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The Rise And Fall Of The Swiss K31

By
Josh Wayner
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6

A look back at the Swiss K31, probably the best service rifle ever made that never saw wide-scale combat use.

A great many rifles have passed through time never having truly been tested. Some of them were simply too far ahead of their time, and others a day late and a dollar short. Such is the case of the Swiss K31, arguably one of the finest military rifles ever made … and possibly the best bolt-action rifle to come out in the prewar era.

It’s too bad, however, that it was never used in its intended role, an example of notorious Swiss neutrality. The rifle is so well made and accurate that it has instead made a name for itself stateside as one of the go-to rifles for vintage military matches, but even then, it’s slowly becoming extinct on the firing line.

So, without further ado, let’s look at the rise and fall of the prince of service rifles.

Swiss-K31-feature

History Of The K31

The K31 Schmidt-Rubin Short Rifle (Karabiner Model 1931) is a very unique design that dates back to the blackpowder cartridge days. The original designs for the gun were adopted into service in 1889, just as Switzerland entered the era of smokeless powder. The original rifles were massive and had strange, elongated receivers fitted with 12-round magazines. The designers, Eduard Rubin and Rudolf Schmidt, came up with a complicated, oversized action that allowed a straight-pull method of operation. The rifle was ungainly, but chambered in a then-modern cartridge, the 7.5×53.5mm (which at the time was quite advanced).

There were shortcomings with the gun, namely its receiver. Not long after it was adopted, a newer, more robust design was developed that confusingly shared the same name. The Schmidt-Rubin 1889/96 rifle was a new design entirely and wasn’t parts-compatible with the original. The bolt design was different and much stronger. Nevertheless, this design also proved too ungainly and mounted troops settled for a foreign straight-pull Mannlicher chambered for the 7.5×53.5mm cartridge. The Mannlicher wasn’t loved, and a search began to replace it. Two additional Schmidt-Rubin rifles were made as stopgaps, the 1900 short rifle and later 1905 carbine, but they were not great guns and quickly discarded.

The next major evolution was the K11, a final evolution of the M1911 rifle and M1896/11 rifle. The gun was relatively compact, but still somewhat of a cumbersome piece to carry. The conversion had been made to the then-standard 7.5x55mm, and the ammunition featured spitzer bullets instead of round-nose projectiles. The K11 served for decades until trends again demanded shorter, more compact rifles for infantry. Schmidt and Rubin were long dead at this point, never having lived to see what would be the final model of their straight-pull action: the K31.

K31-vs-Garand
The K31 was comparable in size and weight to most 1930s-era military rifles, but it was the last of its breed as far as innovation was concerned. The semi-auto full-power rifle would be the next big thing, itself a relic when World War II was in full swing. Compact guns, like the German STG44, would pave the way for the rifles we know and love today, like the AK and AR series.

The K31 is a marvel of engineering. While the Schmidt-Rubin actions were never as compact as Mausers, Mosins or Enfields, they were the best finished and most mechanically interesting. The end result of all the years of trial and error led to a rifle that was, at the time, one of the most accurate ever issued to an entire army. The 7.5x55mm was a powerful chambering and, combined with the K31, gave the individual Swiss militiaman or soldier a dominating advantage in mountainous terrain. The K31 went on to replace every other rifle in Swiss service and was also used by the Swiss Guard at the Vatican. It served until the late 1950s and continues to be a popular civilian rifle in both Switzerland and, to a lesser extent, in America.

Why Was It Never Used In Warfare?

There’s a simple answer as to why this otherwise fantastic rifle was not used in warfare, despite being quite superior to many others at the time: Switzerland was a neutral country and also didn’t make a habit of exporting their rifles. I’ve searched high and low and can’t find an instance of a K31 being used in combat. I’ve heard from gun show and range lore that the guns were in fact used to protect the Swiss border and some may have made it up to fight the Russians on behalf of Finland, but this is largely unsubstantiated.

The political landscape of Europe at the time would have not strongly benefited Switzerland in terms of picking a side since they had been neutral for so long. The Nazis didn’t particularly care for them, but had loose alliances with other neutral countries at the same time, such as Sweden, notorious for allowing German trade and movement while at the same time staying out of things.

Swiss-K31-sight
The K31 had a “standard” rear sight for the day in Europe. It was adjustable for elevation only.

The idea that Swiss border guards actually fought the Nazis is dubious at best; however, it isn’t a stretch to believe these rifles were used against various destabilizing elements, such as foreign Bolsheviks trying to enter the country like they had done in other ones. We will probably never know, but there isn’t a single documented case of the K31 in combat that I could find, and unless there’s a substantial release of documents from the time period (again doubtful), the K31 will remain the best military rifle that never saw action.

Straight-Pull Action

Straight-pull actions are a bit of a funny thing. They have a number of distinct advantages over a standard bolt action, but they also lack in certain areas. One of the first major reasons that people began designing straight-pull actions was the idea they were faster. It could be argued that this is true, but speed is a very relative concept when you’re talking about manually operated rifles.

The king of speed in bolt actions is without a doubt the British Enfield. The bolt just simply glides back and forth, and you’re right on target with almost no effort. The downside of the Enfield action is that it’s relatively weak by comparison to the Mauser. Mauser rifles have dominated the bolt-action scene since they were first invented. The Mauser is, without a doubt, the strongest type of bolt action and virtually every common rifle we have today—such as the Model 70 and Remington 700—are direct descendants of the Mauser.

K31-straight-pull-bolt-action
The K31 with bolt open. Note the complex, precise machining on the bolt to facilitate rotation and locking.

With training, you can work a Mauser bolt pretty quickly. Unfortunately, Mauser rifles typically came with a 5-round fixed box magazine. It’s lost on me why the Germans decided to go through two World Wars with this as a main feature, considering it wouldn’t have taken much effort to either extend the magazine box or replace the floor plate and trigger guard unit with a detachable magazine box common to other German rifles at the time, such as the FG42.

The K31 action is very fast when it’s working properly. The downside of it is that it requires a great degree of physical strength to operate quickly. There’s no camming action provided when the bolt is open: You must rip it straight backward, and run it home as hard as you can forward. It’s almost like a semi-auto action with no gas system. If you have an over-pressured case, it’s very difficult to get the action to open.

K31-trigger
The K31 has a terrific trigger, among the best of any military rifle ever issued.

If there’s one thing that this rifle is, it’s accurate. The trigger is a two-stage job that’s truly exceptional for not just a military rifle, but for a rifle in general. The trigger breaks clean, and it’s simply a joy to use. The great thing about these guns is that most of them are going to be able to shoot match accurate right from the get-go. If you want to get started in CMP matches or other types of military competition, this is a great option. The average K31 that I’ve fired over the years produces five-shot groups from the bench of around 2 inches. You can expect the gun to hold 4 inches at 200 yards.

The 7.5×55 Cartridge

There have been a number of cartridges designed and used in the K31 family. The principal cartridge of interest is dubbed the GP11. This is a 174-grain bullet that’s fired at roughly 2,550 fps. The cartridge is widely regarded for its accuracy, though unfortunately you’ll have a heck of a time trying to find it today. The surplus market 15 years ago, however, was chock full of the stuff, and you could get very high-quality, Swiss-made ammo for relatively cheap.

75x55mm-swiss
The 7.5x55mm (far left) was on par or better than many other rounds used in similar roles. Left to right: 7.5x55mm Swiss, 7.62 NATO, 6.5x55mm Swedish, 7.62x54R, .303 British, .30-06 Springfield and 8x57mm Mauser.

This cartridge was nearly identical to .308 Winchester/7.62 NATO. The ballistics are essentially the same; each has some minor advantages over the other. The 7.5 Swiss case has slightly more capacity, and the 7.62 NATO has a slightly shorter overall length. For all realistic uses, they’re virtually identical in 174- and 175-grain weights.

There are still a couple places that make factory-loaded 7.5 Swiss. It’s becoming increasingly hard to find the ammunition today; only two retailers had it in stock nationwide at the time of this writing. There is, of course, the oddball places that stock these sorts of things. In the past, I had good luck at Dunham’s Sports in the Midwest. They typically have some oddball calibers sitting on the shelf from time to time. If you can find it, Prvi Partizan 174-grain FMJ (GP11 clone) rounds are about $29 for a box of 20.

Brass is also getting slightly hard to find. Unfortunately, the rim diameter is not the same as .308 Winchester, and you can’t make 7.5 Swiss from other common cartridges. That said, the 7.5 Swiss uses .308 diameter bullets, making your selection process pretty easy. It can also use most of the same powders that you would use for .308 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield.

My own match load recipe (try at your own risk) was a 168-grain Hornady BTHP over 41 grains of Hodgdon Varget. The brass was always full-length resized to account for the tight chamber dimensions. I loaded them to 2.890 inches OAL in PPU brass with CCI standard large rifle primers. I shot thousands of this load alongside my dad for years of CMP competition. I shot my first CMP gold with this load, in fact. Now … if only I could find some Varget.

Swiss-straight-pull-stock
The stocks on many K31 rifles are all beat to hell. This one has some honest dings but is far from the worst the author has seen.

Collecting The K31 Today

The good ol’ days of cheap surplus rifles are long gone. The price of a K31 has doubled in the past 10 years, and in some cases tripled. The rifle in this article would sell for nearly $1,000 today. That puts it in the same cost range as shooter-grade M1 rifles, but with much harder to source ammo and parts. The quality of the rifle featured here is almost as good as it gets. It’s difficult to find any K31 that’s in pristine condition below the trigger; the stocks on these guns are oftentimes very chewed up from being stacked at camp or from exposure to the weather. Say what you will about Swiss militarism, but they certainly did use their guns, even if they weren’t firing them at enemy soldiers.

As a result of this treatment, most K31s have pristine actions in excellent barrels with gnarly stocks. Many people tend to sand down and refinish these blemished areas, and you can often tell because the stocks are significantly narrower toward the buttplate and comb. I haven’t noticed a significant difference in the sale price of these guns with wood restoration. Most people don’t seem to care if the stocks have been tended to.

Swiss-receiver-crest
The receiver is thick compared to a Mauser, but it’s surprisingly light as a complete rifle.

That said, you shouldn’t consider overpaying simply if the stock looks cleaner than the next one. At this point in the game, there isn’t a significant difference in cost between wood types—you may fetch a slightly higher premium for walnut, but we’re not talking more than $100 or so.

The overall supply of these rifles on the market has started to dwindle. The last several gun shows I’ve attended only had a few—and they were criminally overpriced. Just 10 years ago the floor was flush with them. What’s remarkable about this is that there weren't many of these guns made to begin with. Only half a million were produced. A large amount of these still remain in Switzerland, along with a lion’s share of GP11 ammunition.

It’s unknown how many of these rifles exactly are in America today, but what’s incredible is that just 10 or 15 years ago these guns were selling for less than $300. These guns are sought after primarily by people who want to shoot military competition; once they have a good one, they tend to hold onto it.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the May 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More Classic Military Guns:

First Look: Weatherby Model 307 Centerfire Rifle Actions

By
Adam Borisenko
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0

The Weatherby Model 307 centerfire rifle action is the company’s first new action line in 50 years.

Weatherby Model 307 centerfire rifle actions have just been announced, and it’s the company’s first new action line in 50 years. The Model 307 will be available as either a standalone action for builders or as a complete rifle in the form of the 307 Range XP or the 307 Alpine MDT.

Weatherby-307-action

The Model 307 is a 2-lug, fully cylindrical action that was designed to complement Weatherby’s Mark V and Vanguard lines. It’s compatible with popular aftermarket accessories and features a TriggerTech trigger and a fluted bolt that can be disassembled without tools. It can also use a variety of detachable box magazines and is available in three action lengths.

