XS Sights has just released Lever Rails for Henry Big Boy carbines, designed to allow users to more easily mount optics.
While XS Sights is primarily known for its handgun sights, especially of the tritium variety, the company makes some aiming solutions for long guns as well. The newest additions to the catalog include two models of XS Sights Lever Rails for Henry Big Bore carbines chambered for .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum.
The Lever Rails are designed to be an easy-to-install solution for adding a Picatinny rail to a Henry Big Boy lever-action. The rails are made from aircraft-grade, hard-coat anodized aluminum, so they should be both durable and lightweight.
The XS Lever Rails can be simply bolted to the barrel of a .357 Mag. or .44 Mag. Henry Big Boy carbine, and once installed allow the user to mount an optic of their choice as they would on any other Picatinny rail. The rail extends from the rear of the receiver to the front sight dovetail cut, giving plenty of real estate for larger scopes. There are two models of rail, however, and they must be specifically ordered for the caliber of Henry you have due to differences between the barrels. They are also only compatible with carbines with round barrels and steel receivers. Those who have a brass receiver or octagonal barrel are out of luck.
The XS Lever Rails have an MSRP of $72 and are available now. XS Sights also has an installation video guide embedded in the store page.
The reintroduced Marlin 1895 Trapper is a fast-handling thumper.
I’ve always been a history buff with interest in military firearms and especially armored vehicles. I’m sure that’s partly why I joined the Army and became an armored crewman and eventually a tank commander. But, as cool as those modern tanks I crewed were, there was a German tank from World War II that always captivated my imagination. That tank was the sleek and very fearsome Jagdpanther—hunting panther. It was an agile tank destroyer equipped with the legendary German 88mm gun.
Marlin’s new—reintroduced—1895 Trapper reminds me of that tank.
There are several reasons for this. Though heavier than the American-built Sherman tank, the Jagdpanther was just as fast. With its powerful main gun that could fire a variety of munitions, it could defeat every armored vehicle on the battlefield. The Jagdpanther offered a great balance of mobility, firepower and armor. Similarly, the Marlin 1895 Trapper is a heavy-duty lever gun chambered for the .45-70 Government, for which there are a variety of munitions that make it suitable for any game animal on Earth. It’s compact and handy—maneuverable—and like the Jagdpanther, it’s a hunter.
Marlin first offered the 1895 Trapper in 2018 while under the control of Remington. It was well received, but like a lot of the Marlin firearms produced then, reports of problems were common. Ruger acquired Marlin in 2020 and, though it took some time, their first lever gun was released before the end of 2021.
It was the 1895 SBL, and I detailed it here not all that long ago (Gun Digest May 2022 issue). I wrote that I felt the rifle was, “The best shooting lever-action rifle of any brand, style or design I have ever fired.” I felt that way because the quality of construction on that rifle was superb, and because two of the four loads tested delivered sub-MOA precision. As much as I liked that rifle, I like the new 1895 Trapper even better.
The Details
The new 1895 Trapper is built on the same stainless-steel action and has the same big loop lever as the 1895 SBL. And, like the 1895 SBL, it’s also chambered for the .45-70 Government. The primary difference is in barrel length; where the SBL has a 19.1-inch barrel, the Trapper’s barrel is 3 inches shorter. But just as with the SBL, the Trapper’s muzzle is also threaded at an 11/16-24 pitch for brake or suppressor attachment.
The muzzle of the 16.1-inch barrel on the new 1895 Marlin Trapper is threaded at a 11/16×24 pitch. A protective cap is standard issue.
Another obvious difference is the stock: The SBL had a gray laminated hardwood stock, and the Trapper’s stock is much darker. Aside from that, the stocks are identical, even down to the checkering, thick recoil pad and stainless-steel sling swivel attachments.
However, when you look closer, you’ll see the other differences. The SBL is fitted with a Picatinny sight rail that stretches from the rear of the receiver partially out the barrel. An adjustable aperture sight is incorporated in the rear of this rail and is paired with a Tritium fiber-optic front sight. Also, the rail allows for a variety of optical sights to be attached.
Instead of a rail, the Trapper utilizes a Skinner Sights rear aperture sight paired with a white-striped Skinner, Bear Buster front sight. The rear sight is screw-adjustable for elevation, and the rear screw slot is elongated to allow for windage adjustment. The other difference between these two rifles isn’t so obvious until you see them side by side. All the stainless-steel metal surfaces on the Trapper have a muted satin finish, which is perfect for a hunting rifle.
The combination of a satin stainless finish and the blackened laminated hardwood stock give the new Marlin 1895 Trapper a serious “I’m here for business” look.
A Little Customization
Unboxing this rifle, I was immediately smitten. It’s so compact and handy; it almost feels like it could fit in your pocket. Even if you’re on the short side, you can grasp it at the wrist of the stock and let it dangle, and the muzzle will still not reach the ground. When shouldering the Trapper, it seems like it wants to jump up and onto target. The action is smooth, the trigger is good and this rifle gives you the impression it was made for fighting it out with a pissed-off grizzly.
As much as I liked the look and feel of this rifle, I’m not a fan of the rear sight that comes on it. It’s a great sight, but for a .45-70 that might be used as I would use one—for a wide range of applications—it’s not what I want. This is mostly because with so many varied .45-70 loads available, I would have to constantly re-zero the rear sight. At 100 yards, the point of impact between power level one and power level two .45-70 loads can be more than a foot.
The 1895 Trapper comes with this adjustable Skinner aperture sight and white-striped Bear Buster front sight. To add versatility to the rifle, they were replaced with a scope-mount version of the same Skinner sight and a shorter Bear Buster front sight.
I called Skinner Sights and explained I wanted an aperture sight I could zero for the heaviest .45-70 loads, but which would also permit scope mounting, allowing me to easily zero for whatever .45-70 load I might want to use. Skinner suggested I replace the sight on the Trapper with another version they offer that has an integral groove for Talley scope rings. This way I could zero the aperture sight and mount the scope right over top of it. And, too, the excellent Talley rings would permit the scope to be removed and installed without loss of zero.
By swapping out the standard Skinner rear sight for a version with integral grooves for Talley rings, the versatility of the 1895 Trapper was vastly enhanced.
This is an ideal approach, and Leupold’s FX-II Ultralight 2.5x20mm riflescope seemed to be the perfect match. However, to keep the riflescope low enough to see through it with a good cheek weld, I had to screw the aperture sight all the way in. This resulted in a front sight that was too high to provide a zero with the heavy-hitting .45-70 loads I wanted the open sights zeroed for. I reached out to Skinner again, and they sent me a shorter version of the Bear Buster front sight, and then everything fell into place.
I mention all this, not to say that the sights that come on the Trapper are bad—they’re not—but unlike with a .30-30 Winchester lever gun, where all the available loads will have a similar point of impact, that’s not the case with the .45-70 Government. If you only plan to shoot one load in your Marlin Trapper, pay no attention to any of this. However, if you want the Trapper to be able to exploit everything the .45-70 has to offer, this is a fantastic solution.
Shots Fired
There are lots of ways to classify rifles, and I’d put the Marlin Trapper in the “man’s rifle” category. With power level 1 ammunition, the free recoil energy is only at about 17 pounds, which is like a .308 Winchester. However, when you step up to power level 2 loads, things change. The recoil increases by 25 percent, taking you to .300 Winchester Magnum levels. With power level 3 loads, you’ll feel the force because recoil energy almost doubles. You cannot ignore more than 40 foot-pounds of energy impacting your shoulder.
The 1895 Trapper uses the same and very smooth Ruger/Marlin-influenced action as does the new 1895 SBL that was released last year.
But it’s not so much the push: Because of its light weight and short barrel, this rifle bucks like a wild mustang. Also, .45-70 loads, like Federal’s 300-grain Power-Shok, will generate a fireball larger than a beach ball. Others, like the Federal 300-grain HammerDown load, create no fireball at all.
From the bench, the Trapper can be intimidating. However, with the 2.5X Leupold, at 50 yards most of the loads tested put three shots into a cluster measuring less than an inch and a half. Open-sighted benchrest groups were only slightly larger. At 100 yards, groups were about twice as large, but I still managed a couple smaller than 2 inches while using the low-powered optic.
The .45-70 is unique in that there are three power levels of factory ammunition available for it. Buffalo Bore is the best source for factory .45-70 loads of all power levels.
Of course, this isn’t a bench rest rifle. This is a rifle you carry, and it’s a rifle you shoot while standing on your hind legs. Conducting snap shots from the high ready at 50 yards, most of the time I was able to keep all my shots inside a 6-inch circle, and I was able to do it—on average—in less than 2 seconds, both with the scope and the open sights. Yeah, the rifle bucks a bit, but you soon get used to it. I found that I could get good hits with follow-up shots in about 1.5 seconds with power level 2 loads.
There’s little a hunter couldn’t handle with an 1895 Trapper outfitted like this one.
Already a Favorite
I’ve yet to do any hunting with the new Marlin Trapper, though having taken a variety of critters, to include two African Buffalo, I’m fully aware of what the .45-70 Government is capable of. And, after several hundred rounds down range with the Trapper, I know what it and I together can do. I have an African buffalo hunt planned for next spring, and the Trapper is the rifle I plan to use. I’m sure it will also see some time in the West Virginia hills looking for bear and deer.
Marlin’s new Trapper, outfitted with a scope-mount rear-sight base and Bear Buster front sight from Skinner Sights, a Leupold fixed-power riflescope in Talley rings, a Galco Quick Adjust Hasty Sling and a Versacarry Ammocaddy.
I still believe that the newest version of the Marlin’s 1895 SBL is best-shooting lever gun I’ve ever fired. But, as of now, the new Marlin 1895 Trapper might be the favorite Marlin lever gun I’ve ever fired. It’s well made, and it handles like a short sword. It shoots plenty good to extract all the reach .45-70 ammo can provide, and with it in hand you get the feeling you and this rifle could tackle anything.
Marlin’s new Trapper is an agile beast—you could say it’s a hunting panther.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
MDT has just released its newest precision rifle chassis system in the form of the ACC Elite, compatible with rifles that utilize a Remington 700 SA.
