American Shooting Journal - Dec 2020

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A MERIC A N

SHOOTING JOURNAL

Volume 10 // Issue 3 // December 2020

PUBLISHER James R. Baker

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn

GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@americanshootingjournal.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andy Walgamott OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR Katie Aumann

ON THE COVER

LEAD CONTRIBUTOR Frank Jardim

Standing outside his Texas manufacturing facility, TNW Firearms founder and president Tim Bero holds an SGP-QCB AR-15-type rifle of his own design, developed for the U.S. military market. (TNW FIREARMS)

CONTRIBUTORS Jim Dickson, Scott Haugen, Mike Nesbitt, Phil Massaro, Jim Sessions SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold

DG Gentry Custom, LLC ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith

Website: AmericanShootingJournal.com Facebook: Facebook.com/AmericanShootingJournal Twitter: @AmShootingJourn

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

CONTENTS

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 3

MORE FEATURES

26

TNW FIREARMS

HERITAGE, INNOVATION & PROTECTING THE TROOPS How Tim Bero went from making floppy disks to manufacturing semiauto .50-caliber machineguns, helping save Humvee crews’ lives in the Second Gulf War and now, multicaliber survival rifles, pistols, and more.

43

BULLET BULLETIN: MASTERING THE MAGNUMS “Bullet choice is imperative for the best results.” So learned Phil Massaro after mashing a six-point whitetail with a new .300 Win. Mag – it sure tipped over the deer, but ruined a lot of meat. He takes a magnifying glass to magnum cartridges for his latest projectile opus.

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THE WONDERFUL WEBLEY .455 The only recoil-cancelling pistol made, this first successful British automatic may be largely forgotten today, given the rise of the M1911, but it sported notable features for its time. Jim Dickson details this, er, blast from the past.

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BLACK POWDER: TESTING LYMAN’S UPGRADED GREAT PLAINS RIFLE “New specs, new dimensions and a new maker” mark the release of the Signature Series models, manufactured by Pedersoli, with the .50-caliber percussion muzzleloader version impressing our Mike Nesbitt on the range. He shares details from a fun shoot!

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HOLDING OUT FOR THE KING High in the grizzly-thick wilderness of Wyoming, an elk hunter searches for the bull of his dreams. Jim Sessions of Best of the West shares the story of his son Scott’s whopper wapiti.

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ROAD HUNTER: LASTCHANCE MULE DEER Frigid temperatures, snow, post-rut – it’s tough to tag out this time of year on those big-eared bounders of the American West, but Scott Haugen knows a few ways to bag a December buck.

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‘A MOST WELCOME ADDITION TO THESE SHORES’ With their stunning plumage, wily ways and excellent table fare, the ringneck pheasant is one of America’s most beloved game animals to hunt. Jim Dickson profiles these amazing birds, and shares tips for bagging a few as season draws to a close.

AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2020 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

CONTENTS Company Spotlights Safety Harbor Firearms: Keeping price points low for new AR, handgun parts 57 Shell Shock Technologies: Lighter NAS3 shells coming to more popular, military calibers 95 21st Century Shooting: Precision products for reloaders, marksmen 107 V-Line Industries: Safes that keep firearms, valuables wellprotected, quickly accessible 41

DEPARTMENTS 21 Competition Calendar 23 Gun Show Calendar 111 Gift Guide

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

PRIMER

COMPETITION C A L E N D A R

December 6

2020 MRA Junior Pistol PTO Woburn, Mass.

December 12 usashooting.org

December 17-20

USA Shooting/CMP Anniston Winter Airgun Championships Anniston, Ala.

Sandy Ford Olympic Pistol Streator, Ill.

December 17-20

December 5-6

December 12-13

December 5-6

December 5-6

December 5-6

December 12

December 10-13

December 26

2020 South Florida Section Championship Punta Gorda, Fla.

USA Shooting/CMP Camp Perry Winter Airgun Championships Port Clinton, Ohio

December 19-20

Team Shooting Stars PTO Carrollton, Texas

December 26

Cedar Hill Jr Gun Club PTO Blackfoot, Idaho

2020 Florida Section Championship New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

uspsa.org

gssfonline.com

Sweet Home Alabama Glock Challenge VIII Montgomery, Ala.

Carolina Stampede Lumberton, N.C.

Remember the Alamo Ballistic Challenge XXV San Antonio, Texas

2021 CMT Winter Series Shoot 2 Molalla, Ore.

cmsaevents.com

idpa.com

2020 Sheepdog CCP Championship Valdosta, Ga.

December 12

CCSC Monthly IDPA Match Edgemoor, S.C.

December 19-20

Cajun Christmas Louisiana State Match DeRidder, La.

Caliber IDPA Match Waukegan, Ill.

December 26

IDPA Austin Rifle Club Manor, Texas

Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states have prescribed, and rapidly changing developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual events via the links in the above organizers’ websites. americanshootingjournal.com 21

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

PRIMER

GUNSHOW C A L E N D A R

C&E Gun Shows

cegunshows.com

Crossroads Of The West Gun Shows crossroadsgunshows.com

Florida Gun Shows floridagunshows.com

RK Shows rkshows.com

Real Texas Gun Shows therealtexasgunshow.com

Tanner Gun Shows tannergunshow.com

Wes Knodel Gun Shows

December 5-6

Fayetteville, N.C.

Crown Expo Center

December 12-13

Sharonville, Ohio

Sharonville Convention Center

December 12-13

Winston-Salem, N.C.

Winston-Salem Fairgrounds

December 19-20

Dayton, Ohio

Montgomery County Event Center

December 19-20

Raleigh, N.C.

NC State Fairgrounds

December 19-20

Salem, Va.

Salem Civic Center

December 4-6

Phoenix, Ariz.

Arizona State Fairgrounds

December 12-13

Del Mar, Calif.

Del Mar Fairgrounds

December 19-20

Queen Creek, Ariz.

Barney Family Sports Complex

December 5-6

Tampa, Fla.

Florida State Fairgrounds

December 12-13

Fort Myers, Fla.

Lee Civic Center

December 19-20

Palmetto, Fla.

Bradenton Area Convention Center

December 5-6

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Oklahoma State Fair Park

December 5-6

Ashland, Ky.

El Hasa Temple

December 12-13

Lebanon, Tenn.

Wilson County Exposition Center

December 12-13

Springfield, Mo.

Ozark Empire Fairgrounds

December 19

Hays, Kan.

Unrein Family Building

December 19-20

Atlanta, Ga.

Atlanta Expo Center

December 5-6

Harker Heights, Texas

Harker Heights Event Center

December 19-20

Belton, Texas

Bell County Expo Center

All 2020 shows cancelled until further notice

All 2020 shows cancelled until further notice

wesknodelgunshows.com Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states prescribed, and rapidly changing developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual gun shows via the links in the above organizers’ websites.

To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com.

americanshootingjournal.com 23

TNW Firearms founder and president Tim Bero outside his Texas facility where ASR rifle and ASP Tac pistol components are robotically manufactured day and night. He holds a TNW SGP-QCB (Quick Change Barrel) AR-15-type rifle of his own design, developed for the U.S. military market. As for what Bero is leaning on, what looks like an M2 .50-caliber heavy-barrel machinegun is actually a TNW semiauto version of the famous weapon.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

TNW FIREARMS: Heritage, Innovation and

Protecting the Troops from IEDs How Tim Bero went from making floppy disks to manufacturing semiauto .50-caliber machineguns, helping save Humvee crews' lives in the Second Gulf War and now, multicaliber survival rifles, pistols, and more.

T

STORY BY FRANK JARDIM • PHOTOS BY TNW FIREARMS

NW Firearms first made a name for itself among American shooters 20 years ago in a really big way with a really big gun. That gun was a semiautomatic, fullsize replica of the military M2 HB .50-caliber heavy machinegun, a weapon that’s seen continuous use in all theaters of war from the 1930s to the present. That sexy belt-fed beast, known affectionately as the Ma Deuce in military circles, weighs a hefty 83 pounds without the tripod. By the way, even Arnold Schwarzenegger can’t fire one unless it’s on some sort of solid mounting. americanshootingjournal.com 27

The Vernonia, Oregon-based company’s founder and president, Tim Bero, never expected their semiauto Ma Deuce to set industry sales records, and it didn’t. A full-auto M2 HB is a National Firearms Act-controlled machinegun, which puts it out of reach of most shooters in cost and registration requirements. TNW’s semiauto M2 costs about a quarter of the full-auto gun with no more ownership restrictions than a 20-gauge Mossberg 500 shotgun. TNW put the dream of owning and shooting this historic M2 HB in reach – sort of.

If you already had its massive M3 tripod – a thousand-dollar item in itself – you still needed to get a supply of links, a belting tool to load the ammunition in the links, and the ammo itself. Military surplus .50 BMG generally costs $2.50 a round on the low end. Realistically, the TNW M2 HB was a luxury item. But when has the reality of beer pockets ever stopped anyone from dreaming of indulging their champagne tastes?

With the M2 HB, the reputation that TNW rather quickly established was that they were willing and able to make dreams come true for historic military weapons enthusiasts within a relatively new niche of the firearms industry: convenient-toown, semiautomatic copies of famous machineguns. It wasn’t a big niche,

but TNW got into it early and did such a high-quality job in engineering and manufacturing that their German MG34, Finnish Suomi and Russian PPSh-41 semiautos had no rivals.

The company’s focus abruptly shifted during the Second Gulf War, when American losses to IED, or improvised explosive device, ambushes began rising in alarming numbers.

Unable to beat our troops in a face-toface fight, the enemy turned to remote detonated roadside bombs and the U.S. Department of Defense asked private industry for an immediate solution to protect vehicle-mounted troops.

Working with a team of other companies and supported by the

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, TNW took on a concept of bolt-together transparent armor with integrated gun mounts.

TNW did extensive research and development work to create a fieldinstalled transparent armor kit used to protect Humvees and turn the workhorse 5-ton cargo truck into a formidable convoy escort, bristling with .50-caliber machineguns like a World War II Flying Fortress on wheels.

With that life-saving military project completed, Tim Bero again turned the company back to the civilian

The Aero Survival Rifle is compact, light, tough, reliable and versatile – perfect for when the s@#$ hits the fan.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

The TNW ASP (Aero Survival Pistol) Tactical Pistol, here in aero gray, sports a 10-inch barrel standard, SB Tactical Brace and ventilated foregrip extension.

Semiauto Finnish World War II Suomi carbine built by TNW from original M31 Suomi submachinegun parts kits.

TNW’s WWII semiauto Soviet PPSh-41 carbine build from original parts kits.

The ASR in basic black. It accepts common Glock-style magazines and has a 16-inch barrel, threaded at the muzzle, standard.

The ASR comes in four colors – besides aero gray, there’s black, dark earth and olive drab – and is adaptable to numerous calibers, including .22 LR, 9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W, .45 ACP and .460 Rowland.

americanshootingjournal.com 29

The ASR was conceived as a minimalist design, but when customer demand called for an extended front handguard, TNW developed this practical M-Lok accessory.

market and a new life-saving mission that culminated in 2009, when TNW introduced a completely new firearm of Bero’s own design and inspired by his love of history and aviation. The idea began with the dual-caliber M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon that was standard Air Force issue from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. Chambered in .22 Hornet and .410 gauge, the M6 was light, compact and adequate for small game foraging, but nearly useless for self-defense or large game.

Bero set out to take the concept of the go-anywhere, compact, lightweight, multicaliber survival gun to its limit. In 2013, and with five new patents, TNW introduced their Aero Survival Rifle (ASR) and soon afterward, a pistol version.

Small enough to pack behind the car seat, but capable of taking any game animal, including a bear, the versatile ASR was also a formidable selfdefense carbine.

In my interview with Bero, I found his path to the firearms industry especially relevant to our present times.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

Frank Jardim Prior to becoming a gun

maker in 1996, you were a successful Silicon Valley automation engineer, in addition to manufacturing those floppy disks we used to store all our data on back in the day. On the surface, that looks like it might involve a pretty big pay cut. What drew you to the gun industry?

Tim Bero It was the desire to protect our firearms heritage from Bill Clinton, when you get down to it. I started working in the automation industry for a big private firm manufacturing the machines to make the 5-inch floppy disks when I was a 20-year-old undergraduate majoring in aeronautics at San Jose University.

I had my own company on the side and when the place I worked for got bought out, I began designing and building the machines to make the more advanced 3.5-inch floppy disks myself. Since I made the machines, it made sense to make the disks too, so I had two operations going on at once.

It was a great business until President Clinton allowed the Chinese

to dump dirt-cheap disks on the American market. When your own government is looking to put you out of business, you have to decide whether it’s worth it to fight, or just move on.

I always loved shooting and hunting and enjoyed firearms and firearms history as a hobby. Like most everyone with those interests, I found the Clinton administration’s aggressive efforts to curtail the Second Amendment alarming. Younger shooters may not remember the Clinton “Assault Weapons” ban, which was basically a 10-year attempt to eliminate semiautomatic rifles. In the early 1990s, you could buy a new, imported SKS rifle and 1,000 rounds of ammo for a package-deal price of $150. That deal was how huge numbers of new people discovered the shooting hobby.

