I’ve long been a fan of Smith & Wesson guns. While I don’t like everything the company has done – internal locks on revolvers, for example – more often than not, they seem to get it right. 

When the first generation of M&P striker-fired pistols came out a few years ago, I immediately liked them. The guns felt good in my hand, were extremely accurate and looked a lot better than some of the alternatives. Nevertheless, my Glock 19 was still my go-to self-defense gun. 

Why did I stick with the G19 when I liked the M&P guns so much? Two reasons. First, I was already heavily invested in the Glock platform with dozens of spare magazines and holsters. Secondly, Smith & Wesson did not make a pistol in the M&P line that matched the size of the G19.

The G19 is, to me, a nearly perfect balance of size in a fighting handgun. It is large enough to be considered a duty pistol and carried by any cop or soldier. However, it is still compact enough that it can be carried in a concealed manner in many situations. Other than my J-frame Smith & Wesson in a pocket holster, my second-generation Glock 19 in a Milt Sparks Summer Special II has been with me more than any of my other guns.

Unless Smith & Wesson came out with a G19-sized M&P, I was going to stick with my Glock.

The New Compact 

Well, it looks like Smith & Wesson is making a play for all of the G19 fans with its latest introduction: the M&P M2.0 Compact. This is an all new pistol for the company. It is smaller than the full-size M&P, but larger than the first generation compact M&P guns. In fact, it is right about the same size as the Glock 19.

Looking at this gun, there is little doubt that the pistol is part of the M&P M2.0 series. It has the same general lines as its bigger brother, and Smith & Wesson gave it the same second generation treatment the full-size guns got. The M2.0 treatment includes a new texture on the grip, an expansion of the palmswell grip sizes, enhancement of the stainless steel internal chassis and an improved trigger.

Specifications

The M&P M2.0 Compact comes in two different calibers and has models with and without thumb safeties. The following specifications are for the 9mm version of the gun without a thumb safety. The thumb safety models carry the same suggested retail price. Models in .40 S&W have two fewer rounds in each of the magazines and are 0.7 ounces lighter. 

• barrel: 4” stainless steel with Armornite finish
• overall length: 7.3”
• weight: 24.0 ounces
• caliber: 9mm
• standard magazine capacity: 15 rounds
• sights: steel three-dot
• lifetime service policy
• MSRP: $569

Experiences

I spent a lot of time testing the full-size M&P9 M2.0 earlier this year and liked the gun a lot. You can read my review of the gun by clicking here. When Smith & Wesson sent me this compact a few months back, I was eager to try it out. Based on my prior experience with the full-size pistol, I had high expectations for this model. It did not disappoint.

My shooting background is from a practical perspective: law enforcement and self-defense. Though I encourage people to participate in the shooting sports, I am more concerned about a gun’s usefulness in a fighting role than a gaming one. I mention this so you have a context for my observations about this gun.

So far, I’ve put a little more than 700 rounds through this gun. About half of these rounds were from three different brands of FMJ ammo (115 and 124 grain). The balance of the rounds shot to date have been self-defense loads ranging in weight from 50 grains through 147 grains. Measured velocities range from the mid-900 fps to more than 2,000 fps.

Through all of these widely different ammunition loads, I experienced no malfunctions of any kind. More rounds will give me an indication of the gun’s long-term durability. However, it does seem reliable out of the box.

The gun is more accurate than I am. Even so, I was able to shoot sub-1” groups with five rounds at seven yards with no brace or rest. For a guy who’s hands aren’t as steady as they were 20 years ago, that’s accurate enough for me. I have no doubts that this gun in the hands of a pro-shooter could turn in half inch groups at this relatively close distance.

At 25 yards, my groups opened up a bit. Again, I put the fault on me. Even so, sub-4” groups keep all five rounds in the center mass with room to spare.

I really like the aggressive texture that Smith & Wesson chose for the M2.0 series of M&P pistols. It works very well to lock the gun into your hand when shooting. It can be slightly abrasive on someone if his or her hands are relatively soft and they do a lot of shooting at one time. However, it is not going to be painful or draw blood.

I’m still not a fan of the M&P triggers. The M2.0 series has a more pronounced break and reset than the original triggers. Even so, they aren’t as good as many of the other striker-fired triggers on the market. Frankly, the Walther PPS and HK VP9 have significantly better triggers than the Smith & Wesson guns. I also prefer the Glock triggers, but the difference between the Glock and M&P is smaller.

Final Thoughts

Am I ready to trade my Glock 19 in for a new M&P M2.0 Compact? No. It’s not because I think the Smith & Wesson is inferior to the Glock. I believe the two guns are on par with one another. However, I simply have too much money invested in Glock 19 holsters and magazines to change platforms.

However, if I was new to the concealed carry or home defense market, my view might be a bit different. Both the Glock 19 and the M&P9 M2.0 Compact offer excellent performance at reasonable prices. Compared to the Gen4 Glock 19, I think the Smith & Wesson looks better and feels more suited to my hand.

The new Compact pistol is a solid fighting handgun. If it is better than your preferred self-defense pistol is a personal choice, but it is worth a look.

The 6mm Creedmoor cartridge continues to gain momentum, and Wilson Combat is the latest company to make a rifle introduction for the caliber. Earlier this year, we’ve seen new guns introduced by Ruger and Savage for this cartridge in addition to new ammunition, dies and bullets for the same.

Part of the Tactical Hunter line, the new 6mm Creedmoor rifle is an AR-style rifle designed for hunting as well as general defensive purposes. However, with the general build of the gun, I would believe this rifle is much better suited for the former instead of the latter for many people. As with other Wilson Combat rifles, this gun is well equipped and exudes the air of quality.

The Tactical Hunter is an SR25 pattern rifle that handles a variety of traditional hunting calibers such as .308 Win, 7mm-08 Rem and .260 Rem. This gun comes with a single 10-round Magpul PMAG. For the 6mm Creedmoor, Wilson Combat fits the gun with a 20” fluted barrel that the company identifies as being match grade. It uses a rifle length gas system with a SLR Rifleworks adjustable gas block.

Over the top of the barrel and gas system is a 14.6” handguard that is made by Wilson Combat. This aluminum handguard has M-LOK attachment points for adding accessories. Included with the guns are rail covers manufactured by Magpul.

Moving back through the gun into the receiver is a low mass bolt carrier. It has a nickel boron coating. A BCM charging handle with a small latch is standard. The gun uses a standard buffer with a 43 coil flat wire spring. For a trigger, the company uses its Tactical Trigger Unit M2 with a 4 pound pull. 

Sights are not included with the rifle. However, the company does offer a scope package with the 6mm Creedmoor Tactical Hunter rifle. This package consists of a Burris FFE1 4-14x42 scope that is mounted in a set of ultralight scope rings. 

Wilson Combat offers a variety of options that can be requested at the time of order. In its base configuration, the gun has a retail price of $3,195. With the Burris scope, the total price increases by $460.

Black Aces Tactical (BAT) is one of those niche market companies that is helping to drive the gun industry forward. While most manufacturers during the past few years were concerned with pumping out as many AR-style rifles as they could, BAT was thumbing its nose at the laws restricting the rights of law abiding citizens to own firearms with “short” barrels.

Thinking outside of the standard box, Black Aces Tactical has been manufacturing smooth bore firearms that fit neither the shotgun nor handgun definitions in federal law. The end result is a smooth bore weapon that fires traditional shotgun shells with a barrel length of less than 18” that can be transferred through any FFL without additional taxation from the BATFE.

In recent months, the seemingly monolithic gun industry took note and began to go after this market segment as well. Mossberg introduced its Shockwave guns while Remington now offers the Model 870 TAC-14. The concepts are similar to, though tamer imitations of, the Black Aces Tactical offerings.

The latest BAT gun to be announced is the Shockwave Magazine Fed 12 gauge. While the other BAT guns were fed through a tubular magazine, this model gobbles ammo from 5-round box magazines that feed from the underside of the gun. BAT does provide two 5-round shotgun magazines with the gun at sale. 

Base model guns have 17-4 stainless steel firing pins and 4140 steel bolts and slides that are nickel plated for lubricity and corrosion resistance. The gripping hand holds the Shockwave grip while the support hand hangs on to the traditional corncob foreend made by Mossberg. The overall length of these guns is 27.5” with a 14” barrel.

Fans of fun may also like the Black Aces Tactical magazine spike that is included standard on this gun. This spike replaces the standard cap on what would be the tubular magazine. In this base configuration with a black finish, the gun has a suggested retail price of $499.

BAT offers an upgrade that includes a tri-rail foreend with a mounted Magpul AFG. A gun with this package is a bit more with a MSRP of $663. Additionally, the company offers a variety of color options including royal blue, crimson red, olive drab green, burnt bronze and more. 

It isn’t just the wrinkles in your face, the watch on your wrist, or the clothes you wear that mark your age.  Sometimes, it’s the gun you carry.

You can learn from us old Yodas, younglings. (Yes, I speak Star Wars, Millennium Boy! In case you didn’t backtrack it, my generation watched the first one in theaters when it came out. It’s one reason we can appreciate “a more elegant weapon from a more civilized age.”) 

Now, I’ll confess that I’m carrying a Glock 19 as I write this, but none of us can deny that older designs still work as they always did…we just have to understand why some people still carry them, and yes, that includes some of the Younglings, who made the choice to carry older styles through critical thinking and not just the momentum of old-fart-itude.

The Double Action (DA) Revolver

What? Only six shots? Maybe even only five?

Yes, but the DA revolver has benefits, too.

