Want a bag that provides quick access to a gun and plenty of storage space? Take a look at MFT’s new 5L Achro Sling Bag.
In their attempt to blend in, far too many concealed carriers stand out instead. Being a “gray man” isn’t achieved by wearing tacticool camo gear and a hat from your favorite gun manufacturer, it’s done by appearing truly nondescript and forgettable while still concealing your gear. To that end, Mission First Tactical’s new 5L Achro Sling Bag seems to knock it out of the park.
It’s plain black, and the only thing “tactical” about its design is a bit of laser-cut MOLLE on the front for attaching other gear. As for storage, the 5L (5-liter) Achro Sling Bag has a dedicated and discreet handgun pocket, a main pocket with organizers for common EDC gear, zippered internal pockets and it ships with MFT’s Multi-Mount Platform for attaching holsters and other items inside the bag. Other features include its lighter-colored water-resistant ripstop liner that aids interior visibility, its cooling mesh padded back panel and its adjustable shoulder/waist strap.
Ryan Ditta, Program Manager at Mission First Tactical, said this about the new bag:
The 5L Achro™ Sling Bag represents the culmination of decades of professional travel experience. We aimed to create the perfect commuter pack, catering to the modern individual's needs while ensuring safe and secure storage without compromising on style.
The 5L Achro Sling Bag has an MSRP of $79.99 and it’s available now.
Ruger's upgraded bolt-action keeps its budget-friendly crown with smart improvements and dependable accuracy.
No corner of the gun world has a more heated arms race than hunting rifles—specifically, budget hunting rifles. The rally to rake in deer, elk and antelope hunters’ hard-earned bucks has resulted in plenty of flops and a few success stories. The Ruger American Rifle falls in the latter.
Born more than a decade ago, the entry-level arm quickly set ranges on fire—not just among the penny-pinchers. Earning a reputation for unparalleled accuracy at its price point, the Ruger bolt-action became almost a must-have, even among the money-is-no-object crowd.
And why not? There’s something novel—and satisfying—about owning a rifle capable of outshooting irons two or three times its price.
I’ve been lucky enough to have plenty of experience with the Ruger gem, in the field and at the range. That bred cautious optimism when the company released the American Rifle Gen II this past fall. Externally, it looked like a winner—but how did it perform downrange? Is the new generation still the budget king I and many other shooters have grown to love?
Curious about the Gen II's predecessor? Check out our full review of the original Ruger American Rifle.
Arming Up With the American Gen II
I brought in the American Rifle Gen II Standard model in 7mm PRC, which put me well behind the curve of the rifle’s initial release. Ruger didn’t tool up for the magnum or modern magnum analogs until 2025.
The ZeroTech scope and Backcountry suppressor proved perfect matches for the 7mm PRC rifle.
My idea was a budget-level long-range hunting setup, so I turned to a ZeroTech Vengeance FFP 6–24×50 scope with an RMG MRAD reticle. It’s ZeroTech’s hunting option, though it takes heavy cues from tactical optics, with an advanced long-range Christmas tree reticle and exposed turrets.
To finish the rig, I mounted a Silencer Central Banish Backcountry suppressor on the muzzle. This lightweight titanium can is rated up to .300 RUM and tailored specifically for hunting.
American Rifle Gen II Barrel
From pictures and in hand, the most striking upgrade on the Gen II is its cold-hammer-forged barrel. It’s shortened from the original to a trim 20 inches and spiral fluted.
Not only attractive, the Gen II's spiral-fluted barrel also lighten's the rifle's load.
While fluting has become commonplace on affordable arms, it’s more than just eye candy—it helps keep the rifle at a manageable 6.5 pounds (without a scope), and its increased surface area aids in cooling during longer strings.
Ruger includes a muzzle brake on all Gen II models and, more importantly, a threaded muzzle. The thread pattern is 5/8×24 RH, making it compatible with most hunting-specific suppressors.
The package is topped off with an attractive Gun Metal Gray Cerakote finish, ensuring all-weather durability.
American Rifle Gen II Action
Ruger didn’t mess with what works. The Gen II maintains the American’s semi-enclosed port and cylindrical action. The added material makes the action stronger and more rigid—one of the key reasons this platform has proven so accurate.
Ruger upgrades the bolt handle on the new American Rifle, enlarging it for better manipulation.
The rifle keeps the three-lug, full-body bolt—a one-piece design known for strength and affordability. It retains a 70-degree throw, which plays nice with large optics. One change: Ruger now includes an oversized, threaded bolt handle (5/16×24) for easier upgrades.
A welcome addition is the new three-position tang safety. Along with “safe” and “fire,” a middle setting locks the trigger but allows the bolt to cycle, so the rifle can be safely unloaded. A small but thoughtful upgrade.
American Rifle Gen II Trigger
I’m torn on the Gen II’s trigger.
It’s crisp, creep-free and adjustable between 3 and 5 pounds. Mine shipped set at a snappish 3.5 pounds, so I left it as-is. Furthermore, shoe is wide, ribbed and easy to index—comfortable and confidence-inspiring in the field.
The trigger on the Gen II is spot on, outside the blade safety.
My only complaint is Ruger retained the blade safety. I don’t know how this became a thing on rifles, but I don’t like it—your opinion might vary. It’s a minor nit that wouldn’t stop me from buying the rifle.
American Rifle Gen II Stock
Along with the barrel, this is where much of the Gen II’s appeal lies. Ruger gave it a gray polymer stock with black speckles. It’s visually more refined than the previous generation and offers a welcome texture upgrade.
The rifle's stock has a new Monte Carlo profile and is completely adjustable.
Despite being polymer, the stock doesn’t feel cheap. It retains a feature that helped the original’s accuracy—Power Bedding. These are V-shaped aluminum bedding blocks that center the action and provide a secure metal-to-metal fit.
Ruger also moved to a Monte Carlo-style stock. I’m neutral on this, though it is fully adjustable for length of pull and comb height. That said, the spacers required for adjustment must be purchased separately, which is a letdown.
American Rifle Gen II at the Range
I was nervous the Gen II wouldn’t live up to the original, but the opposite happened—it overperformed.
A small, but nice improvement is the three-position tang safety.
Shooting five-shot groups from a bench at 100 yards with 175-grain Federal Fusion and 175-grain Federal Premium ELD-X, I found the rifle preferred the ELD-X. It turned in a best group of 0.49 inches and averaged 0.87 inches. That’s outstanding for any factory rifle—especially at this price.
I stretched the rifle out on our club’s mile-long range. With fixed targets ranging from 1 to 3 MOA, I hit every 3 MOA plate out to 500 yards and went 4-for-5 on the 1 MOA target at the same distance.
I’d never shoot at an animal from that far—I still have the legs to close the gap—it passed every test I had for a long-range hunting rifle.
Final Thoughts
The Gen II continues the American Rifle’s stellar legacy—and in 7mm PRC, I fully recommend it. The trigger is excellent, the build quality is tight and it shoots straight.
The Gen II feeds off a detachable box magazine. In 7mm PRC, it holds 3 rounds.
It did take some adjustment to get comfortable with the Monte Carlo stock—my shoulder pocket and eye alignment didn’t line up perfectly at first—but that resolved with time.
Ruger also improved the interface. The scalloping above the grip appears more recessed, supporting modern thumb-off shooting styles.
If there’s one downside, it’s the brake. It works, but it’s loud. A suppressor is a worthwhile investment if you're opting for a magnum cartridge.
Parting Shot
The Gen II costs about $130 more than the original, but factoring in inflation, it still qualifies as a budget rifle. The new generation offers more chambering options, better ergonomics, and the same deadly accuracy that made the original a legend.
Unless the budget bolt-action world sees a major shake-up, Ruger’s latest is likely to remain king of the hill.
As an outdoorsman selecting a sidearm, what features should you look for when picking a field pistol?
Over the past centuries, we have seen a constant focus on the types of pistols and calibers that are suitable for use in the field. In The Prairie Traveler, a contemporary piece on Manifest Destiny, there is a good discussion on what Colt you should carry—the percussion .36 being the surprising recommendation for the era, even over the .44.
These older sources are invaluable as we look at the general nature of what we are putting in our belts and chest harnesses today. I’ve been carrying pistols for various uses in the field my entire adult life as a hiker, fisherman, hunter and general outdoorsman. My choices have sometimes been motivated by nostalgia as much as practicality, but what is true is that there’s no one right answer for you.
There is, however, a fascinating backstory to all this that is worthy of note.
The Outdoorsman’s Sidearm
Pistols have a long history—that much is absolutely certain. We don’t have the space here to explore every culture and their relationship to handguns, but it’s true that there has always been a practical need for a firearm that is compact and can be carried on the person ready to use. While there are some words I will use interchangeably here, I will be referring to these guns as pistols. (Sorry to those who like to make a distinction for revolvers.)
Historically, what we call handguns were referred to as pistols, typically distinguished by mode of carry, be it saddle holster, belt or pocket. In 1835, Sam Colt had a patent for a “revolving firearm,” which is a bit too vague for use here. In the American lexicon, there wasn’t much specialization in this class of arm until 1847.
Colt’s early Paterson designs weren’t very successful. The Texas Rangers had an early success in battle against Native Americans on the frontier using the Paterson. A modern, much more powerful firearm was requested by Ranger Sam Walker, leading to the famous 1847 Walker Colt. This revolver was arguably the first truly modern Colt, and by default, the first of what we would call a field pistol. The revolver after this point would become (and could be argued still is) the dominant field pistol.
Bullets have evolved in the last few centuries, but the base concept are still relevant. The Walker can fire round balls with lethal results even today, but there are other choices.
The idea that an individual would not just be able to have a gun on them, but one that would not require immediate reloading after its one use, was revolutionary. Not only that, but each shot would also have enough power to immediately kill, or at least severely injure, an attacker at close to medium range. Most “repeating” arms of this time were small and woefully underpowered, unreliable and even dangerous to the user. The Walker was no joke and could bring some hurt where it was due.
With reload time and reliability at a distinct advantage over competing designs of the era, the Colt was the one to beat. Over time, we have seen that translate into the Colt, then Smith & Wesson and eventually modern guns like Glock, taking the preferred spot in the field. The base notion of all of this has been that these field guns are reliable and powerful first, high capacity second. These traits are critical because in the mind of modern outdoorsmen, revolvers are only recently challenged by rounds like 10mm Auto, itself the beneficiary of lots of very positive press.
The basis of the field gun is that it needs to be able to deliver power and accuracy, not just as a self-defense option for bears (a somewhat rare situation overall), but serve as a stopgap for signaling, hunting and general-purpose survival. In short, it needs to be a functional backup to a rifle or shotgun, but not a true replacement. On its own, the field pistol statistics are up to the end user.
The ammunition in question has its own flavor—such as the retro hardcast, even in semi-automatic pistols. Buffalo Bore has earned a reputable name producing loaded cartridges on the high end of the power scale. Having shot many of their most potent loads, I can honestly say that many are downright painful in packable revolvers, but overall pleasant in semi-auto calibers like 9mm and .45 ACP. I have killed large whitetails with the Buffalo Bore 255-grain Hardcast Outdoorsman in .45 ACP at about 40 to 50 yards out of a 5-inch 1911.
9mm, .38 Special, .44 Special and .45 Colt are all old cartridges, and each is still relevant for field guns with good bullets.
Raw killing power is more a function of the bullet than the gun, but the features of the gun do matter quite a bit. There is a bit of a dichotomy in that to get a certain level of handling you need a gun that is, by nature, easier to handle. Adjustable sights, excellent accuracy, smooth recoil and reliable functioning are musts in general, if you want to get the most out of placing your bullet with any certainty.
Going hard in one direction is what ends up happening quite often, with many guys opting for absolute maximum power over anything else. You won’t replace a rifle with a pistol; it just isn’t going to ever be feasible. If you’re a hiker or kayaker who camps with prepacked food, a rifle may be prohibitive for weight and fatigue when a handgun would serve emergency use better.
An optically equipped pistol of good power level can be very, very accurate. There is nothing wrong with having a .45 on your chest and a lightweight .22 LR rifle with 500 rounds stowed under board in a canoe. You don’t have to take just one in some cases, especially if your main goals are fishing or other recreational activities.
The Bear Essentials
Westerners reading this will probably disagree with me, but we’re talking apples and oranges here. What’s good for Michigan might not fly in Montana, but what is needed in the Crazies is just extra weight in the waters south of Traverse City. In all of the Midwest, a .45 ACP+P is pretty much guaranteed to be capable of handling any threat.
It’s still a heavily debated topic just how much gun you need when up against apex predators in close proximity. A debate centered on such a niche topic as bear attacks is what has inspired a market of guns and ammo on its own. Putting things bluntly, people are exponentially more likely to be killed by other people even in the woods as opposed to bears. Bear attacks are rare enough that they always make the news, sometimes even nationally.
Yet, in urban environments, we have murders daily, often multiples. I won’t get into a discussion about environmental pressures making bears attack when allegedly socioeconomic factors force people to kill unarmed clerks after a robbery and we must accept this as normal. Likewise, more people have been killed by other people in national parks and wilderness areas than wildlife. Most bullets meant for men will work on bears.
