67 minute read
Favorite Firearms
Just Like “Gunsmoke”
Back in the early 1960s, my father enjoyed watching episodes of “Gunsmoke,” with James Arness as Matt Dillon. I was in my early 20s at the time, and because of this, I bought a Second Generation Colt Single Action Army for him as a birthday gift. I ordered a .45 Colt, but was told they were all gone, so I agreed to one in .357 Mag. instead.
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The revolver became a working pistol for my father. When he got a job as a security guard at a local business, my father carried the revolver in a holster on his hip, and when he later became a county building inspector the gun was always in his truck in case a dog attacked him during an inspection. He also enjoyed hunting for deer in the Ocala National Forest each autumn, and would carry the Colt as a sidearm in case he had to dispatch a wounded deer. My father hated snakes, so as a handloader, I also made up some cartridges loaded with lead shot.
During the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, my father received a wound to his hip from an 8 mm Mauser ri e, and I have the bullet—along with his Purple Heart and other medals—now on display. I guess he never knew that James Arness received a similar wound during World War II, and sometimes had dif culty mounting his horse during the lming of “Gunsmoke.”
Several years ago, when my father passed away, I asked my stepmother to return the revolver to me. I occasionally still take the Colt out to the Eustis Gun Club and shoot some .38 Spl. cartridges through it in memory of my father.
TERRY MCCAUSLIN, FLORIDA
Nearly every shooter has a favorite rearm. If you would like to share the experience of owning yours with other American Ri eman readers, or on americanri eman.org, send a sharp color photograph of the gun, accompanied by its story in fewer than 400 words, with your name, address and daytime telephone number to: Favorite Firearms, American Ri eman, National Ri e Association, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-9400. Photos and submissions cannot be returned and may be edited for clarity and brevity.
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With an appearance unlike any before them, IWI’s Galil ACE GAP39SB pistol (l.) in 7.62x39 mm and its Galil Ace GAR16556 in 5.56x45 mm NATO represent the current “state of the art” in semi-automatic AK-based rearms.
This year marks seven decades since the Avtomat Kalashnikova made its debut on the world stage. Although the design is not without its critics and detractors, no one can argue with its success. And while there are more than 100 million rearms based on the AK-47 design around the world, the Galil ACE may just be the best yet.
BY JEREMIAH KNUPP, FIELD EDITOR
he fall of the Berlin Wall ushered in a new era of military small arms design that saw many of the rearms that had arisen from the ashes of World War II relegated to the dust bin, but over and over, nations have chosen to update and stay with their Kalashnikov-based service ri es. The Russian military recently accepted the AK-12, a variant of its AK-74. Likewise, their neighbors, the Finns, have announced that, with cosmetic upgrades, they plan to have their 1960s-era AK ri es soldier on for another 20 years. Many former Warsaw Pact countries, from Poland to Hungary, have done the same. These ri es have been modi ed for 21st century tastes—there are rails for optics and accessories, ergonomic stocks and grips, and the extensive use of polymer—but at their heart is still the gas-operated, longstroke-piston, rotating-bolt design that Mikhail Kalashnikov began to pen in the waning days of World War II.
One of the most successful of these “modernized” Kalashnikovs comes from outside the former Iron Curtain. Israel adopted its AK-derived Galil ri e in the early 1970s. While always overshadowed in Israeli service by the M16, and eventually supplanted by the Tavor bullpup, the Galil has been given a new lease on life. The recently introduced ACE version of the Galil promises to keep the Kalashnikov design relevant for some time.
AK-47 (CHINESE TYPE 56S)
FINNISH VALMET M62/S
Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers have several decades’ experience with the Galil (above). The ri e evolved from a series of globally adopted iterations of the AK-47 (l.), with the newest, the Galil ACE, an entirely modular and modernized Kalashnikov platform (bottom l.).
All Galil ACE pistols are available with an optional arm brace, made by SB Tactical, that is designed to help stabilize the guns during one-handed ring (l.). The brace folds when not in use, lending the pistols a compact size convenient for transport. All ACE models also feature both a left-side selector switch that can be operated with the thumb for right-handed users (above, l.) and a lever on the receiver’s right side for use by a right-hand shooter’s index nger or by a left-handed shooter’s thumb (above, r.).
ORIGINAL IMI GALIL
IWI GALIL ACE
Adoption
When it was founded in 1948, the nation of Israel armed its military forces with a mixture of World War II surplus British, American and German guns. It worked quickly to standardize its small arms inventory and develop indigenous designs that could be produced domestically. The rst of these was the famous Uzi submachine gun.
In 1955, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) adopted the Belgian FN FAL as its standard infantry ri e, along with a heavy-barreled FAL for use in a squad automatic role. By the late 1960s, the Israelis were learning the same lesson that the American military was experiencing in Vietnam. A large, heavy, full-power battle ri e (the Israeli-version of the FAL weighed nearly 10 lbs. and was 43" overall) was less than ideal for mechanized, urban and asymmetric warfare. Following the 1967 Six-Day War, the Israelis sought a more compact ri e that red an intermediate cartridge that would allow for controllable full-automatic re.
To select a new service arm, the Israelis held a trial that tested most of the contemporary 5.56x45 mm designs, including the M16, HK33, AR-18 and the Stoner 63, along with the 7.62x39 mm AK. It also tested two native designs, one by Uziel Gal, the designer of the Uzi, and another by Israel Military Industries (IMI) designer Yisreal Galil. Galil’s ri e came out on top.
The core of the Galil design was the AK-47, a ri e that the IDF had seen frequently used by opposition forces for more than a decade. While the basic long-stroke-piston, rotating-bolt design of the Soviet ri e was utilized, many of the Galil’s external features came from a more re ned version of the AK, the Finnish Rk 62.
In the 20th century, Finland looked to its neighbor, and sometimes enemy, the U.S.S.R. for small arms designs. The Finnish military used variants of the Mosin-Nagant, often building them from captured Russian arms. When the Finns sought to update their infantry ri es in the 1950s, they naturally built upon the basic architecture of the Soviet Kalashnikov. The resulting ri e, which they adopted as the Rk 62, used a robust receiver milled out of a solid block of steel, like early AKs, rather than the stamped receiver of the later AKM. The rear sight, which is mounted on a block pinned to the barrel on the AK, was moved to the rear of the receiver cover for a longer eye relief and to allow the use of an aperture. Since this block is also where the AK’s gas tube mounts, on the Rk 62 the tube is attached directly to the receiver.
The Galil followed the Rk 62 in using a milled receiver with a rear aperture sight mounted on the receiver cover. In fact, the rst Galils were manufactured using Valmet Rk 62 receivers. In addition to the AK-type, right-side dustcover/selector lever, the Galil added a thumb-operated safety selector on the left side of the pistol grip. In another nod to the ambidextrous use of controls, the charging handle angled up and extended
The 7.62x39 mm-chambered Galil ACE pistol (GAP39SB) features a modern grip, folding arm brace, full-length optic rail and left-side charging handle.
above the receiver cover so that it could be used with either hand, much like the charging handle of the Uzi. A 35-round magazine was adapted from the Stoner 63. To make for a more compact package, the Galil had a sidefolding stock that mimicked the paratrooper version of the FAL. Though still 39" overall, folding its stock reduced the Galil to 30" in length.
Like the FAL, the Israelis sought to make the Galil design the basis of a rearm “system.” It was made in both infantry ri e (AR—“Assault Ri e”) and light machine gun (ARM—“Assault Ri e/Machine gun”) models. The ARM had a carrying handle, bipod and special 50-round magazine, and weighed in at nearly 10 lbs. It included two unique features. A wire cutter was integrated into the bipod and a bottle opener built into the handguard (allegedly to keep Israeli soldiers from prying off bottle caps with the feed lips of their magazines).
IMI later produced the “Short Assault Ri e” (SAR) with a 13" barrel and an 8"-barreled “Micro Assault Ri e” (MAR) version of the Galil. A 7.62x51 mm NATO Galil was introduced for the export market and was later modi ed into a semiautomatic-only designated marksman ri e used by the IDF,
7.62X39 MM CARTRIDGE
VEL. @ 10' (F.P.S.)
ENERGY (FT.-LBS.) GROUP SIZE (INCHES) SMALLEST LARGEST AVERAGE WOLF 122-GR.FMJ
2060 AVG. 19 SD 1,150 0.99 1.61 1.28
PRVI PARTIZAN 123-GR. SP RN
2024 AVG. 25 SD 1,120 1.35 2.15 1.72
HORNADY BLACK 123-GR. SST
1989 AVG. 12 SD
SHOOTING RESULTS (25 YDS.): GALIL ACE PISTOL GAP39SB
1,081 0.85 1.64 1.27 AVERAGE EXTREME SPREAD 1.42 NOTES: MEASURED AVERAGE VELOCITY FOR 10 ROUNDS FROM A 8.30" BARREL, MEASURED OVER A COMPETITION ELECTRONICS PROCHRONO DIGITAL CHRONOGRAPH. ACCURACY FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE, FIVE-SHOT GROUPS AT 25 YDS. FROM A CALDWELL MATRIX REST. RANGE TEMPERATURE: 73° F. HUMIDITY: 73%. ABBREVIATIONS: FMJ (FULL METAL JACKET), RN (ROUND NOSE), SD (STANDARD DEVIATION), SP (SOFT POINT), SST (SUPER SHOCK TIP).