For those new to the gun – the people Jeff Cooper’s disciple Mark Moritz famously dubbed NDPs, or Non-Dedicated Personnel – the DA wheel gun makes a lot of good sense. No slide to struggle with. No worries about “having a round in the chamber,” and if you don’t think that’s A Thing, you haven’t been on the gun-related Internet much lately.  Super-easy to open and close the cylinder, to press a rod and eject the cartridges…in short, to see if it’s loaded or not.  Easy to clean. Not dependent on cartridge shape or power level to function. Get one in double action only format and you’ll never have to worry about lowering the hammer from a cocked position under stress (yes, that can get scary), or being accused of an indefensible negligent discharge due to hair trigger (yes, I’ve seen that too).

Sure, that long and relatively heavy trigger stroke takes some practice to learn to shoot. Nothing comes without a price.  But the rolling trigger press of a double action, once mastered, will teach you to distribute your trigger pressure and make you a better shot with your short-pull autoloader, no matter what the speed.  And you’ll discover something else: except for the finest of target grade semi-automatics, the revolver will be more accurate.  Take equal quality center-fire revolvers and autos from the same maker (Ruger, for example, or Smith & Wesson) and put ‘em in a machine rest or on a bench rest in skilled hands.  You’ll find the groups from the revolver will generally be smaller than those from the semiautomatic.

The Traditional Double Action Auto

In the late 1920s, Walther came up with auto pistols which fired the first shot with a long, heavy double action pull and cycled themselves to easy, short single action pulls thereafter, until they were empty or a press on the decocking lever returned them to double action mode.  The 1950s and ‘60s saw this design reborn in this country courtesy of Smith & Wesson, and for a very long time they were the paradigm of “police duty” semiautomatic pistols.  Today, a new generation of serious American pistoleros have rediscovered their utility. They appreciate the fact that after the first long pull, all subsequent shots have much sweeter trigger pulls than most current generation striker-fired pistols.  National and world championships won by such masterful shooters as Ben Stoeger (Beretta 92) and Ernest Langdon (Beretta 92 mostly, but also the equivalent SIGs) reinforce the lesson.

There is also that significant matter of safety, which is what sold TDA pistols to America’s cops and armed citizens in the first place. The long, heavy pull for the first shot (which is where most unintentional discharges occur) mitigates the problem even if it’s not always enough to cure it.  Moreover, most double action only autos have exposed hammers, which allow the shooter’s thumb to “ride the hammer” as the pistol is holstered. This can prevent the hammer from rising and falling if anything from a too-narrow holster safety strap to the adjustment cord on a jacket to the shooter’s own finger from interdicting the trigger and firing a shot when the pistol is going into the scabbard.  The current popularity of appendix carry for concealment, which points the gun muzzle at one’s private parts and femoral arteries, has helped the promote the resurgence of hammer-fired guns such as the typical TDA auto.

The 1911

You read it correctly: it’s not a patent number, like “17” on a Glock – it’s the year of introduction.  Why do so many people still carry the 1911 pistol? Because John Browning, who designed it, was a freaking genius, that’s why!

I can’t think of a slimmer pistol at this caliber/power level. That’s important when you carry inside the waistband all day, every day for maximum concealment.  I started carrying a Colt 1911 .45 that way behind my right hip when I was twelve years old working part time in my gunfight-survivor father’s jewelry store, and to this day, when I holster a 1911 my body seems to purr “Ahhh…yes.”

The 1911’s mandatory cocked-and-locked carry gives you a safety net if the bad guy gets the gun away from you: case after case has shown the on-safe pistol to be a life-saver in that situation.  Tests show that people unfamiliar with the 1911 take about 17 or 18 seconds to figure out which widget to press to “turn on the gun,” creating a substantial margin of life-saving opportunity to rectify the situation.  Reliability? The 1911 .45 was historically the most reliable semiautomatic service pistol under battlefield conditions in its time, and today’s are the most reliable ever, since the good ones are engineered to feed hollow points.  The 9mm version of the 1911, considered unthinkable until 1950 and finally engineered to be reliable in the format at this point in the 21^st Century, offers pleasingly light “kick” to the recoil-sensitive.

It is a uniform trigger pull first shot to last that sells so many people on modern striker-fired pistols. The 1911 has had that since, well, 1911, and by the nature of its design gives a cleaner and crisper trigger pull.  With single-stack magazine and a design that allows long trigger or short, the 1911 lends itself to adaptation to very short fingers or very long ones. 

Coping With The Cognitive Dissonance of It All

We old people with old-fashioned guns (and particularly, those of us who also use the “newfangled” guns) sometimes find ourselves wondering if we need a psychiatrist’s couch.

1973: I am carrying a cocked and locked Colt 1911 .45 as a uniform police duty pistol. I get called a “radical” and a “maverick” for not carrying an ordinary service revolver.

1990: I am giving a guest lecture for the Washington State Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association, and take my coat off when I get to the podium. A young cop in the front row points at the stainless Colt Government Model .45 auto in my holster and says in a loud stage whisper, “Look! An old 1911! Hasn’t this dinosaur ever heard of Glocks?”

2006: I am a sponsored shooter for Team EOTAC, where the sponsor wants us to win as many gun divisions as we can at major IDPA matches. We have world champ Robert Vogel, ace 1911 shooter Mark Redl, national Stock Service Pistol champ Tom Yost, and Super Dave Harrington on the team to shoot in the auto pistol divisions. Some old fart who remembers double action six-shooters is needed for the revolver events, and by default I become the Designated Dinosaur. At my range in Florida where the local sheriff’s department SWAT team trains, I show up with a Ruger GP100 .357 Magnum on my hip, and one BOSS (Buffed-Out SWAT Stud) points at my Ruger and asks loudly, “Where’s the powder horn?”  In about the same time frame, I’m teaching at a range up north where a police chief I know comes out, with his little boy in tow, to say “Hi.”  The little dude looks at my holster, points to the same GP100, and shouts to his dad, “Look! An old Cowboy Gun!”

Sigh.  I’ve gotten used to it.

Getting used to it is good, and I’ll tell you why. I try to change guns every training tour, because my students all come in with different firearms, and they deserve an instructor who knows how to run more than one type of handgun.  For the month of August, 2017, realizing I hadn’t taught with a double action revolver in a while, I made my teaching gun the Smith & Wesson Model 19 revolver, which I carried with 125 grain .357 Magnum semi-jacketed hollow points. It was the gun its progenitor, my mentor Bill Jordan, called “The answer to a peace officer’s dream” when it came out in the mid-1950s, and the load was the one that when Indianapolis Police adopted it in the 1970s delivered ten one-shot stops in the first ten shootings with it, three with arm and leg hits. I carried it in a period-correct Bianchi #3 Pistol Pocket, an all-leather inside the waistband holster that I convinced Bianchi designer Richard “Red” Nichols to make with a thumb-break safety strap after I completed my beta-testing of a prototype in the late 1970s.

My significant other, a state champion shooter and a Princess of Polymer Pistols, was with me on that August 2017 training tour.  One night at our hotel she glanced down at my old .357 Combat Magnum in its old Bianchi holster and said, in her sweet and lovable way, “Honey, the 1970s called. They want their gun and their holster back.”

“They can’t have ‘em back,” I answered.  “Because I’m still usin’ ‘em.”

“Because they still work.”

With J.J. Fad’s Supersonic playing in the background, the crew from Noveske Rifleworks was filmed shooting the many variants of the new Ghetto Blaster. The name, the sound and the video are not like anything else typically seen in the firearms industry.

These rifles use the company’s Gen 4 receiver set along with a variety of features that include:

• collapsible Q PDW style stocks (designed by Kevin Brittingham and Q)
• Cherry Bomb muzzle brake, also from Q
• Noveske Rail system in either M-LOK or KeyMod
• ambidextrous controls including a 60˚ safety selector
• flared magazine well
• Magpul K2 pistol grip
• Magpul MBUS Pro folding sights
• Geissele SD-E trigger
• Geissele Super Badass charging handle (Noveske marked)
• Magpul PMAG 30-round magazine

Today, the company is offering three basic models with more coming soon. Available at launch are:

• SBR chambered in 5.56 NATO with a 7.94” barrel (1:7” twist)
• SBR chambered in 300 BLK with a 7.94” barrel
• Standard rifle chambered in 5.56 NATO with a 16” barrel (1:7” twist)

One of the more interesting additions to the line is a 10mm version planned for a Q1 2018 release. Also planned for the same time period is a suppressed 300 BLK gun.

The SBR versions of this gun have a Honey Badger feel to them. I don’t think that the involvement of Q and Kevin Brittingham is a pure coincidence.

The suggested retail price of these guns starts at $1,995 for the SBRs and $2,300 for the full length rifle. According to the company, the first 100 rifles sold will receive a 10% discount. These guns will start shipping in December, but the company is taking orders immediately. If you are interested in this deal, you will want to move quickly. I suspect the company will sell the first hundred quickly.

For younger readers that may be unfamiliar with the term Ghetto Blaster, this was a term synonymous with “boom box” and referred to large but portable radio and cassette players in the 1980s. Typically, these radios would be played loud in public areas and were sometimes seen as a form of rebellion against social norms. The term ghetto blaster is sometimes used as a pejorative by people who disliked the rebellious behavior. The song Supersonic was from the same era.

When it comes to reliable, durable and versatile AR-15 magazines, Lancer has been a constant member of the upper echelon with its L5 Advanced Warfighter Magazine.

The L5 AWM is a composite magazine with a polymer body and hardened steel feed lips.

Previously available in opaque black and Flat Dark Earth as well as a few other colors. Gunmagwarehouse has collaborated with lancer to offer the AWM in translucent red. The magazines are only available at gunmagwarehouse.com.  

