Gun World 2014 - August

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STATE-OF-THE-ART GUN STORAGE SOLUTIONS

FRANCHI’S 12-GAUGE INTENSITY

BATTLE-INSPIRED GATOR TACTICAL SPREADER CHOKE

FOR HIGHVOLUME SHOOTING

GLOCK 41

FAST HANDLING IN .45 ACP

BEST CARTRIDGES

DOMINATE

FOR BULLETRESISTANT ELK

THE COMPETITION WALTHER PPQ M2

100-YARD ACCURACY

STRIKER-FIRED SEMI-AUTO

NOSLER MODEL 48 PATRIOT RIFLE

MIX YOUR AMMO

FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE

AUG 2014 • VOLUME 55, NO.8 • $4.99 U.S. DISPLAY UNTIL: 7/29/14 • www.gunworld.com

08

DIAMONDBACK DB15B //////// LIGHTWEIGHT, FOR PERSONAL DEFENSE

0

74470 03105 Engaged Media By Beckett

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INTRODUCED IN 1911.

OFTEN IMITATED, NEVER DUPLICATED. The Colt 1991® Series is a direct descendant of the original Colt model of 1911. A long trigger, flat mainspring housing and original style recoil spring system remain from the original M1911 design. Upgrades from the original include the white dot sights and a lowered ejection port for extra reliability. The 1991 Series still remains “the standard” that everyone tries to imitate, but no one duplicates. When looking for the one that started it all, demand quality; demand Colt.

COLT.COM

800.962.COLT

FACEBOOK.COM/COLTFIREARMS

@COLTFIREARMS

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CONTENTS

14

Competitive Contender

The Walther PPQ M2 pistol has earned a stellar reputation since its introduction.

Now there’s a new, 5-inch version aimed squarely at competitive shooters.

By Mike Dickerson

22

Diamondback in the Rough

46

Beyond Bullets

Diamondback Firearms may be a young gun company, but its AR-pattern 5.56 mm NATO rifle can clearly play with the big kids.

By Dr. Martin D. Topper

30

Added Intensity

When you’re in a vortex of birds, you need a special shotgun to handle high-volume shooting, and the Franchi Intensity is such a gun.

By Brad Fitzpatrick

Mike Dickerson

FEATURES

AUGUST 2014

14 38

A Long Slide Toward Greatness

With its 5.31-inch barrel and reduced felt recoil, the GLOCK 41 may be the iconic Austrian maker’s best handling .45.

By Jerry Catania

4

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

Most shooters naturally associate the name Nosler with quality hunting bullets, and deservedly so, but its new Patriot rifle adds some serious firepower to the company legacy.

By Thomas C. Tabor

54

Wanna Buy a Duck Bill?

Shotgun spreader chokes have been around for decades, but it took a GATOR to build a better “duck bill.”

By Leroy Thompson

GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) Volume 55, Number 8, is published monthly, 12 times a year by Beckett Media, LLC, 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887.

Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gun World c/o Beckett Media, 4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244.

Return undelivered Canadian addresses to: Gun World c/o Pitney Bowes, Inc. PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B GST#855050365RT001 www.gunworld.com

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8 Up Front – Craig Hodgkins

22

10 New Products – Gun World Contributors

Dr. Martin D. Topper

COLUMNS

CONTENTS

12 Ask the Experts – Gun World Contributors 64 Today’s Hunter – Thomas C. Tabor 70 Reload – James E. House 76 Concealed Carry – Dave Workman

54

82 Gunsmithing – Steve Sieberts

Leroy Thompson

92 Best of NRA at Indy – Gun World Contributors 96 Back Pages – Craig Hodgkins

Jerry Catania

38 6

ON THE COVER: Photographs by Walther & Dr. Martin D. Topper Cover design by Johann Frederick Mendoza GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

www.gunworld.com

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UP FRONT

BIG MEMORIES

By Craig Hodgkins

I receive a lot of emails.

The vast majority of them are standard stuff. But on rare occasions, I receive one that compresses time.

Not long ago, I came across a familiar name online, and sent off an almost apologetic note asking if the guy was who I thought he was.

Later that night, I received a fourword question in response.

It read, “Are you Big Craig?”

Flash back two decades: My wife and I—California natives both—had moved to Nashua, New Hampshire. She was managing the Disney Store at the Pheasant Lane Mall, and I was cobbling together a living working in the stockroom at Sears, writing for the local paper and editing a music magazine.

Shortly after we arrived, we met two boys, Abi (the oldest) and Andy, who lived with their parents two doors down in our wooded neighborhood.

We were near-newlyweds, so they became our de facto kids. We watched as they rode bikes and ran through the trees, and in the winter, as they slid across the large frozen pond that backed up to both of our yards. You know, little kid stuff.

When I asked Abi what his real name was, he told me it was Albert, after his dad. But when I introduced myself, he looked confused.

“Craig means something small,” he said.

It was my turn to be confused.

I soon learned there was another boy in the family, a baby named Craig, and five-year-old Abi had associated his baby brother’s name with his size. Mystery solved.

But from that day on, I was Big Craig.

We returned to California a year

GUN WORLD

IN SOCIAL MEDIA: Website: www.GunWorld.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ GunWorldMagazine Twitter: @gunworldmag

8

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

or so later, and—as was so easy in the world before all-pervasive social media—we lost track of Abi and his family.

“

We were near-newlyweds, so they became our de facto kids.

”

Fast-forward the same two decades.

Following our reconnection, I drove my family down to Coronado, California, where the USNS Bridge, a U.S. Navy Supply-class fast combat support ship, was docked. The vessel’s small crew included 3rd Engineering Officer Albert Juergens IV, a 2007 graduate of the SUNY Maritime University.

Abi—who now has a couple of inches on me—gave us a wonderful tour of the ship, and then we headed to the Hotel Del Coronado to really catch up over dinner.

Among many other things, I learned that he’s been shooting for years, especially the long-distance kind.

You know, big kid stuff.

I just received another email from him the other day. He’d picked up the most recent issue of Gun World and wanted to touch base.

He’s currently re-deployed on another ship, and when his hitch is over, he and his wife plan a move to Texas with their newest addition, a little boy named Albert V. I hope they call him Abi. And if I ever get to meet him, I hope he’ll call me Big Craig. GW

AUG 2014 • VOLUME 55 • NUMBER 8

EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Doug Jeffrey Editor: Craig Hodgkins Managing Editor: Kari Windes Creative Director: Eric Knagg Art Director: Johann Frederick Mendoza

CONTRIBUTORS Todd Burgreen, Jerry Catania, Mike Dickerson, Brad Fitzpatrick, Paul Hantke, Terrill Hoffman, James House, Jameson Parker, Buck Pope, D.K. Pridgen, John Raguso, Steve Sieberts, Dave Spaulding, Tom Tabor, Chuck Taylor, Leroy Thompson, Martin Topper, Dave Workman

ADVERTISING Gabe Frimmel: Ad Sales Director (714) 200-1930 GFrimmel@Beckett.com Casey Clifford: Senior Account Executive (717) 896-8956 Mark Pack: Senior Account Executive (714) 200-1939 Gennifer Merriday: Ad Traffic Coordinator

DIRECT MARKETING GROUP John Bartulin Paul Caca Ryan Lauro Mary Ann Jaca

(866) 866-5146 ext. 2746 (866) 866-5146 ext. 4961 (866) 866-5146 ext. 2756 (866) 866-5146 ext 2716

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EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200 Yorba Linda, CA 92887 (714) 939-9991 www.gunworld.com www.facebook.com/gunworldmagazine www.facebook.com/eembybeckett GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) Volume 55, Number 8, is published monthly, 12 times a year by Beckett Media, LLC, 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887.

Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gun World c/o Beckett Media, 4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244. Return undelivered Canadian addresses to: Gun World c/o Pitney Bowes, Inc. PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B GST#855050365RT001 © 2014 by Beckett Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

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GW_1408_9 5/23/14 3:06 AM Page 9

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GW-1408-PRODUCTS-10-11.qxp 5/26/14 1:04 AM Page 10

NEW PRODUCTS

SAFE AT HOME

A Trio of Residential Firearms Storage and Safety Solutions Gun World Contributors It’s often difficult to store firearms in the home so that they are secure and safe while remaining rapidly accessible. Here are three products to help you find a solution.

NRA JOTTO’S HOME DEFENSE CABINET NRA Jotto Gear has developed a functional response to the storage and accessibility problem with the introduction of its new Home Defense Cabinet. The cabinet sets inside the wall, and when the sliding door is closed, it appears to be a vertical mirror. In the upper righthand corner, however, there is a tab that allows the mirror to slide to the left and exposes a hidden gun cabinet that holds one handgun and one long gun, both of which are secured with NRA Jotto Gear’s proprietary biometric security system.

Placing your finger on the pad

allows the security system to read your fingerprint and instantly unlocks the firearms for immediate access.

After eight seconds, the system resets and the firearms are once again locked in place. It’s a convenient, safe, and easy system, an ingenious solution to the problem of safely storing defensive firearms.

In addition, the Home Defense Cabinet’s security system can be interfaced with your home alarm or smart home systems. With NRA Jotto Gear’s new Home Defense Cabinet, you can keep your guns close at hand without alerting visitors. Additionally, keeping your guns hidden behind a mirror reduces the odds that criminals will be able to locate your firearms. Even if they do, Jotto Gear’s secure locking system makes it almost impossible for crooks to swipe your guns.

MSRP: $950 to $1,250

FV-3000 FIRE VAULT SAFE BY BARSKA

The FV-3000 features an all-steel construction designed to protect and secure your firearms and other valuables.

The Barska electronic keypad lock features a low-battery warning and a lockout mode.

10

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

If you’re more interested in volume than in secrecy, you can store up to 45 rifles and accessories with the FV-3000 Fireproof Vault Safe from Barska. The FV-3000 features an all-steel construction designed to protect and secure your firearms and other valuables. This Fire Safe is fitted with a pry-resistant recessed door to prevent tampering, and pouches on the inside of the door for storing and organizing additional items. The internal shelves are fully adjustable to meet your specific storage requirements.

The electronic keypad lock features a low-battery warning and a

The NRA Jotto Gear Home Defense Cabinet slides and hides firearms inside the wall for easy access.

lockout mode in the event that the incorrect code is entered too many times. The interior is completely lined with upholstery to prevent scratches or damage to the valuables inside. Two back-up keys provide secondary access to the Barska Fire Vault Safe. The FV3000’s solid-steel, six-point deadbolt locking mechanism ensures your firearms and valuables are safely secured inside.

This Barska Fire Vault Safe also comes with pre-drilled holes on the bottom of the safe to securely bolt to the floor. Mounting hardware is included.

MSRP: $1,999.99 www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-PRODUCTS-10-11.qxp 5/26/14 1:04 AM Page 11

A close-up look at the Gun Box, the gun safe that doesn’t look like a safe.

The Gun Box can hide in plain sight anywhere in your home or office.

THE GUN BOX The Gun Box takes a different approach than most firearm storage and safety solutions. Because it doesn’t look like a gun safe, it can hide in plain sight on everything from your nightstand to your desk, and it can also be attached on the underside of a desk or cabinet within easy reach. Constructed from 4mm cast aircraft aluminum,

it is plenty tough. And even though it is lightweight, the unit won’t walk away, because it is equipped with a Kensington lock, used for laptops and desktop computers.

Better still, even the most basic model opens with a quick pass of an RFID key contained in a specially designed sticker, ring or bracelet.

We saw it demonstrated at this year’s NRA Meetings, and came

away very impressed.

One thing that really places the Gun Box in the information age is that it will notify the owner (or others selected by the owner) with a text message if anyone moves or attempts to tamper with the GPSenabled model. And, on the off chance that someone is successful in removing it from your property, a GPS device inside will let you track the box wherever it goes.

The Gun Box is available in three models, all designed to hold one pistol. The most basic version, the Gun Box RF, has a radio frequency scanner lock.

The second model, the Gun Box Biometric has both an RF scanner, as well as a fingerprint scanner.

It can be programmed with many different fingerprints allowing access to multiple users even if they don’t have their RFID keys handy.

The final model, the Gun Box Premier is where the Gun Box really stands out. It has both scanner types, as well as a GPS unit that can be used to monitor and track the Gun Box.

MSRP: $279 to $47

®

Super X Pump Defender

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www.gunworld.com

AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GW-1408-EXPERTS-12-13.CX 5/30/14 6:33 AM Page 12

ASK the EXPERTS

We do the research so you don’t have to. example, game is not always positioned perfectly for a shot, and sometimes long shots are called for which require a high level of retained bullet energy. A good-sized bull elk can approach (and sometimes even exceed) a half a ton in weight. Combine that mass with stamina intent on surviving and you have a very stubborn animal to anchor.

I’ve personally always been fond of larger calibers, and I believe one of the .30 caliber magnums should be considered minimum for

Tom took this fine bull with one of his .300 Win. Mag. chambered rifles at a range of about 350 yards with a single shot.

HIGH-CALIBER ADVICE Question: I am planning a trip to Colorado to hunt elk. Most of my previous big game hunting experience has been for whitetail deer in Pennsylvania and New York where I use my .270. Some of my fellow hunters have told me that .270 is too small of a caliber for elk.

Do you agree, and if so, what caliber would you suggest?

Sid M., Hazleton, PA. Tom Tabor Answers: I have a friend that routinely uses a .270 Winchester for his elk hunting, and others that insist that their 7mm Remington Magnums do a great job 12

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

on elk. I even have a friend that suffered some relatively severe physical injuries just before hunting season a couple of years ago that successfully used his .243 to take a cow elk. In this latter case, my friend feared the recoil from his usual elk rifle, a .30-338, would exacerbate those injuries and because of that, he chose to use the smaller caliber.

Clearly, small-caliber rifles are effective for taking a great number of very large species of game, but I personally would feel severely under-gunned with any one of these calibers when it comes to hunting elk. Everyone has their own personal preferences with hunting calibers, and I’m no different.

While you can sometimes get good results when combining large game with small bullets, you can’t count on doing that consistently across all types of conditions. For

A couple of Tom’s favorite .300 Win. Mag. chambered rifles consist of a custom bolt action built on a Mauser action (left) and a Ruger No. 1 single shot (right).

“

...If I could only have one hunting rifle, it would be chambered in .300 Win. Mag.

”

www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-EXPERTS-12-13.qxp 5/26/14 1:17 AM Page 13

Three of the most popular .30 caliber magnums consist of (L-R): .300 Remington Ultra Mag., .300 Winchester Mag., and the somewhat-dated .300 H&H Mag. Any one of these cartridges is well suited for elk hunting.

hunting elk. I’m not too fond of the non-magnum .30 calibers largely because of their waning trajectory at longer range and the lack of sufficient retained energy. And while the .338 Win. Mag. seems to retain energy well, its long-range trajectory isn’t too appealing to me. If, however, you could be ensured that you would never be forced to shoot further than 250 or 300-yards, the .338 could be a very viable choice, as well as the much larger .375 magnum calibers.

I haven’t made it a secret over the years that if I could only have one hunting rifle it would be chambered in .300 Win. Mag. I have killed more elk (and for that matter, more critters in general) with my .300 Win. chambered rifles than any other caliber in my arsenal. I very seldom shoot any other weight bullet than 180-grain in all of these rifles. The reason for this is a simple

one; a properly designed 180-grain hunting bullet will actually retain a greater degree of energy at long range than the heavier weight bullets, and the trajectory will be more flat.

As far as actual recommendations go, my three choices for elk bullets are the Nosler Partition, the Norma Oryx or the Barnes Triple Shock X. Each of these is an excellent performer on bullet-resistant critters like elk.

The best advice I can give any potential elk hunter is to never underestimate the elk’s toughness by using too small of a caliber. Doing so, you would be jeopardizing your chances of success and it wouldn’t be fair to the animal you are hunting. While my first choice would be a .300 Winchester Magnum chambered rifle, some of the other calibers mentioned might also work out well for you.

