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SureFire announced the debut of two new SureFire SOCOM Suppressors recently, built for both bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles, respectively. The line now adds models built for 6mm, 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 rifle systems. SureFire test fires all suppressors to ensure each unit maintains 1 MOA accuracy or better.

Just last year, SureFire won a $10 million contract for muzzle brakes and suppressors used on the “MK13 MOD 7 sniper rifle, 10.3 and 14.5 M4A1 upper receiver group (URG),” according to Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane. SureFire claimed that represented the second award based on the “most rigorous and extensive suppressor selection in USSOCOM history.”

SOCOM260-Ti

SureFire’s SOCOM260-Ti weighs a mere 12 ounces, making it the lightest rifle-mounted suppressor in the lineup. The SOCOM260-Ti is built for the demands of a military sniper, as it is well-suited to bolt-action rifles, where back pressure isn’t a concern.

The SOCOM260-Ti’s V-shaped baffles help to optimize performance for maximum noise attenuation. Precision tolerances, strict attention to bore concentricity and suppressor alignment all contribute to that performance, according to SureFire.

SOCOM260-RC2

While the SOCOM260-Ti is lightweight, the SOCOM26-RC2 utilizes what SureFire refers to as the “highest grade high-temperature alloys.” This construction enables the suppressors to withstand the higher round counts and temperatures associated with use on gas guns. Vented baffling reduces back pressure that would otherwise effect the gas systems.

For more information, visit SureFire.

SureFire SOCOM Suppressors Specs

SOCOM260-TI:

Caliber: 6 mm, 6.5 mm, .260
Length: 7.9 inches
Weight: 11 ounces
Diameter: 1.5 inches

SOCOM260-RC2:

Caliber: 6 mm, 6.5 mm, .260
Length: 7.9 inches
Diameter: 1.5 inches

The post New SureFire SOCOM Suppressors Launch in 6mm, 6.5 and .260 appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

In early October, the Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous took place just outside of Missoula, Mont. More than 30 firearm companies, accessory makers and ammunition manufacturers made the trip to present their products to Athlon’s top contributors. Rise Armament joined us and I had the opportunity to chat with Garrett Grover to learn the details of the relatively new Rise Armament 1121XR rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor.

According to Grover, Rise Armament introduced the 1121XR in 2017 and chambered it for the .308 cartridge. Just a couple months ago Rise Armament started shipping the 1121XR chambered for the hugely popular 6.5 CM.

Rise Armament 1121XR Precision Rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor

“It is pretty much identical to the .308 version except for the barrel,” Grover said. “We went with the 22-inch 416R stainless with a 1:8-inch twist. The .308 has a 20-inch barrel with a 1:11.25-inch twist. This rifle features our RA701 stainless steel compensator to tame muzzle rise, and we use a black nitride carrier group. We machine our 7075 billet receiver set in-house. We use our 902 free floating handguard, which is 15 inches in length, and it is M-Lok compatible.

“The slim and ergonomically designed free-floating aluminum handguard provides exceptional weight savings and cooling properties while remaining strong and durable,” Grover continued. “We outfit the 1121XR with our hugely popular RA535 High Performance trigger. The 535 was kind of Rise Armament’s flagship product, and it is the trigger which many others are measured by. It has a super clean 3.5-pound break, virtually no overtravel and a very short 1/8-inch reset. It is a single-stage trigger. In fact, all of our triggers are single stage.”

Triggers That Rise to the Occasion

Camille Torres, Rise Armament’s marketing director, showed me several demonstration units, basically an AR lower without the magwell or any other parts, equipped with various Rise Armament trigger kits. Impressively, each broke crisply with zero overtravel and a very firm re-set. Rise Armament understands that even the most accurate rifle in the world won’t reach its potential unless it has a great trigger. I’ll be buying some of Rise Armament RA535 triggers for my precision ARs! They are that good!

The Rise Armament 1121XR uses a Magpul PRS stock and a Magpul MOE pistol grip, and the gun comes with an ambidextrous safety/selector. The bolt carrier group is Nitrite-coated for corrosion resistance and a low friction coefficient.

Grover claims the rifle is capable of sub-minute-of-angle accuracy, mentioning that he shot a 960-yard group this year with the same rifle I fired that measured about 4.5 inches!

“We stand behind every rifle we build, and if you’re not getting the kind of accuracy we think our rifles are capable of, send it back to us and let us take care of it,” Grover explained. “Even if you sell your gun to a buddy and he’s unhappy with it, we’ll take it back and make whatever corrections are necessary to get the rifle shooting like it should! The rifles come with a lifetime warranty and they are fully transferable to the new owner.”

Shooting the 1121XR Precision Rifle

With Grover spotting me, I sat down at the DOA Tactical portable shooting bench and found the 8-inch steel plate hung at a distance of 1,050 yards. With Grover’s help I was able to ring the steel on my third shot, and after I found my hold was able to hit the target with boring reliability. I was amazed at just how good the trigger on this gun is. Crisp, with no overtravel and a short and very positive reset, I was able to watch my hits and fire a quick follow-up shot thanks to the effectiveness of the RA muzzle brake.

I was impressed with Rise Armament’s 1121XR rifle chambered in 6.5 CM. Assembled with quality components by people who really know how to build rifles, the 1121XR provides the accuracy and reliability needed for just about any use from hunting to competition.

For more information, visit RiseArmament.com.

Rise Armament 1121XR Precision Rifle Specs

Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win.
Barrel: 22 inches; 416R Stainless Steel
Rifling: 1:8 inches
Handguard: 15-inch slim, M-Lok, with Picatinny top rail
Stock: Magpul PRS Adjustable, MOE Pistol Grip
Weight: 9.5 pounds
Overall Length: 41.75 inches
MSRP: $2,449

The post The Rise Armament 1121XR Is a Serious Heavy-Caliber Precision Rifle appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

It’s like an insatiable desire. You get behind a rifle and press off a round only to hear it hit dead-center on your steel target. You then send a few more rounds onto the now grey splash of bullet impacts. Then you decide to move a little farther back. Same results—the steel rings out again. Rinse and repeat, and before long you’re not only testing just how far you can get hits, but even your optic’s capabilities. The RTT-10 Patrol captures all that is long-range shooting.

While the firearms industry as a whole has seen unprecedented growth, the popularity of long-range shooting has grown at an even faster pace. Once the realm of ballistic nerds, “long range” has spawned things such as the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and there is now even a section of the competition dedicated to gas-operated guns. This speaks volumes about the AR platform and its popularity. While some of the rigs can reach astronomical costs, there is a company in Arizona that strives to merge quality with price. Say hello to RTT Firearms.

The RTT Stuff

RTT is a fairly young company with great vision. It offers several AR-platform rifles in .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO, but I recently got to run the company’s RTT-10 Patrol. I have long been a fan of precision ARs because they can be run very fast and have familiar controls. The challenge has always been to build one that is both reliable and seriously accurate. But RTT has accomplished just that with this gun.

The rifle begins with upper and lower receivers crafted from a billet of 7075-T6 aluminum. The 18-inch, 416R stainless steel barrel comes from Faxon Firearms. It features button rifling with a 1-in-10-inch twist rate. The muzzle sports 5/8×24-tpi threading for brakes and suppressors, and RTT includes the easily recognizable A2 flash suppressor.

The direct impingement operating system uses a low-profile gas block and rifle-length gas tube. Surrounding all of this is a 15-inch, free-floating, M-LOK handguard made from a billet of 6061-T6 aluminum and installed with a steel barrel nut. Within the upper, the bolt carrier group includes a magnetic-particle-inspected (MPI) bolt with double ejectors.

The lower has an integral triggerguard and is machined for standard DPMS .308 components and magazines. The rear of the lower also features RTT’s tuned and polished buffer and spring. To help keep costs down for shooters, the gun is finished out in mil-spec furniture and a standard 4.8-pound duty trigger. While some may question this, I find it to be a pretty solid move. More often than not, shooters will customize their guns to fit their specific needs or wants. Unless the “custom” gun you buy off the shelf truly fits all of your needs, you will be pulling parts off and replacing them. RTT has chosen to save the customer money by not adding expensive parts that will eventually be pulled off the gun.

Finally, for our testing purposes, I installed a 3-9x40mm Riton RT-S Mod 3 scope in its provided rings. This quality but budget-minded scope would be a great partner for the range evaluation.

Semi-Auto Speed

While I can admire the company for including base-model furniture, I was also consigned to using said furniture during our tests. I am by no means a gear snob, but the standard collapsible stock was less than optimal. But, after some adjustments and the installation of a small Picatinny mount for a bipod, we were ready to roll.

Like the base-model hardware, the duty trigger wasn’t what you would expect on a precision rifle. I will say, however, that it was not as bad as some would be led to believe. After a short break-in period that allowed me to get acclimated to the gun, I had a very good feel of the trigger. And let me just say that I am a man of two worlds when it comes to rifle shooting. While I have a long-standing love affair with my well-worn and tuned bolt rifle, the semi-automatic RTT-10 Patrol offers a very fast-shooting platform.

One of the biggest problems I have seen, especially with newer shooters, on bolt guns is them coming “off the gun.” This is when a shooter physically raises their head up and surrenders their cheekweld in order to manipulate the bolt. While it can obviously be overcome with practice and training, the AR platform eliminates this from the beginning. Spending time on this rifle was a reminder of just why the U.S. Army started scrounging around for 7.62mm semi-autos they could use for precision-centric applications in Afghanistan.

The official documentation of performance with this rifle is what I have come to expect from RTT. The gun ran well with a spectrum of ammunition. The gun I received was brand new, thus I would expect its overall accuracy to improve as the barrel gets broken in a little more. While I had some great ammo with me, Hornady’s 168-grain ELD Match rounds printed the smallest group, which measured just 0.75 inches.