Based on MDT’s renowned ACC precision rifle chassis system, the company’s newest performance-enhancing product is called the MDT ACC Elite. Developed using the input of top-tier shooters from around the world, it’s packed full of improvements and features and may just be MDT’s best chassis to date.
The ACC Elite is designed for competition, and it strives to deliver a perfect interface between firearm and shooter. Made from CNC-machined 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum, it was designed to be more rigid, balanced and adjustable than its predecessor. The weight is 6.1 pounds—heavy enough to help absorb recoil while keeping the overall package maneuverable—but the forend and buttstock also allow for the addition of weights for those who prefer a heavier rifle.
The weight attachment points are not the only modular aspect of the ACC Elite, as the chassis can be very finely tuned and customized to match a shooter’s wants and needs. The SRS-X Elite buttstock can be rapidly adjusted without the use of tools, and the MDT Vertical Grip Elite features an adjustable M-LOK thumb rest. The forend is also ready to accept M-LOK accessories as well as MDT’s Night Vision Hood or Control Bridge.
There’s plenty more to love about this futuristic hunk of aluminum, but the major features alone should be enough to get many serious shooters excited. The MDT ACC Elite chassis has an MSRP of $1,599.95, is available now and can be bought with either a black, FDE or Titanium Blue finish. It is currently only compatible with rifles that use a Remington 700 short action.
Just how tightly are rifle weight and rifle accuracy interwoven?
Today’s practical rifle is seldom its namesake. Frank Galli wrote a great column in these pages in the June 2021 issue titled Practical Precision, and he details the desire to return to what he called the “fighting rifleman,” where he criticizes the trend toward tournament and series-style events and begs returning to a hunting-style approach with rifles a man might carry into the field. He’s careful to say that innovations coming from the former have been beneficial but, in his view, unrealistic or unable to translate to the world at large.
I don’t necessarily believe that the weight of a rifle immediately determines its usefulness, as the 12-pound .338 Lapua is going to be a bit of a different story than a 12-pound .22 LR. Based directly on my practical experience, I think that physical balance (center of gravity) and a pairing of weight-to-cartridge is overlooked, to the detriment of many riflemen.
The main argument for a practical rifle should be that it, at a bare minimum, is able to be carried easily and pointed naturally. Rifle shooting in competition has become something of a supported, stationary event that favors extremely heavy guns that bear virtually all their weight in the barrel. Since hits are all that matter, even energy on target is an afterthought.
So, how do we get back to a practical rifle in weight, balance and cartridge, knowing that most of what’s out there today is trending to the games that favor puny bullets fired from boat anchors?
The first thing to do is start with the cartridge and go from there.
Caliber, Weight and Balance
The first hurdle to selecting a practical rifle is deciding what exactly you want to shoot with it. Finding the sweet spot between balance, accuracy and cartridge is a challenge in some respects and gets more challenging as you move up in power, where weight is needed to absorb recoil.
For me, the 6.5 Creedmoor can do what I need it to do for 95 percent of my hunting and match uses. I’m competitive at 1,000 yards but also able to hunt large game. I get an edge over the .308 Win. for target shooting and am equally capable on most American game inside 500 yards—a distance I consider to be the maximum for myself in real terms and the distance to which I believe that the cartridge is at its most effective.
Knowing that I’m going with the 6.5 Creedmoor, let’s look at four 6.5mm rifles I have and just what my round of choice does well. Each of these rifles is designed for a specific purpose, and only one I consider to be the definition of practical for all general use.
(Above) The custom Savage 110 in 6.5 CM is an accuracy machine, but it’s also a massive beast to move and carry. It’s a competition rifle, and pretending it’s something else will make for a long walk wherever you’re going to hunt. (Below) The 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser is a long, slender rifle. It’s light at 8.5 pounds, and the center of gravity and point of balance is just ahead of the floor plate. Compared to a modern rifle that weighs twice as much, the Mauser seems handy and graceful. It’s ideal for CMP matches and recreational hunting at medium ranges.
Custom Savage 110 MK4 Mod7
The tan-colored Savage action in a custom chassis is a competition rifle I built myself. The barrel is 26 inches long, and I can fire 140s loaded hot at 2,900 fps. It’s 19 pounds as pictured and is balanced for me to be able to make offhand shots. Note that my comb and stock on this gun are set for me: Length of pull is short at 12 inches and the Sig optic sits quite far forward to account for offhand head placement. The center of gravity for this rifle is at the tripod interface. It’s a rifle that I consider too heavy for field hunting use, but just about ideal for non-static shooting.
Bipods have changed as rifles have become heavier for target use. The Atlas (top) is much beefier than the Harris (bottom), but it adds a good deal of ballast toward the muzzle. Accessory weight is very important to consider.
Tuebor Legion Titanium
My pick for a true practical rifle is this build. Coming in at 13 pounds, it has all the same ergonomics but is just over half the weight of the tan Sweet Potato Tuebor discussed below. This is the type of rifle that I could carry afield with ease. The gun recoils quite a bit more than the heavy target 6.5s, but the balance is right at the recoil lug, making it easy to shoot from offhand or with limited support.
It’s something of an overdressed modern hunting rifle. The balance alone makes it much easier to use, as the support needed to deploy it into action is minimal. The Magpul Pro 700 chassis is a bit bulky; however, the rifle as a whole strongly benefits from its adjustability. I’d say that as far as overall practicality for all-around use, the 24-inch Proof carbon-fiber barrel and titanium action save enough weight to justify a large USO scope and folding chassis. The rifle is set up for any use, is powerful enough for hunting, light enough for carry and accurate enough for matches.
Two Tuebor Precision rifles, both 24-inch 6.5 Creedmoors—however, the Legion Titanium (bottom) is 10 pounds lighter than the Sweet Potato (top) by benefit of carbon fiber and titanium. Material alone can determine a tremendous amount of useful qualities in a rifle. In this case, one is basically a stationary piece; the green-stocked version can be carried and hunted with easily.
Sweet Potato
The tan Tuebor Precision is lovingly referred to as the Sweet Potato. It’s heavy at 21 pounds with a 24-inch M24 contour Brownells Premium barrel. Balance? You’re kidding. If you look up front-heavy in the dictionary, you’ll find Sweet Potato right there. The rifle is meant for stationary proposition open-field hunting off a tripod. It’s extremely accurate, firing Federal 130-grain Berger factory loads in 6.5 CM into one hole at 100 meters. It’s heavy enough that I don’t consider it to be practical in a real sense; in no way is it a walking or stalking rifle. Offhand or a hasty field shot is extremely difficult.
The Fix (top) weighs roughly a third of what the M24 contour, all-steel rifle beneath it weighs.
The Q Fix
Dropping to half that in weight is another 6.5 CM, this time the 16-inch The Fix from Q, also the subject of its own article. At 6.4 pounds without optics, it’s super light for an all-metal rifle. It’s minimalistic and utilitarian, and even with optics, it’s difficult to make it crack 8 pounds. It, with a full set of accessories including bipod and sling, is still in the 7.5-pound range.
This type of rifle is very accurate; however, the lack of mass becomes noticeable in terms of recoil quickly. To put it in context, three of these rifles would add up to one Sweet Potato. The balance in this rifle is in the action, making it very fast to point and easy to shoulder quickly. It’s quite ideal for hunting at short to medium range.
Realities of Weight, Balance and Rifle Accuracy
It’s not really important what your gun does at the range: If you can hold 1 to 2 MOA in the field after walking miles, spotting game and overcoming adrenaline, you should probably be writing this not me. Field shooting with “real” rifle calibers isn’t easy in the slightest. What you see in the games result in no consequences; there’s no wounded animals, no moral obligations to finish a chase and no downside to using a small bore with low mass and energy. Hell, you usually don’t even have recoil to worry about.
I like a rifle with more weight than The Fix. Most of my own hunting rifles are in the 10-pound range, and I like it that way because I’ve never once had a textbook shot present itself where I was able to address it with textbook stability. For me, a 13-pound 6.5 CM is just about where it’s at for all-around use including shots from offhand.
Tripods are a necessity when firing heavy rifles. The old days had Sharps rifles taking down buffalo over crossed sticks and, while Matthew Quigley may disagree, it was necessary for how heavy those old guns were. Our modern evolutions have fancier support, but the idea is still the same.
If I was out hunting with a rifle like The Fix, weight is already my main concern, and I’d be knowingly sacrificing some range and steadiness. You may say, “Josh, set up for your shot, you novice.” However, I’ve been out of breath for more shots than I can remember, not counting cold and hungry. Plenty of hunters I know get the shakes or can’t hold steady, and a lighter gun won’t help any more than one that’s unbalanced.
Can Small-Bore Rifles Be a Practical Choice?
I don’t want you to come away with the impression I’m only going to disparage small-bores; it’s only that I don’t want to agree with the sentiment that a 25-pound 22 BR with a 28-inch bull barrel is somehow a practical or pragmatic choice. The trend to increase weight and reduce caliber is simply a matter of gamesmanship that drives a competitive edge. In all fairness, you can do great with a heavy gun shooting slippery 90-grain bullets out of a .22 bore in terms of making hits. This is part of a specific game that shouldn’t be misconstrued with a field-use rifle. That said, a .22 bore has plenty of use, just on small game at medium distance.
Modern rifles are often equipped with folding stocks or are completely modular. The .224 Valkyrie AR-15 is heavy for caliber but offers superior ballistics and capacity per pound.
One of the most practical and well-balanced rifles I have is a 22-inch medium weight .224 Valkyrie, coming in at 12 pounds fully kitted out. This is somewhat heavy for an AR, but it shoots 1/2 MOA at 100 meters and can be fired from the shoulder offhand with great accuracy. This rifle is well-balanced, with the center of gravity being low and just ahead of the magwell. It’s superb out to 800 yards and duplicates the trajectory of my 6.5 Creedmoors using the Federal 80.5-grain factory match load. It has some recoil, but not much.
The AR platform is extremely modular and is probably the easiest rifle type to balance out for offhand or poorly supported shots. As pictured on the .224 Valkyrie build, I use a medium weight barrel and a heavy Magpul PRS stock, thus making the rifle sit comfortably in the shoulder without strain on the support arm.
