Opinion
Shooting the distance with the new Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle: Ruger has taken off the gloves on this one, believe me.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- When shopping for a long range rifle nowadays in many cases, in fact, most, be ready to part with $2000, through $4000 without blinking an eye. Someone has been watching regarding pricing and quality, and that would be the folks at the Ruger firearms company. Even with the sold hit on the market with their advanced design chassis rifles, the gun maker has not stopped at all concerning additional offerings in the long range rifle department. Enter the new M-77 Hawkeye in a heavy classic stocked long range target/sniper style rifle.

SHOT SHOW 2018 produces the first unveiling of the new rifle, but it was not until the first of July 2018 that the rifle became available for testing and evaluation by gun writers. I in effect, was under the right star I guess? Because Ruger got a rifle to me in very short order and from that day forward, it was game on.

Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle

The new Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle, a Ruger M 77 derivative, is not just another nice looking fire stick. In this case, the rifle starts with the well known and very solid Mauser M-77 long ejector action, and a heavy contour target barrel of 4149 chrome-moly steel, that makes use of a Russian developed 5R rifling system. R5 rifling retains minimum bore and groove dimensions, and also very tight head space in the centralized chamber. This barrel is equipped with a Ruger designed muzzle break that by hands-on testing to the tune of 300 rounds down range has indicated that the rifle has reduced recoil even when fired loose and almost hands free bench rest style.

When shooting hand loads based on Sierra 168 grain Match King (TMK) bullets, and once fired Lake City military brass, I found the standard RCBS resizing dies to be almost to loose, creating somewhat heavy chamber drag when sending a bullet down into the rifles pipe. What this says is hand loaders beware here. Keep track of any tight fitting cases because this match grade chamber won't tolerate a sloppy resized hand load at all.

Now tack on an in-house Ruger built target/sniper style stock that is a composite material that has add-ons that won't quit, and the Ruger factory build starts to take on the look of a custom shop rifle by many standards exhibited within the industry. This rifle stock has even balance for a total weight 13-pound rifle, and I found it to be able to suck up recoil as is often the case in better custom stocked rifles that make use of heavy calibers.

The rifle's stock makes use of a speckled black and brown material that gives the whole stock surface a uniform grip even under wet field conditions. The beavertail forend provides ample surface for bench rest shooting off sandbags and also retains the accessory rail on the underside to accommodate sling swivels, bipod mounts, as well as a multitude of varied shooting, devices so common nowadays.

In the area of stock adjustment, the furniture on this rifle provides ample adjustment for length of pull and stock comb level adjustments when matching the shooter to his or her scope sights. All the features found on guns costing two through four times the retail of the Ruger Long Range 300 Win Mag are factory installed, and more than ready for a down range experience by the owner.

In the sighting department, the new Ruger Long Range is set up with a 20 M.O.A. Picatinny rail, giving the shooter some added elevation adjustments for ultra long range shooting. With an extended range scope base or rail system, this rifle by way of a proper long-range optic will hold up to 1400 yards shooting, or even one-mile work as it stands. This all depends on the glass, bullet, and load taken into the field for downrange applications. In general, the 300 Win Mag is the only cartridge offering so far regarding the Hawkeye Long Range system is best utilized inside 1500 yards. This is precisely why the military has gone to this cartridge to get a jump on insurgents advancing with trench motors and Russian Duska heavy machine guns.

Opening with the Long Range rifle offering chambered in 300 Win Mag was a good idea by Ruger. Others may follow, but the big 300 is king of the hill in this case.

When shooting the rifle the controlled round long extractor allows the bolt to be moved almost to the rear before the spent case ejects to the right side. This is a great design when it comes to sniper use, or any long-range application whereas the shooters wants to control those spent cases and not allow them to hit the ground.

Trigger control and adjustment is nothing but outstanding. At 2 ½ pounds by way of my Timney Trigger Scale, the let-off is as smooth as silk. The lock time is short, and she just goes off like a Swiss watch.

The safety is of the Mauser style and retains the proven M-77 actions three-position function. The Ruger safety allows the shooter to unload or load the rifle with the safety engaged.

The rifle's magazine being the AI style, and is a 5 round detachable box comes as a single unit with the rifle. Additional magazines can be ordered.

The rifles bolt is again a controlled round feed Ruger M-77 design, and it is machined as a one-piece stainless steel unit. I like the big Mauser style bolt release latch on the left side of the receiver. This is a far cry above those wimpy little latches that get caught up in winter gloves used in some other receiver designs.

Going Down Range with the Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle

When testing for this review, I started out on chilly mountain mornings in otherwise dreadfully hot summer on my 600-yard steel target range with a quick zero by way of a Bushnell Elite series long range optic in the first focal plane. ( FFP.) The first day went almost to well as applied to a quick and easy 100 yard zero, followed by some equally quick success on the 600-yard steel.

At 100 yards, while shooting Winchester 150 grain soft nose deer loads that didn't come with any national long range competition performance results that I could find, the Ruger Hawkeye cut a 0.726 group for three shots making it a sub m.o.a shooter right out of the box.

When the first two round touched, I decided to shoot the third round in the event that was the best group I was going to see all morning. I guess I had little faith one could say because the whole group shooting deal only got better.

The following is a short table of the rifles 100-yard group shooting results as applied to a variety of different loads being both factory and handloaded.

Range 100 yards.

Load: Federal Premium 200 grain BT EDGE TLR MV, 2810 f.p.s. ( Extreme ) Long Range

• Group: three rounds. 0.834.

Load: Norma 150 grain ECO STRIKE MV 3280 f.p.s. (High-Performance Big Game )

• Group: 0.652

Load Winchester 150 grain POWER-CORE MV 3260 f.p.s. S.P. B.T Design

• Group: 0.726

Load: Hand load Sierra TMK 155 grain Match Target. MV 3259 f.p.s. ( H 4350, 74 grains.) Lake City Brass, Fed Primer.

• Group: 0.496 ( Sub ½ M.O.A )

Load: Hand load SIERRA MPBT PALMA MATCH 155 grain 3200 f.p.s.. ( Reloader 22, 79 grains.)

• Group: 1.065. ( Loaded hot target long range .)

Load: Winchester 150 grain PHP. EPMEX Bonded. MV 3290 f.p.s. ( Big Game )

• Group: 1.09 ( Slight flyer )

Load Federal Fusion 165 grain MV 3089 f.p.s . ( Budget cartridge / solid performance.)

• Group: 0.988.

After completing the 100-yard accuracy shooting it is evident that this Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle carried the signature of first-class steel busting or paper punching machine.

With a move to the 600 yard AT steel target which measures about the size of a large man's torso give or take an inch or two, the first four shot series of 168-grain TMK's put Sierra bullets into a sub m.o.a. cluster, however, that was the bitter end to that part of the story.

On the second morning over the sandbag as the rifle would just not shoot with any level of accuracy. I had turned the power setting back during cleaning, and as a direct result of that significant error, and yes gun writers do make mistakes, I had lost my impact points at ranges beyond my zero. The bane of the FFP reticle had descended upon me, and I was in effect screwed.

Being it would take a boatload of bullets to correct the issue when searching for the same setting down range, I only was able to get an additional feel for the trigger and shoot several more 100 yards confirmed dead on the dial sub m.o.a groups.

With a switch out to an old standby Tasco optics built by the Tasco Custom Shop for me about 35 years ago, I was back on the range in a couple of days. The super long Tasco pushed a 10X50X50 glass spotting scope with m.o.a sub tensions for sighting in the second focal plane (SFF ) to any zero range limit desired. These were the years Tasco was building sniper scopes for the likes of Carlos Hathcock ( White Feather ) back in the NAM. As the big glass sight had bailed me out of a pile of issues over the years, I had nothing but respect for the old super long range optical system.

Pushing the Ruger Hawkeye M-77 Long Range Target/ Sniper rifle. ( Phases two gets underway )

While I am not much of a group shooter being that only burns up barrels and costly ammo, it is essential to measure the effectiveness of the rifle's barrel on close range slow fired groups. That task completed, however, it was game on, and now time to dress for those goal post types of shots.

The big Tascos tube walked about halfway down the barrel of the Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle as I set it into the hard sandbag rest for a zero check, then I sent the first rounds out to 400 yards after adjusting for m.o.a. elevation based on the dope I had generated regarding a 150-grain SPBT bullet.

Shooting on a blank white steel plate, and using an aiming dot as an accuracy guide, the rifle bullet splashed a bit left, but almost dead center in the AT, ( Action Target ) face hardened steel. Two additional rounds impacted with the first, delivering a group measuring 3 ¼ inches center to center.

Needless to say, but I liked what I saw down range.

Moving out to 500-yard steel almost nothing changed regarding accuracy. Four rounds down range measured practically the same group as the 400-yard print, indicating again a comfortable sub m.o.a. accuracy level attached to this new rifle. Ruger had done their homework regarding the 5R rifling. There may have been a slight level of spin drift( bullet movement to the right,) re a right-hand twist at 500 to contend with, but at that short range, I was not at all sure.

Now with a 500-yard zero, I would need to run ballistics calculations once again with that zero range entered in for some additional shooting to the next zip code with this seemingly outstanding long-range piece of equipment.

Handloading a long-range 300 Win Mag cartridge consisting of 79 grains of Reloader 22, a Federal primer, Federal brass, and a Sierra 155 grain Palma Match HPBT bullet, this 3200 f.p.s. steel target killer was ready for some finalized longer range shooting. Being the Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle was the chosen rifle for some additional articles as applied to AmmoLand, and as such she would see some ultra long range work under far better conditions then those presented at the time this first test was completed, I decided that with the 500 yard zero, and a three m.o.a. set of clicks for elevation, the 600-yard steel that would be again visited would be more than enough to establish the fact the new Ruger M-77 Hawkeye Target rifle was indeed a game changer for sure. At 600 yards like on the previous test the Ruger M-77 planted good solid clusters of rounds with authority against my AT Action Target long range torso training target.

Be advised my friends I have shot and reported on live fire police training programs that were for the most part produced in the high Wasatch mountains of eastern Utah, whereas many police snipers were turning to Ruger in the form of their high-performance chassis rifle designs. I predict that like the Ruger chassis rifle theRuger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle that has been enhanced as an advanced tactical design at less than 1/3 rd the cost of most better grade long range rifles, is going to see a whole lot of sales as a professional as well as civilian use in the year or two ahead.

About the Author L.P. Brezny:

With more than 50 years experience in the field and the testing lab, author L.P. Brezny is one of today's most recognized shotgun experts and authors. He is a contributor to dozens of firearms publications, such as Wildfowl, Shotgun Sports, and Varmint Hunters, and he is a regular columnist in the Gun Digest annual. Be sure and check out his newest book: Long Range Shooting, Second Edition.

The post Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Rifle Field Trial & Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

California – -(AmmoLand.com)- There’s a lot of crap you hear about guns and a lot of people who are loyal to one brand and trash all others. So when looking to add the newest addition to my gun collection, I talked directly to Kimber and got the straight scoop from them on their guns and their production.

Convinced by their pitch, I now have a brand new Kimber Raptor 1911 pistol.

Kimber Raptor 1911

The Raptor “feels right” in your hand, and the simple fact is out of the box and at 10 meters it leaves bullet holes EXACTLY where is it supposed to. Just align the sites and squeeze the trigger and the hole appears right where it should, Just what I expected from a custom gun shop pistol.

So a few things to know about Kimber manufacturing, they DO NOT and never have used pressed metal parts. Some are metal injection, and all are hand polished and hand fit. Their custom shop guns will produce a 2inch group at 25 meters. Their Super Match will do under 2 inches at 50 meters. The difference is the bushing and degree of gunsmith hand fitting of the barrel.

They have a one-year warranty, but that needs some explanation. That warranty depends on what broke on the gun, and how you treated it. One person bought a Kimber Warrior, and tossed it under the seat of his car, along with screwdrivers and jumper cables..etc. Combine that with bumpy country roads and Kimber will not be fixing that gun for free. You should want to keep that tight group that the gun is built with, so take care of your guns. With the Kimber Raptor, you’re getting the gun will hold that group for about 30,000 rounds then Kimber recommends the gun be sent in for a tune-up.

One of my older Kimber carry guns was well past the one-year limit and was stove-piping. Kimber paid for the shipping and replaced everything except the frame and slide, fit a new barrel and had it back to me in 10 days at no cost. Hard to complain.

The last thing to discuss is Bambi-Wrist. It’s a fact for shooters and an insult to many. So let me explain. 1911’s are built for a purpose, and they operate on the energy from the recoil of the bullet leaving the gun. A gun that shoots a 1” group at 50 will be tighter and also unforgiving with lousy ammo. Meaning it will not feed poorly made ammunition, without the right power, seating and bullet the gun will not go bang. The tighter tolerances that give the gun its accuracy makes it finicky about what it eats. The weight of the bullet you intend to use and uses of the gun also affect the recoil spring you put in the guns. Some gun makers build their 1911’s for lighter weight bullets or use lighter recoil springs. Kimber builds their guns for 200gr or 230gr rounds. The recoil spring is 18lb and robust. So yes you have to hold a Kimber firmly. In a world where a LOT of shooters come to 1911 late in life and come from the land of plastic 9mm guns the concept of holding the gun correctly is not something they are taught or seem to care about. They then blame the new gun rather than their lack of training.

The right ammo is probably a whole other article, but I prefer a 230gr hollow-point. It leaves the barrel at 860fps. You can compare that to the box of ammunition on the shelf in my reloading table that weighs 86gr and leaves a 5-inch barrel at 1,400 FPS. That said the felt recoil of the 86gr is almost nonexistent.

The specifications are below for the Kimber Raptor 1911.

• Kimber Raptor II Specifications
• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Barrel: 5 inches
• Height: 5.25 inches
• Weight( with empty magazine): 38 ounces
• Length: 8.7 inches
• Width: 1.28 inches
• Magazine capacity: 8 rounds
• Safety: Ambidextrous thumb
• Material: Steel
• Twist Rate(left hand): 16
• Sights: Tactical Wedge Tritium night sights
• Grips: Zebrawood
• Trigger: Aluminum, match grade (4-5 pounds)

I rate the Kimber’s’ a tad better than the Springfield and Sig 1911’s. Kimber’s top-end custom guns are as good as the Wilson and other target match guns. I’d be hard-pressed to say one is markedly better than another. They’re all top of the line.

Simply put accuracy a relative thing. Out to 25 meters, two inches does me fine for a carry gun, and spending 2X as much for a gun that I cannot use for personal use seemed extravagant. Not that another one may not find it’s was next to the Raptor in my safe at some point.

If some of you are not fans of 1911 or Kimber and are going to write me a response longer than this article, good. DO IT! If one brand of firearms met everyone’s need, there would be only one brand standing. No name calling, but feel free to express your opinion and thought. I’ll be honest one of the best parts of AmmoLand News is the rough and tumble comments. I often learn more from reading the comments from other gun owners than I do the original author. You can not be an author here and be easily butt-hurt. Gentlemen and Ladies, I await your responses.

p.s.: Oh and just for reference I own SIGs, Colts and Springfield’s, and a selection of Glocks and a few you may never have heard of, so think before you write. I know that may be hard for some of the Glock fanboy

About Don McDougall

Don McDougall is an NRA instructor and member of the Los Padres “Friends of the NRA” committee. If he’s not at the range you will find him setting the record straight with on gun issues and gun safety on AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.

