Let me tell you how it works.

Mossberg's 590A1 Blackwater Edition “Meet and Exceed”

2011-11-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

Written by Norman Gray

POMA Member

The 590A1's rail is ready for any optics you choose

Growing up in Delaware hunters were restricted by state law on the use of rifles and handguns for hunting, mainly because Delaware is so flat and densely populated. Bows, muzzle loaders and shotguns are the choice for many hunters because of their limited range. But what I loved most wasn’t just hunting, it was those lazy summer days cooking hamburgers and hot dogs, drinking lemonade and then retiring to the back 40 and shooting clay pigeons. They were simple times, but those memories have stuck with me all these many years and I often wish I could return to those days even if for a little while. The shotgun that was used in my family was the Mossberg 500. For over 50 years Mossberg has been producing shotguns like the 500 series that has been putting dinner on America’s tables and providing hours of recreational shooting for the whole family.

The barrel and magazine tube is designed for battle

Since 1919 Mossberg has strived to make each firearm better than the generation before utilizing ever changing technologies in firearms manufacturing. This is why today Mossberg carries an ISO 9001 Certification for manufacturing assuring you the highest standards for your money. Following this line of thinking, it’s no wonder the Mossberg 590 was the shotgun the United States Military picked to equip our soldiers. Since testing began the 590 series was the only shotgun that met and/or exceeded Mil-S-3443 specifications winning them a coveted government contract. Debates do rage between which shotguns are better and looking at facts not speculation is a good rule of thumb. Being in the firearms business for 92 years and winning a government contract is proof you make a battle worthy shotgun. Even after all those years of kicking out hulls my father’s Mossberg 500 still performs like the day he bought it and I know It will be passed on to my sons one day.

The bayonet lug will accept any AR-15/M-16 Bayonet

When I received my Mossberg 590A1 Blackwater Edition, I removed it from the box and I was impressed with what I saw. The Mossberg 590A1 is not your daddy’s shotgun; it’s a breed apart from the hunting models, yet built to the same exacting standards. This shotgun is built for battle and would be highly effective in other areas such as executive protection, private security, police and home defense. The shotgun has always carried a deep respect and instilled fear upon anyone who has heard the racking of a shell into the chamber. Even the sight of the shotgun makes some criminals drop whatever their holding and place their hands in the air. The Mossberg 590A1 commands respect and an adversary would be very wise to give it that respect because it can deliver its payload of pellets fast with up to nine rounds and four in reserve. I have been asked many times if I could only have three firearms what they would be; I’ll tell you one would be a trustworthy pump action shotgun like the 590A1.

The fore end has three hard points for your accessories

Since the 590A1 is designed from the ground up as a military grade shotgun it has many features that also appeal to tactical shooters. The polymer stock of the 590A1 Blackwater Edition is a speed feed design, holding up to four extra rounds of your favorite fodder, I prefer slugs or a less lethal combination and since you’re dealing with a pump shotgun it will cycle anything you feed it. A recoil pad comes standard and the stock grip has a pebble grain finish for extra control in wet conditions. My sample had a slightly untrimmed recoil pad that overhung the stock by about 1/16 of an inch and while purely cosmetic, did not affect the performance at all. Some shooters also reported they had problems with the shells falling out of the stock during heavy recoil although I never experienced this during my testing. The springs in the stock are strong and unless they were not inserted correctly and didn’t catch the lip of the shell they won’t fall out.

The receiver is built to take punishment and still function

The 20 inch barrel is a heavy walled cylinder bore, designed to handle up to three inch magnum loads of whatever you feed it. It has two rings attached to the barrel, both stabilize the magazine tube but the rear ring holds the bayonet lug. Yea, you heard right, bayonet lug! Rifles have them, so why not shotguns. You can only carry so much ammunition and if you do run out at least you can keep your aggressor at arm’s length with some steel, after all that’s why the military still teaches bayonet fighting techniques and it is better than nothing! The front sight is an elevated design with what Mossberg calls an AR-style white stripe front sight and is easy to see in daylight conditions. The magazine tube holds up to eight rounds of 2.75 or seven three inch with one in the chamber with a possible load of 9 rounds, 13 if you count the speed feed stock, that’s not a bad load out. The magazine cap serves to hold the muzzle ring of the bayonet and has threads for a sling stud which is easily removed. A word of caution, the sling stud if not thread locked (Lock-Tite) or used with a sling can vibrate out and get lost. The magazine cap can be unscrewed to reveal the magazine spring which can be removed for cleaning and you reserve the option of adding a magazine extension.

No polymers need apply, all parts are made of metal here

The forend or forearm is a tri-rail design having a 5 inch Picatinny rail molded into the bottom and two smaller 1.75 inch rails on the left and right side. This makes shooting the 590A1 with a plain foregrip or one with a laser/light combination possible and gives you better control while pumping out the empty hulls. The left and right rails allow you to mount a light and laser separately if you choose to use the forearm as is. I did find it painful to have your thumb behind the left rail while shooting 3 inch magnums; during recoil it tends to jam your thumb pretty good. Just make sure you use a fore grip or keep your thumb under or on the rail or remove it altogether. You may remove both of these rails if not in use and it becomes somewhat flush. The forend is connected to the bolt by twin rails for strength and dependability. Since Mossberg shotguns are so popular, if you don’t like the hardware they provided, the aftermarket parts are easy to find and plentiful for your own custom setup.

XS Ghost ring sights provide a military sight picture

The receiver, trigger guard, safety and action lock lever are all metal for durability. On top of the receiver a Picatinny rail with a XS ghost ring rear sight installed, which is adjustable for windage and elevation. One of the features I like about Mossberg shotguns is the position of the safety; it’s located on the rear of the receiver and is easily accessible with your thumb for either left or right shooters. The receiver also wears the Blackwater bear paw logo on the right ejection port side and the words 590A1 engraved on the left side. The Mossberg 590A1 series comes equipped with an anti-jam shell elevator and duel extractors for positive hull extraction, so you can be sure when you pull the trigger the next sound you hear will be a good one. All these features give you a shotgun with an overall length of 40.75” and an unloaded weight of about 8 lbs. Add some 2.75” No# 4 Buck and four slugs in the stock and you get a combined weight of 9.25lbs which is about the same weight as a fully loaded 20” Colt AR-15A2 heavy barrel. The weight will come in handy during recoil and should you need to use the butt stock against an aggressor or to help you with a stubborn door, this shotgun is solid enough to handle it.

Mossbergs famous ambidextrous thumb safety

At the range I fired everything I could get my hands on from Remington premier target loads in No# 8 shot to Winchester PDX1 12 gauge and everything in between. There is no shortage of names and shot sizes the 590A1 will not digest, so whatever you want or need there is fodder for it close by. The market is flooded with high end specialty loads designed to optimize your shotguns full potential, but my first stop was my local Wal-Mart. I purchased over the counter 12 gauge ammunition like Winchesters 3” 00 Buck (15 Pellet) loads and some Remington Slugger 2.75” 1 oz Rifled Slugs. Ammunition for all firearms has made amazing leaps forward in the last few years and the shotgun is no different. I wanted to test as much as I could and I was not disappointed with the results. I shot most all loads at seven yards out to 25 yards and all the shot landed multiple hits, but what I was most impressed with was the slugs. I fired three rounds of Remington Sluggers at 100 yards and achieved a three shot group of four inches. I was told by a few observers that that was impossible with an un-rifled barrel; I’m guessing that myth was laid to rest fairly quickly.

The front sight is easy to see and hard to miss

The major benefit to a pump action shotgun is the feeling that whatever you need to shoot in it will function. You just can’t be sure about semi automatic shotguns functioning properly with all rounds and would you bet your life on it? But whether shooting flares, bean bag or door breaching rounds, you have but to rack the slide and you are back in action. It does take some effort to learn the mechanics of a pump gun, but like everything else it just takes time and practice. I own a semi automatic shotgun and I wouldn’t get rid of it for anything, but I believe there are tools best fit for the job. There are more than a few police officers who bet their lives on the pump shoguns they carry every day. If you ask them they will tell you it’s because they know it will work when they need it to and the Mossberg 590A1 was designed to deliver time and time again. If pump shotguns are really not your style and you must have a tactical semi-automatic shotgun that follows along the same lines as the 590A1, give the Mossberg 930 SPX Blackwater Series a try.

The speed feed stock hold four extra rounds of fodder

I could not find any faults with the 590A1 other than the few I described; it is a well built shotgun that will serve you for many years. If I could make a few changes in production I would definitely add a speed feed pistol grip stock for greater control. As far as aftermarket additions, I would add a side saddle and a lighted forend most likely Surefire’s 323LM forend or possibly the Crimson Trace MVF-515 Modular Vertical Foregrip with the green laser. Either way you are just making a great shotgun even more versatile and you can customize your 590 to whatever job or mission you need it to perform. I know this 590A1 Blackwater Edition is not going back to Mossberg; I’m having way too much fun with it. Whatever you buy from Mossberg whether it is a 590A1 Blackwater Edition, Varmint MVP, MMR Hunter or Tactical or the humble 500 series, you can bet it will be a trusted friend and you will pass it on.

Buckshot is great, but Walmart rifled slugs at 100 yards says it all

Sources:

Mossberg: www.mossberg.com

EOTech: www.eotech-inc.com

Rock River Arms LAR-8 "Pulling Double Duty"

2011-09-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

Setup to hunt with Aimpoint's H34L Hunter series

For tactical use try EOTech's Holographic sight and 3x magnifier

In 1996 two brothers Mark and Chuck Larson started a shop in Colona, Illinois that would bring their 40 years of firearms experience to bear on what would eventually become Rock River Arms. Although, since its inception the little black rifle has been praised and denounced. But with shooters welcoming it with open arms it is flourishing in ways its inventers never dreamed possible. When George Sullivan and Jacques Michault brought the idea for a futuristic rifle to Richard S. Boutelle of Fairchild Engine and Airplane in 1954, none of these 3 men knew that they were creating an icon that would be around for five decades. Early models of the black rifles were plagued with problems, but with the work of Robert Fremont, L. James Sullivan and Eugene Stoner and others on the ArmaLite team; it soon became a viable rifle. As time moved forward many problems were ironed out and with advancements in technology the AR or ArmaLite Rifle has become a leader in the free world arms market only eclipsed by the venerable AK-47.

The crown is recessed to protect it from damage

Currently within the United States there has been an explosion of owners of the civilian version of the military’s M-16 rifle. Now imagine an AR-15 on steroids and you have the Rock River Arms LAR-8. The two major differences is the size and it is chambered in .308 Springfield / 7.62x51mm NATO basically making it an upscale version of its smaller brother. On the business end; RRA starts with a 20 inch stainless steel heavy barrel with a bead blasted finish and recessed crown. It is then cryogenically tempered to relieve stress in the barrel to prevent it from bending and warping when heated due to extended firing sessions. The rifling is a 1:10 twist rate to give positive stabilization to bullets of 220 grains and lower.

The gas block's picatinny rail is ready for iron sights

The gas block (the device that taps gas from the barrel during firing to make the action cycle) is fitted with a 1 3/8” section of rail for mounting a front sight of your choice as sights are not provided and the receiver rail provides 7 inches of mounting space for your optics or iron sights. The aluminum, free floated tube that covers the barrel is a slightly fluted on the surface and a diamond pattern is cut in for a positive grip while having wet hands or wearing gloves. It is attached to the upper receiver via a special receiver thread and barrel nut that has holes for ventilation during firing. It is thick enough to be very stable and should resist some of the abuse the rifle could see during hunting or tactical use. It also sports a sling stud for attaching your favorite sling.

The hand guard is well ventilated for rapid cooling over the barrel

The upper receiver is a standard A4 flat top with a mil spec 1913 or Picatinny rail (the name comes from the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey where it was invented) for mounting optics or iron sights and it runs in line with its smaller mil spec brother as far as having the standard dust cover, brass deflector, forward assist and charging handle. The lower receiver also follows along the same lines as the AR-15 lower with a few exceptions. The ambidextrous bolt and magazine release is in-between the magazine well and trigger guard and is accessible with your trigger finger for either left or right shooters. I like this idea as it saves valuable time with fast reloads, simply drop the empty magazine, insert a full one, push down on the magazine release with your trigger finger, you’re loaded. When locking the bolt to the rear, just push upwards while pulling back on the charging handle. These two features make using the rifle simple, effective and fast.

Rock River Arms is American made in Colona, Illinois

The winter trigger guard is curved for use in cold climates while shooting with gloves, and while it can be opened and moved against the grip to allow access with mittens style gloves, it will not lay flat against the grip. RRA used a Hogue rubber pistol grip in place of the standard A2 style grip. I feel this is a vast improvement over the standard A2 type as the Hogue gives very positive control and fits well to your hand, but can hang on cloths as it is non slip. The butt stock is a standard A2 style with the trap door for storing cleaning supplies, spare parts, skittles in hot climates and M&M’s in cold or some beef jerky strips. A great feature of the LAR-8 is that it uses standard FN-FAL metric pattern magazines and L1-A1 inch pattern as well. These magazines are easy to find and plentiful from any number of shooting equipment suppliers both on line and around your local shooting supply retailers. You may custom order your RRA from the factory with other types of hand guards, gas blocks, charging handles, grips and safety selectors, to make it personal or fit your specific mission or hunting needs.

