The future of ammunition pioneered for the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons Program is available commercially for the first time with this True Velocity commemorative box set.
Included In True Velocity Box Set:
22 Rounds of .308 True Velocity Composite-Cased Ammunition
Commemorative Display Box
Official D.O.P.E. Log Book
True Velocity Challenge Coin
The U.S. Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons program is in full swing, and the technology that has resulted from it has got people excited. While the new weapons and optics are still being deliberated on, True Velocity’s 6.8mm composite-cased ammunition has been selected for continued testing in the final phase of this project’s trials. This revolutionary new ammo type brings its users a 30% weight reduction, increased accuracy and less heat transfer when compared to typical brass-cased bullets. True Velocity’s advanced polymer technology has allowed them to create their new composite-cased cartridges in calibers ranging from 5.56 to 12.7, and for the first time ever this innovative design is available for purchase on the commercial market.
The 6.8mm cartridge being tested by the army may not be available for sale yet, but .308 ammo loaded in their new composite cases is. Hopefully, someday this ammo is as commercially viable as anything else on the market, but as of now, this technology can only be acquired through purchasing True Velocity’s collector’s edition .308 box set. The rounds included in the box can be shot if you wish, but the real purpose of this set is to commemorate a new era in American military weapon systems. Years from now when the U.S. Army’s use of composite-cased ammunition has become commonplace, owners of this box set will have a piece of history in their possession.
The 22 rounds of composite-cased ammo included in the box are .308 168-grain Nosler Custom hollow-point boat-tail bullets. If you do choose to fire this ammunition it should be superbly accurate. It all comes in a modern-looking display box, which also includes a D.O.P.E. log book and a 1 MOA Tue Velocity challenge coin. MSRP for the box set is $159.99.
Developed as a DMR for the Soviet army, the SVD is still much of the world’s go-to sniper rifle.
Why Is the SVD As Successful As It Is?
Thoughtful design choices balance weight, durability and accuracy.
Large production numbers and widespread proliferation make them the most common marksman rifles in the world.
Reliable and durable even in harsh conditions.
Chambered for common caliber that’s been produced en masse since the late 19th century.
The SVD may be the world’s most iconic sniper rifle despite not technically being a sniper rifle. Developed to be integrated into every Soviet army squadron as a support weapon similar to a machine gun or grenade launcher, the SVD only had to be accurate enough to effectively engage enemy targets at a max of about 800 meters. It was intended to provide precise, suppressive fire on enemy positions as well as pick off high value targets. The realities of warfare often force weapons to perform outside of their designer’s original intentions, however, and this squad-level Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) was eventually pressed into service as a sniper by those with access to nothing else. While some Westerners may turn their noses up at a supposed “sniper rifle” that cannot achieve sub minute of angle groups, for the rest of the world an SVD might as well be an L6A1 when their only other choices are un-scoped infantry rifles.
The SVD’s widespread proliferation and distinctive style have resulted in the rifle being prominently featured in everything from movies to video games, to the extent that even those who are not gun-savvy can often picture one when they hear the word “Dragunov.”
One of the earliest American films to feature an SVD was Rambo 3. Photo:IMFDB.
While the rifle’s large-scale production numbers and proliferation undoubtedly helped contribute to the SVD’s continued usage today, there are other reasons why this cold warrior is still kicking.
SVD Development
Development on the SVD began in 1957 by Yevgeny Dragunov for the upcoming Soviet trials for a new marksman's weapon. It went up against rifles designed by older, more established firearms engineers, but Dragunov’s entry was ultimately deemed the best and was adopted by the Soviets in 1963. Dragunov came from a family of gunsmiths and worked as an armorer and engineer for the military during WWII. After the war he would work on commercial sporting rifles, eventually developing one that would win the Russians several Olympic medals in shooting events. This background combined with Dragunov’s personal hobby of target shooting gave him the tools he needed to design the rifle that would go on to win the Soviet trials.
Requirements for the Red Army’s new marksman rifle specified that it had to be light, durable, reliable and still decently accurate with a spread of ammunition types. It also had to be chambered for the 7.62x54R cartridge, have iron sights and a bayonet lug. A new scope was also ordered to be developed alongside it.
In the earlier years of the SVD being fielded it went through a number of changes in barrel twist rate to accommodate different kinds of ammunition. They ultimately settled on a twist rate that would adequately stabilize everything from tracers, AP and explosive rounds rather than only the 7N1 sniper ammo that was developed for it. Later changes saw the SVD’s furniture switched from wood laminate to black polymer, as well as the SVU bullpup and SVDS folding stock variants.
Despite having some external similarities and controls, the SVD is not a member of the AK family. It uses a short-stroke gas piston to operate unlike the AK’s long-stroke system and takes more inspiration from rifles like the SVT-40. Its bolt has three lugs as opposed to the AK’s two in order to ensure more repeatable lockup and therefore better accuracy, but like any semi-auto rifle developed in the late 50’s its accuracy pales in comparison to what can be achieved today. For a military rifle, however, it proved to be accurate enough for the job in dozens of conflicts, even when firing subpar ammunition. The SVD’s accuracy only begins to become unacceptable during a high volume of fire, as the thin-profile barrel that was chosen to save weight is susceptible to overheating. Experiencing this issue firsthand in Afghanistan, the Russians developed heavier-barreled versions, as well.
All SVD receivers are still milled as well, despite attempts by the Russians to create a stamped model like they did with the AKM. While the machined receivers may be more expensive to produce, they also result in a more durable, rugged and accurate rifle. Reliability is further enhanced by the SVD’s adjustable gas system with options for shooting in either normal or adverse conditions.
As a member of an infantry squad, Soviet doctrine also expected their designated marksman to participate in things like clearing villages or bayonet charges. These requirements are why the SVD has a bayonet lug, iron sights and a quick-detachable scope, allowing the user to quickly transform their marksman weapon into one more capable of being used in close quarters. The rifle’s detachable 10-round magazines are useful both in this role and when being used more traditionally.
The PSO-1 4×24 telescopic scope that was developed for use with the SVD is just as ubiquitous as the rifle itself. It mounts on the Russian-pattern side scope rail that was originally developed for the AKM to use early night-vision optics. The universality of Russian scopes and mounts resulted in the PSO-1 being used on more rifles than the SVD, as well as more optics being used on the SVD than just the PSO-1.
This optic perfectly complements the SVD’s qualities. They are both rugged and simple to use, and the PSO’s magnification and field of view are ideal for the SVD’s intended range and role as a DMR. In an urban combat environment, even an untrained soldier could pick up an SVD and see much more effective results than one would with just an AK. It truly is a force multiplier.
For those who are more trained in marksmanship, the PSO-1’s reticle can be put to even greater effect. The reticle is battery powered and can be illuminated red for use in low-light environments, and a rangefinder was built in to allow for quick and easy range calculations and adjustments.
Plenty of contemporary SVD users employ the rifle out of necessity. Scoped rifles of any kind are in limited supply in many of the world’s hot spots, and combatants use whatever arms they can get their hands on. While a similar argument can be made to explain the AK’s prolific status, it does not change the fact that the AK is a much-loved weapon on its own merits. The same is true for the Dragunov, just because it is many fighters’ only choice of scoped rifle does not detract from its qualities. From the jungles of Vietnam and Africa to the deserts of the Middle East or the streets of Grozny, users of the SVD have found them to excel in their intended role. They are light enough to carry for days, durable enough to reliably fire when uncleaned and covered in dust and still accurate enough to kill a man at 800 meters.
