GUN WORLD January 2018

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CO N S P E TEN CIA T PU L L LO U

TACTICAL EXCELLENCE

JANUARY 2018 VOLUME 59, NO. 01

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GUN WORLD U.S. $4.99 DISPLAY UNTIL: 1/9/18

OPTIMIZE YOUR

PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR AR CARBINE

GUN: ROBERTS DEFENSE DARK OPS, 5-INCH (THANKS TO MJ GUNSHOP; MJGUNSHOP.COM) PHOTO: ROBB MANNING DESIGN: JULIAN AVIÑA

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

80 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.

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GUN WORLD JANUARY I 2018

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FIRST-RATE FIREPOWER The Roberts Defense Dark Ops is not just another 1911. With first-rate quality and construction, it gives professional-grade performance. Everything about it looks you dead in the eye and says, “Serious business.”

By Steven Paul Barlow

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T-REX: TACTICAL EXCELLENCE Arex’s Rex Zero 1 Tactical is a throwback to all-metal service pistols—it’s large like a T-Rex (or TacticalRex) and offers true performance and versatility.

By Garrett Lucas

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OPTIMIZE YOUR AR The market is inundated with AR accessories and gadgets, but not all actually make your rifle better.

Here’s a practical guide for getting the most from your AR Carbine.

By Chuck Taylor

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MY GRANDFATHER’S MEAT GUN When you pick up an old gun that’s been handed down through the family, you never know what stories are locked away in the recesses of cold steel and wood. Here is one man’s story about just such a gun.

By Dana Benner

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IN-THE-EAR HEARING PROTECTION Advances in electronic ear pro let you hear what goes on around you while protecting you from the damaging noise of the shot.

By Larry Schwartz

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THE SWEET MUSIC OF THE .257 ROBERTS The great Jack O’Connor once said of the versatile .257 Roberts, “... there is none that can play more and sweeter tunes than the .257.”

By James E. House

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BY ROBB MANNING RMANNING@ENGAGEDMEDIAINC.COM

GUN WORLD JANUARY 2018

Volume 59 • Number 1

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

DESIGN Julian Aviña Art Director

CONTRIBUTORS Steven Barlow, Dana Benner, Brian Berry, Michelle Cerino, Brad Fitzpatrick, James House, Steven Ledin, Garrett Lucas, Brian Morris, Jeff Quinn, Larry Schwartz, Chuck Taylor, Beckey Yackley

ADVERTISING

ANOTHER YEAR…

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t’s an interesting experience to be writing about something that’s two months into the future for me but relate it in a way that sounds as if I’m writing it for today, for you.

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

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EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE

My kids are still picking out their Halloween costumes, while many of you are reading this January issue just prior to the New Year or shortly after.

One thing I can safely say, without knowing what’s going to happen for the rest of the year: 2017 was a crazy year. I think many of you will agree; and not to sound like a cheesy movie trailer, but it’s been an emotional rollercoaster, filled with turmoil and contradiction.

We’ve seen a new president take office who’s been touted as the most progun president ever. Yet, many gun companies have struggled as the bottom has fallen out of the gun market. And after the Las Vegas shootings, when evil reared its ugly head again—wrapped in the thin veil of cowardice—politicians again tried to legislate evil away as the bodies of the fallen were still warm.

Because the coward was not bothered by mass murder being illegal, I am not so sure if a bumpfire stock law will make a difference. And for the gun owners who think bumpfire stocks should be illegal—hold onto your pants, because belt loops will be outlawed next. It doesn’t take a special stock to bumpfire; a thumb through a belt loop works just fine. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, do a YouTube search.

What will 2018 have in store? Only time will tell. I’d like to think that no more cowards will commit acts of evil and massacre groups of innocent people, but there’s little hope of that. It will be important for more people to step up, get some training, get their concealed-carry licenses and arm themselves. We shouldn’t live in fear, but we want to be smart, aware of our surroundings, and armed and ready to use our firearms to protect ourselves.

IN MEMORIAM On a personal note, Gun World recently lost a member of our family. Long-time GW contributor and “Gunsmithing” columnist Steve Sieberts has passed away. I want to offer his family sincere condolences from myself and all of us at Gun World. He was a kind man, an expert in his field and a great writer. He will be missed. www.gunworld.com

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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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JANUARY I 2018

MAKE: Copper Basin MODEL: Takedown Back MATERIAL: 420D nylon DIMENSIONS (INCHES) (overall); pockets: 20.5x (rear/lower); 18x5x2.5 (f barrel); 9x3.5x1.5 (x2, accessory); 7.5x7.5x1 (mesh) URL: CopperBasinGear.com MSRP: $100 This is an extremely well-thoughtout backpack designed to be discreet: no MOLLE straps, military styling or colors. It is purpose built with pockets correctly sized for most takedown rifles, AR/AK pistols and some SBRs—and even with installed optics, bipods and accessories. A top flap provides rapid removal. A massive main pocket holds the rear/lower receiver, a forend/barrel pocket accommodates AR uppers with up to 10.5-inch barrels, and two accessory pockets hold up to full-sized AR/AK mags. Straps hold everything secure, so there is no jiggle. Two exterior pockets hold a handgun holster or other gear.

It has a padded back panel and straps for comfort, as well as a lockable zipper. Recent events have shown that self-defense could be out to 400 yards and against vehicles, so consider this the holster for your self-defense rifle.

MODEL: MeoRed SPECS: Weight: 0.04 ounce; 3 MOA red-dot; intensity: continuous, manual; three-hour auto shut-off; 300-hour run time; CR2032 battery URL: MeoptaSportsOptics.com MSRP: $575 The MeoRed is Meopta’s smallest reflex sight to date—and it is tough. We mounted it on a Glock G34 MOS and drop-tested it 10 times from shoulder height at every angle. With the first drop, the handgun spun around and landed square on the MeoRed with a lot of force—we thought it would be trashed, but it took that drop in stride, as it did all the others. The MeoRed was in perfect working order. Both Meopta badges flew off like bras at Mardi Gras, but other than that and some minor scuffs to the housing, there was no physical damage. It is 100 percent guaranteed waterproof/ submersible and shockproof for impact and heavy-caliber recoil.

The MeoShield coating prevents scratching. It also comes with a lifetime transferable warranty. www.gunworld.com

MAKE: Thyrm MODEL: CLENS Protector URL: Thyrm.com MSRP: $9 The CLENS Protector is designed to protect the lens of weapon lights and torches (“flashlights,” for you civvies out there) without the mess of Vaseline or ChapStick. It comes in a sheet of 12, four each of three sizes.

Simply peel and stick it to the lens. It’s made of clear polymer, is heat resistant and stays put at freezing temps, too (we threw it in a freezer overnight at -10 [F]). It peels off easily for re-positioning or removal, and the mild adhesive doesn’t leave residue on clean glass. Some damaged or dirty lenses will have some residue left. If so, just dab the lenses with the sticky side of the CLENS, and it’s easily removed.

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MAKE: Daisy MODEL: Rocket Shot URL: Daisy.com MSRP: $20 We’d like to say this is great for the kids, but we’d be lying—this thing is fun for adults, too. And pellet guns are far cheaper to shoot than the real ones. Stick an empty beverage can into the top of the Rocket Shot and lock it in place. Hit the yellow target, and the can ejects, flying into the air about 8 to10 feet. Then, shoot it out of the air. The Rocket Shot is great for practicing follow-up shots going from one target to another. Full cans that have been shaken only go about 2 or 3 feet into the air (but are far more fun). The Rocket Shot is constructed of metal and is for BB/ pellet guns only.

MAKE: Tactical Rx (Sports Optical) MODEL: Mt. Falcon, S.O.B., Mofo, Little Bear (pictured), Mad Scientist URL: TacticalRx.com MSRP: Non-prescription: $89 (Mt. Falcon is $109); prescription lenses start at $209, plus frame MAKE: Fix It Sticks MODEL: Field Maintenance Kit with Pouch URL: FixItSticks.com MSRP: $180 This is the ultimate compact tool kit for field repairs of firearms, scopes, and other shooting and hunting gear. It is made of solid steel, so it’s tough and won’t fail when you need it. Just about every tool you need is included in this one kit—including four torque limiters (15, 25, 45 and 65 inch-pounds), ½-inch socket with ¼-inch bit adapter, T-way T-handle wrench and 16 bits. These are all packed into a durable, zippered, nylon pouch that’s MOLLE compatible. Other accessories are offered, including seven other torque limiters, an A3 front sight tool and more.

Sports Optical is a custom lens crafter that has been in the business of making prescription sport, safety and shooting lenses for more than 20 years. In addition to making custom prescription lenses for the frames of other companies such as Oakley, Numa and Wiley-X, Tactical Rx also has its own lineup of five frames. All are available in tinted and clear lenses, as well as with non-prescription lenses. Lenses are made of high-index polycarbonate and exceed ANSI z87 standards.

The frames are also ANSI z87 rated, as well as having passed MIL-PRF-31013 testing. Impressive third-party videos on TacticalRx’s website show just how well they fare against gun blasts, ricochets and direct shots. They’re tough, they look good and are purpose built to protect your eyes. www.gunworld.com

MAKE: Adaptive Tactical MODEL: EX Performance Adjustable Stock (AR15/M4 Carbine) COLOR: Black or FDE URL: AdaptiveTactical.com MSRP: $50 There are a lot of great AR stocks on the market, but a few key things make this one stand out from the rest: The comfortable, non-slip, vented recoil pad practically grabs your shoulder and doesn’t let go.

Plus, it is one of the best recoil reducers available for an AR—not a big deal for 5.56. But put it on some of the big boys, such as the .338 Fed, .458 SOCOM and .450 Bushmaster, and you’ll notice the difference. In addition, the pad is removable if desired. This stock also has a great cheek rest: It’s wide and forms a comfortable angle for a positive rest that is good for precision work. It has a wide rapid adjustment lever, with a polymer-covered removal pin for pain-free removal. The stock has an integral QD swivel attachment point and standard sling swivel attachment point. It is compatible with MIL-SPEC-sized buffer tubes and is made in the U.S.A. JANUARY I 2018

MAKE: 5.11 MODEL: Defender-Flex Pant/Jean OPTIONS: Slim or straight; 28–40Wx30–36L. Jean: Indigo or pre-washed indigo; pant: Vulcanic, Stone, Burnt, Oil green URL: 511Tactical.com MSRP: $70 Tactical pants are the ultimate in roomy comfort and offer pocket space to carry everything you own.

But who wants to be “that guy” who shows up at the range or grocery store to pick up some Coco Puffs for his kids and looking like he’s about to fast-rope into a villa in the Middle East to take someone out.

The Defender-Flex is the best of both worlds. It comes in a casual pant or denim jean that blends into any environment. In fact, the jeans look like designer jeans. Both pants and jeans have just enough stretch in the fabric to offer the same full range of motion as 5.11’s line of tactical pants—meaning that if you need to do a tornado roundhouse kick to someone’s grape, you’re good to go.

Both are five-pocket configuration, with an extra-deep coin pocket for a knife or spare mag and two rear hip pockets that will hold spare mags (up to an AR rifle mag in size).

These jeans and pants are offered in straight cut or slim (not to be confused with “skinny”).

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN K. LEDIN

The machining on this Cerakoted G34 slide allows such low MRD mounting that co-witnessing with iron sights is possible. This race gun has everything.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE HANDGUN T SIGHT

THE USE OF MRD S MOUNTED ON HANDGUNS HAS GROWN FROM COMPETITION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY—AND, MOST RECENTLY, TO CONCEALED CARRY. he use of MRDs (mini red-dot sights) on pistol slides is an exciting and stimulating trend that’s relatively new in the marketplace.

Just 20 years ago, competitive shooters wanting to use an optic on a handgun mostly gravitated to Aimpoint 2000s and Tasco Propoints. These sights attached to mounts that were drilled and tapped to the frame of a 1911 or Tanfoglio or used a mount that replaced a grip panel that attached via the two grip screws. Both of these systems ended up quite high over the bore axis.

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making such a product. A $100 MRD on your favorite centerfire pistol will have a short life, indeed.

The Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, Vortex Razor, SIG Romeo 1 and the Burris FastFire 3 are the hottest players.

Apparently, while we’ve been sleeping, there were tip-of-the-spear warriors using slide-mounted MRDs for quick head shots on bad guys in faraway, sandy places. Slide-mounted MRDs have also been warmly received by the shooting public as fun and useful.

What’s astounding is that they have become accepted by many as a legitimate main sighting option on concealed-carry pistols. And some holsters will accept a gun with a mounted MRD. One of the most important fundamentals I learned early in pistolcraft was, “Front sight, front sight, front sight.”

Everything revolves around the front sight.

Adding to the overall height of the optical center was also the large diameter of the optic used. The higher above the bore axis the aiming point is, the harder it is to have the same point of aim/impact at different distances, and it’s also much less intuitive to aim the gun. Plus, the structural integrity of the products was such that shooters with high round counts planned on replacing them at least once or twice a year.

Don’t have a recessed slide, and don’t want to spring for having one milled? This Vortex Razor is attached to a Strike Industries GUM mount—a cost-effective alternative to a milled slide.

With a slide-mounted MRD, the gun is brought up to a slightly lower level than with iron sights; but even more unusual is that you can focus on the target instead of the front sight. The dot superimposes over your clear target, and you continue to view your target in focus, allowing the dot to hover over your aiming point. This provides greater situational awareness.

Using a dot is much faster, because it simplifies the sighting equation: No longer is there rear sight, front sight, target.

Instead, it’s just a target with a dot on it. It’s fast, fast, fast!

HOT PLAYERS OPTIONS

Enter the MRD. With the passage of time, electrical sighting products have gotten smaller and stronger. What is really different and stimulating is that now, these tiny red-dot sights are being installed directly on pistol slides, allowing the lowest possible aiming point-over-bore axis.

Not all MRDs can withstand the violent acceleration and abrupt slamming that living on a recoiling pistol slide requires. Such ferocious use demands utmost recoil resistance, and most manufacturers are not capable of

A Strike Industries GUM mount with Burris FastFire on this TP9SF results in a stellar value and performer.

Factory pistols are now available with cut slides ready to accept the most popular MRDs. Or, you could send out your slide to a custom shop—there’s a large industry devoted to milling slides and other custom work. Another option is to buy a new slide from one of dozens of parts houses that have sprung up around the country. Prices vary from reasonable, at a fraction of the cost of a new gun, to full-blown customs that cost substantially more.

NOT ALL MRDs CAN WITHSTAND THE VIOLENT ACCELERATION AND ABRUPT SLAMMING THAT LIVING ON A RECOILING PISTOL SLIDE REQUIRES. www.gunworld.com

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CONTACT INFORMATION BURRIS BurrisOptics.com EVOLUTION GUN WORKS EGWGuns.com LEUPOLD Leupold.com S3F SOLUTIONS S3FSolutions.com SIG OPTICS SIGSauer.com STRIKE INDUSTRIES StrikeIndustries.com TRIJICON Trijicon.com VORTEX VortexOptics.com ZEV TECHNOLOGIES ZevTechnologies.com But you don’t have to drop a lot of dimes to mount a red-dot on your favorite pistol. Mounts are available that replace the rear sight and adapt an MRD to your slide so you can be just like the cool kids.

A replacement slide, such as this one from Zev Technologies, offers a minimalist, clean way to mount your MRD, such as this Trijicon RMR. The barrel is from S3F Solutions.

I bought my Glock 22 when the .40 S&W was a very exciting, new cartridge, and it made major power level when shooting IPSC. I shot in a league for years with the stock gun and carried it as a private investigator.

