We take a peek at the Savage Arms 110 Trail Hunter Lite, a new lighter weight version of the proven bolt-action rifle.
The Savage Arms 110 Trail Hunter is a well-proven, no-frills bolt-action rifle. That said, many hunters have been interested in lighter options lately to help reduce the burden of packing in and out of the bush. Savage’s answer is the 110 Trail Hunter Lite, a rifle that takes all the loved features of the standard model and shaves about a pound off of the package’s total weight.
Savage primarily achieved the lower weight by giving the 110 Trail Hunter Lite a fluted, shorter, barrel than what the original models had. That means a 20-inch barrel for all 15 of the available chambering options except for the .350 Legend model which sports an 18-inch barrel. Overall weight varies depending on the caliber, but all are around 7 pounds. Besides that, most of the features are what you’d expect. That includes a Hogue Overmolded rubber stock, a Tungsten Cerakoted barreled action, a threaded barrel and an adjustable AccuTrigger.
Beth Shimanski, Director of Marketing at Savage Arms, said this about the new rifle:
We are very excited to introduce the next evolution of the 110 Trail Hunter as Savage continues to bolster its lineup of firearms designed for hunters … The 110 Trail Hunter Lite is another great partnership with Hogue and brings all of the toughness of the original 110 Trail Hunter, with decreased weight to ensure it’s easier to carry afield.
Available chambering options for the 110 Trail Hunter Lite include .243 Win., .270 Win., .30-06 Spring., .300 Win. Mag., .300 WSM, .308 Win., .350 Legend, .400 Legend, .450 Bushmaster, 5.56 NATO, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, 7mm Rem. Mag. and 7mm-08 Rem. MSRP for all models is $669 and they are available now.
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the Trump-era bumpstock ban.
In a 6-3 ruling along ideological lines, the SCOTUS struck down the ban on bump stocks in the case of Cargill Vs. Garland. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the opinion and went into detail about the case.
In case you missed it, bump stocks are plastic stocks made for popular firearms like the AK-47 and AR-15 that help the shooter to “bump” the trigger. A combination of pulling on the forend of the firearm and the recoil of the gun bumps the gun back and forth into your trigger finger, thus producing a high rate of fire.
It is important to note that each shot fired requires one trigger action. But instead of the shooter’s finger doing all the work, a bump stock bumps the gun forward bringing the trigger to the shooter’s finger.
Bump stocks are essentially a range toy. They have no practical purpose in competition and their tactical use would be highly debatable at best. But for turning money into noise, they can’t be beat.
Why Is This A Big Win?
When Trump ordered the ATF to ban bump stocks, the ATF reclassified them as “machine guns” thus subject to the NFA. Congress didn't pass a law banning them and there was no vote, no review and no oversight. The ATF simply decided that bump stocks were machine guns and thus were banned.
This was a gross and horrific overstep from the ATF and blatantly outside the law. Machine guns, as defined by US law, are:
“[A]ny weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or a combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.” 26 USC 5845 (b)
Critically, machine guns require automatic fire with “a single function of the trigger.” Bump stocks by their design actuate the trigger with each shot. 10 rounds require 10 pulls of the trigger. Because of this, they are not machine guns.
This was the crux of the case and is the focus of the judgment overturning the ban. Machine guns are well-defined under federal law. Bump stocks do not meet that definition. The ATF had no authority to reclassify them. Thus, the ban was overturned.
Not only is this a major win for gun owners desiring bump stocks, but it also speaks to a larger trend that the court has followed. Namely, the sharp rebuke of federal agencies being allowed to invent laws and regulations outside the letter of the law.
Hopefully, this will continue with other 2A cases before the court.
We discuss the limits of self-defense in the face of mob violence and when overwhelming numbers of unarmed threats turn deadly.
In recent times, the landscape of civil unrest has evolved and, with it, armed citizens have been forced to consider how they might respond if they find themselves amidst the unrest.
Consider the following tragic example of mob violence.
On November 1, 2023, 17-year-old Jonathan Edward Lewis Jr., a student at Rancho High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, was the victim of a violent attack by a mob of his fellow students. Lewis had been standing up for a friend who was being bullied by the other students. Tragically, Lewis succumbed to the injuries sustained during the assault on November 7, 2023.
The tragic beating death of Lewis raises important questions about the legal limits of self-defense. In this case, Lewis was reportedly attacked by a mob of 10 to 15 assailants, leaving him defenseless on the ground which ultimately resulted in his death.
From a use-of-force legal analysis perspective, the key question is: What actions would Lewis have been legally justified in taking to defend himself against such an overwhelming attack? Even if the attackers had no access to weapons, could Lewis have used deadly force to protect himself?
The Elements of Self-Defense
There are five key elements that determine whether a use of force is legally justified as self-defense:
1. Innocence: Was the person claiming self-defense the initial unlawful aggressor? In this case, the evidence suggests the mob attacking Lewis was the initial aggressor, making Lewis the innocent party.
2. Imminence: Was the threat of harm immediate and about to occur? The ongoing beating of the defenseless Lewis clearly meets this criterion.
3. Proportionality: Was the defensive force used proportional to the threat faced? This is the most complex element in this scenario.
4. Avoidance: Did the person claiming self-defense have a reasonable opportunity to safely retreat? In a “stand your ground” state like Nevada where this occurred, there is no duty to retreat when facing such an attack.
5. Reasonableness: Was the person’s belief that deadly force was necessary or reasonable given the circumstances? With 10 to 15 assailants surrounding and beating an unarmed, defenseless victim, this standard appears to be met.
Disparity of Numbers as Deadly Force
The key issue here is the element of proportionality: When does the sheer number of attackers constitute a deadly force threat, justifying the use of deadly defensive force?
The general rule is that you can only use deadly force to defend against a deadly force threat—one likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. A single unarmed attacker of similar size and ability typically does not meet this threshold, even if they throw a punch.
However, the courts have recognized that a large disparity in numbers can transform an otherwise non-deadly attack into a deadly force situation. As the number of assailants grows, even if they are unarmed, the threat of death or serious harm increases exponentially.
Applying the Law to the Situation
In the case of Lewis, he was facing a mob of 10 to 15 attackers. Given his defenseless position on the ground, completely surrounded, this disparity of numbers would likely be considered a deadly force threat under the law.
The courts have consistently held that an individual is not required to wait to be killed or suffer serious injury before using deadly defensive force. When confronted with the threat of death or grave harm from a large group of assailants, the law allows the use of force reasonably necessary to prevent that outcome—even if it means using lethal force against unarmed attackers.
Tragically, it appears Lewis was unable to mount any meaningful defense against the onslaught. But had he been armed and able to fight back, the law may have justified the use of deadly force to protect his life against this deadly mob attack.
Conclusion
While the loss of Lewis is heartbreaking, examining the legal principles around self-defense in such situations might help prevent similar tragedies. The law recognizes that when faced with the threat of death or grave harm from a large group of assailants, an individual has the right to use the force necessary to save their own life—even if that means using lethal force against unarmed attackers.
This is a difficult and nuanced area of the law, but understanding these principles can empower people to defend themselves when confronted with such overwhelming violence. Hopefully, the lessons from this tragic case can help protect the innocent and save lives down the road.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
We all have our dream guns, but these are the ones no self-respecting gun owner should ever be without.
This scene has played out innumerable times. A new shooter or hunter is at a campfire or gun counter, going down the rabbit hole we all know well. A question arises, which gun should I get next?
My answer is the list below, 10 guns everyone should experience at some point. However, before you get your pitchforks sharpened and torches lit, this isn’t a list of firearms you need for the rest of your life (though you would be well-armed). Think of this as 10 guns you need to get your hands on at some point simply because they are timeless classics.
1. A Well-Built AR-15
Eugene Stoner blessed us with an absolute classic when he designed the M16/AR-15 platform many years ago. While hundreds of manufacturers have produced the AR in many different iterations, the spectrum is broad and varied. It has been chambered in many different calibers, so I’m referring to a good-quality carbine or rifle variant in .223/5.56 NATO chambering.
What makes the AR-15 so handy? It’s lightweight, easy to operate and maintain, and it shoots cheap ammo. From a self-defense standpoint, my AR-15 is the first gun I grab when things go bump in the night. With a standard-capacity magazine of 30 cartridges, it’s serious firepower and relatively low recoil for faster follow-up shots. If you told me I could only have one rifle, it would likely be a well-built AR-15 in .223/5.56. Is it the perfect cartridge for taking big game in North America? Absolutely not. Much has been written about shot placement and bullet construction, but I can say that I have taken many whitetails in America and springboks in Africa with this chambering.
Note that I said good quality. There are a lot of great manufacturers, such as FN, Colt, Cobalt Kinetics, Knights Armament Corp., Barrett and Noveske. You can’t go wrong with any of these.
The popularity of the AR-15 in America is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the platform is so modular that most people can build one in the garage. This is fantastic from a modularity standpoint because a rifle that is perfectly set up for me might be the complete opposite of what might work for you regarding trigger, barrel, stock, gas system, etc. On the other hand, this ease of building leads to some manufacturers putting together the cheapest parts they can source to sell to the consumer.
You want a name brand with a reputation for reliability, accuracy, and quality fit and finish. You don’t want a random, cobbled-together rifle you bought at a gun show the morning after a few dudes with a garage FFL slapped it together after polishing off a six-pack. It seems like every election cycle many new AR-15 manufacturers appear out of nowhere. Some are good; others are not so great.
Backup/alternate: Ruger Mini-14—If you live in one of the “ban” states, get a standard Ruger Mini-14 in 5.56/223. While some question this rifle’s accuracy, the current production will hang with any off-the-shelf AR-15 variants at the same price point. How accurate? You will still hit a man-sized torso steel target out to 400 yards all day and will certainly maintain 2 MOA with good ammo. Accuracy like that is more than acceptable for anything I will ask of such a rifle.
2. 1911 Handgun
Few pistols feel better in hand than a well-built 1911.
Over a hundred years ago, the legendary John Moses Browning—a genius in business and firearms design—began the development of a semi-automatic handgun for military trials that resulted in several successful designs. Still, the one that the U.S. military would adopt would be the model of 1911 produced by Colt.
It should come as no surprise that a significant contributing factor to the gun’s popularity was that multiple generations of service members came home and bought what they were familiar with, leading to the 1911’s widespread use.
A well-built 1911 truly is a shooting experience to behold. But, like the AR-15, popularity leads to a wide range of offerings. It can’t be stressed enough: Buy quality 1911s. While this may seem snobbish, remember that the 1911 design does not lend itself well to cheap mass production. Because a gun is technically a 1911 design, it is not inherently great.
Start with quality. It will save you time and money in the long run. Where is the line of quality? The baseline offerings from Springfield Armory and Colt are an excellent starting point.
As a good friend of mine (ironically, he’s in the UK gun industry) once said, the 1911 is the embodiment of America’s pistol. I couldn’t agree more with this statement; it’s a gun every red-blooded American should own and enjoy.
Backup/alternate: Browning Hi-Power—The Hi-Power is undoubtedly one of my favorite semi-auto handguns. Some would even argue that it was the natural progression of the 1911 design. You can never go wrong with this classy 9mm semi-auto.
3. Smith & Wesson Model 29 Revolver
Elmer Keith was right. The ultimate packing and do-all field revolver is a 4-inch Model 29 .44 magnum.
In 1955, a match made in heaven was brokered by the god of wheel guns himself, Elmer Keith. Keith was an Idaho big-game hunter and guide and one of our most influential gun writers. He used his pull to bring about a new cartridge designed around what he believed the current .44 Special should have been performance-wise; enter the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge paired with the new Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver on the N-frame.