The post Enough About Politics, Here’s an Article on My New Kimber Raptor 1911 appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Each Arsenal SAM7 AK Rifle receiver is milled from a hot-die hammer forged receiver blank by Arsenal, Bulgaria. Other milled-receiver AKs are machined from bar stock, but Arsenal's hot-die hammer forging produces stronger and finer-grained steel. Internal voids and cooling deformations are eliminated by the 5-ton hammer forging process.

Each forged receiver blank requires over 5.5 hours of milling before assembly. This forging and milling process is complex and time-intensive, but Arsenal's meticulous attention to detail delivers a receiver of unequaled strength, precision, and durability.

To see Arsenal's lineup of milled receiver rifles, please click here to learn more information on the models below.

To learn more about the SAM7 models, please watch the video review above by the Small Arms Solutions channel on YouTube.

About Arsenal, Inc.

Arsenal, Inc. is the exclusive licensed US manufacturer of the finest, most authentic firearms for government agencies, shooting enthusiasts, and TV & film industry. Arsenal, Inc. uses the latest technology and materials in conjunction with the legendary standards of Arsenal of Bulgaria. All models made in the US and in Bulgaria are shoulder-fired, gas-operated, magazine-fed rifles and pistols built on forged then milled receivers and implement CNC technology. A wide variety of models are available in calibers 7.62x39mm, 5.56x45mm, and 5.45×39.5mm. Arsenal, Inc. also produces a line of rifles and pistols incorporating stamped receivers that offer an economically priced alternative to the traditional forged and milled construction.

Arsenal, Inc. is online at www.arsenalinc.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arsenalinc, and now on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Arsenal_Inc.

The post Let’s Talk About the Arsenal SAM7 AK Rifles ~ VIDEO (comments by SmallArmsSolutions) appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- One of the small pleasures that I enjoy when going to the range or the in-law's place in the boonies is taking some time to unwind with a lever action. Often I take my Henry Frontier .22lr lever-gun or the Henry .357 Mag / .38 Special lever-gun with me to end the shooting day on a pleasurable note. Something about the uncomplicated experience that puts my mind at ease and relaxes me after a long day at the range trying to make every shot count.

Note: The slight rust speckles on the rifle are entirely my fault. While at the in-laws I left the rifle in a soft case under my locked Diamondback tonneau cover not thinking about how humid it was. Had the rifle been oiled or kept in a place that was not 95% humidity, it would have been fine. 

Features & First Impressions

When I pulled the Henry Big Boy Steel out of the box, I was taken by surprise at how much nicer it was than I expected. It isn't like I expected the rifle to be crappy, I just didn't expect the fit and finish to be as nice as it is on their rather basic Big Boy model.

I chose the Big Boy Steel over the prettier models because I intended to use this as a woods gun when at the in-law's place in south-central Arkansas. Why? Because of the lack of reflection and maintaining the black receiver should be easier.

Something else that I was rather surprised about is the overall quality of the wood and checkering. I kind of expected the wood to be a bit loose or look a bit on the cheap side but was pleasantly surprised to find the wood was tight and has some nice grain pattern to it.

The rear stock on the rifle was nice and tight just like the forend with an even nicer grain pattern to it. Henry didn't skimp on the checkering either, it should be pretty grippy when my hands are sweaty or wet.

The rear sight on the Henry Big Boy Steel is a semi-buckhorn style sight with a diamond insert to make lining up the sights fast and easy.

The front sight has some nice seriations on the face of the sight to keep glare down. The gold bead is really easy to acquire when shouldering the rifle and should be nice for those times that I need to take a snapshot.

The Henry Big Boy Steel uses a tube magazine that is loaded by turning the knurled knob at the end and removing the plunger tube enough to expose the loading port in the bottom of the magazine tube.

Range Time

As I mentioned earlier in the article, one of my favorite things to do when relaxing after a long range say is plinking with a lever gun. I often plop down at the 100-yard bench and take pot shots at a steel plate to clear my head before the drive home.

I found that the rifle is more than adequately accurate on a man size target at 100 yards and I don't feel like I would have a hard time connecting at distances more in line with those I would encounter in the thick Arkansas woods.

Recoil is light and pleasant even with hot .357 mag ammo loaded in the 10-shot tube. Shooting .38 special is even more pleasant than the .357 mag and has become a favorite of my wife when we are out at her folk's place.

Time In The Woods

Am I insane for relying on a .357 Mag in the woods? I don't think so. My friends over at The Truth About Guns wrote a wonderful post comparing a .357 Mag levergun to a .30-30 that makes a strong case for the higher capacity, lower recoil, and almost equally effective pistol round. I won't spoil the article for you, but rest assured that the .357 mag pack one hell of a punch out of a 20″ barrel.

The Henry Big Boy Steel weighs in at a pretty svelt 7 pounds making it rather easy to tote around the woods to either plink at whatever random crap I might come across while enjoying the outdoors or to kill small to medium game. I normally pair it with an Uncle Mike sling that has a large rubber shoulder pad to keep the sling in place that I have had for years. I have to admit, after carting this rifle around the woods for a while, I am not sure I would be happy with anything else.

Conclusion

This rifle is one that I will never get rid of. It is handy, utilitarian, fun to shoot, accurate, and good looking all for a street price that seems to hover in the same range as an alright AR. The MSRP for the Big Boy Steel is $893, but don't let that dissuade you, remember how I mentioned that the street price is more in line with a middle of the road AR?

I honestly feel this is a rifle that has an heirloom quality and you could proudly hand over to your kid when they are old enough to appreciate it. While I might be a bit rough on my Big Boy Steel, I have every bit of faith that it is going to outlast me by a long margin.

You can find more information about the Henry Big Boy Steel lineup on the Henry Repeating Arms website or the product page for the Big Boy Steel.

About Patrick R.

Patrick is a firearms enthusiast that values the quest for not only the best possible gear setup but also pragmatic ways to improve his shooting skills across a wide range of disciplines. He values truthful, honest information above all else and had committed to cutting through marketing fluff to deliver the truth. You can find the rest of his work on FirearmRack.com as well as on the YouTube channel Firearm Rack or Instagram at @thepatrickroberts.

The post Henry Big Boy Steel .357 Magnum Rifle – Video Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Terril gets to shooting the Henry Casehardened Big Boy 357 Magnum Rifle.

USA –  -(AmmoLand.com)- I grew up in a deer hunting environment in the American South. The animals are cunning, and the distances close.

The lever action rifle is resonably fast to shoot, accurate, and handy to suit hunting in thick brush as such it was a popular choice where I came from, and chances are they are still kicking around where you are too.

Go into any gun store, and you will find a lever gun solution to any problem. When I first started my unfortunate habit of casing gun stores, I had a habit of going to the lever guns first. Marlins and Winchesters were by far the most common but Henry Arms was making some serious inroads. Their Big Boy pistol caliber rifles in 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum were especially predominant at my favorite hunting spot.

Eventually, my interest turned elsewhere but, as too often, I found myself circling back and wanting one. A recent peek in the Henry Arms catalog showed many different models to choose one. Frankly, there were too many choices, but I ended up with the Henry Casehardened chambered in the very familiar 357 Magnum cartridge.

Overall Features and First Impressions

The Henry Casehardened Big Boy 357 Magnum Rifle shares most of the same features as most of the “Big Boy” rifle series. The rifle wears a heavy twenty-inch octagonal barrel with standard sights—a beaded post front and an adjustable buckhorn rear. Underneath the barrel is the magazine tube. Like all Henry rifles, there is no loading gate on the side of the receiver, but the rounds are dropped in at the front of the tube.

Smartly, there are sling swivels—one anchored in the buttstock and the other integral to a casehardened steel nose cap forward of the fore end. Though this ten-shot rifle is geared toward close shooting, the receiver is tapped and drilled for a scope mount which may be desirable for some shooters.

The very first thing I noticed about the Casehardened Henry Rifle was the beautiful color casehardened finish on the receiver and its corresponding nose cap. This random, dappled pattern of browns, blacks, and reds was the primary reason or selecting this model. I can appreciate a good case hardening job, having done plenty of metal parts myself. In an era of blued and stainless steel, it is refreshing, and, in some ways, a lost art. Steel is heated to high temperatures before it is introduced to a source of carbon and said carbon is cooked onto the metal. What you end up with is not only a beautiful finish but also a steel that is very hard on the surface while still being soft internally to resist stress. Casehardening is also a surprisingly good way of warding off the rust.

But my admiration also turned to a bit of frustration. The casehardening was left in the raw. There is a certain simplistic charm to this, but I figured after so much effort that Henry would give it a polish.

Despite this little qualm, fit and finish was excellent with no inlaying gaps, and the checkering was well-placed and well executed. As one would expect from a Henry, the action worked smoothly with a flick of the wrist. No grit, no slop. Nitpicking aside, I was excited. The pistol caliber lever action has always been espoused as handy and easy to shoot. I am no stranger to the 357 Magnum and 38 Special cartridges that this Henry eats, so I had plenty of ammo on hand to test. I was sure it would be a fun time. These blued steel components are matted smartly to a color casehardened steel frame and a corresponding American walnut buttstock and fore end. The buttstock has a traditional straight comb and grip that rides along the gun’s lever action terminating to a hefty rubber buttpad.

I took the Henry Casehardened for several range trips with my usual amount of ammunition—300 rounds of both 357 Magnum and 38 Special ammunition. A pistol caliber lever gun seemed like a recipe for fun without a bruise on the shoulder, so I threw testing into the wind for a moment and proceeded to shoot at a steel plate at fifty yards.

Loading the Henry Casehardened Big Boy is just like any other Henry. Twisting the knurled locking bolt at the end of the magazine tube frees the brass spring housing and moving the housing upward will expose the loading port. Drop your rounds in one at a time until the magazine is full before pushing the housing back down and twisting the locking bolt back into its mortise.

After loading ten magnum rounds, I stepped out into the open, flicked my wrist to chamber a round, and let fly, albeit in a safe manner. Offhand, I was able to hit that eight-inch plate with every shot. Unfortunately, those ten rounds didn’t last long, and I retreated to the bench to start some official accuracy testing.

My loadout for the Henry consisted mostly of 158-grain projectiles, a thoroughly average weight for 357 Magnum and its lighter powered 38 Special parents. 38 Special loadings included LAX full metal jacket reloads, the old school Federal American Eagle round nosed lead load, and the pedestrian but proven Winchester White Box 125 grain +P jacketed hollow point. The 357 Magnums tested include Hornady’s American Gunner, LAX Magnum reloads, and PPU 158 grain hollow points.

Knowing I could get on paper at fifty yards, I loaded up some LAX magnum rounds and benched the rifle. The first group was six inches lower than my aiming point, and I had to adjust the ladder on the rear sight up two steps to hit dead-on at that distance. With all ammunition, all rested groups came in at two inches or less with the cheap PPU fodder taking the cake with a firm one-inch bullseye group.

Next came the one-hundred-yard test, which proved to be far more exciting and challenging. As I lined up my sights on the twelve-inch bullseye, I was quick to realize that front post was covering up most of that target. I was expecting this.

Most Henry rifles come equipped with that semi-buckhorn rear sight and that post front, and I have always found, whether I am shooting a Henry Golden Boy in 22 LR or their massive hitting 45-70, I found myself maxed out at about seventy-five yards. That front sight is likely thicker than it needs to be, and it tends to cover up small targets, though this may present far less of a problem if you are hunting large game instead of an artificially created target. I held just under the bullseye to keep a consistent aiming point and took care to shoot my five shot groups. The results were a clear case of why a scope isn’t such a bad idea. It didn’t help that my eyesight is starting to fail, and the front sight blurred with the target from time to time. Still, I expected far worse than the six-inch groups I was getting using the PPU Magnums still flying true into the center of the target while the slower moving 38 Special rounds were dropping six inches low at that distance. I concluded that the Henry Big Boy with these stock sights would be more than adequate in brush country, but a scope would help for longer shots.

Handling, Reliability, and Power

The Henry Casehardened Big Boy proved to be more accurate than I originally anticipated given the sights and the lack of high-grade ammunition. Regarding handling the Casehardened is far from the lightest rifle at just under eight pounds.  This is thanks in no small part to the heavy octagonal barrel, which is attractive and gives the rifle an excellent muzzle-heavy feel for steady off-hand shooting.

Though I would much rather deal with a loading gate, I didn't have any issues loading the magazine tube nor did I have any cycling issues. The action was quite smooth, and the lever seemed to break open after the rifle recoiled in my hands allowing me to cycle the rifle that much faster. The trigger has no take-up, but my finger was greeted with a six-pound wall before a clean, surprising break. This defiantly helped with accuracy.

Regarding reliability, lever actions can be finicky about flat-point bullets feeding, those LAX flat nosed reloads worked like a charm and felt recoil from all these loads was minuscule. There was hardly any muzzle rise whether you are shooting 38 Special or 357 Magnum rounds, but the 38 Special rounds were much quieter, and at some points, I questioned whether the gun had fired? This equates to a rifle that is fast to fire and entirely unintimidating for shooters both new and old, strong or delicate.

But this UN-intimidating quality is no good if you can’t do anything with the rifle. Shooting a 22 LR at small game is one thing, but when you upgrade to centerfire calibers, you should expect centerfire capabilities. For self-defense, both the 357 Magnum and 38 Special cartridges are storied and respected chamberings but putting these rounds into a rifle changes the game a bit.

You will get much more power out of a twenty-inch barrel versus a two to four-inch barreled revolver, and it was born out after a brief session over my Caldwell chronograph when I paired the Henry with a four-inch Smith & Wesson Model 27 revolver. Out of the revolver, I fired my Hornady American Gunner 357 Magnum hollow-points over the chronograph. A five-shot string resulted in an average velocity of 1,318 feet per second—a bit anemic by Magnum standards. The same ammunition shot from the Henry gave us an average speed of 1,958 feet per second. That is significant by any standard.

Henry Casehardened Big Boy 357 Magnum Rifle: Final Thoughts

The Henry Casehardened Big Boy 357 Magnum Rifle is an attractive addition to Henry’s dizzying lineup. Though the lack of polish and a loading gate will confound traditionalists—and me—the Casehardened did what I expected any Henry to do—to put rounds on target and look good doing it. Regarding function I usually find fault somewhere with Henry rifles in certain situations with specific loads, but not this time. All ammunition fed and fired flawlessly and the controls are smooth to work. Despite the sight limitations, I found myself shooting this 357 Magnum better than some of Henry's 22 rimfires and indeed the accuracy is ample for taking up to deer sized game within one hundred yards. The additional power squeezed out of a rifle barrel is coupled with the general lack of “kickback,” something a new shooter moving up from .22 rimfires can appreciate.  In the end, I came away placing more faith in pistol caliber lever guns than I did before. These were always very popular but, at least for a time, not looked upon by some hunters as a serious game getter compared to rifle rounds like the 30-30 or 45-70. Admittedly, I went along with that stigma and stuck with 30-30s but coming away from this new experience I found the 357 Magnum to be up to the task without the need for specialized ammo or coming away with a sore shoulder or other bad habits.

Whether you are a fan of the magnum rounds, a new shooter, or an experienced brush hunter, the Henry Big Boy Rifle is a great choice, and the Henry Casehardened Big Boy  is perhaps the nicest of the bunch.

