Some tips on gear selection and methodology for a more comfortable concealed carry experience.
One serious consideration regarding holster selection is how easy the holster is to put on or take off. To the novice concealed carrier, this might not seem important, but it won’t be long until you realize there are times you need to take your gun off for a short time, and having to undo your belt to make that happen isn’t ideal.
The Galco Royal Guard is a very well-constructed IWB holster that can easily be removed or put on with the two external snap straps.
I’ve been working with a Glock 43 a bit, and two holsters I’ve been using make this process seamless. The first is the Galco Royal Guard, an inside the waistband (IWB) holster. The two exterior straps are easy to undo, and the holster can simply be pulled out of the pants. It’s just as easy to put back on as well—and you never have to unfasten your belt. Well … you might need to tighten or loosen it for comfort.
The other is the Galco paddle holster. Paddle holsters sandwich the belt and pants between the holster and a paddle that fits on the inside of the pants. They’re incredibly comfortable—maybe the most comfortable way to carry OWB of any holster. A hook on the paddle helps hold the holster in place and keeps it from slipping out of your pants. It takes both hands to put this holster on or take it off, but you can do so without undoing your belt, and you won’t have to readjust your belt with or without the holster.
A high-quality paddle holster, such as this Galco Speed Paddle, might be the easiest to put on or take off. It may not be the holster you wear the most, but it should probably be one of the holsters you have on hand.
Multiple holsters are something to consider when it comes to concealed carry. In the summer, when you’re not wearing a long cover garment, a holster like the Royal Guard that can be concealed by an untucked shirt makes good sense. In colder months, when you’re wearing a jacket, a paddle holster positions the gun just under the jacket for easy access. I always keep an IWB and an OWB holster for the gun I’m carrying in my truck, so that I can adjust my carry method for the situation and the weather.
CCW Clothing
I’ve mentioned the Barranti Leather Swift Cover Vest here before, but I think it, along with some thoughts about clothing for concealed carry, deserve revisiting. Most of the discussions about concealed carry revolve around the holster and carry location; what we often neglect is that it’s the clothing you wear that actually conceals the handgun.
A lightweight vest, like the Barranti Swift Cover Vest, that’ll conceal your handgun during normal activities without restricting your movements or being too warm for indoor wear, is a good and stylish idea.
Jackets are a great way to hide a handgun regardless of where you carry it, but what happens when you get to where you’re going and have to remove your jacket? A vest—one that’s not heavy or too hot to wear—is a great solution.
That Barranti Swift Cover Vest is constructed of sturdy, lightweight canvas and is available in two colors: nutmeg or stone. Designed by a man who makes holsters—some of the best holsters in the world—for a living, it’s cut at just the right length to hide a handgun carried IWB and even OWB, depending on the holster and size of the gun. It also has small weights perfectly positioned to keep the vest in place and help with sweeping it out of the way when you’re drawing your gun. And, just as importantly, this vest looks pretty damned classy. It retails for $125 and is available with or without a lapel.
The point of mentioning this vest is twofold. For starters, if it’s something that fits your lifestyle (and likely your taste), I’d suggest ordering one. Secondly, all of this should make you think about the clothing you wear when you’re carrying concealed. Pay attention to how long a coat or vest you might be considering is when you purchase it. Think about its material. Is it something that’ll hang up on your gun when you’re attempting to draw? Is it of a material that’ll stand up to the constant contact and rubbing of the grip of your handgun?
A comfortable holster is a damned important consideration for the concealed carrier. But the clothing you wear to hide your gun is just as important. Coats do a great job of hiding guns in cold weather, but what’ll you wear in the spring and summer? None of us want to dress like a tactard; we want to fit in and appear, well, normal.
Extra Ammunition
Another thing to consider when carrying concealed is if you’re going to carry extra ammunition … and where. There are lots of magazine and speed loader pouches on the market, and most will carry them on their offside. But you’ll need to conceal your reload, too.
I wore a duty belt for 13 years, and it provided me with a means to carry all of my essential gear. I don’t do that anymore; now I work to find the best balance of comfort and security. Sometimes I’ll wear a pouch on my belt, but most often the reload goes in the pocket of my cover garment. This is another reason a lightweight vest makes sense.
Of course, you can get down a rabbit hole really quick here. Some will argue that, in addition to a reload, you need to carry a second reload, a second gun, a reload for the second gun, a less than lethal option (like pepper spray) and maybe even an impact weapon as well. In addition to that, they’ll suggest a pocketknife and a fighting knife. And let’s not forget, you’ll have a cell phone and a wallet that goes with you everywhere, every day, as well.
Somewhere within all this security, you must find some comfort and common sense. But maybe that’s best left as a topic for another time.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2021 CCW special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
For more information on concealed carry holsters check out:
EAA has just announced the importation of the Girsan MCP35 PI, a short-barreled Browning Hi Power clone designed for concealed carry.
Hi Powers have come back in a big way over the past few years, with Springfield, FN and the Turkish company Girsan all iterating on the design with new models. While Springfield’s SA35 is a mostly traditional model and FN’s is a near-total reimagining, Girsan seems to be aiming for the Goldilocks zone between originality and innovation. The newest model in Girsan’s lineup to be imported by EAA is called the MCP35 PI, and it features a shorter barrel for easier carry.
This isn’t the first Hi Power with a short barrel to be produced, and the “PI” in the new MCP35 PI’s name is likely a reference to the short “Detective” models that preceded it. In most ways it’s just a standard Hi Power clone, meaning that it has much in common with Girsan’s full-size model. Both the MCP35 and MCP35 PI have a windage-adjustable rear drift sight, an ambidextrous safety, a slim trigger and a ring-style hammer to prevent bite. They’re both chambered for 9mm Parabellum, but the MCP35 PI features a 3.88-inch barrel instead of a 4.87-inch one. Both models also have full-size frames and feed from modern 15-round Hi Power mags which have become the standard.
Chase Duffey, National Sales and Import Manager at EAA Corp., said this about the new model:
Not only did Girsan find a way to make the already popular MCP35 family of handguns easier to carry but they have found another great market for our retailers to capitalize on…We’ve already seen a huge demand for the more compact MCP35 PI.
The MCP35 PI is not yet available, but EAA promises they should be hitting store shelves soon. The MSRP is also not yet known but it will likely not be significantly higher than the full-size model’s MSRP of $563.
These simple 1911 upgrades can improve the feel and performance of your 1911 with little to no hand-fitting required.
When we talk about upgrading the 1911, it’s often not an easy process. As I detailed in my recent article, “So, You Want to Build a 1911?”, there’s rarely such a thing as a true “drop-in” part for a 1911. Those looking to make upgrades are thus in for a bit of work, sometimes in the form of a major project and others as a simple bit of file work.
But here’s the good news: Upgrading your 1911 isn’t difficult if you have some patience and know where to make an educated, low-effort change that enhances performance.
These are all the same 1911, showing a host of various grip options and colors, illustrating how one gun can look and feel different with just the simple swapping of grip panels.
Wilson Combat’s Quick Fixes For Function
Unlike today’s newly designed guns, the century-old 1911 design doesn’t always come out of the box running well. I’ve had some versions of the old warhorse that, as it turns out, were expensive paperweights.
These guns were delivered from some well-known, name-brand makers. Yes, it’s regrettable and fully possible that $1,200 gun you saw at the gun shop will malfunction with hollow points. The old man remedy is to polish the feed ramp or “break it in” for reliability, but if your gun needs a 500-round break-in period (easily $300 to $750 in today’s ammo prices), what you’re really getting is a gun that has corners cut in manufacturing, and the burden of performance is on you, the buyer, not the maker.
The Wilson mags stick out just a hair as opposed to a GI mag. The added length doesn’t really make a difference for carry, and it’s nice to be able to do a “slap home” magazine seat should it be sticking a bit.
I’ve got little time for excuses. My prized Colt M45A1 you’ve likely seen grace these pages has seen 15,000 rounds with no malfunctions to speak of, and this from a gun that came off the standard Colt assembly line. Brand notwithstanding, this is how a 1911 should perform in the 2020s; there’s simply no excuse for a modern gun to require a break-in for function.
If you’re having reliability issues, the first thing I’d do is upgrade to Wilson Combat magazines. When I get a 1911 in for testing, I never use the factory mags because the only brand of 1911 mags I trust is Wilson. These mags are superior in design and execution, and even in troubled 1911s that have feed issues with different bullet shapes, I’ve noticed most problems go away instantly. I like to replace the plastic base pad on mine with the steel version. It’s low profile and aesthetically pleasing while still allowing enough protrusion to allow you to slam it home.
Wilson mags are the best in the business in this author’s opinion. They last just about forever, are extremely durable and increase feeding and reliability in most 1911s. The basic 1911 mag on the left is just fine but, depending on the manufacturer, quality may vary.
The magazine issues are also sometimes tied to the magazine release itself. Again, I look to companies like Wilson Combat for their Bulletproof line of parts. They make several lengths of releases depending on if you’re looking for something for competition or carry, but I’m more concerned with the internal geometry.
Many 1911s have issues with seating the magazine or allowing an empty mag to drop free. If I’m experiencing this issue, my go-to fix is to upgrade to one of the Wilson releases. They’re better made as far as the internal angles, and they immediately remedy hard seating or mag sticking.
The factory 1911, here an alloy frame Springfield Armory .45 ACP Ronin in commander length, is a fine gun, but it never hurts to drop in something like a Wilson extractor.
If I’m experiencing extraction issues, I’ll immediately drop in a Wilson Bulletproof extractor. This is a completely drop-in upgrade that’ll improve ejection and feeding issues if you’re having lock-up problems or failure of the slide to go into battery. I heartily recommend this for all 1911s; the part is just so cheap and so good that including it makes complete sense, especially when looking to spruce up a used gun or a gun show find.
The last Wilson part I’ll address is the drop-in beavertail safety for GI-type frames. This is a no-gunsmith option that allows you to switch from the uncomfortable and often hand-biting GI grip safety and provides the shooter with greater control and comfort. The only issue with this part is that it’s quite obviously designed for some variance in frames and, as such, there’s a gap between the beavertail and the frame. This is largely cosmetic, but for some people that’s a deal-breaker. A note here is that you’ll also need to swap out the hammer to a modern style; the spurred GI type won’t work with the beavertail.
The Wilson Combat drop-in beavertail is a quick addition to a GI 1911 that makes it just a bit more comfortable to shoot. If you’re prone to hammer bite on GI guns, this is a great addition.
Cylinder & Slide Has The Guts To Perform
The internals of the 1911 can be frightening when they all come spilling out. I recall being dumbfounded as I did a full disassembly on my first one. Once you get the hang of how they all fit together, it usually goes in a wide bell curve of dread to confidence then back to dread. At the peak of our Gaussian curve, we look at it with understanding, but in my hard-earned and advanced skill set I’ve gone back to terror in knowing just how much can go wrong if I make one errant file stroke.