It’s a big gun, easy to control and versatile. Keith was an avid handgun hunter and rancher. The .44 Mag. was designed with his needs in mind. You can do it all with the classic 4-inch barrel configuration (my preferred variant).
While the .44 Magnum cartridge is a reloader’s dream, if you don’t handload, there is a wide assortment of .44 Magnum and .44 Special factory loads commercially available to cover everything from hunting to self-defense. If I’m in the woods or on the water, my Model 29 is on my hip. I wear mine in a Simply Rugged pancake-style holster called the Sourdough. The holster distributes the weight of this massive boat anchor of a handgun. But once you get used to the weight, you will find it a benefit regarding recoil control.
If given the restriction of only being able to own one handgun, a 4-inch blued finish Model 29 would be my choice.
Backup/alternate: Ruger Redhawk—If the Model 29 isn’t your speed and you want to be slightly different, go with the Ruger Redhawk. The Redhawk is beefier, heavier and a bit less refined in the trigger department when compared to a pre-lock S&W. The Redhawk is more robust, though, and its weight can be helpful when shooting heavy loads.
4. Ruger MKIV .22 Pistol
After WWII, prolific firearm designer Bill Ruger entered the American gun scene. He was a fan of the Japanese Nambu pistol and its bolt design. In 1949, he introduced the gun known as the Ruger Standard Auto in .22 LR. The Standard Auto was the first generation in a series of pistols currently in the fourth iteration (Mark IV).
So what sets the MKIV apart from the others? The takedown system. Anyone who has owned a Ruger Standard Auto in the first three generations will tell you it’s an amazing gun with one major drawback: disassembling it requires black magic, luck and a rubber mallet. It isn’t that bad once you learn a few tricks and get used to it, but it certainly was a significant drawback. The latest generation has a button on the back of the frame you push, and the gun hinges open for easy field stripping and cleaning.
The MKIV also has one of the cleanest triggers of any commercially available rimfire pistol today. I love guns that are good to go right out of the box. After properly sighting in an Aimpoint Micro T2 on top of mine, we frequently made hits on a 6-inch gong at 100 yards.
If you live in a freedom-loving state, buy the threaded model and get a suppressor (I highly recommend the Q Erector).
Backup/alternate: Taurus TX22 Competition—The Competition variant is my top pick of the TX22 line as it comes threaded with an optics mounting plate. I will be the first to admit I was not a fan of Taurus for many years, but this is one of the guns that made me a believer that the Taurus of today is an entirely different company putting out high-quality products. I’ll purchase one next for backpacking, as it’s a bit lighter than the Ruger.
5. The Ruger No. 1 Single-Shot Rifle
You won’t find an American-made rifle with more class and style than the Ruger No. 1. Get your pith helmets and tweed field coat ready. The brainchild of Bill Ruger and Leonard Brownell, the No. 1 gave Americans a single-shot rifle that is a mashup between classical British and American gun-making styles. Through the years, it has come in many configurations in stainless and blued finishes and everything from varmint rifles to true big-bore safari guns—all built on the same indestructible falling block action.
I like the No. 1A configuration best, a blued half-stock sporter variant with a beautiful Alexander Henry-style forend and banded front sight. The barrel is of light contour, and it makes for a lovely stalking rifle that makes you want to glass red stags in the Scottish highlands or kudu through the mopane brush.
They aren’t winning any awards in the accuracy department, but some of my Ruger No. 1s are the most accurate rifles I have ever owned. That said, others needed a little love and were picky on ammo. My current No. 1A in .275 Rigby (7×57 Mauser) will shoot an honest 3/4-inch three-shot group all day long from a cold bore with 140-grain Nosler Accubonds. With most other factory ammo, it’s a 1.5 MOA gun. Is it going to beat any accuracy records? Absolutely not! Am I pleased with it, and will it suit my needs? Absolutely yes! What level of accuracy do you expect and need? My No. 1A in .275 Rigby is a stalking rifle for medium-sized game, and I am taking shots 250 yards and closer. For my needs, the rifle works perfectly fine.
Backup/alternate: Browning 1885—The Browning 1885 is equally classic; if having an exposed hammer is more your speed, this is the route you want to go. It’s also one of John Browning’s masterpieces.
6. The Remington 870 Pump Shotgun
If you ever want to experience a pump-action shotgun, buy a Remington 870. With production numbers in the millions, if you ask most people about their first pump-action shotgun, it was likely an 870.
The 870 is the literal definition of a workhorse; it’s so reliable that it’s boring. But this rugged pedestrian reliability has a charm all of its own. I am constantly adding guns to my collection, but one thing has stayed constant throughout my years of wheeling and dealing: I have always owned at least one 12-gauge Remington 870. An 18-inch cylinder bore barrel is an excellent home defense option to complement my defensive carbine and handguns. With a regular 28-inch hunting barrel installed, I give it to every new shooter and hunter who joins me in the field. If a buddy shows up to a hunt without a gun, I hand them an 870.
My advice when looking for one: if you are OK with only shooting 23/4-inch shells, find an older Wingmaster model. The 870 Wingmaster has a lighter receiver and generally a better fit and finish than the Express line of guns. The best part? A used Remington 870 of any variety is generally one of the best values on the market. And if you don’t like buying used, they are back in production. Given its popularity over the years, parts are everywhere and not going anywhere anytime soon. Servicing or swapping out 870 parts will be affordable and accessible for generations.
The Winchester Model 12 epitomizes the gentleman’s pump gun.
Backup/alternate: Winchester Model 12—While it doesn’t have the aftermarket support of the Remington 870 and hasn’t been in production for decades, the Winchester Model 12 pump action is for those who love the classics. No pump action has a tactile lockup as satisfactory as a well-worn Winchester model 12.
7. Winchester Model 70 Bolt-Action Rifle
If you are interested in hunting big game anywhere in the world, get a Winchester Model 70. It’s the gold standard to which other bolt-action hunting rifles are held.
In 1936, Winchester did something extraordinary: It listened to seasoned gun writers and the American shooting community and gave us the best bolt-action American sporting rifle ever produced, the Model 70.
American soldiers returning from WWI got a taste for bolt-action rifles, and Winchester responded in 1925 with the Model 54. While the Model 54 was terrific by the standards of its day, it could use a few tweaks. The main issue was that it was introduced when most American shooters were still shooting iron sights, and the bolt handle’s shape and flag safety did not lend themselves well to optics.
Fast-forward 11 years to 1936, when Winchester introduced the model 70, a very refined Model 54. This time, Winchester hit the nail on the head. The Model 70 was named the “Rifleman’s Rifle” for good reason.
There are three main categories of Winchester Model 70. (Collectors, you can put your pitchforks away as I’m giving the CliffsNotes version of the generations.) The most desirable from a collectible standpoint is the pre-64 series. This is a 1936-1964 production. These rifles had controlled-round feed bolts and are considered the gold standard among American-made bolt guns. Then you have post-’64 push-feed rifles. These went through multiple generations but are generally characterized by the lack of a Mauser-type claw extractor. Next came the post-’64 controlled-round feeds. These are produced today and are called such because though production is post-’64, they have a Mauser-type claw extractor found on the pre-’64 guns.
Literal volumes have been written over the years, arguing the merits and benefits of each series. I will let you in on a secret, though: They’re all great. Even the post-’64 push-feed Model 70s, which don’t hold the serious collector value of the earlier guns, are amazing deals and generally very accurate rifles. The pre-’64 models are a throwback to the best in American gun making, but they aren’t any more accurate than later generations. A current production Winchester Model 70, produced by FN, is on my short list of firearms I can’t wait to snag next.
The Mauser 98 and its many iterations is the original controlled-round feed system for those who appreciate the classics.
Backup/alternate: Mauser 98—This one deserves an article all of its own, but rest assured, anything pre-war commercial Mauser or postwar FN on a commercial Mauser action is generally a great gun.
The Browning A5 was in production for almost a century. What’s funny about this shotgun is that it’s the model that put FN on the map. When John Browning offered the design to Winchester, his long-time partner, it declined to buy it, stating that the automatic shotgun would not sell. So, he brought the design to a little-known, small Belgian firearms manufacturer, FN (Fabrique Nationale), and the rest is history.
The A5 is highly recognizable from its “humpback” design, housing a long recoil operating system that oozes classic cool and makes you want to wear waxed canvas in a duck blind. Like many popular shotgun designs, it has gone through multiple iterations and has been produced in 12-, 20- and 16-gauge.
The Browning A5 variant that makes me smile the most is the Sweet 16. If there ever was a true classic American autoloader that defined wingshooting upland birds, this was it. It’s the one I pick for most of my wingshooting, from doves to Canada geese and everything in between. The Sweet 16 sports an actual 16-gauge-sized frame. Sometimes, when a gun company wants to introduce a 16-gauge, it puts a 16-gauge barrel and parts on a 12-gage receiver. That takes away the advantage of running a 16-gauge which, to me, is lighter weight.
Like the Winchester post- and pre-’64 Model 70s, the Browning A5 has two main series—Belgian-made and later Japanese-made. The Belgian ones bring more money and have a higher collector value, but the Japanese-produced A5s are every bit as good, if not better, mechanically. Buy the one you can strike a deal on and take it in the field; they are all great.
Backup/alternate: Remington Model 11—While it was not in production for as many years, Remington had a license to produce the Browning design. These Model 11s do not have interchangeable parts with the Browning A5 but look similar and are rock solid. The 12-gauge models can generally be had for a steal.
I can remember this moment as clearly as day. I was maybe 11, and my mom brought us into town. Naturally, I found my way to the gun magazines and started reading. I can’t remember the publication or author, but there it was, the Marlin 39 in a featured piece. The photo had a Marlin 39 .22 rifle set against some barnboard with a red plaid hunting jacket, a Case trapper pocket knife, a brass compass, a few traps, and a fox tail. I was immediately taken in by what I read about this classic American rimfire rifle. I had to have one.
Unfortunately, I soon found out that the Marlin 39s have quite the following, but I would not end up with my first one until I was a freshman in college. I then proceeded to hunt small game every weekend I legally could, and it was a constant companion on the trapline and on summer camping trips.
What made this rifle so handy with such appeal? For starters, it was a shooter. I only have a peep sight on mine, but putting 10 shots into a quarter-sized group at 50 yards is easily achievable. The Marlin 39 is not a “youth”-sized rifle. It is a full-sized gun that happens to be chambered in .22 LR. These guns are not lightweight in the standard configuration by any means, but if you are Sasquatch-sized like me, you will appreciate the full size. Working the action feels like you are winding the finest precision pocket watch.
Here’s the best part, it’s a takedown. Remove one captive screw in the receiver, and the rifle breaks in half for easy transport or cleaning. I carry mine in a Skinner takedown rifle bag, and away it goes into the field.
Marlin produced this rifle for over a century before the company’s recent sale to Ruger. I hope Ruger brings it back, as it is my favorite lever-action rimfire ever produced.
Backup/alternate: Winchester 9422—While not a takedown, this alternate gets an honorable mention as it’s a great rifle to add to the collection. The Winchester 9422 is a classic and came in a .22 WMR variant.
10. Winchester 94 Lever-Action Rifle
The end of the 19th century was a wild time for gun design. John Browning wanted to make a lever-action rifle chambered in the then-new smokeless rifle cartridges. He used the locking system that was already a success from the 1886 and 1892 models and adapted it into what we now have as the Model 94.