OUR AUGUST EXPERTS: Thomas C. Tabor is Gun World’s resident hunting columnist, and routinely goes afield in pursuit of small birds, large game and good stories. His review of the Nosler Patriot rifle may be found on Page 46.

www.gunworld.com

AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GW-1408-WALTHER-14-21.CX 5/30/14 7:04 AM Page 14

COMPETITIVE

CONTENDER

The Walther PPQ M2 pistol has earned a stellar reputation since its introduction, thanks partly to its great trigger. Now there’s a new 5-inch version aimed squarely at competitive shooters.

Story & Photos by Mike Dickerson

The new 5-inch PPQ M2 pistol showcases Teutonic engineering at its best with superior ergonomics, trigger, quality and reliability.

14

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-WALTHER-14-21 5/26/14 1:28 AM Page 15

Y

ou’ll probably notice something a bit different about Walther’s new, 5-inch barrel version of the PPQ M2 pistol. If you haven’t, I won’t keep you in suspense. It’s those six ports atop the forward part of the slide. And while they don’t actually do anything, apart from reducing and rebalancing weight, I would suggest that they do boost the pistol’s already considerable “coolness” factor.

www.gunworld.com

AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GW-1408-WALTHER-14-21 5/26/14 1:28 AM Page 16

With its longer sight radius, excellent trigger and exceptional ergonomics, Walther has aimed the 5-inch PPQ M2 pistol directly at competitive pistol shooters.

But don’t let those portholes distract you. What really makes this pistol über cool are next-level attributes, such as ergonomics, trigger quality, accuracy and reliability, all wrapped up in a seriously refined package showcasing Teutonic engineering at its best.

That’s easy to understand if you think of the PPQ M2 as a direct descendant of the P99, a double-action/singe-action (DA/SA), striker-fired design that was notably innovative by virtue of its interchangeable grip backstraps and superior ergonomics. With the PPQ, Walther took things a step further by incorporating a pre-cocked, double-action, striker-fired mechanism, adding a high-grip surface texture and more palm swell to the grip and further improving the trigger.

The latest M2 version uses a push-button magazine release instead of the original PPQ’s paddlestyle magazine release, which never really caught on to any meaningful extent with American shooters.

The M2 is chambered in 9 mm and 40 S&W with 4-inch and 4.1-inch barrels, respectively. It’s also available in a special “Navy SD” version with a 4.6-inch threaded barrel. The new 5-inch pistol is available in 9 mm and 40 S&W. According to Bret Vorhees, Walther sales manager, “The main 16

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

focus of this (5-inch) pistol will be the competitive shooting market— IDPA, IPSC and USPSA. Once minimum production requirements are met, we will work to have this pistol approved by as many of these organizations as we can so the competitive shooter can use his favorite pistol in these kinds of competitions.”

With its longer sight radius and greater accuracy potential, this pistol is a natural for competitive use.

Here’s a closer look at the attributes that may make this 5-inch PPQ M2 a force with which to be reckoned.

SOME EXPERIENCE REQUIRED One of the things that’s immediately obvious about the new version—and all PPQ models—is the excellent trigger. It is definitely in the running for the best out-of-thebox trigger I’ve yet encountered on double-action, striker-fired pistols.

“The PPQ’s predecessor is the P99,” says Vorhees, “which had a great trigger as well, but it was a completely different system. Instead of having a DA/SA trigger system with a de-cocker, we developed the PPQ to have similar characteristics, such

as short, distinctive reset. However, it is considered a pre-cocked double action, which results in a light, smooth pre-travel and crisp break at 5.6 pounds.”

My test sample actually broke at an average of 5 pounds, and Walther isn’t kidding about the light, smooth pre-travel. Depressing the “trigger within a trigger” safety, you actually meet very little resistance throughout initial take up until the trigger stacks and you feel firm resistance. The trigger then breaks cleanly, and the reset is very short.

You can, happily, both hear and feel the reset.

Since the pistol has no external safety, this places it, at least in my mind, in a category reserved for those who already have a lot of familiarity with pre-cocked, doubleaction pistols or who are willing to undergo some meaningful safety training. Anyone who thinks they can just tuck this pistol into a waistband, carry it with the trigger exposed or unprotected in a pocket, or holster it carelessly is asking for trouble.

Let me reiterate … this pistol isn’t aimed at the neophyte. It’s designed for experienced shooters, especially those who appreciate the intent behind the pistol’s fine German engineering. It’s no accident that PPQ actually stands for “Police Pistol www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-WALTHER-14-21.CX 5/30/14 7:04 AM Page 17

PERFORMANCE RESULTS: WALTHER PPQ 5-INCH 9 MM. LOAD

AVG. MUZZLE VELOCITY (FPS)

AVG. 25-YARD GROUP (INCHES)

BEST 3 OF 5 SHOTS 25 YARDS (INCHES)

Federal HST 124 gr.

1204

2.43

0.94

Barnes TAC-XPD 115 gr. +P

1132

2.99

0.88

Hornady Critical Duty 135-gr. FlexLock

1062

3.97

2.45

Hornady Critical Defense 115-gr. FTX

1204

3.04

1.62

Winchester PDX 1, 124-gr. +P

1273

2.95

1.00

Winchester Train & Defend 147-gr. JHP

993

3.07

1.30

Note: Average groups represent results of three five-shot strings from the bench at 25 yards with velocities measured over a Competitive Edge Dynamics M2 chronograph.

“

...This pistol is a natural for competitive use.

”

The new PPQ continues the tradition of its predecessor, the P99, by offering three interchangeable backstraps to customize the fit of the pistol to the user.

www.gunworld.com

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The author reported the PPQ M2’s trigger to be among the very best he’s tried on double-action, striker-fired pistols. The trigger on his test gun broke consistently at 5 pounds of pressure.

SPECIFICATIONS Walther PPQ M2 5-inch Action: Striker-fired semi-auto Frame: Polymer Caliber: 9 mm, as tested (also available in .40 S&W) Mag. Capacity: 15 rounds, 9 mm Barrel Length: 5 inches Overall length: 8.1 inches Weight (Empty): 1.5 pounds Sights: Low profile, 3 dot, adjustable rear Finish: Matte black, Tenifer-coated slide and barrel

Quick Defense,” and the trigger has a lot to do with that, as do the gun’s excellent ergonomics.

The well-designed grip, with three interchangeable backstraps, feels good in the hand. That’s partly due to inclusion of some barely there sculpted finger grooves as well as the non-slip, cross-directional stippling on the grip’s surface. (To change the backstraps, you simply drift out one pin with a 4 mm punch). The trigger guard is

generously sized for gloved fingers, and the front of the trigger guard is checkered for those who prefer a two-handed grip with a finger wrapped around the front of the trigger guard.

When fired, the gun just seems to come back on target quickly and naturally. A couple of the +P rounds tested in this gun are noticeably snappy in some other light pistols, but I found the pistol quite comfortable to shoot, even when pushing

MSRP: $749 The slide has both front and rear serrations to make it easier to rack the slide.

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Six ports atop the slide serve to reduce and rebalance weight.

Finding sights shouldn’t be too difficult. Any sights that fit the predecessor Walther P99 will work for the PPQ, including offerings from Trijicon, Meprolight, XS Sights, Dawson Precision, 10-8 Performance and others.

Both the barrel and slide are Tenifer-coated for corrosion resistance. The slide itself has front and rear serrations to assist you in racking the slide. Parked amidships, beneath the slide, is the takedown lever, which makes it easy to break the gun down for cleaning. You simply grasp the lever on both sides with a thumb and finger, push it down and pull off the slide. You must, however, know what you’re doing because the design requires you to first pull the trigger, as do some other popular striker-fired designs. You absolutely must make certain you have removed the magazine (Note: the pistol can still fire with the magazine removed) and visually inspect the gun to ensure there’s no ammunition in the chamber, mag well or anywhere else.

I’ve never been crazy about designs that require you to pull the trigger in order to clean the gun, but that’s pretty much a fact of life these days. Even though this pistol has two drop safeties and a firing pin block, they won’t help you if you

do something boneheaded—like tripping the trigger on a live round— while taking the pistol apart to clean it. The same is true of many other striker-fired designs, so the solution is clear: Check that chamber each and every time you pull the trigger, no matter how certain you are that the gun is unloaded.

With that safety lecture out of the way, it’s worth noting that Southpaws will find much to like in this pistol. It comes with an ambidextrous slide stop, and the magazine release button is reversible for left- or right-handed shooters. The button is located exactly where it should be, and it requires only a small stretch of my gun-hand thumb to reach. When pressed, the release button seems to positively eject magazines rather than just allowing them to drop out of the gun.

That, to my way of thinking, is a good thing.

“

Let me reiterate ... this pistol isn’t aimed at the neophyte.

”

The excellent grip of the PPQ has, in addition to interchangeable backstraps, a high-grip surface texture and slight finger grooves to improve control.

the hottest loads down the barrel.

Walther rates the pistol for +P ammo, but not +P+, since, as Voorhees puts it, “There is no true SAAMI spec for this pressure level.”

This pistol carries well because there’s little on the outside to snag or get hung up on clothing, save possibly for a bit of the front sight or any lights or lasers you wish to hang off the custom accessory rail.

Standard sights on this pistol are low-profile, polymer three-dot combat sights. They do a good job, and allow for a bit more space to center the front sight within the notch of the rear sight, which I prefer over tighter sight pictures. Even so, metal night sights are a factory option with this gun, and I would definitely opt for these or other aftermarket metal night sights if I were shopping for this pistol. www.gunworld.com

AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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The author put the new PPQ M2 5-inch pistol through its paces by pushing hundreds of rounds down the barrel until the pistol was “dry and dirty.” The pistol proved to be utterly reliable. It didn’t bobble once.

The PPQ Mw 5-inch pistol is capable of excellent accuracy, as demonstrated by this factory 15meter test target group measuring just 0.93 inches, even with an obvious flyer.

Capacity of the magazines for the 9 mm I tested was 15 rounds, and you can readily check remaining round count by looking at the witness holes along the back of the magazines. Capacity of magazines for the 5-inch pistol chambered in 40 S&W is 11 rounds.

ACCURACY WHEN IT COUNTS In putting the PPQ through its paces, I found little to criticize. I conducted extensive testing with six different LEO/self-defense rounds, and pushed several hundred rounds of hardball ammo through the pistol. It never bobbled.

There were zero failures to feed, ex20

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

tract or eject. In fact, I deliberately shot the gun until it reached a condition best described as “dry and dirty,” and it kept on banging away. I have no idea how many consecutive rounds between cleaning it would take to make this gun hiccup because I never reached that point. Accordingly, this pistol scores high for reliability.

Velocities for all ammunition tested over my Competitive Edge Dynamics M2 chronograph were mildly higher than factory-stated velocities for all rounds except one.

Winchester’s PDX1 Defender 124-gr. +P load averaged an eye-opening 178 fps faster than factor-stated velocity, making this one of the most potent loads tested. Federal’s 124-gr. HST load and Hornady’s 115gr. Critical Defense loads weren’t far behind. Both averaged 1,204 fps. The slowest round tested was Winchester’s new Train and Defend JHP round, at 993 fps, but that’s understandable given the bullet’s 147-gr. weight and the fact that the round is designed as a reduced-recoil load.

I don’t normally get too excited about the accuracy potential of

double-action, striker-fired pistols, but the PPQ M2 5-inch pistol is capable of much better accuracy than I expected. That was apparent from the test target supplied with the gun. It had a tidy little group measuring just 0.93 inches, even with one apparent flyer in the group. Notations on the target indicated the group was fired at 15 meters, or 16.4 yards.

Wanting to see what the pistol could do under more challenging conditions, I tested it from the bench at a distance of 25 yards, and was pleasantly surprised. The average size of all five-shot groups fired from that distance was 3.07 inches, which may not sound that great to some, but that’s the best I can do these days with any handgun equipped with fixed sights at that distance. Progressive eyeglass lenses may be great for day-to-day chores, but they’re not so hot for accuracy testing from the bench with iron sights.

You can get a much better idea of the pistol’s accuracy potential by discounting the inevitable flyers in those groups and looking at the tightest three (of five) rounds on paper for a given load. When thusly measured, half of the loads tested turned in groups measuring an inch or less. www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-WALTHER-14-21 5/28/14 10:36 AM Page 21

At the end of the day, I could care less about putting those rounds into an inch at 25 yards shooting from the bench. I care a great deal more about being able to quickly place those rounds into center mass on a perpetrator-sized target under a high-stress self-defense scenario. At a common self-defense range of 7 yards, I was able to dump a full magazine, rapid-fire, into a group measuring a little over 3 inches. Getting hits quickly, under pressure, is what “practical” handgun competition is all about, and there’s little doubt that this pistol, with its excellent ergonomics, trigger, controllability and reliability, can help you excel in competitive shooting.

More importantly, should it ever become necessary, this pistol can help you prevail in the sort of contest where winning means you get to keep breathing. In the meantime, however, you can enjoy the PPQ M2’s easy-functioning performance, and those cool portholes on the slide. GW

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CONTACTS Barnes Bullets www.barnesbullets.com Competitive Edge Dynamics www.cedhk.com Federal Premium Ammunition www.federalpremium.com Hornady Ammunition www.hornady.com Nagel’s Gun Shop www.nagelsguns.net Walther Arms www.waltherarms.com Winchester Ammunition www.winchester.com

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AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GW-1408-DIAMONDBACK-22-29.CX 5/30/14 7:08 AM Page 22

DIAMONDBACK IN THE ROUGH

Diamondback Firearms May be a Newer Gun Company, but Its AR-pattern 5.56 mm NATO RiямВe Can Clearly Play With the Big Kids Story & Photos by Dr. Martin D. Topper

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GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-DIAMONDBACK-22-29.CX 5/30/14 7:08 AM Page 23

T

he Diamondback DB15B is a lightweight AR-pattern rifle that weighs just 6.65 pounds unloaded. It employs a Stoner gas impingement operating system and a 16inch 4140 chrome-moly steel barrel with an M4 profile. The barrel is free-floated and has a one-turn-in-nine rate of twist. The one-in-nine twist has become increasingly popular.

The author used a MTM K-Zone rest, Leupold spotting scope and Redfield Revolution Tac MOA scope to check the accuracy potential of the Diamondback rifle. It performed best with 55 grain bullets. www.gunworld.com

AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GW-1408-DIAMONDBACK-22-29 5/26/14 2:43 AM Page 24

Diamondback's DB15B is a well thought-out and well-made AR-pattern 5.56 mm. NATO caliber rifle. For these tests, the author mounted an EOTech EXPS-2 holographic sight and Crimson Trace’s new Rail Master Pro 100 Lumen LED light and 5mW red laser.

The steel bolt and bolt carrier are blued, and the bolt carrier is shotpeened and magnetic particle inspected. Shot peening is a cold-metal-working process that bombards a metal part with tiny spheres. These multiple impacts create a compressive residual stress on the surface of the metal that makes it highly resistant to the formation of microscopic stress cracks, greatly increasing the life of the part.

Magnetic particle inspection uses an electric current and iron filings to look for irregularities in the magnetic field of a steel part that would indicate surface or subsurface flaws in the metal. In addition to these processes, the bolt carrier key screws are firmly staked in place. All of this significantly reduces the likelihood of bolt carrier failure.

The A3 upper receiver and lower receiver are forged from hardcoat anodized 7075 T6 aluminum.

The lightweight handguard is also anodized aluminum, and has a modified four rail configuration that provides enough M1913 rail to mount lights, sights and slings, but not so much that it makes the gun seriously muzzle-heavy. The stock is an adjustable ATI Strikeforce model with a Scorpion Material buttpad that absorbs recoil and an aluminum commercial buffer tube assembly. The pistol grip and flash hider are A2-style and the DB15B also came with polymer MAGPUL 24

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

MBUS adjustable peep sights mounted on the full-length Tmarked toprail.

QUALITY CHECK The DB15 was inspected for functioning when I picked it up at the Florida Gun Exchange, and everything worked as intended. A quick once-over of the rifle's exterior indicated no poorly configured parts or tool marks. The gun was not lubricated, as it came from the factory, so the operation of the charging handle seemed a bit sluggish.

