Weatherby is a name that has always been synonymous with quality. From the earliest days when Roy Weatherby chambered Mauser actions for his hot wildcat cartridges to the introduction of the super-strong Mark V action and, later, the more economical Vanguard, Weatherby rifles have been renowned for their quality and accuracy. Discriminating sportsmen worldwide revere these rifles for their outstanding performance afield. Perhaps lesser known is Weatherbyâs line of tactical rifles.
Weatherby Shooting Systems are five different rifles built on the Mark V and Vanguard actions. Each rifle is designed to produce surgical precision and possesses Weatherbyâs sub-MOA accuracy guarantee. Chambered for long-reaching and hard-hitting calibers like the .30-378 Weatherby Magnum, .338-378 Weatherby Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum to more mundane cartridges like the .308 Winchester, Weatherbyâs tactical rifles are built with the same degree of care as the rest of its lineup. Each rifle is assembled with the goal of providing consistent and repeatable accuracy and flawless reliability. Which brings us to the subject of this reviewâthe Vanguard Modular Chassis (VMC) rifle in .308 Winchester.
Modular Chassis
The chassisâ forend allows the barrel to float freely for enhanced accuracy, and Magpul rails can be added as needed.
Roy Weatherbyâs first factory-built bolt action was the Mark Vâan incredibly strong action with nine locking lugs on the bolt. The action was bank-vault tough, but it was also very expensive to build. So, in the 1970s, Weatherby developed the Vanguard action, which is still strong but possesses only two locking lugs on its bolt. The Vanguard made owning a Weatherby rifle a reality for the average, hard-working American hunter, and this is the action used in the VMC rifle.
The one-piece machined receiver features an integral recoil lug for strength and structural integrity. The Vanguardâs one-piece bolt body is fluted, and the bolt sleeve is fully enclosed to protect the shooter in event of a case failure. Three ports are drilled into the bolt body to redirect gases in case of a case rupture or blown primer. Besides the twin locking lugs, the bolt uses a claw extractor and a plunger-style ejector.
The Modular Driven Technologies chassis holds the barreled action in place with just two screws.
Weatherby didnât need to alter the bolt to have it feed from the detachable single-stack magazine. It is still a push-feed action in operation and cocks on opening. In fact, Iâve never used a bolt action that required so little force to cock the striker. Using my trigger pull gauge, I found the VMC needed only 7 pounds of pressure to lift the bolt handle. Once unlocked, the bolt moves effortlessly in its raceway. When the magazine is empty, the follower does not bock the bolt from going forward. On the left-rear side of the receiver is a bolt release lever that, when depressed, allows the bolt to be removed from the rear of the receiver.
Converting this hunting action into a tactical rifle didnât take a lot of modifications on Weatherbyâs part. The 6061-T6 hardcoat anodized aluminum chassis is made by Modular Driven Technologies (MDT), which holds the Vanguard action with just two screws. This chassis allows the barrel to float freely its entire length, and slots in the forend accept Magpul rails. The cold-hammer-forged barrel is about an inch in diameter at the receiver ring and tapers to a stout 0.74 inches at the muzzle, which has a recessed target crown. The barrelâs lengthâ20 inchesâhelps the Vanguard Modular Chassis serve a good compromise between a fast-handling tactical rifle and a dedicated precision gun.
Like what youâre reading? Check out the rest of this article in âGuns & Weapons for Law Enforcementâ February/March 2017. For information on how to subscribe, visit outdoorgroupstore.com
Remingtonâs new Tac-14 is one of the most interesting variations of the companyâs storied Model 870 platform. The pistol-gripped firearm features a 14-inch barrel, making it short, handy and a worthwhile addition to anyoneâs home- or car-defense battery. Best of all, the new gun doesnât require any special paperwork or tax stamps to own.
Rugged Reputation
Like the Mossberg 590 Shockwave, the Remington Tac-14 is fitted with a birdâs-head-style Shockwave Raptor grip that prevents the gun from being fired from the shoulder.
Introduced in 1951, the Model 870 became an immediate hit with American outdoorsmen and police agencies. Developed with the intent of stealing market share from the Winchester Model 12, Remington won over hunters and clay shooters with its gunâs sleek lines, rugged reliability and comparative economy. By 2009, Remington had made an unbelievable 10 million Model 870s, and its popularity has yet to wane.
In the 66 years since its introduction, the Remington Model 870 has ridden in more squad cars, shared more duck blinds with wet Labradors and trudged through more cornfields in search of pheasants than any other pump-action shotgun. It gained a reputation for being capable of absorbing abuse and neglect and still performing. So, it seems only natural to select a gun with workhorse-like dependability for home defense.
Remingtonâs Model 870 Tac-14 fits the bill perfectly for those looking for a defensive gun thatâs easy to handle in narrow halls and doorways or within the confines of a vehicle. Without delving too far into the legal aspects of this gunâs classification, we can say with certainty that this weapon is as legal to own as any other 12 gauge. The reason for this is that the BATFE classifies the Tac-14 as a âfirearmâ and not a shotgun. Therefore, it does not have to have an 18-inch barrel length like a typical shotgun would. It does, however, still need to have an overall length of over 26 inches.
My test sampleâs overall length measured right at 26.3 inches with its Shockwave Raptor pistol grip. This is basically a legal loophole that gives us what amounts to a short-barreled shotgun (SBS) without filling out and submitting reams of paperwork, paying for a tax stamp and all the government intrusion that goes along with it. Mossberg was the first to exploit this with its 590 Shockwave, and Remington wasnât far behind.
Just a word of warning here: While you can buy the Shockwave Raptor grip as an aftermarket accessory, attaching it to your trusty old Model 870 and cutting the barrel down to 14 inches will put you in some serious hot water. If the Tac-14 appeals to you, sell your old 870 and buy one. Any money saved by trying to convert an old hunting gun will be spent on your initial consultation with a lawyer and is miniscule by comparison to what you may spend in trying to avoid becoming a âprohibited possessor.â
Tac-14 Specs
Along with a bead front sight, the Tac-14 comes with a Magpul MOE forend with hand stops on both sides to prevent your support hand from sliding in front of the 14-inch barrel.
While the Tac-14 may be an abbreviated gun, no shortcuts were taken hereâitâs pure 870! Remington machines the receiver from solid steel for absolute strength. Twin action bars are used to prevent binding while cycling the action, and a high-visibility orange magazine follower is installed so the user can visually see if the magazine tube is empty.
The Shockwave Raptor pistol grip is made from a nearly indestructible glass-filled polymer and is angled in such a way to minimize recoil and maximize control. Remington outfits the Tac-14 with a Magpul MOE polymer forend with M-LOK slots for direct attachment of accessories like a tactical light/laser unit. Front and rear hand stops, or lips, on the forend will prevent your support hand from slipping off during rapid manipulations.
The Tac-14âs barrel extends a little more than an inch beyond the front of the gunâs magazine tube cap and possesses a simple bead sight. Itâs also a cylinder- bore barrel, which allows patterns to open up quickly. The gun is chambered for 2Ÿ- and 3-inch shells and has a capacity of 4+1 and 3+1, respectively. Finally, the gun balances nicely, with the majority of the weight toward the front so your firing hand can steer the gun and work the trigger.
Born To Defend
At the range, the Tac-14 produced tight patterns with all of the test ammo, including Aguila Minishells, though these shorter rounds did not always feed reliably.
For years, Iâve kept a Mossberg 590 equipped with a Pachmayr pistol grip and forend in the closet near my front door. I have a steel security door with perforated steel attached to it and a heavy-duty bolt lock in addition to the normal wooden front door. During nice weather, I leave the wooden door open and let air flow through the security screen. The huge advantage the security door provides is that I can see through the steel screen while people outside cannot see in. In the event that I have to shoot through the security screen, I load the Mossberg with steel Federal #2 waterfowl loads. After shooting the new Remington, I will probably make the switch to the shorter gun, as I found the Tac-14âs pistol grip angle to be much more comfortable, and the shorter overall length just seems handier.
Unfortunately, I was limited to one shooting session with the Tac-14, and my selection of shells was not great, but I did shoot the gun with 2Ÿ-inch birdshot loads, reduced-recoil slugs and a selection of Aguila Minishells. I decided to keep things simple and set up my target at what I considered to be a realistic home-defense range of 5 yards.
Using Winchester 1-ounce #7Âœ birdshot, I discovered the Tac-14 was very pleasant and fun to shoot. If youâre going to introduce your better half to the Tac-14, this is the load to use. Donât be a jerk and put goose loads in the gun! My patterns at 5 yards were well rounded and measured about 7.5 inches. Even though these are promotional birdshot rounds, the amount of lead concentrated into such a small area should be capable of taking the starch out of anyoneâs underpants at this distance.
The angle of the Shockwave Raptor grip is perfect for firing from the hip, and after two boxes of birdshot ammo, I was none the worse for wear. The shells cycled smoothly and ejected positively.
The Aguila Minishells were a different story entirely, however. Sometimes I could cycle two or three rounds before I had a failure to eject and would have to turn the gun, ejection port down, to dump the round out of the gun. This isnât really the Tac-14âs fault. It is, after all, designed to cycle 2Ÿ- and 3-inch shells, and it does this flawlessly. So, I contacted OPSol in Texas to see if the company was working on a Mini-Clip adapter for the Remington Tac-14, but a company rep said they have not been able to make a pop-in, pop-out adapter for the 870 yet. The obvious advantage to the Minishells is the increased magazine capacity. I was able to load seven of the 1Âœ-inch shells into the Tac-14âs magazine tube.
While these rounds didnât cycle reliably, I was able to drop them into the chamber one at a time and shoot them. These birdshot and buckshot shells from Aguila are virtually recoil-free, meaning they would be great for training children or recoil- sensitive adults. At 5 yards, the #7Âœ birdshot produced a pattern about 5 inches in diameter while the 00 buckshot load, with 11 pellets, produced a pattern about 7 inches in diameter. Aguilaâs 0.88-ounce lead slug had a velocity of 953 fps and generated a whopping 784 foot-pounds of energyâabout double what a .45 ACP round producesâwithout much felt recoil.
Formidable Savior
The Tac-14 handles extremely well in tight quarters due to its relatively compact dimensions, making it a perfect choice for protecting yourself from within a vehicle, for example.
The Tac-14âs compact dimensions, combined with its power and versatility, make this new Remington a formidable weapon. In fact, adding a tactical light and laser might make this gun unbeatable! Possessing typical Remington 870 quality and reliability, the Tac-14 gives us all of the fun of a short-barreled shotgun without the headaches of NFA paperwork and scrutiny. With a suggested retail price of just $443, the only problem I foresee with the Tac-14 is finding a retailer with one in stock!
The AR-15 is a great platform. Itâs light and mobile and can be fired quickly and accurately. It just doesnât have much of a punch. But what if you could take the best attributes of the AR-15 and chamber it in .308? Wouldnât that be revolutionary?â
I was sitting in Frank DeSommaâs Phoenix, Ariz., office. The president and founder of Patriot Ordnance Factory, or POF-USA, DeSomma had invited me to see his new rifleâthe Revolution, a lightweight AR in .308 Winchester.
âEveryone talks about new calibers that shoot almost like the .308,â DeSomma said. âThe 6.8 SPC and 300 Blackout shoot kind of like a .308, and they fit in the AR-15 envelope. But they really donât perform like the .308, so I decided to build an AR that does shoot the .308. I figured out a way to put 10 pounds of crap in a 5-pound bucket.â
Innovation comes naturally to DeSomma, who spent most of his adult life in the aerospace industry. Nearly every part he designed and manufactured was made from a lightweight alloy with some kind of coating to reduce friction, dissipate heat and prevent corrosion. In the firearms industry, innovation is stymied by tradition and herds of me-too engineers who do things the way they have always been done. DeSomma was unhindered by these constraints, however, and applied his extensive knowledge to create new paths, leaving others in his dust.
The beginnings were inauspicious. âI went shooting with some friends,â DeSomma said. âI had a FAL, and they had ARs, and I saw how much time they spent maintaining them. In two days, I had designed a piston system for the AR, and in two weeks I had machined the parts, and in six weeks I had a working prototype.â
POF-USA was born. In 2004, DeSomma started building and shipping complete weapons.
The POF Revolution Begins
âThe Revolution is not a small-frame .308,â DeSomma said, pointing to a collection of parts on his office table. âItâs smaller. The distance between the rear takedown pinhole and the front hinge pin is exactly the same as on a 5.56mm rifle.â
To demonstrate, DeSomma picked up a 5.56mm upper receiver and locked it onto a Revolution lower. The Revolution uses many 5.56mm parts, such as the buffer, handguard, charging handle, bolt carrier, barrel nut and POF-USAâs gas piston operating system. âIt truly is an AR-15 that shoots .308 rounds,â DeSomma said.
Weighing just more than 7 pounds, the POF Revolution has all of the handling characteristics of an AR-15. The only giveaway of this rifleâs caliber is the pregnant-looking magazine well.
âWe use our same heat-sink barrel nut that we use on the 5.56mm on this gun,â DeSomma said. âWe even use the same 5.56mm barrel extension, though the geometry is a little different. But we found a way to stuff a fat .308 cartridge into the barrel extension without changing its external dimensions.â It even uses the same bolt carrier dimensions, though the firing pin is longer to make up for the difference between 5.56mm and .308 rounds.
The Revolution uses the same extruded aluminum handguard as POF-USAâs 5.56mms.
Even the POF Revolutionâs 14.5-inch M-LOK handguard is the same as used on POF-USAâs 5.56mm rifles. Made from an extrusion, the part requires 28 minutes of CNC-machining time. It is an extremely rigid platform with a tail piece that attaches to the top of the receiver. DeSommaâs design incorporates steel inserts in the top of the upper receiver to attach the tail piece and eliminate any chance of stripping threads.
Beyond fitting a .308 into an AR-15 chassis, the POF Revolution incorporates several other innovations. DeSommaâs roller-cam pin design eliminates scoring inside the upper receiver and takes all of the stress out of the unlocking sequence. Itâs a simple fix, which makes a great deal of sense. So too does the E2 dual extraction system, which cuts four shallow grooves into the neck area of the chamber. When the cartridge is fired, gas vents down these grooves and pushes against the shellâs shoulder, breaking the seal. Designed to enhance extraction, the E2 system reduces wear on the extractor and increases its service life.