Weatherby said this about the design of the new action:

The goal of 307 was to design an action that could accommodate the vast offerings of stocks, triggers, rails, mounts, and magazines in today’s marketplace. All rifles with Model 307 actions will be built in Weatherby’s Sheridan, Wy headquarters, so shooters and hunters can expect the same precision craftsmanship that Weatherby has delivered since 1945.

Weatherby-307-Range-XP

As for the complete rifles, the Model 307 Range XP sports a lightweight stock that features a vertical grip, an adjustable cheek piece and an adjustable length-of-pull. It also comes with an adjustable TriggerTech trigger, an Accubrake on the muzzle of its spiral-fluted barrel and a Magpul magazine. The Model 307 Alpine MDT is the more premium of the two options, mostly due to its MDT lightweight HNT26 Chassis System. Like the range XP, it also has an adjustable TriggerTech trigger, an Accubrake and a spiral-fluted barrel, but the magnesium alloy and carbon fiber chassis system has a few tricks up its sleeve too. To name a few, that includes a folding stock, an adjustable length-of-pull and comb height, v-block bedding and compatibility with AICS-pattern magazines.

Weatherby-Alpine-MDT

The Model 307 Builders Action has an MSRP of $750, the 307 Range XP has an MSRP of $1,199 and the 307 Alpine MDT has an MSRP of $2,999. All three will begin shipping to dealers in the summer of 2023 and will be available in 15 different popular chambering options.

For more information, please visit weatherby.com.

More Bolt-Action Rifles:

Why Are We Still Talking About The .308 Vs .30-06?

By
Elwood Shelton
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3

Steyr-THB-Review-12

Nearly ballistic twins, the .308 versus .30-06 debate seems moot. However, some nuances can swing hunters and shooters one way or another.

How Does The .308 Vs .30-06 Debate Shake Out:

  • Given its larger case capacity, the .30-06 can be pushed to moderately higher velocities.
  • This velocity gives is a slight edge at longer ranges.
  • Additionally, the larger case allows the .30-06 to load larger bullets.
  • Since it started life at a NATO cartridge, there is a greater variety of semi-auto rifle chambered .308.
  • There is some historic match proof the .308 is a more accurate cartridge.
  • Though, some modern studies debate this and see the .30-06 performing better at longer ranges and the .308 better at medium range.

Despite the recent success of the upstart 6.5 Creedmoor and other metric marvels, one caliber still firmly captures the American shooter’s heart. There’s just no replacing the good ol’ .30-caliber in all its wondrous forms. While you may have graduated to a different chambering or fallen in love with some other diameter, it’s pretty certain if you’re a Yankee your formative years were spent pitching some version of the medium bore. It’s been that way in America at least since the .30-30 Winchester hit the scene and show little sign of abating.

Though, when talking the almighty “thirty” two cartridges generally rise to the top—the venerable .308 Winchester and the iconic .30-06 Springfield. By far the most popular options, they are ubiquitous and perhaps only lag behind the .22 LR and 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington in the most shot cartridges. But there a strange twist to the .30-caliber Winchester and Springfield. They’re veritable twins. Almost.

While the cartridges are similar in many ways, the .308 vs .30-06 debate isn’t entirely moot. When it comes to some niche considerations, some nuances might endear one or the other to different shooters. Then again, the shades might not account for anything to other marksmen. It all just depends on what you’re talking about with these old warhorses.

Brief History

Before jumping into the specifics of the .308 vs .30-06, it might be wise to touch on both cartridges’ background. Like so many things enduring in the world of firearms, the genesis of the .30-calibers begins with military service.

Garand
A true icon, the M1 Garand in .30-06 Springfield.

The older of the two, the .30-06 was adopted in 1906 (hence the aught six), replacing the .30-03 (it parent case), 6mm Lee Navy, and .30-40 Krag. Aiding the cartridge’s rise was the first rifle chambered for it, the legendary Springfield M1903. Serving admirably World War I as the U.S. expeditionary force’s main service rifle, the Mauser-style bolt-action continued as a staple for American snipers in World War II. But in this conflict the .30-06 truly made a name for itself, coupled with perhaps the most legendary service rifle of all time—the M1 Garand.

Successful as the .30-06 Springfield and Garand were up through the Korean War, the powers that be believe both had run their course by mid-1950s. Concerns over capacity, manufacturing costs and logistics fueled not only a candidate to replace the M1, but also its long-action cartridge. Though, given their heroic pasts, both exerted immense gravity, evident in what replaced them.

Despite its short run as the military's main rifle, the M14 chambered .308 Winchester did find its way to recent battlefields.
Despite its short run as the military's main rifle, the M14 chambered .308 Winchester did find its way to recent battlefields.

The M14 is essentially an updated Garand, its most notable upgrades being select-fire and removable box magazine. And the 7.62x51mm NATO (commercially known as the .308 Winchester) performance-wise was pretty much the .30-06, shrunken down in a squat cartridge. While the rifle and cartridge proved as potent as their forbearers, particularly when used in a similar fashion—in semi-automatic—their days were number soon after adoption. Among the shortest runs of a service rifle, by the mid-1960 the M14 and 7.62 were replaced by the M16 and the now pervasive 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge.

.308 Vs .30-06 Case Size 

As mentioned above, the defining feature between the .30-caliber cartridges is case size. The military fretted over the length of the Springfield, mainly for cost and logistical reasons. By their premise, the shorter the cartridge the smaller the action, thus a rifle could be created using less material, saving money and weight. It didn’t quite pan out that way—at least with the M14—but that was the theory. Additionally, there were arguments the military could fit more rounds of .308 in ammo boxes, thus get more ammo to soldiers en mass.

30-06-Springfield
.30-06 cartridge dimensions

Indeed, the .30-06 is a longer case, measuring 2.48 inches to the .308’s 2.015 inches. While this has some effect on the rifles chambered for them (we’ll get to that), it also plays a role in powder capacity. The Springfield has an edge here, holding around 68 grains of water, compared to the .308’s 56. In all honesty, it’s not a huge dividing line, in most cases equating to a modest gain in velocity, but there are outliers.

.308 Winchester Dimensions
.308 Winchester dimensions

Velocity And Trajectory Of The .30-Calibers

When it comes to factory-loaded ammunition, there generally isn’t a clear winner in the .308 vs .30-06 discussion. Certainly, ammo manufacturers take advantage of the .30-06’s more spacious case, but in general—with the same bullet weight—this adds up to perhaps 100 to 150 fps improvement on muzzle velocity. Take for instance Federal Premium Gold Medal 168-grain loads for both cartridges. The .30-06 edges the .308 by a mere 50 fps at the muzzle—2,700 fps versus 2,650 fps—which is to say, it doesn’t edge it at all. Given both are shooting the same 168-grain Sierra MatchKing boattail hollow point, the downrange results should be identical. Fairly commonplace with most off-the-shelf ammo.

At the reloading bench, things turn out a bit differently. At the margins, it’s possible to milk more out of a .30-06 when you’re hot-rodding it yourself. Potentially, an experienced reloader can push around 200 fps (300 fps when really redlining) more out of the Springfield than the .308 taking full advantage of case capacity. Even at moderately long ranges—500 yards and out—the extra velocity makes a difference flattening the .30-06’s trajectory.

150-grain Hornady SST trajectory comparison, .308 vs .30-06.
150-grain Hornady SST trajectory comparison, .308 vs .30-06.

An example. It’s possible to load .30-06 loaded with a 150-grain Hornady SST bullet (.415 ballistic coefficient) to 3,000 fps at the muzzle, while the .308 with the same projectile tops out at 2,800 fps. At these velocities, the .308 loses 9-inches more at 500 yards than the .30-06, and 61-inches more at 1,000 yards. Fairly substantial.

Take Aim At .30-Calibers:

Weighing In On Bullet Selection

The .30-calibers mirror each other for a vast majority of bullet weights, each capable of slinging projectiles from 100- up to 200-grains. Though, the .30-06 offers a bit more flexibility when it comes to loading heavy-for-caliber bullets. The more spacious case allows it to seat up to 220-grain bullets—dynamite medium-range option on heavier game. There are also some match options at this weight appropriate for the .30-06. But for all bullet styles, 200-grains is essentially the ceiling for .308, with the exception of a few specialty projectiles that creep near 210 grains.

.308 Vs .30-06 Accuracy

This facet of the discussion is tricky business. Starting in the 1960s the .308 Winchester began dominating competitive shooting, dethroning the .30-06 in the precision-driven rifle matches. From this era, shooters reported the .308 cutting group size in half, eventually forcing the NRA to shrink the bullseye in high-power rifle matches to avoid ties between .308 shooters. Good proof the squat .30-caliber has more accuracy potential, though why isn't exactly clear. Shooters attribute everything from more efficient case architecture to greater rigidity in from a short action to its aptitude.

.308 vs .30-06 accuracy target

So, there you have it, the Winchester is much more accurate. Well, maybe.

Modern-day match shooters have dusted off the .30-06 and come up with some different results. A competitive shooter by the name of German Salazar did a two-year analysis of .308 and .30-06 with a matched pair of Gilkes-Action rifles chambered for each cartridge. In a comparison of his competition results, he came up with interesting conclusions. At mid-range, 500 to 600 yards, the .308 had a slight advantage. At long range the .30-06 proved superior. His take on the superior performance of the “aught-six” mirrors our talk above on case capacity. More powder equals more velocity, which counts more down range.

Diehards for either cartridge will unlikely be swayed by these arguments, given the .308 and .30-06 elicit near-religious devotion from some. The rest can find solace both cartridges are highly accurate, enough so they’re capable of hitting 1,000-yards plus with the right rifle and shooter.

Firearms Selection

Among the most popular cartridges of the 20th and 21st centuries, there is no shortage of rifles chambered for the .30-calibers. Nearly every domestic rifle-maker, as well as most foreign, offer both options in a majority of bolt-action they make. The difference comes for shooters in the market for semi-automatic rifles. Boy howdy, the .308 wins out there with some out-and-out classics to choose from.

AR-10 in .308 Winchester

Given it started life as the 7.62×51 NATO, and was long use by many of the treat members, a multitude of intriguing military rifles were chambered for the cartridge. We enjoy a number of semi-automatic renditions of these rifles, including AR-10, FN FAL, Heckler & Koch G3, M14 (Springfield Armory M1A) and others. Much more limited, there are .30-06 semi-auto options—M1 Garand, Browing BAR (not the military one) and AR-10. It peters out pretty quickly from there.

Digressing to bolt-actions, don’t expect the .308’s short action and .30-06’s long action to make much difference in the overall size of a rifle. Maybe you’ll shave .5-inch opting for the .308 and save 1.5 ounces. Unless a pea under your mattress keeps you awake at night, you aren’t going to notice this difference.

Ammunition Choices

Given it has a significant presence in the competitive and hunting worlds, there is perhaps a greater variety of factory-loaded ammo for the .308. And outside of ammunition droughts (ahem, 2020), it’s among the most readily available. Then again, so is .30-06. Certainly, Springfield hunting ammo is not difficult to scratch up and is perhaps a bit more impervious to ammo shortages—those tend to hit cartridges with a tactical bent harder. However, if you search around, there is production-line match ammo. Sig Sauer came out with an intriguing load around a year ago topped with a 175-grain MatchKing. So, you do have precision options off the shelf.

Concluding the .308 Vs .30-06 Debate

After all these years, does the .308 vs .30-06 debate makes sense and should it continue? On one hand, no. The average shooter looking for a top-notch hunting cartridge to handle dang near any game in North America or to potentially connect out to 1,000 yards will be served well by either .30-caliber. On the other hand, yes, the discussion does matter. Without ticking down the list of each cartridge’s advantages and disadvantages, shooters might be blind to the fact the .30-06 offers a bit more reloading versatility or the .308 more options in semi-automatic rifles. These points are imperative for some people and worth jawing over. So banter on about the .308 vs .30-06. Besides, what else are you going to do at deer camp, except lie?

