rt gd6u dtrh d by fredercast

AR SPECIAL ISSUE! JUNE 2021 | ISSUE 11

GUN SALES, REVIEWS, & INFORMATION

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S

ALASKA WILDLIFE

TROOPERS

AND THE

OMNI HYBRID

AR-1 5 PISTOL THE SHOOT-ABLE CUTAWAY! LARUE’S

ULTIMATE UPPER KIT

IN 6.5 CREEDMOOR

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH

THE Mk18 FROM

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY’S

SAINT VICTOR

DANIEL DEFENSE

WITH HEX DRAGONFLY DOT OPTIC

THE U.S. MILITARY’S BABY BATTLE RIFLE

THE ADVENTURES OF THE

AMERICAN AR-15

RIFLE IN RUSSIA

Available calibers

CONFIDENCE IN YOUR CARRY Controlled Performance That Leaves No Room For Doubt

All copper design ensures controlled performance High velocity and reliable expansion without over-penetration Plated case for more positive feeding and extraction Recommended for everything from pistol caliber carbines to subcompact pistols Norma-Ammunition.com

Now it’s up to you.

PAGE 4

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

All inquiries for

Advertising, Editorial: 1-800-521-2885, ext. 5064 2 News Plaza, 3rd Floor Peoria, IL 61614 PLACING AN AD Advertisers will furnish FIREARMS NEWS with copy legibly printed or typewritten on one side of the paper only. Please leave a margin of at least 1" on all sides. Classified ad copy can be submitted on disk, e-mailed to firearmsnews@outdoorsg. com, through www.firearmsnews.com, or picked up from your web site. Contact the Art Director before submitting electronic display advertising. Due care and diligence is used in checking advertising copy for accuracy, but the Publisher makes no warranty, express or implied. Advertisers and FIREARMS NEWS are not responsible for typographical errors, mistakes or misprints. All ads received too late for the current issue will be inserted in the following issue, unless you qualify the submission of the ad. Existing ad copy may be substituted if new copy fails to arrive by the specified date.

Advertising is credit card, check or money order in advance. If uncertain as to the cost of your ad, submit it and we will advise the amount to be remitted, and we will refund any overage. Artwork is kept in our files for 13 months and then destroyed. Reproduction quality is not guaranteed. FIREARMS NEWS reserves the right to omit any ads that in its opinion are objectionable. In addition, FIREARMS NEWS will no longer accept ads offering the following items for sale: Plans, videos or books for converting semi-automatic firearms into full-automatic firearms. Sound suppressor plans, and videos. Plans or formulas for making explosives, booby traps, etc. Lock picks, Slim-Jims, etc. and lock picking instructions. Also, items related to the above. If in doubt about your ad, call us.

AD DEADLINE DATES ISSUE

DEADLINE

ISSUE

DEADLINE

Vol. 75 - Issue 15

June 28

Vol. 75 - Issue 18

Aug.

Vol. 75 - Issue 16

July 12

Vol. 75 - Issue 19

Aug. 23

Vol. 75 - Issue 17

July 26

Vol. 75 - Issue 20

Sept. 3

NOTE: ALL ad space MUST be reserved and art materials MUST be

An Outdoor Sportsman Group® Publication

PUBLISHER Mike Schoby EDITORIAL EDITOR Vincent L. DeNiro FIELD EDITORS: Senior Field Editor David Fortier Gunsmithing Gus Norcross Historic Military Arms Paul Scarlata Hunting Rikk Rambo Machine Guns & Tactics Leroy Thompson Movie Guns Dr. Will Dabbs NFA & Airguns Patrick Sweeney Pistols James Tarr Columnists Mark Chestnut, David Codrea, Jeff Knox, Vin Suprynowicz

COMPLAINTS AGAINST ADVERTISERS We want FIREARMS NEWS readers to receive prompt, friendly service from our advertisers. If you have experienced bad service from a FIREARMS NEWS advertiser, you may submit a complaint in writing to FIREARMS NEWS, Dept. CL, 2 News Plaza, 3rd Floor, Peoria, IL 61614. You can e-mail to firearmsnews@ outdoorsg.com or fax to (309) 679-5476. We do not accept complaints by telephone. Note that FIREARMS NEWS is not a law enforcement agency and cannot investigate complaints. We will contact the advertiser on your behalf, and a continuing pattern of complaints can cost an advertiser its advertising privileges.

TELEVISION outdoorchannel.com thesportsmanchannel.com worldfishingnetwork.com

DESIGN SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Bill Smalley ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Ashley N. Honea ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Mark Kee

HUNTING bowhunter.com bowhuntingmag.com gundogmag.com petersenshunting.com northamericanwhitetail.com wildfowlmag.com

PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER Terry Boyer ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION MANAGER Elizabeth Carey ADVERTISING ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pat Bentzel (East Region) (717) 695-8095 patrick.bentzel@outdoorsg.com ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Mark Thiffault (720) 630-9863 mark.thiffault@outdoorsg.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, AD SALES Brendan Vorobiev (734) 800-6666 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Sue Fitch (309) 679-5064

NATIONAL AD SALES Account Director – Detroit Office Kevin Donley (248) 798-4458 National Account Executive – Chicago Office Carl Benson (312) 955-0496 Direct Response Advertising/Non-Endemic Anthony Smyth (914) 409-4202

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES

To change your address: Call our toll-free customer service number or E-mail us with your new address 6 to 8 weeks before your move. If you receive a bill after you’ve paid: Our letters probably crossed in the mail. Please disregard any bill or renewal notice you receive soon after mailing your payment or order. (If you continue to receive notices, please let us know.)

MEDIA outdoorsg.com

Western Region Hutch Looney & Associates email: hutch@hlooney.com

received BEFORE the above DEADLINE DATES!

BE AWARE THAT FIREARMS NEWS ONLY ACCEPTS SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTS FROM AUTHORIZED AGENTS! WE MAY NOT HONOR REQUESTS FROM UNAUTHORIZED AGENTS, AND YOU THEREFORE MAY LOSE YOUR MONEY IF YOU BUY FROM AN UNAUTHORIZED AGENT. If you are offered a subscription to FIREARMS NEWS, please call 1-800345-6923 to determine if the agent is authorized. For more information on subscription scams, please visit www.ftc.gov.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, PUBLISHING & BRANDED MEDIA Mike Carney EVP, GROUP PUBLISHER & OPERATIONS Derek Sevcik VP, CONSUMER MARKETING Peter Watt VP, MANUFACTURING Deb Daniels SENIOR DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION Connie Mendoza DIRECTOR, PUBLISHING TECHNOLOGY Kyle Morgan SENIOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tim Neher DIRECTOR, DIGITAL EDITORIAL Jeff Phillips For questions regarding digital editions, please contact digitalsupport@outdoorsg.com

FISHING bassfan.com floridasportsman.com flyfisherman.com gameandfishmag.com in-fisherman.com SHOOTING gunsandammo.com handguns.com rifleshootermag.com shootingtimes.com firearmsnews.com

Firearms News (ISSN #2691-3259). Published 24 times a year, semimonthly January through December, by OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP, 1040 6th Ave., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Periodical postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes (Form 3579) to Firearms News, P.O. Box 37539, Boone, IA 50037-0539. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 500 Rt. 46, East Clifton, NJ 07011. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 41405030.

To know when your subscription expires: Check the printed address label on the magazine cover. The date your subscription expires appears to the right of your name and address. Allow 6-8 weeks after renewing for the label to reflect your new expiration date. Occasionally, our subscriber list is made available to reputable firms offering goods and services that we believe would be of interest to our readers. If you prefer to be excluded, please send your current address label and a note requesting to be excluded from these promotions to: Outdoor Sportsman Group – 1040 6th Ave, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10018 Attn: Privacy Coordinator, or email your label information and note to privacy@outdoorsg.com

If your issue is damaged or missing: Call our toll-free number or E-mail us. We’ll replace the issue or extend your subscription, whichever you prefer. Remember, FIREARMS NEWS is published 24 times a year. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

Toll-Free Subscription Number

1-800-345-6923 Outside U.S.; call 386-447-6318 E-mail: sgncustserv@cdsfulfillment.com

Copyright 2021 by Outdoor Sportsman Group All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission. ® is a registered trademark of Outdoor Sportsman Group® in the United States. The Publisher and authors make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information

contained in this publication. Any reliance or use of the information is solely at your own risk, and the authors and Publisher disclaim any and all liability relating thereto. Any prices given in this issue were suggested prices at the press time and are subject to change. Some advertisements in this magazine may concern products that are not legally for sale to California residents or residents in other jurisdictions.

NEW

It’s our duty to build the best performing firearm...

IT’S YOUR DUTY TO BE READY

PDP Full Size

Red Dot Ergonomics

Performance Duty Grip Texture

Red Dot Ready

PDP Compact

SuperTerrain Serrations

Modularity

Performance Duty Trigger

PAGE 6

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

CONTENTS

8 AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL Vincent L. DeNiro, Editor 26 SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE The Ultimate Upper Kit in 6.5 Creedmoor Patrick Sweeney 42 THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY James Tarr 56 BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the Smith and Wesson M&P10 Rikk Rambo 76 THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE The U.S. Military’s Baby Battle Rifle James Tarr 86 ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA A Story of the AR-15 in Russia, from Intelligence Trophies to Sport Shooting and Hunting! Maxim Popenker

facebook.com/ FirearmsNewsMag

twitter.com/ FirearmsNewsMag

instagram.com/ firearmsnews

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

DISPLAY ADS A Altor Corporation............................. 47 American Tactical, Inc. ................. 112 AMG International Armory ............. 108 AR15Mold.com ..................... 104, 106 B Black Hills Ammunition, Inc ............ 53 Bob’s Gun Shop ............................ 107 Bravo Company USA ......................... 10, 11, 14, 15, 51 Buffalo Arms Company ................. 103 C CBRPS, LLC .................................. 107 Centerfire Systems, Inc................. 107 Crosscut Saw Co. ......................... 109 D D.B. Stewart Enterprises, LLC ............................................... 108 F Federal Cartridge Company............. 39 G GovMint ...........................................51 H Handi Racker ................................ 105 HKS Products................................ 109 Hornady Mfg Co Natl............... 25, 105 Hunter’s Lodge Corp. .......................71 K Kalispel Tribal Marketing .................53 L L&S Supply................................... 106 LaRue Tactical.................................. 2 LKCI, LTD ......................................102 M M&A Parts ...................................... 67

Magpul Industries Corp................... 37 McCutchen Firearms....................... 49 N Nextten Stauer, LLC.........................33 O Outdoor Sportsman Group..55, 63, 101 R Rapidfire Triggers Inc. ....... 102, 104, 105, 106, 108, 110 Rock River Arms, Inc....................... 19 RUAG Ammotec USA, Inc. ................. 3 Ruben Mendiola, Jr................103, 109 S S&K Scope Mounts ....................... 103 Sabot Designs, LLC....................... 102 Sarco, Inc. ...............................96-100 SCCY Industries .............................. 29 SIG Sauer Electro-Optics Division ............................................... 111 SIONYX ............................................. 7 Smith Wesson, Inc. ......................... 21 Stocky’s LLC................................... 47 Strasser USA .................................. 41 Sturm, Ruger & Co, Inc. ...................31 T Taurus International Mfg................. 23 Texas Bullion Exchange, Inc............ 59 U Uintah Precision.............................. 47 UltiMAK .......................................... 49 V Visir, Inc. ........................................ 49 W Walther Arms, Inc. ............................ 5 Wiley & Sons, Inc...........................106

D I G I TA L N I G H T V I S I O N

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF F U L L C O LO R D I G I TA L NIGHT VISION

AURORA SERIES

S I O N Y X D I G I TA L N I G H T V I S I O N

SIONYX.COM

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S

OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL By Vincent L. DeNiro, Editor

The ATI Omni Hybrid is about 1.25 pounds lighter than a similar AR pistol with the same barrel length and features. That may not seem like much of a difference, but the lighter weight does make a real difference with over a 20% savings in weight.

Sure, it’s lightweight, red and see-through (a shoot-able cutaway?) — but that’s what makes this 7.5-inch barreled 5.56 pistol one of the coolest AR-15-type firearms!

f you have read Firearms News for the past few years, you know that I like AR-15-type pistols and that I reviewed a pile of them. Although I got my first AR-15 way back in 1978, I didn’t get an AR-15 pistol until about 11 years ago. In 1998, I bought a used Bushmaster Arm Pistol (BAP), which is a .223-caliber bullpup pistol that takes AR-15/M16 magazines. The reason I got it? Well, I love the older, retro, military-styled semi-auto firearms, and I had wanted one since the 1970s, but that’s not the only reason. I had felt that having a compact 5.56 weapon could be handy in a survival situation if I were attacked while driving. You see, at the time, I was living in Texas, and a close friend of mine ran a security company in Ohio that had contracts with many jewelry stores nationwide to transport precious metals and gems — diamond courier work as it’s known. I was a former police officer and considered this dangerous work. It’s “easy” work when nothing happens, but if something does, it becomes very deadly. You see, diamond couriers get hit by drug gangs and other organized criminals, and they usually get inside information on when the transports are to take place

by having their people get clerk jobs at the jewelry stores. At least that’s how some hits took place, and when they took place, the bad guys had no problem killing the couriers. After all, a diamond courier can be transporting millions of dollars in diamonds, gems, or high-end collectables like coins, stamps, art, etc. Being a bullpup design, the BAP is very point-able and extremely well balanced, but its ability to hit small targets is another thing. If this large handgun is bolted down in a vice, sure, it can be accurate, but the way the front and rear sights are designed to work while the gun adjusts to lay canted across your forearm ruins any hope of hitting center mass past 25 yards if you are trying (I mean you REALLY have to try) to use the sights. However, for pointing at a car trying to ram and run me off of the road while I’m driving or defeating a bad guy’s body armor at close range (at least the majority of body armor of the 1990s), it would be ideal. It’s really just a point-able high-powered weapon for close range. I ended up not taking on any courier jobs as I got busy with other work, but this 5.56-caliber oddity would have also worked well in similar self-defense scenarios aside from diamond runs. [Cont. to page 12]

KeyMod is here! TM

AccuPoint TR24G • Trijicon 1-4x24 Riflescope $1,099.00

KeyMod™ is the tactical industry’s new modular standard!

Defense • American RECON X Scope

Diamondhead • BCM Folding Rear Sight ®

Mount $189.95

Diamondhead • BCM Folding Front Sight $99.00 ®

$119.00

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Compensator Mod 0

KMR-A15 KeyMod Rail • BCM Handguard 15 Inch $199.95 ®

•

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ QD End Plate $16.95

KMSM • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ KeyMod QD Sling Mount $17.95

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Stock $55.95 Ranger • GEARWARD Band 20-Pak $10.00

BCM® A2X Flash Suppressor $34.95

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Grip Mod 0 $25.95

$58.00

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

KeyMod 1-Inch Ring Light Mount

BCM® KMR-A KeyMod Free Float Rail Handguards

For 1” diameter lights $39.95

Same as the fantastic original KMR Handguards but machined from aircraft aluminum!

Blue Force Gear VCAS Sling $59.95

BCM

Low Profile • BCM Gas Block $44.95

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Vertical Grip Mod 3 $18.95

B5 Systems SOPMOD Bravo Stock

$89.95

BCM BCM BCM BCM

PNT™

9 Inch KMR-A9 . . 10 Inch KMR-A10 13 Inch KMR-A13 15 Inch KMR-A15

. . . .

$176.95 $179.95 $189.95 $199.95

Trigger Assembly

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

KeyMod Modular

Scout Light Mount

For SureFire Scout Light $39.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

Polished – Nickel – Teflon

KeyMod Modular

$65.95

PWS DI KeyMod Rail Handguard Light Mount

Wilson Combat Tactical Trigger

PWS DI 12 Inch Rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $249.95 PWS DI 15 Inch Rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $249.95

Free float KeyMod rail for AR15/M4 pattern rifles.

PWS KeyMod Polymer Bipod Adapter $23.95

$269.95

Inforce WML-HSP

$129.00

Daniel Defense SLiM Rail Handguard Slim, Light, Modular KeyMod free float handguard.

Trijicon TA31RCO-M4 ACOG 4x32

DD SLiM Rail 12.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $265.00 DD SLiM Rail 15.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $265.00

Daniel Defense KeyMod Bipod Adapter

$1,422.05

$48.00

Aimpoint PRO Patrol Rifle Optic

$441.00

Daniel Defense KeyMod 1 O’Clock Offset Rail Assembly

$40.00

For 1913 mounted lights $39.95

Arisaka Inline KeyMod Scout Mount $37.00 Arisaka Ring KeyMod 1” Light Mount $45.00

Thorntail KeyMod Offset Adaptive Light Mounts Thorntail 1.030 Mount $70.00 Thorntail M3M6 1913 Mount $50.00

Arson Machine Company KeyMod Light Mounts Scout M600 Mount $48.00 1” Ring Mount $44.00

All pricing is subject to change without notice. Please see our website for current pricing.

Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

KeyMod is here!

KeyMod™ is the tactical industry’s new modular standard!

Industries • Midwest ERS BUIS $93.95

Industries • Midwest Folding Front Sight $79.95

Ranger • GEARWARD Band 20-Pak $10.00

• BattleComp 1.5 $155.00 1913 • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Modular Light Mount,

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ KMSM KeyMod QD Sling Mount $17.95

KeyMod $39.95

KMR-A13 KeyMod Rail • BCM Handguard 13 Inch $189.95

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ QD End Plate $16.95

KAG • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Kinesthetic Angled Grip,

• BCM PNT™

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Stock $55.95

KeyMod $18.95

ARC MK2 • TangoDown 30 Round Mag $19.48

PWS FSC556 Tactical Compensator $94.95

Trigger $65.95

• BCM

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Grip Mod 3 $17.95

Polymer Trigger Guard $6.95

Vltor Carbine EMOD Stock $119.65

Comp Mod 0 - 556

Threaded 1/2x28 for 5.56 AR15 platform

$89.95

Comp Mod 1 - 556

Threaded 1/2x28 for 5.56 AR15 platform

VTAC MK2 Wide Sling

$94.95

IWC KeyMod QD RL Sling Mount Accepts heavy duty or standard QD swivels

$17.00

IWC KeyMod Hand Stop

$44.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Enhanced Lower Parts Kit VG MOD 3

BCM® PNT™ Trigger Assembly, BCM® Mod 3 Grip, BCM® Trigger Guard, and Mil-Spec hardware kit. BCMGUNFIGHTER™ ELPK, semi-auto. . . . $119.95

Mount-N-Slot design . . . . . . . $34.95

BCM® KeyMod Picatinny Rail Sections Mil-Std 1913 rails, Nylon Rails available in Black, Flat Dark Earth and Foliage Green.

Nylon Rail, 3 Inch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8.95 Nylon Rail, 4 Inch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11.95 Nylon Rail, 5.5 Inch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.95 Aluminum Rail, 3 Inch, Black . . . . . . . . . . $19.95 Aluminum Rail, 4 Inch, Black . . . . . . . . . . $24.95 Aluminum Rail, 5.5 Inch, Black . . . . . . . . $29.95

PWS KeyMod Picatinny Rail Polymer Rail, 5 Slot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11.95 Aluminum Rail, 5 Slot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ KAG

Kinesthetic Angled Grip

Uses a biomechanically efficient forward rake, small profile, textured front and back for positive engagement. Impact resistant polymers, available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray. KAG-KM, KeyMod Version . . . . . . . . . . . . $18.95 KAG-1913, Picatinny Rail Version . . . . . . . . $19.95

Low-profile length for increased mobility and decreased “snag”. Made in the U.S.A. from impact resistant polymers, available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray. VG-KM-MOD-3, KeyMod Version . . . . . . . . $18.95 VG-1913-MOD-3, Picatinny Version . . . . . . $19.95

Aimpoint Comp M4S

Red dot sight, fully NVD compatible, with QRP2 Picatinny Rail Mount

$889.00

EOTech HOLOgraphic Weapon Sights

BCM KeyMod Rail Panel Kits ®

In Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray.

5.5 Inch Rail Panels, 5-Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.95

Model 512 $429.00 Model 552 $529.00

All pricing is subject to change without notice. Please see our website for current pricing.

Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

PAGE 12

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The ATI Omni Hybrid AR pistol shown with the included DuoSight dot optic and ATI’s own 30-round magazine.

[Cont. from page 9]

I’m not going to go any further about this firearm as I just wanted to give you an idea of what a 5.56 compact firearm could be used for (if you are interested in it, be sure to pick up our 2021 Retro Guns special issue #13 in which Dr. Will Dabbs has written a great article about the Bushmaster Arm Pistol and we will have his video demonstration on our website as well). Around 11 years ago, I took a look at AR pistols again. I say “again” because the last time I was interested in them was back in the early 1990s when Olympic Arms came out with its OA-93 AR-15-type pistol. Shortly thereafter, Clinton’s domestic “assault weapons” ban just about outlawed all AR pistols with the exception of very lightweight custom versions, the first of which, from Olympic Arms, were very expensive. In 1993, the OA-93 was just a curiosity for me, but in 2010, I looked at the AR pistol as a compact replacement for an AR-15 carbine that would (a) fit easily inside a briefcase-sized gun case so it’s easy for airline travel, and (b) be legal to carry loaded with my CCW license so it can ride with me on long trips and be car-

ried in ready mode inside of a small backpack if I have to hoof it. Travel was the big issue, as I was driving and flying a lot for defense industry work and wanted to have a compact firearm that would deliver rifle-like performance out to 100 yards and able to hit center mass at about 200 yards. I ended up settling on a 10½-inch barreled version I assembled with a polymer upper and lower receiver to keep it as light as possible. The overall length was under 26 inches (most pistol buffer tubes utilized with a 10½-inch barrel result in an overall length of less than 26 inches), so it was still considered a handgun by federal regulations, and this leads to the legal issues of carrying AR pistols. Many states have adopted the federal definition of a handgun, which includes the overall length crite-

This was DeNiro’s Bushmaster Arm Pistol. The design concept was extracted from the Colt IMP (of the early 1970s) by Mack Gwinn. The original IMP was to be a survival weapon for jet fighter pilots.

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

ria of being less than 26 inches long. Overall length is usually the major legal feature to look out for if you want to carry a loaded AR pistol, and under 26 inches would be legal in Michigan and Ohio for example. If you use an 11½-, 12-, or 14-inch barrel on that same AR-15 pistol, Michigan will disallow you to carry it, with the CCW license, as it will be over 26 inches in overall length, but it would still be legal in Ohio, although you would be outside of the federal definition of a handgun (shouldn’t matter as CCW licenses are issued by that state). However, not all states have adopted the federal handgun definition or one that is even more broad like Ohio’s. South Carolina mandates that for a handgun to be legal for concealed carry, the overall length must be shorter than 12 inches. One can build an AR-15 pistol with a short bolt carrier, thus eliminating the buffer tube, and install a four-inch 5.56-inch barrel. Although this is possible since there is an AR-15 pistol with a four-inch barrel on the market, you will not get rifle performance with it. Regarding overall barrel length, you must measure the barrel with the muzzle attachment (flash hider, muzzle brake, compensator, etc.) off unless it’s welded on, as BATFE does not consider this part of the barrel length. On to ATI’s AR pistol! The good folks at American Tactical, Inc. shipped me one of their Omni Hybrid AR-15 pistols in 5.56 that incorporates a translucent red polymer

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 13

The arm brace is from Trinity Force and is BATFE-approved.

If Biden and ATF officials get their way completely, the firearms community may be left “braceless.” However, there are other ways to shoot these pistols effectivity without braces, and ATI will offer this model without a brace if braces become regulated as shoulder stocks.

upper and lower receiver. This is a really cool-looking AR-15-type firearm for sure! The high-strength polymer upper and lower receivers also utilize patented steel inserts which are molded internally and are at critical stress points. This is a significant feature, as most polymer receivers depend solely on the strength of the plastic composition utilized, and it only takes a few internet searches to see photos of cracked AR polymer receivers. These steel inserts are located at the take-down pin areas of the upper and lower receivers: hinge point in the front of the upper and lower receiver and at the rear of the upper and lower receiver. The other area that is strongly reinforced by a steel insert is at the back of the lower receiver which parks

the buffer tube. Many of the photos you will see of broken plastic AR-15 lower receivers show them broken at this point, but not only plastic receivers have cracked in this area, aluminum receivers have also, and that is why you will see a raised area of extra aluminum on the outside rear of M16A2 and newer AR15 lower receivers that is not present on older M16A1 and older AR-15 lowers. This is a multi-purpose buffer tube area insert that not only reinforces the buffer tube with steel threads, but it also reinforces the holes for the rear takedown pin. If you have been skittish about plastic AR receivers, ATI’s efforts in this area should help put your mind at ease. Moving on to the fire-control group: trigger, disconnect, hammer, and selector — these are all made

from plastic. Why? The answer is simple: weight. How much weight is saved on these small parts? I weighed the hammer, and it totaled in at 3/8 of an ounce with spring; a standard AR-15 hammer comes in at 1¼ ounces. That may not seem like a huge difference, but as a cousin who served in combat in Vietnam as military intelligence once told me, “We even cut the handles off of our toothbrushes to save weight in our packs.” It all adds up. The plastic hammer also has a bigger footprint than the metal one, and the extra plastic gives it just a little more mass and strength. The firearm control group is otherwise basically the same as standard AR parts with the difference of them being made of polymer, and with the exception that you can activate the safety even if the hammer is [Cont. to page 16]

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

MOD 0

MOD 1

MOD 2

MOD 3

™ BCMGUNFIGHTER BCMGUNFIGHTER Pistol Grip Over a year in design, specifically engineered Stock geometry, ™

➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤

Reduced grip angle keeps wrist in line for improved trigger control Hinged Trap Door interior storage with water resistant rubber gasket Mod 0 similar to A1/A2 backstrap, Mod 1 with high rise backstrap Mod 2 up to 1/4 inch wider with interchangeable backstraps/inserts Mod 3 up to 1/4 inch wider with high rise backstrap/extended insert All Mods available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green, Wolf Gray

with no weak links. New patent pending latch reinvents the interface with the receiver extension, providing superior strength. ➤ Simple modular, snag free design utilizes only 5 parts and 1 screw ➤ 2 ambidextrous sling mounting options including QD swivel socket ➤ Color matched rubber buttpad for secure shoulder placement ➤ Available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray

BCMGUNFIGHTER Pistol Grips . . . . . . . . . Prices start at $17.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Vertical Grip

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Vertical Grip -Short

➤ Forward angle increases rigidity of the forearm, provides more natural wrist angle ➤ Featuring an aggressive texture, and generous storage volume ➤ Cross bolt designed to work with improvised tools ➤ Reversible clamp for fastener setup on either side ➤ Made in the U.S.A. from high quality, impact resistant polymers ➤ Available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray

BCMGUNFIGHTER VG - Screw Mount . . . . $20.00

➤ Low-profile length for increased mobility and decreased “snag” factor ➤ Forward angle increases rigidity of the forearm, provides more natural wrist angle ➤ Aggressive texture, generous storage volume ➤ Made in the U.S.A. from high quality, impact resistant polymers ➤ Available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray

BCMGUNFIGHTER VG-S - Short, Screw Mount Version . . . $35.95 BCMGUNFIGHTER VG-S-KM - Short, KeyMod Version . . . . . $39.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ VG BCMGUNFIGHTER™ KAG Kinesthetic Angled Grip

➤ Low-profile length for increased mobility and decreased “snag” factor ➤ The forward angle increases the rigidity of the forearm, while providing a more natural wrist angle ➤ Can be mounted in reverse angle to increase control when grabbing handguard and grip ➤ Flat sides with aggressive texture give better control to the shooter ➤ Anchor and bolt system offers a simple and robust design, while maintaining a light-weight 1.9 ounces ➤ Made in the U.S.A. from high quality, impact resistant polymers ➤ Available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray

➤ Forward rake gives positive retention when using “C-clamp” method of handguard support, works as a rest for supported firing positions ➤ Slight angle without bulk adds just the right amount of strain relief to the wrist without substantially increasing the girth of the handguard ➤ Small profile, textured front and back for positive engagement ➤ Innovative patent pending attachment method allows for robust clamping and alignment with minimal hardware and accessory size ➤ Made in the U.S.A. from high quality, impact resistant polymers ➤ Available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray

BCMGUNFIGHTER VG-KM-MOD-3 - KeyMod Version . . . . . . . . . $18.95 BCMGUNFIGHTER VG-1913-MOD-3 - Picatinny Rail Version. . $19.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER KAG-KM - KeyMod Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18.95 BCMGUNFIGHTER KAG-1913 - Picatinny Rail Version . . . . . . . . $19.95

All pricing is subject to change without notice. Please see our website for current pricing.

Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

PAGE 16

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

Four metal inserts are located in the upper and lower receivers providing extra strength for the take-down pins. Shown is the rear insert on the upper receiver.

The Omni Hybrid’s plastic hammer weighed in at 3/8 of an ounce compared to a standard AR-15 hammer weighing 1¼ ounces. It all adds up.

This multi-purpose steel insert not only reinforces the buffer tube connection, but also reinforces the rear takedown-pin areas.

The upper receiver’s rail is polymer, of course, and with the metal barrel shroud, you have over a foot of “rail estate” as veteran gun writer Patrick Sweeney likes to call it. The metal barrel shroud has seven inches of P-rail, 18 Key-Mod slots (six per side at 9, 6, and 3 o’clock), and six useable M-LOK slots (three per side at the 8-o’clock and 4-o’clock positions). Now, I did have a bit of an issue with the plastic rail on the upper receiver.

Since I like to do accuracy testing with high-magnification scopes to determine the potential of the firearm, I mounted a 4.5X-14X Burris Fullfield 30 (BurrisOptics.com) using a Geissele Super Precision mount (Geissele.com). It’s called “Super Precision” for a reason and it’s worth every bit of the $325 price tag. When I tried to mount the scope, the teeth on the mount would not quite fit the rail on the Omni upper receiver. After a few tries, I took out a small triangular file and went to work taking off a very small amount of material in and on the sides of some teeth and rail base. Eventually, I got the mount to work without issue. I did not see any issue with the DuoSight optic’s mount the pistol came with, as the mount is much more forgiving. As I said, the Geissele mount is a precision mount, and an upper’s rail which has a hair too much plastic incorporated, after it comes out of the mold, will not work with it.

The top view of the plastic fire control parts with another view of the steel threaded buffer tube insert.

You can clearly see the plastic hammer in the cocked position. Cool!

[Cont. from page 13]

down. If I decide that I don’t want plastic parts, I can contact M&A Parts (MAPartsInc.com) and get standard AR-15 parts that will drop in, but, so far so good with the plastic ones. ATI has also patented a unique way to prevent “pin walking,” which is when a trigger or hammer pin moves to one side or another until it comes out of one side of the receiver far enough to collapse the alignment of the part it holds, this will cause malfunctions. I have owned dozens of AR-15s since 1978 and never had this issue. However, I did have an AR-180 back in the 1980s that did this all the time (neither of the two original AR-180s I own now do this – weird), but some people have had this issue with AR-15s as there are many parts out there to mitigate against pin walking. What ATI did was make a raised area around all four trigger and hammer pin holes on both sides of the lower and then thread them so that small hex-head machine screws can be screwed in to retain the pins. Great idea, and there won’t be any way for these pins to move out of place. As far as other polymer parts, the magazine catch and button are both non-metal, as well as both takedown pins. If it were up to me, I probably would have installed standard steel takedown pins since the holes are steel reinforced, but I didn’t experience any negative issues with the plastic ones.

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 17

A hammer/trigger pin (TOP) with the hex-head screws: top showing hex head (LEFT) and sideways showing thread pitch (RIGHT).

ATI’s patented design to prevent “pin walking” with the raised areas around the trigger and hammer pin holes. Each raised portion is threaded, as you can see when the hex-head screw is removed (hammer pin hole to the left of the magazine release button).

The 7.5-inch, 5.56x45-chambered barrel has a onein-seven-inch twist rate, which is ideal for stabilizing a wide range of bullet weights. A standard closed A2style flash hider tops off the barrel which has standard ½ x28 threads.