That said, this bear situation is very interesting, as it seems to be universal for discussion on field guns. It is absolutely true that there are many Americans who live around brown bears and their variants. Yet, the rate per million of attacks is extremely low annually, and in those attacks, there is no one caliber that seems to have set itself apart for being able to resolve the situation instantly. Bear attacks have made people extremely conscious of a problem that, while not impossible, is very rare. Yet, the remedy for this rare occasion is often a revolver of such power that it is impossible to master and will not yield better results than something “smaller.”
I’ve spent a good amount of time talking to everyone from cops to coroners to contractors on shootings, warfare, murders and all things in between, and the general consensus is that people kill with what they have on hand and make do with it. Very little out there, aside from premeditated murder is planned out; the vast majority of killing is done with little notice. I have some very cool stuff, a lot of which has appeared on these pages, but I’m not carrying a suppressed Fulton Armory M14 when I type at the coffee house. I’d get some looks. Most days, if I found myself attacked by a grizzly in my beach town, I’d have a .38 Special. I might make it.
Since the bear situation has dominated the field pistol discussion for some time, I’ll take a more practical look at what is really going on for this type of gun. Colt has quietly been releasing new versions of their classic lineup, and I hear there are some good things coming from S&W soon that appeal to the Elmer Keith fan in me. Many companies are starting to make 10mm Auto versions of 1911 and other pistols as standard models in their catalogs.
The debate on this chambering is hot even today, and I’m not a huge proponent of the 10mm as I have used it alongside .45 ACP in the field on large game regularly and really don’t see the effectiveness people talk about online. Given a choice between the two, I’d take .45 ACP all day. I have seen absolutely no difference in its killing effects opposed to 10mm, but I have seen a much greater degree of recoil and difficulty of mastery side-by-side.
As a suppressor hunter, .45 ACP is also far more advantageous inside the effective range of both cartridges, being that it’s quieter with a wet suppressor than any bow out there at 40 yards—I know, to each their own. The debate is far, far from over but I remain deeply skeptical on the degree of need associated with the increase in power lacking a real mandate for it in practical terms.
The Old Guard
Since I mentioned Keith, a name any serious outdoorsman should know, we’ve got to look at what he really thought of as the ideal field gun. As a lifelong student of his work, I will say the man was a legend and has a deep-running influence on the handgun world as a result, but he was honestly presumptive in that he decided he was the authority when he published his famous 1929 article in American Rifleman, “The Last Word,” at age 30. (Keith was born in 1899.)
The thing was, Keith, in fact, did figure it out. His work with his “The Last Word” Colt SAA in .44 Special set the stage for all field guns in our modern era going back just a hair under a century. Yes, that 30-year-old kid did more to influence handguns with that one article than maybe any article ever. His time with pushing the .44 Special was truly special, and he perfected the field gun with his eventual legacy, the 44 Magnum. The initial .44 Magnum loads weren’t nuts by today’s standards, and a 240-grain Keith bullet at 1,200 fps from a 4-inch barrel is still, and likely always will be, one of the best field loads ever.
.44 Mag has been a longtime favorite, a Keith design. Modern monometal bullets are very reliable for penetrating animals from any angle. That is not to say that the old Keith-style bullets or vintage soft points will not work; in fact, they have lots of merit for the outdoorsman.
So, going back to a century ago, what did we know that we don’t seem to remember? For starters, the rampant consumerism of the industry wasn’t as prevalent before the advent of the internet and modular guns, the two feeding off each other to the point that we have a hard time introducing new things because the parts can’t be readily changed out.
The old days saw most guns being hand-fitted and finished, truly investments for the workingman and rich man alike. Smith’s pre-lock guns are highly sought-after, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with many guns from the era over time. The .44 Magnum was always very powerful, but people today don’t realize that this was by comparison to what was considered already powerful rounds. The guns that many of these rounds were housed in were often the weak spot.
Vintage Remington .44 Mag still packs a relevant punch. Bullet technology has strayed from exposed full lead tips like this, favoring JHP designs.
For instance, the .45 Colt can be loaded far above .44 Magnum, but it requires a modern frame. The .45 Colt can be loaded up to some truly impressive numbers and deliver some serious lead down range, enough to make the .44 Mag. blush. However, most people are only familiar with the “safe” loads in .45 Colt, which are quite anemic and meant for cowboy replicas and original Colts SAA revolvers for safety.
It’s Dangerous to Go Alone … Take This!
Where you see the true utility of rounds like .44 Magnum is in their flexibility in terms of power, something that people today only look at the upper end. The beauty of these revolvers is that they can easily use lower-powered ammo. I really like shooting weak .38s in my .357 revolvers. Likewise, I like to load some light 180-grain lead bullets in .45 Colt with what remaining stock of IMR TrailBoss I have. It can be like shooting a .22 LR if you play it right.
Field guns, outside of the bear situation, are blessed with flexibility. This is something widely overlooked today due to the fact that to vary power in a semi-auto, you need an entirely different gun; you’re pretty much fixed at that cartridge power level. If you want sauce, go 10mm Auto. If you want power and easy handling, go .45 ACP. General use, well 9mm. In a .44 Mag. or .45 Colt, you can span the entire spectrum in one cylinder from popgun to piss-your-pants.
The old timers knew this, and this is what made field pistols great in practice. Ammunition was available everywhere; you could travel this country and find something that would work in your revolver in any hayseed town by the streams you’d pull over for.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 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.
If you ever travel armed, Viktos’ new Counteract CCW Duffel Bag is worth a look. When judged as just a duffel, the Counteract is already a nice bag. It boasts a gen-erous 44-liter capacity and is built using strong, weather- and stain-resistant 500D polyester ripstop. It also features a dedicated, vented footwear compartment, a protected laptop/tablet sleeve and removable padded shoulder straps. As a CCW bag, it only gets better: The Counteract has a removable compartment with a CCW pistol tray, a Universal Hookie holster and several interior pockets for magazines and other gear. Oh, and it has lockable zippers, too, so you can fly with it. MSRP: $200
For a long time, when it came to super-extended 9mm Glock mags, 33 rounds was the ceiling for magazine capacity (not counting drums). Now, you can squeeze in one more round thanks to the Rattlesnake Tactical 34-round mag. Designed in collaboration with Ammunition Depot, the Rattlesnake is compatible with any firearm that uses double-stack 9mm Glock-pattern magazines. Whether you want a spare reload in your glovebox for your little Glock 26 or just something a bit bigger for running your PCC, the Rattlesnake Tactical mag is your ticket. It’s been third-party tested for reliability, is made in the U.S. and features a cool snake scale pattern for extra grip. MSRP: $19.99
B5 Systems Modular Platform Stock
B5 Systems makes some of the most popular AR furniture on the market, but what if you’re accessorizing something besides an AR? Plenty of guns these days come with a 1913 Picatinny rail on their rear end for attaching stocks or pistol braces, and now B5 has an option for those models, too. The B5 Systems Modular Platform Stock features a steel hinge that allows it to fold to the left and has an adjustable spring-assisted cheekpiece that adds 0.5 inch of height. It also has five length of pull adjustment positions, a cushioned non-slip buttpad and both traditional and QD sling mounts. It’s available in black, FDE, Coyote Brown, OD Green and Wolf Grey. MSRP: $200
Everyday Armor T-Shirt 360
Premier Body Armor changed the concealable body armor game with its original Everyday Armor T-Shirt, and they just made it even better. The original version included a special, form-fitting T-shirt with two pockets designed to accept Premier’s Level IIIA body armor panels. The new 360 version is the same but now features two side pockets and two side armor panels as well. It should be just as easy to conceal as the front/back-only version while providing even more protection. Each set ships with one armor carrier T-shirt, two large Level IIIA armor panels and two smaller Level IIIA side panels. MSRP: $380
Foxtrot Mike Products RMB
AR-based pistol-caliber carbines are a ton of fun, but they’re not known for having the softest recoil impulse. If you’d like to make your PCC less harsh, Foxtrot Mike has a new solution available. Called the Recoil Mitigation Buffer System, or RMB, it features a sliding buffer body, a dampening spring and a durable urethane impact modifier. All put together, it results in the complete elimination of bolt bounce. This simple change provides a much softer and controlled shooting experience and can help facilitate faster, more accurate shooting while plinking at the range or on the clock. If you have a PCC, the RMB seems like a no-brainer upgrade. MSRP: $59
Banish 30-V2 Suppressor
We were already impressed with the original Banish 30 suppressor, but Silencer Central went and made it better anyway. The Banish 30-V2 improves upon the original design in every way. It’s 0.8 inch shorter and 1.8 ounces lighter thanks to its full titanium construction. Does that mean it’s not as quiet? Nope, it’s even quieter. Rated for .17 HMR up to .300 Weatherby Magnum, the Banish 30-V2 is modular as well, allowing you to bring its length down from 8.17 inches to 6.4 inches. It also uses the industry-standard HUB mount and ships with a 5/8×24 direct-thread mount. Short, light and quiet, it’s the perfect hunting companion. MSRP: $999
New CMP M1 Garands
Fans of the greatest battle implement ever devised have reason to rejoice, as the Civilian Marksmanship Program recently announced new-production M1 Garands. These faithful replicas of the original have all the right stuff where it counts, namely forged receivers that are based on the original drawings and specifications. Other components, like the barrel and smaller parts, will be a mix of commercial reproductions and original GI parts. The first rifles available will be basic .30-06 Springfield models, but the CMP says it hopes to eventually bring other historically relevant variants to market as well. Government stockpiles of original M1s get smaller by the year, so it’s great to see the CMP thinking ahead about how to keep the Garand alive after all the surplus GI stocks have dried up. MSRP: $1,900
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Springfield Armory has just announced new .45 ACP 1911 Operator AOS models with threaded barrels.
Living up to the pistol’s Operator name, Springfield Armory just announced a new 1911 Operator AOS model with a threaded barrel. Chambered for the naturally subsonic .45 ACP cartridge, the 1911 Operator AOS Threaded is available in four finish options and comes ready to be adorned head to toe in accessories.
The new 1911 features a 5.75-inch threaded stainless steel barrel (.578×28 threading) with a black DLC coating, and it ships with a knurled thread protector. The pistols also utilize the Agency Optic System (AOS) for mounting red dot sights. The system uses optic plates, making it compatible with RMR, Shield, Delta Point Pro and Docter footprints, but the plates must be purchased separately. 1911 Operator AOS Threaded buyers will be able to purchase a plate at a discounted price of $49. Naturally, the pistols have a Picatinny accessory rail on their dustcovers as well. Other features include tritium front sights, ambidextrous safeties and G10 VZ grips.
The Springfield Armory 1911 Operator AOS Threaded is available with a Coyote Brown, OD Green, Tungsten Gray or black Cerakote finish, and each gun ships with a soft case and two base pad-equipped 8-round magazines. MSRP is $1,289 and they’re available now.
Silencer Central has just announced the BANISH 12, a new 12-gauge shotgun suppressor designed with hunters in mind.
Ear protection is annoying, especially in the field. Solution? Get a suppressor. While rifle suppressors designed for hunting have exploded in popularity in recent years, the same is only beginning to happen with shotguns. The latest, and what Silencer Central describes as the next evolution of wingshooting and the most advanced shotgun suppressor on the market, is the BANISH 12.
The BANISH 12 provides hearing-safe levels of sound suppression, doesn’t obstruct shotguns’ sightlines and features interchangeable choke tubes. It’s also lightweight (17.6 ounces) and compact (8.55 inches long) thanks to its fully titanium construction. It attaches via an interchangeable mount that’s available in various popular shotgun choke tube thread patterns. Each BANISH 12 also ships with three screw-in chokes (Improved Cylinder, Modified, and Full) to tune shot patterns, and more choke tubes will be available to purchase separately.
Brandon Maddox, founder and CEO of Silencer Central, said this about the new shotgun suppressor:
We are very excited to be offering the BANISH 12 shotgun suppressor … The feedback has already been so positive … It’s really unlike anything else on the market. A true, first-of-its kind sporting suppressor for 12-gauge shotguns. Of course, the hunting market is near and dear to my heart, and integral to the story of Silencer Central, so I’m happy to offer this new and innovative suppressor to our customers.
The BANISH 12 is available now with a black or tan finish and has an MSRP of $1,199.
Smith & Wesson has just announced the M&P Shield X, a new subcompact iteration of the Shield series.
For the last few years, almost every new concealed carry pistol released was a 9mm micro-compact, but it seems that sub-compact 9mms are now experiencing a bit of a resurgence. The latest example is Smith & Wesson’s recently announced M&P Shield X with its 3.6-inch stainless steel barrel.
The M&P Shield X has all the modern features shooters have come to expect of modern carry pistols. Namely, it’s optics-ready (RMSc/K footprint), features an accessory rail and has an impressive 13+1 capacity of 9mm with flush-fit mags or 15+1 rounds with the included extended mag. A 10-round compliant version is available as well. The Shield X frame also boasts ergonomic improvements like a lengthened grip, undercut trigger guard, and extended beaver tail. Other features include aggressive front and rear slide serrations, an Ameriglo Trooper LumiGreen front night sight and a blacked-out serrated u-notch rear sight. The Shield X also has Smith & Wesson’s ClearSight Cut, a feature designed to prevent red dot optic windows from becoming fouled.
