Don’t kid yourself about the power of .30 Carbine, because it’s just not there.
In 1940, the U.S. Ordnance Department concluded that a light carbine might have certain advantages over the .45-caliber semi-auto pistol in many combat situations. Various designs were submitted by a number of private manufacturers, and, in the end, Winchester’s offering was selected.
The semi-auto .30 M-1 Carbine was officially adopted in 1941. Its cartridge, a modification of the .32 Winchester self-loading round of 1906, was hardly a revolutionary design, but it served the purpose. About the same time, the Germans developed their assault rifle and the 7.92mm Kurz (short) cartridge. The M-1 Carbine isn’t an assault rifle, and the military insists it was designed to fulfill a different purpose. A few sporting rifles and handguns have chambered the .30 Carbine.
General Comments
In mid 1963, the government released .30 M-1 Carbines for sale to civilians through the National Rifle Association at the very moderate price of about $20. Thousands of these rifles, as a result, have been used for sporting purposes. Federal, Winchester and Remington load soft-point sporting ammunition.
The .30 Carbine cartridge is in the same class as the .32-20 WCF, but slightly more powerful. It’s wholly a small game and varmint round, despite contrary claims by those who love the short, light and handy M-1 Carbine. The modest accuracy of the carbine, combined with the ballistics of this cartridge, limit the effective sporting range to about 150 yards. The original author of Gun Digest’s Cartridges of the World used an M-1 Carbine to hunt small game and deer as early as 1943, before most people could get their hands on one of these guns, so he had a pretty good idea of the capability of the cartridge.
Remember that the .32 Winchester self-loading round became obsolete in 1920, because it was ineffective and more or less useless for sporting purposes. The .30 Carbine was derived from that round and shares the same shortcomings. However, it can shoot relatively cheaper military ammunition, and this allows use of the gun in many situations not economically feasible with the .32 SL.
However, don’t kid yourself about the so-called “terrific power” of the .30 Carbine cartridge, because it’s just not there. Despite this, it can be a very useful cartridge within its limitations, and its use and popularity have increased considerably over the years.
One final note: Had the military adopted a normal, modern rifle pressure standard, instead of the inexplicably modest 40,000 psi specified, we might have a somewhat different opinion of this cartridge. Loading to normal .30-06 pressures provides about 400 fps more velocity, which seems significant.
Here are the 11 best gunsmithing tools that every gun owner should have in their workshop.
If you're going to have guns, you should have some gunsmithing tools. Many of the most useful ones are available in your local hardware store, but others are a bit more specialized.
Just as everyone should have some basic tools in case they need to do something with their car or home, shooters should have some of the basics on hand in case they need to work on their gun.
So, let's talk about what you should have in your toolbox.
What We Mean By Gunsmithing Tools
The terms “gunsmith” and “gunsmithing” are often applied to what are more properly called armorer tasks.
A gunsmith is a machinist who specializes in firearms. If using a mill or a lathe isn’t a regular part of someone’s duties, they aren't a gunsmith; they're an armorer.
This gentleman knows exactly what he's doing, so the stream of sparks is not cause for alarm.
So, with that in mind, here are some important things to consider:
You are responsible for what you do to your gun. We at Gun Digest do not recommend doing anything that is beyond what you are comfortable with. We do not recommend doing anything that is beyond your skill level with hand tools.
If you Bubba your gun and ruin it, that’s on you.
If this is what the fruits of your home gunsmithing look like, it may be time to employ the help of a professional.
Leave that which you cannot do or are uncomfortable doing to professionals. Know thy skill level, and let those who are more skilled than you do what you are not able or willing to.
For instance, I'm able to do a lot of car repairs, but I leave some things to professionals. I've changed water pumps, fuel pumps, power steering pumps, alternators, radiators, and done all sorts of routine stuff like spark plugs, brakes, tires, oil changes and so on, but I won't touch transmissions or anything below the intake manifold. That's for the pros.
You have to figure out what you are and aren't willing to do.
Know what tools you'll need for your gun. Some firearms require specialty tools, such as an armorer's wrench for an AR-15, and as such you should have the tools you'll need for your particular firearms.
What Gunsmithing Tools Will You Most Likely Need?
In terms of what most people mean by “gunsmithing”, here are some of the common tasks you're likely to want to be able to do.
Changing or installing furniture, such as AR-15 handguards or a bolt-action rifle stock.
Mounting optics, possibly including mounting an optic rail and then mounting an optic.
Replacing or upgrading components like triggers, firing pins and other small, often internal parts.
Zeroing or replacing/upgrading iron sights.
Changing grip panels on a handgun.
Field-stripping and detail-stripping your gun for inspection, cleaning or maintenance.
Installing various accessories like lights, lasers, muzzle devices and bipods.
Most of these tasks can be accomplished with common hand tools like screwdrivers, Allen wrenches and punches. However, some of those tasks require specialty tools, like an armorer’s wrench for an AR or a torque screwdriver for optics.
If you've never used a torque screwdriver, I cannot emphasize how much you cannot tell the difference between 15 and 20 inch-pounds. If precise torque is called for, and it absolutely is for pistol optics, you need to have one.
The cover of Gunsmithing The AR-15, Volume 2 features an AR-15 lower receiver mounted in a vise block.
The supremely popular AR-15 can often require specialty tools to accomplish certain tasks. Vise blocks, for instance, make working on the upper and lower receivers easier. Installing a barrel nut will require a torque wrench and staking a castle nut will require a center punch. A third arm would be very useful for installing a forward assist, but they, unfortunately, don’t sell those.
A punch, for those who don't know, is a metal tool that's used to drive pins in or out. You'll need them for many pistols and certainly for any gun that has roll pins such as an AR-15. Roll pin starters are highly recommended as well.
The Wheeler Master Roll Pin Punch set has all of the common sizes of steel punches, as well as the same sizes of roll pin starter punches that are used for starting the roll pin into its socket. A nylon hammer is included as well. Street prices are around $50, very worth it in the long run.
Torque wrenches tighten to a precise setting of torque, which is a measure of force around a fixed point of rotation. The most common use in gunsmithing is tightening the barrel nut of an AR-15.
Granted, torque wrenches are commonplace in automotive use as well, so there is no gun-specific brand that you need to get.
For most people, the house brand at Harbor Freight or a Craftsman brand torque wrench will suit them just fine given that the tool isn’t likely to see heavy use.
Torque Screwdriver
The Wheeler F.A.T. Wrench, which is really more of a torque screwdriver.
A torque screwdriver is the same thing as a torque wrench, it just uses screw bits instead of sockets. They're also useful (if not needed) for working on bicycles, so there are applications beyond gun stuff.
Torque screwdrivers measure torque in inch-pounds rather than foot-pounds, so they're used to precisely tighten very small fasteners such as optic bolts. For anyone thinking of putting a red dot on a pistol, you'll need one.
The one by Wheeler is a solid choice, and it includes a bit set too. Street prices are around $70.
An armorer's wrench is a multi-tool that’s designed specifically for working on the AR-15. While features vary by model, what's customary are lugs for the radial slots on a D-ring, a slot for tightening muzzle devices and a castle nut wrench.
Typically, there is also a square slot for using a ½-inch drive torque wrench, and some may also include one for a ⅜-inch wrench. However, bear in mind that M-LOK rails don't use universal barrel nuts. You may need a specific one to install or remove yours, so bear that in mind.
With that said, the Midwest Industries Professional Armorer's Wrench (street prices around $70) is well worth the investment.
Nylon Mallet
A Wheeler hammer with a nylon face and a brass face.
Another common hand tool that's worth the investment is a nylon mallet. Using a regular hammer can put too much force into the gun and result in damage or a marred finish.
While professional users will want to spend more on their gunsmithing tools, most people will be served just fine by one from the local hardware store or Amazon. You can get them for $10 to $15.
Driver Bit Set
The Milwaukee Shockwave Impact Driver 55-piece set.
Even outside of gun stuff, driver bits of poor quality are a pestilence upon the earth. One of the most hateful curses one can endure is trying to get through a project and watching your bit get increasingly less tenable with every screw you tighten.
Look for a quality set that includes Allen and Torx bits as well.
The Milwaukee Shockwave Impact Driver 55-piece set is a good starting place. They're found in many hardware stores and cost around $40 to $50.
A vise block that allows you to set the upper and lower receiver in a vise is essential for assembling an AR-15 or AR-10. You set the receiver in the block and tighten the vise to keep it stable.
This is especially necessary for certain parts of the build, including installing the buffer tube, staking the castle nut (which you need to do!) and installing the barrel and gas system.
You'll need both an upper block and a lower block unless you get a model that can do both.
For just the upper, the Wheeler Delta Series is an excellent choice. It's machined aluminum with a black finish, and it has pin holes to set AR-15 or AR-10 flat-top receivers in the block. Street prices are around $40.
For a do-it-all model, the Magpul BEV Action Block (up to $50) is another excellent choice as it can be used for both the upper and lower receiver. It locks in the magwell and you clamp it in the vise. The polymer body can take the pressure without issue.
Allen Wrench Set
A Husky 26-piece Allen wrench set.
This is another thing you should already have regardless of your dedication to firearms. Get one set in imperial and another in metric, then store them with labeled organizers to keep things straight.
You can pick up a set containing both from Harbor Freight for less than $10 which will probably be fine for most uses, or opt for a Husky set that will set you back no more than $20 online.
When it comes to basic gunsmithing tools, a bottle of Loctite Blue 242 is essential. It's a thread-locking compound that keeps fasteners from working loose under vibration, which is kind of important for a gun.
A $10 tube from most hardware stores will last a long time since you only need a little.
Loctite Red—which requires heat to loosen—is sometimes called for, but only in some specialized applications in firearms that most people will never have to worry about. Go ahead and buy Blue 242 for your everyday needs, but don’t worry about getting Loctite Red unless you encounter a project that specifically requires it.
A full set of screwdrivers, one with all the sizes of flat, Phillips and other heads, is a big purchase if you buy a quality set, plus it can take up a lot of space. Professional gunsmiths should have a full gunsmithing screwdriver set, but a good multi-bit driver should cover most if not all of your bases.
This is a good thing to have, period. A DeWalt MAXFIT Multi-Bit ScrewDriver is not expensive (street prices are less than $20) and will punch above its weight in terms of total utility. A telescoping ratcheting model is also available for about the same price point.
Another excellent gunsmithing tool for the home armorer is a product for touch-up bluing. Re-bluing is not something you want to try at home, given the procedure is delicate and the materials are caustic. Ergo, you should put it off as long as possible.
A Birchwood Casey Blue Pen will run you about $15 to $20 and does wonders for touching up worn finish or scratches on blued or blacked gun surfaces.
From varminting to medium game hunting and benchrest shooting, a .22-250 rifle can serve you extremely well. Here are six top options to consider.
Since the cartridge was first introduced, .22-250 Remington rifles have been the darling of varmint hunters, predator hunters and even some medium game hunters in jurisdictions without a .24-caliber minimum. For such a small, light-recoiling round, it packs a wallop for what it is, and its accuracy has made it popular with benchrest shooters over the years too.
Different tasks require different features, however, even with something as well-rounded as .22-250 Rem. Because of this, certain things must remain top of mind to select the best rifle for its intended job.
Two classic .22-250 rifles, an Ithaca LSA 55 (top) and Remington 700 (bottom). Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.
What .22-250 Remington Is Best At
The .22-250 Remington is an incredibly versatile cartridge. It’s capable–with the right projectile–of filling just about every role besides those pertaining to big game hunting and modern combat.
Hunting
It's arguably the premier varmint and predator cartridge. It has been since its wildcat days in the 1930s when it was known as .22 Varminter. Much of this is thanks to its high velocity. With some loads moving at over 4,000 fps, it's known for an extremely flat trajectory. This attribute alone makes it an excellent long-range varmint cartridge, especially in western states.
With good shot placement and prudent ammunition selection, a .22-250 rifle is also tenable for medium game. The cartridge’s light recoil has made it a popular choice–where legal–as a youth deer rifle. However, many argue there are equally mild options, such as .243 Winchester, that have a better track record with larger game.
Competition
The .22-250 is also a fantastic bench shooting cartridge. Jack O'Connor even noted its proficiency in this niche his The Rifle Book. Still today, the cartridge and rifles chambered for it are found in 300-yard bench events.
Military Applications
Odd as it might sound, the.22-250 may even have value in some defensive applications. Similar to the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington, it utilizes a .224-caliber bullet. However, it pushes it a magnitude faster in most cases.
