rth 45ya segxfj6s4 by Derek Kolush

CONTENTS > FEATURES 058 TAURUS TX22 COMPETITION Turned the Corner or Another Curve?

066 CARRY CLONES Ballistically Matched Carry and Practice Loads

058

072 CENTURY ARMS AP5

066

The Turkish MP5 is Back

082 RECCE RETCON

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Shrinking Down a SCAR Mk20

106 EDITORS’ PLATE CARRIERS A Look at the Personal Rigs of RECOIL’s Editors

118

THREE’S COMPANY Three Guns in One with CMMG’s Resolute Upper Receivers

072 082

106

128 GIRSAN MC9 Black Sea Blaster on a Bargain Basement Budget

136 MOVIES FOR GUN GUYS Critiquing Six Films and Their Cinematic Approach to Firearms

118

128

154

148 WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER Revitalizing the Cult Classic Mini-14

154 TOP OF THE CLASS CGS Group Breaks New Ground with the Hyperion QD 762

SPECIAL SECTION 094 BORN IN THE USA 11 Products Brought to You by Our Partners That Prove Patriotism is Alive and Well

136

148

CONTENTS > DEPARTMENTS 010 DOWNRANGE

056 BUILDSHEET

Editor’s Letter

024 INCOMING

Glock Mag AR

164 ZEROED IN

New Gear

032 VISIT USS New Jersey

042 TRANSPORT

Antoinette Balta

178

OLD SCHOOL P14

186 VETERANS VICES

Armor for Rent

050 UNUSUAL SUSPECTS

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#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

Lockback Knives Throughout this issue you will see certain images are labeled as being 1:1 Actual Size. This designation is for the print edition of this issue. Because of the various screen sizes on different tablets and computers, we cannot always provide actual life size images in digital versions. We apologize if this causes any confusion and thank you for your understanding.

FIREARM SAFETY IS TOP PRIORITY RECOIL reminds you to be safe and: 1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. 2. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. 4. Always be aware of your target, and what lies beyond it. All content in RECOIL Magazine is safely and professionally photographed in a closed studio or range. Do not attempt to recreate any photographs depicted in this magazine. PRODUCT DISCLAIMER Prices and details for items featured in RECOIL are set by the manufacturers and retailers, and are subject to change without notice. RECOIL (ISSN 2374-2836), July/August 2021; Number 55, is published bimonthly by CMG West, LLC 5600 W. Grande Market Drive, Suite 100 Appleton, WI 54913. Copyright © 2021 by CMG West, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Periodicals Postage Paid at Appleton, WI, and at additional mail offices. For subscription inquiries and customer service, go to www.recoilweb.com or call (888) 681-7064. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5): NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address changes to RECOIL, PO Box 460399, Escondido, CA 92046-0399. Please allow 8-10 weeks for delivery of first issue. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission. This book is purchased with the understanding that the information presented herein is from many varied sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to accuracy or completeness.

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recent dog and pony show is more

office and have to get real jobs. So the

telling than we expected. Not only

handgun portion of the NFA was red-

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

does President Potato want to take

lined, but the barrel length restrictions

on DIY firearms and braced pistols,

on long-guns, despite being irrelevant,

but his nomination of anti-2A lobbyist

were left in. And that, my brothers and

shooting had a braced

David Chipman as Director of the AFT

sisters, is how we got saddled with the

AR. Apparently, making braces

[sic] is a clear declaration of war on

bullsh*t that is the NFA.

illegal would’ve caused the murderer

01 0

DOWN RANGE >

Before we go too far, it might be

e knew something was going to come out of the current administration

RECOILWEB.COM>

regarding guns, but the

American gun owners.

Building your own firearm has a long

to reconsider his actions, because

and honorable history in the U.S. It

adding a federal firearm charge to 10

worth bringing up a bit of historical

remains legal to do so, and we’re going

counts of homicide, well, you can fill in

context. The National Firearms Act

to enjoy seeing the Biden administra-

the blanks, because you’re a function-

of 1934 originally sought to eliminate

tion contort itself into knots to try and

ing human with powers of inductive

handgun ownership amongst the peons

address the issue of when a firearm

and deductive reasoning.

by subjecting them to the same puni-

magically transmutes from a paper-

tive $200 transfer tax as machine guns

weight into a baby-killing “ghost gun.”

order to comply with a ridiculous law.

and suppressors. Bear in mind, this

Especially when the precedent has

Take that mechanism for compliance

was during a period when Congress

been established for years. 80% receiv-

away and guess what happens?

actually took notice of the Constitution,

ers are now illegal? Hmm, here’s a 79%

so they figured that banning inanimate

receiver, and here’s a 2x8; I can make

years. Lift, run, read, train, speak to,

objects in private hands would go

an AR out of either.

and support your fellow gun owners.

against their oath of office and might

The ATF held a virtual town hall with

The thing is people bought braces in

It looks like this will be a long three

Take a neighbor or colleague shooting.

get them tarred and feathered. Instead,

industry reps on the 28th of March,

Point and laugh at sh*tbird politicians

they exercised powers of taxation and

probing for opinions as to which firearm

and their useful idiots, and completely

slapped on a fee calculated to price

parts should be serialized next, in

ostracize any law enforcement officer

them out of the range of the hoi polloi.

order to make life more difficult for the

who would seek to infringe on the

To stop economy-minded individuals

law-abiding. Quite apart from the mas-

rights of otherwise law-abiding citizens.

from simply cutting down a rifle or

sive logistical undertaking this would

The government wants weak, compli-

shotgun to handgun dimensions and

entail, I’m not sure they factored in the

ant tax units. Be a strong, indepen-

calling it good, minimum barrel length

massive “f*ck you” factor this would

dent human. Think for yourself, and

rules were included.

engender in the law-abiding commu-

remember this country was founded on

nity. It now appears they’ve settled on

resistance.

Using the well-developed sense of survival common to most vermin-

making felons of anyone who has an

ous species, the politicians of the day

arm brace on a pistol, justifying their

figured the effective handgun ban

decision by way of the fact that the

wouldn’t fly and they’d wind up out of

alleged murderer in the recent Boulder

The new KelTec™ SUB2000 CQB™ folding suppressed rifle is bred for home defense. It’s light weight and easy to handle. Pair subsonic ammo with its integrated suppressor and it’s “Hollywood quiet”. Add a combat light and quality optic and the upper hand is yours. Compact storage? Twist and fold it in half, optics and all. Innovation. Performance. KelTec. See more at KelTecWeapons.com. ©2021 Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc

Editorial. Editor/ Iain Harrison Managing Editor/ Laura Peltakian Features Editor/ Dave Merrill Senior Editor/ Tom Marshall Contributing Editor/ Steven Kuo Network Manager/ John Schwartze Director, Video Production/ Calvin Coulthard Web Editor/ Forrest Cooper Contributors/ Alexander Crown, Niccole Elizabeth, Tamara Keel, Kenda Lenseigne, Patrick McCarthy, Richard Mann, David Moser, Mike Searson, Joey Skibel, James Slaughter, Peter Suciu, Patrick Vuong Special Thanks/ Frio County Hunts

Art Direction & Design. Senior Art Director/ Gene Coo Art Director/ Katia Sverdlova Senior Designer/ Tris Mast

Submissions. Recoil@RECOILweb.com

Subscriber Customer Services. Domestic/Canadian: 888.681.7064 Foreign: 760.270.9470 Recoil@RECOILweb.com

Advertising. GM/Publisher/ Glen Castle Associate Publisher/ Ryan Farner 760.809.8729 Senior Account Executive/ Alex Ostrowski 920.341.6203 Senior Account Executive/ David Figg 813.418.1060 Senior Account Executive/ Lori McDaniel 715.498.3768

To advertise on this magazine’s website, or any of CMG West LLC’s other enthusiast sites, please contact us at Advertising@RECOILweb.com.

CMG West, LLC. VP, Group Publisher/ Mark Han Financial Controller/ Jenni Sexstone Circulation/ NPS Media Group mtolen@npsmediagroup.com

This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that the information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by CMG West, LLC, or the publisher as to legality, completeness and accuracy. Any submissions or contributions from readers shall be subject to and governed by CMG West LLC’s User Content Submission Terms and Conditions. BACK ISSUES To order back issues, visit RecoilWeb.com. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS Editorial contributions are welcomed, but editors recommend that contributors query first. Contribution must be accompanied by return postage and we assume no responsibility for loss or damage thereto. Manuscripts must be typewritten on white paper, and all photographs must be accompanied by captions. Photo model releases required on all persons in photos. Recoil reserves the right to use material at its discretion, and we reserve the right to edit material to meet our requirements. Upon publication, payment will be made at our current rate, and that said payment will cover author’s and contributor’s rights of the contribution. Contributor’s act of mailing contribution shall constitute an express warranty that the material is original and no infringement on the rights of others. Mail contributions to: Recoil Magazine, 5600 W. Grande Market Drive, Suite 100 Appleton, WI 54913.

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INCOMING > 01 WOOX RAIL COVERS MSRP: $49 for a set of 3

Not too long ago, gun enthusiasts used to fall into two camps: modern black guns kitted out with as many accessories you could fi t on them, and old-school firearms with wood furniture that were left in their vintage state. Nowadays, there’s a growing trend to mix the two aesthetics — either upgrading lever-action guns with rails, lights, and lasers, or adding wood accoutrements to newer rifl es. WOOX is leading this new charge with accessories like its Rail Covers. Made from authentic American walnut and solid Micarta, these scales give you increased traction and heat protection as well as unique aesthetics. They come with mounting hardware, take about two minutes to install, and are compatible with any M-LOK or KeyMod rail (be they WOOX stocks are not).

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0 24

1A /2A:CONGRESS SHALL

URL: wooxstore.com

02 THE PATRIOT MILITIA SING YOUR DEATH SONG

03 FIX IT STICKS MINI ALL-IN-ONE TOQUE DRIVER

04 COLUMBIA RIVER KNIFE & TOOL BONA FIDE

MSRP: $55

MSRP: $100

MSRP: $8

URL: store.ﬁxitsticks.com

URL: www.crkt.com

URL: www.thepatriotmilitia.com

You might have taken a quick glance at this little device and said, “Where’s the rest of the tool?” Well, the Mini All-In-One Torque Driver is meant to be small but mighty … when integrated with Fix It Sticks’ Replaceable Edition or T-Way Driver. This mini driver accepts any standard ¼-inch bit and ﬁts into any standard ¼-inch driver. Use it to easily tighten key components on your ﬁrearms with exact torque values — from 6 inch pounds to 24 inch pounds. So, now you don’t have to worry about under- or over-tightening your scope rings, red-dot sights, or mounting plates.

Legendary knifemaker Ken Onion created the Bona Fide as a tribute to his adoptive home of Hawaii by having it allude to the wa’a (traditional Polynesian canoe). The handle is made of aluminum for strength and lightness, while the business end features a 3.59-inch blade made of D2 tool steel. While it’s not our favorite knife steel, it is razor sharp and pointy, comes out smoothly with a push of its ﬂipper tab, and beautifully blends both the drop-point and the Wharncliffe blade shape. The knife’s other deﬁning feature is its Field Strip Gen II technology, which lets you disassemble the knife into three components in seconds for easy cleaning. The Bona Fide meets at the intersection of futuristic function and traditional form.

The phrase on this embroidered patch, combined with the killer artwork, seems a bit morbid … until you realize the meaning behind it: live life courageously and compassionately so that if you have to face death, you can do it bravely without regret. Featured in the movie Act of Valor, the line is part of the closing stanza of a poem attributed (perhaps inaccurately) to Tecumseh. He was a Shawnee warrior chief who formed a Native American confederacy to ﬁght against U.S. expansionism in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Though killed by American forces in Canada during the War of 1812, Tecumseh became admired (even by his enemies) throughout North America because of his leadership, oratory skills, and military prowess.

INCOMING > 05 SIG SAUER ZULU6 16X42MM MSRP: $770

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1A /2A:MAKE NO L AW

URL: www.sigsauer.com Vision is obviously an indispensable part of shooting. After all, you can’t hit what you can’t see — be it due to low light, poor alignment, or lack of clarity. This is especially important when shooting from long distances, whether in competition, during a hunt, or in a battle. Enter the ZULU6 from Sig Sauer. Using a two-axis gimbal, an anti-reﬂection SpectraCoat lens coating, and Optical Image Stabilization technology, this premium pair of binoculars cancels out a user’s shakiness to deliver the visual acuity of a mounted spotting scope in a more portable package. It can withstand hard ﬁeld use, too, thanks to a polymer frame, abrasion-resistant LensArmor coating, and an IPX4 water-resistance rating.

06 LEGEND COMPRESSION WEAR WARM WEATHER COMPRESSION BOOT SOCKS

07 VERTX ASSAULT 2.0 GLOVE

08 WANDRD TECH BAG

MSRP: $46

MSRP: $29

URL: vertx.com

URL: wandrd.com

MSRP: $18.40

The Assault 2.0 Glove is impressive. It feels like a “second skin” … which it kinda is because the palm is made of 100-percent goat leather, and there are no seams across the palm or thumb, helping to maintain your dexterity. The index finger is designed so it can be cut off if you want more meat on your trigger. Speaking of the forefinger, it along with the middle finger and the thumb are touchscreen compatible. Plus, the backing is made of a merino wool blend for increased moisture-wicking and temperature regulation. There’s also a hook-and-loop wrist closure and hideaway loops to clip your gloves to your gear.

Everyday-carry (EDC) electronics used to mean a Game Boy. Fast-forward three decades and now we have phablets, ear buds, power banks, handheld GPS units, and … well, you get the idea. So, the Tech Bag is a great option for not only holding your EDC gear and gadgets but also protecting and organizing them. The main compartment houses five elastic mesh pockets and a pen/pencil loop, while the second section is felt lined for more precious cargo. Externally, it has water-resistant YKK zippers and multiple attachment points. Plus, the 3.5-liter Tech Bag is compatible with WANDRD’s Carry Strap (shown below but sold separately for $19), which can turn it into a sling bag or fanny pack for a more convenient carry.

URL: legendcompressiontactical.com If there’s one piece of clothing that needs to be meticulously engineered and manufactured for a warrior, it should be the sock — especially for those who could be spending hours (perhaps days) marching through muck, hiking through trails, or patrolling through unpredictable environments. Thankfully, there are LEGEND’s boot socks. Their nylon ﬁbers (with a hint of Spandex) boost wicking to help your feet dry quickly and stay comfortable. And these mid-calf socks provide graduated compression to increase blood ﬂow while offering extra-wide arch support to ward off achiness. And unlike a lot of nylon socks that remind you of their stiff synthetic nature, these are soft and comfy. Available in Black and Coyote Brown, and made in the USA.

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Now it’s up to you.

INCOMING > 09 HALFBREED BLADES CRA-01

10 CAMELEON BAGS SMITH & WESSON EDC BELTS

MSRP: $305 URL: www.halfbreedblades.com.au Though it stands only 9.52 inches tall, the CRA-01 swings like a chopper twice its size. Also known as the Compact Rescue Axe, this edged tool features a crazy-sharp, overbuilt D2 axe head that can make short work of tree branches, zombie heads, or downed aircraft doors. Opposite the primary edge is a slim hammer that’s perfect for striking, crushing, cracking, or pounding. And at about 1.57 pounds, the CRA-01 produces enough momentum for excellent follow-through. The ergonomic

12 5.11 TACTICAL RIDGE PANT

MSRP: $50

11 LEATHERMAN TOOL GROUP HERITAGE BADGE PULLOVER HOODIE

URL: www.cameleonbags.com

MSRP: $95

A common mistake that new shooters make is neglecting to wear a proper shooting belt. Canvas belts or ﬂexible leather belts have too much give, preventing the holster from staying anchored at the waistline, which in turn slows or prevents their gun from deploying. That’s why Cameleon Bags has teamed up with Smith & Wesson to produce a stiff belt that’s ideal for drawing your ﬁrearm, but doesn’t look out of place at a board meeting or a family outing. Each belt is made

URL: www.leatherman.com

The Ridge Pant brings all the smart technical touches and low-profile looks of 5.11’s Capital Pant with one key improvement: the cargo pockets have horizontal zippers rather than the Capital’s annoying diagonal zippers. This one change makes accessing gear from the cargo pockets (which have internal dividers) much faster. The Ridge Pant also has back yoke utility pockets and reinforcements on the front pockets for knife or flashlight clips. The body is made of 5.11’s Flex-Tac canvas (a cotton/polyester blend) for an ideal mix of comfort and mobility. There’s also a hidden cuff key pocket and an inside-the-waistband flex cuff tunnel. Mixing SERE functionality with gray man sensibilities, the Ridge Pant looks right at home both on a course of fire and on a grocery run.

We’re not gonna lie — we thought this was just gonna be the usual swag a company produces for brand awareness. Boy, were we wrong. The Heritage Badge Pullover Hoodie is top-quality apparel that’s both really durable yet incredibly comfortable. The heavyweight fleece is made from a cotton/polyester blend. The cuffs and collars are ribbed, while the front pocket is reinforced. Even the draw-cords are custom. All these little details add up to make for a top that doesn’t just look good, but is highly functional for cool spring nights or adventures at higher altitudes. But then again, we should have known Leatherman would put the same level of craftsmanship in its new apparel lineup as it always has with its innovative multi-tools. Made in the USA.

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VISIT >

n recent years, the city of Camden, New Jersey, has seen a significant decline in violent crime and has undergone a momentous redevel-

opment effort. While it’ll likely never be known for tourism, Camden’s waterfront has three notable attractions including an outdoor amphitheater, an aquarium, and best of all for the history buff, the USS New Jersey, one of the largest World War II battleships to be preserved as a museum ship. Known as the “Big J” or “Black Dragon,” she was the most decorated battleship to have served in the U.S.

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1A /2 A:A N E STA BLISHMENT

Navy and is among the largest warships ever built.

HISTORY OF THE BIG J Well before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy saw the

The Big J is One of Three Iowa-Class Battleships That’s Now a Museum

clouds of war were on the horizon and

By Peter Suciu

might of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

that there’d be a need for a “fast battleship” that could take on the increasing Laid down in 1940, the USS New Jersey (BB-62) was launched on December 7, 1942 — just a year after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. Even as the war highlighted the potential of aircraft carriers over the massive battle wagons, the Big J played a crucial role in the Pacific “island hopping” campaign.

VISIT >

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034

1A /2A:OF RELIGION,

1. Seeing the ship from the pier shows that this is one truly large vessel. 2. There are seven decks of the ship to explore, and visitors can even enter the preserved engine room. 3. The ship is as long as three football fields and taller than an 11-story building. It’s the longest battleship ever built. 4. Now that’s what we call a projectile.

03 New Jersey was also part of a new

fire 2,700-pound (1,225 kg) armor-

the USMC landings across the Pacific

breed of American battleships. Com-

piercing shells some 23 miles (42.6

without the New Jersey, but follow-

missioned in May 1943, she was one

km). Her secondary battery consisted

ing the war she was decommissioned.

of six of the fast capital ships that were

of twenty 5-inch/38-caliber guns

However, her fate wasn’t sealed; unlike

ordered, and one of the four that were

mounted in twin-gun dual purpose (DP)

so many warships that were broken up

constructed. They include the lead

turrets, which could hit targets up to

and sold as scrap, the Department of

ship of her class, the USS Iowa (BB-

nine miles (16.7 km) away.

Defense sought to maintain the class of

61), along with sister ships USS Mis-

As one of the largest ships in the

fast battleships.

souri and USS Wisconsin (BB-64). Two

U.S. fleet, she began her career as the

additional ships, the planned Illinois

flagship of the 5th Fleet under Adm.

Vietnam War — and then again in the

and Kentucky, were laid but canceled,

Raymond A. Spruance, and took part

1980s, when President Ronald Reagan

with both hulls scrapped at the end of

in Operation Hailstone, a two-day

called for a 600-ship U.S. Navy. In

the war.

surface and air strike by her task force

fact, all four of the Iowa-class battle-

against the major Japanese fleet base

ships were reactivated and upgraded

bor, as well as the sinking of the

on Truk in the Caroline Islands. Later

with new combat systems that replaced

British Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of

in the Second World War, New Jersey

many of the ships’ smaller 5-inch guns

Wales, showed the vulnerability of

served as the flagship of the 3rd Fleet

with launchers for Harpoon anti-ship

the battleship to aircraft, New Jersey

under Adm. William F. Halsey and took

missiles, 32 Tomahawk cruise missiles,

proved capable during the war. The

part in the U.S. invasions of Iwo Jima

and four Phalanx close-in weapon

battleship’s main battery consisted

and Okinawa.

systems (CIWS). New Jersey and her

Though the attack on Pearl Har-

of nine 16-inch/50-caliber Mark 7 guns in three-gun turrets, which could

It would’ve been difficult if not impossible for the U.S. Navy to support

She was briefly called up during the

sister battleships were rearmed for the threats of the late Cold War.

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VISIT > However, by the end of the 1980s, the Soviet Union was defeated, and

Jersey (USS New Jersey). One of the reasons that the battle-

determined to be suitable for the war-

it was clear that it was the twilight of

ships were converted into museums

ship — including Bayonne, Jersey City,

the battleship as the capital flag-

yet left unaltered in any way that would

and Camden. In the end, Jersey City

ship for the U.S. Navy. Iowa and New

impair their respective military ability,

opted not to submit a proposal and

Jersey were actually in the process of

is because theoretically each could

Bayonne became the frontrunner and

being decommissioned when Missouri

be reactivated for service if need be.

was actually selected as the site for the

and Wisconsin were deployed to the

While it has been nearly 20 years,

museum.

Persian Gulf as part of Operation

there have been calls for the rugged

Desert Storm, where they launched

battle wagons to return to the sea,

play, including the fact that the vessel

Tomahawk missiles at Iraqi targets.

but for now their job is simply to help

was already undergoing the necessary

That marked the last time that an

preserve the memories of the sacri-

preparation in Philadelphia, which was

American battleship would fire its

fices made by those who served. And

just across the river from Camden.

weapons in anger.

to highlight the history of the American

Importantly, it was decided that Bay-

battleship.

onne was too close to New York City,

Less than two years later in 1992, battleship,” and all four of the Navy’s largest vessels were converted to museum ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

However, a few factors came into

which was home to the Intrepid Sea,

the sun finally set on the “age of the

BATTLESHIP NEW JERSEY MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL Unlike her sister battleships, New

Air & Space Museum, and the USS Intrepid (CV-11). The U.S. Navy feared the battleship would overshadow the

1. With its multiple decks, the battleship is really like a floating city.

2. There are some close quarters on the New Jersey — these bunks show that sailors didn’t get a lot of personal space, even for sleeping.