About Terril Hebert:

Terril Hebert is a firearm writer native to south Louisiana. Under his motto-Guns, Never Politics-he tackles firearm and reloading topics both in print and on his Mark3smle YouTube channel, where he got his start. Terril has a soft spot for ballistics testing, pocket pistols, and French rifles. When he is not burning ammo, he is indulging his unhealthy wildlife photography obsession or working on his latest novel. Scourge of God, published in 2017. See more from Terril on youtube under Mark3smle

The post Tested: The Henry Casehardened Big Boy 357 Magnum Rifle appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

World traveler, Mike Searson, gives us a first look at the Arex Rex Delta Pistol from FIME Group, ahead of its U.S release date.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Earlier this year I wrote about the Rex Zero 1 Tactical. It left me very impressed with not only its reliability and accuracy but also its workmanship. So when the manufacturer Arex and the US importer and distributor, FIME Group invited me on an all-expense paid trip to Slovenia to see the factory and shoot the new pistols that will be rolled out at SHOT Show; I couldn't say no.

We can talk about the factory visit next time out. This time I want to tell you about their newest pistol: The Arex Rex Delta Pistol.

In all honesty, I expected to see another SIG clone. Maybe a SIG P220 or a SIG P210, but Arex continues to surprise, and in this instance, the Delta is a polymer-framed, striker-fired 9mm handgun.

You may be thinking, big deal. If you've seen one piece of fantastic plastic, you've seen them all. Not in this case.

Arex Rex Delta Pistol – The Good

The Arex Rex Delta Pistol is an entirely new design from the ground up. Similarities to the Glock 19 will be drawn, of course, but that is just a base form of reference. If you're reading this site, you should know what a Glock 19 is. If you don't, maybe you're reading the wrong stuff.

One of the first things we noticed were the excellent front and rear cocking serrations, and the pistol is about 2 ounces lighter than the G19 mentioned above.

However, the highlight of the Delta is the way it breaks down. You slightly pull the slide to the rear, push down the two front tabs, push the slide forward, and in a most unusual move, you flip the slide off to either side. There is no pulling the trigger or pushing down on an internal lever as one would do with a Glock or Smith & Wesson M&P, respectively.

To reassemble you simply tilt the slide on from either side and pull it rearward.

It's that simple, and it eliminates the error we have made more than once of putting the slide on at a cant and having to resort to hitting it with a rubber mallet to get it off. That was not one of our more exceptional moments.

There is a provision to add a manual safety. However, the pistols will not ship with one. This option is in anticipation of police departments or folks who live in states where a manual safety is required on semiautomatic handguns.

Of course, the pistol is fitted with a Picatinny rail to add a weapon-mounted light or laser. Spare magazines will be available from FIME as the new design rolls out for about $20 a piece and they are quality mags manufactured by Mec Gar.

Factory sights are the same size as a certain pistol manufactured in neighboring Croatia and are currently available from a few manufacturers. An assortment of holsters are in the works, and more manufacturers should come on board in 2019.

The pistol will ship with four interchangeable backstraps in order to better fit an individual shooter's hands.

All in all, it is a very well-made piece and I look forward to future in-depth testing once they are available stateside.

Arex Rex Delta Pistol – The Bad

I found the factory trigger to be a bit too rough. Not just the pull, but the actual profile of the trigger was a bit abusive on the finger. FIME assured us that the final version would be much smoother and we encouraged them to get a sample gun to Randy Lee at Apex Tactical as soon as they can for something to blow the doors off this one.

The factory sights (black rear with white dot front) were a bit narrow and at times difficult to see. I did fire one model with three dot sights that were green and possibly Tru Glos, and that one served me well.

Truthfully, these are not bad things on an early version of the pistol and hopefully will be rectified by the time of the US release.

Arex Rex Delta Pistol – The Reality

The market may be flooded with plenty of striker fired 9mm polymer pistols, but the Arex Rex Delta is worth taking a look at with its innovations.

As you will see in our next article on this subject, the Arex factory is one of the most advanced firearms factories I have ever visited, and their QC is top notch.

If you heard Slovenia and envisioned a third-world type factory with workers turning out firearms on machinery made before the Second World War, you couldn’t be more wrong. These pistols are well made, reliable and have a massive potential in the CCW and law enforcement markets.

About Mike Searson

Mike Searson's career as a shooter began as a Marine Rifleman at age 17. He has worked in the firearms industry his entire adult life as a Gunsmith, Ballistician, Consultant, Salesman, Author and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1989.

Mike has written over 2000 articles for a number of magazines, websites and newsletters including Blade, RECOIL, OFF-GRID, Tactical Officer, SWAT, Tactical World, Gun Digest, Examiner.com and the US Concealed Carry Association as well as AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.

• Homepage: www.mikesearson.com
• FB: www.facebook.com/mike.searson
• TWITTER: www.twitter.com/mikesearson

xxx

The post Arex Rex Delta Pistol, an All New Self Defense Handgun from FIME Group appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Terril gives us a honest first impressions review of the Remington R1 1911 handgun.

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- Remington represents a true “jack of all trades” company. The company reached prominence thanks to their New Model Army series of revolvers during the American Civil War and survived the post-war pistol drought with their successful Rolling Block rifles. In the early 20th century, Remington was as competitive as Colt or Savage in the American handgun market; but over the last several decades the company has focused on their rifles and shotguns. It was not until 2011 that Remington reentered the market when they introduced their R1–a 1911 style of handgun and one that caught my attention from its initial release.

1911 pistols are a source of frustration for me. I always had a problem with viewing these pistols not as tools but as portals of nostalgia. Further, the influx of imitations have muddied the waters. Everyone and their grandmother is making a 1911 pistol, some good, some not. Cue those who feel the need to tweak the platform with different cartridges, short reset triggers, and overzealous machining. This is mostly to meet demand. Over one hundred years after its introduction, 1911 pistols are just as prolific as ever to meet any need from self-defense, competition, even hunting. Left in the dust is the classic “GI” model. I am drawn to the basic model, similar to how the pistol was first introduced. A pistol that is both good-looking yet unrefined wrapped into one product. No fancy G10 grips, skeletonized parts, fancy finishes, and night sights. Plain walnut grips, blued steel, low profile sights appeal to me. There are a few good manufacturers of this style, but the Remington guns have been more prolific on the shelves wherever I happen to be. They certainly look nice and the price was right, so I ultimately bit on the R1.

But would this temper my hostile feelings toward a design loved by everyone else but me?

Remington R1 General Features

The standard Remington R1 represents a full sized 1911 pistol boasting a five-inch stainless steel barrel and blued carbon steel slide, frame, and appointments. The presentation is finished off with a pair of checkered walnut grips. From a distance, the R1 looks like a standard GI 1911. And the feel in hand sure is similar. The R1 is a hefty pistol, weighing in at two pounds, eight ounces fully loaded.

The trigger has some texturing to it as well, but it is left in-the-white. The well-milled slide serrations are in the appropriate place for the thumb and forefingers to grip.

The rear of the grip does not have the curved mainspring housing found on a typical World War II model but instead uses a checkered flat housing like those found on original 1911 models. This gives the grip a straight appearance.

Even with these minor differences, the R1 is a 1911 not only in form but function. It is a single action handgun, meaning the handgun's hammer has to be cocked for the pistol to fire. Browning's locked breech design first used on the 1911 is of course incorporated here. The barrel tilts down to unlock under recoil and locks when the slide travels forward under the pressure of the recoil spring. A beautiful system that every modern pistol uses today. This model comes in 45 ACP, and the pistol feeds from two of the included seven-round magazines.

Initial Inspection

My R1 came in its green cardboard box with included manual, cable lock, two magazines, and a bushing wrench. After ponying up the cash for some four hundred fifty rounds of 45 ACP, I went on to take apart the pistol–my first time disassembling one in years. Disassembly is more complicated than newer designs but the more times I disassembled the pistol, it became easier. But first out of the box, the pistol was very tight and I had to use the included wrench to power off the barrel bushing so I could take the slide off. I cleaned and lubed the pistol with my standard 3-in-1 machine oil and that was all the maintenance I would go onto do. The pistol would go through testing without cleaning or lubrication and it would do better than I expected.

On The Range

The Remington R1 was my first serious reentry into automatic pistols, having shot revolvers for a long time. I am used to a tucked grip and a heavy double-action trigger pull. A tucked grip is unnecessary with an autoloader, and a 1911 has a hair trigger by comparison. With that in mind, I started by shooting at a series of targets from seven to twenty-five yards with Remington UMC 230 grain FMJ ammunition. Loading the magazines for use was an easy proposition. The mags are big, the ammunition is big, and the springs were not too tight. I could get all seven in the magazine without any trouble, which isn't always the case in some guns. Slapping the magazine into the butt of the grip and briskly racking the slide chambers the round, though at times I forgot about the thumb safety–another aspect absent on revolvers–as the pistol can't be loaded with the safety on.

Taking a firm grip to disengage the grip safety and aiming the pistol to the target was organic. Like any 1911, the R1 is a natural pointer, and the sights were easy to pick up. Taking my time offhand, I placed my seven rounds into a two-inch group at seven yards. At twenty-five, the best I could do was six inches. Could I have done better? Probably. I will throw out my excuse of dealing with a very light four and a half pound trigger pull with very short travel and reset. I am tempted to put too much finger on the trigger to leverage the twelve-pound trigger on a revolver, and some of my shots strung out to the side from time to time. The R1 proved to be a test of the fundamentals of trigger control. In later sessions, a pattern developed where my shooting was terrible starting but improving later on in the day.

Despite the good shooting, I was initially skeptical of the R1 when it came to performance. The recoil of the heavy 45 ACP round was pretty tame in this weighty pistol, though after some one-hundred round sessions, the web of my hands were getting raw.

The pistol points well shoots well and looks good doing it. But that doesn't mean I had no issues. I was more surprised by having far fewer issues than I believed. There is a fraction of horizontal play in the trigger; something considered normal for me might be unacceptable to 1911 aficionados.  Regarding malfunctions, I counted three. Three double-feed malfunctions occurred, twice using Remington and PPU 230 grain full metal jacket rounds and once while testing some Sig Sauer Elite Performance 200-grain hollow points. This leads me to believe there was an extractor lacking the right tension but as the curse of the range ended up showing, it was cured by more shooting. [new gun? limp wrist?] After hitting the two hundred round mark, I experienced no problems.

Final Thoughts

The 1911 served as the standard issue pistol for the United States armed forces for over seventy-five years. The gun's cult status is undeniable, and there is no wonder why there is such a market for it, even when technology has advanced. Remington made a good, safe choice when they chose the 1911 to be their first re-entry into the handgun market. They bring another brand to what is, frankly, an oversaturated market. Budget-friendly 1911s can be a hit or miss affair, and some will contend you need to spend thousands on a good 1911. But some of us want a taste of it without buyer's remorse. I can't tell you that the Remington is better than a Kimber or a Springfield, but what I can say is that I left the range with a gun that was far smoother of a shooter than what I expected.

About Terril Hebert:

Terril Hebert is a firearm writer native to south Louisiana. Under his motto-Guns, Never Politics-he tackles firearm and reloading topics both in print and on his Mark3smle YouTube channel, where he got his start. Terril has a soft spot for ballistics testing, pocket pistols, and French rifles. When he is not burning ammo, he is indulging his unhealthy wildlife photography obsession or working on his latest novel. Scourge of God, published in 2017. See more from Terril on youtube under Mark3smle

The post Remington Model 1911 R1 – A Great Entry Level Pistol appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- We all have guilty pleasures, right? There are plenty of things I like that I am somewhat apologetic for liking. Adam Sandler movies pop up in my head. Sure the formula is tired but you might find me in the theater watching a Happy Madison production. When it comes to guns, my guilty pleasure has to be 22 caliber defensive handguns.

I know some of you are thinking 22 caliber and defensive should not be in the same sentence. To be clear, the 22 LR and 22 Magnum cartridges are rimfire rifle cartridges that lose a lot of their potential when put into pistols–especially tiny pistols. The power level is low and rimfire ignition can leave something to be desired. These rounds were never intended to be put into pistols yet somehow here we are. What we get in exchange is a handgun that be made smaller and lighter than other major caliber offerings like 380 ACP or 9mm Luger.

Convenience is the name of the game for most people who wish to carry a pistol for personal defense and sometimes the situation dictates a very small gun when a more capable one has to be left at home. I find this class of pistol absolutely fascinating. There are a few excellent snub-nosed revolvers like Smith & Wesson's Model 43c and well-made semi-autos like the Beretta Bobcat. But perhaps the most prevalent of pocket 22s today are North American Arms' Mini Revolvers. I have quite a collection of these little five-shooters. My most recent acquisition is the underreported NAA Sidewinder in 22 Magnum.

North American Arms Sidewinder 22LR/22 Magnum

The NAA Sidewinder has been out for a few years but there isn't much information out about this revolver. Unlike the standard NAA Minis, the Sidewinder does not need to be disassembled to load or unload.

The Sidewinder uses a swing-out cylinder and ejector rod like what you will find on bigger revolvers. It differs from the usual NAA design that requires the cylinder pin to be pulled from the pistol and the cylinder rolled out for loading. But it seems NAA lovers have been heaping more praise on the recent return of the Ranger II.

Truth be told, I like the way the Sidewinder looks and operates. And after months of internal struggle, I purchased one. My pistol wears a longer 2.5 inch barrel and it came with the optional 22 LR conversion cylinder. It came in the usual padded steel lockbox that NAA now ships with their guns.

On the first inspection, the Sidewinder failed to impress. The pistol is all stainless steel and comes equipped with a pair of rosewood bird's head grips. The grips are nice and the machining is well done but I was not the fan of some metal parts being left in a matte finish while other parts like the frame and cylinder were polished up. I would have preferred that the pistol be entirely matte or entirely polished.

Like any NAA Mini, the Sidewinder is a single-action revolver, requiring the hammer to be cocked for each shot and the small spur trigger fires the gun. The cylinder holds five rounds of 22 Magnum ammunition and is milled with inter-chamber safety notches so that the hammer can be rested between chambers so as not to have the hammer down on a live round. Getting the cylinder out is accomplished by pulling the knurled end of the ejector rod and swinging the cylinder out and to the right. There is no cylinder latch on the frame that may be used like on a conventional revolver. Empties are pushed out by the extractor star when the rod is hit with a finger.

Another fine point about the Sidewinder is that the recoil shield is dovetailed to the frame and not an integral casting with the frame. It is also worth noting that the 22 LR conversion cylinder and the 22 Magnum cylinder have no distinctive markings differentiating one from the other. I had to drop rounds into the cylinder to figure out which was which. Needless to say, we are off to a great start…

On The Range

The real reason for my buying the Sidewinder was not just a justification for another NAA but as a test platform to spot the differences between the 22 LR and the 22 Magnum. Needless to say, I had a ton (okay, not quite 2,000 pounds) of ammo to run through the Sidewinder. After a quick cleaning I set out for the range.

I could see the convenience of the Sidewinder from the very first go-around. Loading is accomplished by half-cocking the cylinder, pulling the ejector rod forward and then swinging the cylinder out. They cylinder rotates to the right, which is great for a lefty like me. I can use my weak hand to load the pistol while my strong hand retains a semblance of a firing grip on the gun. For right handed shooters, it would mean a hand change so your strong hand will be free to load. Either way, it is much easier than removing pieces off the gun just to load it. I dropped five 22 Magnum shells into the chambers and closed the cylinder.

