SHOT Business August/September 2019

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

REINVEST IN THE BUSINESS OR CREATE A NEST EGG? Pg. 42

HUNT WEST

THE LONGER SHOTS COMMON TO HUNTING BIG GAME OUT WEST CALL FOR SPECIALIZED GEAR. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CUSTOMERS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO PUNCH THAT TAG

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE FIRING LINE

GOOD STUFF

Beretta’s APX RDO is a perfect mate for small pistol optics Pg. 23

As an aiming solution, Trijicon’s latest red-dot sight is spot-on Pg. 48

S E M I A U T O M AT I C

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SHOT BUSINESS AUG./SEPT. 2019 VOLUME 27, ISSUE 5

PREPPED FOR THE WEST Big-game hunts west of the Mississippi River call for an investment in gear that can do the job. BY TIM IRWIN

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SOFT SELL Ammo and rifles that don’t make a shooter cry for mercy help downrange accuracy.

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BY WAYNE VAN ZWOLL

NEXT STEPS A smaller Federal tax bill could put more money in your pocket. What should you do with it? BY MARK E. BATTERSBY

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FROM THE COUNTER This range and retailer’s innovative selling techniques assure profitability.

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RETAILER TOOLBOX Why Facebook sucks ... and why it’s still worthwhile.

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FROM THE NSSF Project ChildSafe turns 20! We celebrate that along with other projects NSSF has in the works.

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NSSF UPDATE Trump signs Range Bill, NSSF brings “Don’t Lie” to Detroit, Anti-PLCAA bills introduced in Congress, and more.

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EDITOR’S NOTE Hunters planning a first trip for elk or mule deer need your help.

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NEWS BRIEFS Speer’s focus on quality and innovation pays big dividends for its customers; a new president, and a new direction, at Kalashikov USA; and MeatEater acquires apparel company First Lite.

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FYI To sell a highquality flashlight from Coast, you need to educate the consumer.

Here’s what they need to know.

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FIRING LINE Beretta’s APX RDO handles smallprofile pistol-specific optics with ease.

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UNDERCOVER SHOPPER

Chasing a high-capacity 1911 in Cleveland.

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WHAT’S SELLING WHERE

GOOD STUFF The SRO from Trijicon is a brilliant aiming solution.

NEW PRODUCTS Ruger PC Carbine; Backpack Blind from ALPS Outdoorz.

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COVER PHOTO BY TIM IRWIN

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EDITOR’S NOTE

NSSF

Out West

SLATON L. WHITE, Editor

Spot-and-stalk hunting requires an equipment upgrade

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s someone who grew up hunting whitetail deer in the woods of the Eastern United States, I yearned to climb out of a treestand and conduct a classic spot-and-stalk hunt in the mountains and rolling plains of the Great American West for elk, mule deer, and pronghorns. And when I finally got a chance to do just that, I found myself woefully under-equipped.

In my case, the problem wasn’t the rifle—my .30/06 could do the job. I was unprepared for the distances at which I would have to shoot and did not possess optics powerful enough to clearly spot game in those vast, open spaces. That hunt was a bust, but I swore that the next time, I would be prepared.

This month’s cover story, “Prepped for the West” (page 26), is written by Tim Irwin, a Westerner who knows this subject cold. His advice will help you

direct a customer embarking on their first foray out West to the kind of gear they will need to punch their tag.

Will your customer require a new rifle? Maybe. Maybe not. But they will definitely need an optics upgrade—certainly new binoculars and possibly even a new scope.

Scopes with tactical knobs are all the rage these days and will no doubt catch the eye of your customer. But be prepared to fully explain the features of these scopes and tell your customer they also

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need to practice with it. The first time I encountered such a scope, the quick explanation I was given in its use proved to be utterly worthless when I got to the range.

This hunter will also need to know that the shots at game will commonly be taken at 250 to 300 yards—or more. That means practice at the range. I can’t emphasize this enough. And that practice requires ammo—lots of it. Another key accessory is a bipod or tripod.

Long shots require a steady rifle along with a steady hand.

In “Soft Sell” (page 34), contributing editor Wayne Van Zwoll weighs in on the value of lighterrecoiling rifles. This class includes the incredibly popular 6.5 Creedmoor, and you can use the information he provides to sell such rifles, especially if your customer believes they need a magnum cartridge. (They don’t.)

I took a big mule deer (pictured at left) two years ago with such a rifle. The shot was slightly under 250 yards, a far cry from those 75-yard shots of my youth.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

Slaton L. White, Editor

James A. Walsh, Art Director Margaret M. Nussey, Managing Editor David Maccar, Senior Editor David E. Petzal, Shooting Editor Judith Weber, Digital Content Producer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Larry Ahlman, Barbara Baird, Scott Bestul, Philip Bourjaily, Christopher Cogley, Jock Elliott, Shannon Farlow, Tim Irwin, William F. Kendy, Richard Mann, Peter B. Mathiesen, Brian McCombie, Tom Mohrhauser, Robert Sadowski, Robert F. Staeger, Peter Suciu, Wayne Van Zwoll Colin Kearns, Editorial Director ADVERTISING: 212-779-5316 Jeff Timm, Vice President, Sales Jeff Roberge, Advertising Director Katie Logan, Advertising Director Amanda Gastelum, Integrated Marketing Director BUSINESS OPERATIONS Tara Bisciello, Financial Director MANUFACTURING Kelly Kramer Weekley, Associate Group Director Keith Coville, Production Manager BONNIER Chairman, Lars Dahmén Chief Executive Officer, Eric Zinczenko Chief Financial Officer, Joachim Jaginder Executive Vice President, Bonnier Media, Gregory D. Gatto Executive Vice President, Bonnier Subscriptions, David Ritchie Chief Digital Revenue Officer, Sean Holzman Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, Elise Contarsy Senior Vice President, Events, Jonathan Moore Senior Vice President, Digital Operations, David Butler Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Corporate Sales, John Graney Vice President, Public Relations, Perri Dorset Vice President, Data Science and Analytics, Mark Crone Vice President, Enterprise Solutions, Shawn Macey General Counsel, Jeremy Thompson Human Resources Director, Kim Putman

SHOT Business (ISSN 1081-8618) is published 7 times a year in January, February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November and December by Bonnier Corporation, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5695, and is the official publication of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Flintlock Ridge Office Center, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470 (203-426-1320).

Volume 27, issue 5, Copyright © 2019 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation, production and advertising offices are located at 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5695 (212-779-5000). Free to qualified subscribers; available to non-qualified subscribers for $25 per year. Single-copy issues are available for $5 each. Send check, payable to NSSF, to: SHOT Business, c/o NSSF, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 064702359. SHOT Business accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All correspondence should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Requests for media kits and advertising information should be directed to Katy Marinaro, Bonnier Corporation, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1270, Chicago, IL 60611. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices.

Printed in the USA. For Customer Service and Subscription questions, such as Renewals, Address Changes, Email Preferences, Billing and Account Status, go to: shotbusiness.com/cs. You can also email SBZcustserv@cdsfulfllment.com, in the U.S. call toll-free 866-6154345, outside the U.S. call 515-237-3697, or write to SHOT Business, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016. For editorial inquiries, write to Slaton L. White, SHOT Business, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016 REPRINTS: E-mail reprints@bonniercorp.com. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to SHOT Business, P.O. Box 6364 Harlan, IA 51593.

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NEWS BRIEFS NEWS

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PR O M OT I O N S

Bits & Pieces

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AWAR D S

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O UT R E AC H

Founded during World War II, Speer continues to manufacture highquality products.

Buck Knives Unveils New Hunting Knives A multi-purpose alternative to traditional hunting knives, the Pursuit Series features three fixed and folding versions. The blades (420HC steel) are finished with Edge2x technology, which makes them sharper out of the box, hold an edge longer, and easier to resharpen. All are made in the U.S. and backed by Buck’s respected Forever Warranty.

Velocity Outdoors Releases Benjamin 397S and 392S The new 397S (.177 caliber) and 392S (.22 caliber) pneumatic rifles feature a new, sleek, all-weather synthetic Monte Carlo stock and a robust forearm that help make them both easier to pump. These high-performance air rifles achieve velocities of up to 1,100 fps (397S) and 800 fps (392S).

Savage Arms and Stevens Sold Vista Outdoor, Inc., has completed the sale of its Savage Arms and Stevens firearms brands to an investment group for a total purchase price of $170 million, made up of $158 million paid at closing and $12 million to be paid upon maturity of a fiveyear seller note issued by the buyer to Vista Outdoor.

This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.

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The Gold Standard Speer’s relentless focus and dedication to quality and innovation pay big dividends for its customers

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any large industrial concerns began as smaller undertakings, driven by a forward-thinking innovator who saw opportunity where others did not. Such is the case with Speer, founded by Vernon Speer during World War II, when reloaders were not able to get the components they needed from ammo companies committed to supplying the U.S. war effort.

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NEWS BRIEFS

A born tinkerer, Speer devised a way to take spent .22 brass cases and form them into rifle bullet jackets.

Although he initially focused on hunting rifle bullets, he also built the first massproduced jacketed handgun bullets for hunting and law enforcement. In the 1960s, he put some of those bullets into loaded ammunition in the now-famous Lawman line.

And today, Speer Gold Dot is the most trusted duty ammunition brand for law enforcement use. Speer also offers those very same loads to civilians for personal protection.

Speer products are still manufactured in Lewiston, Idaho, by an experienced and dedicated workforce, but the original product lines have expanded greatly over the years. Speer has also regularly

added new, innovative products to its extensive offerings, such as 55-grain .224 and 150grain .308 bullets to the TMJ rifle component line. The design of the TMJ eliminates the accuracy-robbing features of conventional full-metaljacket bullets. New additions to the Grand Slam rifle bullet line include the 140-grain 6.5mm, 100-grain .243, and 120-grain .257. With a tapered, precision-drawn jacket and a long nose, the Grand Slam bullet is engineered to blow through the thick hides, heavy bones, and tough bodies of the world’s biggest game, without sacrificing accuracy. Through the years, though, Speer’s mission has remained the same: to deliver dependable ammunition for its law enforcement and personal-protection cus-

tomers while also providing recreational shooters, hunters, and reloaders with a reliable and trusted bullet and components. And being a part of a corporation with multiple brands, including Federal and CCI, allows Speer engineers to take advantage of cross-platform technology, as well as the experience and knowledge of fellow workers to create better products year after year.

The Choice of Professionals “There’s a big reason Speer is the number-one choice of law-enforcement professionals across the country,” says Jason Vanderbrink, president of Speer. “We service more than 80 percent of law enforcement nationwide. We also have many international

contracts. Why? Because we build ammo that is extremely dependable; because we focus on terminal ballistics; and because we are the masters at meeting the FBI protocol testing, which is the gold standard of bullet terminal performance.”

Although Gold Dot remains the gold standard for law enforcement use, Speer engineers have steadily improved the round. “The original Gold Dot had a very deep hollowpoint cavity,” says Vanderbrink. “The latest version has an elastomerfilled dish in the nose that helps the bullet expand and penetrate to a higher degree.

And, of course, the new version retains the same UniCor electro-chemical plating process, which Speer developed, that bonds the jacket

Gold Dot Personal Protection line gives consumers access to the high-quality ammunition used by law enforcement.

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to the core. It’s the key to the performance of that bullet in the FBI protocol media.”

Another innovative product is the 10mm 200grain Gold Dot.

Moving Forward

manual. The Speer Handloading Manual No. 15 adds many of the new cartridges that have entered the market since the last manual was published. This new edition is Speer’s largest volume yet, and it features updated recipes with the latest propellants for more than 120 legacy cartridges, as well as data for 13 new cartridges, including the .204 Ruger, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 300 Blackout.

“All in all, decades of reloading knowledge and the latest recipes and techniques have been distilled into a single, highly usable source,” Vanderbrink says.

Another innovation is the 10mm 200-grain Gold Dot.

Even though Speer has earned a reputation for quality and performance, it has no intention of resting on its laurels. One of Speer’s biggest initiatives in 2019 was the expansion of its Gold Dot Personal Protection line, giving personal-protection consumers access to the same high-quality ammunition used by law enforcement agencies. To help retailers and consumers alike, Speer has changed the case packs from a 50-count box to a 20-count box, which helps make the purchase more affordable.

Another key consumer product is a new reloading

“The 180-grain offering doesn’t fully access all of the potential power of this cartridge,” Vanderbrink says.