Suffice to say, my days of hand-fitting internals for fun are over. I very much prefer what are known as “trigger pull kits,” like those made by Cylinder & Slide. These are top-notch parts that are of extremely high quality and hardness. I’ve fitted many of these kits over the years and can say that for virtually all factory frame guns there’s very little, if any, fitting to be done. Note: I’m not saying these are truly drop-in, but they’re extremely close.
Cylinder & Slide makes some very rugged internals that aren’t only extremely high quality, but are also hard steel and should offer a lifetime of service. This hammer on the author’s custom 1911 has seen close to 20,000 rounds of use.
If you want a substantial upgrade over factory triggers, this is a safe way to go, and the C&S parts do exactly as they advertise. My go-to kit is the 4-pound version for .45 ACP. I also have a fondness for the three-part MARSOC pull kit, though this is just the hammer, sear and disconnector. I prefer a stiff, crisp pull on my 1911s for carry, but for field use I like just a hair of take-up and overtravel. The C&S kits can be used in tandem with each other, though your end result may be a bit different than advertised.
Grips: More Than Looks
The simplest and probably most overlooked drop-in upgrade you can make to your 1911 for functional improvement is the grips. The grip is your interface with the gun. Yet, grips are overlooked today with polymer-framed guns being popular. It’s exceedingly common to send your Glock out to have the frame stippled for better grip, likewise to see people add stick-on textured grip wraps or even add rubber sleeves to improve their relationship to their piece.
The 1911 is blessed with simple stock panels. All you need to do to dramatically change how your gun fits your hand is spin four screws.
A 1911 with standard GI wood grips.
LOK grips is my go-to company due to the sheer amount of options they offer for the 1911, employing a group of skilled craft artisans and artists who can make just about any grip with any type of inlay you can imagine. I toured their facility and was impressed at not only their production capabilities, but also the amount of effort they put into making something as seemingly benign as gun grips. Another company that offers a tremendous amount of 1911 grip options is VZ Grips.
The general problem with gun grips is that they’re a benign proposition; some people don’t change them or even know they can. The 1911 is so easy to change in this department that I sometimes will buy one I like for the general features, then change grips to make it look and feel how I want in the hand.
I’m all about how my guns look. An old man I knew once said he couldn’t stand modern polymer guns because they gave him nothing to look at, and, in his opinion, a gun was 1 percent shooting, 99 percent being looked at or fiddled with—a notion that I tend to agree with.
The same 1911 from above but with LOK Mayhem G10 grips in green.
The functional angle of 1911 grips comes from what you intend to do with them. If I’m carrying one, I like it to be a smoother grip that won’t snag on clothing or chafe my sides. I prefer a mild texture for field guns with no mag release cutout, something that will allow a good grip for steadying a shot without being so aggressive that it’s uncomfortable or sharp if I’m in deep cold.
For guns I shoot for work or competition, I like a very aggressive texture with a thumb cutout for the magazine release. On these guns, I also like a palm swell or a taper that drives my hand up into the beavertail safety, thus allowing me to keep a high grip for fast shooting.
The same GI 1911 but with ivory-colored LOK Bogies G10 grips.
Gotta Enjoy the Little Things
I have to make a short list of drop-in improvements that often go overlooked. The little plunger tube spring (a $3 part at most) could do for a change on most 1911s after a few years. Refresher spring packs are available from most places, and Brownells stocks many brands like Wolff, Ed Brown, Wilson and more. The springs on a 1911 can be easily swapped out in regular maintenance. I personally do mine on an as-needed basis, not really on a specific round count.
Sights are one of those things that are occasionally harder to change on a 1911, but it can be done. You’ll need to pay particular attention to the sight cut and dovetail type. If I were you, I’d decide if sight type is important to you from the start or be prepared to have a gunsmith install a set for you. If you want night sights on a 1911, it may be better to buy one with them factory installed. It can be a real pain to find the correct dovetails; many companies make their own versions that aren’t interchangeable with aftermarket—or at least not easily.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2021 December issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Primary Weapons Systems has now entered the silencer game with the launch of the BDE Suppressor line, starting with the BDE 762.
Primary Weapons Systems has just announced its entry into the suppressor market with the launch of the BDE Suppressor line. The first can in the lineup is the BDE 762, a .30-caliber, modular suppressor made from titanium alloy.
The BDE 762 is a modular design that ships with four removable baffles. The included set of wrenches allows for easy configuration in the field, adding or removing baffles as desired to decrease length or increase sound suppression capabilities. The baffles are made of titanium alloy and produced using 3D printing technology. This construction technique combined with the state-of-the-art material allows for the components to be durable, lightweight and very effective at reducing noise output thanks to the more complex internal design enabled by 3D printing. Depending on the number of baffles attached, the BDE 762 ranges from 6.5 to 8.2 inches in length and 12.7 to 17.4 ounces in weight. They also feature a universal 1.375×24 thread pitch, making them compatible with most suppressor mounts.
PWS implemented some other smart choices into the BDE 762 design as well. The baffles are taper-threaded to prevent loosening and reduce carbon buildup that leads to locking, and they feature symmetrical notches to ensure there’s no impact shift. The outside of the BDE 762 also sports a unique design that will supposedly help reduce heat mirage. The titanium components are anodized and the whole can is finished with black Cerakote.
Nate Treadaway, CEO of PWS, said this about the company’s new suppressor:
One of the things I’ve always admired about PWS has been the ability to innovate. The addition of additive manufacturing (3D printing) capabilities to our Boise facility will further accelerate that commitment…We feel confident that the BDE 762 has versatility and performance characteristics that simply can’t be replicated with traditional suppressor manufacturing processes.
The BDE 762 has an MSRP of $1,099.95 and it’s available now.
Langdon Tactical has just partnered with Heckler & Koch to offer customizations for the HK P30 and P2000 pistol series.
Langdon Tactical is best known for the custom work they perform on Beretta 92s, offering excellent trigger upgrade jobs and red dot mounting solutions. Now, the company is setting its skills loose on some more Teutonic handguns. Announced just today (August 4th), Langdon Tactical is partnering with H&K to offer a whole suite of upgrades for the HK P30 and P2000 pistols series in what will be known as the LTT P30 line.
The press release claims that customers will have access to over 200 customization options for the HK P30, P30L, P30SK and California-compliant P2000. Langdon Tactical has referred to the number of unique upgrade combinations as “infinitely customizable,” and while that’s not technically mathematically correct, the real number is so large that it might as well be. If nothing else, a combination exists that will suit every shooter’s wants and needs. LTT P30 models will be available with both DA/SA triggers as well as HK’s LEM trigger configuration.
Aimee Langdon, Vice President of LTT, said this about the new partnership:
We are incredibly excited to bring this project to market…a ton of time, R&D, and hard work went into making this happen, and we are pleased to finally debut these extraordinary pistols!
Langdon Tactical has also stated that custom work will be available for existing, factory HK P30 and P2000 pistols. Current owners will be able to send them in to have work done, including trigger jobs, night sight installation and red dot mounting solutions. The new custom LTT P30 and P2000 pistols are available to order now and have MSRPs ranging from $999.50 to $1,408 depending on the options selected.
Made in Turkey by Tisas and brought in by SDS Imports, the 1911 A1 Tanker is a superb, no-frills 1911 for an affordable price.
The Colt Commander was the first mass-produced pistol with an aluminum alloy frame, and it was also the first pistol manufactured by Colt chambered for the 9mm. The Commander was indeed a 1911, but a 1911 with a shorter slide, and 4.25-inch as opposed to a 5.00-inch barrel. The Commander came about due to a request from the military for a more compact pistol, chambered in 9mm, that could be issued to officers. The Colt Commander was first produced in 1950 and was available in 9mm, .38 Super and .45 Auto.
In 1970, Colt introduced what would come to be known as the Combat Commander. The Combat Commander had a steel, as opposed to aluminum, alloy frame. To better differentiate between the two Commanders, Colt renamed the original Commander the Lightweight Commander. Both have become what clearly offers the best balance of carry comfort and shootability when it comes to the 1911. Chambered in .45 Auto, the Lightweight Commander is considered by many to be the epitome of a concealed-carry handgun.
The Tanker was very reliable with standard power and +P loads, but it might need a lighter recoil spring to handle light plinking ammunition.
Due to the immense popularity of their very affordable full-size 1911 GI-style pistols, SDS Imports decided that a Commander-sized version was the logical next step. But, instead of calling this pistol a Commander, SDS Imports named their GI-style, reduced-size 1911, the Tanker. This is a fitting name because it reflects the need for a more compact pistol by those who live inside small steel boxes. And, it has a special appeal to me because my MOS (military occupational specialty) was originally 19E and later a 19K. For those not acquainted with military lingo, a 19E was an armor crewman for M48/M60 series tanks, and 19K represented an armor crewman for a M1 tank.
SDS Imports
But before we delve into the 1911 A1 Tanker, you should know a little bit about SDS Imports, the company that set the design parameters for this pistol and also imports it into the United States. SDS Imports was started by three partners with years of manufacturing and import experience who saw that there was a demand for pistols and shotguns that wasn’t being met. They decided to leverage their contacts and experience to help meet that demand, and 1911 handguns were on the top of the list of what they wanted to offer.
Just to give you an idea of who is behind SDS Imports, Scott Huff is a West Point graduate and engineer. Tim Mulverhill is the former head of product development at Kimber. Gaines Davis is an engineer and competitive shooter, and both he and Tim are firearms instructors. And Dave Biggers, who handles sales and marketing, is a former Army officer as well. To get where they wanted to go, these guys needed a manufacturing partner, and they found one in Turkey.
Few things go together as well as an originally-styled 1911 and ball ammunition.
TISAS
To build their 1911s, SDS Imports partnered with TISAS, which was established in Trabzon, Turkey, in 1993. They’ve been building pistols since 1994 and currently offer a wide selection of handguns and even semi-automatic rifles. TISAS is considered one of the top firearms manufacturers in Turkey and worldwide as well.
Essentially, SDS Imports sent their smart guys to TISAS and showed them how to build 1911s the right way. Two of the engineers at SDS Imports, Scott Huff and Gaines Davis, rotate between Knoxville, Tennessee, and Turkey to make sure TISAS is building 1911s to the high standards SDS Imports have set. These engineers literally look over the shoulders of the workers at TISAS and have instituted high quality control standards that must be met before the handguns are shipped to the United States.
The Tanker
There’s no need to go into a full detailed description of this pistol. It is, after all, mostly a 1911 A1 clone—a pistol that has been in continuous production since 1924. Books—many books—have been written about the 1911, and there’s no need for me to attempt to offer a synopsis here. What is notable and may be overlooked about the Tanker is that it’s what’s known as a Series 70, 1911. This means that it doesn’t have the modern firing pin block safety that’s infamous for making 1911 triggers hard to tune.