The Model 94 is the quintessential brush gun. The standard 20-inch barrel carbine configuration, chambered in .30-30 Win., has put deer in the cooler for over a century. There is no other rifle I can think of that is as comfortable to carry. If you want to experience a fantastic brush gun that is relatively low recoil, lightweight, handy and quick to shoulder, the Winchester 94 should be the first gun you try.
The 94 was in production until 2006, when Winchester closed its New Haven plant. Luckily for us, Browning, which now owns Winchester, is producing them again at the Miroku plant in Japan, and they are as good as the older ones.
Backup/alternate: Marlin 336—While the Marlin 336 does not have the longevity and Old West mystique of the Winchester 94, it is arguably a better rifle in some regards. That’s especially true if you wish to mount a magnified optic. The Winchester 94 is not forgiving regarding optics mounting options due to the top eject receiver, unless you get the angled eject variant, whereas the Marlin 336 has a side ejection port and a solid top receiver. The deciding factor between these two should be whether you wish to mount an optic.
Conclusion
While you should never restrict yourself to 10 guns, these are the ones you should consider owning and shooting at some point. Remember, they’re best experienced in the field and range. A gun in a safe doesn’t build nearly as many memories as one that gets shot and carried.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
More Classic Guns:
Why The Mauser C96 “Broomhandle” Still Looms Large
Taurus has just released the Expedition hunting rifle in .308 Winchester, the company’s first bolt-action.
Taurus of Brazil is well known for its affordable revolvers and semi-auto pistols, but the company has just made a surprising move with the release of its first-ever bolt-action rifle. Called the Expedition, it’s chambered for .308 Winchester and was designed with hunters in mind.
The Expedition’s action is based on the ubiquitous Remington 700 pattern, good news for anyone planning on swapping out parts. As for the barrel, it’s 18 inches long, made of stainless steel and Taurus says that it’s capable of delivering sub-MOA accuracy.
Other features of the Expedition worth mentioning include its threaded barrel and its use of AICS-pattern magazines (one 5-round mag included). The stock has a few tricks up its sleeve too, as it features an M-LOK attachment point at the bottom of the stock, an integrated Spartan Precision attachment point and a scallop cut for resting in a gun saddle. The receiver is obviously drilled and tapped for a scope as well (6-48) and the rifle weighs just over 7 pounds unloaded.
The Taurus Expedition is available now and MSRP is $984.99.
We hit the range to test out Ruger’s new Super Redhawk Hornet revolver in .22 Hornet.
The .22 Hornet is a rifle cartridge you don’t hear much about anymore, but when it was introduced in 1930, it became very popular, very quickly. Understand, this was about 30 years before we had the .22 Magnum. A lot of hunters liked the .22 Hornet for varmint shooting and—where legal—for turkey hunting. But it was the slower velocity and less expensive to shoot .22 Magnum (1959) that eventually led to the decline in the Hornet’s popularity.
Ruger has been a supporter of the .22 Hornet for a long time, and the cartridge has been moderately popular in their .77/22 bolt-action rifle that’s still available. But, in 2023, Ruger surprised everyone with the introduction of a Super Redhawk chambered for the .22 Hornet.
I’ve had this revolver on hand for a while, but I’ve held off reporting on it because of a couple hurdles:
I have a very difficult time sourcing .22 Hornet ammunition. The revolver’s barrel accepts Ruger scope rings, but I did not have—and apparently no one else does either—a pistol scope that was suitable for mounting on this hefty revolver. Today, it’s all about reflex sights on handguns, which was also an option. However, every source I tried was sold out of mounts for the Super Redhawk. Finally, after Hornady managed to get me some ammunition, I gave up on the optics and tested the revolver with the open sights that came on it.
Ruger’s new Super Redhawk in .22 Hornet comes with Ruger scope rings.
Hatching and Early Life
Ruger introduced the Super Redhawk in 1987. Initially, it was chambered for the .44 Magnum, but the platform has also been offered in .454 Casull, .480 Ruger and even 10mm. All these cartridges are handgun cartridges that operate at pressures between 40,000 and 70,000 psi, so there’s no surprise the Super Redhawk can handle the .22 Hornet, which is loaded to around 52,000 psi. The big difference between Super Redhawks chambered for handgun cartridges and the Super Redhawk chambered for the .22 Hornet is capacity. The .22 Hornet Super Redhawk holds eight as opposed to six cartridges.
The cylinder of the .22 Hornet Super Redhawk holds eight rounds and is easy to load.
Like all Super Redhawks, the No. 5526 version in .22 Hornet is 100-percent stainless-steel. The finish is satin but a bit on the shiny side. The .22 Hornet Super Redhawk is also fitted with the same soft and comfortable, finger-grooved Hogue Tamer Monogrip that’s commonly found on other Super Redhawk handguns. The big cylinder, which is 1.75 inches in diameter, locks into the frame at the front, rear and bottom, and like other Ruger double-action revolvers, it has a transfer bar mechanism to protect against accidental discharge.
The Ruger Super Redhawk .22 Hornet has a fiber-optic front sight that’s easy to see in bright and dim conditions.
All the other Super Redhawks from Ruger—except for distributor exclusive models—are fitted with a ramped front sight that’s either all black or has a red insert. The .22 Hornet version has a replaceable HiViz fiber-optic front sight fitted to the end of its 9.5-inch cold hammer forged barrel, which has a five-groove, 1-9 right-hand twist. The rear sight is the common Ruger, white outlined square notched leaf, and it’s fully adjustable for windage and elevation. Also, like all other Super Redhawks—except for the Alaskan versions—this revolver’s top strap has been machined to accept Ruger scope rings, and a set of rings comes with the revolver.
Performance
At 15 inches long and 66 ounces in weight, this is a big and heavy revolver. However, because it balances so well, it’s not too big or heavy for off-hand shooting—at least for a grown man. I had no functioning issues with the revolver and fired a total of 200 rounds. My only complaint was that the trigger had a bit of creep and seemed to feel minutely inconsistent at times.
According to my Timney Trigger pull gauge, the single-action trigger pull broke at between 3.75 and 4.25 pounds. The double-action pull was off the scale at more than 10 pounds, but I don’t know why anyone would shoot this revolver in the double-action mode … unless you’re maybe fighting off a platoon of charging groundhogs.
The revolver was very easy to load; the .22 Hornet cases with their long and gentle taper dropped right in the cylinder chambers. Initially, ejection was smooth, but after three cylinders full, the ejection rod needed a bit of a slap to get some of the empties out. But when they did eject, they ejected fully, and there was no need to pluck them out of their chambers.
The Ruger Super Redhawk in .22 Hornet comes with a fiber-optic front sight, a fully adjustable rear sight and integrated scope bases.
The integral Ruger scope bases are for sure a nice touch, but if you’re thinking about getting this revolver and pairing it with an optic, you might want to shop for the scope first. Right now, they seem to be as rare as unicorn poop. Though reflex sights do not offer any magnification advantage, which could be appreciated with the flat-shooting .22 Hornet cartridge, there’s no shortage of miniature reflex sights to choose from. Maybe Ruger should’ve considered offering a reflex sight mount or an optics-ready top strap with this revolver.
What really surprises me is that Ruger didn’t introduce the .22 Hornet in their Super Blackhawk single-action revolver—especially the Bisley version with its ribbed barrel. That would have appealed to me more. Maybe, if the Redhawk in .22 Hornet sells well enough, we’ll see that become available down the road. Maybe, too, if the revolver sells well enough, .22 Hornet ammunition will not be as hard to find as someone who actually voted for Biden.
For varmint shooting or even for turkey hunting—where legal—Ruger’s new Super Redhawk in .22 Hornet should be more than capable.
Shooting Results
When it comes to shooting handguns at distance using open sights, the results are largely dependent on the target you’re shooting at. If it’s one that allows a good sight picture, you’ll shoot much better. I found the sights reasonably regulated out of the box at 50 yards, but I did have to fine tune them a bit at 100 yards, where I zeroed—as best I could—for a point of impact that was about 3 inches high.
At 50 and 100 yards, I used an 8-inch black bull and held at 6 o’clock. Most of my 50-yard, five-shot groups measured between 2 and 4 inches. At 100 yards, five-shot groups ran between 4 and 6 inches, but there were occasional flyers that I’m sure were my fault.
The surprise came at 200 yards while shooting at a white, 16-inch steel plate. Holding as best as I could on the top edge of the plate, I fired five shots that printed a brag-worthy 4-inch group just right of center. I figured that was a good place to stop, because I wasn’t going to shoot any better than that with an open sighted handgun at a target two football fields away. Using a red-dot with a small dot, I’d expect groups to be slightly smaller, and with a magnified pistol optic, I’d not be surprised if 2-inch or smaller groups at 100 yards would be the rule as opposed to the exception.
It’s a bit unusual to see a revolver chambered for a rifle cartridge, especially the .22 Hornet.
What’s It For?
For starters I can tell you that this revolver was a blast to shoot. It wasn’t offensively loud, and the recoil was pleasant. I really enjoyed shooting it at 100 yards with the open sights, and I think it would be a hoot in a prairie dog town or for slipping around pastures or agricultural fields looking for groundhogs. Ideally, to take advantage of the trajectory and reach the .22 Hornet cartridge offers, I think a low-power pistol scope would be the right call.
I’m not a turkey hunter by any measure, but occasionally I’ll go with my son because a man should never turn down an opportunity to hunt with his son. When I do go turkey hunting, I take a rifle, which is legal in West Virginia. By the time I got the ammo for the Super Redhawk, turkey season was just wrapping up. Had it not been, I would have for sure taken this revolver to the field and let my son try to call me up a turkey bird.
Would you have thought you’d ever see “22 HORNET” engraved on a revolver’s frame under “RUGER SUPER REDHAWK?”
One thing I would have needed would have been a good holster. GunfightersInc and Triple K Brand show holsters for a 9.5-inch Super Redhawk, but I’m sure Rob Leahy at Simply Rugged Holsters could put something together as well.
For me, as fun as this handgun was to shoot, I think it’s a bit pricey for just recreational plinking at $1,500. This is a special-purpose handgun for a specific pursuit. If I was in the market for a good varmint revolver or something to spice up my turkey hunting adventures, I’d probably start my search with the Ruger Super Redhawk Hornet.
Ruger Super Redhawk Hornet Specs:
Manufacturer: Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. Model: Super Redhawk #5526 Action: Double-action revolver Chambering: .22 Hornet Frame: Satin stainless-steel Barrel: 9.5-inch satin stainless-steel with a 1:9.5-inch 5-groove twist Grip: Hogue Tamer Monogrip Capacity: 8 Length: 15 inches Front Sight: HiViz green fiber optic Rear Sight: Adjustable, square notch Weight: 66 ounces Suggested Retail: $1,499 Website:ruger.com
Pros
Excellent shooter, very accurate with pleasant recoil
Perfect fit for certain niche applications
Cons
Given its niche application, not the revolver for most people, especially with its high price
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking to re-blue or touch-up your firearm’s finish at home? Here we check out the Shooter’s Choice Gun Blue Kit.
Sometimes a bit of wear isn’t a problem: It shows you actually use your firearm. Other times, you want to undo the loss of finish—like the sights I just put onto a 1911 slide. I had to file the sight dovetail flat to make it fit, and the edges show white. To pull the sight out, send it to the bluer (along with a bunch of other parts), wait and then reinstall is just too much. (This is my own pistol of course; a customer’s gun would get the full treatment.)
Shooter’s Choice has a solution. Actually, several of them.
