Tactical Weapons March 2020

VOLUME 14 ISSUE 2 34 46
MARCH 2020
FEATURES
18 CARRYING 72 BRACE FOR
THE CROSS IMPACT
Sig Sauer returns to the Remington’s short and
bolt-action world with the handy 700 Chassis
perfect sporter/sniper Pistol returns with an
BY SEAN UTLEY SB Tactical upgrade
BY MIKE DETTY
34 RISE’S RED RACER 72
More than eye candy, the 78 V3 FOR VICTORY
AR9 is here to blast past Running Remington’s
the 9mm competition latest tactical 12 gauge
BY ROBERT JORDAN through Gunsite’s top-
notch training
46 UNLEASHING BY FRED MASTISON
HELLFIRE
The midsize FX-19 84 PINT-SIZED
from Faxon Firearms is BULL-PUMP
ready for optics and KelTec’s compact, fast-
suppressors handling KS7 brings the
BY FRED MASTISON 12-gauge thunder
BY WILLIAM BELL 98 122
54 BEHIND THE
LEATHER 90 BATTLE OPTICS
An inside look at how ROYALE 108 COMPACT
CRUSADER
2020
DeSantis continues to Five of today’s best
make top-quality holsters combat sights duke it Daniel Defense crafts an
BY FRANK MELLONI out on the range unstoppable defender
MARCH
2020
BY DR. MARTIN D. TOPPER BY ROB GARRETT

MODERN
F REARMS
98 THE RONIN WAY 122 EIGHT RELIABLE

™ PRESEN
TS
FIRST SHOT
TACT CAL
Retired Master Sergeant RANGE BAGS

L FE
GREEN
BERE
ATHLON
TU LAMT
PUBL CAT
Q&A
Tu Lam details his life Great choices for toting FOR ANY M
ONS
KELTEC’S
ISSION NO-B
BULLPUPS
after the Green Berets all of your favorite gear 12 GA.
The first two decades of the 2000s BY JASON BRIGHT BY ZACK CARLSON
were a bit rocky, to say the least. We MODE
$9.95 RN FI
REA R M S™
FREE
can’t forget the attacks on 9/11 and DECA
SHEETL
ATH LON PG.
64
the ensuing Global War on Terror, then smartphones that actually work when The “first looks” don’t stop there,
PU BLI
CAT ION
S
the Great Recession, not to mention you need them to. The future is here! however. As with every issue of
HELLFIRE
all the political upheaval between and In the gun world, 2020 is sure to Tactical Life, we’ve included reviews FAXON UNLEASHES
ever since. Social media truly made bring new calibers, new guns to satisfy on the latest and greatest. Here you’ll
its stamp on history—both good and every need and new gear you didn’t learn about the Rise Armament AR9,
MARCH 2020
bad—as technology continued ahead even know you needed. Just think of Faxon FX-19 Hellfire, KelTec KS7 and
CROSS
at lightning speed. It seems like it’s Sig Sauer’s cutting-edge Cross rifle, Remington 700 CP, to name just a few
already been 40 years since the new the company’s return to the bolt-action of the guns ahead. We’ve also pitted
millennium began, right? game with both hunting and tactical combat sights against each other in a ION
BOLT-ACTN
PRECISIO Y
Hindsight is always 20/20, but applications in mind. It’s quite the battle royale, compared the best range FOR EVER
MISSION
we’re using this new year to look head-turner, as we all learned at our bags and 5.56mm/.223 loads, and PLUS
TRAVIS TOM
SHOTGUNNI
ASIE’S
NG
SECRETS
NEW 9MM
ahead. Ford is turning out its first recent Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in interviewed Tu Lam, a retired Green CATCH THERACER
RISE RED
A-GRADE
ANTARCTIC KETS
SHELL JAC
electric “Mustang” SUVs, Tesla Idaho, and we thought it deserved two Beret who will make every patriot KELTEC’S NO-
BULLPUP 12
BS FREE
DECAL
MODERN
FIREARM
S™ SHEET
unveiled its all-too-angular Cybertruck, different covers depending on where proud. And that’s just the tip of the $9.95 US $10.95
CAN
SHOOTOUT
PG. 64
and Samsung has promised us folding you picked up this issue. iceberg. Let’s get to it! —The Editors ATHLON
PUBL ICATI
ONS
2 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020

S E M I A U T O M AT I C
PEACE OF MIND
©
SAFETY TIP: Store firearms securely, inaccessible to children and unauthorized users.
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nino Bosaz
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Linas Cernauskas
PRODUCTION EDITOR Greg Lickenbrock
ART DIRECTOR/COVER DESIGN Rory Slifkin
PREMEDIA Mike Gregory
DIGITAL MANAGER Matthew Hogan
ASSISTANT EDITOR Mark Chesnut*
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VOLUME 14 ISSUE 2 CIRCULATION CONSULTANT Scott Hill/ProCirc
MARCH 2020 COVER PHOTO Sean Utley*
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06 STOCKPILE athlonoutdoors.com
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that you simply can’t miss & CONTENT DIRECTOR
ADVERTISING SALES
National Office
12 DIY BUILD 212-478-1910; sales@athlonoutdoors.com
Creating the ultimate pest control
tool with help from Luth-AR and more INDEPENDENT ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES
NORTHEAST REGION Scott Buchmayr; 978-462-6335
SOUTHEAST & UPPER MIDWEST Amos Crowley; 216-378-9811
28 BASIC TRAINING WESTERN REGION Scott J. Cherek; 307-635-8899
Going the distance with one of the 28 MIDWEST/CENTRAL SOUTH Dan Flavin; 248-515-8654
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42 ammo MATCH MARKETING & OPERATIONS
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104 HIGH-END
Nighthawk has made it easy to add TO THE READERS: Be advised that there may be products
a reflex sight to your favorite 1911 represented in this magazine as to which the sale,
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restricted, prohibited or subject to special licensing
114 SCREEN GEMS requirements. Prospective purchasers should consult the
A closer look at Netflix’s Secret City, 118 local law enforcement authorities in their area. All of the
information in this magazine is based upon the personal
a spy thriller set in modern Australia experience of individuals who may be using specific tools,
products, equipment and components under particular
conditions and circumstances, some or all of which may not
118 DRESS CODE be reported in the particular article and which this magazine
Comparing high-performance has not otherwise verified. Nothing herein is intended
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126 AFTER HOURS
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STOCKPILE
GEAR UP! NEW AND NOTEWORTHY PRODUCTS

THAT YOU SIMPLY CAN’T MISS
ACLIM8 COMBAR PRO
The Combar Pro from
Aclim8 includes five outdoor
essentials in one handy,
portable kit. You’ll get a
hammer, folding axe, saw,
spade and knife as well as a
magazine insert, yet the whole
package only weighs 3.5
pounds. Developed to military
standards, the tools are made
from titanium, stainless steel,
aircraft-grade aluminum and
glass-reinforced nylon to stand
up to hard use. (aclim8.com)
DIAMONDHEAD
AMERICAN TRANSPORTER PISTOLS
TACTICAL S60 Diamondhead has unveiled its new Transporter
POLYMER MAGAZINES series pistols, which are easy to stow in a
Need more rounds on tap? American Tactical backpack or case thanks to a special takedown
has partnered with German arms manufacturer system. You simply pull, twist and separate the
Schmeisser to bring the S60 stateside. This is the front half—the barrel assembly, gas system and
first polymer stick magazine to hold 60 rounds of handguard—away from the rear half when the
5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington ammunition for gun is fully unloaded and safe. Reassembly is
an AR-15. It uses a unique follower system that simply the reverse. No tools are needed, and
allows for double the capacity of a typical AR-15 Diamondhead currently offers five different
design without being too bulky or cumbersome 5.56mm NATO variants to handle a number
for field use. (americantactical.us) of missions. (diamondhead-usa.com)
EAA MC312 SPORT

European American Armory (EAA) has begun importing the Girsan-made
MC312, a semi-auto 12-gauge shotgun perfect for 3-Gun matches or whoever needs to
beat the clock. This inertia-driven beast from Turkey can run shells up to 3.5 inches long,
and it comes with a full vent-rib barrel and fiber-optic front sight as well as a pistol-grip stock
designed to help absorb recoil. The magazine tube has a red follower so you can see
when you’re out of ammunition, and the receiver features a rail for optics. (eaacorp.com)
6 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

TESTED. PROVEN. CHOSEN.
THE OFFICIAL SIDEARMS OF ALL BRANCHES OF THE U.S. MILITARY
sigsauer.com
STOCKPILE
MEPROLIGHT MEPRO MX3-T

The new Mepro MX3-T from Meprolight is a 3X magnifier
that can help you go the distance when your favorite reflex or
red-dot sight simply can’t handle the range. The MX3-T comes
with a Picatinny rail mount that allows you to quickly flip it
into or out of position. No zeroing is required, but Meprolight
includes windage and elevation knobs for fine tuning in the
field. Finally, the wide field of view is perfect for both-eyes-
open shooting. (meprolight.com)
IDAHO
ORDNANCE
FACTORY
While the ammo world
is a crowded space,
Idaho Ordnance Factory
is a newer concern with
rifle and pistol rounds at
the ready. This company
specializes in producing
American-made ammu-
nition on state-of-the-art
tooling and machining
equipment for the
ultimate reliability and
precision. On top of that,
the company employs
U.S. military veterans, so any ammo purchase is a win-win.
Look for Idaho Ordnance’s distinct bags. (idaho-ordnance.com)
SHAW BARRELS
Shaw Barrels (formerly E.R. Shaw) has opened a new SIG SAUER
factory dedicated to its custom barrel, rifle and re-barreling 6MM CREEDMOOR AMMO
divisions. Eleven new state-of-the-art CNC machines help Sig Sauer has expanded its Elite Match line of premium
the company maintain some of the shortest lead times in the competition ammunition with the addition of a 6mm Creedmoor
industry. For example, an order for a custom barrel now takes loading. Featuring a 107-grain Sierra MatchKing (SMK) bullet,
four to six weeks, re-barreling a customer’s action takes six the new 6mm Creedmoor Elite Match OTM load has a rated
to eight weeks, and custom bolt-action and AR-platform rifles muzzle velocity of 2,950 fps and muzzle energy of 2,068 foot-
are made within 4 months. On top of that, Shaw now offers pounds. The load also uses a temperature-stable propellant
a 1-MOA guarantee with its rifles when paired with premium for consistency in any weather condition as well as premium
ammunition. (shawcustombarrels.com) primers and cases. (sigsauer.com)
STOCKPILE
TAURUS 1911
COMMANDER
Following in the
footsteps of its 1911 Commander in .45 ACP,
Taurus has unveiled a new 9mm version with nine
rounds on tap. This all-steel classic has a 4.2-inch
barrel, a matte black finish that will blend in while resisting
corrosion, and the aggressively checkered grips provide just
the right amount of traction for a superior hold without digging
in too much. The gun also has an extended beavertail for greater
comfort, and Novak sights are included. (taurususa.com)
TOPS A-KLUB survival skills, and the A-Klub marks

TOPS recently collaborated with TOPS’ first design from a woman. Part
Amanda Kaye, who is probably best war club and machete, the A-Klub has
known for appearing on Naked and a heat-treated 1095 steel blade with an
Afraid, to design the A-Klub. Kaye is no Acid Rain finish. The 12.38-inch-long
stranger to hard work, having grown up blade has a Micarta handle, and TOPS
hunting and learning Native American includes a Kydex sheath. (topsknives.com)
SIG SAUER
PROFORCE MCX VIRTUS
A new addition to Sig’s airgun lineup,
the ProForce MCX Virtus airsoft rifle is a
battery-powered automatic electric gun
(AEG) that runs on a rechargeable bat-
tery while mimicking the look, feel and
operation of a centerfire MCX Virtus rifle.
The airsoft rifle features an adjustable
“hop-up” feature that adds spin to the caps. Designed primarily for tactical
BBs for additional stabilization in flight, carbines, the IGNiTE 30mm includes a
resulting in increased distance and
TRUGLO IGNITE SERIES machined cantilever Picatinny rail mount
TruGlo’s new IGNiTE red-dot sights that provides an absolute co-witness
accuracy. The airsoft version also has are aimed at shooters who need reli- with standard-height backup iron sights.
three fire control modes: safe, semi-auto ability and accuracy without breaking The smaller 22mm version comes with
and fully automatic. The included maga- the bank. The 30mm model boasts a a removable dust cover as well as high
zine holds 120 rounds of 6mm polymer large objective lens for a wide field and low mounts for AR-15s, handguns
or biodegradable BBs. (sigsauer.com) of view as well as molded flip-up lens and shotguns. (truglo.com)

XS RAM NIGHT SIGHTS
The new RadioActive Material
(RAM) night sights from XS Sight
Systems feature a traditional
three-dot design, but the front
sight uses an Ember Glow tritium
insert while the rear is blacked
WEATHERBY MARK V CARBONMARK out for faster targeting. Green
Weatherby has announced three new custom-grade rifles built for pinpoint precision and orange front sights are avail-
while still being aggressively priced. The Mark V Carbonmark, Carbonmark Pro and able. The rear sight also has a
Carbonmark Elite all have TriggerTech Mark V triggers, sub-MOA guarantees, Cerakote ledge for one-handed slide rack-
finishes on their metal, spiral-fluted bolts, Accubrakes, and Monte Carlo fiberglass or ing if needed, and both units are
carbon-fiber stocks. In addition, the carbon-fiber-wrapped barrels promote fast cooling machined from steel for enhanced
while being extremely lightweight. (weatherby.com) durability. (xssights.com)
TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 11

DIY BUILD
HIGH-SPEED
VARMINTER
CREATING THE ULTIMATE PEST CONTROL
FIELD REQUIREMENTS
Varmint hunting requires precision and
the ability to handle high round counts
without too much shift in the point
TOOL WITH HELP FROM LUTH-AR AND MORE of impact or mirage from barrel heat
distorting the image. The rifle should be
( BY GRAHAM BAATES ) able to deliver one or two precise shots
but also handle quicker-paced shooting.
What constitutes a varmint? of dealing with them. And contrary Guided sage rat hunts require as many
The answer depends on to what so many anti-gun politicians as 1,000 rounds per day, but taking
your region. Any species that say, AR-platform guns are superb out a lone coyote on private property
spreads disease or destroys crops instruments for whacking critters. might mean waiting for a single shot.
or animals certainly qualifies. In some Some shooters prefer the .17-caliber And while the .223 Remington isn’t
areas, this might mean a coyote, while magnums for their high velocity and low known for painful recoil, it can recoil off
in others, wild boar. In Oregon, it’s recoil, but in an AR world, why not go target, making follow-up shots difficult
the sage rat, a type of ground squirrel with the ever-popular .223 Remington? and watching impacts even more so.
that can consume a farmer’s alfalfa For an extra 10 cents or so per round, Such a build calls for a heavy barrel to
field while leaving burrows that catch the muzzle energy is at least quadru- not only soak up heat but also mitigate
livestock hooves, leading to broken legs. pled, and the rifle itself is a lot more muzzle rise. Rifle-length gas and buffer
Thus, the sage rat qualifies as a varmint versatile. Curious what the founder of systems also the reduce cyclic rate and
on two counts, not just one. DPMS and Panther Arms has been up stretch the recoil impulse to smooth out
Now that we’ve identified varmints, to recently, I looked to Luth-AR for my the sensation. Finally, you want a rifle
the next step is building a rifle capable personal varmint rifle. with a crisp trigger and a fully adjustable

iStock Photo
Available in black and Flat Dark

Earth, the Luth-AR Chubby grip
offers enhanced ergonomics while
making sure your hand rests
in the same spot every time.
“
buttstock that is comfortable enough to
spend all afternoon behind yet is ready
to go when a varmint pops its little head
out of the ground. . ..RANDY LUTH IS ENJOYING THE FREEDOM OF NOT
HAVING TO MANUFACTURE STANDARD GI-STYLE
sold DPMS. The company began by PARTS. HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS DESIGN WAS
PERFECT FOR THIS BUILD.”
and cheek height. Since
then, it has grown to
sell nearly everything
needed to build a rifle
trigger. All of these parts are

considerably differently from
a standard AR’s, including While Luth-AR
supplied most of
release, Chubby grip and Palm the components for
handguard I used for this the author’s rifle,
the lower receiver
is from Windham
Weaponry.
TACTICAL-LIFE.COM TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 13

DIY BUILD
SPEC BOX
CUSTOM
VARMINTER
CALIBER: 5.56mm NATO
BARREL: 24 inches GI-style parts. His attitude towards This design rests well in the support
OA LENGTH: 37 inches design was perfect for this build. hand and very well on a bench or shoot-
The fluted, 24-inch, stainless steel ing platform. It’s a refreshing update on
WEIGHT: 7.5 pounds (empty)
barrel provides plenty of weight to help a classic design that only lacked modern
STOCK: Luth-AR MBA-3 the rifle stay on target while helping heat methods of attaching accessories.
SIGHTS: Nikon 4-16x50mm Black FX1000 dissipate. With six lands and grooves Luth-AR has fixed that with a choice of
ACTION: Direct impingement semi-auto making one full rotation every 9 inches, either KeyMod or M-LOK slots running
FINISH: Matte black bullets of any weight have more than the entire length. The 15-inch handguard
CAPACITY: 30+1 two full rotations to stabilize before does look a little short on a 24-inch bar-
heading downrange. In fact, my test rel but still provides ample room. If used
MSRP: N/A
loads included projectiles weighing from with a bipod, I would want some sort of
35 to 77 grains, yet my accuracy results extension to move the pivot point a little
LOAD ACCURACY
didn’t change dramatically between closer to the muzzle.
the lightest and heaviest projectiles. On the shoulder, the modular butt-
Fiocchi 77 SMK 1.22
Concentric bullet construction might stock assembly feels light and sleek.
Hornady 68 Match BTHP 0.74 have played a role, but the advantage of Knowing that the length of pull and
Nosler 35 Trophy Grade Varmint 1.62 a 24-inch barrel is undeniable. Ideally, cheek rest can be adjusted with simple
Nosler 40 Varmageddon 1.15
premium ammunition can be used for turns of a knob means that nearly any
low-volume shooting, and more afford- shooting position can be comfortable—a
Winchester 69 SMK 1.19
able bulk ammunition can still be reliably valuable feature on a rifle that might
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in used for high-volume days. be used from a seated position one
fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches The Palm handguard is reminiscent moment and prone the next. But while
for best five-shot groups at 100 yards.
of the early M16 triangular handguards. the stock is slim, the grip is not. Luth-

DIY BUILD
AR’s Chubby grip is one of the few

models that lets my larger hands relax. In
addition to the slightly larger diameter, a
palm swell fills the hand, and ledges are
provided for both the thumb and ulnar
border of the hand. Resting with the
hand still in position for a quick shot is
easy and comfortable.
Rounding out the user interface was
a straight trigger from Jard Inc. and the
Night Switch safety selector from Night
Fision. The Jard trigger breaks cleanly
at 3.5 pounds without any pre-travel, so
shooting off the reset is instantaneous,
and it was perfect for follow-up shots.
This trigger is an earlier design that
sat a little low for most triggerguards.
The varmint rifle printed relatively tight While shooting without a triggerguard
groups with all of the test ammunition is unorthodox, the safety is both quick
at 100 yards, but the tightest five-shot
cluster (left) came with Hornady’s
and positive. That, combined with always
68-grain Match BTHP load. using the rifle from a fixed position,
makes the rifle relatively safe to use
without a triggerguard.
The Night Switch provides that level
of confidence. It’s low profile to prevent
accidental bumping and features a
tritium vial for rapid recognition of the
rifle’s condition from any practical dis-
tance. The Night Switch’s natural home
would be on a law enforcement patrol
rifle or loaner rifle in a training class, but
considering that some varmint hunting is
conducted in low light and may involve
periods of the rifle being out of hand
either in transport or while resting, the
Night Switch seemed a natural fit. As a
shooter, the Night Switch provides me
For his custom build,

the author chose one of
Luth-AR’s fluted, 24-inch,
stainless steel bull barrels
capped with a birdcage-
style flash suppressor.
The Luth-AR MBA-3

buttstock is fully adjustable
for length of pull and cheek
height using two knobs
located on the right side.

with a nearly ideal profile distinguishing even the
for this application. And smallest of temperature
as an instructor teaching differences. Inside my
new shooters, I enjoy house, I was able to
how easy it is to identify see not only the studs
the weapon’s status. in my walls, but even
the nails in the studs!
Although the images
GOING THE are too low-resolution to
DISTANCE print here, they are sharp
I decided to test the final and clear in the optic.
build at 100 yards using While being followed
a Nikon 4-16x50mm by my house cat, I was
Black FX1000 scope in able to see paw prints
a Warne XSKEL mount. where she had stepped
The XSKEL’s cantilever moments before.
design provides a little Zeroing the Trail
extra reach to keep the XP38 can be done in
optic a safe distance daylight but requires
from the eye and centers either heating or chilling
it at a comfortable height a point on the target. In
Luth-AR offers a few
without needing to adjust different AR-15 and AR-10 cooler weather, hand
the stock’s cheek riser. Lower Parts Kits to help you warmers work well. And
The Nikon’s 30mm tube finish your custom build. while I wasn’t on a hunt,
permits ample light I was able to spot rac-
transmission to see both the target coons late at night in a filbert orchard Call
and the first-focal-plane MOA reticle. approximately 300 yards away. Using or
I know mil systems are all the rage for Pulsar’s companion app, my partner click
long-distance shooters, but I prefer the was able to clearly see and capture today
simple math of MOA, and first focal images and video for later review. We and
plane means that the measurement could clearly see the raccoons’ posture ask
scale is accurate at any magnification. and gait in the field. With an ambient about
This makes zeroing and range estimation temperature in the low 60s, their glow the
easier with targets of a known size. was detectable behind thin patches ATHENA
While standard range lore implies of tall weeds. Property owners looking
RIFLE
that a rifle’s twist rate dictates the to protect their crops or find nocturnal
SYSTEM!
bullet weight, this build’s six-groove pests would be well advised to con-
rifling, stretched for 24 inches of barrel,
seemed to make it worth testing a wider
sider such an optic.
ATHENA RIFLE SYSTEM
range of bullet weights. For our test, a Semi-Automatic Perfection
selection from Fiocchi, Hornady, Nosler ALL TOGETHER with the Accuracy of
and Winchester spanned 35 to 77 While industry trends may have focused
grains. The results might shock those on smaller, lighter, more tactical builds
World Class Bolt Actions
who believe outdated over the last couple of
dogma. The data listed FOR MORE years, it appears quality New Patented Semi-Automatic
in the performance table INFORMATION and affordable options Full Monolithic Chassis System
shows the best five-shot still exist for those (M4/AR15/AR10/M110)
groups fired at a moderate LUTH-AR needing something
cadence. I also allowed the luth-ar.com a little less Counter-
rifle to rest with the bolt Strike and a lot more
open while switching loads. NIKON preemptive strike. For
Then I went a step nikonsportoptics.com around $1,000 plus
further by testing the rifle an optic, a rifle can be
PULSAR
with the Pulsar Trail XP38 built to satisfy both
pulsar-nv.com
thermal scope, which days on the range and 631-749-1100
does an excellent job home on the range. DRAKEASSOCIATES.US
FOR SNIPERS BY SNIPERS
TACTICAL-LIFE.COM
Sig Sauer
returns to the
bolt-action
world with
the perfect
sporter/sniper

( BY SEAN UTLEY )

CARRYING THE CROSS
T
HE FIREARMS SPACE IS for Sig Sauer, regarding the company’s
CROWDED. So crowded, new Cross. This special offering is Sig’s
in fact, that I would hate to first new bolt action in many years, and it
be a first-time gun buyer and serves as a hybrid between the hunting
have to make a solid decision and tactical worlds.
on what products to buy,
regardless of the category. ORIGIN STORY Unlike most bolt-
I’m on the inside, so to speak, We’ve had an inside track on the Cross action rifles, the new
yet I still find the myriad options dizzying for more than a year but were under a Cross draws heavily
from the AR platform
at best. Just like many of you, I consult strict non-disclosure agreement. Then, for easy barrel swaps,
certain individuals before I buy. in December of 2019, Sig Sauer offi- customization and
Product development forges forward cially unveiled its plans to dive into the familiarity among
at an alarming pace in relation to hunting world with new firearms, optics today’s shooters.
bolt-action rifles, and now a new con- and more, including the introduction of
tender has stepped into the ring. “We “Sig Hunting Ambassadors”—individ-
didn’t want to do anything that wasn’t uals with extensive hunting knowledge
authentic to our brand,” said Michael and experience—to help further the
Marotte, manager of media relations company’s innovation.