“But Speer’s new 200-grain version delivers the full

capability of the 10mm cartridge.”

This new cartridge is simply another example of Speer’s ongoing product evolution. (speer-ammo.com)

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NEWS BRIEFS

New Direction At Kalashnikov USA Last year, Kalashnikov USA—designers and manufacturers of AK-style rifles, shotguns, and pistols—announced that firearms industry veteran Jonathan Mossberg would become its CEO. The privately owned and operated enterprise, located in Pompano Beach, Florida, was a licensed representative of the Russian manufacturer, but after the U.S. government imposed sanctions in 2014, the American unit severed all ties with Russia.

The original AK-47 was conceived and designed to operate under extreme conditions during which regular maintenance was often an afterthought. As a result, it wasn’t exactly known for its elegant design. American consumers, though, expect a higher level of quality.

“Obviously the bar is set very high, and our customers expect their firearm to be properly made and extremely reliable,” says Mossberg.

“Our intention is to produce firearms that have the innovative features of Mikhail Kalashnikov’s design but the quality that comes with American manufacturing. We think our product is superior to the original Russian design. There are fewer tooling marks, and a much better fit and finish than you might find on a vintage AK.”

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This level of craftsmanship is being applied to all the company’s firearms.

Kalashnikov USA also is applying new techniques in the production while still keeping the components as true as possible to the original designs.

“We have forged trunnions on our 12-gauge model, which the market demands, but we’re using CNC innovation to machine those components correctly,” he says.

Today, Kalashnikov USA isn’t just competing against a plethora of AK clones on the market—it also has to contend with the equally crowded MSR market. Mossberg believes the company has an advantage because the platform is known for its

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

ruggedness, reliability, and quality. In addition, Kalashnikov USA is building on the firearm’s reputation by being able to put the made ın usa stamp on every single gun.

“Our guns are made in the USA, and I would say 90 percent of our components are made in the USA as well,” Mossberg says. “Where we can, I want to source components here.”

He notes that some components are difficult to source in America, but “nothing comes from Russia, and nothing comes from China.”

As the new CEO, Mossberg has brought his extensive knowledge of research and development, supply-chain management,

and fiscal responsibility to the firm. He also brought in a new senior-management team, and says the company has doubled its assembly capabilities and increased its testing capabilities.

Mossberg admits that there are challenges ahead, especially since the American market can be quite demanding when it comes to expectations. But Kalashnikov USA has already been responding accordingly. This includes a wider range of product options.

The Komrad is a 12-gauge shotgun based on the Russian Saiga design. It will accept 2.75- and 3-inch shells, and has an adjustable pistol grip and a vertical forward grip. Other products in this category include the KS-12 FDE and KS-12 T. The KR-9 is a 9mm semi-automatic SK-style rifle based on the Russian Vityaz-SN submachine gun.

The KR-9 required a lot of product testing before its release because the company wanted to make sure the firearm could handle a wide variety of ammunition. “We endurance-tested this gun for months to make sure it can consume the wide variety of 9mm ammunition available in the American market,” Mossberg says.

And, he says, there is more new product in the pipeline. “My goal is to build Kalashnikov USA into a world-class firearms manufacturing company.”

–Peter Suciu

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RIFLE ICON BY OLA MOLLER FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

Under a new CEO, Kalashnikov USA plans to offer a wider variety of product options.

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NSSF COMMENDS SENATOR GRAHAM FOR FFL PROTECTION ACT The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) in June commended U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) for the introduction of S. 1788, the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2019, which would strengthen the criminal penalties for thefts of firearms from federally licensed retailers.

“Thefts from federally licensed firearms retailers represent particularly brazen offenses that hold potential for additional crime when stolen guns are sold on the street,” says Larry Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “The Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act is a significant reinforcement of our federal laws to help deter both first-time and repeat violators, and to ensure those convicted of these crimes serve serious time. We thank Senator Graham for his leadership in delivering real solutions to make our communities safer across America.”

Senator Graham’s proposed legislation would strengthen criminal penalties for theft of firearms from FFLs to help prevent criminals from becoming repeat offenders. It sends a strong message to criminals engaged in this nefarious activity that law enforcement partners and the firearms industry consider these crimes to be a significant threat to community safety and will use all tools of prevention and law enforcement to protect the American public.

The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), James Risch (R-Idaho), John Boozman

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(R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and David Perdue (R-Ga.).

Similar legislation with the same name, H.R. 2179, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

ATF has reported a 71 percent increase in the number of thefts from FFLs from 2013 through 2017, which peaked at 577 such crimes. In 2018, that number

fell to 427, a 26 percent drop but still well above the 338 in 2013. The firearms industry, through NSSF, is an active partner in helping to reduce thefts and aiding ATF in identifying those involved in these crimes. As part of its Operation Secure Store (http://bit. ly/2ZIC1IS), NSSF helps educate FFLs about steps they can take to reduce instances of theft. NSSF, in cooperation with ATF, also conducts retailer store security seminars, assists retailers with store security audits, and encourages the use of methods and technologies to reduce the likelihood firearms will be stolen. NSSF continues to match ATF reward offers for information that leads to the arrest of criminals responsible for thefts from FFLs.

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Buying First Lite allows MeatEater to get into the consumer clothing market.

MeatEater Acquires First Lite

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eatEater, Inc., recently announced its expansion from media into direct-to-consumer retail with the acquisition of hunting technical apparel and gear company First Lite.

The deal marks a major milestone in MeatEater’s plans to expand from content to commerce, and builds on the longstanding relationship between MeatEater founder Steven Rinella and the First Lite team.

“I’ve been a devoted First Lite consumer for almost a decade,” says Rinella. “First Lite was a sponsor of the MeatEater TV show from the very beginning, and I’ve been loyal to them ever since. I love its products, conservation ethos, and knowledgeable customer service.

What’s more, the crew at First Lite is made up of dedi-

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cated and die-hard hunters and anglers who spend a ton of time in the field living a lifestyle they believe in.”

Kevin Sloan, MeatEater CEO and outdoors industry veteran, will oversee First Lite’s integration into MeatEater. As head of the newly combined company, Sloan, formerly president of Sitka Gear, will direct strategy and growth initiatives, including merchandising, business development, brand evolution, and digital product development. First Lite co-founders Kenton Carruth and Scott Robinson will continue as First Lite copresidents, running the division’s day-to-day operations with the existing First Lite leadership team based in Ketchum, Idaho.

“While apparel and gear brands routinely work with

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respected influencers to drive awareness and conversion, our situation is unique in that we’re an influencerled company acquiring a respected, established gear brand,” says Sloan. “When you look at the amount of time we at MeatEater spend in the woods and mountains producing content, it makes perfect sense. We will highlight First Lite to our growing audience, and we’re in a great position to field-test and influence the design and development of best-inclass products that help that audience get the most out of their own experiences outdoors.”

Since its inception in 2007, First Lite has been committed to providing the best technical apparel developed for hunters, such as its signature merino wool gear.

Similar to MeatEater, First Lite’s brand also represents a passion for the natural world and conservation of wildlife resources, and it has earned the stalwart support of those who believe in protecting the outdoors.

“We’ve worked closely with Steven Rinella for almost 10 years, partnering to promote conservation and supply quality gear and apparel for those who love the outdoors and want to protect it,” says Carruth.

“We’ve seen the significant impact Steve has had on the First Lite business as an endorser and are confident that deepening our relationship and integrating into MeatEater’s expanding content offerings will help us reach more customers and produce even better products.” (firstlite.com)

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Gun Control Advocates Take Easy Way Out

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n a recent op-ed in Time magazine, two of the top gun control activists in the U.S. Congress continued their tired drumbeat for laws that would have no impact on the safety of our communities.

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.) once again took the easy path toward their long-standing anti-gun rhetoric: Instead of basing their arguments on evidence and facts, they take the emotional low road.

Punish the Law-Abiding Anyone reading the Time piece would see the list of tragic shooting incidents that have happened over the past decades and feel the pull of their emotions. No one wants these to occur, but these elected officials pivot from tragedy to a call for new laws. What they fail to do is to show that those laws would have prevented any of these tragedies.

Why is that? Why do these senators with multiple offices full of staffers dedicated to conducting exactly this kind of research fail to make this connection between emotion and proposals? Because the evidence simply does not exist. Lawabiding citizens who are qualified to own firearms follow the laws. Criminals and those who are mentally ill who seek to harm others do not. Enacting more laws will not change that.

Selling False Promises NSSF has pointed out the flaws with the senators’ calls for a federal universal background check bill, but the

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pair didn’t stop there. They also want to ban modern sporting rifles and limit the capacity of magazines, following New Zealand’s example. What they don’t mention is that out of the estimated 1.2 million guns in New Zealand, a whopping 37 have been surrendered since the ban was enacted. This is likely because gun owners know that they are not the problem, and criminals do not abide by the law.

The ignorance of these senators goes further.

According to the op-ed, “Guns like the AR-15 aren’t used for hunting and they’re not viable for home protection.” Again, false. Modern sporting rifles, including those on the AR platform, are among the most popular firearms being sold today.

They are widely used for everything from sport shooting to hunting to home defense.

The firearms industry shares the concern about the criminal misuse of firearms. That’s why we voluntarily run programs that tar-

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Dianne Feinstein.

Law-abiding citizens who are qualified to own firearms follow the laws. Criminals and those who are mentally ill who seek to harm others do not. Enacting more laws will not change that.

get the real sources of crime and unauthorized access to firearms. They may not be as well covered in the media as the emotionally popular soundbites, but these programs are

working to help make our communities safer.

—Larry Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel

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NEWS BRIEFS

NSSF, Bureau of Justice Assistance Launch New Firearms Safety PSA

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he National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) unveiled a new public-service announcement (PSA), “Protect the People You Love,” to encourage families to talk about gun safety—regardless of whether they have a gun in the home.

The PSA, viewable and downloadable from ProjectChildSafe.org, was released in time for June’s National Safety Month and focuses on the false assumption that children are unaware of firearms in the home or know not to touch them without permission. The 30-second spot emphasizes how families can help prevent firearms accidents by talking about gun safety with children.

Further, storing firearms responsibly addresses the issue that many children are often familiar with where and how the firearms are stored—much more than parents might think.

“Parents and caregivers talk to kids about big issues like drugs, sex, and alcohol. We need to talk to our kids about gun safety as well. Even if you don’t own a gun yourself, having this conversation

As more Americans continue to purchase firearms for personal protection and safety, the importance of storing them responsibly is critical. is vital,” says BJA director Jon Adler. “If you don’t have this talk with your kids, they’re going to learn about guns from someone else, whether on TV or from friends, and chances are they aren’t going to learn what you’d want to teach them.”

As more Americans continue to purchase firearms for personal protection and safety, the importance of storing them responsibly is critical. Although the number of fatal firearms accidents is at historic lows, the fact remains that these accidents are almost always preventable. Proper firearms storage helps prevent thefts, accidents, and misuse, such as suicide.

“Protecting your family doesn’t stop with bringing a gun into your home—it also means doing what you need to do so a loaded gun isn’t picked up by a child or someone who may be at risk of harming themselves or others,” says NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti. “If you have a gun, be sure your family understands the safety rules, and always store it responsibly when not in use. That’s the best way to protect the people you love.”

To further help parents in having that important conversation about firearms safety, Project ChildSafe has an instructional video, “Talking to Kids about Gun Safety,” on its website.

SOUTH CAROLINA’S ATTORNEY GENERAL DEFENDS SUPPRESSORS, SECOND AMENDMENT South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson defended suppressor ownership as a Second Amendment right, and it was the reason he joined a recent attempt to have a Kansas suppressor case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Wilson warned that if accessories for firearms such as suppressors aren’t protected by the Second Amendment, an activist court in the

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future could rule that the same applies to ammunition ownership.

NSSF supports the Hearing Protection Act, which would remove suppressor regulations under the 1968 Gun Control Act and make them available for purchase with a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) approval the same way firearms are sold at retail.

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It’s the little things that mean the most™.

duo

DUal use optic

Introducing the new Spek™ red dot and Flik5™ magnifier by American Defense Mfg. Sold individually or together as a Dual Use Optic (DUO™), the 3.7 inch Flik5 is an extremely short and ambidextrous 5X fixed power magnifier with generous eye relief, capable of quick transitioning from 1X to 5X, and adaptable with all red dot and holographic sight heights. The 2MOA Spek micro red dot is powered by (1) AAA lithium battery, includes push-button brightness adjustments and offered in low, co-witness, and lower-third co-witness mounts in either aluminum or full titanium.