Of course, while the RTT-10 Patrol produced very respectable groups, I was more interested in the gun’s ability to allow me to engage multiple targets at speed. And that I did. I had reactive steel targets placed at ranges from 50 to 800 yards, and I ran the entire circuit without a miss. Yes, I knew the ranges of each target, but I have no problem with that. My goal wasn’t to simulate a qualification course with an unknown-distance range at a sniper school. In that arena, I would put this gun into the “well-qualified” category for law enforcement use. I train law enforcement officers across the country, and the one common theme in almost every jurisdiction is budget. This gun gives lawmen an opportunity to secure a great base weapon and then build from there.

While this rifle has obviously designated marksman applications written all over it, it could also easily be a hunting rifle. The ability to put a fast second shot on a now-running deer is crucial, and the RTT-10 Patrol is a capable tool. I found the gun to be comfortable to shoot with no obvious harsh edges. The A2-style flash suppressor did a decent job of managing muzzle energy, but a brake or suppressor would calm this rifle down in a hurry. But the gun is hefty, so even with its minimalist muzzle device, it was easy to get on target.

Like I said, this is a pretty hefty gun by design. When I transitioned from bench testing to kneeling and off-hand work, my lack of time on the gun began to show. While my minute-of-angle performance could not be duplicated while kneeling, the gun was still 100-percent “minute of man” accurate. All of my steel targets—half-sized IDPA silhouettes—were ringing like mad. The gun was still fast on multiple targets, if not even faster. Overall, I enjoyed shooting the RTT-10 Patrol and would consider it a winner.

Starter Kit

I alluded to the price aspect of this gun earlier, but it is worth revisiting briefly. Rare is the day that I see a shooter in any rifle class I teach with a truly “stock” gun. There is always a tweak here or a new part there. The two things I see changed the most are the trigger and the buttstock. It is like buying cable television. You get a package and immediately change things by buying more.

RTT has done a great job creating a solid rifle with “good bones” on which you can build a spectacular shooter. As I look at many of the guns in my safe with new stocks, different triggers and other modifications, I wish the entire firearms industry would take a lesson from this gun. The RTT-10 Patrol is a solid entry-level precision rifle that is worth a good look. For more information, visit rttfirearms.com.

RTT-10 Patrol Specifications

Caliber: 7.62mm NATO
Barrel: 18 inches
OA Length: 41 inches
Weight: 8.2 pounds (empty)
Stock: Collapsible
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Cerakote
Capacity: 20+1
MSRP: $1,899

RTT-10 Patrol Accuracy Results

Load Velocity Accuracy

Federal 168 Gold Medal Match 2,650 0.80
Hornady 168 ELD Match 2,700 0.75
Remington 175 Premier Match 2,609 1.00

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 rttfirearms.com.

The post The RTT-10 Patrol Rifle Brings Precision Results in an AR-Style Platform appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Foxtrot Mike Products, who broke through last year in the world of pistol caliber carbines, has partnered with Primary Arms to offer an exclusive FM9 Pistol in 9mm.

The FM9 Pistol features an ultralight 8.5-inch-barreled upper receiver. An ambidextrous, non-reciprocating forward charging handle replaces the traditional M4-style model.

A proprietary interlock between the upper receiver and handguard delivers a monolithic style for the upper as a whole. The FM9 features a Glock-style, small-frame pistol receiver, meaning all Glock-pattern 9mm magazines can be used.

The free-float handguard is M-Lok compatible, adding versatility for attachment points. A pistol-length buffer tube houses the recoil buffer and spring.

A blast diffuser extends the barrel past the fore-end, delivering maximum offhand purchase on a short platform. Suggested retail is $549.

FM9 Pistol Features:

Ultra Light Match Grade 41V50 Barrel with Salt Bath Nitride finish, Blast Diffuser included
5″ Upper Receiver features 7-inch Barrel with a 8.5-inch Handguard for an ultra compact upper
Includes Premium 4340 Bolt Carrier Group with S7 Extractor and chrome plated firing pin
FM9 Premium BCG is ramped with M16 Profile, and has a removable weight,
Compatible with PDW stocks & captured recoil springs.
Standard with Premium 6.5 oz Heavy Buffer & .308 Carbine Recoil Spring
Patent Pending Ambidextrous, non reciprocating, forward charging handle
Patented Proprietary Last Round Bolt Hold Open
Manufactured with ISO:9001 and AS:9100 quality certifications
True Mil Spec GI Trigger with Melonite Coating
Limited lifetime warranty through Foxtrot Mike Products
2” 7075-T6 Pistol Buffer Tube
M-LOK attachments at 3, 6 and 9:00 positions
Type 3 Hard Anodize finish
LPK with no MIM parts
Made in the USA

Foxtrot Mike, also known as FM Products, features a full line of 9mm pistols and carbines, as well as uppers receivers, lower receivers and various parts kits and accessories. The company has also moved into 5.56-based products as well recently. Most FFL items can be found through dealers such as Glockstore, Brownells and Primary Arms.

For more information, visit fm-products.com.

The post Foxtrot Mike, Primary Arms Partner on Exclusive FM9 Pistol appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The word “iconography” has many definitions. One of those applies to the use of icons in advertising and the emotions invoked by the use of powerful images. For example, a picture of a Ferrari invokes speed and style. Likewise, the Daniel Defense MK18 invokes strength and accuracy. In fact, the MK18 is the icon of the short-barreled rifle (SBR) world. If you’re looking for an SBR that can do it all, this is it.

Those of us who’ve been around long enough remember when Daniel Defense came onto the scene and Marty Daniel really got our attention. We woke up one day to find Daniel Defense everywhere. In advertising, constant contact is how you get your message across. In his excellent book Start With Why, Simon Sinek writes that you must know why you do what you do to drive your message home. Few companies know their why. Instead, they focus on polishing their what and how messages. In an industry that likes to offer mediocre products to an unsuspecting public that can’t discern between ordinary and extraordinary, Daniel Defense consistently delivers extraordinary in a humble manner.

Speed Meets Accuracy

Although we live in a world where 1,400-yard shots are normal, you must understand that 100 yards is still a long shot when human life hangs in the balance.

I work off a 50-yard zero with my MK18 and primarily use 55-grain M193 ammo. At 50 yards, the MK18 can stack rounds and still bust Level IIIA body armor. Remember, bad guys now wear armor regularly, so you must plan for it. When I move to 100 yards, I can quickly hit anything I want to that’s about the size of a softball with an Aimpoint Micro T-1 installed. I know some folks might wonder about MOA versus sub-MOA performance. Simply put, I don’t know and I don’t care. If I can smack a softball at 100 yards without trying and a baseball with a slow trigger press, I really don’t worry about sub-MOA accuracy. Besides, look up what the U.S. military considers acceptable accuracy from a battle rifle. Go ahead, Google it. I’ll wait.

When I started working with the MK18, I noticed it had a very fast recoil impulse. That’s because when you’re dealing with a 16-inch-barreled rifle, you have several inches of barrel in front of the gas port. That length lets you run a smaller gas port and still maintain reliability, regardless of your dubious ammo choices. You typically give that up with a 10.3-inch barrel unless the gun has been slightly overgassed so it runs on everything. Such is the case with the MK18. Understand that this is a responsible choice on Daniel Defense’s part and not a corner-cutting technique.

Daniel Defense MK18 Barrels

The heart of a great rifle is always the barrel. As a builder, I begin there and work outward. The MK18 possesses one of the finest short barrels on the market: Daniel Defense’s own 10.3-inch, cold-hammer-forged barrel. Daniel Defense makes its barrels in-house at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Black Creek, Georgia. The 10.3-inch barrel used on the MK18 has to be overgassed because you only have about 2 inches of barrel to work with when the round has passed the barrel’s gas port. This is known to rifle builders as the amount of dwell time. You must build adequate pressure in the system to cycle the bolt carrier group reliably, and you must have enough barrel to stabilize the round before it’s on its way.

The MK18’s barrel also has a 1-in-7-inch twist rate, which means each projectile rotates just a fraction more than one time before it leaves the barrel and physics starts working on knocking it off its trajectory.

What You’re Getting

I often tell people that when you shoot a Daniel Defense MK18, you must understand it’s a Hummer, not an Formula 1 racer. That’s not meant as a slight. This thing is overbuilt for a reason.

You can find the full specs of the MK18 online. However, I want to cover a couple of points that really deserve note. The MK18 I tested came from the factory with the company’s proprietary flash suppressor. It’s made from 17-4 PH stainless steel and is finished with a salt-bath-nitride treatment for corrosion resistance and durability. It’s surprisingly adept at attenuating flash, even with cheap ammo. The true test of any component is in full-auto, so I tested that, too. Even in darkness, the flash suppressor keeps muzzle flash to a minuscule blip and also keeps the front end down.

Form and Function

Aesthetics are seldom understood for what they really are. Just like the aforementioned Ferrari, aesthetics create desire in an audience that doesn’t really understand what it’s like to drive such a car. The same goes in the world of top-end weapons. If you look at a MK18, the sizzle in its aesthetic profile comes from the iconic Daniel Defense RIS II handguard, which is what put the company on the map in 2005. There are tens of thousands of these superb handguards in use throughout the world, but it doesn’t get better than an RIS II.

The optional Daniel Defense fixed sights are another notable facet of the MK18. I’ve always preferred the A1 rear sight. Unlike the A2, which has an elevation wheel that can be knocked off zero, the A1 is windage adjustable only and requires a bullet tip to change it. When you have your dope set, you’re done for life. Elevation is dialed at the front sight post during zeroing. If you need more elevation under fire, remember your holds and trigger management. This has been overcomplicated for too long, and I really like that Daniel Defense has made these great sights, which bring us back to old-school marksmanship skills.

What You Need

Let’s shift gears for a moment. I’m presenting this select-fire Daniel Defense MK18 to you as a lesson in desire. To most guys, a machine gun is it. However, the reality is that machine guns are not what you want. You want the notion of a machine gun; you want an SBR. I’ve worked with machine guns for many years. They’re hard on the shooter, themselves and your wallet. As an FFL/SOT 72 manufacturer and dealer of NFA weapons, I have machine guns because I need them for demo work. However, they’re not my first love.