Your trigger finger releases the bolt and drops the magazine

The rifle weights in at around 9 lbs unloaded with a 20 round magazine and 10.5 lbs with a loaded 20 round magazine. The weight with a loaded 20 round magazine and sights is about 12.5 lbs, a little on the heavy side but you must remember you are carrying a .308 caliber rifle. Trigger is a two stage type and broke at around 6 lbs evenly and is very smooth. Overall length is 40 inches and it comes in a well made and lockable case with 1, 20 round magazine, instructions manual and warranty card. Two things I like the most is that it is made in the U.S.A and it carries a lifetime warranty. That is confidence in your product and that has always been a determining factor in my choice of whether or not to buy a product especially a firearm. Another is customer service, and the folks at RRA are a great bunch of people. When I spoke to the rep at the SHOT Show for a sample rifle they came through very quickly and were very pleasant to work with.

The trigger guard was designed with gloves in mind

I used two sets of optics in this evaluation, the first was provided by EOTech and the second was supplied by Aimpoint. The EOTech model EXPS2-0 Holographic Weapon Sights along with the G23.FTS 3x magnifier provides a viable tactical and hunting combination. Not only is this combination being used by our armed forces on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan and by Police SWAT teams, it works amazingly well in hunting applications. With the LAR-8’s integrated rail they are quickly and easily attached or remove and the aesthetics of rifle and sights look great. You can use the main sight for close up game because you scan with both eyes open and the 65 MOA (Minute of Angle) reticule uses a 1 MOA aiming dot that is adjustable for multiple brightness levels. If you need magnification for a longer shot, then you need only flip the magnifier into place from its resting place alongside the rifle using the Flip-To-Side mount. This gives you incredible versatility in short to medium ranges and a battle proven sight that can handle any hunting or tactical condition you may encounter.

The safety selector lever is easy to work in all conditions

If you are going to use the LAR-8 in a more traditional hunting role I would suggest Aimpoint’s Hunter Series like the H34L rifle scope. This optic offers the hunter an unmagnified 2 MOA dot housed in a 34mm tube for fast target acquisition in the field. Aimpoint is very well known in military circles as battlefield ready optics and delivers no less in their hunting optics with features incorporated from years of experience on the battle field. Features like multi-coated 39 mm objective lens, 50,000 hours run time on one CR-2032 battery, 12 intensity settings, waterproof, and all zeroing adjustment are done with the turret caps so no tools are needed, and the scope is provided with a pair of low mount 34 mm Weaver-style rings. The Aimpoint is manufactured by our friends in Sweden and is backed by Aimpoint’s 10 year warranty so your investment will go a long way in the field.

Hogue's pistol grip adds a great degree of control

I can sit here and spout nomenclature and specifications all day long and I am 100% positive you the consumer will research your choices wisely. That being said, your choice of Aimpoint or EOTech will depend on how you plan on using your LAR-8 and a little on how old fashioned you are. Either one is ideal for the field but if you flow along the traditional lines you will choose the Aimpoint. As a bonus you will be thrust into the electronic age with an LED dot instead of a crosshair. With EOTech you venture into Holographic weapon sights where the reticule is projected onto the glass commonly known as HUD or “Heads up Display.” Whatever the choice and for whatever reason you make that choice either is top notch and right in line with what our age is coming to, the age of high tech optics. Just remember to always carry a spare battery, but don’t worry, I’m sure rechargeable optics are coming very soon.

All the LAR-8 controls are easy to reach and user friendly

After initial inspection and lubrication it was time for the firing line. My friend Mike at McNett’s Doubletap Ammunition sent us some of their high quality American made .308 caliber Springfield ammunition in 150gr. Barnes TTSX, 180gr. Nosler Accubond and 200gr. Nosler Accubond. And along with a few hand loads we ran the LAR-8 through its paces for both functionality and accuracy and I’m glad to report I was not disappointed. Accuracy was great, the Doubletap grouped well at 100 yards giving consistent 1.5 inch groups but as all rifles are different, and your results will vary. Here are the results.

Factory Loads:

Make weight / bullet Velocity Notes

Doubletap 150 grain Barnes TTSX 2875 consistent

Doubletap 180 grain Nosler Accubond 2588 good load

Doubletap 200 grain Nosler Accubond 2443 average

Federal factory 165 grain BTSP 2731 consistent

Best performer out of this rifle was the Hornady's 150gr SST

I didn’t get a chance to test a lot of hand loads and as most of you know, not all rifle barrels are the same even if they are made on the same day and your chronograph results will show this. But this load had really low extreme spread and standard deviation, the down side was it was FMJ and nothing that could be used for hunting, but on the tactical side it was a tack driver delivering groups under one inch at 100 yards.

Doubletap's 180gr Nosler Accubond did well at 100 yards

Hand load:

Charge Powder Bullet Velocity Notes

45 Gr 4320 150 grain mil 2882 very impressive load

In the Tactical market, paired with a precision hand load or tactical ammunition such a Hornady TAP, the LAR-8 will give you a rock solid platform to conduct Military or Police operations. This is where the weights of the rifle play a role in stabilization for a steady shot and successive follow up shots. The .308 is a very viable and flexible cartridge and is easily found in any store or gun shop as well as worldwide. In the field as a hunting platform the LAR-8 is a great all around deer rifle and despite the weight will handle most of your hunting needs. With the choice of optics and accessories on today’s market you can customize your LAR-8 to go from tactical to hunter in minutes. This is why the LAR-8 appeals to me as a complete rifle system; I have always liked having one rifle that wears many hats.

My conclusion on the Rock River Arms LAR-8 is it is a rock solid, well built rifle with some good innovations and I would recommend it or anyone who wants a very versatile .308 caliber rifle. With an MSRP of about $1,535.00 it will remove a few bills from your wallet, but you get a solid return for your investment. Remember the old adage, “you get what you pay for,” and quality is not cheap. There are many companies who can provide you with accessories to make your rifle perform even better like Elite Tactical Components in Arizona. They carry iron sights like Troy as well as EOTech holographic weapon sights like the ones in this article. If you get a chance to take one for a test fire I highly recommend it and for those who shoot that smaller AR caliber, all I can say is hold on tight, you’re in for a exciting ride.

Sources:

Rock River Arms -www.rockriverarms.com
EOTech - www.eotech-inc.com
Aimpoint - www.aimpoint.com/us
Doubletap - www.doubletapammo.com
Hornady - www.hornady.com
Elite Tactical Components - www.elitetacticalcomponents.com

Hunting with the DPMS Panther Arms LR-338L in .338 Federal

2011-07-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

The DPMS Panther Arms LR-338L was born to hunt large game

Hunting larger game with an AR platform requires potent ammunition like the .338 Federal and only one AR delivers it, the DPMS Panther Arms LR-338L. Since the inception of the AR platform more than 5 decades ago, it has grown from a military small arm to a viable hunting rifle in a wide verity of calibers from the .17 Remington all the way to heavy hitting .458 SOCOM. DPMS (Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services) is the only company that has harnessed the .338 Federal in an AR platform and has given the hunter a potent choice for taking larger game. The LR-338L is designed from the ground up as a hunting rifle and comes to you with one four round and one ten round magazines, (you can request two four round magazines) sling, carrying case, owner’s manual and a DPMS sticker to show your pride.

From L to R: .338 Federal and .308 Winchester

Thinking it’s a tactical rifle? Absolutely not and while it may move along those lines, the LR-338L is a thoroughbred hunting rifle used to put food on the table and a trophy on the wall. The ammunition is a bit pricey to shoot at targets, but just right to take your favorite game and with Federal Premium Ammunition having six bullet weights and types from 180gr Nosler AccuBond Vital Shock to 210gr Nosler Partition Vital Shock you should be able to find one to fit your hunting needs. As a hand loader I will tell you there are more choices, but DPMS clearly states in their owner’s manual that using re-loaded or foreign ammunition will void your warranty. But hand loading is the only way to build a custom load that performs the best in any given rifle and I will cover this later in the article.

Top to bottom: Standard Colt .223 bolt group and DPMS LR-338L bolt group

The .338 Federal is a .308 caliber case necked up to hold a .33 caliber bullet. So DPMS gave this round a rock solid platform starting with an 18 inch fluted barrel and adds a permanently affixed custom compensator for an overall length of 21.4 inches. The Button rifled barrel is constructed of 416 stainless steel and is considered a light contour barrel with a six groove, right-hand, 1:10 twist. Since the LR-338L is gas operated or direct gas impingement design (meaning it vents gas directly back into the operating system to cycle) it uses a lightweight gas block to secure the gas tube, and has no means to attach a front mounted iron sight. You must use optics on the receivers A3 flattop Picatinny rail which is about 6.75 inches in length. The barrel is then wrapped in a free floated carbon fiber tube that will offer durable protection to the barrel and gas tube; it also sports a sling stud for the provided sling. The barrel nut that attaches the hand guard to the upper receiver is also ventilated to aid in air flow over the barrel.

If you need extra firepower Magpul's 20 LR fits great

The upper receiver resembles an AR with the exception that DPMS has squared the edges instead of rounding them off. The forward assist and brass deflector is this way as well with sharp contrast, but DPMS incorporated the forward assist into the brass deflector as one unit. The charging handle, dust cover and rail are strait forward AR, but these oddities are what make the LR-338L unique among other AR’s. The lower receiver follows along the same squared design and uses familiar parts such as the bolt release, safety selector lever, magazine catch and the captured takedown pins. DPMS went with the Hogue rubber grip for great control, which I like, but can get hung on clothing since they are non slip. The trigger is a two stage type most are familiar with and is housed inside a durable metal trigger guard, but like other AR’s that allow you to open the gate for glove use, DPMS did not incorporate this feature. The trigger guard is generous in size and should handle most hunting gloves, but will not accommodate mitten style gloves. The magazine well is larger to accommodate the .338 Federal and as it accepts all DPMS magazines it will accept Magpul’s PMag 20LR as well. Extra magazines as well as other parts and accessories may be purchased directly from DPMS’s web store or a specialty store like Elite Tactical Components.

Hogue grips are a nice touch and very non-slip

The stock is skeletonized according to DPMS, and with most designs of this type it is usually done to reduce weight, although the stock still uses a trap door. I’m not sure why they did this as I would have preferred the use of the trap door compartment for storing extra bolt parts, ammo or cleaning gear and in a pinch it’s great for trail mix I hear. If I look at it from another view, it makes for a firm two handed hold or if you’re passing an unloaded rifle up to someone. Lastly the buffer and spring aside from being larger to accommodate the .338 Federal are what you would expect to see in any AR platform. If you have never owned a larger caliber AR, the first thing you notice upon disassembly is the heavier and redesigned bolt carrier and bolt. For the most part they are identical but vary to a degree from manufacturer to manufacturer. The DPMS bolt carrier and bolt design looks much like what you would find in a standard .223 design except hardier to handle the potent .338 Federal, but will field strip in much the same way.

Brass deflector and forward assist button is all one unit

The rifle weighs in at 8.4 lbs with the provided 4 round magazine and 8.7 lbs with a loaded 4 round magazine containing the 185gr Barnes Triple-Shock. With the Trijicon TR20-1 AccuPoint 3-9x40 riflescope and 4 rounds of the same ammunition, the rifle weighed in at 9.75 lbs. The overall length is a little over 39 inches and the trigger pull was a consistent 5.25 lbs. The exterior is hard coat anodized mil spec and Teflon coated black and besides the squared and sharp angles of the rifles upper and lower receiver, it handles well and is balanced for it size. One of the things I do when testing firearms is to let other shooters fire the rifle to get their opinions. The shooters range in all skill levels and backgrounds so I get a good mix of feedback. Their comments fell in the order of: recoil, trigger pull, weight, esthetics and ammo, but in general, all the shooters liked the rifle and scope combination. All shooters reported that they never knew this rifle or the .338 Federal existed. I can only conclude there may be a few more sales of the RL-338L in the future.

The stock is skeletonized, which makes stock storage impossible

Since using iron sights is out of the question on this rifle, Trijicon sent me their TR20-1 3-9x40 AccuPoint. I have always been a fan of Trijicon because of their use by the military and they build tough optics that use illuminated reticules and best of all, require no batteries. This model uses a standard crosshair with a dot that uses the Trijicon tritium phosphor lamp, surrounded by aircraft grade anodized aluminum. Trijicon incorporates great features into the TR20-1 like fiber optics with automatic brightness control; this allows you to manually set your brightness level. Longer eye reliefs for use with heavy hitters like the .338 Federal, easy focus eye piece and multi-layer coated lenses for clarity and light gathering with no distortion aid you in the field. All these features are wrapped in a matte black finish with no glare or light reflection to make a great looking scope. The TR20-1 seemed a very good match for the type of hunting you will be doing with the .338 Federal and Trijicon backs it optics with a lifetime warranty for the original owner.

Standard butt stock trap door

The .338 Federal began its service in 1986 and gave the hunter a medium caliber in a known cartridge case for light rifles such as the LR-388L. The 338-08, a 308 Winchester necked up to hold a .338 bullet was the cartridge the .338 Federal was modeled after and with some minor modifications it became what it is today. Cartridges such as the 348 Winchester, 35 Remington and the 358 Winchester, although proven calibers, couldn’t compete in range with the new .338 Federal that Federal ammunition engineers had designed. The .338 Federal was designed for shots out to 200 yards and delivers over 3200 ft/lbs of energy with a max pressure of 62,000 psi. It works well with powders that drive the .223 and with up to 225 grain bullets, will take deer, elk and black bears all with the recoil of a standard 30-06 rifle.

