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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 discuss why ignoring the militia clause endangers the right to keep and bear arms.
When Americans debate the Second Amendment, most of the focus tends to center around the individual right to keep and bear arms. This emphasis, especially in post-Heller and McDonald jurisprudence, is both understandable and historically justified. However, a recurring error—committed even by Second Amendment advocates—is to treat the “militia clause” as a relic or a throwaway preamble. This oversight is more than a mere historical misstep; it’s a strategic blunder that endangers the very right these advocates claim to protect.
As the Tenth Amendment Center has long emphasized, constitutional language should be taken seriously in its entirety. The Second Amendment begins not with “the right of the people …” but with “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State.” This prefatory clause does more than frame the historical context—it outlines purpose, meaning and limits on government power. Ignoring it concedes too much ground to those who seek to reinterpret the Amendment through a modern, statist lens.
The Militia As The Armed Citizenry
Historian and constitutional scholar Stephen Halbrook makes it clear: In the founding era, the term “militia” did not refer to a standing military force or what we now call the National Guard. It referred to the general body of armed citizens—able-bodied males typically aged 16 to 45—who were expected not only to defend their own communities but also to be the first line of resistance against tyranny. This understanding wasn’t unique to America; it was rooted in English common law and the political philosophy of thinkers like John Locke and William Blackstone.
As Halbrook observes, the militia was not a privileged class of government-trained personnel. It was the citizenry itself, armed and responsible for its own liberty. To that end, citizens were expected to bring their own arms. In this sense, the right to bear arms was not merely an individual liberty—it was a civic duty.
Why The Militia Clause Still Matters
The tendency to ignore the militia clause arises largely from the (justifiable) desire to assert the Second Amendment as an individual right. But by doing so, modern advocates often detach that right from its original civic and political function: to deter tyranny and resist centralized military force.
The Founders feared a professional standing army far more than they feared individual violence. They understood that an armed populace, organized as a decentralized militia, was the surest safeguard against domestic oppression. When the militia clause is read out of the Amendment, this structural check on tyranny is lost. As a result, the right to bear arms is interpreted narrowly as a private right rather than a public, constitutional responsibility. This limited view makes the right more vulnerable to incremental erosion through regulation, licensing and judicial reinterpretation.
Historical Evidence: The Militia And Self-Defense
Halbrook’s historical work underscores the absurdity of the claim that the Second Amendment protects only militia service or that it is moot because formal militias no longer exist. In both English and early American law, the right to bear arms was consistently treated as a natural right, especially for self-defense. Even the infamous 1328 Statute of Northampton—which prohibited armed display in a threatening manner—was interpreted as banning only arms borne “malo animo” (with evil intent). As Halbrook explains, “the peaceable bearing of arms was not a crime at the Founding or in the early Republic.”
Moreover, court decisions from the early 19th century reaffirmed that open carry was a constitutional right, while concealed carry could be regulated. The difference hinged not on whether individuals had a right to bear arms, but how they exercised that right.
The Dangers Of Dismissing The Militia
Modern disarmament efforts often hinge on the claim that the Second Amendment is outdated—that it only applies to now-defunct militias, or to the regulation of state-run National Guards. By discarding the militia clause, gun rights advocates play directly into this narrative. If the militia no longer exists, and the right to keep and bear arms was tied to militia service, then it stands to reason—so the argument goes—that the Second Amendment is a historical artifact with no modern relevance.
However, if the militia is understood as the armed citizenry, as it was in the Founders’ time, then the right to bear arms remains as vital today as ever. In an age of mass surveillance, unchecked executive power and militarized law enforcement, the need for decentralized, citizen-based security is not an anachronism—it’s a necessity.
Strategic Consequences For Advocacy
To preserve the Second Amendment, advocates must resist the temptation to sanitize it into a purely individualist doctrine. It is, in fact, both a right and a responsibility. It empowers individuals not merely for private purposes, but to fulfill a public role in the preservation of liberty. This dual nature is not a weakness—it is the source of the Amendment’s enduring strength.
By reclaiming the militia clause, Second Amendment defenders bolster the historical and constitutional legitimacy of the right. They root it not in hobbyist gun culture or political identity, which has its place, but in civic republicanism and the broader structure of federalism and limited government.
Conclusion: A Fuller Reading, A Stronger Right
The Second Amendment is not ambiguous. It recognizes “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms,” and it explains why—because “a well regulated Militia” is “necessary to the security of a free State.” This is not incidental. It is a declaration of political philosophy—a philosophy that views the armed citizen as the guardian of liberty, not the ward of the state.
To ignore the militia clause is to amputate a fundamental rationale that justifies the right. Worse, it surrenders rhetorical and legal territory to those who would regulate the Second Amendment out of existence. If we want to preserve the right to bear arms, we must also preserve the principle of the armed citizen—the true militia—without which freedom cannot stand.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The .45 Colt Cartridge has been going strong for more than 150 years, and it still has a variety of uses today.
While picking my first handgun, I didn’t opt for a compact carry gun or one of the ever-popular .22 LR options—both target rimfire revolvers and autoloaders are a ton of fun—but instead wanted a long-barreled, rock-solid, single-action gun that I could use to hunt both deer and bear here in my native New York. I chose a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt in a stainless finish, with a 7½-inch pipe.
Among the more popular revolver cartridges, the .45 Colt offers quite the flexible package, giving the shooter what might seem like three different cartridges rolled into one. Adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873, it served as our official military sidearm until 1892 (though remained in use until 1896) and would go on to inspire one of the most popular handgun cartridges ever.
153 Years Strong
Looking at the design, it’s simple yet effective. The .45 Colt is a rimmed case—though that rim is not as large as most rimmed designs—with a straight-walled body. The case measures 1.285 inches long, with a maximum cartridge overall length of 1.600 inches. Considering the fact that the cartridge is over 150 years old, it works just as well as it did during the 1870s, with modern metallurgy allowing the performance level to far exceed the original design specs.
Another .45 Colt cartridge, happily nestled in the chamber of the author’s Ruger Blackhawk. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The “Long Colt” nomenclature has never been an official part of the cartridge’s name; it was just a means to differentiate the longer Colt case from the shorter .45 Schofield, commonly chambered in the Smith & Wesson revolver of the era. Just as the .38 Special cartridge can be fired in a .357 Magnum chamber, the .45 Schofield ammunition can be safely fired in a .45 Colt handgun.
The original iteration of the .45 Colt saw a 255-grain lead bullet of 0.452-inch diameter seated more than 40 grains of black powder, fired at a muzzle velocity of 1,050 fps. The recoil was deemed too severe for the average soldier and was subsequently reduced to 855 fps. That classic combination would be the rough model for John Browning’s .45 ACP design, which remains one of the best-selling handgun cartridges to this day. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the classic load, as it’s mild enough for accurate shooting, yet potent enough to handle defensive situations as well as some hunting, at sensible ranges.
This load, or those which are similar in basis, remain available to this day. Federal offers a 225-grain lead semi-wadcutter hollow-point at 830 fps, Hornady loads a 255-grain round-nose lead bullet, which they advertise a muzzle velocity of 725 fps from a 4½-inch barrel, but will get closer to 800 fps from a longer barrel, and Remington’s Performance WheelGun line sees a 255-grain lead semi-wadcutter at 830 fps, and a 250-grain lead round nose at 750 fps. Buffalo Bore ammo offers the 255-grain soft-cast lead bullet at 1,000 fps, mimicking that original .45 Colt load, while Choice Ammunition loads their Hi-Tek coated 255-grain lead bullet at 830 fps.
Federal’s “blue box” line includes an affordable 225-grain lead semi-wadcutter that’s equally at home at the range as it is in the deer woods. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
If you prefer the jacketed bullets—whether for their additional structural integrity or for the ease of cleaning your barrel—there are many ammunition choices loaded at the original velocity. Federal’s American Eagle line gives an affordable option, seeing a 225-grain jacketed hollow-point at 860 fps, and Winchester has a 250-grain semi-jacketed bullet in their Big Bore ammo line, at 845 fps.
If you choose to, or are legally required to, use a lead-free bullet, there are options available, such as the Barnes Pioneer line that sees a 200-grain XPB copper hollow-point load at 850 fps. Buffalo Bore loads the 225-grain Barnes XPB to 1,000 fps in their Standard Pressure line. All of these loads should be safe in any era of .45 Colt handgun, but beware that there are many hotter loads on the market—with most being labeled either +P or specified for use in particularly strong modern firearms—which change the capabilities of the .45 Colt.
New Life With New Ammo
But, before we look at the fastest, hottest loads for the venerable cartridge, there are loads that are perfect for both plinking as well as training with your new handgun. Choice Ammunition loads their Hi-Tek 180-grain coated lead bullet to a mere 460 fps, offering an option with minimal recoil and report, perfect for training purposes. Despite the lightweight bullet and significantly reduced muzzle velocity, I found the bullet would actually penetrate a piece of 2×6 yet is easy enough on the hands and wrist so that even young shooters can accurately place their shots. Choice’s light load makes for a great afternoon of plinking and can just as easily be used to dispatch varmints and other garden pests.
The .45 Colt can be wonderfully accurate, engendering all sorts of confidence in the shooter. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
And, if a single projectile doesn’t seem like the proper choice for small critters at close range, CCI loads a trio of shotshells for the .45 Colt, including the original Pest Control load using 150 grains of No. 8 shot at 1,000 fps, the Big 4 load using 140 grains of No. 4 shot at 800 fps, and the latest, the HEVI-Bismuth that uses 130 grains of No. 8 Bismuth shot at 1,050 fps for a nontoxic option. DoubleTap offers their DT SnakeShot, using a charge of No. 9 shot over a 70-grain hardcast projectile, for a “best-of-both-worlds” approach. DoubleTap’s load makes an excellent choice for camping and hiking, for all sorts of threats, from two-legged, to four-legged to no-legged.
Looking at those loads that exceed the original performance levels, you will find a wide selection of projectiles and velocities. While the .45 Colt didn’t have the same rifle/handgun combination that Winchester’s .44-40 WCF did, there have been many lever guns made recently for the bigger Colt cartridge. Hornady extended their LeveRevolution series—the one that uses the FTX spitzer with the pliable polymer tip to allow improved Ballistic Coefficient in tubular magazine guns—to include a 225-grain offering in .45 Colt at 960 fps in a handgun, and you’ll get considerably more in a carbine or rifle.
From “bunny fart” plinking loads to true dangerous game ammunition, there’s a .45 Colt load to meet your needs. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Federal has also seen the wisdom of a .45 Colt rifle, by including the cartridge in their HammerDown ammunition line, with a 250-grain bonded core bullet developing over 1,000 fps in a 20-inch barrel. At reasonable distances—say woods hunting for whitetails, bears over bait or close-in hogs—the .45 Colt could be a whole lotta fun, with minimal recoil.
Stepping up to the heaviest end of the spectrum and looking at the loads that require a gun of tougher build than the standard Single Action Army and its clones, you’ll see loads that come much closer to the Colt-inspired .454 Casull. Buffalo Bore has some very interesting loads for the .45 Colt, in the +P guise, including the 225-grain Barnes XPB loaded to scream at 1,500 fps and the 300-grain monometal wide, flat nose at 1,300 fps or so, generating 1,100 ft-lb of energy. The velocity attained by this latter load, and the construction of this bullet result in very deep penetration, and for the handgun hunter serious about using a .45 Colt on thick-skinned game like any of our wild bovine or big hogs, this is a load to look long and hard at.