“To brace or not to brace, that is the question.” With arm braces in national gun news almost weekly for months, it’s hard to predict exactly what will be the outcome of Biden’s push with BATFE to outlaw them. Will braces be permitted to be used as only braces with a reversal (yet again) back to BATFE stating that one can no longer misuse a brace by shouldering it? Maybe. Will BATFE declare all braces as stocks? Probably not. Will BATFE declare some brace designs as stocks without declaring all braces as stocks? I think so. ATI chose a brace manufactured by Trinity Force and it is BATFE approved as a brace. The issue I had with this brace is that only one slot was milled out for a strap. This slot is at an angle and is not as easy to use as the two horizontal slots which have not been “milled” out all the way — so I drilled/ cut them out. Adding a strap made the brace very comfortable for one-handed use. This brace will still

work for shooting one handedly without a strap, but you have to cant/tilt the pistol to get it to brace against your forearm. Although canting a pistol is a popular way to shoot for defensive purposes, I don’t care to do this with an AR pistol, so the strap is for me. The brace can be adjusted for almost any forearm length with the use of two hex-head tension screws. The final parts to mention are the bolt and bolt carrier (M16-type), bolt-release latch button, and charging handle, which are standard and metal. The buffer is three ounces, which is the same for most AR carbines and pistols. ATI includes a single-point sling mount (that doubles as the buttstock tube lock collar), which is located between the castle nut and the back of the lower receiver — I really like those for AR pistols. The grip is standard A2 style, and of course it is not metal. On to the “shoot-able cutaway” feature. The translucent aspect of the firearm is interesting. Translucent plastic for firearms parts isn’t a new

The ATI Omni has a see-through magazine well, which allows the shooter to know how many rounds are left, almost down to the last one, when using a translucent magazine.

The Omni Hybrid has total of 12 inches of combined plastic and metal Picatinny rail.

The all-metal barrel shroud has Key-Mod and M-LOK slots, as well as a seven-inch P-rail.

ATI manufactures its own 30-round magazines, which feature a bit of a beefed-up lower magazine body and an orange follower. It functioned perfectly during the entire test.

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

PAGE 18

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

ATI’s DuoSight Electro Dot optic is included.

The DuoSight features four different reticles, selectable via a switch located in the bottom rear of the optic: a cross with circle and center dot, cross with center dot, circle with center dot, and dot.

thing, but it’s something that hasn’t become common, outside of ammunition magazines, in the last five or so years. The earliest translucent plastic magazine I know of was one made for the Hill submachine gun, pistol, and carbine series of the 1950s, which was copied in the early 1990s and its design was used in the FN P90 (see Ian McCullum’s great video on this firearm

on his YouTube channel Forgotten Weapons). Other designs, like the Steyr AUG, have utilized a polymer translucent magazine since the late 1970s, and many companies copied this see-through 5.56 magazine idea since then. In the 1990s, Singapore Technologies manufactured it’s SAR-21 rifle with a translucent magazine, and so did Heckler & Koch with their G36 rifle

Three types of 5.56 ammunition were selected for the test at 50 yards: Armscor 62-grain FMJ (Armscor.com), Black Hills 55-grain FMJ, and Black Hills 69-grain Match King HP (Black-Hills.com). DeNiro’s choice for a bench magazine is manufactured by D&H Tactical (DH-Tactical.com).

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

ATI includes a handy magazine loader which not only works on 5.56 magazines, but also on 9mm and .410 AR mags.

magazines. Today, many companies make translucent magazines such as Lancer Systems (Lancer-Systems. com) and ETS (ETSGroup.us), but very few companies make a gun from this see-through material. Since the ATI Omni has a see-through magazine well, the shooter can always know how many rounds are left almost down to the last one, when using a translucent magazine. As far as the red color, it’s just cool and would probably go well with Swiss Alpenflage camo, which incorporates a lot of fall colors, including red. Now to the optic, which is included with the pistol. ATI’s DuoSight dot optic features four different selectable reticles that I would describe as: a cross with circle and center dot, cross with center dot, circle with center dot, and dot. All can be selected via a switch located in the bottom rear of the optic and any of the reticles can be illumined in either red or green with five different brightness settings for each color. I found the switch to be located in the right place and all reticles returned to zero when switching between them (I checked these using a laser bore sight). [Cont. to page 20]

Not an ideal shooting position: buffer tube against the cheek, support hand pushing the pistol down into the sandbag, and trigger hand squeezing the grip.

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

LAR-15 RRAGE RIFLE DS1850

with RRA Six-Position Tactical CAR

LAR-15 RRAGE RIFLE

16" LIGHTWEIGHT CHROME MOLY 1:9 Twist Barrel

Punching above its weight class, this new entry carbine features a sleek monolithic upper receiver/handguard with side and bottom MLOK® ports. This NEW RRAGE sets a higher benchmark for all entry carbines to follow.

CALIBER: .223/5.56MM NATO CHAMBER WEIGHT: 5.7 POUNDS

LENGTH: 36"

ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR LOCAL DEALER. * Optics and scope mount not included.

ROCKRIVERARMS.COM

PERFORMANCE TUNED.

PAGE 20

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

Shells in the air! DeNiro fired a few rounds on steel at 25 yards and a few at 50 yards then repeated back and forth until the magazine went dry. It’s a great drill. The shooting technique used was to place the top of brace against the cheek, rest the barrel shroud in the web of the left hand, and then fire with the right hand, which is on the grip. These three points give very good stability without the brace even coming near the shoulder area.

DeNiro added a strap to the Trinity Force brace after milling out two of the strap slots. This brace works well for one-handed shooting.

A traditional two-hand handgun hold works great since the Omni Hybrid is so light and short.

[Cont. from page 18]

Although I have an astigmatism, which causes me to see double images or blurred dots with some holographic and dot optics (even ones which cost as much as $800), the DuoSight remained crystal clear. The housing is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, and ATI claims that the optic is shock-resistant. It is powered by a common CR2032 wafer battery. The Omni Hybrid is made to be a lightweight AR pistol, so how light is it compared to a similar all-metal AR pistol? I weighed the Omni Hybrid without the optic, magazine, or brace and it came in at about four pounds. A similar AR pistol I have, with the exact same barrel length, similar barrel shroud, and without any brace or magazine came in at 5.25 pounds. The Omni is a pound and a quarter lighter, and that makes a real difference with over a 20% savings in weight. Add the optic, empty magazine, and brace, and the Omni is less than the weight of the all-metal AR pistol stripped. Now, off to the range!

Typically, when I get a firearm for a review, I test shoot it within the first couple of days that I picked it up from the gun store. I didn’t this time, as I did not want to get the inside of the gun dirty, as it would show since it’s translucent (I take my studio photos first). So, it was straight to the bench for the first shots. The conditions for accuracy testing were less than ideal. It was windy with some gusts over 20 mph. The weather had been all over the place for over a week and this was the best day for a while. I would be shooting from a bench and using a sandbag, which is good, but I removed the arm brace and replaced it with a foam padding. Although it is technically “legal” to place an approved arm brace against the shoulder (as of this writing), the chances of the Biden Administration’s BATFE to declare any misuse of a braced pistol an unregistered short-barreled rifle SBR (subject to confiscation), and not grandfathered into whatever scheme they have planned for future owner-

ship, is possible. I don’t think this is likely, as I didn’t even mention this nightmare scenario earlier, but who knows. So, it’s buffer tube against the cheek, support hand pushing the pistol down into the sandbag, and my trigger hand squeezing the grip. First up at 50 yards was Armscor’s 62-grain fullmetal-jacketed 5.56. My first five-shot group shot a little wide at 4.25 inches, but this was the first time I fired the Omni Hybrid. Without that flyer, it measured in at 2.1 inches, which is good. The next groups were very consistent, with number two coming in at 3.3 inches and the last one at 3.4 inches. Without the flyer on group three, it measured in at 1.72 inches. Nice. I noticed a decent amount of creep in the trigger, so I measured it. It was breaking at about seven pounds. Not horrible, not ideal, but typical of a standard AR15. Next up was Black Hills 55-grain FMJ. Groups were noticeably smaller, as expected, with the best of three at 2.12 inches, and the best group without [Cont. to page 22]

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

The M&P Shield® Plus. Our most comfortable, high-capacity, concealed carry, Micro-Compact EVER. The Shield™ Plus pistol is the next evolution in everyday carry. With a standard capacity of 13+1 rounds, the M&P Shield® Plus delivers a natural point-of-aim and a newly optimized grip texture to help you manage recoil to keep you on target round after round. The new flat face trigger design allows for consistent finger placement that helps with repeatable, accurate, comfortable shooting. See the full lineup including ported barrel, optics cuts, and longer slide options at smith-wesson.com.

PAGE 22

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The ATI Omni Hybrid is a lightweight AR-15 pistol that would be great for preparedness/survival (defense and short-range hunting of medium-sized game), concealed carry when a pistol-caliber is not enough, home defense, or just fun at the range. [Cont. from page 20]

the flyer came in at 1.54 inches. Last was Black Hills 69-grain Match King HP. I was hesitant with this load, as I was thinking that it may be a bit too heavy for this barrel length. This ammo is like laser accurate out of the longer-barreled AR rifles I have fired it out of. My best group with it was a hair over 2.5 inches, and without the flyer it came in at 1.94 inches.

Due to weather, I didn’t have a chance to shoot at 100 yards, but I have noticed that many AR pistols will shoot the same, as far as group size (or only slightly larger), than what was shot at 50 yards. This is because the bullet has more time to stabilize. In any case, the Omni Hybrid is accurate, especially with my very unorthodox shooting position. [Cont. to page 24]

ATI OMNI HYBRID AR-15 7.5-INCH BARRELED PISTOL ACCURACY CHART Manufacturer

Weight (grains)

Type

Average (in.)

Best (in.)

50 YARDS - THREE FIVE-SHOT GROUPS Armscor

FMJ

3.65

3.30

Black Hills

FMJ

2.73

2.12

Black Hills Match King

3.21

2.57

ABOVE 50-YARD GROUPS WITHOUT FLIERS Armscor

FMJ

2.01

1.72

Black Hills

FMJ

1.96

1.54

Black Hills Match King

2.41

1.94

Buriris Fullfield 30 scope set to 14x for all shots. Fired from bench with buffer tube against cheek on sandbag rest. Conditions were 10–20 MPH wind gusts.

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

The single-point sling mount (which is part of the buttstock tube lock collar) works really well, and slings can be attached to either side.

slide

OP TIC-READY four interchangeable

R E D D O T M O U N T I N G P L AT E S upgraded

GEN 3 TRIGGER SYSTEM caliber

9MM LUGER

ADVANCED OPTICS. VISIONARY DESIGN. Introducing the all-new TORO (Taurus Optic Ready Option) platform. Available for the ﬁrst time ever on the full-size Taurus® G3 and the compact Taurus® G3c. Four interchangeable red dot mounting plates give you the ability to outﬁt your optic-ready Taurus® G3 or G3c with a variety of popular brands—quickly and easily. The exclusive TORO platform is seamlessly integrated into the slide of both pistols, enabling faster target acquisition and follow-up shots no matter your application or budget. Add in our Limited Lifetime Warranty and industry leading customer service for quality standards that you can depend on.

TaurusUSA.com

Holosun® and Trijicon® red dot sights not included.

PAGE 24

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

DeNiro installed a Midwest Industries M-LOK rail on the barrel shroud to mount a light (MidwestIndus triesInc.com). Now it’s a great home defense gun. [Cont. from page 22]

I decided to have some fun and try some defensive drills between a full-size metal silhouette at 25 yards and a smaller 12"x20" metal silhouette at 50 yards (both from ShootSteel.com). I reinstalled the DuoSight, loaded up a 30-round magazine, and had no issues tagging both steel targets going back and forth between both with about three to four shots each time — this is a great drill to practice. The shooting technique I used was to place the top of brace against my cheek, rest the barrel shroud in the web of my left hand (technically not a separated two-hand hold so this is steered far away from the federal definition of a handgun which states that handguns are to be designed to be fired with one hand — maybe not relevant in the future, but I wanted to share that with you), and then fire with my right hand, which is on the grip. These three points give good stability without the brace even coming near the shoulder area, so this technique won’t get Biden as upset (LOL!). Recoil is manageable, but it will jump a bit — this is after all a short-barreled 5.56. As previously mentioned, I added a strap to the Trinity Force brace after milling out two of the strap slots. This brace works well for onehanded shooting. I even tried a traditional two-hand handgun hold, which works great since the Omni Hybrid is so light and short with its 7.5-inch barrel. Okay, now something weird happened, but weird in a good way. I noticed that the trigger had much less creep than when I was on the shooting bench and that it felt significantly lighter. So, I measured it again. It was now at 4½ pounds! Plastic self-gunsmithing trigger job? I haven’t had a lot of experience with plastic fire-control parts, and the last time I shot an AR-15 with plastic internals was around 2010, when I bought an all-plastic Plum Crazy AR complete lower. Back then, I was hesitant to leave the plastic trigger, plastic hammer, plastic disconnect, and plastic selector in there, so I replaced all of them with steel parts for my lightweight AR build. With the Omni, I’m leaving them all in. The trigger pull is now consistent at 4.5 pounds and almost all of the creep is gone. I don’t know how these plastic parts just improved themselves, but sometimes it’s better just to be happy and not ask questions…

The Omni Hybrid AR pistol field strips like any other standard AR-type firearm.

ATI OMNI HYBRID 5.56 PISTOL Caliber: 5.56x45mm

If this AR pistol was a registered SBR with a stock, and if the trigger was at the 41⁄2-pounds with little creep in the beginning, instead of a creepy seven or so pounds when I first started shooting, I’m sure I could have shrunk the groups by at least one third and possibly by half (a less windy day would have helped too.) While a 7.5-inch 5.56 barrel will provide hits on silhouette-sized targets out to 150 yards, the ideal barrel length for an AR-pistol, in my opinion, is 10.5 inches. However, I am not knocking the 7.5-inch barrel, as that three inches of saved length is ideal for many situations, especially when you need concealment or when you need to move through tight spaces, like inside a vehicle. As far as shooting a firearm such as this indoors, you may want to contact Silencer Central and see what type of sound suppressors they can hook you up with when you get your Omni Hybrid (Silencer Central.com). Although I did not perform an extensive reliability test (who can in an ammo shortage?), I want to emphasize that no malfunctions of any kind were experienced during or after this review. The ATI Omni Hybrid is a lightweight AR-15 pistol that would be great for preparedness/survival (defense and shortrange hunting of medium-sized game), concealed carry when a pistol-caliber is not enough, home defense, or just fun at the range with the coolest-looking lead slinger. At $460, it’s a no brainer.

AMERICAN TACTICAL, INC.’S OMNI HYBRID AR-15 PISTOL

Operation: Gas-operated semi-auto Barrel Length: 7.5 inches Barrel: Black Nitrite-coated, 1 in 7" twist Muzzle Thread: 1/2x28 Sights: DuoSight electronic dot optic included ($44.95 MSRP) P-Rails: 6" top plus 7" on shroud Barrel Shroud: Steel w/Key-Mod and M-LOK positions Upper Receiver Translucent red polymer with Material: patented steel reinforcement inserts Lower Receiver Translucent red polymer with Material: patented steel reinforcement inserts Weight: 4.8 lbs. with optic, brace, and empty magazine. Magazine: Any AR-15/M16-type magazine in 5.56, (30-round incl.) MSRP: $459.95 Contact: American Tactical, Inc. AmericanTactical.us (800) 290-0065

W E D I D N ’ T I M P R O V E T H E P L AT F O R M

W E S I M P LY

DVANCED IFLE ARTRIDGE

THE

6mm ARC is the most versatile cartridge for the AR-15.

105 gr. BTHP Hornady BLACK®

6MM ARC

108 gr. ELD® Match Match™

103 gr. ELD-X® Precision Hunter®

F O R T H E W H O L E S T O R Y, V I S I T H O R N A D Y. C O M / 6 M M A R C

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH,

Long-range shooting now is done in PRS competition, which requires barricades. So, you have to learn how.

IT’S

A LARUE

The Ultimate Upper Kit in 6.5 Creedmoor

PAGE 28

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

The barrel alone, with gas block and tube, tips the scales at just over three and a half pounds. This thing shoots.

The rubber recoil pad on the RAT stock.

The SHOT show is huge, and between one meeting and another that morning, I’ve walked a couple of miles before I get back to the LaRue booth, for more coffee and to and hunt down Mark. “Mark, Vince wants the Ultimate upper.” “Well, let’s tell Molly.” Molly is Mark’s Executive Assistant and manages to keep a smile on her face despite a week of show-goers asking questions. Molly is going to be my contact for this project, and now she is full of questions. Caliber? Why, 6.5

Creedmoor, of course. Barrel length? 18 inches, I have too many rifles with twenty-inch barrels as it is, and LaRue doesn’t make this with a sixteen inch barrel. (I may change that in the future, but I don’t tell Mark or Molly.) Color? Flat Dark Earth, of course. I have way too many rifles that are black. Free-float LaRue handguard in Keymod, check. MBT trigger, check. The next question hits a roadblock: “What lower do you have for this project?” Molly asks.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

I have a bunch of 7.62-sized lowers, so I start naming them off, from memory. I could see that Molly actually winced at the mention of a couple of them. “Just a minute, I need to talk to Mark.” So, I spend a few minutes watching the LaRue CNC machining station that they’ve brought in for the show, machining LaRue rings from billet aluminum. When Molly comes back, she’s all smiles. “Mark says I should send you one of our M110 lowers as well, that way we can be absolutely sure the fit is proper.” Uh-oh, this project has just expanded. “You’re sure?” “He insisted.” That is how I ended up waiting a few more months, so the lower could arrive and I could begin the build. Why the concern? Mil-spec. Or rather, specs in general. You see, as much as those who want something better want to ‘dis mil-spec, it does provide a consistent set of dimensions for manufacturers to work with. Your AR-15 upper and lower receiver set may be machined to tighter tolerances than a “G.I.” one is, but you know that parts will fit. Not so in the AR-10 world. There is no mil-spec for AR-10s. Once the AR market indicated a desire for something bigger than 5.56, the manufacturers each had to sort out the details for themselves. That’s how, historically, we have had four or five different magazines that AR-10-type rifles have been built on. Each maker was free to select barrel nut diameters and thread pitches that suited their production machinery, or idea of what was proper. In the AR-15 world, you can swap bolts, bolt carriers, exchange barrels, install handguards, and count on them all working. Within the manufacturing tolerances allowed, and the quality of the maker producing, they will all work. In the AR-10 ‘verse, you can’t count on anything. I have a 7.62 AR-10 in the shop, in its box in parts, because the barrel nut that arrived with the free-float handguard for it has the wrong thread pitch. I suspect I might have to fire up the lathe and make my own [Cont. to page 30]

LaRue marks their products, because they are proud of them, and they should be.

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

The barrel nut, torqued up, and the gas tube positioned through the receiver, with the gas block ready to be snugged down.

PAGE 30

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The Ultimate Upper Kit, as it arrives in its shipping container. Everything you need but a lower and ammo. [Cont. from page 28]

before that project is done. I have another for which magazines are no longer made. Once the magazines I have for it stop working, it becomes an orphan. And that was why Molly was not so keen on some of the names I spoke. And she probably winced at some of them from the experience of customers who had used them, and had problems with their LaRue upper. She didn’t want problems, nor did I. The LaRue lower is built to the specs of the GI M110 lower, and uses either LaRue M110 magazines, or Magpul magazines. You can also get your LaRue Ultimate to fit the DPMS Gen 1 lower, should you have one of those. Since Remington dropped the DPMS line, and then Remington went toes-up, I suspect those of you with them will find yourselves orphaned in the future, when those rifles reach the end of their service life. That’s life in the non-mil-spec lane. Ok, the unboxing. Inside the shipping box, nestled in what looks like Styrofoam, LaRue has packed the various parts with enough room that they won’t bang into each other. On the top is the upper receiver assembly. There is the LaRue OBR upper, a flat-top receiver with ejector pyramid and ejection port door. Attached to the receiver is the Stealth .308 handguard, a free-float handguard with Keymod slots for accessories. The top rail of the Stealth handguard is flush with the upper receiver, so there is a continuous plane onto which you can mount extra optics, lasers, and other gear. On a rifle of this size, there is perhaps too much rail estate, because you could park enough gear on there that you could make it too heavy to pick up. (And yes, I’m the guy who invented the term “rail estate” years ago.)

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

The Stealth handguard fastens to the upper receiver, but not by clamping onto the barrel nut. This takes stress off of the barrel nut-upper receiver union, and can only increase accuracy. The handguard uses bolts through the rear flange of the handguard, and

The LaRue MTB arrives in a holding fixture that allows you to see how the parts work, keeps them together, and lets you check the trigger pull before you even assemble it.

through the front flange of the receiver, and pulls the handguard straight back into the receiver. The barrel nut design clamps the barrel to the upper receiver, and is not used to secure the upper and handguard to each other. [Cont. to page 32]

RUGER MAX-9

™ ®

The MAX-9™ is Your Next Handgun ™. Whether you’re new to firearms ownership, or you’ve been an enthusiast for years, the versatile MAX-9™ is sure to meet your personal protection needs. Comfortable enough to conceal in an inside the waistband holster or

COLION NOIR, Firearms Enthusiast

pocket holster, this micro-sized pistol has it all - without compromising on capacity or features. Rugged, reliable, affordable - the Ruger® MAX-9™.

The acquisition, ownership and use of firearms is heavily regulated. Some models may not be legally available in your state or locale. Know the law and shoot safely.

R U G E R . C O M / M A X- 9

PAGE 32

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The Ultimate Upper kit comes with a GasBuster charging handle. Love it.

The locating pins on the handguard, that mate with the upper receiver flange holes. They take the rotating load, not the screws.

The handguard screws thread into steel inserts secured in the upper receiver flange. This is proper over-engineering.

The LaRue A-Peg pistol grip. With built-in palm swells and finger shelf, it works very well for a lot of shooters. [Cont. from page 30]

The barrel is in a separate slot in the packaging, down at the bottom of the box. A medium-weight taper, it is threaded for a muzzle device, it comes with a low-profile gas block, and a gas tube to match up with the carrier, already assembled to each other. You have the choice in 6.5 Creedmoor of 18-inch or 22-inch barrels, same for the .260, while the 7.62 can be had in three lengths: 16, 18, or 20 inches. The carrier and bolt are both chrome plated, and made to the exacting LaRue standards you would expect. Oh, and the bolt/carrier assembly is cycled by means of a Gasbuster charging handle, a good idea when you are going to mount a suppressor. The stock assembly is the LaRue Tactical RAT stock, which you can have in any of four colors or black, and comes with a buffer, buffer spring, and all the hardware needed to secure it to a lower receiver.

When you select the stock color, you are also informed that you get a LaRue magazine with the kit as well. In the center of this assemblage of goodness, there is the pistol grip and trigger assembly, the MBT trigger. You can have this with a straight or curved trigger bow. The assembly is three things: it is the test-bed where the assembler can check fit and function. It is the best way to keep the parts from banging into each other in shipping. And it is a clear guide to you how they fit together inside the lower, when you go to assemble your Ultimate LaRue. Attached to the trigger assembly housing, the pistol grip design is the one LaRue thing I have no great love for. This is the LaRue A-Peg grip, and it has a subtle palm swell on each side, and a trigger finger guide rib. Unlike the rest of LaRue gear, I find the pistol grip does not fit my hand, so in the course of assembling [Cont. to page 34]

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

The first step, hand-assembly. Everything fits, everything hand-cycles, so take it apart and put it together with everything torqued up.

Meet the Beauty in the Beast

Discover this spectacular 6½-carat green treasure from Mount St. Helens!

or almost a hundred years it lay dormant. Silently building strength. At 10,000 feet high, it was truly a sleeping giant. Until May 18, 1980, when the beast awoke with violent force and revealed its greatest secret. Mount St. Helens erupted, sending up a 80,000-foot column of ash and smoke. From that chaos, something beautiful emerged… our spectacular Helenite Necklace.

EXCLUSIVE

FREE

Helenite Earrings -a $129 valuewith purchase of Helenite Necklace

Helenite is produced from the heated volcanic rock of Mount St. Helens and the brilliant green creation has captured the eye of jewelry designers worldwide. Today you can wear this massive 6½-carat stunner for only $149! Make your emeralds jealous. Our Helenite Necklace puts the green stone center stage, with a faceted pear-cut set in .925 sterling silver finished in luxurious gold. The explosive origins of the stone are echoed in the flashes of light that radiate as the piece swings gracefully from its 18" luxurious gold-finished sterling silver chain. Today the volcano sits quiet, but this unique piece of American natural history continues to erupt with gorgeous green fire.

Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Bring home the Helenite Necklace and see for yourself. If you are not completely blown away by the rare beauty of this exceptional stone, simply return the necklace within 30 days for a full refund of your purchase price. JEWELRY SPECS: - 6 ½ ctw Helenite in gold-finished sterling silver setting

- 18" gold-finished sterling silver chain

Limited to the first 2200 orders from this ad only $149 +S&P Helenite Stud Earrings (1 ctw) ..................... $129 +S&P Helenite Necklace (6 ½ ctw).................Only

Helenite Set

7 .... Call-in price only $149 +S&P

(Set includes necklace and earrings)

Call now to take advantage of this extremely limited offer.

1-800-333-2045 Promotional Code HNN108-01

Please mention this code when you call.

Stauer

Rating of A+

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. HNN108-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

“My wife received more compliments on this stone on the first day she wore it than any other piece of jewelry I’ve ever given her.” - J. from Orlando, FL Stauer Client S m a rt L u xu ri es —S u rp ri si n g P ri c es ™

PAGE 34

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

REAL AVID

With a two-foot-long handle, the Real Avid torque wrench makes things easy.

The Ultimate Upper kit comes with a barrel nut wrench, and the wrench as the torque limits printed right on it.

The gas block, with setscrews and the barrel dimple locations they nestle into. [Cont. from page 32]

my Ultimate LaRue I’ll opt for something else later. Pistol grips can be like clothing: if it doesn’t fit right, then try another one. If the LaRue A-Peg pistol grip works for you, then you’re golden. I’ll keep it on while I test, but after that, no promises. My assembly process on a new build is a bit involved. I first check the fit of each part to the next, and then hand-assemble all the parts that can be fit together. This usually ends up with a rifle, carbine or pistol that I can hand-cycle. I do so to make sure everything is there, and everything fits. It rarely involves a wrench. Once I know it all fits (I had a really bad experience in the early days of AR building, and had to burn out Loctite, clean threads, and replace a non-spec part), I then take it all apart and start over. So the following description follows after the first hand-assemble check-build. OK, first up, we install the barrel. I clamp my reaction rod in the vise, slide the receiver on, and slip

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

the barrel in place. It is a snug fit, but with a bit of tapping with a rubber mallet, I get it to fit. Then I spin on the barrel nut until it stops. There are a lot of ways to build an AR, and in some of them people will insist on anti-seize compound, or go the other way and Loctite, or even epoxy on the barrel nut threads. Those of you who have had good luck doing so, keep at it. Me, I just make sure the threads are clean, apply a small amount of oil so the threads won’t gall, and torque it on. The LaRue kit includes a barrel nut wrench with torque limits printed on it, so there’s no getting it wrong. The super-match barrel has the gas block location dimpled for the gas block setscrews at six o’clock. With the tube already installed in the block, it is easy to slip the block on, wriggle the setscrews into alignment with the dimples, and tighten things down.

ncluded in the Real Avid Master armors kit is a torque wrench. I figured I’d use it instead of my usual industrial, click-set wrench. I fitted the wrench to the LaRue tool, and pulled until the arrow indicated I had reached the proper torque. “That was too easy” I said to myself. After building ARs for some 35 years, I’ve gotten a feel for the proper torque limits. So, I marked where the barrel nut had stopped at, and wrenched the nut loose. I then spent an inordinate amount of time searching for my click-adjustable torque wrench. Once found, I set it for the LaRue specified limit, tightened the barrel nut, and watch it stop in alignment with my marks. Then the light bulb went off. The Real Avid torque wrench handle was two feet long. My usual barrel nut wrench was one foot. Had he been there, Archimedes would have slapped me on the back of my head, Gibb’s style. That’s why it felt easier.

Next up, the handguard. One of the great details of the handguard assembly, beside the four screws pulling the handguard straight into the receiver, are the locating and indexing stubs set into the receiver. They fit into holes bored in the handguard flange, and keep the handguard from twisting. The screws don’t take the torque, the studs do. Oh, and the screws go into steel inserts in the upper receiver flange. No threaded steel-on-aluminum here, not in LaRue-land. Once I had them tightened in place, I used a paint pen to lock them in place and indicate if they come loose. (They won’t.) The lower assembly is easy except for one detail: the bolt hold-open. The receiver is elegantly machined to have the lever pin in place, with the far side machined just enough to allow clearance. So, you had best make sure you get it all lined up and properly set before you drive the roll pin in. If anything goes wrong, you’ll have to drive it through and let it fall out the other side. Once it has done that, you might need a replacement for the next go-round. Interesting details like that are why I hand-fit and check function before I start hitting things with hammers.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 35

Once I have screws torqued in place, I paint them in to make sure they don’t move. And if they do, I can easily tell.

MUZZLE DEVICES

The LaRue lower uses the pistol grip to locate and hold both the takedown and the selector springs.

he LaRue Ultimate Kit comes with the LaRue (who else?) muzzle brake which is also a mount for their TranQuilo suppressor. Not having a TranQuilo, and not willing to shoot the 6.5 with the muzzle threads bare, I swapped on a flash hider from Rugged Suppressors which also happens to be a suppressor mount. Now, a near-tenpound rifle is not going to have much recoil. But, when you want to wring the absolute maximum precision out of it possible, you do not shoot it without a muzzle brake or suppressor. The interesting thing is that even though the world is switching over to 6.5, either Creedmoor or Grendel, suppressors for them are mostly .30 suppressors. They work just fine, even if you do give up a decibel or two of performance (the human ear can barely discern a 3 dB difference, so no sweat) plus a .30 suppressor, on a 6.5 rifle, makes bore alignment a piece of cake.

The trigger is the LaRue MBT, a two-stage trigger, and boy is it nice. There’s a two-pound take-up, and then a pound and a half let-off. All the parts you need are in there, and unless you have some personal preference for a selector lever, you’re good to go. (And if you do, don’t blame Mark if you have to do some fitting to make your selector lever function properly.) The LaRue RAT (Retract Action Trigger) stock is just like any other AR carbine stock as far as assembly on the buffer tube/lower goes, with one change: instead of using the receiver plate to keep the rear takedown pin in place, LaRue swaps the direction it is installed and uses the pistol grip to keep it in place. Duh, why didn’t I think of that? And to prove that Mark thinks of everything, the RAT stock has a rubber recoil pad. Not so much to dampen the recoil,

The RAT stock has a big loop to hook your finger in, to adjust stock length. Use the latch at the front to keep it on.

but to provide a non-slip surface. The stock also has QD sling swivel sockets built in, another clue LaRue knows rifles. The slider on the stock uses a loop to unlock the stock, and let you set it for length of pull at any of six locations. You simply stick a finger in the loop, squeeze your hand around the buttplate, and slide the stock. My first time checking things, I had thought I’ve spent too much time building hand strength in the past, because I had the stock slide completely off. I mentioned that to Molly on one of the back-andforths while I was building. “Patrick, there’s a knob on the front end of the RAT. One way allows you to pull the stock off. The other way keeps it on.” It is good to

be reminded that despite decades in the biz, there’s still something new to be learned. The upper and lower receivers and the handguard are all milled from billet aluminum. The bolt is plated, marked by LaRue, the gas key screws are well-staked, and the carrier is backed up by an H2 marked buffer weight. This comes with an action spring suited to the 7.62/.260/6.5CM system, and the spring is painted red on the end that is against the buffer weight. Included with the upper parts kit is a LaRue magazine for the 6.5 Creedmoor, which is the same as the one for a 7.62x51. For my range trips, I added a Magpul magazine, because, well, it is now the default

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

PAGE 36

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

BACK-UP SIGHTS AND 3-GUN SIGHTS

If the scope is bolted in, then I use an offset BUIS setup, like this one from XS Sights.