The Australian SAS, as well as the British SAS, have both used Tikka .22-250 rifles in urban counter-terrorism. In addition to the cartridge's ballistic talents, its light projectiles and fast energy dump on target also decreased the risk of overpenetration and ricochet, reducing the chance of collateral damage.
A very low-res photo of the rare Australian SAS .22-250 sniper rifle from Tikka. Photo: Australian War Memorial.
It's close to a factotum of rifle cartridges. But what do you need from a .22-250 rifle to get the most out of the cartridge?
Features To Look For In A .22-250 Rifle
First, consider the intended purpose for your prospective .22-250 rifle. Hunting and bench shooting are roles where the cartridge excels.
After establishing the rifle’s primary job, the two things to look for in any .22-250 rifle: barrel length and twist rate. Because most .22-250 rifle choices are bolt-actions (there are a few AR-platform rifles as well as the Browning BLR lever-action), the barrel becomes a defining feature.
Barrel Length
A longer barrel generally equates to a more complete powder burn, thus higher velocities and increased terminal performance. A faster twist rate will better stabilize heavy-grain projectiles.
Most .22-250 rifles come outfitted with a 22- or 24-inch barrel, with 20-inch being the next most common length.
As for barrel length, competitors tend to favor longer–generally in the 24-inch class. Of course, they aren't tracking through the scrub for miles and miles. Hunting, where mobility is at a premium, the 20-inch sporters perform nicely, even if they don't milk every bit of velocity from a round.
Twist Rate
Most factory barrels have a 1:12 or 1:14 twist rate. The slower twists guard the bullet's integrity, ensuring it doesn't fly to pieces due to centrifugal forces.
Less common, 1:8, 1:9 and 1:10 twist rates are nevertheless available. Savage Arms' 12 Varminter Low Profile, for instance, comes in a 1:9 twist. However, the rest of the company's catalog comes in 1:12.
So what does this all add up to? Quite simply, most .22-250 rifles are relegated to light projectiles. You might get a 1:12 (perhaps the most common twist) to stabilize a 70-grain bullet, but overall it's more adept with lighter options. Conversely, faster twists are, typically the 1:9 the most accessible, are pretty much a heavy-for-caliber affair.
Honestly, unless you have designs on a competitive rifle or a dedicated deer rifle, the everyday 1:12 and 1:14 twists should satisfy most shooters. Not to mention, come in a heck of a lot cheaper.
Other Considerations
A sidenote on barrels, if you aren't hunting it's wise to consider a heavy barrel contour. The .22-250 is notorious for heating up the firetube. If you're just whacking bullseye, it's worth considering a hedge against barrel whip.
For youth rifles, look for lightweight guns with a shorter (13 inches or less) length of pull. For field (i.e., hunting) rifles, lighter than 7 pounds is ideal. If you like mounting optics to be as simple as possible, look for a receiver with a factory-installed rail. Of course, those guidelines can be applied to most rifles.
If a classic varmint rifle appeals to you, look no further than the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. As a Featherweight model, it tips the scales at a svelte 6.7-pounds without an optic. In .22-250 Remington with a 22-inch barrel and a 1-in-14 twist rate.
It still has all the classic features of the Model 70, including controlled round feeding, a three-position safety, a 5-round internal box magazine and Winchester's MOA trigger. The receiver and barrel are blued/black steel, set in a black walnut stock with fleur-de-lis checkering as a reference to the Al Biesen stocks that Jack O'Connor bedded his Model 70 actions in.
The Savage Impulse is Savage's straight-pull bolt-action rifle, and the Impulse Predator has a serious predator-hunting theme. The action is bedded in a Mossy Oak Terra Gila pattern AccuStock (with adjustable LOP and cheek height). Additionally, the rifle features Savage's widely lauded adjustable AccuTrigger.
The rifle is fed by a 10-round AICS box magazine. The 20-inch barrel has a sporter profile, threaded muzzle (with cap) and a 1-in-12 twist rate. The final point makes it well suited for lighter projectiles common to preditor hunting. The receiver is outfitted with a Picatinny rail as well, making optics mounting much easier.
With a weight of 8.7 pounds, this isn’t the lightest field gun. Then again, its other features and straight-pull action still make it an option worth considering.
Browning also offers its excellent BLR (Browning Lever Rifle) in .22-250. But the gem in its catalog is the X-Bolt Micro Midas. It's a compact/youth rifle, but it has some smart features making it a great pick for pretty much anyone.
The Micro Midas has a shorter (12.5-inch) length of pull, which mounts faster to the shoulder. The 20-inch sporter barrel has a 1-in-9-inch twist, giving it a bias towards heavier bullets. It comes with a 4-round detachable (flush-fit) box magazine.
The gun weighs just over 6 pounds, so it's easy to carry. And it's quite attractive to boot with a walnut stock and blued receiver and barrel. For an entry-level deer rifle or a long-range varminter, the X-Bolt Micro Midas is difficult to beat.
APF Armory is one of the few gunmakers to adapt the AR-10 to .22-250 Remington. Though, the exotic cartridge for the platform comes with some costs. First off, an overall weighty price tag. Secondly, proprietary magazines.
The Varmint has a 20-inch, 1:14 twist 416R stainless barrel, a rifle-length gas system and a nickel-boron bolt carrier group. Furniture includes a Magpul MOE grip, a Luth-AR MBA-2 stock and a railed M-LOK free-floated handguard. The trigger, charging handle and A2 flash hider are all mil-spec.
If you wanted a more tactical varmint gun, this is the ticket. Though, given its slow twist, expect to play in the lighter end of the bullet options. The rifle can be had in black or Cerakoted in FDE, Sniper Green or gray. A Target model, with a 24-inch barrel (with the same twist rate) is available as well.
As mentioned, Tikka supplied the British and Australian Special Air Service with sniper rifles chambered in .22-250. The T3x Super Varmint isn't that same gun, but it has everything you'd want in a .22-250 rifle.
The T3x Super Varmint has a Green Roughtech synthetic stock with an adjustable cheek piece and a Tungsten Cerakote finish on the bolt and receiver. The receiver is topped with a Picatinny rail for easier optic mounting, and it feeds from proprietary, detachable 5-round box magazines.
The rifle is available with a choice of either a 20-inch barrel with a 1-in-14-inch twist rate or a 23.7-inch barrel with a 1-in-14 or 1-in-8-inch twist rate. Regardless of which barrel you choose, all are threaded and include a muzzle protector cap.
If you wanted to get into a .22-250 rifle for a little less, there are budget-friendly options. The Ruger American Rifle Predator would be high on that list.
It has an OD Green synthetic stock with a blued barrel and receiver. The 22-inch barrel has a 1-in-10 twist rate, the perfect middle ground for .22-250 Remington, and a threaded barrel with a protective cap.
The gun has a 4-round internal box magazine, and each comes with Ruger's adjustable Marksman trigger and a Picatinny rail on the receiver for easily mounting optics. It comes in at 6.6 pounds unloaded, perfect for field use.
The Ruger American is a solid working gun with no extra frills and an attractive price, especially considering that they can often be found for less than the listed MSRP.
The new Rossi Brawler is a single-shot .410 and .45 Long Colt pistol with an enticingly low price.
Having just recently expanded its catalog with the R95, a new model of lever-action rifle, the Brazilian company Rossi has just announced yet another fresh design. Called the Rossi Brawler, it’s a single-shot pistol chambered for .410 bore and .45 Long Colt. Whether you want a single-shot .410/.45LC pistol for plinking, pest control or anything else, the Rossi Brawler will be a very affordable way to accomplish it.
As mentioned, the Rossi Brawler can fire both .45 Long Colt ammunition as well as .410 bore shotshells, including 3-inch magnums. It has a 9-inch alloy steel barrel with a 1:24 RH twist, and it has an overall length of 14 inches and an overall weight of 36.8 ounces unloaded.
Keeping things simple, the Rossi Brawler is a break-action single-shot pistol with a cross-bolt safety and a single-action trigger. For comfort, it has large rubber grips, and for aiming it features fixed iron sights and a Picatinny rail on top for mounting optics. Rossi points out that besides the typical advantages of installing an optic, given the Brawler’s versatile ammo choices, it also allows for one to zero their firearm for a specific load.
The Rossi Brawler has an MSRP of only $239.99, but street prices are already slightly lower than that. If nothing else, the Brawler is a very affordable solution for anyone with a snake problem.
The author does a deep dive into the German Karabiner 98k and discusses why it’s likely the best infantry bolt-action rifle to ever see combat.
Brilliant ideas often do not materialize overnight, nor is their significance always immediately understood. Usually, it takes time, revision, testing, and incremental changes before they can be fully realized, and that is exactly how the story of the Karabiner 98k plays out.
Paul Mauser revolutionized combat rifle technology in the late 19th century by producing what would become the most storied family of bolt-action rifles ever made. Mauser’s first rifle designs emerged in the days of black powder cartridges and evolved as spire point bullets and smokeless powder came into use. His rifles were so well built, reliable, safe and accurate that legions of countries armed themselves with Mauser rifles throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
These include Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, El Salvador, Estonia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Saudi Arabia just to name a few. Take a globe, spin it and stop it with your finger. The country your finger lands on more than likely was armed with a Mauser bolt-action rifle at one point or another, and that’s only counting military rifles. If you include civilian sporter-style Mausers too, hunters have used and loved them on every continent for just as long, including through today.
Evolution Of Mauser Rifles
The first successful Mauser rifle was the Model 1871, a single-shot bolt-action chambered in a metallic-case 11.15×60 mm R blackpowder cartridge. It featured a wing safety and the bolt locked up with the receiver bridge. An improved, repeater version with a tubular magazine was introduced in 1884 and called the 71/84. The 71/84 was adopted by the German Empire and renamed the Infanterie-Gewehr 71. A modified version of this rifle called the Mauser Model 1887 was made for Turkey as well.
Enhanced designs began to roll out of the Mauser factory with each succeeding model improving upon the previous. In the early 1880s, more powerful smokeless powder rapidly replaced black powder cartridges. Mauser designed two different variations of the same rifle for the German Rifle Test Commission (Gewehr-Prüfungskommission), but these rifles were not ready for prime time due to the death of Paul Mauser’s brother, Wilhelm, who was the financier of the company. These two rifles became known as the 89 Belgian Mauser and the 91 Argentine Mauser. The most notable improvement was the ability to load the internal box magazine via stripper clip, greatly increasing the Mauser’s rate of fire.
Another upgrade was the new 7.65x53mm Mauser chambering, a first-generation smokeless powder cartridge that used pointed, spire-style bullets. The next feature to evolve was the claw extractor introduced with the Model 92. The Spanish Mauser or Mauser Model 1893 would receive the iconic controlled feed action, a feature that is now synonymous with Mauser rifles. The claw extractor on the bolt grips the rim of the cartridge before the round is stripped from the magazine into the chamber. This model was adopted by Spain, the Ottoman Empire, and other countries.
The bolt of a Karabiner 98k with its controlled feed action.
The model 93 introduced a new 5-round, staggered-column, internal box magazine that could be reloaded quickly by pushing a stripper clip from the top of the receiver with the bolt open. It also debuted with another new caliber design by Mauser, the 7x57mm cartridge that is more commonly known as 7mm Mauser. The Model 94 followed and was adopted by Sweden. The Model 1895 deviated from the Model 1893 by using an improved cylindrical bolt face in lieu of the square bolt face of the Model 93. The Model 1895 also incorporated a shoulder behind the bolt handle in order to provide additional locking in case of bolt failure. It was used by Chile, China, Iran, Serbia, and Uruguay among other countries.
In 1893, both Sweden and Norway adopted the new 6.5x55mm cartridge, known as the 6.5mm Swede, and Mauser chambered the Model 1896 rifle in this caliber. This Mauser design also added gas-escape holes and an integral guide rib on the bolt body.
By 1898, the Mauser design morphed into the Gewehr 98 and what could be called the prequel to the most successful Mauser ever produced. The Gewehr 98 was adopted by the German Army in 1898 and was in service until 1935. It featured an internal box magazine that was fed by a 5-round stripper clip and incorporated the Mauser controlled-feed action. It weighed about nine pounds, had a 29-inch-long barrel and a total length of 49.2 inches. The Gewhr 98, like all Mauser rifles before it, had a straight bolt handle that jutted out at a ninety-degree angle on the right side of the rifle. This rifle was used by German forces during the First World War, but due to its long length, it proved to be a hindrance in the cramped conditions of trench warfare.
The Gewehr 98 was chambered for the Patrone 88, or M/88, a rimless bottleneck 8mm cartridge and another first-generation smokeless propellent caliber. It was loaded with a 225-grain round-nose, full metal jacket bullet and produced muzzle velocities of about 2,034 fps. The maximum effective range was about 550 yards. This round was used by the German military until 1904 when it was replaced by the S Patrone cartridge, best known as 8mm Mauser (also known as 7.92x57mm and 8x57mm).