Few people in our industry understand what “full-auto rated” really means. Machine guns come down to one thing: proper dwell time. Again, this is essentially the time in which the rifle has fired a round, tapped some of the expanding propellant gases to cycle the system and bled off the overpressure. In semi-auto, your rifle has all the time it needs to complete each function of an individual cycle. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in full-auto.

Full-Auto

AR-15s work by harnessing small explosions. There’s a lot of excess pressure that must go somewhere. If you look closely at a bolt carrier group in a slow-motion video, you’ll see two gouts of fire jetting from the vent holes in the bolt carrier group’s detent. That’s the overpressure bleeding off as it unlocks the bolt from the barrel extension and pushes the bolt carrier group back. In full-auto mode, your rifle can’t bleed off that overpressure, and by the second round, your gas system is already backing up. That, coupled with the reduced upward pressure from the magazine stack as rounds are fed out, produces an increase in cyclic rate that catches some shooters off guard. That’s seldom discussed because most manufacturers don’t even get how full-auto works.

Those of us who build rifles pay close attention to which direction our brass ejects, because that indicates how high or low the pressure in the gas system is. You can retard the gas system on your rifle by using an adjustable gas block or bolt carrier group. Both of these fixes work well, but they create potential problems that can bite you. If you set your gas block or bolt carrier group to run just right with a specific load, it will run differently—or not at all—with another load. Then your rifle goes click instead of bang.

So what do you need? Release your vapid dreams of full-auto. It’s nothing but grasping at the wind. Go the way of an SBR with a fast trigger, such as a Geissele SSA. Now that’s something you can get your hands on and really enjoy. An SBR doesn’t detract from the pleasure of owning a fine rifle such as the MK18.

CQB Machine

If you’re looking for the perfect SBR that can do it all, the MK18 is your gun. It flies in close-quarters-battle work and still has enough accuracy to consistently smack bad guys at considerable distances.

As our industry refocuses its efforts and companies change their products, it’s good to see that Daniel Defense has maintained its core values of quality and customer service. Make sure you check them out. For more information, visit danieldefense.com.

Daniel Defense MK18 Specifications

Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
Barrel: 10.3 inches
OA Length: 26.75-29.88 inches
Weight: 5.88 pounds (empty)
Stock: Collapsible
Sights: None
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Mil-Spec+
Capacity: 30+1
MSRP: $2,004

The post The Daniel Defense MK18 Dominates Close Quarters Like No Other appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Federal Premium’s introduction and subsequent support of the new .224 Valkyrie has resulted in quite a bit of interest. As far as new cartridges go, it grew legs rather quickly, and several mainstream manufacturers are now building rifles specifically chambered for this new caliber. Among them is the Wilson Combat Super Sniper.

Federal currently offers four different .224 Valkyrie loads for range practice, hunting and competition. Hornady just introduced an 88-grain load using its ELD Match bullet. DoubleTap Ammunition’s Mike McNett also told me that he is working on a load. Other companies are just waiting to see if the .224 Valkyrie will remain popular, but so far its future looks bright.

But what makes the .224 Valkyrie stand out? According to Federal, it “provides less wind drift and drop than all other loads in its class and stays supersonic past 1,300 yards.” And this is from an AR-15-sized rifle, mind you, not a larger AR-10-style offering. As long-range competitions like the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) have grown in popularity, so has the desire for a lightweight semi-auto, and this is where the new caliber comes in. Some have compared it to the .22-250, but I say it’s closer to the 6.5 Creedmoor. But to test this new chambering, first I needed a gun to go with it.

Wilson Combat Super Sniper Specs

When I was given the task of testing a bunch of semi-automatic rifles for sister publication Ballistic’s Best, I naturally reached out to Wilson Combat, which submitted a new Super Sniper rifle—and the only AR in .224 Valkyrie. It performed well and, out of 17 contestants, ended up finishing third overall. Its accuracy was among the best tested, and every evaluator liked it.

Wilson’s Super Sniper starts with upper and lower receivers crafted from a billet of 7075-T6 aluminum. The fluted, 20-inch, stainless steel barrel has a heavy contour and a 1-in-7-inch twist rate. The muzzle has 1/2×28-tpi threading to accept suppressors and other muzzle devices.

A rifle-length gas system and an adjustable gas block pair with the barrel. Wilson also installs its newest 13.8-inch TRIM handguard with M-LOK slots along the sides and bottom to complement the full-length Picatinny top rail. The upper features a premium NP3-coated bolt carrier utilizing a 6.8 SPC bolt. This means the gun runs with 6.8 SPC magazines, and one 15-round Precision Reflex Inc. (PRI) magazine was provided for testing.

Both the upper and lower receivers are hardcoat anodized and then given Wilson Combat’s renowned Armor-Tuff finish. The lower also sports Wilson/Rogers Super-Stoc, a Starburst pistol grip and the company’s own two-stage Tactical Trigger Unit (TTU). All together, the rifle comes in a nice soft-sided case.

Wilson Combat Super Sniper: Two-Gun Test

Using an AR-15-sized gun instead of a larger AR-10 helps save weight and potentially recoil. This means you can more easily see if your first shot is a hit or a miss, which is huge in the long-range game. That’s why a lot of PRS competition guns use muzzle brakes. Sure, they can be loud and punishing, but they control muzzle rise and recoil. A smaller caliber that gets the job done sounds promising as long as it’ll perform at range. Of course, dedicated gas gun matches are typically limited to 800 yards, so I set the Wilson Combat Super Sniper up for that purpose.

I installed a Leupold 5-25x56mm Mark 5 HD scope with a Horus T3 reticle. This optic offers tactile and easy-to-read adjustments, crystal-clear glass and all the magnification you might need without the weight. I also replaced the Super-Stoc with a Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) DMR556 stock, which provides more stability for long shots. Then I added a Modular Evolution bipod as well as NG² Defense’s new MAXFLO 3D suppressor, which keeps the barrel steady without any excessive backpressure.

But I didn’t want this to be a standard range evaluation. I wanted to see how the gun fared against a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle, so I enlisted a Wilson Tactical Hunter in that chambering and outfitted it with the same LMT stock and MAXFLO 3D suppressor. Its barrel was also 20 inches long, though it had a lighter contour. For a scope, I used a 7-35x56mm Nightforce ATACR with a Horus T3 reticle to keep my holds and adjustments identical. I also installed an Atlas bipod.

Shooting the Wilson Combat Super Sniper

Federal made this comparison pretty easy with Gold Medal Match loads in both calibers: 90-grain SMKs for the .224 Valkyrie and 130-grain Gold Medal Bergers for the 6.5 Creedmoor. I fired some groups with both rifles at 100 and 300 yards before engaging a 12-inch steel target at 855 yards. The Horus T3 reticle worked well for most of the testing, and I didn’t have to adjust any scope knobs until it was time to make shots at 1,000 and 1,300 yards. The reticle utilizes mils for elevation holds, while “wind dots” mark the wind adjustments.

My five-shot groups at 100 yards were comparable. I’ve tested several Wilson Combat ARs, and they’ve all shown sub-MOA accuracy. Here the .224 Valkyrie produced groups measuring less than half an inch at 100 yards using the 90-grain SMKs—not once, but at least four different times. The 6.5 Creedmoor’s accuracy was similar, with groups in the 0.5- to 0.6-inch range. At 300 yards, the results were relatively the same, with the .224 Valkyrie producing groups just over an inch wide while the 6.5 Creedmoor’s were just under 1.5 inches.

Ringing Steel

The real test was on steel at range, and the Valkyrie acquitted itself nicely. At 400 yards and using a 2-mil hold, I was able to cluster three rounds in the center of my target just above the 1.8-mil hold. The hold required for the 6.5 Creedmoor was roughly the same, and my groups between both rifles stayed within a half-mil of each other out to 855 yards, where I have another steel target placed. In other words, out to 855 yards, the difference in holds for both elevation and wind were mostly negligible.

The results started to separate at 1,000 and 1,300 yards. At 1,000 yards, the .224 Valkyrie required an 8.6-mil hold to hit the 16-by-22-inch target, and the 6.5 Creedmoor required 7.5. It wasn’t harder to get hits with the former—just seeing and hearing the impacts. At 1,300 yards, the .224 Valkyrie needed 13.8 mils while the 6.5 Creedmoor needed 12.4 mils, and the former also required an additional wind dot. According to my Kestrel, at that distance, the .224 Valkyrie’s velocity was still at 1,200 fps (compared to the 6.5 Creedmoor’s 1,300 fps) which surprised me. But its energy on target was 298 foot-pounds—quite a bit less than the 6.5 Creedmoor’s 498 foot-pounds. So, like I said, hitting steel that far away wasn’t an issue, but knowing you did was a bit more problematic.

The .224 Valkyrie Verdict

First and foremost, the Wilson Combat Super Sniper in .224 Valkyrie is accurate, consistent and reliable. Using either a muzzle brake or the NG² MAXFLO 3D suppressor, the recoil wasn’t much different than a rimfire’s. It was easy to watch hits from a distance, too, even from some less stable positions. And like I said, the fit and finish were excellent. I would only switch to an ambidextrous safety and charging handle for this kind of shooting, but the Super Sniper’s trigger is perfect.

If your targets are paper or steel, a 20-inch-barreled .224 Valkyrie is just as capable at 800 yards with less recoil, barrel movement and weight. For gas gun matches in moderate wind with 800-yard limits, this kind of gun will be my first choice, replacing my trusted .260 Remington. The weight savings and lack of barrel movement are worth it alone. If I wanted to use a gas gun in a match reaching beyond 1,500 yards, I’d probably go with the 6.5 Creedmoor because its higher ballistic coefficient makes a huge difference at long range or in really stiff winds.