Once home, the gun was disassembled, cleaned and thoroughly inspected. There were a few superficial marks on the surface of the hammer, but otherwise the gun was very well executed. Fit was very snug, so I lubricated the bolt, bolt carrier and charging handle with a combination of Militec-1 and TW 25B synthetic grease and worked the action several times to ensure that the lubricant was evenly spread. Trigger pull was tested using an RCBS trigger scale. Takeup was fairly long and a bit gritty, but the trigger broke cleanly at a very repeatable 6.75 pounds. This is a bit heavy for hunting small varmints, but it is a reasonable weight for personal defense.

The inspection revealed one issue that involved the fit between the charging handle and the stock.

When the stock was fully collapsed,

the charging handle hit the stock's cheekpiece, and the bolt and bolt carrier could not be fully retracted.

The stock needed to be extended halfway before the handle would operate freely. This could be remedied by a small design change.

SHOTS FIRED The DB15 was fitted with three different sights and test-fired for accuracy, velocity and reliability.

The sights were an EOTech EXPS-2 holographic sight, a Crimson Trace Rail Master Pro light/laser and a Redfield Revolution Tac MOA 39x40 scope. The EOTech was used for initial reliability tests and the Crimson Trace Rail Master Pro was used for tactical drills. Accuracy testing was done with the Redfield scope at 100 yards and 300 meters.

A Leupold Kenai spotting scope was used to check groups, and an MTM K-Zone shooting rest was used to steady the rifle. Manufacturers provided 223 Rem. caliber loads for accuracy testing.

These included Winchester's 55gr. Varmint-X, Hornady's 55-gr. VMAX, Federal’s 62-gr. American Eagle FMJ, and Black Hills 69 gr.

MatchKing. Ammunition in 5.56 NATO used for function testing were provided by Winchester and Federal. Complete accuracy and velocity tests are recorded in the accompanying table.

The EO-Tech sight was used to www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-DIAMONDBACK-22-29 5/26/14 2:43 AM Page 25

“

The gun fed, fired and ejected without fail.

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AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GW-1408-DIAMONDBACK-22-29 5/26/14 2:43 AM Page 26

TEST PERFORMANCE Load Name

Velocity

Muzzle Energy

100 yd.-Group Ave.

Black Hills 69gr. MatchKing

2,813 fps.

1,212 ft. lbs.

4.68 inches

Federal American Eagle 62-gr. FMJ

2,792 fps.

1,073 ft. lbs.

2.79 inches

Hornady V-MAX 55 gr.

2,916 fps.

1,038 ft. lbs.

1.15 inches

Winchester 55 gr.

2,813 fps.

966 ft. lbs.

2.18 inches

Varmint-X Groups were fired at 100 yards from an MTM K-Zone Rest. Velocity was the average of five shots measured 15 feet from the muzzle with a PACT 1XP chronograph.

do basic sighting and reliability testing during the annual Big 3 Conference in Daytona Beach, an annual event hosted by retired Army marksman Dillard Johnson and gun writer David Fortier. Winchester 5.56mm. NATO 55-gr. “White Box” ball and Federal XM193 55-gr. FMJ NATO Spec ammunition supplied by the manufacturers were used to shoot from a distance of 75 yards.

These 55-gr. bullets grouped in the 1- to 2-inch range. The gun fed, fired and ejected without fail.

Accuracy tests at 100 yards were conducted at the Volusia County Gun and Hunt Club using the Redfield Tac-MOA scope also indicated that the DB15 shot well with other 55-gr. loads. The Hornady load was the most accurate with three, five-shot groups averaging 1.15 inches at 100 yards. The best Hornady V-Max group was only .7 inches. As the bullet weight increased, the groups opened up considerably. When the 69-gr. load was fired, it was clear that the performance of the rifle’s one in nine twist barrel was at the upper limit of acceptable tactical accuracy at 100 yards.

Because the Hornady 55-gr. VMAX was the most accurate load, it was used to test the rifle's accuracy at 300 meters. A quartering tailwind over my left shoulder was blowing at about 10 mph in the early afternoon when the longrange shooting was conducted.

Even so, two five-shot groups averaged about 5.75 inches. The best group was 4.65 inches on a tactical silhouette target. Wind affected 26

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

The short quad rail on the Diamondback rifle’s forearm was just the right size for mounting accessories without adding a lot of extra weight.

ATI’s Strikeforce stock was very comfortable, but prevented the charging handle from fully operating when the stock was collapsed. A modification of either the handle or the stock would fix the problem.

www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-DIAMONDBACK-22-29 5/26/14 2:43 AM Page 27

The DB15B’s operating controls follow the standard military configuration. Anyone trained on an M4 can transition easily to the Diamondback rifle.

EOTech’s EXPS-2 holographic sight worked well on Diamondback's AR, and it co-witnessed with the MAGPUL MBUS sights.

SPECIFICATIONS Diamondback Arms DB15B Barrel: 16-inch 4140 chrome moly, M4 contour, free floated, one in nine twist, A2 flash hider Receiver: Forged 7075 T6 aluminum upper and lower Stock: ATI Strikeforce with commercial aluminum buffer tube assembly Finish: Parkerized barrel, anodized hardcoat receiver Length: 32.5 inches to 36.25 inches Weight: 6.65 pounds Caliber: 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem. Capacity: 30 rounds Sights: MAGPUL MBUS polymer flip-up Pistol Grip: A2

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AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GW-1408-DIAMONDBACK-22-29.CX 5/30/14 7:07 AM Page 28

CONTACTS

Rain didn’t affect the DB15B’s functioning or the EOTech’s. The author wiped off the water and went on shooting. The rifle's dust cover also helped keep water out of the action.

Black Hills Ammunition Phone: (605) 348-5150 EO Tech Sights Phone: (888) 368-4656 www.EOTechInc.com Federal Cartridge Company www.FederalPremium.com

both groups. But given conditions, performance was very acceptable.

The Redfield Tac MOA reticle was very handy when estimating bullet drop. Just hold 4 MOA high and the bullets were spot-on the elevation.

This scope has performed very well on two different rifles, and its reasonable price tag of $350 makes it an excellent choice for shooting to about 500 yards.

Velocities measured with my PACT 1XP chronograph were very good for a 16-inch barrel. The fastest load was Hornady's V-MAX. Its 55-gr. bullet had an average muzzle velocity of 2916 fps. Average muzzle energy was 1038 ft.-lbs.

Extreme velocity spread of the Hornady load was only 16 fps. The highest energy was produced by the Black Hills 69-gr. MatchKing that generated an average of 1,212 ft.lbs. at the muzzle.

Later, the Crimson Trace Rail Master Pro was put to the test in a shoot house entry exercise at the Volusia Club. It involved engaging three close-range targets. The first target was a simulated lookout that was in a window. The second target depicted two ambushers located in a narrow walkway leading into the building. The first of these targets was fully exposed. The second stood behind the first and offered only a headshot. Fast hits on all targets were easy with the laser.

Close range shots are often a problem for those who use a scoped AR-15 as a personal defense weapon. On the one hand, if a gun is capable of hitting targets at 300 meters, you want to keep that capability. On the other, scopes limit your field of view at close quarters. One solution is to add a laser for close combat. Unlike 28

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

adding a 3x magnifier to a red dot or choosing a 1-4 power scope, mounting a higher-powered scope will preserve your ability to make precision hits beyond 200 yards.

For close-range targets, just look over the scope and sight with the laser. There are always trade-offs when selecting sights, but combining a tactical scope and laser is one of the better ones. Remember: if you mount the laser under the bore, the close-range sighting offset on an AR will require aiming 3 inches high, which is the opposite of the aiming offset with a top-mounted sight of any kind on an AR platform.

FINAL THOUGHTS The DB15B is light, fast handling, highly accurate with 55 gr. loads and, above all, totally reliable.

The DB15B also had ample rail space to mount accessories without excess weight and is reasonably priced at $1,019, ensuring that it won’t be rough on your shoulder or wallet. The Redfield Tac MOA scope and Crimson Trace Rail Master Pro worked just as intended and the Hornady V-MAX load was very compatible with this rifle. GW

Diamondback Firearms (877) 997-6774 www.DiamondbackFirearms.com Florida Gun Exchange (386) 304-9499 www.FloridaGunExchange.com Hornady Ammunition 1-800-338-3220 www.Hornady.com Leupold Optics Phone: (800) 5387653 www.Leupold.com MTM Case-Gard Products (937) 890-7461 www.MTMCase-Gard.com PACT Chronographs (800) 722-8462 www.Pact.com Redfield Scopes Phone: (877) 798-9686 ww.Redfield.com Volusia County Gun and Hunt Club 386-717-1394 www.VolusiaCountyGunandHuntClub.com

Four loads from Black Hills, Federal, Hornady and Winchester were used to test the Diamondback Rifle’s accuracy at 100 yards. The rifle was particularly fond of loads using 55-gr. bullets.

Winchester Ammunition (800) 356-2666 www.Winchester.com www.gunworld.com

GW_1408_29 5/23/14 3:14 AM Page 29

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GW-1408-INTENSITY-30-37.qxp 5/26/14 2:50 AM Page 30

ADDED INTENSITY Story & Photos by Brad Fitzpatrick

Rising numbers of geese can extend opportunities for shotgun hunting, but when you’re in the vortex of birds, you need a special shotgun to handle high-volume shooting. The Franchi Intensity is such a gun.

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GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

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GW-1408-INTENSITY-30-37.qxp 5/26/14 2:50 AM Page 31

A

long Route 40 in northern Arkansas, the trees and fields were frozen in a silver glaze. A major ice storm had hit a day before, and the cold of early February had left the landscape still and strangely silent. Rows of trees, naked in the winter cold, were twisted and bent under the cloak of heavy ice, and all along the highway there were freshly cut sets of two-tracks jutting jaggedly over the buried fog line, the parallel tire paths of automobiles that had lost control before the roads finally thawed. The ice had changed to rain as the day warmed, and wide puddles had formed in the ditches and low spots in the rice fields to my left and right.

The Franchi Intensity is an inertia-driven 3 ½-inch gun that is capable of firing thousands of magnum shots between cleanings. This one was fitted with a Nordic Components extension, a valuable tool when hunting geese.

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AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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Franchi’s Intensity is rugged, durable, and affordable. It offers plenty of camo options and it is capable of firing the heaviest 3 ½-inch magnums. Like other inertia guns, it’s light, but recoil is manageable even with heavy loads.

SPECIFICATIONS Franchi Intensity Action: Inertia-driven semiautomatic shotgun Gauge: 12 Capacity: 9 (As tested with Nordic extension) Weight: 6.7-6.9 lbs (without extension) Overall Length: 47.5 to 51.5 inches Exterior: black, Camo Dip (Realtree MAX-5, Realtree Xtra green, mossy oak bottomland) Sights: Fiber optic front bead Safety: Crossbolt MSRP: $1,099 to $1,199 Finally off the main highway and along the back roads, I could see that those flooded fields were now overrun with thousands upon thousands of geese. Preferring these out-of-the-way stopover points away from the busy interstate, the geese were piled up in huge flocks, a sea of white and blue and brown feathers and twisting heads that pecked at the frozen earth or stood erect, watching as I passed. Coming 32

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

The Franchi Intensity is, at its heart, an inertia-driven gun, just like its Benelli counterparts. The simplicity of the intertia system makes this a logical choice for hunting in wet, nasty conditions. The Intensity is available in a variety of camo patterns, all of which offer an extra level of corrosion protection.

around one particularly windy stretch of the road, I nearly put my truck into a slough as I watched hundreds of geese rise up and take wing, a wall of birds the likes of which I’d never seen. I pulled the truck back between the lanes, reminding myself if I didn’t pay attention, I’d be swimming with the birds instead of hunting them.

Each year, Arkansas and Missouri become overrun with snow, blue, and Ross’ geese. So severe is the overpopulation that in many areas—Arkansas included—you can hunt the birds for free with a stateissued depredation permit, one of which I had in my possession. I’d been invited on the hunt by Chris Jennings, web editor at Ducks Unlimited, and was thrilled to have an opportunity to see the massive flocks of birds that flowed through Arkansas each year.

Hunting them would be an added bonus.

A HIGH-VOLUME SOLUTION This was a high-volume hunt to be sure—Arkansas allows hunters to use electronic calls and unlimited capacity shotguns to deal with this seasonal issue—but unlike similar hunts in Argentina or Mexico, this one required us to shoot 3 ½inch loads of steel shot, and the proposition of sending dozens or even hundreds of magnum loads through a shotgun in a single day was daunting.

It would certainly provide an excellent endurance test for our shoulders as well as the shotguns provided, Franchi’s new Intensity.

The Intensity is the 3 ½-inch version of Franchi’s Affinity, an inertia-driven semiauto that I have expressed an (ahem) affinity for in the past.

On previous hunts, I’d appreciated the Affinity’s light, yet robust, build quality and the “never-say-die” inertia drivens upon which Franchi now builds its new semiauto guns, www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-INTENSITY-30-37.qxp 5/26/14 2:51 AM Page 33

but the Intensity signals a significant step up in power.

Internally, the Intensity mimics other inertia-driven guns, with a simple, three-part design (bolt body, inertia spring, rotating bolt head) that doesn’t require the cleaning and regulation of more complex gas-operated systems.

When a shell is chambered, the rotating bolt head locks into an extension in the barrel. Upon firing, the gun moves rearward with recoil but the bolt body stays in place, and this change in relative location actually tightens the rotating bolt head in the barrel extensions and compresses the inertia spring.

Meanwhile, the cartridge drop lever moves a shell from the magazine into place in preparation for chambering. Once chamber pressure drops, the inertia spring pushes the bolt backwards and the bolt unlocks. The empty shell is

pulled from the chamber, strikes the ejector, and is thrust out of the gun just in time for a fresh shell to be loaded into the chamber for a follow-up shot. It’s a very simple, very straightforward operating system that has proven to be highly effective and extremely reliable for thousands of shots.

Besides being ultra-reliable, the inertia-driven system has other advantages. For one thing, it allows for (and actually works better with) lightweight guns. Despite being a 3 ½-inch gun, the Intensity weighs between 6.7 and 6.9 pounds, which is at least a pound less than many competing gas guns of similar size.

And because there is no complex gas system, the forearm of the Intensity is thin and well-proportioned, meaning it swings smoothly and is comfortable to hold.

GAUGING YOUR OPTIONS The Intensity is available in

three-barrel lengths (26, 28, and 30 inches) and four colors (black, Realtree MAX-5, Realtree Xtra green, and mossy oak bottomland). Prices range from $1,099 for the black guns to $1,199 for the full camo dip, but to my mind, the camo version is the best value. I don’t base that on concealment alone, although that is important when you’re trying to fool the wary eyes of a huge flock of geese that have been shot at for three months, but the camo dip offers just one more level of protection against all that Mother Nature can throw at this gun.

The gun I carried in Arkansas was covered with Realtree MAX-5 camo and I was impressed by the dip’s consistency and durability.

There was no flaking or chipping around the edges, and after extended shooting, the camo on the forearm didn’t begin to fade or disappear with rough handling, which I’ve seen happen with other camo guns. I won’t pretend to understand the chemistry and physics of what makes a vibrant, durable

The Intensity is available in black, Realtree Max-5, Realtree Xtra green, and mossy oak bottomlands. All guns have a 3 ½-inch chamber and optic mounts machined into the receiver. www.gunworld.com

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camo dip, but whatever that formula may be, Franchi’s design team has figured it out.

As I mentioned earlier, the Intensity looks very much like the Affinity, with a fiber optic front dot and sling studs, the rear of which is molded into the stock. The primary aesthetic difference is that the Intensity’s receiver is machined to accept optics, so you can place a reflex sight on the gun for waterfowling and upland hunting or a magnified scope for coyote and turkey hunting. The Intensity will most likely find a serious following among waterfowlers, but it is a truly versatile scattergun that has the power, reliability, and design to perform well on a variety of game.