SDS Imports’ Tanker is a Commander-sized version of an original 1911 A1, with only a few minor enhancements.
The Tanker has a 4.25-inch hammer-forged, chrome-plated barrel, and a hammer-forged frame and slide. It’s fitted with GI-style sights and checkered plastic grips, and it’s shipped with a single eight-round magazine. However, there are a few diversions from what would be considered a true 1911 A1 clone. The ejection port has been flared and lowered, the magazine well has been beveled, and the feed ramp has been polished. Also, instead of a Parkerized finish, this pistol has been fully Cerakoted, which is alone at least a $125 value! Yes, these enhancements aren’t in line with an original 1911 A1, but they do augment the functioning of the pistol. That’s not a bad thing and was a good call on the part of SDS Imports.
The Good
The trigger on the Tanker was crisp and broke at just a shade more than 4 pounds, which for most is about ideal for a defensive handgun. Also, unlike early and even current base-model Colt handguns, there were no sharp edges on this pistol to cause injury to your hands during firearm manipulation. The pistol also delivered great precision; even with the near non-existent GI-style sights, I could easily ring 4-inch steel plates at 25 yards, offhand. Slide to frame fit was very good and even maybe exceptional considering the price tag, and the barrel bushing could be removed without the aid of a bushing wrench.
If you’re looking for an entry-level 1911 you can trust and maybe use as a base for a custom build, the SDS Imports Tanker is a good place to start that search.
The Tanker was also very reliable. I filled several magazines with a collection of defensive loads, with bullet weights ranging from 160 to 230 grains and experienced no malfunctions; the gun ran like a top. I did, however, have a few failures to feed with some lightly loaded 200-grain lead SWC loads. However, this pistol has a very stiff recoil spring—about 24 pounds, I suspect. This is a workable recoil spring weight for full power loads but too heavy for plinking loads. Fortunately, you can replace the recoil spring with whatever weight you desire to best suit your needs.
In addition to the lowered and flared ejection port, SDS Imports also specified a beveled magazine well, which is a smart enhancement that takes nothing away from the pistol’s GI persona.
The Bad
I had one functionality issue with the Tanker. On occasion, if my support hand thumb encountered the slide stop during recoil, it’d engage. Similarly, if I cycled the slide gently with an empty magazine in place, the slide stop could engage at the takedown notch. Considering you shouldn’t let your support thumb contact the slide stop when shooting, or that you shouldn’t cycle the slide gently, this isn’t a serious issue. SDS Imports is aware of the issue and are addressing it. A competent gunsmith can easily correct it too by dimpling the face of the slide stop or by just replacing the part all together. Wilson Combat offers the best slide stops in the world for about $60.
The Ugly
I’ll mention two things. This is a GI-style pistol with no frills. It comes in basic black and doesn’t have fancy grips or anything else to make it exceptionally attractive. It’s a fighting gun, and it looks like a fighting gun—like a gun you’d pull from the jungle mud and use to fight your way to an LZ.
The only real ugly you’re going to get with the Tanker is the hammer bite in the web of the hand, which is endemic to all GI-style 1911 A1 pistols.
Some might consider that ugly; others might consider it pretty as hell. The ugliest aspect of this pistol is the lack of an upswept grip safety to prevent hammer bite. This isn’t specific to the Tanker; it is a characteristic of all GI-style 1911 handguns. If you shoot any original-style 1911 A1 with a high grip, the hammer will bite the web of your hand.
All GI-style 1911s that aren’t fitted with a wide or upswept grip safety tend to bite the web of the hand if you have large hands or utilize a very high grip.
Final Impression
These pistols are crossing counters for less than $400 (current MSRP is $429.95). Given the quality of manufacture, and the fact that they’re a true 70-Series style 1911 that’s reliable and dependable, it’s almost like folks are stealing them. If you’re looking to build a custom 1911 Commander, you could do a lot worse and spend a lot more money than if you started with the Tanker 45.
As with the rear sight and all GI-style 1911 A1 handguns, there’s not much front sight to see on the Tanker.
After satisfying myself that the SDS Imports Tanker was a pistol I could trust, my initial plan was to send it to Dave Fink at Fink’s Custom Guns, who is also the smithy at Gunsite Academy, and have him do a few modifications to include the milling of the slide for a reflex sight. However, my best friend who lives in Kodiak, Alaska, has a thing for GI-style 1911s and when I showed him the Tanker, he said he had to have it. So, it’ll fly to a little island off the coast of Alaska, be loaded with Buffalo Bore .45 Auto Outdoorsman ammo, and might very well be used to stop a bad guy or charging grizzly. My friend has already had to shoot one marauding bear.
If you’re like my friend and looking for a trustworthy GI-style 1911 of Commander size, this pistol has lots of appeal. You might replace the hammer or install an upswept grip safety to avoid hammer bite. You might also replace the sights with something a bit more modern and easier to see. The trigger—in my opinion—is good to go. Like Jeff Cooper told us, all a 1911 really needs is a good trigger, sights you can see, and all the sharp edges knocked off. Out of the box, the Tanker 45 is already two-thirds of the way there for the same amount of money you’d spend on just a carry bevel package, refinishing and trigger job.
The SDS Imports Tanker is a compact 1911 that’s reliable and very affordable.
This pistol won’t win a beauty contest, but it’ll save your life. And, well, that’s what pistols are really for. SDS Imports offers several other 1911s with various upgrades, to include their new Carry Bantam, which at $1,200 is configured to compete with top-end 1911s costing twice as much.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2021 October issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking to trick out your Ruger 10/22? Here are 10 top Ruger 10/22 accessories that can bring your plinker to the next level.
If there are two things that American shooters love, it’s Ruger 10/22s and accessorizing their guns. It’s only natural then that there exists a veritable sea of aftermarket 10/22 accessories to choose from.
While looking at 10/22 stocks, 10/22 receivers and 10/22 triggers, we covered how this popular gun can be entirely built today without using a single Ruger factory component. The customization possibilities don’t end there.
Today, we’ll look at some of the smaller 10/22 accessories that bring your plinker to the next level.
This is arguably the most important and practical of the 10/22 accessories on this list. If you own a 10/22 but don’t have any BX25 mags, it’s either because you live in a state that prohibits them or you’ve been asleep at the wheel. While .22-caliber plinkers don’t necessarily need a higher capacity than what the standard 10-round mags provide, more ammo on tap is never a bad option.
Whether you want to reduce the frequency of reloading in the field during a varmint hunt or just want more trigger time between reloads at the bench, Ruger-branded 25-round BX25 mags are a reliable way to accomplish it. They’re made of durable polymer and compatible with nearly every 10/22-based rifle and 22 Charger pistol on the market.
If 25 rounds are good, then 55 rounds are double-plus-good. If shooting a high volume of cheap .22 LR is one of your pastimes, this ProMag 55-round drum should only add to your enjoyment.
Unfortunately, drum mags of all kinds are inherently less reliable than their stick-mag counterparts. Because of this, these drums are probably better reserved for recreation than any sort of serious use. That said, they make an excellent addition to any 10/22 setup if for no other reason than the cool factor. One would also pair very nicely with a binary trigger.
For those who prefer irons over optics but still want an upgrade, a fiber optic front sight is a worthy addition. This model is made in America by the Williams Gunsight Company, but is sold through Ruger as a “Genuine Ruger Factory Accessory.” It installs by simply replacing the original front sight via a dovetail.
If any of your 10/22 shooting relies on quick acquisition, then a fiber optic sight such as this helps pick up the pace without the complexity or expense of a red dot. Other models and colors are available as well.
If you do want to mount a red dot on your 10/22, there are a few ways to accomplish it. The easiest and most common method is simply using the rail that comes standard with every 10/22 today, but this is best suited for rifle-size red dots and scopes. If you want something smaller, however, a new mounting solution is required.
The TRUGLO Dot-Optic mount installs directly to a 10/22’s drilled and tapped receiver, but rather than providing a rail, it instead features a Trijicon RMR footprint for mounting compatible pistol micro red dots. Micro red dots have become popular on certain rifle setups, and using one on a 10/22 will help keep the already lightweight rifle stay trim.
When it comes to keeping your rifle fed, larger mags will only go so far. Retaining spare ammo directly on your gun is a good way to supplement that. This inexpensive solution made by Ruger slips directly over the buttstock and provides some extra storage space. It can fit at least six 10-round rotary mags, spare boxes of ammo or anything else you might want to keep handy in the field.
In the same theme as the buttstock pouch but with a bit more tactical flair, the Triple Mag Drop-Leg Pouch from Adaptive Tactical retains up to three BX25 magazines. It uses elastic to keep the mags in place, making them quick to retrieve, and the drop-leg platform feature allows them to be comfortably carried in the field or during competition.
While there are compensators available for the 10/22, they’re a bit superfluous on a .22 LR rifle. Mitigating flash is a much more logical reason to utilize a muzzle device. Ruger makes one as well, but it’s designed for threaded barrel models. The beauty of the Samson Manufacturing flash hider is that it slips right over an unthreaded barrel and secures using a single set screw. Besides helping to reduce flash, this is a very simple way to customize the look of your gun. It’s available with either a black or stainless finish.
Another product from Samson Manufacturing, the B-TM QD sling barrel band is an easy way to add quick-detach sling capabilities to your 10/22. It simply replaces the factory barrel band and can be installed with the QD point facing either left or right. Making this small change to your gun will open you to a much wider world of tactical rifle slings, no longer limiting you to only using traditional styles. Like the Samson flash hider, this barrel band is offered in two colors as well.
If making your 10/22 as tactical as possible is your aim, then it wouldn’t be complete without a railed handguard. This model from Midwest Industries is machined from 6061 T6 aluminum, keeping it both strong and lightweight while providing 13 inches M-LOK slots for accessories as well as two QD sling mounting points. If mounting a flashlight or laser on your 10/22 is something that you’d like to do, a railed handguard like this would be one of the easiest and most versatile ways to accomplish it.
All those extended magazines and tactical mag pouches won't do much good during a competition if you're slow on the reload, and the factory 10/22 mag release is on the small side. This easy-to-install solution from Tandemkross remedies that by providing a much larger magazine release lever. It sticks out a decent amount from the bottom of the gun, so it's not ideal for field use, but for competition or just plinking on the range it can make one's life much easier. It's available in both black and red.
CZ-USA has just released the CZ 600 Lux, a new bolt-action rifle with a wooden stock available in four chamberings.
In late 2021, CZ-USA announced that the new 600 Series of bolt-action rifles would be replacing the famed CZ 527 and CZ 557 series. Five models were originally shown, but they were slated to only begin hitting store shelves in 2022. The CZ 600 Lux, arguably the most traditional entry in the lineup, is now widely available.
