Owners of suppressed 5.7 firearms can rejoice, as Fiocchi has just announced new 5.7x28mm subsonic ammo for the company’s Range Dynamics line.
A lot of shooters are starting to get interested in 5.7x28mm. With all the new guns coming on the market chambered for the hot little round, it only makes sense. Plenty of these firearms are being offered with threaded muzzles as well, making suppressors an obvious accessory pairing, but what about the ammunition? Thankfully, Fiocchi has just announced the addition of 5.7x28mm subsonic ammo to its Range Dynamics line.
Packaged in 50-round boxes, Fiocchi’s 5.7x28mm subsonic ammo features 62-grain FMJ projectiles with an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,050 FPS. This is compared to the cartridge’s average bullet weight of 40 grains. Fiocchi does not specify the length of the test barrel used to determine the 1,050 FPS muzzle velocity, but hopefully it wasn’t a handgun. If a rifle-length barrel will raise this ammo’s velocity by only about 75 fps more, it will cease to be subsonic. Fiocchi’s press release also mentions the ammo’s use in carbines, however, so this should be a non-issue.
The Range Dynamics 5.7x28mm subsonic ammo is Fiocchi’s third load offered in this caliber, with 35-grain Hyperformance jacketed frangible ammo and Hyperformance 40-grain hollow points being the other two.
The new Fiocchi subsonic 5.7 load is available now, and although an official MSRP is not listed, it appears to currently be retailing for about $55 per box.
For those who only trust their lives to the best, here’s a closer look at the 2.75-inch Korth Carry Special.
I was raised on revolvers. As a habit from his moonshining days, Grandpa kept a Smith & Wesson Model 10 close by most of the time; it was the first handgun I ever fired. My cousin either had a Ruger Single Six or Colt Frontier with us on all our adventures. We used them to shoot pop cans and to kill rats and snakes.
Of course, I found autoloaders soon enough, and my hands found a 1911 or a Browning Hi Power more to their liking. Still, when I became a police officer, I was issued a Smith & Wesson Model 686. I used it at the Academy to take top gun, while the rest of my class was shooting Glocks. However, in all my years of handgunning, I’ve never seen a revolver like the Korth Carry Special.
The Korth Story
The Korth revolver is made in Lollar, Hesse, Germany. The company was founded in 1954 by former railroad engineer Willi Korth, who had a singular goal: to produce the finest revolver in the world.
Every part of a Korth revolver is machined from billet steel, and they’re fitted with a cold-hammer-forged barrel. The machine work is exquisite; you’ll find no milling marks. The fit is superb; tolerances are held to a minimum, and the cylinder locks up like a bank vault.
The ability to quickly and easily convert the Korth from a .38 Special/.357 Magnum revolver to a 9mm Luger revolver is unique … and practical.
The trigger feels unlike any trigger you’ve every pulled on any gun. Yes, it’s a double-action trigger, but as the trigger progresses through its movement, it sort of feels like you’re dragging your finger through pudding. And in the single-action mode, the trigger is so good it’s like all you need to do is think when you want the gun to go bang.
There are some design elements that are a bit different from conventional revolvers you might be familiar with. The 416R stainless-steel barrel is shrouded with a steel jacket that also forms the extractor-rod shroud. The cylinder gap is so minimal you’ll struggle to slide a piece of paper between it and the barrel. And though the cylinder release is in the usual spot, you push it forward with your thumb as opposed to pulling it to the rear. The revolver isn’t blued; it’s expertly finished in DLC (diamond-like carbon coating), which gives it a business-like appearance.
When I first picked up a Korth, I thought, If Batman carried a revolver, this is the one.
However, what might be the most unique feature of the Korth is how easy is it to change from a .38 Special/.357 Magnum cylinder to a 9mm Luger cylinder. You can switch these cylinders in about 10 seconds without the aid of any tools. Simply open the cylinder and press a button on the right side of the revolver’s frame. This allows the cylinder and crane to slide out. Once one cylinder is removed, you just reverse the process and install the other. With the Korth, you have one revolver that’ll fire three different cartridges.
A revolver that can fire multiple cartridges is very practical and very versatile.
Korth revolvers are imported into America by Nighthawk Custom out of Berryville, Arkansas. I was first exposed to them during Gunsite Academy’s 40th Anniversary Alumni Shoot, where I helped Nighthawk run one of the shooting stages. The stage required competitors to step up to a table, and on the go signal they had to pick up a Korth revolver and engage some targets.
It was kind of thrilling to watch each shooter’s expression after they fired their six shots. Almost every competitor would turn and remark how amazing the Korth’s trigger was. That was in 2016, and Nighthawk has been importing these amazing German-made revolvers ever since.
Currently, Nighthawk Custom offers 10 models, with prices ranging from $3,699 to $8,999. The new Carry Special is the least expensive version offered.
The Carry Special
The Korth Carry Special is a short-barreled revolver, intended as the name suggests, for personal protection. It has a 2.75-inch barrel and weighs 33.6 ounces. It comes with a .38 Special/.357 Magnum cylinder and a clipless 9mm Luger cylinder—full moon clips aren’t required. It’s also fitted with a slimmed down and contoured rubber Hogue grip.
During the testing of the Korth Carry Special, more than 400 rounds of .38 Special, .357 Magnum and 9mm Luger were fired through it.
The rear sight is shaped more like a rear sight you’d find on a semi-automatic self-defense handgun, but it’s fully adjustable. The front sight is supposed to be a square black blade with a gold bead that’s pinned to a rib that’s integral to the barrel shroud, but more on that later.
One concern with any imported firearm, especially a revolver, is holster availability and compatibility with speed loaders. Though you can for sure find holsters for Korth handguns, or you can have a guy like Rob Leahy at Simply Rugged make you a custom holster.
Holsters that fit the S&W 686 revolver, such as these two from Galco, work well with the Korth.
I found that the 2.75-inch Korth Carry Special worked well enough from a Galco Combat Master (Model #CM102B) designed for a 2.5-inch Smith & Wesson 686. If you prefer a thumb snap, the Korth also fits the Galco Silhouette High Ride (Model #SIL104B). As for speed loaders, Korth manufactures their own for the .38 Special/.357 Magnum and 9mm Luger. They, too, are available from Nighthawk Custom ($50).
Range Time
Though I don’t get wrapped around the axle when it comes to testing a defensive handgun from the bench, when you’re dealing with a handgun that costs this much, you want to know what it’ll do. The three-cartridge uniqueness of the Korth Carry Special necessitated the shooting of three different loads: one in 9mm, one in .38 Special and one in .357 Magnum. Obviously, the gun is hindered a bit by its short barrel, but after firing three, five-shot groups with each load from a sandbag rest at 10 yards, the average for all nine groups was only 1.64 inches.
Short-barrel handguns don’t lend themselves to precision shooting, but sub-inch groups at 10 yards were common with the Korth Carry Special.
How does that stack up against other common defensive handguns? Well, based on the defensive handguns I’ve tested, that’s better than average for that barrel length. As a comparison, I tested a 3-inch Colt Python with the same .38 Special and .357 Magnum loads, and it averaged 1.75 inches. It’s also more than sufficient for self-defense and should allow you to deliver a shot inside a 4-inch circle out to around 12 or 13 yards—and that’s if you shoot twice as bad off-hand and under stress as you do from a bench rest.
What I think is more important is how well a handgun allows you to perform practical defensive drills. After all, during an encounter where you must shoot to save your life, you’ll not have a bench rest and sandbags. I typically find my best performance on tactical drills with my Wilson Combat EDC X9. I ran both against the Korth Carry Special on three drills fired at distances of 5 and 10 yards. Using the same 9mm ammunition, on average I scored 10 percent better with the semi-auto.
I also had two other shooters run the same drills with both pistols, and the results were similar. On average, they performed 12 percent better with the Wilson Combat pistol. One obvious reason is that single-action semi-auto pistols can be fired faster than double-action revolvers. The other reason was that the plain black sight on the Korth Carry Special slowed down engagement times on the 10-yard drill. The low-profile matte black sight was just slower to pick up.
Wait a minute. What sight am I talking about? Yeah, good question. As previously mentioned, the Carry Special comes with a bladed front sight that has a gold bead. However, the revolver I was provided for evaluation was one of the early imports, and it was fitted with a plain black, ramped front sight. It worked just fine during accuracy testing, but during fast-paced drills at 10 yards, it was very hard to quickly pick up that plain black sight on the target.
On the other hand, on a three-shot speed drill fired at 5 yards, where we had to make two torso hits and then hit a swinging head plate as fast as possible, there was only a 5 percent difference in scores. The thing is, at this distance, we were just indexing the gun and not using the sights. On that drill where the sights weren’t that important, the only real difference in performance—speed—was working with the double-action revolver trigger as opposed to the single-action trigger on the Wilson Combat semi-automatic.
Rugged, beautiful and reliable, the Korth Carry Special is a revolver you can trust your life with.
Is It Worth The Money?
Well, $3,699 is a lot of money to pay for a handgun—any handgun. However, if you look at the prices of high-end 1911 handguns, there’s not a lot of difference. Most of the custom 1911s sold by Nighthawk retail for more than $4,000. Also, when you compare the Korth Carry Special to other revolvers from Colt or Smith & Wesson, their actions aren’t as smooth, and the triggers aren’t even in the same league. A 3-inch Colt Python will set you back $1,500 … and a comparable 3-inch Smith & Wesson will run you between $900 and $1,300. Is the Korth Carry Special worth more than twice these other revolvers?
The cylinder latch/release on the Korth revolver must be pushed forward to allow the cylinder to swing out from the frame.
From a save-your-life standpoint, probably not. But the same could be said for most full-custom 1911s. On the other hand, guns aren’t just about self-defense; if they were, everyone would probably just carry a damned old Glock. No, sometimes shooters, just as those who enjoy other sporting endeavors, want the best their money can buy. If that’s you, and if you want what’s arguably the best self-defense revolver available, and if you have $3,699 plus tax lying around, now you know where to spend it.
Nobody needs a Korth revolver. But, then again, nobody needs an $1,800 Honma golf club, a $1,500 Seigler fly reel or a BMW M8 either. If you can afford the BMW, you can damned sure afford the Korth. And, if you show up at the shooting range with both, you’ll be well armed and most likely the coolest guy there, maybe for a long time to come.
I’m not sure how long the BMW will last you, but the Korth comes with a lifetime warranty.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Henry recently unveiled the Henry Homesteader, a 9mm semi-auto carbine that seamlessly blends classic looks with modern utility.
Pistol caliber carbines, or PCCs, have become incredibly popular in recent years. However, the designs have tended to be more tactical in nature. Henry Repefating Arms’ newest PCC, the 9mm Henry Homesteader, gives the concept a fresh look by going back in time instead.
The Henry Homesteader features a blued steel barrel, an anodized aluminum receiver and an American walnut stock and handguard. Despite its classic style, it functions like any other modern PCC. Semi-automatic, mag-fed and both optics- and suppressor-ready, the Homesteader appears to be capable of keeping up with anything else currently on the market. The receiver is drilled and tapped to accept a Weaver 63B base, and the muzzle is threaded 1/2×28.