Like to hunt dangerous game with a handgun? Buffalo Bore has you covered. This .45 Colt load with the 300-grain monometal projectile will penetrate thick hide and bone.
The Buffalo Bore .45 Colt +P Deer Grenade load is built around a 260-grain medium cast lead hollow-point gas check bullet, at a muzzle velocity of just above 1,500 fps. Offering a quick energy transfer, this load is hard enough to give good penetration, yet soft enough to give rapid expansion. The gas check will significantly reduce fouling, with recovered projectiles often doubling in caliber.
Doing double duty as a defensive/hunting load, Choice Ammunition’s Bear Defense load is one bad hombre—it uses a 325-grain hard cast, flat-nosed, gas check bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,350 fps, generating over 1,300 ft-lb of energy. For a sub-magnum cartridge, that’s a pretty impressive set of figures. My Blackhawk will put three of these in a 2-inch group at 40 yards, which is about as far as I feel comfortable shooting an iron-sighted handgun. I’ve shot a bunch of this ammo through my Blackhawk, where the recoil is eye-opening but manageable, and in the Freedom Arms Packer snubnose, it’s just plain snotty, but it surely gets the job done.
Choice Ammunition’s Bear Defense Load is a formidable product. In a snub-nosed gun like this Freedom Arms Packer, it can rattle your fillings. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Lastly, though the .45 Colt might not be the first choice as a defensive handgun cartridge, it will certainly save your bacon. Think of it this way: Few people would have an issue with the defensive capabilities of the .45 ACP, which is the ballistic twin of the .45 Colt, so except for the rate of fire and magazine capacity, they’re pretty similar. Federal loads their 210-grain Hydra-Shok Deep, Hornady offers the 185-grain FX in the Critical Defense line and Underwood Ammo loads that nasty 135-grain Lehigh Defense Xtreme Defender monometal at 1,410 fps. If the gun fits you, and you are comfortable and confident using it, I have no issues with the .45 Colt as a choice of defensive cartridge. From the standard jacketed hollow-point bullets to the bonded core stuff, there are many different choices in .45 Colt that make a sensible defensive choice.
Rolling Your Own
For handloaders, the world opens wide, as the .45 Colt has all sorts of component bullets to choose from. From the homemade cast bullets, to the surplus FMJs to the cup-and-core jacketed stuff, up through the bonded core and monometal premium choices, .45 caliber is among the most popular of handgun diameters, and there should be no lack of available components.
Handloading the .45 Colt isn’t a difficult prospect, but you’ll want to be sure and use a good roll crimp on the case mouth, so your projectiles don’t pull outward during recoil. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Swift makes a revolver variant of their excellent A-Frame bullet, Hornady offers the XTP and XTP Magnum bullets, Sierra has some great choices, and that Barnes XPB is a nasty chunk of copper. Grab a good set of dies—I prefer Redding or RCBS—keep your brass trimmed as uniformly as possible to allow for a consistent roll crimp and you’ll find all sorts of reliable data for the old warhorse.
Dick Casull’s brainchild—the .454 Casull—is an elongated version of the .45 Colt, with a thicker case, higher pressure limit and a small pistol primer instead of a large one. Just as the .45 Colt can safely shoot the .45 Schofield ammo, the .454 Casull is capable of shooting all three. Why not just shoot a Casull? Well, the revolvers chambered for the Casull are, generally, a bit heavier and bulkier than those chambered for the .45 Colt.
Yet another handloaded 255-grain lead bullet destined for greatness. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
If you intend to regularly pursue large and dangerous game with a handgun, the Casull might make more sense, as it can run at a higher pressure, and will give you more velocity. But for the day-to-day ease of use and comfort of carry, it will be really hard to beat a good old revolver chambered in .45 Colt. It can roar like a lion, being “enough gun,” yet can be as meek as lamb with the cowboy action loads. It can offer years of fun with affordable cast bullets yet be relied upon to cleanly take large game species.
Sometimes a designer gets things right the first time; I believe the .45 Colt undoubtedly falls into this category.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Critters, varmints and other beasts can ruin a nice night in the woods, so next time you're packing up the tent, don't forget to grab a campfire handgun.
The night was bitterly cold and pitch black except for the faint silvery starlight that helped guide my horse and me down the steep mountainside. We made our way toward the distant glow of what I knew to be our base camp on this, my third unfruitful day of a Rocky Mountain elk hunt. Upon nearing the welcome glow and warmth of the campfire, I reined up, drew my still unfired .54-caliber Hawken from its saddle scabbard and dismounted just as the camp cook came running out of the tent screaming, “That gosh-darned, son-of-gun field mouse has been in the flour sack ag’in and they ain’t gonna be no biscuits if this keeps up!”
Of course, he didn’t say, “Gosh-darned, son-of-a-gun.” He used words that were more of a colloquial nature. But the message was clear enough when I entered the tent and saw several small holes gnawed in the flour sack. And as if to torment poor “Cookie” further, the tiny field mouse poked its head out from around the flour sack at that very moment and stared at us.
“Let me handle this,” I whispered as I silently sat down on a bench, quietly cocked the hammer of the Hawken, and set the rear trigger. Then, slowly raising the rifle to my shoulder and lining up the rear buckhorn sight with the front blade until it was perfectly positioned on the field mouse, I touched off the shot. The voluminous roar of the Hawken was accompanied by a thick, white tent-filled cloud of FFG smoke that momentarily obscured everything from sight. But as the haze slowly drifted out the open tent flap into the night, we could barely make out what little remained of our furry antagonist.
I admit this was a case of being overgunned for the occasion, but at the time, the Hawken was all I had. Much later, I found myself lamenting that I hadn’t brought my Smith & Wesson K-22 along on this hunt, as it clearly would have gotten the job done just as efficiently and much less dramatically. Since then, I have always packed a pistol along on any outdoor outing where it’s legal to do so.
Not Hunting Handguns
I’m not talking about hunting handguns here. In fact, it is just the opposite, as many of those big-bore bruisers are often too bulky for a hip holster and, outfitted with a scope or other sighting reticle as many of them are today, too awkward to toss in a backpack or tuck away in your bedroll. Rather, I’m referring to “campfire handguns,” one essential tool many outdoorsmen and women never think about or take with them when hiking or hunting or just to accompany them on a picnic in the woods. And as such, they don’t realize their omission until they need it. Or wish they had it. Or until it’s too late.
Kimber only made its excellent 1911-styled .22 Rimfire Super from 2004 to 2015 but currently produces the .22 Rimfire Compact and .22 Rimfire Target Conversion Kits for many of its .45 ACP pistols, turning them into economical guns for informal campfire plinking.
More specifically, these are those handy sidearms—single-actions, double-actions, or semi-automatics—that many of us pack on our hips when we’re back at camp and not otherwise lugging around a heavier and more cumbersome rifle or shotgun. Campfire handguns don’t take up much room in a backpack yet are a source of comfort when outdoors, especially when unwanted critters—whether on four legs, two, or slither—invade our space. Yes, campfire handguns can be a definite source of self-protection and leisure-time enjoyment, such as après-hunt plinking. And while grabbing a .30-‘06 to eradicate a food-nibbling squirrel (or using a big-bored muzzleloader as I did) may be the ultimate form of overkill, drawing a .22 and dispatching the little thief is not only more effective but, in many ways, can be a form of therapy, especially when we haven’t pulled the trigger on anything else thus far on a hunting trip. This, again, brings to mind that particular elk hunt.
The campfire handgun concept actually started around the first part of the 20th century, with the growing practice of having a relatively easy-to-carry pistol, usually of a small caliber, to toss into your “kit,” or portable stash of supplies that you carried for the day, which was often a saddle bag, fishing creel, tackle box, or even a lunch bucket.
Although the term soon morphed into widespread usage, it got official recognition in 1936 when Smith & Wesson introduced the 22/32 Kit Gun, a .22 rimfire double-action revolver built on a slightly larger .32-caliber frame. Eventually discontinued due to lagging sales coupled with World War II, this style of handgun (medium frame, small caliber) was reintroduced in 1953 in an improved model as S&W’s “22/32 Kit Gun, Model of 1953.” Thus, the kit gun nomenclature was officially re-established for a new generation of shooters. Today, Smith & Wesson still makes a dramatically updated version of this trend-setting pistol as its eight-shot Model 317 Kit Gun. Of course, nowadays, numerous other handguns qualify for the title of kit gun. However, that term has matured to include some larger-framed and bigger-caliber versions to become campfire handguns.
But from the 1920s through the ’50s, some .22 rimfire pistols seemed tailor-made for outdoor outings. Back then, various models of the Colt Woodsman and Hi-Standard semi-autos were some of the most popular guns with which to punch holes in tin cans, not to mention rabbits, squirrels and prairie dogs. After all, if you didn’t hit your target with the first shot, you would have a magazine full of repeat shots to continue trying your rapid-fire luck with low-cost .22 rimfire cartridges.
The Colt Woodsman was one of the most popular .22 rimfire campfire handguns during the 1960s and ’70s.
But beginning in 1949, these guns gradually gave way to ones like the more affordable Ruger Standard—the gun that launched Sturm, Ruger & Co. into the stratosphere of success. At the time, a High Standard G-B Hammerless was selling for $50, and Colt’s fixed-sight Sport Model Woodsman went for approximately $69, but the original version of Ruger’s first .22 semi-auto listed for only $37.50. Today, that gun is still in the line, although it has undergone several changes. As of this writing, it currently exists as the 75th Anniversary Mark IV and various Tactical and Competition models exist. But countless numbers of the original versions of Colt, Hi-Standard, and Ruger .22 semi-automatics are still found as regular staples in backpacks and camping gear throughout the country. However, some of these earlier guns have also attained collectible status.
This Ruger Super Single Six Convertible, with its adjustable sights and extra .22 Mag cylinder, is an ideal campfire handgun.
The aforementioned S&W K-22 revolver is also in the category of campfire handguns turned collectible, as is the early Ruger Flatgate Single Six, which first appeared in 1953 and was initially priced at $57.50. Many modern-day shooters don’t even know of its existence, as it only lasted for four years, after which it began being made with a more traditionally styled rounded loading gate. To its credit, the Ruger Single Six is still in the line and, for me, is one of the best campfire guns you can take along on a fishing or hunting trip (especially the Super Single Six Convertible, which has an extra cylinder chambered in .22 Magnum). And let us not forget the Colt Frontier Scout, a scaled-down .22 rimfire version of the famed Single Action Army, produced from 1958 until 1986; it was a go-to thumb-buster for many who couldn’t opt for the pricier SAA. Those vintage guns still serve that purpose today, although I have seen more than one three-digit offer being made to a fellow hunter who just happened to bring his Scout along as a campfire handgun.
The Lipsey’s Ruger Shopkeeper is a limited edition of the Bearcat. It features a bird’s-head grip and a shorter 3-inch barrel, making it an ideal close-range campfire handgun.
In 1973, Ruger revamped its line to include the New Model Single Six, which features a transfer bar that enables the gun to be carried with six rounds instead of five. Now, there is even a New Model Single Seven and a New Model Single Nine, giving you even more thumb-cocking fun without reloading after the sixth shot. But for me, one of the most fun campfire guns is the Ruger Bearcat, a compact, fixed sight .22 sixgun that—especially in its stainless steel configuration—can be tossed in a tackle box or slid into a coat pocket with nary a care. And Ruger’s new .22 Wrangler, which combines zinc and aluminum to keep costs and weight to a minimum, is one of the newest and most economical campfire revolvers yet.
.22 Or Something Bigger?