The CZ 600 Lux may look like a traditional European centerfire hunting rifle with its oil-finished and checkered Bavarian-style walnut stock, but several modern innovations have improved its functionality as well. The design features a new 60-degree bolt throw for faster and smoother cycling, an oversized wooden bolt knob for easier operation and a 2-position safety that is nearly silent to prevent spooking game in the field.
It feeds from detachable box magazines that can be topped off through the ejection port and has 5-round capacities in .223 Remington, .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield, and a 3-round capacity in .300 Win. Mag. All CZ 600 Lux rifles also feature a fiber optic front sight and are drilled and tapped for Remington 700-style scope bases.
The cherry on top of the CZ 600 Lux is its sub-MOA accuracy guarantee at 100 meters. Much of this is due to the barrels, which are cold hammer-forged, sporter-contoured and threaded M15x1 to be ready to accept suppressors. Both the .30-06 and .308 models feature 20-inch barrels with a 1:10 twist, the .223 Remington version has a 20-inch barrel and a 1:9 twist and the .300 Win. Mag. model sports a 24-inch barrel with a 1:10 twist. Each was chosen to extract the optimum performance from their respective cartridges. All models have an MSRP of $849 and are available now.
There are a number of big-bore cartridges available for the AR-15 platform, but perhaps the most mysterious is .50 Beowulf.
Notoriously tight-lipped about it, the .50 Beowulf is a brainchild of Alexander Arms. However, there is a certain lineage that would inform its development and usage, which can help you understand its purpose and best-use applications.
Is it a good cartridge for you? Should you get an AR-15 (or maybe an upper) in .50 Beowulf? What are some good factory rifles in .50 Beowulf? Let's dig in a little bit more and see if you want to add one to your safe.
.50 Beowulf has a similar origin story to .450 Bushmaster and .458 SOCOM, relying on a proven caliber recipe used for more than a century and a half. Basically, a large-bore cartridge with a heavy projectile loaded to medium velocity. Cartridges meeting a similar description have been common fare since the late 19th Century.
Such long-time standbys such as the .50-90 Sharps, .50-70 and .45-70 Government all push a large, heavy projectile (.45 to .50 caliber) of 300 to 500 grains loaded to velocities approaching 2,000 feet per second.
The concept of a larger, heavier intermediate cartridge in a semi-auto carbine isn't even that new either. Winchester created the .401 Self-Loading for the Model 1910 rifle, which sent a .40-caliber bullet of 200 to 250 grains downrange at just under 2000 fps.
Big, heavy bullets at medium velocities put holes in stuff really well after all.
.50 Beowulf Development
The designer of the cartridge and the rifles, Bill Alexander, was an armorer (or rather the armourer) and designer in the UK, who emigrated to the United States to have a bit more freedom to design what he wanted.
Alexander had previously designed 6.5mm Grendel to address the medium-range deficiencies of 5.56mm NATO. He created .50 Beowulf to address its deficiencies at a closer range. Specifically, barrier defeat, vehicle defeat and “stopping power” at close quarters. His idea was to allow the operator to change calibers by merely switching the upper, as 5.56mm magazines feed both cartridge types.
Not to take anything away from .50 Beowulf, but it wasn't the first…but it certainly is the biggest!
The first attempt to put a big-bore cartridge in the AR-15 was the .45 Professional. A wildcat cartridge developed by Tim LeGendre in the 1990s, the cartridge aimed to satisfy the “Thumper” concept proposed by Jeff Cooper. Cooper envisioned (more or less) an M1 Carbine in .44 Magnum, firing a heavy bullet at modest velocity with an effective range of about 200 yards.
The .45 Professional is/was a prototype of .450 Bushmaster, made for the AR-15 platform and likewise only requiring the user to switch to a .45 Professional upper. However, the proprietary parts required proved problematic to source. That lead to LeGendre redesigning the cartridge in conjunction with Bushmaster and Hornady to create .450 Bushmaster.
Similarly, .458 SOCOM came about to address the limitations of 5.56mm NATO in close quarters based on the US Army's experience in Somalia during Operation Gothic Serpent. The much-ballyhooed green tip was lackluster at barrier defeat and vehicle defeat, as well as lacking sufficient impact at close quarters. The SOCOM cartridge and the upper were designed in the late ‘90s and began testing in early 2001.
So, .50 Beowulf relies on a time-honored cartridge design (big, heavy bullet at modest speed) and puts it in an AR-platform rifle.
.50 Beowulf Ammo And Specs
Both .50 Beowulf and .458 SOCOM are based on .50 Action Express brass, with a rebated rim. While SOCOM uses a different rim specification, the rim of .50 Beowulf is turned down to nearly the same diameter as 6.5mm Grendel. This allows the use of a 6.5mm bolt head, just with a .50 Beowulf extractor.
The .50 Beowulf cartridge is proprietary, and Alexander Arms is the sole manufacturer of official .50 Beowulf ammunition.
The ammunition industry, however, reverse engineered it, and you can get 12.7x42mm ammunition—the same cartridge just with a metric naming scheme to get around any patent issues—from multiple manufacturers.
Alexander Arms sells proprietary .50 Beowulf magazines, but they are nearly identical to STANAG 5.56 models. While some users report being able to use standard, unmodified mags in their guns, Alexander Arms' website and online forums both discuss the modifications required for STANAG mags to reliably feed .50 Beo.
Due to the girth of the cartridge, however, they function as single-stack mags instead, reducing the capacity of 30-rounders down to 10.
An Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf magazine (right) versus a modified STANAG mag (left), the red line shows where material was removed. Photo: User “Bolus” on NorthWest Firearms forums.
.50 Beowulf Ballistics
Typical loadings are 300- to 400-grain projectiles, loaded to about 1,700 to 1,900 fps from a 16-inch barrel. This produces 2,300 to 2,900 ft-lbs of energy, at the muzzle.
The cost of all the lead moving out of an AR-15 is a drop over distance. The Beowulf sinks like a stone. The two loads shown in this Shooter's Calculator graph drop anywhere from 15 to 20 inches at 200 yards, and well over 50 inches at 300 yards.
Feats of long-range accuracy with the buffalo rifles of yore certainly weren't impossible (Billy Dixon at the Second Battle of Adobe Walls comes to mind). However, the .50 Beowulf's primary purpose is as a shorter-range cartridge. Around 200 yards and in is where it does its best work.
Who Uses .50 Beowulf?
When it comes to professional or sporting use, .50 Beowulf has a certain niche. Created for a specific role, within that it can be very useful.
LE And Military
Small Arms Review wrote in 2013, the .50 Beowulf found use by a limited number of military personnel in the field. Though very little has emerged since then on any further field use.
From a military or LE standpoint, the caliber has narrow applications. The best use-case would be for CQB, breaching, and checkpoints where vehicle defeat (stopping the vehicle or shooting through to the occupants inside it) were ballistic needs.
The most obvious benefit, of course, is that the operator can just swap an M4 upper for a .50 Beowulf upper in seconds. But an additional benefit is the .50 Beowulf (in theory) would abrogate most roles for a combat shotgun.
Just switch uppers, get the same capabilities and not need to know a whole other manual of arms–why bother with a whole other weapon system?
Hunting
As for sporting use, it has a niche as a hunting caliber. It's legal in straight-wall jurisdictions, and would certainly be viable for bear defense in Alaska and the select other states with extant grizzly bear populations.
Brush deflection would certainly not concern a hunter ever again!
It's a bit large for whitetail deer and other medium-sized game such as black bear and hogs. Though mild loads of .45-70 and other large-bore, mild-velocity cartridges don't destroy as much meat as one might assume.
Why Would YOU Want A .50 Beowulf Rifle?
If you just want one just because…get one! Enjoy it! After all of one’s practical bases are covered in their arsenal, there’s nothing wrong with owning other guns that don’t have a specific purpose. That said, .50 Beowulf may still have something to offer you…
It is a hammer, and anything in close will be bashed flat.
Hunting The Beowulf
As a game cartridge, it would be an excellent choice for brush hunting where close shots—inside 200 yards—were literally the only shot opportunities you'd be getting and brush deflection was all but assured. It will also excel on larger game such as elk, moose and bears.
It loses some ground to other straight-wall cartridges for medium game. This includes the .350 Legend (which has less recoil and flatter trajectory), .450 Bushmaster and, certainly on a cost basis, a rifled slug gun. The final has similar ballistics but is cheaper to buy and shoot.
It would be an excellent choice of bear rifle in grizzly country. Guides in Alaska are known to prefer heavier, more powerful cartridges like .45-70, .416 Ruger and .375 H&H Magnum. The .50 Beowulf would be a natural fit in that role.
Personal Defense Applications
As far as personal defense–either as a home defense weapon or in the ever-popular hypothetical SHTF scenario–the truth is it's not the best choice in either case.
The problem with rifle cartridges is formal testing indicates many of them are prone to penetration in excess (far in excess in some cases) of the FBI standard of 12 to 18 inches of calibrated gelatin through four layers of denim.
Ballistic gel test of .50 Beowulf 200g ARX ammo. Photo: Alexander Arms.
A bullet that does so will exit a body with enough force to injure or kill another person. Since the armed civilian is responsible for every shot they fire, using something like .50 Beowulf for defense with neighbors around carries a lot of unnecessary risks.
The ballistic testing that other calibers have in spades just doesn't exist for .50 Beowulf. Amature tests aside, there isn't enough reliable, repeatable information to say it is or isn't an appropriate choice. Plenty of data indicates other calibers already fit the bill. Therefore, stick with the proven.
Prepper Gun
As for SHTF…well, the reality is a more versatile caliber, more easily resupplied is more advantageous. 5.56mm, .308, .30-06 and so on are superior in that regard, and not to mention cheaper.
That also presumes a very specific version of “SHTF” that has little to do with probable or remotely possible versions of future events based on reality. Mad Max is a fantastic series of movies, but the way the S is likely to HTF is closer to The Grapes of Wrath than anything else.
The 5 Best .50 Beowulf Rifles: A Buyer's Guide
Alexander Arms AWS
The AWS series by Alexander Arms—the company that invented the cartridge—is their top-of-the-line model. It boasts a 16-inch chrome-moly barrel with a threaded muzzle and thread protector and a mid-length gas system.
The furniture is by Magpul (CTR stock, MOE grip and winter trigger guard) with a Radian charging handle, Midwest Industries M-LOK handguard, and a 3-pound single-stage trigger by Velocity Precision. You can add your choice of a tank or pepper pot brake or a Millennium compensator. It ships with one 7-round magazine, and while the price may be high, at least all Alexander Arms rifles come with the option of a free hat.
ExoticAR15 specializes in .50-caliber AR-platform rifles and pistols, chambered in 12.7x42mm for the reasons mentioned rather than the official .50 Beowulf. In any event, their rifles offer a bit more in terms of features for the price paid.
A mid-length gas 16-inch barrel is free-floated with a Timber Creek Heart Breaker Tanker muzzle brake standard on most models. The upper and lower are matched for zero play, as well as color-matched, with a 12-inch M-LOK railed handguard.
