Howa has just expanded its popular Mini Action bolt-action rifle line to include 6mm ARC, available in seven different configurations.
Announced in 2020, 6mm ARC is a relatively new cartridge, but it’s been steadily becoming more popular ever since. Some of its allure is that it has much better ballistics than 5.56 NATO all while producing similar recoil and being short enough to be used in reduced-size bolt-action rifles. It’s that last point that led to Howa’s recent announcement that 6mm ARC is now an available chambering option for its popular Mini Action rifle series.
Previously, Howa Mini Action rifles were available in .223 Remington, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62×39 and .350 Legend. Each has its uses, but none particularly excelled at long-range shooting quite like 6mm ARC does. It has slightly better velocity and trajectory than .308/7.62 NATO despite having less recoil and a shorter overall cartridge length. Being short enough to function in Howa’s Mini Action line made it an obvious choice for a new chambering option, as it provides all the benefits of a smaller and lighter bolt-action rifle while still being as capable as a full-sized one chambered for .308. Howa is currently offering 6mm ARC Mini Action rifles in seven configurations, including Standard Synthetic, Carbon Stalker, Carbon Elevate, HS Precision, EXCL Lite, Walnut and the APC Chassis.
Howa Carbon Stalker Mini Action in 6mm ARC.
All the new 6mm ARC Howa Mini Action variants are available with either a standard 22-inch barrel or a 20-inch light varmint barrel, but both come threaded and ready to accept a suppressor or other muzzle device. Both barrel versions also feature a 1:8 twist rate. The rifles are shipping now, and although MSRPs are not listed, the Howa Mini Action Carbon Stalker in 6mm ARC is currently priced at $999.99 by online retailers.
The 6.5 Creedmoor, heard of it? If you haven’t, then perhaps you’re new to firearms or maybe you’ve been cloistered in some cave outside Moab for the past decade living off prickly pears and raw fish. At this point, those are about the only acceptable excuses why you haven’t caught wind of the hottest cartridge to hit shooting since .30 met aught six.
The cartridge has gained notoriety for its ability to clip a gnat’s ass at 1,000 yards without the shooter enduring rented-mule levels of punishment. However, the cartridge is really only one half of the story; the other is the marvelous array of precision shooters to deliver the long-range wunderkind where it needs to be.
With this in mind, here are some of the top 6.5 Creedmoor rifles on the market today. These babies will deliver, no matter the round, all you have to do is provide a steady hand.
Best 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle Options
Springfield Armory 2020 Waypoint
To some extent, the 2020 Waypoint shows how far the long-range craze has gone at this point. Strip away the camo and featherlight build and Springfield Armory’s bolt-action hunter would fit right into a precision match, no questions asked.
At the heart of the 6.5 rifle, a tough-as-nails Model 2020 action. Springfield didn’t reinvent the wheel here, basing it off the time-tested Remington 700. But with exceedingly tight tolerances for smooth-as-glass operation, it takes the omnipresent action to a different level. The same goes for the fire tube. With the choice of a fluted stainless steel barrel or ultralight Proof Research carbon-fiber wrapped barrel, shooters are rewarded with an extremely rigid system that eliminates a majority of flex for repeatable accuracy.
Light years away from a traditional hunter set up, Springfield mates the barreled action to a carbon-fiber stock with a hybrid match profile. A wide fore-end offers more area to rest the rifle. A pistol grip enhances control. And a high comb (there’s an adjustable model too) ensures consistent cheek weld. Tack on a smooth trigger and ultra-fast lock time, you can’t miss with the Waypoint. MSRP: $2,173; springfield-armory.com
Savage Arms Impulse Big Game
Typically, to pick up the pace with the 6.5 Creedmoor shooters shopped AR-10. Savage Arms opens up the game with a rarity this side of the Atlantic Ocean in the Impulse Big Game. A straight-pull, the 6.5 Creedmoor rifle runs just a tick under a semi-auto, while offering up the advantages of a bolt-action. In this department, expect a system as unyielding to flex thanks to its stoutly-built action and thick-enough, medium-contour barrel.
Of course, it’s difficult to focus on the fundamentals of accuracy with the engineering Savage has poured into the Impulse. Utilizing six ball bearings instead of lugs, the straight-pull has an airtight lockup that runs as fast as you can operate the bolt. To aid the process, Savage includes an oversized handle and a relatively short linear throw. Additionally, the Impulse has a few extras shooters have come to expect on precision irons, such as threaded muzzle (5/8-24), fully-adjustable stock (AccuFit), fully-adjustable trigger (AccuTrigger) and rigid hybrid chassis (AccuStock).
Sure, Savage aims the straight-pull at hunters. But anyone who appreciates speed and accuracy is sure to love the Impulse. MSRP: $1,449; savagearms.com
Sako S20
In the past, shooters had essentially two choices when it came to a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle—one tailored to hunting or one tailored to match shooting. Sako took a look at this line and dashed it to pieces with the S20. What might be the first true hybrid hunter/match rifle on the market, the Finnish company marries the two sometimes contrary disciplines with a truly elegant system.
The secret is in the stock, or more exactly stocks. Boasting an interchangeable chassis system, the bolt-action rifle jumps between tactical and hunting configurations in a blink of an eye. Out for coyotes, slap on the thumbhole stock. Looking to drill bullseyes at range, go with the fully-adjustable tactical model. Did we mention, you won’t have to zero after making a switch? Pretty sweet.
As expected from Sako, the S20’s over-engineering extends past its interchangeable V-bedding chassis system. Such features as a rock-solid three-lug bolt, cold-hammer forged stainless steel barrel, adjustable trigger and integrally machined optics rail are all on target. The only question that remains, what’s best configuration for your objectives? MSRP: $1,598; sako.fi
Roam R-10 Great Plains
When you’re hale from Grand Forks, ND, you’re painfully aware of the magnitude of the American West. Perhaps this is why Roam puts a premium on portability in its gun designs, particularly its AR-style 6.5 Creedmoor rifle. The Peace Garden State gunmaker understand you have to put miles under your boots to put meat on the table.
The R-10 Great Plains is optimized for this very job, among the lightest 6.5mm AR-10 (DPMS variant) options out there at an extremely manageable 7.28 pounds. Roam achieves this by turning to lightweight magnesium alloys for the receiver and handguard. The material matches the strength of aluminum while dropping a third of the weight. This weight savings allows for a longer 22-inch fluted heavy barrel, arguably better suited for the 6.5 CM, without upping the heft.
Enhancing the R-10, the choice of the excellent ATC Hybrid AR Gold or JMT Saber Single Stage triggers, upping its accuracy potential. It also has a load of other assets, such as a Radian ambidextrous charging handle, Hogue pistol grip, and Magpul stock with Limbsaver recoil pad. Arguably, it’s the cream of the AR hunter crop. MSRP: $3,245, roamrifles.com
Rock River Arms RBG
Safe to say, Rock River Arms (RRA) pulled out all the stops catching the precision-shooting wave. Newly minted, the RBG 6.5 Creedmoor rifle is a top-end build that demands a top-end price. Nobody ever said accuracy comes on the cheap.
At the heart of the system is RRA’s stainless steel short action, mated to a 20-inch fluted Wilson barrel, complete with threaded muzzle (5/8-24) and protector. Air gauged and cryo-treated, the barrel is manufactured to exacting standards to deliver consistent sub-MOA accuracy.
Kinetic Research Group provides the chassis, its Whiskey-3, which is a gem—fully adjustable buttstock, precise aluminum bedding, tool-less adjustment, ample attachment points—the whole shebang. If that not enough, RRA also includes a Triggertech Trigger, oversized knurled bolt handle and built-in bubble canting device standard. It might run a pretty penny, but the RBG still is a great value. MSRP: $4,450, rockriverarms.com
Henry Repeating Arms in a precision rifle list? Sounds crazy, but the purveyor of quality lever-action rifles more than deserves its place with the Long Ranger. The 6.5 Creedmoor rifle delivers accuracy akin to a bolt-action, but with the speed of a repeater.
It pulls off this feat through some ingenious engineering, a bolt that essentially mirrors a bolt-action’s lock-up. The 6-lug rotary head adds an element of consistency, which is easily seen downrange. Not to mention, breathes new life into the lever-action, particularly for long-range hunting.
Aiding the Long Ranger is Henry incorporating a 4-round magazine, making it safe to chamber the rifle 6.5 CM. American walnut stock and richly blued 22-inch barrel and receiver, the rifle might be the most beautiful on the list. MSRP: $1,243, henryusa.com
MPA BA PMR “Pro” Competition Rifle
If you compete in or even mildly follow the Precision Rifle Series, you’re cognizant MasterPiece Arms commands respect—and top dollar. While the Georgia gunmaker isn’t jettisoning its premium label, it is making its gold-medal rifles a bit more accessible. Designed to meet the revised standards for the PRS Production Class—less than $2,500—the MPA BA PMR “Pro” Competition Rifle chips down on price, but not quality.
The 6.5 Creedmoor rifle’s heart is MPA’s BA Competition Chassis, a legend in its own right, which boasts unique V-bedding that allow clearance for glass bedding for both the action and straight section of the barrel. From there, MPA mates the chassis with Curtis Custom’s 3-lug short action and a X-Caliber stainless steel barrel (M24 contour). Finally, you get the choice of a Trigger Tech Special (set to 1-3lbs) or Timney HIT (set to 6oz – 2 lbs range) trigger.
All this and about a ton of other features, too numerous to list, make MPA’s Production Class rifle one of the best values to hit the market this year. MSRP: $2,200, masterpiecearms.com
Sig Sauer CROSS Rifle
Up to this point, when you wanted a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle for hunting you had two options. A pure sporter, not quite tuned to get the most out of the cartridge or precision rifle, and drag a boat anchor around the backcountry. Sig Sauer saw an opportunity in this divide and produced what might be the perfect compromise between the two. A hybrid, the CROSS Rifle delivers all the accuracy enhancements of a match iron, with the lightness of a true mountain rifle. That’s a deadly combination.
Ultra-lightweight, the CROSS Rifle tips the scales at a mere 6.5 pounds—around 40-percent less than anything else in its class. It boasts a fully-adjustable, folding buttstock—LOP and comb height—skeletonized to keep it svelte. Sig outfits it with a free-floating match barrel (18-inch in 6.5 CM) topped with the taper-lock that works with any of the company’s suppressors.The barrel also is swappable without the aid of a gunsmith, giving you a host of other chambering options.
Other notables include a two-stage adjustable match trigger, M-Lok handguard, ACIS magazine compatibility and interchangeable Picatinny rail. There’s more, but as is, it’s safe to say Sig has rethought the hunting rifle for the better. MSRP: $1,779, sigsauer.com
Daniel Defense DELTA 5
Taking the modularity of the AR-15 and applying it to a bolt action, Daniel Defense’s DELTA 5 is among the most versatile 6.5 Creedmoor rifles to hit the market. That’s because the turn bolt is more than simply the county-mile wunderkind. It’s also a .308. Crazy, huh? A switch-barrel, the rifle jumps seamlessly between the two long-range standbys, giving you perhaps everything you need in a single precision boomstick. And Daniel Defense makes certain, no matter the caliber, you’ll connect.
Indeed, the gunmaker has pulled out all the stops, decking out the rifle with a 24-inch stainless-steel Palma-profile barrel, mechanically bedded stainless-steel action, over-sized bolt knob, three-lug bolt and cutting-edge stock. The stock is particularly eye-catching, an advanced carbon-fiber reinforced polymer system that’s fully adjustable for length-of-pull and comb height. The DELTA 5 also comes with a total of 14 M-Lok slots and three QD points, making it a breeze to add accessories and a sling. MSRP: $1,871, danieldefense.com
Badrock South Fork
Not exactly cheap, but an incredible value, the South Fork 6.5 Creedmoor rifle teeters on custom-made performance. Makes sense, given Badrock is a division of Defiance Machine, well known for their tailor-made competition-grade actions. The company applies this expertise to piece together the dead-nuts chassis, yet keep the price sane. A steep task, known to turn a gunmaker’s hair gray early.
At the heart of the South Fork is a rock-solid modified Remington Model 700 action, upgraded with a coned bolt-nose, fixed ejector and modified controlled-round feed. The gunmaker mates the action with a 26-inch match-grade stainless-steel barrel, then fits them into a Modular Driven Technology LSS-XL Gen2 chassis (fully adjustable, of course). Meant to meet production rifle standards for competition, the system does make some sacrifices to achieve its price point. The scope base and muzzle device are extras. But for what you get on the South Fork as is, that’s not much to complain about. MSRP: $2,995, badrockrifles.com
Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Target
Since Ruger released the Long Range Target a few years ago, shooters have been champing at the bit for a 6.5 Creedmoor option. That wait is over. And the results, nothing short of magnificent.
Originally released as a .300 Win. Mag., the Hawkeye is a cruiserweight precision rig, offering among the sturdiest platforms to launch the 6.5. Thanks to a target stock made of laminated wood, the hefty 11-pound rifle soaks up recoil and anchors like a tick. Furthermore, its two-way adjustable comb and adjustable LOP ensures a perfect fit. QD attachment points and flush-fit M-Lok rail below the forearm gives you a way sling it up and accessorize it. And the 6.5 Creedmoor rifle features a heavy contour stainless-steel barrel paired with Ruger’s famous M77 action, which boasts a one-piece bolt. Yup, it’s controlled feed. Topping it off is a responsive two-stage adjustable target trigger and Ruger’s Precision Rifle Hybrid Muzzle Brake. More than capable of achieving ½ MOA accuracy, the Hawkeye is a gem in 6.5. MSRP: $1,619, ruger.com
Howa Oryx Chassis Rifle
As previously shown on this list, Howa has carved a niche as a purveyor of affordable tack drivers. And the company doesn’t show any sign of letting up. Its latest 6.5 Creedmoor rifle is a collaboration with Modular Driven Technologies, a partnership that – for the moment – has created among the most penny-wise chassis options on the market.
The M1500 Oryx features MDT’s Spartan, yet effective monolithic aluminum Oryx chassis. While it doesn’t boast the bells and whistles of some other options, it has what counts – spacer-adjustable length of pull, set-screw adjustable cheek riser, M-Lok mounting points below the forend and an overmolded grip. Howa’s 1500 barreled-action is no slouch itself, featuring a two-lug push-feed bolt, which has built a reputation for tight groups on the cheap. A hair over $1,000, there are few other chassis that come close to what the M1500 Oryx offers. MSRP: $1,059, www.howausa.com
Seekins Precision Havak Bravo
The Havak Action is something special. One of the more innovative to hit precision rifles in a spell, the custom job isn’t simply built like a tank, but also is among the easiest to operate. It’s also the heart of Seekins Precision’s production-class rifle – the Havak Bravo. Given the action alone runs around $1,200, it’s difficult to fathom how the gunmaker pulls off the rifle. Regardless, shooters benefit.
What makes the Havok Action unique is it's smooth as warm butter to work. A benefit if fast shooting and shot-to-shot accuracy are your goals. Part of this is thanks to a unique helical extraction cam, which sends the bolt back immediately when it’s thrown. The other half of the equation is the 50/50 cocking mechanism, which splits the operation between the bolt’s up and down strokes.
Seeking Precision marries the action with a 24-inch stainless-steel match-grade barrel and mounts them in a KRG Bravo chassis. As expected, the stock is completely adjustable. The 6.5 Creedmoor rifle is finished off with a Timney 510 trigger, which ups the fire tube and your potential accuracy. MSRP: $1,950, seekinsprecision.com
Smith & Wesson M&P 10
As far as 6.5 Creedmoor AR-10 rifles are concerned, there are few that come close to what Smith & Wesson offers for the price. In its second generation, the M&P 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle is a jack-of-all-trades – as adept on a hunt as it is in a match. Best of all, the Performance Center creation doesn’t skimp. You have everything you need to milk the most out of the Creedmoor.
