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Welcome to CANCON A Fully Suppressed RECOIL Range Day!
Save the date and make your plans to come down on Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 11-13 to the 17 South Rod and Gun Club in Savannah, Georgia.
Hundreds of the newest and best suppressors, firearms, and optics will be on the firing line for you to get hands-on trigger time.
All ammo will be provided, just bring your trigger finger!
Veterans get in FREE Friday, so come spend your Veterans Day weekend with us at CANCON!
SATURDAY NIGHT VIPs will have the opportunity to shoot suppressed with night vision goggles, clip-on night vision optics, IR lasers, tracers, and more.
CANCON will even have activities for kids, making this a completely family-friendly event.
Expect to see hundreds of firearms and suppressors, every one of them available to shoot. Don’t forget your eyes and ears for safety!
Not every day you get to shoot cool stuff like this!
Great food will be available on-site for when you need to recharge between shooting bays.
More information and ticket pre-sales coming soon!
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Designed Machined and assembled in Leupold Optic's Oregon factory, the Mark 5HD scope keeps the company roots firmly planted in its home.
Crafted to redefine accuracy, precision, and optical performance for long-range shooters, Leupold’s award-winning Mark 5HD is a testament to domestic manufacturing. It’s proudly designed, machined, and assembled in the company’s Beaverton, Oregon factory, where Leupold employs over 650 hardworking Americans.
In designing the Mark 5HD line, Leupold’s product specialists asked elite shooters what they needed to put accurate fire downrange faster, and used that input to design a riflescope that provides all the tools necessary — in both quality and features — without the unnecessary extras that add weight and cost for consumers. Combining relentless optical performance, rugged reliability, and user-friendly features in a package that could only be produced by leveraging the 70-plus years of optics manufacturing Leupold possesses, the Mark 5HD has wowed end-users throughout the industry.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
Pick up a Mark 5HD and you’ll feel the difference; it’s up to 20 ounces lighter than other scopes in its class. Get behind one and you’ll see the difference, from its superior edge-to-edge clarity to its extreme low-light performance. With three revolutions of elevation adjustment, the Mark 5HD was built to max out the performance of the latest long-range rifles and ammo.
The heart of the Mark 5HD is in its ZeroLock adjustments, which provide precise, repeatable tracking with a dead-on return to zero. The M5C3 elevation dial delivers over 30-mils of adjustment in three turns. Visual and tactile revolution indicators are in place to ensure you don’t get lost in the travel, and the auto-lock at zero eliminates the risk of accidentally moving the dial. The windage adjustment is capped and the zero indicator mark has been relocated on the riflescope’s main tube so you can see it without moving your head off the stock of the rifle.
In short, it’s the most dominant long-range, precision riflescope on the market. Best yet, it’s backed by Leupold’s legendary lifetime guarantee, which guarantees performance where other companies warranty failure.
For more information on Leupold Optics, please visit leupold.com.
Top-tier, battle-proven products, Radian Weapons turns out rifles and accessories in which you can trust your life.
At Radian Weapons, we think American gun companies should make or source their parts from right here in the USA. That’s why 100-percent of the firearms products we sell are manufactured in America, by Americans.
We machine the majority of our rifle and accessory components in Redmond, Oregon, using state of the art CNC equipment. At Radian, we’ve prioritized vertical integration of our manufacturing processes over product development to ensure that whenever we deliver goods to the consumer, it’s of the highest quality and reliability standards.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
The temptation in most industries is to rush new products to market. At Radian, we actively choose not to release “me too” products or rely on sourcing major components for new products from third party vendors. This helps protect our brand integrity, and hopefully gives consumers peace of mind when they purchase Radian products.
Our flagship products are the Model 1 rifle and related receiver sets, Talon ambidextrous safeties, and Raptor charging handles. Featured here:
MODEL 1 – 17.5-INCH 223 WYLDE
Clandestine Desert™ Cerakote Finish (Cerakoted by our finishing business, High Desert Coatings—www.highdesertcoatings.com)
RAPTOR CHARGING HANDLE FOR A15/M4
The original all-billet design with Cerakoted FDE handles.
TALON 45/90 AMBIDEXTROUS SAFETY
The screwless safety design ensures your levers won’t come loose and gives you two throw degree options to choose from. Finished with FDE Cerakote.
Buy with confidence, as all Radian products are backed with a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects.
For more information on Radian Weapons, please visit radianweapons.com.
Best known for body armor, Blue Force Gear also offers the everyday carry essential Micro Trauma Kit.
The Micro Trauma Kit NOW!, or Micro TKN, is our smallest version of the Trauma Kit NOW! yet. It was designed to hold essential lifesaving gear with minimal size in mind. The Micro TKNTM is designed to be worn horizontally with minimal bulk—perfect for everyday carry, for law enforcement professionals, prepared citizens, or in low-profile mission sets. The inner carrier can be deployed with one hand or one finger from either the left or right side by pulling the BLIP featured pull tabs. The Micro TKN consists of two main components – the outer MOLLE or Belt mounted pouch utilizing the Ten-Speed® technology, and a removable insert that keeps medical supplies organized.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
Supplies
Hemostatic dressing for wound packing/clotting (1 included)
4” Emergency Trauma Dressing (1 included)
9” Medical Grade Easy Tape (6 included)
Tourni-Kwik Compression Tourniquet (1 included)
Heavy Duty Medical Gloves (1 pair of Large sized gloves)
For more information on Blue Force Gear, please visit blueforcegear.com.
Unrelenting in design and execution, the new Berger Bullets Long Range Hybrid Target bullets are engineered for hair-splitting accuracy.
Berger’s new Long Range Hybrid Target bullets™ (LRHT) are 100% Made in the USA and feature a high Ballistic Coefficient (BC), jump-tolerant ogive profile that is Doppler verified with less than 1-percent BC variation.
Long-range target shooters and extreme accuracy enthusiasts endlessly seek a competitive advantage, using sophisticated ballistic solvers, custom drag models, complex optics, and twist-rate calculators, among others. All of these tools are rendered meaningless if the projectile exiting their favorite target, hunting, or Mil/LE tactical rifle is inconsistent and unpredictable. Using advanced proprietary manufacturing processes, Berger’s innovative Meplat Reduction Technology™ (MRT) applies controlled pressure along the nose of each LRHT bullet, producing a homogeneous and repeatable profile for the industry’s most consistent BCs. While a high BC is desirable, shot-to-shot BC consistency is most critical when engaging targets at 1,000 yards and beyond. When you absolutely need to maximize hit probability, never settle for a bullet other than Berger.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
The story behind the construction of Berger Bullets is simple. We start with virgin copper and lead wire products with the tightest specifications. Then, we manufacture our own signature J4 Berger bullet jackets to unmatched tolerances of less than 0.0003 inches of total indicated runout. What does this mean? A better bullet begins with a concentric jacket! Lastly, we merge the materials into finished projectiles — all within the confines of our Mesa, Arizona manufacturing facility.
Berger Bullets are highly sought after by the leading shooters in the world’s most demanding competitive shooting disciplines, such as PRS, F-Class, Fullbore, long range, and ELR to name a few. New Long Range Hybrid Target bullets are available in .22 caliber, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and .30 caliber offerings.
New for NRA Show is our line of LRHT Ammunition offerings in 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 300 Norma Magnum.
For more information on Berger Bullets, please visit bergerbullets.com.
Improving the safety, performance and comfort of soldiers and safety professionals, Oakley Standard Issue has become a trusted first line of defense.
For over 20 years, Oakley Standard Issue has manufactured all ballistic products at their factory in Foothill Ranch, California. Products are designed, materials are sourced, and products are tested right here in America.
The Oakley SI Ballistic M Frame Alpha is our latest flagship product. Alpha is an eco-system; the product contains a frame, goggle, and helo-gasket with a lens interchangeable between all three. No matter the mission, the user can configure the product to his or her needs. Range work, close quarters battle, mobility, and even freefall are many of the environments applicable. Oakley Prizm Technology within the lens brings high contrast and definition. Specifically, Prizm Shooting was developed with the Army Marksmanship Unit and gives greater clarity to targets in different light conditions.
Designed with extensive input from our military and first responder community, Alpha is now authorized for wear on the Special Operations Eyewear Program (SOEP). SOEP, regarded as the highest standard for protective eyewear, certifies that all components are made in the USA and offer the highest level of protection. Available in multiple lens and frame color configurations.
Oakley Standard Issue was formally established in 2000. Committed to serving our military and first responders, Oakley SI offers exclusive pricing for products for active-duty military, government, first responders, and veterans.
A passionate gun parts and accessories company, Overwatch Precision has the kit to make you pistol run like a top.
The OP TAC Trigger System is a patent-pending seven-piece upgrade for your Smith & Wesson MP 2.0 that reduces total travel and pre-travel by 50 percent. Engineered by us from the ground up, this kit provides the unmatched performance you have come to expect from all OP products.
Through state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, our trigger bar is held to industry-leading tolerances using a progressive die manufacturing process, a metal forming technique used in aerospace manufacturing that guarantees the most consistent performance and highest quality parts. This process, coupled with a space-age NP3 coating, provides the end user with the highest quality trigger bar ever offered.
TAC Trigger
Our proven TAC trigger is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, with features immediately identifiable as Overwatch Precision’s intellectual property. The overall design has been the go-to for Glock pistols since we released it in 2016, and its overall shape and function have been refined to excel in this new platform. With pre-travel reduction and a flat face, this self-correcting contact point aids in a linear rearward pull and increases accuracy. The indexing lip helps the shooter consistently place their finger on the trigger in the exact same spot every time, helping muscle memory and overall consistency.
The Sear
At the heart of this system is our NP3 coated sear. With a proprietary sear angle and large radius, this sear allows for a light and consistent break that can be tuned to the shooter’s preference with the two trigger return springs provided.
The Plunger
This product has a proprietary radius that replaces the OEM chamfer and creates a measurable “hump” in the trigger pull. This Swiss CNC’d part, coupled with NP3, creates a smooth pull to the wall. The plunger spring provides constancy and safe operation of this part, as intended by S&W.
The Trigger Springs
We offer two different trigger return springs with this kit. Standing by our ethos of serious-use defensive weapon components, we include a 4.5-pound return spring for duty or carry use for a dependable, predictable break. With the growth of USPSA popularity and participation in and amongst firearm enthusiasts, we also offer a 3.2-pound spring. Please note, this spring is not suitable for carry.
North Carolina based G-Code produces solutions for ever gun and tactical carry situation under the sun.
At G-Code, we don’t have a flagship product; what we have is a flagship philosophy and an unyielding commitment to excellence in everything we do. We don’t see ourselves as a company of products — we’re far more than that. G-Code is a solutions company.
Our purpose has always been to solve problems for our customers. We do this with design and innovation, and although our efforts manifest in products, we never sit back and feel like “we have arrived.”
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
Likewise, execution in our workmanship is paramount in its importance to us and to our customers. Our fit, finish, and function must always be unquestionably second to none.
To this end, G-Code products have always been, and will always be, 100-percent American made using only U.S.-sourced raw materials and components. At G-Code, we count it our privilege to provide tactical carry solutions to the men and women who serve in our military, law enforcement, and the civilian concealed carry communities.