ADM is Intentionally Superior.

Spek MSRP starts at $369 Flik3 MSRP starts at $369 Flik5 MSRP starts at $475 DUO MSRP starts at $685

For dealer inquiries, email dealers@admmfg.com

www.admmfg.com

by author UPD ATETH E COUNT FROM ER here

frc firearms range & clothing , baton rouge , louisiana

FRC Firearms Range & Clothing Innovative selling techniques help assure profitability

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his range and retailer is located on the northeast side of Baton Rouge and is open seven days a week. The recently renovated building encompasses more than 25,000 square feet. There are seven 25-yard shooting lanes, and the range’s 60 to 70 rental firearms see regular use. All eight full-time employees are range safety officers (RSOs). The complex includes a large customer waiting area, a lounge, offices, a conference room, and two large classrooms, but one of its most popular features is an expansive two-story, fully furnished shoot house.

There are two range membership levels: the Silver Membership level at $400, and the Gold at $500. Silver patrons shoot at no charge with a guest at half price, $5 gun rentals, a $25 transfer fee on firearms, and 5 percent off on branded store merchandise. Gold patrons shoot at no charge with a free guest, free gun rentals, no transfer fees, a free monthly gun cleaning, and 5 percent off on training classes and on branded store merchandise.

There are no monthly dues.

For non-members, lane rental walk-in pricing begins at $20 per day, and firearm rental prices start at $10 a day per

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gun for handguns and $15 a day for long guns.

As an NSSF Five-Star range,* the facility meets best practices standards for its state-of-the-art design. This ensures a high level of safety and comfort for workers and customers. I interviewed John Hanchey, general manager and chief instructor, for this column, and we focused on the commitment this range has to high-level training, its unique retail sales structure, and its special relationship with its community.

ONLINE ORDERING ONLY ➤ Retail firearms sales are a high priority for this retailer,

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but unlike most FFLs, FRC doesn’t keep a single gun for sale on hand. Instead, all sales are handled through an online kiosk on the retail floor, or through the company’s website.

“When a customer shows interest in a purchasing a firearm, we are all about try before you buy,” says Hanchey, talking about the attention they give to engaging their clients via their rental guns. “Frequently, a first-time purchaser has been told what to buy from an acquaintance. But often the information they receive may not be ideal for their experience level or needs. So, we

listen to the customer, evaluate their physical shooting skills, ask about their needs, then make a suggestion.

We’ll even pull in the friend who recommended a particular gun and allow the new customer a free basic lesson with an RSO where they can compare the two firearms and make a decision.”

This personal walkthrough of a shooting purchase is an import strategy in customer development. New customers quickly develop a trusting relationship with the RSO and will usually move on to more training in the facility or to membership. Hanchey says it’s one of their most

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by author here

effective tools to win the trust of a customer.

Once a gun is selected, the RSO and the customer head to the kiosk and order the firearm. “Our distributor is in Fort Worth, Texas, and if we order the gun in the morning, it will be here the next morning, two days at the most if the order is in the afternoon or evening,” Hanchey says.

Although the order can be processed through the company’s website, the staff prefers to walk the customer through the sale at the kiosk, keeping the purchase tied to the in-store experience.

Hanchey says, “The customer gets it the next day, and they usually shoot it as soon as it arrives. We have many customers who love to buy this way and have stopped buying from other online vendors.”

DITCHING THE ATTITUDE ➤ If you ask any staff member about FRC’s goal in its community, you’ll get a clear answer: professional training for the public. It’s the range’s core mission and what every staff member is passionate about, and Hanchey emphasizes that that journey starts with relationship building.

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“When I first came here three years ago, I was looking to cull any employee who had the slightest ‘gun-guy attitude.’ I couldn’t find one. Our staff is highly experienced, with every RSO having extensive military and/or police careers. Everyone has the experience, and most important the skill set, to listen to our clients and never show the slightest attitude. We’re here to help you learn, not tell you what to do,” says Hanchey.

TRAINING THAT GETS REAL

Once members and guests have completed a series of basic courses, they are eligible to train in the 3,200square-foot shoot house, which is also frequently used by several branches of the federal, state, and local law enforcement. “Yes, you can take a concealed-carry class and numerous other basic training classes that we and other ranges offer. That said, it won’t prepare you for an invasion at 2 a.m. while you’re in bed at home. This training will,” Hanchey says.

That “Force on Force” training can last all day and utilizes simunition. The building can be reconfigured in a

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short time and can include a breech door for law enforcement practice. “We even have live bystander extras to complicate scenarios. It’s amazing how far a trainee can come.

It’s as real as it gets,” he says.

FRC offers extensive training to schoolteachers, hospital staff, and other public-service personnel at a reduced cost or even free. Day rates are kept affordable for most other classes. “The rest of the country doesn’t realize it, but we are still recovering from Katrina.

Our community still doesn’t have a great deal of disposable income,” says Hanchey, referring to the Category 5 hurricane that wreaked havoc on the region in 2005.

When asked what the most rewarding part of his job is, Hanchey says, “Helping the public feel safe.” He cited a day when a woman, visibly shaken, had walked into the facility and told the staff that she had just escaped an armed home invader in the middle of the night. She had come to the range after filing her police report. She was scared and didn’t want to return to her home. Today, this customer has had extensive training, and owns sever-

by peter b .

UPDATE

mathiesen

al firearms and knows how to use them safely. “This woman sleeps comfortably at night and is no longer a prisoner in her own home. She even shoots in our pistol leagues.”

“This is why I come to work. This why we all come to work, to improve our community, and make them feel safe,” Hanchey says. *NSSF’s Star-Rating Range Program works to encourage ranges of all sizes and locations to excel. Applying for rating requires answering a comprehensive questionnaire and business owner self-evaluation of the facilities, staff, community outreach, and other criteria. For more on NSSF’s Star-Rating Range Program, contact Zach Snow at zsnow@nssf.org or visit nssf.org/ ranges/range-star-rating/.

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RETAILER T OOLBOX

BY KARRIE CHRISTEN

to provide better ads and a better “community” to the user. Basically, Facebook uses the data it collects and compiles it in a way that allows businesses to reach specific segments of people who have similar traits without providing a way to know who these people are individually.

WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO FACEBOOK

Why Facebook Sucks... ...and why it’s still worth it

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wish I’d been one of the first businesses to place ads on Facebook. You know, back in the platform’s heyday, before Facebook got crazy with its pages upon pages of rules and regulations, along with an army of Facebook employees policing the platform.

As I am founder and chief marketing officer of my marketing consulting firm, The Client Attraction Formula, you might be wondering if I’ve ever considered not using Facebook. I can tell you that I’ve been frustrated and had to learn my way around more than a few changes, but I have never considered actually leaving Facebook. Why? Because I am a marketer, and I go where I see the highest return on investment.

Of all the social media platforms I use for businessgrowth marketing and client generation, I prefer ad placements on Facebook for the following reasons: • 2.8 BILLION OVERALL USERS • 2.3 BILLION ACTIVE MONTHLY USERS • 1.52 BILLION DAILY USERS • FACEBOOK IS THE THIRD-MOST-

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VISITED WEBSITE IN THE WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE ALEXA REPORT. • FACEBOOK IS STILL GROWING! IN 2018 TO 2019, FACEBOOK INCREASED ACTIVE USERS BY 9 PERCENT. • AN AVERAGE FACEBOOK USER HAS 155 “FRIENDS.” • APPROXIMATELY 75-PLUS PERCENT OF THE ADULT U.S. POPULATION IS ON FACEBOOK. • ALL AGE GROUPS CAN BE REACHED ON FACEBOOK. •AD TARGETING—I CAN DETERMINE WHO SEES MY ADS. • I SEE THE BEST ROI WITH FACEBOOK ADS CURRENTLY.

FACEBOOK ADS WORK—WHEN PLACED CORRECTLY

Like it or not, Facebook— and every other online platform out there, including your search engines—knows you well. This knowledge is gained through artificial intelligence that compiles aggregate data

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The only thing Facebook creates or sells is the access to reach its users for advertising purposes. Facebook exists because of the content and engagement users create— and it would disappear without that content. Thus, its main goal is to keep users enjoying their experience and staying on the platform longer. When you place Facebook ads that are highly engaging, that’s a win-win for everyone in Facebook’s eyes, and it rewards the business that placed the engaging and well-targeted ad by putting the ad in front of more of the right people and reducing the cost to reach those people.

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FACEBOOK PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES SEEN NOWHERE ELSE

The opportunities Facebook marketing provides to all businesses is impressive, even downright amazing compared to the cost in time, money, and effort we needed prior to Facebook.

There is nothing out there like it when it comes to targeting, reach, or the low cost of getting the right people to see your ad. This is why I urge you to make business “friends” with Facebook. It may be the ultimate cyber big brother, but when we play by its rules, it has the potential to be worth it.

To get started: ➤

• Set up a Facebook business ad account and familiarize yourself with its Business Manager platform.

• Create a Facebook pixel and add it to your website or have your web developer do so. If you have a WordPress site, look for the free Facebook pixel plugin and simply enter your pixel number after you activate the plugin.

THE CENSORSHIP QUESTION

As an FFL or firearms range owner, you do need to take more precautions than most other businesses when placing ads because enterprises related to firearms and ammunition fall into a highly censored category. FFLs and ranges can successfully run Facebook ads when they follow all its advertising policies, including the probable need to send ad traffic to a standalone landing page not linked to your main business web page if that website in any way promotes the use or sale of firearms.

Other considerations include: • Pay attention to agetargeting restrictions in each product category.

• Your ad cannot show violence no matter what the context is.

• If anything in your ad or where you send your ad traffic could lead to the sale of a firearm, your ad will be denied.

This includes your ad, your website, and any linked pages to your website. You can dispute a denied ad, so be prepared to show how you kept to all the rules.

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Karrie Christen is a veteran marketer and the chief creative officer of The Client Attraction Formula, which provides inspiration, education, and businessdevelopment strategies to small businesses.

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BY JOE BARTOZZI , NSSF PRESIDENT

UPDATE

Project ChildSafe at 20 The successful program continues to save lives

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s this issue of SHOT Business arrives in your mailbox, NSSF is deep in the trenches with a number of important projects underscoring and supporting our mission of promoting, protecting, and preserving hunting and the shooting sports. If you’ve taken a look at the calendar of events on NSSF.org, there’s no doubt we have much in the works— and we haven’t even really started talking about the 2020 SHOT Show yet (soon, though!). But before I get to those projects, there’s one that deserves exceptional recognition both for a milestone and its undeniable, authentic success.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Project ChildSafe. We at NSSF are extremely proud that our industry has been a leading voice for this genuine firearms safety initiative, and as we embark on retailer awareness related to suicide prevention and partner with the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense to help prevent veteran suicides, Project ChildSafe and its “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” message takes on renewed emphasis.

This year, we are happy to announce that we have received a $1 million grant from the state of Texas to distribute educational materials and cable locks to Texas residents through a network of law enforcement and community partners. It is estimated that, in the past 20 years, Project ChildSafe has distributed more than 38 million safety kits—which include a free gun lock—through more than 15,500 law enforcement and community partners.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to safe firearms storage, and this program explains what options exist for various situations and price ranges. Please check out ProjectChildSafe.org to learn

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much more and get involved.

education for all, tailored to your needs One of the most important functions of a trade association, at least in my opinion, is to provide relevant, timely, and impactful educational and informational events for its members.

June was a busy month, with our annual Industry Summit and SHOT Show Exhibitor Academy. And as you’re reading this, we’re likely just days away from our Import/Export Conference, jointly hosted by NSSF and the F.A.I.R. Trade Group and extremely popular for the discussions of the important compliance issues facing importers and exporters.

In August, we debut our new Range-Retailer Business Expo. Taking place in Denver, Colorado, Aug. 19–21, this event was created to bring together business owners in the range and FFL retail space, and provide them with both an educational opportunity designed specifically for them and the ability to network one-on-one with vendors providing an array of products and services critical to their day-to-day operations. If you haven’t yet reg-

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istered to attend, there’s still time. Just visit nssf.org/ event/range-retailer-expo/.

