GUN WORLD February 2018

UPDATING AN ICON: STEYR AUG A3 M1 FEBRUARY I 2018

SINCE 1959

SAVAGE ARMS

THE CAFFEINATED WARRIOR—INSTANT COFFEE WE FIND THE BEST ...

AND THE WORST

GUN WORLD

MSR-15 AN OLD DOG LEARNS A NEW TRICK

6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO TEST RELOADS VS. FACTORY

THOMPSON/ CENTER KEEPING ON COURSE WITH THE COMPASS

FEBRUARY 2018 VOLUME 59, NO. 02

WWW.GUNWORLD.COM

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GUN WORLD U.S. $4.99 DISPLAY UNTIL: 2/6/18

ARTEMIS ARMED VALENTINE’S DAY—MAKE IT A GUN DATE!

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PERFORMANCE TUNED.

CONTENTS ON THE COVER GUN: SAVAGE MSR-15; BUSHNELL SCOPE CUSTOM KRYPTEK YETI CERAKOTE BY MCM FIREARMS (MCMFIREARMS.COM) CLOTHING: KRYPTEK YETI OVERWHITE THREE-PIECE SET (JACKET, PANTS, GAITER), HAT AND MASK PHOTO: TY MANNING DESIGN: JULIAN AVIÑA

40 COLUMNS 06 10 12 16 20 80 84 88 92 96 98 QUICK SHOTS

UP FRONT KIT UP! OPTICS HUNT ARTEMIS ARMED EDC TRAIN PREPS CLEARED HOT CHEWING THE FAT DOWN RANGE

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12 GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) is published monthly in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December by Engaged Media Inc., LLC, 17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92614.

Periodical postage paid at Irvine, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GUN WORLD c/o Engaged Media Inc., VSI, Inc., 905 Kent Street, Liberty, MO 64068. © 2018 by Engaged Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

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GUN WORLD FEBRUUARY I 2018

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SAVAGE ARMS BUCKS TRADITION Known mostly for traditional firearms such as boltand lever-actions, Savage Arms bucks tradition with an AR platform rifle—the MSR-15. Can an old dog be taught new tricks?

By Robb Manning

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ON COURSE WITH THE COMPASS The newest chambering for Thompson/Center’s affordable Compass rifle is the Popular 6.5 Creedmoor. We put it to the test against big Wyoming mule deer.

By Mike Dickerson HIGH-DESERT SHOOTOUT Nikon and Desert Tech team up for a ghost town longdistance shootout, and one of our resident Green Berets was there.

By Brian Berry STAG ARMS 10S Stag’s new large-receiver AR chambered in .308 is feature rich at an affordable price and offers consistent accuracy right out of the box.

By Richard Schutz UPDATING AN ICON—THE STEYR AUG A3 M1 The AUG has set the bullpup standard for decades.

And, with the A3 M1, it’s now up to date, modular and U.S. made.

By Todd Burgreen 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO TEST: RELOADS VS. FACTORY Using the accurate 6.5 Creedmoor as our test subject, we pit handloads against off-the-shelf factory ammo to see which one wins.

By E. Don Smith THE CAFFEINATED WARRIOR Instant coffee and the military go back to World War II. If you’ve eaten out of an MRE, you’ve had instant coffee. We tested more than 20 different instant coffees to report on the best … and the worst.

By Ben Winslett

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UPFRONT

BY ROBB MANNING RMANNING@ENGAGEDMEDIAINC.COM

GUN WORLD FEBRUARY 2018

Volume 59 • Number 2

EDITORIAL

I

Robb Manning Editor Kelly Nomura Executive Managing Editor Amy Maclean Managing Editor

DESIGN

Julian Aviña Art Director

t’s exciting to see the innovation that’s driving the firearms market.

Few segments of the American economy are as healthy, robust and innovative as it is. Just look at the firearms in this issue.

CONTRIBUTORS

Steven Barlow, Brian Berry, Todd Burgreen, Chris Cerino, Mike Dickerson, Brad Fitzpatrick, Steven Ledin, Brian Morris, Jeff Quinn, Richard Schutz, E. Don Smith, Beckey Yackley, Ben Winslett

ADVERTISING

Gabe Frimmel Ad Sales Director (714) 200-1930 gfrimmel@engagedmediainc.com Casey Clifford Senior Account Executive (714) 200-1982 Mark Pack Senior Account Executive (714) 200-1939 Charles Dorr Account Executive (714) 200-1931 Spencer Redmond Account Executive (972) 448-4649 John Bartulin Account Executive (866) 866-5146 ext. 2746 John Cabral Advertising Design Eric Gomez Advertising Traffic Coordinator Gennifer Merriday Advertising Traffic Coordinator

Consider Steyr, for example. The AUG was designed in the 1970s and went into production in 1977. It was a huge innovation at the time. It’s still considered the benchmark for bullpup designs.

In this Gun World issue, we didn’t get as much into Desert Tech in regard to the products it makes, but this manufacturer has taken that next step that Steyr started, and it offers bullpup carbines and precision rifles.

MARKETING

Elise Portale Content Marketing Manager Brooke Sanders Content Marketing Specialist Michael Chadwick Digital Marketing & Media Coordinator Andrew Dunbar Videographer

Ammunition is something that’s grown in leaps and bounds. What’s being done with bullets, powder and now, even the cases, is remarkable—especially in the self-defense and hunting categories. The 6.5 Creedmoor we use as a “guinea pig” in this issue serves to show how far factory ammunition has come. It still hasn’t surpassed handloads in performance, but it has gotten to the point that you’ll have to start asking yourself if it is worth the cost, especially in time, for the gain.

OPERATIONS

Robert Short IT Manager Parveen Kumar Newsstand and Circulation Analyst Shailesh Khandelwal Subscriptions Manager Alex Mendoza Administrative Assistant Melinda Magde Project Coordinator Victoria Van Vlear Intern Program Manager

EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE

17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92614 (714) 939-9991 • Fax (800) 249-7761 www.gunworld.com www.facebook.com/gunworldmagazine www.facebook.com/eembybeckett www.instagram.com/gunworldmagazine

An important part of innovation is what is occurring in manufacturing processes.

In this Gun World, we look at the Savage MSR-15, Thompson/Center Compass and Stag Arms 10S. They aren’t ground-breaking firearms—two ARs and a bolt-action. But look at the evolution of the manufacturing process that allows for such guns. Fifteen years ago, no one would have thought it possible to purchase a rifle for less than $400 that shoots sub-MOA, but here, we have the Compass.

GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) is published monthly in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December by Engaged Media Inc., LLC, 17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92614. Periodical postage paid at Irvine, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GUN WORLD, c/o Engaged Media Inc, VSI, Inc., 905 Kent Street, Liberty, MO 64068. © 2018 by Engaged Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

GST#855050365RT001. Canadian Post: Publications Mail Agreement Pitney Bowes, Inc., P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Engaged Media, Inc. 17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92614 Subscriptions, Address Changes, Renewals, Missing or Damaged Copies (800) 764-6278 (239) 653-0225 Foreign Inquiries subscriptions@engagedmediainc.com customerservice@engagedmediainc.com Back Issues: www.engagedmediamags.com Books, merchandise, reprints (800) 764-6278 • Foreign (239) 653-0225 Letters to editor, new products or to contribute a story or photo: rmanning@engagedmediainc.com

And the MSR-15 and 10S: Both companies have advanced the manufacturing process to the point at which they can make an AR with features no one would have thought possible at very reasonable price points. Do you remember when people thought the AR wasn’t accurate? When I tested the Savage, one maker gave me a group that printed just over 1/2 MOA, and two makers were at just under 1 MOA.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Let’s not forget a very important product without which a large portion of our population wouldn’t get off to work in the morning: coffee; more specifically, instant coffee. If wine is the “nectar of the gods,” instant coffee is the “nectar” of the U.S. military.

$17.95/1 year, $29.95/2 years. Outside the U.S.: $40.95/1 year, $75.95/2 years. Payable in U.S. funds. Single copy price is $4.99.

Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for new subscriptions to begin.

This last year has been a challenging time for the firearms market, because many people aren’t making a mad dash to buy as many guns as they can for fear of impending gun regulations. What makes us more anxious than anything is when politicians (of all people) start talking about “common-sense” gun laws. I can’t think of many instances a politician demonstrated any common sense in any matter, let alone one they were ignorant of—as most politicians are about firearms.

ENGAGED MEDIA, INC.

Mike Savino CEO Tom Conradi VP, Brand and Content Development Pinaki Bhattacharya Vertical Manager Bob Hulsy Business Development Director Sabra Morris Director of Content Marketing Jason Mulroney Content Director Philip Trinkle Newsstand Sales Director Malic Vann Digital Marketing Director This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Engaged Media, Inc., as to the legality, completeness or technical accuracy.

Nevertheless, this slowdown in the market is going to usher in a new era of innovation, because companies with sticking power are going to find new and creative ways to push the advancement in firearms design and development in order to compete in the market place. GW www.gunworld.com

GST #855050365RT001

Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC., P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada

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Shoot more. Shoot Better.

Shoot more thanks to a synthetic coating that reduces heat and friction in the barrel. Shoot better because Syntech™ loads feature a cleaner burning powder that creates less smoke. It’s an overall better shooting experience you have to see to believe. Learn more at federalpremium.com/shoot-more-challenge/.

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,FZ.PE JT IFSF 5.

AccuPoint TR24G • Trijicon 1-4x24 Riflescope $1,020.00

KeyMod™ is the tactical industry’s new modular standard!

BCM Diamondhead Defense • • American Folding Front Sight RECON X Scope ®

Diamondhead • BCM Folding Rear Sight ®

Mount $189.95

$99.00

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• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Compensator Mod 0

KMR-A15 KeyMod Rail • BCM Handguard 15 Inch $199.95 ®

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Stock $55.95

Blue Force Gear VCAS Sling $45.00

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

BCM PNT™

KeyMod 1-Inch Ring Light Mount

BCM® KMR-A KeyMod Free Float Rail Handguards

For 1” diameter lights $39.95

Same as the fantastic original KMR but machined from aircraft aluminum!

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

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BCM® A2X Flash Suppressor $34.95

Ranger • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ • GEARWARD Grip Mod 0 $29.95 Band 20-Pak $10.00

$58.00

Low Profile • BCM Gas Block $44.95

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Vertical Grip Mod 3 $18.95

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ QD End Plate $16.95

B5 Systems SOPMOD Bravo Stock

$89.95

KMSM • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ KeyMod QD Sling Mount $17.95

9 Inch KMR-A9 . . . . . . . . $176.95 10 Inch KMR-A10 . . . . . . $179.95 13 Inch KMR-A13 . . . . . . $189.95 15 Inch KMR-A15 . . . . . . $199.95

Trigger Assembly

KeyMod Modular Scout Light Mount For SureFire Scout Light $39.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER™

Polished – Nickel – Teflon $59.95

PWS DI KeyMod Rail Handguard Free float rail for AR15/M4 pattern rifles.

Wilson Combat Tactical Trigger

PWS DI 12 Inch Rail . . . . . . . . $249.95 PWS DI 15 Inch Rail . . . . . . . . $249.95

PWS KeyMod Polymer Bipod Adapter $23.95

$269.95

Inforce WML-HSP $119.00

Daniel Defense SLiM Rail Handguard

Slim, Light, Modular KeyMod Free Float DD SLiM Rail 12.0 . . . . . . . . . . $265.00 DD SLiM Rail 15.0 . . . . . . . . . . $265.00

Trijicon

TA31RCO-M4 ACOG 4x32

Daniel Defense KeyMod Bipod Adapter

$1,422.05

Aimpoint PRO

$47.00

Patrol Rifle Optic

Daniel Defense KeyMod 1 O’Clock Offset Rail Assembly

$424.00

$39.00

KeyMod Modular Light Mount For 1913 mounted lights $39.95

Arisaka Inline KeyMod Scout Mount $34.00 Arisaka Ring KeyMod 1” Light Mount $44.00

Thorntail KeyMod Offset Adaptive Light Mounts Thorntail 1.030 Mount $70.00 Thorntail M3M6 1913 Mount $50.00

Arson Machine Company KeyMod Light Mounts Scout M600 Mount $48.00 1” Ring Mount $44.00

All pricing is subject to change without notice. Please see our website for current pricing.

Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

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KeyMod is here!

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Industries • Midwest Folding Front Sight $79.95

Micro H-1 2 MOA • Aimpoint with LRP Mount $709.00

• BattleComp 1.5 $155.00 1913 • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Modular Light Mount, KeyMod $39.95

KeyMod™ is the tactical industry’s new modular standard!

Industries • Midwest ERS BUIS $93.95

Ranger • GEARWARD Band 20-Pak $10.00

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ KMSM KeyMod QD Sling Mount $17.95

KMR-A13 KeyMod Rail • BCM Handguard 13 Inch $189.95

• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ QD End Plate $16.95

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KAG • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Kinesthetic Angled Grip, KeyMod $18.95

PWS FSC556 Tactical Compensator $98.95

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TangoDown ARC MK2 30 Round Mag $14.95

• BCM PNT™ ®

Trigger $59.95

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• BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Stock $55.95 • BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Grip Mod 3 $17.95

Polymer Trigger Guard $6.95

Vltor Carbine EMOD Stock

Comp Mod 0 - 556

Threaded 1/2x28 for 5.56 AR15 platform

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Comp Mod 1 - 556 Threaded 1/2x28 for 5.56 AR15 platform

$94.95

IWC KeyMod QD RL Sling Mount Accepts heavy duty or standard QD swivels

$17.00

IWC KeyMod Hand Stop Mount-N-Slot design $34.95

BCM® KeyMod Picatinny Rail Sections Mil-Std 1913 rails, Nylon Rails available in Black, FDE, Foliage Green.

Nylon Rail, 3 Inch . . . . . . . . . . . . $8.95 Nylon Rail, 4 Inch . . . . . . . . . . . $11.95 Nylon Rail, 5.5 Inch . . . . . . . . . . $14.95 Aluminum Rail, 3 Inch, Black . . $19.95 Aluminum Rail, 4 Inch, Black . . $24.95 Aluminum Rail, 5.5 Inch, Black . $29.95

PWS KeyMod Picatinny Rail Polymer Rail, 5 Slot. . . . . . . . . . $11.95 Aluminum Rail, 5 Slot . . . . . . . . $28.95

VTAC MK2 Wide Sling

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Enhanced Lower Parts Kit BCMGUNFIGHTER™ With BCM® PNT™ Trigger Assembly, BCM® Mod 3 Grip, BCM® Trigger Guard, and Mil-Spec hardware kit.

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ ELPK, semi-auto $99.95

BCMGUNFIGHTER™ KAG

Kinesthetic Angled Grip

Uses biomechanically efficient forward rake, small profile textured front and back for positive engagement. Impact resistant polymers, in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green and Wolf Gray.

KAG-KM, KeyMod Version . . . . . $18.95 KAG-1913, Picatinny Rail Version . $19.95

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VG MOD 3

Low-profile length for increased mobility and decreased “snag”.

Made in the U.S.A. from impact resistant polymers, available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green, Wolf Gray.

VG-KM-MOD-3, KeyMod Version . . $18.95 VG-1913-MOD-3, Picatinny Version . $19.95

Aimpoint Comp M4S Red dot sight, fully NVD compatible, with QRP2 Picatinny Rail Mount

$846.00

EOTech HOLOgraphic Weapon Sights

BCM® KeyMod Rail Panel Kits 5.5 Inch Rail Panels, in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green, Wolf Gray - 5-Pack . $9.95

Model 512 $429.00 Model 552 $529.00

All pricing is subject to change without notice. Please see our website for current pricing.

Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

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KIT UP!

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1 MAKE: Fenix MODEL: Halberd T5Ti Tactical Pen SIZE: 5.45 (L) x .49 inches (D) WEIGHT: 1.41 ounces COLORS: Space Grey, Storm Blue, Aurora Purple MSRP: $70 URL: FenixLight.com The problem with most selfdefense pens is that they look like self-defense pens, making it difficult to be discreet. This fine-looking pen doesn’t have that problem; it looks sci-fi and as non-threateningly “civilian” as it gets—belying the tungsten steel hard alloy strike bezel for cracking windows, heads and anything else that gets between you and safety.

The TC4 titanium alloy body is finished in CNC machining with precision that’s rare in a pen.

A textured surface helps with grip, even with wet hands. It’s a twist on/off cap-type pen that fits snugly, thanks to O-rings, with the cap on either end—in writing mode or striking/closed mode.

It’s comfortable to hold in striking mode, with a blunt cap end, if you need to palm it. As a writing implement, it’s well balanced and uses a German-made Schmidt P950M pressure pen refill.

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MAKE: RHF Muzzle Brakes MODEL: Tactical Director (Shielded) MSRP: $170—Cerakote (Coyote Tan, as tested); $140—uncoated or black oxide URL: RHFMuzzleBrakes.com

MAKE: Browning MODEL: Men’s Glenwood Trail Shoe SIZES: 8M–13M Colors: A-Tacs FB/Pavement (tested), A-Tacs AU/Mulch, Pavement/Cyprus, Bracken/Beluga MSRP: $50 URL: BrowningLifestyle.com

The Tactical Director is designed to reduce both recoil and muzzle blast for the shooter and those next to the shooter. The muzzle blast is sent forward instead of to the sides or rear. It has all the benefits of a suppressor—except for reducing noise—but it doesn’t require the NFA paperwork.

If you live in a state in which suppressors aren’t legal, or if you don’t want to take on the fees, paperwork and legal responsibility of a suppressor, this brake and shield maximize the benefits without the extra work. We did find one drawback: It retains the heat and doesn’t dissipate it. As a result, in cold weather, while using high-power optics, the shooter will get a mirage effect, as would be the case with a suppressor. www.gunworld.com

Spring is coming. Soon, it will be time to hit the hiking trails and for hunters to start scouting the woods for next fall. The Glenwood Trail Shoe is lightweight and designed for long-distance scouting/hiking over mildly rugged terrain. The woven mesh upper is designed for breathability, even in warm weather. The polyurethane toe cap, heel and mid-foot protect the areas most likely to get scuffed and worn.

Traction is excellent and provides a good grip for hikers/hunters traversing rocks or whatever else the trail brings. They’re comfortable and sized right. We do wish they also came in wide sizes.

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4 MAKE: Mission First Tactical MODEL: Tekko Polymer AR15 Carbine 7” Drop In M-LOK Rail System SIZE: 2.37 (H) x 8.961 (L) x 2 (W) inches WEIGHT: 4.5 ounces MSRP: $40 URL: MissionFirstTactical.com This rail system is a big upgrade over government AR carbine handguards using the delta ring and handguard cap. It’s more ergonomic, has a built-in QD mount and is M-LOK compatible for the infinite numbers of accessories on the market. It’s not free-float, but there’s something to be said for a simple drop-in handguard that doesn’t require tools. It’s very snug fitting, so there’s no play—which is good; but this means it does require a little muscle to get it installed; it’s more of a “wrestle-in” than a drop-in.

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6 8 7 5 5 MAKE: Omega Internal Gunlocks MODEL: Internal Gunlock MSRP: $30 (double-barrel shotgun: $33) URL: OmegaGunlock.com The Internal Gunlock is perfect for displaying your firearms. While other locks are exposed and unsightly, this lock is internal and completely out of sight. The lock is shaped like a cartridge. Insert it into the chamber and use the key to lock it—depending on the model—from the muzzle end or the receiver end. The lock prevents a cartridge from being chambered; and, in semiauto handguns, it also locks the slide closed. This gunlock is designed for semiauto handguns, revolvers, rifles and shotguns. Most popular calibers are available.

7 MAKE: Ready Tactical Slings MODEL: Black Out Sling MSRP: $60 URL: ReadyTacticalSlings.com

6 MAKE: TRUGLO MODEL: TFX Pro Tritium/Fiber-Optic Handgun Sight MSRP: $186 URL: Truglo.com

This patent-pending sling isn’t like anything we’ve tried before ... and it’s outstanding. It’s truly hands free, and it’s fast to bring up on target. It’s very different and even a bit counterintuitive to put on.

However, once you figure it out, you’re going to love it. One end of the sling has a padded circle: Put your strong-side arm through and rest the pad on your shoulder. Two elastic webbed straps are fixed to the pad—one short and one long. The short one is positioned on top of the shoulder, and the clip attaches to the butt end of the rifle. The long strap should hang down: Bring it behind your back to your weak side and attach it to the handgard end of your rifle. It’s ready to go. The elastic straps hold the rifle firmly against your body; there’s no bounce at all. To bring the rifle up to engage the target, no adjustments are required. And, if you drop the rifle to grab your sidearm, the sling pulls the rifle snugly into position.