CARRYING THE CROSS
considered as well. “Twenty of us sat

in a room for a week and battled over
what this rifle should have on it,” he said.
That’s a good thing, since everyone
involved had a different take on what the
Cross should be. It’s a true collaborative
effort encompassing all shooters and
niches. Let’s take a closer look.
HYBRID DESIGN
The first thing you’ll notice is that the
Cross is extremely lightweight at just
6.2 pounds unloaded. It’s meant to
be a true backpack rifle that can go
anywhere, all day, with the user. It’s
also compact with a folding buttstock
that allows it to shrink down for trekking
or storage. With an 18-inch 6.5 Creed-
moor barrel installed, the overall length
is 36 inches. Folding the stock takes
it down to 27 inches, so it should tuck
nicely into a backpack or case.
As you would imagine, Sig did its the gun would be successful. Marotte As of this writing, the Cross is avail-
research and explored the needs of pointed out that millennial veterans able with a medium-heavy, 16-inch barrel
today’s shooters to make sure that its often turn to hunting after their service. in .308 Winchester or .277 Sig Fury, or,
new rifle would actually fit a role, if not Adventure and long-range hunting is as mentioned, a heavier 18-inch barrel
multiple. The engineering-heavy com- very popular with this crowd. It’s a large in 6.5 Creedmoor. A 24-inch barrel will
pany didn’t make the decision to create segment—one that had an influence on be available in the future. The Cross also
the Cross lightly, and it’s been on the the design of the Cross. The idea was uses an AR-style barrel nut so you can
company’s design board for years. to keep the controls similar to what the install different barrels quickly in the field
The Cross is essentially built for both end-user already knows. with the correct headspacing.
hunting and tactical purposes, but Sig But Marotte was also quick to point According to Sig, my 6.5 Creedmoor
considered every shooter to make sure out that PRS shooters were also heavily test sample came with a brand-new
“IT’S MEANT TO BE A TRUE BACKPACK

RIFLE THAT CAN GO ANYWHERE,
22 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 ALL DAY, WITH THE USER.” TACTICAL-LIFE.COM
The bolt has three lugs that are
reinforced for high-pressure loads—a
sign of things to come. The bolt also has
a 60-degree throw, and the floating bolt
head can be swapped out for larger or
smaller bolt faces depending on the cal-
iber. The bolt handle is easy to replace
While the author
tested a version by removing the cocking piece and firing
with a First Lite If that’s the case, I am beyond impressed pin, which is insanely simple, and I loved
Cipher ArmaKote the oversized version on my test rifle. I
finish, matte black didn’t have any trouble running the right-
models are also
available, and handed rifle as a southpaw.
the hanguard has A Picatinny rail is directly attached to
M-LOK slots for the receiver with either 0 or 20 MOA of
accessories. elevation for optics. A full-length version
MCX’s, but redesigned as a bolt action. that runs from the back of the receiver to
It utilizes the same AR-style pistol grip the front of the 14.75-inch M-LOK hand-
guard will be available in the future.
lizes the same MCX folding mechanism The trigger is a drop-in, two-stage
unit specifically designed by Sig Sauer
for the Cross platform. The pull weight
is adjustable from 2.5 to 4 pounds.
Changing the pull weight is simple and
azines. This ensures the best feeding accomplished via a hex screw posi-
tioned behind the trigger blade.
—a plus for those who Along with folding to the right side,
the buttstock is fully adjustable for
TACTICAL-LIFE.COM
SIG’S
HUNTING
KODY KELLOM TRENT FISHER JORDAN BUDD
JORDAN BUDD: Now part of

AMBASSADORS
caller and sought-after resource for
Running Water Hunting, Jordan Budd elk hunters with his Elk101 platform.
began her career as a field producer, An engineer by trade, Jacobsen
editor and author for Rokslide. Grow- provides a high level of technical feed-
As part of its move into the ing up and guiding in Nebraska for back from the field. (elk101.com)
hunting world, Sig Sauer mule deer, antelope and predators,
has named a number of Jordan has quickly become one of JAMES NASH: A former U.S. Marine
Hunting Ambassadors to spearhead the top young female hunters in the Corps officer, Purple Heart recipient
its developments. These professionals industry. (runningwaterhunting.com) and western outfitter since the age
have decades of experience bagging of 14, James Nash provides an exten-
game, so make sure you follow their DANIEL HORNER: Currently a sive level of firearms and hunting
exploits on Twitter with #SIGHunting. competitive shooter for Team Sig, knowledge that extends across the
The Ambassadors include: Daniel Horner served as a sergeant world, as he’s hunted domestically
first class in the Army and a coach for and abroad. Now he’s part of 6 Ranch
BORN AND RAISED OUTDOORS: the renowned U.S. Army Marksman- Outfitters. (6ranchoutfitters.com)
Kody Kellom, Trent Fisher, Treavor ship Unit. Now he’s one of the most
Fisher and Steve Howard are a group accomplished shooters in the world STEPHEN WEST: As one of the
of Oregon-based hunters who have across many disciplines. He currently most traveled North American
spent decades hunting across the specializes in long-range and PRS hunters out there, Stephen West
United States and provide one of the shooting. (sigsauer.com) has made his living in the outdoors,
best sources of digital education braving the harshest conditions
online for adventurous sportsmen. COREY JACOBSEN: Corey Jacob- to harvest game from a distance.
(bornandraisedoutdoors.com) sen is a 10-time world champion elk (westoftexastv.com)
DANIEL HORNER COREY JACOBSEN JAMES NASH STEPHEN WEST

CARRYING THE CROSS
The buttstock
folds to the right
side for stowage
and transport, and
users can easily
SPEC BOX adjust the cheek
height and length
SIG SAUER CROSS of pull in the field.
CALIBER: 6.5 Creedmoor

both length of pull and BARREL: 18 inches went low, the rest this rifle can produce 0.25-MOA groups
cheek height, and it OA LENGTH: 27-36 inches grouped into 0.27 consistently with the right ammo. It’s
should comfortably fit WEIGHT: 6.2 pounds (empty) inches. Including the definitely a sub-0.5-MOA rifle.
all shooters. The length flyer, which I attributed The action was smooth with a short,
STOCK: Folding, adjustable
of pull can be adjusted to the first-round comfortable throw even for a southpaw.
SIGHTS: None
2 inches via a button pop from the Sig Some bolt actions are easier to use than
and tension screw, and ACTION: Bolt SRD762Ti suppressor others in this regard, and the Cross falls
an expertly designed FINISH: First Lite Cipher I had attached, the into the easier category. The gun also fed
lever allows quick and CAPACITY: 5+1 group was only 0.72 flawlessly with the Elite Hunter Tipped
easy adjustment of the MSRP: $1,700 inches wide. This ammo. I did have one 140-grain Sig OTM
spring-assisted comb. came with Sig’s round nose-dive and hang up as I was
Everything is well thought out. 130-grain Elite Hunter Tipped load, closing the bolt, but that only happened
which clocked in at 2,743 fps and had once, and I chalked that up to the mag-
CROSS TRAINING an extreme spread of 48 fps after 15 azine. I was also shooting a well-worn
I first got behind the Sig Cross at the rounds—not bad for factory ammo. early prototype, and Sig is well into other
2019 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous Next, I fired a three-round string, versions at this point. The final production
in Driggs, Idaho, where we engaged which is common for hunting rifles due models will be completely sorted out.
targets out to 1,000 yards without much to their thinner-profile barrels. The three
fanfare. As you might expect, Sig’s rounds clustered into 0.18 inches. After DIVING IN
team told us that the Cross was a very getting over the shock, I fired another Sig Sauer has a way of diving into a
accurate rifle, but I didn’t expect it to be three-round group that measured just market segment like few other com-
sub-0.5-MOA accurate. 0.27 inches. I should have stopped there panies in this industry can. While the
As mentioned, the test sample I but couldn’t resist firing twice more for release of the BDX system was seen by
received later came with a brand-new an even five-shot string. The fourth shot many as the first step, it was more like a
barrel, which always gives me pause. I brought the group to 0.29 inches, and toe in the water. Instead, the new Cross
don’t expect them to shoot well without the fifth screwed it all up, opening it up represents Sig Sauer’s official jump
having some rounds through them, to 0.62 inches. Nonetheless, that’s still a into the hunting world. More than that,
but this one came out of the gate with great group, and the flyer was obviously it shows that the company is capable
impressive results. After roughly five shooter induced. My best five-shot of producing guns outside of its typical
rounds to confirm my zero, I shot a group measured 0.44 inches, which is “tactical” scope. This is a sign of Sig’s
five-round group. While the first shot good, but I’m absolutely confident that adaptability and longevity.

THAT THIS RIFLE CAN PRODUCE
WITH THE RIGHT AMMO.”

A few different barrel options are already available,
but each comes with threading for a suppressor or
brake, and Sig includes a thread protector as well.
Of course, you shouldn’t let my talk That’s just the start. There’s even comes loaded with new innovation and
of hunting overshadow the fact that talk of a left-handed version. I’ll go on features that hunters and precision
the Cross is an extremely accurate and the books right now and say that if a shooters will appreciate at a very
configurable bolt-action rifle. Its devel- left-handed version becomes available affordable price point.” He continued,
opmental future includes options and and the final Cross rifle is as good as I “The Cross delivers on all fronts, and
accessories that will cater to serious think it’s going to be, I’ll be buying one. we are especially proud that everything
precision shooters and competitors. In And why wouldn’t I, especially with an about the Cross, from concept to com-
the future, you can expect new barrel initial MSRP of $1,700? pletion, is 100-percent Sig Sauer and
profiles and calibers and even tungsten- Tom Taylor, Sig Sauer’s chief mar- comes directly from our U.S. operations
infused polymer technology to add keting officer, summed up the Cross here in New Hampshire.” For more
weight in all the right places. best: “Right out of the box, the Cross information, visit sigsauer.com.

BASIC TRAINING
RINGING
GOING THE DISTANCE WITH
ONE OF THE KINGS OF THE
STEEL
LONG-RANGE SHOOTING WORLD
( BY ZACK CARLSON)
WITH
BERGARA
Bergara provides
everything you
need for its training
courses, including
HMR Pro rifles, Dead
Air suppressors,
Kahles scopes and
Hornady ammo.
Browse any firearm- ing under my belt on how

related forum on the to actually hit anything at
internet and you’ll long ranges. Previous to this
quickly see someone asking purchase, I had only shot out
which gun to purchase, to 500 yards, and that was
followed by an inevitable mostly luck. If I could rewind
response: “Buy a Glock 19 time, I would have received
with ammo and training.” the training before purchas-
This type of response can ing the rifle, which would’ve
also apply to long guns. resulted in better choices
All too often, people buy in the build process and an
as much gear as they think overall better experience.
they need but don’t really Typically, classes for
have the proper training to this type of thing leave the
effectively use it. logistics up to the student.
I have fallen victim to this What gear to bring, where
in the past, buying a $5,000 to stay and where to eat are
custom-built long-range rifle all decisions for the student
without having a day of train- to figure out prior to arrival.

BASIC TRAINING
“
But I recently had the great more experienced students
pleasure of attending the without letting the less expe-
Bergara Academy, which rienced fall behind.
removes all these head-
I LEARNED MORE IN THOSE FEW aches, and that made it an
COURSE RUNDOWN
DAYS THAN I HAVE IN A LONG ideal choice for my first long-
range shooting class. The morning of the first day
TIME, AND I’LL ALWAYS BE of class began with a hearty
GRATEFUL FOR THAT.” A WARM WELCOME
breakfast brought over from
Chad and Marsha’s nearby
I made the trek to the Ber- residence. Bart started off
gara Academy from eastern by educating everyone on
Washington, driving through his credentials and how the
beautiful northern Idaho and course was going to go.
Montana. About 30 miles After some classroom
past Great Falls, Montana, time—but before we loaded
past missile silos and down up the trucks and headed
a few gravel roads, you to the nearby ranges—we
approach a beautiful barn had to grab our gear and
converted into a hunting get it all sighted in. Bergara
lodge. This multi-story has become synonymous
building would be my home with highly accurate, reliable
for the next few days, shared firearms. What better way
with the other students. to show off how good they
There was none of the stress really are than by letting
of checking into a hotel or students use them for the
commuting between the company’s very own long-
hotel and the range. Bergara range course? Each student
takes care of it all. was given their own Bergara
As soon as I arrived at the HMR Pro in 6.5 Creedmoor
lodge, I was greeted by Chad to use during the class.
Schearer. You’ll recognize The rifles were topped with
Chad and his wife, Marsha, excellent Kahles scopes
from their show Shoot and muffled by effective
Straight TV. Chad is one of Dead Air Sandman sound
those guys that you meet for suppressors. Even the ammo
the first time and instantly used during the course was
feel like you’ve known him provided by Bergara. We
for years. He and his wife used Hornady 140-grain
manage the lodge, providing ELD-M rounds, which I found
home-cooked meals and favorable in all my other 6.5
anything else you may need Creedmoor testing. I even
during your stay. had ballistic data already
After getting unpacked saved for that load out of
and settled in, there was similar barrel lengths.
plenty of time in the evening Once we had our rifles,
to get acquainted with my Bart visited each student
fellow students and our individually to make sure
lead instructor, “Bart” Bar- our adjustable rifle stocks
tholomew. It was interesting fit properly. He also helped
to see the vast range of each student get his or her
experience the students scope dialed in before pro-
represented. That first night, ceeding to live fire. The lodge
I wondered how Bart was has nice concrete shooting
going to keep the class benches for students to get
interesting enough for the their rifles sighted in at 100

Guy Sagi Photo
“Bart” Bartholomew helped the students

settle in behind their rifles and establish
a natural point of aim.
yards. With Bart behind his late a hunting scenario. The With the distances day ended with each student
Swarovski spotting scope, he 15 total targets were placed mapped and some ballistic getting a few shots at the
watched groups materialize from 220 yards all the way data given, we were ready bison target at 1,400 yards.
and instructed students on beyond 1,400 yards. to start engaging targets. I was able to connect on one
how to get their scopes Under Bart’s direction, Everyone paired off and the of my three attempts, and it
dialed in perfectly before we all made range cards first group of shooters was was exhilarating.
zeroing the turrets. with the locations and types up while the partners oper- After returning to the
With all the rifles con- of targets mapped out on ated the spotting scopes. lodge, we all received
firmed at 100 yards, we them. Bart told us the sizes As shooting commenced instruction on cleaning the
broke for another home- of each target, and using the and corrections were made, rifles and proper mainte-
cooked lunch provided by knowledge gained during the shooters kept notes of actual nance schedules. You would
the Schearers. Bellies full, classroom portion, we were scope turret settings that think something like cleaning
we piled all the gear into able to compute the dis- resulted in hits. This “data would be elementary, but
the pickups and were trans- tances by using the reticles on previous engagements” Bart introduced us to a
ported a short distance away in the optics. That method (DOPE) becomes invaluable different type of cleaning
up a beautiful mountainside. isn’t as fast as using a laser for successful hits in the product that made it pretty
The top perch had a cov- rangefinder, but the ability future. If it were my personal quick and easy to clean the
ered, three-sided shooting to know you can do it if your rifle that was staying with bore. I immediately ordered
position overlooking a swath rangefinder goes down is me, I would’ve recorded the a similar product from
of steel targets that weren’t invaluable. It was surprising data in an actual logbook, Brownells, and it’s how I
your typical circles and how close we came to but since it was a loaner clean my barrels to this day.
squares. These were life- matching the distance that gun only used in the class, a The rifles were cleaned
sized animal targets to simu- the laser provided. yellow legal pad sufficed. The and put away, and it was

BASIC TRAINING
time to wind down for the within a few inches using After all of the targets their heads after the shots;
evening. The campfire was our scopes’ mil-dot reticles. were calculated, it was time their habits compelled them
lit, and the stories began. For hunters, this skill is to start engaging. The target to look over the scope to see
This was a great time to actually more useful than distances weren’t the same their surroundings. Another
bond with everyone while ranging targets using the as the day before, but having key was to always dial your
also allowing extra time to reticle. A hunter is typically the notes from the previous scope back to your 100-yard
pick Bart’s brain about things going to be using a laser day made the shooting much zero between engagements.
that had come up during the rangefinder, and with today’s easier. This range’s targets This forced the shooters to
class. Bart was a treasure rugged models, the likeli- were much smaller, too, and always know where they were
trove of information, and I hood of it failing is slim. But the wind became a factor, so on the turret and ensure that
didn’t want to waste any a hunter will want to know the day was more challeng- they were dialing properly for
time I had with him. I found it the size of his game before ing—in a good way. each shot taken.
particularly nice to stay in the taking the shot. Knowing the The shooters really had This became apparent
same lodge as the instructor, distance and then milling the to employ the fundamentals when one student didn’t
as it allowed the students to animal in the reticle gave us they learned the day before. dial back to 100 after day
ask questions as they came a pretty accurate size calcu- Keeping your head on the one’s last shot. He saddled
up without having to save lation in a fairly short time. If stock and running the bolt up to take an easy shot at
them for later. you’re worried about taking immediately after the shot 200 yards on his first target
a shot on a legal versus an broke was critical. Many of the of day two and promptly
illegal animal, this skill is students with more traditional shot over the top of it. It
“
SKILL BUILDING worth knowing. hunting backgrounds raised was immediately clear that
The second day took place
at a range a little farther
away than the first. This time,
instead of Bart telling us
what the target sizes were, THE DAY ENDED WITH EACH STUDENT GETTING A FEW
he told us the distances to
each target. The second
SHOTS AT THE BISON TARGET AT 1,400 YARDS. I WAS
range had more traditionally ABLE TO CONNECT ON ONE OF MY THREE ATTEMPTS,
shaped targets. Knowing
the distance allowed us
AND IT WAS EXHILARATING.”
to compute the target size

he wasn’t dialed properly.
That was a great teaching
moment because we saw
the repercussions of not fol-
lowing the basic guidelines.
OVER TOO SOON

Our second day was cut
short because of a surprise
thunderstorm that suddenly
rolled in. Chad’s guide
experience was much appre-
ciated, as he immediately
called out the inbound
weather. Without his
quick-witted decision mak-
ing, we would’ve had quite
the experience traversing
through muck to get down
the mountain we were on.
That evening, I was
able to shadow Bart while
he mounted a scope and
sighted it in. It’s always catch or who needed to hit take. The beautiful amenities than I have in a long time,
instructive to see how profes- the road to get home. It was took all the stress of travel and I’ll always be grateful
sionals do their jobs. It either a great experience to have out of the equation. Knowing for that. Don’t hesitate when
confirms your method or met these people for the first that the gear was rock solid it comes to getting good
teaches you a new one. time a few days prior and to and would be provided let firearms training—you’ll
After breakfast the next leave the lodge as friends. me focus on the concepts be glad you did. For more
day, we saw off all the The Bergara Academy Bart was teaching. I learned information, visit bergara.
students who had planes to was a perfect first class to more in those few days online/us.

FIRST LOOK

( BY ROBERT JORDAN
)

RISE’S RED RACER
ing me some of the features on the AR9,

which I quickly realized had all the bells
and whistles for such a little 9mm car-
bine. Torres told me she would send one
my way as soon as they had perfected
everything, right down to the color.
A few weeks later, Torres told me
she had a pistol version available in
“Rise Red.” It sounded sporty—who
doesn’t love a candy-apple red Cor-
vette? When I picked it up from Dave
Roan at Beartooth Guns in Billings,
Montana, his first comment was, “I
don’t like brightly colored guns, but
man, that thing looks sharp!”
I popped the case open, and there
sat a 9mm racecar in a foam-lined case.
It looked smooth, proud and fast. I
knew this was going to be a fun review.
With a pistol stabilizing brace and a
7.5-inch barrel, the AR9 looked like it
was built for speed.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Rise Armament plans on offering a few
different versions of the AR9. The Flash
Series models will be available in four
colors: Rise Red, Patriot Blue, Viking
IF
someone asked me reliable 9mm AR and not walking away Iron and Spartan Bronze. Then you have
what type of gun I most giggling or raving about it. the Grit Series with black, Flat Dark
enjoy shooting right now, At the 2019 Athlon Outdoors Earth and olive drab models. Either way,
I wouldn’t even have Rendezvous, I was introduced to Rise you can choose between 7.5-, 10.5- or
to think about it. It has Armament’s new 9mm AR carbine— 16.1-inch barrels.
to be 9mm ARs. I love and I’m still grinning! That particular As I mentioned, I obtained a Rise Red
them. They barely recoil. test sample had a great trigger and model with the shortest barrel option,
They’re super easy to accepted Glock magazines. On top of and my favorite feature comes standard
aim. They’re cheap to that, the bolt locked back after firing the on every Flash Series AR9: the RA-535
shoot. They’re easily last round. What’s not to love? Advanced Performance Trigger. This
accessorized. They can run sound Rise’s marketing director, Camille Tor- single-stage unit is extremely crisp with
suppressors and optics. In essence, res, told me about the company based in virtually no overtravel and a super-short
they’re all fun, all the time. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, before show- reset. Grit Series guns come with the
I’ve also noticed that I am clearly not
the only one who feels this way. The
market has exploded over the last few
years with 9mm ARs for competition, “I POPPED THE CASE OPEN, AND THERE SAT A
home defense and simply fun on
the range. I have been building and 9MM RACECAR IN A FOAM-LINED CASE…
shooting different models for duty and
entertainment for more than 20 years, I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A FUN REVIEW.”
and I can’t remember ever shooting a

RIGHT TO
THE POINT
The 416 Barrett cartridge allows shooters to have sub ENERGY - .416 Barrett vs .375 CheyTac
MOA performance capable of hitting targets well
10000
beyond 2500 yards. The higher velocity and reduced 9000
drop make this cartridge ideal for Extreme Long Range
ENERGY (ft/lbs)
8000
shooting. 7000
6000
With a G1 ballistic coefficient of .830, the 452 gr 5000
Cutting Edge Bullet launches at 3005 ft/s. They are 4000

3000
available in a 10 round box and 80 round case. Barrett
2000
also offers new primed and unprimed RUAG produced
match brass for purchase on our web store, 0 500 1000 1500
barrett.net/store. .416 9358 6291 4067 2502
.375 6872 4606 2974 1852
CIP approved. RANGE (yd)

RISE’S RED RACER
The heart of the Flash Series

AR9 is Rise Armament’s
flat-faced RA-535 Advanced
Performance Trigger, which
is tuned for a 3.5-pound pull.
SPEC BOX
RISE ARMAMENT AR9

CALIBER: 9mm
BARREL: 7.5 inches
OA LENGTH: 22.88-25.5 inches
GRIP:
SIGHTS: None
ACTION:
FINISH: Rise Red
CAPACITY: 31+1
MSRP:
a magnifier (and occasionally a PEQ-15
trigger and hammer pins and elongate for night ops), but for a 9mm race gun,
LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY
lower receiver holes due to the violent I only wanted a red-dot sight. If the
recoil of the bolt. The locking lugs on competition did not allow optics, I could
CCI Blazer 115 FMJ 1,294 2.08
direct-impingement guns give the pres- clamp on some iron sights and go.
Federal 135 1,083 1.92 sure a chance to subside before the bolt Another thing I like a lot is the
Hydra-Shok Deep
comes back. That isn’t the case with a AR9’s short-throw safety selector. The
Federal 150 Syntech 1,004 1.74 straight-blowback setup. Thus, having 90-degree selectors found on many
Action Pistol the additional braces between the trig- guns are easy to flip to fire, but many
Hornady 115 1,289 2.21 ger and hammer pins gives them a lot of shooters have to break their grip to
Critical Defense added strength and saves wear and tear get their thumb behind them and flip
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in on your lower receiver. them back to “safe.” I switched over to
fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches
for best five-shot groups at 50 yards.
No detail is considered too

small for Rise Armament.
Even the charging handle
on the AR9 is meticulously
machined with an extended
latch for easier operation.

difficult to disengage the safety. Most
shooters might not notice this, but
coming from a tactical background, I
rest my thumb on the safety selector
whenever the weapon is in my hands.
However, it’s only an issue when the
brace is fully collapsed, and I probably
won’t carry the gun that way anyway.
I would only collapse the brace that
far to throw the AR9 in a backpack or
sion of the AR9 comes with a Magpul

CTR stock, and every model comes
with a Magpul MOE+ pistol grip.
HOLD OVER NO HOLD OVER
LONG RANGE MADE EASY.