Get them Here

The new red body features all of the important features that you have come to expect of the L5 AWM including a durable polymer body that is impact and chemical resistant, hardened steel PTFE coated feed lips for consistent reliable feeding, and a stainless-steel spring matched with a no tilt follower. The hybrid design delivers a magazine that is light weight at just over a quarter of a pound yet delivers more strength and reliability than current all polymer or aluminum designs. In addition, the Lancer L5 is compatible with all of the most popular rifle systems chambered in 5.56 x 45mm. Whether you run an M4, M16, Hk 416, M27, or a SCAR16, you can be sure that the Lancer will run. You can also expect that the Lancer L5 AWM will work with your favorite mag pouches and stripper clip loaders.

If your L5 AWM happens to need cleaning, disassembly is simple with a push of one button and a simple sliding of the base pad, but not so simple that it happens when you don’t want it to.

Gunmagwarehouse’s exclusive translucent red magazine body provides the ability to see your rounds in the magazine and instantly check the status of your mag. The red also provides you the shooter the opportunity to customize the look of your rig for R.E.D. (Remember Everyone Deployed) Fridays or simply for a classic color scheme of black and red. Die hard GunMagWarehouse.com fans will appreciate the colors. For those of you with green furniture on your AR, the red is the perfect addition for your holiday shooting adventures.

This is my Honor Guard. I’ve been a diehard GLOCK carrier for years. I regularly carry a 19. I carried a 42 (the .380) until the single stack 43 came out, and then I carried it. There is something comforting in the familiar manual of arms. A GLOCK is a GLOCK.

When it came time for me to find a new single-stack 9mm, I seriously considered a new 43. I also like the Smith & Wesson Shield. Both offered exactly what I wanted. I've spent serious time behind the trigger of the XD-S, and the Beretta Nano.

Then I happened on the Honor Guard at a trade show, and was impressed by the variety of frame options. The stand-off design seemed genuinely innovative.

I had the company send me a preproduction test gun. The one they’d sent had more than 9,000 rounds through it before I got it, and it hummed along perfectly. I put that gun through hell, and many rounds, and it impressed me.

They wanted that gun back, though, and wouldn’t sell it to me. I kept it a couple of months and then begrudgingly sent it back.

Honor Defense is a relatively new company, though, so my local FFL didn’t have any in stock. When he could get one, it would sell the same day. I wasn’t the only one who liked the features.

At the end of this summer, though, one came in and sat long enough for me to get in. I could have ordered one easily enough, but I’m picky. I want to get my mitts on a gun before I agree to buy it. And this one was every bit as well built as the test gun I’d seen.

I've got close to 1,000 rounds through this one now, and no problems. It works exactly as I'd hoped it woud.

Let’s start at the grip. While most polymer framed production guns have a slightly slick feel, the texture on the Honor Guard feels like the teeth of a fine rasp. It hasn’t been hand-stippled, but it has that feel.

The grip texture wraps around the gun and extends out to places you might apply pressure.

The slide serrations are sharp enough to provide grip on the front and the rear of the slide, but not so aggressive that it prevents a clean draw. As the top of the slide is rounded over, the slide is even easier to grip.

The controls are oversized. The magazine release is oversized and truly ambidextrous. The slide release is also ambidextrous. I don’t carry defensive handguns with manual safeties, but there is an option for that for those who do.

My favorite feature on the Honor Guard is the rear sight. The back of the sight is rounded over. There’s nothing to snag on during the draw. But the front edge of the rear sight is just slightly canted. That shelf allows for easier one-handed manipulation. Rack it on a boot or a belt and you’ll appreciate what I mean.

The front sight is a fat orange dot. The blade itself, just like the rear sight, is steel. That is a big advantage over the competition. The orange dot is easy to pick up. It is a fat dot, though, so don’t look at this as a target pistol.

The front of the pistol slants in toward the muzzle, which makes holstering just that much easier.

The ergonomics of the pistol are ideal. There’s enough to hold on to, and the controls are easy to access. The sights are easy to see. Yet it is very easily concealed. It is thin, not too tall, and just over six inches long. Like most of the others in this class, it is very easy to conceal and still large enough to look like a gun.

Where the Honor Guard truly excels is on the range. You may notice the differences when you’re standing in you local gun shop. Out on the range, though, the subtle differences become much more significant.

The texture helps mitigate recoil. As this is a 9mm, and it is small, it will jump. Yet the Honor Guard is easier to hold on target than most. The sights make follow-up shots fast, too. There’s nothing to slow down a draw, and mag changes are mechanically efficient.

Shot placement during rapid fire is reliable. Slow down, and the accuracy shines.

The bottom line for me was this. When I went looking for a new single-stack, I was faced with so many options. On every one, there was at least one thing I wanted to change. I would want to swap out the sights, or modify the grip texture. Some need larger controls. Only the Honor Guard had every one of the features on my list.

There is one down side to the Honor Guard. Maybe two. Holsters aren’t easy to find. Not yet. There are numerous options out there, but I’m not finding them in stock at any of my local haunts. I consider this to be an inconvenience that will go away in time.

The other is the price of magazines. When I wanted extra mags, I was surprised at the cost. They’re not cheap--close to $35. While they look a lot like a S& W Shield mag, it is not. The magazine is proprietary. So you’ll pay a bit more there. I've yet to have a problem with a magazine, but it hurts to pay that much for something I throw in the dirt. I don't have a single carry gun for which I don't have at least 10 mags. Yet I'd pay more for 10 mags than I would for the gun (which came with two). What the hell, Honor Defense?

Maybe that's as good a way as any to introduce the price of this dude. I was out the door with a gun, two extra mags, and a couple of boxes of carry ammo for what I would have paid for my second choice. And even though I wasn't happy about the price of the mags, the rest was great.

If you haven’t put you hands on one, I’d highly suggest you do.  You won’t regret it.

The Honor Guard is selling for $350 or less. When you look at the relative value, that makes this gun the obvious choice.

Springfield Armory announced an expansion to its line of Saint branded firearms. The new AR-style handgun is the first Saint pistol.

The new Saint pistol is a nice combination of features in a relatively straightforward handgun. Like most AR-style rifles, it is chambered for the 5.56 NATO cartridge and can safely fire the .223 Remington cartridge as well.

Springfield Armory fitted this Saint with a 7.5” barrel that has a 1:7” twist. It is made of 416R stainless steel and has a Melonite finish. The upper and lower are made of 7075-T6 aluminum with a Type III hard coat finish. Springfield Armory included the same Accutite tension system for the receivers that the company uses in its rifle versions of the Saint.

One of the things I particularly like about this gun is the inclusion of a forward blast diverter as a muzzle device. The 5.56 NATO cartridge can be extremely loud from short barrels. In fact, the blast coming out of a 10-12” barrel is akin to a distractionary device (aka “flash bang.”) It is for this reason that I think all short barreled ARs should be equipped with a suppressor. While a blast diverter is not a sound suppressor, it can redirect some of the blast forward instead of toward the shooter or anyone standing next to the shooter.

Triggers are a subjective thing. Some people prefer a two-stage while others like a single. Springfield Armory is using one of its own two stage triggers that has a nickel boron coating for improved smoothness. Both the trigger guard and the pistol grip are provided by Bravo Company.

Up front, the company uses one of its own free-floating hand guards. This unit is made of aluminum and has M-LOK attachment points. It comes with a forward hand stop that should help prevent any accidents that could result from a hand sliding too far forward on this short-barreled gun.

Springfield Armory ships this pistol with a Magpul Gen3 30-round magazine and a soft case. Unloaded the gun weighs about 5.5 pounds.

Since this is a pistol, it does not have a shoulder stock. However, Springfield Armory does include a SB Tactical SBX-K forearm brace to make it easier for one handed shooting. This brace is shorter than the original SBX, so it should keep the overall length of the gun down. In fact, Springfield Armory puts the overall length of this pistol at 26.5” 

Quality is never cheap, but it can be affordable. This new Saint has an MSRP of $989. That doesn’t sound too bad for a tricked out pistol that doesn’t need a bunch of work to get it right. 

I don’t trust my eyes.

It’s why I chamber check with my small finger, and train to shoot until a threat falls. This is also the reason I don’t like purely visual loaded chamber indicators, and why I love shooting EOTech holosights.

I have the nasty habit of loosing my sight picture during high-stress moments.

The reason I’m so enamored with the optic, is because I don’t have to stare at a complex reticle and figure out a holdover. I just look at my target (you know, the thing you’re either trying to put lead through, or is trying to return the favor), put the big red reticle on it, and send rounds downrange at my discretion.    

That’s right, I’m one of, ‘those guys’ who loves L-3 Communication’s boxy holographic weapon sight.

Before we get started, let’s address the biggest elephant in the room - thermal drift.

Thermal drift is the term given the phenomenon encountered on EOTech sights where the reticles would shift their zero a few minutes of angle (MOA), if the sight was exposed to extreme temperatures for extended amounts of time.

Essentially, certain polymer and metallic components inside would swell or contract from temperature changes, and shift the sight’s zero substantially. While the temperature of a firearm’s barrel is known to do this, few people ever gave their sights a second thought. When the information came out, people were immediately calling the sights worthless, claming they were worthless - not unlike the so-called SMLE, “jungle carbines” of World War 2.

But this is misleading.

According to the official studies conducted by USSOCOM back in 2015, these sights could see a point of aim shift from between 6 and 12 MOA under certain circumstances.

While that sort of shift is totally unacceptable, it’s important to note a few details about those certain circumstances. The first being that not all sights experienced this shift, and the second being that these shifts only occur from prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures.

How extreme?

-40F on the low end, and +120F on the high.

The -40 F portion basically rules out anyone not using the sight either in Alaska or Michigan in the dead of winter, and the 120 is uncommon for nearly every resident in the US save for those in Death Valley and Arizona.