Grant Dubuc, Director of Product Innovation at Smith & Wesson, said this about the new carry pistol:
When designing the Shield X, a key focus was enhancing ergonomics to deliver a superior fit and feel across all hand sizes. Drawing inspiration from the Bodyguard 2.0, we introduced several refinements to the frame including undercutting the trigger guard, adding a slight beaver tail, and slimming specific areas at the back of the frame. These changes allow the shooter’s hand to sit higher on the frame, improving control and comfort without compromising concealability. Combined with added features like a rail, extended barrel, aggressive serrations, and upgraded sights, the Shield X is the ideal everyday carry 9mm.
The Smith & Wesson Shield X is available with or without a manual thumb safety and has an MSRP of $599.
When it comes to hunting preparation, zeroing your rifle from a bench pales in comparison to competing in NRL Hunter.
We are in the golden age of competition shooting, with different forms and flavors for every marksman. One of the underappreciated but rapidly growing organizations is NRL Hunter. Fusing traditional hunting scenarios with modern competition standards, NRL Hunter elevates the skill cap and educates people nationwide that marksmanship in the field isn’t shooting fish in a barrel.
In essence, it tests your skills to find, range and shoot targets from between 100 and 1,000 yards while layering the difficult conditions you might face while on a hunt. Even for seasoned competition shooters or hunters, this game isn’t easy.
But—it is satisfying, illuminating and oh so much fun.
The Soul of a Hunter
As the name suggests, NRL Hunter was started to benefit hunters. While many skills are necessary for a successful harvest, one of the most difficult to learn or practice is field marksmanship. Shooting off a bench at a paper target doesn’t address the critical skills needed for a real shot taken at an animal in the wild.
Stress, wind reading, knowing your rifle, your ammo and your limits are aspects that can make or break a hunt. Being able to put those skills to the test and improve yourself makes not only for more successful hunting but also more ethical hunting.
For many who shoot NRL Hunter, this is the whole allure of the game. And if you have a once-in-a-lifetime hunt coming up or just want to improve your shooting skills, NRL Hunter is a great place to push yourself.
Gamers Play the Game
Not everyone you meet at an NRL Hunter match is there prepping for elk season. Shooters focusing on hunting are probably the minority. While NRL Hunter is a great way of practicing for the big-game season, it is still a game. Steel elk don’t hear you stalking, AR500 bobcats don’t smell you, and no timers are counting down in the woods.
For a lot of the shooters, NRL Hunter is simply a fresh new format for precision matches, forcing different and interesting skills and giving people a good excuse to build a new rifle. Count me in that category. Matches that push my skillset or force me to learn something new are always attractions, and NRL Hunter does it in spades. It has quickly become my second favorite format to shoot.
Basic Rules
The exact rules should be consulted before your first match, but to give you a taste we can boil them down to CliffsNotes.
Every stage is shot “blind,” meaning you don’t know what you’re getting into. You don’t get to watch other competitors shoot the stage before you, and learning anything about the stage before you shoot is strictly forbidden.
Every stage is 4 minutes and allows a maximum of eight shots. Scoring is “2-1 dead target.” Hitting the target with your first shot earns 2 points, if you miss your first shot you’re allowed a second. Impacting with the second shot earns 1 point. If you miss both shots, the target can no longer be engaged. If you hit the target, it’s considered neutralized, and you move on to the next target at the stage.
Each stage consists of some combination of up to four targets and up to four positions. If you have four targets, you will only have one position. If you have four positions, you’ll have one target. There are also combinations in between, like two targets/two positions. The positions are not fixed and can be selected by the hunter while on the clock. A “new” position must be at least one arm’s length away from the old one.
Each stage is given left and right limits, so you know what area you’re looking in to find the targets. On the start buzzer, the shooter needs to find the targets, range the targets, get into position and shoot.
Trust me, the 4 minutes to accomplish all this go fast.
Equipment
Gear won’t win matches or put meat in the freezer, but it can help. If you’re an established long-range shooter or hunter and you want to test your gear and your skills, you probably won’t need to buy anything new. But if you want to get all the juice for the squeeze, a few tools are game changers.
My loadout included:
Eberlestock UpRanger
Armageddon Gear Game Changer Shmedium with Git-Lite fill
Fix It Sticks Long Range Competition Toolkit
Sig Sauer Kilo 10k Gen II
Kestrel Ballistics 5700X Elite
Longtucky Supply Bino Pouch
Leofoto Tripod with Really Right Stuff Anvil-30 ballhead
L3i Design Solutions Tac Table
The general strategy for a stage is to use a tripod to glass and find your targets, then get into position using any combination of tripod, bipod or shooting bag to take the shot.
Range-finding binoculars help speed and smooth out the process since finding a target and then switching tools to range the target eats valuable time. Add in a ballistic solver, such as my Sig Sauer Kilo 10k Gen II, and the process becomes even easier. It gives range and dope with the press of a button.
One thing to keep in mind is that gear is only useful if it’s easy to access. Most shooters use a chest rig of some kind to make life easier. Longtucky Supply just released its Bino Pouch not long before my California-based Mason Valley match, and it’s a winner. Magnets seal the hood, and Velcro makes the entire pouch adjustable to any size or shape of binos.
A solid bag to carry all your stuff in is a requirement, since stages are spread out and often over broken landscapes. The Eberlestock UpRanger has served me well for several years and is easy to recommend.
One piece of gear that didn’t arrive in time for the match was the new MDT Champion Backpack. While I didn’t get to use the new bag in Mason Valley, I have used it at PRS matches since then, and I highly recommend it. Giving yourself a portable workstation comes in handy when you’re in the bush.
Custom Lightweight Precision Rifle
Most of the gamers shoot in Open Heavy, giving them a maximum of 16 pounds of rifle to play with. Since the hunting aspect is what appeals to me in NRL Hunter, I shoot the Open Light class. This has a 12-pound limit, forcing competitors to use a rifle they more likely would in the field.
To make that goal but still pack on as many luxuries as possible isn’t easy—but it is doable. Here is how my Hunter rifle shakes out:
Rifle Action: Faxon FX7 Barrel: Faxon “Gunner” Profile, 20 inches, 6.5 Creedmoor Scope: Vortex Razor LHT 4.5-22×50 FFP Scope Rings: MDT Lightweight Chassis: MDT HNT26 Muzzle Brake: Area 419 Hellfire Match Suppressor: Silencer Central Banish MeatEater Trigger: TriggerTech Special Grip: Kung Fu Grip Timer: MDT Crush It timer Ammo: Black Sheep Ammo 143-grain ELD
This rifle has performed far better than my wildest hopes. Everything about it has been perfect from the first day … almost.
Faxon Firearm’s FX7 is a sleeper of a rifle. The action is a six-lug, 70-degree bolt lift Remington 700 footprint coated in ArmorLube DLC and made from 416 stainless-steel. Its assets include an integrated recoil lug, integrated 20-MOA Picatinny rail, interchangeable bolt handle, M16 style extractor and uses a standard R700 trigger.
The action is smooth and well-made, and it handles dust and grime better than any bolt rifle I’ve used previously. But my favorite part of this build is the barrel. Faxon Firearms offered the “Gunner” profile in AR-15 and AR-10 barrels for years but applying that idea to a bolt-rifle barrel has been magical.
Barrels are what pack on pounds to a rifle, and it’s hard to cut that weight without running into problems like overheating, drifting POI or groups that explode open. The Gunner profile is built to mitigate all of those. Starting thick, it quickly tapers down to an almost pencil profile before opening up at the very end to host a threaded muzzle. The result is a 20-inch 6.5 Creedmoor barrel that only weighs 2.45 pounds. With my handloads, this is a comfortably .75 MOA rifle shooting 10-round groups with no downtime for heat.
Cutting all this weight left room in the budget for a suppressor, but only if it was light enough. Silencer Central’s new MeatEater by Banish comes in at only 10.3 ounces but offers a full 32dB sound reduction and helps cut recoil with the inclusion of a muzzle brake at the end of the suppressor. If you haven’t added a suppressor to your match or hunting rifle, I cannot recommend it enough. Making life quieter and easier to stay on target is a must-have for any rifle system.
The MeatEater is not the least expensive suppressor you can find, but the full titanium build and added muzzle brake are entirely worth it.
For glass, Vortex provided the Razor LHT 4.5-22×50 FFP. This is an interesting scope that ticks a lot of boxes and is almost perfect for NRL Hunter. While mostly a hunting scope at heart, it has enough features to make it effective in a match environment. A rock-solid zero stop, perfect tracking, great Christmas tree reticle and impressive glass worthy of the Razor name, it has all the hallmarks of a last-generation top-tier competition scope. But at only 21.7 ounces, this was built to not weigh you down.
Part of where the LHT saves weight is the 50mm objective lens and 30mm main tube. While enough to get the job done, this does limit the light-gathering ability of the scope. But even on my last stage of day one at Mason Valley, where we went way past legal hunting light, I could still find the gray steel of my last stage against the gray rocks. For what this scope is designed for, it’s impeccable.
MDT’s HNT26 was the chassis of choice for this project. My feelings on the HNT26 have gone back and forth between love and hate, but after a weekend shooting NRL Hunter, it’s settled on love. The HNT26 feels lightweight. It should, since it’s 26 ounces. But in your hand, out of the box, it feels too light. Don’t let that fool you, because this chassis can take some insane abuse.
Two long days of competition lead to progressively caring less about being gentle on your equipment, none more so than the chassis. But even being banged on boulders, dropped on cacti or dumped in the sand, the HNT26 ate it all.
The only failure point on the chassis was the grip and that happened a couple of months before the match. The carbon-fiber grip of the HNT26 is a shell epoxied to a plastic piece that connects to the rifle via a standard AR-15 grip interface. That epoxy on my grip just failed and disintegrated—slipped right off in my hand. Reaching out to MDT, it turns out my grip was one of the unlucky few in a specific batch of grips where something went sideways with no way for QC to catch the problem until they were in the hands of users. Oh, well. These things happen.
While MDT offered to replace the grip, I didn’t love it, so I was fine with using something else. I like near-vertical grips on my precision rifles, and this NRL Hunter rifle was no different.
The Bubba in me reached for one of my spare Die Free Co. Kung Fu grips because it was the perfect shape and texture. A little Dremel work to remove the beaver tail, and it was perfect.
To finish it all off and actually put lead on target, Black Sheep Ammo provided a pile of their 143-grain ELD match-grade ammo. Made in Union, Missouri, Black Sheep is a newer brand of ammo manufacturer focused on quality over quantity. I’ve used almost everything they make, from 115-grain 9mm to this 143-grain 6.5 Creedmoor, and all of it has been impressive. Accurate, low SD/ES, and dead-nuts reliable. Plus, the brass is great for reloading as well.
Mason Valley Match
Just a hair outside of San Diego County in Southern California, you can find Mason Valley Ranch, a piece of land that hosts one of the best NRL Hunter matches in the nation. This was my second time shooting this match (once in 2023 and once in 2025), and both have been outstanding, though not without challenges.
Boasting 20 stages, it makes for a packed course of fire across just 2 days, with 12 stages shot on Saturday and the last eight shot on Sunday.
The madman in charge of Mason Valley is Serge Ducourneau; assisting the madness was Ben Gallimore. The Mason Valley match has become infamous for how the stages are designed to push shooters in every aspect. The targets weren’t easy to find, and like real animals, they were often where you wouldn’t expect them. Mason Valley is also infested with Sasquatch of a few types. These tall, skinny targets require wind calls with no margin for error.
The targets and the machinations of the match directors are only half the battle. The environment is the other. There was a 50/50 chance of precipitation and a 100-percent chance of wind. Though, it turned out mild by Mason Valley standards with temps in the mid 60s and wind gusting to only 35 mph
The course of fire is spread out across a wide area, and shooters walked 2-3 miles over both days. Most shooters have a love-hate relationship with Mason Valley. On the one hand, it’s an unforgiving match. On the other hand, it’s the challenge that keeps us coming.
As for the match, while Serge and Ben designed some truly diabolical stages, they weren’t all dialed to 11. Most of them were approachable, but some of those ate my lunch (curse you, Sasquatch!). All of it was educational.
And that’s the rub of NRL Hunter: If you’re willing to step up, the matches offer more education, excitement and fun than you can shake a rifle muzzle at.
If you’re not willing to accept the challenge—possibly a fat goose egg on your score—maybe try something less stressful … like watercolors or stamp collecting.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Ruger’s American rifle is more than just another affordable bolt-action. It’s an American success story.
Every so often a rifle comes along that is so utilitarian—and affordable—that it becomes nearly ubiquitous. Everyone, it seems, either has one or wants one. The Ruger American is one such rifle. Following its introduction in 2011, it rapidly became one of America’s most popular affordable bolt-actions, and sales quickly exceeded Ruger’s expectations. To date, Ruger has delivered well over a million of them in 28 different chamberings and more than 250 distinct models.
What most people don’t know is that the American was intended to be something entirely different. Ruger engineers initially tried to create a more affordable version of the company’s venerable M77 Hawkeye flagship bolt-action rifle, but they could only go so far working with the legacy design.
A Clean-Sheet Design
That prompted a decision to go with a clean-sheet design, and three experienced Ruger engineers were assigned to the project. Step one was gathering input from a “Voice of the Customer” campaign to find out what customers really wanted. Ruger’s polling produced some interesting results.