The Shooter’s Choice Gun Blue kit has everything you need … except the firearm and the time.
The Gun Blue Kit has a cleaner, two-part blueing agent, curing agent and the needed applicators, swabs and even a bench cloth to have handy, so you don’t put the parts down onto a surface that might interfere with the process.
There’s enough of the solutions to completely re-blue three firearms, or to do dozens of touch-ups like the one facing me after I finish typing this. And if you still have solutions left after using all the swabs and steel wool and scouring pads, you can order up a resupply bundle of just the tools you need.
The task is easy. But like all tasks, the real work is in the prep.
Wipe the surface clean of debris, powder residue and the like. Use the included cleaner to clean and degrease the surface. Once clean and dry, apply the gun blue. When you have a smooth and even application, use the curing agent. And once that has done its work, you’re ready to use the included lubricant and wipe the surface clean and smooth with the included microfiber cloth.
The hardest part is getting the surface clean. Do not skimp on cleaning, scrubbing, degreasing or making the surface dry. And then, do not touch it.
Once you’ve used the application tools, Shooter’s Choice has the resupply you’ll need.
Back when I was doing this regularly, using a hair dryer or heat gun to make sure the surface was truly dry wasn’t uncommon. In that, it wasn’t unlike soldering, where an errant fingertip could deposit enough skin oil to spoil a soldering job. No kidding.
So, do you have a few firearms in the rack or gun safe that need a bit of touching up? Shooter’s Choice has just the thing for you.
Oh, and an extra tip: If you really want a “more-than-touch-up” blueing to look good and proper, disassemble those parts as needed.
At the gun shop we could spot touched-up firearms that were being brought in for sale by the lack of blueing in the places that couldn’t be reached short of disassembly. The little nooks and crannies—gaps like between the barrel and magazine tube on a lever-action rifle—that the solution couldn’t quite get into, or got into more so than the rest, and the blueing looked different as a result.
As I was reminding myself when I was setting up to paint the kitchen ceiling recently: “All the hard work is in the prep.” Shooter’s Choice makes the blueing part easy. The prep is up to you.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking for a mag-fed semi-auto 12-gauge shotgun that’s not an AK?
The AR-12 is a loosely defined family of semi-auto shotguns with designs and features inspired by the AR-15. Why? Because jamming in a new box magazine will always be faster than stuffing shells in your tube.
Not to mention, having the same manual of arms as America’s favorite carbine is pretty darn convenient.
That said, there are a lot of very different AR-12s on the market, so which one should you get? I'll list the top models to consider purchasing, then go over what's awesome about AR-12 shotguns and some pitfalls to avoid.
Best features, including Hiperfire trigger, adjustable stock and M-LOK rail
Lower can be paired with a DPMS .308 AR upper
Ships with hard case and one 5-round mag
Cons
Most expensive AR-12 by far
Proprietary magazines
Probably the closest thing to an actual AR is the Genesis Arms Gen-12. It's built on a DPMS Gen 1 .308 AR-10 lower, and you can drop a compatible upper onto the gun and have a rifle instead. If you like the arms-room concept, this is your shotgun.
Instead of DI, the gun uses a recoil-operated system with a reciprocating barrel like the Browning Auto-5. The barrel (the standard model is 18 inches, but 7- and 10-inch models are also available) has external threads, with the same pitch (M22x0.75in) as the Saiga 12, so Saiga external chokes are compatible.
The lower uses a .308 carbine-length buffer assembly, and the upper, which is side charging, comes with a railed M-LOK forend. I don't dig the proprietary magazines. On the upside, Genesis Arms has both 5- and 10-round units as well as a +2 extension.
I've found these smoothbores to be rugged and reliable with everything besides light birdshot.
Features a flat trigger, rubber grip and M-LOK on bottom of handguard
Uses common MKA 1919-pattern mags
Ships with three 5-round mags, flip-up sights and a sling
Cons
Fixed stock (collapsible can be purchased separately)
Better QC than the cheaper Turkish imports, but some owners still report reliability/durability problems
Typhoon Defense imports guns from Turkey, but does QA/QC stateside. Manufacturer support includes spare parts, magazines and a lifetime warranty.
The F12 is their gamer shotgun, with a monolithic upper/lower receiver, fixed LOP stock (adjustable stocks can be purchased from Typhoon) and an 1100-style gas system. The standard barrel is 18.5 inches, with a 3-inch chamber and a threaded muzzle for Benelli chokes. The receiver is a flat-top, joined by a split-top handguard with M-LOK slots along the bottom and a skeletonized and flared magwell for faster reloads.
The upper is side-charging, with ambidextrous controls and a flat blade trigger. Flip-up iron sights are included as well as a bungee sling and three 5-round magazines (2-, 10- and 20-round magazines are also available from Typhoon).
If you're aiming at 3-Gun Open, this is an option I've found a lot of people start at.
Ships with flip-up sights, two 5-round mags and a cleaning kit
Cons
Monolithic stock/grip assembly means you can't swap those parts
Limited rail space for accessories
The Panzer Arms AR-12 features a monolithic polymer lower and a railed flat-top upper. It also uses incredibly common MKA 1919-pattern magazines.
What I don't like is handguard has what appears to be M-LOK slots, but they are just lightening cuts. However, there are Picatinny rail sections in case you want to mount accessories. I've found the Panzer does not run as well on light target loads, so bear that in mind.
The standard barrel length is 20 inches (18.5-inch models are available as well) with a 3-inch chamber. Each AR-12 ships with flip-up plastic sights and two 5-round magazines.
Includes flip-up sights and M-LOK and Picatinny rails on handguard
Cons
Substantial break-in before the gun will run light loads
The VR80 is made in Turkey but imported by Rock Island Armory for sale in the U.S. While a cost-effective import AR-12, I find it's a slightly smarter buy among the many guns in this class.
The VR80 has a 20-inch barrel with a 3-inch chamber and is compatible with Beretta chokes. There are no actual AR parts save the buffer tube, but it has AR-style controls. The upper is side-charging and the charging handle can be swapped to either side. The receiver and handguard are fully railed as well and come with flip-up iron sights.
The handguard has M-LOK and QD slots for mounting accessories and the thumbhole-style pistol grip and stock can be swapped for any AR-15 stock. It ships with a 5-round magazine, but RIA also makes 9- and 19-round stick mags for them that are available separately (as well as any other MKA 1919-pattern mags of course).
After a break-in period, the VR80 is pretty rock solid. Not to mention, I find the ample spare parts that are available pretty reassuring.
Monolithic stock/grip assembly means you can't swap those parts
Limited rail space for accessories
If all you want an AR-12 for is blasting pumpkins, there’s no need to go broke doing it. That makes the TAR 12P an excellent option.
As for features, it has a threaded muzzle for Beretta/Mobile chokes (3 are included), a flat-top receiver and some Picatinny rail on the handguard for accessories. It also ships with flip-up iron sights.
Besides the attractive price point, another draw of the TAR 12 is it’s available with several different finishes. The most basic and affordable black/grey model is shown here, but you can order them in various other colors, camo patterns and paint schemes.
Model
Chamber
Barrel Length
Overall Length
Weight
MSRP
Genesis Arms Gen-12
3 Inches
18.75 Inches
N/A
N/A
$2,889.99
Typhoon F12
3 Inches
18.5 Inches
38 Inches
8.6 lbs.
$999
Panzer Arms AR-12
3 Inches
20 Inches
40.5 Inches
6.5 lbs.
~$350
Rock Island Armory VR80
3 Inches
20 Inches
39 Inches
7.39 lbs.
$699
Tokarev TAR 12P
3 Inches
18.5 Inches
37.75 Inches
7.5 lbs.
$319.99
Buyer's Guide
Advantages
Shotguns, even those of the tactical variety, have traditionally utilized tube magazines. While tube mags have certain advantages in their own right, namely allowing for a very sleek overall package, they also have obvious drawbacks. When it comes to fast reloads, the potential for increasing a shotgun’s total capacity and quickly switching one’s ammunition type, box mags are the clear winner. Result? The development of box magazine-fed shotguns.
A Kalashnikov USA KS-12, an American-made clone of the Russian Saiga-12 AK shotgun.
The most successful of course are those that are based on the Kalashnikov. The Saiga-12 is the original, the VEPR-12 is a beefed-up version of the same, and today Chinese and American clones of these AK shotguns are widely available as an alternative given the importation ban on Russian firearms. AK shotguns have seen enormous success not just on the international commercial market, but on the international military and police market as well.
The AR-12 is an attempt to do the same thing with the AR-15. At least, kind of. While AK shotguns use a traditional Kalashnikov operating system, AR-12 shotguns rarely function the same way as true AR-style rifles. Instead, AR-12s typically only imitate the aesthetics and control layout of ARs to make them more familiar to the American shooter.
The first shotgun that could really be considered an AR-12 is the Daewoo USAS-12. While it doesn’t look quite as “AR” as some of the newer commercial models, it is a semi-auto 12-gauge that’s fed by box (and drum) magazines. Its lower receiver, controls and grip are also directly based on the AR-15, and it even has carry handle iron sights. While the USAS-12 was successful in the military/police market, its commercial sales were very limited.
You could ostensibly hunt using an AR-12 with a 2- or 3-round magazine…but traditional semi-auto hunting shotguns are lighter and handier in the field, and they work so well that there's no advantage to using anything else.
As for home defense or any other more tactical purpose, again, an AR-12 could work fine, but there are reasons why armed professionals are still choosing more traditional tactical shotguns like Benellis to do their jobs.
Benefits And Drawbacks
AR-12 shotguns bring two main advantages to the table.
First, thanks to the detachable magazine, it's faster to reload and allows for easy switching between ammunition types. Both details are advantageous to 3-Gun shooters and are why AR-12s are popular in Open classes.
Capacity is less of an advantage than you'd think. While 19- to 21-round magazines and drums exist, 5- and 10-round sticks are more common given the bulk of 12-gauge shells. Most tube mag shotguns have somewhere between a 5+1 and 8+1 capacity, so it's not that big of a difference.
Second, the ergonomics and manual of arms of an AR-15 have always been among the best of all fighting rifles. If you already have some training or familiarity, less time will be required to learn to run an AR-12 efficiently.
And now, time for the “but.”
The magazines have long been the Achilles' heel of mag-fed shotguns. Rimmed cartridges/shells and box magazines don't always get along.
The Saiga and VEPR shotgun mags are generally regarded as the best, but even those sometimes require tuning to get and stay reliable. You may have to do likewise with certain AR-12 mags.
Second, AR-12 shotguns come in two flavors. Expensive but generally reliable with care, and Turkish imports. The latter are more common.
This isn't to say that good firearms cannot be manufactured in Turkey, Stoeger and Canik come to mind, but it is to say cheap imported guns are usually that way for a reason. In the case of Turkish-made AR-12s, that means general QC and reliability can both be hit-or-miss. Some owners report great reliability with a given model while others' turn out to be lemons.
AR-12s aren't 50-state legal either, whereas some of the more traditional semi-auto shotguns can be.
Many don't have an adjustable length of pull and accessories can be anywhere from common to vaporware. Magazines and spare parts can also be difficult to source depending on the model.
What To Look For In An AR-12
Firstly, if there are any accessories you plan on attaching to your AR-12, you should first ensure that there are compatible options available.
Also, if you're serious about using the gun for something other than just blasting stuff in the back 40, look for a gun that has factory support and good parts availability.
The most common magazine pattern is MKA 1919 magazines, so it helps if your gun accepts them.