Hunting applications are a bit more complicated and will need its own article. Suffice it to say that the .224 Valkyrie’s velocities are impressive. Its use in a DMR setup is another question I will answer shortly after taking a .224 Valkyrie to the next Follow Through Consulting Scoped Carbine class. There is no better place to test such a rifle.

Final Thoughts

In the end, this caliber seems to be holding interest with more companies jumping on board every few months. Ammunition is available and well supported, and you can get everything from a mid-priced rifle to full-custom builds. If you are already a 6.8 SPC fan, this is an easy swap—you just need a new barrel. Time will tell if the momentum continues, but the .224 Valkyrie clearly performs well and will become my first choice for PRS-style gas-gun matches, and Wilson Combat is a great place to start.

For more information, visit wilsoncombat.com.

Wilson Combat Super Sniper Specifications

Caliber: .224 Valkyrie
Barrel: 20 inches
OA Length: 38 inches
Weight: 7 pounds (empty)
Stock: Wilson/Rogers Super-Stoc
Sights: None
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Armor-Tuff
Capacity: 15+1
MSRP: N/A

Performance: WILSON COMBAT SUPER SNIPER

Federal 60-grain Ballistic Tip:

Velocity: 3,270 fps
Accuracy: 0.70 inches

Federal 90-grain Fusion SP:

Velocity: 2,708 fps
Accuracy: 0.68 inches

Federal 90-grain SMK:

Velocity: 2.715 fps
Accuracy: 0.55 inches

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

The post The Wilson Combat Super Sniper Packs Serious Long-Range Punch appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

SIG Sauer recently announced the release of an updated and redesigned Enhanced MPX PCC (Pistol Caliber Carbine). In short, the carbine upgrades components with an eye toward competition shooters and professionals alike.

The upper features free-float, M-Lok handguard, 15-inch barrel, five-position telescoping stock and a three-chamber compensator. Meanwhile, the lower utilizes a Timney single-stage trigger and fully ambidextrous controls. Additionally, the entire carbine is black hard-coat anodized on an aluminum frame.

“The enhanced MPX PCC offers a more robust set of features making it ready to go right out of the box at the same price point,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, SIG Sauer. “Our team of engineers has incorporated improvements into the MPX PCC that will benefit the end-user of this product, while reducing the overall weight of the rifle by a pound. At SIG we are always looking to combine value with the quality our consumers demand from us, and the enhanced MPX PCC is a great example of this.”

Built for Competition

Team SIG professional shooter Lena Miculek knows a thing or two about the MPX. For example, she became the first female to earn a top-five finish in PCC at USPSA Nationals with an MPX.

“When it comes to my competition equipment I want a rifle that’s reliable, accurate, and easy to shoot, and the SIG MPX PCC checks all the boxes,” Miculek said. “With my MPX PCC I move easily between stages, and I have seen improved speed, greater accuracy, and really elevated my competition to the next level. The enhancements that SIG has incorporated into the MPX PCC will make a real difference to the professional shooter and be quickly realized in competition.”

For more information, visit sigsauer.com.

SIG Sauer Enhanced MPX PCC Specifications

Operating System: gas piston
Caliber: 9mm
Overall length: 35.25 inches
Overall width: 2.5 inches
Barrel length: 16 inches
Weight: 6.63 pounds
Twist rate: 1:10
Mag type: MPX
MSRP: $2,016

The post SIG SAUER Releases Enhanced MPX PCC With Upgraded Features appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The new Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target extends the range capability of the company’s classic M77 action. Consequently, chamberings include the popular 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC long-range cartridges.

The line itself is not new, as the Long-Range Target was previously released in .300 Win Mag. But with the recent explosion in long-range competition, the addition of 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC will likely prove popular. Moreover, each rifle in the line is equally suited for hunting as well, especially in open terrain.

The Hawkeye Long-Range Target features a heavy-contour barrel fitted with a Ruger Precision Rifle Hybrid Muzzle Brake. Meanwhile, the 4140 chome-moly steel barrel features 5R rifling and is free-floated.

A target-grade, adjustable trigger helps deliver a clean break. Moreover, the Mauser-type controlled round feed of the M77 provides positive case extraction. Additionally, a three-position safety should be familiar to Ruger fans.

A 20 MOA Picatinny rail sits atop the receiver, while #8-40 screws add to elevation capabilities. The rifle ships with an AI-style magazine.

The two-tone stock features an adjustable comb and length of pull. M-Lok rails and QD attach points deliver versatility.

For more information, visit ruger.com.

Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Specifications

Calibers: .300 Win Mag, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC
Capacity: 5 (.300 Win Mag); 10 (6.5 Creedmoor); 3 (6.5 PRC)
Material/Finish: Alloy steel/matte black
Stock: Speckled black/brown laminate
Barrel length: 26 inches
Thread pattern: 5/8″-24
Length: 47.50″-49″ (.300 Win Mag); 47″-48.50″ (6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC)
MSRP: $1,279

The post Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target Extends Precision Capabilities appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

America’s oldest gunmaker announced that its economical Remington Model 783 is now available in 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Model 783 features a 22-inch magnum contour, button-rifled barrel, while the stock incorporates dual-pillar bedding to free float the barrel and promote accuracy. The CrossFire trigger, which is user-adjustable, helps shooters break clean shots.

To get on target, the rifle comes equipped with a 3-9x40mm scope that is pre-mounted and bore sighted. A black, synthetic stock is finished in Mossy Oak Break Up Country.

A detachable-box magazine helps aid loading, while a Supercell recoil pad soaks up felt recoil.

While the 6.5 Creedmoor is new, the line already includes .223 Remington, .243 Winchester, .30-’06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum.

The Remington Model 783 line launched in 2013, replacing the Model 770 as the company’s economy-class rifle platform. As such, instead of a scaled down Model 700, the Model 783 was engineered from the ground up.

In short, the Remington Model 783 is one of the least-expensive hunting rifles on the market, yet maintains a high level of features.

For more information, visit remington.com.

Remington Model 783 Specifications

Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
Magazine capacity: 4
Barrel length: 22 inches
Barrel material: carbon steel
Twist Rate: 1:8 inches
Overall length: 41 5/8 inches
Barrel finish: 7.5 pounds
Stock: synthetic; Mossy Oak xx
Length of pull: 13 3/8 inches
MSRP: $451

The post Remington Model 783 Now Chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the Cody Stampede Rodeo, one of America’s longest running professional rodeos. So Henry Repeating Arms is tipping its hat with an exclusive 100th Anniversary Henry Cody Stampede Rodeo rifle. Consequently, the lever-action is chambered in the iconic caliber of .45 Colt.

Most importantly, the rifles are available for sale to the public. Further, all proceeds are applied to the celebration and preservation of Cody, Wyoming as the “Rodeo Capital of the World.”

First, Baron Engraving, of Trumbull, CT, embellished the rifles with highly detailed scrollwork engraving on the bright silver receivers which is surrounded with a 24K gold-filled lasso motif. Moreover, the top of the receiver is engraved with the words, “1919 | Cody Stampede Centennial | 2019.” Additionally, the rifles are built on Henry’s Big Boy Silver platform featuring a blued steel octagonal barrel, fully adjustable semi-buckhorn sights and a brass bead front sight, and fancy-grade American walnut stocks.

Celebrating History: Henry Cody Stampede

“Cody, Wyoming is one of those places in this country that just oozes American history and a distinct Old West frontier vibe, and it’s a pleasure to celebrate that history with them,” said Anthony Imperato, Henry President and Owner. “We really appreciate the great folks at the Cody Stampede Rodeo choosing our rifles for their centennial anniversary, and hopefully they will go a long way to preserving this important American heritage for another 100 years.”

The series of 50 rifles will be available for sale to the public for $1,919. Also, the Cody Stampede office and Rocky Mountain Discount Sports of Cody, WY, will carry the rifles. Contact info@codystampederodeo.com or the Cody Stampede Board Office, PO Box 1327, Cody, WY 82414, (307)587-5155, for sales inquiries or requests for info.

For more information, visit henryusa.com.

The post Henry Cody Stampede Celebrates 100 Years of Rodeo appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

On January 12, 2017, Columbus, Georgia’s Ledger-Enquirer released an article stating, “Heckler & Koch, a manufacturer of firearms and accessories, will invest $28.5 million to expand its existing operations in Columbus, Georgia. The new 50,000 square-foot facility in the Corporate Ridge Business Park will be ready in the summer of 2017, at which time HK will consolidate its New Hampshire operations into Columbus. ‘HK’s new U.S. factory will make use of advanced manufacturing technologies and will be staffed by German and American engineers and technicians,’ said Francisco Hidalgo, CEO of HK USA. ‘The HK products will maintain the same level of quality and reliability that the consumer has grown to expect from HK. Our company motto is and will remain No Compromise.’”

And with that, my hometown of Columbus became the home of HK USA and the center for all U.S. production of HK products. HK has had a presence in Columbus since the early 2000s, when it competed for the Army’s Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) program with the XM8 rifle. The OICW program’s several starts and stops lead to cancelation in late 2015. But even with the cancelation, HK kept the Columbus facility open. It became a customer service center and the central clearinghouse for all HK weapons coming into the U.S. from Germany.

Prior Hurdles

To understand HK, you must understand the company’s business DNA and the role of both U.S. and German governments. HK has always designed weapons for the government and military organizations. Although some of those projects resulted in commercial products, that was largely an ancillary effort. Some have said HK does not understand the American firearms market. I would agree with that, but it should be placed in perspective. HK does not have a reference point for comparison. Germany lacks a Second Amendment; the government limits private ownership of firearms, for most, to hunting shotguns and rifles. The American gun culture is foreign to the Germans at HK and in the German government.

Germans not only discourage private ownership of firearms, but also look upon it with suspicion. For HK to import a model into the U.S., HK’s corporate leadership must first approve the product. The BAFA/BIS govern the German government’s export restrictions, providing the second hurdle. This program, when combined with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), tightly controls the export of weapons and technology. Officials weigh cases on their own merit, not in context with prior decisions. When HK and the German government approve a product, the U.S. State Department and other organizations must approve of the importation of said product. Firearms receive a points system here, with a minimum score needed for approval. Products earn importation status only through this process, sending them to the U.S. commercial market.