This is why when you buy G-Code, you buy American, you buy quality … because we simply will not sell anything else!
The bipod has long been a tool used by shooters to obtain a more steady firing position in the field or on the range. However, in its many years of use, the fundamental design and function of a lot of traditional “stiff” bipods have not changed all that much.
Swagger Bipods, a Nebraska-based manufacturer, has developed a couple of bipods that offer the shooter a ton of flexibility and functionality, all while remaining incredibly lightweight. Using what the company calls Crazy Legs Technology, these bipods afford the shooter a wide array of shooting positions. The flexible, hyper-extending Crazy Legs are shock-corded and are easily adjustable with a simple twist motion.
Gun Digest Editor in Chief Eric Conn had the opportunity to experiment with a Swagger bipod this winter while sighting in for an upcoming predator hunt and came away very impressed with the bipod's flexibility and ease of use.
For more information on these great shooting aids, check out the video above, or visit the Swagger Bipods website.
We speak with Joel Hodgdon of RCBS about how to get started reloading your own ammo.
When I was 15, I convinced my father I needed to handload ammunition. I purchased a kit, built a bench in my closet, and the first thing I did was stick a fired case in a sizing die. I hid that die from Dad, saved some money and bought a new one. Then, I broke the bench I’d built when I cranked down on the loading press handle, effectively demonstrating my lacking carpentry skills.
I finally figured it all out—mostly on my own—because in those days information was not as readily available. I’ve been handloading for 45 years, have gotten pretty good at it, and you can too. And you can do it all a lot easier than I did.
I think a lot of shooters are uneasy about reloading because they fear they might experience things like I did, or that they might blow their gun up. For those folks, I thought Joel Hodgdon at RCBS might be able to alleviate some of the apprehension. RCBS has been around for almost 85 years and they have all the products and educational resources reloaders need.
From the outside looking in, reloading your own ammunition can seem like a daunting task. It’s not. Thousands of shooters handload their own ammo without any formal training.
Joel’s family started Hodgdon powder, and Joel has spent his life immersed in ammunition. Before RCBS, he worked at Federal and Remington, and Joel knows how to make ammo, and he knows how to shoot it. I know, because we’ve been on safari together. If you’re considering reloading, you should find what he has to say interesting.
Question: What’s the first step?
Answer: “Learning to reload is like picking up any other new hobby or sport. Having a knowledge base from reading or watching video tutorials is a great way to learn the basics, but the best way is practice. Specifically, practice guided by an experienced mentor. If you don’t know who can help you, ask around at your gun club or gun store. Most handloaders enjoy helping newcomers.”
Joel’s right. There was a small specialty gun shop near my home, and even though I was still a teenager the owner was happy to give reloading advice. I’ve been handloading now for almost a half-century and I often ask advice from other handloaders, and I think because they’ve done the same at some point, they’re always as eager to help me, as I am to help others.
Question: What is the number-one fear?
Answer: “From the outside, reloading looks complicated—lots of processes to learn. Face your fears by diving in. As you learn and practice, it becomes simple, and you’ll get into a rhythm. Go slow, learn each step and you’ll quickly overcome the complexity and worry.”
The reason I stuck a cartridge case in a sizing die when I was 15 was because I did not read the simple instructions that came with the kit. I did not know rifle cases needed to be lubed before sizing. After some practice I learned how much lube they needed and the best ways to apply it. You may not need to read the instructions on assembling something from IKEA, but when it comes to reloading, instructions are mandatory.
Question: What should the first purchase be?
Answer: “I’d highly recommend a starter kit. RCBS and other manufacturers sell quality kits that include about every tool you’ll need to begin reloading. They come with instructions as well as a reloading manual full of practical how-to info. You might end up outgrowing a few of the tools, but the odds are you’ll use the press, powder measure and some of the other accessories for the rest of your life.”
I’d echo Joel’s advice and suggest a kit. Not only will you save money, but short of purchasing a kit you’re trying to put together a puzzle without knowing what all the parts are. As you learn you might discover you want a different press, powder funnel and some additional accessories, but for a beginner, get the kit.
RCBS and other companies that manufacture reloading tools offer a variety of kits at various price points. Except for the dies for your specific cartridge, one of these kits is all you need to get started.
Question: If someone only wants to load large quantities of handgun ammo, should they start with a progressive press?
Answer: “I’d recommend everyone start with a single stage press to learn the basics and practice your new hobby at a slower speed. If you’ll be primarily reloading pistol ammo, you’ll eventually want to step up to a progressive, but you’ll always be able to come back to your single-stage press for a one-off task like pulling a bullet, developing a new load or another operation.”
I think a lot of new, volume-minded reloaders make the mistake of starting off with a progressive press so they can make lots of ammo, fast. Even if that is your ultimate goal, a single-stage press is the best tool for working up loads. Whether I purchased a kit or not, I’d definitely start with a single-stage press. RCBS’s Partner press is very budget friendly, takes up a limited amount of bench space and will last a lifetime.
The selection of powders, bullets and primers available may seem too massive to choose from, but a reloading manual will provide you with simple recipe combinations you need for your cartridge.
Question: How can a new reloader simplify powder, primer and bullet choices?
Answer: “Go back to why you wanted to get into reloading. If it was to reload to save money, simplify component choices by picking cheaper bullets, primers and powder. If you’re reloading to finally have ammo for that old hunting rifle you inherited, or for that specialty cartridge that requires ammo not commonly found on shelf, narrow down components based on availability. And, if you’re reloading for performance or a specific competitive pursuit, it’s often a good idea to ask other shooters what has worked for them.”
Any time you look at a handloading recipe you’ll see various powders, bullets and primers listed. Some powders require heavier charges, and this limits the number of rounds you can load from a pound. If you’re loading plinking handgun ammo, used brass will save you money. The more precision or performance you want, the fewer number of times you’ll able to reuse brass and the more expensive the bullets will be. There’s a lot of valuable information on the Internet but be cautious and always verify load data with a reputable source. The RCBS customer service line is a great resource. I’ve reached out to them multiple times.
The choice of bullets, powders and primers can seem endless, but reloading manuals and reloading articles can help you sort through the confusion.
Question: How important is a chronograph?
Answer: “Next to a reloading manual, or maybe the press itself, a chronograph is likely the most important tool in the handloader’s arsenal. While always paying attention to pressure signs, a quality trusted chronograph is the best way to see your handload’s performance and safety.”
I don’t know how you could safely handload good ammunition without a chronograph. It is the only way to know the velocity of the ammo you create, and in turn it gives you the most reliable look at pressure. If you create a load that’s faster than the published velocity for a specific recipe, chances are, it’s over pressure. Understand that some firearms—especially high-quality firearms—are often slow to show traditional high-pressure signs.
Regardless of the cartridge you want to reload for, in addition to any tools you will need that come in a kit, you will also need reloading dies for the cartridge you want to make ammo for.
Question: What’s the difference between basic and advanced reloading tools?
Answer: “Whether using basic or advanced tools, the result is the same—a reloaded cartridge. A Ford or a Ferrari will both get you to where you’re going, but like reloading gear, the quality and speed with which you arrive is the difference. More advanced equipment is higher quality and gives you a more consistent process/operation, holds ammo to tighter tolerances or speeds up the process. Advanced reloaders use different equipment to dive deeper in the rabbit hole by adding extra steps beyond the basics to explore the cutting edge of accuracy and consistency.”
What might surprise you is that you do not need advanced tools to create very accurate and consistent ammunition. With a basic kit like Joel mentioned you should be able to craft very good ammo. If you want to save time, which is one thing we all seem to have less of, advanced tools like electronic powder dispensers, digital scales and calipers, and hand priming tools can help. If you want to make the most precise shooting ammunition possible, other tools like case trimmers and precision mics can help. The truth is, until you get into reloading and learn what you like and don’t like about it, you’re not going to know if you need advanced tools.
Advanced reloading tools can include a lot of different things, but generally they are tools to help you create ammo faster or with more precision.
Dollars, Time and Sense
Visit the RCBS website, click the learn tab and scroll down to the step-by-step guide. It will take you through the entire reloading process. The website is also packed full of videos and tutorials. Once you feel confident you can handle the tasks, find a place where you can set up a reloading station free from distraction, order a kit and get started. Most find that after they create their first handloads they just can’t stop.
Cost should be addressed. You can save money if you handload, but you must load a good bit of ammo to offset the cost of the tools. If you shoot less than 1,000 rounds of handgun or 500 rounds of rifle ammo each year, it may take several years to recoup your investment. Time is a factor too; reloading takes time. If you already have no time to spare, reloading might not be a good fit. On the other hand, many find joy and even relaxation in handloading, and this can be a worthwhile tradeoff for the money and time you spend. Reloading is also a great way to carry your shooting interest into the nighttime hours and cold winter months.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Have you ever heard of Charles Newton? Here we look at his .256 Newton cartridge.
One of several high-velocity rimless cartridges designed by Charles Newton for his bolt-action rifles, the .256 Newton was introduced in 1913 by the Western Cartridge Co. Until the .264 Winchester Magnum came along in 1958, this was the only American-designed 6.5mm to be offered on a commercial basis. The last of the Newton rifle companies failed in the early 1920s, and Western quit loading Newton cartridges in 1938. The .256 Newton is based on the .30-06 case necked down.
The .256 Newton has hung on as a wildcat cartridge and, occasionally, custom rifles are made for it. Cases can be made by necking down, reforming and shortening .30-06 brass. It’s adequate for practically all North American big game but is not as effective as the .270 Winchester. With modern slow-burning powders, its performance can be improved over original factory ballistics.
I go over some alternative sight-in and rifle zeroing methods that will help you hit your mark.
There are numerous ways to zero a hunting rifle. I’m not talking about the mechanical process of adjusting the riflescope’s reticle, so it coincides with your bullet’s point of impact. I’m talking about the distances where you make this happen. For years, the standard has been the 100-yard zero, but is it the best? And is it the best for your rifle/cartridge combination? Here are some things to consider when zeroing your rifle, and you might be surprised to learn the best approach is one that will work with any rifle and cartridge.
Comparison Of Different Zeros
Yards
25-Yard Zero (inches)
100-Yard Zero (inches)
200-Yard Zero (inches)
1/3-Second Zero
25
0.00
-0.94
-0.63
-1.75
50
+1.48
-0.38
+0.25
-0.36
75
+2.72
-0.06
+0.88
+0.78
100
+3.71
-0.00
+1.26
+1.67
125
+4.43
-0.21
+1.37
+2.31
150
+5.04
-0.69
+1.21
+2.68
175
+4.90
-1.45
+0.76
+2.59
200
+4.46
-2.51
0.00
+2.11
225
+3.70
-3.88
-1.04
+1.32
250
+2.61
-5.57
-2.41
+0.21
275
+1.17
-7.58
-4.11
-1.23
300
-0.63
-9.95
-6.16
-3.02
Note: This represents the trajectory of a common 130-grain 270 Winchester load.
25-Yard Zero
Many public rifle ranges have target stands positioned in increments of 25 yards, and often when a riflescope is mounted to a rifle—even when bore sighted by some “expert” at the gun store—you’ll still not be able to hit the target at 100 yards. Placing a target at 25 yards lets you put your first shots on paper. The key is knowing how to make the adjustments necessary, so you’ll also be on paper at 100 yards. For example, your reticle adjustments at 25 yards are one-fourth of what they are at 100 yards, so it will take four times as many clicks at the closer distance.