“With enough folks polled, many features or choices canceled out,” says Mark Gurney, Ruger’s innovation director. For example, about one-third wanted push feed, one-third wanted controlled-round feed, and one-third didn’t care. Much the same applied to decisions over whether the safety should be a tang or wing design, and whether the ejector should be a plunger or fixed type.
In the end, several factors emerged as constants. The rifle needed to be accurate and have a good trigger. It needed to be rugged. And reliable. In other words, it needed to be a Ruger.
From the time Ruger committed to the American, it took a little over a year to bring the design to life. A team of manufacturing engineers were added to the effort during the development cycle and Ruger stood up the first dedicated American rifle production line in Newport, New Hampshire. In 2016, in response to demand, Ruger added additional production capacity in its Mayodan, North Carolina, facility.
The Original American
When first introduced, the American was a no-frills rifle designed to hit a certain price point. It did that handily. Original MSRP was just $449 (it retailed for less), but from the beginning, the rifle delivered performance on par with guns costing far more.
The rifle was, unsurprisingly, originally chambered for some of America’s favorite cartridges, including .243 Win. and .308 Win. in short actions, and .270 Win. and .30-06 in long actions. It was equipped with a 22-inch free-floated hammer-forged barrel (with a recessed crown) attached to the action with a barrel nut for precise headspacing and enhanced accuracy.
The bedded action was mated to the stock using Ruger’s innovative Power Bedding System, which also contributed to the gun’s accuracy. That system used two aluminum V-blocks embedded into the synthetic stock that mate up with a pair of cuts in the action. It was a simple but clever design that worked quite well.
Use of a full-diameter bolt with three locking lugs and dual-cocking cams allowed for a short, 70-degree bolt throw and ample scope clearance. Smoothness of cycling varied a bit on these early guns. I handled some that were quite smooth and one or two others that felt a little stiff, but loosened up with lubrication and use.
The rifle employed the Savage-like bladed-style Ruger Marksman Trigger, but it differed from similar designs in one important respect. The blade locked the trigger, versus the sear, so the sear couldn’t trip no matter how low the pull weight was set. The pull weight was user-adjustable within a range of 3 to 5 pounds. The action used a two-position, tang-mounted safety that did not lock the bolt down.
In a departure for Ruger, the top of the action did not have the milled slots used on Hawkeye rifles for directly attaching Ruger scope rings. Instead, each rifle shipped with two single-slot Weaver-style bases to attach to the receiver.
The rifle had a matte black, glass-filled polypropylene stock. It wasn’t the stiffest stock in the world, but that shortcoming was negated by the stiffness of the action and the free-floated barrel. Stocks were equipped with a recoil pad that did a decent job of mitigating recoil. Stippled panels were impressed into the forend and grip to improve purchase in inclement weather. The rifle fed from a well-designed detachable, four-round rotary magazine that slid rounds smoothly into the chamber.
Visually, the original rifle didn’t look like anything special. At the time, it didn’t exactly stand out on rifle racks overflowing with other guns with black polymer stocks, but once people found out how well it shot, sales took off. In buyers’ eyes, beauty was in the rifle’s performance.
Unfailing Accuracy
I’ve had a fair amount of experience with Ruger American rifles, both in the field and on the range, starting with an American Predator model chambered in 6mm PRC. That rifle had a green synthetic stock and a fairly stiff-cycling bolt that made a bit of a zip-zip sound, which was somewhat common on early models and has since been corrected.
That rifle, which weighed just 6.6 pounds, had a 22-inch medium-contour barrel. Like all American rifles of that time, it had Ruger’s Power Bedding System, a tang-mounted safety, the Marksman adjustable trigger and a four-round flush-fitting rotary magazine. The push-feed action’s bolt had three large lugs, a generously sized extractor, a plunger ejector and a short, 70-degree throw. I wasn’t overly impressed with the rifle’s appearance, but my attitude toward the gun quickly changed when I put rounds downrange. On a day with the wind blowing full value at 12 mph, a Hornady load produced five-shot groups averaging 0.78 inch and a best group of just over half an inch.
I was even more impressed when I discussed the rifle with my friend and fellow outdoor scribe John Barsness. He shared a photo of a group he shot with the Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor with his handloaded ammo. All five shots went into a single ragged hole. That’s impressive performance for any rifle, let alone an inexpensive one. At the time, that American had an MSRP of $529, and you could find it at a real-world price a bit south of $400.
Every Ruger American rifle I’ve tested since then, regardless of chambering, has proven to be unfailingly accurate. Each has turned in sub-MOA groups with ammo it liked, which is more than I can say for some rifles costing far more. That inherent accuracy, combined with its affordable price tag, accounts for much of the Ruger American’s continued popularity in the years since its introduction.
Versatility in Spades
With that sort of performance and price, it’s no surprise that the rifle quickly gained a following and found itself at home in deer blinds and pickup trucks across America.
When first introduced, the American was offered with only a black synthetic stock. Initial chamberings were limited to a handful of popular cartridges. The lineup would quickly expand. In the rifle’s second year, Ruger added .22-250 Rem and 7mm-08 Rem. Ruger American Rimfire models appeared by 2015. Magnum chamberings, including 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win. Mag., arrived in 2016.
Magnum calibers were prototyped very early in the American rifle’s life, but it wasn’t until 2016 that Ruger built them in any quantity. Today, only .300 Win. Mag. stands as the legacy magnum cartridge in the lineup, though some models have been chambered in 7mm Rem. Mag. and .338 Win. Mag. in the past. Such rounds have been mostly replaced by 6.5 PRC and 7mm PRC, which work with the magnum-sized American receiver and bolt, and feed well from Ruger’s three-round magnum box magazine. These magnums have quickly grown in popularity, especially with long-range shooters and Western hunters.
In 2016, the .450 Bushmaster made it into the lineup without a great deal of notice or fanfare, but it climbed into the number-three spot about a year later. It remains a staple of the line, and is a good choice for black bears, whitetails or hogs.
Over time, a few chamberings have been subtracted from the American lineup, but overall, the list has grown. As of this writing, some models are chambered for an astonishing 18 different cartridges, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see others added. Ruger has never been shy about embracing innovative cartridges—or partnering at times with ammo manufacturers to make them—so you can expect continued flexibility in its choice of chamberings for the American.
Notable Early Models
2014 was a banner year for the Ruger American. That’s when a slew of new models were added to the lineup. They included the All Weather and All Weather Compact models (Ruger introduced the Compact the year before). The All Weathers had 22-inch matte-stainless barrels, while the Compact variants had shorter lengths of pull and shorter barrels, and were designed for shooters of smaller stature.
One of the most important introductions that year was the Ruger American Ranch, which was, as its name suggests, designed to be a handy companion for dealing with situations that call for a quick-handling, maneuverable rifle. The Ranch differed from the standard American in several important ways.
First, it was chambered in 5.56 NATO, which is useful for dealing with predators, and in .300 Blackout, which is potent medicine for feral hogs. Barrels measured 16 inches, which was even shorter than the 18-inch barrels on Compact models, making the rifle easier to whip out the window of a pickup truck when needed. Notably, the barrels were threaded for use with suppressors. The American Ranch also came with a Picatinny rail in place of the more traditional optics mounting system, making it easier to change optics. The gun even looked like a ranch rifle with a flat dark earth finish on the stock. It weighed only about 6 pounds. MSRP at the time was $489.
Another important addition to the line that year was the Ruger American Predator, which sported a moss green composite stock. It featured a heavier-tapered, threaded 22-inch barrel, and came with a one-piece rail for mounting optics. As its name implies, the Predator was quite useful in the hands of predator hunters thanks to the fact that it was chambered for such varmint-dispatching rounds as the .204 Ruger, .22-250 Rem and .223 Rem. Despite its name, the Predator was capable of much more because it was also chambered for .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win. Rifle weight in most chamberings was 6.62 pounds. Its MSRP was also $489.
The year 2014 was also when Ruger made southpaws happy with the introduction of a Ruger American Left-Handed variant. When first introduced, the lefty model was a standard American model. Initial chamberings included .22-250 Rem, .223 Rem, .243 Win, .270 Win., 7mm-08 Rem, .30-06, and .308 Win. The MSRP was just $449. The Left-Handed rifle is still available in several chamberings in the American Predator rifle.
If you were willing to spend a couple of hundred dollars more that year, you could get an American packaged with a Redfield Revolution 3-9×40 scope. Later, packages were added with different scopes.
Over time, Ruger introduced new magazine styles to the American lineup, including AI-, AR- and Mini-Thirty-style magazines in addition to the existing flush-fitting rotary mag. 7.62×39 was the first new chambering added to the line with this capability, but AR-sized cartridges have benefitted the most from the addition of new types of magazines. Today, Ruger supports .350 Legend, .400 Legend, 6mm ARC, .22 ARC and 6.5 Grendel with AR mags from the factory in select rifle versions.
Going Wild
One of my favorite additions to the American line came in 2018 with the Go Wild. It featured an upgraded Go Wild camo synthetic stock, Cerakote finish, AI-type magazine, muzzle brake, and a Picatinny rail for optics. The Go Wild had an MSRP of just $629. I initially tested the model in 6.5 Creedmoor chambering, and was more than a little pleased with the results. The action cycled more smoothly than earlier models I had tried. Four of five tested factory loads turned in sub-MOA groups (the fifth load held 1-inch average groups). I used that rifle on a challenging West Texas desert mule deer hunt to cleanly drop a 3X3 management buck.
That rifle stood up to harsh conditions, including a terrific dust storm, and performed like a champ. I was so enamored with the rifle that I bought it, and it would still be in my inventory save for the fact that my son kept hinting that he thought it would make a fine birthday present. I later used another American Go Wild rifle chambered in 7mm PRC to swat a management Axis buck into the freezer. I only had one load to test in that rifle, but it also proved to be quite accurate, with average groups measuring 0.67 inch and a half-inch best group.
Current first-generation American rifle versions include the Standard, Predator, Ranch, Go Wild, Hunter, Compact, and a package option equipped with a Vortex Crossfire II riflescope. The Standard model, with a 22-inch barrel, is offered in seven popular chamberings. MSRP is $599.
The original Predator rifle has options that include 10 different chamberings, black or moss-green stocks, and varying barrel lengths. Depending on the model, magazines included flush-fit, AR-, or AI-style. MSRPs range from $610 to $699. Real-world prices are considerably less.
The Hunter model is notably equipped with a specialized Magpul Hunter American stock, featuring fully adjustable length of pull and comb height, and enhanced ergonomics. Hunter rifles are chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Win. Some versions have shorter, heavy contour barrels. MSRP is $1,019, making this the most expensive rifle in the American lineup.
The Best Ruger American Yet
Fans of the Ruger American got a present with the Christmas Eve 2023 introduction of the Ruger American Gen II rifle, which improves considerably upon the original. The Gen II looks quite different than first-generation Americans, but improvements are more than skin-deep. The action still employs a one-piece, CNC-machined stainless bolt, but it cycles more smoothly and no longer has the characteristic “zip-zip” cycling sound of the early bolts. The bolt still has a short 70-degree throw to provide ample clearance for scopes. An oversized bolt knob is a definite plus.
The Ruger American Gen II improves considerably on the original American, but is still affordably priced.
Ruger upgraded the Gen II’s safety from a two-position type that did not lock the bolt down to a three-position, tang-mounted design that allows you to cycle rounds through the action with the safety in the middle, engaged position. It also locks the bolt down in the rearmost position. These features mark a big improvement over the safety in first-generation rifles.
Among other improvements, the Ruger American Gen II now has a three-position safety that locks the bolt down.
The Gen II still uses Ruger’s Power Bedding integral block system, but the free-floated barrel is now deeply fluted to shed weight. The rifle I tested, chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 20-inch barrel, weighed just 6.5 pounds, making it light enough for backcountry hunts. The muzzle is threaded for adding a suppressor or different muzzle brake, and Cerakote protects all the metal.
At 6.5 pounds, the Ruger American Gen II rifle is rugged and light enough for backcountry hunts.
I have always found Ruger American rifles to be well-balanced in the hands, and that holds true for the Gen II.
A New Modular Stock
Also new with the Gen II is a modular stock design with a removable black comb, an effective recoil pad, and a removable spacer to adjust the length of pull. The standard Gen II’s stock has a textured black-and-gray splatter finish that nicely complements the dark gray Cerakote on the barrel and action. The splatter finish improves grip on the rifle, and the Gen II stock is noticeably stiffer than first-gen stocks.
New on the Ruger American Gen II is a modular stock with a removable black comb. It also sports an effective recoil pad and a removable spacer to adjust the length of pull.
Happily, the Gen II addresses one design element that has always annoyed me. The trigger could always be adjusted, but it was a pain to do so because you had to remove a spring-loaded magazine release latch to access an action screw to remove the barreled action from the stock. I always found that lever to be difficult to get back into place. More often than not, I left trigger pull weights at their factory settings. The latest version of the magazine well has a notch that allows you to access the rear action screw with a 3/16-inch ball end hex wrench, greatly simplifying the trigger adjustment process.
I have always found Ruger American rifles to be consistently accurate, and the Gen II was no exception. In testing, a Gen II chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor produced sub-MOA groups with four of five tested factory loads. That accuracy came in handy at the conclusion of a mile-long stalk on an aoudad ram on a remote West Texas ranch. That’s rough country, where shots can be long, and aoudad can be tough to put down. The Gen II was up to the task.