The Karabiner 98k evolved from the Gewehr 98, and the name should already give you an idea about the new rifle’s features. It was called a Karabiner (carbine) rather than Gewehr (rifle), and the “k” suffix stood for “kurz”, meaning short. Also commonly referred to as the Kar98k, 98k and K98k, the Karabiner 98k was adopted by the German Wehrmacht as its standard service rifle in 1935. It featured a shorter 23.6-inch barrel, a controlled-feed action and a 5-round internal magazine loaded via stripper clips. Single rounds could also be loaded by pushing them into the magazine with your thumb.
The action was simplified and used only 29 parts. By comparison, the Gewehr 98’s used 44 parts. Additionally, the bolt handle was turned down to facilitate rapid operation and allowed for mounting an optic on the receiver. It has a ninety-degree lift with two locking lugs that mate inside the receiver at the 12 and 6 o’clock locations. The controlled feed action uses a non-rotating extractor that grasps the cartridge by the rim when loading and unloading, and the receiver was made of steel forgings which were then machined.
A disassembled Karabiner 98k action. Photo: Wikipedia.
The three-position manual safety was also simple and user-friendly. It flicked to the left to fire, straight up to prevent firing but allow the bolt to be manipulated and to the right to lock both the firing pin and bolt. The middle position served as a sort of dashboard dumb light as it obscured the sights, informing the user that they need to switch it to fire or safe. In another good design choice, the location of the safety allowed for it to be easily manipulated by the firing hand thumb.
The Langevisier, or rollercoaster rear sight, of the Gewehr 98 was replaced with a tangent leaf sight on the K98k. This new sight was flatter and did not obstruct the view on the sides when aiming as the older sight did. Starting in 1939, the front post sight incorporated a hood as well to reduce glare and protect the front sight post. These sights offered a good field of view for combat, but they did not lend themselves as well to precise aiming.
Early Karabiner 98k rifles had a one-piece wood stock but starting in 1937 they used a beech wood laminate stock that was stronger, more immune to warping and cheaper to manufacture than hardwood. The stock also featured a steel buttplate and a metal disc attached to the side of the buttstock that was used to disassemble the bolt.
It didn’t take long after production of the Karabiner 98k started for it to begin being recognized as the preeminent combat bolt-action rifle. Its brilliance was in its simplicity, strength, safety and accuracy, eventually leading to some 14.6 million K98k rifles being produced. World War II began in 1939, just four years after its adoption, yet all branches of the German military were geared up with the latest Mauser when it came time to use them.
8mm Mauser
The 7.92x57mm Mauser caliber was used by Germany in both World Wars. The M/88 round used in the Gewehr 98 was a first-generation smokeless powder cartridge and did not take advantage of the newer spire-point bullets being developed. The German military developed the S Patrone to leverage the new developments in bullet shape and smokeless powder. The “S” stands for the German word for spire point bullet and “Patrone” means “cartridge”. This cartridge used a 153-grain bullet with new smokeless powder that increased muzzle velocity to about 2,881 fps, significantly greater than the older M/88 cartridge.
Two 8mm Mauser cartridges, Patrone 88 (left) vs. S Patrone. Photo: Wikipedia.
The bores of Karabiner 98k rifles were also redesigned to be more compatible with the new 7.92x57mm round. This was necessary as the S Patrone bullet had a diameter of .323 inches while the bullet diameter of the M/88 round was only .318 inches.
The S Patrone was phased out in 1933 and replaced with the s.S. Patrone, a cartridge originally used for long-range machine guns during WWI. It was loaded with heavy, pointed, full metal jacket 198-grain bullets. This round produced less muzzle flash out of the shorter barrel Karabiner 98k than S Patron, and it offered better ballistic performance than most other rifle cartridges during WWII. Out of the K98k, it produced a muzzle velocity of about 2,493 fps and the bullet could penetrate 33 inches of dry pine wood at 109 yards. Effective range with open sights was 550 yards and with an optic it could reach out to slightly over 1,000 yards.
Lead was scarce in Germany during the war, so the S.m.E. round was developed in 1940 that used a spitzer 178-grain bullet with a mild steel core.
A K98k being loaded with a stripper clip of 8mm Mauser. Photo: Wikipedia.
Wartime Production Ramp-Up
Mauser did not produce all of the 14.6 million Karabiner 98k rifles manufactured, as the surge in production from 1934 to 1945 required others to contribute as well. The receivers were stamped with a numerical factory code indicating the date and location of manufacture. In 1937, the numeric code was changed to letter codes.
The receiver markings of a K98k. The “337” indicates it was produced at Gustloff Werke. Photo: Wikipedia/Auckland Museum.
Besides the Mauser facilities in Oberndorf (factory codes: 42 ; svw45 ; byf) and Borigwalde (243 ; ar), other manufacturers included Erfurter Maschinen- und Werkzeugfabrik known as ERMA (27 ; ax), Sauer & Sohn (147 ; ce), Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik (237 ; duv), Gustloff Werke (337 ; bcd), Steyr-Daimler-Puch (660 ; Enz) and Waffenwerke Brünn (945 ; swp45 ; dot). These factories were scattered primarily throughout Germany, but in some occupied territories as well.
Born For Battle
The Karabiner 98k saw use by the German military in all theaters in which they fought: Europe, North Africa, the Soviet Union, Finland and Norway. At the start of the war, the K98k fought against similar slow-firing bolt-action weapons such as the British Lee-Enfield and the Soviet Mosin-Nagant. While the Mauser with its 5-round capacity was at a disadvantage compared to the faster-shooting Lee-Enfield and its 10-round magazine, it still managed to hold its own. However, when pitted against semiautomatics like the M1 Garand, it was clearly outmatched.
Two SS soldiers, one with a K98k slung across his back.
This isn’t said to denigrate the Karabiner 98k, as the downfall of all bolt-action combat rifles was the advent of semiautomatic rifles and select-fire weapons that were introduced toward the end of the war. The K98k was never updated during the war, but it was cheapened and simplified to decrease production costs and time. Known as Kriegsmodell variants, the changes implemented were steps back, not forward. Germany, like other countries, focused most of its efforts on manufacturing more modern self-loading firearms rather than on improving the Mauser.
To non-Germans, captured K98k rifles were as good as gold, and they were used by every resistance and partisan group that could get its hands on some. The Soviet Army also used captured Kar98k rifles due to small arms shortages early in the war.
Karabiner 98k Wartime Variants
Perhaps the most iconic K98k variants are the sniper models. Some rifles that were exceptionally accurate during factory testing were set aside and fitted with a Zeiss Zielvier 4× (ZF39) telescopic sight, giving the rifle an effective range of over 1,000 yards. Other 6x and 8x power optics were used as well as optics manufactured by Ajack, Hensoldt, Kahles and Opticotechna Dialytan. About 132,000 of these sniper variants were produced.
A German soldier with a sniper variant Karabiner 98k.
A designated marksman variant known as the K98ks was developed as well, and this was outfitted with a 1.5x power Zf 41 scope. This scope had a long eye relief and was mounted forward of the receiver, scout rifle style, via a quick-detach lever.
Other wartime variants included some experimental designs such as paratrooper models and a .22-caliber training version known as the KKW cadet rifle.
Post-War Service
When World War II ended, many Karabiner 98k rifles had been captured by the Soviet Union and sent to Soviet arsenals to be refurbished. The USSR would go on to supply allied governments with these rifles (and other captured German and Soviet-produced weapons) during the Korean and Vietnam wars where they would be used against Americans once again.
The K98k was in such abundant supply after WWII that plenty of other nations continued to use them as well, on both sides of the Iron Curtain. From East to West Germany, Yugoslavia to Israel, the K98k still saw widespread use for many years after Nazi Germany’s defeat.
Two Israeli IDF soldiers training with K98k rifles in 1954.
Refurbished Yugo Mausers
Yugoslavia was in dire need of weapons after WWII ended. Zastava, a Yugoslavian arms maker, refurbished German Karabiner 98k rifles to help fill the gap. These rifles can be identified by the Yugoslavian communist party crest and by the “/48” that was added to the “Mod.98” designation originally stamped on the receiver.
Austria also modified surplus K98k rifles into sniper rifles in 1958, designating them as the SSG 98k. These rifles were rechambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, given free-floated barrels, bedded in sporting style stocks and fitted with Kahles ZF 58 4×41 optics.
The SSG 98k. Photo: User “Absolut” on the TheK98kforum.
Collecting Mauser Rifles
The glory days of collecting inexpensive Mausers have gone the way of the rotary dial phone. Those for sale today are almost exclusively either incredibly expensive, in extremely poor condition, or both.
In 2023, you can expect a Karabiner 98k in NRA good condition to cost well over $1,000. A well-used K98k, one with a dented stock or pitted metal that might be suitable for a weekend shooter or a wall hanger, will be in the $500 to $700 range. For those who just want a facsimile of a K98k and don’t care about its country of origin, the Zastava M48 is a much more affordable option.
The Karabiner 98k owes its stature as the best combat bolt-action to all the Mauser rifles that came before it. That took a lot of R&D. While the famous Karabiner was at the top of its class at the start of WWII, all bolt-actions were well on their way out as infantry weapons by the war’s end. Despite this, thanks to its massive production numbers, the K98k saw combat longer than most would have expected, continuing through today and likely far into the future as well. Even if that’s mostly in the hands of non-state actors now, Mauser’s legacy lives on.
The author takes a look at SDS Imports' Gen 2 and 3 PX-9 and tells you why your shooting diet could use more Turkey.
Many shooters probably think the last thing we need is another polymer-framed, high-capacity, striker-fired pistol that emulates the Glock. It seems like, for the past decade or so, that description fits about every new handgun introduced. As unexciting as new Tupperware guns might be, this is how innovation works; evolution allows for the concept to be maximized.
Admittedly, I’m not a plastic pistol kind of guy. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with them—they’re just not my thing. Still, when I see any handgun that impresses me, I want to share and that’s why the SDS Imports’ PX-9 is being presented here.
Let me first say that the PX-9 is less expensive than most other polymer-frame pistols because it’s manufactured by Tisas in Turkey … where labor and operational costs are less, not because it’s constructed of sub-standard parts by folks who don’t know how to build pistols. The PX-9, or Zigana as it’s known in Turkey, has passed rigorous military trials and is even used by military units, police departments and private security firms around the world.
It was only about six months ago that I was provided a Gen 2 version of this pistol for testing and evaluation. I was very impressed with the sample because of its reliability, how comfortable it was in-hand and all its features. Just last month I received a Gen 3 version of the PX-9, and after lots of rounds downrange in both, I felt obligated to give this pistol its due.
The Gen 3 version of the PX-9, which is imported by SDS Imports, is available in black, desert tan and OD green.
All The Extras
First, let’s address the elephants in the room. One worry with offshore-made handguns is whether there’s a decent selection of holsters. This is a valid concern. What good is a self-defense handgun if you can’t comfortably carry it?
With the PX-9, that’s not an issue. It’ll fit holsters sized for the Springfield Armory XD. Incidentally, though not much to brag about, the Gen 2 comes with a polymer OWB paddle holster, and the Gen 3 comes with a polymer IWB holster. Another concern is the availability of extra magazines. There’s no worry here; PX-9s are designed to work with Sig Sauer P226 magazines.
PX-9 pistols are shipped with two 18-round Sig Sauer P226 magazines.
And finally, as with any out-of-country manufactured firearm, there’s the issue of parts and service. After all, you can’t just put a broken gun in the mail to Turkey. All Tisas-made firearms brought stateside by SDS Imports can be serviced at SDS Imports in Knoxville, Tennessee, because they have parts and qualified engineers on staff there. These engineers have spent time working with Tisas in Turkey where these guns are manufactured, so they know what they’re doing.
For example, the Gen 3 version of this pistol has a slide cut to accept a reflex sight. When I received the pistol for evaluation, I removed this plate, and when reinstalling it I broke the heads off the screws holding it in place. I called SDS Imports, explained the situation and a new slide was delivered to my door the next day. This is great customer service. I installed the new slide, took the pistol to the range and it ran perfectly.
The Gen 3 PX-9 comes standard with an optics-ready cut and plate. The cut will fit the Trijicon RMR.
Features & Design
These are duty-sized pistols that ship with two, 18-round magazines, but they’re not heavy. Unloaded weight is just shy of 25 ounces, which is just a few ounces heavier than a Glock 17.