There are three variants of the Henry Homesteader available based on which style of magazine the prospective purchaser would like to use. The base model uses proprietary Henry magazines, and each carbine will ship with one 5-rounder and one 10-rounder. The other two models additionally ship with a magwell adaptor that enables the use of other magazine patterns, either Glock or Sig Sauer/Smith & Wesson M&P. The versions that include a magwell are the same as the base model when the adaptor is not installed, allowing them to use the proprietary Henry mags as well.
Henry Homesteader with a Glock magazine well adaptor installed.
The standard Henry Homesteader has an MSRP of $928 and the magwell variants have an MSRP of $958.
Whether you're looking for a 12-gauge shotgun for hunting or home defense , Mossberg has you covered with the 940 Pro Turkey and 940 Pro Tactical.
One of my favorite quotes from classic American literature references shotguns: “… but if there is a law at all, it should be to keep people from the use of smooth-bores. A body never knows where his lead will fly, when he pulls the trigger of one of them uncertain firearms.” These words were spoken by James Fenimore Cooper’s fictional character Natty Bumppo, aka Hawkeye, from the Leatherstocking Tales.
For those who do not completely understand the shotgun, let me educate you: Shotguns throw a pattern of bullets—pellets—and those individual pellets never land in the same place. This causes shotgun shooters to spend hours doing something called “patterning.” This is arguably a waste of time because all they’re really doing is trying to predict the unpredictable.
I learned this at about age 5 when my father first took me squirrel hunting. He gave me a break-action shotgun, and one morning I fired a box of shells at squirrels. On the way back to camp, I asked if I could borrow Grandpa’s pump .22 LR rifle for our next squirrel hunt. I did, and I’ve hardly looked at a shotgun seriously since.
Twins—not identical—but twins nonetheless: Mossberg’s 18.5-inch, 940 Pro Tactical and Turkey, 12-gauge shotguns.
It’s not so much that I don’t like shotguns; I just don’t have a real need for a shotgun. Ironically, during my law enforcement days, I received a lot of tactical shotgun training. And while I think there are some excellent applications for a shotgun in law enforcement and in combat, those days are long behind me. I don’t wing shoot. If I turkey hunt, I do it in West Virginia where I can use anything I want—and for home defense, I feel the carbine is a better option. Moreover, until now, I’ve never seen a shotgun that I really liked.
With all that in mind, maybe you’ll take what I’m about to tell you with more than a grain of salt. I’ve found two shotguns I really like. They just happen to be the same shotgun wearing a different uniform. Now, before I go any further, let me say that this isn’t the common “they sent me a shotgun to test, it’s wonderful, and you should go buy it” kind of article.
This is more of a story of discovery.
A father and son with different affections and opinions about shotguns, well-armed with Mossberg’s 940 Pro Tactical (left) and 940 Pro Turkey (right).
How it Happened
It started when my son became afflicted with the disease of turkey hunting. He’s an accomplished videographer, and he and a friend decided they were going to record their passion with a camera and share their exploits on social media. Like with many endeavors, life and work get in the way of grandiose ideas, and my son ended up with so many clients he could barely carve out enough time to just go turkey hunting, much less film it.
At any rate, for their endeavor to have added appeal, they reached out to Mossberg and requested the loan of one of their new 940 Pro Turkey shotguns. When it came in, my son brought it by and unboxed it. I was immediately smitten with its light heft and compactness. Not only that but this shotgun came from the factory with a neat little space carved out of the top of the receiver where a reflex sight could be mounted. This, of course, is a fantastic idea and makes you wonder why it took so long to happen.
Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey 18.5-inch.
Shortly after opening day, a friend was visiting from New York. (Yes, I’m friends with some Yankees, if they don’t intend to stay when they come to visit.) My son and his buddy took him turkey hunting, and he used the new Mossberg to whack a big gobbler at about 35 yards. (My son did get that on film.) A few days later, my boy convinced me to go turkey hunting with him, and after way more walking than I thought was necessary, he snuck up on a big 3-year-old tom and shot him in the face with the Mossberg.
Though I had little interest in turkey hunting with this shotgun, I began to lust for it as a home defense—tactical—weapon. It was, after all, a short, light, semi-automatic that came out of the box ready to go for a reflex sight. Then, I discovered that Mossberg offers a 940 Pro Tactical version of this shotgun. And, unusual for tactical shotguns, it accepts interchangeable choke tubes. I reached out to the media relations representative at Mossberg who knew my disdain for scatterguns and, to their astonishment, requested one to give it a try.
Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical.
The Details
Both shotguns feature the unique Mossberg self-draining stock that comes with inserts that’ll allow you to adjust the stock’s length of pull, drop and cast. Both also have the receiver machined to accept any compact reflex sight that matches the J-point footprint. The receivers are also drilled and tapped, and a fiber-optic front sight is standard. The “Pro” designation means both shotguns have an updated, clean-running gas system with corrosion-resistant internal parts. An enlarged and beveled loading port, a quick-empty magazine release button, a cocked indicator, interchangeable chokes, and an oversized operating handle are all standard as well.
The factory machined receiver on the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical and Turkey shotguns is precut to fit the Crimson Trace CTS-1550 and CT RAD Pro mini reflex sights.
Now for the differences. Just like the 940 Pro Tactical, the 940 Pro Turkey comes with an 18.5-inch barrel, but a 24-inch barreled version is also available. The 940 Pro Tactical comes in flat black and both 940 Pro Turkey shotguns have a Mossy Oak Greenleaf camo finish. The Turkey models also have a ventilated rib on the barrel and a 4+1 capacity. The 940 Pro Tactical has a 7+1 capacity and a barrel/magazine tube clamp that’s M-Lok compatible.
Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey 24-inch.
Both have a rear sling swivel stud, and on the Tactical version, the front stud is integral to the barrel clamp. With the Turkey version, the front stud is part of the magazine tube cap. The Tactical version has a larger action release button and weighs 7.5 pounds. The 24-inch Turkey version weighs the same, but the 18.5-inch 940 Pro Turkey is noticeably lighter than both.
Shots Fired
In addition to the turkey slaying my son orchestrated with the 940 Pro Turkey, over the course of several months we’ve shot both shotguns a lot, with a lot of different loads. Everything we’ve fed both shotguns they digested without fail. In addition to testing a wide range of 2¾ and 3-inch loads, we did a lot of that “patterning” with five different choke tubes.
Both the 940 Pro Tactical and 18.5-inch 940 Pro Turkey shotguns were tested with four Mossberg Accu-Chokes and a Carlson Turkey choke. (Left to right: X-Factor XX Full, Full, Modified, Improved Cylinder and Cylinder Bore. Front: Carlson Long Beard XR choke.)
Since both shotguns had the same length barrel, their performance on target was as identical as two shotguns could be. I’m not one to count pellets; it’s relatively easy to just look at the patterns and make a reasonable conclusion about in the field performance. At 25 yards, Federal’s excellent Home Defense 00-buck load printed a pattern out of the 940 Pro Tactical with the cylinder bore choke that was about fist size. Off-hand, rifled slugs grouped similarly. At that same distance, Federal’s Force X2 00-buck load patterned at about 12 inches.
(Left) Federal’s Home Defense buckshot load delivered a fantastic pattern from the cylinder bore choke tube in the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical. (Middle) Because of a different wad, the Federal Force X2 buckshot load doesn’t pattern as tightly as the home defense load. But Force X2 pellets break in half creating twice the damage and limit over penetration. (Right) This three-shot group was fired—offhand—with Federal rifled slugs at a distance of 25 yards out of the 940 Pro Tactical with a cylinder bore choke.
Using a Federal #5 shot load, I tested the Mossberg full, modified and improved cylinder Accu-Choke tubes in the 940 Pro Tactical. At 25 yards, the full choke pattern was about 10 inches in diameter, the modified choke pattern was about 14 inches, and the improved cylinder choke patterned at about 16 inches. Keep in mind, this is all out of an 18.5-inch barrel.
(Left) A 2 ¾-inch load of #5 shot fired out of the 940 Pro Tactical with a full choke at 25 yards. (Middle) The Carlson Long Beard XR choke delivered a very dense pattern at 25 yards. This choke also delivered two spring gobblers at around 35 yards. (Right) Mossberg’s X-Factor XX Full choke performed well with Federal’s #7-9 TSS load.
The Mossberg X-Factor XX full-choke tube and a Carlson Long Beard XR choke tube were tested at 25 yards using the 940 Pro Turkey shotgun and #7-9 Federal TSS loads. Both patterns were about 8 inches with good coverage … but with the Carlson choke, the pattern was a bit denser in the center.
The One Shotgun For Everything
Shotguns, just like rifles, can be very specialized. True shotgunners will have a different shotgun for every need they can imagine. I’m not a true shotgunner. My interest in shotguns is much more from the general-purpose angle. If I’m going to have a shotgun, I’m going to have one shotgun that I can use to effectively do the most things with.
I’ve been at this shooting thing for a long time, and to date, I’ve not seen a better general-purpose shotgun option than the 940 Pro Tactical. It’s best configured for self-defense, but with the interchangeable choke system, you can use it for damn near anything you want. If, on the other hand, you’re interested in what might be the ultimate, lightweight, compact and most versatile turkey shotgun available, the 940 Pro Turkey is the way to go. It seems to be doing its job nicely for my son, and soon you should be able to order the longer barrel and switch between them as needed.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Offering up the tools to make nearly any reasonable shot come in, the Maven RS.1 2.5-15X44mm upgrades the modern hunter's game.
Hunters—particularly those from the wide-open Western lands—have gone through an evolution over the past decade or so. Optics and rifles, as affordable as they are accurate, are to thank for some pretty amazing things happening at the fringes of game-getting. The margins, where hunters once reluctantly dared to go, are now commonplace and ethical.
One of the players who has quietly made a name for itself in the rarefied air of precision hunting is Maven Outdoors. Hitting the scene nearly a decade ago, the Lander, Wyo., optics firm has punched a strong and lasting toehold in the specialized niche. Once in your hands and on a rifle, there’s little wonder why. For low- to mid-priced hunting glass, Maven is on target.
Applied to an economical, yet accurate Interarms MarkX the Maven RS.1 2.5-15X44mm proved a capable hunting optic.
At least that’s how I walked away from my first hunt with Maven this past fall. On the range and in the sage of Western Colorado, the RS.1 2.5-15X44mm SHR-W scope proved an absolute ace on an old deer iron.
Maven Difference
For those unfamiliar with Maven, a slight introduction might be due.
The company is the purveyor of fairly over-engineered optics with a hunting bent. It’s solid glass at a good price—not cheap at the top end, but not out of reach for most hunters.
The company took a different tack to achieve the latter point. Instead of relying on big box stores to peddle their goods, Maven took consumer sales into its own hands with a relatively savvy media blitz and direct sales through its website. With the middlemen cut out, savings ensued.
Built in Japan with Japanese components, including glass, the RS.1 2.5-15X44mm is a high-end option at a relatively affordable price.