The LaRue scope mount not only has throw levers to let you quickly install or remove, it has precisionmachined rings to hold your scope firmly and in the right place.

When I have a scope in a QD mount, I use folding BUIS.

magazine for the AR-10. If the LaRue is or isn’t going to work with one of them, I’d best find out just as quickly as possible. (It did, just fine, thankyouverymuch.) So, that completes the rifle build. To check accuracy, I grabbed a LaRue (who else?) scope mount off the shelf, and installed a super-scope in it: a Leupold VX-3i LRP 6.5−20x50 scope I swapped off of another rifle. This is a 6.5 to 20X variable, in a 30mm tube with side focus, first focal plane and CCH reticle. This allows me to apply known hold-overs in the grid, and also to use windage adjustments without touching the adjustments. The plan was to haul it out to the range of a local shooter (lucky guy) and check it out on steel out to 688 yards. To aid in that, I clamped a Picatinny adapter to the bottom of the Keymod slot handguard, used an American Defense clamp and bipod for support. In getting the LaRue zeroed, I had quite the experience. At first, it refused to function as a repeater. Hmmm. I checked everything over, and then remembered that rifles like lubricant. Back to the car for a search for lube, and just before I was going to opt for the transmission fluid from the dipstick method, found an ancient bottle of LSA. That solved the problem. Once I had it zeroed, shooting sub-MOA groups was easy. I dialed it in to be dead-on at 100 yards, and prepared to make the trek to 700 yard land. Range days are always fun. I started by checking my zero at 100 yards, and with the help from some

K, I’m old school. I require back-ups to anything that can break. And I can break almost anything. So, regardless of how ‘indestructible” a scope may be (and Leupold makes really, really, rugged scopes) I insist on having back-up irons. Now, with the LaRue scope mount, and its QD throw levers, I’ll opt for a folding set of irons on the top rail. To that end, I rang up Bravo Company and had them send a set of FDE folders. Perfect. If, on the other hand, I‘m using a scope mount that does not have a QD capacity, then I’ll go one of two ways, and they come from the 3-Gun arena. That would be angled sights, either irons like the XS Sights, or a compact red-dot like a Shield RMSc on an angled platform. To use them you simply rotate the rifle thirty degrees or so on your shoulder, and aim past the now-dead optic. We were doing this with 3-Gun rifles back in the Reagan administration, also known as the big-hair-band-era. Now, when the hard-chargers who go into dusty places and put paid to the careers of bad guys wanted optics, they had the back-up red dot mounted on top. I’m not usually one to say people with that much experience are wrong, but they were. Putting the compact RDS up on top of the optic is the wrong place, and makes emergency back-up shooting slower. A lot slower. If your scope is bolted on, put your backups on the side, not on top, and learn to twist.

experienced long-range shooters, learning my dialups. Then I had a curious problem. As I went further out, the rifle got less accurate. Oh, not markedly so, but when you are shooting 0.7 MOA at 100 yards, you expect, on a calm day, to be shooting 0.7 or so out at 200, 300 and so-on. I wasn’t. So back home after the first day I swapped out scopes and went with another big Leupold VX-3i. At my home range I checked zero and shot groups. OK, back to 0.7 MOA, maybe even a bit less. I put the other scope back on its rifle, and yes, it also shoots sub-MOA. Did before, does again. [Cont. to page 38]

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

PAGE 38

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

When the next long-range day came, I took the

The gas key screws are staked the way they should be, stoutly.

The Ultimate Upper kit includes a barrel nut wrench, complete with torque specs printed right on it.

The Ultimate Upper kit comes with a magazine, in case you didn’t have any already. No such thing as too many magazines, right?

HAULING GEAR

etting a pile of gear from one place to another isn’t always easy. A big rifle like the LaRue calls for a big case, but there are limits. I found the MTM 42-inch Tactical rifle case to be perfect. Once I took the upper and lower apart, there was plenty of room for the rifle, magazine, and extras. And I could still pick it up, and I could still wrestle it into the trunk of a sedan. It has plenty of lock options, and it won’t break the bank, either, at less than fifty bucks.

The LaRue Ultimate Upper build, in the MTM case ready to go to the range.

As a brand-new rifle, I found I had to renew the lubrication a few times in the course of a hot summer’s day shooting at distant targets. Again, not a problem, as I’ve seen this before and it is indicative of tight tolerances. Over time it eased up, and my 6.5 OBR doesn’t require any more lube than other rifles now. The trigger started out light and clean and has stayed that way since. Another non-surprise, as all the LaRue triggers I’ve used have done the same. The ammunition I used that day, to go five-for-five at 688 yards was Hornady American Gunner. I was not the least bit surprised, as I had talked with a few shooters who compete on the PRS circuit, and that apparently is the standard. Some don’t even bother loading their own “special” ammo for matches. They just buy and shoot American Gunner in practice and matches, then sell the once-fired practice empties to loaders who want to craft their own. (Getting empties back at a match is not easy or common.) I’m pretty certain that the LaRue 6.5 could print groups smaller than the ones I shot. I’m not a bad shooter, but I’m no bench-rest, or PRS guy. Getting my heart-rate down into the zen-like zone needed to shoot under three-quarters MOA on a regular basis is not something I spent the last million and a half rounds developing, but I can certainly be happy with what this rifle did, and what I did with it. When you go to order your Ultimate Upper Kit, you have to be prepared. There are no less than a dozen decisions you have to make, for color, caliber, handguard length, etc. Now, having done all this work, I want you to know there is one more check-box on the LaRue order page: Assembled or Un-assembled. Yes, you can have the LaRue techs assemble your Ultimate Upper for you, if you wish. You’re still going to have to swap the LaRue RAT stock in place of whatever is there on your rifle now, because it is entirely likely that the RAT is more solid and comfortable than anything else you own. And the price? If you pass on the extra LaRue magazines, and the muzzle brake (because you already have one you want to use) you can get your LaRue Ultimate Upper kit in 7.62, .260, or 6.5CM, for $894. That is a smokin’ hot deal, considering that you get everything you need to assemble in one box (and there appears to be no extra charge if you click “Assembled” in the last box) and all the parts are made by Larue. Now, my build did include the LaRue M110 lower, which is another $299, but still, the full-up price of an Ultimate Upper Kit and the lower is $1,193. I’ve spent more than that on rifles I was not nearly as happy to have shot. If you are looking to get into bigbore long-range goodness, then this is the way to go. [Cont. to page 40]

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

Y O U R PA R T N E R I N P R O T E C T I O N

WHEN EVERYTHING’S . An entire life savings and years of hard work. A lifelong dream and commitment to family — Carlos entrusts all of it to Federal® as his Partner in Protection. No one else gives you the knowledge, training and the most effective and trusted family of defense ammunition.

Carlos Tevia

Age 43 / MECHANIC, HUSBAND, FATHER OF 2

Everyday Protection » HST ®

PAGE 40

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

SPECIFICATIONS LARUE ULTIMATE UPPER KIT, PLUS LARUE LOWER Type: Hammer-fired semi-automatic Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor (also avail. in 7.62x51 and .260 Rem.) Capacity: 20+1 rounds Barrel: 18 in. Overall Length: 37 in. Weight: 9 lbs. 4 oz. Finish: Anodized aluminum, Grips: LaRue Tactical A-Peg Yes, at over ten pounds full-up it can be a bit to pack. But a Garand weighs that much and isn’t nearly the useful tool that the LaRue Ultimate upper, built on a LaRue lower, is. I love my Garand, but when things get serious I’ll pass right over it to the LaRue.

Sights: n/a Trigger: 3.5 lbs. MSRP: $894, $1,193 w/lower receiver

[Cont. from page 38]

All told, the LaRue Ultimate Upper Kit was both a learning experience and confirmation. The learning was in the shooting, as I have not had a lot of opportunities to wring out a rifle past 100 or 200 yards. It was also learning to get another close

look at LaRue parts, and their fit. The confirmation from this experience was that Mark makes good gear, something I had already known, but also that having done it for a number of years he hasn’t slacked off on precision.

SOURCES Hornady Ammunition Hornady.com / 800-338-3220

CHRONOGRAPH AND ACCURACY DATA Bullet Weight (gr.)

Velocity (fps)

Black Hills ELD-M

147

2,363

30.4

.80

.65

Berger OTM

130

2,617

13.0

.85

.75

Norma OTM

130

2,612

20.7

.85

.75

Federal Terminal Ascent

130

2.729

18.7

.90

.80

Hornady BTHP Match

140

2,581

10.1

.85

.70

Hornady ELD-M

140

2,570

9.9

.80

.65

Ammunition

Manufacturer: LaRue Tactical Larue.com (512) 259-1585

Accuracy Ave. / Best (in.)

Accuracy results were to be averages of three, five-shot groups at 100 yards off a Champion shooting rest. Velocities are averages of 10 shots measured on a Labradar chronograph set to read 15 feet from the muzzle.

SCARY ACCURATE AND ANVIL TOUGH, IT’S A LARUE

Berger Bullets BergerBullets.com / 660-460-2802 Norma Ammunition Norma-Ammunition.com Federal Ammunition FederalPremium.com / (800) 831-8100 Black Hills Ammunition Black-Hills.com / (605) 348-9827 MTM Case Gard MTMCase-Gard.com / 937-890-7461 Leupold Optics Leupold.com / (800) LEUPOLD

BUILT FOR THE HUNT, FIT FOR A KING.

RS 14 EVOLUTION TAHR PRICING STARTING AT $4,273

RS 14 EVOLUTION BLACK WIDOW PRICING STARTING AT $7,952

STRAIGHT PULL BOLT

MULTI-CALIBER

AUSTRIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP

Fastest, strongest, smoothest straight-pull action on the market

Switch from .222 Rem to .458 Win Mag (and nearly everything in between) in seconds

Revolutionary design, precision machined barrels, and simply the best trigger in the world

STRASSER-USA.COM

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY

SAINT VIC

Springfield’s Victor is their mid-grade Saint AR, positioned and priced between the base Saint and the highend Saint Edge. Springfield has also introduced their budget-priced line of Hex Optics, and here you see the Hex Dragonfly red dot atop the Saint.

By James Tarr

TOR

AND HEX DRAGONFLY

ith Springfield Armory’s AR-based Saint family, the entry-level model gives you a polymer handguard and fixed front sight, collapsible stock, and basic controls. The top-of-the-line Saint Edge models have all the bells and whistles you could want, including custom billet receivers, a fabulous match trigger pull, and custom-designed flip-up iron sights. The Saint Victor series sits in the middle of the other two. It is offered in rifle, SBR, and pistol configurations, and depending on the configuration it can be had in 5.56 NATO, .308, .350 Legend, and/or .300 AAC Blackout, in various colors. For this review not only did I secure a Saint Victor rifle in 5.56, but one of Springfield’s new red dot optics, the Hex Dragonfly. First, a brief comment — Springfield Armory dove into the AR-15 market in the fall of 2016 with the original Saint. A lot of industry people (myself included) thought they were waaaay too late to the AR party. Four years later, Springfield now has the largest share of the U.S. commercial AR-15 market. Why? How? By offering well-built and reliable ARs with features consumers want, at prices either equal to or less than competitors’ guns. So, if you think Springfield is late and/or dumb to jump into the red dot market, based on their track record you should prepare to be wrong. Now let me dive into the rifle, and after that we’ll take a look at the optic. Springfield offers two different versions of the all-black 5.56-chambered Victor, one with B5 Systems furniture, and one with Bravo Company furniture. I received the latter for testing. This rifle is equipped with a 16-inch barrel with a mid-length gas system, 5.56 NATO chamber, and a 1:8-inch twist. With a pinned gas block. Many people consider this the best combination of features for a do everything/hard use rifle, especially the pinned gas block.

PAGE 44

A 16-inch tube is the minimum legal length for a standard rifle, while being long enough to get most of the velocity out of the .223/5.56. The larger 5.56 NATO chamber is more reliable when the gun gets dirty. A mid-length gas system is softer recoiling and easier on the parts than a carbine-length, so the gun will last longer. A 1:8-inch twist allows you to use the widest range of bullet weights of any twist on the market. And when it comes to malfunctioning ARs, the biggest culprit is usually the gas system, and pinning your gas block pretty much guarantees your block won’t work itself loose, eliminating one potential problem from the equation. The 16-inch barrel is made of chrome-moly vanadium steel, with a Melonite coating inside and out for corrosion resistance. It has what is known as a “government” profile, which means behind the gas block it is narrow, and at and forward of the gas block it is .750 of an inch in diameter. This barrel profile helps keep the weight down. The unloaded weight of this rifle is six pounds, 10 ounces, and with the stock fully extended the unloaded rifle balances at the front receiver pin. “SPRINGFIELD ARMORY GENESEO, IL” is laser-etched on the right side of the barrel back near the chamber, and “5.56 NATO 1/8” is etched up near the muzzle. At the end of the barrel you’ll see a muzzle brake. This is a two-chamber Springfield Armory brake with two additional small circular ports at the rear, at 10 and two o’clock. While rather small, it is quite effective. The barrel free floats inside a 15-inch handguard of Springfield’s own design, with M-LOK attachment slots every 45 degrees around the circumference. The handguard is 7075 T6 aluminum, and hardcoat anodized. While there is a section of rail at the end of the handguard, and where it mates with the upper receiver, for most of its length the top of the handguard is slick to both keep it slim and help keep the weight down. I am far from the only person to think that every AR meant for serious use should have iron sights — for backup if nothing else, as batteries die, and scopes break. However, I doubt you can find two people who agree on the best iron sights out there. The sights on the Saint Victor were designed new for Springfield’s Saint Edge series by Leapers. If their proportions look a little weird that’s because they have been designed to take up as little real estate on the rail as possible. The tradeoff is that they sit a little bit taller when folded.

The Saint Victor swaps out the polymer handguard and fixed front sight of the base Saint for a freefloat handguard and pop-up sights and put in an improved flat trigger as well.

The selector and bolt release are standard G.I., however the Victor is supplied with a nickel-boron coated trigger group, and a flat faced trigger Tarr found he really liked.

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY

You get pictograms for the selector switch on the Saints, and the name nicely laser-etched onto the right side of the trigger guard.

The two-chamber muzzle brake is very effective. The green is what you get after spending a lot of time at the range, copper residue from bullet jackets. Normal people clean their guns, gun writers just send them back to the manufacturers dirty.

These are pop-up sights — press a button on the left side of the body and they pop up and lock in place. They have aluminum bodies. The front sight post is traditional, and adjustable for elevation. The rear sight is adjustable for windage using a knob, and has two apertures, small and large. The upper and lower receivers are traditional forged models, with “SPRINGFIELD SAINT” in very large but subdued letters on the right side of the magazine well, and the Springfield Armory crossed cannons logo on the left side. There are bullet pictogram markings on the selector, on both sides of the receiver, even though the selector just has a lever on the left side. The Saint has a forward assist, which you might not realize is an indispensable feature until you

With this model you get the Bravo Company Gunfighter Mod 0 stock and Mod 3 pistol grip. Other models of the Saint Victor come with B5 Systems or Magpul furniture.

need it. Most of the controls — charging handle, bolt release, safety selector — are traditional GI in design. The trigger, as you can see from the photos, is not. All Saint Victor rifles come equipped with Springfield’s enhanced nickel-boron coated flat single stage trigger. Generally, I don’t care for flat-faced triggers in ARs, but I found myself really liking the model on the Victors. Trigger pull on every sample I’ve tried has been about six pounds and relatively smooth, which is not exactly match grade but still better than the average GI-style gritty trigger pull. The trigger on this rifle has been the best of any Victor I’ve tested, 5.75 pounds with a smooth, rolling break and a very short reset. Generally, I think “ambidextrous” controls on ARs are just a waste of money but enlarged/improved controls aren’t. I don’t need an oversize magazine or bolt release, but I really wish the Victor came

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY

PAGE 46

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

Trucks and guns go together, right? The Saint Victor is a robust, reliable rifle. The only thing you might want to do is swap out the brake for a flash hider. The Hex Dragonfly’s battery life is estimated at three years real world use, making it well suited for a truck-gun optic.

with a charging handle improved from the current G.I. design, which is now 50 years old. The oversize modern charging handle found on the Saint Edge is for sale on the Springfield Armory website for $59. The enhanced M16 bolt carrier group is finished with Melonite just like the barrel. The gas key is properly staked. Springfield’s specs say the bolt is 9310 steel and HPT/MPI tested. The bolt, however, tells me a different story — it is etched MPI C158 (Carpenter 158 steel). Carpenter 158 is both MilSpec for AR bolts and the industry standard. When in doubt, believe the gun in your hands. Behind the bolt carrier is an H (heavy) buffer. At the rear of the receiver you’ll see a QD sling swivel socket in the receiver end plate. I wish Springfield provided a QD socket mounted on the handguard so you didn’t have to buy an aftermarket part before being able to mount a two-point sling, but that’s a small complaint. The castle nut, I was happy to see, was properly staked. Hidden from view inside the receiver is Springfield’s Accu-Tite tension system. This is a nylon-tipped screw that you access through the bottom of the receiver. When screwed in, it binds on the bottom of the rear lug of the upper receiver, eliminating play between the two receivers. This should tighten up groups a tiny bit and eliminates any rattle in the receivers, but the two receivers had a nicely snug fit even before using this screw. The furniture comes from Bravo Company — there’s the BCM Gunfighter Mod 0 stock on a sixposition receiver extension, and the BCM Gunfighter Mod 3 pistol grip, which holds your hand at a more vertical angle than the original A2 pistol grip (which

is more ergonomic). The pistol grip has a very aggressive texture and a storage compartment. The stock offers many sling mounting options, with a nonslip rubber buttpad. It locks up very tight and at 7.5 ounces is one of the lighter stocks on the market. The Saint Victor comes with iron sights and one magazine, but in addition to that you get a nylon rifle case with attached magazine pouches, which is a very nice extra. Now let’s dive into the Hex Dragonfly. Springfield is bringing two compact red dot optics to market, the Hex Wasp and Hex Dragonfly. As in life, the Wasp is smaller than the Dragonfly. Springfield refers to the Wasp as a “micro reflex” sight specifically meant to mount atop the slide of pistols small enough for concealed carry. You can buy it separately or as a package, mounted atop the Hellcap RDP at the factory. The Dragonfly is a big larger, and will fit atop the slides of larger pistols or you can mount it atop shotguns or rifles. Springfield sent me a Dragonfly in an American Defense Manufacturing QD mount on the Saint Victor, to test in conjunction with the rifle. The Dragonfly has a one piece 6061 T6 aluminum housing and a glass lens. It is 1.9 inches long, 1.14 inches wide, 1.1 inches tall, and weighs 1.2 ounces. It has a 3.5 MOA dot and is powered by one CR2032 battery, with an advertised battery life of 100,000 hours at its lowest setting. Springfield says you can expect three years of battery life in real world use. Springfield is trying to start something by saying that the Dragonfly uses the Springfield Standard™ Footprint. If you’re worried this means you’re going to have to buy all new bases and mounts, relax. Springfield’s Standard™ Footprint is just them trying [Cont. to page 48]

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY

The pop-up sights are made by Leapers for Springfield, and are designed to take up very little room on the rail. They have aluminum bodies. The rear sight has two apertures and a click-adjust thumbwheel.

The manufacturer and the chambering/barrel twist are etched on the right side of the barrel, visible inside the handguard.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 47

TRUE BOLT ACTION AR10 / AR15 RIFLES & UPPERS

Lowest Price Pistol Ever! The Altor® Pistol is Virtually Indestructible Perfectly Simple and Simply Perfect® Survival, Backup or Stash Gun

Visit www.altorcorp.com for more info and videos

PAGE 48

Tarr really likes the QD sling swivel socket in the receiver end plate, but wishes Springfield equipped the Saint Victor with something other than a G.I.style charging handle.

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

At the range, the rifle proved itself reliable with a variety of magazines — Lancer, Magpul, and one CZ Tarr found in his range bag, which means he forgot to send it back with the CZ Bren 2 Ms he reviewed in these pages last year. Oops ….

Tarr spent a little time working the Victor and the Hex Dragonfly around his club’s rifle barricade. Here he tries a little off-side shooting. [Cont. from page 46]

to claim existing territory as their own with a catchy term — the SSF is the most widely used footprint of small red dots, otherwise known as the Doctor pattern, which is also used by the Vortex Venom and Burris Fastfire. The Dragonfly has eight brightness settings, and a 16-hour automatic shutoff. The controls are simple — just one rubberized push-button on the left side of the unit. Upon pushing the button, the dot pops on at the middle brightness setting. Keep pushing it and the dot will cycle down to the lowest brightness setting, then start at its brightest setting. To power off just press and hold the button for three seconds. The middle illumination is more than bright enough for indoor work, and at its brightest the dot is very visible outdoors on a sunny day. The optic has an IPX7 waterproofing rating, which means it can be submerged in up to one meter of water for thirty minutes. [Cont. to page 50]

To test the muzzle brake, Tarr moved back to twenty yards and did fifteen hammers, putting the dot in the center of the center circle and pulling the trigger twice as fast as he could. Except for one flyer, all the rounds went into a five-inch group. The brake is very effective.

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 49

www.infirayusa.com info@infirayusa.com

xinfrared.com

Mini Series

Toll Free: 800-769-7125

Smallest spotter, but with incredible performance, Either handheld or headmounted, this unit can revolutionize how you see the world around you.

ENGINEERED PRECISION

PRECISION BIG-BORE BOLT-ACTION RIFLES AND UPPER RECEIVERS

Phone: 682-499-0047

(844) 635-0669

mccutchenfirearms.com cs@mccutchenfirearms.com

PAGE 50

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The Hex Dragonfly uses a Doctor/Vortex Venom/Burris Fastfire footprint, and will fit on ARs as well as it does full-size pistols. [Cont. from page 48]

There is 160 MOA adjustment in both windage and elevation. Each click is 1 MOA, and I could both hear and feel the clicks in the adjustment. You will have to remove the optic from the base to swap out the battery. Considering the battery life, I don’t see that as a real negative. The sight body and the rear of the glass housing are both serrated to cut glare, which is a unique feature. MSRP on the Dragonfly is $249, which makes it one of the less expensive options on the market. FYI the smaller Wasp meant soley to ride atop pistol slides has an MSRP of $299. As for background on the sights themselves, I asked my Springfield Armory contact several pointed questions, but he only had this to say: “We worked with a vendor in China who could build them to our exacting standards and to the quality level that we demanded (a process that encompassed several years), and a price point that we wanted for the customers.” If you’re reading about these new sights other places, that’s probably the only detail you’ll get. But because you’re at Firearms News, we shoot and we know stuff. Springfield Armory has had a long happy relationship with Leapers (they make the sights and probably the handguard found on the Victor) and they are the people making the optics for Springfield. I know this because the American headquarters of Leapers is local to me, and they used one of our local outdoor ranges — the Wayne County Raccoon Hunters Club — for field testing of the Wasp last fall. WCRHC is probably the most active local Detroit club on the USPSA/IDPA circuit, and this isn’t the first time they’ve appeared in these pages. On the first trip to the range the Leapers engineers and trigger pullers put ten Wasps on ten Springfield Hellcats, and put 1,000 rounds through each pistol in a day. A few things broke and the engineers were on hand to see what and figure out why. After a minor redesign, they came back to the range and repeated their experiment — ten Wasps, ten Hellcats, and a

thousand rounds each. Better, but not perfect. Back to the factory, tweak this and that, and on their final trip to the range they put twenty thousand rounds through the ten Hellcats over two days without a single problem. Check out the photo, where you’ll see a gaggle of Leapers folks stuffing those 20,000 rounds into magazines for that final torture testing session. Everything they learned from testing the Wasp went into the Dragonfly as well.

The optics line will have their own website, HexOptics.com. They are covered by a lifetime warranty. It was the Dragonfly on the Saint Victor when I took it out for testing. If you’re looking at this (or any) rifle from a purely defensive use standpoint, you really don’t need to equip it with anything other than a standard red dot sight. Even most cops don’t train with their “patrol carbines” past 50 yards, because any engagements beyond that distance are [Cont. to page 52]

For testing of the Hex Optics, which are made by Leapers, the optics were put through several grueling torture tests. Here Leapers volunteers and engineers load magazines as part of the final torture test of the Wasp outside Detroit, 20,000 rounds through ten Wasp-equipped Hellcats in two days.

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 51

W LO

Carbine Length

Mid-Length

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ PKMR

Polymer KeyMod Rail Handguards

➤ Direct “drop-in” design replacement handguard for AR15’s with mil-spec front sight base ➤ Natural ergonomics, slim, comfortable and lightweight, with an aggressively textured area for enhanced traction

“I am the envy of my poker pals!” - J.S.

➤ Featuring a reinforced KeyMod interface for durable accessory support with three, six-hole KeyMod mounting surfaces ➤ Aluminum heat shield reduces heat transfer to the handguard and shooters' hand ➤ Patent Pending design, made in the U.S.A. ➤ Will only fit round carbine-type handguard retaining cap ➤ Available in Black and Flat Dark Earth

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ PKMR

Carbine Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24.95 Mid-Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$26.95

BravoCompanyMFG.com • Hartland, Wisconsin U.S.A. Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) • Fax: 262-367-0989 Pricing subject to change without notice. Please see website for current pricing.

Like,

comment and

all the latest news! www.facebook.com/FirearmsNewsMag

t GovMint.com, we specialize in being The Best Source for Coins Worldwide™—but every once in a while something comes along that simply blows us away. Something we can’t help but offer to our customers. And that’s just what happened when we discovered these fantastic Gold Foil Playing Cards!

99.9% P GUARANT

G d— !

Each Collector’s pack is valued at over $10. Buy just one pack of cards and you’ll get nearly double the value for your money. Just one more reason why GovMint.com is The Best Source for Coins Worldwide!

Weighted poker chips or a professionallooking table can make for a fantastic poker night with friends and family. But imagine playing a few rounds with real, 24-karat Gold Foil Playing Cards in your hands!

FREE American Coin Collector’s Pack • V g Wh b k C • V g Buff N k

Bring over a few decks of these cards and it won’t matter who winds up taking the pot— you and your cards will be all anyone will talk about for weeks!

C mm m

Each playing card in this full deck comes fully sealed in 99.9% (24-karat) pure gold—just enough to look great without reducing the cards’ flexibility.

T gh G m , W P yw hB j m Flip the cards over and you’ll see that each one features the brilliant etching of Benjamin Franklin—the same portrait that graces the U.S. $100 bill! It’s an added layer of luxury that’s sure to bring a smile to anyone holding these cards—no matter how bad their hand might be!

R C

Am c C P c —A $10 V

receive a FREE American Coin Collector’s Pack, including a genuine vintage Lincoln Wheatback Cent (1909– 1958), a genuine vintage Buffalo Nickel (1913–1938), and a Declaration of Independence Commemorative suitable for framing. Coin dates vary, but each is guaranteed to come in Good or better collector condition.

FR10E E! $

v ONE PER OR ER

B y

d SAV

These decks make unique gifts for birthdays, graduations and other special occasions. Order five decks or more and SAVE more than 25% per deck! 24-Karat Gold Foil Playing Cards P us FREE Am

1 Deck – $12.95 + s/h 2–4 Decks – $10.95 ea. + s/h 5+ Decks – $9.49 ea. + s/h R SHIPPING

’s P k

$149!

Limited time only. Product total over $149 before taxes (if any). Standard domestic shipping only. Not valid on previous purchases. For fastest service call today toll-free

1-877-564-6468 Offer Code GFC131-01 Please mention this code when you call.

SPECIAL CALL-IN ONLY OFFER

When you secure one or more decks of these Gold Foil Playing Cards, you’ll also G .c m • 14101 Southcross Dr. W., Suite 175 Dept. GFC131-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 GovMint.com® is a retail distributor of coin and currency issues and is not affiliated with the U.S. government. The collectible coin market is unregu lated, highly speculative and involves risk. GovMint.com reserves the right to decline to consummate any sale, within its discretion, including due to pricing errors. Prices, facts, figures and populations deemed accurate as of the date of publication but may change significantly over time. All purchases are expressly conditioned upon your acceptance of GovMint.com’s Terms and Conditions (www.govmint.com/terms conditions or call 1 800 721 0320); to decline, return your purchase pursuant to GovMint.com’s Return Policy. © 2021 GovMint.com. All rights reserved.

PAGE 52

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

GUNFIGHTER GUN OIL

Springfield likes to say the Hex Dragonfly uses the Springfield Standard™ Footprint. Otherwise known as the Doctor pattern, which is also used by the Vortex Venom and Burris Fastfire. For testing it came in a QD American Defense Mfg. mount.

The rear of the sight body and the lens housing are serrated to reduce glare, which is an interesting extra. The sight has an IPX7 waterproofing rating which means it can be submerged in up to one meter of water for thirty minutes.

[Cont. from page 50]

not only rare, it’s hard to explain to the use-of-force second-guessing LE administrators how shooting at someone at extreme distance was done in “selfdefense.” If the need does arise, however, you can hit targets at extreme ranges without the benefit of magnified optics. Remember just how precise a 3.5 MOA dot is. As precise as a 3.5 MOA dot may be, my eyes are not as young as they once were, so for accuracy testing I threw on a Hi-Lux Optics 1-8X. This budget-priced optic seems to fit in with the esthetic of the Victor, both in looks and price, and allowed me to shoot up to the rifle’s potential. Once the accuracy work was done, I reinstalled the Dragonfly and had some fun. AR-15s do not have much recoil to begin with, so it doesn’t take much work to design a muzzle brake/ compensator to bring the muzzle rise down to zero. The trick is to properly tune the muzzle device to the gun, as I’ve fired rifles with muzzle brakes that were so aggressive the muzzle actually dipped downward with each shot. The SA brake on the Victor seems very well suited to the rifle. Brakes are of course louder than flash hiders or even bare muzzles, but you want them for what they do — in this case, reducing muzzle rise to zero. That’s not to say there wasn’t recoil, but it was all straight back. The trick became to keep the dot

steady on the target during the recoil cycle. If anything, the dot wanted to move off to the side, and then just barely. Cue the sound of very rapid shooting, and the sight (and smell) of oil burning off the barrel. To test the effectiveness of the brake, I set up a cardboard IDPA target and moved back to twenty yards. Placing the red dot in the center of the eight-inch center circle (which means my POI was about an inch and a half lower) I proceeded to fire fifteen hammers. If you’re not sure what a hammer is, let me get you up to speed — Jeff Cooper originally was a fan of the term “double tap.” This meant firing two shots in rapid succession into a bad guy, as anybody worth shooting is worth shooting twice, and occasionally excrement happens. While he was talking about pistols, the technique translates into ARs as well. However, he later realized the term double-tap wasn’t precise enough to describe two different engagement techniques, and divided it into two new terms—“controlled pair” and “hammer.” With a controlled pair, you put your sights on the target, fire a shot, and as soon as you reacquire your sights after recoil, fire a second shot. With a hammer, you put your sights on the target, and fire two shots as fast as you can pull the trigger. With a proper grip and stance, that second shot should hit pretty close to the first, at least when using a pistol at normal defensive distances. [Cont. to page 54]

PERFORMANCE Load

Bullet Weight (gr.)

Velocity (fps)

Avg. Group (in.)

Hornady American Gunner HP

2,955

2.04

Federal Fusion SP

2,833

1.29

Black Hills OTM

2,601

1.65

Winchester FMJ

2,988

2.55

Black Hills TSX

2,862

1.67

.223 REMINGTON

5.56 NATO

Accuracy results are the averages of four five-shot groups at 100 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of ten shots measured with an Oehler Model 35P 12 feet from the muzzle.

