Sightmark’s LoPro Combo units are getting upgraded for 2018. Designed for tactical, home defense and hunting applications, these models sport a low profile design, hence the name LoPro. The design enables them to be mounted in front of an optic without blocking your view.

New And Improved Sightmark LoPro Combos

First up is the LoPro Mini Combo. This model boasts improvements like aluminum housing; protected windage/elevation adjustments; thread-on and rotating pressure pad; and variable LED brightness for flashlight modes. In addition, it features a solid metal construction and single-piece integrated mount. This ensures your LoPro “stays firm and holds zero” in extreme conditions, the company says.

The upgraded LoPro Combo is a full-sized flashlight and laser combo that features an IR illuminator for night vision units. A high-intensity, variable brightness LED flashlight offers up the “perfect amount of light” for various day and nighttime shooting scenarios, Sightmark claims. Furthermore, this model includes a screw-in pressure pad that attaches to the unit and stays there during harsh use in the field.

Finally, the last option is the LoPro Mini, which is geared toward those who want a compact, lightweight solution. Weighing in at just 6.7 ounces, this IPX5 water resistant unit boasts hand adjustable windage/elevation; tool-less adjustments; pressure pad and a single CR123A battery.

The Sightmark LoPro Mini Combo is priced at $179.99. MSRP on the LoPro Combo Flashlight and Green Laser Sight is set at $239.99, while the LoPro Mini is available for $119.99.

See the specs for all three below. For more information, visit sightmark.com.

Sightmark LoPro Mini Combo

Sightmark LoPro Combo Flashlight (Visible and IR) and Green Laser Sight

Sightmark LoPro Mini

The post Sightmark LoPro Combo Units: New and Improved for 2018 appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

It’s not unusual for the civilian shooting community to embrace military-pattern weapons. Just look at the Springfield M1903, M1 Garand and M14. Why not take advantage of the time and effort the military poured into establishing its reliable and effective weapon systems? This is not to say that military weapons are to be blindly followed—just that you shouldn’t ignore the millions of dollars and countless hours of research and development that went into a weapon before it was fielded.

The M16 has served as the standard-issue rifle for the U.S. military for over 50 years, and there’s no doubt that its civilian counterpart, the AR-15, has certainly been commercially successful. It’d be hard to count the number of AR manufacturers and models currently available. But the availability of true military-grade rifles has been severely limited—until now.

Even though Fabrique Nationale (FN) has been making M16/M4 series rifles for decades in Columbia, South Carolina, for the U.S. military, the company’s civilian AR line is relatively new. But FN’s experience has helped its FN 15 product line grow quickly, and now the company is offering civilian-ready, semi-automatic versions of the M16 and M4 (as well as the belt-fed M249 machine gun) as part of its Military Collector series.

Defining Mil-Spec

A lot of AR manufacturers bandy the term “mil-spec” about, but it’s important to understand what this term actually means. Using a few AR parts of similar dimensions and “trying your best” to assemble rifles in a diligent manner doesn’t qualify as mil-spec.

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On the other hand, FN has dedicated production lines for creating the rifles used by our armed services. FN’s trained personnel, machinery and quality-control measures can’t be ignored. To earn the government contracts for producing the military’s M4 and M16, FN had to follow stringent protocols and testing procedures. For example, mil-spec barrels have to be chrome lined and button broached. Bolts and barrels must be high-pressure (HP) and magnetic-particle (MP) tested. Gas keys must be properly staked, the fire control group must use 0.154-inch-diameter pins, and there must be Parkerizing under the front sight assembly. The list goes on.

The FN 15 Military Collector M16 and M4 rifles are identical to what the military gets other than burst/fully automatic fire control group components. They even have the burst/full-auto safety position markings on their receivers, though they’re just for show.

Authentic M16

The M16 has been used by U.S. armed forces since 1964. Despite some well-documented early teething problems, the M16 has served with the U.S. as well as 15 NATO allies and over 80 other countries.

In 2004, the U.S. Marine Corps upgraded to the M16A4, which has a flattop upper receiver, a 20-inch barrel, a fixed buttstock and a Knight’s Armament M5 RAS handguard with rail covers. A detachable carry handle can be fitted to the upper receiver, though the whole point of the flattop upper is the ability to mount an optic of some sort. A flip-up rear sight with elevation adjustments from 200 to 600 yards is often fitted to the M16A4 in support of the optic.

The FN 15 Military Collector M16 shares all of the M16A4’s aforementioned characteristics. FN’s civilian rifle even has a “unique identification label,” or UIL, which the Department of Defense uses to identify and keep track of its weapons. The FN 15 Military Collector M16 also has an ambidextrous safety selector and an easy-to-access magazine release. The rifle weighs 8.2 pounds unloaded and has an overall length of 39.5 inches with its fixed, synthetic buttstock.

M4 Commando

The M4 evolved out of the Vietnam era’s CAR-15 Commando (XM-177) rifle. That rifle was designed to give MACV-SOG operators and other elite units a lightweight, fast-handling option to deal with threats. While CAR-15s used 10- or 11.5-inch barrels, the currently fielded M4 features a 14.5-inch barrel. It also sports a few other design tweaks for increased reliability. The increase in barrel length made it easier to mount the M203 grenade launcher—a huge boost in available firepower.

The U.S. military officially adopted the M4 in 1994. Its success and popularity with personnel—thanks to its flattop receiver and railed forend—provided the impulse for changing the M16 to reflect a similar format with the M16A4. In 2010, the M4’s compactness led to it becoming the standard-issue rifle for the U.S. Army in lieu of its larger M16A2 brother. The Marines followed suit in late 2015, with a decision to phase in the M4 in favor of their M16A4s.

FN’s M4

The FN 15 Military Collector M4 shares all of the military M4’s characteristics, which are centered on compactness and ease of handling, in a semi-auto package. The rifle weighs 6.6 pounds unloaded. It measures 30.5 inches with the stock collapsed and 34.2 inches wth the stock fully extended. Like the Military Collector M16, the M4 version has a modified trigger to pass muster by the BATFE for civilian possession. Along these same lines of BATFE compliance, the FN 15 Military Collector M4’s barrel is 16 inches long versus the original’s 14.5 inches. However, this is not as onerous as it sounds. FN achieves the 16-inch legal length by permanently attaching the A2 flash suppressor to the 14.5-inch barrel.

A six-position-collapsible buttstock distinguishes the FN 15 Military Collector M4 from the full-sized M16, but they both come with the same sights and Knight’s Armament rail systems.

Range Setup

I recently got my hands on both of these Military Collector rifles, and I took them to the Echo Valley Training Center to run them through their paces. Right out of the box, the iron sights for both rifles required minimal adjustments. To wring out the M16, I chose a Trijicon 1-6x24mm VCOG (Variable Combat Optical Gunsight) with an illuminated reticle. The VCOG is a versatile design that works quite well for both instinctive close-range shooting as well as longer-range engagements.

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FN barrels are renowned for quality and are highly sought after as standalone components. The 1-in-7-inch-twist, button-rifled barrels installed on the two FN rifles I tested were no exceptions. The military originally chose the 1-in-7-inch twist rate to best stabilize heavier 5.56mm bullets. So, for testing, I chose 62-grain American Eagle FMJs as my primary test ammunition. I also used heavier match loads from Federal, Black Hills and Hornady to get a better idea of each rifle’s inherent accuracy potential.

First Tests

To shoot tight five-shot, 100-yard groups with the M16 from the bench, I cranked the VCOG to 6X. The 62-grain FMJs clustered into groups measuring between 2 and 2.5 inches, while the match loads were significantly tighter, producing 1- to 1.25-inch groups on average. I also left the Trijicon VCOG on the M16 for the majority of its range work.

I tested the M4 with its supplied iron sights. Frankly, it was refreshing to revisit iron sights while conducting drills, moving and firing behind simulated cover or vehicles. As the extensive testing proved, the M4’s open sight arrangement is superior to most other service rifle sights found in other countries. Of course, when I needed an optic, I could easily mount a Leupold Prismatic scope to the M4’s flattop upper receiver.

More Testing

Between the two rifles, the M16 offered less recoil and higher velocities thanks to its 20-inch barrel, longer gas system and heavier weight. Of course, the M4 offsets any loss in terminal ballistics with better ergonomics and handling. Both rifles’ mil-spec triggers were a pleasant surprise with a pull weight of 7.5 pounds, according to my RCBS trigger-pull gauge.

I conducted a number of range drills with the two FN rifles and a BlackHawk bandoleer magazine carrier. One drill began by engaging targets at 35 and 115 yards first with the M16 and then the M4. I engaged the targets five times each, starting from a set position, moving to another location, firing five more rounds while kneeling and moving again and transitioning to prone for another five shots, reloading as necessary. I also ran through the Echo Valley Training Center’s 360-degree and “Jungle Walk” ranges. The FN rifles shined in terms of potent firepower and combat accuracy. The M16’s accuracy was superb, and firing from unorthodox positions while working around range vehicles showed why the lightweight M4 is such an effective fighter. It did not take long to burn through almost 1,000 rounds between the two FN rifles.

Naysayers can offer opinions all they want about Eugene Stoner’s direct-impingement design. The fact is that the M16 series is the longest-serving small arms platform in U.S. military history, with no end in sight. The FN 15 Military Collector M16 and M4 are exacting replicas of what U.S. soldiers use every day afield.

FN 15 Military Collector M16 Specs

FN 15 Military Collector M16 Performance

*Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 100 yards.

FN 15 Military Collector M4 Specs

FN 15 Military Collector M4 Performance

*Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 100 yards.

For more information, visit fnamerica.com.

This article was originally published in “Black Guns” 2017. To order a copy, visit outdoorgroupstore.com.

The post FN’s Military Collector M16, M4 Are as Authentic as You Can Get appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Kalashnikov Concern is set to enter full “serial production” on its much-anticipated PL-14 Lebedev pistol.

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Alexander Gvozdik, the managing director of the Kalashnikov Concern JSC Izhevsk Mechanical Engineering Plant, confirmed the news to a group of investors earlier this week.

“The serial production of the Lebedev pistol will start in the short term,” he said, according to Russia’s state-owned news service TASS. To that end, Kalashnikov is also launching a new manufacturing site for the PL-14 as development and trials for the pistol wraps up.