Finally, semi-auto shotguns of all kinds have been plagued with issues cycling light target loads since time immemorial, so a model with an adjustable gas system is a big plus.
We look at the top multitasking handgun powders that are ideally suited for fueling revolvers and pistols.
Reloading handgun cartridges has long been an economical means of creating both practice ammunition and hunting loads. Yes, our component prices have skyrocketed, but so has the price of loaded ammunition. There are still some ways to save money, primarily by casting your own bullets … and choosing a universal handgun powder that can serve several different handgun cartridges.
I’d feel pretty comfortable saying that the .38 S&W Special, .357 Remington Magnum, 9mm Luger, .44 Remington Magnum and .45 ACP head the list of most popular centerfire handgun cartridges, and these vary quite differently in case capacity, bullet weight and velocities. Despite their differences, just a couple of powders can handle the lot of them, and a few are very economical, giving good performance with a light charge weight.
Alliant Unique
Alliant’s Unique has been around since the late 19th century, and it’s been a stellar performer in both shotshells and handgun cartridges alike. Unique is a double-based flake powder, which remains a staple on the bench of anyone reloading pistol cartridges. I’ve long loved this powder in low-velocity loads in my .45 Colt, and it has worked well with both practice loads and higher velocity loads with lighter bullets in my .38 Special.
Alliant’s Unique is more than suitable for standard pistol cartridges, and it can fuel many of the cowboy action loads in larger cases.
The thing about Unique is that, despite its reputation for burning a bit on the dirty side, and though it might not generate top velocities in the magnum cartridges, it sure is handy for practice loads and cast bullet loads. For example, 8.0 grains of Unique under a 255-grain lead bullet in the .45 Colt gives 800 fps from my gun, making a fun load for the range. If you haven’t tried Unique, it’s high time you do so—it will quickly become a good friend.
Hodgdon Titegroup
Hodgdon’s Titegroup has a catchphrase printed right on the label: A little goes a long way. The very name alludes to consistent accuracy and precision, and the spherical grain structure allows it to work well in a powder measure. It burns clean, and charge weights are definitely on the lower side.
Titegroup’s claim to fame is that “a little goes a long way,” and that is absolutely true. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Titegroup is suitable for all but the largest cases, and it has worked well for me over the years in my .38 Special snubby, and in my .45 ACP. Titegroup is a name that you will see on many load data sheets, for cartridges ranging from .25 ACP to .38 Special, to .44 Special to .45 ACP. While it’s not a powder well-suited to magnum handgun cartridges, Titegroup has such a wide variety of applications that it’s safe to say it’ll find a place in your reloading room.
Hodgdon H110
Hodgdon’s H110 is the darling of the magnum handgun cartridge world. Whether .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, .454 Casull or .475 Linebaugh, Hodgdon’s H110 will get the job done … and it will do that job well. Looking across the various loading manuals, you’ll find a suitable load for H110 for any of the speedy cases, including the .460 S&W and .500 S&W. It’s often responsible for the highest velocities in any given data set among the magnum cases, and I’ve found it to deliver uniform velocities and excellent accuracy. It’s also a great choice when loading these cartridges in a rifle or carbine.
Ramshot ZIP
Ramshot’s ZIP is another do-all pistol powder, which generates good velocities and accuracy from low charge weights. Burning a bit too fast for the magnum-class cartridges, it’s a sound choice for the 9mm Luger with all bullet weights, and my Sig Sauer 1911 .45 ACP simply loves 5.6 grains of this powder with a good 230-grain projectile. A double-based flake powder, ZIP meters very well and it’s easy on the wallet. I find myself reaching for this powder quite often.
Ramshot’s ZIP deserves to be more popular than it is. The propellant gives great results and is suitable for many different cartridges. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Accurate 5744
Accurate 5744 is sure to please those who enjoy the big-bore handgun cartridges, and it also doubles as a great choice for very light loads in the big-bore rifle cartridges. In fact, if you want to introduce a recoil-sensitive shooter to the .375 H&H or .416 Rigby without causing a flinch, look no further than 5744. It also does very well in the larger Sharps-style cartridges, like the .45-70, .45-90, .45-110 and .50-90. In the pistol cartridges, it attains good velocities in the .44 Remington Magnum, .45 Colt, .454 Casull and .460 S&W Magnum, as well as the big .500 Linebaugh and .500 S&W Magnum. If you enjoy big “buffalo cartridges” to pair with your magnum handguns, Accurate’s 5744 might be the best way to cover both bases.
Accurate’s 5744 is great for larger pistol cases, as well as big-bore rifle cartridges, such as the .45-70 Government. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Alliant Bullseye
Alliant’s Bullseye is another of those universally accepted pistol powders; in fact, all of the reloaders older than me, who imparted their wisdom upon me at a young age, had a few pounds of Bullseye hanging around. Like Unique and ZIP, Bullseye is a perfect choice for almost all standard-class cartridges, from .25 Auto, up through the .38 Special and .44 Special, to the “cowboy loads” for the .45 Colt.
Note that Bullseye can be a bit “clingy” in a powder thrower, as the grain structure tends to adhere to the sides of plastic powder hoppers, but I've always had very uniform results when loading Bullseye for target loads in the .38 Special, .45 ACP or .44-40 Winchester. Bullseye seems to like to work with cast bullets. It’s been around since 1913, and though it does tend to burn dirty, I don’t see it going away anytime soon.
Alliant 2400
Good old 2400 powder from Alliant has a wide number of applications among the magnum pistol cartridges; if you shoot .357 Magnum and/or .44 Magnum, you’d be doing yourself a favor by grabbing a bunch of 2400. It’s capable of delivering lower velocity loads without becoming erratic, yet it will come close to the velocities attained by Hodgdon’s H110. If you reload for your .410-bore, 2400 powder is the go-to choice, and it works very well in the .22 Hornet and .218 Bee also.
In these days of product unavailability, it’s good to have a powder supply that has several applications within your list of cartridges. There are other powders that fit this bill—Winchester 231, Accurate’s No. 5 and No. 9, and more—so it makes perfect sense to take a look at your lineup and find a powder or two that has universal appeal.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
If you’re ever involved in a self-defense shooting, your training courses can become relevant in court. Here’s why it’s a good idea to keep a training resume.
Recently, I took a seven-day precision rifle course, where we shot camouflaged steel targets out to 1,000 yards. That course will now be another line item on my shooting resume. I mention this because, as president of the Armed Citizen’s Legal Defense Network, I get questions all the time from members regarding how particular firearms training courses they’ve either attended or contemplated attending would look in court.
The short answer is that it shouldn’t matter.
The Considerations of a Criminal Court
First off, there are two courts to worry about: criminal and civil. Let’s first discuss criminal court, and for simplicity’s sake, I’ll use my precision rifle course as an example.
For the fact that I took this class to make it into court, it’d have to have some bearing on whether it’d make any difference as to my guilt or innocence. If I was accused of shooting someone at 500 yards (an assassination), then obviously it’d be relevant to show that I possessed the skills to make that shot.
Even more, this fact could be used to show that I took the course to prepare for this act of murder. On the flip side, if my act of homicide was performed with my daily concealed-carry gun at a range of 5 yards, then the fact of my participation in the rifle class should be non-admissible due to that fact not being relevant.
Federal Rule of Evidence 401 states: “Evidence is relevant if: (a) it has any tendency to make a fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence; and (b) the fact is of consequence in determining the action.”
Any decent defense attorney should be able to win a “motion in limine” (a request for the court to disallow that evidence) due to it’s not being relevant.
The greater question, though is this: How would the prosecutor ever know a person took a precision rifle course? Did you discuss the event on social media? Did you supply the prosecutor with a list of courses you’ve taken in an effort to convince them you’re a well-trained good guy? (I’d recommend not doing this; it seldom does any good and oftentimes does harm.)
Your training resume should only be used to educate your defense attorney as to the extent of your training. If you and your defense attorney want to bring into the trial the fact you took a particular training course, then the certificate of training should be used as proof of attendance, along with a copy of the course material and your notes.
The other time it might be found out by the prosecution is if you’re a firearms instructor, and as an inducement for people to come train with you, you post your training resume online. One of the first things detectives do when they get a new case is to search the internet for the defendant’s name and anything that might be used against him or her.
The Considerations of a Civil Court
A civil action against you is a different situation. In a civil case, each side has the right to “discovery,” where a plaintiff’s attorney could subpoena all your training records and, only after reviewing the records, they decide what’s relevant or not. Of course, your side would try to limit the introduction of the precision rifle course, and it’d be up to the judge to decide if it comes in or not.
So, it could come up in court, and because the defendant in a use-of-force case most likely will need to take the stand to explain to the jury why you had a reasonable belief your life or the life of another innocent was in danger, you might be questioned as to why you took a particular class. And despite what I’ve written here, expect the question to come up, especially in a civil trial. You’d better have a good answer.
You’ve Got Your Reasons
This brings me to the last issue: What could possibly justify me taking a training course where I learned to shoot man-sized targets out to 1,000 yards? For me, there are three possible answers. First, I’m a firearms instructor and teach military personnel, law enforcement personnel and private citizens how to use their rifles accurately. To be able to teach, I need to also be able to perform.
The second reason is I’m considered an expert in the courts on ballistics, and one of the aspects of ballistics is external ballistics. I’ve testified several times about external ballistics. And although I’ve never testified about long-range ballistics, if asked, I feel capable of that too, having both theoretical knowledge and now experiential knowledge.
Lastly, being a hunter, I occasionally must make a decision as to whether a shot on game is ethical. I have a much better appreciation of my own skills now and am much less likely to take an unethical shot. For me, that alone is enough to justify the training.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2022 Made In The USA special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Are revolvers or semi-auto pistols better for self-defense? Here, we test them head-to-head and gather some data to help find an answer.
When I became a police officer in 1992, my department’s issue handgun was the Glock 22. However, the department had just transitioned to the Glock, and the armory didn’t have an extra 22 for me to take to the academy. I was given a 4-inch Smith & Wesson Model 686, a handful of speed loaders and sent on my merry way.
When I arrived at the academy, I found that I was the only cadet there armed with a revolver. The firearms training was intense; however, it was focused mostly on accuracy; rapid fire and speed loading was only a small part of the curriculum. The revolver didn’t hinder my shooting; I was the top gun in my class.
Upon return to my department, I was issued a Glock like everyone else, and ultimately, I also carried a Glock 23 as a backup. Admittedly, even though I never really liked how Glocks fit my hand, I felt I was better armed with the semi-automatic, especially given the shooting situations I might be placed in as a law enforcement officer. That was a long time ago and, while recently reflecting on those days, I began to wonder just how more effective a semi-auto might be than a revolver, particularly from the standpoint of a civilian who wants to carry for personal protection.
This six-shot .357 Magnum/.38 Special revolver weighs a hefty 38 ounces. It’s nearly twice as heavy as a compact 9mm that can hold twice as much ammo.
Head-to-Head Shoot Off
To get an idea of how modern semi-autos and revolvers might compare in a civilian self-defense shooting situation, I conducted a test. With the help of a friend who is a SWAT officer and a fantastic handgun shooter, we put three modern semi-autos and three modern revolvers through a series of shooting trials.
There were essentially two aspects of the test. The first focused only on the precision potential of each handgun. In the second, the handguns were exposed to a variety of defensive drills. The identities of each handgun are excluded to help you digest the data with an unbiased mind, but some of their specifics are detailed below.