Of course, .22 rimfire handguns are the most cost-effective ways to plink away at tin cans and sticks and, yes, even pieces of leftover fruit (hollowpoints and oranges at 20 paces, anyone?), but bigger-bored handguns, such as a .44 Special, .45 Colt, or even a .44 Magnum can be much more effective on larger furbearers and other unwanted visitors who may have more than a few nibbles of crackers on their mind.
For example, as the only non-Texan member of a ragtag deer hunting group known as the Rio Concho Association, I used to pack a .44 Special Smith & Wesson Second Model Hand Ejector on our annual deer hunts in Texas. Inasmuch as we were hunting on a ranch owned by one of the Association’s members and since deer season overlapped with turkey season and javelinas were rampant, there was no telling what one might encounter as we traipsed through the scrub brush. On subsequent hunts, I often took one of my S&W Model 29s, usually loaded with .44 Specials but sometimes stoked with full-powered .44 Magnums, depending upon what I was hunting and where. In truth, I am rather partial to bigger-bored campfire handguns—or at least I was until the current availability and ammo cost have made me think twice about each campside shot I take.
Hacker is a big fan of packing his 4-inch-barrel S&W Model 29 in camp when you don’t know who or what might show up.
In my opinion, double-action revolvers require a bit more care than single-actions as campfire guns, as cylinder latches can be accidentally opened on some DA guns as they are shoved into pouches and backpacks. So, I advise keeping these wheelguns in a holster, whether on your belt or stored in your pack, and a pistol case is ideal for transporting handguns safely to your campsite. Galco and 1791 both make revolver and semi-automatic leather holsters with quick on-again-off-again steel belt clips for those times when you want to shuck your handgun quickly and easily and, just as quickly, reattach it to your belt. For those occasions, I’ve recently been using 1791’s new IWB Fair Chase Deer Hide Holster for my Smith & Wesson Model 36 with its rarely encountered 3-inch barrel.
This 1791 Fair Chase Whitetail deer hide holster features a strong steel clip and form-hugging open-top design, enabling Hacker to securely clip his S&W 3-inch Model 36 onto his belt while in camp. The Ivorite stocks are by Eagle Grips.
Since semi-autos are sometimes more complicated to operate than revolvers, they require more diligence in their campsite use. For example, by simply swinging out the cylinder on a double-action revolver, one can quickly confirm whether or not the gun is loaded. However, an “empty” semi-automatic pistol might still have a round in the chamber even though the magazine has been removed. Leisure shooting is no time to let your guard down or ignore the basic rules of gun safety.
What About When You're Away From Camp?
This might be a good place to caution picnickers and hunters who will be away from their campsites for any length of time to keep their handguns out of sight and secure them from unwanted access, as visitors to your camp may not be just “visiting,” but are more intent on looting. It’s a sad commentary, but some people steal things when you’re not around. That means either taking the gun with you, locking it in the glove compartment of your car or truck, or, better yet, securing it in an attached gun safe that is permanently installed in your vehicle. But sometimes, this isn’t always feasible in a wilderness camp where the terrain isn’t conducive to four-wheel drive, or vehicles aren’t allowed. In that case, the only other option is to clandestinely hide the handgun while away from your campsite. However, speaking from personal experience, there is such a thing as hiding it too well.
Once, on a deer hunt with one of my buddies in the rugged mountains on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas, we had to hike in for two hours to get to where the “big bucks” were. That meant packing in with all our gear, including my pre-64 Winchester Model 70. But I also took a 3-inch-barreled Third Model Colt Single Action Army Sheriff’s Model for my campfire handgun, rationalizing that the shorter barrel would cut down weight. The fact is, I just wanted to have that gun along on this hunting trip.
When it came time to start hunting at the break of dawn, I began worrying about leaving that highly desirable Sheriff’s Model in camp, even though we were in an extremely remote area. In fact, during our hunt, we discovered an old cowboy’s grave from 1910 that had never been touched. Nonetheless, I hid the sixgun so well that I couldn’t remember where I had hidden it when we returned to camp after a grueling day climbing over rocks and battling through blowdowns! I spent the better part of the night looking for that sixshooter and finally had to wait until daylight to continue my search when I found it securely ensconced in the crotch of an old, weathered tree. It cost me half a day’s hunting, but I didn’t lose my campfire handgun.
By far, the safest handgun to have in camp is a single-action revolver, as, assuming the hammer is resting over an empty chamber (on non-transfer bar models), there is no way the gun can be fired unless the hammer is manually pulled back and the trigger depressed. Naturally, one of my favorite single-action revolvers is the Colt Peacemaker, which, if you think about it, started as the first popular campfire handgun over a century ago. However, as the value and scarcity of these SAAs have grown over the years (have you priced a Third Generation Colt SAA lately?) I find myself opting for alternatives. One of the best is the extremely well-made Standard Manufacturing Single Action, an identically proportioned mirror image of the SAA. Yes, they cost about as much as a factory-new Colt SAA, but they are much more readily available and boast all-steel parts. It is a solid, quality gun in every respect, and my engraved .45 version, with its 4¾-inch barrel, is destined to continue with me on many of my campfire handgun adventures, maintaining a tradition I started over 40 years ago.
The single-action Ruger Blackhawk is a highly versatile campfire handgun. It’s available in .357 Magnum (shown), .41 Remington Magnum, .45 Colt and .30 Carbine.
In fact, the first campfire handgun I ever took with my hunting rifle was a first-generation Colt Single Action Army, which proved its value right out of the starting gate on a big game hunt in the Cedar Flats area of Arizona. Late one night, induced by nature’s call, I was compelled to leave the sanctity of my warm sleeping bag. Not wishing to take my Winchester 71 on what would invariably be a two-handed endeavor, I grabbed the .45 Colt instead and ventured into the blackness outside my tent. The unmistakable “whirr” of a buzz-worm (“rattlesnake” to you flatlanders) prompted me to freeze in my tracks instinctively. My flashlight immediately confirmed my fears, for the culprit was starting to coil and getting ready to strike. Barely able to use the Peacemaker’s rudimentary sights, I fired three quick shots as fast as my thumb could work the hammer. Honesty compels me to admit that only one of those shots hit its mark, but it made me a believer in the value of always taking a campfire handgun along on hunting and camping trips.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
Military Armament Corp (MAC) just unveiled the MAC IX—a sleek, no-nonsense 9mm PCC designed in Knoxville, Tennessee. This direct blowback semi-auto runs an AR-style pistol grip, full-length Picatinny rail, M-Lok forearm and accepts MP5 mags. It’s compact (15.97 inches over-all), lightweight (5 pounds) and tough, with a 7075-T6 aluminum build and black anodized finish. Features include ambi charging handle, adjustable sights, tri-lug + ½-28 threading and AR-style takedown pins. Bonus: It ships with two metal mags, a hard case and cleaning gear. It’s a modern, modular pistol-caliber carbine that’s ready to run right out of the box. MSRP: $833
Apex Predator TSS
Apex Ammunition is now shipping its hard-hitting Predator line, loaded with ultra-dense Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). Handloaded with care and trusted by top predator hunters, these shells are built to drop tough game like coyotes and hogs with authority. Available in 12-gauge (3 and 3½ inches) and 20-gauge (2¾ inches) with shot sizes 2, 4 and BB, they deliver tight patterns and serious downrange punch. MSRP: Starting at $50, box of 5
MDT Send It Gen2
Meet the Send It Gen2 Electronic Level—an ultra-compact, high-tech upgrade to precision rifle leveling. Nearly 50 percent smaller than the original, the Gen2 delivers fast, LED-based feedback so you can stay locked on target without glancing away or second-guessing your cant. Designed for competitive and precision shooters, it mounts directly to your optic and lights up when you’re level—no bubbles, no guesswork. With a 200-hour battery life, customizable LED modes and flexible mounting options, the Send It Gen2 is built to perform in any condition. If you’re serious about precision, this little device could be a game-changer. MSRP: $230
Rossi R95 TBP Series
Rossi USA just expanded its popular R95 lineup with the new R95 TBP (Triple Black Pistol)—a compact, hard-hitting lever-action pistol built for those who demand portability without sacrificing power. Carrying over the rugged features of the full-sized Triple Black rifle, the TBP version adds enhanced maneuverability for use in the field, truck or tight quarters. Available in potent calibers like .454 Casull, .45-70 Govt., .44 Mag. and .357 Mag., the R95 TBP includes a paracord-wrapped lever, threaded barrel, black Cerakote finish and a Picatinny rail with peep sight. It’s a versatile, tactical-ready platform that delivers serious performance in a compact, eye-catching package. MSRP: Starting at $1,274
Dead Air/Ruger RXD22Ti
Dead Air Silencers and Ruger Firearms have teamed up to launch the all-new RXD Series of suppressors. Leading the charge is the RXD22Ti, a compact, lightweight suppressor built for rimfire and small-caliber centerfire platforms like .22 LR, 5.7x28mm and .17 HMR. Made using additive manufacturing and featuring Dead Air’s Triskelion mono-core, the RXD22Ti offers elite suppression with minimal backpressure and ejection port noise. It’s also user-friendly, with tool-free disassembly and the new XRF muzzle brake for multi-platform compatibility and easy cleaning. With no barrel length limits and full-auto ratings in .22 LR, the RXD22Ti sets a new standard. MSRP: $499
Primary Arms PLxC with ACSS NOVA 5.56/.308 Fiber Wire Reticle
Primary Arms’ made its classic PLxC 1-8x24mm SFP Compact Rifle Scope a little better, now offering it with its illuminated ACSS NOVA 5.56/.308 Fiber Wire Reticle. Available in black or FDE, it’s compact, tough and packed with smart features like built-in BDC holds, auto-ranging and red-dot bright illumination. The reticle’s fiber wire system is paired with Japanese ED glass for stunning clarity and precision, while AutoLive tech helps stretch battery life. At just 9.2 inches long and 16.8 ounces, it’s tailor-made for fast, accurate shooting. This scope is ready to ride on your favorite carbine. MSRP: $1,500
Reptilia Puller AR15 Charging Handle
The Puller has about everything you want in a charging handle—built tough, low-profile and made to perform under pressure. Originally developed for a military end user, the Puller is now available exclusively at Reptilia Corp. Machined from billet 7075-T6 aluminum and finished with MIL-STD Type III anodizing, it’s rugged, reliable and built to last. Its ambidextrous design works smoothly from either side, even with gloves on, and it’s shaped to reduce snag points without sacrificing control. Simple, durable, and made in the USA, the Puller is a no-nonsense upgrade for anyone running an AR. MSRP: $100
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
We take a quick look at the oddly proportioned .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum cartridge, aka .243 WSSM.
Announced in 2002, the .243 WSSM was intended to deliver a new level of long-range performance and accuracy to the .243 chamberings. Cartridge overall length is 2.36 inches, a half-inch shorter than the 2.8-inch length of other short-action cartridges. The .243 WSSM appears in super-short rifle actions, which should improve receiver stiffness and accuracy. The Browning Super Short Magnum A-Bolt, which weighs 6 pounds and uses a shorter action for the 2.36-inch length cartridge, and Winchester's Super Short Magnum Model 70 are currently the only factory-new products available in this round.
The .243 WSSM case does not employ a belt; it headspaces on the case shoulder. For efficient and consistent powder burning, it retains the short-fat cartridge case geometry of the Winchester Short Magnum line. Cartridges were initially available in three bullet types: 55-grain Ballistic Silvertip, 95-grain Ballistic Silvertip and 100-grain Power Point, but only the two heavy weights have survived. The .243 WSSM shares the same basic cartridge case with the .223 WSSM, also announced in 2002. Like its small-diameter brother, it is suitable for long-range varmint shooting and for light, thin-skinned game—a good combination cartridge with light recoil.