Some experts used to suggest a dead-on zero at 25 yards would give you what has often been called a “maximum point-blank range zero.” The idea was that with such a zero you could hold dead on out to a certain distance and still make a good hit on a big game animal. They were on to something, but their solution—the 25-yard zero—was only close enough for hand grenades not rifles. A 25-yard zero can provide this type of usable trajectory with some cartridges but not many.
Let’s use a common, 130-grain .270 Winchester load as an example. If you zero at 25 yards your bullet will strike the 100-yard target almost 4 inches above your point of aim, and at 200 yards it will be almost 5 inches high. That’s a bit excessive to make a good kill zone shot. This is one reason the 100-yard zero is more popular, and with our .270 Winchester zeroed at 100 yards, the bullet would strike a 25-yard target about an inch low.
Zeroing your rifle is only the beginning. Your mind needs to be zeroed too, so that you know what positions to shoot from what distances.
100-Yard Zero
The 100-yard zero has been the standard for a long time because with most cartridges, and for most hunters, it works well out to the distance most shots were taken. But with modern high-velocity cartridges, the 100-yard zero does not let you utilize the flat trajectories these cartridges offer. For example: If you zero a common 130-grain .270 Winchester load at 100 yards, the bullet will strike about 6 inches low at 250 yards and around 10 inches low at 300. This means that for any shot beyond about 225 yards you’re going to have to make a correction to get a good hit.
Because so many hunters are now trying to operate with a sniper-like mindset by dialing in an elevation correction for longer shots, the 100-yard zero makes sense. They just get their DOPE (data of previous engagement) for distances beyond 100 yards and then dial accordingly. This is a very precise way to shoot that works great on the range, but sometimes in the field it takes too much time. It also opens a window for failure because the good hit is dependent on you dialing in the precise—correct—correction. I’ve seen hunters miss shots because they’d previously dialed in a correction and forget to reset for the current shot.
If you’re going to dial for every distance, you need data. For big game hunting, you can eliminate dialing out to the distance your bullet can travel in one-third of a second.
200-Yard Zero
More recently, it has become popular to zero at 200 yards to maximize reach without dialing in a shooting solution or holding high. If we look again at the .270 Winchester, we can see that a 200-yard zero with a common 130-grain bullet will cause the bullet to strike 1¼ inches high at 100 yards and about 2½ inches low at 250 yards. But it will still be 6 inches low at 300. This is better than a 100-yard zero, but it still leaves some of the .270 Winchester’s flat trajectory on the table.
A kill zone on a big game animal is generally considered to be an 8-inch circle. Ideally, you want to zero your rifle so you can hold dead on out to the furthest distance possible and still hit that 8-inch kill zone. But, for practical application a 6-inch circle—kill zone—makes more sense because that gives you a little room for error. Fortunately, there is a way to obtain that zero that will work for any rifle/cartridge combination.
1/3-Second Zero
The one-third-second zero is similar to the 25-yard zero because with most modern high-velocity cartridges the first distance your bullet will cross your line of sight is near 25 yards. But it’s better than the 100- or 200-yard zero, because it allows you to take advantage of everything your cartridge has to offer. The method is based on the distance your bullet travels in one-third of a second, and it works because of the consistency of gravity, which makes all bullets drop at the same rate. Rifle trajectories vary because some bullets travel faster than others and go further in one-third of a second.
If tall grass or terrain dictate shooting from the kneeling position, how close do you need to be to get your hit? A good way to find out is to work with the one-third-second zero practice regime.
First, you need to chronograph your rifle to establish the average muzzle velocity of the load you’re using. Next, input that velocity, the bullet’s ballistic coefficient (BC), and the height the center of the riflescope is above the rifle’s bore, into a ballistic program. Then, look to see how far that bullet will travel in one-third of a second. With our .270 Winchester load, the bullet will go 299 yards in one-third of a second. Finally, just sight your rifle in so the bullet strikes 3 inches below your point of aim at that one-third-second distance.
Common 1/3-Second Distances for Popular Cartridges
Cartridge
1/3 Second Distance
100-Yard Point of Impact
243 Winchester (100-grain)
282
+2.40
6.5 Creedmoor (120-grain)
283
+2.41
270 Winchester (130-grain)
299
+2.31
7mm Backcountry (170-grain)
315
+2.21
30-30 Winchester (150-grain)
226
+2.81
30-06 Springfield (180-grain)
272
+2.49
300 Win. Mag. (200-grain)
286
+2.42
45-70 Government
169
+2.66
Note: This is just a reference guide to illustrate the nominal one-third-second zero distance and point of impact at 100 yards for popular hunting cartridges. With every cartridge, these numbers will vary based on the bullet used and the actual muzzle velocity.
Because your rifle might shoot a 3- to 4-inch group its one-third-second distance, this can be tricky, so the best approach is to still zero at 100 yards. However, instead of making your point of aim and point of impact at 100 yards match, you sight the rifle in high at 100 yards. How high? Look at your ballistic app and adjust the zero distance so the trajectory of your load shows it 3 inches low at your one-third-second distance and then look to see how high the bullet will strike at 100 yards, and that’s how high you sight your rifle in at 100 yards. With our .270 Winchester, it will be about 2.31 inches high.
By quartering your one-third-second distance you can create a great and practical practice plan for shooting from various positions.
The beauty of this zero method is that regardless of the cartridge you are shooting, with a one-third-second zero the bullet will never rise above or fall below your line of sight all the way out to your one-third-second distance. With our .270 Winchester load that means you hold dead on all the way out to 299 yards.
With the one-third-second zero your goal is to sight your rifle in so you can take the most advantage of your cartridge’s trajectory.
Range Notes: Zero Your Mind
Regardless of the zero method you use, you must have your mind right to execute in the field. The 100-yard zero might be ideal for woods hunters who’ll never likely shoot much beyond that distance, but if you do, you need to know your holdovers or the amount of correction you must dial in. The same is true with a 200-yard zero.
The beauty of the one-third-second zero is that you don’t have to remember anything out to whatever your one-third-second distance is; you just hold dead center. In fact, even I you like to dial in a correction for extreme distance it can be advantageous to still use the one-third-second zero because it circumvents dialing for the closer shots that may need to be taken in a hurry. You’ll only dial corrections for distances beyond your one-third-second distance.
The thing is, you cannot just tell yourself to remember to hold so many inches high, or that you must dial in a certain number of clicks for longer shots. For any zero method to work, you must practice its application. Bullets drop just like they are supposed to every time; it’s the human who is the weak link. If you don’t practice with the zero you choose, you’re setting yourself up for failure. That’s the beauty of the one-third-second method—you don’t need to remember anything for shots all the way out to your one-third-second distance.
When it comes time to zero your riflescope, it’s not just about adjusting the reticle to the point of impact of your bullets, it’s also about at what range you want your point of aim and point of impact to coincide.
This same principle can apply to shooting positions too. If you divide your one-third-second distance by four, you can set some basic range limits for shooting from various positions. For example, you should be able to make the shot in the first quarter of your one-third-second distance from the standing off-hand position. From one-quarter to one-half of your one-third-second distance, you should be able to make the shot from the kneeling position. At between one-half and three-quarters of your one-third-second distance, the seated position should work. And any shot beyond three-quarters of your one-third second distance should be makable from prone.
Let’s say you have a mule deer at 233 yards. How many clicks do you dial? Do you just hold dead on with a one-third-second zero? And what position do you need to shoot from to make that shot, regardless of the zero you have chosen? That buck is not going to stand there all day while you wonder about all this. Your mind must know what to do beforehand.
Ballistics are one thing; mindset is something else. When you’re presented with a shot in the field, based on the distance you should immediately know your hold and the shooting position required to get a hit. The only way to know both is to train your mind on the range before the hunt, and the one-third-second zero requires the least training to implement for most shot distances.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Australian-based ZeroTech offers a dialed-in, entry-level precision optic in its Vengeance 6-24x50mm.
The advancements in armaments and ammunition in recent decades have extended the average rifleman’s range to the horizon. This has prompted perhaps a quieter—but no less impactful—revolution in shooting gear in recent years: optics.
High-quality optics have been around for years in all shapes and forms. The catch was, unless you were going to sell your first born off for medical testing, most of this precision glass was out of the common man’s reach. Overnight, it seems, this has all changed.
The same clarity, precision adjustment, magnification, and rugged build found in the likes of top-shelf optics is suddenly available in mid-tier, even entry-level options. God bless market forces… especially when they bend the cost curve in the direction of the shooter.
One of the companies—somewhat new to the game—providing this next-level performance at an everyday low price is ZeroTech. The Australian-based company has taken Southern Hemisphere shooters and hunters by storm since its founding in 2018. And after spending plenty of range time with their long-range option from its Vengeance line, I see why those Southern Cross shooters have flocked to ZeroTech.
Vengeance 6-24x50mm Specs
For the price, ZeroTech delivers a lot of scope in the Vengeance.
The turrets are sized well on the Vengeance and easy to manipulate, without teetering into being oversized.
The Vengeance I test drove is the highest-powered option out of the line, a 6-24x50mm FFP affair with 1/4 MRAD per click adjustments. It’s a scope with reach, poured into a modest construction—a 30mm tube and roughly 25 ounces in weight. I mounted it on a Ruger American Rifle Gen II in 7mm PRC, a fairly light off-the-rack rifle, and found the Vengeance fit on it perfectly without bulking up the gun.
ZeroTech has done a solid job in construction, with the single-piece of deeply anodized aluminum being impervious to everyday bumps and bruises. While large, the windage and elevation turrets are not oversized and fit well into the modest build. Adjustment on the scope is both audible and tactile, with strong enough clicks I could feel them through a pair of shooting gloves I used when testing. Thicker gloves for cold weather might mute this considerably.
A must on a long-range scope, the Vengeance has a ZeroStop. As a bonus, it's a simple system, requiring an included hex key of set.
Parallax adjustment comes via a low-profile knob located where it should be, opposite the windage turret. Large teeth give a solid handle on the knob, and alteration is smooth, as is the magnification ring just before the ocular. Overall, it’s a straightforward layout and familiar, which made slipping into the scope intuitive.
A note on the turrets: ZeroTech includes a top-notch zero-stop system, which is a must on a setup like the Vengeance. Used for its designed intention, you’ll dial the scope—a lot. The last thing you want to do, particularly when a shot needs to hit, is get lost in your dials.
Reticle
ZeroTech's RMG reticle walks a fine line, offering ample functionality without being cluttered.
Before I get into the finer points about the reticle, I want to mention the glass in the Vengeance. For a scope at this price point, I walked away very impressed with what ZeroTech offers up, which in a word is crystalline. The only real aberrations occur at the edges of the glass and are only notable on the highest magnification. And the eye relief is fairly consistent between all magnifications, so you don’t have to snuggle up on the comb when you dial up.
As for the reticle, the RMG walks a fine line well—offering a ton of function, without being overly busy. Not an easy task, as more than one cluttered “Christmas tree” has proven. Quick to dial, the RMG does not make dialing the go-to method. The reticle features 10 6-mil horizontal branches in 1-mil increments, and .5-mil stadia horizontally, the reticle gives you everything you need for holdover and lead without touching the turrets.