The SVD’s design was popular enough to inspire several copies and clones as well, especially after the Soviets were hesitant about sharing the technology even with some of their Warsaw Pact allies. The Chinese reverse-engineered captured examples from Vietnam to create nearly identical clones, known in the U.S. as the NDM-86. Romania made an SVD-inspired rifle called the PSL and the Yugoslavians did the same with their M91.
Whether it’s a genuine Russian-made SVD or a Chinese clone, professional modern armies and guerrilla fighters around the globe still use this rifle both out of choice and necessity, and they will continue to for decades to come.
SVDs In America
As the one of the world’s most iconic firearms, it’s only natural that American gun owners would want to own one themselves. Unfortunately, due to import sanctions placed on Russia and China only a limited number ever reached our shores. For those that would like to have one in their own collection, be prepared for prices that put this gun outside of most people’s budgets. Commercial Russian “Tiger” models are some of the more affordable variants, but the closer you get to a genuine military rifle the more desirable and expensive they become. Recently a small batch was imported out of Hungary, and people were at each other’s throats to even have the opportunity to buy one despite their large price tag. Most Americans who want an SVD scratch their itch with one of the similar but more available rifles like the PSL or M91. This high demand for SVDs in the States is a false scarcity driven by the limited number that legally entered our country. In nations like Switzerland which allow private firearm ownership and do not have sanctions on SVD-producing countries, people can still buy them new for reasonable prices.
Your odds of owning one of these legendary rifles in America is unfortunately slim with little chance of improving, but the SVD will continue to see prolific use around the globe for as long as humans are fighting each other.
The new Emissary 1911 from Springfield Armory is built for defense and loaded with custom-level features.
Springfield Emissary 1911 Features:
.45 ACP
5-Inch Match-Grade Bull Barrel
U-Notch Rear Sight, Tritium Front Sight
VZ G10 Grips
Picatinny Rail
Flat-Faced Trigger, Enlarged Trigger Guard
MSRP: $1,279
While Springfield’s Hellcat and XD Compact pistols are popular CCW options today, there are those that still only trust a gun with some heft to it. Compact polymer grips might feel comfortable on the belt, but when it comes to actual fighting weapons that feel good in the hand it's hard to beat an all-steel, full-size 1911. The new Emissary 1911 from Springfield aims to bridge the gap between their duty handguns and custom shop offerings, providing high-tier features and craftsmanship in a pistol intended for serious defensive work.
Like all of Springfield’s 1911s, the Emissary’s frame and slide are made from steel forgings to ensure durability and ruggedness. The frame is stainless steel while the slide is carbon steel, combining to create an aesthetically pleasing two-tone finish. Some other features that contribute to the Emissary 1911’s custom-styled looks are the Tri-Top cut slide, squared trigger guard and grenade-pattern texture on the front and backstraps. These details don’t just give the gun extra style, they also have practical applications. The slide features lightning cuts and anti-glare serrations, the enlarged trigger guard allows for easier use with gloves and the frame texture provides for a solid grip while shooting.
Making quick, accurate hits with the Emissary 1911 should be a breeze thanks to its bushingless heavy stainless steel bull barrel, trigger and sights. The barrel was designed to reduce muzzle flip and recoil while maintaining maximum, match-grade accuracy. The flat-faced trigger, Tactical Rack U-Dot rear sight and tritium front sight all work together to aid the shooter in scoring good hits with fast follow-up shots, regardless of the surrounding light level. Fast follow-up shots are possible thanks to the gun’s ultra-fast lock times which are enabled by the skeletonized hammer.
The Emissary 1911 ships with two 8-round mags, and like any modern defensive handgun it also has a rail for mounting a light or laser unit. Chambered for the original .45 ACP, the Emissary 1911 brings several useful upgrades to this classic design that help to keep it on the list of viable self-defense pistols in the 21st century.
Is lethal force versus pepper spray ever warranted? It depends on more than if you face someone wielding the less-than-lethal option.
On October 11, 2020, 30-year-old Matthew Dolloff, a Navy veteran who was ostensibly working as a private security guard for a Denver news channel, shot and killed 49-year-old Lee Keltner, who was discharging a riot control canister toward him when Dolloff fired one shot, striking Keltner in the head, killing him. Dolloff was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder.
So, when is it justifiable to use deadly force against someone threatening or attacking with pepper spray?
Pepper spray is seen as a non-lethal use of force option, as it has developed from police use of force tool in the early ’90s to the role it has now, both on police belts and in armed citizens’ pockets and cars. It’s a meaningful option for most everyone who is faced with a possible criminal attack, but the criminal attack doesn’t rise to the level of using deadly force.
Pepper spray, when applied correctly to the face, will cause the eyes to shut and become inflamed, affect the mucus membranes that it comes in contact with and, if inhaled, cause shortness of breath and coughing. For most everyone, it acts within a second or two of exposure and shuts the person down long enough to either be taken into custody (if a law enforcement situation) or for the armed citizen to escape the criminal attack.
Pepper Spray Nuances
But most armed police also consider that if they’re threatened with attack by pepper spray, it’d be an option for them to use deadly force to prevent the attack. Why? Because of the fact that the law enforcement officer has a gun and would likely be disarmed and possibly killed.
Know Your Rights:
Brandishing And When You Can Legally Display A Gun
The vast majority of police officers will be exposed to the effects of pepper spray in the police academy, and for us old-timers, we took a hit of pepper spray during an in-service training day. I took my first hit of pepper spray in a pepper spray instructor course, taught by the late-great police trainer, Ed Nowicki. I’ve taken several additional exposures in subsequent instructor certification courses and have been contaminated numerous times while teaching pepper spray classes. I know what it does to me, as do most law enforcement officers.
Do you know what it does to you? If a person uses deadly force to stop someone from attacking with pepper spray, they had better know exactly how their body responds to the spray, and whether or not they could mount a successful defense of a gun grab attempt. They’ll have to articulate the circumstances surrounding the use of deadly force, whether or not that was a police officer or a private citizen.
All use of force when defending life needs to be commensurate with the amount of force being used in the attack. Just facing a person threatening to spray you doesn’t warrant shooting them, but instead, there must be articulated facts to go along with the pepper spray that’d lead a reasonable person to agree it was necessary to kill the attacker.
Was the pepper spray attacker threatening to disarm and kill the defender? Did the attacker even know the defender had a gun? Was he warned not to use pepper spray, as the defender would be forced to shoot and kill if he was sprayed with pepper spray? Was there a size disparity sufficient to render a physical defense against a gun grab unlikely to be successful, given the defender would be affected by the spray? Was there more than one attacker preparing to attack the defender?
Then, does the defender know enough about pepper spray to understand the delivery system being used against him? Was the defender being threatened with a puny stream type of spray, as commonly found on key rings after being touted as an effective self-defense spray? Or, was he being threatened with a riot control fogger delivery system that’s likely to contaminate everything and everybody within a 30-foot circle?
After all that, was there any tactical moves the defender could’ve made to avoid being sprayed, such as turning around and running away?
These questions and concerns should be addressed in a competent pepper spray training course. If you carry pepper spray as a self-defense tool, you should have the training. And if you carry a gun along with spray, or even if you carry a gun without carrying pepper spray, training to understand the effects of pepper spray against you would be a very nice thing to have if you need to justify shooting someone who was threatening to spray you, disarm you and kill you.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
By this time, most folks with a firearm understand the importance of a proper trigger pull. This goes double when it comes to handguns. Yes, that single little digit has an overwhelming influence on if a shot hits the mark or ends up a flier. In turn, it’s worth your time honing a smooth, consistent and accuracy-enhancing trigger pull.