(USS Missouri); Los Angeles, Cali-

Jersey is the only one to actually now

carrier and, in the end, it was decided

fornia (USS Iowa); Norfolk, Virginia

be a museum in her namesake state,

that Camden would be the future home

3. Among the

(USS Wisconsin); and Camden, New

and this is due to the proximity to the

for the Big J.

exhibits on board are the history of not only the battleship but some insight into the “original” New Jersey, which was part of the “Great White Fleet” that highlighted America’s emergence as a world power.

RECOILWEB.COM>

036

1A /2A:OR PROHIBITING

ocean. Originally three locations were

4. There are literally miles of wires on the battleship and much of it passes through this room, which includes teletype and other antiquated communication gear. This is how the pre-digital navy communicated.

VISIT > The New Jersey opened as museum ship on October 15, 2001, and since

the Mark 7 Gun, which was used for

that time it has continued to preserve

shore bombardment; Mark 2, 40mm

the warship’s history while also being

quad-gun mounts; the Mark 2, 40mm

USS NEW JERSEY

among the most interactive museums

single-gun mounts; the Mark 15,

in the country. Guided tours are avail-

20mm Phalanx; and the BGM-109

able, but visitors can explore the ship

Tomahawk cruise missiles.

ADDRESS: 62 Battleship Place Camden, NJ 08103 (856) 966-1652, (866) 877-6262

and walk on more than seven different

much its Cold War-era state, com-

the battleship was — and it’s easy to

plete with Phalanx and Tomahawk

see how more than 1,900 sailors could

launchers, it’s still easy to see that

easily call the ship home.

the ship is a testament to 1930s era

URL: www.battleshipnewjersey.org HOURS OF OPERATION: Due to the pandemic, the Battleship is now only open for tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

design and construction. The museum

Museum and Memorial can stretch

highlights the role the ship played

out on the bunks where soldiers slept

as a platform used by the Greatest

and even climb into the 16-inch gun

Generation, but also how it was still

turret to see how the projectiles were

able to pack a punch against Saddam

292 people and included the chance

Hussein’s forces in the Gulf War in

to enjoy dinner and breakfast in a

1991. It’s possible to see the almost

Navy chow line. The museum educa-

spacious quarters used by Adm.

tors even offer visitors the option to

Halsey, while also taking in the 1980s

explore the science of operating such

combat information center (CIC).

a large warship.

The museum ship has been among

038

1A /2 A :T H E F R E E E X E R C I S E

While the ship is preserved in very

decks, which helps show how massive

Visitors to the Battleship New Jersey

RECOILWEB.COM>

loaded. Other notable exhibits include

the most hands-on in country. Prior

the country, but New Jersey is in a

to the COVID-19 quarantine, the mu-

class all its own.

seum even offered groups a chance to spend the night on the ship and live like a sailor. The program was open to families and groups of up to

There are other museum ships in

2. There are plenty of exhibits for the younger visitors, and they can even try on helmets. 3. Along the pier is the actual propeller, which is more than 30 feet tall.

1. While not a firearms

4. A display of the

museum, the New Jersey does house these captured Japanese small arms including a Nambu pistol and Arisaka rifle.

quarters of Adm. Halsey as it would’ve looked during the Second World War. While more spacious than those of most of the sailors, it wouldn’t actually be considered luxurious by any stretch of the imagination.

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042

1A /2 A :T H E R E O F;

By John Schwartze Photos by David Moser

et’s say you’re working for an organization tasked with finding vehicles capable of traversing a devastated

look to find something of that ilk that’s readily available and functions reliably? As the saying goes, necessity is the

The Armor for Rent ﬂeet primarily consists of a few offerings originally manufactured by the now-defunct, Michigan-based company

area after a natural disaster. The fire department and Army Corps of Engineers might come to mind, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can accommodate what you’re after without it being a logistical nightmare. Or perhaps you’re a transportation manager for a major studio who needs to find set pieces for a postapocalyptic

mother of invention. About three years ago,

General Purpose Vehicles (GPV) and obtained

Ted Yadlowsky seized upon that notion with

by Ted at auction. Although the company is

a company that can assist in the afore-

no longer around, licensing agreements with

mentioned tasks with a fleet of vehicles

other defense companies, such as FNSS, still

that are anything but run of the mill. His

exist to produce variants of the GPV vehicles

Maryland-based Armor for Rent caters to

in Turkey, Malaysia, and South Korea.

The company’s name is about as obvious a

even been used by FEMA for Hurricanes

thriller that was just green lit. Where would you

search-engine term as one could think of to

Katrina and Rita to facilitate getting medics

procure a set of wheels usually only found

deployed and assist in overall rescue ef-

in museums.

forts, but the entertainment industry is their

a niche market very few would recognize.

Some of Armor for Rent’s vehicles have

primary bread and butter. If you recognize either of the vehicles pictured here it may be because they’ve appeared in the 2012 The Predator. While some might assume you can just go to the military to rent something similar, it’s not as easy as it sounds. In order to get certain shots to satisfy the movie’s requirements, you may also need to modify compatible with their strict set of guidelines. scaffolding system on top of the vehicle that enabled the actors and stunt people to stand on the vehicle while it was being driven. It also allowed them to be thrown in certain scenes so they could pull off those kinds of live-action shots as well as mount all the camera equipment,” says Yadlowsky. “Because of the vehicle’s air-ride suspension system with 21 inches of travel, the actors felt like they were standing on solid ground while it was driving 30 mph. These vehicles offer some unique capabilities in that regard.” Available for rent are the two 8x8 GPVs seen here, a 6x6 version, and GPV service support vehicles that are armored, equipped with boom cranes, flatbeds, and have a lot of special capability. The 8x8 versions are powered by a Caterpillar C7 drivetrain, and both the 6x6 and 8x8 GPVs are amphibious and street legal. If you read about Rodney Dial’s modified Saracen in RECOIL Issue 48, you’re probably aware of the hurdles a private citizen

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

“In The Predator we were able to mount a

043

the vehicle or use it in a way that’s simply in-

RECOILWEB.COM>

Red Dawn remake and in the 2018 version of

TRANSPORT > “There are groups out there and magazines that’ll help you try to ﬁnd military vehicles for sale. Milweb.net has a classiﬁed section,” says Yadlowsky. “Obviously you want to deal with someone who is a licensed broker. You want to make sure you pick someone who has done it before, has a good reputation, and you’re making a safe investment because there’s a lot of tricks, regulations, and rules to bringing in one from overseas. Finding one went through in order to obtain a

you’re probably better off renting

if the U.S. is a lot easier. Vehicles like

privately owned ex-military vehicle.

from someone like Yadlowsky who

this do come up from time to time.

However, while you might be tempted

has the connections and experience

“As far as permitting, if you got

to go out and find your own military

to know what they’re doing. If you’re

a used military vehicle it’d have to

vehicles at auction, unless you’re

importing from another country, that’s

have a deactivated weapons system.

wealthy, very mechanically inclined,

a whole other set of regulations to

If it falls under historical guidelines

and patient enough to find parts,

contend with.

as a vehicle, you’d just follow your

RECOILWEB.COM>

044

1/2 A:OR A BRIDGING

Above: Air-ride suspension and allwheel steering with 21 inches of travel — more than an Abrams tank!

Right top: The vehicles are right- and left-hand drive. The steering column and pedals slide over.

Right: The ADVS Desert Chameleon/TAG Mastiff has hydraulic suspension as well as all-wheel steering.

TRANSPORT > that’ll be using the vehicle. Included in the rental agreement is a driver/mechanic. Although you could conceivably rent one for your bachelor party, sorry, you won’t be able to pilot it with your standard Class C driver’s license. So what’s next for Armor for Rent? They're consulting with the Louisville Naval Museum, a 501(c)(3) that has the 85-foot WWII U.S. Army Crash Boat P520, and the WWII submarine USS Ling. They hope to help restore

RECOILWEB.COM>

04 6

1/2 A :T H E F R E E D O M

the USS Ling and bring it to the U.S. local and state permitting process.

Humvees and preventing you from

Naval Academy in Annapolis as a

With Humvees, some of them fall

getting a license plate and tags for it.

naval ship memorial and museum.

under historical, some don’t. There

You’ll want to be cautious and aware

The submarine would also be avail-

are some states right now wrestling

of that. An older WWII Jeep or some-

able for filming needs, along with the

with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

thing armored that’s wheeled usually

P520. In the meantime, here’s one

Sticker (FMVSS), and they’re claim-

don’t have as many issues.”

of the only sources we’ve found up to

Rental rates with Armor for Rent are

this point who can provide specialty

a vehicle designed for the streets, it

negotiated according to the duration the

vehicles you might not be able to get

doesn’t belong there. Some states

vehicle is needed and the nature of its

your hands on without forking over a

have now started taking ex-military

use. Insurance costs fall on the entity

lot of cash to buy one outright.

ing that because the Humvee was not

Left: All the 8x8s have a differential lock that can engage all axles with power.

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UNUSUAL SUSPECTS >

By Mike Searson

ockback knives seem to have been around forever. Chances are, if you were a Boy Scout or Cub Scout, it may have been

the second knife, after a slip joint, that you were most familiar with as an introduction to edged tools. Although they may seem a bit dated compared to modern liner locks, frame locks, or other type of

RECOILWEB.COM>

1A /2A:OF SPEECH,

locking mechanisms, there’s no question about the inherent strength of a properly made lock-back. The easiest way to describe a lockback’s method of operation is that a locking arm sits along the rear of the handle and engages with a hook that fits into a notch on the rear of the blade. As the blade is opened, the hook snaps into the notch and locks the knife. The user depresses the lock bar in order to close the knife. Because the principle of the lock is typically steel against the steel of the blade, there’s no premature wear, and these knives tend to have an unusually strong lock. They can be made cheaper and more efficiently without sacrificing strength, and in the rare case that the lock seems to be wearing out, the knife can typically be replaced without breaking the bank.

RECOILWEB.COM>

1A /2A:OR OF THE PRESS;

UNUSUAL SUSPECTS >

SOG KNIVES TWITCH 2

COLUMBIA RIVER KNIFE & TOOL OFFBEAT

BUCK KNIVES 110 AUTO

BUCK KNIVES 110 SLIM PRO

SPYDERCO KNIVES SIREN

AL MAR KNIVES EAGLE TALON

411:

SOG has been making knives for military and law enforcement use for over 30 years. The Twitch 2 is an assisted opening knife that uses torsion springs to hold the blade closed. When the user applies manual pressure to open the blade by using either the thumb stud or the flipper mechanism on the back side of the handle, the springs release and the knife opens completely. The handle is made from aluminum. The minimalist pocket clip, which resembles a pen cap more than a typical knife clip, is reversible for right- or left-hand carry. It’s a lock-back design and incorporates an additional safety which can aid as a secondary lock in either keeping the knife open or closed.

What started life as a custom blade from the bench of Pat Crawford in 1979 is now a factory offering from CRKT with the Offbeat II. For this model, Pat and Wes Crawford scaled down the profile and added GRN handle scales for an improved grip. Dual thumb studs and a particularly innovative lock-back mechanism allow for ambidextrous opening and closing.

The traditional Buck 110 folding knife has been one of the best lock-back knives ever produced, and we dedicated an entire article to it in our sister publication, RECOIL OFFGRID. It’s made with a 420HC clip-point blade with a proprietary heat treatment. The Macassar ebony Dymondwood handle scales are accented by brass bolsters, liners, and pins. The automatic version is one of the strongest autos we’ve ever seen. The knife lacks a clip, but ships with a quality leather sheath for belt carry.

The Buck 110 has been given a radical makeover with the 110 Slim Pro. Made with tan Micarta handle scales and a classic 110 clip-point blade of S30V, they reduced the weight and made it more pocket friendly with a reversible clip. A matte coating on the blade aids in corrosion resistance. I rarely profile two knives from the same manufacturer but had to in this case, as it shows how far Buck has come with their most classic design.

Designed by professional kayak fisherman Lance Clinton, Spyderco’s Siren is a tough-as-nails folding knife built to tackle anything in a rough water environment. The full-flatground blade is ground from ultra-corrosion-resistant LC200N steel and features an impressively strong lock-back mechanism. Both G-10 scales feature a blue accent layer, and the knife can be secured in a pocket or on a belt with a reversible deep-pocket wire clip that offers secure carry with quick access.

Although it’s officially called a Front Lock by Al Mar Knives, the Eagle Talon is essentially a lockback blade with the lock placed closer to the axis of the pivot. The Al Mar Eagle Talon features a thin black G-10 handle with a VG-10 stainless steel blade with dual thumb studs for ease of opening. The reversible pocket clip attaches through the lanyard hole.

PROS

CONS

+ Lightning-fast deployment — this is one of the few assisted openers that is faster than most switch blades. + The Twitch 2 is lightweight and carries well.

CONS

- A bit on the smaller side for hard extended use. You don’t want to use this one for batoning firewood or hacking through the fuselage of a downed aircraft. - The lock can stick at times when you first receive it but works in nicely after a while.

PROS

+ The best part of this knife is Crawford’s easyto-use locking mechanism. It’s innovative, intuitive, and strong. + Crawford’s drop-point blade design is perhaps the best in the industry. + A perfect weight for an EDC knife

- The pocket clip is a bit on the small side. A slightly bigger one would be a bit more appropriate. - The thumb studs can be a bit aggressive and rough on the thumb if you constantly and repetitively open and close the knife while watching TV.

PROS

+ Rock-solid lockup in a knife built like a tank + Razor-sharp blade that retains an edge + Classic lines and a perfect example of a traditional design still relevant 50 years later

CONS

- A bit slow to deploy due to the sheath - Slightly heavy for standard pocket carry

PROS

+ The S30V blade is an extremely nice upgrade from 420 HC steel. + The lighter weight and slimmer profile makes for a superb EDC knife for under $100.

CONS

- The clip is a bit blocky but does its job. - The lock was a bit stiff at first but broke in well.

PROS

+ Spyderco has been offering lock-back-style knives from the very beginning, and they build one of the stoutest. + The blade comes wickedly sharp out of the box, another area where Spyderco bests most other manufacturers. + The blue accent area gives the knife a unique look.

CONS

- The wire clip can be easily damaged; we prefer a traditional three-screw clip for securing the knife in the pocket. - Some users may find the G10 a bit too aggressive.

PROS

+ The long and slender drop-point blade makes for a superb knife for delicate cutting chores. The handle geometry allows you to work this knife like a scalpel. + Classic looks combined with the weight and ergonomics make this an ideal EDC blade.

CONS

- If you opt for attaching a lanyard to your knife, this one can be a bit awkward. - Not ideal as a heavy-use work knife; this is more of an occasional use, gentlemen’s folder.

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BUILDSHEET >

RECOILWEB.COM>

056

1A /2A:OR THE RIGHT

Sometimes Good Things

Do Come in Small Packages

By Alexander Crown

e all know how it goes — you

for fun ground squirrel hunting or occasional

included takedown pins and has a last round

ﬁnd that roll pin on the ﬂoor and

plinking when/if ammo prices even out.

bolt hold-open device installed. A standard

now you have to build another

The Rainier Arms Select Series Bar-

CMMG lower parts kit fills in the rest of the

gun. In this case, it was being

rel was the perfect starting point for this

guts; they may not be flashy, but the CMMG

gifted a really nice 9mm AR barrel that pushed

little blaster. At 6 inches, it wasn’t so long

kit fit and didn’t break the bank for quality

everything over the edge to put this together.

that subsonic rounds would go supersonic,

parts. We’d like to upgrade the trigger to

This build is something that had been ponder-

since this build is intended to be shot sup-

the CMC Single Stage 3.5lb 9mm PCC Flat

ing for considerable time. Now being “forced”

pressed almost exclusively. The barrel came

trigger in the future. The Magpul MOE-K

to take action, some goals were identiﬁed: a

threaded ½-28mm, making the mating of

is an incredibly compact and thin grip that

compact 9mm, runs on Glock mags, and can

the SilencerCo Omega 9K easy with a direct

adds little in the way of weight and sits

be easily suppressed. This build is meant

thread adapter. The bolt was purchased at a

flush when a Magpul 21-round magazine or

steep discount locally due to the product be-

Elite Tactical Systems 22-round magazine

COMPONENT

MSRP

ing discontinued. It’s from Primary Weapon

is installed. An important consideration for

Bootleg Inc Enhanced AR-15 Upper Receiver

$180

Systems and features a removable carrier

storage of the gun.

Spikes Tactical 9mm Spider Stripped Lower

$180

weight. The charging handle is the standard

Bootleg Inc M-LOK 4-inch Handguard

$136

Bravo Company USA Gunfighter Medium,

small and functional, a Maxim Defense

Primary Weapons Systems 9mm Bolt

Discontinued

giving us increased surface area on the latch

CQB PDW brace was selected. These

Rainier Arms Select 6-inch 9mm Barrel

$150

mechanism to help clear the sling QD swivel.

can come with a PCC weight

Maxim Defense CQB Brace

$190

The Bootleg Enhanced Upper doesn’t have

CMMG Lower Parks Kit

$69

a forward assist, which would be unneces-

systems where more

Magpul MOE-K Grip

$19

sary for a pistol-caliber build, and it saves us

weight is neces-

Bravo Company USA Charging Handle

$40

a little bit of weight (1.7 ounces) over a stan-

sary for

dard Mil-spec upper receiver. The handguard

reliable

EXTRAS SilencerCo Omega 9K

$865

is extremely easy to install, given the cam-

Aimpoint H-1

Discontinued

ming mechanism, and at 4 inches is a great

LaRue Tactical LT660

$107

length for the barrel. And, of course, M-LOK

SureFire M600 Scout Light

$297

lets us mount stuff like the SureFire Scout

Magpul M-LOK Offset Light/Optic Mount

$35

light with Magpul mount to position the light

KRISS MagEx2 Extension

$30

higher at the 1 o’clock position for thumb

Glock 17 Magazine

$38

activation. One gripe is the lack of M-LOK on

Edgar Sherman M81 Sling

$50

the bottom, but we can get past this.

X2 Magpul Quick Detach Swivels

$30

Impact Weapon Components 2-to-1 TriGlide

$20

TOTAL

$2,626

The lower receiver was purchased locally and is a Spikes Tactical “Spider” stripped lower. The lower

To keep the overall length of the build

buffer for use in blowback

function. Once fully extended, the Maxim

the build is the bombproof Aimpoint H-1 red

or using a lighter optic/mount combo. It’s

brace goes from 5.3 to 9.2 inches, providing

dot riding in a LaRue Tactical quick detach,

all give and take, and the important thing

sufficient length of pull for us for control.

lower 1/3 cowitness mount.

is that we have a fun package that can be

The PDW brace also has quick detach

The culmination of parts is a handy and

mounts machined into the extension for at-

capable package that fills the given pa-

taching a sling. Since this package is small

rameters of being small and using Glock

enough that a single-point sling would work,

magazines. The benefit of Glock magazines

we selected the Edgar Sherman Design M81

is the ability to tailor the size to your needs,

sling with the use of an Impact Weapon

ranging from 10 and up to 50 rounds. This

Components 2-to-1 Point TriGlide. This little

little guy tips the scales at 6.76 pounds, un-

piece takes a two-point sling with quick de-

loaded — not the lightest weight of builds,

tach mounts and allows you to make it into a

but this is acceptable given the heavy blow-

single-point sling quickly. The sling also has

back components. Weight could be shaved

the added benefit of an elastic band sewn in

replacing the PDW brace

for storing the sling on top of itself for when

(but we’d sacrifice

the firearm is in a case or a bag. Topping off

overall length)

upgraded as needed or wanted.

RECOILWEB.COM>

0 57 #55/J U L . AU G. 2021

Turned the Corner or Another Curve? By Iain Harrison

et’s get this out of the way

some of the guns would discharge when

brand. This not-so-little 22 could be it.

before we go any further. This

shaken vigorously, leading to the recall

The TX22 Competition is the latest

is the first Taurus handgun

of all 98,000. There swiftly followed a

version of the Brazilian company’s

ever to appear in the pages of

$30-million class action lawsuit in the

rimfire semi-auto that was introduced in

RECOIL, because up until compara-

U.S., which resulted in the company

2019. When it was launched, one of the

tively recently they were about as ap-

being forced to buy back nine of their

most attractive aspects of the pistol was

pealing as a piss-flavored snow cone.

affected models. The quality of their

its 16-round magazines, which coupled

revolvers took a nosedive slightly before.

with a full-sized frame meant it was a

sue of the home team in Brazil not being

That kind of negative press is tough to

very competent training surrogate for

too happy with their .40-cal 24/7 DS

shake off, but we’ve been quietly waiting

the ubiquitous 9mm striker-fired hand-

pistols. In 2013, the Sao Paulo Military

for them to introduce something to re-

guns we all seem to gravitate toward.

Police discovered to their dismay that

store something approaching faith in the

For new shooters, it’s an easy step to go

For example, there was the small is-

RECOILWEB.COM>

059 #55/J U L . AU G. 2021

from plinking with the TX22, to picking

everything from CCI Clean 22 (both

up a carry gun, as both the appearance

supers and subs) to Blazer bulk pack, to

and manual of arms are almost identi-

Aguila hyper velocity hollow points. Ex-

cal. Given the current ammo shortage

tra mags can be had for around a Jack-

and the price of centerfire cartridges,

son, considerably less than its nearest

burning a brick of 22LR in a training

competitors. In keeping with its training

session still seems a comparative bar-

role, the mags feature a last-round hold

gain, if you can find it.

open, which likewise functioned with

The Competition model ships with

all ammo types. Located in the same

three mags, which are easy to fill and

position as a full-size handgun, the mag

fed flawlessly throughout our testing

release is fairly small, well shielded, and

period, where they were stuffed with

less accessible than most centerfires.