Signaling The Mothership: Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Review

By
Patrick Sweeney
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1

The Streamlight ProTac HL was good, but the upgraded Streamlight ProTac 2.0 is even better.

You might be a gun writer if … you have a collection of tactical lights by the back door to choose from when taking the dogs for a walk.

One I pick up routinely is a Streamlight ProTac HL. It was a high lumen (for the time) LED light that runs on a pair of 123 cells, and it now shows its hard use. The ProTac HL is an aluminum body with a rear button and the Streamlight Ten-Tap programmable operating parameters. I just stuck with the basic, so it’s instant-on “high,” a quick second tap gets me “strobe,” and the third gets me “low.” You have two other patterns to choose from if you wish.

I’ve used this one for years. I’ve dropped it on concrete, in snow, mud and water, and more than once held it in my fist as extra support in case I might have to administer a short course of attitude adjustment. It has worked flawlessly through a carton of batteries, but it’s no more an apex illumination tool. This one still works, but Streamlight has a new and improved one for you, the ProTac 2.0.

Streamlight-ProTac-2

The new Streamlight ProTac 2.0 is made the same way as my old one—machined from aluminum, so it’ll stand up to use and abuse. It also has the Ten-Tap programmable operation, so you can customize it for your needs or uses. What’s different is the output—now 2,000 lumens—and the battery is rechargeable. My old one is a “mere” 750 lumens, powerful enough to light up the street, but 2,000 lumens is powerful enough to signal the mothership on final approach.

And the 2.0 battery can be recharged. Plus, you can choose to recharge it without removing it from the ProTac or remove it and charge it that way using the provided USB cable. Having run out of juice on night excursions more than once and needing to replace the dead batteries on my return, the idea of once a week plugging the 2.0 in to top it off is very appealing.

Streamlight-ProTac-2-battery
The new ProTac 2.0 is 2,000 “light up the night” lumens and uses a rechargeable battery that you don’t even have to remove from the tube to recharge. Life is suddenly much better.

The 2.0 is, like the HL before it, moisture resistant (no one can really say “waterproof” these days, regulations won’t let them) and will survive a dunking better than you can. It’s IP67 rated, meaning it can take being submerged in 1 meter of water for longer than you can probably hold your breath.

ProTac-2-charging

Giving up my trusty old HL is going to be painful, but life and technology moves on. And, in the case of technology, it gets better. After all, it’s dark half the time and dark indoors in some places. The 2.0 is better—a lot better—so look for one when considering your night-time illumination needs. Soon, my trusty HL is going to get relegated to backup duty.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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Prodigious Pistola: Springfield Prodigy DS Review

By
Mike Searson
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1

Double-stack, 9mm and based on Browning’s classic design, the Springfield Prodigy DS ups the ante in the 1911 game.

John Browning’s 1911 pistol design might be more than a century old, but that doesn’t mean the design is archaic—or obsolete. In the 11 decades since his pistol made its debut, there have been plenty of subtle changes over the years. However, Springfield Armory has moved in a bold new direction with their latest take, in a design called the Prodigy.

Springfield-DS-1911-profile
If you’re familiar with a standard 1911 pistol, the Prodigy will be very similar, if you don’t mind increased capacity. Ambidextrous in many ways, the Prodigy is a very versatile 9mm pistol.

That might sound like quite a statement for a single-stack, hammer-fired pistol chambered in .45 ACP—except the Prodigy is chambered in 9mm with a double-stack magazine, hence the DS designation in the product name.

The concept isn’t new. We’ve all seen pistols by companies like STI (now Staccato) and Cosaint Arms with this profile and even the older Para Ordnance 1911s. Yet the Springfield Prodigy DS offers a little something more.

This pistol is equipped with a single-slot Picatinny rail on the dust cover, ambidextrous safety, magazine funnel, optic and ingenious mounting plate system if you want to upgrade that optic. So, let’s look under the hood, so to speak.

SA-DS-1911-with-knife
The Springfield 1911 DS Prodigy pairs up nicely with a titanium framelock knife by Jerry Hossom.

Match-Grade Barrel

Rather than go with the traditional barrel and bushing as per Browning, the Springfield Prodigy DS uses a bull match grade barrel and no bushing. Some shooters prefer the bushing, as it makes it easier to fit a replacement barrel, but more probably prefer that system out of tradition.

The heavy barrel adds a bit of weight to the front end of the pistol to help reduce recoil. There might not be much recoil out of a 9mm round, but if that impulse is tiny and you’re an effective competitive shooter, that minor reduction will help when performing at a high level.

Springfield-DS-1911-barrel
The barrel in the Springfield 1911 DS Prodigy is equally as thick from chamber to crown.

Personally, a threaded barrel might have been nice for the addition of a compensator or a silencer. Perhaps it will show up on a future iteration?

This was the shorter “Commander length” version at 4.25 inches, as opposed to the full-length 5-inch version.

The pistol uses Springfield’s patented two-piece full-length guide rod that gets taken down using a 5/32-inch hex wrench … not a paper clip. Just make sure you keep that Allen key handy.

Five-Star Frame

The frame is definitely worth talking about—in case you have been out of the loop for the past 30 years, it’s pretty amazing. The grip is polymer, like one of the polymer-framed pistols that have been out there since the 1980s, but the dustcover and upper part of the frame are made of steel. This eliminates frame flex, allows a wider magazine to fit more comfortably for shooters with normal-sized hands, and it allows for an extremely low cut beneath the trigger guard. The texturing is just right and not overly aggressive, so it feels comfortable with and without gloves.

Springfield-Prodigy-stripped
As long as you’re armed with a 5/32-inch Allen Wrench, the Prodigy can be field-stripped in about 5 minutes.

Most significant is the full-length dust cover. It gives a very professional and finished look to the pistol reminiscent of their old Operator model from the early 2000s, and it sports a single-slot Picatinny rail.

Some might question the Pic rail addition to what, for many shooters, will be a race gun. In most competitive shooting sports, a visible white light doesn’t need to be mounted to the gun. However, something like the Mantis X or other training aids can use this same mounting setup. Either way, it’s a smart option. And, if you don’t care to add a light, laser or a Mantis X, there’s no law saying you have to use it.

SA-DS-1911-chamber
The ramp on the match-grade heavy barrel aids in feeding 9mm Parabellum.

Many Magazine Options

This is usually something to give you pause these days, as a new system means you might be stocking up on quite a few, and a prohibitive price can make you reevaluate that decision.

Having a few STI 2011 .38 Super/9mm magazines on hand made it a no-brainer to see if they would fit in this pistol. They do, and they work well.

Springfield Armory offers these magazines with 17-, 20- and 26-round capacities for $60 each: The pistol ships with a 17- and 20-rounder for plenty of versatility. A 10-round version isn’t available from Springfield Armory for the few U.S. states that still don’t respect the U.S. Constitution or the U.S. Supreme Court. However, a 10-round 2011-style magazine will work if you find yourself in that unfortunate situation.

Trigger And Controls

The trigger on this one breaks cleanly at 3.5 pounds with no mush or creep. This is about the pinnacle for a factory 1911. Sure, it can be improved, but straight out of the box, it’s a far cry from a typical factory piece from even 20 years ago.

Prodigy-DS-1911-left

An ambidextrous safety makes it comfortable for both left- and right-handed shooters, and it ensures the pistol can be manipulated with either hand if needed. However, if you opt to use a pistol like this as a personal defense weapon to be carried all day, you might want to replace it with an aftermarket non-ambidextrous safety. There’s nothing like glancing down at your carry gun and seeing the side of the pistol facing outboard with that safety disengaged from bumping against something … with a cocked hammer hovering over a chamber with a live round inside.

Springfield utilizes a “Series 70” type of safety system, so there’s no firing pin safety, which generally allows for a superior trigger pull. The upswept beaver tail grip safety is perfectly fitted, and in conjunction with the undercut trigger guard, it really fits the sweet spot in the grip department.

Springfield Prodigy Sights

This particular pistol came equipped with a red-dot optic from Springfield: a Hex Dragonfly. The factory iron sights are represented by a green fiber optic front with a blacked-out U-notch rear sight. You can co-witness these sights in the lower quarter of the Hex Dragonfly’s window.

Springfield-DS-1911-front-sight
Just one glance at the muzzle tells you this pistol is all business.

Battery life on the Hex Dragonfly is said to last 100,000 hours, and the sight will power off at 15 hours. It’ll come back on at the intensity you set the dot for and will remember this setting.

The Dragonfly features an aluminum housing with a slightly extended hood in the front to protect the lens and a serrated rear to reduce glare. MSRP on this sight alone is about $250.

Springfield Armory went with the Agency Optic System (AOS) that allows the shooter to purchase different mounting plates to fit different sights. These plates retail for about $60 each from Springfield Armory.

A Modern Finish

So, it’s not blued, parkerized, hard chromed or stainless. No … this pistol is done up in a nice treatment of black Cerakote. As much as I love traditional hot bluing, case-hardening or electroless nickel and hard chrome, Cerakote really is the firearm finish of the modern age.

Performance

A trip to the range with 500 rounds of Belom 9mm, courtesy of Global Ordnance, was definitely in order. It’s 124-grain FMJ rounds made in Serbia—it’s good, clean ammunition somewhat reminiscent of offerings by Fiocchi or Sellier & Bellot. It was accurate, soft shooting and had zero failures.

As mentioned previously, this pistol shipped with a 17- and 20-round set of magazines. These magazines loaded up easily by hand without the aid of a loader. The 20-round 2011 STI magazine was used as well, and all delivered flawless performance.

Springfield-DS-1911

The Hex Dragonfly ensured the group stayed small and ragged at 50 feet.

This one is destined to win the Bianchi cup or some similar trophy in the future. Once you pick one up, not only does it demand to be shot, but it demands that you shoot it fast and accurate.

Minor Downsides

While firearms seem to be constantly improving, you can still find a few flaws here and there.

If there’s a drawback, it’s one of aesthetics as opposed to anything else. One of the virtues of a classic 1911 pistol—whether you have a higher-end pistol made of stainless or Damascus steel, or a lower-end model with a black parkerized finish—you can dress them up with comfortable hand-fitting grips of quality hardwood, pre-ban ivory, pewter or G10 to transform their appearance. So far, with the Springfield Prodigy DS, this isn’t an option. It might be a very small thing, but it’s worth noting.

Springfield-Prodigy-on-table
Competition, self-defense, home defense or just fun at the range, the Prodigy can handle it all.

As a relatively new pistol, it’ll likely be hard to find the perfect holster … but this issue certainly isn’t unique to the Springfield Prodigy. As an owner of more than a dozen 1911s, and maybe five times that many holsters, only one would fit, and it wasn’t anything to write home about to begin with. This will more than likely be a timing issue as manufacturers gear up to support this new model. My best advice is to go the custom route, with a quality Kydex or leather craftsman, particularly if you opt to run a light.

The Upsides

With its phenomenal out-of-the-box accuracy and the fact that it’s loaded with upgrades, the biggest standout has to be the price—coming in much cheaper than its competitors. In some cases, about $1,000 cheaper.

Those other pistols may be close to custom shop offerings, and this is the greatest potential behind the Springfield Armory Prodigy DS. It makes for an outstanding base gun for a race pistol build.

Springfield Armory’s Prodigy DS is aptly named if you go by the definition that prodigy refers to a particular example expressing an outstanding or an impressive quality. This isn’t your grandpa’s rattle trap 1911. This is a fine-tuned handgun capable of great precision from the factory, and it’s one with great potential for a custom build down the line.

springfield-DS-1911-specs

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2023 CCW special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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First Look: Bond Arms Honey B

By
Adam Borisenko
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0

Bond Arms has just added the Honey B to its Stinger Rough series, now featuring improved grips.