I really like this rifle because it’s fun to shoot. However, in terms of real use, I’d probably never take it after anything other than coyote or small pigs. It has utility as a deer rifle for small individuals, but I don’t know any hunters who are using the .224 Valkyrie on deer, though it’s a young cartridge. Federal makes a 90-grain soft point that should work well on whitetail at closer ranges and give a similar effect to .243 Win. inside 200 yards.
Small-bore rifles are lots of fun to use and can cut out the bite of recoil; however, there’s little meaningful energy for them to be truly called practical at any distance beyond 300 yards, which is even sketchy for some common hunting rounds.
I hear all the time of 700- and 800-yard shots with 6mm and .22 bore rifles, but I rarely see those hunters bring home as much game as I do with a .450 Bushmaster and .45 ACP at close range. Hitting them isn’t usually the problem, but killing or even finding them is another story. I’d never, regardless of rifle, take a shot on a deer-sized animal with a .22 bore or 6mm at any distance beyond 200 yards and that, I believe, is the true Achilles’ heel of the small-bore rifle.
This .450 Bushmaster is the author’s personal deer rifle. It has been inlet and weighted to provide perfect balance to the front action screw. It handles like a dream and weighs about 9 pounds, which is enough to soak up recoil while being comfortable for tricky field shots.
Conclusion
In returning to the “fighting rifleman,” as Galli says, the most difficult thing in our day is wading through the mire of available options to find what works best as a do-all rifle—something that I feel is in the vein of Jeff Cooper’s scout rifle or a military “Recce” rifle. Small-bores have their place.
A rifle, however, must be the sum of not just its parts, but how those parts are assembled and in what caliber. That is, at least to me, not something you’ll find with anything too small to reliably knock over a plate at 500 yards.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
For most, there’s no more DIY than hunting, which means gathering up the right equipment for the job. While typically thought of as a tactical option, Butler Creek has scratched up a single-point sling aimed at hunters, which looks to streamline their system. Constructed of 1.25-inch high-strength nylon webbing with bungee for added support and comfort, the system boasts a lightweight foam pad, designed to reduce the felt weight of a firearm. Attaching via HK snap hook or QD swivels, the unit hooks up to a wide variety of sling systems and presenting hunters with a lightning-fast way to mount their rifle is a whole different take on toting your firearm in the field. MSRP: $40
Primary Weapons Systems Bravo Delta Echo 762
Perhaps no accessory has dominated the firearms scene as of late like the suppressor. Why not? Cooling the blistering report of a gun, while making it more manageable—there are few upgrades with more upside. Primary Weapons System has unveiled its new line of cans. Kicking off the Bravo Delta Echo series is a beast designed to handle some of the snappiest calibers. Rated up to .300 Winchester Magnum, the 762 is built to handle heavy hitters. The unit is constructed out of a durable 3D-printed titanium alloy and is modular, allowing for five different configurations. Compatible with 1.375×24 TPI mounts and adding only 17 ounces (in largest configuration) to a rifle, it’s an interesting addition for any 30-caliber shooter. MSRP: $1,100
Redding Reloading NXGen Carbide Sizing Dies For Straight Wall Cases
For handloaders, Redding holds a rarefied position. Few other equipment companies are more synonymous with dead-nuts accuracy than the New York manufacturer. And there’s good news for fans of straight-walled cases: Redding has turned the attention to these standbys with its NXGen Carbide Sizing Dies. These dies help maintain the excellent bullet retention of previous generations of dies, but without excessively oversizing the entirety of the case. For one, say goodbye to the “Wasp Waist” often found on a case after running them through a single-ring die. Moreover, expect improved dimensional accuracy from the dies, leading to better chamber fit and downrange results. MSRP: Set at $123 and up
Marlin 1895 Guide Gun
Few things have been as highly anticipated as the relaunch of Marlin Firearms under Ruger’s banners. So far, the new owner hasn’t disappointed. The second rifle released under Ruger, the 1895 Guide Gun, is one of the classics of which diehard lever-gun aficionados have been champing at the bit. Chambered .45-70 Government, the big-bore brute brings the muscle hunters expect in a brush gun fit for any North American game. And, featuring a 19-inch cold hammer forged barrel, threaded muzzle, 6-round capacity, oversized loop on the lever-action and fully adjustable semi-buckhorn sights. Throw in an attractive brown laminate stock—well checkered for a positive grip—and you have one heck of a gun. MSRP: $1,149
Brownells BRN-180 Upper Color Variations
Part of the attraction in building your own carbine is complete control over your creation—within reason. This is why Brownells addition to color choices to its BRN-180 uppers is a welcome development. For those who might have forgotten or didn’t hear, the BRN-180 is the company’s take on the classic AR-180—a short-stroke piston variation of the AR-15, a popular option among those who appreciate a folding stock on their carbine. Alongside the original matte black, shooters can now choose from Olive Drab Green and Gray Cerakote finishes. The gray versions are presently available in .223 Wylde, with 16- and 10.5-inch barrel options, while the ODG comes in .223 Wylde with a 10.5-inch barrel. Expect more calibers and barrel options in these colorful uppers soon. MSRP: $1,000
Luth-AR Sidekick Balance Weight
Looking to tune your AR to clip a gnat’s hind-end? When it comes to buttstocks, Luth-AR’s MBA-1 and MBA-2 are the tickets. Fully adjustable for comb height and length of pull, the stocks are perfectly tailored to the person behind the trigger. Things are now getting a bit sweeter, with the company adding the Sidekick Balance Weight to the modular system. While not for every shooter, the weight system should prove popular for those aiming to add recoil-eating mass to their guns or balance out a front-heavy system. Simply attaching via three screws, the Sidekick is as easy as pie to add to an MBA stock. MSRP: $70
Frankfort X-10 Progressive Press With Case Feeder
There comes a time in every reloader’s career when a single stage simply won’t cut it. Enter the Frankfort X-10. A progressive system that’s essentially like your own personal ammunition plant, the relatively affordable progressive press turns out precision ammo in mass. First off, the X-10 is a 10-station, all-steel, automatic indexing reloading press purpose-built for serious reloading. Add to that a slew of extras, such as powder measure, swappable tool head and shell plates, comfortable roller handle and an LED light and you have everything you need to turn out loads of quality ammo. Additionally, case and primer feeders mean you have to do little more than pull the handle. MSRP: $1,200
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Safariland has just released the SCR or Safariland Chest Rig, a new chest holster mounting platform compatible with 6000 and 7TS series holsters.
Safariland is one of the most trusted holster manufacturers around, but until now the company’s catalog has been missing a chest holster option. Called the SCR, or Safariland Chest Rig, it’s a new chest-based mounting platform compatible with Safariland 6000 and 7TS series holsters.
The SCR’s mounting platform shares the same three-hole pattern as holsters in Safariland’s 6000 and 7TS series, allowing these models to be worn either as traditional holsters or on the chest with the new rig. This also keeps the SCR versatile, as it is fast and easy to swap which holster is mounted. Once attached, a holster’s cant can be adjusted as well. All the plastic bits are made from injection-molded TPE for durability and flexibility, and the SCR’s quick attachment buckle can be operated one-handed. The straps are nylon and 1.5 inches wide with a padded shoulder section for added comfort.
Tim Drnec, VP of Marketing for Safariland, said this about the SCR:
We are thrilled to introduce the Safariland Chest Rig to customers…We have been working hard on its development, and I am certain all will appreciate the increased stability and retainment options it provides.
The Safariland Chest Rig has an MSRP of $99 and is available now. However, it is currently only available in a right-handed configuration.
Do you still carry a handgun with iron sights? It may be time to get with the now, so here’s a look at some of the best pistol red dots on the market.
Red dot sights are becoming the default optic for almost every weapon platform. They already are for rifles and shotguns, but now they’re even becoming the standard for handguns. Red dots are better than iron sights in most regards, modern ones are more than durable enough to be relied on and even the most affordable models are starting to get pretty decent. Since you probably already have one for your carbine, why not consider a pistol red dot too?
A Brief History Of Pistol Red Dots
Red dot sights are an electronic version of an earlier optic called a reflex sight. These use a collimator to project the image of a reticle onto a lens using ambient light. The user sees the reticle, free (or mostly free) of parallax out to infinity.
The first electric version was the Giese Electric Gunsight released in 1947, but it failed to gain much traction.
The first reflex sights for pistols emerged in the 1970s, with early examples like the Weaver Qwik-Point and Thompson Insta-Sight optics, which used a beam-splitting fiber optic to project ambient light as a dot reticle.
In 1975, the first true pistol red dot sight emerged in the Aimpoint Electronic. The Aimpoint Electronic projected a literal red dot via an LED onto the front lens.
Early Aimpoints found some adoption in Open class IPSC (and later USPSA) competition, with notable adopters like Jerry Barnhart and Doug Koenig scoring overwhelming victories in the ’80s and ’90s.
Jerry Barnhart with an early Bushnell Holosight mounted on a 1911. Photo source: jerrybarnhart.com.
Military units began experimenting with Aimpoint optics in the late 1980s and early 1990s as well, with one notable early adopter being the U.S. Army’s Delta Force.
Modern miniature red dot sights arrived at the end of the 20th century with the Docter (Noblex) miniature optic. Like a lot of first-gen tech, it was less than perfect, but the next serious take on the concept was the Trijicon RMR (Rugged Miniaturized Reflex sight) in 2009. The modern iterations of this sight remain an industry standard to this day.
Optics-Ready Pistols
Until recently, mounting an optic on a pistol (except for certain handguns designed for it like the Thompson Contender) required a gunsmith to machine the frame or slide to mount some sort of rail to it.
The modern pistol red dot arrived with the Docter red dot sight which established the footprint system.
A “footprint” is essentially a series of holes that have to be tapped into the slide, some threaded and some not, to accommodate both mounting bolts as well as holes for lugs on the bottom of the optic.
An FN FNX-45 Tactical plate-mounting system featuring adaptor plates compatible with two different mounting footprints.
The optic goes onto the slide, the lugs go into the holes, and then the optic is bolted in place.
Trijicon devised its own footprint—the RMR footprint—and some others have emerged as well. Before pistols came optics-ready from the factory, you had to send your slide in to have it milled for the footprint of the optic you intended to mount.