Furthermore, Kalashnikov Concern CEO Alexei Krivoruchko told TASS the PL-14 will likely be given close consideration by the Russian Ministry of Defence and multiple law enforcement agencies.

The Kalashnikov PL-14 was first introduced at the Army-2015 International Military-Technical Forum in Russia. Chambered in 9mm, the striker-fired, short-recoil-operated, locked-breech handgun features a five-inch barrel. In addition, it’s noted for it’s slim profile, measuring 1.1-inches thick at the grip and 0.82 inches thick at the front of the slide. The gun also sports ambidextrous controls. Additionally, it has a loaded chamber indicator; Picatinny rail; DAO trigger; 15-round capacity; and an overall weight of 1.76 pounds.

“The versatility of our new pistol allows to use it not only as a military weapon for the military forces and police, but also as a pistol for different shooting competitions,” Krivoruchko said in a 2015 presser. “We intend to produce different variants of the pistol, for example, with certain characteristics of the trigger mechanism for special forces units, as well as a civilian version with trigger that would be suitable for practical shooting competitions as well.”

See specs for the PL-14 below, in addition to a video showing Larry Vickers testing it out.

Kalashnikov PL-14 Specs

• Caliber: 9x19mm
• Length: 220mm
• Height: 136mm
• Thickness: 28mm
• Barrel length: 127mm
• Magazine capacity: 15
• Weight without ammunition: 0.8 kg
• Weight with ammunition: 0.99 kg

The post Kalashnikov Concern to Start Full Production on PL-14 Handgun appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

In 1867, the British War Office adopted the Eley-Boxer metallic centerfire cartridge case in the Enfield Pattern 1853 rifles. These were converted to Snider-Enfield breechloaders based on Jacob Snider’s design. In America, Springfield Model 1861 muzzleloaders were converted to breechloaders based on Erskine Allin’s design, creating the Model 1865. There have been improvements in metallurgy, cartridge and firearm design, but general-issue rifles and machine guns have been using metallic cartridges ever since.

Metallic cases contain, protect and hold the components in proper place during carry, chambering and firing. They help seal the chamber during firing. They then act as a heat sink, removing some heat from the chamber during ejection. The downside is the container often weighs about as much as the active components it contains. But attempts to do away with the cartridge case in self-loading small arms have yet to make it past the prototype stage.

Textron Systems has an improvement well past the prototype stage. It’s already been through real field testing and training with American troops—Cased Telescoped (CT) ammunition and weapons designed to shoot it. CT systems provide the same capabilities as currently issued weapons and ammo at about 40-percent less weight. U.S. Army testing of Textron’s CT-based 5.56mm light machine gun (LMG) and ammunition validated the system’s maturity, performance and weight reduction.

Shedding Weight

Textron Systems has a long history designing and manufacturing armament and ammunition technologies, having been involved in many U.S. Army small-arms development programs for the past five decades. Textron oversees a team of companies for this particular project, including ARES, Inc., Orbital ATK, St. Marks Powder (a General Dynamics company), MSC Software and Battelle Memorial Institute.

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Paul Shipley, Textron Systems’ CT program manager, said, “The project has been in existence since 2004 and has gone by different names, though it’s the same program and technology. Originally called the Lightweight Family of Weapons and Ammunition (LFWA), which was the predecessor to the well-known Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) program, the initial objective was to prove weight-reduction technology while retaining M855 ammunition performance in a belt-fed machine gun.”

Weight Testing

CT ammunition weighs 35-percent less than metallic cartridges. To date, over 100,000 rounds of 5.56mm NATO CT ammunition and eight LMGs have been produced for numerous formal assessments. This includes testing by the Maneuver Battle Lab at Fort Benning, U.S. Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg and the Dismounted Non-Network Enabled Limited Objective Experiment sponsored by the Army Capabilities Integration Center at Fort Benning. This last test assessed a host of capability improvements for small units. It went from August 6 through September 24, 2013. An entire dismounted platoon—three rifle squads and one weapon squad—conducted a series of range events. This includes CQB, long range, squad live fire and suppressive fire with a capstone 72-hour force-on-force event.

These tests indicated that the lighter-weight systems improved short-range engagement times. The systems also led to more first-round hits at long range and increases in accuracy due to recoil mitigation. Improved maneuverability due to decreased weight—specifically when conducting individual movement techniques and transitioning from shooting positions—and options for leaders to carry more ammo improve mission capability.

On the government end, the program is managed through the Joint Service Small Arms Program (JSSAP) Office of the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey.

Inside CT

The weapon and ammunition were designed as a system. Each contributes key characteristics required to obtain successful function and performance. The heart of this system is the CT ammunition. A conventional metallic rifle cartridge has the bullet held in the neck, with the propellant in the case body and the primer in the case head. CT ammunition consists of a polymer tube completely covering the projectile, which is surrounded by the propellant inside. A conventional primer is seated in the CT tube’s base. This makes the cartridge 35-percent lighter with 12-percent less volume than conventional brass-cased ammunition.

CT ammunition is made in a similar manner as conventional metallic ammunition. The bullet and primer are exactly the same. But CT tubes can be made to handle a greater variety of projectile designs. The entire case—instead of the case neck—holds and supports the bullet. Textron has been using a custom blend of ball powder. There are some slight differences needed compared to metallic ammunition, but it is a blend of propellants already available.

The CT case is made of injection-molded plastic derived from a high- quality, medical-grade polymer. There is a “Caseless” variant of the ammunition that eliminates the polymer case so that all of the components aside from the link are fully consumed during firing. If successful, this configuration will potentially offer additional reductions in weight and volume.

Radical Ammo

This radical change to the ammunition design was accompanied by equally radical changes in how the firearm functions. Most conventional long guns have the chamber cut into the back end of the barrel. CT weapons feature a firing chamber separate from the barrel. This moves the CT cartridge from the feeding mechanism into alignment with the bore prior to firing. In belt-fed machine guns, the cartridge is rammed in from the feed tray and out of the disintegrating link into a pivoting chamber, pushing out the fired CT tube still in there to eject it. Then, the chamber pivots down counterclockwise 90 degrees toward the port side to line up with the barrel for firing. It then rotates back up clockwise to repeat the cycle.

As an open-bolt design, the chamber is not loaded (though the fired CT tube remains in place) until the trigger is depressed. But you don’t have to worry about the tube, as it is automatically pushed out and ejected on the next burst or during immediate action in case of a stoppage. For maintenance or prior to storage, the spent tube can be manually removed, but there is never a need to do this quickly, as normal operation does it automatically.

This separate pivoting chamber removes the need for a brass case to act as an ejectable heat sink. While any properly functioning open-bolt weapon avoids cook-offs by not chambering until firing occurs, the CT design mitigates this further as the pivoting chamber is completely separate from the barrel. Plus, the polymer case is a better insulator of heat than brass, better protecting the propellant inside.

Move Over Minimi?

The 5.56mm LSAT CT LMG was the first weapon based on this design. It’s intended to replace the M249 (FN Minimi) with equal performance in a much lighter package. Textron Systems followed with a 7.62mm NATO version based on the same design and technologies to replace M80A1 ball and the M240 series (FN MAG 58) with significant weight savings. Despite being a general descriptor of “Lightweight Small Arms Technologies,” the LSAT label was often associated with the initial 5.56mm design. Therefore, Textron Systems has labeled the 7.62mm version as the CT MMG (Medium Machine Gun) to provide a clear differentiation.

Branching into rifles and carbines, Textron Systems began with a study of caliber optimization. It concluded what competition shooters had already discovered: A 6.5mm projectile offers a more streamlined bullet for a high ballistic coefficient with minimum recoil. Competitors have been dabbling with 6mm to 6.5mm projectiles and various chamberings to take them for many years. They ultimately settled on a variety of 6.5mm cartridges as ideal. Textron Systems’ study found that the weight and performance of bullets with a caliber around 6.4mm to 6.7mm is about optimum. Given that a number of quality 6.5mm bullets were already on the market, Textron Systems settled on that for its 6.5mm CT Carbine.

Details

A closed-bolt, magazine-fed weapon, the 6.5mm CT Carbine uses a chamber that slides up from the magazine to fire and drops down upon firing instead of pivoting from a feed tray. In addition to the caliber optimization, Textron Systems wanted to try a different caliber to test multi-caliber compatibility. The 6.5mm CT ammunition uses the same-sized polymer tube as the 7.62mm CT cartridges. At least for testing purposes or with armorer/gunsmith support, a caliber change can be enacted by swapping the barrel, as the chambers and operating systems remain the same. With a CT system, the polymer tube is not governed like metallic cases in today’s cartridges.

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For example, just within 5.56mm NATO firearms, varying chamber dimensions such as the .223 Wylde differ from 5.56mm NATO specifications. Changing requires a new barrel cut with a different chamber reamer. With a CT firearm, however, any caliber or varying bullet dimensions that can fit inside the CT tube with sufficient propellant could be made to work as the chamber and tube maintain the same size and dimensions. This has the potential for much more leeway with bullet design and calibers, provided the CT envelope is the same size.

In addition to reducing heating and cook-offs, case-head separations and extraction problems aren’t possible. Even if the polymer tube ruptures, the feed cycle rams the chamber clear by pushing forward and out the ejection port. While the polymer deforms too much after firing to attempt reloading, it contracts back down to original dimensions better than brass.

Textron Systems Proving Grounds

While complete tests haven’t been made, the accuracy potential seems good. Textron Systems uses a Mann barrel testing fixture. It has found mechanical accuracy, pressure and velocity are comparable to metallic counterparts. Field testing with the 5.56mm LSAT demonstrated improved hit probability. But this was due to Textron Systems’ improved long-stroke, soft-recoil gas system. Soldiers said they felt the gun moved less during bursts despite the lighter weight. The carbine hasn’t been tested beyond demonstrating it is comparable to currently issued M16/M4 weapons.

How about cost? Being a medical- grade plastic, the prices for the polymer CT tube vary with the commodities market, just like metal. In practice, despite an injection-molded part being potentially easier to make than extruding brass, the cost of CT ammunition is about the same as equivalent metallic-cased ammunition—for now. Should CT-based systems become common issue, economy of scales may improve that. At worst, CT ammunition can be manufactured for a comparable price.