The Gen 3 version is available in black, desert tan or green, and it comes standard with a fiber-optic front sight and a ledge-style rear sight. They’re fitted with an external extractor, have front and rear grasping grooves on the slide, and the frame has a four-slot accessory rail.
The trigger on the Gen 2 is curved, the trigger on the Gen 3 is straight, and both have the common passive trigger safety. Both can also be had with an ambidextrous manual thumb safety, and the magazine release can be positioned for left- or right-side activation. The PX9 also has visible and tactile, cocked-striker and loaded-chamber indicators.
The Gen 3 version of the PX-9 comes standard with a flat trigger. The Gen 2 has a trigger with a curved face.
One of the most appealing features is the modular grip. The backstrap and side panels are easily removed and can be replaced to perfectly fit this pistol to your hand. Each PX-9 is supplied with six grip panels and three backstraps.
Additionally, these guns are supplied with an extended and beveled, wide-mouth magazine well. It, too, is easy to install and not only helps with speed reloads, but if you have large hands, it also enhances the feel of the grip as well. Though you’d have to have two different-colored PX-9s like I do, you can swap the grip panels, backstraps and magazine wells of different colors to provide a little multicolor flare.
SDS Imports PX-9 Gen 2 and Gen 3 pistols are very reliable and very comfortable to shoot.
I found the PX-9 much more comfortable to shoot than a Glock 17; Glocks tend to uncomfortably impress on the first knuckle of the middle finger on my shooting hand. And I’d rate the PX-9 just as—if not more—comfortable to shoot than the Sig Sauer P320. Accuracy and precision were on par with what you’d expect from a duty-sized defensive handgun. With now close to 1,000 combined rounds out of the Gen 2 and Gen 3, I’ve yet to have a stoppage of any sort … and that’s with a wide range of munitions.
By partnering with Tisas in Turkey, SDS Imports is working to find the ultimate expression of the high-capacity, poly-framed, striker-fired pistol. This is the fifth Turkish-made handgun that’s imported by SDS Imports that I’ve spent a good bit of time with. And while I’m an American-made kind of guy, I’m also one who appreciates good stuff, regardless of where it comes from—especially when the price is right. It’s no small thing that you can pick up a brand-new PX-9 for less than $400!
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
A discussion on escalation of force and reasonable-use force when it comes to self-defense.
Most people remember the old childhood game called “Rock Paper Scissors.” To play this game, two or more people get together and, on the count of three, either show a fist (rock), a flat hand (paper) or a fist with two fingers extended (scissors). The rules of the game are simple: A rock can smash scissors, scissors can cut paper, and paper can cover rock. If you display one of the three and aren’t smashed, cut or covered by any others, you win.
Well, just a short 60 miles from my house, a real-life game of rock paper scissors took place—this time with a verbal threat, a can of pepper spray, a flare gun and a handgun. It went like this.
First, a man in a Fred Meyer store saw another man shoplifting. Instead of doing the prudent thing and simply alerting a store employee, he decided to take things under control by himself and confront the shoplifter. The shoplifter took exception and started threatening the do-gooder. The do-gooder decided he wouldn’t be threatened in this manner and pulled a can of pepper spray out of his pocket, spraying the shoplifter.
That should’ve ended the confrontation, but instead of crawling off into a cave, the shoplifter pulled out a flare gun and again threatened the do-gooder. At that time, believing he was now the victim of a serious threatened assault, he pulled a handgun, after which the shoplifter ran off to be arrested later for second degree assault. If this was caught on store surveillance cameras, it’d be fun to watch.
Escalation Of Force
And this story brings us to the theme of this month’s column: escalation of force and reasonable use force in self-defense.
Was it reasonable for the do-gooder to confront the shoplifter to begin with? In the state of Washington, a merchant can detain a suspected shoplifter, but not a private citizen—unless the value of the item in question is greater than $750—at which point it would be a felony, and the private citizen may use reasonable force to detain the individual and deliver him or her to a police officer. Only a merchant or one of his or her employees can make a citizen’s arrest for shoplifting if the value of the item is less than $750. For the purposes of this story, we’ll give the do-gooder the benefit of the doubt and place the value over $750.
But when the shoplifter started threatening the do-gooder (he was 17 years younger than the do-gooder), the do-gooder decided to pepper spray the shoplifter. Justified? Probably. And the do-gooder didn’t face any criminal charges from the pepper spraying act.
But we all know a flare gun trumps pepper spray. I also wonder why the pepper spray didn’t work better, because the shoplifter, after being sprayed, still had the physical wherewithal to decide to draw the small gun designed to shoot flares into the air. I don’t know about you, but I’d consider a flare gun capable of causing great bodily injury and even death.
In response to this escalation of force by the shoplifter, the do-gooder—who had a valid license to carry a concealed handgun—drew his lawfully concealed handgun and ended the confrontation. I’m not going to second guess the do-gooder, but perhaps I might’ve shot the guy at that time. Let’s pretend for a moment that did happen and the shoplifter died. The headlines would’ve reported, “Man killed for shoplifting.”
Would the do-gooder have been arrested? Well, it depends on the story the police heard when they arrived. If the do-gooder simply stated, “I want my attorney,” then likely yes, he would’ve been arrested. Hopefully, there were witnesses and the flare gun threat came to light. The police in that jurisdiction likely would’ve released him without charges, as most police in our area are very pro-armed citizen.
But what if there had been no flare gun? What if the shoplifter had simply been physically threatening the do-gooder? I’d predict a very long legal process for the do-gooder who, even while interdicting a crime in progress, would’ve used excessive force by shooting (or frankly, even drawing the handgun and threatening to shoot).
Be The ‘Reasonable Man’
Across the nation, the right to use force in self-defense is tempered by the necessity to only use the degree of force a reasonable and prudent person would use under the circumstances. Each use of force will be analyzed by the reasonable man doctrine.
What would a reasonable and prudent person have done under the same circumstances? And was the force used reasonable under the circumstances? That said, you don’t get to decide what’s reasonable—that’s the role of the jury.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the June 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
Well-known for its derringer-style handguns, it should come as no surprise the Texas concern has a new pocket pistol on the market. What should raise an eyebrow is what it comes chambered in: .45-70 Government. Yes, the hallowed buffalo-hunting cartridge is now available in a 28-ounce hammer-fired pistol Bond Arms has dubbed the Cyclops. The monocular moniker is due to the pistol only having room enough for one of the relatively elephantine straight-walled cartridges—compared to the two-round variations most think of with Bond derringers. The pistol is plenty demure, measuring in at a tick under 7 inches, with a 4.25-inch barrel. Bond has slapped on B6 resin grips and outfitted the pistol with a 7-pound trigger. If your arthritis isn’t already flaring with that description, never fear! Bond plans on releasing .44 Magnum, .454 Casull and .50 AE models in the near future. MSRP: $699
Ruger Super Wrangler
When it comes to sheer shooting pleasure, few things surpass a Single-Action Army revolver. Especially, Ruger’s selection of rimfire variations. Opening the door to more shooters enjoying the classic SAA, the mammoth firearms manufacturer has expanded its affordable Wrangler line with a versatile addition: the Super Wran-gler. Modeled after the company’s Single Six, the aluminum-framed wheelgun is capable of shooting both .22 LR and .22 Winchester Magnum at the flick of the cylin-der, yet it comes at a fraction of the price of the original it’s modeled after. For good measure, and to make certain it lives up to its “Super” modifier, Ruger has also included adjustable rear target sights and a 5.5-inch barrel. Quite a package for the price. MSRP: $329
SAR .357 Magnum SR Revolver
Perhaps best known for economical and pretty dang nice striker- and hammer-fired pistols, SAR USA has gone out of its wheelhouse this year. Yup, that means the Turkish concern has expanded to wheelguns with the introduction of its .357 Magnum SR revolver line. There’s a lot to like in what SAR brings to the table with DA/SA guns—including a competitive price. The gun is available with a 4- or 6-inch barrel, dashing black finish, steel alloy frame and comfortable ergonomics in its synthetic finger groove grips. The gun is on the hefty side at 47 ounces with the 6-inch barrel, and 41 ounces in the 4-inch version. This walks the line for most as a concealed carry piece, but the heft makes shooting the snappy magnum very manageable. MSRP: $549 4-inch barrel, $649 6-inch barrel
CRKT Michael Walker Momentum
A classy gun calls for a classy knife to partner with in its EDC duties. CRKT’s new Michael Walker line has this in spades. Christened the Momentum, the liner lock is based on Walker’s favorite custom creations and crafted to the highest standards. First off, they’re manufactured in Italy by renowned knifemaker LionSteel. Next, they’re the perfect blend of artistry and function—made with materials that not only look good, but perform. There are two versions available, one boasting Böhler M390 blade steel and teal titanium handled with a turquoise dragon scale pattern. The other sports a Rose Damasteel blade complemented by its more subdued dark gray titanium handle and white dragon scale inlay. MSRP: Bohler Blade $275, Damasteel Blade $500
Diamondback Birdshead Sidekick
Perhaps one of Diamondback’s more unique projects in recent years has been expanding into rimfire revolvers. Introduced in 2022, the Sidekick gave shooters an affordable .22 LR/.22 Magnum option in DA/SA wheelguns. The gunmaker struck a chord, because this year it expanded its Sidekick offering to include a petite bird-shead variation. The rounded grip offers more control shot-to-shot, as well as proving very comfortable in most shooters’ hands. Furthermore, Diamondback has shortened the barrel from the original iteration to 3 inches. For some, this might make the revolver an option for concealed carry. If not, it’ll still prove a load of fun at the range. MSRP: $327
Safariland SafariVault Duty Holster
Safariland has been the go-to manufacturer of duty holsters for years, and the company’s new SafariVault line is poised to bring the concept to the next level. With a re-engineered holster body, the line is arguably the strongest option on the market today—tested to withstand 300 pounds of pressure and rated from -50F to 150F. Furthermore, available up to Level IV retention, the hangers are all but imperious to a gun grab, featuring the company’s SLS (Self Locking System) and ALS (Automatic Locking System). Best of all, the holster is compatible with weapon lights, muzzle devices (thanks to its open-muzzle design) and red-dot sights (both open- and closed-emitter designs). If that’s not enough, the holsters also have a magnetic slide guide to aid with holstering, an auto-tension device to remove rattle and a more easily accessible ALS release mechanism. MSRP: Starting at $190
Crossbreed LDS 2.0 Ohai Modular Holster
On-body carry isn’t an option for everyone and might not be the best way for certain individuals. With this in mind, Crossbreed advances the ability to carry in a back-pack, purse or other tote with the introduction of its LDS 2.0 Ohai Modular Holster. The next generation of the original Ohai, the hanger features the tried-and-true Crossbreed leather and Kydex construction. However, the system includes a hook-and-loop backing, allowing it to integrate seamlessly into several off-the-body techniques. This doesn’t simply include luggage outfitted with backers, but options that affix under the desk, in a vehicle or in other handy places. Being modular, it is interchangeable between makes and models and compatible with a number of lights and laser sights. MSRP: $64.95
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
A closer look at CrossBreed Holsters and how the company strives to create the perfect symbiosis between Kydex and leather.
Many a great designer has created something from nothing. Still, some of the greatest produced great from the good. Such is the case for the late Mark Craighead, founder of CrossBreed Holsters.
In the early 2000s, Craighead tinkered and toiled with handgun holsters, trying to make something work for his shooting style. Leather had its qualities, but so did Kydex. Still, where one worked, the other failed.
So, after years of trying everyone else’s handgun holster ideas, he finally decided to create his own. And, when he did, he did it in about as American a way as there ever was: by taking a trip to Walmart and hijacking his wife’s kitchen to build the first of many hybrid leather-Kydex handgun holsters, maximizing leather’s comfort and durability with the durability and malleability of Kydex.
He made one. Then, his neighbor wanted one. Then, his friends wanted one. Next, he started selling his holsters on eBay, and the rest is, as they like to say, handgun-holster-making history with Mark founding CrossBreed Holsters LLC in 2005.
Holsters, With Purpose
According to his wife, Carol, Mark was often asked about the name CrossBreed Holsters. “He was not ashamed to answer that,” she said. “Although there is some reference to the hybrid holster designs he created, the larger meaning behind his company’s name references the Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross that was made for all mankind.”
On Aug 24, 2012, Mark died unexpectedly. However, long before he left us, he did two things that would virtually guarantee his legacy would live on: He married Carol and founded CrossBreed Holsters.
“My late husband, Mark, founded the business back in 2005 in our kitchen after searching tirelessly to find the perfect holster,” Carol said. “After countless hours of research and adjustments, he finalized the design of our flagship holster, the SuperTuck. Upon Mark’s untimely passing, I had a decision to make: either sell the business that Mark had started, or put all of my energy into making it into the most successful holster company I could. After years of struggles and hardships, I can say that I’m proud of what this company has become.”