That said, in terms of a high-pressure situation, the fundamentals of a trigger pull can fly out the window, which isn’t good. Hence the reason why Jamie Caldwell’s trigger pull drill is a much-needed antidote to countless hours squeezing the switch. What the former special operator and current instructor with 1-Minute Out does with his training is introduced an element of pressure alongside precision
How Caldwell achieves this is through the introduction of a shot timer. As is demonstrated in the above video, the idea is to match the break as close to the single from the countdown timer. At the same tick, the shooter should objectively watch that he or she is keeping their sights on target throughout the break. It sounds fairly rudimentary, however, honestly assessing personal performance, improving a shooter’s overall ability to maintain a smooth stroke under stress. This is key for most shooting situations away from casual range time.
Perhaps the best part of Caldwell's drill, it's appropriate for both dry and live fire. Either way, his trigger pull drill has the potential to get shooters on target.
Imported by SDS out of Turkey, the Zigana PX-9 G2 has several new features but the same affordable price.
Tisas Zigana PX-9 G2 Features:
Customizable Grip Panels
Removable Magazine Well
Ambidextrous Controls
Light Rail
18+1 Capacity Of 9mm
Turkish firearm manufacturers have seemingly found their niche in the international arms trade. They have proven to be more than capable of producing functional, yet affordable guns, especially shotguns and pistols. One of these companies is Tisas, mostly known in America for their 1911 and Hi Power clones that serve as many new shooters’ first foray into the “classics”. The Zigana PX-9 may not be a classic, but since its release, it has proven to be more than adequate as a full-sized duty pistol. From Malaysian and Filipino police officers to American citizens, the Zigana PX-9 offered its users a no-frills, modern service pistol experience for less money than the competition. The same is true about the pistol’s 2021 second-generation update, the Zigana PX-9 G2, but it is now more ergonomic and customizable too.
With today's handgun market so dominated by the hottest new CCW pieces, it's easy to forget about full-sized pistols. In areas where concealability isn’t of concern, however, there’s really no reason to choose a smaller gun over a larger one that will be easier to aim, shoot and will have a higher ammo capacity. Whether its for your nightstand, your glove box, or just for the range, large frame pistols still have their place. If all you need is something basic, the Zigana can get the job done for cheaper than a Glock, Sig or any other name-brand analogs.
The Zigana PX-9 G2 has changed in appearance slightly since its first generation. Updates made to the grip allow for 27 different configurations, accomplished by swapping out the side panels and backstraps. A removable magazine well is also included to assist with reloading. The manual thumb-safety is ambidextrous out of the box and the magazine release can be swapped to either side.
Like the first-generation PX-9, the G2 model still has a light rail and forward slide serrations. It also still has reverse compatibility with S&W M&P 2.0 rear sights as well as Sig P226 magazines. While similar to the Springfield XD, the Zigana has no grip safety or trigger safety, instead opting for a simpler and cheaper to produce manual thumb safety. While some dislike having to remember the extra step of flicking a safety off during a draw, many others also prefer it to the less comfortable grip and trigger safeties.
The Zigana PX-9 G2 has an MSRP of $379.95, only $10 more than the previous generation. Each pistol ships with two magazines, a magazine loader, a cleaning kit, an OWB holster and a lockable hard case. It may not be the fanciest gun on the block, but for the price, you get a very capable service pistol with a lot of extras and features right out of the box.
Understanding the AR-10 lower receiver is key to getting the rifle you want.
What are the specifics on AR-10 lowers:
Two main receiver patterns: DPMS and ArmaLite.
DPMS has an elliptical rear cut on its lower, ArmaLite an angular cut.
Patterns are not cross-compatible with the upper receiver.
Series B ArmaLite receivers use magazines based off the M14’s.
DPMS and ArmaLite Series B receivers are compatible with industry-standard “SR” magazines.
Nearly all AR-15 triggers can function in an AR-10.
AR-10-specific triggers generally have beefed up hammers.
AR-style rifles, certainly they’re fun to shoot, but that’s perhaps only half their story. The aspect that seems to capture shooters’ fancy as much as accuracy, ease of use and ruggedness is their simplicity of upgrade. Want an in-your-face carbine, begging for close-quarters action? An AR can do that. How about a long-range system configured to clip a fly’s wings well past the 500-yard mark? Again, look no further than Eugene Stoner’s eminently talented brainchild.
Upgrading an AR is nearly a no-brainer, at least when talking the smaller AR-15. The civilian rifle has benefitted greatly from its cousins’ – the M-16 – military service with a veritable cornucopia of upgrades for nearly every conceivable application. More importantly, the rifle has become standardized, in turn nearly every single aftermarket part is certain to work on your rifle, whether it wears a Colt, Smith & Wesson, CMMG or any other brand. Things get a bit trickier with the big brother of the black-rifle family – the AR-10.
Armalite makes a 7.62 rifle. The older version uses modified M14 magazines.
Scant military use has made building and shopping for the larger-caliber AR a bit more convoluted. Free to design as they please, manufacturers have done exactly this over the years, placing some constraints on how you go about upgrading or slapping one together. Not standardized, it takes additional consideration to get things to work properly with an AR-10; it’s not exactly rocket science, but it positively isn’t a pick-and-place affair like the AR-15. But once you grasp the fundamentals, you open the door to a whole new world of calibers – .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win., just to name a very few. Furthermore, you can expect a rifle every bit as flexible and adaptable as its little brother, just one is a bit fussier when it comes to parts.
The key to making the most of an AR-10 is a good foundation of the rifle, the popular patterns and what parts work with what systems. And there’s no better place to begin decoding these brutes than, well, they’re foundations.
AR-10 Lower Receiver
Aside from calibers, receivers (upper and lower) pretty much define the AR-10 and dictate how you move forward building, upgrading or maintaining your rifle. Even if you plan on buying one off the shelf and leaving it stock, you should give some thought to the heart of the rifle. Sooner or later you’ll have to replace a component. When that time comes, your receiver choice could potentially make life easy or difficult.
Top: ArmaLite pattern lower receiver, note the angular rear cut. Bottom: Palmetto State Armory DPSM pattern lower with elliptical cut.
The great majority of AR-10s are one of two receiver patterns: DPMS or LR-308 and ArmaLite (by definition the AR-10). Rock River was also a major player in the early days, however, its LAR-308 pattern didn't see as widespread aftermarket profusion. Today the world is awash in AR-10s, and unlike its little brother the AR-15, manufacturers have done anything but standardize. This means there are many other patterns on the market, specialized designs that veer from what use to be the norm and are only compatible with parts from that particular company. But since these are highly proprietary, we’ll stick with what you’ll most likely encounter on store shelves and through AR parts dealers.
The differences between the patterns are fine, but particularly notable on the AR-10 lower receiver's geometry. The rear cut on a DPMS lower is elliptical, while ArmaLite’s is angled. The means, for the most part, upper receivers only play nice with their own kind. A DPMS pattern upper won’t work on an ArmaLite lower, but the inverse will. Not that this is an advisable configuration. You’ll have a functional rifle, but one with large breaches between the receivers, begging to invite filth into internal components. Additionally, the gap is right around face level when the firearm is shot, not ideal if ever a case ruptured. There are some other notable differences between the patterns, mainly pertaining to parts, we’ll get to that when we delve into AR-10 upper receivers in another post.
A not-so-obvious variance in the AR-10 lower receiver patterns is magazine compatibility. Time was DPMS had a definitive advantage in this facet, using modern magazines based on the original waffle-pattern. Produced by manufacturers such as Magpul and D&H Industries, these SR- or DPMS-pattern magazines were and are readily available and economical.
The SR or DPMS style magazines, such as the Magpul PMAG, are more commonly used.
Conversely, for a spell, ArmaLite turned out their own magazine stock (there were a few other manufacturers) based on the one used by the M14. This changed earlier this decade. ArmaLite introduced what it calls its Series A receivers (Series B is the traditional receiver design), which are compatible with industry-standard magazines based on the waffle pattern. At this point, the newer pattern dominates the company’s catalog. Though, Series B AR-10s are readily available.