The author used the new Ruger American Gen II in 6.5 Creedmoor to down this aoudad on a challenging West Texas hunt.
The standard Gen II rifle is currently offered in 18 chamberings, ranging from common cartridges such as the .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, .30-06 and .300 Win. Mag., to straight-walled rounds (.350 Legend and .400 Legend) and newer options such as 6.5 PRC and 7mm PRC. Barrel lengths, magazine styles, and capacities for American Gen II rifles vary by chambering.
There’s also a quick-handling Gen II Ranch rifle, offered in nearly a dozen chamberings, with a flat dark earth/black splatter-finished stock and shorter barrels measuring a bit more than 16 inches.
Gen II Predator rifles, available in 18 chamberings, have a Burnt Bronze Cerakote finish and a green stock with black and bronze splatter texture. They feature 22-inch barrels to achieve greater velocities.
Continuous Improvement
As the Gen II rifles amply demonstrate, Ruger has continuously improved the American rifle over the years. In 2017, for example, Ruger changed American barrels from six-groove rifling to five-groove, claiming it reduces bullet deformation, makes barrels easier to clean and ultimately results in greater accuracy potential.
“It’s the hidden details that help us win with continuous improvement,” says Matthew Willson, Ruger product manager.
“Engineers spent a lot of time working to improve bolt feel and made improvements in the bolt, receiver, and bolt stop that all played a part in making Gen II feel better than American rifles had in the past.”
An important part of that process is what Ruger engineers call “tolerance stack-up” analysis. This involves, for example, looking at the magazine, magazine well, mag latch, stock, receiver and barrel to ensure all the components align to put the magazine at the correct height to feed a cartridge into the chamber smoothly.
Ruger’s Voice of the Customer Campaign was a key factor in designing the Gen II American. Ruger collected information from a broad group of customers, including consumers, industry insiders, buyers at independent and chain retailers, and wholesale and law enforcement distributors.
Information was gathered via mechanisms ranging from formal surveys, questionnaires and focus groups to informal feedback and even social media. Says Willson, “We had quite a list going into American Gen II development from years of feedback compiled at shows, shoots, retail events, customer service interactions, and even through the ‘Tell the CEO’ function of the Ruger website.” Ruger listened, and the results are reflected in Ruger’s best American rifle to date, the Gen II.
Looking Ahead
By the time you read this, Ruger will likely offer the Gen II American in additional versions and chamberings. As noted, Ruger currently offers seven traditional American rifle models and three American Gen II models, but that will change.
“The original adaptation of American Rifle will remain for now, but will see a reduction in models so we can focus production on the highest-demand models of Gen II. The American Gen II will continue to grow with new configurations and calibers,” says Willson.
The MSRP for all Gen II rifles is just $729, and you can often find them for a little more than $500. All indications point to the Gen II being on the same trajectory to success as the first-generation Americans. It’s a refined rifle, and has more of the features today’s shooters want, but it still reflects the core Ruger American attributes: accurate, reliable and affordable.
Ruger has a long and rich legacy of creating American-made firearms that deliver solid performance at an affordable price. The Ruger American does that in spades, and that will likely ensure its ongoing popularity into the foreseeable future.
The Ruger American is an aptly-named rifle. It’s a great success story, and few things are more American than that.
Smith & Wesson has just released two new firearms chambered for .22 LR, the M&P FPC 22LR and the M&P 22X.
Rimfire enthusiasts have a new pair of .22 LR firearms to consider following Smith & Wesson’s announcement of the M&P FPC 22LR and the M&P 22X. The two guns can share magazines, too, making the pistol the perfect companion to the folding carbine.
The M&P FPC 22LR is optics-ready and features a folding stock that brings the overall length from about 30.4 inches down to about 16.4 inches. It feeds from 20-round magazines and the 16.25-inch barrel is threaded 1/2×28 for attaching suppressors (thread protector included). M-LOK slots on the handguard are present as well for mounting accessories. Other features worth mentioning include the two spare magazine slots in the stock (the FPC 22LR ships with three mags total), the crisp, flat-face trigger, reversible magazine catch and interchangeable backstraps. MSRP is $549.
As for the M&P 22X pistol, it uses the same 20-round mags as the FPC 22LR, has a slim grip for improved ergonomics and sports a crisp, hammer-fired trigger. The M&P 22X is also optics-ready, suppressor-ready (the 4.1-inch barrel is threaded 1/2×28) and has a Picatinny rail for mounting accessories. The pistol ships with two magazines and comes with a fiber Hi-Viz LiteWave H3 front sight and black serrated square-notch rear sight installed, along with additional replacement red, white, and green fiber optics. MSRP is $499.
A look at the logistics and legitimacy of the quarter-bore .25 Creedmoor cartridge.
Neophobia is the fear of new things, and though it’s most often thought of in relation to kids who fear trying new food, it also applies to shooters.
A lot of shooters scoff at the introduction of any new cartridge, not because they cannot fathom its usefulness and application, but because it challenges the status quo or the ballistic norm they exist in.
These folks often say things like, “What does it do that another cartridge cannot?” Or maybe they claim a new cartridge is an answer to a question no one was asking. I expect that, when it comes to the .25 Creedmoor, many afflicted with neophobia—maybe even you—will utter a similar phrase.
The .25 Creedmoor is nothing more than a 6.5 Creedmoor necked down to fire a 0.257-caliber bullet. It is the newest quarter-bore in almost two decades.
This neophobic response to new cartridges has always rubbed me wrong. That’s partly because every new cartridge does fill a need, even though that need might be very niche. But it’s also partly because it is through the development of new cartridges that we ended up with things like the .308 Winchester, .223 Remington and 6.5 Creedmoor.
New cartridges are just examples of evolution, driven by advancements in ballistic understanding or need, and both these things were instrumental in the creation of the .25 Creedmoor.
Quarter-Bore History
Cartridges with a 0.257-inch bullet—a quarter bore—have traditionally been very popular with hunters. The first such cartridge was the .250 Savage, or .250-3000, which loaded to 45,000 psi, was the first American-made cartridge to break the 3,000-fps mark. The .250 Savage would push a 100-grain bullet to around 2,800 fps. It became immensely popular with hunters, because with its 1:14 twist rate, it provided them with a single cartridge that would work very well for varmints with lightweight bullets and for big game with heavier bullets.
The advantage the .25 Creedmoor has over all other Creedmoor cartridges is that it can handle bullets weighing from 70 grains all the way up to 138 grains.
Not long after Savage introduced the .250-3000 in 1915, Remington legitimized a wildcat cartridge gun writer Ned Roberts created. In 1934, Remington called this cartridge .257 Roberts and wisely gave it a 1:10 twist rate to handle longer and heavier bullets than the .250 Savage could.
However, for some ridiculous reason, most of Remington’s .257 Roberts factory ammunition was loaded with a round-nosed 117-grain bullet. Furthermore, they requested that SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute) approve the cartridge at a pressure of only 45,000 psi. The .257 Roberts would outperform the .250 Savage, but not by much.
Currently, with only two factory loads available, the .25 Creedmoor is mostly a handloading option.
Fortunately, other ammunition manufacturers began loading +P .257 Roberts ammo at 50,000 psi that would push a 100-grain bullet to about 3,100 fps. However, the cartridge is at its best in a long-action rifle.
The best ballistically performing quarter-bore cartridge was introduced in 1944: It’s .257 Weatherby Magnum, and it can launch a 100-grain bullet to about 3,600 fps. Like the .257 Roberts, it also had a 1:10 twist, and the cartridge was very popular for a while, but there were two problems with it. First, it came with an intense muzzle blast, and while the recoil was not terrible, it seemed a bit stiff for a rifle that a hunter wanted to use for rock chucks and mule deer.
Too much of a good thing is possible.
In 1969, Remington tried to fill the gap between the .257 Roberts and the .257 Weatherby with a new cartridge called the .25-06 with a 1:10 twist. It was a .30-06 necked down to fire a quarter-inch bullet, and it would squirt a 100-grain bullet out of a 24-inch barrel at about 3,200 fps.
For about 2 decades, the .25-06 was very popular, but by the ’90s, many American hunters were beginning to transition to specialized rifles. No longer was the dual purpose—varmint and deer—rifle enough. With modern manufacturing techniques, rifles were becoming more affordable, and hunters wanted a specific rifle for every different thing they wanted to hunt.
The industry’s last real attempt at a quarter-bore dual-purpose cartridge was in 2004 when Winchester introduced the .25 WSSM. This short and fat cartridge offered performance similar to Remington’s .25-06, but it was about as popular as a toothache. Also, with the lawsuit against Winchester from former gun writer Rick Jamison, Winchester discontinued all their WSSM cartridges to avoid paying him royalties.
Enter The Creed
Given the fact that the dual-purpose rifle cartridge had lost a lot of its appeal—clearly proven with the failure of the 2008, AR-15 compatible, .25-45 Sharps cartridge—the concept was mostly abandoned. This was also the year Hornady introduced the 6.5 Creedmoor, which, though it was a hit with competition shooters, didn’t really catch on until the notion of shooting at stupid long distances was buoyed by the American Sniper movie in 2014.
What made the 6.5 Creedmoor appealing was that the cartridge case was short enough to work with very long and high ballistic coefficient bullets, but it still fit inside a short-action rifle, like a standard Remington 700 or even an AR-10. It also did not kick hard.
By 2015, the 6.5 Creedmoor was on its way to rock star status, and Hornady tried to capitalize on it with the 6mm Creedmoor, which was a 6.5 Creedmoor case necked down to work with a 6mm bullet. Like the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6mm Creedmoor came with a fast twist rate that allowed for the use of high coefficient (BC) bullets.
Compared to the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6mm Creedmoor has been only marginally successful—I think partly because it cannot handle the heavier bullets hunters like to use for game larger than deer.
Early .25 Creedmoor Development
While Hornady was screaming the praises of the 6mm Creedmoor, I saw the practicality in creating a better quarter bore by necking the 6.5 Creedmoor down to 0.25-caliber. The cartridge would essentially duplicate, if not outperform, the .257 Roberts, but it would also work in a short-action rifle. With the help of two other West Virginia gunsmiths—Jerry Dove and Mike Cyrus—I created that cartridge in 2015 and, sort of tongue-in-cheek, called it the 2Fity-Hillbilly.
The author has been hunting with a wildcat .25 Creedmoor for a decade. It has proven to be a deadly coyote cartridge with 70-grain Hornady V-Max bullets.
I began hunting with it immediately, and with lightweight 70-grain bullets pushed to around 3,600 fps, it was instant death on groundhogs and coyotes. But with heavier bullets like the 100-gain Partition at about 3,200 fps, and 110-grain AccuBond and ELD-X bullets pushed nearly as fast, it was a serious deer killer.
The author took this Nebraska buck with a .25 Creedmoor about five years ago. The rifle is a custom Remington Model Seven with a Douglas barrel built by Dove’s Custom Guns in Princeton, West Virginia.
I tried to get Hornady to legitimize the cartridge through SAAMI, but they were not interested. In fact, instead of going with the 2Fity-Hillbilly—which is the .25 Creedmoor as a wildcat—a decade ago, their next Creedmoor was in 2023 when they legitimized the .22 Creedmoor. The .22 Creedmoor is sort of a modernized—fast twist—version of the .22-250 Remington. As with most modern rifle cartridges introduced in this new century, specialization has been the guiding force.
Then, somewhat surprisingly, in 2025, Hornady announced they had gained SAAMI approval for the .25 Creedmoor. For now, they’re offering only two loads that include a 128-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter load at 2,850 fps and a 134-grain ELD-Match load at about the same speed. According to Hornady, “The .25 Creedmoor is the end result of our constant pursuit of maximizing ballistic potential. This cartridge fills that competitive niche between 6mm and 6.5mm—providing shooters the absolute best blend of moderate recoil, flat trajectory and superior wind resistance.”
A Big Niche
It’s great that Hornady has answered the call of others who were competing with the .25 Creedmoor in a wildcat form like mine. With its 1:7.5 twist, it will handle very aerodynamic bullets and shoot right with the 6.5 Creedmoor at distance. However, the real appeal of this cartridge calls back to the true forte of the quarter-bore cartridge, which is dual-purpose use on varmints and big game. It will shoot light bullets that the 6.5 Creedmoor cannot, and it will shoot heavier bullets that are too much for the 6mm Creedmoor.
This is a five-shot group fired from a Proof Research Glacier Ti rifle in .25 Creedmoor with a 20-inch barrel, using Lehigh Defense 102-grain Controlled Chaos bullets.
The question is: Are shooters and hunters ready for another dual-purpose cartridge, or are they committed to different rifles for everything they do? The long-range precision ability of the 6.5 Creedmoor has driven many shooters to purchase expensive rifles so they can extract all the cartridge has to offer. The problem with a different rifle for every pursuit is that if you want maximum performance in every area, you must buy an expensive rifle for every cartridge you use.
According to Hornady, 17 different rifle manufacturers will be offering rifles chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor. Proof Research is one of those.
The .25 Creedmoor allows for the purchase of a single, nice and expensive rifle that you can use to do most anything you want. It fills the traditional 0.25-caliber niche and does it better than any previous cartridge in any caliber.