TRUGLO continues to impress with this tough, excellent-performing sight—this is not the TRUGLO of old. Tritium vials are located just behind the fiber optics for 24/7 high visibility, regardless of the lighting conditions. Then, both are encapsulated and hermetically sealed for protection. In addition, the front sight has an orange focus-lock ring around the fiber optic to draw your eye to it for fast sight acquisition. The rear sight has a U-notch that mates with the round front-sight fiber optics, also aiding sight acquisition. This sight is made of CNC steel and is rugged. The rear sight also has an angled front edge to snag on a belt, shoe, table edge, etc. for emergency one-handed slide manipulation. It is available for 28 different handgun models. www.gunworld.com

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8 BOOK: gunFIGHT! AUTHOR: Richard Nance MSRP: $24 URL: WarTac.com gunFIGHT! addresses the concern that there is a glaring discrepancy in handgun training. Most handgun training for police officers and civilian self-defense takes place between the 5- and 25-yard line, despite the most dangerous distance being between 0 to 5 feet from the attacker. The first part of the book covers basic topics: safety, legal considerations, awareness, mindset and choosing your carry gun and setup. The second part comprises techniques to use if you are unarmed: blocking and striking, countering the attacker’s draw stroke and addressing a drawn weapon. The following sections cover topics such as handgun deployment, handgun retention, using the handgun as a striking weapon, fighting from the ground, multiple attackers and much more. Author Richard Nance has been a full-time police officer for 18 years (10 of those in SWAT) and a martial artist for 30 years. He holds a seconddegree black belt and trains police, military and civilians via the company he co-founded: WARTAC CQC. If you carry a gun (or if you don’t), this book is a must-read. We recommend it highly.

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SCOPE-EYE CHRONICLES

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN K. LEDIN

Large monoculars are comfortable enough to be used for extended viewing times.

MODERN MONOCULARS NOT JUST “HALF OF A BINOCULAR,” A MONOCULAR IS ABOUT ONE-THIRD THE WEIGHT AND SMALL ENOUGH TO GO JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE.

T

he modern monocular is a magnifying assembly of lenses that is used with one eye only. It has the smallest footprint of any magnifying optic, and it is also the lightest. In fact, some can tip the scales at under 2 ounces. www.gunworld.com

These tiny spotting scopes are the fastest observation devices deployed into service and do not require a hinge adjustment for proper IPD (interpupillary distance), as does a binocular.

Magnification is from about 3x to 15x, with 8x and 10x the most common. Objective sizes on huge models can be up to 50mm, but most subcompact objectives are from 20mm to around 28mm. Many are about the diameter of a quarter and carry just as easily.

Some monoculars are very similar to one barrel only of an existing “sibling” binocular. But theoretically cutting a binocular in half would save only 50 percent of the size and weight. The monocular barrel does not carry half of the binocular’s required hinge, so many are only one-third the size and weight of a binocular.

MONOCULAR VS. BINOCULAR A monocular is generally not an instrument designed to be used for long periods of time. Monoculars are at their P

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MONOCULARS ARE AT THEIR MOST USEFUL WHEN SNAPPED UP TO THE EYE FOR A QUICK PEEK OR TO DETERMINE WHAT CAN’T BE IDENTIFIED WITH THE NAKED EYE.

most useful when snapped up to the eye for a quick peek or to determine what can’t be identified with the naked eye. Examples are traffic jams up ahead, unusual airplanes passing, the fire trail to help me find my way home or looking for that certain person or booth on the floor of the convention center. Using only one eye causes strain; and, for viewing pleasure or for extended periods, the binocular is the better choice and also offers better depth perception.

Also keep in mind that the exit pupil—the column of light exiting the ocular lens and into your eye—will be tiny with a small monocular, often around 2mm. As a result, compact monoculars are generally not a great choice for use in low light.

However, one benefit of using a monocular with one hand is that it’s more discreet: It does not universally distinguish you as a person using an optic.

The human brain allows us to see better and more comfortably when using two eyes rather than one. That is, if you can put a performance number on the visual acuity you have with one eye and also put a number on the other eye, using both eyes will result in a performance number greater than the sum of the two individual eyes added together. Binocular vision enhances performance. Make sense?

MONOCULAR FEATURES Vortex Optics offers the widest variety of quality monoculars.

They are premium optical systems that will last a lifetime and are warranted to do so. Many are large enough to be used as a primary optic for reconnoitering and other extended use, and a rangefinding reticle is available in some models. Many are similar to one-half of that company’s compact and subcompact binoculars.

Still, there are many users who prefer a monocular over a binocular, mainly due to size. Some users might only have the use of one eye due to injury or illness. My friend, Mark, lost the center of vision in his right eye as a complication of diabetes. He loathes spending money on a binocular when he can physically only use one-third of the total product.

He insists that even though binoculars are ubiquitous and, therefore, relatively inexpensive to manufacture due to such high volume, he’d rather put his money into a better-quality monocular. His choice is the Vortex Solo R/T. An argument to use a binocular instead of a monocular is that the two-barreled optic is easier to hold steady, because you use two hands to stabilize a binocular and only one to steady a monocular. If this is a problem, use two hands to steady the monocular; there’s no rule stating that you can’t.

Most manufacturers’ monoculars are designed and manufactured as monoculars from their inception. These tiny spotters can be so inexpensive as to make them required equipment in all your vehicles, as well as backups in bug-out bags and survival kits.

There are myriad monoculars available at around $20, but they can cost several hundred dollars from makers such as Leica No matter how light you travel, there’s always room for a monocular.

An amazing amount of handheld performance is available for around $20!

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SCOPE-EYE CHRONICLES The Germans are elegantly represented in the monocular category.

and Zeiss. They deliver deliriously color-saturated views with little discernable distortion. Some are waterproof, and others offer variable magnification. Almost all come with a protective case and lanyard. A favorite Carson 7x18 Closeup model I keep in my Jeep has a close focus down to 10 inches. I’ve used this feature to view small parts, bugs and slivers in fingers.

Consider a monocular for lightweight travel. In addition, think about stowing one of more of these tiny and inexpensive spotting scopes in places you might not have considered previously—the pocket of your car door or in your tackle box, for instance.

They are cheap enough to give as great gifts, and they are also a smart way to introduce magnified optics to youngsters, who sometimes might have initial difficulty understanding how to use binoculars. Besides, monocular users tend to look cool using them ... whether they are or not. GW

VORTEX SOLO R/T MONOCULAR You know how a roll of quarters in your hand feels kind of satisfying? The Vortex Solo R/T (recon/ tactical) 8x36 monocular is similarly satisfying.

It’s just the right diameter and weight, and it has a voluptuous, curvy feel. The skin is slightly sticky, or rather tactile, and ensures a positive grip. It simply feels right.

It’s a midsized optic that’s large enough to be used for extended periods with minimal fatigue. A rather large exit pupil of 4.5mm means that it can be very useful in low-light conditions. This monocular has a unique utility clip than can attach to PALS straps, belt or pocket.

This monocular features the Vortex R/T ranging reticle, which can be focused independently from the image. The eyecup is comfortable and helps steady the optic when using only one hand. For glasses-wearers, the eye relief is generous. It comes with a nice protective case. This product has a lifetime warranty—and few peers.

SPECIFICATIONS MAKE: Vortex MODEL: Solo R/T Monocular MAGNIFICATION: 8x OBJECTIVE: 36mm WATER RESISTANCE: Waterproof WEIGHT: 10.2 ounces LENGTH: 5.4 inches WIDTH: 2.3 inches CLOSE FOCUS: 16.4 feet EYE RELIEF: 18mm FIELD OF VIEW: (1,000 yards/degrees) 393 feet/7.5 degrees RETAIL: $159.99 CONTACT INFORMATION BARSKA Barska.com BRUNTON OUTDOOR Brunton.com CARSON OPTICAL Carson.com

The Vortex Solo R/T with a .30-06 cartridge for size comparison

LEICA US.Leica-Camera.com VORTEX OPTICS VortexOptics.com ZEISS SPORT OPTICS Zeiss.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steven K. Ledin is a former U.S. Navy nuclear gunner’s mate and current director of a prominent online optics retailer. He’s a CCW and NRA instructor and has been a sponsored competitive shooter and private investigator. He has hunted (and gotten lost) from Alaska to Africa.

www.gunworld.com

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HUNT

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BRAD FITZPATRICK

THE eHUNTER 8 APPS THAT WILL C CHANGE THE WAY YOU HUNT

onsider that the first generation of Americans to grow up in an era of pervasive cell phone use and widespread Wi-Fi access is now reaching adulthood.

The products of the tech takeover of the mid1990s have transformed every aspect of our lives, from the way we communicate to the way we shop and even the way we hunt. In the modern “there’s an app for that” universe, even sportsmen and -women are connected.

But not all apps are created equal, and some have risen to the top as the most user-friendly and feature-packed add-ons for shooters and hunters. Here’s a look at eight of our favorite apps. GW

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HORNADY 4DOF

ONX HUNT

SCOUTLOOK HUNTING

WHERE TO SHOOT

COST: Free MANUFACTURER: Hornady Ammunition URL: Hornady.com WORKS WITH: Apple, Android

COST: $29.99/year app membership of your choice, web map use and free chip updates; $99.99/year for all 50 states and chip upgrades $119.99 for a single state Hunt Chip MANUFACTURER: OnX Maps URL: OnXMaps.com WORKS WITH: Apple, Android

COST: Free (in-app purchases range from $7.99 to $9.99 per item) MANUFACTURER: HuntLogix URL: ScoutLookWeather.com WORKS WITH: Apple, Android

COST: Free MANUFACTURER: NSSF URL: WhereToShoot.org WORKS WITH: Apple, Android

Hornady’s new 4DOF (Four Degrees of Freedom) app offers the most advanced ballistic data available today, thanks to the use of advanced physics. Traditionally, ballistic apps treated bullets flying through the air as if they exited a firearm and remained in one orientation throughout flight, with the bullet’s nose parallel to the line of sight. And they only accounted for elevation, windage and range. The problem is that bullets actually change orientation in flight—pointing up, leveling off and then falling. And that’s where the fourth degree— angle of attack—sets Hornady’s app apart. If you’re serious about pinpoint accuracy at long range, this app— which is free—will get you on target.

You can customize it for multiple rifles and change environmental settings in a hurry.

ScoutLook Hunting has become a very important app for hunters, because it provides up-to-date, pinpoint weather forecasts that are essential to a successful hunt. You can save and store unlimited hunting locations on this free app (stand and blind locations, access points, camera locations); and, perhaps most importantly, you can see how the current winds will affect your stand location so you know how to approach your hunting location without spooking game. It’s also a must-have when hunting in areas in which sudden inclement weather could be a safety concern. There are also posts that give you the most up-to-date hunting advice and information when you are in the field.

When you’re hunting in unfamiliar territory, it’s easy to accidentally cross unmarked boundaries.

However, OnX Hunt makes it simple and easy to not only determine where you are, but to also identify whether or not you’re still on the property—public or private—you planned to hunt. Map layers show hunting zones, big-game districts, topography and even parking access points. Additionally, the GPS feature allows you to follow your exact route and monitor how far you’ve traveled each day. Use this app to keep out of hot water with landowners and also as a resource to help organize hunt data for future scouting and stand-selection chores. If you don’t have service, you can access saved maps—and the GPS works offline. State Hunt Chips offer the most detailed information about hunting areas, boundaries, topography and access points.

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The National Shooting Sports Foundation is offering its Where to Shoot app for both Android and Apple devices. This is one of the most-used apps on my cell phone.

I have used it to find the sporting clays and IDPA clubs at which I shoot close to home, but it’s also a valuable asset when you’re on the road. Are you planning to hunt in Wyoming but need to be sure your rifle is still zeroed? Use the Where to Shoot technology on your phone to determine local ranges at which you can verify your accuracy (or, in some cases, figure out why you’re missing). I also use this on family trips. So, when you’re tired of hanging out at the beach on vacation, you and the family can head to a local range to break clays or shoot a few targets.

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HUNT GUN VAULT

GEO-PAK HUNT

WHERE2HUNT

iHUNT BY RUGER

COST: Free (Pro version: $1.49) MANUFACTURER: HimeWare URL: HimeWare.com WORKS WITH: Android

COST: Free (in-app purchases range from $2.99 to $18.99) MANUFACTURER: GEO-PAK URL: Hunt.Geo-Pak.com WORKS WITH: Apple, Android

COST: Free (Pro version: $1.99) MANUFACTURER: Where to Hunt, LLC URL: WhereToHuntApp.com WORKS WITH: Apple, Android

COST: $5.99 MANUFACTURER: iHunt URL: iHuntCalls.com WORKS WITH: Apple, Android

GEO-PAK is perhaps the most extensive addition to a hunter’s tech “tool belt.” There is a host of useful features that can help you stay safe and enjoy success in the field. A small sampling of these are the GEOCams that allow you to access online and offline trail cam photos; GEOStat for journaling and organizing hunt data; GEOSpot to analyze stand location, wind and shot direction; GEOLive to connect with other hunters; and much, much more. There’s even an alarm that lets you know you’re getting too close to another hunter. This app is an all-around great option for all hunters.

This is a great app for those who hunt public land, but it works anywhere. Where2Hunt allows you to see other hunters on the app and determine whether or not there is someone close by (or in) your favorite hunting location.

That means no more wasting time hiking into a hunting location— only to find another hunter sitting 10 feet away. New updates have made this a very user-friendly app, and navigation through the various screens is simple.

This app won’t help you find deer or anticipate animal movement in the face of an upcoming weather front, but every hunter and shooter needs this app. Gun Vault serves as a digital record of all the guns you own—make, model, serial number, purchase date and even when the firearm was last cleaned. You can also add photos of the firearm so you have visual evidence of ownership (in case a firearm is ever stolen). You have all the data available when filing a report. It’s a secure—and free—way to ensure peace of mind as a gun owner.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Are you tired of lugging game calls to your stand? Rather than feeling disappointed when a coyote breaks cover while you’re deer hunting and you only have a grunt call, you can open the iHunt by Ruger app on your phone.

This app provides 750(!) game calls—including no fewer than 56 coyote calls. You can even make a playlist. In addition, this best-selling app offers Solunar tables and moon-phase data, accurate weather forecasts, a log of activities—even a flashlight.

It’s one of the best all-around apps you can have. Among other things, it offers access to a wide variety of wild game calls in an instant.

Brad Fitzpatrick is a full-time freelance writer based in Ohio. His works have appeared in several print and online publications, and he is the author of two books: The Shooter’s Bible Guide to Concealed Carry and Handgun Buyer’s Guide 2015. He has hunted on four continents and was a collegiate trap and skeet shooter before becoming a writer.

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Artemis Armed

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BECKY YACKLEY

GET HIT WITH CUPID’S ARROW

V

TRYING TO WIN HER OVER AND GET HER HOOKED ON GUNS? HERE’S HOW. www.gunworld.com

alentine’s Day is upon us, and it can sometimes be a challenge to come up with a unique idea for things to do. For a lot of gun people, it’s simple: A hot date at the local range is always fun. It’s not always that simple, though, because sometimes, the one we love might not be particularly keen about guns.

Regardless of whether you’ve been married to a non-gun lover for years or are trying to win over a mate who’s not that into guns, here are some ideas for a hot date that might win him or her over.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION It might sound like a cliché, but search for the right place, and this could be a turning point. Find a USPSA league night or monthly match, and scope it out ahead of time. You can find these by map p

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... DON’T TAKE YOUR WIFE (WHO’S ON THE FENCE ABOUT GUNS) TO THE RANGE WITH “JUST THE GUYS.”

location on Practiscore.com, which is a free, online scoring and match support website.

For example, in St. George, Utah, Southern Utah Practical Shooting (SUPS) hosts Tuesday Night Steel, and brand-new shooters are welcome at its events. It instructs everyone from novice shooters to military and LEO. If your significant other is nervous around guns, a good first experience is critical. For instance, don’t take your wife (who’s on the fence about guns) to the range with “just the guys.” Maybe they heard you complain that she’s not a fan of firearms and are trying to help you out. But she is going to feel as if it’s a setup.

Instead, find a place with other women, youth, etc. that’s geared toward new people without patronizing them. SUPS and Tactical Performance Center (TPC) are paired in St. George, Utah; they deliver on customer service for future range “addicts.”

But there are others out there, and local matches abound. So, get looking and go out on a date and shoot guns. (After all, isn’t that every guy’s dream?)

A HANDS-ON GUN DATE Maybe your significant other would rather spend bonding time working on the house.

One fun date night idea is to build a rifle together—such as this one belonging to Mary Dixon that features a constellation paint job.

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May I suggest a gun lover’s version of something like an HGTVstyle makeover for your reloading or gun storage room? If your gun area is a mess, get your laptop, grab a beer or a glass of wine, and go on Pinterest together. Start looking for ways to get her involved in storing the “family’s” guns. Maybe she wants to craft a cute sign for your reloading room or pick out the color of the gun safe. This is a bit of flipping your perspective and looking at things from her perspective. Care enough to make it more than your guns or your man cave. Ask to share it. People value things they work on and care about. Sharing is caring!

Another date idea: Build her a rifle. Go online ahead of time and buy the parts for her to build a rifle or customize a pistol. I know

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Artemis Armed

a guy who paints his wife’s rifles with spray paint and makes them look like constellations and the aurora borealis. How can she not love him for that!

For the ultimate gun lover’s Valentine’s date, enter a match, as did fellow Gun World columnist Michelle Cerino and her husband, Chris.

Again, bring the person with whom you want to share into the picture. It’s not just about them understanding your view.

Understand theirs, and then try to give them a reason to view things differently or with personal investment and meaning.

Take the time to share what you love about guns with the love of your life in a way she or he can relate to, and hopefully, they will understand a little better why you love guns. They might come around and become a gun lover, too.

For gun lovers, maybe someday there will be an “AR-15 Lover’s Day.” But until then, Valentine’s Day can serve as cover for that. So, get out and share what you love. Perhaps you will win her/him over. GW

If you’re looking for a romantic weekend getaway for Valentine’s Day, skip the couples massage and take an armorer’s class; alternatively, sign up for a shooting class together.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A ROMANTIC WEEKEND GETAWAY FOR VALENTINE’S DAY, SKIP THE COUPLES MASSAGE AND TAKE AN ARMORER’S CLASS; ALTERNATIVELY, SIGN UP FOR A SHOOTING CLASS TOGETHER.

My husband and I have enjoyed classes with Mike Seeklander, Ron Avery, Ben Stoeger and others. We have sat riveted, listening to Ron Avery talk about serious topics. He didn’t sugar coat or spoon feed—he challenged. That was a great class, and we loved it. We spent two days on the range, seeing each other work through dry-fire drills, live-fire drills and gathering a better understanding of our strengths and weaknesses. But a Glock armorer’s course or a rifle-build class could be just as enjoyable.

Maybe you have an artsy wife who would love to learn how to Cerakote ... they give classes on that.

These are just a few ideas to blend a Valentine’s Day date night or weekend into something that could hook your significant

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

other into loving guns the way you do. The key is to make the date into something they will enjoy and not just about guns.

Author Becky Yackley competes in action shooting (3 Gun, USPSA, Bianchi and IPSC) with her husband and three sons. When she isn’t shooting matches or writing, she is busy with her camera. Becky is the founder of the 2A Heritage Junior shooting camps and works in social media for several firearms industry companies.

www.gunworld.com

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gun world

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MIKE DICKERSON

ONTHECOURSEWITH COMPASS THE NEWEST CHAMBERING FOR THOMPSON/CENTER’S AFFORDABLE COMPASS RIFLE IS THE POPULAR 6.5 CREEDMOOR. WE PUT IT TO THE TEST AGAINST BIG WYOMING MULE DEER.

T

he big, 10-point whitetail was a creature of habit. He returned to the same spot morning and evening. We had seen him several times and had worked up a solid plan to kill him on the second afternoon of a hunt in northeast Wyoming.

But it was the whitetail’s lucky day. I was primarily focused on mule deer, hunting with guide TJ McCulloch of Table Mountain Outfitters. We found a wide-racked 4x3 buck early that morning bedded in broken cover on a high flat.

I had to make an instant decision to shoot or not to shoot, because the buck had seen all he wanted to see of us and stood up to flee. One glimpse at his rack was all I needed.

I took a hasty rest and executed a quartering-away shot at slightly fewer than 100 yards. The big buck, weighing an estimated 240 pounds, kicked and ran 20 yards, backed up and dropped.

You might be surprised to learn that I shot that buck with a rifle that you can, at the time of this writing, buy brand new for little more than $200 after a factory rebate. www.gunworld.com

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gun world I was hunting with the Thompson/Center Compass bolt-action rifle, newly chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and topped with a Trijicon AccuPoint 4-16X50 scope. The combo performed perfectly using Hornady’s Precision Hunter 143-grain ELD-X load. In fact, our hunting party went four for four with one-shot kills on big mule deer using the Compass, which performed far above its price point.

That proved to be the case with the Compass. The barrel length is 22 inches in all rifles—except those in .300 Win. Mag. and 7mm Rem. Mag. chamberings, which have 24-inch barrels. The rate of twist varies and is appropriate to each caliber. Guns chambered for the popular 6.5 Creedmoor have a 1:8 rate of twist.

Up top, you’ll find Weaver-style bases already installed, and the action is aluminum pillar bedded to the black synthetic stock. The bolt uses three substantial locking lugs and has a 60-degree lift, providing lots of clearance to mount a scope.

The bolt cycled much more smoothly than those on some other entry-level rifles I’ve tested.

Here’s a look at what you’ll get for your money with the Compass.

FEATURE-RICH, BLUE-COLLAR PRICED Thompson/Center engineered the Compass to incorporate a lot of features hunters desire these days, such as barrels with threaded muzzles and detachable magazines.

Currently chambered in 11 popular calibers ranging from .204 Ruger to .300 Win. Mag., the Compass is equipped with a chrome-moly barrel with 5R rifling. I don’t buy into the hype that 5R-rifled barrels are more accurate, but I’m convinced that they accumulate copper fouling at a much slower rate and are easier to clean.