Eventually, some smart folks figured out you could instead mill the slide for an adapter plate. This allows the user to use whatever optic they want so long as there’s an adapter plate that exists for it.
Today, optics-ready pistols are offered for most new handguns from most major manufacturers. Some are milled with a specific footprint—such as the Shield RMSc footprint, common on compact and subcompact pistols—while others are milled for an adapter plate.
Types Of Pistol Red Dots
Pistol red dots are often differentiated by being either closed- or open-emitter designs. Open-emitter red dots, such as the Trijicon RMR for instance, have the emitter on top of the optic body, projecting the image onto the panes of glass. Closed emitter red dots house the emitter internally and better protect it from the environment.
A Trijicon RMR open-emitter sight.
Open-emitter sights are usually more cost-effective, but the emitter is theoretically more susceptible to damage or being interfered with. How likely that is to happen in the real world depends a lot on you and your situation.
A Holoson EPS closed-emitter optic.
Several other features differentiate pistol red dot sights from one another such as shake-awake/motion-sensing activation, brightness settings and solar panels, but not every person will necessarily find them relevant. Again, depending on how the red dot-equipped pistol is intended to be used, some features may be more useful than others.
Why Put A Red Dot On A Pistol?
The human eye is not designed for iron sights. We can accommodate—meaning switch focus from one object to another—but we can’t focus on multiple objects at once.
When you shoot with iron sights, you’re aligning three objects (front sight, rear sight and target) when your eye can literally only focus on one. Red dot sights cut it down to two.
Put dot on target area, press trigger. It’s a simpler and more biologically congruent sighting system than iron sights. If scopes are better for shooting rifles, so are red dots, and it turns out that they work pretty well on pistols too.
The notion of why you’d want to make shooting your concealed carry gun or duty gun easier while increasing your hit probability speaks for itself.
That is why Carry Optics divisions of the shooting sports are already some of the most packed divisions of IDPA and USPSA and why more police departments are switching to optics-equipped pistols as well. Even the M17, the U.S. Army’s new sidearm, now comes optics-ready. The concept just makes too much sense.
A customized Sig P320/M17 equipped with a pistol red dot sight.
Known Drawbacks
The first is the expense. While there exist some very affordable optics that are more than sufficient for most shooters, it’s still an additional expense on top of the gun.
The second problem is what you do if the optic fails. If the battery dies, your sight dies. Irons don’t need batteries.
Like any mechanical system, it’s an added complication and every added complication is a new failure point. Battery terminals can wear out or short, and glass can break.
Then you have the learning curve, as a pistol optic demands a consistent presentation with the dot in the window and will require sufficient practice to use effectively.
Then you have added bulk, which is certainly a consideration with a concealed carry gun.
With modern micro pistol red dot sights paired with micro CCW handguns, the overall setup can remain very small.
That all said, modern pistol red dots from quality manufacturers are often very durable, have exceptional battery lives and some even come with integrated backup iron sights. Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you think it’s worth it to make the switch, but if you do, here are some excellent models to consider.
The 5 Best Pistol Red Dot Sights
Holosun 509T
The Holosun 509T has emerged as a class leader for closed-emitter pistol optics. Features include their EOTech-style reticle (32-MOA circle, 2-MOA center dot) shake-awake circuitry, a solar panel and a side-load battery that lasts up to 50,000 hours.
It can be a tad tricky to conceal a pistol wearing one, but far from impossible. MSRP is a bit stiff at $505.87, but that will be money well spent.
Trijicon RMR Type 2
The Trijicon RMR Type 2 is one of the most proven pistol optics on the market. At one point, it was the only tenable choice. You can choose a 1-MOA, 3.25-MOA or 6-MOA reticle.
It has an auto-dimming feature and shake-awake technology to conserve battery life, a stress-relieved housing to minimize the chance of breakage if dropped and it can be had with or without a fiber-optic solar feature.
The only serious drawbacks are a bottom-loading battery and cost, as MSRP starts around $700.
Sig Romeo Zero Elite
The Sig Romeo Zero is designed with compact to subcompact pistols in mind (with a 24mm lens) as well as being a solid budget-friendly option. It’s available with a 3-MOA dot or a 2-MOA/32-MOA circle/dot reticle.
The Romeo Zero Elite is made at Sig’s factory in Oregon and comes with a steel housing shroud for extra drop protection. Battery life is up to 20,000 hours, and it is compatible with the Shield RMSc and Glock MOS footprints.
MSRP is $203 for the 3-MOA dot and $220 for the circle/dot reticle. A slightly larger version called the Romeo Zero Pro is also available.
Holosun 407k X2
The Holosun 407k series is one of the most highly regarded carry pistol red dots. It has a shake-awake feature, a side-loading battery, an integrated rear sight notch and uses a modified RMSc footprint that may or may not require an adapter plate.
The 407k X2 has a 6-MOA dot and a battery life of up to 50,000 hours. Everything you need, nothing you don’t, and can be easily found for right around $200. You could spend a little less on a different optic…but why would you?
Sig Sauer Romeo2
The Sig Sauer Romeo2 uses a modular housing that lets the user configure it as an open-emitter or closed-emitter optic by attaching a shroud and rear lens/emitter cover. The Romeo2 is available with a 3-MOA dot, 6-MOA dot or a bullseye-style circle/dot reticle.
It also has Sig’s MOTAC (shake-awake), a side-loading battery, a battery life of (estimated) 25,000 hours and it uses the Delta Point Pro footprint. About the only drawback is its stiff MSRP of $768.99.
The handgun market may be saturated with fantastic plastic pistols, but the Shadow Systems MR920 is special enough to deserve another look.
“Plastic Fantastics,” as I like to call them, are everywhere now. Glocks used to be the only polymer firearms in the late 1980s—and were often derided for it—but now every major manufacturer has one in their lineup. Springfield, HK, Walther and even the OG makers of the Wonder Nines—Beretta and CZ. They’re here to stay. Easier to manufacture, maintain, and modify, if you throw a rock these days, you’ll likely hit a poly-pistol.
So, why is the Shadow Systems MR920 special? A few reasons. Feature-richness. Flat shooting. Interoperable.
I’ll explain.
A side view of the MR920 Elite.
The Shadow Systems MR920 took Glock perfection and made it more perfect. I’ve run this gun for about two years, thousands of rounds through it, dropped it, thrown it in my bag, shot USPSA, IDPA, 2-gun and taken classes with it and I haven’t had to re-zero it once. It’s one of the fastest and flattest shooting guns I own, and I shoot CZs in competition rather often. That’s saying something.
Grip Frames And Ergonomics
One of the most alluring things about this pistol is the grip frame. You have the ability to change the grip angle right out of the box via Shadow System’s innovative NPOA (Natural Point Of Aim) system. The medium backstrap feels closest to a Glock 19 Gen 4 or Gen 5, whereas the large backstrap adds some ass to it, and the S gives it more of a 1911-like profile. You can tweak it and see which style points the best for you. You can swap them out with a roll pin (punch included) and you wouldn’t even know that the grip is customizable. It’s so discreet. There is also the ability to add a magazine well to the pistol, which is slightly bigger than Magpul’s. I personally find it a little ostentatious for concealed carry and if I carry this pistol, I take the magwell off, but that’s me.
It comes out of the box with a light stipple that isn’t aggressive enough to chafe, but has enough texture to allow a positive purchase with wet hands. The trigger guard is undercut, textured on the front of the trigger guard, and also has a ledge—which I love—that helps you both index the gun and shoot faster as it helps manage recoil. They even added some material by the slide stop to prevent people from engaging it with a high-shooting grip. These guys are shooters, for sure.
The MR920’s grip stippling and magwell.
With a high beavertail, you get a deep purchase of the handgun when you press out, which lends itself to flat shooting. It reminds me of a CZ P-01 in this regard, a pistol I venerate as one of the best compact pistols of all time.
It points naturally and shoots even better. I have zero issues tracking the dot under fire and even less issues finding it when I press out. I have a Glock 19 Gen 4 with a milled slide (by Shadow Systems as it were, but they don’t make them anymore) and I had to train pretty hard to find the dot without fishing. With the MR920—given the ledges I can index on and the ergonomics out of the box—my dot is where my eyes are almost every time. I have to try to lose it. I’m not being hyperbolic, either.
The Slide
The slide is another area where the Shadow Systems MR920 shines. The machining is superb, with lightning cuts and directional serrations on the top, front and rear of the slide. This makes the reciprocating mass lower, and thus mitigates recoil, but also gives the user plenty of options for press checks and, as far as the top of the slide, texture to use to rack off of a table or belt. What’s more, they removed the corners from the front and the rear so those of you with love handles carrying IWB at 3 or 4 o’clock don’t get a slide digging into you. It not only gives the gun great lines, but removes it from the “brick” aesthetic endemic to the Glock line.
Slide Machining on the MR920 with a TiNi Spiral Fluted Threaded Barrel. Don’t mind the gunk, I told you I shoot this alot…
The most innovative part of the slide though is the optics mounting system. This patented system uses some of the longest and widest screws on the market, and you can mount virtually any red dot to the slide without the use of plates. Why is that important? Plates are just another failure point. The engineers at Shadow Systems moved some internal components around to bring us this innovation of long, wide, deep screws that lend themselves to extreme abuse. They even tested it with a dead blow hammer to see if it would hold zero, and in many cases, they broke optics before losing zero. Trevor Roe, CEO of Shadow Systems told me this in a phone interview in 2020 when this pistol debuted.
You can mount an RMR, Holosun, Leupold, Swampfox, Burris and even Vortex pistol sight to this, just by using the right shim (if you can, you can opt to go shimless, cowboy) and screw combo. It’s really remarkable.
The slide also comes equipped with blacked out rears and a Tritium front sight that co-witnesses with your optic. Yes, you can get a lower-third co-witness without goofy suppressor height sights with this pistol, right out of the box. I love that feature, as red dots do, and have, died mid-fire on me. It’s good to have a backup.
And like I said, I’ve dropped this gun, thrown it in my range bag, worn it for dynamic courses of fire in multigun where I was running and bumping into barricades, and also in personal security detail classes where we were scrapping. I’ve never had to re-zero it. Not once.
