Gun World 201403

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FIELD TESTED 5 HOT ARs FROM DPMS

HARD-HITTIN

www.gunworld.com

MARCH 2014 • VOLUME 55, NO.3$4.99 U.S. • DISPLAY UNTIL: 3/11/14

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RUGER’S SR-1911 CMD

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4 GUN WORLD | MARCH 2014 www.gunworld.com

MARCH 2014

CONTENTS

32 PANTHER POWER

DPMS has produced innovative ARs for years, and their currentcrop may be their best ever. We take steady aim at five of them.

By Brad Fitzpatrick

46 SHORT & SWEET

Steyr’s AUG Bullpup, now assembled in Alabama and availableto the U.S. civilian market, offers proven maneuverability and accuracy.

By Todd Burgreen

GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) Volume 55,Number 3 is published monthly, 12 timesa year by Beckett Media, LLC, 22840 SaviRanch Parkway, #200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887.Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA, andadditional mailing offices. POSTMASTER : Sendaddress changes to Gun World c/o BeckettMedia, 5430 LBJ Freeway, Ste. 1200 Dallas,TX 75240. Return undelivered Canadian

addresses to: Gun World c/o Pitney Bowes, Inc.PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6BGST#855050365RT001

F E A T U R E S

32

SPECIAL SECTION:RUGER’S DYNAMIC DUO

14 COVER STORY:

HARD-HITTING HUNTER

Ruger’s new SR-762, built for rugged outdoorduty, is a modern sport-utility rifle with lots ofpotential.

By Dave Workman

24 COVER STORY:COMMAND AND CONTROL

Ruger’s stainless steel Commander-length1911 is long on value, proving that goodthings can come in smaller packages.

By Jerry Catania

54 SUPER SCATTERGUNS

Our hunting columnist offers his choices forthe four best hunting smoothbores ever produced.Let the discussions begin!

By Thomas C. Tabor

64TWIN TACK-DRIVERS

The Remington Model 700 SPS Tactical is ano-frills, affordable version of this proven bolt-actionrifle, and we test it in both .223 Rem and .308 Win.

By John N. Raguso

D P M S

T H O M A S C . T A B O R 54

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CONTENTS

C O L U M N S8 UP FRONT

Craig Hodgkins

10 ASK THE EXPERTS

Gun World Contributors

12 NEW PRODUCTS

Brad Fitzpatrick

40 TODAY’S HUNTER

Thomas C. Tabor

72 RELOAD

James E. House

78 CONCEALED CARRY

Dave Workman

84 GUNSMITHING

Steve Sieberts

96 BACK PAGES

Craig Hodgkins

ON THE COVER:Photographs by

Jerry Cataniaand Dave Workman

Cover design byJesse Cao

J OH N N.R A

G U S O

32

24 J E R R Y C A T A N I A

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Load up with one of Hodgdon’s

27 smokeless powders. Match your gun, your game,

the weather – you’ve got it bagged.Phone 913-362-9455 • www.hodgdon.com

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“I n spring, a youngman’s fancy lightlyturns to thoughts

of …guns?”Alfred Tennyson wrote all but one of

those words in 1835, and although Iadmit to playing a bit fast and loose withone of the most quoted verses in thewestern canon, the poem from which

this line comes ( Locksley Hall ) repre-sents the memories and musings of asoldier marching past his childhoodhome with his military unit.

In other words, our unnamed (but notunarmed) protagonist probably did all ofhis poetic pondering with a standard issueweapon of the day slung over his shoulder.

No stranger to military narratives, Ten-nyson would later pen a paean of praiseto the ill-fated British cavalry troops whorode to their deaths at the CrimeanWar’s Battle of Balaclava in The Charge

of the Light Brigade.But I digress.Flash forward to spring, 2014. While

the onset of the warmer season still in-spires visions of shiny new firearms for

fans of the shooting sports, those lightlyturned fancies no longer emanate solely

from the minds of young men. In fact,according to recent surveys and studiesby Gallup, the NSSF and others, the per-centages of both young (ages 18-34) andwomen shooters continue to grow.

Young people taking up the shootingsports—often through the encourage-ment and example of older family mem-bers—is a time-honored tradition. In arecent roundtable discussion I had with

five Gun World writers, I found that all five had taken up hunting at age 12, and

four of the five had gone on their firsthunting trip with a family member.

But according to the recent—and oft-quoted—Gallup poll data, the percentageof American women who own a firearmnearly doubled between 2005 and 2011,rising from 13% to 23%. This past sum-mer, the NSSF released a report reveal-ing that—although they currentlycomprise only 22% of the established

target-shooting population—37% of new

target shooters are female, and this wel-come trend is likely to continue.

According to recent (December 2013)Department of Defense statistics, morethan 210,000 women currently serve inthe U. S. military, and another 590,000serve in the National Guard or reserves.

The NRA, of course, has long sup-ported women in the shooting sportsthrough education, training and events,and more recently via their NRA Women(nrawomen.tv) arm. Newer organizationssuch as Shoot Like a Girl(shootlikeagirl.com) and The Well ArmedWoman (thewellarmedwoman.com) are

just two of an increasing number ofgroups designed to cater specifically tothis growing group of ammo aficionados.

Clearly, in 2014 and beyond, poetsand the rest of us will do well to con-sider the firearm fancies of all persons,regardless of age or gender.