My first product was a semiauto version of the American M1919A4 machinegun developed by John Browning. I made it for fun when I stumbled into a thousand demilled parts kits. Historically, this weapon played a huge role in World War II

Hunters have killed large game up to bear with the ASR. Howard Kem, owner of Big Creek Lodge (bigcreekfishing.com) in Astoria, Oregon, killed this huge cougar after tracking him for five days through the Idaho hills. As the animal erupted from a cave at a full run, Kem fired two fast shots from his .40 S&W-caliber ASR and instantly killed it with a hit to the head and neck.

and the Korean War. The semiauto was a great success and we did semiauto versions of other historic World War II machineguns as the former Soviet satellite countries unloaded their 50-year-old Cold War small arms stockpiles.

This got me into the import business. I would buy the complete vintage machineguns in Europe, import them into a special Customs-controlled foreign-trade zone in Portland, and demilitarize the guns under Customs and ATF supervision. In this way, I was able to minimize the damage done to the parts while planning our semiautomatic manufacturing process.

We wanted to preserve as much of the historical gun as we could and tried to save every piece, less the receiver, that we didn’t want to make again from scratch. If you had the guns demilled in Europe, there’s no telling what you would end up with, which can really screw up your production line.

FJ What were you thinking of when

you set out to make the perfect survival carbine, the ASR? 32

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

TB The crux of the challenge of

designing a survival rifle is getting the most important features into as light and small a package as possible so you can pack it with you all the time.

When a person finds themselves in a survival situation, be it a plane crash in the wilderness or a violent riot in a major urban area, the “survival” gun they left back home in their gun safe because it was too big is not going to help them stay alive.

My plan for the ASR was a multicaliber, semiautomatic, simple-tomaintain, strong, reliable, aluminumalloy, takedown, pistol-caliber carbine that you can put together or take apart in less than a minute, but with enough designed-in precision that your zero is consistently repeatable with no need for sighting in. The ASR is a gun you can put together and take apart again and again and not have to worry about your bullet impacts shifting all over the place.

FJ How did you get it to return to zero consistently?

TB That’s actually one of my patents.

The steel barrel and barrel nut have

mating tapered circumferences that are self-aligning.

Imagine a traffic cone inside another traffic cone. The barrel doesn’t need any other alignment than that.

During heavy shooting, we noticed the ratchet on the barrel nut can get backed off a bit, especially if it’s halfway between notches, but the design of the bolt-to-barrel interface is such that the recoil spring pushes the barrel and barrel nut surfaces together. You’ll never have a safety or headspace issue.

In fact, the bolt to chamber interface is purposely overdesigned for strength.

You never know what type of handloads some off-grid type might cook up with a Lee Loader, right? For an extra measure of safety, I designed the breech to completely enclose the cartridge and bolt face in battery. I probably should patent that too, come to think of it.

FJ Why did you design it around pistol calibers?

TB So it would be a more practically versatile gun. The ASR is not a military combat rifle or a longrange hunting rifle. Centerfire rifle

cartridges also require more complex locked-action operating systems.

The ASR is actually a true blowback, but the bolt carrier and recoil spring weight are carefully balanced to work with .17 HMR, .22 LR, .22 Magnum, 9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W, 10mm, .45 ACP and .460 Rowland.

Depending on what caliber you’re converting to and from, you need at least a barrel and sometimes a magazine, bolt head and trigger group.

The trigger group is really a complete lower receiver assembly with grip, trigger, hammer, safety, magazine well and ejector. Three different sizes cover all the calibers.

The ASR is designed to use Glockpattern magazines and allows for right or left side ejection and safety activation and the mounting of additional accessory rail on the sides

and bottom of the receiver tube.

Because all the barrels mount on the same receiver unit, you only need one set of sights. We also thread all our muzzles, rifle and pistol, for suppressor use or installation of the muzzle brake or flash hider of your choice.

FJ What motivated you to make the ASR pistol?

TB It was consumer demand, just like all our products. When I started the company, I always intended to let the consumer tell us what they wanted.

They haven’t steered us wrong yet.

The ASR carbine has 16-inch barrels and an adjustable buttstock. The ASR pistol has 10-inch barrels and a simple SB Tactical brace slid over its plain, round buffer tube. Otherwise, the two products are the same.

A word of warning here is in order.

A trio of unique AR platforms from TNW that are currently not in production due to the demand for the ASR and ASP Tac pistol include (left to right): the pistondriven SGP-QCB, designed for sustained fire and featuring a true “hot swap” quickchange barrel; the SDI Pistol, a direct-impingement AR on TNW’s billet-machined upper and lower receiver; and the SDI Rifle, the rifle version of the SDI Pistol.

It’s OK to put a 16-inch carbine barrel on the ASR pistol, but if you put the pistol’s 10-inch barrel on the ASR carbine, you just made yourself an SBR. It’s not legal to do that unless you first file the NFA paperwork with the government, pay your $200 for the tax stamp, and most importantly, have the approved paperwork in your hand!

Likewise, don’t swap out the pistol’s brace for a stock.

FJ Has the consumer-driven product development model taken you to unexpected places?

TB It has, but you don’t get anywhere telling people what they should want.

For example, my vision for the ASR was to keep it really lean and light with no front handguard at all. Well, in addition to an adapter to allow you to mount any aftermarket handguard, we now also make an extended M-Lok forend of our own.

Consumer request got us working on a 9mm ASR light carbine. The regular ASR is about 6 pounds. The ASR Lite is under 4 pounds and the lightest semiauto 9mm carbine on the market. It comes with a threaded barrel too. The weight reduction came at the price of strength, so you aren’t going to be seeing adapter kits for this model for heavier calibers. The market thought the ASR would be a great ultralight, take-down, 9mm carbine, so we will make it.

FJ In the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army

modified 5-ton cargo trucks with guns and armor to protect supply convoys from ambush. TNW did R&D work for a revival of this concept during the Second Iraq War. Can you tell me more about it, or is it classified?

TB It is not classified. With the intensity of insurgent attacks, they found out about it right away. In fact, right after our first test truck got to Iraq, the enemy tested it out by sending a suicide bomber in a carload of ball bearings to blow himself up next to it.

FJ How did it do?

TB They blew it up, but the transparent

armored parts and the Kevlar panels made by Waco Composites did well and it showed us where we needed to 34

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

go to enhance performance.

Our part of the project was to develop bolt-on, bulletproof glass shields for the windows and guns that could be installed on Army 5-ton trucks and Humvees in the field. Another company worked up the armor for the vehicle bodies.

The standard military 5-ton truck is designed to haul cargo and has no armor protection at all. They were easy to knock out with small arms fire, even after they started to armor the bodies. The enemy would wait on highway overpasses until a truck was in sight and start sniping at the crew. We made bulletproof glass frames, as well as enclosed .50-caliber machinegun shields that looked like something you’d see on a World War II bomber.

The trucks mounted one on each corner of the armored truck bed.

Our transparent armor had to stop Russian 7.62x54mm AP machinegun rounds and be optically correct so it wouldn’t mess up NVGs [night vision goggles] the crew would use at night.

The toughest part of the project was designing the supporting frames for the 3-inch-thick bulletproof glass panels. Bullets have a way of finding their way through weak spots and

Completed ASRs ready to ship to customers.

the supporting frames have to be just as tough as the glass. We did it by using thick aluminum frames faced with a thin plate of high hard steel.

The steel would upset the trajectory of the armor-piercing bullets on impact, tipping them just slightly, but destabilizing them enough that when they penetrated in the aluminum, it

Since most of TNW’s production goes to their distributors, individual customer orders are basically hand-built.

36

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

stopped them cold. The surface of the aluminum looked like the bullets splashed down in it. On the glass, the bullet impacts looked like snowball impacts.

FJ Wouldn’t that obscure the gunner’s view of the target?

TB If the glass took enough hits, it could; but realistically, once the enemy drew the attention of a .50-caliber machinegunner, their time in the fight was about to abruptly end.

Keep in mind, each truck had four shielded guns. That’s a huge amount of firepower. One .50-caliber machinegun can take apart whatever it shoots at.

FJ The firearms industry isn’t often recognized for their support of our military, is it?

TB The mainstream media isn’t interested in stories about the gun industry unless they can be used to vilify it. People in our industry don’t support the military for good press anyway. They do it because it’s the right thing to do and they have the unique skills to do it well.

The gun truck project was so urgent, we completely shut down all commercial manufacturing operations for a year to focus on it. No guns, no parts – nothing for the civilian market until we finished the R&D. Our troops

TNW’s biggest hit to date is their ASR, but their biggest product, in physical size at least, will always be their semiauto replica of the massive belt-fed M2 HB .50-caliber heavy machinegun.

Out of production for a few years now, TNW plans to bring it back when time permits.

were getting killed and wounded almost every week and the politicians weren’t convinced they even needed armored gun truck escorts.

Fortunately, the project had an advocate in Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter from San Diego. He was USMC in Vietnam. In six months we had the first prototype in the field and then we had them on display in front of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. so he could argue the case for them in Congress.

Small companies like ours worked out all the R&D and testing of the designs so the DOD could have a big contractor mass-produce them. I was amazed at the bureaucratic obstacles the government put in its own way.

For example, the ATF did not allow importation of the Russian military armor-piercing ammunition that we needed to test our armor. We had to have this ammunition or we couldn’t do the R&D. You would have thought the DOD could have just had a soldier in Iraq pick up a few boxes off the battlefield and mail them to us. That was apparently impossible to achieve in any meaningfully quick timeframe.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

To do our testing properly, we had to reverse-engineer the Russian ammunition from its velocity and performance specifications and actually make it in-house. Meanwhile, troops are getting blown up and shot up on the highways. We have never worked on a project with more passion and urgency, and it’s one of the things I’m most proud of.

FJ Have you done any work for the DOD since then?

TB We have, but not to the extent we had to close down civilian manufacturing. Lately we’ve been making weapon training simulators that are exactly the same size and weight as the real firearms, but fully wired with computer-controlled sensors and electro-mechanical devices to recreate real-life operation and malfunctions. The computer monitors and reacts to everything the trainee does, right or wrong. This allows them to get a lot of experience handling the weapons properly so they can make the most of their limited time on the firing range with live ammunition.

We make a .50-caliber machinegun

and Mark 19 belt-fed 40mm grenade launcher for the military. For the Department of Homeland Security, we make an MP5 submachinegun, M4 carbine and Beretta M9 pistol that actually fire plastic bullets so they can be used in force-on-force tactical training. These guns take a tremendous beating and we had to make beefed-up receivers for the M4s so they wouldn’t get broken. This is something we can do at TNW to ensure the people that protect us are as well trained as they can be.

All this production and R&D doesn’t happen in a vacuum, either. It takes the help of others in the firearms and defense community, hardworking employees and the support of the family. My two sons, Shawn and Chris, have really stepped up these past years and taken over. They have some new products that they are working on and I’m very excited for the next generation of ideas. Their talents and ideas will bring some technology I never thought possible.  Editor’s note: For more information, visit tnwfirearms.com.

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

‘NEW,’ ‘INNOVATIVE,’ ‘AFFORDABLE’

Safety Harbor Firearms aims to keep price points down as it brings AR, handgun parts to market.

Following initial success with its SHTF 50 magazine-fed and single-shot upper conversions (top, bottom) for AR-15s, Safety Harbor Firearms branched out into shotguns, braces and more.

PHOTOS BY SAFETY HARBOR FIREARMS

L

aunched in the early 1990s, Safety Harbor Firearms began as a Type 7 FFL, specializing in military surplus firearms and ammo. But after then-President Bill Clinton signed the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act (aka the “Assault Weapons Ban”) into law, “the fun went away,” says SHF president Walter Keller.

So the central Florida-based company shifted gears and began making the SHTF 50 BMG Upper Conversions for the AR-15 platform, the first magazine-fed upper on the market.

The popular product is designed to fit

any Mil-Spec AR-15 pattern lower, and is available in three different barrel lengths: 18, 22 and 29 inches.

After finding initial success with their uppers, SHF branched out even further.

“Becoming a Class II manufacturer, we began making the KEG12 AOW Shotguns in .12-gauge, .20-gauge and .410,” says Keller. “In the last few years, we also moved into the pistol brace/ collapsible stock market. SHF makes stocks for the AR-15, MP5/MP5k, Sig MPX/Rattler, CZ Scorpion, and Stribog SP9A1, A2 and A3.”

Always innovating, the team at SHF is currently working on Glock and

CZ Scorpion magazine trigger frame conversions for the Stribog SP9 series of pistols, which will be available in 2021.

“The goal at Safety Harbor Firearms is to create new and innovative products at an affordable price,” says Keller. “One of our main selling points is affordability – making products and selling them at a price point that’s affordable.”

Whether you’re looking for uppers, accessories or complete rifles and shotguns, build – or buy – your ideal firearm at Safety Harbor Firearms.  Editor’s note: For more information, visit safetyharborfirearms.com. americanshootingjournal.com 41

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

BULLET BULLETIN

The myriad of magnum cartridges can be both a blessing and a curse, unless you know how to handle their velocity with a proper bullet.

MASTERING THE MAGNUMS When it comes to this powerful cartridge, ‘bullet choice is imperative for the best results.’

STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP

had just obtained my first .300 Winchester Magnum – a cartridge I’d come to absolutely love, and one that I’d end up taking all over the world – and simply could not wait for the first day of deer season. I had the rifle zeroed perfectly, so any shot in the open woods of our hunting property was a dead hold, and it was grouping very well. When opening day finally arrived, the morning had been rather quiet – just a couple does here and there – so I returned to my truck for lunch, planning to try a different spot for the afternoon.

As I approached the second stand,

I

reeling from the effects of a huge lunch, a respectable six-point buck stood up in front of me, just as surprised to see me as I was him. Getting the InterArms rifle to shoulder and tracking the buck as he ran, I was absolutely ready when that deer made the fatal mistake of stopping near the ridge top and looking back. When the trigger broke, the buck fell out of the scope, as dead as yesterday. I remember thinking, “This is a deer rifle!” No tracking, no wondering, just dead-right-there.

Oh, that deer was dead alright, as was evidenced by the softball-sized hole on his offside shoulder and the huge radius of bloodshot meat around

it. Essentially both front shoulders were inedible, and the scowl from my father upon skinning the deer made me rethink my choice of rifle/cartridge/ bullet. To the best of my recollection, it was a 150- or 165-grain Hornady factory load, but that was over two decades ago.

Can I say the Hornady InterLock bullet failed? Absolutely not; the deer was killed immediately, and the bullet went exactly where I aimed it. The issue was the speed of impact, and the construction of the chosen bullet for the task. The InterLock is a (wonderful) cup-and-core design, and like so many cup-and-core bullets, will expand quite americanshootingjournal.com 43

BULLET BULLETIN A collection of recovered Swift A-Frame bullets, from magnum cartridges, from animals ranging from warthog and ostrich to eland and Cape buffalo. They all retained over 90 percent of original weight.

The 7mm Remington Magnum is very well served by the 175-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range; it’s good at all sane hunting distances.

violently when the impact velocities are high, which was invariably the case with that particular deer. Simply put, I should have chosen a different bullet for the velocities generated by the big case.

LET’S FIRST LOOK at what makes a magnum cartridge. “Magnum” is the Latin word for “great,” and in the cartridge world it denotes a This west Texas aoudad fell to a .300 Winchester Magnum and Norma BondStrike 180-grain ammunition for author Phil Massaro. They’re notoriously tough, yet the bonded-core bullet handled it perfectly.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

cartridge that delivers a higher level of performance than standard, but that can be subjective.

The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum is most certainly a magnum when compared to its predecessor – the Velopex – but has become the industry standard, taking away the .375 Winchester and .38-55. The .416 Rigby doesn’t have the magnum name,

probably because it was the first of its bore diameter, but shares identical ballistics with the .416 Remington Magnum. The .300 H&H Magnum betters the velocities of the classic .30-06, which predated it by 19 years, but pales in comparison to the .300 Weatherby Magnum, let alone the .30378 Weatherby Magnum. And the .30 Nosler has no magnum in its name,

BULLET BULLETIN

Massaro handloaded 220-grain Hornady InterLock roundnosed bullets in his .300 Winchester, at a reduced velocity of 2,425 feet per second to hunt whitetail deer and black bear at woods distances. (J.D. FIELDING PHOTOGRAPHY)

but is absolutely a magnum cartridge, as it has a velocity on par with the .300 Weatherby Magnum. So, whether or not the cartridge has “magnum” in its name, you’ll need to look at the velocities to see if they may pose an issue.

When you are shooting a magnum, those high velocities can put an awful lot of strain on the bullet, especially when the shots are close, say, inside

of 100 yards, and that’s exactly what caused that horrific exit wound on my deer. Had I chosen a heavier bullet with a better sectional density value, things would have been different, just as they would if I had chosen a premium bullet, or if the distance to that deer had been longer, giving the bullet a chance to slow down.

At .308 Winchester velocities, the

Hornady’s InterBond and GMX bullets are a perfect choice for the speedy .257 Weatherby Magnum; they won’t break up prematurely from excessive velocity.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

150-grain .308-inch-diameter cup-andcore bullets are no issue, but increase that velocity from 2,820 feet per second to 3,250, and you’ve reached the point of undesirable terminal ballistics.

The longer, heavier 180-grain bullets make a better choice for the .300 Winchester Magnum, as the muzzle velocity slows down to 2,960 fps and the increased sectional density value

A Federal Fusion bullet recovered from a whitetail buck, from a .300 Winchester Magnum. The bullet held together well, and the deer dropped in its tracks.

Our Online Catalog has over 388 different bullets WE HAVE 300 SET OF MOLDS. 25 EMPLOYEES. 25 CASTING MACHINES. 14 AUTO LUBERS. COWBOY .25 .32 .38 .38 .38 .38-40 .44-40 .45LC .45LC .458

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BULLET BULLETIN The Nosler AccuBond features a thick jacket chemically bonded to the lead core.

The white polymer tip helps maintain ballistic coefficient and initiate expansion.

Handloading your ammunition, such as these 230-grain Cutting Edge Raptors in the .375 H&H, will allow you to control the velocity and thereby the bullet performance.

(.226 for the 150-grain bullet vs. .271 for the 180-grain bullet) helps slow down rapid expansion, thereby reducing the amount of wasted meat.

This type of thinking coincides with the ELD-X line from Hornady; most of their choices have a sectional density value of .250 or greater (though I believe that is a secondary thought, running hand-in-hand with the high ballistic coefficient) and usually deliver

perfectly acceptable terminal ballistics, especially on deer and similar-sized game. Mind you, a 143-grain ELD-X delivered from a 6.5 Creedmoor is not the same as a 143-grain ELD-X delivered from a 6.5 PRC (the latter having a much higher velocity), so expect results to vary with speed.

Even the high-SD cup-and-core bullets can shed a considerable amount of original weight. A buddy recovered

The author took this Hartmann’s mountain zebra in Namibia with handloaded .300 Holland & Holland ammo, featuring the 180-grain Federal Trophy Bonded Tip bullet.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

a 200-grain ELD-X from his recent whitetail kill – delivered from a .300 Weatherby Magnum at 230 yards – and the upset bullet weighed a mere 77 grains. The deer was absolutely flattened, but it gives an idea of how speed can radically upset a cup-andcore bullet. I’ve had more jacket/core separations with magnum cartridges than with standard cartridges, and especially with the boattail spitzers; it’s

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BULLET BULLETIN just part and parcel of the design.

IF YOU DO prefer using cup-and-core bullets for magnum cartridges at closer distances, and you can handload your own ammunition, you can use the lower end of the load data to reduce the velocities. For example, one of my favorite rifles is a Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless, chambered in

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

.300 Winchester Magnum. It has a polymer stock (that I don’t worry about scratching) and the stainless metal won’t rust in the rain and snow; however, in the New York deer woods, our shots rarely exceed 100 yards, so full-house loads are a bit excessive.

Because we also have a healthy black bear population, I went the route of the classic African cartridges:

heavy-for-caliber round-nosed bullets at a moderate velocity. I handloaded 220-grain Hornady InterLocks at 2,425 fps; that load accounted for both deer and black bear, and remains a subMOA favorite. There are thick-jacketed choices from Sierra and others that can also help mitigate the expansion issues.

If you don’t handload and are dependent on factory ammunition, I will happily recommend using premium bullets, of any conformation or construction. Classic choices like the Nosler Partition or Barnes TSX will never let you down, even at the closest distances. Modern bonded iterations, like Federal’s Fusion and Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, the Swift A-Frame and Norma’s Oryx, will also make your life easier when the shooting is in close, giving high weight retention and penetration, working very well with the additional horsepower of the magnums.

Should you want to maximize the trajectory and wind deflection values of your magnum cartridge – and there is no reason you shouldn’t; that’s why you shoot a magnum, after all – the polymer-tipped, boattail bonded and monometal bullets are most certainly the way to go. Look to Nosler’s AccuBond and AccuBond Long Range, Federal’s Trophy Bonded Tip and Terminal Ascent, the Swift Scirocco II, Hornady’s InterBond, Norma’s EcoStrike and BondStrike, and Barnes’ TTSX and LRX; there are others, but you get the drift. These bullets can be wonderfully accurate, they usually give expansion of at least twice original caliber, and weight retention somewhere in the 85- to 90-percent range. I find these premium bullets to be the most useful designs for a magnum cartridge – speaking about the all-around calibers between .25 and .35 – as they can really do it all.

The heavy magnums – those designed for the pachyderms and the true heavyweights – like the .458 Winchester Magnum, .458 Lott, .450 Rigby, all of the .416s, and I’ll include the .500 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs, will all benefit from premium bullets, in

BULLET BULLETIN Norma’s Oryx has the rear portion of the jacket bonded to the core, to prevent premature expansion.

This is a recovered 300-grain bullet from the .375 H&H Magnum.

both expanding softpoint and nonexpanding solids. There are many round-nosed, semi-spitzer and flatnosed choices for these bullets, as well as spitzer bullets, which will flatten trajectories a bit.

And going back to that .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, it will be equally at home with the flat-nosed solids like the Barnes Banded Solids This Sierra GameKing cup-and-core boattail bullet (right) has separated jacket and core, a common phenomenon when impact velocities are too high.

The Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid – shown here as loaded by Federal in .375 H&H Magnum and .416 Remington Magnum – gives the slightest bit of expansion at the nose and unprecedented penetration.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

g il d n t h.

americanshootingjournal.com 53

BULLET BULLETIN The .264 Winchester Magnum can generate enough velocity to test the mettle of a cupand-core bullet; these Nosler AccuBond Long Range bullets make a much better choice.

The Swift Scirocco II is a bonded-core, polymer-tipped bullet, which has a nice, thick jacket and is well-suited to any magnum cartridge.

This 200-grain ELD-X in the .300 Weatherby Magnum was reduced to a mere 77 grains after striking a whitetail buck at 235 yards. The deer was dead-right-there, but this is illustrative of what can happen with a cup-and-core bullet.

and Woodleigh Hydro Solids, the semi-spitzer softpoints like the Swift A-Frame, and the polymer-tipped spitzer boattails like the Nosler AccuBond. The cartridge shoots nearly as flat as a .30-06 Springfield, while generating 4,000 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, and can handle bullets weighing between 235 grains, in the case of the Barnes TSX and Cutting Edge Raptor, up to the 350-grain 54

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

Massaro took his first Cape buffalo bull in Zambia, with a handloaded 400-grain Swift A-Frame in his .416 Remington Magnum.

Bullet performance was perfect, with the bullet up against the offside skin.

Woodleigh Weldcore and FMJ solids.

There are cup-and-core choices that will perform well in the three-sevenfive, as the muzzle velocities are rather sedate in comparison to the .378 Weatherby Magnum and .375 Remington Ultra Magnum, but when it comes to dangerous game, I much prefer the premium choices.

I love the magnum cartridges – having spent considerable time

with the .300 H&H, .300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum, .375 H&H, .416 Remington Magnum and more – but learned the hard way that bullet choice is imperative for the best results. Try some different designs (when the ammunition becomes available again) and see which of the premium bullets shoots best in your magnum, and you’ll remain a happy hunter for years to come. 

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

BEST CASE SCENARIO After 2020-related delays, Shell Shock Technologies’ lighter, two-piece NAS3 shells coming to more popular, military calibers soon.

PHOTOS BY SHELL SHOCK TECHNOLOGIES

hell Shock Technologies was founded in 2015 in Connecticut to develop, manufacture and sell, on a worldwide basis, the most technologically advanced cartridge cases to ammunition manufacturers.

The idea for Shell Shock’s lightweight high-performance Nickel Alloy Shell (NAS3) cases came after looking at how a brass cartridge case is made and thinking, “There has to be a better way to do this.”

“There are different requirements for the cylinder and base of a cartridge case,” explains Andrew Vallance, Shell Shock’s vice president. “The cylinder is designed to contain the pressure from the powder ignition, expand to seal the chamber, and grip the bullet uniformly until the right moment to release it. The base is simply there to hold the primer, support the cylinder, and provide a way to eject/extract the fired case.”

He continues, “Brass has been used for over 100 years for cartridge cases, primarily because it is highly malleable and easy to form into the required shape. This malleability does not make it ideal for either of the two different sets of requirements for the two parts of a cartridge case.

These two different requirements led to Shell Shock’s NAS3 two-piece case design using different materials for the cylinder and base: a high-

S

Shell Shock is working to roll out its NAS³ case technology over a range of the most popular pistol and rifle calibers, along with certain specialist military calibers.

tensile-strength stainless steel for the cylinder, combined with an aluminum base for pistol calibers or stainless steel base for rifle calibers. These two pieces are then joined together on a high-speed automated assembly machine to form a strong mechanical rivet joining the two pieces together.”

According to Vallance, the two-piece case design is the only technology that satisfies worldwide demand for reduced weight and cost, while simultaneously delivering increased performance, without requiring changes to existing

components (powder and bullets), loading and linking equipment, or packaging infrastructure. Shell Shock’s cases are typically 40 to 55 percent lighter than brass (depending on caliber); applicable to all pistol, rifle and machinegun calibers (4.6 to 30mm); and offer superior ballistic performance and more consistent velocities between rounds. They also have greater internal capacity than brass cases.

Five years after its founding, Shell Shock continues to proudly make all its products in the US, and the americanshootingjournal.com 57

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

The company’s two-piece case design uses high-tensile-strength stainless steel for the cylinder and aluminum or stainless steel bases for pistol or rifle calibers, respectively.