At the center is a floating aiming dot, and the whole affair is extremely fine, the crosshairs and dot measuring a minuscule 0.045 mil. This can be problematic in some circumstances. While not what it was engineered for, I left the Vengeance on the rifle for an elk hunt; in the 30-minute window after sunset, the reticle became very difficult to see. In ZeroTech’s defense, they do make an illuminated reticle in their hunting scope. Right equipment for the right job.
Range Time With The ZeroTech Vengeance
Being blessed with a range that allows me to take a rifle and scope out to a mile, if I wish, I had the perfect arena to put the Vengeance to the test. Shooting at a 2 MOA fixed gong out to 600 yards, the scope performed exceptionally, particularly after I got my DOPE and jumped targets within those ranges. Among the most important aspect, to me, is a scope’s tracking—the ability to come back to the proper elevation after dialing. Here, the Vengeance was spot on once I had my DOPE.
Furthermore, the clarity of the glass was easy on the eye and reduced scope fatigue on a couple of long afternoons at the range. Despite its size, the dot stands out on light targets and makes target acquisition fast. Though, when zeroing the scope on a black bull’s-eye, it did tend to blend in. The drop-compensation appeared dead on, holding instead of dialing. Having come into firearms via hunting, I appreciate this given when comfortable with the branches it expedites a shot. Overall, the scope has a lot going for it.
Parting Shot
For the price, I don’t believe any shooter—seasoned or novice—will be disappointed with what ZeroTech brings to the table with the Vengeance 6-24×50. It’s clear, its functions are impeccable, and it plain performs.
Ideally, I think those new to long-range shooting would greatly benefit from the straightforwardness of the scope’s design. It is an entry-level option for this pursuit, and a great scope to learn the ropes. But, I honestly believe veterans—especially those who want to pinch pennies—will find the precision optic more than meets their standards.
There’s a reason why ZeroTech has taken South of the equator by storm, and we’re lucky they’ve set their sights northward.
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.
Barnes Bullets just dropped Barnes Reserve, a premium, handloaded ammo line built for hunters chasing accuracy in niche calibers. Exclusively available through the Barnes website, each cartridge is assembled in-house to match-grade tolerances, using top-tier components and rigorous QC for ultra-consistent performance. Designed for hard-to-find chamberings like .257 Weatherby Mag, 6.8 Western and 7mm SAUM, Barnes Reserve fills a void serious hunters have long dealt with. Every round features Barnes’ renowned LRX or Bore Rider bullets for maximum downrange effect. This isn’t just boutique ammo—it’s precision built for the field. MSRP: Starting at $99 per box
Hornady Precision Lab Digital Gun Room Scale
Hornady’s Precision Lab Scale brings lab-grade accuracy straight to your reloading bench. With a 3,000-grain capacity and ultra-precise 0.01-grain readout, it’s built for serious handloaders chasing consistency. A lab-quality load cell, easy calibration and switchable high/low sensitivity modes give you complete control, while “Compare,” “Percent” and “Count” modes adapt to whatever you’re measuring. Bonus: It prints directly to a spreadsheet, making load tracking and analysis dead simple. Weighing 4.4 pounds and built like a tank, this isn’t your average reloading scale—it’s Hornady precision, fully realized. MSRP: $393
Federal 20-Gauge Gold Medal Paper Shotshells
Federal’s Gold Medal Paper line gets a welcome expansion with two new 20-gauge options built for competitive clay shooters. Each 2¾-inch shell features ⅞-ounce of high-antimony-lead shot—available in No. 7.5 or 8—pushed at 1,250 fps for consistent breaks. The star of the show is Federal’s one-piece Podium wad, engineered for tighter patterns and reduced felt recoil. Add in a smooth-cycling brass head and that classic paper hull feel, and you’ve got a load that blends performance with nostalgia. Whether you’re on the trap line or skeet field, these 20-gauge shells keep you in the winner’s circle. MSRP: $22, box of 25
Streamlight Sidewinder Compact III
Streamlight’s Sidewinder Compact III crams serious utility into a rugged, palm-sized package. With a 185-degree tilting head, gear and helmet mount compatibility, and user-selectable LED options—including white, IR, and two user-chosen colors (red, green, or blue)—this multi-fuel flashlight is ready for mission-specific use. It runs on either a single AA or CR123A battery, pumping out up to 275 lumens and lasting over 100 hours on low. Built from high-impact nylon and IPX7 waterproof, it’s tough enough for field duty and nimble enough for hands-free work. Aviation and military models are also available. MSRP: $138, AA // $198, CR123A
Vortex Ranger HD 3000 10x42mm Laser Rangefinding Binocular
Vortex’s Ranger HD 3000 laser rangefinding binoculars eliminate the need to juggle gear when it’s time to make the shot. Combining crisp 10x42mm HD glass with a built-in laser rangefinder, this all-in-one unit ranges reflective targets out to 3,000 yards—or game animals to 1,500—without sacrificing optical clarity. Edge-to-edge sharpness, strong low-light performance, and excellent color fidelity help hunters pick apart cover, while the integrated ranging function makes quick work of dialing in distance. Whether you’re glassing elk, coyotes or a 3D target, the Ranger HD 3000 packs efficiency and precision into one streamlined tool. MSRP: $1,200
Viridian RFX42 Compact Enclosed Emitter Green Dot Optic
Viridian’s RFX42 hits the sweet spot for carry optics—rugged, compact, and built to run hard on today’s slimline pistols. This enclosed-emitter green dot sight uses the RMSc footprint, making it a direct fit for many popular concealed carry guns. The 3.5 MOA dot is bright, fast, and easy to pick up, with 10 brightness settings including two for night vision. Motion-activated Instant-On® tech powers the optic up when drawn and conserves battery life—up to 28,000 hours on a single CR1620. At under 1 ounce and fully IPX6 waterproof, the RFX42 brings serious durability without adding bulk. MSRP: $229
Hawke Optics Endurance 30 Fiber Dot Riflescopes
Hawke’s Endurance 30 FD riflescopes are built for hunters who don’t compromise. Featuring the System H5 optical platform, every model delivers crisp, edge-to-edge clarity, generous 4-inch eye relief, and a wide field of view—perfect for everything from tight timber to open-country glassing. The 30mm mono-tube chassis is rugged yet lightweight, and all six models feature fiber-optic illumination with Motion Activation and Auto Standby to preserve battery life. Zero Lock ’n’ Stop turrets and removable zoom levers round out a feature-rich lineup tailored for real-world hunts. From 1–6X to 4.5–27X, there’s a scope for every pursuit. MSRP: $579
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
If you’re tired of your current rifle setup, here are some stock upgrades you can do at home.
Many times on these pages, I’ve explained what I like to call my “box dilemma,” a theory that the innovation we have in the industry is based on established physical dimensions … such as bolt face diameter, magazine well size, screw spacing and so on. The issue with this concept in practice is that innovation begins and ends in a predetermined set of dimensions and any new technology largely remains proprietary. Many good designs end up in the dustbin because they are unable to make the jump into mainstream.
However, a result of this widespread set of common parts for a given design led to modularity and a complex system of interchangeable components. Take bolt-action rifle stocks, the subject of this article, for instance.
Taking Stock of the Situation
Rifle stocks have done a great deal of changing in the past 20 years. When I was young, buying and working on cheap Mosin and Mauser rifles—trying (and failing) to squeeze more accuracy out of them—the old way of things was still in full swing. There was a significant amount of know-how, lore and magic that went into building accurate rifles. The list of things I used to do with rifles was long, and that included headspacing chambers, glass bedding, free floating and more.
Nowadays, I just slap it all together in about 5 minutes with a set of Fix It Sticks and an action wrench … and have a rifle shooting one-hole groups. Yes, this is not only possible, but I also do this sort of thing very often and it’s quite easy with the right tools. There is sadly no magic to it, just consistent machining across manufacturers. Building bolt guns with pre-fit parts is actually easier and faster than building an AR-15.
A large amount of the accuracy question arises from the interface of the parts on a bolt gun, namely how the action and the stock interact. The basic mode of operation is two screws that secure the action in place, the action being tightened down against the rear surface of the recoil lug. When the rifle fires, the rearward action under recoil is soaked up by the recoil lug so the screws don’t experience pressure or movement.
In the old days, we’d see many types of methods to shore this area up, usually in the form of glass and pillar bedding. Now, this is still a good way but is pretty much antiquated in practice. For those who aren’t familiar, pillar bedding is the process of installing metal tubes into the stock that go between the bottom metal and action, essentially creating a fixed depth that makes the contact points all metal-on-metal. Glass bedding is where the action is basically glued into the stock, the bedding compound being used to create an exact imprint of a given action in that exact stock. The glass bedding process fills any gaps in the action area and provides greater contact with the action. Many old-school smiths would also bed under the recoil lug recess and the first few inches of barrel. The old ways are still used in some places and still can carry value if you’re working with older guns or wood stocks.
That point may get some hackles raised, but the old bedding methods are truly just not a necessary thing with today’s most modern stocks at their current point of development. Now, does this mean the stocks that don’t use machined interfaces are inferior? No, that isn’t the case. It just means you’re going to have to invest more time and know-how, which is fine. There is no purpose in glass bedding a modern stock, and pillar bedding is for the most part an irrelevant thing, considering many modern stocks are all metal as it is.
These practices, as well as installing barrels, is what kept accurate bolt guns out of reach for decades, as the cost of these services was often more than people wanted to pay. The golden days of sporterized, specialty bedded military rifles are long gone … but not forgotten. The DNA of these practices is still present, and we’re blessed to have had them; but, like I said, the magic isn’t necessary anymore when off-the-shelf pre-fit parts can be assembled and outperform virtually anything from years past.
Fitting barrels and optics is something I’ve talked about often enough. The stock situation, however, is ever-changing and we’re seeing new developments every year. The main developments taking place in rifle stocks go back about 20 years. The first real successful “modern” rifle stocks that bears the hallmarks we now consider modern or modular was the aftermarket Accuracy International AICS, the first truly popular stock that was designed around an aluminum skeleton.
The AICS pattern magazines are now the de facto standard for all bolt guns in both long and short action. The early thoughts around this stock set the stage for what we have today: it was an upgrade for the Remington 700 footprint, took detachable magazines and required no bedding or special work. Simply take your action, drop it into the stock, tighten down the action screws and you’re in business.
With the stage set, more stocks began appearing with similar features. The 2010s saw the great explosion of interest as long-range sports began to take off and demand for this type of product increased. At the same time, other now-standard things started to widely appear, notably the presence of M-Lok and ARCA rails, two things that have done a great deal to modernize bolt guns in terms of what kind of accessories they can mount.
The mass appeal of the AR-15 also did a great deal for bolt guns, as common accessories could be used with no additional adaptation. There were, of course, some teething issues as the modernization process is known to have, but today you can have stocks that are highly adjustable, with integrated ARCA and M-Lok and able to fold and take night vision hoods as standard options.
What Defines a Rifle Chassis?
A common term we see surrounding stocks is the term “chassis” or “chassis system.” I’ve been asked a lot of just what makes a stock and chassis different and, well, it largely depends on the manufacturer’s marketing department.