The sole objective of our Arkansas hunt was to help reduce the ever-growing population of geese that have become a nuisance to local farmers. Single flocks of geese can number in the thousands, and their ability to blanket the sky and drown out any other noise with the roar of a thousand honks is quite impressive. Snows tend to circle and drop in cyclone fashion, appearing like a white tornado from the inside as birds tighten their radius and drop down to feed. The process is known as a vortex, and it is just as impressive as the name implies. With a few hunters in the blind, shooting at a half-dozen major flocks can burn through a case or more of magnum shells. If there ever were a way in which to test a waterfowl gun, we’d found it.

During my stay, the ice storm and subsequent cold temperatures had frozen much of the open water, and finding geese was more difficult than normal. The best areas were near agricultural fields and the remaining open water, and the best times of day were when the geese were moving between their roosts and feeding areas. On our first morning, Chris parked his truck at a levee overlooking a drained rice field. In the gray light of dawn, we saw thousands of geese rise up, filling the sky with a streaming sea of white wings and drowning out our conversation with their cacophonous honking.

When the Intensity’s rotating bolt head closes, it locks into cutouts in the barrel, providing an extremely secure lockup that only tightens when the gun is fired. A large ejection port allows for long shells to be tossed clear of the gun.

The standard Intensity magazine cap, shown here, has a sling stud mounted for easeof-carry. Since the Arkansas goose hunt allowed for unlimited capacity, the standard cap was replaced by tubes from Nordic Components that raised the capacity to nine 3 1/2-inch shells.

The Intensity comes with three choke tubes and a wrench for easy changes in the field. The fiber optic bead is highly visible, even in low light conditions.

RAINING GEESE The blind—a massive metal box that had been inserted into the ground and anchored with steel poles so that it wouldn’t be pushed 34

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A good goose pit isn’t exactly comfortable, but it protects you from the howling prairie wind and keeps your gear out of the mud. The top rolls back so that you can rise and shoot.

“

...I could see that those flooded fields were now overrun with thousands upon thousands of geese.

Winchester Blind Side’s unique design allows for heavier payloads and better lethality. It worked wonderfully on Arkansas geese, resulting in very few cripples.

”

WINCHESTER’S BLIND SIDE STACKS UP

Making a really good, non-toxic magnum load this effective and affordable was a tough challenge, but Winchester’s ammo engineers have developed an ingenious method for packing in more shot and creating better patterns with more killing power. Blind Side pellets have a hexahedronal shape (they are diceshaped and have six flat faces), which allows the shot to be stacked in a more uniform fashion in the column, and that means you can pack more pellets and a bigger payload into standard-sized shells.

Standard Blind Side loads (3-inch, 12gauge) have 1 3/8 ounces of shot, while the larger 3 ½-inch shells carry 1 5/8 ounces. Even the 20-gauge 3-inch load has 1 1/16 ounces of shot.

In addition to allowing more shot to be packed in the shell, the unique shape offers better penetration and it is more lethal than traditional rounded pellets, always an important consideration when hunting with steel shot. A specialized Diamond Cut Wad helps stabilize the shot string after it exits the gun, creating a uniform pattern out to long ranges.

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out of the wet earth—was situated in the middle of the levee. The interior wasn’t exactly posh, but it was dry and out of the elements, so it felt wonderful in the face of a 20 mph wind. The levee was covered with decoys and flags, several hundred in total, and Chris set up an electronic caller that boomed out a response call to the hundreds of geese now surrounding our position.

I was there to shoot geese, not to count them, but to say that we saw 50,000 geese in three days likely wouldn’t be an understatement. I can say, however, that the whole landscape was covered with birds either flying en masse between fields and water or stretched out in huge flocks that fed in the open patches where the ice had thawed. They didn’t want to swoop into our decoys, as is sometimes the case, but the occasional single or group of birds would break and cup their wings, sailing into our spread from the slate gray sky until Chris called for us to shoot. We had to hold off on many occasions, though, because mixed in with the thousands and thousands of snows, blues, and Ross’ geese were speckled geese, which weren’t on license and were strictly off-limits. If the “specks” called out, they were easy to recognize, but you couldn’t simply fire on any goose that tipped AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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One of many snow geese that fell to the Intensity. Even on the best day, the wind was high and the birds were hanging out on the perimeter of the gun range, so knocking down birds required good shooting. The Franchi’s natural balance and heavy Winchester Blind Side loads made it easier, though not easy.

into the decoys. You had to be sure of your target before firing.

My first goose was a single juvenile snow that came in high overhead, and with a seemingly absurd amount of lead, I managed to catch the bird with a load of Winchester Blind Side steel shot and drop it down into our decoy spread with a hard thump. Sharing the blind with me were Chris, Dan Rice of Franchi, and Paul Davis, all experienced waterfowlers and all good enough shots that you wanted to limit the number of times you embarrassed yourself.

The few times that I did, it wasn’t the fault of the Franchi. In fact, the Intensity kept hammering away, delivering fast shots whether I was aiming in the right place or not. I hit a fair share of birds, though not as many as my companions, and we kept Chris’ lab, Lexi, busy hauling in dead birds. Dan made a great shot on a Ross’ goose, the Intensity cracking once as the white bird tucked and tumbled out of the sky with a splash in the shallow water.

“Clean” is a relative term for a goose pit, and although the ones in which we hunted were well maintained (I was told that in the sum36

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mer months, the cool, dark pits were a favorite hangout of water moccasins, and that the walls frequently seemed to be a moving mosaic because there were so many wolf spiders crawling about), there’s a certain amount of slop and spray that’s going to get on your gun. The Intensities ran without issue, and despite the large number of shells we put through these guns, the recoil wasn’t as bad as I had feared. That’s thanks in large part to the overall design of the Intensity (straight comb delivers recoil back instead of up into the face) and TSA recoil pad. The Intensity has available stock shims so you can change stock positioning and angle for optimum fit, which helps mitigate the impact of recoil and helps place your pattern exactly where you want it to go.

On our second morning, the geese were more cooperative, but the weather was brutal. Scattered ice and rain beat down on the inside of the blind and high winds made the birds less likely to fly and made shooting difficult. But in a land of a million geese, the term “rough day” is relative. We had a group of snows

DU MAKES AN UNLIMITED DIFFERENCE At the turn of the 20th century, market hunters had decimated American waterfowl numbers, and agricultural fields were swallowing up much of the remaining open prairie lands that waterfowl relied upon for nesting. Without intervention, it seemed that this nation’s waterfowl numbers would remain in decline until their populations crashed, too low to remain viable.

In the 1930’s, a group of like-minded conservationists, many of them sportsmen, began working to raise money and awareness for the preservation of key nesting areas for waterfowl. This conservation group, known today as Ducks Unlimited, has served to protect waterfowl and their habitat for almost 80 years. Today, DU is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and has over 600,000 members. Of the funds that DU raises, 83 percent goes directly toward wildlife conservation, and currently, DU has conserved more than 12.6 million acres of land in North America for waterfowl and other wildlife species.

For more information, or to become a member, visit the DU website at www.ducks.org.

come in early, cup their wings and drop down into the spread, close enough that we killed three. Most of the birds were singles, but we made the most of our opportunities and claimed almost a dozen birds by the end of the second day. It wasn’t the dozens or even hundreds of birds that are sometimes taken, but it was enough for everyone to take goose meat home with them and gave the Intensity a workout.

All told, I put something like 60 shells through the Intensity over the course of two days, enough to understand how the gun works and reacts. This is a well-designed and tough gun, and it’s a bargain at the listed price. The next time I’m in the snow pit, preferably one without spiders or snakes, you can bet that if I have my choice, I’ll stick with the Intensity. It’s proven that it can perform in the toughest conditions.

GW

CONTACT Franchi USA www.franchiusa.com (800) 264-4962 Winchester Ammunition www.winchester.com

www.gunworld.com

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A LONG SLIDE

TOWARD GREATNESS

The GLOCK 41 May Be the Iconic Austrian Maker’s Best-Handling .45 Story & Photos by Jerry Catania

T

he Glock 41—the newest .45 Caliber pistol from Austria—is a full-sized model called a “Longslide” because of its 5.31-inch barrel, compared to the G21’s 4.6-inch tube. It is, like its little brother the G30S, a hybrid design. Glock basically took the slide from the G34/35 and mated it to the full-size G21 Gen4 frame.

Unlike the G34/35 slide, however, the G41 frame has no cutout on top; it is solid all the way. This gives the G41 two advantages: one, it is closed to dirt and debris.

Two, it provides a little more mass to re-

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duce felt recoil, a good idea when firing the .45 ACP cartridge.

The Gen4 system on the new 41 may be a little different than what you have previously seen from Glock. Other models were provided with three back straps (a medium back strap installed, and both a smaller and larger back strap provided as replacements), but the G41 comes with four (two medium and two large): two with a beavertail and two without. Each increases the trigger reach, and each attaches to the existing frame with nothing to remove.

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Left side view of Glock’s 41 Gen 4 in .45.

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OUT OF THE BOX Right out of the box, the G41 comes with the same grip/trigger reach dimensions as the Glock 21 Short Frame (SF), but with aggressive checkering. This configuration of the G41 provided an ideal reach for me, and although I liked the feel of the gun with the “medium” beavertail backstrap installed, I shot it only with the out-of-the-box standard short frame dimensions to get the proper finger/trigger relationship. Conveniently, the Glock 41 comes with both the tool to change the back strap (just push out one pin), as well as a longer pin to use with any of the four add-on back straps.

The checkering on the Glock 41 Gen4 model is very crisp (almost sharp) and provides superior traction in the shooting hand. For those who may have handled previous models, it feels much different than the stippling used on the regular G21 SF and almost completely wraps around the grip. The Glock 41 Gen4 also features a reversible magazine catch button. The magazine release button is very well shaped and large enough for speed reloads and for use with gloved hands. It does not have the sharp corners found on some Glock models. The slide lock lever is new as well. It feels much sturdier than the older ones and protrudes just the right distance for speedy tactical reloads, while not obtrusive enough to get in the way and lock itself open at the wrong time.

The rear sight on the Glock 41 is 40

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A close-up of the reversible magazine release button.

A gaping magazine well allows easy and rapid magazine changes.

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GW-1408-GLOCK41-38-45.CX 5/30/14 7:11 AM Page 41

CHRONOGRAPH DATA LOAD

MUZZLE VELOCITY

MUZZLE ENERGY

DOUBLETAP 200 GRAIN BONDED

1,081 FPS

DOUBLETAP 230 GRAIN FMJ

939 FPS

519 FT. LBS. 451 FT. LBS.

HORNADY XTP +P 230 GRAIN JHP

989 FPS

499 FT. LBS.

HORNADY +P 220 GRAIN CRIT. DUTY (LE)

1,021 FPS

521 FT. LBS.

FED 230 GRAIN HST (LE)

893 FPS

408 FT. LBS.

FED 230 GRAIN HYDRA-SHOT TAC (LE)

887 FPS

401 FT. LBS.

CORBON +P 185 GR. DPX

1,086 FPS

484 FT. LBS.

LEGEND: All readings were taken on an Oehler 35P professional chronograph set 8 feet from the muzzle of the pistol. FPS means speed of the bullet in Feet Per Second. Elevation: 1,200 feet. Temperature: 73 degrees Fahrenheit. All readings are the average of five shots. LE: available to Law Enforcement only.

A close-up view of the slide lock lever. Note how it protrudes from the frame and slide.

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fixed for elevation, but drift-adjustable (read: hammered) for windage. Glock sights are made in four heights: 7.3, 6.9, 6.5, and 6.1.

The sight on the G41 is the 6.9; the second highest sight installed by Glock, and is designated by a symbol on the right side of a small line over a larger line. Is your G41 shooting high? You would install the 6.5, designated by just one line, or the 6.1, with a large line with a smaller line beneath it. Two small lines above a large line designate the highest sight, which is the 7.3. Re-

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DEFINING A GENERATION Glock continually upgrades models to address issues and generally improve product performance (with actions such as adding a firing pin channel liner, changing spring shapes, etc.), but the release of a “Gen4” model begs the question of how Glock has defined each “generation.”

Here’s a quick-and-easy list for comparison: Gen 1 Original model, 1980-1989 No locking block pin Smooth pebble finish No finger grooves Gen 2 1989-1997 Checkering front and rear Smooth Pebble finish panels Locking block pin added with .40 S&W intro, later added to all models.

Gen 3 1997 - Current Finger grooves with checkering between Thumb recess Forward equipment rail added to receiver Short frame added to 10mm and .45 ACP models (2007) Rough Textured Frame added to G22s (2009) Gen 4 2010 - Current Sharp checkering all around Reversible magazine release button Replaceable back straps New dual recoil spring assembly Gen4 roll-marked on the slide

member, higher rear sights make bullets impact higher, the opposite of what the front sight does. And no matter your preference, Glock sights are easily obtained, easily installed and affordable.

SAFETY FIRST, SECOND & THIRD The G41 features the Glock Safe Action. Some believe Glocks have no safeties, but this is not true.

They actually have three, plus two visual clues informing you that they are loaded and ready to fire. All Glocks, the G41included, share these safeties. That’s the beauty of the Glock system.

The first safety is the trigger safety. This is incorporated into the trigger in the form of a lever, and when in the forward position, it blocks the trigger from moving rearward. To fire the pistol, the trigger safety and the trigger itself must be deliberately depressed at the same time. If the trigger safety is not depressed, the trigger will not move rearwards and allow the pistol to fire.

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pin safety projects into the firing pin channel and mechanically blocks the firing pin from moving forward.

When the trigger is being moved rearwards, a vertical extension of the trigger bar pushes the firing pin safety upwards, clearing the firing pin channel. During the slide cycling process, the firing pin safety automatically reengages.

The third safety is the drop safety. The rear part of the trigger bar, which has a cruciform shape, rests with both arms on the drop safety shelf located in the trigger mechanism housing. When the trigger is pulled to the rear, the trigger bar begins to move down off the shelf until finally separating from the firing pin lug. During the slide cycling process, the trigger bar is lifted and caught by the firing pin lug. The trigger bar is reengaged by the firing pin lug. Be advised that all three safeties are automatically disengaged when the trigger is pulled.

If there is a round in the chamber, the Glock will fire.

There are two more visual clues as to the readiness of the Glock pistol. First is the trigger. With the typi-

cal 5.5-pound connector and spring, the G41 trigger will remain in the rear (or fired) position if the pistol is not cocked, and in the forward position if it is. In addition, the extractor will jut out from the frame if there is a round in the chamber; this can be seen as well as felt, an excellent tactile feature in the dark.

However, these are visual and tactile indicators of the condition of the Glock and should be verified by actually checking the chamber before jumping to the conclusion that the Glock is in condition ONE (loaded weapon, ready to fire) or condition THREE (unloaded chamber, magazine loaded). The Glock safe action: “Always safe, and always ready.”

SHOOTING THE G41 Shooting the Glock at our outdoor range revealed no surprises.

Several shooters handled and fired the G41, and all had positive comments. Of course, it helps when a gun loads, fires, and ejects with 100 percent reliability, as the G41 did.

No one was pinched or cut, nor had empty cases hitting them in the face or head. Felt recoil was managed by the weight and grip design.

Accuracy was pretty good, even with old, tired eyes. Groups of 2 to 3 A muzzle view of the Glock 41.

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Compare the slide length of the Glock 41 (top) and Glock 30S (below).

“

The checkering on the Glock 41 Gen4 model is very crisp and provides superior traction...

”

Balance of Power

Compact, Comfortable, Accurate.

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IWI US, Inc. info@iwi.us w w w.iw i.us

Balance the Power in your hands today!

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SPECIFICATIONS

G41 GEN4 Caliber: .45 ACP Oal: 8.9 inches Barrel Length: 5.31 inches Weight: 27 ounces (with empty magazine) Trigger Pull: 5.5 pounds Width: 1.28 inches Magazine Capacity: 13 rounds (Three included) Sights: Fixed white-outline rear (adjustable for windage); white dot front Line of Sight: 7.56 inches Extras: Tool to change backstraps and longer pin for them, cleaning kit, manual MSRP: $775

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inches were common. I believe a really good, sharp-eyed pistolero firing select ammunition from a rest could achieve groups of an inch at 25 yards without much trouble.