I started out by shooting the Sidewinder on an eight-inch steel plate at ten yards. I started out with some Federal Gameshok 50 grain hollow-points–the heaviest readily available 22 Magnum loading. I took the pistol into a relatively awkward two-handed hold, cocked the tiny hammer, put the bead on the center of the plate, and then I let fly.

My first few misses zoomed over the target so I had to aim at the foot of the plate to hit dead center. My five rounds went quickly and I continued retreating from the Texas summer heat to lather myself in sunscreen and reload. After breaking open the gun, I hit the ejector rod and the empty cases were extracted out. Those long Magnum cases are not going to be fully ejected most of the time so I had to pull a few out with my fingers. I switched up brands to CCI 40 grain FMJ. This solid bullet is my choice for 22 Magnum defensive use and it sailed somewhat high when holding the bead at the bottom of the target, but close enough to hit the top of the target, five for five. Things got better when I tried out some CCI 30 grain HP+V ammunition. This high-velocity varmint load shot right to the point of aim from the get-go.

Satisfied that the Sidewinder's point of impact will vary according to the weight of loading, I decided to enjoy myself by switching to the 22 LR conversion cylinder. The change is accomplished by unfastening the screw that retains the crane of the cylinder. The Magnum cylinder fell out and the 22 LR cylinder came out with ease. Replace and retighten the screw and you are ready to fire for some cheap practice.

The variety of 22 LR cartridges is even more numerous than the venerable 22 Magnum and ultimately I ended up doing half of my four hundred round battery of tests with the 22 LR cylinder in place. I used my standby bulk pack ammunition, Winchester Western 36 grain hollow-points combined with a mix of CCI Copper 21 grain solids, CCI Mini Mag 40 grain solids, CCI Blaser 40 grain lead, and CCI 30 grain Stingers.

Though the 22 LR is a shorter and less powerful cartridge, recoil was about the same as the 22 Magnum. When fired, a tenacious fireball erupts from the pistol and the barrel pulls high into the air, slipping my grip momentarily before settling back down to be re-cocked for the next shot. The pistol is jumpy but it never felt uncomfortable to shoot.

Recoil was stout, but I certainly never felt it. Nor was the gun so small that I got powder burns on my hands like with the NAA 22 Short that accompanied me to the range once again. Speaking of shorts, I fired a few CCI 22 Short rounds out of the Sidewinder. Recoil and report were very low. So low I could hear the bullets ricocheting off the fifty-yard berm, but I had a few instances where the Shorts failed to fire. They had been stored in high humidity for months and it was to be expected. What was not expected was the single misfire I experienced while using 22 Magnum Speer Gold Dot defensive ammunition. It goes to show that any ammo can fail, especially in rimfire cartridges, and it is important to not only store your ammunition in a cool dry place and test your ammunition before committing it for serious use.

I burned through quite a few 22 LR rounds but when going after that steel plate, even out to fifteen yards, all ammunition hit to the point of aim in the center of that steel plate while the Magnum loads shot a bit high. The swing-out cylinder looks quite small and fragile compared to bigger guns, but it generally acquitted itself well in the constant loading and unloading I was doing, but I did notice that the revolver's cylinder did not fully index and lock into the frame unless that ejector rod was pulled forward again and rolled into place until it locks. It was not as instinctive as the rod springing forward automatically and shutting up just right like on a normal double-action revolver. The cylinder has to be rolled out all the way so that all the cases extract cleanly, but even so ejection started getting sticky toward the end of my test–a sign of a very dirty gun.

The Sidewinder is running 22 LR ammunition at about 200 feet per second slower than the 22 Magnum, even so the 22 LR is nasty. While the light CCI Copper and Stinger rounds did not penetrate well, the 40 grain Mini Mags at the 12-13 inch mark did well. Not something to shoot through auto-glass, but not something I would want to face either.

Carrying The Sidewinder

The Sidewinder's standard model comes equipped with a 1.5-inch barrel, but mine came with a 2.5-inch barrel. Even so, with full loads, the Sidewinder weighs in at only 7.6 ounces. That is lighter than any micro 380 on the market and that 2.5-inch barrel is going to squeeze out the extra juice from those 22 caliber cartridges. But that longer barrel made for a problem when hunting for a holster. There is some support from NAA and other manufacturers for the standard model, but I ultimately went to Etsy to find a good leather holster for pocket carry. I realized that the shorter barreled version may be best for pocket carry but the 2.5 inches still hid well in my usual wardrobe–gray jogging pants and matching t-shirts.

Final Thoughts

As is the pattern when I finish up a review, I was left with a very dirty gun and a few fine points to ponder. I am generally harsh on NAA Mini revolvers. There is usually some minor detail that throws water on the flaming optimism I exhibit whenever I bring out a new gun to test.  I did find myself still wishing  I had the standard 1.5-inch barreled model. There are many more holster options for that model and the inclusion of a 22 LR cylinder is nice but of dubious value to me beyond ballistic testing. 22 Magnum ammunition is still going to cost less than larger caliber rounds and there is no recoil difference between the two rounds to warrant having that conversion cylinder.

With that said, the usual weak points of NAA Minis still hold true. It is a small gun to hold and can be slow to fire in a hurry, but with some practice you can work the gun pretty fast with some accuracy to boot. That accuracy was definitely helped by the small bead front sight. Sure it is small, but it is far better than the half-moon found on a standard Mini. The swing-out cylinder may never be as natural as on a big revolver but it worked pretty well for being in miniature. Would it make a difference in a fight? Probably not, but the Sidewinder is faster to reload, safer in doing so, and you aren't risking the loss of small pieces. Quirks aside, I believe the NAA-SW is NAA's best product so far and one that deserves some recognition.

About Terril Hebert:

Terril Hebert is a firearm writer native to south Louisiana. Under his motto-Guns, Never Politics-he tackles firearm and reloading topics both in print and on his Mark3smle YouTube channel, where he got his start. Terril has a soft spot for ballistics testing, pocket pistols, and French rifles. When he is not burning ammo, he is indulging his unhealthy wildlife photography obsession or working on his latest novel. Scourge of God, published in 2017. See more from Terril on youtube under Mark3smle

The post North American Arms Sidewinder 22 LR/22 Magnum Range Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Terril reviews the Ruger LCP Centerfire Pistol.

Louisiana – -(AmmoLand.com)- The saying goes that “carrying a handgun is not supposed to be comfortable but comforting.” But that isn't the reality for most people.

If you feel the need to have a handgun, I say get the biggest gun you can shoot confidently with. But the truth is that many, if not a majority of gun owners–even amongst first-timers–are turning to pocket pistols for personal defense. Indeed this is a case of “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Think of those old TV Westerns. You see nothing but 45 caliber Colts and Smith & Wessons riding in plain view, but the truth is less straightforward. Tiny .22 caliber and .32 caliber pistols were frighteningly common.

Why? Convenience.

People often don't feel the need for a big gun or that a big gun would get in the way of their lifestyle, and many of us are unwilling to change our lifestyle or way of life to carry a gun. Something small and easy to have on you if you need it is the name of the game. It was so back then, and it is so today, except our stereotypical pocket pistols have changed looks. Today, pocket pistols are inevitably tiny auto pistols chambered in 380 ACP. Perhaps the one micro-380 to rule them all is the Ruger LCP.

Ruger LCP Centerfire Pistol

Ruger introduced the Lightweight Compact Pistol in 380 ACP back in 2008–ten years ago, and it has since experienced a series of upgrades including an “improved” LCP II model. Even with that, sales of the original LCP remain consistent, and it is a staple of any well-stocked gun shop. Given my questionable obsession with pocket pistols, it was only a matter of time before I bought one. The desire to test 380 ACP ammunition and the paltry $199 price tag finally made me bite, and I did choose the original LCP over the new LCP II (more on that later).

So, I have a Ruger LCP and lots of ammo. But the LCP has been around for over ten years, and it is still in production. What can I tell you that original reviewers of the gun could not? Maybe something, maybe nothing. After eight months of carrying and one thousand rounds sent down range, I have a few pointers. At the very least, you can call this a referendum on a good design and a wake-up call to the reality of pocket pistols in general.

LCP Features

The original Ruger LCP has remained mostly unchanged throughout its production run, but the more recent manufatured LCP will have somewhat taller sights and a less distinct magazine release. Overall, there is little to talk about when it comes to the LCP, and its features. Palm-sized and weighing in at only 10.2 ounces fully loaded, the LCP is one of the lightest and most compact handguns you can buy while still retaining the relatively stout punch of the 380 ACP cartridge. The pistol's lightness can be attributed to its polymer frame, and the minimal carbon steel slide, barrel, and internals add very little to the presentation.

The gun frame itself is stippled on the front strap and backstrap as well as the side panels of the grip. On the right side of the grip next to the trigger guard is the magazine release and further north is a miniscule slide-stop and the takedown pin.

That is the features… Done. Well not quite. The gun wears very low profile rear notch and front blade sights milled into the slide. The barrel is short at 2.75 inches, and it interfaces with the slide to lock the gun shut. On firing the barrel cams down to unlock. I am referring to the Browning locked-breech design, and it is getting more common even on small 380s that ordinarily wouldn't need a locked breech to work. The pistol is hammer fired and cycling the slide cocks the hammer partially. A long pull of the trigger finishes the cocking and drops the hammer.

The LCP ships with an inexpensive pocket holster and one six-shot magazine. Overall, a bare-bones gun with a bare-bones presentation.

Disassembly

Before shooting any auto pistol, it is a good idea to take the gun apart and clean the factory preservative grease out of it. This factory grease isn't for lubrication but to keep the pistol in good shape for months on end in its cardboard coffin. You will need the end of a pen, a butter knife, or something along those lines to disassemble the LCP. With an unloaded pistol, pull the slide slightly to the rear, tuck the tool under the disassembly pin and pull it out. This action allows you to take off the slide, which disassembles in the usual fashion with the recoil spring, barrel, and slide coming apart in short order. A quick squirt with my favorite 3 in 1 machine oil and I was ready for the range.

On The Range

380 ammo is expensive, and it took me a while (time & money) to burn through one thousand rounds. This was done off and on in at least a dozen range trips over the last eight months. The LCP digested the following ammunition:

• PPU 94 grain FMJ
• Remington UMC 95 grain FMJ
• Tul-Ammo 94 grain steel cased FMJ
• Barnes 80 grain TAC-PD
• Sig Sauer V-Crown 90 grain HP
• Remington Golden Saber 102 grain HP
• Federal Hydrashock 90 grain HP
• Federal HST 99 grain HP
• Speer Gold Dot 90 grain HP
• Hornady Critical Defense 90 grain FTX
• Winchester Defender PDX 95 grain HP
• Hornady American Gunner 90 grain HP

The LCP is a basic point and shoot interface that is easy to understand, but perhaps not so easy to hold onto. The gun ships with one six-shot magazine and included is a pinky rest for comfortable shooting and a flat baseplate to attach to the magazine for ease of carry. Fresh out of the cardboard, I loaded up some of the various magazines  I brought along, some with and without the pinky rest. The mags loaded well without much tightness, even when loading that sixth round but I can see how some people would want a dedicated magazine loader when dealing with small magazines and even smaller ammunition. Slap your loaded magazine into the well and briskly pull the slide back and let go to chamber your first round. The gun is ready to go as there is no manual safety to flick off and on.

The magazine pinky rests did give me a mostly full grip on the pistol as I fired my first shots on paper at ten yards using some Remington FMJs. On the first shot, the pistol jumped sharply. After tightening my grip, I was able to put my remaining five rounds on target without much effort. The sights moved only slightly with each shot and thanks to the top-heavy feel of the LCP's slide the pistol's sights lined up naturally without any thought. I fired my seven shots and squeezed the trigger again. Click. The LCP's slide does not lock open on the last shot. I was pleasantly surprised that all rounds hit the 9-ring just south of the bulls-eye into a respectable two-inch group. For a gun that is not built for target shooting, that is excellent and far more so than other 380 pocket guns I have tried in the past.

Most of my shooting was done between 7-10  yards, but I did stretch the little pistol out to twenty-five. Here the small sights appear quite large covering up a fair bit of my Shoot-n-See silhouettes. Even so, my rounds reliably made it into the 8-ring. Soon enough I got bored of paper and started plinking at an eight-inch steel plate. I could hit it if I took my time at that distance but I could rapidly hit it as fast as I could squeeze that long trigger all the way back at ten yards.

After four hundred rounds, I gave the pistol a good cleaning and then again at the seven hundred mark. Regular maintenance will undoubtedly help any pistol through a grueling test, but it won't stop everything, and indeed it did not stop the LCP from having issues.

The first issue was caused by me. On occasion when I first got the pistol, I would rack the slide and not let go of it but ride it back into battery with my hand. Inevitably there were a few occasions where a round would not go all the way into the chamber, preventing the gun from firing.  This is an error that is frighteningly common in new shooters, and the LCP is not so forgiving. Racking the slide and letting it go gave no trouble.

In spite of this, the LCP fed both ball ammunition and hollowpoints reliably. That was until the very end when I decided to finally test the steel cased Tul-Ammo. This ammunition fired, but it often failed to cycle resulting in either double feeds of the ammunition or more commonly not going entirely into battery several times per magazine. And yes, this ammunition failed when using multiple magazines. In the end, I finally found something that would kill the LCP but boy was it a long run.

Shooting Impressions

The Ruger LCP exceeded even my most optimistic expectations. Some 380 pistols are sensitive when it comes to feeding hollow point ammunition, but all defensive ammo tested fed like a champ. The pistol ran into bobbles only with the cheapest, roughest stuff you can buy. It powered past grit and plenty of pocket lint going from holster to target. Accuracy was far better than you would give the gun at first glance, but that leads me to my next point.

The LCP's lack of features that make it easy to use also make it hard to shoot.  This pistol was intended for close range self-defense, so little thought was put into sights. They are impossible to disturb and will not snag on the draw, but they are very low and may be hard to see or acquire. I think they are excellent for their intended purpose and I encourage you to use them whenever possible while practicing. You will shoot more accurately which is crucial because you will only have up to seven shots at your disposal. Reloading the gun can be awkward if you are changing magazines with a big hand on that little grip. For me, the small slide and its smart serrations allowed for an excellent grip to rack the slide and chamber a new round. Pressure from the gun's recoil spring is quite light compared to other pocket pistols but I can see how a small slide paired with hands that may be injured or impaired can be an issue for some people–unfortunately some of the very people who choose the LCP as a first or perhaps only gun. Speaking of new shooters, we need to talk about trigger pull and recoil a little more.

The gun's locked breech absorbs a surprising amount of recoil. Unlike some other guns it was never painful to shoot, but had some jump when lacking a full grip–as is the case when using the flat magazine baseplate instead of slipping on that pinky rest. While not an all-day shooter, I could go through one hundred rounds in a session without any soreness or fear of shooting the gun.  That is something I can't say for some small pistols.