For the most part, the company’s wares range from $470 for its fairly new second-focal plane CRS line, up to $1,800 for its premium RS lines of scopes. This hits the mark for a wide swath of shooters and hunters and is sweetened by the ability to customize your scope.
Admittedly, most of the customization features are superficial—adjustment ring color, turret color, etc. But for someone who wants a scope to feel like their own atop an absolute favorite rifle, it’s a nice touch—in many cases free. Along with this, the company offers a wider range of reticles (in your preferred angular measurement) than are typically found.
RS.1 Glass
At the heart of any scope worth its weight in venison is top-end glass. The Maven RS.1 2.5-15X44mm’s Japanese-manufactured glass does not disappoint in this end.
A large concern in any hunting scope is its light-gathering ability, given most shots are taken in the dim hours of dawn and dusk. A critter made to blend in with its environment becomes a dicey shot without something to ensure a sharp image in a scope. With a 44mm objective and a very generous 43.6mm eyepiece, the scope had the physical dimensions to make images pop when light was scarce. Furthermore, its extra-low dispersion (ED) glass—fully coated—further enhanced the overall quality of the image delivered.
At 44mm, the Maven RS.1 2.5-15X44mm's objective is at once large enough to present a wide field of vision and gather plenty of light, but not prove burdensome on a hunting rifle.
We could parse the nitty-gritty of chromatic aberration and how ED glass defeats the distortion common to low-quality lenses. Instead, we’ll just point out that to 500 yards—tested at the range—the RS.1 2.5-15X44mm served up an image as crisp and clear as if the target was at 50 yards. This, to boot, in the flat light of a cloudy day.
SHR-W Reticle
Not that duplex reticles have gone the way of the dodo, but hunters have wised-up to the advantage of more elaborate crosshairs. Technology what it is today, why play the holdover guessing game?
In the case of the RS.1 2.5-15X44mm, it comes with two MOA reticle options—the MOA-2 and SHR-W, both etched on the first focal plane. I chose the latter. In addition to 1-MOA hashes for wind adjustment, the reticle also features bullet-drop compensation hashes at 5-, 10- and 20-MOA increments.
Offering the best of both worlds, the SHR-W offers an MOA BDC and windage hashes, but at the same click is very uncluttered.
Overall, this matched up well with the hand-loaded 165-grain Hornady Interlock bullets I shoot out of an old .30-06 Springfield Interarms Mark X, on which I mounted the scope. The load has a muzzle velocity of 2,600 fps, which gave me near-dead-nuts holds at 300, 450 and 700 yards with the BDC.
There are two additional points worth mentioning about the reticle. First, it’s clean as a whistle, presenting an unencumbered view most hunters appreciate. Second, being an FFP reticle, its measurements were functional no matter the magnification. Both made the scope fast and intuitive to use—assets hunters should look for in any equipment.
Turrets
On the pro side of things, the RS.1’s turrets are extremely responsive and control a very precise erector system. Once zeroed, I tested and retested the turret’s tracking out to 500 yards and back again. The scope was right on in adjusting elevation to match the range, which was proof enough it could be dialed in for what I would consider my limit.
The 1/4-MOA per click adjustments were also very tactile and audible, making dialing—at least from the comfort of a benchrest—a piece of cake. In the field, that’s a bit of a different story.
The turrets control an excellent erector set with dead-nuts tracking. However, capped–like most hunting scopes–and a bit on the small side, it's a stretch to employ them in more harried hunting circumstances
Presenting an issue—one common to all hunting scopes—are the turret caps.
I’ll dial all day long, given the opportunity, but getting to the turrets in a practical fashion when there is a limited window for a shot is a tall task to say the least. Moreover, the turrets are small enough that with gloved hands they might prove a bit precarious to deal with.
A deal breaker? No. But something to be aware of if you’re absolutely wed to dialing your shots.
Scope Construction
Tube size, particularly when it comes to image production and adjustment range, proves important. At 30mm, the RS.1 2.5-15X44mm offers more than enough for any hunter.
Composed of nicely machined aircraft-grade aluminum, Maven’s scope has a solid feel to match an impeccable finish. Little things, such as very aggressive knurling on the turret caps and magnification ring are also appreciated, making them much easier to manage in the often wet and harried conditions of the field.
Luckily, I didn’t test the scope’s overall wherewithal by banging it off a Poderosa or chunk of granite on my hunt. Had I, I suspect the scope would have shaken it off and continued hunting.
Maven RS.1 2.5-15X44mm In The Field
This is a scope review, not a hunting story, so I’ll turn my ego aside and keep this brief.
The second mule deer buck I saw in Western Colorado was the one I took. A high-desert hillside over, the loner was pestered by a coyote and while not at a trot, he wanted done with the impertinent canine. Suffice to say, the window was narrow between setting the RS.1’s crosshairs and watching the buck disappear over the knoll.
Nice touches, such as aggressive knurling on the magnification ring and a tough exterior finish bumps the Maven scope up a peg verses other options at its price point.
By the reading on my rangefinder, when he settled and the shot came it was just a hair over 300 yards. This was the first BDC hash, which I placed just behind his scapula and struck the sweet spot. There’s little more to say than the scope functioned just as it had at the range—which was on the money.
To confess, I was a bit dissatisfied to start, because I desperately desired to dial in the shot. However, this wore off with time and an appreciation of the entire system Maven presents in the RS.1 took its place.
Hunting is full of wild cards, no two shots the same. A quiet morning might allow a hunter the chance to get to the turrets, make the right number of clicks and put a bullet in the vitals. Other days, with a coyote at a buck’s heels, putting meat in the freezer requires a hold over.
Either way, I walked away with supreme confidence that no matter the opportunity, Maven allows you to take advantage of it.
Parting Shot
Most hunters, even in big country, take their game close in—the average deer, regardless of species, is harvested at no further than 100 yards. In turn, the Maven RS.1 2.5-15X44mm might be overkill for most hunters. Then again…
I saw a ton of West Colorado deer on my hunt, only two were bucks. I might have come home empty handed had my rifle not had a scope I could rely on. Conversely, there’s the case of trophies—mine decidedly was not this. But when one happens around, you want the tools to take him.
With a Maven on top of your rifle, it seems you can be assured you certainly have one.
Looking to zero a firearm without expending too much time or ammo? Here are the five best bore sight models to get you on target.
Laser bore sights are a must for getting and maintaining an accurate zero. They enable you to adjust your optic's point of aim to be a lot closer to your gun's point of impact, all without firing a single shot.
You don't want to rely on guesswork, and eschewing the use of a bore sight often results in zeroing one’s pistol, rifle or shotgun to their rotten trigger press. Yes, that's why you're shooting low left.
So, let's talk about laser bore sights, how to use them, and a few of the best models on the market.
An EZshoot in-muzzle style Bore Sight installed on a rifle.
How Do Bore Sighters Work?
A bore sighter is a laser that goes in the barrel. This projects a red dot out to whatever the maximum range is for the laser, which is typically 25 yards at the most.
Generally, they come in two varieties: those you put in the chamber, and those you put in the muzzle.
The chamber variety have a housing that's machined to the shape and dimensions of a specific cartridge, be it 9mm, .45 ACP, .30-06, .223 or anything else. You turn the device on and load it as you would a standard cartridge.
A 7.62×39 bore sight laser partially inserted into the chamber of an AK.
The muzzled variety are basically a laser on a stick. It goes in the barrel, you turn it on, and it projects the dot. The stick will have a threaded end which accepts an adapter for the bore diameter, so after inserting it into the muzzle it will be held securely.
With either style of bore sight, the laser gives you a projection of the supposed point of impact. You can then calibrate your optic or iron sights to it.
A Wheeler Professional Bore Sighter installed on a rifle's muzzle.
How To Zero With A Bore Sight
So, we know that some go in the chamber and other types of bore sights are affixed to the muzzle. What do you do from there?
That depends, partially on what kind of distance you have to work with, what kind of gun you have and your specific load and caliber.
You can bore sight outdoors or indoors. Indoors is better so you can get the best visibility, but you may find yourself having to do it outside to achieve greater distance.
Most people have at least one 10-yard linear distance inside their home. Some people may have up to 25 yards of linear distance in their yard. You have to figure out what you have access to.
It’s a good idea to use a bullseye target of some kind, with a way to hang it and a rest for your gun to hold it as stable as possible.
Bore sighting a pistol red dot is the easiest, especially for a 10-yard zero. You set up a target at 10 yards, turn on the bore sight and zero the optic to the laser.
For long guns, it can get a little trickier.
Ideally, you'd have a 25-yard linear distance available. What you'd do is get a trajectory table with your load, optic height and zero calculated—say a .223 with a 100-yard zero and a 1.93-inch height over bore—and find what the point of impact should be at 25 yards.
What you want to do is zero your optic to whatever the point of impact should be relative to the point of aim at that known distance. For that load, it would be about 1 inch low. If you don't, then make sure to recalculate the trajectory table for 10-yard increments. That gives you a point of impact about 1.5 inches below point of aim.
Put a piece of tape or a target pasty at the point of impact for the distance you're zeroing at. Turn on the bore sight and put the dot on the target pasty or piece of tape. Then adjust your reticle until it's in the bullseye above the laser.
Relatively simple, right? You just calibrate the reticle—or iron sights—at a known distance in reference to a laser, without ammo and without needing to pull a trigger. But does that mean you're good to go?
No. It does not.
How Close Does Bore Sighting Get You?
Bore sighting will get you in the ballpark, but it will never get you 100-percent perfectly zeroed. You will still have to fine-tune your zero with live ammo at the range.
Here's why.
Any amount of misalignment is an error of calibration. In shooting, one way we measure deviation from the desired point of impact is in minutes of angle or MOA.
A 2-MOA error of alignment at 10 yards is 0.2 inches. At 25 yards, the maximum visible range for most bore sights, it’s 0.5 inches. How are you going to be able to tell if you haven't achieved a proper zero at those distances?
This graphic helps visualize how a constant MOA value gets larger the farther the muzzle is from the target. This is why a small misalignment at close range can result in major deviations at distance.
How can you tell if it's the optic not being completely zeroed instead of the ammunition or you pushing the shot? You literally can't. There are too many potential variables to account for, not even including a shooter’s marksmanship skills.
At the distances most people will use and indeed even can use a boresight, you literally cannot tell whether or not you have precisely calibrated your gun and your sighting system. Because the only way to confirm just how close or far your laser zero is to the true point of impact, zeroing must be completed at the range with the ammunition you're going to use in the gun. That said, they can still save you a lot of headache by easily getting your shots on paper before even going to the range.
Which Bore Sight Is Best?
Which style or brand of bore sight is best depends on your use-case. The average person can get a lot of use out of an inexpensive one, but the professional gunsmith or armorer will likely need to invest a little more.
Additionally, there's the question of whether you should get the cartridge-style or the in-muzzle kind.
If you have multiple firearms of just one or two calibers, it would be smart to get the cartridge bore sights for those chamberings. For example, if your guns are only 9mm and .223/5.56mm, that means you only need two devices to service all your guns.