A Daniel Defense stock and Magpul MOE grip make up the furniture, along with an ambidextrous safety, anti-walk pins and an adjustable competition trigger.
The rifle is offered in several different colors of Cerakote finish, and an 18-inch barrel model is available as well.
The Highlander is Alexander Arms’ pistol version, with an SB Tactical SBA3 brace and Ergo rubber grip. The M-LOK handguard is made by TCE for Alexander Arms.
The Highlander pistol has a 12-inch barrel, with a threaded muzzle and thread protector on the base model. You can add your choice of muzzle device as mentioned above, as well as a 3-pound single-stage Velocity trigger. Like the rifle, it’s also offered with different Cerakote finishes and ships with a 7-round mag.
If you wanted to get into .50 Beowulf (or 12.7x42mm) for a bit less, Bear Creek Arsenal offers their BC-15 in this caliber.
You get a 16-inch CMV barrel with a carbine-length gas system, birdcage-style flash hider, 15-inch M-LOK handguard and Bear Creek's signature side-charging upper. The furniture is an M4 stock, A2-style grip, winter trigger guard and a mil-spec trigger group.
Alexander Arms’ entry-level model is the Hunter Standard. The rifle has a 16-inch barrel and mid-length gas system, with an Alexander Arms-branded handguard with M-LOK slots at the 9- and 3-o'clock positions. Furniture is an Adaptive Tactical stock, an ergonomic rubber grip and a mil-spec charging handle, safety and trigger.
It's a more basic black rifle with a black anodized finish instead of Cerakote. However, you have the option to upgrade by adding a muzzle device or a Radian Raptor ambidextrous charging handle.
Retro AR parts now are back on the market as H&R begins shipping lower receivers.
It came to light not too far back that JJE, the parent company that owns Palmetto State Armory, had acquired NoDak Spud as well as the rights to Harrington & Richardson. For those who haven’t dived into the world of retro AR-15s, NoDak Spud has been the primary source for historically-accurate AR-15 receivers for many years. For anyone who was looking to build a clone of a military or police AR from the ‘60s through the ‘80s, NoDak was the place to go. H&R was also one of the original manufacturers of M16 rifles, and most of those used in Vietnam bore their mark.
Retro AR cloners can get quite obsessive about having the correct roll marks, and this merger will allow for H&R-marked receivers without causing any copyright controversies. By combining NoDak Spud’s know-how with the legally-owned H&R brand name and JJE’s production capacities, it means that some very historically-correct, mass-produced retro AR rifles and parts are about to become a reality.
While the new H&R promises that nearly the full catalog of old NoDak Spud components will eventually become available, tooling up to do so will take some time. The company decided to start with M16A1 parts, and the first batch of H&R-marked lower receivers was listed on July 22nd. They sold out incredibly fast, as many builders had been anticipating this for some time, but it’s a sure sign that production has officially begun. A1 uppers will supposedly be the next component to be released.
Complete rifles will eventually be offered as well, such as the M16A1 that was featured at SHOT Show 2022. A2-series, C7 and even some more experimental receivers are supposedly in the pipeline too. Retro ARs have only grown more popular over the past few years, but the market has been devoid of affordable parts to build them with. This release of H&R lowers hopefully marks the beginning of a new era of accessible retro rifles that won’t break the bank. MSRP for the new lower is $159.99.
Ed Brown, a company famous for its supremely reliable aftermarket 1911 mags, has just expanded its catalog to include S&W M&P Shield magazines.
A semi-auto handgun is only as reliable as its best magazine, something that is an especially important consideration when it comes to 1911-style pistols. This has been Ed Brown’s focus for more than 50 years, but in an interesting shakeup, the company has just announced that they will begin producing S&W M&P shield magazines in 9mm as well. While the M&P shield is not known for having magazine reliability issues like the 1911 is infamous for, those who carry one could always benefit from the additional peace of mind provided by top-of-the-line gear.
The new M&P Shield magazines are made of stainless steel and hold 8 rounds, and each will also include a spacer to eliminate the gap between the slightly longer-than-standard mag and the bottom of the grip. These new mags are only compatible with the standard 9mm M&P Shield, but because Ed Brown intends to continue expanding its catalog, the eventual release of M&P Plus or EZ magazines would not be surprising.
Ed Brown Sales and Marketing Director John May said this about the company’s recent expansion:
As we continue to expand our parts and accessories, it is clear why Ed Brown has been the leader. We continue to use our knowledge and experience to serve our customer’s needs. If you have not checked out Ed Brown in a while, you had better look again.
The new magazines are available now and have an MSRP of $34.99, which is about the same price that S&W OEM versions are currently retailing for online. With a price like that, it makes your next M&P shield magazine purchase a no-brainer.
When ammo supplies are tight, keep on training by reloading pistol cartridges yourself.
This ammunition crunch is, quite possibly, the worst in living memory—surely worse than that of 2013. I receive numerous inquiries each week from folks who’ve become accustomed to sending a healthy amount of pistol bullets downrange, regarding how they can get into reloading pistol cartridges in an affordable yet effective manner. Let’s take a look at a minimalist setup for someone looking to make their own pistol ammo, keeping costs as low as possible.
Reloading tools don’t need to break the bank. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
One Piece At A Time
You’ll need projectiles, powder and primers, but you can reuse spent cases. While many of the bullet and powder companies publish their data online, I still love the reloading manuals. The manual will indicate the specific powder and its charge weight range, as well as the type and brand of primer used in the data published.
You’ll need a specific set of tools to get rolling, and while entry-level tools will suffice, I’ll wager you’ll upgrade once the reloading bug bites you. I’m outlining the simplest way to get going, simply to feed your handgun. And I’m concentrating on the most popular handgun cartridges, such as the 9mm Luger, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, etc.
The first tool is a reloading press, and while I most definitely prefer the additional strength of an “O” frame press for rifle cartridges, a “C” frame press will suffice for the straight-walled pistol cases. The Lee Breech Lock Reloader Single Stage press can be yours for under $40, and the Lyman Brass Smith C Frame—a bit more rugged and made of cast-iron—is just shy of $90. Both are sound choices, though I’d choose the beefier Lyman model.
Lee reloading dies are a great entry-level choice, as they come with load data, appropriate volumetric powder scoop and shell holder. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Reloading dies serve several functions, including reducing a spent case back to the original dimensions (before expansion), knocking out a spent primer, flaring the case mouth for bullet seating, pressing a new bullet into the case and crimping that bullet in place. Lee offers dies that are a great value for the beginner, and I recommend them for this application.
In addition to the proper dies, Lee includes a shell holder (which works with any press) and a polymer scoop for measuring powder volumetrically. They even include load data based on their scoop volumes. So, while there might be fancier dies available, the Lee set will get the job done, at usually less than $50. And I definitely prefer the carbide dies—they won’t require any case lubricant.
You’ll need a reloading scale, and for the beginner, the balance-beam is the only way to go. There are many models at varying price points, but don’t go with the lowest bidder here. I like the RCBS M500 at around $75, and the Redding Model No. 2 for just under $100. This is an important piece of gear, as an incorrectly weighed powder charge could be catastrophic.
For trimming your cases, look to the Lee Case Length Gauge and Trimmer (about $8) of trimming cases to the appropriate length, though it might cost you some elbow grease. Trimming cases is especially important for the rimmed revolver cartridges because the roll-crimp needed to keep the bullets in place will be directly dependent on the case length.
You’ll need a pocket cleaner to scrape the residue out of the primer pockets, and for that I like the Lee Primer Pocket Cleaner. It’s two tools in one, with a scraper on either side to handle both large and small primer pockets. At a street price of about $6, you can’t go wrong. I’d also grab a Lee chamfer/deburring tool for $5 to take any sharp edges off the inside and outside of case mouths after trimming. It’ll result in ammunition that feeds better in semi-auto handguns.
A means of measuring cases, assembled cartridges and other associated items is necessary, look to a dial caliper or digital caliper. Frankford Arsenal makes a digital caliper that runs about $20, Hornady makes a dial caliper at around $40, and there are others. I have an RCBS digital caliper (about $80), which has been reliable for years, and there are much more expensive (and precise) models, but the inexpensive models will suffice if you handle them with care.
The affordability of some reloading tools is offset by the need for good old-fashioned elbow grease. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
To seat new primers in your cases, you can use the priming arm and cup on your press—if it’s equipped with one—or you can use a hand primer. I like the RCBS Hand Priming Tool (about $40) or Lyman E-Zee Prime Universal Hand Priming Tool ($35 or so) to handle the priming of my cases, as they’re easy to use, give a great, consistent primer seating depth.
Dispensing powder can be done by hand with the Lee scoop, or even a simple spoon, directly into the pan of the balance beam scale, and I definitely recommend weighing each powder charge. If you so choose, you can spend the money on one of the mechanical powder throwers—the Lyman Brass Smith Powder Measure can be had for about $45—though for years I used a Lee scoop and an RCBS Powder Trickler (about $20) to fine-tune the charge.
To hold your cases while loading them, you can use a drill and a bit of appropriate diameter to drill holes in a block of wood, like a scrap of 2×4 or something similar, to create homemade loading blocks.
Feel The Powder
Powder choices for pistol cartridges are rather wide, as there are many ways to get the job done. Hodgdon’s Titegroup and Alliant’s Unique are but a couple of powders that’ll go a long way. There are 7,000 grains to the pound, and many pistol loads run on less than five grains of powder; this equates to around 1,400 shots to the pound of powder. Let’s say the average price of a pound of powder, before shipping and the HazMat fee, is $25, so you’ll pay less than $0.02 per shot. Primers will cost about 3 or 4 cents apiece, and bullet costs can vary widely.
Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The huge obstacle, at least at the time of this writing, is that the components and tools are selling like hotcakes as well, with many places out of stock. However, this dissertation sheds some light on what the minimum investment is to get up and running, and at the least, you can begin to collect the necessary tools for reloading ammunition—and hopefully, none of us will be caught in this predicament again.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2021 CCW special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
This is another cartridge designed by John Browning and introduced by Colt in 1900 for its .38 Automatic. In its original form, this pistol was designed as a military gun. From this evolved the seven-shot sporting and eight-shot military models of 1902.
This cartridge was stepped up in power in 1929, and the improved round called the .38 Super Auto. In the United States, only Colt chambered it. In England, Webley & Scott chambered it in one version of its military automatic. In Spain, a number of automatics have been made for the .38 ACP.
Although developed for military and self-defense uses, the .38 Colt Auto achieved a degree of popularity for sporting use through its relatively high velocity. The military turned it down because of previous poor results with the .38 Long Colt. No guns designed for this cartridge have been made since 1928, but plenty of the older model Colt pistols are still used.