The .243 WSSM is a fine cartridge, but it appears that all of the Winchester Super Short Magnum cartridges have peaked in terms of interest and availability.
Screwing parts on guns requires finesse and attention to detail, and that means you need to understand torque.
Assembling guns and optics is one of those things that seems to generate a lot of controversy. There are some right ways and some wrong ways to do things—and this, of course, has led to people performing some rituals bordering on voodoo. Everyone seems to have their own way of doing things.
Assembling bolt guns, AR rifles and optics isn’t magic—though there are some considerations that you’ll want to make as you go about the process. The main factor to consider is proper torque on your parts and screws, something that has eluded many people over the years.
These are some tools that count as dangerous for many guns during assembly. You can generate a lot more force than you may imagine with simple had tools.
The Mystics
Gun culture has bred some very interesting subcultures over the years, and many of these subcultures have become much more intense than just circles of hobbyists. You end up seeing this much more commonly in the old-world way of doing things, where we were working with a limited amount of knowledge and a limited number of available guns. This isn’t to say that the old timers had it wrong; they just didn’t have standardized parts and a massive aftermarket that peer-reviews itself against consumer demand to deliver more and more cutting-edge products.
Yet, the lingering effects of these old days remains.
If you wanted a custom hunting rifle, the fashion of the day was to modify military rifles, mainly Mauser, Enfield and Springfield variants. These guns were cheap, ammo was plentiful, and above all they were reliable. The military features were honestly never a problem for accuracy. I personally own and fire many guns over a century old and in full military stocks and had shot in the CMP National Matches at Camp Perry for over 20 years. The limiting factors are scope mounting and iron sights, not necessarily the potential mechanical accuracy of the rifle.
Nevertheless, the gunsmithing boom of the post-World War II era saw most of what we today call “Fudd Lore” propagate.
Our modern day has seen the end of many so-called necessary processes for both guns and optics: bedding actions and lapping scope rings are functionally unnecessary. Because most of our barrels for pistols, bolt guns and AR platforms come pre-headspaced and ready to use out of the box, we have the luxury of needing a few tools to accomplish our own “custom” builds to suit our needs right on a bench top.
However, there are still tools that the tasks at-hand today demand, namely applying consistency in force and torque for assembly. In this modular era, you still need to have skill to pull off some of these things, and doing it wrong can cause a fair bit of damage to your gear.
Don’t Get Screwed (Literally)
Most rifles today are assembled with several threaded parts that require a knowledge of torque to install correctly. The AR rifle, for instance, has screws all over it, from grip screws to the buffer tube, muzzle and upper receiver. Because the AR is largely aluminum or some blend of metal incorporating it, we need to be really careful to not cause damage to it, as this is not exactly hard metal and is quite easily damaged. Yes, it is fully possible to assemble an AR too loosely, but you’ll notice the wiggle right away.
The only part that I’ve seen come loose more than a handful of times is the buffer tube castle nut. The part that I’ve seen installed far too tight is the barrel nut. People get really upset with this part and sometimes try to force it to index. Don’t do this. There are companies that make shims, and it is very possible to shear the front off of your upper.
Tightening castle nuts can be done with small tools as well as big ones … although it is far easier to damage parts with more leverage.
In my many years of building AR platform rifles, this is an area in which I have made mistakes. Making the barrel nut tighter doesn’t mean you’re going to make your upper more secure; in fact, you’re putting a lot of stress on a relatively thin piece of metal by cranking too aggressively. The AR barrel is already headspaced to the barrel extension, not the upper receiver. The barrel nut simply holds it in place.
Likewise, the other parts on the AR don’t need to be adjusted with a cheater bar: You don’t need to get most of the threaded parts over hand-tight. For instance, there is no reason to apply 100 ft-lb to the grip screw. When I build an AR, I never apply more than 65 ft-lb to anything. You can break or damage parts very easily, and to make it worse, the harder you go the more deformed the threads can get, making a rebuild or parts swap difficult.
Handguns also benefit from specialized tools, and nowadays as we mount optics to slides, the need to limit torque and keep fine screws from damage is only increasing.
Many people don’t realize you can very easily apply, potentially, hundreds of pounds of force on a screw with just your hands. Crushing things together deforms them, and this will come into play far more as you keep reading.
People who are unfamiliar with guns think they are indestructible, but in reality many guns and optical assemblies are quite delicate. You can damage a $2,000 rifle by over tightening the action screws. If they are specced out for 65 pounds, don’t make it 200 just to make it stronger—that doesn’t work that way.
This Vortex 1-6 with a piggybacked Vortex red dot in an ADM mount has several types of screws and levers, all of which need to be adjusted to different specs. Be careful to use the correct torque specs for each type.
In this article, we see an MDT chassis, and it comes with explicit instructions to tighten action screws to 65 pounds. When you tighten to this amount, you can make note that you can obviously go a little more, but don’t. These are hardened steel screws going into a hardened steel action, sandwiching an aluminum chassis. You can, in fact, create crushing damage to all parts involved by going too hard. If things are too loose, you’ll induce damage by simply beating the parts to death under recoil. Scopes are a big one here; a loose scope is typically going to be a broken scope. Withstanding recoil is what they are designed for and should have no movement front-to-back.
Bolt It On
Bolt-action customization is a growing trend for home builders. Where this used to be the territory of the AR, many bench tops are now equipped with barrel vices for installing barrels onto receivers. Several companies offer pre-fit barrels that work with their own receivers and some aftermarket as well. The three main brands I use are Faxon, Aero and Zermatt.
It’s much easier to get involved in the bolt gun trend than ever before. The main accessory you’ll need is a barrel vice, which will bolt to your bench and then clamp around the barrel. I use an off-the-shelf model from Brownells with wooden inserts.
The next things you’ll need are action-specific wrenches. Usually, the company that makes the action has their own wrenches. For instance, I have one each for Faxon and Aero that insert into the receiver, allowing the use of a ratchet to turn the action at its lugs. Do not ever attempt to put a screwdriver or file to pry into the ejection port and tighten it down—this is dangerous. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to bend or break a receiver.
Special products often have special tools. For instance, the Vortex Impact 4000 rangefinder has a special nut key to tighten it on.
Most barrels aren’t held on with a million pounds of force either, usually just around 65 to 70 pounds. This might seem light, but we’re dispelling the old knowledge at the same time as we’re making progress. The old-world guns were sometimes cryogenically bonded with their barrels, meaning the barrels were installed on the receivers after being essentially shrunken in a deep freeze and then timed to the action. As it heated up, it swelled into the receiver … thus bonding them. Getting these barrels off an action was usually destructive to the barrel and not great for the actions either.
About half of my actions have integral optic rails machined directly in. Others like legacy Rem 700 and even new Zermatt actions have a separate scope rail. This isn’t a big deal, but it does also come with some interesting problems. These screws are often very delicate and easily damaged. The very small size and fine thread makes for a bad day if you strip them out. Being careful and closely following recommended torque settings is critical here. This is the one area on a bolt gun that I do use strong Loctite, but that is a personal choice, and I tend to leave my optic bases in place once they are installed. I treat this as a permanent situation. You will absolutely want to use a torque limiter even if you are working with Loctite.
Fix It Sticks torque limiters come in various poundage, and you’ll want to make sure you have the right one for your task.
Scope Mounting Problems
Scope mounting should be done from the ground up. There are schools of thought that say otherwise, but I treat it as radiating from the receiver. Once your base is installed, you need to install the rings to the base—but only loosely. I typically set my scopes where I want on the rail and move the rings to where they look and function best. The ring nuts should be on the same side. Then, I put the ring caps on and again only loosely tighten them to where I can still move the scope to level it. Next, I push each ring forward in its rail slot and tighten them down to recommend poundage. After, I level and finalize placement of the scope and again follow recommended poundage to slowly tighten each screw down. I only do one ring at a time to prevent excess movement. Do not try to “crush” the rings down.
Mounting thermal or night vision, in this case an Armasight Jockey, onto rails and in front of day optics requires high repeatability in mounts and screw tension to achieve the best results. The rifle is a 6mm ARC from PWS and has a slew of advanced features and optics from Vortex.
If you’re using a mount, the same thought processes apply, but you’ll want to install and tighten it to the receiver first, be it with QD levers like on my ADM mounts here or classic nuts like on the Badger Ordnance. I again repeat my ring cap steps after leveling it out. To make things faster for myself, I use an old forend on a tripod to create a perfectly flat, uniform plane for all my QD and one-piece mounts. This has bubble levels all over it and allows me to quickly get a reticle leveled without having to try to put levels on my guns. This is a uniforming method that works really well. All you need is a tripod, little ARCA plate and an AR forend with some rail-mounted bubble levels.
Play It Safe
The main takeaway you should get from this rambling prose is to take it easy with your gear and follow recommendations. Under-tight screws create unsafe situations, loss of accuracy and damage to parts. Over-tight parts are prone to breakage, inconsistent accuracy and damage during both assembly and disassembly.
The middle road here of getting it right is still an art. Sure, some barreled actions may shoot better at a higher level of torque, but don’t assume that you need to go from 65 pounds to 130 just to make it “better.”
When it comes to torque, more is rarely better. Follow the recommended specs on your parts and enjoy the pleasures of building.
This Geissele handguard has recommended torque specs engraved.
An Aside On Loctite
I get asked a lot about Loctite. A number of thread lockers are out there, but Loctite is the most well-known brand, and I think the best. That said, if you want to seriously damage your guns, start a Loctite crusade. Not every part needs thread locker, and in many cases, people seriously overestimate how few times a properly fitted screw will start to loosen.
Pictured here is a highly destructive item that can cause serious damage to your property. The other is Hornady 6 GT match
I use Loctite Blue on many parts that are not under heat stress, such as action screws on bolt guns and on occasion a minor dab on ring cap screws, but this is rare. Loctite Red is one that I use only on suppressor mounts and receiver screws for scope mounts I absolutely don’t want moving or being removed. I use Loctite Red on my suppressor mounts because I don’t want to have my mounts come off with my cans, simple as that.
I never use Loctite of any kind on suppressors or anywhere on an AR except installing a muzzle device that will be interacting with a suppressor. Never use it on a bolt-action barrel or on an AR barrel nut. You need heat to get the threadlocker to soften, and the metals used in these places shouldn’t get exposed to a torch.
Play it safe and, if you have a doubt about threadlocker, don’t use it.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
I hit the range to test out the entry-level yet feature-heavy Christensen Arms Evoke Hunter.
In 1979, I purchased my first centerfire rifle. (My dad actually bought the rifle because I was not old enough, but I paid for it with money I earned from a paper route.) It was a brand-new Remington Model 700 ADL, and it cost $223. Based on inflation, today that rifle would cost about $981. That rifle shot well but it was plain-Jane with a walnut stock and blued steel. It did not have any of the modern and cool features hunters want today, like a synthetic stock and Cerakote finish resistant to the elements. It did not have a detachable magazine, a scope rail, a threaded muzzle or brake, or a bipod attachment point. The new Evoke rifle from Christensen Arms has all those things and a retail price of $898.99.
Modern manufacturing techniques have reduced the cost of making firearms, and the demands of hunters have increased the standard features we now expect to see on a new rifle. Christensen Arms has been listening to what hunters want in terms of both features and price, and their new Evoke rifle is a manifestation of that. I recently tested one of the Evoke rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, and Christensen Arms is clearly onto something.