The 1 in 10 twist does a good job stabilizing the .338 Federal

If you’re going after deer, the 180 or 185 grain bullets will easily take any deer you care to hunt but if you’re going to move up to moose and bear then 200+ grain bullets would be a sound choice. Since bullets change all the time and with hand loaders is a matter of choice, you should shop around and see what the bullet maker’s offer in the type of bullet you want. Barnes does a good job of making bullets for penetration and expansion and Hornady bullets are exceptional in accuracy and performance. Sometimes the bullet that performs the best in the rifle is not the best bullet for the hunt and as a rule of thumb, whenever you switch loads make sure you re zero as all rounds point of aim, point of impact are different.

The muzzle break does it's job very well although loud

Federal Premium Ammunition provided me with three types of their .338 Federal. 180gr Nosler Accubond, 185gr Barnes Triple-Shock and 200gr Fusion for testing. Other ammunition companies manufacture the .338 Federal but Federal Premium specializes in their namesake caliber providing 6 bullet weights and types to choose from. I found that they performed as expected with groups averaging from 1.4 to 2 inches at 100 yards. Chronograph results yielded positive results as well with good velocities for such a large and heavy hitting bullet with standard deviation and extreme spread being low.

Federal Premium Factory Loads Chronograph Results

LOAD BULLET VELOCITY NOTES

Federal 180 grain Nosler Accubond 2777 consistent

Federal 185 grain Barnes Triple shock 2681 good load

Federal 200 grain Fusion 2630 good load

Even though DPMS doesn’t allow using hand loads in its rifle for warranty purposes, I still used them in my testing because they allow you to customize your loads and ring out the best possible accuracy for this rifle. Once you do this, they could retain the right to refuse warranty service at their discretion. I would caution new hand loaders to take care loading for this caliber but experienced loaders shouldn’t experience too many problems. With reasonable care and following all the safety rules for hand loading you can create ammunition that will make your RL338L even more accurate. After chronographing and firing my factory loads, I cleaned my Federal brass and started reloading. Since there isn’t a lot of load information on this round I worked carefully with my mentor Bob Shell and used information we found for the .358 Winchester. These two cartridges are identical except for bullet diameter so it makes a good choice for a loading reference for the .338 Federal.

No front site base so select good optic's like Trijicon

After full length resizing and de-priming each case, it is a good idea to check your case’s overall length using loading data or a factory cartridge. Semi-automatics such as the LR-338L will not chamber overly long rounds. Under length rounds will not be as accurate because the bullet is not sitting at the optimal distance to the lands and grooves. The proper overall length of Factory .338 loads is 2.894” and while it will tolerate plus or minus that by a few thousands of an inch, make sure you keep it as close as possible for best function and performance. After you have loaded your cartridges, make sure you check function in the magazine and rifle before you head out on that big hunt; the field is not the place to find your ammo will not chamber. Through trial and error I found this to be a valuable bit of information that will save you time and aggravation at the bench and in the field.

The Trijicon was a great match with its illuminated dot

Here are the results from my reloads that were chronographed on a RCBS, Ammo Master. I made up seven loads using my Federal .338 Brass and various powders.

Reloading Chronograph Results

LOAD POWDER BULLET VEL NOTES

44 Gr IMR 4895 225 grain Hornady 2461 consistent

47 Gr AA 2520 200 grain Hornady 2494 best load

48 Gr IMR 4320 200 gr FTX 2461 really consistent

47 Gr IMR 4895 200 gr FTX 2494 satisfactory

47 Gr AA 2520 200 gr FTX 2462 consistent

41 Gr 748 225 gr Hornady 2123 consistent but light load

41 Gr 748 210 gr Barnes solid 2147 consistent but light load

A few small issues I discovered along the way were easy to fix like the magazine not locking open after the last shot or stripping another round from the magazine. On the AR rifles the magazine release is spring loaded and if you push in the release with a small object it pushes out the other side and can be turned to tighten up the hold on the magazine. Using light loads may not generate enough gas pressure to cycle the bolt properly to eject and strip a new round from the magazine. A few grains of powder seemed to fix this issue but proceed with care a few grains go a long way and safety is paramount. With my eye relief on the AccuPoint, the scope overhung the charging handle and made it difficult to chamber a round using the factory charging handle. An aftermarket charging handle with extended ears will fix this problem and a different eye relief may aid this as well.

If you have an AR platform, this rifle will feel like an old friend

The recoil plate has a diamond cut pattern to aid in keeping the rifle in your shoulder pocket, although they are sharp and shooting it repeatedly in a t-shirt will leave the pattern on your skin. For extended shooting sessions I suggest a pad or jacket and with a hunting jacket it poses no issues, it’s just part of the experience of shooting the .338 Federal. The DPMS LR-338L is a well built rifle and with proper maintenance and care it will give you many years of faithful service and I would have no problems taking it on my hunts.

1 inch and under is very possible with this rifle and great ammunition like Federal

Sources:

DPMS - www.dpms.com

Federal Premium Ammunition - www.federalpremium.com

Trijicon - www.trijicon.com

Elite Tactical Components - www.elitetacticalcomponents.com

Teaching women to shoot

2010-11-06T13:30:00.005-07:00

Teach young women to be responsible shooters now and it will last a lifetime

For many years, women have been coined the weaker or fairer sex, but times are changing rapidly. Women are involved in high ranking jobs and positions all over the world. They are highly educated, very motivated and woman within the shooting sports are no different. Women like Smith and Wesson’s, Julie Golob, 10 time U.S. Practical Shooting Association National Champion; Canadian born Susan Nattrass, six-time Olympian and triple medalist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia; and Germany’s Sonja Pfeilschifter, Women's Olympic Rifle Shooter. These are but a few of the women who compete on a professional level in shooting sports. Before these ladies became champions, they all started with little or no firearm experience. As they were once new to firearms, you now have the opportunity to become knowledgeable and skilled with them as well.

The Ruger 10/22 makes a great teaching rifle for young shooters

Here is what I recommend for you to get started in the shooting sports. Start by looking in your phone book or on the web for local shooting clubs and ranges. See if they offer beginning shooters classes for women and recommend this idea to them if they don’t. Seek professional firearms instructors, they will teach you the latest techniques and help you shoot safely. It is easier to build on a foundation of good shooting instruction than to erase bad habits that may get you or someone else hurt or killed. Professional instructors will also provide you with a list of starting equipment you will need for the coarse. In some cases the club or range will provide you with the equipment and firearm you will need for the class with your coarse fees. Women only classes will allow you to feel comfortable and ask question without feeling intimidated. Remember, the only bad question is the one not asked. You are there to learn to shoot, so get your monies worth and have fun doing it.

Loading magazines for some women may be hard

If you need to bring your own equipment, here is a simple list of things you will need. Purchase or borrow one pair of hearing protection, either earmuff style or foam ear plugs. I recommend the earmuff style as they will be reusable and easy to put on and take off as needed. There are many styles and colors available and even electronic options for enhanced volume while speaking and noise reduction while shooting. It is very important to wear your hearing protection while shooting or around others who are shooting. Exposing your ear drums to high decibel levels of noise will eventually damage your hearing. Using your equipment properly will protect your hearing and help you concentrate on shooting, not flinching from the noise the firearm makes. Prices begin at $15.00 and up and can be purchased at most sporting goods stores or retail establishment.

The .38 revolver is a great teaching aid, it's simple but effective

Purchase a pair of eye protection with poly carbonate lenses. These lenses are impact resistant and in the rare event of a mechanical failure of the firearm or ammunition, your eyes will be saved. Construction safety glasses are great eye protection for shooting and come in many styles and colors. They can be purchased at any good home improvement store. I suggest a wrap around style with dark lenses for daylight and clear, yellow or amber lenses for indoor ranges. The prices for good eye protection will run from $20.00 to $35.00 for a basic pair. While you’re shopping for eye protection, ask yourself, “How much are my eyes worth?” Never skimp on safety equipment. You wear them for protection and they can be replaced. You must always wear your eye and ear protection while shooting; you get only one set of eyes and ears, and they can’t be replaced.

Good instruction yields great results, even with a .45 ACP

Now if you can’t cash flow professional instruction because of poor economic times, what are your chooses? Well just about everyone knows someone who shoots, whether it is Mom or Dad, brothers or sisters, aunts or uncles or just your best friend. Only you know who you can trust and feel comfortable with to teach you the skills you will need to shoot well and safely. Once you have decided who that person will be, ask them to teach you what they know about shooting. I recommend a safe place away from the distractions of society that allow you to concentrate on the task at hand. Ranges tend to be busy and loud and the rules sometimes get in the way of good one-on-one instruction. One-on-one instruction is key; leave the distraction of the world at home so you can really soak up the information that’s being presented to you.

A great shot of the ejected brass from a 9mm Walther P-99 during range time

Now your chosen instructor will no doubt bring all the tools of the trade with them, like targets ammunition and shooting gear, but the one most important thing is the firearm you will be using. Not everyone has an arsenal of firearms to choose from, but I would suggest you buy or borrow a small caliber revolver like the .22 rim fire. .22 Revolvers are inexpensive and the ammunition is cheap and plentiful. .22 Revolvers are easy to load, shoot and unload and don’t have a lot of noise or recoil (the upward force caused by the ammunition firing inside the pistol) to distract you while shooting. Use a full size pistols to learn on and stay away from compact and sub compact pistols, they are hard to control for a beginners. I would also stay away from semi-automatic pistols for now until your shooting skills improve. Semi-automatics are more complex in their operation and require more training to handle and shoot properly.

Victoria is looking into her shooting future as she holds a Freedom Arms 454 Casull

If you or your instructor only has a semi-automatic pistol then I suggest the smallest caliber that is available. .22, .380 and 9mm are not bad calibers to learn on, they are small and have light to moderate recoil to contend with. Just remember, your friends and family that are already into shooting will most likely have the firearm you need so don’t be afraid to ask. Allow yourself enough time to learn the basics, I teach the basics at home on my kitchen table. Using dummy rounds (ammunition that does not contain powder or primers), I teach loading and unloading and with an empty and double checked pistol, dry firing to help establish good grip, target acquisition and trigger squeeze. This helps you get use to the pistol and teaches you not to be afraid of it. When it comes time to shoot live ammunition, again allow yourself time to learn and enjoy your new hobby. Rushing around is not a productive way to learn to shoot and will cause mistakes and can be costly.

Shot by my wife, with 17 years of trigger time with a Colt Delta Elite 10mm

Try to find a good spot to shoot, with a good backstop for the bullets to impact harmlessly. A cool, sunny day is preferable but weather doesn’t always cooperate. Wear appropriate clothing for the weather and bring along water and some snacks. Take at least a 15 minute break per hour to refresh and hydrate as needed. About two hours is a good start, but you may be having so much fun you don’t want to stop. Time moves fast when I teach people to shoot, we go through 4 hours in no time and everyone involved has told me they had a blast, excuse the pun. The more time you spend shooting, the more comfortable you will become. But comfortable can be dangerous if you forget the basic rules of firearms safety. So let’s cover those so you are aware of them at all times while handling any firearm.

1. Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction.
2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
3. Always keep your firearms unloaded until ready to use.

Other good rules to follow:

1. Know your target and what’s beyond it.
2. Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
3. There is no such thing as an accidental discharge, only negligent ones.
See rule number 2

Now these rules vary widely from print to print but the message is the same and when you stop obeying them, someone gets hurt.

My wife had fun shooting a 90 year old German Luger in .30 caliber

The biggest thing to remember; unless you’re a born natural at shooting, it takes time to hone your skills. I have seen women and men get discouraged because they can’t hit the bull’s eye from the start. You must learn the basics and as you become better at those, the rest will follow suit. A good instructor watches you shoot, not necessarily the target, so they can make improvements and suggestions as you learn. They watch for certain signs and help you make adjustments and make sure you know how to use your sights correctly. Getting you comfortable and using a few tricks along the way helps improve your overall performance. If your instructor has the heart of a teacher, they will be patient with you and guide you. Watching you improve and keeping you motivated is what an instructor is there for. The biggest thing to remember is your there to learn and have fun. I have always said, “Your worst day at shooting beats your best day at working.”

Range time is important for women and men to hone their skills

If you stay dedicated and learn all you can, whether through instruction, reading or practice, you will do great. I started shooting when I was eight year old and 35 years later, I’m still learning. As your skills increase you will branch out into other areas like, shotguns and rifles. For me there is nothing better than firing a 120 year old rifle that has history. But there are some things to consider, because firearms have a dark side. You will meet people who will not like you shooting or owning a firearm. They believe they are inherently bad and cause needless deaths. But through education and experience we can tell them that firearms are safe if used by law abiding people. No gun in history has ever killed a single person on its own; it’s the hand that wields it that has bad intent. Firearms are tools like any other and can provide hours of fun, put food on the table and protect you and your family. If you like what you have done, becoming a responsible gun owner, help make it stronger. Join like minded people and groups that fight to save your right to target shoot, self protection and hunt.

Shooting black powder is fun and teaches a little firearms history as well

I hope you have found this article as fun to read as I had writing it. My passion for the shooting sports is only eclipsed by the love of my family, who are all shooters by the way. My goal is that you become a law abiding, responsible and educated shooter and hunter. One day you will get the opportunity to teach other women the skills you have mastered. This is the only way our hobby will survive, so be proud of what you do. About 17 years ago I taught my best friend and my wife to shoot; now she is highly skilled in the use of pistols and I am encouraging her to become an instructor and teach other women to shoot. Whether she does it or not, I am very proud of her level of skill and dedication, and I encourage you to do the same. Never let anyone tell you women can’t shoot, because their wrong. A diamond starts out a rough stone, but you see what a little time and attention can do for it.