Foremost, S&W has opted for a longer 20-inch barrel, ensuring optimal performance with a cartridge that prefers more bore. This is 5R rifled, which, in theory, should help retain the ballistic integrity of the bullet once it’s left the barrel. Keeping recoil in check, the company moved the gas block forward – maintaining shot-to-shot accuracy. To this end, its 9.5-pound weight is a nice middle ground, once again eating up some of the kick, but not making the rifle unwieldy. Furthermore, the Smith & Wesson boasts a Troy Industries 15-inch free floated handguard and a respectable two-stage match trigger. Only the stock leaves a little to desire, given it’s fixed – a Magpul MOE. But given the rest of the rifle’s pros, that’s easy to overlook. MSRP: $2,095, smith-wesson.com
Barrett Fieldcraft
A backcountry rifle worth its weight in backstraps must be two things: accurate and light. Not always conducive goals. But it’s something Barrett has accomplished in spades with its phenomenal Fieldcraft bolt-action.
Light as a daydream, the 6.5 Creedmoor rifle tips the scales at 5.2 pounds. You heard that right – 5.2. The secret behind the weight savings is Barrett drawing inspiration from NULA’s custom action. There’s simply no excess material left to weigh you down, given the action is built around the cartridge for a glove fit. Paired with a thin No. 1 contour barrel, then seated in a hand-laid carbon-fiber stock, you’ve got a rifle you can lug around all day, then some. Not that it doesn’t come with drawbacks. Its litheness increases the generally mild-mannered 6.5’s recoil, but not too unbearable lengths. Certainly not enough to knock you off a follow-up shot on that trophy bull across the canyon. MSRP: $1,879, barrett.net
Standby 6.5 Creedmoor Rifles
Ruger Precision Rifle
Arguably the gun that kicked off the long-range shooting craze, the Ruger Precision Rifle remains among the top in 6.5 Creedmoor rifles. Built around the American Rifle action, Ruger fitted a 24-inch cold hammer-forged medium contour barrel, complete with 5R rifling to protect the integrity of the 6.5’s bullets. Mated to a pre-hardened 4140 chrome-moly steel upper, the platform provides rigidity and a true free-floating barrel.
Additionally, its inline recoil system, which directs kick straight backwards, makes the rifle more accurate shot to shot. A mainstay now, the Precision Rifle (also chambered .308 Win. and 6mm Creedmoor) was among the first economy long-range shooter to offer a fully adjustable stock. The Precision Rifle’s competition has grown, but it more than has the yarbels to hold its own among other 6.5 Creedmoor rifles and otherwise. MSRP: $1,929, ruger.com
Bergara B-14 HMR
Suited to tackle any shooting situation you get a 6.5 Creedmoor tangled up in — from match to field — Bergara’s B-14 HMR (Hunting & Match Rifle) is as flexible as they come. Not as tactically aggressive as some long-range rifles, the B-14 HMR (also available in .308 Win. and .450 Bushmaster) nonetheless is as advanced, with an aluminum skeleton (mini-chassis) molded into the polymer stock to provide indispensable rigidity any precision platform requires. Furthermore, fully adjustable length of pull and cheek riser fits the stock perfectly to any shooter.
Renowned for their actions and barrels, Bergara does not disappoint with its tack-driver, outfitting it with a 22-inch bull barrel and rock-solid B-14 action, known for its silky-smooth operation. A 3-pound trigger, threaded muzzle, AICS detachable box magazine and integrated QD flush cup mounts round out the system. If you can’t truly decide your ultimate aim in the world of 6.5 Creedmoor rifles, Bergara’s economical Jack-of-all-trades is your ticket. MSRP: $999, bergara.online/us
RISE Armament 1121XR
Designed for those who expect more out of their firearms, the 1121XR delivers in the form of a light and capable AR-10 chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor. The gas-operated semi-auto (also chambered .308 Win.) dispenses bolt-action sub-MOA accuracy with lightning speed aided by RISE Armament’s exceptional RA-535 Advanced-Performance Trigger with a 3.5-pound pull, terse release and micro reset.
Furthermore, the 22-inch barreled rifle has all the accouterments to make life easy off the bench or in the field: streamlined billet aluminum M-LOK compatible handguard, Picatinny upper rail and an overall weight just a tick north of 10 pounds. Additionally, the whole shebang gets a durable Cerakote finish available in three color choices — black, foliage green and flat dark earth. If that’s not enough, RISE Armaments throws in two 10-round magazines and a hard case to safely transport the tactical gem. Of all 6.5 Creedmoor rifles, the 1121XR is most certainly the fastest to get you on target again and again. MSRP: $2,575, risearmament.com
Savage Model 10 GRS
A no-compromise precision rifle with a relatively decent price point, Savage’s 10 GRS comes outfitted with a stock certain to help you deliver a 6.5 round where it needs to go. Constructed of 65-percent fiberglass and featuring pillar-bedding blocks, the Norwegian made stock is the sturdy and stiff platform long-range shooters aim for in their rifles. Moreover, slip-nut controls make length of pull and the cheek rest adjustment push-button matters and an ergonomic full grip gives you the ability to provide the needed rear pressure for solid shouldering.
Time-tested, Savage’s Model 10 short action is a near perfect heart for the rifle and gets matted with a 24-inch fluted barrel, which provides great harmonics, while keeping the overall platform at a reasonable weight — a hair under 9 pounds. The GRS also comes chambered in .308 Win., and 6mm Creedmoor. The 6.5 Creedmoor rifle feds off AICS magazines, boasts Savage’s popular adjustable AccuTrigger and comes outfitted with optics rail and sling swivels. MSRP: $1,449, savagearms.com
Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon SPEED
Built for long-range backcountry hunting, Browning’s X-Bolt Hell’s Canyon SPEED is wickedly effective at everything it’s designed to do, particularly not bog you down. At 6 pounds 5 ounces, the rifle (available in 13 calibers) is among the lightest 6.5 Creedmoor rifles on the market, hastened by its featherweight composite stock and just enough barrel (a 22-inch sporter) to ensure optimal ballistic performance.
Solid as a concrete slab, the X-Bolt remains a top choice among precision hunters with its fast-operating 60-degree bolt lift, dependable detachable rotary magazine and three-lever Feather Trigger. Drilled and tapped, the receiver comes ready for scope mounts and the free-floating barrel is hand chambered to ensure the tightest tolerances. MSRP: $1,349.99, browning.com
Kimber Advanced Tactical SOC II
Engineered to meet the exacting needs of military, law enforcement and serious precision shooters, the Kimber Advanced Tactical SOC II (Special Operations Capable) comes with a sub-0.5-MOA guarantee, which it delivers. The fastidiously designed and executed instrument is hand built, outfitted with an adjustable aluminum folding stock, 22-inch stainless-steel barrel and threaded muzzle with protector.
Moreover, Kimber hits the right notes with traditionalists in the SOC II (also chambered .308 Win.) with a Mauser Action, complete with an oversized claw extractor for controlled feed. Rounding out the rifle, a whisper-break trigger factory set to 2.5 pounds, a match-grade chamber and M-LOK compatible accessory rail. The SOC II runs at the upper end of 6.5 Creedmoor rifles, but is worth every penny. MSRP: $2,661, kimberamerica.com
Howa Carbon Elevate
If you want your 6.5 Creedmoor rifle to be as light as possible, the Howa Carbon Elevate is a top contender. Starting at only 4 pounds, 10 ounces, this model is packed to the brim with carbon fiber components.
It features a Stocky’s super lightweight carbon fiber stock with a Limbsaver buttpad and ACCUBLOCK lug bed, as well as a 24-inch heavy carbon fiber threaded barrel. The ability to mount a brake or compensator is extra appreciated for a rifle that’s this lightweight.
Howa’s tagline for the rifle, “Carbon on Carbon,” couldn’t be more appropriate. The generous use of carbon fiber isn’t cheap, but it still isn’t the most expensive rifle on this list. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of a chassis rifle, if weight savings are what you’re after, the Carbon Elevate has it in spades. MSRP: $1,639, howausa.com
Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical
Getting started in long-range precision shooting can be expensive, so affordable options are always appreciated as act as a gateway for new shooters to extend their range. Of the affordable 6.5 Creedmoor bolt-action rifles, few are as feature-rich as the Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical.
Sporting a 22-inch medium threaded (5/8”-24 TPI) bull barrel with a target crown, it’s ready to accept a suppressor or compensator right out of the box. An adjustable LBA trigger, with no creep and a very crisp break, helps you extract the most accuracy out of the Patriot as you can.
The setup is finished off with an MDT chassis system, featuring aluminum V-block bedding, M-LOK slots, sling swivels and compatibility with AICS-style magazines. The chassis is a bit heavy at 8 pounds, so it may not be the best mountain rifle, but the extra weight will help absorb recoil when shooting at the range. MSRP: $1,085, mossberg.com
Tikka T3x Tactical Compact Rifle
6.5 Creedmoor rifles generally tend toward long barrels, but Tikka gives shooters a more petite option with this neat little tactical gem. Available with a 20- or 24-inch semi-heavy contour barrel, the T3x Tactical Compact Rifle can fill the role of traditional long-range shooter or nimble sniper rifle.
Built around Tikka’s broached action, the Finnish rifle (also available in .260 Rem., and .308 Win.) is stiff as starched sheets and features an enlarged ejection port making it possible to feed a round directly into the action. More traditional, the lightweight rifle’s fiberglass-reinforced stock nevertheless provides desired rigidity to the firearm and an oversized bolt handle makes the bolt-action lightening fast in operation. An interesting touch, the buttstock comes with a foam insert to keep the rifle whisper quiet when stealth is at a premium. MSRP: $1,275, tikka.fi/en-us
Springfield M1A Loaded Precision
A staple in match shoots for decades, Springfield took the M1A’s accuracy a step further with the introduction of a 6.5 Creedmoor model. The semi-automatic version of the M14 platform (also available in .308 Win.) has everything you need to shoot a country mile in a New York minute: air-gauged National Match barrel, 4.5-pound two-stage trigger, front blade and rear aperture sights.
However, this M1A goes a step further than its siblings boasting a stock fully adjustable for length of pull and comb height. The rifle is a beast, tipping the scales at 11.4 pounds and measuring 45-46.25 inches, but the extra material should make the M1A among the softest shooting 6.5 Creedmoor rifles at the range or anywhere else. MSRP: $2,149, springfield-armory.com
Do you have a favorite you think should figure into this list? Think we’ve included a stinker? Tell us about it in the comments.
Short-barreled rifles are restricted under the NFA, but here’s how to get started with the eForm process so you can legally build an SBR.
I love AKs, particularly those chambered for 7.62x39mm. One of the greatest advantages of this cartridge is how well it performs out of shorter barrels when compared to lighter rounds such as the 5.56 NATO or 5.45x39mm.
This fact is what originally spurred my desire for a short-barreled AK, but for years I was hesitant about going through with registering one as a short-barreled rifle (SBR). Thanks to the proliferation of pistol braces, millions of Americans have been able to enjoy short-barreled firearms without the pain of dealing with the National Firearms Act (NFA). For a while, I was tempted to follow suit, but none of the AK pistol braces on the market appealed to me. After eventually concluding that my short-barreled AK would need a real buttstock, I begrudgingly began to learn about the NFA process.
Dealing with the NFA is never fun, but the satisfaction of having a real buttstock makes it all worth it.
While the ordeal was time-consuming, confusing and philosophically frustrating, in the end it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Like most Second Amendment advocates, I believe that the NFA infringes upon basic constitutional rights; however, as of 2022, the law is still in effect and must be abided by if one would like to own any of these restricted items without breaking the law.
For the project, I purchased a Romanian WASR Paratrooper and converted it to an SBR on a Form 1 using the ATF’s eForm system. I won’t be walking you through each step of the process, as National Gun Trusts already has an excellent online guide for that, but I will share my experiences with the system and what I had wished I had known before diving into it.
Form 1: To eFile, Or Not To eFile
If you’re interested in manufacturing your own SBR, the process starts with submitting a Form 1 to the ATF. This form is known as the “Application To Make And Register A Firearm.” The word “make” is used here because, in the eyes of the ATF, the conversion of an existing gun into an NFA item constitutes the manufacturing of a new firearm.
Your Form 1 can be submitted either the old-fashioned way via snail mail, or by using the ATF’s online eForm system. I chose the latter, and it streamlined the process more than I was expecting. While some might argue that filing a paper form is the safer way to transmit sensitive personal data, the eForm website is secure and offers several advantages over the traditional method.
In short, eForms not only eliminate shipping times from the equation, but they leave less room for clerical errors as well. If you make a mistake on a paper Form 1, you won’t find out about it until the ATF physically reviews it, denies it and sends it back to you. With eForms, however, most possible mistakes are automatically flagged by the system, and you’re forced to correct them before being allowed to submit. Unless you don’t have internet access, I see no reason to not file via eForm in 2022.
Picking A Project
While it’s possible to sell one’s NFA items, the process is about as complicated as acquiring them. For this reason, when deciding on the base firearm to use for your SBR conversion, you should pick one of relative quality and longevity. This is why, for my own project, I chose to use a Romanian AK.
Romanian AKs have received plenty of valid criticisms over the years over things such as their utilitarian finishes, but nobody would deny that Cugir guns are built like tanks. I had already loved my Cugir WASR-10 for years when I started this project, so I decided to stick with the Romanians for my SBR. In particular, I went with a WASR Paratrooper.
The pre-conversion WASR Paratrooper.
For similar endeavors, many people use a Draco pistol as the base firearm. These are a great choice as well, but I opted to use a WASR Paratrooper instead. The WASR Paratrooper is essentially a Draco that’s imported as a rifle rather than a pistol, and their features suggest that they were designed with Form 1 SBR projects in mind. As rifles, they come from the factory with 16-inch barrels, side-scope rails and standard rear trunnions capable of accepting normal buttstocks.
To convert a WASR Paratrooper into an SBR, one must only chop and thread the barrel. This is a far less arduous task than the rear trunnion conversion required to convert Dracos.
Regardless of whether you’re planning to SBR an AK, an AR or any other style of firearm, just make sure it’s one that’s built to last.
Taking The Plunge
Once you’ve decided on your base firearm for your SBR project, you’re almost ready to get started filling out your Form 1. I say almost, because there are a few things one should be aware of before starting the process. Without prior knowledge of these details, you’ll likely be forced to pause your application halfway through to straighten things out. If prepared ahead of time, however, filing your Form 1 will be smooth sailing.
Photo: If you’re filing an eForm 1 as an individual, you’ll need to digitally upload a passport-style photo of yourself before submitting the application. This picture can be taken at home as long as it complies with the ATF’s outlined requirements.
Fingerprints: You’ll need to physically mail your fingerprints to the ATF’s NFA division within 10 days of submitting your eForm. The ATF’s guidelines about fingerprint cards are quite particular, so make sure you follow them carefully. There’s more than one way to obtain your fingerprints in the correct format; I used a local gun shop that I knew was familiar with the NFA process. If no such store exists near you, you can also have them taken at your local police station. Because these need to be ready to be mailed off soon after submitting your eForm, it’s a good idea to have your prints ready ahead of time.