Sustained heat is a threat to any weapon system, and DeSomma has an answer for that, too. His heat-sink barrel nut is made from aluminum and features radiating fins. It has more than three times as much surface area as the mil-spec barrel nut, and DeSomma claims it is 18 times more effective at dissipating heat.
A standard buffer is used on the POF Revolution. The receiver extension, or buffer tube, is actually an intermediate design between POF-USAâs seven-position .308 tube and six-position 5.56mm tube. The part features POF-USAâs anti-tilt Carrier Cradle extensions, which ensure the bolt carrier is always supported even when it is in its battery position. Its outer diameter is the same as the 5.56mmâs, so it is compatible with most mil-spec furniture. A Mission First Tactical (MFT) buttstock and pistol grip are used on the Revolution.
Finally, we come to the POF Revolutionâs billet-crafted Gen4 lower receiver, which features fully ambidextrous controls, including the bolt release, safety selector and magazine release. It also has an oversized, integral triggerguard and receiver tensioning screws to eliminate play between the upper and lower receivers. The lower is also fitted with POF-USAâs excellent drop-in single-stage trigger. Machined from tough A2 steel, the parts are nitride heat-treated to ensure hardness, corrosion resistance and a consistent pull. With a pull weight of 4.5 pounds, the trigger is almost perfect for just about any mission, whether itâs competition, hunting or home defense.
Fighting The Wind
The only downside Iâve found to living in Tucson, Arizona, is the wind. My first outing with the Revolution was miserable. Winds gusted to 15 to 20 mph, and my target rocked back and forth in my target stand. There were a couple of times when the target was blown over and another time when the wind ripped the staples from the upright and blew my target into Mexico. So it wasnât the best day to test a gunâs accuracy.
Despite that, I shot several groups that were OKâbetween 1.5 and 2 inches at 100 yards. After firing about 50 rounds, I concluded that all I was doing was wasting some quality ammunition. I packed my gear and headed home, and spent some time on the computer checking the weather. I found that the next day, winds were predicted to be from 5 to 7 mph in the morning. After that, theyâd pick up again.
At 7 a.m. the next day, I was at my secluded shooting location southeast of Tucson, and winds were already at about 8 mph. I set up my DOA Tactical shooting bench and Caldwell rifle rest as well as my target stand, shimming the wooden uprights so it couldnât rock. I loaded the Revolution and sat it in the rifle rest and noticed that the magazine made contact with my bench top. Inconsistent contact could have an adverse effect on the point of impact and destroy groups. I adjusted the rifle rest to make sure there would be no incidental contact.
With a Trijicon 5-20x50mm AccuPoint mounted on the Revolution, I fired my first group with Hornadyâs 155-grain American Gunner BTHP ammunition. One of the great things about the Revolution is its recoilâitâs so mild that you can watch your bullet strikes. Normally, I use a PAST Recoil Shield to protect my arthritic shoulder when shooting .308s, but honestly, the Revolutionâs recoil didnât seem any different than that of a 5.56mm. My first group for record measured just 0.75 inches, and I watched every round hit the 2-inch Shoot-N-C target.
The winds started to pick up not long afterward, and I tried to time my shots between gusts. Before long, I had fired sub-MOA groups with four of the five loads Iâd brought. The last ammunition I shot for record was Federalâs 175-grain Gold Medal Match ammo. My first two shots were touching, and I concentrated hard on the AccuPointâs aiming dot, doing my best to center it on the center of the Shoot-N-C target as I added pressure to the trigger. By the time I finished, the Revolution had placed five shots into a group that measured just 0.48 inches.
I removed the Trijicon 5-20x50mm AccuPoint and replaced it with a smaller 1-4x24mm AccuPoint. After a quick sighting group, I set up my MGM BC-C Zone steel target at 20 yards. With 10 rounds of 155-grain Hornady ammo in the magazine, I rocked the target with every round in less than two seconds. My splits, or time between shots, averaged just 0.2 seconds. I never lost the Trijicon scopeâs glowing aiming point from start to finish and fired as fast as I could pull the trigger. POF-USAâs three-port compensator, with its 15-degree port angles, was extremely effective in keeping the Revolution on target.
Empties were ejected at 3 oâ clock about 7 feet away. The Revolution uses POF-USAâs five-position-adjustable gas system, which is comprised of just three parts: the gas plug, piston and operating rod. It is a simple and robust system that is easily adjusted to suit any load or suppressor you might use. During the several hundred rounds of testing, there were no failures.
To put things in perspective, the POF Revolution provides the accuracy of a heavy-barreled bolt gun in a lightweight and easy-to-handle package without the sharp recoil. Its precision and ease of maintenance are remarkable, and I donât know why anyone would buy a heavier, harder-kicking and less-accurate .308 when the POF Revolution is the perfect solution to just about any tactical, competition, hunting or home-defense need.
Utilizing a lightweight frame, night sights and Crimson Trace Lasergrips the Kimber Custom Covert II might well be the ultimate night-fighting 1911.
The pistol possesses features like 30 LPI checkering, a bumped and grooved beavertail, and a special carry melt treatment. What does that add up to? A gun designed for those who prefer the 1911 operating system, but do not prefer its weight.
I had the chance to shoot the Custom Covert II in October at the first ever Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Gateway, Colo. â a incredibly unique gathering of gun writers and firearms manufacturers â and fell in love with the pistol immediately.
Kimberâs Build
Rather than using steel, Kimber machines the pistolâs frame from a lightweight aluminum alloy. The process results in a half-pound of weight savings. If you carry your gun for long periods that half pound can make a huge difference.
The Custom Covert II is also given the âmelt treatment,â which means that every hard edge is given a subtle bevel. What that means to the shooter is that hands wonât be cut during slide manipulation. It also means the pistol wonât be carving your expensive leather holster.
Other than weight, the Custom Covert II is a true 1911. It has a 5-inch barrel and slide and a standard size grip frame. Parts made for 1911s will work with the pistol.
Custom Covert II Features
The Custom Covert IIâs front strap is checkered at 30 LPI. The checkering is fine enough as to not catch on clothing, yet still provides a comfortable and secure firing grip.
Kimber outfits this pistol with Tritium powered night sights, arranged in the usual three-dot pattern. The gun is also equipped with a set of Crimson Trace Lasergrips, activated by a button on the frontstrap. I like to adjust my Lasergrips so the dot sits just above the front sight when a conventional sight picture is taken. With the addition of a good hand-held tactical light, the pistol should be ready for action in any light scenario.
You might think that a gun a half-pound lighter than a steel frame version would be a monster to shoot. It isnât! I fired several magazines through the pistol at the Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous and found it as easy to shoot as any full-size, steel-framed 1911.
We did not have the ability to test the gun for accuracy. However, based on previous evaluations of the same gun, I think it is safe to say the gun is capable of firing groups between 1-2 inches at 25 yards.
Nice Finish
Kimber coats the Custom Covert II with its KimPro, which is a thermally cured finish that is corrosion resistant. It can withstand exposure to industrial grade solvents.
The charcoal coloring Kimber chose for the pistol is perfect for its intended mission as a night-time defender. It is matte and non-reflective and this makes the gun hard to see in low-light conditions.
Other refinements that make the pistol easier to shoot are its extended thumb safety, forward cocking serrations and beavertail grip safety with the bump to ensure it gets depressed even when you shoot with your thumb on top of the thumb safety ⊠like I do.
Kimber offers versions of the Covert in its 4-inch Pro and 3-inch Ultra pistols.
The Custom Covert II has an MSRP of $1,427.
For more information on the Custom Covert II, please visit KimberAmerica.com.
After a decade and a half of near-constant combat, the U.S. Army has decided to replace the Beretta M9 pistol it adopted back in 1985. In mid-2015, the Army issued a request for proposals (RFP) soliciting manufacturers for pistols meeting its criteria for the new Modular Handgun System (MHS). The purpose of the new pistol, codenamed the XM17, would be to âprovide warfighters with a best-value system that features increased lethality, increased accuracy, improved ergonomics and a higher degree of reliability over legacy handgun systems.â
The prestige of being named the winner is undeniable. However, the commercial aspect of this equation is what drives most manufacturers to invest in research to develop a weapon for the RFP and subsequent trials. And the Army had a long list of specifications that the XM17 had to meet to be considered for adoption. Understandably, most companies didnât have an off-the-shelf solution to the criteria posed, necessitating the development of new pistols. One of those companies is FN.
FNâs Legacy
FN has a long and rich history of supplying weapons to the United States military. From the M16A4 to the M249 SAW, to the 5.56mm and 7.62mm SCAR systems, to the MK19 belt-fed grenade launcher, FN has provided several quality weapon systems for our fighting men and women. In addition, the company was already manufacturing a polymer-framed, striker-fired pistolâtwo of the major criteria for the next XM17. The FN gun developed to meet the specifications of the Armyâs RFP is now known commercially as the FN 509.
The starting point for this new pistol was the FNS Compactâa striker-fired, polymer-framed pistol. This gun provided the basic architecture. During its development, FN made several changes to the frame, barrel and slide. FN redesigned other components to meet the military requirements for increased reliability, accuracy and ergonomics.
Not wanting to place all of its eggs in one basket, FN also started an extensive survey looking for feedback that would help the company develop the FN 509 as a duty gun for law enforcement. Ergonomics tended to be one of the top considerations for both military and police agencies. Given the size differences among various personnel, the ability to provide one gun that is comfortable to use for those with small and large hands alike was a daunting challenge.
For All Warriors
My evaluation sample of the FN 509 came with three different backstraps. Interested in interchanging them? Simply push out the retaining pin, slide the backstrap off the frame, install a different one and reinstallthe pin.
The sides of the grip frame feature sharp pyramid-style checkering to provide a rock-solid grip even when wet. Above the pyramidal checkering is a texture similar to skate tape, while the front- and backstraps have what FN calls âDragon Scales.â
These three different styles of texturing should provide an excellent grip even when used with gloves.
There are a number of other frame features that I found particularly favorable. The tang or beavertail area of the gun has a great design. It is proportioned to protect the hand from being âbittenâ by the reciprocating slide. Subtle polymer fences around the slide and magazine releases, as well as the takedown lever, prevent inadvertent activations of any of these controls. FN also elongated the triggerguard, making the pistol safer to shoot while wearing gloves. The extra-large triggerguard also presents an excellent opportunity for holster makers to use the forward portion of the guard opening to create a friction lock.
The frameâs dust cover sports a Picatinny accessory rail. The rail allows for any number of accessories, including lights, lasers and combination units.
The slideâs cocking serrations are deeper and cover a great deal of surface area, both fore and aft, to provide the user a more positive grip when charging the chamber or unloading the pistol. FN engineers also included an external extractor that pulls double duty as a visual and tactile loaded-chamber indicator.
FN has designed the 509 to be fully ambidextrous, and it features bilateral slide stop levers and magazine releases. Looking through the 509âs ownerâs manual, additional models may feature a manual safety. My sample did not possess such a safety.
FN engineers did, however, manage to include four passive safeties in the 509âs design. There is a striker block that prevents the striker tip from protruding through the breech face unless the trigger is pulled. The drop safety prevents the sear from moving out of engagement with the striker unless the trigger is deliberately pulled, and the trigger disconnect safety is actuated when the disconnect cam is pushed out of alignment with the sear, preventing it from releasing the striker. This prevents the gun from firing when the slide is out of battery.
Looking at the pictures, youâll see what appears to be a pin at the middle of the triggerâs profile. Like many of the other current generation of striker-fired guns, the FN 509 has a trigger safety that blocks rearward movement of the trigger unless it is purposefully pulled. This prevents inertia movement of the trigger if the gun drops on its muzzle.
The trigger pull on my test sample weighed in at about 7 pounds. The spec sheet for the 509 lists the trigger pull as ranging from 5.5 to 7.5 pounds. This pull weight likely was specified by the Army. It will likely find favor with assorted police agencies that would view a lighter trigger pull as a liability.
FN has quite a reputation for its barrels. The 509 uses a cold-hammer-forged barrel with a polished chamber and feed ramp. In an unusual move, however, FN machines the barrel with a recessed target crownânot unlike what we would see on a high-dollar precision rifle. While FN literature claims that this helps each bullet stabilize as it leaves the muzzle, I think the best benefit is that it protects the rifling in the event the pistol drops.
Finally, we come to the disassembly process. Any military weapon needs to be easily disassembled. The FN 509 is no different. Unload the gun and remove the magazine, then lock the slide to its rearward position. Now rotate the disassembly lever downward. Grasp the slide, depress the slide stop and ease the slide forward. With the pistol pointed in a safe direction, pull the trigger and pull the slide and barrel forward off the frame. Turn the slide upside down and remove the recoil spring system. The barrel can now be lifted from the slide. This is as far as the manual recommends for disassembling the gun and should be enough for routine maintenance and cleaning. Reassembly is in the reverse order. It is an uncomplicated process. It can be performed in complete darkness without much of a problem.
FN 509 Range Test
Before I hit the range, I must admit that I was concerned that such a heavy trigger pull would make group shooting nearly impossible. But I was wrong. I set up targets at 25 yards and fired five-shot groups using a DOA Tactical shooting bench and a Millett BenchMaster for support.
As you can see in the accompanying table, the trigger pull didnât really affect my ability to print some very nice groups with the FN 509. DoubleTapâs 77-grain hollow points produced the best five-shot group of the day, which measured just over an inch. This round also produced the most energy of any of the loads I tried. Because of the projectileâs light weight, the felt recoil of this round is extremely light. Overall, the FN 509âs accuracy was impressive. The average group size of the six ammunition types I tested was just 1.5 inches.
During my short evaluation, I fired about 300 rounds and had no failures of any sort. Despite the differences in bullet weights, nose profiles and overall lengths, the FN 509 never choked.
I personally found the FN 509 to be well made, reliable and very accurate. If your needs include a lightweight, high-capacity, semi-auto handgun, make sure to give the brand-new FN 509 a look. Iâm sure youâll be impressed. I know I was.
Editorâs note: Watch a video of the Maxflo 3D suppressor being tested on Patriot Ordnance rifles below
Hiram Maxim is generally acknowledged as the inventor of the first commercially successful sound suppressor, which he began selling in 1902. Less than a year later, the Wright brothers made their first powered flight. The following decades saw an unbelievable acceleration in aviation development, progressing from the canvas-skinned Sopwith Camel to the P-51 Mustang to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, with its stealth technology and vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
But advancements in sound suppression havenât been as meteoric. More than 100 years later, the technology is still basically the sameâa tube with a system of baffles designed to slow gases and let them cool. Modern machining has made improved baffles and exotic alloys have made suppressors lighter, but there havenât been any advances that are analogous to the evolution of the propeller-driven biplane to jets capable of flying at several times the speed of sound. Until now.