So, for those of us still in the military, when can we expect to have one? When I asked Mr. Shipley this, he said, “Going forward with production will hinge on the Army requirement for the next generation squad weapon. Once this requirement is published, we’ll have a better understanding of the fielding schedule.”

For more, visit textronsystems.com.

This piece is from the August/September 2017 issue of Tactical Weapons Magazine. To subscribe, please visit OutdoorGroupStore.com.

The post Why Soldiers May Use Textron Systems’ Lightweight Small Arms Tech appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The Springfield Professional 1911 pistol is now being offered in 9mm. The .45 ACP version of the gun is noted for winning the FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) pistol contract back in 1998.

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Built by Springfield’s legendary Custom Shop, the Springfield Professional sports a custom slide and national match frame; custom national match barrel; lowered and flared ejection port; speed trigger with a 4.5-pound trigger pull; Novak rear and dovetail front sight with 3 dot tritium inserts; checkered Cocobolo grips; 20 lpi front strap checkering; and much more.

“The Springfield Armory Custom Shop is a collection of over 200 years of experience trying to reach the absolute pinnacle of what custom 1911 gunsmithing is,” Springfield Custom Shop Pistolsmith Troy Schulz said in a press release. “What we’re ultimately aiming for is absolute perfection.”

“I like it to look like a work of art, but I also want it to function like a work of art,” Springfield Custom Shop Team Leader Don Stogsdill added.

MSRP on the Springfield Professional is $3,295. See the features below, along with a video that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the Springfield Custom Shop.

For more, visit springfield-armory.com.

Springfield Professional 1911 9mm

• Custom fit slide to national match frame
• Custom fit national match barrel & bushing
• Polished feed ramp & fully throated barrel
• Springfield Custom match hammer & sear
• Fitted speed trigger w/custom tuned 4 ½ lb. trigger pull
• Tuned for total reliability
• Lowered & flared ejection port
• Tuned & polished extractor
• Standard 1911-A1 recoil spring guide
• Custom fitted beavertail grip safety
• Custom fitted ambidextrous thumb safety
• Low mount Novak rear sight w/matching dovetail front sight
• 3 dot tritium inserts in sights
• Custom fit 1-pc. billet magazine well, matched to bevel on frame
• Hand checkered 20LPI front strap checkering
• Checkered Cocobolo grips
• “Carry Bevel” complete pistol
• “Black T” finish complete pistol
• 6-9 round magazines
• Custom carrying case
• Springfield Custom markings on slide

The post VIDEO: The FBI-Approved Springfield Professional 1911 Is Now in 9mm appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The following editorial on Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy was written by Mark Oliva of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

The Connecticut governor’s latest temper tantrum demonstrates why firearms owners don’t trust him when he calls for a national conversation. He only listens to himself.

Gov. Dannel Malloy declared this week the NRA is a “terrorist organization.” The second most-hated governor (only New Jersey’s former Gov. Chris Christie edged him out for the top spot), Malloy has a propensity for trying to deflect attention away from poor performance.

We’ve been down this road before. Gov. Malloy lashes out when he feels like no one is paying him enough attention. It’s understandable. After all, the governor’s policies of continually raising taxes while failing to bring bloated government spending under control have badly hurt the state’s economy, helping to push out major employers, such as General Electric, Alexion Pharmaceuticals and Aetna to other states. We’ve seen him do this before.

CNN and the Attack on Industry

The firearms industry that first built Connecticut’s industrial base was Malloy’s target in 2013 when he sat for an interview with CNN’s Andrea Crowley where he made this inflammatory remark:

“What this is about is the ability of the gun industry to sell as many guns to as many people as possible — even if they are deranged, even if they are mentally ill, even if they have a criminal background. They don’t care. They want to sell guns.”

We asked for an apology. Connecticut-based O.F. Mossberg & Sons asked for an apology on behalf of its state workforce. We’re still waiting. Nor do we expect any acknowledgment that the industry trade association headquartered in his state has made meaningful contributions to improving public safety.

NSSF launched the FixNICS campaign in 2013 and through the end of 2017, the number of disqualifying mental health records submitted to NICS increased by 200 percent to nearly 5 million, from about 1.7 million in December 2012.

NSSF is working with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) on a bill that’s co-sponsored by his own Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), hardly a pro-gun senator, to pass S. 2135 to ensure the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) works as intended.

How about the fact that NSSF works with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on matching rewards for thefts at gun stores as part of Operation Secure Store.

Then there’s our long-time partnership with ATF on the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy campaign to educate retailers and inform the public to help prevent straw purchases.

Let’s not forget the Project ChildSafe program through which NSSF has passed out more than 37 million free gun locks mostly through local police departments, and the partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to recognize the signs and know how to intervene to prevent suicide.

Doesn’t Know What Terrorism Means

Still, Gov. Malloy’s latest tantrum, equating an organization whose members choose to exercise their rights and protect their children with a firearm with that of a terrorist group, is way beyond insulting. It’s reprehensible.

I’m a Marine. I fought terrorists. The five million Americans of the NRA — many of whom are veterans — are patriots. Terrorism is, by definition, the use of unlawful violence, especially against civilians, to achieve a political goal.

The terrorists I fought wanted to destroy everything we hold dear as Americans.

Gov. Malloy would do well to remember that King George III thought gun-owning American colonists were terrorists, too. Governor, we’re tired of your media attention seeking insults. We are not your subjects. We are citizens and we will not be vilified.

About the Author
Mark Oliva is Manager, Public Affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition and industries. He is a retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant with 25 years of service, including tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Albania and Zaire.

The post NSSF Rips Gov. Dannel Malloy After Calling NRA ‘Terrorist Organization’ appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

FN Herstal has announced a new variant of its FN SCAR-SC subcompact carbine. The new model sports a short telescopic buttstock, bringing the total number of buttstocks available for the gun to six.

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With the short telescopic buttstock fully extended, the FN SCAR-SC measures 24.5 inches in overall length. If you collapse the stock, the length shrinks down to 19.9 inches. Other buttstock options include the standard telescopic buttstock; fixed buttstock with a concave butt plate; foldable buttstock with a concave buttplate; foldable buttstock with a convex buttplate; and a foldable, adjustable offset buttstock for use with an anti-riot or bulletproof helmet visor. See the breakdown in overall length for each below.

First introduced at Milipol Paris 2017, the FN SCAR-SC is chambered in 5.56x45mm. Built for use in confined spaces, it features a 7.5-inch cold hammer-forged, chrome-lined, free-floating barrel; non-reciprocating charging handle; ambidextrous controls; MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny top and side rails for accessories; enlarged trigger guard; adjustable gas regulator; and hard-anodized monolithic aluminum receivers. In addition, it’s available with a semi-auto or selective fire trigger mechanism.

The FN SCAR-SC is available to federal, state and local agencies in the United States. For more on FN Herstal, visit fnherstal.com.

FN SCAR-SC Specs

The post The FN SCAR-SC Now Has a Short Telescopic Buttstock Variant appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The Portuguese Special Operations Detachment (DOE) is now flush with small arms, having just received a new batch of rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers and accessories.

Portuguese Special Operations Weapons

According to Jane’s, the items delivered included Barrett M107A1 .50 cal and Accuracy AXMC .338 precision rifles; Heckler & Koch HK417 7.62×51 mm assault rifles; FABARM STF/12 Compact FE 12-gauge shotguns; and HK HK269 40×46 mm grenade launchers. The DOE also received Schmidt & Bender PM II riflescopes, as well as new MRZR2 MT and Sportsman MV850 MT ATVs. The exact quantity hasn’t been disclosed.

However, back in October Jane’s reported that the Portuguese Army had agreed to let the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) handle procurement of new small arms. The procurement, worth up to €42.8 million ($50.3 million), calls for the purchase (by 2022) of 11,000 5.56x45mm assault rifles; 300 7.62x51mm assault rifles; 830 5.56x45mm light machine guns; 320 7.62x51mm light machine guns; 450 7.62x51mm precision rifles; 1,700 grenade launchers; 380 shotguns; and 3,400 sights. One can assume that the aforementioned small arms from Barrett, HK and others are part of that procurement process.

The DOE is a unit within the Portuguese Army’s Special Operations Troops Centre. Commonly referred to as the Rangers, DOE performs missions similar to that of the US Army’s Delta Force or the British SAS. Check out the video below to see them in action.

The post VIDEO: Portuguese Special Operations Unit Receives New Small Arms appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

B&T has unveiled its new USW-320 Universal Service Weapon Upgrade Chassis. This cool new enhancement converts a Sig Sauer P320 or M17 service pistol into a B&T’s Universal Service Weapon configuration, with a folding stock included.

“Sig’s P320 striker-fired pistol is unique in that it gives the user complete modularity by allowing him or her to change frame size, fit and even caliber by simply swapping out the serialized trigger group,” Jon Scott, VP of Sales at B&T USA, said in a press release. “The USW-320 builds on this modularity by providing a chassis that adds the stability of a folding stock along with ambi controls and an integrated Picatinny/NAR accessory rail.”

Installing the USW-320 takes under two minutes, B&T claims. To do so, you remove the serialized trigger group from the P320 and drop it into the USW-320 upgraded chassis. You don’t need to make any other mods; the serialized trigger group is held in place by the takedown lever. You then transfer the P320 slide and magazine over. That’s it.

B&T notes that because the serial number is on the trigger group rather than the grip module, the USW-320 is not a “serialized firearm” and be sold and shipped without those pesky restrictions. The company also claims that the USW-320 has an “accuracy and effectiveness” similar to that of a 9mm police carbine.

“Operators can produce very tight groups at 27 yards along with effective hits beyond 55 yards” using the USW-320, B&T’s presser says.

Meanwhile, the company also said it plans on introducing a retention holster. The holster will enable the operator to draw and fire the USW-320 in less than one second without the stock extended, with .4 seconds added to unfold the stock.

See a rundown of features for the USW-320 below. For more from B&T, visit bt-ag.ch.