TAURUS TX22 COMPETITION Our XXL size hands could hit it OK, but

who like to wrap the index finger of their

anyone with smaller mitts might have a

support hand around it, and undercut

harder time and may need to reposition

for those of us who shoot correctly. A

their hand in order to use it effectively.

two-slot Pic rail is molded into the dust

Although the TX22 has adequate

cover to accept weapon-mounted lights

(plastic) iron sights, it’s hard to overlook

or lasers, and we found a SureFire X300

one of its most appealing features, in

Ultra to fit without excessive slop be-

that it comes already setup for an RDS.

tween the trigger guard and switches. The TX22 looks like it might field

RECOILWEB.COM>

060

1A /2 A :P E AC E A B LY

Its aluminum slide is cut away to reveal a fairly heavy barrel, which is drilled and

strip in the same manner as its bigger

tapped for a mount that can be set up

counterparts, but it’s a bit different.

via an adapter plate for the dot of your

Instead of the usual method of pulling

choice. Current plates fit Leupold, Tri-

down the takedown lever after retract-

jicon, and Vortex footprints, so finding

ing the slide a few millimeters and then

an optic to fit is pretty straightforward.

running the top end off the front of the

We bolted up a Hex Dragonfly for the

frame, you’ll find yourself lifting it up off

test, which proved to be a solid choice.

the frame rails. You can then pluck the

Sculpting the slide to look like every-

barrel up out of the slide cutout. Suppressor users will rejoice at the

one’s favorite pasta pistol has the effect of isolating the MRDS from electronics-

pistol’s ½-28 threaded muzzle, and

killing g-forces, so even a cheapy optic

we found it to be a good host for our

should last just about forever.

Ruger Silent SR can. Standard velocity

The TX22’s frame is injection molded from the same glass-reinforced nylon found in every other plastic fantastic, and there’s a good amount of texturing in order to improve grip, without being too aggressive. Its trigger guard is squared off to accommodate those

A fully adjustable rear sight and ambi safety could make even a 1911 aficionado warm to the TX.

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

TAURUS TX22 COMPETITION ning combination. The TX22 turned in

barrel, and even our hotter loads were

groups of around 3 inches at 20 yards,

hearing safe, making for pleasant plink-

about 30-percent larger than those we

ing performance. Note that as far as

shot with a Browning Buckmark with

we could tell, the thread protector was

iron sights, but still more than adequate

installed by a linebacker with an impact

for ringing steel plates, chasing soda

wrench. Its flats are tiny, so getting it off

cans, and punching paper. Despite con-

might prove to be a bit of a struggle, but

ducting the majority of our testing with

the muzzle threads are concentric and

a suppressor hanging off the front, the

there’s enough of a shoulder to allow for

little-pistol-that-could chewed through

to finding out, as shooting the TX22 is

a secure install.

everything we put on its plate — though

pretty damn fun.

Although the TX lacks the typical Glock safety pedal in the trigger, it’s hinged to prevent inadvertent operation, and there’s a safety plunger in the slide that’ll stop the striker from hitting

062

1A /2 A :T O A S S E M B L E ,

the cartridge in the event of it slipping

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it was very dirty and gunked up after

ammo was subsonic from the 5-inch

the sear. A belt-and-suspenders, ambi manual safety lies in the same location as a 1911s, and it’s easy to apply and disengage. At this point, you’re probably asking about the trigger and expecting us to make excuses for it. Nope. While it’s not in the same league as a slicked-up Walther, it’s light-years ahead of any stock Glock. According to our scale, it broke at around 4.75 pounds, though felt lighter, with 5/8 inch of take-up to a solid wall, and about 3/16 inch of reset distance. It’s not going to get in the way of a training session and because it’s pretty damn nice, transitioning back to a “real” gun might take more than a couple of mags. As far as accuracy goes, it rates a solid “OK.” We were expecting the combination of a decent trigger and a barrel-mounted, rather than slide-riding, red dot to produce better results than it did. Given the notoriously picky nature of rimfires and the limited number of ammo options on hand, we might’ve overlooked the win-

There’s a bit of play between the barrel and frame which, although off-putting, shouldn’t make any difference in the accuracy department, as the sight and barrel are one solid unit.

firing over 500 rounds with just a couple of drops of oil on the slide rails. How will it hold up over time? Honestly, we have no idea. Being aluminum, the slide has a finite number of cycles before it cracks but given the overall quality of the build, this could stretch into the multiple tens of thousands of rounds. We look forward

TAURUS TX22 COMPETITION

TAURUS TX22 COMPETITION CALIBER: 22LR CAPACITY: 16 rounds BARREL LENGTH: 5.25 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 8.2 inches WEIGHT (UNLOADED): 23 ounces

holding onto this one and taking it big-

tion” in its title, the TX22 is never going

game hunting in the fall. With a can and

to win a shoot off with a S&W 41. But

red dot installed it’ll be a great tool for

if you’re looking for a fun plinker that’ll

quietly taking rabbits, grouse, and squir-

bridge the gap between airsoft and real

rels for the pot, and for plinking in camp

guns, hold its own in Steel Challenge

when socked in by weather. Would we

matches, and serve as a less expensive

use a Taurus as a carry piece? Not until

064

Despite having the word “Competi-

training surrogate for a striker-fired

hell drops a few degrees. But we’ll give

9mm, then the Taurus would be an

the company credit for producing a very

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1A /2A:AND TO PETITION

URL: www.taurususa.com

excellent choice. We’re planning on

competent 22LR.

Slide finish is flat black anodizing, and muzzle threads are adequate for use with a can. Although the majority of the slide is aluminum, there’s a steel breech insert for longevity.

ELITE ®

1A /2 S :T H E G O V E R N M E N T

066 RECOILWEB.COM>

Ballistically Matched Carry and Practice Loads By Richard Mann

We improve our shooting skills with practice. If you can practice with a less expensive load that matches the performance of your carry load, you’ll save money and can afford to shoot more.

local physician used to attend many of the action pistol matches; he was probably the wealthiest

competitor there, which was apparent by the fact that he competed with Federal Hydra-Shock ammo. Yep, that can get expensive, especially for him since he used the same ammunition to practice. His logic for doing this — and it was sound logic — is that he wanted to train with the ammo he might have to fight with. Doc could afford it, but

you do to replace Keanu Reeves in the

most of us can’t, creating a problem

next John Wick flick. This leaves you

that needs to be addressed.

with three important questions:

Fortunately, manufacturers have

1. How important is it that your

already thought of this; you can

practice ammo is a ballistic match to

purchase factory ammunition like Win-

your carry ammo?

ballistically matched loads for 9mm Luger, 380 Automatic, 38 Special, 40 Smith & Wesson, and 45 Automatic.

2. How do you verify that a practice load matches your carry load? 3. Can you create handloads that duplicate carry load external ballistics?

All you need to do is purchase a box of the “Defend” loads and a box of

With regard to affordable practice ammo that’ll have the same point of impact as your carry ammo, inside 10 yards or so it’s not a big deal. From a self-defense standpoint, at these close distances the difference in point

IMPORTANCE

of impact is generally of no conse-

point of impact and felt recoil should

“train as you fight.” It’s sage advice

inside an incapacitation zone, not

be nearly identical. Federal took the

and the reason we conduct defensive

drive nails. On the other hand, having

concept a step further with their Prac-

handgun training drills that might

a similar recoil impulse is important so

tice & Defend Combo Packs, which

replicate real-world situations. Just

that your recovery between shots when

include 50 rounds of HST ammunition

like a soccer player trains with the

practicing emulates what you’ll experi-

and 50 rounds of ballistically matched

correctly sized practice ball in game-

ence in a fight. Also, in the case of

Syntech training ammunition in the

like situations, you want to train with

same box. It’s offered in 9mm, 40

ammo that’s affordable but also hits in

S&W, and 45 Auto.

the same spot and induces the same

Of course, given our current state

recoil impulse as your carry loads.

of affairs, you have about as much

Otherwise, you might as well practice

of a chance of finding these loads as

with a different gun.

quence; you’re trying to place shots

Practice ammo is generally much more affordable than carry ammo; the trick is finding one of each that are a ballistic match.

semi-automatic handguns, the recoil impulse needs to be similar to work the handgun properly. Where all of this becomes more important is when engagement distances increase. Reflex sights are becoming more popular on concealed carry handguns, and with practice, lethalzone hits are more easily obtainable at greater distances. If you want to practice at distances beyond 10 to 15 yards, you need practice ammunition with the same point of impact as your carry ammo. Fortunately, when you find it, the recoil impulse will likely be very similar.

VERIFICATION When it comes to recoil, aside from handgun reliability, the measure that

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

We’ve all heard the expression,

067

the matching “Train” loads, and their

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chester’s Train & Defend that offers

With their Practice & Defend line, Federal makes finding a practice load that’s a ballistic match to your carry load very easy.

CARRY CLONES Carry ammo is engineered and assembled to provide maximum terminal performance. Sometimes the same point of impact can be difficult to find with ammunition loaded with the primary objective of affordability.

some work. With some lottery ticket luck, you can get it right the first time. What’s more apt to happen is that you’ll spend a lot of time at the loading bench and a lot more time at the range practicing your use of four-letter words. Because of the potential complexity involved with this endeavor, we asked Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore Ammunition for advice. Buffalo Bore Ammunition is known for manufacturing some of the hottest and bone-crushing ammunition on the planet. One of Sundles’ 9mm loads

1/2 A:FOR A REDRE SS

Winchester Train & Defend ammunition does a good job of delivering similar recoil impulse with near identical points of impact.

by an Alaskan outfitter, and he tells us one of his 380 ACP loads saved a soldier’s life in the sandbox. Sundles said he’s not a fan of cheap practice loads because, “If I were to be involved in a defensive shooting of another human, I want my point of aim, recoil impulse, muzzle blast, and report to be the same as what I practiced with,

068 RECOILWEB.COM>

was used to stop a charging grizzly

matters is you. The best place to start

each of those shots on the target with

to find a match is to compare pub-

a marker, and then repeat the exercise

lished external ballistics. If two loads

with the practice load you’re consider-

use the same bullet weight and gener-

ing, using the exact same point of aim.

ate similar muzzle velocity, they’ll also

The obvious goal is for all 10 shots

generate a similar amount of kinetic

ﬁred with the practice load to land

energy. If the kinetic energy at the

within or nearly within the group ﬁred

muzzle is roughly the same, so too will

with the carry load. If they do, you have

be the recoil impulse. You can simply

a perfect match. But chances are you’ll

mix a magazine or cylinder with both

have several shots that land wide, and

loads and shoot them to see if you can

maybe even a ﬂyer or two. Draw an

discern a difference.

outline around the carry load shots and

With regard to point of impact, the

draw another outline around the prac-

verification is less subjective and

tice load shots. What you’re looking for

requires a more scientific approach.

is at least half of all the shots ﬁred to

Place a target at 25 yards and fire a

be inside both outlines. If they are, you

10-shot group with your carry ammu-

have a pretty good match.

nition. You can do this off-hand if you can keep all the shots in a 6- or 8-inch

MAKING A MATCH

group, which is well within the capa-

Working with handloads for both

bility of a decent defensive handgun

rifles and pistols to create a more af-

shooter. Alternatively, you can shoot

fordable practice load that shoots the

the groups from a bench. Next, mark

same as a carry or hunting load can be

When it comes to making ammunition, Tim Sundles knows a lot. At Buffalo Bore, he makes some of the best ammunition money can buy.

so there are no surprises at that moment of truth when lives are at stake.” He also said, “After producing tens of millions rounds of ammo for the general market, I know there is no guarantee that any one load will shoot to the

CARRY CLONES it with the bullet you’ll use for your

maximize your time on the range, while

practice load. Sometimes, it’s better

spending the least amount of time and

to be lucky than smart, so you might

money. That’s hard to do while you’re

want to just put several loads together

spending all your time and money trying

and test them.

to fabricate a handload that shoots just

Most importantly, Sundles said, “If

like your carry load. Hell, you might as

you’re a handloader, you’ll not know

well be like Doc and practice with your

anything without a quality chrono-

carry load; it might even cost less.

graph. If you’d like answers, you have

Regardless, whether you’re purchas-

to invest in getting one; a chronograph

ing or making your own practice ammu-

is essential in producing a load with a

nition, the sensible alternative might be

velocity that is safe and matches your

to practice at closer distances, using

carry loads.”

smaller targets, while demanding more precision from your shooting. If you

LOOSE ROUNDS

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070

1/2 A:OF GRIE VA NCE S.

You can spend a lot of time and

same point of aim as another, in the same gun. So, let’s put assumptions where the sun doesn’t shine, because that’s where they belong when it comes to discussing guns and ammo. Only testing will provide truthful answers.” Referring to 9mm Luger as an example, Sundles said, “You may think all jacketed 115-grain bullets, when driven at equal velocities from the same pistol,

Above: This test target shows a 10-shot group with a carry load, outlined in red, and a 10-shot group from a practice load, outlined in black. With more than 10 overlapping shots, these loads represent a reasonably good ballistic match.

will have the same point of impact at 25 yards. That’s simply not so, because other factors enter into the equation. Bullet core hardness, jacket material, bullet base shape, and location of the ogive are some of the things that can all make a big difference on accuracy potential and where one load strikes relative to another at any given distance.” Stressing there are no guarantees, when trying to design an affordable practice load that’ll approximate your carry load, Sundles advised there are some basics that’ll improve your chances. First, he suggests sticking

Right top: Carry ammunition can be expensive. If you can practice with a less expensive load that matches its performance, you’ll save money and shoot more.

with the same bullet weight. Second, try to discover what propellant is used for the carry load. And third, attempt to discover the bullet jacket material in your carry load and try to match

Right: When you find a practice load and carry load that perform the same, buy in bulk.

restrict your practice sessions to inside 15 yards, you’ll ﬁnd it much easier to

money working to create a practice

identify carry and practice loads that

handload that matches your carry load.

shoot with a similar recoil impulse to

Some may consider this an enjoyable

the same point of impact. The bottom

exercise; there’s nothing wrong with

line is that it’s the fundamentals of

that. However, if your primary con-

marksmanship that have the most to do

cern is hitting your target, you want to

with hitting and missing.

FORGE PATH YOUR OWN

More than just another striker-fired pistol, the P-10 is decidedly CZ, from the way it feels to the way it shoots. Industryleading features, legendary build quality and superior shootability make the P-10 stand out from the crowd. The world is full of followers – take your own path. Experience CZ.

CZ P-10

@CZUSAFIREARMS

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072 1A /2 A:A W ELL REGUL ATED

The Turkish MP5 is Back

By Iain Harrison

itself be used as shorthand for the myriad of rebellions, bush wars, proxy conflicts, and global intrigue which abounded during the period of the Great Game — smuggled to participants in the Boer wars, the Irish rebel-

he story of the Turkish MP5

lion, the German Revolution, and the

has all the makings of a Tom

Italo-Ethiopian war. But we digress.

Clancy novel. There’s a relationship dating back to the

Having previously established a longstanding relationship with the German government, on gaining membership

War geopolitics, ambulance-chasing

of NATO in 1952 the Turks naturally

lawyers, modern-day corruption, and

sought assistance from their old allies

even a trip to a Turkish prison for one

in modernizing their armed forces. As-

of the players involved.

sistance came in the form of grants and

If you’re so inclined, its roots can

hardware before the adoption of the G3 service riﬂe in 1967, produced under

when the first Mausers were delivered

license from HK at the Kirkkale plant of

to the government in Istanbul from the

the Turkish ﬁrm of MKE.

Gewehr 71, that particular rifle could

MKE itself was formed in 1950, following a reorganization of the defense industry, and produces a vast array of weapons, ranging from small arms to armored vehicles and artillery shells. When we visited in 2015, the majority of their small arms factory was being converted over to produce the MPT76, the current Turkish service rifle and a near-clone of the HK 716, while a separate building was used to produce various roller-locked guns, up to and including an updated version of the MG42. During our tour of the factory, being nosy bastards, we took a bit of a detour around the presses. There we saw first-hand tooling with HK data plates riveted to them, with an in-service date of 1974. While in the words of the infomercial, the Germans make good stuff, we have to wonder how many hits those dies have made in the almost half-century since they were delivered, and how close they are to the original dimensions.

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

factory in Spandau. A version of the

073

be traced all the way back to 1887,

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Ottoman and German empires, Cold

THE AP5 PISTOL Century Arms is currently importing

074

the MKE version of the MP5, so let’s cast a beady eye over it. By bringing

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1A /2A:MILITIA, BEING

CENTURY ARMS AP5

imposed by 922(r) are avoided, and

the guns in as pistols, BS restrictions

Just a few of the aftermarket goodies we were able to try out on the AP5. All of them fit without issue, which indicates the base gun is in spec.

Christmas movie. To this end, the guns come equipped with a cap on the rear of the receiver, rather than a stock. The AP5’s rear sight consists of the

suck. The front sight likewise has the tried-and-true ring protector enclosing

foreign parts counts made irrelevant.

iconic HK four-position diopter drum,

a replaceable blade, secured by a roll

While a full-size MP5 makes for a pretty

adjustable for windage via a Phillips

pin. No surprises here, and perfectly

poor carry gun, we don’t doubt that

head screw. Elevation adjustment

serviceable. Included with the gun

the majority will wind up being outﬁt-

requires use of a specialist HK-

are a pair of MKE 30-round mags, a

ted with braces or SBR’d so that their

specific tool, because

cleaning kit, and wonder of wonders, a

owners can emulate everyone’s favorite

they hate you and you

decent knockoff of a B&T scope base. Although we verified that the irons were zeroed well enough to hit 6-inch steel plates at 50 yards, almost all of our testing was conducted with optical sights. One of the first things we look for when inspecting an HK clone is weld quality, and in this the AP5 is workmanlike. The weld securing the cocking tube to the receiver is visible but cleanly executed, and while the receiver to trunnion welds aren’t the best we’ve ever seen, they’re by no means hammered dogsh*t. All metalwork is finished in a semigloss black paint, which is a bit shiny for our tastes but held up in testing, with just a bit of chipping around the magwell.

MOSSBERG

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| 940™

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#85111 940™ JM Pro 12GA, 10-Shot ®

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CENTURY ARMS AP5 There’s no mistaking that this is a

shelf welded to the rear of the magwell

8 pounds. Before the hammer eventu-

semi-auto version, as the plastic lower

to deny the use of a full auto trigger

ally falls, you can feel every surface

receiver lacks the usual S-E-F mark-

pack, but the added authenticity of

imperfection in the sear as it stutters

ings, replaced by a white 0 and a red

the front pin is a nice touch. In keep-

out of engagement — treat it like a DA

1, denoting “safe” and “fire,” respec-

ing with HK tradition, the selector le-

revolver to wring the most out of it.

tively. While a third detent position is

ver requires E.T.-like digits to manipu-

Betraying its origins in the decade

present, the semi-auto trigger pack

late, and the trigger has a long, gritty,

that taste forgot, the AP5 ships with

won’t let the selector lever rotate past

and creepy pull, breaking at just shy of

an old-style, slim handguard, retained

horizontal, which may be a benefit if you ever find yourself in the presence of an inquisitive representative of the law or a pushy range Nazi. Those who have the good fortune to be legal owners of registered sears or trigger packs should note that the AP5 doesn’t have a full-auto bolt carrier, so you’ll need

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076

1A /2A:NECESSARY TO

to swap that part out in order to rock and roll. And in order to insert it, you’ll need to take a Dremel to the denial bar welded to the rear of the receiver. Instead of the usual clipped-andpinned lowers we’ve become accustomed to in the U.S., the AP5 uses a front push pin in order to secure the front of the receiver. There’s still a

The polymer lower means breaking your master hand grip in order to reach the controls, unless you have simian digits. Magpul’s replacement fits the AP5 and reduces the amount of reach to accommodate normal humans. Muzzle features both tri-lug and ½-28 threads.

CENTURY ARMS AP5 We fortunately had access to a post-sample trigger pack, so with a bit of jiggering were able to get the AP5 running in rock-’n’-roll mode.

well-equipped for suppressor use, as not only does it have the traditional HK tri-lug, but the muzzle is also threaded ½-28 for American cans.

ROUNDS DOWNRANGE We shot the AP5 side by side with a clone built from a German parts kit, by a builder that’s now no longer in production. The older gun beneﬁted from hosting a post-sample trigger pack and had many thousands of rounds through it in both semi- and full-auto; although the overall ﬁnish was better than that of the Turkish gun, performance on steel and set up correctly, MP5s and their clones should run just about forever, with the only wear parts being extractor springs — you should get a bushel of them. There were reports of some MKE

by a push pin that passes through a

there’s not much real estate for sweaty

bracket behind the triple tree. It’s a

paws. The good news is that there are

guns previously imported by Zenith

bit of nostalgia we’re not entirely fond

inexpensive options out there, and

suffering QA issues, which may have

of — while it looks cool and authentic,

it’s easy to swap out. The AP5 comes

been due to bad blood between the

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1A /2 A :T H E S E C U R I T Y O F

paper was identical. So long as they’re

TRICKING OUT THE MP5 While the MP5 should be on everyone’s collectible list, the inexorable passage of time has left the old girl looking pretty dated in her standard form. Thankfully, in the past few years enough of an aftermarket has developed around the platform to make improvements both accessible and relatively affordable. Magazines Genuine HK steel mags are both hard to come by and, when you can find them, horrendously expensive. Korean copies can be had for less than half the hundo you’d expect to lay out for a German mag, but the real bargains are polymer. We visited AC Unity in Bosnia a few years back. Since then, they’ve positioned themselves to be the Magpul of Europe, churning out an ever-widening range of polymer products. Their MP5

mags can be had in 30- and 40-round capacities. Each has a couple of sacrificial pads molded into their fronts, so the end user can grind them down to fit their particular gun. While the AC Unity mags have a window to check on ammo remaining, ETS’ versions are completely clear, making it obvious how many rounds you have at your disposal, available in 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-round capacities. Handguards B&T rules the roost when it comes to both the number and variety of handguard options for the MP5 and its clones, though U.S. manufacturers such as Midwest Industries also offer versions. If this particular handguard were on an M4, we’d deride it for being a chonky cheese grater; how-

ever, on the MP5 its profile fills the hand well, without being too fat. AC Unity has a fatter polymer option in its catalog, complete with M-LOK slots, for less than a 20 spot — in this market, that’s a great deal. Magpul recently entered the MP5 market with a U.S.-made line of handguards, lowers, and controls, but they weren’t available as of press time. Optics Mounts Yeah, we know, this is getting boring, but B&T has more time than anyone refurbishing MP5s (they’re the only HK-approved facility to handle warranty work), so their optics mounts are the go-to for many professional users. Midwest Industries also have options available, but we highly recommend not wasting time with the many various Chinese knockoffs that pollute online marketplaces.

In our experience, they’re utter garbage that’ll either fail to hold zero or fall off, due to being made of material with all the structural integrity of compressed cheese. Other Cool Kit SureFire has a couple of products for this gun we’re fond of, namely their Mini Scout Light and tri-lug suppressor. While the original illuminated forend developed for police agencies has been surpassed in terms of both output and versatility, the Mini Scout, when teamed with either an M-LOK or Pic railed handguard, gives a solid 500 lumens of output. The Ryder 9 can in its shortest configuration looks right at home, locks up solidly, and drops dBs to below hearing-safe levels.

