated from the buttstock by a wafer-thin white spacer.

Variety is the spice of life, and that’s particularly true with the Wizard. In addition to the .50 caliber muzzloader barrel, the company also offers a .45 caliber barrel. Along with the black powder options, Rossi also makes available three rimfire barrels (.22LR, .22WMR, and .17HMR); 10 centerfire barrels ranging from .223 to .45-70; and shotgun tubes including 12-gauge (rifled and smoothbore), 20-gauge, and .410 caliber. Several different aesthetic variations will be available such as such as black synthetic, traditional wood and blued, and camouflage.

Rossi Wizard Stainless.Field Tested

I was impressed with the performance and functionality of Rossi’s .22LR, so the proverbial bar had been set relatively high before the .50 caliber ever got out of the house and onto the range. Perhaps not surprising, I wasn’t disappointed with her performance.

Although typically a pelletized powder kind of guy, I decided to test the Wizard with both pellets and granulated powder, basically out of curiosity. Pyrodex products got the nod here; I’ve had nothing but good fortune with the company’s RS granular material and 50-grain pellets over the past decade or so.

For bullets, I chose a variety – 295-grain PowerBelt AeroTips (AT) and Hollow Points (HP); 290-grain Barnes Spit-Fire TMZ (TMZ); PowerBelt AeroLites in a 300-grain format; and 300-grain Knight Red Hot bullets using the High Pressure (black) sabot. Like the powders, I’ve used all of these projectiles over the years, and all with good success both on the range and in the field. Ignition was supplied by Remington’s Kleanbore 209 muzzleloader primers, and the barrel was swabbed clean between shots.

Mechanically, I experienced absolutely no problems throughout the course of the 50-shot run at the bench. Ignition was immediate and reliable and recoil was noticeable, though tamed somewhat thanks to Caldwell’s Lead Sled and a PAST shoulder pad. In terms of downrange performance, it was the 295-grain ATs that won out, printing 2- to 2-1/2-inch three-shot groups at 50 yards; however, I’ve never been extremely impressed with the ATs’ on-target performance in the field on whitetails.

The Red Hots, though a close second with their consistent 2-1/2-inch clusters, provide, it’s been my experience, extraordinary knockdown power on deer-sized creatures – and based on those observations will be what we’re stuffing down the Wizard’s gullet come December. Post-range cleanup was minimal, quick, and easy; pull the plug, scrub the bore, take a toothbrush to the plug, lube, install, wipe, and it’s over.

What didn’t I like about the Wizard .50 muzzleloader? At almost 9-1/2 pounds, she’s a heavy little thing, and quite barrel heavy and unbalanced. The telescoping ramrod, though understandable in this particular situation, does, at least for me, take some getting used to. Afield, my thoughts are to either pack a lightweight 25-inch fiberglass rod with me, or telescope the OEM rod and lay it alongside my pack – just in case I need to reload the Wizard with the quickness.

And I think the transfer bar and manual safeties are a bit of an overkill; in fact, I found the left-side manual switch to be rather inconveniently located for a right-hander, not to mention tremendously noisy when allowed to fall forward by itself. That said, a little practice with manual safety can help overcome both inconvenience and noise. Price? Online, I found the Wizard Matched Set, which includes wood-stocked .243Win, .50 caliber MZL, and 28-inch 12-gauge barrels for – ready?—only $325 (hinterlandoutdoors.com). That, if my math is correct, makes for three very different firearms for just a touch over a C-note each.

Rossi Wizard Specs

Make/model – Rossi Wizard
Caliber – .50 Caliber Muzzleloader
Operating system – Inline; black powder only
Barrel – 23 inches
Overall length – 38-3/4 inches
Weight – 9.4 pounds
Trigger pull – 5.6 pounds
Safety – Transfer bar; Rossi/Taurus key lock; manual SAFE/FIRE safety
Sights – Fully adjustable rear, fiber optic; fixed front bead
Finish, metal – Blued
Wood – Walnut stock/forearm
Recoil pad – One inch ventilated rubber, with white spacer
Accessories – Sling swivels; Weaver style one-piece base
Ramrod – Brass; expandable from 15-1/2 inches 23-1/8

This article appeared in the Gun Digest the Magazine 2013 Shooter’s Guide. 