It can be hard to predict the commercial success of a rifle cartridge. Throughout history there have been some that offered practical and great ballistics, but they simply never appealed to the masses. Will anyone care about the .25 Creedmoor?
Competition shooters have been all over it for the past few years, which is the main reason Hornady decided to legitimize it. I expect it will see some success in that venue if factory rifles built for competition materialize. I, however, believe the hunting field is where the .25 Creedmoor has the most to offer. After all, that has always been the appeal of quarter-bore.
Hornady is offering two factory loads for the .25 Creedmoor: this 134-grain ELD-Match load and a 128-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter load.
The .25 Creedmoor offers great varmint and predator application with lightweight bullets. With bullets in the 85- to 100-grain weight range, it’s superb for antelope and deer, and with heavier bullets, it will also work for larger game. And finally, with the new, long and skinny, high BC 0.257-caliber bullets, the .25 Creedmoor is an excellent, flat shooting, low-recoil cartridge for recreational or competitive long-range shooting. The .25 Creedmoor has taken the dual-threat—varmint and big game—suitability of the quarter bore and expanded it into extreme long range, making it a true triple threat.
Arguably, the .25 Creedmoor is the best triple-threat cartridge ever created and ultimately approved by SAAMI. None of this is a surprise to me. It’s exactly what I envisioned back in 2015 when I made it.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Taurus has just unveiled the Taurus 817, a new .38 Special snub-nose revolver with a 7-round cylinder.
What’s better than a 6-shooter in your belt? A 7-shooter. And that’s exactly what Taurus is now offering with the Taurus 817. If you enjoy snubbies for self-defense, this one is worth taking a look at.
The Taurus 817 features an all stainless steel construction and is rated for .38 Special +P, so it should eat up hot defensive loads without a problem. The 817’s 2-inch barrel helps keep things compact while its rubber grips help tame recoil. The grips are interchangeable with Taurus Judge and Tracker grips as well. Other features of the 7-shot revolver include its DA/SA trigger, exposed hammer, notch rear sight and a front sight that’s removable and interchangeable with Taurus 856 sights.
As for specs, the Taurus 817 has an overall length of 7 inches, an overall height of 4.78 inches, an overall width of 1.53 inches and an overall weight of 30 ounces unloaded. MSRP is $649 and it’s available now.
Lessons from William Aprill on criminal violence and the self-preservation mindset required to survive.
February 2018, I had the opportunity to take what would become one of the most impactful training classes of my life, Unthinkable: Tactics and Concepts for the Gravest Extreme taught by William Aprill and Greg Ellifritz. This wasn’t your average pistol class or defensive tactics course. Instead, it challenged students to explore the psychology of violence, criminal victim selection and—most importantly—the internal mental shift required to survive the worst moments imaginable.
Today, I reflect not just on that class, but on the legacy of Aprill—a uniquely gifted trainer, mental health professional and former law enforcement officer—who we tragically lost too soon. The gun training world didn’t just lose a teacher; we lost a scholar, a mentor and a man who dared to examine the darkest corners of human behavior not out of morbid curiosity, but to help others better defend themselves against it.
Understanding The Criminal Mind
Aprill often said he didn’t teach people how to shoot better; he taught them how to think better. That was clear in Unthinkable, where we spent hours digging into how violent criminal actors actually think and operate. Unlike many of us whose lives are governed by laws, ethics and empathy, criminals often grow up in an entirely different moral ecosystem—where violence is normalized, manipulation is survival, and victim selection is a tradecraft.
Aprill’s background as a mental health professional and former deputy sheriff gave him rare insight. He understood not just the behavior of criminals, but their developmental path. He pointed out that, for example, the average age of a first felony arrest for offenders who go on to kill police officers is just 11 years old. By the time they’re in their 20s, many of these individuals have spent more than a decade refining their ability to identify soft, unaware, compliant targets.
As Aprill explained, criminals select victims using the same kind of fast, instinctive thinking that concealed carriers rely on in a defensive encounter. But unlike us, their entire lifestyle is often geared toward sizing people up, probing boundaries and exploiting weaknesses. We might shoot 200 rounds at the range in a month. They’ve been living their “training” every day for years.
Deselection As A Way Of Life
One of the most transformative ideas I took from Aprill’s class was the concept of deselection. Put simply, the goal isn’t to win a fight—it’s to avoid being selected for the fight in the first place. “Criminals don’t want to fight,” he said. “They want to win.” If they sense that you’re paying attention, carry yourself confidently or might present too much of a problem, they’ll likely move on.
But this isn’t something you can fake at the last second. You can’t slap on a “tough guy” mask when you’re walking to your car in a dark parking lot and expect it to work. As Aprill emphasized, deselection must be a lifestyle. Your posture, your awareness, your decisions all must consistently broadcast the message: “I’m not worth the trouble.”
He illustrated this with a simple example. Walk like a meerkat. Scan overtly. Look people in the eyes. Criminals, he explained, don’t want to be seen. If they think you saw them, that alone can often break the attack cycle. Awareness, even more than armament, can be your most potent form of defense.
Violence Without Hesitation
While most training emphasizes the hardware—gear, guns, gadgets—Aprill focused on the software. Are you psychologically prepared to act with violence if you must? Not just draw and shoot, but strike, claw, gouge or even beat someone to death with a blunt object if it’s the only option?
He didn’t romanticize it. He didn’t glorify violence, but he also didn’t sugarcoat what survival sometimes demands. He made clear that in the gravest extreme, our polite, civilized sensibilities can become a liability. He encouraged us to rehearse not just techniques, but mental scripts to visualize the level of force we might need to use and to grow comfortable with it—not because we want to use violence, but because when it is necessary, hesitation can be fatal.
Training For The Mind And Body
The Unthinkable class offered practical skills—escaping restraints, disarming attackers, tactical first aid—but its real value was the shift it created in mindset. Aprill and Ellifritz helped bridge the gap between theoretical preparedness and actionable readiness. Aprill’s portion in particular was unique in that it wove together neuroscience, criminal psychology and tactical application in a way that few instructors even attempt, let alone master.
For those in the gun world who obsess over drills, groupings and gear, Aprill’s message was both a challenge and a wake-up call: If you’re not training your mind, you’re only halfway prepared.
A Legacy That Endures
With Aprill’s passing, the firearms community lost one of its most brilliant and compassionate voices. But his impact lives on through the countless students he educated and inspired, and through the trainers who now incorporate his insights into their own curriculum.
David Yamane of Gun Culture 2.0 called Aprill “so far ahead of so many in the gun training community he may well have been on Gun Culture Version 4.5.” That sounds about right. His work was a rare synthesis of empathy and hard realism, of academic rigor and tactical relevance. Even though you can no longer take the Unthinkable class with Aprill, a lot of his work is available on the internet, and Yamane has made a nice compilation available on this website at Gun Culture 2.0.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have trained under him, and as a tribute to his legacy, I encourage everyone reading this to dive into his recorded lectures, revisit his interviews and most importantly, apply what he taught.
If you’re serious about self-defense, do yourself this favor: Take a course that challenges not your shooting ability but your thinking ability.
And carry Aprill’s message with you. Train your mind to embrace awareness as a constant task, cultivate the ruthlessness needed for counterassault and embody the principles of deselection—projecting strength and vigilance to deter predators. By internalizing these lessons, you become hard to kill, hard to fool and the kind of person a violent criminal actor passes by, choosing an easier target instead.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
A good grip is paramount to good shooting. Here we discuss how to establish one from the holster.
There’s a lot of discussion about using the “correct” grip when you shoot a pistol, but not so much about how to obtain that grip. It’s possible to make a good shot without a good grip. It’s also possible to make consecutive good shots without a good grip.
However, it’s almost impossible to make a single or consecutive good shots efficiently and swiftly without a good grip.
The problem is, if you do not establish a good grip before you start shooting, everything that follows is what lawyers like to term “fruit of the poison tree.”
With a properly established grip on your pistol, the muzzle of the pistol should be in line with your forearm.
A Fruit-Free Diet
Establishing that good grip before the shooting begins is paramount to shooting success, especially from a self-defense standpoint.
This means you must get your grip—a good grip—when drawing from the holster. Of course, it would also apply to accessing your pistol from your pocket, purse, glove box or even your lock box at home. For this discussion, however, we’re focusing on drawing from a holster.
Another way of looking at the importance of initially establishing a good grip is to use a baseball analogy. If you’re a batter standing at home plate and you wait until the pitcher pitches the ball before you establish the proper grip on the bat, you’re not going to hit a home run. At best you’re going to bunt.
It’s the same when it comes to getting a grip on your pistol. If you don’t do it correctly when you draw from the holster, at best you’ll probably just be slinging lead in the direction of the threat. The possibility even exists that, without the proper grip, you might actually drop your pistol.
In a worst-case scenario, imagine that during the time it took you to draw, your attacker closed the distance and now you’re engaged, hand to hand. If you do not have a solid, good, controlling grip, you could lose your pistol in a struggle.
Consistency Is King
There are several things to consider concerning the establishment of a proper grip. Holster location and the cant of the holster are very important. This is something you will need to discover and tune based on the pistol and holster you use, as well as carry location and cover garments. However, the interaction of your hand with your pistol should not vary. Your hand’s approach to the pistol and its establishment of a good grip should remain consistent.
Notice how the shooter has prepped his hand with the positioning of the fingers and thumb to best address the pistol in the holster
When I’m moving my hand toward my holster, I like to have my hand arranged in a configuration that will best allow me to properly index it to the pistol. This helps me obtain my shooting grip before the pistol ever leaves my holster. What I’ve found that works best for me is to open my hand like I would prepare for a handshake, with a 90-degree angle between my thumb and my index finger. Then, I also like to hold my middle finger, ring finger and little finger grouped together but separate from my index finger. It’s sort of like a modified version of the Vulcan “live long and prosper” hand gesture used by Mr. Spock on Star Trek.
Essentially, what I’m doing with this hand configuration is prepping the interaction of all my fingers and thumb for the job they must do when they contact the pistol. The first thing that should happen is the web of my hand should firmly slide into the arch of the grip, positioned as high as possible. As I feel this happen, it confirms I’ve obtained the proper initial position, and this tactical sensation drives the action of my fingers and thumb.
If you do not initially position your hand on the pistol correctly, rectify this misalignment before you attempt to draw the pistol.
If, however, this interaction with the web of my hand and the grip does not feel right, this is the time—the only real opportunity—to correct any misalignment before I try to draw. Once my pistol comes out of the holster, I’m mostly stuck with the grip I have.
Next, my middle, ring and little fingers simultaneously wrap around the grip of the pistol, while at the same time I make sure I fully extend my index—trigger—finger and slightly angle it away from the pistol/holster. While all of this is happening, my thumb is finding the manual safety—if the pistol has one—and it gently settles there in a preparatory attitude, waiting for further instruction.
Once your draw progresses to this point, you’ve seriously reduced the opportunity to reconfigure your grip.
At this point I have control of the pistol, and I can extract it from the holster.
The situation should drive any further action by the thumb on the safety and the index finger on the trigger. The finger should only find the trigger when your sights are on the target, or when you’ve orientated the pistol toward the target. Your thumb should only deactivate the safety when you’ve decided to shoot.
Repetition Rules
As simple as this process sounds, it takes many, many repetitions to perfect it. That’s the bad news. The good news is that this is something you can work on with dry practice, in the comfort of your own home, with a for damned sure unloaded pistol. The key is to conduct numerous repetitions from the holster to the point where you’ve fully extended the pistol toward the target and can make a trigger press. Ending each dry practice repetition with a trigger press allows you to evaluate if the grip you have established is conducive to fast and accurate shooting.
When I was a cop, I would continually place my hand on my holstered gun, establishing that proper, pre-draw feel. I knew if I ingrained that into my very being, I could make a good draw and have a good grip. As someone who carries concealed, you can do the same thing. No, walking around town reaching for your gun all the time is not what I’m suggesting, nor what I did when I worked the street. But in addition to dry practice, when you’re alone throughout the day, you can work to establish that proper first feel.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
We shot and carried a ton of concealed carry guns. Here are the handguns we find fit to cover your six.
Finding a handgun you can confidently use and comfortably carry every day is crucial. With countless options available, navigating through the various sizes, styles, calibers, and price points can be overwhelming. That's where I come in—to guide you through some of the top choices for concealed carry guns currently on the market.
How I Chose The Best Concealed Carry Guns
I’ll start by saying that selecting these concealed carry guns was a team effort. Each of these guns was shot, tested and carried by myself, Gun Digest staff or long-term and trusted freelancers. This avoids myopia, a one-person perspective on each of the firearms, and allows us to take into account different body types and backgrounds to give these guns a square day in court. Our experience ranges from certified handgun instructors to law enforcement and military. Oh yeah, there’s a master gunsmith in the mix too. Of all the pistols and revolvers carried, these were the ones that proved head and shoulders above the rest in the concealed-carry market when it came to reliability, comfort and accuracy.
Next to capacity, the real advantage of the P365 is carry comfort. It’s easily concealed and comfy to carry.