In power, it’s about the same as the 9mm Luger, but it has a longer semi-rimmed case. This cartridge is now obsolete and is no longer loaded by any major ammunition maker.
If you're planning some trigger time you need to consider what you'll pitch rounds toward. Here's everything you need to know about shooting targets and then some.
What You Need To Consider When Buying A Shooting Target:
Material best suited to your style of shooting.
Cost they'll run.
Their longevity — are they one-time use or will you get years out of one.
The type of target that will enhance your style of shooting.
If you don’t enjoy target shooting, well … there’s something just plain wrong with you. No offense, but even if you live for elk season or were born to run and gun at a practical pistol match, an afternoon plugging away at the bullseye should still get your juice flowing. Especially nowadays …
Never has there been a wider, more diverse and more useful selection of shooting targets available, no matter what gun or discipline happens to be your passion. From precision sight-in options to “dial your riflescope way up” options, to AR500 steel monsters made for the long haul, you have everything you need to satiate your itchy trigger finger and sharpen your skills. With the wealth of shooting targets out there today, the only question really is: Which one is right for you?
The answer, as always when it comes to guns and gear, is “It depends… .” If it’s purely pleasure principal, then nearly anything that turns your fancy will do. However, if you aim at something greater, such a skill improvement, well then picking your target requires some consideration.
As most know, targets are made from different materials. The four most commonly used are:
Paper or cardboard
Steel
Clay
Polymer
As is usually the case with different materials, each excels at different tasks and flounder at others. In turn, what your target is made of should match up with what you plan to do when you go shooting. Here’s a brief rundown of what each material is good and bad at achieving.
Paper: As the most familiar target material, paper continues as one of the most versatile. An excellent medium for tracking shot groups, it’s a top choice if you need to adjust your sights or scope, or if you need to tally a score in a competitive shooting match. Plain paper targets, at distance, can prove difficult to inspect with the naked eye. However, modern reactive chip targets – where hits create vivid halos on their surface – make them easier to read. Only clays have less longevity than paper shooting targets; however, in most cases, neither will break the bank.
Steel: Gaining more popularity among everyday shooters in recent decades, steel targets are the most durable and longest lasting. With proper care, many AR500 steel targets last nearly a lifetime. Excellent for training, steel shooting targets provide instant auditory feedback when struck – a sound you’ll grow to love. Furthermore, there are a variety of reactive targets made from steel that not only increase the enjoyment of shooting, but they also up the challenge. The drawback to steel targets is many of the larger ones are fairly unwieldy and are a hassle to move around. What’s more, steel costs more up front … but don’t let that make you think they’re not economical over the long haul.
Clay: If you’re a shotgun shooter, you know clay targets. Chances are good that you shoot them when you aren’t shooting birds. While they’re the dominant target in shotgun games, clays are sometimes found downrange from pistols and rifles, generally as a bit of fun. You definitely know when you hit these brittle targets because they break up or evaporate into a cloud of dust. And therein lies their drawback: Clays are absolutely one-time use.
Polymer: Designed to allow a bullet to pass through with minimal damage, polymer targets typically have a decent lifespan. However, they won’t last forever. Predominantly, polymers are used in ground targets – three-dimensional targets that rest on the ground – because they require some sort of backstop. This style of target, however, proves great fun, since they’ll jump like a frog in hot water when hit.
Types Of Shooting Targets
Given the variety of shooting target styles available today, it would take a multi-volume book to catalog them all. But that’s alright, because many of them cater to specific shooters with specific interests and goals.
That said, it’s safe to break down the types of shooting targets into a few different categories to get an idea what’s available. By no means are these definitive: Many of the targets bleed over into other categories. But, in general, this gives you an idea of what you might look for to achieve certain goals the next time you’re fixing to burn some ammo.
Accuracy Targets
Certainly, accuracy is always the top goal when you send a bullet flying … otherwise, what’s the challenge? And there are definitely shooting targets that are adept at improving and evaluating how well you hit the mark. Two of the most common are bullseye and sight-in. The former is perhaps the best-known shooting target and is excellent for new marksmen. It’s ideal for refining a sight picture and learning where to hold, as well as honing the mechanics of making an accurate shot – breathing, trigger control, etc. As a staple of riflemen, the latter is a must-have for zeroing in a scope – as its “sight-in target” name suggests. With a grid laid out across its surface, the target gives you the ability to appraise your groups and adjust your optic’s aim point.
Feedback Targets
Occasionally, immediate or specific feedback is required to drill down a shooting skill. In turn, a target that lets you know you’re on the mark soon after the trigger is pulled is required. Steel shooting targets are the most familiar variety, with their sweet “Ping!” ringing out when you’ve made a hit. Ideal for rapid fire-training with a handgun or carbine, or for long-range shooting, a good piece of steel gives you the feedback you need.
Although they’re very much different from steel, modern game targets also fall into this category, though they deliver a different kind of data on how you’re shooting. With the vital zones embossed on the game animal, this shooting target option familiarizes you with your particularly quarry’s anatomy well enough to put meat on the table.
Skill-Based Targets
Skill-based targets are legion. In a certain respect, when talking trap and skeet, clays fall into this group. For rifle and pistol shooters, the silhouette is among the most utilized. If you own a handgun, there’s a good chance you’ve stared one down and understand their importance to self-defense training. Deadly force isn’t something to take lightly, and a shooting target such as a silhouette ensures you know how to wield it effectively.
Cost Of Shooting Targets
Economy is an issue any time you’re shooting. In turn, it should play a role in your target selection. But don’t fool yourself: A tiny price tag at the store doesn’t necessarily mean you’re saving money.
Without argument, paper targets are the cheapest, but, at best, you’ll get an afternoon out of one … and much less time than that if you’re shooting a lot. More durable targets, such as steel, can last nearly a lifetime. Given this, they’ll tend to cost less the more you shoot.
Again, it all comes down to personal habits when choosing which shooting target better fits your budget. If you head to the range once a month or less, paper most likely will prove a lighter burden on your pocketbook. But, if you’re a once or twice weekly shooter, then steel should turn out to have greater value.
Parting Shot
Now that you know what shooting target options available to you, it should be a piece of cake getting one to fit your needs. But here’s a final word of advice: Don’t hem yourself in. Similar to finding the right ammo for your gun, you won’t truly know what works until you pitch a few rounds at one. Besides, it will get you shooting more often.
10 Best Targets
NRA Official Smallbore Rifle Targets A-23/5 50 Yard
Outside of the competitive world, the .22 often gets pegged purely as a pleasure gun. A little something to knock over soup cans and pot the occasional squirrel. The accuracy of these small-bore rifles is sometimes overlooked, leaving a lot of potential on the table. That’s a shame, no matter how you use yours.
The NRA Official Smallbore 50-Yard Rifle Targets can change this rather quickly. I promise you, if you work these relatively pedestrian shooting targets into your regular range time, you’ll be blown away with how steely you’ll get with your rimfire.
A bullseye a hair under 4-inches in diameter, I can attest, is frustratingly imperceivable at 50-yards through open sights. But learn to hold and hit at that range, the sky is the limit. Best of all, NRA Smallbore Rifle Targets are as affordable as they come, so there’s little excuse not to add a sheet to your next shooting session.
Birchwood Casey Pregame Turkey
You’ve got to know your choke. You’ve got to know your ammo. You’ve got to know your gun’s limit. Plain and simple, to have success in the turkey woods, you’ve got to know how your shotgun patterns. Birchwood Casey makes it easier than ever before with the Pregame Turkey Target.
More than simply a photorealistic turkey with illustrated anatomy, the different target zones react with different colors when hit. Knock the gobbler in the brain or spine, a bright orange halo appears. Put shot on a non-vital area, a yellow halo. A plum miss, look for a white halo, then cuss.
Realistically, this makes the chore of walking the range to evaluate your pattern a thing of the past and is a boon for those zeroing in a reflex sight. More importantly, the Pregame Turkey will add another fan to your wall. birchwoodcasey.com
Rite In The Rain 25-Meter Zeroing Target
Those with military experience will recognize the next shooting target. You most likely zeroed in on one. For a lot of shooters, the familiarity of the layout makes this a grand option if you have a carbine you need to dial in. Even if you’re new to this style, it’s still dynamite.
Rite In The Rain makes it even better doing what they do best, making paper waterproof. If you spent any time at the range in inclement weather and with regular targets you know this is a godsend. No more soggy corners coming off in the middle of a string or paper disintegrating in a deluge.
If you take your training seriously, you should get out in the muck for some trigger time. Rite In The Rain makes certain you don’t have an excuse not to. riteintherain.com
Birchwood Casey Dirty Bird Silhouette
As pointed out above, Birchwood Casey has greatly improved sighting in with their easy-to-see Shoot-N-C line of shooting targets. Rifle marksmen, however, aren’t the only ones who benefit from the company’s splatter targets.
Bringing Birchwood Casey’s high-visibility technology to self-defense training, Dirty Bird Silhouettes are a downright boon when working with your carry gun.
Logically, you might ask, why would you’d need a splatter target if you’re shooting between, say, 7 and 20 yards. The same question rattled through my head before I hung one up at my local indoor range. After a few rounds, I got it – big time.
With instant feedback of where you’re hitting, the Dirty Bird Silhouette is invaluable, particularly during rapid-fire segments. It’s a real gem on the Mozambique drill. Furthermore, I’d imagine the silhouette is gangbusters at close- to medium-range training with a carbine. birchwoodcasey.com
IPSC Shooting Targets (Paper)
If you carry, you need to train. In turn, you need shooting targets. Plain as generic-label beer, USPA/IPSC silhouettes are tough to beat – especially the paper variety. I’ve thrown countless rounds at these and still prefer them to nearly any other silhouette available.
Number one, they’re about as inexpensive as they come. A stack of 100 costs a little more than a box of defensive ammo.
Next, the scoring boxes are solid geography for self-defense training. Certainly, they’re not overly realistic by any stretch of the imagination, but you get a solid handle if you're placing your rounds where they need to go. And they’re versatile. If you happen to compete, they truly pull double duty. In short, your range kit simply isn’t complete without a few of these targets.
XSteel Jumping Jax
Many times, we think of ground targets as strictly handgun affairs. As XSteel proves, they most assuredly are not.
Constructed of quality 3/8-inch thick AR500 steel, the jack-style target can withstand hits up to a .308 Win. And when you hit, the shooting target more than lives up to its name, jumping into the air letting you know you’ve connected.
Thing is, you’ve got to hit it first. It’s harder than it sounds. There must be a few masochists working at XSteel, because they made the 12-inch tall shooting target’s paddles an infuriating 3-inches in diameter. Move it out past 100 yards and it’s a challenge. As we all know that only makes it more fun. MSRP: $54.97, xsteeltargets.com
Champion DuraSeal Bowling Pin Wobble
Some 3D and steel shooting targets have a major drawback. You have to set them up after you knock them down. Not the case with the DuraSeal Bowling Pin Wobble, a slick little piece of amusement that rights itself after you’ve wronged it.