Gun Digest the Magazine, January 28, 2013

By
Corey Graff
-
0

Gun Digest the Magazine is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. With a subscription to Gun Digest the Magazine, readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews, how-to instructions and Second Amendment issues.

Gun Digest the Magazine, January 28, 2013Inside This Issue

  • Gun Review: FNH FNX-45
  • 7 New Shotguns for 2013
  • Glock vs. 1911
  • Ultimate Survival Rifles
  • Gun classifieds and more

Click here to start a subscription to Gun Digest.

Did you receive a suspicious subscription offer? A bogus company is sending out Gun Digest the Magazine subscription scams.

 

Gun Digest the Magazine Digital Back IssuesRecommended: Looking for digital back-issues of Gun Digest the Magazine? Click here

– Instant Downloads
– PDF format
– More great gun reviews and articles!

Tips for Getting Through a Winter Blackout

By
Ben Sobieck
-
0

Tips for winter blackoutsA power outage in any season is a challenge, but winter blackouts are especially difficult. Freezing temperatures can burst pipes, conjure hypothermia and make comfort a distant memory.

Being prepared and thinking smart will take the edge off a winter blackout. Here are a few tips.

Before the Winter Blackout

* First and foremost, having blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothes ready is essential.

* Create a home survival kit. That might seem like Living Ready‘s catch-all answer to everything, but it really is that important. Winter blackouts, holiday tornadoes, catastrophic hurricanes, solar flares, wildfires, it doesn't matter. Home survival kits are the best way to be prepared prior to any routine-disrupting event. Click here for how to make a home survival kit.

* Buying a generator is one thing. Wiring a house for a generator is another. Watch this video on how to get it done correctly.

* Figure out what to do about refrigerated medicine. It's tempting to think cold-storage medicines (insulin, for example) can be put outside during a winter blackout. That's not the best idea if the medicine must not freeze.

One idea is to have a small cooler on hand for storing the medicine in the fridge. That extra insulation will extend the life of the medicine until the power comes back.

* Identify a warm room. This would be a room with a door that shuts and space for everyone to sleep. Bedrooms and offices are the best options.

Sleeping together in one room with the door shut concentrates body heat. Even without a heater, this could make all the difference.

* Insulate windows. The old trick of using a hairdryer and plastic wrapping will go a long way during a winter blackout.

* Plan for how a heater will be used, if at all. Is there enough firewood in reserve for that wood stove? Are there extension cords for that electric heater drawing from the generator? Do you understand why bringing a portable gas stove indoors is a bad idea?

* Learn how to make a basic candle heater. This is perfect for warming hands indoors. Turn a ceramic gardening pot upside down and place it on three glass jars of equal height. Light a candle under the pot. The heat trapped by the pot is ideal for warming cold, stiff hands. This simple trick is surprisingly effective.

During the Winter Blackout

* As with any blackout, it's a good idea to unplug appliances and electronics. When the power is restored, the surge could knock out those items.

* Don't sweat it, both literally and figuratively. Moving around gets warm blood flowing, but don't overexert. Break a sweat and you'll get cold in a hurry.

Also, cold weather survival is a state of mind. Know that everything will be OK. Stay positive. Chances are only made worse by negative thinking.

* Don't open doors to the outside unless absolutely necessary. That may mean people and pets go to the bathroom indoors. If it makes the difference between freezing and not, the mess is worth it.

* Try to enjoy the positives of a winter blackout. It's time for family activities, minus the gadgets. Play games, prepare food together or just talk.

A journey outside can be rewarding, too. Ever seen the International Space Station traverse the western sky through Orion just before dawn? Or appreciated how incredible Venus or Mars look in the east each morning? Cosmic sights may have been obscured by light pollution prior to the winter blackout. Take advantage of the opportunity.

After the Winter Blackout

* Hindsight is 20/20. Make a list of everything that went well. Then make one of the things that did not. Update emergency plans accordingly.