Not to make light of the issue though - soldiers operating in the Middle East regularly face these conditions.

My Point?

Most competitive, law enforcement and recreational shooters won't encounter this shift unless they live somewhere with dramatic weather patterns. Even if they do, it’s a 6-12 MOA shift - at 10 yards (the average self defense engagement distance) this is a very minor shift - between three and six inches.

But I’m not here to simply defend my favorite choice of optic, but to review one of L3’s newest holosights - the EXPS3.

The EOTech EXPS3 is a holographic aiming device that uses a reticle not dissimilar to that found on aircraft gunsights. The reticle itself is a hollow circle with a dot in the center. The configuration is designed to facilitate super rapid aiming and target acquisition. This is because the reticle itself is very large, bright red and only comes into focus when the shooter focuses their eyes beyond the reticle and on the target.

Most models run on CR123 batteries, and the EXPS3 in particular runs on a single battery and has a battery life of 600 continuous operation at setting number 12. While not as impressive as Aimpoint’s reflex sights, it’s still nothing to scoff that.

Additionally, the EXPS3 model separates itself from the rest of the EOTech’s product lineup in that it features both a quick detach lever and is compatible with night vision. That’s because this model in particular features 30 separate brightness settings. 20 of these are for use in daylight, while the remaining 10 are for use with night vision optics like the PVS-14.

I’ve run this optic on more than two dozen firearms ranging from a modified AR-10 chambered in .450 SOCOM to a SIG 522 chambered in .22lr. Regardless of the gun it’s mounted on, the EXPS3 held zero perfectly and retained zero when removed and remounted.

Personally, EOTech holosights have served me very well for years - since I won my first model 552 back in 2005 at shooting match. To be frank, I treat my optics and gear like it wronged my family, and I still haven’t been able to kill this optic.

Another great aspect of the EXPS series is that they cowitness perfectly with mil-spec height backup iron sights.  This means if the sight does manage to be knocked out of commission, back up sights can be flipped up and used through the EOTech’s window.

Meanwhile, the outer shell of the EOTech is build from aircraft grade aluminum that in my experience can stop at least buckshot - though I wouldn’t make a habit of it.

The only downside to the EOTech’s configuration, is that it’s designed for AR-15 height comb. Thus, firearms like the H&K MP5 or CZ Scorpion EVO don’t play well with the optic since it sits a little too high to properly cowitness or utilize without using a, ‘chin weld’ instead of a normal cheek one.

That said, many shooters like myself find the optic to be very intuitive to use - and after more than 7 years with an older version and 3 years with the EXPS3, I have nothing but full confidence in these optics - but I personally restrict their use to short range.

Currently, my home defense carbine of choice, is an SBR’d Sig MPX in 9mm parabellum. It wears an EOTech EXPS3 holosight, a host of additional improvements and a sound suppressor like this Ryder 9 from Surefire, provided by SilencerShop.com.

Within the confines of my home, no amount of thermal shift that would leave the sight still attached to the receiver would prevent me from making a center-mass hit on a would-be assailant.   

Ultimately, the EOTech EXPS3, like all holosights, isn’t going to be for everyone. Hell, shooters with astigmatism sometimes can’t see the reticle at all. But for shooters like myself who like the instinctive aiming method of focusing your eyes on the target/treat, EOTech’s holosights are incredibly fast.   

SureFire has been updating their line of lights. They are calling it Mega Lumens Monday.

SureFire XC1

First up is their XC1-B Ultra Compact. It is their normal XC1 but on steroids. The XC1 is their smallest weapon light.

It is powered by just a mere AAA battery and is now cranking out a 300 lumens. This is actually similar to their Titan Plus keychain light which is also powered by a AAA battery and pushes 300 lumens out the front.

SureFire has also updated the switches on the XC1-B Ultra so now you can activate constant on with the toggles. Before constant on was achieved by a shuttle switch in the middle of the light.

The updated XC1-B Ultra will retail for $299.

SureFire XH35

300 lumens is too anemic for you? Well SureFire has updated their X300UH. It is the XH35 and it has a potent 1,000 lumens.

It is based on the same X300UH so it is compatible with the SureFire Masterfire holster.  Take a close look at the bottom of the XH35 it has some interesting differences from the X400 and X300 weaponlights. According to the photo below, it is dual output and has a strobe feature. This is a first for SureFire pistol lights. They have never had a strobe or dual output before. The high is 1,000 lumens and low puts the XH35 down to 500 lumens.

The XH35 has a new LED and reflector design that SureFire is calling MaxVision

At the moment pricing and availability hve not been determined just yet.

1,500 Lumen Scoutlight

Images have been leaked of a new Scoutlight that is screaming at 1,500 lumens.

There are some interesting things going on with this new light. It is rumored to be DFT (Dual Fuel Tactical). Meaning it will be powered by the standard 2xCR123 batteries but now they have increased the diameter of the body to accomodate 18650 rechargeable cells. The truly interesting feature is the 1,500 lumens. It supposedly only reaches that high level of lumens when using the 18650 battery, not the two CR123 batteries. When using two CR123s the Scoutlight puts out a respectable 1,200 lumens. This is odd since traditionally more voltage is how one gets more lumens. There is a reason a single cell light, like the XC1 can only output 300 lumens but dual cell lights can push more than double that. 

New Handheld Lights

SureFire has also been working on some of their handheld lights. They have updated the G2X and G2Z with MaxVision.

G2Z-MV Features

• High-performance LED and specially developed reflector create wide, smooth MaxVision Beam^™

• CombatGrip provides secure hold in nearly all conditions

• High-impact Nitrolon^® polymer body for corrosion resistance and durability

• Durable, optically coated, polycarbonate window resists impact and maximizes light transmission

• Includes a lanyard to enable the use of both hands during manipulations/reloading when the lanyard is looped around the support hand palm. Also makes it easier to pull the G2Z out by the lanyard when stored in pant pocket

• Backed by SureFire’s No-Hassle Guarantee

G2X-MV Features

• High-performance LED and specially developed reflector create wide, smooth MaxVision Beam^™

• Two output levels – low is activated first, then high for maximum light

• Press the tailcap switch for momentary-on low, press further to click constant-on low, return to off and press or click on again within two seconds for high

• High-impact Nitrolon^® polymer body for corrosion resistance and durability

• Durable, optically coated, polycarbonate window resists impact and maximizes light transmission

• Backed by SureFire’s No-Hassle Guarantee

SureFire is also coming out with a new light called the EDCL2-T

The Everyday Carry Light 2, an upgraded version of their popular EB2 Backup. It has a high-output LED delivering 1,200 lumens on high and a 5 lumens on low.

Features

• Highly versatile light serves as an everyday carry light or an improvised weapon light

• Virtually indestructible LED emitter regulated to maximize output and runtime

• Fully press tailcap switch for high output, and slightly press tailcap switch for low. Twist for constant on.

• High-strength aerospace aluminum body, Mil-Spec hard anodized for extreme durability

• Body and tailcap are knurled for a secure grip

• Two-way clip permits light to be carried bezel up or down

• Includes two high-energy 123A batteries with 10-year shelf life

The tailcap is particular intriguing. From the description above it sounds like it works like their older lights like the LX2 and A2L Aviator. They had a dual output tail cap as well. Half press of the tail cap button gets you low, then push harder and the light switches to full brightness.

The EDCL2-T retails for just $179 on their website.

Not all hearing protection is equal. Their are many different varieties and each one has its pros and cons. We will take a look at some of the most commonly available types of hearing protection that you will find out on the range.

We will take a look at the following:

• 3M foam ear plugs
• SureFire ear plugs
• Etymotic Research electronic plugs
• Custom molded plugs
• Walker's Electronic muffs
• SilencerCo silencer

An Oldie But A Goodie: Foam Ear Plugs

I am sure many of our readers have used foam ear plugs at some point in their years of shooting. They are inexpensive and easy to use. Some are better than others like these 3M EARsoft Yellow Neon Blasts. They come molded with a neck cord. The material is soft and supple. 3M advertises a 33 db NRR (noise reduction rating).

To use them you simply roll the ear plugs to make them smaller and insert them into your ear. After a few seconds the foam will expand filling your ear canal. They do a great job blocking out sound. However in there lies an issue. It blocks out everything. Range commands and other noises that you might want to hear. If you were out hunting you need to hear. Another issue is weather. Cold weather affects the material in some foam ear plugs. They become more rigid and harder to use. One problem I have with foam ear plugs is when I use them for extended periods of time. After a few hours the pressure of the ear plugs starts to make my ears ache. Dependind on the material Foam ear plugs do not last that long. Even on 3M's website is says that they are not reusable. They are designed to be disposable and at just around $0.12 a pair they are defintely affordable.

SureFire Sonic Defenders

A few years ago SureFire came out with their own set of hearing protection. These are a little better in terms of comfort than your average foam ear plugs. The Sonic Defenders do not block out as much noise with a NRR of just 25db however they do something that the foam ear plugs do not, they can let in some sounds like talking. At the ends of the Sonic Defenders are caps that you plug up to block out noise. This is when you achieve the full 25db reduction in noise. One added benefit to the Sonic Defenders is that they are compatible with radio communications. So you can use them for as your radio head sets. The newest versions come in a small plastic hard case with a small chain attached so you can store them on the outside of your range bag or backpack. There is an included lanyard that is removable. The shape of the Sonic Defenders is their patented EarLock^® retention rings that utilize seven contact points to lock earpieces in place and fit the same way every time. While the Sonic Defenders are better built than the foam ear plugs they do have a lifespan of about 6 months of regular use. They work great as back ups and they are comfortable for the first hour or use but after that my ear begin to ache. They are not terribly expensive at around $10-$13.