There are a number of manufacturers who are on each team, though the DPMS perhaps has more. For instance, Fulton Armory, Palmetto State Armory and CMMG all use Gen I DPMS designs. As far as ArmaLite, Knight’s Armament and Noveske are notable examples, besides, of course, ArmaLite.
AR-10 Triggers, Buffer Tubes And Stocks
Following along to the internals and other aspects affiliated with the AR-10 lower receiver, things loosen up quite a bit, given there are a number of AR-15 parts that are compatible. But not all. Bolt catch, magazine catch, buffer, buffer spring and takedown pins are no-goes between the large and small ARs.
However, the platforms can share pistol grips, buffer tube, trigger guard, safety selector (and spring), magazine release button (and spring), trigger guard, buttstock, hammer and trigger. This last component – trigger – is especially nice, opening a veritable floodgate of top-shelf options.
Timney Trigger's Competition AR-10 drop-in unit. Note the beefier hammer.
Love Timney’s AR-15 Competition Trigger in your 5.56 rifle? It's at home in your .308. Same goes for a Primary Arms model or TriggerTech or Velocity or what have you.
That said, most trigger makers do offer options specifically designed for the larger-caliber rifle. The difference, they’re beefed up – especially their hammers. Some examples are Jard’s single and two-stage .308 triggers and Timney’s .308 Drop-In, which have much more meat on their bones. Some shooters swear by them, citing greater durability and reliability. The point is debatable, given there are plenty of cross-purpose AR-15/10 triggers running in the larger-caliber rifle without a hitch.
The Best AR-10 Lower?
Given the variation in the market and the proprietary nature of the rifle, this is a difficult question on a general level. Making matters more difficult, the exclusivity of designs has made a ground-up build more difficult as the years have gone on. Easier for a manufacturer to offer a complete rifle and do away with spelling out all the nuances of compatibility. Not to mention emails complaining, “My gun didn’t work with XYZ component …” Who needs that headache?
That said, there are still options to cobble together a rifle in the most popular patterns starting at the foundation. Two good areas to begin are Aero Precision and good ol’ Armalite itself.
Aero M5
For first-timers, the M5 is an excellent option in an LR-308 pattern lower. Aero components are affordable, yet well made, with tight specs. Maybe not up to snuff for the true rifle snobs, but passable for the everyday shooter.
Forged, the M5 is tough as cut nails and should provide a lifetime of service. But it has a few other bells and whistles making it a solid investment. One of the most notable, a polymer-tipped set screw that takes the rattle of a rifle. Best of all, it’s an LR-308 pattern, which means the lower is much easier to build out given the number of aftermarket parts available.
Armalite AR-10 A Series
Where else would you turn to build an AR-10? Not only are you getting the Armalite markings on your build with this lower, but also a dang nice receiver to boot. Plus, it being an A Series design, the lower offers up greater magazine compatibility.
What you get out of the Armalite lower is a forged receiver, the perfect foundation for a tactical workhorse build. One with a nice flare of tradition, reaching back to the beginning of the rifle. While not readily available, occasionally B Series receivers crop up, bad news for throwback builders. If you're wed to the older design, likely you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled on third-party sellers.
Parting Shot
Certainly not as clear-cut as shopping for or building an AR-15, decoding the AR-10 isn’t an absolute mind-bender either. Understanding the difference between the AR-10 lower receivers is a good starting point and lays a solid foundation to the parts of the platform that are a bit more intricate and nuanced – upper, handguard and barrel in particular.
More than anything, it’s a matter of understanding the rifle's compatibility with parts, then shopping for them accordingly. This means serious research on the rifle you plan to build. Once you decide the manufacturer of AR-10 lower, question them to the nth-degree about exact specs and compatibility of parts. Glancing at the geometry of the receiver isn't enough to verify it'll work.
It might seem a slog for a modular system, especially after getting spoiled by the Mil-Spec AR-15. But learning the ins and outs of AR-10 pays off with a greater variety of caliber options and a rifle ready to go the extra mile. Not to mention, mastering a truly unique weapons system.
There are only a few makes of AK still being imported into the States from original military arsenals, but FB Radom of Poland is one of them. Their Beryl rifles and Mini Beryl pistols are established as good quality semi-auto clones of Poland’s military arms, but not everyone wants an AK chambered in 5.56. Recognizing that Americans tend to prefer AKs in their original caliber, FB Radom has begun sending over their export Beryl model as well, the Beryl M762.
Beryl M762 with a collapsible buttstock, FB optics rail and railed handguards with foregrip. Photo:Wikipedia
Originally developed for sale to the Nigerian military, the Beryl M762 has all the modern features, upgrades and build quality as FB's 5.56 guns, but is compatible with any standard AK magazine or M43 cartridge. Just as the Pole’s Beryls were put to the test during Middle Eastern NATO operations, the Beryl M762 has been proven in the Nigerians’ fight against Boko Haram. Now available stateside, these rifles offer American shooters the best of both Beryls.
Beryl M762 Origins
Our previous posts on FB Radom and 5.56 Beryls will give a more in-depth look at these weapons’ shared development history because not much changed between them and the Beryl M762. Because the 5.56 Beryl was an outgrowth of the Tantal project, all guns in this family are based on the AKM at heart. While the Soviet AK-74 underwent some more significant dimensional changes from the AKM during its development, the Beryl was essentially just a rechambering and modernization project for their 7.62×39 AKs.
Setting up production of the Beryl to arm Poland’s military completely took their AKM production offline. While the Pole’s didn’t need 7.62 guns themselves anymore, factories with the ability to produce AKs typically like to make money by exporting them abroad as well. When it comes to exported AKs, nearly everyone prefers 7.62×39 due to the abundance of ammunition and magazines which have been spreading around the globe for over half a century. This preference is one thing that American shooters and the Nigerian army brass had in common, and it is why FB Radom has added the semi-auto Beryl M762 to their U.S. catalog.
Nigerian armed forces have appreciated their Beryls since receiving their first batch in 2015. They have all the same ruggedness and simplicity of any other Kalashnikov but with the ability to mount modern optics, accessories, fire rifle grenades and even fire 3-round bursts. The Beryl is modern enough to give the Nigerian armed forces an edge in combat while maintaining the same training and logistical supply train as with their older, standard AK rifles. Nigeria and FB Radom have even signed a contract to allow local Nigerian production of the Beryl, but it is currently unknown if this project is still underway or if it has been canceled.
The Beryl 762 S M1 is the semi-auto import version of the Beryl M762, and there isn’t much that can be said about them that isn't also true for the Beryl 223 S M1. They are both imported in “sporter” configurations and then converted to accept normal magazines and furniture while remaining 922 R compliant. They both are compatible with the Beryl optics rail system and have an enlarged safety selector and mag release. The Beryl handguards are proprietary, but the pistol grip and stock can be swapped with any standard AK components, Polish-made or otherwise. The Beryl M762s’s barrel length is two inches shorter than the 5.56 version, however, 16 inches provides sufficient velocity for 7.62×39. The Beryl M762 is otherwise just a Beryl that takes standard AK mags and ammo.
The Beryl 762 S M1 as imported.
The Beryl M762 is a well-made gun from a prominent factory. It is an attractive option not only for its unique provenance regarding the Polish and Nigerian militaries, but for its practical upgrades as well. Like all FB Radom guns, the Beryl M762 is more expensive than most other AKs on the market, so you will have to determine whether its uniqueness and functional upgrades justify the price for you. This gun will appeal to both military-clone collectors as well as hardcore shooters looking for a reliable AK with more modern features than any other 7.62×39 import currently on the market.