HANDGUNS TESTED
GUN
BARREL
WEIGHT
CAPACITY
Semi-Auto #1
4.00 Inches
18.7 Ounces
11+1
Semi-Auto #2
3.37 Inches
19.5 Ounces
10+1
Semi-Auto #3
3.06 Inches
29.3 Ounces
15+1
Revolver #1
3.00 Inches
23.5 Ounces
6
Revolver #2
3.00 Inches
38.0 Ounces
6
Revolver #3
2.75 Inches
33.6 Ounces
6
Precision
In this test, each handgun was fired from a sandbag rest at 10 yards, and two loads were tested in each handgun. With the revolvers, which were all chambered for the .357 Magnum, a .357 Magnum and a +P 38 Special load were tested, and all the shooting was conducted in the single-action mode. In total, 10, five-shot groups were fired with each handgun and each load.
As you can see, the semi-auto handguns, which were all chambered for the 9mm Luger, delivered a bit better precision. On average, the semi-auto groups were less than a quarter-inch smaller than the revolver groups. That’s not much of an advantage, but it’s an advantage. The more violent recoil of the revolvers when firing .357 Magnum ammunition could’ve negatively impacted our shooting.
PRECISION RESULTS
HANDGUN
PRECISION
Semi-Auto #1
1.29 Inches
Semi-Auto #2
1.34 Inches
Semi-Auto #3
1.50 Inches
SEMI-AUTO AVERAGE:
1.38 Inches
Revolver #1
1.33 Inches
Revolver #2
1.75 Inches
Revolver #3
1.68 Inches
REVOLVER AVERAGE:
1.57 Inches
Defensive Drills
In this segment of the test, three defensive drills were conducted. The first drill was a modified version of the El Prez Drill. It required engaging three silhouette targets at 10 yards with two shots each—par time: 3 seconds.
The second drill was the Forty-Five Drill that required us to put five shots inside a 5-inch circle at five yards—par time: 3 seconds.
The third drill was a modified version of the Failure Drill. It was conducted at five yards and required two shots to a torso-sized target, with an immediate transition to a swinging head plate target—par time: 2 seconds.
Every drill was conducted from the holster and timed, and stiff penalties were accessed for misses. The maximum possible score for each drill was 5.0.
It’s worth mentioning that none of these drills required a reload. That may or may not be representative of the real world, but it’s a fact that most civilian involved self-defense shootings are sorted with less than six shots. Of course, the reality is that a semi-automatic pistol can be reloaded faster than a revolver. Also of note is that revolver #1 was a five-shot revolver. Because of this, it was heavily penalized in the first drill. While high capacity might not be all that important, we felt that having six shots was.
With its 2.5-inch barrel, this six-shot Korth revolver is about the smallest acceptable size for managing full-power .357 Magnum loads. But it’ll also fire .38 Special and 9mm ammunition.
In the first drill, the semi-automatic pistols had a 12 percent advantage. In the second drill, the advantage for the semi-automatics was 15 percent, and in the final drill, it was the least at only 6 percent. Overall, the semi-automatics had an 11 percent advantage. How substantial is that?
Well, of course, that’s hard to say and would likely vary. For example, revolvers #2 and #3 outperformed semi-auto #2 in the first and last drill. But, in the second drill, none of the revolvers outperformed any of the semi-autos. And overall, semi-auto #2 performed better than all the revolvers, even though it performed poorly in the first and second drills. What was clear was that handgun type and design clearly impact shooting performance.
Though possibly influenced by the harder recoiling .357 Magnum loads, during our test, the 9mm pistols delivered slightly better precision than the revolvers.
We both fired each handgun three times on each drill. The semi-automatics were only fired with 9mm Luger ammunition, but the revolvers were fired at least one time on each drill, by each shooter, with .357 Magnum ammunition.
The runs with the .357 Magnum ammo were slower than the runs with the .38 Special ammo on drill #2. But on drills #1 and #3, the difference was minimal. Could lighter-recoiling loads have helped the revolver performance overall? Probably. But by the same token, lighter recoiling 9mm loads could’ve helped the semi-autos too. The ammunition you use does matter.
DRILL RESULTS
HANDGUN
DRILL 1
DRILL 2
DRILL 3
AVERAGE (SECONDS)
Semi-Auto #1
4.85
4.62
4.72
4.73
Semi-Auto #2
4.55
4.83
4.14
4.51
Semi-Auto #3
4.99
4.87
4.71
4.86
SEMI-AUTO AVERAGES
4.80
4.77
4.52
4.70
Revolver #1
3.95
4.26
4.10
4.10
Revolver #2
4.70
3.96
4.35
4.37
Revolver #3
4.63
4.24
4.37
4.41
REVOLVER AVERAGES
4.27
4.15
4.27
4.23
Terminal Performance
What none of this accounts for is terminal performance. The best 9mm loads cannot compete with the best .357 Magnum loads in terms of their ability to penetrate and damage tissue. The velocity advantage of the .357 Magnum is just too much for the 9mm Luger to overcome. The best .38 Special loads are on par with some 9mm loads, but not with the best the cartridge has to offer. If you prefer a more terminally effective round, the .357 Magnum revolver might be a better option. There’s also the .327 Federal Magnum, which recoils less than the .357 Magnum but will still outperform the 9mm Luger in terms of wounding.
Carry Ease and Concealability
There are some revolvers that are smaller and lighter than the ones we tested, but they all generally come with a reduction in capacity from six shots to five. There are also some semi-automatics larger than the ones we tested. Conversely, they come with even higher capacities.
We tried to compare popular models and styles representing various price ranges and what’s clear—even to the casual observer—is that a semi-automatic handgun is going to be easier to carry and conceal comfortably. Does that matter? Well, yeah—maybe more than anything. This is primarily because if you’re not carrying your handgun, it cannot help you, no matter what type it is. The edge here must go to the semi-automatic handgun.
When it comes to ease-of-carry and capacity, the compact 9mm Luger is hard to beat.
What Should Go on Your Belt?
There are, of course, other considerations. We’ve already discussed capacity and ease of reloading, but maybe more important than that, or how the test guns performed for us, is how the gun will perform for you. Experienced shooters will probably find the semi-auto easier to shoot, especially when compared to magnum revolvers. Novice shooters will find that the trigger action of the semi-auto is generally easier to learn. Although revolvers can deliver great precision, their double-action pull can confound some.
Some will argue that the revolver is a better choice for a novice shooter. I think this is ridiculous; all handguns work the same: When you pull the trigger, they go bang. Also, revolvers don’t have a mechanical safety. Is there a learning curve associated with the manual of arms of a semi-automatic handgun? For sure. But there’s also one associated with a revolver. If you select a gun and receive training like you should, none of this really matters.
A semi-automatic will carry easier, give you faster engagement times, be easier/faster to reload and, in most cases, cost less than a quality revolver. All those things are important. But so, too, is the magnum capability of the revolver. It won’t be any easier to shoot, but while many will often argue the terminal performance difference between a 9mm, a .40 S&W and a .45 Auto, few if any are naive enough to claim any of those semi-auto cartridges are more terminally effective than a .357 Magnum.
A 3-inch revolver will handle magnum loads without becoming painful to shoot.
Reliability is a concern as well. A revolver can jam if a bullet sets out of the case during heavy magnum recoil. If it does happen, it can lock the cylinder. This is rare and typically only happens with the lightest weight revolvers when firing heavy loads. A revolver can also jam up when you’re unloading it if the ejection star jumps a case rim. A stoppage like either of these is a devil to sort out, especially in the middle of a gunfight.
On the other hand, while semi-autos are very reliable, stoppages—often due to shooter error—are common. But they’re also much easier to sort out—even during a gunfight. What cannot be disputed is that stoppages with a revolver occur less frequently than stoppages with a semi-auto.
Law Enforcement Logic
There’s a reason law enforcement shifted from the magnum revolver to the semi-auto handgun. There’s also a reason that law enforcement has standardized on the 9mm semi-automatic. When all things and all shooters are considered, the semi-automatic offers the best balance of shootability and power. That doesn’t mean revolvers aren’t suitable for self-defense or that they’re an antiquated gun. When only a handful of shots are being fired, the differences are small—maybe small enough to not matter all that much.
There’s also a reason law enforcement agencies and academies have transitioned from the training and courses of fire I was exposed to in the early ’90s. Back then, I managed to outshoot my entire class—which was armed with semi-autos—with a revolver. Today, with the changes in training we now have, I don’t think that would be possible. On the other hand, the new way, might not in every way, be the best way. There’s something to be said for accurate shooting … because it’ll stop a fight faster than suppressive fire.
In my opinion, the largest separation is in concealability and carry comfort. On average, the semi-auto guns we tested weighed 22.5 ounces, and the average revolver weight was 31.7 ounces. That works out to an average weight increase of 40 percent, and there’s no way not to overlook handguns that are 40 percent heavier/harder to carry.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Colt has just announced three new revolvers, the powerful Kodiak and Grizzly and the carry-oriented Viper.
Colt continues to bring new wheelguns to market, though this time around there are two bear models in addition to a snake. For those who find themselves in need of protection in the great outdoors, the .44 Magnum Kodiak and the .357 Magnum Grizzly are now available options. For those looking for something more designed for carry, there’s the new Viper in .357 Magnum as well.
Starting with the most powerful is the Colt Kodiak. Featuring a 6-round capacity of .44 Magnum, this would serve as excellent protection in bear country. Its 4.25-inch barrel is ported to help mitigate recoil, and it ships with Hogue rubber grips as well. As for the sights, the Kodiak has a red ramp front and an adjustable target rear. It has a stainless steel finish and the whole package weighs 48.5 ounces unloaded. MSRP is $1,599.
Next up is the Colt Grizzly, and it’s very similar to the Kodiak besides its chambering of .357 Magnum. It also has a 6-round capacity, a stainless steel finish, Hogue rubber grips and the same red ramp/target sights. The barrel is ported to help with recoil as well. It weighs 41.1 ounces unloaded and it also has an MSRP of $1,599.
Last up is the Colt Viper, a more streamlined option for regular defensive carry. It also has a 6-round capacity of .357 Magnum, but the Viper’s lighter weight and half-lug barrel design make it a viable option for carry. Also, it’s available with two barrel length options, either 4.25 inches or 3 inches for maximum concealability. Other features include a black ramp front sight, a U-notch rear sight, a stainless steel finish and traditional walnut grips. MSRP is $999.
We take a quick look at the new Defender-XL from Vortex Optics, a large pistol red dot sight designed for competition.
Vortex Optics has just released the third model in its Defender line of pistol red dots, the Defender-XL. As the name suggests, it’s larger than both the Defender-ST and the Defender CCW. While it was primarily made with competition handguns in mind, the Defender-XL will be right at home on any firearm where optic size doesn’t matter, whether that be a home defense pistol, a shotgun or even a PCC.
The biggest advantage of a larger red dot sight is the greater field of view it can provide given the increased window size, and the Defender-XL offers just that with its ultra-wide aspherical lens. To complement the enhanced window size, the red dot is available with either a 5- or 8-MOA reticle. Brightness is manually adjustable and there are 10 levels for daytime and 2 for use with night vision.
The other features worth mentioning are what you’d expect of a red dot in Vortex’s Defender line. Mounted via a DeltaPoint Pro footprint, it has motion activation, a 10-minute auto-shutoff, a textured front surface to assist with racking a pistol and a top-mount battery compartment. Speaking of batteries, it runs off one CR2032 and has an advertised runtime of 25,000 hours.
Each Defender-XL red dot will ship with a ShockShield polymer insert, a Glock MOS adapter plate, a Picatinny mount, a rubber cover, a lens cloth, a tool and one battery, as well as 5 sets of mounting screws. It’s available now and MSRP is $599.99.