The MR920 is capable of a lower-third co-witness right out of the box.
The Barrel
The Shadow Systems MR920 barrel is conventionally rifled, match-grade and capable of more accuracy than I am. Cool enough, they are also capable of firing lead cast bullets—if that’s your thing. The one I have sports a threaded (1/2×28) TiNi barrel that is spiral fluted. It looks cool, but it’s also hella accurate. I make head shots at 35 yards with this thing all day. I do have another Shadow Systems barrel though that isn’t threaded, but is fluted and has a DLC finish. This one is just as accurate, and changes the aesthetic from Gucci to understated.
From Precision to Performance: All About Shadow Systems
It’s one of the flattest-shooting 9mm pistols I own, and I run a CZ SP-01 or Shadow Target in USPSA sometimes. It’s right there with them. It’s flat, fast and accurate. Partially due to the ergonomics, but also due to the low reciprocating mass of the slide, I can burn through Bill drills and mag dumps without the dot or muzzle moving much. And this thing is light—21 ounces by my scale with a Holosun 407C V2 mounted on top. It takes Glock magazines and ships with two Magpul Pmags, so you don’t need to worry about running out and buying new magazines. Any double-stack Glock pattern magazine will do the trick if it’s 15+ rounds. It’s light, it’s fast and it’s easy to get on target.
It’s also eerily familiar, given that it’s modeled off of Glock’s tried and true design. The controls are where they need to be, the magazine release is textured and raised just enough to be able to hit fast reloads but not drop accidentally.
Between the high beavertail, low bore axis, comfortable (and customizable) grip angle, texturing in all the right places and low reciprocating mass of the lightning-cut slide, this thing runs like a lethal sewing machine.
I’ve touched on this but it’s far more accurate than you (or I) will ever be. From a rest, it’s easy to create one ragged hole all the way out to 35 yards with an optic. I can clear a plate rack in less than 3 seconds without a miss with this gun. A match grade, conventionally rifled barrel that comes standard, coupled with the flat face aluminum trigger that breaks at around 4.5 pounds by my gauge, how could it not be accurate? The trigger is similar in feel to an Overwatch Precision once you break it in.
I have to try hard to find something to ding this pistol for. I can only find two things to say that are “bad.”
It’s “over-engineered” but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s built by shooters, for shooters, and good-to-go right out of the box. You have stainless guide rods, outstanding small parts like extractors, and little nuances like a re-designed slide to make it more comfortable to carry and holster. Unlike a standard Glock that needs new sights and a trigger right out of the box ($80 here, $100 there) plus whatever other bells and whistles you want to add—this gun is ready for battle or competition when you get it.
Well, not so fast. Shadow Systems recommends a break-in period, and I personally would say run about 500 rounds through it. The pistol has tight tolerances, but in the long term that means impeccable accuracy. In the short term though, it means FTEs or other malfunctions, potentially. I had a few of them when the gun was new, but this is clearly stated in their manual. Also, it’s not a good idea to just buy a pistol and carry it without it proving itself to you.
The MR920 is one of the most feature-rich, accurate and flat-shooting guns I’ve even wrapped my hands around. It’s versatile, interoperable with Glock 19 mags and accessories, and damn it shoots fast. If you are considering the Shadow Systems MR920, get off the fence. It’s worth the money and then some.
Holosun has just released a version of the SCS red dot sight that is direct-mount compatible with the Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 family of handguns.
Earlier this year, Holosun released the SCS-MOS, a red dot sight that was designed to integrate into a Glock’s slide seamlessly by mounting directly to the MOS-pattern footprint. No adaptor plate required. Now, Holosun is expanding the SCS line and concept with the release of the SCS-MP2 for the popular Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 line of handguns. The new sight is nearly identical to the original model besides its mounting footprint and aesthetics.
The SCS-MP2 is compatible with Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 full-size and compact models in either 9mm or .40 S&W. It will not mount to an M&P 1.0 or a Shield. The outward appearance of the SCS-MP2 has been changed from the MOS version as well, now designed to perfectly blend in with the lines of an M&P 2.0 rather than a Glock.
As mentioned, the rest of the features are identical to the MOS model. The SCS name still stands for Solar Charging Sight, and it still has a solar-rechargeable 20,000-hour advertised battery life. The reticle is green, auto-adjusts to ambient brightness and the user can alternate between a 2-MOA dot, a 32-MOA circle or a combination circle-dot. Weight, size, construction materials and durability ratings are all the same between the SCS-MP2 and the SCS-MOS as well.
MSRP for the Holosun SCS-MP2 is $411.75 and it is available now.
In the eternal debate of .40 S&W Vs. .45 ACP Vs. 9mm, which cartridge reigns supreme for concealed carry and self-defense?
So now that we know a bit about the specifications and data for the 9mm cartridge, what is it that makes it so popular? It does not have stellar, tack-driving accuracy like other pistol calibers, nor does it have the power of other cartridges. It is far from the perfect cartridge but is still the most prevalent worldwide. Even science gives the 9mm low marks compared to larger calibers.
It’s simple physics. A bigger, heavier bullet carrying more energy means a deeper and larger wound channel. So why is the 9mm king? There are three reasons: Shootability, increased magazine capacity, and ammunition choices.
Before we get into these, let’s talk physics and math. A light projectile sheds velocity and energy faster than a heavier one. More velocity equates to more energy. More energy factors into the amount of penetration, which affects terminal performance. Energy is the benchmark by which we rate a bullet’s performance. To sum up this fast physics lesson: all things being equal, a larger, heavier bullet will penetrate deeper than a lighter one.
The move to the 9mm was not an instant success, as the Illinois State Police learned. As mentioned in an earlier chapter, they were one of the first U.S. law enforcement agencies to adopt the 9mm in the Smith & Wesson Model 39. The standard-issue round was either 100- or 115-grain, standard velocity. The load was mediocre at best as the troopers found out, but when they changed to 115-grain hollow-point +P+, those .380-inch bullets leaving the muzzle of their Model 39s at a velocity of 1,300 fps changed the game. The initial 9mm rounds at the time used by law enforcement did not yet reach the nine’s full potential.
One of the issues our military experienced with the 9mm was dissatisfaction with the M9 pistol specifically and ammunition in general. It boiled down to a report compiled by the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) and released in 2006 titled, “Soldier Perspectives on Small Arms in Combat.” The report detailed a formal independent review of soldier opinions of their small arms in combat situations. Specifically, the Project Manager, Soldier Weapons (PMSW) wanted to know soldier perspectives on the reliability and durability of the M9 pistol, as well as the M4 and M16 (A2 and A4) rifles, and the M249 light machine gun. These four weapon systems are the standard-issue guns being used by Army soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Just to level set the results, weapon reliability is defined as “soldier level of confidence that their weapon will fire without a stoppage in the combat environment.” Weapon durability is defined as “soldier level of confidence that their weapon will not suffer breakage or failure that necessitates repair before further use.” Survey participants included over 2,600 soldiers who had returned from Iraq or Afghanistan and who had engaged in a firefight using the weapons listed.
The net result was that soldiers were least satisfied with the M9 compared to the other weapons and “the most frequent recommendations included weapons and ammunition with more stopping power/lethality; higher quality magazines for the M9, M4 and M16; more durable ammo belt links and drum systems for the M249; and reduced size and weight in the M16 and M249.”
Call it lethality, stopping power or knock-down power, but there is no such thing as a caliber with this magic attribute. The truth is a combination of bullet placement and design, and follow-up, are what stop a threat. If a shooter does his job and places the shot accurately the 9mm can stop a threat. Our bodies can take an enormous amount of punishment. Our organs can move around inside us, so what might have been a good hit is not. There are numerous examples of people who are shot in a gunfight and did not realize they were hit until after the fight was over.
It may be ironic that the Mozambique Drill is a technique used with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, during the Mozambican War of Independence from 1964 to 1974. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Lourenço Marques, which is now called Maputo. He turned a corner and came face-to-face — about 10 paces — with a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest.
This was a traditional “double tap” maneuver. According to Rousseau during a conversation with Jeff Cooper, Rousseau hit the guerrilla on either side of the sternum, which is typically sufficient to kill a man. Yet the guerrilla was still advancing, so he tried for a headshot and instead hit the guerrilla through the base of his neck, severing the spinal cord. Cooper, the founder of the Gunsite Academy shooting school and father of the “modern technique” of pistol shooting, decided to incorporate a drill similar to what Rousseau had experienced. Cooper called it the “Mozambique Drill.”
The drill has you fire the first two shots to the center of mass and then a slight pause. The pause allows you to assess the situation and determine if a third shot is needed to the head. The drill has since been renamed Failure Drill or Failed to Stop Drill due to political correctness. No doubt Cooper is rolling over in his grave over that, since he had no patience for political correctness — only fast, precise shooting.
I’ve talked to some recent veterans who have combat experience with the M9 and, according to some of them, the reason it has a 15-round magazine is that you need two shots to immobilize an opponent. That is due to the M882 cartridge, the U.S. military load for the 9mm—not the handgun itself. The military has plans to change the 9mm load and may even walk away from the FMJ ball ammo and use a more effective bullet.
With no further ado, here are the reasons the 9mm beats all other cartridges for combat and self-defense.
Shootability
When the 10mm Auto was dropped by the FBI in favor of the .40 S&W, law enforcement agencies nationwide followed suit and shifted to the .40, dropping the 9mm in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Even so, for most LE agencies the breakup with the nine would be short. The .40 S&W had what they wanted: a larger bullet at a higher velocity that created a larger and hence more lethal wound channel. At one time, manufacturers were introducing pistols in .40 S&W first and then following up with the same handgun chambered in 9mm. The H&K USP model is an example. Today, the .40 S&W might be considered, but now most handgun manufacturers introduce 9mm first, then .40 S&W and maybe .45 ACP.
Muzzle energy isn’t the only standard by which to judge calibers. Ammo cost, speed on target and capacity are all top considerations.