GALIL ACE GAP39SB
MANUFACTURER/IMPORTER: IWI US, INC. P.O. BOX 126707, HARRISBURG, PA 17112; (717) 695-2081; IWI.US 27.75"
(19.59" WITH BRACE FOLDED)
8.41"
05 E
8.30"
MANUFACTURER/IMPORTER: ISRAEL WEAPON
INDUSTRIES (ISRAEL) ACTION: LONG-STROKE PISTON, GAS-OPERATED,
SEMI-AUTOMATIC CENTER-FIRE PISTOL CHAMBERING: 7.62X39 MM BARREL: 4140 CHROME MOLY VANADIUM STEEL;
COLD HAMMER-FORGED, CHROME-LINED;
FOUR-GROOVE, 1:9.45" RH TWIST RIFLING TRIGGER: 6-LB., 9-OZ. PULL SIGHTS: TRITIUM-INSERT POST FRONT
ADJUSTABLE FOR ELEVATION; TRITIUM-
INSERT “L” FLIP DUAL-APERTURE REAR
ADJUSTABLE FOR WINDAGE WEIGHT: 7 LBS., 3 OZS. MAGAZINE: MAGPUL PMAG DETACHABLE 30-ROUND BOX; COMPATIBLE WITH MOST
STANDARD 7.62X39 MM
AK-TYPE MAGAZINES ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S MANUAL,
LOCK, SIGHT-ADJUSTMENT TOOL,
HANDGUARD RAIL COVERS,
OPTIONAL FOLDING ARM BRACE MSRP: $1,849
The Galil ACE ri e in 7.62x51 mm NATO (GAR1651) eclipses its progenitor with a host of features, including: a folding, adjustable buttstock, a securely attached and expansive Picatinny top rail and a left-side charging handle (above). The latter allows for weak-hand manipulation by right-handed users (r.) and is an improvement on the original Galil’s top-extending, right-hand-mounted charging handle (inset).
known as the “Galatz.” In the 1990s, the 5.56x45 mm NATO Galil was also modi ed into a marksman’s ri e, rounding out an entire system comprised of a compact assault ri e, infantry ri e, light machine gun and precision ri e.
Manufacture of the Galil began in 1971, and the ri e was of cially adopted by the IDF in 1972. Though it was the IDF’s of cial service ri e, production of the Galil could not keep up with the copious quantities of M16s supplied by the United States, and the American ri e became the IDF’s primary arm.
The Galil made a bigger impact outside of Israel. It was adopted by numerous countries around the world, most notably in Central and South America and Africa. The South Africans produced their own variation of the Galil, which they called the R4.
Commercialization
In the late 1970s, Magnum Research began importing semi-automatic-only versions of the Galil ri e into the United States in both ARM and AR form and 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm NATO chamberings. Action Arms would later take over Galil importation until the model was banned by name in 1989. Among the products that Action Arms imported was the “Hadar II” a 10-lb., 8-oz. hunting version of the .308 Win. Galil with a full wood stock. A ban-compliant, thumbhole stock-equipped ri e, called the “Galil Sporter,” was sold from 1991-1993. In total, less than 10,000 original IMI-produced semi-automatic Galils were imported into the country.
Uzi America, a subsidiary of Mossberg, continued to import Galils and other IMI products for law enforcement sales between 1994 and 1997. Around that same time, Galil production was ending in Israel. By the early 2000s both the Galil and M16 ri es were being replaced in Israeli service by the Tavor bullpup.
In 2005, the government-run IMI was privatized, with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) taking over rearm production. Among its rst tasks was to resurrect the Galil. The result was called the “ACE,” and it sought to modernize the platform by remedying what some saw as drawbacks of the original design.
At rst glance, the main difference between the original Galil and the ACE is the use of polymer in the area of the receiver. Some misunderstanding has occurred over the ACE’s receiver design. Though sometimes described as a metal/plastic hybrid with an “upper” and a “lower,” in reality the ACE uses a conventional milled AK-type receiver that contains the ri e’s operating system. To it is mated a polymer housing with an integral pistol grip, trigger guard and magazine well.
While much has been made of the ACE’s weight savings (a common complaint against the original Galil was its heft) the reality is that the ACE’s milled receiver is only slightly slimmer than its parent, and the only metal component that has been replaced by polymer is the trigger guard. Still, the ACE shaves about three quarters of a pound off the weight of the original Galil AR model.
When eldstripped, the Galil ACE ri e in 5.56x45 mm NATO (GAP16556) reveals its AK heritage (r.). The entire Galil ACE lineup makes use of a milled steel receiver (7.62x39 mm version shown), similar to the original Galil design although it is mated to a plastic lower housing that contains the pistol grip, trigger guard and magazine well (above, l.). Fire-control components are housed in the milled receiver. In 7.62x39 mm versions, magazine-retention components are also housed in the receiver. In 5.56x45 mm NATO and 7.62x51 mm NATO variants, those components are attached to the plastic lower housing. The removable cheek rest supplied with Galil ACE ri es snaps into place on the buttstock to raise the shooter’s line of sight for use with optics (above, r.). 60
GALIL ACE GAR16556
MANUFACTURER/IMPORTER: IWI US, INC. P.O. BOX 126707, HARRISBURG, PA 17112; (717) 695-2081; IWI.US 34.41"—37.72"
(27.19" WITH STOCK FOLDED)
1.50" 1.48"
11.66"—14.94"
IWI US, Inc. Harrisburg, PA CHF/CL 1:7 H3 16.00"
MANUFACTURER/IMPORTER: ISRAEL WEAPON
INDUSTRIES (ISRAEL) ACTION: LONG-STROKE PISTON,
GAS-OPERATED, SEMI-AUTOMATIC
CENTER-FIRE RIFLE CHAMBERING: 5.56X45 MM NATO
RECEIVER: MILLED STEEL BARREL: 4140 CHROME MOLY VANADIUM STEEL;
COLD HAMMER-FORGED, CHROME-LINED;
SIX-GROOVE, 1:7" RH TWIST RIFLING TRIGGER: 7-LB., 2-OZ. PULL SIGHTS: TRITIUM INSERT POST FRONT ADJUST-
ABLE FOR ELEVATION; TRITIUM INSERT “L”
FLIP DUAL APERTURE REAR ADJUSTABLE
FOR WINDAGE WEIGHT: 8 LBS., 5 OZS.
MAGAZINE: MAGPUL PMAG 30-ROUND
DETACHABLE BOX (COMPATIBLE WITH STAN-
DARD AR-15/STANAG MAGAZINES)
ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S MANUAL, LOCK,
SIGHT-ADJUSTMENT TOOL, REMOVABLE
CHEEK REST, HANDGUARD RAIL COVERS MSRP: $1,899
What the polymer lower housing does is allow the same basic ACE receiver to be adapted to three different cartridges and ve different magazine types. IWI offers the Galil ACE in 7.62x51 mm NATO, 7.62x39 mm and 5.56x45 mm NATO. The 7.62 mm NATO version uses original Galil magazines in that chambering, and the 7.62x39 mm uses standard AK magazines. There are two versions of the 5.56 mm NATO ACE. One uses the original Galil 5.56 mm magazine, and the other the M16/AR-15 magazine. With cartridge, barrel length and magazine options, a total of 11 military variants of the ACE are being produced.
In one of the most radical departures of the ACE from the traditional AK/Galil design, the ri e returns to its Sturmgewehr roots with the charging handle moved to the left side. Unlike a traditional AK, whose charging handle slot is opened when the safety is off, a springloaded dustcover on the ACE is pushed out of place and then returns to cover the reciprocating charging handle’s slot as each round is red. IWI calls the action “sealed.”
Spring-loaded dustcovers of this type are used on the FN FNC ri e and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, but again, ACE designers may have looked north for inspiration. A prototype Finish Rk made in the early 1990s used a similar spring-loaded dustcover arrangement, and the feature later showed up on the Micro Galil at the end of its production run.
The ACE sought to modernize the Galil platform in other areas as well. MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny optics rails were added to the gas tube and the dustcover. The polymer handguard has rail segments in the 3-, 6- and 9-o’clock positions, with removable covers supplied to protect them when not in use. A telescoping M4-style stock allows for an adjustable length of pull in six positions, and the pistol grip is an ergonomic design in the pattern of those offered by Israeli accessories manufacturer FAB Defense. The 5.56 mm NATO versions of the ACE
5.56X45 MM NATO CARTRIDGE
feature a bolt hold-open device that locks the bolt to the rear after the last round is red, one of the rst times this feature has been offered on a factory-produced AK.