Behind The Scenes at HK USA

With HK’s new focus on the American commercial market, including the new Georgia production facility and fresh leadership, a lot will change in the next several years. Because of the hospitality of Mike Holly, executive vice president of sales and marketing, and Bill Dermody, director of marketing, I went behind the scenes to provide a firsthand account of what HK is doing and what’s coming. This includes extensions of current lines and new designs developed specifically for the American commercial market.

At the annual IWA trade show, HK Germany introduced several variations of the popular VP9 pistol, including an optics-ready variant, one with a manual safety and another with a button magazine release that replaces HK’s traditional paddle design. Because VP pistols are made in Germany and then imported, I hope these options will soon be offered in the U.S. market. These changes—especially the American-style magazine release—will make the VP a more viable option for the commercial and law enforcement markets.

Built for Battle

HK USA is also working with Germany on upgrading the MR platform. The MR556 and MR762 are considered among the finest modern sporting rifles available today. An outgrowth of the HK416/417 series, these piston-driven rifles are known for their reliability and accuracy. The HK416 is the rifle of choice for many special operations units worldwide. It has been reported that SEAL Team Six was carrying HK416s on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. However, existing models have somewhat dated features and are in need of an upgrade. This is particularly true with the handguard/rail. As with the VP, any upgrades must be approved by HK Germany and the German exporting authority.

When I visited the HK plant, several production cells were up and running. Currently, HK USA is producing HK45 series pistols in Columbus using a combination of imported and American-made components. I also saw several racks of MR762 rifles going through final inspection before being shipped to dealers. Other production lines were in the process of final assembly, with several multi-axis CNC machines being calibrated and brought online. HK USA will make cold-hammer-forged barrels in-house. The forging machine had recently arrived from Germany and was being assembled.

The Dream Team

The most impressive part of my visit was chatting with Bill Alexander, formerly of Alexander Arms, to see what’s going on with testing. Alexander served in the British army before coming to the United States. He and his team are responsible for ensuring products meet HK’s legendary standards. The HK plant has an indoor range and high-speed photography capabilities, plus an atmospheric chamber to test weapons in extreme conditions like sand and dust.

“Every product must meet, if not exceed, military testing standards,” Alexander said.

Part of what makes HK USA successful is its team. Most of the team consists of American personnel with years of experience. However, several employees from HK Germany bring their HK experience to the table. The result is a company that will move forward while maintaining the DNA of HK Germany. HK USA has put a detailed process in place that will manage existing products while developing new designs.

“The process involves a consistent manner of gathering information, defining problems and a cross-functional team that consists of employees from sales, marketing, engineering and manufacturing,” Dermody said. Employees with years of experience in the U.S. market drive the new-product process.

New Directions

Under the new leadership, HK USA is building partnerships with other American companies, including those that make holsters, optics and accessories like Crimson Trace and Streamlight, with other major companies to follow. Accessory companies will be up and running when HK launches new products. Although this isn’t new to the American market, it’s a new approach for HK, and it’s a result of the American leadership team.

HK USA is also becoming an active participant in the shooting community. For example, it was a major sponsor of the 2018 Georgia State Steel Challenge match and is taking part in other events held at Strongpoint Shooting Complex. HK USA has also donated several pistols to Strongpoint to assist in training new shooters in responsible firearms ownership.

The new management team also understands the importance of customer service. The number of customer service employees has increased to handle the renewed interest in the brand. In-house manufacturing capabilities improves service. Customer service is not always about handling problems. Often, it involves answering questions, giving advice and, most important, listening. All customer feedback is important, and the critical question is, “What are the unresolved needs of the consumer?”

Into The Future

There’s a lot going on at HK USA. Although most of the current production relies on imported and American-made components, the transition to more American-made parts continues. As with any company, designs are on the board, and some working prototypes are being developed to meet the needs of American consumers. As to be expected, we can’t write about these yet. However, what I saw was exciting. The timeline for the release of an American-designed and -manufactured HK firearm has yet to be determined. However, several products in the pipeline are in various stages of design and testing. HK conducts extensive testing prior to releasing a new product. HK USA is to dedicated manufacturing products that live up to the HK name.

So what can we hope for in the future? I look forward to the improved MR series of rifles and more American-friendly VP pistols. Products designed and manufactured in America carry more importance than legacy products. The U.S. concealed-carry market provides one void in the pistol lineup. Products designed for American sportsmen and the hunting market leave another void. Looking down the road, it makes sense to consider these markets.

The future is bright with the HK USA team. The potential is unlimited, and the company has some of the best people with the brightest minds and exceptional creativity. For HK fans who have been frustrated in the past, be patient, because relief is at hand. If you’re not a fan of HK or have never given its products serious consideration, make sure you check out hk-usa.com. The best is yet to come.

For more information, visit hk-usa.com.

The post Industry Spotlight: Inside the New Georgia-based HK USA appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

To fully understand how far we’ve come with the Battle Rifle Company BR4, you’ve got to look back.

It’s been said that if you want to know something, ask an expert. From my experience, if you really want to know about something, ask someone who uses it, understands it and maybe has enough interest to become an expert. Interest usually equates to acquiring more knowledge.

About two generations ago, it wasn’t surprising to see a law enforcement agency’s personnel wearing a mishmash of equipment—including handguns—usually purchased with their own money. With everything from single-action revolvers to .44-40 lever guns on up to today’s firearms, it can be tricky to teach officers such different manuals of arms. Thankfully, law enforcement agencies have mostly standardized their equipment today, which makes the job of training different officers much easier.

Nowadays, the equipment decisions are being made, or strongly influenced, by trainers who usually have more than a modicum of interest in equipment. The result is usually excellent, well-thought-out equipment. So it is reasonable these days for anyone to ask, “If it’s good enough for a cop, shouldn’t it be a good choice for me?”

The Duty AR-15

The ubiquitous AR-15 is a good example of a product that, for advice on buying the best model, folks would be wise to seek the advice of experienced law enforcement trainers and other real experts. There are hundreds of options in the AR world ranging from high-end custom rifles to those cobbled together from a random collection of parts. Of course, there are companies that buy only the best parts and spend the time and effort to assemble excellent ARs.

Battle Rifle Company (BRC) is one of the these companies, as it obtains only the best parts that meet its specifications to create AR-platform rifles with tight tolerances for the best downrange performance without compromising reliability. Chris Kurzadkowski, the owner of BRC, said that his company maintains such high quality standards by having every gunsmith’s work reviewed by another gunsmith. Then he himself inspects every rifle before it leaves the factory.

Battle Rifle Company BR4: Built To Spec

Based out of Houston, Texas, BRC has been in business since April of 2010. The company manufactures a variety of ARs that seem to have impressed a lot of people across the country, civilians and law enforcement personnel alike. In fact, a number of law enforcement agencies inside and outside of Texas have adopted BRC’s ARs. The most popular model chosen for officers is the BR4 Trooper.

This seems logical because, as BRC describes it, the Battle Rifle Company BR4 Trooper is a “basic entry-level rifle with full mil-spec features and some added things that bring extra value at an affordable price.” BRC also has a “Build to Spec” program. Simply put, rather than buying something off the shelf and just making do, or having an officer or armorer modify the weapons to create what is required, BRC will build an agency rifles ready to go straight from the box.

I spoke with one of those aforementioned expert firearms trainers, Sgt. Daniel Haugen of the Bossier City, Louisiana, Police Department (BCPD), to discuss how his agency’s procurement of 50 BR4 Trooper rifles came about. Bossier City isn’t far from the border between Louisiana and Texas with a police department of over 185 officers.

Behind the Curtain

According to Haugen, while he and his chief were attending a conference, a BRC representative invited them to visit their facility and see how their ARs were made and performed. Of course, opening your facility for someone like this is an indication of confidence in your company’s procedures and products. And it worked. When the purchasing process for new carbines began, Haugen took BRC up on its invitation. He devoted four days to the task, including quite a bit of time at a range with a “trunk full” of samples of every BRC offering. Haugen shot a ton of rounds through all of the samples without failure, leaving him feeling confident in BRC’s reputation for reliability and its rifles’ ability to protect the lives of his officers and their community.

Fifty BR4 Troopers designated for patrol and traffic officers were purchased and then customized with Haugen’s specification. Those modifications were quite logical for true defensive rifles.

Bossier City’s Battle Rifle Company BR4 Troopers

Even a quick glance should reveal BRC’s BR4 Troopers are well-made AR-pattern carbines. The standard BR4 Trooper in 5.56mm NATO comes with either a 14.5- or 16-inch, cryogenically treated, chrome-lined barrel with a black manganese-phosphate finish, a 1-in-7-inch twist rate and M4 feed ramps. The 16-inch barrels come with removable A2-style flash suppressors while the shorter barrels have fixed flash suppressors.

The standard BR4 Trooper also comes with a mil-spec buffer tube and a carbine-length gas system, though mid-length systems are available. Other mil-spec items include the detachable carry handle rear sight, “F”-marked front sight, polymer handguard, front sling swivel, bayonet mount, brass deflector, dust cover and forward assist. The pistol grip, collapsible stock and trigger are all mil-spec, though BRC can improve the trigger in several ways. The matched upper and lower receivers themselves are also made of mil-spec 7075-T6 aluminum, and inside you’ll find a properly staked M16 bolt carrier group with a magnetic-particle (MP) inspected Carpenter 158 bolt.

Built to Order

As mentioned, the BCPD’s BR4 Troopers had some customizations. They retained the standard model’s 16-inch barrel, carbine-length gas system, and mil-spec triggerguard and pistol grip. But following Sgt. Haugen’s instructions, the BCPD carbines were equipped with Battle Steel ambidextrous safety selectors and BRC magazine releases. The standard collapsible stocks were replaced with Hogue’s OverMolded version. BRC also replaced the mil-spec triggers with Quality Mil-Spec (QMS) triggers from ALG Defense. The carry handle rear sights were also replaced with Magpul MBUS units.