* Appreciate the fact it's over. As stated before, survival is a state of mind. Getting through a winter blackout provides a frame of reference for other events. If a winter blackout can be managed, other emergencies may seem less potent.

Top-Notch Gear and Resources

u0957

Happy Healthy Family

PowerPot

Aqua Vessel Insulated Filtration Bottle Black

Gun Collecting: Swiss Vetterli Rifles

By
Phillip Peterson
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1
Gun collecting: The Swiss Vetterli rifle is worth looking at. Image courtesy of RIA auctions.
Gun collecting: The Swiss Vetterli rifle is worth looking at. Image courtesy of RIA auctions.

FREDERICH VETTERLI was an engineer working for Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft (SIG) in Newhausen, Switzerland. In the late 1860s he worked on a repeating cartridge rifle for the Swiss government. Fixed metallic cartridges had only been perfected a few years previously and several nations were already working on single shot designs but the Swiss realized the limits of single shots and bypassed that stage in rifle design.

The Mauser-designed box magazine, that now seems so simple and should have occurred to designers after about ten minutes of thought, was still almost two decades away. The first generation of rifle-feed systems used magazine tubes, usually located underneath the barrel. The challenge here was how to get the cartridges from the tube to lift up to be loaded into the chamber.

This is where Vetterli got inspiration. He borrowed a design from the United Stated and the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The Model 1866 lever action rifle was already well known in global arms design circles.

Lever action designs were not very attractive to military buyers because of the complexity of the designs and cost of manufacture. However, Vetterli liked what he saw in the Winchester 66’s feed system. It used a lever-actuated elevator to lift the cartridges from the magazine tube. The elevator mechanism and much of the Winchester’s receiver design was incorporated into a bolt-action rifle.

In January 1869, Switzerland became the first nation to adopt a magazine-fed repeating rifle. The Model 1869 had a 33-inch barrel and the magazine held 12 rounds. There were 150,000 Model 1869 Vetterlis made by nine contractors.

The rifles originally were issued with a loading gate cover, that kept dirt out of the action, and a magazine cut off, which allowed the rifle to be used as a single shot. Both of these features were deemed unnecessary and were phased out of later models. There were several models of Vetterlis made: 1869, 1869/71, 1871, 1878 and 1881. All used the same action design and the differences were minor.

Changes included rear sights, magazine capacity, checkering on forearm, and butt plate shape. There were also a limited number of carbines made with barrels of 18-19.5 inches long. Also made in limited numbers is the Stutzer rifle, which has double-set trigger. These were for sharp shooting and target use. The Swiss used the Vetterli until it was replaced by the Schmidt Rubin Model 1889 rifle in 7.5x55mm.

The Vetterli was the first bolt-action magazine-fed rifle used by the military.All Vetterlis were chambered for the 10.4x38R rimfire cartridge. It is loaded with black powder and the bullet weighs 334 grains. This cartridge is usually called a Swiss .41 rimfire here in North America and Remington once manufactured the .41 rimfire here. Many Vetterlis were imported in the early 20th century. It was one of the first foreign military surplus arms that were available to American shooters for very low prices.

They were even somewhat popular as hunting rifles and many gunsmiths built shortened “sporters” out of them. In 1942, Remington dropped the .41 Swiss from their line and the Vetterlis fell into the oddity category where they languished for years.

When I started selling at gun shows in the mid 1980s there were a few firearm models that seemed to turn up frequently but very few buyers were interested. These would languish on sellers’ tables or be carried around by attendees looking for a buyer. They were not worth much money. I remember seeing examples of these guns sell in the $50-100 range all the time.

And even then it was a hard to find a buyer. If ammunition was not readily available, shooters had no interest in these historical relics. A few of the under-appreciated rifle designs that come to mind are the Dutch Beaumont, Austrian Werndell and the Swiss Vetterli. Of all these models, the Vetterli has a unique distinction that makes it special to collectors of military firearms. The Swiss Vetterli was the first bolt-action magazine-fed rifle ever adopted as a service weapon.

The days of $50 Vetterlis are long gone. The current going rate for a Vetterli is $250-500 depending on variation, maker and condition. The Stutzer and carbine versions bring as much as three times what a rifle will. Be aware that there were many carbines made by shortening standard rifles. This was done by importers such as Bannermans that had thousands of long rifles on hand that were hard to sell.