© 2019 UMAREX USA
The Second Zero ® is an optional accessory that enables

you to instantly add 4.3 or 11.5 MOA to your optic.
Learn more at AxeonOptics.com/Second-Zero/TacLife

RISE’S RED RACER
“I DON’T NORMALLY HAVE SUCH QUICK SPLIT

TIMES, SO ALL KUDOS GO TO THE GUN.”
I was also a little surprised to see the

lower receiver was not from Rise Arma-
ment, but from Quarter Circle 10 out of
Tucson, Arizona. Torres explained that
this was the first time the company had
partnered with another manufacturer for
the lower receiver. And it’s also the first
time Rise has offered a pistol-caliber
weapon. Going with Quarter Circle 10’s
well-designed, proven lower receiver just
made sense. Why reinvent the wheel?
Finally, the case itself is pretty cool.
The foam was custom-cut to match
the pistol and certain areas could be
removed to accommodate mounted
optics as well as cleaning kits, mag-
azines, etc. On that note, Torres also
included a translucent 31-round ETS
Group magazine with my test sample to
complete the package and make sure I
had plenty of firepower on tap.
PERFORMANCE
After breaking the pistol down and
oiling the bolt, I attached my Steiner
3-15x50mm M5Xi scope with a G2B
mil-dot reticle to the gun’s top rail and
set up targets 50 yards away. The AR9
looked a little out of place smooshed
between my Champion shooting bag
and such a big tactical scope. I believe
in putting good glass on all of my test
guns and using a solid rest to make sure
I get the best results possible.
After achieving some tight five-shot
groups, it was time to play. The Steiner
went back in its box, and I clamped on
a little Aimpoint CompM3 that I still love
for its size, dependability and clarity.
I had it zeroed two minutes later, and

tested ran flawlessly. Old a 6-inch target at 10 yards. I got five
32-round Glock mags, rounds on target in just a second. This
new Glock mags, 17-round little red gun was indeed a racer. I don’t
mags, 19-round mags and normally have such quick split times, so
the ETS Group mag. I’ll all kudos go to the gun.
The author installed an admit that watching the As a gun writer, it isn’t every day that
Aimpoint red-dot sight magazine spring compress I get to test-drive a racecar. However,
on the AR9 for speed while loading the translu- there are few other things that compare
drills, where the little cent ETS Group mag was to the AR9. In terms of looks and per-
red pistol truly shined
on multiple targets. strangely fascinating. formance, the resemblance holds true.
I set up a couple of Sure, it looks great sitting in the drive-
target backers with Shoot- way, but take it to the track and watch it
N-C targets. Shooting really shine. The AR9 will be available by
then the fun began. I loaded up a bunch around barrels proved easy, as did special order only: You pick the model
of Glock 9mm magazines along with some pivot and speed drills. My old (Flash or Grit), color and barrel length.
the 31-round ETS Group magazine. Competitive Edge Dynamics CED8000 Then strap in and hold on. For more
And every single load and magazine I timer showed 0.2-second splits on information, visit risearmament.com.

A M M O M AT C H
The author
measured each
load’s reliability
SEVEN
with a 16-inch-
barreled rifle built
with an Anderson
Manufacturing
receiver set.
DEADLY The .223 Reming-

ton is a staple of
Sam seeks out a new company
to run his Lake City plant, so
LOADS
American shoot- perfecting this round might
ers. This round has mean beaucoup money.
served competitors, hunters With the widespread
and homeowners equally availability of such 55-grain
well, and the hotter 5.56mm ammo, I set out to see which
NATO has been defending one was the “best” at doing
our country for more than 50 what it does. My criteria were
years. While the latter wasn’t accuracy and reliability, as
MM/ accepted in its infancy, today most shooters only care about
you’d be hard pressed to find those two aspects. Sure,
a gun safe that doesn’t have at we can argue one might be
least one rifle chambered for it. “cleaner” than the other, but is
Because of its popularity, there any honest way to quan-
nearly every manufacturer tify those claims? Besides, you
makes at least one .223 Rem- shouldn’t have any aversion to
( BY FRANK MELLONI ) ington/5.56mm NATO load that
uses 55-grain FMJ projectiles.
cleaning your rifle!
This is a no-nonsense
This configuration is important evaluation. I’m not going to
for manufacturers to produce, waste any time talking about
as it mimics the military’s M193 powder charge consistency or
load. From time to time, Uncle which rounds have the most
TACTICAL-LIFE.COM
uniform overall length, as of these lower receivers in
these measurements don’t service at Renaissance Fire-
tell you half as much about arms Instruction, mated to
a given ammo sample as upper receivers chambered
loading a magazine’s worth in a variety of cartridges.
and firing it. Each year, these guns digest
upwards of 10,000 rounds
GUNS & PROTOCOL each, and I can’t find a rea-
While there are dozens of son to spend more money on
AR configurations out there, a lower receiver.
for the most part, you’ll find I then rallied up seven
guns that are built to be 55-grain FMJ loads, all from
accurate and guns that are different manufacturers. With
built to be maneuverable. an understanding that these
So, to represent the former rounds weren’t designed
category, my friends and I to punch one-hole groups
chose an Anderson Manu- when fired through a 16-inch
facturing Sniper upper with barrel, I limited the “run
a heavy, 24-inch, fluted, and gun” rifle to function
stainless steel barrel with testing. So, we started by
a 1-in-8-inch twist rate. We running 60 rounds of each
added a Nikon 6-24x50mm load and counted how
Black FX1000 scope as many failures we had, if any.
well as a new Warne Skyline We then switched to the
bipod. This setup ensures 24-inch-barreled Anderson
we had a repeatable point of Sniper build to obtain some
aim every shot. For our “run velocity data by shooting 10
and gun” tester, we decided rounds over a simple and
on an Anderson Manufac- precise MagnetoSpeed V3
turing M4-style upper with chronograph. Then it was
a 16-inch barrel, which time to measure each load’s
represents the most popular accuracy by firing five-shot
AR-15 on the market. groups at 100 yards. Both
We ran both uppers on guns were allowed to cool
an Anderson lower receiver before switching loads.
equipped with a crisp Rise
Armament RA-535 trigger.
We ensured each system BLACK HILLS
had the appropriate buffer As you already know, one
setup to support the gas of the advantages of having Remington ammo as well.
system of the upper we a barrel chambered for the Black Hills only makes a FEDERAL
installed. For the last five 5.56mm NATO is that you 55-grain FMJ in this cham- AMERICAN EAGLE
“
years, we have had nine can run lower-pressure .223 bering, so we went with it Federal’s American Eagle
for our sample. And boy, line was born to hit the mark
were we glad to that we did, on value for budget-minded
too, because it turned in a shooters. Of course, the
LOOKING FOR MATCH-GRADE dynamite group of just 0.67
inches at 100 yards and ran
company also knows a
thing or two about making
PERFORMANCE WITHOUT THE MATCH- fairly well in our long-barrel 5.56mm ammo, as it ran the
setup. We experienced just Lake City plant at one point.
one failure to lock the bolt As we filled our maga-
back on the 24-inch- zines, we noticed that the
brass was very dull and saw
light variances in seating
depth. However, every case
came from Lake City last

A M M O M AT C H
“
BECAUSE OF ITS POPULARITY, NEARLY
EVERY MANUFACTURER MAKES AT LEAST
choose heavier projectiles.
That said, the accuracy was
pretty good, as our groups
hovered right around 1.5
inches on all of the targets.
In our five groups, we
ONE .223 REMINGTON/5.56 MM NATO LOAD didn’t have one single flyer
THAT USES 55-GRAIN FMJ PROJECTILES.” open up the measurement
recorded in the table.
(hsmammunition.com)
year. This has always been As I ripped the package but that wasn’t the case REMINGTON UMC
my go-to brass for match open, the brass seemed with the 24-inch-barreled Naturally, we wanted to
reloads, as it is tough as nails tarnished but clean. These build. The most common hear from Big Green on the
and outrageously consistent. cases were annealed, with issue: Spent cases ejected, subject, so we ran some of
The performance was right the annealing concentrated but the bolt didn’t cycle Remington’s popular UMC
on par with the Winchester on the necks and shoulders. hard enough to pick up rounds through our tabletop
“White Box” ammo, as it More importantly, the rounds the next round. This didn’t armament. Our rounds came
provided perfect feeding cycled perfectly in both guns happen frequently enough out of a 200-count Mega
and ejection and left us with and even produced a 1.06- to stop us, but those looking Pack with an MSRP of only
groups in the 2-inch range. inch group at 100 yards, with to run HSM rounds should $97. The ammo ran well, too,
(federalpremium.com) the first four shots landing
inside of 0.5 inches. As we
were reminded, Hornady
HORNADY FRONTIER doesn’t make anything 5.56 mm /.223 AMMUNITION
As a joint project with Lake “cheap.” The best the com- LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY
City, Hornady entered the pany can do is inexpensive. AVERAGE BEST
affordable ammo market with (hornady.com) Black Hills 55 FMJ 3,129 1.03 0.67
its Frontier line of ammo.
Federal American Eagle 55 FMJ 3,251 2.56 1.68
The .223 Remington load
was naturally at the forefront, HSM AMMUNITION Hornady 55 Frontier FMJ 3,191 1.19 1.06
and we were excited to The 55-grain FMJs from HSM 55 FMJ 3,058 1.62 1.58
have some of this in the mix. HSM stood out with their
Remington 55 UMC FMJ 3,089 1.56 1.09
We have used the 75-grain deep, uniform annealing.
variant in our long-range The rounds were excep- Sig Sauer 55 FMJ 3,077 1.81 1.75
courses, and students were tionally consistent, down to Winchester 55 FMJ 3,296 2.56 2.06
able to successfully hit bowl- the WCC brass from 2011.
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph
ing pins at 1,040 yards using They also ran flawlessly in
and accuracy in inches for five 5-shot groups at 100 yards.
a 1-in-9-inch-twist barrel. our 16-inch-barreled upper,

with our best group landing
just inside 2 inches at 100
yards. Still, considering this
load’s price and availability, I
wouldn’t hesitate to stock up
on it for a 3-Gun match or a
day of banging steel on the
range. (winchester.com)
THE VERDICT
Overall, we didn’t shoot any
“bad” rounds. Of course,
some were more accurate
than others, and one or two
brands had a few hiccups.
But, like most aspects of
and the cases ejected into absolutely consistent bullet results from one gun on one the shooting world, one
a neat pile. The accuracy seating depth. given day. (sigsauer.com) must take into account their
results weren’t bad, either. The rounds were also intended application.
Our best group of the day fully reliable and smooth While the HSM load is a
came in at just 1.09 inches. with both guns, and we WINCHESTER good fit for someone looking
The brass had some light noticed less felt recoil. WHITE BOX to plink today and reload
annealing as well, making Our chronograph readings This test wouldn’t be com- tomorrow, Winchester’s
it another solid choice for confirmed they were among plete without this everyday FMJs might be better for the
reloading. (remington.com) some of the slowest rounds load, especially since guy who plans on leaving his
fired, but my shoulder told us Winchester just won the brass in the dirt. Looking for
first. The accuracy was OK, contract to operate the Lake match-grade performance
SIG SAUER ELITE but wasn’t a great fit for our City plant. While the HSM without the match-grade
PERFORMANCE guns, as the best group we cases required sunglasses price tag? Maybe Hornady
A few years back, presti- were able to produce was to look at, the Winchester or Black Hills is your ticket.
gious Sig Sauer turned its just inside 2 inches. This was rounds had the dullest With the standard 55-grain
attention to ammunition. And surprising given previous brass. However, that said, loads, the possibilities are
the Elite Performance rounds experiences with this ammo. the cases were still lightly endless, so grab a box of
we received were spotless— However, although we love annealed, extending their each and see what your gun
just like Sig’s guns. The load being able to simply call reloading lifespan. prefers. Above all, have fun
had good, uniform annealing, ammo “accurate” or “inaccu- While this load ran in your testing, because a
and even though I swore I rate,” it’s important to remem- flawlessly in both guns, the day on the range should
wasn’t going to mention it, ber that these were just the accuracy was a bit so-so, never feel like work!
WILSON MOST OF US THINK of heavy bullets when we think of

match-grade ammunition. However, High-Power and
COMBAT’S Service Rifle shooters have reaped the benefits of light-
MATCH-GRADE
weight pills for decades. This Wilson Combat match-
grade ammo is built around a lighter 52-grain projectile
AMMO for a flatter trajectory, reduced recoil

and unbelievable accuracy inside
300 yards. In fact, I was able
of
to shoot a 0.92-inch group

on a 200-yard target!
(wilsoncombat.com)
—Frank Melloni

NEW
| MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

( BY FRED MASTISON )
STRAIGHT 8 PHOTOS

the curtain went up, we found
that the company had not pro-
comfortable texturing that reminds me

of the old-school skateboard tape we
quickly earned a rep- allows you to get a higher grip on the

utation for producing gun, thus lowering the bore axis and
premier and precise reducing muzzle rise. Along that same
firearms components. line of thought, the frame also has an
In total, the company extended beavertail so the slide won’t
remove any flesh when you choke up
on the backstrap. Again, this is a great
hours of engineering services for cus- feature when it comes to enhanced
recoil management and control.
effort? Faxon parts can now be found For quick and easy reloading, Faxon
includes an enhanced, low-profile mag-
azine well and an extended magazine
release. Then, when you break the gun
down, you’ll notice that the front and
The Match Series It’s because of this background that rear slide rails are polished for smooth
G19 barrel sports cycling. This really speaks to Faxon’s
“flame fluting”
and 1/2x28-tpi started circulating about Faxon was pro- commitment to precision. In this world,
threading, and smooth equals fast.
Faxon includes a
thread protector.
“FROM FULL MAGAZINE DUMPS TO RAGGED-

HOLE DRILLS, THE GUN DIDN’T MISS A BEAT.”

<
<
WE DIDN’T INVENT CONCEALMENT,
WE JUST PERFECTED IT!®
SLIM-TUK® DESANTISHOLSTER.COM
UNLEASHING HELLFIRE
Note the unique rear

cocking serrations
as well as the tall,
suppresor-ready rear
sight, which can still
be used with a reflex
sight installed.
The Overwatch Precision

Trigger has a flat face
and a red safety tab.
Also note the double-
undercut triggerguard.
“THE SLIDE IS BY FAR

The Overwatch Precision Trigger like other custom-grade guns in this Faxon has solved this by including
deserves special mention. This awe- category, the slide has been pre-milled machined posts for the optic. This helps
some trigger looks as great as it feels. for an optic. In this case, it is cut for the with recoil absorption and provides
It’s a flat-faced, drop-in design that Trijicon RMR or Holosun HS507C. It will consistent positioning. These types of
allows you to get much more out of the also support the new Trijicon SRO since things are often overlooked but make a
Hellfire than a standard Glock trigger it has the same footprint as the RMR. huge difference in a gun’s performance.
would allow. The trigger shoe and One of the biggest concerns that Faxon is also known for its barrels,
safety tab are machined from 7075-T6 comes with milling this type of slide and the Hellfire uses one of the com-
aluminum and affixed to the NP3-coated down is the lack of thread surface for pany’s Match Series G19 barrels with
trigger bar using 316 stainless steel optics. In fact, there have been cases “flame fluting” and 1/2x28-tpi threading.
coil-spring pins. The small indexing where optics constantly come loose. And because you will more than likely
hook ensures consistent trigger finger run the gun with a sound suppressor,
placement, and the broad, flat face of SPEC BOX the slide is fitted with a set of Night
the trigger provides for straight-rearward Fision suppressor-height night sights.
presses. Suffice it to say that the trigger FAXON These are great sights that are very
is an incredible component!
But that’s only half the story. The
FX-19 HELLFIRE easy to acquire. The front sight has an
orange tritium insert while the rear sight
slide is by far the most eye-catching CALIBER: 9mm is blacked out. Wrapping it all up, the
part of the gun. It has a very futuristic, BARREL: 4.5 inches slide also wears a black diamond-like
aggressive look and, for lack of a more carbon (DLC) finish for superior wear
OA LENGTH: 8 inches
refined description, just looks cool. It’s and corrosion resistance.
WEIGHT: 30 ounces (empty)
machined in house from hearty 17-4 Finally, I have always believed that
stainless steel and has enhanced front, GRIP: Polymer presentation matters, and that small
rear and top serrations. As you can see, SIGHTS: Suppressor-height night details can make or break a product.
there’s no shortage of grip surfaces ACTION: Striker-fired To that end, Faxon ships the Hellfire
on the gun to help with manipulations FINISH: Matte black in a TSA-approved hard case. Yes, I
of any kind. The slide also has three CAPACITY: 20+1
know most guns come in plastic cases
lightening cuts to decrease weight and of some sort, but 99 percent of those
MSRP: $1,500
increase the cycling speed. Finally, cases are thrown into a closet some-
where never to be used again. This is
a real lockable case that can be used
for range visits and even air travel. So, I
offer Faxon a hearty thank you for mak-
ing life a little easier in this regard.
LIGHTNING STRIKE
The only thing I did to the pistol before I
headed to the range was install the new
Lightning laser from LaserMax. This laser
is unique in that it has what LaserMax has
dubbed “GripSense.” All you need to do
is grip the gun and a motion sensor in the
detection zone activates the laser imme-
diately. You don’t need to change your
firing grip in the slightest. LaserMax’s
goal was to simplify the laser-activation
process, and it has hit a home run.
The laser is fully programmable
with various operating modes, a run
time of 20 hours and a 10-minute
timeout feature that will help save the
battery when no movement is detected.
LaserMax offers versions with red and
green lasers, and both are very easy
to acquire. The housing is also water
resistant because LaserMax knows

UNLEASHING HELLFIRE
made a difference in getting a consistent

trigger press. This showed up in both
the ragged-hole accuracy tests as well
as speed shooting.
The design of the frame allowed me
to really choke up on the gun, minimizing
muzzle rise, and the Match Series barrel
brought the accuracy we’ve come
to expect from Faxon Firearms. The
ragged-hole test consisted of shooting
a 1-inch dot at 10 yards with the goal
of having all the rounds touching, thus
The new LaserMax creating a single ragged hole. All three
Lightning uses tests ended up with true ragged holes
GripSense technology
to automatically except for one flyer on the last test that
activate the laser was purely shooter induced. I like this
whenever you test because it’s a good way to check
grip the pistol. not only the accuracy of a handgun but
also confirm the sight alignment and
test your skills. If you haven’t tried it, you
need to add it to your drill list. Start at 3
yards, then, once you start crushing it,
move back to test both you and the gun.
Ammo-wise, the gun wasn’t finnicky
and ate everything I shoved in the
magazines. No, I did not feed it some
ComBloc ammo that had been found in
an abandoned cargo ship. If you spend
good money on a gun, you should pro-
tect your investment and get the most
out of it with quality ammo.
THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS
When the sun started setting, I had
run more than 500 rounds through the
FX-19 Hellfire without a single hiccup.
This is impressive performance, though
it shouldn’t be taken as an endurance
test alone. For that, I will refer to you
the fact that the gun passed the U.S.
military’s 15,000-round testing. That is
more than most people will shoot in a
lifetime. What we can take away from
most people will use this on a carry gun, LIVE FIRE my testing is that the gun ran well and
where sweat and rain are a real concern. Of course, no detailed look at the new delivered exceptional accuracy.
The unit also has an activation button Hellfire would be complete without a trip Faxon Firearms has joined the hand-
should you need it, but the auto activa- to the range. And to cut gun market with a bang.
tion system worked flawlessly for me. to the chase, the Hellfire With its two new offerings,
One last nice feature is that the performed well in every
FOR MORE the company has immedi-
laser has an external battery hatch test I put it through. From
INFORMATION ately entered the serious
that allows you to change the battery full magazine dumps to gun category, and we are
without tools or having to remove the ragged-hole drills, the gun FAXON FIREARMS
all better off for it. The world
faxonfirearms.com
laser from the gun. Overall, I give the didn’t miss a beat. The of Glock-style pistols is
Lightning a big thumbs-up. It’s small, star of the day was the LASERMAX evolving, and it’s nice to see
lightweight and brings a new capability Overwatch trigger. This lasermax.com a company bring such a bold
to defensive handguns. flat-faced design really design to the market.

8 0 0 - 3 3 8 - 322 0 | H O R N A DY.CO M
From design to craftsmanship to testing,

we set out to make great ammunition.
The world’s toughest critics agree.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) completed an extensive evaluation process and selected
Hornady Critical Duty® as its source for 9mm +P and 40 S&W service ammunition.
MAKER SPOTLIGHT
BEHIND
LEATHER
THE
AN INSIDE LOOK
AT HOW DESANTIS
CONTINUES TO
MAKE TOP-QUALITY
HOLSTERS
( BY FRANK MELLONI)
WOJTEK URBANEK PHOTOS
It’s
amazing how little we night. So, after returning home, I set out
know about the compa- on a mission. I set my alarm for 5 a.m.
nies that have become to beat the traffic on the Long Island
household names in Expressway as I headed west towards
the shooting world. My experience with Amityville. When I arrived, I was greeted
DeSantis Gunhide is the epitome of by Danny DeSantis, the oldest son, at a
this statement. Back in 2018, I found Goodfellas-style backdoor entrance.
myself at a Taurus USA media event
in Okeechobee, Florida, having dinner STRONG ISLAND
with a number of colleagues when the Over a cup of coffee, Danny began
topic of hometowns came up. Moments to tell me a little more about his family
after I blurted out “Long Island,” Thomas and the company they had built. He
Gomez said, “Oh wow, there’s a lot of explained that his father, Gene, started
industry there, like DeSantis.” the company in 1972 when a friend
Up to that point, I didn’t know that. in the FBI noticed the quality of his
A man from New Mexico, sitting across handmade holsters and started ordering
a dinner table in Florida, had to teach a few for his associates in New York
me that DeSantis’ headquarters is just City. All of the early holsters were made
a few miles from where I lay my head at completely by hand with no machinery

B E H I N D T H E L E AT H E R
After the tour, fine gun leather

the author put some hasn’t been lost
DeSantis rigs through
their paces at the on the younger
range, including a DS generations.
Paddle Holster made As we walked
for the S&W Shield. through the foyer,
I noticed a larger-
than-life movie poster of Die Hard with
Bruce Willis wearing his iconic shoulder
holster. Brimming with pride, Chad said,
“Yep, that’s one of ours. Bruce even
asked for it by name in the newer films.”
He continued, “Our holsters have made
quite a few big appearances, such as in
American Gangster and Law & Order.
Many celebrities have worn our leather,
like Chuck Norris in Invasion U.S.A. and
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator.”
After a little more history, we briefly
walked through the factory. Chad
showed me the more than 70 sewing
machines alongside countless molding,
grinding, riveting and inspection stations,
making it clear just how big this company
really is. As we made our way through
the factory floor, he took me to the engi-
neering room where some of the biggest
ideas have become tangible prototypes.
He explained that he was in charge
of obtaining the DeSantis ISO certifica-
tion in the early 2000s and is essentially
the right-hand man in all areas of
operation. He told me about his favorite
parts of being a holster maker and
really came to life when he described
some of the customer feedback that he
has received. In fact, he sat forward in
his chair when he retold the story of a
police officer who approached him at a
show because his DeSantis Facilitator
holster had saved his life. During a con-
frontation, a perpetrator tried to get his
while Gene was still a full-time college himself. His history is just like his broth- gun from him, but the retention system
student. Danny wasn’t even a thought at er’s—learn to talk, learn to walk, learn kept him from being able to do so.
this point, so the operation was headed gun safety and learn to pack boxes.
up completely by the patriarch. However, Looking down on his hip, I noticed he FAMILY MATTERS
when he was old enough to walk, Danny carried his handgun in one of the com- Around that time, our photographer
began helping out. His early start in the pany’s best-selling leather holsters. It arrived, and Chad showed him around
shipping department eventually led to was refreshing to see that the beauty of to get some of the shots featured in
the factory floor, where he filled several
positions. Now, with more than 30 years
of experience under his belt, he serves “MANY CELEBRITIES HAVE WORN OUR LEATHER,
as the company’s president.
The youngest of the DeSantis boys LIKE CHUCK NORRIS IN INVASION U.S.A. AND
and the current warehouse manager,
Chad, then walked in to introduce ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER IN TERMINATOR.”
PERFORMANCE CENTER ®
® ™
M&P SHIELD M2.0 4-INCH
NOW,
Available in 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 AUTO
4-inch Barrel • M2.0™ Enhanced

Available with Ported Barrel & Slide and Red Dot Optic
smith-wesson.com/pc
Gene DeSantis and his sons, Danny and Chad, keep some of their most memorable holsters on display to remind them of their roots and legacy.
this article. I took the opportunity to and if your family isn’t into guns, custom hunting holsters that Donald
meet back up with Danny in his skybox you’ll have a hard time spending time Trump Jr. is currently using afield.
office. As we overlooked the entire together. Danny has a few other points Then the big boss himself snuck
factory floor, he showed me a few items of pride as well, such as a special 1911 in and settled into his office. Gene
that will be coming to the market as holster that is going to be presented DeSantis is certainly an interesting man.
well as some of the items that started to President Donald Trump
it all. Danny’s desk was covered with once the plans are finalized.
photos of his family, and with a smile he He also told me about the
said, “That’s my favorite part of working
here—being close to home and spend- The Long Island factory is
full of skilled craftsmen involved
ing time with my dad and brother.” with every step of the build
I can certainly appreciate that, as process, even punching holes
working in this industry is a lifestyle, in leather before it’s stitched.