If you have guns chambered for multiple calibers, a multi-caliber bore sight is your best bet.
For most people, a bore sight is only going to be an occasional use item. A professional-grade set is not strictly necessary. While there's certainly something to be said for buy-once-cry-once, you don't need to buy Snap-On tools to change your oil a few times per year.
So…what are the best bore sights to buy? Let's have a look.
The Top Five Bore Sights
EZShoot Bore Sight Kit
The EZShoot Bore Sight Kit is a muzzle-end bore sight laser kit. It comes with multiple muzzle attachments for different calibers, from .17 all the way up to .54 caliber. It's powered by a single CR2 battery and has up to 2.5 hours of battery life and a range of 15 to 100 yards.
It's low cost (the red version is often found online for about $20, and the green version a little more) and versatile enough for most casual users to keep a battery of guns properly calibrated.
Wheeler Professional Boresighter
Some would rather buy once and cry once. The Wheeler Professional uses a rare-earth magnet to securely attach to the muzzle, and a simple switch (on or off) to engage the laser. The aluminum housing is about 1-inch in diameter, large enough for any firearm.
A simple tool, but ruggedly made for a lifetime of service. The red laser version has an MSRP of about $120, and the green laser’s is about $180.
MidTen Bore Sight
There are several brands that these made-in-China bore sight laser cartridges are whitelabeled as, but MidTen just happens to be one of the most common. These are cartridge-style bore sights, made specifically for the most popular pistol, rifle and shotgun calibers.
They're powered by onboard batteries (typically AG13) and the laser turns on as soon as you tighten the battery compartment. The red laser is typically visible to 100 yards. You can easily find them online for about $20 per.
StrongTools BoreSighter
The StrongTools BoreSighter is similar to the EZShoot kit, but has two principle differences. First, the barrel adapters go up to 12-gauge instead of merely .54-caliber (12-gauge is .85-caliber) and it's powered by CR2 3-volt batteries, which are far easier to deal with than watch batteries.
Generally you'll find them (or the same product whitelabeled as a different brand) for about $30 to $40, depending on whether you want the red or green laser.
SiteLite SL-100 Mag Laser
SiteLite is one of the common brands trusted by professionals for frequent use, and they're found in police and military armories all over the world. The Mag Laser inserts into the muzzle, with adapters and sleeves to fit .17-caliber all the way up to 12-gauge,
SiteLite lasers connect to software, which you can download from SiteLite's website, to create a unique trajectory table and zero for you. This takes all the guesswork out of the equation and provides the most precise calibration possible.
The SL-100 is their entry level model and they can generally be found for about $100.
Rock Island Armory has recently unveiled the RIA 5.0 pistol, a new American-made 9mm with an interesting combination of features.
Rock Island Armory has mostly been known for its imported handguns, but that may be about to change. At SHOT Show 2023, the company announced its first entirely American-made firearm, the RIA 5.0. It’s a full-size 9mm pistol that combines a few interesting elements from other handgun designs into a single pistol.
Made at Rock Island’s brand-new facility in Cedar City, Utah, the most promising feature of the RIA 5.0 is its soft recoil impulse, and this is achieved through a combination of a few different design choices. Firstly, the pistol features what RIA is calling its patented RVS Recoil System. The company claims it helps reduce recoil by maximizing barrel mass and linear movement. Additionally, the slide rides inside the frame like on a CZ-75, lowering the bore axis and reducing muzzle flip. Finally, the frame is made out of aluminum rather than polymer, providing extra weight to help keep the pistol flat during firing (with a total weight of 2.47 pounds, the RIA 5.0 is pretty beefy).
The pistol’s shootability is further improved by a smooth, 4-pound trigger, a two-piece modular grip for increased control with differently-sized hands and good sights out of the box. The RIA 5.0 ships with a Dawson Precision fiber optic front sight and an LPA adjustable rear sight, and it can also be purchased with a pre-installed C-More RTS II red dot sight. Other notable details worth mentioning include its 17+1 magazine capacity, accessory rail and barrel length of 4.91 inches.
Martin Tuason, President and CEO of parent company Armscor/Rock Island Armory, said this about the new handgun:
The RIA 5.0 is really an engineering marvel…It’s an extremely shootable sporting pistol with a meticulously engineered trigger system. Best of all, we’re proud to say it’s made entirely in the U.S.A.
The standard RIA 5.0 has an MSRP of $998 and the Special Edition that includes a red dot has an MSRP of $1,298.
When it comes to 7.62×39 vs. .308 , which of the popular .30-cals has more to offer the average shooter?
Some may wonder, why even bother discussing 7.62×39 vs. .308 Winchester? The former is an intermediate cartridge, the latter a full-powered one. Even an amateur ballistician should understand these two cartridges have wildly different properties. What they do have in common, however, is still enough to warrant a comparison.
First, despite small differences between actual projectile diameters, both are .30-calibers. And second, their histories somewhat mirror each other, each rising to feed Soviet and NATO (in the guise of the 7.62x51mm) small arms during the Cold War.
Today, while neither NATO nor Russia uses infantry rifles chambered for these cartridges, both see military service worldwide. And luckily for the American shooter, both are still common, affordable and have a slew of firearm options available for them.
So, if you’re interested in diving into a new .30-caliber rifle, which of these cold warriors will serve you the best? Like so many guns and ammo questions, that depends on your ultimate aims.
7.62×39 Development
Developed by the Soviet Union at the tail-end of WWII, 7.62×39 can be described as the world’s first truly refined intermediate cartridge. The Germans got the ball rolling with 8mm Kurz, but the concept wasn’t fully realized until the Russian M43 cartridge entered full-scale production and adoption in the late 1940s. It was planned for used in an entirely new family of weapons including the SKS, the RPD and the AK-47.
The fact the Soviets opted to retain the older, full-powered 7.62x54r for sniping and general-purpose machinegun roles should already tell a lot about 7.62×39's capabilities. While nearly perfectly suited for infantry rifles, light machineguns and “submachine guns” (as the AK was originally classified under Soviet doctrine), 7.62×39 just didn’t have the range or power necessary for the other two roles.
While officially replaced in Soviet service by the 5.45×39 cartridge in 1974, 7.62×39 is still in military use around the world, both by state and non-state actors.
In the U.S., the cartridge enjoyed a brief period of popularity for hunting use when SKSs, AKs and the ammo itself were being sold dirt-cheap in the 1990s. Today, it’s no longer commonly used in this capacity, however, the recent revival of interest in Kalashnikovs has ensured that 7.62×39 isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
.308 Winchester/7.62×51 NATO
Because .308 Winchester and 7.62×51 NATO are so ballistically similar, for the purposes of this article we’ll be treating them as the same. Be aware, however, that the two cartridges are technically different.
Both completed development in the 1950s, making them slightly newer than 7.62×39. It’s hard to argue the West wasn’t behind the curve on this one. Squarely falling under the definition of a full-power cartridge for a standard infantry rifle, .308 and 7.62 NATO simply had more bite than was necessary.
This is partially why the U.S. was so quick to replace the M14 with the M16. Chambered for the intermediate .223 Remington/5.56×45 NATO cartridge, its adoption was undoubtedly inspired in concept by 7.62×39.
However, it’s also why 7.62×51 is still in NATO service today, just typically not in infantry rifles. Today, nearly 70 years after its initial adoption, 7.62 NATO is still a popular chambering for machine guns, sniper rifles and designated marksman rifles.
With this in mind, the best uses for both 7.62×39 and .308 start to become more apparent. While the former clearly has some close-contact advantages, the latter has much longer legs and barrier penetration capabilities. The only real questions then are how big is the gap in long-distance performance and how should that impact your choice in a cartridge?
7.62×39 Vs. .308 Winchester Ballistics
We’ll start with 7.62×39, as it's easier to discuss given its limited ammo options.
Virtually every load you find for this cartridge commercially in the U.S. features an FMJ projectile between 122 and 124 grains. These specs are almost identical to the Soviet M43 load, except for the original's steel core. Modern commercial ammo imports only have lead.
The original M43 bullet also featured a boat tail, something found on only some commercially available 7.62×39 today. While a historically accurate representation, opinions vary on just how much impact the inclusion of a boat tail has on this cartridge’s accuracy, given its … well … intermediate range. You also occasionally find hollow point, subsonic and soft point loads for this cartridge. Only the soft points, however, have any relevance to our present discussion.
Here’s a ballistic table for a standard Russian M43 122-grain 7.62x39mm FMJBT round (G1 BC of .304), calculated using a muzzle velocity of 2,411 fps (average for the SKS, a bit higher than the AKM due to a longer barrel).
All tables were made using ShootersCalculator with a 100-yard zero, 1.5-inch sight height, a 10 mph 90-degree crosswind and zero corrections for atmosphere.
Next is a table for a fairly standard M80 load of 7.62×51 NATO made by Winchester, featuring a 149-grain bullet (G1 BC of .456) and an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,790 fps.
The tables make the differences between these two cartridges much more obvious. Not only does the standard 7.62 NATO round start its life with about 400 fps more muzzle velocity than 7.62×39, but it also has almost 1,000 foot-pounds more energy. The 7.62 NATO also doesn’t go subsonic until after 1,000 yards compared to 7.62×39 doing so just before 600 yards. At 1,000 yards, 7.62 NATO is still traveling at over 1,000 fps and has dropped nearly 400 inches less than 7.62×39 at the same distance.
Verdict? If you want any sort of long-range capability, the larger 7.62 is the clear winner. This is reinforced when comparing 7.62×39 to any sort of capable commercial .308 Winchester load rather than the mass-produced military M80 load of 7.62×51.
Here’s a table for Hornady’s 168-grain ELD Match load of .308 Winchester (G1 BC of .523) calculated using a muzzle velocity of 2,700 fps.
This load better demonstrates the true potential of .308 Winchester as a long-range cartridge, as all the areas where 7.62×51 outperforms 7.62×39 are further exaggerated. Namely, compared to the M80 load, the Hornady .308 Winchester has retained even more velocity and energy at 1,000 yards and has dropped about 10 fewer inches.
There is some 7.62×39 ammunition advertised as match-grade as well, but its performance still doesn’t rival .308 Winchester. For instance, GECO Target VM in 7.62×39 has a G1 BC of .355 which allows it to stay supersonic until just beyond 700 yards. For pushing the limits of this cartridge’s maximum range, loads like this are far superior to the standard spec but still fall short of even the most basic 7.62×51 ammo.
This difference in results stems from a few physical distinctions between the cartridges. The larger case of .308 Winchester allows for greater powder capacity, perhaps the defining feature in its longer legs. No matter the cartridge you’re discussing, more propellant equates to greater velocity and typically longer ranges among like calibers. Additionally, the .308’s projectiles are generally longer and heavier, giving them an overall superior ballistic profile.
Hitting targets at a country mile, however, isn’t the only factor to base a decision. So how do the .30-cals match up in what some might consider more practical applications?