Christensen Arms announced the Evoke rifle in 2024, but samples did not make it out of the factory until early 2025. While visiting Christensen Arms last year, I saw a prototype of the Evoke, but between then and now the design changed just a bit. Christensen Arms pioneered the carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel, and then they perfected it. As an entry-level rifle, the Evoke comes with a 416R stainless steel barrel, but this barrel is button rifled and hand-lapped at the factory. The barrel also has the muzzle threaded at a 5/8×24 pitch and the rifle comes standard with a removable, stainless steel, premium RFR muzzle brake.
In addition to coming out of the box with a threaded muzzle, the Evoke also comes with a removable, stainless steel, premium RFR muzzle brake.
Barrel lengths range from 16.25 to 22 inches depending on the cartridge. The 7mm Backcountry is available with either a 16.25- or 20-inch barrel, and the 6.5 PRC, .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, 7mm PRC, .30-06, .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 PRC and .375 H&H all come with a 22-inch barrel. Evoke rifles in .243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Winchester and .450 Bushmaster have a 20-inch barrel, and the .350 Legend is the only Evoke with an 18-inch barrel. Regardless of the chambering, all barrels are fully free-floated.
The bolt on the Christensen Arms Evoke has a plunger-style ejector and an extractor that’s kind of a cross between an M16 and Sako-type extractor.
Christensen Arms attaches the barrel to a newly crafted action that they designed in-house at Christensen Arms. It has a bolt with a radially fluted body, two lugs, a 90-degree throw, and a M16/ Sako-style extractor and a plunger ejector like on that first Remington 700 I bought more than 40 years ago. Regardless of the cartridge the Evoke is chambered for, the action is the same size. It does not come in short, long and magnum lengths. This adds weight for short-action cartridges, but it does reduce manufacturing costs. The bolt handle has an octagonally shaped knob that’s a tad bit—but not too much—oversized. It seems just about perfect for fast and positive bolt operation.
The radial fluted bolt on the Christensen Arms Evoke rifle has a bolt handle perfectly sized for positive and fast operation.
The rifle feeds from a detachable polymer magazine made by MDT, and it has a three-round capacity, regardless of the cartridge. You release the magazine by pushing a lever in the trigger guard. Also, inside the trigger guard, you’ll find an adjustable TriggerTech trigger. The trigger on the test rifle broke crisp and clean at about 3 pounds, and I left it throughout all testing.
The polymer stock on the Evoke rifle features a near vertical grip, finished with a very attractive and useful texturing.
The Evoke’s barreled action is housed inside a synthetic polymer stock. There are actually four versions of the Evoke, and the different stocks are what set them apart. On the standard Evoke, the stock is a flat OD green color. The Mossy Oak version of the Evoke, which has a retail price of $948.99, has a stock with the Mossy Oak Bottomland camo finish. Next is the Hunter version of the Evoke. Christensen Arms finishes the Hunter’s stock with one of their own camo patterns, and it retails for $998.99. The final version of the Evoke is the Precision model. It retails for $1,048.99; it’s the most expensive of the four, but it has Christensen Arms’ hex camo pattern, and it also comes with an adjustable carbon-fiber cheek riser.
For those who like to shoot from a bipod or tripod, they will really appreciate the integral section of rail on the tip of the Evoke’s forend.
All versions of the Evoke include a short, three-slot, Picatinny rail section at the tip of the forend, and this rail section has an integral sling mount attachment point. All Evoke rifles also have what Christensen Arms calls a hybrid grip angle that’s nearly perpendicular to the barrel. A very neat and attractive feature of the Evoke’s stock is the texturing on the grip panels at the grip and along the forend. Not only does this texturing look good, but it also provides a very sure gripping surface when the rifle is wet. I know this as fact because during the first range session with the rifle, a downpour nearly drowned me and the rifle. Finally, and important is the fact the Evoke rifle—regardless of the version—comes with a three-shot, sub-MOA guarantee and a limited lifetime warranty.
Range Time
Before I get into the shooting, I want to address the only issue I experienced with the rifle. Sometimes I struggled to remove the three-round MDT magazine. I could clearly see when I depressed the release that the latch freed the magazine, but sometimes the magazine was just damned stubborn and did not want to come out. At other times it was easy to remove.
Some magazine removal issues occurred with the test rifle, but only when the magazine was forcefully inserted into the magazine well.
Upon further investigation I discovered that I only had the magazine removal issues when I aggressively inserted it. Then, the front of the magazine went just a tad too far in. However, regardless of how I inserted the magazine, it always fed cartridges without failure. If I gently inserted the magazine, it was easy to remove, but not a drop free. I’m not a fan of a drop-free magazine on a hunting rifle, because I’ve seen that lead to trouble too many times. Is this an issue endemic to all Evokes? I don’t know, but it’s something you can check when handling an Evoke before you buy it.
At nearly 7½ pounds, the Evoke is on the heavy side, but I thought the rifle balanced well with a bit of muzzle heaviness for offhand shooting. The 20-inch barrel on the 6.5 Creedmoor version is suppressor friendly, and, as you would expect, a suppressor made the Evoke even more muzzle heavy. Is a muzzle-heavy rifle a bad thing? Yes and no. Muzzle heaviness can help you when shooting off-hand and seems to help stabilize a rifle a bit when shooting from a rest. The only time it becomes a hindrance is when you’re trying to handle the rifle swiftly or when trying to track a moving animal for a shot. If you have no plans to shoot at moving critters, and if you always at least intend to shoot from a rest, it will not negatively impact your shooting at all.
The new Evoke rifle from Christensen Arms comes with a lot of features modern hunters demand.
Speaking of shooting from a rest, the short section of Picatinny rail that’s integral to the Evoke’s forend was perfect for bipod or tripod attachment. I attached a Spartan Precision Pic rail adapter and did a lot of shooting from their Ascent tripod and their Javelin bipod. If you like to shoot with either a tripod or bipod, you will really, really, appreciate this rail section because it greatly simplifies the process. That short section of Picatinny rail remained solidly attached to the Evoke’s stock throughout all the shooting.
I tested three loads in the Evoke for precision while shooting from a sandbag rest at 100 yards, by firing three, five-shot groups with each load. Two of the loads tested averaged just a bit more than an inch, but the rifle really liked Hornady’s 143-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter load. Every group fired with that load was less than an inch and the average for three, five-shot groups was a very respectable 0.61 inch.
Shooting Results
LOAD
VEL
SD
ENG
PRECISION
Remington 129-grain Core-Lokt Tipped
2,992
27
2,564
1.13
Nosler 140-grain Whitetail Country
2,723
14
2,305
1.21
Hornady 143-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter
2,736
6
2,377
0.61
AVERAGE
0.98
Notes: Muzzle velocity (VEL), standard deviation (SD) and energy (ENG) were established by firing 10 shots over a chronograph. Reported (PRECISION) reflects the average of three, five-shot groups with each load from a sandbag rest at 100 yards.
The Last Word
Like with all rifle manufacturers that offer an affordable, entry-level rifle, I’m sure Christensen Arms hopes that those who purchase an Evoke may someday upgrade to another, higher-end, Christensen Arms rifle like the Ridgeline FFT, which costs about twice as much as the Evoke. That might very well happen, especially since the Ridgeline FFT rifle is noticeably lighter. However, a lot of hunters might very well be content with their Evoke and never purchase another rifle. I think this is a practical possibility, especially if the magazine issue I experienced was just a fluke with the test rifle and not representative of the entire line.
Any way you look at it, the Christensen Arms Evoke is a great representative of how hunting rifle manufacturing has evolved. Christensen Arms has loaded this rifle with many of the features the modern hunter expects, it shoots well, and Christensen is offering it at a fair and reasonable price.
Pros
Shoots well
Lots of practical features
Reasonable price
Cons
On the heavier side
Test rifle had minor magazine issue
CA Evoke Hunter 6.5 CM Deals
Guns.com
$896
EuroOptic
$900
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Ruger has just released two new versions of the LCP MAX that feature a manual safety.
A lot of people only feel comfortable carrying a loaded handgun if it has a manual safety. For those individuals, the Ruger LCP MAX is now an option as the company has just released two new models that feature a manual safety.
Model 13749 features a manual thumb safety on its left side, and model 13754 features the same, as well as a magazine disconnect safety and a loaded chamber indicator on top. Whichever version you choose to go with, both are only available with a matte stainless slide. Their other features are the same as standard Ruger LCP MAX models—a 10+1-round capacity of .380 ACP, 2.8-inch barrels, an adjustable u-notch rear sight and a tritium front sight. In other words, besides the new safety features, they’re identical to the original model.
Also like the originals, both new manual safety LCP MAX models ship with one 10-round mag, a pocket holster and a magazine loader, and have an MSRP of $379.
While they don't get much attention these days, there are a few different .32-caliber cartridges out there that remain far from useless.
A hundred years before anyone thought about a .32 H&R Magnum, Winchester introduced the .32-20 WCF cartridge for their Model 73 lever-action rifle. The year was 1882, the same year Robert Ford shot Jesse James. The .32-20 soon became very popular in a variety of revolvers, especially Colt’s Peacemaker. Elmer Keith even developed an early relationship with the .32-20, shooting cottontails with his granddad and later carrying a 7½ inch Colt in .32-20 while working with a survey crew.
Other 0.32-caliber handgun cartridges, like the .32 Smith & Wesson, .32 Smith & Wesson Long and .32 Colt New Police, were popular with private detectives, cops and target shooters. In 1896, S&W attempted to improve the .32 S&W by lengthening the case by 0.31 inch. The .32 S&W Long was just as anemic as its parent cartridge, but when Teddy Roosevelt was police commissioner of New Your City, he chose Colt’s .32 New Police Revolver as the department’s issue sidearm. Colt’s cartridge was identical to the S&W Long.
Six years later, a 0.32-caliber handgun would make Roosevelt president when McKinley died from complications of his gunshot wound. And, 4 days prior to the assignation, Roosevelt spoke the now famous words, “Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far.” Though it’s doubtful he was talking about a .32.
The bullet from this new .32 H&R Magnum load will not upset/expand on impact, but it will penetrate deeply. It’s intended for targets.
Surprisingly, in 1984, Harrington & Richards teamed with Federal and introduced the .32 H&R Magnum for their five-shot model 504, 532 and 586 revolvers. Charter Arms offered the new .32 in their six-shot, Police Undercover Revolver, and, in 1985, Ruger began chambering it in their SP101 and Single Six revolvers. As expected, 0.32-caliber fans were excited by the new cartridge, and as factory loaded, the .32 H&R essentially duplicated the performance of the .32-20.
However, the story line in gun magazines at the time was that the .32 H&R Magnum would outperform standard .38 Special loads. Maybe that’s true on paper, but actual terminal performance testing showed otherwise. Ultimately, in 2007, when Federal introduced the .327 Federal Magnum, all but .32 H&R Magnum devotees forgot about the first 0.32-caliber cartridge with “magnum” in the name.
Though intended for deer hunting with a lever gun, the .327 HammerDown Federal load can work well for self-defense.
Far from Useless
That does not mean the .32 H&R Magnum is worthless or not good. In fact, with the most modern ammunition, like the brand-new Hydra-Shok Deep load from Federal, it’s a capable self-defense cartridge. I recently tested this just-introduced load in blocks of Clear Ballistics from a 4-inch barreled revolver, and it consistently delivered 12 inches of penetration with an upset diameter of nearly a half inch. That’s better than most .380 Auto loads. The Hydra-Shok Deep .32 H&R Magnum load comes 20 rounds to the box, and with a suggested retail price of $38.99, it will cost you about 2 bucks a pop.