Etymotic Research Gun Sport Pro

Etymotic Research has been making some of the best ear plugs for audiophiles. I used to have a pair of their earbuds for my iPod and the sound quality was amazing. They recently started making hearing protection for shooters. These also have a NRR of 25db. While the SureFire's do let in some noise, these electronically produce the sounds like head phones. They even have a switch to amplify noise by 5x.You can see the small switch at the bottom of the ear plugs.

Since these are electronic, they do require batteries. They use tiny hearing aid batteries and unfortunately because they are tiny they do not last long. After about 1.5-2 weeks sitting in my car, the batteries died. And that was with me removing the batteries when not in use. Gun Sport Pros do not have an on or off switch so the instructions says to open the battery tray when not in use.

Etymotic Research includes a variety of ear plug tips. Triple flange rubber tips and foam tips. There are also small filters that block ear wax from entering the ear plugs. These electronic ear plugs are tiny and come win a nice hard case. There is a braided string to use as a lanyard. Aside from the short battery life these are not cheap. They retail for $299. I had a set of Sport Ear Ghost Stryke electronic ear plugs that I had won at a 3Gun match and I prefer the Etymotic Research Gun Sport Pros over those. The Sport Ears cost around $400-$500 depending where you look. They did not have the simple boost switch and were a little bit bigger than the Gun Sport Pros.

Custom Molded Ear Plugs

These by far are my favorite for hearing protection. Custom molded ear plugs are made to fit your ears. They are the most comfortable things you can have in or around your ears. These cost around $100+ depending on who makes them. While I also won these at a match they are worth every penny and I would not hesitate to buy them to replace them. If you notice, the plugs have holes in them.

The holes go all the way thru and this is so you can insert a small filter. The filter allows some sounds like talking to go through the ear plugs but blocks out louder noises like gun fire. I have worn these all day and never had to take them out. These are simple and comrfortable since they fit my ears perfectly. They are very hard to beat. I don't even find the need to double up on very loud guns like my friend's compensated SV Infinity chambered in .38 super. That is the loudest gun I have been around. It is very close to my SCAR 17S and a compensated .50bmg in terms of teeth chatteringly loud.

Walker's Razor Electronic Muff

So far we have only talked about inner ear hearing protection. Some of us like to use ear muffs. These are Walker's Razor slim electronic muffs. They run on two AAA batteries. There is an rotary on switch which also adjusts the volume. Below the on switch is a plug for audio input jack. You can plug in audio sources like a radio or even your cellphone. While there is no microphone you can listen to music or other sources of audio.

The muffs work well protecting my entire ear. They are great in cold weather but not so great in the heat. I have had mixed results using muffs with eye protection and these Walker's in particular seem to not block out as much sound as I would like. The ear piece of my ear pro often casues a small gap to be created and that results in letting in sound. I often find that I need to double up with some ear plugs and that defeats the purpose. Other issues arise when using them with a shoulder stock like on a rifle or shotgun. Often the stock will nudge the ear cups and create a gap that allows noise to come in. Price wise the Walker's around $70. There are other electronic ear muffs like the Howard Leights or Peltors that can be cheaper in price.

Silencers As Hearing Protection

Another option for hearing protection is a silencer. This is not a common form of hearing protection but it does work. Depending on the guns you are using you could get one silencer that can work on multiple guns. When shooting super sonic loads the suppressor helps to take the edge off the noise. Gun, ammo, and silencer choice make a difference. For example shooting a 5.56 AR under a roof with a suppressor is still rather loud. Ive tried a number of suppressors on my Tavor X95 and found that the SureFire Socom RC2 to be the most pleasant on that gun.  One problem with silencers is that they are regulated and the only way to try them out is if you have a friend that has them or know an FFL who deals in them and is willing to demo them for you. Also because they are regulated by the ATF under NFA laws there is an additional expense of $200 either making one or transferring one. On top of that there is the wait time for approval from ATF wich can take anywhere from several months to a year.

Another minor issue with shooting with suppressors is the fact that other people around you might not be shooting suppressed. It is annoying when the guy next to you isnt suppressed. So now you need hearing protection from his gun. Other issues arise with build up of back pressure in guns and in some instances "suppressor bukkake" or suppressor blow back. This is where gasses and powder come flying backwards and hitting you in the face. AR15s suffer from gasses seeping out through the rear like the charging handle and it stings the eyes.

Pick Which One Suits You

Hearing protection comes down to a personal choice. We all have different priorities. Some of us only use them briefly while others may need to use them for extended periods of time. So figure out what you need out of your hearing protection. Do you need to hear ambient sounds or range commands? Maybe electronic ear pro is for you. Out of the different forms of hearing protection the custom molded ear plugs and silencers are my favorites. They are the most comfortable to use. Barring the issues with shooting suppressed, it is hard to beat how nice it is to shoot without needing to wear hearing protection.

Bullpup rifles are amazing things. They take a full-size auto-loading rifle, reconfigure the components, add a few pieces and, “poof!” the rifle is 30% smaller!

Yes, there are downsides to the design, but ultimately, bullpups are simply handier versions of full-size firearms that don’t sacrifice ballistic efficacy to achieve compactness.

One of the most popular bullpups in the US, is the IWI Tavor series of firearms. These polymer-shelled, piston-driven magazine-fed carbines were designed with lessons learned from the Israeli Defense Force after decades of ground warfare.

While great guns in their own right, they’re limited to the intermediate calibers 5.56mm and .300 black..... Until now.

That’s right, IWI just formally announced the introduction of their .308 Tavor 7 rifle.

While rumors of the gun’s existence have circulated for years, only last week did IWI confirm these rumors. IWI’s CEO Shlomi Sabag wrote, “We are pleased to expand the TAVOR family - the world's most popular battle-proven bullpup rifles - with the new addition of a 7.62X51mm caliber weapon, based on requests from our customers. The IWI TAVOR 7 enables users from the military and law enforcement markets to operate in a wide variety of scenarios at short and medium range with enhanced firepower - efficiently, safely and easily, with only minimal maintenance.”

In a nutshell, IWI is telling us that their new rifle takes the best parts of the original Tavor - namely reliability, compact form, lightweight construction - and adds the impressive terminal ballistics of the .308 round.

Also, according to the press release, the Tavor 7 also incorporates the X95’s grip system, allowing users to swap out their grip modules at will. Additionally, the new big-bore Tavor will be available in two barrel lengths - 17 inches and 20inches, and in four colors: Black, OD Green FDE, and Sniper Grey.

There are a few things I didn’t see in the release, but are worth mentioning. For example, leaked images shown in the past, appear to show the new gun utilizing SR-25 magazines like the Magpul 308 PMAG.

Additionally, the gun features a 4-position gas selector allowing shooters to tailor the gun to run when severely fouled up or suppressed.

I should add that I’m not one that owns a safe full of bolt guns. Right now, I only own one. And this is it.  It is a Ruger American Rifle in .308. This is the Predator model. It is compact, light, and the materials of construction make it damned near indestructible.

All three of those aspects are important. I live in the South. I hunt in dense woods with limited sight distances. I never see more than 300 yards (unless I’m on the range). I typically hunt at distances less than 150 yards. So there’s no real need for a longer barrel. That said, I've seen a capable shooter connect at 1,000 yards with a Predator in 6.5 Creedmore, so the gun is capable.

The .308 is overkill for whitetail, arguably, but I am a fan of the .308. While others have moved to smaller, faster (and even flatter shooting) rounds, I’m sticking with what I know. The .308 offers a wide variety of bullet shapes and designs, and powder loads, so it is easy to find a round that the rifle likes.

Ruger introduced the American Rifle several years ago. At first it was a basic black polymer-stocked rifle. The gun was incredibly affordable for the performance it offered. The price tag on the American Rifle helped make it popular, too.

Then Ruger made improvements and added options. This one comes with a picatinny rail. Most Rugers do not. The pic rail makes it much more versatile. Instead of working with Ruger’s more limited selection of proprietary scope rings, I had the choice of countless designs. I’m partial to a scope mount that allows me to see under the scope, so this was a plus.

The other big addition is the threaded barrel. I’m one of those yokels who thinks every gun should be silenced. Suppressors should be sold like accessories, not like firearms. When they are, or maybe before, this will have a can on the end.

Not that the deer mind. They rarely hear the shot that kills them. Everyone else in the woods, though. The other deer. The other hunters. My ears. I could go on and on.

As for the construction, what you get from Ruger is always solid. Their plastic work is flawless. Their barrels are consistent. The 18” barrel on this one is tapered, but thicker than the one on my original American Rifle (with a 22” barrel). This isn’t a rifle that’s designed to be fired repeatedly, so heat build up is less of a problem, yet the gun remains light without feeling fragile.

The barrel is free-floated, which is important for a bolt gun. Ruger describes their patent-pending bedding system as Power Bedding. It is an integral block that requires less fitting, but is still exact. Engineering is hardly my strong suit, but I understand how it feels. The stock feels secure, even in the forend where it floats.

The bolt on this is a one piece, 3 lug design with a 70 degree throw. Even with larger scopes, there’s plenty of room for fast cycling from the shoulder (if you should require a follow-up shot).

The trigger is adjustable from 3 to 5 pounds. It has a clean travel and a decent break. Ruger factory triggers are consistently good, and this one is no exception. They stepped up their trigger game a few years back with their match triggers for the 10/22, and all of their rifle triggers seem to have benefitted.

The rotary magazine is built of polymer. I’d highly suggest getting a spare (or two) to take with you in the woods. This is a bolt gun, though, and it can be loaded by hand if you have to (though it isn’t easy to get a round in from the top). Still, when a magazine goes south, it is good to have a spare on hand.