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY

Gunfighter Gun Oil is a quality 100% synthetic lube Tarr has been using for a while with good results. It’s available in two sizes, or the combo kit as seen here.

n a range emergency you can use the oil off your car’s dipstick, or buy some oil or transmission fluid at your local auto parts store (they are both designed to lube moving metal parts) but application can get a bit messy, and wouldn’t you rather use a product specifically designed for a firearm? Just as there are a gazillion companies making ARs these days, there seem to be just as many companies making firearm lubricants. I’d like to be able to say all gun lubes are the same, but in fact that’s not the case. One well-known gun lube is made mostly of vegetable oil, which gums up in cold temperatures and breaks down under high heat and over time. You don’t want that. Any of that. One product I’ve been using recently is Gunfighter Gun Oil (GunFighterOil.com). They make a dedicated gun lube as well as a thicker grease (which is brand new but should be available by the time you’re reading this). They also make a cleaning solution. Their products work from -43°F to +547°F (-43 to +286°C). They are non-toxic and nonhazardous to humans, and are odor free (important if you’re using them on your hunting rifle). Gunfighter Gun Oil is 100% synthetic, and they state that it lasts four times longer than mineralor plant-based oils. Over time or with heat/use the product does not break down or thicken like some competing lubes, or at least not nearly as quickly. It will eventually wear out and/or break down — all lube/oil does, that’s why you change [Cont. to page 54] the oil in your car.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

ON THE GO?

GET YOUR DIGITAL EDITION!

PAGE 53

Providing secure gun storage since 1974. PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA

(Digital access now included with your paid Subscription!)

SUBSCRIBE NOW! WWW.FIREARMSNEWS.COM

CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS GO TO MYMAGNOW.COM AND SELECT “CREATE DIGITAL ACCOUNT” Digital edition is available on updated iPad/iPhone, most Android devices, and the Microsoft Store for Windows

Get 10% OFF any case. Visit KalispelCaseLine.net to place your order today.

USE OFFER CODE FIREARMS68 EXPIRES 9/30/2021

PAGE 54

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

GUNFIGHTER GUN OIL CONT.

The Hex Dragonfly has a one piece 6061 T6 aluminum housing and a glass lens. It is 1.9" long, 1.14" wide, 1.1" tall, and weighs 1.2 ounces. It has a 3.5 MOA dot and is powered by one CR2032 battery, with an advertised battery life of 100,000 hours at its lowest setting. Springfield says you can expect three years of battery life in real world use. [Cont. from page 52]

When initially testing the Victor, I saw how the brake virtually eliminated muzzle rise, which made me want to do further testing. At twenty yards distance, shooting offhand, doing fifteen hammers (for a total thirty rounds), with the exception of one @≠ç&$! flyer I put

SPECIFICATIONS SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR 5.56 Caliber: 5.56 NATO Weight: 6 lbs., 10 oz. Overall Length: 32.5 in. (stock collapsed) 35.75 in. (stock extended) Receiver: Forged aluminum Barrel: 16 in., CMV, mid-length gas system, 1/8 in. twist, Melonited Gas Block: Compact BCG: Melonited Muzzle Device: SA muzzle brake Stock: BCM Gunfighter Mod 0 Pistol Grip: BCM Gunfighter Mod 3 Handguard: 15 in. aluminum, M-LOK compatible Charging Handle: Standard GI

Trigger: Flat, NiB coated, single stage, 5.75 pounds (as tested)

all the rounds into a five-inch group. Using a near sixpound trigger. Which means the rifle shoots as flat as flat gets. The only downside? Brakes are somewhere between loud and really really loud, and generally increase flash, which is why I don’t recommend them for indoor work. However, it’s a matter of only a minute to swap out that brake for a flash hider, if you so desire. As I wrote at the introduction of the original Saint, “Springfield Armory isn’t the first company to offer rifles set up like the Saint. In fact, in its combination of features the Saint is Springfield’s version of the “mid MOE” rifles already on the market, only with BCM-brand furniture including a never-before-seen handguard … BUT with a price $200−$300 less than its competitors.” The same is true of the Saint Victor — it offers a few more options and upgrades, for a bit more money, but still less cash than most of its competitors. I still think “Saint” is a weird name, but it sure hasn’t hurt their sales. Personally, I want everyone to own an AR, so that when they come for one they have to come for us all, and Springfield seems to be doing everything they can to put modern sporting rifles into the hands of everyone in the country. Springfield Armory makes good ARs. Period. I am a veteran jaded gunwriter, which means not only do I often confuse my opinion with fact but I am very cheap. And yet I own two Springfield ARs, which I actually bought with my own money. Keep what that means in mind when you look at both the Saint Victor, and the Hex Dragonfly.

Sights: Flip-up Accessories: 1 30-round magazine, soft case MSRP: $1,125 Manufacturer: Springfield Armory Springfield-Armory.com

James Tarr is a longtime contributor to Firearms News and other firearms publications. He is also the author of several books, including CARNIVORE, which was featured on The O’Reilly Factor. Check out his latest novels at his website, OfficialJamesTarr.com

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT VICTOR AND HEX DRAGONFLY

For his carry gun Tarr prefers grease, as it stays where you put it and doesn’t leak out onto your clothes. He’s been running the Gunfighter Gun Oil grease in his Glock for a while and likes it. [Cont. from page 52]

The gun oil is nearly clear and roughly as thick as motor oil. It is offered in 2- and 4-ounce bottles, and you can buy a combo kit with both bottles and a needle applicator. I’ve been running in it a few test ARs over the past month, and it seems to work very well. ARs are a firearms design which tends to work better “wet” than “dry,” and with the needle applicator tip I can get the oil exactly where I need it on an AR. Pro tip — well-lubed guns are easier to clean. When compared to ARs, handguns are a different animal, especially carry guns. I’ve always preferred some sort of grease as a lube for my carry guns, as oils can and do leak out, often onto your clothing. Grease, on the other hand, stays where you put it…but you want to reserve it for those guns that have enough gap/play for the thicker grease. In the past I’ve used everything from Brian Enos’ Slide Glide to lithium grease in my Glocks, so I was eager to try out the Gunfighter Grease. I put the white grease on the slide rails and the inside of the slide against the barrel. This really smooths out the cycling of the gun, and the grease stays where you put it. If you’re running an AR or a tight pistol (like a custom 1911), use the oil. For Glocks and most other modern pistols, or any pistol that rattles when you shake it, the grease might be a better choice. The grease will be offered in a one-ounce syringe. Bottles of the lube start at $11.99, and the combo kit (2- and 4-ounce bottles plus needle applicator) runs $29.50.

BACK

The M&P10 in its natural environment...shouldered against body armor on a remote mountainside in Alaska.

COUNTRY

By Rikk Rambo

ALASKA WILDLIFE TROOPERS AND THE SMITH AND WESSON M&P10

he United States of America, by international standards, is a fledgling nation. When compared to ancient empires and dynasties such as Japan (founded under Emperor Jimmu in 660 B.C.) and China (founded in 221 B.C. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang), America would barely even warrant “infant status.” In fact, if the “Good ol’ USA” was a cute little cherry-cheeked bambino, our adorable little bundle of “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and Chevrolet” joy would still be waiting to see a hint of daylight (and get that prerequisite swat on the keister) while the expectant father dabbed the sweat off of his wife’s brow, the nurse enthusiastically admonished her to “push,” and the attending physician pondered whether or not he was going to make it out of the maternity ward with enough time to spare for a mid-afternoon tee-time and a couple of high-balls at the local country-club.

It’s true...when strictly gauging our nation’s physical age against the backdrop and context of a rigid, historical world-civilization timeline, the United States is not but a punkish upstart. While it pains me to say this, even the French have us beat, chronologically. However, longevity is not the best measure of greatness. The United States began as an upstart...a virtuous rogue...and grew rapidly into a nation-state like none before it with a passion for freedom, innovation, and justice. An icon. The U.S. didn’t stingily Bogart the term “icon” solely for itself, however. America became a virtual factory that manufactured them. From the rugged historical figures of America’s wild west and the fantastic technological advancements made by men like Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison to the tyranny-smashing valor of the United States military

PAGE 58

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

There’s big...then there’s ALASKA big. (Sorry, Texas!) (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Department of Public Safety)

and bold accomplishments of NASA and its astronauts, the United States rapidly staked its claim as a nation that produced legendary and infinitely longlasting characters and imagery. This is the story of two of these great American icons: The Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the duty rifle manufactured by the legendary gunmakers of Smith and Wesson these “Last Frontier” lawmen and women trust enough to call their own: The M&P10 in .308 Winchester. BACK IN THE DAY: THE LAST FRONTIER AND A DIFFERENT BREED OF LAWMAN The Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT) are the two primary statewide enforcement divisions tasked with maintaining

law and order across the state’s whopping 586,412 square miles of lakes, rivers, land, and 34,000 miles of Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean, and Beaufort Sea coastline. These two divisions have two distinctly separate primary roles. AST is assigned the daunting task of “standard” law enforcement (police patrol, highway safety enforcement, and criminal investigations), whereas AWT is the 49th State’s enforcement arm tasked with protecting three of Alaska’s greatest treasures...and while oil, Sarah Palin, and television reality shows are up there high on the list, the correct answers are the last frontier’s wildlife, fisheries, and natural resources. Since 1967, the Alaska State Troopers have been on the prowl for wrongdoing and ready to initiate a search and rescue party for stranded mari-

The part they don’t show you on T.V. Even old-time Deputy U.S. Marshals on ‘the last frontier’ had to do their paperwork!

ners, hikers, or climbers in the backcountry, but this was not always the case. The cold hard reality is that if there was ever a modern North American venue that exemplified the catchphrase “There’s never a cop around when you need one,” it was Alaska during its fledgling years as a U.S. territory and state. Old Glory first flew over “The Great Land” in 1867 after it was purchased from the cash strapped Russkies for 7.2 million dollars (a mere 2 cents per acre). From that moment on, the implementation of effective law enforcement on “The Last Frontier” became a Herculean task. The vast distance between population centers, ports, and transportation hubs were mind[Cont. to page 60]

The “old ball and chain” in territorial Alaska was no joke: Play stupid games and win stupid prizes...like a cannon ball attached to your ankle with logging chain.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

150-plus years of north-country justice: Deputy U.S. Marshals and Firearms News hunting editor Rikk Rambo after the arrest of a violent, well-armed rapist/ fugitive in Alaska’s remote interior.

The American Gold Eagle, lauched in 1986, is among the world’s best selling Gold bullion coins. These 1/10oz coins offer an attractive entry point to this popular series or Gold investing in general.

1/10oz Gold Eagles

Limit of 10 Coins

Silver Eagles have long been recognized as one of the world’s most popular coins, and are the only 1oz Silver bullion coins produced by the U.S. Mint. For the first time since their 1986 introduction, the Gold and Silver Eagles are going to receive an updated design mid-year 2021. Act now to add the final issue of the classic design to your collection at a dealer’s cost!

1oz Silver Eagles

Limit of 10 Coins

8 5 5 - 3 4 4 - 2 6 4 6 PLEASE REFERENCE THE PROMO CODE

F A N 0 6 2 1

WHEN CALLING FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE OFFER www.texasbullion.com

FREE GOLD with all eligible Precious Metals IRA Rollovers!

Offer only valid through July 31st. This offer is only available to first time customers. Prices and availability subject to change due to market consideration. Quantities are limited. Strict limit of 10 gold coins available per customer. Texas Bullion Exchange, Inc. has a 10-15 day shipping policy. There is a 5-day inspection period upon arrival. Any returns after the 5-day period will be subject to a 20% restocking fee. *Spot price: The daily quoted market price of precious metals in bullion form is determined at the time of transaction by Texas Bullion Exchange, Inc.

PAGE 60

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

A hardy lot...a squad of Alaska Highway Patrolmen with their trademark fur hats and Sam Browne belts.

[Cont. from page 58]

boggling. In addition to Alaska’s difficult terrain and scarcity of usable road systems, her weather and climatic conditions were often “other-worldly” in scope, creating the perfect storm of nightmarish logistics for lawmen and a scattered infrastructure for its regional/ territorial courts. In the years prior to Alaska’s statehood in 1959, her law enforcement was tasked to multiple federal entities. The United States Army, Navy, and Revenue Cutter Service (predecessor of the U.S. Coast Guard) all played a role in providing some semblance of law and order in America’s northern hinterlands. However, it was a legendary federal law enforcement organization, one I was privileged to serve with at the outset of my law enforcement career, that ultimately played the most significant role in bringing justice to Alaska during its fledgling years: The United States Marshals Service. “All right, Clanton... you called down the thunder, well now you’ve got it! You see that? It says United States Marshal... So run, you cur... RUN! Tell all the other curs the law’s comin’... YOU TELL ‘EM I’M COMING AND HELL’S COMING WITH ME, YOU HEAR? HELL’S...COMING...WITH ME! -Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell); Tombstone Throughout the 1800’s, the U.S. Marshals Service ranged across Alaska righting wrongs and taking the fight to the bad guys. The USMS ranged throughout Alaska during an era in which the concept of “backup” and hospital trauma centers were as alien Getting there was half the fun...a 1952 Hudson Hornet patrol car fully restored by the Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers Law Enforcement Museum.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

as quantum physics, space travel, and an angry old mitten-wearing Marxist Senator from Vermont becoming the subject of a hilarious viral internet meme craze. From Skagway to Nome and all points in between, Deputy U.S. Marshals, with their timeless

silver stars, six-guns, rifles, and shotguns risked life, limb, and likely their sanity in their efforts to keep the peace on Alaska’s northernmost property. During the early years of Alaska’s era as a U.S. Territory, lawlessness was a very real problem…especially if you didn’t reside within population centers patrolled by municipal police departments such as Juneau, Anchorage, or Fairbanks. In 1945, the thugs, rapscallions and ne’er-do-wells across “the great land” finally had to face a regional nemesis that could “give as good as they got”: The Alaska Highway Patrol. Initially this agency was a one-trick pony and did not have full arrest powers outside of the territory’s road system. That all changed when the decision was made by the U.S. Department of Justice to federally vet them as Special Deputy U.S. Marshals. Over the coming years, these hardy coppers’ presence was further bolstered with a name change and additional personnel...and the Alaska Territorial Police hit the ground running. This elite group of lawmen earned a reputation as trustworthy, effective investigators second only to the Texas Rangers. With only 36 gun carriers to cover a state twice as large as Texas, these brave men were spread out across the last frontier as thin as the talent in today’s music industry. While few in number, these lawmen gained a legendary reputation for toughness, fairness, and bravery. This legacy continued until 1959, when Alaska was granted statehood and they received a new title: The Alaska State Police. While the name may have

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Then and now, being a successful cop often requires a good sense of humor: A vintage Christmas card from the Alaska Highway Patrol Fairbanks/North Pole post!

changed, the mission and difficulties did not, and in 1967, Alaska’s premier law enforcement agency received their iconic and current title: The Alaska State Troopers (AST). TOUGH WEAPONS FOR A TOUGH MISSION AST, the 49th state’s sourdough (local slang for old time, back-country savvy Alaskans) state law enforcement agency, ultimately branched into two separate divisions...both with statewide arrest powers. The color of their uniform shirts, however, tells the story of their quite different roles. The Alaska State Troopers overriding uniform theme is the traditional “law enforcement blue” and carries with it the symbolism that defines their primary purpose in providing patrol and criminal investigative services. The Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT) are granted the same arrest powers as their sister agency, but the

Community oriented policing before it was chic...an Alaska State Police Officer visiting a remote village courtesy of an iconic Stinson SR-10 bush plane.

color of their shirts, back-country brown, denotes the specialized and true nature of their mission: The protection of Alaska’s wildlife, fisheries, and natural resources. A role that that commonly demands a significant amount of time spent in Alaska’s remote bush. The AWT is unlike any other law enforcement agency in North America. Utilizing fixed and rotary wing aircraft, snow machines, ATV’s, and small craft ranging from 14-foot flat-bottomed skiffs to the 156 foot in length/443-ton maritime patrol vessel Stimson, these specialized Troopers patrol remote regions of Alaska that most Americans will only see in a National Geographic documentary. Their gear is specialized...so much so that multiple articles could be penned without doing the subject justice, but we’re gathered here today to talk about one of the most vital tools in their kit...the AR-10 based Smith and Wesson M&P10 in .308 Winchester. Alaska Wildlife Troopers work in both populated and uber-remote areas of Alaska. If variety is the spice

Another day at the office: An Alaska Wildlife Trooper in his natural environment. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Department of Public Safety)

PAGE 61

of life, the men and women of the AWT are well taken care of in the condiment department. While the vast majority of their encounters are friendly and amicable, when things “go south,” potential threats can take the form of a variety of antagonists. Just like Forrest Gump amicably said: “Life is like a box of chocolates” ...except on “The Last Frontier,” the second part about “never knowing what you’re going to get” takes on a whole new meaning. In the 49th state, mortal foes can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and whether the villain of the day is a violent felon with an outstanding murder warrant and nothing to lose or a 900-lb. ball of teeth, claws, and fury (ie: a brown bear) shot and wounded by a hiker acting in self-defense in need of being humanely and safely dispatched, danger can manifest itself swiftly and violently. A Trooper’s ability to employ effective, fight-ending deadly force to counter these types of threats is paramount to his or her survival. With the prospects of timely backup units arriving to provide assistance virtually non-existent and given

Limited road systems commonly require the AST and AWT to utilize fixed wing, rotary wing, and boats/vessels to complete their mission.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

PAGE 62

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

From Rigid Hull Inflatables (R.I.B.s) to big-water ocean vessels, AST and AWT are equipped for Alaska’s marine environment.

Hunting Editor Rikk Rambo and friends during an enforcement op in coastal Southeast Alaska.

their remote and sparsely populated patrol areas, Alaska Wildlife Troopers are typically an “army of one”. The cold, harsh reality of policing the last frontier’s hinterlands is this: When a situation goes from Scooby-Doo “Ruh-Roh” bad to Arnold “Dutch” Schwarzenegger “GET TO THE CHOPPAAAAH!” worse, a Trooper’s intuition, training, reliable long arm, and a wee spot of luck may be the only factors keeping him/ her from becoming just another name and face on a memorial wall. Speaking of long arms...the AWT has a long and solid history of fielding and employing them, but you may find it surprising that prior to the issuance of the M&P10, Wildlife Troopers in need of an adequate back-country weapon had two options: requisition a high-powered rifle previously seized and forfeited by law enforcement from poachers and/or felons involved in the commission of a crime or purchase their [Cont. to page 64]

Silhouette of a Trooper Rifle: The M&P10 waiting to send rounds down range during a training session near Palmer, AK.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

Rikk Rambo waiting for permission to board the 156-foot marine patrol vessel “Stimson”: Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

PAGE 64

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

[Cont. from page 62]

own. By “lower 48” (continental U.S.) standards, the authorization for a “copper” to carry a .375 H&H Magnum or .45/70 Government lever-gun may seem like crazy-talk, but pragmatism has always been a trademark of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers. The ability to carry a capable, Alaska-worthy rifle has saved the bacon of more than a few Troopers placed in unenviable predicaments...kind of like this one:

Alaska has some big-‘uns: Hunting Editor Rikk Rambo and a Kodiak bear harvested during a spring hunt in 2012.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA IS FOR PANTYWAISTS: THE LIARS, THE BEARS, AND THE GUT-PILE! Chief Warrant Officer “Icy-73” is a good friend and one of the chosen few I trust to venture into the wilds of Alaska with while hunting or fishing. He is a longtime U.S. Army aviator, but more germane to this story is his career with the Alaska State Wildlife Troopers. Icy-73 was a true Knight Templar when it came

to wildlife protection prior to his retirement from the AWT several years ago. During his tenure with the AWT, he had many a brown bear (grizzly) encounter that would cause even the most experienced lawman or outdoorsman’s jaw to drop in utter disbelief. The fact that my friend not only survived these encounters, but also didn’t lose an arm, leg, or (given the violently ornery disposition of brown bears) any other appendages that would be sorely missed is a testament

“Icy-73” and his Robinson R-44 helicopter at a bivouac site while on patrol.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 65

You may want to send your kids to the next room: The naked M&P10!

to his fieldcraft, skills, and abilities as a Trooper and outdoorsman. Several years ago, Icy-73 received information from a highly respected lodge owner and guide regarding a pair of hunters who harvested two trophy-size bull moose but only salvaged a portion of the useable meat from them. Quite simply, they were that brand of “slob-hunter” that goes into the field to kill a game

animal, valued by good hunters as a bountiful food source, primarily for the trophy aspects (horns/antlers/skull). To the vast majority of hunters...not just Alaskans, this act is considered heresy and an unethical betrayal of a good hunter’s credo. The State of Alaska and her Wildlife Troopers take an even dimmer view of this classless and wasteful practice and backed by the 49th state’s fish and game

statutes, have the teeth to make things right. Moose, caribou, Dall sheep...all of Alaska’s wildlife...are considered irreplaceable resources. The lodge owner knew just who to call when tenacity was required, and that man was Icy-73. The two hunters that are the subject of our story were “float hunting.” In Alaska, this almost always entails being dropped off by an aircraft at the headwaters

Serious work...the M&P10 outfitted for AWT enforcement duty.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

PAGE 66

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

The Magpul SL mid-length handguard with M-Lok attachment points.

of a river, then hunting and traveling downstream to a take-out point normally consisting of a landing strip or access point to the road system. Our hunters’ river travels were complete for the day when Icy-73 landed near their campsite in his Robinson R-44 helicopter. The men provided unsatisfactory, disingenuous answers to Icy-73’s questions regarding their actions after dispatching the two moose, and my wildlife trooper brother was willing to do anything to prove it. You will understand the truth of that statement shortly.

Icy-73 learned one key fact from the lodge owner at the outset that was a legal and ethical violation. The hunters had killed the two moose, and, contrary to state game law, transported the trophies (skull/antlers) to their camp prior to field dressing and removing the salvageable meat from the kill site. After speaking with the hunters, Icy-73 also knew they had salvaged a mere portion of the good and usable meat from the animals. In addition to this, the two men were woefully unprepared to field dress a moose, lacking the necessary

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

cutlery to make good work of two 800–1600-pound Alaskan moose. What did these fellas have for blades that were up to the task of field dressing and caping their ice-age reminiscent size moose, you ask? A multiplier tool, a couple of pocketknives, and no whetstone or sharpening implements. These facts, along with photos taken by the lodge owner, made great evidence, but Icy-73 (being Icy-73) decided to go the extra mile. This was a decision that would have likely had a tragic ending for the normal Joe or Jolene possessing only a rudimentary knowledge of bear behavior and backcountry etiquette. Luckily, my good friend was not in that weight-class. In the words of an ancient and wise Athabascan tribal elder, telling a fireside gathering of young men the tale of a legendary hunter and intrepid warrior who once single-handedly saved their village from a hoard of randy, drunked-up Russian fur traders while armed with nothing more than an abnormally ginormous oosik* and foul language: “That dude got game, yo. Word to ya mother.” *What is an oosik? Sorry, kids...if you’re not from Alaska, you’ll have to ask you parents (or ornery uncle) about that one. I will give you a hint though...it can be utilized as an impact weapon and can grow to a length of nearly four-feet long! [Cont. to page 68]

Alaska Wildlife Trooper Ralf Lysdahl in South Central Alaska with his 4x4 patrol truck and M&P10.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 67

964 Donata Ct. / Lake Zurich, IL 60047 / Tel: 847-550-8246 / Fax: 847-550-0654 Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST. Most orders shipped within 24 hours. Send certified check or money order, add approximate shipping. All federal, state and local laws must be adhered to. Illinois residents add 7.75% sales tax. All prices and specifications are subject to change without notice.

CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR WEEKLY SALES AND NEW PRODUCTS !!!

COMPLETE UPPERS

WITH COMPLETE BARREL ASSEMBLY, EJECTION PORT COVER AND FORWARD ASSIST, FULLY ASSEMBLED, HEAD-SPACED AND TEST FIRED. INCLUDES BOLT CARRIER GROUP AND CHARGING HANDLE ASSEMBLY! NO FFL REQUIRED!

CAR Uppers

CAR Lightweight Uppers

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps / A2 Flash Hider Mil-Spec Forged F-Marked FSB / A2 Sight Post CAR Handguards w/Heatshield 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 ....................$400.00 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome Lined 1:9 or S.S. 1:8 ..$450.00 300BLK 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:8 .......................$400.00 9mm / 16 Inch Chrome-Moly Nitride 1:10............$435.00 7.62x39 16 Inch Chrome-Moly Nitride .................$445.00

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver LtWt Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps / A2 Flash Hider Mil-Spec Forged F-Marked FSB / A2 Sight Post CAR Handguards w/Heatshield 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 ..........................$400.00 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome Lined 1:9 .........................$450.00 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:7 ..........................$400.00 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome Lined 1:7 .........................$450.00

5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 ..........................$400.00 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome Lined 1:9 or S.S. 1:8 ........$450.00 5.56mm / 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 or 1:7 LTWT.......$400.00 9mm / 16 Inch ChromeChrome-Moly Nitride 1:10......$435.00 458 SOCOM / 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:14 ..................$550.00

Varmint Uppers

20 Inch Rifle Uppers

Commando Uppers

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps / A2 Flash Hider Mil-Spec Forged F-Marked FSB / A2 Sight Post E2 Handguards with Heatshield 5.56mm / 20 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 ........................... $415.00 5.56mm / 20 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 LTWT .................. $425.00 5.56mm / 20 Inch Chrome Lined 1:9 .......................... $465.00 5.56mm / 20 Inch Stainless Steel 1:8 ......................... $465.00

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps / A2 Flash Hider Mil-Spec Forged F-Marked FSB / A2 Sight Post CAR Handguards with Heatshield 5.56mm / 11.5 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 ........................ $400.00 5.56mm / 11.5 Inch Chrome Lined 1:9 or 1:7 ............. $450.00 300 BLK 10.5 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:8 .......................... $400.00 7.62x39 / 11.5 Inch Chrome Lined 1:10 ...................... $465.00

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver Varmint Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps Picatinny Rail Gas Block Front Sight Base Aluminum Free Float Tube 5.56mm / 16 Inch Stainless Steel 1:8 ..................$445.00 5.56mm / 20 Inch Stainless Steel 1:8 ..................$465.00 5.56mm / 24 Inch Stainless Steel 1:8 ..................$465.00 with optional Versa-Pod Bipod......................... add $55.00

CHARGING HANDLES / CARRIERS / HANDGUARDS

Mid-Length Uppers

M4 Style Uppers

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps / A2 Flash Hider Mil-Spec Forged F-Marked FSB / A2 Sight Post Mid-Length Handguards with Heatshield

UPPERS - OPTIONS & UPGRADES

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver M4 Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps / A2 Flash Hider Mil-Spec Forged F-Marked FSB / A2 Sight Post M4 Handguards w/Heatshield 5.56mm / 14.5 or 16 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 ........$400.00 5.56mm / 14.5 or 16 Inch Chrome Lined 1:9 .......$450.00 5.56mm / 14.5 or 16 Inch Chrome Lined 1:7 .......$450.00 5.56mm / 16 Inch Stainless steel 1:8...................$450.00 5.56mm / 16 inch Chrome-Moly 1:8 ....................$400.00

Pistol Uppers

Mil-Spec Forged Flattop T-Marked Upper Receiver Barrel with M4 Feed Ramps / A2 Flash Hider Picatinny Rail Gas Block Aluminum Free Float Tube 5.56mm / 7 1:7 or 11.5 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:9 ....... $425.00 5.56mm / 11.5 Inch Chrome Lined 1:9 ................... $475.00 300 BLK 8 or 10.5 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:8 ............... $425.00 9mm / 4 or 10.5 Inch Chrome-Moly 1:10 ................ $445.00

GAS BLOCKS / FRONT & REAR SIGHTS

Tactical Charging Handle Latch ........................add $15.00 PR Big Latch ....................................................add $20.00 BCM Gunfighter Ambi Charging Handle ............add $75.00 Troy Industries Ambi Charging Handles ............add $75.00 Chrome Carrier Group Assembly ......................add $25.00 Nickel Boron Carrier Group Assembly ...............add $55.00 CAR Quad Rail (Imported).................................add $25.00

Diamondhead VRST or X ....... 10" $160, 13.5" $185, 15" $195 M&A M-Lok or Keymod ...... 7" $40, 9" $50.00, 12" or 15" $65 Magpul MOE CAR/Mid...................add $25.00, Std add $30.00 MI #17 or DoubleStar CAR 2 Piece Quad .............. add $120.00 Rock River Arms Half Quad Free Float .................. add $110.00 Troy Alpha or M-Lok.......... 7" $135, 9" or 11" $150, 15" $170 YHM CAR or Mid Diamond Quad Rail .................... add $130.00

Low Profile .750 Alum ....................... add $0.00 / Steel $25.00 Single Rail GB .750 Alum .................. add $0.00 / Steel $45.00 Gas Block Flip-Up Front Sight .750................................ $80.00 Quad Rail Gas Block .750 or .936 Steel ......................... $65.00 AIM Flip-Up M.A.D. Rear ............................................... $35.00 Diamond Flip-Up Rear Sight ........................................ $110.00 Magpul Polymer Front Sight, Rail Height........................ $40.00

Magpul Polymer Flip-Up Rear Sight...... $55.00 PRO $95.00 Mil-Spec Detachable Carry Handle...........................$90.00 MI Flip-Up Front Sight, Gas or Rail Height .................$75.00 Troy Flip-Up Rear Sight, Gas or Rail Height ...............$90.00 Troy Flip-Up Rear Sight ..........................................$110.00 YHM Flip-Up Front Sight, Gas or Rail Height .............$70.00 YHM Flip-Up Rear Sight ........9680 $100.00, 5010 $115.00

Pistol Grips

Lower Receiver Parts

Vertical Foregrips

Front / Rear Sights

$69.00 Promag Vert Grip $15.00 Hogue $20.00 Sniper Grip $35.00 Ergo w/ storage $25.00 GI A2..........................................................................$5.00 DPMS PSGI ..............................................................$35.00 Ergo Sure Grip .........................................................$25.00 Ergo Sure Grip Deluxe Palm Swell ............................$55.00 Ergo Grip with storage .............................................$25.00 Magpul MOE.............$20.00, Magpul MOE+............$24.00 Magpul K / K2 or Slimline............$20.00, K2+........$24.00 Sniper Grip ..............................................................$39.00 UTG STD Grip...........................................................$15.00 UTG Combat Grip .....................................................$20.00

RRA NM 2 Stage $115.00

ACC-U-Wedge................................................................ $3.00 AR15 LPK w/ Grip ........................................................ $65.00 AR15 LPK (LESS FCG & GRIP))...................................... $35.00 AR15 LPK w/ RRA 2 Stage ......................................... $140.00 AR15 Ambi Selector ..................................................... $25.00 Magpul BAD Lever ....................................................... $29.00 Magpul Enhanced Triggerguard.................................... $20.00 Magpul Enhanced Mag Release ................................... $20.00 Magpul Moe Triggerguard .............................................. $9.00 RRA Winter Trigger Guard ............................................. $15.00

Please call for other options and upgrades

308 16" Upper Assembly Post w. 15" Mlok ............$555.00 308 16" Upper Assembly w/ 12" KEYMOD .............$555.00

GEISSELE SSA $220.00

CAA

TROY CAA FVG (Folding) ........................................................ $35.00 CAA MVG ..................................................................... $25.00 Daniel Defense ............................................................ $45.00 GPS 02 Grip Bipod ..................................................... $105.00 Magpul AFG 1 or 2 ....................................................... $35.00 Magpul MVG (MOE) ...................................................... $20.00 Magpul RVG (Rail) ........................................................ $25.00 SOG Graphite ............................................................... $35.00 UTG Alum w/ 150 Lumen Light .................................... $65.00 UTG Alum..................................................................... $35.00 UTG Foldable ............................................................... $25.00 UTG STD ...................................................................... $20.00

DPMS 308 UPPER ASSEMBLY

308 20" Std W / DPMS FF .......................................... $545.00 DPMS Upper.............$185.00 308 20" Std W / DPMS FF & Rail Gas Block ............... $545.00

Troy Battle Sight Rear $100.00

Troy M4 or HK Style Front $90.00

AIM Fixed Rear.........................................................$35.00 GI Deatchable Carry Handle .....................................$95.00 Diamond Head Flip-Up Rear ...................................$110.00 M&A Fixed Front ......................................................$35.00 M&A Flip Front .........................................................$40.00 Magpul MBUS Front .................................................$40.00 Magpul MBUS Rear..................................................$55.00 RRA N. M. Carry Handle .........................................$160.00 Troy Front SOCC.......................................................$95.00 Troy Rear SOCC .....................................................$110.00 YHM 9584 GB Front Sight ......................................$105.00

Includes BCG and Charging Handle

DPMS 308 Charging Handle ................$25.00

308 Buffer Assembly................................................$60.00 308 LPK.............$75.00

W / RRA 2 Stage...........$155.00

DPMS BCG.........$195.00 16" DPMS Barrel............$195.00 Less FCG & Grip.......$55.00

16" Upper Assembly W / M & A 15" MLOK .............$585.00 308 20" W/ Mlok Handguard...................................... $595.00

308 16" Upper Assembly W / Troy Alpha Rail..........$615.00

243 DPMS 20" Std Upper Assembly........................... $725.00

308 15" Mlok Handguard ........................................ $95.00

308 7" Mlok ......................$75.00

338 Federal DPMS 20" Std Upper Assembly ..............$695.00

PAGE 68

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

165 grains of hard-hitting excellence...the Federal Trophy Bonded 165-grain .308 Winchester cartridge. The 168-grain A-Max from Hornady’s Black line of AR/Modern Sporting Rifle geared ammunition.