A weighted round bottom, the pin resets itself almost immediately after you hit it with almost any conceivable caliber firearm. Seriously, this thing is rated up to .50 BMG. Though, if all you’ve got is a .22 pistol, never fear, it’s just as fun. Self-sealing rubber gives the target its resiliency, with any holes punched into it closing up after the bullet passes through.
As a diversion during serious training or just a little something to pass the time, you should set your sights on a DuraSeal Bowling Pin. championtarget.com
Birchwood Casey Ground Strike Hex
Due to poor action after being shot, some ground targets aren’t fun to shoot. The Ground Strike Hex certainly doesn’t fall into this category.
This baby can plum fly when you connect, which gives a fella ideas. Such as, why not buy two and race your buddy down the range? Anything for bragging rights.
Made in the USA, the Hex is rated for all calibers and is made to take a beating. Its self-sealing rubber is engineered to take hundreds of rounds before it shows any wear. To boot, its vivid fluorescent yellow color makes it easy to see, though at 6 inches in diameter, at some ranges it’s not exactly easy to hit. birchwoodcasey.com
Birchwood Casey World Of Targets Popper
As a simple, satisfying and practical way to sharpen your handgun skills, poppers are must-haves for serious shooters. Among the more affordable options is Birchwood Casey’s.
The USA-made AR500 steel pistol target stands 22 inches tall and is engineered for portability and durability. Easily set up in minutes, the target provides an ample yet challenging 8-inch wide paddle to punish. Best of all, boasting a hefty actuating spring, the target resets itself in the blink of an eye and is ready for another go-round. Providing both visual and auditory feedback, there’s perhaps no better or more enjoyable target to pepper. birchwoodcasey.com
Caldwell AR500 Full Size IPSC Steel Targets
When it comes to practical rifle marksmanship, full-size steel silhouette targets like this example from Caldwell take the cake. When minute-of-man accuracy is your only goal, the satisfying ring produced by these targets lets you know when you’ve made a successful hit without the need for a spotting scope or binoculars.
The biggest downside is the cost, as the nearly 50-pound weight of the full-size model takes a lot of steel to produce. Caldwell also offers reduced-size targets for cheaper, but the full-size targets enable the most realistic training by remaining true-to-scale at whatever range it is placed at.
These targets are 3/8-inches thick of hardened AR500 steel, meaning that they’re rated for rifle calibers up to 3,000 fps and can withstand thousands of rounds of fire. So, while they may be expensive, at least these targets should last quite a while. To top it off, Caldwell also offers several different hanging solutions for these targets, meaning that most shooters should have a way to make them work with their range setup. MSRP: $209.99, caldwellshooting.com
I can hardly recognize the modern world. All of a sudden, everyone wants a gun, everyone wants to carry and everyone wants to buy ammo. It’s hard to remember when we were all loners—the odd ducks even at our own gun clubs.
With that in mind, here’s a few carry guns that you might want to consider, assuming you can find anything to buy. Despite the slim selection at times, the important things to remember are: it fits your hand, it’s common enough that you can find a holster and it’s common enough that there are magazines for it.
Max Capacity:
Springfield Armory Hellcat
The Springfield Armory Hellcat is plenty accurate, for being a compact pistol that holds lots of rounds. The Shield RMSc red-dot optic on top doesn’t hurt, that’s for sure.
The Hellcat is the current high-water mark of daily carry technology. You’ve got 11+1 or 13+1 rounds, depending on using the flush or the extended magazine. You can have a red-dot sight on top if you wish, or you can stick with regular iron sights, if you’re a retro kind of shooter.
It’s chambered in 9mm, which right now is both good and bad. Good, in that there’s usually a wide, almost expansive selection of ammunition and loadings for it. However, since that’s the first thing everyone wants to buy, when 9mm ammo shows up at the local gun shop, it gets swarmed, bought and taken home.
The Hellcat doesn’t use a magazine found in any other pistol, but Springfield is quite aggressive in making sure there’s a sufficient supply. And because it’s a Springfield product, every holster maker offers something for it.
MSRP: $620
The Slim Option:
Walther CCP
Walther knows how to make accurate, reliable pistols. And the CCP is a soft-shooting one as well.
Not everyone wants a 9mm pistol that holds half a box of ammunition. So, for those who want something a bit slimmer, Walther makes the CCP M2. (The M2 means a regular magazine release button, not the europaddle release on the first models Walther USA brought in.)
The CCP also has another trick up its sleeve: their Softcoil recoil system. This is a gas-delayed piston system that buffers the slide in recoil. That makes the slide easier to retract and the recoil softer. The first time I fired one, I had to stop and inspect the CCP, certain that it failed to cycle. Nope, it had. Plus, it has a thumb safety as well.
So, if you want a soft-shooting and easy-racking 9mm, here you go. If you don’t want a thumb safety, then the quality and utility of the Walther might not be enough to overcome that prejudice.
Magazines might be a bit pricey (and maybe not), but one thing is for sure: They’re durable enough to last the rest of your life.
MSRP: $469
The CCW Revolver:
Kimber K6s
Kimber went from bolt-action rifles to 1911s, to double-action revolvers. And each step of the way, they outdid themselves. If revolvers are your carry “thing,” then you’ll like the K6s. And the 3-inch-barrel model is even easier to shoot than the 2-inch one.
Not everyone worships at the altar of the 9mm. And, some people want a bit of versatility in their carry gun. The latest K6s is the 3-inch version of the Kimber revolver, and it’s really sweet.
The FBI, back when they were in the headlines for catching bank robbers and such, decided the best carry gun was a .357 Magnum with a 3-inch barrel. The .357 chambering means you have the choice you desire in power, from .38 wadcutter target ammo on the bottom, to the stoutest .357 Magnum loading you can stand to shoot.
For precision, thumb-cock the hammer. For fast shooting, it’s hard to beat double-action (DA). And no, you don’t have to give up accuracy for double-action shooting, you just have to practice.
Revolvers don’t need no stinking magazines. For fast reloads, you use speedloaders, and Kimber makes them for the K6s, of course. And holsters? Holster makers have been making holsters for six-shot DA revolvers since before Teddy Roosevelt charged up San Juan Hill.
MSRP: $985
The Underrated:
Canik TP9
The Canik TP9 Elite SC, with a name almost as big as the pistol, is a first-class choice in your daily carry ensemble. Twelve shots for the flush-mount mag, 15 here and 18 or 20 shots as options on the reload. What’s not to like?
When it comes to hi-cap 9mm pistols, you have plenty of choices. One that you might pass over, if you haven’t gotten the word, is the Canik TP9.
Made in Turkey, the Canik, has gotten quite some traction on the competition circuit (well, the bigger models, the one here is definitely a carry gun) for their excellent triggers. That and reliability, which is always foremost in the practical competition shooter’s mind. No matter how accurate, how fast-shooting, how good a trigger it is, if it isn’t reliable, it won’t get a second look from the competition crowd.
The Sub Elite here has a 12-round capacity magazine, but all the Canik TP 9mm magazines will work in it, so you have your choices of 12-, 15-, 18- and 20-round magazines. And that’s even before you use a capacity-extending basepad.
The Sub Elite also has a top plate you can remove and install a red-dot sight in its place. Now, magazines are Canik-specific, but a quick look at the Canik web page shows a wide selection at competitive prices. So, you can readily add to the ones that arrive with your pistol. And holsters? When I went to look for holsters, my computer practically exploded with choices. Don’t have any fears there.
MSRP: $439
FN509C
The FN509 series have changeable backstraps, so you can adjust the frame to fit your hand more readily. If you’re fondling one, try it with each size.
The Compact model of the FN509 comes to us courtesy of the U.S. Army. They decided they wanted a new pistol, but they also decided that they could only pick one. So, when some other company won the military contract, FN got busy making pistols for the rest of us.
The compact version is a lot smaller than the full-sized duty pistol that FN submitted to the Army, but it has many of the same features. There’s the cold-hammer-forged barrel, the replaceable backstraps, the frame-mounted accessory rail, the ambidextrous slide stop and magazine release. Not swappable, as some are, but a button that works to release the magazine, regardless of which side you push on.
The swappable backstraps mean the FN509C actually comes in two sizes, so try both for feel.
Since it’s the compact version of their full-line 509 series, you can use any of the magazines they make for the 509, from 10 shots per, up to 21 shots in a magazine. Yes, a magazine bigger than the pistol you can use it in. And just to be different, FN offers the 509 Compact in black of FDE, also known as Flat Dark Earth. The rest of us call it tan.
As far as ruggedness and reliability go, FN makes belt-fed machine guns for our armed forces. They’d be embarrassed to offer a pistol that wasn’t as tough as that, so they make sure their pistols measure up.
MSRP: $719
Must Do: Test Drives
The important thing to keep in mind, when you’re looking to invest in a daily carry gun (pistol or revolver), is that it fits your hand. You really should spend some time at the gun counter, handling pistols (don’t be surprised if they only let you have two at a time out of the counter, the authorities frown on losing track of pistols) and seeing how they fit in your hands.
In this, a gun shop with a range and rental guns to try is invaluable. “But it costs a lot of money to rent several pistols and buy range ammo to see what fits,” you say. Yes, it does. Look at it this way: You buy a pistol on the recommendation of a friend and find out that it doesn’t agree with your hands. It isn’t comfortable, it points wrong and it pinches you. Even setting aside the paperwork hassle of buying, then selling and buying again (and in some jurisdictions, the paperwork hassle is monumental), the financial hit can be painful.
Let’s say you bought your 9mm pistol for $600. Now that you’ve shot it and find you don’t like it, what will the gun shop buy it back for? Or give credit on a trade for something else? You could end up with a $100 to $200 loss. That’s a lot of range time, pistol rental and range ammo, to find the one you won’t take a loss on.
Rental guns are good things. And there’s another thing: durability. If you walk into a range with rentals, you can count on what you see in the counter being there for one of two reasons: They’re unbreakable, or they’re so movieland bling-worthy that they’re in the counter even though they aren’t reliable or durable. If you’re interested, ask. “Oh, that one? We have it here because everyone wants to shoot a few rounds out of it. If you want a daily carry gun, try this one over here.”
The guys and gals who run the rental counter know what works and what doesn’t. The ones I’ve listed here all work, so you can be safe starting with these. Check them for fit. But if they don’t fit you, they don’t fit you; move on and try something else.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2021 CCW special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Homemade firearms have come a long way thanks to technologies like 3D printing, but the crude zip gun remains a timeless beacon of 2A rights.
A folk term, a “zip gun” is essentially a crude improvised or homemade firearm. It's typically a single-shot design using a primitive method for locking the breech and a very simple firing mechanism.
Obviously, not all homemade firearms are created equal.