S R’ R E L LE UMMB THTU

company now supplies its NAS3 cases to both individual shooters and more than 70 ammunition manufacturers around the world. The design has been a hit with shooters everywhere – in all professional, competitive and recreational capacities – and for a variety of reasons.

“Military customers appreciate the reduced weight of Shell Shock’s NAS3 cases. Lighter-weight cases enable soldiers to carry more ammunition, weapons or other equipment for the same overall load,” says Vallance.

“Lighter-weight cases also allow aircraft a wide range of new mission parameters; they can fly further, fly faster, or carry more ammo/equipment.”

And while “competitive and precision shooters like the more consistent round-to-round velocity offered by NAS3 cases,” Vallance adds, “individual shooters and law enforcement personnel appreciate the fact that fired NAS3 cases can be easily picked up with a magnet.

This benefit manifests multiple times, as NAS3 cases can be reloaded many more times than brass cases.”

Shell Shock is working to roll out its NAS3 case technology over a range of the most popular pistol and rifle calibers, along with certain specialist military calibers. The vast majority of the development work on these calibers has been completed, but their market introduction has been delayed by the ongoing industry-wide supply chain disruption that has occurred during 2020.

“These supply chain issues are starting to be resolved and Shell Shock is intending to begin launching these calibers over the next 12 months,” says Vallance. “Shell Shock’s website will be regularly updated with announcements and launches of new calibers.”

Stay tuned!  Editor’s note: For more information, visit shellshocktech.com.

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PORT SAN LUIS SPORTLAUNCH americanshootingjournal.com 59

SALUTE To GUNS

Dating back to the early 1900s, the Webley Self-Loading Pistol saw limited service with British forces in World Wars I and II. The vintage ammo shown is from the former conflict.

THE WONDERFUL WEBLEY .455 The only recoil-cancelling pistol made, this first successful British automatic may be largely forgotten today given the rise of the M1911, but it sported notable features for its time.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JIM DICKSON

ecoil and muzzle bounce are a fact of life for pistol shooters firing powerful calibers. The time taken to recover from that muzzle bounce is the biggest limiting factor on accurate rapidfire. Only one pistol has successfully engaged

R

this problem and eliminated it: the Webley & Scott .455 automatic pistol.

It accomplishes this miracle with its unique locking system. More on that later, but rapidfire is furthered by perhaps the best trigger pull ever put into a military pistol. Sights are big and easily acquired under combat

conditions. Quality, fit and finish are up to the best of the pre-World War I commercial standards.

Another unique feature of this gun is the use of a powerful V leaf spring for the recoil spring, which offers significant advantages over a coil spring. The leaf spring can stay americanshootingjournal.com 61

Unless you have boxes of Kynoch commercial ammo from the 1950s on hand, bullets for the M1913 are tough to come by today, but there’s a work-around with .45 auto rim casings, the author says.

compressed or flexed indefinitely without losing strength, like a coil spring will. A properly made and polished leaf spring is also much less likely to break than a coil spring.

Webley & Scott also made Best Quality double guns and no one makes a better leaf spring than the gun trade in the British Isles. Best Quality doubles have typically shot five to 15 million rounds and been as good as new. You won’t do that with coil springs without frequent replacements.

Leaf springs in Americanproduced guns typically have not been as well designed or made as these, so coil springs got the better reputation on this side of the pond.

Some folks said that the fact that the grip covers the recoil spring is a drawback because if the hard rubber grips were broken, the spring would 62

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

pinch the fire out of your hand. I can find no record of this ever happening, though, and had it been a problem, the simple addition of a steel backing plate to the grip would have solved this.

There is a grip safety but no manual safety, as the English were aware of the problem of people being killed because they did not remember to take the safety off under the stress of a life-or-death situation. With the grip safety, or “back safe” as Webley called it, the gun was as safe to carry as a Webley revolver; unlike the revolver, however, it could be safely carried cocked.

The gun looks awkward, with its nearly 90-degree grip angle, but it was designed for British officers who all had boxing as part of their training. Punch the gun at the target and the sights seem to align themselves. The grip is small enough

around for average-size hands but long enough for giant hands. It is a very easy pistol to hit with.

This is a full-size military pistol meant for open carry, but it is still not overly large. It weighs 39 ounces and is 8 1/2 inches long, of which 5 inches is the barrel.

Another unique feature of this gun is the two-position magazine. Drop the magazine down to the second magazine catch hole and the pistol becomes an effective single-shot. The barrel stays open after the last shot, so you just drop a new cartridge into the chamber and hit the slide release.

If the enemy is at close-quarters with you and counting your shots, he may expose himself when he thinks you must change magazines. Instead, you just hit the magazine release, shove the magazine all the way up in the grip, and hit the slide release. This takes

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significantly less time than the fastest magazine change and there are times that this can become a big advantage.

The magazine holds seven shots and is made of heavy 20-gauge steel.

THE DESIGN IS extremely simple with heavy massive parts that do not fail and are few in number. The firing sequence begins when the grip safety is depressed by picking up the gun. This makes the sear lever touch the trigger lever so that when the trigger is pulled, the trigger lever forces the sear lever to rotate out of its notch in the hammer so that the hammer can fall on the firing pin, discharging the weapon.

The barrel and slide are locked together at the moment of firing by a locking shoulder on top of the barrel that engages the slide. As the barrel and slide move to the rear under the force of the recoil, the barrel is forced down its two diagonal grooves on each side of the barrel, unlocking

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

the barrel from the slide, while the downward unlocking motion cancels out the upward flip of the muzzle.

This also transmits the remaining recoil into the almost 90-degree angle of the grip, where it is absorbed unnoticed straight into the shooter’s arm without any tendency to bounce the gun in recoil, so the gun remains steady when fired. Thus the remaining shots can be accurately fired at a much faster rate than with any other pistol.

The barrel strikes its stop in the receiver, enabling the slide to continue to the rear without it, while the big top-mounted extractor pulls the cartridge back out of the chamber until the ejector hits it and sends it flying.

The powerful V spring is attached to a slide bar and it now slaps everything forward back into battery.

There is a very positive disconnector by which the barrel forces the trigger lever away from

the sear lever when the barrel is unlocked, thus preventing the gun from being fired unless the barrel is locked into battery.

Field-stripping is extremely easy, foolproof and fast. This feature cannot be overrated in any firearm.

Guns that are hard to strip may not get proper maintenance, and worse, may be reassembled wrong with fatal consequences in combat.

To take this pistol apart, remove the magazine and cock the gun. Pull the slide back Âź inch, while pushing in the recoil lever stop stud located on the right side of the pistol to the rear of the trigger, thus locking the recoil spring.

Now push the slide forward. Pull the slide stop to the right as far as it will go and pull the slide to the rear. The barrel can now be lifted up and out of the frame. Push the slide catch in and move the slide forward off the frame. That’s all there is to it. Having the barrel free to clean the corrosive primer residue with

Right and left side views of the M1913. Its origins trace back to the Mars Automatic Pistol, which was rejected by British military testers because “No one who fired once with the pistol wished to shoot it again,” according to the book Tools of War: History of Weapons in Early Modern Times.

hot soapy water is a big help. Since the primers loaded by the British were the most horribly corrosive ever made, this is a very big deal.

The .455 self-loading cartridge it fires is also well thought-out. A semirimmed case enabled a oneway interchangeability with the .455 Webley service revolvers, which made the acceptance of another cartridge in the supply chain easier for ordnance to bear. The .455SL fires a 224-grain bullet at 710 feet per second. It is blunt-nosed like the .600 Nitro Express for maximum energy transfer to the target.

Both the gun and its cartridge were accurate out to 200 yards and this resulted in the Royal Horse Artillery ordering some with adjustable sights and shoulder stocks.

The pistol passed all the reliability tests the Webley factory and British Royal Ordnance could devise. As 68

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

America was considered a rival and a country England might well go to war with at this time, they chauvinistically declared it more reliable than America’s new M1911. Events in WWI would prove this wrong, but the pistol still remains more reliable than most modern pistols.

This is an extremely well-thoughtout gunfighter’s pistol. Unfortunately, all these features were wasted on most of its users since the British are a nation of shotgunners, not pistol shooters.

THE FIRST ENGLISH automatic was the Mars pistol of 1902, designed by Hugh Gabbett-Fairfax. W.J. Whiting, Works Manager of Webley’s, patented his first design in 1903. Prior to this, T.W. Webley had taken a license on the Mars automatic pistol in 1898 and instructed his protege, Whiting, to develop a military automatic from this.

The next Webley automatic

model was the M1904 in .38 and .455. This was followed by their first commercially successful automatic, the M1905 .32. In 1906, a new model introduced the locking system and the basic design of the gun that would be adopted by the British military.

The “back safe” grip safety was added in 1908 and other refinements were made. The number of inclined grooves were reduced to two on the barrel and the slide release stud was moved to a more easily used spot.

The hammer safety was discarded.

All the improvements were finished in 1909. Whiting was considered England’s best pistol designer of this era and he was assisted in this project by F.T. Murry and J. Carter.

Webley could not afford to tool up and make this pistol without a government contract, though. The Royal Navy came through with a

A barrel for the M1913 shows the locking step on top and the diagonal slide rails for unlocking that cancel out the upward flip of the barrel as they move down.

contract in 1912. The first deliveries were not until June 1913, hence it was termed the “1913” model. The pistol was approved for “land,” meaning for use by the British Army, in 1916.

The Webley had an exposed barrel, like the M96 Mauser Military Pistol and the Luger, which proved its value in the mud of WWI. If the barrel is blocked with mud when it is fired, it will bulge, but the pistol will still function. A pistol with a slide over the barrel will jam because the slide cannot go over the bulge.

Eley Brothers was contracted to produce the ammunition in April of 1912 and the first ammo was delivered before the first guns were.

It seems a bit unfair that Eley got the government contract when Kynoch had done all the development work, but that’s what happened.

The grand total produced of the Webley .455 automatics was a mere 9,298. Cost-cutting after WWI meant no more orders from the government.

Surviving guns saw service in World War II as well, but most .455 automatics then were the 13,510 Colt M1911A1 pistols that the British bought chambered for the .455 selfloading cartridge. A great number of the remaining Webley .455 autos were imported to the U.S. after the war, along with the rest of the surplus guns that blessed these shores in the 1960s.

AS THE YEARS went by, the virtues of this remarkable automatic pistol were forgotten. In 1975, I was talking with the head of Webley & Scott when I mentioned the lack of muzzle flip and recoil of their M1913 .455 automatic.

A look of surprise crossed his face

The Webley Self-Loading Pistol saw only a limited run of production, and while it may be widely forgotten today, it still boasted features that for its era put it among the ”ranks of many stunning advances in firearm design.”

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and he immediately turned to one of his men and said, “Make some ammunition. We’re going to fire the Webley.” The M1913 had joined the ranks of many stunning advances in firearm design that had been fielded and forgotten. Only big orders can keep one going. The old saying “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door” has proven a fairytale over and over again to countless inventors.

Ammo is a problem since the cartridge is long out of production.

Cases can be made from .45 auto rim cases by shortening them and thinning the rim down. I was able to find a nice spare barrel and had the chamber relined to .45 ACP. As .45 ACP cartridges are too long, there are some jams and I cannot recommend the practice of firing the more powerful .45 ACP in a gun intended for a weaker round. The safe way is to load .45 ACP rounds to .455 Webley self-loading specs, paying particular attention to the cartridge’s overall length. The Webley requires cases with an overall length of 1.230 inches, where the standard .45 ACP factory loads are 1.260 to 1.270 inches long.

The .45 ACP semiwadcutters are too short. Unless the case length is 1.230 inches, the cases stick in the magazine under recoil, throw off the timing, and lock the slide open after every shot.

Remember, no gun should ever be used with improper ammo for it.

The Webley is a splendid design by England’s best pistol and revolver designer of his day. It offers unparalleled speed of fire and that can be a lifesaver at times. 

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BLACK POWDER

TESTING UPGRADED GREAT PLAINS RIFLE The new Great Plains Rifle Signature Series Muzzleloader from Lyman and made by Pedersoli features a 1-inch-wide barrel, and comes in either .50- or .54-caliber.

'New specs, new dimensions and a new maker' mark release of Signature Series models, with .50-caliber percussion muzzleloader impressing on the range.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT

A

fter 40 years of production, Lyman has decided to upgrade their Great Plains Rifle and the new gun is certainly worth looking at.

More than just upgraded, this gun is all new: new specs, new dimensions and a new maker. The muzzleloading rifle also has a new name: the Lyman Great Plains Signature Series.

My first impression of the new Lyman rifle, when I took the gun out of the box, was a good one. It has a 1-inch-wide barrel, which completely

changes the profile of the gun. Of course, this rifle has a newly designed stock too, as well as new locks and furniture. I can’t identify a single piece or part that was transferred from the old Great Plains Rifle.