I hadn’t shot the gun in a while, and it seemed like a good candidate for a facelift. Evolution Gun Works offered a mount specifically for my Glock slide with a footprint that matched the Vortex Razor I put aside for this project.

The $50 mount went on appropriately snugly with the notso-gentle persuasion of a wooden mallet, because sight tools generally won’t work with a part so large. A set screw further secured the mount in the center of the slide.

It has a clean look and matches the contour of the Razor. At the range, the gun performed perfectly, and I’ve never had

such easy target acquisition with this gun before. It’s also a lot of fun to lend to folks who have never experienced this type of aiming system on a pistol. It’s a bit unorthodox to us old-school shooters, but in time, it will prove to help in faster and more-accurate shooting overall.

USING A DOT IS MUCH FASTER, BECAUSE IT SIMPLIFIES THE SIGHTING EQUATION: NO LONGER IS THERE REAR SIGHT, FRONT SIGHT, TARGET. INSTEAD, IT’S JUST A TARGET WITH A DOT ON IT. 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.

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BRAD FITZPATRICK Kimber’s Adirondack takes timber guns to a whole new level. With a weight of 4 pounds, 13 ounces and an overall length of slightly more than 3 feet, this gun is easy to maneuver in any cover.

TIMBER GUNS WHEN YOU’RE HUNTING BIG GAME IN DENSE COVER, HANDLING AND MANEUVERABILITY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN A FLAT TRAJECTORY AND MAGNUM PERFORMANCE.

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n 2014, the state of Ohio surprised resident hunters by adding certain centerfire rifles to the list of legal firearms for deer hunting.

Having grown up in Ohio, I was rather shocked by the decision; up until then, the local logic was that the combination of flat terrain and a high human population made centerfire rifles a threat to public safety. However, because muzzleloader and shotgun slug technology had improved to the point where 200-, and even 300-yard, shots were a real possibility, it opened the door for the use of rifles. And, as almost all hunters anticipated, there was no spike in injuries or damage to public property.

Ohio has joined Michigan, Indiana, Mississippi and other traditionally slug-only deer states in passing legislation that allows the use of certain centerfire calibers for use on whitetails. This has created something of a renaissance in timber rifles—guns that are light, compact and easy to maneuver in timber, brush or a tree stand. In many parts of the country, specifically New England, timber rifles never went out of vogue, simply because those hunters were generally chasing deer in woods where 100 yards was a long shot.

Timber guns have their own charm, as many of my fellow Ohio residents are learning since they traded in their slug guns for compact woods rifles.

Nevertheless, you don’t have to live in a landscape dominated by old-growth forest to appreciate a slick lever gun or ultra-compact bolt action. I’ve used timber rifles in Texas and Montana and even shot 1,100-yard targets with one of the lightest, most compact .308s on the market. The truth is that timber guns are more versatile than you might imagine, and carrying a lighter, shorter rifle makes covering a lot of ground less of a burden.

What follows here is a short rundown of some of the best timber guns available today.

BOLT ACTION About the same time Ohio legislators gave the nod to centerfires, firearm manufacturers started falling in love with Colonel Cooper’s “Scout Rifle.” These short-barreled rifles wore either iron sights or long eye-relief optics (or both). Although envisioned primarily for personal protection, these guns are great for hunting.

Scout rifles are popular, and Mossberg’s MVP Scout worked well for the author while he hunted mule deer and elk. It’s also being converted to a defensive rifle for home-defense applications (which illustrates the versatility of compact rifles).

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A few standouts are Ruger’s Gunsite Scout Rifle, Howa’s Scout Rifle and Mossberg’s MVP Scout. I’m currently in the process of taking the last MVP Scout, which I used for an elk hunt in Montana, and converting it to the ultimate home-defense bolt-action. Talk about versatility!

Winchester’s Model 92 is an excellent pistolcaliber lever gun that’s been busting bucks in brush for well over a century. It comes with buckhorn sights that, with some practice, are good for shortrange hunting.

However, not all bolt guns for timber are Scout rifles. I tested Remington’s Model Seven in .308 some months ago and fell in love with that 6½-pound, 39-inch turnbolt. The Model Seven’s greatest competitor for years was the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight, which is available with a 22- or 24-inch barrel in several short-action offerings and is another great woods rifle.

Ruger recently added a short, lightweight .450 Bushmaster to its American Rifle Ranch lineup; and, at 5.5 pounds with a 16.12-inch barrel, this is about as light and compact a woods gun as you’ll find—although it is not lacking in firepower.

Howa’s lightweight Alpine comes with a light-contour, 20-inch barrel and an Ammo Boost magazine that holds 10 rounds. You don’t have to have a great trigger on a timber rifle ... but that’s not an issue for the Howa. Its HACT two-stage trigger is excellent.

Ruger’s big-bore .450 Bushmaster American Rifle Ranch sports a short (16.12inch) barrel and weighs fewer than 6 pounds. If you can handle the recoil, this is a great option for timber hunters.

Modern mountain rifles, such as Kimber’s Montana and Mountain Ascent and Howa’s Alpine, are great options, and the Alpine offers the added versatility of the Ammo Boost 10-round, detachable magazine.

When it comes to bolt guns for timber, though, perhaps the ultimate production rifle is Kimber’s svelte Adirondack, which weighs fewer than 5 pounds and measures just 37.25 inches long. There’s no brush too thick or box blind too cramped for this accurate, little rifle. www.gunworld.com

Henry’s sleek Big Boy is a good-looking rifle that’s perfect for dense cover.

It’s available in several calibers and makes a great deer, bear or hog gun.

LEVER ACTION When you mention timber guns, many hunters automatically envision a slick lever-action rifle—and with good reason.

Forty years ago, these rifles rivaled bolt-actions in terms of popularity with Eastern hunters; and, in dense woods, where flat-nosed bullets weren’t a handicap, lever guns gave up nothing to their more-modern turn-bolt counterparts.

Winchester’s Model 1894 and Marlin’s 336 lever guns have accounted for more deer and bears in the Eastern woods than anyone can count, and those rifles are also popular among Western hunters who don’t mind having to get a little closer to game in order to hunt with their favorite saddle rifle.

Henry’s Big Boy and Winchester’s Model 92 are two great pistol-caliber options, and Mossberg’s new 464 is a reliable and affordable option, as well.

If you’re planning to hunt (or potentially be hunted by) very large game, you can step up to the .45-70, .450 Marlin, .444 Marlin and even a handful of rifles such as the Big Horn 89 and 90 that are chambered in magnum pistol-caliber cartridges (such as .460 and .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum). The great draw of lever guns is that they are short (often fewer than 40 inches), light, and they balance and swing as well as many premium upland shotguns. Plus, they’re just plain fun to shoot.

SEMIAUTO The recent rise in the popularity of AR rifles has prompted more hunters to carry these rifles afield. ARs are, indeed, excellent hunting rifles, especially dedicated hunting ARs such as Daniel Defense’s Ambush .308.

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Single-shots are great timber rifles.

Chambered in 7x57 Mauser, the author’s Ruger No. 1 points quickly and doesn’t weigh him down. In addition, the scant recoil makes it easier to judge shot placement after pulling the trigger.

Browning’s BAR DBM sports an 18-inch barrel and offers a 10-round capacity. Chambered in .308, it’s ideal for deer and elk, hogs and black bears in heavy cover.

ARs are more popular than ever, and they do make fine deer rifles.

This Texas cull buck was taken with a DPMS rifle in .308.

WHAT ABOUT HANDGUNS?

However, the AR is not the only great autoloading rifle for timber hunters. Browning’s BAR celebrates a century of production this year, and there are few rifles that are better equipped for taking big game in timber than this reliable Browning semiauto. I used the new-for-2017 BAR DBM in .308 to shoot rolling rabbit targets at a sporting clays media event.

I was impressed not only by how well this gun handles, but also how well it functions. That BAR literally had hundreds of rounds fired in a short period of time with no time to cool, and there were no feeding problems.

I was once told that there are no casual big-game handgun hunters, and that may be true. Handgun hunting requires a special level of dedication.

However, modern handguns are a great option for timber hunters. Big double-actions such as Ruger’s Redhawk and Super Redhawk, Smith & Wesson’s large-frame revolvers (including the barrel-chested X-Frames in .500 and .460 S&W Magnum, if you’re so inclined) and Taurus’s Raging series revolver are all great for hunting—as long as you spend the time and money to practice regularly.

Remington doesn’t list the 7400 on its website any longer, but it is also a superb woods gun. In addition, although it is better known for its autoloading shotguns, Benelli’s R1 semiauto rifle is another excellent option.

I’m a big fan of Ruger’s Blackhawk hunting revolvers, and BFR and Freedom Arms also offer single-action hunting guns. If you’re looking for a single-shot handgun, look no further than the Encore and G2 Contenders from Thompson/Center, both of which are superb.

SINGLE SHOTS I’m a sucker for woods rifles, but there are few guns I enjoy more than my Ruger No. 1 in 7x57 Mauser. With a 20-inch barrel, that rifle weighs in at slightly more than 6 pounds and measures a bit more than 3 feet long. Over the years, Ruger has offered a number of great compact No. 1 rifles chambered in a wide array of calibers; and this year, the company launched an all-weather .450 Bushmaster version that’s great for Midwestern states in which the .450 is legal.

Dakota’s Model 10 is another excellent single-shot option, and the sky’s the limit on those rifles in terms of engraving and ornamentation. Both the No. 1 and the Model 10 utilize very strong falling-block actions that can stand up to years of hard use.

On the break-action side, Thompson/Center’s Encore and G2 Contender rifles are truly excellent, and they offer a level of platform versatility not found in other guns.

Ammo selection is critical when handgun hunting, so look for controlled-expansion bullets that transfer energy effectively for clean, swift kills.

Thompson/Center’s G2 Contender is an accurate, compact single-shot that can be configured in a number of different ways. The short action allows for reduced overall length and better handling in brush.

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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JANUARY I 2018

TEXT BY BECKY YACKLEY

PHOTOS BY BECKY YACKLEY AND ROBB MANNING

The right to own just about any gun we want is a freedom we have as Americans. It’s important to consider the bigger “why” to that right: that even those who don’t own guns benefit from that right. We must make sure that isn’t lost in history.

OURSHARED W GUNHISTORY THE RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS

inter is when many of us get to spend more time close with family and friends.

This winter, I plan to focus on what matters to me: the people and relationships that uplift and support me.

One of those relationships is one that’s not a person; it is a relationship with history.

AS THE WORLD TURNS

TO OWN AND USE FIREARMS IS A TRUTH AND SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO EVERYONE. THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THAT LIES WITH EACH OF US.

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As Americans, we all have a relationship with guns, whether we own one or not. It’s a distinctly American fact that we live free because brave men and women fought, with guns, for their freedom and that of future generations. Women, children, mothers, daughters, husbands, sons, fathers, grandfathers ... people from all walks of life, from farmers to politicians, came together to stand for something bigger than themselves. And they did that with a common tool—a gun.

So, even if it’s just your husband who owns a gun or you have always considered guns simply for hunting or self-defense, pause to remember your history. Think about the relationships you have with firearms just by being born American.

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REMEMBERING HISTORY This winter, as I perform my annual gun maintanance routine, I’m going to reflect on all the guns that have impacted my family: the Mauser with which my kids, husband and I all shot our first deer; the rifle on which I spent hours sanding the stock while spending time with my sister as she worked on hers; and working on the barrel and action with my dad.

Handing down tradition and history is an important part of being a family and a country.

These are the author’s sons at about 4 and 5 years old, dry-firing their great-grandfather’s gun.

I’ll reflect on my competition guns, which have taken me to other countries and around this country since 1990s. I’ll think about my husband’s duty gun for the state patrol that played a role in us getting back into shooting as our kids got older. We all shot Glocks when we started competing in USPSA, because we wanted him to be as competent as possible with the model of Glock he carries for work—and for us to be capable with it, as well.

Guns aren’t just for our military and law enforcement; they’re tools available to all Americans. This is the author’s husband’s duty belt and gun.

I’ll reflect on my personal history with guns and the part they’ve played in my youth with my family and my own family today. My eldest set off in November to instruct with a wellknown shooter and instructor, Ron Avery. I see the thread that winds through my family’s and my own life; that thread is made up of guns.

The rifle, or the colonial version of our modernday rifle, is what won the War of Independence— in the hands of men and women who believed in something bigger than themselves and the freedom to find it.

(Photo: Robb Manning)

When winter sets in, I encourage you to think about your family’s firearms history.

If you live in a place with a museum or a battlefield, go see it with your kids. Show them where Americans fought for freedom and what tools they used to do that. One of our family’s favorites is Ft. McHenry in Maryland. The history of the flags flown there; the battle Francis Scott Key watched

The rights of all Americans to own and use firearms is a given and should be taught to every person. The responsibility to do that lies with each of us.

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JANUARY I 2018

Learning about guns, whether that’s in Dad’s shop or hunting with Grandpa, is an important part of handing down an understanding of firearms to the next generation and why access to them is so important.

from the earth.” It struck a chord with me. We need to keep that American spirit alive, in our homes and with our families, in the way we treat each other and respect the rights we have.

Think about the contrast of America in 2018 versus America in the 1770s. Back then, people were literally giving their lives and fortunes so that America could be free. It was a cause bigger than themselves. All we have to do today is keep it alive. Our job is to keep our history alive so that this nation “shall not perish.” Our nation lives in each of us.

So, when your gun-loving husband or wife gets all sentimental and wants to spend July 4th with fireworks and guns or deer hunting with the family at Thanksgiving, remember that it’s not just about the guns. It’s about history and sharing it, passing it down to future generations. And we owe it to our children to make sure that happens.

Take the time to share with others what guns mean to you and your family. Don’t shy away from talking about what guns mean to you. Don’t let history be rewritten and shaped by the anti-gun crowd as you sit in silence.

while he was held by the British; and the big guns that were a part of securing independence so Americans could then take their own guns and live free—these are parts of American life we shouldn’t forget.

DON’T LET HISTORY BE REWRITTEN AND SHAPED BY THE ANTI-GUN CROWD AS YOU SIT IN SILENCE.

BUILDING HISTORY For women who don’t have these relationships with guns, I invite you to build one. If your husband has asked you to go to the range, but you’ve been too busy, go out and do it. If your friend doesn’t have anyone who can take them to the range, invite them to go with you. Make a date night, couples night, family night; whatever it is, find a reason to go. Take the kids squirrel or rabbit hunting and enjoy a walk in the woods and a day together in the outdoors. Take your mom to the range with you or have her tag along while your family hunts.

SHARING HISTORY It seems as if everywhere we turn, we see a new onslaught of legislation and attacks on our Second Amendment rights.

Unless we share the history of guns and what they mean to our freedom, little pieces of that history will be chipped away ... small parts broken off, discarded as “unnecessary” ... unless we keep it alive. The politically correct world we live in would have history books rewritten with whatever agenda or popular slant is in fashion, so we must be diligent and make sure that real history is kept alive.

Teaching and sharing the history of firearms and how to use them responsibly are duties Americans have to future generations. This can be a lot of fun, but it’s also serious work.

Recently, my boys sat watching the original movie, Red Dawn.

The closing scene included the inscription on the rock with a quote from Lincoln, “ ... so that this nation shall not perish 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.

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JANUARY I 2018

No handgun in history has flourished and continued to earn as many accolades as the iconic John Browning-designed 1911 pistol.

Until now.

Les Baer Custom has been the unchallenged leader in rewriting firearms history by bringing the time honored 1911 pistol into the twenty-first century. Starting with Browning's classic design, we have introduced state-ofthe-art manufacturing methods, real hand assembly, and top of the line accessories and other enhancements to ensure that all forty plus models and permutations are high performance, superior quality history makers.