Last on our late-summer/ early-fall calendar is NSSF’s CMO Summit. Taking place Sept. 19–20, this educational event brings together marketing professionals to network and provide information on current trends in consumer marketing. The insights and solutions to common challenges offered through this conference have proven to be invaluable to our industry’s marketing professionals working in today’s digital and print environment.

National Shooting Sports Month is an Industry Win We are excited to see the range and retailer members of our industry expanding ➤

our very popular National Shooting Sports Month events this August, and we strongly encourage those who haven’t yet gotten involved with this year’s month-long celebration of the shooting sports to do so.

By submitting your confirmation for hosting a National Shooting Sports Month event at ShootingSportsMonth.org, you will receive promo packages consisting of hats, shirts, and other products to use as giveaways. These items can also be presented as incentives to give people who introduce someone new to target shooting during the month in support of our +ONE Movement. We are also bringing a number of manufacturers on board to partner with us to help spread the word by using the National

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UPD ATE

by joe bartozzi , nssf president

Shooting Sports Month logos and #LetsGoShooting hashtag in their industry communications, on social media, and on promotional materials leading up to and throughout August.

Retail Members in Focus NSSF has been working closely with all our retail members to improve commerce and the buying experience for their clients. While the challenges facing all our FFL retailers are very real, we have observed some ways in which retailers not only survive but thrive.

It is certainly true that customers shop differently than they did 20, 10, even five years ago. As such, we find that retailers who embrace these changes in customer habits tend to perform better. For example, we encourage our retail members to work with other local businesses and groups in their communities to help make their store a destination. I recently heard how one retailer, working with his local chamber of commerce, made his parking lot available for the start and finish of a running event in his city. This outside-the-box thinking and community partnership not only made that store available as a destination, it allowed the retailer to be discovered by many potential customers.

Another area we see as ripe for growth potential is gunsmithing, both in repairs and in firearms customization.

Our research indicates these types of services not only drive traffic to your shop, they supplement your income opportunity through services, ➤

rather than just goods. With services (including exceptional customer service) being a deciding factor for today’s consumers choosing between otherwise comparable businesses, having the ability to deliver services every firearms owner will need at some point can set your business ahead of the competition and enhance customer loyalty.

No surprise, we also find that retailers with indoor ranges provide a service that can really boost their bottom line. If adding a range isn’t practical, don’t let that stop you from building an “affinity program” with an area outdoor range or local gun club, making it easier for new customers to safely experience their first shots—and discover the joy in it that will keep them coming back both to the range and to your store.

Resources at the Ready I encourage you to explore NSSF’s many initiatives, such as the newly revamped First Shots program. Likewise, if you’ve never attended the SHOT Show, you are missing out on the largest firearms industry event of the year— the more than 2,400 vendors and 58,000-plus attendees every year say so—an event that provides invaluable networking opportunities with thousands of suppliers from all over the world and tens of thousands of your peers and fellow business owners.

There’s much more we have to offer, all with an eye to making your business as successful as it can be. Check out all NSSF has to offer at NSSF. org, then tell us what you need. We’re here for you.

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ANTI-PLCAA BILLS INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS Dual bills were introduced by gun control advocates in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate that would repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) and subject firearms businesses to frivolous lawsuits by crime victims who seek action against the firearms industry rather than criminals. NSSF is opposing this legislation. Meanwhile U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has introduced the NSSFsupported S. 1788, the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act, in June, which would strengthen penalties for burglaries and robberies of federally licensed firearms dealers.

PROPOSED GUN TAX IN RHODE ISLAND EVAPORATES

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ate in June, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo’s 10 percent tax plan on all firearms and ammunition was excluded from the budget that was presented by legislative leaders. The governor’s proposed budget language, while unclear, was calling for an exorbitant tax on individuals seeking to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The budget language would have implemented a

10 percent tax on the sale, use, and storage of firearms and ammunition in the state, although how that would be implemented was not specified. NSSF testified in opposition to the budget language.

ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR THREATENS GUN SEIZURES When Illinois State Sen. Julie Morrison was questioned by a citizen concerned that SB107 would take away [his] semi-automatic firearms, Morrison countered the goal wasn’t to take them but to prevent their future sale. The citizen pointed out that the bill included a fine and registration with state police if the firearms weren’t voluntarily surrendered. Morrison responded with, “Well, you just maybe changed my mind. Maybe we won’t have a fine at all, maybe it’ll just be a confiscation.” NSSF opposes this legislation.

©2019 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. SHOT BUSINESS®, SHOT SHOW®, and all other trade names, trademarks, and services marks, registered and unregistered, of the National Shooting Sport Foundation appearing in this publication are the sole property of the foundation and may not be used without the foundation’s prior express written permission. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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UPDATE

NSSF-OPPOSED WAITING PERIOD LEGISLATION IN VERMONT REJECTED

BY GOVERNOR

PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNS HISTORIC ‘RANGE BILL’

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SSF and the firearms industry are pleased to celebrate President Donald Trump’s signing of H.R. 1222, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act (Public Law No. 116-17). Also known as the “Range Bill,” the legislation gives states more flexibility to use Pittman-Robertson funds, an excise tax paid by firearms and ammunition

makers, to build new public recreational shooting ranges or improve existing ones.

NSSF’s Larry Keane said in a press release statement, “This administration understands the value and investment the firearms and ammunition industry make to safe recreational shooting and to sustained conservation to benefit wildlife and habitat restoration across the United States.”

NSSF BRINGS ‘DON’T LIE’ TO DETROIT NSSF’s Larry Keane kicked off a month-long awareness campaign in June warning would-be straw purchasers: “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy.” Keane was joined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); U.S. Attorney’s Office; Michigan State Police; sheriffs from Oakland, Wayne, and Genesee Counties; and the Detroit Police Department. A press conference was held at Bass Pro Shops, where it was noted that firearms retailers are the front line in preventing straw purchases. The message of the month-long campaign warns that buying a firearm for someone who can’t pass a background check brings 10 years in jail and up to a $250,000 fine. “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” is funded by the firearms industry and conducted in partnership with the ATF. The ATF chose Detroit for this campaign, as it has done for 20 years.

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Vermont Gov. Phil Scott vetoed a gun control bill that would have mandated a 24-hour waiting period before a firearms transfer could be completed. Gun control advocates pushed for the legislation, claiming it would deter suicide.

Opponents, including NSSF, said the legislation doesn’t contribute to public safety but infringes on Second Amendment rights. The legislation originally called for a 48-hour waiting period but was narrowed and applied only to handguns when it was clear it wouldn’t pass the legislature. Gov. Scott said the legislature should focus instead on strengthening the state’s mental health system, reducing adverse childhood experiences, combatting addiction, and improving economic opportunity.

GUN BILL IN NEVADA IS WATERED DOWN, THANKS TO NSSF EFFORTS

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evada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed AB291 into law.

Originally with a magazine ban and elimination of state preemption, the bill was watered down to include “red flag” provisions, ban bump stocks, establish blood-alcohol limits while carrying a firearm, and increase penalties for unauthorized access by a child resulting in injury. This bill

portended to be much worse. The legislature introduced bills banning standard capacity magazines, bump stocks, trigger jobs, or anything materially increasing rate of fire, fixing their universal background check law, eliminating state preemption, enacting mandatory storage requirements, and implementing red flag laws. NSSF worked to defeat the worst of these threats.

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FYI

BY ROBERT F . STAEGER

Coast’s rechargeable headlamps use the same technology as its flashlights.

On the Beam Coast president David Brands illuminates the sales potential of flashlights

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ver the past few years, something has really come into focus: Flashlights and other lighting products have improved a lot and diversified. It’s something David Brands, president of Coast, advises retailers not to ignore.

“Fifteen years ago, the average retail selling price of a flashlight was about $10.

Now, it’s almost $30, because the technology has advanced so much.” He compares them to phones; yesterday’s flip-phones don’t hold a candle to today’s models.

“Lighting products have moved from a commodity to a really high-tech product,” says Brands, whose company pioneered that change by bringing LED technology to flashlights. “They require more customer information, more demonstration, and more knowledge for your salespeople to tell customers what they should buy for whatever use they intend.”

And that’s what makes the difference between a $10 sale and a $30 one: education.

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Any flashlight is point-andshoot to get the most rudimentary use out of it, but a knowledgeable sales staff can explain why a top-of-the-line model shines brighter than the rest—and why it might differ from another highquality light.

In many cases, customers focus on the lumen rating.

But lumens don’t tell the whole story; they’re just a measurement of the maximum light output at any single point in the beam.

“Beam quality is what people really need to look at,” says Brands. “How big is the beam? How far does it project? How consistent is the beam, and does the light it projects work for what I’m going to use it for?”

That end use is important.

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Coast’s sales reps want to know who a retailer’s customers are. From that, they tailor the product mix to the clientele. “Do they sell to law enforcement or do they sell mostly to hunters?” says Brands. “If a dealer does a big law enforcement business, we have a whole range of products designed for that.”

The Coast HP7 is one such light. With one hand, you can slide the focus from a wide floodlight to a tight spotlight beam, maintaining a halo of light around the spot. It was designed because some police agencies wanted a light that had a spot beam, but with a halo so they didn’t miss anything on the periphery.

Coast provides stores not only with videos specific to their products, but also dem-

onstration models, so customers can see the beam quality for themselves. “It’s a way for retailers to separate themselves from the mass merchants, and really sell people up to the betterquality light they need.”

Coast’s headlamps use the same technology as its flashlights: the same quality, focusing ability, and light output modes. “And the big push now is toward rechargeable lights,” says Brands.

Coast has developed a patented power system that works with either a rechargeable lithium battery or standard alkaline batteries. “If you’re out hunting for three or four days and your original charge goes out, you never have to worry about being without your light,” says Brands. “You can switch to alkaline batteries and get equally good performance.”

Coast’s rechargeable area lights operate off the same system. “And on some of our rechargeable systems, the lithium battery can also be used as an outbound charging port,” says Brands. That way you can charge your cell phone off the same battery pack.

It’s features like this— basically a generator of last resort—that guided Coast as it developed its Emergency Area Lights. “About 50 percent of all lanterns now are bought for emergencies,” says Brands.

The EALs include a flashing red light that could be used as a signal in an emergency.

They’re also waterproof and drop-proof.

Ultimately, he says, lights are like optics: They’re highquality products that require explanation to sell. “It’s a great opportunity for retailers, because they can provide the expertise people need to make a good buying decision.” (coastportland.com)

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BY TOM M C HALE

The slide on the APX RDO offers a positive grip for action drills without abrasion during concealed carry.

A Sight to See The Beretta APX RDO handles small-profile pistol optics with ease

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ompetitors have been using red-dot sights on pistols for years because of their accuracy with speed benefits. More recently, service-pistol manufacturers have begun to offer models ready for direct mounting of small-profile, pistol-specific optics.

PHOTO BY THE AUTHOR

One such handgun is the new Beretta APX RDO pistol.

Built on the same chassis as the Beretta APX full-size model, the APX RDO ships with a milled slide and four adapter plates cut and shaped to fit a variety of pistol-compatible red-dot sights. With the correct plate, users can mount optics from Burris, Trijicon, Leupold, Crimson Trace, and C-More, to name a few. Since other sight manufacturers tend to follow at least one of those mounting patterns, the odds are good other smaller-brand sights will fit as well. If you want to use the APX RDO sans optics, Beretta includes a slide

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plate that covers the milled area, replacing it with the same profile and pattern found on the rest of the slide.

The Beretta APX RDO kit offers an extra touch not generally found on a red-dot-compatible pistol. While most manufacturers include mounting plates, few also include an assortment of mounting screws—typically one of those “gotchas” that can prevent immediate sight mounting and use. As such, the screws were a thoughtful inclusion. I was able to install a Trijicon RMR sight to the APX RDO without having to get anything not provided by Beretta.

The APX RDO is modeled

on the pistol submitted as Beretta’s entry into the United States Army’s Modular Handgun Trials, so it has all the latest functional and ergonomic features. The slide features a new approach to serrations—distinctive ridges spaced about a halfinch apart along the entire slide length. Not being serration cuts, they offer a positive grip for administrative use and action drills without abrasion during concealed carry. There are slide lockrelease levers on both sides of the frame, and the magazinerelease button is easily reversible, so the essential operating functions are completely

FIRING LIN E

ambidextrous. The APX RDO also allows the user to field-strip the gun without pressing the trigger. The process is well documented, but it’s a little tricky until you get the hang of it.