NEXGEN2 (NG2) Defense is a new company built around an ingenious suppressor design that does away with traditional baffles, instead relying on advanced flow dynamics (AFD). Outwardly, the MAXFLO 3D looks much like any other suppressor, but its core holds all of the secrets. This core design provides a host of benefits, including the elimination of first-round âpopâ and flash as well as accuracy-robbing turbulence and recoil. Most importantly, the silencer possesses âZero Back-Pressure Suppressionâ technology.
Making Waves
At the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Atlanta, I had a conversation with Frank DeSomma, the owner and founder of POF-USA. I had just completed an article on his brand-new Revolutionâan AR-platform .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO rifle. Itâs a gun so innovative that many 5.56mm NATO parts are used, making the rifle as light and fast-handling as any typical AR-15. As we spoke, a familiar face interrupted us. It was Scott Mc-
Gregor, holding a MAXFLO 3D suppressor in his hands.
I last saw McGregor at a trade show earlier in the year. It was there he warned me that the new company he was working for, NG2 Defense, was going to have an earth-shattering product soon. As we chatted, McGregor unscrewed the suppressorâs backplate and withdrew its radical internal baffle system before handing it to DeSomma. Standing in awe as he turned the MAXFLO 3Dâs baffle sleeve over in his hand, he finally said, âI have to tell you, I have spent my entire adult life in aerospace engineering and fabrication, and what you have here is a masterpiece. I have never seen such well-executed and intricate machining. When can I shoot it?â
McGregor made plans to drive down from the NG2 Defense factory in Utah to meet DeSomma at his Phoenix-area factory and asked if Iâd like to come. Three weeks later, I made the three-hour drive. When I arrived at the POF-USA factory, Frank DeSomma and his son, Cody, were preparing some guns for our outing with the MAXFLO 3D suppressors. One of the guns was the POF-USA P416, a select-fire, piston-driven 5.56mm AR with a 10.5-inch barrel. Also being cleaned and prepped was a select-fire P308 with a 12.5-inch barrel and DeSommaâs new Revolution with the same length barrel.
While we drove to the range, I had the chance to do a quick interview with Scott McGregor. Weâve been friends for over a decade. Our first meeting took place at one of the DPMS Tri-Gun matches in St. Cloud, Minn. McGregor has an interesting background. He previously worked for a steel target company, handled outside ad sales for a firearms publisher and a cable shooting show, and made sales for a major firearms manufacturer. But he is first and foremost a 3-Gun competitor, always managing to make the major matches despite a heavy workload. He knows guns like few people do, so when NG2 Defense was beginning to form, McGregor was brought on board to help with sales.
âNG2 Defense is a brand-new company officially founded in December 2016, and we were able to have a booth at SHOT Show in January. Ernie Bray is our CEO, and he is the gun genius behind the design. Advance flow dynamics is his area of expertise, and while he had some input from other folks, it was his concept. Itâs pretty exciting to have such an innovative product and help get the word out, to help build the brand and build the company.â McGregor continued, âWeâre making a tremendous investment in machinery, and thereâs nothing we canât do with them. We have top-of-the-line machinery, and I honestly donât think you could find anything better than what we have.â
Under Backpressure
McGregorâs knowledge of suppressors became immediately obvious as he walked me through the ins and outs of NG2âs innovative can.
âThe MAXFLO 3D doesnât create backpressure, unlike conventional suppressors. Our advanced flow dynamics allow the gases to flow continually through the can.
âBlast chambers and traditional baffle stacks, which require the gas to be re-compressed before moving to the next baffle with only the tiny muzzle hole for gas to exit, are eliminated on our design. Conventional cans cause a backup of gasesâthereâs nowhere else for the gas to go except back down the barrel and into the upper receiver. Backpressure can create a host of problems for guns depending on how they are tuned. You can have a perfectly tuned full-auto AR that runs smooth and ejects at 4 oâclock and then throw a suppressor on it and have nothing but problems. Gas is like waterâit follows the path of least resistance.
âA conventional suppressor can dramatically increase the cyclic rate of a full-auto gun to the point where it outruns the magazineâs ability to push a round up in time to be fed by the bolt carrier. These weapons are not meant to run at those levels, and they break. Backpressure also increases carbon buildup on the bolt carrier group and in the upper receiver, as well as heat. Chunks of unburned powder are also blown back into the upper receiver. Sometimes the gas comes out of the charging handle hole, and as a result the shooter gets a face full of gas. In that position, it gets up under your glasses. Youâre also breathing it. You canât shoot as many rounds without fouling, and it dramatically increases your cleaning time. In short, backpressure can be very detrimental!â
Maximum Tech
The greatest innovation, according to McGregor, is in the center of the design. âThe main component is the core, and itâs made out of titanium. The core has enough holes in it so the gas can flow relatively evenly. There is also fluting within each hole to kind of create a vortex. The whole point is to redirect, slow and cool the gas. So, as the bullet comes through, there is no blast chamber like a typical can has. The NG2 design eliminates the blast chamber. Again, on a conventional design, the gas would have to compress again to go into the next chamber, and so on for as many baffles as the design uses. The only exit being the tiny hole at the end of the suppressor.
âOn the MAXFLOW 3D, the gases will flow through the core into the intricately machined baffle sleeve, which is made from 17-4 stainless steel. The gas bounces around and gets redirected, but thereâs nothing in there that will block it from flowing forward. It continues to flow forward, out of the can, because it is the path of least resistance, rather than back into the barrel. The MAXFLOW 3D is vented at the front, and the gas is allowed to flow freely out instead of being compressed and pushed back up the bore. The holes at the end of the can do not make it any louderâit is still hearing safe. The military considers hearing safe to be under 140 decibels. We definitely beat that!â
Maxflo 3D Full-Auto Test
To start, we fired 10 rounds through the 5.56mm NATO P416 on full-auto without any muzzle device in place. We used a PACT timer to record the cyclic rate and discovered that it was throwing 847 rounds per minute. We noted the gun was easy to control, with rounds ejecting at 3 oâclock. Next, we attached a conventional suppressor and fired the gun on full-auto again. One thing we all noticed was just how violent it felt compared to unsuppressed shootingâit was definitely less controllable. Instead of the gun ejecting to the 3 oâclock position, brass was now ejecting at the 12:30 position. It also increased the cyclic rate to approximately 1,097 rounds per minute, a 23-percent increase.
Finally, we attached the NG2 MAXFLO 3D suppressor and fired another 10 rounds on full-auto. Our cyclic rate dropped back down to 850 rounds per minute. The empty cases were once again exiting at about 3 oâclock. âWe didnât even have to change the gas setting,â exclaimed Frank DeSomma, referring to the carbineâs five-position-adjustable gas system.
âThis is huge,â DeSomma added. âThere is not another suppressor company in the world who makes anything that can match NG2 Defenseâs technology. Shooting with a suppressor is often a balancing act. Usually the gas system needs to be adjusted. If the weapon is direct impingement and not adjustable, that means the buffer and buffer spring need to be tuned to the suppressor. At that point, it becomes a huge pain because when the suppressor is removed, the other parts need to be swapped back.â
Frankâs son, Cody, talked about the added service life afforded by the new tube: âFull-auto suppressed guns increase the boltâs velocity, and this causes premature or accelerated wear on the parts. We know immediately when we get a gun back for repairs that it has been shot with a suppressor.â
Before the heat beat us into submission, we also fired the full-auto P308 and the semi-auto Revolution, both fitted with a MAXFLO 3D. The recoil-reducing benefits of the suppressor were immediately obvious, making both rifles every bit as controllable as the 5.56mm NATO P416. With the mid-May desert heat we faced, it was nice to not have to deal with hearing protection. We used Wolf supersonic ammo with all of the guns, and none of the noise was bothersome or uncomfortable.
Itâs refreshing to see a new product that started with a blank slate instead of another âme tooâ design. NG2 Defenseâs suppressor displays an enormous amount of innovation and ingenuity. It is strong, lightweight and quiet while being easy to clean and maintain. NG2 Defenseâs MAXFLO 3D suppressors are currently available for 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO weapons with a suggested retail price of $1,495. McGregor tells me that NG2 is also working on designs for pistols.
Good things always happen when Beretta and Wilson Combat get together. Their latest collaboration, the 92G Centurion Tactical pistol, might be their greatest achievement yet.
Author Mike Detty got his hands on the 92G Centurion Tactical at the recent Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Gateway, Colo.
âShooting at steel targets set out at 15 yards, I donât think I ever missed even as I tried to speed up,â Detty said. Confirmed, in the video above, he did not miss.
Keep your eyes peeled for a full review of the 92G Centurion Tactical in an upcoming issue of Combat Handguns magazine. Subscribe today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.
At the recent Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous, held in Gateway, Colo., I was introduced to a gun that I havenât stopped thinking about. Based on Berettaâs 92F the gun has a barrel which measures .75 inches shorter running on a full size frame. The result is a slick and fast-handling gun called the Beretta/Wilson Combat 92G Centurion Tactical Pistol.
The pistol is a joint collaboration between Beretta and Wilson Combat, where Wilson Combat will be the exclusive distributors for the 92G Centurion Tactical.
G Conversion Decocker
Speaking with Wilson Combatâs Guy Joubert at the Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous, I found out just what kind of work goes into the Centurion.
One of the more interesting and practical modifications is the G conversion decocker. Joubert explained that reloading the gun and racking the slide can sometimes inadvertently engage the slide mounted safety/decocker, leaving the shooter with a charged chamber but dead trigger.
The Wilson Combat G conversion replaces the safety/decocking lever with a spring-loaded lever. It pops back instantly to its up position after decocking the hammer. It does not push the trigger bar out of engagement, so the shooter will never be left with a dead trigger.
The conversion does not act as a safety, but itâs not a big deal as the gun is a double action semi-auto. In the event the shooter inadvertently hits the G conversion lever, it will only decock the hammer but the gun will fire the next shot double action.
The 92G Centurion Tactical Goods
Another worthwhile Wilson Combat part and modification is the mag guide, which attaches to the heel of the Centurionâs frame. The low-profile part aids dramatically in increasing speed reloads without dramatically increasing the gunâs footprint.
Wilson Combat smiths polish the engagement surfaces of the hammer and trigger once they arrive from Beretta. Wilson Combat action tune kits are also installed and all of the springs are replaced with silicon springs.
According to Joubert, the Centurionâs double-action trigger pull will run between 6.5 and 7 pounds. Meanwhile, the single-action pull is a crisp 3.5 pounds.
The 92G Centurion Tactical uses a Wilson Combat rear Battlesight. The front sight is an Ameriglo with a big dot Tritium dot surrounded by a florescent orange ring. The sight is designed for all-light use.
Range Performance
I found the 92G Centurion Tactical to be an amazingly slick gun to shoot. It has perfect balance and the front sight was easy to pick up on presentation.
Shooting at steel targets set out at 15 yards, I donât think I ever missed even as I tried to speed up. (Confirmed video footage: Mike did not miss a single shot â watch here.)
Also noticeable was the Wilson Combat slim line G10 grips, which made the Centurion feel not so âM9-ish.â
While the world is awash in 9mm service style semi-autos the Beretta Centurion, as modified by Wilson Combat, is an example of everything a fighting sidearm needs to be.
MSRP for the new pistol is $1,250.
Look for a full âwring-outâ of the 92G Centurion Tactical in Athlon Outdoorsâ Combat Handguns magazine. Subscribe today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.
For more information on the Beretta/Wilson Combat 92G Centurion Tactical, please visit WilsonCombat.com.
Nov. 8, 2016, was a huge victory for gun owners and the firearms industry. Our new president, strongly endorsed and supported by the NRA, has promised to protect the Second amendment from encroachment. National concealed-carry reciprocity and the Hearing Protection Act actually look like theyâll have a chance of passing Congress and we, the firearms community, can finally breathe a sigh of relief. We are not so embattled, and for the moment life is good. But there were other consequences as a result of the election, and I guess it depends on which seat you are sitting in as to whether they are good or bad.
After The Boom
The AR-15, or modern sporting rifle (MSR) as we have come to know it, has never been more popular. In recent years, many shops with CNC machinery have become manufacturers and some sold to even smaller shops with variances. A lot of these small manufacturers gambled on Hillary Clinton winning the presidential election and tapped out their lines of credit to build inventory in time for the post-election panic buying. With diminished post-Trump-victory demand and an oversupplied market, prices for ARs have never been cheaper. As a result, we can expect to see a number of these smaller manufacturers disappear.
But one company sure to weather the storm is Savage Arms. In January of 2017, Savage introduced its new line of MSRs. The line includes two rifles with .223 Wylde chamberings so they can fire both 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington cartridges reliably and accurately without pressure issues. The MSR 15 Patrol carbine is an enhanced civilian-legal version of the militaryâs M4 Carbine while the MSR 15 Recon possesses a BlackHawk AR Blaze trigger, a free-floating handguard and a collapsible BlackHawk buttstock and pistol grip. I received the latter for testing.
Family Resemblance
My initial examination of the carbine didnât reveal any surprises. If youâre expecting anything dramatically different than what weâve become accustom to in AR-15 rifles, you will be disappointed. But what I discovered is the Savage MSR 15 Recon is a well-built gun using some great components and assembled with a good degree of attention to detail. The Savage gun uses a direct gas impingement system just like the original AR-15. However, it uses a mid-length gas system, which reduces the port pressure, helps reduce wear by lowering the bolt carrier velocity and makes the gun softer on recoil. Savage calls the mid-length system appropriate for the 16.13-inch barrel length, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Savage uses a 1-in-8-inch-twist barrel on the MSR 15 Recon. Here we see a number of innovations that help set the rifle apart from competitors. The barrelâs 5R rifling has five lands and grooves arranged so there is no land or groove directly opposite (180 degrees) of each other, which might cause an uneven constriction on the projectile. The lands are slightly slanted and less likely to collect bullet jacket material, which should aid in accuracy and makes the barrel easier to clean. Savage claims the 5R rifling cradles the bullet just enough to impart spin without unnecessary constriction.
To protect the barrel, Savage gives it a surface hardening treatment called Melonite QPQ. Besides making the barrel harder, it also has a lower friction coefficient than chrome and should ensure a long life. As mentioned, the gun has a .223 Wylde chamber.