The general definition of a chassis is a support structure, but when it comes to guns this gets a bit iffy. It could be said that every chassis is a stock, but not every stock is a chassis. One company may say “internal aluminum chassis,” while another with an identical product might say “100 percent aluminum bedding.” It just depends on what they want to convey to the consumer.
For the general public, a stock seems to be simpler, perhaps with just a couple bipod studs and an adjustable cheek rest. But add an aluminum skeleton, some Pic rails and an ARCA rail, and where does that put us? The general idea of a chassis today falls into a know-it-when-you-see-it place, perhaps it’s just cosmetic in truth.
For this article, we look at some rifle stocks and chassis that are either unique or cutting edge in design.
Magpul 700 Pro
This product has reliably served on both long-range target, rifle builds and for hunting purposes. Magpul lists the product as a “folding stock” on their website and as a chassis in the product description. So, in general, both terms are correct in use.
The Magpul 700 Pro is a comfortable and ergonomic design that also folds over the bolt handle.
The stock is based on an aluminum internal skeleton and has lots of subtle M-Lok slots, the ability to accept a night vision bridge and is very adjustable. Some people I’ve shot with over the years consider this to be a sub-optimal choice compared to many other modern offerings, but I have come to like it in general.
The internal skeleton of the 700 Pro is complex, and it mounts the night vision hood from underneath, meaning a full disassembly of the forend is required to install it or remove the action if it is in place.
Critics say that it sits too high in profile as opposed to the lower, flat-bottom competition stocks seen today. However, this stock isn’t necessarily designed for competition shooting. Rather, I see it as a very good overall option due to its sturdy design and high comfort level. This stock isn’t as adjustable as some, but from a comfort and ergonomics standpoint it’s on the top of my list. The polymer skins are quite nice on cold days and are the reason I’ve used it for so long.
Top view of the 700 Pro internal metal skeleton.
From a general standpoint, this stock is somewhat dated in terms of features and is somewhat clumsy to accessorize. The company makes a full-length ARCA rail that takes up the whole bottom row of M-Lok slots. On a tripod it does feel like it sits higher than other chassis. The night vision bridge requires a full disassembly of the forend to install, but it’s very solid when together. I really like this stock and will keep using it.
KRG Whiskey-3 Pro Chassis
This is a newer offering from KRG, a company known for their unique stocks. The Pro model is almost all machined and very lightweight. It uses the trademark thumb hole profile KRG is iconic for and has a folding mechanism that locks very solid in both positions. The stock itself is highly adjustable and can be configured just as you want it for your body size. All the active features adjust with no tools. The stock is also available with a modular night vision hood assembly that converts most of the forend. An ARCA rail runs the whole length of the forend and has multiple options for M-Lok and KRG accessories.
The KRG W3 Pro stock.
This stock, and many of the other KRG models I’ve used over the years, is on the upper end of the quality spectrum, and it has a great deal to offer the field user. I say that last part because many stocks out there go minimalist for field use, and this is OK, but I like having all the adjustment on a rifle that will be used in open fields, off tripods, in blinds, and in and out of vehicles.
For optics like thermals and night vision, this stock saves weight while not sacrificing utility as many of these optics have rearward offset and extra height. The impressive thing about the Pro is that it has all the features of a competition stock for a fraction of the weight.
MDT ACC Elite & LSS
If you’re a competitive long-range shooter, you know MDT. The company is an industry leader in modern stocks and has probably the widest range of modular products on the market today. The ACC Elite, which we will get to in a moment, is more a dedicated use item, but the extremely modular LSS system is entirely up to you.
The MDT LSS is a modular setup that lets you pick your colors and parts.
The LSS system consists of a number of parts that can be configured as you see fit. The company website has a stock builder that lets you pick each part down to the color. This is a very interesting and unique product that lets you control just what you want to end up with for your dedicated task.
The ACC Elite is a dedicated competition chassis that I’ve been using heavily this year and it really, really shines. The stock is heavy (that is for certain), and when fully kitted up with optics, it can certainly be quite the boat anchor, but that’s the name of the game. Low recoil rounds like 6GT hardly move under recoil in this stock, and the ergonomics and overall layout make it extra controllable.
The MDT ACC Elite top view. Note that everything is metal; actions can be installed instantly.
This stock has every modern feature and then some; you can hang just about any accessory you want on this bad boy. The installation is easy, the night vision bridge accessories are top-mounting and stackable, making it so you can not only add rail space but make your desired build look super cool, too. For long-range competition use, this may be the premier chassis on the market today. The adjustments are meant to be a bit more permanent, and in general you’ll use tools to move them, but there are clever magnetic wrench slots under the cheek rest for that.
Manners Night Stalker & Pro Pack Folder
In terms of a modern stock as opposed to a chassis system, the Night Stalker has virtually all the features of a modern chassis, but it’s more classic in physical layout. It has an internal metal chassis, ARCA rail, night vision bridge assembly and a length-of-pull adjustable compact butt. The cheek rest is also adjustable for height. This stock is lightweight and ergonomic, making it a great choice for all-around use in the field and at the range—although it lacks some of the features of dedicated competition stocks.
The new Pro Pack Folder takes the internal chassis to the next level, offering an integrated hinge assembly that allows the entire wrist of the stock to fold to the right and nest with the bolt handle. This is a great design that cleverly blends the lines of a traditional stock with the highest evolution of the internal metal block bedding, basically adding a utilitarian feature to an otherwise structural element. Interestingly, it has a molded ARCA rail as opposed to a metal one.
Manners stocks are on the line between total modernity and classic style. Indeed, the Night Stalker build here was simply assembled from parts. The Origin action can accept pre-fit barrels. Here, Brownells offered a special 20-inch Proof Research in 6.5 Creedmoor. The barrel was threaded on in a Brownells barrel vice, and an action wrench was used to tighten it; headspace was checked with some PTG gauges. The Timney trigger installed in a minute—the same with the Manners stock.
Thanks to the QD ADM mount, the Vortex Razor HD also took under 10 seconds to get in place. Total build time on this rifle was under 10 minutes, and it shoots 1/4 MOA with factory Hornady American Whitetail hunting loads and even better with Federal 140- and 130-grain match loads. You don’t need to be a wizard to build great bolt guns these days.
Investing In Stock
This article barely scratched the surface of what’s out there today in terms of stocks and chassis systems. The market for these products is growing significantly, and if you don’t mind sticking with a Remington pattern short or long action, your options are almost endless. There are other actions that chassis and modern stocks are produced for, such as Savage, Ruger and Tikka, but they are harder to find and have fewer options.
The next few years should be great in terms of what is being offered. I am excited to see what’s to come.
Gear Notes: Night Vision Bridges
Night vision and thermal clip-ons are becoming more common these days, and bolt guns have always been behind the curve with this technology compared to the AR series rifles with their much more common railed forends. Bolt actions had no real good way to mount these optics except for extended, receiver-mounted rails in the years past. I’ve used these and they definitely work but leave something to be wanted. The latest generation of stocks commonly have the ability to mount forward rails over the barrel, and this is absolutely wonderful.
As a thermal and NVD user myself, the ability to quickly and easily adapt a day scope to night shooting is critical, and I find it to be one of the most welcome additions to modern stocks and chassis as a standard feature. Most of these bridges adapt to metal-on-metal interface, making them strong and rigid, but some have to be mounted in certain places, making your choice of day optics important.
Some of these fixed position rails make it hard to set up with a day scope and thermal because the distance can be too great to too little. You may have to adjust your day optic front or back to make it work. Some, like the MDT ACC, have a long mounting surface and you can position your clip-on as you see fit.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Welcome to CANCON A Fully Suppressed Range Day! The World’s Favorite Suppressed Shooting Festival!
CANCON is back again on the East Coast: Clinton, South Carolina. Join us on November 7th & 8th, 2025 for an action-packed weekend of fully suppressed shooting!
The Clinton House Plantation Shooting Complex is a massive venue and gives CANCON the room we need to expand! Located just 45 minutes south of Greenville, South Carolina, 1 hour north of Columbia, and 2 hours south-west of Charlotte, NC.
More space means more shooting lanes and more sponsors! Find more guns to shoot, more suppressors to test, all for the same low price of $50 per day.
Back again is the 1,000-yard AND 1-mile shooting range! Get to test high-performance rifles AND high-performance suppressors and see how far you can reach out.
Friday, November 7th only stop by the Blade Magazine Tactical area and shop custom tactical knives!
Clinton House has tons of FREE onsite parking! Shooting all that free ammo will make you hungry, so stop by the concessions to refuel!
General admission is available Friday and Saturday, Nov 7 & 8th, $50 per day, or save money and get the entire weekend for just $85!
More information and ticket pre-sales are now available at the CANCON WEBSITE!
Returning to CANCON is PROS Vs. JOES! We select a random participant from the crowd to go head-to-head against a seasoned pro shooter. Can an everyday Joe outshoot a Recoil Pro in a high-stakes shooting competition? If they do, they win BIG!
CANCON T-shirts will be available for pre-order and at CANCON! These are high-quality shirts that feel great and look awesome.
CANCON Carolians 2024 shirts, new shirt coming soon!
Palmetto State Armory has just released a new version of its Krink AK pistol in 7.62×39.
One of the most recognizable small arms in the world is the AKS-74U, a shortened version of the AKS-74 service rifle of the Soviet Union. In the West, it’s colloquially become known as the Krinkov, or Krink for short. With a shortage of original parts kits to build guns from in the U.S., Palmetto State Armory has been filling the void with its Krink AK pistols in various calibers. Having already released versions chambered for 5.56×45, .300 BLK and the original 5.45×39, PSA has just unveiled the latest model in 7.62×39. This cartridge performs great out of short barrels, arguably making it an even better choice ballistically than the small-caliber options.
There are three 7.62×39 Krink models currently available to choose from. Two are equipped with triangle side folding braces, one with wood furniture and one with black polymer furniture, and the third is the SBR Ready model that features wood furniture and no brace. Regardless of the exact model, all versions feature a hammer-forged bolt, carrier and trunnion. The barrel is 8.4 inches, threaded M24x1.5 RH and equipped with a Krink booster, and a side rail for mounting optics comes installed on all versions as well.
Other AKS-74U-appropriate features include the hinged dust covers with integrated rear sights, the combination gas block/front sights and the 4.5mm folding rear trunnion. That means that if desired, PSA’s 7.62×39 Krink could be registered as an SBR and have a traditional 4.5mm triangle folding stock installed. If not, the Picatinny rail on the back can take a pistol brace of your choosing.
The 7.62×39 Krinks that include a pistol brace have an MSRP of $1,199, and the SBR Ready version has an MSRP of $999. One 30-round magazine is included where allowed.
EOTECH has just announced the new DCBL suppressor line, initially launching with three caliber options.
EOTECH, renowned manufacturer of optics, has just expanded its product catalog with the new DCBL line of suppressors. The DCBL suppressors are made of 3D-printed Grade 5 titanium and will be available in three caliber options—5.56, 7.62 and 9mm.