Are your shooting skills up to snuff? Here we take a look at how to properly assess your abilities with a firearm.
When I was still a teenager, I owned a Remington Model 700 chambered for the .270 Winchester. It was the rifle I learned to handload for, and I once fired a one-hole group at 100 yards with it. I carried that target around in my wallet so I could brag—with evidence—when I needed to. I figured it was a pretty good shooting rifle and that I was a pretty good shot.
I just didn’t know what I didn’t know.
A one-hole group that’s so rare you carry the target around with you is not representative—it’s an example of one. And when it comes to measuring precision or skill, examples of one mean nothing.
Can you hit an 8-inch plate at 100 yards from the standing position is less than 5 seconds? If you can do it on four out of five days, consider yourself a better-than-average rifleman.
Rifle Precision
It’s not uncommon to hear shooters proclaim they have a 1 MOA rifle. But just what exactly is a 1 MOA rifle? Is it a rifle like my old 700 that once-upon-a-time fired a one-hole group, or is it a rifle that’ll deliver less than MOA groups most of or all the time?
That’s a good question. Half of the equation involving a one-hole group is the shooter, and shooters are a lot less reliable than rifles.
I’d define an honest-to-goodness 1 MOA rifle as one that, when you consider every group the rifle has fired, the average is less than 1 minute of angle. This standard, of course, is easy to meet if the first three groups fired from a rifle average less than an inch—and I’ve had that happen on several occasions.
To be considered a rifleman, you should be able to shoot accurately and quickly from the off-hand position.
For the measurement to mean anything, though, the data set must be much larger. At a minimum, it should contain at least 20, three- or five-shot groups. When this standard is applied, the bar is much harder to clear. In fact, for a true 1 MOA rifle I believe you cannot stop there; that average should extend to the rifle’s lifetime and every group fired from it.
I’ve been testing rifles and reporting on them for more than a quarter-century. During that time, I’ve kept detailed records concerning rifles that cost as little as several hundred dollars and as much as several thousand. A true 1 MOA rifle is a rarity at any price range; according to my records, I’ve tested several but owned only four rifles that—over their lifetime and considering every group fired—would meet the 1 MOA standard.
Maybe a more practical measure for rifle precision would be what would rate as better than average. I looked at the performance records for all those rifles I’ve tested over the past 20 years and, on average, the precision for three- or five-shot groups worked out to 1.69 inches. When it comes to rifle precision, as far as I’m concerned, better than average would be a rifle with a lifetime group average of less than 1.5 inches or 1.5 MOA. If you have one of those, it’s a good ’un—don’t get rid of it.
Rifle Shooting Ability
Unlike most who recreationally shoot, I shoot almost every day because—by virtue of my vocation—it’s part of the job. Because of this, I know some days I just don’t shoot as well as I do on other days. The reasons for this are many, and it really doesn’t matter what they are. The point is, even if you do have a true 1 MOA rifle, some days you might not be able to prove it. Of course, shooting a rifle from a bench rest is one thing, and shooting a rifle off-hand from various field positions is another thing entirely.
Just because you can shoot well from a bench doesn’t make you a rifleman. A rifleman shoots well with or without support.
Yes, it takes skill to shoot itty-bitty groups from a bench rest; it just takes more skill and skill of a different kind to shoot from unsupported/field positions. During my time in the military and while working as a law enforcement officer, I was a firearms instructor. I’ve even conducted a good bit of training for armed civilians. I’ve spent enough time on the firing line to have a reasonable idea of, not only what the skill level of the average rifle shooter is, but to also understand how it can be measured simply and easily in a practical manner.
An above average rifleman can start, standing with his rifle in the high ready position, and on signal hit a 4-inch target at 25 yards, or a 16-inch target at 100 yards, in less than 2 seconds. An 8-inch target at 50 yards or a 12-inch target at 75 yards would yield the same results. From the standing unsupported position, an above average rifleman should also be able to hit an 8-inch target at 100 yards in less than 5 seconds.
Any of these evaluations could be considered a basic rifleman test, but to mean anything they cannot be an example of one, they need to be conducted over time. Five attempts on five different days would make sense, and a passing score of four out of five would qualify. Because remember: on some days you just don’t shoot as well as on others.
Handgun Precision
Handguns come in many shapes and sizes. They range from the itty-bitty, like derringers, to bolt-action pistols with barrels as long as 16 inches. Establishing a single precision standard for all handguns is just not practical. So, with the most popular handgun of the 21st century being a self-defense style pistol or revolver with a barrel of between 3 and 5 inches, that’s what we’ll focus on.
Just as with rifles, over the past quarter century I’ve tested many defensive handguns. And again, just as with the rifles, I’ve kept detailed records. Based on that data, the average precision performance for all the defensive-style handguns I’ve tested—fired at 10 yards from a sandbag rest—worked out to 1.58 inches. Just so you know, there were some real dogs involved in that mix, and there were also some handguns with very poor sights.
With this average, where one of the best-performing pistols had a retail price of less than $500 and the most expensive was over $4,000, I’d submit that better-than-average precision from a defensive handgun at 10 yards would be the same as better-than-average rifle precision at 100 yards. If your defensive handgun will average less than 1.5 inches for all the groups you have fired from it at 10 yards, it and you are exhibiting better-than-average performance.
Handgun Shooting Ability
Like how there are many styles of handguns, when it comes to measuring shooting ability, you must establish parameters. You simply cannot compare your shooting ability with a single-shot hunting handgun to your skill with the semi-auto handgun you carry for protection. So, in line with my established precision requirement—using self-defense handguns with barrels between 3 and 5 inches—the same applies here.
As a shooter, student or trainer, I have more time on the range with self-defense handguns than any other firearm. I have a reasonable idea concerning the average skill level of soldiers, policemen and enthusiastic civilians, and I believe the best measure of average defensive handgun shooting skill is what I call the “Forty-Five Drill.”
Both the Forty-Five Drill and the similar Placement Test are good measures of defensive handgun skill.
I’ve written about this drill many times, and it exists under other names too, but what’s important is whether you can meet the standard. If you want to consider yourself better than average with a defensive handgun, you should be able to start from the holster and draw and fire five shots in less than 5 seconds, and every shot should hit inside a 5-inch circle at 5 yards.
Ironically, I once asked firearms trainer John McPhee, who served in the U.S. Army Special Operations for more than 20 years, and who is better known for his callsign name of “Shrek,” what he thought a single self-defense handgun evaluation drill should be. He calls his drill the “Placement Test,” and it requires you to draw and put three shots into a 3-inch circle, at 3 yards, in 3 seconds.
If you like Shrek’s drill better than mine, use it. If you can perform either to standard, and on demand, consider yourself better than average with your self-defense handgun. But this isn’t a one-time thing. Like the rifleman test, you should be able to do this on five different days with a passing score on at least four of them.
Examples of One
Before I turned 18, I convinced my mother to buy me a handgun. I paid for it; she did the paperwork. It was a Smith & Wesson Model 66 with a 4-inch barrel. I told one of my buddies about it, and he wanted to shoot it but had never shot any type of handgun. So, we drove out to an old strip mine. I loaded up the .357, laid it on the hood of my truck, picked up a pop bottle and threw it into the air. Then, I grabbed the gun off the hood of my truck and busted that bottle before it hit the ground. It was the first shot I’d ever fired out of that revolver, and I doubt I could replicate that feat today with 20 tries. It was a splendid example of one.
In truth, a defensive handgun should deliver sub-inch groups at 10 yards from the bench. However, we must make allowances for shooter error.
And this is where I must retract my earlier statement that examples of one mean nothing. After shattering that pop bottle—for you millennials out there, pop bottles used to be made of glass—I laid the revolver back on the hood and said, “You try it.” He did, again and again, but he never hit the bottle.
I was smart enough not to shoot any more in his presence and after his telling of my grandiose performance to all our buddies, I was legend. That’s what examples of one are good for—legends.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
We discuss the pros and cons of various rifle actions to better understand their strengths and their limitations.
Standing in snowshoes, trudging up a nasty slope in 2 feet of snow after a December storm in the Catskill Mountains, I had doubted my sanity until I caught sight of the buck creeping through the hemlocks. Steadying myself as best I could on the evil footwear, I brought the Tikka T3X Lite to shoulder, and sent the AccuBond on its way. Working the bolt, I had no need to fire another shot; the 7mm-08 Remington had done its job. If you’ve ever hunted those hills, you know there aren’t deer behind every boulder.
I have a good amount of hunting rifles to choose from, but this little Tikka is very light, making it a perfect choice for the more rugged parts of the Catskills. I’m not a sheep hunter who counts ounces, but I sure do appreciate a lighter rifle when things get steep. Come down from the Catskills and into the Hudson Valley, with its farm fields, thick woods and everything in between, and rifle weight plays less into the equation.
My dad bought a Winchester Model 100 autoloader in the 1970s, when there were plenty of doe tags, and he would routinely take multiple deer when opportunity knocked. The Model 100 isn’t very heavy, and he relied on it for firepower, needing the rapid second and third shots on the fruit farm that could be quickly destroyed by deer.
The lever gun can offer rapid firepower as well, though they’re usually chambered for rimmed, round-nosed cartridges that perform best inside of 150 yards. The pump- or slide-action rifle had a bigger following in years past but can still be an effective hunting tool. The single-shot and double rifles are also a viable option, though they do come with their own issues. Invariably, the bolt-action rifle reigns supreme in the hunting world, with good reason.
Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The hunting rifle action that works best for you will most likely be determined by the type of hunting you do and the species you pursue. An AR might be perfect for deer and hogs, and for predators and varmints, but it probably won’t see much time in the sheep mountains. And while I absolutely love my Heym double rifle, carrying a .470 Nitro Express on a pronghorn hunt doesn’t exactly make much sense.
Let’s look at the different rifle actions available to us, and highlight their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their best applications.
The Bolt-Action
We owe a ton to Peter Paul Mauser, whose Model 98 might just be the pinnacle of the design, despite being more than 120 years old. Many of our favorite bolt guns are based—in one way or another—on Mauser’s dual-lug design, including the Winchester Model 70. And though a century ago the lever-gun ruled the roost, the latter half of the 20th century saw the bolt action rifle take over.
The Winchester Model 70 is among America’s classic rifle actions. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
First, it’s a strong design and can handle high pressures, easily housing magnum cartridges. The locking lugs turn into slots in the receiver, firmly sealing the breech. Second, it’s a rigid action, which lends itself to the best accuracy. The one-piece stock also enhances accuracy.
Third, it can be adapted to handle just about any cartridge, though the rimmed cases don’t really like to feed from a box magazine. The bolt-action rifle can be equally at home in a varmint rifle (I still love my old Ruger 77 MKII in .22-250), a deer, elk or moose rifle (I love .300 Magnums) or a true dangerous game rifle for brown bear, Cape buffalo or elephant (don’t even get me started about my Heym .404 Jeffery).
A bolt-action rifle allows the low mounting of a riflescope over the center of the bore and accounts for the action’s increase in popularity, as optics became more reliable in the second half of the 20th century. The bolt-action’s trigger can be tuned to break very lightly, and usually the adjustment is easier than on that of other action types.
Add all this together, along with the ease of manufacture that can lend to affordability, and you can see why the bolt action has ascended to the throne. They can be lightweight—perfect for mountain hunts—or equipped with short barrels for thick brush … or bedecked with long tubes to wring every last bit of velocity from your cartridge. Many models can be field-stripped without difficulty, and basic service isn’t a big deal. Were I pressed to use just one action type for the rest of my career, it’d be a bolt action.