The .45 ACP has been in use with our military since WWI and is a proven combat caliber. The problem with it is recoil. Even with full-size, steel receiver pistols like the 1911, the .45 ACP is a handful to control. Pistols chambered in 9mm — from subcompacts to full-size models — have less recoil and that translates into you shooting the pistol better. Better shooting means better accuracy. Faster follow-up shots are one of the 9mm’s greatest benefits.
Additional magazine capacity of the 9mm is a benefit over the .40 S&W and .45 ACP. For example, look at the Smith & Wesson M&P series. The M&P 9 has a capacity of 17+1 rounds. The M&P 40 has a capacity of 15+1, and the M&P 45 has a 10+1 round capacity. The 9mm offers less reloading and more shooting — something to think about if you get into a gunfight. The ability to confront multiple threats with more firepower and not have to take time to reload is a plus. Most who carry do not have spare ammo on them (they should). Concealing a 9mm pistol means more rounds on hand.
The typical double-stack 9mm has a capacity of at least 16+1 rounds. The .40 S&W has 15+1, and the .45 ACP 10+1.
Ammunition Choices
Since the 9mm is so popular there are many bullet options loaded by nearly every ammunition manufacturer. From fast 115-grain ammo to slower and heavier 147-grain rounds, the 9mm offers choice. The cost of 9mm ammo is less than .40 S&W and .45 ACP. Plus, it is easy to find 9mm ammo at nearly any store that sells ammunition. That means you can train more often and longer for less cost.
The 9mm offers a wide assortment of ammunition choices. Here’s a small sample of 9mm cartridges available.
The 9mm was once embraced, tossed aside, and now embraced again. It’s not a compromise cartridge — you now have more round capacity with bullets that provide wound cavities pacing those caused by larger cartridges. Times have changed and so has the 9mm.
Bushnell has just announced the Match Pro ED 5-30×56 rifle scope, designed to provide excellent long-range performance for competitors and advanced shooters.
Bushnell saw a good deal of success with the 6-24×50 Match Pro rifle scope, but many shooters wanted something more powerful. Now featuring a higher magnification level, a larger objective lens and several other improvements, the Match Pro ED 5-30×56 is finally available.
With its 34mm maintube, magnification on the Match Pro ED 5-30×56 now goes all the way up to 30x and the objective lens is now 56mm in diameter. The ED in the name stands for Extra-Low Dispersion Prime glass, and this high-grade glass has also been coated with an EXO Barrier to protect it against the elements. Other features also include a new easier-to-use zero stop, an integrated throw lever that can be used by left- or right-handed shooters (or removed entirely) and a 15-yard minimum parallax for extremely close engagements. Built tough as well, the Match Pro ED 5-30×56 has a very high recoil rating and is IPX7 waterproof and fog proof.
The Deploy MIL 2 etched glass FFP reticle (DM2) is also new. It’s an illuminated 2/10 MRAD tree reticle with 11 brightness settings and an auto-shut-off feature to save battery. It’s based on Bushnell’s popular Deploy MIL reticle but now features a finer 2/10 MRAD grid for easier use at greater magnification levels.
I actually had the chance to put a Match Pro ED 5-30×56 to the test this July at a Bushnell/RCBS event in Wyoming, and I walked away very impressed. Whether it was on the range ringing steel at ridiculous distances or picking off prairie dogs from a truck, the scope performed marvelously. At long-range, adjustments were easy to make and the reticle was intuitive to use. At shorter ranges, the super clear glass made bagging prairie dogs a breeze.
While its performance may suggest a higher price point, the Match Pro ED 5-30×56 has an MSRP of only $699. It’s available now and appears to be an excellent value scope for competitors and long-range shooters alike.
Hornady’s 7mm PRC, or Precision Rifle Cartridge, is being advertised as a 21st Century 7mm magnum, but what exactly does it bring to the table?
Hornady’s new 7mm PRC cartridge updates the 7mm caliber with modern cartridge design philosophies to get even more performance out of the 7mm/.284-caliber bullet. It promises even more performance potential than 7mm Remington Magnum without the drawbacks of previous hot 7mm rounds.
But is it worth ditching your Rem Mags for? Well, that’s a little complicated. Let’s dive in.
The 7mm PRC
7mm PRC uses a similar design ethos to 6.5mm Creedmoor and some other modern rifle cartridges. Namely, the case shoulders are blown forward and the bullet is seated further forward. This augments case capacity but can keep the overall length short enough to use in a standard (.30-06, aka long) action rifle.
The result is rather impressive. Advertised velocities put the 7mm PRC at just behind the true 7mm magnums like 7mm Weatherby Magnum, 7mm Shooting Times Westerner, 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum and 7mm Mashburn Super Magnum.
Hornady’s available loads for 7mm PRC currently include a 180-grain ELD Match at 2,975 fps, a 175-grain ELD-X at 3,000 fps, and a 160-grain CX copper monometal at 3,000 fps.
The drawback of 7mm Remington Magnum, of course, is that it never really pushed the 175-grain bullets to actual magnum velocities (most factory loads are 2,850 fps or slower), whereas the elder 7mm magnum loads push the 175-grain pills to 3,000 fps or more but require a magnum-length action. The 7mm PRC appears to solve this problem.
Hornady 7mm PRC (top) versus 7mm Rem. Mag. (bottom).
The implication is a superior long-range cartridge, especially for big game (arguably) short of the great bears. Early reviews indicate superlative accuracy, not only sub-MOA but close to 0.5-MOA.
In other words, 7mm PRC seems to be everything the 7mm Remington Magnum claims to be but is not, and it will almost certainly be cheaper than 7mm Weatherby Magnum which is barely any more powerful. As a bonus, rifles should be a lot more affordable too.
7mm PRC Vs. 7mm Remington Magnum
Firstly, 7mm PRC generates slightly more chamber pressure than 7mm Rem. Mag. (65,000 psi versus 61,000 psi) but fits in the same action length.
So…what does the extra pressure (and velocity) do for trajectory? Let’s start by taking a closer look at 7mm PRC (all ShootersCalculator charts were calculated using a 100-yard zero, a 1.5-inch height over bore, a 10 mph 90-degree crosswind and no atmospheric corrections).
Here’s a 1,000-yard trajectory for Hornady’s 160-grain CX load, calculated using the G1 ballistic coefficient of .596 and the advertised muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps:
As you can see, the bullet is still supersonic at 1,000 yards (in fact, it doesn’t go transonic until 1,600 yards) and still carries 1,000 foot-pounds of energy at 950 yards, which is the legal minimum in some states for big game.
Here’s the same table for Hornady’s 175-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter load, which has a mind-boggling G1 BC of .689:
Much the same story, but this time the bullet retains more than 1,000 foot-pounds of energy at 1,000 yards. In fact, it doesn’t fall below 1,000 foot-pounds until nearly 1,200 yards, and it stays supersonic until 1,850 yards. The bullet is traveling faster and carries more energy at 1,000 yards than a .44 Magnum at the muzzle.
Bear in mind, though, that the old 7mm Remington Magnum is a wickedly capable cartridge on its own. Factory loadings can sometimes fall short of their full potential…but how close is it to the 7mm PRC?
Hornady doesn’t offer 7mm Remington Magnum with either the 160-grain CX or 175-grain ELD-X, but here’s what a 160-grain CX trajectory would look like loaded to 2,850 fps:
While less impressive, consider that the 7mm Remington load is still supersonic at 1,000 yards (remaining so to just past 1,500 yards) and doesn’t drop below the 1,000-foot-pound minimum until just past 850 yards.
Were Hornady to offer the 175-grain ELD-X load in 7mm Rem. Mag. at typical velocities for 175-grain loads (around 2,850 fps), it would look something like this:
That’s still incredibly impressive, as the bullet retains more than 1,000 foot-pounds of energy and is still traveling at 1,676 fps at 1,000 yards. This load would remain supersonic to just beyond 1,725 yards and would still be traveling faster and carry more energy at 2,000 yards than the average 230-grain .45 ACP at the muzzle.
While Hornady’s new cartridge improves considerably on the 7mm Remington Magnum, you don’t get into any sort of serious difference until past 1,000 yards. From 0 to 300 yards, the 7mm Remington is a bit slower, drops slightly more and is a little more effected by wind than its 7mm PRC counterpart, but the differences are negligible.
An improvement? Yes, but you have to really push the limits of both for the advantages of 7mm PRC to become apparent.
7mm PRC Rifles
At the time of writing, the only major manufacturers offering factory rifles chambered for 7mm PRC are Savage Arms and Mossberg.
Savage is offering the Apex Hunter XP, Apex Storm XP, 110 Timberline, 110 Ultralite, 110 High Country and the new Impulse straight-pull rifle in both the Big Game and Mountain Hunter models. MSRP ranges from $709 for the Apex Hunter XP to $2,347 for the Impulse Mountain Hunter, which includes a PROOF Research carbon-fiber barrel.
Mossberg offers two models of their Patriot Predator bolt-action rifle, one with a matte blue barrel on a synthetic stock and one with a brown Cerakote finish on a Strata camo synthetic stock. These rifles retail for $519 and $616, respectively.
A 7mm PRC Mossberg Patriot Predator.
Custom rifle makers are starting to offer 7mm PRC models as well, and the cartridge can also be fired from a 7mm Rem. Mag. or .300 Win. Mag rifle with nothing more than a barrel swap.
Is Making The Switch Worth It?
So, should you get a new rifle chambered for 7mm PRC?
There’s no question that the 7mm PRC is an improvement on the 7mm Remington Magnum. It pushes the projectile to actual magnum velocities in a standard-length action and has serious potential as a cartridge with stunning long-range capability.
There’s no question that it would make an excellent choice of cartridge for medium game. There’s no question it would (and most likely will) do very well in long-range rifle matches as well.
The only real question is whether that extra capability actually means anything to you in the real world. Maybe it does, and maybe it doesn’t.
For most hunters, it’s not really going to make much difference. Shooting small- to medium-body whitetails at 200 yards or less hardly requires a bullet that’s still supersonic at 1,500 yards. Same thing goes for most hogs.
Game animals inside 400 yards aren’t going to notice a difference. A hole punched through the thoracic cavity at 2,200 fps is going to kill something just as easily as a hole of the same diameter punched in the same spot at 2,500 fps. Placement, as always, is the lion’s share of lethality.