The higher-than-average muzzle velocities obtained prove the Glock 41 would make an awesome duty weapon for SWAT teams, other law enforcement officers, armored truck guards … anyone who needs an accurate and very powerful handgun.

In my opinion, this is Glock’s best handling .45 ACP pistol.

The G41 Gen4 is one of Glock’s best efforts, combining the inherently superior features that all Glocks share, along with some new ones: dual recoil spring, adjustable grips, revised slide lock lever, reversible magazine release button, longer sight radius … well, you get it.

Easy handling and great shooting, with power, capacity, and accuracy to spare, the G41 is truly an advanced .45. Before you buy a .45 ACP by any other manufacturer, I’d advise you to check out the new Gen 4 Glock 41. GW

“

CONTACTS Glock www.Glock.com 770-432-1202 Hornady Ammunition www. Hornady.com 800-338-3220 DoubleTap Ammunition www. Doubletapammo.com 866-357-10mm Federal Law Enforcement Ammunitionle.ATK.com Cor®Bon ammunition www.Corbon.com 800-626-7266

Some believe Glocks have no safeties, but this is not true...

”

Glock 41 Gen 4 firepower: one magazine, plus one up the pipe.

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GW_1408_45 5/23/14 3:16 AM Page 45

WITH 8X ZOOM, THE MARK 8® 3.5-25x56mm M5B2 IS THE ULTIMATE PRECISION RIFLESCOPE. The Mark 8® provides the precision, flexibility, and power serious shooters need for success at any distance. With its wide zoom ratio, illuminated front focal plane reticle, incredibly wide field of view at lower magnifications, and unmatched optical clarity at higher powers, it’s the ultimate blend of rapid target acquisition and extreme long-range performance. Learn more at Leupold.com.

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GW-1408-PATRIOT-46-53.CX 6/1/14 10:45 PM Page 46

BEYOND BULLETS

Story & Photos by Thomas C. Tabor

Nosler’s New Patriot Rifle Adds Bolt-Action Firepower to the Company Legacy

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M

ost shooters naturally associate the name Nosler with quality hunting bullets.

Heck, I’ve relied on Nosler Partitions for decades, and more recently, Nosler Accu-Bonds have helped me take many of my best trophy animals. There is, however, another side of Nosler that is not as well known, but which is every bit as respected within the shooting and hunting communities: the first-rate rifles that bear the Nosler name.

Tom’s range testing of the Nosler Patriot took place on his private firing range. He began by punching holes in paper targets at 100 yards, but soon turned to shooting 300- and 375-yard silhouettes.

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For years, the Nosler staff built custom rifles to test its bullets at the factory and in the field. Finally, management decided to take full advantage of that acquired expertise and began building rifles for sale to the public. Recently, it has expanded its rifle offerings to include ARs, including one known as the Varmageddon. The majority of Nosler rifles remain bolt actions however, and I recently had an opportunity to test one of these, a Nosler Model 48 Patriot chambered in .270 Winchester.

The Patriot is loaded with the attributes shooters frequently seek when selecting a rifle, all combined in a weather-resistant package capable of enduring whatever conditions the environment throws its way. It is available in a wide variety of the most popular and common centerfire calibers and even some of the not-so-common ones. Those include short- and long-action cartridges ranging from .22-250 Remington all the way up the .35 Whelen and Nosler’s brand-new magnum, the .26 Nosler, which is said to even exceed the capabilities of the .264 Winchester Magnum.

HIGH-CALIBER FINISH Each Patriot rifle comes equipped with a 24-inch, stainless steel, hand-lapped, match-grade barrel. The twist rate and barrel contours differ based on what the company engineers feel produces the best results for that particular cartridge and the overall weight also varies, but ranges from 6.75 pounds up to 7.5 pounds. All metal surfaces are coated with the durable NIC Industries Cerakote AllWeather Finish, and the lightweight aramid-fiber-reinforced composite stocks are both rugged and attractive. These stocks are equipped with a non-ventilated-style, 1-inch recoil pad and front-and-back sling swivel studs.

My initial impression of the Patriot stock took me back many decades to my previous life as a Fiberglas laminator. Prior to, and immediately after, my stint in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam, I worked at a small Fiberglas manufacturing plant in the state of Washington.

Unlike most composite stocks, which undergo an injection-molding process that generally produces smooth surfaces on all sides, most

The two-position, rocker-style safety was conveniently located on the right side of the rifle action.

The Nosler Model 48 Patriot Rifle sports a durable, weather-resistant appearance.

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The Nosler Patriot rifle comes with a very solid and secure action to stock bedding, which consists of a combination of aluminum and Fiberglas.

hand layup Fiberglas operations create parts that are glossy smooth on the mold side, but are rough on the opposing surface. In order to make those parts a bit more appealing to the customer’s eye, we often used a process of spraying on globs of thick gelcoat on those rough surfaces. Gelcoat is nothing more than colored resin, but in this case it was thicker, and when sprayed, it came out of the spray gun in elongated globs or strings.

The contrasting colors produced by this procedure add greatly to the overall appearance of the part, so instead of a basic battleship gray-colored stock, the Patriot stock possesses hundreds of tiny black streaks over the entire surface. This process is not meant as a way of covering up flaws or imperfections, but merely to add eye appeal to a stock that would normally appear plain and unattractive otherwise. And as a side benefit, it adds a bit of needed texture to the stock for better gripping potential when the shooter faces cold, wet and inclement weather conditions.

The rifle’s two-position rockerstyle safety is positioned along the right side of the action, just behind the bolt handle when in the closed position. Like most quality bolt-action rifles, the floor plate of the Patriot is hinged to provide ease in emptying the cartridge magazine and was made of aluminum. The release is a plunger style and located on the outside front of the trigger guard. Nosler classifies the .270 Winchester as a long-action www.gunworld.com

“

The Patriot is loaded with the attributes shooters frequently seek when selecting a rifle...

”

caliber (its term) and it came with a 1:10-inch twist sporter-style barrel.

The top of the action was attractively squared off in the usual Nosler manner. The barrel comes without sights, but is tapped for scope bases, which do not come with the rifle. The top of the receiver is flat on the rear portion and slightly rounded on the front, which conforms to the base specifications used for the Remington Model 700.

Fortunately, I had a set of two-piece bases in my inventory of mounts, and soon had them in place.

I’m a bit of a fanatic (can you be a “bit” of a fanatic?) when it comes to triggers. A trigger possessing a lot of slop or creep in its movements, that is set too heavy, or that doesn’t have a crisp and sharp let-off has the potential to severely and adversely affect my ability to shoot accurately.

But I was pleasantly surprised with the trigger on the Patriot, and found it to be excellent in every aspect. Even though the Nosler rifle triggers are fully adjustable, I felt this one had been set very well, particularly if the rifle is intended to be used for hunting purposes.

My Lyman trigger pull gauge revealed a five-pull average weight of 3 pounds, 4 ounces. After thoroughly checking the trigger, I removed the stock and again was impressed when I saw the degree of bedding placed by the Nosler factory. All pressure points and critical areas had been reinforced with aluminum or Fiberglas bedding material, or a combination of both. This,

Tom felt the Nosler Patriot trigger was one of the best he has encountered in a production rifle. The trigger had been set at the factory to a moderate pull weight of 3 pounds, 4 ounces, and its movements were crisp. The let-off was sharp and approaching perfection.

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NOSLER PATRIOT .270 WINCHESTER RIFLE ACCURACY AT 100 YARDS (THREE-SHOT GROUPS) Cartridge/Load

Smallest Group Largest Group

Average Group

Federal Premium 130-grain Trophy Bonded

1-5/8 inch

2-1/2 inch

2 inch

Remington Factory 130-grain Core-Lokt

15/16 inch

1-5/8 inch

1 3/16 inch

Handload 130-grain Nosler E-Tip 52-grains IMR4850

1-3/16 inch

1-1/2 inch

1-5/16 inch

Handload 130-grain Nosler E-Tip 53-grains IMR4850

1-1/8 inch

2-5/16 inch

1-9/16 inch

Note: The handloading data contained in this article was felt by the author to be safe for use in this particular firearm, but it may not be safe in other firearms, even those of like construction. Neither the author, nor Gun World Magazine, assumes any liability or responsibility for such use. For load data, it is strongly recommended that you consult only highly reputable handloading guides published by the component manufacturers and never exceed those deemed to be maximum loads.

The aluminum floor plate was hinged to allow quick and easily unloading of the magazine held cartridges.

of course, adds to the stability of the stock and encourages a higher degree of shooting accuracy.

ON THE RANGE Before mounting a scope, I ran a few solvent-soaked cleaning patches down the bore to remove any residue that might have been left behind in the manufacturing processes. After securing my scope bases, I used a set of Leupold QRW Quick Release 1-inch rings to mount a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40mm scope.

I’ve become extremely fond of the Leupold QRW rings over the years, and now use them on the vast majority of my rifles. The quick release 50

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

The aramid fiber-reinforced composite stock of the Patriot rifle was designed with a shadow-line cheekpiece to encourage consistent and comfortable cheek weld and comes with a textured finish to encourage a slip-free hold during wet or cold conditions. www.gunworld.com

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and reliable realignment abilities of these rings make them a great choice for a wide variety of shooting applications. The final step before burning a little powder was to stick my Leupold Zero Point Boresight on the rifle to get the scope crosshairs roughly aligned.

For live-fire testing, I shot a combination of ammunition consisting of two factory loads and a couple of randomly selected handloads consisting of two different powder weights. The factory loads were made up of Federal premium cartridges, which came loaded with 130-grain Trophy bonded-tip bullets, and Remington brand shells loaded with 130-grain Core-Lokt bullets. After working the handloads up to ensure there would be no pressure issues, I settled on two slightly different charges of the same IMR4350 powder. Those loads consisted of Remington once-fired cases, Nosler E-Tip bullets and 52.0 and 53.0 grains of the IMR4350 powder. A summary of the fired three-shot, 100-yard groups can be found in the accompanying chart.

Like all rifles, the Nosler Patriot I tested showed a preference to certain loads over others, but don’t conclude that those same preferences will necessarily be the same for other rifles, even if they consisted of the same make, model and caliber. Each rifle is unique in its own way, and its accuracy and preferences will vary, sometimes quite dramatically.

Nevertheless, the Patriot shot everything I sent down its barrel fairly well. If I’d invested more

“

My Lyman trigger pull gauge revealed a five-pull average weight of 3 pounds, 4 ounces.

”

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The Nosler Patriot shot the Remington factory loads very well.

time trying different factoryloaded cartridges—ones possessing different weight bullets and types of bullets and/or different handloading components—it is very likely the accuracy potential would have been improved. In fact, Nosler Patriot rifles come from the factory with a guarantee of MOA accuracy when shot using prescribed Nosler ammunition.

After a sizable length of time punching holes in paper targets, I turned the Patriot’s muzzle in the direction of my free-hanging, 300yard metal silhouette target. Each trigger squeeze was consistently rewarded with a loud “gong” immediately following the report of the rifle. Unfortunately, the fun came to an abrupt halt when the target came crashing to the ground with a broken weld joint. Fortunately, I had other target choices, and soon my muzzle was pointing in the direction of my 375-yard silhouette. By elevating the crosshairs only slightly higher, the pleasant “gonging” resumed once again in earnest.

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LIKES AND DRUTHERS I found the action of the Model 48 Patriot to be extremely smooth, and it fed the .270 cartridges from the enclosed five-round magazine effortlessly each and every time.

The nickel plating on the Federal premium cartridges may have contributed to the smoothness of their feeding, but the cartridges with no plating fed very nicely, as well. The overall movements of the pushfeed designed action were exceptional and clearly a cut above many other rifles I have used.

As I mentioned earlier, the finely tuned Nosler trigger was much to my liking, and was a real asset to the rifle. A poor quality trigger can result in making a shooter jerky and jumpy and lead to persistent flinching problems, but that certainly wasn’t the case here.

The shadow-line cheekpiece was a nice feature, as it provided a comfortable and consistent cheek weld each time the stock was brought to my shoulder, but at times I felt the stock seemed just a

bit too beefy to suit my personal taste. I don’t have the largest hands, so the pistol grip felt a bit oversized to me, but this increased size translates into a higher degree of stock strength at this most vulnerable area of a stock. On the other hand, the bedding of the Patriot’s barreled action really impressed me.

Overall, the Nosler Model 48 Patriot Rifle turned out to be a great product and one the company should be very proud to produce.

GW

CONTACT Nosler (800) 285-3701 www.nosler.com

www.gunworld.com

GW_1408_53 5/28/14 10:32 AM Page 53

The TAC-XPD™ Defense Ammunition–the optimized solution for carry or home defense. s 4ECHNI #ROM PLATED CASES s #OATED ALL COPPER BULLETS s 3MOOTH RELIABLE FEEDING s 6IRTUALLY NO MUZZLE m ASH Available in 380 Auto, 9mm Luger, 40 S&W and 45 Auto.

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GW-1408-GATOR-54-61.qxp 5/26/14 3:35 AM Page 54

The Remington 870 Express Tactical with Gator choke displayed along with an array of #4 buckshot loads.

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WANNA BUY

A DUCK BILL?

Story & Photos by Leroy Thompson

Broaden Your Effective Range with the GATOR Spreader Choke

I

’ve been fascinated by combat shotguns for many years, so much so that I’ve written two books on them. As a result, I’ve fired most of the fighting shotguns available over the last century. Although there are some excellent self-loading shotguns, and the double-barreled shotgun retains some viability for close combat, the slide-action or pump shotgun remains the standard for most law enforcement and police usage. Of these, the Remington 870 remains the most widely used fighting shotgun, although Mossberg’s 500/590 continues to offer a good challenge.

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If it is necessary to take a shot at one individual rather than a group, the shotgun may be rotated onto its side and fired, thus changing the strike pattern from horizontal to vertical.

I have two 870s I’ve used for years. One, in fact, is leaning against the wall a couple of feet away from me as I write this in my office. Scattergun Technologies originally built the other for a friend of mine who was a police captain before he passed away. Given the 870’s reputation for standing up to hard use, those two should have been enough to suffice. Recently, however, I decided to test the GATOR Duck Bill Spreader Choke from Paradigm SRP, so I now have an 870 trio.

I’ve been interested in “duck bill” spreader chokes since the Vietnam War, when the U.S. Navy SEALs used them on Ithaca Model 37 riot guns (see sidebar). The GATOR screws right into shotguns with certain internal choke systems, and since Remington’s Model 870 56

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

Express Tactical guns use the Rem Choke tube system, this seems to be as good an excuse as any to purchase one.

Although I’ll focus primarily on the GATOR Choke on these pages, I do want to write a bit about the 870 Express Tactical, which is an excellent update of the classic 870 riot gun. Basically, it has the features I consider most useful on a combat shotgun as standard. It takes either 2 ¾- or 3-inch shells; holds seven rounds (6 +1); has an 18.5-inch barrel; is fitted with a thick recoil pad; allows mounting of optical sights, as well as the ghost ring sight that is standard on a Picatinny rail; has sling swivel studs, and incorporates the Rem Choke. It is also very reasonably priced, with an MSRP of $572.

I am a great believer in the

The GATOR Choke mounted on a Rem Choke tube ready to be screwed into the barrel of the Remington 870 Express Tactical.

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U.S. NAVY SEALS AND VIETNAM-ERA DUCK BILL CHOKES Perhaps the best-known users of the duck-bill spreader choke were the U.S. Navy SEALs in Vietnam. These chokes were installed on Ithaca Model 37 Riot Guns and were used with #4 buckshot. Most commonly, the Model 37s were used by point men on patrol so that they could quickly clear a trail of enemies. They were also used in ambushes to sweep the killing zone. The Ithaca 37 was especially effective with the duck-bill choke because it lacked a trigger disconnect, which allowed the shooter to hold back the trigger and keep pumping the shotgun until it was empty.