SureFire Illumination Tools: the best and brightest in the industry.

2010-09-02T06:33:00.008-07:00

From left to right:

The Sure Fire G2, E2E Executive and Z2 Combat Light.

Now you wouldn’t think a flashlight would cause so much excitement, but when you were a kid the uses for a flashlight were endless and those uses sure have changed with the times. When I was a kid, flashlights were all steel and used either D cell batteries or the chunky 9 volt. They came in two types, round or square and if you had one you were in heaven. My father had both models for his job in the Air Force and every chance I got I would steal them away and go play in the dark, in my room. Of course if I wore down the batteries my dad would not be happy, but I think he knew how much fun they could be. I didn’t know then, as he did, how useful a tool the flashlight was, but I sure do now. As with most things back then, I couldn’t even imagine where a simple thing like a flashlight was heading, but technology moves forward with or without us. I’m glad I went along for the ride, because I like where it’s going!


Sure Fire's Z2 Combat Light goes well with your favorite carry gun.

Flashlights have come a long way since my childhood and now they a referred to as Hand-Held Illumination tools, and the Illumination tool that started it all is made by the SureFire Company of Fountain Valley California. Their history is long but it all started with lasers not flashlights although it’s still based on light right? Well in 1969 a man with a Ph.D. in engineering by the name of Dr. John Matthews started to experiment with lasers for industrial purposes and through time and his love of firearms invented the weapon mounted laser sight. Laser products as they were called then moved on to accommodate law enforcement agencies with better equipment until the weapon mounted flashlights came on to the scene. With improvements to both lasers and flashlights, they eventually branched out to include more products. It was then that the name SureFire LLC was adopted and now they are a world leader in Illumination tools and other products that carry the SureFire name.

The Sure Fire's G2 makes a perfect work light.

I started to notice SureFire lights at local gun shows and a few gun shops that carried their products. Like most things I didn’t know how special they were, after all, they’re just flashlights and why would someone want to pay upwards of $50 for a flashlight that takes funny little batteries. The batteries were even expensive, I could buy a Maglite with double A’s or a 4 battery D cell for half that price and I did. But I started to realize that as well built as Maglite was, it was still not very bright. I heard from others who owned SureFire lights as well as through SureFire’s advertising that these lights were powerful. And to top that, the United States Military was using them on their rifles for low light operations. Well my curiosity peaked I had to find out what all the hype was about, so I visited my local SureFire dealer. I guess the rest is history since I own two, bought one for my wife and a few others as gifts for family members.

Sure Fires E2E Executive works with a purse or a suit.

My first SureFire was the Z2 Combat light with the standard P-60 incandescent lamp (a filament that glows white-hot when heated by a current passed through it) that puts out 65 lumens; it cost me about $95 when I bought it a few years ago. I know what you’re thinking, what the heck is a lumen. Well in its simplest term, a lumen is a way of measuring how much light gets to what you want to illuminate. It can get more in depth and I encourage you to look it up and read more on it. The Z2 like most SureFire lights is machined from high-strength Aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, although they do make the G2Z which is cheaper version of the Z2 and is made from Nitrolon, but in effect, it’s the same light. SureFire lights are very resistant to damage and have stopped bullets and saved lives in a few cases, and carry a lifetime warranty for the original owner. It has an anti-roll bezel so when you lay it down on a table or car hood it won’t roll off. It is designed to be held between your first and middle finger and the push button tail cap makes it easy to use your thumb to press for momentary on or you can twist it for constant on. The use of the combat grip insures it stays in your hand, even when wet, cold or using gloves. The length is 5.2 inches and the weight is 4.1 ounces, with batteries, so it fits in a small package and you will hardly know you’re carrying it all.


From the left: the V82 Nylon QD Holster and V70 Speed Holster

The Z2’s primary purpose is to be used alone as a defensive tool or with a pistol using one of the many types of holds like the Rogers/SureFire hold technique. Of course you can use whatever hold you like as long as the end results are the same, you have temporally blinded your attacker and escaped or identified and shot your attacker. Now what makes all SureFire lights unique is the way they project light. Most normal lights have dark holes, rings, hot spots, or shadows, but SureFire has eliminated these problems with their uniquely engineered lamps and all the light is focused on what you want illuminated. It, like most others, uses the SF123A SureFire battery and depending on what lamp is used will dictate how long it will last. Mine will last 60 minutes with the P-60 lamp and 20 minutes with the P-61. Of course I know what you’re thinking, 20 or 60 minutes on two batteries that cost a $1.75 each, that’s crazy talk, more on that later. The light comes in black only but the G2Z comes in the Nitrolon and is a satin gray


The SC1 Spares Carrier holds 6 123A's and spare lamp

The second light I own is the G2 Nitrolon with the same P-60 lamp as the Z2 and this one cost me about $35 a few years ago. This is my primary light I use at work and it lights up everything just like the Z2. Now this light is not aluminum, it is a material called Nitrolon and it is a proprietary, high-strength, non-conductive, impact-resistant, glass-filled polyamide nylon polymer. In layman’s terms it’s tuff as hell and is very light in weight although it is still 4.1 ounces the savings is in the fact that it is molded not machined. The length is 5.1 inches, a little shorter that the Z2, and has a deep grid pattern for a good grip. The bezel is molded into the body and is also anti-roll and employs the same style tail cap assembly as the Z2 and uses 2, SF-123A batteries. The G2 comes in 4 colors, black, yellow, tan and OD green. If you need more power there is the G3 Nitrolon and it uses 3 SF-123A batteries giving you 105 lumens for 60 minutes or 200 lumens for 20 minutes. Either the Z-2, G-2Z or G2 lights will also take the P-61 lamp which will give you 120 lumens, but for only 20 minutes constant run time.

The V70 holds my G2 and Z2 as shown or bezel in

The last light is the one my wife owns and she didn’t want a twist type tail cap so I bought her the SureFire E2E Executive Elite. It is a small light that fits well in her purse and weighs in at 3.1 ounces and is 4.8 inches long. It uses the MN03 lamp which gives her 60 lumens for a 75 minute run time. It employs the same anti-roll bezel and the addition of a clip for use with a pocket or purse. It comes in two colors; olive green and satin gray. The tail cap assembly on this light is, push for momentary on, or push further and click for constant on. With this light you can opt for the MN02 lamp assemble and it will give you 25 lumens for 2.5 hours of run time. I paid $85 for this light, and she really likes it so it was well worth it.

Z2 bezel in carry with the V70 holster

With many of the SureFires, there are a lot of accessories to go with your lights. Anything from holsters, lanyards, filters, battery carriers and extra lamps, but when I bought my lights the one thing I couldn’t get then was LED lamps. LED or Light Emitting Diode extends your battery life a long way. Let’s take my Z2 and G2 with the P-60L (LED) lamp assembly, my lights now lasted for 12 hours run time and bumped my lumens to 80. The bad news is they are discontinued; instead you can now buy the lights with the LED lamps installed. The LED has no filaments to break or burn out so they last for thousands of hours and since they won’t break you won’t freak out when you drop them. I told you I would address the battery life issue later. Although some lights don’t have the LED option, so read the description carefully to see if there is a LED version of the light you want. One thing to keep in mind, the incandescent lamps give off a lot of heat and will burn you and can set fire to clothes and paper while the LED runs cool.

Sure Fire's 123A lithium batteries by the dozen

What makes the SF123A worth the $1.75 price tag is the engineering that goes into it. For the size and weight, it would take 2 regular alkaline batteries to compare to one SF123A. The SF123A generates 3 volts to the 1.5 volts of an alkaline and will deliver all its power over the life of the battery where alkalines will die slowly and fade out. And lastly Lithium batteries outperform alkalines over a wide temperature range, providing a working output from -76° to 176° F (-60° to 80° C). I always keep a dozen batteries on hand so I never run out and the SF-123A lithium battery has a 10 year shelf life, so you don’t have to worry about them dying in storage. They come in a convenient 12 battery box, but there are smaller packs available. The down side is like normal batteries will slowly fade out; SF-123A batteries just die in some lights. Some of the new lights with the power regulation circuitry technology will decrease the lumens to a lower setting. For example it will start as 80 lumens then as the battery losses power will go to 30 and then die. You can use other batteries that are not SureFire batteries and it will not void your warranty, these include; genuine Panasonic, Duracell or Energizer batteries. Be very careful when buying batteries as cheap types abound like batteries made in China or marked PRC. You paid a lot of money for your SureFire, don’t feed it inferior batteries unless you love paying for your mistakes.

No lamps to replace when you get the lights with LED lamps

These lights are as high tech as you will get, almost bordering on alien stuff. You will never own a light as good as SureFire and you will pay for it, but as the saying has always gone, “you get what you pay for and you pay for quality”. This is the link to the flashlight technology page that will explain why these are the best lights in the industry and why thousands of police and soldiers trust their lives to these lights. Go to: http://www.surefire.com/FlashlightTechnology and read what makes them worth the price you pay. While you’re at the SureFire website check to see which light is right for you, and make sure you check out all the other products they carry. They include sound suppressors, edged weapons, pens, rails and pro ear products. I trust my life to these lights and when I’m carrying my Glock 27, I also carry my Z2 and when I’m working I carry my G2 to blind a potential aggressor. If you’re serious about your flashlights, then buy a SureFire Illumination tool and you won’t be disappointed, I guarantee it, or at least they will. Go to your local dealer and try one out for yourself, maybe they will let you turn the lights out!

On the left is a Sure Fire incandescent lamp on the right is Sure Fire LED lamp.

On the left is a Mag-lite on the right a Sure Fire LED, notice any difference?

SureFire LLC: www.surefire.com

The Taurus Judge is taking the marketing bull by the horns!

2010-06-01T14:00:00.020-07:00

The worst possible place to be with the Judge in hand!

Well nothing I can say or write will dull the fact that the Taurus Judge model of pistols is currently the best selling firearm they have ever had, or the fact that it is such a versatile pistol in that it fires .410 gauge shotgun shells and .45 Long Colts. But since its introduction, it has taken the market by storm and people are taking them home as fast as they can manufacture them. I remember seeing ads for Judge in various gun magazines and thinking, “that’s an interesting concept in a revolver.” The concept of a firearm shooting more than just the round it was designed for is nothing new. The .357 magnum will shot .38 specials; the Smith and Wesson .460XVR (Extreme Velocity Revolver) will shoot three other rounds, the 454 Casull, the .45 Long Colt and the .45 Schofield. There are also pistols that shoot shotgun shells as well, like the Bond Arms derringer, although a revolver that shoots 5 shotgun shells as fast as you can pull the trigger is not something you see everyday and I think that’s what gives the Taurus Judge its edge. Of course having 15 different models is not bad either, the hard part of all of this is deciding which one you will get, but nothing a little soul searching can’t fix.

The Model: 4510-3SSCT 3" Matte Stainless 2 1/2" Chamber Crimson Trace Grip

As you may or may not know, Taurus started as a Brazilian based tool maker in Porto Alegre, Brazil over 60 years ago and the name Taurus comes from the word (Forjas Taurus) meaning “Taurus Forge” In 1941 Taurus manufactured their first handgun, the Model 38101SO which had elements of some other firearm manufacturers of the day. In 1968 Taurus began to move it’s business into the

U.S.

and in 1974 Berretta had won a huge contract to supply pistols to the Brazilian Army. In the end, decided to sell the whole manufacturing facility to Taurus instead of moving it and this is when the PT-92 and PT-99, 9mm pistols where introduced to the world. 1982 saw more growth within the U.S. market with the company opening its doors in Miami, Florida, but Taurus wasn’t a house old name yet, and not familiar to U.S. shooters. Taurus is the only company who provide their firearms with a lifetime guarantee not the owner, something you don’t see anywhere else. In 1989 Taurus celebrated its 50th anniversary and went on to win the prestigious ISO 9001 designation from the International Organization for Standardization for superior manufacturing and marketing practices.

CTC Grips not only add value, they greatly increase the Judges flexibility

In 1994 I bought my first Taurus, a PT-99 that gave me many years of service and my wife enjoyed her Taurus PT-58S in .380 auto. Like a lot of active shooters we eventually sold our pistols and bought others, but what really helped our resale value was that amazing warranty. Back then when I showed off my Taurus to friends, most of them didn’t know much about the company, and I must admit I didn’t either. I did know of the contract with Berretta and I loved the clean lines of the PT-99 and I wanted a 9mm that would give me my monies worth and it did just that. I have bought many firearms since then and my gun safe is void of any Taurus guns, but that’s about to change. I am very particular about what I buy and own and I have always wanted a firearm to fit more than one purpose. For instance, I hunt with my military rifles, since they manufacture hunting loads and I reload as well, ammunition is never an issue. Buy a 5 round magazine or modify a military one, get a scope mount designed for that rifle and you’re all set to hunt. Then I don’t have to buy a firearm that has only one purpose, but of coarse everyone is different in this aspect.