Haugen wanted his agency’s carbines to wear co-witnessed Vortex SPARC red-dot sights and 500-lumen Streamlight ProTac 2L flashlights. Of course, they’d need some rail space for that, so the polymer handguards were replaced with free-floating, carbine-length handguards with full-length top rails and short rail segments on the sides and bottom with dished out spaces for the support hand.

Finally, each rifle came in a nice soft-sided bag with three Hexmags and a two-point Magpul MS3 sling.

Rounds Downrange With the Battle Rifle Company BR4

The carbine I received for testing was similar to the BR4 Troopers built for the BCPD. It had a few enhancements of its own, including an enlarged triggerguard, an ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger (ACT), a Hogue pistol grip and a BRC Disintegrator flash suppressor. The rifle also came with one C-Products magazine.

I didn’t have a Vortex SPARC red dot on hand, so I used an Aimpoint Carbine Optic (ACO). Instead of a Magpul MS3 sling and Streamlight ProTac 2L, I used a Blue Force Gear single-point sling and Streamlight’s TLR-2 HL white light and green laser combination unit.

On the firing line, the customized BR4 Trooper provided no surprises. Its first-rate fit and finish and excellent assembly helped turn in some great groups. The ACT trigger broke smoothly at 4.2 pounds, and all of the controls worked smoothly. The rifle handled well; it was light and quick when transitioning between targets set up for a CQB scenario—what you’d expect traffic and patrol officers to be exposed to most often. The rifle also ran flawlessly with all of the test ammo.

Accuracy Testing

Next, I moved to the 100-yard line for more work and installed a Leupold 4.5-14X scope. The customized BR4 Trooper seemed to like a variety of bullet weights, as it ran well with all of them. Its accuracy was great, with all of my test groups hovering right around an inch. Hornady’s 60 V-MAX rounds created the best group at 0.93 inches.

Those tests completed, I retrieved the ACO and sent some more rounds downrange from the bench. I fired at 25 to 100 yards, with the latter being an extreme for most law enforcement engagements. With the ACO, the BR4 Trooper delivered just what was needed out to 75 yards. At 100 yards, my aging eyes just couldn’t cut it. I could still keep all of my shots near the center of the target. I couldn’t get more precise than that. (Thankfully, cops and warfighters are usually younger!)

Parting Shots

I really liked the entire setup of the Battle Rifle Company BR4 Trooper that I tested. I especially enjoyed its ALG trigger, upgraded handguard and Hogue furniture. However, removing all of those customizations, I suspect a standard BR4 Trooper would still be pretty impressive.

At the end of my visit with Sgt. Haugen, I asked him if was he still pleased with the BR4 Trooper for his department. He replied with a resounding “Yes!” Need more proof? The BCPD has already purchased another 50 BR4 Trooper models. Twelve will be chambered in 300 Blackout and 16 in 9mm. The agency also has plans to obtain more 5.56mm NATO models soon. The 9mm and 300 Blackout guns will be issued to Special Operations.

Battle Rifle Company has a wide spectrum of products in all shapes and sizes to suit any need. Just look at the BR4 Trident and Cutlass, which BRC designed specifically for maritime security, or MARSEC. On top of that, BRC seems pretty amenable to providing exactly what the purchaser wants. The company does so with quality work. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. For more information, visit battleriflecompany.com.

Battle Rifle Company BR4 Specifications

Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
Barrel: 16 inches
OA Length: 33.75-37 inches
Weight: 6.1 pounds (empty)
Stock: Collapsible
Sights: A2 front, carry handle rear
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Matte black
Capacity: 30+1
MSRP: $995 (base model)

The post TESTED: Battle Rifle Company BR4, a Top-Notch Trooper appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The DoubleStar Midnight Dragon started with the barrel. Just as the legendary A-10 Warthog, which has saved my life, is said to have been built around the GAU-8 Gatling gun, the Midnight Dragon was built around the barrel. That statement makes sense for every AR. If mil-spec upper and lower receivers are used, with a mil-spec bolt carrier group, what else can make a real difference in terms of accuracy? It’s always about the barrel.

DoubleStar was looking to take the 5.56mm NATO to its accuracy limits in the AR platform while keeping the rifle within financial reach of the average dedicated shooter. DoubleStar starts with a custom, spiral-fluted, 24-inch Shaw barrel made from 416 stainless steel with a 1-in-8-inch twist rate and completes the build with a blend of carefully selected parts. Like the barrel, the most important parts were purposefully chosen to create the best shooter experience.

Built-In Features

I hadn’t heard of Cedar Enterprises before, but the company’s two-stage trigger is superb. Described as breaking between 4.2 and 4.6 pounds, it feels like rolling a ball bearing against a strand of glass no thicker than a spaghetti noodle. And yet, cosmetically, the trigger doesn’t look any different on the exterior than another mil-spec trigger unit.

Completing the user interface is the beard-friendly ACE ARFX stock and the very comfortable Ergo Tactical Deluxe grip. The ACE ARFX is a clean design with a simple foam sleeve over the buffer tube. This foam is soft to the cheek and also makes for a comfortable interface regardless of temperature. The Ergo pistol grip is contoured with a palm swell and comes with a removable shelf. The shelf supports your hand and inspires a more relaxed grip for firing—something that promotes fine motor control, a necessity for taking advantage of the Midnight Dragon’s trigger.

The elements combine with the forged aircraft-grade 7075-T6 aluminum receivers for a substantial weight of 9.55 pounds, which makes for a very enjoyable shooting experience. Despite the lack of a muzzle device, perceived recoil is practically non-existent. What isn’t absorbed by the rifle’s weight is transferred gently to the shooter through the rubberized grip and buttplate. Any shift or movement of the gun under your cheek is masked by the soft foam-covered buffer tube. In short, DoubleStar has removed just about any excuse for poor shooting results. This puts a surprising amount of pressure on the shooter. If you miss, you’ll be hard pressed to find an excuse outside of shooter error.

Previous Testing

It may spoil the review, but I must mention what drove my excitement about this rifle. A few months ago, I hit the range with a shooting partner to test some different loads through this gun. Although some will argue that specific twist rates can only do well with specific bullet weights, I haven’t found that to matter as much at 100 yards as long as the ammo itself is consistent.

I agree that matching the projectile weight to the twist rate can make or break a rifle’s accuracy, but the difference at 100 yards is minimal if the projectile is concentric and the powder charge is consistent. My experience has been that ammunition quality is more important than matching the projectile weight with the twist rate.

On this particular day, we were making our way through a variety of different loads with 62-grain projectiles. Our intent was to find the differences between projectiles of different brands. Sometimes a rifle just likes a specific loading from one specific manufacturer. I learned this in my early rifle days when my Marlin had a particular favorite, even among match ammunition.

Running Hot

It was a hot day, and the barrel was warm after our fifth 10-shot group. We only paused between groups to reload. Using a Caldwell Stinger rest, and the rifle was equipped with Nikon’s 4-16x50mm Black X1000 scope in a Warne XSKEL mount. We loaded 10 Nosler 62-grain Varmageddon FBHP rounds. I fired five shots, my partner fired five, and we achieved an incredible result: a ragged hole about half an inch wide.

It’s safe to say that the DoubleStar Midnight Dragon and Nosler’s 62-grain Varmageddon ammo made for a good pairing. A more frustrating note is that I now find myself chasing that group every time I go out to the range, and the Midnight Dragon has set the standard for what I expect from any rifle supposedly built for accuracy. It’s one thing to know a group is possible; it’s another to have shot it and want to shoot it again. On a good range day, I can achieve these results again with the Midnight Dragon and Nosler ammo, and I’ve often been disappointed when other “accurized” rifles haven’t gotten nearly as close. For that reason, I’m just as excited to head to the range with the Midnight Dragon now as when it was first announced in 2013.

DoubleStar Midnight Dragon Results

I wanted to see how the rifle would run with a wider variety of loads and manufacturers. For this review, I tested each load by firing a single five-shot group at 100 yards, and once again, I used a Caldwell Stinger rest. I also used the same Nikon scope but installed it in a Nikon mount this time around. The Black FX1000 is a first-focal-plane scope that I have come to enjoy for groupings because it makes the job easy. You can quickly make adjustments regardless of the magnification level.

My intent with this test was to show how the Midnight Dragon might perform in the real world with commonly available higher-end ammunition. Again, the barrel was generally warm, and I only paused between groups to reload. My shooting cadence was about one round every other second.

The worst of my five-shot groups came with Hornady’s range-grade 62-grain Black FMJs, but it was still only 1.5 inches. My best group measured just 0.3 inches with Hornady’s 68-grain Match BTHPs until human error produced a flyer. But 0.3 inches is impressive for four shots. Especially when you consider that, though I spent 15 years on active duty in the Army, I think of myself as more of a handgunner than a rifleman. In other words, I’m no PRS shooter. The Midnight Dragon is just that good. Give the rifle with a steady platform and it will hit what you point it at with ego-killing precision.

If used as a varmint gun, for example, or to engage any target that can be stopped with the .223 Remington or 5.56mm NATO, 0.3 to 1.5 MOA is plenty acceptable, especially if that 1.5 MOA can be achieved with common range ammo. Even the military-surplus 77-grain IMI rounds produced a group less than 1 MOA.

DoubleStar Midnight Dragon: Worth The Weight

Are there any drawbacks with the Midnight Dragon? For me at least, it has been slightly difficult to transport. At just over 42 inches in total length, the Midnight Dragon needs a spacious den. It’s also hefty—perfect for bench shooting, but not ideal for a long hike. These drawbacks are rather insignificant, however, when you’re after a distant target or varmint. Transportability could easily be enhanced with a folding stock mechanism like those offered by Law Tactical.