The barrels are new on the inside too, with different twist rates. The new Pedersoli-made guns have a 1-in-48inch twist rate in .50-caliber, and 1-in-65-inch twist rate for the .54-caliber rifles with 32-inch

barrels. They also offer a Great Plains Hunter in both .50- and .54-caliber, which have a 1-in-24-inch twist rate for elongated bullets in 30inch barrels. Just to complete the comparison of the barrels, the old Lyman GPRs had 1-in-60-inch twist rates for both .50- and .54-caliber “round ball guns” and a 1-in-32-inch twist rate for the Hunter. The gun I received for this field test and review was a 9¾-pound .50-caliber with the 1-in-48-inch twist.

Both percussion and flintlock versions are made with newly designed locks.

americanshootingjournal.com 73

BLACK POWDER FOR MY INITIAL shooting, I headed to the black powder range at Capitol City Rifle & Pistol Club, south of Olympia, Washington. Along with the new gun, I took my usual pouch and horn for my .50-caliber guns, but I did remember to grab a Cash capper instead of a priming horn. Just a little shooting was done, but that trip to the range reminded me that not all .50s are the same.

A big clue about that was dropped on me when I started the first patched ball at the muzzle. I was using Speer’s .490-inch swaged round balls and wrapping them in Bridger’s Best .015inch lubricated patches. Those bullets started very hard at the muzzle.

However, a fair group was printed on the first target.

It occurred to me that I was using the ball and patch that I use in my own .50-caliber guns, which have cut-rifled barrels. This new Lyman by

Author Mike Nesbitt fires from the bench while sighting in.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

Pedersoli has a button-rifled barrel.

The cut-rifled barrels that I’m used to shooting have groove depths of about .012 inch, while the button-rifled barrels have grooves much closer to .006 inch in depth. Obviously a .015inch patch isn’t necessary to fill .006inch grooves and the patches I was using were simply too thick.

A package of .010-inch greased patches was opened and tried, still using the .490-inch round balls over 45 grains of GOEX 3Fg powder. The hard-to-start problem immediately disappeared. All shooting after that was done while using the .010-inch patches.

The sights on the new Great Plains Rifle are made for hunting; they are very easy to see. The gun comes with a nicely shaped nickel-silver front sight, which I like much better than the dark steel sight that came on the earlier GPR. The rear sight is an adjustable open sight and all of my

shooting was done with the rear sight on the second-to-bottom “step” on the adjusting riser.

MY OVERALL IMPRESSION of this new rifle is very positive. The woodto-metal fit is certainly nice, and in general I find this rifle highly recommendable. I came to that conclusion before I used it in one of the local shooting matches.

The match was not a big one; we had just nine shooters. We posted our paper targets and the shooting got started. I was loading the Lyman with the .490-inch Speer swaged balls and the .010-inch patches, but I did raise the powder charge just slightly to 50 grains, which I thought might be better for general shooting at various distances, such as what we encountered on the trail walk portion of the match. To put things in a nutshell, the rifle performed rather well

americanshootingjournal.com 75

BLACK POWDER 1) Bob DeLisle, 176-X; 2) Jerry Mayo, 129; 3) Tim Sampson, 123; 4) Mike Nesbitt, 117; 5) Steve Andrews, 113-X; 6) DeWayne Pritchett, 98; 7) Ralph Birmingham, 77; 8) Phil Wiebe, 54; and 9) Josh Brown, 51. More important than the scores was that everyone had a very good time and, to get back to our subject at hand, the new Lyman rifle performed just fine.

After a sight adjustment, this first group was fired at 50 yards.

in this little match.

All shooters posted their paper targets at 50 yards and we were able to complete our “paperwork” in just one relay. Top score on the paper target went to Bob DeLisle with a score of 76X. In second place on the paper target was Tim Sampson with a 63, and third went to me with a score of 47. While getting a 47 out of 100 points possible doesn’t sound very good, it’s worth noting that most of our shooters were a little rusty from a lack of shooting.

Also, I had a couple of nonscoring hits on the target, so I had to be completely satisfied with my score.

Then on the trail walk, Bob DeLisle was the top-scoring shooter again

with a perfect score of 100. Jerry Mayo, shooting an older Lyman rifle in .54 caliber, hit eight of those targets for a score of 80. I hit seven out of the 10 selected trail-walk targets for 70 points. And I must hang my head in shame because I did miss the last and biggest target on the trail walk, the full-sized bear at 70 yards. Why? I don’t know. I simply missed it.

Our paper target scores were added to those from the trail walk in order to arrive at an aggregate for the day. Those combined scores were as follows:

THE NEW LYMAN Great Plains Signature Series percussion rifles have a suggested retail price of $1,049.99.

There is also a flintlock version of this new gun, which I certainly want to see, priced at $1,119.99. Kit versions are also available and those are priced at $874.99 for either flintlock or percussion. One more version is the Great Plains Hunter Signature Series, with the 30-inch faster-twist barrels; the percussion model is priced at $1,049.99, while the flintlock Hunter rifles are tagged at $1,119.99.

There is one more thing to mention, especially about the Hunter models. The tangs on the Signature Series rifles come drilled and tapped, so the Lyman No. 57 receiver sight can be mounted.

To get more information about these new muzzleloading rifles, visit lymanproducts.com.

We’ll have to see if Lyman makes more changes, perhaps in another 40 years. 

Here’s a close-up of the flintlock version of the new Great Plains Signature Series. (LYMAN)

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

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HOLDING OUT FOR THE KING High in the grizzly-thick wilderness of Wyoming, an elk hunter searches for the bull of his dreams.

STORY BY JIM SESSIONS PHOTOS BY THE BEST OF THE WEST

T

he Best of the West and Huskemaw Optics are companies that deliver high-quality products to the consumer that typically beat their expectations. We are constantly innovating and developing new products with the thought of enhancing our customers’ experience.

We hear from many customers their stories about “when it all came together.” I had such an experience with my son, Scott, this past October.

We had put in several days of bow hunting in September and rifle hunting the first part of October.

Numerous mature bull elk had been seen and passed. Scott was holding out for something special or he wouldn’t punch his tag. I was on board with this goal as we planned to pack 8 to 15 miles into the wilderness of northwest Wyoming on our horses and mules. The work and precautions required once a bull is on the ground must be taken seriously. Hauling a bull elk out of this country requires sound stock and enough horse flesh. This is grizzly country and they are very busy looking for food this time of year. This is not a scare, just a fact.

Author Jim Sessions of Best of the West hears plenty of satisfied customers’“when it all came together” stories, but this past October saw son Scott fashion his own tale with this monster Wyoming bull using his father’s company’s long-range rifle setup.

FAST FORWARD TO the last four days of the season (October 18-21). We loaded our gear and began the 14mile trek to where we had spotted a 350-class seven-by-seven bull 10 days before. No one had been on the main americanshootingjournal.com 79

The Best of the West Mountain Hunter (top) and Huskemaw Optics Blue Diamond 5-20x50 scope.

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT: FROM MAKING HUNTING VIDEOS TO PRECISION RIFLES, SCOPES

T

he Best of the West was created by company president Jack Peterson in 1999 as a video production company that produced hunting videos featuring Western big game hunting. As the Cody, Wyoming-based company expanded and grew, the interest in long-range shooting and hunting became very evident.

BOTW designs, manufactures, tests and validates shooting systems and rifle scopes for hunters. “We will not just slap a sticker on a rifle touting a 1- or ½-MOA guarantee and/or build a MOA/MIL turret based solely on a muzzle velocity and manufacturer’s ballistic coefficient,” says company vice president Jim Sessions. “The BOTW shooting system is validated to an accuracy benchmark or it doesn’t leave the shop.”

It is during the above processes that the true accuracy, functionality and ease of use are realized. “The last thing I want to be doing in the heat of the moment on a hunt is trying to come up with a firing solution via a phone or relying on electronics in 20-below field conditions,” says Sessions. “We have developed the most complete shooting system in the industry that has been accuracy-validated and actual drop data collected in a known environment. In other words, your drop data and corresponding wind holds are engraved on the turret for precision accuracy and ease of use at the moment of truth.”

While the tried-and-true 5-20x50 Blue Diamond riflescope remains their bestseller, the company continues to develop new products for the discriminating hunter, including the 5-20x50 Tactical Hunter, which features an internal level, illuminated reticle, Schott F2 glass, 34mm one-piece tube and Huskemaw’s patented turret technology. With the advent of the Dual Stack turret, customers are provided an enhanced ability to compensate for varying environments, dual loads or a second revolution of distance compensation.

Other new products include: 4x crossbow scope that incorporates technology for actual drop data; muzzleloader featuring the Express Priming System, side discharge break and non-saboted high-ballistic-coeffecient bullets; and new and improved 10x binoculars featuring Schott F2 glass and stainless steel tubes to increase durability while adjusting eye relief.

In addition to their simple-to-use, precision-accurate firearms and rifle scopes, BOTW and Huskemaw Optics specialize in a high level of customer service.

“We will always do our best to meet or beat customer expectations,” says Sessions.

“The phones are answered by qualified employees that provide or will find the correct answers to your questions. Our guarantees and customer support is unequaled.”

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

trail for at least a week, so our hopes were high. We set up our spike camp and began glassing groups of bulls on the high ridges. The next morning, we bushwhacked up the drainage and cut up the ridge, following elk trails.

Halfway up the ridge, we spotted a 340-class bull with 20 cows. We stopped for lunch and continued to glass several bulls throughout the area. Not seeing a bull Scott wanted, we continued up the ridge to where the seven-point had been spotted.

After tying our stock to windravaged trees, we worked our way west, glassing into several drainages dropping precipitously into the canyon. We didn’t find the bull on the ridge, so we climbed back toward our stock. Several hundred yards later, Scott set up the spotting scope and glassed an open pocket surrounded by thick pine trees. Shortly thereafter he whispered that a giant bull was feeding on the edge of the trees. Very soon I was looking through the scope at a giant seven-by-eight bull with palmation.

I told Scott to take off down the ridge and get in position where we had had lunch. The range was 650 yards to the middle of the open pocket. He took off and I worked my way toward the horses and mules.

After setting up the spotting scope, I watched the bull feeding for around

10 minutes. The bull turned, giving me and Scott, who was 1,000-plus yards down the ridge, a full broadside view. The bull dropped in the scope and then I heard the rifle report.

I continued glassing the downed bull for the next 15 minutes. The excitement of seeing this bull drop in his tracks is very hard to describe. After all the work, passing dozens of bulls throughout the season and practicing with his Best of the West shooting system, Scott had accomplished his goal of killing a true high-country monarch.

MUCH HAS BEEN written on the ethics of long-range hunting, with many so-called experts questioning if it is hunting at all. To these self-proclaimed experts, all I can state is, we hunted more in one season than most hunt in 10 seasons. The location that this bull had chosen to materialize from his lair could only be seen from the ridge we climbed. Getting closer was not an option due to the terrain.

Precision long-range accuracy can be obtained with proper equipment, practice and a thorough knowledge of the environment and its effects. This hunt was a very special experience for Scott and I, as we hunted self-guided on public land. Only in America can the public have this type of opportunity. God bless America.  Editor’s note: For more information, visit thebestofthewest.net.

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Scott’s seven-by-eight – a “true high-country monarch” – will make a centerpiece addition to his trophy wall, not to mention feed his family well this winter.

ROAD HUNTER

LAST-CHANCE MULE DEER Cold, snow, post-rut – it’s tough to tag out now, but there are ways to bag a December buck.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN

T

hrough the spotting scope, I found the buck I was looking for: a nice fourpoint bedded down over 800 yards away. This time, though, the mature muley was with only one doe.

I’d seen this buck earlier that morning, but it was surrounded by seven does,

and I had no prayer of slithering to within bow range.

Now, with less than an hour of daylight remaining, the odds were looking better. It was still cold, 8 degrees below zero in South Dakota’s Badlands, but the buck was bedded above some trees in a dry creek bed,

something I felt I could use as cover to get close enough for a shot.

The nearer I got with each step, however, the more calm the conditions became. The snow was frozen and crunched loudly with each step. At 90 yards, I figured the jig was up, as there was no way to get any closer to the Author Scott Haugen arrowed this lateseason buck in subfreezing temperatures, conditions that make bowhunting this time of year extra challenging.

americanshootingjournal.com 85

ROAD HUNTER While the primary rut may be over in December, some mule deer bucks may still be fighting and chasing does, which means spotting and stalking or calling can work for hunters.

buck. So I sat and waited, hoping for the wind to pick up or something to change so I could continue my stalk.

Then, something did happen. A small buck on the other side of the bedded buck and doe suddenly appeared. The doe got up and started prancing my direction, wanting to get away from the small buck that was about to pester her. The big buck followed. They had no idea I was near, and when they got within range, I reached full draw and grunted. The buck stopped and my arrow hit the mark.

That hunt took place on land not occupied by mule deer until winter, once the migration commences. When it comes to filling a late-season mule deer tag, hunters will want to know their options.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

WHERE TO LOOK Compared to other deer hunts throughout the West, there are relatively few opportunities for mule deer this late in the year. Still, if you do hold a mule deer tag, this is prime time to secure a monster buck, but you have to know where to find them.

By now, mule deer have moved out of the high country. This means, if you’re looking to fill a tag, don’t head to where you saw bucks during summer scouting missions in the high country, or where you may have seen them in late fall and early winter.

Now is the time to focus on wintering grounds, where mule deer migrate to in order to survive the harsh winter months. If bucks aren’t yet to the wintering grounds at the time of your

hunt, you’ll want to search for deer on the move along the migration route.