The Lever-Action
As American as apple pie, the lever gun represents the American West, the Eastern deer woods, gold strikes, exploration and so much more. It was the first successful repeating rifle action, offering an unprecedented level of firepower in comparison to the single-shot muzzleloaders of the Civil War era. The latter half of the 1800s, and the early part of the 1900s, were absolutely dominated by the lever-action rifle, with hunters of all classes enjoying the fine designs.
The Model 1886—shown here is a Browning Centennial Model—is a very strong action and can handle higher pressure loads in the .45-70 Government. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Whether it’s a simple .30-30 Win., a classic .45-70 Govt. or one of the more rare and wonderful cartridges like the .348 Winchester or .219 Zipper, a lever gun can be a helluva lot of fun. The traditional designs offer a different experience, as they’re usually iron sighted, with top ejection preventing the use of low, center-mounted scopes.
Using tubular magazines, many lever guns are limited to flat or round-nose bullets, unless you opt for the Hornady LeveRevolution ammo with the FTX bullet and its pliable polymer tip. But I prefer to use a traditional lever rifle as it was intended: round-nose bullet, rimmed cartridge, relatively slow velocity. At close ranges, they work wonderfully. Keeping the butt on your shoulder, you can quickly cycle the action while staying on target for a quick follow-up shot.
The lever gun certainly evolved as time progressed, beginning with the Savage Model 99, which uses a rotary magazine and allows for the use of spitzer bullets and rimless cartridges. Winchester followed suit in the 1950s with their excellent Model 88, and Browning introduced what may be my favorite modern lever gun in their BLR in the early 1970s. All of these rifles can be scoped, and all have the potential for wonderful accuracy, despite the two-piece stock.
I tested a Browning BLR Lightweight ’81 Stainless Takedown in .30-06 Springfield that’d deliver ¾-MOA accuracy all day long. If you like the speed of a lever gun, but the cartridges of the bolt-action, one of these rifles will check the boxes, and can deliver the necessary accuracy out to sane hunting ranges. That BLR is even available in some common magnum cartridges like the 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum. With detachable box magazines, this class of lever gun qualifies as an all-around choice.
The Autoloader
This oft-maligned group of rifles most certainly has a place in the hunting world, and like the bolt and lever guns, comes in many guises. From the Remington Model 8 chambered in .35 Remington to the latest AR-15, the function of all these rifles is essentially the same.
The author with a “modern sporting rifle,” which is no different than any other auto-loading rifle. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
When I was a younger man, the Remington 7400 autoloaders were extremely popular in my world; I suppose the quick follow-up shots had significant appeal. I remember a bunch of those rifles being rather inaccurate, and a plastic bushing that used to foul up, causing the rifle to malfunction. That aside, I took my first good whitetail with a borrowed 7400 in .280 Remington. The Ruger 44 Carbine was a handy little gun.
The autoloaders tend to be a bit heavier and can be noisy to load, or clear, in the woods. Many modern ARs can be wonderfully accurate and make an effective hunting tool. I don’t personally spend a lot of time hunting with them, but they’ve certainly become popular among deer hunters. They’re excellent for calling coyotes in open country, where multiple targets aren’t uncommon and where running shots can be the norm.
I’ve seen a number of autoloaders fail to go into battery, only to have the shooter find out when trying to fire the rifle. It usually requires cycling the action, which will more than likely ruin whatever shot opportunity you had. Still, there’s nothing wrong with an autoloader—just don’t try to substitute firepower for a well-placed shot.
The Pump (Slide Action)
These rifles are the least popular, yet they most definitely have their place. Pump rifles are popular in Europe, especially on driven hunts where autoloaders are prohibited. I spent some time with the Krieghoff Semprio, a strange rifle that operates sort of backward, with the forend (and the receiver) moving toward the muzzle to open the action … and rearward again to close it. Counterintuitive to every pump I’ve ever used, it’s strange as the scope moved away from my eye and came rushing back on the return stroke. But I must say, the rifle was accurate.
The Kreighoff Semprio, with its action open; note how the receiver and optic move away from the butt. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
With a two-piece stock and all sorts of things moving on a pump rifle, you shouldn’t expect the hair-splitting accuracy of bolt guns, but they can be minute-of-deer-heart, so for the woods hunter, it can be a fun rifle with which to hunt.
The Single Shot
This group is revered for its simplicity of design and a natural derivative of the muzzleloading rifle. Whether falling block or break action, the single-shot rifle can be made shorter and lighter than their repeating relatives because no receiver is needed. They can house any style of cartridge, and those falling block rifles—like the Farquharson-based Ruger No. 1—can handle magnums with ease.
The Ruger No. 1 single-shot is based on the Farquharson falling-block action and is popular among hunters. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Many hunters cut their teeth with a Harrington & Richardson break-action rifle, and Bill Ruger’s No. 1 and No. 3 have a devout following. There’s a certain mindset associated with single-shot rifles—having only one shot often makes you a more focused rifleman.
If you enjoy a single-shot rifle, there’s no reason not to take it on any hunt, and you’ll see them in just about every hunting situation. Hunting dangerous game with a single shot isn’t out of the question, but you may be looking at a situation where your Professional Hunter may be forced to fire a backup shot.
Some very fancy single-shots are available from bespoke shops and custom gunmakers. Folks like Martin Hagn or Luxus Arms can make some jaw-dropping rifles. Light, short and handy, single-shots are a solid choice.
The Double Rifle
There’s something special about a double rifle; the twin pipes offer something cool and unique, and in the large Nitro Express calibers, there’s no quicker second shot. Getting two barrels to hit the same point is no easy feat and often labor-intensive, which is the primary reason the double rifle is so expensive. I’ve used several different models, from a scoped Kreighoff in 8x57R, to Heym Model 88B and 89B rifles, to the over/under Heym Model 26B in .45-70 and shot Rigbys, Boswells, Jefferys, Westley Richards and more.
The big-bore double rifles have a certain romance attached to them, though they do come with certain limitations. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
There are pleasures and pitfalls with the double rifle. They’re obviously heavier than their single-barreled counterparts, and though they can be scoped or have a reflex sight mounted, part of the romance is the wide-V rear sight and bold front bead. An iron-sighted rifle will definitely limit your shot opportunities; it’s part of the deal. You’ll want to spend some quality range time learning how to manipulate dual triggers, as well as the art of reloading without looking.
That said, if you’re an aficionado of Africa, few experiences will rival hunting Cape buffalo with a double rifle. I’ve taken a few with my Heym Model 89B .470 NE, and those hunts are among my fondest memories afield. The double rifles are usually associated with harder-kicking cartridges, though the additional weight of a double rifle will help mitigate that. Carrying that gun in the African heat for miles can be tough, but it’s nice to put a period at the end of the sentence when the shot opportunity arises, and that second barrel can save your bacon.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
The LC Carbine has been a hit for Ruger, and it’s certainly bound to garner more attention now it’s going fat and slow. That’s right, the handy little PCC is now available in .45 ACP. Whether for home defense or playing around at the range, the combination of the carbine and the time-tested cartridge is certain to prove potent. Plus, Ruger hasn’t messed with the winning formula earning the LC Carbine the reputation as stalwart and shootable. Some of the high points include a 16-inch threaded barrel, Dead-Blow blowback operation, AR-style folding stock and the ability to use Glock and Ruger magazines. MSRP: $1,000
Hydra Weaponry Hydra 10
Hydra Weaponry always seems to have something up its sleeve. Its latest ace is certain to grab the attention of folks who appreciate a full-powered rifle. Meet the Hydra 10, a robust AR-10 that brings plenty to the table. First and foremost, Hydra developed the .308 Winchester around the DPMS-pattern receiver, which in turn opened up the doors to more mods and upgrades. Not that it’s necessary, given the Hydra 10 is fairly well decked out—available in 16- and 18-inch barrel configurations, each with ample M-Lok real estate and BLK B5 furniture. The trigger is snappy, too. For those in the market for a deadly serious hunting option or a home-defense gun that can reach out and touch miscreants, the Hydra 10 is just the ticket. MSRP: $3,000
Hornady RAPiD Safe AR Gunlocker
Hornady Security expands its RAPiD safe line with the RAPiD Safe AR Gunlocker, providing secure storage for long-guns in compact spaces. Designed for under-bed, closet or vehicle storage, it’s tailored to always be at-hand. Available in two sizes, and accommodating up to three tactical-length shotguns or carbines, it features heavy-duty 16-gauge steel construction with four internal locking lugs. Accessible via RFID wristbands, key fobs or numerical keypad entry, it ensures quick access while maintaining security. With pre-drilled holes and a security cable, mounting options are flexible. MSRP: Starting at $420
Sig Sauer Ranch Rifle
Sig Sauer has gone country. The MCX Regulator is a modern ranch-style rifle with some interesting twists. Available in 5.56 NATO or 7.62x39mm, it’s part of the MCX Spear LT family, featuring a gas-operated piston system. Departing from traditional AR-pattern firearms, it opts for a modified lower receiver compatible with traditional buttstocks. This design facilitates accessibility in restrictive states. Backward compatible with other Sig Sauer MCX upper receiver groups, it maintains versatility. Equipped with a two-stage match trigger, cold hammer-forged barrel, and Sig muzzle brake, it offers precision and reliability. The MCX Regulator includes a built-in Arca Rail and ships with a 10-round magazine. Oh yeah, it’s California legal. MSRP: Starting at $3,000
Zenith ZF-56
Good things come in small packages. Take the ZF-56 from Zenith. Renowned for its MP5 clones, the company has unveiled modern 5.56-caliber roller-delayed carbines and pistols. Departing from traditional HK-style designs, it integrates AR-like upper and lower receivers, enabling compatibility with AR stocks and folding designs. Equipped with an M-Lok handguard and optics rail, it balances versatility and customization. Featuring HK-like safety and AR-style magazine release, it offers familiarity and ease of use. With a HK-like charging handle and minimal recoil, it promises ergonomic handling and accuracy. MSRP: Starting at $2,375
Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 B5 Edition
Looking for a plinker with a bit more pizzazz? Smith & Wesson has you covered with the M&P15-22 B5 Edition. S&W’s almost iconic .22 carbine is now offered bundled with Magpul MBUS folding rear sight and B5 Systems furniture. Although not new, the M&P15-22 remains a top choice for those seeking an AR-15-style .22 LR rifle. Crafted to emulate the AR-15’s look and feel, it boasts interchangeable parts with standard AR-15s, ensuring seamless handling and training. The B5 Systems Bravo Stock and P-Grip 23 enhance ergonomics and versatility, favored by AR-15 enthusiasts. Offering reduced recoil and lower ammo costs, the M&P15-22 B5 Edition delivers a premium shooting experience with modern enhancements. MSRP: $500
Bilson Arms BA-15FC Series
Bilson Arms unveils the BA-15FC series, a forward-charging AR-style rifle showcased at SHOT 2024. Cleverly, the charging handle is moved forward onto the forend and operates as a pump-slide on the semi-auto. The advantage here is the carbine is more intuitive and quicker on reloads, freeing up the dominant hand to only worry about magazines. Building on last year’s 9mm model, this year’s lineup expands to include versatile cartridge options: 5.56 NATO, 6mm ARC, .300 Blackout and .450 Bushmaster. Crafted from billet aluminum, Mil-spec and customizable Cerakote coatings, these are slick shooters. MSRP: Starting at $1,750
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the June 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