The safeties on the American rifles work in two ways. The first is a trigger safety. While they’re not foolproof, having a lever to depress inside the trigger shoe helps add another layer protection. Put your finger on the trigger, though, and the lever falls easily, then the trigger is free to move.

The tang-mounted safety is ideally placed. Most of us have experience with cross-bolt safeties. I wish I knew how many times I’ve missed a shot because I pulled the trigger with the safety on, only to have to look again. The tang-mounted safety is visible in your peripheral vision as you look through most scopes. And you can move it with your thumb, very easily. It is smooth, and makes no noise.

So how does it shoot? That’s the important part, right?

Ruger advertises minute of angle accuracy from the American Rifle. I’ve not been disappointed. With the right ammo, and a bit of patience (and maybe the help of a good bench rest), The Predator will group well. I shot three rounds through one ragger hole at 100 yards with a Leupold 3-9 x 40 on top (from a rest). The three shots above are from the shoulder.

The MOA test is a good benchmark, but I’m far more concerned with how it runs from the shoulder or the deer stand, where I only ever get one shot. That's what this rifle is built for.

The Predator doesn’t offer many of the adjustments some rifle stocks offer. The cheek piece isn’t as high as I’d like. The length of pull is fixed. For someone like me, at 6’4”, that is something I have to live with.

Everything else works as it should. I’m always pleased when I sight in at 100 and punch one clean hole, and dial it in at 300 and drop a round right where I want. That’s why the Ruger is in the safe.

If .308 isn’t your round of choice, there are 5 other options (.223, .22-250, .204, .243. 6.5 mm Creedmoor, and 6 mm Creedmore). Ruger sells package deals, too, with Vortex scopes.  And if you really want more customization, the rifle can be bought without the scope rail.

Prices on the Predators begin at $529. Keep in mind that’s the MSRP. They are available for less off the shelf at your FFL--much less now that the fall season is behind us.

Like many of the other guns in this class, the American Rifles are made in the states. I’ve been to the Mayodan, N.C. plant where these are made. I’ve walked through their assembly lines and seen the guns being made and tested. I’ve been to many factories, and Ruger’s use of the Toyota assembly line model is inspiring.

For me, the choice was simple. I wanted a gun that was compact, but capable of reaching out. I needed a gun that was light and rugged. I wanted to be able to use any scope mount I wanted and to silence it without having to have the barrel threaded. And I didn't want to pay too much for all of those demands. The Predator was it.

Tapco.

Few companies have as strange of a reputation as this company.

They make products that are both lauded as fantastic deals, and others that people claim are total junk.

But I’ve always felt that they are the victim of the vocal minority. You know, the guys that hop on gun forums and proclaim how everything made by a certain company is junk, and that the golden days of a once celebrated manufacturer are over.

Don’t get me wrong, these folks normally have very real grievances; but because no one posts that the Tapco Intrafuse mag they bought at a gunshow for 10 bucks works fine. Thus, potential buyers are stuck with lop-sided impressions of the product.

Which brings me to one of the most underrated products on the market - the lowly Tapco Intrafuse magazine.

For full clarity, I’m not going to speak on every variation of the mag - I only have extensive, first-hand experience with three models of second generation Intrafuse mag: the AK, the AR and the SKS.

First off, all intrafuse magazines utilize polymer bodies and followers. The AK and SKS models feature steel base plates, while the AR has a polymer one. All three also feature anti-tilt followers.

That said, let’s get down to each one individually.

AK-47/AKM

As someone who owns 15 AK Intrafuse magazines, I can say confidently they perform as well as steel mags during normal use. They aren’t as durable, so dropping one repeatedly on its feed lips while fully-loaded will result in enough damage to eventually render it inoperable.

Another thing. Intrafuse AK magazines fit all standard, military-pattern AK carbines and assault rifles fine. However, the don’t always fit ARs and AK alternatives like the Galil ACE in 7.62x39mm. Thankfully, this isn’t because the magazine is out of spec, but simply too thick at the neck - so shooters with a hand file and a few minutes can simply shave off a little material and get their gun running in no time.

For full clarity, of the 15 magazines I’ve owned, I’ve had to discard exactly two. One because the spine of the magazine cracked, and caused feeding issues after successfully running roughly 2,000 rounds through it. The other was accidently run over by an F-150 on gravel, and exploded.

I cannibalized both of these magazine’s followers and base plates on other, foreign-made  polymer magazines to raise my total US-made parts for 922r compliance.  Note: the baseplates on these magazines do not fit standard, steel AK magazines.

While we’re on the topic of Soviet calibers, we’ll continue on the SKS intrafuse magazine.

SKS

Anyone who has run a standard, mil-spec SKS knows that the Simonov carbine wasn’t designed for detachable magazines. Instead, the magazine is hinged in place with a release to allow soldiers to unload the gun’s magazine without manually cycling the action 10 times.

If this sounds strange, this gun was designed with the average Soviet infantryman in mind. He was very familiar with the M91/30 Mosin Nagant. This bolt action rifle had a similar  type of hinged magazine. Only those soldiers fortunate enough to have trigger time behind the SVT-40 and AVT-40 were used to quickly swapping magazines. 

I’ve hear this reasoning is also why the the SKS and AKM have their charging handles on the right side of the gun - just like the bolt handle on a Mosin.

OK, what’s my point?

Simply that, the gun was never meant to use a quick detach magazine. Thus the engineers at Tapco had to invent a method of allowing the magazine to lock up where a large pin normally held it into place, while still being easily removable.

Plus these engineers had to struggle with the fact that their expanded capacity magazines also place more pressure on the bolt while it operates - plus the fact that multiple countries made the SKS with slight variances.

What’s I’m getting at, is some SKS carbines just don’t like these Tapco magazines. I own a Russian military, a Chinese Type 57 and a Yugoslavian SKS and two of these guns love the mag, the other is infuriatingly unreliable with the Tapco mag.

The Chinese model works great, but initially wouldn’t accommodate the Tapco. I had to modify the so-called, “duck bill” of the magazine to allow it to fully lock up. After which, the magazine fed and ran fine.

The Yugo locked up fine, but never fed more than five rounds consecutively without one nose-diving into the top of the chamber. No amount of jury-rigging could make the gun reliably function with the magazine. That said, the Yugo SKS owned by a colleague runs flawlessly with the same type of magazine with no alterations.

These magazine in particular is responsible for the lion’s share of bad reviews of Tapco products. But in all fairness, even extended magazines made in China at the same factory as the Chinese military SKS tend to have spotty reliability. This leads me to believe it’s less the magazine, and more the design of the rifle itself.

AR-15

What about the Tapco Intrafuse AR-15 magazine?

Let me address the elephant in the room - no, I don’t like the way the magazine looks; it clashes with nearly every AR I’ve run it in. Though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there’s not accounting for taste. Hell, many people don’t like the way Magpul stuff looks, while some folks like fellow writer Nick Chen, would get the pattern tattooed on their back if their wife wouldn’t divorce them over it.

If I’m being transparent, some of the more angular, billet lower receivers actually look pretty cool with the Intrafuse mags.

But I digress, how does the AR-15 magazine perform?

Just fine. I don’t think anyone who has actually used one would say otherwise. The problem with the Intrafuse AR-15 magazines isn’t one of reliability, but durability and longevity.

These magazines, like nearly every polymer-bodied magazine, don’t use any metal components to reinforce the feed lips. These lips control when the rounds are released from the magazine, and into the action and then into the chamber.

Because these tend to become somewhat brittle over time (especially on magazines left loaded for long durations) some shooters mistakenly believe they mags themselves are intrinsically unreliable.

These magazines are great range magazines, and are fine with normal use and abuse. But in all honesty, they don't hold up as well as designs that feature steel reinforcements, like my personal favorite - the Lancer L5 AWM.

Ironically, while better-made magazines used to be more expensive, as they became more popular, the nature of mass production combined with supply and demand has dropped their price to a point where the Intrafuse AR magazine isn’t really competitive.

That said, these magazines tend to go on sale from time to time, and when they do, make great range magazines. The intrafuse AK magazines on the other hand are a great bargain, and reasonably durable - especially for the price.

Ultimately, Tapco magazines aren’t perfect. But, they are a far cry from the exaggerated reports of calling them total junk by overly-vocal forum posters. 

The Beretta 92 is a cornerstone in steel framed DA/SA handguns. There is a reason why the US Military has issued them for so long. Wilson Combat and Beretta have collaborated before with their 92G Brigadier Tactical. Now they are releasing the 92G Centurion Tactical. Wilson submits their parts and specs to Beretta and Beretta manufactures the gun. The 92G Centurion uses the same frame as the Brigadier Tactical but uses a shorter slide with a 4.3" barrel. The slide is actually a shortened 92G Vertec slide. Both the front and rear sights are dovetailed.

The 92G Centurion Tactical was developed with the help of Ken Hackathorn and features his Ameriglo designed front sight.. It is a bright orange circle with a tritium center. The grip panels are made by VZ as per Wilson Combat's specifcations. They are as thin as structurally possible. The magazine release is enlarged and the grip under the beaver tail is undercut a bit more so reaching the trigger is easier. They improved the checkering to be a bit more aggressive.

With regards to the magazines, the gun comes with two 17rd mags and one 20rd magazine. The grip has a beveled mag well and the Wilson Combat' mag guide.The mag guide is a simple drop in upgrade that you can get for your Beretta 92. It allows for faster and easier magazine reloads.

Looking at the photos above you can see that the frame is railed with two slots. This is to accomodate both the full and compact sized lights and lasers.

Chambered in 9mm, the 92G Centurion Tactical weighs just 33.02 oz empty or 40.07oz fully loaded.  Overall lenght is 7.75" and has a height of 5.5" The sight radius is a decent 5.75" with the updated rear sight.