The M&P 2.1 ®

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overwatchprecision.com

CENTURY ARMS AP5 importer and manufacturer. Apparently, reporting attempted bribery by the Turkish factory manager doesn’t win you any favors with the home team. Adam Ruola, marketing manager for Century, mentioned that in order to forestall any potential problems, Century Arms has inspectors on the ground in Kirkkale to get eyes on the guns before they leave the country. There’s no doubt that in terms of price and availability, the market for MP5 platform guns is barkingly mad right now. Century realizes this and doesn’t list an MSRP on their website, knowing that whatever price tag dealWith very limited domestic competition, this state of affairs will continue until one of the bigger players comes online (looking at you, PSA), or we’ve all burned through our stimmy checks

In the meantime, if you want to play,

dreams,and should the current admin-

and reality creeps back into firearms

you gotta pay. The good news is that

istration get their way, current prices

the AP5 provides a viable starting

will seem like relative bargains in a

point for building out the MP5 of your

year or two.

commerce. The wild card, of course, is held by traitors and idiots in DC.

Bottom line? Spendy, but decent. Buy it.

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080

1A /2 A:A FREE STATE,

ers apply to them, someone will bite.

MKE (IMPORTED BY CENTURY ARMS) AP5 CALIBER: 9mm Luger MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 30 rounds standard BARREL LENGTH: 9 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 18 inches WEIGHT: 5.5 pounds MSRP: N/A, but street price currently $2,600 URL: www.centuryarms.com

Shrinking Down a SCAR Mk20

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082

1A /2 S :T H E R I G H T

By Dave Merrill

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083 #55/J U L . AU G. 2021

ince the SCAR-H was

modate the larger 7.62x51mm. They

SCAR Mk20 in 2019 in 7.62 and

released on the market,

even kept the skinny, whippy pencil

followed that up with a fantastic 6.5

people have been do-

barrel from the SCAR-L, much to the

Creedmoor version.

ing their ready best to

chagrin of those attempting a higher

transform it into a DMR. Usually, they start and end with a longer

level of precision. When the FN SCAR Mk20 was

We’ve seen a lot of people try and cobble together a precision(ish) rifle from a SCAR-H, but we’re trying to

handguard and some glass — and

initially developed, 7.62 was still

find that DMR-Fighting-Gun Balance

that’s it. Today we’ll be performing

considered a viable long-range

from the other end of the scale. Fear

the reverse: chopping down a SCAR

cartridge. By the time the Mk20 was

not, purists — the only permanent

Mk20 to fighting length.

released to the public? The swan song

modification took place on the barrel.

of 7.62 had already been sung. And

FN is now shipping upgraded 1/10

H was never really intended to exist

though it’s not the worst for preci-

twist 7.62 barrels, officially mak-

at all, not in the form we have it in.

sion, it has since been surpassed by

ing this arguably the least desirable

When FN made the SCAR-H, they ba-

lighter, faster, wind-bucking calibers.

Mk20 barrel of them all. At least until

sically just stretched out their smaller

FN FN’ing finally released the equally

we made it cooler. We present, the

SCAR-L 5.56mm rifle to accom-

vaunted-and-maligned precision

SCAR Mk20 Recce Rifle.

The main issue is that the SCAR-

RECCE RETCON INITIAL APPROACH As it ships from FN, the SCAR Mk20 is a bit ungainly at over 40 inches in length. Add in a silencer and you’re looking at something even longer than a Barrett 50. We had to take it down to a handier size for both use and transport. BARREL The first and most noticeable alteration is the barrel. We headed over to Curtis Tactical for a quick chop-andthread (see RECOIL Issue 54 for some of their work). Pinning-and-welding a sub-16-inch barrel isn’t something

Curtis Tactical performed the heavy lifting of chopping down the barrel.

been taken off while we had the barrel

OUTFITTING

on a lathe. Next time.

OPTICS & MOUNTS Determining what optic(s) would be

BUTTSTOCK

we’d normally do because muzzle

The standard stock on the Mk20 is

short-barreled rifles), the Mk20 SSR

chock full of adjustable features, but

are practically being thrown on every-

receiver itself limited how short we

lacks the one most important when it

thing but pocket pistols these days

could go somewhat.

comes to compact transport: a folding

(give it time), they still aren’t ideal

mechanism. While any SCAR stock can

here. The higher ends of magniﬁcation

would be cut short enough so that

drop into the Mk20, we decided to keep

(such as 10x) are good enough to make

a permanently attached SureFire

precision in mind with the Kinetic Re-

shots at man-sized targets at 1,000

SOCOM SFMB-762 brake would bring

search Group SCAR Long Range Stock.

yards, but we’d want a little more for

the overall length to 16 inches. While

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1A /2A:OF THE PEOPLE

the most difﬁcult portion. While LPVOs

084

devices can’t be swapped (and we love

ﬁtting for this riﬂe was categorically

Ultimately it was decided the barrel

While folding was the initial goal,

recce-riﬂe purposes such as limited-

the actual length is somewhere around

there’s a lot to like about the KRG stock.

13.8 inches, for practical purposes

It has the same toolless length-of-pull

What we really want doesn’t exist

and cheekpiece adjustment, while add-

yet: an optic with an LPVO form factor

ing a solid folding ability. It also features

in FFP, but with a low-magnification

buttpad rotation and QD cups. When

level of 2-2.5x and 13-16x on the

folded, it lops 9 inches right off.

high. As a matter of practicality in-

we’re going to refer to it as 14 inches. While cutting off about 6 inches does make the riﬂe handier, the bulk of the weight is still under the receiver. Seeing as how the Mk20 barrel is more than 4 pounds heavier than a SCAR-H’s, in hindsight some more meat should’ve

The Kinetic Research Group Mk20 stock has the aesthetics of OEM with added features such as the ability to fold for storage or transport.

probability targets and observation.

stead of pretend, we mounted the first focal plane Vortex PST Gen II 3-15x44 scope in a Midwest Industries mount. For passive night vision use and upclose work, we decided on a second dot on top of our variable, in this case a Crimson Trace CTS-1250. Even with 1x variables we’re seeing this more. Not only is it easy to use when looking through tubes, any eye relief or offangle viewing issues are eliminated. Never to leave well-enough alone, we decided to test out a new thermal too in the form of the Accufire Technology Incendis. RECEIVER & MAGAZINES When you consider when the FN SCAR was developed, the proprietary magazines make some sense.

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086

1A /2 A :T O K E E P

RECCE RETCON

Readily affordable SR-25 compatible

of Handl Defense on-hand so we used

magazines weren’t even a twinkle in

that, though given some QC issues

Magpul’s eye and the quality level of

seen with Handl we couldn’t recom-

other “battle rifle” magazines is al-

mend one if you find it sight unseen

ways questionable. But it’s no longer

— importantly, we already know ours

Geissele Super SCAR trigger straight

2008, and the SR-25 magazine reigns

works. At least with Magpul maga-

from the factory. Not every SCAR

supreme for semiautomatic 7.62 use.

zines; others are hit and miss.

trigger is bad, but the Super SCAR is

There are aftermarket trigger modules available for the SCAR that accept SR-25 magazines such as

always better. For a charging handle, HANDGUARD No aftermarket here — we decided

we’ve really come to like the KDG Scarging handle when running magni-

Stryker and X-Products. We had an

to slim down the system by removing

fied optics. The extended and angled

experimental one from the last days

the side rails completely. The continu-

Scarging handle makes running the

ous bottom rail may be replaced with

gun from the prone a picnic.

a KeyMod or M-LOK version sometime in the future, or perhaps we’ll mill all the rails flush sans a few for a bipod.

SILENCER The original silencer for the FN SCAR literally had a hole drilled in

TRIGGER & SMALL PARTS FN decided that they shouldn’t try

the bottom. No, it wasn’t around very long. Shortly thereafter, SureFire was

and reinvent the wheel when it came

tasked with developing a specific sup-

to the Mk20 trigger. They skipped

pressor and mount for the SCAR, and

making their own and rolled with the

they came up with the FA762SV-BK. As with the other Mk20 articles that have graced these pages, we rolled with a SureFire SOCOM762-MINI2. Same family, more versatile silencer — we’re obviously not trying to be “clone correct” in this piece. PAINT While we’ve never hated FN and their amazing Technicolor shades of FDE, we wanted to try something different here. Cerakote would probably be the best option for durability, but Rust-Oleum in a rattle can is damned easy. For this rifle, we sanded and prepped and used a couple different

Tavor TS12 The Tavor TS12 is a 15-round, self-loading, gas regulated bullpup shotgun. Compact, easy to use, maintain, and ideal for home defense or sporting. *Optic not included

IWI.US

RECCE RETCON

With the SureFire silencer installed, our Recce Mk20 is still shorter than OEM — and that’s before we fold the stock.

sizes of painter’s tape to make a frac-

want to stick to some of the lighter

tal-ish pattern and then topped with

loads. Most projectiles 168 grains and

some spatter. It won’t be to everyone’s

below will be fine. 175-grain+ may

taste, but it’s quick to clean up when

be hit and miss, but it largely comes

scratched and can be stripped in your

down to elevation and temperature. All

kitchen sink if required. The exposed

told, if you want to go heavier, you’ll

barrel being nearly entirely blue we

have to try it for yourself. Before any sort of precision could

didn’t notice until it was time for studio shots, and that has since been

be tested from our Recce SCAR, the

remedied with a touch of solvent.

system first had to be tuned for the new barrel. After that process was

All told, rattle can paint jobs may be ugly, but damned if it isn’t both

complete (we used a 1.7mm gas jet;

economical and functional.

see the sidebar for details on how to make your own gas jets and also tune

BALLISTICS

your own rifle), it was chrono time. 168-grain Hornady ELD Match am-

RECOILWEB.COM>

088

1A /2A:AND BEAR ARMS,

If you’re a long-range shooter, the 1/12 twist of the Mk20 may throw you

munition gave us an average of 2,417

off. But there’s definitely some leeway

fps, and after plugging data into our

as to exactly how heavy you can go,

Applied Ballistics software, here’s the

bullet-wise. As a rule of thumb, you

chart we came up with:

RANGE (YD)

PATH (IN)

PATH (MILS)

VELOCITY (FPS)

150

-1

U0.1

2,173.8

200

-4.3

U0.6

2,095.7

250

-9.6

U1.0

2,019.9

300

-17

U1.5

1,944.9

350

-26.6

U2.1

1,871.6

400

-38.8

U2.6

1,799.8

450

-53.6

U3.3

1,729.2

500

-71.4

U3.9

1,659.8

550

-92.3

U4.6

1,591.5

600

-116.7

U5.4

1,524.4

650

-144.8

U6.1

1,458.8

700

-176.9

U7.0

1,394.6

750

-213.5

U7.9

1,331.9

800

-255.1

U8.8

1,270.7

850

-302.1

U9.8

1,211.4

900

-354.8

U10.9

1,154.6

950

-414.1

U12.1

1,103.3

1,000

-480.7

U13.3

1,067.2

FN MK20 RECCE RIFLE OVERALL LENGTH: 27 inches (folded), 35 inches (extended) BARREL LENGTH: 14 inches CALIBER: 7.62x51mm CAPACITY: 10, 20, 25 WEIGHT: 9 pounds, 12 ounces URL: fnamerica.com

ACCESSORIES: KRG Stock SureFire SOCOM762-MINI2 Vortex PST GEN II Crimson Trace MRDS Midwest Industries mount Accuﬁre Incendis

$499 $1,179 $1,999 $229 $185 $2,899

RECCE RETCON Though the projectile won’t go transonic until after 900 yards, the holds become quite precipitous beyond 400.

your rig bag anyway, so the length is

easy. As predicted, the weight became

only temporary.

a bear quickly when firing offhand,

It was a pleasant surprise to see

What’s this? A 5.56mm with more

that shortening this barrel has ap-

This one is best from a bipod or tripod

work? Kind of, but with a bit more ass

peared to tighten up the groups a bit.

for expended use unless the world re-

in the seat.

Five-shot groups with the 168-grain

ally has gone sideways.

Hornady ELD Match hovered right

ON THE RANGE & LOOSE ROUNDS

for a rifle that’s compact, handier upclose but can still perform at longer

Gen II was an excellent performer and

bitch, and fast follow-on shots were

ranges.

the MRAD EBR-7C reticle. We did opt to add a throw lever because magnification adjustments on the PST series tend to be stiff. A quick and dirty zero was performed on the MRDS by first 1A /2A:SHALL NOT

The tuned gas and overall mass

rifle? Pfft, hardly. But it does make

used physics to make felt recoil its

yard rifle. We’re well acquainted with

090

below 0.75 MOA.

Is this going to be the new infantry

As expected, the Vortex Viper PST is well within the needs of our 800-

RECOILWEB.COM>

or we should be eating our Wheaties.

aligning aiming points with the Vortex at 50 yards and then refining. The skyscraper height over bore is so obscene Jay Leno couldn’t get chinweld. Sometimes what works in the shop doesn’t work on the range. Next time, we’ll offset the dot. It does allow for easier ambidextrous use. The Accufire Technology Incendis doesn’t have specs that’ll blow anyone’s socks off as it has a 348x288 resolution but with an MSRP below $3,000, it should certainly grab your attention. The price also attenuated any potential worries about the SCAR murdering optics. While it can be used as a somewhat clumsy handheld or as an independent optic, we found it best suited as a clip-on. Any magnification over 2.5x will fill the window. There are a lot of features we’ll be going through in a full review, but a spring morning had us catching heat signatures at 700 yards before we were limited by terrain. Early in the range session we swapped out the SOCOM762-MINI2 for the more-quiet SOCOM762-RC2. In this case, some added length was warranted, as we were asking much from the MINI2. At the end of the day, the silencer can be popped off to fit in

A standard cheekweld is used for the variable, and you just pop your head up to use the 1x MRDS piggybacked on top.

RECCE RETCON

DIY GAS JETS AND SCAR TUNING We knew we’d be breaking new ground with a barrel this short on a SCAR Mk20, and that factory gas settings, even if they worked, would be less than ideal. While aftermarket gas jets are available in many sizes at prices below $10 each — but if you don’t know where you should start then you may need an awful lot of them.

RECOILWEB.COM>

092

1A /2A:BE INFRINGED.

For reference, here are some

commonly used gas jet sizes as starting points: SCAR 16 16-inch barrel: 1.4mm 10-inch barrel: 2.0mm SCAR 17 16-inch barrel: 1.5mm 13-inch barrel: 1.6mm SCAR Mk20 20-inch barrel (7.62x51mm): 1.4mm

CUSTOM GAS JETS First, let’s talk about how you make your own ports in the first place and even how you can modify them on-the-fly during tuning. Back in RECOIL Issue 38, we threaded and vented an AK gas block using vented cuppoint screws; this is a similarbut-easier process. As a bonus, the vented set screws we’ll be using are made from 18-8 stainless steel. The vent size that comes standard with these screws is 1.3mm, and all we’re going to do is open up the vent a little bit when needed.

vance to take to the range (drug dealer baggies are perfect for storage and labeling) or do it on-the-fly. Performing this at the range can be a real pain sometimes, but you also go through far fewer vent screws. These are sold in five-packs so there’s some wiggle.

Parts required: - Vented cup-point set screw, size M5x0.8mm, 5mm in length (McMaster-Carr #91979A713) - Set of numbered drill bits - Cordless drill - Vise grips (if you want to do this during tuning) - 2.5mm hex key Steps: 1) Using the drill bit size chart at the right, select the bit that’s your closest match. 2) Grasp the vented screw with your vise grips and bore out the hole with your cordless drill. Done! If you were making these commercially, undoubtedly you’d be using a jig — just be sure not to Mongo your screws with the vise grips. You can make several in ad-

For your reference, here are each numbered wire gauge bit ODs we may use: Drill Size

Diameter (mm)

#55

1.3208

#54

1.397

#53

1.5113

#52

1.6129

#51

1.7018

#50

1.778

#49

1.8542

#48

1.9304

#47

1.9939

#46

2.0574

#45

2.0828

#44

2.1844

#43

2.2606

TUNING

FN uses a special machine to determine the correct gas jet size based on rpm (from nearly twodozen options!). Though you’ll chew through some ammunition here, if you play your cards right it won’t be too much, and no fancy machine is required.

The first thing you need to do is determine how you want your SCAR tuned. In this article, we wanted the lower gas setting to be a truly suppressed setting. This means we want the SCAR to run normally on high gas, but only completely cycle-andlock-back when suppressed on the lower setting. This same method can be used regardless of your goal. 1) Remove your factory gas regulator and remove your OEM gas jet. This may require some heat in the form of a MAPP torch or a heat gun. This process is much easier with a SCAR Mk16/17 than with the Mk20, as the barrel of the Mk20 has to be pulled ﬁrst to gain access to the gas jet. 2) Install your desired gas jet. We’d bias on the smaller side to start, as you may end up surprised at how small you can go. These vented screws taper right into place so there shouldn’t be any concerns about penetrating into the bore unless you have some extreme gas port erosion. Replace your regulator.

3) With the regulator in the 12 o’clock position, insert a magazine with a single round loaded into your rifle. Aim downrange and pull the trigger. Assess. If the round fully completed the cycle of operations and locked back on empty, you have enough gas in that position. In fact, if this is your first attempt, you may have too much gas and should try a smaller vent. Repeat steps one through three until you achieve a complete cycle. Double-check your suppressed setting with your desired suppressor attached. If you’re seeking out full function unsuppressed with both settings à la OEM, perform these tests with the regulator in the 2 o’clock position and then 12 o’clock becomes your “adverse” setting. If you’re using a three-position regulator from Mototech Engineering, we’d recommend going one size up from fully functioning to accommodate for an adverse setting.

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1A /2S:CONGRESS SHALL

106 RECOILWEB.COM>

A Look at the Personal Rigs of RECOIL’s Editors By RECOIL Staff

well-appointed plate carrier should

While there are many high-quality options at

ﬂashier substitutes. There are undoubtedly

be a staple item in any ready room,

reasonable prices, each of us have settled on

some similarities. Despite wide variance of per-

go-bag, man cave, or gear box.

something slightly different: that Goldilocks

sonal preference in the selection and setup of a

The ability to carry not just armor,

fit of plate carrier, placard, pouches, and ac-

kit, there are some right ways to do things. But

but ammo, medical kit, water, and miscella-

cessories that does just what we need it to in

beyond that, we think you’ll see a holistic spec-

neous equipment is vital not just to personal

an efficient and comfortable manner.

trum of parts, pieces, and features that each

What follows is a brief overview of each

of our individual team members has deemed

classes and training days as well. As an edito-

individual RECOIL editor’s personal kit. The

essential for their application. We hope you’ll

rial team, we’ve had the chance to break-in,

featured rigs aren’t the only kit each of us owns

ﬁnd both information and inspiration in this

break-down, and just-plain-break a lot of kit

or uses, but we keep coming back to them

montage as you seek to build or improve upon

in our collective experience over the years.

time after time — sometimes in spite of newer,

your own plate carrier or chest rig setup.

protection and SHTF preparedness but for

IAIN HARRISON MAKE: First Spear

MODEL: Assaulter Armor Carrier MSRP: $511 URL: ﬁrst-spear.com ACCESSORIES: Safariland Protech DT206C Type III plates: $460 ea. First Spear Single Mag Shingles: $44 ea. First Spear Torniquet Pouch: $43 Battle Horse Knives Bronco: $200 OTHER URLS: battlehorseknives.com safariland.com RECOILWEB.COM>

107 #55/J U L . AU G. 2021

one tends to make working out of a vehicle a

threats in your area, meaning that if potential

as it gets without resorting to shoving plates

complete pain in the scrotum, and in sum-

adversaries are tooled up with 375 H&H bolt

down a spandex T-shirt, the First Spear AAC

mer, you’ll need more than one liter of water

guns, you might want to consider moving. On

allows the user to add side plates should the

anyway, which is what a daypack is for.

the other hand, if you live in the U.S. where

While seeming to be about as minimalist

environment warrant it. There’s also a couple

It’s only after you’ve dealt with armor

AR pattern rifles and M855 ammunition are

of sneaky pockets in the cummerbund that ac-

carriers employing a traditional Velcro cum-

common, picking armor purely based on the

cept a spare mag, though they’re more difﬁcult

merbund that you truly appreciate the genius

current NIJ Level III rating is a bad call, as

to access than the three pouches on the front

of First Spear’s Tubes system — if I ever

although it’ll stop 7.62 NATO ball, faster

plate. After years of adding and subtracting

meet the person who designed them, I’ll buy

bullets with penetrator cores tend to sail right

gear, the current rig is set up to complement

him or her a drink. They’re by far the easi-

through. It’ll be a really bad day if I ever have

the crap I have on my LFT battle belt, which is

est and most secure method of donning and

to rely on them, but the Safariland multi-

why it doesn’t have any pistol mag pouches —

doffing I’ve encountered. First Spear offers

curve plates in my carrier have a ceramic

if I’ve lost the belt, then I’ve lost the handgun

retrofit kits, should you want to add them to

strike face backed with ultra-high-molecular-

they go in. Despite living in the desert, there’s

your existing rig. It’s a truism that you should

weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), so they’re

no hydration pouch on the back, as adding

choose plates according to the prevalent

fairly light but rated to stop green tip.

EDITORS ‘ PLATE CARRIERS

DAVE MERRILL MAKE: Grey Ghost Gear

MODEL: Minimalist Plate Carrier MSRP: $136 URL: greyghostgear.com

1/2 A:M A K E NO L AW

ACCESSORIES: Grey Ghost Gear Level III+ Shooters Cut plates: $415 ea. TYR Tactical Happy Mag pouches: $50 ea. HSGI Shoulder Pads: $28 HSGI Taco LT: $42 Tactical Tailor Fight Light Pouches: $17 ea. Tactical Tailor Hydration Pouch: $80 Source Tactical Gear WXP 2L Hydration Bladder: $39 DIY DARC Strap: $5

RECOILWEB.COM>

108

OTHER URLS: greyghostgear.com highspeedgear.com sourcetacticalgear.com tacticaltailor.com tyrtactical.com

This plate carrier falls right into the awk-

The base of the Grey Ghost MPC provides

AR, AK, and SR-25 magazines. There’s an

ward category of “general purpose.” It’s nei-

enough real estate for a rack of mags and

old-school HSGI Taco shoved between the

ther a shaky skeleton of minimalist gear nor

not a whole lot else, but it’s quick to don for

two TYRs because it was on-hand. For AK

an overt going-to-war carrier. This basically

emergencies. In terms of comfort, it’s just

mags, I wish they were all just an inch or so

breaks down to there being space available —

fine for normal range days but for multi-day

taller for stability.

but not much of it. Ultimately, this is an in-

use, I added a set of HSGI shoulder pads and

conjunction-with rig, meaning that regardless

never looked back.

of what’s available on the torso, all first-line

While reading through this description,

A bit more space comes from the addition of some small Tactical Tailor pouches mounted to the waist strap itself. A hydration bladder is

gear is located on a belt. The plate carrier

keep in mind the type of work that we do.

on the back to top off in the heat. I weaved a

itself is mostly for protection and back-filling

Because we use so many different firearms

DIY DARC drag strap (see Recoilweb.com for a

primary reloading points. Must-haves like

and magazines, I needed a way to accom-

how-to) down the back (and my belt) to make

emergency medical gear are also largely held

modate an assortment of magazines without

dragging me across the street eminently easier.

on the belt, though a lonely tourniquet is on

playing frustrating MOLLE games. The TYR

the centerline.