And, with multiple barrel lengths and frame sizes, several popular finishes and a choice of five calibers, there's a Les Baer custom 1911 for virtually every purpose, regardless what kind of history you want to create.

Some of our most popular models include:

Baer 1911 Premier II©, 5" or 6" .45 ACP, 9mm, .38 Super, .40 S&W The flagship of our 1911 line.

New! Baer 1911 Premier II© Hunter, 6"

New! Baer 1911 Thunder Ranch Special, 2nd Generation, 5"

Baer 1911 Ultimate Tactical Carry Model, 5"

10mm A superb big game powerhouse.

.45 ACP Product improved version of one of our most popular favorites.

.45 ACP, 9mm, .38 Super Serious, practical defense pistol.

Baer 1911 BOSS .45, 5"

Baer 1911 Black Bear, 4 1/4"

Baer 1911 Stinger, 4 1/4"

.45 ACP A high performance, visually stunning tribute to the 1970s muscle car that inspired it: The Boss 429 Mustang.

9mm Perfect compact carry size with shortened slide. 9mm chambering for increased capacity over standard 1911s.

.45 ACP, 9mm, .38 Super Small, efficient and full featured.

Comes with night sights.

See our entire line of high performance custom rifles and pistols at…

Performance. It’s Everything.

Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Central Time

1804 Iowa Drive • LeClaire, Iowa 52753 Ph: 563-289-2126 • Fx: 563-289-2132 Email: info@lesbaer.com

www.lesbaer.com

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY GARRETT LUCAS

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JANUARY I 2018

The REX Zero 1 Tactical has ambidextrous controls for the safety and magazine release.

THE REX ZERO 1 TACTICAL OFFERS TRUE PERFORMANCE AND VERSATILITY.

I

t seems that polymer and/or striker-fired pistols have become the new normal, at least during the last decade.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with that.

Several models on the market are outstanding examples of what can be achieved with that style of pistol. However, it’s nice when a company takes a step back in time for us “oldschool” folks and builds a quality pistol with roots that go a little deeper in time. www.gunworld.com

Arex is just such a company. Located in Slovenia, Arex has been in the firearms industry for over two decades. This company originally manufactured parts for other firearms manufacturers but eventually set about producing its own finished products—resulting in the REX Zero line of pistols.

Working in conjunction with FIME Group in the United States, Arex has recently (within the last couple of years) introduced its products to the American public.

The first example was its REX Zero 1S pistol, which is a moretraditional DA/SA pistol built similarly to pistols introduced by other companies during the late 1970s through the early ’90s.

Many of those companies still make some of the same DA/SA models, but we haven’t often seen a new DA/SA product hit the market—especially during the last decade.

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The model I recently received for review was the REX Zero 1 Tactical. It’s an upgrade to the original model, with enhancements that improve the basic pistol’s overall versatility.

Before we get into the nuts and bolts of the basic pistol, we’ll start with what separates the tactical version from the original model.

THE TACTICAL TOUCH

First, the barrel is 4.9 inches long and has a ½x28 thread pattern for those who want to run a suppressor on it. To accommodate a suppressor, the pistol is fitted with suppressor-height steel sights with a three-white-dot arrangement. This doesn’t seem like much, but there are companies releasing pistols with threaded barrels and standard sights that sometimes make me scratch my head. The rear sight does have a flat front, so it can be used to rack the slide one-handed off a table, boot heel or even a belt.

I opened the case and looked at the pistol—there’s no question as to which market the Zero 1 Tactical is aimed. It is configured with all the right enhancements for the user to trick-out the pistol to their heart’s content.

Instead of the standard 17-round magazines, the tactical model comes with two 20-round magazines.

... THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE ROBUST FEEL AND HEFT OF AN ALL-METAL PISTOL.

The Zero 1 Tactical has a thumb safety that allows for cocked-and-locked carry, much like a 1911.

hard to deny the resemblance, especially while looking at the controls ... but all is not what it seems. four plates will accept the following: Trijicon; C-More; Shield/ JPoint; and Eotech/Vortex/Burris/Docter/Insight/Meopta.

Yes, the Zero 1 Tactical model does come with a Picatinny rail for lights, lasers and other accessories, but the original model did, as well, so there’s no real difference on that point.

However, when combined with the other modifications for the tactical model, it rounds out to a pretty complete package.

THE BASICS

Aside from the takedown lever, the Zero 1 Tactical has two controls just below the slide that provide some interesting options for the shooter. In approximately the same location as on the P226, there is a decocking lever on the REX pistol.

However, that lever also acts as a release for the slide. So, it serves two functions rather than just one.

The Zero 1 Tactical turned out to be a very accurate pistol, and it handled well while shooting.

Farther back, near the rear of the slide, is the thumb safety.

On a SIG P226, that’s around where the slide release is found.

The Zero 1 Tactical won’t be easily mistaken for a compact-carry pistol. In fact, it’s a bit of a behemoth—or T-Rex, for “Tactical Rex”—for that kind of duty, but there are those out there who can make it work, and more power to them. The dimensions of this pistol make it more of an open-carry or service piece for most individuals. The overall length is 8.1 inches, with a height of 5.9 inches, and it weighs in right at 30 ounces.

Both the slide and the hammer-forged barrel are made from solid bar stock that has a nitro-carburized finish, and the frame is built from hard-anodized T7075 aluminum with a steel locking block insert. It’s a beefy pistol with a bit of swagger, and it has some tricks up its sleeve that lead to the “elephant in the room”: More than one writer or commenter has remarked on the similarity between the REX Zero 1 series pistols and the SIG Sauer P226. It is www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

The suppressor-height sights installed on the Zero 1 Tactical are a standard three-dot configuration.

y p whether the hammer is cocked or at rest (but the user should still mind all safety rules).

In addition to the traditional DA/SA operating system, this feature gives the user the option to carry cocked and locked, much as on a 1911. Or, for added protection, the safety can be activated when the hammer is down, requiring the user to swipe off the safety to fire in double-action mode, as well.

For the lefties in the world, the Zero 1 Tactical’s safety and magazine release are both ambidextrous, although the slide release/decocker is positioned for right-handed shooters.

This can be worked around, and it’s worth investigating by any potential buyer.

Other noteworthy features include full-length slide rails, front cocking serrations and a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser.

... THE REX ZERO 1 TACTICAL IS AN INSTANT CLASSIC RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. The slide on the Tactical model is already milled to accept interchangeable plates for different optics.

GOING TO WORK The original REX Zero 1 pistol was met with a lot of praise for its build quality, accuracy and utter reliability. I was curious to see if everything went just as well with this enhanced Tactical model. For the most part, I was not disappointed. The tolerances were tight, and the craftsmanship was great. It looked and felt like a robust, quality tool.

The only thing I felt was a little lacking while shooting the Zero 1 Tactical were the grip panels. There wasn’t much texture going on for a secure purchase, and the panels felt like cheap plastic. If I were to acquire the Zero 1 Tactical, I’d definitely replace the grips with something else, such as some G10 panels. G10 provides plenty of texturing for a sure grip, and it would also feel much more solid in the hand.

During the beginning of the break-in period, everything was a little stiff and cumbersome—although there were absolutely no malfunctions. Manipulating the slide and pulling the trigger got easier over time, even though the double-action trigger pull still hangs around 12.75 pounds. It’s not the best doubleaction trigger pull in the world, but it’s manageable. The single-action pull broke crisply, and it settled in right at 5.3 pounds. That’s close to ideal for what I want for a carry gun.

While running a good number of rounds through it to smooth things out, I noticed that the Zero 1 Tactical was shooting pretty accurately off hand, so it was time to see what it could do from a rest.

Aside from the SIG Sauer 115-grain ball ammo I was already shooting, I also brought out SIG’s 124-grain V-Crown load. I also had on hand some of Federal Premium’s 124-grain HST and Speer’s 124-grain +P Gold Dot ammunition.

It was time to go to work.

Mounting a Meopta Meosight III reflex optic made a good deal of difference for my aging eyes and made it easier to get a consistent hold from a rest at 25 yards. This particular optic has a 3 MOA aiming point that covers .75 inch at 25 yards.

ARY I 2018

THE ACCURACY WAS EXCELLENT, AND THE RELIABILITY WAS UNIMPEACHABLE. NOT ONE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED DURING ANY OF THE TESTING. Both windage and elevation have an adjustment range of 120 MOA, and the Meosight III comes with a 10-year warranty.

The single best five-shot group at 25 yards was 1.56 inches, shot with SIG Sauer’s 124-grain V-Crown load.

The REX handled nicely; and, with its size, the recoil of the regular loads was almost negligible. There was a bit of a bump with the +P stuff, but it was still very easy to control. After I coupled the REX with a SilencerCo Octane 9 HD suppressor, the recoil got even softer. The two comprised an excellent combination. I’ve seen accuracy take a plunge after attaching a suppressor to a pistol, but the Zero 1 Tactical still shot very well, with only a little degradation to accuracy.

The front and back straps include serrations for extra grip texture.

The grip panels are a bit lacking in texture.

All three loads grouped rather well on average, with all three hovering just over 2 inches. The best average group of the bunch was 2.07 inches; that was obtained with SIG’s V-Crown load. The V-Crown also took the gold for the best single fiveshot group, at just 1.56 inches.

There are serrations on the face of the trigger guard and at the front of the slide.

The Zero 1 Tactical is shown here dressed up with a Surefire X400 Ultra lamp and SilencerCo Octane 9 HD.

THE FINAL RESULTS After the last shot was fired and the last note taken, most every aspect of the Zero 1 Tactical coalesced into an impressive display of performance and function. The pistol is as configurable as the user could want, with its threaded

Accuracy (inches) Average Best

Ammunition

Velocity (fps)

SIG Sauer 124-grain V-Crown

1,245

2.07

1.56

Federal Premium 124-grain HST

1,124

2.26

2.26

Speer 124-grain +P Gold Dot

1,249

2.46

2.12

SPECIFICATIONS ACTION: DA/SA CALIBER: 9mm FINISH: Nitro-carburized FRAME: Hard-anodized T7075 aluminum SIGHTS: Steel, suppressor height BARREL LENGTH: 4.9 inches, threaded OVERALL LENGTH: 9.38 inches HEIGHT: 5.9 inches WEIGHT: 30 ounces CAPACITY: 20 +1 rounds MSRP: $869.99 CONTACT INFORMATION FIME GROUP LLC FIMEGroup.com

NOTES: Bullet weight was measured in grains. Velocity was measured in feet per second (fps), 15 feet from the muzzle by a Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph. Accuracy was measured in inches for three five-shot groups at 25 yards.

The REX Zero 1 Tactical’s recoil was very mild, especially while using the Silencerco Octane 9 HD.

barrel and the ROR platform, along with the Picatinny accessory rail. The accuracy was excellent, and the reliability was unimpeachable. Not one malfunction occurred during any of the testing.

The only real shortcoming were the grip slabs, but that’s remedied easily enough. The double-action pull was fairly heavy, although not completely unreasonable. These are minor points when you weigh them against the build quality, configurability and overall performance of the Zero 1 Tactical.

A 4.9-inch threaded barrel is supplied with the pistol for attaching suppressors.

The Zero 1 Tactical comes with a thumb safety and a decocking lever that also acts as a

With an MSRP of $869.99, the Zero 1 Tactical isn’t a budget piece, but it’s certainly a great value, considering everything it offers. Street prices are actually running well under $800— you generally don’t see tactical packages with interchangeable optic plates in that price range. It’s especially noteworthy, considering the pistol’s stunning performance overall.

Yes, polymer striker-fired pistols are all the rage now, but there’s something to be said about the robust feel and heft of an all-metal pistol. The DA/SA operating system might seem oldfashioned, but it has its own place, as well—never mind the fact that the Zero 1 Tactical can also be carried cocked and locked.

For those interested in a pistol that offers plenty of options and exceptional value, the REX Zero 1 Tactical is an instant classic right out of the box.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY CHUCK TAYLOR

Editor’s Note: Colt’s Mfg. has traditionally named civilian versions of the M16 the “AR-15” series of rifles. In the instance of the military M4, Colt has also named the civilian version “M4.”

In this article, when reference to the civilian M4 is not Colt specific, the term, “AR carbine,” is used.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT When Eugene Stoner and his engineering companions at Armalite, and then Colt, designed the AR-15 rifle back in the late 1950s, I doubt they expected the rifle to see anywhere near the success it eventually achieved. Their initial rifle, the 7.62x51mm AR-10, had been unceremoniously rejected during the 1957 U.S. Army Infantry Board trials on scurrilous grounds, and none of their subsequent designs had elicited much interest from anyone.

Clearly, the revolutionary design of their rifles repelled the military traditionalists in charge of weapons procurement.

Still, they persevered and scaled down the AR-10 to handle a new cartridge, the 5.56x45mm, developed specifically for it by Remington. The newly formed U.S. Navy SEAL and U.S. Army Special Forces teams showed interest in the AR-15, and when President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Curtis LeMay were impressed by it, things began to look up. Development of the AR-15 was fast-tracked, and the rest is history. The AR-15 was formally adopted as the “M16” in 1963; and, in one form or another, it has been the U.S. military service rifle ever since.

Over the 54 years it has seen service thus far, a number of different versions of the M16/AR-15 have appeared. Among them was a compact version known in the U.S. Army as the XM-177E2 and in the U.S. Air Force as the GAU-5, which appeared during the late 1960s.

The compact “CAR-15,” as the troops called it during the Vietnam War, was a combination of two of the guns of the original five-gun AR-15 system—one a survival rifle and the other a so-called submachine gun (although its rifle cartridge technically disqualified it from being a true SMG). The result was an exceptionally light, fast-handling little carbine with an 11.5-inch barrel and telescoping buttstock that quickly became a status symbol to the SpecOps personnel to whom it was issued. After Vietnam, Colt marked it as the “Commando,” a designator it still enjoys today.

The AR carbine is one of the most ergonomically sound designs in firearms history. As such, from a “human engineering” standpoint, it needs no major improvement.

To get the most from it, however, it should be thoughtfully accessorized.

The XM-177E2 muzzle blast was severe, and Colt reduced it to levels comparable with a standard, 20-inch-barreled M16/ AR-15 by adding what it called a “sound moderator.” In fact, it was technically a 5-inch, screw-on sound suppressor. Thus, www.gunworld.com

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AR

OPTIMIZE YOUR

A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR AR CARBINE

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JANUARY I 2018

THE AR CARBINE IS ONE OF THE MOST ERGONOMICALLY SOUND DESIGNS IN FIREARMS HISTORY.

military M4 and is the third-generation variant of the 1960s-vintage XM-177E2 (image 2) and late-1970s AR-15A1 carbine (image 3).

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completely and increased the rifle’s barrel length to 16 inches to approximate the overall length of the XM’s barrel with the sound moderator attached. This made it legal in civilian hands, because there was no “silencer” involved. Military versions were known as the M16A1 carbine, while the civilian AR-15 model was designated the AR-15 carbine.

Today’s M4 is essentially a third-generation successor to both the XM-177E2/GAU-5 and M16A1/AR-15A1 carbine and differs from the latter only in that its barrel is contoured to accommodate attachment of the M-203 40mm grenade launcher. Military M4s have a 14.5-inch barrel, whereas the

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Many feel that all the Stoner-designed guns are “too black,” which makes them stand out in outdoor environments. A simple fix is furniture in different colors, such as Magpul handguards, pistol grips and buttstocks in Flat Dark Earth or Foliage Green. Another option is Cerakoting the entire rifle.

An optical battle sight greatly improves the AR’s efficiency. This rugged 4x32mm Trijicon TAO-1 ACOG is as fast in close-quarters situations as a red-dot or holographic sight and is more capable on small, obscured or more-distant targets. The low-light performance is made possible with a tritium reticle, rather than batteries, thus eliminating one of the biggest problems with many optical battle sights: electrical failure.

Aimpoint red-dot sights are quite popular and offer excellent results in CQB situations. However, because they have no magnification, they’re limited at longer distances.

Holographic sights such as this EOTech are also quite popular and work well at close range. But like the red-dot units, they, too, are limited against small, obscured or more-distant targets.

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JANUARY I 2018

The AR carbine’s most important assets are its light weight and fast handling. Anything that diminishes these must be mission essential.

“Loading up” the weapon with unnecessary accessories invariably ends up degrading performance. (Photo: ZIM235-Dreamstime)

civilian-legal model—sometimes jokingly referred to as the “M-4gery”—utilizes a 16-inch barrel to comply with federal law. Otherwise, the only other differences are that today’s M4 has the flat-top rail with detachable carrying handle/rear sight assembly and the 1-7 rifling twist of the M16A3/AR-15A3, whereas prior to 1985, the 1-12 twist and fixed carrying handle/ rear sight assembly of the M16A1/AR-15 were standard.

The AR carbine is one of the most ergonomically sound designs in firearms history. Like its predecessors, its magazine release button, safety/selector switch, bolt release, charging handle and forward assist assembly are ideally located for fast, efficient use under stress. In addition, its magazine well is wide and easily accessed for rapid mag insertions.

In conjunction with its light weight and good balance, the AR carbine makes for a package that’s hard to beat.

The fit of the upper to lower receiver is critical for best accuracy with all the Stoner platforms, so an Accu-wedge is a good idea. It maintains a snug fit without requiring major fitting or alteration.

IF YOUR NEEDS INCLUDE PRECISION SHOOTING, THE AR CARBINE IS CAPABLE OF ACCURACY THAT RIVALS A HEAVYBARRELED, BOLT-ACTION PRECISION RIG— IF IT’S PROPERLY MODIFIED. something that actually improves the weapon’s efficiency.

A good example of this can be found with flash suppressors.

There are literally dozens of them being marketed—some of which actually work and some that do not Yet the AR’s

There are hundreds of flash suppressors commercially available.

The original military versions are highly effective, whereas many commercial units are not. Choose carefully, because muzzle flash is a serious tactical issue.

Another good example is magazine capacity. Today, there are 10-, 20-, 30-, 40- and even 100-round magazines for the AR. However, magazine capacity is not the only consideration: The original AR-15 was designed around a 20-round mag to ensure good balance and handling qualities. As the years passed, 30-round mags became standard issue for the military as the result of an increased need for volume of fire.

The 30-rounder was simply the most-tolerable compromise of utility and firepower.

Magazines with a larger capacity than 20 rounds can also cause other problems: They tend to snag on web gear and vegetation and get tangled up in tactical slings. In addition, for many shooters, they prevent a good prone position.

Tactical slings, too, should be viewed with caution. Their original creation was for military or SWAT personnel with the intent of allowing them to maintain physical possession of the rifle if they were forced to use their handgun or perform other functions requiring two hands, such as rappelling or fast-roping. If the person is “bulked up” with body armor, web gear or other equipment, tactical slings often tend to get tangled up in things at inopportune times. For a civilian in a self-defense situation or a police officer in a non-SWAT function, in my personal opinion, it’s difficult to see circumstances for which a tactical sling is of any real advantage.

KEEP IT SIMPLE So, when you consider improving or customizing your AR carbine, be sure to first sit down and think about it. Clarify what you need before you do anything else, or you’ll join the ranks of those who “loaded up” their AR carbines with accessories that were useless for their needs—resulting in a serious debilitation of the weapon’s performance.

The military mission is more complex and diverse than civilian or law enforcement self-defense, so know what you absolutely need before spending too much money for little or no increase in performance. I’ve seen AR carbines so loaded up with accessories that they weighed a full 16 pounds, thereby completely destroying the weapon’s fast-handling qualities. By way of comparison, the old M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle [BAR] without the bipod attached weighs 16.5 pounds. If I’m going to carry a rifle that weighs that much, I’d rather have a .30-06 Springfield than a 5.56 NATO!

OPTICAL BATTLE SIGHTS Optical battle sights are, without question, useful additions to any AR setup—but as with all other accessory items, be sure to define your needs clearly before you buy one. The Aimpoint, ACOG and EOTech holographic sights are, by far, the most popular and are used in great quantities by military personnel around the world. Still, each one has its strong and weak points, depending upon your needs.

MAGPUL

The basic Stoner platform was originally designed around a 20-round magazine to provide the best handling qualities possible. Thirtyround mags degrade weapon balance, are prone to snagging vegetation, catch on battle gear and can prevent a good prone firing position.

Accessory furniture such as handguards, pistol grips and buttstocks abound, but one manufacturer stands out above the rest: Magpul. Created and run by former military personnel, Magpul’s products tend to be more well conceived than others and exhibit excellent quality, as well.

I especially like the fact that Magpul’s furniture is available in a variety of colors, thereby solving the problem of the AR being “too black,” which can make it too visible in many tactical environments. For my tastes and needs, Foliage Green and Flat Dark Earth are absolutely the best choices, because they work in the vast majority of natural surroundings. Although it is more expensive, another way to eliminate the “too black” issue is to Cerakote the entire rifle in Foliage Green or Flat Dark Earth. Just remember to have all your magazines Cerakoted, as well.

I also utilize the Magpul CTR and UBR telescoping and MOE fixed buttstocks and handguards. They’re quite well made and easy to work with. However, if your needs include a mounted tactical light and/or laser, some form of rail handguard is appropriate. Although it is usually overlooked, if your M4 has a rail-type gas block rather than a standard front sight, you can simply mount a handgun light/laser—it works perfectly!

The author recommends the Magpul CTR (directly below) and UBR (middle) collapsible buttstocks if storage or mission-required, close-quarters operation are involved. If not, the fixed MOE (bottom) provides excellent stability.

For example, the Aimpoint and EOTech have no magnification and a relatively large aiming point, making them wonderful for fast work on large targets at close ranges. However, for partially obscured or small targets or targets at longer ranges, they’re not so efficient. They’re both also electrically operated and battery dependent, which, in my view, gives “Murphy’s Law” a little too much chance to come into play. I’ve seen it often enough for this to be of concern.

Conversely, Trijicon’s ACOG is more rugged and can be had with a variety of reticles that provide more utility for generalpurpose needs. I want my AR to be capable of handling the full spectrum of general-purpose missions, so hands down, I prefer an ACOG over any other type of optical battle sight. It’s also not electrically operated, depending instead on a tritium reticle or a fiber-optic for low-light reticle visibility.

Of all the ACOGs Trijicon offers, I find the TAO-1 the most efficient for my needs. In short, a properly selected ACOG is just as fast up close as an Aimpoint or EOTech, but it is superior at longer ranges and on small or obscured targets. Its drawback? Price. ACOGs are substantially more expensive than either an EOTech or Aimpoint. (Still, how much is your life worth?)

DIRECT GAS FEED OR PISTON DRIVEN? Over the years, there has been some criticism that the direct impingement gas system of Stoner’s original design allows excess fouling to accumulate in the receiver area and bolt carrier key. Yet, over the multiple decades it’s been in worldwide use, the problem doesn’t seem to have been of epidemic proportions. Still, Stoner, himself, suggested the addition of a traditional gas piston to replace the original design.

So, at least in theory, there must be something to the claim. www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

For those who are concerned about it, many manufacturers make gas piston systems—both upper receivers and complete rifles. Piston systems reduce receiver and bolt fouling to almost nothing. They smooth functioning dynamics and, if nothing else, reduce maintenance to a minimum. As a result, many AR aficionados swear by them.

FX-1 8x40mm target scope with duplex reticle in a Leupold Mark II IMS rail mount. The result was that with proper ammo selection, the rifle is capable of ½-MOA accuracy. Enhanced as I’ve described, even the standard AR carbine is capable of 1 to 1.5 MOA, depending upon ammunition.

AMMO SELECTION ACCURACY Accuracy is always important. As Colonel Townsend Whelen once said, “Only accurate rifles are interesting.”

Although military rifles don’t have to be tack-drivers to be effective (the AK-47 is a great example), as long as making the rifle more accurate doesn’t degrade its functional reliability, doing so is worthwhile. In my not-inconsequential experience with Stoner-designed rifles, I’ve found that for the best accuracy, a tight upper/lower receiver fit is needed. I’ve also found that a good, clean trigger is also critical, so I installed Accu-wedges and Timney 3-pound drop-in triggers in all my AR carbines and other ARs, as well.

If your needs include precision shooting, the AR carbine is capable of accuracy that rivals a heavy-barreled, bolt-action precision rig—if it’s properly modified. I have one that features a heavy, free-floated barrel, circular steel, ventilated handguard, a Timney drop-in 3-pound trigger, Accu-wedge and a Magpul MOE fixed buttstock and pistol grip. To this, I added a Leupold

As for ammo itself, the best way to determine which is best for your needs is to first define those needs carefully. Then, try any prospective ammo to see how it functions and how well it shoots in your particular rifle.

Because my needs are general purpose, I have found that virtually any decent 55-grain SP shoots well in my AR carbines (I have a dozen of them in various configurations). However, I’ve also found that Dynamic Research Technologies’ (DRT) 55-grain

IN CONJUNCTION WITH ITS LIGHT WEIGHT AND GOOD BALANCE, THE AR CARBINE MAKES FOR A PACKAGE THAT’S HARD TO BEAT.

heavy barrel, ventilated handguard, Timney 3-pound trigger, Accuwedge, and a good tactical or target scope, the AR carbine is capable of exceptional accuracy and makes for a fine sharpshooter’s rifle.

(Photo: Adam Perez)

DRT 55-grain HPs exhibit tremendous terminal ballistics on living organisms without loss of needed penetration. Yet, they don’t overpenetrate on walls and other indoor obstructions. For this reason, author Taylor swears by them.

HP not only produces excellent accuracy, it also delivers devastating terminal ballistics. Consequently, it puts the 5.56 NATO in an entirely different performance category, which, as a 5.56mm, it definitely needs.

DRT 55-grain HPs are capable of excellent accuracy. This five-shot, 100-meter group was shot by the author from a sandbag rest with a precision-configured AR carbine.

CLARIFY WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, OR YOU’LL JOIN THE RANKS OF THOSE WHO “LOADED UP” THEIR AR CARBINES WITH ACCESSORIES THAT WERE USELESS FOR THEIR NEEDS— RESULTING IN A SERIOUS DEBILITATION OF THE WEAPON’S PERFORMANCE. Above all, keep it as simple as possible while remaining mission effective. Avoid being “tacticool,” because unrealistic, Rambo-like accessories just add weight and degrade performance.

The AR carbine is clearly a winner and will be with us for quite some time to come. Yet, like any other successful design, it can be improved upon if you clearly define your needs and pick your accessories, modifications and ammunition appropriately.

CONTACT INFORMATION

AIMPOINT Aimpoint.com EOTECH, INC. EOTechInc.com MAGPUL INDUSTRIES Magpul.com TRIJICON, INC. Trijicon.com

Most ARs come from the factory with military triggers, which leave much to be desired.

Substitution of a drop-in Timney 3-pound unit greatly enhances both speed and accuracy.

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JANUARY I 2018

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANA BENNER

MY GRANDFATHER’S MEAT GUN STORIES FOREVER LOCKED AWAY IN THE RECESSES OF COLD STEEL AND WOOD

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T

he end of the year often finds me reflecting on my life, asking myself what have I done, who I am and how I will move forward in the future. It seems that as you get older, you do this sort of thing much more often.

Right now, it is about 4:00 a.m. It is still dark; it is snowing, and my wife and dog are still sound asleep. So much for man’s best friend.

As I sit here, cup of coffee in my hand and a fire going in the pellet stove, I am staring at an old shotgun I pulled from the gun cabinet, wondering what kind of stories it could tell. Why, of all times, did I pick the middle of the night to do this?

It is hard to imagine what those stories could be. Perhaps stories of hunting grouse and rabbit in southern New Hampshire (before it became urban sprawl). Perhaps it is one of a little girl hunting with her father on a cold October morning, eager to bring home something for the pot. Maybe it is that old hunter’s stand-by—the story of how the sun got in your eyes just as the grouse or woodcock broke cover.

Alas, we will never know, because the people who could tell those stories are no longer here to share them. The gun? It has those stories forever locked away in the recesses of cold steel and wood.

JANUARY I 2018

I REALIZE IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN AT LEAST 80 YEARS SINCE A ROUND HAS BEEN PUT THROUGH IT. IT IS A RELIC OF TIMES GONE BY, FORGOTTEN BY ALL SAVE A FEW; A GUN THAT DATES BACK TO THE DAYS OF BLACK POWDER. The author’s grandfather’s J. Manton & Co. shotgun

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As I cleaned the shotgun, I often found myself daydreaming about being in the woods and fields, hunting with the man I had never met. I dreamed of grouse and rabbit hunting with my grandfather. I dreamed of cold and frosty mornings with grouse breaking cover; of the first shot missing and the other bringing the bird to the ground. Was the shotgun telling me these stories, or were they just thoughts stirred up in a child’s imagination?

When I was through cleaning and oiling the shotgun, I always put it back in the closet where it was kept, because it was

With the fore stock removed, there are some interesting markings on the shotgun. Europeans are known for their love of factory and proof marks.

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never hung on the wall. It was never displayed, as it should have been—in honor of the man who used it.

The author’s old shotgun (top) compared to a modern side-by-side

As I grew older and went off to the Army, the gun was forgotten about by everyone but me. I always knew that the shotgun was there, although I never gave it much thought.

“How,” you might ask, “does this have anything to do with how you turned out?”

Well, it was my mother who first got me involved in the outdoors, and it was her father who taught her. My mother was born in 1920, so she was hunting, fishing and handling firearms long before it was fashionable for women to do so.

It was during the Great Depression, so times were tough for my mother’s family. My grandfather hunted and fished to help put food on the table, and my mother often went with him while he did this. My grandfather’s respect for the outdoors was passed on to my mother, who, in turn, passed it on to me.

My mother often told me stories about hunting with her father and about living through the Great Depression. She told me about how she was taught to shoot and clean game and about how important it was to keep your gun clean and ready to go. Sometimes, she and my grandfather came home with no game, but she learned something each time they went out. www.gunworld.com

THIS SHOTGUN IS DEFINITELY NOT THE FANCIEST FIREARM I HAVE EVER SEEN, BUT “FANCY” IS NOT WHAT PUTS MEAT ON THE TABLE. THE PERSON USING IT DOES.

JANUARY I 2018

My grandfather taught her how to track animals, read animal sign and how to anticipate an animal’s behavior by the weather. He also taught her about respect—respect for the firearm, for the game being hunted and for herself. All those things she passed down to me I have passed on to my daughter and now, to my granddaughter.

The shotgun I now hold in my hand was the firearm that my grandfather used to feed his family, just as I do with my firearms today. Little did I know as a kid that this shotgun helped to define the life I now lead. It guided me to be a gun owner, hunter and an outdoor writer.

A PIECE OF HISTORY I decided to do a little research on the shotgun to see exactly what I had. It was made by J. Manton & Co. As a kid, I realized just how heavy this shotgun was.

As an adult, I still find it very heavy when compared to modern side-by-sides. Weight-wise, it rivals my more than 30-year-old Mossberg 500 12-gauge pump, which, to be honest, is a beast.

The shotgun is a 12-gauge, double-barreled side-by-side. It has a walnut stock and Damascus steel barrels (marked as

“Laminated Steel”), which measure 30 inches. It’s not true Damascus steel, but the laminating process that was used gives it a “Damascus steel” look, which led to the nickname.

The gun has double triggers, each one firing one of the two large external hammers. The breech brake release is located on the left side of the shotgun, instead of being located on the top between the triggers.

From my research, I found that this J. Manton & Co. shotgun was a “knock-off” of the quality shotguns manufactured by Manton in England. Made by many different companies in Belgium from the mid- to late-1800s to the early 1920s, these firearms were considered “low end” and were popular among farmers and rural hunters in the United States and elsewhere.

I researched the marking on the underside of the barrels the best I could and learned that this particular shotgun had, indeed, been manufactured in Belgium and had been exported to Birmingham, England, for export sale. (I guess saying you had a gun from England sounded better, although I doubt my grandfather really cared one way or another.) At that time, Belgium seemed to be the place to go to produce firearms at low cost, because even Browning started producing firearms there.

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These shotguns were mass-produced for the export market, including the United States. The exact manufacture date is almost impossible to figure out. More than likely, this firearm was purchased prior to World War I, because during the war, exports from Europe were not readily available.

View of triggers and J. Manton & Co. markings

They were imported by H&D Folsom Co. between 1890 and 1910 and were sold at local hardware stores throughout the country, which is something we do not see today. Back then, a firearm was a tool, just like a shovel or an ax.

Now, we have to ask ourselves who decides whether a firearm is “low end” or not. Obviously, this shotgun has lasted more than 100 years, and it was used heavily early on in its life. We should all hope that items manufactured today will last that long.

This shotgun is definitely not the fanciest firearm I have ever seen, but “fancy” is not what puts meat on the table. The person using it does. The fanciest, most expensive shotgun in the world is worthless if the person using it cannot shoot. My www.gunworld.com

grandfather’s shotgun was made to do a job, and it performed the task it was designed to do.

Most of the items in my parent’s home were sold per their instructions, but this piece of family history has a new home with me. This one item says a great deal about my family— and thus, about me.

It makes me feel good to realize that this apple has not fallen too far from the tree.

MY GRANDFATHER, TO WHOM THIS GUN ONCE BELONGED, INFLUENCED ME WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT ... WHILE I NEVER MET THIS MAN, HE IS INDIRECTLY A BIG REASON I BECAME WHO I AM TODAY. JANUARY I 2018

Made in USA

The barrel is made of laminated steel and is marked as such.

Mag Brush for Hi Cap Rifles Fits 5.56 and 7.62 From the Makers of GTUL – Wear eye protection when cleaning magazine –

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.com

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LARRY SCHWARTZ

IN-THE-EARHEARING PROTECTIONFOR SHOOTERS ADVANCES IN ELECTRONIC HEARING PROTECTION DEVICES LET YOU HEAR WHAT GOES ON AROUND YOU WHILE PROTECTING YOU FROM THE DAMAGING NOISE OF THE SHOT.

O

ur hearing is vital to our daily lives and activities. If we are in the military, law enforcement or we hunt, being able to hear well is a basic job requirement.

There are many ways to protect our hearing, ranging from simple foam earplugs, which go inside your ear canal to block out sounds, to earmuffs you wear over your ears. These do a good job of blocking out sounds—both the loud sounds we don’t want to get through, as well as the quieter sounds we do want to get through. That is where the electronic “cousins” of these foam noise-blockers come into play.

Environmental sounds are picked up by the microphone on the outside of the earplug or earmuff. It is then sent to a signal processor that filters out anything louder than 85 or 90 decibels (dB). It might also boost the volume of softer sounds, based on the settings you apply. The remaining safe level of sound is then sent to the microphone, which plays it into your ear so you can hear it.

Electronic earplugs use the same kind of technology you find in hearing aids, but with less-complex circuitry and capabilities. They are not intended for use as hearing aids and cannot be sold or promoted as medical devices.

They are also much less expensive than medical-grade hearing aids: They start at a few hundred dollars at the non-customfit end of the spectrum and run into the thousands with the custom-fit ear molds and more-sophisticated functionality at the higher end of the spectrum.

THE BASIC FEATURES THAT ARE AVAILABLE INCLUDE: Keeping out dangerous sounds; Comfortable fit; Less weight than external earmuffs; No impact on your shooting form or ability to wear headgear; Ability to wear them all day if desired; Swapable ear tips in different sizes to ensure you get a good fit in your

A WORD ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY Electronic hearing protection serves two purposes: first, to block out the damaging loud and high-frequency sounds we don’t want to reach our ear drums; second, to allow us to hear the normal and even softer sounds we do want to reach our ear drums. Both electronic earplugs (inside the ear canal) and electronic earmuffs (over the ear) couple the same foam materials used in the non-electronic versions to block out the damaging noises with the same kind of technology used in hearing aids to give you the ability to hear the safe sounds. www.gunworld.com

ear canal; alternatively, taking impressions of your ear and ear canal to ensure a custom and more-comfortable fit; Volume control and boosting of environmental sounds; Different hearing programs in some models to fine-tune the device for certain kinds of sounds; Replaceable or rechargeable batteries; On/off switches or capabilities; Water-resistant or waterproof capabilities.

JANUARY I 2018

Clockwise, from top left: WildEar Master Series, ESP Stealth, Peltor/3M TEP-100, Walker Silencer and Etymotic GunSport PRO (Photo: Larry Schwartz)

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BUYER’S GUIDE

Here are some of the most popular models on the market now. They are not only user friendly and effective, they also show the range of available functions and features. Prices are MSRP from the manufacturer’s website, but some have a lower street price.

The non-custom, or universal fit, models such as this Walker’s Silencer come with a series of earpieces so you can pick the size and shape that give you the best fit and the most comfort.

This is important, because if you don’t get a good seal, the effectiveness of your electronic earplugs drops significantly.

MAKE: Walker’s MODEL: Silencer Ear Buds NRR (Noise Reduction Rating): 25 dB MSRP: $230 URL: WalkersGameEar.com

TESTING CONCLUSION: The least expensive of the products in this buyer’s guide, Silencer Ear Buds are very effective and easy to use. They come with a number of different tips to choose from, so you can get a good seal, regardless of your ear’s size or shape. The thing I like the most about them is the two-part customization system they use: You can select the size and shape of the tip that goes into your ear, and you can also choose from three different exterior seals that help keep the earplug in place while also keeping out more noise.

PRODUCT SUMMARY: Silencer Ear Buds are Walker’s’ venture into in-the-ear hearing protection. The company took a simple design and added some innovative features, such as being able to customize the parts that go in the ear canal and in the outside of the ear to give you a good fit. They are designed for those who shoot guns and are looking for a relatively inexpensive product to protect and enhance their hearing.

FEATURES Patented Secure-Lock fitting SAC (Sound Activated Compression) protects hearing.

OS-R3110 digital sound processing Independent volume control On/off power switch Integrated omni-directional microphones Full-dynamic-range speakers deliver crisp, clear sound.

Includes baffled silicone-and-foam ear buds (three sizes each) Secure-Lock sizing fins (three sizes) Removable lanyard 25 dB NRR 80 hours battery life (estimated) Powered by #10 batteries (four included) Matte black with carbon-fiber accents Carry case included

The Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) associated with each product does not really tell you how much noise it reduces, because it isn’t calculated based on gunshots. Rather, it is determined via a weighted average of duration of exposure at several different frequencies over a period of several hours. What the NRR can be used for is to help you determine which product better blocks sounds from entering your ear.

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The Etymotic GunSport PRO is a universal-fit model and comes with inserts so you can pick the size and shape for best fit and comfort.

MAKE: Etymotic Research, Inc. MODEL: GunSport PRO NRR: 15 dB MSRP: $300 URL: Etymotic.com PRODUCT SUMMARY: Etymotic makes a number of hearing protection earplugs that cater to everything from music lovers to motorsport fans—and, of course, shooters. The GunSport PRO model is designed for the sport shooting enthusiast, for whom being able to hear what is going on around them is important. These products protect your hearing and also allow you to boost it so you can hear softer sounds or sounds that are farther away. Although not on the market at the time of this writing, a rechargeable version that does not require the small hearing aid batteries, the GunSport Elite, is expected to be out by the first quarter of 2018.

FEATURES ACCU•Technology with high-definition, balanced-armature drivers, high-sensitivity microphones and proprietary, wide-dynamicrange compression K-AMP signal processing Dual-mode switch Automatic hearing protection, plus “blast protection” mode Provides 15 dB of automatic hearing protection when noise exceeds safe levels Protects from blasts TESTING CONCLUSION: The GunSport Pro was the first electronic earplug I reviewed for this buyer’s guide.

Amplifies up to five times It set the standard against which the others were evaluated, and it has a number of nice design features.

Assortment of ACCU-Fit eartips Using a switch for controlling the volume, rather than a wheel, makes for simpler controls and easier use Durable neck cord in the field. Making fine adjustments with a wheel can be difficult if you have large fingers or are wearing Filter tool and ACCU-Filters gloves. The “high” volume setting—five times normal volume—is also a good feature. It allowed me to hear Cleaning tool conversations from several yards away, as well as the steps of a deer in the leaves as it approached my Batteries (#10) stand. The protective hard case that comes with the earplugs is another good feature, because it can readily Protective case be hung from your belt or pack to keep the plugs available at all times.

User manual

As you go up in loudness, which is measured in decibels (dB), the potential for damage to your ears and your hearing also goes up. The threshold at which sounds become dangerous is at 85 or 90 dB.

ELECTRONIC EARPLUGS USE THE SAME KIND OF TECHNOLOGY YOU FIND IN HEARING AIDS, BUT WITH LESS-COMPLEX CIRCUITRY AND CAPABILITIES. www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

MAKE: Peltor/3M MODEL: Tactical Ear Plug 1 NRR: 23–30 dB (depending tip used) MSRP: $278–$342 (sold thr retailers, not directly from P URL: 3M.com PRODUCT SUMMARY: The recently placed an order hundred of the PELTOR Tact kits—and for good reason box, the size of a deck of pl comes with all the basic category of product. It has sizes and shapes to help perfect auditory seal. It b hearing with the push of a b is always charged. These e designed for anyone who ne where loud noises are co persistent, as well as thos work where they are expos instantaneous noises such a or the crack of impact hamm

FEATURES The small and lightweight design helps improve overall comfort and user experience.

Rechargeable electronic earplugs help reduce loud noise while amplifying low-level sounds.

Intuitive one-button operation turns the unit on and off and selects “high” or “normal” volume setting.

Lithium-ion battery provides up to 16 hours of continuous operation between charges.

Portable charging case is powered by three AA alkaline batteries or USB (Micro B) port.

Choice of replaceable communications eartips that are designed to fit most ear canal sizes: UltraFit Communication Tip (23 dB); Triple C Communication Tip (27 dB); and Skull Screw Communication Tip (30 dB) Tactical earplugs and portable charging station (with cover and USB ports closed) are IP67 compliant and water resistant (immersion of up to 1 meter for 30 minutes).

Innovative microphone port design helps protect eartips against water ingress.

Portable charging station helps protect earplugs in wet and austere environments.

Optional earplug cord can be attached to earplug for additional security.

TESTING CONCLUSION: Of the non-custom-fit models, this is my favorite. All the non-custom-fit models include a variety of sizes and shapes of tips for the earplugs, but the main feature that puts the TEP-100 at the top for me is its recharging station. Most electronic earplugs use the small batteries found in hearing aids, but once they are activated by exposure to the air, you can’t stop them from slowly discharging. That means that if you only use your electronic earplugs every week or so, the battery might be dead when you need to use them. The TEP-100 is designed to keep your earplugs fully charged—as long as you put them back in their case to recharge after you use them.

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FEATURES MAKE: Electronic Shooter Protection (ESP) MODELS: Elite Classic, Elite Digital, Stealth (tested) and Dynamic NRR: 25 dB MSRP: $900–$2,400 (Stealth [tested]: $2,100) URL: ESPAmerica.com PRODUCT SUMMARY: The Stealth model that was reviewed for this buyer’s guide is ESP’s most popular model and one of four models it offers. The different models combine price points and features for shooters ranging from the hobbyist all the way up to the professional shooting sports competitor. These models include a number of channels and bands to help you define the sounds you want to hear and those you want to ignore. They also have a feature many do not: a waterproof coating.

TESTING CONCLUSION: With ESP, you need to go to an audiologist to have your impressions made. Also, ESP will return the impressions with your new electronic earplugs at your request. This is a nice feature, because you can use them as a backup set of conventional custom earplugs. ESP offers the widest variety of models I have seen so far, ranging from basic to more-technical features. The custom fit makes these earplugs more comfortable to wear than the models with foam tips you need to compress to get a good seal, and they also provide a better seal. In addition, when you order from ESP, you can discuss its custom tuning options to help the earplugs better meet your needs.

100 percent digital quality Custom fit Basic auto environmental controls Noise-reduction circuits P2i waterproof nano coating Custom programming Rotary volume control Omni-directional microphone Advanced compression circuitry Advanced feedback control +/- 25 dB passive Noise Reduction Rating Internal wax trap Low-battery indicator Made in the U.S.A. User guide Batteries Cleaning tool Rigid case One-year repair warranty (includes fit) 30-day money-back trial period Impressions returned to buyer Battery sizes: 13 for average ears; 312 for small ears

MAKE: WildEar MODELS: Master Series (tested); Tactical Series NRR: 23 dB (Tactical); 26 dB (Master) MSRP: $1,099 (Master); $999 (Tactical) URL: WildEar.com PRODUCT SUMMARY: When it comes to custom-fit electr WildEar is an example of the other end of the spectrum. This co the Master and the Tactical. Both are at the lower end of the WildEar differentiates itself from the competition in a numb quality gear, a set of programs to choose from based on your h of accessories other brands don’t offer that help you mai products are targeted at the military, law enforcement and sho

FEATURES Multiple pre-defined digital programs to choose from two in the Tactical model) Adjustable volume up to five times normal hearing boo Sound guard Water resistant Color-coded right and left ear Custom fit for all-day comfort Vent system (Master model) Wax protection system Neck cord Cleaning kit Pelican mini-case for storage and protection Extra batteries

WIldEar comes with a nice accessory kit: plenty of spare batteries, cleaning kit, vent plugs, neck cord, field soft case and a Pelican mini-case for storage and protection. The company also provides a DIY “Fit Kit” that comes with everything you need to do your own ear impressions: detailed directions with illustrations, the molding compound and a syringe for injecting it into your ear.

TESTING CONCLUSION: WildEar has put together one of the best packages available for custom-fit electronic earplugs. It offers two models, both of which offer different programs to help tailor them to your hearing needs. They use a switch to turn the power on and off. As a result, you don’t have to remove the batteries or open the battery compartment. In addition, you don’t have to go to an audiologist to get your ear molds made, because WildEar sends you a do-it-yourself “Fit Kit” with everything you need to make your own molds. Then, to top it off, the company includes a Pelican brand mini-case to protect your earplugs and keep all the pieces together.

As you can see, there are many vendors making a wide range of products. The products discussed here are just the most-popular models that represent the kinds of features available. When you start deciding which one you want, consider the following:

batteries each time you use them is a minor inconvenience, but if you are the kind of person who wants everything to be as simple as possible, you might want to look at the rechargeable models on the market.

How long will you be using them each time? Although the noncustom or universal-fit models are comfortable with the right size and shape of ear tip, the custom-fit models will be more comfortable for longer periods of time. The tradeoff? They are pricier.

Electronic earplugs have come a long way. They’re more rugged, offer more features/advancements, are more comfortable ... and all for a lower cost.

How much money do you want to spend? Operationally, the universal-fit models do 80 to 90 percent of what the higher-end custom-fit models do, but for several hundred dollars less. However, they aren’t as comfortable for extended use.

With the moresophisticated electronics in the custom-fit models, you can get different programs that allow you to pick how the earplug modifies amplitude (volume) for different frequencies. (Photo: WildEar)

What features do you want or need? There is no need to pay for a feature you don’t care about—such as sound enhancement to hear softer sounds better—if you don’t need it.

Do you want rechargeable earplugs? Replacing the small www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW

THE ROBERTS DEFENSE DARK OPS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER 1911.

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JANUARY I 2018

S

ometimes, you might find it difficult to get excited about yet another striker-fired, polymer-framed pistol or yet another 1911.

Everybody makes them.

With the 1911, you can understand the popularity. The design has a rich tradition as a combat sidearm; and, when properly executed, no other semiauto pistol has a better trigger.

There are parts and accessories in abundance for it. As a result, it is an easy gun to customize and make truly your own, exactly the way you want it. And for a hard-knocks gun that saw early duty in the muddy trenches, some of the modern examples are absolutely beautiful. No one ever accused a polymer pistol of being a “work of art.”

The Roberts Defense Dark Ops is a nononsense defensive pistol that would also be right at home with any law enforcement tactical team.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Just prior to this issue of Gun World going to press, Roberts Defense simplified the names of its lineup. The tested model was the DARK OPS PRO model, and it was also offered in CUSTOM and CARRY models. Now, these three names are no longer used, and it is just the DARK OPS. But it is offered in 5-inch (formerly PRO) and 4.25-inch (formerly CUSTOM). Also, black nitride was the standard finish; but, due to popularity, Cerakote is now standard, which decreases build time by three to four weeks. Black nitride is still offered as a $350 option.] www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

The Dark Ops features a stainless steel slide and frame that (as tested) undergo a black nitride process to enhance the pistol’s corrosion and wear resistance. It now comes standard with a Cerakote finish.

your buck. They’re not inexpensive; putting in the necessary hands-on attention to detail is never cheap. But the result is that this manufacturer’s pistols are wonderfully made of good materials to exacting tolerances.

THE BUILD For this review, I requested the company’s Dark Ops in the 5-inch barrel configuration—formerly named the PRO model.

It’s not a frilly, ornate “barbecue” model or a flashy race gun.

Everything about it stares you in the eye without blinking and says, “Serious business.”

There are no injection-molded parts in this American-made gun.

The frame and slide are forged from stainless steel bar stock and then given a matte-black nitride treatment (as tested) for supreme corrosion and wear resistance. It now comes standard with a Cerakote finish. The front strap is finely checkered. www.gunworld.com

IT’S ACCURATE, RELIABLE AND WELL MADE. IT’S CLASSY WITHOUT BEING FLASHY.

JANUARY I 2018

The front serrations are attractively done, but the author rarely makes use of them. The singlenotch accessory rail is unobtrusive and does little to detract from the 1911’s classic lines.

All the internal parts receive hands-on treatment. The frame rails are hand lapped to create what Roberts Defense calls a “riding-on-glass feel.” The slide is hand fit to the frame. The barrel bushing is hand fit, as is the barrel hood to the slide.

The hammer, sear and disconnector are all machined parts that are then hand polished. The same is true for the trigger, grip safety and thumb safety.

OTHER FEATURES There’s a small notch at the top of the chamber that serves as a visual loaded-chamber indicator. The company redesigned the ledge on the slide stop lever, but it’s not elongated. That’s

EVERYTHING ABOUT IT STARES YOU IN THE EYE WITHOUT BLINKING AND SAYS, “SERIOUS BUSINESS.” a good thing. An extended slide stop lever can sometimes lead to slide lock during firing if your support hand thumb presses against it. There’s also an installation slot so you don’t mar the frame when installing the slide stop lever.

The Dark Ops features widened, ambidextrous thumb safeties.

That’s a plus, even for right-handed shooters who might be faced with the necessity of shooting left-handed ... because gunfights rarely play out as rehearsed.

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This model is fitted with textured Black Desert Sand VZ Operator II G10 grip panels. They are attractive, yes, but they are also light and durable. Together with the front strap checkering on the frame, they provide a no-slip hold on the gun that is second only to Super Glue. An extended mag well is added to the bottom of the grip frame to help funnel magazines into the pistol.

The Dark Ops comes with Heine tritium night sights. The rear sight is held in the dovetail with two set screws. Loosening them allows you an easy way to slide the sight left or right to adjust for windage. The face of the sight is serrated to reduce glare. The configuration of these sights is two tritium dots— one front, one rear—for a dot-on-dot sight picture that’s fast to acquire with unmistakable alignment in low light.

The extended, flared magwell provides an aid to speed reloads.

The Roberts Defense team got it right when it produced the Dark Ops. The slide-to-frame fit is excellent—but not so tight you have to put the gun in a vise to work the slide. All the parts work together smoothly and precisely. The thumb safeties click securely into the “safe” position and disengage smoothly, but without the worry that they’ll slide off accidentally.

The rear sight features a ledge. Should you have to work your pistol’s action one-handed when things begin to unravel in a gunfight, you can catch that sight ledge on your holster, belt, boot heel or other object to retract the slide. Two eight-round magazines with witness holes are included.

SHOOTING IMPRESSIONS With good semiauto pistols intended for defensive use, there always has to be balance between accuracy and reliability.

Tighten the tolerances, and you can achieve better accuracy.

But too much can affect reliability, and you can’t have that in a gun you’ll carry into harm’s way. If the parts fit too loosely, you might compromise accuracy to the point at which you don’t have confidence in taking that head shot when necessary.

The ledge on the rear sight provides enough of a surface to catch it on the edge of your holster or other item to draw back the slide, should you need to clear a malfunction one-handed.

I drew the pistol from a Fobus paddle holster especially designed for 1911 pistols with accessory rails. If you establish a proper hold right from the holster, the textured grips keep the pistol from shifting as you bring that front sight onto the target. Target acquisition is quick; the wide notch (.156 inch) in the rear sight is partially responsible for this. The Heine sights are an excellent choice for this pistol. I’m thinking of putting them on some of my other guns.

Although relatively heavy by today’s carry-pistol standards, one nice characteristic of the 1911 pistol continues to be its narrow profile.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS GUN IS MORE THAN ACCURATE ENOUGH FOR ANY DEFENSIVE OR TACTICAL USE. www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

The Roberts Defense Dark Ops features ambidextrous thumb safeties.

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This is a Series 70 type of 1911, meaning there is no internal firing pin safety to complicate the trigger. After a small amount of takeup, the trigger broke crisply. I measured it at 3.5 pounds.

The Heine sights feature single tritium dots, front and rear.

Additionally, the rear sight is serrated and has a wide notch.

PERFORMANCE I shot four different loads through the pistol: two full metal jacket training loads and two defense loads. There were no malfunctions. Empties were ejected with vigor—most landed about 10 feet away.

From the bench, five-shot groups at 25 yards measured around 1.5 inches. When I lost concentration and became impatient, groups opened up, and that inflated some of the final figures.

I dread shooting from the bench and see little point in it, beyond sighting-in a gun for a particular load. You’re better served using up your ammo and practicing more realistic defensive drills. A better, more methodical shooter could have

At the muzzle end of the pistol, you can see the conventional barrel bushing. This one is hand-fitted to enhance accuracy. This type of bushing allows for easy takedown without tools.

done much better, I’m sure. The bottom line is that this gun is more than accurate enough for any defensive or tactical use.

The Dark Ops 5-inch lives up to its former name, Dark Ops Pro, with professional grade performance.The weight of the gun aids in controlling it through body armor drills (two to the chest, one to the head) and in transitions between multiple targets and shooting one-handed. Shooting at rubber balls, golf balls and soup cans—

The VZ grips are made of G10 with an aggressive texture and provide a sure, no-slip hold on the pistol.

something I usually integrate at the end of each training session—kept things fun.

TRADING UP Ammunition

When I was younger, I owned several beat-up used cars that got me from point A to point B ... most of the time. But there was no pride of ownership in having a truly excellent ride. I’d never want to drive any of them again.

After shooting this Roberts Defense Dark Ops, I admit I am spoiled. It’s accurate, reliable and well made. It’s classy without being flashy. None of the other handguns in my safe seem quite as satisfactory now. I’m thinking it’s better to have fewer guns of high quality than an eclectic collection of this and that— guns I don’t shoot often enough to get good with them.

Average Velocity Smallest Group (fps) (inches)

Average Group

Winchester Train & Defend 230-grain FMJ

842 fps

1.25

1.71

Hornady American Gunner 185-grain XTP

991 fps

1.25

1.58

Federal/American Eagle 230-grain FMJ

832 fps

1.5

1.78

Federal Premium HST 230-grain JHP

887 fps

1.25

1.45

NOTES: Velocity was measured in feet per second (fps), the average of 10 shots, over a Chrony chronograph at 15 feet from the muzzle. Group size, measured in inches, was the result of five five-shot groups from a rest at 25 yards.

Yes, I’ll have to trade away several of my other guns and still come up with a bit of cash in order to buy a Defense Dark Ops, with its nearly $2,000 price tag. But Cooper was right: A good handgun should last a lifetime. And this Roberts Defense 1911 has a transferable lifetime warranty.

SPECIFICATIONS TYPE: 1911 single-action semiautomatic pistol CALIBER: .45 ACP (tested), 9mm BARREL LENGTH: 5 inches HEIGHT: 5.4 inches WIDTH: .9 inch OVERALL LENGTH: 8.7 inches WEIGHT (EMPTY): 41 ounces TRIGGER PULL: 3.5–4 pounds FRAME: Forged stainless steel; checkered front strap; extended magwell; accessory rail SLIDE: Forged stainless steel FINISH: Cerakote (as tested); black nitride is a $350 option) SAFETY: Ambidextrous SIGHTS: Heine two-dot tritium night sights GRIP PANELS: G10 MSRP: $1,999.99

So, where’s the risk? I think I’m about to trade up.

The padded, soft-sided case provides a place for everything. The pistol is held securely in place with Velcro straps.

CONTACT INFORMATION ROBERTS DEFENSE RobertsDefense.com FEDERAL AMMUNITION FederalPremium.com FOBUS HOLSTERS FobusHolster.com HORNADY AMMUNITION Hornady.com WINCHESTER AMMUNITION Winchester.com

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JANUARY I 2018

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JAMES E. HOUSE

THE

A MILD, BUT CAPABLE, LEGEND

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JANUARY I 2018

The performance of a fine .257 Roberts sporting rifle such as this Ruger 77 can be enhanced by careful handloading.

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JANUARY I 2018

MYFAVORITE CALIBERS INCLUDE SUCH STANDBYS AS THE .223 REMINGTON, .308 WINCHESTER AND 7X57 MAUSER. ALSO ON THAT LIST IS ANOTHER OF THE “MILD” CARTRIDGES, THE .257 ROBERTS.

Numerous other examples could be cited, but the point is that it has been a long-standing practice to do so. Whereas the .25-06 Remington resulted from necking down a .30-06 case, changing dimensions slightly and necking down an even older cartridge, the 7x57 Mauser, to .25 caliber resulted in the .257 Roberts. It is named after the main proponent of the cartridge, Ned Roberts, whose work in the 1920s resulted in Remington making the .257 Roberts a factory round in 1934.

How did the .257 Roberts fare in days gone by? For many years, the acknowledged champion of gun writers was Jack O’Connor, who had this to say about the .257: “Of all the cartridges, both standard and wildcat, that have been cooked up in the last 30 years, there is none that can play more and sweeter tunes than the .257” (Sportsman’s Arms and Ammunition Manual, Popular Science Books, 1952, p. 23).

In the cartridge introduction in the Speer Reloading Manual No. 7, 1966, these words are found: “One of the most useful cartridges ever developed is the .257 Roberts.”

Did the physical nature of the world and its fauna change in the last 50 to 70 years so that the .257 Roberts is no longer a viable tool? Not hardly!

The .257 Roberts case (right) is a necked-down version of the 7x57 Mauser (left).

What happened is that shooters became enamored with velocity; and with improvements in optics, hunters started taking longer shots. In such cases, higher velocity means a flatter trajectory.

L

ike most shooters, I have a few favorite calibers.

None of them is of the “extreme” nature—meaning that the weight of the powder charge is over half the weight of the bullet. My favorite calibers include such standbys as the .223 Remington, .308 Winchester and 7x57 Mauser. Also on that list is another of the “mild” cartridges, the .257 Roberts.

Several .25-caliber cartridges have achieved some popularity, but not many. The lure of the .30 caliber has overshadowed the .25, and only the .25-35 Winchester, .250 Savage and .257 Roberts have reached and maintained a level of popularity over a duration of time.

More-recent .25-caliber developments include the .25-06 Remington, .25 Winchester Super Short Magnum and .257 Weatherby Magnum. Except for the .25-06, they are not selling like hot cakes; and except for nostalgia allure, the .25-35 Winchester and .250 Savage are seldom seen.

NECKING DOWN Changing the neck diameter on an existing case has resulted in a great number of cartridges. For example, that procedure has resulted in the .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington and .358 Winchester being produced from the .308 Winchester. www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

Along with these changes, there appeared the .243 Winchester and .244 Remington, which later became the 6mm Remington.

Having bullet diameters of .243 inch and loaded to higher pressure than the .257, they gave a slight advantage in the velocity race with bullets having the same sectional density.

Depending on the varmints and the range, the 60-grain Hornady and the 87-grain softpoint loads are more than sufficient.

Ever quick to gravitate to new cartridges, shooters jumped on the .243 Winchester, which was designed to be a varmint and deer cartridge with bullets weighing 80 and 100 grains.

The original .244 Remington utilized a slower twist to stabilize varmint-weight bullets, which was corrected by changing the twist and renaming the cartridge. But it was too little too late; and the .243 is enormously popular, whereas the 6mm is rarely seen in a new rifle.

Kimber offers the Hunter, Classic and Mountain versions of its bolt-action rifles in .257 Roberts; and, until recently, Ruger marketed the Model 77 Hawkeye in .257 Roberts. My most recent sighting of a new .257 Roberts was a Ruger No. 1 International with a full-length Mannlicher stock.

Cartridges have pressure limits that are established by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI). The pressure limit for the .308 Winchester is 62,000 psi, whereas that of the 7mm Mauser is 51,000. As a result, the pressure limit for the 243 Winchester was established as 60,000 psi, but that of the .257 Roberts was only 54,000 psi.

With a wide assortment of bullets available in .257 caliber, the handloader can tailor ammunition for use on targets from small varmints to medium game. Left to right: 70-grain Sierra BlitzKing, 75-grain Hornady V-Max, 75-grain Hornady hollow point, 75-grain Sierra hollow point, 85-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 87-grain Speer TNT and 87-grain Hornady spitzer bullets

DID THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF THE WORLD AND ITS FAUNA CHANGE IN THE LAST 50 TO 70 YEARS SO THAT THE .257 ROBERTS IS NO LONGER A VIABLE TOOL? NOT HARDLY!

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The .257 Roberts has long been a favorite for use on larger varmints such as coyotes.

Realizing that modern rifles can be chambered for either of those cartridges led Winchester to introduce the .257 Roberts +P that has a pressure limit of 58,000 psi, and the cartridges have that headstamp. The older non +P Winchester cases have an average weight of 159.4 grains, whereas the newer +P cases have an average weight of 171.2 grains. The Remington cases I weighed averaged 168.8 grains, which is comparable to that of the Winchester +P cases. Newer .257 Roberts cases have a smaller volume than do the older versions.

PERFORMANCE

There are many factory loads available for the .243 Winchester, but the choice in .257 Roberts is much more limited. Therefore, if an owner of a .257 Roberts wants to increase its versatility and maximize its potential, handloading is the best option.

When it comes to performance, most shooters could be handed a rifle sighted in at perhaps 200 yards and, with appropriate loads, not see any difference between the .243 Winchester and .257 Roberts in the field.

For long-range varmint shooting, the .243 Winchester has the edge because of somewhat higher velocity with lighter bullets. For use on medium game, the .257 Roberts might be slightly better, because it can be used with heavier bullets of larger diameter.

Three superb varmint 75-grain bullets for the .257 Roberts: (left to right) the Hornady V-Max, Hornady hollow point and Sierra Varminter

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The 7mm Mauser case is of moderate size, but when it is necked to .257 caliber, the volume is rather large for the diameter. This means that relatively slow-burning powders work best, and powders such as Alliant Reloder 15, 17 and 19; Power Pro 2000-MR, IMR 4320, 4064, 4350 and 8208 XBR; Accurate 4350; Hodgdon H4350 and H380; and CFE 223 are all suitable.

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These primers indicate the pressure of a light varmint load (left) and a top-end load (right).

FORUSEON MEDIUM GAME,THE .257 ROBERTS ‌ CAN BE USED WITH HEAVIER BULLETS OF LARGER DIAMETER.

Two bullets that gave excellent accuracy in the author’s rifle are the 60-grain Hornady and the 117-grain Sierra spritzer.

All the loads listed in the accompanying table (see the sidebar on page 78) were assembled using Winchester +P cases and Winchester large rifle primers. Velocities were measured at 10 feet from the muzzle using a Competition Electronics ProChrono chronograph. The load parameters and results are listed in the accompanying table.

From data shown in the table, it can be seen that the .257 Roberts is a versatile cartridge that is quite at home in both varmint-hunting and medium-game situations. The loads with lighter bullets give up very little to the .243 Winchester, and those with bullets of 100 to 117 grains are not far behind similar loads for the .260 Remington or 6.5 Creedmoor.

However, the latter calibers can utilize heavier bullets. In my rifle, the most accurate load is with the 75-grain Sierra hollow point and 39.0 grains of IMR 4064. That load routinely gives groups of 1 inch or less.

This tight cluster was obtained at 50 yards with the 60-grain Hornady flat-point bullet.

Although some compilations of data might show slightly higher velocity for 117-grain loads, the load using IMR 4955 gave 2,758 fps. That is sufficiently potent to make the .257 Roberts effective on deer-sized game.

The load using the 60-grain bullet is intended for short range on pests, and it performed superbly. (When assembling reduced loads, insert a bullet immediately after placing powder in the case so there is no possibility of a double The Sierra 117-grain spritzer punched this nice, 100-yard group.

Even with one outlier, this group shows the consistent accuracy obtained with the 75-grain Sierra hollowpoint bullet.

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JANUARY I 2018

One nice attribute of the .257 Roberts is that even when shooting from a bench, recoil is light.

ON LIVES HERE.

NEWER .257 ROBERTS CASES HAVE A SMALLER VOLUME THAN DO THE OLDER VERSIONS. charge!) The velocities were very uniform; and, at 50 yards, a cluster of five shots measured slightly over ½ inch. With some of the other loads in which 75-grain bullets were used, the .257 Roberts can be an effective varmint rifle at short or long ranges.

SWEET TUNES In comparison to some of the hotshots of today, the .257 Roberts is a relatively mild cartridge. However, with the wide range of available bullet weights, it is a versatile cartridge that is still a good choice for the average hunter who takes shots inside of 300 yards and hunts game no larger than deer.

And, of course, it doubles as an excellent varmint cartridge, especially for larger predators.

It is still a useful cartridge, and it can play “sweet tunes.” No, it is not a super magnum, but for a lot of hunting, a mild, lightrecoiling .257 Roberts is all that is needed.

These results were obtained using .257 Roberts loads in a Ruger 77 with a 22-inch barrel.

BULLET

Length (inches)

70-grain Sierra BlitzKing 70-grain Sierra BlitzKing 75-grain Hornady HP 75-grain Sierra HP 75-grain Sierra HP 75-grain Hornady V-Max 75-grain Hornady V-Max 85-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip 87-grain Hornady SP 87-grain Speer TNT 90-grain Speer HP 100-grain Speer SP 100-grain Speer SP 117-grain Sierra BTSP 117-grain Sierra BTSP

2.775 2.775 2.749 2.765 2.756 2.780 2.780 2.776 2.770 2.777 2.762 2.771 2.757 2.775 2.768

Powder Charge

Velocity (fps)

IMR 8208 XBR Winchester 760 Hodgdon BL-C(2) Varget IMR 4064 IMR 4064 Alliant Reloder 17 IMR 4064 Varget Power Pro 2000 MR IMR 4955 IMR 4955 Accurate 4350 IMR 4955 Accurate 4350

41.0 47.2 40.0 39.0 39.0 41.7 46.5 40.0 38.4 42.5 48.0 46.5 42.7 43.0 41.2

3,228 3,173 2,945 2,912 3,012 3,193 3,228 3,086 2,878 2,947 3,225 3,112 2,572 2,758 2,564

NOTES: The average velocity is for five shots. (These loads were safe and reliable in the author’s rifle, but neither the author nor the publisher accepts any responsibility for their preparation and use by others. They should be assembled only in cases marked +P and fired only in modern rifles. These loads should be approached with caution and using good reloading practices.)

These .257 Roberts loads feature (left to right) 75-grain Hornady V-Max, 85-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 87-grain Speer TNT and 100-grain Speer spitzer bullets.

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW

When an attacker is upon you, you might have to struggle to create the space to draw your own gun, and you might have to shoot from the hip. (Photo: Dreamstime)

STREET SMART “I BEING TOP DOG AT THE RANGE DOESN’T GUARANTEE REAL-WORLD SURVIVAL. www.gunworld.com

wouldn’t want to be the guy who tries messing with him.”

A range buddy was commenting on the shooter next to us. That shooter stood steady as a rock and was putting all his light reloads in the center ring. He had definitely mastered the fundamentals of sight picture and trigger control.

But standing static at the range, shooting at a paper target, has nothing to do with how he would fare on the streets. In a real-world, life-or-death confrontation, the dynamics completely change, and he might find he needs to do things such as shoot

JANUARY I 2018

A British police officer draws his gun as he takes cover on a rooftop during the siege of the Libyan Embassy in London in 1984. Moving to cover should be an automatic reaction when the shooting starts.

(Photo: Ken Towner/Getty Images)

while diving for cover, clear his jammed gun and shoot from an unorthodox shooting stance because the attacker is too close for a proper stance. Even then, you have to wonder, would he even see trouble coming?

To me, being “street smart” isn’t just about knowing all the bad actors in the ’hood and being privy to all their dirty little secrets.

It’s about acknowledging the realities of what you’ll face out there, preparing accordingly and recognizing a bad thing happening before it slaps you in the face.

TRAIN TO WIN Practicing the fundamentals at the range is a great first step.

Taking part in pistol competitions under the pressure of a ticking clock is a good thing, too. I shot in a couple of local events recently, and it was a wake-up call that I had lots of work to do when it came to getting on target quickly and transitioning from one target to another.

ADD TO YOUR READINESS BY ACQUIRING SKILLS AND ADOPTING STRATEGIES THAT CAN ENHANCE YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVING A DEADLY ENCOUNTER. Incorporate stoppage-clearing drills, and practice moving to cover as you draw your pistol from concealment—while wearing your normal cover garments.

If you take cover behind a vehicle, try to use the wheel as cover. Try not to kneel, which might expose your femoral artery to bullets skidding under the car. (Photo: Steven Paul Barlow)

Prepare for a situation when the attacker is right on you. One drill is what we used to call “shove and shoot,” although there are other names for it. It trains you to strike out with a blow to an attacker’s face or throat as you take a big, lunging step back to give yourself some space to draw your weapon and fire.

However, traditional practice at the range doesn’t prepare you for times when you can’t use your sights or get into a solid shooting stance.

Worse, it conditions you to stand still out in the open when the shooting starts—when your automatic reaction should be to dive for cover.

And the downside of some shooting competitions is that they force you into unwise tactical moves, such as crowding your cover, extending your gun beyond your cover and moving with a single bullet left in your gun when you should be doing a tactical reload behind cover.

When you crowd your cover, you risk a stoppage if your pistol’s slide rubs against it as you fire. You’re also more likely to get hit by flying debris and ricochets; and, in order to make accurate shots, you’re likely to expose more of your body. Extending your gun beyond cover leaves it open to being grabbed. You and your gun are exposed and more likely to be hit by bullets headed your way.

Failure to perform a tactical reload while relatively safe behind cover can leave you out in the open with an empty gun.

These competitions also allow you to analyze the scenario before you reach the shooting line, so you know how many targets there are, their locations and how best to approach the stage. That would be great in the real world ... but it’s not going to happen. www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

... TRADITIONAL PRACTICE AT THE RANGE DOESN’T PREPARE YOU FOR TIMES WHEN YOU CAN’T USE YOUR SIGHTS OR GET INTO A SOLID SHOOTING STANCE. In some cases, that might not be possible. So, train to shoot one handed from the hip. It’s not just a gimmick of old Hollywood Westerns. Stand about 3 yards from your target, draw, press your elbow into your side at hip level, gun angled slightly upward, and fire.

To use cover properly, don’t crowd it. Here, it’s done properly by a competitor in an NRA law enforcement competition.

(Photo: NRA)

to limit my exposure in the open. I always scanned every room I entered, because it was customary in the more rural parts of my patrol area for folks to keep a loaded shotgun behind a chair or near the door.

SKIDDING BULLETS If your range has strict rules against defensive skills practice, many of these things can be adapted to dry-fire drills in your own home.

SEEING TROUBLE “Situational awareness” means more than spotting threats. And you can’t spot trouble if you aren’t in a position to do so.

Have a view of the room. My wife thinks I’m nuts when I insist on sitting with my back to the wall when seated in a restaurant. (This strategy is not new: Wild Bill Hickok liked to have his back to the wall when seated at a poker table. The one time he didn’t, Jack McCall shot him from behind and killed him.)

Be aware of probable bullet paths, and stay out of the way.

When fired at a low angle, a bullet striking a hard, smooth surface—concrete floor, wall, sidewalk—will tend to skid off and then fly parallel within a foot or so to that surface. The head firearms instructor demonstrated this quite effectively at our police academy’s indoor range, bouncing both pistol bullets and buckshot off the floor into a target downrange.

That puts you in the path if you’re hugging a wall while moving down a hallway or kneeling behind a car, where your femoral artery could be hit.

ADD TO YOUR ABILITIES Get into the habit of assessing a room: Look for positions of cover, possible improvised weapons—these can be used by you or against you—and avenues of escape. As a police officer, I always looked for available cover when approaching a house and tried

You still need to practice the fundamentals, and it’s still worthwhile to participate in the shooting sports. But do more: Add to your readiness by acquiring skills and adopting strategies that can enhance your chances of surviving a deadly encounter.

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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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MICHELLE CERINO

Practicing with your gear can be accomplished using dummy rounds.

Here are load 2 and load 4 shell-holders from TacCom (www.

TacCom3g.com) filled with inert shotgun rounds.

WINTER TRAINING WHEN YOU’RE STUCK INDOORS

BABY, W IT’S COLD OUTSIDE!

ith the winter weather upon us in northeast Ohio, the last thing I want to think about is venturing into the frigid outdoors for firearms training. Luckily, I know of quality ways to practice indoors.

STAYING “DRY” CAN BE THE KEY TO SKILL-BUILDING Dry practice consists of much more than just dry-fire. For dry practice, I bring out my unloaded, empty firearm into a location—separate and void of any ammunition—along with any gear I need. Whether I use an AR15, pistol or shotgun, I can perform a wide variety of manipulation skills using dry practice.

Loading, unloading, drawing, presenting and even malfunctions can all be done safely in my home.

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JANUARY I 2018

Stovepipe malfunctions can happen to anyone and should be routinely practiced. To set up: With the slide locked open and a magazine of dummy rounds inserted, let the slide go forward on an empty brass case.

Setting it up is good for your manipulation skills.

I use the shell stops or the shell release on my shotgun, in addition to my loading practice.

When I get a malfunction during competition, I need to clear my shotgun quickly. Failures to go into battery and failures to fully eject are the most common and easy to practice. For a failureto-eject dry practice, I fill my magazine tube with dummy rounds, stick an empty hull in the ejection port and let the bolt go forward on it. I shoulder the shotgun as if I’m shooting. Then, on someone else’s command, I clear the malfunction and re-present the shotgun. I repeat the drill until there are no more dummy rounds in the magazine tube.

No matter which weapon platform I decide to work on, loading and unloading skills can easily be practiced with dummy rounds.

Spending time loading from the gear on my belt when I don’t have to run and shoot allows me to concentrate on that specific task.

Learning to manipulate the semiautomatic shotgun takes time and practice. Running the charging handle, pressing the safety and shell stops, as well as handling the dummy rounds for reloading, keep me familiar with the gun for when spring arrives.

SHOTGUN

HANDGUN

Because the shotgun is the most difficult for me, I spend time during the winter on quad loads (quad load: Grab four shells and load two at a time, twice). These days, quad loading is the only way to be competitive. As a bonus, when I practice loading, I also have to spend time unloading my shotgun (weapon manipulation). There’s a whole different skill set that goes into unloading safely and effectively. Many people lack these basic weapon manipulation skills. During dry practice,

When practicing with my pistol, I strap on my holster and magazine pouches and then get out my dummy rounds. Just as with the shotgun, I first practice loading and unloading quickly and efficiently. I then set up malfunctions with the dummy rounds. Whether it’s a bad round (a click and no bang!), a failure to fully eject or even a double feed malfunction, I set it up so I go right from my shooting position to clearing the malfunction.

From an aimed-in position, I simulate as if I were shooting, and

Failure to fully eject can happen when shooting around obstacles or especially out of cars. Set it up the same way you set up a pistol stovepipe.

... REMEMBER TO KEEP LIVE AMMO OUT OF THE AREA, AND CHECK YOUR GUNS—NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. www.gunworld.com

JANUARY I 2018

Malfunctions with ARs happen during competition, especially when shooting near pieces of cover or from inside cars. Just as with other firearm platforms, I have to know how to quickly and effectively clear them.

To run a malfunction drill with the AR platform, I use empty cases and set up a failure to eject—the same as with the shotgun. Quite often, it’s as simple as unloading the gun and then reloading it. If gravity doesn’t clear the malfunction, a quick sweep of the hand or “tactical tickle” clears the obstruction.

When the winter doldrums get you down, keep these training suggestions in mind. (And remember to keep live ammo out of the area, and check your guns—not once, but twice.)

then, something goes wrong. I clear the malfunction and get right back on target.

Because I generally shoot a striker-fired gun, I practice dry-firing using my Next Level Training SIRT pistol. As I’ve mentioned in a previous column, it’s a great tool. We keep one right on our coffee table, so it’s always easy to pick it up and shoot a few targets we have around the house. Every time I do this, I’m working on trigger management, sight alignment and sight picture, target acquisition and, quite often, multiple targets. Small targets, large targets and multiple shots are other things I practice with my SIRT.

Dummy rounds are handy, and good ones are usually identifiable from a distance. These 9mm rounds (NewboldTargets. com) even have a rubber surface for your firing pin to strike.

Never underestimate the power of dry practice. Done properly and consistently, the manipulation skills created with your guns and gear will become something to rely on. Whether during competition or when times become tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving, you’ll be glad you got in your winter dry practice!

AR15 I really enjoy working with an AR15. In the comfort of my warm home, I practice presentations from port arms, low-ready and even from the slung position. By setting up targets in the house, I work on acquiring a target quickly and pressing off a wellaimed dry-fire shot. Heck—by moving a bit of furniture around, even positional practice and barricade dry practice are possible.

I carry spare magazines in a variety of locations on my body when I am running classes or shooting matches. For 3-gun, I carry my magazine primarily in the center of my back, horizontally. When teaching, I put the magazines in my back pocket and cargo pockets.

I can easily practice reload drills using .223 dummy rounds in these magazines. I start with an empty AR magazine in the rifle and lock the bolt to the rear. From the aimedin position, on command, I quickly and efficiently drop the empty while reaching for my fresh magazine full of dummies. I seat and tug the magazine and then put the bolt forward and get back on target.

A double feed or failure to eject can happen with a dirty chamber or overpressured around.

Lock the bolt back and remove the magazine. If gravity doesn’t fix it, run the charging handle to get out that spent round.

The SIRT pistol from Next Level Training is one of the most valuable dryfire devices available. It gives instant feedback on trigger management and sight picture.

It’s worth its price in performance.

Michelle Cerino is both a firearms trainer and the president of Cerino Consulting and Training Group, LLC—a firearms training company she built with her husband, Chris, in 2011. She writes, hunts and competes in major 3-gun matches nationwide.

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WHAT TO DO IF YOU BECOME DISORIENTED OR LOST WHILE HUNTING

LOST VS. DISORIENTED When a person is “lost,” it means they do not have the skills to use the terrain, the stars, nature or their equipment to aid them in reorienting themselves and finding their way back to wherever they came from. On the other hand, when a person is “disoriented,” they might not know where they are, but they will have the confidence and training to utilize the terrain, as well as nature, the stars, their gear and even math to reorient themselves quickly and get back on track.

Having a GPS is great, but you need to understand how to use a map and compass before venturing into the wilderness. (Photo: Henglein and Steets/ Getty Images)

Let’s admit that not all hunters have solid land navigation skills; in fact, there is a large group of outdoorsmen who would be in a large amount of trouble if the batteries on their GPSs were to die midway through their hunts.

Something else to consider is that small children just learning to hunt might not have the best navigational skills, so they need to understand what to do if they get separated from the

Y

ou should never let fear overtake your ability to make rational decisions. Finding your way out of the wilderness after becoming disoriented will require you to stay calm and use your knowledge of land navigation to get back on track. Responsible hunters should at least attempt to learn navigation skills—or, at a minimum, have a plan for what to do when and if they or any member of their hunting party gets lost.

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JANUARY I 2018

FINDING YOUR WAY OUT OF THE WILDERNESS AFTER BECOMING DISORIENTED WILL REQUIRE YOU TO STAY CALM AND USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF LAND NAVIGATION TO GET BACK ON TRACK.

hunting party. Because learning does not happen overnight, and because most people are not going to stop going into the wilderness cold turkey until their navigational skills are up to par, it is imperative that everyone in your hunt party knows what to do if they become separated—or, worse yet, find themselves disoriented or lost.

SLLS One of the many acronyms I had drilled into my head during two decades in the Army Special Forces was SLLS (pronounced “Sills”): Stop, Look, Listen and Smell.

The first thing a person should do when they find themselves lost or disoriented is to stop and try to make as little noise as possible.

They can then take in their natural environment, and noises such as people calling their name, whistles, vehicles, streams and busy roads will all be amplified. Take notice of smells, and look for signs of people—for instance, fires (campfires, raked piles of leaves in the fall, etc.) and food being cooked.

HITMET After conducting SLLS, it will be time to make a decision: Stay in place and wait for someone to find you, or begin to walk and find your own way out.

You can use terrain association to match your location on the ground with your surrounding terrain features, such as mountains and valleys.

(Photo: Ascent/PKS Media Inc./Getty Images)

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Another important acronym you can use to help you decide if you should move or stay in place is called HITMET (pronounced “Hit-Me-T”): Health, Illumination, Training, Materials, Elements and Terrain.

Health: This is critical, because if you are sick, injured or out of shape, that will be a big factor in your decision. You might

JANUARY I 2018

A whistle is a great thing to give each person in your party as you venture outdoors. Whistles can be heard for miles and can aid in rescue. (Photo: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

Terrain: Are you in association or a map source to help you survive? What about a river or stream you can follow back to civilization? Rivers and other prominent terrain features can help you locate your position on the ground and guide you to safety.

CONFIDENCE You need to eliminate fear and panic from the equation. The best way to do this is through knowledge—not just knowing what to do, but also having the practical application to apply it. For instance, a person can study about how to build a fire using only sticks, but unless they do it, the skill to do it when needed won’t be there.

The more you know about land navigation and survival, the more confident you’ll be in your abilities. The more you know, the less you will panic and the easier it will be for you to reorient yourself and find your way back on track. have all the survival skills in the world; however, for example, if you’ve fallen, hit your head and are feeling woozy, it might be best to stay put.

Illumination: If it is about to get dark, you might want to consider other needs that will soon be more important than finding your way out: food, water and shelter.

If you find yourself lost, the first thing you need to do is prioritize food, water, shelter and getting rescued.

(Photo: Ron Evans/Getty Images)

Training: Your training in land navigation skills, as well as in wilderness survival and outdoorsman skills, will play a huge role in your choice of action: The fewer skills you have, the better idea it is to stay in one location and wait for rescue.

Materials: “Materials” refers to the equipment you have with you, along with the natural resources available to you, to both navigate and to survive. Firearms, flares, whistles and air horns are all good ways to let people know your location. Maps, compasses, protractors and GPSs are all good materials to help you reorient yourself.

Elements: Nature can be a gigantic factor in the decisionmaking process. There might be times when shelter and warmth take precedence over all other needs because of a sudden change in the weather.

THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE LESS YOU WILL PANIC AND THE EASIER IT WILL BE FOR YOU TO REORIENT YOURSELF AND FIND YOUR WAY BACK ON TRACK.

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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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BRIAN BERRY

WORST-CASE I SCENARIO

n last month’s article (December 2017), I talked about what I characterize as a “worst-case scenario.” In my opinion, this involves being attacked by an assailant while you are unarmed. The second-worst-case scenario is that you’re attacked, you draw your gun, and you find yourself in a struggle to retain it.

GUN RETENTION

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I regularly teach both concealed-carry classes and defensive marksmanship and get a wide variety of students. For the most part, the mix is about 50/50 male to female, and the age spread is all the way from 21 to over 70. During each of my classes, I remind my students to make sure that carrying a gun is not the only form of defense in their plan.

WHAT’S THE PLAN? During a recent seminar on self-defense I gave to a local realtor association, I asked how many in attendance had a self-defense plan. Not surprisingly, the room was quiet. Most understood “situational awareness,” but as far as actually defending themselves, the majority did not have anything in place.

JANUARY I 2018

Pepper spray was distributed to each of the attendees. I covered the use of pepper spray as an additional tool in the self-defense plan, along with several others, such as a knife or hand-to-hand training—or, like many of Gun World readers, concealed carry.

them to cause your opponent to release their grip on the firearm.

This will allow you to push the attacker away from you and gain the space to fire and defend yourself. If you do have to fire, make sure you understand the use of deadly force in your state.

It’s critical to not base your self-defense plan on just one tool.

Even if you have a great plan, things sometimes might not go exactly as you had planned.

Like the drill covered last month, this is an advanced technique, and you should not think you are able to use it just because you read it here. It takes a great amount of time to master this procedure. I highly recommend finding a quality instructor to help you become proficient.

GOING TO THE GROUND IS YOUR BACKUP PLAN WORKABLE?

Like last month’s article, this one is based on training I received while visiting my brother in Salt Lake City at the 54th Street Gym, Bihonte Martial Arts Academy (www.54thstreetgym.com).

The owner (my brother), Dan Berry, demonstrated a scenario in which you have a gun and your assailant does not.

During the training for this article, I asked the students in the selfdefense class if any of them carried a gun. Most did. I asked if any carried a knife. Again, most did. I then asked those who carried a gun and a knife where they were carried. Almost unanimously, it turned out that both were carried on the same side of the body— meaning that in the scenario just covered, if there were a struggle

In this scenario, your personal space has been invaded, your assailant is now either choking you or striking you, and you draw your weapon in self-defense. Your opponent has grabbed hold of you and your firearm as you draw, and now, the fight for the weapon has gone to the ground. For most people, this is a very uncomfortable position to be in. For you to survive, you must use this position to your advantage.

From the bottom position, you want to get your feet into your opponent’s hips. This should be done one at a time (as quickly as possible) while you maintain your control of the firearm. Once you get both feet into the hips, you will use your knees to spread the elbows of the attacker. As you pull your knees toward you, spread

In Hollywood, actors fighting for a gun live to fight another day. In reality, grappling for a firearm can be a life-ordeath struggle.

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IT’S CRITICAL TO NOT BASE YOUR SELFDEFENSE PLAN ON JUST ONE TOOL. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A GREAT PLAN, THINGS SOMETIMES MIGHT NOT GO EXACTLY AS YOU HAD PLANNED.

JANUARY I 2018

for your gun, your knife is likely out of play as a secondary weapon, because you would not be able to reach it.

1 (Photo 1) Here, the assailant has grabbed your weapon before you can get it into operation.

Having a handgun for self-defense is a good idea; I wish more people would carry. That being said, I also wish that most would seek out additional training, not only for their firearm, but also for enhancements to their everyday carry.

I imagine a large portion of the 16.5 million concealed-carry holders in the United States have done very little additional training with their firearms once they get their permits. Those who don’t need training to carry—those living in constitutional carry states and those who open carry—are likely in the same boat. However, if you are one of those who continues to train, I applaud you.

(Photo 2) As the struggle goes to the ground, maintain positive control of the firearm.

2 (Photo 3) While controlling the firearm, bring your feet into your opponent’s hips. Once you have both feet into the hips, begin using your knees to separate the opponent’s elbows.

3

QUALITY EDC KNIVES In addition to carrying a gun, a knife can be a vital part of your everyday carry (EDC).

If you carry a knife, it needs to be a quality one. It also needs to be accessible in a hurry. Two good choices are the Spartan Blades Velos and the Enyo. Both can be fitted with neck chains for easy access. A third choice is the 5.11 Side Kick Boot Knife.

4

(Photo 4) Use the leverage of your feet on the opponent’s hips to create leverage to spread your knees and break the grip he has on the firearm.

Each of these is small enough to hide, yet it is still accessible when needed.

5

The Spartan Blades Velos (left), Enyo (center) and 5.11 Side Kick (right)

(Photo 5) Begin to push your opponent away and use the distance to get your weapon into operation.

ARE YOU REALLY TRAINING? If you are one of those who doesn’t continue to train (and by this, I mean more than shooting a box of ammo at the range every few months), get some professional training.

Train realistically by drawing from the holster when you train, seeking cover, practice malfunction drills, etc. The time to find out you needed to do more training is not when danger is upon you!

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.

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JEFF QUINN

COYOTECARBINE THE

WHEN THE TIE THAT BINDS IS A LITTLE HENRY LEVERACTION CARBINE IN .22 MAGNUM

M

y Dad is not a hunter. He is a preacher and a farmer, neither of which is a lucrative profession in our part of Tennessee.

When Dad was younger, he did find time to do some occasional quail and rabbit hunting. Later in life, he tried deer hunting but found that sitting in a tree during freezing weather was not for him, especially because he greatly preferred beef and pork to the flavor of venison. In his earlier years, he enjoyed shooting squirrels with a .22 rifle and really liked the way they fried up with a nice batch of gravy.

When asked where to shoot a squirrel, he would usually reply, “Anywhere in the eye.”

GOOD TRADES Dad is also not what one would refer to as a gun collector. He likes guns and would shoot with us kids from time to time, but he did not acquire guns just for the sake of owning them. He is, or at least used to be, an incurable trader. That is how he did end up with a gun or two.

He would trade almost anything. He once traded a tractor for a plow horse. He was constantly trading vehicles, as well. We never knew what he would drive home in, but it was often not the car he had left in that morning.

The .22 Magnum leveraction Henry the author gave to his father

As far as gun trades, I remember that he once traded our pigs for a double-barreled 12-gauge. Also, after one particular morning’s hunt, he traded six squirrels and his shirt for his friend’s shotgun. Guns were good trading material but nothing that Dad really got excited about.

COYOTES As the years passed, Dad quit hunting. I don’t think he really thought much about it; he just got busy. He was preoccupied with working a job, raising four boys, serving the church and trying to support his farming habit. www.gunworld.com

He never showed much interest in guns. When I would show up with a new gun of some sort, he would usually say, “I thought you already had one of those.”

That is why I found it interesting when, one day a couple of years ago, Dad told me he had shot a friend’s rifle. He really liked it. It was pretty accurate and didn’t have much kick to it.

It was a .22 Magnum, and he asked if I had ever heard of one. Sure I had. The .22 Magnum has been around as long as I have. It is a dandy little cartridge. However, like most shooters, I have come to take it for granted. There are many more-powerful cartridges around, and the little .22 Long Rifle is better for plinking.

JANUARY I 2018

I asked Dad about his sudden interest in the .22 Magnum. “Coyotes” was his reply. He had seen a couple of them while on his tractor and did not like the idea of coyotes in the pasture with the newborn calves. The .22 Magnum he had fired that day was a semiauto that had a plastic stock and was a bit heavy; but he thought a .22 Magnum would be an ideal coyote rifle, at least under the conditions his gun would be used.

After a few minutes, the topic of discussion changed, and I didn’t think much more about it.

Awhile later, he asked about .22 Magnum rifles once again and if I knew where he might acquire one. He was serious about this thing.

THE LITTLE HENRY I learned just a few days later that Henry Repeating Arms was building its handy little lever-action in .22 Magnum, and I immediately called McLain’s Firearms and placed an order for one.

The author’s father wanted a rifle to keep his calves safe from wily coyotes.

The gun arrived wearing a decent-looking walnut stock and handled and functioned very well. Still, before giving the rifle to Dad, I wanted it to be something really special. I wanted the gun to be his and unlike any other. I called upon a friend who had previously done some laser engraving for me and asked him to put Dad’s name on the walnut stock. Also, in keeping with the purpose of the little carbine, I had an image of a coyote engraved beside Dad’s name.

A couple of days later, I found Dad walking around outside the barn. I told him I had something for him in the truck. When I pulled the rifle from the cab and handed it to him, you would think I had given him a million bucks. He didn’t say much, but it was obvious he really liked that little Henry. Looking at the gun, never lifting his eyes from it, he thanked me profusely. (I heard he showed that little gun to everyone who stopped by for the next couple of months.)

I pulled a box of Federal .22 Magnums from my pocket and showed him how to load the gun. We both fired the little Henry, plinking a few sycamore balls from a tree over by the creek. Later, he thought it might help by placing a scope on the little coyote rifle—nothing fancy; just a scope. I picked up a new Simmons at a gun show, and we got it sighted dead-on at 60 yards.

I don’t think he ever had the rifle with him when a coyote was around, but occasionally, I hear him firing the little Henry at sycamore balls or walnuts.

We live only a few hundred yards apart, and sometimes, when he hears me testing a new gun, he brings over the coyote rifle for a little practice.

While there are many choices in firearms for varmint and predator hunting, the best rifle for coyotes is a Henry .22 Magnum ... at least for me and Dad.

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.

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Carbon-fiber carry (clockwise from top left): Kahr CW9, Kershaw Pub, A.G. Russell Folding Gents Hunter II, Novx Ammunition.

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