Ken Hackathorn sits down with Bill of Wilson Combat to go over the details of the 92G Centurion Tactical.

Retail for the 92G Centurion Tactical is only $1,250 and available on Wilson Combat's website.

Recently I found myself in need of a decent looking gun belt.  In general, I carry AIWB with an untucked shirt.  In addition to concealing my handgun and my spare magazine, my untucked shirt also covers my belt.  The result is that most of the time the appearance of my belt is virtually irrelevant.

Most of the time.

Then I needed to attend a somber formal event wearing a suit and tie.  My normal setup just wouldn’t work simply because the heavy tactical webbing belt wasn’t going to match my suit.  I had some old leather gun belts and turned to one of them to help me through the occasion but I found the belt to be lacking and it made concealing my handgun more difficult and less comfortable.

I had to plan for the next formal event and when I arrived back home as I don’t like to be caught unprepared. So I ordered up a Magpul Tejas to see how well it was up to the task of supporting my gear while looking decent. As a result I wrote extensively about The Tejas El Original and the best concealed carry belts at Safety Solutions Academy. You can read my post here.

Magpul is traditionally know as a polymer magazine manfacturer since they debuted with their PMag more than 10 years ago. Magpul has continually expanded into other magazines for a variety of guns including GLOCK magazines and now into accessories and clothing like belts.

What is a Gun Belt?

Your concealed carry belt is the foundation of your concealed carry system. Having a quality gun belt means the difference between a positive experience with concealed carry or frustration. A solid gun belt increases comfort, the ability to conceal and helps you to reliably gain access to your gun when you need it most. In short, a good belt is the difference between carrying your gun or not and being able to access your gun when you need to most. When you frame it like that, the belt plays a more important role than just holding your pants up.

Over the years I have come to find that there are some specific attributes that elevate a gun belt to quality status.  For me, the qualities that make a difference are rigidity, sizing and hardware.

Rigidity

Let’s face it, a good concealed carry gun belt has a lot of work to do.  My belt holds up my drawers, a fully loaded Smith &Wesson M&P 9 Full Size, a spare 17 round M&P 9mm magazine, a S&W 442 J-Frame revolver, an Elzetta Bravo flash light, a Spyderco Endura 4 folding knife, two wallets, an iPhone 7+ and a hefty set of car keys. All told, that is more than 8 pounds of gear.

Now 8 pounds of hardware doesn’t seem like a lot but keep in mind, most belts have a hard time holding up just your pants.  Add in a couple of guns and a reload and you are significantly increasing the seriousness of the task.

Rigidity of the belt helps in two ways. First, it helps to distribute the weight of your gear evenly out around your entire waist.  This helps to relieve pressure points from the belt sagging under the load in certain areas.  The belt’s rigidity also aids in keeping the gun where it belongs. A stiff belt keeps the gun from drooping, the grip from rolling out or bouncing around when you move.  This is an important part of both comfort and concealment.

The Magpul Tejas El Original deals with rigidity seriously.  The belt is a 1.5” full grain leather outer matched with a polymer inner belt to add stiffness. The two layers are stitched together so that the belt looks good at the same time that it does its work. All told, the belt is stiff. Because of the polymer layer the Tejas resists bending and twisting which is important for both comfort and concealment.

In my opinion, you can count on the Tejas to stand with the stiffest of belts.

Sizing

A belt’s sizing is important in several ways.  First and most obviously, a belt needs to fit its owner.  If you have a 38” waist and order a 38” belt, it would be nice if the belt fit. Things don't work quite that way. Refer to Magpul’s sizing information before you order to make sure you get the right size.

 In addition to fitting around my waist, I also prefer a belt that I can really fit in different circumstances. Simple things like swapping to a different holster can change the fit of your belt. Traditional belts allow for adjustment through a series of holes that tighten or loosen the belt and the Tejas follows that age old method of adjustment with 8 holes at 3/4” intervals. The adjustment method is adequate but I prefer belts that allow fine adjustments that typical belt buckle and hole designs won’t allow. A simple change like tucking your shirt in can lead to a belt that is too tight or too loose.

Your concealed carry belt also needs to fit your holster loops.  The belt’s width and thickness can make a big difference in how securely your holster mates to your belt or if it does at all. As belts makers seek more rigidity, sometimes the thickness increases to the point of problems.  The Tejas El Original  attacks the rigidity issue with a layer of polymer stitched to the bullhide upper.  The rigidity is achieved without unreasonable thickness.  The 1.5” soft loops on my Darkstar Gear holster clasp securely around the belt although it can be difficult to latch the pull-the-dot style snaps at times.

The Tejas is available in 1.5” and 1.25” widths to provide you with options based on holster loops and style preferences.  I haven’t tried the 1.25” belt so I can’t comment on its suitability for concealed carry.

Another area of fit that is important depending on the method of carry that you employ is the thickness of the belt where it overlaps around the buckle.  The Tejas is quite thick and since I carry AIWB I have to orient my belt so that the buckle is on the left side of my body.  This is the traditional way that men wear their belts so this won’t be an issue for most, but it rules out the idea of carrying buckle to the right which would allow the tail of the belt to cover the soft loops of my holster.

Hardware

A belts hardware is important as it keeps everything together in one piece and to some degree determines the adjustability of the belt. The hardware needs to be easy to use so that belt can be put on and taken off with ease and adjusted when necessary.  The Magpul Tejas comes with chrome plated hardware that seems plenty hefty for the job at hand. A rather unique feature of the Tejas is the Magpul branded fasteners that hold the two belt layers together after wrapping around the buckle. Instead of needing a screwdriver or coin to open the fasteners, Magpul has incorporated a set of toolless screws that use simple flip up handles to tighten and loosen the screws.  If you are a buckle swapper this means you can easily and quickly swap your buckle without a need for tools.

The bottom line on the Tejas hardware is that it is easy to use and it is solid.

The Tejas Line

The Tejas El Original and the rest of the Tejas line are made in Texas and provide a stable platform for your concealed carry handgun and accessories. The Tejas Original has a good looking bullhide exterior and a stiff and supportive reinforced polymer inner.  The two layers are stitched together for a robust belt.  The Tejas El Original is available in 1.5” and 1.25” widths and in three colors; Balck, chocolate and light brown.

If the Tejas El Original isn’t for you, you might want to take a look at the Tejas El Burro which is a polymer only belt, or the Tejas El Empresario which is a 1.25” belt with a .20” thickness making it a touch sleeker than the El Original.

Final Thoughts

Magpul has a tendency to get things right especially when it comes to polymer.  The Tejas series of belts seems to be no exception. Even though belts are a departure from magazines Magpul has delivered a solid belt in the form of the Tejas El Original.  Although the belt isn’t perfect, it has won a spot as my gun belt when I need to get gussied up.  Maybe the El Original would be a good belt for you as well.

On paper, the combination of the 6.5 Creedmoor’s long range efficacy and Springfield’s National Match M1A seems great - but competitive shooters familiar with the platform might think otherwise.

That said, with claims of the new M1A being, “a true 1,000-yard rifle.” the engineers must have figured out a way around the limitations of the platform.

This new rifle based on the military M14, features a 22-inch, medium-taper stainless barrel with a 4-groove 1:8 right hand twitch. The barrel comes topped with both a muzzle brake and a National Match Grade .062 in front sight post and hoodless .0520 in aperture rear sight. These sights are a must for competitive shooters at Camp Perry, but the superior ballistic coefficient of the 6.5 Creedmoor round over the M1A’s standard .308 Win, may put the new Springfield M1A in a separate class

Further in this same competition rifle vein, the new Springfield M1A ships with a National Match-tuned 4.5lb trigger, and adjustable precision polymer stock. The whole setup minus an optic and ammunition tips the scales at 11.4lbs. While this might seem a little heavy to shooters more familiar with the AR-15, it’s fairly normal for the M1A. Plus, the added weight is helpful for both recoil mitigation, and for steadying the rifle in Camp Perry-like competitions.

The new Springfield M1A in 6.5 Creedmoor is available now, and retails for $2,045   

Although the AR in AR-15 stands for Armalite, it could just as easily stand for America’s Rifle due to the incredible popularity of these semi-automatic rifles. When Springfield Armory launched its first AR style rifle, the Saint, in 2016, my question was not “why,” but “what took them so long?”

It may have taken the company a while to get into the game, but Springfield Armory has run with the line. Since its initial offering, the company now sells several variants of the gun including a pistol version. Now, the company launched a new Saint that it considers an upgrade with “premier components.”

The Edge is a semi-automatic, AR-style rifle that uses a mid-length direct gas impingement system. It has a low profile, adjustable gas block that attaches to the barrel underneath a free floating aluminum handguard. The handguard is a specially developed Springfield Armory piece that uses M-LOK attachment points for adding accessories.

Both the upper and lower receivers are made of 7075-T6 aluminum with black hardcoat anodized finishes. Springfield Armory uses a tensioning system in the lower to take the slack out of the mating of the two receivers.

The company fits this gun with a 16” light weight barrel. It has a 1:8” twist and a Melonite finish. It is threaded and comes with a Springfield Armory multiport muzzle brake to help diminish recoil. Springfield Armory uses an enhanced M16 bolt carrier group that is MP tested and has a Melonite finish. This is matched with a carbine H-type tungsten buffer. 

For a trigger, the company opted to use one of its own modular triggers that is considered match grade with a single stage pull and short reset. To help get a proper hold on the gun and placement of the finger on the trigger, the company uses a Bravo Company Mod 3 pistol grip. Bravo Company also provides the buttstock: a Mod 0 SOPMOD. There are a variety of good stocks on the market, and the Bravo Company SOPMOD stock is one of them.