The Thompson/Center Compass is chambered in 11 popular calibers that range from .204 Ruger to 300 Win. Mag. Barrels are free floated, and the action is pillar bedded to the stock.

At the rear of the rifle receiver, you’ll find a three-position safety within easy reach of your thumb. You push the safety lever all the way forward to fire. In the middle position, the safety is engaged, but you can cycle rounds through the action. The bolt is locked with the lever in the rear position.

The author had to make a fast, quartering-away shot to take this nice 4x3 Wyoming mule deer with a 143-grain Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X bullet. He reports that the bullet performed perfectly.

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OUR HUNTING PARTY WENT FOUR FOR FOUR WITH ONE-SHOT KILLS ON BIG MULE DEER USING THE COMPASS, WHICH PERFORMED FAR ABOVE ITS PRICE POINT. rifles of magnum persuasion. The rifle has a bit of a weightforward balance, but with a scope installed, it levels out with one hand positioned just beneath the front of the action.

GUARANTEED ACCURACY The rifle comes with a three-shot, 1 MOA (1 inch at 100 yards) accuracy guarantee; and it would have easily delivered on

The rifle uses a detachable polymer rotary magazine that holds five rounds in standard calibers and four rounds in the two magnum offerings. I found it a little tricky getting that fifth round into the magazine, but I got the hang of it with a little practice.

The magazine fits flush and snug with the bottom of the stock, and I was greatly pleased to find the release lever protected within a recess. Few things annoy me more than a magazine that decides to abandon ship at an inopportune moment.

that promise with most tested loads if I had limited testing to three-shot groups. But I shot five-shot groups, in wind varying between 8 and 12 mph, to give the rifle a real test.

Even so, two tested loads met the accuracy guarantee, producing average groups just slightly under and over an inch.

These top performers were the Federal Non-Typical 140-grain

You won’t have that problem with the Compass. The rifle fed, extracted and ejected rounds as it should, and I was able to chamber a second round instantly after I downed my Wyoming buck without even thinking about it. That’s the way a rifle is supposed to work—cleanly, instinctively and without issue.

load, which turned in a best group of just 0.44 inch, and the Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELD-X load I hunted with (of course, deer aren’t likely to stand still while you shoot at them five times, and if it takes that many shots to down a buck, there’s a strong possibility you’re doing something wrong). The worst performance was with the lightest bullet tested, which weighed 129 grains—because the gun showed a clear preference for bullets in the 140-grain range.

The stock is of the ubiquitous black synthetic variety, but it has clean, classic lines and a molded-in cheek piece. The grip is sized just right, and the forend bucks the trend of some rifle makers that go to exceedingly narrow designs. On the Compass, the forend fills the hand, and it has scalloped-out sides with textured ribs for solid purchase in inclement weather.

Two of three other tested loads turned in average groups of 1.5 inch or under—which will most convincingly accomplish the mission in hunting deer-sized game. But these group sizes

A soft rubber recoil pad completes the package, which tips the scales at 7¼ pounds in standard calibers and slightly more in www.gunworld.com

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gun world In the field, the Compass was light to carry and fast to deploy. Rifles in standard calibers have 22-inch barrels with 5R rifling.

The scope has a variable-brightness, green-dot aiming point sized the same thickness as the thin part of the duplex-reticle crosshair. It is very accommodating when you need to get on target and shoot very quickly, as I did. It is, in a word, fast.

Hunting with the scope dialed back to 6x magnification, the dot magically appeared right where I wanted it in completing a tough angle shot. Equally important, it doesn’t rely on batteries, which have failed me in the past.

tell only part of the story: I didn’t always give the slender barrel a chance to completely cool down between groups, and all testing was done with the trigger left as it arrived from the factory. It broke at a somewhat hefty pull weight of 5 pounds, 13 ounces. It did so, however, with no creep and minimal overtravel. I suppose it was just the luck of the draw, because my companions on the hunt all had rifles that shipped with triggers set at a lighter pull weight.

Happily, the trigger is adjustable down to a setting that should come in south of 4 pounds. Nevertheless, I didn’t adjust it for testing or for the hunt, because I like to test rifles the way a consumer might receive one. In this case, the results, both in the field and on the range, speak for themselves. As impressive as the test groups were, I’m convinced that the rifle would shoot even tighter groups with the trigger adjusted to its minimum setting.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Trijicon design, the scopes use a combination of tritium and fiber optics to provide an illuminated aiming point under any lighting conditions. In low light, the tritium works to illuminate the dot.

In bright light, a round dial on top of the scope can be used to adjust the amount of light transmitted via fiber optics to the On the Trijicon AccuPoint scope paired with the rifle, a round dial on top of the scope can be used to adjust the amount of light transmitted via fiber optics to the illuminated aiming point.

SCOPED FOR SUCCESS I’m not normally a big fan of illuminated reticle rifle scopes, but the new Trijicon AccuPoint model used on this hunt won me over.

For hunting and testing, the author used the new Trijicon AccuPoint 4-16X50 scope. He credits the scope’s illuminated aiming point with helping him get on target fast for a fleeting shot opportunity on a big mule deer.

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I’M NOT NORMALLY A BIG FAN OF ILLUMINATED RETICLE RIFLE SCOPES, BUT THE NEW TRIJICON ACCUPOINT MODEL USED ON THIS HUNT WON ME OVER.

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THAT’S THE WAY A RIFLE IS SUPPOSED TO WORK – CLEANLY, INSTINCTIVELY AND WITHOUT ISSUE.

GW-1801-Tucker Gun Leather 11/2/17 7:44 AM Page 1

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SO GOOD-LOOKING YOU’LL HATE TO CONCEAL IT. The Tucker Gunleather HF3 belt holster conceals like a pancake holster, but will never collapse. The front belt slot tab pulls your gun

line or by phone. The HF3 is the choice of 13 Texas Rangers for daily carry. We answer emails and phone calls promptly.

TUCKER GUNLEATHER

HF3

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gun world illuminated aiming point. It worked as advertised in the field.

The model I used had clear, multi-coated, anti-reflective glass, a 30mm tube, precise parallax adjustment and an 80 MOA adjustment range. It is a second focal plane design, which means reticle size remains the same, regardless of the magnification setting.

A T/C Compass logo adorns the stock’s grip cap.

As for the rifle, perhaps its most impressive attribute is the performance you’ll get for the money. Its MSRP is $399.

However, at the time of this writing, Thompson/Center was offering a $75 rebate on the Compass. In addition, I had no difficulty finding new rifles listed online for less than $300.

Thompson/ Center Compass Rifle 6.5 Creedmoor

A bolt release is located in the customary position at the left rear of the receiver.

SPECIFICATIONS CALIBERS: .204 Ruger, .22-250 Rem., .243 Win., .270 Win., .300 Win. Mag., .308 Win., .223/5.56, .30-06 Springfield, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm Rem. Mag., 7mm-08 ACTION: Push-feed bolt action CAPACITY: Five-round rotary magazine BARREL: 22 inches (standard calibers); 24 inches (magnum calibers) RATE OF TWIST: 1:8; 5R rifling FINISH: Blued STOCK: Black synthetic with recoil pad TRIGGER: Adjustable WEIGHT: 7¼ pounds LENGTH: 41 inches MSRP: $399

The rotary magazine fits flush with the bottom of the stock and is protected from being accidentally released.

FEW THINGS ANNOY ME MORE THAN A MAGAZINE THAT DECIDES TO ABANDON SHIP AT AN INOPPORTUNE MOMENT. YOU WON’T HAVE THAT PROBLEM WITH THE COMPASS. THE RIFLE FED, EXTRACTED AND EJECTED ROUNDS AS IT SHOULD ...

The smooth-cycling bolt has three beefy locking lugs.

CONTACT INFORMATION THOMPSON/CENTER ARMS TCArms.com COMPETITIVE EDGE DYNAMICS CEDHK.com FEDERAL PREMIUM AMMUNITION FederalPremium.com HORNADY AMMUNITION Hornady.com FLYING V LODGE TheFlyingVLodge.com The Compass is fed by a rotary magazine, which holds five rounds in standard calibers and four in magnum chamberings.

NAGEL’S GUN SHOP NagelsGuns.net TABLE MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS TableMountainOutfitters.com

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Despite having a heavy trigger pull as it arrived from the factory, the Compass test rifle met T/C’s 1 MOA accuracy guarantee with two tested loads.

Performance RESULTS Ammunition

Avg. Muzzle Velocity (fps)

Avg. 100-Yard Group (inches)

Best 100-Yard Group (inches)

Federal American Eagle 140-grain OTM

2,669

1.50

1.30

Federal Non-Typical 140-grain SP

2,687

0.98

0.44

AS IMPRESSIVE Federal Fusion 140 grains 2,726 1.41 1.24 AS THE TEST Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELD-X 2,678 1.09 1.00 GROUPS WERE, Hornady Precision Hunter 129-grain SST 2,097 1.67 1.45 I’M CONVINCED NOTES: Five-shot groups were fired in winds between 8 and 12 mph at THAT THE RIFLE 100 yards. Velocities were measured with a Competitive Edge Dynamics M2 chronograph.

WOULD SHOOT EVEN TIGHTER Think about that for a moment. For just a little more than $200, GROUPS WITH you can buy a quality centerfire rifle, and, as my Wyoming THE TRIGGER hunt demonstrated, enjoy great success in the field.

ADJUSTED TO Moreover, the rifle is backed by the T/C lifetime warranty. For GW-1802-Connecticut Shotgun 12/4/17 9:42 AM Page 1 it’s a safe bet that the Compass ITS MINIMUM the bargain-minded hunter, won’t steer you wrong. GW SETTING.

Incomparable Quality.

Unprecedented Capacity.

Unmatched Speed.

stdgun.com

At the time this story was submitted, you could—with a factory rebate— purchase the Compass for a little more than $200 and acquire a rifle loaded with features normally reserved for moreexpensive guns.

The SKO, the only detachable magazine, 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun of its kind, is made in by Standard Manufacturing Company.

We employ the finest gunmakers, each committed to absolute quality. Detachable magazines make this the most powerful, most reliable home defense weapon available. Now available at select gun dealers.

Visit us at stdguns.com or call (860) 225-6581. www.gunworld.com

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gun world

STORY BY BRIAN BERRY

Tom Rader from TheFirearmBlog. com fires the SRS-A1 Covert from one of the abandoned buildings in Hiawatha, Utah, while Desert Tech’s Jeff Wood watches the target for impact.

(Photo: Desert Tech)

DESERT TECH AND NIKON TEAM UP FOR A GHOST TOWN LONG-DISTANCE SHOOTOUT.

HIGH-DESERT S www.gunworld.com

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THE NIKON BLACK X1000 6-24X50 ON TOP IS WELL SUITED FOR LONG-RANGE SHOOTING.

I

recently got the opportunity to travel to Utah to take part in a media event put on by Nikon Sport Optics and Desert Tech.

I made contact with Eric from Chevalier Advertising, who took care of the details to get me from North Carolina to Salt Lake City, Utah.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect—I had seen a Desert Tech Rifle one of my friends owned, and I own a Nikon scope for one of my MSRs. Both have good reputations, so I looked forward to testing their equipment.

T SHOOTOUT www.gunworld.com

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The Nikon Monarch Fieldscope 20-60x spotting scope, model 82ED-A

If you are serious about shooting at long distance, either hunting or target shooting, there are several pieces of equipment that will make life easier and shooting more precise. For the optical part of equipment needs, Nikon has several options.

RANGEFINDERS Nikon makes several rangefinders. Two worth checking out are the LaserForce 10x42mm Rangefinding Binoculars and the MONARCH 7i VR Rangefinder.

The LaserForce is a combination of a 10x binocular and a rangefinder capable of ranging targets between 10 and 1,900 yards. This is an excellent choice for hunters who are trying to cut down on the amount of kit they are carrying while still getting maximum performance. It features ED (extra-low dispersion) glass and Nikon’s ID technology to compensate for incline or decline angles. It also has an auto shut-off to save battery life while in the field and is waterproof and fog proof.

A second choice is the MONARCH 7i VR. It uses vibration reduction to stop the fuzzy picture you get from an unsteady

LONG-RANGE SHOOTING GEAR

gun world

THE LINKUP

SPOTTING SCOPE For the serious long-range shooter, a spotting scope is a must. Nikon has a good one—the Monarch Fieldscope 82ED-A 20-60x. It has plenty of magnification to spot bullet trace and see those long-range targets. During the Desert Tech shoot, we were able to easily see hits on targets over a mile away. With the same ED glass as the rangefinders, it is also waterproof and fog proof.

Smooth focusing allows you to get on target fast and view crystal-clear images.

The Nikon Laserforce Binocular rangefinder (left) and the Monarch monocular rangefinder (right)

My first impressions were favorable, but I was holding off full judgment until we actually got to fire them. We finished the tour (unfortunately, we were not given a free sample to take home ... although the MDR is small enough to have fit under my shirt!).

Upon arriving at Salt Lake City Airport, I was able to link up with Eric rather quickly, and the rest of the party was already waiting for me to arrive.

ON THE ROAD

Our first stop was Desert Tech headquarters. If not for the sign identifying the building, it didn’t strike me as a firearm manufacturing location. It looks like all office buildings do—reception area, offices and employees moving about or on their phones.

We loaded up the van and headed south along I-15 toward Price, Utah, and our accommodations. Highway 6 provided a scenic drive down to Price, and the winding road and high-desert terrain reminded of my early days in Afghanistan. No Taliban here, though; just the occasional dormant oil rig sitting quietly in the desert.

We met Dustin, Desert Tech’s event manager. After introductions, he gave us a quick tour of the facilities. As we entered the production floor, Dustin walked us through the various areas of design, testing and putting it all together into a finished product.

The two-hour-plus drive went quickly and gave everyone a chance to get introduced. We arrived in Price, quickly dropped off our gear and headed out to the Desert Tech range for a reconnoiter of the next day’s activities and get the lay of the land.

GHOST TOWN

As a bonus, we got to put our hands on the new Micro Dynamic Rifle, or MDR. We also got a chance for a little hands-on with the Stealth Recon Scout (SRS)—both the A1 and the Covert— as well as the Hard Target Interdiction (HTI) rifle. www.gunworld.com

hand. With the rangefinder turned on, you can hear the slight sound of the gyro spinning to keep the view stable and clear. It has the ability to range between 8 and 1,000 yards through a 6x monocular lens. It is small and light for the shooter or hunter looking to keep weight down.

The range is located in Hiawatha, just 15 miles or so from the hotel. At the gate, we were greeted by a ragged-looking alpaca that kept an eye on us as if we were trespassers. p

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Hiawatha is a former coal mining town that was built at the base of Gentry Mountain. The town had been all but abandoned in the late 1990s after it was unincorporated.

Desert Tech SRS-A1 Covert 16-inch barrel in comparison to the H&K MP5 (Photo: Desert Tech)

As I stepped out of the van, I once again had that feeling of Afghanistan. The smell of goats, the high-desert terrain, dry heat and the altitude all brought back those familiar smells and feelings any military veteran of Afghanistan would recognize.

The town had an eerie feeling, like a cross between Resident Evil and Mad Max—abandoned buildings, vehicles, three horned goats, and the look of a place everyone had left in a hurry, leaving behind things too big or difficult to carry.

RANGE RECON All that has turned out to be perfect for the folks at Desert Tech. They had worked out a deal to use the town as a shooting range for a variety of different types of training.

For our purposes, we were after long-range shooting, a chance to put the Desert Tech rifles through their paces and also to see if the new Nikon Black riflescopes, Monarch binoculars and rangefinders could also perform at this level of shooting.

With targets set up in many of the abandoned buildings, it was difficult to only do a reconnoiter. I could tell that everyone wanted to get their hands on the rifles and start ringing some steel.

Shooting from one building to another during the Desert Tech/ Nikon media event (Photo: Ben Hetland)

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DESERT TECH HAS DEVELOPED A FUN-TO-SHOOT, HIGHLY ACCURATE RIFLE IN A COMPACT SIZE WITHOUT SACRIFICING BARREL LENGTH.

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As we finished up the tour, we got just enough rain to bring out a rainbow. We loaded back up and headed back to the hotel for the night.

I will have to admit that it was a little tough to sleep that night.

It had been awhile since I had shot at extreme long distances, and I was looking forward to it. Morning finally came, and after we grabbed a quick breakfast, we linked up with a a few more people for the event and headed to the range.

EQUIPMENT INTRODUCTION

The author fires the Micro Dynamic Rifle from Desert Tech, outfitted with the Nikon Black Force 1000 1-4x24 scope and suppressor from AMTAC Sniper-762, an over-barrel suppressor.

The manufacturing floor at Desert Tech (Photo: Desert Tech)

answering the dozens of questions we all had.

Jeff went through the procedure to change out the caliber for the SRS-A1. In just over a minute, he had swapped out the .308 for a .338 Lapua. It’s not the first gun that can switch calibers, but it is definitely one of the fastest.

In addition, Jeff explained that Desert Tech guarantees the original barrel will return to zero when switched back or the company will fix or replace it. That’s a pretty solid warranty.

Arriving at the gate, our friendly guard, “Alpaca,” and his partner were waiting as we drove in. We moved our gear and other supplies for the day into what used to be the Hiawatha general store—a two-story building in disrepair but still standing solid.

The first floor was filled with leftover store cabinets and a lot of targets used by the Desert Tech trainers on the courses they run. There were rubber dummies, pepper poppers and steel movers strewn about. (I was just a little bit jealous.)

Once we settled in, we received a safety brief and an introduction to the rifles from Desert Tech’s Jeff Wood and Ben Hetland. Both were extremely knowledgeable and helpful, www.gunworld.com

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THE RANGE IS HOT! With the preliminaries over, it was time to put some rounds downrange. We started with the MDR to warm up on 100-yard targets. The MDR was mounted with the Nikon Black Force 1000, a 1-4x24 riflescope designed for use with a modern sporting rifle (MSR).

While the MDR was not the focus of the event, it did not disappoint at all. It is a smooth-firing, easy-to-operate weapon. The bullpup design shrinks the overall length of the MDR to give it the feel of a short-barreled rifle (SBR). I had wondered if the gun design might have a negative effect because the muzzle blast was closer to my face, but that was a non-issue. It is a gun that is fun to fire and left me thinking I should make some room in my safe for one, now that they are shipping. The .308 was easy to handle, and follow-up shots were easy to get back on target.

FROM SEMIAUTO TO BOLT-ACTION From the MDR, we moved on to the SRS-A1 (32-inch overall length; 22-inch barrel) and the SRS Covert (27-inch overall length; with a 16-inch barrel) for some more 200-yard familiarization.

Like the MDR, both SRS designs did not disappoint. Even with the bolt being farther to the rear than on traditional rifles, it was hardly noticeable after the first couple of rounds. The SRS-A1 was mounted with the Nikon BLACK X1000 4-16x50 with the MOA (1 MOA=1.047 inches at 100 yards) reticle. It also comes with an MRAD (milliradian=1/6400 of a degree in angular measure, or 3.6 inches at 100 yards), for those who like to calculate in mils. The clarity is incredible, and the easy turret adjustments made getting on target quick and easy.

The author had plenty to smile about after a solid hit on an 1,835-yard target. (Photo: Ben Hetland)

After everyone had gotten familiar with the SRS-A1 and Covert,

NIKON HAS DEVELOPED A WINNER IN A PRICE THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK; YET, IT STILL PERFORMS ABOVE ITS WEIGHT CLASS.

The Desert Tech SRS-A1 Covert 16-inch .308 with the 18-inch .338 conversion kit (Photo: Desert Tech)

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gun world 6-24x50 MRAD reticle. The MRAD was 1 mil adjustment per click and 5 MRAD per revolution of the turret.

BALLISTIC COMPUTERS Every serious rifle shooter should have something in their kit to measure the wind, temperature and altitude, as well as other factors that might have an effect on the bullet once it leaves the barrel of your rifle.

BREAKING OUT THE BIG GUNS Once we were finished at the 800 yards, we moved to a shooting position outside the house. As the last of the group got into position to bang some steel at nearly 900 yards, Jeff and Ben broke out the “big gun,” so to speak.

The Nikon BLACK X1000 6-24x50 X-MOA illuminated reticle (Photo: Nikon Sport Optics)

The HTI looks similar to the SRS-A, except for the size and a mean-looking muzzle brake. In .375 Cheytac, the HTI has the look and feel of a solidly built, long-range precision rifle. With a 29-inch barrel and a 1:10.5-inch twist, the overall length was still only 45 inches.

Kestrel makes several different models of wind meters and the all-in-one 5700 Elite Meter with Applied Ballistics. It comes with a companion app for your iPhone or Android. Kestrel also offers a Bluetooth version for even quicker calculations. The more information you have, the easier first-round hits will be.

There are several other apps available for your smartphone that you can program manually or use the data provided to help calculate windage and elevation adjustments. Use the search tool in your smartphone app store to find what is available for your operating system. I personally use Applied Ballistics, but there are several out there that work well. we moved to a new building to start using some more-difficult targets. Because of the rifles we were using and the optics on them, 200 yards wasn’t much of a challenge.

TIME TO UP THE ANTE We packed up and moved down the street to a house with a view of the back of Gentry Mountain. Targets were arrayed from 400 yards out to a whopping 1,800-plus yards.