When it comes to new-production Derringer-style handguns, there’s no argument that Bond Arms is the go-to manufacturer. So, when the company chooses to expand its catalog, it only means more options for those interested in little 2-shot pocket pistols. The newest addition belongs to the Stinger Rough series and is called the Honey B, available in four different chambering options and featuring improved grips.

Bond-Arms-Honey-B-feature

The standout feature of the Honey B is its inclusion of Bond Arms’ B6 grips. These extended-size grips are molded from B6 resin, checkered and feature a generous palm swell. The result is that they should provide increased control and comfort while firing. This is especially important for the Honey B models chambered for more substantial defensive calibers. The full list of chambering options includes 9mm, .380 ACP, .38 Special and .22 LR.

Bond-Arms-Honey-B

Most remaining details of the Honey B are identical to similar models from Bond Arms. This includes its 2-shot capacity, its 7-pound single-action trigger and its fixed iron sights zeroed for 10 yards. It also features 3-inch barrels, a 5.5-inch overall length, a weight of 17.5 ounces and a trigger guard. MSRP is $320.

For more information, please visit bondarms.com.

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Black Talon: Short Life, Long Legacy

By
Richard A. Mann
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4

The short life and long legacy of Winchester’s Black Talon hollow-point ammunition.

Gian Luigi Ferri, a real estate speculator from Los Angeles, California, was 55 years old when he walked into the law firm of Pettit & Martin. It was July 1, 1993, and the 48-story high-rise was located on 101 California Street in San Francisco. Armed with three handguns and a lot of ammunition, Ferri wasn’t there to seek legal advice.

Moments later, he’d killed eight people, and more than a hundred police officers had surrounded the building. Ferri, however, would not be taken into custody; he committed suicide. His heinous attack would have serious impact on the firearms industry.

Prior to that, on April 2, 1991, the Olin Corporation (Winchester) applied for a patent—U.S. patent #US5101732 was awarded on April 7, 1992—and the resulting Black Talon bullet and ammunition made a big splash.1 Originally marketed as the Supreme Expansion Talon (SXT), the Black Talon bullet was unique. It marked the first defensive handgun bullet where the jacket was intentionally designed to increase wounding. Up until then, when a JHP handgun bullet deformed, the bullet’s soft lead core tended to mushroom back over the jacket as it peeled away. The Talon was different, as it deformed the razor-sharp petals of the jacket peeled back but also extended out past the mushrooming center core.

Black-Talon-feature
Black Talon ammo, with its nickel case and black Lubalox coated bullet, was ominous looking. The recovered bullets were wicked looking as well; notice the pointed ends of the jacket petals.

Winchester’s David Schluckebier was the inventor of the Talon bullet, and part of the key to its performance was its reverse tapered jacket made of a special alloy that was selectively annealed. The jacket material was of a higher percentage of copper than traditional bullet jackets, which made it softer and more ductile. This, in conjunction with expertly placed serrations, allowed the jacket to peel away—fold back—reliably and repeatedly, and with very sharp edges and multiple talon-like points.

Also, up until then, most JHP handgun bullets had a solid base, and the bullet’s jacket thinned toward the bullet’s nose. This is what allowed them to expand/deform reliably. For the Talon, Winchester needed jacket thickness at the nose of the bullet to keep the petals connected and to keep them from peeling back too far. The reverse taper jacket helped with this; the Talon bullet was formed upside down with the exposed lead alloy core visible at the bottom of the bullet.

Then, the final operation in the formation of the bullet came from the insertion of a special punch that created the hollow-point cavity and pre-stressed or serrated the nose of the jacket so it would peel away. Finally, the bullet was given a black Lubalox coating to reduce fouling, but this blackness also enhanced the Talon’s unfired, foreboding appearance.

The thought—and very likely the truth—with the Talon bullet was that these pointy extensions of the jacket slightly increased wounding through the cutting action they performed. Winchester’s advertisements for Black Talon ammunition were convincing, and the menacing look of the upset Talon bullets were intimidating. Though there’s no definitive evidence that Talon bullets were any better at stopping bad guys, looking at the bullet left you with an intense aversion to being shot with one.

It was all a good thing for Winchester; the Black Talon line of ammunition was popularly reported on in the gun press and it sold very well. Unfortunately, Ferri—remember him—bought some Black Talon ammo and loaded it in the magazines of his 9mm pistols on the morning of July 1, 1993.

Black-Talon-V-Golden-Saber
A major difference in the Black Talon (left) and Golden Saber (right) is that the Talon had a reverse jacket, and the Golden Saber bullet has a solid base. Both, however, relied on the jacket to enhance wounding.

Stop The Presses!

In the aftermath of Ferri’s shooting, the media found the smoking gun they needed to sensationalize the story. The Talon bullet was vilified. Its modern design, combined with its ominous unfired appearance and wicked-looking deformed shape, made the media’s job easy. Reports that it would cut through a human body like a buzzsaw were common. The day before a Dateline special, in which Congressman Daniel Moynihan claimed the bullet was designed to “rip your guts out,” Winchester ceased the sale of Black Talon ammunition to the public. Their actions quite possibly prevented a new federal tax on hollow-point-style ammunition.

Though some now claim Black Talon ammo was banned or was made illegal, that was not the case. Winchester Black Talon ammo simply—under the new name of Ranger SXT—became a law enforcement-only option. But that’s not the end of the story. Schluckebier left Winchester and went to work for Remington, where in 1994 U.S. patent #US5357866 was issued for what would become Remington’s flagship defensive handgun bullet.

Golden-Saber-patent
Patent #US5357866 for what would become the Golden Saber bullet clearly shows how the bullet’s jacket would extend past the deformed core to enhance the upset diameter of the bullet and increase wounding.

Schluckebier engineered the Golden Saber bullet similarly to the Talon. The difference was that the Golden Saber had a jacket made of cartridge brass—70 percent copper and 30 percent zinc—and was not of a reverse design. It had a caliber-diameter driving band at the rear because, with the tougher jacket material, only a small portion of the bullet needed to be of bore diameter. But it also worked like the Talon by using the deformed jacket to increase wounding; it just lacked the sharp talon-like points, the black color and the nefarious name.

Remington-Golden-Saber-9mm
The 124-grain +P 9mm Golden Saber load is one of the best for the cartridge, and here you can clearly see how the Talon inspired jacket petals extend beyond the deformed diameter of the bullet’s core. This increases the size of the hole the bullet makes.

The Golden Saber bullet and its later bonded version have become highly trusted JHP bullets for self-defense and law enforcement use. They perform very well, even after passing through intermediate barriers, and their unique design that allows the bullet jacket to enhance wounding helps the bullets mushroom with a wide frontal diameter, while still retaining weight for deep penetration. Many, including me, consider the 124-grain +P 9mm Luger Remington Golden Saber load one of the best defensive loads available for that cartridge.

Winchester’s Black Talon ammunition had a short—initially happy but ultimately unfortunate—life. It was only available for public purchase for less than two years. However, it forever changed the game as it relates to defensive handgun ammunition. Thirty years later, its legacy—or as you might say, its descendant—lives on.

1There’s some confusion as to when Black Talon ammunition was introduced by Winchester. It was either at the 1991 or 1992 SHOT Show. It was not covered in the Gun Digest Annual until 1993.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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Safety Notice: Taurus Issues Recall For GX4 Pistols

By
Adam Borisenko
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2

Taurus has just issued a safety notice regarding certain GX4 pistols. Those affected may not be drop-safe and are being recalled by the company.

GX4-Reiew-angle

A safety notice has just been issued by Taurus regarding the company’s GX4 pistol line. In it, they state that certain GX4s assembled and sold in the United States may not be drop-safe under certain conditions. Taurus has now launched a website where a GX4’s serial number may be entered to determine if it is one of the affected pistols. For those that are, Taurus will inspect, repair and return it for free.

If you own a GX4 pistol, Taurus is asking that you cease using it immediately until you determine whether it is safe or not. To do so, visit the following website to enter your serial number, or contact Taurus directly:

GX4SafetyNotice.com

It is not currently known just how many GX4 pistols are not drop-safe or the exact reason why the issue occurred. This article will be updated if more information becomes available.

The AR Foregrip And Handstop Buyer’s Guide

By
Sam Hoober
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1

Will an AR foregrip or handstop improve your shooting performance? Do they offer any additional benefits? If so, which are the best models to get?

After optics, weapon lights and slings, accessories that increase support-hand control are some of the most common upgrades installed on America’s favorite rifle.

Some use them because they believe they improve their shooting, while others of course install them purely for customization’s sake, but what advantages do they truly offer?

Let’s go over what potential benefits an AR foregrip has to provide, how they’re used and finally the best foregrip and handstop models available right now.

Why Did Anyone Use Foregrips? 

Historically, foregrips have been used to control full-auto fire in compact automatic weapons. 

The bulk of that lineage comes from submachine guns, and the original Thompson is a classic example.

Thompson with grip firing
“Jerry” Campbell of the OKCPD firing a Thompson with a foregrip.

Later submachine guns would either have foregrips as a standard feature or were designed to be gripped by the magazine well, effectively functioning as a foregrip. That was a common design feature of SMGs starting around World War II, with examples including the German MP40, the M3 Grease Gun and the Soviet PPS-43 to name a few. 

Foregrips were also somewhat common on light machine guns such as the Chauchat, Bren and Hotckiss M1922, and there's some evidence that vertical foregrips were occasionally attached to some BARs in the field. 

Forward pistol grips wouldn't start to be featured on service rifles until much later, after intermediate-caliber select-fire rifles became the norm. 

When Did AR Foregrips Come Into The Picture?

AR-15 foregrips in particular have been in use almost as long as the rifle itself. The earliest examples were jerry-rigged in the Vietnam War, usually an A1-pattern pistol grip bolted to the handguard of a CAR-15. 

Bobby-Pruett-MAC-V-SOG-CAR15
Bobby G. Pruett of MACV-SOG, holding his CAR-15 with a field-modified foregrip and OEG sight.

The CAR-15, of course, was developed to serve as an ersatz submachine gun as well as a short carbine, so the idea fits right into the classic use case for foregrips. 

More official AR foregrip designs were later developed commercially to bolt directly to the holes of an A2-pattern handguard (again, being more common for the CAR-15) and–during the GWOT (Global War on Terrorism)—to quad-rail handguards of the modern M4 carbine and M16A4 rifle. 

The first model to start hitting commercial production in any quantity was the VFG developed by Knight's Armament, often called the “broomstick” grip, and later the Grip Pod, a vertical grip with a spring-loaded bipod inside of it. 

M4-carbine-Iraq
An M4 carbine being carried in Iraq, presumably equipped with a Knight's Armament broomstick grip. Photo: Wikipedia.

What's The Difference Between A Foregrip And A Handstop? 

While both ostensibly provide extra stability and control, foregrips and handstops are different.

In the simplest terms, a foregrip is a handguard accessory that was designed to be fully grasped by a hand. The shooter can then use the grip as an extra point of contact for pulling the rifle back into the shoulder for the sake of stability.

Handstops, on the other hand, are a bit more varied in their form and how they are used. Depending on who you ask or the exact model in question, handstops are designed to assist in either pulling the rifle back into your shoulder or pushing it forward. The latter style is sometimes called a finger stop as well.

Arisaka-finger-stop
An Arisaka Defense Finger Stop.

When pulling back on a handstop, it works much in the same way as a foregrip. When pushing forward on it, the stop can also prevent the user’s fingers from getting too close to the muzzle. In either configuration, these accessories can be used as a barrier stop as well.