Gun Details: Another important note is that part of the Form 1 process includes submitting information specific to the firearm you plan on converting. Because you’ll need to input the gun’s make, model, country of origin, caliber and serial number, you’ll need to have the firearm (or at least its receiver) in hand before completing the Form 1. You’re also required to provide what the weapon’s barrel length and overall length will be post-conversion.
Tax Stamp Fee: The last point worth discussing is the $200 tax stamp fee. This upcharge is the bane of all NFA guns and devices. And, with the eForm, proves a bit tricky as well. One of the first pages of the eForm asks you to select a button that says “Tax Paid ($200)”, despite you not having paid anything yet. Confusingly, this is the correct option. Once you certify the eForm, a new window will appear, allowing you to pay via credit card. Know that if your application is denied, this fee can be refunded.
Soon after successfully submitting your eForm 1, you should receive an email from the ATF with the relevant pages you’ll need to print and mail off. This includes a copy of your Form 1 application for your CLEO (chief law enforcement officer), as well as a cover sheet to be sent to the ATF, along with your fingerprint cards.
Once this is done, it’s time to hurry up and wait.
If you’re lucky, you might get your approval email in less than a month, but be prepared to wait much longer. My application unfortunately got caught in background check purgatory and took a whopping 116 days before it was approved. Sitting at home for this long with a half-completed SBR project is frustrating, but keep in mind that you can’t legally finish the conversion until you’ve received your approved tax stamp.
Before the installation of extra accessories, this WASR Paratrooper SBR is very similar to a Romanian military PM md 90 carbine.
The Final Steps
Once you see your approved application from the ATF in your inbox, you’re legally allowed to finish the SBR conversion process. Unfortunately for AR owners eager to replace their brace, they’ll still likely need to visit their friendly neighborhood gunsmith. That’s because as the new legal manufacturer of your SBR, its receiver will need to be permanently etched with your name, city and state before you’re technically allowed to “manufacture” it. Anyone with an engraving machine can complete this step, but make sure they abide by the ATF’s technical guidelines about placement and depth.
Get all this behind you, and the true SBR conversion can finally begin. If SBR-ing an AR, the process may be as simple as replacing the pistol brace with a buttstock or swapping the upper for one with a shorter barrel. If converting a gun like an AK, however, more work needs to be done.
The SBR in its near-final form. It’s sporting a BelOMO PK-A Venezuela red-dot sight, Hogue rubber pistol grip, Blue Force Gear Vickers AK sling and a Khyber Customs AKM light mount with a SureFire G2X.
For my WASR Paratrooper, I could’ve chopped the barrel and threaded it at home with a hacksaw and thread die. Because I planned on eventually suppressing it, however, it was best to leave that job to a professional. After finding an AK-centric gunsmith in my area, I paid him to pull the barrel from the receiver and cut it on a lathe to ensure concentricity. I also had him thread the barrel, engrave the required information and install an enlarged magazine catch.
AK mag catches can be a pain to replace, so the author had the smith install an FB Radom extended mag release while the gun was already in the shop. This little upgrade makes reloading much easier.
A quick word of advice if you’re thinking about using a Romanian AK to build your own SBR: Cugir’s AKs are known for having issues with barrel concentricity. While not enough of a problem to affect the installation of a standard muzzle device, it’s often enough to cause problems with suppression. In my case, the WASR would support a suppressor when threaded 1/2×28, but not with the standard 14x1LH pitch that I had originally wanted. Shout out to Dave Ruble at the 2nd Amendment gun shop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who caught the issue when he was working on my conversion.
This barrel wasn’t concentric enough to be threaded 14x1LH and still be suppressed, but the smith managed to make everything properly aligned by going with a 1/2×28 pitch instead.
Claiming Your Prize
After such a long and convoluted process, it almost didn’t feel real when I first brought my SBR home without a 16-inch barrel. What I could feel was how short, light and handy my AK had become. All I had left to do to finish my build was install the accessories I had planned on attaching to it.
Now, the only piece of the puzzle left for my SBR is the addition of a suppressor. That, of course, requires yet another foray into the NFA process. Having done it once already makes the thought of doing it again far less intimidating.
The paperwork, fees and wait times are certainly painful, but it all pays off once you get to take your gun home. This is one endeavor where the destination is far better than the journey.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the June 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine (before the ATF's recent unconstitutional decree regarding pistol braces).
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
Has it been 50 years already? Apparently so, as Browning honors perhaps its most famous and popular over/under shotgun with a special anniversary edition. The Citori High Grade 50th Anniversary capstones the line’s endurance in the market with a stunning tribute to Browning’s design. Grabbing you immediately is the sharply chiseled floral engraving cut into the 12-gauge’s silver-nitride receiver sides and bottom, offset with gold accents and a Grade IV Turkish walnut stock. Less apparent is the inclusion of the Invector-Plus Midas choke system, a triple trigger system (you heard right) and HiViz Pro Comp sight enhanced with an ivory mid-bead. Like what you see? Hurry, because Browning is only making a limited run of these beauties. MSRP: $8,400
Tristar LR94
Once a relic of the past, the lever-action shotgun has made a resurgence in recent years—at least as a .410 bore. Tristar has dipped its toe into the end of the market recently, with the release of the LR94—a classy-looking smoothbore that should prove quite useful in the field. The gun, it comes in a blued and nickel finish, is available with a 22- or 24-inch barrel, comes dressed in a nice stick of walnut and holds five 2½-inch shells. Additionally, it boasts an adjustable rear sight as well as a firing pin block. Whether a quick-shooting turkey gun or a starter option for the burgeoning hunter, the LR94 looks to fit the bill. MSRP: Starts at $990
Chapuis Armes X4 Double Rifle
French gunmaker Chapuis’ new double rifle has all the trappings of a functional classic, but with some modern twists. This is evident in the barrel construction of the X4, which overcomes the difficult task of joining the firetubes, while maintaining the accuracy of both. This is accomplished by joining the rib to the left barrel while free-floating the right, then stabilizing them with a guiding ring at the muzzle. This allows a gunsmith to easily adjust the system, so both shots hit their mark. Aside from the technology, the gun itself is a stunner, loaded with walnut, scrollwork (on the receiver) and excellent finishing work across the board. Available in .30-06 and 9.3x74R, both come with adjustable sights and Recknagel scope mounts. MSRP: Starting at $7,299
POF-USA Tombstone Tactical Lever-Action
POF-USA has released its take on one of America’s most collected guns and, boy howdy, is it a different take. Somewhere between Wild West gunslinger and space cowboy resides the Tombstone Tactical Lever-Action Rifle. Feeding off a 20-round detachable box magazine (optional 10-rounders are also available), the 9mm packs plenty of firepower with the convenience of quick reloads. Furthermore, the 16.5-inch barreled carbine is a relatively light affair, tipping the scales at just a hair over 7 pounds. A lightweight aircraft-grade aluminum receiver, Magpul SGA stock and 10.5-inch MRR forend (M-lok compatible) are to thank for the weight savings. As for performance, a slightly enlarged loop—good for gloved hands—keeps up the rate of fire, and a crisp single-action trigger that breaks at around 3.5 pounds keeps the gun a target. MSRP: Starting at $1,962
Rossi RM66
Rossi rolled out new wheelguns this year, and chief among them is the RM66. At first blush, the .357 Magnum has everything to become an affordable classic. Aside from a dazzling satin stainless-steel finish, the double-action sixgun boasts a host of other assets certain to endear it to revolver fans. To this end, the 6-inch barrel with full underlug will raise eyebrows, milking all of the ballistic potential from the magnum cartridge, as will the gun’s fully adjustable rear target sight. Keeping the gun on target is a non-stacking trigger with a very smooth break, and a rubberized grip making the gun more comfortable to shoot and fast on follow-up shots. Best of all, Rossi prices the MR66 to move and for nearly any shooter’s budget. MSRP: $620
Taurus 605/856 T.O.R.O.
There was a time when mounting an optic on a revolver was a custom project. Not any longer. Taurus stirred the pot in 2023 by introducing among the first optic-ready production revolvers on the market—the .357 Magnum 605 and .38 Special +P 856. The T.O.R.O.s (Taurus Optic Ready Option) are based on the company’s Defender series of small-framed revolvers and feature a mounting plate system compatible with Holosun K footprint micro red-dots. Both models are fairly similar in weight (around 23 ounces), barrel length (3 inches) and features—such as removable front blade sight. The only notable difference is that the 856 has six rounds on board, while the 605 has five. MSRP: 856 starts at $445 // 605 at $450
Beretta 80X Cheetah
Many concealed carriers turn their noses up at .380 ACP, but this little pistol just may be sweet enough to change some minds. Developed from Beretta’s classic Model 84, the new Beretta 80X Cheetah brings the concept into the 21st century. While it retains the same demure size as its predecessor, the 80X now features an optics-ready slide, an accessory rail, a frame-mounted safety/de-cocker and an updated grip angle. For those in the market for a new carry gun, see if you can give one of these a try before committing yourself to a larger caliber: It might just win you over. MSRP: $799
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Some Glocks are big and some are small, but the Glock 48 MOS may be just right.
The Glock 48 MOS (and its iron-sighted variant) are something of the middle children in Glock’s catalog—not big enough to be duty guns, but just big enough to be (relatively) easy to shoot well. Slim for easy concealment and light, but with just the right amount of substance.
Here, we’ll take a closer look at why the Glock 48 may just be the pinnacle of “Glock Perfection” when it comes to concealed carry pistols.
Glock 48 MOS Specifications
The Glock 48 was originally announced at SHOT Show 2019 along with the Glock 43X. It was billed as a slim, compact pistol with a similar barrel length to the Glock 19, but a 10-round magazine to make it legal in ban states (except California) and, as the rumor goes, in Canada.
The Glock 48 MOS and 43X MOS (Modular Optic System) were announced in April 2020.
Glock doesn't publish MSRP, but $485 to $490 is about the average of what you should expect to pay in-store. I bought my Glock 48 MOS using my own money (Glock doesn't know I exist).
The controls are right-hand-only, with a single-side slide stop and magazine release. The mag release can be swapped to the other side, but the slide stop cannot.
Standard polymer white dot sights are included (Glock 43 sights), and the case comes with a cleaning kit (a patch rod and cleaning brush) along with a gun lock, some literature, two 10-round magazines and a speed loader.
The Glock 48 MOS also has a railed frame for attaching a subcompact weapon light, forward cocking serrations and an optics-ready slide.
The Glock 48 MOS Specs:
Barrel length: 4.17 inches
Overall length: 7.28 inches
Overall height: 5.04 inches
Width at the grip: 1.1 inches
Trigger reach: 2.64 inches
Trigger pull weight: ~5.5 pounds
Unloaded weight: 18.31 ounces
Loaded weight: 24.97 ounces
Capacity: 10+1 of 9x19mm Parabellum
MSRP: ~$485
Glock 48 MOS Vs. Glock 19 And Other Glocks
How does the Glock 48 MOS compare to the company’s other compact 9mm pistols?
Besides having a smaller accessory rail, a lower magazine capacity and a consequently thinner frame, the Glock 48 is about the same size as the Glock 19. This is good, because skilled shooters experience virtually no difference in performance between the G19 and its full-sized Glock 17 counterpart, contributing to the 19’s reputation as the gold standard of handguns. Because of this, any commonalities between it and the Glock 48 work in the latter’s favor.
Despite these qualities, the Glock 19 is not perfect for every person or occasion. Those with small hands may struggle to shoot the pistol well due to the thicker grip, and the thickness can also make it more difficult to conceal under light clothing.
This is where the Glock 48 really shines. Its thinner profile makes it more concealable and easier to grip for those with smaller hands, but it's otherwise G19-esque size keeps it more shootable than any of the subcompact models. Some people with larger hands and bodies will still prefer the full grip and greater capacity of a Glock 19, but most average- to smaller-sized individuals will likely appreciate what the Glock 48 brings to the table for concealed carry. This is especially true given the rise in popularity of appendix carry and the fact that more women are carrying concealed than ever before.
A Glock 48 (left) versus a Glock 19 (right). Image: HandgunHero.
What Optic Is The Glock 48 MOS Cut For?
The Glock 48 MOS and 43X MOS are cut for the Shield RMSc footprint, one of the most common footprint patterns out there. There are many red dots available from popular manufacturers at a wide range of prices that are compatible with this pattern. It is not, however, universal, and care should be taken when selecting an optic for a MOS Glock.
For instance, Holosun K series optics (407/507) require additional slide milling or an adapter plate before they can be mounted.
With such a variety of optics mount footprints on the market, it can be difficult to determine the exact hardware you need. This is why you must be very careful to research the length of the mounting bolts that come with your optic, as they may cause issues with Glock’s MOS slides. More on that later.
For my Glock 48 MOS, I purchased a Sig Sauer Romeo Zero, the 3-MOA version in FDE. I have no real affinity for anything in FDE, the truth is that model was on sale.
Glock 48 MOS Review Trials And Tribulations
To review the pistol, I took it to the BLM land I normally shoot on as being outdoors with fresh air and no range fees are usually better than paying to shoot indoors.
For the testing, I brought out some 115-grain Herter’s, 124-grain Blazer, 147-grain Federal FMJ and some Federal 124-grain HST.
Zeroing the optic consumed far more ammunition than I anticipated as the Romeo Zero lacks click adjustments, so you have to hope that you didn't go too far with every incremental turn.
Once zeroed, I was set to start shooting for groups to test the Glock 48’s mechanical accuracy. However, it was about this time the gun started having serious cycling issues. After experiencing failures to feed, eject and go into battery, it eventually dawned on me that an optic mounting bolt might be interfering with the extractor rod.
After removing the optic and test-firing the gun without it, it ran flawlessly.
In my defense, I had never heard of anyone having issues mounting a Romeo Zero to a Glock 48 or 43X MOS, whether in-person or on forums or social media (something I specifically researched before purchasing). I had heard of issues with the Springfield Hellcat, but not the Glock Slimline guns.
Buried deep on Sig Sauer's website, however, is a Hellcat/Glock mounting kit which includes a protective steel shroud and mounting bolts of the correct length. So, I went to my nearest Sig Sauer optics dealer to see if I could get the right ones.
The kind folks at SharpShooting Indoor Range And Gunshop had some of the correct bolts laying around (you need the 6mm length; Sig's M4 bolts are too long) and they reinstalled the optic free of charge. With that, the review was back on track.
So, I bought some more ammo and rented a lane to re-zero and see if I could finally put the pistol through its paces. I dumped a magazine's worth of doubles and triples to get a feel for how the gun needs to be gripped and then set up for some more serious work.
Since the Glock 48 MOS is designed as a concealed carry gun, I decided to take it through the Rangemaster Baseline Assessment Drill, a simple 20-round course of fire at 5, 7 and 10 yards. It's a good standard for concealed carry skills, and it gives you plenty of feedback without burning too much ammo.
It's shot on a B8 Repair Center target (or an FBI-IP-1 bullseye or LTT-1 target) with 200 possible points. Shots that are over time and anything outside the 8-ring are considered misses.
After having so much trouble getting this pistol ready for real testing, the shooting gods finally smiled upon me, allowing me to achieve a score of 178.
While not outstanding, that's pretty darned good (89 percent) and I'll take that any day. I cut the par times close and only dropped two, pushing one shot into the 7-ring on the 10-yard string and one shot off-target during the weak-handed string.
So, I didn't get to do anywhere near as much evaluative shooting as I would have liked, but I got in just enough to get some solid takeaways.
Glock 48 MOS Impressions
The Glock 48 MOS is more capable than its lithe frame and light weight suggests, but you need to do your part.