We continued with the SRS-Covert in .308 (16-inch barrel; 1:8-inch twist; 27-inch overall length) mounted with the Nikon BLACK X1000 6-24x50 with the MOA reticle. The MOA reticle has ¼ MOA adjustments per click and 12 MOA per revolution.

We started with warm-up shots at 400 yards and worked our way out to 800 yards with both the SRS-Covert and the SRS-A1. The SRS-A1 (26-inch barrel; 1:11-inch twist; 37-inch overall length) was topped off with the Nikon BLACK X1000

The Nikon BLACK X1000 6-24x50 X-MRAD illuminated reticle (Photo: Nikon Sport Optics)

I couldn’t wait until my turn to get to fire this rifle. We started with shots at 1,235 yards (almost ¾ of a mile), firing at a 24inch circle of steel. A couple of warm-up shots to set the dope for the optics and, one after another, we stepped up for a turn.

I have shot .375 H&H in the past and have to say it was not a pleasant experience. While in the military, I had also shot the Barrett .50-caliber. While it is fun to shoot, I also found it not to be entirely enjoyable. I located the target, adjusted my shooting positions and pressed lightly on the fully adjustable, 2-pound trigger.

Jeff, who was on the spotting scope, called a hit before the round impacted the steel. The trace of the bullet was easily visible on its way to the target; and a few seconds later, the familiar sound of ringing steel could be heard. I was more than 1,200 yards away— and I had hit my target. The recoil was negligible, thanks to the Desert Tech muzzle brake. The HTI is a fun gun to shoot in this caliber.

The Nikon LaserForce 10x42mm rangefinding binoculars with illuminated reticle/data (Photo: Nikon Sport Optics)

The Nikon Black X1000 6-24x50 on top is well suited for longrange shooting. It is clear and easy to adjust, but we were close to being out of adjustment for this extreme range after a 500-yard zero. Even so, a hit is a hit, and the combination of Desert Tech’s HTI and the Nikon Black made it appear easy.

The Nikon Black Force 1000 1-4x24 with illuminated Speedforce reticle (Photo: Nikon Sport Optics)

EXTREME LONG DISTANCE Once finished at 1,200 yards, we focused on the next target, a 3x3-foot steel square at 1,835 yards from our position. We were out of adjustment, but the reticle pattern on the Nikon made holdover fairly easy on adjustments.

The SRS-A1 Covert shown with all available conversion kits (left to right): .308 Win., 22-inch barrel; .308 Win., 26-inch barrel; .260 Rem., 26-inch barrel; 6.5 Creedmoor, 26inch barrel; 6.5x47 Lapua, 26-inch barrel; 7mm WSM, 26-inch barrel; .300 Win. Mag, 26-inch barrel; and .338 Lapua Mag, 26-inch barrel (Photo: Desert Tech)

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With a holdover of just 4 MOA down from center and 3 MOA for wind, we were hitting the target in no time. Flight time of the bullet was more than 5 seconds while the bullet slowed from a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps to just over 1,600 fps at impact—still supersonic well beyond a mile.

LEAVING AN IMPRESSION As a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran with more than 20 years of service, I would have to say that not much in the way of guns or optics seems to overly impress me. As a weapons

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I own other scopes that are as good (and maybe some are better), but I paid substantially more for each of them without substantially increasing the quality or capability over the Nikons used during this event. Nikon has developed a winner in a price that won’t break the bank; yet, it still performs above its weight class.

This was definitely a fun experience. It was a chance to meet some fellow long-range enthusiasts, speak with industry professionals and gain some valuable insight. I’m now a bullpup fan—or, at least a Desert Tech fan—and Nikon has opened my eyes to value-priced optics for everyone, from entry level to the hard-core shooter.

NCO on a detachment, I spent my time with firearms of every type, era and design; and, for the most part, there hasn’t been much in the way of innovation for quite a while.

That being said, the rifles of Desert Tech are impressive.

It’s great to see that someone finally worked to make an improvement on what is out there and strayed from the cookie-cutter design seen by every MSR on the market.

Desert Tech has developed a fun-to-shoot, highly accurate rifle in a compact size without sacrificing barrel length. While it isn’t cheap, it isn’t built cheap either.

I was equally impressed with the12:29 NikonPM BlackPage series GW-1801-Taurus 10/27/17 1 scopes.

The sub-assembly of the Desert Tech bolt-action rifle (Photo: Desert Tech)

While I didn’t see any ghosts in Hiawatha, it’s likely that all the gunfire chased them away! As we departed, we waved goodbye to the alpacas guarding the gate. Hopefully, they didn’t mind the noise we made during our time in their town. GW CONTACT INFORMATION NIKON NikonSportOptics.com DESERT TECH DesertTech.com KESTREL KestrelMeters.com

INNOVATION LIVES HERE.

380 Auto • Item Number 1007031101 Designed, engineered and manufactured in the USA

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gun world

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ROBB MANNING

SAVAGE ARMS BUCKS TRADITION WITH THE MSR-15 RECON CAN AN OLD DOG BE TAUGHT NEW TRICKS?

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The Savage Arms MSR-15 equipped with a Bushnell AR Optics 1-4x24 Throw Down PCL 30mm scope. The Kryptek Yeti camo Cerakote is aftermarket and done by MCM Firearms.

S

avage Arms has been around since 1894, when Arthur Savage founded it. Initially, its focus was primarily on rifles (first lever-actions, then boltactions), handguns and ammunition. Savage entered a .45 ACP handgun into the 1906–1911 Army trials for a new .45-caliber semiauto pistol, only to come in second place behind what many consider to be the greatest handgun design of all time: the Colt that would be designated the M1911.

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Legend has it that in 1919, Chief Lame Deer approached Savage to purchase lever-actions for his reservation. The chief got discounted rifles for his tribe in exchange for support and endorsement. Lame Deer also gifted Arthur Savage with the Indian head logo that would become Savage’s logo. This logo would endure over the years until 2015, when it was replaced with a stylized “S.”

The Savage MSR-15 Recon is reliable in any environment, and with the aftermarket Kryptek Yeti camo Cerakote from MCM Firearms, it looks at home in a winter environment.

In World War II, Savage produced the No. 4 Lee-Enfields that were sent to Britain under the Lend-Lease Act, and it also produced many of the Thompson submachine guns supplied to the military. In 2013, Savage Arms was purchased by ATK; and, in 2015, ATK spun off its outdoor group into Vista Outdoor Inc.

Not only that, but the Recon felt good in the hands. It’s light, it’s nimble, and it’s built well. It has nice lines—svelte, with a cool-looking custom-forged receiver—but I wasn’t that thrilled with the general appearance. It’s just ... black. No FDE, no OD Green. It’s not bad, but it’s nothing to stir the blood. So, I decided to have it coated. I mulled it over, trying to figure out what I wanted it to look like as I watched the snow fall outside my office window. It became obvious: Kryptek Yeti.

The Kryptek Yeti really makes it pop. It used to be that for a pattern such as this, you had to have it hydro-dipped, which isn’t very durable; and, after a short while, it looks pretty

Despite a couple of forays into military arms, Savage has been mostly known for lever- and bolt-action rifles. Then, in 2016, Savage surprised everyone with the release of its first ARs— the MSR-15 (Modern Savage Rifle) and MSR-10 rifles.

The MSR-15 line of rifles keeps with the Savage tradition of moderately priced firearms that provide the most accuracy potential.

ARs, and even with a totally saturated market, my love hasn’t wavered. Today, I love them as much as ever, and if every gun company were to make ARs, I’d be a happy man.

The slim-design handguard is free float and M-LOK compatible.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS When I first held the Savage MSR-15 Recon in my hands, I was pretty excited—I love seeing old companies known for making traditional guns branch out into ARs. I’ve always loved www.gunworld.com

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beat-up. Cerakote, however, not only makes it look good, it’s also tough and makes any surface it covers pretty much impervious to corrosion.

The Blackhawk! KNOXX AR pistol grip is very comfortable. It’s narrow at the top and has a palm swell that fills the hand.

The Yeti pattern … sexy. It turns this Savage into a “winter warrior,” which is exactly what I was going for. ARs are always tested in hot weather; it’s about time one was tested in the cold. And this one was—in the cold, frozen tundra of Wisconsin. Who knows, with certain cold-weather countries not acting right, cold-weather performance might become important. Flat Dark Earth on ARs has been the norm for over a decade now. Maybe Kryptek Yeti will be the pattern of the future for our armed forces.

FEATURES The barrel is 16 1/8 inches long, with 5R rifling. It uses the quench-polish-quench (QPQ) method of Melonite treatment, which is superior to chrome lining in every way (aside from cost). It’s harder and more corrosion resistant—both inside and outside the barrel—so it’s going to last longer. It has a lower coefficient of friction than chrome. It’s also more accurate, because it’s precisely cut like a stainless steel barrel, and because it’s a treatment and not plating, it’s perfectly uniform.

It is slightly more expensive than chrome lining but not by a significant amount—not like a stainless steel barrel. It’s actually a cheaper process than chrome lining; it’s just not a

The receiver has been custom forged for a distinct “Savage Arms” look and comes matte-black hard coat anodized. This one has been given an aftermarket Cerakote job to make it “pop.”

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... SAVAGE HAS BEEN MOSTLY KNOWN FOR LEVER- AND BOLT-ACTION RIFLES. THEN, IN 2016, SAVAGE SURPRISED EVERYONE WITH THE RELEASE OF ITS FIRST ARs—THE MSR-15 (MODERN SAVAGE RIFLE) AND MSR-10 RIFLES.

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gun world most recent handgun grips coming out of Europe. The whole grip melds to the hand like two puzzle pieces coming together.

The KNOXX Axiom A-Frame carbine stock has a proprietary honeycombed butt pad that grips the shoulder, keeping it in place, and offers recoil reduction. This isn’t really necessary in a 5.56 rifle but would play more of a role with largercaliber ARs such as the MSR-10. It has a textured, wide-face adjustment cam lever for fast ease of use, even with gloved hands. A fit-adjustment screw allows the user to adjust the amount of play the stock has: looser for fast adjustments, tighter for a more-secure shooting platform. The Axiom has four QD attachment points (two on each side) and a slot to thread a sling in the rear.

The Knoxx Axiom A-Frame carbine stock allows the user to adjust the fit to suit the mission: It can be loosened for fast adjustments or tightened for stability.

The butt pad reduces recoil and grips the shoulder.

The trigger equipped on the rifle I received for testing is a Blackhawk! AR Blaze model and is nickel-boron treated. It is okay but nothing to jump up and down about. Models that are currently shipping do not come equipped with the AR Blaze trigger; instead, they have an “enhanced nickel-boron trigger,” as it is called.

common process at this time, so prices are higher.

The rifle uses a .223 Wylde target chamber, which means it’s perfectly at home with a .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO cartridge sliding up into it. The Wylde chamber offers the ability to use both, without loss of accuracy or issues of overpressure. It can also shoot the heavier—and longer— 80-grain projectiles.

The MSR-15 Recon features a mid-length gas system for less wear and tear on the 16-inch barrel than a carbine-length gas system, which was designed for a 14-inch barrel. Unless you’re sporting an SBR with a shorter barrel than the standard 16-inch civilian carbine, mid-length gas systems provide the proper amount of gas into the receiver for reliable cycling of the bolt and reduced wear on the rifle, as well as reduced recoil.

The free-float handguard is a slim profile. Once you start using it, it’s hard to go back to thicker grips. I like the full hand grip you can acquire with the slim profile; it’s fast to point as you transition from one target to the next. It uses Magpul’s M-LOK system, which currently looks like the arms race winner over the Key-Mod (which, to many, looks like ... rocket ships ... or phallic symbols).

The Savage MSR-15 Recon is chambered in .223 Wylde, which means it shoots both .223 Remington and 5.56mm.

RANGE TIME Anticipation of shooting the new rifle had me bursting at the seams, so I headed to the range without further delay.

As I ran through my initial accuracy tests, I wasn’t thrilled with the groups I was getting; I pride myself on tighter groups. I tried

The KNOXX AR pistol grip is made by sister company Blackhawk! and has an excellent feel to it, with excellent texture for a solid grip and a palm swell similar to some of the

The barrel is Melonite treated using the QPQ method—an upgrade from chrome-lined barrels. It is more durable and more accurate. And, it gives it a dark, rich look.

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.... THE RECON FELT GOOD IN THE HANDS. IT’S LIGHT, IT’S NIMBLE, AND IT’S BUILT WELL. IT HAS NICE LINES— SVELTE, WITH A COOL-LOOKING CUSTOM-FORGED RECEIVER ...

various scopes and all sorts of different weights of ammo, and my results seemed to be all over the board. I tried five different types of ammo, ranging from 50 to 65 grains. With five five-shot groups at 100 yards, I got averages of 2.37-, 1.82-, 1.78-, 1.52- and 1.38-inch groups—none of which I find acceptable for any AR.

Accuracy testing was done with these five loads using the Meopta ZD 6-24x56 RD rifle scope on a Warne mount.

I started by narrowing it down to two problems I’d look at first.

The first one would require me to acknowledge the onset of “old-man eyes” that need reading glasses. However, quickly dismissing that as hogwash, I moved on to number two. The trigger was very sticky and felt as if it would get “caught up” at points, and when I pressed through it, it would jerk. I talked to the good folks at Savage, and they quickly sent out a replacement trigger group.

In the meantime, I decided to change scopes. The Bushnell AR Optics 1-4x24 is a great scope for all-around, realworld utility, but I wanted to see what the rifle was capable of. So, for the bench, I swapped it for something with more magnification to assist the “old-man eyes” I’m in denial of. I used a Meopta ZD 6-24x56 RD. It was my first time using it, and it was very impressive.

Once the new trigger arrived, I installed it, and it felt better.

Pull weight might have been slightly heavier, but it was less sticky. That’s not to say that it felt great, but it was a noticeable improvement. In addition, the improvement on the range was immediately noticeable.

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gun world The Black Hills 77-grain OTM had the best group, with an impressive 0.513, followed by the Federal 73-grain Gold Medal Berger (.87) and the SIG Sauer 77-grain OTM (.882).

The best average was Black Hills (.789), then SIG Sauer (.95) and Federal Gold Medal Berger (1.102). The two other loads I’ve had great accuracy with in other rifles—but that this rifle didn’t care for—were the DoubleTap Tactical 69-grain HP, which averaged 1.329, and the Speer Gold-Dot 64-grain GDSP, which averaged 1.578.

Performance RESULTS

THE VERDICT Take the Recon off the bench rest, and it really shines. Each feature and accessory is well thought out, and it all comes together in a package that’s nimble, ergonomic, reliable and capable of very good accuracy with the right load.

Ammunition

Velocity (fps) Average SD

Groups (inches) Best Average

SIG Sauer .223 Rem. 77-grain OTM Match Grade Rifle

2,473.6

21.9

.882

.95

Federal Gold Medal Berger .223 Rem. 73-grain BT Target OTM

2,537.6

22.9

.87

1.102

Black Hills 5.56mm 77-grain OTM

2,647.8

15.6

.513

.789

DoubleTap Tactical .223 Rem. 69-grain HP Boat Tail Match

2,717.0

49.0

1.281

1.329

Speer Gold Dot .223 Rem. 64-grain GDSP

2,752.2

38.3

1.474

1.578

NOTES: Velocity was an average of five shots, as tested with a Caldwell Chronograph G2 placed 5 yards in front of the muzzle. Accuracy was measured using three five-shot groups at 100 yards using a Meopta ZD 6-24x56 RD scope and a Warne mount.

The replacement trigger group was on par with a government trigger and was good enough to deliver two sub-MOA groups, one group just over MOA and two groups at approximately 1.5 MOA.

Savage MSR-15 Recon

KRYPTEK CERAKOTE A firearm can be as individual as its owner, especially when it comes to ARs: The modifications are almost infinite.

One of the increasingly popular ways to personalize a firearm is with Cerakote. Brock Gardner and crew at MCM Firearms did an excellent job for this article; they did the MSR-15, the Bushnell scope, Warne mount and the Magpul magazine.

SPECIFICATIONS CALIBER: .223 Wylde chamber: .223 Rem./5.56mm ACTION TYPE: Direct-impingement; semiauto RECEIVER: Forged, matte-black, hard coat anodized; flat-top rail BARREL: 16 inches; Melonite QPQ; 1:8-inch twist; 5R rifling; .223 Wylde target chamber TRIGGER: (As tested) Blackhawk! AR Blaze, 8 pounds, 4.5 ounces (currently shipping with enhanced nickel-boron triggers) SIGHTS: Blackhawk! flip-up sights FURNITURE: Blackhawk! KNOXX AR pistol grip; KNOXX AXIOM carbine stock; free-float M-LOK handguard WEIGHT: 7 pounds OVERALL LENGTH: 33.5–36.75 inches ACCESSORIES: 30-round Magpul magazine MSRP: $999 (MSR-15 Patrol: $852)

This company is a one-stop shop for just about any customization, gunsmithing and coating you might need. I’ve never had MCM do anything but Cerakote, so I can’t speak for the other work this company does. But judging by how well MCM did with the coating, I’m sure it does fine work.

If you’re looking to have done the Kryptek Yeti patterns or one of the other good-looking Kryptek patterns, MCM Firearms is the only shop licensed by Kryptek to do it. The Kryptek patterns cost more than standard Cerakote ($350 for both receivers, handguard and standard buttstock), but they really look good. For DIYers, this company also sells licensed Kryptek stencil kits for $40 (one-time use).

MCM Firearms MCMFirearms.com Facebook.com/MCMFirearms

CONTACT INFORMATION

For more information about Kryptek Camo, visit Kryptek.com

SAVAGE ARMS SavageArms.com

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And that winter testing? Not a hiccup. While the winter hasn’t been brutal, temperatures in the negative single digits will test a lot of gear. No worries with the MSR-15 Recon—not a single malfunction. The biggest concern will be some polymer magazines (I’ve cracked feed lips at -12 degrees F).

The BCG gas key is properly staked.

The Savage MSR-15 Recon offers a great feature set at a reasonable price, with an MSRP of $999 and retailing at around $820. It’s two or three steps above a budget AR, as far as price goes, but Vista Outdoor’s numerous brands allow for sharing of resources. This enables Savage to bring to the market an AR with features and accessories that other makers would have priced higher.

I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! GW

As much as I love tradition, it’s exciting to see a company

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reinvent itself for current shooter preferences. Savage is thought of as an old-school lever- and bolt-gun maker.

However, to see this manufacturer step up and make an AR rifle—it’s a great sign of a company not resting on its laurels or tradition. Savage would have been one of the last companies I would have expected to make an AR.

The Black Hills 77-grain OTM had the best group of the outing, with just ½ over MOA. It also had the best three-group average at .789 MOA.

THE MSR-15 LINE OF RIFLES KEEPS WITH THE SAVAGE TRADITION OF MODERATELY PRICED FIREARMS THAT PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURACY POTENTIAL.

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gun world

STAG ARMS 10S S

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY RICHARD SCHUTZ

ince 2003, Stag Arms has specialized in left-handed AR-style rifles, although it makes right-handed ARs, too. Stag promotes its 100 percent American-made firearms’ value with a lifetime transferable warranty and infinite shot barrel guarantee.

At the 2017 NRA Exhibits in Atlanta, Georgia, Stag Arms announced its foray into the large-receiver AR market. The initial introduction comprised the Stag-10S in .308 Win. and the Stag-10 in .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor.

OVERVIEW Currently, the Stag-10 version has an 18-inch barrel when chambered in .308 Win. and a 22- or 24-inch barrel when chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. The Stag-10S features a 16inch barrel in .308 Win. and a 22-inch barrel when chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. All versions are of semiautomatic, direct gas impingement design. In keeping with Stag’s history of offering left-handed models, both the Stag-10 and the Stag-10S are available in left- and right-hand versions. Both Keymod and M-LOK handguards are also available. www.gunworld.com

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S

STAG’S NEW, LARGE-RECEIVER AR CHAMBERED IN .308 IS FEATURE RICH AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE AND OFFERS CONSISTENT ACCURACY RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.

Large-receiver ARs are not standardized like AR-15 style rifles and come in two primary designs: AR-10 and SR-25. Some companies, such as DMPS, have their own take on the design and have incorporated elements of both. Stag’s design builds on the DMPS pattern for parts interchangeability but then incorporates some of its own proprietary parts.

Stag rifles are designed using proprietary upper and lower receivers and proprietary takedown pin, pivot pin and takedown pin detent. Everything else utilizes the DPMS pattern.

The subject of this end-user evaluation is a Stag-10S chambered in .308 Winchester. This is a full-featured rifle with a street price of around $1,400. This rifle is designed to be an affordable AR-10-style rifle with features that would normally only be found in more expensive AR-10-style rifles.

SPECIFICATIONS The upper receiver is forged using 7075 T6 aluminum and is type III hard coat anodized. It has a tang height of .210 inch and matches up with the most common DPMS handguards.

It also accepts DPMS-style bolt carrier groups (BCG), barrels and barrel nuts. The 16-inch barrel is made of 4150 steel, is chrome lined, and the rifling has a 1:10-inch twist rate. A VG6 Gamma 762 compensator is threaded onto the barrel and is removable. The BCG is .308 Win. sized and has a QPQ nitride finish (quench-polish-quench nitrocarburized case hardened).

The gas key bolts are lightly staked on each side. A forward assist and dust cover are also provided.