After being drafted into the U.S. Army for me to sit back and allow our growth over the past 45-plus years.
in 1966, he made second lieutenant in instructors to handle the day-to-day Then he joined us on the rest of the fac-
just 11 months. He’s the kind of man operations, but you will always see me tory tour, and he left no stone unturned
who puts his heart and soul into every in front of the classroom leading our as he walked me through every intimate
project he takes on. Although his busi- guys. That’s how Gene operates his detail of the holster-making process.
ness card says “CEO,” you are likely company. Holding up one of the new Gene’s enthusiasm was hard to contain.
to find him out on the factory floor, as Gator Sting holsters made from alliga- He explained that the company had to
he still designs and builds many of the tor hide, he said, “Our company is best build certain machines because they
prototypes himself. In fact, he told me at being consistent and affordable. A simply didn’t exist before to do what
he designed the Kurz Shockwave Case competitor is making these for $375, was required. His experience with
out of “boredom.” Most of us would just but we can make them for $159 with fabricating tools goes back to his first
turn the TV on in that situation. the same leather, and the final product leather press, which he made from a
As a business owner myself, I will be as good if not better.” decommissioned wine press.
found it very easy to relate to Gene. As he explained the company history, As we stopped to admire the
My company, Renaissance Firearms I learned that DeSantis has changed stitching operation, Gene explained
Instruction, is organized well enough facilities six times to accommodate that in more than 45 years, not a single
Danny DeSantis (far right) shows the

author the design room, where many of the
company’s holsters are first conceptualized.

The DeSantis slice a sheet of

family takes leather to within
great pride in
its top-quality a few thou-
stitching sandths of an
and dyeing inch, allowing
operations. for unparalleled
consistency.
As we left the cutting room, we
entered part of the Kydex operation.
Expecting a begrudged answer to
what Gene thought of Kydex, I was
surprised to find out he actually
had warm sentiments about the
material. He was equally enthusias-
tic to pick up a Kydex holster and
show me some of the features that
DeSantis craftsmen have worked
into it. Afterward, I realized that
really shouldn’t have been a shock,
as the man loves every aspect
of his work. Why would modern
equipment be any different?
It also turns out that the family
has been working with Kydex
for nearly as long as they have
been in leather. “I don’t want any
pictures of our molding process,
as it’s more precise than anyone
else’s and we want to keep that a
secret,” Gene said.
LOVING THE WORK

On the way out of the factory, I
took a final glance at more than
100 workers just loving what
they do for a living. Of these,
there were just two sitting off in
a corner by themselves. When
I asked what they were doing, I
was told, “They do just one thing
holster had been returned because of a Despite being in his early 70s, Gene is all day long: hand-inspect each and
stitching issue. “We were the ones who up to date with the latest AutoCAD and every holster before it’s packaged.”
made the use of bonded nylon cord 3D printing software, as it helps him
popular,” he said. He also explained that design products and tweak the quality
the company set the trend of building
highly detailed holsters that always
control. Regardless of which machine is
doing the cutting, each sheet of leather
“...GENE EXPLAINED
cover the trigger—something that is
unfathomable today.
is hand inspected, and any imperfection
is marked and removed immediately.
THAT IN MORE THAN
As we entered the cutting room, we
came face to face with some of the
“This is what separates the men
from the boys,” Gene said as we
45 YEARS, NOT A SINGLE
older die-cutting machines that still
punch out shapes with a cookie-cutter-
rounded a corner to see some spe-
cialized machines. “Those machines
HOLSTER HAD BEEN
like attachment. However, nowadays,
more of the operations are performed
are very expensive and are capable of
splitting leather holster components
RETURNED BECAUSE OF
by advanced CNC machines that can
quickly dice up dozens of holster parts.
down to our desired thickness.” In
fact, these ultra-precise machines can
A STITCHING ISSUE.”
After we packed Regardless
of the material,
our gear, Chad and I
every DeSantis
headed to a local range, rig is inspected
where we finished our by hand before
day with some live-fire it ships from
testing with some of the factory.
the company’s most
popular offerings. I found this to be one
of the most rewarding experiences in my
career, as I watched these very holsters
go from raw material to final product just
a few hours ago.
During our time together, I asked
Chad, Danny and Gene the same ques-
tion: “Why do you stay in New York?”
The answer was the same for each:
“Family.” At the end of the day, it’s all
about being together for the DeSantis
family. When you love your products
almost as much as the people you make quality, nothing can ever substitute the hand-laced holster for his prized High
them with, it’s hard to consider what you heart and soul that goes into something Standard .22 to the company’s most
do “work.” While many factors go into created with the ones you care about recent Kydex creations. For more infor-
the manufacturing process to ensure top most. This is evident from Gene’s first mation, visit desantisholster.com.

ROAD TRIP
My wife tells me to Cody, Wyoming, to cover it, drinking both his share and group by any calculation.
that I am simple and I told him I wasn’t familiar with mine. Fortunately, I have been Imagine you are the head of a
predictable. My pas- it. He laughed and explained in constant training for just company that makes firearms,
sions may wax and wane, but that I would be responsible such a crisis for the last 20 or the head of marketing,
my interests remain boringly for exposing the week of years. I also got to meet our or someone who has been
constant. Apparently, I am motors, machine guns and host, Media Direct’s Mark entrusted with a great deal
not alone. I recently learned mayhem to the world. (I still Sidelinger, and learned a little more responsibility than any
that there is an 80-percent can’t believe I get paid to do more about the eclectic crew sane person would ever give
crossover between gear- this.) So, I hit the road and he assembled in the pursuit to someone like me. Perhaps
heads and firearms enthu- picked up photographer Alex of embracing everything that you are in charge of a major
siasts. Odds are, if you Landeen on the way. makes America such an awe- marketing firm that caters to
like anything bearing an Cody might be small, but some country. And the longer the firearms industry. Such
internal-combustion engine, the people are friendly and I hung out with this merry a position comes with good
you probably like things that everything is named after band of rabble rousers, the and bad news. You’re a rec-
send small pieces of lead Buffalo Bill. We arrived in more enamored I became. ognized leader, but tremen-
downrange at hundreds or the evening and met up with dous responsibility weighs
thousands of feet per second the Motoschützen crew at on your shoulders. The gun
with pinpoint accuracy. the Silver Dollar Saloon. Alex THE BASICS business also isn’t the place
Which brings us to the looked a little green around So what the hell is to go if you want to get rich.
sixth annual Motoschützen. the gills, so I was forced to Motoschützen, and who goes The industry is flooded with
When my editor told me to go uphold our manliness by to it? Well, it’s a pretty elite good companies, profit
MOTOSCHÜTZEN
2019
THE INDUSTRY’S
FINEST GET WILD
IN WYOMING WITH
GUNS, MOTORCYCLES
AND BARBECUE
( BY ROBERT JORDAN • ALEX LANDEEN PHOTOS)

“
margins are low, and in case Complex, where Camillo
you haven’t noticed, demand Velasquez introduced me to
has gone down since Hillary some new guns from Rossi
Clinton lost to Donald Trump. and Taurus. He showed me
The “Trump Slump” has made the Rossi Tuffy .410/.22, the THESE GUYS BELIEVE IN OUR
it really hard to sell guns.
You might be worth millions,
RS22 semi-auto .22 rifle and
the RB22 bolt-action rifle
RIGHTS AND THEIR PRODUCTS, AND
but every penny of equity is available in .22 LR, .22 WMR WORK ALL DAY EVERY DAY— EVEN
tied up in your business and
making sure your employees
and .17 HMR. After that,
we move on to the offerings WHEN THEY ARE ON VACATION.”
still have a job tomorrow. from Taurus. The crowd really
With this kind of stress, loved the threaded-barrel
how do you unwind? By TX22 pistol that uses
taking a week to hang out 16-round magazines.
with a bunch of people who Mike Corkish showed
have the same worries as me the latest and greatest
well as the same aspirations from Tactical Solutions. The
and enjoy the same things. integrally suppressed Pac-
And, man, is it a hoot! Lite TSS pistol and X-Ring
The first day of the event, Takedown rifle had people
we met at the Cody Shooting lining up to try them out, and
Biking was plentiful at the 2019

edition of Motoschützen in and
around beautiful Cody, Wyoming.

ROAD TRIP
Mixing business with pleasure,

the event attendees spent their
time at Motoschützen gobbling
up whole lots of ammo while
on the shooting range.
they did not disappoint. Zach lights and holsters. I began all to Fat Racks BBQ, and it making jokes about who had
Hein showed off some CZ to see why Hi-Point has its was so good we went back the most fun that day.
rifles. With its pinpoint accu- cult following. Brown also there for lunch every day.
racy and beautiful trigger introduced me to the Russian The first motorcycle ride
and stock, the CZ 457 was Barnaul ammo that his com- came after lunch. Landeen DAY TWO
probably the most accurate pany has begun importing. and I chased the road bikes The second day, we headed
rifle on the range that day. Next was a table with Ron all the way up the fabled back to the very nice Cody
Charlie Brown showed me Norton from Inland Manufac- Beartooth Pass in Montana Shooting Complex for a
his pistol and carbine from turing and some pretty cool that opened the week before morning of long gun shooting.
Hi-Point. Brown is a super- retro World War II guns. We and got snowed shut two The same guys from before
nice guy and immediately shot some Rock River Arms weeks later. Snowbanks brought along a Rock River
recognized that I am a gun BT-9 carbines and pistols, along the road were still 10 Arms prototype rifle that will
snob. My guns keep me then a Just Right Carbines feet high and, of course, we debut at the 2020 SHOT
alive on the job, so I buy the 9mm and MG Arms’ ARs had to stop and throw snow- Show and a D-Day commem-
best. But Brown explained (available in eight calibers), balls at each other. It was orative Inland M37 trench
that not everyone can afford along with the company’s hard to believe that it was gun that we shot along with
the best, and new shooters Wraithe 1911 pistol. And June. The day ended with several other shotguns at an
need a gun that doesn’t cost that was just the morning. Millstone Pizza, cold drinks impromptu Five-Stand com-
$800 plus magazines, optics, Mark Sidelinger treated us and a lot of very tired guys petition. A lot of people said
“
things like, “Back when I had
time to practice, I used to be
pretty good at this.” Naturally,
any misses were met with
jokes, juvenile humor and poi-
...MY EDITOR...LAUGHED AND EXPLAINED THAT I WOULD gnant put-downs. Eventually
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPOSING THE WEEK OF MOTORS, they all told me to be quiet.
After shooting, we hit up
MACHINE GUNS AND MAYHEM TO THE WORLD.” Fat Racks BBQ once again,
and a group got back on their
bikes. This time Alex and I

While some of the attendees are
competitors in the firearms industry,
everyone united for a few days to
renew friendships and make sure
a good time was had by all.
went with the off-road crew, while the rest of us went over us east from Cody through time, even guys who were in
and my 2002 Toyota Tacoma to the Juniper Bar before beautiful canyons, mountains competition bent over back-
4x4 was pushed to the max again meeting up at the and resorts that are only wards to help each other. If
to keep up. We went west Silver Dollar and becoming accessible a few months out someone needed a replace-
around Buffalo Bill Reservoir impromptu cornhole champs of the year. We traveled the ment part for their motor-
and then into the hills, where against all challengers. backroads and stopped to cycle, a cell phone, ammo,
we skirted some BLM agents enjoy the scenery that none a ride or just a sympathetic
(I think we were riding on legal of us in our hectic 60-hour ear to vent, these guys were
land), and the guys showed DAY THREE weeks would normally ever there for each other. It was
off their hill climbing skills. Tim Our shooting was done, but appreciate. And every one impressive and heartwarming
Matters from Tactical Walls we were treated to an exclu- of us wore a wide grin that at the same time.
displayed serious man skills sive tour of the Cody Firearms comes from the satisfaction I admit that I’m a cynical
on any motorcycle he rode, Museum by lovely curator of knowing we are doing the cop who thinks the worst
and he rode several because Ashley Hlebinsky and assis- best we can for the industry, of everyone, but I felt like
when he was done with them, tant curator Danny Michael. for our products and for the participating in Motoschützen
parts were falling off. Stop- I’d describe the place in three people who depend on us. was a shining star in a sea
ping to look at the views was words: A-MAZ-ING. The This is a little slice of how of woe. And while this event
the only thing that slowed us museum was just finishing much pleasure and beauty isn’t for the masses, I feel
down as we wound our way a $12 million renovation. So there is in this world. privileged to have peeked
up a “trail” on what I believe much history about firearms One of the things that behind the curtain and
was Citadel Mountain. is packed into the place that really struck me about all of witnessed a little of how the
Dinner that night was at I can’t wait to go back. Plus, these guys was how diverse other half lives, even if it isn’t
the Cody Cattle Company they have hands-on displays their activities were. Nobody all glamour and luxury. These
with live music from the that explain basic gun parts focused on just one product guys believe in our rights and
Triple C Cowboys. There and safety and allow you to or even one line of products. their products, and work all
were about 25 of us from mimic shooting a machine They were negotiating with day every day—even when
Motoschützen along with 300 gun, for example. Even my distributors, with product they are on vacation. But
other guests in attendance. wife would love this museum. providers, with foreign coun- they still want to have a good
Afterward, half the crew rolled Finally, it was time for tries, the BATFE, employees time. And that, my friends, is
next door to take in the rodeo our last ride, which took and advertisers. At the same Motoschützen!

TA C T I C A L R I D E S
ROLLING WITH
THE DEVIL
TA K E A T R I P
D A R K S I D E
ON THE THE
WITH WER
99 9 - H O R S E P O
RAMSMOBILE
RM-XB2BS, MD
BY WILL DA

From the very begin- vehicle suitable for the Prince
ning, mankind has of Darkness. In the Rams-
had an irresistible mobile Protos RM-X2, we
fascination with darkness, see the true power of evil.
which drives us to some fas-
cinating places. It shapes our
books, television shows and DARK MATTERS
movies. In every proper story, For starters, the vehicle is per-
there are both good guys and fused with demonic imagery.
bad. However, if we’re being Not only is the whole truck
completely honest, it’s nearly black both inside and out save
always the villain who holds us for a few red components, but
in most compelling sway. the sundry highlights are also
This same preoccupation subtly engraved with creepy
pervades our enthusiasm for runic phrases. It’s spooky—
high-end vehicles. The Rams and that’s the point.
Group of Belarus has capital- The vehicle at its dark heart That might seem portly until The RM-X2 can be had
ized upon this innate human is an optimized all-terrain you appreciate that, depen- with either a 6.2-liter LT5
constant to produce the sort supercar. The chassis and dent upon the power plant you gasoline engine or a 6.6-liter
of high-end luxury survival monocoque fuselage are all choose, this thing could be Duramax diesel plant slaved
titanium and carbon fiber, putting out 999 horsepower. to an Allison transmission.
not unlike a combat aircraft. Let’s put that in perspec- There are references to a
This gives the truck its pre- tive. The Pratt & Whitney possible electric drive system,
ternaturally light weight. In its R-2800 Double Wasp radial but the details are not fully
stripped-down version, the that drove the World-War- codified. I have a sneaking
curb weight is a II-era F4U Corsair fighter suspicion that the 999-horse-
mere 3,300 plane produced twice that. power output was carefully
pounds. However, the Corsair weighed crafted because 999 is 666
more than 9,000 pounds and upside down, but perhaps I’m
flew at around 440 mph. So, reading too much into it.
999 horses is simply breath- The vehicle is designed
taking in a terrestrial vehicle. to incorporate an optional
These trucks are made to retractable track system that
order for the individual buyer, will power the truck through
so the standard automotive places that wheels might find
rules that might govern the impassable. The tracks come
way we describe them do not in both narrow (15-inch) and
necessarily apply. The Rams wide (24-inch) versions. This
Group plans to produce a monster is an electrically-pow-
mere dozen throughout 2020. ered, hydraulically-actuated
However, there are certain auxiliary mobility enhancement
standard attributes that apply system for those times when
across the board. life goes truly sideways. The
The monocoque chassis tracks can also be used as
is airtight. The system draws built-in jacks when the vehicle
air from the top to exclude needs servicing.
particulates. The frame, skid But to me, the doors
plates and undercarriage might be the coolest com-
are Teflon-coated for wear ponents. Powered by an
and weather resistance. The electro-hydraulic system, the
hydro-pneumatic suspension rear-pivoting side doors are
features a laser height sensor like those of a Lamborghini
for accurate positioning. This Countach—only backwards.
system allows for a full 12 The doors pop out just far
inches of adjustment. enough to unseal and then

TA C T I C A L R I D E S
rotate up and back. The end bottom. These upgrades

result requires only 8 inches strengthen the vehicle’s
of side space for opening. structure under critical loads
and aggressive operating
conditions. The Extreme Pro
DIABOLICAL OPTIONS package also includes two
There are four basic layouts ultralight winches and jacks.
for this truck ranging from
simple to ridiculously over
the top: Ascetic, Devil’s UP IN SMOKE
Touch, Ramsider and God’s Now what would the Devil-
Creation. I warned you mobile be without a little
that supernatural imagery concomitant sin? The inte-
pervades the thing. rior is too tight for a proper
The Ascetic, or RM-X2A, stripper pole, so the next
is the base model that best thing is what Ramsmo-
weighs 3,300 pounds and bile calls its “Smoker’s Pack-
will climb all but vertical age.” With this upgrade, the
walls. It’s a cool $999,999. RM-X2 operator can smoke
That’s just the starting point. flavored tobacco on the go
Totally tricked out, it is closer thanks to built-in electronic
to $3 million. The Devil’s hookahs that are fed via
Touch edition, or RM-X2D, special tobacco cartridges.
is the product of six months’ The system recognizes
effort by the Ramsmobile your individual smoking
design team. The company can be up-armored to either at very low inflation levels. preferences and modulates
describes this version as a B6 or B7 ballistic standards The rims are available in 20-, the power and temperature
melding of luxury and dark- and includes bulletproof 22- and 24-inch versions. for each individual operator.
ness along with technology glass. The armored variant The mirrors retract into These values are retained in
and mysticism. I’m not incorporates both Kevlar and the hood to prevent damage, the system and replicated
really sure what that means carbon-fiber upgrades to and digital “mirrors” display automatically according to
precisely, but it makes me keep the truck running when within the cabin. Integrated specified parameters.
want to start stocking up on lesser vehicles might have to thermal and night-vision As a physician, I feel
stakes and holy water. be relegated to the junk pile. imagers feed into the cock- compelled to remind you
The RM-X2D features The proprietary hydraulic pit as well. Finally, external that smoking is universally
black wheels with gold trim doors ensure passengers infrared lights illuminate your bad. Half my professional
along with the auxiliary can easily ingress or egress path in true darkness. life is spent trying to beg,
continuous-track hyper- even when the vehicle is In terms of performance, threaten or cajole folks out
mobility upgrade. This ver- wedged into tight spaces. the RM-X2 can clear a of their sundry tobacco
sion can also be configured (The kind of folks who can 30-inch vertical obstacle. products. However, even
with a tunnel-less body afford such a truck likely have The wheels protrude in such I found the built-in hookah
configuration that seats six. a few enemies.) The up- a way that the truck can thing fascinating.
If you’re going to drop $1 armored model can also fea- climb without damaging So if you’ve got the coin
million on a vehicle of this ture a purified air system to its front end in extreme and feel comfortable settling
caliber, you might as well survive biological warfare. conditions. With the rear into a genuine Satan-
upgrade to the RM-X2D and Wheel options for all bumper properly configured, infused, high-performance
toss in a few amenities. models include an Ai-CTIS the RM-X2 can manage a Devil car, the Ramsmobile
The RM-X2G is God’s (Automatic-intelligent 50-degree forward incline. Protos RM-X2 is your ride.
Creation. The technical Central Tire Inflation Sys- The laser height-position Dark, powerful and terrifying,
details for this model won’t tem) that ensures the tires indicator and track module it would certainly help you
be finalized until later in maintain the proper inflation help maintain control. stand out in the pickup line
2020. Given its rarefied for the terrain encountered. If desired, the vehicle can at school. If you dare, then
nomenclature, I would Bead-lock wheels with light- be outfitted with custom- climb aboard and take a spin
expect it to be epic. Finally, weight polyurethane run-flat powered skid plates made with this Prince of Darkness.
the Ramsider, or RM-X2R, rings keep the tires mated to from titanium and applique For more information, visit
is the weaponized version. It the wheels even when driven bumpers to help protect the ramsmobile.com.

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BOLT ACTION
FORIMPACT
In 2019, Remington introduced
REMINGTON’S
SHORT AND HANDY
700 CHASSIS PISTOL
RETURNS WITH AN
SB TACTICAL UPGRADE
BY MIKE DETTY ALEX LANDEEN PHOTOS

B R A C E F O R I M PA C T
remove the barreled action from the

chassis to make adjustments because
the engagement screw is readily acces-
sible. Each model also comes with an
oversized bolt knob that makes cycling
the action sure and easy, as well as a
single-column Magpul AICS magazine.”
I sat down at the bench and
engaged a number of distant targets
that Suarez pointed out to me while
supplying the correct holdovers to
make hits. I was amazed at what this
pistol could do. The oversized bolt knob
made manipulations quick and certain,
and the SB Tactical arm brace added
another point of contact to the pistol
that aided in shooting it consistently.
Suarez’s enthusiasm was contagious, The 700 CP comes with a
Magpul MIAD grip and AICS-
and I placed an order for one of the style magazine as well as a
pistols. Also at the Rendezvous was large bolt knob for smooth,
Riton Optics, a veteran-owned company quick operation in the field.
located in my hometown of Tucson.
Riton’s marketing manager, Tony Taran-
tino, is an industry veteran and an old
friend of mine. When I told him I was BACK IN ARIZONA is conveniently located so that it can be
going to review the new Remington 700 When the Remington 700 CP arrived, engaged when the shooter grabs the
CP, he said Riton had the perfect scope I gave it a quick once over and was magazine to remove it.
for this gun: the 1-8x24mm X3 Tactix. impressed with the pistol’s design. As mentioned, Remington outfits the
Like Suarez had said, the 700 CP’s 700 CP with an M-LOK handguard that
push-feed action is all Remington. is attached to the chassis and does
Accompanying the pistol was a single- not contact the barrel, which could
stack, 10-round Magpul magazine. affect the pistol’s accuracy. On top of
Remington chose this magazine as it the receiver is an extended, 0-MOA
negated the need to redesign the bolt to Picatinny rail for optics. It’s attached
feed from AR-10-style, double-column to the receiver with four screws. Out
magazines. The magazine release lever front, the 12.5-inch barrel’s muzzle has
5/8x24-tpi threading for suppressors or
muzzle brakes, and Remington supplies
a machined thread protector.
Out of the box, my test sample had
a 4.5-pound trigger. The Remington
X-Mark Pro trigger is adjustable
for engagement without
The action is
designed to feed
from single-stack
magazines, and
Remington includes
an X-Mark Pro
adjustable trigger.