The diversity of the ACE line-up shows IWI’s understanding of the contemporary military small arms market. Its chambering in 7.62x39 mm, and use of standard AK magazines, allows countries to replace aging Soviet and Eastern European inventories with a modern ri e that is compatible with their existing magazine and ammunition stockpiles. Those already using the original Galil get an updated version of the ri e with which they are already familiar. For countries wanting to be NATO-complaint, yet still use a Kalashnikov design, the 5.56 mm N (“NATO”) model ACE uses NATO-standard magazines in an AK platform. Importation
In 2015, IWI US, Inc., announced that it would begin selling the Galil ACE, adding that design to complement its line of Tavor bullpup ri es. All three chamberings would be available in both ri e and pistol con gurations (with or without an arm brace) for a total of nine different models. ACE ri es and pistols are assembled at IWI US’s Harrisburg, Pa., facility from both Israeli and American-made parts. Ri es must
VEL. @ 10' (F.P.S.)
ENERGY (FT.-LBS.) GROUP SIZE (INCHES) SMALLEST LARGEST AVERAGE PMC X-TAC 62-GR. FMJ LAP
2882 AVG. 33 SD 1,144 1.99 3.00 2.63
HORNADY STEEL MATCH 55-GR. HP
2789 AVG. 24 SD 950 2.23 3.01 2.75
BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION 77-GR. SIERRA MATCHKING
2657 AVG. 12 SD
SHOOTING RESULTS (100 YDS.): GALIL ACE RIFLE GAR16556
1,207 2.10 2.52 2.27 AVERAGE EXTREME SPREAD 2.55 NOTES: MEASURED AVERAGE VELOCITY FOR 10 ROUNDS FROM A 16" BARREL, MEASURED OVER A COMPETITION ELECTRONICS PROCHRONO DIGITAL CHRONOGRAPH. ACCURACY FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE, FIVE-SHOT GROUPS AT 100 YDS. FROM A CALDWELL MATRIX REST. RANGE TEMPERATURE: 82° F. HUMIDITY: 50%. ABBREVIATIONS: FMJ (FULL METAL JACKET), HP (HOLLOW POINT), LAP (LIGHT ARMOR PIERCING), SD (STANDARD DEVIATION).
comply with the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 922(r). The rst ACE rearms, 7.62x39 mm ri es, were on dealers’ shelves in July 2016. As of mid-year 2017, all nine ACE models were available.
To evaluate the ACE lineup, I tested a 5.56 mm NATO ri e (GAR16556) and a 7.62x39 mm pistol equipped with an arm brace (GAP39SB). IWI US’s ACE models have some distinctive features from their military counterparts. Starting at the business end, the ACEs’ chrome-lined, cold hammer-forged barrels have their muzzles threaded 1/2x28 TPI for the 5.56 mm NATO models and 5/8x24 TPI for the .30-cal. models, making them compatible with the immense aftermarket of muzzle brakes. The supplied muzzle device is an A2-type, ve-slot arrangement for the 5.56x45 mm NATO and 7.62x39 mm models, and a unique two-chamber compensator on the 7.62x51 mm NATO ACEs.
U.S. ACE models use three types of magazines. Those in 7.62x39 mm use AK magazines, 5.56 mm NATO rearms use AR-15 magazines and, unique to the U.S. market, 7.62x51 mm NATO ACEs use SR-25/AR-10-type magazines. All U.S. ACEs ship with Magpul PMAGs.
There are two important notes regarding magazines. First, to maintain 922(r) compliance, ACE ri es must use U.S.-made magazines (the magazine counts for three parts in the rearm’s U.S. parts count). This is no problem for the 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm NATO models, but owners of 7.62x39 mm ri es need to avoid the proli c overseas-produced magazines. Second, those interested in 7.62x39 mm ACE models should also note the ACE’s plastic magwell precludes the use of drum magazines and is too narrow to accept some polymer magazine designs.
Also unique to the American ACE lineup is a folding stock. Along with the telescoping design (which is proprietary and not compatible with M4/AR-15-type stocks) ri e stocks and pistol braces fold to the right side. The rearms are fully functional and can be red when folded.
Evaluation
Like the original Galil, the ACE is designed to be bilateral in operation. The paddle-type magazine release can be operated by the thumb of either hand with the 7.62x39 mm rearms. ACEs in 5.56x45 mm NATO and 7.62x51 mm NATO have bilateral button magazine releases. Safety selectors are located on both sides of the rearms, but are in slightly different locations for use by a right-handed shooter’s thumb and fore nger. For those used to a standard AK-type safety, the right hand can still sweep the ACE’s selector on and off. One advantage of the ACE’s safety is that, unlike a traditional AK with a dustcover selector, the ACE can be unloaded with the safety on.
The left-side charging handle of the ACE means that a righthanded shooter can work the action using his or her weak hand while maintaining a ring grip. Left handers have to do what right-handed AK shooters have been doing for years—cant the rearm and reach over or under the receiver to grab the charging handle. The bolt release on 5.56 mm NATO ACEs can be reached by the index nger of the strong hand for a righthanded shooter. A southpaw can catch the release with his or her thumb when loading a fresh magazine or bump the charging handle to send the bolt into battery.
At the range, the ACE does not yield the typical AK shooting experience—and that is for the better. IWI has put much effort into the ACE’s trigger. While AK-style ri es are notorious for poor trigger pulls, the ACE features a twostage unit taken from the Galatz sniper.
The optics rail runs continuously from the front sight base to the rear sight, and a removable cheek rest raises the shooter’s line of sight for use with optics. Although it attached in a more secure manner than a standard AK receiver cover optics mount, the ACE’s cover still has a slight amount of play. It’s not enough to matter at close range; but as the distance stretches out, its effect becomes apparent. The ACE’s supplied iron sights feature a tritium post front with an aperture rear indexed by two tritium dots for night sight capability.
I tried a variety of magazines in our test ACEs, from the supplied Magpuls to commercial and military surplus devices of varying capacity. With the expectations mentioned above for 7.62x39 mm models all of the magazines we tried t and fed properly.
Both ri e and pistol functioned awlessly through the
At IWI US’s Harrisburg, Pa., facility, an employee installs the folding rear stock assembly of a Galil ACE ri e (far l.). Another employee inspects a completed Galil ACE ri e (above, l.). The hammer, trigger and disconnector are three U.S.-made parts that are used to assemble Galil ACE ri es so that they are compliant under 18 USC 922r (below, l.). A rack of armbrace-equipped Galil ACE pistols await nal inspection (above).
Heckler & Koch’s VP9SK
Shorter and lighter than its VP9 sire, the new SK model is H&K’s entrant into the highly competitive eld of compact, striker- red polymer handguns. This featurepacked pistol signals a welcome shift in emphasis by the renowned German maker toward American consumers—at a price that is likely to turn their heads.
BY WILEY CLAPP, Field Editor
When any handgun maker offers a fullsize service pistol, typically it quickly starts work on a follow-up model. It is a familiar pattern, and the subsequent model is invariably a shorter-barrel, shorter-frame version of the full-size gun. Most of the former are well-suited for police and military handgunners and even some civilian applications. But the strong and steady demand for smaller guns intended for concealment use by military and police shooters is probably exceeded these days by the demand of legally armed citizens. In record numbers Americans are exercising their constitutional right to not just keep, but also bear arms.
Two criticisms often leveled at Heckler & Koch are the price of its guns and that it does not produce enough offerings well-suited to concealment. The company has already addressed the former, and the latter is the subject of this article.
Enter the competitively priced H&K VP9SK in 9 mm Luger. A couple of years ago, the respected German gunmaker uncharacteristically offered a new full-size, polymer-frame, striker- red pistol, the VP9, in 9 mm Luger and .40 S&W (January 2015, p. 58). The follow-up gun was introduced at the 2017 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nev. It is a shorter, lighter and more compact version of the VP9, as well as a model well-suited for concealed carry. For brevity’s sake, I will refer to the gun as the “SK.” As did the parent gun, the SK uses a molded polymer receiver and steel upper. It is chambered for the world’s most popular pistol cartridge, the 9 mm Luger, in both regular and +P loadings. Standard SK magazines hold 10 cartridges in a staggered-column arrangement.
Like the modern service pistols of most makes, the trigger system offers consistent weight and travel with every pull. Operational controls are a bilateral slide lock/release and H&K’s trademark bilateral magazine release—paddles that conform to the lower rear edge of the trigger guard. The SK’s dimensions are 6.61" in length by 4.57" in height by 1.31" in thickness, compared to the 7.34"x5.41"x1.31" dimensions of the original VP9. The new SK weighs 23.1 ozs., down from the 26.6 ozs. of its forebear.