An AR assembled at home, a gun built from a kit, a 1911 pistol patiently hand-fit to match tolerances are technically homemade. However, so is a crude amalgamation of scrap metal that would make a Sten gun look like the Mona Lisa.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's assassin with his homemade firearm. It was reportedly made using water pipes for barrels and batteries for an electronic ignition.
So while all zip guns are homemade firearms, not all homemade firearms are zip guns. Essentially, a zip gun refers to an improvised single-shot firearm using parts easily found at Home Depot or in a scrap heap.
Zip Guns vs 3D Printed Guns vs 80 Percent Firearms
As we've determined, is a crude, cheap, homemade firearm that's usually single-shot and made from common household items. There are, however, other firearms built–or nearly built–from the ground up.
3D Printed Firearms
Thanks to recent pearl-clutching, 3D printed firearms are among the best known. Counter to the zip gun, the firearms are much more sophisticated and require special manufacturing equipment.
As its name implies, 3D printed guns are created from, you guessed it, a 3D printer. The receiver or a entire firearm is manufactured by stacking microscopic bits of polymer together until the part or gun is made.
To create one, however, a person needs the plans just like you would if you where to to manufacture a part with a CNC machine. You either find the files on the internet or create them yourself using computer-aided drafting (CAD) software.
80 Percent Firearms
These are unfinished firearms essentially. The basic shape of the lower receiver–in the case of an AR–or frame–in the case of a handgun–is there. But material enough remains it does not meet the ATF's definition of a firearm.
You, the kitchen-table gunsmith, cut away the material to finish the component. In the case of pistol frames, you'll use of a jig and a drill to finish. The 80 percent AR receiver, on the other hand, requires actual milling–if you aim to do it correctly.
The History Of Improvised And Homemade Firearms
For several centuries following the advent of gunpowder-based weapons, almost all firearms produced were essentially homemade. Before the industrial revolution and the standardization of parts, the only unifying factors between gun designs were their basic operating principles.
The first guns were the fire lances of medieval China, bamboo tubes charged with gunpowder and filled with whatever the soldier could get as shot. These were single-shot weapons, occasionally used in battery, much like volley guns.
A depiction of a medieval fire lance. Photo: Wikipedia.
As firearms technology progressed, so too did the skills required to make them. Fire lances evolved into metal-cast hand cannons, requiring blacksmithing knowledge to produce. These gave way to smoothbore muskets, featuring increasingly complex ignition mechanisms.
While almost anyone could drill a flash hole into a barrel, the introduction of matchlocks, wheellocks and flintlocks resulted in the need for much more specialized labor.
The advent of rifling improved the efficacy of long guns at the cost of more complex manufacturing, but it hardly meant the end of simple smoothbore firearms. The zip gun is a testament to this.
Is It Legal To Make A Zip Gun?
Bear in mind this isn't legal advice; we're just talking about an overview of publicly available information about laws. Make sure you talk to an attorney if you want to be certain what you're doing is legal.
A Boston police officer holding a zip gun. Photo: Wikipedia.
Federal law (specifically the Gun Control Acts of 1934 and 1968) doesn't prohibit an otherwise non-prohibited person from building a firearm for personal use. Registration, serial numbering, a background check and so on aren't required.
According to federal law, the only requirement is that it must be detectable by a metal detector and that you don't sell it.
However…any firearm made to look like anything other than a gun, such as a cane gun, is classified as Any Other Weapon under the NFA. AOWs are Title II firearms and require a tax stamp and Federal paperwork.
A homemade shotgun disguised as a cane. This particular weapon was involved in the 2003 “Pizza Bomber” case. Photo: Wikipedia.
That's it…as far as the letter of the law is concerned. Of course, how federal and state agencies interpret and enforce the law is something else entirely.
Buy, Build, Shoot Kits: The ATF's New Rule
The Biden administration has made gun regulation a priority, and among the proposals is a crackdown on “ghost guns.” In April of 2022, the Biden administration announced a new rule impacting “buy, build, shoot” kits.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives amended its official definition of firearm frames and receivers. Essentially, any kit or collection of parts that can be assembled into a firearm is a firearm in the Fed's eyes and must have a serial number, plus requires a background check to purchase. The questionable rule change came about in April 2022 and takes effect in August of 2022.
Vaguely written, confusion abounds as to what this rule change means. For certain, it sounds as if 80 percent kits—including jigs, guides, slides and other components—require serialization. Where it’s foggy are stand-alone 80 percent lowers.
Some legal experts say these are exempt, others that they are not. A sticky wicket for certain, and one that gun owners are likely to hear much more about as time goes on.
State Laws On Homemade Firearms
A number of states preceded that ATF ruling by passing laws requiring serialization and background checks of any homemade or kit firearm.
To date, California, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Washington state passed laws banning “untraceable” (non-serialized) homemade firearms. The language is similar to the ATF's ruling on “buy, build, shoot” kits.
A Polymer80 buy, build, shoot kit. It includes everything one may need to build their own Glock-like pistol.
The city of Denver likewise enacted such an ordinance. For those unaware, Colorado did away with its state preemption laws pertaining to firearms, allowing municipalities and jurisdictions (think parks department) to enact their own firearms laws. Gun laws in Denver, Vail and other cities are much more restrictive than in the rest of the state.
Time will tell just how overreaching the new federal policy will prove and how it will affect legal gun owners. Until the rule is enacted, however, it is still in accordance with federal law for a nonprohibited person to build their own otherwise legal firearm using any means or methods that they wish, “buy, build, shoot kit” or not.
Zip Gun Types
Zip guns are hard to group into “classes” because of their impromptu nature. However, there are a few common features that many of them share.
Barrel Types
The barrel is typically a defining feature–more specifically, pipes versus pens.
Pen guns use the body of an ink pen for a barrel and they are typically made to fire a small-caliber cartridge. These designs are limited to cartridges that fit inside the body of a pen, typically some variant of a .22-caliber rimfire.
Pipe guns, on the other hand, chamber a wider variety of cartridges–pistol, rifle and shotgun shells. Generally, zip gun aficionados tend toward lower-pressure options, given most pipes have a low tolerance to the pressure produced.
This detail, combined with the abundance and power of shotgun shells, means that shotgun pipe guns are almost certainly the most common variant. During World War II, slam-fire shotguns boasting crude stocks saw action against the Japanese in the Philippines.
Speaking of slam-fire designs, another way to classify zip guns would be the firing mechanism.
Slam firing requires the user to manually strike a firing pin into the primer or slam the primer into a fixed firing pin almost like a mortar. The Richardson Philippine slam fire shotgun pictured above is obviously an example of the latter.
Other zip guns use some sort of mechanical tension to fire, such as a spring or even rubber bands. Typically a nail or a like object acts as the firing pin. The sophistication of the lock mechanism varies wildly, but the nicest examples may even have a pistol grip or stock fashioned for it.
Covert Zip Guns
Zip guns also have a history of use by spies and intelligence agencies. They're typically small-caliber weapons and often disguised as common items like cameras, cell phones and, of course, pens.
A gun disguised as a pack of cigarettes. Photo: Wikipedia.
The myriad improvised and covert weapons left some marks in pop culture, inspiring the Golden Gun in the eponymous James Bond novel and movie, the double-barrel plastic pistol in the Clint Eastwood film In The Line Of Fire and of course the use of the Sedgley OSS .38 caliber “glove pistol” in Inglorious Basterds.
The homemade pistol from “In The Line Of Fire.” Photo: IMFDB.
How A Zip Gun Is Made (In Case You Were Curious)
First off, should you?
Well, you're dealing with a lot of pressure (thousands of pounds per square inch) when engineering a firearm. And if something goes wrong that pressure and bits of metal and other material have a good chance of ending up in your hand–if you're lucky.
Furthermore, as we've established, homemade firearms are illegal in many states and the same rules apply to improvised guns as to factory-made–if you aren't allowed to legally possess a firearm at all, well that includes zip guns.
Overall, unless you're living in a post-apocalyptic hellscape, à la Cormac McCarthy's The Road, you shouldn't whip together your own gun from the scrap heap. If you have a from-scratch itch that demands scratching, look in the 80-percent class of firearms. Doing those correctly should provide enough of a challenge.
That said–and for a better understanding of zip guns in general–we're going to dig into how to make one.
A lot of different designs for zip guns are out there, and making one is fairly simple.
In a very general sense, to make a zip gun you must first find some sort of tube with a method to seal the breach. The next step is adding some sort of firing mechanism and maybe even some way to hold onto the thing.
A typical pen gun design. Notice the L-shaped cut. Photo: Wikipedia.
The simplest zip gun design that one can make is a slam fire pipe gun, which uses a common metal pipe with a threaded end and a pipe cap. You tap a hole in the center of the pipe cap and put a nail in there.
A common pen gun design is to cut an L-shaped hole in the pen barrel, then use the barrel from a door latch as a bolt. You add springs in the pen barrel forward of the bolt, which compresses as you draw the bolt back and locks into the recess.
Add a piece of a nail to make a firing pin, and cut a hole in the end cap. The end cap is where you load the cartridge–typically .22LR or .22 Long.
A Braverman Stinger in .25 ACP. This factory-made pen gun is unique because it is not classified as an AOW due to the fact that it must be folded into a pistol shape before it can fire.
Push the bolt out of the locking recess and the spring pushes it forward, hitting the firing pin and detonating the cartridge.
There have also been some more ornate “pen gun” designs, such as the Braverman Stinger.
However, be aware any “pen gun” or homemade firearm made to look like anything other than a gun is—as mentioned—classified as “Any Other Weapon” by the National Firearms Act. In turn, it is a Title II firearm and thus requires a tax stamp to make or possess.
A quite unique zip gun dubbed the “Smith & Methson” by those who confiscated it. Photo: Meskwaki National Police Department.
There are other designs, including some with crude hammers and springs and even sear designs, but you get a general idea. Get a tube, add a way to seat the cartridge, add a way to hit the primer and presto.
Kits For Zip Guns That Aren't Zip Guns
If you wanted to try a kit that can help you make a “zip gun” that isn't a “zip gun,” you could get the Pop-A 410 kit from Runway Sub Caliber, which is available through multiple online retailers.
The Pop A-.410 slam fire pipe shotgun kit after being completed.
The kit gives you some of what you need to make a slam fire pipe shotgun that fires .410 bore shells, specifically the barrel which has a fitting with a captured firing pin. It's fairly similar in function to the Richardson slam fire guerilla shotgun shown above but uses different, more commonly available parts.
Besides the included firing components, you need a few short lengths of pipe, pipe nipples, pipe caps, a pipe tree and a few pipe elbows. According to OffGridWeb, you could expect to spend about $40 in parts to complete the build.
The assembled gun slams the barrel into the frame, slamming the firing pin into the primer and detonating the cartridge.
If you wanted to get a feel for what it's like to make your own gun without having to do any of your own engineering, this kit would be a way to get into it.
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