Cutaway of the 168-grain A-Max cartridge.

[Cont. from page 66]

Icy-73 flew his chopper back up to the several dayold kill site and did a fly-over. Both moose had been covered with dirt and debris by sizeable brown bears... and it gets better. A nine to 10-foot (nose to tail) grizzly decided to stand his ground on one of the kill sites and faceoff with our trooper friend’s whirlybird as he circled and surveyed the scene at a safe distance overhead. Ultimately, the bear appeared to opt out and disappeared into the bush. Icy-73 landed his R-44 on a gravel bar next to a small stream that dumped out into the main river and geared up with his evidence gathering kit and longarm of choice. During the time frame in which this story took place, the AWT did not issue a counter-bear duty rifle like the M&P10. Luckily for Icy-73, AWT authorized their enforcement personnel to utilize rifles seized and forfeited from felons and serious game-law violators. He snagged his grab-bag rifle, a .375 H&H Magnum bolt-gun, and cautiously made his way uphill through thick foliage to the mounds of dirt and twigs that covered the gut piles. When he arrived at the kill site, he could hear the sounds of multiple bears in the woods around him, but this wasn’t his first not-so “Gentle Ben” rodeo and he powered through the retrieval of the evidence he required. Even with the dead moose’s remains covered in dirt and scavenged by multiple bears, it was blazingly obvious to him the hunters had unabashedly lied to cover up their infractions...now the only thing he had to do was survive the brushy hike back to the plane. That was when the proverbial “shiitake hit the overheated wok” and the previously mentioned brute of a bear that had grudgingly given up its dirt-infused moose buffet to the rotor-slap of the helicopter charged back into the clearing. The bruin stormed out of the woods and stood at full height to fix his fiery gaze on the interloper that dared challenge his claim to the moose carcass. Fortunately for Icy-73, his fieldcraft went into hyperdrive when he heard the bear’s less than subtle approach. When our favorite “BerenBloodstain Bear” stood up to see who he was going

AWT Sgt. Ralf Lysdahl involved in SERT training with a 5.56mm little brother of the M&P10.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

to murder next, Icy-73 was already twenty-five yards away from the kill and concealed in a thick patch of brush. He was prone, with his .375 H&H bolt-gun at the ready and anticipating the bear’s charge when the sound of an engine roared low and over-head, momentarily distracting the brownie. It was the lodgeowner, flying out to check on Icy-73’s well-being. This interruption was the break our man on the ground needed to get the flock out of there and/or make like a tree and leave. He moved rapidly into the gulley and followed it toute-suite to his chopper. The entire time he was on the run, several bears sounded off on

the high ground above him...admonishing him with agitated huffing, gruffing, and snorting. More disconcerting, however, was the crashing of brush and violent jaw-popping and teeth-clacking of the large grizzly that, while impressed by the firewalled 150 horsepower Lycoming engine of the lodge-owner’s Piper Super-Cub for a half-minute, was now tracking my good friend and hastily coming up on his six. Icy-73 made it back to the helicopter intact and had just initiated his take-off when the massive bear burst out of the brush in front of his aircraft. Icy-73 is not the kind of fella that, unlike recent presidential candidates (and electees) ‘misremembers’ a story to increase its level of bravado or machismo, and he’ll

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 69

No crazy movie tactics here...writer Rikk Rambo fielding the M&P10 and utilizing a vehicle for cover.

tell you exactly how it was. He was so taken by surprise and concerned by the bears aggressiveness towards the chopper, he took off under less than full power and nearly pranged (Battle of Britain-talk for “crashed”) it. Icy-73 didn’t crash, however, and with evidence in hand, completed his investigation that resulted in significant fines for the two hunters, their loss of Alaska hunting privileges, and the successful seizure/forfeiture of their rifles, and trophies. This story is just one example of the primal environment in which the AWT pursues their mission,

Excellent training conditions: ice, wind, and that big, beautiful sub-arctic sun right in the peepers!

and how necessity and pragmatism paved the way for Alaska’s finest back-country guardians to adopt the Smith and Wesson M&P10 as their own. THE CHOSEN: ANATOMY OF THE M&P10 TROOPER RIFLE The M&P10 is an AR-based rifle that does not require a War and Peace approach to showcasing its specifications. The M&P10’s practical design lends itself to the budget-friendly pricing that allows organizations like the Alaska Wildlife Troopers to purchase

and outfit a sizable number of its enforcement personnel with an effective patrol rifle while remaining under their fiscal ceilings. This combination of engineering, design, and marketing illustrates the experience and knowledge Smith & Wesson has accrued over the years in supplying law enforcement personnel with economical, yet capable firearms. The M&P10 utilizes a traditional direct impingement bolt/bolt carrier system and these additional features: • Gas Block with a Picatinny-Style Rail (for front BUIS/Backup Iron Sight) • A2-style Flash Suppressor • Mid-Length Handguard and Gas System • Proprietary Armornite Barrel Finish • Ambidextrous Safety Selector, Magazine Release, and Bolt Release • Picatinny-Style Optics Rail (Upper Receiver) The typical M&P10 fielded by line-troopers are outfitted with several well-thought-out upgrades not found on the base model. These upgrades include must-have pieces of black rifle furniture from Magpul that the standard civilian version is lacking: • Magpul MOE Carbine Stock • Magpul SL Mid-Length Handguard • Magpul MS1 Sling These Magpul accessories are tough as nails, and I say that with complete confidence due to the product line’s past performance on several duty and hunting rifles I have fielded for extended periods of time in some of Alaska’s toughest terrain and weather conditions. Of the above listed Magpul accessories, the SL mid-length handguard is an absolute must-have for the M&P10 standard model. The original M&P10 ships with an M-16 A2 style round fore end with no attachment points for weapons lights, bi-pods, or other

Basking in the Arctic Sunset: The Trooper-ready M&P10 with all of its accessories.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

PAGE 70

Journalistic fail? Yes. Fun? Also, yes! Rikk R. defaces a once beautiful AWT qualification target with 20 rounds of Australian military surplus “get some.”

accoutrements. The Magpul SL handguard remedies this by providing multiple M-Lok accessory slots for the critical aforementioned rifle gear. In addition to the Magpul gear, the AWT issues each M&P10 rifle with an Alaska-proven Trjicon Credo 1-6X24 optic. This all-weather, low-light capable rifle scope is compact, rugged, and is fully capable of providing magnifications and an excellent sight picture for moving targets at close range or threats easily exceeding 100 yards or more. The optic’s LED illumination features ten illumination settings and is rated to possess a 198-hour battery life. The Credo weights a mere 18.3 ounces and in its law enforcement/tactical configurations is available in 1-4, 1-6, and 1-8 power models. The final piece of necessary accoutrement utilized by the AWT on their rifles is the rechargeable OLIGHT PL-PRO Valkyrie weapons light. This 300– 1,500 lumen adjustable weapons light is equipped with a throw-lever attachment system for rapid attachment/removal. OLIGHT’s innovative recharging system is similar to a wireless smart-phone recharging station and consists of a USB cable with a magnetic attachment point that marries up to the outer surface of the light. OLIGHT’s specifications tout a 1.5-hour recharge rate, and a run-time of 90 minutes at 1,500 Lumens. The Valkyrie was designed with an IPX6 water protection rating (stormproof and capable of fully withstanding high-pressure blasts of water). FUEL FOR THE FIRE: THE AMMUNITION The Smith and Wesson M&P10 in .308 Winchester doesn’t fit the standard patrol rifle protocol adhered to by most Police and Sheriff Departments in the continental United States. This protocol normally re-

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Business end of the M&P10.

quires patrol officers who qualify with a rifle to field an AR-based carbine in .223 Remington/5.56 NATO. The use of this more diminutive cartridge is the gold standard for the lion’s share of these departments due to power and over-penetration issues posed by the .308 Winchester round when employed in areas with intermediate to dense populations. Conversely, the majority of the AWT’s patrol area in Alaska is predominantly, and for lack of a better term, smack dab in the middle of “Nowheresville”... or in some circles, “BFE”...an acronym, at least according to my good ‘ol mom, that means “Bum Fudge Egypt.”* *Writer’s Note: Good ‘ol Mom just happened to be a reading and English teacher and went to church every Sunday, so I knew her translation of the acronym was totally legit. It is the 49th state’s geographic immensity and lack of infrastructure in her many remote regions that makes the .308 Winchester M&P10 an ideal duty rifle for the Alaska Wildlife Troopers. For general patrol use, AWT selected the 168-grain A-Max topped cartridge from Hornady’s AR-friendly “Black” line. Cartridges from this elite Hornady selection are designed to function well out of a variety of black rifles and modern sporting rifles. The 168-grain A-Max won’t inflict a through and through wound upon the reinforced concrete super-structure of a nuclear reactor’s containment building, but it will defeat standard body armor and intermediate cover if necessary when engaging human assailants. When a Trooper has that Han Solo-esque “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” buzzing in their head, it’s probably an opportune time for a magazine change to one filled with AWT’s “Time to Nut Up or Shut Up” [Cont. to page 72]

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

Just what we like to see: Brass in the air...not jammed in the ejection port as the result of a weapon/cartridge malfunction.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 71

PAGE 72

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

“Take two!” The M&P10 zings the AST rifle course with Hollywood accuracy and zero malfunctions. [Cont. from page 70]

round. While unfortunate, one of the harsh realities of Alaska-life is this: When Yogi, Winnie, or one of the Berenstain family is involved in a collision with a motor vehicle (if you think this means you, Prius drivers, sit down, you’re obviously drunk) or grievously wounded during a bear-human encounter gone wrong, it is usually the Alaska State Troopers and Wildlife Troopers who have the unenviable mission of tracking and humanely ending the bruin’s suffering. Enter the polymer-tipped, high performance Trophy Bonded 165-grain cartridge from Federal. Whereas the Hornady 168-grain A-Max is designed to keep over-penetration to a medium, the Federal 165-grain Trophy Bonded is designed to dig deep and retain a large portion of its weight. Federal Trophy Bonded rounds utilize high-end Gold Medal primers and zip downrange at 2,700 fps. The Federal Trophy Bonded cartridge’s bullets are designed for deep penetration, bone-crushing terminal ballistics, and excellent weight retention when used against intermediate and big-game. TRAINING DAY: HITTING THE RANGE WITH RALF! Sgt. Ralf Lysdahl was my primary Alaska Wildlife Trooper compatriot throughout the Firearms News Magazine M&P10 project. He was previously assigned to AWT’s Kodiak Post and now serves on Alaska’s mainland as a supervisor, SERT (Special Emergency Reaction Team) member, and firearms instructor. Luckily for Ralf, his stint as my technical advisor and mentor didn’t include having to run a complete The EOTech XPS2 and 3X magnifier chilling out with heavy armor and a Northern Knives 3DK Amuk allpurpose knife. (NorthernKnives.com)

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

rookie through the AWT tactical rifle qualification course. While I don’t claim to be a Snake Plissken Jr. or John Rambo (a franchise I have yet to see one royalty check or even an offer of some free theme music from), I have served in real-life as a lead element on local, state and federal high-risk entry teams for nearly 25 years. So...as a consummate professional, I made a silent and solemn pledge to not engage in

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

any of the following frowned-upon tactical shooting moves such as the: TMR (Tactical Monkey Roll): A move commonly seen in action flicks where the shooter dives forward onto the ground, simultaneously executes a somersault into a chic kneeling position, and then performs a ridiculously ineffective (but visually stimulating) mag-dump. CDW (Classic Double Wield): Exactly what it sounds like. Thankfully, Smith and Wesson only sent one rifle...so, you know... problem solved. The climatic and lighting conditions for shooting the course were optimal for anyone seeking a realworld scenario complete with its inherent difficulties. Conversely, they would have been considered nightmarish for fair-weather benchrest shooters. Here’s the short-list of adversarial range conditions the M&P10 and I were going to do battle with at our range located in the shadows of the snow-peaked Chugach Mountain Range in South-Central Alaska: • Six inches of wind-glaciated ice coating the ground from danger-close to the 100-yard line • Buffeting Wind Gusts • Near-Zero Temperatures getting chummy with the wind chill factor and dropping into the sub-zero range • Bright, “Alaska-clear” afternoon sun... blazing cheerily and directly into our faces and optics • A flat dark-earth brown IPSC target against...you guessed it, a flat dark-earth brown dirt backstop! I did not list the above factors to make any “Miss Polly Prissy-Pants” marksmanship excuses. Don’t get

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

168-grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertips knocked out consistent one-inch groups at fifty yards (EOTech 3X magnifier not utilized at the fifty-yard line for course of fire).

me wrong...I wouldn’t kick a tranquil, warm, sunny day with chirping birds and the laughter of good friends out of bed for eating crackers, but conversely, I also look forward to range days that “separate the cooks from the cowboys!” The bottom line is this: Here at Firearms News magazine, we believe the evaluation of a tactical rifle should provide the potential buyer with a realistic assessment of how it performs in less-than-ideal conditions. Thankfully, Alaska is almost always up to the task when it comes to accommodating us. Sgt. Lysdahl pulled into the range parking lot in his big old Trooper-issued pick’em up truck, snagged his shot timer, and we were in business. The AWT rifle qualification course consists of stringently timed events beginning at the “close enough to burn your whiskers off ” distance of three yards and moving back to the 100-yard line. If you like long walks in the park and lazy days down by the old farm pond, this is not the course for you. The time allotted for each course of fire was sufficient, but definitely not extravagant and any shooter errors or weapons malfunctions would put sweat on the brow of even wellaccomplished tactical rifle shooters. While the course I fired with Ralf was a qualification course, nearly every event included tactical and patrol-practical considerations as well. It incorporated shooting on the move, deploying the rifle from the interview position (hands-off weapon/resting sling), and numerous other drills promoting realistic patrol rifle handling skills. Would you like to see a photo of the target that showcases my prowess at shooting the AWT tactical rifle course and also my boss-level journalism skills? Well, that makes two of us, because I started shoot-

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

The 165 grain Federal Trophy Bonded cartridges consistently perforated paper with 1¾-inch groups (3x EOTech magnifier utilized for 100-yard course of fire).

ing the bull with Ralf after completing the course of fire and neglected to snap that photo. Then, to add insult to injury, I dumped a rapid-fire 20 round magazine of old Australian military surplus machine gun ammunition into that once beautiful IPSC target in a last-ditch attempt to coax a malfunction out of the M&P10. In the week following my range day with Ralf, I found time for a solo quiet day at the range. I fired the

PAGE 73

Wildlife Trooper’s tactical rifle course a second time with near “Hollywood results” and completed the M&P10’s accuracy testing in remarkably un-Alaskan above-zero temps and a complete lack of wind. I purposely shot this course with the rifle dry and dirty in attempt to foment a malfunction. The rifle performed perfectly. My optic of choice was the EOTech XPS2 holo-sight and its faithful flip-to-side 3X magnifier companion. Since the vast majority of critical incidents involving the use of deadly force against both human combatants and animal adversaries by law enforcement personnel rarely exceeds ranges in excess of 100 yards, I chose to accuracy test the M&P10 at 50 and 100 yards from the prone position utilizing my backpack for support. I also decided to do without a heated “blanky” or shooting mat to lay on, because that’s how we roll at Firearms News magazine...and also because I knew if a friend or coworker showed up at the range and witnessed me sprawled out on a mat and NOT laying on the cold, hard ground, I’d have to hear about the un-Alaskan-ness of using such a pansy luxury item for weeks...if not years. The testing protocol for each cartridge (and yardage tested) consisted of the average of three five-shot groups. The 165-grain Federal Trophy Bonded cartridge knocked out an average 1-inch group at the fiftyyard line and a 1¾-inch group at the 100. In lieu of AWT’s standard patrol round (the Hornady 168-grain A-Max), I fired a cartridge in the same weight-class’ manufactured by Winchester...their 168-grain Ballistic Silvertip. This round performed to the Winchester’s usual high standards, averaging a one-inch group at fifty yards and a 2½-inch group at the 100yard line. I’m sure if I’d cheated and used a rest, the

Some things never change. Human conflict rarely takes place in pristine conditions...the M&P10 was designed with this consideration in mind.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

PAGE 74

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The M&P10...a basic, no frills AR-10 based weapon capable of functioning in a variety of scenarios that are anything but basic.

results would have been tighter, but the M&P10 isn’t a shoot from the bench rifle. It’s an “uh-oh, we’re in the thick of it now” rifle. The M&P10 easily passed muster in both accuracy and reliability...in fact, the rifle’s short and intermediate range accuracy rivaled some of the pricier AR10 variants I have tested and evaluated in the past. Of equal importance was its functionality. Smith and Wesson’s law enforcement sturdy black rifle did not exhibit a single malfunction, even though fired dirty.

This reliability is also a testament to the Magpul P-Mag 25 and Lancer L7AWM magazines utilized during all courses of fire. THE SMITH AND WESSON M&P10: ALASKA WILDLIFE TROOPER CAPABLE... ALASKA TOUGH. In the spirit of transparency, I will admit to you... when the M&P10 arrived here in the 49th, I didn’t feel the same level of intrigue and excitement as I did with

ACCURACY CHART FEDERAL TROPHY BONDED (165 Grain): 2700 FPS (MV) @ 3,039 FT-LBS 50 YARDS

100 YARDS

1 Inch Average (three five-shot groups)

1¾ Inch Average (three five-shot groups)

Best Group: 3/4"

Best Group: 1"

WINCHESTER BALLISTIC SILVERTIP (168 Grain) 2670 FPS (MV) @ 2,659 FT-LBS 50 YARDS

100 YARDS

1 Inch Average (three five-shot groups)

2½ Inch Average (three five-shot groups)

Best Group*: 1"

Best Group: 1¾"

RANGE NOTES: 50 Yard strings of fire were shot utilizing a non-magnified EOTech Holographic Weapon Sight (HWS). 100 Yard strings of fire were shot utilizing an EOTech HWS w/3X magnifier. Weather was clear with no wind and +10-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. All groups shot from a prone position using a field-expedient (backpack) rest. *The Ballistic Silvertip groups at the 50 looked like someone used carbon paper and made copies. I should have shot at least one round from my second knuckle back to give them some variety.

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

several AR-10-variant rifles I previously tested that were pricier and could be described as “more exotic” or “sexier.” That changed immediately after I began putting rounds down range. I wasn’t just pleasantly surprised by its performance...I was impressed. However, before I get too gushy, let’s go over the several (and easily correctible) cons that popped up on the radar during my time with the rifle. For the “negatives” segment of the M&P10’s final evaluation, we’ll start from the rear of the rifle and move forward. This journey won’t take long, because the rifle shipped with an old-school CAR-15 reminiscent six-position telescoping stock. While functional, this Vietnam-era throwback is not as ergonomic or practical as many of the upgraded, modern AR buttstocks commercially available such as the Magpul MOE. Moving on to the upper receiver, the picatinny rail was missing something desperately needed: BackUp Iron Sights (BUIS). However, this is easily rectified with a bazillion options available. The final component on my con list was the M&P10’s factory fore end. This fore end was a round M-16 A2 reminiscent handguard with no inboard attachment points for lights, bipods, or other accessories. This frugal list of cons has a silver lining: Every one of the components listed above can be easily removed and replaced with world class aftermarket products such as the Magpul MOE telescoping buttstock and SL Handguard like those adorning the AWT Smith & Wesson M&P10, as well as a wide variety of BUIS options. With that ugliness out of the way, we’ve finally reached the part of the article where you may want to put on some Barry White, Al Green, or other loveydovey/ romantic notion inducing music and light a few candles: The positives! The M&P10 is everything a duty rifle should be: basic, uncomplicated, and tough. Its AR-10 design ensures that the vast number of Troopers, Police Officers, Deputy Marshals, and Special Agents who field it are likely to consider it a “plug and play” weapon thanks to their previous training with AR-15 variants. I mentioned it was tough...but how tough? Well, let a Midwest-raised country kid lay it out for you: When you pick it up, aside from shooting it, the M&P10’s rugged build will give you the urge to chuck it roughly onto the back floor of your pickup truck, stack a couple of backpacks and a portable grill on top of it, shove your three mutts over the front seat and into the fray for good measure, then race down a catastrophically rutted and pot-holed jeep trail like a desperate teenager trying to escape a “cow-tipping prank gone bad” after his country-cousin’s drunken barn dance. This rifle performed flawlessly, chewing through nearly five hundred rounds of factory ammunition and ancient Australian military surplus ammunition even though fired dirty throughout every testing evolution. When you add the sub-zero temperatures, multiple shooting positions, and being fired by an operator wearing body armor into the mix, the M&P10’s reliability is something to take note of. In relation to

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

Smith and Wesson’s M&P10 pairs well with Chicago Police Officer Jim Malone’s (Sean Connery/The Untouchables) “First Rule of Law Enforcement”: “Make sure when your shift is over you go home alive.”

SPECIFICATIONS SMITH AND WESSON M&P10 Caliber: .308 Winchester / 7.62x51 NATO Weight: 8 lbs. Barrel Length: Available in 16- and 18-inch versions (Alaska Wildlife Troopers utilize 18" model) Overall Length: 34 inches Action: Semi-Automatic: Direct Impingement (mid-length gas system) Finish: Armornite hardened nitrite Rifling: 1 in 10", 5R Barrel Attachment: A2 flash suppressor (16" model) and S&W proprietary .308 Win. flash suppressor (18" model) Safety Selector, Bolt Release, and Ambidextrous Magazine Release: Optic/BUIS Picatinny rail system Attachment: (upper receiver) and gas block MSRP: $1,089.00

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 75

All historical Alaska law enforcement photos were courtesy of the Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers (FOAST) and the Alaska Law Enforcement Museum (https://foast.org/museum).

accuracy, at realistic law enforcement distances, the M&P10 performed on par with rifles whose price points are nearly triple that of Smith and Wesson’s “Trooper” rifle. The trigger of the M&P 10 was what you would expect from a service rifle: a high five/six- to sevenpound felt push preceded by a bit of slack and creep. However, when the magic moment came, and the projectile headed down range, it was happily predictable, with little variance on the breakover point. If you are accustomed to shooting military or law enforcement grade service rifles, the trigger will likely be a non-issue for you, but if you desire the finer things in life, a replacement trigger by Geissele (my favorite), Midwest Industries, LaRue, Timney, or any other high-quality manufacturer will solve your woes immediately. When a duty rifle like Smith and Wesson’s M&P10 passes muster for a legendary law enforcement agency like the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, it’s a good fit for any domestic law enforcement agency or private citizen in need of an extremely well-built, accurate, tough, and reliable rifle. Smith and Wesson’s .308 Winchester black rifle is also easy on the wallet or departmental budget. If you don’t have a burning desire to acquire a second mortgage on your home or sell a kidney on the black market in order to purchase a similar but pricier weapon, the M&P10’s $1,089.00 MSRP is a financial coup.

The Smith and Wesson M&P10...a rugged rifle trusted and fielded by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, is a long gun to be reckoned with...in the unforgiving backcountry of Alaska or anywhere a .308 Winchester semi-auto rifle is required to accomplish the mission and keep its operator and the good people depending on him or her safe.

SOURCES Magpul Magpul.com, (877) 462-4785 Lancer Lancer-Systems.com, (610) 973-2600 Trijicon Trijicon.com, (800) 338-0563 EOTECH EOTECHInc.com, (888) EOTHOLO OLIGHT OlightStore.com, (770) 779-7156 Hornady Hornady.com, (800) 338-3220 Federal Ammunition FederalPremium.com, (800) 831-8100 Winchester Ammunition Winchester.com

BACK COUNTRY BLACK RIFLE

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

By James Tarr

The U.S. Military’s Baby Battle Rifle

aniel Defense’s Mk18, currently offered in three configurations (two pistol models and one SBR), is a firearm that grew out of USSOCOM’s SOPMOD CQBR program, and is the commercial version of the Mk18 Mod 1 currently in service with our troops. That’s a shocking number of military acronyms in one sentence, and for the full rundown of the military origin of this design (with even more acronyms!) check out the sidebar. I will say that this short-barreled gun originally had a very narrow role with our military, but much like what happened with the M1 Carbine, other units saw the value in this compact rifle.

There are two pistol versions of the Daniel Defense Mk18, one which sports a LAW Tactical side-folding adapater, and the standard model, a sample of which I obtained for testing. While being able to fold your stock/brace to the side for transport/storage is a neat feature, the LAW adapter adds weight, length, complexity, and cost to the design, plus moves it farther away from the looks of the original military Mk18, so I got a standard model to test. Apart from the lack of a stock and full-auto capability, Daniel Defense tells me that their Mk18 pistol is otherwise identical to the Mk 18s they currently provide to the military.

PAGE 78

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Whether in original SBR or pistol form, the Mk18 is a short and light AR. In pistol form, the 10.3-inch barrel is paired with a fiveposition adjustable SBA3 brace. With the brace extended the pistol is 28.75-inches long, and collapsing the brace takes the length down to 26.25 inches.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 79

The RIS II handguard is very distinctive, marking this as a Daniel Defense product, but so also are the DD “Rock & Lock” iron sights, which do not come standard with the pistol but which Tarr wanted to test. The pistol ships with a 32-round Daniel Defense polymer magazine.

Daniel Defense’s Mk18 pistol is the commercial version of the Mk18 Mod 1 they make for the U.S. military. It features a 10.3" barrel and their distinctive RIS II handguard. It is built tough and reliable and Tarr thinks of it as a Baby Battle Rifle. Tarr had DD send him a set of their Rock & Lock iron sights, and used a Trijicon MRO HD in a tall Geissele mount as well for testing.

While a bit old school, the RIS II handguard does keep your hand cooler during long strings of fire than modern narrower rails. The DD flash hider is effective and constructed of 17-4PH stainless steel with a nitride coating.

There are two versions of this standard Mk18 pistol, the black version and the FDE version. You can tell I was sent the FDE version because the handguard is a light chocolate brown color … . Yeah, I’m not sure if Daniel Defense got the memo about what the color “Flat Dark Earth” is supposed to look like, as their FDE looks more like MCB (medium chocolate brown). The “FDE” version costs the same as the all-black version, and I like the color contrast of the handguard against the receiver, so this is is the version I’d choose if I was buying it for myself (more on the color in a bit). I also had Daniel Defense include a set of their iron sights with the pistol, as they are so iconic and distinctive, but they are not standard with the pistol. The Mk18 sports a 10.3-inch barrel and a 5.56 NATO chamber. The barrel is chrome-moly vanadium steel, cold hammer forged, with a 1:7 twist and a carbine-length gas system. The barrel has a heavy phosphate coating, is HP/MPI tested, chrome-lined, and meets all military specifications. The barrel has

a “government profile”, which means it is medium weight/thickness. The barrel is tipped with Daniel Defense’s proprietary flash suppressor, which is a bit longer than the standard A2. It has five slots and a solid bottom, and is constructed of 17-4 PH stainless steel with a nitride coating for the utmost in durability. Like it should be in all serious use guns, the gas block is pinned in place. I had heard that Daniel Defense recently changed the gas port size on their Mk18 barrels. These guns are known to be a bit “overgassed” so they are guaranteed to run in all conditions, but that often results in more recoil, with a lot of gas blowing back into the faces of the people running them suppressed. I checked with Daniel Defense, and was told, “Daniel Defense 10.3-inch 5.56x45mm NATO barrels manufactured for the commercial market prior to June, 2017 have a 0.081-inch gas port, which provides reliable operation with a variety of ammunition available on the commercial market. After an inline change in June, 2017, all 10.3-inch 5.56 barrels transitioned to the Mil

Spec 0.070-inch gas port, identical to the products manufactured for the MILE (Military and LE) market.” The barrel freefloats inside a handguard which is very distinctive. Daniel Defense’s RIS II (Rail Interface System II) is the current military spec handguard for the Mk18 rifle, and the version on this pistol is in every way identical. It is 9.5-inches long, which means it reaches right to the start of the 1/2"x28 threads on the 10.3-inch barrel, but not past, so you will have no clearance problems when mounting a suppressor. On the top of the side rails you’ll see the patent number, NSN, and CAGE codes all laser-etched. This is in part because DD supplies individual RIS II handguards to the military in addition to other parts, upper receiver assemblies, and complete guns. It is constructed of 6061 T6 aluminum While a quad rail like this is very 2008 in appearance, about the only “bad” thing you can say about it is that it’s a bit wide under your hand (2.23 inches wide by 2.25 inches tall). This handguard is strong.

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

PAGE 80

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

The RIS II handguard is held in place by six beefy bolts. This is the FDE version of the Mk18, which means the handguard is a medium brown. It is the same price as the all-black version. It provides a continuous rail surface with the receiver.

The RIS II handguard found on the Mk18 pistol was not just specced for the military gun but designed to meet their criteria, and its bonafides can be seen here, looking down from above. The bottom section of the handguard can be removed to mount an M203 grenade launcher.

The commercial version of the Mk18 is marked as to model and caliber on the left side of the upper receiver, but apart from a lack of full-auto capability the commercial versions are identical to the guns provided to the military.

A while back Daniel Defense switched to polymer ejection port covers. Per them, “The upgraded polymer ejection port cover provides a better seal, won’t rust, can’t be bent to interfere with the function of the rifle, and is about the 1/3rd of the weight when compared to traditional steel ejection port covers.”