7.62×39 Vs. .308 Winchester: Applications
Hunting
Given that both have been popular hunting cartridges in the U.S., perhaps a better comparison would be between their effects on targets within 400 yards. This leads us to another advantage of the .308 Winchester’s more common projectile: bullet variety.
Because SKSs aren’t $95 dollars any longer, the popularity of the 7.62×39 as a hunting option has dwindled in recent years. Ammunition manufacturers have responded to the lack of demand with fewer hunting-style soft-point and ballistic-tip bullets. There are some hangers-on, Sellier & Bellot and PPU still offer up hunting loads.
This is opposed to the nearly endless variety of loads available for .308 Winchester, both as factory ammo and reloading components. Whatever you’re trying to hunt, at least in North America, there is almost certainly a more efficient projectile for it in .308 as opposed to 7.62×39.
Defensive
Hunting is not the only use for ammunition, however, especially when military cartridges are in question.
You may debate between these two cartridges for a more tactical application such as home defense or a SHTF scenario. For that, 7.62×39 does have a clear advantage in most aspects.
Chief among these is the cartridge’s generally milder recoil. This factor facilitates faster and more accurate follow-up shots and is one of the reasons most major militaries eventually made the switch from full-power to intermediate cartridges.
Capacity is another ace up the 7.62×39's sleeve, both of the weapons chambered for it and in an individual’s kit. When it comes to self-loading rifles, those chambered for .308 Winchester have a standard magazine capacity of 20 rounds. Those chambered for 7.62×39 are typically 30. Furthermore, the lighter ammo also enables one to carry much more on their person.
This is something to keep in mind if your intended application requires you to carry anything more than a single magazine.
7.62×39 Vs. .308 Winchester: Firearm Choices
On that note, your intended application should also be informed by the rifles available for each respective cartridge. Regardless of how you plan on using it, however, the .308 Winchester still wins in terms of firearm choice.
If hunting is your game, there are far more bolt-action rifles chambered for .308 than 7.62×39. There are still good options for the latter from companies like Ruger and CZ, but not nearly as many as there are for .308. That said, many deer have been taken with nothing more than a humble iron-sighted SKS. Not all hunting requires top-of-the-line gear.
A Howa 1500 in .308 Winchester versus an SKS in 7.62×39. Both will take most medium American game just fine, but the .308 can do it with greater accuracy and at longer ranges.
For more tactical applications, there are still more options for .308. From military-pattern rifles like the HK G3 and FN SCAR to commercial AR-10 builds, you won’t be starved for choice. Of course, there are still many good 7.62×39 options as well. From the slew of different AK flavors on the market to 7.62×39 AR-15s, it isn’t hard to configure a modern fighting carbine for this cartridge either.
As mentioned, however, the milder recoil and lighter weight of 7.62×39 make it better suited for tactical and defensive use.
Parting Shot
So, which .30-caliber cold warrior will serve you best? The breakdown is about the same as it would be when pitting any full- and intermediate-power cartridges against each other. The full-power one provides better performance at range, has more varied projectile styles (generally) and delivers more energy with better penetration. The intermediate-power one offers milder recoil, is generally faster shooting and enables one to carry more ammunition.
At the end of the day, this makes the former better suited for most hunting applications and the latter better for most tactical uses. Accurate bolt-action hunting rifles and modern fighting carbines are available for both cartridges, however, so ultimately the choice is yours.
Bergara has recently announced the B-14 Squared Crest Rifle, a new ultralight bolt-action hunting rifle available in four chambering options.
Anyone who’s carried a traditional hunting rifle on a backcountry hunt should understand, and appreciate, the current trend of ultralight rifles. One of the newest models to come out is from Bergara in the form of the B-14 Squared Crest Rifle. With a weight starting at only 6.9 pounds and available chambered in four popular hunting cartridges, it will likely prove very popular with those who like to harvest game off the beaten path.
The biggest contributor to the B-14 Squared Crest Rifle’s light weight is the 100-percent carbon fiber stock. It features a carbon spine down the middle to improve rigidity and durability, and its length-of-pull can be adjusted using spacers. The included 4140 CrMo steel Bergara Precision Barrel helps as well, as it’s fluted to further reduce weight. The barrel is also threaded 5/8×24 and comes with a Bergara Omni Muzzle Brake to help mitigate recoil, and the barrel is guaranteed to be sub-MOA accurate.
The rifle is available chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Winchester and .300 Win. Mag. All barrels are 20 inches in length besides the .300 Win. Mag. model which has a 22-inch barrel. Other features of the B-14 Squared Crest include AICS-pattern detachable magazine compatibility, a 90-degree bolt throw, an adjustable Bergara Performance Trigger and a Sniper Grey Cerakote finish. It also has a two-position safety that allows the rifle to be unloaded while the safety is engaged.
All four models of the Bergara B-14 Squared Crest Rifle are available now and share an MSRP of $1,999.
If you have money to burn, there are some fine quality heaters out there you can spend it on. Here we take a look at a few models from Bergara, Manurhin and more.
Here’s a statement that should shock absolutely no one: l like affordable guns. Earthshattering, I know. But the great thing about making that statement is it pretty much means I celebrate the greater swath of the American gun market. If you have, say, $1,000 burning a hole in your pocket, then chances are good that you can ferret out a pretty solid pistol, rifle or shotgun—even a double barrel—to fit your need and serve you well.
All that said, this doesn’t mean I or any other red-blooded American shooter doesn’t wipe away a bit of drool when eyeing high-end heaters. For most of us, the better part of the top shelf will remain prohibitive. Perhaps we’ll have enough wherewithal to squirrel away enough nickels and dimes to put one—maybe two—absolute gems in the ol’ gun locker. Or, maybe, slim as the chance is, your lottery numbers will come up and you can collect the whole lot. Whatever the case might be, even if your bank account gasps at the irons you eye, there’s no reason to stop looking and hoping.
Making A List
Honestly, if you have the money, the sky is the limit for what you can spend on a firearm. The best guns of the Purdey and Holland & Holland stripe push into the six-figure range, and you can dump a load of money on a custom job to make it one of a kind.
Here, we’re not so concerned with turning a run-of-the-mill Kalashnikov into a unique shooter via a Saddam Hussein gold plate special. Instead, we’re going to delve into the world of excellent production and semi-custom guns that cost a mint but are worth every penny. These guns, in many cases, are best in class and, while not utterly unique to the user’s specification, are rarefied in price and performance.
Bergara Premier Competition Rifle
Bergara’s Premier Competition rifle is an absolute tack-driving gem, but it does wear an MSRP of $2,750.
I’ve long been impressed by what Bergara brings to the table in nearly all of their rifles. This was further fortified with its recent venture into dedicated long-rang competition rigs. Honestly, at $2,750, the Premier Competition Rifle (PCR) would fall into the Production Class of PRC competition, but it vastly over-delivers as far as off-the shelf rifles are concerned. Once dialed in, I had a 6mm Creedmoor iteration of the rifle poking cloverleaves at 100 yards, with few groups pushing over ½ MOA at that range.
Bergara’s barrel-making expertise is on full display with the chassis rifle, a 26-inch heavy (No. 7 profile) stainless and button-rifled affair with an absolutely flawless bore. As its name suggests, the fire tube is mated to the company’s excellent Premier action, a nearly enclosed unit that’s still wide enough to breech feed. The bolt is spiral fluted with an oversized tactical handle and has one of the smoothest throws I’ve felt on a production rifle. Thank the floating head and tapered lug for this and the absolutely flawless feed.
As nice as Bergara’s end of the build is, what sets the rifle apart from many in its class is its Masterpiece Arms (MPA) Short Action Chassis. Particularly pleasing is the 90-degree grip, which positions the finger dead nuts on the TriggerTech Remington 700 Primary fire control’s straight shoe, making repeatable breaks natural. By the way, that baby broke consistently at 1.6 pounds, according to my Wheeler scale when I dialed it all the way down. But also worth mention is the chassis’ ARCA Swiss rail, which allows a bipod much more leeway in positioning—even on the fly. This is just the tip of the iceberg on the PCR, but let it be said: Even at its fairly hefty price, it still comes in at a value.
Christensen Arms Modern Precision Pistol
Bolt-action pistols are gracing the lineups of many manufacturers these days. Most are great; Christensen’s Precision Pistol is exceptional.
I will fully admit that this is the oddball of the roster because, well, who the heck wants a bolt-action pistol? The same thought went through my mind when I unboxed the Christensen Arm’s shorty. Then, I got behind the brace and … wow!
Fully deserving of the moniker “tack driver,” the Modern Precision Pistol (MPP) might be the ultimate truck/ranch gun. I pulled the trigger on the 10.5-inch-barreled .223 Remington variation, and after turning out group 1 MOA or below at 100 yards, I walked away impressed. Yeah, the barrel length might make it dicey as a dedicated predator gun, but for the quick shot at uneducated coyotes when driving the back forty, it’s dead on. Plus, at an outright svelte 4.4 pounds—thanks to its carbon-fiber-wrapped stainless steel barrel—the pistol has all the makings of backcountry insurance (in its heavier calibers) that’s guaranteed to hit the target.
Interestingly, the little chassis rig runs fast if you’re not afraid to get aggressive on the bolt. A straight handle that comes off the chassis allows for the hand to find it quickly, but the 60-degree throw allows you to run an optic with a larger ocular bell. An enlarged ejection port clears bass quickly yet allows a fast top-off from the breech if the situation calls for it. And a straight-shoed, adjustable TriggerTech trigger has as crisp a break as you could desire, helping hits come through.
Now, the .223 isn’t a mauler in the recoil department. That said, the adjustable side-baffle brake included kept the MPP nearly dead still shot to shot—though, it made the gun a bit barky. It’s truly a fun gun and, for the right shooter, very practical … for $2,400.
Manurhin Gendarmerie
Durability meets history and beauty in Manurhin’s $3,600 Gendarmerie wheelgun.
Honestly, some of the appeal of this revolver is due to its colorful history. But the Beretta import isn’t purely living off its résumé as the sidearm of choice for the French Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale.
Specially designed for the elite counter-terrorism unit, the gun is at once match accurate and tough as nails. Some of the .357 Magnums have survived past the quarter-million round mark, which even with its $3,600 price tag works out to around $0.01 per trigger pull. Money well spent.
There’s plenty to like in the Manurhin’s durability, but more so in its performance. The trigger especially merits comment. The revolver’s triple adjustable trigger not only features a built-in overtravel screw but also a hammer force adjustment screw and a hammer spring weight adjustment screw. The latter features are built into the frame and offer a shooter more control over the performance of the trigger than most revolvers on the market.
Furthermore, aspects I enjoy include the Jacques Trausch-designed grips. Ruger fans might recognize them, given he produced a model for the SP101, and they do the same sort of number on the Manurhin, cutting the felt recoil and improving the control over the revolver. The unique design also makes a fundamental high grip very natural and is deftly shaped to the shooter’s hand, providing plenty of comfort.
Of course, the revolver comes with all the little extras expected in this class of firearm, such as fully adjustable rear sights and stunning aesthetics. It’s also available in a 5.25-inch-barreled Sport model and 4-inch Gendarmerie version. I prefer the latter, simply because it’s slightly more “Mama Bear”—the potential for concealed carry is there. Overall, shooters should walk away pleased with either model.