The new Hydra-Shok Deep load from Federal for the .32 H&R Mangum will deliver a foot of penetration and upset with a wide frontal diameter.
Federal introduced another new .32 H&R Magnum load with the 85-grain HST load, but Federal loads this one with an 85-grain JSP bullet. It will generate velocities that are nearly identical to the Hydra-Shok Deep load, but the 85-grain JSP bullet will not deform/expand. It is a great practice load, and if you prefer deep penetration to bullet upset, it will easily drive to depths beyond 16 inches. The 85-grain JSP load will cost you about a dollar a shot; a box has a suggested retail price of $47.99.
When it comes to personal protection with a revolver, the .32 H&R Magnum is not in the same league as the .327 Federal Magnum. The best .32 H&R Magnum loads generate less than half the kinetic energy of good .327 Federal Magnum loads. In fact, some of the best .327 Federal Magnum loads generate more kinetic energy than some well-respected 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and .45 Auto loads. Federal has recently introduced two new .327 Federal Magnum loads, and I tested those right alongside the new .32 H&R Magnum loads.
One of the best self-defense loads for the .327 Federal Magnum is the new 104-grain HST load. It has more than 500 ft-lb of muzzle energy.
The first new .327 load is the 104-grain HST. HST ammunition is some of the best self-defense ammo you can find, and the new .327 load did not disappoint. It penetrated to an ideal depth of 14.5 inches, retained 90 percent of its weight, and the bullets had an average recovered diameter of more than a half inch. Based on terminal performance testing, that is stellar performance, regardless of the cartridge. With a retail price of $41.99 for 20 rounds, Federal is proud of this load—and they should be. It’s one of the best I’ve seen for this cartridge.
In all, I tested four new loads for the .32 H&R Magnum and .327 Federal Magnum, and the last load tested was the one that really got my attention. It is the .327, 127-grain HammerDown load. Federal designed HammerDown ammunition specifically for use in lever action rifles. Federal tempered the bullets to work at longer-than-revolver barrel velocities, and chamfered the forward edge of the case rim for smoother feeding in lever guns. However, you can still shoot this stuff in a revolver, and out of a 4-inch barrel it passed through the 16-inch block of Clear Ballistics. I was only able to recover the bullets because a panel of soft body armor stopped them. That’s fantastic terminal performance for a .32.
I’m confident that, though the new Hydra-Shok Deep load for the .32 H&R Magnum is a practical choice for self-defense, it is not a “big stick.” But I’d bet you that if Roosevelt got to see what the new .327 Federal Magnum loads can do—especially the HammerDown load—he might think it would qualify. Remember, he armed New York cops with the anemic .32 Colt.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
For those who rely on a .44 Magnum for personal protection, Federal has just added a .44 Magnum HST load to its catalog.
Federal Ammunition has just added a .44 Magnum load to its Personal Defense HST line. Described as a “light magnum” load, it features a cartridge-specific 230-grain hollow-point bullet that was designed to provide excellent expansion and weight retention without overpenetration or excessive recoil. The ammo has an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,085 fps, nickel-plated cases and high-performance sealed primers.
Chris Laack, Product Manager for Federal Handgun Ammunition, said this about the new self-defense revolver load:
This new HST loading addresses customer requests for a Personal Defense® option in 44 Mag, offering more power than a 44 Special load but better control and less overpenetration than a full-magnum hunting load … Its cartridge-specific bullet design best utilizes the magnum power available for defense and has more energy than 10mm Auto and 357 Mag yet with a larger 44 Mag projectile. It is incredible … When matched with the HST bullet design, the 44 Magnum provides the energy to achieve both effective penetration depth and significant hollow-point expansion … This HST does exactly what a great hollow-point bullet should. It provides significant expansion and retained weight while achieving optimized penetration depths in tissue with reduced risk for over-penetration.
Federal .44 Magnum HST is shipping to retailers now and has an MSRP of $55.99 per 20-round box.
Still carry the classy way? Here I go over how to properly take care of your leather holsters.
In the 21st century, a polymer pistol in a plastic holster is the norm. They have excellent retention and have gotten quite comfortable. New manufacturing methods and materials are cheap and accessible. Still, the allure of leather remains, perhaps because humans have been using animal skins longer than we’ve been using language. Heck, our earliest evidence of leather comes from processing tools that date back over 100,000 years.
There has actually been a bit of a resurgence in leather holsters in recent years because of the vast increase in available pistol make and models, natural materials lending themselves better to universal fits. Leather can also be extremely comfortable compared to plastic. But the upsides are also the downsides.
Like us, leather has a lifespan. A high-quality, cared-for leather holster gains a personality all its own — a companion to the pistol that rides inside. Leather comes from something that was once alive, and in a way, continues to live on through its bearer. The skin can stretch alongside your own. The colors shift with exposure to sun, warm skin, and hot barrels. Gun oil and sweat work into the pores, building a bridge between pistol and person — which also means you need to inspect it, care for it, and show a degree of consideration you otherwise wouldn’t with a plastic fantastic.
No one needs a leather holster in the 21st century, just like how they don’t need a mechanical watch, vintage Jeep, or custom pistol. Leather is luxury.
What used to be normal — items made from natural materials handcrafted by humans — now represents extravagance in a world that produces piles of plastic. Yes, this article is a bit romantic. No, I’m not saying throw out your PHLster. But there could be a place for some leather in your life, and if you’re looking for a gift for someone who’s hard to buy for, some of the exotic options outlined here might help.
Exotic Leather Holsters
The majority of leather items produced in the United States, holsters or otherwise, come from cows. This isn’t surprising, as cowhide is a byproduct of the beef and dairy industry, and America is the largest producer in the world. Of course, bulls aren’t your only option. Some manufacturers, like Versacarry, use water buffalo even for their mass-produced models. But if you want something truly custom, you may as well go entirely exotic.
Exotics like the stingray and alligator shown here really draw the eye.
Nestled in the western Carolina mountains is Mayhem Leather Company. This family business specializes in handcrafting custom holsters and other leather items, with a rare eye toward artistry. Mayhem Leather Company not only has some standard holster offerings, wallets, and cowboy rigs, but also 1911 grips formed from the likes of ring lizards, peanut spinal stingray, and gators.
In terms of exotic leathers, they offer a variety of options ranging from hippo, hornback alligator, ostrich, python, pirarucu, shark, stingray, and more. No, you won’t find holsters like these at a regular store, just like how you won’t find bespoke pistols at any old gun shop. And it’s guaranteed that no one is going to have a holster that’ll look exactly like the one you have — even if they buy the same make, model, and material.
Hybrid Holsters
We can’t talk about leather holsters without mentioning hybrids. These designs look for the best of both worlds, the comfort of leather with the retention and rigidity of plastic. Several approaches have been taken with assorted levels of success.
The first generation of the hybrid holster, of which there are still some versions, were plastic shells bolted onto leather backers. There can be issues with backers stretching but the shells staying, affecting retention ability, depending on the quality of construction and type of leather used. Another type is a sort of leather cover for Kydex, like a taco wrap. Most recently, it’s been leather holsters with synthetic internal structures for positive retention, and these have been the most promising in terms of looking and feeling like a traditional leather holster.
This DeSantis looks like traditional leather, but there’s a synthetic retention yolk inside that clicks onto the trigger guard.
Fitting Leather Holsters
Your pistol needs to fit snugly inside your holster yet still be ready to pull. This is the ever-present problem with concealed carry, and why that “Kydex click” brings so many so much confidence.
While an inside-the-waistband design can usually have a little more wiggle room because the pistol is pressed between your body and pants by your belt, overall you’re going to want a pistol that fits a little more tightly than you think — that leather is going to stretch with time and use. If it’s too tight, don’t use any saddle soap or other softeners and don’t get it wet. Instead, put your pistol inside a plastic bag, insert it into the holster, and leave it overnight. This will increase the dimensions ever so slightly so it’s just right.
A tight holster can be remedied with a plastic bag, stretching it just a scooch.
Galco Gun Leather sells a product called Draw-EZ to shorten break-in periods, but the very best thing you can do in order to smooth out a leather holster is honest time and repetition.
Care And Inspection
Keep your holster clean. After a long day on the range or running around, a quick wipe down with a clean towel is usually all it needs, but sometimes a little more care is required. The best practice is to only use items recommended by your given maker, lest you weaken the leather by making it too soft. Some light buffing with shoe polish should be A-OK and keep everything looking great. If your holster gets wet, wipe it with a towel, resist the urge to apply heat, and let it dry at room temperature overnight.
Heat and direct sunlight will dry, warp, and crack your leather. Keep your holsters away from windows, sunrooms, and dashboards.
Make damned sure the trigger is properly covered and the leather isn’t soft around the trigger — if the leather is soft enough that the trigger can be pressed through the material, it’s time to retire that holster. Check any retention devices like snaps or attachments like clips for rust.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Want to upgrade your Glock with a flared magwell? Here we look at the Flarewell Glock magwell flaring device.
Glocks don’t have much flair … and a whole lot of them don’t have any. Despite being functionally perfect, it took quite a while for there to be any flair, and there still isn’t much. What really caught my attention recently was the comment “Gen 5 Glocks have a magwell flare, not much of one, but there are 24 million Gen 1 through Gen 4 Glocks that have none at all.”
The Glock magwell flaring device, the Flarewell, does exactly that. It flares out the magwell opening of your Glock pistol (9mm and 40 frames only) for a faster reload. I know some of you are thinking, “My Glock mags are tapered at the top. That makes reloads fast.”
Yes, but would you turn down faster?
I thought not.
The process is simple and straightforward. Once you have your Glock apart, and the tools arrayed, heat the bottom edge of your Glock frame. Insert the tool and let it latch onto the magazine catch. Then, use the thumbwheel to move the swaging edge into the magazine well opening until you reach the desired amount of flare. The instructions cover it all.
On the back, it lists the magazines the Flarewell is meant to be used in.
The amount of flare you need isn’t great, so take it easy. I can see some heavy-handed users over-flaring because, well, that’s what some people do. Once the polymer cools off it retains the new flared shape, and you are good to go.
Bringing The Heat
As for the heating part, there’s two ways of doing this. One is to use a heat gun, evenly playing it over and around the edge of the magwell opening until it gets hot enough to be moved. The other is to use a hot oil bath. Dip the bottom of the frame into the oil (correct temp, please), and leave it there for a few seconds. Then, pull it out, insert the tool, lock and adjust.
Once the bottom of the frame has been properly heated, you use the thumbwheel to wedge the Flarewell up and flare out the magwell opening of your frame.
One question some might have is if it’s permitted in competition. For that you’ll have to consult the rule book of the particular competition you plan to engage in. I can see some allowing it and others not. And most competitions won’t even notice it—although other competitors might once you start beating them.
The early adopters and clever among the readership might even get a bit of practice in on their own Glocks, and then set up at the gun club some monthly meeting day or match day, offering to flare Glock magwells for a nominal sum. It won’t take too long to recoup your investment in this clever and useful tool.
The investment? It’s $109 for the tool, and shipping is free in the continental United States.
Full disclosure: I’ve known the inventor since we were head-to-head competitors in IPSC in the early days. I don’t have any involvement in this enterprise, but I kinda wish I had—it’s one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” forehead-slapping ideas. Way to go, Paul.