Pros
Great sights
Excellent Capacity
Optics-ready options
Cons
Ships with only one pinky extension
P365 Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
Overall Length: 5.8 inches
Overall Height: 4.3 inches
Overall Width: 1.1 inches
Weight: 17.8 ounces
Sights: XRAy3 Day/Night Sights; Optics Ready
MSRP: $600
Is it fair to say this is the pistol that changed the face of concealed carry? Honestly, it’s not too much of a stretch. The Sig P365 has proven among the most monumental handguns to hit the market in a spell, serving up what many consider the perfect on-person self-defense package. That is a tall boast, but one the demure 9mm more than fulfills.
Above all, what makes the P365 such a spectacular heater is its size. The 3.1-inch barreled pistol is a mere 1 inch in width and tips the scales at a scant 17 ounces or so, creating one of the most concealable and easy-to-carry pistols out there. Sure enough, there are concealed carry guns, but in nearly every case they’re a compromise in power or capacity. Not so with the P365. Shipping with two 10-round magazines, the mighty mite has a payload identical to many compact models that come in nearly twice its size. Not enough on tap? Simply solved, given there are 12- and 13 or 15-round extended magazines available to improve your firepower.
Shooting-wise, the micro-compact shocks for a pistol its size. An abbreviated sight radius provides a challenge for those unfamiliar with the touchiness of small guns, yet Sig arms shooters with the tools to keep it steady. In addition to aggressive grip texturing, the striker-fired’s respectable trigger ups the gun’s accuracy potential. To boot, the 9mm is also quite easy to manipulate—an often overlooked asset.
Another point that sets the P365 apart from the rest of the micro nines and concealed carry guns in general is its modularity. The gun's fire control unit is interchangeable, in turn, you can upsize or downsize the grip. Furthermore, this feature allows you to swap parts from other P365 models–of which there are many–to create your perfect pistol. However, we can promise the outcome will look good.
As for nits to pick, the gun is stout in recoil, but no more so than any other micro-compact. And Sig only includes one pinky extension with the pistol. Even with medium-sized hands, I find the P365's grips too short for comfort.
These points aside, there's little arguing Sig cooked up a game-changer with the P365.
As pointed out, the Sig P365 is a game-changer. The Springfield Armory Hellcat is proof. Quickly embracing the micro-compact concept, the Illinois concern cooked up a direct competitor to the popular Sig. In many respects, it produced a concealed carry gun option that runs neck and neck with the original.
No larger than a compact .380 ACP, the striker-fired is among the smallest 9mm options available today. By the tape, it measures 1 inch in width and 6 inches in length and weighs in at 18 ounces. Pretty dang concealable and easy to carry by anyone’s standards.
At the same tick, the Hellcat offers everything you’d expect out of a much larger concealed carry pistol—especially capacity. Out of the box, the 3-inch barreled pistol boasts more firepower than nearly anything in its class, shipping with an 11-round magazine. Invest in a 13-round extended-capacity magazine, well folks, you’ll holster an iron flirting with a full-sized pistol’s capacity.
Outfitted with adaptive grip texturing, the Hellcat offers a positive grip when you need it, yet the ability to reposition your hand when you need to. A flat-faced trigger combined with a featherweight break and short reset ups the pistol’s accuracy resume, as well as allows it to run when needed.
Breaking from the herd, Springfield opted for a slightly new sighting system, jettisoning the traditional three-dot sights for a U-notch. Similar in concept, the execution differs in that shooters place the fiber-optic front pipe in the white outlined U-notch. A fast and intuitive system, few will miss the old way of building a sight picture. Additionally, the OSP model offers a slide cut for mounting optics, if a red dot is more your cup of tea.
The Wilson Combat EDC X9 offers a great balance of features; this is indicative of a quality carry gun. It fits the author well, but if it doesn’t fit you, find a different gun.
Pros
Superior build quality
Sublime trigger
Factory customizable
Cons
Expensive
Heavy
EDC X9 Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1, 18+1
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Overall Length: 7.4 inches
Overall Height: 5.25 inches
Overall Width: 1.4 inches
Weight: 29.09 ounces
Sights: Tactical Adjustable Battlesight with fiber optic front sight
MSRP: $3,3210
If you were to build a race gun to a concealed carry pistol’s specs, you’d likely come out with the EDC X9. This is the most highly tuned and performing pistol of our picks—with a price tag to match. But for the uncompromising souls looking to protect their six, the pistol is a perfect match.
At its core, Wilson Combat’s 9mm is a 1911, but one upgraded for modern self-defense. To the traditional side of the design, the hammer-fired gun inherits the exceptional 1911 trigger, which is light and fast. Unlike the original, Wilson has stripped the grip safety—though, for obvious reasons, the gunmaker has kept the thumb safety.
The EDC X9’s ergonomics are impeccable with the gun fitting the hand perfectly and Wilson’s XTAC pattern grips further enhance the comfort while ensuring a firm hold. Its aluminum frame adds a bit of heft to the compact pistol, but it’s far from prohibitive—comparable to a Glock 17. And the weight is a blessing of sorts, making the X9 extremely mild-mannered.
Despite a terse 4-inch barrel, the pistol can accurately fire well past typical defensive ranges. At close quarters, it’s lights out. Not only does the trigger and heft of the gun aid with this but also its Wilson Combat Battlesight and fiber-optic front, which provide quick and clear target acquisition.
In testing, the EDC X9 proved highly reliable, handling a wide range of 9mm ammunition without issue—it chewed through everything from 115-grain ball to 147-grain hollow point without a hitch. Much of this is thanks to Wilson Combat’s Enhanced Reliability System, a proprietary system designed to optimize functioning with the varying power levels of 9mm ammunition.
We lay out a pretty good case in our EDC X9 review of why this pistol is money well spent.
EDC X9 Deals
Brownells
$3,358
Palmetto State Armory
$3,358
Gritr Sports
$3,210
Best Classic Carry: Glock 19
Proven in military and law enforcement use, the G19 has plenty of defensive credibility.
Pros
Accurate
Reliable
Aftermarket parts
Ease of maintenance
Cons
Grip angle
Plastic sights
Mushy trigger
Glock 19 Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 4.02 inches
Overall Length: 7.36 inches
Overall Height: 5.04 inches
Overall Width: 1 inch
Weight: 21.16 ounces
Sights: Polymer white dot front, outline rear
MSRP: $600
It’s difficult to knock off the king. And certainly, the Glock 19 still has its place on the throne of best concealed carry guns.
While a larger option than many of the modern sub-compact options, I find it difficult not to love how this momma-bear option operates. It’s still very concealable, at the same tick, large enough to make it extremely manageable and accurate. Of the guns tested, this G19 provided some of the best groups at even longer engagement distances.
Not to mention, the pistol is almost boringly reliable. Perhaps this is one of the greatest achievements of the pistol, no matter what you feed it the gun will chew through it. Much of this is thanks to a painfully simplistic design that offers few opportunities for malfunctions to occur. The other bonus to this is facet, the gun is extremely simple to upgrade—if you happen to find what rolled out of the factory unsatisfactory.
Sights, I’d say are one of the areas many consider must-change—though the factory set isn’t unusable. Trigger is another one that can use some pepping up and upgrades are legion in this area. I’ll admit, I don’t hate the G19 trigger and it’s more than passible for a self-defense gun, but there are much better options out there.
One last point, while the Glock 19 is concealable—folks have been keeping it under wraps for decades—it is large by today’s standards. It’s 21 ounces unloaded and 1.26 inches in width and has a height of 5 inches. A bit of a load if you go jogging in your jorts.
On the affordable end of concealed carry guns, the Dagger Micro stands nearly alone.
Pros
Affordable
Glock 43 compatibility
Durable
Cons
Ships with one magazine
Few holster options
Dagger Micro Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 3.41 inches
Overall Length: 6.5 inches
Overall Height: 4.7 inches
Overall Width: 1.1 inches
Weight: 15.9 ounces
Sights: Three-dot
MSRP: $300
A remarkable blend of affordability, compactness and practical features, the PSA Dagger Micro hits a lot of the right notes. Surprising, given it’s the South Carolina concern’s first foray into this end of the market.
First off, as a budget concealed carry gun—one with a sub $400 price tag—don’t expect any originality. The Dagger Micro is what it is and that’s a Glock clone. Still, there are advantages to playing copycat, such as compatibility with G43, G43X and G48 pistols. And for those who have shot Glocks, well, by golly, the PSA carry gun should prove very familiar.
Overall, the pistol is fairly refined for the price point, with nice ergonomics, beveled edges and aggressive cocking serrations for enhanced manipulation. The trigger leaves a little to be desired—especially given the hinged bottom—but is responsive. And the grip is just right, with a sandpapery texture that keeps the gun where it should be—your hand.
Nicely, the gun ships with 15 round magazine, a significant upgrade over many in the compact class. Yet, PSA only gives you one. I suppose they needed to save money somewhere. And anyone familiar with the 3-dot sight system will know what to do when they pick up a dagger. Additionally, the pistol has an optic cut that accommodates Shield RMSc footprint optics for those who prefer red dot sights on their carry gun.
Reliability is another strong point for the Micro Dagger, it digested everything we fed it in testing. When it comes to a concealed carry pistol—no matter the price—this facet is priority No. 1.
Dagger Micro Deals
Guns.com
$450
Palmetto State Armory
$300
Best Carry Revolver: Ruger LCR
The LCR made concealed carry revolvers relevant again.
Pros
Highly concealable
Reliable
Good double-action trigger
Cons
Integral sights
Double-action trigger not great for begginers
LCR Specs
Caliber: .327 Federal Magnum; other calibers .22LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum
Capacity: 5-8 depending on caliber
Barrel Length: 1.87 inches
Overall Length: 6.5 inches
Overall Height: 4.5 inches
Overall Width: 1.28 inches
Weight: 13.5-17.1 ounces depending on caliber
Sights: Ramp front, integral rear
MSRP: $739-$859
Despite rumors otherwise, the self-defense revolver isn’t dead. Or it hasn’t been since Ruger introduced its LCR (Lightweight Compact Revolver).
The minute snub-nose nearly single-handedly breathed life back into the flagging defensive revolver market when it hit the scene in 2009. And why not? At 13 to 17 ounces in weight and 6.5 inches in overall length, it is among the most concealable guns on the market today. This, in some respects, also gives it a dual purpose—not only is it a capable primary concealed carry gun, but it’s also svelte enough to serve as a backup.
Aside from concealability, the Ruger has also enhanced one of the key drawbacks of the double-action-only revolvers—its trigger pull. The gun utilizes a friction-reducing cam that lightens the trigger pull considerably and makes it surprisingly smooth. Even so, it’s still a stout 8 pounds to trip the hammer, which might not prove ideal for those brand new to shooting. Also, the sights—an integral rear and blade front—aren’t the easiest to master for more precise shooting. But at defensive range in defensive scenarios are more than adequate.
Ruger offers a bevy of chambering options for the LCR, from .22 LR up to .38 Special and 9mm. Though it’s a bit of an oddball, we liked the gun in .327 Federal Magnum, a hard-hitting compromise that is forgiving in recoil.
Our Ruger LCR review show why this revolver is such a hot-shot (especially in .327 Fed Mag).
LCR Deals
Palmetto State Armory
$837
Bass Pro Shop
$569
Gritr Sports
$669
Best .357 Magnum: Ruger LCRx 3-Inch
While it doesn't quite get everything out of the .357 cartridge, it certainly makes it more of a magnum than terser concealed carry revolvers.
Pros
Good ballistics
Accurate
Cons
Limited capacity
Double-action trigger not for beginners
LCRx 3-Inch Specs
Caliber: .357 Magnum; other calibers 9mm, 22 WMR, 22LR, .38 Special
Capacity: 5-6 depending on caliber
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Overall Length: 7.5 inches
Overall Height: 5.8 inches
Overall Width: 1.28 inches
Weight: 17.3 ounces depending on caliber
Sights: Ramp front, adjustable rear
MSRP: $859
The LCRx is the absolute mamma bear magnum for concealed carry revolvers, offering shooters everything they want in a .357 Magnum—especially the power. The secret sauce here is the gun’s 3-inch barrel that milks the ballistic potential out of the magnum cartridge.
While the snub-nose .357s have more pop than a .38 Special, even a +P .38, it falls considerably short of the cartridge's normal performance standards. In return, you get more muzzle blast and pain. However, in my chronograph testing, the LCRx is just off a 6-inch .357 Magnum and dang near identical to a 4-inch model. All while being quite a bit more concealable.
The 5-round revolver is heavier than its little brother LCR, coming in at 21 ounces. This isn’t only due to the extra bore, but also the stainless steel frame—required for the more powerful cartridge. Despite this, it remains very concealable.
The trigger is similar to the LCR, making the gun manageable and accurate—though it still isn’t an option for those who haven’t mastered the double-action trigger pull. There are other aspects shooters should keep in mind with the revolver, as well. It has adjustable target rear sights, providing more accuracy. And its hammer has a spur. While I haven’t found either to pose a problem, each are a potential snag point and might prove uncomfortable for some, depending on how they carry. At 5 o’clock outside the waistband, it wasn’t an issue for me.
Does the extra inch matter? Check out our LCRx review to find out.
LCRx Deals
Sportsman's Warehouse
$718
Omaha Outdoors
$660
Gritr Sports
$669
Best .380 ACP: Ruger LCP Max
It has the chops to hold down primary and backup carry duties.