SPEC BOX removing it from the chassis, though the scope. I set a target 25 yards away
it wouldn’t be a big chore if need be. I and zeroed the scope while chrono-
REMINGTON 700 CP adjusted the engagement screw until the
trigger pull weighed about 3.75 pounds.
graphing the ammunition I had brought
along. By the time I had chronographed
At the rear of the 700 CP’s aluminum the five different test loads, I had the
CALIBER: 6.5 Creedmoor chassis is an adapter for an AR-style 700 CP zeroed and pushed my target
BARREL: 12.5 inches receiver extension, or buffer tube. back to 100 yards.
OA LENGTH: 28 inches Here Remington has attached an SB Instead of using a shooting rest, I
WEIGHT: 7 pounds (empty) Tactical SBA3 arm brace that can be attached a short Picatinny rail to the
GRIP: Magpul MIAD adjusted to five different length-of-pull bottom of the 700 CP’s handguard
positons, including fully collapsed and and attached a Warne Skyline bipod.
SIGHTS: None
fully extended. Currently, the BATFE It features a quick-attach lever, and
ACTION: Bolt holds that it is legal to shoulder such the legs can be adjusted from 6.9 to
FINISH: Matte black designs, increasing your hit probability 9.1 inches long. You can also adjust
CAPACITY: 10+1 and accuracy downrange. the cant by 22 degrees and pan by
MSRP: $1,169 Finally, on my way to shoot the 44 degrees. After finding the ideal leg
700 CP, I stopped at Riton’s office height to comfortably shoot the 700
and picked up the company’s new CP, I disabled the pan feature and fired
LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY 1-8x24mm X3 Tactix. This variable scope my groups. I fired five groups with each
Black Hills 143 ELD-X 2,177 1.14
features an illuminated, second-focal- load and included the best five-shot
plane reticle; an integrated, but remov- groups in the performance table.
Black Hills 147 ELD-M 2,233 0.91
able, throw lever; and a fast-focus The 700 CP is not a particularly hard
Federal 130 Gold 2,480 0.85 eyepiece. One of Riton’s technicians gun to shoot, and I was able to develop
Medal Berger had the scope installed in a Riton one- some technique as I put rounds down-
Federal 140 Fusion 2,378 1.31 piece mount with quick-detach levers. range. I fired groups using my support
Sig Sauer 120 HT 2,531 1.24 The scope weighs just 19 ounces, or 26 hand to push the SBA3 brace into
ounces including the mount. my shoulder. My first shot was literally
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in an eye-opener, as I saw a white flash
fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches
for best five-shot groups at 100 yards. TRIGGER TIME through the scope when I pulled the
When I arrived at my shooting spot trigger. The short barrel creates quite a
southeast of Tucson, I set up my DOA fireball as unburned powder continues
Shooting Bench and quickly attached to burn after leaving the barrel—so

B R A C E F O R I M PA C T
“WITH THE SB TACTICAL BRACE, REMINGTON’S 700 CP

MAKES FOR A VERY COMPACT PACKAGE THAT IS
CAPABLE OF RIFLE-LIKE ACCURACY.”
within 200 yards and you should be fine.
It’s not that the shorter barrel is mechan-
ically less accurate, but the reduced
velocity decreases the distance at which
the projectile stays stabilized.
VERSATILE PISTOL
Remington’s Suarez explained to me
that the 700 CP was designed for
several different groups of people. “For
me personally, I have two young boys,
and the adjustable SB Tactical brace
fits them better than a full-stocked
Remington 700,” he said. “People
with disabilities or an injury that has
neat cluster measuring just 0.85 inches affected their limbs and/or range of
wide. During my shooting session, I motion may find that the shorter overall
fired more than 150 rounds, and that length and lighter weight allows them
was a little much for a single day. By to hunt again, whereas a full-sized rifle
the end of my session, I was jittery as I might just be too hard. Folks hunting
broke the shot, in anticipation of recoil, out of deer blinds have limited room,
and my shoulder remained sore for and shots are usually limited to 150
several days. The SBA3 arm brace is yards. That’s where the Remington 700
made of a rubbery composite material Chassis Pistol excels!”
that acts as a sort of recoil pad. But While I was shooting the 700 CP, a
150 rounds is just too much in a single local rancher and a Bureau of Land Man-
session for a lightweight like myself. agement agent stopped to say hello.
The only negative that I found to this They were both impressed with the
setup is that it is impossible to obtain compactness of the gun. Both spend a
a cheekweld. Despite this, the gun per- great deal of time in their vehicles and
formed admirably in terms of accuracy. believed that the short length would
Quite frankly, these groups were much make it much easier to get the gun into
tighter than I had anticipated. action quickly. They were also impressed
I looked back through my notes to by the 700 CP’s accuracy and the fact
much so, in fact, that if it had been find another gun that I had fired the that it fires a full-powered rifle cartridge.
fire season, I would have discontinued same rounds through with a true rifle- After they had a chance to shoot the
shooting the gun for fear of igniting length barrel. Last year, I tested the Rise 700 CP, I am certain that Remington
some dry buffalo grass. Armament 1121XR rifle with a 22-inch will have two new customers!
I was able to use the scope’s fast- barrel using the same ammunition. The With the SB Tactical brace, Reming-
focus eyepiece to get an incredibly Remington 700 CP’s 12.5- ton’s 700 CP makes for a
sharp, clear sight picture. Using inch barrel had 20-percent FOR MORE very compact package that
2-inch-diameter Shoot-N-C targets, I less velocity with the same INFORMATION is capable of rifle-like accu-
was able to center the 1-MOA dot ret- rounds. Unfortunately, this racy. If your needs require
icle easily, and this made shooting tiny translates into 32-percent REMINGTON a short, compact gun
groups simple! Also aiding my groups less energy. The Reming- remington.com chambered for a serious
was the gun’s crisp trigger. ton 700 CP is a short- cartridge like the 6.5 Creed-
My best group came with Federal’s range gun, and there’s no RITON OPTICS moor, the Remington 700
130-grain Gold Medal Berger rounds, sense in trying to push its ritonoptics.com Chassis Pistol just might be
and I managed to put five shots into a range. Keep your shots the gun for you.

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FOR
RUNNING
REMINGTON’S
LATEST TACTICAL
12 GAUGE
THROUGH GUNSITE’S
TOP-NOTCH TRAINING
VICTORY
( BY FRED MASTISON)
TACTICAL-LIFE.COM
V3 FOR VICTORY
Remington offers the V3 Tactical with either

XS rifle sights (shown) or a vent-rib bead
sight, but both styles use the VersaPort
system for greater reliability.
SPEC BOX
on over the 9mm versus V3 Tactical will cycle pretty much any
the .45 ACP, the forever- REMINGTON ammunition you feed it, from light bird-
reliable shotgun sits in
the corner just laughing
V3 TACTICAL shot shells that most tactical semi-autos
won’t run to heavy buckshot and slugs.
to itself. The shotgun is GAUGE: 12; 31⁄2-inch chamber Another benefit is an exceptionally
a versatile and powerful BARREL: 18.5 inches soft-shooting shotgun. While that might
utilitarian part of any self-respecting gun sound like a cliché or even an oxymoron,
OA LENGTH: 39.5 inches
owner’s collection. From bird guns to it’s true. The VersaPort system reduces
advanced tactical models, the shotgun the recoil of a 12 gauge so that it
seems to be able to fill the needs of just STOCK: Synthetic feels more like a 20 gauge. This is true
about any shooter. But in my opinion, SIGHTS: XS low-profile across the board, even when running
the gun really shines in the tactical and ACTION: Semi-auto buckshot or slugs.
self-defense world. While it’s true that FINISH: Matte black The V3 Tactical is ergonomic and
you could use a gun dedicated to goose CAPACITY: 6+1
feature rich. It includes nicely oversized
hunting, for example, there are better controls, including the large charging
MSRP: $1,045
options available for personal protection. handle and safety as well as the easy-
Many companies make guns in this to-use bolt release. This makes the gun
space, but few have the decades-long system. In essence, after firing a round, fast and easy to run, even under stress.
reputation that Remington has earned. high-pressure gas just behind the shot Another sign that the V3 Tactical was
From the classic 870 pump action used cup is channeled down through ports designed by shooters is the flared load-
by millions of police officers worldwide in the barrel and into the piston system ing port. Gone are the days of catching
to advanced semi-autos, Remington that drives the action. The action actually the back of your thumb in the loading
has it all. “Big Green” also takes pride uses two small pistons just below the port as you feed your shotgun.
in continuing to innovate in this arena, magazine tube. The design is brilliant The gun comes with an 18.5-inch,
as demonstrated by the company’s new in that the size of the shell controls the cylinder-bore barrel and is available with
V3 Tactical scattergun. amount of gas used. So if you’re running XS low-profile rifle sights or a vent-rib
3½-inch shells, only three ports are bead sight. It also has a 6+1 capacity,
BUILT FOR SPEED open, with the rest being covered by the and Remington includes a Supercell
The new V3 Tactical is a high-speed, shell. On the other end of the spectrum, recoil pad. All of this works together
low-drag fight-stopper. The gun utilizes a 2¾-inch shell leaves eight ports open, to make a very fast, soft-shooting and
Remington’s ingenious VersaPort gas allowing more gas to run the action. reliable semi-automatic shotgun.

“TO HELP RUN THE COURSE, REMINGTON BROUGHT ALONG
ITS WORLD CHAMPION SHOOTER, TRAVIS TOMASIE.”
Along with hitting the

square range, the attendees
ran their V3 Tactical
shotguns through a number
of simulators at Gunsite.

V3 FOR VICTORY
GUNSITE TRAINING
To unveil the new shotgun, Remington
held a writer’s event at the world-
famous Gunsite Academy. We ended
up spending two days running the V3
Tactical through its paces.
My first impression of the gun was
positive as we started our general brief-
ing. Right off the bat, the V3 Tactical felt
comfortable to operate. It’s a fighting
gun, and as such, had no harsh edges
or unnecessary bling. We had the option
of running the V3 Tactical with either the
XS rifle sights or the vent-rib bead sight,
and I chose the former to really test the
boomstick’s accuracy. Yes, the bead
sight works well, but rifle sights are
inherently more precise, and I’m simply
more comfortable with them.
First up was patterning the gun. If
you’re new to shotguns, this is simply
finding out what your shot pattern looks
like at different distances. It’s important
to know exactly where your shots are
going to land, and hitting the range is
TOMASIE’S
the only true way to know. At Gunsite,
TOP
we mostly ran a mix of Remington’s
Managed-Recoil and Ultimate Defense
buckshot. My gun produced a very nice
pattern at 10 yards, with six of the eight
pellets inside a 2-inch dot and two flyers
TIPS
that stretched the group out to about
3.5 inches. This is definite headshot
patterning at this distance. Then we
continued to move back, firing at differ-
ent distances until the pellets began to
wander outside the primary strike zone
at the 20-yard line. This is where I would
probably transition to slugs.
Shotguns have an undeserved Travis Tomasie is one of the most important. As always, rule number one is
reputation for excessive recoil in many recognized and successful pro- to focus on fundamentals, but you really
cases. What I find most often is a lack fessional shooters in the world. He’s the need to work on your stance. Use your
of solid technique in running this great captain of Team Remington and, unlike legs to build a really solid platform to
platform. Without going into great detail, some other pros, has years of teaching mitigate the recoil so you can drive the
you must lean into the gun. Drive it into experience as well. With this perfect mix gun from target to target.”
your shoulder and run it like you mean it. of skills, I felt it would be a great oppor- Reloading: “Reloading is a huge
If you are timid or allow the stock to drift tunity to learn more from him at the part of running a shotgun. We were
out of your shoulder pocket, the gun can Gunsite event. Like everyone else, I was doing speed reloads as well as tactical
be very unforgiving. This is especially looking for some tips on how to get the reloads for two days at Gunsite. This
true if you start to let space get between most out of my gun and build my speed is a reminder to be smooth and fast.
you and the buttstock. What follows is and accuracy. Tomasie was beyond gen- Practice both types as much as you can
the gun punching you in the shoulder— erous and offered these three solid tips. so they become second nature.”
something entirely preventable. Recoil Management: “With a Gear: “Practicing reloads is a great
With that being said, running any shotgun, recoil management is very reminder to have your gear squared
large-caliber gun with serious recoil
can wear on even the best shooters.

Team Remington’s Travis Tomasie showed
off the V3 Tactical’s capabilities while
teaching the attendees a few new tricks.
He’s used this considerable experi-

ence to teach countless hours of training
courses to military and law enforcement
personnel as well as civilians. For me,
it was a major treat to get to watch an
experienced pro run the V3 Tactical.
While it wasn’t all about speed, Tomasie
gave us all a show on how important
the little things can really be. He’s a very
humble and genuine person, and I found
myself asking him for suggestions and
tips. It’d be a mistake not to, considering
the fact that he’s one of the best shoot-
ers in the world.
The class was much more than just
square-range work as we hit the Gunsite
“Scrambler,” which had us engaging
steel with slugs at anywhere from 25 to
160 yards from a variety of positions,
such as off stumps and from behind
However, the V3 Tactical is by far the trees. Since we were on the clock, we
softest-shooting shotgun I have ever run. were encouraged to make our shots,
The VersaPort system, the new recoil then get moving to the next target down
pad and possibly some Remington the line as quickly as possible. It was
magic make this gun a breeze to shoot. challenging to say the least. We also ran
All of us gun writers in attendance ran the V3 Tactical through a shoothouse
over 2,000 rounds through our shotguns and simulated clearing a home that had
over two days without suffering any an unknown number of bad guys inside.
shoulder fatigue or soreness. This is one In both scenarios, I didn’t experience a
of the reasons why I’m a fan of this gun. single issue with the V3 Tactical.
Like any weapon, it’s essential that
you train with it. If the gun is unwieldy MAKING THE GRADE
or produces too much recoil, it is less The class wrapped up with a skill test
likely that you will shoot it often and, in of sorts. This seven-part test had us
away as far as what you are drawing turn, your skills will be minimal at best. shooting singles at 7 yards in one sec-
your extra ammunition from. There’s The V3 Tactical, though, is a pleasure to ond, singles at 10 yards in 1.5 seconds,
a lot of homework to be done there. shoot, especially with birdshot, and you and so on until we finally were taking
No matter what it is, you need to be can really run it all day. This breeds con- shots on steel at 50 yards with slugs.
able to index it and get the ammo in fidence and ultimately helps you reach a While I have spent some time behind a
the gun quickly. Make sure it’s in the higher degree of skill. number of shotguns over the years, the
right spot on your body as well.” smooth-shooting nature of the V3 Tacti-
When Travis put on a show at the TOP GUN TOMASIE cal helped me complete the drill without
Gunsite Academy event, everyone To help run the course, Remington any misses or time issues.
watching was making mental notes of brought along its world champion I try to never go overboard about
what he was doing. It was a pleasure shooter, Travis Tomasie. His background any weapon I test, but the Remington
to shoot with him and an even greater is quite extensive, and he’s been winning V3 Tactical is one hell of a gun. If
pleasure to visit with him and dig action shooting competitions for more you’re looking for a shotgun in the
into his 20-plus years of experience. than 20 years. He is a multiple world home-defense arena, I encourage you
Thanks, Travis! —Fred Mastison and national IPSC/USPSA champion as to give this 12 gauge a try. You won’t
well as a veteran of the elite U.S. Army be disappointed. For more information,
Marksmanship Unit (USAMU). visit remington.com.

HOME DEFENSE
KelTec first unveiled its KSG bullpup recently, KelTec introduced a new version
shotgun in 2011. This pump-action design designated the KS7 that’s worth a look.
features twin magazine tubes beneath the
barrel that each hold seven 2¾-inch shells KS7 SPECS
for a total capacity of 14+1 rounds. It also The biggest difference between these two
accepts 3-inch shells, which reduces the shotguns is the magazines. To reduce
capacity by one shell in each magazine. weight and make the KS7 a bit handier,
The user can manually switch between the it has a single magazine tube that holds
two magazine tubes as well. six 3-inch shells or seven 2¾-inch shells.
The KSG really took off after some This reduces the unloaded weight by a
bugs were worked out in a second-gen- pound—to 5.9 pounds compared to the
eration model, and special operations KSG’s 6.9 pounds. Both models still load
units in the United States, Great Britain, and eject from the bottom of the receiver.
France and South Korea took notice. The This helps keep debris out of the action
gun is still quite popular today, but more and provides for ambidextrous operation.

PINT-SIZED
KELTEC’S COMPACT,
FAST-HANDLING
KS7 BRINGS THE
12-GAUGE THUNDER
( BY WILLIAM BELL )
JORDAN BELL PHOTOS

P I N T- S I Z E D B U L L- P U M P
The crossbolt safety and pump release sights or optics, the KS7 has a carry barrel secure out front. The muzzle plate
lever at the front of the triggerguard are handle (like a traditional AR) extending also helps secure the forward end of the
ambidextrous as well. from the midsection of the gun to the carry handle. And what looks like twin
The lower portions of these guns are muzzle. The top of the handle is like a action bars running back from the fore-
fashioned from high-strength polymer trough and directs the eye toward the arm to the receiver are actually part of
while the receivers, barrels and magazine front sight, with its green fiber-optic the bolt carrier. The action has a single
tubes are carbon steel. The KS7 also insert, and the target beyond. There’s no internal actuation bar.
has a black and non-reflective charcoal rear sight beyond a tiny oblong stub that Two oval slots that act as loaded
gray finish. The pistol grip on the KS7 can be aligned with the bottom of the magazine indicators can be found on
is similar to the KSG’s, with texturing front sight, but a single hole in the han- the right side of the magazine tube, just
consisting of raised squares for plenty of dle is provided for a screw-on mount. above the pistol grip. Peering into the
traction. This same texturing can also be My test KS7 came with an orange ejection port, you’ll note the white plas-
found on the forend/pump handle, which chamber flag as well as an owner’s man- tic magazine follower. Jutting up from the
is grooved to keep your support hand in ual. When I examined the gun closely, bottom is a small outer catch that retains
place—something the KSG lacks. I noticed a great detail of attention had the shells. It has tiny ledges to make
Then there are the sights, which been paid to the fit and finish. At the pushing it down easier when removing
represent another difference. While muzzle is a large screw-on ring that, in shells manually from the magazine tube.
the KSG has a rail mounted on top conjunction with the muzzle plate and Two rails on the bottom of the bolt help
of its barrel for the attachment of iron magazine tube, keeps the cylinder-bore guide the shells into the magazine.
At the very rear, you’ll see the internal
hammer on its retention pin. Triangular
protrusions on both sides, just in front
of the safety, protect it from inadvertent
activation. There are also M-LOK slots
on the carry handle, forend and stock for
accessories, and the gun disassembles
The forend has

grooves at the
front and rear
to prevent your
support hand
from slipping “TO REDUCE WEIGHT
while firing.
AND MAKE THE KS7
A BIT HANDIER, IT HAS A
SINGLE MAGAZINE TUBE
THAT HOLDS SIX 3-INCH
SHELLS OR SEVEN
2¾-INCH SHELLS.”
SHOTS FIRED
With my son and photographer Jordan
in tow, we headed to an outdoor range
to test the KS7 between thunderstorms.
It’s worth noting that the shotgun
stowed easily in a Stealth backpack
made by Elite Survival Systems.
Our first task was to pattern the
KS7 with a variety of buckshot at 15
yards. For targets, I used some cheap
Styrofoam poster boards with black
paper on the front and back. The small-
est pattern—just 5.24 inches—came
with Speer’s Lawman 00 buckshot.
The largest, at 8.82 inches, came with
Remington’s Express 00 buckshot. All
of the pellets remained in the target area
and would have easily stayed within the
K-zone of a silhouette target.
One thing we did note was that,
when shooting with both eyes open and
superimposing the green fiber-optic
front sight on the target center, our
shots were below and right of the point
of aim. When it came time to test the
Lightfield 546-grain Hybred EXP slugs
on Birchwood Casey Dirty Bird silhou-
ette targets, our groups impacted to the
right and as high as 4 inches above the
The author tested
point of aim at 25 yards.
the KS7 with a
mix of buckshot For a practical evaluation of the
and slug loads KelTec KS7, we decided on a home-
to get a measure defense-type scenario using an RE Fac-
of the shotgun’s
tor Tactical silhouette. We then loaded
accuracy, speed
and ease of use. the magazine tube with two Hornady #4
The recoil wasn’t buckshot shells, two Speer Lawman 00
punishing, either. buckshot shells, two Remington Express
00 buckshot shells and two Lightfield
slugs. Upon the signal, I disengaged
the safety and fired the first two shots
at 5 yards as if I were repelling a home
invader. With the shotgun still covering
the threat area, I tactically redeployed to
10 yards, fired two more shots, moved
Like the KelTec
KSG, the KS7
back again to 15 yards, fired two more
loads and ejects shots, then, at 25 yards, fired the slugs
from the bottom at the head and chest of the target while
of the receiver using a post for a barricade.
so it’s easier for
The first two shots at close range
right- and left-
handed shooters with the #4 buckshot produced what
to operate the gun. are known as “rat holes” fairly close to
the point of aim in the target’s center-
mass. If you believe shotgun patterns
spread out quickly after the shot leaves
the muzzle, think again. You need to aim!
At 10 and 15 yards, the 00 buckshot

P I N T- S I Z E D B U L L- P U M P
The pump release is located at the front

of the triggerguard, and the crossbolt
safety is just above the pistol grip.
impacted mostly in the upper-right der of the target. Obviously, while firing buckshot and slugs, but I
thorax and left shoulder/arm area of the holding to the left would was wrong. While the recoil is pretty
target. At 25 yards, the center-mass help center the impacts substantial, most of it is directed into
slug went low and left, possibly impact- with this particular KS7. your shoulder. The recoil pad worked
ing the lower rib cage. The headshot well, too, but I’d like to see the butt
missed completely. BRASS TACKS extended down maybe 1 inch more for
We fired a few more slugs at 25 My son and I liked the looks, weight better recoil distribution. The forend can
yards using the base of the neck as the and configuration of the KelTec KS7. also be replaced with the kind found on
point of aim and found the impacts were I originally thought that the bullpup the KSG, which is a nice touch, and the
high and right, going just over the shoul- design might be rough on the cheek addition of a red-dot sight would help
the shotgun get on target a bit better
with some adjustments.
SPEC BOX
It’s tough pushing shells into the
KELTEC KS7
receiver from the bottom with the
gun shouldered. There seems to be a
sweet spot the magazine tube follower
GAUGE: 12; 3-inch chamber likes when feeding in shells. It’s best
BARREL: 18.5 inches
to turn the gun over with the ejection
port up and slide the shells along the
OA LENGTH: 26.1 inches
two rails that are perpendicular to the
WEIGHT: 5.9 pounds (empty) magazine tube. Another problem was
STOCK: Synthetic double-feeds. This happened several
SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front times with all the test shells. I used up a
ACTION: Pump number of shells, just working the pump
FINISH: Black, gray
action and shooting, to try to figure out
what was happening. You can’t “baby”
CAPACITY: 6+1
the pump action, but you also can’t
MSRP: $495 go too fast and short-stroke it. Steady,
measured fire seems to work best, but
try and make that happen when things
BUCKSHOT PATTERN are fast and furious.
Hornady #4 Varmint Express 6.97 In the end, the KS7 has a great price
Remington 00 Express 8.82 and a lot of features that I really like.
If you decide on one, experiment with
Speer 00 Lawman 5.24
different loads to find one that functions
Winchester 00 Ranger 7.64 perfectly for your needs. Train with this
SLUG ACCURACY gun and learn its eccentricities. It will
Lightfield Hybred EXP 4.69 be worth it if you want to employ it for
personal and home defense or even law
Pattern and accuracy in inches at 10 and
enforcement work. For more information,
25 yards, respectively.
visit keltecweapons.com.