Tactical Happy Mag pouches readily accept

This entire rig is a compromise, but it’s not a bad one.

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WE’VE GOT WORK TO DO.

Trijicon IR-HUNTER Thermal Riflescope Technology ®

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• MaxPol technology for maximum multi-polarity control

• 8x E-Zoom digital electronic zooming system

• Enhanced Target Recognition (ETR) eliminates “washout”

See the technology at TrijiconEO.com/IR-HUNTER.

EDITORS ‘ PLATE CARRIERS

TOM MARSHALL MAKE: Defense Mechanisms

MODEL: Mission Essential Plate Carrier MSRP: $140 URL: defensemechanisms.com ACCESSORIES: Prime Armor Level III plates: $325 ea. Defense Mechanisms 5-inch Hybrid Cummerbund QD: $100 HRT Tactical Maximus Placard: $100

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110

1/2 A:RE SPECTING

OTHER URLS: hrttacticalgear.com primearmor.us

The Mission Essential Plate Carrier is

nisms sells their own modular placards, but I

hold a pair of SOFFT-T tourniquets. The main

an affordable, versatile option in a growing

cross-pollinated with HRT Tactical’s Maximus

kangaroo pouch comes with an elastic three-

market of modular plate carriers. The cum-

Placard, as it best accommodated the load-

mag insert for AR-style mags, but can also be

merbund must be purchased separately for

out I wanted for this setup — primarily CQB

swapped for a 2-cell M1A/FAL mag holder or

the MEPC, but Defense Mechanisms offers

and shoot-house training, as well as other

a 5-cell insert for PCC/SMG mags. This allows

several different options, including two- and

classes that require significant load carriage.

me to run different weapons systems in differ-

three-row MOLLE options, plus their “hybrid”

The Maximus placard features two pistol

ent classes, as my T&E schedule requires. The

cummerbunds, which feature a combination

mag pouches, one on each end, that have

two front square pouches have been purposed

of MOLLE loops and stretch material. These

ﬂexible polymer inserts for retention without

as an on-board IFAK and a pyro pouch, which

can be had with or without the quick-release

using the cover ﬂaps. Since the ﬂaps and the

contains a mini smoke grenade and an IWA

buckles seen here. It can be run slick or

inserts are both secured with hook-and-loop,

International “thermobaric device,” which can

bulked up with a placard. Defense Mecha-

I removed it all and used those pouches to

simulate ﬂash-bangs in a breaching scenario.

S L I M F I T S N O W AVA I L A B L E

@SAFARILANDGROUP

EDITORS ‘ PLATE CARRIERS

FORREST COOPER MAKE/MODEL: ½ Crye AVS Harness, ½ First Spear STT Plate Carrier, with some customization, cutting, and stitching

MSRP: Crye $259, First Spear $124 (SKD exclusive)

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112

1/2 A: A N E STA BLISHMENT

URL: cryeprecision.com, ﬁrst-spear.com / skdtac.com ACCESSORIES: Grey Ghost Gear III+ Plates: $415 ea. HSGI Taco Magazine Pouches: $36 ea. KAGWERKS Cell Phone Kit: $295 Garmin Foretrex 301 (discontinued) Haley Strategic Flatpack: $160 Veil Solutions Custom Baofeng Radio (discontinued) Disco32 U-94/A PTT Radio Adapter: $105 Milwaukee Custom Kydex Messenger Radio Carrier with DIY Latch: $50 REFactor Recondo Pouch (discontinued) Petzl Tactikka+ Headlamp: $50 Source Tactical Gear WXP 3L Hydration Bladder: $45 OTHER URLS: disco32.com garmin.com greyghostgear.com haleystrategic.com highspeedgear.com kagwerks.com mckydex.com petzl.com refactortactical.com sourcetacticalgear.com veilsolutions.com

At one point, choosing between the various

are the three HSGI Tacos across the front.

Outﬁtted for an urban, or semi-rural biome,

plate carriers required giving up one feature

Integrating a KAGWERKS cell phone kit used

where most towns are within 20 to 30 miles

or another, as many options had overlapping

solely for ATAK has required the most effort to

of each other, a small radio and NATO-style

qualities like a Venn diagram, but none of

get used to — not in an invasive sense, but to

PTT sits on the front, with a Haley Strategic

them included everything I wanted out-of-the-

take advantage of all of its features.

Flatpack for a drone, water, batteries, and

box. Thus, I did a little cutting and pasting

Some chase after the lightest plate carrier,

long-term supplies on the back. Two tour-

between Crye Precision, First Spear, and vari-

others specialize for a low-proﬁle approach.

niquets, one beside the mags and another

ous other components. As a result, the plate

This rig is geared toward range of motion,

below, stow in makeshift attachment points.

carrier was ﬁt speciﬁcally to me, combining

heavily prioritizing mobility, especially in ur-

The admin pouch carries a printed map of the

the support of a semi-rigid thermoplastic har-

ban and athletic environments. It’s neither the

area, any comms information I want on me,

ness and lightweight plate bags.

lightest nor the lowest proﬁle; as set up now,

and markers.

Over the last six years, I’ve added and sub-

it wouldn’t work under a jacket, yet the weight

As I’ve had the liberty to explore different

tracted various components, trimming excess

sticks close to your bones for structural integ-

conﬁgurations with a plate carrier, the most

material while making small improvements

rity, riding evenly across the chest, shoulders,

important lesson I’ve learned is to balance

over time. The only thing that hasn’t changed

and back.

new ideas with time-tested standards.

EDITORS ‘ PLATE CARRIERS

RECOILWEB.COM>

114

1/2 A:OF RELIGION,

STEVEN KUO

MAKE: Tactical Tailor

even when, for instance, dressed in pajamas

budgets; their Venture FM3 and STX plates

MODEL: Low Vis MBAV Plate Carrier

or boxers in the middle of the night — so it

fill out my MBAV carrier. The FM3 plate is

MSRP: $164

isn’t dependent on a belt-based rig. I have

extremely light at 2.3 pounds, made purely

URL: tacticaltailor.com

a separate overt rig that looks rather similar

of UHMWPE, and is rated for NIJ Level III as

ACCESSORIES: Midwest Armor Venture FM3 Plate: $699 Midwest Armor Venture FM STX Plate: $499 Sneaky Bags Shoulder Utility Bag: $95 Cannae Battle Ready Tactical Hoodie (discontinued) Tactical Tailor Low Vis Double 5.56 Magazine Pouch: $29 Tactical Tailor Low Vis Single 5.56 Magazine Pouch: $16 Tactical Tailor Low Vis Double Stack Pistol Double Mag Pouch: $14 SureFire Fury IntelliBeam Flashlight: $241 Combat Application Tourniquet: $30 Mechanix FastFit Work Gloves: $15 Tactical Tailor Tough Hook: $20

to others featured here, which wouldn’t have

well as 7.62x39 ball. The Venture STX plate

been as interesting to highlight.

is heavier but very thin, at just over half an

OTHER URLS: cannaeprogear.com combattourniquet.com mechanix.com midwestarmor.com sneakybags.com sureﬁre.com

In stark contrast to an overt setup, this

The Tactical Tailor Low Vis MBAV plate car-

inch. Composed of ceramic and polyethylene,

rier is rugged and well-built. It’s also simple,

it isn’t Level III rated (7.62x51) but will de-

with just a few Velcro fields and a couple

fend against 5.56 (including M855), 7.62x39

Hypalon gear hangers. It’s made of 500-

ball and API BZ, and handgun rounds. If

denier Cordura nylon, with no padding to min-

you’re not worried about 7.62x51, running

imize bulk. Note that the MBAV is designed

a set of Midwest Armor’s STX plates would

for eSAPI-sized plates, so commercial-sized

make for an extremely low-profile rig.

plates may or may not fit well depending

The Sneaky Bags Shoulder Utility Bag con-

on their exact dimensions. I’ve removed its

tains my spare magazine load out, SureFire

side plate pockets as well, making it as low

ﬂashlight, Mechanix gloves, C-A-T tourniquet,

profile as possible without duct-taping plates

and a knife. I can quickly sling it over my

to my body or stepping up to pricier materi-

shoulder and get moving immediately. If the

als like Dyneema. The now-discontinued

situation doesn’t warrant rolling out with an

Cannae hoodie runs large, making it perfect

AR, a pistol easily ﬁts in the Sneaky Bag while

to quickly throw on and completely cover the

maintaining complete discretion — with the

plate carrier.

hoodie zipped up and a nondescript man bag

It’s important to select plates appropriate

over my shoulder, nothing stands out. Addi-

rig is designed to be extremely low profile,

for the threats you expect to encounter, bal-

tionally, if I want to carry more easily accessi-

especially handy behind the iron curtain. Ad-

ancing other considerations such as weight,

ble mags, at the expense of bulk, I can simply

ditionally, it sits within reach of my bed and

mobility, and cost. Midwest Armor offers a

slap Tactical Tailor Velcro-equipped pouches

is intended to be quickly donned and used

variety of plates to suit differing needs and

with riﬂe or pistol mags onto the plate carrier.

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

EDITORS ‘ PLATE CARRIERS

PATRICK MCCARTHY MAKE: TYR Tactical

MODEL: PICO-DS with DSX cummerbund MSRP: $500 URL: tyrtactical.com

RECOILWEB.COM>

116

1/2 A:OR PROHIBITING

ACCESSORIES: TYR Tactical HA3/7 Level III+ Plates (2): $496 ea. TYR Tactical T52/SP Level II Soft Ballistic Backers: $196/pair TYR Tactical DS Combat Adjustable Chest Rack: $300 TYR Tactical Lower Abdomen Level II Ballistic Panel: $190 TYR Tactical DSX Lower Ab Pouch $60 Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed M4 Mag Pouches (2): $31 ea. Blue Force Gear Tourniquet NOW!: $12 TYR Tactical Huron DS Zip-On Backpack: $320 Camelbak Crux 3L Short Hydration Bladder: $49 OTHER URLS: blueforcegear.com camelbak.com

alone rig using the included H-harness. It

pouches. One serves as overflow space; the

so I took the opportunity to support a local

features four carbine mag pouches, two pistol

other holds a Baofeng radio. Its hand mic

business and get fitted for a plate carrier on-

mag pouches (one of which holds a Gerber

is clipped to my left shoulder strap, and a

site. A size large PICO-DS with the compa-

multi-tool), and two zippered general-purpose

3.5mm cable is routed to the right shoulder

ny’s own 10x13 multi-curve ceramic plates

pouches. The large GP pouch contains a com-

strap, where it can plug into my active ear

and soft backers offered a good compromise

plete IFAK, while the small pouch contains

pro. Before you scoff at this rag-tag comms

between protection and maneuverability.

a Streamlight Bandit headlamp and spare

setup, keep in mind that it fits my needs — I

Since I’m tall but slender, I also added a

SureFire ear pro.

use it occasionally to communicate with pre-

TYR Tactical’s HQ isn’t far from my home,

programmed Baofengs I loan out to friends or

soft armor abdominal panel for a little extra

Peeling off the chest rig to attach or

protection; this sits neatly behind a lower ab

remove the standard Velcro cummerbund

pouch that carries gloves, a notepad, and

is a hassle, so I recently upgraded to the

other admin gear.

quick-detach cummerbund from TYR’s new

Huron backpack that contains a CamelBak

PICO-DSX carrier. I used its real estate for a

3-liter bladder. When I don’t need armor, I

via Velcro backing and four surface-mount

secondary C-A-T tourniquet in a BFG carrier

can easily remove this pack and the chest rig

buckles, but it can also be worn as a stand-

and a pair of low-profile BFG elastic mag

for stand-alone use.

The TYR Chest Rack attaches to the carrier

strangers at classes. The final element of my kit is a zip-on

118

Three Guns in One with CMMG’s Resolute Upper Receivers By Mike Searson

t could be said without much argument that the AR-15 rifle is

tridge in between. For any individual concerned about

the most versatile and modular

preparedness for any calamity, it

weapon system on the planet.

makes sense to have at least one AR-15 on hand. And with a variety of

lute series complete uppers to wring

exactly how they want it with optics,

upper receivers and the appropriate

out. These are the higher-end uppers

furniture, and other accessories. An

magazines, you can make that one

that CMMG offers and come with all

AR-15 can be configured as a rifle or

rifle even more versatile.

the bells and whistles you’d expect.

a pistol — and there are even options

Companies like CMMG have taken

run the gamut from 22 rimfire all

one caliber to another, offering a

the way up to a single-shot 50 BMG

22-caliber conversion kit and a variety

upper receiver, along with just about

of upper receivers in everyone’s favor-

every conventional (and some not so

ite pistol caliber.

conventional) rifle and pistol car-

They sent us 5.56 and 9mm Reso-

tured lower with these uppers. In fact, we reached out to them to ask for one of their lowers, but they insisted we run them on whatever lower we had on hand. Challenge accepted!

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

the guesswork out of converting from

You needn’t use a CMMG manufac-

119

for shotgunners too. Caliber choices

With the right combination of upper receivers and conversion bolts, CMMG’s Resolute series lets you have three options with one lower receiver.

RECOILWEB.COM>

A shooter can configure their rifle

ANDERSON MANUFACTURING

set of MBUS sights on a rifle for test-

1/2 A :T H E R E O F;

yours truly has been shooting, build-

ing, but this time we wanted to mount

ing, and trying to destroy them since

a Low Power Variable Optic (LPVO).

the 1980s. These CMMG uppers

We chose a Sun Optics USA Mantis

could easily run on a Colt, FN, Cobalt

30mm 1-6x24 with an illuminated

Kinetics, Mega, Bushmaster, Palmet-

BDC reticle in a one-piece Weaver

to, or any number of others. Instead,

RECOILWEB.COM>

No stranger to the AR platform,

120

Sometimes we get lazy and mount a

we chose one that would make some snob shooters climb the walls — an Anderson Manufacturing lower

Make sure you use the correct magazine with the upper receiver in question.

dation for a lightweight rifle build, but

tactical mount. As a reformed optics

it had just been collecting dust in the

snob, these scopes offer great clarity

safe ever since. So we decided to give

for the money.

it new life.

to shoot with zero magnification. It’s

receiver with a Vietnam-era CAR-15 stock would be our host gun. Read any internet forum or social media group dedicated to the AR-15

An LPVO gives the shooter true 1x

CMMG RESOLUTE UPPER IN 5.56 The first and most important upper

not as fast as a red dot or holographic sight, but it can be a very close second. LPVOs are typically adjustable in

and you’ll find plenty of users malign-

in CMMG’s system is the 5.56 NATO

magnification up to a maximum power

ing Anderson and their products, call-

one. It featured a nice burnt-bronze

of 4 to 8, besides the handful of 1-10X

ing them “Poverty Ponies.” Some will

finish, with an M-LOK-compatible rail

scopes on the market. This gives the

assure you that the rifle will grenade

system as well as CMMG’s fantastic

shooter the ability to increase their

in your hands.

ambidextrous charging handles, a

magnification for longer-distance shots

mid-length gas system, and one of

and positive target identification.

You could argue that bargain budgets invite builders who use substan-

CMMG’s clever muzzle devices. It took

The Mantis is a second focal

dard, cheap, or questionably made

less than a minute to pop the receiver

plane scope, meaning the reticle

parts — that’s true of anything when

pins open, and the upper was ready to

size remains the same regardless of

it comes to a build. We put this one

go when they locked back into place.

magnification. We zeroed at 200 yards

together when we had a TPS lower

For 5.56 magazines, we ran alumi-

and found the CMMG mounted on an

parts kit looking for a home and found

num GI versions by Okay Industries

Anderson lower with the SOUSA scope

the lower on sale for $30.

branded as Sure Feed. They consis-

to be a sub-MOA rifle.

There was absolutely nothing out of

tently perform well and are strongly

To be perfectly honest, with a good

spec with the Anderson receiver; the

reminiscent of the versions we used in

optic and a consistent upper, there’s

lower parts kit installed and function

the military. C-Products made many of

very little that a rifle such as this can’t

checked perfectly, as did the replica

those magazines back in the day, and

do. Granted, a bull moose might be off

Vietnam-era CAR-15 stock. At one

all they’ve done over time is improve

the menu, but there are other uppers

time, this was going to form the foun-

on their product.

to help you in that regard.

9MM UPPER The second upper that we received

1/2 A:OR A BRIDGING

122

purposes. They can be made quieter,

from CMMG was a Resolute in 9mm;

ammunition can be cheaper, and cer-

fortunately, it had a gray finish to

tain ranges only allow pistol calibers.

distinguish one from the other. It’s

One of the problems is the magazines

helpful to be able to easily identify

for which they’re designed to work.

your uppers, especially when you’re

There’s no common standard — some

switching calibers. Some folks etch

take Glock extended magazines, oth-

the caliber on the ejection port cover

ers take Uzi or MP-5 magazines, and

or have it painted on the receiver.

some take other pistol magazines.

These are reasonable ideas, especially

Shooters often make their choice

if you order all your uppers in the

based on the number and type of 9mm

same color.

magazines they already have on hand.

A while back, a major manufacturer

RECOILWEB.COM>

caliber carbines, they do serve a few

The secondary problem can be find-

shipped out a rifle for a review. At the

ing appropriate magazine pouches,

same time, they sent a similar rifle to

especially when mounting them on

another writer. I got his, and he got

your plate carrier, combat harness, or

mine. It was fortunate he phoned me,

war belt. Then, there’s the hassle of

because the guns weren’t marked, and

swapping them out, for instance, when

I would’ve inadvertently loaded 458

you usually run 5.56, but need 9mm

SOCOM into a 50 Beowulf.

for a PCC match.

While I’m not a huge fan of pistol-

CMMG offers a dedicated magazine

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1/2 A :T H E F R E E D O M

The 9mm magazine uses a block in the front of the magazine to maintain the same profile as a 5.56 mag instead of a skinnier pistol or SMG magazine.

made for this upper that has the over-

kit resemble a typical GI magazine on

all look, feel, and footprint of a 5.56

the exterior, so they can easily fit in

Magpul P-Mag magazine. We loaded

your existing magazine carriers. You

them up with Federal 115-grain FMJ

can quickly tell the difference from

and let a few hundred rounds rip

standard 5.56 magazines, as they

downrange.

have visible rivets on the outside and

For an optic, we ran a Nikon

the feed ramp noticeably protrudes

Spur red dot. This is a clear, robust

from the top. They’re the best-looking

fixed-power sight that’s roughly the

magazines for any conversion kit or

size of an RMR. Between the lack of

dedicated rimfire AR that we’ve seen.

magnification and our aging eyes, we

To use the conversion kit, break

achieved about 2-inch groups at 100

open the rear of your upper receiver

feet. If you’re good with a 1x red dot,

and remove the bolt carrier group and

it’ll work fine; though in the future, we

charging handle. Replace the 5.56

may dial it up with a low magnifica-

bolt carrier group with the conversion

tion scope.

bolt, then reinsert it into the upper receiver with the original charging

CMMG 22LR CONVERSION UNIT If you’ve been shooting ARs for any length of time, you may be familiar

handle, close the receiver, and you’re ready to go plinking. As it turned out, our groups impact-

with 22LR conversion kits for the AR

ed about 4 inches lower than with the

platform. Simply remove your 5.56

5.56 barrel; it was pretty consistent

bolt and replace it with a drop-in

otherwise. A few boxes of 22LR turned

dedicated 22LR bolt. These kits take

into half a brick, as it was a blast to

a proprietary magazine and give you

shoot. We experienced two failures to

two calibers in one unit.

feed, but the blame lies squarely with

We were ready to be disappointed, as these units can be very hit or miss with regard to reliability and accuracy

the ammunition and not the rifle nor the conversion bolt. Typically, I recommend a dedicated

— an AR typically has a higher twist

22 rimfire rifle and/or pistol for most

rate than a 22LR barrel, and there’s

survival or bug-out scenarios. Shoot-

about 1¾ inches of freebore in the

ing the CMMG rimfire conversion bolt

chamber before the bullet stabilizes.

has me rethinking this a bit. If you

CMMG’s unit is completely made

spend enough time with it, are willing

from stainless steel, which makes it

to adjust your zero for elevation, and

easy to maintain and clean. As we all

remember to readjust it when you rein-

know, 22LR can be incredibly dirty

stall the 5.56 bolt, this would make an

to shoot.

excellent option compared to relying

The magazines that come with this

on a separate dedicated rimfire rifle.

OTHER OFFERINGS

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126

1/2 A:OF SPEECH,

Perhaps you have a different take on ammunition types. Say you prefer 300 BLK to 5.56 NATO or 45 ACP to 9mm; CMMG offers upper receivers in a host of different calibers, including 5.7x28, 6.5 Grendel, 6mm ARC, 40 S&W, 350 Legend, and many others. The 22 conversion bolt only works

Because the outward dimensions of the 22LR and 9mm magazines are the same as a 5.56 magazine, you can fit them into the same pouches without having to invest in another setup for new calibers.

with 5.56 uppers though. If you have

come America’s rifle, and manufactur-

a stockpile of Glock, Colt, or SIG 9mm

ers’ numbers bear this out. When taken

magazines, there are uppers available

as a whole and compared to other rifles

for those as well. Some calibers may

that have been in production far longer,

require an adjustment to the buffer

it’s evident how incredibly popular the

system, but we didn’t run into any

rifle is in the United States. If you want

issues with the 9mm and 5.56 upper

to try an AR in a new caliber you don’t

receivers we tested.

currently own, all you need is a different

Without question, the AR-15 has be-

upper receiver.