With a good high, tight grip, it's controllable. The dot will just barely leave the window (probably about 0.75 inches above the top of the housing) but returns quickly. Splits of 0.5 seconds or less are definitely achievable, and possibly as little as 0.3 seconds for a very skilled shooter.
For a personal protection pistol, the Glock 48 is absolutely enough gun to be shot quickly and effectively.
That said, it isn't likely to make any short lists of competitive sports pistols. While legal for IDPA and IPSC/USPSA, you'll be in the same division as Glock 19-sized pistols and 1911s, putting it at a disadvantage.
The Glock trigger is…the Glock trigger. It works, but there's room for improvement. The slick controls are usable, but I have the common problem of Glocks not reliably locking back on empty due to my thumb position.
It ran 115-, 124-, and 147-grain round nose, flat top and JHP ammo without issue. No surprise there. In terms of recoil, 147-grain was its sweet spot with a smoother impulse, so I will most likely switch to a 147-grain carry load.
Besides the optic, I also purchased a Dark Star Gear Apollo IWB holster. After some customization (I added a Modwing and a whole lot of foam) for appendix carry, it conceals incredibly well, carries comfortably and functions superbly.
The Glock 48 itself, however, definitely has some areas that can be improved with aftermarket accessories.
The grip texture is next to useless and, as mentioned, the controls are barely usable. Additions I will make and would heartily recommend to anyone include an extended mag release, a Kagwerks extended slide release and a Langdon Tactical Striker Control Device.
I could also do without the frame rail. My opinion on weapon lights is that if the gun can't mount a TLR-1 (or another quality weapon light of similar size and output), then it's not worth fooling with. Putting a compact light on a Glock 48 will increase its bulk and reduce holster options.
The 10-round capacity also warrants discussion. What about Shield Arms magazines, you ask? Their potential to increase the Glock 48’s capacity to 15+1 is very alluring. However, reliability in the real world seems to be a mixed bag. Some people, including some very reputable shooters and instructors, have had fantastic results. Others, including some other very reputable shooters and instructors, have not.
That means the Shield Arms mags are a crapshoot, and to me, OEM magazines that are cheap ($20 online) and will run reliably with 10 rounds trump $40+ magazines of 15 that might.
What about the G48’s direct competitors like the Sig P365XL or Hellcat Pro? They certainly have better capacities, but magazines are generally a bit harder to find and more expensive. While these pistols do have significant aftermarket support, it’s still not nearly as extensive as it is for Glocks. When you stick with the original Austrian plastic fantastic, you will never be left wanting for holsters or accessories.
So, as long as you aren't wrapped completely around the axle of carrying capacity, the Glock 48 MOS has a lot to offer. It's pleasant enough to shoot and carry, and it’s capable of impressive performance if you do your part as a shooter.
For those interested in carrying a Glock but want something slimmer than a double-stack model and more shootable than a subcompact, the Glock 48 may be just right.
Taylor’s & Company recently announced the 10mm 1911 FS Tactical, marking the addition of 10mm to the company’s 1911 line.
Taylor’s & Company primarily focuses on importing historical firearms, and while this means that the company’s lineup is dominated by wheelguns and lever-actions, it includes a few 1911 pistols from Armscor too. The majority of these also feature historical aesthetics, but Taylor’s & Company has started branching out into more tactical models as well. This began with the release of a full-size model in 9mm, but the company has just made one more coveted chambering option available through the announcement of the 10mm 1911 FS Tactical.
The “FS” in the 10mm 1911 FS Tactical’s name stands for “full-size,” denoting its 5-inch barrel and full-size frame. This also implies that we may see other sizes of this pistol imported by Taylor’s & Company in the future. As for this 1911’s tactical attributes, they exist, but are somewhat lacking compared to its competition given the lack of an accessory rail or optics-ready slide. These features include an ambidextrous safety, an extended beavertail, a skeletonized trigger and a combat hammer. The adjustable rear sight and fiber optic front sight are also improvements over the G.I.-inspired models, and the grips are black G10 instead of wood. Magazine capacity is 8 rounds.
Tammy Loy, owner and CEO of Taylor’s & Company, said this about the new handgun:
We couldn’t be more excited to bring this state-of-the-art firearm to the modern gun enthusiast…We wanted to offer the 10mm version to broaden our audience in the 1911 market. The new 10mm 1911 FS Tactical is sure to be a very popular firearm with the 1911 crowd.
The 10mm 1911 FS Tactical is available now and has an attractive MSRP of $699.
A closer look at Shadow Systems’ DR920 pistol series, including both the DR920P and DR920L.
I’ll preface this entire article with a factual statement: I’ve owned several Glock 34s and a few Glock 17s. I sold all of them. I just couldn’t get on board with the grip angle, and unless it was stippled with a grip reduction and magwell, I just couldn’t index the pistols as well as I could something that was closer to a Glock 19. I thought this was due to my medium-sized hands, or my wrist geometry, and rather than smashing a square peg in a round hole, I moved onto platforms that tangoed with my own personal geometry a bit better.
Then I had a dance with Shadow Systems’ full-size DR920 pistols—the DR920P and DR920L (P for performance, and L for long). I’m starting to change my tune.
Out of the box, both of these full-size guns pointed well for me and indexed very naturally.
Then I started to run some rounds through them. I may or may not have said holy sh*t after running a mag or two through the long-slide offerings. I’m going to tackle each gun individually, as they each have their own personality and nuances—the DR920L specifically, but I’ll briefly discuss what they have in common now.
Grip Frames
Their frames are essentially identical. It’s the DR920P frame, with all the fixings Shadow Systems is known for: Interchangeable backstraps—NPOA (natural point of aim), extra material guarding the slide stop, refined grip angle beavertail and what I regard as Goldilocks stippling. Not too rough, not too slick, it’s just right. They both come wearing a magwell, which contrary to previous articles I’ve written on the MR920—I’ve grown to love. It isn’t ostentatious like a Dawson Ice magwell, but also isn’t adding a mere .001mm to the magazine opening. It’s, again, not too big, not too small. It also, like most of their compact and full-size offerings, comes with a thumb ledge on either side forward of the trigger guard, lending itself to shooting fast and applying downward pressure.
Essentially a gassed Glock 17/34 frame, these are compatible with those Glock 17/34 mags you have lying around, or the Magpul 17-rounders. These guns ship with two of the latter.
Other DR920 Commonalities
The two DR920 pistols (clearly) have different top ends, muzzles and barrel lengths, but they share a few key features on the top end. Namely, Shadow System’s patented optic system. I’ve covered this rather extensively in my other pieces on the company’s MR920 offering—the Glock 19 size counterpart—but suffice it to say you can direct-mount pretty much anything right to the slide with the help of a variety of shims and screws of various lengths—pretty cool.
They also both sport bronze-colored spiral fluted barrels, which are match-grade, conventionally rifled, 416R stainless and incredibly accurate—the DR920P has a 4.48-inch barrel and the DR920L a 5.3-inch barrel. Both of these fit into a Glock 34 holster (or one that’s open-ended and meant for a G17) and are essentially the same length. The compensator adds about another 1.3 inches to the DR920P. I consider the MR920 as one of the flattest, fastest shooting plastic fantastics out there, but I’m here to tell you that either of these guns can take that spot on the mantle. They’re fast, eat recoil for breakfast, and man, the 920L shoots like a phaser gun: both with accuracy and minimal felt recoil.
Whether you opt for the long-slide or compensated variant, both Shadow Systems DR920 pistols are about the same size.
Both guns come with tritium front sights and blacked-out rears, but it’s worth calling out that the DR920P’s sight is mounted to the compensator and fixed, whereas the 920L’s is mounted to the slide and user-serviceable. They also both have captured recoil springs and stainless-steel guide rods.
Now let’s talk about each of them individually.
DR920P
The P in DR920P stands for performance (the DR stands for Duty Role; as an aside, I’ve heard that SWAT units are running this rig). And while I admittedly did have some issues getting this gun to run reliably, I still would label it a performance firearm. I spoke to Trevor Roe, the CEO of Shadow Systems, and he let me know that when they were coming up with this pistol, they first asked consumers if they wanted the flattest shooting gun that’s ammo selective, or something more reliable with a little less compensation.
Now, before I proceed, I will admit that I was running some downloaded 147gr reloads which do not cycle in some of my other factory guns. This also voids their warranty per the manual. Read: don’t try this at home. The DR920P ran factory 124s and 147s just fine, but with how much I shoot, and the matches I shoot, I need to roll my own. I got plenty of short strokes and stove pipes when running my competition reloads, even after changing the spring out to a lighter 15-pound one (which was included, by the way!). I pressed out some 115gr and 124gr ammo that was a bit hotter, and they ran perfectly fine. The moral: compensated guns need full-power ammo. And hell, it’s compensated, whatever extra recoil you pick up is mitigated by the downward force of the vertical compensation ports.
Speaking of the compensator, they have a very novel design that’s zero-fit and doesn’t need a threaded barrel (in case you live in a state that doesn’t love freedom). This patent pending design makes it easy to break down and clean. And in my experience, this thing will need to be cleaned—I shot it so much I occluded the tritium in my front sight and had to start point shooting at one point.
The disassembled compensator and barrel of the DR920 P.
I did catch myself shooting a bit high with this gun, and I needed to use a 6 o’clock hold to clear the plate rack as fast as I wanted to. I was pretty dead set on not running an optic on this since the compensator has a front sight mounted directly on it. This is both cool from an engineering perspective and useful for accuracy, since the compensator doesn’t reciprocate with the slide, you don’t get that dancing front sight effect. That, admittedly, could be why I had to change my POA a bit. However, I broke down, like so many that have moved the carry optics dark side and put a dot on it. And now, it’s smoking plate racks and 10-shot fist-sized groups at 25 yards.
The front sight on this DR920 variant is mounted on the compensator itself.
DR920P Styling
True to Shadow System’s roots, this gun has all the features we’ve come to expect—the stippling as I mentioned, the bronze-colored spiral fluted barrel, window cuts, and more. It doesn’t have the top serrations like other Elite models but does have the forward and rear cocking serrations. It also has a very elegant integration of the comp to the slide which mate together seamlessly. The front sight, as referenced, rides on the comp, which forced me to adjust my grip when press checking so as not to pinch my hand between the slide and the comp. But overall, it just looks cool, fast, and refined.
Step Into the Shadows: Explore Shadow Systems Insights
CR920 Review – Is This the Ultimate Subcompact Handgun?
Honest MR920 Review – Balancing Performance and Versatility
Shadow Systems MR920 vs XR920 – Comparing Features and Functionality
Which Shadow Systems Model Fits Your Needs? CR920X vs CR920Xp Compared
DR920P Shootability
The DR920P is loads of fun and shoots very, very flat. It’s loud, of course, due to the compensator, but it’s billed for that. It shoots fast, but I would not want to run retention shooting drills with it. Recoil? What recoil? Even with 115s or hot Winchester brown box 124s, this gun stayed flat and performed like I was shooting 147s from an uncompensated gun. My groups and follow-up shots were tight, due obviously to the comp preventing muzzle rise. And the larger grip frame definitely helps the shooter maintain a good purchase for Bill Drills and mag dumps.
DR920P Trigger
The trigger is solid for a “stock” gun, even though most of Shadow Systems’ higher-end offerings are “Gucci from the get-go,” with a 3-pound, 1-ounce break on average for my scale across 10 pulls (which is lower than what’s listed on the spec sheet). It’s leaps and bounds better than a stock Glock or M&P trigger, for sure. With a crisp tactile reset and short travel, this gun is very shootable, with irons or dots. As mentioned, I did eventually break down and put a dot on it (the optics mounting system makes it far too easy), and this thing just flies through plate racks and rapid-fire drills.
DR920P Accessories
One of the main selling points of this gun is the cross-compatibility with most G34 holsters. Given that the DR920P’s comp is streamlined and not blocky, the user can use the G34 or open-ended G17 holsters they have laying around. Since the frames are similar to G17/34s, you can obviously use any double-stack magazine that is 17 rounds or more. Since it has a rail on it, you can also run a light, laser, or whatever other accessories you have for your full-size pistol. Besides the removable magwell and lighter spring, this DR920 variant also comes with some extras from the factory such as extra high-temp O-rings for the compensator (they’re only a couple of bucks if you burn through them), backstraps and a Shadow Systems range bag.
DR920P Specs:
Frame: Textured polymer
Slide Material: 17-4 Stainless Steel
Barrel Material: 416R Stainless Steel
Trigger pull: 4.0-4.5 pounds
Weight: 21.5 ounces
Length: 8.44 inches
Width: 1.20 inches
Height: 5.25 inches
Capacity: 17+1
Barrel Length: 4.48 inches
Caliber: 9×19
Action: Striker-Fired
DR920L
The long-slide DR920.
Now to the newest addition to the Shadow Systems line, and one that I’d hazard competition shooters have been waiting for for a while: the DR920L. The L, in this case, stands for long-slide. The 5.3-inch barrel makes this Shadow Systems’ largest, longest, and arguably fastest shooting pistol. Only available in the Elite flavor, this gun comes with the same aesthetic we’ve seen from Shadow Systems in the MR/DR/XR/CR Elite tiers. It has a stippled frame with reduced grasping surfaces, a magwell, a thumb ledge, a spiral fluted barrel, directional cocking serrations on both the side and top of the slide and lightning cuts.
“Around the shop, we called it the laser gun. After spending so much time with shorter sight radius and snappier guns, the DR920L feels effortless to hit with,” commented Trevor Roe, CEO of Shadow Systems. This was the company’s big release at SHOT 2023, and this gun is definitely a dream to shoot. In testing, I was able to get 5 shots on target from the holster in 1.7-1.9 seconds consistently. My splits got about as low as I’d ever seen with a pistol (.17 territory) and that was only the first outing. Maybe the L should stand for Lightning because you can shoot this thing fast.
From a styling perspective, it just looks sharp. Lightning cuts, more serrations than a bread knife, and the contrast of the barrel make it look simply alluring. Does it shoot as good as it looks, though?
DR920L Shootability
When it comes to shootability, the long-slide DR920 has it all. It’s pleasant to shoot and reminds me of one of my CZs but at a fraction of the weight, and it comes optics-ready. It soaks up recoil and runs just about every type of ammo I shoot without issue. I did not have a single failure with this pistol in the over 500 rounds I tested it with. The low bore axis, high grip, stippling, thumb ledge, long slide, and lightened slide all coalesce into a pleasant, fast-shooting package that is more accurate than I am. As I stated at the outset, I’ve often been nonplussed at best by Glock full-size guns, but this DR920 points incredibly intuitively for me. With a long sight radius, I’m trying really hard not to give into my bad habit of putting an optic on everything, so I’m just shooting this with irons for a while in production or limited in USPSA.
DR920L Trigger
The trigger is metal, just like all other Elite models, and has the same crisp, tactile reset we’ve come to expect from Shadow Systems. On my scale, it breaks at 2 pounds, 15 ounces on average across ten pulls on a Lyman digital gauge. With the longer sight radius and full-size grip, I feel like it’s easier to press to the rear, but this could be an illusion by way of the former points—a bigger gun equates to less felt movement. The reset is audible, and I don’t catch myself with any trigger freeze when doing mag dumps or quick target transitions. She runs right out of the box, and as opposed to other wonder-polys, I don’t feel the immediate, almost compulsive need to swap the stock trigger (see: Glock, Smith & Wesson).