Breaking in a rifle barrel through a routine of shooting, then cleaning, then shooting some more is either a required step for a precision rimfire rifle system or not necessary at all, depending with whom you talk.
The more accurate answer to rimfire barrel break-in is, “it depends.”
First, consider the caliber. A .22 LR shooting lead bullets may require a different process than a .17 HMR or .22 WMR that shoots jacketed bullets. Lilja Rifles, Inc., no stranger to precision shooting, says, “Rimfire rifle barrels are different from centerfire barrels in that they require minimal cleaning and essentially no break-in procedure.” Then they go on to state, “The .22 WMR and .17 HMR cartridges are rimfires, but they fire a jacketed bullet and therefore centerfire cleaning, and break-in instructions apply.”
An important note here, Lilja barrels — and Shilen, Muller, Bartlein, and other premium makers — are hand-lapped to a mirror polish. That means they remove any tooling marks left in the bore from the barrel-making process. That is not the case with factory barrels. With a borescope, you can see plain as day little ridges and nicks in many factory barrels. Those imperfections can be made smoother after shooting lead .22 LRs down the bore, as imperfections fill in with lead and lube, which slicks up the bore and makes for better groups. That is why so many factory rimfires seem to shoot better after many hundreds of rounds and why so many rimfire shooters seem allergic to ever cleaning their bores. However, there are downsides to an always dirty barrel.
It seems a factory or rough barrel can be broken in by shooting it a lot, whereas a hand-lapped barrel does not require this. Likewise, a hand-lapped premium barrel can be kept cleaner for longevity’s sake, as it only takes half a box of ammo or less to “re-foul” the bore and for accurate shooting. In both cases, it is not as necessary to shoot, clean, shoot, clean using some prescribed protocol as it is for barrels that send copper-jacketed bullets downrange.
Wilson Combat gives their EDC X9 the subcompact treatment with the new 15-round SFX9.
Features:
9x19mm Para.
15-Round Capacity
Solid Aluminum Frame
3.25-Inch Match-Grade Barrel
Concealment Controls
Light Rail
Base Price: $2,895
Subcompact, high capacity 9mm handguns are the most recent trend in the CCW world. Guns like the Ruger MAX9 and the Sig P365XL have been pushing the limits of how small a gun can be while still having a large magazine and being comfortable to shoot. The new Wilson Combat 15-round SFX9 may not be a direct competitor to these other models, but its release was clearly inspired by some recent market trends.
Based on the classic 1911 design that Wilson Combat is known for, the SFX9 can never be quite as small, light or inexpensive as the striker-fired polymer-framed guns that are currently dominating the industry. While the SFX9 may not be the most concealable option available, it offers advantages in other areas that are sure to appeal to Wilson Combat’s target demographic. Expert manufacturing paired with innovative design changes have allowed Wilson Combat to bring the 1911 into the 21st century as a completely viable defense weapon for those who can afford one, and their new SFX9 is one of their most attractive options for concealed carry.
On The Belt
The SFX9 utilizes Wilson’s solid frame construction techniques, milling a single block of T6-7075 aluminum into a single, extra durable 1911 frame. The use of aluminum helps to bring the gun’s weight down to just a hair below 30 ounces unloaded, making it much more comfortable for prolonged carrying sessions. Additionally, the SFX9’s hammer, safety, mag release and rear sight have been streamlined to aid in concealment and enable a snag-free draw. These features paired with the 3.25-inch-long barrel make this 1911 about as comfortable to carry as is possible with a 100+ year-old design.
In The Hand
When Wilson Combat sets out to make a gun, even more thought is put into how it shoots than how it carries. Wilson Combat guns have a high expectation of accuracy, reliability and ergonomics, so the SFX9 had to be just as nice at the range as it is in the holster. To help balance the SFX9’s lightweight aluminum frame, its grip shape and angle were altered to help better control recoil. The grip also has Wilson Combat X-Tac tread pattern to help the shooter get solid purchase while firing. The famous accuracy of Wilson Combat 1911s should be easy to achieve with the available sight options for the SFX9. Tritium and fiber optics in various colors are available for the front sight, and the rear of the slide can be ordered cut to mount a red dot straight from the factory.
9mm 1911s have historically had worse reliability than their .45 ACP counterparts. For a long time, even the highest quality 9mm 1911s were notoriously picky about the kind of ammo fed to them. Wilson Combat has seemingly resolved this however with their Enhanced Reliability System or ERS. The rails, lock-up and even extractor have been modified to reliably cycle any power of 9mm load, regardless of how dry or dirty the gun is (within reason). The two 15-round mags that come in the box are made by Mec-Gar in Italy who seem to have a global monopoly on high-quality double-stack pistol magazines, even acting as the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for several prominent companies. Their SFX9 mags have been designed with a special 9mm follower to ensure reliability.
The Wilson Combat SFX9 looks like an excellent new CCW piece for those looking for a small, high-capacity 9mm handgun. While it may not be as small as some of the other “deep concealment” options available today, the difference in shooting experiences will reveal where your extra money went.
PROOF Research and MDT have partnered to create the new precision PROOF MDT Chassis Rifle.
PROOF MDT Caliber Options:
.223 Rem.
.308 Win.
6 ARC
6 Dasher
6 Creedmoor
6.5 Creedmoor
PROOF Research, known for its bolt-action rifles, has partnered with MDT, Zermatt and others to bring a new rifle to market that combines each company’s respective strengths into a single platform. Available in six different calibers, the PROOF MDT Chassis Rifle is equipped to provide extreme precision wherever you may need it.
Precision Features
The rifle is built on an MDT ACC (Adjustable Core Competition) Chassis and finished in custom PROOF Research colors. The stock’s comb height and length of pull can be adjusted to accommodate a shooter of any size, and it is also compatible with MDT buttstock weights for added recoil reduction. A scope can be mounted via the ARCA rail on top of the action, which is a Zermatt Arms TL3. It uses a Triggertech Pro Curved Diamond trigger which can be adjusted from 4 to 32 ounces of pull. The chassis also includes M-LOK mounting points on the handguard for attaching bipods, weights, or any other accessory.
A 26-inch PROOF Research competition contour steel barrel ensures consistent precision regardless of caliber choice. The rifle is fed by MDT AICS-pattern detachable box magazines which were engineered to facilitate easier mag changes while shooting prone.
Ergonomics, mechanical accuracy and compatibility with aftermarket competition upgrades make this rifle a solid choice for anyone in need of serious precision. The PROOF MDT Chassis Rifle has an MSRP of $5,699 and comes with a custom hard case and PROOF’s accuracy guarantee.
Storied as the Barrett M82 is, its reputation as the ultimate .50-cal. sniper rifle is somewhat unlikely.
What Makes The M82 Rise As A Sniper Rifle Odd:
The rifle's original aim was as an anti-material rifle, with a limited anti-personnel role.
Its short-recoil operation makes the rifle considerably less accurate than most suppose.
Most .50 BMG ammunition until recent times was decidedly not match-grade.
Think of a football field with the end zones removed. Now lay 28 of them end to end. Not a football fan? How about the Houston Astro’s home, Minute Maid Park? Extend home plate to deep centerfield around 20 times.
Even with tangible and somewhat common reference points, getting a handle on exactly what 1.5 miles looks like is difficult. It’s easier to say it’s plum far. Now hit a man-sized target at this distance.