If hunting lowland habitats, there’s a good chance you’re focusing on resident deer – animals that spend the entire year in the same place. You’ll find these bucks in the summer and see them again during the rut. They’ll become visible in the post-rut, too, as they feed more in daylight. Just knowing big bucks are present will boost your confidence and force you to hunt with a purpose.

LATE DEER BEHAVIOR Once you know where you’ll be hunting mule deer, it’s important to understand what’s happening to them this time of year, behaviorally speaking. Early in December, mule deer bucks can still

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ROAD HUNTER

Decoys, like this faux mule deer doe from Montana Decoy Co., can be a great benefit to late-season hunters.

be in rut mode. That said, based on years of hunting and observing mule deer in December, I think it’s the middle-aged bucks that are most aggressive during this time.

What I’ve observed is that the biggest bucks go into seclusion, or if they are hanging with a winter herd, remove themselves from potential fights with younger, hardier bucks. I think this is because they’ve spent most of their energy and fat reserves on fighting during the primary November rut, when their chances of breeding the most does is at the peak. A big buck’s goals are to not risk further injury as winter consumes its life, conserve energy, and eat as much nutritional food as possible, for the next couple months offer little in the form of a good diet.

By mid-December, most mule deer bucks are in winter mode. They’re done rutting and responding to rutting cues.

At this time, a deer’s primary goal is to 88

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

survive and they do this multiple ways.

Deer can eat a lot in midwinter, but what they consume is largely filler, carrying little nutritional value. This is why they may be found foraging any hour of the day. It also explains why they may be bedded all day, as they don’t want to spend more energy looking for food than they do by actually taking it in. For this reason, focusing on food sources is a great place to concentrate late-season mule deer hunting efforts.

In some scenarios, food sources may be close to, or even make up, the bedding area. In other locations, deer may travel a mile or more each night to find quality food. Knowing where deer bed, where food sources are located and how bucks access these food sources are important to the late-season mule deer hunter.

CLOSING THE DEAL From the start of the fall hunting season, mule deer are largely hunted by way of

spot-and-stalk, and it’s no different in December. However, the challenge a lot of hunters face when trying to fill a muley tag this time of year is dealing with harsh conditions that make quietly stalking in on a buck sometimes impossible.

December in mule deer country is often covered in snow and ice. This makes spot-and-stalk hunting a big challenge, especially with a bow or muzzleloader.

This is where treestands, ground blinds and calling can come into play.

Treestands or ground blinds set on trails can be productive for hunting lateseason mule deer, as bucks can be quite habitual in their daily routines this time of year. The biggest challenge in this approach is finding a tree large enough to hang a stand in, which is where ground blinds come into play as a good option.

In states where baiting is allowed, hunters are having good success hunting from ground blinds. Once deer focus on these food sources, they seem to just

ROAD HUNTER keep on coming. The payoff here is using nutritious food that helps get as many deer as possible through winter. You only have one tag to fill, but could feed dozens of deer of all ages during this critical time. Done properly, baiting is a good example of how hunters really can serve as leading conservationists in terms of helping keep animals healthy during the most harsh time of year.

Since most late-season mule deer hunts are with bow or muzzleloader, getting close enough for a shot can be challenging in the grinding conditions.

Something few mule deer hunters get the benefit of, capitalizing on fresh rubs.

This is just one of the signs late-season muley hunters will want to look for.

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American Shooting Journal // December 2020

When and where appropriate, consider using decoys, scents, even calling.

Doe bleats and rattling can be effective when hunting mule deer in November and into early December.

The key, however, is getting close to a buck’s domain before commencing the rattling and calling sequence, for they don’t seem to travel to sounds from as far, or as eagerly, as whitetails and blacktails will.

When calling, consider the use of decoys. Montana Decoy makes a great mule deer doe decoy that’s been proven to attract bucks. Using buck

and doe urine, in conjunction with the decoy, can work very well, just try to get in a crosswind so the scent can be carried. These deer have amazing noses, and will detect scents up to half a mile away.

Urine – be it pure or synthetic, depending on what’s allowed in the state you’re hunting – along with a decoy, can also be used near trails when hunting from stands or blinds. Placing the decoy where it can be seen from a distance so as not to surprise a deer, and the scent in trees or atop bushes so the wind carries it, are good choices.

ROAD HUNTER The rewards of late-season mule deer hunting. Here, the author’s wife, Tiffany Haugen, is more than pleased with this mature, big-bodied buck.

Avoid using decoys on public-land rifle hunts, and never use them as a blind to hide behind during rifle season.

Once a deer is hit, follow it up.

While shots often come minutes prior to dark this time of year, never leave a deer overnight. Their hide and hair is built for optimal insulation, so it holds in body heat which begins to spoil the meat, no matter how cold it is.

By knowing the habitat you’re hunting in and the behavior of the bucks you pursue, you’re on the way to filling a late-season mule deer tag. All you have to do is watch the elements, prepare accordingly, be patient and know when to move.  Editor’s note: To order Scott Haugen’s comprehensive DVD, Field Dressing, Skinning & Caping Big Game, send a check for $20 to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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Retail & dealer inquiries are welcome.

P.O. Box 408, Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 • (507) 451-7607 trapper@nwtrappers.com • www.nwtrappers.com 92

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

21st Century Shooter/Reloader Precision Products

Hybrid-X Shooting Rest Introducing the new Hybrid-X Shooting Rest

√ Hybrid between a joystick & a traditional “wheel” rest

√ Ease of Control

√ Smooth operation

√ Easily self align the rifle and rear bag

Key Features • Windage range is more than you would ever need • Elevation is not lost from shot to shot even if the control stick is let go • Total weight is 28 lbs • Weight of the rifle is not a factor for the ease of controls because of the ball screws/bearing blocks in the post • Designed, machined and built in the USA

ENTER FBOOK10 AND RECEIVE 10% OFF ORDER

260-273-9909 www.21stcenturyshooting.com

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

The 21st Century Shooting team includes (left to right) Pete Petros, Josh Perkins, Mark Perkins, John Perkins, Sally Perkins, Ally Brown, Kristine Shroyer, Kevin Shroyer, Khris Southerland and Tim Perkins, front in chair.

PRECISION FOR RELOADERS, MARKSMEN 21st Century Shooting dials it in with super-accurate mandrels, rifle rests and more.

PHOTOS BY 21ST CENTURY SHOOTING

W

hen John R. Perkins, Jr., a machinist by trade, wanted to launch reloading into the 21st century, he knew he had the ideas, skills, and a great team behind him to make it happen. He founded 21st Century Shooting in 2010 out of a love of shooting and a desire to supply precision shooters with the best reloading equipment he could design.

21st Century offers a wide range of products for the reloader, incorporating innovative engineering

not seen elsewhere.

“Some of our most popular products are the caliber-specific mandrels, which run half-thousandth sizes; they allow the reloader to really dial in the neck tension in a simple easy-todo process,” says Kevin Shroyer, the company’s marketing and customer service representative.

Other popular products include the Powered Neck Turning Lathe, the Super Precision Click Head Priming tool and the Hydro Bullet Seater, which are all simple, easy to use and accurate.

The newest release from 21st Century is the patented Hybrid-X front rest, which is now available for purchase.

“This rest is compliant across multiple disciplines of shooting competitions and is totally unique to the rest market with six years of research and development put into it before its release,” explains Shroyer.

The Hybrid-X is a true hybrid between a joystick and a traditional “wheel” rest. Windage is manipulated through a control stick that travels on a americanshootingjournal.com 95

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

The northern Indiana company’s latest product, the Hybrid X front rest, made for precision rifle shooters, is described as “between a joystick and a traditional ‘wheel’ rest.”

horizontal plane. Elevation is controlled through a knob on the end of the control stick, or a traditional wheel on the post.

The entire central assembly of the rest is mounted on a circular plate that is mounted in the base plate. This system

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allows the user to easily self-align the rifle and rear bag by simply loosening a few levers, resulting in smooth operation and ease of control.

Ease of operation is one of the things customers enjoy most about

21st Century Shooting’s products, says Shroyer. Other key factors in the company’s success, he says, include inventive engineering, superior quality, customer service, and the fact that all of their products are manufactured, produced and assembled in America.

Everything is built in one shop in Ossian, Indiana, and is family-owned and -operated.

In addition to owner John R. Perkins, Jr., employees include: Mark Perkins, machinist; Sally Perkins, HR; Kristine Shroyer, sales, shipping and web design; Kevin Shroyer (retired Master Sergeant, U.S. Army), customer service and marketing; Pete Petros, custom assembly and tech expert; Khris Southerland, machinist; Josh Perkins, machinist and custom assembly; Allyson Brown, shipping; and Tim Perkins, official morale booster.  Editor’s note: For more information, visit xxicsi.com.

americanshootingjournal.com 97

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With their stunning plumage, wily ways and excellent table fare, ringneck pheasant are one of America’s best upland birds to hunt.

‘A MOST WELCOME ADDITION TO THESE SHORES’

Introduced in the 1880s and beloved by wingshooters, here's how to bag ringneck pheasants.

STORY BY JIM DICKSON • PHOTOS BY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

T

he ringneck pheasant is by far our most beautiful wild game bird and a splendid target for shotgunners, as it erupts from the field to the sky with a thunder of wings at 35 mph, shouting “Cuk! Cuk! Cuk! Cuk! Cuk!” while displaying its beautiful plumage for all to see.

The rear two-thirds of a flushed bird facing the shooter is mostly feathers and the careful shot must aim for the head to ensure a clean kill. It

is a bird that requires the hunter to bring a dog, as otherwise far too many injured birds will escape. The ringneck is a master of camouflage and escape, even burrowing under leaves and going down holes, another reason to bring a dog. While setters, pointers and spaniels are best for flushing birds, almost every breed of dog has been successfully employed at this over the years.

The ringneck pheasant’s scientific

name is Phasianus colchicus torquatus. Thank goodness we don’t have to say that mouthful every time we speak of it. They were first introduced to America in 1881, when the Willamette Valley in western Oregon was stocked with pheasants shipped by the U.S. Consul-General in Shanghai, China. Eleven years later, a hunting season was opened and 50,000 birds were killed on the first day. Soon they were being stocked americanshootingjournal.com 99

Imported from China to Oregon nearly 150 years ago, ringnecks occur widely across the country, with particularly strong numbers in the Dakotas.

elsewhere, as well as spreading on their own; they can reproduce at a fairly fast rate. Today they flourish in the Grain Belt of the U.S. and are found from the Matanuska Valley in Alaska to southern California and east to New York and Pennsylvania.

Pheasants don’t like wilderness, preferring corn and grain fields with adjacent cover, and they are not afraid to live next to humans. They will even show up in the chicken yard to eat the chicken feed and fight with the rooster over the hens. Close relatives, they can breed with chickens; the offspring is known as a pero and it makes a rather fancy and attractive chicken.

Pheasants can also mate and produce hybrid young with both turkeys and 100

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

peafowls, though this is rare. They will quickly establish themselves in any neighborhood they like, but if it is unsuitable to them for any reason, no amount of stocking will work.

NOW LET US follow a flock of pheasants through their day in order to see where and how they may be hunted.

As dawn breaks, the pheasants rouse from the open meadows and wheat stubble where they spent the night, often heading straight for the roadside to add fresh, sharp gravel to their crops before feeding. Where legal, a lot of birds can be hunted here.

Now it’s back to the corn or wheat fields for the big feed. When working a field with your dog, keep in mind

that no bird will hold tighter than a pheasant will; you may almost have to step on one before they fly. Birds that don’t fly will often try to circle behind the intruders. If hunting in a group, set a drive with a bunch of men at one end of the field and the rest walking towards the first group, flushing and shooting birds as they go. The men at the far end will get their chance as the driven birds fly past them. Pheasants are not long-distance fliers, thanks to their relatively stubby wings, and it is often possible to shoot over the same field again that afternoon.

As the day heats up, it is time for their noontime dusting and nap, so they will retire to adjacent cover of briars, brush, uncut stream banks,

Pheasant hunters can team up to work cover and rows of grains or corn, but it’s even better to hunt behind a dog and its nose.

fence rows and thickets. A hunter working these areas may flush more pheasants than he ever dreamed of, as they can congregate in flocks there.

Nap time over, it is back to the fields again for another feed, then back to the roadside for a fresh bit of gravel for their crops. Finally, it’s off to bed deep in the fields again, where these masters of hiding and camouflage safely spend the night.

THE HUNTER WHO wants to shoot pheasants needs a 12-gauge for best success. If he intends to kill every bird, he had better invest in a Best Quality side-by-side game gun from the British Isles that has been stocked to fit him to a sixteenth of an inch in all directions after a fitting at a British gunmaker or shooting school. The gun should have a splinter forend 102

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

and a straight grip stock for the best handling qualities.

Such a gun is often termed “lively” in the hands, but in truth a properly fitted side-by-side game gun becomes a physical part of you at the instant of firing. The merging of man and gun is so complete that you shoot the bird instead of the gun. This is an almost mystical experience that simply has to be experienced to be understood and appreciated. It is the greatest thrill in wingshooting.

While the British style of shotgun shooting is excellent, I find the quick kill instinct shooting method offers the best chance of hitting. This “military BB gun training” was taught to the Army during the Vietnam War by a famous instinct shooting instructor, the late Lucky McDaniel.