Merkel Helix
If you like engraving, you’ve gotta pay for it. Merkel’s straight-pull Helix is a stunning shooter if you’re not scared off by the $3,300 MSRP.
Full confession up front: I’ve always had a thing about straight-pull rifles, and feel it’s a shame these innovative irons haven’t had greater popularity stateside. I blame the lever action.
Yet, if I was squirreling away money for a top-flight hunting rifle, a straight-pull would top the list. There’s no two ways about it; there’s just something about the Helix. Perhaps it’s because Merkel figured out how to endow the unique style of rifle with an action that’s nearly as strong as a traditional bolt-action, while keeping the action as fast as ever. And boy, is it fast.
The bolt travel is a mere 2.5 inches, yet the carrier moves a full 4 inches, thanks to the innovative Teutonic engineering under the hood. And it’s completely linear, unlike some designs that slightly cant upon closing to lock the lugs. As to holding up to hot rounds, the six-lug head—similar to the Weatherby Mark V system—holds tight.
Another feature of the Helix, generally not popular in America, is it’s a switch barrel (takedown, too). While not a must-have for me in an exclusive rifle, I like the concept. What’s wrong with having a do-all hunting gun, one you can take a deer in the morning with a .30-06 Springfield barrel and coyotes in the evening with a .243 Winchester tube? It’s more sensible, in some respects, than having two calibers of the same model rifle—plus, the benefit of the same consistent fit and performance trigger pull to trigger pull.
As far as finishing touches, at least with the more exclusive deluxe model Helix, it offers a bit of soul to the hunter. Sticked in Grade 7 Turkish walnut and better, it looks like it’s meant for the woods. Plus, you get to pick three animals to have engraved on the receiver, an almost unheard-of option in what still classifies as a production gun. All that said, the rifle will set you back about $3,300.
Browning Citori White Lightning O/U SHOTGUN
The Citori’s receiver gets a silver-nitride coating instead of bluing, which offers a stunning contrast among the blued barrels and walnut stock
The pride of my father’s gun collection were his Belgian-made Browning Superimposed Broadway and Lightning. A predilection for hunting, I was always fonder of the latter. Thankfully, the field gun soldiers on—now under the banner of Citori—and while churned out in a different corner of the world might be better than ever. B.C. Miroku of Japan has turned out the time-tested design since the early 1970s, more than enough time to work out any bugs. And it shows with the White Lightning.
Admittedly, this iteration is a pretty standard-fare Citori, only the receiver undergoes Browning’s silver nitride coating process instead of bluing. The results speak, I believe, for themselves, giving the over-under a beautiful contrast among the receiver, barrels and walnut stock.
The shotgun is very intuitive to the shoulder, with a ¼-inch-wide straight-side vented rib drawing the eye to the front sliver bead. I prefer the 26-inch-barreled model (in 12-gauge), compared to the 28-inch model, for easy carry and moving the fulcrum of the gun back slightly. The stock is nicely shaped, with a round knob pistol grip and ample forend, each well checkered.
And the gun boasts a dynamite trigger, breaking a bit over 4.5 pounds on each barrel. On this point, like all Citoris, the White Lightning the trigger is inertia driving, using the recoil of the first shot to set the hammer for the second. Though, a barrel selector on the tang allows you to quickly switch tubes, thus chokes—if you set them up separately. The Citori is the well-worn path of this list; it’s very familiar and comfortable. It’ll set ya back about $2,800, but do you want anything else out of a field gun?
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
More High-Rolling Heaters:
Manurhin MR73:
Famous French Revolver Heads Stateside
Maxim Defense recently announced the new PRS Suppressor, available for .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor.
The new Maxim Defense PRS Suppressor may look traditional on the outside, but it has a few internal tricks up its sleeve that provide some untraditional performance features. Specifically designed to maintain the standard cyclic rate of its host firearm, the PRS Suppressor reduces gas blowback and increases longevity and reliability.
The PRS Suppressor is available in either .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor with either a grey, black or FDE finish. Maxim Defense refers to the baffle system as a MonoKore design, and the can’s three-piece construction utilizes both grade-5 titanium and 7075-T6 aluminum. It has an overall length of 7.9 inches and a weight of 10.8 ounces, and Maxim Defense says that it was designed to be the lightest suppressor for PRS shooting and hunting.
Dave Larson, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Maxim Defense, said this about the new suppressor:
The DNA of the PRS comes directly from our hugely successful M240 suppressor…We utilized the same technology and engineering of the M240 to manufacture this serviceable, lightweight, incredibly-quiet suppressor. The PRS is the perfect companion for your next hunt.
Maxim Defense claims that the PRS Suppressor is more than capable of reducing sound to below hearing-safe levels, and it can also be easily disassembled and serviced with common tools. Each suppressor will ship with a 5/8×24 direct thread mount.
The Maxim Defense PRS has an MSRP of $695 and is currently available with a black finish.
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.
Up to this point, Citadel’s handy lever-action carbine family has been composed of pistol-caliber offerings. Recently, this has changed in a significant way. Moving the Levtac series into the scattergun realm, the company unveiled a .410 mode of the handy little iron. In addition to being a nifty option for general shooting, the 18-inch barreled Levtac has practical applications—be it self-defense or a fast-shooting turkey gun. Furthermore, the lever gun comes with some desirable features, including a lightweight synthetic stock, oversized Model 92-style loop, modular M-Lok forend and a Picatinny rail on the receiver. Boasting a 4+1 capacity, the carbine should prove a unique addition to most shooters’ collections. MSRP: $899
Savage Arms 110 Carbon Predator
The Savage 110 Carbon Predator gets its name from its Proof Research carbon-fiber-wrapped stainless-steel threaded barrel and carbon steel receiver. Barrels are either 18 or 22 inches depending on the rifle’s caliber. Chambering options for the Carbon Predator include 6mm ARC, .22-250 Remington, .223 Remington, .300 AAC Blackout, .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor. 6.5 Creedmoor is the only caliber option that’s available with either an 18- or 22-inch barrel, giving the 110 Carbon Predator a total of seven different models to choose from. With weights ranging from about 6.5 to 7.2 pounds, it’s an ideal rifle for your next backcountry adventure. MSRP: $1,695
Gatorz Limited-Edition Skyhook Frames
Eye protection is imperative, but that doesn’t preclude it from being fashionable. Gatorz hit the mark for safety and style with its Skyhook Frames. Known for its sleek look, the Skyhook is built for everyday wear and offers full coverage polycarbonate lenses, giving more of an aviator look. Furthermore, the aircraft-grade aluminum frames are the lightest the company offers and finished in a dashing gunmetal Cerakote. Impact-resistant, mirror-blue lenses and durable overall construction protect your peepers and keep you looking good in the process. MSRP: $270
Hornady 7.62x39mm 255-grain Sub-X Subsonic
If it isn’t on your radar, it should be—the good old Soviet-era 7.62x39mm is eminently suppressible—a nice thing, especially if you favor pint-sized AK-47 pistols and the like. Hornady aims to hasten this Russian relic’s hush with a brand-new load designed to take away the cartridge’s bark … but not its bite. Expanding its Sub-X Subsonic line of ammo, Hornady offers up a 255-grain option that comes in just under the speed of sound and offers up a ton of downrange performance. The Sub-X bullet hits like a train, with grooves along its jacket and flat tip—with Flex Tip insert—ensuring its soft lead core expands ferociously and consistently—even at low velocities. Ideal for home defense and tactical applications, the 7.62×39 Subsonic is just the ticket for Russian gun enthusiasts who want to put a hush on their iron. MSRP: $44 per box of 20
Holosun EPS and EPS Carry
Holosun’s new EPS and EPS Carry optics are designed to be functionally identical, yet there’s a big difference between the sights: size. Boasting different-sized windows, the red-dots are tailored to specific-sized firearms, besides their viewing window size and the class of handgun, they’re intended to be mounted to. The standard EPS was made with competition shooters in mind, with its larger 0.9×0.63-inch viewing window. The EPS Carry instead features a 0.77×0.58-inch window, making it better suited for compact, carry-oriented handguns. Both models feature an enclosed aluminum housing around the emitter to protect it against the elements, as well as up to 50,000 hours of run life on a single battery. MSRP: EPS $435, EPS Carry $459
Federal Ammunition Hevi-Bismuth
Upland or waterfowl, Federal Premium has an option so you hit them hard. Its new Hevi-Bismuth line of shells offers wing shooters a vast improvement over run-of-the-mill steel shot, loading up with heavy, yet environmentally safe material. Sourced from HeviShot, Hevi-Bismuth shot is 22 percent denser than steel, delivering more lethal energy downrange. Additionally, launched by the FliteControl Flex wad, the bismuth pellets have an extremely consistent pattern. Best of all, the metal’s properties make it safe in both modern and classic shotguns. Available in 2¾- and 3-inch options in 12-gauge, and 3-inch in 20-gauge, with No. 3 to 5 shot loads, the line is set to tackle anything you put in the sky. MSRP: Starting at $67, box of 25
Smith & Wesson Equalizer Micro Compact 9mm
An evolution of the company’s line of EZ pistols, the Equalizer utilizes much of the same technology to help make a more user-friendly concealed carry gun. This includes an easy-to-rack slide and a single-action trigger with a terse take-up and a fast reset. Coming in at 6.75 inches long and 1.04 inches wide, the pistol is tailored for carry. Additionally, its manual, ambidextrous thumb safety and grip safety enable safe cocked and locked carry. Best of all, the textured polymer grip has an 18-degree angle for a natural point of aim. MSRP: $599
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Testing Single Action Army clones, replicas and look-alikes against Colt's original.
The Colt Single Action Army is arguably the most culturally significant firearm in the American story. The gun was, surprisingly, not made in what we could call significant numbers. It’s estimated that Colt’s production of the gun stands today at about a half-million (for reference, Glock has passed 20 million), certainly not a number that should allow it such deep meaning in the great American story considering just how many competitions it had in its time.
Even today, it has competition in the form of clones and copies, arguably more of those have been made than by the Colt company. Since real Colts are often not shot or are considered collector’s items, it’s prudent to examine two new guns and see how they stack up to the competition—and older SAAs from Colt itself.
Does A Colt Shoot Better Than The Rest?
I’ll cut right to the chase when it comes to my personal experience with the SAA. I’ve shot no small number of Single Action Army clones and replicas. The bulk are very fine guns in their own right, some are exceptional shooters and others are exceptional just lying there not being fired. I’ve yet to find a single replica out there that, in terms of materials and accuracy, is the equal of a real Colt SAA.
In my direct experience—thousands of rounds and ranges exceeding 200 yards—have shown me that Colt SAAs are, on average, substantially more accurate than any replica. My average accuracy loads for the .45 Colt have changed a bit over the years, but I’ve recently been using Rim Rock Bullets for my cast loads. These bullets are exceptionally accurate, and I’ve taken a shine to the 255-grain SWC sized at .452 inch. This gets me just shy of 900 fps in a 5.5-inch Colt. My lifetime bench accuracy with Colts is about 2.5 inches at 25 meters, replicas are 4 to 5 inches across the board in group shooting. I never expect a replica to group well on paper as a result or shoot to point of aim, which is a large issue.