Something of a middle ground between the traditional broomstick and the angled grips/handstops is the stubby grip, which gives you a little of both. Shooters who use these tend to cup the grip and the handguard. This is preferred by some shooters who use the C-clamp grip or who use top-mounted tape switches. 

Foregrips can be vertical—such as the classic broomstick—or can be angled, like that of the Thompson SMG or the Magpul AFG of today. Handstops are much lower profile in comparison. 

Angled-AR-Foregrip
An AR-15 being fired with an angled foregrip. Photo: Wikipedia.

The principle difference is that a foregrip changes how your support hand grips the gun, either in a vertical or an angled position, whereas a handstop tends to enhance a more traditional grasp of the rifle and provides a physical index of where to grip the handguard. 

Do AR Foregrips Have Any Real Benefits? 

On paper, foregrips and handstops should give a person additional leverage that allows for greater control of the rifle. 

Some research indicates that grip strength decreases with wrist flexion, or in other words, you have less grip strength the more you bend your wrist. 

In reality, it's not that simple. 

For one, shotgunners have been using body mechanics to manage recoil without using foregrips for a very long time. Grip angle has long been a debate amongst pistol shooters as well, but it's hardly kept Shane Coley, Bob Vogel and others from winning national and world pistol titles shooting Glocks.

Probably the most conclusive findings regarding the efficacy of AR foregrips are from an article published by the Army Research Laboratory in 2015. The study had military and police personnel participate in different drills where their performance was measured, each course ran both with and without a foregrip attached to their M4.

Army-Research-Lab-M4-carbines
The two carbine configurations from the Army Research Laboratory study.

Despite many participants claiming that they preferred the feel of using the foregrip, no discernable difference in performance was measured. Whether they were firing the CQB course or the long-range course, the use of a foregrip had no impact on accuracy, shot speed or recoil control.

These results are reinforced by the fact that top-level 3-gun and 2-gun shooters rarely employ vertical foregrips, often eschewing them for handstops or just grasping the handguard. 

In other words, AR foregrips are a matter of the shooter's preference. Installing one probably won’t increase your shooting abilities, but it probably won’t hinder them either.

That said, just because a foregrip won’t make you a more accurate or faster shooter, it doesn’t mean they don’t have some additional benefits you can take advantage of. As previously mentioned, some foregrips and handstops can also be used as barrier stops, and a vertical foregrip can be used as a monopod in some instances as well.

Barrier-Stop
The shooter in this image is using his vertical foregrip as a barrier stop. Photo: Wikipedia.

Another aspect to consider is that a vertical grip gets the hand away from the handguard, which can get hot enough to cause minor burns with a heavy enough firing schedule or in the right environment. 

So, should you put a foregrip on your AR? It’s completely up to you. There are essentially no downsides besides the added bulk, and they do have some benefits even if they won’t necessarily improve your shooting performance. If you prefer the feel of one over a bare handguard, then by gosh, use one. Just keep in mind that if you choose to, you will still be able to run your rifle just as well without it.

The 7 Best AR Foregrips 

Magpul AFG

Magpul-AFG-AR-foregrip

The Magpul Angled Forward Grip or AFG is one of the most common angled foregrips on the market. Made of durable molded polymer, it features fore and rear ridges to give your hand a little forward boundary, which some prefer in an angled grip. 

There are three models available of varying sizes, two for 1913 Picatinny rails and one for M-LOK. Each is available in four different colors as well. MSRP: $26.95-$34.95 // magpul.com

Arisaka Defense Finger Stop 

Arisaka-Defense-Finger-Stop

Arisaka Defense’s Finger Stop is offered in Picatinny, M-LOK and KeyMod variants, and the company has a few other styles available as well such as the Indexer. It's machined from aluminum and it can be used as either a finger stop (between the fingers of the support hand), a rear handstop or as a barricade stop. MSRP: $28 // arisakadefense.com

Bravo Company KAG 

BCM-KAG

The Kinetic Angled Grip or KAG has long been a staple model of angled handstops. Between their durability and cost, it’s easy to see why.

The KAG has a vertical side and a curved side, and both are textured for additional grip. They are available for Pic rail, KeyMod and M-LOK handguards and are offered in several colors. It’s a good middle-ground size and its shape allows it to be used in a number of different ways, making it a versatile option. MSRP: $21 // bravocompanyusa.com

Knight's Armament Forward Pistol Grip 

Knights-Armament-Broomstick-AR-foregrip

If you’re trying to clone a military AR, why not get the original M4 foregrip? It’s made of durable, injection-molded high-impact polymer and features a storage compartment that will fit an AA battery or two for your optic. The only potential downside is that these are only compatible with Picatinny rails, but at least quad-rail handguards look cool as hell.

They're available in black, OD green, and two shades (light and dark) of tan. However, it is Knight's Armament, so they don't come cheap. MSRP: Starts at $80 // knightarmco.com

NC Star Vertical Grip

NC-Star-AR-foregrip

For those who are more budget-minded, NC Star makes a decent clone of the Knight’s Armament Forward Pistol Grip that’s about eight times cheaper. Enough said. MSRP: Less than $10 // ncstar.com

Strike Industries AR-15 Bikini Handstop

StrikeIndustries-Bikini-hand-stop

Strike Industries' Bikini Handstop is a two-pack of minimalist handstops, retailing for around $10. You can install one for a single low-profile polymer handstop, or both to keep the support hand in position. Low-cost, easy to install on any MLOK rail, and it works whether you use a pull or push technique with the rifle. MSRP: $12.95 // strikeindustries.com

Bravo Company BCM Vertical Grip Mod 3

BCM-AR-foregrip

The BCM Gunfighter VCG has a slight curve on one side, allowing the user to have the front surface straight or curved, depending on preference. 

BCM offers models that are compatible with either Picatinny, M-LOK or KeyMod and they are available in either black or FDE. A more expensive version with a storage compartment is sold as well. The stubby nature of this model makes it a solid, versatile choice since it can be utilized in more than one way. MSRP: $21 // bravocompanyusa.com

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She’s Still Garand: Life And Times Of The Mighty M1

By
Josh Wayner
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1

A look back at the venerable M1 Garand, America's storied and stalwart service rifle.

When it comes to guns, there’s certainly fashion that comes and goes. This year, it might be 10mm making a big comeback, or perhaps the 1911 having a slew of new designs hitting the market, making it “relevant” again.

But with that said, the M1 Garand hasn’t been victim to fashion. In fact, it’s one of those rifles that’s always in good taste, no matter where or when it appears. However, things have changed in the M1 world … and not necessarily for the better.

M1-Garand-feature

Dried-Up Surplus Stockpiles

Unfortunately for us, we’re in something of the twilight years of the surplus market. When I was a teenager, you could buy most surplus guns for less than $500, sometimes as low as just $50. Granted, that was a lot of money for a kid working fast food, but everything was so plentiful then that it seemed like it would never end.

It’s a fair assessment to say that the vast majority of the surplus market is completely dead these days. Various post-World War II Mauser rifles that sold for $150 are going for upward of $800 today, well outside the range of hobbyists—and frankly outside the interest range for competition shooters and collectors. Guns that once were plentiful are now so heavily picked over that finding a good, pristine example can cost you upward of $1,500 or more … for a Mosin Nagant! The Finnish examples today are commanding a heavy premium, to the point they’re almost impossible to justify for the regular collector. The M1 has limped along for the entirety of this chaos, but it, too, is slowly drying up.

Remarkably, M1 prices have held out considerably well against the fluctuations in the market. Today, they’re still around $1,000, a price they’ve maintained for nearly 15 years. I never believed I’d see a day where something as common as a Mauser or Enfield would sell for more than an M1, but I’ve apparently reached that point in life.

M1-receiver-markings
Rear sights on the M1 are very intuitive and easy to use. They’re rugged, but you’ll need to check function before buying.

The nature of the M1 sets it apart from the rest. The gun was manufactured in America by Americans, and it’s largely supported by the aftermarket. It’s likely there are more of them around than the rest combined, but there’s really no way to know for sure. What is known is that a point is coming in the near future where prices for base-level, rebuilt M1 rifles will jump. In other words, get your M1 while you can: The gettin’ is good right now.

It could be argued that the M1 is still the most popular vintage rifle available today. The largest reason for this is that there’s a substantial amount of cultural knowledge surrounding it, and it’s still relevant from a defense and hunting standpoint. Young men and women are training as armorers on these guns—the same cannot be said for most other surplus rifles. It’s entirely possible to build a “new” M1 today; many companies make their own parts, stocks, barrels and more. The prevalence of the M1 in this country has made it so that the design will continue to be used well into the future, though that doesn’t mean it’s going to be that way forever.

Collecting The M1 Today

It’s a reality of the surplus market that things just aren’t what they used to be. The rifle featured in this article was bought from a local gun store that had it on consignment. The previous owner was aged out of competing and no longer cared about owning those guns. He mentioned in passing that he didn’t have family who went shooting, and it was best to sell. This rifle is a standard of what you’ll see for gun show rifles and those that you may be able to purchase from another shooter at a CMP event.

While it may seem like a backward approach, plenty of collectors shoot in these competitions, and, depending on where you’re at, a match is usually held every month. If you want a direct line to many opportunities for surplus rifles, simply attend one of these matches and pass out your information to the competitors. The thing about doing this is that it places you in a network of like-minded people. Don’t be surprised when one of your CMP buddies calls you and says there’s a gun you’re looking for at an area store.

Garand-action-open
The Garand action open: The internals look complicated, but they’re honesty not hard to understand. There are moving parts in here, but luckily all are easily replaced if you bought a rifle with worn-out internals. Don’t be alarmed, some movement is normal.

The nature of finding a good M1 these days isn’t a scavenger hunt, but it’s also not as simple as just walking into a store and ordering it. These rifles are quite old and are individuals at this point. Most of them have experienced various degrees of wear and tear over time, and you’ll need to have a careful eye about what you’re looking at. There are very few people out there in the world who have a full, complete matching M1 rifle. If a person is advertising a fully matched gun for less than $2,000, you’re being taken for a ride. What’s more, there’s probably less than a handful of guns in the country that are in original, un-issued condition.

At the very least, what you’re looking for is the receiver of the rifle: The rest of the gun can be stripped down and rebuilt quite easily. A desirable receiver is 90 percent of the sale price on a finished gun, and WWII receivers are universally more valuable than postwar examples—though prewar rifles are the most valuable.

The lion’s share of M1s, numbering in the millions, were all completely stripped down and refurbished over the years. It has become a game among collectors to swap parts not just by manufacturer, but also by month of manufacture. However, there’s no real way to know if the barrel and receiver were made at the same time of day, or simply at the beginning and end of the month. That’s about as fine as it gets as far as detail. A date-matched rifle usually picks up $500 to $1,000 in value.

M1-stock

Stocks and small parts aren’t necessarily a good way to look at the value of a rifle, or even into a rifle’s general condition: Great actions are sometimes dressed in mediocre wood and vice versa. Most stocks at this point are going to need to be replaced if you want to shoot in competition. New, clean wood is preferable. But, beware of any M1 at a gun show that looks too good; Birchwood Casey stock finish is cheap … and so is sandpaper.

Also, look at the condition of the action itself. One of my good friends, who worked as an armorer for decades, suggested that the average M1 will go through at least two stocks in its lifetime. Many of the wooden parts on the gun are actually quite thin and easily crack, so few are original to the receiver. Replacing the stock on an M1 is an easy venture, and it can be done largely without tools. Cartouches and stamps on stocks should not be considered a reliable method of dating the rifle, either. Not only are they easily mismatched, but they’re also easily faked.

Currently, many companies make modern parts. For instance, Boyds makes a replacement stock you can sand and finish at your whim, and laminate stocks are also a more durable option. Barrels are available from companies like Criterion, as well as custom manufacturers that appeal to the match shooting crowd. Specialty gun builders, such as Fulton Armory, can build an entire match-quality M1 off of your receiver. What’s better is that they offer multiple packages for your receiver, including options to turn it into a slightly more modern rifle, as well as tuning it specially for the CMP games.