The SK is a recoil-operated pistol with a 3.39"-long tilting barrel (with H&K’s polygonal ri ing) that features a squared breech end. An under-barrel cam tilts the barrel up as the slide closes in the regular operating cycle. The squared rear of the barrel engages the wide ejection port, locking the barrel to the slide. It’s a simple and rugged arrangement, and used by many pistols. The pistol’s trigger is a singleaction type, where the internal striker is fully cocked by the action of the slide’s movement, either manually or under recoil.
The internal workings and trigger action of the SK will be familiar to H&K users—as will some of the company’s unique ergonomic touches. That starts with a frame of molded polymer, which allows the maker to shape it with complex, curved lines, rounded surfaces and stippling that would be cost prohibitive in a metal frame. In so doing, H&K managed to come up with a pistol that is more ergonomically sound than just about anything else available. I reviewed the original VP9 pistol several years ago, and was impressed with its design. If anything, the SK version is a little more pleasing to shoot. Of course the slide rails in the receiver, as well as lockwork and contact surface that cams the barrel into battery, are made of steel. The re-control parts are contained in a metal chassis that is xed within the serialized frame.
The SK is ready to go, out of the box, but its frame can be adapted to a speci c hand size through rather clever engineering. The shape of the grip can be altered by way of replaceable inserts that t into recesses on its sides and backstrap. While the gun comes with “medium” side panels and backstrap installed, they can be easily replaced with “large” or “small” inserts. Choose whichever size feels right. With three choices for each location, it’s three times three times three for a total of 27 different con gurations. Changing from one to the other is
simple—drive out one pin and slide all panels off the frame. We’ll look at this feature again when we take the SK to the range. As with cleaning the SK, the shooter should ensure the pistol is not loaded and all ammunition is away from the work bench when recon guring the grip.
Good frame ergonomics go beyond the multiplicity of grip con gurations in butt shape. There are two shallow nger grooves on the frontstrap, as well as a useful triggerapproach recess on either sides of the frame. And, included with the SK are two 10-round magazines, one with a ush- tting baseplate and the other sporting an extended oorplate with a third nger groove to accommodate the shooter’s little nger for maximum control. Most of the SK’s contact surfaces are a grained or stippled nish that comfortably adheres to the hand to provide a positive grasp.
There is one feature on the slide, though, that puts the gun in a class of its own. The SK’s slide already possesses panels of cocking serrations, front and rear. In addition, at the back edge of the rear panel, on both sides, there are raised bars raked at the same angle as the serrations. Visually, the bars blend into the blued steel of the slide. In hand, however, they are instantly noticeable when you grasp and rack the slide to cycle the action or to check the chamber.
Heckler & Koch calls these little raised bars “charging supports”—I call them a great idea, and I expect they are going to be copied in some form by competitors. They offer a real advantage over the typical arrangement of shallow serrations when applying rearward force against the gun’s recoil spring. Consider what the hands have to do when racking the slide. The left hand reaches over the pistol and takes an overhand grip on the slide. On a traditional pistol, you have to get a rm grip on the pistol with the left thumb and index nger before you can move the slide back. Much of the effort is in an inward squeezing motion, before you can pull back on the slide. Some shooters just have problems doing this, and the SK helps them with a small, angled ledge to pull against. It really works. And, if for some reason you don’t care to use them, you can simply take them off.
The SK’s controls are simpli ed for tactical/defensive use. To re a loaded pistol, just pull the trigger. There are no manual safeties to be manipulated, but there is an articulated trigger safety and an internal drop safety, both passive. A simple and direct piece of equipment, the SK is also bilateral in operation; there are slide locks on both sides of the pistol, and the magazine release can be manipulated with either hand. The mechanism consists of a single contoured bar that runs across the lower rear corner of the trigger guard, with contact paddles on both sides. You can drop the magazine with the trigger nger or the thumb of either hand. The company developed this feature a few years back, and it’s employed on a number of H&K’s guns.
The sample SK delivered 100 percent reliability with an assortment of quality ammunition—no malfunctions of any kind. Shooting with the gun sideways or upside down,
H&K VP9SK
IMPORTER: HECKLER & KOCH (DEPT. AR), 5675 TRANSPORT BLVD., COLUMBUS, GA 31907; (706) 568-1906; HK-USA.COM
6.61"
9mmX19
232-000000 CIP N
232-000000 CIP N
BH DE
4.57" 3.39"
MANUFACTURER: HECKLER & KOCH GMBH
(GERMANY)
CHAMBERING:
9 MM LUGER ACTION TYPE: RECOIL-
OPERATED, CENTER-FIRE
SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL FRAME: POLYMER RIFLING: POLYGONAL, 1:9.8" RH TWIST MAGAZINE: 10-ROUND
DETACHABLE BOX SIGHTS: DOVETAILED, THREE-
DOT; SQUARE-NOTCH
REAR, POST FRONT TRIGGER: SINGLE-ACTION,
STRIKER-FIRED; 5-LB., 5-OZ. PULL WIDTH: 1.31" WEIGHT: 23.1 OZS. ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S
MANUAL, HARD CASE,
CABLE LOCK, EXTRA
MAGAZINE MSRP: $719
9 MM LUGER CARTRIDGE
VEL. @ 12' (F.P.S.)
ENERGY (FT.-LBS.) GROUP SIZE (INCHES) SMALLEST LARGEST AVERAGE BLACK HILLS 124-GR. +P JHP
1089 AVG. 20 SD 322 1.99 3.07 2.31
REMINGTON 115-GR. +P JHP
1107 AVG. 7 SD 313 1.97 2.61 2.53
WINCHESTER 124-GR. NATO FMJ
1049 AVG. 13 SD
limp-wristing or weak-gripping the SK had no effect on the pistol’s functioning. Magazines loaded with mixed ammunition—from 115-grainers to 147s—all ran through the gun with aplomb. The trigger pull is a bit creepy, but I was able to shoot with accuracy off the bench. Trigger reset is longer than some. None of this worries me in commending the gun for defensive use. As to handling, I am convinced that the 10-shot magazine with the SHOOTING RESULTS (25 YDS.) extended oorplate should be the one to use if at all possible. The gun is light and short, so powerful loads crank up the recoil and muzzle ip. If you can get your little nger in on the gripping equation, the shooting will be quicker, because you have far better control.
Because a concealed-carry pistol is 303 2.23 3.72 2.45 always carried more than red, I can understand keeping the more conceal- AVERAGE EXTREME SPREAD 2.43 able, at-bottomed 10-round magazines NOTES: MEASURED AVERAGE VELOCITY FOR 10 ROUNDS OVER AN OEHLER MODEL 35P in the gun, but its owner’s manual also CHRONOGRAPH AT 12 FT. ACCURACY FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE, FIVE-SHOT GROUPS AT 25 YDS. depicts 13- and 15-rounders. While FROM A SANDBAG REST. TEMPERATURE: 80° F. HUMIDITY: 31%. ABBREVIATIONS: FMJ (FULL they were unavailable at the time of METAL JACKET), JHP (JACKETED HOLLOW POINT), SD (STANDARD DEVIATION). writing, Heckler & Koch advised that both would be available by the time of publication. With the addition of a collar on its bottom, the 15-round P30/VP9 magazine may be used in the VP9SK as well.
My local range had no business on a warm summer day, and there was ammunition on hand, so I tried some of the 27 combinations of side panels and backstraps. Switching and swapping only takes a minute or two once you get used to it. So, I tried one of the Elmer Keith-style arrangements where the pistol’s grip grows thicker on the palm side and thinner on the ngertip side. It works like a charm. With a small left panel and large right panel, plus a small backstrap, I had a very different-looking gun. To a most noticeable degree, I was able to control the gun better than any other combination that I tried. Maybe the old gunwriter was on to something. In this very reliable new pistol, Heckler & Koch offers a great handgun for the concealed carry handgunner. It represents a new direction for the company, which just completed a huge new facility in Columbus, Ga., and that Fieldstripping the VP9SK is aided by a captive, nested recoil-spring pivot is expected to result in a U.S. operation that has assembly (far l.). Interchangeable backstrap and side-panel inserts cus- renewed dedication to commercial sales. The company tomize the pistol’s grip (l., above). The trigger has a passive blade-style apparently decided that if it planned to make such a safety, and a bilateral magazine release lies at the trigger guard’s lower change it needed a gun fresh enough to call attention to rear (l., below). Detachable “charging supports” lie on either side of itself. The VP9SK is that gun—in fact, I believe it might the slide’s rear and aid in charging or chamber-checking the gun (top). be the best H&K pistol yet.
The market has spoken, and Savage has answered with its Model 10/110 BA Stealth and Model 10 GRS—both in 6.5 mm Creedmoor and both designed speci cally for long-range shooting.
BY BRYCE M. TOWSLEY
he shooting industry is always in ux, and, during my long career, I have watched a lot of changes occur. Some were just eeting fads— electronic ignition and super short magnums for example—while others have stuck around. One trend that looks like it has traction is longrange shooting.