The Standard Manufacturing Single Action Revolver (top) versus the Colt. Both of these are 4¾-inch barrels in .45 Colt. They’re externally similar, but vary enough that they can’t be considered a 1:1 copy.
I load my ammo with seating and crimping as two separate operations—some people just use the seating die to crimp. When loading revolver rounds, I like the Lee Factory Crimp Die to manually set the case mouth into the crimp grooves on my bullets. Some people will strongly disagree with me on this, but in my time with cast bullets, I’ve found this uniforms the cartridge far better, and I’ve seen groups tighten.
Many people out there will slug their barrels to determine the best bullet diameter (I know some of my guns shoot much better with .454-inch bullets than they do .452 inch), but there’s a certain economy of scale where I prefer all my guns to shoot well with one or two loads than to have each gun shoot a bit better with a specific load. Again, this is personal preference and I’ve had some that’ll group tighter than a modern match pistol, but I’ll take a 2.5-inch average if I only have to keep one bullet in stock and plan accordingly.
Rim Rock Bullets makes a wide variety of bullets suitable for single actions. This is the author’s new favorite, the 255-grain SWC. It isn’t a true Keith bullet, but it’s just as accurate and great for crossover use for range and field.
Point Of Aim Vs. Point Of Impact
This is the most important issue I’ve seen in my time with these guns. The SAA has no adjustable sights. Adjusting your point of impact is no easy feat, and it’s really best left to a gunsmith because you’re going to have to remove metal on the sight for elevation, or have a smith adjust your barrel in a vice to manually turn it to move windage.
Virtually all Colts I’ve shot shoot point of aim at 25 meters, and if they don’t, they are damn close. Most replicas aren’t so lucky. The only one I’ve had shoot point of aim at this distance was the Standard Manufacturing Single Action Revolver, though it wasn’t as accurate on paper by a noticeable margin. I’ve had three replicas from one manufacturer shoot to three different zip codes with the same ammo. With my Colts, I’ve been able to easily tailor loads to shoot to point of aim. Sometimes I have to sacrifice bullet weight or adjust speed, but I’ve never had a Colt that I’ve failed to reliably hit an IDPA silhouette with at 300 yards.
Colt firing pins are slightly tapered and have a square face. You’ll see a great deal of variance in the hammers on import guns; many have a small safety lever and some even have Ruger-style transfer bars.
I read Elmer Keith as a kid. I thought it was normal to try to hit plates at long range with a revolver after I spent my time reading Sixguns and Sixgun Cartridges and Loads. It’s the definition of fun: waiting for that steel to ring after what seems like an hour of flight time.
The thing that disappoints me on the replicas is that many are what I’d call “cosmetic clones,” in that the functional elements of accuracy are all over the map—or ignored entirely. Sight blade height is a main culprit, as are varied dimensions in barrel alignment and cylinder gap. If you want to be an SAA shooter, whether originals or clones, you need to be a hand-loader. There’s just no way around it; you need the ability to tailor your ammo and even bullet diameters.
Care must be taken when making ammo for an SAA. These guns are very minimalist and, at least in .45 caliber, have very thin chamber walls. How thin? That may surprise you. The wall thickness at the bolt catch is sometimes as thin as .09 inches!
The Modern Model P
While I have lots of experience with older Colts, I wanted to make sure my assertions were correct for the ones made today. There’s a good deal of frowning from Colt collectors when it comes to anything “Gen 3” or beyond, but I don’t think its warranted.
Colt sent me two brand-new SAAs, one a 4¾-inch and the other a 5.5-inch. Both are chambered in .45 Colt. I decided not to slug the guns and instead opted for using my accuracy loads that Keith recommended in his old works. Some of the advice I take loading this ammo is almost a century old, and it works well even now. Sure enough, I took the new Colts out with my trusted handloads and both printed 2 inches high at 25 meters, the 5.5-inch grouping slightly better at 2 inches.
What separates the Colt SAA revolvers from the replica competition is more what the Colts don’t have. These guns are raw from the factory, no modifications or the like. The trigger pull is crisp, but surprisingly heavy. Cocking the hammer isn’t a chore, however it’s much stiffer than many of the tuned replicas.
If you’re going to carry a Colt, you need to do it in style. Mernickle Hollywood rigs like this are the best available and will have you practicing your draw in style. A good rig like this makes it so that carrying two guns and ammo feels like nothing; I’ve never worn a more comfortable holster in my life.
An old mentor of mine once told me that, when I got my first Colt, that I needed to leave it alone. In his words, “The only ‘tune’ should be four clicks spelling out C-O-L-T.” I see no reason to modify my new Colts anyway; they’re impressively accurate.
If you go this route with getting a new Colt, you won’t be disappointed. The thing is you need to go out and shoot it. The benefit of Colt guns, especially the revolvers, is that the little pony stamped on the side essentially guarantees your value will never depreciate. People pay good money for Colt guns. Even after shooting them, they’re still valuable. I hear guys get a Colt as a cherry on top of their collection and that the replicas are their “shooters.” I disagree with this. Buy silver and gold if you’re just going to leave in the safe.
Notes On Great Single Action Army Clones
There are some absolutely extraordinary guns out there that rival the Colt, many of which can share parts with it.
The general bulk of SAA production today occurs in Italy. I’ll wager there have been more Italian copies made than Colt originally produced, and most of these are fine guns. The best-quality Single Action Army clones are by Taylor’s & Co. I’ve found over testing and time that the Taylor’s guns are made to an impeccable standard, and their tuning service is second to none. Some of their guns climb in price as you go up in features, but they’re still a savings compared to a Colt.
In complete honesty, the only thing I’ve seen on Taylor’s guns I don’t like has been point of impact. All Taylor’s guns I’ve shot shoot straight for windage and average 3 to 4 inches at 25 meters out of the box with factory loads. I love that. However, most shoot low. You can file the sight blade, but you need to be absolutely sure on the load you settle on first before you make that change. Overall, for the cost, I’d strongly recommend Taylor’s if you want to modify your gun or shoot in specific disciplines that favor high-speed features.
The Standard Manufacturing gun is beautiful, an excellent example of modern craftsmanship. It is, however, not going to appreciate in value like a genuine Colt despite having a higher retail MSRP. A silver lining is that you’ll have no trouble ordering this fine piece; they’re produced regularly.
Another brand I really like is Standard Manufacturing. They made a very beautiful SAA copy that boasts the finest in modern materials and machining. I’m very impressed with the attention to detail and parts fit. It’s slightly different in a couple places as compared to a Colt, especially in the hammer and firing pin geometry. The action isn’t advertised as “tuned,” but it’s far more akin to a custom competition action than a direct replica. You have to listen for the four clicks, but they’re there.
Note the difference in firing pin geometry on the Standard Manufacturing as compared to a Colt. It’s little things like this to be aware of when ordering replacement parts or seeking to make upgrades.
This gun shoots point of aim at 25 meters and is able to print 3-inch groups at that distance easily. Overall, it’s a wonderful, well-made gun that should last a lifetime. It is, of interest, more expensive than a Colt at MSRP for the base mode.
Lastly, I need to talk about the Ruger New Vaquero. This isn’t a Colt Single Action Army clone in any way, except in cosmetics. It is, however, a modern gun in internal design and allows for some added safety features and reduced overall cost. Most guns of this model shoot high as far as I’ve seen, and I don’t like that very much for close distance. I really do love the New Vaquero at 100 yards on plates; it’s almost like Ruger zeros them for a 250-grain bullet at that range.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Reloading with lead bullets is still relevant, and still effective.
To say we’re in the midst of a component crunch just might be the understatement of the decade. There have been a few opportunities to snatch up some primers and powders, albeit at a significant price increase. And the cost of projectiles, when they’re available, has increased commensurate to the other reloading components.
If you’re looking for premium projectiles, well … hang onto your wallet. Though I love to shoot the best projectiles I can get, I also realize the cost factor involved. And for what practicing any of us can afford to do anymore, we might be better served by a more affordable projectile.
There are several different ideas regarding affordable projectiles, for both the rifle and pistol shooters. Going back to the earliest projectiles for centerfire cartridges, a simple lead bullet can still make a great choice for a reloader in a pinch. They function especially well in handguns, though there are plenty of choices for rifles as well—so long as you keep velocities at a reasonable level. If you want to take advantage of the affordability and availability of cast lead projectiles, you have two options: either buy pre-cast lead bullets or a set of bullet molds, or melt some lead and cast your own.
The classic lead bullet still makes a good choice for the dollar-minding reloader.
Lead Still Works
Perusing older reloading books will show how popular bullet casting was just a few decades ago, but the hobby seems to be dying quickly. It’s a shame, because it’s a fun hobby, adding yet another dimension to the satisfaction of loading your own ammunition. While it has been made crystal clear that the general perception of lead has shifted to the negative, it’s a great medium for projectiles. It’s easy to work, has a relatively low melting point and remains the go-to choice for the vast majority of our projectiles.
Casting bullets isn’t a difficult affair, providing you’ve got good material to work with and a safe space to perform the task. I prefer casting bullets outdoors in nice weather, or in a large building with adequate ventilation in the colder months. RCBS, Lee, Lyman and SAECO (Redding) all offer high-quality bullet molds, ranging from single-cavity affairs to four-cavity molds and more.
SAECO four-cavity mold blocks with handles; they contain the “negative” of the bullet. Simply pour molten lead into the cavity and you’ve got a quartet of projectiles.
Suffice it to say that the process of casting bullets can be as simple or as complex as you’d like to make it. The basics? Melt lead in a pot, pour the molten lead into the mold and voila!—you have a projectile. Going further down the rabbit hole, harder metals such as antimony can be mixed (in the proper ratio) to create what’s known as a “hard cast” bullet—a good choice for hunters who need their bullet to hold together enough to guarantee deep penetration.
Pure lead can make a bit of a mess if pushed hard, and it can be difficult to clean out of your barrel. The expanding gases will leak past the bullet, causing the lead to “smear” across the rifling, affecting the stability of the bullet.
A gas check—a small cup at the base of the bullet made of copper or a similar metal, so long as it’s harder than the lead bullet—can be installed to seal the gases and keep them where they belong: at the base of the bullet. Gas checks can be purchased—Hornady is a great source—or, for those who like to take the DIY thing to another level, grab the One Stroke Gas Check die, which can turn scraps of aluminum flashing into a gas check of a particular diameter with the pull of your press.
The One Stroke Gas Check die is perfect for the DIY reloader; it uses the reloading press to turn aluminum flashing into gas checks. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Either way, a gas check crimped onto the base of a lead bullet greatly improves performance and reduces cleanup.