SEALs also found the duck-bill choke effective in sweeping the deck of a ship or boat during boarding operations. Probably the most famous user of the duck-billed Ithaca 37 was Chief Jim “Patches” Watson, who used the weapon in Vietnam. He describes various times when he used his Duck Bill in his book, Point Man. In addition to the effectiveness of the duck bill and the ability of the Ithaca 37 to be fired quickly, Watson also discusses the advantages of being able to quickly load the shotgun from the bottom and the ease with which the Ithaca could be cleaned on the move by dunking into rivers or ponds, then drying it off.

Although the SEALs primarily used #4 buckshot in their Ithaca Model 37s, they also used flechette rounds, which contained small arrow-like darts. Although the flechettes had better aerodynamic qualities than buckshot, they did not strike with the same killing effect.

The duck-bill chokes used by the SEALs proved prone to fracture, so some later versions incorporated a band around the lips to keep them from flexing during firing.

combat shotgun as an equalizer, and the 870 Express Tactical is excellent for that purpose.

THE DUCK BILL Now, before specifically discussing the GATOR (I’ll get to it, I promise), let me say some general things about “duck bill”-type spreader chokes. As you can well imagine, spreader chokes of this type take their nickname from their

An Ithaca Model 37 with duck-bill choke similar to the ones used by the U.S. Navy SEALs in Vietnam. The Model 37 did not have a trigger disconnect, so rounds could be fired with the trigger held back by just pumping the shotgun. The knife is a Randall Model 18, widely used by special ops personnel during that war.

resemblance to a duck with its mouth partway open. They are designed to spread a shotgun’s pattern horizontally to make it more effective against multiple opponents, or when sweeping the area of an ambush or a ship’s deck. Generally, spreader chokes are designed to give a pattern with a ratio of two wide to one high (2-1) or four wide to one high (4-1). To maximize the effect of the wider pattern,

“

A spreader choke works best when everyone down range is a bad guy.

”

A cylinder bore Briley Rem Choke comes with the Gator Choke and the GATOR. The GATOR is “Loctit-ed” onto the forward threaded portion of the cylinder.

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loads using #4 buckshot are to be preferred, though shells loaded with BB shot or even #2 shot could be used at close range if buckshot were not available.

The greatest advantage of the spreader choke is its wide pattern, but this is also its greatest disadvantage, as its use could endanger any innocent bystander behind

Side view of the 870’s front sight, the GATOR, the extended magazine, and the sling swivel stud.

“

Spreader chokes...take their nickname from their resemblance to a duck with its mouth partway open.

The 870 Express Tactical’s crossbolt safety and slide release controls are readily visible in this photo.

”

SPECIFICATIONS

REMINGTON 870 EXPRESS TACTICAL

The 870 Express Tactical’s Picatinny rail and ghost ring peep sight give versatility in sighting.

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Action: Slide action Caliber: 12 guage, 2 ¾or 3 inch Overall Length: 38.5 inches (41.25 inches with Gator choke installed) Barrel Length: 18.5 inches (21.25 inches with Gator choke installed) Weight: 7.5 pounds Magazine Capacity: 6+1 Sights: Rear: XS ghost ring; Front: XS BLADE. Also, Picatinny top rail for optical sights. www.gunworld.com

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The aggressive front view of the GATOR, which seriously increases the intimidation factor, as well as the actual overall effect.

and/or to the side of the intended target or targets. As a result, the spreader choke would not be desirable on a police patrol shotgun.

Original Duck Bill chokes used during the Vietnam era also had a tendency to fracture with extended use unless reinforced with rings around the mouth.

TESTING THE GATOR The GATOR spreader choke has been engineered to eliminate the problem of fracturing at the lips. By designing the GATOR to fit any shotgun with an interchangeable choke system, the shotgun has a built-in versatility; it can be used with other chokes and then have the GATOR installed for specific missions. The most popular model will most likely be the one I am using, which is designed for 870 shotguns with the Rem Choke.

Other models for which versions of the GATOR are available include: Win Choke Invector, Winchester Invector, Benelli Mobil, Benelli Optima Plus, Benelli Crio Plus, Beretta Optima, and Beretta Mobil.

The Rem Choke model of the GATOR is quickly and easily installed. After the ported barrel extension that comes with the 870 60

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

Express Tactical is removed, the Briley Rem Choke “Cyl” tube that comes with the GATOR is screwed into the barrel. Once it is in place, the internal threads of the GATOR are coated with Loctite, and the choke is screwed on the tube until tight. Then, it is backed off just enough so the mouth of the GATOR is positioned correctly as described in the instructions, with the twin ports at the top.

I wanted to test the GATOR at varying distances to see how well the choke worked. On my first range trip, I only had 2 ¾ Federal #4 buck available. This load throws 27 pellets. I wanted to get an idea of how wide the spread was at varying ranges between 10 and 35 yards. I had some Zombietargets.net targets with me so I set up two zombies at 25 yards, positioned next to each other. The results did show some horizontal spread, with two hits on the left-hand zombie and four on the right-hand zombie. One of those on the left-hand zombie, however, impacted the throat in the mid cry of “Brains!” A lot of the pellets actually impacted on the white portion of the targets between the two zombies.

It could be argued that since the

zombies often shuffle along in a pack, many other pellets would have impacted those behind them. This argument, of course, points out the disadvantage of spreader chokes for law enforcement use, as there is too much of a chance of pellets hitting bystanders to the sides or rear of the intended target or targets. A spreader choke works best when everyone down range is a bad guy.

When I measured the pattern

“

The GATOR spreader choke has been engineered to eliminate the problem of fracturing at the lips.

”

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at 25 yards, 22 of the 27 pellets impacted into an area 31-inches wide and 18-inches high. That is approaching a 2:1 ratio of horizontal spread to vertical spread. At 35 yards, the spread was 37 inches horizontally. What if it is necessary to engage a single target to ensure more hits? The solution is simple.

Turn the shotgun on its side, and the GATOR throw pattern instantly becomes vertical.

I also wanted to see how the GATOR would perform with more pellets heading down range, so for my next session, I acquired some 3inch #4 buckshot rounds, which carry 41 pellets. I discovered that the Federal 3-inch #4 buckshot rounds performed especially well with the GATOR. At 15 yards, all 41 pellets stayed on a 4-foot wide target and impacted in a pattern 41inches wide by 11-inches high; that’s approaching a 4:1 ratio. This is precisely the type of horizontal spread that should be expected from a spreader choke.

The GATOR Choke is a very well made product, is easy to install on an 870 with a Rem Choke, and gives a good horizontal spread, especially with 3-inch, #4 buckshot loads. As was discussed above, however, the GATOR is a specialized accessory, one that would not normally be suited to home defense in most circumstances. In case of extreme civil unrest, or the hypothetical zombie apocalypse— where a homeowner might face multiple dangerous intruders—the GATOR would offer a solution.

As I write this, the price of the GATOR (ready to install) is $199.

GW

CONTACT Paradigm SRP 877-677-9899 www.paradigmsrp.com Remington Arms Company 800-243-9700 www.remington.com

www.gunworld.com

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TODAY’S HUNTER

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DOGTOWN

DELIGHT

Story & Photos by Thomas C. Tabor

Caution: Prairie Dog Hunting Can Be Highly Contagious!

S

ome of my best childhood memories took root when my family hardly had enough money to put a pot of beans on our dinner table. My mother and father must have worried continuously about how to provide for a family of six as they eked out a living on a tiny, western Washington dairy farm. But once a month, as part of that basic survival plan, we would all pile into our barely operable car and travel a few miles to our local farm store, one that sold virtually everything from barbed wire to baking flour.

A portable bench rest is a great asset to bring along on a prairie dog hunt. Here, Tom uses a Savage rifle chambered for the relatively new .17 Hornet centerfire cartridge.

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TODAY’S HUNTER

A part of Tom’s rimfire prairie dog arsenal consists of (L-R): Browning BAR .22 LR, tricked-out Ruger 10/22, Ruger B-Mag .17 WSM, Kimber .17 Mach 2, Savage 93R17 BTV .17 HMR and a Savage Model 93 BTVS chambered in .22 WMR.

Back then, when asked, a store owner would consider “breaking” a box of cartridges so customers could purchase what they could afford. My father certainly wasn’t a lover of guns, but he must have known that shooting established something of value in kids that was worth encouraging. So despite our hardships, he would occasionally find a few extra coins to purchase at least a partial box of .22 shells for us kids.

Then, after church on Sunday, we’d head out for a little rat shooting, traipsing down the road to the dead end where the people would dump their garbage down the hillside. Dumps being what they are, there were always plenty of rats to keep our ancient Remington singleshot .22 LR active, at least as long as our shells would hold out.

My dump rat shooting days have long since passed, but heaven has provided me with a near-perfect substitute, one that shooters like me consider the holy grail of pest shooting—the prairie dog.

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YOUR HUNT, YOUR CHOICE When it comes to prairie dogs, hunters seem to fall into one of two categories: those that shoot them, and those that wish they could shoot them. If you find yourself living on the right side of the country (which in the case of prairie dog hunting is the wrong side of the country), you probably fall in this latter group, because unless you put the Mississippi River in your rear view mirror and go like a bat out of hell toward the setting sun, there is virtually no way to enjoy the sport of prairie dog shooting. You’ll be burning a bit of gas to do so, but it certainly is worth the time and expense. Once in good prairie dog country, you will likely burn more powder in a single hour of shooting than most hunters can in an entire lifetime.

Many western states have sizable prairie dog populations, but for the devoted shooter, Wyoming is the land that prairie dog dreams are made of. There, you’ll find enough craters and burrows to www.gunworld.com

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WHAT TO TAKE ALONG 1. Good optics: high-powered rie scopes, binoculars, and a spotting scope.

2. A diversity of both rimďŹ re and centerďŹ re ries capable of at trajectories.

3. A cooler loaded with drinks and eats.

It can be a long way between stores and restaurants in prairie dog country.

4. Sunscreen, a hat, and lip balm.

5. Hiking or hunting boots capable of repelling cactus spines.

6. Shooting mats, portable shooting bench, shooting sticks, bi-pods, etc.

7. RangeďŹ nder.

8. Camera.

9. Lots of ammo.

make the countryside look like a miniature moonscape as far as the eye can see, so it’s easy to understand why farmers and ranchers despise such an infestation. Nevertheless, a pest the ranchers view as a thorn in their sides is a blessing to those of us who no longer have dump rats to shoot.

One of the really neat things about prairie dog shooting is there are essentially no set rules for what types of ďŹ rearm to use. I’ve used just about every type of weapon imaginable on these hunts, including pistols of various conďŹ gurations, ARs, and most every known rimďŹ re

cartridge as well. For longer range shooting, I’ve also broken out some of my centerďŹ re ries. I even have one friend who wanted to train with his big bore .416 Rigby in anticipation of some day going on safari.

After a couple of boxes of cartridges, however, his shoulder began screaming for relief, so he packed away the big bore in lieu of a more shoulder-friendly caliber.

So, what is the best caliber for prairie dog shooting? Ask that question of 10 people and you’ll likely to get 10 different answers.

What cartridge you choose will be largely dependent upon the range at which you prefer to shoot. Unlike other species where the terrain and habitat frequently dictates shooting distance, with prairie dogs, the range is strictly up to you. If you prefer to shoot at shorter distances, simply set up closer to the burrows and use a rimďŹ re rie or pistol. If you like the challenges of long-range shooting, move back and use a centerďŹ re rie.

I absolutely love my rimďŹ res for prairie dog shooting, especially my little .17 Mach 2, but the .17 HMR and the .22 LR and .22 magnum also works great out to about 100 yards.

Of course, that range could logically be stretched out a bit further if you are shooting Winchester’s new .17 WSM. If you prefer using a center-

Tom frequently uses one of his custom-built Ruger 10/22 .22 LR ries for close-range prairie dog shooting.

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TODAY’S HUNTER

A bench rest located on the back of a trailer is a great advantage for long-range shooting. A spotter is also helpful, particularly when the wind is howling.

Prairie dogs can provide a good challenge to shooters at both short and long ranges.

fire rifle, you might think about such calibers as the .223, .22-250, .220 Swift, .204 Ruger, .17 Hornet, .17 Fireball, or one of the many wildcat choices. In this case, the distance at which you choose to shoot would be limited to only your own imagination and abilities.

Generally, I bring along a collection of both rimfires and centerfires.

When the shooting gets really hot and heavy, having a variety of firearms to choose from allows me to switch back and forth when my barrels start to heat up, or be able to switch out a rifle that has its bore fouled and needs cleaning.

CATCHING THE DRIFT One of the major limiting factors in long-range prairie dog shooting is bullet drift. After shooting on the open prairie for decades I can confidently say that there are virtually no calm days where prairie dogs thrive. As many ranchers are 68

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quick to point out, “When the wind isn’t blowing—it sucks.”

When it comes to shooting under those conditions, it essentially comes down to how much the shooter has to hold into the wind in order to make the shot, rather than simply how many miles an hour it is blowing. On more occasions than I can remember, I’ve not only had to compensate for the normal trajectory drop of the bullet, but at the same time hold as much as a couple of feet into the wind just to stifle the distant barking of a dog. But, to me, that’s just another aspect of the fun of prairie dog shooting. So the bottom line is this: if you like to shoot prairie dogs long distance, you need to be shooting a rifle that is equipped with good optics, and you need to use a cartridge capable of bucking the wind and with a flat trajectory. You must also know and understand the ballistic performance of that cartridge.

One thing that sharply differs in prairie dog shooting as compared to other hunting situations is that in many cases you can set up much as you would when shooting on the rifle range. If you have a portable bench rest, bring it along. If you have a comfortable shooting chair, bring that along, too. And don’t forget to take along a shooting mat and a variety of shooting bags and rests.

Prairie dog towns may cover a hundred or more acres, so why not take full advantage of the opportunity to set up comfortably with the steadiest possible rest? In a few cases, you may have to walk a short distance, but often you can drive right up to the prairie dog town.

Some very serious-minded prairie dog shooters even have been known to tow specifically built trailers equipped with shooting benches and, in some cases, an elevated platform or tower to shoot from. Other enthusiasts have similar structures built on the bed of a pickup truck. These elevated platforms work well because they not only provide better viewing opportunities, it is less likely that the bullets they fire will encounter any vegetation in flight.

Many states consider the prairie dog a vermin species. As such, there are frequently few or no restrictions on the shooting of them and no licensing requirements. On the other hand, each state differs in its requirements, which makes it imperative that you check the local regulations before you begin to squeeze the trigger.

A word of caution: prairie dog shooting can get in your blood, and the allure of the sport can draw you back time and again, no matter how many miles you have to log on your vehicle to get to a good location.

GW www.gunworld.com

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RELOAD

Producing safe, accurate ammunition begins with properly prepared cases.

GETTING DOWN TO CASES

Understanding the Cold, Hard Facts About Powder-Packed Projectile Pushers Story & Photos by James E. House

R

eloading is currently enjoying increased popularity, with thousands of beginners joining scores of longtime practitioners. Most of my columns detail “what” I load into cartridges, but rarely about what I’m loading the various propellants into. Although many veterans of the reloading bench will know much of the material contained below, a good refresher course can’t hurt, as it is important for everyone from beginners to experts to remember and understand the basics.

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RELOAD

“

This case shows the result of near catastrophic failure. The primer pocket is enlarged and the case has expanded in the ejector recess.

With that being said, let’s get down to cases. Cartridge cases, that is.

Cartridge cases are generally made of brass. This alloy of copper and zinc is tough, easily resized, and resists corrosion. When cartridges are fired, pressures are generated in the range of about 15,000 to 60,000 psi. The case must be strong, but also somewhat pliable.

When a cartridge is fired, the case expands to provide a seal so that gases are forced forward down the bore rather than escaping backward. As a general rule, the case mouth and neck are somewhat softer, whereas the base is harder.

In order to make the neck soft, it is annealed by heating and then cooled quickly by quenching. If you examine cases before they are reloaded, you will usually be able to detect the difference in the color of the two areas.

expanded by the expander plug as the case is withdrawn. Firing the loaded round again expands the neck, and the cycle is repeated with each firing and loading process. As a result, case failure most often occurs at the neck where this reworking has caused the brass to become brittle. Older cases are particularly suspect. If they are quite old, they may have been originally loaded with primers that contained a compound of mercury. Upon firing, the mercury is liberated and forms an alloy with brass known as an amalgam, which weakens the case and causes it to become more brittle.