When I started writing about guns in the early 1980s, and for a long time after that, the focus for ri e manufacturers was almost exclusively on hunting, and their long-range ri es were marketed to that use. For a hunter back then, 500 or 600 yds. was a remarkable shot. With the exception of a few notable cliques of shooters, any claims of shooting game at distances beyond that were met with justi able skepticism.
Shooting targets at distances of 1,000 yds. was pretty much the domain of some competitive shooters and a small and exclusive group of disciples who used custom-made or heavily modi ed ri es and ammunition.
Two New Long-Range Ri es From Savage
Today, the realm of long-range shooting has shifted. While there is still a growing interest in long-range hunting, the long-range market is being driven more by target shooters. Those shooters are stretching the limits to distances that were the domain of the elite a generation ago. Now, with the introduction of Precision Ri e Series (PRS) competitions, interest in shooting long range is growing even faster.
The trend started with custom guns built to be mission-speci c, but it wasn’t long before the major gun companies took notice and began to introduce their own ri es. One of the most popular styles of ri e for longrange shooting is known as a “precision ri e.” These are usually built on a modular chassis or with a specialized stock that has adjustments and design features speci c to the sport of long-range target shooting. Prices initially started out high, but they were quickly driven down by competition and the growing market.
One ri e company that has taken notice and jumped hard into the long-range market is Savage. Two of its newest ri es are designed for this style of shooting, the Model 10/110 BA Stealth and the Model 10 GRS.
The barreled actions are pretty much the same for the two ri es. There are a few small differences in things such as muzzle crown, but the primary difference between them is their respective stocks. The Model 10/110 BA Stealth is
a chassis ri e and the Model 10 GRS is tted with a precision ri e stock. The idea is to cover both sides of the long-range spectrum. There is a clear split between those shooting chassisbuilt ri es and shooters who prefer more conventional, though still highly adjustable, stocks. Both ri es feature heavy, uted, button-ri ed 24" barrels. (That con guration is standard for the 6.5 mm Creedmoor ri es tested. Other cartridge chamberings will vary in barrel length.) Savage says its workers blueprint the Both Savages are equipped with the adjustable AccuTrigger, which produces pull weights ranging from 1 lb., 8 ozs. to 6 lbs. actions of these ri es, the same as a gunsmith would do when building a custom ri e. The receiver and bolt are all trued to the same center-line and are tted as a single package. The Savage style of attaching the barrel with a nut allows for very precise control of headspacing, which is another factor in accuracy. It also allows for very easy replacement of the barrel if you ever shoot it out or want to upgrade to a high-end aftermarket barrel. The bolts have an oversize knob that is integral to the handle, not threaded on as with most tactical knobs. The ri es feature the adjustable Savage AccuTrigger; the one on the Stealth broke at 2 lbs., 2 ozs. from the factory, while the GRS trigger was a pound heavier. The Stealth has an 11-degree crown on the muzzle, while the GRS has a recessed 90-degree crown. Both guns have the Savage three-position tang safety. It locks the
The Savage Model 10 GRS is named for its adjustable stock, which is made by the Norwegian rm of GRS. Note the offset palm swell (above, l. and center) and the push-button adjustments for length of pull and comb height (above, r.).
SAVAGE MODEL 10 GRS
MANUFACTURER: SAVAGE ARMS (DEPT. AR), 100 SPRINGDALE ROAD, WESTFIELD, MA 01085; (413) 568-7001; SAVAGEARMS.COM 38.5"
1.8" 1.1" TO 0.3"
24"
11.75" TO 15.5"
CHAMBERING: 6.5 MM CREEDMOOR ACTION TYPE: BOLT-ACTION, CENTER-FIRE
REPEATING RIFLE RECEIVER: MATTE BLACK STEEL STOCK: GRS, INJECTION-MOLDED SYNTHETIC MAGAZINE: 10-ROUND DETACHABLE BOX BARREL: CARBON STEEL, FLUTED,
BUTTON-RIFLED TRIGGER: SINGLE-STAGE, ADJUSTABLE
ACCUTRIGGER; 3-LB., 2-OZ. PULL SIGHTS: NONE; PICATINNY RAIL WEIGHT: 9 LBS., 3 OZS. ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S MANUAL, CABLE LOCK MSRP: $1,449
bolt shut when on and allows the bolt to be safely opened for loading and unloading when in the center position. Forward, twice, is re.
Most serious long-range shooters use a muzzle brake or a suppressor. The muzzles on both ri es are threaded 5/8x24 TPI, which is fairly standard for many .30-cal. aftermarket brakes and suppressor attachments. The ri es come with a thread protector cap. For testing, I tted both ri es with Bushnell 3.5-21X 50 mm Elite Tactical ri escopes.
Model 10 GRS
SHOOTING RESULTS (100 YDS.): SAVAGE MODEL 10 GRS
6.5 MM CREEDMOOR CARTRIDGE HORNADY 140-GR. ELD MATCH VEL. @ 15' (F.P.S.)
2710 AVG. 18 SD
ENERGY (FT.-LBS.)
GROUP SIZE (INCHES) SMALLEST LARGEST AVERAGE
2,284 0.80 1.40 1.11
NORMA MATCH 130-GR. HPBT
FEDERAL G.M. BERGER 130-GR. HYBRID OTM
2823 AVG. 22 SD 2866 AVG. 15 SD 2,316 1.10 1.40 1.23
2,372 0.50 1.80 1.30
AVERAGE EXTREME SPREAD
1.21
NOTES: MEASURED AVERAGE VELOCITY OVER AN OEHLER MODEL 35P CHRONOGRAPH AT 15 FT. ACCURACY FOR FIVE, CONSECUTIVE FIVE-SHOT GROUPS AT 100 YDS. FROM A BENCH USING A MACHINE REST. TEMPERATURE: 20o F. HUMIDITY: 65%. ABBREVIATIONS: ELD (EXTREMELY LOW DRAG), HPBT (HOLLOW POINT BOATTAIL), OTM (OPEN TIP MATCH), SD (STANDARD DEVIATION).
The ri e is tted with the rather unique Norwegian-made GRS Berserk model stock (only right-hand models are available at this time). GRS has made stocks in laminated wood for years, which are hugely popular in Europe with target shooters and hunters. This stock copies that design, but with synthetic materials, which are lighter and less expensive. The GRS is injection-molded of 15 percent berglass-reinforced Durathane. While metal chassis systems can be expensive, so too can many of the more traditional-looking top-name berglass or carbon ber stocks. Europotics sells the Berserk stock for $625, which is still considerably less expensive than many of the latter.
The stock features adjustments for the length of pull and cheekpiece height, that operate with the push of a button. The grip is a rather unique, oversize, offset affair that had me a bit skeptical at rst. But after shooting this gun, I came to regard it as genius. It positions the hand perfectly for shooting, providing for fantastic trigger control. The grip and fore-end have overmolded rubber surfaces. The recoil pad is squishy rubber, but is only 0.4" thick, so it’s not going to absorb a lot of energy. It’s not an issue for the mild-mannered 6.5 mm Creedmoor cartridge as this heavy ri e mitigates recoil anyway. Besides, most shooters will add a brake to reduce recoil even more. The stock has a large, slightly rounded fore-end that works well when hand-held, shooting with sandbags or in a machine rest.
The Model 10 GRS stock makes use of synthetic action pillars (r., arrows). Both 10 GRS and 10 BA Stealth models feature oversize bolt knobs that are made integral with their handles and are oversize compared to a standard (satin- nish) Savage bolt (far r.).
An evolution of the .308 Win. by way of the .30 T/C, the 6.5 mm Creedmoor from Hornady uses a proprietary blend of modern powders in its Superformance load.
The stock has synthetic action pillars and bedding that is said to be 65 percent glass in a polymer matrix. There is a swivel stud in front to mount a bipod and two quick release style cups for mounting a sling on the left side of the stock. This ri e comes with a 10-round Magpul PMAG 7.62 AC magazine, and will accept any AICS-pattern magazines.
The Savage Model 10 GRS is available in short action only. It’s chambered for .308 Win. with a 20" barrel; 6 mm Creedmoor with a 26" barrel and 6.5 mm Creedmoor with a 24" barrel.
The market continues to brim with new ammunition offerings for the 6.5 mm Creedmoor, so I tested the ri e with two new introductions to the market: Norma Match and Federal Premium with Berger bullets. I also included the old standby, Hornady 140-gr. ELD Match, which is a continuation of the original 140-gr. A-Max load that started the 6.5 mm Creedmoor down the road to its current success.
Accuracy, on average, was not quite as good with this ri e as with the Stealth, as it did not quite crack the magical minute-of-angle threshold with the ammunition tested. I rarely add caveats to any test results—they are what they are—but, in this case I feel it might be warranted.