The EOTECH DCBL suppressors feature a flow-through design and are engineered to balance weight with sound and recoil reduction while remaining reliable. The suppressors also utilize what EOTECH calls Breathable Technology, and the company says it will help DCBL cans cycle smoother, stay cleaner and enhance controllability through an active stabilization process that reduces blowback and minimizes back pressure. The suppressors also feature a monolithic, corrosion-resistant construction and are available with either a Matte Black or Tan Cerakote finish. As for mounting, the rifle-caliber cans are HUB-compatible and ship with a KFM flash hider, while the 9mm PCC suppressor is direct-thread.
Tom Hadt, President of Sales and Marketing, said this about the new suppressors:
EOTECH is excited to enter into the suppressor market … Suppressors are becoming a standard piece of equipment on today’s modern firearms, and we feel our expertise in producing products designed around professional users will carry over into the development of high-performance sound suppressors.
MSRP for the 7.62 and 5.56 EOTHECH suppressors is $1,099 and MSRP for the 9mm PCC model is $999.
We look back on Tiger McKee’s The Book of Two Guns: The Martial Art of the 1911 Pistol and AR Carbine, a legacy in martial gunfighting.
When the name Tiger McKee is spoken among serious students of firearms, it carries the weight of both reverence and respect. McKee was more than a firearms instructor. He was a martial artist in the truest sense, seeing the pistol and carbine not merely as weapons but as extensions of the individual. His life’s work culminated in The Book of Two Guns: The Martial Art of the 1911 Pistol and AR Carbine, a volume that remains one of the most unique and personal contributions to the world of defensive shooting.
A Teacher’s Journey
McKee founded the Shootrite Firearms Academy in Alabama, where for decades he trained civilians, military and law enforcement in the art of the gun. He was known for a quiet, thoughtful presence that contrasted with the intensity of the subject matter. Those who trained under him remember his insistence that “fighting is 90 percent mental,” a philosophy that emphasized awareness, discipline and preparation as much as marksmanship.
McKee died in 2023, leaving behind not only students but also a body of written work that reflects his unique voice and worldview. At the center of this legacy stands The Book of Two Guns.
The Book as Martial Art
Published in 2005, The Book of Two Guns is unlike any other shooting manual. It’s neither a slick, photo-heavy coffee-table book nor a dry, step-by-step manual buried in military jargon. Instead, McKee wrote it in his own hand—literally. The text is handwritten, and the illustrations are his own sketches. This artistic choice was intentional. McKee sought to communicate that shooting is not a mechanical checklist but a martial art, with parallels to the discipline of swordsmanship or karate.
The two “guns” of the title, the 1911 pistol and the AR-15/M16 carbine, were chosen because they represent the pinnacle of American fighting arms. The 1911, with its century of service, and the AR-15 platform, the standard bearer of modern rifle craft, were to McKee what the katana and the wakizashi were to the samurai: paired tools of a complete warrior.
Principles, Not Techniques
A hallmark of McKee’s philosophy was the emphasis on principles over rote technique. In The Book of Two Guns, he outlines fundamentals such as stance, grip, trigger control and movement, but always returns to the why behind the how.
For example, McKee taught that “accuracy is defined by the shot you are firing.” This deceptively simple line reinforces that each round carries responsibility. Every press of the trigger must be deliberate and purposeful. Likewise, his insistence on consistency, mentally and physically, remains a touchstone for students who learned that success under stress comes from ingrained, repeatable habits.
Unlike traditional manuals, McKee’s book does not attempt to catalog every possible shooting technique. Instead, it presents concepts like movement, cover, avoidance, angles of fire that the practitioner must adapt to circumstances. The result is less an instruction manual than a meditation on combat with the gun.
The 1911 Pistol: A Warrior’s Sidearm
McKee’s choice of the 1911 as one of his “two guns” was deliberate. He believed that the 1911, properly understood and mastered, remained one of the most effective fighting pistols ever designed. In his book, he explores the nuances of grip safety manipulation, trigger discipline, and the balance of accuracy with speed.
But he also approached the 1911 as a martial tool, emphasizing mindset over mechanics. “We shoot to stop the threat, to save life, not take it,” a philosophy he drilled into students at Shootrite and one that resonates throughout the book. This moral framework is one of the reasons McKee’s work continues to inspire. He did not glorify violence. He taught preparation to preserve life.
The AR Carbine: America’s Rifle
The second of the “two guns,” the AR-15/M16 platform, represents adaptability and precision. McKee’s instruction on the AR focused not only on manipulations like loading, clearing malfunctions and transitions but also on tactics. He emphasized the geometry of fighting around cover, the use of light in low-light conditions, and the importance of movement to create advantage.
For McKee, the rifle was more than a tool for distance. It was a partner to the pistol, each complementing the other in the modern martial toolkit. His sketches in the book illustrate not just firing positions, but the flow of a fighter moving through space—always thinking, always adjusting.
My Journey with McKee
I first met McKee in 2012 during his Defensive Handgun course. From the start, his style stood out. He didn’t run flashy drills or bark orders for effect, Instead, he built consistency through repetition. “All guns are always loaded,” he would remind us, before drilling the fundamentals: Aim, hold, press, follow-through.
In later classes like his Pocket Pistol course with moving targets, he emphasized manipulations and tactics: reloads, malfunction clearances, and the mantra of move, communicate, cover, shoot, think. By the time I attended his Low-Light Handgun class in 2016, I had internalized his lesson that fighting is sudden, chaotic and unpredictable. You control only yourself.
Those classes, and the notes I still keep, remain touchstones of his teaching. They remind me that McKee saw the gun as more than steel and polymer—it was a discipline, a martial path.
Training at Shootrite: The Living Book
At Shootrite, students learned the same principles laid out in The Book of Two Guns: accuracy through consistency, movement combined with communication, and the central rule to “move, communicate, use cover whenever possible, shoot as necessary and THINK.”
The overlap between the handwritten words in McKee’s book and the drills on the range made clear that his philosophy was holistic. It was never about tricks or shortcuts. It was about cultivating the mind of a fighter.
Reception and Legacy
When The Book of Two Guns was first released, it quickly gained a reputation as something rare and authentic. Some reviewers described it as more akin to a martial arts manual than a gunfighting book. Others noted that its unpolished, handwritten form made it feel like a personal field notebook—one that belonged in a range bag rather than on a bookshelf.
Over time, the book became a cult classic among trainers, competitive shooters, and tacticians. It is often cited alongside the works of Jeff Cooper and Clint Smith as a cornerstone of modern firearms philosophy.
McKee’s death in 2023 was widely mourned in the firearms community. Obituaries recalled not only his skills as an instructor but also his humility, humor and humanity. He leaves behind a generation of students who carry his lessons forward, whether in uniform, in competition or simply as responsible armed citizens.
Conclusion: A Warrior’s Notebook
The Book of Two Guns is more than a firearms manual. It is McKee’s personal martial notebook. Its handwritten pages invite the reader into his thought process. His sketches reveal his eye for detail, and its principles demand reflection as much as practice.
Whether you train with the classic 1911, the modern AR-15, or some other firearm entirely, this book is full of wisdom on the art of self-defense. It reminds us that the true weapon is the mind, and that discipline, respect and preparation matter more than hardware.
McKee may be gone, but through his teachings and his book, his voice endures. Like the guns he revered, his ideas remain timeless tools—ready to serve those willing to put in the discipline, respect and heart that true martial arts demand.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
A quick look at Streamlight's clippable, mountable Sidewinder light.
I love that line from Major League. Tactical flashlights are cool and everything, but sometimes you have to use both hands. Then, what? Well, the Sidewinder has a hand of its own.
The basic Streamlight Sidewinder is, to most people, a combat tactical helmet-mount light that looks cool, but “who wears a helmet all the time?” Not many. But you do wear clothes, right? Or a hat? And is there a shelf nearby? There are a lot of places you can clip the Sidewinder to so you can light what you’re working on.
The Sidewinder Military comes with a special mount to attach it to your helmet. Don’t wear a helmet? Order one of the other Sidewinder models.
And for those situations where the work location might be a bit tight (working under an engine hood, inside an enclosure … you know the drill), you can’t always fit a work light. Or you don’t want one. Ever try to work on an engine with a hot work light sharing space under the hood with you? Let’s just say that it does not make the experience more pleasant.
So, clip the Sidewinder to the brim of a hat, your collar, equipment or shelf. My favorite trick? Clip it to a loop of 550 cord and sling it over a nearby object. Now, you can use the tilting head of the Sidewinder to point the light right where you want.
The clip on the back makes it possible to attach the Sidewinder in a lot of tight locations where other lights won’t fit.
You’ve got two choices: the Sidewinder and the Sidewinder X. The difference? The non-X runs at 55 lumens and the X at 275. Both have white, red and IR outputs (IR is for those who will be putting it on a helmet; for the rest of us, it’s not so useful). You have high, two mediums and a low setting—and the runtime at high is very useful. Runtime is impressive on the other settings.
Oh, and the X offers other extras as well. You can have the Aviation model with white, green and blue. There’s also the user-configurable model, and the X can be set up to run on either CR123A or AA batteries.
The battery compartment has a rubber gasket; you tighten a knob to seal it up.
The Military model has the extra helmet mount gear, and the Aviation model comes with webbing straps to secure it to a harness.
Depending on which model you opt for, you’re looking at 3.3 to 5 ounces of compact, handy-to-use-without-your-hands lighting. Oh, and the battery compartment has a rubber gasket for a very water-resistant seal.
The rectangular shape of the Sidewinder makes it not-so handy for everyday carry. For that, something sleeker and more compact that fits in a pocket is the tool to select. But there are a lot of daily activities that require light, a light that doesn’t have to come out of your pocket to be used and you need both hands.
Adjusting the blasted soft-close doors in the new kitchen isn’t exactly a tactical exercise, but it goes a whole lot easier when you can see exactly what you need to see. Out comes the Sidewinder, while all the expensive tacti-cool illumination devices languish on the shelf by the door.
All this for 90 bucks. Get one; you won’t regret it. And watch the movie; you won’t regret that, either.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
I hit the range with a spread of different AK ammo to find the best 7.62×39 loads for plinking, hunting and self-defense.
Not that long ago, AKs were cheap, and the 7.62x39mm ammunition they fired made blasting trash in the woods an economically sound pastime. So economical, in fact, that AR-15s chambered for it were once a popular option for those looking to keep range time affordable.
Those days are, unfortunately, well behind us.
Now, AR-15s are far more affordable than the most budget-tier Kalashnikovs, and cheap 5.56 NATO can be found at nearly half the price of 7.62 Soviet.
Does the new, higher cost of 7.62×39 mean you should stop shooting your ComBloc guns? Of course not, you just have to be smarter about what you feed them.
Whether you’re looking to fill magazines for the range, maximize the defensive capabilities of a self-defense SBR or even take a deer this season, here I'm going to go over some of the top AK ammo options on the market.
How I Chose The Best AK Ammo
Armed with a variety of 7.62×39 loads, two rifles and a Caldwell Ballistic Precision G2 chronograph, I headed out to the range to do some testing.
I sent two 5-round groups of each load through the chrono, one group using a standard 16-inch WASR 10 and the other group with a 12.5-inch Romanian SBR.
Chronograph data isn’t everything, but it does help determine which of the ammo types are loaded consistently and if they generate the advertised velocity or not.
All tested loads functioned and cycled flawlessly through both rifles, so reliability isn’t a concern, although only one type of magazine was used throughout (a WBP 20-round polymer mag).