Barret's M82 has had a long, strange career in the military. With some of the longest recorded kills to its name, the rifle has become a legend. Though originally taking out enemy combatants was never its primary aim. Photo: Barrett Firearms
Nye impossible? In April of 2012, an unnamed soldier with Australia’s 2nd Commando Regiment tallied up a kill from this mythological distance somewhere in the mountains of Afghanistan. Technically, the second-longest recorded kill was a tick longer—2,815 yards. At these lengths, who’s counting? On his shoulder is what has come to epitomize small-unit long-range supremacy—the legendary M82A1 Barrett.
Unique and dominant, the semi-automatic has come to represent the quintessential .50-caliber sniper rifle in most people’s minds. Gun articles and movies have iconized the massive, large-caliber iron, spinning tales of death from afar, the rifle fatally biting enemies before they even hear its bark. It’s quite a reputation. One that is, in many respects, accidental.
Misunderstood Warrior
Wait … what did he say?
You heard correctly. Perhaps the most storied sniper rifle in the past 40 years fell into this role unintentionally. That’s not to say the M82—in particular the M82A1 variant (designated M107 when formally adopted in 2002)—hasn’t made hay out of the strike of serendipity. After all, the semi-automatic rifle has delivered five of the 20 longest sniper kills in history, more than any other weapon system. But picking off lone combatants and high-value, two-legged targets was never the shoulder artillery’s main aim.
U.S. Marine practices firiing a Barrett M82A1 rifle just outside of An-Numaniyah Airfield in Iraq, during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Photo: Wikipedia
Much less sexy and certainly not headline fodder, the M82 was primarily adopted into the U.S. military to smash stuff, not people. Sniper rifle in the traditional sense is a misnomer, it’s an antimaterial rifle. What the U.S. military classifies as a Special Applications Scoped Rifle (SASR) makes its biggest impact on the battlefield by sowing chaos through material deprivation. Don’t scoff. Hard-target interdiction is a big deal.
A sniper knocking a radar array or a rocket launcher out of commission has greater strategic value than dispatching any single enemy combatant—short of the top brass. Take a fighter plane, for instance. Poke a .50-caliber hole into its engine and not only have you cost the enemy a couple million. You’ve also sent a score of techs scrambling to fix it and protected your comrades from its wrath. A $2 bullet for a multi-million dollar piece of equipment; the battlefield math works out.
The Barrett M82 is more than fit for this duty. Anti-personnel engagements, on paper, it’s a bit shakier.
8 Long Guns You Have to Know from the American Civil War
Not Quite So Accurate
Despite contrary data of its success in putting enemy combatants down for good and with authority, the .50-cal. rifle is ill-suited for this type of engagement. Quite simply, the Barrett M82 isn’t that accurate of a rifle, at least in terms of precision one-shot, one-kill attempts.
By most accounts, a stock M82 shooting M33 ball ammunition is a 3 MOA weapon. Go top-shelf on what you put into its chamber and load up match ammo, and you can expect to tighten groups to roughly 1 MOA. At 1.5 miles, this is a 55.3-inch group at the top end and an 18.4-inch group at the low end. Those numbers aren’t big shakes if your target is a 15×30-foot radar array on the back of a 40-foot truck. However, it’s less ideal when dialing in on a human target that’s a slim-nickel tall in your scope.
Along with heavy return spring on its reciprocating barrel and the rifle's heft, the M82's massive muzzle brake makes the .50-cal. very shootable. Photo: Barrett Firearms
Much of the Barrett M82 inherent inaccuracy has to do with what makes the rifle so successful as a small-unit arm in the first place—its short-recoil operation.
To digress for a moment, pitching a 645-grain bullet with a 233-grain powder charge, the .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG or 12.7x99mm NATO) cartridge has ample kick. When hosed out of the M2 machine gun, which without its tripod weighs in at 82 pounds, this issue isn’t so noticeable. Out of a shoulder-fired weapon, the marksman is a crash test dummy every time he pulls the trigger. Rifles chambered for similar cartridges—such as the .55 Boys Anti-Tank Rifle of World War II—were reputed to abuse shoulders and detach retinas. Battlefield usefulness demands some sort of system to dampen the recoil impulse, particularly if the rifle will engage targets at long range.
The M82’s reciprocating barrel and heavy twin return springs play a prominent role in mitigating the .50-caliber’s horrible kick. Combine that with the rifle’s nearly 30-pound weight and massive muzzle brake, and you get a shootable system. Poke around YouTube some time, and you can find soldiers standing, shooting the rifle from the hip. Important as this aspect is in making the semi-auto shootable, it doesn’t exactly foster shot-to-shot consistency.
The Barrett M82 suffers the same malady of every semi-auto—particularly recoil-operated—in that it’s a different rifle with every shot. Every time the rifle fires, cycles and goes back into battery—minute as it might be—its components are in a different position from the shot prior. Including, most importantly, the barrel. A fraction of an inch here or there might not seem like much, and it isn’t at intermediate ranges. Past a mile, it adds up.
Furthermore, until as of late, military .50-caliber ammo hasn’t exactly been up to tack-driving standards. Makes sense, it was mainly fodder for the Ma Duce and its loose chamber specs. Not exactly the recipe for a hair-splitting rifle.
How M82 Succeeds As A Sniper
Despite these drawbacks, the same snipers who use the .50-cal. rifle to knock out comm equipment and lightly armored vehicles also successfully use them to cut down enemy combatants. But how? There are a few things at play here.
It’s fair to assume military armorers have learned a thing or two about the rifle since the military began using it in the early 1990s. Thus, these skilled technicians likely have a few tricks up their sleeves to enhance the M82’s accuracy. At least, more so than when it came out of the crate.
Despite shortcomings as an ultra-precise sniper rifle, the fortitude and skill of Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force snipers have ushered it into this role. Photo: Wikipedia
Additionally, particularly pertaining to Afghanistan, the terrain enhanced the sniper’s ability. The rifle really had the opportunity to show its best. Unopposed shooting lanes and the advantage of elevation are every sniper's dreams. Afghanistan’s mountains offered these in spades. Three of the five long shots from the Barrett came in that corner of the world.
Then there’s a little matter of ammunition. Four of the five long shots came with the rifle pitching the Raufoss Mk 211 round. The multipurpose, anti-material round has armor-piercing capabilities and high-explosive and incendiary elements. This wicked package ensures maximum damage on a hard target. However, it also vastly decreases the margin of error for a sniper seeking a kill.
For instance, Marine sniper Staff Sgt. Steve Richert took out three Iraqi insurgents through a brick wall at 1,765 yards utilizing the Mk 211 out of his M82. He still had to estimate where they were hidden, but he didn’t need to be dead nuts to make the shots count.
These are all important factors, improving the chances of the Barrett M82 as an anti-personnel sniper rifle. However, it overlooks perhaps the most important asset aiding the rifle’s success—the man behind the trigger. The soldier delivering these shots weren’t exactly novice marksmen. To the man, these were highly trained snipers with a full understanding of their profession, the tools of their trade and how to utilize them.
A nasty overall package, the Raufoss round makes a mess of enemy equipment and combatants alike. The M82A1 variant of the M82 was optimized for use with the .50-caliber round. Photo: Wikipedia
Army Spec. Nicholas Randstad, for example, shot boulders and other natural targets in his area of operation in Afghanistan. And he took meticulous notes in his dope book on exactly how his M82 performed in any given circumstance and in the face of any variable. When the Taliban set to attack the road crew he was providing overwatch, he was able the defuse the situation with a 2,288-yard kill. More so than the rifle’s reach, his knowledge is what put him on target.
On paper, the Barrett .50-caliber seems an improbable candidate to go down as one of the great sniper rifles. That doesn’t matter. Wars aren’t fought with rifle specs and engineering perimeters. When the rubber hit the road and life was in the balance, the M82 performed in the hands of a motivated sniper. That’s enough to cement it among the greats.