One ounce of No. 6 shot over 3

drams of powder gives me perfect patterns in my 12-bore double, and all the killing power I need for anything I shoot with birdshot. Some prefer No. 5 shot, as they are dealing with a lot of feathers at the rear of the bird flying away from them. I have no problem with them using that larger size and sometimes it may help. While this load can be duplicated in smaller gauges, the perfect patterns the larger 12-bore barrels deliver cannot be duplicated in the smaller gauges.

Don’t waste your time on fields without sufficient adjacent cover.

These birds have to have that cover for escaping the heat of the day, nesting, and winter storms. They also need a water source nearby, as they cannot cover long distances. Don’t underestimate the intelligence of the pheasant, either. This is an intelligent,

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Their numbers aren’t as robust in some areas due to changing agricultural practices and land management, but ringneck pheasants will forever be a favorite of many a wingshooter, young and old alike.

calculating, cool customer. A lot of hunters get upset at being outsmarted by a “dumb animal” but it happens all the time and can provide a useful lesson in humility for those in need of that.

LIKE ITS RELATIVE the chicken, the pheasant is a prolific egg-layer and this is the reason it is able to expand its population so rapidly. Breeding occurs from April to June and is preceded by the cocks crowing and fighting amongst themselves for the right to mate. He sweet-talks the hens with low clucks and offers them gifts of food 104

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

he picks out for them, all the while strutting and displaying his plumage.

The female may nest anywhere from a hayfield to a fence row to the edge of the woods. She scoops out a depression in the ground and builds up her nest with dried grass and other vegetation. It takes 23 days to hatch her clutch of eight to 16 eggs and if a clutch is destroyed by agricultural work or predators, she will lay again, just like a chicken.

Pheasants grow up to be large game birds. Adult males will average a bit over 3 pounds, while the females

run 2 to 3 pounds. These big, delicious birds provide gourmet table fare for the hunter. “Pheasant under glass” has become a synonym for high-priced gourmet food, and for good reason.

The pheasant is a most welcome addition to these shores and provides more shooting sport than any other game bird in this country.

It is a beautiful and noble bird well worth its accolades, and a mounted pheasant is a trophy that adds beauty and color to any home, as it acts as a constant reminder of a glorious day in the field. 

30

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

A STRONG LINE OF DEFENSE

V-Line Industries’ safes keep firearms, valuables well-protected and quickly accessible.

PHOTOS BY V-LINE INDUSTRIES

V

-Line Industries, a division of Computer Metal Products, is located in Simi Valley, California.

CMP is a family-owned precision sheet metal manufacturer with stateof-the-art fabrication equipment.

CMP has been producing high-quality products in the USA for over 40 years.

V-Line Ind. distributes the quick-access, high-quality safes, gun safes and security cases that are produced at CMP’s facility. The business originated from a demand for conveniently located quick-

V-Line Industries distributes high-quality, quick-access safes for securely transporting handguns (above), as well as built-in security cabinets (left) for storing larger firearms and valuables.

access security cases for firearms and valuables. Over the years, their product line has evolved from small personal-sized cases to built-in security cabinets.

Since inception, V-Line products have been the choice of government agencies nationwide and responsible citizens concerned with security. Their gun and security cases are made with superior engineering per US tolerances and standards. All V-Line quick-access cases feature a proven original Simplex five-push-button mechanical lock that does not require batteries. Therefore, once your lock combination is set,

your case will always be accessible, especially when you may need it the most. Most of their products, except the wall units, are portable and can be easily secured using V-Line’s unique mounting brackets.

One of the company’s most popular products is the heavy-duty Brute, a large-capacity pistol box constructed of 10-gauge steel with an overlapping lid, making it virtually pry-proof.

Other top sellers include the Top Draw, a rugged yet compact topopening case that can accommodate up to two pistols, and the Closet Vault II, an in-wall firearms safe. americanshootingjournal.com 107

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT For the last 25-plus years, V-Line has been an industry leader and innovator in quick-access gun safes and other security solutions.

The foundation of their business is to provide quality products, extraordinary customer service and exceptional technical support. So when you’re ready to buy a safe, you can be confident that you will find the quality, selection and service you’re looking for at V-Line Industries.  Editor’s note: For more information, visit vlineind.com.

The Brute super-duty pistol box is made with 10-gauge steel and features an overlapping lid to make it as pryproof as possible when bolted down.

V-Line is a division of southern California-based Computer Metal Products, a family-owned precision sheet metal manufacturer in business for over 40 years.

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All V-Line quickaccess cases feature a five-push-button mechanical lock that does not require batteries.

WILDLIFE FOREVER

New in mint condition, the Limited Edition Bear Family from Dakin Artist Collection comes with a Certificate of Authenticity verifying this unique and rare item. Quality and craftsmanship are perfectly coupled with the endearing design of plush animals, making Lou Rankin Friends ideal for gift giving and collecting. They are certain to be treasured for a lifetime. wildlifeforever.org

POCKET OX

Finally, a hoist small enough and light enough that you will actually carry it. Yes, they cost as much as your favorite boots. But drag a moose out of the beaver muck or put your ATV back on its feet just once and you’ll see that it’s worth every dime.

PocketOx.com

DANDY SAW

The Dandy Saw – or “The Get Serious Saw,” as Durwood Hollis dubbed it many years ago – is still top in its class of aggressive bone/woodcutting camp saws.

There are four different sizes to match your need: the Mini Dandy, Half Dandy, Pack Dandy and the two-handled Dandy. Each saw comes with a scabbard and a lifetime warranty. robertsonenterprises.net

RE CAMP KITCHEN

The RE Camp Kitchen is the result of many years spent in the backcountry, where safety and well-being rely heavily on functional and durable equipment. The box is constructed of aircraft aluminum. The practical design makes it convenient to use for everything from a family lunch on the lawn to an extended stay in the backcountry. The wheeled “suitcase” mode allows you to choose your cooking spot without being tied to your vehicle. The Camp Kitchen may be purchased with all the extra kitchen items or just the boxes. With the RE Camp Kitchen, you really can start cooking in 10 minutes. robertsonenterprises.net

REDDING RELOADING EQUIPMENT

The Redding Slant Bed Concentricity Gauge uses single-point contact bearing surfaces, which are placed at an angle and made of hardened stainless steel, creating an ergonomic positioning of the case and improving the ease of motion turning the case by making the action far more natural.

It improves the ease of case rotation, view of the indicator and the maintenance of proper alignment for reading. redding-reloading.com americanshootingjournal.com 111

BULLARD LEATHER

TAP RACK HOLSTERS

Tap Rack Holsters IWB offers function and form with safety and comfort as two principles in their line of handmade holsters. They mold to your specifications for a correct fit. No buckets here.

Holsters feature adjustable retention, a 550 corded loop for securing to a belt or belt loop, semiclosed bottom that can be left open for threaded barrels on request, different body shield heights in low, medium and high upon request, and nonbinding smooth edges with no sharp points in their designs for comfort. Different colors and patterns available upon request. taprackholsters.com

Looking for that new leather holster, doublethick belt, rifle sling, cowboy rig, cartridge belt, wallet or a knife sheath made from beautiful 100 percent Hermann Oak Leather? All of Bullard Leather’s products are hand-made with care in their shop in Cooper, Texas. All holsters are molded to the gun and boned in for a snug and accurate fit. Choose from a variety of exotic skins, bull hides and custom hand tooling in an array of colors. Pictured at right is the Defender Holster for a 4.25-inch Bond Arms Snake Slayer with .410 cartridge loops. The holster features a slight 10-degree forward cant and is worn in the 2 to 3 o’clock position and comes with four to five bullet loops for the caliber of your pistol. For more, visit Bullard Leather’s website, email them at bullardleather@gmail.com or call (844) 336-2958. bullardleather.com

TRIPLE K MANUFACTURING

The classic walnut oil color Deluxe Shot Shell Carrier ammo case is designed to hold up to four boxes of shotgun shells. Made in USA with premium vegetable tanned leather, heavy nylon stitching and solid brass snap hardware. MSRP: $106. triplek.com

MERNICKLE HOLSTERS

HOLSTER PARTNERS

The Body Shield is a revolutionary new product that solves the problem of being poked and pinched when carrying concealed inside the waistband. Comfort has long been an issue with IWB; well, not anymore, thanks to Holster Partners’ Body Shield. This thin flexible leather shield provides a comfortable barrier of protection between you and your firearm.

Simply attach the Body Shield to your existing holster with the hook-and-loop material (included), and voilà – no more irritating pokes and prods. There’s no reason carrying concealed shouldn’t be comfortable. And it can be, thanks to the Body Shield. holsterpartner.com 112

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

If your cowboy gun is what you shoot the most, why not make it your daily carry? Mernickle Holsters’ PS06SA is made of the highest grade Hermann Oak Leather. This holster can be carried in the strong side position or a cross draw.

Holsters are hand-molded to your model of gun to ensure a perfect fit every time. mernickleholsters.com

SKINNER SIGHTS

The Skinner Sights HTF bag allows your firepower to be “concealed in plain sight,” yet ready in case of an emergency. Holds up to a 40-inch long gun and two handguns. Room for three rifle and eight pistol magazines. Knife, flashlight and accessory pouches. Cordura construction with heavy-duty stitching. (Firearms and accessories in photo are not included. For illustrative purposes only.) skinnersights.com

CALIFORNIA WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION

OCTOBER COUNTRY MUZZLELOADING

Back in 1977 when the company was in its infancy, October Country Muzzleloading was a hunting bag. One product. Today, the northern Idaho-based outfit offers a complete and thorough line of muzzleloaders and muzzleloading accessories, including ramrods, Pushing Daisies patches, Blue Thunder solvent, Bumblin’ Bear Grease, quality leather shooting bags, powder horns and hand-forged shooting tools. All exceptional quality goods for the hunter, shooter, collector and history reenactor enthusiast. October Country features products specifically designed and manufactured for cowboy action and black powder cartridge shooters.

October Country has new products that include PowerBelt Bullets, Birchwood Casey, Uncle Mike’s, Ballistol, Hoppe’s, Cash Manufacturing, Hornady, Lyman and RCBS muzzleloading and black powder cartridge ball and bullet molds, as well as Lee Bullet Molds, to name a few. octobercountry.com

1,500 lbs 12:1 Cow Mini Hoist

PROLIX LUBRICANTS

Even Santa would love to see a bottle of PrOlix in his stocking this holiday season! There is no product on the market to date that works like PrOlix; just see their ad in this publication and learn more over at their website! Let PrOlix make it a joyful holiday! prolixlubricant.com

Make a difference for wild sheep and give a great gift of membership in the California Wild Sheep Foundation. You will join a group of enthusiastic conservationists dedicated to putting and keeping wild sheep on the mountains.

Life membership: $500; Distinguished life membership: $1,500. cawsf.org

Like having 6 guys in your pack.

Only quieter.

20 ounces 30 cubic in.

Ancient Technology Modern Materials

Build it Right Build it Once Build it Here

www.PocketOx.com 114

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

VLINE IND.

V-Line Ind. introduces the Brute quick-access security case. The Brute is the perfect solution for keeping handguns and valuables safe and out of reach of the wrong hands. It is constructed of rugged 10-gauge steel with an overlapping lid, making it virtually pry-proof when bolted down to a solid surface. The Brute is nicely finished in a durable tactical black powder coating.

Features include heavy-duty 10-gauge all-steel construction; sleek custom anti-pry clamshell design; heavy 12-gauge handle with anti-pry lock protection; oversized solid-steel lock block and dead bolt; breakfree 360-degree rotation clutch knob; reliable quick access mechanical push button lock; and more.

The Brute measures 12.5 by 9.5 by 3.6 inches, weighs 21 pounds, and is California DOJ approved. vlineind.com

WOODMAN’S PAL

A unique gift for any outdoorsman, your new Woodman’s Pal will become an instant family heirloom. Both the ash wood handle and the beautiful leather sheath are handmade and finished

by Amish craftsmen. Each blade is individually handsharpened to ensure the machete cuts through everything. $175. Made in USA. woodmanspal.com

SAUVIE ISLAND DUCK CLUB

BLUE WONDER GUN CARE PRODUCTS

Blue Wonder makes a comprehensive line of gun cleaning, lubrication and refinishing products designed specifically for firearms. bluewonderguncare.com

PEET DRYER

The space-saving Peet Family Dryer features six AirChambers for all your drying needs. Users have the option of circulating room-temperature air or warm air to dry in one to four hours.

The dryer features a push-button digital display, uses 110 to 220 volts and has a five-year warranty. peetdryer.com 116

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

Duck club members have access to several acres of private hunting area.

Blinds are located in three main areas (and three smaller areas) within the property to help maximize hunting potential and minimize member contact.

Sauvie Island Duck Club is located on a great flyway and is a mallard haven! The following memberships are available: Day, Week, and Season at a cost of $200, $750, and $2,000, respectively. Sauvie Island Duck Club is a private waterfowl hunting club located approximately 10 miles northwest of Portland, Oregon, along US Route 30.

Call Ron at (503) 539-5396 or check out the website for more information. siduckclub.com

THE MICHLITCH COMPANY

The perfect spice and seasoning gift ideas for any professional or home chef. The Michlitch Company’s gift packs include freshly ground spices and handcrafted seasonings that showcase their signature blends and gourmet spice collections. MSRP: $19.98.