With a simple notched rear sight, the front fiber optic sight is ideal for close range

2008 Shot Show, the Taurus Judge was introduced to the world for the first time, and I think that’s when the stares and head scratching began. When I described the new Judge to friends they were asking me, “It shoots what!” “Are you sure about that?” I reassured them that the information was true to the best of my knowledge, since I didn’t own one at the time. The most common question I received was, “What would you use it for?” My answer was simple as I could make it, “anything you want to shoot under 6 feet.” The Taurus Judge model I have to test is the 4510-3SSCT with a 2.5 inch chamber and has Crimson Trace laser grips installed by Taurus. On first inspection, the revolver looks like any other you may encounter, except for the overly long cylinder, which is what makes the Judge unique to begin with. Fit and finish was what you would expect from a name brand firearm manufacturer like Taurus, and since this model was matte stainless steel it is a good weather resistant finish. The pistol comes with a simple notched rear sight, a red fiber optic front sight and since this pistol is used for short range it is ideal. It also has a key locking system located directly on the hammer, called the Taurus Security System, it allows the user to secure the pistol, both loaded and unloaded. I found the trigger pull to be no problem both in single action or double action, although a senior, young adult or female may have problems with the double action trigger pull. My wife told me the double action was a little stiff, but not unmanageable for her. Since this model comes standard with CTC (Crimson Trace Company) grips it is lacking the well known Taurus rubber ribber grips. You can also find a large selection of holsters for the Judge like Hunter Company, BLACKHAWK and Galco Gun Leather, just to name a few. Not to mention all the holsters available through custom leather shops, just do a simple search to find what you want.

It's the mix of ammo that makes the Taurus Judge so lethal at close range

I am not surprised that Taurus has put it’s faith into Crimson Trace to supply the laser grips. The grip material they use is top notch and their laser units are as well, although I was a little concerned with the placement of the pressure pad on this model. I have rarely encountered a set of grips that hand placement wasn’t instinctive, but these require a bit of getting use to. When I test a new firearm I let others hold and shoot it to get their first reactions and then combine them with others to see what issues come up most. Everyone liked the Judge for the most part and really enjoyed shooting it for the first time, but the pressure pad for the laser was what people noticed most. We asked our contact at Crimson Trace about it and Travis told us this was a concern although it was the best place on that model for the pressure pad to be. So, while a small issue, it will not affect you’re shooting of the Judge, but depending on the individual, may take some getting use too. I personally don’t prefer the Taurus Rubber Ribber Grips supplied with most of their Judge models, but some grip manufacturers may make replacements or will soon.

A sampling of the ammo tested in the Judge for this article

Depending on what model you choose you can get a 2.5 inch or 3 inch chamber, if you get the 3 inch chamber you may also fire the 2.5 inch shells in it as well. Either length chamber will fire any of the .45 Colt ammunition currently on the market, to include shot shells. The choice is which of the .410 gauge shot shells or .45 Colts are you going to shoot out of your Judge, or which combination of both. it’s mind blowing with so many choices. The weight of this model empty was around 34.25 oz and loaded with 5 Rounds of Federals .410 Gauges, 2.5 inch; No# 4 shot Handgun Ammo it weighed in at around 38.05 oz. I then weighed it with 5 Rounds of 185 Grain, .45 Colt Hollow Points for a total weight of around 42.05 oz. Not the lightest gun, but the weight helps soak up some of the recoil of those .410 and .45 Colts, and I found it to still be a very manageable and fun handgun to shoot. My wife said she found the .410 rounds fun to shoot, but did not like the recoil of the .45 Colts at all. Since everyone has a different perception of recoil, what’s comfortable will vary from person to person, and this pistol is one where a firm grip is very helpful.

From left to right: .45 shot capsule, .45 HP, .45 xPloder, .45 LRN, .45 HB

Now like I said earlier, the things that make the Judge what it is could be anything to anyone, but the fact that it shoots so many different types of ammunition is what makes it great. You can custom load your Judge with the .410’s or .45’s that you feel will do the job or a mix of both. I would suggest that if you plan on carrying your Judge for self protection, then you should stick with .45 Colt hollow points from Hornady, Magtech, Gold Dot, Winchester, Buffalo Bore or Blazer, just to name a few. If you decide to carry .410 Gauge shot shells, then I suggest you to carry the new Winchester PDX1 which was designed for the Judge. It is made up of 3 defense discs over 12 plated BB shot and delivers a devastating punch to whatever it hits within 6 feet, this is what the Judge was designed for, close in protection. The PDX1 runs about $12 a box and can be ordered from Midway or other ammunition sellers. If you can’t get the PDX1, 3 ball or 4 ball buck shot will do well, as each ball is about the equivalent of a .32 cal handgun bullet. Slugs will also do for close in work and in a pinch; even shot will be effective at close ranges, but remember, the smaller the number the larger the shot and in this case larger is better.

From left to right: Winchester .410 000B, PDX1, Federal No 4 shot and Remington No 8shot

I prefer a mix of Winchesters PDX1 in the first two chambers and Hornady LEVERevolution 225 Grain Flex Tip eXpanding .45 Colt’s in the last three. If you are in a shooting situation in close quarters like your car, the first two rounds should stop any aggression, but if they don’t, then you have three rounds of .45 Colt to finish the fight and with these rounds you will have some range as well, but this is your choice. For my testing of the Judge I used five types of .410 ammunition and five types of .45 Colt. The five types of .410 gauge shells I used were all for the 2.5 inch chamber. I did not chronograph the shot loads as multiple projectiles tend to give inaccurate readings, but the Winchester slug’s velocity was at 1182 fps:

Winchester PDX1 Personal Defense ammunition with 12 plated BB’s and 3 plated cylinder projectiles

Federal 7/16 oz, No# 4 shot, handgun ammunition

Winchester 000 Buckshot

Remington ½ oz No# 8 shot

Winchester 1/5 oz slugs

The five types of .45 Long Colts I used were chronographed and this is the information for those loads:

Bullet: Powder: Velocity:

Custom 125 Grain X Ploders 20 x Green DOT 1529 fps

250 Grain lead Winchester factory 797 fps

185 Grain Hollow Points 12 x Herco 857 fps

300 Grain cast Hollow Base 7 x Herco 723 fps

Speer shot capsule, No 6 ½ shot N/A N/A


.410 Gauge slugs at 7 yards / 21 feet

Taurus states that the Judge was designed for ranges of about 6 feet or closer. In order for Taurus to avoid every owner of a judge having to get a short barrel shotgun permit from the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) they had to have rifling in the barrel. Without rifling it would be considered a short barrel shotgun by the ATF and would be against the law to own without a permit. The problem they found is with normal rifling it tends to spin the shot upon exiting the barrel and would rapidly spread the shot 360 degrees and compounding this problem is a 3 inch barrel. So to overcome this issue, they made the rifling less aggressive so it would spin the .45 Colt to stabilize the bullet, but not spin the shot out of control as soon as it leaves the barrel. But even with this less aggressive rifling it still spreads the shot faster than it would from a .410 shotgun designed to shoot that shot from a longer barrel. With that in mind, you would understand why the 6 foot range restriction is recommended, but I wanted to see if I could squeeze more distance out of the judge without sacrificing accuracy. So I tested the .410 gauge ammunition at 10 feet and in some cases 21 feet, farther than recommended, but closer to the common range for most shooting incidents.

Winchester PDX1 at 7 yards / 21 feet, notice the 3 discs and 12 BB's

I first fired some PDX1, 3 Ball Buck and slugs into a standard B-27 target (see the pictures for reference) I found the patterns to be tight at 6 feet and easily fit into the center of the target. But I wanted to see how far I could push the ammunition and Judge at longer ranges, so I shot my next rounds at 10 feet. Again they were fairly tight and fit easily inside the B-27. I then moved out to 21 feet and fired the same rounds and again were inside the targets outer ring. So I concluded that the Judge has the potential to fire certain types of .410 ammunition past the 6 foot limit with effective results. All that was left was my No# 4 shoot and No# 8 shot, but prior experience has shown me that anything past 10 feet would result in large ineffective patterns, so I kept the test to 10 feet. The results were positive with all the shot landing within the outer ring. While I believe the patterns are manageable at longer ranges, I believe the stopping power of the shot could be reduced enough to be ineffective past the 21 foot test range. Therefore the 6 foot limit would optimal for stopping power and pattern and 10 feet would still produce very effective results, but in a pinch you could effectively deliver the shot into your target at ranges up to 21 feet.

Winchesters 000 Buckshot at 7 yards / 21 feet

As the fame of the Judge grows and people recognize it on sight, the psychological impact of possibly being shot with any .410 gauge shoot shell at close range would be devastating. And at close range it is devastating and would be an effective fight stopper unless the attacker was possibly on drugs, enter the .45 Long Colt. The .45 Colt, often referred to as the .45 Long Colt to distinguish it from the short .45 cartridge required by the S&W Schofield revolver, is the oldest service cartridge still in use today. It was introduced in 1873 for the then new Colt SAA (Single Action Army) revolver, or better known as the Colt Peacemaker. The .45 Colt and the Colt SAA revolver are legends, and the most popular handgun/cartridge combination of the old west. The .45 Colt is still very popular with groups like the SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) a group who dresses in period western cloths and shoots mainly lever action rifles, double barrel shotguns and the .45 Colt pistol. They have gatherings of like minded people and shot their firearms in competitions on the ground and from horseback.

The best group at 25 yards with .45 Colt Hollow Base bullets, all rounds were fired free hand

I wanted to again push the Judge to the limits of its supposed capabilities with the .45 Long Colt. I have heard and read that it wouldn’t even hit a target at 25 yards and I knew this was not correct, although, how would it group at 25 yards. One of the first speed bumps the Taurus has encountered is the fact that firing a 2.5 inch .410 shotgun shell requires a longer cylinder or chamber. There has to be enough room for the shotgun shell to be fired and still leave enough room for the fired end to expand once the shot leaves, allowing the cylinder to rotate counter clockwise to index (index means to line up the next round with the barrel for firing) to the next round. This is a simple process, but causes problems for the second type of ammunition it fires, the .45 Colt. Once inserted into the chamber the .45 only goes about an inch and a half into the cylinder that measures a little over 2 and a half inches. The problem this causes is called free bore, or the space in between where the bullet starts and the lands and groves or rifling begins. In a normal pistol the ammunition is designed for that type firearm and in turn the bullet is very close too or touching the lands and grooves or rifling. This is a problem for the judge because the free bore affects accuracy mainly because if the bullet is fired and goes crooked it will stay crooked causing large groups, unstable bullets and key holing. (Key holing or tumbling is caused when a round stops spinning and becomes unstable and flips end over end like a football. This is commonly caused by distance or little or no rifling)

This was about our average group with all .45 Colts tested at 7 yards / 21 feet

Now the .45 Colts I tested were shot at two different ranges, the first volley of five rounds was fired at seven yards or 21 feet, the second volley of five rounds was fired at 25 yards, the normal max range for pistols. I wanted to see how far I could push the .45 round with the less aggressive rifling, and could it hit targets at 25 yards, and be an effective man stopper. The targets tell the tale and at seven yards it did well with all four types of rounds tested, but at 25 yards the pattern increased with all having one outside the 7 ring and I noticed that some of them had key holed or tumbled through the target. One of the ways we fixed this issue to increase the accuracy potential was to use a slightly larger bullet. Since the chamber measured at .452 we used bullets that were .458 and that seemed to tighten our groups. If you don’t reload, you will not have problems with any factory.45 Colt ammunition up to 21 feet, they will perform well enough to get the job done. If you wish to get the custom loads I talk about in this article or others like it, contact Bob Shell at rel4350@aol.com.

All shot patterns averaged about this size at 10 feet, notice the wad strike at top right

Through the testing process I felt it was a great design and more than did what Taurus intended it to do, which in turn makes me want one even more. As I stated earlier, you have 15 choices of the Judge and finding one that fits your style is part of the fun, shooting it is the payoff. In the end, I would definitely own a Taurus Judge and it would find a niche in my gun collection because it’s so versatile, and that’s what I like in a firearm. I would not be surprised to see Taurus design more types of Judges, although I think they have covered their ground really well. I have to admit I love my main carry gun, after all it was my Fathers Day gift from my family, but I could see the Judge riding shotgun with me in my truck as a backup second pistol. I will also carry a smorgasbord of .410 and .45 Colts in an ammo case to be ready for whatever comes into play. Go visit Taurus and see what Judge fits your style, I’m sure once you shoot a friend’s Judge or buy one of your own and shoot it, you will be impressed like I was and It will become a show piece and a valued addition to your gun collection.

Water bottle heads upwards after a hit with No 8 shot, note the barrel lower left

We would like to thank Kristin Hunt at Chevalier Advertising, for the sample Taurus Judge. Please visit her at: www.chevalier-adv.com or at: www.chevalieradv.blogspot.com and especially Taurus for making such a versatile revolver that fits so many rolls as a defensive handgun. You can see the Judge and all the other firearms they sell at: www.taurususa.com

I would also like to thank the following manufacturers for making quality and dependable products for our reference and testing.

Winchester Ammunition: www.winchester.com/Pages/Home.aspx

Federal Ammunition: www.federalpremium.com/default.aspx

Remington Ammunition: www.remington.com/product-categories/ammunition.aspx

Speer shot capsules: www.speer-bullets.com

Galco Gunleather: www.usgalco.com

BLACKHAWK: www.blackhawk.com

Hunter Company: www.huntercompany.com/

For your reference, the 15 models of the Taurus Judge are:

1. Model: 4510-3BCT

2. Model: 4510-3BULCT

3. Model: 4510-3MBCT

4. Model: 4510-3SSCT

5. Model: 4510-3SSULCT

6. Model: 4510PD-3B

7. Model: 4510PD-3SS

8. Model: 4510PD-3TI

9. Model: 4510TKR-3B

10. Model: 4510TKR-3BUL

11. Model: 4510PD-3SS

12. Model: 4510TKR-3SSMAG

13. Model: 4510TRACKER-3SSUL

14. Model: 4510TRACKERB

15. Model: 4510TRACKERSS

Crimson Trace laser grips delivers as advertised

2010-05-09T13:36:00.006-07:00


Crimson Trace and the Taurus Judge make a lethal home defense gun

July 1994 CTC sells its first laser: a factory-installed Glock system. And so the company began and like all companies, they hoped their products would appeal to the shooting public. May 2010: Crimson Trace is now a household name in the shooting industry and with no sign of stopping and I believe leads the market in weapon mounted laser aiming systems. So much so, that names like Taurus and Kimber have models with Crimson Trace laser grips as a standard feature.

From full size to sub compacts and revolvers CTC has it covered

The first time I laid eyes on Crimson Trace laser grips, was at a gun show. I was walking the isles, when I came across a Crimson Trace display. I started reading the description on how they worked and what exactly they were used for. The display consisted of different pistol frames, all made from blue colored plastic, each having a different set of grips that corresponded with that model pistol. I tried the revolver and the pistol out and I must admit, at the time I didn’t see the need to add these to my inventory of gun accessories. Plus the price tag was more than I cared to spend for a set of grips with a laser in them.

From the box to your pistol, CTC makes it easy to install

As the years passed, I continued to notice those Crimson Trace displays on gun show tables and thought, “Well there must be something good about them, and they’re still in business.” So I stopped once again and re-examined them and thought about their usefulness on a home defense gun. The vender at the table told me that they were best used when dealing with lower light situations, such as home defense. However they were not as good in bright daylight. I thought to myself, “Well I guess that’s where iron sights come in handy, but I still did not buy a set. But the seed was planted and I was on a direct course with my own set of Crimson Trace laser grips, I just didn’t know it.

An inventory of the items you receive with your CTC grips

It wasn’t till a couple years later when my wife and sons bought me a Glock 27 for Father’s Day, which is my primary carry gun, that I considered a set of Crimson Trace grips. I knew they manufactured grips for the Glock, but I wasn’t very happy about where and how they were attached, since Glock frames are polymer and have no grip panels to replace. Instead they are pinned onto the back of the grip using a longer replacement pin supplied by Crimson Trace. It also changed the feel of the pistol and to me it wasn’t a good feeling. But for the Glock 27 they manufacture the model LG-436 that installs onto the trigger guard. They have manufactured a new laser unit for the Glock that is front activation, the model LG-417, which fixes some holster issues, but since it’s new I have not had a chance to hold it and see if I like the feel of this model.

Pushing on the CTC logo for a couple of seconds turns the laser off

I thought about the one drawback I knew it had, and that was using the laser and shooting in a daylight situation. But I also knew statistics show that more crimes happen in low light situations and inside a structure or home. I checked this theory against information from a friend who is a police officer/supervisor in my home town Police Department. He mostly agreed with this, but like all things there are exceptions to every rule. So I contacted Crimson Trace and ordered the LG-436 for my Glock and within a short amount of time I had my first set of Crimson Trace laser grips.

Adding the safety and warning labels is last thing before the range

Just from the box you get the feeling that they manufacture quality into everything they make, as this box holds a significant investment in you and your family’s safety. Within the box you will find one laser unit within a nicely made black bag, silk screened with the company logo, installation instructions, owner’s manual, warranty card, company sticker for your shooting box, battery(s), a small bag that contains two .050” hex wrenches for laser adjustments (sizes will very per unit), two swabs for cleaning the eye of the laser unit and two laser warning labels. The first label is the “Danger” warning label and the other is the “Aperture” warning label, which the instructions tell you must be installed on the firearm.

This would not be the end you would want to see if your a bad guy

Following the instructions for installing the laser unit, “and yes, some men read the instructions,” it took me about 5 minutes to install the batteries and attach it to my trigger guard. I would advise you to test the battery before installation by pressing the pressure pad, but I had no problems with either battery from my two laser units. After tightening the two screws the unit is unmovable and ready to adjust to my preferred point of impact. Crimson Trace pre-sights their units at the factory for 50 feet and if you choose to readjust to your point of impact, it is very simple and instructions are clear and easy to understand. If for some reason you encounter any problems there is an 800 number to call for friendly help with your questions.

I measured off 21 feet and zeroed my laser, range time

I used the provided hex wrenches to set my point of impact to 7 yards or 21 feet, as this is a common engagement distance for indoor and most outdoor shootings. Again, it is your choice of what you feel meets your needs, just check alignment on your unit after installation so that your laser dot co-witnesses with your front sight. Or in simpler terms, the laser dot should be in front of your front sight on your pistol, almost like you are aiming at the laser dot. Crimson Trace recommends the dot sit on top of the front sight while aiming. Your point of impact is then set to your needs and all you need to do is go to the range and test your settings and make any adjustments. Don’t forget to take your hex wrench and cleaning swab. I carry one of each on my person along with an extra battery in a small storage bag and since they weigh next to nothing and take up very little space, you won’t miss them till you need them.

The laser's dot is plainly visible on my B-27

Now since battery life is really important here, your unit’s life depends on them and maybe yours, you want a high quality fresh battery to power your laser grips. Some units use one or two batteries depending on the type used. The LG-436 on my Glock 27 can use one DL 1/3N lithium or two 357 Silver Oxide batteries. My wife’s Ruger SP-101, model LG-303; can use one 123 cell or two CR2032 or DL2032 batteries. I prefer the Lithium batteries as these have a proven track record. They are commonly used in Sure Fire lights by the U.S. Military and don’t suffer power loss like some other batteries; although they may die instantly when full expended. These batteries commonly give you over 4 hours of intermittent run time and have a five year shelf life. Crimson Trace states that turning off the unit will not increase battery life and it may be off when you need it most. I only turn my unit off when storing my pistol with no plans on carrying it.


Outside the laser was almost unnoticeable, better use those iron sights now

The laser itself is a class 3a visible laser diode with a peak power of 5mW, and a wavelength of 633nm. The Laser color is red with a beam size of approximately 0.5” at 50 yards. As of this writing Crimson Trace does not make a green laser for their pistol models, but they are working on a vertical fore grip Model MVF-515 GREEN and currently have a like model, the MVF-515 RED. I was told by my contact at Crimson Trace that with the current technology in batteries, a green laser is not practical at this time in their pistol grip configuration. There are green units available in larger packages from other companies, but from my experience they use larger batteries to power that green laser. They also fit on accessory rails of the pistol and use fingertip actuated switches to turn on the laser and/or light. I believe that if it’s possible to make a grip model green laser, the technicians at Crimson Trace are working on it, and will perfect it in the near future.

At 21 feet or 7 yards, shooting from the hip, accuracy speaks for itself

It was now time to iron out any sighting problems at the range, and to test its usefulness for what it was designed for. I currently use a weapon fanny pack made by Eagle Industries, because with the laser attached, it will not fit into a conventional holster, and with the fanny pack, I draw right handed from the front. I shot in bright daylight first to see how visible the laser would be at 7 yards. I could see it dimly on the B-27, but for point shooting it would not be useful to me. I then shot at twilight and this is where the laser shines, excuse the pun. The laser was easy to see and direct on target. Shooting from my fanny pack and being well practiced at this technique, I was able to place all my rounds inside the B-27’s, inner rings, just using the laser with no difficulty. Even at ranges out to 25 yards I could score hits with a little practice, and it does what they say it will do. Of course to get use to its operation, which is instinctive, as well as being a new accessory on your pistol, you should put in some trigger time to truly appreciate it as a useful defensive tool.

Shot at 25 yards, from the hip, I only missed 2 out of 10 shots

Holsters present a small challenge with a few of the laser units Crimson Trace sells like the LG-436 on my Glock 27. Since the unit attaches to the trigger guard it will not holster in most conventional designs like Fobus or Blackhawk, instead it requires an open type holster or sleeve like the one in my fanny pack. The LG-303 on my wife’s Ruger SP-101 replaces the original grips so holster choice is still open to many holster types. There are choices for the LG-436 and with the recent explosion of pocket pistols in the .380 range, they are growing, since these pistols use the same type of laser units. My contact at Fobus has told me they are planning on releasing a holster for this model sometime after June. Galco Gunleather has the Summer Comfort model and the escort fanny pack design. Blackhawk has a few choices like the Paddle holster, hip holster, inside the pants holsters with and without retention straps, inside-the-pocket holsters, ankle holsters; ambidextrous multi-use holster with magazine pouch and concealed weapon fanny pack with retention belt loops, the size is small. These are but a few choices, just keep an eye out for more choices in the coming months as holster makers are seeing the need for these holsters and are filling the demand.

Head shots fired from a normal stance just using the laser

Now as time has passed my Crimson Trace grips have come to be an irreplaceable part of, not an accessory to, my pistol. The 2010 Shot Show gave me a great opportunity to try other laser units out, but I have found none as easy to use as these. I won’t tell you the others are no good or bad quality; I have not fully tested them as of this writing. But I believe without a doubt that under duress, in a defensive situation you can use the laser instinctively, even without training because you will squeeze the grips hard as adrenalin kicks in and in effect actuates the laser. Some of the others I would surmise, require repeated use and or training and muscle memory to get use to turning them on or off during a stressful situation. You want to instinctively use your trigger finger to squeeze the trigger, not try to find a toggle switch.

Inventory for the revolver, except the laser is in the grips

I am by no means an expert in urban warfare, but I use a healthy dose of common sense in everything I do, including protecting my family. The laws in some states are getting better in the areas of self-defense, but it is still dangerous territory for the gun owners. Luckily you still have some rights within your home and even on the streets, in some states. In others you have a right to be a victim and should walk around with your wallet out and your hands in the air. A good reference book for this is, “Traveler’s Guide to the Firearms Laws of the Fifty States”, written by J. Scott Kappas, Esq. I had a chance to meet him and he told me he updates his book every year and keeps it current, but he also told me to check on local laws before you travel as they are always changing.

Placement of the safety and warning labels on a revolver

Now if you’re a Navy SEAL and are used to getting shot at and spend 8 hours a day training, I’m thinking your problem free. But for the average person, I wouldn’t suggest walking around your house and with a laser or light on, unless you like being stabbed or shot. If you can, stay in one place behind good cover and call the police. Use your laser and light to cover your position and wait out the time it takes for the police to show up. Stay on the phone with the 911 operator and make sure you tell them you’re the armed homeowner. Give them a brief description of yourself, the current situation if you are able and where you are in the house to avoid being shot by the police, and above all obey all commands the police give you. Until they sort everything out, they don’t know who you are in the chaos they just walked into, and will more that likely place you in handcuffs for their safety.

Four models of the Taurus Judge comes standard with CTC grips

If you have to search your home because children are in other parts of the house, move slowly and be ready, but most importantly, check your targets. Shooting your spouse or children will haunt you all the days of your life. If you are trained in this area, great, if not, I suggest you seek training. There are a lot of gun clubs, ranges and training facilities that have people that specialize in this field and can get you up to speed in this and other areas of defensive shooting like Gun Site and Thunder Ranch. I feel the average person, who utilizes these grips, who has all the good intentions of going out and practicing and training with the pistol and laser unit to become proficient in its use, but doesn’t in the end. The laser helps with target acquisition in low light situations, it does not make you a better shot, and this is where your range time is so important. I assure you the pistol, laser and light paired with training and practice will give you a fighting chance to become a survivor not a victim.

More makers are adding CTC as standard equipment, that should speak volumes

Crimson Trace puts good stuff into their products and is backed by friendly people who will help you with whatever issues you may have, whether installing or using any of their laser units. And to make sure you’re happy, they offer you 30 days to love those new grips or you can return them. I won’t part with mine and love to show them off at the range to other shooters. I am excited to see what the men and woman at Crimson Trace come up with next, so for the now go visit their website for a lot of information on their products. www.crimsontrace.com will have something good for your handgun or rifle; you won’t be disappointed. And one of the most important things to note is their made in the USA, you don't see that much anymore. Make sure you request their video, “The Art of Survival: Real-World Laser Tactics,” or you can watch it on Crimson Trace’s website. Here is a link to one part of the DVD called, Conquering low light with David Hackathorn.

http://www.crimsontrace.com/Home/Videos/TheArtOfSurvivalChapter3/tabid/397/Default.aspx

My next article will be on the Taurus Judge, many thanks to Taurus for the sample

Thank you Crimson Trace and Travis for all your support, without which this article wouldn't have been possible. I wish to also thank Fobus Holsters, Galco Gunleather and Blackhawk for all their help and information

www.crimsontrace.com
www.blackhawk.com
www.eagleindustries.com

www.fobusholsters.com
www.galcogunleather.com
www.taurususa.com

So you want to buy your first handgun

2010-03-24T17:06:00.018-07:00

Should my first handgun be a

revolver or semi-automatic?

When you start pulling a trigger at eight years old and you stay on top of all things shooting, you tend to learn a few things. Now after 35 years of trigger pulling, I have learned a lot, maybe not enough to make me an expert, but dam close. A jack-of-all-trades master of none, was what my dad use to say. Now back then social networking (sharing information the old fashion way) was gathering some friends around the campfire or leaning on the bed of your pickup truck. It’s not at all what it is today, but you talked face to face and you gave advice and shared experiences and learned a few things. And if you listened to people who were in the trade, you became wiser. In every job I have ever had, sooner or later my fellow employee’s learned about my hobby, after which I was known as the gun guy. Even now, my fellow employees have dubbed me the, “the go to gun guy”, and ask me for advice, and thanks to all that listening I did, help them I do.

Now I have come to expect all this at work, but when I started to get questions out in the trade from the people I work for, it set the rusty wheels in motion for an article. And the question I most often received was what inspired me to write this piece, which was, “I want to buy a handgun, but what should I get?” And the second most asked question I receive is, “if you could only have three guns, what would they be?” Now being a very pro-gun fellow, avid shooter, collector and Life Member of the NRA, I am only too happy to help them with their questions. What you have to remember is that everyone’s tastes are different and what I like may not be what you like. I base my advice on my years of experience with all types of firearms and my taste, because in the end the choice is yours. Take your time and research your choices and ask other shooters you trust for advice. That’s the great thing about our sport, we are like family and we help each other.

A full size 5 inch Glock 22 in .40 S&W

is a handful for some shooters

Hand size is important in selection

Let’s start with the size of your hand, which plays a very important part in pistol selection. A pistol should feel good when you grip it, as a good grip aids in control and accuracy. If you have small hands and you’re shooting a big bore revolver, you’re not going to control recoil as well as you should and accuracy will suffer as a result. You may even lose control of the pistol causing it to fly out of your hand(s) resulting in damage to the pistol or injuring yourself or a bystander, YouTube is full of great examples of this. When you have it in your shooting hand you should be able to access all the controls on the pistol with ease especially your slide stop, (which engages after the last round is fired to hold the slide open) and your magazine release (the button you push next to the trigger to release the magazine from the magazine well) On a revolver it would be your cylinder release latch. (Let’s your cylinder swing out to load and unload)

Shooters with large hands may have issues with

this Walther P-99cQA sub compact in 9mm

Having large hands can have the opposite result when shooting a pistol that is too small, such as a sub compact model. If you find a pistol you really like and it does not feel good and control is in question, you could always replace the factory grip panels with larger or smaller ones that feel good to you and improves your control. One of my favorite companies for grips is Hogue; they sell a wide variety of grips, some of made of exotic wood from around the globe. Something else that plays into comfort and controllability is the magazine capacity. There is a single stack or single column magazine in which the round sit one atop the other and gives you a thin profile, like a Sig P-220 .45 ACP magazine. Then there are double stack or staggered column magazines like the Beretta 92FS, which will widen the grip of the pistol and people with smaller hands may have a problem with controllability. Once this issue is addressed you can move on to whether you should get a new or used pistol.

New or Used

Most people I speak to, tell me they don’t have a lot of money in any economy, especially for a new gun. Since gun prices can vary according to make, model and style, finding what you like in a used one is a great way to start. It follows along the lines of buying a used car; sometimes you can get a better pistol for less money than could have normally. Most gun shops carry used pistols in all makes, models and calibers and should have inspected or had a competent gun smith give it the once over to insure it’s safe to re sell. Never be afraid to ask them any and all questions, if they’re a good shop, they will gladly answer your questions truthfully. Most shooters would never abuse their pistols, but if they have, or didn’t know they have, it’s not always visible damage. Shooting +P or +P+ (Plus Pressure loads) in a pistol not designed for them can weaken steel and parts and result in catastrophic failure injuring or killing the shooter and bystanders. If the shop hasn’t checked it or you bought it from a friend or family member, just take it to a gunsmith and pay a small fee for peace of mind. Also make sure with semi automatic pistols the magazines are clean and free of rust and dents. The springs should be in good working order and make sure they don’t bind when loaded.

If you do have the money for a new pistol, then the world is your oyster, just find a good fitting gun in the caliber of your choice, that’s esthetically pleasing to you and you’re set. Buying new just eliminates one concern; it wasn’t shot and possibly abused, although abuse is not always visible as I said before. Most if not all pistol manufacturers will fix and or replace your pistol for the life of the gun and for as long as you own it. Colt, Springfield Armory and Smith and Wesson to name a few offer this warranty. Taurus has a lifetime warranty on the pistol not the user, so it doesn’t matter how many people owned it before you – it’s covered. These companies get my business, because they stand behind their products. I have sent guns back to Glock, Ruger, Springfield Armory and Colt and never received a bill for repairs and that’s great customer service. You never knew there were so many choices in one pistol purchase did you? Well if you’re shopping, I’m sure you’re well aware of this fact now.

What is a good starting caliber

Now you need to choose the caliber of your new handgun and that’s an easy one right? Well, it is not rocket science, it just means making a good choice based on the use of the pistol. Now this area will send some people into fits, because no one caliber can do it all right? Well I believe that’s true in some aspects; in war you want a caliber that will immediately stop your enemy as with law enforcement. After all the primary purpose of a gun is to kill what you’re shooting at and some calibers do a better job than others. You wouldn’t use a .22 caliber for home defense although any gun is better than no gun. Again you want to stop the attack immediately, so you pick a caliber that delivers its energy into the target and ends the attacker’s ability to function.

From left to right: .22, 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP

Most will agree the .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) will deliver on this promise and it’s proven in combat. This is why die hard .45 fans hate the Beretta M-9 pistol the military has be saddled up with, because it’s a 9mm FMJ Ball ammunition (round nose full metal Jacket bullet used in military arms since the Geneva Convention prohibits hollow point ammunition in combat) It has no stopping power and since the round is a FMJ it tends to pass through the target and not stop it. Yet it carries 15 rounds in the magazine and capacity is what people want. I will talk more on this later. I believe that even with a 9mm pistol, if used with the right ammunition, such as Hornady TAP (Tactical Application Police) or Hornady Critical Defense or any good modern hollow point round, it can be an effective man stopper. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t let my wife have her carry gun in 9mm.

A .22 pistol like this Colt 22 is a must have

since center fire ammo has gone up and it's

great for inexpensive target practice

My personal choice is the .40 Smith and Wesson as it fits between the 9mm and the .45 ACP. All these calibers are plentiful (kind of) and easy to find in almost any store that sells ammunition, along with .38 Special and .357 magnum, both are revolver cartridges. Of course if you have a .357 you can also shoot .38 Special from it as well, a bonus for owning one handgun. Everyone should own a .22 caliber pistol, its available everywhere and it’s easy to control and very economical. It also makes a great starting handgun for beginners and supervised children. If you just plan on plinking and nothing more, a .22 is best. For home defense and or CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) carry I wouldn’t go any smaller that 9mm. Although, there has been a recent craze for pocket pistols in .380, and like I stated before, any gun is better than no gun, but I tend to stay away from the smaller calibers. I do have a concern for the stopping power of theses smaller cartridges. In the end the choice is yours to make.

A Ruger SP-101 in .38 Special / .357 Magnum

is great for carry and target

Revolver or Semi Automatic

For new shooters I always recommend a revolver, it’s easy to shoot and does not suffer the functioning problems a semi-automatic does. It is also easy to load and easy to check to see if there is ammunition present or loaded. Most Revolvers are double action, meaning you can pull the hammer back and shoot or squeeze the trigger and it will shoot as well. Some are single action only meaning you must pull the hammer back each time you fire, like the Colt single action army model. You can pick up a .22 pistol from Ruger fairly cheap, like the Ruger Bearcat or from Taurus in the model 990 and the Smith and Wesson model 63. If it is a defensive revolver a small model may suit you well when weight and size are a concern like the S&W model 340PD in .357 Magnum, which is made of Scandium Alloy/Titanium/Stainless Steel and weights in at 12 oz empty. A target or home defense revolver may call for a larger handgun such as the Ruger GP-100, .357 Magnum with a 4 or 6 inch barrel, as size is not a concern for non CCW handguns. You will not run out of choices and two of the giants of the revolver world are Smith and Wesson and Taurus.

The biggest concern for me with a revolver is the fact that many people, including children, the elderly and some woman have difficulty pulling the trigger in double action revolvers. Most seem to be ok pulling the hammer back and firing the pistol this way and this is one of the concerns Smith and Wesson addressed with there Model 60LS Lady Smith. It would be better if carried to have the hammer at rest, as the amount of energy need to pull the trigger in single action is less than double action thus avoiding the pistol being discharged. Remember there are no physical safeties on a revolver, just keeping your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. You can often have a gunsmith lighten the trigger pull or you could purchase hand and finger trainers, which are used to strengthen your hands and fingers, this would eliminate this problem for most. Revolvers can be loaded one round at a time or with speed loaders, which load all the rounds into the cylinder at one time. This method requires a bit of practice but is the most efficient way to load a revolver you may carry, along with pouches for extra speed loaders on your belt.

Speed loaders are magazines for revolvers

Another advantage with revolvers is, if you start to reload your brass, recovery of your empties is just a push of the cylinder latch. There are some of you out there who are thinking, “but it’s only five or six shots, a semi automatic gives me 15 or more.” Well if you hit most people once with a .38 or .357 Magnum and they get back up, make friends and hand them your wallet. Shot placement is the key in any shooting situation and if you need more than five or six shots in a normal situation, you should practice a lot more. It doesn’t matter if you have five or twenty-five rounds if you can’t hit your target. Another good point about revolvers is there are no safeties to worry about and problems that can plague a semi automatic. In a high stress shooting moment, or in target practice, you will point and pull the trigger and it will fire with no worries about failure to feed, bad magazines, stove piped brass, and your safety being engaged

From left to right: Glock 27, Walther P-99c,

Beretta 92FS and Sig Sauer P220

A semi automatic pistol requires more knowledge and training although most people can figure them out fairly quickly, they might not be ready to handle the issues associated with a semi automatic. These pistols work on a simple blowback principle which means after the trigger is pulled the round goes off and the energy from the round pushes the slide backwards and ejects the spent case and strips a new one from the magazine. If the magazine is not seated (pushed in till it locks) or it’s rusty or damaged, the pistol may jam or may not work properly. This is a great concern considering it is the heart of the gun and with out it, it is a single shot pistol that you have to load by hand or a great paperweight. I use only factory magazines with my pistols because I don’t trust my life to after market magazines. They are fine for target practice and that’s all I use them for. Clearing jams and misfires are called immediate action drills and a trained experienced shooter will move through this problem easily. A novice could have big problems and in some cases may be wounded or killed while in a defensive situation

This Sig Sauer P-220 only carries 7 rounds

but usually 1 round is all you need

While it’s true you can carry large amounts of ammo and deliver volumes of rounds down range, if you can’t hit what your shooting at 54 rounds won’t do you a bit of good. Having 36 rounds of .45 in a Glock 21 means you should be able to put down 36 targets, not pull the trigger in hopes of putting a lucky round into your target. With training and practice a semi automatic is a powerful defensive tool, a fun target gun or both. Semi automatics, like revolvers, come in a wide range of calibers from .22 thru .50 Action express. If you love life on the wild side then try the Desert Eagle from Magnum Research. But be warned, it’s a large, heavy pistol requiring large hands and is the only gas operated pistols in the world, meaning it cycles the action or slide using gas from the fired round. Or in revolvers, you could try the Smith and Wesson 500 Magnum the most powerful handgun in the world. Many years ago I was closed minded and emptying that magazine was what I craved, but now as a well-seasoned shooter, both revolvers and semi automatic handguns fill my safe and the Smith and Wesson 460 XVR and Colt Delta Elite are next on my list.

Choosing a Make of handgun

The maker of the gun is purely the choice of the shooter and there are many manufacturers to choose from. Some of the pistols I own are made by well know firearms companies like Beretta, Sig Sauer, Glock, Ruger, Colt and Walther, and the list is large. Any one of these would make a great choice and if well maintained will provide you with years of service. You can do a general search of the web for gun manufacturers, my search turned up this list, which claims to be the most complete and up to date list on the intranet. http://www.madogre.com/Interviews/weapon_manufacturers.htm Under the search option for gun parts within the website for Gun Parts Corporation you will find a master list of firearms manufacturers both in and out of business. You can use this to search for anything that fires a bullet; I hope it just doesn’t overwhelm you too much. There are new, upcoming and foreign companies who have guns that are not as well known and in turn could be cheaper. The question is, do you want this gun for plinking, self or home defense.

If you choose a cheaper or less known gun and you are using it for target practice, then malfunctioning, while still an inconvenience is not as important as if it were used for defensive purposes. If its primary roll is defense, then you want to make sure it works every time since malfunctions can cost you your life. This is not a great concern now as technology has caught up with firearms and using modern C & C milling machines, guns are very reliable. Besides with the amount of sue happy people in this world, it does not pay to make a bad gun, it will cost you a lot more in lawsuits than doing it right the first time.

A full size Beretta 92FS is ideal for all types of

shooting, but is heavy and bulky for CCW use

Choosing a model

Models are just as vast in the gun world and some knowledge in the subject does help, but with pistols there are 3 main categories. Full size pistols, let’s say the Glock 22, will hold the maximum number of rounds, which is 15 for that model and the barrels, will usually be five inches. The Glock 23 is a compact models and is a smaller version of it’s full size brother and will usually hold the same amount of rounds although the barrel length is shorter, about 4 inches. The grip is usually the same size as the full size model. Sub compact models like the Glock 27 will be the smallest of this series of Glock’s, with a about a 3 inch barrel and the grip will be short, about 4 inches. It will only hold 9 rounds because you are trading capacity for less weight and a more compact size, for concealed carry or use in an ankle holster. This model is very popular for a back up pistol because if you carry a Glock 22, you can use the full size magazines in your Glock 27, which is what I do.

Three handguns made for concealed carry from the top
the Glock 27, Ruger SP-101 and Walther P-99cQA

Picking the right handgun can be tough unless you are armed with the knowledge it takes to make the right choice for you and your needs. My hope is that this information will be easy to understand and will help you in your choice for your first handgun. Always remember that there are exceptions to every rule and information is always changing. When you are ready to buy, do your research and don’t impulse buy as you will get something you don’t enjoy and have to sell it for a loss. No one gun can fill the bill, but you can buy something that will fill more than one need, and you can add to your collection at a later time, once your knowledge base has grown. I have many firearms and I use them for different jobs, from home defense to hunting to sport shooting and I add to my collection regularly. Avid shooter will tell you, “You can never have enough guns.” I second that and it’s been a hobby and a passion for me, with a large shooting family to back me up and they will do the same for you.

If you have a Glock 22 your full size magazines

will fit your sub compact Glock 27, which

makes a good back up gun combo

The answer to that second question, “If you could only have 3 guns which would they be?” Well for me, my Handgun would be a Glock 20 in 10mm, because it can handle almost any situation from defensive use to handgun hunting. My Shotgun would be a Remington 870 in 12 gauge, because there isn’t much a 12 gauge can’t handle. Home defense, hunting and sport shooting are covered. For my rifle it becomes a little tougher and my choice would depend on my activities. But I could fill the bill with an AR platform in .308cal / 7.62x51mm like the Arma Lite AR-10A2. If you love the AR style rifles they are making it in many calibers and one may fill the bill for you and your needs. If I was a die hard hunter, I could get a bolt action or semi automatic rifle in 30.06 cal which could handle just about anything in North America. So there you have it, my top 3 picks for firearms that would handle my needs, although my love for firearms overrides my sensibility and I am compelled to get more and more, everyone has to have a hobby, right?

Along with my CCW gun, I carry a SureFire Z2 Combat
light and a Benchmade AFO automatic knife

Lastly and most important is the security of your new handgun from robbery and use by unauthorized people or children. A great way to do this is through a Safe, although the down side is a safe can be many thousands of dollars, but can hold all valuables within your household. But there is a cheaper alternative available from a company called Gun Vault. They have two models I like; the first is the MV-500STD and the second is the MVB-500. The MV-500STD is a straightforward transportable vault that works just as well in the car or the home and has finger touch keypad opening. The MVB-500 is basically the same, but uses biometric finger print identification to open the vault. Both vaults will handle a 5-inch handgun with extra magazine or speed loaders. Both come with steel cables to secure the vault inside your vehicle or home and these units run $139.95 and $215.95. If this is still too pricey for your wallet, there is another alternative, the Nano Vault 300 which will hold a standard 5-inch handgun like the MV-500 series and also come with the steel security cable. The difference is this model uses a 3-digit combination lock and will cost you $39.95, not much for peace of mind. Also, they can hold other valuables if you are not carrying your handgun, like cash and credit cards. Make sure you look them up whether it’s your first handgun or 21st and especially if you’re a CCW holder. Thanks for reading my article and I hope I helped you make an informed decision and please feel free to respond with praise or concerns.

List of vendors from the article:

Glock - www.glock.com

Smith and Wesson - www.smith-wesson.com

Sig Sauer - www.sigsauer.com

Taurus - www.taurususa.com

Colt - www.coltsmfg.com

Ruger - www.ruger-firearms.com

Springfield Armory - www.springfield-armory.com

Gun Vault - www.gunvault.com

Hogue Grips - www.getgrip.com

Gun Parts Corp. - www.gunpartscorp.com

Hornady ammunition - www.hornady.com

SureFire - www.surefire.com

Benchmade - www.benchmade.com

Magnum Research - www.magnumresearch.com

Magazine loading made easy by Maglula Ltd.

2010-02-21T16:46:00.010-07:00

Loading magazines made much easier with Maglula Ltd

Every once and a while you come across a tool that makes your life more enjoyable and when you combine it with shooting your prized AR, rifle or pistol it’s a bonus. Well, I have come across such a tool, which makes loading and unloading magazines a joy. In 2001, a father and son team, Guy and Ran both born in Israel, established Maglula Ltd. The name Maglula stands for magazine loaders and unloader’s accessories. Maglula Ltd. is a privately held company which was started to design and produce a magazine loader/unloader that would stand up to the use it would see in the service of the military. They currently have 5 models available, the LULA, a rifle magazine loader, the UpLULA, a universal pistol magazine loader, the StripLULA a loader for 10 rd. military stripper clips and loose rounds, the BabyUpLULA a loader for small bore pistols from .22 to .380 and the BenchLoader a heavy duty single stroke magazine loader. Within each category, for example the LULA, there is a loader for 7 different types of magazines, just check the loader you want to see if it loads your magazines.

Loading 10 rounds in any AR mag takes seconds with StripLULA

Let’s start with the StripLULA. Since everyone in Israel is required to serve a tour in the military, you find out what works and what doesn’t real fast and I am really sure they found loading magazines a major pain like we have. Now those of you, who have served in the Military within the combat arms, know all to well the pain associated with loading the infamous USGI 30 rd. magazine from a stripper clip. We all tried using our hands and fingers and found it to be a memorably bad experience, and most of the time, conditions permitting, used the table edge at the range, or some other hard, fixed surface worked. For those of you who did not serve or haven’t served yet, you probably still know what I’m talking about because of the many AR platforms on the market and you own one or know someone who does. This useful tool will prevent those sore fingers and hands.

Throw away that metal loader, it's time is done

With this fantastic little device you can load a 30 rd. magazine in under 5 seconds, no sweat and no busted up hands or table tops. And if that’s not the best news you have ever heard, it gets better, because it loads loose rounds just as easy, no stripper clips needed. It also has a device on the end that strips the rounds from the magazine to help unload them after your done shooting. It also centers the rounds going into the magazine so they do not contact the feed lips, helping reduce wear and tear on this important area. It is very simple to use as well, just slip it onto the back of your magazine (the rim side) and place the stripper or loose rounds into the channel guide, move the pushing device in position and with two fingers push the ammunition into the magazine. Just repeat the process till the magazine is fully loaded.

The StripLULA and MagLULA will take up very little space

The second loader I own is called the UpLULA. It loads and unloads any single or double stack magazine, because it adjusts to the magazine body when you squeeze it. When you insert the magazine body into the loader you squeeze the loader and the beak, which is made of metal and is very sturdy, inserts itself into the magazine and pushes the follower down. The beak is what compresses the follower and loaded rounds so the next round can be loaded. To unload, just squeeze and slide the beak under the first round and push down, dump the round out and repeat. It also has a small tab on the side to lock the loader in the closed position for ease of storage.

Push down, tilt forward and your round drops out

Your probably asking your self where can I get these loaders, well they are carried by Butler Creek and they are available in many of the frequently found shooting accessory catalogs or shooting supply stores. I have used the StripLULA for about a year, and have had no issues with it. I am very happy with the quality of this product. The UpLULA I received from Ran himself at the 2010 Shot Show, and it works as advertised both loading and unloading my 9, .40 and .45 magazines. If you use high capacity magazines and shoot a lot of ammo this will save your thumb. I cannot wait for the .22 magazine version to come out, because if it’s as good as the ones I own so far, it will be a welcome addition to my collection.

Place the steel beak on top of the round and push down

The Maglula Ltd. table was one of the last booths I visited on the fourth day of the Shot Show and Ran made me feel like a valued customer, immediately going into his product demonstration after I sung his praises about my StripLULA. I told him I was in the process of getting a UpLULA and LULA for my FN-FAL and he showed me how they worked and he said, “I will sell you one for 20 dollars,” I looked in my wallet and had 5 bucks to my name, I told him I would have to buy one later from the catalog I ordered my StripLULA from. He looked at me and said, “Wait a minute,” he moved to the back table and gathered a few loaders and gave me a new StripLULA and an UpLULA. I told him thank you, and that I would give him and his company great PR whenever someone saw me using my loaders and asked, “What is that you’re using to load your mags?” Make sure you visit their site at www.maglula.com to see them in action.

Now you're ready to load another round into your magazine

Thanks Guy and Ran for a great product, I hope to see more loaders in the future.

My time at the 2010 Shot Show

2010-02-04T05:05:00.012-07:00

Time at the range with the Winchester Model 70 Stealth

Well like all things in life and to coin an old Vulcan proverb, “for everything there is a first time.” This was my first time to the 2010 Shot Show at the Sands Expo & Convention Center right off the strip in Las Vegas. It is connected to the Venetian and you pass through the building to get to the exhibit halls. As far as firearms are concerned, I cut my teeth on those when I was just a mere boy of eight, but until I moved to Arizona I never had the opportunity to go to a show. I remember when I was a younger man, reading an ad for the first Shot Show in 1979 and wanting to go. It only took me 31 years, but there I was, deep in the heart of the greatest gathering of like minded people in the world. Last year I had a great opportunity to attend the 2009 NRA Convention here in Phoenix, and you could say this show prepared me as to what to expect when it was time to go to the Shot Show. However that wasn’t the case, because as anyone who has ever been to a Shot Show will tell you, “It’s huge!”

New in the Taurus lineup, the Public Defender

When my good friend and mentor Bob Shell emailed me and asked if I wanted to go, I resounded with a, “hell yea!” Since we work closely together on so many projects I am basically an employee of his company, Shell Reloading. Being a writer in training and working for a writer, it would give me a chance to put my experiences in words for all the people who haven’t had a chance to see this grand event. As a member of the press, our day started on Monday with the coveted, “Media Day at the Range.” Members of the press in the shooting and outdoor sports industry get a chance to shoot some of the newest guns from the biggest names in firearms. Now if you enjoy shooting, and you’re not a limp noodle, this day is heaven on earth. Where else can you shoot a .22 rifle on up through a 375 H&H magnum that no one has touched or seen yet, being they are new models of a familiar cartridge. Now imagine you have an unlimited ammunition supply, targets to shoot, multiple ranges and there is no cleaning them after your done. Would you define this as a little slice of heaven? I sure would and did!

Beretta has a new scattergun, the Tx4 Storm semi automatic shotgun in 12 Gauge

Now that I have you drooling, it gets better. After endless hours of burning powder with Browning and Winchester, who also provided the ammunition and Bushnell Optics, who provided all the scopes on the rifles, we had a second range to go to on the other side of Vegas in Boulder City. This range was host to many other big names in the industry like Glock, Steyr, and Berretta. We walked down the firing line sampling everything that is great about the shooting sport and loving very minute of it, and if that was not good enough, they brought in caterers. We ate very well at both ranges. Now if this is not the Greatest Country in the world then you just needed to ask some of our foreign visitors. Of all the people I spoke to from another country, they said they wanted to live here and told us how incredibly lucky we truly are to have the freedom we have, and I agreed whole heartedly with them.

Better wear your walking shoes, the booth numbers say it all.

Now this was only Monday and the Shot Show hadn’t even begun yet. But I was busy wondering what to expect and what I would see and do when I got there. Well, first things first, I had to get my Shot Show credentials and for that I had and email with a bar code because we registered on line prior to the show and it was fairly painless once I knew where to go. There were many helpful guides along the way, so navigation was easy, just crowded. There was a suggested 58,000 people there this year and I believe half of those were in the hallways. Since my boss is with the media, I carried a Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D with a 4 Gig card, so running out of memory wasn’t a concern. Although it should be noted that if you do not carry press credentials you will be asked to leave, since there is no photo taking at the show. When we got our bearings on where the venders were we wanted to see, we entered the exhibit hall. Your first thought is, “Wow,” it seems like it goes on a far as the eye can see, and I does from the aspect of the size of vendor displays. There are full size buildings and trucks with trailers as well as company vehicles parked through out. It was truly a sight to behold. Walking the pathways was slow, since your busy looking at displays and at the same time dodging other attendees. It always seemed to thin out towards the end of the day, but the first two seemed hectic as people rushed around tending to their business. You have four days to take as much in as you can and from my point of view that’s a task in its self. It has been said if you visit every vendor, you can only spend 30 seconds at each booth and I believe that to be true. It would be impossible to list everyone who’s there, but it’s safe to say if they shoot or support shooting, they were at the Shot Show. By the third day it was thinning out and you could move a little better and the fourth day it was a breeze to walk around.

If you going to be comfortable, bring your own house to the show

Some advice I would give, if you love Vegas and you enjoy being on the strip, that’s great, but if you want to save a buck or two get a hotel off the strip close to normal businesses and restaurants. A lot of them provide basics for the price of a room and give you free internet access. We stayed at the Imperial Palace and while it served as a room to sleep, lacked any other small creature comforts like a coffee pot, in room safe, fridge, or internet. Everything else cost an arm and a leg, so having a cell and lap top with a USB connect or air card will serve you well. Eat a hearty breakfast before you go to the show as lunch at the show will bankrupt you with $9 hamburgers. We went to dinner at Buca di Beppo, Outback, Lone Star and others and paid normal prices and had a good meal every night. If you can, get a room with a kitchenette and shop at Wal-Mart and you will have snacks, drinks and microwavable foods on hand for less than it would cost to eat out. If you an expert navigator, great, if not a GPS with current maps, is a Godsend, we never got lost, I mean disoriented. We split gas, and paid every other meal and didn’t spend much on extras and spent $300.00 in a week, not including the room. Start saving for it now and I’ll see you in Vegas for the 2011 Shot Show.