When cases are annealed to return the neck to its resilient state, the base must not be allowed to become soft. Therefore, the usual procedure is to place the cases sitting upright in a shallow pan containing water to keep the bases cool while heating the mouths, usu-

...Copper becomes strengthened as a result of what is known as work hardening.

”

ally with a torch or some other heat source. When the desired degree of heating has been reached, the cases are quickly toppled so that the temperature is reduced rapidly producing annealing. Commercial kits are available for the reloader who wishes to anneal cases.

Another concern is with cases that have been reformed to change caliber. For example, if a case such as the 308 Winchester is reformed to make it have 243 Winchester or 260 Remington dimensions, the neck becomes thicker. Therefore, when loaded with the smaller diameter bullet, there may be insufficient space for the neck to expand in the chamber properly, which can

ANNEAL APPEAL Although brass is a wonderful, workable alloy, it has a deficiency that may be illustrated in the following way. Take a piece of wire, such as a clothes hanger, and bend it repetitively until it breaks.

Now, take a piece of copper wire and try the same action. You will find that after one or two bending operations, the wire no longer bends at the same point but rather beside that point. The reason is that copper becomes strengthened as a result of what is known as work hardening.

Brass cases undergo the same change as they are loaded numerous times. When a bottlenecked case is reloaded, the neck is first constricted during resizing and then 72

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An accurate measuring device such as a digital caliper is an essential tool for preparing uniform loads.

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A case trimmer makes it easy to achieve correct and uniform case length.

cause higher pressure. It is advisable for case necks to be turned to the appropriate internal and external dimensions when case reforming involves significant reduction of the original case in caliber. This is usually not a problem when cases are expanded to hold bullets of larger caliber because case necks become thinner in that operation.

CASE VERSUS CALIBER I once took some 30-06 Springfield cases and resized them for use in my 270 Winchester. That causes no problem except that the

cases are slightly shorter than original 270 cases. The case length for the 270 is 2.540 inches, whereas that of the 30-06 is 2.494 inches. The 270 is actually a necked-down 30-03 case, which was the predecessor of the 30-06.

All cases of the same caliber are not the same. For example, the 257 Roberts, originally a wildcat caliber that became a factory offering in 1934,

was introduced with a relatively low maximum pressure. Many years ago, Winchester introduced a load that produced a higher pressure and designated it as 257 Roberts +P. The new load, which is now standard for the 257 Roberts, utilized a more strongly constructed case. I happen to have a supply of new Winchester cases of both original and +P versions.

After cases are trimmed, the mouth should have the burrs removed.

Expanding case mouths during loading handgun cartridges causes the mouth to become brittle.

“

All cases of the same caliber are not the same.

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RELOAD This RCBS tool can be used to remove burrs on both outside and inside of case mouths.

The average weight for the original cases is 159.4 grains, whereas that of the +P cases is 171.2 grains. Currently manufactured Remington cases average 168.8 grains, which shows that they also are of the +P variety even though it is not stated on the head stamp. If cases have the same external dimensions, heavier cases have smaller internal capacity, which results in higher pressure with a given load. The wise reloader knows which cases are being used, as well as the type used by developers of loading data.

When I began reloading, I was using a very basic kit that contained a die to resize only the case neck. As a result, after several reloadings, the case necks became wavy and uneven because they were not resized the same amount all around the mouth. I had no way to measure case length or trim them to a uniform length. Fortunately, the old 222 Remington I was loading was very forgiving and I got good accuracy anyway.

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For best accuracy, cases should not only be of the same brand and type, but also of uniform length, with mouths that are perpendicular to the case axis. In most instances, the recommended trim length is 0.010 inches shorter than the maximum case length.

Trimming is best accomplished by means of a commercial case trimmer utilizing a cutting tool held rigidly perpendicular to the case axis and rotated by hand or an electric motor. Such case trimmers have some means of limiting the trimming by setting a stop to a specified length. If no case trim-

mer is available, one can make do with a good file. Just be sure to hold the case so that the file passes squarely over the mouth and file slowly and carefully. Measure the case frequently to make sure that the appropriate length is attained.

During the process of giving cases the appropriate length, a bead is typically produced around the outside and inside edges of the case mouth as a result of brass flowing rather than being removed by abrasion. The inside bead can be removed with a countersink if necessary, but a special tool is much simpler to use. Such a tool has two tapered cutting surfaces, one that can fit over the outside of the case mouth and the other inside the mouth. As the tool is rotated, the inside and outside wire beads are removed. The slightly beveled inside edge of the case mouth makes it easier to start bullets in the seating operation. Proper case preparation is the first step in producing high quality reloads.

As I work on numerous reloading projects, it seems as if I am perpetually doing case preparation.

However, you must remember it is the case that keeps the gas out of your face.

And whether you are a shooter, a reloader, or both, that’s exactly how you want it, so case closed. GW

This unusual event occurred with a case in good condition and a load that was well below maximum. It appears that the primer did not seal properly, which allowed gas to leak. www.gunworld.com

Shown Actual Size

CCO - A HANDFUL OF CONFIDENCE

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CONCEALED CARRY

MIX YOUR AMMO FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE Your First and Last Priority is to Survive an Attack by Stopping Your Attacker, and This Trick Can Help.

Story & Photos by Dave Workman

In six-shot wheelguns like the author’s vintage Colt Diamondback, one might have a speedloader loaded with three hollowpoints and three frangibles. Workman suggests practicing a reload with this setup until the operation is smooth.

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S

ometime back, I mentioned a trick about loading pistol magazines with alternating hollowpoints and FMJ ammunition, always with the FMJ being at the top so it is the first round into the chamber after the first shot is fired.

In a revolver, loading a hollowpoint followed by a frangible just might be the strategy that separates a gunďŹ ght winner from the loser.

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CONCEALED CARRY The setup is two-fold. First, it ensures better feeding of that important first follow-up shot, and second, if the opposition is wearing layered clothing, that ball round is going to punch deep.

Well, that advice, from an old Texas Ranger pal, prompted an inquiry from a reader who wanted to know about how to load a revolver for maximum performance. While that may seem like a pretty foolish request, there are several legitimate reasons to ask.

Let’s confine this to a couple of my favorite wheelguns, because what we’re about to discuss will pretty much cover all the bases.

Some years ago, I acquired a Model 442 Smith & Wesson Jframe revolver, a little five-shot hammerless double-action-only piece with an alloy frame to save weight. It is a marvelous little carry gun, and it will handle +P rounds.

Occasionally, when I carry this revolver, I load three Winchester +P rounds topped with 158-grain lead hollowpoints, and two MagSafe rounds topped with 52-grain frangible bullets, alternating between rounds, with the first and last shots being the heavy lead bullet and the frangibles in chambers two and four. What’s this all about?

The heavy +P hollowpoints are for penetration and the frangibles cause serious tissue damage, enough to quickly stop an attacker if necessary. This is not a primer on maiming some thug, but a discussion on avoiding personal injury and even death. Remember, the bad guy calls the play, not you. Ideally, your gun will never leave its holster or your pocket.

Of course, Winchester is not the only source of good lead hollowpoints, and one can also opt for Glaser Safety ammunition. The point of this exercise is how to stuff a cylinder with a very effective combination of ammunition.

In my six-round .38 Special Colt revolver, I would run three and three, again alternating between the frangible and the hollowpoints. Step up to a .357 Magnum and it would the same combination, except instead of the +P lead hollowpoints, I like a 125-grain JHP, which has a sterling reputation as a fight-stopper.

THEY’RE NOT CHEAP Frangible ammunition is expensive. Cartridges average slightly 78

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Author sometimes packs his J-frame S&W Model 442 in this Mitch Rosen “Workman” rig.

Workman designed this deep concealment holster for small revolvers and semi-autos.

more than $2 apiece, whether they come in Glaser six-packs or MagSafe ten-packs. What’s your life worth? Frangibles are definitely not for practice, nor would one wish to use them for long-range shooting. The frangible bullet, typically stuffed with size 6 or 12 lead shot encased in some kind of resin compound, has a copper jacket and it exits the barrel like any other jacketed projectile.

These rounds are for close-up work, and not necessarily just against bad guys. Ever been attacked by an aggressive dog? I know people who have, and they

would clearly have had an advantage, had they been armed.

Mean, dangerous dogs are not interested in negotiation, placing them pretty much on the same level as a mean, dangerous criminal, with the exception that the dog may not know any better. Criminals, on the other hand, make their life choices and sometimes have dogs that are essentially used as weapons.

I’ve chatted this over with different prosecutors and reached the conclusion that in most jurisdictions, someone who shoots an attacking dog is not likely to face charges. This is not always the case.

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Don’t try to cut corners by substituting snake shot for a frangible. There is no comparison.

SURVIVE THE FIRST DAY

The new Taurus “First 24” kit, featuring its Judge revolver.

Shown for the first time publicly at the National Rifle Association exhibits in Indianapolis earlier this year, the Taurus “First 24” Judge Kit is designed for emergencies.

The heart of this kit, which comes in a lockable hard case, is the Judge revolver, capable of handling .410 shells and .45 Colt cartridges. It is fitted with a Hogue Mono-grip and finished with a tan X-Coat. It has an AimPro Tactical knife, 20 feet of nylon Para cord and a box of Hornady Critical Defense ammunition in .410bore, a Zippo Fire Starter with waxed tinder sticks, a Suunto compass and six AA batteries.

Included as accessories are a pair of Bianchi Speed Strips, a Brite-Strike ELPI 160lumen flashlight that has an on/off/strobe switch, and Brite-Strike APALS waterproof lighting/marking devices that have adhesive backing.

One person asked me if the kit lacked anything and I suggested adding a tough, nylon, pancake-type holster. The MSRP on this kit is $1,499.

There’s another version of this kit, with a Taurus .357 Magnum revolver and associated accessories. I’ve arranged to get one of these for a full evaluation in these pages.

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“

Remember, the bad guy calls the play, not you.

”

A friend of mine, retired Cincinnati police lieutenant Harry Thomas, was forced to simply fire a round into the ground next to a dog that was attacking him. The local cops and prosecutor tried to make a case against him until he pointed out the language of the self-defense statute to a judge.

If you have to shoot an attacking animal, a Glaser or MagSafe is going to ruin his day. And that is going to be a close contact shot.

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CONCEALED CARRY Another way to pack a defensive snubbie is in an ankle holster like this one from Mitch Rosen.

SPEEDLOADERS? There is a visible difference between the Glaser and MagSafe that may make the former more useable in speedloaders. The Glaser has a rounded front end where the MagSafe is rather blunt. That doesn’t mean they can’t be used in a speedloader, but they just might hang up momentarily on a reload, so that might be a consideration.

I will offer this observation: By the time you’ve emptied a cylinder and pumped two or three frangibles into an attacker—man or beast— there is not much likelihood that a quick reload will be necessary.

However, don’t count on it. Practice with speedloaders until you get it down pretty well.

Keep in mind that this alternating cartridge setup will work whether your revolver is an S&W, Taurus, Charter Arms, Ruger, Colt or some other brand. One only requires a revolver that is in proper working order.

Glaser and MagSafe ammunition is available in most popular calibers, with the exception of .41 Magnum, .32 H&R Magnum and .327 Federal. I only mention that to needle both companies, as my affinity for the .41 Magnum is pretty widely known, and the .32-caliber cartridges are good choices as well for personal protection.

However, for serious defensive work, I’d go with the .38 Special or .357 Magnum in a revolver. Recoil is 80

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manageable, and the handguns made for these cartridges are reliable.

Now, there is one final note.

Under no circumstances should anyone substitute snake shot cartridges for frangible ammunition and expect the same results. It’s not going to happen. Snake shot is for snakes, and about the best one can expect from one of these rounds, should they have to fire at an attacker, is to blind them with a facial shot or simply make them mad.

I’ve written in the past about a pharmacist I once knew early in my career who did have a .38 Special snub gun that had a snake load out first, specifically to blind a robber.

I’m not endorsing that, and to my knowledge, he never had to put that to the test.

The best course of action is to stick with the best fight-stopping cartridges, and make them count.

Mixing them up a bit could provide the advantage one needs to come out of a fight standing up. GW

“

Practice with speedloaders until you get it down pretty well.

”

CONTACT http://magsafeonline.com/ http://corbon.com/safetyslug/general/glaser-safety-slug

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GUNSMITHING

For a more thorough cleaning, disassemble the rifle from the stock, removing the trigger from the action and disassembling the bolt. Here, I’m using the torque wrench on the project rifle, a Savage Model 10 Precision Carbine in .223 Remington.

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CLEANLINESS COUNTS

A Quick and Thorough Guide to Cleaning Your Bolt-Action Rifle

Story & Photos by Steve Sieberts

F

or many people, cleaning their firearms after a fun day at the range is about as exciting as a trip to the dentist. But, like a good teeth scrubbing, caring for your firearms is just as important to proper functioning and longevity. Your mom really was right: cleanliness counts!

Certain classes of firearms require more cleaning and maintenance than

others. Fully automatic firearms generally require regular cleaning because of the volume of rounds put through them. Handguns are different. I’ve shot literally hundreds of rounds of factory ammunition through my Glock 17 with little to no cleaning. Not that I recommend doing that, I was just seeing how susceptible the gun was to malfunctioning when I first purchased it.

After a few thousand rounds, I stopped and cleaned it. Not cleaning and lubricating your firearms will definitely increase wear and tear as the powder fouling acts like an abrasive as the parts rub together.

If you reload, this can also affect how often you need to clean your firearms. Certain reloading powders are known to be “dirtier” than others. Semi-automatic firearms are especially prone to malfunctions due to lack of cleaning than others, such as a pump-action shotgun.

This month I’m going to focus

I always place a rag underneath the solvent port of the bore guide in case I get sloppy. Always keep scope covers on the scope when cleaning the rifle to keep cleaning solvents off of the delicate coatings that are applied on all scope lenses. If you don’t have scope covers, you should! www.gunworld.com

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GUNSMITHING

Bore guides are critical to cleaning a precision rifle.

Here I mounted a Universal bore guide into the Savage Model 10.

So, to begin, let’s assume that I didn’t clean the rifle at the range and I’ve brought the rifle home to clean after about firing about 20 to 30 rounds through it. The first thing I want to do is to make sure the rifle is unloaded, and then place it in my rifle cradle. This makes it easy to clean and inspect. There are several on the market, but I really like the Lyman cradle available from Brownell’s.

The rifle I’m using for this article is the Savage Precision Carbine in .223, so some aspects will be different for your particular rifle regarding disassembly and reassembly.

I open the bolt, and then press the trigger while depressing the bolt removal latch. Remove the bolt and set it off to the side. Since this is a quick clean, I’m not going to remove the scope or remove the barreled action from the stock, but I will when doing a more extensive cleaning later in the article.

Since the scope and barreled action will stay attached, we need to protect them from the cleaning solvents. This rifle has the Leupold Mk 6 tactical scope already mounted, but it comes from the factory with scope covers, so I make sure they are closed when cleaning.

This is especially important when trying to clean the rifle on the range when the wind is blowing. Cleaning solvents can damage the coatings on any optics, so I want to be careful to protect them.

CRUCIAL TOOLS & SOLVENTS There are a couple of tools that are crucial to properly cleaning a on cleaning and maintenance tips for the bolt-action rifle. Most of these are not specific to any particular rifle brand, as it would make for a very long article to demonstrate how to disassemble and reassemble all of them. So I will try to keep it generic to bolt actions in general.

QUICK … OR THOROUGH There are two ways to clean a rifle, the quick way and a more thorough way. The quick way involves focusing on cleaning all of the powder and copper fouling from the bore, and a quick wipe on the bolt and a small amount of oil in strategic places.

A more through way would be to disassemble the rifle from the 84

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stock, removing the trigger from the action and disassembling the bolt.

I’ll start off with the quick method for cleaning a rifle after a trip to the range.