I’ve also never experienced a single malfunction with the Midnight Dragon, even with loose rounds from the bottom of an old range bag. It’s clear DoubleStar already knew how to make a reliable rifle. The inclusion and proper installation of a custom Shaw barrel into a host engineered exactly for a shooter to take advantage of such a barrel has made for one heck of a rifle. The attention to detail that went into something as simple as properly staking the gas key has obviously gone into the construction of the rest of the rifle. The folks at DoubleStar aren’t just assembling rifles—they’re manufacturing, smithing and perfecting them.

If the Midnight Dragon has inspired you to simply order a Shaw barrel matching this profile, I have some bad news. As of this writing, Shaw does not publicly list a bull barrel like this one on its own, even using the company’s custom ordering system. The closest I could find was over $400. That’s more than one third the MSRP of the Midnight Dragon. But even if you built your own Midnight Dragon clone, it wouldn’t come with DoubleStar’s lifetime warranty. So maybe get it straight from the source.

For more information, visit star15.com.

DoubleStar Midnight Dragon Specifications

Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
Barrel: 24 inches
OA Length: 42.25 inches
Weight: 9.55 pounds (empty)
Stock: ACE ARFX
Sights: None
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Matte black
Capacity: 5+1
MSRP: $1,116

DoubleStar Midnight Dragon Accuracy Results

Load: Accuracy

Hornady 62 Black FMJ: 1.50
Hornady 68 Match BTHP: 0.30
IMI Systems 77 OTM: 0.90
Nosler 35 Varmint: 1.40
Nosler 60 Ballistic Tip: 0.75

Bullet weight measured in grains and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 100 yards.

The post TESTED: DoubleStar Midnight Dragon Brings Custom Features to AR-15 appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Rock River Arms added two new 5.56-chambered models of the LAR-15 Pistol to the line, featuring the popular brace from SB Tactical. Rock River touts the new variants as having enhanced stability and greater overall performance.

The A4 pistol, chambered in 5.56 NATO, features the SBX-K Pistol Stabilizing Brace from SB Tactical. Also, the SBX-K is a shortened model, utilizing a lower profile for improved operational handling and maneuverability. Additionally, it delivers an additional contact point for gripping beyond the grip and fore-end. Consequently, and depending on applicable jurisdiction laws, the SBX-K enables shooters to gain a cheek weld or secure the device to the forearm.

Rock River LAR-15 Pistol Features

The Rock River Arms A4 pistols come in two configurations. Firstly, one features a 7-inch barrel and 6-inch extended length aluminum free-float RRA lightweight handguard. Secondly, the other uses a 10.5-inch barrel and 9.25-inch mid-length lightweight aluminum free-float RRA handguard. Above all, both RRA handguards are M-LOK compatible for accommodating desired accessories.

Chambered in 5.56 NATO for use with 5.56mm or .223 ammo, the A4 pistols utilize chrome-lined barrels, Additionally, RRA’s forged LAR-15 lower receiver and an A4 upper with Picatinny rails provide the backbone. Meanwhile, a single-stage trigger, and a rubber molded Hogue grip round out the package.

In short, the Rock River Arms LAR-15 Pistol A4 is compact, providing discrete transport and close-quarter handling. Moreover, the SBX-K pistol brace enhances the platform to get the most out of a svelte AR-style pistol.

Further, for more information, visit rockriverarms.com.

Rock River Arms LAR-15 Pistol Specifications

Model: A4
Caliber: 5.56 NATO, .223
Upper: Aluminum forged A4
Lower: Forged RRA LAR-15
Barrel: 7″/10.5″ Chrome Moly, 1:9 Twist
Gas Block: Low-profile
Muzzle Device: A2 flash hider, 1/2-28 thread
Trigger: Single-stage
Handguard: RRA lightweight aluminum free-float, M-LOK compatible
6″ extended length (7″ barrel) / 9.25″ mid-length (10.5″ barrel)
Pistol Grip: Hogue rubber grip
Arm Brace: SB Tactical SBX-K with long receiver extension, short extension optional (10.5″ barrel)
SB Tactical SBX-K with short receiver extension, long extension optional (7″ barrel)
Length: 24.75″ (7-inch barrel) / 29.25″ (10.5″ barrel)
Weight: 5.6 lbs / 6.3 lbs
Includes: One magazine, manual, warranty information
MSRP: $940/$980

The post Rock River Arms Expands LAR-15 Pistol Line With SB Tactical Braces appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The F4 Defense F4-15 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) is a thing of beauty.

There is a great fallacy in life that we all secretly know. Sure, we strive to be “above the fray” and don’t want to be known as the basic creatures that we really are. But the big fiction we cling to is that “looks don’t matter.” Now, granted, they are not the only determining factor in our ultimate opinion on things, but that first head snap is never based on anything other than looks.

While this is obviously a fact in human interaction, it goes much deeper than that. An area I see it in quite often is firearms. Simply put, people like good-looking guns. When you’re sitting around at a barbecue, you simply don’t brag about your ugly guns. I openly admit that I am susceptible to head-turning guns, and I almost snapped my neck recently when I looked back at a new rifle that has just been released. Here is an inappropriate whistle at the new EBR.

More Than Looks

Entering the AR market at this point in time takes some guts and confidence in your product. F4 Defense is a veteran-owned small-arms manufacturer with decades of military, engineering, design and competitive shooting experience. The company set out to build tactical firearms that perform at the highest level while maintaining unequaled aesthetics.

In other words, in an ocean of black guns, it takes some supermodel power to stand out, and that is exactly what the folks at F4 Defense have done. After two years of work, it was finally ready. Released in July of 2017, the F4-15 EBR is a perfect match of form and function. It is a stunning rifle with aesthetically pleasing lines and recesses that also serve to reduce its overall weight. Understand, however, that this is not simply skeletonizing a rifle to shave weight. All of the cuts are thought out to mix engineering and looks. It is hard to describe, but the F4-15 EBR has futuristic styling while maintaining a no-BS feel to its design.

F4 Defense F4-15 EBR Features

The rifle I received for testing was obviously eye-catching. The cuts on the billet-crafted receivers, for example, make it lighter than most forged receiver sets without sacrificing operational integrity. The gun is built by shooters, which is evident in the flared magazine well; ambidextrous, short-throw Battle Arms Development (BAD) safety selector; forward assist setscrew; adjustable trigger; and beveled, oversized trigger guard. The trigger is a HiperFire Competition unit that can be adjusted from 2.5 to 3.5 pounds for precision shooting.

One of the most notable features is the Adaptive Rail System (ARS) handguard. M-LOK or Picatinny rail? F4 Defense has solved the age-old question by offering both on one handguard. The patent-pending hybrid system is directly integrated into the extruded profile of the rail. Accessories of your choice can be attached directly to the rail, eliminating the need for adapter rails. The handguard is made from extruded 6061-T6 aluminum that is then hardcoat anodized.

The upper also sports an 18-inch, 416R stainless steel barrel with three-land polygonal rifling and an F4 QR muzzle brake. The barrel is paired with a mid-length gas system, a nickel-boron-coated bolt carrier group and an F4 Quick Reaction charging handle. Finally, for furniture, the F4-15 EBR uses a Mission First Tactical (MFT) Engage pistol grip and Battlelink Minimalist buttstock.

Sub-MOA Claims

To wring out the F4-15 EBR, I added a TruGlo 1-6x24mm Tru-Brite 30 Series scope. This has been a great optic for me and is high on the “more bang for the buck” scale. It offers clear glass, an illuminated reticle and plenty of magnification for my needs. This model also has a quick-zoom lever to make magnification adjustments fast and smooth. Most interesting to me, however, is the fact that the scope comes with two BDC turrets: one for .223/5.56 shooting and one for .308 rounds. Each one is calibrated to allow you to engage targets out to 800 yards with simple holds. All of this for only $270. It’s quite the steal.

Because of its Enhanced Battle Rifle moniker, I decided to run the gun in that capacity at the range. After zeroing in, I began to work across an urban scenario that I had assembled on the range with targets set anywhere from 25 yards out to 350 yards. My focus on all of the targets would be headshots. F4 Defense states that its guns possess sub-MOA accuracy, so that was my baseline. This is the brutal reality of a weapon in this capacity, especially in civilian and law enforcement worlds. “Minute of man” accuracy is simply unacceptable in some situations.

Drilling the F4 Defense F4-15 EBR

My son and ever-present shooting partner served as my spotter and called targets. I shot the F4-15 EBR off a support bag, but that was it. With the range set and clear, the next thing I heard was “Target 3, 275 yards, spotter up.” Like many people who run drills like this, once I establish my accuracy, speed becomes the next big factor. And I was quick on the trigger. The smooth press of the HiperFire trigger made it easy to get clean headshots. Except for a few rushed shots on my part in an attempt to set a land-speed record, the gun ran exceptionally well.

The F4-15 EBR’s solid performance continued as we began to run barricade drills and shoot from the support side. My son noticed that the ARS handguard had a bit of a bite to it. For those with less hearty hands, you will notice this as you run the gun. On the plus side, I’d like to give a quick shout-out to whoever first came up with the ambidextrous safety, because it is a nice feature when you are forced to switch hands. The added benefit of the BAD safety’s short throw is even better.

Show-Stopping Performance

After emptying the last magazine, I could easily say that the gun ran very well. In group testing, the rifle upheld F4’s claim of being a sub-MOA gun. Leading the pack was Hornady’s 75-grain Hornady TAP SBR ammo, which created a five-shot group measuring just 0.6 inches at 100 yards. Had I used a bipod and a rear sand sock, I’m sure the rifle would have produced even tighter groups, but I can’t complain about its performance as is!

The gun was built to tight tolerances, yet that didn’t give me any grief when running a variety of ammo. That said, the magazines seated so tightly in the mag well that empty mags wouldn’t fall free when released. This is a tiny nitpick and is actually more of a preference than anything. It’s also worth noting that I was using Magpul PMAGs, and perhaps other magazines might fall free. This caused a hiccup in my pace on a couple occasions as we mixed in emergency reloads. But, beyond that, I believe the gun is ready for prime time.