Savage goes the extra length and laser-engraves the rifleâs serial number on the bolt. I could see where this would be especially helpful when guns are involved in group cleaning sessions such as with a department or agency. The bolt carrierâs gas key is correctly staked and should provide a lifetime of trouble-free use.
Extra Touches
A 13.5-inch, free-floating M-LOK handguard is used on the Savage MSR 15 Recon. Itâs a rock-solid unit, and I like its small diameter. It covers the gunâs gas block to give the carbine clean and uncluttered lines and provides plenty of rail space on top for different sighting options. BlackHawkâs folding backup sights are also included.
Savage uses its own forgings to machine the upper and lower receivers. The stylized lines give the lower a decidedly âbilletâ look, though it is not. There are grooves on the front of the magazine well for those who like to shoot with their support hand in this location instead of on the handguard. There are also indexing cuts on the rear of the magazine well, bilaterally, to give shooters a place for their trigger fingers to rest when they are not on the trigger. The lower has an integral winter triggerguard.
One interesting feature of the Savage MSR lower receiver is that it is drilled and tapped for a setscrew that, when tightened, eliminates all of the play and movement between the upper and lower receivers. The tip of the screw bears against the bottom of the rear lug of the upper receiver for rigidity.
As mentioned, the Savage MSR 15 Recon is outfitted with a BlackHawk AR Blaze trigger, a single-stage unit designed for duty use. It features a full-mass hammer, and all of the components are given a boron treatment to eliminate the need for lubrication. My test sample had a smooth and crisp trigger pull, breaking at 5.25 pounds with a firm reset. This is a sensible trigger pull for those who will use this gun for tactical applications, but those interested in target work and 3-Gun competition will likely want to switch to a lighter pull.
The pistol grip used on the Savage MSR 15 Recon is also a BlackHawk part. Ergonomically, it is one of the best grips I have used. It has a âbottle taper,â meaning itâs slim at the top and fatter at its bottom, and itâs heavily textured. The Recon also uses a BlackHawk six-position collapsible stock. It features a wedge-shaped cheekweld and a 1-inch recoil pad. Though the recoil from .223/5.56mm rounds isnât punishing, the pad gives the stock extra length, and its tacky rubber composition prevents it from sliding off of a ballistic vest.
Range Workout
I tested the MSR 15 Reconâs accuracy at the range on a blustery Tucson winter day. Winds gusted to 15 mph, and I tried to time my shots during windless lulls. If I thought the wind affected a group, I reshot it. For optics, I used a Bushnell AR Optics 1-4x24mm scope with a 30mm tube. It has .223/5.56 BDC reticle for mid-range accuracy and target turrets. I mounted it in a Weaver Tactical SPR mount. This combo proved to be a perfect match for the Recon for short- to mid-range work. I didnât feel handicapped at all using the 4X scope to shoot groups at 100 yards.
The scopeâs clear and bright optics made it easy to hold the crosshairs on the little 2-inch Shoot-N-C targets. While the trigger was a little heavier and had a little more creep than I would prefer for target work, I was able to shoot some very nice groups. All of the groups were fired from a warm barrel with no effort made to allow it to cool. Savage doesnât claim the MSR 15 Recon to be a target gun, but it did produce sub-MOA groupsânot just once, but with three of the five different loads used!
Shooting the Recon on steel, I dialed the Bushnellâs magnification down and shot with both eyes open. I liked the long handguard and the ability to grip it far forward, with its slim diameter permitting me to hook my thumb over the top rail.
The Takeaway
Admittedly, I am many years removed from active 3-Gun competition, but the Savage MSR 15 Recon impressed me as a gun whose only limitation would be the shooter. The rifle worked and worked well, with absolutely no stoppages during the 300-round test. It possesses all the accuracy needed for competition, law enforcement or security work.
For those wanting to test the waters in 3-Gun competition, the Savage MSR 15 Recon makes a lot of sense. It provides a solid platform that can be added to as the competitorâs skill level increases. Savage Arms lists the MSRP of the Recon at $999 but, like most other gunsâespecially AR-style riflesâyouâll find the real-world price to be substantially less.
Savage MSR 15 Recon Specs
Caliber: .223 Wylde
Barrel: 16.13 inches
OA Length:Â 33.5-36.75 inches
Weight: 7 pounds (empty)
Stock:Â BlackHawk Axiom
Sights: BlackHawk flip-up
Action:Â Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish:Â Matte black
Capacity:Â 30+1
MSRP:Â $999
Â
Savage MSR 15 Recon Performance
Load
Velocity
Accuracy
Black Hills 77 TMK
2,750
1.18
Federal 64 Power-Shok
2,946
0.77
Federal 69 Gold Medal Match BTHP
2,802
0.71
Hornady 62 Black FMJ
3,060
1.15
Hornady 75 Match BTHP
2,790
0.85
*Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for three 5-shot groups at 100 yards.
Battle Rifle Company is a relative new player in the AR-15 market. The company opened its doors in 2011 with a mission to supply law enforcement agencies and other professionals with quality rifles built for hard use in the harshest environments. I recently received a sample of the companyâs BR4 Cutlass, which is designed for maritime use.
Battle Rifle Company started when Chris Kurzadkowskiâs son was a policeman and needed a rifle to go through SWAT school. Kurzadkowski told him to bring him a receiver, and he built a gun that performed so well that many of the other officers wanted him to build guns for them as well. Before long, his hobby had turned into a full-time business and Battle Rifle Company was born. Weapons werenât exactly new to Kurzadkowskiâheâd spent 20 years in the U.S. Army, enlisted and as an officer, serving in the infantry, mechanized infantry and air cavalry.
Waterproof AR
âWhen we built the BR4 Cutlass, we did it with the intention of using it in maritime operations. We put a test gun underwater in Galveston Bay. After 30 days, we pulled it out and knocked the barnacles off of it and ran 500 rounds through it without a problem,â said Chris Kurzadkowski.
Kurzadkowski went so far as working with a company to develop a thermally cured weapons coating impregnated with more Teflon for protection and to provide more lubricity. He calls the finish âBattle Rifle Deep Ocean Blue,â and it gives the carbine a sleek and satiny look and feel. Parts like the takedown pins, ejection port door, magazine release and forward assist are covered in Robarâs NP3 and present a striking contrast to the receivers and handguard.
The corrosion resistance and lubricity of the nickel-Teflon NP3 finish is well documented. Battle Rifle Company coats every moving part of the BR4 Cutlass, including the trigger group and M16-profile bolt carrier. One of the huge advantages of the NP3 finish is that it eliminates the need for lubrication, which can act as a sand magnet. Stainless steel pins and springs are also used to ensure corrosion resistance.
Battle Rifle Company also uses a 16-inch, chrome-lined barrel on the Cutlass. It is rifled with a 1-in-7-inch twist and possesses a 5.56mm NATO chamber so it can safely fire surplus ammo as well as .223 Remington ammunition without pressure or extraction problems. The company goes the extra mile to have its high-quality barrels cryogenically treated. When I asked Kurzadkowski about the benefits of this process, he remarked that Battle Rifle Company does it for four reasons: âIt reduces the harmonic whip, it aligns the molecules to give the barrel strength, it gives the barrel longevity and makes it easier to clean. It is proven to increase the accuracy and performance of barrels.â
Battle Rifle Company is so confident in its riflesâ accuracy that it offers an MOA guarantee. Kurzadkowski estimates that the treated barrels have a service life of approximately 50,000 rounds.
The BR4 Cutlass possesses a very distinctive muzzle device. Kurzadkowski calls it the Battle Rifle Disintegrator flash suppressor. âThe twist on the brake matches the rifling in the barrel, and thereâs a lip on the inside of the suppressor that creates a Venturi chamber and burns off all of the hot gases inside the brake. The end result is that you donât get anything burning out in front of the brake. It is 98 percent effective,â claims Kurzadkowski.
My BR4 Cutlass sample came with a mid-length gas system. The advantage to the mid-length system is that it reduces port pressure and helps reduce wear by lowering the bolt carrier velocity, making the gun a shoot softer. A low-profile gas block is used, and the free-floating handguard covers it to give the rifle uncluttered lines. Kurzadkowski says that this handguard was chosen for its rigidity, but he also said that he is developing a new and improved handguard that will be available later this year.
When the BR4 Cutlass arrived, I gave it a cursory examination, noting that the ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger (ACT) was tremendously smooth and broke at 4 pounds. It definitely was not a standard mil-spec trigger. It possesses a consistent and predictable pull, and this made shooting the gun from a bench a joy.
The BR4 Cutlass comes equipped with Magpul MBUS backup sights, but to see what the gun was really capable of, I mounted a 1-6x24mm Lucid L7 scope. This was my first opportunity to work with a Lucid optic, and I have to say that I was very impressed. The scope features an etched circle-dot P7 reticle, and itâs very clear and bright. It also has a parallax adjustment, locking turrets and an ocular focus. I used a Lucid high mount. The cantilever design is easy to use and possesses a quick-detach lever arrangement.
Trigger Time
I set out my target stand at 100 yards and used 2-inch-diameter Shoot-N-C pasters for groups. The L7âs center-dot aiming point is 1 MOA, and I held it dead center as I squeezed off shots. The L7 has adjustable illumination, glowing a soothing blue color when activated. Lucid calls it âLucid Blue,â and the best way I can describe it is as an electric blue color. This provided a nice contrast against the black Shoot-N-C targets. I fired three 5-shot groups with each test load. It was an easy matter to adjust the L7 for windage and elevation by simply lifting the turret, adding the adjustment and pushing it down to lock.
Three of the five loads I ran through the BR4 Cutlass produced sub-MOA groups, and the two that didnât were very close. Black Hillsâ 69-grain Open-Tip Match (OTM) load produced the best group of the day measuring just 0.8 inches from center to center. All of the groups were well rounded, and there was no indication of vertical stringing. No effort was made to allow the barrel to cool between groups, and the temperature was a stifling 111 degrees at the range.
For field shooting, I set up an MGM BC-C Zone steel target at 20 yards and practiced hammering it with the BR4 Cutlass. With the Lucid L7 dialed down to 1X, I used the scope as a reflex sight and shot with both eyes open. The circle-dot reticle made target acquisitions quick, and the crisp 4-pound trigger pull and positive reset helped with double-taps. My splits, or time between shots, averaged 0.19 seconds, which I found impressive.
There were no failures during my 250-round evaluation. The Cutlass performed flawlessly and exhibited admirable accuracy. Cleaning the carbine was also extremely easy thanks to the NP3-coated parts. The bolt carrier group didnât require any scrubbing; it was easily wiped clean with a solvent-dampened rag.
The Rockport, Texas, Police Department, 30 or so miles north of Corpus Christi and located right on the coast, is the first agency to test the BR4 Cutlass, splitting its guns between patrol and marine divisions. Kurzadkowski said, âFor the last year weâve been selling the Cutlass to various private entities. We have a bunch up and down the coast of Florida. I have individual officers in the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who are carrying our guns. Individual officers in Galveston County are using the BR4 Cutlass. I have one guy who owns one because he drives up and down the beach all day.â
While Battle Rifle Company specializes in building guns for law enforcement, this doesnât preclude individuals from owning one. Chris Kurzadkowski said, âWeâre really a boutique manufacturer, so we have the ability to build a rifle exactly the way you want it.â Have Battle Rifle Company ship a Cutlass to your local FFL. You wonât be disappointed.
Battle Rifle Company BR4 Cutlass Specs
Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
Barrel: 16 inches
OA Length:Â 33.75-37 inches
Weight: 6.8 pounds (empty)
Stock:Â Hogue collapsible
Sights: Magpul MBUS
Action:Â Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish:Â Deep Ocean blue
Capacity:Â 30+1
MSRP:Â $1,598
Â
Battle Rifle Company BR4 Cutlass Performance
Load
Velocity
Accuracy
Black Hills 69 OTM
3,040
0.80
Black Hills 77 TMK
2,865
0.89
Federal 62 Fusion JSP
3,045
1.20
Hornady 62 FMJ
3,124
0.97
Hornady 75 BTHP
2,702
1.05
*Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 100 yards.
Back in 2015, Primary Weapons Systems (PWS) launched a sister company called Bootleg that focuses on direct-impingement ARs and accessories. To help launch the new product line, PWS contacted Agency Arms.
When it came to building its own AR-15, Mike Parks, the co-owner of Agency Arms, said, âWe normally donât stray outside of our lane. Thereâs just too much of a learning curve. But working in collaboration with another company shortens that curve.â
Starting with a Bootleg forged receiver set, Agency Arms set about giving the rifle its own unique styling with dramatic lightening cuts. From there, the gun was outfitted with high-quality parts to produce what would become known as the Agency Arms Classified Rifle.
Built for Speed
Sporting a 14.5-inch, 1-in-8-inch-twist barrel with a pinned and welded Dead Air flash suppressor and Pyro brake to redirect and minimize flash and concussion, the Classified is a short, fast-handling carbine.
The barrel is covered with Bootlegâs 15-inch, free-floating PicMod handguard with a full-length Picatinny top rail and shorter rails along the sides and bottom that turn into KeyMod interfaces. I like this setup, and it provides rock-solid mounting for lights and other accessories.
One unique Bootleg part is the Classifiedâs bolt carrier group, which can be adjusted with two settings for suppressed and unsuppressed use. Adjustments are made through the ejection port with a flat-head screwdriver, so the bolt carrier group doesnât have to be removed first.
The gun also boasts ambidextrous controls, including the magazine release, bolt release, short-throw Radian Talon safety selector and Raptor charging handle. The lower also features a Magpul MOE SL collapsible stock and K2 pistol grip. Another neat feature of the Classified rifle is that its PWS castle nut ratchets with a locking detent, which makes staking the part unnecessary.
CQB Ready
We used the Classified at Gunsiteâs shoothouse and found the gun to be 100-percent reliable. Its short length made negotiating doorways, hatches and tight hallways bearable without reducing our effectiveness. Our gun had a very clean 3.75-pound trigger pull with an awesome reset. This made the gun devastatingly fast on the close-range targets inside the shoothouse.
Thereâs only one bad thing about the Agency Arms Classified Rifle: Only 300 of these guns were produced last year, and if you didnât get one, youâll have to find someone who is willing to part with their gun. Based on our experience with the Classified Rifle, that will be unlikely!
Eugene Stonerâs extensive knowledge of alloys made the modern battle rifle possible. The former WWII Marine knew that only key components of the rifle needed to be made from hardened steel. Parts like the barrel and bolt required tough steel that would hold up to the pressure of cartridges like the 7.62mm NATO. But other parts, like the receiver that held the magazine and trigger group, could be made of lightweight aluminum alloy.