The ri e did show moments of brilliance with at least one group measuring right at half-m.o.a. With the Federal loads, the groups would be very tight, only to be spoiled by a yer. In fairness, I should note that the ammunition I was shooting was from the earliest production. And although newer-production 6.5 mm Creedmoor loads were not available before this story was written, I have tested a similar, recent-production load using a Berger bullet in .308 Win. and found it to be extremely consistent and accurate in multiple ri es. I can only surmise that there may have been a few bugs in my early ammunition and that the latest-production 6.5 mm Creedmoor will be just as consistent as I witnessed with the .308.
I am sure that with a bit of break-in work and perhaps a little tweaking, this can easily become a sub-m.o.a. ri e. It is a rare Savage these days that is not.
Model 10/110 BA Stealth
The Savage Model 10 or Model 110 BA Stealth ri es (The 10 is the short-action version, while the 110 is the long-action) use a modular chassis design. In long action, the Model 110 BA Stealth is available in .300 Win. Mag. and .338 Lapua Mag.
The Model 10 BA Stealth is offered in 6.5 mm Creedmoor and .308 Win. It would appear that the .308 Win. is marketed to law enforcement, as it has a 20" barrel favored for urban use and easier to stow in a patrol car. The 6.5 mm Creedmoor has a longer, 24" barrel and is out-of-the-box ready for long-range shooting.
The 6.5 mm Creedmoor is the “in” cartridge right now, especially within long-range shooting circles. It is very capable out to 1,200 yds. and beyond, and will handle 99 percent of the long-range target shooting most people will encounter.
The Savage Model 10 BA Stealth in 6.5 mm Creedmoor weighs in at 9 lbs., 10 ozs., which is a bit light for this style of ri e. While that’s a good thing for some competition shooting where shooters must move and/or support the ri e with their bodies, most shooters will want to add a muzzle brake to help mitigate recoil to help them observe their bullets’ traces and impacts through their scopes.
The Stealth uses a Drake Associates Hunter/Stalker model chassis. This slim, monolithic chassis is machined from a single piece of aluminum. It has M-LOK slots on the fore-end. There is a front swivel stud to mount a bipod. It features a slim, short fore-end, which rests well on sandbags or on a machine rest, as well as on a bipod. With a lot of the barrel exposed, it cools faster. Also, I like the slim feel for shooting offhand.
Hornady’s 6.5 mm Creedmoor utilizes 0.264" bullets, this one, a 129-gr. SST.
SAVAGE MODEL 10 BA STEALTH
MANUFACTURER: SAVAGE ARMS (DEPT. AR), 100 SPRINGDALE ROAD, WESTFIELD, MA 01085; (413) 568-7001; SAVAGEARMS.COM 44"
1" 1" TO -0.1"
24"
13.5" TO 14.75"
CHAMBERING: 6.5 MM CREEDMOOR ACTION TYPE: BOLT-ACTION, CENTER-FIRE
REPEATING RIFLE RECEIVER: MATTE BLACK STEEL STOCK: ALUMINUM CHASSIS MAGAZINE: 10-ROUND DETACHABLE BOX BARREL: CARBON STEEL; BUTTON RIFLED, FLUTED TRIGGER: SINGLE-STAGE, ADJUSTABLE
ACCUTRIGGER; 2-LB., 2-OZ. PULL SIGHTS: NONE; PICATINNY RAIL WEIGHT: 9 LBS., 10 OZS.
ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S MANUAL, CABLE LOCK MSRP: $1,207
The FAB Defense buttstock has a rubber buttpad and is adjustable for length of pull. The cheek rest is adjustable for height. The gun accepts quick-detach sling swivels on either side. Any aftermarket, AR-style, commercial-spec buttstock will t the gun, so it’s easy to change out in order to customize the ri e. The rubber AR-style grip is by Hogue and can also be changed easily.
There is a Picatinny rail screwed to the action to mount an optic. The magazine release is a large lever in front of the trigger guard. The supplied polymer magazine holds 10 rounds and feeds from the center. Any AICS-pattern aftermarket magazine will t the gun.
I tested this ri e over several range sessions from 100 to 500 yds. with three factory loads. The most accurate was the Nosler 140-gr. HPBT Match load, which averaged 0.91". This is for ve, ve-shot groups at 100 yds.
A close second was the American Eagle 140-gr. load. At 100 yds., ve, ve-shot groups averaged 0.96". I also used this loading for some long-range testing out to 500 yds., which is the limit at my club. Two 300-yd., veshot groups averaged 2.65". At 500 yds., two groups averaged 4.75". That is consistent sub-minute-of-angle (m.o.a) accuracy across the spectrum.
This Savage has a sticker price of $1,207, which is less than half the price listed for most factory-produced chassis precision ri es just a few years ago.
6.5 MM CREEDMOOR CARTRIDGE
With the Model 10 GRS and Model 10 BA Stealth, Savage has brought a commendable level of accuracy and features to the masses at reasonable prices. Either of these ri es is well-suited right out of the box for long-range shooting or competition. Just add ammunition and optics and start pulling the trigger.
VEL. @ 15' (F.P.S.)
ENERGY (FT.-LBS.) GROUP SIZE (INCHES) SMALLEST LARGEST AVERAGE AMERICAN EAGLE 140-GR. HPBT
2652 AVG. 23 SD 2,187 0.86 1.30 0.96
HORNADY 140-GR. ELD MATCH
2670 AVG. 18 SD 2,217 0.90 1.45 1.07
NOSLER 140-GR. HPBT MATCH
2670 AVG. 20 SD
SHOOTING RESULTS (100 YDS.): SAVAGE MODEL 10 BA STEALTH
2,217 0.80 1.30 0.91 AVERAGE EXTREME SPREAD 1.01 NOTES: MEASURED AVERAGE VELOCITY OVER AN OEHLER MODEL 35P CHRONOGRAPH AT 15 FT. ACCURACY FOR FIVE, CONSECUTIVE FIVE-SHOT GROUPS AT 100 YDS. FROM A BENCH USING A MACHINE REST IN FRONT AND A TOE BAG AT THE REAR. TEMPERATURE: 20o F. HUMIDITY: 65%. ABBREVIATIONS: ELD (EXTREMELY LOW DRAG), HPBT (HOLLOW POINT BOATTAIL), SD (STANDARD DEVIATION).
The author used a variety of factory ammuniton in testing the Model 10 GRS and Model 10 BA Stealth (above l.), which feature recessed and 11-degree muzzle crowns, respectively (above r.).
The last revolver adopted by the U.S. military in .45 Colt, the Model 1909 was a stopgap between the failed Colt double-action .38s and the U.S. Model of 1911 pistol. The rarest is the version adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps. How does it stack up today at the range? A modern Marine decided to nd out for himself.
n 1909, the Ford Model T had just come to market. The President of the United States was none other than Theodore Roosevelt, nishing his second term. His Great White Fleet had nished its voyage around the globe, announcing to the world that America had arrived as a seapower. The Army Signal Corps had just purchased the world’s rst military airplane from the Wright brothers. And Colt was in the process of delivering a new double-action revolver to the military. The .45 Colt-chambered Model 1909 was to replace various .38-cal. revolvers that repeatedly struggled to stop fanatical attackers in the then-ongoing Philippine Insurrection. The Army would receive approximately 20,000 1909s before the iconic U.S. Model of 1911 pistol was adopted. The Marine Corps speci ed a few changes to the gun for its order of 1,400.
It is a well-established part of shooting lore that the U.S. military went back to the .45 Colt after dissatisfaction with the stopping power of its .38 revolvers in the early 1900s. More studied enthusiasts could probably tell you that the handgun was a double-action Colt revolver in .45 Colt. Beyond those details, things generally get fuzzy. That is understandable, as the M1909 Colt, although a superb heavy-duty handgun, was elded in relatively small numbers and had the shortest service life of any issue sidearm in our nation’s history. The adoption of the iconic Colt M1911—and its storied service in con icts arising shortly after its elding—largely drown out the stopgap service of the M1909. The old M1909s aren’t commonly encountered and are quickly rising in cost to where the average shooter won’t get to experience them. So when the opportunity presented itself for this Marine to spend quality time with an M1909, and a scarce Marine Corps model, at that, I was understandably excited. The M1909 is a brawny 39-oz. revolver. It is large, looking cartoonishly big in all but the largest of hands. The string of adjectives typically clumped together to describe the piece include robust, heavy-duty and serious. This is a not unexpected pendulum swing from the almost-dainty New Army series of issue .38 Long Colts that were known for lockwork that was anything but robust. Colt had clearly heard the complaints about the New Armys and responded with a handgun meant to easily take the most powerful loads of the era, and, with improvements to the action, intended to make it rugged and durable. They christened it the “New Service” upon its introduction, rather hopefully, and, eventually, the War Dept. came knocking as the complaints from the Philippines regarding the inadequacy of the .38s gained attention.