It uses a mid-length gas system and comes with a lowprofile gas block. A standard .308 carbine buffer and .308 action spring are used to mitigate recoil. The handguard is a 13.5-inch-long M-LOK free-float design by Stag Arms. Optic mounting is provided by a 1913 MIL-SPEC rail that runs from the back of the receiver to the front of the handguard. This design provides plenty of real estate for mounting any optic or combination of accessories anyone might want.

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The Stag-10S uses a Magpul ACS stock, Hogue grip and Stag 13.5-inch M-LOK handguard.

The buttstock is a Magpul ACS unit, and the pistol grip is a Hogue overmolded rubber grip with finger grooves. The ACS buttstock has a handy little storage compartment in the tail of the stock for storing small items. It also has water-resistant battery storage tubes on each side of the stock; each tube can hold three CR123 or two AA batteries.

MODELS The Stag-10 series was initially released in the Stag10S in .308 Win., right hand, and Stag-10 in .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor, right hand. The Stag-10 comes in multiple configurations and in complete rifle and “bones” (receiver group and barrel only, no furniture). It’s chambered in .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor, both calibers in 18-, 22- and 24-inch barrels, and all in RH and LH models. M-LOK and Keymod handguard variants are also available.

The lower receiver is also a 7075 T6 aluminum forging that is type III hard coat anodized. It is machined using an Armalite slant cut rather than a DPMS-style cut for improved fit and less “battle rattle.” The takedown pin and pivot pin are not DPMS compatible. A Magpul PMAG 10 LR/SR Gen M3 magazine is provided.

At 8.3 pounds, the Stag-10S is no lightweight, but it isn’t excessively heavy either. It is comparable to the Daniel Defense DD5V1. At 35.25 inches collapsed and 38.5 inches extended, the Stag-10S is comparable in length to many AR-15s.

The stripped bolt carrier shows how the two gas key bolts are lightly staked on each side.

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The Stag-10S also comes in multiple variations. It comes chambered in .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor. Both calibers come in 16- and 22-inch barrels. Both also include M-LOK and KeyMod variants, and all come in RH and LH models. There are two “bones” receiver and barrel configurations (RH/LH; .308 Win.; 16-inch barrel).

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AMMUNITION During this evaluation, I used 10 different factory loads manufactured by five different companies. All the ammunition operated well in the rifle. I did encounter four failures to feed, all of which I attribute to the magazine not being properly seated.

OPTICS No sights are provided with the Stag-10S. For testing purposes, I installed a Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56 F1 riflescope with an MOAR reticle, using a Nightforce 34mm Ultralite Unimount.

This scope might be a bit of overkill for the 10S, but it is an excellent scope. When evaluating a rifle, it eliminates any excuses that the scope was to blame for any accuracy issues.

The ATACR performed well on the Stag-10S, and there were no accuracy issues.

AT THE RANGE During my first trip to the range, I first cleaned the bore and then broke in the rifle with approximately 20 rounds of various brands of ammunition. The bore was cleaned after every five rounds.

The Stag-10S opens for cleaning just like any AR-15. The captive rear-retaining pin is pushed from left to right, and the upper and lower receivers pivot on the front pin. A takeup screw is located in the lower receiver so that it can put pressure on the rear lug of the upper receiver in order to remove any play between the two.

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STAG RIFLES ARE DESIGNED USING PROPRIETARY UPPER AND LOWER RECEIVERS AND PROPRIETARY TAKEDOWN PIN, PIVOT PIN AND TAKEDOWN PIN DETENT. EVERYTHING ELSE UTILIZES THE DPMS PATTERN.

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THIS RIFLE IS DESIGNED TO BE AN AFFORDABLE AR-10-STYLE RIFLE WITH FEATURES THAT WOULD NORMALLY ONLY BE FOUND IN MORE EXPENSIVE AR-10STYLE RIFLES.

That time was also used to get acclimated to the trigger, which was a bit rough at first. I tested the trigger pull weight after conducting accuracy testing, and I found that the trigger had smoothed out considerably and broke crisply. The average weight for 10 consecutive trigger pulls was 5.9 pounds, as measured by a digital Lyman Trigger Pull Gauge.

A VG6 Gamma 762 Compensator is provided to help mitigate recoil.

I fired three five-shot groups for each of the 10 loads fired.

Five of the loads averaged 1.5-inch groups. Of the 30 five-shot groups fired, five of them were 1 inch or smaller. The Federal Premium 175-grain MatchKing BTHP performed the best, with groups of .82, 1.28 and .66 inches for a three-group average of .92 inch. I believe that once the rifle was well broken in with the Federal Premium ammunition or similar, it would consistently produce groups of 1 MOA or under. The Stag-10S even shot quite well with 130-grain American Eagle Varmint & Predator ammunition, producing an average group size of 1.54 inches for three five-shot groups.

Stag Arms Stag-10S SPECIFICATIONS CALIBER: .308 Win./7.62x51 NATO (tested); 6.5 Creedmoor ACTION TYPE: Semiautomatic; direct gas impingement BARREL: 16 inches; 4150 chrome lined MUZZLE DEVICE: VG6 Gamma 762 compensator GAS SYSTEM: Mid-length gas tube with low-profile gas block BOLT CARRIER GROUP: .308 bolt, QPQ nitride BCG HANDGUARD: Stag 10 13.5-inch M-LOK free float UPPER RECEIVER: Forged 7075 T6 aluminum; .210-inch tang height (DPMS High Profile) LOWER RECEIVER: Forged 7075 T6 aluminum; Armalite-style slant cut RECEIVER FINISH: Type III hard coat anodized RIFLING: 1:10-inch twist rate; button rifled SCOPE MOUNT: 1913 MIL-SPEC rail on top of receiver and handguard TRIGGER: Stag Arms Single Stage; 5 pounds, 14.7 ounces, as tested (Lyman Digital Trigger Pull Gauge) STOCK: Magpul ACS GRIP: Hogue OVERALL LENGTH: 35.25 inches collapsed; 38.5 inches extended WEIGHT: 8.2 pounds (factory) MSRP: $1,540

The only problem I had with the rifle was that the PMAG 10 magazines did not drop free when the magazine release was pushed. I found it necessary to pull the magazine out of the magazine well while the magazine release was depressed.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Stag uses its own MILSPEC single-stage, nonadjustable trigger in the Stag-10S. It smoothed up nicely after about 175 rounds had been fired.

The Stag-10S is well designed and well built. It is available in two excellent calibers—one tried and true and one cutting edge. It is versatile in that it is available in both left- and right-hand versions and offers both Keymod and M-LOK handguards. There is no need to change the configuration of your current accessories to a different method of attachment.

CONTACT INFORMATION STAG ARMS StagArms.com

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GW-1802-Connecticut Shotgun2 12/4/17 1:38 PM Page 1

The Most Innovative Gun in the World.

A 1913 MIL-SPEC rail runs along the top of the receiver and the handguard, providing plenty of room to mount optics and/or other accessories.

Notice that on the handguard, every other rail has been partially skeletonized for reduced weight and improved airflow.

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gun world

Performance Results Ammunition

Velocity (fps)

E.S.

S.D.

Small Group (inches)

Average Group (inches)

Federal Premium 175-grain BTHP

2,399

53

20.0

0.66

0.92

Hornady 168-grain BTHP

2,491

67

21.2

1.05

1.24

Hornady 168-grain ELD Match

2,493

18

6.4

1.10

1.45

Black Hills 175-grain BTHP Match

2,444

76

21.9

1.23

1.53

American Eagle Varmint & Predator 130-grain JHP

2,878

33

11.1

1.02

1.54

Hornady Black 155-grain A-Max

2,659

64

20.0

1.34

1.60

Winchester 168-grain MK BTHP

2,502

60

20.3

1.75

1.80

Federal Premium 168-grain MK BTHP

2,407

61

16.9

0.96

1.88

Black Hills 168-grain BTHP Match

2,446

78

22.6

1.91

2.52

American Eagle 150-grain FMJ BT

2,654

34

9.5

2.18

3.27

NOTES: Groups were fired from a Caldwell Rock BR adjustable front rest and rear sandbag at 100 yards. Velocity was measured in feet per second (fps), calculated at the muzzle using a LabRadar device. E.S. = Extreme Spread; S.D. = Standard Deviation; Small Group = size of the smallest single group for that ammunition in inches; Average Group = the average group size in inches for three five-shot groups.

At 1 MOA accuracy, one would need to spend a lot more money to do much better with an AR platform. The Stag-10S certainly has sufficient accuracy for most long-range shooting disciplines and most hunting applications.

Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56 F1 Riflescope

Anyone looking to add an AR-10-/SR25-type rifle to their collection should take a close look at the Stag-10S or Stag-10.

If I didn’t already two large-receiver ARs, the Stag-10S would probably find a home in my gun safe. GW

SPECIFICATIONS

Federal Premium 175-grain MatchKing BTHP ammunition took the prize for the smallest group and the best average for three five-shot groups in the Stag-10S.

FIELD OF VIEW: 7x: 14.97ft.; 35x: 3.44ft. (at 100 yards) WEIGHT: 39.3 ounces LENGTH: 16.0 inches MOUNTING LENGTH: 6.5 inches EYE RELIEF: 3.26–3.58 inches EXIT PUPIL: 7x:6.0mm; 35x:1.6mm CLICK VALUE: .250 MOA ADJUSTMENT RANGE: Elevation: 100 MOA; Windage: 60 MOA PARALLAX ADJUSTMENT: 10m–∞ FOCAL PLANE: First RETICLES AVAILABLE: MOAR/MIL-R/ MIL-C/TreMor3 ILLUMINATION: Digillum ELEVATION LOCK: ZeroStop MSRP: $3,600 (street price: $3,492) CONTACT INFORMATION NIGHTFORCE OPTICS NightforceOptics.com

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Made in USA

MAKE RELOADING EASY

The Hogue grip is overmolded rubber and has finger grooves. It provides a good grip but is not tacky; and it helps absorb recoil, yet is not spongy.

Fits GSG-1911 and SIG SAUER 1911-22 Mags

MAKE RELOADING EASY

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757-647-0805 GW-1708-Rio Grande 5/23/17 1:51 PM Page 1

Single-point sling attachment points are located on both sides at the rear of the receiver.

The magwell is generously beveled to assist with rapid magazine changes.

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TEXT BY TODD BURGREEN

A

“bullpup” is a carbine configured so the action is located behind the trigger group in the space traditionally reserved for the grip and stock. The biggest plus is that for the same barrel length, a bullpup will be at least 7 to 10 inches shorter than a traditional rifle, thus improving maneuverability, handling and reducing weight.

PHOTOS BY ETHAN BURGREEN AND ROBB MANNING

The Steyr AUG is the recognized flag-bearer for bullpups.

Designed and proofed in the late 1960s by Steyr, the AUG was selected by the Austrian Army in 1977 to replace the licensedbuilt FN FAL variant StG 58. Full AUG production commenced in 1978. This represented unprecedented success for the bullpup genre in terms of use by a respected military. The AUG bullpup design went on to serve in more than 20 other countries’ military, LE or special operation units.

Bullpup pro and con advocates put forth a litany of reasons regarding the concept to support their respective positions.

Pro advocates claim that nothing more than pointless, moribund traditionalism is stifling bullpup-style weapons from being adopted widespread, with detractors denigrating bullpup effectiveness to the point of challenging the basic raison d’être for the design.

Whereas the military AUG is a select-fire weapon, the AUG A3 M1 is semiautomatic. The AUG is operated via a short-stroke adjustable piston system firing from a closed bolt. This piston operating method, combined with the weight of the AUG’s bolt group, provides ruthless extraction and chambering— perfect for harsh environments or when weapon care is neglected for whatever reason.

The weapon reviewed here is the Steyr AUG A3 M1 chambered in 5.56mm NATO and featuring the integral 1.5x optic rail (more on this later).

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UPDATING AN ICON: STEYR AUG A3 M1 THE AUG HAS SET THE BULLPUP STANDARD FOR DECADES. AND, WITH THE A3 M1, IT’S NOW UP TO DATE, MODULAR AND U.S. MADE.

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Even with its 16-inch barrel, the Steyr AUG A3 M1 still measures only 28 inches in overall length. This rivals many shortbarreled ARs.

The AUG’s stainless steel operation and guide rods affixed to the bolt carrier glide effortlessly inside the receiver for unparalleled smoothness in operation, as well as exceptional reliability. Dual gas-adjustment settings ensure its operation, even with the dirtiest ammunition and in adverse conditions.

Ejection ports are present on both sides of the weapon and can be selected by installing the bolt with the ejector mounted on the right or on the left. The non-reciprocating charging handle is located at the front-left side of the gun.

The mag release is unique and is found just behind the mag well.

(Photo: Robb Manning)

revolver trigger. One should not try to stage the trigger; instead, work it smoothly. The AUG A3 M1 trigger took approximately 9 pounds of pressure to fire the round.

A simple cross bolt safety is easily accessed, located behind the trigger. The shell of the rifle is made of nearly indestructible fiber-reinforced synthetic material called Polyamide 66. The AUG A3 M1 is designed to be fed from translucent polymer 10-, 30- or 42-round AUG magazines. Determining the number of rounds left in an AUG magazine is as simple as looking at it.

BULLPUP NUANCES Generally speaking, the triggers found on bullpups are not as crisp as other designs due to the linkage required between the forward-located trigger and rearward-located action. Good advice here is to treat bullpup triggers like a Glock or double-action A simple cross bolt safety is easily accessed; it is located behind the trigger.

The AUG’s translucent magazines were some of the earliest examples of polymer magazines. The AUG magazine’s 42-round capacity proved a troop favorite, with other rifles confined to 20- or 30-round magazines. Other versions of the AUG were developed at a later date that cater to AR15/M16 magazines.

The magazine release button is installed behind the magazine well, facilitating ambidextrous access. The release is oversized and easily actuated/pushed down, even when the user is wearing gloves. The hand is naturally positioned to remove the magazine as the thumb engages the catch.

Many will wax poetic about a rifle encouraging magazine retention versus dropping magazines haphazardly on the deck. The AUG A3 M1 does have a last-round bolt hold-open feature. Prior AUGs did not. The non-reciprocating charging

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The bolt catch is located above the mag well just forward of the shooter’s chin. (Photo: Robb Manning)

Despite the advantages, very few standing armies have taken a liking to the bullpup design. More than anything else, it seems to be an issue of ingrained military conservatism/institutionalism within the “old guard.” The U.S. civilian market has mostly echoed that thinking.

RANGE TIME … LIVING UP TO THE AUG REPUTATION I put more than 400 rounds through the Steyr A3 M1 using various courses of fire I experienced while attending training focused on operating around vehicles, as well as CQB techniques. In addition to the Federal, American Eagle and SIG ammo that was tested for performance, Hornady TAP 55 grain and Black Hills 69-grain OTM were used for reliability testing.

handle is placed on the left side of the receiver along the handguard, just as on the HK G3.

Overall, the AUG design is sealed tightly, with few points for dirt or debris; even the charging handle slot is sealed.

AUG ADVANTAGE Compactness is one of the most often-repeated positive attributes of bullpup rifles while maintaining a full-length barrel to maximize cartridge performance. The AUG A3 M1 features a 16.3-inch, hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrel while still only measuring a total of 28 inches in length. An example of this beneficial compactness would be working in and around vehicles. As a driver or passenger, you can have the A3 M1 bullpup rifle pointed, muzzle down, between your legs with the buttstock resting on the seat cushion.

The forward vertical grip and two-position adjustable gas block are important design features of the AUG bullpup.

In these tight quarters, I quickly found a key benefit: The AUG’s exterior is “slick,” with virtually no projections to hang up on straps, lines, vehicle interiors, vegetation or anything else. A 30-round magazine protrudes only about 4 inches below the stock.

It did not take an inordinate amount of time to become

WHEN IT COMES TO EFFECTIVENESS, THE HANDLING ADVANTAGES OF SBR RIFLES ARE OFTEN TOUTED AS THE DIFFERENCEMAKERS.

Movement with the AUG bullpup inside of building structures is much easier and very similar to the size advantage offered by an SMG—but without the terminal ballistic penalty. It is easy to manipulate the AUG A3 M1 with one hand, because the center of gravity is farther back. As a result, if you have to open a door or other similar task, the bullpup offers you an advantage.

You can effectively treat the AUG A3 M1 as a big pistol if the situation demands. Bullpups are generally the same size as specialized short-barreled rifles (SBR) without having to resort to sub-16-inch barrels to achieve this size.

Citing various reasons, there are shooters who criticize, or even completely ignore, the bullpup design. Some of these reasons are that they can’t get past the looks and “strangeness” in terms of ergonomics. Shooters’ hesitation to adapt to the bullpup stems from its manual of arms, compared to those of traditional rifles, with which most of us have more experience.

For example, bullpup magazine changes are different, combined with the action not being as readily visible. The action is contained in the stock and thus, out of view, in most bullpup designs; the AUG is included in this category.

Another point raised is that some bullpups are not as ambidextrous as others. www.gunworld.com

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HAZARD 4 SMUGGLER SLING PACK Nothing is as individualistic as deciding how to carry immediate-action items such as a handgun, weapon magazines (handgun and rifle), medical IFAK, radio and whatever else is needed in high-risk environments. Factors such as accessibility, adaptability, fit, weight-to-mobility ratio, retention and space constraints all come into play. Let’s face it: The world is becoming a more dangerous place—not only overseas, but here in the United States, as well.

Hazard 4 is a company that is helping to equip our military, law enforcement, private security contractors (PSC) and civilians.

The Hazard 4 Smuggler Sling Pack has been in use supporting my various article projects for the last several months. The convenience of easy adaptability for carrying multiple weapons and ancillary gear (ammunition, optics, suppressors) is much appreciated. The Smuggler is a large Evac Series sling pack specifically designed to accommodate carbines up to AK47/AR length.

However, the Smuggler is designed so that users do not feel that items are jammed in. I found it easy to accommodate the Steyr AUG with no issue. Shooters can transport their rifles with a magazine inserted and/or optics mounted.

Additional external pockets can carry magazines, a cleaning kit, extra parts and everything you need for transporting your work gun or hauling around urban gear.

A folded, padded sleeve is included with the Smuggler that can be used as padded support for any items you might want to place inside the compartment; alternatively, it can be used to hold a rifle inside. This means you can place a rifle inside the folding sleeve, itself, to provide a little cushioning for it. The folding sleeve can also be taken out of the bag and used as a shooting mat.

The Smuggler Pack has evolved into one of my favorite weapontransport cases.

Shown next to the barrel/ gas cylinder is the gas operating system (left to right): the piston spring, gas piston and gas regulator. Note that above and to the right, the right thrust rod of the bolt carrier is used to push the piston assembly out of the cylinder. (Photo: Robb Manning)

THE AUG’S STAINLESS STEEL OPERATION AND GUIDE RODS AFFIXED TO THE BOLT CARRIER GLIDE EFFORTLESSLY INSIDE THE RECEIVER FOR UNPARALLELED SMOOTHNESS IN OPERATION, AS WELL AS EXCEPTIONAL RELIABILITY.

The AUG has very little muzzle displacement.

It almost looks as if it’s not being fired—this one is in the process of the action cycling with a spent case being ejected. Shooters of any stature will find the Steyr AUG bullpup highly shootable.

One of the most unique aspects of the AUG: The trigger mechanism is removed rearward via the butt. (Photo: Robb Manning)

HAZARD 4 Hazard4.com

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MAIN IMAGE: Removing the barrel on the AUG is as simple as pushing one button and twisting the barrel about 10 degrees.

The user can then mount the barrel length and/or profile that best suit the mission. INSET IMAGE: The barrel lugs lock the barrel securely in place without loss of zero.

(Photo: Robb Manning)

familiar with operation and handling during the testing and evaluation. Despite the radical design difference, it was no different than switching between an AR and an AK. The magazine sitting closer to the body took a little getting used to during reloads, as well as orientating hand location when racking the charging handle during weapon manipulation.

The AUG A3 M1, shown here in the traditional OD Green, can be had with an integral optic rail, short rail or long rail for mounting optics of the user’s choice. (Photo: Steyr Arms)

Range tests consisted of moving around vehicles and simulated cover while engaging an assortment of paper and steel targets; these included automobiles located at the Echo Valley Training Center (EVTC).

The Steyr AUG showed its true promise by performing well— not only within the 100-yard bays, engaging multiple targets,

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and in CQB scenarios in the 360-degree range, but also at the 300-yard prepared firing position line. The AUG A3 M1 proved to be very accurate. In fact, it’s so compact that it makes one forget it still features a full-length, 16-inch barrel.

The AUG feels lighter than it actually is, because the weight distribution is heaviest toward the rear of the carbine.

The AUG’s center of gravity— without a loaded magazine—is at the firing hand grip, which makes it a very balanced rifle. It also places most of the weight close to the body, which means you’re supporting the weight of the rifle with your large core muscles. Traditional rifles require smaller muscles for support, because the weight extends farther from your body. With the AUG, this

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gun world also equates to better handling over longer time frames due to lessening fatigue on the arms and shoulders—an important consideration for CQB operation involving structure-clearing.

Some might question the effects of a bullpup’s muzzle blast, because the barrel and action are orientated close to a user’s face during operation. However, evaluation did not find this troublesome or noticeable. It was no different than the muzzle blast users experience with an SBR—and possibly less, considering the Steyr AUG offers 16 inches of barrel, allowing the powder to burn fully.