Working for Armalite, then a branch of the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation, Stoner was privy to some of the most advanced alloy blends and machining techniques of the day. His AR-10 and subsequent AR-15 and M16 designs were met with derision and downright contempt from traditionalists who opined that the guns would never hold up. Close to 70 years later, we know those pundits were wrong and his designs, in different variations, have been in every scrap the U.S. has been involved in worldwide ever since. Itâs doubtful that anyone could foresee guns becoming any lighter when Stoner debuted his designs in the 1950s, but evolution never rests.
Plastic Fantastic
I suppose it was only natural that someone would try to make an AR-15 lower from plastic, and over the years there have been more than a few different companies who have tried to injection-mold AR-15 lowers from polymer. Most have been failures, however, and you can see such defective lowers failing badly on the internet. Offhand, I can specifically name four companies who have tried and failed miserably. Sadly, some of them are still pumping out receivers for unsuspecting customers. There is an exception, though.
Kaiser Shooting Products (KSP) manufactures upper and lower receivers from a proprietary blend of composites that are reinforced in critical areas and specifically engineered to withstand hard use in the real world. Mike Bietsch, a man who knows guns and, more importantly, tool-making, injection molding and compound-blended polymers, is the owner and founder of KSP.
Origins
Mike Bietsch has always been a gun guy, but not always a gun manufacturer. He started in Chicago as a journeyman mold-maker and also put himself through school to become a tooling engineer. Along the way, he worked for Motorola, building injection molds for the cell phone division and then spent some time as a K9 officer and trainer in Florida for a large law enforcement agency. But an opportunity in southern Arizona lured him away.
Besides meeting and marrying his wife, Veronica, who now runs the administrative end of KSP, Bietsch was hired by a meter company. He was tasked with designing injection molds for plastic casings used for water meters. Once that was accomplished, he was instructed to build a fixture to test the casingsâ strength by blowing them up with water pressure. The casingsâ ability to withstand incredible pressures inspired Bietsch to think about building AR receivers. His first step was to study what was already on the market and discover why they were failing.
The Kaiser Difference
Early manufacturers of polymer receivers made some serious errors. The first ones were made to standard aluminum receiver dimensions; unfortunately, the polymer that was used did not have the same structural integrity as the aluminum alloy. Itâs not unusual to see failures at both the barrel nut and receiver ring areas of these polymer receivers.
Bietsch spent two years developing a design with Solidworks software before actually cutting a mold. Aluminum inserts are used to reinforce critical areas. These inserts are machined and then tumbled to remove the sharp edges before being sent off to the anodizer. The inserts are then overmolded, a process that involves molding the polymer around the part, locking it forever in the receiver. Vital areas like the receiver ring, barrel nut, and hammer and trigger pin locations are all reinforced. The resulting upper receiver does not possess a forward assist, but it does have a special polymer dust cover.
Bietschâs blend of polymers is proprietary, and he claims it is stronger than most major manufacturersâ polymer pistol frames. He used a team of polymer compounders to develop an ultra-strong formula utilizing short and long fibers. The upper and lower weigh just 10 ounces together, compared to 16 ounces for traditional aluminum receivers. Thatâs a whopping 37-percent reduction in weight.
Meet The Monarch
At first, KSP just marketed receiver sets, but now the company is building complete guns. I recently received a sample X-7 Monarch rifle for testing. Weighing just 4.88 pounds unloaded, it is a gun so light that it has attracted the attention of numerous federal agencies and military units. Designed to run dry, or without lubrication, the Monarch is perfect for hostile environments, like the desert Southwest and also coastal areas where humidity and salt water can turn a finely tuned weapon into a pile of rust.
To keep the guns as light as possible, Bietsch machines his own titanium bolt carriers. Weighing 30-percent less than a traditional bolt carrier, Bietsch then has the part coated with a DLC-like finish, which increases the surface hardness and adds a degree of lubricity. Bietsch also plates the bolt and gas key with Robarâs NP3 finish for ease of cleaning, corrosion resistance and lubricious characteristics.
Barrel
KSP also outfits the Monarch with a 16-inch Faxon Gunner barrel. It features a traditional government profile up to the gas block and then a pencil profile forward of that. This keeps the barrel from producing a thermal shift that skinny barrels are sometimes known for yet gives the gun great handling characteristics. Faxon button rifles the barrel with a 1-in-8-inch twist rate and uses the QPQ process to finish the 4150 chrome-moly-vanadium steel. The barrel also has a 5.56mm NATO chamber so it can readily shoot surplus ammo as well as any .223 Remington loads without pressure or extraction issues. Over the years, Iâve fired a number of guns with Faxon barrels, and every one of them has been a shooter.
The Monarch utilizes a mid-length gas system that reduces port pressure and helps reduce wear by lowering the bolt carrierâs velocity, which generally makes the gun shoot softer. A 15-inch, free-floating, aluminum handguard covers the barrel and gas system and gives the rifle clean, uncluttered lines. It has M-LOK slots for attaching lights, lasers and other accessories, and the top rail gives shooters plenty of space for optics and night vision. I like this handguard because of its slim dimensions; it also allows me to easily throw my thumb over the top for a âC-clampâ hold.
Trigger
My test sample had a standard AR trigger in it. Of course, thereâs no reason it couldnât be retrofitted with a match trigger of some sort; the KSP lower uses the same exact pinhole locations as any other AR lower. My rifleâs trigger broke at just over 6 pounds with the creep that usually accompanies standard triggers. Despite the less-than-ideal trigger pull, it really didnât affect my ability to fire the gun accurately.
Live-Fire Testing
To test the Monarchâs accuracy, I used a Trijicon 1-4x24mm AccuPoint scope set up in an American Defense mount and fired all of my groups from a stable shooting bench using a rifle rest for support. I also brought along a variety of premium ammunition in different bullet weights to see if the 1-in-8-inch-twist barrel had a preference.
Three of the five test loads produced sub-MOA groups, with the single best group coming from Federalâs 69-grain Gold Medal Match BTHPs. The Monarch just wants to shoot! Iâd also be curious to see just how much I could shave from the group sizes by using a more powerful optic and installing a match trigger. Thatâs a project for another day.
For field shooting, I mounted a Trijicon 1.5x16S Compact ACOG on the Monarchâs receiver rail. This little sight features a 2-MOA dot reticle with a ring around it. It weighs just over 5 ounces, and its circle-dot aiming point is illuminated by a fiber-optic light collector during daylight and tritium in the dark. I set up my MGM BC-C Zone target at 25 yards and practiced hammering it with two shots. My average time between shots was 0.17 seconds This is about as good as I have ever gotten with any AR-15, much less a 4.88-pound rifle. Youâd think that weight savings would be offset by a lack of control, but that wasnât the case here.
I havenât shot a 3-Gun match since I had my ankles replaced; if I could, I wouldnât hesitate to use the Monarch. In fact, Bietsch tells me that there are several highly ranked competitors using KSP receivers as the basis for their competition rifles.
Itâs no wonder that the Kaiser Monarch is getting so much attention from military and law enforcement agencies. Itâs extremely lightweight, accurate and also has the ability to operate flawlessly in the harshest conditions. KSP also sells complete rifles like the Monarch with a number of different options. Thereâs even a very short and handy pistol version available; for those who like to build their own, upper and lower receiver sets are also available.
When I interviewed Mike Bietsch, I asked him if there was anything new on the horizon. Heâs currently working on a new collapsing buttstock design that is easy to deploy and extend when exiting from a vehicle. It has a triangular cheekweld design that is extremely ergonomic and a single-point sling attachment socket molded into it. After looking at his prototype, I can predict, without a doubt, that it will be tremendously popular with operators and wannabes.
But the really exciting news is that Bietsch is currently working on a design for a .308 rifle with polymer receivers. If itâs anything like the Monarch, it will redefine just how light a service rifle can be. Like I said, evolution never rests!
Kaiser X-7 Monarch Specs
Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
Barrel: 16 inches
OA Length:31-34.25 inches
Weight: 4.88 pounds (empty)
Stock:MFT Battlelink Minimalist
Sights: None
Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
Finish: Matte black
Capacity: 30+1
MSRP:Â $1,795
Kaiser X-7 Monarch Performance
Load
Velocity
Accuracy
Black Hills 69 SMK
2,712
0.89
Black Hills 77 SMK
2,750
1.05
Federal 69 Gold Medal Match BTHP
2,802
0.81
Hornady 62 Black FMJ
3,060
1.11
Hornady 75 Black BTHP
2,790
0.95
*Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 100 yards.
Fifteen years ago, no one would seriously consider a semi-auto rifle for precision use. Weâd spend thousands of dollars trying to get our bolt guns to break the MOA gold standard. It took a lot of effortâblueprinting the action, glass bedding, high-dollar barrels, adjustable triggers, load development.
But somewhere along the way, we discovered that AR-platform rifles could easily shoot groups under an inch wide without quite so much effort. Softer recoil, quicker follow-up shots and longer service life are some of the other advantages of the AR,or modern sporting rifle (MSR).
Enter Savage Arms
In 2017, Savage Arms began producing its own ARs.
I tested the companyâs MSR 15 Recon rifle in 5.56mm NATO and found it to be extremely well built and constructed with the finest materials. The gun was well thought out and assembled with an unusual degree of expertise.
Several months after the MSR 15 series was introduced, Savage began rolling out big-bore MSR 10s, and I recently got my hands on the Savage MSR 10 Long Range in .308 Winchester/ 7.62mm NATO for testing.
Earning Its Name
Designed for precision shooting, the MSR 10 Long Range comes with free-floating, 20-inch barrel, an adjustable gas system and a match-grade, two-stage trigger. The rifle also features a non-reciprocating side charging handle, a Magpul PRS GEN3 adjustable stock and a very effective two-port muzzle brake.
Savage engineers started with a fresh page when they designed the MSR 10. Consider the gas system, for example. The MSR 10 is a direct-impingement gun, but Savage outfits the rifle with a gas tube that measures more than 2 inches longer than a standard rifle-length gas tube. This helps decrease pressure. The action canât cycle until the projectile passes the barrelâs gas port, and the tubeâs longer length provides more volume.
Less chamber pressure means easier extraction of spent cases as well as a weapon that lasts longer. Shooters can also fine-tune the rifle for specific loads by using the adjustable gas block. A properly gassed gun will run longer, softer and better while reducing wear on the gun.
For maximum reliability, Savage designed the bolt to use two spring-loaded, plunger-style ejectors along with a more conventional extractor. The gas key is actually machined into the bolt carrier so you donât have to worry about it being properly staked. While the bolt has a QPQ finish like the barrel and is serialized to the gun, the bolt carrier body is nickel-boron plated, which adds a degree of lubricity and makes it extremely easy to clean. Also, unlike the AR-15s, the MSR 10 does use a spring-loaded firing pin.
âCompactâ
Savage bills the MSR 10 as having a âcompactâ design, and the upper receiver is shorter by 0.7 inches. The bolt carrier is also shortened and 17-percent lighter. Of course, less reciprocating mass translates to less recoil, and Savage also installs a lighter buffer that, again, helps minimize felt recoil and reduce overall weight.
The 20-inch barrel has 5R rifling, which means it has five lands and grooves that are arranged so they arenât directly opposite each other, preventing uneven constriction on the projectile. The lands are slightly slanted and less likely to collect bullet jacket material, which should boost accuracy while making the barrel easier to clean. The barrel also has a 1-in-10-inch twist rate and a very effective two-port muzzle brake. I didnât notice it too much when shooting from a benchrest, but off-hand, I actually found that it was so effective it pushed the muzzle downward.
To protect the barrel from corrosion, Savage treats its interior and exterior with Melonite QPQ. Besides making the barrel harder, it also has a lower friction coefficient than chrome. There are also six heavy flutes on the exterior of the barrel, under the handguard. These flutes help reduce weight without losing an ounce of rigidity.
Surrounding the barrel and gas system is an aluminum handguard with a full-length Picatinny rail on top with an access port machined for the gas block about an inch and a half from its forward edge. Youâll also notice M-LOK slots along the sides and bottom for attaching lights, lasers, bipods, etc. The upper and handguard are mated with four screws.
Receivers
The upper and lower receivers are custom forged. Their stylized lines give the lower a decidedly âbilletâ look, though it is not. There are grooves on the front of the magazine well for those who like to shoot with their support hand in this location instead of on the handguard. There are also indexing cuts at the rear of the mag well to give shooters a place to index their trigger fingers when not firing, and the lower has an integral, enlarged triggerguard.
One interesting feature of the lower receiver is that Savage has drilled and tapped it for a setscrew that, when tightened, eliminates all of the play between the upper and lower receivers. The tip of the screw bears against the bottom of the rear lug of the upper receiver. The pistol grip must be removed to adjust this screw, but, when properly adjusted, it gives the rifle a decidedly solid feel.
Finally, a precision rifle is only as good as its trigger, and Savage uses a BlackHawk two-stage trigger on the MSR 10 Long Range. The hammer and trigger are nickel-boron treated, increasing the partsâ hardness and making them incredibly slick. My test sampleâs trigger broke consistently at 2.5 pounds and had a very firm reset. The trigger isnât adjustable, though, frankly, Iâm not sure there is anything I would change.
Zeroing In
For testing, Bushnell provided me with a 3.5-21x50mm Elite Tactical DMR II-i scope. This optic is capable of providing long-range precision without sacrificing short-range capabilities. The scopeâs illumination control is integrated with the side parallax focus in one simple knob for easy adjustability. Bushnellâs ThrowHammer lever also makes magnification changes quick and easy. Weighing in at over 2 pounds, the DMR II-i is no lightweight, but I found this first-focal-plane scope easy to adjust and get on target, and its clear and bright optics made shooting from the bench downright easy.
Most of my shooting locations were shut down here in southeastern Arizona in early June due to fire hazards, so I took the MSR 10 to a public range in Mammoth with a solid backstop, an awning over the shooting positions and concrete benches. I set my Shoot-N-C targets out at 100 yards, and it became immediately clear that my biggest challenge would be keeping sweat out of my eyes long enough to squeeze off a shot as the temperature was about 104 degrees.
Testing the Savage MSR 10 Long Range
One of the things I noted was that the MSR 10 produced nice round groups that didnât show any evidence of horizontal or vertical stringing. I didnât let the barrel cool between shots, so it got very hot, yet my groups remained constant. I fired several groups with five different test loads, with the best results shown in the accompanying table (below).