M1-Garand-loading-1
The M1 is a large gun, but not ungainly. Despite the fact that it’s bulkier than a 1903 or Mauser, it’s quite slender in most places. As you can see here, it’s only just wider than the ammo clip.

The CMP itself also sells M1s. If you were interested in a road trip, you can simply drive to Camp Perry and leave with an M1. The CMP has sold these rifles for quite some time, although today they’re somewhat picked over. Around 10 years ago, you could find some absolutely pristine examples. Today, most of them look a little bit sorry but can be had for under $1,000. Most of these guns are in mix-and-match but fireable condition, and it will be of service in match shooting, but not necessarily collecting.

Shooting The M1

So, what should you be looking for as far as performance goes with the M1? The rifle, as it’s issued with iron sights, should be able to produce 10 shot groups of 3 inches slung up. If you’re shooting off the bench, cut that number in half. Yes: They’re that accurate. I have an 1896 Swedish Mauser that prints 1.5 inches at 100 yards dating to 1900, and another from 1914 that does 2 inches with the same loads. Most M1903, M1917 and M1 Garand rifles I’ve fired and owned are 3 MOA rifles … or better.

M1-barrel
Front sights are mounted to the gas block assembly. The sights are easily removed with a simple wrench and can be replaced with different versions. Here’s a National Match (NM) marked front sight that has been used to replace the GI version.

In addition, you’ll need to pay close attention to barrel wear. M1s with original barrels can be rough; if you plan to buy them to shoot, you need to invest in erosion gauges. These gauges measure the physical wear at the throat and muzzle, and you can simply pop them in at a gun show—it takes just a second. You want a gun that runs out at “0,” meaning no real wear. Sometimes, you’ll see a person say, “it’s a 1 at the muzzle and a 2 in the throat.” This means that the throat has a minor amount of wear, but the muzzle is still tight. If you go up past a “3” in wear on either end of the barrel, you’ll probably want to offer a lower dollar amount due to needing a barrel replacement. I’d consider any gun that needs a replacement to be a minimum $200 expense: Take that into consideration as you look to buy.

You’ll also want to check the mechanical properties of the rear sight. You can do this by simply resting your thumb on the peep sight and applying slight pressure against it. Each movement of the windage and elevation drums should be crisp; there should be no slippage under slight pressure. These parts can be replaced, so if they’re damaged and are on a valuable receiver, it might be worth it anyway just to go ahead and buy.

M1-gas-piston
The moving metal rod under the barrel is actually the gas piston. It extends from the charging handle to the muzzle.

If you’re trying to shoot CMP or other service rifles, you’ll need to check the rules on bedding the stock. Bedding an M1 can really help accuracy; however, as-issued matches won’t allow it, but open division usually does. You can sneak past these rules a bit in as-issued matches by buying an oversized stock. You will have to finish the inlet and exterior yourself, but you can essentially fit it exactly to your gun and achieve similar results to glass bedding.

Ammo And Loads For The Garand

As of this writing, several companies make M1 Garand-specific loads. You need to keep the pressure down when shooting these guns—modern .30-06 is too powerful for it in as-issued form. You can get an adjustable gas block to account for modern ammo, but there’s no need to put so much wear and tear on an old warhorse.

Hornady makes an excellent M1 match load (product number 81171), featuring the 168-grain ELD match bullet. This is an excellent target load and has produced some of the best scores at Camp Perry. I truly enjoy what Hornady did with this; it really is the best M1 ammo available for shooting scores.

M1-Garand-loading-2
The M1 loads from 8-round en-bloc clips that eject along with the last fired round. They make the famous ping! noise every time.

Federal makes an excellent 150-grain FMJ load for the M1 under the American Eagle brand. I have shot this ammo often in the past but haven’t been able to find it for some time. As of this writing, it was listed simply as “unavailable” on the Federal site, but I’m hoping to get some more in the near future if the ammo market ever cools down enough for companies to make anything other than 9mm and 5.56 NATO.

Sellier & Bellot has a great M2 ball load that’s safe in the M1 rifle. The load isn’t as popular, but it’s at least in stock and readily available … and it has proven to be very accurate in some rifles. I’ve noticed it’s a bit pickier and has a bit more thump to it as opposed to the Hornady or Federal, both of which are mild in the M1.

Also, Winchester announced a new M2 ball load at SHOT Show 2023. I’m excited there are companies making strides to come out with ammo support of the M1, even when things are so volatile in the industry.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More On The M1 Garand:

First Look: The Antimatter Industries Scopeswitch

By
Adam Borisenko
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Antimatter Industries has just announced the Scopeswitch, an interesting new accessory that allows you to adjust your scope’s zoom via a slider on the handguard.

In an industry where innovation is typically incremental and often predictable, creative ideas are always appreciated. The most recent of these is from Antimatter Industries and the system is called the Scopeswitch.

Antimatter-scopeswitch-feature

In a nutshell, the Scopeswitch is an accessory that allows its user to adjust their scope’s magnification level without ever taking their support hand off the handguard. It does this through a combination of an optics mount, a rail-mounted handguard slider and a cable system. When installed and configured, the Scopeswitch links an optic’s zoom control to the slider on the handguard, enabling the user to adjust magnification simply by moving the slider forward or back with their support hand. Antimatter Industries notes that this system works best with scopes that have easy-to-twist zooms.

Scopeswitch-closeup

The optic mount portion of the Scopeswitch is made out of 7075 T6 aircraft-grade aluminum and 4140 nitrided steel lugs, and the optical centerline height is 1.93 inches. The entire unit adds about 10 ounces of weight to a rifle setup. Antimatter Industries claims that the Scopeswitch is compatible with a wide variety of LPVO scopes and should work with any rifle that has at least 10.5 inches of barrel length and 11.5 inches of Picatinny rail space. The company also says that the accessory is fully ambidextrous, can have the direction of its slider reversed and will work equally well with FFP and SFP scopes. The company also warns, however, that it is difficult to install and may require the help of a gunsmith.

Antimatter-Industries-Scopeswitch

Antimatter Industries says that the primary advantage of the Scopeswitch is that it allows users to retain their standard C-clamp shooting grip while operating it. Because it only requires moving one’s support hand, it enables rapid magnification adjustment without ever losing a sight picture, making it possible to even shoot while zooming in or out. It’s a novel concept, and it will be interesting to see how it catches on in competition shooting, hunting and tactical shooting circles. The Scopeswitch is initially only available with a 30mm mount, but 34mm mounts will be available soon as well. MSRP starts at $599 and you can currently sign up to be notified once they come in stock.

For more information, please visit antimatterindustries.com.

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Fulton Armory Announces The M14 Black Hawk DMR

By
Adam Borisenko
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0

Fulton Armory has recently announced the Black Hawk DMR, a custom M14 inspired by the weapon used by Randy Shughart in Mogadishu.

Fulton Armory is known for its match-grade builds of American service rifles, and the company’s newest addition to its catalog is particularly exciting. Fulton already had quite the spread of various M14 and M1A rifles for sale, but now the M14 Black Hawk DMR is available as well. The rifle is inspired by the weapon carried by U.S. Army Delta Force soldier Randy Shughart of Black Hawk Down fame, who died fighting in Mogadishu in 1993. Fulton Armory says that the rifle “brings together cutting-edge technology, unrivaled accuracy, and a tribute to one of the nation’s heroes.”

Fulton-Armory-Black-Hawk-DMR-M14

The Black Hawk DMR is built on a Fulton Armory M14-marked receiver that meets all USGI heat treat and material specifications. The receiver also features a Fulton Armory DMR Picatinny scope mount that comes professionally fitted and installed. The rifle comes standard with a 22-inch National Match Quality barrel that is chrome-lined, has a GI contour and a 1:10 twist, but when ordering, four other barrel options are available as well.

FA-BHD-Shughart-M14

As for the smaller parts on the Black Hawk DMR, it uses a mix of GI and true Mil-Spec parts throughout, though all were selected and fitted by hand. Some of these parts, such as the polished gas piston and modified trigger, are National Match upgrades. The rifle also features a National Match flash suppressor (with a bayonet lug), a black fiberglass stock/handguard and a Kydex adjustable cheek piece.

Fulton-Armory-Black-Hawk-DMR-feature

The Fulton Armory M14 Black Hawk DMR otherwise comes with one 10-round mag, a sling, an owner’s manual and an accuracy guarantee of 1.5 MOA or better when using Federal Gold Match ammo. The base price is $3,739.95 and it’s available now.

For more information, please visit fulton-armory.com.

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Soviet Gun, NATO Ammo: The 5.56 AK Buyer’s Guide

By
Adam Borisenko
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If you’re interested in owning a Kalashnikov but would prefer it chambered for something a bit more Western, here are the best 5.56 AK rifles you can buy.

The shooting world has experienced a bit of an impasse lately when it comes to Kalashnikovs. While the rifle platform itself has grown more popular than ever in the U.S. over the past few years, its flagship caliber—7.62×39—has been drying up. AKs were once a popular choice in this country explicitly because of the low cost and high availability of their ammunition, but that is unfortunately no longer true.

556-AK-feature

At the time of writing, the cheapest 7.62×39 ammo is almost 2 cents per round more expensive than the cheapest 5.56 ammo, and almost 5 cents per round more than the cheapest .223 Remington (source: AmmoSeek). This is primarily the result of the Russian ammo ban which cut off the import of brands like Tulammo, leaving existing stock in the States to dwindle. Until a high volume of 7.62×39 can be produced domestically and affordably, most American shooters will likely be better off sticking to more conventional Western calibers.

Because 7.62×39 is now more expensive and less available than 5.56 NATO or .223 Rem., the only real reasons for a first-time AK buyer to still choose a 7.62 rifle would be if they prefer its ballistic properties or because of their desire for originality. So, for a practical range rifle in 2023, it now seems that a 5.56 AK will be the most logical choice for a prospective new Kalashnikov owner. This goes double for anyone who already owns a 5.56 AR-15. If that sounds like you, here we’ll be going over some history, things to be aware of and finally our picks for the best 5.56 AK rifles you can buy.

Brief History Of Military 5.56 AKs

When people refer to AKs as being the most prolific rifle in the world, they’re specifically referring to those chambered for 7.62x39mm. These have been used in nearly every significant world conflict since their inception. Whether produced in Soviet Russia itself, China or one of the several other nations to make them, they reached every corner of the globe and all variants shared the same ammunition and magazines regardless of any minor changes made to the rifles themselves.

While 5.45x39mm, the cartridge of the AK-74, never became nearly as popular as 7.62×39, it has still seen significant use. Its users primarily include or included Russia and ex-Soviet or ex-Warsaw Pact states, but others adopted it as well.

Compared to these, AKs chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO have seen only a fraction of the use. If you consider the Galil and its derivatives as members of the AK family, they are the most prolific. Of the more AKM-based rifles, however, not many got their feet off the ground.

DDR-Wieger-StG-940-fixed
An East German Wieger StG-940. Photo: Wikipedia.

East Germany started experimenting with the concept in the early 1980s with the Wieger StG-940, then Czechoslovakia followed suit shortly after with the LADA and ČZ 2000 designs. In the 90s, Russia developed the AK-101 and AK-102 for export, Serbia developed and adopted the Zastava M21 and Poland developed and adopted the FB Radom Beryl and Mini-Beryl. Of these, the Beryl has likely seen the most real-world use given Poland’s involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Beryl is therefore the 5.56 AK that can be best described as “NATO’s Kalashnikov.”

5.56 AK Rifles: What’s In The U.S.?

In the long and convoluted history of AKs imported into the United States, there were a decent amount chambered for 5.56×45. Not nearly as many as 7.62×39, of course, but enough that we don’t have the space to discuss all of them here.