If you’re a serious long-range rifle shooter and competitor, it may be that the seriously impressive trajectory and insanely high ballistic coefficient will give you a bit of an edge over a 6.5mm Creedmoor shooter. If so, then it might be worth it.
If you just plink on a steel silhouette 500 yards away in the back 40…probably not so much.
7mm Remington Magnum is probably not going anywhere. It’s one of the most popular rifle cartridges in the world for a reason, is incredibly capable with quality modern ammunition and will be cheaper than 7mm PRC for the foreseeable future.
However, most people who own a Porsche 911 will never meaningfully approach its mechanical limits either. They buy one because the car makes them happy, not because they have any real use for it. The only people who do really have a use for one are actual race car drivers.
The point here is that on paper, 7mm PRC is incredibly capable. If you have a real use for that capability, then by all means get in on it…but don’t let it stop you if you want it just because.
When it comes to reloading, do the classic powders still have a place? Or are you better off using something more modern?
It’s been a running joke that, for years, Ol’ Grumpy Pants adamantly insisted the .308 Winchester was all the cartridge needed, and furthermore, that cartridge should be loaded with 165-grain bullets and driven by IMR4064 powder. I still have my father’s notes in his Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual from the early 1970s. Handwritten in the back of the book was: “For .308, best all-around powder is IMR4064.”
That baby blue can was the only powder on the shelf—until I started to experiment with Hodgdon’s H380 and IMR 4320, garnering that look of disappointment from GP. When I insisted we try the then-new Varget from Hodgdon, he just shook his head and walked away.
He still prefers to use the older powders, probably because he learned their attributes years ago, and he’s never been big on change. I enjoy experimenting with new powders and have come up with some great recipes with the newer releases, like Alliant Reloder 16 and 23, the IMR Enduron line and Winchester’s new StaBall 6.5, but I still reach for those powders that have been with us for decades.
Those newer powders are packed full of innovative features, including chemical agents to help minimize copper fouling, and they’re the least temperature sensitive of any powders we’ve ever had. But that doesn’t mean the older powders are obsolete; in fact, they’re still perfectly viable.
Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The Names Have Changed
Powders do change, and if you look back at older reloading manuals, you may see unfamiliar powder brands and names. Alliant was once owned by Hercules, IMR was owned by DuPont and Winchester was proprietary. I have a copy of Philip B. Sharpe’s Complete Guide to Handloading from the 1950s, and he goes into detail about the common powders of the day, and when they were introduced.
Not only are a large number of the powders unfamiliar to me—DuPont had a series of pistol powders named by number, such as No. 1 and No. 5 that had been discontinued at the time of printing, but DuPont No. 6 was still in production—even so it gives great insight as to how rapidly the powder technology was changing in the first half of the 20th century.
Some of our most popular powders, like IMR 3031, IMR 4320 and GP’s beloved IMR 4064, came to us in the mid 1930s and were heralded for their low pressures (in comparison to earlier powders) and for their lack of tin, which caused fouling problems a century ago. IMR 4320 would go on to be the powder of choice for the earliest .308 Winchester factory ammunition as well as being a great choice for the .30-06 Springfield, .22-250 Remington and .375 H&H Magnum, but sadly has been discontinued.
IMR 4064, though it’s a medium-burning powder, can be used in some of the larger cases like the .300 Winchester Magnum (shown here) as well as the .375 H&H Magnum and .416 Remington Magnum. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
However, IMR 3031, IMR 4895 and IMR 4064 remain not only available but perfectly viable in spite of there being alternative choices, sometimes even within the IMR line. In the Enduron Line, IMR 4166 is on par with IMR 4064, and while it’s a fantastic powder that I reach for often, I’m not abandoning all the loads I’ve developed with IMR 4064. It may not be as resistant to the effects of temperature, and it may have a grain structure that doesn’t meter as well as some other designs, but I’ve used it on hunting trips on multiple continents, and it has served me very well.
Alliant’s Unique and Bullseye were released by the Hercules company in 1900, according to Philip B. Sharpe, and though they’ve been reformulated, they remain very close to the original design. Hercules, as a point of interest, was formed when the DuPont company was broken up in 1912, resulting in the Atlas Powder Company and the Hercules Powder Company. Hercules would sell to Alliant TechSystems Inc. in 1995 and would end up part of the Vista Outdoor organization.
Their powders are a staple in the reloading community, with Unique, Bullseye, Herco, Red Dot and 2400, as well as the Reloder line, being extremely popular choices. Hercules 2400 was introduced to the reloading world in 1932 and, like Unique, went through a reformulation, but still remains a wonderful choice for magnum handgun cartridges like the .44 Remington Magnum and .454 Casull, and small rifle cases like the .22 Hornet and .218 Bee. So, despite the fact that these powders are at least 90 years old, they prove that old isn’t dead.
All of these powders are well-suited to the .308 Winchester, but the author relies on the older IMR 4064 more often than not; it just plain works. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The release of IMR 4350 came in 1940, and it was instrumental in helping bring the magnum craze about. It was, at the time of its release, considered a very slow-burning powder and is still a great choice for all but the largest magnum cases. I love it in the .300 Winchester Magnum and .375 H&H Magnum, and it works very well in the Winchester Short Magnum family. It’s often slagged for being sensitive to temperature changes. But while Hodgdon’s H4350 and Accurate Arms AA4350 are generally considered to be less sensitive, I’ve never had an issue when using IMR 4350. In fact, IMR 4350 has resulted in some of the most accurate loads I’ve ever developed. Not too shabby for a powder more than 80 years old.
Hodgdon’s H380 was an unnamed spherical powder when Bruce Hodgdon developed a load of 38.0 grains under a 52-grain bullet in his .22-250 (then) wildcat and used the charge weight in the new name. H380 is still the go-to powder for the .22-250 Remington with all bullet weights, and works very well in the .220 Swift, .243 Winchester, .257 Roberts, .308 Winchester and .375 Ruger. Despite the fact that the powder is nearly 70 years old, it works as well today as it did when Mr. Hodgdon named it.
Though many of our powders were developed before the Second World War began, like the cartridges they fuel, they remain a perfectly viable choice for hunters and target shooters alike. They’re still with us because they work so well, and while the technology continues to evolve and improve, there are some classic designs that are undeniably great and will remain so for as long as they’re produced.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the July2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Anderson Manufacturing has recently announced an expansion to its A4 AR-15 line, featuring three models of A4 rifles and pistols with quad rail handguards.
Earlier this year, Anderson Manufacturing launched the A4 series of 5.56 NATO AR-15 rifles and pistols. The series included four models, a full-length rifle, a mid-length rifle, a carbine rifle and a carbine pistol. Now, Anderson has announced an expansion of the line with three new models equipped with quad rail handguards.
The three quad rail models include the A4 Rifle, the A4 Carbine and the A4 Pistol, giving shooters a quad rail-equipped option for every A4 model besides the mid-length rifle. Besides the addition of a quad rail handguard, the new models are virtually identical to their standard Anderson A4 counterparts. This means that regardless of whether the gun in question is a standard or quad rail model, they will share the same A2 pistol grip, buttstock/brace and ship with a Magpul MBUS rear flip-up sight. All models have an A-frame front sight.
A4 Rifle With Quad Rails
The quad rail rifle has a 20-inch, 1:9 twist 4150 Chrome-Moly Vanadium barrel with a government profile. It features a rifle-length gas system, an A2-style buttstock and an 11.5-inch quad rail handguard. MSRP is $679.99.
A4 Carbine With Quad Rails
The quad rail carbine has a 16-inch, 1:8 twist 4150 Chrome-Moly Vanadium barrel with an M4 contour. It features a carbine-length gas system, an adjustable M4-style buttstock and a 6.5-inch quad rail. MSRP is $669.99.
A4 Pistol With Quad Rails
The quad rail pistol has a 10.5-inch, 1:7 twist 4150 Chrome-Moly Vanadium barrel. It features a carbine-length gas system, an SBA3 Tactical pistol brace and a 6.5-inch quad rail. MSRP is also $669.99. This is the only new A4 model that differs slightly from the standard version, as the original Anderson A4 pistol barrel has a 1:8 twist.
For those who are looking to upgrade an existing rifle, Anderson also sells the quad rail handguards separately. The 6.5-inch carbine version has an MSRP of $84.99 and the 11.5-inch rifle version has an MSRP of $94.99.
Rigby cartridges remain undeniably classic chamberings for any generation or pursuit.
We spotted the boar crossing a cut lane and immediately put on a stalk; he was worthy of attention. His profile alone indicated a good, mature hog, with no doubt he was a shooter, even at 200 yards. Turning the corner, we saw the boar run. I swung on his shoulder and broke the trigger as it crossed the vertical plane of his vitals. I heard the bullet strike, and despite the fact that the rains had just subsided, we found blood quickly. As it has done so many times over the last century, the .275 Rigby had done its job neatly and effectively.
John Rigby & Company can trace its roots to Dublin, Ireland, in 1775, through to London, England, today; in spite of a short jaunt here in the United States, the company is situated where it belongs, making fantastic firearms worthy of the pedigree. But what so many people overlook is Rigby’s contributions to the cartridge world, and their effect on the modern ballistics.
(Left to right) The .450 3¼-inch Nitro Express, .275 Rigby, .350 Rigby Magnum, .416 Rigby and .450 Rigby. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
All That’s Gold Does Not Glitter
I’m sure that even the novice rifleman could name one or two cartridges with the Rigby surname, yet one of the most important doesn’t bear the family name or even get the credit worthy of its performance. It did, single-handedly, set the benchmark for a dangerous-game-stopping rifle, though its tenure was cut short due to some colonial insurrections.
The .450 3¼-inch Nitro Express was developed by John Rigby & Co. in 1898. There were other .450s designed for use with blackpowder, but Rigby’s .450 NE was the first Nitro Express cartridge designed for use with “nitro” or smokeless powder. It’d drive a 480-grain bullet to a muzzle velocity of 2,150 fps and would become the favorite of many traveling sportsmen and professional hunters alike, until the Crown banned all .450-caliber ammunition in its colonies in 1907, due to the uprisings in India and Sudan. (The concept was to deny access to those colonials with .577-450 Martini-Henry rifles.) To circumvent the problem, many companies designed a cartridge with similar ballistics, like the .470 NE, the .475 NE and the .475 No. 2 Jefferies. Still, to this day, the .450 3¼-inch NE makes a perfect choice for the dangerous game hunter.