DR920L Accessories
Since it’s a big ‘un, any G34 or open-ended G17 holster will work for this. It comes with all the same accessories as the compensated DR920 save for the O-ring and reduced power recoil spring since they’re not necessary. You can mount any choice of weapon light on it, and can go as big as a Streamlight TLR1 without it jutting out past the muzzle.
I went into this review thinking that full-size guns just aren’t my jam, especially with the advent of slide-mounted optics. Why shoot a longer gun when the need for a sight radius isn’t there anymore? Well, I was wrong. Even though an MR920/Glock 19 grip frame fits my hand rather well, there’s nothing wrong with some extra real estate, and there’s assuredly nothing wrong with the added mass, barrel length (and thus velocity) of a larger frame gun.
My only druther is the pickiness of ammo for the DR920P, but once I found what worked, I didn’t have many complaints. The pistol is loud, of course, but shoots fast, flat and looks badass. For the 920L, I have no druthers, I just wish on got on the long-slide train sooner.
Wilson Combat recently announced the WCP365, the company’s modified take on the Sig Sauer P365 carry pistol.
Since it was released, the Sig Sauer P365 has become a supremely popular concealed carry pistol, and many people obviously think it’s very good as it is. Always believing that there’s room for improvement, however, Wilson Combat decided to put its own spin on the gun with the release of the WCP365. Wilson Combat is offering a total of 16 configurations of the new pistol.
Regardless of which version you get, there are some features and upgrades that all models share. Starting with a Sig Sauer P365 fire control unit, Wilson Combat drops it into one of its polymer grip modules. Users have a choice between standard and XL grip sizes. Next, a Wilson Combat WCP365 stainless steel slide and 3.1-inch chromoly barrel are installed, both featuring a very protective black DLC finish. The slide’s shape has also been re-engineered and has X-Tac front and rear slide serrations. All versions include a Wilson Combat rear battlesight and red fiber optic front sight, but the slides can be ordered with various patterns of optic cuts too (available footprint patterns currently include Holosun 407K, RMRcc and RMSc).
The WCP365 can also be ordered with either a standard or a tuned action, although it sounds like even the standard version is an upgrade over the factory Sig offering. The standard WCP365s come with curved Grayguns triggers and modified springs, while the action-tuned models come with straight triggers and supposedly provide “the best trigger pull possible” due to further modifications.
At the time of writing, only standard-size grip modules are available and only in black, but XL modules and other colors will eventually be offered as well. All the standard WCP365 pistols will ship with two 10-round magazines and the XL versions will come with two 12-round mags. MSRPs start at $1,105 and go up depending on options.
In this Smith & Wesson EQUALIZER review, the author takes a closer look at the company’s newest micro-9 carry pistol.
I was a bit shocked when I saw the announcement of the Equalizer pistol from Smith & Wesson. This is partly because Smith & Wesson already has a diverse collection of respected self-defense handguns. It’s also partly because just last year they launched a brand-new self-defense handgun called the CSX. But at the same time, this new pistol is just a perfect example of American gunmaking at its best. Smith & Wesson’s new Equalizer pistol epitomizes the refinement of design to best interface with customers.
With its multiple magazine options, optional thumb safety, compact size and easy rack technology, the Smith & Wesson Equalizer is a carry gun that’ll fit nearly everyone.
Smith & Wesson Equalizer Specs:
Action: Semi-automatic, single action (internal hammer) Safety: Grip safety—SKU: 13592 (Ambidextrous thumb safety version—SKU: 13591) Chambering: 9mm Luger Barrel: 3.675 inches (Stainless steel with Armornite finish) Slide: Stainless steel with Armornite finish Sights: Steel with three white dots (cut for optics) Frame: Black polymer Capacity: 10+1, 13+1, 15+1 (Ships with three Shield-Plus compatible magazines) Magazine Release: Reversible Accessories: Maglula UpLula speedloader, gun lock, instruction manual MSRP: $599
Notable Features
The Equalizer is a poly-framed, micro-compact, 9mm pistol. It resembles the M&P Shield EZ, but the Equalizer uses double as opposed to single-stack magazines. In fact, it uses S&W Shield Plus magazines. But unlike the Shield Plus, the Equalizer—like the Shield EZ—is a single-action as opposed to striker-fired pistol. Another difference is that the Equalizer is only available chambered for the 9mm Luger, where the Shield EZ can be had in .380 Auto, 9mm Luger and .30 Super Carry.
You’re probably wondering where—since this is a single-action—the hammer is. Well, this is technically a contained single-action; the hammer is hidden under the slide. At the bottom rear of the slide there’s a hollowed-out section that allows the hammer to rotate from the cocked to the fired position. Because of this, you don’t have the option of lowering the hammer manually, such as you would on a 1911. However, the firing mechanism is the same; when the gun is fired, the slide recoils to the rear and cocks the hammer. The hammer just stays cocked until you pull the trigger.
When the Equalizer is fired, the single-action hammer moves to this position to strike the firing pin, which is contained inside the slide.
Smith & Wesson chose to include a grip safety on the Equalizer, and while I know some balk at the idea, and I’ll admit it does nothing to make this pistol attractive, it works to perfection. When shooting the Equalizer I gave it no notice at all. If you establish a good shooting grip on the gun, the grip safety deactivates. I tried to make it fail to deactivate by altering my grip and wasn’t successful unless I established a grip more than an inch below the pistol’s tang. The grip safety might make the Equalizer a bit ugly, but it’s a good design.
An ambidextrous thumb safety is available as an option. The test pistol didn’t have this feature. If it did, I might’ve written Smith & Wesson a check. I know, some folks don’t like thumb safeties, but they’re one of the best features available to make a handgun safer. Many self-inflicted gunshot wounds occur because shooters holster their handgun with their finger on the trigger. When doing so, the finger contacts the holster and presses the trigger, and a bullet ends up in the shooter’s ass cheek or leg. If a pistol is fitted with a manual thumb safety and if it is used as it is supposed to be this won’t happen.
Smith & Wesson Equalizer with the manual thumb safety.
Safeties aside, the trigger on this pistol was very nice, much nicer than any factory—out of the box—striker-action pistol I’ve fired. It broke crisp and clean at 4.75 pounds. The trigger reset was audible but couldn’t be felt. Some might consider this a negative, but I fired more than 300 rounds out of this pistol running various, fast-action, multi-shot defensive drills and never did I short stroke the trigger with it failing to reach the reset. This trigger is good, way better than the trigger on the Smith & Wesson CSX pistols I’ve fired.
The slide on the Equalizer has a cutout and cover plate that makes it optics ready. The cutout is a bit large to interface with a wider range of reflex sights. I installed a Shield RMSc-4 MOA reflex sight, and the base on that unit was thin enough that I could still use the factory sights that come on the handgun. Smith & Wesson seems proud of the fact that these sights are steel, and they should be. They also seemed proud that they are of the three-dot variety. Though I know it has become the industry standard, I’m not a fan of three-dot sights. The good news is that finding aftermarket sights to fit this pistol shouldn’t be a problem.
Unloaded and with the Shield reflex sight, the Equalizer weighs only 20.8 ounces. Fully loaded magazines will up the weight to as much as 30 ounces.
The slide on this pistol also incorporates the Smith & Wesson next-gen EZ technology, making it easier to cycle. My wife and daughters all managed it with ease. Smith & Wesson also claims the Equalizer has a low recoil impulse. Recoil is a very subjective thing, but I’ll say I found the impulse to be less than some similar pistols like the Kimber Mako and the Taurus GX4. Others I suspect will have a differing opinion.
The slide also has very deep and aggressive cuts at the rear and front to help your fingers establish a purchase to manually cycle the slide. I don’t see much use for forward slide serrations; I like to keep my body parts away from a handgun’s muzzle. However, these deep cuts do help your fingers maintain hold of the slide when you need to rack it. Maybe more importantly, at the rear of the slide there’s sort of a ledge on each side to further help with manual cycling. This I found more advantageous than the deep serrations.
Easily field stripped, when disassembled the Smith & Wesson Equalizer is in only five parts.
Weights And Measures
When it comes to carrying a pistol concealed, weight matters. The heavier the gun, the less comfortable it is to carry. This pistol, without a red-dot sight, weighs only 20.3 ounces. With the half-ounce Shield RMSc installed, total weight jumps to only 20.8 ounces. But, of course, no one carries a pistol unloaded. True carry weights must include a magazine and ammunition. With the 10-round magazine fully loaded, the pistol weighs 27.28 ounces. With the 13-round magazine, it weighs 28.95 ounces, and it weighs 30.01 ounces with the 15-round mag. All these weights were calculated with the half-ounce reflex sight installed and 115-grain ammunition.
You can see how compact the Equalizer is; with a reflex sight, it’s only 5 inches tall and less than 7 inches long.
Of course, it’s not just about weight, size matters too. The Equalizer is only 6.9 inches long and just 4.5 inches tall. If you add a reflex sight, the height will extend to about 5.2 inches. Either way, that’s not much more than hand size. The flush-fit magazine adds nothing to the height, the 13-rounder about a half-inch and the 15-rounder about three-quarters of an inch. Though the slide-lock lever and the manual safety will add a bit to the overall width, this pistol is only an inch wide.
Here you can see the takedown lever rotated into the takedown position. You can also see that the external slide lock control doesn’t engage the slot in the slide; the notch is engaged by a part of the slide lock on the inside of the handgun.
Shots Fired
From the bench at 10 yards, the Equalizer averaged right at an inch for five, five-shot groups with three different loads. This is better than average, especially from a less than 4-inch barrel. I also fired a single 15-shot group from the standing off-hand position at 10 yards using five rounds of the three test loads. That group measured right at 2 inches. Additionally, firing 10 shots at a half-size torso silhouette at 100 feet, I got all 10 hits in 11.74 seconds using the reflex sight. With the factory open sights, my time was 13.02 seconds, but I had one miss. Those 10-shot drills were timed and fired with a draw from concealment. If you cannot hit what you shoot at with this pistol, it won’t be the gun’s fault.
This 15-shot group was fired off-hand at 10 yards with the three different test loads, using five rounds of each load. It measured 2.15 inches.
I also pushed 50 rounds through the Equalizer running my standard defensive handgun test drill—the Forty-Five Drill—with the goal of putting five shots inside a 5-inch circle, at 5 yards, in 5 seconds, from a concealed draw. My average time for 10 runs was 3.71 seconds. On two of the 10 runs I had one shot land outside the 5-inch circle. That’s similar to my normal performance with micro-9mm handguns. I will say that, as usual, I was on average about a third of a second slower when I used the reflex sight. For me to see a speed advantage with a reflex sight on a defensive handgun, I must stretch the distance to the target beyond 10 yards.
Shooting Results
LOAD
MV
MD
SD
ME
PRECISION
Nosler 115-grain ASP
1,005 fps
26 fps
11 fps
258 ft-lb
1.12 in.
Hornady 135-grain +P Critical Duty
1,105 fps
28 fps
9 fps
366 ft-lb
0.97 in.
Federal 124-grain Hydra-Shok
1,040 fps
37 fps
11 fps
298 ft-lb
1.02 in.
AVERAGE: 1.07
NOTES: Average muzzle velocity (MV), maximum velocity deviation (MD), standard velocity deviation (SD) and muzzle energy (ME) were established by firing 10 shots over a Caldwell G2 chronograph with the screens positioned 10 feet from the muzzle. The accuracy/precision (Precision) was established by firing five, five-shot groups from a sandbag rest at 10 yards. Temperature: 28 degrees, Humidity: 52 percent, Pressure: 30.10 and Elevation: 2,200 feet.
The Equalizer was very comfortable to shoot, and there were only two functionality issues. The seventh round out of the pistol failed to fully go into battery. It was a cartridge out of the 115-grain Nosler ASP box. I slapped the back of the slide, and the gun popped into battery and ran like a top after that. The other instance was an odd ammo issue with a single round of Federal 124-grain Hydra-Shok ammo. During the chronograph testing, it registered a muzzle velocity of only 447 fps. Yeah, I too would’ve thought the chronograph was on the fritz, but the recoil was noticeably less, and the empty case failed to eject. This cartridge must’ve been under charged from the factory, which is something I’ve never seen with Federal handgun ammo.
A Maglula UpLula speedloader comes with every Smith & Wesson Equalizer pistol. That’s a $35 accessory many shooters will appreciate.
Final Thoughts
The fact this pistol comes with three magazines of varying capacities is appreciated, and they all worked to perfection. But I did experience a peculiarity. With the 15-round magazine, the pistol came up with the sights on the target from the draw. With the 13-round magazine, the sights were a tad high, and with the 10-round magazine, they were even higher. This was due to how my grip varied with the various magazines that extend the grip, and the extra pressure exerted on the grip by the pinky finger. You may not have this issue, but it’s something to be aware of. I’ve experienced it before with other micro-compact pistols with long and short magazines.
Smith & Wesson’s new Equalizer pistol is well configured for concealed carry and should interface well with a broad range of shooters.
I like the Equalizer and believe I’d really like the version with the manual thumb safety. It’s compact, light, reliable, accurate, comfortable to shoot and easy to manipulate. I like it better than the S&W Shield, and way better than the CSX, which even costs a little more. What I’d really like to see is the Equalizer chambered for the .30 Super Carry. This should up capacity and make the gun even more comfortable to shoot.
Pros
Reliable
Small and lightweight, easy to carry
Good ergonomics, very shootable
Cons
The magazines with different sizes of finger extensions have the potential to affect your grip and create inconsistent presentations
Smith & Wesson Equalizer Deals
Sportsman's Warehouse
$449.99
Cabela's
$509.99
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Smith & Wesson has just announced the M&P FPC, a new ultra-compact 9mm pistol-caliber carbine that can be folded in half.
Pistol-caliber carbines, or PCCs, continue to be extremely popular, and Smith & Wesson has just thrown its hat into the ring as well with the announcement of the M&P FPC. The new carbine is chambered for 9mm, accepts double-stack M&P pistol magazines and can be folded in half for compact storage or transport.
The stand-out feature of the M&P FPC is its horizontal folding mechanism that can bring the overall length from about 30 inches down to about 16 inches. Because optics are mounted to a Picatinny rail on top of the M-LOK handguard, folding the carbine doesn’t interfere with one’s sights like on some other folding 9mm PCC designs. When folded, the charging handle on the buffer tube (which houses an integrated recoil buffer system) doubles as a locking latch.
Other notable features of the M&P FPC include a 1/2×28 threaded muzzle, a flat-faced trigger and an in-stock magazine storage compartment that can hold two spare mags. The carbine also has a cross-bolt safety, a reversible magazine catch and is compatible with M&P pistol palmswell grip adaptors. Each M&P FPC will ship with a 17-round mag, two 23-round mags and a carrying case with Velcro straps for transporting the carbine while folded.
John Myles, Senior Manager of New Products at Smith & Wesson, said this about the M&P FPC:
The team at Smith & Wesson aimed to design a pistol carbine that was compatible with various M&P series pistol magazines. We exceeded that initial desire by introducing side-folding mechanics that deliver a unique compact feature and allow the user to keep their sight system mounted on the gun both in the folded and extended positions. Extra magazine storage in the buttstock, familiar M&P fire controls, and reliable palmswell grip adaptors all make this new pistol carbine a great addition to the M&P family…
The Smith & Wesson M&P FPC is available now and has an MSRP of $659.
If you need some extra stability in your life, a rifle bipod is a good place to start. Here are a few models that we consider the best.
There are many rifle bipod styles and models out there, but which is best for you? Like most shooting gear, that mostly depends on your use case and what features you want or need.