CMMG UPPER GROUP KIT, RESOLUTE 300, MK4, 5.56X45MM

CMMG UPPER GROUP KIT, RESOLUTE 300, MKGS, 9MM

MAGNIFICATION: 1-6X

CALIBER: 5.56X45MM

CALIBER: 9X19MM

OBJECTIVE: 24MM

BARREL: 16.1 INCHES, 1:7 TWIST, MEDIUM TAPER, 4140CM, SBN

BARREL: 16.1 INCHES, 1:10 TWIST, MEDIUM TAPER 4140CM, SBN

TUBE DIAMETER: 30MM

MUZZLE: CMMG SV BRAKE, THREADED ½-28

MUZZLE: SV BRAKE, THREADED ½-28

GAS PORT LOCATION: MID-LENGTH

GAS PORT LOCATION: N/A

RECEIVER: FORGED 7075-T6 AL M4 TYPE UPPER. COMPLETE WITH BCG

RECEIVER: FORGED 7075-T6 AL M4 TYPE UPPER

HANDGUARD: CMMG RML15 M-LOK HANDGUARD

FINISH: HARD-COAT ANODIZED (CAN BE UPGRADED TO CERAKOTE)

EYE RELIEF: 5 INCHES

CHARGING HANDLE: CMMG OVERSIZED AMBIDEXTROUS

PARALLAX: 100 YARDS

WEIGHT: 6 POUNDS, 7 OUNCES

MAGAZINE: 30-ROUND 9MM AR CONVERSION MAGAZINE (3 INCLUDED)

LENGTH: 25.3 INCHES MSRP: $775 URL: CMMG.COM

MSRP: $1,030 URL: CMMG.COM

SOUSA MANTIS 1-6X24MM

LENGTH: 11.5 INCHES WEIGHT: 18.3 OUNCES EXIT PUPIL: 4 TO 11MM EXIT PUPIL RETICLE: ETCHED ILLUMINATED BDC SECOND FOCAL PLANE RETICLE FIELD OF VIEW: 19 TO 116 FEET

ADJUSTMENTS: ½ MOA

MSRP: $250 URL: SOUSAOPTICS.COM

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

1A /2A:OR OF THE PRESS;

128 RECOILWEB.COM>

Black Sea Blaster on a Bargain-Basement Budget By Tamara Keel

many people via running out and buying their first firearm. The second stream was caused by the f we learned nothing else from the

streams. The first stream was triggered

hard realities of commerce. Lockdowns

great warrior-poet Egon Spengler,

by the tide of uncertainty caused by the

affected supply chains around the globe,

PhD, in the movie Ghostbusters, it’s

events of the past year. The pandemic,

supply couldn’t keep up with demand,

that crossing the streams would be

marches and protests during the sum-

and shelves at gun stores were frequent-

mer, tumult surrounding the election …

ly emptied in surges of panic buying.

all these factors led to a huge number

Even when merchandise was in stock,

spring of 2020 until the early part of

of people experiencing a newfound

scarcity drove pricing up, and that was

2021 (at the very least) was practi-

worry about their physical security.

assuming that the buyers weren’t af-

cally defined by the crossing of two

This newfound worry was addressed by

fected by record unemployment in the

very bad. Yet the time period stretching from

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129 #55/J U L . AU G. 2021

GIRSAN MC9 The similarities between the Girsan and the M&P are deeper beneath the skin than on the surface.

Turkish gunmaker Girsan got their start in the 1990s in the city of Giresun on Turkey’s northeast coast. Their first offering, the Yavuz 16, is better known here in the U.S. as the “Regard.” Recently reviewed on these pages, the Regard is basically a fairly straightforward clone of the Beretta 92 design. In addition to the Beretta clone, Girsan also manufactures 1911-pattern pistols in a variety of sizes, configurations, and trim levels. Like all Girsan products, these are imported into the U.S. market by European American Armory in Florida. Straight-up clones aren’t all that Girsan manufactures, though.

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130

1A /2A:OR THE RIGHT

pandemic lockdowns. This is when alternate sources of supply can shine. If you’re on a budget and there’s a panic-driven shortage, anything

There’s the polymer MC28, which is

fleshed out range of license-built copies of foreign handguns as well as original

less of a straight-up clone than … well,

domestic designs.

let’s call it a riff on the S&W M&P9 design. A duty-size striker-fired single-

Basically, Turkey has filled the space

affordable and in-stock can be a life-

in the American handgun market left

action 9mm pistol that echoes the size

saver when those streams get crossed.

by the collapse of Spanish makers

and shape of the M&P9 enough that it

like Star and Astra in the ’90s. Due to

will share a bunch of the same holsters,

lower manufacturing overhead and the

it’s easy to see where the “clone” talk

BACKGROUND Over the last half decade or so, the

exchange rate between the two nation’s

Turkish firearms industry has exploded

currencies (the Turkish lira was worth 13

in prominence as one of these alternate

cents at the time of this writing), Turkish

sources, going from a source for a few

pistols are extremely affordable on the

older Beretta or CZ clones to fairly fully

U.S. market.

In an age when even high-dollar pistols are coming in cardboard boxes, the Girsan’s case is kinda deluxe.

came from. It even sported wraparound interchangeable backstraps like the M&P. The non-cosmetic differences were mostly minor and internal except for the MC28 having a tabbed trigger safety instead of the two-piece hinged setup used by the M&P. Now comes the MC9, which is basically a derivative of the MC28 model.

BASICS Like the MC28, the MC9 is a shortrecoil operated semi-auto pistol using a modified Browning lockup, with the square shoulder atop the chamber locking into the ejection port when the slide’s in battery. The lockwork is basically similar to the MC28’s …which is to say, like a Smith & Wesson M&P’s, and this can be noticed when taking the pistol down. Disassembly is, perhaps unsurprisingly, broadly similar to the M&P’s as well. Drop the magazine, check the chamber to ensure it’s clear, lock the slide to the rear, and rotate the takedown lever on the left side of the frame downward

GIRSAN MC9 until it stops. At this point you control the slide as it travels forward, pulling the trigger to free it from the frame and remove it. No little internal takedown disconnector here to avoid needing to pull the trigger. The legal liability culture in Turkey probably isn’t like it is here. Once this is done, the M&P-esque nature of the internals is immediately apparent. Like the Smith, it’s basically a Glock with a few things done backward so as to avoid the baleful legal gaze of the Eye of Smyrna. (The trigger return spring in this system, for example, is at the front of the trigger bar rather than the rear.)

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132

1A /2A:OF THE PEOPLE

The similarity to the M&P extends to the ambidextrous slide stops. Although with the slide off, it’s readily apparent from the asymmetry of their relative locations on the frame that the Girsan’s designers assume the average left-hander has longer thumbs than the average right-hander. While the MC9’s serial number is embedded in the frame in the old-school profile. Chewbacca could get his finger

fashion, rather than on some inter-

textured insets on the sides of the grip.

changeable chassis, the magazine catch

None of these surfaces are going to be

at least follows the current convention

mistaken for skateboard tape or even

by being reversible. After we lubricated

the more aggressive texturing found on

the test gun with a couple drops of

factory offerings from Sig, Glock, or FN,

Lucas Oil, reassembly was as simple as

but they keep the gun from being a total

popping the slide back on, locking it to

bar of soap. If you’re aggressive with the

The reciprocating part of the pistol

the rear, and flipping the takedown catch

sunscreen at the range, you might want

is again similar to that on its predeces-

back up. Easy peasy.

to coarsen the grip up a bit.

sor with a few minor differences. Unlike

The grip feels a little longer, fore and

FRAME

The accessory rail will accept your favorite WML.

in there even with heavy winter gloves on. This thing won’t be going in any M&P Kydex, that’s for sure.

SLIDE

the simple dovetails used by the MC28,

aft, than the MC28’s, but this is miti-

the rear sight on the MC9 uses a lateral

gated somewhat by deep reliefs on either

dovetail while the front uses a longitu-

visible respects from its immediate

side behind the trigger guard to ease

dinal dovetail and a threaded screw. If

forebear. Where the MC28 had very

the reach to the trigger. The pronounced

you’re looking for aftermarket tritium

M&P-like wraparound grip modules in

beavertail of the MC28 frame is gone

sights on the shelf at your local gun

small, medium, and large, the MC9 uses

as well. We didn’t notice a problem, but

store, you may be looking for a while.

more conventional replaceable back-

if you’ve got meaty hands and/or use a

The factory sights use a simple painted

straps in three different degrees of swole

freakishly high grip, this thing’s likely

non-luminescent three-dot sight picture.

to accommodate the various differently

going to touch up your Glock callous.

The slide features a stepped contour

Externally the frame differs in several

sized hands of end users.

The frame features a Picatinny-style

similar to the M&P or Sig classic look,

accessory rail with three longitudinal

with angled, square-cut cocking serra-

a smooth matte texture except for the

slots and immediately abaft that is the

tions on each side at the rear and four

more coarsely textured grip modules,

most striking visual difference from the

more vestigial ones up front. The large,

the MC9 matches a coarser texture on

MC28: The trigger guard on this thing is

flat pivoting extractor doesn’t really

the backstrap with permanent coarsely

gigantic and very pronouncedly square in

move enough to serve as a tactile loaded

Where the frame on the MC28 had

GIRSAN MC9 The sights and trigger were completely adequate. The latter was very obviously single action, with an almost weightless take-up that ended in an abrupt wall and fairly heavy (but consistent!) 6.25-pound break, according to our RCBS scale. While nothing to write home about, it was certainly up to the basic chore of wearing out 8-inch steel plates at 20 yards all morning. The Girsan experienced zero malfunctions of any type with any of the five different loadings tested. When done with the range sessions, there’s a wire-handled copper brush in the case for cleaning chores. As an added nice touch, the golf tee-looking

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134

1A /2 A :P E AC E A B LY

Popping the hood makes the S&W design cues apparent.

object in the case is a punch for drifting out the pin that secures the backstrap in order to swap it out. There are more expensive pistols that don’t include one of these, and maybe they should start. of it 124-grain FMJ by Turkish manufacturer Sarsilmaz, because it seemed

LOOSE ROUNDS While the MC9 isn’t likely to have you

chamber indicator, but there’s a witness

appropriate to try some Turkish ammo

bragging on the ’Gram, it seems to be

hole at the rear of the chamber hood

in a Turkish blaster, with the remainder

a perfectly serviceable pistol for not a

up top that’ll give a glint of brass if the

of the FMJ being 115-grain CCI Blazer

lot of money. If we were looking to put a

chamber’s loaded, and there’s enough

of questionable vintage. The remainder

ton of rounds through a gun in training

light to see it. Alternatively, you can

of the test was 100 rounds of mixed

classes or pistol matches, we might

chamber-check it old school.

jacketed hollow-point: Speer 124-grain

spend more to get a known quantity

Gold Dots, Remington Golden Saber

with a larger aftermarket, but the Girsan

smaller end of duty-size, with a 4.2-inch

Black Belt 124-grain +P, and Federal

MC9 is proof that we’re in a golden age

barrel and a full-size … except wait a

147-grain HST.

of serviceable-if-unglamorous pistols.

So that’s the package: A pistol on the

minute, the grip isn’t full-sized at all.

The first thing we noticed at the range

If you’re looking for that first pistol in

It’s short, perhaps shorter than a Glock

was that, while the magazine had 15

a pinch and on a budget, the MC9 will

19’s, but the test gun arrived with only a

witness holes in the back, the actual

serve the purpose.

single magazine that had an adapter col-

capacity was 17 rounds. There’s prob-

lar to fill it out to full-size length. MSRP

ably some reason why the manufacturer

is $430 according to EAA, but street

didn’t think the last two rounds deserved

prices are running under four bills, even

witness holes of their own, but it’s a

mid panic.

mystery to us. Loading the magazine, even to ca-

ON THE RANGE

pacity, wasn’t a thumb-busting chore,

EAA GIRSAN MC9 WEIGHT (UNLOADED): 27.6 ounces

and the feed lips lacked the shaving-

OVERALL LENGTH: 7.5 inches

sarily brief affair, what with it be-

sharp edges so common in this price

BARREL LENGTH: 4.2 inches

ing early in 2021 as this is written.

bracket. The magazine is made of fairly

CALIBER: 9x19mm

Ammunition is tight, even direct from

heavy-gauge metal and polished blue.

CAPACITY: 17+1 rounds

the manufacturers, so the total round

The “Made in Italy” markings might

MSRP: $430

count was limited. Three-hundred

have something to do with this, and we

URL: eaacorp.com

rounds of full metal jacket, two thirds

approve.

Taking it to the range was a neces-

MOVIES FOR GUN GUYS Critiquing Six Films and Their Cinematic Approach to Firearms

136

By RECOIL Staff Illustrations by Tris Mast

unfortunately cliched and predictable

remember this movie? Released in

to a Freedom Arms 454 Casull, which

story elements prevented Alien Nation

1988, the plotline is basically that

according to the movie, has “twice

from becoming what it could’ve been.

a race of humanoid aliens comes to

the impact energy of a 44 Magnum

Even a few TV movies and one season

Earth and eventually integrates with

hot load.” We’ll leave the debate on

as its own series weren’t enough to

society, primarily in Los Angeles, much

that assertion up to someone like John

reignite interest in the Alien Nation

to the chagrin of the local population.

Linebaugh to settle. The scene where

franchise; however, rumor has it that

One of the marooned aliens played by

he tests it out by shooting through a

a remake with Michael Shannon at-

Mandy Patinkin eventually becomes a

tac vest is akin to Roy Scheider filling

tached to play Patinkin’s character

detective and is partnered up with a

his hollow-points with poison and

is somewhere in development hell.

reluctant James Caan, whose partner

coating them with candlewax in Jaws

When watching the scene where Caan

had recently been killed by one of

2. In other words, please pour yourself

finally shoots someone with his new

the “newcomer” bad guys.

four fingers of suspension of disbelief

sidearm, your reaction will be along the

before pressing “play.”

lines of watching a lawyer mistakenly

What We Like: So, if you’re easily dazzled by car chases, half-baked

Gun Guy Highlights: Oh boy … even

apply a cat filter to his Zoom call. The

quips, and carny-trick action-movie es-

though this movie was certainly a prod-

on-screen appearance of other guns

sentials, you might actually enjoy this

uct of its time, it’s a guilty pleasure

of that era, like a Micro Uzi and Ruger

flick. The two stars make it bearable

similar to eating your favorite candy

AC556K, also solidify its place in the

to watch. In the opening sequence,

bar. It sort of had the ingredients of

pantheon of forgotten ’80s good-guy-

Caan’s partner is killed when a criminal

District 9 meets Lethal Weapon, but

versus-bad-guy cinema.

alien manages to pick him off by shooting a mag-fed Benelli loaded with slugs completely through a parked car he’s hiding behind (insert gasp of disbelief here). After killing the assailant, who’s twacked out on some alien drug, Caan subsequently decides to upgrade from his Beretta to something more Dirty Harry-esque. After all, what buddy cop flick would be complete without a dick-measuring gun scene? It’s at this point the guy running the

Photo by G. Smith

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

police shooting range introduces him

137

Overview: Does anyone even

RECOILWEB.COM>

ALIEN NATION

MOVIES FOR GUN GUYS CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER Overview: Although this won’t be found at the top of most Buzzfeedstyle gun movie lists, it should come as no surprise that an adaptation of a Tom Clancy novel deserves a spot in our article. This 1994 film is the third

with in-country operative John Clark,

installation in the Jack Ryan series,

played by Willem Dafoe, and sets out to

preceded by The Hunt for Red October

expose a trail of corruption that leads

(1990) and Patriot Games (1992).

all the way to the White House.

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138

1/2 A: A ND TO PE TITION

Ryan, played by Harrison Ford, is work-

What We Like: Clear and Present

ing at the CIA when he finds himself

Danger features a wide array of weap-

caught in the middle of a clandestine

ons. American forces are equipped

war between the U.S. government and

with M16s and M203s, XM177 car-

a Colombian drug cartel. Head bad

bines, M60 machine guns (including a

swapped-out flash hiders. The cartel’s

dude Ernesto Escobedo — a blatant

Predator-style E3), suppressed MP5s,

weapons are more varied, including

Pablo Escobar knockoff — orders the

and a suppressed M24 sniper rifle. As

FN FALs, Norinco Type 56 AKs, Uzis,

assassination of two Americans who

is often the case, many of these guns

RPGs, and even a TEC-9. There are

turn out to be friends of the president,

are prop house clone builds that were

more than a few action movie cliches,

then drops the line, “What are they

modified to mimic their real counter-

such as goofy silencer noises, ARs that

going to do? Come after me?” After

parts — the XM177s ap-

sometimes sound like .50-cal machine

evading opposition within the CIA,

pear to be commercial-

guns, and a plethora of massive fireball

Ryan forges a tenuous alliance

market Colt AR-15s with

explosions, but it wasn’t hard to overlook them and enjoy this film. Actors’ weapon-handling is reasonably accurate as far as Hollywood blockbusters go — although there’s a whole lot of full-auto firing from the hip — and the variety ensures there’s something cool to notice in almost every shot. Gun Guy Highlights: Harrison Ford is seen with guns a few times throughout the film, but Dafoe’s character is the real star of this show. First, he’s seen carrying a full-size Glock with a threaded barrel; this is significant since the same pistol appears later with a silencer equipped. But the single, most interesting weapon in the film is his OA-93 AR pistol from nowdefunct manufacturer Olympic Arms. The OA-93, which was released in 1993, became illegal under the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban only one month after Clear and Present Danger hit theaters. Olympic Arms would release AWB-compliant versions such as the fixed-magazine OA-96, but the original OA-93 seen in this film soon became effectively unattainable, making its appearance here a rarity.

The perfect ammunition begins with a perfect case. Precisely designed. Exactingly engineered. Ingeniously manufactured. Resulting in singledigit standard deviation. One box will tell you everything. This is ammunition made perfect.

MOVIES FOR GUN GUYS DEN OF THIEVES

armored car heist (thanks again, Heat),

Gun Guy Highlights: There’s no dis-

ends with a shootout with cops that in-

puting the giggle factor of watching the

“Den of Thieves is a love letter to

cludes team-communication, effective

bad guy you’ve been secretly rooting

Heat.” This is a classic bank heist

covering fire, and the use of improvised

for open up with a belt-fed through ve-

flick that pays due homage to Michael

munitions to sterilize their vehicle of all

hicles to lay covering fire for the initial

Mann’s seminal caper film. From as-

forensic evidence. But the crown jewel

attempt to break contact. In the same

sembling the crew, to casing the joint,

of Den of Thieves’ gunslinging action

scene, Gerard Butler gets style points

to dodging the dogged detective that’s

is the final firefight between Merri-

for rocking an unobtanium SCAR-16 in

constantly breathing down their neck,

man’s crew and the robbery task force

a sea of kitted-out ARs and short shot-

Den of Thieves weaves together all the

led by Detective “Big Nick” O’Brien,

guns. Perhaps even more noteworthy,

classic themes of the romanticized

played by Gerard Butler. The shoot-out

when that runs dry, he transitions to an

robber story.

happens in a quintessential L.A. traffic

FNX-45 equipped with a C-More red

jam and is initiated when Merriman

dot. Even in today’s day and age, it’s

heist crew, Ray Merriman, is billed as a

himself opens up on the detectives with

still disappointingly rare to see anybody

“Force Recon MARSOC FAST Marine”

a Paratrooper SAW laid over the hood

employing dot-equipped pistols.

who “specializes in soldiering.” (Sorry,

of their black Suburban. What ensues

Jarheads. It made us cringe, too.) De-

is a textbook exercise in team-based

spite clumsily slapping together three

bounding, both closing-to-contact by

different Marine Corps units to set his

the cops and breaking contact by the

experience, it does establish Merriman

robbers. Neither team is left unscathed

as a consummate professional operator

as emergency reloads, weapons transi-

who runs a tight ship and doesn’t shy

tions, cover-versus-concealment,

away from using tactical deception

and body armor are all displayed in

or violence of action to score his big

a slightly more realistic manner than

payday. The opening sequence, an

we’ve seen in other movies.

Overview: To quote Dave Merrill,

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140

1/2 A: THE GOV ERNMENT

What We Like: The leader of the

MOVIES FOR GUN GUYS SIEGE OF JADOTVILLE Overview: The post-colonial history

1/2 A:FOR A REDRE SS

142

peers. The 1990s saw many attempts

of Africa is rife with conflict, and the

at creating a movie from the events but

United Nations used to take more of

since the battle wasn’t officially ac-

an offensive role. The scene is 1961 in

knowledged until 2005, writers had a

Katanga province, Congo. The United

hard time verifying the circumstances.

Nations sent a small contingent of

Like the movie 300, Siege of Jadotville

Irish soldiers to the mining town of

ignores everything but the main effort

Jadotville (now named Likasi). While

for tighter storytelling. As a result, the

this was considered a low-risk post,

500 additional UN soldiers made up

the commander of A company of the

largely from Indian and Swedish forces

35th battalion was having none of it

disappear from the screen the same way

and ordered his men to dig in. These

the additional 3,000 fighters in support

efforts were rewarded as while the rest

do at Thermopylae. Still, this allows you

of the UN force was on an offensive,

to focus on the 155 Irish fighters who

3-5K members of Katangese forces at-

took the brunt of each assault.

tacked the isolated Irish outpost. Siege

RECOILWEB.COM>

rate; at least more so than their movie

If you’re a military historian with

of Jadotville is the story of that fight,

a focus on Ireland or the Congo, not

which remained classified for decades.

everything will line up; the uniforms

What We Like: Though as a rule,

are the wrong shade and some of the

“based on a true story” can be

insignia incorrect, but the firearms are

anything, the writers, producers, and

surprisingly well done. Combat scenes

director wanted the story to be accu-

don’t depict characters performing superhuman feats, rather the cumbersome moves of men under fire. We love the fact that after more than four decades this tale got to see the light of day — these soldiers are finally able to tell their side of the story. Gun Guy Highlights: We’ve always heard tale of the accuracy of the Bren. Some British soldiers in WWII even declared it to be more consistent than then-issued sniper rifles, and certainly more common. With that in mind, when the Irish sniper Bill Ready (played by Sam Keeley) asked for the Bren in the middle of a fight we perked up. Forgoing the [now strange] magazine that feeds vertically from the top, Ready hand-feeds single rounds for each shot, resulting in accurate fire downrange. And really, FN FALs in early 1960s Africa? Hell yeah.