What can certainly be a challenge is the gun's trigger pull. Touching the trigger will not set the gun off. The trigger weight on my pistol breaks in at seven and a half pounds. This is not a light trigger, but it is not the heaviest. In fact, I am used to triggers nearly twice that heavy. It takes surprisingly little effort to draw that trigger all the way back until it breaks. This long travel and weight finishes cocking the hammer and fires the gun. The trigger cannot be pulled over and over again to strike a dud round a second time. The slide will have to be drawn back to reset the hammer.  While certainly not a trigger to win matches, the weight and length of pull brings a degree of comfort despite a lack of a manual safety.

Carrying

For months, the LCP has lived in my front pants pocket. The gun's light weight, thin profile, and the inclusion of a decent pocket holster with the purchase allowed me to retire my Smith & Wesson 638 revolver. The pocket holster, by the way, is of decent quality. I won't brag about it but it does its job by covering the trigger guard, breaking up the outline of the pistol, and keeping gunk out of the works. The hook at the end of the holster keeps it in the pocket when the gun is drawn. Even with this free option, there are tons of holster options for the LCP. The pistol would be natural in the waistband or on an ankle rig, but I saw no reason to change things up. This pistol is forgettable whether I am in khakis or jogging pants. There were early complaints about the magazine button being too exposed and easy to depress while in a pocket. Ruger minimized the button, but I recall two incidents where the button became depressed in my pocket. Both times were when I was breaking in new pairs of pants. So it looks my days of skinny jeans, and Starbucks lattes are over.

Final Thoughts

The emergence of the Ruger LCP II Pistol with its arguably better grip, sights, and lighter trigger, some have wondered why the original LCP is still in production. The answer is simple. The original works just fine and sometimes it is about saving a few dollars that keep many people from committing to buying a pistol. I actively chose the LCP because I felt I did not need a slide-lock, sandpaper grip, or taller sights.  The LCP already hit the nail on the head, and the heavier longer trigger pull was an asset to me as assurance against accidental discharge while the pistol is in a pocket. I saved a few bucks, sure, but I felt I wasn't losing anything in the process.

Coming in now at the sub $200 mark, the LCP is an attractive option to many, and I challenge anyone to find me a pistol at that price point that has the same build quality and track record. The LCP does filter out to the wrong crowd, first-time gun buyers especially. The LCP is not the easiest gun to shoot well and going for a larger gun before going smaller is a safe bet. At the very least you won't have many problems with the LCP. Those who buy a gun to use as a magic charm will be equally disappointed. It takes some practice to shoot a small 380 well, and some care is needed to maintain the pistol. But as an everyday pistol, the LCP is the one I would go with. It is not the pistol that inspires during confidence building exercises on internet forums. Indeed, no one would brag about owning one. But it still the best pocket pistol on the market today and the ideal candidate for an “always” EDC gun. The gun you can have on you at all times even when you are unable to carry a larger, more capable gun. In every category, the LCP by Ruger delivers when others in its class will inevitably fall short.

About Terril Hebert:

Terril Hebert is a firearm writer native to south Louisiana. Under his motto-Guns, Never Politics-he tackles firearm and reloading topics both in print and on his Mark3smle YouTube channel, where he got his start. Terril has a soft spot for ballistics testing, pocket pistols, and French rifles. When he is not burning ammo, he is indulging his unhealthy wildlife photography obsession or working on his latest novel. Scourge of God, published in 2017. See more from Terril on youtube under Mark3smle

The post Ruger LCP Centerfire Pistol – One Thousand Rounds Later appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI USA -(Ammoland.com)- In my last article, I took a look at the beautiful Smith & Wesson Model 19 Classic. The Model 19 isn’t just a gun for those who love nostalgia, as the gun you can see here is a Model 19, but one that has a plethora of modern features. Today we will be taking a look at the new Model 19 Performance Center Carry Comp, which is anything but an old-school wheelgun.

As we talked about in the last article, the Model 19 is something that harkens all the way back to the golden era of modern American culture. Unlike any other country in the world, America has a romantic relationship with the revolver that often supersedes technology and fashionable trends. A revolver, in almost any form, has significantly more personality than any automatic, perhaps with the exception of the 1911.

In addition to having more personality, the revolver also speaks to the type of person that carries it. The person carrying a revolver is often seen as an individual not just of means, but of excellent taste. Because of the significant increase in power and corresponding reduction in capacity, marksmanship is a must and practice is absolutely necessary. Although that can be said of most guns, it is of particular importance in a revolver, as you really only get whatever is in the cylinder.

This modernized and compacted version of the Model 19 is loaded with features that make it a perfect all-around gun for carry and field use. The finish is a durable, matte black with just a hint of sheen. Many people prefer a stainless gun for carry, but I have always liked the low profile of a dark, non-reflective finish.

The gun ships with two sets of grips. This is a great thing, as you don’t have to go looking for a new set if you don’t like the feel of the hardwood panels attached to the gun upon arrival at your local FFL. The rubber grips included in the box are very comfortable and offer just a bit more grip than the wood ones. I very much prefer the cushioning offered by the rubber, even though the .357 Magnum isn’t really a wrist-wrencher. In a self-defense situation or an excursion in the woods, the rubber grips are easier to hold onto in the wet and cold.

Unlike many other compact .357 Magnum revolvers, this one is extremely mild to fire and hardly comes off target. The gun features a trademarked PowerPort vented barrel that does a remarkable job at mitigating muzzle jump. The buyer should know that ammunition that is not flash-suppressed can create a jet of flame that shoots straight up and cause the shooter to lose the front sight post for a brief millisecond. This is not a deal-breaker at all, just a consideration to make as far as ammunition selection. It should also be noted that the front sight has a tritium insert, which is an excellent addition for a carry gun.

Speaking of firing the gun, I tested this compact powerhouse with the same ammunition I used in the Model 19 Classic to see how it performed. The 19 Classic can be thought of a solid baseline for the performance of the .357 Magnum cartridge. I again tested the loads for accuracy at 25 yards from a stable rest. Groups are the average of three, five-shot groups at that distance. Velocity results are the average of five shots taken over my Oehler 35P chronograph while five feet from the muzzle.

• Hornady 125gr XTP———————————————————-1201fps, 3”
• Hornady 135gr Critical Duty FTX——————————————-1210fps, 1.9”
• Hornady 158gr XTP———————————————————–1098fps, 3.3”
• Black Hills 125gr JHP———————————————————-1295fps, 2.25”
• Black Hills 158gr JHP———————————————————-1098fps, 3.5”
• HSM 158gr JSP——————————————————————1103fps, 2”
• SIG SAUER 125gr FMJ———————————————————1222fps, 2.75”

The shortened sight radius and corresponding shorter barrel resulted in slightly reduced velocities compared to the 4.25” 19 Classic. Most groups were a bit larger overall than those produced by its longer-barreled sibling, but the performance from a carry-size gun was still phenomenal when taken as a whole.

Firing the gun was quite fun, although the porting again provided a bit of a challenge when practicing defensive drills. Point shooting was fully possible, as were fast follow-up shots. The thing to be aware of is that that same jet of hot gas that can cause flash with certain ammo can also shower your face and chin with microscopic, fast-moving particles. This is not something that is unique to this gun because virtually all revolvers have flashing around the cylinder face where the bullet leaves the cylinder and enters the barrel. It takes a little bit of practice to get used to, but the PowerPort is a great concept and really makes this gun comfortable and fast to shoot.

The ammo I used to test this gun was powerful, but none of it was bad. Usually, a 34oz, 3” barreled .357 Magnum can be a bit hard to handle, but this gun was a total joy to use. The learning curve with a revolver can be steeper than with a semiautomatic, usually due to how difficult it can be to deal with under recoil, which usually means that reduced power ammo is used. The porting, weight, and balance of this gun make it possible to practice with full-power .357 Mag ammo without any discomfort.

In the world of carry revolvers, there is often nothing but compromise. There seems to be an unlimited number of trade-offs associated with toting a wheelgun in 2018, especially when modern automatics are both reliable and lightweight. If you decide to go with a revolver for carrying, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 19 Carry Comp is a prime choice that evenly balances power with performance.

For more information on the Model 19 Classic, go to www.smith-wesson.com. Ammunition used in this article can be seen at www.hornady.com, www.black-hills.com,www.sigsauer.com, and www.hsammunition.com.

About Josh Wayner

Josh Wayner has been writing in the gun industry for five years. He is an active competition shooter with 14 medals from Camp Perry. In addition to firearms-related work, Josh enjoys working with animals and researching conservation projects in his home state of Michigan.

The post Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 19 Carry Comp – Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Don reviews his new Colt National Match 1911 Pistol and realizes he has a problem.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)-Hello….. My name is Don, and I have a 1911 problem.

I suppose admitting it is part of the solution, but this is a problem I may not want to solve. Colt has brought back their National Match 1911, and have successfully blended their high-end machining with custom hand fitting. There are those us who honestly thought Colt would never again produce a firearm of this quality and workmanship. I am glad to be wrong.

Colt National Match 1911

The look, the gun is blued, and it’s the old style bluing Colt was know for. Deep and rich the color draws you in. I don’t dislike stainless but let us be honest there is an entire generation of shooters who know only the coldness of stainless and the antiseptic touch of plastic. The finish on this gun is beautiful.

The gun locks up tightly. Take the gun and rack the slide. You can feel the barrel locking into battery and staying there.

The trigger comes factory set at 4lbs. It is crisp, clean with no (Absolutely No!) creep and no over travel. No annoying Series 80 safety to get in the way. I prefer a lighter trigger, but this is SO clean I’ll shut up and shoot.

The accuracy is exactly what Colt has been promising for the Gold Cups for 60+ years. You’re going to get under 2 inches at 25 meters. The National Match 1911 was shot standing at 10 meters, without a rest. Ok, I need to move the sights up and a touch to the right but not much. The more I shot the gun, the more we became one. If the last phrase doesn’t mean anything to you, I suggest you get out and shoot more.

To be honest, the gun could have held them all in the red if I’d done my job, the mistakes were mine. I’m experienced enough to know when it’s usually me and when it’s the gun. I’ve never liked it when an author provides you pistol results from a rest. How the gun feels and performs in your hand is what matters. It seems I’m never in a match where the competitors shoot their 1911’s from a rest, only the Glock guys do that….

Lastly, guns are built for a purpose. The National Match is a COMPETITION gun; You’re not going to carry it. You’re not going to keep it stored in your night table. This gun is built for competition. No memory bump, no oversized safety or slide release. There are some simple facts about a weapon like this, you do not compare it to non-competition guns, and shooting it and shooting it right will make you a better marksman.

This gun DEMANDS the best from you. If you let it, it will drag you there, and make you a better marksman. I believe this IS the best 1911 colt ever made.

About Don McDougall

Don McDougall is an NRA instructor and member of the Los Padres “Friends of the NRA” committee. If he’s not at the range, you will find him setting the record straight with on gun issues and gun safety on AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.

The post Colt National Match 1911 Pistol – Is This The Best 1911 Colt Ever Made appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

U.S.A. -(Ammoland.com)- Earlier this summer I wrote an article about the problems with getting an AR-15 chambered in .450 Bushmaster to run properly. I found that most of the real problems existed not with the rifle, but with the magazine. Not long afterward, I was contacted by a Michigan company that claimed to not only have resolved the problems with the .450 magazine but also were making the most advanced, purpose-driven AR hunting rifles on earth. That company is Brenton USA of Lansing, MI.

I have spent a great deal of time with the .450 cartridge in the last year and have developed a good understanding of what makes it tick- or not. For those that don’t want to go back and read up on my whole article series, even though I’d encourage it, I will sum up some of the problems here.

The .450 Bushmaster is a cartridge that is only popular because of state hunting laws. It is, overall, a poorly designed round that has a number of problematic features, including a rebated rim and slight body taper. This leads to feeding difficulties and reliability issues, especially in the AR-15. I do like the .450 despite these concerns but had yet to see an AR rifle that could run reliably and accurately with it right out of the box. I tested some that cycled but couldn’t hit a pie plate at 100 yards and others that were very accurate but prone to jamming between every shot.

All that changed when I put my hands on Brenton’s Ranger Carbon Hunter rifle. The gun is aesthetically pleasing, highly engineered, accurate, and very reliable, but more on all that soon. First I need to tell you the story of how it is that I am delivering you the exclusive on this fine rifle.

Brenton USA was started by a dedicated group of engineers, project managers, and academics. They all shared a common interest in hunting and wanted to make the best rifles possible for the task. Unlike many companies that start out as generic AR builders that eventually specialize, Brenton was founded to provide rifles dedicated to hunting.

As such, you won’t find anything tactical or cringe-worthy images of mall ninjas in full regalia when looking at these guns. These guys make hunting rifles and they are damn good at it. Brenton rifles feature custom MarbleKote camo finishes and HunterSize controls for easy manipulation in harsh hunting environments. You won’t find anything like this from any ‘black gun’ maker.

The rifle I will be reviewing here is the culmination of the effort to build the best hunting rifle possible. Instead of just slapping generic parts together, Brenton builds their Ranger Carbon Hunter rifle out of parts that they either make in-house or have made to their exact specification by specialized makers. When I toured their facility I was impressed by the degree of precision involved with each rifle, but also how little effort the construction took.

I was personally present for the building of the rifle in the photos. I can assure you that every part went together before my eyes and I can attest to the fact that nothing was picked out in advance before I arrived. Brenton rifles are made so precisely that you’d think that you were watching the assembly of aerospace parts. I’ve built dozens of AR rifles over the years and have experienced play, wiggle, and rattle. There is none of the above with these rifles.

The magic sauce lies in not just the parts used, but the way they are assembled. If you haven’t noticed the carbon fiber handguard and its unusual method of attachment yet, you’d best look. The barrel nut alone is a completely different design than anything I’ve seen and it attaches in such a way that it is as rigid as if it and the rest of the upper were a single piece.

As I mentioned, every single part is specifically re-engineered to meet the demands of the discerning hunter, and many are patent pending. You’ll notice little things on the rifle such as the sound-deadened dust cover, extended rear takedown pin, ambi safety, adjustable match-grade trigger, rifle-length buffer tube with carbine conversion insert, and proprietary thread protector.

Brenton does not recommend the use of a muzzle brake on the rifle. I asked why and was told that it simply doesn’t need one. Firing other .450 rifles can be jarring, but not so with this gun. It isn’t a .223, but it is very soft shooting and doesn’t cause the inner-ear pain a braked rifle does. A substantial amount of thought went into every single part of this fantastic rifle and you just don’t see that level of craftsmanship today in the AR platform. The engineering in this rifle makes it softer shooting and more accurate by nature. Even the gas port in the barrel was researched and drilled specifically to the .450 cartridge.

Three very noteworthy features of the rifle are small and hard to notice but show the dedication that Brenton brings to the AR-15. First is a captured rear pin spring. A set screw keeps it in place, which means it won’t come shooting out if the stock is removed. Second is a spring-tensioned pressure pin that provides consistent lockup of the upper and lower receivers. The upper has a special groove machined into it to allow the pin to index on its own against it, which is remarkably clever and simple at the same time. Lastly, the rifle features an unstaked gas key on the bolt carrier. Staking, or not, has always been somewhat controversial, but Breton assured me of the science behind it. Their method of attachment is proprietary and far stronger and more consistent than staking.