To scientifically test ammunition's accuracy, you need some method of removing the human element from the equation. I didn’t have that, so I merely confirmed practical accuracy with a 6-inch gong at 100 yards. Using iron sights from a bench, each load went five for five hits. It doesn’t show which ammo type was the most precise, but it does show that all the loads tested should be good enough for hunting or defensive purposes at normal ranges. AKs and 7.62×39 are more accurate than they get credit for, but if you’re looking to do long-range precision work, you should be looking at other cartridges.
After taking into account factors like chronograph data, price and the projectile qualities of each type of AK ammo, these are the top loads I’d recommend feeding your Kalashnikov with.
Bullet Weight: 124gr Projectile Style: Full Metal Jacket Case Material: Steel Country Of Origin: Russia
Bbl Length (in.)
Min. Vel.
Max. Vel.
Average Vel.
ES
SD
16
2,231
2,284
2,257
53
21.3
12.5
2,094
2,196
2,139
99
39.6
PROS:
Still some of the cheapest AK ammo available
The real Russian stuff, get it while you can
CONS:
Steel case, not reloadable
Despite a ban on Russian ammo importation going into effect in 2021, apparently, the stuff was stockpiled in massive quantities because ammo retailers still seem to have plenty available at the time of writing. The only difference is that it’s not as cheap as it once was, although it is still some of the cheapest. Once reserves dry up, we’ll have to turn to another source, but in the meantime, Russian-made AK ammo remains my go-to.
The chrono data showed it was relatively consistent and generated expected velocities, and that’s all you really need from standard range FMJ ammo. The only potential downside to some is that it’s steel-cased, so it can’t be reloaded, but who reloads AK ammo anyway? If you do, the rest of this list has plenty of brass-cased options to choose from.
Ammo To Go
1,000 Rounds – $585
Best Deer Ammo: Winchester Power-Point
Bullet Weight: 123gr Projectile Style: Traditional Soft-Point Case Material: Brass Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
Bbl Length (in.)
Min. Vel.
Max. Vel.
Average Vel.
ES
SD
16
2,325
2,374
2,351
49
17.9
12.5
2,152
2,226
2,200
74
25.3
PROS:
Classic Winchester soft-point load for deer
Consistently loaded with good average velocity
CONS:
A bit pricey
The classic American deer rifle is a lever-action in .30-30 Winchester, but the rifles and ammo can be pricey. There was a time when an SKS loaded with 7.62×39 could provide very similar effective performance for a lot less money. While prices have gone up across the board, 7.62×39 remains the cheaper cartridge and is still just as good at taking medium-sized game.
Winchester Power-Point in 7.62×39 is loaded with a traditional soft-point 123-grain projectile that offers great knock-down power and penetration. My chronograph testing shows that it has about 100 fps more velocity than the Wolf FMJ on average, too, so it should expand nicely on impact.
Ammo To Go
20 Rounds – $29
Best For Hog Hunting: Prvi Partizan PSP
Bullet Weight: 123gr Projectile Style: Pointed Soft-Point Case Material: Brass Country Of Origin: Serbia
Bbl Length (in.)
Min. Vel.
Max. Vel.
Average Vel.
ES
SD
16
2,138
2,357
2,280
219
78.6
12.5
2,098
2,214
2,173
116
39.8
PROS:
Affordable for soft point
Good balance between terminal performance and price
CONS:
Not loaded very consistently
Admittedly, PPU’s soft-point 7.62×39 isn’t quite as nice as the above load of Winchester, but that’s also reflected in its price. Culling hogs requires a lot more ammo than taking a deer or two, and that calls for less expensive ammo.
PPU’s PSP 123-grain soft-point load is the perfect balance between performance and price. It offers much better effect on target than standard cheap FMJ, but it’s also sold in 1000-round bricks for about half the per-round price of Winchester Power-Point. If you’re looking to load up several banana mags to help control the wild hog population, I think PPU’s soft-points are the ideal option.
Ammo To Go
1,000 Rounds – $750
Best Full-Size Defensive Round: Winchester Deer Season XP
Bullet Weight: 123gr Projectile Style: Polymer-Tipped Extreme Point Case Material: Brass Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
Bbl Length (in.)
Min. Vel.
Max. Vel.
Average Vel.
ES
SD
16
2,345
2,377
2,360
32
12.5
12.5
2,173
2,235
2,213
62
23.2
PROS:
Loaded very consistenly
XP projectile should provide excellent effect on target
CONS:
A bit pricey
Another Winchester load optimized for deer, ostensibly, is Deer Season XP. For the 16-inch WASR, however, chronograph testing revealed that it had the highest average velocity with very consistent results.
The Extreme Point (XP) projectile was designed to remain ballistically efficient while providing near instant, devastating expansion on impact. The rest of the jacketed bullet was designed to deliver excellent penetration through hide and muscle, but that same performance should have no issue translating to stopping a human attacker.
Ammo To Go
20 Rounds – $33
Best SBR Defensive Round: Hornady BLACK MonoFlex SBR
Bullet Weight: 111gr Projectile Style: MonoFlex Expanding Flex Tip Case Material: Brass Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
Bbl Length (in.)
Min. Vel.
Max. Vel.
Average Vel.
ES
SD
16
2,283
2,374
2,330
91
37.6
12.5
2,206
2,291
2,226
85
33.5
PROS:
Optimized for short barrels
MonoFlex projectile ideal for stopping human threats
CONS:
Expensive
No surprise, the Hornady BLACK load optimized for defensive use with short-barreled rifles proved to have the best performance when tested in the SBR. It’s the only load on the list that doesn’t have a standard 123- or 124-grain bullet weight, and the data reveals that the 111-grain MonoFlex bullet still has excellent velocity out of a shorter barrel.
Just as important is the projectile itself, and the Hornady MonoFlex is designed to penetrate deep, expand maximally and lose a minimal amount of weight in the process. When it comes to stopping attackers with a short-barreled AK, accept no substitute.
Ammo To Go
20 Rounds – $35
7.62×39 FAQ
Is 7.62×39 too much for home defense?
In terms of having enough stopping power to incapacitate an attacker, no, 7.62×39 is definitely not too much for home defense. If your living arrangement means you have to worry about overpenetration through walls, however, it might not be the best round for you. Either way, the use of good hollow point ammunition is a good idea, both for better effect on target and for reduced penetration through barriers.
Why is 7.62×39 so expensive now?
As the Cold War came to an end in the early 1990s, a lot of things changed for the American gun market. Not only were many once-Warsaw Pact nations transitioning to NATO equipment and calibers, resulting in a flood of surplus ammo and guns on the market, but new avenues for commercial trade opened with freshly capitalist Russia. One result of this was very cheap and available 7.62×39 ammo. Russia remained the main source of affordable 7.62×39 (and other calibers) until Russian-made ammo was banned from importation in 2021. This ban, combined with withering stocks of surplus ammo globally, has resulted in the price of 7.62×39 to skyrocket above what it once was. At the time of writing, the cheapest 7.62×39 is marginally more expensive than the cheapest .223 Remington.
What's a similar cartridge to compare 7.62×39 to?
In terms of ballistics, the most common American cartridge with similar performance to 7.62×39 is .30-30 Winchester. They're both roughly .30-caliber, have similar maximum chamber pressures, and, when loaded with bullets of similar weights, produce muzzle velocities in the same ballpark (.30-30 winning out slightly with higher fps and more energy). The most apparent distinction between the two cartridges is that .30-30 Win. was designed for use in lever-actions while 7.62×39 was designed for self-loading firearms.
TriStar has just announced the APOC, a new compact 9mm handgun designed to be both affordable and reliable.
Plenty of Americans are looking to arm themselves for as little money as possible, and they understand that having an affordable pistol that works reliably is far more important than having the latest-and-greatest tactical features. One of the latest pistols in this class is the TriStar APOC.
While TriStar doesn’t specify what aftermarket parts or magazines the APOC is compatible with, it appears to be based on a Gen 3 Glock 19. This is corroborated by its 4-inch barrel and 15-round magazine capacity, two of which are included with each pistol. Other features include front and rear slide serrations, an accessory rail and fiber-optic sights. They’re also available with either a black, gray, Flat Dark Earth or OD Green/black finish.
Ryan Bader, President of TriStar Arms, said this about the new 9mm pistol:
Shooter feedback drove every decision on the APOC … We set out to build a pistol that feels right in the hand, runs reliably, and is affordable for everyday use. What that means for pistol owners is simple: more time on the trigger, less time worrying about cost.
MSRP for the TriStar APOC is $360 and they’re available now.
VIKTOS has just unveiled the Gunfighter RR Jean, tactical pants ready for everyday carry, duty and the range.
Traditional denim looks good, but it isn’t the best material for modern tactical pants. Solution? VIKTOS’ new Gunfighter RR Jean. The RR stands for Range Ready, and they feature a whole host of tactical features and upgrades that make them ideal for anyone involved in the firearm lifestyle.
Made from heavyweight 12-ounce stretch denim, the Gunfighter RR Jean was designed to provide maximum comfort and mobility while remaining durable and rugged. Part of that comes from the modified fit that provides extra thigh room to accommodate everything from kneeling to crouching to sprinting. Other features include repositioned front belt loops and interior waistband webbing for improved appendix carry, specialized front pistol magazine pockets and rear AR mag pockets.
Whether you’re just training on the range, walking around town with your EDC gear or working a job that requires you to carry firearms, the VIKTOS Gunfighter RR Jean is ready for it. They’re available in a variety of sizes in blue or black and have an MSRP of $125.
Zaffiri Precision has just announced new Z Series ported complete uppers for Glock 19 Gen 3 pistols.
Compensators are becoming an increasingly popular feature on defensive pistols, but they have a downside—increased length. If you’re looking to make your handgun more shootable while keeping it compact, you’re going to want to look at ported barrel and slide systems. The latest option for Gen 3 Glock 19-style guns is the Ported Z Complete Upper from Zaffiri Precision.
Featuring two rows of three ports on each side of the top of the slide, Zaffiri says that the Ported Z Glock 19 upper can reduce recoil and muzzle rise by up to 25 percent. The slide is machined from a single billet of 17-4 stainless steel and is finished with Armor Black Cerakote. The slide also features forward/rear slide serrations and an optics cut for Trijicon RMR-pattern red dots.
When ordering, customers can also choose from some optional upgrades at no additional charge, including the barrel finish (Black Nitride, Gold, Stainless or Spectrum) and the sights (fiber optic, suppressor-height fiber optic, standard low-profile or standard suppressor-height), and sight installation is free as well. For an extra fee, you can also choose to have night sights, a Holosun red dot, an upgraded extractor or an upgraded back plate installed.
The Ported Z Glock 19 upper is available now and pricing starts at $330, although Zaffiri Precision describes that as an introductory price so expect it to eventually go up.
It can get confusing figuring out which optics are compatible with your pistol’s red dot footprint. Here, I explain what goes with what.
The idea of putting reflex or red-dot-style sights on pistols has been around for a while longer than you might imagine. What we call “modern optics cuts” also aren’t exactly new, but they are somewhat modern regarding the fact that miniature optics are a somewhat recent invention.