Since Mark’s passing, Carol and her family of employees who call CrossBreed Holsters their home have rallied to keep Mark’s dream of making a better handgun holster alive. CrossBreed Holsters, once a company that started in a home, is now a household name in the firearms industry.
Carol has never stopped supporting Mark’s dream.
Mark Craighead, founder of CrossBreed holsters, died on August 24, 2012. At the age of 43, he touched many lives with the success of his business and, in his own way, carried the cross for many of his friends and family.
“Mark was always an incredible advocate of the Second Amendment and personal protection in general,” Carol said. “Between growing up with a father in law enforcement and his time in the military, Mark understood the importance of firearms. Mark instilled that in not only his children but also in me, constantly taking time out of his busy schedule to take us to the range. When Mark passed, I took it upon myself to continue his legacy of support for the Second Amendment and firearm ownership through the business and my journey. Spending time helping others learn the importance of firearm ownership has become a part of my everyday life.”
Still, loyalty and love aren’t enough to keep a business running. Carol learned, adjusted and grew to keep CrossBreed Holsters successful. “With Mark’s untimely passing, I was thrust into something that I had little experience in, which put me in a position of relying on those around me,” Carol said. “Becoming a leader meant not just P&Ls and sales reports, but it meant becoming a trusted ear, a shoulder to cry on and being honest with people even when it was hard to hear.”
Carol hasn’t let Mark or CrossBreed’s global community of handgun holster owners down then or now, and she will be the first one to tell you she couldn’t have done it on her own.
“Mark was the greatest influence I have had coming into the firearms industry,” Carol said. “His passion for the company, his employees and the industry are where I learned how to give as well. I am blessed with several long-term employees. I could not and would not be here without them. Last is the vast amount of people in the industry who, like so many others, have not only mentored me but also have become dear friends.”
CrossBreed Holsters prides itself on reliability, noting that all IWB and OWB must fit comfortably without feeling overly bulky, or putting too much pressure on the body.
CrossBreed Vs. Covid
The past few years have proven especially challenging for Carol and her team at CrossBreed Holsters. While the demand for handgun holsters has skyrocketed, the supplies and logistics necessary to keep up with the handgun ownership surge have plummeted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Carol noted that other external influences such as politics, labor costs, manufacturing skills and ever-evolving technologies took their toll on the firearms industry, including CrossBreed Holsters. “All of the listed items have had profound impacts on not only our business but all businesses,” Carol said. “Politics can make or break your year in the firearms industry and is incredibly difficult to plan. COVID-19 has continued to plague manufacturers with increased material costs, increased labor costs and the difficulties of navigating how to keep your employees safe.”
Still, Carol knows what CrossBreed Holsters needs to do to remain successful. “Our goals at CrossBreed remain the same now as they have from the beginning: take care of our customers, take care of our employees and make the finest concealed carry holsters on the market,” she said.
What Carol sees as her company’s strength and most significant area of focus is also where she sees some others fail catastrophically. “The biggest mistake I see other companies make is losing sight of their customers,” Carol said. “When you forget the people that have supported you through the years, you are doomed to fail. We have tried to focus on adjusting our procedures to allow us to continue to produce the highest quality products while absorbing as much of the increased expenses as possible.”
Now, Carol and the CrossBreed Holsters family of employees wants customers to know what they’re getting when they buy from CrossBreed, which now offers a wide variety of handgun holsters and firearms accessories. “We want our customers to feel confident that when they buy a CrossBreed Holster that they are buying a holster designed to be with them for a lifetime,” Carol said. “We want our customers to have confidence in knowing that we are always here with industry-leading customer service and have the utmost confidence in knowing that they have chosen a top-quality holster.”
Since Mark’s passing, CrossBreed has held fast to continuing the quality of holster and culture of company that he created.
Looking forward, Carol sees a promising future for the CrossBreed Holster family. “We are going to become a family of brands dedicated to producing products not only in the firearms industry but adjacent markets as well,” she said. “By focusing on what’s important and empowering my employees, I have incredible confidence that we will be successful in all our goals.”
Shooting suppressed is a daunting proposition, which is why many interested parties shy away from getting a handle on their gun’s report. Initially, it’s the intimate relationship via paperwork you kindle with the Federal Government, suppressors being an NFA device, that turn off potential buyers. Then it’s the cost. Cans themselves run a pretty penny, on top of that Uncle Sam takes his cut (again, thanks NFA).
It all seems a bit much, even for those highly motivated to protect their hearing or maintain the peace while on the hunt. Luckily, there is a fairly cost-effective way to test the waters, to see if suppressors are your bag. Rimfire, in particular, .22 suppressor options abound and are generally quite a bit more affordable than their centerfire cousins. Besides, given the effectiveness of the small-bore cans, few calibers are more fun to suppress. A good suppressor, you almost get into tranquil territory with a .22.
Finding The Best .22 Suppressor
Inevitably the question is raised, what makes a good suppressor? Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer, given – like guns themselves – it's highly subjective. It comes down to what you want out of a can. For some, that means the utmost suppression, no matter a device’s size. Others, it’s noise reduction enough to cut it, without interfering with the manageability of a firearm.
In general, some common considerations should be taken into account to ensure you get what you want, including:
Cost: Given you’ll have a steep tax bill in addition to costs, be certain you can afford what you want.
Suppression: Noise reduction is the whole reason why you’re making the investment.
Durability: It’s not worth the money if it poops out on you after a few hundred rounds.
Maintenance: Rimfires are dirty, you want something that cleans up easily.
Manageable: You want something that isn’t going to put the operation of your gun completely out of whack.
Ultimately, you’ll have to decide what the tradeoffs are when making your final decision. But hopefully, we can clear the air a bit on what the top options are today. Built rock solid, able to make a report nearly non-existent and generally in most shooters price range, these rimfire and .22 suppressor options are among the best. And, perhaps, one is the right choice for you.
.22 Suppressor Options
ODIN Works NAV 22
Modularity, it’s been a boon for both pistols and rifles, why wouldn’t the same hold true for quietmakers? ODIN Works sees it this way, so for its very first venture into the .22 suppressor market whipped up a can equally quiet and versatile. Tubeless, the six-baffle Nav 22 ranges in size from 6.5 to less than 2 inches, conforming to any circumstances you might encounter. Not to mention, it’s a snap to clean as well.
Full-sized, the Nav 22 is no slouch in putting a lid on your rimfire, reducing a .22 LR rifle to around 113 dB and a pistol to 119 dB. As you might well imagine, the fewer baffles, the less suppression, but you gain a more nimbleness in your gun if that’s your goal. Though, full strength it’s not as if the can bogs you down, with the aircraft-grade aluminum/stainless steel suppressor tipping the scales at a mere 4 ounces. Knock it down to size, the Nav 22 is only 2.3 ounces.
Mercifully, ODIN Works has included ample wrench real estate on the end cap to get the suppressor on and off your gun. As expected, it has a standard ½-28 tread pattern, making the can compatible with nearly any rimfire. Additionally, the Nav 22 is available in two colors—sand and black—if matching the finish of your gun is a must.
ODIN Works NAV 22 Weight: 4 oz fully assembled, 2.3 oz smallest configuration Length: 6.5″ fully assembled Diameter: 1.5″ Mount: 1/2-28 TPI Materials: Stainless Steel & Aluminum MSRP: $349
Rex Silentium MG22 Extreme Duty
Face it, for all their benefits, suppressors aren’t the cheapest firearms accessories to get into. Unit cost is just the tip of the iceberg, the dreaded tax stamp—a steady $200—is also part of the equation. Given that’s not changing any time soon, an affordable can is well worth a look—especially if you’re dipping your toe into the muzzle device for the first time.
Rex Silentium delivers on this its relatively affordable MG22 Extreme Duty Suppressor. If the .22 suppressor’s daily economical price isn’t enough, well it’s modular too. Honestly, it’s a great deal, particularly since it stands its ground—fully configurable—with most other options on the market. You can expect the suppressor to knock down a rifle to around 116 dB, which is right on the money.
In all, you can set up the Extreme Duty in 9 lengths, tuning it to both the weight and suppression needs for a particular task. To boot, the can is constructed of hardened stainless steel, bringing a measure of durability to the package. Heck, Rex Silentium boasts you don't have to clean it–an offer most rimfire shooters should take a pass on.
Rex Silentium MG22 Extreme Duty Weight: 17 oz fully assembled Length: 6.5 inches fully assembled, each baffle is approximately 0.47″ inch Diameter: N/A Mount: 1/2-28 TPI Materials: Stainless Steel MSRP: $390
HUXWRX RAD 22
Sometimes it's worth sticking to the tried-and-true; on other occasions, it pays off to break from the herd. HUXWRX has gone the latter route with its newest .22 suppressor—the RAD 22. The company has wandered from the norm with its baffle design, which is uniquely contoured to more efficiently reduce noise. How what the company calls “Flow Baffles” do so is a radial groove on the exterior of the components that push expanding gases away from the bore line and the shooter. It does a solid job, cutting down standard .22 ammo report to the 115-119 dB range, depending on barrel length. As an added benefit, the RAD 22 tends to stay a bit cleaner than many other options.
A rugged option, the RAD 22 is fully-auto rated and boasts a titanium tube and 17-4 heat-treated stainless steel baffles. It’s also fairly slim, measuring 1.08-inch in diameter and only adds 5.6-inches of length to a firearm. A down point, it is a tad heavy for its class, tipping the scales at 6.3 ounces. But for what the unit offer that’s not a deal-breaker.
It’s nice to have options. The Q Erector gives you plenty of them. A modular and tubeless suppressor, the device gives you nearly endless configurations to match your application. Need a little something to take the edge off your pistol, slap on one baffle. Stealthiness at a premium out hunting, go the whole hog and screw together the entire stack. The sky—and the 10 baffles—are the limit.
Simple as it is versatile, the Erector comes apart easily for maintenance and modification on the fly. Given it’s tubeless, you also don’t have a ton of parts to deal with. Outside baffles, you only have to keep track of end caps, which streamlines things considerably.
Fully assembled, the Erector is an afterthought, weighing in at 2.6 ounces. You heard that right. Much of this is thanks to the ample use of aluminum; only the blast baffle is stainless steel. Flexible and effective, Q has come up among the most versatile rimfire suppressors around.
Thunder Beast’s 22S-1 was a solid can, but posed its problems. In particular, it was sealed, which made the suppressor a regular pain in the neck to clean. And rest assured, all .22 suppressors need cleaning. Thankfully, the company has resolved this issue with its Model 22 Take Down suppressor.
As its name suggests, it’s user-serviceable, allowing you to disassemble the entire baffle stack to get every smug of carbon out. At the same tick, it produces the ear-pleasing results of its predecessor, knocking most .22’s reports down around the 115 dB neighborhood. Plenty good enough to keep your hearing healthy, especially with a layer of protection.
Solidly built from titanium and stainless steel, and Cerakote finished, the fully-auto rated device is more than ready for field-level abuse. It’s also unobtrusive, at 5.9 ounces, 5.6 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter. Best of all, the Model 22 Take Down falls on the affordable side of rimfire suppressors, making it an excellent choice for newbies or the budget-conscious.
Thunder Beast Model 22 Take Down Weight: 5.9oz Length: 5.6″ Diameter: 1.0″ Finish: High Temperature Cerakote Mount: 1/2-28 TPI Materials: Stainless Steel & Titanium MSRP: $425
Tactical Innovations TAC65
Long in the tooth, the TAC65 continues to wow shooters with its price point and performance. Economical compared to other .22 suppressors, the device does not skimp when it comes to noise reduction, functionality and ease of maintenance. To the meat and potatoes of the six two-stage K baffle suppressor, it cuts the report of a .22LR an average of 38.5dB. In most cases, this means both pistol and rifle noise is reduced to the level where, with hearing protection, it’s nearly unnoticeable.
Slime and light, the aluminum suppressor is nearly unobtrusive on most firearms. This is a bit of an overstatement – of course, you’ll know there’s a 5-inch tube protruding from the muzzle of your gun. Yet, at 4.1 ounces it does little to tip even compact .22s out of balance. Furthermore, its 1.085-inch diameter, it’s low enough most guns’ factory sights remain usable. Completely user-serviceable, the TAC65 can go years and hundreds of rounds before it requires factory support.
Nothing less than a top performance is expected with an Advanced Armaments Corp. can, and the Halcyon doesn’t fall short. Built to brick outhouse specs, the device is full-auto rated for .22 LR, and in semi-auto can handle hard-hitting .17HMR, .22 Mag and 5.7x28mm as well.