For detailed information on the Vetterli rifles I recommend the book, Swiss Magazine Loading Rifles 1869-1958 by Joe Poyer from North Cape Publications. It is as an excellent reference on Swiss rifles. Also there is an excellent website that features Swiss firearms, www.swissrifles.com.

In recent years there has been a growing interest in shooting the old black powder cartridge rifles. The original 10.4x38Rmm being a rimfire round does not make reloading a practical option. The answer is simple. Change the Vetterli bolt to shoot centerfire ammunition.

This is a fairly easy conversion to make for someone with access to a lathe and a bit of machining skills. All that is done is adding a centered firing pin to the striker and drilling a hole in the center of the bolt face. New centerfire 10.4x38Rmm brass can be formed from .348 Winchester brass. The forming dies are not inexpensive but once the investment is made a 130-year-old Vetterli can once again belch smoke.

This article appeared in the December 3, 2012 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

Gun Review: Magnum Research MLR22AT .22 LR

By
M.D. Johnson
-
1

The Magnum Research MLR22AT is based on the proven Ruger 10/22 action.

The semi-auto Magnum Research MLR22AT .22LR rifle takes rimfire accuracy to the next level. It's based on the Ruger 10/22 receiver in an improved package.

HERE’S SOMETHING you’ll very seldom hear me say: I couldn’t find a single disagreeable thing about Magnum Research’s MLR22AT. Strip away everything from this particular rimfire, and you’re left with the very familiar and highly praised Ruger 10/22, a foundation that is rock-solid.

The rifle is ridiculously accurate. She’s light, easy to clean, and favors a diet of reasonably priced ammunition.

But before we begin this gun review, allow me some translation of the rimfire’s model designation. MLR stands for MagnumLite Rimfire, while the AT portion of the name reads as ‘ambidextrous thumbhole (stock).”

The foundation for the AT is a Ruger 10/22 receiver and blowback operating system. Standard is the Ruger’s tried-and-true 10-round rotary magazine – same push button behind-the-mag release and forward cut-out allowing fingertip access to ‘pry’ the magazine out, if necessary.

A single screw just ahead of the magazine cut-out connects the stock to the barrel/receiver.  The crossbolt safety is located in the forward portion of the trigger guard; a scalloped bolt lock behind and slightly to the left of the magazine release holds the bolt open (press lower) or closed (press upper).

Different, however, from the traditional stock 10/22s are several features unique to the AT. In milling the receiver, the folks at Magnum Research have incorporated an integral Weaver style rail atop for mounting optics. In the rear of the receiver, a hole allows for easy barrel maintenance. The bolt handle on the AT is large – one inch long, and 11/16-inch in diameter – and hollow, i.e. light to allow for sufficient bolt speed with the relatively slow .22LR ammunition.

The Magnum Research MLR22AT is extremely accurate.

The barrel, which still attaches to the receiver using the Ruger’s two-bolt V-block locking system, is feather light, weighing approximately 14 ounces. Barrel composition is steel covered with what the company calls “uni-directional graphite (laid) parallel to the bore axis.” The result, they claim, is a lightweight, incredibly accurate bull-style barrel that’s six times stiffer than the equivalent weight in steel.

This, then, reduces barrel vibration and improves accuracy, while simultaneously the graphite composition dissipates heat rapidly. The barrel does sport silver steel caps at both the muzzle and receiver.

In a final boost to accuracy, the AT features a Benz target chamber –by their explanation, a tighter chamber with a shorter tapered throat leading into the first cut of rifling. A reverse false muzzle, I assume, which guarantees the bullet is chambered true, and in line with the bore, rather than canted even slightly.

Gun review of the Magnum Research MLR22AT. Rounding out the AT is a polypropylene thumbhole stock, with deep checking and semi-swells on the pistol grip, a high optics-friendly comb, and a uniquely-shaped fore-end designed both for weight reduction, as well as to allow the barrel to free-float.