Buying For Building
Buying your lead bullets is a perfectly viable option, and one I’ve used in recent years when time is at a premium. Meister Bullets is a source of good cast lead projectiles, and Federal’s Syntech polymer-coated lead bullets are a great choice for the reloader, as the coating greatly aids in keeping handguns clean.
Federal’s Syntech component bullets offer the lead bullet experience, but they’re encapsulated in a polymer coating.
The fact of the matter is that premium bullets aren’t always necessary, especially within the confines of a particular shooting or hunting situation. Many times, I’ve done basic load development or prepared some target ammunition for training a new shooter using a basic, affordable bullet like Speer’s TMJ line of projectiles.
Speer’s projectiles are often overlooked, and that can be used to the reloader’s advantage when trying to source component bullets. The Grand Slam series of bullets are a sound choice for hunters as an all-around bullet, well-suited to most hunting situations, and the TMJ (Total Metal Jacket) series can be wonderfully accurate. You may have to weigh the projectiles, sorting them into lots to achieve the best accuracy. And the Speer TMJ line includes a full selection of choices for handgun cartridges.
Berry’s plated handgun bullets are also a great choice to keep your handgun properly fed. With a full selection of copper-plated handgun projectiles, Berry’s has long been relied upon for the bulk handgun reloader. They’re fantastic as a target bullet, and while they may not give the terminal performance associated with the premium handgun bullet designs, the U.S. military has proven the effectiveness of full metal jacket bullets for well over a century.
Hornady gas checks are sold by the 1,000 count and can make a big difference in the performance of a lead bullet.
There’s Always A Way
A good reloader will make something out of nothing. Sourcing components—primers, powders, cases and projectiles—is a big part of keeping the reloading bench up and running, and utilizing the “by any means necessary” mentality may include the use of products that may not be the ideal choice for the situation at hand, but the use of those products that’ll suffice in the face of adversity. In this case, it might mean those projectiles that are both affordable and available.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Why run your guns with unprotected mitts when you could be wearing purpose-built shooting gloves?
Why get shooting gloves?
Keeping the lead and carbon off your skin (lead is bad!), protecting yourself from heat, providing a better grasp on your gun and taking a little sting out of recoil forces are all good reasons. That, and some of them look cool too.
LARP, after all, is life.
Let's go over the different kinds of shooting gloves, what to look for in a pair and then some excellent choices that would be worth investing in.
Shooting Gloves Through The Years
Since the advent of firearms, it’s certainly true that many people have happened to be wearing gloves while shooting them. For most of that time, however, nothing differentiated them from ordinary gloves.
The English gentry and nobility (the American gentry as well) would wear gloves while hunting, and art from the late Classical period has many examples in portraits, but there's little evidence that these were anything other than typical outdoor gloves.
“A Sportsmen”, Edward Haytley, 1752.
Obviously, gloves during hunting season are still a good idea in temperate regions.
Soldiers have also worn gloves for millennia. Military gloves in U.S. military history have included simple knit woolen gloves and mittens (some with a trigger finger) as well as padded leather gloves and canvas gauntlets. The U.S. G.I. glove of World War II had leather palms over wool, a working style of glove that offered some protection as well as warmth.
Specialized gloves for the shooting sports were developed over the 19th and 20th centuries, with some designed for specific sports such as support hand gloves for rifle matches and shooting gloves for shotgun sports.
All this to say, “shooting gloves” have been and continue to be an ill-defined concept. While there are plenty sold today that are specifically designed and marketed towards various types of shooting, there are also still plenty of shooting professionals who opt to use a generic variety. If a pair of gloves has features that lend themselves to being worn while shooting, it’s fair to call them shooting gloves.
Types Of Shooting Gloves
A lot of shooting gloves are little more than typical light working or light outdoor gloves that are marketed for shooting or are frequently used for that purpose.
Modern combat gloves or “tactical” gloves (whatever that word actually means anymore) are also common, often offered in black or some form of tan. These will often have a nylon shell body with a textured palm and sometimes will also have injection-molded knuckles added to the gloves.
What the marketing materials will tell you is that they're impact-rated for doing tactical things. What the marketing materials do not tell you is that they were really invented to keep you from skinning your knuckles during a brake job.
Some modern hunting gloves have a fabric hinge on the index finger, allowing you to take the tip off to have skin contact on the trigger.
As far as sport-specific shooting gloves, there are fanning gloves—heavy leather gloves for quick-draw single-action shooting competitions—and then you have support hand gloves for high-power rifle events.
Support hand gloves are often completely fingerless, many just covering the palm and having a double leather pad. This is to provide as much of a rest as the support hand can in conjunction with the rifle sling. ISSF rules only allow the support hand to be gloved, so you'll only buy one!
If there are any design differences between many shooting gloves and regular ol' outdoor or work gloves, it's some minor padding in the palm (especially the web of the thumb) along with an aggressive texture on the material for grip.
Shooting Glove Features To Be Aware Of
There are a few things you'll want to be aware of when selecting a pair of shooting gloves.
The fingers and palm must have enough texture for a secure grip. If looking at leather palm lining, rawhide or something textured is preferred to smooth.
The glove should be thick enough to provide the protection or warmth that you need (or at least some), but that comes at a cost. The thicker the glove, the less dexterity and tactile sensation you'll have, and it will be that much harder to fit the trigger finger into the trigger guard.
Try to find winter shooting gloves that have a shell with a thin but warm liner. The more wind and water you can keep out, the less lining you need to keep your hands warm.
Most pistols are all but impossible to use with many winter gloves (it's one of the reasons John Fitzgerald cut the trigger guard of Fitz Specials in half) and long guns are seldom much easier.
Therefore, selecting thinner gloves or gloves with a removable trigger finger is good practice for hunting or shooting outdoors in winter.
If you shoot AK- or AR-pattern rifles frequently and at high volume, look for gloves that have some heat resistance. AKs in particular are known for getting hot, leading many shooters to either wear gloves or hold the magazine to support the rifle.
Even generic hardware store gloves such as these can provide a good level of protection and extra grip when shooting.
If you're getting some of the sport-specific shooting gloves, get the same ones as everyone else. Chances are, there's a reason why they're popular.
Fingerless gloves have a role as well. They're beneficial in cold weather hunting, either with a fingerless or trigger finger-less design (or with a flap trigger finger) over a pair of thin liner gloves, so you can keep your hands a little warmer.
They're also beneficial for rifle shoots and competitions (where allowed) to have some grip on the rifle but preserve tactile sensation in the trigger finger.
How To Choose Shooting Gloves
So, how to go about choosing shooting gloves?
Start with your specific use case. What you need for general, casual use is different than what a competitive shooter will need, what a police officer or soldier will need or what a hunter in temperate to subarctic climates will need.
For general use to protect your hands while shooting, pick the thinnest gloves that give you the most grip on the gun. Heavily textured work gloves or work-style gloves are a good choice, and, as mentioned, you can probably find a decent pair at the hardware store.
By now, the sport-specific shooting glove development has already peaked. There is no great leap forward left to take, so you should find out what the most frequently used models are and get them or a facsimile thereof.
For hunting gloves, get the thinnest gloves that offer the greatest amount of wind and water protection, as well as texture to maintain dexterity and tactile use of the fingers. The right balance is tricky; big game hunters and waterfowlers have been trying for decades to find it.
Tactical gloves, if you have a real need for them or if you want them just because, should have aggressive texturing for grip, should be thin enough to fit in the trigger guard and should fit as skin-tight as possible to prevent any slippage. A breathable shell is also a good idea to keep the skin as dry as possible.
Military-style fingerless shooting gloves being used by a New Zealand Army soldier during training.
If you feel that fingerless gloves are right for you for rifle events, choose a pair with good padding in the palm and thumb but with enough texture for a positive grip. For hunting, opt for a shell (such as Gore-Tex) to block wind and moisture. Get a set of thin but warm (merino wool is outstanding) liner gloves for the later season to keep the trigger finger warm.
So, what are the best shooting gloves to get?
The Best Shooting Gloves:
Sitka Gunner WS Glove
The Sitka Gunner WindStopper Glove is a goatskin outer shell with a Gore-Tex Windstopper liner. The palms are padded and textured for grip, with Velcro closure to seal the wrists.
Thin, lightweight and breathable with decent wind and water protection. They're ideal for winter shoots and hunting through mid-season with an excellent balance between warmth, weather barriers and tactile sensation. MSRP is $109.
Mechanix M-Pact
Mechanix M-Pact gloves have generous padding in the palm with a multi-layer shell that reduces impact. The thumb and trigger finger are heavily textured for grip, and the breathable top layer is bonded to a Thermoplastic Rubber shell over the knuckles and fingers.
The M-Pact glove is 0.8mm thick, which is a pretty much ideal blend of impact and heat protection without compromising dexterity. MSRP is $39.99 and they’re available in multiple colors.
5.11 Caldus Insulated Glove
The Caldus is a cold-weather tactical glove, with reinforced goatskin palms, fingertips and knuckles and 40-gram Thinsulate insulation. Stretch panels in the synthetic upper shell give these gloves excellent dexterity while not being too thick. The gloves have a waterproof shell, with a wind cuff to keep out the elements.
These are the warmest gloves you can get before the insulation starts to overwhelm dexterity. MSRP is $60.
Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0
Magpul Patrol gloves have a padded goatskin palm for grip and protection, touchscreen-compatible thumbs, and a breathable outer shell with knuckle panels for increased dexterity with knuckle padding for impact protection.
They're designed for a snug fit and are an excellent choice for a lightweight tactical shooting glove. MSRP is $49.95.
Dead Air Silencers has recently announced the Mojave 9, a new 9mm suppressor with an innovative new baffle design.
At SHOT Show 2023, Dead Air Silencers unveiled the Mojave 9. This is the company’s first suppressor to be made using Direct Metal Laser Sintered (DMLS) additive manufacturing technology, more commonly known as 3D printing, and it’s what enables the Mojave 9 to have its revolutionary and complex internal baffle system.
This 3D-printed and patent-pending baffle design is called the Triskelion, and it’s the core of the Mojave 9’s performance. Dead Air promises that the unorthodox baffle design results in less back pressure, less flash and improved acoustic performance. The suppressor is also a modular two-piece system that enables users to trade weight and length for less sound reduction depending on their priorities. The use of 6AL-4V titanium also lends the system high thermal efficiency, high durability and low weight (9.6 ounces in its full 7.64-inch configuration, 8.2 ounces in its short 5.89-inch configuration).
The new Triskelion 3D-printed baffles. Photo: Reddit user BlueJay–.
The Mojave 9 is rated for 9mm, .300 BLK subsonic loads and .350 Legend with any type of firearm, and for .300 BLK supersonic loads when used with a semi-auto. Each suppressor will ship with a booster and a 1/2×28 piston, but they will also be compatible with all Dead Air P-Series mounts and their associated accessories.
Mike Smith, Research and Development Engineer for the project, said this about the new Dead Air suppressor:
Having been given the opportunity to design the 9mm suppressor we call the Mojave 9; I really wanted to wow our customers and give them something they’ve never seen before.
The Mojave 9 will have an MSRP of $1,099 and is slated to begin shipping in Q2 of 2023.
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.