Much of the magic is in the suppressor’s materials. A titanium tube and shielded titatnium K baffles not only make the Halcyon impervious to rough handling, but also do a heck of a job on a gun’s report. On average, expect around 42dB of noise reduction – among the top performers on this list.
Despite heftier construction, AAC still cooked up a very manageable .22 suppressor, made even better by its modularity. The unit is capable of being used in either full or compact configurations, weighing either 4.5 ounces or 6.4 ounces, respectively. It has a 1-inch diameter tube and a length of either 3.41 or 5.8 inches.
Simple and quiet, who can argue with that? Not most .22 shooters who turn to SilencerCo’s expert design and nearly flawless manufacturing of the Sparrow suppressor. Constructed of stainless steel, the rugged rimfire can is a jack-of-all-trades, reducing the sound signature of every small fry – rimfire or otherwise. Rated up to FN 5.7x28mm, the suppressor can knock down a .22LR’s report to a relatively inconspicuous 112dB.
The 5-inch long Sparrow cuts a low profile, only a little over an inch in diameter. In turn, the .22 suppressor is a mount-and-shoot affair for most guns, not requiring high-rise sights to get on target. Slim as it is, the can trails its compatriots in one respect – weight. At 6.6 ounces, it is among the heavier options out there – a price is paid for sturdy materials. Yet, once mounted and a shooter acclimated, it shouldn’t prove overwhelming.
Easy to maintain, the Sparrow is a bit different than other .22 option. A monolithic core is reached by separating two half-tubes. Different and requiring some study, nevertheless it’s not the riddle of the Sphinx.
The Mask isn’t exactly a budget .22 suppressor. Yet, for the engineering and materials in the can you’d expect to pay twice the price. Optimized baffles, titanium, stainless steel, Dead Air Armament went the whole nine yards to produce arguably one of the best high-performance values out there.
While there are many intriguing points, the most eye-catching is the suppressor's efficient K-baffle design. Called a “compressed-K” configuration, the stack is designed to keep all fouling – carbon and otherwise – in the eight baffles themselves. Anyone who’s broken down a rimfire suppressor already knows the advantage, cutting down routine maintenance to a fraction of the time of comparable options. The heavy-duty materials also do a number on a gun’s report, toning it down to around 115dB, depending on the round fired.
Again, stainless steel baffles mean the Mask tips the scales a bit more than some, weighing in at 6.6 ounces. However, at 5.1 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter, it is slender and dexterous. As far as high-end rimfire suppressors go, the Mask hushes up most of its competition.
A relatively new player in suppressors, SIG Sauer nonetheless has already left its mark on the market. Case in point, the SRD22X. The multi-caliber suppressor is made field tough and makes the likes of .22LR spooky quite.
A titanium tube and stainless steel baffles are at the heart of the matter. In addition to standing up to the most rigorous use, the combination of materials can quiet most .22 rounds down to 110dB. That’s tranquil in terms of gunfire.
Despite the denser baffle material, the SRD22X remains relatively light, right around 5 ounces. This is due to SIG milling the stack extraordinarily thin to remove excess material. A sealed M baffle design, the stack catch much of the muck that comes out of the end of a rimfire, making clean up a cinch. A hair longer than many .22 suppressor options – 5.8 inches – the device is still slim and won’t interfere with a sighting system – pistol or rifle. At the expensive end, the SRD22X more than gives you your money’s worth.
A review of the Bradshaw BRSS, a rifle that offers a new twist on the bespoke Hoenig rotary action.
When walking the aisles of the Dallas Safari Club Convention, I always enjoy seeing the handiwork of those bespoke rifle makers and smaller rifle shops. While SHOT Show has a huge selection of firearms, ranging from airguns to the latest high-tech black rifles, the DSC Convention is geared more toward hunters. If you want to hold the finest double rifle or a rifle made specifically for the most rugged terrain on earth, it’ll be at DSC.
Bradshaw Gun & Rifle is renowned for rising-block single-shot and double rifles, as well as the side lever falling-block designs. But after catching up a bit, I spied a unique rifle among Bradshaw’s better-known stuff, one with a perfectly round receiver; I was immediately intrigued. “This is my take on the Hoenig-style rifle, but this one is a single-shot,” he said.
The Bradshaw BRSS single-shot is a unique rotary action, based on the Hoenig double-barrel rifle. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
What Bradshaw handed me was one of the lightest and most well-balanced stalking rifles I’ve ever handled. With its cylindrical action, the BRSS sits so comfortably in the hand when carried that it hardly feels like a firearm. There are no squared metal edges on the receiver, and the way Bradshaw has stocked the rifle, the weight belies the length of the gun.
I politely asked Bradshaw if he’d send one out for review, as I was drooling at the thought of spending some time with this rifle. Bradshaw obliged, sending out a handsomely adorned example, chambered in 7x57R, a perfect all-around choice for a single-shot.
Twist and shout! The Bradshaw BRSS action is opened by rotating the butt 90 degrees to the left, and then pulling rearward. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
I Thought ‘Rotary’ Was A Telephone
In order to safely seal the breech of a centerfire rifle and still successfully handle the pressures generated during the firing of the cartridge, several different methods have been employed over the past 150 years. For many of the single-shot designs, a break-action with a locking lever is common, as is the very strong falling block, which uses a lever to raise and lower a large block of steel to seal the breech. For repeating rifles like the common bolt-action (or “turnbolt,” as it’s called across the pond), a strong steel bolt with extended lugs is run into a raceway and turned at 50 to 90 degrees, locking the bolt closed.
The rotary action—slightly oval in cross-section—used in the Bradshaw BRSS is, upon examination, a sort of enlarged version of the bolt-action theory. Simply put, the rifle comes in two parts, with the butt end having what you could consider functioning as the bolt face, and the forend having the receiver and extractor. With the butt rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, a hinged, protruding “key” on the butt end is inserted into a cutout in the face of the forend, and the entire butt is pushed forward until the lugs of the rear slide into the raceways of the fore. Once inserted, the butt portion is then rotated 90 degrees clockwise, locking the action.
Photo: Massaro Media Group.
After the rifle has been fired, the butt is again rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise and pulled slightly rearward to open the action. The hinge in the key allows the open action to be tilted just enough to remove the spent case (or cartridge in the case of unloading). The breech face and keyed arm has a cocking cam that pushes the striker into cocked position when the action is opened. The BRSS has small lug in the key that pulls the extractor rearward, so the cartridge/case may be removed by hand, as there is no ejector. The firearm has a small top lever that functions as the safety; when swung to the left, the rifle is on safe, and when swung to the right, it may be fired.
Built For The Stalk
The concept of a single-shot rifle evokes a different mindset. Though I firmly believe making the first shot count with any rifle is paramount, when you carry a single-shot … it seems to change the game a bit.
With a single-shot rifle, there is no magazine to add length to the gun, so the overall package can and will be both shorter and lighter. Combine that fact with the slim and sleek barrel contour Bradshaw has chosen for the 7x57R—I measured the barrel diameter at 0.622 inch at the midpoint and 0.520 inch at the muzzle—and the lack of weight should be readily apparent.
But, in addition to slender metalwork, Bradshaw stocked the rifle perfectly. This is no corpulent, cookie-cutter stock design that betrays the scheme of the barreled action. No, this is a svelte stock design with a splinter forend, a rear stock featuring a thin, open wrist, shadow-line cheekpiece and a 14½-inch length-of-pull that fits me perfectly. Bradshaw has balanced the lightweight barreled action with a stock that gives only what the shooter needs—and not a toothpick’s worth of wood more. It’s very refreshing to find a gunmaker who knows what to take off a stock, rather than leaving too much.
Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The butt culminates in a classic red recoil pad, fitted properly to the figured walnut stock. And what a figure it has! It’s the type of stock that you could stare at for hours, getting lost in the figure and three-dimensional aspects of the premium walnut. Checkered exquisitely fore and aft with classy lines and angles, Bradshaw has a stock worthy of note. There’s a round rear sling swivel stud on the rear stock, and a barrel band sling swivel stud just ahead of the forend tip.
The BRSS is equipped with iron sights—a fine brass bead front sight and a 140-degree-wide V rear sight—in addition to offering the option for a scope. The rear portion of the rear sight island serves as one of the scope ring bases, and a second is affixed atop of the forward portion of the cylindrical action, keeping the scope on the front half of the rifle. Bradshaw installed Talley bases so the rifle could be scoped.
How It Came To Be
I asked Bradshaw for the story of the development of his unique twist on an already unique design, and he gladly obliged:
“The story really starts with a string of failures … struggling for over five years with designing and manufacturing falling block double rifles,” Bradshaw said. “I lost count of how many versions I designed and tested, but it was more than I care to recall. The end result was an over-complicated, bulky and ‘not-so-fun-to-manufacture’ action. I made several serviceable falling block doubles, but they were never the rifle I had envisioned as my ideal.
The cylindrical action—actually slightly oval in cross-section—carries wonderfully in the hand and is surely visually appealing. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
“I came across Ron Spomer’s article on the Hoenig rotary action and immediately searched Google Patents to get an understanding of how the action works,” added Bradshaw. “This all took place in 2016 and 2017. I noticed Mr. Hoenig’s patent expired in 2015 and decided I would like to try to build a rotary action for my own use—but as single shot and not a double rifle, as Mr. Hoenig typically made. I set about turning an action on my lathe, and an idea hit me: What George Hoenig did by condensing a bolt action into his rotary action, I could do with turning a falling block into my rising-block action. Two weeks later, I had a prototype rising-block single-shot action. The next four years were devoted to perfecting and marketing my rising-block singles and double rifles.”
“Fast-forward to the fall of 2020, and the acquisition of a CNC lathe,” continued Bradshaw. “I decided to revisit the rotary actions. I started with building a prototype SXS rotary action, which I didn’t care for. It was a little bulky for my taste and cumbersome to reload compared to my rising-block doubles. Focusing on the rotary action single-shots, they developed into something I very much enjoy. I carried and hunted with the prototype chambered in 7x65R for two years. Many hogs and coyotes have been taken with the rifle, but its shining attribute is how easily it carries in the field, and how easily it breaks down for travel. The action being oval instead of completely round sets the single-shot version apart, in my opinion.”
The BRSS comes in a tasty case with compartments to hold the rifle’s parts when disassembled, as well as a riflescope. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
“I did change a couple of features from Mr. Hoenig’s original design,” admitted Bradshaw. “The first is the safety, which isn’t a drastic departure. Though it operates in a similar fashion to the original design, I just changed it from a horizontal arrangement to vertical. The second change was to the link that connects the rotating breech to the barrel ring. Mr. Hoenig designed the link with a spring-loaded latch. With the action open, pulling the extractor out from the extracted position disengages the link latch, allowing the receiver and barrels to be separated. It was one more part to make, fit, time and tune. I went with a more simplified ‘keyed dowel’ arrangement that requires less work to manufacture, yet it offers every bit of the function and simplicity of the overall design. I also changed the length of the hinge of the rotating breech and link, providing a stop to limit how much the action gaps open for extracting and reloading.”
“My design philosophy is to build actions as simple as possible, with an absolute economy of parts, and to build those parts very robustly to ensure strength and longevity,” said Bradshaw. “I also put a huge emphasis on building sleek, low profile, good handling and shootable rifles. The rotary action, and my rising-block actions, both fit all of the above criteria. It’s a good place to be as a designer and manufacturer.”
Mr. Bradshaw, I couldn’t agree more.
A Classic Cartridge
The 7×57 Mauser hearkens back to the 19th century, being developed by Peter Paul Mauser in 1892 and adopted as Spain’s military cartridge in 1893. It would be this cartridge in the Spanish-American War that’d serve as the inspiration for the U.S. Army to ultimately develop the .30-06 Springfield. Like so many cartridges of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the rimless cartridges were offered in a rimmed variant for single and double rifles; the 7x57mm Mauser was no exception.
The 7x57R is no more and no less than a rimmed variant of the time-tested 7×57 Mauser, fully capable of filling the all-around hunting role. These 173-grain slugs printed three-shot groups measuring 1.2 inches and cut neat little paper-punch holes in the target. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Dubbed the 7x57R (R for rimmed), it’s identical in dimension and performance to the rimless variety, except for the base and rim. While nowhere near as popular as the rimless version, it remains a sound choice for all-around hunting. For test ammo, I used Sellier & Bellot’s 173-grain load, at a muzzle velocity of 2,379 fps. The late 19th century formula of heavy-for-caliber bullets at a moderate muzzle velocity worked just fine then, and it will do the same in the early 21st century. Boxer primed, these cartridges are fully reloadable.