Barret M82 Variants
M82: .50 BMG recoil-operated semi-auto rifle, with a 10-round detachable box magazine and flip-up sights. M82A1: Improved variant with redesigned muzzle brake, designated M107 when formally adopted by the military in 2002. M82A1A: Optimized for the Raufoss Mk 211 round. M82A1M: Lengthened accessory rail, includes rear grip and monopod socket. M82A2: Shoulder-mounted bullpup variant. M82A3: New production rifles built to M82A1M specifications. Accessory rail is usually, but not always, raised higher up than the M82A1M/M107. It does not include a rear grip and monopod socket.
Faxon’s new modular Glock 19 mag extensions give you an edge without destroying your gear.
Faxon Glock 19 Mag Extension Options:
Black: +3, +5, Combo (+3 and +5)
Gray: +3, +5, Combo (+3 and +5)
Gold: Combo (+3 and +5)
Red: Combo (+3 and +5)
Blue: Combo (+3 and +5)
When concealability isn’t an issue more ammo is always better, and for home defense, competition or SHTF type pistol setup, extended magazines are a great way to keep your gun in action longer. Unfortunately, classic Glock “stendo” mags are cartoonishly long and cumbersome when inserted into a handgun and are much better suited for pistol-caliber carbines and rap music videos. This is why for the last few years several companies have been competing to make magazine extension devices that are as efficient as possible, attempting to fit the greatest capacity into the smallest size. Now, Faxon Firearms has announced their latest stab at this concept with their modular Glock 19 magazine extension kits.
Magazine extenders have generally been accepted as the preferred alternative to off-the-shelf extended magazines due to their higher reliability and smaller size. One of the biggest downsides to many of the existing kits on the market is that permanent alterations must be made to your magazine in order to install them. Faxon’s modular mag extensions can be installed on factory Glock mags without any modification necessary, and they even utilize many of the factory components in the extended configuration. Only the +5 extensions require a new spring, but they are included in the box.
Whether purchasing a single-size extension or one of Faxon’s combo options, all sets include the necessary Allen keys and screws required for installation. After the magazine extension adaptor has been installed, the modular nature of the design allows for quick and easy switching between the +3 and +5 baseplates. Made of aluminum, Faxon’s extensions are available anodized in a variety of colors. The black and gray kits for more serious setups are available individually as +3 or +5 models, while the flashier colors for competition shooters may only be purchased in the combo kits. MSRP for the different extension options ranges from $50 to $75 and all come backed by Faxon’s lifetime guarantee.
For more information on Faxon Firearms, please visit faxonfirearms.com.
We humans have it bad when it comes to assessing risk. It’s why we tie ourselves in knots over a relatively safe endeavor such as a commercial flight and never break a sweat over a relatively risky one like driving.
Gun owners aren’t immune, either. We'll wring our hands over an inconsequential menace, perhaps a grubby bore, while at the same tick never spend a second thought on a truly cataphoric threat to our guns, say fire and theft. Hate to break it to you, but both dangle over each and every collection like the sword of Damocles no matter where you live, your economic status or how careful you are smoking in bed.
Safeguarding your investment is simple and comes down to two words — gun safe. Of course, the thought of perusing the gun safe market to some holds the same thrill prospects as comparing insurance plans. But for serious shooters and diehard gun collectors, it's a labor of love well worth the time. But the question begs asking, who makes the best gun safe?
Dying to give you the answer, we collected the five top gun safes on the market today. These aren't the simple gun lockers or vehicle safes that crowd the market. Instead, they are the whole-hog editions — options that are more than satisfactory at thwarting fire and felon alike, hit almost every price point and most importantly will keep your guns safe for a lifetime and beyond.
Liberty Colonial
Perhaps the best gun safe when it comes to providing security at an economical price, the Colonial offers plenty for relatively little. Stripped down to the bones the line’s smallest model (25-gun capacity) starts at $1,849, and offers all of the important aspects that should top a shooter’s shopping list. The body is constructed of 12-gauge steel, it meets U.L. RSC-8M10 specifications and promises 75 minutes of fire protection against a 1,200-degree Fahrenheit fire. Both of these are a hair below the recommended 10-gauge steel and 1-hour at 1,300 degrees, but not far enough to make it a dealbreaker. The Colonial includes a backlit electronic lock for rapid access, eight locking bars, 3-spoke SureTight handle and fully upholstered interior. Additionally, as is the case with nearly every Liberty safe, the Colonial is fully customizable to whatever you desire and can afford.
Fort Knox Protector
Better known for their top-end models, Fort Knox produces top-notch gun safes in the mid-budget range. Given its rugged construction, the Protector more than lives up to its name and offers security far exceeding nearly anything in its class. A body built with rugged 7-gauge steel and ½-inch steel door, the gun safe is nearly impervious to the majority of attacks it will likely face. Additionally, Fort Knox has gone above and beyond in creating an excellent fireproof gun safe, rating the Protector impervious to a 1,680-degree external temperature for 90-minutes. If that’s not enough to sell you on it being the best gun safe for your money, a door organizer comes standard. Available in seven sizes from 40”x26”x20” to 72”x61”x27” and endless interior configurations, the protector can suit any gun owner’s collection. Starting at $2,625, the Protector ends up being money well spent.
AMSEC BF Series
If you have serious guns in your collection that require serious protection, the BF Series provides it lock, stock and barrel. Slipping into the high-end price range, American Security's legendary BF line is worth every cold nickel, given flame nor felon will touch your firearms. Just short of hardened bunkers, most models boast a ½-inch plate steel door and a total of ¼-inch of steel in the body construction. DryLight fill provides 2-hours of protection to a 1,200-degree external temperature while maintaining the safe’s relatively lightweight. Where the BF series shines is its highly flexible interior, which is configurable to fit nearly any gun collection. The door storage alone holds two long guns, along with an assortment of pistols. The series comes with five lock options (three combination and two electronic), an AC power outlet, mirrored interior back to improve visibility and pre-cut anchor holes. Starting in the $4,000 neighborhood, the BF series is a great value for its level of protection.
Browning is, of course, better known for their firearms, but the Utah company makes bang-up gun vaults as well. The Pinnacle line is at the top of the heap. For guarding a large firearms collection it might be the best gun safe out there. The smallest member of the Pro Series safes (Pinnacle 49) has a whopping 43 cubic feet of space, enough to lock up 49 guns. For the truly large arsenals, there is a 65-gun model. Browning hasn’t traded quality for capacity either, building the Pinnacle’s body from 7-gauge steel, outfitting it with 1 5/16-inch duo-formed door and eight active bolts. It's rated to endure external temperatures up to 1,750-degrees Fahrenheit for two hours. Now that's a fireproof gun safe! Furthermore, Browning has paid attention to the little touches with a highly-configurable interior, Grade VI Cedar paneling and simulated worn leather. However, this level of protection and luxury doesn’t come cheap, with the base model of the smallest Pinnacle running $7,299.
Graffunder Fortress
Perhaps your tastes run into the rare and expensive when it comes to firearms. Or guns (the priceless kind) are your bread and butter. When it comes to protecting this level of investment only the best gun safe will do. That means Graffunder. The name might be funny, but their produces are dead serious — the gold standard being the Fortress line. The Fortress' body is constructed of 2 ½-inches of total steel, 1-inch of A36 high-tensile on the outer shell and 14- and 16-gauge interior plates. Sandwiched in between is high-density cement-based composite material that thwarts fire damage for 1-hour in temperatures as high as 1,750-degrees Fahrenheit. And the door is no slouch, 1 1/2-inch of solid steel plate. Additionally, Graffunder's Fortress line boasts some of the most advanced anti-theft countermeasures available today. Ball-bearing anti-drill barriers, fully recessed door, hardened hinge pins and stainless steel locking bolts will have the savviest burglar pulling his hair out by the roots. Toss in Graffunder will custom build to your specs (including every gun safe accessory imaginable) and you’ve got a system that delivers peace of mind, albeit at a price. These 3,000-plus pound beasts start at around $11,400 and only go up from there.