As for usability, the grip angle is more like that of a Glock—a bit more raked than a 1911 or similar pistol.

I found the trigger to break at about 6 pounds after an eighth of an inch of take-up and another eighth of constant pressure. The break comes as a surprise, which I found unusual. With most service pistols, it’s easy to feel the coming break.

The optic makes sighting at longer distances easy, and the Beretta APX RDO performed well in 25-yard group testing. Most ammo created groups between 2 and 3 inches. SIG Sauer V-Crown 124grain averaged 2.47 inches, while Federal HST averaged 2.32 inches. The all-copper Barnes TAC-XPD 115-grain rounds printed average groups of just 1.75 inches. As one would expect from an MHS trials pistol, reliability was perfect during testing with 10 different varieties of 9mm ammo.

Right now, the APX RDO is offered in two calibers: 9mm and .40 S&W. The 9mm model packs 17 rounds into its double-stack magazines (two included), while the .40 fits 15.

Both models can be ordered in 10-round-capacity versions for residents of states with that limitation. If you want to take advantage of another pistol red-dot benefit—ease of sighting over a suppressor— consider the APX Combat pistol. It’s only available in 9mm but features the same optics compatibility plus a threaded barrel. SRP: $725, standard APX RDO; $775, APX Combat. (beretta.com)

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UNDERCOVER SHOPPER

Chasing a high-capacity 1911 on the banks of the Cuyahoga River

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he first handgun I ever owned was a stainless Colt Government Model in .45 ACP. Call me nostalgic, but I remain a fan of the M1911 to this day. I still keep one cocked and locked in a pistol safe by my bed. Lately, I’ve considered graduating to a high-capacity version of the iconic handgun, possibly one made by Remington, Para, or STI. But first, I needed to check them out in person and, if possible, put a few rounds through one. Unfortunately, a double-stack 1911 is nearly impossible to find at my local gun stores. While in Cleveland, Ohio, to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I decided to try my luck at some of the area’s gun shops.

BIG STORE, BIG SELECTION Although the parking lot was empty when I arrived at Store A, the large brick building looked promising. As I stepped inside, I was immediately greeted by huge taxidermy mounts and a friendly welcome from the store’s manager. Both the store and the product offerings were impressive. This was one of the largest collections of firearms I had seen in a mom-and-pop store.

Interestingly, they still had plenty of room for adding even more products.

After looking through several glass cases filled with handguns, I explained to the manager what I was after. He seemed knowledgeable and eager to discuss double-stack 1911s. Leading me to the back of the store, he pointed to a gleaming black STI 2011 in 10mm.

While I examined the handgun, the manager explained STI’s history and manufacturing process, which, in his opinion, made their pricey handguns worth every penny.

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STORE B

PUSHING SALES Thanks to multiple signs and brightly colored banners that were clearly visible from a distance, Store B was hard to miss. The combination gun shop and shooting range occupied an older industrial building that once was a U.S. Army Reserve Center.

Despite being a quarter of the size of Store A, this gun shop was much busier.

When I walked in, the sales associates were showing handguns to a couple of customers, helping another customer over the phone, and providing ammo to some shooters from the range. I soon had four salesmen helping me with my search.

Unfortunately, this store didn’t have any double-stack 1911s in stock at the time.

However, the associates answered my questions and eagerly offered to order any firearm that I wanted.

The sales staff were avid fans of one particular brand of handguns that they carried. They touted that company’s manufacturing process and product quality. To illustrate the point, a salesman invited me to try the smooth action of a single-stack 1911 they had on display.

Although friendly, the associates were clearly in selling mode, pushing me pret-

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PIXEL PUSHERS

Rocking and Rolling In Cleveland

STORE A

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How’d They Do? Customer Service

Product Knowledge

Product Availability

���� Eager to help; however, I was the only customer in the store at the time.

����� The manager displayed an extensive knowledge of 1911 handguns, both singleand double-stack.

����� The large selection of firearms, accessories, and gear was impressive.

���� This sales team STORE would have received five stars, but the longer I stayed, the more I felt I was being pushed to make a purchase.

��� Their product recommendations seemed to be driven by an overwhelming desire to sell.

��� With an average product offering, the state-of-theart shooting range was the main attraction at this facility.

�� This was the first time I’d ever had a store owner encourage me to make my purchase elsewhere.

��� The owner seemed passionate about firearms, but was new to the business side of the industry.

� Due to a confined retail space, this store had an extremely small product selection.

���� A little slow to start because of helping another customer, but the store owner took time to thoughtfully answer all my questions.

���� The owner had been active in the firearms industry for a long time and appeared to be respected by the local law enforcement.

���� This store didn’t have the handgun I was searching for, but it did have several firearms and accessories in stock.

STORE

A

B

STORE

C

STORE

D

SCORING SYSTEM:

Outstanding: �����

ty hard to make a purchase before I left.

STORE C

DENTAL PROBLEMS ➤ The third store on my list was more difficult to find. I initially drove past it, and when I circled back, I quickly understood why. Store C’s exterior signage was part of a dentist office sign, making the two separate businesses look like one. I wondered aloud if I was walking into a dentist office, a gun store, or some odd combination of the two.

Store C was the smallest gun store I’ve ever visited. However, the owner was welcoming and friendly. We joked about buying a gun and getting your

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Very Good: ����

teeth fixed at the same time. He knew his store’s signage was a problem, and he hoped to have it fixed soon.

Unsurprisingly, the selection of firearms on display was lacking. The owner encouraged me to purchase the firearm I wanted from one of the larger online retailers and have it transferred to his store. He said he would be happy to complete the FFL transfer paperwork for me.

STORE D

LOCAL HANGOUT The final store on my list seemed like a popular spot with local law enforcement officers. Two police cars were parked in front of it when I arrived.

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Average: ���

Winner: STORE

A

Based on the wide product selection and it actually having the type of handgun I was searching for in stock, Store A was the clear winner.

Plus, the store manager’s approach to customer service and knowledge were top-notch as well.

B&T Shooting Supplies 7489 Pearl Road, Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130 440-234-2425 BTShootingSupply. com

Fair: ��

Poor: �

Inside, I found the owner chatting with the officers while completing an FFL transfer for another customer.

After about five minutes, the owner acknowledged me and asked if he could help. I explained that I was looking for a high-capacity 1911. Although he didn’t have any in stock, the owner offered to share his experience with double-stacks.

He seemed knowledgeable about handguns in general, and he clearly wasn’t trying to sell me on any particular gun.

Judging from our conversation and his interactions with the police officers, it was obvious the owner was well respected and had a long history in the firearms business.

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ANTLERS BY VECTORBAKERY FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

Big-game hunts west of the Mississippi call for an investment in gear that can do the job

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TIM IRWIN

Prepped epped for or the he Westt

By Tim Irwin

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For years, many of your customers have dreamed of settling their crosshairs on a bull elk or fantasized about stalking mule deer in wideopen spaces.

Eventually, some of them will accept that hunters cannot live on whitetails alone, and they will book a hunt in the West.

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It’s your job to outfit them correctly for the adventure.

First, you need to make customers new to this region understand that hunting west of the Mississippi is a totally different experience from climbing into a deer stand on a suburban woodlot in the East or Midwest. Sprawling Rocky Mountain landscapes are breathtaking. Everything looks bigger, and it seems you can see forever. The game they will be stalking are spread out over those landscapes, so hunting there requires hours of glassing.

When a shot does present itself, it likely will be from long range, and often under lessthan-ideal conditions.

Fast, Flat, Accurate A bull elk at 300 yards is a chip shot by Western standards, and when opportunity knocks on a canyon rim beyond 400, your customer needs the right tools to close the deal. Do they need a new rifle for the trip? It depends.

Classic whitetail rifles in .270,

.308, and .30/06 might be adequate, but ask a Western guide what their client should shoot, and they’ll likely speak to the viability of a range of calibers.

Elk guides especially tend toward the magnum .30 calibers. Elk are massive animals. They can take far more punishment than a deer, so there is little margin for error. That said, every guide will cap their response with the following caveat: Any rifle is only as good as the shooter.

When you talk rifles for the West, it’s all about fast, flat, and accurate. This means calibers such as .257 Weatherby, .270 Weatherby, and 7mm Rem. Mag. The 6.5 Creedmoor has rapidly become the darling of wide-open spaces; the ballistic coefficient of the round is impressive, its recoil modest, and its long-range performance extraordinary. It is a good choice for mule deer and pronghorns, and your customer won’t feel over-gunned when they carry it back East.

Newer bolt-action rifles— designed and chambered specifically for shooting long range— can deliver on all factors. Rifles in .300 Mag. and all its permu-

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Prepped epped for the Wes West th

RIFLES SUITABLE FOR THE LONGER SHOTS CHARAcTERISTIC OF HUNTING IN The WESTERN U.S. DON'T HAVE TO COST A FORTUNE. THIS SAVAGE AXIS IS VERY AFFORDABLE.

tations (Weatherby, H&H, Winchester, Winchester Short Magnum) are potent and popular choices. Rifles in .300 WSM afford .30-caliber performance in a short-action, which translates, usually, to a lighter rifle.

And, again, rifles in 6.5 Creedmoor have great appeal for the same reason.

If your customer leans toward a magnum round, let them know magnum rounds produce magnum recoil. Make certain your customer can handle it. If the rifle is not comfortable to shoot, it’s not likely they’ll shoot it enough to get proficient with it. In this case, less truly is more.

WAYNE VAN ZWOLL (SCOPE)

Target-Style Turrets Whether the customer opts for a new rifle or sticks with what they already have, a scope upgrade is definitely in order for Western hunting. Keep in mind, your client is gearing up for long-range shooting.

SCOPES WITH TURRETS ARE A GOOD CHOICE, BUT YOU WILL NEED TO EXPLAIN HOW THESE MORE COMPLICATED SCOPES WORK. OTHERWISE, NO SALE.

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Prepped for fo thee West Wes TOP To BOTTOM: BUSHNELL's SCOUT DX 1000, LEICA's 10X42 Geovid HB-B 42, and Leica's Rangemaster CRF 2800.com.

Scopes in the 3–9X range are a good place to start, and this might be the time for your client to step up to a scope with a 30mm tube and target-style turret adjustments. The fatter tube provides greater stability, while the turret adjustments take the guesswork out of elevation tweaks.

As the name implies, Bushnell’s Elite Long Range Hunter 4.5–18X44mm is designed for long-range duty. It’s built on a 30mm tube, and its elevation turret is target-style. The windage adjustment is capped.

With a variable range of 3–18X, the rigidity of a 30mm tube, and a relatively compact profile, the Zeiss Conquest V6 leaves very little to be desired for longrange shooting. A full 103 MOA of elevation adjustments simplify dialing in the longest shot.

Two Birds, One Stone Your customer can get away with guesstimating on shots inside 200 yards, at least if they are experienced shooters. But over-estimating (or under-estimating) the range of a muley at 350 yards by just 10 yards is enough to cause a miss. So, they’ll definitely need a rangefinder.

It’s easy to appreciate the simplicity of Bushnell’s Scout DX 1000 ARC Laser Rangefinder.

Push a single button to get ½-yard ranging accuracy out to 1,000 yards. Instantly you have

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bullet-drop/holdover in inches.

Leica’s Rangemaster has long been the gold standard in rangefinding. The latest version is as lightweight and compact as ever.

It measures ranges accurately out to 1,600 yards, and it can be set to utilize whatever ballistic parameters the shooter desires.

Of course, there’s also the two-birds-one-stone theory.

Several major manufacturers offer binocular/rangefinder combinations that are as efficient as they are effective.

Leica’s 10X42 Geovid HB-B 42 melds superior optics with a state-of-the-science laser rangefinder. Integrated into the rangefinder, a multifunction ballistic computer makes all the calculations necessary for long-range shooting, including point-of-aim corrections and bullet-drop compensations. The Geovid has an internal database with ballistic curves for practically all standard ammunition, or users can upload their specific parameters for handloads. Sounds like overkill, true. But the learning curve on the Geovid is fairly short. When a monster muley makes a move across a canyon at dusk, having that level of technology available is priceless.

Less complicated but just as effective is the Fury HD 10X42 rangefinding binocular from Vortex. The high-definition optics can help your customer spot critters in cover from one zip code to the next, and the angle-compensated rangefinder can tell them precisely how far away they are from their quarry out to 1,000 yards.