This gift box contains: 5-ounce jar of Blackened Red Seasoning 5-ounce jar of Chili Chipotle Lime Seasoning 5.5-ounce jar of Chipotle Fire & Smoke Seasoning 5.4-ounce bottle of Fletcher’s Hot Sauce spokanespice.com

RANGESTORE.NET

Steel Target Paint is formulated for steel targets, covers quickly, and has a high paint-resin content with a pound of paint in the can.

The colors allow match directors to color-code scenarios during competition stages. For long-distance shooting, these colors can be combined for optimum visibility. Range Box Sampler MSRP: $49.29. rangestore.net

americanshootingjournal.com 117

SEAL 1

TANNERITE TARGETS

Tannerite Targets are the original patented reactive rifle target shot indicators! Buy online and save with coupon code: ONTARGET. tannerite.com

Kit includes: one 4-ounce container of CLP Plus Paste; one 4-ounce container of CLP Plus Liquid; one four-pack of presaturated EZ-Cloth; one 12-inch-by-12-inch microfiber cloth; one double-ended nylon utility brush; and two 6-inch hardwood cotton swabs. seal1.net

INVICTASAFE

InvictaSafe offers all of the benefits of a traditional firearm safe while allowing you to display your firearm “safely” like a work of art.

Constructed with 14-gauge steel and ½-inch ballistic glass, it protects your valuable firearm from unauthorized access or theft.

Order now and save $200. Just use code CHRISTMAS when you order from InvictaSafe’s website. invictasafe.com

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DICKINSON ARMS

New Ranger Series single-shot shotguns from Dickinson Arms combine classic good looks, craftsmanship, excellent shooting performance and remarkable value. There is a full family of models for adults and youth, as well as a short-barreled, folding Survival model – at retail prices ranging from $144-$164 MSRP. dickinsonarms.com

GARY REEDER CUSTOM GUNS

When you are looking for full-custom guns, look no further than Gary Reeder Custom Guns. They have been building full-custom guns since 1987 and currently have almost 70 series of full-custom revolvers, custom 1911s, custom lever guns, custom single shots and a lot more. These include the very popular Black Widow, one of their most popular series since 1987. For more info, call (928) 527-4100. reedercustomguns.com

CDNN SPORTS

The Radical Firearms 16” Socom 5.56mm AR rifle uses Mil-Std. upper and lower receivers along with a 12-inch FCR free-float rail system for increased accuracy, keeping your hands cool, and giving you plenty of room for accessories. Other features include: Action: semiauto, direct impingement; finish: Armornite; barrel: 16 inches with 1:7 twist; sights: none – optic-ready; magazine: one 30-round; stock: Mission First Tactical Minimalist; weight: 6.7 pounds; overall length: 36.8 inches. Regardless of whether it’s your first or 50th, a Radical Firearms AR rifle will not disappoint! cdnnsports.com

ADCO SALES

ADCO has been known for years for a number of competition, hunting and tactical reflex sights known often as red dot sights – Alpha Dot, E-Dot and Mirage, to name a few. ADCO is also famous for the Super Thumb Magazine loaders that hundreds of thousands swear by to assist in reloading pistol magazines. Now ADCO is providing the Best Arms brand and Aselkon lines of shotgun. Unsurpassed quality at reasonable prices. For decades, ADCO has been a name that can be depended upon. adcosales.com

CZUSA

A true Micro-Mauser action, the CZ 527 American is a controlled-round-feed bolt action designed for small centerfire chamberings. From .17 Hornet and .223 up to 7.62x39 and 6.5 Grendel, this handy little rifle is equipped with a stellar single set trigger and legendary cold hammer-forged barrel, making it the ultimate small-caliber hunting and plinking platform. cz-usa.com/product/cz-527-american 120

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

AMERICAN DERRINGER

American Derringer is proud to specialize in the highest-quality derringer firearms.

All of their guns are completely made here in the USA by highly experienced craftspeople. The derringer has long stood as the ultimate full-power concealable firearm. Available in every caliber, from .22 to .45-70/.410, and in every imaginable style, an American Derringer offers a small size and weight with a big bore and the safety of a singleaction-only firearm. The derringer can be easily carried in a purse or pocket without special clothing. American Derringer also offers a special line of customized derringers to reflect your personal preferences and needs. amderringer.com

HIPOINT FIREARMS

Hi-Point Firearms provides Americanmade affordable firearms with a noquestions-asked lifetime warranty. hi-pointfirearms.com

BARNAUL AMMUNITION

Affordable .300 Blackout steel case ammunition has arrived. Barnaul Ammunition’s .300 Blackout is a 145-grain supersonic cartridge with a polymer-coated steel case moving at 1,985 feet per second. Finally, an option that doesn’t break the bank and with the power you want. barnaulammo.com

SHELL SHOCK TECHNOLOGIES

If you loved Shell Shock’s lightweight 9mm cases, wait until you try their new calibers coming soon, including 5.56x45mm, .300 BLK, .380 ACP, .40 S&W and others. Lighter than brass, more powder capacity, greater consistency between rounds, and can be picked up with a magnet. Satisfies global military mandates to reduce ammunition weight and increase performance. All Shell Shock’s cases are proudly made in the USA. Shell Shock ... Shoot it, Love it! shellshocktech.com

BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION

The 6.5mm Creedmoor 120-grain Hornady GMX from Black Hills Ammunition offers up to 50 percent more penetration, plus higher weight retention. It generally retains nearly 100 percent of its weight, compared to 50 to 70 percent for lead-core bullets. It also opens immediately upon impact, causing large-diameter wound cavities and anchoring game quickly and humanely. black-hills.com

SAFETY HARBOR FIREARMS INC.

SHF manufactures the SHTF50 .50 BMG upper conversion for the AR-15, along with the Kompact Entry Stock line of pistol braces and stocks for the AR-15; Sig MPX/MCX; Stribog SP9A1, 2 & 3; CZ Scorpion; and MP5/MP5k. For quality and innovation, look to Safety Harbor Firearms. safetyharborfirearms.com

GALLERYOFGUNS.COM

UNDERWOOD AMMO

Based on the Xtreme Defense Fluid Transfer Monolithic (FTM) family of projectiles, the EXD projectile has optimized flute geometry, total weight and velocity to achieve a penetration depth up to 18 inches with a permanent wound cavity that is simply enormous; no expanding hollowpoint comes close to achieving this collective volume of wound cavity. underwoodammo.com 122

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

Search GalleryofGuns.com, find your gun and buy it from your local dealer. It’s just that easy. GalleryofGuns. com allows consumers to buy from a huge selection of firearms from the firearms industry’s top manufacturers.

Over-and-under shotguns, combination guns, varmint rifles, handguns – you name it, GalleryofGuns.com has it. galleryofguns.com

Custom Rifle Actions www.defiancemachine.com 406-756-2727 americanshootingjournal.com 123

DIVERSIFIED INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

DIP Inc. is not content with the cheap plastic parts that many firearms companies produce to cut production costs for rimfire firearms. Instead, they make drop-in metal replacement parts and accessories that are both high quality and affordable. All products are made in the USA and manufactured for the following brands: CZ, Marlin, Savage, Ruger, Remington, Tikka, Steyr, S&W, Howa, Marlin, Sako, Anschutz, Henry and others. diproductsinc.com

TIMBER CREEK OUTDOORS

Timber Creek Outdoors’ self-healing JAX target is perfect for endless range fun. The JAX target will tumble after a hit to a new location to improve target acquisition while having fun. All Timber Creek products are proudly made in Springfield, Oregon, and come with a lifetime warranty. MSRP: $9.99. timbercreekoutdoorsinc.com

GENTRY CUSTOM LLC

Gentry Custom is known for the Quiet Muzzle Brake, which will make for a user-friendly rifle. The Quiet Muzzle Brake reduces recoil and muzzle jump so you can get that second shot off if needed, without the large increase of noise to the shooter. Many of the factory rifles have been threaded for a muzzle brake.

Gentry Custom offers 5/8 x 24 threads and many others.

Call them today and they can provide the proper Quiet Muzzle Brake for your rifle.

Gentry Custom also offers a three-position safety for the Remington family of rifles and the Mauser 98. gentrycustom.com

VELOCITY PRECISION

Like all Velocity Precision products, their Recoil-less Bolt Carrier is designed with accuracy and performance in mind.

Their unique patent-pending design is stronger than other low-mass bolt carriers and is one of the lightest bolt carriers on the market.

The Recoil-less Bolt Carrier significantly reduces your rifle’s recoil impulse for faster follow-up shots and its Nano Diamond Nickel coating makes it extremely wear-resistant, easy to clean and uncompromisingly durable. This unique coating creates a very slick surface that reduces the probability of failures due to a lack of lubrication, reduces typical wear and tear on expensive parts, and truly makes shooting your AR-15 much more fun. The real value when it comes to lightweight bolt carriers comes when it’s paired with an adjustable gas block, which is why Velocity Precision offers both in a bundled product package. Reducing the rifle’s returning gas, together with the reduced weight of the bolt carrier is what reduces the recoil and muzzle rise to nearly zero. Without both you’re really only going halfway! velocitytriggers.com

STOCKY’S

Stocky’s beautiful walnut aluminum-bedded Accublock Stocks are a drop-in fit on most Remington 700s. They feature your choice of a raised Monte Carlo or classic cheekrest, with or without ebony accents, sharp 20-line-per-inch borderless checkering and Stocky’s latest lightweight aluminum bedding system for the finest accuracy your rifle can deliver.

Do-it-yourself, 10-minute installation; no special tools required. newriflestocks.com 124

American Shooting Journal // December 2020

WHITE OAK ARMAMENT

Available in 12.6-inch and 14.6-inch lengths, the White Oak TR Series M-Lok Handguard is octagonal with full-length top Picatinny rail and M-Lok sides and bottom.

The rail is anodized aluminum and the barrel nut and screws are black nitride finished. Installation is simple and requires a strap wrench or optional tool. whiteoakarmament.com/1tr-handguard.html

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LITTLE CROW GUNWORKS

LUTHAR

The Widebody Palm Handguard builds on the same triangular profile as Luth-AR’s innovative Palm Handguard with a new Widebody profile that conforms to the palm of your hand, and provides a wide, flat surface to lay on a shooting bag or other support.

Perfect for hunters, precision or 3-gun competitors, the 15-inch length features M-Lok slots along the upper-side flat, and three rows of slots on the bottom flat.

The Widebody Palm Handguard is made from 6061-T6 aluminum extrusion that is hard coat anodized black, and includes a barrel nut made from alloy steel with a Melonite finish.

Other features include four clamp screws; two vertical set screws, to control linear movement; and thread lock for simple and quick installation.

Priced affordably, dealer, quantity and OEM pricing is available upon request. luth-ar.com

DEAD FOOT ARMS

The SCW 2.5 Tailhook is by far the most compact PDW-style pistol brace that the industry has ever seen, with a collapsed length of 2.5 inches. While compact, it is still very versatile, allowing for button-free brace deployment and five length-of-pull settings. deadfootarms.com

What do you get the rifle shooter who has everything?

Little Crow Gunworks would suggest the Original World’s Finest Trimmer. With nationwide ammo shortages, the WFT speeds up the most tedious part of reloading: trimming cases. The WFT attached to your hand-drill can trim up to 600 cases per hour with match-worthy precision. There are 200-plus calibers available, from .17 Hornet to .50 BMG. Check out the website for a complete selection of precision reloading and gunsmith tools. littlecrowgunworks.com

PMA TOOL

Give the gift of accuracy this Christmas. The PMA Model A Neck Turner is the simplest, most comfortable neck turning tool available.

PMA Tool is your first call in rifle accuracy. Go to their website to see all the tools and gear available to get the highest level of accuracy from your rifles. pmatool.com

NOWLIN ARMS

Proven reputation. Eight world championships and 22 national titles, all won by competitors using Nowlin. Today, you can elevate your own 1911 to this level of performance, with Nowlin’s ECM Match Grade barrels. Made from 416 rifle-quality bar stock, with ultrasmooth ECM rifling, 40 RC hardness, and an 8 RMS bore finish, Nowlin 1911 barrels deliver maximum accuracy. Nowlin’s unique precut barrel locking lug design ensures precise engagement, while centering the firing pin on the primer. Under 1 inch at 25 yards and under 1½ inches at 50 yards in the company’s barrel testing fixture. nowlinarms.com

UNIQUEARs

The Screaming Eagle was built specifically to embody trailblazers, patriots, fighters and the tenacity of the American spirit. This rifle showcases true American craftsmanship with all components made in the United States, and assembly in McCall, Idaho. Chambered in .223 Wylde, this rifle features a 16-inch stainless barrel and custom Cerakote finish. unique-ars.com/shop/complete-rifles/limited-edition-uar-rifles/screaming-eagle/

A*B ARMS

The A*B Arms Urban Sniper Stock X is designed and engineered for hunters, law enforcement and private security. The Urban Sniper Stock X is a stronger, more compact, lightweight ergonomic precision rifle buttstock that can be used on any weapons system that utilizes a Mil-Spec buffer tube. abarms.com 126

American Shooting Journal // December 2020