MOVIES FOR GUN GUYS

adjacent Ethiopian embassy, something entirely missing from the movie version. RECOIL readers will probably chuckle at the scene where the Pagoda Troop’s pagers go off as they conclude a live-fire hostage rescue drill inside a shoot house. Made of plywood. What We Like: Despite taking liberties with contributions of the rest of the squadron and training for the op, the timeline is broadly true to life. The film captures the reality of both boredom and anxiety as the clock ticks toward the various deadlines issued 1/2 A:OF GRIE VA NCE S.

by the terrorists, who are unaware that their demands cannot possibly be met. When they finally realize their plan isn’t going to result in the Iranian government releasing their comrades in arms, they still don’t believe the British government will take direct action,

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144

right up until the point they do. Rappelling from the embassy roof, one assault team breaches the rear second floor windows with sledgehammers, after

SIX DAYS

one of the assaulters gets tangled in

Instead, the correct Polish PM63 RAK

his rope, preventing the original plan to

machine pistol makes a rare appear-

Regiment raid on the Iranian em-

place a frame charge. A frame charge

ance on screen, wielded by one of the

bassy in London has been covered

is successfully placed on the front of

terrorists, and a Czech vz61 Skorpion

in documentaries, print, film, and

the building, which acts as the signal

is instantly recognizable by firearms

tabloids since 1980, and for good

for the rest of the teams to enter and

aficionados. SAS troopers are kitted

reason. It marked the very public

mag dump 30 rounders into all but one

out with MP5s and S6 respirators,

beginning of modern counter-terrorist

of the terrorists, who only escapes the

along with their frickin’ enormous

operations and cemented the reputa-

same fate due to the presence of TV

MagLite WMLs. Black coveralls and

tion of the regiment as subject matter

cameras.

body armor set the de facto wardrobe

Overview: The Special Air Service

experts when it came to shooting

Gun Guy Highlights: It would have

for all action movies well into the ’90s,

motherf*ckers in the face. Six Days

been easy for the production’s prop

while the interaction between the

looks at the operation through the eyes

master and armorer to simply give the

terrorist and the Metropolitan police

of Rusty Fermin, an NCO who partici-

Iranian hostage takers AKs, because

hostage negotiator is a good case

pated in the op, though watching the

that’s what bad guys use, right?

study into the TTPs of the day. Fun

movie, you’d be forgiven for thinking

facts — the commanding officer of the

he was chief cook and bottle

SAS involved in the raid, Lt Col Mike

washer, rather than one of

Rose, went on to run SF operations in

the assaulters. In actuality,

the Falklands War and commanded UN

more than 40 members of B Squadron

forces in the former Yugoslavia during

led by Maj. Hector Gullan participated

the ’90s, while the Director of SF, Gen

in the raid, including an assault team

Peter de la Billiere, was CinC of British

who breached through the wall of the

forces during Desert Storm.

MOVIES FOR GUN GUYS TRIPLE FRONTIER

events. As they try to flee the country,

dream into a character study of inter-

the helicopter crashes and with each

team conflict. While it hints at the

guys struggling through different forms

new problem their haul starts to bleed

team turning on each other, it takes

of disenfranchisement with living as

away. Bad situations turn to worse,

a different, but appreciated, route

veterans are simultaneously swindled

and as the glory and money fade, their

as they stick together, despite their

and tempted by an opportunity to

choices turn to survival and escape.

misfortunes.

Overview: A band of ex-military cool

make a small fortune doing something

What We Like: This isn’t one of those

Gun Guy Highlights: Although not

dubious. Twisting the knife of disap-

at the screen and say, “That’s not how

to appreciate on the micro and macro

pointment to get the metaphorical

it works.” With a fair play on certain

level. The idea of a bunch of special

band back together, the team of five

action movie tropes, the film feels

operations veterans going rogue and

goes deep into a foreign country under

self-aware that its place is as a movie.

hitting a drug lord isn’t anything new,

the gray area of acting as consultants.

At the same time, the realism sets in

but the execution of a raid mixes

Their initial plans to merely recon the

from the beginning, starting with the

between military SOPs and unorthodox

domicile of their target location lead

feelings veterans often go through

methods. The equipment, from rifles

to what should have been a job well

after leaving the military. The sense of

to the plate carriers, play a mix-and-

having no place in the world, struggling

match game expected in the clandes-

classic Hollywood sense, they choose

with living after a life of danger and

tine environment, and while their use

ambition, realizing that the house of

adventure, define the characters from

of controlled pairs do exaggerate the

the Narco is both lightly guarded and

the start, giving deeper context than

lethality of their firearms, it strays far

1/2 A: A W ELL REGUL ATED

only about guns, there’s something

done. Instead of going wrong in the

146

movies where guys in the know point

raid. What starts as a well-planned

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ethically questionable and legally

plagued by a series of unfortunate

full of money. They choose to raid the house themselves, ridding the world of a bad guy and taking the money. The real problems begin after the operation turns into a bad exfil,

merely the temptation of becoming overnight millionaires. It’s obvious that their plans are going to go sideways, but the way it unfolds turns a tale of tactical fever

from the tradition of sending people flying from a single gunshot. Unorthodox and partially consensual, the tragedy of a story where no amount of skill can overcome bad decisions, Triple Frontier deserves a place in the halls of movies for gun guys.

RECOILWEB.COM>

148 1A /2A:MILITIA, BEING

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149 #55/J U L . AU G. 2021

Revitalizing the Cult Classic Mini-14 By Tom Marshall, Photos by Niccole Elizabeth

he Mini-14 is a rifle that we sometimes

stroke gas system similar to the M1 Garand rifle.

love to hate. Not especially known for its

A product of its time, it featured wood furniture,

accuracy or endurance, it’s easy to bash

no provision for optics, and none of the modular-

on with all the hindsight afforded by the

ity we’ve come to expect as industry standard on

21st century. The original design dates back to

newer rifle designs. But for what we believe it was

1973 and was a scaled-down version of the larger

meant to be — a handy, light-recoiling, ranch-rifle

M14 service rifle (hence the name) chambered

alternative to the AR — it delivers in spades as a

in 5.56x45mm. It features a self-cleaning, short

no-frills, meat-and-potatoes carbine.

1A /2A:NECESSARY TO

150 RECOILWEB.COM>

on their civilian-legal “tactical” models, as well as on the Mini-14 “GB” and select-fire AC-556 variants offered to military, law enforcement, and private security agencies.

The rifle’s biggest claim to fame

This led us to the crux of this article:

came along in the mid 1980s, with

since the 50-year-old design lacks

the arrival of a now-iconic team of doOur so-called Mini-14K has an overall length of just 22 inches when the Samson A-TM stock is folded. When paired with a stubby 20-round magazine, we have a lightweight, highly stowable riflecaliber package.

gooder guns-for-hire: The A-Team. Ac-

recognize the quick rifle with the

inherent modularity, what can you do

cording to the Internet Movie Firearms

awkward folding stock that’s vaguely

with it? As to why this particular ques-

Database, the Mini-14 first appeared

reminiscent of a walking crutch

tion fell into the lap of this particular

in Season 2 but became a favored

hinged to the back of a baseball bat.

author … perhaps it was because he

rifle for the team, with a number of

While the current mainstream of

happened to have an old Mini in the

the rifles being purchased specifi-

gun culture is apt to dismiss the Mini’s

back of the family safe at home … but

cally for the show and maintained in

Norman Rockwell aesthetics for darker

sharing Hannibal Smith’s signature hair

permanent storage in the show’s prop

and sleeker alternatives, the firearms

color and affinity for cigars are uncanny

containers for the duration of its TV

aftermarket hasn’t forgotten Ruger’s

coincidences to say the least.

lifespan. This program, more than any

stalwart little carbine. Not even two

other Hollywood venture, made those

years ago, Samson Manufacturing

side-folders famous if only for a mo-

announced the launch of their “A-TM”

ment in pop-culture history. Though

stock, a side-folder furniture set pat-

an old, literally rusted-out Mini-14 GB

Hannibal, Face, Murdock, and B.A.

terned directly off Ruger’s original

purchased in the early ’90s. The GB

Baracus are meme references now,

design made famous on network televi-

stands for “Government Barrel” and

an entire generation of ’80s kids still

sion. In real life, that stock was offered

said barrel featured both a bayonet

WHAT WE HAD The base gun for this project was

WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

The Samson redux features a walnut forend, stainless steel stock, and folding mechanism in bead-blasted finish with a length-of-pull of 13.5 inches. When extended, the stock tube and folding butt plate both lock up securely with very little wiggle. Manufacturing stock is essentially a carbon copy of the 1980s Ruger design: awesome for period purists and A-Team LARPers. The bad news is that the Samson Manufacturing stock is performance-enhancing finishes and

Ruger design, so there are no provi-

lug and extended flash hider. Origi-

coatings, we wanted something that

sions for modern sling-attachment

nally, these models were only available

would at least smooth out the trigger

options. You could overcome this by

through Ruger’s Law Enforcement

and action, if not improve it me-

mounting QD sockets, sling swivels, or

catalog despite being semi-auto

chanically. So we chose a dual-finish

short Pic rails directly to the forearm

only. Regardless, a slew of them did,

approach consisting of self-lubricating

with wood screws. Frankly, we didn’t

in fact, make it to the commercial

NP3 on the action and all internals,

have the heart to drill into the walnut

market. Ours sported the standard

and their drab green Poly T2 finish for

without a backup stock unit on hand.

“semi-pistol” grip sporting stock. We

the barrel and external parts.

But if you were dead set on using this

purchased it topped with a scope older

Speaking of the barrel, we previ-

rifle as a legitimate hiking or ranch de-

than most of our staff, and no other

ously mentioned this base gun was

fense rifle, we suggest taking a deep

accessories.

the somewhat obscure GB model of

breath and proceeding with caution.

Mini-14 with a one-piece bayo lug/

Likewise, if you were to consider creat-

several cross-country moves, she

flash hider unit at the end of the 16-

ing a light mount in the same fashion.

looked pretty rough. So not only would

inch barrel. That unit is 5.5 inches

our effort include some functional

long, so we were able to create what

companies still producing bolt-on

upgrades, but we’d also have to undo

we’ve affectionately come to call

scout rails, which replace the OEM

some of the unkindness of time.

the Mini-14K by chopping the barrel

plastic top-half handguard. These

down to sit flush with the end of the

would offer at least enough rail-estate

forearm, about 11 inches, and then

to mount an offset white light, if not

pin-and-welding the flash hider. This

a forward sling loop. We simply chose

anything much you can do with the

kept us over the Form 1 minimum

not to go down that rabbit hole on

Mini-14 trigger or action, and because

of 16 inches while giving us a much

this build. What we did do was mount

we had some surface corrosion issues

more nimble package, especially when

more suitable optic on board. Since

to deal with, we took our rifle to the

dropped into the aforementioned A-TM

we had no interest in holding onto

now-defunct Robar custom shop in

stock from Samson Manufacturing.

the antiquated scope, especially after

But after years of neglect and

WHAT WE DID Since there isn’t necessarily

Alternately, there are a couple of

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

essentially a carbon copy of the 1980s

151

Arizona. Known for their [arguably]

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The good news is that the Samson

WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER group measurements go out the window when you embrace your inner TV action hero, fold the stock, and hip-fire as much as your ammo budget will allow. Once we finished, our K-conversion with stock folded fit well under the driver’s seat, stuffed between seat and console, and in a duffel bag.

LOOSE ROUNDS

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152

1A /2 A :T H E S E C U R I T Y O F

At the risk of being anticlimactic, the barrel chop, we attached a short

OTM to some ’90s vintage steel cased

that was pretty much the end of the

Picatinny rail mount from GG&G and

import “sport ammo.” The rifle ran all

road for us on this project. There are

seated the diminutive Vortex Viper on

ammo without a hiccup, including the

top. Less bulk up top combined with

steel-case. Pin-and-welding the elon-

faster, and thus more enjoyable plink-

gated flash hider definitely increased

ing made a small open-window dot

maneuverability, with our modified

like the Viper a natural choice for this

sample gun handling more like an SBR

fun-gun project.

than a full-length rifle. The NP3’d trigger parts gave us a smooth, crisp bang

ON THE RANGE

switch that tripped our trigger gauge

Unfortunately, the Mini-14 uses proprietary pattern magazines and few reliable options existed for a long time. OEM mags, while more expensive, ran seamlessly in our test gun.

aftermarket improvements for the Mini-14. Just not a lot of them. But we were able to improve the looks, function, concealability, and sighting options. That’s a substantial turnaround for the malnourished rust magnet we found in the back of the safe. The Mini-14 has largely been overshadowed even for ranch and truck

With our short-but-sweet list of

at 4 pounds, 2 ounces. Aimed fire pro-

modifications complete, we took our

duced about 2 to 2.5 MOA accuracy at

duty by newer, flashier carbines. To

newly minted Mini-14K to the range.

50 yards, which is about what you can

Ruger’s credit, they do have some lim-

We ran a variety of ammo through

expect from any Mini-14 throughout

ited factory offerings with scout rails,

it ranging from Black Hills 77-grain

its production history. Of course, any

polymer furniture, and even a .300 Blackout option — not to mention the Mini-30 in 7.62x39, which has also been around for decades. While the AR has rightly earned its crown as “America’s Rifle,” the The GG&G Picatinny rail mount is ideal for small red dots, but also just long enough to accommodate smaller LPVOs or magnified optics.

Mini-14 is still a rock-solid choice for a general-purpose, meat-and-potatoes carbine, and its cult classic popculture appeal isn’t to be overlooked. So to those who turn their nose up at this classic American carbine … well … we pity the fools.

SOURCES STURM, RUGER & CO. www.ruger.com SAMSON MANUFACTURING www.samson-mfg.com GG&G www.gggaz.com VORTEX OPTICS www.vortexoptics.com

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154 1A /2 S: A FREE STATE,

CGS Group Breaks New Ground with the Hyperion QD 762 By Dave Merrill

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155

would go through testing for a USA-

silencers made with additive manu-

to get light-

SOC small-frame sniper rifle project.

facturing, but many of those designs

bulbs from can-

Though they didn’t end up with that

would translate just as well to tradi-

dles if everyone

contract, it solidified their decision

tional machining methods.

is making the same stuff,” said Bobby

to continue their work with silencers.

West, founder and owner of CGS

That original Hyperion, though not

in-reverse — designs that were either

Group. “Everyone doing the same

without its warts, would be the basis

difficult, expensive, or impossible

designs the same way doesn’t push

of all that came after for CGS.

to machine can all become a reality. West explained, “With subtractive

the ball forward.” Right in the middle of our first conversation about new

3D printing can be more than CNC-

HOW IT’S MADE

manufacturing, you’re limited by the

CGS Group isn’t shy about using

confines of your material. With addi-

materials science, and, importantly,

exotic materials. Their first foray into

tive manufacturing you’re only limited

silencers, West managed to distill his

this arena was with the carbon-fiber

by your imagination.”

philosophy of life, and by extension

tubed 22LR Siren silencer. With the

his company, into two sentences.

Hyperion QD 762, we’re not talking

we covered the Thermal Defense

exotic materials so much as a more-

Solutions Bantam-II, an Inconel 3D-

exotic manufacturing method.

printed suppressor. While it’s techni-

engineering tools, manufacturing,

West founded CGS Group at the tail end of 2014, and their first product was the opposite of quiet — the

The Hyperion QD 762 is manufac-

For example, in RECOIL Issue 43,

cally possible to machine that design,

Pandora detonator, most commonly

tured using direct metal laser sinter-

it would cost in the neighborhood of

used for breaching charges. It would

ing, or DMLS. This amounts to a Grey

five figures in machine time per unit,

be 2017 before their first suppressor,

Poupon way of saying “3D printed.”

which would only be economically

the earliest example of the Hyperion,

Through the years, we’ve seen other

viable for a Russian oligarch.

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

“W

e’re not going

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156

1/2 A :T H E R I G H T

TOP OF THE CLASS

1) Immediately after exiting the muzzle, the gas first hits a sharp baffle to force gas through ports into the exterior annulus/bore evacuator. 2) This section consists of relatively steep baffles designed to accommodate higher pressures. 3) A transition zone, there are ports for gas exchange between the core and the annular cavity. 4) Unlike the baffles in section two, these baffles are more shallow and radiused for lower pressures. Also, note the increased annulus volume. 5) Gas exits the replaceable endcap.

CGS Group isn’t using only Inco-

DESIGN & OPERATION

pressors with the Gemtech Integra

nel; the Hyperion QD 762 is formed

Check out the cutaway of the Hy-

(see RECOIL Issue 35). Then, Dead

from 3D-printed titanium. Titanium

perion QD 762 to get a peek at what’s

Air incorporated a bore evacuator in

and centerfire silencers have had

going on here.

their NOMAD silencers (see RECOIL

a tenuous relationship through the

Immediately, we can tell this isn’t a

Issue 51). CGS went a step further by

years. It wasn’t so long ago that

traditional silencer full of 60-degree

consolidating this feature and more

it would’ve been considered an

cones. There’s a cavity space be-

into one unit.

inexcusable combination due to how

tween the baffles and the outer shell

quickly Ti erodes under high heat

of the Hyperion, called an annulus.

QD 762 for a bit: Traditional silencer

and pressure. Have you ever shot a

Though, there’s more to it. Firstly, it

designs have a larger blast chamber in

titanium silencer and sparks shot out

serves as a bore evacuator, a place to

the first several inches of the silencer

from the end? Those are little pieces

temporarily hold gas that’d otherwise

to accommodate the higher pressures

of titanium eroding away.

contribute to muzzle blast and sound.

of centerfire rifle rounds. But in this

Initially developed for large guns such

design, the first place the gas hits is

starting in 2018, CGS began coating

as those on tank or artillery pieces,

a very sharp, shallow baffle. Gas loves

the internals of their silencers with

a bore evacuator is a space where

to travel in the path of least resis-

S-Line. Using dynamic compound

high-pressure gas flows due to an

tance and will try to move around any

deposition (DCD) to synthesize boron

induced pressure differential. Prior to

obstacle that hinders it. This first flat

nitride, we’re told S-Line increases

firing, the gas in this cavity is initially

baffle intentionally increases pressure

hardness erosion protection while de-

the same as atmospheric pressure

early on in order to divert some gas

creasing friction. From what we’ve seen

until the projectile passes. When the

into holes immediately following the

from internal testing at CGS Group, it

projectile exits the silencer, both the

threads, to the annular cavity where it

works well for this purpose. That said,

vacuum of the wake and the lower

can be further directed.

we’ve seen a veritable laundry list of

pressure outside pulls the gas from

über-coatings before, some better than

the annulus out into the open air.

In order to mitigate this damage,

others, but keep your eye on this.

We first saw this used for sup-

Let’s walk through the Hyperion

From inside the cavity, the gas, still attempting to move forward, hits a series of constrictions along the path

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ASCEND-14

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TOP OF THE CLASS

designed to slow and direct the flow. 1/2 A:OF THE PEOPLE

You can safely think of the Hyperion QD 762 as having a core within a core.

RECOILWEB.COM>

158

This temporarily contained gas

It’s in this section that the bore evacuator or annular cavity increases

won’t flow into areas with higher pres-

in volume, allowing the gas to linger

sures, so it can’t freely flow back into

further still before ﬁnally exiting the

the core of the silencer until internal

silencer. Finally, everything exits the

pressure is reduced after the projec-

replaceable endcap. Not only does this

tile exits.

mean endcap strikes can be ﬁxed, but

The next series of seven baffles

gas ﬂow can be further conditioned.

are intended to deal with the rest of

Among all of this new/shiny is a

the high-pressure gas put out by your

common, but not yet universal feature:

centerfire rifle cartridge. Then, we

wrench flats on both ends.

hit a transition zone about two-thirds through; it’s about here where the

Yes, indeed, there’s an awful lot going on here!

initial gas pressure starts to drop and the increased volume helps the process along. There are additional ports

Admittedly, when we first opened

where gas can be exchanged between

the box, we were a little confused. De-

the bore evacuator/annulus and the

spite having “QD” right in the name,

center bore of the silencer.

the Hyperion has what first appeared

At this point, the baffles more

to be standard 5/8x24mm threads. A

closely resemble a pistol silencer

quick internet search also showed the

because these radiused, more-shallow

silencer listed as “direct thread,” so

baffles do better with lower pressures.

what the heck is going on here?

The lower pressures toward the end of a silencer are also the reason why you’ll sometimes see silencers use

There are generous wrench flats on either end of the Hyperion QD 762.

QD?

In short: government contract mucky-muck. As mentioned, the original Hyperion

different baffle materials depending

was developed speciﬁcally for a DoD

on where they’re positioned inside the

semiautomatic sniper project. Most of

suppressor. Area 419 does something

the silencers submitted for consider-

similar with their Maverick preci-

ation were .30-caliber silencers lightly

sion silencer (see RECOIL Issue 47),

reworked (or not) for what was at the

except that the Maverick comes in

time 260 Remington (later changed

multiple pieces.

to the nearly ballistically identical 6.5

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TOP OF THE CLASS

Creedmoor). West felt he had the best

brethren. CGS simply developed a ta-

that’s exactly what we tested — a Grey

design, with the conspicuous exception

per hybrid mount with external threads

Ghost Precision GRIM MKII in cham-

of a quick-disconnect muzzle device.

but instead of proprietary threads,

bered 6.5CM served as the host. The

they’re also standard 5/8x24mm. Since

added 9 or so inches of additional length

ers is an odd in-between space we’ll

this new mount includes a 25-degree

makes for a friggin’ harpoon of a riﬂe but

call hybrid mounting systems. These

taper, it ends up being a more solid

less than other precision silencers.

systems usually entail a muzzle device

solution than standard direct-thread.

Between direct-thread and QD silenc-

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160

1/2 A :T O K E E P

that’s afﬁxed to the barrel but has exte-

QD by government standards? Yes.

rior threads (often thick ACME threads) to which the silencer is attached. You’re still threading and spinning, just onto the device itself and not the barrel. The U.S. government considers a suppressor “QD” so long as it can be attached faster than its direct-thread

The Grey Ghost Precision GRIM rifle chambered in 6.5CM is similar to the rifle the Hyperion QD 762 was designed for in the first place.

Normally, when we say “gas gun” and “precision silencer” in the same

Can you use it on your direct-thread

sentence, we’re interrupted by a

Grifﬁn Armament, Q LLC, or SIG silencer

boatload of leaded gas to the face. We

that also uses a taper mount? Also, yes.

didn’t have that problem here for two reasons: The Hyperion is designed to

ON THE RANGE Since the Hyperion QD 762 was originally designed for a .260/6.5 gas gun,

be low-pressure for use in semiautomatic rifles, and the GRIM MKII has an adjustable gas block.