Rangefinders aside, Western hunts are all about glassing. The better the binocular, the more successful a hunter will be. It’s that simple.

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PHOTO CREDIT

A Bergara rifle in 6.5 CREEDMOOR IS A GOOD CHOICE FOR a WESTERN HUnT. THIS HUNTER IS USING IT ON A BOG POD CLD TRIPOD, A very STABLE PLATFORM FOR SHOTS THAT RANGE OUT TO 300 YARDS.

Prepped for fo thee West Wes

Take A Rest Rarely will there be a conveniently placed log, rock, or truck hood on which to steady a rifle.

A portable rest is vital equipment when hunting the West.

Option one is a bipod. It attaches to the rifle and deploys quickly. Most models offer some level of height adjustability. Short bipods are convenient to carry but will be of no help at all when shooting prone in tall grass. Your customer will be better served by a unit high enough to shoot from a kneeling position.

The Bog Pod CLD Tripod has a closed length of 31 inches and weighs 3½ pounds, so it’s hardly compact. But for a super-stable, packable shooting platform, it more than does the job. Set at heights as low as 22 inches or as high as 68, it gives the hunter the

option of shooting from seated, kneeling, or standing positions.

The unit sets up quickly, and it can also be used to steady spotting scopes and binoculars.

At just over half a pound and with a folded length of 19 inches, the Vanguard Quest B38 bipod is highly portable. Quick-flip leg locks speed deployment, and its U-yoke cradles a rifle securely. Its maximum height is 38 inches, about perfect for shooting from a kneeling position Sighting in a rifle for a Western hunt is not a two-in-apaper-plate-from-100-yards affair.

If you sell your Westwardheaded client nothing else, sell them ammunition. Lots of it. If they balk—and some will— remind them how much they have invested in the trip. Extra ammo is cheap insurance.

Encourage them to experiment with a range of factory loads to determine which groups

the best. We’re talking three bullet holes touching, off the bench at 100 yards to start. Once the rifle/ammunition combination is dialed in, make certain your hunter practices shooting at targets out to 300 yards. Remind them of what the guides say: Any rifle is only as good as the shooter.

Too, urge them, if they will be hunting later in the fall in colder weather, to shoot the rifle in the outerwear they’ll be actually wearing during the hunt.

Eventually, your customer will want to get away from the bench and bust targets at random distances, much like they’ll experience on their hunt. They also can use this practice time to gain experience in using their rangefinder and setting up their rest.

In time, they’ll be acing groundhogs out to 400 yards, and with that they’ll have the confidence in their new-found skills to come back in and buy a big cooler.

Practice makes perfect. Tell your customers they need to practice those long shots in the clothing they intend to wear before the hunt. And make sure they buy more than one box of ammo.

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Ammo and Rifles that don’t make a shooter cry for mercy help improve downrange accuracy B y W ay n e Va n Z w o l l

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Apprehended running away y to shoot buffalo alo in Amerilater y la ca, the boy boarded a barque for or Cape Horn. He worked his w y to way New Zealand on a paddle s steamer, then north on a refrigerator ship. tor ship He had just turned 14. He escaped a German boarding school in a canvascanv and-bamboo canoe that came apart in a mill pond. Sailing to Mombasa in 1897, he snared a job killing lions that pestered rail crews, then hunted elephants for their ivory. He took pains to get close without disturbing the animals, and fired deliberately. W.D.M. Bell felled these great beasts with smallbore rifles: the .318 W-R, .303 British, and 7x57 Mauser.

Sauer was the first commercial riflemaker to chamber Hornady’s 6.5 PRC cartridge.

Other manufacturers, including Browning and Ruger, have now joined the fold.

Ivory hunting is a century dead. Not so, it seems, the modest loads that perform mightily at the target. The postDepression trend to more potent rifle rounds seems to have stalled. The likes of the .26 Nosler and 6.5-300 Weatherby have given ground to the mild 6.5 Creedmoor and kin. Shooters have discovered bullets from toothrattling magnums can decelerate more quickly and yield more readily to the wind than long, rocket-shaped bullets sent at under 3,000 fps. Also, by gum, recoil is no measure of lethality.

You might say the 6.5 Creedmoor is an updated 6.5x55 Swedish, an early smokeless round that defended Scandinavia for the better part of a century, won 300-meter matches, and kept hunters in moose meat. First firing 156-grain bullets at 2,380 fps, the Swede joined contemporaries in a switch to lighter pointed missiles. It endured stiff competition from the 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer that arrived in 1900, and sent 160-grain

bullets at 2,220 fps from 1903 Greek Mannlicher infantry rifles. Nimble M-S sporters served hunters like Charles Sheldon, who used his for Alaskan sheep, moose, and brown bears. Kenya Warden Blaney Percival did most of his hunting with a 6.5x54, or as it was often called, the .256.

Meanwhile, on the commercial front, Charles Newton fashioned his .256 Newton (.264 bore) on a shortened .30/06 case. A veritable rocket in 1913, it hurled 129-grain bullets at 2,760 fps.

Nearly a century later, in 2002, the ballistically similar .260 Remington shared headlines with the 6.5 Grendel.

Derived from PPC Benchrest brass, the Grendel was designed for AR-15s

by Bill Alexander of Alexander Arms, and by Arne Brennan, who’d tested an AR prototype in 1998. A bolt-action rifle gave him a 600-meter knot miking less than 1.2 inches! Les Baer’s .264 LBC AR is essentially the Grendel with a slightly different chamber. A 129-grain bullet exits at 2,500 fps.

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ALL PHOTOS BY AUTHOR

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The 19th-century 4-bore cartridge (left of the .30/06) kicked viciously, even in the 13-pound rifles common to that era.

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With less than 18 foot-pounds of recoil, early smokeless rounds like the .303 British killed big game reliably.

Paradigm Shift The 6.5 Creedmoor—announced in 2009 and named after the famous, but now long defunct, New York shooting range—is the brainchild of Dave Emary, then Hornady’s senior ballistician. Tapping the experience of other 1,000-yard competitors, Emary necked the .30 T/C hull to .264 and moved its shoulder back to accommodate match bullets. Hornady Superformance powders launch 129-grain bullets within 50 fps of Mach 3, hot on the heels of 130s in a .270. The greater sectional density of the .264 bullets spools in the .270s at distance.

Todd Seyfert at Magnum Research introduced me to the 6.5 Creedmoor with his super-accurate Remington Model 700. It had a carbon-fiber barrel with a Krieger core, a GreyBull stock, and a GreyBull-modified 4.5–14X Leupold scope. Prone with a sling, I was soon banging steel to 500 yards.

On the final day of an elk hunt, under ideal conditions but at extreme range, a 129-grain Hornady from that rifle dropped a bull. In Africa, the cartridge

has performed beyond expectations for me and many other hunters.

Hornady now offers 10 factory loads in 6.5 Creedmoor, from 120grain GMX bullets at 3,050 fps to 147grain ELD Match missiles that still nudge the 2,100-fps mark at 500 yards.

“Our most requested chambering,” I now often hear at gun shops.

Building on the success of its Creedmoor, Hornady has introduced another wunderkind, the 6.5 PRC, or Precision Rifle Cartridge. Based on the .300 RCM—Ruger Compact Magnum, developed at Hornady with Ruger— the PRC has the .532 bolt face of most magnums and a 30-degree shoulder. It drives a 143-grain ELD-X at 2,960 fps, and a 147-grain ELD Match at 2,910.

These drift less than 200-grain ELD-X bullets from a .300 Win. Mag., though the PRC dishes out 32 percent less recoil. Its ELD-X bullets pass 500 yards clocking 2,250 fps. There they pack 100 foot-pounds more punch than 145grain ELD-Xs from a .270.

Currently, the 6.5 PRC is factorychambered by Sauer, Mauser, Browning, Ruger, and Christensen

Arms. You can expect to see other manufacturers join this group.

Extending the Market So, what do the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC have that, say, the .260 and 6.5 Remington Magnum (circa 1965) didn’t offer? Mainly, long pointed bullets, but also the case design and rifling twist to use them. As recently as a decade ago, few bullets had the long ogives (shankto-nose profiles) of Hornady’s ELD series or similar missiles by Nosler, Federal, Berger, and Barnes. Sierra’s MatchKing had no counterpart for hunters. Stretched bullet noses changed case geometry and rifling pitch. Case necks had to be set back to grip bullet shanks, and steeper rifling employed to stabilize the long bullets.

These principles apply to other bore diameters too, of course, specifically now 6mms and .22s.

Sixes were late bloomers, emerging from the primordial soup in 1955, when Holland & Holland necked its Super .30 to form the .244 H&H Belted Rimless Magnum, a pencil-necked

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Last light, long shot. You must hit where you aim.

Stiff recoil can make flinching a habit. Avoid it!

Goliath that drove 100-grain bullets at 3,500 fps. At the same time, Winchester fashioned its .243 after Warren Page’s .240 Super Pooper, but with the .308’s original 20-degree shoulder. Remington chose a 26-degree shoulder for its .244 on the slightly longer .257 Roberts hull.

Small bullet-weight differences affected sales. Barrels in .243 had 1:10 rifling, those in .244 1:12. Rumor spread that .244 bores wouldn’t stabilize the 95- to 105-grain bullets suitable for deer, so the .243 and its 100-grain factory loads sold better. In 1963, Remington changed the headstamp to “6mm Rem.” and rifled barrels 1:9.

Both these 6mms are gentle creatures, recoiling half as hard as the .280.

Yet they kill reliably. In its trial season afield, the .243 downed 83 animals, primarily deer. Most fell to the shot; the others were recovered within 200 yards.

The .243 has since built on its reputation as a versatile, user-friendly hunting round. Fine accuracy from many factory loads and a plethora of affordable rifles endear it to the proletariat.

But Hornady now offers an alternative. You might say the 6mm

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Creedmoor was inevitable, given the success of its 6.5mm parent. This short 6mm appeared early in 2018, factory-loaded with an 87-grain V-Max at 3,210 fps, a 103-grain ELD-X at 3,050, and a 108-grain ELD Match at 2,950. Predictably, the 108s excel beyond 400 yards, where they also trump factory-loaded bullets from the more capacious .243.

A Boon for the .22-Caliber Crowd After a spate of rimfire and centerfire .17s, smallbore enthusiasts can again ogle frisky new .22s. Arguably, the .22 Nosler and Federal’s .224 Valkyrie date to 1905, when Charles Newton necked the .28-30 Stevens to .22 (a step toward his .22 High-Power) on the .25-35 hull. It sent .227 bullets at 2,800 fps. Hunters hailed the High Power for its lightning-bolt effect on deer-size game. By the 1930s, wildcatters had .22s on Newton’s .250 Savage case.

The 1937 version by Gebby and Smith became the “Varminter,” a moniker Gebby copyrighted. Though it

remained a wildcat until Remington adopted it in 1965, the .22/250 steadily eclipsed the .220 Swift at market.

New bullets and revised game regulations have made it a deer cartridge.

Hurling 64-grain spitzers at 3,500 fps, the .22/250 brings more energy to 100 yards than does the .32 Special with 170-grain softpoints! But its effectiveness hinges largely on its behavior at the buttplate: A .22 centerfire won’t make you flinch.

While the new .22 Nosler and .224 Valkyrie can’t match the Varminter’s case capacity, both were designed with the AR-15 in mind. Both owe their genesis to the 113-year-old .30 Remington, which sired the 6.8 SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) for AR-15 rifles. Engineering its .22, Nosler rebated the SPC rim to .378 so any .223 rifle could be rebarreled to .22 Nosler without a bolt-face change. The .224 Valkyrie has the .422 rim of its parent.

Forming the Valkyrie, Federal made sure it would handle long, ballistically efficient bullets in the compact AR-15 action. Engineers stubbed the 6.8 SPC hull and set the shoulder back. I like

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Using a rifle of his own design, ace marksman David Tubb fires accurate, flat-shooting 6XC handloads.

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the 30-degree shoulder angle, which bolsters case capacity without threat of cycling hiccups. SAAMI approved the .224 Valkyrie in 2018, noting a maximum average pressure of 55,000 psi (about like the .223).