Did we lock up the gun safe picks? Or did we leave the door wide open? What's the best gun safe in your book? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Rock Island brings the intimidation factor with the VRF14.
What The Box-Fed Semi-Auto Offers:
Similar control layout to an AR-15.
A terse 26-inch overall length.
Nimble 14-inch barrel.
Capability of handling 3-inch 12-gauge shells.
When it comes to box-magazine fed, semi-auto shotguns, AK-pattern guns have ruled the roost. Well, almost. A few years back, Armscor gave AR-style scatterguns a much-needed shot in the arm with the introduction of the VR80. Slim as a minute and able to run with the best of them, the 12-gauge, in some respects, set the standard at this end of the smoothbore market. Now its sister brand is jumping into the game with what can only be described as the VR80s very little brother.
While technically not classified as a shotgun, the Rock Island VRF14 is nevertheless a 12-gauge and like its older, bigger sibling is a gas-operated semi-automatic. However, it falls into that bizarre ATF category of “Firearm”, which essentially entails a shorter-than-average barrel and overall length, as well as a pistol grip. While it lacks some of the VR80's streamlining, the shorty still appears very wieldy and looks as intimidating as ever.
The 14 in VRF14 refers to the firearm's defining feature, its 14-inch barrel. Short in and of itself, combined with the clipped rear, where the buttstock has been removed, it creates an impressively compact package. Overall, the gun measures in at 26-inch, terse to say the least—ideal for a little something to slip behind the driver's seat in your truck or pitch into a pack. The VRF14 is fairly light, to boot. At 6.6 pounds, the gun should prove little burden to tote around, but remember there’s a tradeoff to this. Less heft equates to more recoil, per the laws of physics. Given the smoothbore’s 3-inch chamber, this is a concern.
Mercifully, Rock Island included an ample pistol-style grip to maintain the VRF14’s controllability, featuring rubberized finger grooves. Given the gun is laid out nearly identically to the VR80—that is like an AR—the wicked little shooter is also extremely familiar to operate. Upfront, the fore offers ample real estate to get a handle on the gun, with diagonal texturing to keep your mitts in place.
Other notables of the VRF14 include a sling adaptor on the butt, an aluminum alloy receiver, a side charging handle and half rails at 3 and 9 o’clock. The gun also has full-length rails up to and below, and ships with flip-up sight—in case you don’t want to throw on a red dot. And it’s compatible with Mobil Choke tubes. Some might be disappointed to hear, the VRF 14 only ships with a 5-round magazine. But buck up, it’s compatible with all VR magazines, so 9- and 19-round mags are available if you need to scale up.
Rock Island anticipates the VRF14 to hit store shelves after August 1. And while it hasn’t officially released an MSRP, various online retailers have pre-sale pages listing it in the $500 neighborhood.
No surprise, gun owners spend their money on guns and gear. A wiser investment is the development of a mindset, tactics and marksmanship that will save your life.
What Should Defensive Firearms Training Involve:
Ideal training involes a proper understanding of the applications of self-defense.
It turns an eye to developing the proper mindset to act in the face of a threat.
The tactics are applicable to everyday situations most will encounter.
Marksmanship, gun manipulation and safety are emphasized.
“Somewhere in your gun is the bullet that will solve your problem. It might be the first one, or it might be the last one,” says David “Boon” Benton.
There’s a lot of wisdom in that quote, and there are several lessons to be learned from it. I think many who carry a gun for personal protection often get too wrapped up in their gear. They’ll obsess about the gun they carry or the ammunition that’s inside it, but quite often they’ll overlook the fact that in most cases it won’t be the gun or the ammunition that saves their life. Mindset, tactics and marksmanship and gun handling tend to be the things that determine outcomes.
There’s nothing at all wrong with buying the best defensive handgun in the world. But if you’re serious about self-defense, you should learn how to use it.
Gun writers like me are often the reason the focus gets misplaced; for years, we’ve spent most of our time writing about guns and ammunition. This is partly because readers purchase gun magazines to read about guns and ammunition and partly because the manufacturers of guns and ammunition buy the advertisements that fund the magazines. Shooters spend way more money on guns and ammunition than they do on training and, as a result, trainers and shooting schools don’t have lots of money to spend on advertisements. This is, after all, a gun magazine not a firearms training magazine.
If you find yourself in a situation where you must shoot your handgun to save your life, the handgun you shoot and the ammunition inside it will be much less important than your drive to survive, your application of tactics and where your bullets land. Somewhere in your gun you have the bullet that’ll solve your problem; what you must do is have the mindset, tactics and marksmanship to properly deliver it.
So, given the importance of mindset, training and marksmanship, why do all three get much less attention than guns and ammunition? It’s mostly because of time and money. Time is our most valuable commodity, and humans are reluctant to devote their time to things that cost money; we don’t mind spending money, but when we do, we like to have something tangible to show for it. Most of us don’t mind a $500 monthly car payment, because we have that nice new car to drive around. By the same token, we’ll also spend hundreds of dollars on a defensive handgun with no buyer’s remorse, because we can have that cool gun to carry and show our friends.
It’s not all about gear; those serious about self-defense should focus on their mindset, tactics, marksmanship and gun-handling skills.
When it comes to demonstrating or showing off how you’ve trained to develop your mindset, tactics and marksmanship and gun handling to the point where you can simultaneously employ it all to save your life, well, we all hope that opportunity never comes. A man with an old Smith & Wesson Model 10, loaded with 38 Special hollow point ammunition, who can act tactically with a survival mindset and deliver good marksmanship, is much better equipped to survive than an untrained tactard who has a Glock loaded with the world’s most advanced ammunition.
The point of all this is that you should get some good training. There are a number of reputable schools like Gunsite Academy, but there are also other lesser-known options you may be overlooking. I spent a week participating in some local law enforcement training conducted by Dave “Boon” Benton, who operates Threat Management Solutions, which provides civilian and law enforcement training all over the United States.
Boon is best known for being one of the four contractors who held the line in Benghazi, but you won’t hear him talk about it; he’s laser focused on teaching you how to stay alive as opposed to regaling you with war stories. Essentially, what you get from Boon is a transfer of the knowledge he has gained from serving 25 years in specialized military and law enforcement teams and during high-threat security and intelligence operations.
(Below) David “Boon” Benton working on the range with a member of a police SWAT team. Boon travels all across the United States offering his training services.
What impressed me most about Boon and the instruction he provides is that he does an excellent job of setting the table with an understanding of what personal protection and self-defense is all about. He provides you with the theory and principles, and then teaches you the skills you need to develop a solid foundation to build your mindset, tactics and marksmanship and gun handling skills on. Some instructors tell you to do things a certain way without context; Boon shows you how to do things, explains why they should be done a certain way and then ties it all back to practical operational principles that kept him and other professionals alive when the sh*t hit the fan.
Somewhere in your gun is the bullet that’ll solve your problem. It might be the first one; it might be the last one. The thing is that without the proper training or a hell of a lot of luck, you may never find that bullet when you need it. During the week working with Boon, I learned a lot and I think—no, I believe—my magazine now has several bullets in it that’ll solve my problems. Maybe one day, with enough training, I’ll believe that every bullet in my gun is a problem solver. Spending your money on training might not seem as gratifying as buying that new, supercool handgun. But if you’re the last man standing, it’ll damn sure seem like money well spent.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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