Now, getting one requires that you be fully conversant in the new digital commerce era. If you have to have it (and I can see a bunch of Glock owners who really do; I have mine), then contact GR9 online. Orders go to [email protected]. You’ll need to have a Venmo account, but once you fork over the digital dollars, your Flarewell tool will be on its way within 24 hours.
Flare on, Glocksters.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
More Glock Stuff:
Glock 17 Review: How The Full-Sized Striker-Fired Set The Standard
Chiappa has just announced a 10mm chambering option for Rhino 60DS and 30DS revolvers.
If any revolver makes sense to be chambered for 10mm Auto, it’s probably the futuristic and beefy Chiappa Rhino. Thankfully, Chiappa has just announced that the Rhino 60DS and the Rhino 30DS are going to be available chambered for the big centimeter.
Like other Chiappa Rhino revolvers, the new 10mm models fire from the bottom chamber of the cylinder which results in a very low bore axis. This should do a great job of taming the powerful 10mm cartridge’s recoil. For those seeking that power for personal protection, there’s the Rhino 30DS which features a 3-inch barrel and a nickel finish. For those looking for a field gun, there’s the 60DS with a 6-inch barrel and a black finish. The 60DS also features an optics rail and an accessory rail. Both of the 10mm Rhino models have fiber optic front sights and adjustable rear sights as well.
Chiappa has not yet announced a release date or price for the 10mm Rhino models, so keep an eye out for more news if you’re interested.
Can a high-end, custom .22 LR rifle be practical? When it comes to the Parkwest Arms SD-22, I think the answer is yes.
My buddy Frank writes with a Montblanc pen. I once asked him why. “First and foremost, I like nice things,” he said, “Second, I do sales, and when you hand a client a nice pen to sign the contract with, it helps them feel good about the decision because the act of signing is made into a pleasure and a feeling of success.”
There is no limit on who can enjoy luxury items. That’s how I see Parkwest Arms and, in particular, the SD-22 we are looking at in this article. Parkwest’s guns delight the senses. When the new owners started up the company, they hired as many of the experienced craftsmen as they could from the old Dakota Arms. They have since added even more talented people to their team who have the specialized skills to build heirloom-quality guns.
I think most people can sense the value and quality of any product the minute they handle it for the first time. Certainly, when you handle a nice gun, there are things that jump out at you. Beauty tops my list, then the sounds emanating from the gun when you work its solid action. Custom guns should have clean, crisp lines, pleasing to the eye and hand. These are unlike off-the-shelf guns that must be built with an eye toward minimizing costs. There is nothing wrong with that, it is simply a function of the marketplace that some products must be utilitarian. At the same time, the market demands products for the luxury segment.
The SD-22 offers the same silhouette as the SD-76 centerfire rifles, so you can practice like you play. Color casehardening is a classy touch.
If the quality of a firearm alone caused small game to drop dead, the SD-22 would be illegal in all 50 States. This rimfire model was new in 2024. Parkwest treats it with all the love, attention to detail, and care that goes into any of its custom hand-built big game rifles.
Steve Rabakoff, one of the owners at Parkwest, tells me that this model is selling even better than they had hoped. It turns out that gun-lovers like to shoot a lot, and this little 22 LR gives them a premium gun that they can shoot everyday if they desire. Ammo is relatively cheap and available, as opposed to some centerfire ammunition. Plus, it’s quiet, easy to share with the kids or grandkids, and has no recoil. I love the idea of introducing the next generation to the sport with a classic rifle design.
Rabakoff wanted me to see one of the new rimfire rifles they were releasing. He was clearly enthused by this project, not just because it’s his company, but because they are offering something unique. The SD-22 is not your grandpa’s .22; unless grandpa had a professional gunmaker for a buddy and got him to build a rifle to match his favorite hunting rifle. We are talking about an adult-sized gun, weighing 7.5 pounds, 41 inches in overall length, with a 23-inch barrel standard.
Note the nicely executed skeleton buttplate with a widow’s peak. It looks like the wood grew around it.
An alternative is to switch from a wood stock to synthetic, this drops about one pound from the rifle’s weight. If you are getting ready for a sheep hunt and want a training rifle, this lighter version could be your ticket. Personally, I will not be doing any mountain climbing, so I prefer the beauty of a wood stock.
My grumpy old gunsmith friend Mike Harmon saw this rifle when it came out of the case, and said, “I want to shoot that!” Gunsmiths are notorious for being jaded. They get to handle a wide variety of guns while they ply their trade. So, when gunsmiths get excited about a gun, you know it is something special.
Grumpy and I are both suckers for a nice piece of walnut, and the SD-22 that I received for testing played directly to our weakness—beautiful contrasting colors and copious fiddleback figure. The hand-rubbed oil finish enhanced the figure nicely, giving it the depth it deserves. We stepped out into the sunlight to get the full effect. The light reflecting from the wood provides quite a show, giving the stock depth and character. There is a warmth to wood that no synthetic stock can ever provide (sorry, you will never change my mind). This was a gun I knew would be a pleasure to take to the range or the field.
Howell-style sling swivels and a contrasting tip are two options you can choose on Parkwest’s SD-22 rimfire.
Not all that far in the past, we shooters were all hoarding 22 LR ammunition. At least one good thing came about from that shortage: I now have a broad collection of different brands of .22 LR. Where I live in Northwest Montana, ammunition availability during the shortage was totally random. As a result, I have a little bit of many different brands in my reserves. I went to the cupboard and pulled out a selection of ammo for our accuracy tests.
With my arbitrary collection of ammo, it was off to the range to see what this fine rifle was capable of. I’m lucky to have an indoor range in my locale, membership gets you a security code and 24-hour a day shooting privileges. Uniform temperatures and an utter lack of wind make shooting for accuracy a much easier process. I set up on the 50-foot range to do my testing. Each group shown here is five shots.
First, I loaded the magazine with five rounds and shot a group just to see where the scope was hitting and to foul the barrel. With that warm-up group out of the way, I set about collecting groups for the assorted ammunition that I had brought to the bench. All brands produced good minute-of-squirrel accuracy, some much better. The Winchester Wildcat ammo has a 40-grain lead round-nose bullet. The Standard velocity I had is some old “white box” Olin/Winchester and for all the world looks like the same bullet that was loaded in the Wildcat ammo. CCI Mini-Mags use a 36-grain hollow-point with a copper wash.
Parkwest shipped the rifle to me with a Leupold VX Freedom 3-9×40 Rimfire MOA mounted and bore-sighted—an excellent choice for a gun that is intended to have the profile of an American classic hunting rifle. It provided plenty of magnification for a .22 and the glass was clear as you would expect from Leupold. Of course, Parkwest will help you with any optic you prefer on your rifle.
Admiring the SD-22’s details makes the author think of warm evenings by the fire with a good dog sleeping nearby, and great memories of the days afield.
The Armscor ammo was a 36-grain hollow-point coated bullet. Aguila is loaded with a 40-grain round-nose copper-plated projectile. Finally, the Federal Champion bulk ammo bullet was a 36-grain hollow-point, copper-plated. To be fair, the flyer from the Federal ammo could easily have been a result of switching ammo without a fouling shot, as it was the first shot fired with that load. Or it could be old eyes. Either way, the squirrel would still be dead.
Impressions From The Range
A pleasant surprise, it was better than expected; yes, I am gushing. Fun, enjoyable and satisfying. I have shot an untold number of rimfire rifles over the years. I couldn’t even guess at how much .22 ammo I have burned over the decades. This rifle ranks as one of the most accurate sporting .22s I have ever shot. More than that, it was special, and memorable; I don’t say that sort of thing about guns very often.
Hand checkering on the stock is clean and sharp with two panels on the grip and a wraparound pattern on the forend. The wood color and figure shows through the checkering so that the checkering only adds to the rifle’s attractive look—as well-executed checkering should do. In addition, the bolt handle had a nice three-panel metal checkering to match the stock, and yes, there are other options for the bolt handle, so you can make it your own.
Parkwest lists the chamber for the SD-22 as a Bentz, this is typically a popular match chamber for semi-auto guns. Over time, it has become popular in other guns as well. The Bentz chamber falls between the SAAMI Match and SAAMI Sporting chambers for .22 LR. I suspect that Parkwest selected it because it is more versatile than a match chamber and will work with a broader selection of ammo. Match chambers are shorter than the average sporting chamber for .22 LR, but the Bentz chamber features a long-tapered throat compared to most rimfire ones. This chamber is well known for producing excellent accuracy with a wide range of ammunition brands and types. Obviously, Parkwest made a good choice based on our results.
The SD-22 comes with a ½-MOA guarantee for accuracy and is delivered with a target from the factory. Clearly, all my groups met that standard, some by a large margin. Several of my groups were just over 0.250 inch or 50 percent better than promised. I’m betting there is an even better ammo out there; I just ran out of time at the range.
Actions for the SD-22 are available for right- or left-handed shooters. Standard in chromoly (blue) steel, each rifle is supplied with two five-round magazines. That second magazine is a nice thing to have with any gun. For reliable feeding and ejection, the bolt is designed with dual extractors. The gun fed flawlessly with all the ammo we tried. The standard rifle comes with a XXX Claro walnut stock, solid steel grip cap, and ½-inch recoil pad to add to the classic look of the rifle.
Several of the custom touches include a steel buttplate, skeleton grip cap, Howell swivels, and the cheekpiece and checkering.
Avid shooters will tell you that much of the accuracy potential in a rifle comes from a quality trigger, so Parkwest added a TriggerTech adjustable trigger standard, as well. I appreciated the fine single-stage trigger on the test gun set to about 2 pounds. The release was crisp and repeatable with no perceptible creep.
That seems like an extensive list of features, and it is. Still, Parkwest offers a long list of custom options so you can have exactly what you desire. It’s not likely you will ever see two SD-22 rifles that look alike, unless of course you ordered them to match.
The rifle I tested had many optional features and did a great job of showing off what the experts at Parkwest Arms are capable of. The metal is all hand polished, the standard model is blued, but can be ordered in numerous finish types, including Cerakote or slow rust blue. Note that our test gun had a color-cased receiver and scope mounts along with premium polished bluing on the rest of the gun. The color case is well done; preparation is the key when performing color casehardening. The degree of polish applied to the metal can greatly enhance the resulting colors from the process.
The iron sights on my test gun were also upgraded. The rear sight was mounted on a quarter-rib and a banded front sight completed the set. “Practice like you play.” If I was getting ready for a plains game hunt, practicing with the same sights on my .22 would not be a bad thing.
The banded ramp front sight matches up with the express rear sight mounted on a quarter rib.
Parkwest Arms offers you a particular touch that only a true custom gunmaker can offer, a personalized serial number to make your rifle fully unique. FDZ are my initials; I am thinking of ordering “Fudzy” as my serial number, it’s a nickname of sorts. That way I can tell my grandson, “Shhh, be werwy, werwy quiet, we are hunting wabbits.” It would be worth it just to see the eye roll.
On its website, Parkwest has a build-your-own-rifle feature that allows you to stroll through all the options. Items you can customize include the wood grade, contrasting forend tip, checkering, different types of sling swivels, or cross bolts. We are not done yet; recoil pads, buttplates (solid or skeleton), tip and toe plates, and just as many choices for grip caps. On top of that, you can add engraving, as simple or extensive as you like. In short, you can make it a dream rifle with the features that you want.
Why?
If you must ask … I guess I did a poor job of explaining what the experience of handling a well-executed product like the SD-22 is really like. To be as direct as possible, it is a beautiful handmade rifle of the highest quality, and completely tailored to your personal taste. So, why not?