Pros
Extremely concealable
Capacity for size
Good holster selection
Cons
Short sight radius
Small grip
LCP Max Specs
Caliber: .380 ACP
Capacity: 10+1
Barrel Length: 2.8 inches
Overall Length: 5.17 inches
Overall Height: 3.6 inches
Overall Width: .82 inch
Weight: 10.6 ounces
Sights: Tritium front, u-notch rear
MSRP: $479
The third version of this iconic .380 pistol finally delivers what shooters have asked for, particularly its sights. I can't say enough how much I disliked the integral sights on the LCP II (now a .22 LR in Ruger’s catalog). Not only do I not care for fixed systems, but they provided only a rudimentary sight picture. On the other hand, the white outlined rear sight of the Max and tritium front creates a very usable and intuitive system.
One of the best features of the Max is its excellent capacity for what is certainly a pocket pistol. With 10+1 on board with its flush-fit mag and 12+1 with its extended, shooters should feel comfortable with its firepower. However, Ruger slightly widened the LCP’s grip to expand it to a double stack. Not that this is a bad thing. With a little more meat on the handle I found the pistol more comfortable in the hand; add the extended mag and even my medium-sized hand could fit almost completely on the grip.
I had no issues hitting center mass out to 10 yards with the Max, even so, I wouldn't classify the pistol as a tack driver. I don’t think this surprises anyone with a 2.8-inch barreled gun, weighing all of 12 ounces loaded. And while it's not a beast to shoot by any stretch of the imagination, it’s also not one I figure most folks will take to the range for fun.
All of that said, what the gun lacks in shootability it more than makes up for in concealability. I toted the Max around via a pocket holster and an IWB holster, both are more than feasible and comfortable. Short Speedos, you can carry the Max confident you won’t give yourself away.
LCP Max Deals
Sportsman's Warehouse
$409
Omaha Outdoors
$369
Gritr Sports
$365
Easy To Manipulate: Smith & Wesson Equalizer
Tailored to those who may not have as much hand strength, the Equalizer acquitted itself well enough as a concealed carry pistol that it's more than fit for those who don't need an easy-to-rack slide.
Pros
Easy racking slide
Optics ready
Low recoil
Cons
Grip Safety
Reset not very audible or tactile
Equalizer Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1, 13+1, 15+1
Barrel Length: 3.68 inches
Overall Length: 6.75 inches
Overall Height: 4.5 inches
Overall Width: 1.04 inch
Weight: 22.9 ounces
Sights: White dot, optics read
MSRP: $599
Easy-to-manipulate semi-auto concealed carry pistols have earned a much-needed niche in the firearms world. There are plenty of folks—through age, infirmity or just plain hand strength—who find semis difficult to manipulate. Smith & Wesson took a hard look at this class of pistol and developed the best example yet.
OK, so emblazing its name—Equalizer—across the slide is about as attractive as tailfins on a Corvette. That, however, is a rare chink in the 9mm pistol’s armor. Living up to its name, nearly anyone can operate the slide and get the gun into action.
While it appears just another striker-fired compact, the design point that makes the pistol so manipulatable is that it's hammer-fired. Essentially, it’s a Shield EZ—long-time S&W favorite—but a double stack, shipping with 10-, 13- and 15-round magazines. Aiding the pistol’s operation externally are large and aggressive cocking serrations and cocking tabs at the rear.
Honestly, I have to admit, the pistol is a shockingly nice one to shoot. Accuracy-wise, I found it on par with S&W's popular M&P line, but with a much crisper trigger—one of the benefits of a hammer. Certainly, the gun is on target enough for defensive action. The Equalizer also lives up to its billing with its highly manipulatable slide that able hands can run lighting fast.
A drawback I found to the system is holstering the pistol. Too much tension on your holster, the gun can rack when put away. I found counter pressure on the back of the slide with my thumb eliminated this issue.
It's a beast, but that's what you need for the backwoods.
Pros
Powerful chambering
Reliability
Versatile
Extended range
Cons
Large
Longer trigger reach
Recoil
Glock 20 Specs
Caliber: 10mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 4.61 inches
Overall Length: 8.07 inches
Overall Height: 5.51 inches
Overall Width: 1.12 inch
Weight: 39.86 ounces
Sights: White dot front, white outline rear
MSRP: $599
Most only consider two-legged predators when shopping for concealed-carry guns. Certain circumstances call for a pistol that can handle more than upright threats. For backwoods protection, the Glock 20 exceeds nearly all others.
A 10mm, the pistol provides enough punch to batter your way out of the tightest situations and take everything down short of coastal brown bears. Even there it’ll likely make them think twice. At the same time, it is feasibly concealable, particularly in garb you’d wear into the hinterlands. That said, it’s no lightweight by carry pistol standards—weighing in at a hefty 30 ounces unloaded. A good gun belt and perhaps an OWB holster go a long way in making the G20 a more manageable CCW gun.
Surprisingly, the G20 is a very manageable pistol, even with pitching hot loads. The weight does its part in taming the 10mm's jump, but so do the grip's ergonomics. Get past the Glock rake—of which I’m no fan of—and the standard model fits medium to large hands well and offers enough texturing, including the front and back straps—to keep the gun in place. I can take or leave the finger grooves.
It’s also lights-out accurate, particularly the MOS model outfitted with a red dot. With practice and a good trigger squeeze, the gun can consistently hit well past most defensive ranges. However, for many, tight and accurate splits may take some practice.
Hogs, cougars, two-legged threats—the G20 has you covered.
Above all, becoming an armed citizen is a lifestyle choice. By this we mean, your life will conform around your concealed carry gun. Don’t let this scare you off. It’s less daunting than it seems, yet it merits comment.
It takes more than a gun and a holster to become ready to carry.
After purchasing a concealed carry gun, plan on finding a reputable firearms instructor and enrolling in his or her classes. Generally, they’ll offer different levels of training, from basic pistol courses many states require to procure a concealed carry permit, to instruction on advanced concepts such as dynamic shooting, low-light engagements and mindset. Legal education is a must as well. America is a patchwork of self-defense laws, so be certain you find something tailored to where you live and travel so you have a well-formed idea of when, where and how you can justifiably use lethal force.
The greatest demand going armed makes is mastery of your firearm. Just like buying a guitar doesn’t make you a musician, purchasing a concealed carry gun doesn’t make you an expert in self-defense or the use of lethal force. You must educate yourself, practice and continue doing so. Essentially, it’s a lifetime undertaking. Don’t throw up your hands, because it’s the hardest work you’ll ever love with a side benefit of a lot of range time.
Once you have basic instruction under your belt, plan on refresher courses in the future. In the meantime, practice. We won’t prescribe a particular regimen here, because it will differ for each armed citizen. Your training should result in knowing your concealed carry gun inside and out, from muzzle to butt and all the quirks in between. Range time is the most obvious arena for learning and excelling with your pistol or revolver. But a solid routine of dry-fire drills at home works miracles on a learning curve and doesn’t cost a thing.
The other lifestyle aspect that comes with a concealed carry gun is clothing. Yup, that wardrobe is going to need updating … most likely. Unless you’re still mired in the baggy days of the grunge movement, it’s a safe bet much of your wardrobe won’t keep your gun concealed. Or, if it does, you’ll feel plum uncomfortable. Again, we won’t touch on the fine points here—there are loads of them. Just expect to make a clothing investment along with your concealed carry gun.
Concealed Carry Holsters
Hand-in-hand with clothing is a holster. You didn’t think you were going to tuck that baby in your waistband naked, did you? This is a vast topic, given the numerous types of concealed carry holsters on the market today:
IWB
OWB
Shoulder
Ankle
Belly Band
Pocket
Various Off The Body
Each has pros and cons and fit certain armed citizens, but not all of them. However, essentially all of them do the same job: retain the gun, cover the trigger (among the most important), protect you and the gun, enhance concealability, make carrying comfortable, and facilitate a smooth draw and re-holster. That’s a mouthful.
Get ready, because you'll try many holsters before you find the right system for you.
Stick with Kydex for your AIWB holster. Leather will become soft over time … which is a bad trait for an appendix rig.
Kydex is almost always a solid choice for holster material.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the magic bullet so that you hit the perfect holster your first time out. Nobody does. All we can say is, expect plenty of trial and error—and a closet shelf of rejects—before you find the ideal hanger for your concealed carry gun.
CCW Gun Fit
No two concealed carry guns are alike nor are two armed citizens. In turn, the pistol that works for you might be unwieldy to your friend. What this comes down to is fit, and there are two basic factors pertaining to concealed carry guns.
How the gun fits your hand
How the gun fits your style of carry
Most new shooters tend to think all guns are alike. They pick a trustworthy name and assume all is right with the world. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Concealed carry guns need to fit your hand properly, facilitating a fundamental high grip, otherwise, there can be control issues. Even the relatively mild-mannered 9mm is jumpy if oversized compared to a particular shooter. Gunmakers have engineered some wiggle room into their guns; most new polymer-framed pistols come with replaceable backstraps and palm swells of different sizes allowing for a level of customization. Take the time to find the make/model that fits you best. A good tactic is to go to a range that has a good selection of guns for rent, and give the ones you’re interested in a test drive. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.
Figuring out which one out of the many concealed carry guns to choose from takes a close examination of yourself and your lifestyle.
As to carry fit, the whole idea behind a concealed carry gun is to keep it concealed. Depending on who you are, how you carry and your particular lifestyle, not every gun will fit the bill. While a 250-pound trucker might easily keep a Government-size 1911 under wraps with no problem, a 98-pound lady business executive might find it more challenging. Think hard about your usual attire (yes, you’ll update some of it), daily routine and potential carry methods as you go through the buying process. These will provide guide marks steering you to the ideal choice out of all the concealed carry guns.
The Best Caliber For Concealed Carry
Hoo boy … here’s a can of worms. Ask 100 people the best caliber for a concealed carry gun and you’ll get 100 answers—probably including 8.5 Mars, .455 Webley and some other oddballs. The topic is so divisive friendships have been lost and gun forums burned to the ground arguing what’s top dog. Presently, the most popular concealed carry calibers are:
.380 ACP
.38 Special
9mm
.40 S&W
.45 ACP
10mm
.357 Magnum
So, which one is right? The dirty secret is, all of them.
Given ammunition advancements over the past 20 years, particularly bullet design, every one of the cartridges can save your life. The rub is, some of the smaller and lower velocity options—.380 ACP and .38 Special, we’re looking at you—require more homework to find acceptable self-defense loads. The big boys—10mm and .357 Magnum—require more skill to wield effectively. Don’t let either factor turn you off any of those if the particular concealed carry gun that fits you is chambered thusly. Just expect to spend more time making them work.
Is there a right choice?
That leaves us with 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. These are the most popular self-defense calibers on the market. Again, we can’t choose for you, only point out each that is an effective option, capable of neutralizing a threat, and are widely available. You need to find what you shoot best and that comes in a make/model that fits your lifestyle. A range that rents guns is invaluable for puzzling this out. Take each for a spin before you buy!
What about a .22 LR and other small fries? While inadvisable for most armed citizens, if that’s all you can get or effectively shoot, it’s better than nothing.
What Is The Best Length For A Concealed Carry Gun?
Compact pistols have a 4-inch barrel and micro compacts a 3- to 3.5-inch barrels. We find these lengths the easiest to carry. However, the longer the barrel of a gun the more accurate it is due to a longer sight radius. In turn, the best length for a pistol is one that facilitates the most accuracy, while being easy to conceal.
What Is The Best Caliber For A Concealed Carry Gun?
There is no consensus on which caliber is the best, though, the 9mm is the most popular. For the most part, .380 ACP is considered the minimum caliber for self-defense.
What Is The Best Concealed Carry Handgun Holster?
One that completely covers the trigger, for starters. Aside from a way to carry your concealed carry gun, a holster is a safety device. From there, much of it is a personal preference. I personally prefer inside the waistband (IWB) holsters, because they provide the most concealment. However, in the colder months, I will use an outside the waistband (OWB) holster for comfort.
What Is The Best Concealed Carry Gun For Women?
While many gun salesmen push small and light revolvers, my choice for most women would be a compact or micro compact pistol. The trigger pull is lighter and more predictable. For women concerned about being able to manipulate the slide, the Smith & Wesson Equalizer would be my first choice; for those looking for less recoil, the Springfield Hellcat with a compensator would be an excellent option.
We take a quick look at a cartridge that’s kinda like .338 Lapua, the .338-378 Weatherby Magnum.
In response to special requests from close friends, Roy Weatherby chambered a few rifles for a cartridge in which the case was formed by necking down his .378 Magnum case to .338 caliber. This took place as early as the 1970s, but it wasn't added to the Weatherby lineup of loaded cartridges and rifle chamberings until 1999.
The .338-378 Weatherby Magnum is sometimes confused with the earlier .338-378 Keith-Thompson wildcat, but because the K-T version is on the shortened .378 Magnum case, loading data are not interchangeable between the two.
General Comments
The .338-378 Weatherby Magnum is in the same performance league as the .338 Remington Ultra Mag and .338 Lapua, and, from a practical point of view, that’s not saying a whole lot.
The smaller .340 Weatherby Magnum generates considerably less recoil, yet Weatherby rates it only 100-fps slower than the .338-378 Magnum and at about the same speed as the .338 Remington Ultra Mag., when the three cartridges are loaded with 250-grain bullets.
.338-378 Weatherby Magnum Load Data/Factory Ballistics
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.