To date, Federal has catalogued four loads for the .224 Valkyrie: a 60-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip at 3,300 fps, a 75-grain TMJ at 3,000, a 90-grain Fusion at 2,550, and a 90-grain Sierra MatchKing at 2,700. The MatchKing is the ballistic champ. At the muzzle, it matches the energy of the Ballistic Tip that starts 600 fps faster (both around 1,450 foot-pounds). Downrange, the antage is all with the hea advantage heavy bullet, hich sta which stays supersonic past 1,300 yards.

At 1,000 yards, the 90-grain MatchKing drifts about 93 inches in a 10-mph fullvalue wind, only 10 inches more than a 130-grain bullet from a 6.5 Creedmoor, and 63 to 69 inches less than 77-grain bullets from the .223 and .22 Nosler.

While its 392 inches of drop at that range seems a steep plunge, factoryloaded 77s from the .22 Nosler and .223 fall 481 and 519 inches at 1,000.

To be fair, the Valkyrie’s abbreviated case body, friendly to 90-grain bullets, brings capacity well below that of the .22 Nosler, which can throw light- and mid-weight bullets faster. Inside 500 yards, the Valkyrie performs much like a .223. Its real strength is at distance, where those long bullets fly flatter and drift less than even 130s from the 6.5 Grendel. Savage was the first to offer a rifle in .224 Valkyrie. Other manufacturers that currently offer factory rifles in this caliber include Mossberg, CMMG, Wilson Combat, Windham Weaponry, Masterpiece Arms, and Lewis Machine & Tool. Surely others have it on their to-chamber lists as well.

Fighting Flinch The current long-range accuracy binge hasn’t put magnums on ice.

From the .300 Winchester to the .338 pua, shooter Lapua, shooters endure the din and the pounding—and dust stor storms from

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muzzle brakes—to blast holes through wind that shoves lesser bullets aside.

Many hunters favor magnums because, as I hear frequently, “You can’t kill game too dead.”

Still, I recently shared an elk camp with hunters who missed and lost elk at distance with powerful loads.

Getting close to game still matters, and when you fire, you mustn’t flinch.

Recoil always impairs accuracy.

Even less-exuberant loads can inspire a flinch. Like blinking, flinching is a natural response to sharp noise and sudden movement. Tap your brow with your hand. Though it’s a planned, controlled action, you blink. Think you can remain still as a stone Buddha while an explosion looses 55,000 psi in front of your eyeball? I recall men long ago boasting of the recoil they could endure. Even then I thought such swagger odd. I’ve never liked being kicked. No competitive shooter relishes recoil. Muscles and nerves that anticipate, but can’t preempt, pain twitch as if the blow has already landed, throwing the shot wide.

Blast (decibels), plus recoil energy (foot-pounds) and velocity (fps), conspire to focus the violence of a shot.

Rifle weight affects what you feel, as does stock design. A thin comb with lots of drop can mince your cheek; a small, hard buttplate sharpens the jab to your clavicle. The shape and texture of grip and forend matter, because your hands absorb some of the shock.

Bullet weight and velocity also have a big effect on recoil. The .458 Win. with 500-grain bullets pounds you 60 percent harder than the .375 with .300s, and bumps you 40 percent harder than the .30/06 with slower bullets of the same weight. Decades after a rush to belted magnums, rifle and ammo sales are tilting to cartridges of modest stature, hurling bullets that exit at unremarkable speeds but decelerate slowly and buck wind well for hits far downrange. Refinements inside and out help them fly flatter and more accurately. What’s not to like?

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VisuaL A id S These days, noise and recoil are out, long-range accuracy and ballistic efficiency are in. Sell the trend in your gun shop with visual comparisons—charts and illustrations, plus snug groups fired with compact new cartridges that perform all out of proportion to their size. Example: A 143grain ELD-X bullet from a 6.5 Creedmoor exiting at 2,700 fps still clocks 2,025 at 500 yards, where it packs 1,300 foot-pounds of energy.

At 3,050 fps, a 130-grain GMX from a .270 smokes the 6.5 Creedmoor at the muzzle— but it retains an edge of just 70 fps at 500 yards, where with 1,268 ft.-lb. it’s already trailing in energy.

Recoil in hunting-weight rifles: 14 ft.-lb. for the Creedmoor, more than 19 for the .270.

Rocket-shaped bullets in the .224 Valkyrie, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, and the like offer the same advantages. A new rifle should bring every customer to the counter for a powerful scope with a dial to tap the reach of such long-legged loads. Handloaders will need dies and components.

Without encouraging irresponsible pokes at far-away game, clerks who “talk long range” should be able to sell these modest but frisky new rounds, whose light recoil helps shooters hit at any distance.

42 aug|sept 2019

ne x t steps

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law by President Trump in December 2017, has impacted consumers and businesses in several ways. As a shooting-sports retailer, changes in the tax code should have helped to reduce your overall taxes. Now you need to figure out whether to reinvest those profits in your business or to create a separate nest egg. Reinvestment often involves profits before they are diluted by the annual tax bill. To create a separate nest egg usually, but not always, involves using those profits after they have been

By Mark reduced by taxes.

E. Battersby A smaller federal tax bill should mean more money in your pocket.

What should you do with it?

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44 aug|sept 2019

Plowing Back the Profits Many shooting-sports business owners choose to reinvest their profits in business improvements. Infrastructure, equipment, streamlining business processes, or finding ways to improve operations and the customer experience are popular strategies. They are also strategies that can increase profits in the long run, allowing expanded operations—and tax deductions.

Reinvesting profits in the shooting-sports business is considered a legitimate business expense. Business expenses can include shortterm projects, advertising, or buying long-term assets such as new equipment, computers, or vehicles. While depreciating long-term assets could spread the write-offs over several years, the TCJA’s new rules permit write-offs for the entire expenditure for long-term assets.

Accumulation Pitfalls Many dealers take as much from the business as they

can through distributions.

For S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies (LLCs), these distributions are often in the form of loan repayments that can usually be ignored for tax purposes.

Retaining cash in the shooting-sports business provides a “war chest” that allows good choices.

Having equity capital can, for example, be an important consideration in whether a business will be granted a loan or have a supplier extend credit on favorable terms.

Many dealers, retailers, manufacturers, and sales reps have a substantial amount of or all their net worth tied up in their business. They’ve reinvested earnings in the business, they’ve added to that concentration by owning the building that houses the business, and the business has a cash reserve for emergencies or to take advantage of deals that may crop up.

But what if the business turns sour?

Generally, shooting-sports retailers have two options: reinvest in the business or create a nest egg.

Investing in Investments Saving money should be a priority for every shootingsports business owner.

Luckily there are a number of resources for saving, many of which involve investing pre-tax dollars.

One strategy involves a socalled “tax favored” plan. A Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) is for selfemployed and smallbusiness owners with any number of employees.

Contributions of up to 25 percent of income or $55,000 (whichever is less) are made by the employer only and are tax-deductible as a business expense.

A self-employed 401(k) plan is similar to the traditional 401(k) but covers only individuals and business owners with no employees other than their spouse. Contributions to these plans can, however, be made as both the employer and as an employee. Both employer contributions and salary deferrals work, though having employees disqualifies usage of a selfemployed 401(k).

Another option is provided with a SIMPLE IRA. SIMPLE stands for Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees, and it means setting up Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for the firearms business owner and the operation’s employees. While SIMPLE IRAs allow both the owner and employees to contribute amounts before taxes, they are only for businesses with 100 employees or fewer.

Overall, the SEP plan is often the better option for many small businesses since it allows larger contributions and greater flexibility.

Start-Up Write-Offs Whether to create a source of income separate from the business, cash in on a hobby, or merely plan for retirement, a secondary business can often be a good investment. Keeping in mind that starting a new venture will usually involve profits or other income after it has been reduced by taxes, special deductions for the cost of entering into a new ven-

45

ture may ease the pain.

Startup costs are expenditures made to start or open a business and include market research and analysis, marketing and advertising, employee training, and professional fees associated with establishing that business. Up to $5,000 in startup costs can be deducted by any new venture with less than $50,000 in startup costs.

Additional startup costs in excess of $5,000 can be amortized and written-off over 15 years. In fact, if profits are unlikely in the first year, all startup costs can be amortized to create write-offs in later, hopefully more profitable years. Too, recovery of those startup costs could wait until the new business is sold.

The IRS treats general business startup costs and socalled “organizational” costs separately. Organizational costs are amounts spent for forming a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company (LLC), but not a sole proprietorship. In addition to the $5,000 deduction for startup expenses, an additional deduction of up to $5,000 for small-business organizational expenses can

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be taken in the operation’s first year. If total startup costs are no more than $50,000, $5,000 may be deducted as startup costs and $5,000 deducted for organizational costs.

This deduction for organizational expenses must be claimed the year the business opens, though; if needed, there is a six-month window for filing an amendment. Of course, if the new business posts losses during its early years, there is always the option of amortizing these costs, deducting them over the course of several years instead.

Second Businesses and Hobbies With more and more gun shop owners and selfemployed shooting-sports professionals looking at secondary activities as a nest egg, it is becoming quite common to have multiple business activities. A significant write-off may be available if it can be argued that the new, money-losing operation is really an extension of

the original business. For a new, unrelated business, however, losses can be a problem.

Those operating a business that generates a loss for the year can generally deduct the full amount of the loss on their annual tax return, as long as the activity is conducted “with a profit intent.” The resulting loss can be used to reduce income from other sources such as self-employment, wages, business income, or investments. The picture is somewhat bleaker if the money-losing activity must be treated as a not-for-profit “hobby.”

Prior to the TCJA, hobbyrelated expenses could be deducted up to the amount of income generated by that activity. However, those expenses were treated as miscellaneous itemized deductions and written off only to the extent they exceeded 2 percent of adjusted gross income.

Those otherwise allowable hobby deductions were completely disallowed for those subjected to the alternative minimum tax (AMT).

Proving an activity is a

business for tax purposes means a profit motive must be present and some type of economic activity must be conducted. With profits in three out of five consecutive tax years, it is up to the IRS to prove the activity is a hobby. Without profits, it is the firearms professional who must prove that the activity is a business—if asked—often employing a nine-point test created by the courts. (For more detailed information on this test, go to journalofaccountancy .com/issues/2013/oct/20138370).

In a surprising number of cases, the IRS will accept the characterization of two or more undertakings as one activity unless the characterization is artificial or unreasonable. While the odds of running afoul of the hobby/ loss rules remain long, one extremely important potential pitfall involves both the basic shooting-sports business and secondary activities—“passive” income.

A passive activity is one that involves the conduct of any trade or business in which the taxpayer does not materially participate. An individual materially participates in an activity if he or she is involved on a regular, continuous, and substantial basis, or participates in the activity for more than 500 hours during the year.

Generally, losses from passive activities may not be deducted from non-passive income (for example, wages, interest, or dividends).

This all can get a bit complicated. Fortunately, a legion of professional advisors stands ready to help you decide whether to reinvest in the business or create a separate nest egg.

W H AT ’ S S E L L I N G W H E R E

Guns, OR Keith’s Gresham

Tactical, Lake Sports, CA OC AZ Sprague’s Forest Yuma Located less than a mile off I-5 just north of Laguna Hills, this specialty shop services many state and county first responders with a large supply of new and used guns. Glocks (both Model 17s and 19s) rule this counter. Like many California shops, used “off roster” guns are premium sellers. “An example would be a Glock 43. Under the right circumstances, it can be worth nearly $1,000 used, because a new one can no longer be sold,” said countersalesman Nick Wilson.

As for shotguns, summer turns are going to Remington 870s and Mossberg’s 930s and 540s. Ruger Mini 14s are on a roll, as are Ruger 10/22s.

Specializing in law enforcement and military sales, this large Arizona independent rests just 15 minutes from the Mexican border. With dove season around the corner, Browning Citoris and Beretta over/unders in 20 and 28 gauge, as well as Benelli Montefeltros, are all hot. There’s even a dove contest. “We have reps come in and everyone weighs their dove breast with one wing intact for a chance to win a Benelli 1500,” said manager Chad Converse.

MSR sales have topped out. The occasional high-end rifle is selling in 9mm and 10mm pistol calibers.

Entry-level Ruger 556s are doing well. Bolt-action guns are gaining steam for big-game seasons.

Fine MN Boone’s Guns, Isle

MSRs include Colt and ArmaLite.

Gun Shooting MO Top Sports, Arnold

Keeping 7,500 guns in stock, this large independent, located in east suburban Portland, is feeling the pinch of a slow summer, says owner Keith Ward. Handgun sales are steady.