SteyR Arms AUG A3 M1 (Optic Variant) SPECIFICATIONS CALIBER: 5.56x45mm/.223 Rem. OPERATION: Adjustable, short stroke, gas piston, semiautomatic RECEIVER: Hard Eloxal-coated aircraft aluminum BARREL: 16.375 inches, chrome-lined CHF; six grooves, 1:9 RH OVERALL LENGTH: 28 inches WEIGHT: 8.8 pounds, empty (as tested—1.5x optic version) SIGHTS: Integral 1.5x optic with “doughnut” reticle (also available: 3x optic, 11-slot short rail or 16-slot high rail) TRIGGER: 9 pounds, 8 ounces; single stage FURNITURE: Polymer with foldable vertical front grip MAGAZINE: AUG, translucent, detachable box, double-stack, 30 rounds (also available in 10 and 42 rounds) COLORS: Black, white, OD Green, Mud (tested) MSRP: $2,099

The Steyr AUG A3 offers the handling advantages of an SBR rifle but retains the barrel length that maintains the ballistic performance of a full-length rifle.

One of the less-appreciated/-touted aspects of the AUG design is its modularity. As in so many ways, it was ahead of its time.

Switching out barrels of different profiles and lengths is easily accomplished via one button located at the front of the forend: Just press the button and twist the barrel about 10 degrees.

Steyr has followed along with the times by now offering users the ability to forego the integral optic by removing it and replacing it with Picatinny rails, allowing for the mounting of red-dots or other optics-of-choice. The AUG A3 M1 is available in a short-rail version and high-rail version, as well as an integral optic version with either a 1.5x or 3x scope. The scope tube on the integral optic version has exceptionally bright and clear optical elements and is modernized with the addition of Picatinny rail sections. The rail and optics platforms on all three AUG A3 M1 versions are interchangeable via the three base screws that thread from the underside of the top of the receiver. I decided to use the 1.5x integral optic version for this review in order to experience a more-traditional AUG profile.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The low-powered, magnified optic with “doughnut” reticle was another feature found on the AUG that was ahead of its time upon its introduction in the late 1970s. I have read that both Meopta and Swarovski manufacture the integral optic for Steyr.

STEYR ARMS SteyrArms.com BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION Black-Hills.com

The optic-and-reticle setup is intended as a combat sight. It contains a simple black ring reticle with a basic rangefinder that is designed so that at 300 meters (984.3 feet), a mansized target (180 cm/5.9 feet tall) will completely fill it, giving the shooter an accurate method of estimating range.

FEDERAL PREMIUM AMMUNITION FederalPremium.com HORNADY Hornady.com Gear from High Speed Gear and Hazard 4 was used in testing the AUG A3 M1. Both companies make very dependable, high-quality gear.

SIG SAUER SIGSauer.com STONEWALL ARMS StonewallArms.com ECHO VALLEY TRAINING CENTER EchoValleyTraining.com

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The sight cannot be set to a specific range but can be adjusted for windage and elevation for an initial zero and is designed to be calibrated for 300 meters. When so set, aiming at the center of a target will produce a hit at all ranges out to 300 meters. Obviously, this arrangement is geared toward combat applications and not sub-MOA T&E results. The 5.56’s flat trajectory aids in making hits out to 300 yards without having to compensate excessively for bullet drop—especially with the full-length AUG A3 M1 barrel.

THE “DIFFERENCE-MAKER” Arms aficionados will find the Steyr AUG A3 M1 bullpup intriguing compared to typical standard-pattern rifles and might want one based on this uniqueness. Many will find the AUG A3 M1 desirable due to its compactness, reliability and accuracy. After all, this is a combination that’s hard to argue against in terms of utility for any user.

When it comes to effectiveness, the handling advantages of SBR rifles are often touted as the difference-makers.

Why not enjoy this advantage while retaining barrel length that optimizes ballistic performance? This is what the Steyr AUG bullpup offers.

Performance RESULTS Ammunition

Velocity (fps)

Accuracy (inches) Average Best

SIG Sauer Elite 77-grain OTM

2,615

2.66

2.33

Federal Gold Medal Match 69 grains

2,620

2.75

2.5

American Eagle 62-grain FMJ

2,890

3.33

3.0

NOTES: Velocity average was based on five rounds fired over an RCBS Shooting AmmoMaster Chronograph. Accuracy results were determined via three five-round groups at 100 yards.

Various ammunition from SIG Sauer, Hornady, Black Hills and American Eagle was tested with the Steyr A3 M1.

Remember: The individual is the key to effectiveness, not the weapon. An operator this type of mindset will 1surely GW-1802-Kahr Arms with 11/21/17 10:05 AM Page appreciate the Steyr AUG A3 M1. GW

ST9

ST9093

Caliber: 9mm • B arrel: 4.0” • Length O/A: 6.5” • Magazines: 2 - 8 rd

S9

S9093

Caliber: 9mm • Barrel: 3.6” • Length O/A: 5.9” • Magazines: 2 - 7 rd

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY E. DON SMITH

RELOADS VS. FACTORY AMMO

A

USING THE ACCURATE 6.5 CREEDMOOR AS THE TEST SUBJECT, WE PIT HANDLOADS AGAINST FACTORY AMMO TO SEE WHICH ONE WINS.

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vid reloaders can easily forget that many manufacturers are producing high-quality match ammo at good prices these days.

Not everyone is interested in reloading, and frankly, it is a labor of love for most of us.

When you count up all the time and money one spends reloading, it’s enough to make you wonder if it’s really worth it. If you have ever attended an NRA long-range rifle match at 600 to 1,000 yards or a benchrest rifle competition, you will see that almost 100 percent of the top competitors are using hand-loaded ammo.

But is it necessary for the average shooter? That is the question we will answer as we take a deep dive into reloaded ammunition versus a cross section of factory offerings to see if there is a real difference in accuracy.

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The equipment list that it takes to produce true highprecision rounds starts with basic items such as a reloading press, digital scale and dies (bushings), along with casecleaning and case-preparation devices. In addition to those more basic items, a high-precision reloader must also add case annealing, a case trimmer and a concentricity gauge, as well as a neck-turning tool.

However, it doesn’t stop there—one also needs to determine the optimum overall length of their chamber. In addition, most of us measure a wide range of case and bullet dimensions, all of which require several specialized micrometers and calipers. Once measured, the cases and bullets are sorted by weight, neck tension, internal capacity, etc.

For competitive shooters, Redding is one of the most respected manufacturers of highprecision reloading dies. The author opted for a full-length sizer with a bushing so he could adjust neck tension as needed. The die set also included a micrometer-adjustable seating die, which is great for assuring accurate seating depth of the bullets.

Hornady produces its brass to accept the traditional “large rifle” primer (right side), while Lapua brass (left side) uses the benchrest-style “small rifle” primer pockets.

The small primer pocket is thought to offer longer case life and allow higher case pressure without loose primer pockets.

This list of equipment, alone, can easily cost thousands of dollars; and it’s all done to improve the accuracy over offthe-shelf ammo.

THE TESTING PROTOCOL There are many ways to test the accuracy of a rifle, such as three-shot groups, five-shot groups or even larger groups, and all these methods will yield a different answer. So, when measuring the performance of your ammunition or rifle, be realistic and use equipment that is capable of supporting the rifle in a way that is accurate, stable and repeatable.

For this test, I used a coaxial front rest and a rear sandbag to ensure I was getting the most-stable platform possible.

It’s not practical to expect a factory lightweight rifle to hold a tight group for 10 or 20 rounds, due to heat buildup. Therefore, I decided to use five-shot groups and a distance of 100 yards.

Of course, this rifle is capable of shooting distances in excess of 1,000 yards, but repeatability at these ranges is at the mercy of wind and other environmental factors. So, I did all the group testing at 100 yards—but I also shot the rifle at 500 yards to confirm the data.

RELOADING Because my goal was to compare factory ammunition to handloads, I performed basic reloading of the fired brass.

Initially, I started with both Lapua, which uses a small primer, and Hornady brass, which uses a large primer pocket. On the first firing of the brass, I omitted this data from my calculations and treated the first shot on the new brass as fire-forming.

Then, I used the excellent Redding bushing reloading dies to www.gunworld.com

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gun world bump the shoulder .002 inch from their initial fired length. I then used the subsequent firings as data suitable for inclusion in the test. This ensured the brass was formed as closely as possible to the chamber in this barrel.

I intended to feed ammo from a magazine. As a result, I was limited to a maximum overall length of 2.8 inches, so I didn’t seat the bullets close to, or into, the lands—as would be done on a target rifle that does not use a magazine.

COMPONENTS One of the great things about reloading for the 6.5 Creedmoor is the wide range of available components. Bullets range from 85 grains up to the 147-grain Hornady ELDM that I tested. However, the real sweet spot is from 120 to 147 grains—that is, if your rifle has the correct twist rate to stabilize these longer bullets.

I used the following bullets as I attempted to answer my reloading-versus-factory ammo quandary: Lapua Scenar, 123 grains; Hornady ELDM, 130 grains; Berger VLD, 130 grains; Lapua Scenar-L, 136 grains; Berger Hybrid, 140 grains; Hornady ELDM, 140 grains; and the Hornady ELDM, 147 grains.

For brass, I rounded up the two most popular brands on the market—Hornady and Lapua. Hornady uses a standard large rifle primer, while Lapua opts for the small primer used in most benchrest rifle calibers. When using a case that houses a large rifle primer, there is a little more ignition than with a

Factory ammo today is far better than just a few years ago. In many cases, the author was able to produce fine accuracy from factory match ammo.

So, if you don’t want to reload, you certainly don’t have to. Here, Hornady ELD Match produced a five-shot group of .69 inch at 100 yards.

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small rifle primer. Therefore, many NRA long-range and PRS (Precision Rifle Series) competitors use small-rifle magnum primers when using Lapua brass. Personally, I also use the CCI 450 small-rifle magnum primer in my long-range competition gun, so that is what I used on all the Lapua brass. Then, I used the always-excellent Federal GM210M Gold Medal primer in the Hornady brass.

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If you plan on making handloads that are better than factory match ammo, you need to plan on taking a lot of time and having the right equipment.

Ammunition from the top manufacturers is very good; and, for most shooters, it is capable of better accuracy than we are.

THE SCOPE When shooting for accuracy, you have to aim small in order to group small, so getting a scope that is clear and repeatable is very important.

I used the Leica Magnus 2.4-16x56mm scope with an illuminated L-4A reticle. This scope has a 30mm tube with a 56mm objective and offers exceptionally clear glass. This model has capped 0.1 mil turret adjustments and is a second focal plane scope. After getting on zero, I found that the scope did a great job of holding zero; and even after dialing up for long shots, it always returned to the 100-yard zero.

AVID RELOADERS CAN EASILY FORGET THAT MANY MANUFACTURERS ARE PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY MATCH AMMO AT GOOD PRICES THESE DAYS.

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gun world Finally, for powder, I picked several of the most popular powders available, including Hodgdon H4350 and Varget, Aliant Reloder 16 and Reloder 15, and VihtaVuori N550 and N540. Varget is a little fast-burning for the heavier bullets, but if you stick with it on 130 grains and lighter, you will be fine.

Of course, there are other powders and other bullets available, but when you factor in the various charge weights to test, my choices had to be limited to keep the number of rounds fired to a manageable level. Other great choices I did not test are IMR 4350, Reloder 17, IMR 4451 and Hodgdon Hybrid 100V.

SUPPRESSED SHOOTING Shooting a tactical bolt gun without trying a suppressor wouldn’t be a real test, so while I was testing all this ammo, I also fired some of it through the Thunder Beast Ultra-9 suppressor.

This model is made from titanium and only weighs 11.5 ounces. I opted for the model that mounts on a TOMB (thread-over-muzzle brake), which makes it very easy to put it on and take it off as needed.

Not only is it one of the lightest full-sized units on the market, it also reports to be 130 to 132 dB when shooting full-power ammo. In addition to reducing the sound level, it also drastically reduces felt recoil and improves accuracy. In every case during the tests, the accuracy with the suppressor attached was better than without it. In some cases, I experienced as much as a 50 percent reduction in group size.

THE RIFLE Of course, ammo cannot be tested without a rifle, so I opted to use the new Savage Model 10 BA Stealth chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. The Savage BA Stealth has a factory-blueprinted action and a chassis that is machined from a single piece of aluminum, which makes for a lightweight and stable platform to support the action.

The Ultra-9 uses a simple, but very effective, muzzle brake attachment method with a tapered surface.

The result? The suppressor seats onto the brake— perfectly centered every time.

THUNDER BEAST ARMS ThunderBeastArms.com

This Thunder Beast Ultra-9 utilizes a muzzle brake mount so you can buy extra brakes for each rifle you own (in the same caliber) and use one suppressor on multiple rifles. The shift in point of impact is minimized due to the lightweight design—not to mention the 30-plus dB reduction.

Left: With the Ultra-9 attached, the author experienced about a 50 percent reduction in group size. Using Nosler 140-grain RDF, the group on the left was without the can and was .957 inch. The group on the right was with the can on and was .545 inch.

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AFTER WEEKS OF LOADING AND TESTING VARIOUS HAND-LOADED AMMO, AS WELL AS ALL THE FACTORY AMMO, MY BEST HANDLOADS WERE ABLE TO OUTPERFORM THE FACTORY AMMO ... BUT NOT BY MUCH.

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Handloads versus commercial off-the-shelf ammo

GW-1801-Taurus_Heritage 10/30/17 10:54 AM Page 1

Rough Rider Series Rough Rider rimďŹ re revolvers are authentically crafted and made in the USA. They are available in six and nine-shot options in .22 LR and .22 Mag. Big Bore offerings include .357 Mag and .45 LC.

See our complete line of revolvers and accessories at:

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gun world One thing I really like about this rifle is that it comes from the factory with a 24-inch (1:8-inch twist) fluted barrel that is already threaded for a suppressor. If you are shooting a 6.5 cartridge and plan on doing any long-range work, the 1:8inch twist is ideal, because it stabilizes the longer bullets that have the higher ballistic coefficients needed to go 1,000 yards and beyond. There is plenty to like with this Savage platform, including the AR-15 buttstock and pistol grip that allow you to change them out if you prefer a different style.

LABRADAR If you are serious about reloading and you don’t have a LabRadar unit, do yourself a favor and get one now.

As on all Savage rifles, this one uses the floating bolt head. The floating bolt helps the bolt face align with the bore and keeps the cartridge square to the centerline of the barrel. Another plus is that this model Savage uses the adjustable Accutrigger that allows you to tailor the trigger break to your liking.

After decades of setting up screens in front of the firing line, this unit makes all that a thing of the past. Not only is it safer and faster to set up, it is also more accurate and provides more data than any other chronograph on the market today.

WAS IT WORTH IT?

Simply set it up slightly behind the muzzle of your rifle and off to the side by 6 to 18 inches. Go through the initial setup—and then, fire away. The system operates by saving the shots fired in strings, allowing you to save each loading or ammo type into a different string. Then, each string of shots is saved, along with the individual data of each shot, including average velocity, as well as standard deviation and extreme spread.

After weeks of loading and testing various hand-loaded ammo, plus all the factory ammo, my best handloads were able to outperform the factory ammo ... but not by much. In the data (see the sidebars below and on page 71), I am only reporting the results for the “best” loads I tested, so many of the homebrewed versions were not as good as the factory ammo. Also, you will notice that some of the load data sacrifices velocity for accuracy compared to the name brand ammo.

I highly suggest getting the factory battery pack, because this unit does use up AA batteries in a hurry if you are on the range for very long.

The decision to load your own depends on many factors, and only you can determine which is best for you. If you enjoy reloading and experimentation, you can usually improve the accuracy or velocity (sometimes both) over factory ammo.

But, as my data shows, there are many manufacturers making excellent ammunition suitable for most any application. GW

After a few months of using this device, it is now one of my favorite shooting accessories ever.

Performance Results: Factory Ammunition Ammunition

Velocity (fps)

Best Group^ (inches)

Federal 130-grain Gold Medal Berger

2,914

.748

Federal American Eagle 140-grain OTM

2,658

.481

Nosler Match Grade 140-grain RDF

2,623

.957

Double Tap DT Long-range 14-grain Nosler Accubond

2,638

.781

Double Tap DT Hunter 127-grain Barnes LRX

2,965

1.05

Nosler Match Grade 140-grain HPBT

2,698

1.07

Hornady 147 ELD Match

2,667

.84

Hornady 140 ELD Match

2,745

.815

LabRadar MyLabRadar.com

^Average best group (in inches) of all factory ammunition: .843 NOTES: Velocity was measured using a LabRadar unit and consisted of a five-shot average, measured at the muzzle. Accuracy was the best five-shot group at a distance of 100 yards.

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Performance Results: Hand-Loaded Ammunition Ammunition

Charge (grains)

Bullet

Brass

Primer

Velocity (fps)

Best Group^ (inches)

Hodgdon H4350

40.5

140-grain Berger Hybrid

Lapua

CCI 450

2,607

.673

Hodgdon H4350

41.5*

140-grain Hornady ELD M

Hornady

FED 210M

2,726

.56

Alliant Reloder 16

40.4

140-grain Berger Hybrid

Hornady

FED 210M

2,668

.783

Hodgdon Varget

38.2*

130-grain Hornady ELD M

Hornady

FED 210M

2,782

.475

Hodgdon Varget

38.2*

130-grain Hornady ELD M

Lapua

CCI 450

2,765

.499

VihtaVuori V550

39.7

136-grain Lapua Scenar-L

Lapua

CCI 450

2,719

.488

Hodgdon H4350

39.2

147-grain Hornady ELD M

Hornady

FED 210M

2,553

.56

VihtaVuori V540

40.2

123-grain Lapua Scenar

Lapua

CCI 450

2,966

.431

Hodgdon Varget

38.2

130-grain Berger VLD

Lapua

CCI 450

2,821

.581

*Indicates maximum load

^Average best group (in inches) of all hand-loaded ammunition: .561

NOTES: Velocity was measured using a LabRadar unit and consisted of a five-shot average, measured at the muzzle. Accuracy was the best five-shot group at a distance of 100 yards. The data shown was found to be safe in the author’s rifle when using these exact components.

However, as always, you should start with reduced loads, consult reloading data manuals and work your way up, because each rifle is different.

The substitution of other brands of components will produce different results, such as velocity pressures.

GW-1802-Connecticut Shotgun3 12/4/17 1:39and PM Page 1Neither the author nor Gun World is liable for the use of this data in your rifle.

NOT EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN RELOADING, AND FRANKLY, IT IS A LABOR OF LOVE FOR MOST OF US.

A Long Gun That Handles Like a Handgun.

CONTACT INFORMATION HORNADY MANUFACTURING Hornady.com LAPUA Lapua.com BERGER BULLETS BergerBullets.com DOUBLETAP AMMUNITION DoubleTapAmmo.net NOSLER Nosler.com SAVAGE ARMS SavageArms.com

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Visit us at stdguns.com or call (860) 225-6581. www.gunworld.com

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gun world

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BEN WINSLETT

THE CAFFEINATED WARRIOR

INSTANT COFFEE—NOT AS BAD AS YOU REMEMBER.

N

early every coffee-drinker can remember the first time they had to settle for instant coffee in a pinch. Whether it was finding an old glass jar of black crystals in the back of Grandma’s pantry, going for the envelope of coffee in the MRE accessory packet or trying to find something to fend off jet lag in a foreign country, the outcome was likely the same: After finding a source of hot water and adding the crystals or powder that promised it was just like drinking a fresh cup of Columbian delight, the first sip told you it was all a finely crafted lie.

Smelling the hints of burned asphalt and regret, the hot cup of liquid in front of you was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike coffee. After swilling that horrid cup of liquid that was “coffee” in name only, you swore off instant coffee entirely.

The good news is that you are not alone and that the state of instant coffee has vastly improved in recent years.

The Civil War saw coffee being included in soldiers’ rations, thereby setting the stage for military service being forever linked to coffee consumption. Even today, modern rations include single-serving packets of freezedried coffee.

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... THE STATE OF INSTANT COFFEE HAS VASTLY IMPROVED IN RECENT YEARS.

INVARIABLY LINKED: MILITARY AND INSTANT COFFEE Since Andrew Jackson issued an executive order in October 1832 eliminating U.S. Army liquor rations in favor of coffee and sugar, coffee has been inextricably tied to life in the United States military.

A process developed by the Nestle Corporation in the late 1930s finally gave life to modern instant coffee—instant coffee that was purchased almost exclusively by the U.S. military throughout World War II. This fortuitous joining of instant coffee and U.S. troops has persisted to this day, providing the first encounter with instant coffee by many a young coffee-drinker.

Despite the military’s love affair with instant coffee, most of the instant coffee produced is consumed outside the United States, because nationally, we prefer the fresh-brewed coffee options. In predominantly tea-drinking nations such as the United Kingdom and Australia, instant coffee reigns supreme, comprising over 75 percent of coffee sold in Australia and New Zealand.

Even though the rest of the world might prefer instant, consumption of instant coffee here, in America, has been limited by the availability of fresh-ground coffee and the recent advent of the single-serving fresh-coffee pod.

After the invention of freeze-dried coffee, World War II saw to it that every coffeedrinking serviceman was introduced to it.

Due to the rarity of fresh coffee, even stateside, instant became the go-to solution for the folks back home.

The print ads of the World War II era even touted how simple and convenient making a cup of instant coffee was and how indistinguishable it was from fresh brewed.

Thanks to the wonders of modern science, these claims of quality finally bear fruit.

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gun world Instant coffee enjoys quite a bit more popularity overseas than in the United States. Despite the popularity of instant coffee during the war years, America remains married to fresh coffee.

Field-testing of the “backpack barista” concept fell short when the author was unable to find a barista willing to be stuffed into a backpack, duffle bag, haversack or even a wheeled deployment bag. Similarly, efforts to stuff a standard coffeepot into a bug-out bag were less than successful. Instant coffee packets were found to be far superior in portability and convenience.

That said, when it comes down to disasters and other contingency events, options for getting a caffeine fix are limited, and contingency planning is where instant coffee options become important for coffee-drinkers like me.

As a technical professional, my coffee consumption is frequently measured in pots per day. So, when considering the contents of my range bag and hunting loadout, my thoughts turned to trying to find the best options out there for when trying to stuff a barista in a bug-out bag is not a viable option.

SEARCHING FOR OPTIONS After rounding up as many single-serving instant coffees as I was able to locate in supermarkets, big box retailers, all-natural

grocery stores and Internet retailers, I have thankfully found that the instant coffee industry has made dramatic improvement in quality and drinkability.

When space and weight are at a premium, single-serving instant coffee shines. A pouch of coffee singles, a simple isobutane burner and a titanium GI mess kit from Heavy Cover (HeavyCoverInc.com) shrink an entire coffee counter down to a canteen and admin pouch.

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Most single-serving instant coffees are packaged in foil-lined plastic tubes that are easy to pack in bug-out bags, toss in an admin pouch or stash in a vehicle glove box. The typical foil sachet contains a single portion of instant coffee powder or crystals to be dissolved in 6 to 8 ounces of water. The two notable exceptions to the sachet packaging are the Serengeti Tea Company’s Sunset Roast, a sachet-sized filter stick that is stirred into hot water, and the Jiva Cube offerings that are, as the name suggests, compressed cubes.

... DO NOT LET PAST EXPERIENCES CLOUD YOUR JUDGMENT WHEN IT COMES TO REACHING FOR INSTANT COFFEE TO INCLUDE IN YOUR BUG-OUT BAG OR ADMIN POUCH.

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STOPS THE THREAT FROM ENTERING.

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wood, concrete, tile and carpet • Great for single or double entry doors

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gun world The product-testing for this article was exhaustive, drawing from decades of extensive coffee-drinking experience. And, to assure the reader, there was much science performed to yield these purely subjective results. The reader is invited and implored to reproduce for themselves the results presented in this article.

INSTANT COFFEE PRODUCTION The way the instant coffee is produced influences the quality of the reconstituted coffee as much as the choice of beans going into the process. There are three primary methods of instant coffee production: spray drying, freeze drying and microgrinding.

The earliest method of instant coffee mass production was spray drying. The coffee bean was roasted, ground and made into an industrial vat-sized cup of coffee. That vat was then sprayed through atomizer nozzles into a drying column to evaporate the water in the coffee and produce a fine power that was further milled in later stages to produce a uniform powder. Many of the oils contained in a fresh cup of coffee were lost in the process, resulting in a reconstituted cup of coffee that was, in terms of quality, far from fresh.

Right: The microground coffee (top), freeze-dried coffee (middle) and spraydried coffee (bottom) all are immediately identifiable by their respective textures. The variety in coffee texture comes as a result of their differing methods of production. These production methods can all produce a drinkable instant coffee.

producing shiny, black crystals. As with the spray-drying process, a great deal was lost in translation from freshbrewed to reconstituted coffee.

In the 1960s, the freeze-drying process became a viable method of instant coffee production. That same industrial vat of coffee was cryogenically frozen, placed in a vacuum chamber and the liquid sublimated from the coffee,

Finally, in the last decade, the caffeinated powers that be devised yet another method of instant coffee production that faithfully reproduces the fresh coffee that goes into the process: microgrinding. However, because the folks at Starbucks and Folgers Fresh Breaks are tight-lipped about how they produce their coffees, the world may never know.

SHELF LIFE CONSIDERATIONS As the instant coffee currently issued in United States military rations, Taster’s Choice served as both the benchmark against which modern instant coffee should be evaluated. A large number of service members can point to Taster’s Choice as their first exposure to instant coffee.

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Despite what many might believe, instant coffee does come with a shelf life. And, among the different types of instant coffee, the best-by date on the single-serving sachets range from around two years for the freeze-dried and spray-dried varieties to a year for the microground. Taking the nearly universal disdain for instant coffee in America into account, your instant coffee might only have about six months of shelf life before hitting the best-by date on the packet, so examine

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closely if the coffee is going to be stuffed into range bags or other out-of-the-way places.

nonetheless. In a similar comparison of Taster’s Choice freezedried coffee, however, the coffee packet retrieved from an MRE of unknown age and dubious provenance was indistinguishable from freshly purchased. That is not to say it was pleasant or desirable, given the higher-quality alternatives, but the taste did not seem similarly affected after age, rough handling and heat.

Not putting much stock in a manufacturer’s best-by date, I compared newly purchased Starbucks microground French roast coffee with the same coffee more than three and a half years past the best-by date. In a blind side-by-side taste test, the expired coffee was noticeably different from the fresh in To really get a feel for what is on the market, I taste-tested both flavor and bouquet. The expired coffee was drinkable, and more than GW-1802-Redding Reloading 11/15/17 9:20 20 AMdifferent Page 1 instant coffees. The results were the flavor was not the least bit off-putting, but it was different, encouraging: While there were still the instant coffee options

The odd duck of the instant coffee singleserving format was the offering from Jiva Cubes. Tossing aside the conventional notion of freeze-dried crystals, the Jiva Cube offering resembles a bouillon cube. Raw sugar added as a binder was a welcome addition to this quality offering.

Because a lot of science was used to produce these test specimens, there was at least cursory consideration given to the scientific rigor of evaluating the modern instant coffee offerings.

Despite the author’s use of test tubes, beakers and molecular models, Scientific American has declined to feature his research on this compelling topic. For taste-testing, each coffee was prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions (although some of the harsher offerings benefitted from additional water).

The author confined testing to single-serving, unflavored, black instant coffee; however, a few flavored and all-in-one offerings snuck in to the testing. He would have been remiss not to include these options as “honorable mention” coffees.

The flavored Jiva Cube coffees were all fantastic and subtle.

The Trader Joe’s coffee and identical Korean Maxim packets included coffee, creamer and sugar, producing a fantastic option for those who prefer a sweeter cup of coffee.

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gun world convenience of their pocket. Coffees in this category are easily found for under 25 cents per serving:

so many of us remember from years past, innovation in the market has produced some coffees that are indistinguishable from fresh brewed.

Taster’s Choice French Roast $ Café Bustelo $ Taster’s Choice House Blend $

But, because coffee preference is so subjective, instead of ranking each different instant coffee offering individually, I’ve grouped them to allow the discerning caffeine connoisseur to focus their efforts in exploring the new instant coffees out there.

LARGELY INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM FRESH BREWED “Is it real, or is it Memorex?” These coffees are the best that science can provide in instant, single-serving packets. These coffees are rich and flavorful, with only a passing suggestion that it could be anything but fresh brewed. Coffees in this category are where the discerning coffee-loving prepper should begin their exploration. These coffees range in price from under 25 cents to over $1.25 per serving. In this list, these single-serve coffees get more expensive as you go from top to bottom:

“COFFEE” IN NAME ONLY As the name suggests, these coffees bear only a passing resemblance to fresh brewed. This category is typified by a harsh chemical flavor with undertones of regret! This is most definitely the instant coffee you remember from yesteryear.

Thankfully, these offerings let you know right away that the packet contains “classic” formulations of instant coffee (for those who yearn for nostalgia). Coffees in this category are easily found for under 25 cents per serving:

Taster’s Choice Columbian $ Safeway Select House Blend $ Folgers Fresh Breaks Black Silk $$ Serengeti Sunset Roast $$ Hula Girl 100% Kona $$ Mulvadi 100% Kona $$ Jacobs Krönung Gold $$$ Starbucks Columbian $$$$ Starbucks Italian Roast $$$$ Jiva Classic Strong $$$$$ Jiva Black Dark Roast $$$$$

Taster’s Choice Original $ Nescafé Clasico $ Folgers Classic Roast $

WORTH TRYING These are a distinct step up from what you are likely to remember. There is no doubt you are drinking instant coffee, but it is still a passable cup of coffee. This category is characterized by a hint of chemical aftertaste but offers a rather rich and satisfying cup of coffee. These offerings allow anyone to carry a courthouse coffee machine in the

HONORABLE MENTION

... WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO DISASTERS AND OTHER CONTINGENCY EVENTS, OPTIONS FOR GETTING A CAFFEINE FIX ARE LIMITED, AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING IS WHERE INSTANT COFFEE OPTIONS BECOME IMPORTANT FOR COFFEE-DRINKERS ... www.gunworld.com

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I only set out to look at the most basic, black, single-serving instant coffees out there, but I got so wrapped up in snapping up any instant coffee I could get my hands on that a few flavored coffees slipped in. I think it would be a disservice to all coffeedrinkers to omit these from the results. The real high-water mark is the Korean Maxim three-in-one coffee. Available at Korean markets and from Amazon.com in 100-count bags, they are a super-cheap and tasty coffee, even for those who typically drink only black coffee. The Trader Joe’s offering is indistinguishable from the Maxim and is available in Trader Joe’s stores nationwide.

For the discerning instant coffee-drinkers, the offerings from Jiva (available at JivaCubes.com) offer premium Columbian coffee that is delicious, as well as fair trade, vegan, glutenfree, non-GMO—and likely cage-free, cruelty-free and freerange, to boot! The Maxim and Trader Joe’s offerings are fairly inexpensive per serving, but the three Jiva coffees are quite expensive per serving: Maxim Original Coffee/Cream and Sugar Added $ Trader Joe’s Coffee/Cream and Sugar Added $ Jiva Hazelnut $$$$$ Jiva Mocha $$$$$ Jiva Caramel $$$$$

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As varied as the options are, no matter what instant coffee you choose, there’s something to be said about the quintessentially American experience of drinking hot coffee out of a metal canteen cup when outdoors. So, don’t leave the coffee out when packing an emergency bag, grabbing stuff for a trip to the range or even wondering what you need to put in those impossibly tiny pockets in a laptop bag.

In short, do not let past experiences cloud your judgment when it comes to reaching for instant coffee to include in your bug-out bag or admin pouch. When a fresh pot of coffee might be impossible or impractical, take a look at some of the new and very drinkable offerings that have made their way onto the market.

Your inner caffeine fiend will thank you. GW

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EVERYDAY CARRY

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW

The MantisX allows you to practice live-fire drills outside or dry-fire drills inside while tracking your progress over time. It mounts easily to any handgun with a rail—in this case, a Ruger American Compact in .45ACP.

EVALUATE YOUR CARRY I READINESS

THE MANTISX KEEPS YOU HONEST ABOUT YOUR SHOOTING ABILITIES. t does no good to make the same mistakes over and over.

If you’re going to carry a gun, you’d better know how to use it. That requires repetition of both handling skills and tactical drills. There’s no substitute for training with a qualified instructor, but there are some things you can do on your own to make sure you’re not reinforcing bad habits.

One very good training aid—and one of the easiest to use—is the MantisX. This unit consists of a device you attach to the rail of your handgun or rifle and an app you download to your smart phone.

The device comes in its own sturdy, little Pelican case and retails for a suggested $149.99. Also included is a USB cord to recharge

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ENDLESS SHOOTING PRACTICE WITHOUT HAVING A CLUE WHAT YOU MIGHT BE DOING WRONG IS A WASTE OF AMMO—AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, BAD HABITS ARE REINFORCED OVER TIME.

your bullets—were headed. You receive a score up to 100 for the entire string average, too.

So, what are you doing wrong, and how do you fix it? You can touch the chart on the screen where your digital “hits” are impacting, and the app will tell you the likely problem with your shooting form and offer suggestions for how to correct it. For instance, if your hits are consistently at the 6 o’clock position, the app will indicate that most likely, your wrists are too relaxed and that you’re pulling the gun downward as you pull the trigger.

If you have the app set to “Bullseye” mode (done in the “Advanced” settings), the movement of your muzzle from three seconds before your shot to one second after your shot will be traced. An “X” will mark the spot of your hit. This will show how steady you are in

the unit. The app is free, which is good, because as the company updates it, you can make sure you always have the version with the latest features.

2

1

Operation is simple: Mount the unit on your gun and turn it on.

Open the app on your phone and hit “connect.” Enter the make and model of your firearm and a few other specifics, and you’re ready to train. Choose the drill you want and hit “start.” Just so there’s no misunderstanding: During live-fire drills, you’re shooting at a target downrange and not at your smart phone (no matter how tempting that idea might be at times).

SOME OF YOUR TRAINING OPTIONS Open Training. With this session, it’s basic target practice. You shoot at your own pace, untimed, any number of shots you wish.

Benchmark. You fire 10 rounds at your own pace. You’re not shooting against the clock; however, besides your score, the unit will also log how long you took between shots. This is a good one to use at each training session to gauge your improvement on the fundamentals.

Timed Benchmark. Set the unit to five, eight or 10 shots. At the sound of the buzzer, shoot that number of rounds as fast as you can. You’re being timed to see how fast you can do it, but the unit is still grading you on what your muzzle’s doing. So, the object is to maintain a good sight picture and trigger control—sound fundamentals—while under the pressure of the clock.

Compressed, Surprised Break. In this drill, you start with the firearm on target. At the sound of the buzzer, you fire one shot as quickly as you can. Then, get set for the next buzzer. Electronic ear muffs are the way to go if you want to hear the buzzer.

Reloads and Other Drills. The MantisX also has timed speed reload and tactical reload drills. In addition, there are sessions that allow you to track your progress shooting while using your primary or support hand only.

CRITICAL FEEDBACK How do you find out how you did? The app records the movement of your muzzle through your trigger pull for each shot you fire and grades your efforts, with a top score of 100 for each shot.

When you’re done with a string of shots, the screen shows a circular, target-like chart of where your muzzle—and therefore,

1. The MantisX app gives you feedback for both individual shots and entire strings of shots, with a score of 100 being the maximum. Touch any of the areas where you’re getting “hits,” and it will give you feedback on possible problems and how to fix them.

3

2. By touching any of the areas where you’re getting “hits” or by going to the “Learn” menu, you will get feedback on possible problems and how to fix them.

3. In the “Bullseye” mode, the MantisX traces the path of your muzzle before and after your shot.

... AS YOU PROGRESS, YOU CAN SET GOALS FOR YOURSELF AND BE REWARDED

BY SEEING YOUR SCORES INCREASE AND YOUR TIMES DECREASE.

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EVERYDAY CARRY

keeping your sights on target as you go through the firing process.

With the MantisX, all your shooting sessions are saved in the “History” menu. If you log in when opening the app, you can also upload your sessions to that vague cyberspace destination called “the Cloud,” where you can access your training history on any of your other devices.

The “Settings” menu allows you to choose your weapon and whether it will be a liveor dry-fire session, along with other options.

DRY FIRE, TOO

Hey, it’s much more pleasurable than having a firearms instructor at the police academy scream at you to stop mashing the trigger! GW CONTACT INFORMATION

I found that the app picks up the trigger pull the most consistently when the phone is placed slightly forward of the unit on the gun, such as on the bench or table in front of you.

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Endless shooting practice without having a clue what you might be doing wrong is a waste of ammo—and, more importantly, bad habits are reinforced over time. The MantisX offers helpful feedback on your shooting fundamentals. And, as you progress, you can set goals for yourself and be rewarded by seeing your scores increase and your times decrease.

You can use the MantisX to train casually or under the pressure of the clock. You can use it for live-fire drills at the range or when dry-firing at home.

There will always be times you can spare a few minutes to train but can’t make it to the range. Because the MantisX is monitoring your muzzle movement and not where your bullets are actually hitting, you can use the device for dry-fire training, too. Just switch to “Dry Fire” mode in the settings menu to adjust the unit’s sensitivity, and everything else works the same.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

MANTIS MantisX.com

Steven Paul Barlow is a retired sergeant/station commander and former firearms instructor with the New York State Police. He has been writing on outdoor topics for more than 30 years and has served as the editor for a number of Engaged Media special publications, including Gunslingers.

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TRAIN

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS CERINO

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT WHEN A CONTACT SHOT IS YOUR BEST OPTION

Pressing the muzzle into the attacker will help you control shot placement to end the attack fast.

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T

he street is a poor place to improvise, and making a contact shot—pressing the muzzle of your gun into the attacker—for the first time during the actual moment of need can set you into a storm of consequences you haven’t properly prepared for.

This is part one of a two-part series on contact shots designed to first take your mind to where it might never have been so that the body will find enough familiarity to follow.

Close-quarters battle (CQB) can get closer than you might have ever imagined. When a hand-to-hand fight turns deadly and you need to employ your firearm, a contact shot might be your best p

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tactic. However, if you haven’t thought about it—and trained for it—you might never even get the chance.

used to defend someone else who is getting violently assaulted.

For example, when a victim is struggling against an attacker— rolling around on the ground, constantly changing positions, arms flailing—shooting at the bad guy from a distance is not a good idea and certainly not likely to be easy. There’s a risk of missing the bad guy and hitting the victim. Pressing the muzzle into the attacker and making the contact shot takes away that risk.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to have trained with some great folks in some of the best facilities in our country. Forceon-force simulations and close-in fighting have always been a part of that training.

These days, as a citizen who carries a gun just about all the time, I am always concerned that my gun might be needed in a confrontation measured in an inch or under, not feet or yards.

Getting my gun out and on target with a bad guy piled up on me, delivering haymaker blows, is something I want to be prepared for.

To complicate the matter even further, think about over-penetration: Depending on how you, the bad guy and the victim line up, the

There are some who say, for a variety of reasons, that you shouldn’t jam your muzzle into anything. However, pressing a gun into a bad guy and firing is a great way to deliver a wellaimed shot to target areas likely to stop a lethal attack. But thoughts of knocking the slide out of battery or plugging the muzzle come to mind and are precisely why this needs to be a trained tactic in order to develop proper techniques.

CONTACT SHOTS AND THE RISKS INVOLVED A contact shot doesn’t have to be a last-ditch effort. Sure, you might need it in a violent hand-to-hand fight with someone you’re incapable of fighting off. However, it can also be a tactic

Contact shots with a semiauto involve an extra step. If your support hand is free, you can use it to hold your slide in battery when making the contact shot.

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GETTING MY GUN OUT AND ON TARGET WITH A BAD GUY PILED UP ON ME, DELIVERING HAYMAKER BLOWS, IS SOMETHING I WANT TO BE PREPARED FOR.

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TRAIN slippery, and it will most likely be present at some point in the confrontation: If it’s not your blood before the contact shot, it will be your assailant’s blood after the shot. Slick blood, bone chips and torn clothes can all make taking a shot very difficult. I’ve spoken to officers who couldn’t get the guns out of their own holsters because they had been cut, and their blood was so slippery.

GUN CHOICE AND TRAINING It’s probably safe to assume that a great majority of concealedcarry permit-holders carry semiautomatics. I personally alternate between carrying a revolver or a semiauto from time to time. A revolver doesn’t have a slide that could get pushed out of battery while pressed against the target as does a semiauto, and it’s far less likely to malfunction, because it doesn’t have a reciprocating slide.

The type of gun you carry definitely factors in to how you train.

One example is an extra step that might need to be taken with a semiauto: When making the contact shot with a semiauto, if your support hand is free, you might need to use it to hold the slide in battery when taking the shot.

By learning how to deliver contact shots, you can also learn to defend against them. In the words of philosopher Sun Tzu, “Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.”

Knowing how your particular gun works—as well as the workings of others—while keeping your gun functioning under less-than-optimal circumstances is half the battle. Knowledge is power, and knowing what causes your gun not to work can keep your gun in the game. It can also help you take an assailant’s gun out of the game. GW

bullet could travel through the bad guy and hit the victim. No one wants to unintentionally harm the person they are trying to protect.

There are other concerns besides hitting the wrong target. A specific location on your threat needs to be hit in order to obtain an end to the assault. With contact shots, you generally only get one at a time, because malfunctions are likely. Head, upper chest and large bone structures, such as hips and shoulders, are good target areas ... if you can pull it off.

A rear choke hold can render you unconscious in a matter of seconds.

Reach back, press the muzzle into your attacker’s hips, and fire.

There is an important factor in the close-proximity confrontations in which contact shots would be used: blood. Blood is very

ABOUT THE AUTHOR www.gunworld.com

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WHEN A HANDTO-HAND FIGHT TURNS DEADLY AND YOU NEED TO EMPLOY YOUR FIREARM, A CONTACT SHOT MIGHT BE YOUR BEST TACTIC.

Chris Cerino is a 25-year law enforcement and training professional. He competes in shooting sports to validate his skills. Chris writes on the topic of training and can be seen on a variety of TV shows.

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QUICK SHOT

TEXT BY ROBB MANNING

MGM TARGETS: BANGING STEEL P aper targets are great, but that can get boring after a while, even for the most dedicated shooter. Nothing is as fun as hitting steel targets, and few things are more satisfying as squeezing the trigger, the gun firing, then … wait for it …. wait for it … that sound of lead hitting steel. That’s music to the ears—like the sound of the Liberty Bell.