So, we're going to go over the different kinds of bipods, what each type is best for and then look at some good models to choose from for different purposes.
Are Rifle Bipods Worth It?
The obvious utility of a bipod is stabilizing the rifle in the field. For some pursuits, using one is at minimum a very good idea, and for others, it is an absolutely critical piece of gear for placing precise shots at distance.
Competition shooters in modern rifle sports like 2-Gun, Quantified Performance, Brutality matches and similar events can lose a lot of points if their firing position isn’t stable.
Military and police snipers as well as hunters use bipods for the same benefits provided by additional stability, but with much higher stakes, the importance of precision is even higher.
In short, if you want your shots to go where you intend them to, it helps to remove as much uncertainty from the equation as possible. No matter how steadily you believe you can hold your rifle, a bipod and something to rest it on will always be better.
What Kinds Of Bipods Are Out There?
There are dozens, if not hundreds of makers and sellers of bipods, but they tend to fit into three broad categories based on their design features.
The most common is the Harris-style bipod, popularized by Harris Engineering. Harris bipods and their clones have spring-loaded, telescoping legs. They fold up and out of the way when not needed and when pulled down they lock in the open position.
There are various leg lengths and styles to choose from. Optional features can include a mechanical swivel, self-leveling legs and additional spring-loading for faster opening.
The next type could generally be described as either a cog or ratchet style. They fold down like a Harris but are not spring assisted. This type is made by several manufacturers, but one of the most popular is Magpul’s bipod.
Another class could be called the two-piece family of bipods. This is made of two independent legs that are attached to the rifle with one on either side. Some rotate down and back, but others are designed to rotate down and forward to lock open. Very few of these are any better than hobby-grade and should generally be avoided.
There are also grip pods that feature a compact bipod hidden inside the vertical foregrip. These have, however, broadly fallen out of favor.
A MARSOC operator with a combination foregrip and bipod on his carbine. These have become a lot less popular since this picture was taken in 2009. Photo: Wikipedia..
How Do You Put A Bipod On A Rifle?
The most common attachment is a sling swivel mount. The bipod simply locks onto the sling swivel stud just like a standard sling attachment would. This style is most appealing for those with a traditional rifle that came with a sling stud from the factory. Most of these were designed to be left on the rifle once installed, but some sling stud-mounted bipods have a quick-detach feature as well.
Other bipods attach through more modern means, such as Picatinny or ARCA rail, or M-LOK and KeyMod mounts. Many rifle bipods that mount via this method are also available with a quick-detach system.
An AR-15 outfitted with a Harris-style bipod from Caldwell, attached via M-LOK.
What's The Best Rifle Bipod For Me?
All bipods have downsides, so the trick is finding a model that has downsides that will affect you the least.
Weight
While it doesn't matter too much on the static range, it can start to matter a lot more if you're involved in something like competing, hunting or soldiering. Even the lightest models add weight to the muzzle-end of your gun, and certain setups and applications may require you to forgo functionality to save on weight.
Speed
Spring-loaded designs are typically the fastest, and if you ever anticipate having to deploy your bipod quickly, this is probably the style that you want. Two-piece designs without springs are typically the slowest to bring into action, but that’s not important for all types of shooting. Some people also want the ability to quickly attach or detach the bipod from the rifle, a feature that only some models have.
Movement
Some bipods, such as the classic Harris style, are lacking in this department. Swivel bipods give you more target-tracking capability, and if you anticipate needing to track or follow the target, this is a feature you may want to have.
However, bipods that have additional range of movement can come with downsides as well, as the swivel mechanism will add weight, bulk, noise and extra expense. The stability can be negatively impacted too.
Form
They’re notorious for poking users in the back while being carried and for being very difficult to get through ports. A VTAC barricade is hard enough to navigate with a slick rifle. With a bipod on the front of the gun…forget about it. How you plan on carrying your rifle in the field and what positions you anticipate shooting from can all affect which model will be best for you.
Durability
The thinner and lighter the legs, the more likely they are to bend or break. If stress-bearing components are made of a material that doesn't bear stress well, it's not going to stand up to hard use. This is where all the two-piece models made for modern carbines fall apart; none stand up to use outside of a static range.
In other words, you need to match your bipod choice to your use case, which means balancing these factors with your particular needs.
The 6 Best Rifle Bipods
Best All-Purpose Rifle Bipod: Harris 1A2-L2
The Harris 1A2-L2 is a quick-deploy steel bipod with spring-loaded, self-leveling legs. The user can adjust the length from 9 inches to 13 inches (shorter and longer versions are available too) and an adapter can be added for any attachment method desired. It weighs 12 ounces.
It lacks some features (like a swivel) and is a tad heavy, but in terms of what it does (deploys quickly and self-levels) and what it costs (MSRP is $79), it's hard to find better value for the money.
Military-Chosen Bipod: Atlas PSR
The Atlas PSR was developed for USSOCOM. If you want a duty-grade, brimming with features rifle bipod, the Atlas PSR is it.
The PSR is available in short or tall (5 inches to 9.4 inches or 6.2 inches to 12.6 inches) and either with or without quick-detach. It has a swivel, with 30 degrees of cant or pan with fore and aft limiting bosses to keep the legs stable. The user can also set the open position angle, reduce cant/pan and otherwise configure it to their needs.
Atlas PSR bipods are also relatively compact at 7.35 inches long when stowed for the short model and 9.3 inches when stowed for the long version. Few match it for durability, track record or features. MSRP starts at $260.
Best Rifle Bipod For Precision Shooting: Accu-Tac FC-5 G2
Accu-Tac is one of the preferred bipod makers for precision shooters. The FC series was developed for F-Class competitors and the feature set shows it.
The FC-5 G2 has a wide base, cradling the rifle for greater stability. The legs are adjustable in length (up to 10.6 inches) and adjustable in position so the bipod can deploy between 45 and 90 degrees. They can pan and cant, and those are adjustable as well. A Picatinny rail is required to mount it, however.
Accu-Tac bipods are not ideal for field use but are the best for precision bench shooting that you can buy. MSRP is $466.
Best Lightweight Rifle Bipod: Magpul
Magpul's bipods have some drawbacks, but their primary selling points are A.) they're bipods and they work, and B.) they are seriously light, slim and cost-effective. For backcountry hunters or carbine shooters who want a low-drag bipod, these are a great choice.
The legs are injection-molded polymer (likely a nylon mix, which is incredibly strong) with adjustable height (7 to 10 inches) and a user-adjustable open position. The legs lock in the open or closed position and Magpul offers variants that attach to all popular mount styles.
At 10 inches long when folded and only 8 ounces, it's about as good as slim, lightweight rifle bipods get. MSRPs start at $75.
Best Bipod For Sitting: Swagger QD42
A lot of hunters shoot from a blind, and most bipods are built around the prone position. The Swagger QD42 gives you an easy on/off bipod that's usable while seated or kneeling in a stand or when concealed in a natural blind.
The base bipod works with Picatinny rail, so an adapter may be required depending on your setup. The legs extend from 14 to 42 inches but flex at the connector for some forward cant. MSRP is $129.99, and adapters (available from Swagger) are $20 to $40 if needed.
Best Quick Detach Bipod: Javelin Pro Hunt Tac
Javelin Pro Hunt bipods use a magnetic docking system with a mounting socket that you attach to your rifle. If you want a bipod that's lightweight, can be quickly attached or detached (it’s even faster than Pic rail QD mounts) and that’s packed with features, the Javelin is it.
Short and long adjustable leg lengths are available (and swappable) with a locking traverse feature that lets you stow the bipod with the legs together, then open and lock. The magnet goes into the socket on the rifle. The bipod has cant and pan as well as traverse to track targets and spring-loaded legs for stability.
The carbon fiber and steel construction help to keep the weight low at only 7.6 ounces with standard-length legs. If you want a bipod that can be quickly deployed but gives you the utmost function once it is, this is the one. MSRP is $320.
Improve Your Marksmanship:
5 AR-15 Drills That Will Help You Master Your Rifle
The Volquartsen VT2 takedown rifle has been available .22 WMR and .17 HMR, but the company is now adding .22 LR to the lineup.
Volquartsen is a respected name in the rimfire world, and the company’s VT2 has been a popular choice of takedown rimfire rifle since it was first released in 2022. Initially, the rifle was only offered in .22 WMR and .17 HMR, but Volquartsen has just announced the addition of a .22 LR VT2 to the lineup.
While .22 WMR and .17 HMR certainly have their advantages, ammo availability and price per round are not among them. For those who want a quality, semi-auto takedown rimfire rifle chambered for something more suitable for general plinking, the .22 LR VT2 is now an option. Besides the new chambering, the .22 LR VT2 is otherwise identical to the existing models.
Just like with other VT2 rifles, the new model’s barrel can be removed without any tools, only requiring the push of a button and the lifting of a lever. Other notable features include M-LOK handguards (available in 6- and 12-inch lengths), a 0-MOA Picatinny rail on the aluminum receiver and a 1/2×28 threaded muzzle (a thread protector and compensator are both included). It also takes standard AR-pattern stocks and grips and the package ships with one 10-round magazine.
Scott Volquartsen, president of the company, said this about the new VT2 model:
A takedown platform is only as good as its repeatability. This reason is why it was critical for us to be able to design a takedown rifle that not only required no tools, but was able to be accurate, repeatable, and reliable every time its reassembled…
The Volquartsen VT2 in .22 LR is available now and has an MSRP of $2,261.
Priced to fit any marksman’s budget, and on the mark accuracy-wise, the Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical proves the ideal gateway to long-range shooting.
The saying goes: Want to know what it’s like to own a boat? Tear up hundred-dollar bills under a cold shower. Something might hold analogous for long-range shooting. Maybe, rip up fifties while a buddy hits you in the shoulder.
Luckily for boat and precision-shooting freaks, the payoffs of endorphins and bragging rights are well worth the physical and fiduciary discomfort. And for the latter category, when it comes to decimating legal tender, marksmen are more likely to get away disembodying Jacksons as opposed to Grants nowadays.
Still white-hot popular, the laws of supply and demand have bent long-range shooting’s price curve mercifully in the shooter’s favor. Case in point, the Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical.
Designed as an everyman’s precision iron—with an MSRP of $1,085—the rifle looks to set more sights at a country mile. And from my short time with the chassis system—chambered for 6.5 PRC—at Arizona’s Gunsite this past fall, it seems the New Haven concern’s engineers have about hit this mark as dead center as possible.
Whether that’s good or bad is for your bank account to decide.
Priced right and smartly configured, the LR Tactical gives entry-level long-range shooters and pennywise marksman a solid option to go a country mile.
Heart Of A Patriot
Shooters familiar with Mossberg’s catalog will instantly recognize the heart of the system: the Patriot action. Released a little more than half a decade ago, the tubular action forms the foundation of the company’s highly affordable hunting rifle line and has acquitted itself well in the role. Apparently, it has the chops for long-range work as well.
On the LR Tactical the basics of the system are fairly simple. It’s a push-feed affair, with a robust two-lug bolt boasting an oversized tactical-style handle. The bolt is outfitted with a traditional plunger ejector and Sako-style extractor, both of which functioned superbly on the 6.5 PRC iteration I shot. It flung spent brass like nobody’s business, but not so obliquely as to bang the Crimson Trace Hardline 4-16x42mm MR1-MOA SFP scope mounted with Wheeler aluminum rings on its 0 MOA Picatinny rail.
Crimson Trace Hardline 4-16x42mm MR1-MOA.
A quick note on the rail part: Mossberg spoke about replacing the low-rider with a 20 MOA version on the market model.
On the aesthetic side, Mossberg spiral flutes the bolt, which is a nice touch. However, the bolt itself is not monolithic, but three pieces—bolt head, body and handle. This facet puts some overall play into the operation, perhaps more than some might desire in a precision rig, but not enough to make it a functional issue. Thankfully, the system is rock-steady where it counts, with the head traveling smoothly and quickly down the raceway for lockup.
In addition to a snappy LBA trigger, the LR Tactical feeds off AICS-style magazines. Additionally, the paddle release makes reload lightning quick.
To this, Mossberg mates a 24-inch medium bull barrel in the 6.5 PRC model. The other two chamberings—6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester—the contour is the same, but the fire tube is abbreviated to 22 inches. No matter caliber, all the rifles come with a threaded (5/8”-24 TPI) muzzle with a target crown, so it’s ready for a brake, comp or suppressor. If none appeal, Mossberg includes a knurled cap to protect the threads.
The belle of the ball on the Patriot LR Tactical is its LBA trigger. Adjustable triggers are common as field corn, but Mossberg’s deserves note, given it greatly enhanced the rifle’s performance.
At Gunsite, the company had it tuned to roughly a 2.5-pound break when measured with a Lyman Digital Trigger Pull Gauge. You can pick your analogy—glass, thin ice, what have you—the trigger broke like it. Better yet, it didn’t show an iota of creep. Additionally, the switch’s skeletonized trigger blade is a solid addition, creating a tactile reference point for finger position.
A nit to pick at this point of the rifle: I wasn’t a fan of the polymer trigger guard. But if that’s where Mossberg had to save money, it’s a minor concession.
Built around Mossberg’s proven Patriot action—the staple of its hunting line—the LR Tactical rests on a solid foundation. It also has some nice tweaks, such as the oversized tactical bolt handled and slick fluted bolt.
MDT In The Mix
To have a chassis rifle you’ve got to have, well … a chassis. Mossberg turned to a well-known player to provide the precision stick to house the Patriot system—MDT. It seems presently the company dresses every other new long-range rifle on the market today, but for good reason—they know what they’re doing.
The chassis on the LR Tactical is a custom job as specified by Mossberg, but it does seem to have some inspiration drawn from MDT’s XRS system. There’s good and “meh” about the platform, but for what’s arguably an entry-level precision rifle the chassis has plenty going for it.
The LR Tactical’s 24-inch medium bull barrel, free floated in the MDT stock, performed under the Arizona sun. Not the muzzle cap—a brake would’ve been appreciated in this 6.5 PRC variation of the rifle.
Chief among these is a solid bedding system. Beneath the polymer exterior, the LR Tactical’s chassis sports aluminum V-block bedding, creating a solid mating surface along the entirety of the Patriot action. This sort of design is a must in long-range systems, erasing action shift—thus barrel shift—due to recoil. After all, moves of a fraction of an inch in the rifle can lead to misses at and past 1,000 yards.
The chassis’ layout is somewhat tradition, yet its ergonomics are right. The grip is generous, which includes a nice palm swell that fills the hand while not compromising purchase. The buttstock fits the shoulder pocket well and is fully adjustable. Its length of pull is modified via spacers adding 0.75 inch a pop. And the cheek rest includes 2 inches of play, and for me sat rock solid—impressive given it attaches to the stock via a single post.
MDT’s fully adjustable buttstock offers ¾-inch adjustment in LOP and plenty of rise on the cheek rest.
Other accouterments include a paddle mag release in front of the trigger guard for AICS-style magazines, M-Lok slots at the 3-, 6- and 9-o’clock positions and sling swivels. Pretty nice package, but still it does have a few faults.
The biggest point to turn off some is weight, which at 8 pounds is light for a precision system—particularly when chambered in 6.5 PRC. Not a “thumper” by any stretch of the imagination, the recoil was still enough; it was impossible to track the bullet to the target. Weighting systems abound, so this is easily solved, but shooters should realize it requires aftermarket investment. Not a deal breaker, mind you, but something to be conscious of and perhaps logical with what Mossberg cooked up—more on that in a bit.
On The Firing Line With The LR Tactical
Right off the bat, I was impressed with the accuracy of the LR Tactical.