If I’m shooting a precision rifle at the range, for best accuracy, I’m going to clean the bore after every 20 shots or so, ideally after 10 rounds. So I would take my cleaning gear to the range. I definitely clean the bore when on the range and I’m testing ammunition and switching from one type or brand of ammunition to another. I also do so when changing bullet weights—even with the same brand—as I want my test and evaluation to start from the same clean rifle for each variable so it does not skew my data.

Shooter’s Choice Bore cleaner is an excellent powder remover, and Sweet’s works on copper fouling. Never mix the two chemicals in the bore at the same time. www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-SMITH-82-91 5/26/14 4:21 AM Page 85

rifle. One of them is a bore guide.

This is a tool that does a couple of important jobs. Probably the most important is to protect the bore of the rifle from the cleaning rod itself.

Dirt, grit and powder fouling can embed itself to the cleaning rod, and if the rod contacts the interior of the bore, it can damage the lands and grooves, degrading accuracy over time. The bore guide and the coated cleaning rod both came from the benchrest shooting community. In other words, shooters obsessed with accuracy.

The bore guide keeps the cleaning rod centered in the bore and away from touching the rifling.

“

Semi-automatic firearms are especially prone to malfunctions due to lack of cleaning...

”

Starting a patch into the bore guide.

The pointed end of the cleaning jag. Never use a loop jag on a rifle, because you don’t want to drag a dirty patch back through the bore. Loop jags are good for shotguns, semi and full auto weapons and most handguns.

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AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GUNSMITHING The bore guides have a handy port to apply solvent. Notice I keep Shooter’s Choice in a handy dispenser bottle. Never dunk a dirty patch back into the original bottle, as this will contaminate the solvent. This is why I never use a loop jag on my rifle cleaning rods. I let the patch fall off when it exits the muzzle and get a fresh one.

The other function of the bore guide is to keep cleaning solvents from entering the stock when pushing solvent-soaked patches through the bore. It does this by sealing off the chamber area so the excess solvent doesn’t run back into the action area. This is especially important with a wood-stocked rifle. Solvent can soak the wood, causing the stock to get spongy under the front and rear guard screws. This will cause accuracy to go south really fast.

We also need a coated, onepiece cleaning rod, and for years the gold standard has been the Dewey rod. Make sure you use the type of jag that pierces the patch and not the loop-type patch, as we want to only run the patch through the bore and then let it fall off when it exits the muzzle. Never drag a dirty patch back through the bore. Never use a jointed cleaning rod in a precision rifle, and always wipe off the rod between passes.

There are two types of chemical solvents I use for cleaning a rifle.

One removes powder fouling and the other removes copper fouling.

Both need to be utilized in order to get the barrel clean. For powder fouling, I use Shooter’s Choice. For copper fouling, I use Sweet’s 7.62 solvent.

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The wet patch, covered in powder fouling exits the bore, and falls off the tip of the cleaning rod. The muzzle cap on the Savage carbine protects the threaded end of the barrel. The barrel is threaded to accept a suppressor.

www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-SMITH-82-91 5/26/14 4:21 AM Page 87

The ways to remove fouling and copper residue to clean a rifle can be categorized as either removing it chemically with solvents or mechanically with mildly abrasive compounds. Chemical solvents like Shooter’s Choice and Sweets do a great job. Some people like to use various abrasive pastes (such as JB Bore Compound) that don’t use chemicals, but instead use an extremely mild abrasive paste to remove powder and copper fouling.

Many people swear by this method and I have used it as well with excellent results.

So the drill for cleaning our rifle will be to remove the bolt and install the bore guide. Get the patch of the appropriate size. Wet the patch and push it once through the bore and let it fall off when it comes out of the muzzle. Install a bronze brush on our rod, and push the brush back and forth through the bore once for each shot fired. Make sure you completely exit the bore before you pull it back through.

Never reverse direction while the brush in still in the bore. Also, when I pull the brush back through the bore, I ease it back into the barrel, as I want to protect the critical muzzle crown from any possible damage. I usually use a new solvent-soaked patch after about every five strokes or so.

This cleaning regime will take care of the powder fouling, but I also have to remove the copper fouling. I usually push a patch with a neutral solvent or a couple of dry patches to remove the Shooter’s Choice before I use the Sweet’s solvent, so I don’t get a chemical reaction. Some say this chemical

“

The bore guide inserts come in three sizes. These must be mated to the correct caliber. The tapered ends of the bore guide ensure the chamber area is sealed off so excess solvent doesn’t run back into the front guard screw area and saturate the stock. It’s not as critical with a composite stock as it is with a wood stock, but still a good technique.

The bore guide keeps the cleaning rod centered in the bore and away from touching the rifling...

www.gunworld.com

”

AUGUST 2014 | GUN WORLD

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GUNSMITHING MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED TORQUE SETTINGS 8-40 scope base screws

28 in/lbs

8-40 scope ring screws

28 in/lbs

Mk 4 Ring Keeper screws

45 in/lbs

Front and rear action screws (wood stock, non glass bedded action)

35 in/lbs

Front and rear action screws (wood stock, pillar bedded action)

50 in/lbs

Front and rear action screws (composite stock pillar bedded action)

65 in/lbs

Shows the coated rod, the bronze brush, and pointed jag tip.

reaction can etch the bore. When using Sweet’s Copper remover, never use a brush, just keep pushing wet patches through the bore until they come out clean. Patches will come out a shade of blue, indicating that the solvent is working at removing copper. Never leave Sweets in the bore; push dry patches through until the bore is completely dry. Once the patches come out clean, your barrel has been cleaned.

This procedure doesn’t take long and is vital to keeping a precision rifle shooting at peak accuracy.

DEEP CLEANING If we are performing a deep clean on the rifle, all of the above applies, but we also need to remove the barreled action from the stock.

If the rifle has been exposed to the

“

Only use one-piece plastic-coated rods when cleaning a precision rifle, and wipe off the rod after each pass to make sure any grit, grime or powder fouling is not transferred back into the rifle.

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One good wayto clean out the trigger without removing it is to spray it out with brake cleaner

”

www.gunworld.com

GW_1408_89 5/25/14 11:57 PM Page 89

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GUNSMITHING elements, rust can form very quickly between the action and the stock.

Remove the scope, and remove the stock screws. Lift the barreled action from the stock. Place the barreled action in a padded vise and perform the cleaning steps as outlined above.

Since we have the barreled action out of the stock, we can wipe down all of the exterior surfaces with an oily rag, and clean out the trigger mechanism. One good way to clean out the trigger without removing it is to spray it out with brake cleaner. This will clean the interior trigger surfaces, remove water, dry fast and won’t leave any residue. I usually don’t put any oil in the trigger mechanism since this will just attract dirt.

When reassembling any precision rifle we will need another tool, and that is a torque wrench that measures in inch/pounds with a range of 20-100. The Leupold tactical scope rings need to be torqued to a specific setting, as does the nut on the mounts. Also, the front and rear stock screws also need to be torqued. I’ve included a handy cheat sheet (see sidebar) that shows the recommended torque settings for various parts of a precision rifle. Remember, this cleaning regimen does not just apply to tactical rifles, but to any rifle that you want to keep shooting as accurately as possible, be it a varmint rifle, competition rifle, or a custom hunting rifle. And when it comes right down to it, when we are talking about rifles, isn’t accuracy what it’s all about? GW This is a shot of the inletting area of the Savage stock. Wipe this area out with a rag and compressed air if the rifle has been subjected to the elements.

CONTACTS Brownell’s Inc. (800) 741-0015 www.Brownells.com Savage Arms (413) 642-4260 www.SavageArms.com Leupold Optics (800) LEUPOLD www.Leupold.com Using the torque wrench and the Allen wrench attachment to apply the proper torque setting to the rear guard screw of the Savage rifle.

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www.gunworld.com

GW_1408_91 5/23/14 3:58 AM Page 91

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GW-1408-PRODUCTS 2-92-95.qxp 5/26/14 4:28 AM Page 92

NEW PRODUCTS

THREE FOR

THE SHOW A Trio of Products from the Recent NRA Show Rates More Than a Mention Gun World Contributors

The Tac-Con 3MR trigger for AR rifles from Tactical Fire Control, Incorporated.

TAC-CON 3MR TRIGGER FOR AR RIFLES The recent upswing in the popularity of AR rifles has seen a flood of new products for this platform over the last few years. Some of these products are truly innovative and relevant, and one such product is Tactical Fire Control’s new TacCon 3MR trigger, a design that allows the shooter to fire their weapon in two modes. The first is traditional semiautomatic mode, but the Tac-Con trigger is a big improvement over factory triggers, breaking cleanly at 4.5 pounds. The third mode of operation allows for assisted trigger reset, a process 92

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

that allows for much faster followup shots. Unlike automatic triggers, the Tac-Con 3MR trigger is not an NFA part, meaning that they’re perfectly legal in any AR. The Tac-Con is not fully automatic, and it requires the trigger to be pulled each time the gun is fired.

Nor is it a bump fire system, which operates on the movement of the stock. Rather, the Tac-Con system provides a short reset for the fastest follow-up shots you’ll find in a true semiauto. The weight of the trigger is set at 4.5 pounds, which falls within the regulations of most law enforcement agencies around the country.

I tested the Tac-Con trigger in a Mossberg MMR with an A2 type stock (some believe that the TacCon requires a specific stock configuration or alteration to run properly, but I haven’t found that to be the case). In semiauto mode, it’s a crisp, clean, target trigger that makes it easy to hit your target. In reset assist mode, the trigger can be fired very rapidly by pressing it after each short reset.

I struggled to get the trigger to work properly on my first magazine, but by the second magazine, I had the process down. It’s simply a matter of finding the sweet spot on the trigger, pulling just enough to fire and releasing tension just enough to reset the trigger, which is minimal.

The Tac-Con 3MR trigger is made in America and comes with a letter from the ATF stating it is not an automatic weapon, nor does it require special licensing. It’s coated with NP3 nickel Teflon for the ultimate in corrosion resistance. It is made in the United States. Each trigger is tested for quality, pull weight, and function before shipping, and they are backed by a limited-lifetime guarantee.

- Brad Fitzpatrick

CONTACT www.TacConUSA.com

www.gunworld.com

GW_1408_93 5/26/14 12:04 AM Page 93

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NEW PRODUCTS

CONTACT www.BurrisOptics.com

The Burris Veracity riflescope is backed up by the company’s Forever Warranty.

BURRIS VERACITY RIFLESCOPE Long-range shooting is trendy, but accurate long-range shooting is tough, so hunters and shooters need a scope that provides a clear sight picture, good light transmission, and precise adjustments.

The Burris Veracity features a 5X zoom and a front focal plane that allows for accurate range estimations if you happen to forget your rangefinder. It offers a side parallax adjustment that’s easy to use and comes in four different configu-

TROPHY COPPER MUZZLELOADER BULLET FROM FEDERAL PREMIUM One of the more interesting products we came across at the recent NRA meetings was an offering from Federal Premium, a very different muzzleloader bullet. If you shoot smokepoles, you know the challenge. To produce high velocities and good accuracy, the bullet must fit tightly in the bore to engage the rifling and provide a seal for the gasses propelling it. The problem is you also need to push that same projectile down the barrel in the first place during loading.

Federal Premium recently addressed these issues with what it believes is a new class of projectile in its Trophy Copper muzzleloader bullet, featuring a polymer cup permanently attached to the bullet base. The unfired bullet and cup are slightly smaller than the bore, but the force of ignition pushes the cup forward onto two raised bands along the bullet shank, which essentially increases the diameter of the projectile. This engages the rifling and seals the bore, optimizing 94

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

rations, a 2-10x42mm model, a 315x50mm, 4-20x50mm, and 525x50mm, which offer plenty of magnification for the vast majority of hunting and shooting scenarios.

Front focal plane scopes are popular with long-range shooters because they allow for accurate range estimation, but at high magnification at long range, the large crosshairs can completely block the target, and at short range and low magnification, the small crosshairs can become too small to be easily visible. velocity and accuracy.

The rear of the B.O.R. Lock cup features a hard, fiber-reinforced polymer ring that scours fouling from the breech as the bullet is pushed into place. This decreases the need to clean between shots and makes it easy to seat the bullet at the exact same depth.

According to Mike Holm, Federal Premium’s ammunition product line manager, “For the first time ever, muzzleloader hunters can get ragged-hole sorts of groups at long range, with bullet performance— the weight retention, expansion and penetration—they expect out of their centerfire ammunition. We’ve created a whole new class of bullet.”

You’ll be reading more about the bullet in these pages, as we’ve asked Federal Premium to get some out to one of our resident muzzleloader fans for testing.

Burris’ Progressively Thick Crosshairs (PTC) system helps alleviate this problem; the center crosshair is very fine for high-magnification, long-range shooting, and the progressively widening crosshairs allow for rapid target acquisition on low magnification at close range. All models come with ballistic turrets to help simplify elevation and windage adjustments.

I tested the 2-10x42 on Weatherby’s new Terramark rifle, and the combo proved to be deadly. The Veracity, like other Burris scopes I’ve tested, provides a crisp, clear, bright sight picture. If anything ever does go wrong with your Veracity scope, though, Burris backs it with the company’s Forever Warranty.

MSRP: $899 to $1,350 - Brad Fitzpatrick

CONTACT Federal Premium Ammunition (800) 322-2342 www.FederalPremium.com

Federal Premium’s new Trophy Copper muzzleloader bullet features glass fiber in the B.O.R. Lock cup designed to cut through any fouling, providing a solid seal.

MSRP: $24.95 for a 15-unit pack - The Editor www.gunworld.com

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BACK PAGES

The August 1989 cover featured the good news that Gun World’s Dean Grennell had been selected as American Handgunner of the Year.

THE DEAN OF

Hal Swiggett, Bill Jordan and Frank Pachmayr.

Before the night was over, he was also named as the recipient of the Federal Cartridge Corporation’s 1989 Writer of the Year. All in all, not a bad night for the man many still consider among the best reloading writers.

Grennell was born in Humbolt, Kansas on November 1, 1923, and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1942. Among other assignments, he served as an aircraft armorer, marksmanship instructor and aerial gunner. Following his discharge in 1946, he went into sales, writing articles for firearms publication on the side. He became interested in reloading in the early 1950s, and joined the Gun World editorial staff in 1963. He became Managing Editor in 1966. His column, “Reload Clinic,” ran for more than three decades.

Besides writing scores of articles for this and other popular firearm and reloading publications, Grennell authored dozens of books and annuals, many published under the Gun Digest imprint. These include “The ABC’s of Reloading,” “The Gun Digest Book of Handgun Reloading,” and “The Gun Digest Book of the .45.” He is also credited with developing or helping develop some cartridges, including the .45 Super pistol cartridge and the .25 Ugalde wildcat cartridge. He also is credited with creating the NEXPANDER, a cartridge reloading tool.

Grennell was also a science fiction fan, and self-published a SciFi fanzine titled Grue. The “Dean of Reloaders” passed away in Southern California on April 10, 2004. GW

RELOADERS

By Craig Hodgkins

“If I’d known I was going to win, I’d have brushed off one of my old acceptance speeches.”

The speaker was Dean Grennell, and the honor he was accepting with a dose of good humor was the 1989 American Handgunner of the Year Award. His off-handed comment made perfect sense to the nearly three hundred in attendance, because Grennell—for three decades 96

GUN WORLD | AUGUST 2014

the managing editor of Gun World— had seen his name on the nomination list seven previous times.

By winning the award on his eighth try, he was also inducted into the Outstanding American Handgunner Awards Foundation (OAHAF) Hall of Fame, joining such well-known personalities as Elmer Keith, Colonel Charles Askins, Elgin Gates, William B. Ruger,

Dean Grennell accepts the 1989 Writer of the Year award from Federal’s Mike Bussard. www.gunworld.com

GW-1408-BACK-96-97 Erc 5/28/14 10:38 AM Page 97

“

”

...Not a bad night for the man many still consider among the best reloading writers.

In addition to writing hundreds of gun tests and reloading columns, Grennell occasionally took on the role of cover model. This photo is from January 1969.

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