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

Grab the barrel and the handguard together and squeeze, and it is the barrel that flexes. The rail was designed specifically to meet a request of SOCOM. The bottom section of the RIS II rail detaches so the user can freefloat attach an M203 grenade launcher without additional parts. It provides an uninterrupted upper rail, with the slots T-marked, and has a Mil-Spec Type III hard coat anodized finish. I inquired as to the MCB (medium chocolate brown) look of the handguard, and the fact that only the handguard sports a color finish in the Mk18’s FDE version. My contact at Daniel Defense told me, “Only the rail is FDE because that is the way SOCOM runs their Mk18 SBR rifles. We supply SOCOM with all their RIS II FDE rails [Mk18 and M4A1] so we make all of our Mk18 pistols in that configuration, or just all black. “As for the color being closer to MCB, [yes, I actually threw Medium Chocolate Brown at Daniel Defense], it is because of the anodization process. It’s a chemical reaction and you only have so much control on how dark or light the color will come out. Every batch is different from the last and next as well because of this process.” In fact, there is no military specification for “FDE,” so you can easily find a dozen different shades of brown/tan that are all called Flat Dark Earth. The handguard is held in place by six sizable bolts. The handguard is bolted to DD’s “bolt-up” plate, which is installed between the upper receiver and the barrel nut. The bolt-up plate has anti-rotation tabs. The end result is very tough, and with all of the lightening holes in the handguard it is not nearly as heavy as it looks. Seriously. Total unloaded weight of this pistol is 5.85 pounds, and with the iron sights and rubber rail covers in place the total weight of my sample was still just six pounds, one ounce. Center of gravity with the SBA3 brace fully extended is in the middle of the magazine well. Daniel Defense sends this pistol out with three rubber rail covers to protect your hands — excuse me, not rubber but “Santoprene,” which is heat-resistant to 300°. I tried shooting the pistol both with and without them, wondering if the rail would feel better bare. Even though the bare rail was slightly narrower, the difference was barely discernable under my hand, and I actually preferred shooting the gun with the

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

rail covers in place. As for accessories, half the things meant to mount on handguards these days are still designed to mount directly to rails. So you don’t have to bother with installing a rail in your M-LOK slots, you’re already there. The upper and lower receiver are Mil-Spec forged 7075 T6 aluminum. The upper receiver has M4 feed ramps. You might also spot that the ejection port cover is not metal but instead polymer. This is somewhat new for Daniel Defense, and I asked about it. I was told, “The upgraded polymer ejection port cover provides a better seal, won’t rust, can’t be bent to interfere with the function of the rifle, and is about the 1/3rd

of the weight when compared to traditional steel ejection port covers.” On the left side of the upper receiver, etched in white, you’ll find MK18. Forward of that is 5.56, in white and inside a bullet pictogram. I’m guessing the military guns don’t have the white markings, but that’s a cosmetic difference, not a functional one. I’ve written up Daniel Defense rifles and pistols before, and one of the few complaints I consistently had was the inclusion of basic, G.I.-style charging handles in what are not inexpensive guns. However, it’s been a few years, and I am happy to see that DD

The two apertures in the DD Rock & Lock rear sight can be seen here. DD has now upgraded all of their rifles and pistols with their ambi Grip-N-Rip charging handle.

The Mk18 comes with a QD sling swivel socket in the receiver end plate, a simple but very desirable upgrade.

One thing Tarr really didn’t like about the pistol was the full-size right-side selector lever, which hit his trigger finger every time he switched the gun to Fire. He thinks catering to left-handers is ruining this country for the right-handed master race.

PAGE 81

has now designed an improved charging handle and is including it in their guns, including the Mk18. Daniel Defense’s Grip-N-Rip charging handle is ambidextrous and seems built quite robustly. Not only does it provide a larger gripping area, it is specifically engineered to vent gas away from the shooter’s face during suppressed fire. I watched a YouTuber stumbling through a review of this gun, mentioning how the new charging handle vents gases, and then he admitted “I don’t know how it does that.” as he is holding the gun so the camera can clearly see the vent hole in the right side of the charging handle … . Yes, on the right side of the charging handle, on the most forward part of the body as it sits in the receiver, you’ll see a round hole where the gases vent outward and not into the shooter’s face. There’s a hole on the left side as well, it’s just hidden under the locking lever. This charging handle also features a curving ridge on the top center of the charging handle meant to redirect those gases as well — this little trick was pioneered by PRI close to two decades ago with their Gas Buster charging handle. I guess with YouTube you get what you pay for. The bolt carrier group meets all military specifications and has the DD logo etched on the right side of the carrier, visible through the ejection port. While this is a commercial gun, it is built to military specs — you’ll see a chrome-lined carrier, properly staked gas key, even a castle nut that has been staked in two places. At the back of the receiver you’ll see the end plate has a QD sling socket, a simple but very functional extra I’ve really come to appreciate. An H (heavy) buffer is installed in the gun. The lower receiver looks like a standard forged Mil-Spec design. It wasn’t until I was reading the specs for this pistol that I saw it came equipped with a “enhanced flared magazine well.” While the external dimensions of the magazine well are not changed from Mil-Spec, flipping the pistol over I did see there is a more pronounced bevel to the magazine well. This pistol ships with one of Daniel Defense’s 32round polymer magazines. This magazine has an

Daniel Defense’s Grip-N-Rip charging handle is specifically designed to vent gases away from the shooter’s face, very important if you’re running the gun suppressed. In addition to vent holes on either side of the handle, there is a curving ridge on the top center of the handle to deflect the gases.

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

PAGE 82

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Daniel Defense supplies complete guns as well as upper receiver assemblies, barrels, and parts to the U.S. military. The military Mk18 Mod 1 upper receiver assemblies are identical to that seen here, minus the receiver markings and, depending, the finish.

The pistol comes standard with an H (heavy) buffer. Tarr experienced no cycling problems with softer .223 ammo, but if he did replacing this with a standard carbine buffer would likely be a quick fix.

anti-tilt follower and comes standard with a bit of a pull tab on the basepad. DD likes to say this magazine is the same size as a standard magazine, but in fact it’s a bit larger (about a quarter inch before you add the tab length). They shorten the height of the follower and reduce the number of coils in the spring to make room for the extra two rounds. I haven’t used DD mags a lot, but I’ve never had a problem with them. The pistol grip is a Daniel Defense design with rubber overmolding. It is one piece with the oversize polymer trigger guard and has an internal waterresistant storage compartment. It has a slightly more vertical angle than a standard A2 grip. The “arrow tread” pattern on the grip matches that of the rail covers. This pistol also sports an “ambidextrous” (bilateral) selector lever. While the right-side lever on their similar DDM4 V7 is a bit reduced in size, the rightside lever on the Mk18 is the same size as the lever

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

Everybody talks about what might make a good “truck gun”. A tough, reliable, and short AR like the Mk18 pistol seems like a good choice when paired with suitable ammo. If you’re using iron sights, you don’t have to worry about the battery dying on your red dot.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

To test the reliability of the short 10.3-inch barrel on his first trip to the range Tarr ran both hot AE 5.56 NATO 62-grain M855 green tip ammo through it as well as the noticeably softer Wolf .223 55-grain FMJ. He experienced no problems.

DD Mk18 PISTOL ACCURACY CHART Load

Bullet Weight (gr.)

Velocity (fps)

Avg Group (in.)

Wolf FMJ

2,583

2.40

Frontier FMJ

2,623

2.11

Hornady V-Max

2,498

1.77

Black Hills TSX

2,781

2.43

American Eagle FMJ

2,608

2.68

Black Hills TMK

2,422

1.38

.223 REM

5.56 NATO

Accuracy results are the averages of four five-shot groups at 100 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of ten shots measured with an Oehler Model 35P 12 feet from the muzzle.

on the left side. Which means I hate it, because it hits my trigger finger every time I rotate the selector lever from Safe to Fire. As a rule, I hate all ambi selectors on ARs for exactly this reason, but at least singlesided replacements are inexpensive and easy to install. Other than the G.I.-spec charging handle, one common complaint I’ve had with other Daniel Defense ARs is their use of GI-type triggers in what are arguably very expensive guns. Note I didn’t write G.I. triggers but rather “G.I.-type,” as there is no military specification for a semi-auto AR/M4 etc. trigger group. In other models, a heavy gritty GI-style trigger pull just seems a bad idea, however I don’t have an issue with it (at least philosophically) in the Mk18. This is supposed to be the commercial version of a military gun, so having a military-style trigger pull only seems right, thematically. That said, a gritty seven-pound trigger pull is not conducive to accuracy, so it would

be the first thing I would change (probably to a Geissele) were I to buy this piece. As I mentioned, the Daniel Defense “Rock and Lock” fixed iron sights are distinctive, and very well known. They are machined from aluminum, with MilSpec steel internal parts (post, apertures, etc.). They are built tough but their aluminum bodies are hollowed out, so the two sights together only add 2.8 ounces to the weight of your gun. A lot of people run a fixed DD front sight with a folding rear, much like they have tall iron sights on a handgun equipped with a red dot — that front sight post helps keep your eye centered in the window of your optic window. I couldn’t wait for the 1.93-inch Geissele Super Duty red dot mount to arrive, so my first trip to the range was a shakedown of the pistol using old fashioned iron sights. The DD iron sights provide a 14.75inch sight radius, roughly the same length as found on a standard CAR-15/M4. I zeroed the iron sights at 25

PAGE 83

yards and was once again reminded why people like red dots — they’re much simpler and faster. The military only uses 5.56 NATO ammunition, which is loaded to higher pressure than commercial .223 Remington ammunition. With them going to a smaller (0.070 of an inch) gas port on their commercial barrels, I was curious if I could induce a malfunction shooting soft .223 ammo. I zeroed the pistol with American Eagle 5.56 NATO M855 (62-grain green tip) and then fed it Frontier and Wolf .223 Remington ammunition. Wolf steel-cased ammo in particular is known to be very soft, and I could definitely feel the difference in recoil between the 5.56 and .223 ammo, but the pistol ate 75 rounds of 5.56 and 100 rounds of .223 that first outing without a hitch. I used the DD magazine as well as a Lancer L5 AWM and 2nd and 3rd generation Magpul PMags. One good thing about a handguard that is both wider and thicker than the average is it takes substantially longer to heat up during extended strings of fire. If you’re talking a standard “combat” load of five 30-round magazines, with the RIS II chances are you’ll be out of ammo before the handguard gets too hot to hold. I was shooting in 22-degree weather and wearing leather gloves, so even when burning through three magazines in five minutes the handguard barely got warm enough for me to feel it. FYI: that’s 22° Fahrenheit, not Celsius. There are two kinds of countries in the world, those who use the metric system and those who have landed on the moon. I like the DD “Rock and Lock” iron sights and red dots, but not the combination together. The DD iron sights set the red dot at co-witness height, which might be workable with a big-windowed sight like an EOTech, but when using just about any other red dot clutters the view so much you’ll have trouble finding the dot. Can’t see the forest for the trees, and all that. To both have my cake and eat it too, I kept the DD sights in place and mounted the (relatively new) Trijicon MRO HD red dot in a tall (1.93 inches) Super Precision mount from Geissele. This puts the dot itself 1.93 inches above the rail, which places the optic just above the height of the iron sights, so your view is not obstructed. If you decide to run night vision or are wearing some kind of mask (i.e. SWAT guys in gas masks) this taller height still allows you to acquire the red dot. The MRO has been around for a while and has been very successful. With the wider objective lens, you do not get a tube effect at all and in fact the field of view is so wide I could see the top half of the front sight tower. The HD version offers the dot of the standard MRO, or you can switch to a circle/dot reticle, pairing a 2 MOA dot with a 68 MOA ring. With some narrow tube sights, I find a circle/dot reticle to be too much, cluttering up the field of view. With the MRO’s open design, I found I really liked the circle/dot reticle. Expect a more detailed review of this optic in a later issue, but it worked great during testing of this pistol. While I did the requisite accuracy work for the accompanying chart, this isn’t a benchrest gun, this is a pistol version of specialty SBR dreamed up during the height of our War on Terror, purpose-built for use

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

PAGE 84

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

THE Mk18 ORIGIN STORY

et’s cover a bit of military history, shall we? The Mk18 grew out of the SOPMOD program. The SOPMOD (Special Operations Peculiar Modifications) Kit is an approved accessory system for the M4 carbine used by USSOCOM (United States Special Operations Command). There are various versions (“Blocks”) of the kit with different bits and pieces, including optics, rails, and entire upper receiver assemblies. These kits contain accessories intended to improve the use and handling of the M4. The Close Quarter Battle Receiver (CQBR) was one of two alternate upper receiver assemblies developed orginally for the SOPMOD Block II kit by the U.S. Navy (NSWC- Crane). The CQBR receiver had a 10.3-inch barrel and either a fixed front sight or a full-length rail, which is now the Daniel Defense RIS II. This short-barreled upper receiver became so popular with all spec-ops forces that it grew to have a life of its own, and CQBR equipped carbines have been type-classified as Mk18 Mod 0 (fixed front sight) or Mk18 Mod 1 (no front sight and full-length rail). With the stock fully extended the carbine is just 28.75-inches long and weighs six pounds. The purpose of the CQBR and then the Mk18 was to provide a compact, submachine-gun-sized version of the M4 that was still chambered in a rifle cartridge. This happened early in the War on Terror, when our troops were doing a lot of work in and around vehicles and in urban environments. Why 10.3 inches? The original test guns were built from M4s, and reportedly 10.3 inches was the shortest they could cut the barrels and still be able to mount a suppressor without it binding on the bayonet mount. I’ve heard Lewis Machine and Tool was the company working with the Navy, cutting down Colt M4 barrels and then making some of their own for the project (until Colt complained). The original Mk18 Mod 0 sports an LMT Tactical Rear Sight. Because of how compact and handy the Mk18 is, its use is no longer restricted to spec-ops types. It can be found in the hands of all sorts of units who do work in and around vehicles and in confined spaces (like onboard ships), or who have other jobs

Chief Mass Communications Specialist Paula Ludwick, assigned to Fleet Combat Camera Group Pacific, shoots her Mk18 Mod 0 during a Navy Rifle Qualification Course. (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy)

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

Members of the VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, Seizure) team aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Bulkeley train with their Mk18 Mod 0 (fixed front sight) carbines. The Mk18 has been proven to be very popular with a number of units due to its size. (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy)

than front line combat (EOD) and has seen great popularity with law enforcement agencies as well. Quite often (both with military and LE agencies), you’ll see the Mk18 paired with a sound suppressor, often the Knight’s Armament QD or the Surefire SOCOM 556 RC2 suppressor which brings the overall length of the suppressed carbine up to roughly that of the M4. The CQBR came about circa 2000, but don’t think that was the first time the U.S. military has fielded such a short version of the AR-15/M-16. During the 1960s various short-barreled CAR-15 versions were introduced and often saw use by elite units during the Vietnam War. The Colt XM177E1 had a 10-inch barrel and was very compact, however it suffered from reliability issues directly related to dwell time. What’s “dwell time”? The AR-15/M-16 is a gasoperated gun. The expanding gases propelling the bullet forward cycle the action. Once the bullet has passed the gas port under the front sight/gas block those expanding gases go up into the port, back

A U.S. Navy SEAL with a Mk18 Mod 1 in the field. Like most Spec Ops guns it’s been customized by the operator, with a KAC folding front sight, LMT fixed rear sight, and EOTech HWS. (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy)

down the gas tube to the receiver, and cycle the action. However, those gases take the path of least resistance, and only go through that tiny gas port until the bullet clears the barrel, then they shoot out the barrel behind the bullet. The time it takes for the bullet to travel between the gas port and muzzle is the time the gases have to work the action, and that’s called the “dwell time.” The closer the gas port is to the muzzle, the less dwell time, and short dwell times can cause reliability issues, especially if your ammo is weak or inconsistent. Back in the 1960s, Colt addressed these problems by lengthening the barrel to 11.5-inches and/ or installing a muzzle device which provided some back pressure, but these short-barreled versions just weren’t as inherently reliable as the longer original models, so they were largely abandoned by the military for a few decades. So what changed? In the intervening years engineers learned a lot about the AR platform, and made a few small changes which drastically improved reliability of these short-barreled ARs (and all ARs). Barrel length is now 10.3, not 10 inches, a tiny change which does make a difference in dwell time. The most important change to the 10.3-inch barrel of the CQBR/Mk18 is an increase of the gas port size from 0.062 of an inch to 0.070 of an inch (a 27% increase in area). While this has resulted in a bit more recoil and wear on the bolt carrier group, and more gas in the face of the shooter if they’re running a suppressor, the trade-off has been a short-barreled rifle with a reputation for reliability. Other changes to the design of this and modern ARs to improve reliability involve increasing extractor tension to improve extraction on hot/dirty/ quick-cycling full-auto guns. Suppressors by their very design increase back-pressure at the muzzle, thereby ensuring more gas will be entering the port, which has helped as well.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 85

Mk18 PISTOL SPECIFICATIONS Caliber: 5.56 NATO Weight: 5 lb. 15 oz. empty Overall Length: 28.75 inches (brace extended) 26.25 inches (brace closed) Receiver: Forged aluminum Barrel: 10.3 in. CHF, CMV, chrome lined, 1:7 twist Muzzle Device: Daniel Defense flash hider Brace: SB Tactical SBA3 Pistol Grip: Daniel Defense with internal compartment and trigger guard Forend: DD 9.5 in. RIS II handguard Trigger: 7.0 pounds (as tested) Sights: None Accessories: One 32-round Daniel Defense magazine, lockable hard case MSRP: $1,967 ($2,101 as tested with iron sights) Manufacturer: Daniel Defense DanielDefense.com Tarr used half a dozen different types of magazines, hot 5.56 ammo and softer .223 Rem ammo, and shot the pistol until the barrel was smoking, but couldn’t get the Mk18 to malfunction.

For testing Tarr used a Trijicon MRO HD. This version of the MRO offers either a 2 MOA dot reticle, or a reticle which pairs that dot with a 68 MOA circle. He put it into a tall (1.93 inches) Geissele Super Precision mount so it cleared the iron sights, and loved the combination.

Tarr was driving from Michigan to Florida and back and took the DD Mk18 along as a truck gun. Prior to hitting the road, he sighted it in at 50 yards using a Trijicon MRO HD. The top group was the first after bore sighting. After adjustments, the center group was the result — 1.5 inches at 50 yards with Black Hills’ 50-grain 5.56 TSX load. Looks like he needs one click back to the right ….

in and around vehicles and in urban environments at high speed — that’s why I prominently featured one in my 2020 not-quite-as-fiction-as-it-used-to-be modern civil war novel Dogsoldiers, set in Detroit (where else?). On three separate range trips, I kept warm with the Mk18, running between cover and engaging various paper targets, practicing my snap sight pictures, and working the Mk18 off a rifle barricade. Its abbreviated length makes it quite maneuverable, and the balance

is just right. For as short as it is the Mk18 is not as loud as you might expect, because it doesn’t have a muzzle brake, and recoil is more straight back than it is up. The Trijicon MRO HD was great in speed drills, only thing that slowed me down was the gritty/heavy trigger. Short barrels, because they are stiffer, are inherently more accurate than longer barrels, so don’t think because it’s a “pistol” it won’t group. However, hindering my accuracy testing was the gritty seven-pound

trigger. Equipped with a crisper lighter trigger I feel confident that I could have reduced my groups somewhere between a little and a lot. That said, you have to remember that this is, at heart, a military gun. Its bore is chrome-plated for durability, but chrome-plated bores as a rule are less accurate. Still, with ammo it liked and me dragging the trigger through gravel this stubby little gun would do under two MOA. While this is technically “just” a commercial pistol, the military DNA in it is obvious even before you learn that, apart from the brace-for-stock and lack of full-auto capability this piece is identical to the Mk18s supplied to our military. During testing I started thinking of the Mk18 (both in form and concept) as a tough-as-nails “baby battle rifle,” and even in semiauto pistol form it lives up to its military origin. Daniel Defense didn’t invent the Mk18 but they now seem to be more associated with the model than anybody else, at least on the commercial side. I checked with them in regards to their military sales beyond simply the specced RIS II handguard. I was told, “Daniel Defense supplies complete Mk18 firearms as well as complete upper receiver groups, RIS II handguards, as well as a large quantity of our cold hammer forged barrels, parts kits, and accessories for upgrading existing military equipment. Various other Special Units/Other Government Agencies buy a wide variety of Daniel Defense products depending on their mission requirements. Currently, the only difference between the commercial guns and the ones supplied to the military would be full-auto versus semi-auto, unless the customer specifies another requirement.” James Tarr is a longtime contributor to Firearms News and other firearms publications. He is also the author of several books, including CARNIVORE, which was featured on The O’Reilly Factor. Check out his latest novels at his website, OfficialJamesTarr.com

THE Mk18 FROM DANIEL DEFENSE

One of the authors’ friends, Alexey Degtyarov, blasting away with his Russian-manufactured ORSIS AR-15 rifle.

ADVENTURES OF THE

AMERICAN RIFLE

IN RUSSIA A story of the AR-15 in Russia, from intelligence trophies to sport shooting and hunting! By Maxim Popenker Photos by Maxim Popenker, Kurbatov Arms, SOYUZ TM, Rubikon Arms, Alfatech, and PufGun

or decades, Russia was the home of the worlds’ most popular and widely distributed assault rifle, the Kalashnikov AK and its derivatives. For most Russians, American AR-15 and M16 rifles were always seen as more accurate, more modern but less dependable, and more finicky contenders to the Russian warhorse. Today, many Russian shooters own and use AR-15 style rifles, and some even dare to say that those are better than Kalashnikovs, at least in some regards. Let’s look closer at this interesting development. Spoils of Foreign Wars Some people may be surprised, but the first AR-15 rifles made it to the Soviet Union as early as 1961

or 1962. Brought in by the means of Military Intelligence, those were destined to be studied, tested, and tortured to death by Soviet weapon experts. It is not known how these rifles were obtained — bought legally by someone in the U.S. and then smuggled in the diplomatic luggage to Mother Russia, traded from someone, or obtained by other means. The fact is, that by the mid-1960s, the AR-15 rifle and its 5,56mm ammunition was thoroughly studied by Soviets, up to chemical and X-ray analysis of all its parts, nuances of its ballistic properties, and shooting characteristics. This research provided plenty of interesting data, used in the development of the Soviets’ own small-caliber high-velocity ammunition and weapons. It also must

A photo from a de-classified Soviet report which studied the strength of U.S.-made plastics used to make “furniture” for the M16. Note the early model 601 magazine which is in, what is most likely, a late-produced model XM-16E1 which preceded the M16A1/model 603.

PAGE 88

be pointed out that the rifle mostly left soviet experts unimpressed. It was too fragile and too unreliable, and its ammunition, while certainly a promising concept, was far from the ideal concerning ballistics. Escalation of the war in Vietnam brought up many more AR15-type rifles, which were captured by North Vietnamese forces and then traded to the Soviets in exchange for military support, weapons, and equipment. As a result of these trades, a variety of M16 rifles ended up in quite a few reference collections and military training facilities. Many of these rifles were used for foreign weapon training and familiarization courses, provided to Spetsnaz and certain types of officers’ cadre, most notably in Airborne and Recon. Naturally, these rifles were unavailable to the general public, which tended to believe that the M16 was

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

greatly inferior to Kalashnikov regarding durability and reliability. This perception was further strengthened after 2008 when Russia won a brief conflict with Georgia (a former USSR republic) over South Ossetia. During this conflict, the Georgian army lost a significant number of brand new M4 carbines, made by Bushmaster and supplied from the U.S. via the Foreign Military Aid program. According to various post-capture tests, those carbines had mediocre accuracy and uninspiring reliability; some say that those carbines were substandard to start with, others blame Turkish-made 5,56mm ammunition, bought by Georgia for its military. After the Fall of the Iron Curtain The Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, and by 1996 the newly independent Russia got its own weapons law, which, among other things, legalized ownership of rifles for the general population. However, it took several more years to form any significant market niche for rifles, because the new law required at least 5 years of trouble-free legal ownership of a shotgun(s) before applying for the rifle purchase license. Not surprisingly, during the early 2000s foreign rifles started

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

to appear in Russian gun shops in increasing numbers. Among these were some AR-15 type rifles, usually brought from Europe. The earliest AR-15 type rifles were imported from the UK (Sabre Defense XR-15s) or Germany (Oberland Arms OA-15s and Schmeisser AR-15s). Another European brand that appeared early on the Russian market was the ADC from Italy. Genuine American rifles, such as Colt, Bushmaster, or Armalite, were relatively rare, and usually also imported from European Union by private means. By that time, gun magazines and rapidly growing internet resources created all sorts of hype and legends about AR-15 and AK-type rifles, and internet battles between fans of both systems became as hot and widespread as forest fires in summer California. It must be noted that those battles were not entirely “fair.” While almost any male citizen in Russia had at least a passing familiarity with the “Kalash,” the M16 or AR15 often was something resembling a centerfold queen or a dream car from a glossy magazine for a teenager, a symbol of a distant and probably better world, an object of desire. Low cost (relatively low, that is) segment of the AR-15 market initially was represented by Zbroyar

1978. Officers of the famous “A” (Alpha) team of the Soviet KGB. The man in the middle holds an M16.

An early M16, specifically an XM-16E1 (predecessor to the M16A1/model 603), on the display of the Central Russian Armed Forces Museum in Moscow. This rifle was received from Vietnam.

ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA

A box of very lightly used Bushmaster M4 carbines, captured by the Russian army in South Ossetia in 2008.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

A display of AR-15 rifles at the “Arms & Hunting 2012” exhibition. The top rifle is the HK MR223, with a price tag of 189,200 rubles ($6,054), the rest are from Zbroyar. The least expensive rifle (2nd from bottom) was priced at 85,000 ($2,720) rubles back then.

An early Zbroyar Z-15 rifle, made in Ukraine from American parts.

A .308 Zbroyar Z-10 rifle.

Z-15 rifles, imported from Ukraine between 2011 and 2014. Early batches of these rifles were assembled from a mix of parts, obtained from Rock River arms in the USA or produced domestically at the Zbroyar facility in Kyiv. Those .223 Z-15 and .308 Z-10 rifles were generally Okay. However, once Zbroyar switched to the in-house manufacture of major parts, which happened in 2012, their quality dropped sharply, and many buyers ended up with unserviceable and badly working rifles with zero customer support.

PAGE 89

The high end of the AR-15 world was initially represented by MR223 rifles from Heckler & Koch and JP AR-15 from the USA. In general, these rifles were priced way more than Russian-made Kalashnikov type rifles; while the least expensive AR-15 was “only” about three times more expensive than a Saiga or Vepr in the same .223 Remington caliber, top of the line ARs were offered at about ten times the price of same Saiga or Vepr. And people still bought them, the same way as people bought Mercedes or Cadillac cars, but probably at lower rates; in the “luxury guns”

market segment high-end AR rifles faced strong competition from a variety of even more expensive and fancy hunting or precision rifles from brands like Blaser, Mauser, Heym, Steyr and so on. Still, many people thought that an AR was much more accurate, versatile, ergonomic, and, generally, much trendier and more modern rifle than an AK. The most popular analogy was “Zhiguli vs. Ford.” The “Zhiguli” was an old soviet car brand, based on the Fiat-124 from the early 1970s. Typical Zhiguli car offered little comfort for its driver and passengers, was not so reliable, and generally obsolete. Like most analogies, it was greatly inaccurate, but people still use it to this day. Lots of people wanted an AR, but not so many bought any, simply because it was too expensive.

ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA

PAGE 90

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The .410 Safir T-14 shotgun, made in Turkey.

A close-up view of the Molot “Vepr-15” rifle. Besides Cyrillic marking “made in Russia,” it clearly shows German proof marks and a Schmeisser logo on the handguard.

A display of Molot-made rifles, with the single Vepr15 resting along with several AK-based Vepr rifles.

AR-15 Shotgun? Yes, But No. The five-year waiting period for rifle license resulted in increased popularity of Saiga shotguns, chambered for 410 Gauge shells. Those shotguns were like typical AK rifles in size, looks, and handling, and, unlike bigger 12-gauge weapons from the same family, offering very manageable recoil. Seeing their success, certain Turkish manufacturers decided to follow the same road and to produce an AR-15 style shotgun firing shortened (2½") .410 “gauge” shells. Those shotguns, made by Safir Arms and named “T-14,” were introduced to the Russian market in around 2007 at the “Guns and Hunting” expo in Moscow. Internally, those weapons were noticeably different from the basic AR-15, using two-lug rotating bolts and short stroke annular gas pistons, located around

Vyatskie Polyany. The Molot factory is best known in the West for its manufacture of a “Vepr” line of semiautomatic rifles and shotguns, based on the Kalashnikov RPK light machine gun. This rifle was quickly nicknamed the “Pig-AR,” which is a rough translation of the actual Russian nickname “SvinARka,” jokingly derived from the words “Vepr” (also known as “Svin,” wild boar) and “AR.” The only major part of the VPO-15 that was made in Russia is its cold hammer-forged, hard chrome-lined barrel. The rest of the parts were supplied from Germany by the company Waffen Schumacher, better known for its “Schmeisser” trademark. At the time, Waffen Schumacher was a major distributor of Molot shotguns and rifles in the EU. The Vepr-15 in its basic configuration was a typical Mil-Spec carbine but with a 47 cm

ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA

the barrel. However, they soon disappeared, primarily due to the lack of appropriate ammunition, spare parts, and magazines. An attempt was made to reintroduce these shotguns in a slightly upgraded form circa 2017, but by this time general popularity of the .410 declined severely. The introduction of the much more effective and reliable .366 TKM round next year killed the market for .410 “tactical style” semiautomatic shotguns in Russia once and forever. Molot: The American-Russian Rifle The first AR-15 type rifle which bore the “Made in Russia” roll mark was introduced to the general public at the “Arms & Hunting” exhibition event in Moscow in 2011. Officially known as VPO-140 or “Vepr15,” it was assembled by the VPO Molot factory in

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 91

Close-up views on the early ORSIS which was mostly an Armalite rifle.

(18.5 inches) barrel and an M4-style stock. When introduced, its retail price was around 60,000 rubles or roughly $2,000 USD at the average exchange rate for 2012. The very similar but imported Schmeisser M15 rifle retailed at about 100,000–120,000 rubles ($3,200–$3,850 USD) during the same period. Not surprisingly, Vepr-15 became popular among people who wanted an AR-15 style rifle but were unwilling or unable to pay stiff premiums for imported rifles. To put these prices in a better perspective, back in 2012, the going price for the brand new Saiga or Vepr carbine in 7.62x39 or .223 was in the ballpark of 25,000 rubles ($800 USD). It must be noted that relatively few (less than 500) VPO-140 rifles were made before the import of European parts kits stopped in 2014. ORSIS In 2012, the second “Russian-made” AR-15 rifle made headlines in Russian gun magazines and on internet forums. The already well-established “ORSIS” company, one of the very first fully private gun makers in post-Soviet Russia, introduced its version of the iconic American design. Just like the Vepr15, the ORSIS M-15 was assembled in Russia from major parts, sourced from abroad, using domestically made barrels. In this case, parts like triggers, receivers, and bolt groups were sourced from the Armalite company in the USA. Precision-made barrels were manufactured by ORSIS, which originally specialized in highly accurate hunting, target, and sniper rifles. Due to precision-made barrels with Nitride coating, ORSIS M-15 became very popular among the precision shooting crowd and high-ranking IPSC sportsmen. ORSIS also made an AR-10 type rifle in .308 Winchester, again using Armalite parts kits and its barrels. Those rifles were guaranteed to deliver 1-MOA or better accuracy at 100 meters with proper match-grade ammunition. Taking Back the Crimea, Taking Over the AR Following the “revolution” in neighboring Ukraine, in 2014 Russia took back the Crimean Peninsula,

which was Russian territory since 1873. Crimea was given to Ukraine against the will of its population in 1954, on the order of Nikita Khrushchev, the secretary-general of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The international community took a dim view of this takeover and imposed a variety of economic and political sanctions on Russia. [EDITOR’S NOTE: The writer’s view regarding the history of Crimea, as well as Russia’s military invasion and occupation of it, is not the same view of the editor of Firearms News magazine and not necessarily the same view or opinion of the staff or management of Firearms News.] As a result, during 2014, many western companies stopped dealing with their Russian distributors and clients. Both Molot and ORSIS suddenly lost their source of AR-15 parts kits and had to cease production of their AR-15 rifles. For a brief period, the AK again became the king of the semi-automatic tactical rifle market in Russia. However, demand for AR-15 style rifles was still there, although it was still noticeably smaller than for AKs, primarily because of the costs involved.

NORINCO The first immediate answer to the shortage of AR-15 rifles was to import Chinese NORINCO CQ-A semi-automatic rifles in their carbine configuration. The CQ-A is a straightforward copy of the civilian Colt M4-type carbine, with a 16-inch chromelined barrel, DI gas system, telescoping stock, and flat-top upper. Made to decent standards of fit and finish, NORINCO carbine became an instant hit on the Russian market, as it was offered at 80,000 rubles (approx. $2,000 USD in 2014), which was at least 50% cheaper than most other imported rifles of the same style. Granted, it was also about twice as expensive as a typical Saiga or Vepr carbine in the same .223 Rem caliber. Another, somewhat unexpected source of imported AR-15 rifles is Israel, which is represented in Russian gun shops by “Gilboa” rifles, including their spectacular and controversial “Snake DBR” double rifle. This monstrosity, which is two AR-15 rifles fused and fitted with a single stock and pistol grip, is currently offered locally for 600,000-plus rubles, or more than

A marketing photo of the NORINCO CQ-A carbine.

ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA

PAGE 92

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

The ADAR 2-15 rifle with its signature wooden stock.

$8,000 USD. It is not known how many of these have been sold in Russia, but there’s no doubt that the correct answer is “very few”. It must be noted that while sanctions did hurt the importation of western guns and gear to Russia, the flow of imported rifles has not ceased completely. However, prices on most European and US-made guns and ammunition rose sharply. For example, back in 2018, someone willing to buy a brand-new HK MR-223 rifle had to shell out close to a third of a million rubles, or about the $6,000 USD. It took Russian companies about three years to gear up and start delivering new versions of the Russianmade AR-15 type rifles. ADAR An example of the “entry-level” AR-15 rifle, the ADAR-2-15, was introduced in 2018 by the private company ADAR, located in St. Petersburg. ADAR was a daughter company of another private enterprise, the “Ard-Dec-Art, Ltd.,” which specialized in the manufacture of wood stocks for rifles and shotguns. While ADAR never fully disclosed its sources of parts, it soon became a well-known fact that these rifles were built using OEM parts kits imported from Taiwan, and VPO Molot chrome-lined, cold hammer-forged barrels. Besides traditional configurations, ADAR 2-15 rifles were ordered with a variety of fancy walnut or laminated wood stocks, made by Art-Dec-Art. The initial price for a base ADAR 2-15 carbine with Israelimade FAB Defense furniture was about 125,000 rubles (approx. $1,800 USD in 2018). Unfortunately, for some not yet disclosed reason both ADAR and Art-dec-Art companies went out of business in 2020. The same year another small private company, the “Fort,” located in the town of Reutov not far from Moscow, also introduced its AR-15 rifle. In its basic form, it was not much different from the ADAR 2-15, as it also was built using Taiwanese components and VPO Molot chrome-lined barrel. Pricing also was similar, starting at about 120,000 rubles. About a year later Fort introduced a variant of the basic carbine chambered for Russian 5.45x39mm ammunition. As can be seen, those makers offer similar entrylevel MilSpec carbines, which then can be customized according to owners’ wishes and budget. However, several makes offer higher-end AR-15style rifles for more demanding shooters, primarily IPSC crowd.

ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA

Kurbatov Arms The year 2017 saw the introduction of the Kurbatov Arms R-715, a fairly conventional AR-15 style carbine with a 420mm (16,5-inch) barrel. This company was founded in 2014 in the Moscow suburbs; it grew up from a gunsmithing service that existed along with the “13-Caliber” gun shop. Unlike some other companies, Kurbatov Arms decided to produce all major components in-house, including Nitride-coated barrels and trigger parts. They also changed some parts from inch to metric patterns, such as gas key screws.

The company produces machined receivers and makes standard and lightened bolt carriers. It also offers custom configurations and makes rifles in .223 Rem (R-715), .308 Win. (R-310), and 9x19mm (R-709). Kurbatov rifles normally use the most common DI gas system with low profile gas blocks. Pistol caliber carbines use simple blowback action and are adapted for Glock magazines. Aluminum alloy handguards with KeyMod interface also are produced in-house. (Note the lack of a forward assist on all models.)

The .223 Rem. Kurbatov Arms R-715 rifle.

The .308 Win. Kurbatov Arms R-710 rifle. Note that both rifles are equipped with Russian made magazines by PufGun.

The 9x19mm Kurbatov Arms R-709 pistol caliber carbine, adapted for Glock magazines.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 93

The RA-15 rifle by Rubikon arms. Besides the indigenous monolithic upper, modified bolt, and the Ambi magazine release, the rifle features a “non-spec” ambidextrous bolt release lever, located at the front of the trigger guard.

ORSIS (Part 2) The ORSIS company returned to the AR-15 market in 2019 with its AR-15J rifle, now with most parts made in house. Traditionally, these rifles sport precision barrels also made by ORSIS, from carbon (with Nitride coating) or stainless steel. Available with 16,5or 20-inch barrels, those carbines are guaranteed to shoot 1 MOA group with match-grade ammunition. Still, MSRP for a base model with KeyMod forend, mid-length DI gas system, and M4-style stock is not that high, comparatively speaking, at 140,000 rubles (approx. $1,870 USD). Rubicon Arms An interesting version of the basic “American Rifle” made in Russia is the RA-15, produced in Moscow by Rubicon Arms company, led by Dmitry Chuchaev.

This rifle sports the “Proudly made in Russia” label, engraved on its carefully machined upper receiver. The upper receiver is fully monolithic, with a side charging handle. Other features include a short-stroke gas piston system with a manual gas regulator and a specially designed and machined bolt carrier group. While the first batch of RA-15 rifles was made in .223 Rem, the second batch will include versions chambered for 5.45x39mm ammunition, with lower receivers redesigned to accept unmodified AK-74 “rock-and-lock” magazines. Standard versions are fitted with chrome-lined, cold hammer-forged barrels made by Molot, but other variants may be available on request.

Alfa Tech Alfa Tech (AT) is a small custom maker that started as a gun service and repair shop attached to the highly popular “Object” gun range in Moscow. Alfa Tech makes expensive AR-15 style rifles patterned after JP Enterprises AR-15 type rifles. They use machined upper and lower receivers, gas blocks, and bolt carriers of their manufacture; the rest of the parts are ordered from other suppliers according to the client’s wishes. They offer precision barrels made by ORSIS or Lothar Walther, and the base price for the complete AT AR-15 starts at 350,000 rubles or roughly $4,800 USD per current exchange rate. STMArms - Soyuz TM Yet another semi-custom rifle maker is the STMArms - Soyuz TM company from St. Petersburg, which also makes AR-10- and AR-15-type rifles using

One of the semi-custom Alfatech AR-15 rifles

ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA

PAGE 94

Unfinished receiver parts in production at Soyuz TM.

their CNC machined receivers and various custom parts, including match-grade triggers of their design and manufacture, as well as handguards, buffer tubes, muzzle brakes and so on. The name of the company is derived from the famous Russian space rocket, and the chief designer is a former space engineer. The company also offers various custom coatings and high precision barrels, and often caters to the IPSC shooting crowd, offering factory-customized “competitionready” rifles. All rifles are test-fired for functioning and accuracy by a serious IPSC competitor Vadim Mihailov, who won 3rd place in the 2019 IPSC world rifle championship, open class. STMArms rifles are not cheap, starting at about 220,000 rubles, but this price is for a complete “ready to rock” package, save for spare magazines, optics, and mount. Besides most common versions chambered for .223 Rem, .308 Win., and 9x19mm, Soyuz TM also offers its rifles in calibers such as .224 Valkyrie, 6.5mm Grendel,

Complete .223 Rem. rifle by Soyuz TM.

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

6.5mm Creedmoor, 300AAC Blackout, and .40SW. Interestingly enough, this company also caters to a new generation of Russian hunters who like to go into the woods with lightweight and accurate semiautomatics. One quite popular and unusual version made by Soyuz TM specifically for hunters is chambered for the 7.62x39 cartridge but has a .308-bore offered in a 16- or 18-inch barrel. The idea is that people buy cheap steel-cased 7.62x39mm ammunition, pull steel-cased bullets away, and reload primed cases with imported powder and precision-made .308 caliber hunting bullets, either locally made bronze solids or imported soft points and hollow points. This turns the AR-15 into an accurate and lightweight deer rifle which also can be used against other medium game. Such demand forced engineers at Soyuz TM to create their own, unique version of the AR-15 trigger and ignition system, which would work reliably with very hard Russian-made primers without compromising the “match grade” two-pound trigger pull. This company also makes “lefty” rifles and carbines with mirrored controls and ejection ports. Return of the “Smoothbore” AR-15 As noted above, to be able to apply for a rifle purchase permit, Russian citizens must own a shotgun for at least five years. The earliest attempts to introduce AR-15 made shotguns in .410 “gauge” failed miserably, but in around 2017 a private company Techcrim from Izhevsk introduced an entirely new caliber and concept for the Russian market. Using a highly popular 7,62x39mm round as a base, Techcrim created a new cartridge, the .366 TKM, which uses a steel 39mm case necked up for a bigger projectile roughly 9,6mm in diameter. This round, normally loaded with slugs,

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

but also available with the shot in a bullet-shaped plastic container, can be fired through nominally and legally “smoothbore” barrels with Paradox or Lancaster (oval-rifled) bore. It offers decent accuracy and lethality, with an effective range of up to 150 meters. Not surprisingly, the first “shotguns” to utilize this round were made by barreling old, surplus SKS or AK-based carbines. Now several companies, such as ORSIS or SOYUZ TM, offer “smoothbore” AR-15 type rifles, which are assembled using 7,62x39mm bolts and magazines and feature cold hammer-forged barrels with Lancaster or Paradox bore. Prices for those “shotguns” are in the same ballpark as for rifles from their makers. Those guns, as well as their AKbased contenders from Molot and Kalashnikov, can be used to hunt medium game, or as entry-level weapons for practical shooting. Of course, the relatively stout recoil of the .366 TKM round, as compared to .223 Rem or 5,45x39mm, does not permit fast shooting, but at least it’s a good start. .366 TKM also makes a decent home defense / SHTF / Zombie apocalypse weapon, as it allows the use of high-capacity magazines (usually modified from 7,62x39mm magazines from the appropriate platform), and its weight and recoil are noticeably less than that of 12- or 20-gauge shotgun. Accessorize It! Customizing and upgrading your rifle (a process often jokingly known as “Pokemoning’’ in Russian gun slang) is at least half of the pleasure of owning an AR. Of course, there’s plenty of imported accessories from respected manufacturers such as Magpul, Geissele, FAB Defense, CAA, and others, but those are expensive. For example, a typical Magpul MOE

A left-hand 9x19mm carbine by Soyuz TM.

A “smoothbore” STMArms AR-15, chambered for the .366 TKM round.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 95

A translucent 30round AR-15 magazine by PufGun.

A 45-round AR-15 magazine by PufGun.

carbine-length handguard can be found in Russian gun stores at about 4,000 rubles, or more than $50 USD. In the U.S., a similar part can be found for less than $30 USD. Some people buy cheap Chinese copies of Western parts, but those often are of “airsoft grade” quality and do not stand well to abuse. However, several Russian makers offer certain parts for AR-15 type rifles. For example, Armacom makes quality buffer tubes in standard and extended lengths, and PufGun (PufGun.com) makes a variety of plastic goods, such as magazines and pistol grips. PufGun magazines are noticeably less expensive than similar imported stuff and are available in various colors besides most commonly black, green, or sand. PufGun also makes extended capacity 45round AR-15 magazines, which are favored by IPSC shooters. Prices for their magazines vary from 900 to 1,500 rubles (approx. $11 to $18 USD), while Magpul PMAG 30 GEN M3 sells locally for well over 4,000 rubles ($50 USD) a piece.

5.56mm / .223 Rem ammunition use steel cases and steel-jacketed bullets. Besides not-so-great accuracy, such ammunition tends to destroy non-chrome-lined precision barrels in short order. “Black” barrels tend to show significant degradation of accuracy after just 2,000 to 4,000 steel-jacketed rounds. Chrome-lined barrels of Russian manufacture can survive much more, up to 12,000 to 15,000 rounds, but their initial accuracy is not so great to start with. Imported brass-cased, brass-jacketed ammunition is much more expensive. For example, steel-cased .223 Rem. cartridges made by Barnaul or Tula can be found at 12 to 15 rubles (15 to 19 cents USD) per round, while the cheapest brass-cased cartridges from Armscor or PPU start at about 70 to 80 rubles (88 cents to $1 per round). Quality U.S. or European cartridges from Norma, Geco, or Federal are even more expensive, starting at 150 rubles ($1.88 USD) per round and up. There is a sort of middle-ground, though, offered by the Barnaul cartridge plant. Their line of “Kentavr”

Owning an AR in the Land of AK As said above, two major drivers force people to buy an AR in the land of Kalashnikov. One is a desire to own an “inomarka” (foreign brand product), which is perceived to be generally more prestigious, more advanced, and more stylish than a boring and dull local product that is already owned by everyone and their fathers. Another, more practical one, is the desire to own a rifle with greater accuracy potential, primarily for IPSC sports shooting or, as it turns out, hunting. Indeed, most shooters accept the fact that the AR-15 is more inherently accurate by design than an AK, and can be made to deliver sub-MOA accuracy, which is close to impossible with an AK platform. However, a rifle alone is not sufficient to get desired results, you also need quality ammunition and plenty of it. And here lies the biggest trap. Almost all locally produced

.366 TKM cartridges loaded with birdshot in plastic containers.

(Centaur) ammunition is loaded with tombacplated FMJ bullets, which are easier on the barrels and thus allow for longer barrel life. However, their accuracy is not up to the match grade standards, so those are most often used for less-expensive training by people who own expensive rifles with precision, non-chromed barrels. This ammunition is noticeably cheaper than any imported fodder, and only about twice as expensive compared to steel-cased rounds from the same maker. Rebarreling a rifle in Russia is also not so easy. First, replacement barrels are considered “major gun parts” by the law and must be swapped only at certified gun repair shops or gun manufacturers. Once installed, each new barrel must be “ballistically fingerprinted” for a national firearms registry. The complete cost of the barrel replacement can be around 30–60,000 rubles ($375–$750 USD), depending on the barrel configuration, manufacture, and caliber. As such, buying a rifle with two uppers, one with a precision grade “match” barrel and another with chrome-lined “practice” barrel, may seem like a worthwhile endeavor for a serious sportsman. After all, a new upper with a chromelined barrel can be had at about 60,000 rubles, which is the price of 4,000 to 5,000 thousand steel-cased rounds or just 400 brass-cased rounds of .223 Rem. ammunition. Rolling your fodder is also an option, but it seems that not too many IPSC people are ready to take that road, at least for now, because to get the best results you have to use imported components, which are not cheap too. Conclusion The American Rifle has established a firm if a comparatively small foothold on the Russian soil. If you exclude some older-school surplus semi-automatics such as the Simonov SKS, it’s the second most popular “tactical rifle” platform after the AK, although the sheer number of AK-type guns in civilian circulation is probably beating the AR-15 by twenty or thirty to one, if not more. AR-10 style rifles, primarily in .308, also have a small following among precision shooters and few hunters. I have doubts that this situation will change any time soon. Still, I hope you have enjoyed this brief story from across the Atlantic.

.366 TKM cartridges with solid slugs.

ADVENTURES OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE IN RUSSIA

PAGE 96

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 97

AR15 LONG VENTILLATED FLASH SUPPRESSOR

AR15 AND M16

Steel flash suppressor with standard threading for Govt./ Commercial 5.56/.223 barrels. 5.5 inches long .......................................................... $19.95 AR212

SERIES PARTS

M16

AR15/M16 RIFLE PARTS AM136 223 (5.56) Dummy Rounds from Lake City – AR098 AR100 AR092 AR001 AR102 AR082 AR120 AR032 AR060 AR071 AR070 AR106 AR105 AR107 AR108 AR057 AR149 AR080 AR081 AR087 AR088 AR306

Original G.I. green tip.....................10 for $8.95 AR Safety .............................................. $10.95 AR15 Disconnector...................................$9.95 AR15 Hammer (Semi auto) .................... $15.00 AR15 Lower Receiver Parts Kit (Semi-Auto) ............................................................. $45.00 AR15 Trigger (Semi-Auto) ...................... $17.95 AR15/M16 Action Spring .........................$4.00 AR15/M16 Action Spring (shorty style).....$4.00 AR15/M16 Barrel nut ..............................$7.50 AR15/M16 Bolt Cam Pin ..........................$6.00 AR15/M16 Bolt Carrier Key................... $13.50 AR15/M16 Bolt Carrier Key Screw ...........$1.00 AR15/M16 Bolt Catch ..............................$7.50 AR15/M16 Bolt Catch Pin ........................$1.00 AR15/M16 Bolt Catch Plunger .................$7.50 AR15/M16 Bolt Catch Spring ...................$1.00 AR15/M16 Bolt gas rings, set of 3 ............$3.00 223 cal bore brushes, bronze 10 for..........$8.95 AR15/M16 Buffer ................................. $12.95 AR15/M16 Buffer Short ........................ $12.95 AR15/M16 Buffer Retainer.......................$2.00 AR15/M16 Buffer Retainer Spring............$1.00 AR15/M16 Buttstock hinged trapdoor assy ................................................................$9.95

See our website for a FULL line of AR15 / M16 parts!!

AR15/M16 CLEANING KIT & ACCESSORY KIT • • • • • •

Bore brush Cleaning rod Tooth brush Oiler Muzzle cap Dual front sight tool

• Chamber brush • Broken shell extractor • Stripper clip guide • Grenade launcher Tension band

$17.50, 3 for $49.95 AR240

M16 ACCESSORY KIT – HEAVY DUTY

Cleaning toothbrush (GI) Silent sling, Front sight tool, Muzzle cover, Magazine dust covers (6), Plastic mag carriers (4) (Israeli G.I.), Broken shell extractor, Cleaning rod, Stripper guide, 2 Grenade launcher tension band (rare). Value $83.50 Sarco Special Price $19.95 AR238

AR15/M16 SPRING KIT

A set of all of the coil & torsion springs in the AR15 or M16. Ideal item for your spare parts box. Price if bought separately $18.30 Kit Price only. Includes recoil springs for Shortie M4 Kit ..................................................$12.95 AR134 3 for .................................................... $32.95 Standard Stock Kit .................... $12.95 AR397 3 for .................................................... $32.95

M16A2 HANDGUARD SET COMPLETE WITH METAL LINER CURRENT PRODUCTION

$16.10 AR184

M14 SPECIAL ITEMS

M14 Bolt stop G.I............ $22.95 M14091 M14 Buttplate assy hinged, G.I. ....................................... $29.95 M14047 3. M14 Connector rod G.I................$19.95, 3/. .................................. $49.95 M14049 4. M14 Firing Pin, original G.I. ....................................... $21.00 M14058 5. M14 Front stock swivel set, new G.I. ..........................................$8.95 M14117 6. M14 Handguard w/retaining clip, Fiberglass G.I.................. $12.50 M14005 7. M14 Handguard w/o retaining clip, Fiberglass .........................$9.95 HNGD13 8. M14 Handguard, Walnut ....................................... $24.95 M14120 9. M14 Op rod spring guide ....................................... $19.95 M14051 10. M14 Recoil Spring, TRW Orig GI. ... $7.45, 5/ ................................................$29.95 10/ ................................. $49.95 M14052 11. M14 Rear Sight Aperture, .052 NM ....................................... $41.50 M14127 12. M14 Rear Sight Aperture, .059 NM ....................................... $41.50 M14364 1. 2.

M14 20RND MAGAZINE

Newly Manufactured .. $16.94 RM024

AR307 AR119 AR056 AR118 AR002 AR188

AR104 AR178 AR036 AR034

AR035 AR172 AR067 AR066 AR068 AR064 AR063 AR065 AR059 AR058 AR011 AR047 AR048 AR077

AR15 LONG SLOTTED FLASH HIDER

Steel flash hider similar to the Vietnam CAR-15 with standard threading for Govt./Commercial 5.56/.223 barrels 5.5 inches long ..................................................................................... $19.95 AR213 AR078

AR15/M16 Buttstock trapdoor hinge..........$4.00 AR15/M16 Butt Swivel A1/A2..................$4.00 AR15/M16 Butt Swivel Pin.......................$1.00 AR15/M16 Butt Swivel Screw M16A2.......$2.85 AR15/M16 Charging Handle assy.......... $16.95 AR15/M16 Cleaning Toothbrush, G.I. .............................................................. $2.00, 3 for .........................................................$3.75 AR15/M16 Disconnector Spring ...............$1.00 AR15/M16 Early prong flash hider ........ $12.50 AR15/M16 Ejection Port Cover.................$7.95 AR15/M16 Ejection Port Cover Snap ring ................................................................$1.00 AR15/M16 Ejection Port Cover Spring ........ $1.50 AR15/M16 Ejection port cover pin............$2.75 AR15/M16 Ejector ...................................$3.00 AR15/M16 Ejector Pin..............................$1.00 AR15/M16 Ejector Spring ........................$1.00 AR15/M16 Extractor............................. $10.95 AR15/M16 Extractor Pin ..........................$2.00 AR15/M16 Extractor Spring.....................$1.00 AR15/M16 Firing Pin ...............................$7.95 AR15/M16 Firing Pin Retaining................$2.00 AR15/M16 Flash Hider Washer ................$1.00 AR15/M16 Forward Assist Pin .................$1.00 AR15/M16 Forward Assist Spring ............$1.00 AR15/M16 Front and Rear Takedown Detent Spring ......................................................$1.00

AR079 AR020 AR021 AR024 AR023 AR029 AR028 AR027 AR072 AR089 AR093 AR275 AR025 AR033 AR030 AR031 AR083 AR165 AR109 AR177

AR15/M16 Front and Rear Takedown Detent ................................................................$1.00 AR15/M16 Front Pivot Pin .......................$4.95 AR15/M16 Front Sight Detent..................$2.00 AR15/M16 Front Sight Detent Spring ................................................................$1.00 AR15/M16 Front Swivel Pin .....................$1.00 AR15/M16 Front Swivel Rivet...................$1.00 AR15/M16 Gas Tube 16" (Shorty).......... $11.95 AR15/M16 Gas Tube 20" (Standard) ............................................................. $13.50 AR15/M16 Gas Tube Pin..........................$1.00 AR15/M16 Grip Screw & Washer..............$1.00 AR15/M16 Hammer Pin ...........................$1.50 AR15/M16 Hammer Spring ......................$2.00 M16/M16A1 Handguard, new Colt (Right) ............................................................. $14.95 AR15/M16 Handguard Cap (Triangular) ................................................................$6.95 AR15/M16 Handguard Slip Ring (G.I) ................................................................$7.50 AR15/M16 Handguard Snap Ring ............$2.50 AR15/M16 Handguard Spring..................$6.00 AR15/M16 Lower Receiver Extension ............................................................. $20.00 AR15/M16 Mag Carrier ............................$1.50 AR15/M16 Magazine Catch ......................$7.50 AR15/M16 Magazine Catch Button, metal

JUST IN THE DOOR – ALL NEW REMINGTON® PARTS!!

F1007705 F1007270 F1001945 F1003139 F1000762 F1003536 F1000501 F1003228 F405932 F410804 F1000518 F1001564

AR10 .308 STD A2 Buffer Assembly........................................................................$19.95 AR10 .308 Firing Pin ................................................................................................ $9.99 AR15 A1 5 Prong Sight Adjustment Tool ................................................................... $4.95 AR15 Anti Tilt Magazine Follower .223...................................................................... $1.50 AR15 Magazine SS 7.62 x 39, 30 RD ......................................................................$14.95 AR15/M4 16" BARREL Low profile gas block ....................................................... $159.95 AR15/M16 Extended Buttplate...............................................................................$14.95 AR15/M16 Front Sight Post +.040............................................................................ $4.95 AR Gas Tube Pistol Length ....................................................................................... $7.99 DPMS .308 Barrel Nut............................................................................................$16.95 M4 Buttstock Wrench............................................................................................... $6.95 Magpul MOE™ Carbine Stock MAG401 ..................................................................$29.95

AR15 UPPER RECEIVER PARTS KIT, REMINGTON® Charging handle, Ejection port cover, Ejection port pin, Ejection port spring, Forward assist, Forward assist pin, Forward assist spring$29.95 F620987

PICATINNY PROJECT RAIL These have a Picatinny Rail on top and a dovetail underneath. They are about 7 inches overall. There is a lock screw recess on top. Use your imagination and skill to make use of these rails. Great for custom projects. So if you have an old upper that has a broken top handle you can repurposed them into a flat top. See our website for more details .................................................................... $1.95 each or 3 / $4.95 F1004157

AR15/M16 BIPOD ORIGINAL U.S. G.I. METAL

AR-15 TAPCO INTRAFUSE HANDGUARD SET New sporting design makes these 6.5" handguards with 3 accessory rail covers, a convenient change of variety for your M4 style rifle. Color: black ......................................... $29.95 AR420 CLOSE OUT! .................................$9.95 3 for ............................................ $27.00

$24.95 AR139 Above Bipod with Pouch $29.95 AR297 Pouch only $5.95 AR324

M4 AR15/M16 RECEIVER 5.56MM/.223 BROKEN SHELL CARRYING HANDLE AND REAR SIGHT ASSEMBLY EXTRACTOR Brand new tool; made for removing stuck headless cases from the chamber of any .223/5.56mm rifle. We’ve never seen these offered before now ...............................$5.95 ea. BSE001 Our new BSE’s work – others on the market don’t fit. We learned the hard way!

AR15/M16 CHAMBER BRUSH

Original style ............ $3.95 AR205

AR 16" BARREL GAS TUBES

Just got a shipment in. these have been tight ................................................$11.95 AR029

M14 STOCK, WALNUT

Nice Military Rework ...............$45.00 M14363

Fits Flat Top Upper receiver with Picatinny Rail. Complete with M16A2 rear sight assembly. Regularly $44.50 SPECIAL SALE! ................. $29.95 3 for $84.95 AR180

AR15/M16 M4 SHORTY LENGTH ROUND HANDGUARD New Production ..... $19.95 AR185

M14 AVAILABLE AGAIN M14 FULL AUTO PARTS KITS

M14 M14 M14 M14 M14

FLASH HIDERS

Selector, Pin & Spring Almost Selector Shaft Sold Out! Sear Release Connector Rod Full Auto Selector Lock .............. $75.00 M14014

SERIES PARTS

M16A2 $8.95 AR007 AR111 AR133 AR043 AR040 AR038 AR037 AR046 AR041

AR115 AR050 AR130 AR076 AR075 AR095 AR116 AR430 AR134 AR302 AR103 AR176 AR112

www.sarcoinc.com

SIGHT ADJUSTING TOOL BACK IN STOCK!! AR15/M16A2 SIGHT ADJUSTING TOOL 4 PRONG ........ $4.90 AR158

................................................................$2.50 AR15/M16 Magazine Catch Spring...........$1.00 AR15/M16 Pin Kit................................$14.95, 3/ ......................................................... $39.95 AR15/M16 Rear Sight Aperture, Standard ................................................................$5.00 AR15/M16 Rear Sight Detent Spring...........$1.00 AR15/M16 Rear Sight Drum ....................$6.50 AR15/M16 Rear Sight Drum Pin ..............$1.00 AR15/M16 Rear Sight Spring ...................$1.00 AR15/M16 Rear Sight Windage Screw ................................................................$7.50 AR15/M16 Rear Takedown Pin.................$5.75 AR15/M16 Round Forward Assist ............................................................. $14.75 AR15/M16 Rubberized Swivel front new ..................................................................$5.00 AR15/M16 Safety Detent..........................$2.00 AR15/M16 Safety Detent Spring...............$1.00 AR15/M16 Sear Assembly..................... $19.95 AR15/M16 Sear Spring ............................$3.00 AR15/M16 Slip Ring A1 (early) .............. $20.00 AR15/M16 Spring Kit............................ $12.95 AR15/M16 Top sling adapter....................$1.95 AR15/M16 Trigger Spring ........................$2.00 AR15/M16 Triggerguard, aluminum.........$6.75 AR15/M16 Triggerguard Pin.....................$1.00

AR006 AR085

AR15/M16A1 Birdcage Flash hider ..........$6.95 AR15/M16A1 Buttcap Screw (Short) ................................................................$2.25 AR220 M16A1 Butt Swivel Screw.........................$3.00 AR073 AR15/M16A1 Pistol Grip (Used)................$9.95 AR214 AR15/M16A2 Burst Trigger ................... $15.00 AR143 AR15/M16A2 Buttstock Crnt Prod. Comes with buffer, spring & all hrdwr milspec ............................................................. $54.95 AR007 AR15/M16A2 Flash hider .........................$8.95 AR144 AR15/M16A2 New Buttstock (Current production) stripped .............................. $34.95 AR074 AR15/M16A2 Pistol Grip new ...................$8.95 AR158 AR15/M16A2 Sight Tool (4 Prong) ............$4.90 AR229 M16 Bolt Carrier ................................... $49.95 AR127 M16 Magazine 6 Orlites w/ Carriers ............................................................. $59.95 SLNG099 M16 Single Point Sling, BLACK ............ $17.95 SLNG100 M16 Single Point Sling, GREEN ........... $17.95 SLNG101 M16 Single Point Sling, SCORCHED DARK EARTH .................................................. $17.95 AR358 M16A2 ..... Peel off flash hider washers. Used take off. Work fine ............................................$7.95

AR205 AR15/M16 chamber brush ................. $3.95 AR141 M16 Original G.I. Buttstock, plus lower receiver extension, buffer and spring .........................................................$59.95

AR15 LOWER RECEIVER PARTS SET Super price! Includes all parts shown except for the receiver. Comes with late model pistol grip and our hammer & trigger pin diameter is the industry standard at .154. Some Colt made guns use a .170 diameter which is not compatible with our parts ............................ $45.00 ea. AR001

SARCO’S M16 MULTIPLE MAGAZINE CARRIER Secure metal clip holds two magazines for quick change firing and tactical applications. We’ve made thousands for the U.S. Govt.! See our web site for details $14.95, or 4 for ...................................$45.80

AR203 (metal clip holder only)

AR15/M16 ARMORER'S WRENCH

AR/M16 ARMORER’S KIT

Be ready when the time comes! Quality tool set for removal & installation of parts. Easily worth the cost just for the quality vise block set! INCLUDES - VISE BLOCK, DELTA WRENCH, TOOL BRUSH, BROKEN SHELL EXTRACTOR, BORE & CHAMBER BRUSHES, 1 SIGHT TOOL, CLEANING ROD SET $91.50 value for just $49.95 $59.95 AR373

AR-15 DUAL FRONT SIGHT TOOL

Two-in-One tool with dual funcSave time with this wrench assembly that tions to adjust both 4-prong and 5-prong front sights. Makes will speed up your maintenance of the M16 / AR15 and CAR15 platforms. Built adjusting the front sight on with 4140 powder coated steel, this will your A1 and A2 a snap.$5.95, outlast your Rifle! ...........$17.95 AR440 3 for ............... $14.95 AR175

M16 AUTO SEAR

Few only .........................$19.95 AR095 Buy a replacement(s) for your legal M16. All NFA rules apply. Note: These go out of time with use.

M16 ORIGINAL COLT 30 ROUND MAGAZINE, Used Good ...... $14.95 AR267 M16 Original Colt 30 Round Magazine, Excellent to New ...... $22.50 AR393

M14E2 STOCK FRONT GRIP ASSEMBLY AND RAIL

Nearly impossible to find, we Going have had Quick!! the M14E2 Vietnam era Front Grip Assembly, newly manufactured with the internal stock rail. Now you are able to add this USGI wartime grip to your incomplete M14E2 stock, convert your m14 or M1A1 stock to accept it, or add it to your ‘tricked out M21’ sniper system. Very limited run. Swiveling front grip with sling swivel, 2 screws, and stock internal rail ...$95.00 M14371

NEW!!! M14 BARRELS IN STOCK Brand new .308 cal M14 Barrels made by one of the best U.S. barrel manufacturers ....... $175.00 ea. M14124

M14 FLASH HIDER PLIERS

Available once again. New condition. A necessity for your M14 ensemble ...................$16.50 ea. TOOL039

M14 STRIPPER CLIPS

12 original clips for....$9.95 STC016

M1A1/ M14 SIDE SCOPE MOUNT Black anodized. Steel hardware included, lightweight, 4.3" length ........ $39.95 M14012

PAGE 98

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 99

PAGE 100

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

PAGE 101

PAGE 102

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Airguns For Sale

S3000

In business since 2005. ACCURATE AIRGUNS LLC Ph: 360-656-5123 Email: airguns@comcast.net Website: accurateairguns.com

Looks unfired with box and some documents. $13,500. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures.