We pitched Hornady Match Ammunition, which is topped with 147-grain, polymer-tipped Match bullets (G1 BC .697). After taking the initial three shots to see where it was printing when zeroing in, it essentially stayed MOA from there on. I failed to make the mythical three-leafed clover at 100 yards, always off on my third shot after linking two. But I’ll put that squarely on operator error, not the rifle.
After dialing the rifles in the Crimson Trace scope, we took to Gunsite’s long range to test the rifle’s legs. Shooting from prone, utilizing Magpul MOE Bipods, we stretched out from 400 to 600 yards on steel targets.
Upon gaining some familiarity with the LR Tactical, I progressed through a series of 15 or so shots at the ranges—with an intermittent north-to-south wind—hitting each one on my spotter’s call. The last trigger squeeze of the session might have been the sweetest—at least to Mossberg folks hovering over the cadre of gun hacks. Waterfalling down the line, each writer took a 600-yard shot and each connected—nearly all dead center.
Quite a finish. The only disappointment was not having the time to push the rifle further.
After dialing in, the author enjoyed MOA to sub-MOA performance from the LR Tactical. He missed a mythical cloverleaf on his first shots at the bull’s-eye at 100 yards, but walked away more than pleased with the grouping on the ¼-MOA grid.
Where Does The Patriot LR Tactical Shine?
The question remains: What exactly is the LR Tactical aimed at in particular? It’s certainly not an out-of-the-box and entry-level PRS rifle—though it definitely could fill this role for the pennywise. And while it has some trappings of a precision hunter, the rifle isn’t exactly that either. Perhaps this androgyny is the genius in what Mossberg has created.
With some thought, the rifle potentially fills nearly any niche requiring the delivery of jacked lead precisely at long distances. It’s a jack of all trades—which is ideal for those dipping their toes in the long-range end of the pool. A tweak here or there and the LR Tactical is apt to excel anywhere, from benchrest to prairie hunt.
In the age of specialized systems, where every critter and style of shooting has its own dedicated iron, the protean LR Tactical is a breath of fresh air—not to mention the key to freedom for newbie long rangers.
Slap some recoil-eating weights on it and load up top-shelf match ammo, it certainly seems to have the ability to handle a rifle-club precision match. Strip the weight, add a sling and you definitely have an option that can place on the vitals of a deer or elk at a load’s (and shooter’s) ethical range.
In all likelihood, the guns will go for sub-$1,000 in your local gun store or outdoors mega mart. That’s practically a steal relative to most other precision systems and gives a wide gate of entry for new long-range shooters to test the waters—no matter what they fancy. Not to mention, it also leaves plenty for what’s sure to become a heavy ammo tab.
There’s no escaping that facet—burning dough—in long-range shooting. But the LR Tactical goes a long way in lessening the thump on your wallet.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
If you’re looking to add a 21st-century optic to your Kalashnikov, here are some of the best AK red dot mounts to get the job done.
There was a time when Kalashnikovs were derided for their lack of modularity. Today, that’s no longer the case. While the rifles still aren’t as supremely customizable as ARs, aftermarket support for attaching modern accessories has never been stronger.
There are now several rock-solid methods for attaching optics to your Kalash. Regardless of your exact model or how tactical or classic you want the final setup to look, there’s an AK red dot mount out there that will fit your needs.
AK Red Dot Mount Methods
When looking to mount a red dot on an AR-15, the location has mostly been determined for you thanks to the generous segment of Picatinny rail found on nearly all modern upper receivers. Whether you prefer your optic farther forward or closer to your eye, it’s going to be mounted on the receiver rail.
When it comes to AKs, things aren’t as simple. Interestingly, this provides the user with more options. Depending on the method you choose, your optic could be mounted as far rearward as the back of the receiver or as far forward as the front of the gas tube. This equates to roughly 11 inches more total real estate (7 inches for the AR, 18 inches for the AK).
This stems from the fact there are four primary styles of AK red dot mount, and each type places the optic along different areas of the aforementioned 18-inches of real estate. Those four methods are side rail mounts, railed dustcover mounts, gas tube mounts and rear sight leaf mounts. Each comes with its own set of pros and cons.
Side Rail Mounts
An AKS-74UN with a NSPU night scope. Photo: Modernfirearms.
The AK was never originally designed to accept optics. But after the Soviets developed night vision scopes, they also devised a way to mount them to Kalashnikovs. This first model capable of doing this was designated as the AKN, with the N indicating it accepts a night vision scope via the rail on the left side of the receiver. The concept continued throughout the Kalashnikov’s development, existing as the AKMN for the AKM and as the AK-74N for the AK-74.
Today, most AKs sold in the U.S. come from the factory with one of these now-standardized side rail mounts, and they can be used to attach far more than original Soviet 1PN34 scopes. Several styles and brands of side rail optic mounts are now available for attaching anything from red dots to LPVOs, and this method has the additional benefit of quick-attach/detach while still retaining zero. One potential downside, however, is that these systems prevent left-side and underfolding stocks from closing when an optic is mounted. Stocks that fold to the right are still an option though.
Railed Dustcover Mounts
An AK equipped with a Zenitco B-33 railed dust cover and optic. Photo: AR15.com.
When AKs first started becoming popular in the U.S. in the ‘80s and ‘90s, there was a slew of poorly conceived aftermarket accessories. Some of the most egregious examples were dust covers with Picatinny rails welded to the top.
If you aren’t familiar with AK dustcovers, the problem with this method is the component is held in place with nothing more than the rear tab of the recoil spring. While perfectly acceptable for just holding the cover in place (as was originally intended), it was a fool’s errand to use this shaky base to mount an optic. Taking the dust cover off, the recoil from firing or even just being bumped were all enough to throw off a zero.
Thankfully, people have seemed to learn in the meantime. It’s likely that the only Americans who still use this method bought their AK in 1989 and still don’t have internet access. Optic mounts need repeatability in their lockup to retain zero, something already understood by the Soviets when they put rear iron sights on the dust cover of the AKS-74U (Krinkov). For this, they added a front hinge to the dust cover, and it’s this concept that makes modern railed dust cover mounts viable.
There are a few different styles and brands on the market, but all simply add a hinge to the dust cover to ensure repeatable lockup and therefore a retained zero when an optic is attached.
Railed Gas Tube Mounts
Americans armed with AKs equipped with Ultimak railed gas tubes and red dot sights. Photo: Ultimak.
This method’s origins trace back to some of the earliest attempts to mount modern optics to AKs and were used by some American special forces and contractors who carried AKs in the early GWOT (Global War On Terror) days. Railed gas tube mounts simply replace the AK’s gas tube with one sporting a Picatinny rail on top.
For those who like their red dots mounted as far forward as possible, this method enables that, but it comes with some downsides as well. Firstly, the gas tube gets hot, and not all optics are cut out to handle the heat. This style also prevents you from fully grasping the handguard as the optic is generally placed where many like to rest their thumb. Additionally, some models don’t allow you to co-witness the iron sights.
This style’s popularity is dwindling, as most prefer red dots mounted farther back. Still, it's a viable method.
Rear Sight Leaf Mounts
An Attero Arms Bravo Mount with a Holosun HS503CU.
This is one of the more recent and increasingly popular AK red dot mount methods, and it’s easy to see why. This style replaces the rear sight leaf with a mount that sports either a specific red dot footprint or a more universal Picatinny rail.
The primary advantage of this style is how streamlined it keeps the rifle. Of all the methods, these tend to add the least amount of width, bulk or weight.
One potential downside is unlike some railed dustcovers or side rail mounts, there isn’t a good way to attach a magnifier. Though, if you just want to add a small red dot to your AK while retaining a clean profile, a rear sight leaf mount is an elegant way to accomplish it.
Because this mount type replaces the rear sight, some models have another built-in to the mount itself retaining co-witness capabilities. Other models, however, do not. These are also a great option for those who own an AK that doesn’t have a side rail and are typically much more affordable than railed dust covers and good side rail mounts.
The 5 Best AK Red Dot Mount Options
RS Regulate Side Rail Mounts
RS Regulate is widely considered the cream of the crop when it comes to AK side rail mounts. All the company's models are made of aircraft-grade aluminum and titanium, both incredibly light and strong materials. Unlike most other brands’ side rail mounts, RS Regulate’s are two-piece designs. This honestly makes the mounts more modular than AKs themselves.
The two-piece design enables the user to mount just about any optic to nearly any pattern of Kalashnikov. You first select the lower half of the mount compatible with your rifle—either the standard Warsaw Pact-pattern or Yugo-pattern side rail. You then choose the upper half which either features a Picatinny rail, a footprint for a specific red dot pattern such as a Trijicon RMR or a 30mm scope ring. The upper is then fastened using screws and a center bolt for additional rigidity.
Once your optic is installed on the mount, it is attached to the rifle’s side rail. The mount suspends the optic millimeters above the dust cover. This keeps the bore offset as low as possible and enables one to easily co-witness the iron sights. The mount and optic can then be quickly removed or attached without affecting the zero.
The only real downsides to RS Regulate mounts are price and availability. The company seems to manufacture its products in small batches, and the popularity means they usually sell out fast. There’s a good chance you will have to wait months before the exact models you want are in stock, and when they are, expect to pay over $200 for the whole setup.
This hinged and railed dust cover was inspired by the original Russian Zenitco B-33, but it has one major advantage over it (besides the much lower cost and greater availability). The Zenitco requires the installation of a new handguard, as it is what supports the hinge system. The TWS Dog Leg Gen III instead replaces the rear sight leaf with a hinge mechanism.
A downside of this model is it removes the rear sight, making co-witness impossible, but it otherwise provides a reliable method of mounting optics with generous rail space. TWS has a few different models available that are compatible with most patterns of AKs.
For those who really want to mount an optic to their AK’s gas tube, this is considered your best option. As alluded to previously, however, this is probably the worst of all existing methods.
Ultimak’s is the best because its design attaches more securely than any other tube mount system. But at the end of the day, AK gas tubes were never designed to accommodate an optic. If your red dot of choice can withstand the heat without damage or shifting zero, the Ultimak railed gas tube shouldn’t give you any issues.
It's capable of co-witnessing iron sights with some optics and Ultimak has variants compatible with most patterns of AK.
Rear sight leaf AK red dot mounts are only made by a handful of companies, but the ones from Attero Arms are generally regarded as the best. Installation is quick and easy, and Attero Arms has variants available compatible with the most popular red dot footprints. The company offers Picatinny rail model as well. Most also feature a built-in rear iron sight to retain co-witness capabilities despite replacing the original rear sight.
While admittedly an objectively poor option compared to modern optics in terms of practicality, some people want their AKs to retain as much original style as possible. If that’s you, you could consider an original red dot from the Eastern Bloc that comes from the factory with a side rail mount, just like the classic PSO scopes.
Compared to Western and Chinese electronic optics, those made by companies like the Belarussian BelOMO typically feature poor-quality glass, mediocre battery life and fewer modern features. Despite this, they do work fine for most purposes and are generally pretty durable due to their bulkier and heavier construction. If nothing else, they at least look pretty damn cool.
There are several different models available, but two of the best are the PK-A Venezuela and the PK01-VS, both by BelOMO. Prices and availability vary.
Whether you’re after elk, deer or any other similar game, here’s the best 7mm Rem. Mag. ammo to do it with.
7mm Remington Magnum is one of the most popular and enduring hunting cartridges in existence. As such, 7mm Rem. Mag. ammo is among the most produced and available.
As a result, you can specialize, finding 7mm Rem. Mag. loads tailored to everything from heavy-framed elk and well-muscled hogs, to demure critters such as pronghorn.
There are long-range loads, medium-range loads, and even do-it-all loads that work well for darn near everything.
So what are the best ones to get?
The History Of 7mm Remington Magnum
The story goes that Les Bowman, a writer for Guns and Ammo and a hunting guide in Wyoming, took Jack O'Connor on a hunt in the area. Bowman had noticed during his guiding career hunters who shot moderate calibers tended to do so more accurately, a sentiment of which O'Connor agreed. But Bowman wanted a moderate cartridge with a bit more oomph than .270 Winchester.
O'Connor sent him a rifle chambered in .275 H&H Magnum, a British hunting cartridge that in effect was a hot-rodded 7x57mm Mauser, which more or less fit the bill.
Ammunition for the .275 H&H was hard to come by, so Bowman worked up a wildcat in an attempt to duplicate the British cartridge. He did so by necking down .338 Win. Mag. brass to 7mm. Then he had a Pfeifer barrel rechambered by Fred Huntington of RCBS for the cartridge. Finally, Bowman installed it in a Remington Model 721.
The gun and the cartridge proved eminently shootable and wickedly effective on all species from pronghorn to grizzlies, and Bowman's clients loved it. It was dubbed .280 Remington Magnum.
Where Remington themselves entered the picture was when Mike Walker and Wayne Leek—Remington employees—hired Bowman as a guide, became friends and tried his rifle.
They got the idea for a new hot 7mm cartridge to sell with the rifle that they were developing. Leek and Walker flew Bowman to HQ to talk with the board, which proved successful.
Remington's recipe was to trim .375 H&H Magnum brass to standard action length and neck it down to .284 caliber. The original factory loads were 150-grain CoreLokt at 3,260 fps and 175-grain CoreLokt at 3,020 fps.
While some other hot 7mms were around at the time (7mm Mashburn and 7mm Weatherby Magnum), Bowman's original .284-338 was a tad milder with a 160-grain bullet at 3,050 fps.
The cartridge debuted with the Model 700 rifle and was instantly successful. Today, the two are almost inseparable, much as the Model 70 is inseparable from the .270 Winchester cartridge. With the relatively mild recoil (on par with .30-06) but the reasonably flat trajectory and a track record on game animals par excellence, it's remained a best-seller ever since.
The 7mm Remington Magnum can be found with lighter (and heavier) bullets, but the 140-, 150-, and 160-grain loads are the most common. Plenty of 175-grain bullets are made in .284 caliber, but these are more frequently loaded in the hotter 7mm cartridges such as 7mm Weatherby and 7mm Remington Ultra.
The most common factory load today is a 150-grain jacketed soft point, loaded to around 3,100 fps and around 3,200 foot-pounds of energy. For a rote JSP 150-grain load, typical G1 ballistic coefficients are around .340.
Here's a 500-yard trajectory table for such a load, 150-grain Remington CoreLokt (G1 BC of .346 and advertised muzzle velocity of 3,110 fps). This table was calculated using ShootersCalculator with a 200-yard zero, a 1.5-inch sight height, a 90-degree 10 mph crosswind and zero corrections for atmosphere.
This and other classic 150-grain loads of 7mm Rem. Mag. ammo doesn't become subsonic until about 975 yards. In fact, these old 150-grain pills at 700 yards are moving faster and carrying more energy than a 125-grain .357 Magnum at the muzzle.
Another area where 7mm Rem. Mag. shines is in maximum point-blank range. If you define MPBR as 4 inches above or below the point of aim, MPBR is roughly 320 yards, and the bullet has only dropped 3.28 MOA (scope reticle hash marks are usually 2 MOA) at 400 yards and just over 6 MOA at 500. As you might guess, this makes even cheap JSP easy to place at considerable distances.
Here's a table for the same 150-grain load but with a 25-yard zero range to demonstrate this.
However, modern high-BC loads give the 7mm Remington Magnum even longer legs. Hornady's Precision Hunter load, for instance, with ELD-X bullets offers astonishing long-range capability. Here's a 1000-yard trajectory for the 162-grain loading (2,940 fps, G1 BC of .613). This table again uses a 200-yard zero.