ON TARGET
TC
FIVE OF TODAY’S BEST ammo uses a monolithic-copper hol-
low point for more rural applications.
COMBAT SIGHTS
In testing, it left the muzzle at 2,896
fps with 1,024 fpe.
Both loads are suitable for hunting
DUKE IT OUT ON THE RANGE whitetails and hogs out to about 125
yards and were totally reliable and
( BY DR. MARTIN D. TOPPER ) accurate in the test rifle. I used Gold

Dot ammo to test the Crimson Trace
and Primary Arms optics, while the
attle optics are fixed low- was Trijicon’s Advanced Combat Trophy Copper was used for the other
power sights with reticles that Optical Gunsight (ACOG), which three battle optics.
combine CQB aiming points was introduced back in 1987 and My testing conditions were ideal
with holdover hash marks for has consistently proven itself in battle at the Flagler Gun Club with warm
shooting at distances beyond 300 ever since. More recently, a number of temperatures, light winds and mostly
yards. The reticle can be either fully or competitive battle optics have become sunny skies. Each optic was evalu-
partially illuminated, and its upper por- available, establishing a significant ated based on cost, construction,
tion usually has a semi-circle that can presence on the market. image clarity and brightness, ease
be used to frame the target’s torso For this article, I decided to focus of use, timed fire at 20 yards, and
when shooting fast at close range, on optics with fixed 3X or 3.5X mag- point scores on full-sized silhouette
especially in low light. Consequently, nification. This power level fits well targets at 100 and 200 yards. By
battle optics combine the close-up with the effective range of the .223 construction, I mean the quality of
workmanship. Evaluating the image
clarity and brightness involved
estimating how well defined and
bright the target appeared at 200
son Trace CTS-1100, Primary Arms yards. Timed fire at 20 yards involved
shooting a single shot from low-ready
five times at the 10 ring of a full-sized
silhouette. The optic with the best
average time received five points, and
a 0.5-point deduction was taken for
TEST PARAMETERS every additional tenth of a second.
To level the playing field, I used one Up to five additional points were
added for score.
Testing at 100 yards involved
Sport II that was customized by Jamie firing five shots from the bench at the
Zern at the Florida Gun Exchange. 10 rings in the head and chest. Up
to 10 points were awarded for the
total score. At 200 yards, five shots
JSPs and Federal’s 55-grain Trophy from the bench were fired at the 10
ring, and up to 10 points were again
awarded based on score. Affordabil-
ity was judged on MSRP, with the
least expensive battle optic getting
10 points. A perfect overall score
would be 70 points.

B AT T L E O P T I C S R O YA L E
CRIMSON TRACE has MOA hash marks, which

CTS-1100 is a strong point because this
The new Crimson Trace CTS- battle optic can be used with
1100 is a 3.5X optic with a any cartridge. The reticle also
30mm objective lens. Its 8.5mm
exit pupil is good and so is its fast targeting up close, and the
large, fully illuminated reticle
that has 10 brightness levels. In good color rendition.
bright daylight, the illumination is
minimal, which is an advantage was excellent, with no tool
since the reticle does not bloom
at all in daylight. All of the con-
trols are conveniently located, of the most ruggedly built
and the windage and elevation battle optics tested, as it’s
can be adjusted in 0.5-MOA
increments. The BDC reticle impact and water.
objective and a 10.2mm exit pupil that provides

extremely good light transmission. In fact, it’s
one of the brightest and clearest of the test
optics. It has a fully illuminated ACSS CQB-M2
reticle with holdover marks out to 600 yards,
5-mph windage offsets and 8.6-mph moving
target leads, which the manual states is the
average speed of a moving target.
“ANY WAY YOU LOOK I used the model with the 5.56mm reticle,
but a 7.62x39mm/300 Blackout option is also
AT IT, THESE BATTLE available. The windage and elevation can also be
SIG SAUER BRAVO3 OPTICS EXTEND THE adjusted in 0.25-MOA increments, making the
The BRAVO3 is a 3X sight with SLx 3 Compact Gen II the most precise optic
a 24mm objective lens and a CAPABILITIES OF MOST tested. An accessory rail is included on top, and
reasonable 8mm exit pupil. The
BDC reticle has an illuminated SHOOTERS FROM CLOSE
center dot and horseshoe for
fast target acquisition day or
RANGE OUT TO SEVERAL
night. However, the windage
and elevation hash marks are
not illuminated, which could
be a problem for longer shots
at night. Models with 300 aspherical lens combination
Blackout and 5.56mm/7.62mm
reticles are available.
The BRAVO3 is a wide-view which is a definite plus. The
optic, which is a plus for tacti-
cal shooting in close quarters. sight’s weight down to 15.8
The manufacturing quality was
excellent, with no tool marks
or other flaws. The dials offer sories
0.5-MOA adjustments. Also, BRAVO3 is fog-, shock- and
the low-dispersion glass and

SIGHTMARK WOLFHOUND Wolfhound’s windage and elevation dials
While Sightmark offers several versions
of the Wolfhound, I got my hands on a
pupil. The image is also clear, sharp and

true to color. The small BDC reticle has
and Primary Arms SLx 3 Com-
two center dots, but the elevation
hash marks are not illuminated. In place. The Trijicon ACOG came
addition, it only has five brightness in third, and the Sig Sauer and
settings. The reticle’s illumination
and fifth, respectively. That said,
yard shots somewhat more difficult
and last positions was only 5.1
Separate models are available with points, so you really can’t go
making this sight limited in the number optics. The major differences
between them were their prices
and scores at 200 yards. Conse-
quently, which model you choose
depends upon your budget
TRIJICON ACOG and whether you need to shoot
beyond 100 yards at night.
Any way you look at it, these
This is a 3X sight with a 30mm objective cle itself is rather small and blooms some- five battle optics extend the
lens and a large 10mm exit pupil that pro- what. In addition, the holdover markings are capabilities of most shooters
vides excellent light transmission. In fact, not illuminated. The reticle on my test optic from close range out to several
this is one of the brightest and clearest was calibrated for 62-grain 5.56mm NATO hundred yards in daylight,
optics tested due to its high-quality rounds, but reticles are also available for and some are also long-range
glass and coatings. 7.62x39mm, 300 Black- capable at night as well. Either
out and 7.62mm NATO way, they are bound to play an
rounds. Finally, the important role when it comes
original ACOG self-defense, military and law
set the standard enforcement operations, and
for durability, and medium-range hunting.
this model will
resist the elements
FOR MORE
as well or better than
the competition.
INFORMATION
CRIMSON TRACE
crimsontrace.com
CRIMSON TRACE PRIMARY ARMS SLX 3 SIG SAUER SIGHTMARK TRIJICON
BATTLE OPTICS CTS-1100 COMPACT GEN II BRAVO3 WOLFHOUND ACOG PRIMARY ARMS
primaryarms.com
COST 8 10 8.5 9 6
CONSTRUCTION 10 9 9 9 9 SIG SAUER
IMAGE CLARITY 9 10 9 9 10 sigsauer.com
EASE OF USE 9 9 9 9 10
SIGHTMARK
TIMED FIRE (20 Yards) 8 8 10 7.5 9 sightmark.com
POINT SCORE (100 Yards) 9 8 7.5 8 9
POINT SCORE (200 Yards) 8 7 4.8 4.4 7 TRIJICON
trijicon.com
TOTAL 61 61 57.8 55.9 60
NOTE: 10 is a perfect score for each category while 70 is a perfect total score.

COVERT OPS
Even with a machine

gun like the author’s
Mk 48 shown here,
it’s important to make
sure your infrared
illuminator is zeroed
properly to prevent
misses at a distance.
EASY
INFRARED Zeroing your infra- hours. Nonetheless, we should
LASER
red (IR) laser isn’t always obtain a proper zero
quite as simple with the actual IR aiming laser.
as zeroing the red That means hitting a range at
ZEROING
dot or backup iron sights on night with NODs.
your carbine. Since IR light Here we’ll examine the two
isn’t visible without the use of most common techniques
an image-intensifying night- for zeroing your IR laser and
observation device (NOD), explore the consequences of
TWO BATTLE-TESTED and NODs aren’t usable in full

daylight, we have to zero IR
each technique at longer dis-
tances. But first, it’s important
METHODS TO HELP YOU lasers with NODs in darkness. to know your laser device’s
MAKE EVERY SHOT

That’s simply not possible on offset from your rifle’s bore, no
some shooting ranges. matter which unit you use or
COUNT AT NIGHT Several IR illuminators/

aiming devices, such as the
where you mount it. Popular
devices like the PEQ-15,
( BY KYLE LYNCH )
PEQ-15 and DBAL-A3, have DBAL-A2 and DBAL-A3 will
a co-aligned visible laser in position the IR laser to the right
the same housing as the IR and above the bore (as viewed
laser. This helps somewhat, as from the shooter’s position),
an approximate zero at close so you need to take that into
to moderate ranges can be account when it comes to
established during daylight zeroing the laser.

Never assume that your visible and
IR lasers are perfectly aligned. On this
target, the blue circles show that the
DBAL-A3’s IR laser is well below the
visible laser’s green circles.
at 25 to 100 yards, engaging

up-close targets will result in
bullet strikes that are below
your point of aim. The worst
case of close-range diver-
gence will be roughly equal
to the height of your optic
above your bore, so in most
cases, it’s an easy thing to
overcome by simply aiming
a couple inches above your
desired point of impact.
I began the field work
for this article by painstak-
ingly zeroing an Aimpoint
CompM3 mounted on my
test carbine at 50 meters.
The Aimpoint’s dot can be
used as a quick reference
point when making coarse
adjustments while setting up
a new laser. Simply place the
red dot of your day sight on
an object at your zero dis-
tance, then dial in the laser
until it lands on the same
aligned laterally unless wind carbine course, the concept object. This is a crude but
CONVERGENT ZERO or other factors affect the of the “sight offset” was acceptable way to get close
We almost universally zero bullet from one side or the probably introduced early with your laser’s initial zero.
our day optics and iron other. If you’ve been through in the first range day. With Using the convergent-zero
sights with the “convergent just about any intro-level most carbine optics zeroed method puts your laser in
zero” method. With this tech- vertical and horizontal align-
nique, we select a distance ment with your projectile at
at which our optic (or irons) one distance, but what does
will be aligned perfectly with that mean, in practical terms,
the path of each bullet we when engaging targets
fire. If we engage a target beyond your zero distance?
that’s closer or farther than Establishing your initial
that zero distance, our point zero at 25 meters is recom-
of aim won’t match the point mended because it allows
of impact. With most sights you to see the average
and optics, there is only center of your group with the
one axis of divergence. This least aiming error. Finding a
is because the sights are 25-meter range is also easier
directly above the bore. Your than finding a 200- or 300-
point of impact will be above meter range in most places.
or below your point of aim To demonstrate the real-
depending on the distance world application of this, I
to the target, but it will be used the convergent-zero

COVERT OPS
In this graphic, the green line represents the points of impact

using a convergent zero. The red line uses a constant offset zero.
your point of impact will be

approximately 1 inch right of
These impacts show the effects of
using a 25-meter convergent zero
your point of aim at all dis-
at 25, 50, 100 and 200 meters. tances. This means that the
Even at these moderate distances only adjustments you’ll need
the lateral spreads are obvious. to make are for elevation on
longer shots. Excluding wind
drift, your point of impact will
be 1 inch right at 25 yards, 1
CONSTANT inch right at 50 yards, 1 inch
OFFSET ZERO right at 100 yards and 1 inch
With a constant offset zero right at 400 yards.
(aka parallel zero), the point Once again, to demon-
of aim and point of impact strate this, I used the
never converge. Based on constant-offset method to
the mechanical offset in both precisely zero a Steiner
vertical and lateral measure- DBAL-A3 mounted on
ments, the constant offset the top rail of an AR-15
zero allows your point of aim handguard with a Telluric
to be consistent throughout Group IR Laser Zero Target
your effective range. For at 25 meters. The zero group
example, if your constant placed in the green circle at
offset zero is based on the 25 meters corresponds to my
placement of your laser 1 preferred 50/200-meter zero
inch left of your bore, then distance, so I went through
method to line up a Steiner use a convergent zero, the

DBAL-A3 mounted on the top difference between your point
rail of an AR-15 at 25 meters. of aim and the path of your
Beyond 25 meters, the bullet increases as the dis-
impacts move farther up and tance to your target exceeds
to the right as the distance your zero range. Starting with
increases to 200 meters. a converging point of aim and
Since the IR illuminators on point of impact at 25 meters,
Class 1 lasers are mostly your impacts will be 5 inches
worthless beyond 175 yards, high and a little 3 inches to
I did not continue the test the right by 200 meters. Is
at longer distances. While that good enough? That’s
gravity will eventually begin up to you. Carry this shift out
to pull the bullet back down to 400 meters or more and
closer to your point of aim on you can see the likelihood
the vertical plane (a 25-meter for aiming error.
zero aligns with a 300-meter
zero), the lateral shift will con-
tinue to take the bullet away This target shows the effects of
using a constant offset zero at
from your point of aim laterally
25, 50, 100 and 200 meters. The
as distance increases. groups are much tighter than
The takeaway? When you with a convergent zero (above).

Even with a pistol-mounted device
like the TLR-VIR II, you still need
to understand your zero and its
effects downrange in order to make
precise shots when needed.
use pistols. To determine the

effects of a convergent zero
with the TLR-VIR II, I zeroed
the G17 at 20 yards. Next I
fired a group at 5 yards. Not
surprisingly, the impact was
above the 20-yard group by
2.25 inches. That’s some-
thing we need to know and
account for on precise shots.
At 40 yards, the average
point of impact was 6
“
inches low. Since the laser
is zeroed at 20 yards, the
beam is above the path
of the bullet at 40 yards,
...IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR LASER DEVICE’S OFFSET causing shots to impact sig-
nificantly low. Now, 40-yard
FROM YOUR RIFLE’S BORE, NO MATTER WHICH UNIT YOU USE pistol shots aren’t that
OR WHERE YOU MOUNT IT.” common, but like a slide-

mounted red dot, a frame-
mounted IR laser is capable
several rounds of adjust- placing the laser where you those who want to integrate of enabling precise shots
ments before verifying my want the bullet to land. Each their pistols into nighttime well beyond that range if you
final zero with the tight group shot will be within about 3 operations. This single unit can manage the trigger.
you see within the green inches of your point of aim. combines a white light, an IR After seeing this, I think I’d
circle in the accompanying By the way, these groups light and an IR laser into one still recommend a constant
image. Next, I fired groups are from a 10.5-inch barrel compact housing. I recently offset zero with the TLR-VIR
on the same target at 50, shooting 55-grain military- used a Glock 17 with a TLR- II. This will put impacts
100 and 200 meters. As you surplus ammo. An accurate VIR II during Telluric’s Night consistently around 2 inches
can see, all of the groups rifle with good ammo would Vision Operator course and high at all realistic pistol
are in horizontal alignment obviously offer tighter found it to be well executed ranges. As a note, I fired the
with the zero group that was groups. Compare this with and reliable. The mode 40-yard group with my sup-
established within the green the effects of a convergent switch is easy to use and port hand braced against my
circle at 25 meters. The zero, where vertical and hor- positive. Streamlight also truck’s doorframe to approxi-
center of the 50-meter group izontal divergence increases managed to fit the TLR-VIR II mate what we’d see in a fight
is exactly aligned with the as the distance to the target into a form factor that works near a vehicle. I also used
center aiming square. The exceeds your zero range, with most existing holsters Magtech’s excellent 147-
centers of the 100- and 200- and it’s easy to understand based on the TLR-1. grain flat-point ammo. This is
meter groups are just above the advantages of a constant Just like carbine lasers, a great subsonic training and
the center aiming square by offset zero. there is a vertical offset to be practice load that mirrors
about 2 inches. Consider considered with the IR laser the feeding performance
the vital zone of a tactical on the TLR-VIR II. Fortu- and recoil of the 147-grain
target overlaid with all these WHAT ABOUT nately, there is very little hori- Federal HST carry ammo I
groups, and you can see that PISTOLS? zontal offset to be dealt with, prefer. With 20-yard groups
successful engagement of The introduction of the and the 2-inch vertical offset averaging 2.5 inches from a
that target from 25 meters to Streamlight TLR-VIR II is is manageable over the dis- supported standing position,
beyond 200 is as simple as a huge step forward for tances where we commonly it’s plenty accurate.

Retired Master
Sergeant Tu Lam
details his life
and dedication
after the
Green Berets
After fleeing Vietnam,

Tu Lam was adopted
by a Green Beret before
eventually growing up
to become one himself.

THE
RONIN
WAY BY
JASON
BRIGHT
As a screenwriter, the more I listened to Tu Lam
talk about his life story, the more I envisioned the
cinematic scenes playing out in my head: A young
child refugee narrowly escapes from a war-torn country
after witnessing what evil looks like firsthand, only to
grow up and serve in some of America’s most elite fight-
ing units to help protect and fight for those who can’t.
But this all really happened. It isn’t a film.
At just 2 years old, Lam left Vietnam and was adopted
by a Green Beret before growing up to become one
himself. He’s a Christian who lives his life by the bushido
code. He runs his own business and has co-hosted TV
shows like Forged in Fire. Yet, as I learned during our
interview, given his many accomplishments, he’s humble,
kind and passionate about helping others.

T H E R O N I N WAY
Tell us about Saigon in 1974.

I was born out of war. America’s involve-
his ment in the Vietnam War lasted from 1965
Serving e
and thos
country s to 1970. I was born in Saigon on Decem-
as alw y
a
in need h rity for ber 17, 1974, as the South Vietnamese
rio
been a p
o now government collapsed after the American
Lam, wh rs in
e
trains oth e. troop withdrawal. This event was devas-
ns
self-defe tating. As a child, my family was pulled out
onto the streets. My uncles that served
alongside the American military were
gunned down, and my other uncles were
imprisoned in “re-education” camps.
How did you and your family get out?

When I was 2 years old, I escaped on a
wooden boat crammed with hundreds of
other refugees. During the escape, thou-
sands of refugees were murdered, robbed
and raped by men from surrounding coun-
tries. These pirates were the first obstacle
during our escape. We navigated past
the pirates and into Indonesia, where
their coast guard stopped us at gunpoint.
pulled us back into the

ocean on lines, then shot
“AS A FORMER GREEN BERET, our motor and cut the
lines, leaving us out in the
middle of the water to die.
Our boat drifted farther
COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT My mother told me that
THE WORLD.” each other, fighting and even-

tually dying due to the terrible

conditions. We then got caught up in a
storm that took us out into the middle of With over 20 years
Russian waters. By the grace of God, a of U.S Special Forces
Russian supply boat picked us up as it experience, Tu Lam
was crossing the Pacific Ocean into Sin- has more than a little
knowledge to share
gapore. They dropped us off at a refugee with those who take
camp in Indonesia, where we had to live his training courses.
off the land for close to a year. These
refugee camps weren’t safe, and people
were often murdered for supplies.
It’s a long journey from a refugee camp

to Green Beret. How did that happen?
My mother eventually remarried after we
made it to the United States. My stepfa-
ther and my uncle (who sponsored our
paperwork to the U.S.) were both Green
Berets. I was raised at a very young age
understanding the complexities of the
Special Forces mission. Green Berets Rescue (CSAR) team. We were trained did the complexities of my security
were masters at unconventional warfare. on the recovery of downed pilots in the clearance, training and covert missions.
Their mission required working covertly Southeast Asia region.
in areas of war and conflict around the Each A-Team is assigned to a Special There’s more to being a Green Beret
world. I realized at a young age that join- Forces Group. Each group specializes than combat missions alone.
ing the Green Berets was my ticket to in an area of the world. As a young How do you help stop the tide of
help fight and free the oppressed. I real- Green Beret assigned to 1st Special future generations of fighters?
ized I could help others like my family Forces Group, I was deployed through- The Green Berets were designed
suffering from conflicts and wars. out Asia for eight to 10 months annually. to deploy and execute nine primary
I later transferred to a more specialized missions, including unconventional
What can you share about your mission during my time on the teams. I warfare, foreign internal defense, direct
missions as a Green Beret? eventually went to the Special Forces action, counter-insurgency, special
At 21 years old, I made it to the Special Counter Terrorist company for direct- reconnaissance, counter-terrorism,
Forces A-Teams. The A-Teams are action missions along with cross- information gathering, weapon of mass
highly trained soldiers specializing in training and working alongside other destruction recovery and security assis-
unconventional warfare tactics. At first, I commando forces from around the tance throughout seven geographically
was assigned to a Combat Search and world. As I matured in experience, so focused areas of operations.

T H E R O N I N WAY
As a former Green Beret, I have

worked in 27 different countries
throughout the world. What I find is
that we can drop bombs and conduct
direct-action operations against our
enemies, but this won’t stop them. It’s
hard to kill off an ideology, a belief or
religion. The majority of the high-threat
areas of the world are poorly educated
with a high poverty rate and oppressed
culture ruled by some warlord or dic-
tator. In these areas, there’s no room
for growth. The local kids are usually
forcefully recruited by rebels or terrorist
networks at a very young age. Building
schools and providing aid to these loca-
tions is usually met with more attacks on
civilians to take the aid that was given to
the needy. We can conduct direct-action
raids on these criminals or terrorists, but
once we leave, then what?
What I found that works is hunting
the leaders of these terrorist networks
to break down the support within their
infrastructure. This means developing an
intelligence network along with a com-
mando force in their country. We need
to give the next generation a way out by
killing off the network that oppresses
their people. Special operations forces
must work with the leadership of conflict
countries to suppress foreign fighters
(terrorists) in their country before the
network can develop an offensive capa-
bility to attack the United States and our
allies. We can never stabilize an area
TACTICAL-LIFE.COM
safeguard our country, we must employ tice of controlling my mind allowed me Tell us about your company,
every means possible. to move past the energy of war. Ronin Tactics.
Ronin is a journey for me. It’s a journey
You eventually joined Delta Force. Can And now you’ve rededicated your of education in others and in myself.
you say anything about your role there? life to Christianity. Team Ronin travels around the United
The Unit is a highly classified military I have always been a warrior of God. States to teach others the ways to
assignment. The operations and capa- God has given me life and saved my self-protection. I teach my students
bilities of The Unit are conducted at the family from the hardships of the Viet- the experience and the advanced skills
top-secret level. nam War. God has given me a Green I’ve acquired throughout my time with
Beret as a stepfather, and in time I the Special Forces. The majority of our
Everyone knows about Benghazi. Can became one myself. God has taught students are police officers and military,
you share what some of your mission me strength through the struggles I’ve but we do make time to also teach
was in Libya around that time? faced as a child, the strength I needed civilians. I feel that good people have
After the attacks on the CIA Annex, to endure as I went back into war to a right to protect themselves from the
Special Operations Command Africa help free those oppressed. During the evils of this world. As a Green Beret,
stood up a Crisis Response Force for war, I fought for my God, and I’ve never I have seen the aftermath of people
the continent. This force, along with doubted my faith. After the war, I’ve not being able to defend themselves.
operational support, was a direct-action bathed myself in holy water to symboli- During my time in the service, I’ve
option for U.S. Special Operations cally wash my body from the evils I have helped stop acts of modern-day geno-
Command (USSOCOM) in Africa. seen during my time in war. cide. As a child born in war, I under-
stand the hopelessness that comes
As a veteran, what are your You’ve operated in some of the worst with being untrained.
thoughts on PTSD? places around the world, but how do
I feel that any person who has fought you feel about America being so How can we get involved?
wars will deal with some form of stress. polarized right now? Students can enroll in our training at
I’ve lost a few of my teammates, which I feel that the media has a lot to do with ronintactics.com. Along with providing
has had a negative impact on me. I will how they decide to spin a thought to the training, I also design, engineer and
say that I really didn’t think too much on public. I also feel that a person’s values sell tactical gear to our customers on
things until after my time in war. I feel and upbringing will help define their opin- our web page. The development of our
that if we let our minds linger in the past, ions and loyalties. As a former soldier, I tactical gear comes from my experience
then that is where they will always be. I have lived and worked in foreign coun- during my time with the Special Forces
wanted to move past the energy of war, tries. Many of these Third World places (more than 20 years). Currently, many
so I had to change the way I look and were extremely unstable and unsafe. In special operations units from around the
feel about things. During this process, my experience, when a country has inter- world are using our gear operationally,
I’ve retrained my mind by practicing the nal conflicts, then the country can never and it feels great knowing that I am
ways of Zazen (mindfulness). This prac- grow, nor can it truly defend itself. helping our warriors.