B&T USW-320 Features

• Delivery: The scope of delivery consits only of the lower frame with integrated folding stock but without any attached or built in parts.
• Width: 43 mm
• Weight: 188 g (Lower with folding stock)
• Stock Pull: 360 mm
• NAR Rails: 1
• Magazines: P320 magazines, 17 round and larger
• Handling: Ambidextrous
• Shoulder stock: Foldable
• Remarks: Available from April 2018 on

The post The USW-320 Turns a Sig P320 Into B&T’s Universal Service Weapon appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Noreen Firearms is well known for producing high-quality precision rifles in some of the heaviest calibers. The company’s ULR (Ultra Long Range) rifles are chambered in .50 BMG, .416 Barrett, .408 Chey Tac and .338 Lapua. While the biggest calibers are in bolt-action rifles, the company’s Bad News in .338 Lapua is one of the first reliable semi-automatic rifles in this caliber. After testing one of the first of these models, I found it reliable and incredibly accurate. Piston driven and equipped with a muzzle brake, it was one of the softest shooting .338 Lapua rifles ever tested. Noreen’s next design was the BN36, the same reliable platform chambered in .30-06. Although transitioning to a direct-impingement gas system, it remained accurate and pleasant to shoot. The latest in the stable is the BN308, the same basic rifle chambered in the prolific .308 Win.

Noreen Firearms starts with a billet receiver and uses a Pac-Nor chromoly barrel with a 1-in-10-inch twist. There was no threading on the test rifle, just a nicely crowned muzzle. Like the BN36, the BN308 uses a direct-impingement gas system. The bolt and carrier are made out of an incredibly high grade of steel just like its larger versions. Made from the same steel used for the gears in Formula One race car transmissions, it is some of the strongest you can get. Takedown for cleaning is the same as most AR rifles.

Bolt manipulation is taken care of with a knob attached to the bolt. Fitted on the right side, it is easy to access and was very smooth in operation. The rifle also utilizes a shortened DPMS .308 AR-type buffer tube. While it is shipped with a Command Arms stock, any compatible AR stock can be easily installed. The forend is clean, with multiple vents to lower weight and increase cooling. Mounting holes along both sides and the bottom facilitate rail attachment as desired. A nicely matched top rail provides pretty much one continuous rail for optics or night-vision devices.

My test rifle was supplied with a Hiperfire Hipertouch trigger. Having used these triggers extensively, they offer very low trigger weights without light primer strike issues. The unique design increases hammer fall while lowering trigger weight. It means you get a crisp precision trigger that is reliable with most any ammunition.

Shipped with both 10- and 20-round Magpul PMAGs, the BN308 uses the standard SR25/DPMS-pattern magazines. It will also work with the X Products X-25 50-round drum magazine.

Leupold’s proven Mark 4 LR/T 4.5-14x50mm scope was attached using a set of Seekins Precision 30mm rings. Seekins Precision rings are very solid, very clean and add very little weight. The standard duplex reticle has been swapped out for a TS-32 MOA reticle by the Leupold Custom Shop. For those not interested in making the move to metric, this reticle eliminates the need for math conversions when ranging or holding over. The bottom stadia line provides 32 MOA of adjustment in 1-MOA increments. Horizontal stadia lines provide 13 MOA in either direction. Nestled below that line is an array of dots at 2-MOA increments for fast follow-up shots or wind holds. Using matching 0.25-MOA turrets, you can use them or the reticle without having to convert anything from mils (metric).

Previous testing of the Bad News .338 Lapua was a pleasant surprise. As someone who is skeptical when it comes to precision accuracy with an AR, I found that rifle to be very accurate. Testing the BN308 provided even more satisfaction and surprise.

My best group using Federal’s 168-grain Gold Medal Match was one large hole measuring a mere 0.34 inches. Half-inch groups were the norm, with nothing reaching 0.75 inches. Cold bores were dead-on, with negligible change or difference in the confirming group. Hiperfire’s Hipertouch trigger really helps here; it is crisp and averaged a measured pull in the 3-pound range. After reacquainting myself with a single-stage trigger, it allowed for some very solid accuracy. Groups were all fired from a bag off a bench, which is not my best position, so suffice it to say that this thing is accurate.

Noreen’s rifles have never been known for being featherweights. The company builds rifles for hard use, not display. Receivers are built from billet with strength in mind, not looks. Still, shooting it from off-hand was not noticeably less pleasant than most AR rifles in this caliber. It balances well, even with the 22-inch barrel. I’m not sure you will be “driving” the rifle between targets, but this was not designed for 3-Gun competitions. Resting it like a precision rifle, the flat and large handguard provides excellent stability. Accuracy from a kneeling position was excellent, with a few 10-round groups at 50 yards staying under 3 inches. Even at 100 yards wringing the lollipop steel was easy while kneeling. This rifle is very comfortable to shoot from unsupported positions.

Reliability was excellent, with no failures to fire, eject or extract. Most ammunition used was match grade, but quite a bit of FMJ from various brands was used with great effect. Firing from prone, resting on the magazine in the dirt, never caused an issue. All of my various SR25-pattern magazines worked fine, including both DPMS and LaRue metal magazines. It also works very well with the X Products drum mags, as both the standard and skeletonized models fit, dropped free and functioned perfectly.

Last Shots

My career as a police marksman started with a mil-lined reticle and turrets in MOA. Ranging in mils requires you to convert the distance to inches before moving your turrets. While a pain, it was certainly doable. Reticles graduated in MOA were rudimentary to non-existent, and turrets in mils were rare.

The times have changed and most (myself included) are moving to all metric. For some that move has been difficult, especially having spent years using MOA. My partner is a perfect example. Having been a police marksman for a couple decades, it was not an easy transition. Leupold’s TS-32 is the perfect solution. It took me a while to move back but remained simple. Ranging known targets out to 500 yards was pretty fast and precise. Engaging steel at that range was equally as simple.

Mounted in the second focal plane, ranging is only accurate at 14-power, but it did not hinder hits out to 500 yards on silhouette steel at 10-power. It was also possible to use the lower portion to observe the splash on a miss, move the reticle over and get a second-shot hit. You’re probably not going to see me move back, but for those searching for a simple and affordable scope with everything in MOA, this is about perfect.

Testing Noreen’s rifles is always fun. They are a bit different, and they never seem to disappoint. It’s enjoyable to see rifles built for shooting, not marketing or display. If you want a truly accurate rifle with solid ergonomics, solid build quality, and complete reliability, then put the BN308 on your list.

Noreen Firearms BN308 Specs

Noreen Firearms BN308 Performance

*Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for three 5-round groups at 100 yards.

For more information, visit onlylongrange.com.

This article was originally published in the 2016 issue of “Black Guns” To order a copy and subscribe, visit outdoorgroupstore.com.

The post BN308 Review: Going the Distance With Noreen BN308 Rifle appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

German gunmaker C.G. Haenel came loaded for bear at this year’s Enforce TAC and IWA exhibitions, debuting its AR 10-type CR 308 rifle under its Haenel Defence brand.

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Based on the company’s CR 223 model in .223 Rem./5.56x45mm, the big brother CR 308 is chambered in—you guessed it—.308 Win./7.62 x51mm NATO. The brochure says it’s available in both 16.5-inch and 20-inch barreled variants with an A2 flash hider and a QD suppressor mount. Spartanat claims 14.5-inch and 18-inch options are also available. The barrel is cold hammer forged. In addition, this rifle uses a short-stroke gas piston system.

The CR 308 also features an ambidextrous magazine release; ambidextrous bolt catch; ambi 60 degree safety lever; ambidextrous charging handle six-position telescopic buttstock; and adjustable pistol grip. Furthermore, the handguard can be removed without tools. It features two NARs (Nato Accessory Rails) at the 12 and 6 o’clock position. It also sports KeyMod rails at the 3 and 9 o’clock position, Spartanat says.

Meanwhile, buyers have the option of choosing between a single stage trigger (6.2-7.8 pounds) and a two stage trigger (3.8-4.4 pounds).

Haenel’s new CR 308 sports a 10-round magazine capacity. Additionally, the overall weight is between 9.4 and 10.1 pounds, depending on the options you choose. Furthermore, the OAL ranges from 33.7 inches to 39.2 inches, again option dependent. Pricing hasn’t yet been announced for this model.

See the specs below, pulled from the brochure. For more information about C.G. Haenel and Haenel Defence, visit cg-haenel.de.

Haenel CR 308 Specs

• System: indirect gas operated
• Caliber: .308 Win.
• Barrel Length/Twist: 16,5“/ 420mm – 12“, 20“/ 508mm – 12”
• Stock: AR-15 telescopic buttstock, 6 stages
• Length Max/Min: 16,5“– 978mm / 894mm, 20“–1.080mm / 996mm
• Flash Hider: A2 standard with QD suppressor mount
• Handguard: Two NAR and two KeyMod rails, removable without tools
• Pistol Grip: Standard
• Sight: Foldable mechanical sight
• Trigger: Single stage trigger 28–35N, Pressure point trigger (Two stage trigger) 17–20N
• Safety: Fire pin safety, ambidextrous, 60 degrees
• Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds
• Weight: approx. 4.3kg – 4.6kg

The post Haenel Defence Unveils CR 308 Rifle at Enforce TAC, IWA Exhibitions appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

A lot of ARs, AKs, SKSs and similar semi-auto rifles have been sold for self-defense in the last few years. Usually, new owners will take their rifles to a shooting range a few times a year to practice basic marksmanship and check the alignment of the sights. Then they put them back in the safe. Like all of us, they hope they’ll never have to use them to protect their homes.

But that rifle just might need to be used someday, and when the balloon goes up, you will quickly learn that using a rifle in self-defense requires a different set of skills from using a handgun. Fortunately, there are three ways to build these skills: professional training, practice drills and formal competition.

Pro Training

The increase in concealed-carry license applications has created a large market for professional firearms trainers. Most states require some type of training for the license, but that training almost always focuses on handguns. Fortunately, there are quite a few firearms training venues that offer defensive rifle courses as well, including Defense Training International, Gunsite Academy, Thunder Ranch, the Big 3 East Training Center, the Telluric Group, Suarez International and many others.