When I fired my first group with Federalâs 175-grain Gold Medal Match BTHPs, I noticed that I could fire one shot before getting a click when attempting the second shot. The rifleâs bolt was short-stroking and not coming back far enough to strip the next round out of the magazine. By turning the adjustment screw on the gas block counterclockwise, I was able to get the MSR 10 to cycle perfectly with the Federal rounds. These rounds also produced a tight five-shot group measuring just 0.89 inches. But the 168-grain Federal rounds printed my tightest group of 0.87 inches. In the end, the Savage proved that it was capable of producing sub-MOA groups with all five of the loads I tested.
One of the most impressive features of the MSR 10 Long Range is just how light it is on recoil. The gun is incredibly easy on the shoulder, and the felt recoil wasnât what Iâm used to with AR-10-style rifles. The MSR 10âs innovative gas system, compact bolt and muzzle brake make a great deal of difference. The light and crisp trigger, with its firm reset, also makes it easy to get back on target quickly for fast follow-up shots.
Final Thoughts
While Savage Arms might be a latecomer to the modern sporting rifle party, its MSR 10 Long Range displays some brilliant and innovative engineering that sets the company apart from all the other âme-tooâ manufacturers. This rifle is accurate and easily adaptable to different types of ammunition and missions. If youâre looking for a long-range precision rifle, make sure you check it out.
*Bullet weight measured in grains; velocity in fps by chronograph; and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 100 yards.*
This article is from the November/December 2018 issue of Tactical Life magazine. Grab your copy at OutdoorGroupStore.com. For digital subscriptions, please visit our Amazon store.
RISE Armament is a name you should get used to hearing. RISEâs 300LE rifle made a lot of waves in 2018. The RISE Armament 1121XR should be no different.
In early October, the 2018Â 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 Athlonâs 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
âIt is pretty much identical to the .308 version except for the barrel,â Grover said. âWe 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.
âThe slim and ergonomically designed free-floating aluminum handguard provides exceptional weight savings and cooling properties while remaining strong and durable,â Grover continued. âWe outfit the 1121XR with our hugely popular RA535 High Performance trigger. The 535 was kind of Rise Armamentâs 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.â
Triggers That RISE to the Occasion
Camille Torres, RISE Armamentâs 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 wonât reach its potential unless it has a great trigger. Iâll 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!
âWe stand behind every rifle we build, and if youâre 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,â Grover explained. âEven if you sell your gun to a buddy and heâs unhappy with it, weâll 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.â
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 Groverâs 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.
It was amazing just how good the trigger on this gun is. Crisp, with no over-travel 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.
The RISE Armament 1121XR rifle impressed across the board. 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.
As I drove under the raven gate at Gunsite Academy, I thought to myself, âThese are the kind of events that make being a gun writer worthwhile.â An invitation passed from Ruger to one of my editors ended up in my lap, and I jumped at the chance to go.
âWeâve introduced at least 40 new products a year for the last few years,â said Paul Pluff, Rugerâs public relations manager. âRuger does new product launches differently from most manufacturers. We try to have between two and 10,000 of the new products ready to ship to distributors before we make the announcement.â
Ruger Security-9
First up was the new Security-9 pistol. Many years ago, Ruger introduced the Security-Six revolverâa nearly indestructible .357 Magnum that was priced significantly below comparable Colt and S&W products. The gun was popular with private security companies who needed a workhorse revolver at an economical price.
Brandon Trevino, Rugerâs product manager, said, âThe Security-9 is not meant to be a subcompact. We designed it to approximate the Glock 19âs dimensions and made it a mid-sized gun. Itâs big enough to shoot wellâwithout compromiseâand small enough to carry without being burdensome.â
The Security-9 is, of course, named for its 9mm chambering, and it uses double-stack 15-round magazines. Two come with the gun, which also has a 4-inch barrel and a polymer frame.
Ruger spent a great deal of effort to make the Security-9âs frame as ergonomic as possible. It has a very comfortable grip angle and excellent texturing for a secure hold. It also boasts an accessory rail for lights and lasers and has a one-piece, full-length hardcoat anodized aluminum chassis to keep all of the fire control components in proper orientation.
Trevino said, âMore than 1.6 million Ruger LCPs have been sold, and the one constant criticism we heard was that the trigger could be better. So, we leveraged the knowledge gained from the LCP to design the Security-9âs trigger.â
Security-9 Features
Despite the size approximation to the Glock 19, the Security-9 is not a striker-fired gun. Its mechanics are very similar to that of the LCP, and it uses a pre-cocked hammer with a lot more engagement on the sear. The result is a very serviceable, crisp trigger pull with a positive reset. It almost feels like a single action. The Security-9 also possesses a manual thumb safety located in the familiar 1911 position. Gunsiteâs instructors left it up to us as to whether we wanted to use the safety or just run the guns like Glocks.
Using supplied Blade-Tech holsters, we adjourned to the range, where we were introduced to Jeff Cooperâs step-by-step drawstroke from the holster. From there, we practiced controlled pairs followed by failure-to-stop drills. Hornady supplied us with plenty of its 115-grain Critical Defense FTX rounds, and the Security-9s ran flawlessly. The gun was comfortable to shoot and pointed naturally, and everyone seemed to like the trigger.
After lunch, we returned to the range to find that Jeff Hoskinson of MGM Targets had set up new Steel Challenge Plate Racks. We ran a number of exercises with the MGM steel and even had a man-on-man shoot-off before moving over to Gunsiteâs âUrban Scrambler,â a field course designed to test a shooterâs ability to use cover while firing from unconventional positions, reloading where necessary and moving as rapidly as possible between targets. Trevino and Pluff then set up a USPSA-style course afterwards, and we each took turns running the high-round-count stage with yours truly coming in first place! The first day was long, and we each put at least 300 rounds through Security-9s without any major problems.
The next day we were introduced to Frank Saunders, the principal design engineer of Rugerâs new Pistol-Caliber (PC) Carbine. This is a completely new semi-auto chambered for the 9mm. It has a takedown design similar to the Ruger 10/22 Takedownâs and has a rigid synthetic stock that comes with spacers so you can adjust the length of pull from 12.38 to 14.13 inches. With the magazine removed and the bolt locked back, depressing the takedown release and twisting the forend a quarter-turn clockwise allows you to separate the barrel/forend from the receiver. Itâs quick and easy, and reassembly is just as simple.
A big selling point of the new PC Carbine is that it can use either Ruger SR9 or Security-9 magazines. By changing out the magazine well module with the included Glock mag well, the PC Carbine can take 9mm Glock magazines. Since we were already using the Security-9s, we continued to use these magazines in the PC Carbine. The carbine currently ships with one 17-round SR9 magazine.
The new carbine is blowback operated and uses what Ruger calls a âdead blowâ action. A tungsten weight, nearly as heavy as the bolt itself, floats freely in the bolt assembly, essentially reducing the length of the bolt stroke and greatly reducing felt recoil and muzzle lift. The boltâs charging handle can be changed to the left side if desired, and the magazine release is also reversible, making the PC Carbine southpaw friendly.
Ruger machines the receiver from 7075-T6 aluminum, and it has a Picatinny rail on top for optics. Also, the fluted, 16.12-inch barrel comes with 1/2Ă28-tpi muzzle threading for those who want to suppress their PC Carbines.
Shooting the PC Carbine
We spent our first range session sighting in the carbines at 50 yards. The rear sight is a ghost ring that can be adjusted for windage and elevation by loosening setscrews. I didnât think Iâd like this system at first but found it to be relatively fast and very accurate. From the prone position, my groups with Hornadyâs 115-grain Critical Defense rounds were tighter than 1.5 inches.
Like the pistol, we used the carbine in a number of different range scenarios and courses. We shot MGM steel targets and ran the Scrambler course of fire. Then we ended our day with an informal competition among the shooters that involved a great deal of ammunition and more steel targets. In the end, I think itâs safe to say that most of us put at least 500 rounds through our carbines that day. I donât recall any of us having a stoppage or problem of any sort, even after coating the guns with a dusting of Gunsite grit while firing the guns from prone.
Ruger Precision Rimfire
I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on Rugerâs last product at the event, the Precision Rimfire. Also, it is similar to the super-accurate-yet-budget-priced Precision Rifle. Itâs designed to give competitors the same feel as their centerfire competition guns.
With the Precision Rimfire, you can adjust the bolt throw; it can be shortâjust long enough to eject an empty casing and chamber a new oneâor the same 3-inch bolt travel as its centerfire counterpart. The bolt handle itself has a big knob just like the centerfire modelâs. Ruger uses a free-floating M-LOK handguard, and the hammer-forged, 18-inch barrel sports a match chamber and muzzle threading. And, realizing that competitors may want to upgrade their barrel at some point, Ruger engineers designed the barrel to be replaceable. The receiver also features a 30-MOA top rail, and the chassis is molded from rigid glass-filled nylon.
The buttstock is adjustable for both length of pull and comb height. As for controls, Ruger uses the same safety selector and trigger used on the centerfire Precision Rifle. Thereâs even a spot in the stock that holds an Allen wrench to adjust the trigger. Finally, the Ruger Precision Rimfire uses 10/22 magazines and comes with one 15-round BX-15 magazine.
Shawn Skipper from Leupold was there, and each of our sample rifles wore a serious piece of glass. Mine had a Leupold 4-12x40mm VX-Freedom scope, and B&T Industries supplied Atlas bipods. We zeroed our rifles at 100 yards using subsonic 40-grain Eley ammo that clocked in at 1,080 fps from the Precision Rimfireâs 18-inch barrel.
Shooting the Precision Rimfire
Our test rifles also sported Ruger Silent-SR suppressors, allowing us to shoot without any hearing protection. After zeroing in, most of my groups were around an inch wide despite the wind. Under better conditions and shooting from a bench, I think Precision Rimfire would be closer to a 0.5-MOA rifle.
Hoskinson set up numerous steel targets along the Urban Scrambler at ranges under 100 yards; they were all easy to hit. The hardest part was getting into position and obtaining a solid rest with the rifle. One difficult setup involved shooting a pendulum-style target from a simulated pitched rooftop at about 80 yards. The target array consisted of four rimfire targets ranging from 4 inches in diameter all the way down to an inch. Of course, the smallest target was the most difficult to hit, but I managed to do so on my first shot.
Thereâs nothing more fun than shooting a .22, but itâs even better when you use a super-accurate rifle like the Ruger Precision Rimfire. Whether itâs used strictly for competition or just to keep your skills sharp on a shortened range, this new Ruger should prove just as popular as its centerfire counterpart.
Itâs hard to keep up with Ruger and all of its new products. Launching something new approximately every 10 days makes it likely that youâll find something that suits your taste in firearms.
Sig Sauer introduced its MPX submachine gun in 2013 with hopes of capturing some of the law enforcement market that had been long held by the Heckler & Koch MP5. The select-fire gun uses a short-stroke gas piston system and a rotating bolt for increased accuracy and reduced felt recoil. It also possesses completely ambidextrous controls. In 2015, several semi-auto variations were made available to the civilian market with one of the more interesting, at least to me, being the MPX-K PSB.
Classified by the BATFE as a handgun, the MPX-K PSB has a 4.5-inch barrel, a free-floating KeyMod handguard and a collapsible arm brace. It is a compact personal-defense weapon (PDW) capable of being concealed in just about any briefcase or messenger bag yet easily deployed to provide fast and accurate hits.
Despite its small footprint, the MPX-K PSB is not a lightweight by any means. Though the upper and lower receivers are made from aluminum, the gun still weighs in at 6.2 pounds yet balances nicely between the hands. With a loaded 30-round magazine locked in place, the gunâs weight is a solid 7 pounds. Its overall length with the stock collapsed is just 17.5 inches and only 22.5 inches with it fully extended.
Hands On
The MPX family of guns all fire from a closed bolt. Whereas most of the 9mm ARs on the market are blowback in operation, Sig engineers designed the MPX with a short-stroke gas piston to impart enough energy on the gunâs carriage system to unlock the bolt, extract the fired casing and eject it. As the bolt moves rearward, it compresses dual recoil springs that then push the bolt forward, stripping a new cartridge from the magazine and chambering it. The piston system theoretically makes the gun more reliable with a broader selection of ammunition compared to blowback-style guns, and itâs also a better choice for work with a suppressor.
Without the AR-style buffer tube, the MPX-K PSB is a very compact weapon. The telescoping arm brace can be expanded by simply pushing a spring-loaded button and pulling it rearward. It has three positions: all the way closed, midway between closed and fully opened, and all the way open. Locked in its fully open position, the brace provides the user with a length of pull just over 12 inches, and I found it very comfortable to use while shooting.
ATF Compliant
Sig introduced the SB15 Pistol Stabilizing Brace back in 2013, and offered what had previously been classified as short-barreled rifles (SBRs) with these rubber braces. Designed to help wounded warriors and other shooters with physical limitations fire the pistols with one hand, the BATFE initially issued a letter saying that it was okay to place the arm brace against the shoulder when firing. Shooters immediately discovered that this legal loophole allowed them to enjoy all the benefits of a SBR without doing reams of paperwork and paying $200 for a tax stamp.
The popularity of stabilizing braces skyrocketed until the BATFE reversed itself and said that placing such a brace against oneâs shoulder constitutes a redesign of the weapon, in this case a handgun, making it an illegal SBR. The BATFE did not prohibit the ownership or attachment of a braceâjust using it like a shoulder stock. But, in a surprise move, the BATFE reversed itself yet again in April of 2017 and said that shouldering a handgun outfitted with an arm brace did not constitute a redesign of the pistol and can be legally shouldered and fired. Sig includes a copy of the BATFE letter with each MPX-K PSB.
MPX-K PSB Controls & Features
The safety is located in the AR-15/M16 position, and the gun has the same grip angle, making its use very familiar to anyone who has trained with the 5.56 platform. Additionally, the safety, magazine release and bolt release are all ambidextrous and can be operated from either side of the weapon. Also, I found the right-side bolt release to be perfectly positioned for activation with my right-hand trigger finger, and it didnât require much pressure to drop the bolt. Sig also ships the MPX-K PSB with one 30-round, translucent polymer magazine with reinforced feed lips.