HIGH-END
IOS
UPGRADE
by movement, so when the pistol is drawn
and presented, the red dot is already
visible. In addition, battery technology has
advanced to the point where battery life is
no longer measured in hours but months.
NIGHTHAWK HAS MADE IT EASY TO ADD
A REFLEX SIGHT TO YOUR FAVORITE 1911 SEEING RED
( BY PAUL SCARLATA) There are many advantages to using a
reflex sight. One is faster targeting. Once
Unless you’ve sworn off reading that red dots were too large for use on a target is acquired, it’s easy to quickly
gun magazines entirely, you service and defensive pistols, and many center the reticle on the target and pull
might have noticed that more feared that the sight’s battery might run the trigger. There’s no need to align the
and more handgun manufacturers are out at a truly inconvenient moment. The sights, wasting valuable time. In addition,
offering pistols that allow you to install latter reason was uppermost in the minds you can keep both eyes open, providing
miniature reflex sights. Some even come of law enforcement and defensive shoot- more situational awareness, and such
with adapter plates for mounting a num- ers since most electronic sights, and sights typically provide more accuracy
ber of different red-dot sights. their positioning and mounts, interfered when you’re aiming at moving targets.
At one time, such reflex sights with the use of the pistol’s iron sights. Another advantage is the unrestricted
were restricted to pistols designed for Thankfully, technology came to the res- eye relief offered by red dots, which
competitive shooting. They were large, cue, and over the years, reflex sights have allows for faster targeting from any
bulky units that required the host pistol become more rugged and, perhaps more position you might find yourself in. Finally,
to be modified for the mount needed for importantly, smaller and lighter. Also, their red-dot sights work well at night. While
installation. The thinking at the time was on/off switches are commonly activated the crosshairs of standard optics become

“
invisible in the dark, the red dot is visible mount a reflex sight on your 1911’s slide.
even in the darkest environments. To see how it worked firsthand, the com-
While all shooters can benefit from pany sent me one of its Shadow Hawk
the advantages I’ve mentioned, miniature Government pistols with the Interchange-
reflex sights are especially useful for
those shooters who, because of poor
able Optic System (IOS) upgrade. THIS INNOVATION IS
eyesight, handicap or age, have trouble
using standard iron sights. EASY ON, EASY OFF
QUITE REMARKABLE.
One of the newest players in this The heart of the IOS is a removable plate IN THE PAST, IF
realm in Nighthawk Custom of Berryville, at the rear of the slide that allows you to
Arkansas, which is now offering a cus- install a reflex sight. Once you remove YOU WANTED TO
tomization package that makes it easy to the cover plate—seamlessly blended
into the slide with its own rear serrations
MOUNT A REFLEX
and a Heinie Ledge rear sight—you’ll
find a tapered rib that allows you to add
SIGHT ON YOUR
an optic mounted on a special plate.
Nighthawk currently offers three different
PISTOL, YOU HAD TO
adapter plates for the Trijicon RMR, Viper MAKE PERMANENT
Vortex and Shield RMSc, and each one
features a tall, fixed rear sight just ahead MODIFICATIONS TO
At the range, the author carried the Shadow
of the optic (or behind it for the Shield)
that will co-witness with the front sight. YOUR SLIDE...”
Hawk Government in a Blade-Tech Kydex rig You simply slide the optic, on its
with an offset attachment for faster draws. adapter plate, onto the dovetail rib and

HIGH-END
SPEC BOX secure it with a cross pin inserted on Hawk Government pistol with the IOS
the left side and a setscrew on top. To to see what I thought of this setup. I
NIGHTHAWK remove the plate, simply reverse these also received an adapter plate so I could
SHADOW HAWK steps. The rib’s tapered design ensures install a Trijicon RMR Type 2.
GOVERNMENT the optic remains zeroed after taking

it off and reinstalling it. The IOS also
I’ve tested and owned a number
of Nighthawk pistols over the years,
keeps the front and rear fixed sights, and the all-stainless Shadow Hawk
CALIBER: 9mm
which can be seen in the lower third of Government lived up to my expectations.
BARREL: 5 inches the optic, in perfect alignment. The quality of materials, fit, finish and
OA LENGTH: 8.58 inches This innovation is quite remarkable. In ergonomics were impeccable, the frame
WEIGHT: 41.3 ounces (empty) the past, if you wanted to mount a reflex checkering and G10 grip panels pro-
GRIPS: G10 sight on your pistol, you had to make vided a firm purchase, and the flat-faced
SIGHTS: Tritium front, Heinie Ledge rear
permanent modifications to your slide trigger broke like the proverbial glass
and mount an adapter plate for a specific rod with exactly 3.5 pounds of pressure,
ACTION: SA
optic. This would limit you to the optic according to my trigger pull scale.
FINISH: Stainless you chose and completely remove your
CAPACITY: 10+1 rear sight cut. Which is fine if you only
MSRP: $4,049 (as tested) want to use that same optic forever. The DRILLING ZOMBIES
IOS does away with that, allowing you My wife, Becky, and I took advantage
to use one of three different reflex sights of a sunny afternoon to run the Night-
and, if desired, remove it quickly and hawk through its paces. At the range, I
install a fixed rear sight. The IOS can be removed the cover plate and installed
added to most existing Nighthawk 1911s the Trijicon RMR on its adapter plate.
with minimal investment—just $350. Despite being the fumble-fingered type,
As I mentioned, the good folks at switching the top plates was extremely
Nighthawk provided me with a Shadow simple, taking just over a minute. Or, as
Nighthawk offers
a version of the
Shadow Hawk
Government with a
black nitride finish,
and you can order
the IOS upgrade
for other models
in the company’s
lineup (far left).

Becky observed, “As long as you don’t
Becky Scarlata Photos

drop that little cross pin!”
After verifying the Trijicon RMR’s
zero, we ran some off-hand drills. Since
I believe it is an excellent way to judge
a pistol’s capabilities, I decided to drop
some 6-inch steel plates on a rack 10
yards away. It had been quite a while
since I last fired a pistol with a red-dot
sight installed, so it took some time to
get used to it again. But, once I had the
measure of it, I was soon averaging six
clangs for six bangs. My run times show
that I quickly got the hang of the pistol
and optic: 6.54, 6.09, 5.68, 5.43, 4.95
and 5.08 seconds, respectively.
We then ran the Shadow Hawk
through a drill that Becky had thought
up a few months ago, inspired by the
TV series The Walking Dead. Here,
three IPSC-style targets set up at 10
With the Trijicon RMR Type 2 installed using Nighthawk’s Interchangeable Optic System, the
yards would serve as our “zombies.” Shadow Hawk Government proved that it has the speed and accuracy to handle multiple targets.
At the signal, I drew the pistol and
double-tapped each of the undead in
the center-mass. Of course, realizing
that zombies can only be killed with
headshots, I then put a round in each
ghoul’s cranium. After performing a
combat reload, I reengaged the three
targets in the same manner.
I ran this drill four times and, as can
be seen in the photo at the right, all
of my rounds (except three) impacted
inside the targets’ A-zones and heads.
That’s not bad considering it was my
first time using a reflex-sight-equipped
handgun in quite a while.
TWO AWESOME OPTIONS

When we were finished, I removed the
Trijicon RMR plate, reinstalled the cover
“
plate and ran a few more drills on steel
targets. I then switched them again and
am pleased to report that the red dot
was still perfectly zeroed.
In the end, I found Nighthawk’s Inter-
changeable Optic System easy to use
and install, and quite rugged. If you want
I’VE TESTED AND OWNED A NUMBER OF
to use iron sights and a reflex sight, the NIGHTHAWK PISTOLS OVER THE YEARS, AND THE
IOS gives you the best of both worlds in
one pistol. And you won’t have to worry
ALL-STAINLESS SHADOW HAWK GOVERNMENT
about your wife asking, “Did you buy LIVED UP TO MY EXPECTATIONS.”
another pistol?” For more information,
visit nighthawkcustom.com.

AR PISTOL
DANIEL DEFENSE CRAFTS

AN UNSTOPPABLE
5.56 MM DEFENDER ( BY ROB GARRETT )

ACTICAL-LIFE.COM
T TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 109
AR PISTOL
ounded in 2001 by Marty Building off the success of the The DDM4V7 P is built to the
Daniel, Daniel Defense’s MK18/RIS II system, Daniel Defense high-quality standards customers have
slogan, “Lighter, Stronger, has continued to expand its line of come to expect from Daniel Defense.
Better,” is more than just rifles. The DDM4V7 is a follow-on to The upper and lower receivers are
words. When Marty Daniel the MK18 with the major difference CNC-machined from 7075-T6 aluminum
started the company, he being the handguard. Instead of using and feature Type III hardcoat anodizing.
had one product—a sling a quad-rail system, the DDM4V7 rifles The 10.3-inch, cold-hammer-forged,
adapter. From there, the company have an M-LOK forend. I first handled chrome-moly barrel is made in house
expanded to produce other accessories, the DDM4V7 while visiting my friends and comes with an improved flash
including a new handguard for the at Telluric Group in Brunswick, Geor- suppressor. It has a 1-in-7-inch twist rate
M4. The Rail Interface System, or RIS gia, and came away with the carbine’s and a heavy phosphate coating. The
II, was designed to meet a specific furniture and balance. But as much as low-profile gas block, CNC-machined
request from the United States Special I wanted one, another SBR just wasn’t from hardened 4041steel, is paired with
Operations Command (USSOCOM). in my budget. That all changed when I
Specifically, the RIS II allowed operators got to shoot the new DDM4V7 P at the SPEC BOX
to mount an M203 grenade launcher 2018 Athlon Rendezvous.
while the barrel floated freely. After DANIEL DEFENSE
extensive testing, USSOCOM chose
PISTOL POWER DDM4V7 P
Daniel Defense as the sole source
provider, and the MK18 carbine with the Daniel Defense currently offers seven CALIBER: 5.56mm NATO
RIS II has become the standard for U.S. different brace-equipped pistol versions BARREL: 10.3 inches
special operations personnel as well as of its popular carbines in both 5.56mm
OA LENGTH: 20.75-30.25 inches
other units around the world. NATO and 300 Blackout. The DDM4V7
Over the last 18 years, the company P is essentially a pistol version of the
has grown, and in 2017, Daniel Defense DDM4V7 SBR with an SB Tactical GRIP: Polymer
moved into a new 300,000-square-foot SOB pistol stabilizing brace instead of SIGHTS: None
facility that allowed the company to con- a stock. This makes it ideal for those ACTION: Direct impingement semi-auto
solidate its Black Creek, Georgia, and who want an SBR-sized package FINISH: Mil-Spec+
Ridgeland, South Carolina, locations without having to deal with the NFA
CAPACITY: 30+1
under one roof for more seamless manu- process. I found the brace to be well
MSRP: $2,173
facturing and integration. designed and easy to use.
The DDM4V7 P is available with an SB Tactical

arm brace mounted on a Law Tactical folding
adapter for the ultimate portability without
sacrificing stability when it’s time to shoot.

The top rail makes it easy to add optics.
Also note that you must fully extend the
arm brace (below) before firing the gun.
“HAVING SEEN BEHIND THE

CURTAIN, I HAD NOTHING BUT
HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE
DDM4V7 P, AND I WASN’T
DISAPPOINTED.”

AR PISTOL
a carbine-length gas system. The bolt flared magazine well, an ambidextrous Finally, my test model came with
carrier group is also manufactured to safety, an enlarged triggerguard and a Law Tactical folding brace adapter
mil-spec standards and has been Daniel Defense’s unique pistol grip, that makes the pistol easy to stow
magnetic-particle (MP) inspected. which is made from glass-filled polymer and transport. It’s important to note
I tested a Mil-Spec+ variant in with rubber overmolding. The mil-spec that the firearm should not be fired
5.56mm NATO with brown receivers trigger, while not exactly match grade, with the brace in the folded position,
contrasting nicely with the black controls averaged 7.38 pounds. The take-up was however. Machined from 4140 steel,
and barrel. The lower receiver has a a little rough, but the break was clean. the adapter also features an integral
sling attachment point. Thus, with the
brace extended, the DDM4V7 P comes
in at 30.25 inches long. Folded, the
gun is only 20.75 inches long. That is a
significant reduction, especially when it
comes to discreet carry.
SHOTS FIRED
Over the years, I’ve probably reviewed
more than a dozen Daniel Defense
carbines. I’ve also visited the compa-
ny’s facility several times. Having seen
behind the curtain, I had nothing but
high expectations for the DDM4V7 P,
and I wasn’t disappointed. On top of
performing well, the pistol was also a
lot of fun to shoot.
Since the DDM4V7 P is designed
for personal defense and tactical use,
I set it up with an Aimpoint Micro T-1.
The Micro T-1 has a 2-MOA dot with
four-night vision settings and eight
daylight settings. Powered by a single
CR2032 battery, the Micro T-1’s power
management system gives it a run time
of more than 50,000 hours on a daylight
setting. I mounted the Micro T-1 using
a low-profile LaRue Tactical mount that
works well with backup iron sights.
I zeroed the DDM4V7 P using Hor-
nady’s 55-grain FMJs. To ensure the
most precise zero, I used the Aimpoint
3X-C magnifier. The 3X-C has adjust-
able dioptric settings that allow you to
fine-tune the focus. The tactile clicks
of the Aimpoint Micro T-1, combined
with the precise half-MOA adjustments,
Bullet weight made zeroing at 50 yards a breeze.
DANIEL DEFENSE DDM4V7 P measured in grains, I tested the Daniel Defense AR pistol
Load Velocity Accuracy velocity in fps by with four different loads, with bullet
chronograph and
50 Yards 100 Yards accuracy in inches weights ranging from 40 to 62 grains.
Hornady 55 GMX 2,481 0.50 1.20 for best five-shot I also ran some of Hornady’s 75-grain
groups. TAP training ammunition. Nonetheless,
Hornady 62 GMX 2,355 0.63 1.00
the DDM4V7 P ran flawlessly with all of
Hornady 75 TAP 2,191 0.75 1.25 the test loads. My initial groups at 50
Sig Sauer 40 2,659 0.63 0.75 yards were all under an inch wide.
Varmint & Predator That said, my astigmatic eyes have

given me problems with red-dot sights local and state laws, you might be able side of the pistol—a setup favored by
in recent years, even the excellent to carry the DDM4V7 P loaded in a Larry Vickers, among others.
Micro T-1. The issue is aggravated vehicle, whereas a rifle might have to While at home, I tend to keep the
when I use a magnifier. The longer I remain unloaded. You might also be DDM4V7 P loaded using a Daniel
stay on the gun, the more distorted able to carry it concealed in a backpack Defense 32-round magazine. However,
the dot becomes. At 50 yards, it was with a permit. You can also cross state carried in a case, the longer magazine
noticeable but not necessarily a real lines without prior approval from the can prove cumbersome. For that
issue. Moving to the 100-yard line, the BATFE—something that isn’t allowed reason, when I’m on the road, I use a
problem became a greater issue. I did with an SBR. These possibilities are shorter 20-round PMAG. The 20-round-
not want my performance to reflect only enhanced with the addition of the er’s length is flush with the bottom of
poorly on the pistol. By coming off the folding brace that significantly reduces the pistol grip and does not change the
gun more often, I was able to get con- the overall length for transportation. overall profile of the DDM4V7 P.
sistent groups with all four loads. I was In many cases, armed confrontations All told, the DDM4V7 P is a great
surprised to find that the best group take place in low-light environments. platform that is accurate, compact and
with the Sig 40-grain Varmint & Preda- The critical task of clearly identifying feature rich. It offers the versatility of
tor load measured just 0.75 inches. The the threat can be challenging. When an SBR without all the BATFE regula-
other groups were between 1 and 1.25 I set the DDM4V7 P up for home and tions, not to mention some state laws.
inches. Just for fun, I then proceeded to auto defense, I wanted to keep the pis- Frankly, I couldn’t find anything that I
ring plates at 100, 200 and 300 yards. tol’s profile as low as possible. The first didn’t like about it. The more I shot it,
addition I added was an older SureFire the better the trigger got. The DDM4V7
X300 WeaponLight. I mounted the P has become my bedside gun, and I
READY TO DEFEND light on the top rail, at the 12 o’clock find myself throwing it in my truck more
The DDM4V7 P offers a lot of benefits position. This position allows you to than rifles. For more information, visit
over an SBR. First, depending on your activate the paddle switch from either danieldefense.com.
Paired with the right

gear and plenty of
ammunition, the Daniel
Defense DDM4V7 P
would make a formidable
survival weapon.

SCREEN GEMS
SPYCRAFT
DOWN UNDER
A CLOSER LOOK AT NETFLIX’S SECRET CITY, A POLITICAL
THRILLER SET IN MODERN AUSTRALIA
( BY LEROY THOMPSON) character strives to unravel them, and
in the process, she faces an attempted
Thankfully, the end of the Cold (MSS). The CIA shows up peripherally, assassination and arrest by the ASIO.
War didn’t mark the demise as do the NSA and Pakistan’s Inter-
of spy thrillers. Secret City Services Intelligence (ISI). For spy fans,
combines a spy thriller with a political tradecraft is also sprinkled throughout, THE PLOT THICKENS
thriller—think Homeland with an Aussie such as characters putting electronic The first two seasons of Secret City are
accent. Unlike traditional spy dramas devices in microwaves or refrigerators available on Netflix. I’ll talk about them
that rely on the British MI5/MI6 or while discussing sensitive topics. here, so obviously, spoilers ahead.
CIA versus the KGB or its current The action takes place primarily in In the first six-episode season, Dunk-
incarnation, the FSB, Secret City takes Canberra, Australia’s capital, where ley, while rowing one morning, chances
a different tact. The series portrays the political reporter Harriet Dunkley gets upon the police examining a body recov-
clandestine conflict between the Austra- ensnared in the web woven by multiple ered along the shore. Without admitting
lian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), agencies. Dunkley is played by Anna that she’s a reporter, she takes a photo
the Australian Security Intelligence Torv, an actress known to most Amer- of the body with her phone. Then she
Organization (ASIO) and the Australian icans as FBI Agent Olivia Dunham in discovers that the dead man was con-
Signals Directorate (ASD)—equivalents Fringe, who provides another compelling nected to Sabine Hobbs, an Australian
of the CIA, FBI and NSA, respectively— performance here. Though caught citizen who had self-immolated in China
versus China’s Ministry of State Security in various threads of conspiracy, her to protest that country’s treatment of

intelligence agencies
portrayed in Secret City.
Australian DoD Photo
Tibet. He survives the ordeal, however,

despite being severely burned, and has
become a celebrity. Dunkley senses a
story, but she’s warned off by contacts
in the Australian intelligence community.
“
THE ACTION TAKES PLACE PRIMARILY IN CANBERRA,
AUSTRALIA’S CAPITAL, WHERE POLITICAL REPORTER
She gets assistance from her
ex-husband, Kim, a transsexual who HARRIET DUNKLEY GETS ENSNARED IN THE WEB
works for the ASD. Dunkley pursues the
investigation, but everyone she talks to
WOVEN BY MULTIPLE AGENCIES.”
disappears or is murdered, including her
ex-husband, which hardens her resolve
to probe deeper. Dunkley eventually
gains an ally in Charles Dancer, an ASIO
officer and Kim’s former lover.
While Dunkley pursues her inquiries,
we also see a power play by Catriona
Bailey, the Australian attorney general.
Played by Jacki Weaver, winner of
numerous Australian “best actress”
awards, Bailey is ruthless in her quest
for power and eventually becomes the
minister for home affairs with sweeping
powers to surveil Australian citizens as
well as foreigners. A vocal hawk and
supporter of the U.S. alliance, Bailey has
much to hide, but she is so sharp witted

SCREEN GEMS
that she remains an appealing character.

Disappearing Chinese students and
the dead body that started Dunkley’s
quest are all linked to Hobbs and a
university movement in support of Tibet.
Meanwhile, a cyberattack knocks out a
portion of Australia’s air traffic control
system for 13 minutes. Evidence points
to China as having carried out the attack
in response to pressure over Hobbs and
dissidents, but was it really China? The
Chinese are certainly involved in infiltrat-
ing the Australian government, as Weng
Meigui, wife of the Chinese Ambassador
and an MSS agent, is having an affair
with Malcolm Paxton, the Australian
defense minister. Paxton is no fan of
Dunkley’s, as she had previously investi-
gated his alleged corruption, resulting in emerge and eventually merge. A drone find the truth about the drone strike
a libel suit against her newspaper. strike takes out members of the Haqqani that killed the Australians citizens. She
Paxton and Bailey are political rivals, network but kills a Pakistani general eventually meets “Cal” Treloar, the pilot
and he believes that she might have riding with them. Haqqani terrorists of the drone that launched the missile in
been behind the air traffic control hack, retaliate, attacking an Australian safe Australia—who, by the way, is Sullivan’s
rather than the Chinese, in an attempt to house and kidnapping a special forces wife. While Koutoufides battles the
gain support for her Safer Australia bill soldier, who they then torture. Guns from political establishment and Trebuchet, a
that would grant sweeping powers. the Australian army are being sold on the vast military industrial player that tries to
In the final episode, we learn that black market to Masi’s husband, though blackmail her with sex photos, Dunkley
Dunkley’s ex-husband was killed by an it isn’t clear whether he is delivering them manages to track down Cal and obtain
intelligence agent who also attempts to to terrorists or criminals. a video in which she admits to launching
kill her. She survives the attempt and, A home in Koutoufides’ constituency the drone strike on an Australian home
despite warnings from the government, blows up, reportedly from a gas explo- to protest the collateral damage she had
goes public with much of what she has sion. However, Dunkley’s investigation been forced to inflict in Afghanistan.
learned. Although her dogged reporting indicates it was from a drone strike. With the help of Vaughan, who has
probably helped Hobbs return to Austra- Koutoufides attempts to traverse the retired from the ASD, Dunkley uploads
lia, Dunkley is sent to prison. web of secrecy to get the truth while the the video so the public is aware that
government tries to hush up the affair. Pakistan did not hack the Australian
With an election looming that threatens drone and kill Australians, thus prevent-
UNDER THE EAGLE the prime minister’s coalition, Kout- ing a war between the two countries.
Secret City aired in 2016, followed by oufides, as an independent, suddenly
the second series, Secret City: Under becomes a more important player, which
the Eagle, in 2019. The latter opens she uses to gain access to information. WORTH THE WATCH
with Dunkley being released from prison When the government finally admits While hopping among plot lines like a
after serving two years. She plans to Australian citizens were killed by an kangaroo, the two seasons of Secret
leave Canberra, but her cellmate, Mina armed drone, blame is placed on Paki- City offer a marvelous Jumbuck stew of
Al Masi, is obsessed with learning the stan’s ISI, which allegedly hacked the dueling politicians, intelligence services,
truth about an Australian mission that drone in revenge for the death of the governments and strong-willed individ-
killed her family in Afghanistan. Masi also Pakistani general. uals. The show addresses big topics
becomes involved in her husband’s arms In the background, William Vaughan, like government infringement on privacy,
smuggling business. When Masi learns director-general of the ASD and one of cover-ups, the role of the press in a
that Bailey was responsible for the death Dunkley’s nemeses from Secret City, democracy, terrorism, drone strikes and
of her family, she vows to seek justice. continues to monitor various players, collateral damage, the military industrial
Dunkley returns to the political arena especially his wife—an army major sell- complex, the alliance between the U.S.
when Karen Koutoufides, an independent ing weapons to Masi’s husband. and Australia, and much more.
member of parliament, hires her as senior Dunkley keeps encountering Joe As Secret City: Under the Eagle
media advisor. As is to be expected with Sullivan, a mysterious Australian special ends, Dunkley leaves Canberra. But I
the Secret City series, multiple plot lines forces lieutenant while attempting to hope she’ll be back for a third series.
116 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 tactical-life.com