Brenton recommends the rifle be used with Hornady ammunition, so I tested it with both loads that are currently offered, those being the 250gr FTX Custom and 250gr FTX BLACK. The two loads performed identically out of the 22”, 1:24” twist barrel and had a difference of only two feet per second when looking at their averages. The Custom load shot at 2234fps while the BLACK ran at 2236fps. Both shot to the same point of aim and had identical group sizes. Average accuracy for these loads was .75” for five shots from a rest at 100 yards. I backed off to 200 yards, the realistic max range for most hunters, and was pleased with 2” groups. I fired on my 10” steel plate from field position and found the rifle to be more than capable of connecting at any distance the .450 is effective.

In addition to the recommendation of Hornady ammunition, Brenton suggests putting quality Leupold glass on their rifle. Leupold sent me their excellent Mil-turret Mark AR Mod 1 3-9x40mm and a 1” mount to use for this review. This scope is calibrated for the Hornady 250gr FTX at 2200fps. It works well with the longer-barreled Brenton rifle just fine, as 36fps isn’t enough to significantly alter trajectory. I tested the bullet drop compensation feature by zeroing at 100 yards and the dialing in at laser-ranged distances. The BDC works quite well and gives that extra bit of confidence to the hunter.

The Ranger Carbon Hunter rifle is simply packed with extremely useful features that put it in a class far above other AR-platform rifles. There was no issue with feeding, as Brenton also makes the magazines under their Long-Load brand. These are literally the best magazines available for the .450 Bushmaster today and yes, they are available separately. Again, the magazine and its internals are specifically engineered to address the issues associated with the .450 Bushmaster. If I had known about these when I wrote my earlier article addressing .450 mag problems, I would’ve saved myself the time of typing all of it out. This is the only commercially available magazine you should consider for the .450 and I don’t say that lightly. The Ranger Hunter ships with one, but you’ll want more.

The Ranger Carbon Hunter is available in several colors and hunting chamberings as of the time of this writing. Different barrel lengths are also available. To see more, go to www.brentonusa.com.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with both the rifle and Brenton USA. To have a Michigan company making what is arguably the best AR hunting rifle in the world- and one of the best AR rifles in general- is a great source of pride for me. Brenton USA is a young company, but their approach to the already crowded AR market comes from a place of confidence. They truly have something that nobody else has and they aren’t even getting started. The rifle in this review is the first one in private hands and the first in the hands of a reporter. Great things are happening at Brenton USA and you heard it here first.

About Josh Wayner

Josh Wayner has been writing in the gun industry for five years. He is an active competition shooter with 14 medals from Camp Perry. In addition to firearms-related work, Josh enjoys working with animals and researching conservation projects in his home state of Michigan

The post Brenton USA Ranger Carbon Hunter .450 Bushmaster Hunting Rifle appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Opinion
Competitive Shooter, Russell Reed reviews the groundbreaking Garrow Firearms Development 17HMR Upper.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- I think many of you would agree that finding perfection in a firearm is tough to achieve. It's even harder when you are talking about rimfires. Now, there are a few high-end rimfire rifles out there, but still, I haven’t been convinced that they are as good as it gets.

As a competitive shooter, I’m always looking for firearms that are wickedly accurate, customizable and I like new and little-known items. Early this year I found it. Among other types of events, I shoot the awesome little 17 HMR Ammo in matches. Shooting a bolt action in the past, I have been keeping my eyes open for a reliable and accurate semi-auto —finding one seems few and far between. The gun world has been plagued with the problem of how to make a 17 HMR function reliably in a semi-auto using a blowback type system. There have been a few companies out there that have ventured into this world with mixed results, but there has been a newcomer to the mix.

Michael Garrow of Garrow Firearms Development (GFD) has developed a whole new design in his patented AR-15 [AR-17] upper. His upper uses a delayed roller system, but instead of a blowback action, actually uses the gas system. I won’t get into all the crazy amazing things that GFD has done over the last few years to make this thing work, but it does just that. Work!

Garrow Firearms Development 17HMR Upper Initial Impressions

When I received my upper early in the year, I opened the box to find the complete upper with the bolt carrier group, a buffer spring, buffer, a couple of magazines, instructions and a few spare parts. Please read the instructions; you will learn why this is important if you don’t. I pulled out the upper and gave it a look over. The fit and finish on everything was excellent. My upper receiver is mated to an 18-inch stainless steel threaded barrel that is wrapped in a tubular varmint handguard. The buffer spring and polymer buffer are custom made for the ultralight bolt carrier group. I unscrewed the handguard and looked at the gas system. Micro gas tube length comes to mind, but well done. The BCG is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Imagine the offspring of an H&K roller locking system and a standard AR style BCG… but coming in at ¼ the weight. I scrounged up my spare lower and installed the buffer system per the instructions. The upper fits any ‘milspec’ AR lower, and was nice and tight once locked in.

For my first trip to the range, I threw a spare scope on the top of the upper. The temp was 30* with relatively high winds, and I wasn’t anticipating great groups with the weather, a 4lb trigger, frozen hands and shooting off my range bag. I loaded up the standard AR-15 sized Blackdog Machine polymer 10 round magazines, lubed the BCG and sighted it in at 200 yards. Why shoot at 50 or a hundred? Go big or go home. I slammed every round home on an 8” plate at 200. Moved out to 250 and 300 before going full artillery and lobbing rounds into the 450-yard plate. With the wind and other factors, my hit rate wasn’t amazing, but was more than adequate considering conditions. I fired 200 rounds at various distances from 200+ and not one issue with the upper. A few light strikes, but that is par for rimfire rounds and was from light hammer fall energy on my trigger. They all fired on the 2nd time in the tube.

Garrow Firearms Development 17HMR Upper Accuracy

As the competitive season approached for me, I spent a considerable amount of time with this upper and built a custom long-range match lower setup. In decent weather, at 100 yards with five rounds, I was punching a single hole that looked like a 22-caliber bullet had passed through. Our competitions run between 50 yards and 400 yards on average, so I also spent a significant amount of time running rounds out to 450 yards, which is the longest bay at my home range. I spent time with every different 17HMR round I could get. Out to 300 yards, the 17gr Vmax were excellent, producing groups averaging 1.1” at 300, but beyond that, I found the CCI 20gr FMJ’s were doing better from 300-450 yards. I was able to get groups averaging 2.5” at 450. We are talking about factory rimfire ammo (ok, so I sorted the cases first) out of a factory AR upper shooting .53 MOA at 450 yards! Try that with a standard centerfire AR that doesn’t cost a bundle (I have…).

Now at some point, Mr. Garrow thought it might be worth a try to reload 17HMR, and he created a one-off reloading kit. [check with GFD on availability] Move forward a month or so, and the parts and dies ended up on my loading bench. After a plethora of hours learning how to load rimfire and testing, I found loads that worked… and a bunch that didn’t! I was able to shoot a 5-round group at 450 yards measuring 1.622” and averaging under 2” wasn’t too hard with my happy load. This thing will just flat out shoot. I’m wondering if I will ever find the full potential of this barrel.

As the competitive season was beginning to wind down and the wins were stacking up, I was dialing in on another side project with Mr. Garrow that started to be talked about early on in the year. One thousand yards. Now, some people say “It can’t be done” or “You can’t be accurate enough with rimfire.” *Cue wrong answer buzzer* Remember the reloads? Just for giggles September 15th at a match between stages, some other shooters and I placed cardboard at 806 yards out across a draw. With some assistance on wind calls and 104.75 MOA of elevation, I was able to go 6 for ten on the cardboard, and my 6 round group was precisely 15.5” or 1.84 MOA. My former bolt action match rifle with a high-end custom barrel, even with reloads, has failed to be consistent at 600.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#Repost @garrowdev • • • • • “The family is one of nature's masterpieces.” -George Santayana. We're so thankful for our #GFDFam including one of our first supporters @boogerhookoffthebangswitch Congratulations on winning the 2018 #UnlimitedRimfireNationalChampionship

A post shared by Russell Reed (@boogerhookoffthebangswitch) on Oct 29, 2018 at 12:38pm PDT

Results of the competitive season: The GFD AR-17 upper brought home the National Championship title, three national records, one world record and 12 match wins. I’d say this thing ticks the ‘accuracy’ checkbox, colors it in and then hangs it on the fridge.

An AR-17hmr Upper – How It Works

The AR-17hmr upper is considered a *deep breath* gas operated direct impingement delayed blowback system. Or, to some of us, a mouthful. Mike Garrow’s unit is so unique in its design, that he now has the system patented. The system operates on the gas system like a standard gas gun, but where the uniqueness comes in the way that gas is handled.

When the bolt carrier group moves forward from an open bolt position, there are two locking balls that get pushed out from the BCG into reinforced holes in the upper receiver. When a bullet is fired, the gas shoots through the gas system and into the gas key, and this is where it gets cool. The gas pushes back on the key which is on a short spring-loaded track within the BCG, and once the key hits the back of the track, the chamber pressure is low enough to safely unlock the roller balls and allow the carrier to move back like a standard AR style system. This type of system results in a semi-auto that automatically compensates for variations in rimfire cartridges allows bolt action accuracy and is extremely safe in case of a cartridge blowout. Because the system is gas and not blowback, as other semi-auto 17HMR’s are, this makes the bolt system able to be much lighter… as in 4.8 oz.

Some may wonder about velocity differences, and to you, I say, “The bolt is locked until the bullet is out of the barrel, so there is only a tiny amount of speed that is given up in the gas system. I ran the gas open and closed and averaged less than 10fps speed loss with the gas system.”

The reason for this type of design over other company’s semi-automatics is that eventually the bolt wouldn't close all the way due to improper cleaning and a round would fire out of battery with catastrophic case failure. The locking system prevents the firing pin from making contact with the cartridge unless safely and completely locked in battery and thus will not fire- until you clean it. Another problem with blowback actions and the 17 HMR is the pressure on such a small bottleneck round varies enough to make balancing the bolt mass and recoil spring difficult. The AR-17 bolt remains locked until the pressure is reduced which reduces the amount your sight picture moves during the almost non-existent recoil.

The Future

Mike and the team at Garrow Firearms Development are working on a few new projects at the moment. Current projects include 17WSM and 22 Magnum gas rimfire uppers and a gas 9mm upper. I also compete in PCC matches occasionally and am drooling over this as the project moves forward…

GFD is also looking at a lightened centerfire bolt system, a full power AR that will fit in a purse and some stuff for the military that they don’t know they need yet.

Final Thoughts

Plain and simple, the experience and results I have had this year with the GFD 17HMR upper should speak for itself, but in case you are still on the fence, the 17HMR is an excellent, inherently accurate and fast cartridge. The AR platform is one of the most popular in the world. Combine the two, and you have an entirely customizable system that is an excellent varmint or target destroyer and easy for new or sensitive shooters to play with.

Check out Garrow Firearms Development at www.garrowdev.com

The post Garrow Firearms Development 17HMR Upper Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- The fighting guns of the United States Army holds a special significance to nearly all groups in our country. Some despise them and others hold them in reverence. In the gun world, we tend to do both, but for our own reasons. Today we are looking at the civilian version of SIG SAUER’s M17.

SIG Sauer P320-M17

When the P320 series was first released, it was met with some criticism. The negative press continued for several years as the design was put through other trials and a great deal of scrutiny. I remember there was even a bit of un-ironic laughter in some of my writer’s circles when the P320 design was entered into the Army’s XM17/18 MHS competition. It was believed that another brand of pistol, long a favorite of tactical and military groups, would handily win.

Yet, for all the damage and poor coverage, SIG emerged victoriously and their gun was officially dubbed the M17. Almost immediately there was a flurry of outrage, lawsuits, and general disbelief which shamed the community at large and brought dishonor to the names of those in denial about the Army’s choice.

The infantile repudiation of the new M17 came as no surprise to many, as the opposition to it was primarily composed of an army of non-military fanboys who felt slighted that the ‘better’ gun had not won. The fact is the laundry list of complaints were not at all justified and the gun that actually won is the gun that followed the rules of the competition in terms of modularity and technical requirements. This gun, being a P320, makes use of a removable internal chassis.

The pistol we have here is just about as close to the actual M17 as you can get on the street. SIG released a limited run of the real deal in a collector’s box with other goodies, but only to the tune of 5,000, which is small change considering how many other P320 pistols have sold in recent days.

The only real differences between this M17 and the military version are essentially cosmetic. The civilian gun features black controls as opposed to tan on the military model. There are also minor differences in the engraving and the type of anti-corrosion finishes used. Other than that, they are basically the same gun.

The pistol has a number for features that make it an excellent choice not just for those who enjoy military guns, but for the discerning shooter. While not a small gun, it is light at 29oz empty and can be easily carried. Magazines hold 17 rounds, but larger ones are available from SIG. The gun ships with two 17 rounders. Barrel length is 4.7” with an overall length of 8”, making it similar in size to other service pistols.

Like many of SIG’s new P320 pistols, the slide is cut for alternative sights. The plate on the back end of the slide carries the rear sight and it can be removed by backing out two screws hidden in the interior near the firing pin mechanism. I find this particularly handy and a great thing as you won’t have to send it off to a gunsmith in the event you want to mount a red dot sight. The gun comes with a nice set of night sights.

Unlike other P320 pistols, the M17 has a manual safety. This was stipulated by the Army and it is an excellent addition to the design. I personally love having a safety on a pistol that I know I will be out in the brush with. While I understand that many people despise a manual safety, I personally see nothing wrong with it. I enjoy that it is a fast, easy to use, and ambidextrous. Another small but useful addition is a subtle loaded chamber indicator.

The trigger, of which there has been much discussion regarding the P320 series, is both light and crisp. My example breaks clean and resets quickly and audibly. When the safety is engaged, the trigger is rendered inoperable, but the slide can still be manipulated in order to load or unload.

Firing the P320-M17 is a truly enjoyable experience. After having completed a half dozen articles on the .44 Magnum across various media outlets in the last few weeks, this was a real treat. The recoil was very low, even with the top end of 9mm ammo. Follow-up shots were fast and accurate. In the course of my testing, I did not have a single issue to speak of as far as reliability. I fired about 700 rounds from the pistol after I took it out of the box. I did not clean it at all during any point of testing.

For the accuracy and velocity portion, I tested many kinds of ammo over my Oehler 35P chronograph. Accuracy is the result of three five-shot groups from the bench at 25 yards. Velocity is the average of those same groups.

• SIG SAUER 115gr V CROWN————————1225fps, 2.5”
• SIG SAUER 124gr V CROWN ————————-1201fps, 2.0”
• Black Hills 115gr FMJ———————————-1195fps, 3.0”
• Black Hills 125gr Honey Badger Subsonic———967fps, 2.25”
• Black Hills 100gr +P Honey Badger——————-1349fps, 1.25”
• Buffalo Bore 147gr Outdoorsman——————–1098fps, 2.5”
• Buffalo Bore Barnes 95gr +P+ ————————–1544fps. 1.5”
• Hornady 124gr +P Critical Duty————————-1215fps, 2.0”
• Hornady 135gr +P Critical Duty————————-1175fps, 1.75”
• Hornady Custom 147gr XTP——————————1019fps, 2.5”
• Hornady Critical Defense 115gr FTX——————-1204fps, 2.5”

I hear it quite a bit that there is a problem with the P320 series in that they have a high bore axis and a muzzle that droops downwards when shooting rapidly. I have spent a great deal of time with many in the series and have never had this issue. While it is true that the P320 does have a comparatively high bore axis, it is not anything that borders on the extreme. I had no issues with it as far as shooting it accurately or quickly.