Today, we have a tremendous number of options when it comes to applying a mini optic to your pistol and, well, there’s also a tremendous amount of confusion when it comes to what works with what.
An example of a “footprint.” Note that this is machined directly into the slide. The little bumps are lugs that help lock the optic in place under recoil.
An Abridged (Recent) History of Pistol Red Dots
The old days of mounting optical sights to pistols revolved around the technology of the time, and the first red-dot sights to be brought to market were quite large and meant for mounting on rifles and shotguns. The mounts designed to integrate these optics onto pistols were typically mounted to the frame, not the slide like we see today. These early dot sights were large and took up a good amount of space across the top of the slide. These guns were typically used in a variety of speed and accuracy competitions and referred to as “race guns” by many in the scene. An interesting note is that it was more common to find full-size hunting revolvers with these big red-dots than semi-autos for a while, which has come full circle with several revolver makers now adding modern optic cuts to their products.
There was really no movement in the market for red dots for a while … until the early years of the War on Terror, and then things started to take off. By this time, the Trijicon ACOG and Aimpoint dot sights were commonplace, and the general public had taken notice as well. Mini-dot sights did, in fact, exist at this time, circa 2007. The Doctor red-dot sight was among the first to be piggybacked to the ACOG, followed shortly afterward by the early Trijicon Red Dot Sight. Very shortly afterward the big (little) one hit: the first Trijicon RMR, or Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sight, was introduced.
The optic adapter melts into the slide in several areas. Note that the rear sight is a part of the adapter body and is non-adjustable. The only windage option is on the front sight that came with the optics plate.
When these came out in 2009, it was big news—but the potential was far from being realized as we know it today. The original generation of RMR sights were very well designed and rugged; however, there were some issues with the very first attempts to mount them to pistols. Trijicon’s subsequent models addressed the small issues and, since then, there have been very few issues.
In my research for this topic, I was unable to find just who was the first to mill a pistol slide to take an RMR. There are a lot of people claiming to have been the first to do this, but the earliest examples of this didn’t start appearing until several years after the introduction of the RMR itself. It seemed that it was Glock pistols that were the usual host, but there unfortunately isn’t much information surrounding this particular topic due to the fact that the majority of customizations were done as one-offs and not standardized by any definition.
The “Roland Special” began to gain traction as an early version of the optically equipped fighting pistol: It was basically a Glock-type pistol with a slide modified to accept an RMR, a compensator mounted on a threaded barrel, a light, and typically a magazine well funnel. It was something of a combination of fighting gun and competition pistol, but it was still just a loose concept and not yet fully accepted by major manufacturers. This concept was popular in the mid 2010s.
The debate started shortly after, adding rhetoric as to whether this concept was actually feasible. I started shooting slide-mounted red-dots in 2015, and there wasn’t a lot available, with the average mounting solution being a plate that mounted into the dovetail of Glock pistols. Initially, I wasn’t impressed and gave up on the concept for a while, instead opting for better iron sights and lights on my pistols.
I revisited this in 2018—after the concept was reaching maturity—and built the custom 1911 that has graced these pages in my photography. It has a slide that was made to accept a Trijicon-integrated RMR mount that includes an integrated rear sight for co-witness. At the time I built this pistol, the RMR was still very much the leader in a somewhat cornered market; the other companies had not quite managed to catch up.
But that wouldn’t last long.
An early “transitional” RMR mount on the author’s custom 1911. This mount was designed to be permanently installed into a corresponding slide that would be hand-fit to a 1911 frame. It is not an optics plate, but rather a specific adapter for a specific style of slide for a specific optic.
The 2020s have seen virtually every pistol company releasing models with optic cuts, and there are a large number of available footprints for these due to an ever-growing number of new mini-dot style optics. There are a great many available now, and this has led to a certain degree of confusion in the market, especially for consumers.
Following the Footprints
The first question I get in any conversion is along the lines of, “How do you pick a footprint?”
Well, in general, the issue comes down to a very specific set of criteria that you will want to individually research, and a lot of this depends on what type of gun you have or, alternatively, what model of sight you want to use. I use the RMR on many pistols, but I also use the RMRcc, the smaller, slimmer carry version. These footprints, despite both being Trijicon RMR sights, are not interchangeable.
The full-size 1911 with a 1-MOA dot is great for hunting out to 50 yards, which is what I do with it. The larger RMR is nice for precision and field-of-view. The RMRcc is smaller and has a larger dot, so the dot itself takes up more of the optical window, making it great for fast shooting at close range. I use this sight on my Staccato C and custom P365 from True Precision. I would need to use something that utilizes the same footprint if I wanted to change the RMR on my 1911, since it has a fixed base on the slide. The Trijicon RCR and SRO would work for this, for instance.
The RMRcc on a custom True Precision P365. This is a small pistol with a small optic, while accurate and reliable it is on the edge of too large to be considered a pocket pistol. Due to the snappy recoil of the small gun, it could be argued that an RDO is a bit overkill for quick follow-up shots.
However, it’s more convoluted today with all the available options … and also simpler. You might not be able to mount a specific dot to a specific gun, but most pistols being made today can accept at least some form of dot.
The next question I get is, “How many different optics footprints are there?”
Well, this requires a long answer. We have not just the “footprint,” meaning the physical cut dimensions that determines the size of optic that can be mounted, but we also have a variety of adapter plates, plus proprietary interfaces. The list is growing constantly.
The main difference between a true footprint and an adapter plate is the permanent nature of the lugs. Each red-dot footprint has a different lug and mounting screw spacing. The lugs interact with the body of the sight to prevent it from moving, just like the recoil lug on the action of a bolt gun that interfaces with the stock.
If, for instance, you have your slide machined for an RMRcc, it will only be that footprint. Many pistols come with adapter plates that get sandwiched between the sight and slide. The slide is machined to receive only a certain type of adapter plate, so as long as you have these adapters you can use any brand of optic that there is a plate for.
So, in theory, this discussion is so broad that the answer is “almost limitless,” depending on what system you choose.
The Staccato C uses an interchangeable optic plate that attaches to the slide as opposed to the slide being milled for a specific footprint. Note that the rear sight is also an integrated part of the plate
In general, there are some optic footprints that are cross-compatible with a number of brands, and I use a number of them. Now, this is not a comprehensive list because many companies are coming out with new designs as I type this, but nearly every pistol maker is offering optic cuts. A short list has all the usual suspects: Staccato, Glock, Colt, S&W, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Beretta, Springfield Armory, Walther, HK, virtually every 2011 maker, Taurus, FN, custom makers like Ed Brown, Dan Wesson, Nighthawk—and the list goes on.
There is also an expanding market of sights from companies like Vortex, Trijicon, Leupold, Doctor, Holosun, Riton, Swampfox, Bushnell, Hawke, Burris, Aimpoint and more. Again, this is a rapidly expanding market and, by the time you read these words, there will undoubtedly be more on the market than we’re there yesterday.
The general list of footprints encompasses the RMSC, RMS, RMR, RMRcc, DPP, Glock MOS (adapter plate system), Doctor, ACRO, Holosun K, EPS, 509T and more. The most popular footprints as of today are the RMSC, RMR and DPP. Of note is that many of these companies make sights that are cross-compatible with various mounts, such the Vortex Defender using the DPP (Leupold DeltaPoint Pro) footprint. Not all companies have a specific design that has produced its own footprint that bears its name, such as the RMR footprint. You can use other optics on the RMR footprint, but the RMR can only work on its namesake.
The Vortex Defender is at home on just about any gun, from carbines to pistols. You’ll need to be aware of your mounting height, but this optic fits DPP footprints and can be used for a wide range of tasks. Not only is it extremely rugged for carry, but it is also exceedingly fast for hunting and piggybacks very well.
Alternate Optics Uses
The micro-dot world started piggybacking to rifle optics … and then migrated to pistols. Now that this technology is growing and more common, modern micro-dots are making their way back to rifles and carbines, and even shotguns.
The LPVO class of optics has dominated the game for the past decade, and they have gradually become more advanced for their size, as demonstrated by the Vortex Razor 1-10x in this article’s photography. The idea was to hybridize the singular riflescope to allow it to function as a sort of reflex sight while still being a long-range precision item, the Razor here is able to tackle everything from zero to past 1,000 yards on a lightweight carbine.
The Vortex LPVO optics here in ADM mounts with One Hundred Concepts scope caps are highly benefited by piggybacked red-dot sights. Depending on your head placement and the optic style, you can mount them in front of or behind the adjustment turrets.
However, for very close range engagements, it still requires you to get low on the riflestock and look directly through it. I use American Defense Manufacturing mounts on all my rifles, and a huge benefit is that they make rig caps that have machined-in optic footprints. The Vortex Defender line simply mounts to the scope mount and offers fast handling without sacrificing anything the Razor has to offer. I really enjoy this setup; it’s such a no-brainer for that surprise game animal walking in closer than you thought.
Red-Dot Zeroing and Accuracy
The adage “aim small, miss small” comes heavily into play with pistol optics. As I mentioned earlier, I replaced the first-gen RMR on my 1911 with a modern one; this time with a 1 MOA dot. The first optic I had on there was the large 12.9 MOA reticle, and it was fine for close range. But for hunting use, the 1 MOA makes a massive difference.
Now, this is a fine dot to pick up. Most people have settled on a 3-8MOA type, but with deer being a fair challenge for a .45 ACP, I opted for a much finer dot. I zero this pistol point blank for 50 yards using my favorite .45 ACP load, the 220-grain Hornady Critical Duty. The bullet flight path never leaves the heart of the deer out to this distance.
I also find it a useful zero for subsonic loads. The larger the dot, the more important your knowledge is of where your bullet is impacting inside the dot. There are some big dots out there, and they are easier to see but offer a wider range of error.
I zero most of my self-defense pistols using the RMRcc at 15 yards to impact in the center of the dot. I also take the time to zero my iron sights through the optic, not just treat them as a vestigial organ to the optic. You’ll find that the zero of your irons might be the best range to zero your dot for consistency.
There is discussion of what the best distance to zero your pistol is, but assuming we’re talking 9mm as most people are using these days, the 15-yard zero is pretty good for general use. I don’t like the 10-yard zero: it’s just very close and can introduce a lot of error in bullet impact as you back away. The 20-yard zero is much better, and you can shoot pretty flat with it. You can usually stay on an IDPA silhouette at 75 yards or so. Aiming for the head at 100 yards can usually result in hits.
The further you zero the gun, you do need to be aware of the fact that you’ll be low at closer ranges, not by much … but enough to know you’ll probably be impacting at the bottom of your dot or, even optical window, assuming you’re shooting a 3 MOA or similar. So, you’d need to hold slightly high if you were trying to do a pistol match for close targets, but you’d be at an advantage on the long pokes.
The decision is up to you: It’s not hard to test out what is best for you and your setup.
Red Dot Redux
Optically equipped pistols are here to stay. There are serious advantages to them—and also some downsides—but overall, the technology is maturing at a good rate. As far as footprints go, I stand by the prediction I made on these pages years ago that eventually we’d end up with a few standards after more companies jump in to support them.
I think the RMSC, RMR and DPP footprints will end up being the de facto standards for the next decade, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up with even more footprints. After all, standardization often breeds its own innovation.
The future is going to be exciting … that much is for sure.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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