Worth The Price

The F4-15 Enhanced Battle Rifle is an exceptional gun. As I said at the beginning, I like good-looking weapons, and this one fits that bill while being made for serious duty. As F4 Defense puts it, the company is “unrelenting in its pursuit of innovative and game-changing weapon platforms for the military, law enforcement and civilian markets,” and this rifle is definitive proof of that.

It might be new, but F4 Defense is on the right track, delivering “proven solutions that drive innovation and improve performance.” I came away impressed by the F4-15 EBR, and I expect F4’s other 5.56mm and .308 models to keep turning heads. I look forward to watching this company grow.

For more information, visit f4defense.com.

F4 Defense F4-15 Enhanced Battle Rifle Specifications

Caliber: .223 Wylde
Barrel: 18 inches
Weight: 7 pounds (empty)
Stock: MFT Battlelink Minimalist
Sights: None
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Matte black
Capacity: 30+1
MSRP: $1,695

Performance: F4-15 ENHANCED BATTLE RIFLE

Black Hills 68-grain Match HP: Velocity, 2,850; Accuracy: Best, 0.90 inch; Average, 0.85 inch
Federal 55-grain XM193: Velocity, 3.240 fps; Accuracy: Best, 0.95 inch; Average, 0.90 inch
Hornady 75-grain TAP SBR: Velocity, 2,321 fps; Accuracy: Best, 0.70 inch; Average, 0.60 inch

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

The post TESTED: The F4 Defense F4-15 Enhanced Battle Rifle appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The new CZ M457 bolt-action rifles are worthy successors to the company’s popular M452 and M455 series rimfires. That’s because the 457s have the quality, versatility, accuracy and straightforward operating systems of the 455s. Additionally, the rifles incorporate refinements that make them more compatible with features of popular American rimfires.

The new features include a cocking indicator on the back of the bolt and a right-side safety that disengages when pushed forward. The 457’s bolt can also be cycled when the safety is engaged, and it has a lighter action that is about one-inch shorter than the 455 action. That’s because the new action has sculpted bottom metal that includes a streamlined trigger guard. In addition, the 457s retain highly desirable features from the 455 series.

Like the 455s, quick-change interchangeable barrels are offered in .22 LR, .22 WMR and .17 HMR. Meanwhile, all 457s use M455 magazines.

CZ M457 Models

As of the present, the 457 series will have eleven basic models. Therefore this series offers something to meet the needs of most rimfire hunters and competitors, as well as the needs of novice shooters of all ages.

The models include a .22 LR Training, the Lux, with a European-style sloping buttstock designed for use with iron sights, and American model with a straight buttstock. Varmint models include the Varmint, .22 LR Varmint Match Target, featuring a sculpted walnut stock, the Varmint Precision Trainer Camo, Pro Varmint Suppressor Trainer, and AT-One Varmint with a Boyd’s adjustable stock.

There’s also a Synthetic model that is threaded for a suppressor, and a .22 LR Scout sized to fit youth and small-statured shooters. All of the models have target-quality barrels that come in a broad variety of lengths from 16 to 24 inches. Overall, this is one versatile line of rimfires.

CZ M457: Shots Fired

I had an opportunity to shoot the .457 Varmint Match Target at the Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Montana. The second I saw it, it was very clear that this is a well-made and handsome rifle. The black oxide finish on the barrel and action is evenly applied and has an attractive matte with a very slight sheen. The 60-degree bolt lift effortlessly cocks the striker on opening, making it easy to operate. The safety engages and disengages smoothly with little if any sound, and the trigger breaks at about three pounds and has no play, roughness or significant overtravel. In short, it is one of the nicer triggers I’ve experienced on a rimfire rifle.

However, it is the target stock that really grabbed my attention. It’s made of a fine piece of walnut with a light, straight grain. Its size and weight make it balance beautifully when shooting off-hand, and its textured, sculpted pistol grip and textured beavertail-like forearm make it rest solidly in the hands and on the shooting bags. It’s little wonder that 50-yard steel targets were no match for this rifle.

CZ M457 Bottom Line

Overall, this is a well-made and versatile firearm. Suggested retail prices for the various models range from $449-$1,180, which at first seems expensive. However, extra barrels are only $130-$180. So, buying one CZ 457, two extra barrels and a high-end scope gives you as much versatility as paying more money for three rifles of equal quality and three high-end scopes. That’s pretty good deal.

For more information, visit cz-usa.com.

The post FIRST LOOK: The New CZ M457 Bolt-Action Rifle appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Wilson Combat Super Sniper Specs

Wilson Combat Super Sniper: Two-Gun Test

Shooting the Wilson Combat Super Sniper

Ringing Steel

The .224 Valkyrie Verdict

Final Thoughts

For more information, visit wilsoncombat.com.

Wilson Combat Super Sniper Specifications

Caliber: .224 Valkyrie
Barrel: 20 inches
OA Length: 38 inches
Weight: 7 pounds (empty)
Stock: Wilson/Rogers Super-Stoc
Sights: None
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Armor-Tuff
Capacity: 15+1
MSRP: N/A

Performance: WILSON COMBAT SUPER SNIPER

Federal 60-grain Ballistic Tip:

Velocity: 3,270 fps
Accuracy: 0.70 inches

Federal 90-grain Fusion SP:

Velocity: 2,708 fps
Accuracy: 0.68 inches

Federal 90-grain SMK:

Velocity: 2.715 fps
Accuracy: 0.55 inches

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

The post The Wilson Combat Super Sniper Packs Serious Long-Range Punch appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

Every now and again, functionality and affordability collide in perfect unison, resulting in a true thing of value. In the world of firearms, the guns that have captured those traits best have become legendary. In today’s market, we equate those attributes to quality guns under $1,000.

From the Browning A5 to the Remington 870, the Model 70 to the AR-15, a true affordable, working-class gun is one that stands the test of time. And when it packs a serious punch, yet remains affordable, then you’ve found yourself a must-have for the ol’ gun safe.

In that spirit, we’ve broken down this year’s top guns under $1,000. Featuring innovation, form and function, these firearms are well designed, fill a niche and lack nothing in terms of firepower. Built by names you trust, including Remington, SIG Sauer, Savage Arms, Springfield and Mossberg, you know these firearms won’t disappoint.

Better still, each gun is affordable within its class. So check out our rundown, and tell Santa you know just what you need under the tree this Christmas.

The post 5 Heavy-Hitting Guns Under $1,000 for Your Christmas Wish List appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

At the recent 2018 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous, we got time on the range with the new Daniel Defense DDM4V7 Pro. Purpose-built for the sport of 3-Gun, the DDM4V7 brings several high-end components together in a complete package. For fun or sport, the Daniel Defense DDM4V7 really delivers.

Daniel Defense DDM4V7 Pro Features

An 18-inch cold hammer-forged rifle serves as the heart of this rifle. Shooters solidified the 18-inch length as the most versatile choice for the sport, being nimble on short courses yet capable of meeting the long-range demands in most 3-Gun matches.

The 15-inch MFR 15.0 M-LOK rail saves on weight, yet provides plenty of attachment points. Meanwhile, a BCM Gunfighter Charging Handle provides ample purchase for manipulation around primary optics.

A Muzzle Climb Mitigator compensator regulates both felt recoil and muzzle rise, enabling faster follow-up shots. Additionally, Daniel Defense’s own buttstock and pistol grip provide solid furniture.

A Geissele automatics Super Dynamic 3 Gun Trigger, one of the more popular single-stage components on the market, delivers a championship-level break. Certainly, we’ve used several of these triggers in our own guns; they don’t disappoint.

Finally, one of the cooler features of the rifle is both cosmetic and utilitarian, as the DDM4V7 is finished in Daniel Defense’s Rattlecan pattern. The blend of DD’s Tornado and Mil-spec Cerakote finishes is truly unique.

For more information, visit danieldefense.com.

Daniel Defense DDM4V7 Specifications

Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
Muzzle Thread: 1/2×28
Gas system: Rifle length
Barrel length: 18 inches
Weight: 7.4 pounds
Length: 34 3/4 – 37 7/8 inches
MSRP: $2,109

The post Video: Taking the Daniel Defense DDM4V7 Pro Rifle Out for a Speed Spin appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.

The Marlin Model 336C Curly Maple brings a fresh look and classic lines to the company’s most iconic line. Seemingly a universal fixture in deer camps everywhere for decades, this new Marlin Model 336C lives up to its name. The Curly Maple edition provides a new look for one of America’s most famous lever-action rifles.

Marlin Model 336C Curly Maple Features

The rifle starts with a 20-inch barrel with micro-groove rifling. Because its chambered in .30-30 Win., the barrel utilizes a 1:20 twist rate.

All 336C variants utilize the company’s famously strong receiver. Moreover, with thick steel sidewalls, relived with only cuts for the loading and ejection ports, the 336C is robust. Both the receiver and barrel feature a classic polished blue finish.

Adjustable, semi-buckhorn rear sights help hunters ensure their shot is true. A six-round tubular magazine provides plenty of firepower while afield. Also, the rifle’s overall length comes in a 40 1/2 inches, providing that between-the-hands balance Marlins fans have come to know.

Finally, the Curly Maple Stock, complete with Fleur-de-lis engraving, cementing the rifle’s classic look.

With millions manufactured and sold, the Marlin Model 336 is one of the most successful high-powered rifles in U.S. commercial history. Moreover, the 336, along with the .30-30 chambering, have been one of the most potent deer-hunting combinations in hunting camps across the country.

For more information, visit marlinfirearms.com.

Marlin Model 336C Curly Maple Specifications

Caliber: .30-30 Win.
Stock: Curly Maple with pistol grip
Rate of twist: 1:20
Barrel length: 20 inches
Finish: Polished blue
Magazine capacity: 6+1
MSRP: $899

The post FIRST LOOK: Marlin Model 336C Curly Maple Adds Classic Lines appeared first on Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews.