Gun World 2017 - 02

FEBRUARY I 2017
AA
NNEEWWLLLL
PERFECT COMPANION SAVAGE MODEL 42 TAKEDOWN
SINCE 1959
5 TAKEDOWN
ARs
AR
s
TESTED
GUN WORLD
ALL-NEW COLUMNS
FEDERAL GOLD MEDAL GRAND SECOND-GEN

LIGHT RECOIL, HEAVY PERFORMANCE POCKET
GUN WORLD
BLASTER
02
RUGER LCP II
74470 03105 5
SIG M400 PREDATORTURN PREDATORS INTO PREY
FEB. 2017 VOLUME 58, NO. 2
WWW.GUNWORLD.COM
U.S. $4.99
DISPLAY UNTIL:
2/07/17
CLEARED HOT: BEGINNERS CCW TACTICAL

SHOOTING
PREPS: ESSENTIAL GEAR
DANGEROUS
OPTICS: GUIDE TO LASERS
MYTHS
EDC: LIVING ON THE EDGE
TRAIN: CLEARING MALFUNCTIONS
HUNT: 7 GREAT LONG-RANGE HUNTING RIFLES
GW-1702-COVER.indd 2
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GW_1702_C2 12/5/16 11:52 PM Page C2
Colt revolvers earned their place as an icon in American history, and

now they will forge a new chapter in Americas future. The Colt Cobra
features one of the finest double action triggers available today. The fiber
optic front sight, steel frame and revised grip structure make shooting
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BUILT ONE AT A TIME, PROVEN EVERY ROUND

AMERICAN
MADE
COLT SUPPORTS MILITARY FAMILIES BY DONATING PART OF

EACH COMMERCIAL FIREARM SALE TO FOLDS OF HONOR.
COLT.COM 800.962.COLT
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GW_1702_3 12/5/16 11:07 PM Page 3
Dillon Precisions
XL650
STANDARD FEATURES:
www.dillonprecision.com
Too receive
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CONTENTS
ON THE COVER
GUNS: DRD TACTICAL, MODEL CDR-15
RUGER SR-556 TAKEDOWN
MGI MARCK-15 HYDRA
TAC2 DISCREET CARRY AR15 CARBINE
CRY HAVOC QRB
PHOTO: ROBB MANNING
(SPECIAL THANKS TO MJ GUN SHOP;
WWW.MJGUNSHOP.COM)
DESIGN: MICHAEL BELCHER
40
COLUMNS
06
08
10
14
82
86
90
94
98
UP FRONT
KIT UP!
OPTICS
HUNT
EDC
TRAIN
PREPS
CLEARED HOT
DOWN RANGE
86
GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) is published monthly in January, February, March,

April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December by
Engaged Media Inc., LLC, 17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine,
CA 92614. Periodical postage paid at Irvine, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GUN WORLD c/o Engaged Media Inc., VSI, Inc., 905
Kent Street, Liberty, MO 64068. 2017 by Engaged Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
GST#855050365RT001. Canadian Post: Publications Mail Agreement Pitney Bowes,
Inc., P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
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GUN WORLD
FEBRUARY I 2017
COVER STORY
40
24
SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

We test five of the best takedown ARs
and give you our take.
By Robert A. Sadowski
FEATURES
18
24
32
52
52
62
70
COMBO CAMP GUN

The Savage Model 42 Takedown: the perfect camp
companion
By Steven Paul Barlow
DANGEROUS MYTHS OF TACTICAL SHOOTING
A lot of myths surround tactical shooting. Some of
them can get you hurt or worse.
By Chuck Taylor
RUGERS BEST BUGTAKE 2
Ruger upgraded the popular LCP .380 and came out
with its best backup gun ever: the LCP II.
By Kat Ainsworth
PERFECTING THE PREDATOR
SIG Sauers M400 Predatora coyotes worst
nightmare
By Mike Dickerson
NO-TEARS SHOOTING
Federal Premium Gold Medal Grand offers all the
12-gauge performance youd expect from Federal
without the recoil.
By Jameson Parker
THE VIRTUES OF BEING STUBBORN
Forget the hype, for Stubborn Mule Outdoor Supply
(SMOS), its all about the gun.
By Gordon Meehl
QUICK SHOTS:
78
70 80
www.gunworld.com
GUN QUIZ
Richard Venola
CARTRIDGE HISTORY
Richard Venola
FEBRUARY I 2017
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UPFRONT
BY ROBB MANNING RMANNING@ENGAGEDMEDIAINC.COM
GUN WORLD
FEBRUARY 2017
Volume 58 Number 2
EDITORIAL
Robb Manning Editor

Amy Maclean Managing Editor
DESIGN
Michael Belcher Art Director
CONTRIBUTORS
Kat Ainsworth, Steve Paul Barlow, Brian Berry, Michelle Cerino, Mike Dickerson,
Brad Fitzpatrick, Steven Ledin, Garrett Lucas, Gordon Meehl, Jameson Parker,
Robert Sadowski, Chuck Taylor, Richard Venola
SUPPORT YOUR LGS
ADVERTISING
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(714) 200-1930 gfrimmel@engagedmediainc.com
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Eric Gomez Advertising Traffic Coordinator
ust as Americans move more toward big box retailers and away
from the small mom-and-pop stores, gun owners have followed suit.
Typically, we do the bulk of our shopping at the big national chains
and neglect the small-business LGSthe local gun shop.
Ive lived in areas that dont have an LGS, and the only place shooters can go is the big
retailers such as Walmart. Its unfortunate, because at one time, there was an LGS, but
the doors have long been shut. Ive seen gun owners mention it quite a bit online: The
only choice they have to get guns and ammunition in their area is Walmart.
OPERATIONS
Robert Short IT Manager

Parveen Kumar Newsstand and Circulation Analyst
Shailesh Khandelwal Subscriptions Manager
Alex Mendoza Administrative Assistant
Jeno Torres Administrative Assistant
Melinda Magde Project Coordinator
Victoria Van Vlear Intern Program Manager
Im not anti-Walmart, nor am I anti-big box outdoor store. In fact, I live exactly 6.2 miles
from a nationwide outdoor retailer and go there one or two times per week just to look at
the gun library. But I find it unfortunate if thats the only store shooters and hunters have.
EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE
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For starters, youre subject to the political whim of those retailers. When Walmart and
Dicks Sporting Goods decided to pull ARs off their shelves a couple of years ago
well, good luck finding ARs if thats the only option you have to spend your dollars on.
Your LGS doesnt care about politics; it cares about getting you the guns you want to
buyit has your back.
GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) is published monthly in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August,
September, October, November and December by Engaged Media Inc., LLC, 17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine, CA
92614. Periodical postage paid at Irvine, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
GUN WORLD, c/o Engaged Media Inc, VSI, Inc. 905 Kent St., Liberty, MO 64068.
2017 by Engaged Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is
strictly prohibited. GST#855050365RT001.
Canadian Post: Publications Mail Agreement Pitney Bowes, Inc.,
P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada
For me, its all about relationships. With an LGS, you build a relationship, and if youre
really into guns, as I am, that relationship is important. Its very hard to build that
relationshipand maintain itwith big box stores as a result of the high employee
turnover those stores generally have. The first couple of years after that big box outdoor
store opened, I was in the store two to four times per week (yes, I have a problem), and
had a great relationship with many of the gun employees. Most knew me by name.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
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Unfortunately, as with big retailers, things change. A new gun manager was hired,
and soon, it became a carousel of changing employees.
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Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for new subscriptions to begin.
That doesnt happen with the LGS; it will generally be more of a family environment
and with a lot less turnover. With that, you get more personalized service. I can walk
into my LGSMJ Gun Shop (www.MJGunshop.com)and everyone who works
there knows exactly what my tastes are and what Im looking for. The shop also has
great gunsmithswho are also getting harder and harder to find.
ENGAGED MEDIA, INC.
Mike Savino CEO

Jason Mulroney Content Director
Pinaki Bhattacharya Vertical Manager
Philip Trinkle Newsstand Sales Director
Kris Roadruck Marketing Director
Sabra Morris Director of Content Marketing
Bob Hulsy Business Development Director
So, support your LGS. Some people complain that they are priced a bit higher than
the big box stores (mine is not), but think of that price as going toward personalized
service. I support mine, and thats why youll see me plug it on occasion. Without
my LGS, my job in bringing you firearms content would be far more difficult.
This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that information presented is from various
sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Engaged Media Inc., as to the legality,
completeness or technical accuracy.
Many moons ago, I was given some advice: Its important to have good relationships
with three types of local business owners: the baker, the butcher and the local
banker. For me, I add a fourthmy local gun shop owner.
www.gunworld.com
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Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
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FEBRUARY I 2017
GW-1702-UPFRONT.indd 6
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KIT UP!
1
1
MAKE: Lancer-Systems
MODEL: L5-AWM
CHOICES: Opaque or translucent;
5-, 10-, 20- and 30-round
URL: www.Lancer-Systems.com
MSRP: $16$25
Lancer mags OK, so the L5-AWM

isnt exactly new, yet were still amazed
at how many shooters havent heard of
them or used them. It is the Advanced
Warfighter Magazineand that it is.
We love polymer magazines. Theyre
tough and hassle free. The problem
is that in extreme cold, they get brittle
(weve had the feed lips split). On the
other side of the climate spectrum, bug
spray on your hands can wreak havoc
with many polymer mags.
The L5 is the best of both worlds: all
the benefits of polymer and all the
benefits of metal with none of the
drawbacks. Its chemical-safe polymer
with hardened-steel feed lips. The steel
extends down to the top of the mag
catch for the most secure hold you
can get. Its got aggressive texture for
a secure grip, and the body is a slim
design with none of the bulk. All in all,
its very well designed.
There are a lot of excellent mags on the
market, but this one is outstanding. It is
also available in the L7 for .308 ARs.
3
MAKE: SeeAll
MODEL: Nite-Rail
DIMENSIONS: 2.62x1x1 inches;
2.6 ounces
RETICLE: Delta (triangle); crosshair
URL: www.SeeAllOpenSight.com
MSRP: $200
MAKE: Elf Tactical

MODEL: AR-15/AR-10 Ambidextrous
Speed Safety
URL: www.ElfTactical.com
MSRP: $40
This ingenious design is a one-piece

open sight that personifies K.I.S.S.
(keep it simple, stupid). Because its
an open sight, it allows the shooter to
see both the sight and the target at the
same time; in addition, it doesnt block
any of the shooters field of view.
For those who love the AR but wish it

had an old-school cross-bolt safety,
the Elftmann Ambidextrous Push-Type
Speed Safety is for you.
This model attaches to any rail. In fact,

we tried it on an AR Picatinny rail and
a Ruger MK IV Hunter with a weaver
rail, and it mounted on both. We found
it easy and fast to acquire targets on
both platforms. Unlike other sights, the
target is never obstructed from view,
so you never lose sight of it. Just bring
the SeeAll up to the target.
No flipping of the selector is

requiredjust push on/push off. Its
faster than the typical bang switch.
This safety is precision machined
from stainless steel and comes in a
black oxide or stainless steel finish. Its
compatible with all MIL-SPEC receivers
and comes shipped with the detent.
However, it is not compatible with all
triggers, such as those that require a
three-position selector switch.
www.gunworld.com
We also found it to be quite accurate.

Its far easier to use than iron and
other sights. Its also extremely tough;
and with no batteries, it will never fail.
P
MAKE: HiperFire
MODEL: HiperGrip TL
URL: www.HiperFire.com
MSRP: $45
The HiperGrip flat out looks cool
and unlike any other grip weve
seen. But it really shines when
picked up. It fills the hand nicely
and has a natural grip angle, giving
the wrist good structural support.
This grip is made of high-strength,
high-impact polymer that has been
abraded for extra grip texture. We
found the fit to be very comfortable
and perfect in just about every
way. And, it is adaptable to
every hand: It can be modified
for a perfect fit for anyone by
using a hand file or Dremel. The
TL stands for textured finish/
logo colors. The HiperGrip TL
also comes in smooth finish and
noncolor logo models.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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6
5
8
5
MAKE: Otis
MODEL: Bio-Based Gun Care
URL: www.OtisTec.com
MSRP: $5$10; varies for size
and type
AVAILABLE: 2- and 4-ounce bottles
or aerosol
We tested the MSR/AR cleaner,
copper remover, firearm lubricant and
Bio CLP, and all are excellent. They
work very well and offer the added
benefits of having a good aroma and
being health friendly for you, your
family and the Earth.
The packaging explains the uses of
this product. However, to clarify: The
lubricant is for high-intensity use
for the short term, whereas the CLP
is for longer protection. A precision
applicator pack ($5) is also available.
This lineup from Otis comprises some
of our go-to gun care products.
7
MAKE: Magpul
MODEL: DAKA
URL: www.Magpul.com
AVAILABLE: four sizes, six colors
MSRP: $19$35
6
MAKE: TKM (Triangle Krav Maga)
MODEL: Cache
URL: www.TriangleKravMaga.com
MSRP: $65
The DAKA is quite possibly the

toughest soft pouch in existence.
We stuffed a 10-pound barbell into
it and spun it around by a carabiner
hooked through the attachment
point. We then took the weight out.
The pouch looked like it did when we
took it out of the package.
The Cache is a survival wallet that

ensures youre ready for just about any
contingency. Its made of truck-grade
aluminum thats been hard coat
anodized and wrapped with bungee
straps for securing up to eight credit
cards and 30 bills.
The DAKA is made of polymerreinforced fabric with welded seams

and a YKK water-resistant zipper. Its
not totally waterproof if submersed,
but it will keep water out in just about
any other situation. We hosed it down
with water for two minutes, and its
contents remained completely dry. The
zipper has a handle made of 550 cord
enclosed by shrink-tubing. As a result,
you can open and close it even while
wearing winter gloves.
The frame has a bottle opener, hex

wrenches (, 5/16, 3/8, and 5/8
inches) and a .25-inch bit holder
machined into it. It comes with one
Phillips/standard screwdriver bit.
Its a great minimalist wallet and survival
tool. The only down side is that its a
little hard on pants pocket interiors due
to all the machined edges.
www.gunworld.com
8
MAKE: Crossfire
MODEL: Ruger 10/22 Ambidextrous
Magazine Release Lever
URL: www.CrossfireGear.com
MSRP: $23
We are not big fans of superfluous
gun modifications; most guns are
best left as designed. Nevertheless,
this mag release rocks.
A factory 10/22 mag release can be
hard to find without looking at it, and
it is hard to press, particularly if you
are wearing thick gloves. At the least,
it requires a lot of unnecessary motion
as the weak-side hand comes off the
grip to release it, then to the fresh
magazine and then back to the gun.
With the Ruger 10/22 ambidextrous
magazine release lever, you can drop
the mag AR stylewith your trigger
fingerwhile the weak-side hand
goes for the fresh mag. Its low-profile
design wont snag on other objects, and
it only requires about 1 inch of finger
movement to release the magazine.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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SCOPE EYE CHRONICLES
STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN K. LEDIN
Lasers are no longer

gimmicks; they are
viable for defense,
hunting and
recreation.
THE ENTHUSIASTS
SHORT GUIDE TO GOFIRSTBUYLASER
YOUR
FIREARM LASERS OR ANOTHER ONE.
f you own several firearms, chances are that at least

one is equipped with a laser. If not, its about time to
change that.
Above: The faux wood grain

laser grips on the authors
Krebs Custom 1911 add
functional class to his
BBQ gun.
LASER GRIPS
Originated by Crimson Trace, high-quality laser grips install in
place of the original grip on your pistol or revolver. For instant
activation, some require you to merely grip the gun.
The giant, complex aiming lasers of the 1990s are long

gone, replaced with inexpensive and reliable units that are
brighter and longer lasting. To get a perspective of how far
theyve advanced, just Google aiming lasers. Many good,
modern aiming lasers cost under $100 and are the size and
weight of a grape.
Laser grips for pistols with replaceable backstraps replace the

medium-sized backstrap offering. Most have on/off switches
that prevent activation when not needed. Some offerings, such
as those for my early Glocks, thicken the grip noticeably. My
most capable carry gun is a Glock 19 with laser grip and light.
Aiming lasers offer same-plane sighting from several feet to

several hundred yards. They can be colored and visible, or IR
(infrared), which is invisible to our unaided eyes but visible through
night visionwhich is also now more affordable and common.
Most holsters will fit handguns with laser grips installed.

Laser grips are adjustable for point of impact. But take it easy
with the adjustment tool: It rarely takes more than a half-turn
to make your desired adjustment.
Aiming with lasers does not require the normal hold on your
gun, and if its a rifle, you dont even have to shoulder it.
Additionally, lasers are just plain cool and a ton of fun!
There are three main types of lasers. Two of them are meant
specifically for handguns.
The Crimson Trace modular

vertical foregrip has a red
or green light and laser.
Try using one on running
jackrabbits.
www.gunworld.com
Many laser grips use a replacement pin for installation. Be judicious

with your use of the hammer, making sure the holes are lined up to
prevent chipping of the frame by those who are a bit ham-handed.
Crimson Trace recently introduced the LiNQ laser sight for
FEBRUARY I 2017
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the AR platform. Replace the grip on your AR, and you can
wirelessly use the instinctive activation buttons to choose your
preferred mode to activate the green laser and/or 300-lumen
white light that can be positioned wherever you like.
With its low profile,

you hardly even know
an ArmaLaser Stingray
is attached to the front
of this S&W 15-22.
GUIDE ROD LASERS

Lasermax is still the only game in town. The guide rod laser
design replaces the takedown lever with an activation switch.
Then, swap out the guide rod/spring assembly. Thats it.
These lasers do not alter the size or feel of the gun, and they
require manual activation. They are not adjustable for point of
impact, but instead come with factory accuracy specifications (for
example, specifications for my Glock 22 are 2 inches at 20 yards).
Some optics (such as
the VISM mini red dot)
have an integral laser.
This one has a green
aiming dot and red
laser. It makes your
10-22 even more of
a star.
CLAMP-ON LASERS
There are clamp-on lasers of every size. Some are cigarette
pack-sized boxes similar to what you see on our soldiers
rifles behind the front sight. Steiner offers several civilian
versions of this, with its DBAL containing visible and IR lasers.
They are expensive and superb. However, for a fraction of the
price, Sightmark offers a similar product called the LoPro that
is well-liked by nonprofessionals.
The Steiner DBAL has

visible and IR lasers and
is a civilian version of the
lasers our soldiers use. It
is high tech, functional and
tough as nails.
The Sightmark LoPro laser

sits well on your MSR and
wont break the bank.
Adjustments are very crisp.
Compact universal units for a subcompact pistol can also

be used on a rifle, although many clamp-on pistol units are
model specific. Light/laser combos are great for handguns
and are excellent on rifles, as well. They can be operated with
a toggle switch to choose the light, the laser or both. Most
have the capability to use a pressure pad for activation. The
Streamlight TLR series has been king of the hill for years.
The XTS-CGL2 is a tiny, green laser that is rechargeable via a
USB port. It fits on just about anything. The Lasermax Micro
fits well on my pink SIG Mosquito. There are lasers fitted to
the very smallest guns (the Ruger LCP, for example). There
are even micro red dots such as the VISM offering, which has
a laser module in it. My micro example has an adjustable
green dot with a red laser and is a lot of fun for the money. In
addition, EOTech offers a retrofit Laser Battery Cap (LBC) for
its 512 weapon sight.
Watch out for cheap trigger guard universal lasers: They rarely
stay where you put them. Keep in mind that you get what you
pay forand theres plenty of junk out there.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
11
12/6/16 4:58 AM
SCOPE EYE CHRONICLES

COLORS
Bore Sights
The very latest technology lets red, green and IR lasers

last a similar amount of time with the same battery. Earlier
examplesand even the preponderance of red laserslast
a lot longer than green.
Now that true green laser modules are more available and
becoming less expensive, that is changing. Most of the older
green lasers also had a narrower operating temperature
range, sometimes significantly. They were more complex,
leading to less recoil resistance, and they sucked a lot more
battery power.
Green is still more expensive. This color is much more visible
to the human eye than red. Civilian red and green lasers have
the same maximum allowable power level of 5mW (0.7mW for
IR), but the green is much more visibleparticularly during
the daytimeso its a better choice when using a laser bore
sight if you shoot outdoors.
STEADY OR PULSING
A pulsing laser offers a couple of advantages. Because it is not
always on, it saves battery power and therefore, it lasts longer.
The main advantage is that your brain picks up on movement
easily, and a pulsing light appears as movement. A pulsing dot
is a lot easier to see against a busy background, such as camo
clothing or foliage. A disadvantage of a pulsing laser is that some
shooters find it more irritating to aim with precision on paper.
ABOUT
THE
AUTHOR
Steven K. Ledin is
a former U.S. Navy
nuclear gunners
mate and current
director of a
prominent online
optics retailer. Hes
a CCW and NRA
instructor and has
been a sponsored
competitive
shooter and private
investigator. He
has hunted (and
gotten lost) from
Alaska to Africa.
here are various types of bore sights, but

cartridge-type bore sights are the most
accurate. They fit snugly in the chamber and
throw a beam directly down the center of the bore.
Remember, green is much more visible to our unaided
eyes, so that color is a good choice for outdoor use.
Currently, most green bore sights are larger and use
an arbor to align in your bore or a magnet affixed to
your muzzle. (Yes, magnets work on stainless guns.)
The Razor HDII has
From left to right: quality
Universal
green
andmagnetic
performance
bore sight that will to
fitmate
just about
anything
comfortably
on up
to 50 BMG, 12 gauge, firearms
20 gauge,
25-06,
8x57
of any price
JRS, 223 Remington, 7.62x39 or 45 ACP.
Many
point.
cartridge bore sighters use a case that might
be smaller than the parent case, but it has the
same body. For instance, the 25-06 case below
can be used in a 30-06. Keep in mind that no
bore sight will sight-in a gun for you; you must
zero the gun at your chosen distance with your
preferred ammo.
CONSTANT OFFSET VS. POINT OF IMPACT

Your laser is not on the same plane as your bore. Lets say
youre using a light/laser combination that is mounted on the
left side of the forend of your favorite black gun. The laser
comes out around 3 inches from your bore. If you sight-in the
laser so it matches your point of impact at 100 yards, the
There are lasers with the

appropriate sizes and
configurations for any
application.
laser beam will appear 3 inches to the left at the muzzle and
more than 3 inches to the right at 200 yards. This increases
exponentially the farther out you go.
Keep in mind that this has nothing to do with your bullets trajectory,
which still rises and falls. Sighting-in at a constant 3 inches to the left
leaves you to only trouble over your trajectorynot the additional
constant change from left to right with your laser dot, as well.
A WORD OF CAUTION: Lasers can permanently damage
vision! Dont point them at the eyes of people or pets.
Lasers are no longer gimmicks; they are viable for defense, hunting
and recreation. I purchased my first Lasermax in 2002. It has been
through thousands of rounds of .40 S&W in my Glock 22. Its as
good now as the day I bought it. My BBQ gun is my Krebs Custom
1911 with wood grain laser grips, and my usual carry gun is a
Glock 19 with laser grips and light. After using this combination in
the Crimson Trace Midnight 3 Gun Invitational, I really saw some
capabilities I was missing without a laser on my pistol.
Go buy your first laseror another one. Choose a type of
aiming laser for your needs, and have fun. GW
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
12
12/6/16 4:58 AM
GW_1702_13 12/7/16 11:53 PM Page 13
HUNt
BY BRAD FITZPATRICK
SEVEN GREAT LONG-RANGE

HUNTING RIFLES
ong-range shooting is all the rage, and thats filtered

over into the hunting market. Now, shots that were
once considered iffy300, 400 and 500 yardsare,
in some circles, standard, and half-mile shots arent
out of the question.
To read that is to imply that shots beyond 300 yards are easy,
and thats not the case. In fact, shots at those ranges are
quite difficult, and if you dont have the right rifle/cartridge
combination, youre not going to have much success. To that
end, here is a list of seven of the best long-range riflesguns
that are capable of making the shot if you do your part.
THESE GUNS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO

GO THE DISTANCE AND BRING DOWN
THE BIGGEST GAME. IF YOURE SERIOUS
ABOUT IMPROVING YOUR LONG GAME,
THESE ARE THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE.
The Remington Sendero
is a long-range classic.
The SFII version, shown
here, is a great option
for hunting a wide
variety of game at
really long distances.
REMINGTON 700 SENDERO SFII

The Sendero is a heavy-barreled version of Remingtons standard
700, and its perfect for setting up on big game at long ranges.
It shares the 700s time-tested cylindrical action and X-Mark Pro
externally adjustable trigger. It comes with a 26-inch, heavycontour, fluted stainless barrel and HS Precision Aramid fiber
stock with a beavertail, palm swell and dual sling studs for
mounting a tripod. Its available in five different calibers.
The name says it all. Savage rifles always offer great accuracy at
a budget price, but this rifle truly stands out as a purpose-built
gun for hunting a wide variety of game at all ranges. The action
is the standard Savage push-feed version, and the characteristic
barrel nut design provides proper head spacing.
The rifle comes with an adjustable cheek piece, hinged
floorplate and muzzle brake. Consider this one chambered in
.338 Federala cartridge that combines good trajectory with
mild recoil and plenty of power.
(However, with the added weight, you might want to consider

the do-all .300 Remington Ultra Magnum. At 8 pounds, its
a bit bulky for carry, but that weight makes it stable and
helps manage recoil.)
MAKE/MODEL: Remington/700 Sendero SFII
CALIBER OPTIONS: Five
WEIGHT: 8.5 pounds
BARREL LENGTH: 26 inches
PRICE: $1,488
CONTACT: www.Remington.com
SAVAGE LONG RANGE HUNTER
Savages Long Range

Hunter comes with
an adjustable comb,
Accutrigger and muzzle
brake. Accuracy
potential is high, and
there are lots of longrange caliber options
available.
www.gunworld.com
MAKE/MODEL: Savage/11/111 Long Range Hunter

CALIBER OPTIONS: Nine
WEIGHT: 8.4 pounds
PRICE: $1,171
CONTACT: www.Savagearms.com
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NESIKA LONG RANGE RIFLE
At around 7 pounds, this rifle is light enough for climbing in

steep country. Nevertheless, the weight helps further reduce
recoil. Order this one in the new, classic .30-caliber hunting
roundthe .300 WSM.
Nesikas have always been popular with long-range shooters, but

it is only recently that more and more hunters are carrying these
rifles. This gun comes with Nesikas Stainless Hunter action and
a Douglas Air-Gauged 26-inch barrel. The Timney trigger is set
to just 3 pounds and provides an ultra-crisp break; and Nesika
promises MOA accuracy.
This isnt a cheap rifle, but it is a premium gun that will last
a lifetime. Three calibers are available, but check out the
extremely versatile 6.5x284.
MAKE/MODEL: Nesika/Long Range Rifle
CALIBER OPTIONS: Three
WEIGHT: 89.75 pounds
PRICE: $3,999
CONTACT: www.NesikaFirearms.com
Brownings X-Bolt
family has grown to
include the Long Range
Hunter Stainless, which
features a 26-inch
barrel with brake and
a stylish carbon-fiber
dip stock.
MAKE/MODEL: Browning/X-Bolt Long Range Hunter Stainless

CALIBER OPTIONS: Six
WEIGHT: 7.27.5 pounds
PRICE: $1,429$1,469
CONTACT: www.Browning.com
WEATHERBY MARK V ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT

Sometimes, that long-range shot only comes after a hard climb.
In those cases, big, heavy rifles are a burden. However, the
Weatherby Mark V Ultra Lightweight is perfectly suited for the
task. It comes with the time-tested Mark V action with 54-degree
bolt lift, a superb, new trigger (LXX), composite tan stock with
spiderweb epoxy accents and a #1 or #2 barrel.
There are no fewer than 12 cartridge options, but the excellent
6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum produces minimal recoil and
maximum effectiveness out where the dandelions grow.
ABOUT
THE
AUTHOR
Len Waldron used this

Nesika Long Range
rifle and a Trijicon
Accupoint scope to
take this Wyoming
mule deer. Wide-open
country such as this
demands a serious
rifle/optic combo.
The Nesika Hunter

action is cylindrical,
and the bolt body is
fluted. Machining is
extremely precise.
Thats what has made
these actions popular
with serious long-range
shooters.
BROWNING X-BOLT LONG RANGE

HUNTER STAINLESS
The X-Bolt features a three-lug bolt with a short lift. It comes
with a two-position, tang-mounted safety and bolt-release
button. Standard X-Bolts are accurate, but this rifle is dolled up
with the addition of a long, heavy sporter barrel, muzzle brake
and carbon-fiber dip stock. Another cool feature of this rifle is
the slick rotary magazine.
Brad Fitzpatrick is a
full-time freelance
writer based in
Ohio. His works
have appeared in
several print and
online publications,
and he is the author
of two books: The
Shooters Bible Guide
to Concealed Carry
and Handgun Buyers
Guide 2015. He
has hunted on four
continents and was
a collegiate trap and
skeet shooter before
becoming a writer.
www.gunworld.com
MAKE/MODEL: Weatherby/Mark V Ultra Lightweight

CALIBER OPTIONS: 12
PRICE: $2,300
CONTACT: www.Weatherby.com
The author took this

bear in the mountains
of Idaho using a
Weatherby Mark V
Ultra Lightweight.
Sometimes, you need
MOA accuracy but
also require a light
gun, and the Mark V is
perfect. This bear was
taken using the .270
Weatherby Magnum.
FEBRUARY I 2017
15
12/6/16 5:22 AM
HUNt
Bergara might not be a familiar name in rifles,
but that is changing quickly. This good-looking
B-14 Hunter rifle has a quality synthetic
stock and Bergara barrel and action. In 6.5
Creedmoor, it is a sub-MOA gun for $825.
BERGARA B-14
I cant stop praising the new Bergara B-14a slick, push-feed
rifle thats affordable, very well constructed and deadly accurate.
This Spanish-made rifle comes with a Bergara PERFORMANCE
action, 4140 chrome-moly steel Bergara barrel and a green
synthetic stock. I had one of these rifles for testing and let it go
back to the manufacturer; I now spend every day wishing I hadnt.
It is light enough for still-hunting and glassing and accurate
enough to make a cross-canyon shot. Buy one in 6.5 Creedmoor,
and use it on everything from coyotes to mule deer.
MAKE/MODEL: Bergara/B-14 Hunter
CALIBER OPTIONS: Five
PRICE: $825
CONTACT: www.BergaraUSA.com
NOSLER M48 LIBERTY

There are a lot of bolt-action hunting rifles to choose from, but
the Liberty has a large and growing following. Thats because the
Nosler 48 push-feed action is slick and exquisitely machined;.
The barrels are excellent, and the overall fit and finish of the
gun are truly top shelf. Nosler promises MOA accuracy, but with
the right load, you can probably do better. With weights in the
6- to 7-pound range, the Liberty is an extremely versatile gun for
hunting all varieties of game in different environs.
Noslers M48 utilizes

the brands push-feed
action and a stainless,
match-grade barrel.
There are no fewer than
20 caliber offerings,
but the Nosler cartridge
family, from the 26 to
the new 33, should
cover all your needs.
www.gunworld.com
There is a wide range of available cartridge options, but Id

have to lean on the deadly-accurate, flat-shooting 28 Nosler
versionone rifle for almost any game at any reasonable range.
MAKE/MODEL: Nosler/M48 Liberty
CALIBER OPTIONS: 20
PRICE: $1,795
CONTACT: www.Nosler.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
16
12/6/16 5:22 AM
GW_1702_17 12/5/16 11:18 PM Page 17
TCM ROCK STANDARD MS
TCM TAC ULTRA FS HC
TCM ROCK ULTRA FS
THE TCM FAMILY. ONLY FROM ROCK ISLAND ARMORY.

Pick your size and get ready for adventure. All TCM handguns shoot your choice of 9mm or Armscors
powerful 22 TCM round at over 2,000fps with surprisingly little recoil. Theyre simply the most potent,
versatile 1911s money can buy.
www.RockIslandArmory.com
gun world
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW
Combo
Camp
Gun T
he idea of an affordable, versatile long gun that you

always keep handy is appealing.
FOR SMALL
GAME OR
SURVIVAL
READINESS,
THE SAVAGE
MODEL 42 IS
NOW AVAILABLE
AS AN EASYTO-CARRY
TAKEDOWN
GUN.
Call it a camp gun, truck gun or knock-around gun, if

youd like. Its not one that you match with a $1,000
scope and keep meticulously tucked away in your gun safe to await
that special hunting trip. This is a gun of opportunity for whatever
game presents itself. When you need it, its always there. You dont
mind if it gets scratched or beat up a bit as it accompanies you
through the bumps and bruises of everyday living.
Several years ago, Savage Arms resurrected its concept of a
combo gun. The Model 42 featured a rimfire rifle barrel (.22LR or
.22WMR) over a smoothbore .410 shotgun barrel.
Now, the company has updated that design by making it as a
takedown model. I wanted to find out if this newer version would
make a suitable and effective knock-around gun for my purposes.
MODEL 24 CAME FIRST
Shooting a selection
of slugs, 000 buckshot
and Hornady Triple
Defense .410 ammo
from 10 yards
demonstrated that
the Model 42 is quite
capable for last-ditch
defensive use.
www.gunworld.com
The Model 42, of course, is just a more modern take on an old

idea. For years, Savage manufactured its Model 24, a woodenstocked over/under that was offered in many more configurations
than the current gun. I owned one with a .30-30 barrel over a
20-gauge shotgun barrel. It was an ideal tool to procure camp
meat. I kick myself a lot for trading it away.
For a while, I looked to find another one to replace it, preferring
one in .22LR over 20 gauge, which I figured would be an excellent
gun for small-game hunting. But the price for those old guns
(many of which are in rough shape) is now in the $400 to $500
price rangecomparable to the price of a new Model 42.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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12/6/16 5:27 AM
The Model 42 is a simple break-action design. To load the gun,

a generously sized lever under the receiver unlocks the action,
which hinges at the bottom. One .22 Magnum and one .410
shotgun shell can then be inserted.
The firing pins are mounted on the frame. There is a flipper on
the hammer that is easily operated with your thumb that selects
which barrel fires when the hammer falls. The hammer is the
rebounding type that comes to rest in the down position a safe
distance from the primer of any shell in the chamber. A blow to the
hammer cannot cause the gun to fire. There is also a cross-bolt
safety that seems superfluous if you carry the gun as you should:
hammer down.
IMPROVED DESIGN
The Model 42 comes with a black synthetic stock trimmed in red
with a rubber recoil pad and sling studs. The 20-inch barrels are
matte black. The shotgun barrel is chambered for 3-inch shells. Its a
smooth cylinder-bore barrel with no provision to install choke tubes.
While the gun I tested was a .22 Magnum over .410 shotgun, it is
also available in .22LR over .410. Its a mere 35.75 inches long
overall. A compact version thats an inch shorter is also offered in
.22LR over .410. It comes with adjustable open sights for precise
shooting with the .22 Magnum barrel. You can remove the rear
sight to install an aftermarket scope base, but mounting a scope
would seem to hinder the usefulness of using the shotgun barrel
on flying or running game.
The Savage Model 42

is now offered as a
takedown gun, making
it more viable as a
discreet firearm for
backwoods treks or
survival preparedness.
The knife is the
EdgeGuard Tactical
Knife from Adams &
Sons Custom Knives.
With the Model 42, if you

do flush some fast-moving
game, you can hunt
with the shotgun barrel
selected. If you need to
switch to the .22 barrel,
its as easy as flipping the
lever on the hammer.
The rear sight on the

Model 42 is adjustable
but requires a hex
wrench for changing
the elevation.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
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GW-1702-SAVAGE42.indd 19
12/6/16 5:27 AM
gun world
The single trigger is not the adjustable AccuTrigger found on many
Savage firearms, but it was crisp with no takeup. I measured it at
about 3 pounds.
There are no automatic ejectors activated when you open the
action. Instead, to unload the gun or remove empty shells, there
is a manual extractor you grasp along both sides of the breech.
Pulling it up partially extracts the shells in both barrels at once,
which then allows you to pluck them the rest of the way out with
your fingers. It proved to be an effective system, and it was easy
to keep the little gun charged with live ammo.
Performance Results
AMMUNITION
GROUP
CCI Maxi Mag TNT 30-grain JHP
Hornady 30-grain V-Max
Winchester 40-grain FMJ
Armscor 40-grain JHP
Avg. Velocity
Avg. Group
Smallest
2,243 fps
2,358 fps
1,843 fps
1,850 fps
1.38 inches
1.41 inches
1.25 inches
1.5 inches
1.13 inches
1.0 inch
1.0 inch
1.25 inches
NOTE: Accuracy testing consisted of five five-shot groups at 50 yards. Velocity

was measured with a Magneto Speed chronograph.
SIMPLE TAKEDOWN
the handgun if a shot at stationary game presents itself. I prefer a
single .22 to the head of a rabbit or squirrel instead of peppering
the meat with shot.
As I mentioned, the thing that sets this new model apart from
those in previous years is that its a takedown. Theres a button
under the forend. While holding that button in, you slide the forend
toward the muzzle. Then, when you open the action, the barrel/
forend assembly can be removed from the receiver/stock.
With the Model 42, if you do flush some fast-moving game, you
can hunt with the shotgun barrel selected. If you need to switch
to the .22 barrel, its as easy as flipping the lever on the hammer.
Once its taken down, the longer piece is just slightly more than 20
inches long. The two pieces can be stowed away in the included
Uncle Mikes nylon go-bag thats MOLLE compatible and also
features a shoulder strap and an outside ammo/accessory pocket.
AT THE RANGE
Because the Model 42 is not a repeater, theres that much less
that can go wrong. Function was as advertised; there were no
problems of any kind. After a few shots to adjust the rear sight, I
fired five-shot groups from the bench at 50 yards to get an idea of
the accuracy potential with the .22 Magnum barrel.
HOW IT HANDLES
As much as I liked the utility of the old Model 24, I have to admit
that the new Model 42 is lighter, more compact and handier in use.
Many times when small-game hunting, I carry a shotgun and have
a .22 pistol on my belt. But theres no easy way to transition to
Savage Model
42 Takedown
The author found

that the manual shell
extractor worked
very well. Shells were
partially extracted and
had to be plucked out
the rest of the way
with his fingers.
SPECIFICATIONS
TYPE: Over/under, break-action combo gun
CALIBERS: .22 WMR over .410 bore shotgun (also
available in .22LR over .410 bore)
CAPACITY: 1 round, each barrel
OVERALL LENGTH: 35.75 inches
FINISH: Matte-black carbon steel
STOCK: Black synthetic
SIGHTS: Adjustable
WEIGHT: 6.1 pounds
OTHER: Includes an Uncle Mikes zippered
nylon carry case
MSRP: $500
The point of impact changed slightly, depending on whether I was

shooting 30- or 40-grain bullets, but the little Savage seemed to
like all the loads I tested without a real preference for one over the
other. Groups in the 1- to 1 -inch range were the norm. Basically,
this gun will shoot as well as your eyes can see the target.
With the sights still adjusted for the .22 Magnum barrel, I fired
some .410 slugs out of the bottom barrel. They grouped well:
about 1 inches at 50 yards, although they were slightly high
and to the left. The difference in the point of impact was not
enough to bother with, and the step up in lethality is substantial
should your targets suddenly change from four-legged varmints
to two-legged predators.
Firing the Savage

Model 42 Takedown
was a fun experience.
Recoil was light, and
getting hits on targets
was easy. (Photo:
Savage Arms)
CONTACT INFORMATION
SAVAGE ARMS
(800) 370-0708
www.savagearms.com
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
20
GW-1702-SAVAGE42.CX.indd 20
12/12/16 2:06 AM
Although the Model 42

is equipped with sling
studs, for longer treks,
the author prefers
to carry this gun in
a shotgun scabbard,
such as this one from
Voodoo Tactical.
GW-1605-Rossi_taurus 2/3/16 10:57 AM Page 1
The lever at the bottom of the receiver that

unlocks the action is well located and easily
operated by the trigger finger.
*Round-barrel models only

Even though the Model 42 comes with an Uncle
Mikes soft-sided nylon carry case, the author
envisions that for backwoods use, the Model 42
will more likely be toted in a day pack.
.38/.357 MAG.
.44 MAG.
.45 COLT
.454 CASULL*
HARD WORK REAPS GREAT REWARDS.

BEAUTIFULLY AUTHENTIC AESTHETICS MATED WITH
MODERN ENGINEERING, FOR A RIFLE THAT WORKS
HARD AND LOOKS GREAT DOING SO. 20" AND 24"
OCTAGON-BARREL MODELS AVAILABLE IN BLUE,
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ROUND-BARREL MODELS ARE FINISHED IN BLUE OR
STAINLESS. PICK ONE UP AT YOUR ROSSI DEALER
TODAY AND GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT.
Selecting which barrel to fire is as easy as

flipping the lever on the hammer.
SAFETY NOTE: Always wear ear and eye

protection when shooting firearms.
(Images shown are for marketing purposes only and
are not intended as safe firearm handling examples.)
12/12/16 2:06 AM
gun world
When the button on the

bottom of the forend
is depressed, it allows
the forend to slide
forward so that the
Model 42 can be easily
taken down.
I fired Federal shotshells with 7 shot and Remington game loads

with 6 shot (both 2-inch shells) from 10 yards, and most of the
shot was concentrated in a 10-inch circle. In the thick areas I
hunt, I figured the Savage could do its part if I did mine.
I also fired some Remington slugs, Winchester 000 buckshot
(three .35-caliber pellets in each) and some Hornady Critical
Defense .410 Triple Defense shells at a silhouette target 10
yards away. That Hornady load, designed for use in the popular
handguns that chamber either .45 Colt or .410 shotgun, contains
a .41-caliber FTX slug and two .36-caliber round balls. All hit well
within center mass.
Groups in the 1- to
1-inch range were
the norm. Basically,
this gun will shoot
as well as your eyes
can see the target.
Versatility in load
selection: The author
fired an assortment of
.22 Magnum and .410
shotshell loads through
the Model 42, including
some specialty .410
defensive loads
intended more for use
in handguns.
While this little gun isnt designed as a defensive arm, if its the gun
you have with you, it could be pressed into service with the addition
of a few of these specialty shells in your pocket or pack.
The Model 42
Takedown separates
into two easily carried
pieces. An Uncle
Mikes nylon go-bag
is included. (Photo:
Savage Arms)
GAUGING USEFULNESS
Ive always been a bit skeptical of the .410-bore shotgun because
of its limited shot payload. A typical 2-inch shell with a -ounce
payload would hold about 175 balls of 7 shot or about 112 balls
of 6 shot. Compare that to a 20-gauge, 1-ounce load with double
those numbers. Its simply going to be harder to hit moving game
with the smaller gun.
In the thick woods of the Northeast, where skittish grouse often
flush before you have time to introduce yourself, the .410 could
be a challenge. Out West, where you can practically walk up and
shake hands with some birds, you might have better luck with it.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
22
12/12/16 2:07 AM
The guns small size, low recoil and slower, more methodical
loading and unloading procedure could benefit new shooters
although the limited shot of the .410 might be frustrating if hits
are too difficult to attain.
The Model 42s versatility is enhanced by the new ammo choices
that are actually intended for handguns but work fine in the Model
42, as well. Together with more-traditional 000 buck and slug
loads, the Model 42 can be effective if pressed into a defensive
role. Just make that first shot count. Also, its a gun thats more apt
to be legal in the more restrictive areas throughout the country.
There is a crossbolt safety, but the
rebounding hammer
also comes to rest a
safe distance away
from any chambered
round.
The stock of the

Model 42 is well
configured. It features
a rubber recoil pad,
which makes recoil a
nonfactoreven with
.410 loads.
Squirrels,
beware! The
Model 42 is a
handy, takeanywhere gun
that offers the
hit potential
of a shotgun
withGW-1505-SSK
the
precision of a
rimfire rifle.
I see the Model 42 primarily as a contingency gun for backwoods

survival, where having such a firearm could save your life. In such
situations, small game is often more prevalent than the elusive
deer. Yes, you could down a deer with a .410 slug, especially if you
kept your shots within typical bowhunting distances. But some
states dont allow use of the .410 on deer. However, in a life-ordeath situation, that might not trouble you.
A big benefit is that the .22 and .410 ammo is small and light and
could be carried in greater quantity than ammo for other survival
gun contenders. That could be important in a wilderness survival
situation. And my tests with different types of ammo convinced
me that at close range, this little gun can still be deadly but will
probably require a higher degree of skill on the shooters part.
The gun, itself, is lightweight, and its now more compact than ever
in its takedown configuration. Theres no excuse to leave it behind.
Accurate and effective for close-range small-game hunting,

versatile as a survival tool, capable as a last-ditch defensive
easily
Industries 3/4/15 weapon,
8:56 AMand
Page
1 and discreetly carried, it all adds up to a
worthwhile gun to own. In short: Its my new camp gun. GW
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12/12/16 2:07 AM
gun world
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHUCK TAYLOR
DANGEROUS
MYTHS OF
TACTICAL
SHOOTING
I
n these troubled times, the need for self-defense

has become more critical than ever. Indeed, now that
most states have enacted a CCW law and reciprocity
between states is increasing, more and more civilians
are packing heat.
Political unrest, economic concerns, cultural dissatisfaction

and social upheaval are just a few of the reasons, but suffice
it to say that those concerns are very much on everyones
minds these days.
Nevertheless, tactical shooting myths abound, and many of
them are downright dangerous. Lets take a no-holds-barred
look at them. After all, the life you save might be your own!
MYTH #1: CCW AND AMATEUR INSTRUCTORS
NOT
EVERYTHING
YOU HEAR IS
TRUE. FIND
OUT WHAT
REALLY
WORKS
WHEN THE
CHIPS ARE
DOWN AND
THE BULLETS
FLY BOTH
WAYS.
Most shooters who obtain their CCW permits dont carry their
training past getting their ticket, which, from a tactical,
criminal and civil liability standpoint, puts them in a dangerous
position. A CCW class merely teaches whats needed to protect
the issuing authority from liabilitynot the actual weaponcarrier. Thus, equipped with only a rudimentary understanding
of the law and almost no tactical shooting skills, the typical
CCW holder then goes about his daily life oblivious of the
position into which he has put himself.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
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GW-1702-MYTHS.indd 24
12/8/16 2:00 AM
From a truly tactical

viewpoint, competitive
shooting, in particular,
is the most influential
source of erroneous
data and techniques
these days.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
25
12/8/16 2:00 AM
gun world
Some do pursue training past the get your ticket level,
but all too often, they inadvertently select instructors
who have little or no experience in true tactical shooting.
Instead, while these instructors teaching motives might
be honorable, theyre hobbyists or competitive shooters
who dont actually realize that tactical shooting is an art
and science all its own and bears virtually no resemblance
to any other kind of shooting. There is an old saying: Life
and death are serious business too serious to be left to
amateurs. I agree.
MYTH #2: COMPETITION SHOOTING

From a truly tactical viewpoint, competitive shooting, in
particular, is the most influential source of erroneous data
and techniques these days, because its participants are
unaware of this critical fact. But like it or not, the truth is
that merely shooting at silhouette targets doesnt make it
combat shooting. Actual tactics and many state-of-the-art
methods are totally ignored, prompting many who know
the difference to comment that in order to win a match,
one must do things guaranteed to get him killed in a real
gunfight. I concur.
Short-barreled
handguns seldom
generate the muzzle
velocity needed for
reliable JHP expansion,
are much harder to
shoot well under stress
due to their shorter
sight radius, and,
except for extreme
circumstances, they are
no more concealable
than a more-efficient
full-sized gun.
MYTH #3: CONCEALED-CARRY GUN

Tactical shooters and concealed carriers are also often
confused as to what kind of gun and ancillary equipment
they should obtain. Many times, they select a gun solely
for its diminutive size, forgetting the fact that the smaller
the gun, the less efficient it is. The fact is that except for
extraordinary situations, you dont buy a gun because its
concealableyou dress to conceal the gun.
This means that buying a pocket pistol actually puts you
in a highly disadvantageous position. Such weapons are
typically chambered for less-than-optimum cartridges such
as the .22 LR, .25 ACP, .32 ACP or .380 ACP, all of which have
a poor reputation as man-stoppers. Moreover, most guns of
this type have sights too small to quickly acquire and align
at speed or they have no sights at all!
Generally speaking, the best

balance of concealability and
efficiency is a Commander-sized
pistol such as the Ruger SR1911,
Model 6711 .45 ACP, Glock 19
9mm Para, Springfield Armory
XD-9mm, H&K VP-9 and S&W
M&P-9mm. Small enough to be
concealed, but large enough and
with good sights and sufficient
sight radius to be efficiently used
at high speed, they represent an
excellent balance.
As a former world-class IPSC competitor, I saw it so many

times that I decided to forgo further competitive participation.
After all, as a leading tactical shooting instructor, it would
have been hypocritical to teach true tactical shooting and
continue to shoot competitively. In addition, inasmuch as
the two types of shooting are nearly diametrically opposed
to one another, I couldnt do both to the best of my ability.
This being the case, I chose to leave competition entirely and
concentrate exclusively on tactical shooting.
Compact and subcompact pistols are often chosen as

alternatives, but their grip frames are short, leaving you
no place to put the little finger of the firing hand (an
awkward and inefficient situation, to say the least). Yet,
this particular trait is often shouted from the rooftops as
being more concealable.
The selection of a
carry gun based upon
concealability, rather
than overall efficiency,
is dangerous and
should be avoided.
Such guns are typically
chambered for smallcaliber cartridges that
lack stopping power
and are too small to
be effectively utilized
for general-purpose
self-defense.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
26
GW-1702-MYTHS.CX1.indd 26
12/12/16 2:12 AM
Then, so they can properly grip the weapon, proponents of this

concept add a grip extension to the guns magazine floorplate,
giving it the same length and grip index of a full-sized gun.
Unfortunately, they end up with a small gun with a long grip
frame but a short sight radius, which amplifies sight alignment
error exponentially, and a barrel too short to produce the bullet
velocities needed for any kind of reliable JHP expansion.
Compact and
subcompact pistols
are often chosen
for concealed carry
based on the notion
that theyre more
concealable. But
their short grip frames
usually force shooters
to add a grip extension
to the magazine to
provide a satisfactory
grip index. The result
is a gun with the same
grip frame length as a
full-sized pistol
but with a shorter
sight radius and
lower muzzle velocity.
Consequently, it is no
more concealable than
a full-sized gun and
far less efficient.
The truth is that while popular these days, such guns arent
nearly as efficient as their full-sized counterparts. I carried
GW-1702-CZ-USA 11/18/16 9:35 AM Page 1
a 1911 Colt .45 ACP concealed for more than 40 years, and
during all that time, no one ever noticed it.
Optical sights, muzzle brakes

and other competition-oriented
accessories should also be
viewed with caution. Optical
sights are less functionally
reliable than iron sights, and
muzzle brakes intensify muzzle
flash and direct it up into the
shooters line of sight, thereby
obscuring the target.
Sights that can be seen quickly

at high speed are critical.
And because most handgun
encounters occur in low light,
tritium inserts are also a
good idea. A horizontal, 3-dot
pattern is best for rapid visual
acquisition and alignment.
GW-1702-MYTHS.CX1.indd 27
12/12/16 2:12 AM
gun world
The mission of the defensive handgun is to protect against an

unexpected attack, which makes it a weapon of expediency.
Its intended as a reactive, purely defensive, arm that is
used quickly and at close range. This means that maximum
efficiency is of paramount importancefar more than just
concealability. Remember: You dress to conceal the gun; you
shouldnt buy a gun just because its concealable.
Single-action
revolvers should
be avoided unless
youre exceptionally
adept with them.
And even then, their
clumsiness in a
reload or malfunction
clearance makes them
a less-than-optimum
choice. Likewise, old
firearms should be
viewed with caution
and examined carefully
by a competent
gunsmith to ascertain
their serviceability
before being used for
self-defense.
There are literally hundreds of holsters available these days,

but regardless of which weapon security device it might
utilize, the holster, itself, must prevent entry into the guns
trigger guard area by the trigger finger or other foreign
object and allow proper grip index of the weapon with the
firing hand. Rapid weapon presentation is critical to success
in many handgun fights, and if your holster prevents you
from getting a proper firing grip with the weapon holstered,
youre in big trouble.
MYTH #4: SINGLE-ACTION AND VINTAGE GUNS

Single-action or older guns should be viewed with caution,
because their technologies and metallurgies are both often
suspect. Without question, if one is a red-hot shot with his
Colt Single Action Army revolver, he can shoot as quickly
and accurately as anyone, but malfunction clearing and
reloading are clumsy and time consuming.
MYTH #5: GUN MODIFICATION

Because the vast majority of handgun encounters occur
in low light, a good set of tritium sights is a good idea. So
equipped, the tactical handgun is capable of hitting anything
its operator can see and identify as a deadly threat. However,
unless you have vision issues that preclude effective use
of normal iron sights, you should view optical sights with
caution. Theyre more fragile than iron sights, and anything
that utilizes batteries to function is highly vulnerable to
Murphys Law. Ive seen it dozens of times.
Dont just practice

in normal light.
Most handgun
incidents occur in
low light, making
practicing under such
conditionsboth
with and without a
flashlightmandatory.
MYTH #6: HOLSTER SELECTION
Many feel that a Commander-sized gun is optimumand

with good reason. Its not too big or too heavy to conceal
and carry, but it is large enough to grip properly and shoot
quickly without loss of accuracy. Along these lines, an alloyframed gun such as Rugers .45 ACP SR-1911 Model 6711 is
a good example. It has good sights, is exceptionally user
friendly, accurate and reliable. Yet, its flat enough and short
enough to conceal easily.
Older guns should be thoroughly examined by a competent

gunsmith to ensure theyre serviceable. Sometimes, such
weapons are in excellent condition but often, they are
not. Remember that youre quite literally betting your life on
that gun, so it had better function reliably.
Muzzle brakes should be avoided. Although they do reduce

recoil to a certain degree, they do so by venting burning
propellant gases upward into the shooters line of sight,
which obscures the target and, in low light, increases muzzle
flash. For all-too-obvious reasons, neither of these traits is
desirable on a tactical handgun.
MYTH #7: JHP AND OTHER

OVERLOOKED FACTORS
Regardless of what
type of security
apparatus is utilized,
holsters should prevent
inadvertent entry of the
trigger finger or foreign
objects into the trigger
guard area but should
allow proper grip index
of the weapon when
holstered.
www.gunworld.com
Ammunition selection is too often done in a cavalier fashion.

Dont assume that sexy-looking JHP will actually expand
when shot into a human target. The fact is, most of them
dont. At the velocities produced by most service handguns,
JHP expansion is iffy, at best. Moreover, its long been
understood by those in the know that JHP expansion is
also dependent upon what the bullet encounters during
passage through the target. If the target is human, things
such as bones, fat, muscle and organsall of which vary
a great deal in densityexert tremendous influence upon
bullet expansion.
Muzzle flash, recoil and accuracy are also important items
to consider, as is functional reliability. If that cool-looking
JHP doesnt feed properly in your gun, everything else is
academic. And if the load generates too much recoil for
you to control the gun during the fast shooting sequences
typical of deadly encounters, it should be avoided. Stopping
power is, without a doubt, critical, but if the load cant be
controlled, it doesnt matter much.
FEBRUARY I 2017
28
12/8/16 2:01 AM
MYTH #8: PRACTICING FROM OPEN CARRY

More often than not, concealed weapon carriers limit their
practice to open carry, in the belief that theyll somehow
be able to quickly and efficiently present their gun from
beneath their concealment garment. However, this belief is
completelyand dangerouslyuntrue.
Acquiring the gun from beneath a garment requires careful,
constant practice; assuming otherwise is a serious and
potentially deadly mistake. The same can be said of
actual shooting practice. Because low-light conditions are
prevalent in tactical encounters, you shouldnt limit your
practice to daylight hours. Low-light shooting, with and
without a flashlight, is serious business and also needs to
be practiced regularly.
MYTH #9: TARGET ENGAGEMENT

Too many shooters believe that each and every target must
be shot twice, but this, too, is a myth. If a single target is
engaged, hitting the thoracic area twice is a good response.
But what if multiple assailants are involved?
With the exception of

the .45 ACP, FMJ ammo
should studiously be
avoided. 9mm Para and
.38 SPL FMJs produce
poor stopping power
and overpenetration
and pose an excessive
ricochet hazard. The
.45 ACP, however, is an
excellent man-stopper
with FMJ ammo and
isnt overpenetrative.
the situation. Then, if any of the targets is still functioning in

a lethally aggressive manner, follow up with a cranio-ocular
shot to the head. Dont shoot him again in the thoracic cavity
area, because at this point, his nervous system is almost
totally shut down and doing so will have minimal effect.
Always have a plan B. The cranio-ocular shot is the least

difficult to executeand the most effective. Other areas,
Shooting each one twice simply takes too long and thus
such as the pelvis, femur and knees, for instance, arent
GW-1702-Redding Reloading 11/18/16
AM(which
Pagemakes
1
increases tactical liability to unnecessarily dangerous
usually 9:33
visible
them harder to hit) and dont
levels. Instead, shoot each target once and quickly assess
offer the ability to produce immediate incapacitation.
Reasonable accuracy, controllability and muzzle flash are

critical issues for any self-defense function. Choose your
ammo carefully!
If you carry your firearm concealed, youd better practice
with it concealed, too. The assumption that practice from
open carry will suffice when the weapon is concealed is
dangerously untrue.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
29
12/8/16 2:01 AM
gun world
Shooting from a
vehicle isnt especially
important to a civilian,
and law enforcement
officers are mostly
prohibited by
department policy from
doing so. Thus, such
techniques are mostly
Spec Ops-oriented.
However, using a
vehicle for cover is
another matter and
should be thoroughly
researched and
understood.
Always have a plan B in case your initial target engagement method

fails. The author advocates the cranio-ocular shot as a backup if hits in
the thoracic cavity dont incapacitate your adversary. Its totally decisive,
less difficult to deliver and more tactically versatile than other follow-up
techniques. (Photo: U.S. Marine Corps)
Inasmuch
as handgun
encounters are
entirely defensive
and usually
unexpected,
training yourself
to be able to shoot
from improvised
shooting positions
is a good idea.
MYTH #10: NOT TRAINING

PROPORTIONATELY FOR THE THREAT
One thing no one argues these days is that the vast majority
of handgun confrontations occur at close range. And while
some believe close range to be 7 to 10 yards, theyre dead
wrong. The average is 7 to 10 feet! This means that the
event will happen fast, because time and distance always
correlate. And there are many instances when the actual
fight begins within arms reach, meaning that practice
in how to deal with such situations is necessary. As an
instructor, I have emphasized for decades high-speed single
and multiple target engagements at arms length, 3, 5 and 7
meters. You should, too.
Proper use of cover is

seldom taughtand
even then, it is usually
incorrectly addressed.
Staying back at least
2 meters from cover
minimizes the potential
for being hit by
ricochets or secondary
missiles; and canting
the pistol slightly
minimizes the amount
of exposure area visible
to an adversary.
These, are some of the most dangerous myths of tactical shooting.

Any one of them can get you killed, but if youre aware of them
and make the right decisions, theyre all totally avoidable.
Use of cover is also important, yet instruction in its use

is seldom offered and is usually incorrect when it is. In
particular, you should stay at least 2 meters back from your
cover if possible to minimize the potential for being hit by
ricochets or secondary missiles resulting from incoming hits
on the cover, itself. In addition, canting your weapon slightly
greatly minimizes your exposure area, making you a much
more difficult target.
With home invasions and burglaries on the rise, youd also

better train yourself how to respond to them. And dont
forget that the potential for a deadly encounter when in a
public place, such as a restaurant, is also quite high these
days, so training in how to deal with such events should be
a high priority.
Because self-defense situations are essentially ad hoc

events, always train for the unexpected, such as learning
how to shoot from improvised positions. The very mission
of the handgun is reactive, and its use is always in response
to an unexpected attack. Therefore, being able to respond to
the widest variety of conditions is a smart move.
K.I.S.S. REIGNS SUPREME
MYTH #11: CROWDING COVER
MYTH #12: NOT TRAINING REALISTICALLY
While great fun, shooting from a car isnt as tactically useful

as many believe. On the other hand, understanding how to
properly use a car for cover is quite important. A great many
myths abound on this particular subject. If not properly
understood, they can be potentially deadly.
Above all, remember to K.I.S.S.: Keep it simple, stupid. Handgun

fights are fast, furious and ugly, and the stresses involved in
them will debilitate your skill level as much as 50 percent
yes, 50 percent!
The author is
demonstrating a speed
rock, for use when
there is no room to step
rearward.
www.gunworld.com
This means there is no time for fancy or complex techniques,

because they take too long to execute, and their error potential
is too high. So, do yourself a favor and avoid them like the
plague. It doesnt matter a hoot what works on pistol ranges.
What matters is what works when the chips are down and the
bullets fly both ways. In this sort of environment, simplicity
reigns supreme. GW
FEBRUARY I 2017
30
12/8/16 2:01 AM
GW_1702_31 12/5/16 11:21 PM Page 31
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gun world
STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAT AINSWORTH
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
32
GW-1702-RUGERLCP.indd 32
12/8/16 1:59 AM
THE
LCP
II
RUGERS BEST BUG
TAKE TWO
www.gunworld.com
topping power. Penetration depth. Knockdown

power. When it comes to choosing an EDC
(everyday carry) weapon, those phrases
cause many gun owners to lean toward larger
calibers. Its understandable, really: bigger
bullet, bigger hole, right?
But what if, for some reason, it just isnt feasible to strap
on a 5-inch-tall, 9-inch-long handgun? What if your EDC is
inaccessible, fails, or you empty the mag in a blind panic during
a life-or-death fight? What if your lifeor the life of someone
you loveis on the line and you need backup?
Enter the revamped Ruger LCPthe LCP II. Because .380 ACP
is capable of more than you think.
BACKGROUND
The original Ruger LCP (lightweight compact pistol) entered
production in 2008exactly one century after its .380 ACP
chambering was created by John Browning. The diminutive
cartridge proved its lethality just six years after its creation:
In 1914, an assassin used it to murder both the Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife. Their assassinations
were one of the tipping points for World War I, and the
caliber to kill them was used in battle by soldiers from no
less than five European countriesmeaning that arguments
regarding the efficacy of .380 ACP were laid to rest nearly
100 years ago.
Now that weve verified the lethality of the cartridge, lets move
on to the pistol.
The LCP II is the second incarnation of the LCPalthough it
is important to mention the improved LCP, known as the LCP
Custom (hard to miss because of its blood-red, skeletonized
trigger and appreciated by fans of the first model because
of various improvements). Its true that it was, and remains,
a bestseller for Ruger, but there were a few things gun
owners wanted changed.
The Custom model covered some bases by lightening the trigger,
reducing felt recoil and improving the sights. Still, fans wanted
even more, while those not yet sold on the popular pistol had their
own list of demands.
According to Ruger President and COO Chris Killoy, the company
was listening and set standards high with its new pistol.
With modern styling, improved features and a modest price,
the LCP II promises to raise the bar on what people have come
to expect in a compact .380 Auto pistol. The LCP II is another
fine example of Rugers product innovation and dedication to
continuous improvement.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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GW-1702-RUGERLCP.CX.indd 33
12/12/16 2:15 AM
gun world
THE DIFFERENCES
The LCP II is Rugers answer to it allfrom its modernized appearance
to its single-action trigger. The grip catches the eye first as a result of
its angled stippling, as well as the Ruger name and logo stamped to
the rear. Its not just cooler looking, however; it feels better in my hand
than its predecessors harder, pebbled surface and allows for a more
positive grip. Even pouring water on both the grip and my hand to wet
the surface resulted in no slippage.
The backstrap has changed, too; thats more significant than you
might think. It could be the 0.11-inch increase in overall height
or the slight change in angle where the backstrap meets the butt
of the pistol, but holding the LCP II is more comfortable overall.
In the world of pocket pistols, a true positive grip and greater
comfort equal a significant increase in accuracy and accuracy
is inarguably vital in a tool meant for saving lives.
If youre going to carry

a gun chambered in
.380 ACP such as the
LCP II, make sure you
load it with the most
effective defense
roundssuch as these
Snake River Shooting
Products Team Never
Quit HP Frangibles.
SRSP TNQ frangibles
create a devastating
wound cavity while
removing the risk of
overpenetration.
Of course, there are improvements to the LCP II. First and foremost
is the slide. The original LCP has a slide so stiff as to be off putting,
but the LCP IIs slide is easily rackedright out of the box. It isnt
only the mechanism, itself, making life easier, either; the slide
on the new pistol is elongated and features angled serrations at
both the front and back. Quite simply, theres more to hold onto,
and its easier to move. The slide is designed to lock back when
the magazine runs empty, toosomething the original did not do.
TESTING
For testing, I did a side-by-side with an original, brand-new LCP. This
meant more trigger time (and who doesnt love that?), but it also meant I
could compare and contrast on the spot. Suffice it to say that the contrast
between the two is sharp. (And me being me, I also took the opportunity
to run two pistols at the same time. Dual-wielding .380 ACPs, anyone?)
The sights on the pistol are integrated into the frame, meaning
that the rear sights and front blade sight are fixed to the alloy steel
slide. While some shooters enjoy freedom from worrying if theyve
bumped and displaced their sights, others, such as myself, prefer
the ability to make minor adjustments while also enjoying the
greater visibility of night sights.
Ruger describes the LCP II as having a single-action trigger with

a blade safety similar to that of the Ruger LC9. I was pleased
to find the pistol has a 5-pound, 14-ounce trigger pullmuch
lighter than the 7-pound, 8-ounce trigger pull of the LCP. However,
it does have significant travel, measured at just under 0.75 inch;
and there is stacking immediately prior to the break.
On the pistol I reviewed, the front sight appeared to be ever

so slightly to the lefta miniscule difference that mattered
www.gunworld.com
enormously when shooting for accuracy. In addition, during

daylight hours, the black sights are visible, but as night falls, they
vanish, forcing you to shoot instinctually.
FEBRUARY I 2017
34
12/8/16 1:59 AM
The break, itself, is crisp. Taking slow, measured shots, I was able
to maintain accuracy, but the stacking issue leads to problems
controlling shots as you fire more rapidly. Its true that the .380
ACP is a close-range weapon typically at its best at less than 7
feet, and its reasonable to state that the majority of firefights take
place at close range, as well. But that does not negate the need
for an accurate gun.
SO, HOW ACCURATE IS THE LCP II?

When I ran the first magazine through the pistol, I used
SRSP Team Never Quit HP Frangible ammunition and fired a fiveshot group from a distance of 10 yards. Because youre unlikely
to find a sandbag or pistol rest conveniently placed at the time of
your assault, I like to spend trigger time testing pistols shooting
off hand. Thats how I fired the first five shots, and the resulting
.947-inch group was a sign of solid accuracy, especially because I
was noticing the need to drift over the sights, which enlarged the
group as I corrected for a bulls-eye hit.
Future groups were better; my best group with the same
ammunition and setup was .506 inch. Groups widened noticeably
as I increased my rate of fire. They were still within what most
would consider critical zones, but when you factor in the
adrenaline spike, increased heartrate, rapid breathing and muscle
shakes
of a life-or-death 12/1/16
situation, 10:56
those groups
could1 quickly
GW-1702-RamRodz
AM Page
become misses for any shooter.
When the very first

magazine through a
new gun results in a
five-shot group such
as this at 10 yards
fired off hand while
standingits a pistol
with promise.
The LCP II cycled the large variety of ammunition I fed it, including
the SRSP Team Never Quit HP Frangibles, Hornady American
Gunner XTPs, Remington FMJs and G2 Research RIP HPs. There
were no failuresthe hallmark of a reliable self-defense pistol,
whether for main carry or backup.
The one issue of functioning that came up was an approximately
15 percent failure to lock back on empty. This is a feature the
original LCP did not have that was added to the LCP II: The slide
should lock back when the magazine empties. Its important to
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12/8/16 1:59 AM
gun world
The LCP II
is a solid,
little backup
gun that
demonstrated
significant
advances
over both the
LCP and LCP
Custom.
Ballistics
Velocity
(fps)
Std. Deviation
(fps)
Largest Group
(inches)
Smallest Group
(inches)
Avg. Group
(inches)
SRSP Team Never Quit

75-grain HP Frangible
1,012
22
1.21
.506
.93
G2 Research RIP
62-grain HP
1,117
18
1.11
.69
.94
Hornady American Gunner

90-grain XTP
982
21
1.26
.58
.99
Remington 95-grain
FMJ 802
802
29
1.31
.89
1.08
Poly Case Inceptor

56-grain ARX
1,268
24
1.17
.60
.87
LOAD
NOTES: Velocity figures are the result of 10 rounds fired through a PACT Professional XP chronograph.
Accuracy figures are the result of five five-shot groups at 10 yards from a sandbag rest.
note that the mags are largely compatible, meaning that LCP
mags will work with the LCP IIbut not lock backbut LCP
II mags wont work with the LCP. The failures to lock back that
occurred during testing are notable, because its a bit difficult to
keep track of shots fired during a firefight.
Ruger LCP II
SPECIFICATIONS
CALIBER: .380 ACP
CAPACITY: 6 +1
BARREL LENGTH: 2.75 inches
OVERALL HEIGHT: 3.71 inches
WEIGHT: 10.6 ounces (empty)
GRIP FRAME: Black stippled glass-filled nylon
SLIDE: Alloy steel
BARREL: Alloy steel
SLIDE WIDTH: 0.75 inch
SIGHTS: Integral; rear dovetail and front blade
TRIGGER: Single-action only (SAO) blade safety trigger
TRIGGER PULL WEIGHT: 5 pounds, 14
ounces (measured)
SAFETY: Blade safety trigger and internal safeties
TWIST: 1:16 inches, RH
GROOVES: Six
SLIDE FINISH: Blued
BARREL FINISH: Blued
MSRP: $349
THE IDEAL BUG

U.S. Air Force veteran and Snake River Shooting Products President
Casey Betzold shared his thoughts on backup guns (BUGs):
I am a proponent of full-sized primary guns with smaller BUGs
for civilians who carry daily. Pair both your EDC and BUG with the
best possible ammunition to make them the most effective tools
possible. Preparation is key.
The biggest pro of a pocket pistol such as this is the ability to conceal it
anywhere. The carry possibilities are endless and include pocket or ankle
holsters and belly bands. I prefer carrying BUGs in my boot and on the
admittedly rare occasions I absolutely must wear a dress, which renders
me unable to carry my usual EDC. On those occasions, I use a Shooting
Tulips corset or thigh holster. The LCP II fit securely and comfortably in
both, even when worn at length. There is a slew of drawbacks to offbody carry, so Id rather wear an LCP II in the Zinnia thigh holster under
a dress than hope I can reach my purse in time. And for cooler months,
which are lengthy here in Wisconsin, the pistol fits snugly in my tall and
short boots with the Galco Ankle Lite and Boot Extender.
CONTACT INFORMATION
STURM, RUGER & CO., INC.
(336) 949-5200
www.Ruger.com
Bottom line? The LCP II is a solid, little backup gun that demonstrated
significant advances over both the LCP and LCP Custom. If you plan
to carry this gun for self-defense, treat it like any other gun by
training with it as if you might one day be fighting for your life with
it ... because you just might.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
36
12/8/16 1:59 AM
The hammer is visable to varrying degrees through a cutout at the rear of

the slide (LCP bottom; LCPII top). The top photo shows both pistols cocked;
the bottom photo shows both pistols de-cocked.
The backstrap and

grip of the Ruger LCP
II (foreground) are
a more comfortable
combination than the
older LCP (background)
offered.
GW-1702-Connecticut Shotgun_dp12 12/1/16 2:07 PM
Multiple improvements
have been made to
the LCP II (foreground)
Page 1 since the LCP
(background) first hit
the market in 2008.
12/8/16 1:59 AM
gun world
The author freely admits
to not having small
hands. Despite that,
the LCP II fits more
comfortably than many
other pocket pistols and
delivers reliable cycling
and accuracy.
This gun pushes you to shoot instinctuallynot necessarily a bad

thing, considering the realities of a close-range firefight in which
youre down to your BUG. And while the sights are an issue, this
is an ideal BUG, meaning youll be up close and personal when
the time comes.
Train. Train as if you might one day fight, and the LCP II isnt just
your BUG but your most valuable weapon. Because that day could
come. GW
Wearing the LCP II as a
BUG in your boot gives
you the element of
surprise and the ability
to draw at different
angles, such as if you
are knocked to the
ground.
For women interested in

a reliable small-caliber
pistol for concealed
carry while wearing
a dress or other
restrictive clothing,
the LCP II works well
with Shooting Tulips
The Corealis corset
holster and The Zinnia
thigh holster. Shooting
Tulips customizes and
meticulously sews every
holster it sells.
www.gunworld.com
The LCP II conceals well

in boots and tactical
boots. Its a nice option
for use with the tall,
lined boots the author
wears during the cold
months in Wisconsin.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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12/12/16 2:15 AM
GW_1702_39 12/8/16 9:34 PM Page 39
gun world
BY ROBERT A. SADOWSKI
PHOTOS BY ROBERT A. SADOWSKI AND ROBB MANNING
SOME ASSEMBLY
REQUIRED
FIVE TAKEDOWN AR15 RIFLES FROM
DRD TACTICAL, RUGER, MGI MILITARY,
CRY HAVOC AND TAC2
This entire DRD rifle

fits in the VooDoo
Tactical knapsack.
recently had a lively discussion with a bunch of trigger-pulling

pals about the attributes that define the ideal predatorhunting rifle. Now, its hard to get this bunch to agree on
much of anything, apart from the relative merits of a smoky
single-malt whisky made in Texas, but we were surprisingly
simpatico when it came to defining the perfect predator-hunting rifle.
It would, of course, have to be highly accurate and unfailingly
reliable. It should be fast handling and fast shooting to respond
to multiple incoming coyotesan argument in favor of the AR
platform.
It should be affordable. It should have a stiff and substantial barrel,
yet be light enough to qualify as a walking varminter. It should
have an adjustable stock and be easy to shoot off sticks. And, we
agreed, it should have a far better trigger than the abominable
ones that ship with many factory ARs.
We might as well have been talking about the newest version of the
SIG Sauer M400 Predator rifle. SIG has given the gun a stem-to-stern
makeover that brings it pretty close to that definition of perfection.
GOOD BARREL, GREAT TRIGGER

The new SIG Predator is offered in .300 Blackout with a hammerforged 16-inch barrel for your pig-perforating pleasure, as well as
in 5.56 NATO with an 18-inch barrel, which is the version sent to
me for testing.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
40
GW-1702-TAKEDOWN.indd 40
12/8/16 2:12 AM
ize really does matter when going covert or grabbing

your go-bag. A takedown AR makes good sense,
because you dont reveal what you are truly carrying
in that knapsack or small case. In addition, a smaller
footprint means you can travel farther and faster.
AR15s from DRD Tactical, Ruger, MGI Military, Cry Havoc and Tac2
let you stow a substantial weapon in a small package. (Whats the
expression? Big surprises come in a small packages.)
The fact is, the AR15 can already be considered a takedown rifle,
because it is modularbut those upper and lower receivers are
larger than you think and require a good-sized duffle bag to carry
them. These five takedown AR15sactually, four AR carbines and
one complete upperare not only compact, they also fit in bags
you would not normally consider for a full-sized weapon. All these
rifles are equipped with 16-inch barrels, making them street legal.
The advantage a takedown AR has over a typical AR is the ability to
separate the barrel from the upper receiver. Thats about an 8.5-inch
reduction in length when you measure the length of the pieces. It
allows a takedown rifle to reside in a knapsack or briefcase.
All five takedown ARs reviewed are broken down into a few
main componentstypically, two or three main parts.
Because they are all AR15s, they function like a standard
AR15. It is the takedown mechanism and method that are
different among them.
I had no issue assembling and disassembling any of
the five rifles, but I did note that some takedown
methods were faster and simpler than others. It
is a great idea to have a rifle packed away in a
small package, but if the time it takes to go from
separate components to an operating rifle takes
too long, that is a liability. Special tools? Forget
about it. These are tool-less takedowns.
One thing to note: The rails or handguards on these rifles are
not typically compatible with aftermarket parts, because in
most cases, the handguard is a key component of the takedown
design. Other than the handguard, these ARs can be customized
with aftermarket partsstocks, pistols grips, triggers, BUIS,
controls, muzzle devices and optics.
COMPONENTIZED HARDWARE
The DRD comes in a

rugged Plano case. The
hard case balances all
the DRD components,
so the case is easy to
carry, and there is room
for lots of ammo.
I ran these ARs with optics and open sights. For models that did not
include sights, I mounted a set of Meprolight BUIS tritium sights. I used
a TruGlo SCP TAC 1-4x24mm variable compact scope, although it gave
all the ARs a larger footprint. The SCP TAC features a mil-dot reticle and
a capped windage turret, but the elevation turret is uncapped so you
can dial in elevation. It comes with an AR-ready mount.
Another characteristic of takedown ARs you might not realize is that these
rifles are much easier to clean than traditional ARs. They provide better
access to the chamber area, and some also offer caliber conversions.
While gathering the rifles for testing, there was this nagging
voice in the back of my head: Will it go back to zero? Constant
www.gunworld.com
disassembling and reassembling of a rifle makes me wonder how

the zero is affected, but as I found out with these rifles, shifting
zero was a non-issue. To check how well they returned to zero after
disassembly/re-assembly, I used a standardized process for all: Fire
30 rounds, take down/reassemble; fire another 30 rounds, take
down/reassemble; fire 10 rounds. After that, I did the takedown/
reassembly process every 10 rounds, up to 100 rounds total.
Heres a look at five AR15s I like to refer to as componentized

hardware. GW
p
FEBRUARY I 2017
41
12/8/16 2:12 AM
GUN WORLD
DRD
TACTICAL
MODEL
CDR-15
After the barrel

is installed, the
handguard is slipped
over the barrel.
consider DRD Tactical the Skunk Works of AR manufacturers.

The CDR-15 was designed to fit inside a briefcase or normalsized knapsack, and if things go south and you have to make
contact with a bad situation, you can put the rifle together
quickly, defend yourself with two to four mags, and then get out.
The upper receiver and complete lower receiver are one piece
in the DRD takedown system. The second piece is the barrel
assembly, which includes the barrel, barrel nut, muzzle device,
gas block and gas tube. The handguard is the third piece that
uses a retaining pin and a cam lock to secure the handguard to
the upper receiver. DRD provides a metal cap that protects the
chamber ends of the barrel and gas tube, the latter of which is
fragile. The barrel nut screws into the metal cap so no debris can
get into the chamber area; in addition, it ensures the gas tube will
not be bent or dented during transport.
To assemble, lock the bolt carrier group (BCG) rearward, remove
the end cap from the barrel assembly, and insert the barrel and
gas tube into their respective holes in the lower/upper receiver. All
the barrel needs is to be finger tight, but you do have the option
of using a wrench on the barrel nut if, for instance, you were doing
some extended training. The barrel nut has the same cutouts as a
buffer tube, so you can use the same wrench.
of the case holds two additional 30-round magazines, the

complete lower and the upper receiver assembled, as well as
the collapsed stock. In the foam cutout is room for a small scope
or red-dot optic, but due to the way the foam is cut, there is not
enough room for the TruGlo scope when mounted to the rifle.
With all the components in place, there are no rattles during
transport, and all the parts are balanced in the case, so it makes
it comfortable to carry.
The upper and lower receivers are machined from 7075 T-6511
billet aluminum. An enlarged trigger guard allows for shooting
with gloves, and the magazine well is flared to ease reloading.
Then, the retaining pin is

pushed in and the cam
lever is rotated to lock it
in place. Note the notch
in the rail that mates
with the upper.
The CDR-15 followed MIL-SPEC style with the trigger, magazine

release and selector lever, but the rest of the DRD rifle was pimped
The next step is to pull the retaining pin and unlock the cam lock
on the handguard. Slide the handguard over the barrel, align the
notches, push the retaining pin back, and lock down the cam.
Insert a magazine, and you are ready to fire. It took me about 10
seconds to assemble the rifle at a leisurely pace.
The entire disassembled rifle, four magazines
and ammo fit inside a hard Plano case
(18x14x7 inches). All components
fit into cutouts in the highdensity polypropylene foam
trays and are secured with
hook-and-loop straps. The top lid
of the case holds the barrel assembly,
handguard and two 30-round
magazines. The bottom half
12/8/16 2:13 AM
out with a Magpul MOE stock and grip. The CDR-15 came with a
battleworn finish that gives the impression the rifle has seen hard
duty and is well broken in. The finish is very durable.
Performance Results
PERFORMANCE
The 16-inch barrel is hammer forged and chrome lined with a

1:7-inch twist rate. The barrel has a parkerized finish and uses
a midlength gas tube. The handguard is DRDs proprietary QD
13-inch rail that features a Picatinny rail at 12 oclock. It is also
compatible with Magpul L-4 rail panels.
I loaded six magazines and packed them, along with the rifle, in
a Voodoo Tactical Discreet Level III Assault Pack, which is nothing
more than a well-made knapsack that gives the appearance of a
gym bag. I walked onto the range with the DRD stowed in the bag,
assembled the rifle and got my dope at 25 yards. Then, I fired for
accuracy at 100 yards.
Average
Muzzle Energy Best Group* Average Group*
Velocity (fps)
(ft./lbs.)
(inches)
(inches)
Aguila 5.56mm
NATO 62-grain
FMJ-BT
2,995
1,235
0.23
0.51
IMI 5.56mm NATO

55-grain FMJ
3,107
1,179
0.78
1.18
Federal American
Eagle .223 Rem.
55-grain FMJ
2,894
1,023
0.50
0.73
* Three-shot groups at 100 yards
DRD
Tactical
CDR-15
The DRD action was super-smooth, and although the trigger was
MIL-SPEC, I was able to get some exceptional groups. Accuracy
was good, with about 1-MOA groups on average.
Without waiting for the barrel to cool, I wore gloves to disassemble
the rifle and stow it back in the knapsack. Then, I re-assembled
it and ran the DRD hard. Even after several boxes of ammo were
fired, the rifle easily disassembled and re-assembled. Fouling did
not seize up the barrel nut.
SPECIFICATIONS
The CDR-15 can clearly run and hide with ease.
The barrel nut needs

to just be finger tight.
Note the notches in the
silver-colored barrel
nut, which allows the
user to tighten it with
a buffer tube wrench if
desired.
ACTION TYPE: Semiautomatic; gas impingement

CALIBER: 5.56mm NATO
BARREL: 16 inches; 1:7 RH twist; 4140 steel
MUZZLE DEVICE: A2 birdcage 5/8x24 TPI
TRIGGER: 7.5 pounds, MIL-SPEC single stage
MAGAZINE: (1) Magpul PMAG 30-round
SIGHTS: None; optic ready
BUTTSTOCK: Magpul MOE, adjustable, six positions
HANDGUARD: DRD QD 13-inch rail
FINISH: Battleworn
OVERALL LENGTH (MINIMUM/
MAXIMUM): 32.5/35.7 inches
WEIGHT (UNLOADED): 6.8 pounds
MSRP: $2,400
CONTACT INFORMATION
www.DRDTactical.com
The CDR-15 was designed to fit inside a

briefcase or normal-sized knapsack, and if
things go south and you have to make
contact with a bad situation, you
can put the rifle together
quickly, defend yourself
with two to four
mags, and then
get out.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
43
12/8/16 2:13 AM
GUN WORLD
RUGER SR-556
TAKEDOWN
I fired the Ruger extensively, as I did
with all the rifles, before disassembling
and reassembling to see if residue
would make the process more difficult.
It did not with any of the rifles.
When transporting the Ruger, slide the BCG group in the upper
receiver, and you will have three main components. Reassembly
is in reverse order. The thing to remember is if the BCG is in the
forward-most position, it will exert a force on the barrel that can
make it difficult to lock the barrel in place. Lock back the BCG
when the upper and lower are assembled and then insert the
barrel, twist it and it locks in place.
The design of the Ruger is simple and rugged, as well as repeatable
and secure. Lugs at the chamber end of the barrel align with
grooves in the upper receiver. Because this is a piston gun, there
is no gas tube. It took me about 20 seconds once I had the hang
of it. The 16.1-inch barrel is cold hammer-forged MIL-SPEC 41V45
chrome moly-vanadium steel, chrome lined and is capped off with
Rugers flash suppressor.
The barrel assembly is

rotated counterclockwise
about a quarter turn. It
then pulls free from the
handguard.
he SR-556 Takedown packs away in it own knapsack

that measures 22.5x7x7.5 inches. It has MOLLE straps,
so it looks a bit tactical.
The SR-556 Takedown
has a solid lockup.
The Ruger disassembles into three key components:

lower receiver assembly, upper receiver/handguard assembly and
barrel/piston system assembly.
Takedown procedure is simple: The first step is to pull out the
pivot and takedown pins and remove the upper receiver from the
lower receiver (just as you would with a standard AR15 rifle) and
remove the BCG. Take the upper receiver and move the slider bar
on the underside of the handguard toward the rear. Then, rotate
the barrel assembly clockwise with the muzzle facing away from
you, and pull the barrel free from the handguard. Thats it.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
44
12/8/16 2:13 AM
The Ruger Takedown system was

very ruggeddue in part to the
piston system, which produced
little felt recoil.
Performance Results
PERFORMANCE
Average
Velocity (fps)
(ft./lbs.)
(inches)
(inches)
Aguila 5.56mm
NATO 62-grain
FMJ-BT
2,996
1,236
0.22
0.50
IMI 5.56mm NATO

55-grain FMJ
3,108
1,180
1.00
1.01
Federal American
Eagle .223 Rem.
55-grain FMJ
2,895
1,024
0.29
0.39
The Ruger uses a gas

piston system, which
means there is no gas
tube to bend.
The Ruger Takedown uses the same two-stage, four-position gas

valve system found in the Ruger SR-556 rifles. There are four
settings: 0, 1, 2 and 3. The 0 setting closes the valve so that the
SR-556 acts like a single-shot rifle. The 1 setting lets the least
amount of gas enter the system, while 3 allows the most gas. I
like the ability to regulate the gas in the Ruger; it allows you to
fine-tune the rifle when using a can.
The SR-556 Takedown uses a forged lower and upper receiver
with MIL-SPEC selector lever, bolt release and magazine release.
A Magpul MOE SL stock and Magpul MOE pistol grip round out
the furniture. The handguard is proprietary to Ruger and is part of
the takedown system. It is a KeyMod-configured handguard that
is thin in hand. Ruger equips the Takedown with its proprietary
folding sights. The front sight is attached to the gas block, and
this sight can be adjusted for both elevation and windage. The
zero stayed with the barrel, even when I swapped it out numerous
times. The trigger is a two-stage Elite 452 AR-Trigger that is also
proprietary to Ruger.
The Ruger is a heavy AR, and when you add to that the piston
system, it results in very little felt recoil. These two characteristics
and the trigger allowed me to get some good accuracy. The trigger
averaged a 4.5-pound trigger pull with a bit of takeup in the first
stage and a short, crisp break in the second stage.
Ruger
SR-556
Takedown
SPECIFICATIONS
The SR-556 Takedown
comes in a handy
cross-the-shoulder bag.
The Ruger emblem is
a patch that removes
for discretion. (It would
be even more discrete
without the tactical
webbing.)
Using Aguila 62-grain FMJs and Federal American Eagle 55-grain

FMJs, I shot three-shot groups that measured 0.22 and 0.29 inch,
respectively. I fired the Ruger extensively, as I did with all the rifles,
before disassembling and reassembling to see if residue would
make the process more difficult. It did not with any of the rifles.
CONTACT INFORMATION
The SR-556 Takedown was pretty darned easy to disassemble

and reassemble, and the takedown system is well thought out and
rugged. Plus, theres no fragile gas tube to get bent.
www.gunworld.com
ACTION TYPE: Semiautomatic; two-stage piston;

three-position regulator
CALIBER: 5.56mm NATO
BARREL: 16.12 inches; 1:8 RH twist; 41V45 chrome
moly-vanadium steel
MUZZLE DEVICE: Ruger flash suppressor;
1/2-28 TPI
TRIGGER: Ruger Elite 452; 4.5 pounds; two-stage
MAGAZINE: (3) Magpul PMAG 30-round
SIGHTS: Ruger folding; windage adjustment rear,
windage and elevation adjustment Front
BUTTSTOCK: Magpul MOE SL, adjustable, six position
HANDGUARD: Ruger KeyMod rail
FINISH: Manganese phosphate/hardcoat anodized
MAXIMUM): 32.75/36 inches
WEIGHT (UNLOADED): 7.1 pounds
MSRP: $2,199
www.Ruger.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
45
12/8/16 2:13 AM
GUN WORLD
MGI
MARCK-15
HYDRA
he MARCK-15 Hydra comes disassembled in three key

components and is stored in a standard-sized hard
pistol case.
To take down the MGI, first lock back the BCG. A

bail, located on the underside of the handguard, is flipped open,
which allows the retaining block to slide toward the muzzle. This
reveals two barrel retaining arms, which are easily rotated 90
degrees outward to disengage from the barrel. The barrel/gas
tube assembly is then pulled out from the handguard.
With the bail flipped,

the barrel retaining
block is slid toward the
muzzle to expose the
barrel retaining arms.
The barrel retaining

arms are held in place
by the barrel retaining
block and the bail.
When assembling the MGI, the gas tube needs to be lined up with
the hole in the upper receiver. The handguard remains attached
to the upper receiver and has a cutout so alignment of the barrel
is made easier. On average, the MGI took about 20 seconds to
completely assemble. (But you need strong fingers to work the bail.)
The benefit of the MGI is the ability to not only swap barrels for
a simple caliber change5.56 to 300 BLK; it also has the ability
to swap out magazine wells. As a result, you can run 7.62x39mm
ammo through it using AK magazines. Some 12 different caliber
conversions are available, from .22 LR to .50 Beowolf.
The benefit of
the MGI is the
ability to not only
swap barrels for
a simple caliber
change5.56 to
300 BLK; it also
has the ability
to swap out
magazine wells.
The barrel retaining arms are rotated 90
degrees to release the barrel assembly.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
46
12/8/16 2:13 AM
At the range, the MGI rifle offered good accuracy, even with the
heavy MIL-SPEC trigger. Shooting .25-inch three-shot groups
at 100 yards with Aguila and IMI was not a hard task. On
average, .57-inch groups were the norm. Disassembling and
reassembling the rifle were relatively fast, and fouled
components did not hinder the process. The zero
was very repeatable, and it ran flawlessly.
I liked the versatility of the
caliber conversions and the
small footprint when
disassembled.
The barrel retaining

block and bail
secured in position
Built with a forged 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum upper and lower

receivers, the MARCK-15 Hydra is equipped with a standard,
M4-style stock and A2-style pistol grip. The selector lever,
magazine release, bolt carrier release and trigger are standard
MIL-SPEC, while the rail/handguard is quad style.
MGI MARCK-15
Hydra
SPECIFICATIONS
I packed the MGI into the VooDoo pack and found it was easy to
tote aroundeven with the TruGlo scope attached. In the included
hard case, the TruGlo scope did not fit when mounted to the rifle.
Thats what BUIS are for. Otherwise, the hard case was balanced
and carried well.
Performance Results
PERFORMANCE
Average
Velocity (fps)
(ft./lbs.)
(inches)
(inches)
Aguila 5.56mm
NATO 62-grain
FMJ-BT
2,997
1,222
0.24
0.51
IMI 5.56mm NATO

55-grain FMJ
3,170
1,227
0.27
0.57
Federal American
Eagle .223 Rem.
55-grain FMJ
2,907
1,032
0.52
0.60

CALIBER: .223 Rem./5.56mm
BARREL: 16 inches; 1:9 RH twist; M4 profile; 4150
chrome moly-vanadium steel
MUZZLE DEVICE: A2 style; x28 TPI
TRIGGER: 7.6 pounds; MIL-SPEC single stage
MAGAZINE: (1) 30-round
SIGHTS: A2-style front, no rear provided
SAFETY: Left side, two-position lever
BUTTSTOCK: M4 style, adjustable, six positions
HANDGUARD: Quad rail
MAXIMUM): 32.75/36 inches
WEIGHT UNLOADED: 7.1 pounds
MSRP: $1,299
CONTACT INFORMATION
www.MGI-Military.com
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
47
12/8/16 2:13 AM
GUN WORLD
The Tac2
Descreet
carry:
business
in the
front
and
party in
the back
TAC2
DISCREET
CARRYAR15
CARBINE
he TAC2 Discreet Carry AR15 Carbine comes in a plain

briefcase just like the ones you see office workers and
business folks carry to and from their offices. Except
instead of lunch and a copy of the Wall Street Journal,
there is a disassembled AR15 carbine.
Then, the locking plate

slides into place, with
the two pins going into
their holes.
Assembling the TAC2 is fast. Open the bolt by holding it slightly

open and insert the barrel assemblyensuring the gas tube aligns
into the upper receiver. The lock plate, which is part of the barrel
assembly, has two tabs that align with the barrel nut. Hold the barrel
into the upper receiver, and release the bolt from finger pressure.
Slide the forend tube over the barrel, and screw it tightly onto the
barrel nut. Done. It takes fewer than 10 seconds to assemble.
First, the TAC2 gas tube inserts into

the hole at the top.
Finally, the handguard

tube screws on to
secure it in place.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
48
12/8/16 2:13 AM
Performance Results
PERFORMANCE
Average
Velocity (fps)
(ft./lbs.)
(inches)
(inches)
Aguila 5.56mm
NATO 62-grain
FMJ-BT
2,993
1,223
0.27
0.52
IMI 5.56mm NATO

55-grain FMJ
3,100
1,174
0.87
1.20
Federal American
Eagle .223 Rem.
55-grain FMJ
2,895
1,024
0.51
The proprietary flip-up

front sight is unique
and functional.
0.66
The TAC2 uses a forged MIL-SPEC upper and lower receiver. An M4style adjustable stock is added the lower, along with an Ergo pistol
grip. TAC2 also equips the Discreet Carry with a RediMag magazine
carrier, so the rifle can come out of the case with two magazines.
All controls are MIL-SPEC, as is the trigger. The upper stays
mated with the lower, which helps reduce assembly time
and makes for a neat package. The barrel component uses a
carbine-length gas tube and a low-profile gas block. The muzzle
is capped off with a multi-ported compensator. Just to the rear
of the muzzle device is the TAC2 proprietary front sight that folds
flat. The third component is the aluminum handguard, which has
a knurled texture so you can grip it firmly when tightening it. The
TAC2 is well balanced in
the briefcase and fits into
a knapsack.
The TAC2 showed balance
at the range, too. The weight
of the TAC2 hovers at 8.5
pounds; that weight, along
with compensator, helped
reduce felt recoil. Mounting the TruGlo scope, I squeaked out good
accuracy (you can see that this is a trend among these takedown ARs).
The TAC2 comes with a

Redi-Mag installedfor
double the fun.
If business
casual is
the required
dress code,
the TAC2
Discreet
Carry AR15
is a great
option.
SPECIFICATIONS
CALIBER: 5.56mm
BARREL: 16 inches; 1:7 RH twist; 4150 chrome
moly-vanadium steel
MUZZLE DEVICE: Multi-ported compensator
TRIGGER: 6.6 pounds; MIL-SPEC single stage
MAGAZINE: (1) 30-round
SIGHTS: Proprietary folding front, Magpul MBUS rear
SAFETY: Left side, two-position lever
BUTTSTOCK: M4 style, adjustable, six positions
HANDGUARD: TAC2 aluminum tube
MAXIMUM): 33.37/37.25 inches
WEIGHT UNLOADED: 8.5 pounds
MSRP: $1,195
The Aguila ammo gave me the tightest groups. I had no failures,

and disassembly/reassembly was not an issue, even when the
TAC2 was fouled from shooting. Remember: Gloves are required.
AR barrels heat up faster than a cheap toaster and stay hot.
If business casual is the required dress code, the TAC2 Discreet
Carry AR15 is a great option. Fast to deploy and with good
accuracy, the TAC2 gives you 60 rounds at your fingertips.
CONTACT INFORMATION
www.Tac2.com
You can also get the TAC2 Discreet Carry as a kit and assemble
it to nearly any MIL-SPEC upper and lower with no permanent
modifications.
www.gunworld.com
TAC2 Discreet
Carry AR15
Carbine
FEBRUARY I 2017
49
12/8/16 2:13 AM
GUN WORLD
CRY
HAVOC
QRB
The Cry Havoc QRB

upper was mated to a
PRA lower. The setup
disassembled to a
small footprint.
nlike the four other rifles tested, the Cry Havoc QRB
(quick-release barrel) comes as a complete upper
or kit. I assembled the upper to a PSA lower, which fit
as if they were designed to fit each other with no
wiggle. Assembling the Cry Havoc took me about five
seconds. This is one fast AR15 to deploy.
There are two components. To assemble the QRB, lock back the
BCG, insert the barrel and lock the two hooked levers. Done. It
takes longer to read how to assemble the carbine than to actually
do it. Because the design has both the upper and lower receivers
assembled as one component, the speed to assemble the QRB
is greatly reduced. I also tried firing the unit with only one hook
clasped (I do not recommend this), and the rifle kept firing.
Assembling the Cry Havoc took

me about five seconds. This is
one fast AR15 to deploy.
What I like about the QRB setup is that a pin protrudes over the gas tube,
which is the fragile piece of all the gas-impingement takedown ARs.
This pin protects the tube in case the upper is accidentally dropped.
The mating blocks

and hook lever setup
is super fast to
assemble, and it goes
back to zero every
time.
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FEBRUARY I 2017
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GW-1702-TAKEDOWN.CX.indd 50
12/12/16 2:20 AM
A pin above the

gas tube protects
it from damage if
accidentally dropped.
Assembly time is
about five seconds.
An A2 flash hider capped off the muzzle. Iron sights were Magpul
MBUS folding sights.
Performance Results
PERFORMANCE
Average
Muzzle Energy
Velocity (fps)
(ft./lbs.)
1,232
Best Group*
(inches)
Average Group*
(inches)
0.30
0.72
Aguila 5.56mm
NATO 62-grain
FMJ-BT
2,991
IMI 5.56mm NATO

55-grain FMJ
3,101
1,175
0.86
1.31
Federal American
Eagle .223 Rem.
55-grain FMJ
2,893
1,022
0.52
0.68
The Cry Havoc with the TruGlo optic mounted fit inside the VooDoo
knapsack, along with the PSA lower and plenty of ammo.
I ran it hard and could not get it to choke. Gloves are recommended but
not really needed with this system, because the barrel and handguard
are one component. Even grimy, the rifle reassembled with ease. And
there were no issues with the rifle going back to zero after disassembly.
If you want speed, the Cry Havoc QRB is a good option. GW
Cry
Havoc
QRB

Another nice feature is that the QRB can use nearly any
aftermarket handguard. The only limitation is that the handguard
must have a clean break at the upper receiver. Handguards with
alignment or anti-rotation lugs or pins will not work unless the
lugs or pins are cut flush.
SPECIFICATIONS
CALIBER: 5.56mm
BARREL: 16 inches; 1:7 RH twist; 4150 chrome
moly-vanadium steel
MUZZLE DEVICE: A2 flash hider
SIGHTS: Magpul MBUS front/rear
HANDGUARD: BCMGunfighter KMR
MSRP: $800
Handguards that do fit include the Midwest Industries SS G2, YHM

Customizable, BCM GunFighter KMR Free Float Hand Guard, among
others. This system also uses MIL-SPEC barrels with a maximum
barrel diameter of .985 inch. As on the TAC2 Discreet Carry, the Cry
Havoc system can be installed without permanent modifications.
The full upper from Cry Havoc came with a forged MIL-SPEC
upper receiver that was plain-Jane and with no forward asset
not that I needed the forward asset when I ran the upper.
CONTACT INFORMATION
www.CryHavocTac.com
The 16-inch barrel has a 1:7 twist rate and is manufactured from
4150 chrome moly-vanadium steel with a midlength gas system.
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gun world
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE DICKERSON
PERFECTING
THESIGPREDATOR
SAUERS
I
MAKEOVER OF THE
recently had a lively discussion with a bunch of trigger-pulling

pals about the attributes that define the ideal predatorhunting rifle. Now, its hard to get this bunch to agree on
much of anything, apart from the relative merits of a smoky
single-malt whisky made in Texas, but we were surprisingly
simpatico when it came to defining the perfect predator-hunting rifle.
M400 PREDATOR
RIFLE JUST TURNED
A GOOD GUN INTO
A COYOTES WORST
NIGHTMARE.
www.gunworld.com
It would, of course, have to be highly accurate and unfailingly

reliable. It should be fast handling and fast shooting to
respond to multiple incoming coyotesan argument in favor
of the AR platform.
It should be affordable. It should have a stiff and substantial barrel,
yet be light enough to qualify as a walking varminter. It should
have an adjustable stock and be easy to shoot off sticks. And, we
agreed, it should have a far better trigger than the abominable
ones that ship with many factory ARs.
We might as well have been talking about the newest version of the
SIG Sauer M400 Predator rifle. SIG has given the gun a stem-to-stern
makeover that brings it pretty close to that definition of perfection.
GOOD BARREL, GREAT TRIGGER

The new SIG Predator is offered in .300 Blackout with a hammerforged 16-inch barrel for your pig-perforating pleasure, as well as
in 5.56 NATO with an 18-inch barrel, which is the version sent to
me for testing.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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Above: The M400

Predator has a
substantial barrel but
an empty weight of
only 7 pounds, thanks
to the rifles slim
profile.
Left: A Geissele twostage match trigger
contributes to the
Predators excellent
accuracy.
The matte-finish, stainless barrel is one of the first things youll

notice when picking up the Predator. Its long enough to squeeze
decent velocity from your ammunition but not so long that it gets
in the way when maneuvering through tight country. Threaded and
capped for the addition of muzzle devices or silencers, it has what
I would call a medium profile.
That compromise gives the rifle an empty weight of around 7

poundsthanks to its slim profile and a lightweight gas block,
says Hanley, who adds that the gun is 100 percent made in the
U.S.A. By the time you add optics and ammo, its no featherweight
when compared to many bolt guns, but its light enough to tote
from stand to stand all day without difficulty.
The barrel has a target crown for improved accuracy. Rate of twist
is 1:8, which theoretically should allow the rifle to handle a variety
of bullet weights well. In testing, that proved to be the case. But
no matter how good a rifles barrel is, it likely wont shoot well
without a good trigger. SIG chose a great one for the Predator.
Below: The 18-inch

stainless steel barrel
has a medium contour
and is threaded
and capped to
accommodate muzzle
devices and silencers.
The barrel was designed in-house, says SIG Sauer Rifle

Product Manager Patrick Hanley. It was given a profile to
reduce weight but maintain bull barrel-like accuracy.
www.gunworld.com
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gun world
Functionally, the
Predator ran like a
champ, digesting
a range of factory
ammunition without
issue, according to the
author.
The rifle is equipped with an excellent Geissele two-stage match

trigger. It broke cleanly, with no creep, at a consistent average pull
weight of 4 pounds, 4 ounces. Thats slightly heavier than I prefer,
but the trigger breaks so cleanly, it feels lighter than it actually
is. This trigger undoubtedly contributes to the rifles excellent
accuracy as youll soon see.
SIG has given the gun a

stem-to-stern makeover
that brings it pretty
close to that definition
of perfection.
magazines, and its leading surface has scalloped-out ridges that

reduce weight and provide a solid grip.
WELL-THOUGHT-OUT DESIGN
Out of the box, the Predator is ready to hunt, requiring only the
addition of ammo, an optical sight and a zeroing session at the range.
Built tough to withstand the elements, the 7075-T6 aluminum upper
and lower receivers are hard coat anodized. The gun has a lowprofile, midlength gas system, and the bolt carrier group is of the
standard variety, with everything properly staked. Up top, youll find
an M1913 Picatinny rail for mounting optics, and the buttstock is
the ubiquitous Magpul MOE six-position telescoping stock.
The rifle retains a forward assist in the usual position. Theres
a QD attachment point on either side of the rear of the lower
receiver. That all sounds pretty standardand it isbut SIG put a
lot of thought into optimizing the rifle for predator hunters.
Thats evident in the guns ergonomics and controls. The pistol
grip, for instance, is rubber overmolded for a sure grip in any
weather. The magazine well is beveled to ease insertion of
The trigger guard and all controls are designed to be glove friendly.
The safety lever is ambidextrous, and so is the magazine release,
which has a button on the right side and a paddle-style release on
The rifle ships with a
five-round aluminum
magazine.
As this right-side image

of the receiver shows,
the Predator has an
ambidextrous safety
lever and magazine
release.
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gun world
the left side. The bolt catch/release also has a paddle on the top and
a horizontal bar on the bottom, which I much prefer over a standard
release. All controls have grooved surfaces for nonslip operation.
One addition I applaud is the 15-inch handguard (a machined
aluminum ALG Defense Ergonomic Modular Rail, Version 2) that
adds a machined M1913 Picatinny rail section atop the muzzle
end of the handguard. It has two anti-rotational QD slots at the
base of the rail at the 2 and 10 oclock positions, as well as
rows of M-Lok attachment points at the 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 oclock
positions. Theres enough real estate to accessorize with lights,
lasers, bipods and so forth until the rifle weighs as much as an
anvil, if you so desire. The entire outer surface of the handguard
has grooves cut in it lengthwise to help you maintain a solid
purchase on the rifle under any weather conditions.
The front edge of the

magazine well has
scalloped-out cuts
and ridges to reduce
weight and provide a
solid grip.
SCOPING SIG
WITH SIG
or testing the Predator, I mounted a SIG Sauer

Whiskey3 3-9X50 mm scope using SIG Alpha
scope rings, and it proved to be a marriage
made in heaven. The scope, with its clear
glass and large objective lens, is a good
choice for hunting predatorsparticularly under lowlight conditions. The model I used had the Hellfire Tri-Plex
reticle with an illuminated center dot of variable intensity.
The illumination dial, situated where you might normally
find a parallax adjustment, even has an IR setting for use
with night vision equipment. The scope is also available
with non-illuminated reticles.
The Whisky3 scope series features rugged construction,
with low-dispersion glass and broadband anti-reflection
lens coatings. I found this second-focal-plane scope to
have good eye relief at maximum magnification, which
is not always the case. The turrets, adjustable in -inch
click increments, provide a 90 MOA range of adjustment
for elevation and windage. The scope has a European-style
eyepiece for quick reticle focusing, and the power ring
turns smoothly.
A SUB-MOA SHOOTER
Functionally, the Predator ran like a Swiss watch. It had no issues
with feeding, firing, extracting or ejecting five different factory
Optimized for hunting

predators, the newly
made-over M400
Predator is also finding
popularity for other
endeavors, including
competitive shooting.
Sub-MOA accuracy was

the rule, rather than
the exception, with
the Predator. This is
actually a three-shot
group, with two bullets
through the same
hole, using Hornadys
75-grain Superformance
Match load.
Whisky scopes are water- and fog proof and come with a
no-questions-asked, unlimited lifetime guarantee. Purchase
includes a free laser-engraved SIG Ballistic Turret elevation
dial calibrated to your preferred load and specified
environmental conditions.
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FEBRUARY I 2017
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gun world
A six-position
telescoping Magpul MOE
buttstock allows you
to compensate when
you are wearing bulky
winter clothing.
The SIG Whisky3 scope used for testing had a European-style

eyepiece for fast reticle focusing and a Hellfire Tri-Plex reticle
with an illuminated center dot of variable intensity.
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bullet should impact about 8 inches low at 300 yards. The result
is nearly the same for the slower-but-heavier 75-grain bullet in the
Superformance Match load zeroed at 200 yards.
loads, even though I ran several hundred rounds through the gun
as it arrived from the factory with no additional lubrication.
Bullet velocities out of the Predators 18-inch barrel were slightly
faster than I typically get out of 16-inch barrels but were still a bit
shy of factory-advertised speeds for every load tested. Thats to
be expected, because factory test barrels are considerably longer
than 18 inches. (Hornady tests the two loads included here by
shooting them out of 24-inch barrels).
Unless youre dialing in range on a scope or using a compensating

reticle, the salient point here is to zero at 200 yards and simply
hold a few inches over a coyote at 300 yards. No muss, no fuss
unless youre the coyote.
Naturally, its a lot easier to hit them with an inherently accurate
barrel, and thats where the M400 Predator really shines. All but
one of five tested loads turned in sub-MOA best groups, with two
grouping close to inch. Four of the rounds, with bullet weights
The important thing is to know how fast your chosen load is traveling
GW-1702-Black Hills Ammo 11/18/16 9:29 AM Page 1
out of this rifles barrel. Lets say youre shooting Hornadys 55-grain
V-MAX Varmint Express load. Zeroed at 200 yards with this rifle, the
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gun world
Performance Results
Its worth noting that

the longer I shot this
rifle, the better it
seemed to shoot ...
SIG Sauer
M400
Predator
LOAD
Avg. Muzzle Avg. 100-Yard

Velocity (fps) Group (inches)
Barnes VOR-TX 223 Remington

55-grain TSX FB
Black Hills 223 Remington
60-grain V-MAX
Federal Fusion MSR
.223 Remington 62-grain
Hornady Varmint Express
.223 Remington 55-grain V-MAX
Hornady Superformance Match
.223 Remington 75-grain BTHP
2,918
1.02
0.72
2,996
1.33
1.21
2,983
0.93
0.88
2,982
0.91
0.56
2,765
0.76
0.57
Best 100-Yard
Group (inches)
NOTE: Velocities were measured with a Competitive Edge Dynamics M2

chronograph. All groups fired in a wind of 4 to 8 mph.
The trigger guard and

controls are in the
usual locations but are
oversized and glove
friendly.
SPECIFICATIONS
ACTION: Direct-impingement semiauto
BARREL: 18-inch; 416 stainless steel
CAPACITY: Five-round magazine supplied
UPPER/LOWER RECEIVERS:
7075-T6 aluminum
WEIGHT: 7 pounds without magazine
RAIL: M1913
GRIP: SIG overmolded
RIFLING: 1:8, six-groove
TRIGGER: two-stage Geissele match
HANDGUARD: ALG Defense M-Lok Aluminum
BUTTSTOCK: Magpul MOE six-position
telescoping stock
MSRP: $1,384
ranging from 55 to 75 grains, produced average groups of an inch

or under. Even the worst-performing round averaged well under 1
inchesdemonstrating that the Predator is not finicky about ammo.
CONTACT INFORMATION
SIG SAUER
(603) 418-8102
www.SigSauer.com
BARNES AMMUNITION
(800) 574-9200
www.BarnesBullets.com
Its worth noting that the longer I shot this rifle, the better it seemed
to shoot, indicating that it benefits from a little break-in.
The left-side bolt release
and magazine release
use large paddles, which
the author prefers over
standard controls.
I found a lot to like in this rifle and very little to dislike. If you can
call critters and do your part behind the trigger, youll find this new
M400 to be a predators worst nightmare. GW
BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION

(605) 348-5150
www.Black-Hills.com
FEDERAL PREMIUM AMMUNITION
(800) 379-1732
www.FederalPremium.com
HORNADY AMMUNITION
(800) 338-3220
www.Hornady.com
The Predator delivered

this three-shot group
with Hornadys 55-grain
Varmint Express V-MAX
load. The rifle shot subMOA groups with four of
five tested factory loads.
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FEBRUARY I 2017
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gun world
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMESON PARKER
W
SHOOTING
WITHOUT
TEARS
FEDERAL PREMIUMS GOLD
MEDAL GRAND TAMES THE
RECOIL WHILE PROVIDING EVEN
BETTER PERFORMANCE.
ere all bulletproof when were young. We

all do things that later, many years later,
we look back on and wonder how anyone
with such a tepid I.Q. even managed to
survivelet alone survive long enough
to be asked if he needs help taking his groceries to the truck.
Those of us who have spent many years behind a rifle or shotgun
now spend much of our old age whining and complaining about
our shoulders and devouring articles about perceived recoil and
all the things that are supposed to help mitigate it.
In my case, I managed to compound the natural stupidity of
youth with a spectacular horse wreck that crushed just about
everything on the right side of my body, including both shoulder
and scapula. The result is that I now weep piteously when
hugged by small children.
As a result, I regard anything that can help reduce recoil the
way the ancients, from Herodotus to Ponce de Len, regarded
the Fountain of Youth.
THE FLINCH
The more you shoot, and the heavier the loads or larger calibers
you shoot, the higher the price you will pay down the road
and that price is not always just physical. The late Gene Hill
(Tears and Laughter, Mostly Tailfeathers, Hill Country, Outdoor
Photo courtesy of Vista Outdoors
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Not only did I feel a

pleasant difference,
but it was such
a pronounced
difference that I
began to doubt my
judgment ...
Yarns and Outright Lies and many more of the finest books ever
written about dogs and hunting, dogs and shooting, dogs and
life, and more dogs) once told me he had shot competitively so
much and for so long that he had developed a serious flinch.
This was at an invitational competitive shoot to raise money
for a charity.
The airlines had managed to send Gene Hills custom guns with
their release triggers someplace where Im sure they were
appreciatedbut not to the shoot he and I were attendingso
we took turns using my shotgun. All I can say is that ever since
that day, I have tried hard to develop Gene Hills flinch, because
he outshot me and everyone else there.
Flinching can be a very real problem, just as physical damage
can be a real problem. If you play your cards right, you can end
up with both.
The logical result is that gun companies and shot shell
companies keep searching for that elusive "Fountain of Youth,"
the magical combination that will allow those of us who hurt
to continue shooting without tears andmore importantly
allow younger shooters to possibly avoid doing themselves the
same damage we have done.
Enter Federal Premium Gold Medal Grand, a competition clay
target load intended to provide more power with less pain.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
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gun world
Less recoil, enhanced
primer sensitivity,
improved shot
hardness and better
reloadabilityhow
could you ask for more?
How much less pain? Perceived recoil is very subjective. A

diminutive friend of mine from Texas who is an ardent biggame hunter thinks, along the Elmer Keith lines, that anything
below the Weatherby .340 magnum is good only for coyotes
and jackrabbits. I stand 5 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier
than him, and I would rather be boiled in oil than ever fire a
Weatherby .340 again. And that was before my horse wreck.
To try for some kind of objectivity, the folks at Federal rigged
up shotguns on rigid bases to precisely measure recoil force
by using electrical impulses. Their results showed a 5 percent
reduction over their current Gold Medal shells and an 11 to 17
percent reduction over the competitions brands.
THE PHYSICS
Because that defies both logic and the laws of physics, lets
take a quick look at the technical hows and whys of that claim.
Consider the volume of

shells you go through
in a single day of clay
shootingand then
think about what the
long-term effect of
all that does to your
shoulder over the years.
Skeptic that I am, I believed, looking at those figures, that

for someone who only shoots occasionally or for a hunter
who only shoots seasonallyand not that many shells, even
thenrelatively small percentiles such as those wouldnt
make much difference.
The modern shot shell has evolved and improved greatly over
the earliest all-brass or subsequent paper hulls, but those
improvements have been primarily in materials, and the basic
construction remains essentially the same. Putting it in baby
talk: The shell today is a plastic case with a thin brass coating
on the base that holds the primer. Next comes the propellant,
followed by a wad to seal in the gas and cause it to propel
the shot. This wad consists of three parts: the powder wad,
the cushion and the shot cup that holds the shot and keeps it
together as it travels down the barrel. Finally, there is a crimp
that seals the top.
The cushion is designed to crumple under pressure, acting as
a sort of a shock absorber to keep the shot from deforming.
But because neither modern powder nor the shot, itself, takes
up that much room, the cushion also serves to take up space.
Presumably, somebody at Federal looked at that extra space and
saw possibilities. What Federal has done is take a two-piece
wad design the company already had andtaking advantage of
improved materials and improved molding techniquescreated
an air pocket within the wad that acts not merely as a shock
absorber for the shot, but also as a cushioning chamber to delay
the entire compression process. This, in turn, causes the force of
recoil to hit your shoulder more softly and a bit later.
Gold Medal Grand is

manufactured in Anoka,
Minnesota.
That cushioning effect also allowed the engineers at Federal to

use a faster-burning propellant that aids in pattern uniformity.
To continue working on that theme, Federal uses a lead shot
engineered for optimum hardness and density: Harder pellets
deform less; and the less deformation there is, the greater
the uniformity of pattern. Harder pellets also provide more
downrange energy and are better able to break clay targets.
Ergo: more power with less pain.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
64
12/8/16 3:49 AM
GW_1702_65 12/5/16 11:32 PM Page 65
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gun world
Photo courtesy of
Vista Outdoors
I regard anything
that can help reduce
recoil the way the
ancients, from
Herodotus to Ponce
de Len, regarded
the Fountain of
Youth.
My reasoning was that as a competition clay ammo, Federals Gold
Medal Grand was intended for the regular competitor, the shooter
who sends many boxes downrange every weekend and during
every competition, or for the professional, the serious competitor,
who sends shells down range by the case. There, I reasoned, it
could make the difference between a lifetime of shooting and an
abruptly curtailed career, but Ill never feel the difference.
Designed forthe
high-stakes world
of international trap,
skeet and sporting
clays competition, Gold
Medal Grand improves
upon the already high
standards of Federals
world record-setting
Gold Medal shotshells.
I couldnt have been more wrong.
TESTING
SPECIFICATIONS
MAKE/MODEL: Federal Premium/Gold Medal Grand
GAUGE: 12 gauge
SIZE: 2
CAPACITY: 11/8 ounce; 1 ounce
POWDER CHARGE: 2 dram equivalent;
3 dram equivalent; HDCP
SHOT SIZE: #7; #8
MSRP: $10.95
CONTACT INFORMATION
I was shooting Weatherbys 12-gauge Synthetic Element

the synthetic-stocked version of the companys inertia-driven
autoloader. I deliberately opted to shoot an inertia-driven gun to
avoid any recoil-mitigating effects of a gas-operated gun that
might influence my comparison test.
I started by shooting multiple different brands of target ammo I
had on hand, all either 1 or 11/8 ounces, all 2 dram equivalent,
all either #7 or #8 shot, all with muzzle velocities comparable
to the test ammo (1,145 fps). Then, I switched to the Gold Medal
Grand 11/8 shot, 2 dram equivalent, #8 shot.
FEDERAL PREMIUM AMMUNITION

(800) 379-1732
www.FederalPremium.com
A clay pigeon meets its

death. (Photo courtesy
of Vista Outdoors)
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FEBRUARY I 2017
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12/8/16 3:49 AM
As we age, our reflexes slow

down, so the Gold Medal Grand's
slightly tighter patternsand
harder shot will help you break
clays at greater distances. (Photo
courtesy of Vista Outdoors)
GW-1608-Rio Grande Grips 5/19/16 11:12 AM Pag
Competitive shooting,
whether at the local range
on Saturday morning or at
the Olympic level,can do
gradual damage that will
accrue over the years.
(Photo courtesy of Vista
Outdoors)
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
67
12/8/16 3:49 AM
gun world
Not only did I feel a pleasant differenceit was such a

pronounced difference that I began to doubt my judgment,
thinking it might be a reflection of the sensitivity of my
damaged shoulder.
To test this, I asked three of the other guys at my club, all
in my age range, all of them lifelong shooters, to try some
of the shells Federal had sent me. They all agreed: Federals
Gold Medal Grand had significantly less recoil than any of the
other brands of ammo we were shooting. Kudos to the folks
at Federal Premium!
Enter Federal Premium

Gold Medal Grand, a
competition clay target
load intended to provide
more power with less
pain. (Photo courtesy of
Vista Outdoors)
There are some other improvements Federal has made. One is

that the wads plastic base and tube are all one piece, which
Federal claims allows reloaders to use Gold Medal Grand hulls
an average of 16 to 17 times.
The Element comes with Weatherbys proprietary Integral MultiChoke system in 12 and 20 gauge and with the Beretta/Benelli
Mobil choke tubes in 28 gauge. I opted to shoot improved
cylinder at 30 yards; again, I was pleasantly surprised by the
results. The Gold Medal Grand #8 gave me a very even and
consistent pattern of shot across about a 25-inch area within
a 30-inch circle. But what really impressed me was that there
was no obvious concentration of shot above or below or to
either side of point of aim.
Is the Federal Premium Gold Medal Grand the Fountain of
Youth for this aging K-Mart Blue Light Special version of the
Six Million Dollar Man? Quite honestly, it has encouraged me to
go back to regular shootingsomething I once thought I might
never be able to do again.
Because there can be some variability in firing mechanisms,

Gold Medal Grand uses what Federal calls its PrimerLock head.
It is made of brass-plated steel, which transmits energy from
the firing pin to the primer more efficiently than solid brass.
More importantly, it might well make a significant difference in

the longevity of a younger generation of competitive shooters.
Once again, kudos to the folks at Federal Premium. GW
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute

www.gunworld.com
(SAAMI) has a drop test that confirmed the Gold Medal Grand
PrimerLock outperformed other brandsincluding Federals
standard Gold Medalin both direct and offset testing.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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gun world
BY GORDON MEEHL
www.gunworld.com
PHOTOS BY GORDON MEEHL AND SMOS
FEBRUARY I 2017
70
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12/8/16 3:57 AM
THE VIRTUES
OF BEING
STUBBORN
FOR SMOS,
ITS ALL
ABOUT THE
GUN, NOT THE
HYPE.
www.gunworld.com
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12/12/16 2:55 AM
gun world
ITS THIS X-FACTOR THAT MOVES THE PROCESS

FROM A MERE ASSEMBLAGE OF PARTS TO
THE ALCHEMY OF CREATING A PIECE OF
FUNCTIONAL ART FROM RAW MATERIAL.
eve all seen it. A new AR company

marketing a rifle based on the latest
widget thats going to revolutionize the
way we shoot. There are usually bold
claims, followed by a lot of debate on the
virtues, practicality and science of the premise. Sometimes,
the widget makes sense and is useful; sometimes, theres
no good reason to spend your hard-earned Benjis on the
hype. Either way, the AR world is not rocked, and no ones
shooting is revolutionized maybe refined a little, but the
fundamentals remain the same.
The GFY15 is a
welcome addition to
your tactical kit.
SMOS founder Matt Morris started his career as a boat builder.

Not unlike manufacturing ARs, making boats requires taking
common materials and using proven designs to create a highquality final product. What differentiates a great builder from an
ordinary maker of boats is the X-factora passion, an attention
to the finer points that others miss. Its this X-factor that moves
the process from merely assembling a kit of parts to the
alchemy of creating a piece of functional art from raw material.
A little more than 10 years ago, Matt, an avid hunter, decided
to start making .22 barrels, carrying over the skills and
craftsmanship of boat making to the firearms industry. The
new business quickly moved from making .22 barrels to
manufacturing AR components. Soon, those components were
sought after by some of the best-known names in the industry.
If you ever stared, wide eyed and lustful, at one of Noveskes
top-end rifles, then youre familiar with SMOSs work.
Stubborn Mule Outdoor Supply (SMOS) out of Merlin, Oregon,

is not one of those companies. You wont see it launch the
newest, earth-shattering AR with some unobtainium parts,
trendy colors or newly re-engineered platform. What you will
see from this company are top-tier ARs that help you do what
you love a little bit better. Unlike those marketing companies
that just so happen to be in the gun business, SMOS is a gun
manufacturer, not a gun builder. While some companies are
figuring out how to create trends, source parts and how to
assemble a rifle cheaply and get the highest margins, the guys
at SMOS are getting dirt under their nails and actually building
some damned fine rifles.
www.gunworld.com
THE COMPANY
Ask Matt about those companies that rely on his and his
crews craftsmanship as part of their final products, and the
discussion humbly turns to the parts, themselves, the work
that goes into them and the crew that is more like a family
than a collection of employees.
p
FEBRUARY I 2017
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12/8/16 3:57 AM
The woods of Merlin,

Oregon, are the
proving grounds for
Matt and the SMOS
crew. Top performance
there means the GFY
will assure top-notch
shooting in your neck
of the woods.
SMOS is all about the product, not the accolades. Its stated
mission is to construct top-of-the-line firearms so we can do
the things we love better.
But how does a gun and gun parts company get the name,
Stubborn Mule Outdoor Supply?
Remember when I said Matt was an avid hunter? That was an
understatement. Matt loves to hunt and takes pack mules deep
into the Oregon woods to bring back big game. As I was told,
Mules are rad, they are calm, loyal, patient. They do what
they want, and so do we. Hence, Stubborn Mule. The Outdoor
Supply comes from Matts original intention to provide fellow
hunters with all they needed to enjoy the Oregon wilderness.
As Matt got more into ARs, he decided to machine his own
lowers. The demand for these lowers grew, as did the companys
ability to manufacture other AR parts. The SMOS teams
desire to continually challenge itself naturally progressed into
manufacturing (from scratch) complete riflesnot just any
GW-1702-Lyman Products 11/18/16 9:31 AM Page 1
CLEARLY, SMOS IS USING THE BEST

POSSIBLE MATERIALS IN THE
BEST POSSIBLE WAY.
All clean.
No mess.
The Cyclone Rotary Tumbler is fast, effective,
and hands-down delivers the best results of
any brass cleaning method.
The included steel pin media and cleaning
solution make quick work of stubborn tarnish
and grit. Steel media is virtually indestructible,
ready for reuse, and perfectly sized to reach
every contour of every casing.
The Cyclone also includes our patent-pending,
dual pan sifting system. This revolutionary
sifting technology separates casings, media
pins, and cleaning solution simultaneously,
greatly decreasing clean up time.
So youll get more brilliant brass, more
quickly with a whole lot less mess.
www.LymanProducts.com
12/12/16 2:55 AM
gun world
rifles, but the kind of rifles that center on meeting the needs
of the shooter and not some corporately driven marketing
objective or high-margin-driven pricing model. Its all about the
rifle, not the hype.
SMOS GFY15
SPECIFICATIONS
CALIBER: 5.56
MATERIALS: Solid billet 7075-T6511 aluminum
ACTION: Direct impingement
CAPACITY: Varies per magazine
OVERALL LENGTH: 33 inches
(stock collapsed); 36.25 inches (stock extended)
BARREL: 16- or 14.5-inch stainless Ultra Match
(.223 Wylde)
BARREL FINISH: Black nitride BCG
STOCK: Magpul SL-K
GRIP: Magpul SL
TRIGGER: Geissele SSA
TRIGGER GUARD: Integral, contoured
MAGAZINE: Magpul P-Mag, 30 rounds
CHARGING HANDLE: BCM Gunfighter
SAFETY: Battle Arms, ambidextrous
FORWARD ASSIST: Invisible
END PLATE: QD
TAKEDOWN PINS: SMOS combat
GAS SYSTEM: Mid-length
GAS TUBE: V7 extreme environment
COLORS: Factory Cerakote Sniper Grey or Patriot Brown
SIGHTS: Flat top
MSRP: $1,950
Performance and good

looksthe GFY15 is
a total package. The
billet upper and lower
provide a solid platform
for optics such as the
Leupold VX-6.
THE GFY15
Earlier this year, my friend Eric Andersen and I were talking
about his buddy Matt and SMOS. We chatted about shooting,
what we were looking for in an ARD and what each of us liked
and disliked about the industry as a whole. The more I learned
about SMOS, its culture and philosophy, the more I knew I had
to buy one of its products.
A few weeks later, I had my GFY15 in hand and on the
range. That was more than four months ago, and Ive
enjoyed every trigger pull.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Simply put, Gulf Foxtrot Yankee (GFY) is an an acronym for
Go F Yourself. This a declaration to those companies that,
with little passion and inspiration, market inferior, overhyped,
overpriced rifles. SMOS decided that rather than sell out to
the the firearm marketing machine and set its prices as high as
the market will bear (equivalent rifles are easily $4k), it would
place quality over margins and integrity above cash. SMOS
believes shooters ought to have a shooters gun. Everyone on
its team pours their heart and soul into manufacturing these
riflesand it shows. You cant put a price on that.
STUBBORN MULE OUTDOOR SUPPLY

(541) 955-6548
www.SMOSArms.com
ACCURACY RESULTS
Velocity
(fps)
Accuracy
(inches)
Barnes Vor-TX 5.56,

62-grain TSX
3,000
.84
Remington Premier Match

.223 77-grain Match King
2,788
1.02
Double Tap .223

69-grain Boat Tail Match
2,800
.82
Colt National Match

.223 62 grains
2,950
.98
LOAD
Because this is my personal, bought-and-paid-for GFY15, it

didnt have to be sent back. I had an unlimited amount of time
to work the gun under real-world conditions, rather than the
controlled conditions of testing and data collection. I also didnt
have to worry about keeping it in pristine, like-new condition.
Rather than take a rifle fresh out of the box to spend an
afternoon throwing some rocks down range, only to rush home,
write a review and take photos, I was able to put some wear
and tear on it. Most rifles will perform well out of the box, but
the real test is how well they perform after a couple of thousand
rounds. I want to know how good they are when the shine has
worn off and the new gun smell has faded.
NOTE: Group size is the average of three fiveround strings shot from 100 yards with the rifle
mounted to a Caldwell Lead Sled. Velocity is per
manufacturers tested averages.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
74
12/8/16 3:57 AM
Cutting from billet

aluminum not only
creates a solid lower,
it also provides the
opportunity for features
such as an integrated
trigger guard.
When I first picked up my GFY15, I immediately noticed how

tight the rifle wasthere were no rattles, loose connections
or ill-fitting components. After a little more than 2,000 rounds
down range and a less-than-diligent cleaning routine, the GFY
is still as tight as it was on day one. If I didnt know that this
rifle retails for just under $2,000, I would have guessed it to
be twice that.
The lower, where the shooter and firearm become one, is

machined in house from a solid billet of 7075-T6 aluminum,
GW-1702-DeSantis Gunhide 11/21/16
11:28
AM Page
1
which has
a strength
comparable
to many steels with a lower
density and overall weight. The T6 tempering, a series of heating
A flared mag well is
not only functional, it
also gives the GFY15
a uniquely aggressive
silhouette.
OUTBACK $2499
MSRP
Style
145
Tuckable
360
OWB/IWB
leather holster
Clip allows
unlimited
positioning as
an IWB
SMOS IS ALL
ABOUT THE
PRODUCT, NOT
THE ACCOLADES.
Twin-slotted
pancake style
OWB keeps
gun close
& tight

almost all
concealable
handguns
Visit Us at Our Shot Show Booth #10962
800-GUNHIDE
631-841-6300
SMOS provides its customers

with various options for
muzzle devices. The author
chose Dead Airs muzzle
brake.
Dept #GM37
431 Bayview Avenue
Amityville, NY 11701
desantisholster.com
12/12/16 2:55 AM
gun world
and quenching the billet, further increases the overall tensile
strength of the raw aluminum, so its less likely to flex under
heavy use. Being cut out of a single billet of aluminum not only
allows for unique profiles such as the GFYs flared magwell and
integral contoured trigger guard, it also fully capitalizes on the
low weight/high strength properties of 7075-T6. Clearly, SMOS
is using the best possible materials in the best possible way.
A lower of this quality needs to be filled with equally top-end
components. A Battle Arms ambi-safety is a comfortable go/
no-go flipper with positive finger feel and a solid click between
safe and fire. The standard bang switch is a Geissele SSA
two-stage trigger with a 2.3-pound first stage letting off to a
1.2-pound second-stage pull for a total pull of 3.5 pounds. (If
you prefer another trigger assembly, SMOS is easy to work
with and, in most cases, can accommodate your preferences
within reason.) The company is also developing a new
relationship with Trigger Tech out of Ontario.
THE GFY15
IS PRICED
AT HALF OF
WHAT IT
IS WORTH,
SO YOULL
GET MORE
THAN YOUR
MONEYS
WORTH.
Rounding out the complete lower assembly is an aluminum

buffer tube housing a MIL-SPEC spring and H2 buffer. A Magpul
SL grip and Magpul SLK stock complete the furniture package.
A nice touch is the QD end plate (also made in house by SMOS),
into which I put a Magpul QD sling mount with a Vickers sling.
The billet 7075-T6511 aluminum upper receiver with integral
rail provides a stable platform for mounting a Leupold VX-6,
which Ive been using on this rifle since day one, because this
rifle deserves quality glass. The upper marries into the lower
with in-house-fabricated SMOS combat takedown pins.
The GFY15 doesnt rely on

over-hyping one feature.
Instead, it proves its
worth by being a solid
shooter that is crafted
and built in-house at
SMOS.
www.gunworld.com
A 13.6-inch 6061 aluminum M-Lok rail is bolted snuggly to

the receiver for a near-seamless transition between the upper
rail and hand guard rail. An inner diameter of 1.35 inches and
weight of 11.2 ounces (with hardware) allow your support hand
to easily transition between targets.
Rounds are sent down range from a black nitride BCG through
an SMOS-made, button-rifled, ultra-match 1:8 barrel made from
416-R stainless steel with a bead-blasted finish. Not wanting
to wait for the tax stamp needed for an SBR, I chose a 16-inch
barrel. The well-thought-out mid-length gas system allows for
decreased gas pressure. Not only does it cause less wear on
the BCG, it also reduces recoil (compared to a carbine-length
gas system). To further flatten out my follow-up shots, I chose
a Dead Air muzzle brake. However, SMOS offers other muzzle
devices to match your preferences.
The barrel is chambered in .223 Wylde. This was my first
experience with this chambering, and I was pleasantly
surprised at its performance. Honestly, until I shot my GFY, I
thought the .223 Wylde was just another trend du jour. However,
by accommodating the slightly different necking of both .223
and 5.56 NATO cartridges, theres a difference in both the
accuracy and feel when shooting a .223 round through a .223
Wylde versus the same round through a strict 5.56 barrel.
AT THE RANGE
After I mounted my Leupold Custom shop VX-6 to the upper
and grabbed a few P-Mags, the GFY was range ready. I wanted
to put some rounds down range to get a feel for its preferred
FEBRUARY I 2017
76
12/12/16 2:55 AM
SMOS firearms are built

to make you better at
what you do.
PARTING SHOT
Some might think Im a little partial to the
GFY15 because I actually own one and Im
trying to justify a purchase. Nothing could
be farther from the truth. It might seem
counterintuitive, but its because I own one
that I can give a more through evaluation.
Im much harder on my own gear that I
am on a loaner. I dont buy a firearm so
it can sit in the safe. I drop coin on guns
and then squeeze every last penny of
value out them. The GFY15 is priced at
half of what it is worth, so youll get more
than your moneys worth.
If you want to diversify your stable, stay
tuned to SMOS and keep an eye out for
its 7.62x51 and 300BLK offerings. GW
GW-1702-Hogue 11/30/16 9:41 AM Page 1
diet before testing its accuracy. Although

SMOS recommends Black Hills Ammo, the rifle
devoured everything I threw at it. After going
through thousands of rounds at my range, I have
yet to have any feeding problems, failure to go
into battery or ejection problems.
I was also curious to see how the rifle would
perform when dirty. My range is an old
motocross track, so there was plenty of dirt to
use. I covered the rifle with a thin layer of dirt
and slipped in a P-Mag, fully expecting there to
be some problems. The rifle ran just as smoothly
after a dirt bath as it did prior.
Shooting off hand, the rifle is well balanced and
easy to keep stable. Transitioning from close in
(25 yards) to 100 or 150 yards was easy. The
rifle held true to the holdover stadia shown on
the Leupold. It was comforting that the reference
standards in my optics were tracking true to
what the rifle was spitting out.
SMOS claims sub-MOA performance, and Im
not going to argue. In testing, any inaccuracies
were clearly my fault. With the rifle held in
place on a Caldwells Lead Sled Solo, I was
ready to find out how accurate this bad boy is.
The results speak for themselves.
12/8/16 3:58 AM
QUICK SHOTS
BY RICHARD VENOLA
FUGGLY
FIREARMS
I
5. A visually off-putting, oversized bolt doomed this rifle to an extremely

short production run. After only one recall, it was quietly allowed to fade
away. Think of it as the Pontiac Aztek of the firearms world.
A.) S&W I-Bolt
B.) Browning A-Bolt
C.) MAS 36
D.) Blaser R93
6. Designed in the wake of World War I, this hideous machine gun looks
like a Hollywood sci-fi prop designed by a shut-in with serious problems.
Its weird feed system didnt work well, either.
A.) Lahti M26
B.) Furrer M25
C.) Nambu Type 11
D.) Mendoza R34
an V. Hogg wrote, The M-1 just looks right, the way a welldesigned railway locomotive looks right.
Most firearms are, indeed, pleasing to the eye. But there have been
others whose designs appear to have fallen out of the proverbial
ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. GW
7. Strangely successful despite its ungainly appearance and

unconventional action, this pistol served with the Vatican Guard and
other large European armies.
A.) Dreyse M1907
B.) Liberator
C.) Webley-Fosbery
D.) Sauer 38H
1. Assembled from parts made by diverse manufacturers, this modular

automatic rifle was as ugly as it was unreliable, regardless of which caliber
it was chambered for.
8. Respected by all who used itdespite its awkward, ungainly

appearancethis automatic rifle was copied by the Israelis. But the
result was just as ugly (and it didnt work nearly as well).
A.) Chauchat Mle 1915

B.) Rheinmetall FG-42
C.) Degtyarev DP-26
D.) Browning BAR
A.) Carl Gustav Kg m/37

B.) Goryunov SG-43
C.) Degtyarev RPD
D.) Johnson M1941
2. Vomiting its guts out with each stroke of the action, this military
monstrosity has developed a high coolness factor over the years. (And it
actually works pretty well.)
9. This short, fat, graceless revolver became a world standard for

gentlemen wanting a pocket pistol with some serious punch.
A.) Benelli M4
B.) FN Auto 5
C.) Winchester M1897 trench gun
D.) Stevens Model 620
3. Appalling in its ugliness, this poorly designed and manufactured pistol
is prone to fire when out of battery and was less than popular with users.
A.) Colt Peacemaker

B.) Webley Bulldog
C.) S&W Model 1
D.) Taurus Judge
A.) M1898 Rast-Gasser

B.) FN Model 1900
C.) Makarov PM
D.) Type 94 Nambu
10. This colossal shooting iron weighed in at more than 3 pounds and
was ugly enough to make you wrinkle your nose. Nevertheless, it was
successfully used by American dissidents in that little disagreement of
18611865, as well as for elements of the French army.
4. When Switzerland adopted this state-of-the-art (and face-of-Medusa)

rifle, it terrified Europe. When Italy adopted a variant, English lawmakers
considered it a provocative act of war.
A.) Galand-Perrin
B.) Chamelot-Devigne
C.) LeMat
D.) Schmidt
A.) Schmidt-Rubin
B.) Dreyse
C.) Chassepot
D.) Vetterli
Suggest a topic for

a future gun quiz:
E-mail Richard Venola at
popelando@hotmail.com.
ANSWERS: 1. A, 2. C, 3. D, 4. D, 5. A, 6. C, 7. A, 8. D, 9. B, 10. C
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
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12/8/16 4:03 AM
GW_1702_79 12/14/16 2:21 AM Page 79
introducing
campcrate
A monthly adventure box packed with
handpicked camping and outdoor gear
designed to make every trip more fun.
CampCrate costs just $49.99 / month, and
select boxes will feature surprise additional
items worth up to $100.
Order your
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at campcrate.com
and get out there.
* Items in box for illustration purposes only.
Included items vary from month-to-month.
getcampcrate
L@campcrate Cfacebook.com/campcrate
QUICK SHOTS
BY RICHARD VENOLA
7.5X54MM FRENCH M1929

REJECTION OF THIS SUPERB CARTRIDGE PUT
A WEDGE INTO THE NATO ALLIANCE.
Surplus ammo is drying up. Most of it is corrosive, and all of it is

Berdan primed; and the priming is pretty much gone. You can make
cases for 7.5 using Swedish brass and resizing dies to squeeze
them down a tad. It produces around 2,700 fps, depending on what
weapon it is fired through, and produces about 2,440 ft/lbs of energy.
A .308 bullet will work just fine.
This excellent, versatile round soldiered from 1929 through to
1990 and was successful in a number of designsfrom the 1929
Chatellerault light machine gun to the Browning 1919 and Darne
aircraft machine guns to the MAS 36 bolt rifle, MAS 49 semiautomatic
and AA 52 GPMG. Among rare weapons chambered in 7.5 were the FR
F1 sniper rifle and odd-duck Reibel machine gun, designed for tanks
and fortress embrasures.
In the first few days of World War II, a flight of Curtis Hawk 75 (an
export P-36) fighters shot down a Messerschmitt with 7.5 Brownings
for the wars first Allied aerial victory.
rance had enjoyed the triumph of smokeless Poudre B,

introduced in 1884, in the severely tapered and widerimmed 8mm Lebel casing. This powerful round was
perfect for tubular magazines.
The excellent
7.5x54mm French
M1929, seen at left,
offered performance
and size almost
identical to the 7.62x51
NATO (.308 Win.) on
the right.
But soon after the turn of the century, French arms designers at the
renowned Manufacture dArmes de St. Etienne (MASFrances
Springfield Armory) began toying with self-loading rifles and
machine guns. Once the belle of the ball, the Lebel turned into a
nasty, old hag. The taper and the Does this (.621) rim make my butt
look fat? caused migraines andwe can suspectan increase in
local consumption of absinthe. As Frenchmen often do, the designers
sought a young, slender replacement.
The MAS 49 was tested against (and outperformed) the FAL and
M-14 prototypes at Aberdeen in the 1950s, but the specs were
quickly rewritten to rule it out. The French were highly incensed
at being forced by NATO to adopt the nearly identical 7.62x51/.308
Winchester instead of NATO just adopting the proven 7.5. Out of
spite, France actually opted out of NATO until the 1980s, when the
7.5 was quietly retired. GW
SPECIFICATIONS
NAMES: 7.5x54mm MAS; 7.5x53.5mm MAS;
7.5 French; 7.5 M1929
CASE LENGTH: 2.110 inches
HEAD: .480 inch
RIM: .482 inch
NECK: .340 inch
NECK LENGTH: .320 inch
SHOULDER LENGTH: .100 inch
SHOULDER: .443 inch
SHOULDER DEGREES: 26.80
CASE TAPER DEGREES: .750
LENGTH TO SHOULDER: 1.690 inches
PRIMER: Large rifle
BULLET DIAMETER: .309 inch (sources vary)
SUGGESTED LOAD: 130-grain bullet
with 43 grains of IMR4064
The French could have simply adopted the successful 1889

7.65x54mm Belgian or 7.92x57mm Mauser, but national pride was at
stake. Those were German designs, and they were out of the question.
During World War I, St. Etienne started playing with a number
of designs, settling on a 7.5x57mm in 1924. This immediately
caused problems, because it was easily confused in the field
with 7.92x57mm. In addition, there were over-pressure issues
from the BFP1 powder.
The 54mm variant debuted in 1929, with the appellation, M1929C. The
C indicated a spitzer 139-grain Balle C lead bullet with a cupronickel
jacket. Of course, there were the usual suspects: specialty rounds
tracer, incendiary, armor piercing, dummy, cadet and blank.
AUTHORS NOTE: For their research

assistance, thanks to Bryce Towsley,
Robert Shell, Ole Crab Miller, Wikipedia
and members of the 3me R.E.I.
The case is heftier than the .469-diameter Mauser family and thinner
than the .490 Swede, settling at .480. The Johnny-come-lately
7.62x51mm NATO is the same as .30-06 at .473.
www.gunworld.com
After France fell in 1940, the 7.5 soldiered on with both Free and
Vichy French forcessometimes against each other, as happened
in Damascus. The Wehrmacht, always short of automatic weapons,
drafted the excellent Chatellerault 24/29 into service with second-line
infantry divisions. When MG 34s finally became available, many units
wanted to keep their French guns.
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EVERYDAY CARRY
STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW
There are many knives on the market suitable

for everyday carry, but the best ones share
common traits: good steel, a sharp edge, sturdy
blade design, strong lock and provision for
one-handed opening.
Living
K
on the
Edge
WHILE IT COMES
DOWN TO PERSONAL
PREFERENCE, ITS
NOT WISE TO PUT
JUST ANY KNIFE IN
YOUR POCKET.
nives are essential items for everyday carry. Im not
going to name the one knife you should be carrying;
but I am going to recommend that you carry two
knives: one for general utility and one for defense.
For one, I dont want everyone around me to know what defensive

tools Im carrying. And I dont want to alarm anyone by whipping
out a large, spring-assisted folder when I just need to open a
package or clip a magazine article.
I cringe when I see someone use a good tactical knife as a pry bar
or screwdriver. When I need utility, a Swiss Army knife or some
sort of multi-tool (I prefer the Leatherman Wave) handles myriad
chores, and no one gasps in horror or calls 911 if I take one out of
my pocket. People are fooled into thinking Im one of those handy
guys. Theyre not threatened.
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Even if you normally carry a firearm, a defensive knife might

become your primary weapon if your firearm becomes disabled or
if youre in an area where firearms cant be carried legally. Keep
your defensive knife extremely sharp and undamaged by using
your second knife for routine cutting chores.
CARRY KNIVES: WHAT TO LOOK FOR

For a defensive knife, I prefer one of quality steel that is sharp
out of the box and has a sturdy blade and strong lock. The handle
needs to be substantial enough to afford good control and a
secure grip.
COLD
STEEL
KNIVES AND
HOW TO USE
THEM
A second, smaller knife

such as this Victorinox
Swiss Army knife or a
multi-tool such as this
Leatherman Wave is
preferred for routine
cutting chores. Neither
of these will shock
onlookers and will
save the blade of your
defensive knife.
Ive long been a fan of Cold Steel knives. The ones Ive
used were well conceived and razor sharp.
The two Im testing now are excellent. The first is the
new version of the Swift II spring-assisted folder. It
features a 4-inch, modified spear point blade of coated
Carpenter CTS XHP alloy. The handle is textured G-10, the
pocket clip is reversible, and the spring assist is about
the strongest Ive found. A manual safety switch on the
handle gives you the option of locking the blade closed.
Where legal, a large

folder, such as this
Benchmade Contego,
provides additional
reachwhich could be
important if the knife
needs to be deployed for
self-defense.
The second knife is all about self-defense: The Black

Talon II features a very scary, downswept, claw-like
blade with lots of belly. Its 4-inch blade is made of the
same top-quality steel as the Swift II. It has a thumb
plate for easy, one-handed opening and is configured so
you can also catch the plate on your pocket as you draw
it to open the blade. With practice, its very fast. The
handle is textured G-10, and the companys renowned
Tri-Ad lock mechanism is one of the best.
Real world prices for these knives are in the $100 to
$150 range.
How would you use such knives? Nothing takes the place
of hands-on training, but to get started, The Warriors Edge
is Cold Steel President Lynn Thompsons instructional
DVD series on the principles of knife fighting.
Thompson, a martial arts master, covers such topics as
types of knives, concealing a knife, footwork, as well
as various thrust, slash and stab techniques. He also
covers defending against an attack, including evasion
and empty-hand techniques.
Knives that are carried tip

down dont require you to
dig far into your pocket to
retrieve them.
The DVD series sells for $119.99 and is available at

www.ColdSteel.com.
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EVERYDAY CARRY
For one-handed opening, thumb studs and thumb holes are fine
if theyre positioned correctly. Ive found that a flipper is the surest
under stress with either hand, and it forms a finger guard when
the blade is open.
I prefer tip-down carry. It allows me to pinch the knife between
my thumb and forefinger to draw it quickly. With tip-up carry, Im
forced to reach deeper into my pocket. I find it slower and more
awkward if I have the knife in my right pocket and need to draw it
with my left hand. Ive also had bad experiences with good knives
that partially opened in my pocket with tip-up carry.
I often choose not to use the pocket clip at all; instead, I position
the knife in the bottom of a pocket, by itself. The advantage is that
there is no pocket clip visible to show Im carrying a knife.
You might want to consider a neck knife. It frees up pocket
space and can be accessed with either hand easily when youre
seatedthis is important if youre trapped in the confines of your
crushed automobile and you need to cut yourself out of your seat
belt or break window glass.
ABOUT
THE
AUTHOR
Steven Paul Barlow
is a retired sergeant/
station commander
and former firearms
instructor with the
New York State
Police. He has been
writing on outdoor
topics for more
than 30 years and
has served as the
editor for a number
of Engaged Media
special publications,
including Gunslingers.
Affordability is another factor: Dont waste your money on a cheap

knife. At the same time, a knife with a hand-carved mammoth
bone grip and the engraved signature of the custom maker wont
give you an advantage in a fight.
A neck knife, such as this CRKT Folts Minimalist Bowie, can be tucked away out of
sight. Nevertheless, it is accessed easily with either hand, even if you are seated.
These days, the shopping

mall, theater or your favorite
restaurant might become the
site of the next coordinated
terrorist attack.
Choose a good knife, because you could literally be living (or not)
on the edge. Treat your knife the way you treat your gun. Maintain
it, and keep it clean and rust free. And get some training in how to
use it, because, as with a gun, simply buying one doesnt prepare
you for a life-or-death encounter. GW
CONTACT INFORMATION
The thumb plate on the

Cold Steel Black Talon
II is configured so you
can catch it on the edge
of your pocket to open
the blade as you draw
the knife.
COLD STEEL KNIVES

(800) 255-4716
www.ColdSteel.com
The Cold Steel Black

Talon II (top) and
Swift II are two
excellent choices for
defensive knives for
everyday carry. The
Black Talon II has
a blade configured
for deep slashing
cuts, while the
Swift II has a strong
assisted-opening
mechanism.
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
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GW_1702_85 12/5/16 11:51 PM Page 85
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TRAIN
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MICHELLE CERINO
CLEARING I
SEMIAUTO
MALFUNCTIONS
GET YOUR PISTOL BACK IN
f youve shot a semiauto handgun more than just a handful

of times, its happened to you: the infamous malfunction; the
bane of self-loading firearms.
There are many causes of semiauto handgun malfunctions.