The .45 Colt was the powerhouse of the day with a track record dating back to its introduction in 1873. The old .45 loads intended for the Single Action Army had such a narrow rim that the extractor star of the M1909 could miss and bypass the cases, leading Frankford Arsenal to design a smokeless-powder load housed in a case with a slightly wider rim. Interestingly, the issue load for the M1909 was a reduced charge that pushed its 250-gr. bullet at only 725 f.p.s. The reasoning is lost to history, but it seems strange that the service load designed for a replacement handgun meant to increase stopping power was 100-150 f.p.s. slower than commercial loads of the time. I am guessing, but it may have been a combination
BY JUSTIN DYAL
The Colt Model 1909 was the last military-issue .45 Colt. It would be nearly 100 years before another issue sidearm was speci cally marked “USMC,” adding to the appeal of these unique .45s.
The .45 Colt Model 1909 (top) replaced the Colt New Army series .38 Long Colts that had gained notoriety for their lack of stopping power.
The Model 1909s were issued during the brief period when Colt used a stylized Victorian “C’”around the rampant colt logo. of several factors. First, there was not yet a great deal of experience with smokeless loads in big-bore handguns, and the always conservative Ordnance Dept. might have wanted to err on the side of caution with the higher pressures produced by smokeless powder. Second, the recoil of full-charge .45 Colt is substantial, even in a large revolver. There is a signi cant and welcome difference between shooting that 250-gr. hunk of lead at 725 f.p.s. and a maximum load. Finally, one of the trends of the day was “heavy and slow” to maximize energy transfer into the target, with the thought being that loads that over-penetrated took energy unnecessarily out of the target and distributed it elsewhere. The British also espoused this theory with their service .455 Webley, which pushed a comparably heavier bullet even slower.
The Marine Corps of 1909 was tiny at a strength of only about 9,000 men. Whichever of cer was in charge of handgun decisions must have either been a serious shooter with strong preferences or just hard to please. In 1905, the Corps had insisted that Colt round the butts and checker the stocks of its .38s rather than accept the basic Navy model. In 1909, the Marines made a similar request. The Marine Corps M1909 was the rst “round butt” in the New Service line, and, unlike the plain walnut of the Army and Navy models, the Corps’ stocks had shallow checkering at about 13 lines per inch with a large diamond around the stock screw. The effect is a pronounced difference in the hand from the standard New Service frame. I prefer the Marine enhancements, and nd that they put my hand in a better relationship with the trigger, especially in double-action.
The M1909 shipped with Colt’s high-luster blue of that time frame that was truly blue in color and, 108 years on, is still remarkable. As beautiful a nish as it is, the blue was a poor match for service with soldiers of the sea. It is highly unusual to nd one of the Navy or Marine Corps M1909s with very much of the bluing intact. The nish was neither wear- nor salt-resistant.
The action on the Marine gun is a tting testament to a bygone era, and in the best possible way. The hammer looks somewhat like a scaleddown Single Action Army hammer, perhaps not surprisingly in an era where single-action was the predominant mode of re. It falls easily under the thumb, and takes a bit more effort than modern
designs but moves rearward with an oily smoothness and grace. The giant cylinder seems to move smartly of its own accord, visible more so than expected by a modern shooter as the recoil shield covers only a little over half of the cartridge rims. The trigger breaks with no perceptible movement— as in none. The shooter applies pressure and the hammer falls; there is no “wall,” no “roll” and no crisp “break.” There is a smoothness to the transaction that suggests a true master spent the time required with the sear and hammer under his tools until the parts release one another with no felt signal to the shooter. It is old-world magic, and the scale indicates that the break occurs at 5 lbs., 8 ozs., but it feels like three-something pounds of wonderful.
The double-action is smooth and buttery, albeit long. The New Service double-action arc is a tad heavy by design, and the trigger is positioned farther forward than most shooters can manage well. Still, the stroke on this particular M1909 is a horse length ahead of the M1917 Colts I’ve red.
The sights on the Colt are actually quite good for the era, and are far better than what Colt was delivering on its Single Action Armys and semi-automatics at the time. The topstrap has a “U”-notch, and the shark- n blade gives a more distinct front than the half-moons on the Smith & Wessons of the era. The Colt printed most loads about 5" above hold at 25 yds.
The M1909 served the Marines for only a short while, but it did accompany Smedley Butler and his men to Nicaragua for combat duty against the revolutionaries there. Not recorded to of cial history are the undoubted other occasions wherever the Marines roamed the seven seas and found the Colt to provide comfort in tense situations as the
The Marine Corps M1909 (r.) was unique in having a round butt with checkered stocks as compared to the typical World War I-issue Colt M1917 revolver.
Today’s “cowboy” .45 Colt loads, such as those by Hornady and Winchester, are very close to the 1909 service load. A 35-yd. standing group on a steel plate speaks volumes about how the old sidearm handles. The paper target shows typical 25-yd. groups with the Black Hills loads.
Great White Fleet spread American in uence. The Marine Corps has a long tradition of squeezing the last drop of useful service out of items, and the tiny fraction of the 1,400 Marine revolvers still in circulation suggests this was the case. There are anecdotal reports of the Colts in armories in Haiti and elsewhere suggesting that wherever the Marines fought their “Small Wars,” the Colts were furnished to the gendarmeries and forces the Marines stood up and led.
Getting to re one of these rare Colts was a high privilege for this Marine. The M1909 is subtly different than the garden-variety M1917 or New Service. The extra smooth action and the round-butted frame of the Marine .45 gave it a boost, but it is at least possible that the provenance and “USMC” markings on the butt in uenced my judgment.
The Colt consistently put ve Black Hills .45s into 2¼" at 25 yds., and just as consistently put four of the ve into a 1½" group. Casual shooting with the big double-action was enjoyable, and the hits came easily. The long-reach double-action
continued on p. 104
The 6 mm Creedmoor
Seldom is the sequel better than the original, but the new 6 mm Creedmoor—based on the 6.5 mm Creedmoor— might succeed without needing any help from its big brother.
BY CRAIG BODDINGTON
he rst time I saw the 6 mm Creedmoor we were lming a segment for a television show. The ri e, a Ruger Precision Ri e (RPR), wasn’t sighted in—and we didn’t have much ammunition. Honestly, TV is what it is—it’s not always necessary to actually hit anything. But I was curious. So I rough-zeroed the ri e—with as few rounds as possible—and lay prone with an attached bipod. Good Lord, ve shots went well under an inch, and recoil in that heavy RPR was so mild that I could call the hits through the scope.
I don’t want to sound like a curmudgeon, but I’m one of the guys who often thinks we have enough cartridges, so I don’t always herald the introduction of a brand-new whiz-bang with glee and anticipation. But there is always room for good cartridges, so while the limited 6 mm world suggests obvious reservations, my rst experience with the 6 mm Creedmoor was extremely positive—and I accepted this assignment without reservations.
AMERICANRIFLEMAN.ORG JANUARY 2018
SEQUEL 79
NECKING DOWN A CHAMPION
6 MM CREEDMOOR
In just the past couple of years, Hornady’s 6.5 mm Creedmoor has become extremely popular (September 2017, p. 56), but its 6.5-mm (0.264") bullet diameter has a poor track record of acceptance in the United States. The .264 Win. Mag. made a signi cant blip when rst introduced (1958), but peaked quickly and has zzled ever since. The 6.5 mm Rem. Mag. (1966) never went anywhere, and, despite amazing initial hype, the .260 Rem. (1996) has been slow. Norma’s 6.5 mm-284 has some traction, and the 6.5x55 mm Swedish Mauser is a great old-timer that refuses to go away—but it’s a stretch to say that any of these 6.5-mm cartridges are “popular.”
Yet amazingly, right now the 6.5 mm Creedmoor is probably the most talked about and most popular cartridge in American ri ery. I used the word “amazingly” because the 6.5 mm Creedmoor is not new. It’s been around for 11 years, got off to a slow start, and has suddenly taken off like a rocket. Its hallmarks are accuracy and ef ciency—great performance with modest recoil. It uses a .308 Win. case shortened to 1.920" (technically, the .30 T/C case necked down) to reduce the powder column and increase ef ciency. This also allows the use of extra-long bullets with high ballistic coef cients (BC) in short actions, without having to seat them so deeply as to intrude into the propellant space.
Given the checkered history of the 6.5-mm cartridge category, only time will tell if it remains popular. But it’s almost inevitable that the latest stubby case with the nowfamous name will be necked this way and that. In fact, wildcatters have undoubtedly already taken the Creedmoor case up and down, although what we’re concerned with here is the rst commercial cartridge based on the 6.5 mm Creedmoor: Hornady’s brand-new 6 mm Creedmoor. And since the availability of such a cartridge without ri es to re it is pointless, Ruger has joined in on the introduction, initially chambering both the RPR and the Predator version of the Ruger American Ri e in 6 mm Creedmoor.