Instead, the purpose of this buyer’s guide is to help you choose a 5.56 AK model that is new-production and readily available. The older imports are now generally considered to be collectibles, and if you manage to find one for sale on the secondhand market, expect to pay an arm and a leg. These include models such as the Valmet M71/S from Finland, the Norinco Type 84S from China and even some Saiga and Vepr rifles from Russia just to name a few.

Norinco-Type-84S-RIAC
A highly sought-after Norinco Type 84S. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Most of these older imports are great, but always do your own research on quality, condition and appraisal before buying one. For those interested in a 5.56 AK as a shooter, however, one of the several available new-production models will serve them best.

Note On 5.56 AK Mags

There’s really only one area where 5.56 AKs have a distinct downside when compared to 7.62×39 or even 5.45×39 models, and that is magazine compatibility.

As alluded to in the history portion of this article, unlike the AK’s two more prolific calibers, there was never a standard spec established for 5.56 AK derivatives. Because almost every country that made one was independently experimenting with its own designs, it resulted in a wider variety of patterns and less compatibility between them.

As 5.56 AKs have grown in popularity in recent years, magazines have become more available as well and finding some that will work in your rifle is now less of a challenge. That said, whichever model you select, you will still need to do your own research to ensure magazine compatibility.

556-AK-Pod-arms-follower-bakelite-magazine
A surplus bakelite 5.45×39 AK-74 magazine and a Pod Arms 5.56 conversion follower. These typically need to be loaded with a few less than 30 rounds to ensure reliability, but it's a nice option to have for style points.

Looking at magazines manufactured by the same factory as your rifle is the best place to start, but there are good aftermarket options as well even if they sometimes require minor fitting. Also, thanks to the recent introduction of the Pod Arms 5.56 AK follower, you even have the option of using surplus AK-74 mags.

The 5 Best 5.56 AK Rifles:

WBP Jack 556SR

WBP 5.56 Jack 556SR rifle

The WBP Jack 556SR is probably the best general-purpose, all-around 5.56 AK option on this list. WBP AKs from Poland are one of the relatively newer makes to be imported into the U.S., but so far, their reputation has been very good. The Jack 556SR is the company’s most basic 5.56×45 model and its general form is that of a plain-Jane AKM. It’s also one of the more affordable models currently available.

These come with nice Polish laminated wood furniture, an enhanced magazine release and an enhanced safety selector. They also feature a side-scope rail, a threaded muzzle (14×1 LH, slant brake included) and an intact bayonet lug. The only minor downside to these is that their barrels are nitrided rather than chrome-lined, but people tend to make a bigger deal out of that than it really is.

MSRP: $1,299 // armsofamerica.com ; atlanticfirearms.com

FB 223S Beryl M1

FB-Radom-Beryl-223

Also from Poland, one could describe the FB Radom Beryl as the most premium option on this list. Not only do they have an excellent reputation for quality, but this is also the only 5.56 AK with any significant historical provenance. While the others here are fine shooters, none have the military history of the FB Beryl.

Many have purchased these to be both collectibles and shooters, and some have even bought two or more so they can fill both roles. Whichever appeals to you more, it doesn’t matter, this is likely the best 5.56 AK currently available in the States.

Based on the Polish service rifle, these have a few features that deviate from typical AK-based rifles such as their furniture and optics-mounting system. They still share compatibility with a lot of generic AK accessories, but be aware that it’s not 100 percent. These have chrome-lined 18-inch barrels, and they can be ordered with either a 1/2×28 or 14×1 LH threaded muzzle. The extra barrel length also helps to provide 5.56×45 with a bit more velocity. This model doesn’t have a side-scope rail, but optics can still be installed via other methods such as the proprietary Beryl system.

MSRP: $1,569.99 // armsofamerica.com ; atlanticfirearms.com

Zastava ZPAP M90

Zastava-ZPAP-M90

Introduced in 2021, the ZPAP M90 has become a popular 5.56 AK option as well, but they have some distinct pros and cons.

Firstly, while they’re arguably more durable due to their 1.5mm-thick receivers and bulged front trunnions, they are also noticeably heavier. This is compounded by the fact that it sports an 18.25-inch barrel (chrome-lined and threaded 14×1 LH), but that provides more velocity to the projectile as well.

Notably, these also feature an adjustable gas block and a side-scope rail, and they ship with an enhanced safety lever, a Magpul Zhukov folding stock, an MOE grip and a Hogue rubber handguard. Note that this is still a Yugo-pattern AK, however, so any replacement furniture will need to be as well.

MSRP: $1,223.99 // zastavaarmsusa.com

PSA AK-556

PSA-AK-556

This option is for the prospective purchaser who already has an AR-15 and doesn’t want to deal with buying new AK mags. This is because the unique advantage of the PSA AK-556 is its AR magwell adaptor that allows it to use AR-15 magazines, and it even has a bolt release. PMAGs are recommended for the best function, but some others can work as well.

Besides this standout feature, the rifle also has a bulged front trunnion, a side-scope rail and a 16-inch barrel. The barrel is nitrided, threaded 1/2×28 and ships with a muzzle brake. The standard version comes with generic polymer furniture, but PSA also offers more tactical models with railed handguards and folding stocks.

MSRP: Starts at $999.99 // palmettostatearmory.com

Arsenal SAM5

Arsenal-SAM5

To get this out of the way, personally, I find that AKs from Arsenal of Bulgaria are overhyped and overpriced. They’re good rifles at their core, but click around online long enough and you’ll see they’ve experienced more issues than their reputation would suggest. That said, the SAM5 is on this list because it’s the only milled receiver 5.56 option available. For those who are dead set on having a milled rifle that’s both heavier and more durable than it probably needs to be, this is the one for you. The overall weight of nearly 10 pounds should make recoil nonexistent, however.

The 16.3-inch barrel is chrome-lined and threaded 14×1 LH and they ship with an AK-351 muzzle brake. If the weight and price don’t dissuade you, the SAM5 can still serve you very well.

MSRP: $1,899.99 // arsenalinc.com

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First Look: Riton 5 TACTIX 1-10×24 Riflescope

By
Adam Borisenko
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0

Riton Optics has just announced the 5 TACTIX 1-10×24 Riflescope, a new versatile FFP LPVO.

Riton Optics has been busy expanding its catalog lately, and the most recent addition is the 5 TACTIX 1-10×24 Riflescope. It’s a first focal plane low-power variable optic (LPVO) with an illuminated MRAD reticle.

Riton-5-TACTIX-1-10×24-Riflescope-feature

While many LPVOs on the market don’t have a 30mm main tube, the 5 TACTIX 1-10×24 does. The advantage here is that it should make it much easier to find compatible mounts. The tradeoff is its 24mm objective lens, but Riton also describes the scope as having a fast-focus eyepiece. The 6061-T6 aluminum tube has also been dry nitrogen purged and features Riton HD glass with 99.5% light transmission and a Riton Performance Coating.

Riton 5 TACTIX 1-10×24

The 30T reticle is a red illuminated MRAD Christmas tree reticle with 6 levels of brightness adjustment. The windage and elevation turrets are capped and zero-resettable and feature audible, 1/10 MRAD adjustments. As for durability, the 5 TACTIX 1-10×24 is rated as being 100-percent waterproof, fog proof and shockproof, and for the latter, it was tested up to 1200 Gs. For adjusting the magnification between 1X and 10X, the scope comes with two different heights of throw levers: 14mm and flush mount, but Riton also has 11mm and 8mm levers available.

30T-MRAD-reticle

Jerimiah Alexander, Director of Product at Riton Optics, said this about the new scope:

The 5 TACTIX LVPO has been a long time coming and we are thrilled it is finally here … We have spent a lot of time, research, and development creating a riflescope that would excel in any environment and exceed expectations.

Each 5 TACTIX 1-10×24 comes with flip-up lens caps, an Allen key, a lens cloth and Riton’s limited lifetime warranty. MSRP is $959.99 and it’s available now.

For more information, please visit ritonoptics.com.

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The Modern Reloader: Digital Reloading Tools

By
Philip Massaro
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From powder dispensers to case prep to calipers, should you be using “digital” reloading tools?

Ol’ Grumpy Pants came over to the shop with a bag full of spent .22-250 Remington brass, intending to load ammunition. Dad, who taught me how to reload decades ago, just looked over his nose as I warmed up the RCBS ChargeMaster Link, while using the Universal Case Prep Station to trim the cases to the proper length.

Turning off the loud rotary trimmer, I checked the case dimensions with my Mitutoyo digital caliper and used my phone to have the electronic dispenser throw the proper amount of Hodgdon’s H380 powder. Feeling that familiar stare on the back of my head, I stopped to ask him just what he was gawking at.

Chargemaster-powder-dispenser
When Ol’ Grumpy Pants (aka “Dad”) saw the author run the ChargeMaster Link from his phone, he just shook his head. Photo: Massaro Media Group.

“When I started doing this, I didn’t have a single piece of gear that required an outlet or a battery,” he said. “What the hell is all this crap?”

Now, I’ll be the first to admit my father no longer readily embraces modern technology—though there was a time when he did. But, I will also admit that the tool set we had when I first learned to reload was much less sophisticated than what’s on my bench currently, and the dichotomy is glaring.

Though my days of plastic scoops, dispensing powder into the pan of a balance beam scale and using an analog dial caliper for measuring seem to be in the past, there’s nothing wrong with those tools. And I will also say that I truly appreciate the advances in modern “digital” tools.

Today’s Reloader

The modern reloader generally falls into one of two camps: those trying to save money on ammunition (usually to shoot more, for less) and those who will spend whatever money is needed to make the best ammunition possible. When I was a young man, I definitely fell into the former—though once I went down the rabbit hole, I began to identify with the latter, though I can’t find fault with either mindset.

But for those skeptical about digital tools, flashing lights, beeping powder dispensers and electric motors spinning their cutting attachments, let me alleviate your worries herein: You can, if you choose, continue to use all hand-powered tools.

Case Prep

I still have a Redding Model 2400 piloted case trimming lathe on my bench, and with its precision adjustments, I can put the elbow grease to good work for a consistent result. Or, a tool like the RCBS Universal Case Prep Station uses a variable speed electric motor to spin the cutting head for the micrometer-adjustable case trimmer—as well as the half-dozen threaded attachment ranging from primer pocket brushes, primer pocket reamers (in both large and small sizes) to chamfer and de-burring tools. It isn’t exactly a digital wonder, but it does represent a technological leap, at least in the bursitis department.

Powder Dispensers

That RCBS ChargeMaster Link—or even better, the MatchMaster—powder dispenser is, however, a quantum leap in powder dispensing. Both are programmable, both dispense powder very precisely (though the MatchMaster is the most precise machine I’ve ever used) and both can be operated from a smartphone. If you don’t own a smartphone, and I know many guys who don’t, you can manually program the dispensers to make your life easier. Even the older ChargeMaster Lite, or the original ChargeMaster 1500, can be a great leap over a manual powder thrower and trickler, at the very least saving the reloader precious time at the bench.

RCBS-powder-dispenser
The RCBS MatchMaster powder dispenser/digital scale is a high-tech piece of gear, which can be operated remotely from your smartphone.

Digital Scales

The digital scales built into these units are utterly reliable—though I cannot say the same for other brands—and I’ve been testing them for a decade against my nest balance beam scales. Does this mean I've set the balance beam scales back in their boxes? No, that isn’t the case. I love a system of checks and balances, and I also know that a balance beam scale isn’t as easily influenced by atmospheric conditions or its surroundings.

Lyman-Digital-Scale
Digital technology has crept into our reloading tools, like this Lyman digital scale. Photo: Massaro Media Group.