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
I hit the range to test the AP5SD, Century Arms/MKE’s clone of the famous H&K MP5SD.
Talk about getting your head spun.
I was very excited When I heard rumors about Century Arms importing a new MP5SD-style pistol from MKE in Turkey. Then, I listened to some further details and was disappointed. Then I got one, and my opinion did a complete 180.
Allow me to explain why.
MKE AP5SD Specs:
Country of Origin: Turkey Cartridge: 9x19mm Parabellum Action: Roller-lock delayed blowback Barrel Length: 5.75 Inches Weight: 6.7 Pounds Overall Length (From brace to end of handguard): 19 Inches (collapsed) ; 24.25 Inches (extended) Muzzle: 1/2×28 threads and tri-lug Muzzle Device: Removable faux suppressor Capacity: 30 Sights: Rotating diopter drum (rear) ; Hooded post (front) MSRP: $1,800 (braced model)
Pros
Very soft shooter
Excellent suppressor host
Reliable
Cons
Worse ergonomics than an AR
Slow reloads
Relatively heavy
H&K MP5SD Vs. MKE AP5SD
If you’re not familiar with the original H&K MP5SD, it’s an integrally suppressed variant of the company’s iconic MP5 9mm submachine gun introduced in the mid-1970s. What makes it so special isn’t that it features a suppressor shrouded underneath a purpose-built handguard, it’s that its barrel is ported.
These ports vent off gas to reduce the muzzle velocity of standard-spec 9mm NATO ball ammunition to subsonic levels. The advantage of this is that, unlike most other suppressed 9mm SMGs that require special subsonic ammo to be as quiet as possible, the MP5SD could use just about any ammo and do the same thing. That’s a neat trick.
In turn, when the AP5SD was announced, a lot of shooters were hopeful the Turkish clone would come with the proper ported barrel. As it turned out, it didn’t.
Given this, many early purchasers scrambled to find companies to convert them to true SDs. I considered doing the same, but after further research, I concluded not only that it wasn’t worth the effort, but that the AP5SD is likely the superior configuration for most American shooters today.
Portless
While original ported MP5SDs are still very cool, the design has distinct disadvantages. Namely, it will only function with a special SD-style suppressor. Plus, from what I’ve heard, this configuration gets very dirty very fast.
The AP5SD, on the other hand, features a normal 5.75-inch barrel. That’s about the same length as the AP5-P (MKE’s clone of the MP5K-PDW) and the end of the muzzle is recessed about 1.5 inches inside the handguard. Topped off with both a 1/2×28 threaded muzzle and a tri-lug, the result is that you can install any standard 9mm suppressor that will fit inside the handguard and it will give the appearance of being a true MP5SD (though some suppressors will look more like the original than others).
The AP5SD comes with a faux suppressor installed that looks the part. Let’s not kid ourselves, though, if you’re buying one of these, you’re going to put a real suppressor on it.
The AP5SD's included faux suppressor. It attaches via the 1/2×28 threads and doubles as a thread protector.
That all said, this is why I think the AP5SD's configuration is better than the MP5SD-style ported barrel–you have a wider variety of suppressors options, a cleaner system and better ammo choices. As civilians, we do not exist within a military supply chain–we can simply buy subsonic ammo when we wish to shoot subsonic.
Another downside of the MP5SD, its porting always reduces a bullet’s velocity, like it or not. Sometimes, faster and louder is better. The AP5SD gives you this control.
Originality is cool, especially for collectors of military small arms, but I’m convinced that for the average American shooter the AP5SD is perfectly designed.
Setting Up The AP5SD
The AP5SD is available with or without a Magpul MP BSL brace. If you order the braced model, it will still come with the original end cap with a Picatinny rail and a sling loop. Two mags, a cleaning kit, a sling and an optics rail are included, all shipped in a hard case to round out the package.
My setup was as follows: Leapers’ new UTG Pro Claw Mount, Aimpoint PRO, UTG Pro M-LOK Light Mount and a Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HP-X Pro. Shout-out to HKParts for supplying the mounts and other accessories like their dual magazine clamp. The sling is a Vickers SMG sling, a slightly lighter version of my favorite carbine sling.
The most important accessory for the AP5SD was a suppressor. I used a Rugged Obsidian45 on a tri-lug mount for this test, however, I have an Omega 36M on the way that will be this gun's dedicated can.
Finally, the ammo—I was primarily shooting HSL 147-grain subsonics. It’s remanufactured ammunition, but has so far proven very reliable for me.
On The Range With The AP5SD
I initially put a couple of mags through it with the faux suppressor just to try it out. It shot just fine, but this gun needed the real deal.
With the Obsidian45 installed, it finally felt right. MP5s are already known for being incredibly soft-shooting, but with a suppressor, the AP5SD felt like a BB gun. With the subsonic ammo, it was about as quiet as one, too. While shooting this without ear pro was a pleasant experience, it’s still a good idea to wear them. Hearing damage can be gradual and sneaky.
Needless to say, the AP5SD is an amazing shooter. As a suppressed semi-auto MP5 clone it handles exactly as you’d expect. There’s a reason why the MP5's reputation precedes it and why so many armed professionals around the globe have favored it for decades.
Regarding reliability, I experienced two failures to extract in the first 100 rounds but otherwise had smooth sailing for the next 400 or so. I’ll chalk those up to break-in.
People have mixed opinions about the MP5 diopter iron sights, but I’m a fan. That said, with the Magpul brace installed, I found it hard to get behind them. The brace is comfortable enough to shoot with, but I found it much easier to aim with a tall red dot installed on a riser.
With the Aimpoint PRO, it was effortless to make hits. The lack of recoil means the point of aim stays solid, making follow-up shots a breeze. Even at 100 yards, it was relatively easy to ring a half-size steel silhouette. Of course, guns like this are designed for closer-range work, and that’s where the AP5SD truly shone.
While practicing target transitions on an array of steel plates, my only complaint was a very common one of semi-auto MP5s—I wished it could go faster.
All MP5 triggers are known for being long and mushy, but it’s not as big of a deal for full-auto models. Those of us stuck with semis can try to squeeze that trigger as fast as possible, all we want, but it will never be as fast as what you can do with even a standard AR-15 trigger. The AP5SD’s safety, again like any MP5 safety, also doesn’t hold a candle to the AR’s ergonomics. While it may not be the fastest or easiest to use by modern standards, the replica 4-position pictogram ambi lower does look really damn cool. A trade some will be happy to make.
Parting Shot
I’m absolutely in love with the AP5SD. It’s my first 9mm roller-lock, and I already feel a growing itch to get one of MKE’s other MP5 clones.
All of my complaints with this gun are either endemic to the MP5 design or are minor nitpicks.
As for the nitpicks, the rubber handguard came with some molding artifacts along the seam. You can clean these up yourself with a knife if they bother you, but it would have been nice if they did a better job removing those at the factory.
Also, while I always like getting extra goodies along with a new gun, the included sling and optics mount aren’t of great quality. I’d recommend not messing with them and just buying better aftermarket replacements. Finally, if you want to attach a suppressor via a tri-lug, it’s a good idea to install a thread protector first for a tighter fit. If there’s one thing I wish the AP5SD came with, it’s a thread protector.
All the other weak spots of this gun are just because it’s an MP5 clone. Namely, the trigger and safety. Thankfully, however, companies are now making MP5 lowers that can take AR-15 triggers, safeties and pistol grips. Being able to shoot the AP5SD faster will be worth sacrificing some classic aesthetics for me, so I plan on trying one of those next.
As most already know, the MP5 reload process is also much slower than an AR’s. A positive aspect of that is it results in the very fun and iconic HK slap, but you should consider that you’ll need to learn a new, slower and more complicated manual of arms before buying your first MP5-style gun.
The AP5SD being reloaded. Notice the bolt has been manually locked back before a new magazine can be inserted.
So, should you get an MKE AP5SD? That depends on what you’re after. If you want the fastest, most tactical 9mm PCC available today, the MP5 isn’t the platform for you. If you want an MP5 but want to be able to modernize it as much as possible, the AP5SD specifically isn’t for you, but a standard AP5 or AP5-P would be what to look at.
If, however, you’re like me and have drooled over the MP5SD since you first saw one in a movie as a kid, there’s no easier way to own one than with the AP5SD. And as you can see with mine, modernizing it with an optic and light is possible. Despite being a bit retro, this still feels like a supremely practical gun to me. With how quiet, compact and easy to shoot this is, I think it will be spending a lot of time next to my bed.
Palmetto State Armory
$1,667
Battlehawk Armory
$1,700
MP5 FAQ
What MP5 Do Navy SEALs Use?
The Charlie Sheen film Navy SEALs famously depicts SEALs using the integrally suppressed MP5SD, but the team in real life also uses standard MP5s and compact MP5Ks. It all depends what the mission calls for.
Why Did SWAT Stop Using The MP5?
People commonly think that SWAT teams around the country have completely stopped using MP5s, but that's not true. They have been largely replaced by various types of 5.56 AR-15s, but many departments still have MP5s in their inventory that can be taken out for a mission if so desired. Some poorer departments may still use them purely out of necessity, but some SWAT team members with the option will still take an MP5 over an AR due to personal preference. For proof, take a look at recent Annual Military Equipment Reports published by departments in California, you'll see the MP5 mentioned in plenty of them.
Is A 9mm Carbine Good For Home Defense?
Yes, 9mm carbines (either in the form of an SBR or a braced pistol) make excellent home defense weapons and are a popular choice. They're small, easy to shoot, pack plenty of punch at close range and can use subsonic defensive ammunition in conjunction with a suppressor to save your hearing. That said, living situations vary, and factors like overpenetration could make a 9mm carbine a less desirable option compared to something else.
What Is The Point Of A 9mm Carbine?
As mentioned, 9mm carbines like an MP5 clone can make for excellent home defense guns. They're tons of fun to shoot too, so they make for great range toys and are often used in competition as well. 9mm is also cheaper than .223/5.56 ammo, so you can spend more time plinking or training for less money.
A quick look at the new Weatherby Vanguard Black Hills, a rifle designed to deliver utmost precision in harsh environments.
Named after the rugged Black Hills of South Dakota, the new Weatherby Vanguard Black Hills rifle was built with tough environments in mind. If you require precision on difficult hunts, this model seems quite worthy of consideration.
Featuring a cold hammer-forged barrel with either a #2 or #3 contour, a Vanguard action and a match-grade two-stage trigger, Weatherby guarantees that the Vanguard Black Hills is capable of sub-MOA accuracy out of the box (.99” or less 3-shot group at 100 yards with Weatherby factory or premium ammunition). Barrel lengths range between 20 and 26 inches depending on the caliber. The rifle also has a three-position safety, an integral recoil lug and a hand-painted Monte Carlo synthetic stock.
Other features of the Vanguard Black Hills include a Peak 44 Picatinny JRAIL for optics, a Peak 44 Arca/Pic Adapter on the forend for accessories like bipods and a threaded muzzle for suppressors or brakes. Every caliber variant ships with an Accubrake ST except for the 350 Legend model. The full list of available calibers includes .22-250 Remington, .223 Remington, .243 Winchester, .25-06 Remington, .257 Weatherby Magnum, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Weatherby Magnum, .300 Winchester, .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, 7mm Remington, 7mm-08 Remington, 350 Legend and 7mm PRC.
The Weatherby Vanguard Black Hills has an MSRP of $769 and is available now.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