Glocks are doing well, as are SIG Sauer P365s. Other strong sellers include 1911s from Wilson Combat and Les Baer.

Higher-end shotguns are selling better than they have for more than a year. Beretta over/unders and semi-autos hold a remarkably strong lead, and A400s and Silver Pigeon 686s are attracting attention. Sales of modern sporting rifles are just plain slow, though price-point brands, such as S&W M&P Sport IIs, are moving.

Opening in 2008, this northern Minnesota destination store has an indoor range and keeps more than 2,500 guns in stock. It also sells fishing gear and soft goods.

Handgun sales are all about Glock 43s, Ruger SR9s, and S&W Shields. Over the past two years, this store has noticed that 9mm has been the overwhelming caliber of choice.

Varmint season is in full swing, with .204 Ruger 77s and CZ boltactions moving well. “Our MSR sales have slowed to two a month.

We have monitored this trend, and our customers have become much more price-point-driven,” said buyer Rayan Schick. At this shop, top

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

City Guns, KS Bull Alton

Located on Highway 24 in central northern Kansas, this large independent has more than 10,000 square feet of floor space and keeps more than 2,000 firearms in stock. Handgun sales rule. Good numbers of lowerend SCCYs and Ruger LC9s are moving out the door. Glocks are also moving steadily.

“It has been slower than usual, and we’ve reduced our inventory compared to two years ago. Our changing demographic skews younger. That buyer wants to research and then order. They don’t need to touch the gun,” said manager Brice Ballard.

Located in South St. Louis County, this store keeps more than 700 guns in inventory. It operates as a certified NSSF Five-Star Range.

Sales of handguns have cooled but still are turning steadily. S&W Shield EZs, Glock Gen5s, and SIG P365s are crossing the counter.

“We are seeing slower traffic across the board. However, our range traffic is steady and growing. Fall looks like it will be a good season,” said manager Robert Tyler.

MSR sales are increasing, turning an average of three to four per week. Adding to the good news, higher-end rifles are significantly outpacing entry-price-point models.

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BY PETER B . MATHIESEN

Heritage Guild, PA The Easton One of three stores in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area, this large retailer also has a shooting and archery range. The 24,000-square-foot building stocks an array of 2,000 firearms.

Handgun sales are always brisk at this location. Currently, top movers include SIG P365s, P320 Compacts, and P226s.

“Our sales remain strong throughout the summer with traffic from the shooting range. We even have New Jersey residents store the guns they bought here at vaults in Easton so they can shoot them at our range,” said manager Matt Volar.

Shotgun sales are picking up,

GA Googes’, Hazlehurst

Located in southeast Georgia, this rural gas station, and general sportinggoods and meat-supply store stocks 250 used and new guns.

Summer is all about plinking for this retailer. “We are so glad to see .22 ammo come back. Small calibers can be up to half of our sales during summer. That said, it has been a slower-than-usual summer.

I’m looking forward to fall sales picking up,” said owner Ray Googe.

Standbys, such as Ruger 10/22s and Marlin lever-actions, are moving. Although selling slower than last year, handguns are holding their own. Glock Gen 5s and 43s, and Ruger LC9s rule the counter.

Used .38 Smith J-Frame wheel

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with good numbers of Mossberg 590 Shockwaves and Maverick 88 pumps clearing the counter. Sales of MSRs are steady. Low-end players, such as American Tactical GSG-16s and S&W Sport 15-22s, dominate the action.

also high demand for 1911s. Most custom orders are going to Wilson Combat. “It has been a strange summer. Our big movers have been high-end handguns. Entry-level guns aren’t turning at all,” said manager Hunter Tassitano.

Gun Firearms, CT Bob’s NJ G&S Exchange, Darien Wayne With 500 firearms in stock, this retailer is just 15 miles from the New York State line. In business for more than 50 years, the retailer specializes in handguns, reloading supplies, and higher-end shotguns.

Sales of concealed-carry handguns have been brisk through the summer. After a lull earlier in the season, SIG P365s are seeing a great deal of attention. There is

guns are also moving. MSRs, particularly Ruger 556s, are selling at roughly one per month.

Shooters, TX Sharp Lubbock

In business since 1992, Sharp Shooters is one of the largest independents in the state. With 3,000 firearms in inventory, this West Texas shop specializes in hunting rifles, handguns, and home-defense products.

“We’ve had a strong summer even without an election bubble.

New products definitely help because our customers want to try new guns,” said countersalesperson Jill Donop.

Although deer season is still a couple of months away, bolt-action guns are moving. Turns are split

Located in northcentral New Jersey off I-80, this small independent specializes in home defense and law enforcement contracts. Glock 19s are the mainstay at this handgun counter and have been for the last two years. “We are a small store that has learned to love transfers. We charge $25, and they bring in a lot of customers I can’t afford to advertise to,” said owner Gordon Levine.

between high-end and price-point rifles. Christensen Arms and Tikkas in 6.5 Creedmoor and .243 are commanding the most attention.

MSRs are turning at about two per week.

and Waters, AL Woods Tuscaloosa

This large independent fishing, hunting, and sports-apparel store mixes storefront sales with a strong web business. It inventories more than 3,000 online products.

Handgun sales are leaning toward S&W Shields, Glock 43Xs, and SIG P365s.

“MSRs are turning at two a week.

It should pick up later in the fall.

But, it will still be price-sensitive,” said manager Drew Ryan.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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GOOD STUFF

BY BRAD FITZPATRICK

Spot-On The SRO from Trijicon is a brilliant aiming solution

S

ix months ago, Trijicon announced a brand-new red-dot pistol sight. Known as the Specialized Reflex Optic, or SRO, this new optic could not have launched at a more opportune time. More and more shooters are adding red-dot sights to their pistols for everything from competition shooting to concealed carry. The SRO isn’t a complete departure from the design of the company’s popular RMR (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex), but it does offer a number of user-friendly features and upgrades that almost every shooter can appreciate.

For starters, the SRO is equipped with a large sight window that, compared to other sights, offers an increased field of view. This prevents the shooter from having to maneuver to see the dot, thereby allowing for fast shot delivery and reduced split times. At its widest point, the SRO’s sight window measures .98 inch, about a 10 percent improvement over the RMR. While that may not seem like much of a difference, the increased size of the SRO’s sight window is immediately noticeable when you’re aiming. In addition, the SRO’s narrow lens housing virtually disappears when you are on target.

The SRO’s lens is made of tempered glass and comes with a protective coating. The

large lens produces little light distortion in full sun, and with eight brightness modes (including a Super Bright mode and two night-vision modes), I had no trouble finding the right setting to match the shooting conditions.

There are three dot-size options—1 MOA, 2.5 MOA, and 5 MOA—which cover every situation from bull’s-eye shooting to close-quarters defense.

Adjusting point of impact is simple: Using a coin or similar object, adjust the windage (top) and elevation (right side) dials as needed.

Each click changes the impact point 1 MOA. Another user-friendly feature of the SRO is a topmounted battery compartment. Using simple tools, you

can remove the cap and replace the CR 2032 battery without removing the sight or losing zero. You won’t need to change batteries often, though—Trijicon promises three years of battery life (on setting 4 of 8).

Since it shares the same footprint as the RMR, the SRO fits mounting plates designed for the RMR. I tested the SRO on CZ’s new P-10 F Optics Ready 9mm and found the included RMR base securely fit the SRO. The SRO features a durable 7075-T6 forged aluminum housing, so even with the bigger lens size, it remains a light optic at just 1.6 ounces.

Like the RMR, it functions with suppressor-height iron sights, and the SRO is waterproof to 10 feet.

On the Range ➤ The

SRO is one of the most intuitive pistol optics available.

Learning the controls takes just minutes, and the large viewing area speeds up target acquisition. Once you shoot an SRO-equipped firearm a few times, there’s no more hunting for the dot—you simply raise the pistol and fire.

This is the perfect optic for new shooters or shooters with poor vision. My father, now in his 70s, struggles to see iron sights, but with the SRO in place, he could quickly get ontarget and deliver accurate shots, and he has virtually no experience with a red-dot.

The learning curve on this optic is not steep, and it’s easy to attach to your pistol. No question, the SRO is spot-on.

SRP: $739. (trijicon.com)

Easy-to-use up and down buttons for brightness on the Trijicon SRO (Specialized Reflex Optic) are located on either side of the lens housing. Holding both buttons simultaneously powers off the unit.

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NEW PRO DUC TS

(Continued from page 50)

Flextone ➤ The WTF Grunt’R uses Inflection Chamber Technology to mimic the natural inflection in sounds made by rutting deer. By compressing, expanding, or bending the chamber, hunters can instantly change the sound of the call. The chamber can even cut off airflow, creating the sound of an out-of-breath buck.

By adding the patented Tru-Touch buttons for failure-proof doe and fawn sounds, hunters can mimic the entire communication spectrum between rutting bucks and does in estrus.

Add to this a durable snort-wheeze chamber, and you have the perfect call for any situation. SRP: $19.99.

The new Extractor grunt tube uses the X-Glide sound-selection system, which allows the user to go from a doe bleat to an aggressive buck grunt with the slide of a finger. The X-Glide adjusts tension on the reed without disassembly. SRP: $22.99. (flextonegamecalls.com)

CZ-USA ➤ The original Bren 2 was developed as a select-fire rifle for the Czech military.

The new Bren 2 Ms Pistol is a cleansheet design, with a modular forend (hence the “M”), and is offered in semiauto only. With a trimmed-down aluminum receiver and a lower made from carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, the Bren 2 Ms Pistol is a robust but substantially lighter firearm that is easier to carry, quicker to get on target, and durable enough for tough duty.

The Bren 2 Ms Pistol has also done away with the reciprocating charging

handle of the past, replacing it with one that stays stowed in the forward position until needed. Swappable from side to side, the new charging handle does double duty as a forward assist.

CZ-USA has also added an MSR-style bolt catch/release system to the Bren 2 Ms Pistol that is mirrored on both sides of the firearm. This ambidextrous system allows for faster, more efficient charging of the pistol. There’s even a catch/release nestled into the front of the Bren 2 Ms trigger guard. The magazine release and safety are also ambidextrous, and are in locations very familiar to the many shooters well-versed in the MSR platform. SRP: $1,722. (cz-usa.com)

ALPS Outdoorz ➤ The Backpack Blind Bag, now available in Mossy Oak Shadow Grass camo, is the ideal gear transport for waterfowlers who need a hands-free equipment solution. The adjustable padded shoulder straps and waist belt work with an adjustable sternum strap to ensure good load distribution and a comfortable carry between the truck and the blind.

The hallmark feature of the pack, however, is its self-standing hard-bottom construction, which helps keep the “wearable” portion of the pack dry and out of the muck. There are two main compartments that work very well for most motion decoys.

Designed specifically for the waterfowler, the Backpack Blind Bag boasts a drop-down gun boot, leaving the user’s hands free to carry decoys, a blind, or a seat. SRP: $129.99. (alpsoutdoorz.com)

Alps Outdoorz Blind Bag

Firearms Business Insurance Wholesalers & Distributors Retail Sales Manufacturers & Importers Ammunition & Bullet Manufacturers Indoor & Outdoor Ranges Gunsmiths Firearms Instructors

The Bren 2 Ms Pistol from CZ-USA comes with a new charging handle design.

31 Parker Road • Elizabeth, New Jersey 07208

800.526.2199 • info@jcinsco.com • www.guninsurance.com

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NEW PR ODU CTS

Ruger

Ruger has introduced six new configurations in its PC Carbine family, including this free-float handguard model. This handy blowback semi-auto is chambered in 9mm with an anodized aluminum handguard that features M-Lok accessory slots.

Other models are available in .40 S&W. The 9mm model ships with one 17or 10-round SR-Series/ Security-9 pistol magazine, but an interchangeable mag well allows it to accept Ruger American Pistol mags and, more important, Glock magazines. This means it can have up to 33 rounds on board—or more with an aftermarket drum magazine. The free-float PC Carbine model has a black synthetic stock and either a threaded or unthreaded 16.12-inch barrel. The receiver is topped with an optics rail; iron sights with an adjustable ghost ring rear sight come standard.

The magazine release button and charging handle are both easily reversible, making the gun fully ambidextrous, save for the push-button safety on the trigger guard. SRP: $729. (ruger.com)

DAVID MACCAR

(Continued on page 49)

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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