The .450 Nitro Express became the benchmark for dangerous work and was mimicked by the .470 NE, .458 Win. Mag. and many more. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The ballistic formula of the .450 NE would go on to inspire Winchester’s 1956 .458 Winchester Magnum, which did its best to replicate the concept, though it certainly fell short. Using a 510-grain bullet at an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,150 fps, the .458 Winchester didn’t reach those numbers for at least four decades. Though the .470 Nitro Express would become the most popular of the rimmed cartridges for single-shots and double rifles in this class, Rigby’s .450 NE remains a solid choice for any hunter.
The 7×57 Rigby. Wait, What?
John Rigby & Co. had a business arrangement with Mauser of Germany in the late 19th century, importing their fantastic Model 98 actions and giving them British stocks and appointments. Rigby offered the 7x57mm Mauser as one of the chambering for their rifles—understandably, it was and is a fantastic hunting cartridge—but decided to rename the cartridge to make it more palatable to the British market. This wasn’t uncommon; the .404 Jeffery was known as the 10.75x73mm on the European continent.
The .275 Rigby is simply the 7×57 Mauser using an alias. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The .275 Rigby is, was and ever shall be nothing more and nothing less than the 7x57mm Mauser, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. The classic design uses the full gamut of the 7mm bullets, with the 175-grain bullets having made the reputation for the cartridge. But anyone interested in the .275 Rigby should be aware of the .275 Rigby HV chambering. The lead of the chamber has been revised to optimize performance with the 140-grain spitzer bullet; the HV chamber won’t accept the 175-grain bullets, and only a handful of the 150-, 156- and 160-grain bullets will work in the HV chamber.
Walter Dalrymple Maitland Bell—better known as Karamojo—used the .275 Rigby for his legendary ivory hunts across the African continent. Col. Jim Corbett used the .275 Rigby rifle presented to him for killing the Champawat tigress to end the careers of many more man-eaters. I’ve had the pleasure of holding Corbett’s rifle. It’s a lightweight, well-balanced gun, and though it bears no sign of either bluing or stock finish due to exposure to the elements while on the hunt, it remains a classic Rigby design. Bell and Corbett are just two examples of hunters who’ve risked their lives among the world’s most dangerous game with a .275 Rigby in hand.
Rigby’s Highland Stalker is a classy rifle, and when chambered for the .275 Rigby makes a great choice for nearly all big-game hunting. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The .275 Rigby isn’t a speed demon, but it isn’t a slow poke, either. In fact, I feel it makes a better choice than a .243 Winchester or .30-30 for a young hunter: Its recoil level is wonderfully mild, yet the cartridge has a bullet weight selection suitable for everything south of the true heavyweights.
The Perfect Medium?
The .350 Rigby Magnum came in 1908 and was an absolute original. Using a 45-degree shoulder—which would carry over to the .416 Rigby—on a rimless case, the .350 Rigby is a sensible design. It has a rim diameter close enough to the .375 H&H that the same bolt face will handle both cartridges. The .350 Rigby Magnum will use the .358-inch diameter bullets common to the .358 Winchester, .35 Whelen, .358 Norma Magnum and .350 Remington Magnum.
The .350 Rigby Magnum was released in 1908 and still makes a great big-game cartridge. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The classic .350 Rigby load sees a 225-grain spitzer bullet leaving the muzzle at 2,600 fps, making it a wonderfully effective choice for larger game. It was used as an all-around choice, but many hunters found there were better choices for thick-skinned, dangerous-game animals. It was a favorite of both Denys Finch Hatton and Bror von Blixen-Fineke. They found it to make a perfect light rifle on safari, and John “Pondoro” Taylor sang its praises as well, putting it on an equal plane with the .318 Westley Richards and .375 H&H Magnum as a do-all cartridge.
.350 Rigby Magnum ammunition from Kynoch, in the classic 225-grain roundnose configuration. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Component cases are available from Roberson Cartridge Company, and there are all sorts of excellent bullets to choose from, with reliable load data provided in the Woodleigh Reloading Manual. I’m aiming for a 250-grain bullet at 2,650 fps or thereabout, as the .350 Rigby Magnum has nearly the same case capacity as the .358 Norma Magnum. If you’re looking for a beefy cartridge that’s not your run-of-the-mill choice, the .350 Rigby Magnum should be on your list for sure.
Head of the Class
All you have to do is mention African dangerous game cartridges, and it’ll be a matter of seconds before someone throws the .416 Rigby into the mix. And that’s a good thing. It remains one of the best choices for the thick-skinned dangerous game animals.
The .416 Rigby No. 2 has the same ballistics as its older, rimless variant, but it features a rim…making it easier for use in single-shot and double rifles. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
While the cartridge has always enjoyed a great reputation, not many Rigby rifles were chambered for it during the Golden Age of safari. In fact, from its release in 1911 until the outbreak of World War II, less than 170 .416 Rigby rifles were in circulation. It was a favorite of professional hunters, but being a proprietary cartridge, the .416 Rigby was certainly not as popular as the .375 H&H Magnum or the .404 Jeffery. It was, undoubtedly, Robert Ruark’s Horn of the Hunter that cemented the .416 Rigby’s place among the great cartridges. From 1911 until the late 1980s, the .416 Rigby was the only commercial cartridge in the bore diameter, and the case—much like the .350 Rigby Magnum—is a unique design having no parent case.
Topped with a 400-grain Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid, the Federal Safari .416 Rigby ammo is suitable for anything that walks. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The .416 Rigby was advertised to drive a 410-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,300 fps. Dr. Kevin Robertson, however, tested some vintage Rigby ammunition and found the actual speed to be right around 2,150 fps—such is the way of things when dealing with century-old designs. Most modern loads use a 400-grain at velocities between 2,300 and 2,400 fps, generating somewhere around 5,000 ft-lb of energy, and there are a few different bullet weights up and down. I like the Woodleigh 450-grain Weldcore softpoint and full metal jacket solid loaded in the Norma African PH line at 2,150 fps. If you felt the .416 Rigby lacked anything as a stopping rifle, this pair of bullets will alleviate your worries.
The Rigby receiver markings on their Big Game rifle. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The .416 Rigby should be housed in a magnum-length receiver, and that big case—designed to combat the effects of tropical heat on cordite, keeping the pressures low enough for reliable extraction—will eat up magazine space. Many .416 rifles will have an Oberndorf-style magazine extension in order to get additional cartridges in the magazine. The 45-degree shoulder gives good headspacing, and the low pressure the cartridge generates remains an attractive feature to many African hunters.
As a side note, in 2019, Rigby announced the release of the .416 No. 2, a flanged or rimmed version of the .416 Rigby with identical ballistics, to be used in double rifles.
The Youngest Sibling
While the previous four cartridges are all well over a century old, the most powerful of the lineup was released in 1994, when Paul Roberts—then at the head of Rigby—necked the .416 Rigby case up to hold .458-inch-diameter bullets, creating the .450 Rigby to give better performance on dangerous game. Norma uses a 500-grain solid at a smoking 2,500 fps for over 6,900 ft-lb of muzzle energy, as well as the 550-grain Woodleigh pair at 2,100 fps. Nosler offers their 500-grain Partition at 2,350 fps for 6,130 ft-lb.
Norma loads the 550-grain Woodleigh Weldcore softpoint and FMJ (shown here) in the .450 Rigby at a muzzle velocity of 2,100 fps. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
While it sounds horrific on the shoulder, the Rigby rifle I shoot fits me well, so recoil is more than manageable, being more of the classic push than the violent slap associated with cartridges that are both heavy and fast. If you feel the .416 Rigby doesn’t check all the boxes—and for the life of me I can’t imagine why you’d feel that way—the .450 Rigby offers a step up in horsepower for the biggest beasties, though the availability of ammunition pales in comparison to its older brother.
The Rigby Legacy
There’s no denying the importance of Rigby’s developments on the cartridge world. Consider the popularity of the .275 Rigby—in spite of it being a rebranding of the 7mm Mauser—because of the exploits and writings of Bell and Corbett, and the fact that they gave the world the .416-inch bore diameter.
Four of Rigby’s namesakes: the .275 Rigby, .350 Rigby Magnum, .416 Rigby and .450 Rigby. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Couple that with their .450 3¼-inch Nitro Express, which set the benchmark for dangerous game rifles, and you’ve got an indelible mark on the hunting world. And to be honest, I don’t know anyone who hunts with a Rigby cartridge and isn’t enamored with it.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the July2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Primary Arms Optics has just announced the SLx 5-25x56mm FFP, a new rifle scope designed for long-range precision.
The SLx line of rifle scopes is one of Primary Arms Optics’ most popular, and the company has just expanded it once again. The newest addition is the SLx 5-25x56mm FFP, and it’s now also the largest member of its family. It was designed to provide excellent long-range precision at a more affordable price.
The SLx 5-25x56mm FFP is offered with the choice between two reticle options, the ACSS Athena BPR MIL and the ACSS Apollo 6.5CM. The former has MIL markings and the latter has bullet drop compensation markings calibrated for 6.5 Creedmoor and .224 Valkyrie. Primary Arms claims that when zeroed at 100 yards, the Apollo reticle can be used to accurately engage targets out to 1,000 yards without touching one’s turrets. Speaking of turrets, both scope variants use MIL turrets and an MOA version is not currently offered. Other notable features of the SLx 5-25x56mm FFP include premium quality glass, an integrated return-to-zero and an integrated magnification lever.
Stephen Morgan, Director of Product Marketing at Primary Arms Optics, said this about the new scopes:
One of my personal favorite facets of shooting sports is long range. The ability to place a bullet on a small target at distance is one of the most satisfying aspects of shooting…The new SLx 5-25 offers some key features like long travel, exceptional glass, intuitive reticles, and precise turrets that make the task of precision shooting accessible at any budget.
Both versions of the SLx 5-25x56mm FFP rifle scopes have an MSRP of $599.99 and are available now.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