The cartridge is not complicated to create; it’s a simple necking down of the 6.5 mm Creedmoor case to take a 6-mm (0.243") bullet. Someone, however, had to do it rst. Simultaneous developments are always possible, but so far as is known, the 6 mm Creedmoor was developed by George Gardner of GA Precision and John Snow of Outdoor Life—both Hornady and Ruger credit them. Especially considering the few (if any) genuine gaps that remain in the broad spectrum of commercial cartridges, wildcatting today requires a reach of faith—so I applaud Gardner, who I don’t know, and Snow, who is a friend, for calling their cartridge the 6 mm Creedmoor, which we can all relate to, rather than succumbing to the temptation of calling it the .243 GS or 6 mm Gardner-Snow, which would have meant much less to most of us.
0.473" 0.470" 30° 0.275" 0.243"
1.490" 1.651" 1.920" 0.462"
2.720"
BRAVE OR FOOLISH?
Even if it is not the name that comes to mind rst, you must admit that Hornady Mfg. is incredibly adaptable, agile and innovative. When Gardner and Snow presented their concept to the company, it jumped on the idea—although acceptance in Grand Island wasn’t universal, and some might characterize the move as having jumped on a live hand grenade of sorts. There were obvious reservations considering several existing cartridges. The 6-mm cartridge world is limited, and the .243 Win. is dominant, seemingly almost unshakeable and unimpeachable. I’ve long believed that the 6 mm Rem. is a “better” cartridge—but it has never had a chance. Without question the .243 WSSM was faster, although it essentially died in infancy. And the .240 Wby. Mag. hangs on as a proprietary cartridge, even though it isn’t among Weatherby’s best sellers. The 6 mm Creedmoor, thus, steps into a limited niche dominated by the .243 Win.
It would be silly not to recognize that the .243 Win. is a great cartridge. Since its introduction in 1955, generations of beginning hunters—including yours truly—took their rst big game with a .243 Win. It remains a crossover varmint and/or big-game cartridge with a track record for exceptional accuracy. And of course, since the cartridge is so popular, everybody loads for it. A BETTER MOUSETRAP?
The 6 mm Creedmoor thus enters the 6-mm world bucking some serious competition. I am not going to suggest it will soon take over as the most popular 6-mm cartridge. In fact, I think that’s highly unlikely. However, although I’ve long appreciated the cartridge’s worth, I would never have predicted the recent (and stunning) success of the 6.5 mm Creedmoor either—so who knows?
Today we know a lot more about cartridge case design than we did in 1955, and with the current fascination for shooting at longer ranges, we have a better appreciation for bullet aerodynamics. The 6.5 mm Creedmoor case was designed for long-range accuracy, the intent being to start a long, heavy-for-caliber, aerodynamic bullet at enough
The 6 mm Creedmoor is available in two altogether different platforms from Ruger: the American Rifle in a Predator model (top) and the Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR). The author proved that both are capable of producing excellent groups. The most obvious comparisons to the 6 mm Creedmoor (center) are with its parent cartridge, the decade-old 6.5 mm Creedmoor (r.) and the .243 Win. (l.), which, for many decades, has reigned as the world’s most popular 6-mm loading.
velocity that it remains supersonic well beyond 1,000 yds. This principle applies to the 6 mm Creedmoor as well; Hornady’s initial offering is an ELD-Match load with a 108-gr. bullet that has an amazing BC of 0.536 (G1). Obviously that’s a very heavy 6-mm bullet, but that’s also the beauty of the Creedmoor’s relatively short case: Longer bullets, such as this 108-grainer, still result in a cartridge overall length that functions properly in short actions.
Now, to be clear, we Americans demand accuracy; but, historically, we also crave velocity. The Creedmoor concept is about accuracy and ef ciency, but not necessarily maximum velocity. Hornady’s speci cations for the 108-gr. match load calls for 2960 f.p.s. from a 24" barrel. For this article I was able to spend time with three 6 mm Creedmoor ri es, two RPRs (24" barrel) and one Predator (22" barrel). Hornady’s 108-gr. ELD-Match was the only load available for testing. At the time this was written, that ammunition was very much a “ rst batch,” but, as the table shows, all three ri es ran a bit slow. As an average over my chronograph, neither 24"-barreled RPR reached 2900 f.p.s., and with 2" less barrel, the Predator ri e came in at 2775 f.p.s.
Standard velocity for a .243 Win. with a 100-gr. bullet is 2950 f.p.s. Obviously you can play with bullet weights and handloading recipes, and there are extra-fast factory loads such as Hornady’s Superformance. But, just to keep things in perspective, on the same day I also ran some standard Winchester 100-gr., .243 Win. ammunition over the chronograph with my 22"-barrel Ruger American. Uh, yep, that was also slow in that ri e, actual speed 2745 f.p.s. So in terms of actual velocity, I’m not sure there’s going to be a clear winner between the .243 Win. and 6 mm Creedmoor. Theoretically, the .243 has a bit more case capacity and should be a wee bit faster—but in practical terms it’s going to depend on which loads are used. Either way it breaks, the difference isn’t going to be signi cant. SHOOTING FOR GROUPS
As we all know, the .243 Win. is no slouch in the accuracy department. The 6 mm Creedmoor has some advantages, not only in case design, but also in its initial introduction with a match-grade load. But barrel quality is such a huge factor in accuracy that I didn’t see any utility in attempting a shootout between the 6 mm Creedmoor and the .243 Win. Over time—thousands of ri es, millions of cartridges—we will learn if the upstart 6 mm Creedmoor will, on average, exceed the accuracy not only of the .243 Win., but also its parent, the 6.5 mm Creedmoor.
I used four ri es in the accuracy testing. As mentioned, I had two identical Ruger Precision Ri es. The rst was topped with a new Leupold VX3i LR/P 4.5-14X 50 mm; to keep myself straight I dubbed this “RPR No. 1.” The second was topped with a Minox ZA-5 2-10X 50 mm scope, dubbed “RPR No. 2.” Both were set in Leupold Tactical mounts, using the RPR’s Picatinny rail. The Ruger American Predator in 6 mm Creedmoor was mounted with a VX-3 4.5-14X 40 mm scope using Weaver bases on the American’s rail. Then, just for fun (and curiosity), I took an identical RPR in 6.5 mm Creedmoor and mounted it with an identical VX-3i LR/P 4.5-14X 50 mm scope. Although not included in the accuracy table (after all, this story is about the 6 mm Creedmoor, not its parent
Of 20 groups red “for score,” the tightest came from “RPR No. 1” in 6 mm Creedmoor, measuring 0.368". Of the two 6 mm RPRs, this ri e averaged slightly better, but the two ri es were actually very similar in accuracy throughout testing.
SHOOTING RESULTS 6 MM CREEDMOOR (100 YDS.)
RUGER RIFLES OPTIC LOAD VELOCITY @ 10' (F.P.S.)
GROUP SIZE (INCHES) SMALEST LARGEST AVERAGE
RPR NO. 1 (24" BARREL) VX-3I LR/P 4.5-14X 50 MM 108-GR. ELD-MATCH 2882 0.368 1.418 0.928 RPR NO. 2 (24" BARREL) ZA-5 2-10X 40 MM 108-GR. ELD-MATCH 2860 0.636 1.318 0.958 AMERICAN PREDATOR (22" BARREL) VX-3 4.5-14X 40 MM 108-GR. ELD-MATCH 2775 0.661 1.480 0.980
AVERAGE EXTREME SPREAD
0.955
cartridge) an obvious comparison many will want to make is exactly how the 6 mm Creedmoor stacks up against its daddy.
So, let’s talk about shooting groups. American Ri eman’s protocol for accuracy is the average of ve, ve-shot groups. This is a tough protocol, but I am extremely pleased to report that all three 6 mm Creedmoor ri es held a sub-minute-ofangle (m.o.a.) average for ve, ve-shot groups. Other than scoping, zeroing and chronographing, that’s straight out of the box with a brand-new factory load. Strong!
Hey, we know that the Ruger Precision Ri e is a wonderfully accurate platform, as is the Ruger American. But gun weight is a factor for bench shooting, and barrel stiffness matters more with ve-shot strings. For interest’s sake, I cleaned each barrel after each group, and all groups were red from cold barrels. Optics are also a factor in shooting groups. I fully expected RPR No. 1, with the new, bright, 30-mm-tube VX-3i LR/P to turn in the best performance, and it did with a 0.928" average. But with less magni cation (thus more human error) RPR No. 2 held up extremely well with a 0.958" average.
When planning this shooting marathon I asked Ruger’s Mark Gurney, “So, how would you feel if the sporter-weight Predator beat the RPRs?” That was mostly in jest. I didn’t expect it to, and it didn’t. But, geez, it came in pretty close
continued on p. 108
The Ruger American Predator in 6 mm Creedmoor is just as its name implies: an awesome ri e for calling predators and walk-around varminting. Mounted with a VX-3 4.5-14X 40 mm scope, it was an m.o.a. ri e right out of the box with a brand new factory load.