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DRESS CODE
Traveling to Ant- outer shells with membranes and a down jacket might and has natural oils that repel
arctica like I did in like Gore-Tex that will protect be incredibly warm while water. It’s also an incredibly
January of 2019 is you from rain when it’s above dry but will lose most of its good insulator, even when
a dream come true for any freezing and allow to still warmth if wet, even by your wet. It’s not without its
adventurer, and the continent wear many layers under- own sweat. Greased jackets problems, however, as water
is one of the last isolated neath. I took both routes were the top choice for dirt- will eventually penetrate it.
locations in the world where when packing for my expedi- bike racers and horseback And even though wool keeps
a change of weather can tion just to play it safe. riders for many years, and most of its warmth while wet,
get you in real trouble in no when I raced, I sweated until you still risk hypothermia if
time—even during summer. I was totally soaked. While your skin is wet.
In Antarctica, getting RETRO STYLE the jackets’ waterproofness But then, in 1970, a new
wet from rain or your own Growing up in the early was reasonably good, their microporous membrane was
sweat can mean death if the 1970s, there were four types breathability was limited; the used to produce a breath-
temperature drops rapidly. of rain protection: plastic or grease barrier worked both able fabric called Gore-Tex.
To avoid this, you have two rubberized ponchos, Barbour ways. Rain did not get in, but This fabric represented a
options: heavy, super- greased jackets, Loden wool sweat did not get out, either. major step forward in terms
insulated down jackets that garments and, last but not On the other hand, of comfortable, waterproof
aren’t fully waterproof but least, down climbing and ski 100-percent wool garments and breathable garments.
will work in ultra-low tem- jackets. That was it. have been in use by hunters In fact, most people still
peratures where only snow We all know how breath- and other outdoorsmen for call all membrane garments
is possible, or much lighter able a plastic poncho is, centuries. Wool is breathable Gore-Tex, even though theirs
COMPARING
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
SHELL JACKETS FIT
FOR THE WORLD’S
COLDEST CONTINENT
( BY EDUARDO ABRIL DE FONTCUBERTA)
COLD
BEATERS
On top of keeping Eberlestock’s
you warm, the 5.11 Trinity Peak jacket
Tactical Approach has exceptionally
has a RapiDraw high waterproof
pocket for quick and breathability
CCW access ratings compared
if needed. to competitors.
might be from a different towards 2.5L fabrics with a and breathability of their in a 24-hour period. In the
manufacturer. So much for raised pattern screened on fabrics using two numbers, case of a 20K fabric, this
brand recognition. the inside to keep it off your like 10K or 20K. The first would be 20,000 grams.
The membrane, basically skin, but these are best for number, in millimeters, is a The larger the number, the
a thin film, comprises an superlight rain garments like measure of how waterproof more breathable the fabric.
expanded polytetrafluo- the 5.11 Tactical Tac Dry a fabric is. Essentially, a For hunting or tactical
roethylene (PTFE) having Rain Shell, not for an 1-by-1-inch square of 10K applications, I would
more than 1 billion pores Antarctic expedition. The fabric can withstand a recommend a minimum
per square centimeter. The latest 3L membranes feature 10,000-millimeter (32.8- waterproof rating of 10K, as
trick is that the pore size is four-way stretch capabilities foot) column of water before that will keep you dry even
around 0.2 micrometers, and incredible breathability it’d begin to leak through. in a storm. Remember that
which is significantly smaller with a 20K waterproof rat- The higher the number, the breathability is as important
than a water droplet. Con- ing. But what does that last more waterproof the fabric. as waterproofing, so look for
sequently, water can’t cross number mean? Those 32.8 feet might sound outerwear with both water-
the barrier. But smaller water like a lot, but pressure from proofing and breathability in
vapor molecules are still wind or rain can overcome a the 20,000-plus range.
able to escape away from BY THE NUMBERS 10K membrane.
the wearer’s body. If you like to hunt in snowy The second number is a
Membranes come in many mountains, you already know measure of how breathable ON A BUDGET?
different types and prices, how critical remaining dry the fabric is and is normally While breathable fabrics with
but normally you want at least is to your survival. Jackets expressed in terms of how expanded PTFE membranes
three-layer fabrics for hunting and pants with waterproof many grams are considered the standard
and tactical applications. fabrics are the first step to of water and have dominated the mar-
Three-layer (3L) fabrics have staying dry so that you can vapor can ket for decades, they aren’t
all the layers including the stay focused on the hunt or pass through the only option. Almost all
lining bonded together, while whatever else you’re doing, a square external layers of outerwear
two-layer (2L) fabrics use a no matter how bad the meter of the are treated with some sort
separate fabric lining, which weather might be. fabric from of durable water repellent
makes for an overall bulkier Membrane manufacturers the inside to (DWR) coating. The goal
garment. There is a new trend describe the waterproofing the outside is not only to bypass the

DRESS CODE
need for a membrane, but

also to keep the fabric from While wool is a great choice
becoming saturated with for most outdoor activities in
water and adding weight. the winter, it’s not completely
DWR coatings help water waterproof and could eventually
cause problems in places that
slide off the surface of the get as cold as Antartica.
garment, but they can also
be affected by abrasion, dirt
and even sweat itself. This is lestock Lost River jacket, so
why a garment will no longer I had the layered insulation
appear to be waterproof needed for every condition.
after some use.
The latest coated fabrics
are very waterproof but not FULL PROTECTION
as breathable compared to I think I did fine with both fully
membrane-only laminates. represented the perfect are on a budget or if you waterproof outer shells. They
They are indeed cheaper options for tactical/hunting aren’t sure if you need to reflect the best of their price
than membranes, however. membrane garments. step up to the $500 range ranges and performed fantas-
That said, if you want to The first was the 5.11 occupied by premium outer- tically. Of course, the Trinity
survive in Antarctica or on Tactical Approach ($250), shell manufacturers. Peak is a dream for any out-
your next snowy hunting trip, a three-layer 10K/8K outer The second jacket doorsmen, but the Approach
forget about coated fabrics shell membrane with a reflected the best I could find is awesome, too. I didn’t feel
altogether. But they can be tricot backer and fully in regards to performance any heat or sweat accumulat-
great for emergency weather taped seams. It also has and features when price is no ing until I started running and
protection or for activities 5.11 Tactical’s well-known object. With the Eberlestock climbing hills with my heavy
that don’t involve a high level RapidDraw system for quick Trinity Peak shell ($429), pack while wearing the 5.11
of exertion. CCW access, but I found it Glen Eberle and his team Tactical shell.
very comfortable for driving, placed their emphasis on two If you don’t want to spend
too, as the sides allowed a features that matter as much more than $250, you can’t
PERSONAL GARB seated position to be much as waterproofing to active go wrong with the Approach,
For my trip to Antartica, I more comfortable. hunters and operators—flexi- as the breathability felt much
took a heavy down Snow I have used 5.11 Tacti- bility and breathability. I loved better than the advertised
Mantra jacket just in case cal jackets and pants for the four-way stretch fabric, 8K rating. If you have an
temperatures dropped below decades, and for me, they with its 20K waterproofing unlimited budget and want
0 degrees Fahrenheit, but the represent the top option if and record-high 40K-plus the best performance, take a
plan was to use membrane you want tactical features breathability. This fabric will close look at an Eberlestock
garments as much as pos- and performance at a rea- adapt to the layers you wear Trinity Peak. It is still priced
sible to see if they’d really sonable price. The Approach underneath, keep you dry in a below other premium outer
workd. After a lot of research, jacket is representative of storm and still allow the huge shells, and its performance
“
I settled on two options that what you should buy if you amounts of sweat generated is second to none. I never
by running or climbing up a owned a jacket with a 40K
mountain to escape. breathability rating before,
Eberlestock used a propri- and now I’m spoiled. I now
etary membrane and laminate know exactly what I have to
IF YOU HAVE AN fabrics for this shell. The wear to stay alive and com-
UNLIMITED BUDGET membrane is designed to let
your skin breathe but also
fortable in the wild.
AND WANT THE keep the wind out. The fully FOR MORE
BEST PERFORMANCE, taped seams, storm hood, INFORMATION
pit zips and inner sleeve
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK cuffs are just a few of the 5.11 TACTICAL
AT AN EBERLESTOCK other features that make this
weather shell superior.
511tactical.com
EBERLESTOCK
TRINITY PEAK.” I wore both shells over a eberlestock.com
Gamsfeld alpaca wool vest
from Jagdhund and an Eber-

Flared Cheek Rest
Anti-Rattle
Clamp
QD Cup Ready
Paddle Adjustment Lever
High-Strength
Fits Mil-Spec or Glass-Filled Nylon
Commercial carbine
buffer tubes
Picatinny Rail
:
www. .com
™
Made in USA
GEAR GUIDE
RELIABLE
RANGE BAGS GREAT CHOICES
FOR TOTING ALL OF
YOUR FAVORITE
For years, I used whatever
cheap range bags I could
Measuring 12.5 by 11.5 by 9.75 inches,
the Qualifier looks like a large lunch box,
SHOOTING STUFF
find at my local big box
store. Range bags are likely
but it holds way more than just snacks.
The molded EVA lid helps keep the bag ( BY ZACK CARLSON )
items you don’t really give much thought
to—I know I definitely didn’t. But as I
grow older and wiser, I look for areas of 1
my hobby that can be improved to make
the experience better.
Attending the most recent SHOT
Show gave me a glimpse of just how
many options are on the market. Seeing
the bags in person opened my eyes to
features I had never considered. The
thoughtfulness in the design became
apparent. Here are eight of the best
models I found that you should consider.
1. 5.11 TACTICAL RANGE

MASTER QUALIFIER SET
The $130 Range Master Qualifier Set
from 5.11 Tactical includes a bag, a
single pistol case and a medium pouch.
rigid, and the underside features a mesh
pocket along with magazine storage
loops for both rifle and pistol mags.
The front exterior is lined with MOLLE
loops to add additional storage. The end
panels have handles and shoulder strap
points. The exterior also has cinch straps
that can be used for compression or to
strap shooting mats or targets on it.
The main compartment is a simple,
large, padded compartment. It is
intended to store the pouches and
pistol cases in whatever configuration
you want. It will easily accommodate 2
enough shooting gear for a range trip. I
like leaving my universal shooting gear in
the bag and then swapping in the pistol
3
case and ammo pouches for each spe-
cific range session. (511tactical.com)
2. 5.11 TACTICAL RANGE

MASTER DUFFLE SET
If you like the Qualifier but want more,
the $165 Duffle is for you. It’s everything
the Qualifier is, but there’s more of it. It
comes with one pistol case and small
and medium pouches. Its 21.5-by-11.5-
by-11.5-inch dimensions make it nearly
double the length of the Qualifier. The
extra space allows you to take enough
gear for multiple guns in a trip. Both the
Qualifier and Duffle are available in slate
or Ranger green. (511tactical.com)
3. 5.11 TACTICAL 4
RANGE READY
The Duffle equates to 47 liters of storage,
but 5.11 Tactical also sells a Range
Ready bag with 43 liters of storage
space. This bag has been my go-to for a
while now. It’s a large bag but has a ton
of compartments that allow me to leave all
my shooting gear in the bag when not in
use. I simply drop in the ammo, mags and
pistols I need for that range trip and go. At
$100, I think it hits the sweet spot for size,
features and price. (511tactical.com)
4. BROWNELLS SIGNATURE
SERIES DELUXE
The classical styling of this bag looks
good now and will in the future. It’s one of
the larger bags in this lineup, measuring
18 by 9 by 12 inches. The tough, brown
1,000-denier nylon contrasts nicely with
the solid brass pulls on the YKK zippers.
The leather straps attached to the zipper
TACTICAL-LIFE.COM 123
GEAR GUIDE
pulls make it easy to open the multiple

compartments while wearing gloves.
5 The nylon straps that make up the
handles and strap points aren’t simply
sewn to the bag. Instead, they continue
all the way down to encompass the
bag—a simple indicator of quality. They
will withstand years of overloading and
tugging without ripping away.
The bag uses a “bag-in-bag” system
like other models here. The outer bag
features end pouches, front and lid
padded pouches, and a standard pouch
on the back. The inner bag is a lighter
shade of tan that complements the outer
bag’s good looks. It’s flanked by two
full-length zippered compartments that
hold padded pistol cases. The interior
also has a Velcro divider wall to separate
belongings. The short ends each have
organizational dividers to keep your
smaller items sorted. At an MSRP of
$250, this bag would accompany you on
range trips for decades. (brownells.com)
6 5. EBERLESTOCK
R1 BANG-BANG
Eberlestock’s hunting pack roots show
through in this bag. Its overall size is 22
by 12 by 10 inches. Like the Brownells
bag, the R1 Bang-Bang is made from
1,000-denier nylon. It also features a
polycarbonate base, which makes it
impenetrable to wet ground, rocks or
dust. It also opens to reveal a tray for
storing delicate items. I found it perfect
for keeping paper targets flat and dry.
The cinch straps allow you to attach
extra gun cases or shooting mats to
the exterior of the R1 Bang-Bang. The
MOLLE loops on the exterior are ideal
for small pouches or medical kits. The
zipper pulls have a hard rubber coating
7 that keeps them open, allowing your
fingers to quickly find their home.
The end compartments mirror each
other and feature magazine pouches and
free space. The main compartment is
large and contains Velcro divider panels.
Eberlestock also provides enough
dividers to satisfy the most demanding
customer. The R1 Bang-Bang is avail-
able in black, blue, red and tan. This isn’t
an overt gun bag, either, and can be
used for photography, medical and other
outdoor uses. At $179, it will appeal to
multiple markets. (eberlestock.com)
6. ELITE SURVIVAL
SYSTEMS LOADOUT
While this is one of the more compact
options, don’t let the smaller proportions
of the Elite Survival Systems (ESS)
Loadout range bag fool you. It measures
17 by 10 by 11 inches and can fold
out on multiple sides to create work
surfaces. It also has generous laser-
cut MOLLE slots to attach additional
pouches, expanding its capacity further.
The bottom features two hard plastic
luggage rails that keep the Loadout bag
stiff and elevate it off the ground. Like
the Brownells bag, the Loadout uses
a bag-in-bag philosophy. Both bags
are made from 1,050-denier nylon. The
outer bag is available in black or tan. The
handles run down the circumference of
the bags for strength. The front and side
foldout padded compartments are lined
with Velcro. ESS includes mating Velcro
panels that have multiple organization
configurations, allowing you to make the
bag work for your needs. The end panel
8
has an integrated water bottle holder,
and next to that is a section of MOLLE
webbing. ESS also includes a folding
dump pouch, which I’ve found useful for bag, but its key area reinforcements other gear. The same anti-slip material
my battle belt setup. ensure it is tough enough for range duty. runs along the bottom of the bag.
The main compartment unzips on the The large zippered front compart- (greyghostgear.com)
top and side, giving you more visibility ment folds down to expose seven
inside while also creating a long panel magazine loops and a rugged vinyl 8. SAFARILAND
to use as a work surface. The main work surface, which has a clever MODEL 4555
compartment is lined with Velcro, which enclosed magnetized area along with While this bag is aimed squarely at
holds the included padded handgun two zippered corner mesh pockets. competition shooters, its $78 retail
sleeves. I’m able to easily store four Anyone who’s ever tried to work on a price allows you to spend less on the
handguns here—more if storing two pistol while at the range will appreciate bag and more on its contents. With
per sleeve. The interior ends also have these add-ons. The pockets can hold overall dimensions of 23 by 11 by 10
sleeves for storage. The heavily padded small parts or tools, and the magnet will inches, it’s not too bulky to carry from
interior bag has two Velcro dividers. ensure they stay put when working. stage to stage. None of the three exte-
With a retail price of $160, the Loadout The two end pockets are simply large, rior pockets are padded, nor do they
provides a ton of versatility for the open, non-padded compartments. The have Velcro lining, but they are large
money. (elitesurvival.com) back panel has a flap pocket that can and functional. The inner bag features
retain a gun rug to store your pistol on zippered, padded sleeves to house at
7. GREY GHOST GEAR the outside. It also has two zippered least four pistols. The zippers for the
RANGE BAG pockets for other gear. Open the main pistol sleeves have loops for padlocks
Some might accuse this bag of being compartment and you’ll see a mesh to be installed for extra security.
too small, but they probably haven’t seen pocket lining the complete underside Between the pistol sleeves is an open
all the nooks and crannies otherwise of the lid. The inside is lined with Velcro compartment to hold your ammunition
unused on larger bags. At $175, this and has a movable divider wall along and miscellaneous gear. It also has
Grey Ghost Gear bag is available in with a Velcro drawstring dump pouch. built-in mag pouches. The Model 4555
coyote, black or gray. At 20 by 7 by 9 The unsung hero is the anti-slip is currently only available in black. While
inches, this is the smallest bag of the material on the generous shoulder it doesn’t have some of the features that
bunch, but it is also the easiest to lug strap. The material clings to your shoul- the other bags discussed here do, it’s
around. The 500-denier nylon construc- der so you don’t have to worry about it fully functional at a very attractive price
tion almost makes it feel like a commuter slipping off while your hands are full of point. (safariland.com)
AFTER HOURS
iStock Photo
Famed
MacEl barte
hone o nder Harry
York B fH
ar in P arry’s New
credite aris
d with is often
the Fre c
nch 75 reating
cockta
il.
MAKE AAMED
O CK TAI LN the cocktail known Joseph-Albert Deport and
C CH
CLASSICA FAMOUS FREN
as the French 75 adopted by the French mili-
AFTER TILLERY PIECE

is named after an artillery tary in 1898. Its design was
piece from World War I that revolutionary, taking advan-
AR could fire up to 15 rounds tage of recent advancements
B Y T. L O G A
N ME TESH ) per minute? We’ll get to that in weapons technology.
( in a minute, but the drink
gained popularity during the
The gun was the first to be
equipped on a large scale
with a hydro-pneumatic recoil
mechanism that kept the
gun’s wheels and carriage
stationary while the main gun
tube moved to absorb the
resulting recoil, eliminating
the need to sight in after
each shot. This meant that it
could fire much more rapidly
than its predecessors—up to
15 rounds per minute.
Lobbing shells that
weighed between 12 and
16 pounds, the 75mm field

artillery piece had an effective
range of 8,500 to 11,000
meters depending on the
type of shell.
When World War I began
in 1914, France had 4,000
of these 75mm artillery
pieces. By the time the
war ended in 1918, it had
21,000. In fact, it was such
an effective weapon in the
field that the American Expe-
ditionary Forces even used it
during the war.
But by World War II, the
French 75 was obsolete.
Nonetheless, it continued to
serve in a variety of defensive
capacities in France and
even saw service with Brit-
ish, German, Polish, Hungar-
ian and Romanian forces.
Today, the 75mm artillery
piece still serves a role in
France, albeit a much more since its locale was obvious recognized expert on cock-
peaceful one: It is used as THE ALCOHOL to those living and drinking at tails and their history who
a saluting cannon during The French 75 cocktail has his Parisian bar. has perfected the drink to his
official state ceremonies. varied over the years, but The cocktail as we know it exacting standards.
today’s most common recipe today first emerged in 1927, Some people add lemon
holds the distinction of being but it wasn’t until 1930 when peel for garnish. Some use
the only one born in America it was printed in the Savoy cognac or brandy instead
during Prohibition. When, Cocktail Book in the United of gin. Others, still, serve it
exactly, the drink was cre- States that the ingredients neat in a champagne flute.
ated has been a subject of had standardized and the Regardless of how you
conjecture for more than 100 modern “French 75” had choose to make it, one thing
years. In fact, exactly who truly arrived. is for certain—the drink
made it first is uncertain as The drink’s popularity packs a punch.
well. Some say soldiers came grew, and Hollywood
up with it in the trenches embraced the drink over the INGREDIENTS:
during WWI. Others claim a coming decades. Inclusion • ½ ounce lemon juice
LIEUTENANT
COLONEL bartender in London created in Casablanca (1942) and • 1 tsp. sugar
“
JOSEPH-ALBERT it by modifying a Tom Collins. two John Wayne films—A • 2 ounces London
DEPORT dry gin or cognac
We may never know Man Betrayed (1941) and
• cracked ice
when or by whom the drink Jet Pilot (1957)—put the
• champagne, chilled
was created, but common cocktail in front of millions of • Collins glass
THE FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL mixology lore says Harry movie-going Americans. By
HAS VARIED OVER THE MacElhone of Harry’s New
York Bar in Paris, France,
the 1960s, the French 75
was here to stay. Add the lemon juice and
YEARS, BUT TODAY’S created the drink. sugar to a shaker, and stir
MOST COMMON RECIPE Harry may have been mak-
ing a variation of it as early as MIXING IT UP
them to combine. Then add
the gin and fill the shaker
HOLDS THE DISTINCTION 1915. He was certainly mak- Like all cocktails, everyone with ice. Shake and strain
OF BEING THE ONLY ing it not long after the war has their own specific way of the mixture into a Tom Collins
ended in 1918. MacElhone’s making it. The recipe listed glass filled with cracked ice,
ONE BORN IN AMERICA version of the cocktail was here comes from David then slowly fill the glass with
DURING PROHIBITION.” known simply as “The 75,” Wondrich, an internationally champagne. Voila!

PARTING SHOTS
ANNA RISING ANNA PAULINA LUNA IS READY

TO TAKE ON CONGRESS AND
MORE FOR OUR 2A RIGHTS
JESSE WALKER/STUDIO ONE ORLANDO PHOTO
It’s no secret that smart and fearless women

are the fastest-growing demographic among
gun owners. The same can be said for
women entering the rough-and-tumble world
of politics, and women fighting hard to maintain our
Second Amendment rights. Dozens of national and
local groups of all-female “2A” advocates are letting
their voices be heard loudly and proudly.
We prepared this issue of Tactical Life alongside
the February/March 2020 issue of Ballistic, featur-
ing the young firebrand Anna Paulina Luna. She is
currently running for election to the U.S. House of
Representatives for Florida’s 13th Congressional
District. In a world of fake news, false promises
and well-trained politicians, Luna is a breath of
fresh air. As author Karen Hunter put it, “We live in
a nation where we’re clinging to freedom instead
of celebrating it, because, one by one, our rights
are being diminished. We need a voice that won’t
hesitate to speak up and take action, a voice that
will fight to preserve this nation, our freedoms
and the truth it was founded upon.”
Hunter continued, “Patriots still exist
today—they’re just not always what we
stereotypically expect. Anna…is a fiery
powerhouse ready to take on anyone that
threatens the freedoms of our nation. With
the truth of the Constitution etched in her
soul and more experience than most of us
could obtain in multiple lifetimes, Anna is a
force to be reckoned with. On the rise and
ready to make her mark in history, this is
someone you’ll want to know.”
Here she’s shown holding a 16-inch-
barreled Blackbird Armament precision rifle in
6.5 Grendel with a custom Cerakote finish. You
won’t want to miss our exclusive on Anna in the
February/March 2020 issue of Ballistic, and head to
ballistic-mag.com for a video interview with her. The
issue also has a ton more in store, too, including another awesome Black-
bird Armament build. You can order your copy or subscribe to Ballistic today
at outdoorgroupstore.com. And for more on Anna, visit voteannapaulina.com.
She’s also on Instragram and Facebook: @realannapaulina.
BY design
THE NE W STANDARD IN PE RFORMANCE AND FE ATURE S
GO TO WILSONCOMBAT.COM
FOR MORE ON THE E NTIRE
E XPE RIOR COLLECTION

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VOLUME 14 ISSUE 2 34 46

BY DR. MARTIN D. TOPPER BY ROB GARRETT

98 THE RONIN WAY 122 EIGHT RELIABLE

Retired Master Sergeant RANGE BAGS

2 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020

62 ROAD TRIP ATHLON MEDIA GROUP

68 TACTICAL RIDES 62 NEW YORK:

GEAR UP! NEW AND NOTEWORTHY PRODUCTS

EAA MC312 SPORT

6 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

MEPROLIGHT MEPRO MX3-T

TOPS A-KLUB survival skills, and the A-Klub marks

10 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 11

12 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

Available in black and Flat Dark

trigger. All of these parts are

TACTICAL-LIFE.COM TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 13

14 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

AR’s Chubby grip is one of the few

For his custom build,

The Luth-AR MBA-3

16 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

18 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020

TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 19

20 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020

considered as well. “Twenty of us sat

“IT’S MEANT TO BE A TRUE BACKPACK

JORDAN BUDD: Now part of

DANIEL HORNER COREY JACOBSEN JAMES NASH STEPHEN WEST

TACTICAL-LIFE.COM TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 25

SIG SAUER CROSS of pull in the field.

CALIBER: 6.5 Creedmoor

26 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

WITH THE RIGHT AMMO.”

TACTICAL-LIFE.COM TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 27

Browse any firearm- ing under my belt on how

28 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

30 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

“Bart” Bartholomew helped the students

TACTICAL-LIFE.COM TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 31

32 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

OVER TOO SOON

TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 33

34 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

TACTICAL-LIFE.COM TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 35

ing me some of the features on the AR9,

36 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

Cutting Edge Bullet launches at 3005 ft/s. They are 4000

CIP approved. RANGE (yd)

The heart of the Flash Series

RISE ARMAMENT AR9

No detail is considered too

38 TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 TACTICAL-LIFE.COM

sion of the AR9 comes with a Magpul

HOLD OVER NO HOLD OVER

LONG RANGE MADE EASY.

The Second Zero ® is an optional accessory that enables

TACTICAL-LIFE.COM TACTICAL LIFE | MARCH | 2020 39

“I DON’T NORMALLY HAVE SUCH QUICK SPLIT