A single 30-round Magpul PMAG magazine ships with the rifle. These are good magazines and inexpensive enough that everyone should own at least 10 for each AR in the house.

Unloaded, these guns weigh in at about 6.2 pounds. The suggested retail price is $1,299. At that price, sights are included: low profile, folding sights made by Springfield Armory.

Standard Manufacturing is an interesting company making firearms that are anything but “standard.” It is the company that brought the DP-12 shotgun to market and showed off the S333 Volleyfire at the SHOT Show earlier this year. Now, the company is shipping its latest gun: the SKO Shorty.

The SKO is a semi-automatic shotgun produced by Standard Manufacturing. The SKO is a 12 gauge scattergun that mimics some of the AR look while incorporating a heavy dose of 1980s sci-fi movie chic. I don’t know if that is good or bad, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Regardless, the company is now offering the Shorty as an extension of this platform.

The SKO Shorty deletes the stock from the shotgun but maintains the 18” barrel. The result is a gun with a 26” overall length with an NFA legal barrel length. If I understand Standard Manufacturing’s goal, this shotgun looks to compete with the non-shotgun smoothbores on the market like the Mossberg Shockwave and the guns being made by Black Aces Tactical.

Where the SKO Shorty is different from the competition is in its action: it’s a semi-automatic gun. Most, if not all, of the other compact non-shotgun smoothbores are pump action guns.

This gun feeds from detachable box magazines, which is an advantage for some people. On a defensive gun, I’ve always liked the flexibility of being able to top off a tube magazine or drop in a slug. However, many people prefer the box magazine for quickly being able to snap in five or ten new rounds in one move. 

Standard Manufacturing uses proprietary magazines, which is a problem. A 5-round magazine comes with the gun, but the company doesn’t have any additional mags available for purchase. It reminds me of the old Bren 10 problem – you can get a gun but can’t feed it. 

Personally, I would much rather have a shotgun that ran on a Saiga 12 pattern magazine. Shotgun magazines for these guns are plentiful and affordable. Plus, they have the advantage of years of reliability testing.

I have to admit that the SKO Shorty is interesting. Unfortunately, interesting does not always mean that I want to buy one. With a suggested retail price of $1,100, I will have to pass. 

Federal Premium has been working on a new AR-15 cartridge that stays supersonic out to 1,300 yards. Yes you read that correctly. It is called the .224 Valkyrie and it is a cool little round.

At Big 3 East last October, Mark Larue brought out his new Larue Stealth 2.0 rifle chambered in .224 Valkyrie.

The round is similar to a 6.5 Grendel in appearance but out performs .223/5.56, 6.5 Grendel, and .22 Nosler in every aspect.

L-R: 5.56. .224 Valkyrie, 6.5 Grendel.

The .224 Valkyrie has a 90gr projectile and stays super sonic out to 1,300 yards!

Check out the video Federal Premium made about the .224 Valkyrie.

Federal claims it has less wind drift and drop than any in its class. As much as 127 inches of less drop and 68 inches of less wind drift at 1000 yards with a 10mph wind. 

.223 destabilizes out of super sonid speed at around 775 yards. .22 Nosler drops at about 790 yards and 6.5 Grendel drops out of super sonic speed at 1,100 yards.

They claim it has half the recoil of comparable rounds. They are comparing the .224 Valkyrie ballistics to 6.5 Creedmoor!

Federal Premiuim is offering .224 Valkyrie in a array of ammo varieties.

The Gold Medal Sierra Matchking is 90gr

Fusion MSR is 100gr

Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint is 60gr

American Eagle is 75 gr

So you have a variety of bullets options for anything from varmint game hunting to long distance competition shooting.

Here is Federal's press release on the new cartridge.

224 Valkyrie Defined

Brand-new MSR 15 cartridge pushes accuracy envelope to extreme distances

Federal Premium’s 224 Valkyrie takes the long-range precision and ballistic performance of the MSR 15 platform to unheard of heights. The results recorded by Federal Premium engineers during the cartridge’s extensive development and testing process speak for themselves. The 224 Valkyrie provides extremely flat trajectories, supersonic velocities at as far as 1,300 yards downrange, and match-grade accuracy.

It offers dramatically improved trajectories over all other MSR 15 cartridges, including the 22 Nosler, 223 Rem. and 6.5 Grendel—with roughly half the recoil of larger cartridges offering comparable ballistics, such as the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Built To Go the Distance
Loaded with a selection of high-performance projectiles, the 224 Valkyrie is the new first choice of long-range target shooters and hunters looking to extend the reach of their favorite MSR 15. Plus, even though the new 224 Valkyrie was designed for gas-driven MSR 15 actions, it’s also extremely effective from bolt guns. All of this is great news for shooters who’ve longed for practical, economical and exceptionally reliable 1,000-plus-yard performance.

The 224 Valkyrie is based on a 30 Rem./6.8 SPC case necked down to .224 caliber. This gives it similar geometry to the 22 Nosler—although the Valkyrie’s ingenious blend of case capacity and ample ogive space, coupled with a highly efficient, heavy-for-caliber .224 projectile, produces downrange exploits the 22 Nosler can’t touch.

It offers up to 127.88 inches less drop and 68.76 inches less wind drift at 1,000 yards than the 223 Rem and other short-action calibers like the 22 Nosler and 6.5 Grendel. Plus, its ballistics are comparable to much larger, harder-kicking calibers like the 6.5 Creedmoor—with as little as half the felt recoil.

To say the 224 Valkyrie is fast, even at long ranges, is an understatement. Testing conducted by Federal Premium engineers confirms its high-speed capabilities. For example, the 224 Valkyrie 90-grain Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing produces leaves the muzzle at 2,700 feet per second; it maintains a blistering 1,950 fps pace at 500 yards and 1,268 fps when crossing the 1,000-yard line. In fact, it remains supersonic out to 1,300 yards. Velocities are based on 24-inch test barrels with a 1:7 twist.

“Along with its ballistic benefits, the 224 Valkyrie also lowers the financial barrier of entry into shooting 1,000 yards for fun and competition,” said Federal Premium development engineer Jacob Burns. “Shooters can use the widely available and popular MSR 15 platform with high-performance yet economical ammunition that costs less than traditional long-range rounds like the 6.5 Creedmoor.”

Initial Lineup
Federal Premium’s new 224 Valkyrie cartridge will be initially available in four of its proven product lines, offering serious options for competitors, long-range target shooters and hunters pursuing varmints up to deer-sized game.

224 Valkyrie 90-grain Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing
Extract the full long-range potential from 224 Valkyrie with the 90-grain Sierra MatchKing. The bullet design has been shot to win more matches than any other, thanks to a uniform jacket that ensures consistent, long-range accuracy, and a sleek boat-tail that maximizes ballistic coefficient.

224 Valkyrie 60-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint
The 224 Valkyrie is built to defeat wind drift and drop, and the 60-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint maximizes these built-in ballistics with a sleek, thin-jacket, polymer-tipped bullet. Its explosive expansion provides a violent energy release on impact for quick kills on varmints and predators.

224 Valkyrie 100-grain Fusion MSR
Virtually every component in Fusion MSR is optimized for peak ballistic performance in modern sporting rifles. New 100-grain 224 Valkyrie extends range even further, offering devastating accuracy and terminal performance on medium game—with half the recoil of cartridges with similar ballistics.

224 Valkyrie 75-grain American Eagle TMJ
Train like never before with 224 Valkyrie and American Eagle rifle. The loads feature Federal brass, clean-burning powder, consistent primers and accurate 75-grain TMJ bullets. They’re the ultimate range ammunition for the ultimate MSR 15 cartridge.

Join the Valkyrie Revolution
The easiest way to capitalize on the new cartridge is purchase a firearm from one of the many gun makers quickly jumping on the 224 Valkyrie bandwagon. You can also purchase a new upper and use with your existing lower.

A gunsmith or other person trained in the art of building MSRs can also make the necessary modifications using a barrel chambered in 224 Valkyrie, 224 Valkyrie headspace gauge, plus a 6.8 SPC bolt head and 6.8 SPC magazine. Consumers can expect to see widespread availability of new guns, uppers and barrels as the cartridge gains traction in the marketplace. Again, it is recommended that shooters who decide to go the modification route enlist gun-building expertise to complete the transformation.

Shooters can expect full technical specifications for the new round once it is approved by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) in January at the 2018 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. At that time, information such as chamber specifications and cartridge pressure standards, including SAAMI’s maximum average pressure (MAP), proof pressure range and barrel length/twist recommendations will be communicated. Cartridge and chamber dimensions, drawings and diagrams will also be available soon after SAAMI makes the cartridge official.

Reloading data will be available in spring of 2018, when SAAMI releases its load-building specifications. However, reloading die sets will be available from RCBS, and other ammo-building components will also be offered by several popular brands.

Ultimately, Federal Premium’s 224 Valkyrie will unleash a new era of 1,000-yard-plus accuracy and performance for gas-driven MSR 15s and short-action bolt guns, without the hefty recoil and price tag of larger caliber options. Thanks to the continuation of Federal Premium’s 95-year commitment to excellence, shooters can expect best-in-class ballistics, supersonic flight past 1,300 yards (GM224VLK1) and extreme long-range accuracy from this exciting new cartridge. And with the full array of high-performance projectiles available, it’s poised to deliver on virtually every shooter’s needs.

 

Since it is based on a 6.8spc cartridge you have to use 6.8spc magazines or even 6.5 Grendel magazines. However that is not a big deal. 6.8spc mags are not expensive. You can get 25 rd mags for only $14.99 here on Gun Mag Warehouse.

No word just yet on cost of this new round. Hopefully it will be comparable to 6.5 Grendel or less. Ideally $1 per round or less. You can check out Federal's website for more information.