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When choosing a professional training course, there are a number of skills to look for. These are skills you can practice at your home range, including shooting from cover, working around corners, moving and shooting, clearing rooms and hallways, reloading, offset aiming at CQB distances, rapidly engaging multiple targets, precise bullet placement, shoot-no shoot scenarios, transitioning to a handgun, low-light operations, malfunction-clearance drills and transitioning to the weak-side shoulder. Most rifle courses cover the majority of these skills while providing a basic rifle safety review.

Range Practice

Practice is the process of converting lessons learned in a rifle class into what many authors have called “muscle memory.” Of course, this term isn’t meant to be taken literally. Muscles don’t remember, nor do they decide to act. Instead, muscle memory is really a series of mental operations that take place in the brain. Basically, the goal of rifle training is to learn the basic rifle skills so well that performing them becomes almost automatic, leaving the brain free to think tactically and create a plan for resolving a threat.

In the past, it was difficult to find ranges where you could do anything but stand still and fire slowly. Fortunately, that’s changing. As more ranges host competitive matches, more are building shooting bays designed for hosting IDPA, IPSC, ICORE and other practical shooting competitions. There are two such ranges within 45 minutes of my home. At these ranges, I can run timed drills and create scenarios that allow me to hone my skills.

Details

I recently used the new FN 15 Competition rifle in 5.56mm NATO to run a couple of basic drills that most anyone can practice in a shooting bay. The FN 15 Competition is a high-end, semi-custom version of the FN 15 Tactical. The FN 15 Competition is specifically designed for 3-Gun and similar tactical matches. This rifle has features like a Timney trigger, billet-crafted upper and lower receivers that have been hardcoat anodized blue, a SureFire ProComp 556 muzzle brake, a free-floating handguard, an H2 buffer to soften recoil, a Magpul MOE-SL stock and a highly reliable nickel-boron-coated bolt carrier group.

For these range drills, I equipped the rifle with Leupold’s 1.25-4x20mm VX-R Patrol scope, which is specifically designed for tactical shooting. This setup ran without a hitch and delivered fast, accurate fire on target using Black Hills’ 50-grain V-MAX ammunition.

First Drill

The first drill was a timed T-shirt aiming drill, and the second was a timed multiple-assailant drill. These are only two of the simpler drills that can be done in a shooting bay. Other drills include reloading drills; shooting-on-the-move exercises; moving to and shooting from improvised cover; vehicle-exit drills; team exercises; and room-clearing drills. Taken together, these drills provide an idea of what can be done once the shooter moves away from “square range” training on a traditional firing line.

The T-shirt drill teaches the shooter to do two things: move off the line of the assailant’s fire and shoot at a target that has no visible scoring rings. It’s simple to perform. When my Competition Electronics timer gives the start beep, I take a large step to the right or left to get away from standing in front of gun muzzles depicted on the targets and get out of the line of fire as I acquire my sights. Then I fire multiple rounds at an aiming point above the center of the chest.

After shooting this drill, I lift the T-shirt to see where the bullets struck. They often tend to hit around the diaphragm, especially for those of us who have trained for years to shoot at the target’s center-mass. It takes a while to learn to adjust your aiming point high enough to hit the center of the chest, especially with a gun like an AR, where the offset between the bore and scope’s line of sight can be as much as 3 inches.

Second Drill

During the drill, I fired five double-taps at the target from 20 yards. The average time was 3.65 seconds, and my total score was 60 out of 100. A number of shots fell just below the 10 ring, so clearly more offset was needed.

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The second exercise was a multiple-assailant drill. The target depicted two armed individuals with guns pointed at me. One of the “bad guys” was only partially exposed, leaving just his head and neck visible. I treated the fully exposed target as a failure-to-stop drill requiring one shot to the chest and one to the head. The second “bad guy” required a single head or neck shot. Again, I engaged the targets from 20 yards after taking a big step off the line of fire. My average time for three repetitions was 5.45 seconds, and my total score was 75 out of 100. There were no missed shots during either drill.

Rifle Matches

Competing in multi-gun-style matches provides an opportunity to bring all of your rifle skills together under stress. These competitions require the shooter to develop a plan for identifying threats and neutralizing them in a systematic way. They also require an awareness of the shooter’s surroundings. This means you can’t shoot targets representing bystanders. You also must maintain cover as you engage targets, scan for additional threats and make sure that your gun’s muzzle is not extended beyond cover, where it could be grabbed by an assailant.

In addition, competition requires complex skills like reloading, switching the rifle to your weak side and transitioning from your rifle to your pistol. Shooting on the clock adds pressure. When I shoot matches, however, I take care not to go so fast that it limits my ability to deliver accurate fire. As Wyatt Earp wisely said, “Fast is fine, but accuracy is final.” That’s an important point to remember.

In the end, there are no guarantees when it comes to armed confrontations. The bad guy can always get lucky. That’s why we make every effort to recognize trouble early and get out of the way. However, some armed encounters are unavoidable. To have the best chance of surviving, we need to acquire and build basic skills through professional training, practice and competition.

FN 15 Competition Specs

For more on the FN 15 Competition, visit fnamerica.com.

This article was originally published in “AR Rifleman” 2017. To order a copy, visit outdoorgroupstore.com.

The post FN 15 Competition: Boosting CQB Skills Via Training, Hardware appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Last month, the Department of the Navy released its Budget Estimates Justification Book for USMC procurement in FY19. A section of that DoD report reveals that the USMC has set aside funds to buy the Army Modular Handgun System.

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Modular Handgun System

As Military.com points out, Sig Sauer won the $580 million contract to build the Modular Handgun System in 2017. The gun is designed to replace the aging Beretta M9. The Army began fielding its 9mm Modular Handgun System, designated the M17 and M18, in November.

While the Army has adopted the Modular Handgun System, the Marine Corps is still using the M9 for now. But it looks like that’s about to change; the Modular Handgun System was included in the Family of Infantry Weapons Systems section of the DoD report.

“The Modular Handgun System will be purchased to replace the legacy M9, M9A1, M45A1, and M007 pistols with a more affordable and efficient pistol for maintenance,” the report says. “The MHS also provides modularity and greater shooter ergonomics over the current models, which will allow for more accurate fire for military personnel of different sizes.”

According to the document, the USMC will buy 35,000 Modular Handgun System pistols at a cost of $180 per unit.

In addition, Military.com speculates that the Marines want the more compact M18 pistol. This speculation is due to a RFI issued by Program Manager Individual Combat and Equipment (PM ICE) and MARCORSYSCOM in February seeking “industry input that identifies potential sources for holster sleeve for the Modular Handgun System (MHS) (P320 Sig Sauer handgun) Compact (MX18) version.”

The RFI says submissions are due no later than March 30.

The USMC has set aside $28.3 million for its Family of Infantry Weapons Systems. That money will go toward procuring and fielding the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle and Modular Handgun System (MHS). Furthermore, it’ll also go toward the Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS); M320 Grenade Launchers; and Tow Objective Gunner Protection Kit 2.0 (TOGPK 2.0), the document says.

The post REPORT: USMC to Buy Army Modular Handgun System in FY19 appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Oklahoma-based company Rise Armament has introduced its new 1121XR precision rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge.

Geared toward those want to get the most out of a heavy-caliber gas gun, the 1121XR in 6.5 Creedmoor features a reduced weight of 10 pounds and four ounces. This boosts the gun’s portability. Rise is also guaranteeing sub-1 MOA accuracy here.

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“The 1121XR hits levels of accuracy that a gas gun has never seen,” Rise Armament president Matt Torres said in a press release. “With its emphasis on accuracy, it helps shooters remove their limits, making virtually any shooter better.”

Rise’s 6.5 Creedmoor 1121XR sports a 22-inch barrel and 15-inch slim, billet aluminum handguard. The handguard is M-LOK compatible and features a Picatinny upper rail system for accessories. Also included on this rifle is Rise’s RA-535 Advanced-Performance Trigger. This trigger has a 3.5-pound pull, crisp release with minimal over travel, and a short reset for fast follow-ups.

In addition, the 1121XR’s bolt carrier group features a black nitride finish. Meanwhile, the stainless steel Rise Armament RA-701 Compensator counter acts recoil. Finally, the durable Cerakote finish ensures the rifle will operate in harsh conditions. The rifle comes in black, foliage green or flat dark earth.

“With the 1121XR, competitors and long-range shooters can have the accuracy of a bolt-action gun with the benefit of quick follow-up shots due to minimal recoil and muzzle bounce,” the presser says. “Big-game hunters can also have accurate knock-down power at long distances without having the extra weight that typically comes with such a platform.”

Shipping out with a hard case and two magazines, the Rise Armament 1121XR is available at a MSRP of $2,449. See the specs below. To learn more about Rise Armament, visit risearmament.com.

Rise Armament 1121XR Specs

• Model name: 1121XR
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Magazine/cylinder capacity: 10
• Barrel length: 22″
• Overall length: 44″
• Weight: 10 lbs., 4 oz.
• MSRP: $2,449

The post Rise Armament Introduces the 1121XR Precision Rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The Frazier History Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, exhibits a remarkable collection of famous Western firearms. This includes a cased pair of heavily engraved, gold- and silver-plated, elephant-ivory-gripped, .36-caliber Colt Model 1861 Navy revolvers believed to be owned by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. A marshal superstar in his time, Custer is remembered today mostly for dying at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876 with all 210 cavalrymen from the five companies he kept under his direct command.

On that bloody day, Custer’s 7th Cavalry was vastly outnumbered, probably in the range of four to one, by a combined force of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. Many outside of Custer’s battalion survived the battle, which was more complex than most people realize. But for the Plains Indians, it was a great victory. For the U.S. Army, it was the worst defeat of the 18th century Indian Wars campaign. When the news of the massacre broke, it sent an immediate shockwave across America.

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At the time of his death, Custer was a national hero. During the Civil War, he was nicknamed “The Boy General” after he was promoted to brigadier general on June 29, 1863, at age 23. He was one of the youngest men of that rank in the Union Army. Collector lore says these revolvers were a gift to the young Custer on the occasion of this brevet promotion to general. However, we can only speculate who they came from because the dedication plates are no longer on the grips.

Custer cultivated a heroic image for himself with custom uniforms, upscale personal weapons and his signature long, curly blond hair that he sometimes scented with cinnamon. But mainly it was his dashing battlefield victories that won him fame and respect. He was an extremely aggressive and courageous commander, and he led his troops from the front. He was in many respects a 19th century General George S. Patton, though considerably less learned and disciplined. Like Patton, Custer was also an avid hunter, shooter and gun collector. Patton’s ivory-gripped, engraved Colt Model 1873 six-shooter became an icon. But that was not the case with Custer’s brace of ivory-gripped, engraved 1861 Navy Colts.

Beautiful Colt Model 1861 Revolvers

Before I examined these magnificent Colt Model 1861 revolvers, I had always assumed them coffee-table trophies that never left his quarters. But they are masterpieces. To me, shooting them would be like using King Tut’s gold death mask for a Halloween costume. After I had a chance to study the Colts up close, it was apparent that both revolvers had some damage from pitting and significant finish wear. They were cleaned up and returned to a high polish at some point in their history. However, they were not re-plated. To me, this clue suggests that these pistols were carried and shot. Patton shot his engraved Colt extensively. Wouldn’t the flamboyant and daredevil young Custer have done the same?

It is possible, and perhaps even likely, that the pitting on these pistols is the result of some poor storage in the 137 years before they made their way to Frazier Museum. That is a harder case to make in regards to the wear on the gold finish and grips. It is feasible that the pistols were handled by so many Custer admirers over the years that they simply “loved” the gold plating off of the backstraps; triggerguards; hammers; cylinders; and loading levers. Those admiring hands could have also worn down the high spots on the grips.

There’s no way to tell how much an impact handling may have had on these revolvers without researching the habits of the individual collectors that owned them before. Once in the Frazier collection, however, they were cared for in the manner artifacts should be. Whatever minimal handling they experienced was undertaken with gloved hands.

Speculation

There is another explanation, perhaps complimentary, of the wear on these pistols that is worth considering. It’s also a lot more fun. If they were used by a cavalryman actively campaigning for a year in the Civil War, they would be carried in leather holsters. Leather holsters absorb humidity from the air, and rain for that matter, and can rust the pistol stored inside. The snug-fitting flap holsters in common military use at this time could easily cause some finish and grip wear. Actually shooting the pistol will tend to wear the plating off the trigger finger area and the front- and backstraps. The heat of shooting and the handling necessary to load the revolver could lead to plating loss on the cylinder. The loading lever would also logically show a lot of plating loss since it is handled every time a cap-and-ball revolver is loaded.

I suggest that Custer was just the type of man to actually carry and use presentation-grade firearms. There is an 1874 photograph of Custer and his wife, Libby, in his study in their quarters at Fort Lincoln in the Dakota Territory that shows his gun rack in the corner. The cap-and-ball Colt 1861 Navy revolvers aren’t visible in the gun rack in that photo. But why would we expect them to be? By 1874, the metallic cartridge was pushing cap-and-ball pistols into obsolescence with nobody lamenting the change.

Digging Deeper

The brace of revolvers we can see in that gun rack appear to be plated S&W Model 2 revolvers. I see this as significant because, in 1869, Custer received a beautiful cased pair of .32-caliber S&W Model 2 revolvers, acid-etched with floral designs, silver plated and stocked with mother-of-pearl grips from his admirer, business tycoon John B. Sutherland. Assuming the pair of pistols in the rack are the same, and assuming they are in the rack rather than their fitted case because Custer shot them, why wouldn’t he have shot his Colt Model 1861s, too?

The nearly identical American scrollwork that covers virtually ever surface of each pistol was presumed to be the work of master engraver L.D. Nimschke. There is no record to support this, but the style and execution strongly suggest it. The hand-carved, high-relief patriotic eagle and shield grips may have been provided by the Colt factory. I could find no shipping information from the Colt factory in the museum’s records. However, the serial numbers of these pistols (“13511 P” and “13514 P”) put them among a group of Navy Colts made in 1863 and specially polished and set aside for embellishment.

Comparison

It is believed the “P” indicated at that time that the pistols were highly polished. The cylinders of these pistols seems to have been left free of the usual roll-engraved battle scene. However, the parallel lines that frame a border around the serial number are clearly evident on the cylinder of revolver #13514.

Of the two revolvers, #13514 is in significantly better cosmetic condition. Revolver #13511 has a lot more pitting on the barrel. The gold plating in the triggerguard area and inner grip frame is more worn. Its cylinder is virtually devoid of gold plating. It also seems to have more grip wear on the high points of the eagle’s talon below the shield and his outward wing. This makes me wonder if #13511 was fired more than its mate. Both pistols have good barrels with crisp rifling. If they were shot, their barrels were well cleaned.

The accessories fitted into the velvet-lined case, as well as the case itself, are in very good condition with little damage. I didn’t detect obvious signs of serious moisture damage to the case or accoutrements. The bullets had the usual light white corrosion one finds on old bullets. The silver-plated powder flask was tarnished and showed some light discoloration. The paper cartridge boxes and metal cap tin appeared to be in excellent condition. The set also includes a nipple wrench and a silver-plated dual bullet mold that matches the bullets in the set. The key to the case lock was lost long before it got to the Frazier History Museum.

A Curious Path

Readers will notice that the right side of each grip frame was smoothed down. In addition, holes were made for mounting a dedication plaque. Because these reportedly gold plaques are missing, exactly who gave these exceptional (and expensive) revolvers to Custer is lost to history. Collector lore says they were absent from the grips when the revolvers were sold. They are reportedly removed by Custer’s wife to keep as mementos. Their location remains unknown. Secondary records in the museum files suggest the plaques were removed to avoid embarrassment to the family at having to sell such an important ancestral heirloom. Knowing how Custer’s wife dedicated the rest of her life to protecting her husband’s reputation, this is at least as plausible as them being stolen or lost. However, secondary sources suggest that Libby Custer was in good financial shape thanks to the publication of her books.

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Unfortunately, the museum’s files had no originating documentary provenance for the pistols. I could find no bill of sale from the family to the original buyer, nor any indication of the exact date the transfer took place. Without the plaques to authenticate Custer’s ownership, we are left only with a long trail of private collector provenance. Evidence suggests the first buyer, famed Philadelphia arms and accoutrements dealer W. Stokes Kirk, obtained the pistols in the early 1920s. He died on January 26, 1926. He was about seven years younger than Libby Custer, who lived in New York City at the time of her death in 1933.

Shoddy Recordkeeping

Back in those days, and still quite often now, collectors commonly accepted verbal affirmations of a piece’s authenticity without collecting and recording documentary evidence supporting that stated provenance. The result is that all we have left today to go on when trying to authenticate an artifact’s provenance is what we can research in surviving records and our impressions of the personal integrity of the parties involved.

When I was the director of the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor in Fort Knox, Kentucky, I was astonished to learn we had no documentation of any kind positively linking the 1938 Cadillac sedan on display in the museum for half a century to General Patton. Fortunately, Patton’s driver, Woody Woodring, was still alive at the time. I was able to get his personal assurance that it was in fact the car he was driving at the time of the accident that led to the General’s death. That sort of thing doesn’t happen with Civil-War-era firearms these days.

The Truth Is Out There

I suggest that circumstantial and documentary evidence on the provenance of the Custer Colts may still be out there for someone willing to take a closer look. A fruitful area of research might start with an examination of the respective lives of Libby Custer and W. Stokes Kirk (a Bannerman protégé of sorts) and the extent of their relationship with each other. For example, were they friends? Naturally, I really hope the dedication plaques show up one day. Imagine the excitement of checking to see if the holes in them line up with the nail holes in the ivory grips. Every time I go to an online auction site, I can’t resist a “Custer gold plaque” search.

This article was originally published in the winter 2017 issue of “Guns of the Old West.” To order a copy and subscribe to that magazine, visit outdoorgroupstore.com.

The post A Look at 2 Colt Model 1861 Revolvers Owned By Colonel Custer appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

IWA OutdoorClassics 2018 was jam-packed with interesting firearms. On the high-end side of things was British company Medwell Precision Rifles and its new Vanquish and Wraith high-performance models.

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Details

At the heart of both the MPR Vanquish and MPR Wraith is the Mayfair M98 action. In its press release announcing the guns, Medwell says Mayfair 98 is the only hot drop hammer forged Mauser action. Each takes “a great many hours” to finish and each is made individually by the company’s craftsmen, Medwell says. The actions are made from 8620 steel. In addition, the bolts are one piece drop hammer forged in the same way from EN36(AISI 9310) nickel steel. The full-length claw extractor is made from EN47 Chrome Vanadium Spring Steel.

The MPR Vanquish and MPR Wraith come with detachable magazines and are available in the following calibers: .243, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308, 7mm Rem Mag and 300-Win Mag. The barrel is made from 416R stainless steel. It is CNC machined, precision reamed, button rifled, fully stress relieved, hand lapped and CNC contoured, Medwell says.

Meanwhile, the contoured walnut grip offers a palm swell with finger grooves and a hand stop. Additionally, the stock has an adjustable length of pull. The adjustable cheek piece is hand-crafted in leather, offering up a comfortable cheek weld. The rear of the stock also has a spring tensioned micro adjustable integral monopod for both range and field use. 

Medwell Precision Rifles’ Vanquish & Wraith

The Vanquish sports a British Racing Green finish, with tan leather on the cheek and recoil pads. It has a 24-inch barrel. Furthermore, it also features an extended forend with M-LOK accessory slots. is touted as being suited for long-range shooting and hunting. The Wraith is the more compact, practical offering. It features a 17-inch barrel; shortened forend; enlarged bolt knob; and is designed to work with an over-barrel suppressor.

“These rifles are the first of their kind to incorporate aerospace engineering precision, blended with the time old skills of traditional English gun making and finishing. Each of the rifles are individually custom made to order,” said Ian Medwell, the managing director of Medwell Precision Rifles. “The specially commissioned Mayfair Mauser action, with detachable magazine, had enabled us to take the Mauser action back to its origins: that of a practical precision rifle.”

There’s no word on pricing for these bespoke rifles, but it’ll likely cost a pretty penny. For more information, visit medwellprecisionrifles.com.

The post Medwell Precision Rifles Unveils High-End Vanquish, Wraith Models appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Many people have false impressions about shotguns based on gunplay in Hollywood movies. There’s so much misinformation, it doesn’t seem to want to go away. I remember the Howard Hawks Western “El Dorado” starring John Wayne and co-starring a young James Caan as “Mississippi.” John Wayne’s character, Cole Thornton, attempts to aid Mississippi by giving him shooting lessons, only to find his skills deplorable. Thornton takes Mississippi to “The Swede,” where he buys a sawed-off, double-barreled shotgun as a holstered sidearm. In one memorable shootout from the movie, a desperado is taking off down a street when Mississippi lets loose with his scattergun. Although he misses the bad guy with his shot, he hits a sign that falls down and whacks the guy.

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Or how about “Open Range,” the 2003 movie starring Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall? Duvall’s character, Boss Spearman, fires at a bad guy outside a shack wall from inside a small room. From a distance of about 8 feet, the double-barreled shotgun blows pie-pan-sized holes through the wall, cutting down his adversary.

Here’s some news: It just doesn’t work like that.

Trial By Fire

So how are buckshot patterns affected by distance and barrel length? We headed out to the range to find out with three representative shotguns. The first was a Mossberg 590A1 with 14-inch barrel, rifle sights and a Davis speed-feed stock. This shotgun is a version of what the NYPD highway officers carry. In many reduced-sized patrol cars, a shorter barrel only makes sense because a traditional 18- or 20-inch-barreled shotgun is simply too big to fit in the passenger compartment.

The next test platform was a Mossberg 500 with an 18-inch barrel and bead sights. This particular shotgun has been outfitted with a SureFire forearm with an integral weapon light as well as an ATI adjustable stock and pistol grip combo. The final shotgun was a Remington 870. This particular shotgun has been customized by 870 maestro Hans Vang of Vang Comp Systems. Vang installed his compensation system on the barrel, back-bored the chamber, extended the magazine, installed a dome safety and sidesaddle spare shell carrier and worked on the action. This shotgun includes a SureFire forearm, a BlackHawk Knoxx Stock and a three-point sling.

All of these shotguns are excellent in my opinion, and I’ve pointed both brands at more than a few criminals in my law enforcement career.

ATK was kind enough to supply 12-gauge fodder for the test. I specifically chose the company’s Federal Premium Maximum load with nine pellets of 00 buckshot. The factory lists the velocity at 1,325 fps. Although my own agency uses a reduced-recoil tactical load, I was curious to see how a full-charge load would fare in these tests. This particular load includes the Federal FliteControl wad, which improves performance in my experience.

Going The Distance

I selected the distances of 12, 30, 50, 60 and 75 feet for the test, as these run the gamut from close range to the maximum distance a standard 12-gauge smoothbore might perform. The rule for shotgun patterning has been that you usually get about 1 inch of spread for every yard from the target. At our distances this would mean:

12 feet = 4 inches

30 feet = 10 inches

50 feet = 16 inches

60 feet = 20 inches

75 feet = 25 inches

From the onset, let’s put this “standard” into perspective. All of the shotguns did substantially better than this. As a matter of fact, all of the shotguns easily kept all nine pellets within a standard 19-inch-wide target at 75 feet. In fact, the widest group fired, using the Vang-Comp-modified Remington 870, measured only 22 inches at 105 feet.

The measurements were taken using the two widest pellets of the 00 buckshot load. I should mention that the stock of the Mossberg 500 prevented me from getting down on the bead sights as much as I would’ve liked, so I tended to shoot a little high using the same center-mass target.

Comparing the results between the Mossberg 500 and 590A1 is pretty interesting, as 4 inches less barrel did not make that much of a difference in the spread pattern. In fact, at 25 yards, the 14-inch-barreled 590A1 produced a pattern 1-inch smaller than the 500. Shooting again at 25 yards, the 18-inch-barreled 500 created a 6.5-inch pattern while the 14-inch-barreled 590A1 produced a 14-inch pattern.

Reading The Results

The vast majority of police shootings are close-in affairs. Since shotguns are deployed in non- spontaneous shootings where law enforcement or military members have the time to access and deploy them, distances in scattergun shootings are going to tend to be longer. If a shotgun is used for clearing rooms by patrol or SWAT personnel, it is fully capable of making a precise shot. All three shotguns created patterns measuring 1.5 inches or less at 12 feet. Even at 30 feet, the maximum spread with this load was 2.5 inches. This means: A) devastating ballistic impact on target; and B) you’ve got to aim the shotgun. All that John Shaft, shoot-from-the-hip, Hollywood crap is just that—crap.

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It has also been proposed that, at distances beyond 25 yards, the pellets would not have sufficient energy to stop a suspect or, for instance, penetrate their leather coat. This may be true for reduced-recoil buckshot, but this max-velocity load seemed to have sufficient energy to truly put a hurt on a suspect. Of course, do you want to use a shotgun beyond 25 yards? You can, and it’s nice to know that the spread will not be too large to recklessly endanger a neighborhood. Here it might be better to use a slug.

The Upshot Of Buckshot

What does all this show us? That the 1 inch of spread for every yard rule has pretty much been busted. Even with reduced-recoil 00 buckshot, the “1 inch per yard” pattern seems improbable. Would you get this with birdshot? We didn’t test it because birdshot lacks sufficient energy to penetrate at distances beyond close range and is not carried in serious social shotguns. We also have to understand that shotguns may pattern differently. If you have a personal-defense shotgun or one assigned to you, go out with the load you intend to carry and pattern the shotgun. Learn its limitations so that you can operate more effectively in an actual shooting.

No, shotguns aren’t “alley-sweepers” or “trench brooms.” Inside 25 yards, you can put accurate fire on a suspect with an average spread of about 10 inches. Those nine .33-caliber pellets can have serious impact on a human target, and that effectiveness only improves from 75 feet and in. Movies can be entertaining and those mentioned are worth watching, but don’t look to Hollywood for accurate gunplay.

Performance

*Distance in feet and buckshot spread in inches.

This article was originally published in the May/June 2017 issue of “Tactical Weapons.” To order a copy and subscribe to the magazine, visit outdoorgroupstore.com.

The post Buckshot Myth Busting: How Today’s 00 Buck Loads Fare Downrange appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

World War II conjures up images of Adolf Hitler, the Blitz, Stalingrad, D-Day, and Atomic bombings over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But while our men fought that epic conflict overseas, the women supported the war effort by bolstering industry at home. A new custom gun from Auto-Ordnance, the “Victory Girls” 1911, pays tribute to those women.

Using a 1911A1 GI in .45 ACP as its base, the Auto-Ordnance Victory Girls 1911 boasts a deep cut laser engraving of a pin-up girl on the right side, and an updated “Rosie the Riveter” character on the left. Both sides of the frame also sport the star roundel used by the U.S. Army Air Corps. In addition, the gun sports a worn look via its two color Cerakote finish of Armor Black and Gunmetal Grey. Furthermore, the checkered wood grips have a US property logo.

The Auto-Ordnance Victory Girls 1911 features a five-inch barrel; seven-round magazine; overall length of 8.5 inches; blade front sight and windage-adjustable rear sight.

This gun was developed as part of a collaboration between Kahr Firearms Group and Louisiana-based Outlaw Ordnance. Kahr previously worked with Outlaw Ordnance on its Magnum Research “We The People” 1911.

The Victory Girls 1911 made its debut at SHOT Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, and it is now shipping. The MSRP is $990.

See the specs for the Auto-Ordnance Victory Girls 1911 below. For more information about Auto-Ordnance, visit auto-ordnance.com.

Auto-Ordnance Victory Girls 1911

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Barrel: 5″ Standard
• Length: 8.5″ Overall
• Weight: 39 oz
• Sights: Blade front, rear drift adjustable for windage
• Grip: Checkered Wood Grips with U.S. Logo
• Magazine: One 7 Round

The post The Auto-Ordnance Victory Girls 1911 Pays Tribute to Women of WWII appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Wyoming-based gun maker Gunwerks has unveiled its new CoPilot rifle. This is a limited edition rifle, with less than 100 being made for the general public. The rifle is part of Gunwerks’ premium “Collective” series.

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Billed in the presser as the “ultimate” truck gun for the land manager, hunter and those with discerning taste, the Gunwerks CoPilot is chambered in 6mm Creedmoor. It features a ustom match grade 16.5-inch carbon fiber wrapped Proof Research barrel; collapsible carbon fiber stock (10.5″ to 14″ length of pull); frictionless TriggerTech match grade trigger; and Tungsten Cerakote finish. It also comes standard with a Nightforce ATACR F1 4-16×42 optic, and it’s ready for a SilencerCo Omega suppressor with a 5/8×24 threaded muzzle. At the heart of the gun is Gunwerks’ GLR bolt action.

The CoPilot ships in a custom Armageddon Gear soft side case. The case secures the rifle and houses the SilencerCo suppressor, as well as ammo boxes in specialized compartments. The car can be set down like a suitcase. It can also stand up unlike other soft side gun cases, Gunwerks says. The package ships with 1,500 rounds of 103 grain Hornady ELDX which carry an average muzzle velocity from the CoPilot of 2,650 fps.

Lastly, the package also features the Gunwerks Long Range Package. This means the gun is not only tested at 100 yards, but also at a distance to create a ballistic profile for each rifle. The info for a given altitude and temperature is then engraved on a ballistic turret. With the trigger set at two pounds, and the crisp pull coupled with the custom carbon barrel and NightForce scope, this rifle has an effective hunting range of 800 yards. The target range extends beyond 1,200, according to Gunwerks.

“We pooled some of the brightest minds and makers of the best components in the industry. Then, sparing no expense and cutting zero corners, the concept of The CoPilot as the ultimate truck gun was conceived,” Gunwerks COO James Christensen said. “We wanted a rifle system that was accurate, lightweight, suppressed, and had all the top-of-the-line trimmings. It had to be perfect for a coyote, whitetail, or even a 500 lbs Nilgai.”

The Gunwerks CoPilot is priced at $13,995. Features, specs and videos are below.

For more information about Gunwerks, visit gunwerks.com.

Included

• Gunwerks CoPilot Rifle chambered in 6mm Creedmoor
• Pre-mounted, zeroed, Nightforce ATACR F1 4-16×42 with custom ballistic turret
• SKB hard travel case with exclusive inner Armageddon Gear soft case
• Certificate good for $480 off a SilencerCo Omega suppressor
• 1,500 rounds of custom loaded Hornady ELD Match ammunition
• 2 five round Accuracy International magazines
• Free 1 day Long Range University training offered by Gunwerks
• Gunwerks neoprene scope cover
• The Collective – CoPilot welcome kit
• Exclusive early access to future offerings from The Collective

Gunwerks CoPilot Features

• Gunwerks GLR premium rifle action
• Custom collapsible carbon Manners CoPilot stock (10.5” to 14” length of pull)
• Custom match grade 16 inch carbon fiber wrapped Proof Research barrel
• Tungsten Cerakote finish
• Adjustable TriggerTech match grade trigger
• Suppressor-ready with 5/8×24 threaded muzzle and included thread cap

Gunwerks CoPilot Specs

• Weight: 10.6 lbs (with Silencer), 9.8 lbs (without Silencer)
• Length: 39.5 in (with Silencer), 33 in (without Silencer)
• Barrel Length: 16.5 in
• Length of Pull: 10.5 to 14 in
• Options: Barrel | Carbon Fiber Wrapped Proof Research
  Caliber | 6mm Creedmoor
  Muzzle Brake | 5/8×24 Threaded with included thread cap
  Action Material | Stainless Steel
  Stock and Metal Finish Color | Tungsten Cerakote
  Right Hand Only

The post VIDEO: The Gunwerks CoPilot Is a New, Premium Truck Gun appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

One aspect of farming that is conducive to acceptable crop harvests is managing the number of whitetail deer in your area. It provides a fun alternative to pursuing a mature buck and it puts meat in your freezer. Ample shot opportunities also allow me to try several different firearms and load combinations each season to learn their effectiveness, or lack thereof. Over the past decade, I’ve become a fan of long-range hunting rifles. Typically, these are stiff-barreled bolt actions. Lately, however, I’ve learned that a well-built self-loader can be as accurate as a custom bolt action. With this knowledge in mind, I set out to build a flat-shooting 6.5 Creedmoor on an AR-platform MATEN receiver set from Mega Arms.

Sturdy Foundation

My custom 6.5 Creedmoor began with Mega’s MKM KeyMod upper receiver and its matching ambidextrous lower. The receivers are milled from a solid billet of 7075-T6 aluminum with distinctive contours. The receivers and handguard feel quite sturdy, with their combined weight of 42 ounces disassembled. Of note, the MATEN upper and lower receivers accept a wide variety of .308 components. Included in this new platform are an upper receiver, a lower receiver, a billet charging handle, a threaded bolt catch pin, takedown pins, an ejection port cover and an upper receiver tensioning screw. When assembled, the upper and lower receivers lock up tight as a vault thanks to close manufacturing tolerances and the tensioning screw.

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Mega’s billet upper and lower have been designed to be the most versatile and compatible platform available, which is evidenced by the wide variety of other manufacturers’ components that fit this receiver set. The MATEN comes standard with laser-engraved T-markings on the top Picatinny rail. An integrated triggerguard adds functionality and strength, and the included billet charging handle features an anti-slip surface for an improved grip.

More Details

As mentioned, the MATEN’s capabilities make it an AR builder’s dream. These receiver sets are designed to accept any AR-style .308 barrels and bolts, which means you can use your AR-10/Noveske or SR-25/DPMS components. Mega Arms recommends using the same manufacturer for your barrel and bolt, and the company suggests that “assembly should always be done by a qualified gunsmith, using the proper headspacing gauges.”

Aside from Mega Arms’ monolithic upper receiver, the company offers the two-piece MML (Mega M-LOK) and MKM uppers, the latter of which I used for my build. Both are machined to accept Mega’s lightweight aluminum handguards. These handguard attach to the upper receiver via an octagonal male/female orientation. Once the upper and handguard are assembled, 12 screws tightly attach the two units rigidly together.

Building It Up

My parts list for the MATEN build leaned heavily toward components from JP Enterprises, including a JPE Supermatch barrel chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. The medium-contour, 416R stainless barrel measures 22 inches long and features a 1-in-8-inch twist rate as well as 5/8×24 threading. This premium barrel is lead lapped, air gauged and cryogenically treated for excellent accuracy, minimal thermal drift and extended longevity. An EnhancedBolt individually headspaced to the barrel from JP Enterprises was also included.

The first step in installing the barrel is to apply a thin coat of lithium grease on the barrel where it slides into the Mega Arms upper receiver, carefully assuring that the barrel’s alignment pin indexes into the receiver’s alignment slot. More lithium grease was applied to the MATEN’s barrel nut to keep it from galling when torqued down. I attached the supplied Mega Arms barrel nut wrench to a 0.5-inch torque wrench and set it to 65 foot-pounds of torque.

The next step in the assembly was to install the gas block and center it with the supplied marking screw. This left a faint mark on the barrel as an index point. I placed the barrel in a vise block and used a drill press to drill a slight dimple. When the gas block was replaced, the final setscrew was used to help lock the part in place on the barrel. The rifle-length gas system is managed with a JPE JPGS-8 low-profile adjustable gas block. I also installed a blue JPE Thermal Dissipator to match my taste. Next I installed the MATEN handguard and added a short KeyMod rail on the bottom to accommodate a bipod.

Next Steps

In keeping with the other JPE parts, I selected an LMOS (Low-Mass Operating System) bolt carrier group and a Silent Captured Spring. JPE’s LMOS is a departure from .308 AR-type bolt carrier assemblies. It weighs only 14.7 ounces, and counteracting the lighter bolt assembly is a heavier recoil spring in the Silent Captured Spring. The benefit of the spring set is that it eliminates the characteristic “twang” when you pull the trigger.

Next on the agenda was a stock. I installed a mil-spec, rifle-length receiver extension and attached a Magpul PRS stock to it. This stock is designed for the longer charging handle throw of .308 platforms. The PRS is adjustable for both comb height and length of pull via machined-aluminum adjustable knobs with positive-locking click detents. The stock also offers a bottom rail for a monopod, and I attached an Accu-Shot monopod to match the Atlas bipod up front for shooting stability.

The supplied single-stage Mega Tactical Trigger offers adjustments to minimize overtravel and trigger creep. It features a wide leading edge for comfort and aesthetics. My test sample broke cleanly at 4.5 pounds.

Range Setup

At the range, I tested the rifle with and without an Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) Cyclone suppressor. A proper optic was only befitting, so I mounted a Trijicon AccuPoint 5-20x50mm scope with a mil-dot reticle. Previous experience with high-ballistic-coefficient bullets and the velocity this rig was capable of producing led me to believe that I could use the mil dots as aiming points that closely corresponded with 100-yard increments.

To put the 6.5 Creedmoor build through its paces, I selected one factory load and did some experimenting with several handloads. Velocity data was collected with an Oehler 35P chronograph. I loaded up a Magpul 20-round magazine and got started. By the way, Mega Arms’ receivers are compatible with any SR-25/DPMS-type magazine, such as those from Magpul Industries, Knight’s Armament, CMMG and C Products.

Hot Shots

The first load I tested was a 123-grain Hornady A-MAX driven by 38 grains of Reloader 15. I knew right away that this wasn’t going to be this rifle’s pet load, since the five-shot groups measured about 1.5 inches at 100 yards. The best group measured 1.24 inches. Things got decidedly better when I switched to a 110-grain Speer hollow point driven by 41 grains of Varget. This load produced a best five-shot group of 0.48 inches. The next load, featuring a 123-grain Sierra MatchKing and 39.2 grains of Varget, produced a 0.34-inch group.

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I moved up in weight to a 140-grain Berger VLD driven by 42.8 grains of W760, which averaged 2,662 fps. With this combination, the smallest group measured 1.09 inches. The same powder charge driving a 140-grain A-MAX produced a 0.57-inch group. Off to a good start, I feel that this custom 6.5 Creedmoor rifle is capable of 0.25-MOA groups with a little more fine-tuning.

In The Field

The range work completed, it was time to put the new rifle through its paces on a late-season deer hunt. My stand site was familiar; I simply set up on my range bench and waited. A 760-yard strip of rye, Mossy Oak BioLogic and other assorted Mossy Oak beets, bulbs, chickory and clover run along the length of my range. Several 1.5- and 2.5-year-old bucks had received a pass throughout the season, but it was time to continue my work of controlling the doe population. After a short wait, I had a skinny one-horned spike step into my “food plot” at 30 yards. Within a few seconds, a young six-pointer followed. Neither of these bucks was in danger because of their age.

As the sun dropped toward the horizon, a doe fawn stepped into view downrange and looked back over her shoulder. I raised my Leica 1600-B CRF rangefinder and plated the red box squarely on the young doe’s side. The readout told me that she stood 522 yards away. A few moments later, a mature doe stepped into the lane and quickly crossed out of view.

Her caution eased, the big doe stepped back into view 10 yards closer. I twisted the Accu-Pod slightly and settled the third mil dot just above the doe’s midline, right behind her shoulder, as she stood broadside feeding. The trigger broke crisply, launching the 123-grain A-MAX with a suppressed crack of a suppressed hypersonic round leaving the barrel. My spotter, my wife Jacqueline, watched through 10X Kowa binoculars as the bullet struck home. The doe bucked her back feet, ran a few steps and tipped over.

Final Thoughts

Successful at long range on its first hunt, this custom 6.5 Creedmoor rifle is guaranteed to accompany me to the range and field until the round count gets so high that I wear the barrel out. Then, I’ll just tear it down, replace the barrel and put this rugged rifle back into service for a few more years.

Custom 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle Specs

Custom 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle Performance

*Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best 5-shot groups at 100 yards.

For More Information

JP Enterprises
jprifles.com

Magpul
magpul.com

Mega Arms
megaarms.com

This article was originally published in “AR Rifleman” 2016. To subscribe, visit outdoorgroupstore.com.

The post How to Build a Versatile 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle for the Backwoods appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.