Common ones include poor technique by the shooter, mechanical
problems, ammunition, dirt, improper lubrication, weak springs
and magazines.
With so many potential failures facing usespecially during
competitions, during which multiple rounds are firedits important
to know how to quickly get our pistols back in the game.
THE GAMEQUICKLY.
My husband, Chris, always says, The body wont go where the

mind has never been. In other words, the only way to learn how to
clear gun malfunctions is by practicing clearing those malfunctions.
The three most common malfunctions in semiauto handguns
are misfires, double feeds and failures to fully eject (also known
as stovepipes).
MISFIRE
A misfire (or failure to fire) occurs when the firing pin hits the cartridge
but the gun doesnt fire. The main causes for this malfunction include:
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A bad primer caused by an indentation or blemish

Riding the slide forward (causing the gun not to go fully into
battery)
Improper springs (light/wrong/worn/broken)
A bad firing pin
Carbon build-up in the working parts of the gun
Also, if youve had work done on your pistol (as I have with
one of my competition guns), it might only work with certain
primers. Some primers are too hard for a particular guns light
spring to detonate.
DOUBLE FEED
Your first response to

any click instead of a
bang should be a tap/
rack process. This should
clear most misfires and
failures to eject.
A double feed occurs

when the casing from
a fired round doesnt
fully extract and two
rounds try to get into the
chamber at the same
time.
A failure to eject
occurs when the fired
ammunition case is
trapped, with a portion
sticking out of the guns
ejection port.
www.gunworld.com
This can occur when the casing from a fired round doesnt fully
extract and two rounds try to get into the chamber at the same time.
As with a misfire, there are many possible causes for a double feed:
The ammunition
An improperly seated magazine
Dirty chamber
Faulty magazine spring
No matter the cause, a double feed is identified when the guns slide
gets stuck partially open.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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TRAIN
FAILURE TO EJECT
A failure to fully eject occurs when the fired ammunition case is
trapped with a portion sticking out of the guns ejection port (hence,
the common term for this malfunctionstovepipe). When this
happens, another round cannot feed into the chamber until the
casing is removed.
Possible causes for this malfunction include:
Underpowered ammunition
A dirty chamber
An improperly lubricated gun
A weak recoil spring
The most common cause, however, is failing to manage recoil
properly (limp-wristing) by holding the pistol incorrectly.
AVOIDING MALFUNCTIONS
The following are a few steps a shooter can take to avoid these
malfunctions:
Buy quality ammunition from reliable sources. If you reload your
own ammo, use a sizing gauge to confirm that all your rounds are
consistent.
Visually inspect each piece before loading your magazines.
When you seat the magazine into your semiauto handgun, do
so firmly. Avoid slapping it in (as you might have seen done on TV).
When releasing the slide during loading or reloading, do not slow
it by riding it forward. Pull the slide back all the way, and let it fly.
Its the momentum of the slide that seats the cartridge properly and
ensures the slide is in battery.
If you have been shooting a lot or using your handgun in a wet,
dirty or dusty environment, be sure to give it a periodic, proper
wipe-down and then re-lubricate it. This does not replace correct
cleaning of the firearm after a shooting session; it involves standard
field disassembly, wiping down and brushing all the components
and lubricating them before reassembly.
When shooting, be sure to maintain a proper, high-thumbsforward grip.
Stovepipe is the
common term for a
failure to fully eject
malfunction. The visual is
very easy to detect while
the firearm is aimed in at
the target.
Your first response to any click instead of a bang should be a tap/

rack process. This should clear most misfires and failures to eject.
TAP, RACK, REASSESS
A misfire (or failure to

fire) occurs when the
firing pin hits the cartridge
but the gun doesnt fire.
A high-thumbs-forward
grip will diminish your
chances of limpwristing your pistol.
1. Firmly tap the bottom of the magazine with your palm to be

sure its seated.
2. Rack the slide to chamber a fresh round.
3. Visually check that the slide is in battery.
4. Continue shooting.
If this doesnt clear the malfunction, execute the following technique

to solve a double feed.
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LOCK IT OPEN, CLEAR IT, RELOAD

1. Lock the slide to the rear to remove spring pressure on the slide.
2. Remove the magazine and let gravity help clear any loose
rounds and casings from the gun.
3. Visually and physically check to make sure the firearm is free
of ammunition.
4. Insert a fresh magazine.
5. Release the slide to chamber a round (remembering the above
warning about not riding the slide).
6. Continue shooting.
A proper high-thumbsforward grip will help you

avoid many malfunctions.
There are other malfunctions you might encounter, and other

people might have their own spins on how to clear them. Asking
a competent shooter for help is your best bet if you are drawing a
blank. Nothing beats hands-on instruction.
At the very least, remember the bottom line in each of these
techniques is to unload the gun and then reload it! Ohand always
keep your gun pointed in a safe direction. GW
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
GW-1702-Taurus_heritage 11/18/16 9:32
AM Page 1
Michelle Cerino isboth a firearms trainer and the president ofCerino Consulting and
Training Group, LLCa firearms training company she built with her husband, Chris,
in 2011. She writes, hunts and competes in major 3-Gun matches nationwide.
Rough Rider Series

Rough Rider rimre revolvers are authentically
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STARTING AT: $199 MSRP
See our complete line of revolvers and accessories at:
WWW.HERITAGEMFG.COM
www.gunworld.com
FEBRUARY I 2017
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preps
STORY BY GARRETT LUCAS
THE SAVVY
SURVIVOR
S
triking out for the wilderness, whether hiking or

hunting, can be a great way for friends and family
to bond and become closer. But, quite often, its a
solitary undertaking for an individual who simply
wants to get away from it all and bask in the beauty
and peace of being in a remote location. The only down side to
getting away from it all is youre away from it all.
technology to help rescue teams locate lost or injured people.

The author chose the Foliage Maxpedition
Kodiak gearslingerWhile
as his walkabout
bag are the norm these days, there are still areas
cell phones
because of its low tactical profile, its build
where
a
signal
quality and capacity, if needed.cannot be found. PLBs, when activated, will
notify emergency personnel via satellite that someone needs

help. Some units, particularly older models, use the Doppler
Shift method of locating the individual; this approach can take
45 minutes to an hour to locate the subjects general location.
Being prepared for the unexpected, all alone in a remote area,

is kind of like having house insurance: You always have to have
coverage. If we knew when a house fire would occur, wed only
have to pay for coverage for one day. But, thats just not the case.
The same goes for traveling alone in the wildeven on day
hikes or just a one-day hunt. Theres no way to predict when
or where you might become lost or seriously injured. Thats
why its necessary to be ready for it at all times, especially
when youre going to be away from your vehicle or ATVin
which your gear might be stored.
There are a few things that should always be on your person
and separate from your pack or vehicle. Those are items that
can bring immediate relief or are critical for survival on a
short-term basis. One or two of these might not be as obvious
as one might think. Here are a few to help as thought-starters.
Using existing satellite

technology, personal
locator beacons
(PLBs) can signal
rescue personnel that
the user is in distress.
With newer models
transmitting GPS
coordinates as well,
the users location
can be pinpointed to
within 100 meters.
PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON
These devices are to be used only in dire circumstances, not

just when youve been lost a couple of hours. A hefty fine can
be imposed for improper use. But, given the fact that some of
the best units on the market can be had for under $250, I am
constantly flummoxed by the number of people who still die
each year in remote locations where a PLB would have made
all the difference in the world.
CRITICAL MEDICATIONS
For anyone who spends time in remote areas, personal locator

beacons (PLBs) are the wilderness alternative to 911. Once activated
by the user, these devices work in conjunction with satellite
www.gunworld.com
More-modern and higher-grade units incorporate GPS

technology by transmitting the users actual coordinates (via
the 406 MHz frequency) to the satellite system and on to the
monitoring stations. This process allows those in distress to
be located in as little as five minutes, and rescue personnel
can pinpoint the users location within about 100 meters,
rather than a couple of miles. From there, rescue teams can
follow the second homing signal also emanating from the PLB
on the 121.5 MHz frequency.
This is a simplebut often overlookedaspect of survival.

There are folks who must take certain medications on a daily
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The author also carries a pistol with

at least three magazines in his WAB to
supplement the concealed-carry gear
thats already on his person.
Even a small handful

of tools can make
the difference in an
immediate threat
event. The wrench
can do double duty as
an effective club or
glass breaker, and the
8-inch bolt cutter is
effective for fencing,
nails and wire.
www.gunworld.com
A FEW
ITEMS TO
KEEP WITH
YOU AT
ALL TIMES
WHEN
TRAVELING
IN THE
WILD
FEBRUARY I 2017
91
12/6/16 5:42 AM
preps
basis just to be able to function or live. This can include heart

or seizure medications, blood thinners, COPD medications,
pills for hypertension and the list goes on.
We never plan on getting lost or injured while on the hunt or
the trail, but think about this: When is the last time you (if it
applies) took at least three days worth of critical medication
on a supposed one-day outing?
Instead of taking your meds the morning of opening day,
consider what you might need with you if your trek into the
woods takes longer than planned. Once you have that figured
out, make sure your meds are not in your pack or vehicle; they
should be on your person at all times.
LAST-RESORT KIT
Most preppers who enjoy the outdoors are awfully particular
about having a comprehensive survival kit available if things
go sideways. Most preppers will carry a pretty good survival
The Maxpedition
Four-by-Six pouch
pictured here is
compact enough to
be manageable, but
it still has enough
room to store a good
amount of vital gear
that can be kept close
at all times.
A more-traditional
pouch is the Utility
Pouch from Hedgehog
Leatherworks (with
the optional fire steel).
The pouch is sized
to accommodate a
standard tin, or it
can be used to store
individual pieces of
gear.
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FEBRUARY I 2017
92
12/6/16 5:42 AM
kit in a pack or a bag. But theres always a chance of being

separated from a pack or bag.
Thats why its important to me to carry what I call a lastresort kit on my belt at all times when Im enjoying the
outdoors. While I like playing with the Altoids tin kits, they are
a bit small for my purposes.
Another traditional
leather pouch that
can be acquired to
use for a last-resort
kit is the Sparrow
Pouch from Reliance
Leatherworks.
Instead, I use a nylon belt pouch from Maxpedition to carry

last-ditch gear that will always be with me. No matter which
short-term or long-term pack I take with me, the one constant
is this small kit.
An important consideration is size. If a belt pouch is too bulky
or heavy, it wont be worn, because it gets in the way. The
key is to find the right balance between size and the ability
to carry tools you can rely on and to focus on the gear that is
most critical to staying alive.
KEEP IN MIND
As always, suggested gear and methods are just that
suggested. Each person has to make their own personal
choices. The trick is to not only be knowledgeable about
whats available, but to also think carefully about your daily
routines and whats most necessary for you to see the next
day. GW
Before heading out

into the outdoors for
the day, make sure
you have enough
of your required
medicines on your
person to get by for a
couple of extra days
in case something
happens in the field.
FOLLOW US ON
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Garrett Lucas has been a member of
the prepper community for more than
20 years. He has served as editor for
American Survival Guide and has written
on topics that include firearms, cutlery,
long-term preparedness, wilderness
survival, first aid and personal/home
security. He currently resides in Kentucky,
where he continues his learning process
each and every day.
Bringing you everything you want to

know about Concealed Carry
and more.
facebook.com/ConcealedCarryMagazine
12/6/16 5:42 AM
CLEARED HOT
BY BRIAN BERRY
PHOTOS BY BRIAN BERRY AND ROBB MANNING
A BEGINNERS I
GUIDE TO
CONCEALED
CARRY
BEFORE YOU GO TO THE GUN STORE,
f you are new to concealed carry or have possibly even been

around guns for a while, you know that the trip to a gun store
can be somewhat intimidating. It might be the overwhelming
number of acronyms and what might seem like learning a
foreign language as you browse the counter, looking at the
latest in handguns.
As you look, you might overhear two pros talking about their EDCs
and whether they carry IWB or OWB; maybe they even carry a BUG
(backup gun). Then, they ask, Do you have a CWP? Even that question
could be different, depending on what state you are from.
Just remember: Almost everyone else has been in your shoes.
GET SOME HELP
DO SOME RESEARCH.
www.gunworld.com
If you dont know a lot about guns, there are two main things you can
doin addition to training. The first is to make sure you get someone
who does know about guns to go with you to the gun store. Its the
easiest solution (but not always the most practical). The second is
the one I recommend: Get educated and get some experience before
you make a decision to start carrying concealed. In most areas, you
can find beginner handgun classes in which you can get hands-on
experience and training with firearms. Talk to your local gun shop for
recommendations on classes near you.
FEBRUARY I 2017
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If at all possible, try to fire the gun before you buy it. Larger
gun stores might have a range at which you can rent guns. The
money you spend on the rental might save you making a costly
mistake in getting a handgun you will end up not carrying. The
point is to carry it; thats why you are buying it.
Before you go to the gun store, do a little bit of research. For one, there
is a plethora of information on the Internet; not all of it is good, but
there is plenty. Another source is to find other shooters who are in your
same situation and talk to them. Whether in blogs, Facebook pages or
in person, gather as much information as you can.
ACRONYMS
You should be able to answer basic questions such as

How much experience do you have with handguns?
How are you going to carry it?
Or even, are you the only one that will be using this gun?
BUG ........................................................ Backup gun
OFF TO THE GUN STORE
CWP ............................... Concealed weapons permit
Now that you have gathered some valuable information, its time to hit
the gun store. If you are the shy type, you might want to go at off hours,
such as early morning or midday. Those seem to be the less-busy
hours, so you might get more hands-on attention from the sales staff.
Be honest with them; this is not the time for embellishment. In addition,
dont be pressured into something that might not be right for you.
CCP ...................................... Concealed carry permit

CFP .................................Concealed firearms permit
CCW ................................... Concealed carry weapon
CCH .................................. Concealed carry handgun
CPL .................................... Concealed pistol license
CWL .............................. Concealed weapons license
Test the fit of the gun in your hand. Does it feel too big? Too small? Are
the grips uncomfortable? Does it come with any accessories, such as a
holster, extra magazines, laser, light, cleaning kit, etc.?
EDC ................................................... Everyday carry

IWB .......................... Inside the wasteband (holster)
OWB ....................... Outside the wasteband (holster)
Heavier clothes allow

for larger firearms
to be carried. Here,
a full-sized FNS-9 is
being carried under a
flannel shirt.
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CLEARED HOT
The authors EDC:
a Glock 43 (with
Talon Grips), Strike
Industries EMP-G43
Plus-2 Extension Grip,
Benchmade 9100, 5.11
Side Kick Boot Knife,
MTR Inside Waistband
Holster and Wild Bill
Holster-Glock 43
magazine pouch
Nevertheless, I do change my guns based on the season and

what I can reasonably conceal. In the winter, when I wear more
clothes or a jacket, I might carry either my Kimber Pro Carry II
or a Glock 30SF. In the summer, when I wear T-shirts, I will go
with the Glock 43.
When I switch to the 9mm from a .45, I make sure I practice getting
the weapon out. I shoot a lot and always take my carry guns to
the range. They get plenty of practice. My .45 defense rounds are
Federal Premium HST, 230 Grain JHP; my 9mm defense ammo is
Federal Premium HST 147-grain JHP. I like both of these, and the
knockdown power seems to be sufficient in both.
IF ONLY
WHEN YOU GET

YOUR PERMIT,
DONT LET THAT
BE THE LAST
TRAINING YOU
TAKE. SHOOTING
AND CONCEALED
CARRY ARE
LEARNING
PROCESSES.
Another concern is ammunition. You might be concerned with the
ammos recoil or the cost. Examples are the Glock 42 and 43. The
G42 is in .380, while the G43 is 9mm. The recoil is slightly more
with the G43, but not significantly. The guns are almost identical in
feel, size and appearance. The difference comes in the number of
rounds the guns hold and the cost of ammunition. Because 9mm is
more popular, in most cases, the ammo will be less expensive. Its
also far more effective as a self-defense round.
Dont forget to take the guns weight into account. You are going
to be carrying this around with you, so whether its on a belt, in
your purse or backpack, that weight is going to affect you. (I was
recently at the NRA annual convention and carried the Glock 43
using an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster. I also had a Glock
30SF in a backpack. By the end of the day, I felt the weight of the
G30 in the bag; the G43 felt fine.) Its something to think about in
your planning.
KEEP IT HIDDEN
There is a lot to grasp, especially for new shooters. The key is

to seek out some training. Find a qualified instructor who has
received good reviews. Most of the time, I recommend avoiding
having a spouse teach you. It can be frustrating for both sides.
about
the
author
Brian Berry is a
retired Army Special
Forces Command
sergeant major. He
is a former Special
Forces Weapons
sergeant and has
multiple combat tours
under his belt. Brian
is the co-founder of
Spartan Defensive
Concepts, at which
he teaches concealed
carry and defensive
marksmanship
courses. Brian retired
in 2014 and is now a
consultant currently
working for the
Special Operations
community. He
resides on a horse
farm with his wife
and sons.
In the end, you hope you are spending all your time for something
that will never happen. But if it does, dont let your last words be,
If only I had prepared for this beforehand. GW
ADDITIONAL
CARRY
ITEMS
When going concealed, you might also want to think
about some additional items to carry.
The first and most obvious is extra ammunition. Whether

you carry a pistol or revolver, most gun owners only carry
a small amount for a true concealed-carry firearm. In this
case, you will have to carry an extra magazine or two,
a speed loader for your revolveror, worst case, loose
rounds (not recommended). If you are carrying magazines
or speed loaders, get a good pouch to carry them in.
You might also want to carry a pocket knife as a
backup. They come in handy, and you never know
when you might need one.
The point of carrying concealed is that the gun is, indeed, concealed.
Choose your clothing wisely. I am a decent-sized person, so I can
conceal a large-framed handgun and still go unnoticed.
www.gunworld.com
When you get your permit, dont let that be the last training
you take. Shooting and concealed carry are learning processes.
When you go to the range, practice for realitydont just shoot
at paper targets in rapid succession. Practice your draw, moving
to cover, reloading and shooting with the non-dominant hand.
FEBRUARY I 2017
96
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GW-1702-Old Faithful_alien gear 11/14/16 2:41 PM Page 1
LEGAL
REQUIREMENTS
FOR CARRYING
A HANDGUN
What is deadly force? The force a
person uses causing (or that a person
knowsor should knowwould create
a substantial risk of causing) death or
serious bodily harm or injury.
What does imminent threat mean? An
immediate fear of death or great bodily
harmor reasonably in fear of grievous
bodily harm or death.
CLOAK TUCK 3.O

IWB HOLSTER $43 88
Alien Gear has developed a holster

that not only boasts best-in-class
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American Rifleman
Can you use deadly force to protect

property? In most cases, no. Some minor
variances might be based on state laws.
Do you have to declare to a police officer
that you are carrying concealed? This is
dependent on your state requirements.
How old do you have to be to carry
concealed? In most states, you must be 21 to
carry concealed.
Is my permit good in other states?
Reciprocity is different for each state.
Do I live in a stand-your-ground state?
The law varies by state. In most cases, the law
removes the duty to retreat before using force
in self-defense.
Can I carry my gun at work if I have a
permit? Your employer might restrict your
right to carry on premises.
Which guns are covered under my permit?
It depends on your state. Check your laws and
their definitions of handgun.
Can I pull out my gun to scare off a threat?
This is a touchy subject. In some instances,
the law might determine that the threat was
not valid. As a result, you could be charged
with brandishing. Again, this varies by state.
GW-1702-HOT.indd 97
Questions?
208 215 2046
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12/13/16 2:45 AM
DOWN RANGE
www.gunworld.com
Smith & Wesson Model 29 Classic 6 inches, blue, .44 Magnum
FEBRUARY I 2017
98
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12/8/16 5:07 AM
GW_1702_C3 12/5/16 11:53 PM Page C3
112 MAGNUM TARGET, 338 LAPUA

Target Conguration, Single-Shot Magnum Target Action,
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110 BA STEALTH, .338 LAPUA

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GW_1702_C4 12/5/16 11:55 PM Page C4
RUGER AR-556
D I R E C T I M P I N G E M E N T, M O D E R N S P O R T I N G R I F L E
Flattop Upper Receiver Features a

Forward Assist, Dust Cover and
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16.10'', Medium Contour, Cold

Hammer-Forged Barrel with
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Post Front Sight and Ruger Rapid

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Reach for More
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Control
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its development, the AR-556 is constructed from top-quality components, including forged 7075-T6 aluminum upper and
lower receivers and a cold hammer-forged, chrome-moly steel barrel with M4 feed ramp cuts. Chambered in 5.56 NATO, the
AR-556s carbine-length, flattop, M4 design is fully configured with a Ruger Rapid Deploy folding rear sight, milled F-height gas
block with post front sight, forward assist, dust cover, brass deflector, telescoping six-position or fixed stock, improved trigger-reach
grip and enlarged trigger guard. Standardized M4/AR components are utilized throughout, so the AR-556 can be customized easily.
* Some ries may not be available in all states and locales due to laws limiting magazine capacity and feature-based restrictions. Please check with your local law enforcement agency prior to purchasing this rearm
to verify that it may legally be purchased and/or possessed in your particular state and locale.
** State compliant model 8502 is offered with a xed stock, heavy contour barrel, no bayonet lug or ash suppressor and includes one, 10-round magazine.
RUGER.COM/AR556
2016 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.
091316
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FEBRUARY I 2017

PERFECT COMPANION SAVAGE MODEL 42 TAKEDOWN

FEDERAL GOLD MEDAL GRAND SECOND-GEN

FEB. 2017 VOLUME 58, NO. 2

CLEARED HOT: BEGINNERS CCW TACTICAL

GW_1702_C2 12/5/16 11:52 PM Page C2

Colt revolvers earned their place as an icon in American history, and

BUILT ONE AT A TIME, PROVEN EVERY ROUND

COLT SUPPORTS MILITARY FAMILIES BY DONATING PART OF

GW_1702_3 12/5/16 11:07 PM Page 3

GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) is published monthly in January, February, March,

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

COMBO CAMP GUN

BY ROBB MANNING RMANNING@ENGAGEDMEDIAINC.COM

Robb Manning Editor

Michael Belcher Art Director

SUPPORT YOUR LGS

Gabe Frimmel Ad Sales Director

Robert Short IT Manager

EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE

17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92614

Engaged Media, Inc.

Mike Savino CEO

Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608

GW_1702_7 12/5/16 11:16 PM Page 7

Lancer mags OK, so the L5-AWM

MAKE: Elf Tactical

This ingenious design is a one-piece

For those who love the AR but wish it

This model attaches to any rail. In fact,

No flipping of the selector is

We also found it to be quite accurate.

The DAKA is quite possibly the

The Cache is a survival wallet that

The DAKA is made of polymerreinforced fabric with welded seams

The frame has a bottle opener, hex

SCOPE EYE CHRONICLES

STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN K. LEDIN

Lasers are no longer

f you own several firearms, chances are that at least

Above: The faux wood grain

The giant, complex aiming lasers of the 1990s are long

Laser grips for pistols with replaceable backstraps replace the

Aiming lasers offer same-plane sighting from several feet to

Most holsters will fit handguns with laser grips installed.

The Crimson Trace modular

Many laser grips use a replacement pin for installation. Be judicious

With its low profile,

GUIDE ROD LASERS

The Steiner DBAL has

The Sightmark LoPro laser

Compact universal units for a subcompact pistol can also

SCOPE EYE CHRONICLES

The very latest technology lets red, green and IR lasers

here are various types of bore sights, but

CONSTANT OFFSET VS. POINT OF IMPACT

There are lasers with the

GW_1702_13 12/7/16 11:53 PM Page 13

SEVEN GREAT LONG-RANGE

ong-range shooting is all the rage, and thats filtered

THESE GUNS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO

REMINGTON 700 SENDERO SFII

(However, with the added weight, you might want to consider

SAVAGE LONG RANGE HUNTER