For targeting, Sig sent me a ROMEO3 miniature reflex sight. The provided graphite high mount positioned the sight perfectly on the gunâs top rail. I like it a lot! Itâs fast and easy to pick up, and the dotâs intensity can also be adjusted for any lighting situation. Its relatively small 3-MOA dot allows for precision yet is still extremely fast for the eye to acquire. One interesting feature of the ROMEO3 is that is has a motion-activated illumination system that powers up when it senses motion and powers down when the gun isnât being handled. The housing utilizes machined aluminum, and it is also waterproof. It uses a QD mount that made it easy for me to find the perfect position for it on the MPX-K PSBâs top rail, and the whole unit weighs just 4.4 ounces.
Range Time
I started by testing the MPX-K PSB by shooting groups at 25 yards, but they were so unbelievably small that I moved my target out to 50 yards. For these longer shots I mounted a Trijicon 1-4x24mm AccuPoint scope and dialed up the magnification so I could get an indication of the pistolâs true mechanical accuracy.
I fired all of the groups from my DOA Tactical portable shooting bench and used a rifle rest for support. Unfortunately, the length of the 30-round magazine made it impossible to use the rest with it locked in place. So, I loaded and chambered each round from the magazine, removed it and fired a single shot. The groups ran from just over 1 inch to 1.5 inches, with the average of all loads being just 1.25 inches! Remember, this is a handgun with a 4.5-inch barrel, so this kind of accuracy is pretty incredible.
The trigger pull on my test gun was a crisp 5.5 pounds. It was consistent and predictable, and I had no problem at all shooting tight groups. It also had a very firm reset, and that was a big help in shooting the gun rapidly.
I set up my MGM BC-C Zone steel target at 15 yards and used a PACT electronic timer to measure my splits, or time between shots, firing double-taps. Using Sigâs 124-grain FMJ rounds, I found that I could place both hits on target in less than 0.16 seconds. Shooting with both eyes open and the ROMEO3 dot set so I could easily find it even in the bright sunlight, it was an easy matter to double-tap the steel at this distance, without failure, even when pushing for speed. The Sig is so controllable that the little 3-MOA dot never moved off target.
Flawless Fighter
I fired over 300 rounds during my evaluation and didnât have a single failure of any kind. I used +P ammo and bullet weights from 77 grains up to 150 grains, and the MPX-K PSB chewed them up and spit them out. Also, even the cheap 115- grain FMJ range fodder ran fine in the handgun!
The Sig MPX-K PSB is an impressive pistol! Its short-stroke gas system and rotating bolt make it controllable, light on recoil and extremely accurate. Its ability to place a large number of rounds on target in a rapid manner is impressive. Moreover, in the right hands, this is a devastating weapon, and its small size makes the MPX-K PSB an easily concealable PDW.
The popularity of the pistol-caliber carbine has grown exponentially over the last few years. More and more folks are seeing the value of a fast-handling carbine set up to fire a light-recoil cartridge. Whether it is used as a truck gun, varmint rifle or home-defense weapon, the ability to place shots quickly and accurately makes the pistol-caliber carbine a valued addition to most folksâ gun collections.
Naturally most people think of an AR-platform gun when they hear the term âpistol-caliber carbine,â and there are many fine guns set up to run with Glock magazines and chambered in 9mm. Their speed and accuracy make them perfect for competition and all-around use. But these ARs are not legal everywhere, and the 9mm chambering may be a bit anemic for some folksâ taste. And thatâs where the Henry Big Boy All-Weather comes in. The lever action is legal for hunting nearly everywhere, and the multitude of loads for the .45 Colt presents nearly double the energy of the 9mm, making it ideal for game up to deer size. Combined with a new handguard from Midwest Industries, which allows for the attachment of a tactical light and laser, the Henry Big Boy also makes a fine choice for a home-defense weapon.
Big Boy Details
Introduced in 2003, the Henry Big Boy is available in .45 Colt, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. The .357 will also fire .38 Special, and the .44 Magnum will fire .44 Special, so the gun is very versatile when it comes to load selection. This versatility also makes the Henry Big Boy All-Weather a great training rifle for youngsters and recoil-sensitive adults.
While many of the lever-action guns on the market are the descendants of rifles designed over 100 years ago, the Big Boy features all-new engineering and coil spring construction. The Henry rifle is the strongest design that I have seen, with its solid top receiver and no cuts for a loading port. Rounds are loaded through the keyhole on the bottom of the magazine tube. Our test rifle, chambered in .45 Colt, holds 10 rounds of ammunition. Henry drills and taps the receiver top of the Big Boy All-Weather, and both a scope base and Picatinny rail are available for this model. I selected the Picatinny mount because it was perfect for attaching the scope that I planned to use, and later a red-dot reflex sight.
Henry Big Boy All Weather
Henry Repeating Arms introduced the Big Boy All-Weather in 2017 after seeing the tremendous success of their .30-30 and .45-70 rifles with the All-Weather treatment. Though the original Henry Big Boy features a brass receiver, the All-Weather gun uses a steel receiver, and both it and the barrel are plated with an industrial hard chrome to provide plenty of corrosion resistance, giving this rifle the ability to stand up to the elements or long periods of inattention while it sits in a truck. Internals between the Big Boy with its brass frame and the All-Weather model are identical, though the brass-framed guns normally weigh about a pound more because they use heavier octagonal barrels.
The All-Weather rifle uses a rubber recoil pad, while the original Big Boy sports a brass buttplate. Henry outfits the All-Weather model with an American walnut stock thatâs given a tough polyurethane finish. The buttstock features an adult-size 14-inch length of pull and has already been fitted with a sling swivel mount, while the forend has a steel cap with an integral sling mount.
Henry Upgrades
To set up the gun for home-defense use, I decided to add a Midwest Industries M-LOK handguard. Long known for their AR and AK handguards, Midwest Industries has begun making aluminum forends for various Henry lever guns, as well as some of the Marlin lever guns. Weighing just 5.5 ounces, the 6061 aluminum handguard is 11 inches long and offers plenty of M-LOK slots to attach whatever youâd like to your rifle. Built for hard use, the rifle features hardcoat anodizing and sports a sling swivel mount for use with a hunting rifle.
When I first received the Midwest handguard, I thought it would be a simple matter to remove the forend and replace it with the handguard. I was wrong! Replacing the forend with the Midwest handguard requires a nearly complete takedown of the rifle, which demands tools and skills that I do not possess. I even watched one YouTube video by a well-known vlogger who had attempted to do the install himself and had creased his magazine tube. Since the gun didnât belong to me and I didnât want to take a chance on damaging the Henry rifle, I set my ego aside and contacted my friend Mario Ramos at Old Pueblo Gunsmith Services.
âSmithing the Big Boy
Located in my hometown of Tucson, Mario is a graduate of the Colorado School of Trades gunsmithing program. While attending school he was actually roommates with Bobby Tyler, now of Tyler Gun Works. Ramos got the Big Boy figured out pretty quickly and actually made a couple of small fixtures to aid him in the install. Ramos is a man of many talents and a master machinist and can tackle just about any gunsmithing task you can imagine. If youâd like him to install a Midwest Industries handguard on your Henry, drop him a line.
Raining Lead
With the new handguard installed, I was ready to shoot the Big Boy. I had Henry send me a Picatinny receiver mount, which attaches with three screws. With medium-height scope rings, I was able to get a nice cheek weld while looking through the scope. I used a Leupold VX-2 2-7x28mm Ultralight scope with a Duplex reticle. It weighs just 8.5 ounces and is only 10 inches in length. It has precise 0.25 MOA finger click adjustment for windage and elevation and seemed perfect for the Big Boy All-Weather. I fired all groups from a seated position using a DOA Tactical portable shooting bench and a Caldwell rifle rest.
My test rifle had a trigger pull of 3.75 pounds. It did possess a little bit of creep, but for a hunting and home-defense gun I donât think Iâd want a trigger any lighter than that. My single best 5-shot group was fired with Federalâs 225-grain semi-wadcutter hollow-point lead bullet, and it measured just 1.18 inches at 50 yards. In fact, the average of the best groups I fired with the four cartridges measured just over 1.5 inches, with the average of all groups being just under 2 inches. This is plenty of practical accuracy for use as a short-range hunting gun or home-defense rifle.
Big Boy Data
My Big Boy All-Weather gun sports a 20-inch barrel, and I was curious to know how the longer barrel length would affect the velocity of the .45 Colt cartridge. While chronographing the rifle, I fired a Taylorâs & Company 1873 Cattleman revolver, also chambered in .45 Colt, but with a 4.75-inch barrel, for comparison. The Henryâs extra 15.25 inches of barrel accounts for 21 percent more velocity.
More important, the extra velocity equated to 37 percent more energy, giving the Big Boy plenty of punch. Though the 20-inch barrel gives us more velocity and energy, I would prefer a 16-inch barrel for home or truck use. When I asked a Henry Repeating Arms executive about the chances of them making a 16-inch Big Boy All-Weather, he said, âAnything is possible⊠with enough requests.â So, if you think the Big Boy would be the perfect defense gun with a 16-inch barrel, drop Henry a note and let them know.
Dots & Lights
Once I had finished the accuracy testing of the Big Boy, I replaced the Leupold scope with a Trijicon RMR red-dot reflex sight. Itâs been tested and proved in some of the worldâs most hellish war zones and is rock-solid rugged and will withstand both abuse and neglect. My sample features a 1 MOA-size dot, which is adjustable for brightness and can be used in nearly every light condition. This sight allows the shooter to maintain focus on the target and shoot with both eyes open. Unobstructed peripheral vision in a defense situation could be a lifesaver!
If you havenât ever shot a gun outfitted with a red-dot reflex sight, it really is as simple as putting the dot on the target and pulling the trigger. Thereâs nothing to align, and the dot doesnât even need to be centered in the screen. Also, just put the dot on the target and squeeze. Like all optics, the RMR is adjustable for windage and elevation, and it took just a few rounds to get it zeroed. Additionally, the RMR rides in a mount designed for a flat-top AR rifle. Because of this the sight sits higher than is ideal, so if you plan on putting an RMR on your Henry Big Boy, get a lower mount such as their RM34W.
Laser Device
Being able to identify your target is a critical element of home defense, and if youâre unable to do so you have no business pulling the trigger. Crimson Trace sent me a sample of their Rail Master Pro (CMR-204), which features a white tactical light and green laser. The unit weighs just a couple of ounces and attaches to the Picatinny rail/M-LOK adapter and then to the handguard. Also, it runs on a single CR2 lithium battery, and the flashlight produces a bright 100 lumens of light.
The green laser adjusts for both windage and elevation, and I adjusted it to co-witness with my RMRâs red dot, so even if I werenât able to get a solid sight picture I know that if Iâm able to place the green laser on my target Iâm going to score a hit. Crimson Traceâs light and laser units are extremely helpful to the responsible shooter in identifying and targeting a threat.
My time with the Henry Big Boy All-Weather was an extremely pleasant one. I fired more than 300 rounds during my testing and experienced zero failures or malfunctions. It performed exactly as I expected it to and exhibited the accuracy needed for home defense and much more. Combined with the hard-hitting .45 Colt cartridge, Midwest Industries handguard, Trijicon RMR and Crimson Trace Rail Master Pro, the Henry rifle should make a first-class companion, whether itâs in the field, behind the bench seat of your truck or next to your nightstand at home.
Standing on frozen grass while snow and sleet spit on me, I stomped my feet and rubbed my hands, vigorously trying to warm them. The temperatures werenât that low at the U.S. Shooting Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this past December, but the humidity was high, and the combination was miserable. Walther Marketing Manager Cody Osborn had assembled a group of gun writers at a quiet pistol bay to make an important pre-launch announcement.
âOur goal is to push the performance limits of our flagship PPQ product family beyond what is possible in a polymer-framed gun. Weâve invited you here to see and shoot our brand-new Q5 Match SF pistolâa steel-framed version of our already popular polymer-framed Q5 Match gun.â
Match Ready
Walther introduced the Q5 Match a couple of years ago. It has since proven popular with both USPSA and IDPA competitors. The first Q5 was modeled after the 5-inch-barreled PPQ, which found its way into competitive circles. Walther decided to build a dedicated match gun with a longer sight radius, phenomenal balance and a no-compromise match-grade trigger. The longer slide was cut with ports to give the gun a rakish look and the ideal cycling speed for light 9mm loads.
For those who wanted to shoot in the USPSAâs Production division, the gun was given a fiber-optic front sight and an adjustable rear sight. And for those who want to compete in the Carry Optics class, the gun comes with three different mounting plates to accommodate the most common reflex sights. All in all, the Walther Q5 Match gave competitors a âmatch-readyâ gun for less money than most folks spend on a stock 1911 out of the box.
But the Q5 Match weighs just 27.9 ounces unloaded, which makes the gun a little too âlivelyâ for most shooters. After listening to its professional shooters and a host of unsponsored Q5 users, Walther decided to up the Q5âs game.
Q5 Match Steel Frame
The result is the Q5 Match Steel Frame (SF). It weighs in at a hefty 41.6 ounces unloaded, and that extra weight makes for a significant reduction in felt recoil. This in turn makes it easier for shooters to get back on target quickly, and their splits, or time between shots, are dramatically reduced. And in a game measured in fractions of seconds, every bit of time saved adds up. Walther is currently offering two different versions of the Q5 Match SF: the Standard and the Pro. The only real difference between the two is that the Pro model comes with a magazine well funnel and three magazines fitted with +2 basepads.
Walther had set up several USPSA-type stages in different pistol bays at the U.S. Shooting Academy, and the companyâs pro shooters ran us gun writers through each stage using the Q5 Match SF. The stages were simple and uncomplicated, with few targets obscured by hard cover or no-shoot targets. The idea was to let us push our limits in terms of speed. Unfortunately, most of us were hampered by the cold.
But one thing was certain: The new Q5 Match SF is a flat-shooter. It was easy to quickly double-tap close targets, and the sights never seemed to move off target. Shooting a heavy steel-framed gun with relatively light loads made us all look good and created a very enjoyable experience, despite the cold.
Hands On
A couple of weeks later, I received a test sample so I could give the gun a more thorough evaluation. The Q5 Match SF arrived in a foam-lined plastic with three magazines, a magazine loader, three optics plates, a sight adjustment tool and a cable lock. One of the first things youâll notice about the gun is its long dust-cover rail. At the other end is a beavertail that extends past the rear of the slide. The ambidextrous slide release has low-profile levers that inset into the frame.