For testing, I mounted an Alpen Apex XP 4-16×44 scope wrapped in Weaver Quad Lock rings atop the AT’s receiver, and scooped up a variety of .22LR ammunition. With the rifle settled into a Lead Sled, and working at a laser-ranged 25 yards, it took us fewer than 30 rounds to get her dialed in. And when I say dialed in, I’m talking everything inside the half-inch square black diamond at the center of a Birchwood Casey Shoot*N*C target. Everything.

After a half dozen such 5- and 10-shot groups, I left my stepson and stack of ammunition at his side, to his own devices. Eventually he wandered over to where I was shooting digitals, with a perma-smile etched on his face. “Would this even be fair on squirrels?” he asked, showing me his targets. One, a 30-round cluster, measured 3/8-inch from center to center. At one point, he began shooting a single hole, and then using that as a target. “This gun is ridiculous,” he said. “We need to buy it.”

And the boy is right; the MLR22AT is ridiculously accurate if you feed her the proper ammunition. Based on the company’s printed suggestion, we sighted the rimfire in with CCI’s Mini-Mag (36-grain/hollow point/1260fps) ammunition.

Problems experienced? Absolutely none; however, I can’t say the same about some of the other ammunition we tried. The company’s printed material did warn of possible function issues when using promotional or bulk ammunition. They weren’t lying.

This article appeared in the December 3, 2012 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. 

Handgun Review: Ruger Single Nine

By
Dave Workman
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0
Workman tried both CCI and Winchester .22 Magnum loads and found that both performed superbly in Ruger’s new single-action.
Workman tried both CCI and Winchester .22 Magnum loads and found that both performed superbly in Ruger’s new single-action.

When Sturm, Ruger announced the stainless steel Single-Nine in September, I had to get my hands on one immediately, and that’s just about how this handgun review happened.

Within several days, this .22 Magnum single-action “nine-gun” was getting acquainted with my gun-hand palm. It is an idea I wish Ruger had come up with back when I was a much younger fellow, hunting raccoons with a guy who became my mentor. It’s a revolver I could have used on any number of occasions when I bumped into a bunny at dusk along some abandoned logging spur or out in the woods and tangles along the Snoqualmie River’s Middle Fork Valley.

For plinking, the Single-Nine is a winner. That Champion target is about 6 ½ inches tall, and anyone who can hit that thing consistently at 25 yards will have no trouble putting rabbits in the cooler.
For plinking, the Single-Nine is a winner. That Champion target is about 6 ½ inches tall, and anyone who can hit that thing consistently at 25 yards will have no trouble putting rabbits in the cooler.

The .22 Magnum is a flat-shooting, hard hitting little rimfire and out of the Single-Nine, this cartridge realizes its potential thanks to the 6 ½-inch barrel topped by a Williams fiber optic front sight, and the Williams click-adjustable rear fiber optic sight. Being a fan of tritium night sights, I can say without fear of rebuttal that fiber optic sights are the next best thing in subdued forest light, and Williams did it right with green tubes.

Find Out More About Ruger Firearms

What caught my immediate attention was that this revolver tucked rather well into an old George Lawrence holster I had built several years ago to accommodate a Ruger Blackhawk with a 6 ½-inch barrel. Packing this “hogleg” in the woods became no problem at all.

It is widely known I’m a sucker for Ruger single-action revolvers. I own, uh, several in .45 Colt, .41 Magnum and .32 H&R Magnum. The only credible reason I don’t own a Single Six is because I own a vintage Ruger Standard semi-auto that was designed with the nine-round magazine, and is a remarkably accurate pistol.

If I want to clobber a rabbit or grouse with a rimfire, I’m set, and for those longer shots, well, there’s that Ruger 10/22 semi-auto rifle topped by a 4X Bushnell scope that frequently rides in my pickup truck.

Ruger calls the laminated hardwood grip panels “gunfighter” grips, but I don’t know a gunslinger who would risk such a pretty pair of panels in a shootout where the handgun might be dropped. Suffice to say I was favorably impressed with the smooth feel and comfort, which I think contributes to the long-appreciated Ruger frame’s accuracy. A gun that fits the hand well enhances a person’s ability to comfortably aim and squeeze the trigger, and Ruger’s Single-Nine is no exception to the rule.

However, I confess to not really caring for thin grips on a single-action because they just don’t fit my hand as well as traditional wider grip panels.

Nine rounds, count ‘em! This new Ruger single-action has plenty of firepower.
Nine rounds, count ‘em! This new Ruger single-action has plenty of firepower.

The action on my test gun (Serial No. 815-00323) was superbly finished with a matte stainless surface that was consistent from the butt to the muzzle. The cylinder is counter bored so case heads are fully protected, and naturally, Ruger designed this wheelgun with its proven transfer bar and frame-mounted firing pin.

Now, for the very good news: Out of the box, the Ruger Single-Nine shot right to point of aim at 20 yards. I did not have to adjust the rear sight one bit. I cannot guarantee they will all come like that, but my test gun did and I’m impressed.

I had a Champion target, one of those self-sealing rubber numbers that spin around on a tubular steel frame when hit, and I set it at 15 yards with a tree as a backstop and began pumping rounds through it. Mine was one of those orange models about the size of a chipmunk, with a weight at the bottom to — in theory anyway — bring it back standing right side up. I hit that thing so hard with a couple of rounds that it stuck upside down, which just about spells what this revolver will do on live game.

Anybody who can hit one of those rubber targets repeatedly will have no trouble at all hammering cottontail rabbits or snowshoe hares all winter long. Raccoons are doomed, and if you want to put the hurt on a coyote, be my guest.

A .22 Magnum hollowpoint to the noggin of some yodel dog is going to ruin his whole day, and the handgunner who can do this consistently will never have to prove himself or herself in any other way.  My guess is that the accuracy is due to six lands and grooves cut on a 1:14 right-hand twist.

Check how those fiber optic sights light up.
Check how those fiber optic sights light up.

Oh, yes, this revolver would be a gem for the ladies because there is virtually no recoil thanks to the weight. That 39-ounce weight diminishes recoil to zero for folks used to shooting centerfire revolvers.

Ruger’s chronograph results were pretty much my experience. A standard 40-grain bullet out of that barrel will clock around 1,400 fps, and that’s bad news for any small game on the business end within, say 50 to 100 yards.

I remember once shooting a raccoon out of a very tall tree late one afternoon many years ago, using just .22 Long Rifle rounds out of a nine-shot Harrington & Richardson revolver that was my dad’s. It had a thin barrel, the sights were pretty basic and that gun — I keep it tucked away for nostalgia — would not hold a candle to the Single-Nine under any conditions.

The Single-Nine is rugged, like every other Ruger single-action revolver I’ve ever fired. Like the Blackhawk, I doubt if you could break this gun without deliberately abusing it with a ballpeen hammer, and even then I’m not so sure the Single-Nine wouldn’t still come up shooting. It seems just that tough.

The stainless steel construction is perfect for my Pacific Northwest home country, and is good for guys who like hunting big grouse late in the season up in Southeast Alaska. That fiber optic sight will just soak in every bit of available light, and in those drab gray days of winter, that’s the kind of edge that small game simply can’t escape.

Here’s an inescapable fact: Ruger’s new Single-Nine is going to be a smart investment for a small game handgunner who likes the extra punch of the rimfire magnum round. Anyone who purchases one of these single-action sizzlers is going to love it, or he’s just not from around here.

This article appeared in the Gun Digest the Magazine 2013 Shooter's Guide. 

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Handgun Review: FNH FNX 9mm

By
Mark Kakkuri
-
9

Handgun Review of the FNH FNX 9mm.

In this Gun Digest handgun review, Mark Kakkuri reviews the FNH FNX 9mm – an American-made pistol from a venerable European gunmaker.

Many people have never heard of it, and if you’re not careful, just saying the name “FNH FNX” can sound like you’re mad or something is wrong. In the case of this polymer 9mm duty pistol, however, almost everything is right.

A little bit of history: European firearms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN) has been producing legendary firearms since the late 1800s, including collaborative products with the late John Moses Browning. In 1977, FN acquired Browning Arms and in 1989 FN became The Herstal Group.

During the late 20th century, the company would produce weapons such as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, the M240 machine gun, the P90 machine gun, and the Five SeveN pistol. In more recent years, the company would create and deploy the FN SCAR 16 and 17 globally. In addition to these and other military and law enforcement weapons, the company also created the pistol you see here.

The FNH FNX design includes a polymer frame with a serious gripping surface, a trigger guard that’s large enough to be used with a gloved hand, a tactical rail, a larger ambidextrous magazine release, and an ambidextrous decocker/safety.

In double action mode — available only if you use the decocker to lower the hammer — the trigger stroke was still smooth but very long, so much so that some of the shooters who were helping me wondered if something was wrong with them or with the gun.

The FNX service pistol was introduced in 2009 and incorporates many of the ergonomic improvements initially developed under the U.S. Joint Combat Pistol Program for the FNP-45 USG.
The FNX service pistol was introduced in 2009 and incorporates many of the ergonomic improvements initially developed under the U.S. Joint Combat Pistol Program for the FNP-45 USG.

Chambering a round resulted in the gun having the hammer back, ready to fire in single action mode. Those who would want to carry in Condition 1 would at this point push the decocker/safety up to activate the trigger safety. To fire, the user would thumb the decocker/safety switch down and the gun would be ready to fire, a very 1911 feel.

The decocker/safety was easy to engage, fairly positive in its travel, but too easy to decock when merely trying to take off the safety. This would result in the need for the long, double action stroke to fire the gun. Of course, a shooter could manually pull the hammer back and return to Condition 1.

When decocking the FNH FNX, the right side of the ambidextrous decocker/safety switch would at times push against my hand, which was annoying. The decocker/safety was not as crisp as other levers or switches I’ve used and let down the hammer with a fairly loud thud.

Regardless of the position of the hammer, a shooter could activate the safety. With the safety on, the FNH FNX allows a full trigger stroke but with no activity in the fire control system. In other words, while some safeties prevent any trigger motion, the FNH FNX’s safety actually disables the fire control system, allowing the shooter to pull the trigger all the way back in single action or double action mode.

The sights of the FNH FNX in 9mm.

The FNH FNX is easy to shoot and very accurate in single action only mode. The single action stroke, in fact, is clean and crisp but with more takeup than you would expect. The break surprised the shooters every time. The gun’s trigger was smooth-faced and caused no problems with fingers after squeezing off hundreds of rounds.

The FNH FNX sported a smaller than normal slide release lever or button, which we never used. The shooters preferred to tug the slide manually to let it close and pick up ammunition from a fresh magazine.

The FNH FNX’s larger than normal ambidextrous magazine release reliably ejected empty magazines, as long as we used the release on the left side. Pushing the release from the right side would release the magazine but hold it in place.

The sights on this pistol offered a typical three dot configuration, but with a large white dot on the front sight and regular size white dots on rear sights. Although only slightly bigger than what we were used to in a front sight dot, the larger dot on the FNH FNX’s front post was very helpful in aiming.

Handgun Review. Magazine for the FNH FNX 9mm.We put all 400 rounds down range and the FNH FNX reliably ejected all of them. Out of 400 rounds, however, seven failed to go into battery. Each of these mishaps resulted in the nose of the round sticking into the top of the chamber. These stuck rounds were never the first round of a magazine but usually the second or third or fourth in line. More telling: The failures to go into battery only occurred with the less experienced or weaker shooters in our group. I attributed these few problems to limp wrists.

The FNH FNX’s three included magazines each hold 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition. As such, a 50-round box of ammunition was enough to fill two magazines with 17 rounds and an additional magazine with 16 rounds.

We experienced no sore fingers from shooting the FNH FNX but several sore thumbs from loading the magazines. High Precision Range (HPR), a relatively new ammunition manufacturer based in Peyson, Ariz., supplied 400 rounds of 9mm ammunition for this test. For the record, every HPR round looked good in the box, loaded well, fired reliably and accurately, and impressed all the shooters involved in this test.

The FNH FNX 9mm is made in the USA and retails for $699. With its first outing resulting in 400 rounds of HPR 9mm ammunition easily, safely, and accurately down range, you too might have the opportunity to introduce your friends to a gun with an enviable and interesting lineage, one that gets just about everything right.

This article appeared in the Gun Digest the Magazine 2013 Shooter's Guide. 

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Living Ready for What Comes Next

By
Patty Dunning
-
0

We're alive! Either the Mayans miscalculated or we've gained a reprieve from the end of the world happening today.

Here at Living Ready, our back-up plan banked on being around beyond Dec. 21, 2012. We're happy to announce that Living Ready is growing in a big way for the new year.

Click here to download the first issue of Living Ready MagazineOn the heels of the wildly popular first issue of Living Ready magazine, we'll be publishing four print issues in 2013. Each issue will be available on the newsstand approximately at the turn of the seasons, so watch for the Spring 2013 issue around March 19, 2013. (Haven't read the first issue yet? Download it now!)

Plus, we're hard at work this very minute on our new website, which will be completely devoted to the true meaning of Living Ready. That means promoting a sustainable way of life that assures you are prepared, will survive and will thrive, no matter the situation.

We're not focusing on preparedness because it's a current fad. Nor are we interested in fear-mongering. This is about a way of life. Living Ready will help you plan long-term for a way of life that gives you control over your necessities. This means offering critical information on topics like growing a garden, canning and storing food.

We'll also be a guide for outlining an emergency plan to keep yourself and your loved ones safe in the face of catastrophes, especially natural disasters. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast in late 2012, it's never too soon to start planning.

And, yes, we'll even share what you need to know to protect yourself again the Zombie Apocalypse, or the onslaught of any other bad guys.

Until the website is live, we're growing our online community of like-minded souls over on our Facebook page. Come ‘Like' us and let's start sharing our ideas, questions, experiences, failures and successes. Let's Live Ready together.

Top-Notch Gear and Resources

u0957

Happy Healthy Family

PowerPot

Aqua Vessel Insulated Filtration Bottle Black

Gun Digest the Magazine, January 14, 2013

By
Corey Graff
-
0

Gun Digest the Magazine is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. With a subscription to Gun Digest the Magazine, readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews, how-to instructions and Second Amendment issues.

Gun Digest the Magazine, January 14, 2013Inside This Issue

  • Ruger 10/22 Takedown
  • Small Guns for Big Security
  • Top Varmint Rounds
  • Customizing Your Gun
  • Gun classifieds and more

Click here to start a subscription to Gun Digest.

Did you receive a suspicious subscription offer? A bogus company is sending out Gun Digest the Magazine subscription scams.

 

Gun Digest the Magazine Digital Back IssuesRecommended: Looking for digital back-issues of Gun Digest the Magazine? Click here

– Instant Downloads
– PDF format
– More great gun reviews and articles!

Florida: One Million Concealed Carry Holders and Nary a Problem!

By
Brian McCombie
-
0

Florida issues over 1 million concealed carry permits.Officials in Florida expected that the total number of Sunshine State concealed carry permit holders would exceed one million by the end of 2012.

Doubling since 2007, the number of concealed weapons license holders will top 5 percent of Florida's 19.1 million residents in a state that is number one nationally in licenses issued, the News Service of Florida reported.  Florida has been licensing concealed weapons since 1987, when state officials took over authority from counties that had a patchwork of requirements regarding who could carry and what was needed to qualify for a license.

Clearly it is a popular law and has been taken advantage of by a large number of Floridians who have acted responsibly, said Adam Putnam, commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the agency which oversees the state¹s concealed carry program.

Floridians who are obtaining these licenses are obtaining them for the right reason and are using them in an appropriate way.

Of the two million Florida carry permits issued since 1987, only 0.3 percent have ever been revoked.

License holders are predominantly male and most are over 31 years old, with more than 219,000 at least 65 years old, the News Service of Florida noted.  While still a relative minority, representing about 20 percent of all license holders, more than 200,000 women also have licenses to carry.

Recommended resources for concealed carry:

Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, 2nd EditionThe Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, 2nd Edition

The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery

Armed: The Essential Guide to Concealed Carry

Find more resources at gundigeststore.com/tactical

 

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