The electronic scales can go awry if you’ve got a fan running in the room—they don’t like breezes in the least—and some folks swear that fluorescent lighting influences them, but that hasn’t been my finding.

If time is a commodity (and when isn’t it?), electronic dispensers will most definitely increase your output without cutting corners. Unless you’re currently weighing each powder charge on a balance beam scale, I’d also wager you’ll see more consistent results at the shooting bench, as the dispenser weighs each charge down to 1/10th grain, or less in some instances.

Calipers

My machinist friends wrinkle their noses at the sight of a digital caliper, as only a premium-quality analog caliper is good enough for their profession. For my purposes—at the reloading bench—a digital caliper is precise enough to make premium ammunition. I use a Mitutoyo CD-6 CS for most of my work, just because it has become an old friend, but I also have an RCBS Electronic Digital Caliper, which works just as well for me. Both have the handy feature of switching between inches (and decimal portions of an inch, out to 0.0005 inch) and millimeters (to 0.01 mm), and both measure out to just over 6 inches, which is more than enough for the average reloader.

Mitutoyo-digital-caliper
This Mitutoyo digital caliper is more than accurate enough to handle all reloading projects and has served the author well for a decade. Photo: Massaro Media Group.

Sometimes I feel that the handwork and elbow grease of case preparation is therapeutic; if that works for you as well, so be it. There are times where I prefer the hands-on approach, using my Little Crow Gunworks Precision Prep Tool to put the perfect VLD chamfer on the inside of the case mouth, giving special attention to removing all the burrs on the outside of the mouth, or hand-tuning a primer pocket to get that perfect primer seat for match-grade ammo.

There are also times where I appreciate the efficiency of the rhythmic pattern developed by the ChargeMaster Link, throwing a precise charge in as much time as it takes me to dump the charge into the case and seat the bullet. The cartridge count of the machine allows me to assure myself that each cartridge made got a powder charge, and though I may weigh those electronically measured charges on a balance beam scale every now and again, I’ve completely come to grips with the fact that the digital reloading tools are a benefit to us all.

Now, Ol’ Grumpy Pants, on the other hand, is a tougher nut to crack.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More On Reloading:

What’s The Deal With .223 Wylde?

By
Sam Hoober
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0

You’ve probably heard about .223 Wylde, but what is it, what is it good for and should you be taking advantage of it?

Most AR-15 shooters are aware that .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO are not exactly the same, and that it’s generally considered prudent to never fire the latter in a rifle chambered for the former. Because of this, most ARs today are designed with 5.56 NATO chambers to allow the safe firing of either cartridge. The story doesn’t end there, however, as now many rifles are available with a .223 Wylde chambering as well.

Here we’ll be going over exactly what a .223 Wylde chamber is, why it was created, if you should consider using one and finally our top six picks for the best .223 Wylde barrel options.

223-Wylde-feature
The chamber of a Faxon Firearms .223 Wylde barrel.

What Is .223 Wylde? 

.223 Wylde is a chamber dimension, developed by gunsmith Bill Wylde of Greenup, Ill., which aimed to balance the differences between the 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington chamber dimensions. 

Why do this? To understand, we need to dive a little deeper into the differences between .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO.

In the beginning, the earth was void. Some years later, the .223 Remington was developed as the cartridge for the AR15/M16 rifle. Some years after that, FN Herstal developed the 62-grain SS109 bullet, and their loading was adopted as the standard 5.56x45mm NATO load. 

Along with the SS109/M855 load, NATO also adopted a uniform 5.56mm chamber dimension. Specifically, the freebore diameter as well as the neck and shoulder diameters are the relevant measurements. The freebore is the section of the barrel right before the lands and grooves.

chamber-dimmensions-AR15barrels
This diagram from ar15barrels.com shows where the freebore length and freebore diameter are measured.

When determining the standard NATO chamber dimensions, a larger freebore was chosen to increase reliability, as the extra space helps to accommodate for variances in ammunition size as well as fouling. Because the chamber was developed for military carbines and machine guns, this makes a lot of sense.

Further (and this is where the pressure aspect begins to matter), the various projectiles available for 5.56mm NATO ammo have different shapes and overall lengths which can affect the buildup of pressure (the pressure curve) behind them as well as how they engage the rifling. 

A 64-grain tracer, for instance, has a much different ogive than a 55-grain FMJ. This means that the two cartridges will have different pressure curves even if the powder charges are the same. As a result, the pressure generated by some 5.56mm NATO loads may be more than a .223 chamber can handle.

Some testing has demonstrated an increase in chamber pressure when firing 5.56mm NATO in .223-chambered barrels, though typically only to about 60,000 psi. 

Has a 5.56mm cartridge ever ruptured a .223 Remington gun? I have yet to find a real-world documented example where genuine factory 5.56mm ammo has blown up a gun. Kabooms have happened, but usually due to Bubba's handloads. 

It is certainly true that firing 5.56mm rounds in a gun with a .223 chamber will accelerate wear on parts…if you shoot enough, but most don't. The most common side effect appears to be popped primers. 

As to accuracy…that's very hard to pin down. 

There are so many variables involved in mechanical accuracy that definitively stating that 5.56mm ammo is less accurate when fired from a .223 chamber (or vice versa) is a difficult proposition. Dimensionally, a .223 chamber has a tighter freebore. On paper, this would suggest greater accuracy, but how that translates to reality is hard to quantify. 

Enough people have claimed that they get decreased accuracy, but to say so conclusively requires eliminating variables (twist rate, chamber dimension, bullet, powder and primer) which to my knowledge has never been done.

The issue is further confused by the fact that plenty of barrels, chambers and ammunition are incorrectly labeled. Just because something says “5.56” on it, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it was manufactured to exact official NATO specifications.

As mentioned, .223 Wylde chambers combine the best aspects of both .223 Rem. And 5.56 NATO chambers, but what exactly does that bring to the party? In theory, it will provide the increased safety and reliability of a 5.56 chamber and the accuracy of a .223 chamber. So, if you build a rifle using a quality Wylde barrel with a chamber that's been cut correctly, it means that you should never really have to worry about the differences between .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO ammo when using it.

What Is .223 Wylde Best For?

What kind of AR build would benefit the most from a .223 Wylde chamber? Two scenarios immediately come to mind.

First is any rifle where you, the shooter, are going use a lot of ammunition loaded with long-for-caliber projectiles. 

Hunters and match shooters both favor heavier, more aerodynamic bullet shapes, and there's also something to be said for the superior terminal ballistic properties for defensive purposes…especially compared to green tip 5.56! 

green-tip-556-spread

Second is if you're going to feed your gun a dog's lunch of ammunition. We've all been there. Some Tula .223, some Winchester 5.56 55-grain, a bit of something else, whatever you can get cheap, and who knows how close to spec any of it is. 

In that instance, a .223 Wylde chamber will keep you from having to worry about exceeding the pressure limit of your chamber or experiencing reduced accuracy.

Why Would You NOT Want A .223 Wylde Barrel? 

There are two distinct reasons not to opt for a .223 Wylde barrel. 

First, the good Wylde barrels tend to be a bit more expensive than barrels with 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington chambers. If money is tight, it will likely be more useful if put toward other areas of your build.

Second is if you have a specific rifle built for a specific purpose that you only load with specific ammo that won’t benefit from a Wylde chamber.

For instance, classic .223 hunting and varmint loads (such as 55- and 62-grain soft points) don't really require a .223 Wylde chamber, nor does shooting typical 5.56mm NATO loads (55-grain and 62-grain ball) in a gun with an actual 5.56mm chamber. If that constitutes most of your AR shooting, a Wylde chamber may not have much to offer you.

The 6 Best .223 Wylde Barrels 

Faxon Match Series Gunner

223-Wylde-barrel-faxon

Faxon Firearms turns out high-quality barrels at very reasonable price points, with excellent QA/QC. The company’s Match series barrels are made from 416-R stainless steel with a QPQ coating, feature nitrided 5R rifling with a 1:8 twist and have a Nickel-Teflon coated barrel extension. 

This barrel has Faxon's Gunner profile, an augmented pencil profile that's lighter weight but has a bit more rigidity than a pencil barrel for improved response to heat stress. These barrels are a favorite of competition shooters and are offered in 13.9-, 14.5-, 16-, 18- and 20-inch lengths (the 18- and 20-inch models feature rifle-length gas systems, but all other models have mid-length gas). Prices start at $230. Site: faxonfirearms.com

NBS Premium Series .223 Wylde 16-inch 

NBS-223-Wylde-bbl

NBS is the house brand of AR15Discounts.com. While not exactly a match or duty-grade barrel, the everyman can get a lot of bang for his buck with one of these. 

Made of 4150 CrMoV steel with a QPQ nitride finish, this barrel features a mid-length gas system, a government profile and a 1:8 twist. This model would be great for a budget build that you want to get some real use out of. MSRP is $149.95, but it's often on sale for even less. Site: ar15discounts.com

Rosco Purebred .223 Wylde Barrels 

Rosco-Purebred-bbl

Rosco Manufacturing is known for being the premium barrel maker the working man can afford, and the company offers its Purebred barrel in .223 Wylde. Rosco is the OEM for a number of different rifle makers, has serviced government contracts and is known for its excellent QA/QC. 

The barrels are 416R stainless steel with a nickel-boron finish on the barrel extension, and they feature a 1:8 twist and a government profile. The barrels will have either rifle- or mid-length gas depending on barrel lengths, and those options include 13.7, 14.5, 16, 18 and 20 inches. MSRP starts at $181, but watch Rosco’s Kennel Bargain Bin for discounts on blemished and overstocked items. Site: roscomanufacturing.com

Criterion AR-15 Hybrid .223 Wylde 

Criterion-Wylde-barrels

Criterion is one of the best barrel makers in the business. The company’s .223 Wylde Hybrid contour has a medium-weight barrel profile, giving you more rigidity than a pencil profile but less weight than a government profile. 

Criterion’s barrels are made of 4150 CRV with a chrome-lined bore and phosphate finish, with mid-length gas and a 1:8 twist. Criterion hand-laps the rifling, and (if you purchase a bolt or BCG with the barrel) will even headspace your barrel to your bolt. They are available in 13.9-, 14.5- and 16-inch options and have an MSRP of $289 regardless of the length selected. Site: criterionbarrels.com

Rainier Arms UltraMatch Mod2

RAINIER-ARMS-ULTRAMATCH-MOD2-bbl

Rainier Arms match barrels have long been known to be among the finest available. The UltraMatch Mod2 series gets the utmost attention to detail, featuring hand-cut chambers and crowns, and precision machining with tight tolerances. 

UltraMatch Mod2 barrels are stainless steel (brushed or polished), have a titanium-nitride barrel extension, Rainier's proprietary fluted mid-heavy profile and a 1:7.5 twist for stabilizing heavier projectiles. The barrels feature either mid- or rifle-length gas depending on barrel length, and options include 12-, 16-, 18- and 20-inch models. MSRP is $400 regardless of length. Site: rainierarms.com

Christensen Arms AR-15 Carbon Fiber Barrels 

Christensen-Arms-AR-15-CARBON-FIBER-BARREL-223-Wylde

Christensen Arms is known for its carbon-fiber-wrapped match barrels. 416R stainless steel blanks are cut by hand, rifled and then chambered within .0001 inch and wrapped with carbon fiber to save weight and dissipate heat more efficiently than heavy profile steel barrels. 

Christensen installs its own gas block and gas tube as well, but the company offers fewer options than most other manufacturers on this list. You can either choose a 10.5-inch barrel with a low-profile gas block, pistol-length gas and a 1:7 twist, or a 16-inch barrel with an adjustable gas block, mid-length gas and a 1:8 twist. MSRP is $749 for low-profile and $899 for the adjustable gas block model. Site: christensenarms.com

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