The slide and frame both have a black Tenifer finish to stand up to a competitorâs hard use and thousands upon thousands of presentations from the holster. The flattop slide is serrated. The fiber-optic front sight is not dovetailed, but attached via a screw from inside the slide. Walther machines ports into the front of the slide, claiming they help cool the barrel, but I think most shooters will find them to handy for manually loading the chamber or doing a press-check.
Of course, the heart and soul of this gun is the steel frame, which gives the gun its recoil-absorbing weight. Dimensionally, it is very close to the Q5âs polymer frame, but there are some important differences. Youâll notice that there is a takedown lever on the left side of the frame instead of the bilateral takedown tabs on the polymer gun. Most of the other parts will interchange between the two guns, including the magazines.
Enhanced Ergonomics
One of the considerations of the Q5 Match SF is ergonomics. The graceful arch of the backstrap forces the shooterâs hand high up into the beavertail. Combined with the undercut at the junction of the triggerguard and frontstrap, this allows the shooter to get a very high hold on the gun to aid in fighting recoil.
The barrel uses polygonal rifling, which is a huge selling point for competitors. Instead of sharp lands and grooves, the rifling uses a series of hills and valleys to impart twist on the projectile without cutting into its jacket. There are a number of claims that could be made, including the better gas seal with the bullet and a concomitant increase in velocity. Other benefits include less chance of bullet deformation, a longer barrel life, increased accuracy and ease of cleaning.
But the rifling isnât the only thing different about the Q5âs barrel. Walther cuts its chambers a little differently. According to Cody Osborn, âWe actually use a step chamber. About the first 75 percent of the chamber is loosely fit so it feeds reliably. The last 25 percent actually steps down so we get a lot higher velocities out of this gun. This makes the gun run cleaner and gives us tighter groups. There will actually be a 25-meter target in the box shot by a Walther technician at the factory so you can see your accuracy.â
Built to Shoot Well
My test gun came with a target showing a 1.68-inch group at 25 meters, and inspecting spent casings during the evaluation revealed a consistent mark about 0.25 inches from the mouth of the case down. But this should in no way affect the number of times these cases can be reloaded.
The barrelâs 5-inch length also allows for a more efficient powder burn compared to most service-sized 4-inch-barreled guns, and this translates into velocity for a sport where the minimum âpower factorâ is determined by bullet weight and how fast it goes. But the longer barrel length also creates a longer sight radiusâanother important factor in being able to shoot accurately.
The Q5 Match SF has a bright blue trigger that contrasts nicely with the rest of the black gun. Walther states that the trigger breaks at 5.5 pounds, but my test sampleâs trigger broke consistently at 4.7 pounds. I would have guessed the trigger pull to be closer to 3.5 pounds based on how light and crisp it felt. Rest assured that as the gunâs popularity increases, there will be a variety of aftermarket kits available to bring the pull weight down to Grand Master liking! The reset on my gun was firm and only took about 0.1 inches. Also, like most current striker-fired guns, the Q5 Match SF has a safety blade in the middle of the trigger, preventing the gun from firing unless the trigger is purposefully pulled.
Driving Tacks
To measure the Q5 Match SFâs accuracy at the range, I fired five-shot groups from 25 yards using my DOA Shooting Bench for support and resting the pistolâs dust cover on my Millett BenchMaster. The frame rail made it rock-steady on my rest. All I needed to do was maintain a sight picture as I added pressure to the trigger until the shot broke.
Federalâs 115-grain Syntech TSJ rounds delivered the best five-shot group at 0.98 inches. My best group with the 150-grain TSJs was just slightly larger. We used these 150-grain rounds at the Tulsa event. Theyâre probably the best choice for competitors who donât handload, with light recoil and the perfect slide velocity. All of the rounds I tested performed flawlessly, and there were no failures to feed, cycle or eject. Even the slide lock worked perfectly and without failure, locking the slide to the rear when the last round was fired.
I set up a USPSA target at 10 yards and fired double-taps at it, counting only my A-zone hits. I am many years removed from being an active competitor, and Iâm hesitant to even publish my results. The splits of a double-tap are indicative of the shooterâs skill rather than the pistolâs capabilities. But most of my splits ran between 0.19 and 0.21 seconds. In more practiced hands, I am certain the splits would run closer to 0.15 seconds, or lower. In any event, itâs obvious that the Q5 Match SF is capable of taking anyone to the highest levels of competition.
Final Thoughts
At the end of our range session in early December, Cody Osborn said, âWaltherâs Q5 Match SF wonât be the only PPQ family member to benefit from the steel frame. Standing for Police Pistol Quick Defense, the steel-frame PPQ platform will grow into a full product family supporting the competition, duty and tactical self-defense customer. The steel-frame product family will showcase the highest level of quality and precision engineering that only Walther is capable of providing. The Q5 Match SF is just the beginning!â
Long known as the Copper State, Arizona at one time provided the U.S. with as much as 60 percent of its copper supply. In the mid-1980s, faced with union strikes and complying with tough EPA pollution standards, one of the largest mines shut down. Others fell like dominoes, and Arizonaâs once-thriving mining communities became modern-day ghost towns. A few diehards hung on and refused to move, but the majority relocated to find employment.
But the geographic location made this area perfect for those who made their livelihood differently. Located close to Mexico and between Tucson and Phoenix, this former mining region was perfect for the distribution of illicit drugs. With few eyes on them and easy access to the I-10, Highway 79 to the east and I-8 to the west, traffickers found this area a dream location.
Called To Serve
It was in this unforgiving terrain, choked with cacti and creosote bushes, burnished by wind-driven sand and scorched by the relentless sun, that my niece began her law enforcement career. Fresh out of the academy with her Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification, she first started work as an armed officer with a private company that transported illegal aliens from various Border Patrol checkpoints into Tucson for processing. On her off days, she worked as a volunteer police officer for one of these small mining towns. She eventually received a full-time position. It took some time, as the city council had to approve her new position, and in addition to being a full-time patrol cop, she was also the small townâs animal control and code enforcement officer. Despite the pay cut, worked hard and developed a good reputation among her peers.
I had to admire her perseverance. She tore her ACL the first week at the academy and was still able to keep up with the rigorous physical training for the next 26 weeks. After spending 14-hour days at school, sheâd stop and buy some groceries on the way home and then cook dinner for her mother (my sister), who was waging her own battle against breast cancer. The fact that she was able to deal with everything on her plate has earned my undying respect. She doesnât have an ounce of quit in her!
Gearing Up to Serve
My niece had to supply her own pistol, duty belt and uniform. Fortunately, she had a Glock 22 Gen4 that I had given to her as a present two years earlier for taking care of me after I had an ankle replacement. Her department supplied her with ammo for qualification and for carry, and thatâs it. When I asked her about their shotguns, she told me she had seen some Remington 870s in their meager armory, but, âThey looked old and in pretty rough shape.â
A few years earlier, I had bought a Remington 870 Wingmaster at a gun show for $200 with the idea of building it into a tactical shotgun. Now I knew what I needed to do. Through its Scattergun Technologies division, Wilson Combat offers what it calls its Remington Steal Package, which presents customers the opportunity to refurbish Remington 870s to like-new condition, with some upgrades that make them perfect for law enforcement or civilian use.
870 Wingmaster Complete Package
The Remington Steal Package can return your old hunting gun or retired cruiser 870 to near-perfect condition. Customers can choose from a list of modifications to have their shotguns rebuilt to meet their needs and budgets. I chose to have the old Wingmaster converted to Wilson Combatâs Border Patrol model.
According to Wilson, âThe Border Patrol has an outstanding, well-earned reputation as the workhorse of Wilson Combat/Scattergun Technologies shotguns. The U.S. Border Patrol uses thousands of these guns daily, in some of the harshest conditions of both weather and terrain. Unequaled quality and relentless reliability are the minimum requirements demanded of a firearm for its mission, and the Border Patrol model has met these expectations for years.â Though my niece is not a Border Patrol officer, I thought this combination of parts and modifications would best suit her needs for work.
All the worn and damaged parts were replaced, and the wooden buttstock and forend were switched out for touch synthetic versions that will never warp or crack. My Wingmaster was fitted with a SpeedFeed stock, though Wilson recently started using Hogue stocks. Wilson also cut the barrel to a shorter 18.4 inches, and re-cut the choke to cylinder bore, which is ideal for slug and buckshot use. My gun had a 2Ÿ-inch chamber, and Wilson re-cut the chamber to 3 inches.
Fighting Refinements
For the sake of reliability, the shotgun was retrofitted with a Flexitab anti-jam system. A stainless steel spring and high-visibility follower were added to the magazine tube. The standard safety at the rear of the trigger housing was replaced with an oversized safety. It can easily be engaged and disengaged even when wearing gloves. The entire trigger assembly was also professionally remanufactured for absolute reliability.
Wilson technicians not only bring the shotgun up to fighting standards, but also refinish it to make it look new. The base gun for this Remington Steal Package was an old 870 Wingmaster with a 28-inch barrel. The typical hunting gun exhibited wearâwell used, with bluing missing in spots and some pitting on the receiver. Sanding sticks were used to eliminate the pits, and then the receiver was bead blasted. Wilson Combat drills and taps the rear of the receiver in two places for its Trak-Lock rear sight.
Once the barrel, chamber and choke were cut, the new front sight base was silver-soldered in place. It too was bead blasted prior to being Parkerized. With the barrel and receiver Parkerized, Wilson craftsmen applied a black Armor-Tuff finish. Designed to provide a non-reflective finish, the Armor-Tuff seals the pores of the metal. Further, it offers corrosion resistance while delivering a certain amount of lubricity between the coated parts. This is especially important in a desert environment, where standard lubrication acts like a sand magnet.
Better Than Before
Wilson Combat refinished all parts, assembled the gun, test-fired and returned to me. I wasnât prepared for just how nice the customized gun would be. In fact, I couldnât tell that it had once been an old hunting shotgun! The old wooden furniture was gone, the barrel was shorter and all the pitting on the receiver had been erased. For all intents and purposes, it was a brand-new gun.
Even though I had received the gun several months earlier, it turned out that my niece and I couldnât match our schedules to go shooting until her birthday week. But as far as she was concerned, I couldnât have given her a better gift. With a good assortment of 12-gauge ammo, we found a spot in the Rincon Mountains to shoot her new shotgun. We started with some cheap promotional birdshot loads to get a feel for it. The smooth cycling of the gun impressed immediately. It is slick. With light-recoiling birdshot rounds, we were both able to hammer a steel target about 20 yards away.
Using Remingtonâs 1-ounce Slugger Managed-Recoil slugs, we each fired groups that measured around 5 inches off-hand at 35 yards. These rounds are about 45-percent lighter on recoil than traditional slugs and boast an effective range of about 80 yards. The Trak-Lock rear sight delivers adjustability for windage and elevation; however, the gun shot to the point of aim and needed no adjustments. We also fired some Remington Express Managed-Recoil buckshot, which generates about half the felt recoil of standard buckshot. It placed all eight pellets in a pattern about 9 inches in diameter at 20 yards. To be clear, the recoil-reduced shells served my arthritic shoulder, not my niece. This young lady seems to be amazingly recoil-tolerant.
In the time span between shipping my old Wingmaster to Wilson Combat and my niece shooting the rebuilt gun, she has moved to a new agency and is working as a county sheriffâs deputy. This department receives much better funding, including the best possible equipment, firearms and vehicles. While she may never carry this Wilson Combat Border Patrol shotgun on duty, she can rest assured that she owns the very best tactical shotgun available. That makes her Uncle Mike awfully happy!
Smith & Wessonâs Performance Center takes some of the companyâs most popular production guns and enhances them to produce a line of semi-custom firearms. Sometimes these guns possess additional features and refinements. But they all receive an extra degree of attention not lavished on standard production guns. S&W Performance Center âsmiths spend extra time mating internals and polishing parts to perfection for smooth and flawless function.
Our publisher, Athlon Outdoors, brought in a number of firearms companies to spend time with writers this past October. The Rendezvous was held inn Driggs, Idaho, and Smith & Wesson was one of the companies to attend. Among the new products was a Performance Center Ported M&P9 M2.0 pistol. Matt Spafford, S&Wâs Media Manager, took some time to detail me on the new gun.
This particular gun features a 5-inch stainless steel and ported barrel and is chambered for 9mm. Because the barrel and slide extend past the end of the M&P9 frame, S&W engineers designed an extended rigid stainless-steel chassis, embedded into the frameâs polymer, to reduce flex and torque. Spafford noted that this gun was the first of the Performance Center offerings to incorporate the new M&P M2.0 upgrades, which include the scale-style cocking serrations, enhanced grip texture, and improved sear geometry, giving the gun a crisper trigger.
Spafford noted the PC craftsmen spend a great deal of time judiciously polishing the searâs engagement surface. First generation guns possessed a trigger pull around 6.5 pounds, and the 2.0 guns run about 5.5 pounds. Performance Center âsmiths crafted a trigger pull that broke crisply at 4.5 pounds with a firm and audible reset. Quite frankly, the sample I fired in Idaho had one of the nicest triggers Iâve ever pulled on a striker-fired gun.
Versatile, Full-Size M&P
Building a gun that can fulfill the needs for competition and self-defense can be daunting, but the PC Ported M&P9 M2.0 seems to easily accomplish that mission. Its sights are easily picked up with the front sight, possessing a green fiber-optic rod, while the fully adjustable rear sight has two red fiber-optic rods on either side of the rear notch. Even on a cloudy day the florescent pipettes burned brilliantly, making quick sight acquisition easy.
In keeping with the dual theme of competition and self-defense, the Performance Center ports the barrel and slide in an effort to help minimize muzzle disruption. The Performance Center cuts dual ports on the barrel at the 11 and 1 oâclock positions about 5/8-inch back from the muzzle. In addition to the slide vent ports there are also a number of other slide lightening cuts made to reduce its weight for proper slide velocity. Recoil and muzzle flip of the Ported M&P9 is anything but snappy. In fact, it is a very soft-shooting gun! The combination of the long sight radius, fiber-optic sights, crisp trigger and firm reset made it possible to fire astonishingly fast and accurate double taps. The Performance Center makes guns with competition in mind, designed to shoot fast and stay on target, according to Spafford.
The PC Ported M&P9 M2.0 also possesses a railed dust cover, so a weapon light and or laser can be mounted for low-light defense. It also has an ambidextrous slide lock located on the right side of the frame. S&W ships the pistol with two 17-round magazines as well as a Performance Center cleaning kit. Backed by S&Wâs lifetime service policy, the PC Ported M&P9 M2.0 should provide its user with a first-rate competition and defense gun.