At the end of the day, this is not the same gun that the military has. It is, however, the same gun in spirit and function and will serve you well for years and years. The fact that you can own something essentially identical to the most advanced and modular service pistol in the world just a few months after it was adopted by the greatest military power ever says a great deal about SIG and how they value this design.

For more on this great pistol and SIG ammo, go to www.sigsauer.com. The ammunition used in this article can be seen at www.hornady.com, www.buffalobore.com, and www.black-hills.com.

About Josh Wayner

Josh Wayner has been writing in the gun industry for five years. He is an active competition shooter with 14 medals from Camp Perry. In addition to firearms-related work, Josh enjoys working with animals and researching conservation projects in his home state of Michigan

The post Meet the U.S. Army’s New Pistol for Civilians, SIG SAUER P320-M17 appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- The bullpup rifle has always had a hard time clicking with the American consumer. While the layout has been around for quite some time, the execution of many a design has failed to attract more than a passing “that’s cool” from end users. All that changed with the introduction of the Tavor SAR from IWI and the subsequent X95, which is the subject of this article.

The IWI Tavor X95 is a current generation Israeli military rifle. While there are some differences between the commercial model and the actual Israeli military version, they are in principle the same gun. The rifle was originally adopted for service in 2009 and has gone by several names including the MTAR 21 and Micro Tavor, with the latter being somewhat of a misnomer as it is not substantially smaller than the full-size Tavor SAR. While the real deal rifles in Israel are somewhat different in weight and length, the versions that we get here are basically the same at just under 8lbs and about 26” overall.

The differences tend to stop at the cosmetic. The US version I have here is functionally the same as the military versions, less full auto capability, but has a slightly thicker butt pad that allows it to meet overall length requirements under US law. The barrel is also longer at 16” as opposed to the typical 13” military type, although barrels as long as 16” are fielded by the IDF. The rifle also has a slightly longer handguard than the military version.

IWI Tavor X95 300 BLK

The major separation from the military X95 is the fact that this rifle is chambered in .300 Blackout. The chambering choice makes a tremendous amount of sense for many American shooters due to the fact that .300 BLK is both plentiful and a suitable choice for hunting larger game as opposed to 5.56mm.

When it comes to the American idea of rifles, bullpups often fall into a strange void of understanding. While compact, they offer a full-length barrel. Often times the 26” length is shorter than a comparable rifle with the stock folded. The American idea of rifle-craft is based heavily around individual accuracy and the ability of the shooter to manipulate the gun quickly, but this is not necessarily the idea the X95 was built around.

The bullpup rifle family has always struggled against traditional rifle layouts because they are comparatively difficult to use and master. The controls are always in the ‘wrong’ place and the manual of arms is night-and-day from the standard AR series. The American rifleman today almost always has both his hands within mere millimeters of the controls of the rifle and can fire and reload in simple, fluid motions. This cannot be done as easily with a bullpup due to the fact that the controls are spaced out in an odd way and cannot be manipulated with the same ease.

The X95 design has addressed some, but not all, of the classic bullpup deficiencies through clever innovation. I will explain some of this by looking at the loading cycle. When the last round is fired, the bolt locks back on an empty mag. The ambidextrous magazine release is a bit of a reach high and forward of the trigger, however, it does become second nature given some practice. With the bolt locked back, a fresh magazine can be inserted. There is no lever on the side of the rifle like on an AR, instead, there is a release lever directly behind the magwell. It can be operated by pushing up on it to release the bolt.

If you want to, you can insert a magazine on a closed bolt. The side-mounted charging handle can be pulled to the rear and released to load the rifle. The charging handle is non-reciprocating. It is important to note that the rifle can be converted to left-handed use and ejection, which is a huge plus for many end users.

While it can be annoying, firing the rifle left-handed is not impossible, but you have to be aware of your chin placement so you don’t get brass bouncing off your face or caught in your beard. I ran the rifle through a few drills lefthanded and it was ok, but not as easy as shooting righthanded. This left/right-hand debacle has always been a point of contention between bullpup and traditional rifle users. The AR is substantially easier to use with both hands but is not quite as compact. In a game of unlimited tradeoffs, you’ll have to pick your poison and get good with it.

The bullpup layout has another significant problem which is sighting options. The compact overall size of the X95, and other bullpups means that there is only a limited amount of real estate to mount scopes of any decent magnification. The rifle comes with a set of folding iron sights. The front sight has a tritium insert which is a small, but thoughtful, addition. If lights and lasers are your thing, there are rails cleverly hidden under the front grip area.

For my accuracy and ballistic data portion of this review, I fired several kinds of .300 Blackout ammo from a number of good companies. Accuracy is the result of five, five-shot groups at 100 yards. Velocity is the average of ten shots over my Oehler 35P chronograph.

• SIG SAUER 120gr HT—————————————– 2290fps, 3.5”
• SIG SAUER 125gr OTM—————————————2210fps, 2.25”
• Hornady Custom 135gr FTX——————————–2100fps, 3.5”
• Hornady 125gr American Gunner————————2202fps, 3.25”
• Mid America Munitions 200gr Broadhead————– 990fps, 2.75”

The rifle had no issues with any sort of with cycling ammo, including the sole subsonic load from Mid America Munitions. I have a hard time finding rifles that will reliably cycle subsonic ammo unsuppressed, but the X95 surprised me and shot it just like the supersonic ammo I tested alongside it. Recoil was very, very low and shooting fast while staying on target was easy.

The rifle was fired with both iron sights and my SWFA SS 3-15×42 scope in a Midwest Industries QD mount. I noticed that there was no real difference in accuracy for me, which was curious as I usually get a smidge better accuracy with optics, even at the short range of 100 yards.

I think that the accuracy of this rifle is reasonable for a gun that has a non-traditional stock setup and a heavy trigger. The trigger isn’t terrible, but it is a far cry from what most American shooters are used to. The reset is crisp, but the pull is long and mushy. This has always been an issue for the entire bullpup family and is a major reason why they have struggled to gain acceptance.

The idea behind the X95 is not something that makes a great deal of sense to the American audience. The American idea of the rifleman and individual accuracy isn’t something that resonates with a foreign mindset. The X95 was not designed to be a match-accurate 1,500-yard sniper rifle. It was instead intended to be used in close quarters in a complex urban environment. It can be pushed out quite far, but not with the same level of precision as you’d get from a dedicated rifle. I fired the X95 out to 300 yards and was able to reliably keep it on an IDPA silhouette at that distance.

All in all, I liked my time with the X95. It was a reliable, rugged, and practically accurate rifle that shows some truly interesting innovation. My advice would be to get a low-powered 1-4x optic and use 20 round mags in it, as 30-rounders can be a bit long when trying to shoot prone. I think that the X95 is as close to the ultimate bullpup as you can get. I fail to see where it can improve.

For more on the X95, go IWI’s website at www.iwi.us. Ammo and accessories used in this article can be seen at www.sigsauer.com, www.hornady.com, www.midamericamunitions.com, and www.midwestindustriesinc.com.

About Josh Wayner

Josh Wayner has been writing in the gun industry for five years. He is an active competition shooter with 14 medals from Camp Perry. In addition to firearms-related work, Josh enjoys working with animals and researching conservation projects in his home state of Michigan

The post IWI Tavor X95 in .300 Blackout – Gun Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Opinion
Tom reviews the brand new Brownells BRN-601 AR-15 Rifle model. Keep an eye on AmmoLand News as this rifle and a special LMT M203 ‘Grenade” Launcher will be up for grabs in our next product giveaway. <—click link here!

USA –-(Ammoland.com)- How would you like to own an original Colt AR-15 Model 601? You know, the first ones made starting back in 1959? Yeah? Me too. Well, we can’t do that. However, one of you will become the proud parent of this Brownells Retro BRN-601 AR-15 rifle. As Elvis said in 1960, It’s Now or Never. But wait! It gets better. There will be a secret accessory if you can even call it that, and we will highlight it in next month’s newsletter. Here’s a hint. It makes a big boom. OK, one more clue. They used these in Vietnam.

The original AR-15 Model 601 dates back to December 1959 when Colt began a three-year production run of about 14,500 rifles after acquiring the rifle from Armalite. Many carried stamps of “Colt Armalite” on the receiver. Most went to the United States Air Force with about 1,000 going to the U.S. Army. Even small quantities went to the SEALS and various foreign military forces.

Brownells BRN-601 AR-15 Rifle

You can spot one of these rifles from a distance thanks to the distinctive olive-green buttstock and triangular fiberglass handguard. The slab-sided receiver is also a dead giveaway with its integrated carry handle. There are lots of other small differences between the 601 and the current crop of AR-15 rifles. Let’s take a tour of this spiffy retro rifle from Brownells.

For starters, it features a 20-inch barrel. Part of the original design goal of the AR-15 / M16 rifles was to break that 3,000-fps barrier with the small and light bullets and those extra four inches make a big difference.

I set up a Shooting Chrony 15 feet ahead of the muzzle and clocked the first ten rounds out of this rifle using American Eagle AR-223 55-grain FMJ. Interestingly, the first four shots were in the high 2,900 feet per second range, but from shot five on, the velocities always beat 3,000 feet per second. I’m guessing that those first shots smoothed out any manufacturing residue from the bore. Anyway, the average worked out to 3,106 feet per second. To put that in perspective, I’ve measured the exact same ammo in the 2,750 to 2,850 range from various 16-inch barreled AR-15 rifles. That extra four inches of length makes a noticeable difference.

In a nod to modern practicality, the twist rate is 1:12. At the time, the intent was to fire lighter, and more importantly shorter, 55-grain bullets that would tumble when they hit a target, so the originals features a 1:14 rate. After a couple of years of production, the twist rate on the originals was tweaked to 1:12. Also a modern convenience, the bore is chrome-lined so maintenance will be easier and it’ll hold up over time. At the end, you’ll see a unique three-pronged flash hider. The “duckbill” shape looks like something out of old Buck Rogers films.

Like the original 601, this one comes with a 20-round steel magazine. So, it’s not as scary as a 30-round version, but it does have a bayonet lug! Notably absent is a forward assist. Mr. Stoner didn’t see a need for those in the original design, and it was only after the “gubermint” switched to a dirtier, non-spec powder that they were added to future versions.

The buttstock is fixed, and that keeps the overall length of this rifle at 40 inches, like it or not. I guess the military of the 60s was the same as always. “We’ll offer whatever size you need, as long as it’s this one.” Both buttstock and front handguard are olive green. If you appreciate the whole retro thing, as I do, it’s just cool. Love it.

Everything else should be familiar to the AR aficionado. If you’re into nit-picky details, you’ll notice that this reproduction version uses a modern safety and bolt catch lever. The charging handle looks like the original with its triangular-shaped head.

The sights are iron with a fixed front sight gas block and aperture in the rear of the carrying handle. The front adjusts for elevation and the rear moves side to side for windage adjustments.

The first thing you’ll notice when hefting this rifle is that its light. Really light. Maybe I’m just used to lugging around AR -15s with optics, slings, and other heavy things bolted onto them. Whatever the reason, this one is effortless to hold and maneuver. The official weight is 6 pounds, 11 ounces, but it sure feels lighter than that.

I did all my first range visit shooting with American Eagle’s AR 223 ammo. Among all the specialty .223 ammo I had lying around, this seemed to be the most true-to-original. I didn’t want to test this rifle with heavier match loads given the 1:12 twist rate.

I set up mini-silhouette targets at 50 yards and fired a couple of quick five shot groups to see how the irons were adjusted. Both groups were a few inches low and left, so I made two different adjustments. On this 601, there’s a dial on the right side of the carry handle which moves the rear aperture sight left and right. It’s checked by a spring-loaded pin, so once you set it, the sight won’t drift on you. I moved about four clicks right, meaning I moved the impact point to the right. For elevation, I used a front sight tool to rotate the front sight blade clockwise. It’s also locked in place with a spring-loaded pin. The tool presses that pin down which allows you to rotate the sight blade itself, moving it up or down as required. Since my shots were hitting low, I turned the front sight down to move the group up.

Once I had the sights reasonably well adjusted, I fired a couple of quick five-shot groups from 50 yards. Considering that my eyesight on open sights stinks these days and I had a somewhat blurry iron sight picture, I still measured 1.01 and 1.67-inch groups for the first two I tried. Not too shabby at all and if you can see better than I can, I suspect you can improve on those numbers.

The Brownells BRN-601 AR-15 carries an MSRP of $1,299.99, but that won’t matter to one of you as AmmoLand News is giving this rifle away. Be sure to enter; you just might win this one. Next time we’ll have it, let’s say, somewhat reconfigured with more goodies. If you win, you’ll get those too.

About

Tom McHale is the author of the Practical Guides book series that guides new and experienced shooters alike in a fun, approachable, and practical way. His books are available in print and eBook format on Amazon. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

The post Brownells BRN-601 AR-15 Rifle Review & Giveaway Tease appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Opinion: Tom reviews the Sig Sauer M17 CO2 Air Pistol.

Idaho –  -(AmmoLand.com)- I do a lot with airguns but own mostly PCP’s, Break actions and a couple of pumps but I have been able to test most of the Sig Sauer CO2 airguns. With the reputation that Sig Sauer has, I guess that it should come as no surprise that they have all been extremely pleasurable to shoot and are nice airguns. After all, they’re a Sig! But the Sig Sauer M17 is really sweet.

Sig Sauer M17 CO2 Air Pistol

But there is something that makes them even more unique. Every one of their CO2 airguns mimic one of their real firearms. They have the same features and are of the exact same weight as their real counterpart, which makes them a great training tool. You can train with the CO2 at a fraction of the ammo cost plus, if you make a mistake it won’t have the same deadly consequences. I think this was ingenious on the part of Sig Sauer.

I literally just finished shooting and testing the M17 so let’s get started. It comes in a nice package. You don’t have to destroy the package to open it so I think I’ll keep my M17 stored in the package when not in use.

The M17 is super easy to operate. To load, just hit the clip release (the release is situated just like the real McCoy) and you’ll activate it with your right thumb. To load the pellets, press them in one at a time. Make sure that they are facing the right way. The clip is marked to aid in properly loading it.

For this Product Review I used Sig Sauer MATCH BALLISTIC ALLOY pellets and Sig Sauer 12-gram CO2 cylinders. It might come as a surprise but Sig Sauer makes some accurate pellets. They’re not just a cheaply made pellet to pick up another buck. In fact, in past test that I have done, they have ended up in the top three pellets that I tested. (Check out this article on pellets https://www.gunpowdermagazine.com/advice-for-choosing-the-proper-pellets-for-an-accurate-air-rifle/).

After you have loaded the clip insert it back into the housing that holds the magazine. Next, pull the lever down on the back of the housing and insert the CO2 cylinder bottom end first. Then push in the top and raise the lever. Insert the housing back into the butt of the pistol.

The M17 has an ambidextrous safety. The up position is Safe and the down position is Fire. Mine is a little tight to click up into the Safe position but may loosen up with use.

I like the sights. They are a 3-dot system. By that I mean that there are two white dots on the back sight and one white dot on the front sight. Line them up and fire. I was blown away by how accurate the M17 is. I am by no means a good shot with a pistol and yet at 15 feet I got a ¾-inch, 5-shot group.

Another cool feature is the blow back slide. That hit me as cool how it blows back just like a real semi auto.