Home On The Range
To test the accuracy of this lightweight wonder, I mounted a Leupold VX-6HD 1-6x24mm scope in Talley 30mm rings, and I set up the 100-yard target. The first thing I noted was the smooth trigger pull (according to my Lyman digital trigger scale, it broke consistently at 3 pounds, 4 ounces) with just a bit of creep and almost no overtravel. Recoil was more than manageable.
At the bench, the lightweight BRSS exhibited a fair amount of muzzle jump, but the recoil of the 7x57R was more than manageable. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
As you might expect with a rifle that tips the scales at 5 pounds, 11 ounces—unscoped—and with a pencil-thin barrel, there was an appreciable amount of muzzle jump. While my first thought was that getting back on target quickly might be an issue, that thought faded when I realized I had to bring the rifle off my shoulder to reload it anyway, so that was no issue.
Because of the thin barrel—which heats up quickly—I limited groups to three shots, and the Bradshaw BRSS consistently put three of those 173-grain slugs into a group measuring 1.2 inches (again, on that 100-yard target). I’m certain that this rifle would benefit from a custom handload, but for a factory load, that’s plenty accurate enough for hunting purposes.
The Wrap
There’s a demand for heirloom-quality rifles—and looking for such a rifle made in the USA is a daunting task. The Bradshaw BRSS fits the bill perfectly; it’s a gentleman’s rifle, worthy of passing on to your children and built to last several lifetimes. This is no cookie-cutter rifle, and it will assuredly stand out in the crowd.
Bradshaw spared no expense on the rifle I tested, save gold inlays; the color case hardening, scroll engraving, hand-cut checkering and fine stock lines all scream “bespoke rifle.” This gun starts at $7,500; in the configuration pictured here in this article, it’s $9,500. I can only imagine the amount of time it takes one pair of hands to complete this rifle—you’re getting a functional piece of art, so keep that in mind when considering the price.
The test rifle had an amazing piece of walnut, hand-worked to the point where I’d get lost just looking at it. The rifle has balance, handsome lines and exudes craftsmanship. The action, which may seem foreign at first, quickly becomes natural. I can only imagine how pleasant it would be to carry this lightweight rifle in the African heat when on the tracks of eland or kudu. The compact design would be right at home in a leopard blind—where you only get one shot—or when sitting on a bear bait. Though I might have concerns about scratching it up in the deer woods, I can’t imagine a nicer choice for still hunting whitetails.
The Bradshaw BRSS offers an extractor, but not an ejector. Since it’s only offered in rimmed cartridges, it’s no problem to take a spent case from the chamber. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Bradshaw offers the BRSS in any rimmed cartridge, from .22 Hornet to 9.3x74R, so there are plenty of excellent options. I wonder what a .300 H&H Flanged might feel like in this gun, and if you wanted something completely unique, you could inquire about the possibility of a .350 Rigby No. 2 or a .333 Jeffery Flanged. Bespoke is, after all, bespoke.
I truly enjoyed my time with the Bradshaw BRSS and was saddened to see it head back to Bradshaw’s shop. Maybe one day I’ll have one of my own, but for now, you and I both can feed our daydreams at BradshawGunAndRifle.com.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Trijicon has just announced two new pistol red dot sights, the RCR and the RMR HD.
Despite being a frontrunner in the pistol red dot market, Trijicon doesn’t release new models all that often. So, when the company does have something to unveil, it’s all the more exciting. That’s twice as true today as Trijicon has just announced two new pistol red dots, the RCR and the RMR HD.
Trijicon RCR.
The RCR, or Ruggedized Closed Reflex, is a closed emitter optic that mounts via Trijicon’s RMR footprint. Designed to be durable enough for serious military and law enforcement use, the RCR is built using 7075-T6 aluminum and is waterproof to 66 feet. It features 10 brightness settings (three for night vision and one “super bright”), has a 3.25-MOA red dot and should be able to co-witness any iron sights that are compatible with the original RMR.
A final feature worth mentioning, and one that Trijicon fans have been requesting for a while, is a top-load battery compartment. With it, there’s no need to re-zero the optic after changing its CR2032 battery, although Trijicon says that the RCR can run continuously for six years at brightness setting 5. MSRP is $849.
Trijicon RMR HD.
While it has the same footprint and general profile as the original RMR, the most apparent change present on the RMR HD is its larger window. This will make it easier to find the dot when presenting the pistol and allows for a better view of one’s target. It also features 9 brightness settings (three for night vision and one “super bright”), and they can either be selected manually or automatically by the optic’s light sensor.
As for the reticle, there are two models available, one featuring a 3.5-MOA dot and the other with a 1-MOA dot. Regardless of which you choose, both can also toggle between a dot-only reticle and a 55-MOA segmented circle/dot reticle. The RMR HD now features a top-load battery as well, and Trijicon says that its CR2032 battery can power it continuously for over three years at brightness setting 5. MSRP is also $849 for both variants.
Primary Arms Optics has just announced a new red dot and two new riflescopes as a part of its Odyssey Part 2 event.
Primary Arms Optics launched this year’s new products as a part of its Odyssey 2023 event, but the company has just announced Odyssey 2023 Part 2 to mark the release of three more optic models. The new lineup includes a red dot sight as well as two rifle scopes.
The first new Primary Arms rifle scope is a second-generation version of the SLx 3-18x50mm FFP. Compared to the original model of the popular scope, the SLx 3-18x50mm FFP Gen 2 features improved clarity, definition and general optical performance. The turrets have been upgraded as well, and the scope will be available with either the ACSS Athena BPR MIL, ACSS Apollo 6.5CM or ACSS Apollo .308 reticle. The SLx 3-18x50mm FFP is available for pre-order now, will be available in October and has an MSRP of $499.99.
SLx 3-18x50mm FFP Gen 2.
The second optic in the Odyssey Part 2 lineup is just a new color option for the popular PLx 1-8x24mm FFP Compact Rifle Scope. A best-seller for Primary Arms since it launched in 2022, this small and versatile LPVO is now available with an FDE finish. The new version is available now in limited numbers, is offered with either an ACSS Raptor M8 Yards or an ACSS Griffin MIL M8 reticle and has an MSRP of $1,499.99.
PLx 1-8x24mm FFP Compact Rifle Scope.
Optic number three is the Classic Series RD-25 red dot, and Primary Arms says that it was designed to be rugged, reliable and affordable. While nothing fancy, if Primary Arms’ claims hold, it seems to be a solid optic for its price of $129.99. Available now, the Classic Series RD-25 features a 25mm aperture, a 3-MOA dot reticle and it comes with a QD mount.
Some issues and fixes for when it comes to dealing with the bearing surface of today’s longer bullets.
There’s a marked change in progress in the rifle bullet industry, and one that’s not going away. Our bullets are growing longer, ogives are flattening out, and the notable shift away from lead-core designs has our traditional bullet weights growing in length. The higher ballistic coefficient of the longer bullet is so important to long-range shooters that entire families of cartridges have been designed around the bullet instead of vice versa.
For the reloader, all of this can pose some issues, in both the practical application of these bullets as well as the choice of bullet weight/type for your given cartridge. The bearing surface of these longer bullets can often generate problems and challenges for the reloader, so let’s look at some issues and some fixes when it comes to loading the longer bullets.
Our modern bullets are growing longer, and nothing can stop them. As reloaders, we must adapt. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The Long Game
My first experience with longer bullets and bearing surface came with the first iteration of the Barnes X bullets. I loved the concept—the idea of monometal construction with no different parts to separate—but the bullets simply didn’t group well in any of my rifles, and the copper fouling was hellacious. The load data I was using wasn’t working out either, and I couldn’t figure out why.
I felt some relief knowing it wasn’t just me, because Barnes introduced the TSX, or Triple Shock X bullet. The revised bullet has three grooves cut into the shank in order to reduce bearing surface; consequently, this also reduces pressure and copper fouling. In addition to radically improving the accuracy of the Barnes line—and restoring my faith in the product—the pressures generated dropped significantly, and the load data changed accordingly. I’ve found that the monometal bullets of the last decade or so actually perform better with powders on the faster side of the range for a particular cartridge, which bring the pressures back up for a more consistent velocity.
California has passed laws prohibiting the use of lead and lead-core bullets in the hunting fields, so the use of copper/copper alloy projectiles is required, and that has certainly had an effect on the market’s use of that style of bullet. In fact, nearly all of the major bullet manufacturers offer a lead-free projectile in their lineup, with more models popping up each year.
Looking at the pleasures and pitfalls of the monometals, you’ll find that the lighter material results in a longer bullet when compared to the lead-core counterparts. This moves the center of gravity rearward and can compromise bullet stability in certain instances. Where the majority of the 6.5mm cartridges work wonderfully with a 140-grain lead core spitzer bullet and a round-nose 160-grain lead-core bullet, the most common twist rates won’t stabilize a 140-grain copper alloy spitzer bullet; hence, the popularity of the 129- and 130-grain monometal designs in that caliber.
Generally speaking, with the common twist rates, the heaviest bullet weights for a given caliber won’t be stabilized if that projectile is lead-free. But that’s alright, because the terminal performance is usually such that the hunter can actually drop down in weight without being overly concerned.
For example, a 180-grain bullet has long been the common choice for the various .300 Magnums, but you can surely see similar terminal performance from a monometal 165-grain choice. The 130-grain 6.5mm bullet doesn’t give up an awful lot in comparison to a lead-core 140-grain slug, and a 250- or 270-grain monometal bullet in a .375 H&H or .375 Ruger has no flies on it.
Profiles And Data
Modern lead-core bullets designed for long-range hunting can have radically different profiles in comparison to the flat-based spitzer bullets, and they might require a different set of load data. For example, if you were to compare a 200-grain Nosler Partition and a 200-grain Federal Terminal Ascent, you’ll see that the classic Partition design has much more bearing surface than the sleek Terminal Ascent with its longer ogive and boat-tail. A specific data set should be used for each bullet, as the Partition will most likely reach its pressure peak at a lower charge rate than the Terminal Ascent.
Hornady’s ELD-X and ELD Match, Federal’s Terminal Ascent, Berger VLD and Hybrid bullets, Sierra MatchKings and Tipped MatchKings are all examples of bullets with a unique bearing surface when compared to traditionally shaped projectiles. Many reloading manuals will include separate data for this type of bullet, though they’re sometimes lumped together by weight.
The 205-grain .30-caliber Berger Elite Hunter has a long, sleek ogive; in the .300 Winchester Magnum, the reloader might have to address the cartridge overall length. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
I’ve also found that the true accuracy potential of these higher B.C. bullets may not be realized at 100 yards, where so many of us reloaders do our accuracy testing. They require a bit of time to “settle down,” and when you measure group sizes in MOA, the 300-yard target may tell a different tale than does the 100-yard target. I’ll also say that those bullets with the severe boat-tail are happier with consistent velocity figures and are prone to be affected by variations in velocity more than their flat-based cousins.
Additional Tips
One caveat about loading these long, sleek bullets: a regular seating plug may damage the meplat, defeating the entire purpose of using these bullets in the first place. Check your seating plug and, if need be, check with the manufacturer to purchase a “VLD” seating plug; it’ll be a game-changer.
Additionally, some of these bullets will pose a challenge when trying to adhere to the prescribed cartridge overall length (C.O.L.); you may find that the case mouth is sitting on the bullet’s ogive instead of the shank. That situation is unacceptable, so you’ll be forced to either seat that bullet out to where the case mouth is on the shank with a longer C.O.L. or choose a different design. If you choose to exceed the published C.O.L. value, you’ll need to make sure that the projectile isn’t going to contact the lands of your rifle (which will generate dangerous pressures).
Also, the longer cartridge length may prevent the cartridge from seating in the rifle’s magazine; what you’ll end up with is a single-feed rifle. Simply put, I don’t feel that the cartridge designers of a half-century ago or more could envision the bullets of the 21st century and the advancements in powder, barrels and optics. Our modern cartridge designs are looking at the bullet geometry first and cartridge length second.
The reloader can take full advantage of these new bullet designs, to a certain point: Attempting to stuff them in a cartridge that just isn’t suited to that bullet profile seems counterintuitive. Part of reloading is knowing the limitations of each design, and staying within safe parameters and that includes using a bullet design that mates up to your rifle’s magazine and throat with causing a potentially dangerous situation.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The author discusses what linear compensators are, what they do, if you should get one and the 7 best models to consider.
In a nutshell, linear compensators differ from traditional compensators by directing gases forward rather than radially. Like any muzzle device, linear compensators have a place and purpose, but there is also a great deal of myth, lore and misleading marketing that surrounds them.