AIRGUN REPAIR & SERVICE Factory authorized Crosman, Benjamin Colt Named Model For Sale S3280 and Sheridan warranty service. We also repair Daisy, Beeman and many A Miscellaneous For Sale S3100 other makes of pellet and bb guns. Colt 1918 B.A.R. serial number 1. No firearms. Most repairs $65-$100. AMF M1 Navy Trophy Rifle. .308 Excellent condition. Original wood. No We buy used airguns and parts. Caliber. Approximately 5,000 survived. Bipod. Used as a display gun at Colt.

INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW...

HELLFIRE STEALTH The name says it all!

You simply just squeeze the trigger.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11 $325,000. Serious inquiries only. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures. Heckler & Koch (H&K) For Sale

231-462-3594, 863-291-3594.

S3780

California D.O.J. HK Model 94. Ex D.O.J. gun, refinished. $6,500. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures.

LUGERS- HUNDREDS IN STOCK!

SIMPSON LTD IS THE LARGEST LUGER DEALER Find holsters, stocks, tools, Luger Handguns For Sale S4080 magazines, books, manuals, appraisals, and more at LUGERS, P-38’S. WWW.SIMPSONLTD.COM

Broom Handles, Nambus, Accessories, German, Japanese, War Relics. List $2. Hoffman, 4105 Stephanie, Branch, MI 49402.

Watch our Speaking Luger series on YouTube! Military Arms For Sale

S4200

1903 A4 Sniper, Overall condition excellent. “W” stamped behind the trigger, came from the National Guard in the 1960’s. $7,500. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures.

ONLY

$39.95 (plus S&H)

LEGAL IN ALL 50 STATES!! ATF LEGAL WITH CERTIFICATE.

Activate/Deactivate/ Adjust with the hidden Micro knob.

This incredible new system installs invisibly within your grip on any AR15 style rifle invisibly. It can be activated or deactivated in seconds. It legally allows you to pull your guns trigger at it's highest rate legally. It installs in minutes and nobody but you will know it's there. It features a micro-adjust for activation and deactivation. It looks absolutely built in. It is revolutionarily the best rapid fire system for these new volatile times. Get them now before new laws outlawing "Fast Shooting" arrive. This may very well be the best system ever devised for AR15 platforms. It is constructed of all Steel for a lifetime of reliability. The shooter always maintains control and single function of the trigger so you can fire single, double, bursts or empty mags and it is the only system that is 100% legal for now in all 50 states!

ONLY AT ROCKINLOCK.COM AND FIREQUEST.COM

www.StormWerkz.com Small Arms Upgrades Made in USA GOVERNMENT 1911 A-1 .45 cal. surplus Kraft boxes: Colt, Remington, ITHACA, US&S with wrapping paper. $27.75 plus postage. Ray 847-854-6608. 1903 COLT U.S. property marked 32 and 380 cal. boxes with proper instruction sheet, paper and

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

cleaning rod. $39.95 plus postage. Ray 847-854-6608. BLUEPRINTS American 180, AN-M2, Austen, Berretta, Bar, BMG 30, 50, Czech25, 383, FN-FAL, Hotchkiss, Kommando, Lanchester, Mac-10, Madsen, Mat-49 28-A1, M1A1, M3A1, M-16, M-37, M-203, MG-34, MP- 34, 38, 40, 41, Owen, PAF, PPSH-41, PPS-43, Reising, Sola, Star, Sten II & V, Sterling, Suomi, Swedish K, UD-42, Vickers, Vigneron, Yugo 49, 56. $15 each or 2/$25, Complete package $125.

SIG-57, MG-42 and M-14 are $25 each. Make payment to: C. Shillig PO Box 25932, Colo. Springs, CO 80936 wmem1a1@zandsindprecmach.com Military/Automatic Arms For Sale

S4220

T161/M60 .308 caliber, excellent condition, C&R eligible. $65,000. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures. MP40 Good numbers matching with matching magazine painted black and appears to have never been blued.

S&K SCOPE MOUNTS LLC Offering a HUGE line of Skulptured bases for Remingtons, Winchesters, Brownings, Kimbers, and more! Browning X-Bolt Don’t forget our ex-military mounts!!

Ph: 800-578-9862 Email: comments@scopemounts.com www.scopemounts.com

MADE IN THE

1917 ENFIELD P14 or P17

PAGE 103

RUBEN MENDIOLA

DEALERNFA, INC. SINCE 1985 PO Box 566300, Miami, FL 33256-6300, 305-271-3436 TOLL FREE: 866-NFA-WANT (866-632-9268), FAX: 866-415-7066, CELL: 786-256-6746 for pics or text, EMAIL: Ruben@dealernfa.com, HOURS: 8am-9pm Eastern, 7 days a week

100s OF MACHINE GUNS ON SALE!!

Colt M16, M16A1, M16A2, 614, AR15 conversions, DIAS, Auto Links, all types and configurations. HK MP5, MP5K-PDW, HK33, G3, HK51, HK21, Sear, Double Push Pin & Registered Receiver Guns. HK Registered Machine Guns Sears.

Thompsons, Colt 21 & 28, WWII Savage & Bridgeport M1 & M1928 & Commercial Guns, Reisings, M2 Carbines, M3 Grease Guns, FNC, Ruger 556, AK47, MP40, MP44, Stens MKII, S&W 76, MK760, M10 45ACP & 9mm, M11 9mm & .380. Maremont and Rock Island M60 & M60E6. Belt Fed 1919A4, 1917A1, Browning M2HB .50 Cal, FightLite MCR060 Belt Fed Uppers for AR15 or M16 Platforms.

Extremely Rare Museum Quality Very Early Presentation Colt 1918 BAR Pre-May Sales Samples Available only to Dealers. HK MP5, MP5K, HK33, HK53, Steyr AUGs, FN FAL, BAR, UZI Full Size & Mini, M3 Grease Guns, Thompson, Walther MPK & MPL, Beretta 93R LNIB & SC70, Restricted Post Sample: Glock 18 We are Always in the Market to Purchase Quality Machine Guns. We will never sell guns until they have been received and inspected. My staff and I welcome prospective clients to come and inspect the firearms they are interested in purchasing in our state of the art, high security facility. We are dedicated, full time dealers with a full-time staff. Every item we offer for sale is in stock and owned by us. We are not brokers, or a consignment store. We send every HK conversion to Terry Dyer for inspection and upgrade.

Please visit our website for the full list of inventory specials.

WE PROVIDE THE BEST QUALITY GUNS ON THE MARKET.

A Dealer You Can Trust!

www.dealernfa.com

ALWAYS PAYING TOP DOLLAR!

PAGE 104

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com S4220

$11,000. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures.

$18,000. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures.

CLASS II FULL AUTO DRILLING FIXTURES For MAK-90/AK-47 (w/ pins & bushing)--$48.50 shipped or AR-15/M-16, M-11/9 & HK--$33.50 shipped. All NFA Rules Apply. Order online at www.ftfindustries.com or mail to: FTF Industries, Box 68, Hildebran, NC 28637 (cert. funds, M/C or Visa).

Military/Automatic Arms For Sale

AKM Underfolder Conversion Gun. $25,000. Serious inquiries only. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. No pictures.

Aircraft Lewis Gun Reg. Live but welded together, blued, no magazine.

STEN MARK II & III

BARRELS, New Manufacture, Original Length $45.00; AMD-65 extended muzzlebrakes AK74 style $27.00, Shipping $5.50 each. KELLER ENTERPRISES, PO Box 563, Safety Harbor, FL 34695.

UNLEASH INCREDIBLE FIREPOWER WITH THE NEW HELL-FIRE GEN2TM

◆ Installs quickly and easily ◆ Looks built in and part of your rifle ◆ Non Bumpfire Technology ◆ Can be shot firmly against shoulder ◆ Select fire Micro Adjust knob ◆ Can be fired with one hand for pistols ◆ Adjustable rate of fire-Up to 900 rpm ◆ ATF legal certificate ◆ Can be retrofit to most anything ◆ Made in USA-All MetalPatent Pending

ALL NEW SNAP-ON VERSION ONLY $34.95

INSTALLS IN SECONDS !!

CUSTOM FIT FOR AR15’S AND AK’S. RETROFIT PKG FOR OTHERS.

$59.95 (plus S&H)

ROCKINLOCK.COM ◆ FIREQUEST.COM ◆ (770) 249-2991

www.AAOMFG.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL US AT: (601) 514-0660

AR9 Dedicated Glock Magazine 80% lower with Last Round Bold Hold Open $109.99

80% AR15 Lowers - .223/5.56 – Mil-Spec $40.50

AR9 Dedicated S&W M&P Magazine 80% lower with Last Round Bold Hold Open $109.99

Mil-Spec Lower Parts Kits $46.50

We are a family owned and operated business that specializes in manufacturing innovative products for the 2A lifestyle.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

727-726-2500. www.stenparts.com

PAGE 105

Safety Harbor, FL 34695. 727-726-2500 www.stenparts.com

.50 BMG UPPERS, .50 BMG RIFLES www.SHTF50.com

STEN MkII $30, STEN MkIII $35, Sterling $35, Yugo 56 $45; Receiver Tubes w/bonded templates made from 4130 Tubing. Correct OD/ID Shipping extra. Keller Enterprises, PO Box 563, Safety Harbor, FL 34695. 727-726-2500. www.stenparts.com

STEN MARK II, III, & V spring kits $20, $5 shipping KELLER ENTERPRISE PO BOX 563

PPSH41 RECEIVER Section $50.00, PPS43 Receiver Section $50.00,

800 -338 -3220

HOR ADY.COM ®

AUTO CHARGE

™

PRO

TAKE CHARGE with the Hornady® Auto Charge™ Pro. Easy and precise powder dispensing with customizable trickle settings for the reloading enthusiast.

FEATURES • Precise to within 0.1 grain

MSRP was $29.99 NOW only $24.99

• Custom trickle settings • Backlit touch screen

NOW IMPROVED FOR 2021

HYPERGAT TRIGGER SYSTEM Fits most all Rifles and Pistols .22 to .50cal

WWW.HYPERGAT.NET Mounts easily- Does not obstruct trigger-600 to 1000 rpm “Fully auto type Fire” - ATF Legal

“Bump-Firing” “Slide- Firing” No Technique required!

BEST of ALL No Hi h Price!!

$49.95

"FORCE MULTIPLYER" Complete with the "Hypergat" Trigger System. See our AMAZING videos on our website! THIS IS THE EASIEST BEST RAPID FIRE TRIGGER SYSTEM IN THE WORLD! Go to our website or Call 970-417-4860 and get yours today!!

HYPERGAT.NET or FIREQUEST.COM

• Large powder capacity • Built-in bubble level • Store up to four custom loads or use the factory setting • Small, compact footprint

PAGE 106 Military/Automatic Arms For Sale

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com S4220

PPS43S Trunnions $30.00 Shipping $11.50 Keller Enterprises, PO Box 563, Safety Harbor, FL 34695. 727-726-2500. www.stenparts.com CZ24 REPLACEMENT Receiver Tube Section w/template. 4130 tubing

with correct OD & ID $45.00 Shipping $5.50 Keller Enterprises, PO Box 563, Safety Harbor, FL 34695. 727-726-2500 www.stenparts.com WWII Sten MKIII parts set, demilled, ORIGINAL barrel, $250 shipped. leetoolandmachine.com DEPOT LEVEL Maintenance on your U.S. Military Machine Guns. Most M16, M60 and .50 cal. parts

in stock. We can put your M18 or M20 recoilless rifle back together. Sub-cal units available. Gunsmith 203-605-4578.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

the last possible minute. The singleseater will be missing the stick and maybe some instruments. The cockpit M55 Reising. Came from H&R in the was cut out of existing planes that were phased out of service. Single cockpit 1980’s. No metal on the wood stock. MIG - $9000.00 MMP011. $12,000. Doug Oefinger 863-444-1849. Please call us at (610) 250-3960 to order No pictures. Remington Rifles Wanted S4441 this item. These are oversized items. Cockpit shipped via truck at our 55% S5200 discount. See pictures of the actual unit Accessories For Sale Buying Remington No. 1 Rolling Blocks & Hepburns in Long and read more by visiting our website Range Creedmoors, Mid-Range, Short- AMMO, Antique/Obsolete, in original www.sarcoinc.com. Range and Schuetzen Target Models. boxes. Most American sporting calibers 509-826-5512, including obsolete rimfires. NO lists, S5280 Barrels For Sale randyman@ncidata.com reloads, military/foreign. Ray Giles, RTG Sporting Collectibles LLC, 214-361-6577 www.rtgammo.com CORSON’S BARRELS 1000 New, Used, and Obsolete Shotgun Barrels. Buy, Sell, Trade. 928-718-4282 S5270 Antiques Arizona. dccorson@citilink.net, www.corsonsbarrels.com SARCO, INC. -MIG 21 jet fighter cockpit section from the DDR (East S5380 German) Air Force. We have only one Clips & Magazines For Sale single-seater. ATF will not allow the import of military aircraft, so this is the VEPR & SAIGA end. Ours was saved from the smelter at METAL MAGAZINES U.S. Made. Also, AK floor plates. See us at: CSSPECS .COM QUICK DRAW or Call 386-490-1102 R Miscellaneous For Sale

S4560

THE BEST PRICING ON DIAMONDS FOR INVESTMENT IN THE WORLD! SIMPLY THE ULTIMATE PORTABLE WEALTH. It’s simple to add diamonds to your portfolio. Diamonds continue to outperform Gold and Silver consistently as an appreciating asset despite what this devastating economy is doing. Gold and Silver depend on volatile Spot Prices and always have up to a 25% fee added. Not until now have we have found a way, through the world's desperate economy, to bring you beautiful DIAMONDS at prices never heard of before. We are now able to get them directly from the importers without extra middlemen due to this economic crisis.

$42.95

LOTS OF 24 RIGS VISA, MASTERCARD WILEY’S, 7009 Co. Rd. 2120 WILLS POINT, TX 75169 1-903-848-7912-FAX-7922 www.wileysguns.com

We ask that you give us a try on a minimal purchase. When you receive and take them to anyone, be it an expert, jeweler or family member, you will be so impressed that you will be back as our loyal customer for life. There will never be a better time to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity on such beauty and value.

▶ ▶ ▶ ▶

1/2 carat genuine diamonds starting at $150 VS1 Clarity D Color. $1500 elsewhere. Values 10x or more. Loose stones to rings, pendants, or earrings. GIA, IGL or In House grading and insurance appraisals available.

ars of 40 ye nce e experi n. icatio d e d and

UNCONDITIONAL SATISFACTION GUARANTEED.

TOOLED LEATHER - SUEDE LINED - FITS SINGLE ACTION

ASK FOR CAL. 22-38-357-44-45 ASK FOR SIZES: 32–44 FEATURES BROWN COLOR LOW DROP ON HIP BBL LENGTHS: 6" OR 71⁄2"

SELL OUT PRICES 24 RIGS $42.95 EA. 12 RIGS $44.95 EA. 6 RIGS $46.95 EA. 4 RIGS $48.95 EA. 2 RIGS $52.95 EA. 1 RIG $59.95 EA.

Gun Cleaning Supplies

Ultrasonic Cleaner Used 36” for long guns, slightly used. Some other sizes also. One Year Warranty. Alexy Ultrasonics 845-482-3000

Plus Shipping

Gun Parts For Sale

www.davincidiamonds.us – Call 805-235-8060

M1 CARBINE PARTS Download Our FREE Catalog!! www.bestcarbineparts.com Carbine Barrels Stock Pouches Slings & Early Oilers Stocks & Handguards Type I Early Flip Sights *Type I, II Dog Leg Hammers *Flat & Round Bolts: $95.00 & Up *Front Bands Type I, II & III *Front & Rear Sights *Swivels (All Mfgs.): $18.00 & Up *Mag. Rel. Type I, II & III: $32.00 & Up *M1A1 Recoil Plate Covers: $65.00 *M1A1 Butt Plate Springs: $10.00 *M1A1 Coil Springs (Pistol Grip): $10.00 *Type I Band Screws: $7.50

*** Celebrating 30+ Years*** ADER - $1399

S5500

B&C Gunsmithing 928-733-8350 Charles Daly Miroku Shotgun Repairs. Original Parts. Gunsmith with over forty years experience with CDM shotguns. We have 10,000 parts plus 12 other firearms manufacturers. B&C Gunsmithing, Call Monday-Thursday, 12 noon - 4pm, 928-733-8350.

ORIGINAL PRECISION MANUFACTURER OF

LOCK DELETE FOR S&W REVOLVERS

UNIVERSAL MOONCLIP TOOL MOONS DEMOONS RIM OR NON RIM BRASS MULTI-CAL 32 THRU 460 ALL BRANDS

J.D. @ 480-305-3236 ORIGINALPRECISION.COM

L&S SUPPLY, INC. 22211 Lofton Ave. N Scandia, MN 55073

E-Mail: lssupply@spacestar.net Or call: (651)773-9972 15 DAY 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

ADBR - $1069

S5475

COLT Lightning Springs. One each of the following: Trigger spring, Hand Spring, Strut Spring, Cyl stop spring, Ejector spring, $24.50 per set plus $5 shipping.

CONVERT YOUR

GUNS TO CA$H Advertise in Firearms News to reach customers anywhere in the country. Call today! 1-800-521-2885, ext. 5064

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Poppert’s, Box 413, Glenside, PA 19038. www.PoppertsGunParts.com GUNSMITH’S Assortment: Screws, springs, pins, 100 pieces, $14.50 plus $5 shipping: Poppert’s, Box 413, Glenside, PA 19038. www.PoppertsGunParts.com

Broomhandles to 30 Mauser using the finest liners. Rust bluing available. Guaranteeing the finest job around. Established shop of 41 years. Redman’s Rifling & Reboring, 189 Nichols, Omak, WA 98841. 509-826-5512. Prices & Info: www.redmansrifling.com

BARREL RELINING in .22 RF, 25-20, 32-20, 38-40, 44-40. Installing the finest liners, manufactured by Redman’s. Professional Craftsmanship Guaranteed. Established shop of 41 Years. Redman’s Rifling & Reboring, 189 Nichols, Omak, WA 98841. 509-826-5512. S5501 Prices & info www.redmansrifling.com

GUN PARTS: You name it. Professional service since 1965. General Parts List, $5. Traders Den, 1655 Olson Dr., Cook, MN 55723. Mail order or by appointment only. 218-666-5083. Gun Parts Wanted

HAMMER FLAT SPRING FOR REMINGTON .22 MODEL 6 UNIMPROVED. 270-496-4331. Gunsmith & Dealer Services

S5540

GUN BLUING and RESTORATION firearmfinishinginc.com Firearms Refinishing. No More Rust! Parkerizing, Moly, Ceramic. Call 337230-4815, alomar.resources@cox.net

PMD Gunsmithing Specializing in Firearm Restoration Rebluing, Stock Refinishing, and Repair. Better than New! www.pmdgunsmithing.com Call 330-240-5960 to receive FREE SHIPPING both ways with your restoration project.

RICK’S PLACE Master Gunsmith Full Line Gunsmith Shop REPAIRS & RESTORATIONS Metal & Wood Refinishing Custom Barrels, Stocks, Grips, Guns Choke Tube Installation & Removal Scopes Mounted - Barrels Threaded Shotgun Barrels Straightening Appraisals - FFL Transfers Fire & Flood Damage Claims Bad@$$ Custom Gunsmith Tools 501-658-7347 rick@ricksplace.biz www.ricksplace.biz BROOMHANDLE BARREL RELINING

REAMERRENTALS.COM ONLINE CATALOG 400+ Calibers Available. Call (800) 996-0426. Gunsmith & Dealer Supplies

S5560

742 - 7400 Barrel Nut Wrench -------------------870-1100-1187 Magazine Tube Detent Swage Kit 12 & 20 Gauge -------------------Bad@$$ Gunsmith Tools 501-658-7347 www.ricksplace.biz

MILLIONS OF GUN PARTS!! WE NOW HAVE 300 MODELS ON THE WEB VISA-MASTER-DISCOVER

Company Check or MO.

BOB’S GUN SHOP P.O. Box 200 Royal, AR 71968

FAX 501-767-2750

www.gun-parts.com gunparts@hsnp.com

PAGE 107

PAGE 108

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Gunsmith & Dealer Supplies

training. This equipment is for reboring an existing barrel up to a bigger size. Not cheap but a rare opportunity. 509-429-6856.

S5560

Pratt & Whitney Sine Bar Rifling Machine. Call 509-429-6856.

GUNS FOR MOVIES OR FUN! PIS TO LS • R IFLE S • M AC HI N E G UNS M1 CARBINE

M4 CARBINE

$49.95 DESERT EAGLE

$39.95

MAC11

$39.95 MP5 SD3 W/ SILENCER

$49.95 GERMAN MP40 SUBMACHINEGUN

$49.95

$79.95 No FFL required.

UZI PISTOL

$39.95

SARCO, INC.- COMMERCIAL GUN STOCK LOTS FOR SHOW SALES! Fabulous opportunity to buy new commercial stocks & forends for brand names like Mossberg, S&W, Ithaca, Marlin, H&R, Winchester, Savage, etc. One lot of 15 Stocks & forends with no duplicates

BARREL LINERS: 17 Mach II, 22RF, 25-20, 32-20, 38-40, 44-40. Satsifaction Guaranteed. Prices & info on website at

Gun Barrel Reboring Machine (hydraulically operated), tooling &

g guns to the We have been sellin 25 years and for ry ust ind vie mo ything. Pistols, have just about an Derringers to ns, gu ine Rifles, Mach ld to anyone So Rocket Launchers. .25 caliber and er old or rs yea 18 . up - Full functioning

www.redmansrifling.com

M92

$39.95 SIG 552 MACHINE GUN

$49.95 SIG 226

INTRODUCING SECRET SERVICE DARK WEB PHONE! • No monthly fees. Free Calls and Texts • Untraceable and can't be tracked. • Automatically deletes searches and clears footprints. • Dark Web access where anything is possible. • Changeable email and phone numbers.

$39.95

Order at WWW.RAPIDFIRETRIGGERS.net or call 770-249-2991

for $150.+Sh. (STK363). Sell 3 pcs and your out of it! Rest is profit. Multiple lots get better price! Great for gun show and store sales. Sarco Inc. 610.250.3960 or visit www.sarcoinc.com for a vast wealth of goodies !! Militaria For Sale

Miscellaneous For Sale

AMG INTERNATIONAL ARMORY

ONLY AVAILABLE FROM

Mercury Metal 99+% $15/lb. Shipping $10/lb. Salow, 270 Bighorn Dr., Estes Park, CO 80517. Reloading Components For Sale

Kit Building / Rebuild / Repair / Refinish • FN-FAL • FN-49 • M-1 • Garand • M-1 Carbine • British Enfields • M-1A • AR-15 • 98’s • O3’s • All U.S. and Foreign Rifles & Pistols Repaired and much more!

Full Mil-Spec Finishes Including: Parkerizing, Manganese Phosphate, Polymer, Teflon, Porcelainized Enamel and Bluing.

Only $89.95 plus S&H

HYPERGAT.NET

S5720

Ugly But Cheap! Prehistoric Authentic Indian Arrow Heads. Complete Undamaged. Found Lake Ozark Missouri. 21 For $27.50. Makes Nice Display Frame. Indian Head Cent $3.00; Silver Eagle, $25.00. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Richard’s 126-FN Honeysuckle, Eldon, MO 65026.

Former NATO Defense Contractor

85% more internet!

Indian Relics - B.C. $1.00 for Color Catalog. Indian, P.O. Box 246 Independence, KY 41051

SOVIET MILITARIA! Trade & Buy.

Military Gunsmith 35 yrs. Experience

• Complete with charger

Send $3 for Catalog. RUSSIAN STORE 7657 Winnetka Ave, Suite #203, Winnetka, CA 91306 818-999-1257 russianstoreinla@yahoo.com

S5700

(All Military Gunsmithing)

$39.95 US .45 AUTOMATIC

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

Premium AK Builds and Other Custom Builds Available!

GUY SNELEN • email: guyamg@centurytel.net Phone: 417.754.1097 • M–F 9AM–4PM CST

S5800

BRASS Once Fired Range Cleaned. 9mm, 40 S&W, 223/556. Call For Pricing & Inventory. For Other Calibers Call Chuck. 623-341-9122. www.bremersbrass.com RELOADERS All Pistol & Rifle Calibers, Inspected & Polished.

TREASURY Vol.

THE 2021 FIREARMS NEWS TREASURY IS BACK. PACKED WITH SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR STORIES OF THE YEAR!

ON NEWSSTANDS

NOW!

Don’t wait—they’ll go fast! On sale at fine retailers like Barnes & Noble and Wal-Mart.

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

817-834-5716 thbrassman@aol.com

Surplus Gear For Sale

SABOTS! 4,000 FPS out of your .30 caliber rifle? It’s possible with our sabots! You can load and shoot .22 caliber bullets in any .30 caliber cartridge. Our six fluted design enables instantaneous separation of sabot from the bullet at the muzzle. Add $5.50 for each order. Utah residents add 6.25% sales tax. No COD’s or credit cards. J&D Components 75 East 350 North, Orem Utah 84057 www.jdcomponents.com

POWDER, BRASS-BULLETS: Powder: WC844 (223) Virgin surplus 159.00, 4+156.99, WC86069.00, 4+64.00, SALE WC872-WC867 48.00 Surplus, Unfired Primed LC 223 from ammo 500-79.99, 1000149.99; 223 LC military 60m , 45 Auto, Tumbled 1000-89.99, 308 LC Primed Unfired Brass, from ammo, 500140.00; See web for other MilitaryCommercial Brass: New and Fired BULLETS: 308 IMI M-80 147gr. FMJ-500-89.00, Sierra 224-77gr. Special match 500-118.00, WOLF 224 55 FMJ 1000-79.99, Hornady 224 55gr. PSP-FMJ 94.99m, Federal 223 55 FMJ m193 - 94.99m; 223 M855 62 FMJ -124.99; 223-M856 tracer, Military Surplus-99.00m; 50 API Silver Unsized 289m, Sized 339m, 50 Tracer 279.00, sized 329.00 See web for complete 50 Bullet List, plus WW-Remington-Hornady Commercial Bullets: see web for current Prices: Brian McDonald 74880 Johnson Run Rd. Kimbolton, OH 43749 9AM-5PM, 330-833-4360 Fax No. 740-492-0063 Web: PatsReloading.com

SARCO, INC. - FLECHETTE DARTS: 1 inch long military flechettes in stock. Sold in 2 oz. (#MISC288) and 1 lb. (#MISC307) packs. Original USGI. Sarco Inc., 610.250.3960. Visit www.sarcoinc.com for a vast wealth of goodies !! Reloading Equipment Wanted

S5880

SARCO, INC. - WW2 VEHICLE RADIO SETS: SCR528 (#RAD04), SCR506 (#RAD02), & SCR508 (#RAD03) radio sets with mounting bases. Perfect for completing your military vehicle. Supplies are dwindling. Sarco Inc., Call Dave or Mark: 610.250.3960 or

C rossCut s aw C ompany

THE FINEST IN PEOPLE POWERED GOODS P.O. Box 7872, Seneca Falls, N.Y. 13148 315-568-5755

PAGE 109

RUBEN MENDIOLA DEALERNFA, INC. PO Box 566300, Miami, FL 33256-6300, 305-271-3436 TOLL FREE: 866-NFA-WANT (866-632-9268), FAX: 866-415-7066, CELL: 786-256-6746 for pics or text, EMAIL: Ruben@dealernfa.com HOURS: 8am-9pm Eastern, 7 days a week

!WANTED!

ALL TYPES OF QUALITY LEGAL MACHINE GUNS!

www.crosscutsaw.com Quality Saws, Knives, and Hard-to-Find Tools. Catalog $1 U.S. ($3 Foreign)

NO COLLECTION TOO LARGE!

GENEROUS FINDER’S FEES GLADLY PAID! Estate and Machine Gun Appraisals! Before Selling Your Guns, Please Call Me To Make Sure You Are Getting The Most For Them! CONSISTENTLY PROVIDING EXCELLENT AND DISCREET SERVICE & FAIRLY PRICED HIGH QUALITY MACHINE GUNS SINCE 1985! Attorney Available for Trust or Estate Matters.

**WE PAY UP FRONT**

100% of the Agreed Price Before You Ship Your Guns! You Will Never Have To Wait Until I Sell Your Guns in Order to Be Paid! 100% Risk, Worry & Hassle Free Transactions! Avoid the Uncertainty of Consignment or Brokering! Specializing in Investment Grade Transferable Machineguns Specialist in Law Enforcement Purchases and Cashless Trades

S5821

RELOADING EQUIPMENT & Gun related stuff WANTED! Attention Estates, Gun Shops, Collectors! Sell me your no longer used reloading equipment, casting, gunsmithing equipment & tools. Presses, dies, molds, Stocks, grips and Misc. parts too. I buy the items left over after others buy the guns. Gladly travel for large collections. Call Rick (330)806-4169 or email ricketts711@sbcglobal.net Scopes, Rings & Bases For Sale

S5840

RIFLESCOPES Browse Online Catalog at 4scopes.com Get Free Shipping!

www.dealernfa.com

ALWAYS PAYING TOP DOLLAR!

PAGE 110

FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

visit www.sarcoinc.com for a vast wealth of goodies !!

installed. Great for completing your RPG launchers! Sarco Inc. 610.250.3960 Visit www.sarcoinc.com for a vast wealth of goodies !!

SARCO, INC. - RPG-2 ROCKETS (INERT) (#RL005): Original Vietnam era rockets with the warhead removed and replacement inert head

SARCO, INC.- FRENCH 73MM BAZOOKA: LRAC-50 bazooka as used by the post war French in Vietnam & Algeria. Never on the market before. Comes with shield and

Surplus Gear For Sale

S5880

THE ALL NEW “HELLFIRE RANCHTM ” RAPID FIRE TRIGGER SYSTEM FOR “NON-ASSAULT RIFLES”. (PAT PEND.)

optics, deactivated to ATF specs. Very limited! Sarco Inc., 610.250.3960 Visit www.sarcoinc.com for a vast wealth of goodies !! S6150

Gun Shows

$39.95 (plus S&H)

$69.95 (plus S&H)

◆ Perfect for MINI-14, MINI-30, 10/22, and most Ranch Style Rifles with or without pistol grips. ◆ Goes ON and OFF in seconds. ◆ All Metal Construction. ◆ Allows for accurate aimed single shots, bursts, or emptying of magazines. ◆ Perfect for Varmints, Hog Shooting or Protection from any intrusion. ◆ Rapid Fire availability when you need it. ◆ ATF legal

Show, IAMAW Local 709, Union Hall, 1032 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta, Ga. Arms & Memorabilia of the Civil War, Indian Wars, WWI, WWII, etc. Info: Carolina Trader Promotions, 704-282-1339 www.TheCarolinaTrader.com

ATLANTA, G.A. Jul. 16-17, Atlanta Antique Gun & International Military

INTRODUCING THE “MAGNABRACETM ” ADJUSTABLE INSTANT ON/OFF OR PERMANENT PISTOL ARM BRACE. (PAT. PENDING.)

Snaps in place easily!

VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11

◆ Installs instantly via a super strong directional magnetic system with a 70 lb. pull strength. ◆ Can be permanently installed with 3m adhesive disc included that is as strong as a metal rivet. ◆ 3 position snap detent system for quick and positive adjustment. ◆ Mounts on AK pistols, Dracos, Macs, Uzi and a host of others. ◆ Adds accuracy and rapid fire controllability. ◆ Looks fabulous on the guns. ◆ Tough polymer metal construction with velcro arm strap. ◆ NFA legality card included.

DON’T MISS OUT

Go to FIREARMSNEWS.COM and click on subscribe for your print and/or digital issues.

CALL (770) 249-2991 or go to ROCKINLOCK.COM or FIREQUEST.COM and watch the videos and get yours today!

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

For Questions: Please Call 1-800-521-2885, ext. 5064

(For a list of available categories - Please Call 1-800-521-2885, ext. 5064)