I’ve been to several shooting events at which I got to shoot on MGM Targets steel, and I haven’t found any other targets that are of higher quality. I’ve shot this manufacturer’s poppers, dueling trees, hex targets and my favorite, the plate rack.

It’s always easy to tell an MGM target: The plates are cut as hexagons, just like MGM’s logo.

colt speed plate. To put together the 10-inch Steel Challenge, stick a 2x4 in the post-holder, slide the hook cap over the top of the 2x4, and hang the 10-inch Steel Challenger plate on the hook. It’s ready to go. The autopopper stakes to the ground and pops back up after each shot—no need to reset it. It’s $190.

The Steel Challenge Plate Rack Set fits conveniently in a bucket for portability—great for those who don’t have their own property and need to transport their gear to different locations.

CONTACT INFORMATION MGM TARGETS MGMTargets.com

MADE TOUGH There are a lot of great steel targets on the market, but a couple of things set MGM Targets’ products apart. First: the quality of steel.

These targets use true 3/8-inch AR500 steel that’s guaranteed 495 or higher on the Brinnel scale. Second: They don’t use welds, bolts, rivets or brackets on areas affected by the shock of the impact, such as the target and post. These can crack or break, thereby damaging the target and leading to possible splatter.

MGM’s targets are made tough for competition and professional shooters, and they also have a line for sportsmen that is priced to get more people shooting on their own steel targets.

One such product is the Steel Challenge plate rack—aka, “a plate rack in a bucket.” It includes two beam hangers (heavy-duty AR500 steel hangers to which you add 2x4s; it’s essentially building a sawhorse), six hooks you slide onto the vertical 2x4 beam and six hex targets you hang on the hooks.

I have been using MGM’s targets for well over a year, and they’re good gear. MGM Targets is also a family-owned company, and everyone works hard to take care of their customers. In addition, they have steel targets for everyone: $2,000-plus premium targets for professional or competition shooters down to the $200–$300 sportsman’s targets for everyone else. GW

The Steel Challenge plate rack sets up like a six-plate rack, with no need to reset it by walking downrange or pulling a rope.

MGM’S TARGETS ARE MADE TOUGH FOR COMPETITION AND PROFESSIONAL SHOOTERS, AND THEY ALSO HAVE A LINE FOR SPORTSMEN THAT IS PRICED TO GET MORE PEOPLE SHOOTING ON THEIR OWN STEEL TARGETS.

Simply shoot the targets and have fun. There’s no rope to pull to reset the rack; nor do you have to go downrange to reset anything.

Just shoot. Setup doesn’t require any tools—just three 8-foot 2x4s. You cut two of them in half for the four legs, and the other is left as is for the horizontal beam.

GOOD GEAR, REASONABLE COST The MSRP on this is set at $449, but MGM usually has it for $299, delivered. Yes, that includes the delivery of a 55-pound bucket filled with a plate rack. It’s a good deal. Aside from the price, the best part is how portable it is: It can be set up and taken down anywhere.

MGM also offers a starter kit that includes two targets: the 10-inch steel challenge set (plate and post holder), plus the autopopper www.gunworld.com

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preps

BY BRIAN MORRIS

HOW TO PREPARE FOR SPRINGTIME FLOODING STEPS YOU CAN TAKE NOW TO PREPARE FOR THE DANGERS OF THE SPRING THAW

A

Avoid walking through flooded areas: Live power lines, currents and unknown depths are always hazards.

(Photo: simm18pl, GettyImages)

multiple gallons of water that, by way of gravity, will follow the path of least resistance downhill. Because much of the ground below the surface is still frozen, the water produced from the melted snow is unable to seep into the ground. As a result, instead of being absorbed by the earth below it, a great volume of water runs down until it reaches streams, creeks, rivers and lakes.

If you live in a home prone to floods, you should have an evacuation plan in place and an emergency bag packed at all times. (Photo: Mori Hodel/EyeEm, GettyImages)

When swelling water spills over onto low-lying ground, it causes severe flooding, and it puts humans at the greatest risk of being affected by the springtime thaw. Add the spring weather, which tends to be quite wet and stormy, and you can have a recipe for disaster if you are not careful.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) notes that flooding causes more damage in the United States

s the winter ice and snow begin to melt, the sound of birds singing returns, and the animals begin to poke their heads out of their burrows. It is clear that spring is in the air.

While this is an excellent time to enjoy nature, whether in the privacy of your backyard or if you take to the open road to enjoy the great outdoors, there is one thing you should take into consideration: flooding caused by the springtime thaw.

RECIPE FOR DISASTER Warmer temperatures cause the surface of the snow and ice to melt. Each cubic foot of highly compacted snow contains www.gunworld.com

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than any other weather-related event. According to NOAA, flooding causes more than $8 billion in property damage and kills more than 90 people annually. For instance, in 2009, the village of Eagle, Alaska, was virtually destroyed by a flood of the Yukon River caused by an unusually warm springtime thaw.

DANGERS OF MOVING WATER

Do not be discouraged! All this data should not keep you from going outside or living in areas prone to flooding. You already have the best weapon to use against the possible dangers associated with the thaw: your mind. The best thing you can do to prepare and avoid these hazards is just use a little common sense.

WHEN IT COMES TO FLOODING, HIGHER GROUND IS ALWAYS GOOD.

Do not drive through or across flooded roads, because your vehicle can easily be swept away by moving floodwaters. (Photo: catnap72, GettyImages)

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Never walk in moving water if you are not certain of the depth of the water or the strength of the current.

It takes just 6 inches of water to knock a grown man off his feet and sweep him away. If you absolutely must walk through water, use a stick to check the depth of the water in front of you.

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preps

BE AWARE OF OTHER HAZARDS CREATED BY FLASH FLOODING: SINKHOLES, MUD SLIDES AND DOWNED POWER LINES.

TIPS TO STAY ALIVE Try following these simple tips to stay safe during the springtime thaw: Avoid low-lying roads when traveling through potential flood plains.

Do not attempt to cross through flooded portions of the road; it is not possible to know how deep the water is.

Never attempt to ford a completely flooded road with a vehicle or on foot. Water is one of the most powerful forces on Earth. It takes only 12 inches of rushing water to carry away a car, and 2 feet can carry away most larger vehicles.

Be aware of other hazards created by flash flooding: sinkholes, mud slides and downed power lines.

Keep sandbags and other water barriers on hand if you live in a low-lying area prone to flooding.

Prior to the spring thaw, check to ensure your drainage system is open and free of clogs.

Create a plan to put into action in the event of a flood and when/how to evacuate safely. Make sure you have a bug-out bag ready to go with everything you need in the event you have to pick up and leave quickly. Don’t forget your important documents and medications.

If you live in a floodplain, it is a smart idea to keep on hand

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

It is always smart to keep a small boat or raft on hand if you live in an area prone to flooding. (Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

a personal flotation device and even a small boat or raft to assist during catastrophic events.

In the event of a flash flood, if you are in your car, open the windows and take off your seat belt immediately. Be prepared to exit your vehicle as soon as it is safe or when emergency personnel arrive to assist you.

Never walk in moving water. Just 6 inches of water can sweep you off your feet.

If you live in an area where flooding is likely, be sure to pay attention to flood warnings in your area coming from TV, radio and the Internet. You should know that a “flood watch” means that flooding is possible and that a “flood warning” means flooding is imminent.

When it comes to flooding, higher ground is always good.

If flooding is imminent, turn off the main power breaker in your home and unplug all appliances.

As you can see, a little information can go a long way toward being prepared. So, now that you are armed with many good tips to keep you safe during the springtime thaw, get out there and enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer—knowing you have the knowledge to keep yourself and your family safe from harm.

For more information, visit FloodSafety.NOAA.gov. GW

Brian Morris is a retired Army Special Forces master sergeant with more than 25 years of active-duty experience. He is a former Special Forces weapons sergeant with multiple combat tours in the global war on terrorism. Morris is also an avid hunter, fisherman, outdoor enthusiast and self-proclaimed “prepper.” He is the author of two books: The Green Beret Pocket Guide (www.brianmorrispersonalprotectionsolutions.com) and his newly published book, Spec Ops Shooting (www.SpecOpsShooting.com).

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CLEARED HOT

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BRIAN BERRY

If getting stable while incurring stress is an issue, look for a stable platform to steady yourself until you can bring your stress level down. (Photo: Daniel Grill, Getty Images)

T STRESSED

OUT! TRAINING DRILLS FOR TAKING STRESS OUT OF THE DEFENSIVE EQUATION www.gunworld.com

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here is no denying that stress is a killer. The stress most often referred to is “chronic” stress, where the difficulties of life just continue to compound on you until it becomes too much for your heart or other vital organs.

What I want to cover is a different type of stress—stress that is equally as deadly in the wrong situation. This stress is commonly referred to as “acute,” or “short-term,” stress and is the body’s reaction to a situation that is demanding or dangerous.

TRAIN REALISTICALLY My guess is that most of our readers do not train for stressful situations. Their training regimen consists of going to the local range, firing off a few boxes of ammo—hoping for some decent groups on target—and then calling it a day.

Then, there is the small percentage of gun owners who actually train for real-world scenarios. They draw from the holster, they seek cover, they shoot at targets in depth and laterally.

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TRAINING DRILLS

An even smaller percentage of shooters add induced stress into their training so they can understand the effects that stress will have on their shooting ability and how best to counteract those changes to their non-stress shooting.

In the first set of drills, set two targets up 7 to 10 yards from the shooting line and approximately 6 to 8 feet apart. From the shooting line, walk back 25 yards and mark another line. We will call this the “fitness line.”

FOUR POISONS In his book, Deep Survival, Laurence Gonzales talks about avoiding the “four poisons of the mind”—fear, confusion, hesitation and surprise. In a real-life situation, a normal person will experience one or more of these. Survival depends on how you react to each—or, better yet, how you train to avoid the point of indecision.

While facing the target—with your gun secure in a holster—turn to the rear and run to the fitness line. Once there (depending on your fitness level), do either 25 pushups or 25 jumping jacks.

When finished, run back to the firing line and fire five rounds into each target, alternating the target you are shooting at. Don’t forget to scan for additional threats.

The “fight or flight” response is real. Most will respond in a similar manner, such as rising blood pressure, the heart pounding, and constriction of both large and small muscle groups. Even worse is what could happen to you externally. You might become overly emotional or shut down to your surroundings. In extreme cases, you might experience tunnel vision, a loss of color vision or possible hearing loss.

The next drill starts with the range set up the same. During this iteration, as you run back to the fitness line, you will be carrying weighted objects. Dumbbells work best, but you could also use

At its best, stress can excite and invigorate. But at its worst, stress can destroy your will to fight back. Recognizing how you react to stress can help you combat the symptoms.

The ideal heart rate for good performance is between 115 and 145 beats per minute (bpm). At this range, complex motor skills and visual and cognitive reaction speed are at their best. In order to reach a level to train your stress response, you would need to either drop your heart rate or increase it. For our purposes, we will work to increase it above the 145 beats.

In difficult situations, don’t stand in the open—you want to use available cover to protect yourself.

Therefore, you should train that way. (Photo: Onfokus, Getty Images)

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A LITTLE STRESS CAN BE A GOOD THING, BUT TOO MUCH COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE.

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CLEARED HOT sandbags, cinder blocks or cut logs. The object needs to be heavy enough to accomplish the point of the drill, which is to cause muscular stress or muscle constriction.

Once you reach the fitness line, lift the object above your head 10 times and then carry it back to the firing line. Once again, fire five rounds on each target, alternating targets between shots. And, once again, don’t forget to scan for additional threats.

Just being followed in a less-than-secure area is enough to stress many people.

Avoiding these areas is a start, but training for difficult scenarios can reduce the stress you feel when confronted.

(Photo: PeopleImages, Getty Images)

As you are training via these drills, you should allow enough time between iterations for your heart rate to drop below at least 145 bpm.

Do three sets of each of these drills; you can alternate the drills, as well. By the second or third set, you should begin to see loss of some motor skills and possibly some other stress side effects.

BREATHE! Now that you are “stressed out,” we need to work on what you can do to combat these effects while they are happening.

The easiest is to ... breathe! It seems like a silly thing to say, but when you are stressed, your breathing can become erratic and cause other functions in your body to react. Try to take deep breaths and count “1-2-3-4” as you breathe in and out. It will force you to take slower, deliberate breaths. You must use deep abdominal breathing. With abdominal breathing, you initially expand your abdomen as you breathe in, instead of expanding your chest.

It is advised that you do not do this alone and that you monitor your vitals for any abnormalities. I also recommend that you get the OK from your doctor if you are not in peak health.

TRAINING TIP:

STAY CALM Two other tips: First, try to remain calm, and trust your training.

Second, as you go through your everyday routine, imagine that during any given situation, something bad is going down—the “what if?” scenario.

KEEPING THE SIGHTS ON THE TARGET DURING STRESS

For instance, you are sitting at a traffic light, and someone breaks in your window in an attempted carjacking. What would you do?

Run through the scenario in your mind, identify your flaws, and train on them next time you are at the range.

During a stressful situation, keeping the sights on the threat might prove more difficult than you would hope for.

Another example: You are sitting at home in your favorite recliner, watching a game. Imagine that someone suddenly breaks in through your front door. Are you prepared?

One easy way to combat this is to select a stable shooting platform. Whether you have a rifle, shotgun or handgun, getting stable is just a platform away. It could be a street post, window ledge, car hood or other expedient method to rest on to get stable. Pay attention to distance from barrel to sight so that you don’t shoot through your platform.

NEVER STOP TRAINING Regardless of whether you use these drills or come up with your own, you need to be prepared. Help is often too far away to assist you; and, even if it gets to you in time, the stress you suffer could be long lasting if you haven’t prepared for it.

The other method is to use a laser to get on the threat. It doesn’t require the fine motor skills that looking through sights does, and it can also intimidate your threat.

Don’t let stress build up from everyday activities. It will only compound during a defensive scenario, and that could lead to something catastrophic. A little stress can be a good thing, but too much could cost you your life. GW Brian Berry is a retired Army Special Forces Command sergeant major. He is a former Special Forces weapons sergeant and has multiple combat tours under his belt. Brian is the co-founder of Spartan Defensive Concepts, at which he teaches concealed carry and defensive marksmanship courses. Brian retired in 2014 and is now a consultant currently working for the Special Operations community, as well as a senior instructor for American Survival Guide University.

about the author www.gunworld.com

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Chewing the Fat

LEVER GUNS

N

o other rifle action in existence is more American than the lever-action. While bolt guns and semiautomatics win in popularity with today’s shooters in the United States, the lever gun still has a large following. No other rifle action drips with the history of 19th-century America as does the lever-action.

There are some generalities about lever guns that merit discussion: reliability and accuracy. It is true that leveraction rifles are more complicated than bolt guns—and maybe even semiautomatics.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

LEVER GUNS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR OVER A CENTURY, EVEN PREDATING MANY OF THE SINGLESHOT RIFLES OF THE 19TH CENTURY.

A bolt-action rifle is about as simple as a repeater can be, and the mechanics of even a semiauto are pretty simple.

A traditional lever-action has to be timed perfectly to www.gunworld.com

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JEFF QUINN

AS AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE AND BASEBALL

accomplish firing, ejection and feeding a cartridge from a tubular magazine without something going wrong.

A good example is the Winchester Model 94 I own. It is chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, which is a dandy cartridge when fired from a rifle-length barrel. Even better is the .357 Maximum cartridge. The Model 94 action is plenty long enough to handle the extra length of the .357 Maximum cartridge, so I figured the .357 Max in that handy carbine would be an ideal lever gun.

Not so simple. That little rifle has been to four of the top gunsmiths in the nation, with each trying to get the rifle to feed reliably. So far, none was successful. It feeds .357 Magnum cartridges flawlessly, but the longer Maximums will not feed. The timing is off.

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As for bolt-action rifles being more accurate, there is truth to that also. While a good lever gun can be very accurate, most will not perform on par with a bolt gun. I have some lever guns that are very accurate, and every lever gun I own is accurate enough. But if I had to grab a new gun off the rack and bet on its accuracy, I would grab one of the modern, relatively inexpensive boltaction rifles that are now on the market.

Still, as mentioned, lever guns are plenty accurate enough to accomplish their intended tasks—primarily hunting. In the field, while I admire an accurate rifle, a gun that is capable of placing shots in a tight, 1-inch cluster at 100 yards is really wasted on me, because I have at least a 4-inch wobble simply standing on my hind legs like a human being, especially firing at a moving target while attempting to catch my breath and gain my footing on the side of a hill. At that point, the weak link in the accuracy equation is usually the hunter. However, the record for the tightest group I ever fired was held for many years by a Savage Model 99 chambered in .358 Winchester.

LEVER-ACTION BACKGROUND Lever guns have been around for over a century, even predating many of the single-shot rifles of the 19th century. The earliest were the Hunt and the Jennings rifles, but the first to gain any success were the lever-action rifles made by Smith & Wesson in the 1850s. This “Volcanic

Repeater” would later be the initial design for the Henry and the earliest Winchesters.

... WHILE I ADMIRE AN ACCURATE RIFLE, A GUN THAT IS CAPABLE OF PLACING SHOTS IN A TIGHT, 1-INCH CLUSTER AT 100 YARDS IS REALLY WASTED ON ME, BECAUSE I HAVE AT LEAST A 4-INCH WOBBLE SIMPLY STANDING ON MY HIND LEGS LIKE A HUMAN BEING ...

Others who contributed greatly to the success of the lever gun in America were Nelson King, John Browning, John Marlin and Arthur Savage. King invented the side loading gate through which the magazine could be easily loaded.

Marlin designed strong rifles with side ejection and smooth actions. Browning designed lever-action rifles and shotguns that are among the strongest and most popular to this day, and Savage designed the Models 1895 and 1899, which were decades ahead of their time.

Today, while most new shooters reach for a bolt gun or a semiautomatic, the lever gun is still very popular, with superb rifles made in the United States

by Marlin, Henry and Big Horn. Countless replica lever guns of 19th-century designs are imported to the United States from Italy, Japan and Brazil; all are of quality manufacture and materials. Shooters today have a great selection of high-quality lever-action rifles from which to choose—chambered for cartridges from the widely popular .22 rimfire up through the 500 S&W Magnum.

CONNECTING WITH THE PAST When I was a teenager back in the 1970s, the lever-action rifle was very popular for hunting whitetail deer and other game, and a new .30-30 Winchester, Marlin or Mossberg (often rebranded with store brands such as Western Field and Ted Williams) could be purchased for $99.

Today, the lever gun’s popularity with big-game hunters has given way to other designs, with inexpensive bolt-action rifles now dominating the hunting market and semiautomatic rifles rapidly gaining popularity with hunters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Still, the lever-action rifle and shotgun are as useful as they ever were, offering good accuracy and quick follow-up shots for hunters of both small and large game. The lever-action is reliable, handy, fast-shooting and connects the shooter with the past like no other design. GW

AD INDEX

Jeff Quinn is a full-time writer/reviewer on Gunblast.com, an online gun magazine started in 2000. He has also written for the Gun Digest Annual and enjoys living life in the woods of Tennessee, where he raises Longhorn cattle … and his grandkids.

Oliver Winchester was a shirt maker who had invested in the Volcanic company, and when Horace Smith and D.B. Wesson dropped out of the company, Winchester then owned the designs and machinery. After he hired B. Tyler Henry as shop foreman, the lever-action design was improved and modified into rifle form, thus beginning a long era of leveraction dominance in America.

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TAURUS INTERNATIONAL ........................... 39

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS ........................... 23

TUCKER GUN LEATHER ............................... 29

HARPERS FERRY ARMORY ......................... 79

VISTA OUTDOOR ......................................7, 91

HERITAGE ................................................... 69

WILSON COMBAT ....................................... 19

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DOWN RANGE

PHOTO BY ROBB MANNING

SHOWN: Smith & Wesson Model 27 and Model 29. Ammo: G2 Research Telos .357 Mag, HSM .44 Magnum

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! www.gunworld.com

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If it’s too good to be true, there’s usually a catch.

Not here. The TCM Rock Standard FS Combo delivers a lot of value in addition to its penetrating impact and remarkably light recoil. So while the price may shock you, the rest of its features will leave you invigorated.

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RUGER COMPACT ®

HANDGUNS Ruger offers lightweight, compact handguns for every personal protection need.

380 AUTO

9MM LUGER

LCP II

LC9S

The LCP® II features a short, crisp trigger pull with single-action feel, inner trigger safety, improved sights, a larger grip surface and an easy-to-rack slide with an improved slide stop mechanism with a last round hold-open.

Chambered in 9mm Luger and sized just slightly larger than the LCP®, the LC9s® is compact, powerful and features a short, light, crisp trigger pull for faster shooting and improved accuracy.

380 AUTO

22 LR, 22 WMR, 38 SPL +P, 9MM LUGER, 327 FED MAG, 357 MAG,

®

®

LC380

®

The LC380 ® provides 7+1 rounds of effective .380 Auto personal protection. Slim and lightweight for easy concealment, the LC380® combines reduced recoil with modern safety features in an easy-to-rack design.

© 2017 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. 071717

RUGER.COM

Find Ruger:

LCR

Now available in six calibers, there is a lightweight, reliable and easy-to-shoot LCR® for every need – from personal protection to low-cost practice at the range.

®