The bullet is still supersonic at 1,000 yards, with, again, greater velocity and energy than a .357 Magnum at the muzzle. While a formidable cartridge to 500 yards with older bullets and an MPBR zero (the old-school method!), it's a long-range hunter's dream in modern loadings.
Is 7mm Rem. Mag. Too Big For Deer? What's It Good For?
No, 7mm Rem. Mag. is not too big for deer, nor too powerful, and is one of the most popular Western game cartridges in existence. Some would argue it's the best medium- to medium-large game cartridge in the balance of things.
The benefit of 7mm Remington Magnum has always been a smaller bullet at a higher velocity, giving the bullet a bit more oomph than medium velocity 6mm to 7mm bullets and just as much (if not more) velocity as .30 caliber cartridges.
The recoil is not pedestrian but can certainly be lived with (the classic 150-grain loading produces roughly 19 foot-pounds) as it’s about the same as .30-06.
The smaller (and longer) projectiles also give 7mm Rem. Mag. a marginal advantage in sectional density and, in the heavier grain weights, a better ballistic coefficient compared to .30-caliber bullets of the same grain weight. This means it tends to drop a little less compared to .308 and .30-06.
Classically, 7mm Remington Magnum shooters got the best of it from 100 to 500 yards. It excels at taking any North American game short of grizzly bears and African plains game up to the elands.
A ballistic gel test demonstrating the capabilities of 7mm Rem. Mag. This makes it easy to see why the cartridge can take nearly any game save for the very largest. Photo: Black Hills Ammunition.
Modern heavy-for-caliber/high-BC loads can push the useful range even further, however, and it is absolutely a solid choice for longer-range backcountry hunts for bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, moose, caribou and black bear.
While more than capable of taking whitetail and hogs at shorter ranges, its virtues will go mostly unappreciated inside of 200 yards because of the recoil, report and weight of most rifles. It's also foolish to chamber it in a compact rifle as any velocity advantage is negated.
While 7mm calibers are capable benchrest and F-Class rifle cartridges, the recoil is more than match shooters are liable to tolerate. Its milder cousin, the 7mm-08, was at one point ridiculously common in NRA rifle competitions, but 7mm Remington Magnum never has been.
Its first, best destiny is as a hunting cartridge for everything short of the great bears and large African game at medium to long distances.
So…what are the best loads to get?
The Best 7mm Rem. Mag. Ammo:
150-Grain Remington CoreLokt
It's old, it's kind of cheap, but it works. This is the original load, one of the most affordable and most distributed as well. Perfect for the hunting of any North American game inside about 400 yards short of the great bears.
Bullet Weight: 150 grains
Bullet Type: Soft point
Muzzle Velocity: 3,110 fps
Muzzle Energy: 3,221 foot-pounds
G1 BC: 0.346
MSRP/Street Price: $40
162-Grain Hornady Precision Hunter
The ELD-X bullet used in Hornady's Precision Hunter Load gives 7mm Remington Magnum absurdly long legs and is a perfect do-it-all modern hunting load. It’s not too heavy for medium game at closer range and retains energy downrange for long shots on elk, moose or black bears.
Bullet Weight: 162 grains
Bullet Type: Tipped boat-tail hollow-point
Muzzle Velocity: 2,940 fps
Muzzle Energy: 3,109 ft-lbs
G1 BC: 0.613
MSRP/Street Price: $60
150-Grain Federal Premium Nosler Ballistic Tip
Nosler Ballistic Tip is what you might consider a “budget-friendly premium,” with a premium bullet at a price tag that won't make your eyes water too badly. Nosler BT is a fast-opening tipped bullet, making this an ideal medium-game load for hunters taking long-distance shots at smaller-bodied game but want a better bullet than the legacy soft point loads.
Bullet Weight: 150 grains
Bullet Type: Tipped flat-base hollow-point
Muzzle Velocity: 3,025 fps
Muzzle Energy: 3,047 foot-pounds
G1 BC: 0.495
MSRP/Street Price: $50
Winchester Expedition Big Game 168-Grain AccuBond LR
Winchester's Expedition loads are some of the best long-range hunting loads commonly available. It’s loaded with Nosler's AccuBond LR bullets (high-BC and bonded) for aerodynamic efficiency as well as efficacy on target far beyond what classic soft point bullets provide. If you wanted a long-range load capable of taking everything from ibex to bears at half a mile (or more), this is the one for you.
The author takes a look at the new Nosler Model 21 Carbon Chassis Hunter, a dual-purpose tack driver featuring the MDT HNT26 carbon-fiber chassis system.
Nosler is a company living in two eras simultaneously. It has its roots in the very dawn of the premium bullet market, with John Nosler’s development of the famous Partition bullet back in the 1940s, as well as the Ballistic Tip, which helped usher in the era of the polymer-tipped bullets we take for granted today.
At the same time, Nosler has become a company that looks forward, in their line of proprietary cartridges and modern long-range projectiles as well as their rifle division. Both ends of the equation are equally valuable, as a company that doesn’t grow will invariably wither.
Nosler has had much success with their M48 rifle—a unique push-feed design that has proven to be very accurate—and followed that rifle up with the M21. Using a receiver designed in conjunction with the Mack Brothers of South Dakota, the heart of the Nosler Model 21 is, in essence, a modified EVO action, with some customized features from Nosler.
While the lines and silhouette of the Nosler Model 21 Carbon Chassis Hunter may not be what come to mind when thinking of a hunting rifle, it certainly checks all the boxes. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The push-feed design uses dual-locking lugs and a beefy extractor with a plunger ejector, in a design that’s smooth as glass right out of the box. I had the opportunity to take the Nosler M21—chambered in the speedy .27 Nosler—on an axis deer hunt on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, and after using it for five days and taking three does and a buck, that rifle surely proved to be both accurate and reliable. The smooth trigger, slick action and well-fitting stock culminated in a great hunting rifle.
I must admit that after spending time with that M21, I wasn’t exactly shocked to hear from Jeff Sipe, senior marketing manager for the Nosler Rifle division, that they had adapted that M21 action to a chassis platform. The opportunities to shoot competitively have increased exponentially during the past decade, and despite the shortages of ammunition and reloading components, folks are shooting more, or at least as much as they can.
A chassis rifle—one that uses a barreled action set in a chassis with a full-length aluminum bedding block—makes a great choice for competitive shooting. However, I was surprised about which chassis they decided to cradle that Model 21 in, as well as the barrel Nosler has chosen to complete the package.
The magazine release is integrated into the trigger guard and can be easily operated, even with gloves. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Nosler has installed their M21 in the wicked-cool MDT HNT26 carbon-fiber chassis and mated the action with a Proof Research carbon-fiber barrel, making a highly versatile chassis system that’s both ergonomic and lightweight. My test rifle was chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor—not exactly known for vicious recoil, even in light rifles—but Nosler has included an efficient muzzle brake to remove a healthy amount what recoil there is.
Starting with the action, let’s look at what makes the Model 21 Carbon Chassis Hunter tick.
Lights, Camera, Action!
The Nosler Model 21 is best described with one word: smooth. Its dual-lug bolt face has the heavy-duty M16-style extractor located at the 11 o’clock position and the plunger ejector at the classic 3 o’clock position. An attractive spiral-fluted one-piece chrome moly bolt body is nitride-coated, and the bolt handle is threaded for ease of change and customization. An octagonal bolt shroud houses a chrome cocking indicator, and the entire bolt is field strippable without tools.
Photo: Massaro Media Group.
A Trigger Tech Field model trigger runs the operation and is user-adjustable; my test rifle’s trigger broke consistently at 3 pounds, 3 ounces, with virtually no creep or overtravel. A two-position rocker safety is located at the rear right of the receiver, in a forward to fire configuration, and the bolt release is located on the opposite side. The M21 uses a 90-degree bolt throw, but the bolt configuration allows a scope to be mounted low without interference. For the test, I mounted a Leupold VX6-HD 4-24x52mm scope, with its 34mm main tube, in Leupold rings.
Talking Stock
The MDT HNT26 carbon-fiber chassis system weighs in a mere 26 ounces, making it an absolutely perfect choice for the backcountry hunter, as well as for a shooter who wants to move their gun into the innumerable positions required for competition shooting. A nice square, vented forend will sit perfect in the cradle of a tripod-mounted rest yet sits nicely in the off hand or in a set of conventional shooting sticks. The protruding pistol grip has a nice swell to it, and it fit my right hand perfectly. It narrows near the top to allow the thumb to give a positive grip, and the swell lets the pad of my index finger rest naturally in the proper position on the trigger.
Weighing a mere 26 ounces, the MDT HNT26 stock will fold to make for a compact, packable rifle. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The buttstock of the HNT26 is very interesting, in that it’s adjustable for both comb height and overall length, and in that it folds 180 degrees to make a rifle that’s easy to pack into the back country. The toe is square and sits nicely on a rear bag—for those accustomed to using one—and while the entire package has a modernistic, angular look, it fits very well in the hands. The buttstock is filled with foam to both reduce noise (I’m often amazed at how “loud” some stocks can be in a hunting situation) and dissipated recoil. When the MDT HTN26’s butt is folded, it reduces the rifle’s overall length from 45¼ inches to a hair over 37 inches.
The polymer AICS detachable single-stack magazine is held in a well, just ahead of the trigger guard. The magazine release is cleverly integrated into the trigger guard and will not catch on clothing or brush, dumping your magazine at the worst possible moment (ask me how I know about that). Sling swivel studs are provided at the forend and butt. The MDT HNT26 comes with a length of pull measuring 12½ inches, though four ¼-inch spacers are provided that can extend the length of pull an additional inch. There’s a foam “cheek piece,” which gives a bit rougher surface for the shooter’s face and is adjustable for height. Simply loosen the two set screws on the right side of the butt, position the comb where it feels best and lock it back down with those screws.
Photo: Massaro Media Group.
I’m generally a traditionalist when it comes to my rifles, preferring blued steel and walnut over Cerakote and synthetic and holding a serious torch for classic cartridges, but the Model 21 Carbon Chassis Rifle’s stock is so different from what I choose to hunt with I found it refreshing. Well done, MDT, and good choice on the part of Nosler.
Over A Barrel
Rounding out the lightweight theme, a 24-inch Proof Research carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel is attached to the Nosler Model 21 receiver. A thin steel barrel is wrapped in rigid carbon fiber, resulting in a barrel that’s lighter than a full steel barrel, yet maintains the rigidity so desirable in a target barrel. Carbon-fiber barrels are also known for their ability to effectively dissipate heat, so for a rifle designed for competitive use, this makes all sorts of sense. The Proof barrel on my test rifle started at just over an inch in diameter, ending just under an inch in diameter, and featured Nosler’s proprietary muzzle brake.
The Leupold VX6-HD 4-24x52mm scope paired well with the M21 Carbon Chassis Hunter; it could be mounted low enough for good cheek weld on the stock and gave plenty of flexibility for hunting and competition shooting alike. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The barrel was clean, without iron sights of any sort, as the M21 Carbon Chassis Hunter is assuredly designed for use with a riflescope. That brake is threaded in order to double as an adapter for a suppressor for those who prefer things quiet; sadly, here in the People’s Republic of New York, I’m not afforded such luxuries. One might think that a rifle with a carbon chassis would be a bit nose-heavy, but the Proof barrel actually keeps the Carbon Chassis Hunter a bit on the butt-heavy side, though I like the overall balance of this rifle much more than any of the modern designs I’ve spent time with.
Put It All Together, And The Results Impress
The Model 21 Carbon Chassis Hunter weighs in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces, when unloaded and unscoped; add that Leupold and a set of 34mm rings, the weight bumps up to 8 pounds, 5 ounces. This gives a good balance to the rifle and allows it to be carried comfortably.
I heard those groans you all emitted when I mentioned that the rifle was chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor, and while I have to admit that the cartridge does feel like it’s been overplayed lately, it does make a good test medium. It used to be that a rifle was usually shipped for testing in .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield or .300 Winchester Magnum … but these days that trio has been supplanted by the Creedmoor. Let’s face it: It’s easy on the shoulder, plenty of gun for deer, sheep and pronghorn, makes a good target cartridge and, most of all, it’s plentiful. I grabbed a good cross-section of hunting and target ammunition and brought the Carbon Chassis Hunter to the range.
That big Leupold VX6-HD let me hold this rifle precisely and confidently; glass of this quality allows the shooter to dial in a crisp, clear image, even with eyes a half-century old. During the test firing, I had no issues with feeding or extraction, with any of the ammunition. And let me say this out of the gate: The Carbon Chassis Hunter is a shooter.
Nosler’s Trophy Grade 140-grain AccuBond load printed very tight groups; all the ammunition tested performed very well at the range. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
For ammunition, I chose Hornady’s Precision Hunter with the 143-grain ELD-X bullet, their Match ammo with the 140-grain ELD Match, Nosler’s own ammo with the 140-grain AccuBond and RDF match bullet of the same weight, Norma’s 130-grain Match load, and Federal’s 140-grain Fusion bonded-core softpoint load.
After zeroing the scope with a half-dozen shots, I evaluated group size, with the rifle showing a preference for the 140-grain slugs. The Norma stuff gave the widest groups—with five shots averaging exactly 1 MOA—and the Nosler AccuBond load giving the tightest, with five shots hanging in a cluster measuring 0.65 MOA at 100 yards. Bottom line is that I wouldn’t hesitate to take any one of these loads hunting or to the range—speaking of softpoints and match ammo, respectively—if they were to be loaded in the Carbon Chassis Hunter.
Recoil was at a level manageable by just about any shooter, thanks primarily to that big ol’ Nosler brake, and despite the appearance of the chassis design, I became comfortable with this rifle quickly.
Nosler Model 21 Carbon Chassis Hunter Overview
Having spent decades in pursuit of classic rifles (or at least classic designs) chambered in nostalgic cartridges—yes, I’m the nerd who gets ridiculously excited over the .300 H&H Magnum, .318 Westley Richards and .404 Jeffery—the 14-year-old side of me immediately fell for the futuristic-looking rifle. The carbon-fiber construction gives it a unique look but being completely honest, I found the ability to quickly and easily customize the lightweight rifle the most appealing feature. I added three spacers to the length of pull to make it comfortable for me with a fall jacket and raised the cheekpiece slightly for proper scope alignment.
Left side of the Carbon Chassis Hunter and the bold Nosler logo. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Just to see how quickly and easily I could customize the rifle, a couple minutes with the Allen wrenches had the rifle setup so that my wife was very comfortable behind the trigger, as I shortened the length of pull and raised the cheekpiece higher to best fit the female frame.
Is the Carbon Chassis Hunter the rifle that comes to my mind when I’m planning that backcountry hunt? Well, no. Or maybe I should say “not yet.” But maybe I’m coming around. In spite of the fact that the rifle has what some will refer to as a “tactical” look (and I despise that label), when your eyes are closed it runs like almost any other bolt action rifle.
The era of the walnut stock is certainly not over, but I will admit it’s probably waning. The polymer stocks, styled in the fashion of the traditional walnut stocks, are fine, but there’s an obvious advantage in weight, rigidity and customization when it comes to a chassis design like the MDT HNT26. Couple that stock with Nosler’s M21 action and a Proof Research barrel, and you’ve got a winning combination.
The Nosler Model 21 Carbon Chassis Hunter is available in 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC (both sort action), and .28 Nosler and .300 Winchester Magnum (both long action). MSRP is $5,295 for short action and $5,395 for long action.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