With that in mind, we’ll be going over exactly what a linear compensator does, how well one would suit your needs and finally the best models to buy.
What Does A Linear Compensator Do?
Compensators direct gases in a specific direction to achieve a beneficial effect. Typical compensators direct gas upwards and/or to the sides of the muzzle, keeping it from rising or listing laterally under recoil.
This lets the shooter get back on target sooner and therefore get faster split times.
Linear compensators, however, direct those gases forward in a straight line to the target. Precisely how depends on the design of the individual device, but the gist is that the gas chamber(s) of the muzzle device direct the gas in the barrel in the same direction as the projectile.
Rather than attempting to mitigate muzzle rise or recoil impulse, linear compensators are designed to force all muzzle blast and gas exhaust forward of the muzzle. The goal of this has nothing to do with split times and is instead focused on minimizing the potentially disorienting effects of excessive muzzle blast.
Despite this, there are some misconceptions about linear comps. Some swear that they reduce felt recoil, but even if true, the effects would still pale in comparison to a muzzle device designed specifically for recoil reduction.
Others think that they decrease sound or act as some sort of ersatz suppressor, but online testing has revealed that to not really be true. When measured at the shooter’s ear, the best result was on a 9mm PCC that saw a reduction of about 7 to 9 dB. Most other calibers and platforms were only reduced by less than 5 dB, and usually only by 1 or 2. This shows that the efficacy of linear compensators does vary somewhat between calibers and platforms, but none of them make a gun quiet enough for it to really be noticeable. Additionally, linear comps cannot be expressly designed to reduce noise as that would legally classify them as silencers. Any attenuation they sometimes provide is therefore more of a happy accident.
This means that linear compensators are not ideal for home defense setups, despite what some have been led to believe. Any noise over 130 dB indoors is going to be traumatic, so if sound reduction is your goal, you’re still going to need a real suppressor.
So, if they don’t mitigate recoil, and they only minimally hush up the gun, what are linear compensators actually good for?
When You Want To Use A Linear Compensator
What a linear compensator will excel at is directing muzzle blast and concussion almost exclusively downrange.
That makes them beneficial if you're trying to keep anything or anyone to your side from getting concussed by your muzzle blast. Whether you’re just plinking at the range, competing in a rifle match or doing CQB training, this can be extremely useful and courteous to anyone to your left or right. This is doubly true for rifles with short barrels which are notorious for having excessive muzzle blast. For most gun owners and shooters, the range is going to be the best use case, and it is in that role that they absolutely shine.
That said, they're also good accessories for a light machine gun if you happen to have one. After all, that's really what the cone devices on MG-42s and Brens are!
Types Of Linear Compensators
There's not much to know about the design features, as the differences between many models are almost entirely aesthetic.
Simply put, they’re metal shrouds that attach to the end of a barrel. Muzzle devices of this general design have been in use for almost a century and haven't changed much.
However, there are some design features to watch for depending on your intended application.
Some linear compensators are shrouds intended to work with other muzzle devices, such as sliding over a muzzle brake or compensator to convert it into a linear comp. This may be handy if you want to switch to a brake or traditional compensator or remove the linear comp to attach a suppressor.
Some are designed to fit inside the handguard of an AR, in case you want to enclose as much of the barrel as possible.
Some are also bigger than others, which means even more of the muzzle blast is directed downrange. This may be desirable for a gun that has a lot of flash and concussion.
Aside from that, look for sturdy materials, caliber compatibility and whether it fits your thread pitch.
So, what would be some good picks for a linear compensator? Here are some excellent examples that would be worth looking into.
The 7 Best Linear Compensators
Kaw Valley Precision Linear Comp
The Kaw Valley Precision Linear Comp is one of the most popular examples on the market, is available in multiple calibers and thread pitches (from .223 to .450 Bushmaster/.458 SOCOM and PCCs from 9mm to .45 ACP), fits a lot of different applications (including under most handguards) and is very affordable.
Frankly, unless you have a very specific need that it doesn't satisfy, this is the no-brainer linear comp to get. MSRP is $54.95 for the basic 2-inch model.
Griffin Armament Taper Mount Linear Compensator
Griffin Armament manufactures several rifle accessories including suppressors and muzzle devices. The Taper Mount Linear Compensator fits into their product architecture as a linear comp, but with external threads for mounting select Griffin Armament Taper Mount suppressors.
It's offered in 1/2×28 for 5.56/.223 and 5/8×24 thread pitches for 6.5mm and 7.62mm calibers. A pinhole is included for pinning and welding, and a thread protector is available from them in case you want one. MSRP is $104.95, but they can be found a little cheaper through some retailers.
TacFire Linear Compensator
If you wanted a no-frills linear comp that's as budget-friendly as can be, the TacFire Linear Compensator is your best bet. A similar design to the Kaw Valley Linear Compensator, it's available in multiple calibers and a few different finishes, easily slim enough to fit under most handguards.
They can be found for as little as $20 if you catch them on sale.
SureFire Warden Blast Regulator
The SureFire Warden Blast Regulator is a slip-on blast can/linear compensator that works with any SureFire SOCOM muzzle device. It slides on and locks in place, with a release button to take it off if you want and shoot without it or install a SureFire SOCOM suppressor.
It does require buying into SureFire's muzzle device system, but it also provides a lot of versatility as long as you want to use the company’s suppressors too. MSRP for the Warden is $250.
CMMG Zeroed Linear Compensator
If you want simple and low-profile, the CMMG Zeroed Linear Compensator is just that. It's small, but it works. Caliber options include 7.62, 5.56, 9mm and .45 ACP, but all models are only about 1.5 inches long. Simple, slim and sinister.
MSRP is $75, but it can often be found for a bit less.
Lantac Stingray Non Linear Compensator
The Lantac Stingray is a little different as it uses an advanced gas flow design to function as both a blow-forward brake and compensator. The Stingray does this by using threaded channels and vent ports that vent some gas upward as well as forward. This allows it to act as a brake as well as a linear compensator.
The only drawbacks are the lack of additional thread pitch and caliber options (1/2×28 and 5.56mm only) and the cost given its MSRP of $185.
KAK Industries Flash Can
The other slam-dunk, no-brainer option in linear compensators is the KAK Industry Flash Can, a no-nonsense linear comp/blow-forward device. It's offered in multiple lengths and styles (long, short, micro, fluted and not, slim and not) and various thread pitches/calibers.
They're simple, easy to install, durable and very affordable, with MSRPs starting under $30 for some models. The most you'll spend is $40.
A closer look at AG Composites and how the company builds some of the finest composite rifle stocks available.
For decades, some scoffed at the Deep South as a hub for world-class technology, but they weren’t paying attention. Alabama, and especially the intellectual lightning rod city of Huntsville—headlined by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center—is home to some of the world’s most advanced scientific and engineering minds.
Brothers Matt and Dave Tandy are two such minds. Together, the military veterans parlayed their love for shooting sports with an aerospace engineering background into one of the world’s most innovative rifle stock companies—AG Composites—a grand feat that should be taken lightly … very lightly.
AG Composites doesn’t just make composite stocks; they make incredibly light and remarkably durable composite stocks that, on average, weigh as little as 25 ounces in their AG Privateer line. Their heavyweight stock, the AG Carbon K2 Adjustable, averages 45 ounces. Again, those are just the averages. They can—and do—make lighter ones.
But why stocks?
“Back in the summer of 2013, a Marine friend suggested that Dave, now the current president of AG Composites, craft his own carbon-fiber M1A stock,” said Matt. “He took this challenge and designed his first stock. It was a successful failure [in] that it taught him a lot about the stock-making process. His next design, however, was a much more functional stock. The passion for design and improvement was instilled. We’ve always enjoyed shooting and hunting, and as military veterans with entrepreneur spirits, those first two stocks were the seeds that led to starting the company and getting involved in the industry.”
Still, making a good stock doesn’t always mean you should start your own stock business. So, why did the Tandy brothers take the next step and choose to start a business in the firearms industry?
“We saw an opportunity, as stock delivery lead times were extraordinarily long and carbon-fiber products were becoming a highly sought-after component,” Matt said. “Our knowledge and experience with the newest materials, high-quality designs and delivery times that were being measured in weeks, not months, gave us an edge over the competition out of the gate.”
Though new to the industry, the Tandy brothers had several vital attributes to help them move quickly and successfully in the firearms stock manufacturing market.
AG Composite stocks are inletted for Remington 700 actions and Remington clones, such as Defiance, Kelbly, Stiller, Lone Peak and Impact. In addition to manufacturing AG Composites stocks that are used by many custom gun builders and companies like Remington, they make private-labeled products for Kimber, Barrett, Weatherby, Bergara, Alamo Precision, Mesa Precision Arms and others.
Service With Speed
“What makes us unique is, as former officers in the military, having leadership skills and a high level of organization keeps us focused on quality, customer service and on-time delivery times,” continued Matt. “With those skills, along with our aerospace engineer background and a track record of starting successful businesses, we strive for perfection in both our products and our customer service. We continue to set the bar higher for ourselves because we know that is good for our customers and good for business.”
AG Composites outlines its stock manufacturing process into four key categories: design, materials, manufacturing and quality control. “When someone buys our product, they are getting a premier rifle stock that will last a lifetime and perform in any hunting or shooting environment,” Matt said.
Here’s how AG Composites break down these four key categories:
Design
AG Composites uses modern design software to create computer-aided design (CAD) models of every stock manufactured. AG Composites’ design engineers bring their aerospace industry CAD modeling experience to every stock. CAD modeling has many advantages to include:
• Rapid exploration of many design concepts
• Precise modeling of stock inletting and compatibility with popular barrel contours, actions and bottom metal
• Modeling of mold tooling and machining fixtures
Materials
AG Composites uses the highest-quality carbon fiber, epoxy and paint products to manufacture its premium line of composite rifle stocks. The end result is an extremely lightweight, yet extremely rugged, product designed around the needs of the shooter.
Manufacturing
Proprietary manufacturing processes are the secret sauce behind AG’s ability to produce best-in-class stocks with delivery times that are a fraction of our competitors.
Quality Control
Consistency, efficiency, cost control and frequent quality control checks are the primary drivers of each step of the manufacturing process. Automation is used wherever possible, starting with the high-precision cutting table used to cut every piece of carbon-fiber material in AG Composite stocks.
But building an excellent product is only one piece of the puzzle, and AG puts as much precision into its business philosophies as it does the stocks that hit the market.
“We built our brand based on quality, timely delivery and great customer service,” said Matt. “As a company, we have created an environment where employees are valued and have a vested interest in seeing their team and the overall company succeed. We teach our employees and lead by example and to have a servant’s heart. We serve our customers well and do what we say we’re going to do.”
In that same spirit, AG Composites knows its customers are more than a revenue source; they consider them the best and most influential mentors in the hunting and shooting business.
“Working with and listening to some great gun builders, rifle manufacturers and individual hunters have helped keep ourselves and our products on the cutting edge,” Matt said.
Family Through It All
Success didn’t come without a struggle—the Tandy brothers are brothers, after all.
“As brothers with different skill sets, this can be a good thing but also, at times, cause friction,” Matt admitted. “In the early days of starting the company, we would clash occasionally, but we quickly learned to utilize our best talents and work in tandem as a team, because at the end of the day, our business goals were aligned. After our first SHOT Show in 2016, we learned that rifle stocks had the greatest opportunity.”
The brothers paid very close attention to industry success and failures, like any successful business should. One of the things they learned not to do was try to be something they’re not.
Long-range shooters and hunters have come to trust AG Composites stocks for the most difficult and rarest opportunities in the world.
“So many companies try to be everything to everyone,” Matt said. “This can cause a company to be inefficient, resulting in poor products and bad service. We decided to focus our efforts on carbon-fiber rifle stocks because they’re lightweight, rigid and accurate. This is our area of expertise. We can proudly stand behind each one of our products with certainty.”
Over the past few years, AG Composites, like the rest of the firearms industry, has had to deal with more than their fair share of business-building curveballs like government leadership change, economic uncertainty and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Obstacles aside, AG Composites knows who they are.
“We are already known among thousands of customers around the world because we can be delivered in weeks, not months,” Matt said. “We will continue to expand our brand by investing in technology and high-quality employees. This will provide our current and future customers with quality products and top-notch customer service.”
And, AG Composites knows who they want to be as well.
“Our company is just hitting our stride,” Matt said. “We still have a lot of customers to reach and show them why AG Composites is the right choice for a high-end, carbon-fiber rifle stock. We will also continue to look for opportunities that make business sense and fit into our area of expertise.”
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.