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TOP OF THE CLASS

On the indoor range, the Hyperion

of someone else’s more successful

QD 762 sounded similar to an unsup-

product, in the same way it some-

pressed 22LR, with the notable excep-

times seems the latest striker-fired

tions of a deeper tone and the sound

wonder-nine is just a variation of a riff

of the much-larger projectile smacking

on a Glock 19. But that’s not what the

the steel trap. Outdoors? Much of the

Hyperion is. While we’ve seen many of

same — hearing safe from the firing

these elements in previous designs,

line but more noticeable downrange.

we’ve never seen a company put them

It isn’t “movie quiet,” but it’s the best

all together in one place before —

6.5CM suppression on a gas gun we’ve

even if you discount all of their new

ever heard. Excellent, low tone and

additions. CGS Group bet they could

extremely comfortable without ears —

make something that was more than

you can use this one all day.

simply a summation of parts, and they

Frankly, this shouldn’t be that surpris-

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162

1/2 A: A ND BE A R A RMS,

ing, as we had a conversation without

bet right. They push the limits of what’s pos-

hearing protection while ﬁring a Barrett

sible by using all the new tools and

.50BMG M82A1 equipped with a CGS

tricks modern manufacturing gives

Group silencer just a few months ago.

them. In the future, we’d love to see

Sure, it increases overall length, but auditory signature was reduced far, far more than a sub-10-inch silencer

a 1.375x24 HUB mounting system to drastically increase mounting options. CGS Group has set a high bar in

should be capable of. How about

terms of both design and manufactur-

recoil? No perceivable increase.

ing, and there’s no doubt in our minds that several of the features you see

LOOSE ROUNDS

in these pages will become standard

The majority of silencers on the market are no-new-innovation copies

CGS GROUP HYPERION QD 762 LENGTH: 9.5 inches DIAMETER: 1.75 inches MATERIAL(S): Titanium WEIGHT: 15.1 ounces CALIBER: Up to 300RUM MOUNT: Direct-thread MSRP: $1,379 URL: cgsgroup.com

within the next several years — and our ears will thank us for it.

RECOILWEB.COM>

1 64 1A /2A:SHALL NOT

ZEROED IN >

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1 65

By John Schwartze Photos by Joey Skibel

here’s an old saying, “Justice is expensive. How much do you want?” In other words, being able to navigate endless hurdles of red tape requires either a law degree or enough money to pay for someone who has one. Imagine for a second you’ve been injured in combat, seen your friends killed, feel stripped of any sense of purpose, and must reintegrate with civilians who feel indifferent to your sacrifice. Many of you reading this may already under-

stand that plight. Having that feeling compounded by bureaucracy to receive the benefits you’re entitled to is an injustice no one should have to suffer. Our servicemen and women who get

(VLI), she’s taking hopelessness out of the judicial equation. When you’re used to serving others, it can be difficult to ask for help or even know who to ask. VLI exists to provide pro bono legal assistance to

wrapped around the axle of legal rig-

homeless and low-income current

marole can often become just another

and former servicemembers to help

statistic of PTSD, homelessness, or

them receive the access to housing,

suicide. Does that make you mad? It

education, employment, and health-

should. In fact, it compelled Antoi-

care they're entitled to. We spoke to

nette Balta to focus her expertise into

Antoinette about what motivated her

eradicating these complexities. As

to work on behalf of those who’ve put

cofounder of Veterans Legal Institute

their lives on the line for all of us.

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

The Legal System is a Proverbial Mineﬁeld That Harms Far Too Many Servicemembers. That is, Unless You Have Someone Like Antoinette Balta Representing You and Clearing a Path to Victory

ZEROED IN > MG (CA) Jay Coggan, MAJ (CA) Antoinette Balta, and BG (CA) Denton Knapp at a ceremony at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, California.

advanced degree. Without the support of a hard-working family and the opportunities provided by a forwardthinking nation, my education and career would be naught. I believe service can come in many forms, but out of an abundance of gratitude for our nation, my mindset has always been set on paying it forward, be it through military service, my nonprofit career, my role as an active community member, or in the way I’m raising my family. What made you want to become a lawyer? AB: Being exposed to and aware of

1A /2A:BE INFRINGED.

harsher lifestyles around the globe, I was always mindful of my blessings. I wanted a position that afforded me the opportunity to make change and meaningful impact. As a younger person, my parents instilled in me the belief that I could

166 166

be anything I wanted with the right education, and I found my love for

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public interest work growing. Throughout my youth, I spent significant time volunteering and was hoping to merge my philanthropic interests with my future career. While I couldn’t afford to be a public interest attorney as a fresh, newly minted lawyer (as legal RECOIL: Did you come from a military

reserve JAG officer and then as a

family?

Marketing Officer holding the rank of

Antoinette Balta: My father immigrat-

Major, committed to assisting with the

ed to the United States from Lebanon

rebranding of the California Military

in the 1970s. Prior to that, he fought

Department.

against religious persecution and was

I was inspired to serve because,

in combat. Growing up with a hard-

as a first-generation American who

working father who rarely spoke about

(pre-pandemic) regularly visits other

his combat experiences and displays

countries, I’m acutely aware of the

an incredible amount of American

blessings that our great nation has

patriotism, taught me to better under-

bestowed upon us. I’m mindful of the

stand those who give of themselves for

freedoms I enjoy, many of which are

their nation.

partially unique to the United States and other progressive countries, and

Tell us about your military experience and what inspired you to join.

do not take them for granted. I’m the first woman in my family to

AB: I served in the California State

obtain a four-year degree and the first

Guard for over six years, first as a

person in my family to be awarded an

Simulated combat training and learning emergency medical response.

aid attorneys make significantly less), after a few years of private practice, some wise investments, and with the

ZEROED IN > support of my family, I was able to follow my dream and work in public interest. After practicing for approximately nine years, I was able to develop the Veterans Legal Institute (VLI), a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services to local low-income and homeless veterans, active servicemembers, and reservists. Through the power of legal advocacy, at VLI we are able to remove barriers to housing, healthcare, education, and employment and lift up our heroes in need into self-sufficiency. Where did you go to school?

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#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

AB: I hold a degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and management from Chapman University School of Business as well as a Juris Doctor with a special certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution and an LL.M. emphasizing in business and economics from Chapman University Fowler School of Law. I’m also a graduate of the 2018 Pres-

Pictured alongside board chair Marc Hankin in Washington DC, Veterans Legal Institute was awarded the prestigious, national "Vettys" Veterans' Choice Award.

cused on the improvement and further

and took a two-year position with a

development of mobile legal clinics for

local legal aid focusing on homeless-

low-income veterans — a project that’s

ness, economic empowerment, and

shared freely throughout the nation to

nonprofit development.

promote additional services for veterans in need.

Noticing an influx of servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking shelter at a local National

idential Leadership Scholars Class, a prestigious program that serves as a

After you graduated, what area of law

Guard armory, I discovered that many

catalyst for a diverse network of lead-

did you enter?

issues that contributed to these

ers brought together to collaborate and

AB: Post graduation, I remained work-

veterans’ chronic homelessness were

make a difference in the world, as they

ing for a small firm where I had been

legal in nature and required the as-

employed throughout law school and

sistance of an attorney. So, moved by

practiced real estate, business, and

the fact that the men and women who

civil litigation. I went on to become a

had served the country abroad were

partner at that firm prior to launching

now struggling, I committed myself

my public interest career.

to the cause of removing “chronic”

learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. During my tenure in this program, I fo-

Surrounded by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush at the 2018 Presidential Leadership Scholar graduation.

from “homelessness” and empowering Tell us what led to the creation of Veterans Legal Institute.

veterans into self-sufficiency. I approached my then-supervisor

AB: Being a passion-driven person, I

at the local legal aid and requested to

knew that I wanted to work in pub-

transition my fellowship to wholly serv-

lic interest and assist vulnerable

ing veterans. His response was that

populations. I felt that using my law

if I could get the funder to agree, he

degree would be a meaningful way to

would support the project. Fortunate-

accomplish positive change. Once I

ly, the powers that be at Equal Justice

was financially able to transition from

Works accepted my application to

private work, I applied for an Equal

convert my fellowship to helping

Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellowship

solely veterans, and that experience

(think Teach-for-America, but for at-

became the launchpad of my public

torneys). I was granted the fellowship

service career and eventually led to my

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ZEROED IN > cofounding of Veterans Legal Insti-

law; estate planning for older adult and

this collaboration, with the majority

tute. Since the incorporation of VLI in

terminally ill veterans; and more.

remaining safely housed as a result.

2014, we have close to 15 employees,

strategic partnerships to include one

what many don’t understand is that

have close to 10,000 volunteer hours

with Volunteers of America (VOA) and

it’s significantly easier, cheaper,

per year, and have served over 8,000

one with the Tierney Center for Veteran

and better for family health to keep

veterans. My overall goal is to create

Services at Orange County Goodwill.

a veteran family housed and prevent

a legacy of empowerment and hope,

VOA provides housing assistance to

eviction than to assist a veteran once

highlighting the importance of never

at-risk and homeless veterans and re-

the veteran becomes homeless. Once

forgetting those who defend the free-

ceived Supportive Services for Veteran

a veteran becomes homeless, having

dom that we all enjoy.

Families (SSVF) funding through the

an eviction on their record in Orange

Department of Veterans Affairs. VLI

County, California, where affordable

What does your practice focus on?

subgrants from this organization and

housing is in short supply, coming up

AB: Veterans Legal Institute is a non-

effectively tag-teams with their team

with moving and storage fees, security

proﬁt law ﬁrm that provides a wide array

of social workers and veteran naviga-

deposit, and first and last month’s

of civil legal assistance to include com-

tors, so that when a veteran receives a

rent, is an incredible barrier to hous-

plex veteran beneﬁt appeals; discharge

three-day notice or is at risk of becom-

ing. Homelessness also creates other

upgrades for those who have survived

ing homeless, VLI can support them

less spoken about challenges — it

military sexual trauma, post-traumatic

from the legal end. Having funds to

breaks families apart, creates disrup-

stress, traumatic brain injury, and other

support settlement and work with the

tion for children who have to sleep

landlord, we have found that it’s sig-

in cars or move out of their school

niﬁcantly easier to keep a veteran and

district, etc.

not American citizens); landlord-tenant

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utilize over 200 volunteers per year,

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

Homelessness is complex, and

170

Veterans Legal Institute has made

injustices; limited family law, bankruptcy, and consumer law assistance; immigration (yes, many veterans, even those in combat, are green card holders and

Clients at Veterans Legal Institute are able to meet one on one with an attorney to discuss their legal issues.

his or her family housed through col-

VLI also partners with and is actually

laboration. To date, VLI has supported

co-housed with the Tierney Center for

over 200 veteran families through

Veteran Services, which is a one-stop

ZEROED IN > shop for veterans who can speak with

officer. Once a servicemember sepa-

understand the power of legal aid.

several different service providers

rates from the military and becomes a

Many times, people have said to me

to provide holistic support. VLI, the

veteran, he or she no longer has that

“Why would a homeless veteran need

Tierney Center, and its other nonprofit

same access to JAG. The majority of

an attorney?” to which I respond:

occupants oftentimes provide warm

servicemembers enlist right after high

Well, to apply for her veteran benefits

referrals all within the same building,

school and come out four years later,

so that she can access the healthcare

improving the veteran’s likelihood of

while their civilian counterparts are

she needs and give her economic

overall, well-rounded success.

already graduating from college. As a

stability is just one of many ways to

result, they have less financial power,

empower a veteran into self-sufficiency

What do you think are the most com-

and when they come across a legal is-

through a legal advocate. Oftentimes

mon legal challenges faced by current

sue, many oftentimes find themselves

legal issues prevent homeless and

unable to access the very justice they

low-income veterans from accessing

found to defend.

housing, healthcare, education, and

and former servicemembers? AB: Legal challenges are largely dependent on the veteran, the era they served in, and where they live, with significant overlap. In my experience, areas that veterans need significant efit appeals, family law, discharge upgrades, DMV/traffi c/expungement, and landlord-tenant. Below is a breakdown of the areas of practice from 2020 that

172

VLI worked on for your reference: Matters by Practice Area

Total Number

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#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

support include complex veteran ben-

Consumer Law

108

Employment Law

Family Law

284

Probate Law

Health

Housing

143

Government Benefits, other than Veteran

Veterans Benefits and Discharge Upgrades

517

Individual Rights (including immigration, civil rights)

Other (licensing, torts, etc)

104

Nonprofit and Small Business Assistance

Wills, Estate, POA, Advanced Health Care Directive

Expungements

What are the typical examples of red tape and inadequacy that servicemembers experience with the legal aid provided by the military? AB: Active servicemembers have access to their Judge Advocate or JAG

Antoinette's hobbies include heading to the range and testing out different weapons, including this Colt M4.

Legal aid is difficult to fund — it’s not easy to find private donors who

employment, so they become stuck in a cycle of poverty.

ZEROED IN > cannot see their illness like you could a broken leg. Frequently, veterans are denied service connection for their mental health issues, making them feel abandoned or invalidated by the very nation they served. While I cannot say that that’s a direct connection to the reason 22-plus veterans take their own life each day (more than in combat), I do suspect that not having the proper advocate or easy to navigate system can complicate one’s existing trauma. In terms of the legal system, our courts are so congested (now more than ever with the pandemic and court closures), that many times justice is prohibited due to ﬁnancial barriers and tem that more actively promotes mediation and alternative dispute resolution to Are there any cases you’ve taken on

Practicing precision in both law and on the range.

agree on and as a result, modern-day

better and more effectively assist with

veterans are treated significantly bet-

court congestion and litigant resolution.

examples of how the legal system is

ter than their Vietnam and Korea-era

Through organizations like the Or-

failing our servicemembers?

veteran counterparts.

ange County Bar Association, which has

1 74

that stand out in your mind as classic

AB: In a post Vanessa Guillen world, it’s

I credit those who came before us,

over 8,000 members, and of which I’m

no longer a secret that sexual trauma is

speciﬁcally veterans themselves, who

a two-term board member, it’s exciting

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#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

time constraints. I’d love to see a sys-

prevalent in the military. For years, legal

shed light on their service to our great

to see its work toward attorney civility

aids have been ﬁghting these cases try-

country and the sacriﬁce necessary for

and bringing together both bar and

ing to prove that unjust circumstances

our freedom. History and media sharing

bench. Teaching attorney colleagues to

led to less than honorable discharges

stories of the great sacriﬁces our vet-

maintain civility and respect leads to

for survivors of military sexual trauma.

erans make has supported the cause.

better communication and resolution

All too often, the perpetrator faced no

Further, patriots within our legislature

of cases, which in turn saves client’s

consequence, while the person subject

have been able to make the case for

money and stress and decongests our

to the MST was ostracized by his or

those heroes who serve our nation.

court system. Bringing together judges

her peers and even separated from the

and attorneys helps them understand

military. Veterans Legal Institute has a

If you could wave a magic wand and

one another better and communicate in

robust discharge upgrade unit that pri-

change what you think is broken in our

a way where they learn more about how

marily focuses on military sexual trauma

legal system, what would that look like?

to improve our system.

and bringing justice to survivors.

AB: Even before looking at the legal system, in terms of veterans, I would

Do you think the military community is

Do you feel there’s been a degradation

love to see a faster turnaround time in

often targeted by groups masquerading

of legal entitlements for servicemem-

determining their eligibility for beneﬁts

as legitimate legal aid resources for ser-

bers over the last 50 years? If so, what

and discharge upgrades (which leads to

vicemembers that are just total scams?

do you think caused that?

beneﬁts). Many times, it’s difﬁcult to

If so, what are some warning signs that

AB: While we live in a country with

navigate the bureaucracy of the VA and

servicemembers should know about

increased extreme partisanship, one

its healthcare system, creating barriers

potential scams that are out there?

of the few areas that both the red and

to resources for our veterans. In partic-

AB: I think all vulnerable populations

blue can meet and break bread over is

ular, veterans who have mental health

are targets to scams so it’s important

the treatment of our servicemembers.

challenges, like PTSD or a Traumatic

for people to do their research before

Veterans’ issues seem to be some-

Brain Injury (TBI), struggle to submit

becoming involved with any program.

thing that both sides of the aisle can

their claim with evidence since you

Guidestar.org is a great place to start.

ZEROED IN > There are some people who take pay for applying for and/or appealing vet-

potentially see if they have other clients

You mentioned suicide. What other

who’ve reviewed them.

statistics do you think the general

eran beneﬁts claims and are unqualiﬁed, unaccredited, and take more than

What can both military and non-mil-

terms of the despair our servicemen

they are entitled to. I believe these

itary citizens do to push for positive

and women are experiencing?

are few and far between, but we have

legislation for our servicemembers?

AB: In November 2020, the VA released

come across several, including assist-

AB: Becoming involved with your local

the 2020 National Veteran Suicide Pre-

ing one client who was scammed out of

legislators and bringing to light the

vention Annual Report that stated that

$12,000. Veterans Legal Institute was

issues that you spot can create an

the number of veteran suicides per day

able to retrieve his funds.

incredible force of good for our ser-

was 17.6 in 2018. The report states that

vicemembers. It’s important to do the

the rate was similar in 2017. In 2019,

is. Any legal aid that

proper research and provide your legis-

then VA Secretary Wilkie was quoted as

wants to get paid is

lators with ideas, research, statistics,

saying that 60 percent of those warriors

not a true legal aid,

and backup to make their jobs easier.

who take their lives are not in VA.

If it’s too good to be true, it probably

unless they have a low-bono model. I’d research the providing personal information, see if they have a physical location, website, look them up on guidestar.org, and

176

#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

organization before

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public really needs to wake up to in

ANTOINETTE BALTA HOMETOWN: Boston and then moved at a young age to Southern California FAMILY: Married with two children FAVORITE SUPERHERO: Mother Teresa RECOMMENDED READING LIST: The Prophet by Khalil Gibran The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende In the Name of Identity by Amin Maalouf FAVORITE QUOTE: “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” — Lao Tzu FAVORITE SINGER: Shakira and Karl Wolf MOST UNREALISTIC LAWYER TV SHOW OF ALL TIME: Eek ... I don’t watch those shows. FAVORITE WINERY: Daou URL: VetsLegal.org

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#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

OLD SCHOOL >

Up Close and Personal with the P14

RECOILWEB.COM>

1 78

By James Slaughter

ome firearms have interesting

The British Army had an extremely difﬁcult

that should have been “beneath them,” the

backstories; this is especially true

time subduing the Boers in South Africa.

British Army sought a scapegoat and found

with military firearms — many of

The Boers used terrain extremely effectively

it in the Enﬁeld riﬂe and the .303 cartridge.

which are designed to address a

and were excellent at bushcraft. Additionally

As the somewhat apocryphal story goes, it

need, fill a gap, or overcome a perceived

most of them were accomplished marks-

wasn’t the Boers’ excellent skill as irregular

inferiority. It may be difficult to believe but

men and careful hunters. This combination

soldiers that stymied the British, but their

the best bolt-action battle rifle of the 20th

of traits, combined with overconﬁdence and

damn powerful and accurate 7mm Mausers;

century, the No1 Mk III or SMLE

gross underestimation of enemy capability,

it was a more comfortable thought.

(Short Magazine Lee Enfield), and its descendants were almost consigned to the scrap heap before World War I.

led to a number of embarrassing British defeats. Like most organi-

In the aftermath of the Boer Wars, Britain set out to design a new infantry rifle that

zations that experi-

emulated the traits of the Boers’ Mausers.

ence difﬁculties

It would have a stronger action and a more

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OLD SCHOOL > powerful cartridge, and it would “close the gap” so the army wouldn’t suffer any more embarrassing defeats … or something like that. The resulting rifle was the “forgotten” Enfield, the Pattern 14. Originally designed to chamber the new .276 Enfield cartridge, the bulk of all The volley sights on the P14 are the easiest way to tell it apart from the P17.

P14s made were chambered in .303 British. The simple reason was that WWI began well before mass production of the rifle could get underway. Since the new action was stronger, there was absolutely no problem chambering the P14 in .303 British. In fact, the basic core of the P14 went on to create the P17 chambered in .30-06, and the P17 arguably armed more of the Americans in the trenches in 1917 and 1918 than the M1903 Springfield. What’s more, the action was so strong, it’d be readily modified to accept more powerful cartridges than the .30-06, and many were sporterized as such for hunting by companies after both World Wars. The differences between the P14 and the SMLE are striking. The P14 has a ﬁve-round internal magazine instead of a detachable 10-round box magazine. The P14 has graduated

Like most Enfields, the P14 has a distinctive front sight profile from the side.

peep sights instead of conventional notch and post riﬂe sights. The P14 bolt is clearly a Mauser derivative, and the receiver is signiﬁcantly different. However, unlike most Mausers, the British retained the cock-on-opening feature of the earlier SMLE. This feature was extremely important to the British Army. It made rapid fire easier to achieve. Soldiers were paid small bonuses for higher musketry (marksmanship) scores, and [largely] free access to ammunition and range time was common. Further, the P14 maintained the volley sights of the earlier SMLE. While the diminished magazine capacity was a detriment, the improved action resulted in increased accuracy. In fact, the P14 was so accurate

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OLD SCHOOL > The excellent peep sights on the P14 are arguably the best standard-issue sights for precision shooting.

that it was modified for use as a sniper rifle, a role in which it served in both World Wars. The P14 gives the .303 more “legs” than either the SMLE or No. 4, stretching the effec#55/J U L . AU G. 2021

tive range out to 800 yards, maybe a little more. Other than in the sniping role, the P14 saw little active combat service. During WWII, it was relegated to rear area soldiers, excepting again, the

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sniper role. Most of the production run was made in the United States,

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as again it was too late for mass production in Britain once WWI began. Although over 1.2 million were made, the P14 isn’t a common rifle on the U.S. collectors’ market. They’re scarce, but they don’t break the bank when encountered. The tricky part is finding one with a nice bore, as many of these were sent to the far reaches of the world following WWII, and in some places, maintenance was clearly a matter of convenience. A nice P14 with a good or better bore will command $700. If it has the complete volley sight assembly (frequently removed), $950 to $1,000 isn’t unreasonable.

P14 CALIBER: .303 British; very few in .276 Enﬁeld OAL: 46¼ inches

BARREL: 26 inches WEIGHT: 9 pounds, 6 ounces

PRACTICAL ROF: 15 to 20 rpm for most shooters MUZZLE VELOCITY: 2,380 fps

EFFECTIVE RANGE: 800 yards +/-

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