So why would you want to buy a CO2 airgun pistol? I can think of six reasons right fast:

1. They’re a blast to shoot.
2. They’re cheap to shoot.
3. It is a great way to improve your pistol shooting skills.
4. If you own the comparable “real” Sig, they are a great training tool.
5. Or if you’re like my vegetarian daughter that grows her own garden (I might add big garden) then you might discover that you’re not quite the animal lover that you thought that you were when the deer start their nightly raids. She suddenly reverted and wanted to borrow an airgun to run off the deer. This is a great airgun to run off varmints if you don’t want to kill them and it is a semi-auto so you can ding numerous animals fast and it only spits out pellets at 430 fps so it’s not going to permanently hurt an animal.
6. They are also great for shooting varmints in a Plant environment. For instance, if you work in a food plant. Periodically birds (invasive sparrows) will get into the Plant. Usually you can work in close to them and eliminate them. With a low-key CO2 airgun, you can shoot in a Plant setting without fear of the pellet bouncing around as bad as it would with some of the higher velocity airguns.

So in a nutshell, I fell in love with the M17 as soon as I handled it but I did have one concern, how would I carry it around safely while hunting. Or what if you were going to use it in some of the above scenarios such as in a Plant to eliminate pests? How would you carry it around?

I called Shannon Jackson, that is a marketing whiz and is the Marketing Rep for Sig Sauer. She told me that holsters that fit the real M17 pistol will also fit the CO2 M17. How cool is that? This is a big deal because otherwise how would you safely and handedly carry your M17 airgun pistol?

As we close, let’s finish up with the specs:

Sig Sauer M17 CO2 Air Pistol SPECS

• 20rd RPM Magazine
• Full blowback metal slide
• Semi Auto
• Replica of the US Army’s M17 pistol
• .177 cal. pellet gun (I am told that it will also shoot BB’s).
• Reaches speeds of up to 430 fps

About Tom Claycomb

Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoors writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net and freelances for numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening for $.99 if you're having trouble.”

The post Sig Sauer M17 CO2 Air Pistol .177 Review ~ VIDEO appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- I was very excited when SIG SAUER first sent out their press release for the new MPX Copperhead. The gun was so startling in appearance that I thought it was a hoax at first. When it proved to be the real deal, I heard that it was a dangerous prank aimed at mall ninjas. I had to find out just what the Copperhead was all about.

SIG MPX Copperhead

The MPX Copperhead version I received is the pistol variant and is chambered in 9x19mm. It comes with a telescoping brace which SIG has dubbed the Pivoting Contour Brace (PCB), but can mount a stock should you with to register the gun as an SBR.

The most distinctive feature is the super-short 3.5” barrel, which is less than a half inch longer than SIG’s revolutionary P365 pistol. A local ‘expert’ who occasionally offers unsolicited opinions to me stated that the Copperhead was so short that it was certain to blow your hand off if you held it wrong. “You can’t hold it without putting your hand in front of the muzzle,” he stated to me.

I have heard from a number of these experts that the Copperhead is too small to do anything worthwhile and that it is meant for extreme CQB scenarios in the hands of the most elite military and police units and is not an accurate or practical gun for anyone to own. This is all false.

The Copperhead is an extraordinary little gun that will be sure to impress anyone that handles it. The extremely compact size and micro-length barrel make the Copperhead very easy to control and shoot accurately. The MPX platform is somewhat overbuilt as a product family, but they are very, very well made. While the Copperhead could be a pound lighter, it is not overwhelmingly heavy at 4 ½ lbs. The balance is at the center of the gun and it points well.

I did all my testing using an awesome set of Scalarworks PEAK sights. These are probably the best AR-style iron sights made today and I swear by their reliability, simplicity, and ruggedness. The sights are exceedingly easy to zero and boast toolless adjustment.

Some of you may scoff at putting irons on such a small gun but don’t knock it until you try it.

With my sights in place, I zeroed the Copperhead at 25 yards using Black Hills 115gr FMJ ammunition. The groups at 25 yards were very small, with the average being five shots into less than an inch. I set my elevation for a six-o-clock hold and went about doing a number of drills. The nice part about the Copperhead is that it is fully ambidextrous and the brass ejects somewhat forward, so there is no hot metal in your face while shooting left-handed.

The recoil impulse is very low and follow-up shots were fast and easy to make. I noted here that the stock trigger this gun comes with is a bit heavy for how light and small the overall package is, but it should be said that SIG sells match versions of the MPX trigger, so the fix is readily available. Pull was not terrible, but it did smooth out with use and I got quite familiar with it to where I did not notice.

The Copperhead is not just a short range gun. I walked it out to 50 yards on silhouettes and on a steel plate. The gun had no issues with hitting anything at 50 yards. I put some more distance between myself and the plates and began firing at 100 yards. The groups opened up, but not as much as you would expect. With the Black Hills 115gr FMJ I was still getting groups in the 4-6” range, but that was about to change when I chambered another Black Hills product.

The 100gr HoneyBadger +P is a load I have great familiarity with and I think it is one of the best standalone 9mm offerings made today. Not only is it a technologically advanced, it is accurate and fast. This load cut groups in half to the 2-3” range from the bench at 100 yards. I was easily able to ring steel with it over and over again.

In addition to the two Black Hills loads, I tested and chronographed a number of loads from Hornady, SIG, Black Hills, and Buffalo Bore. Groups are the result of three five-shot groups at 25 yards off the bench. Velocity is the average of ten shots measured five feet from my Oehler 35P chronograph.

• SIG SAUER 365 115gr FMJ——————————1075fps, .75”
• SIG SAUER 365 115gr V-Crown————————1076fps, .75”
• SIG SAUER 124gr V-Crown—————————–1150fps, 1.0”
• SIG SAUER 115gr V-Crown—————————-1190fps, 1.25”
• Black Hills 115gr FMJ———————————–1080fps, 1.0”
• Black Hills 100gr HoneyBadger +P——————1190fps, 1.0”
• Black Hills 125gr Subsonic HoneyBadger———-980fps, 2.0”
• HSM 115gr JHP——————————————1175fps, 1.75”
• HSM 115gr XTP—————————————–1180fps, 2.0”
• HSM FMJ————————————————-1110fps, 2.0”
• Hornady 135gr +P Critical Duty———————1050fps, 1.75”
• Hornady 124gr +P Critical Duty———————1138fps, 1.5”
• Buffalo Bore 147gr JHP +P+————————-1075fps, 2.0”

I fired about a thousand rounds through this cool little gun and I experienced not a single malfunction. In addition to this, I opened the gun up and was surprised to find that it was completely clean on the inside. The interior looked exactly like when I first looked at it out of the box. Every modern shooter knows how filthy the standard AR pattern rifle gets after just a couple hundred rounds so you can imagine how pleased I was.

Now, some of you may want to know just how much of a liability the super short barrel was during my testing. In short, it was not a problem. The whole ‘your hand will slip in front and you’ll get shot’ thing is just not possible. There is no real estate to mount any sort of grip or knuckle guard, but it’s not like you’re going to hold this miniscule gun the same way you hold a full-size rifle or carbine. My grip was simply on the front of the magazine well and I never had an issue. You can feel some concussion in your hand, but it’s not painful or distracting.

Overall I found the MPX Copperhead to be a fun little piece with a number of end uses. The casual shooter may struggle to grasp it, but I see a number of end uses in the woods and for defense in the home. The gun is far too large to be carried on the body, but it would easily fit in a pack or in your underwear drawer. You have your choice as far as optics or sights and you can easily mount a light or laser.

The nice part about this gun is that it is easy to handle and has the same manual of arms as most AR rifles. A small-statured shooter would do well to take advantage of the low recoil and blast in the home. The Copperhead offers a compact size with magazine capacities that exceed most all handguns in the same caliber.

SIG SAUER has a winner here. The ultra-compact Copperhead is in a class of its own when it comes to accuracy and features. If this isn’t your deal, I suggest you go fire one and perhaps your mind will change. If you’re shooting inside 100 yards, there is probably no other gun that offers the accuracy, portability, and ease of use as the MPX Copperhead.

For more on the products in this article, go to www.sigsauer.com, www.hornady.com, www.buffalobore.com, www.scalarworks.com, www.hsmammunition.com, and www.black-hills.com.

About Josh Wayner

Josh Wayner has been writing in the gun industry for five years. He is an active competition shooter with 14 medals from Camp Perry. In addition to firearms-related work, Josh enjoys working with animals and researching conservation projects in his home state of Michigan

The post First Look: Ultra-Compact SIG SAUER MPX Copperhead 9mm – Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

Opinion

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- So I own a new Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model-19 Carry Comp Revolver. I picked it up at the Camarillo Gun Store in California last month. I keep a revolver on my CCW list. (California allows you only a few guns that must be identified by serial number). Since this is an S&W Performance Center product the expert in house gunsmiths at S&W have fine-tuned this K-Comp to make it even better than the already great stock model-19. Their work on the trigger has made it really nice to shoot.

Some background from the S&W Product page;

Return of the Model 19 K-Comp
The Performance Center Model 19 Carry Comp is designed for concealed carry and includes a tritium front night sight, custom wood and synthetic boot grips, and a 3″ PowerPort vented barrel for recoil management.  The revolver features a trigger overtravel stop and Performance Center tuned action for a smooth double-action and light single action trigger pull.

Other Features:

• PowerPort Vented Barrel
• Tritium Night Sight
• Trigger Overtravel Stop
• PC Tuned Action

ALL BACKED BY OUR SMITH & WESSON LIFETIME SERVICE POLICY.

SPECIFICATIONS

• SKU: 12039
• Model: PERFORMANCE CENTER® Model 19 Carry Comp®
• Caliber: 357 Magnum, 38 S&W SPECIAL +P
• Capacity: 6
• Barrel Length: 3″ / 7.6 cm
• Overall Length: 8.0″
• Front Sight: Tritium Night Sight
• Rear Sight: Black Blade Adjustable
• Action: Single/Double Action
• Grip: Custom Wood and Synthetic Included
• Weight: 34.1 oz / 966.7g
• Cylinder Material: Carbon Steel
• Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
• Frame Material: Carbon Steel

Purpose: Enthusiast, Home Protection, Personal Protection, Recreational Shooting.

I like revolvers for self-defense, and this one will replace a 3” 686. This is a tad lighter, and the ported barrel is effective. It makes a .357 feel like a .38 special. The target below is at 10 meters.

I freely admit that there are two groups here; my eye is drawn to the last hit, meaning that I can string my shots unless I’m careful. This is a 5 shot group. The gun will easily produce an under 1-inch group at 10 meters.

The gun is beautifully finished, and the sights and trigger are what you expect for the price. The gun was JUST south of $1,000. In single action the trigger was amazing, and the groups tight, it double action the groups opened up to 3 inches at 10 meters. Still good enough and if you stage the trigger, you can drop an inch or so off of that number.

As with all new S&W revolvers, they are pretty dry inside, so the 1st two steps for owning any gun are to clean it and lube it. I don’t care what you own or what you shoot; this should ALWAYS be the 1st things you do. With an S&W you need to remove the side plate spray it with cleaner then dry and lube the revolver’s guts.

Then reassemble and run a patch through the barrel, then a little lube for the cylinder. You just invested in a gun that you may need to save your life or the life of someone you love. Treat the gun right. Same philosophy for a Glock or 1911. Clean and lube the gun when you take it home.

The Smith and Wesson Model 19 Comp is a joy to shoot; the problem with short barreled revolvers is always the recoil with a hot round. The comp solves that problem. The smooth trigger makes the gun easy to shoot, and easy to stage too if you need. While I love the look of the wood grips, she also comes with nice soft rubber grips to make the gun a bit easier to hold.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found only premium guns are relevant to me. I enjoy the feel and fit of a fine firearm. While a Taurus snuby costs a lot less the feel just isn’t there, and the group size isn’t there, the sights are too rough.

Yes, you pay for Custom Shop from Smith, but the gun itself is a little jewel. A small revolver that is accurate and fun to shoot.

About Don McDougall

Don McDougall is an NRA instructor and member of the Los Padres “Friends of the NRA” committee. If he’s not at the range, you will find him setting the record straight with on gun issues and gun safety on AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.

The post Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model-19 Carry Comp Revolver ~ 1st Shots appeared first on AmmoLand.com.

YouTube personality, Graham Baates, gives us a video review of the American Classic Commander from Eagle Imports.

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Eagle Imports has been sneaking some incredibly high-value 1911s into the US market from Metro Arms.  Under their four brands of American Classic, Llama, Metro Arms, and SPS 1911 fans and newbies alike can find something built to the trim of their preference with a high chance of it costing much less than expected.  On the surface a purist might reject the idea of an imported 1911, but all of that changes once handling one of these guns.  The pride and craftsmanship that Metro Arms puts into building their 1911s is an inspiration, not a mimicry.

American Classic Commander 1911 Pistol

American Classic kept the common traits that have made Commander models popular.  Shortening the barrel to 4.25″ lightens the gun while not sacrificing too much of critical velocity needed for the .45 ACP to perform.  Reduced weight and length also makes carry a little easier though the full-length grip may be a challenge for some.  Debates about the Commander format have been around for ages and not germane to our review of this particular firearm so let's get back to the gun.

Build quality matched what I have experienced from Metro Arms in the past, for those unfamiliar with them see the tabletop video below for an up-close view of construction quality:

Specifications below were taken directly from the product web page:

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Action: SA
• Barrel Length: 4.25″
• Front Sight: Dovetail
• Rear Sight: Novak-Style
• Finishes: Blued, Duotone, Hard Chrome
• Grips: Custom Hardwood with MAC Logo
• Safety: Beaver Tail Grip / Thumb Safety
• Weight: 36.96
• Length: 7.5″
• Height: 5.5″
• Width 1.5″

Other features that set this beyond your basic build include an extended slide release that reaches nicely in line with the extended safety, skeletal hammer, and a tuned trigger.  Increasing longevity and reliability are a throated forged-steel barrel and lowered and flared ejection port.  Eager to get the Commander to the range @BurgundyBomber and I hit the range for our standard battery of tests.  Tests included a basic function check of full magazine +1, feeding a few types of hollow points through it, and then grouping before giving our opinions.  The footage seen in the in the Shooting Impressions video below isn't all of the shooting we did, but is the parts you might want to see:

As far as 1911s go the American Classic Commander is a winner in this gun-guy's opinion.  Excellent aesthetics, features once reserved for custom guns, and flawless function.  Combine that with a very friendly MSRP starting at $624 and the Commander almost makes me a little upset.  Those of us who spent thousands of dollars on well-built 1911s in the past may feel swindled.

Eagle Imports and Metro Arms is providing equal or better pistols at a fraction of the cost.  For shooters new to 1911s a pistol like the Commander will spoil them and might just disrupt the market a bit as people learn to expect more gun for less money.  I don't say this often, but I would highly encourage anyone on the fence about the American Classic Commander to find one and grab it before the pricing becomes more equitable to the quality.

About Graham Baates“Graham Baates” is a pen name used by a 15-year active Army veteran who spent most of his time in the tactical side of the Intelligence community including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Post-Army Graham spent some time in the local 3-Gun circuit before becoming a full-time NRA Certified defensive handgun instructor and now works as an industry writer while curating a YouTube channel on the side. Visit Graham on Youtube .

The post American Classic Commander 1911 Pistol ~ VIDEO Review appeared first on AmmoLand.com.