8 GUN WORLD | MARCH2014 www.gunworld.com

UP FRONTMARCH 2014 • VOLUME 55 • NUMBER 3

EDITORIALEditorial Director: Doug JeffreyEditor: Craig HodgkinsManaging Editor: Breanna ArmstrongArt Director: Thomas Kimball

CONTRIBUTORSDave Emanuel, Lee Boyt, Todd Burgreen, Jerry Catania,Mike Dickerson, Tara Dixon Engel, Jim Dickson, AbeElias, Brad Fitzpatrick, Richard Folsland, Paul Hantke,James House, Dave Norman, Jameson Parker, Buck

Pope, D.K. Pridgen, Denis Prisbrey, John Raguso, DaveSpaulding, Tom Tabor, Chuck Taylor, Leroy Thompson,Martin Topper, Dave Workman

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A PERSON’SFANCY

By Craig Hodgkins

GUN WORLDIN SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website: www.gunworld.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/gunworldmagazine

Twitter: @gunworldmagInstagram: @gunworldmag

Those lightlyturned fancies no

longer emanate solely from the minds of

young men…

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QUESTION: A friend and I have been debating which rifleserved as a U.S. military rifle for the longest time. Can youhelp resolve our discussion?

—Steve N., Pierre, South Dakota

LEROY THOMPSON ANSWERS: Depending on how youchoose to define “service,” there are multiple possibilities. Soeven though my answer may not completely resolve your dis-

cussion, you’ll at least have more information.If you limit your discussion to the years that a rifle was actu-ally the standard weapon, then the M16/M4has now served for between 45 and 51years—depending on how its date of adop-tion is determined—as AR15 rifles (not thecurrent semi-autos, but select fire forerun-ners to the M16) were ordered for testing inVietnam in 1962. Larger orders were placed in 1963, but theM16 did not really replace the M14 in Europe until 1970.

Ironically, the M14 rifle, which was only produced from 1959to 1964 and was already being replaced when productionended, is still being issued to U.S. troops today as a Desig-

nated Marksman Rifle (DMR). As a result, it has been in service for 54 years, though not as the standard issue rifle.

The M1903 Springfield served from 1903 until the adoption

of the M1 Garand in 1936. However, the M1903 was producedduring World War II, as there were not enough Garands toequip all troops. As a result, it had a frontline service life of alittle over 40 years. But, the M1903A4 sniper version of theM1903 was used through the Korean War and even into Viet-nam. As a result, the M1903 saw usage for somewhere around60 years.

The M1 Garand was the standard service rifle from its adop-

tion in 1936 until its replacement by the M14 in 1959. However,the M1D sniping version of the Garand was used in Vietnam,

and reportedly some were in National Guard armories at thetime of Desert Storm, thus stretching its military use to over 50years.

So the answer to your question depends on your definition.The M16/M4 has been the standard rifle/carbine for the longest

time and increases its tenure every year. However, if the an-swer is based on use, then the M14 is likely to continue in lim-ited use and pass the M1903 in the next few years.

ASK theEXPERTS


We do the research so you don’t have to.

LONG ENLISTMENT

Thompson ring a U.S. M1903 Spring eld ri e, which saw at least limited use for more than 60 years.

“ The answer to your questiondepends on your de nition. ”

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QUESTION: I inherited a .38 Special revolver from an uncleand wanted to find out some more about it. It has a four-inchbarrel with a ring for a lanyard in the butt. It is marked U.S.Property and has a flat black finish. Was this a U.S. militarygun? My uncle served in World War II.

—Walter M., Phoenix, Arizona

LEROY THOMPSON ANSWERS: It sounds as if you have

what is known as a Smith & Wesson “Victory” model. If youcheck the serial number, there should be a “V” at the begin-ning for Victory. Almost all of the Victory Models had four-inchbarrels, though a small number were made with two-inch bar-rels. Since these are quite scarce, they are sought after andbring substantially more than a four-inch model.

Victory models were produced between 1942 and 1954, withover 242,000 having been manufactured. As you mentioned,they had a lanyard ring and a sand blasted blue or black finish.In addition to “U.S. Property” on the top strap, they will usuallyalso usually have the inspector’s mark “G.H.D.” somewhere onthe frame.

An accident in which a sailor dropped a Victory model on

the deck of his ship, causing a discharge that killed anothersailor, resulted in S&W developing a more effective hammer

block safety, which was used on post-war S&W revolvers.About 40,000 Victory Models were sent back to S&W to havethe hammer block safety upgraded. These will have an “S”next to the serial number.

Although most Victory models went to aviators and othermilitary personnel, occasionally getting an S&W factory letter

for $50 will show that one went to an interesting place. Some, for example, were acquired by the OSS. GW

www.gunworld.com MARCH 2014 | GUN WORLD 11

A SPECIAL

.38 SPECIAL

A S&W Victory model showing some service use.

OUR MARCH EXPERT

LEROY THOMPSON is an internationally recognized au-thority on weapons and tactics, and is the author of 50 books.

His most recent feature wasSelective Service , a history of the military handgun, which appeared in our January issue.

“ Victory models were produced between

1942 and 1954… ”

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NEW PRODUCTS


Story & Photos by Brad Fitzpatrick

NIKON’SBDC RETICLEFor years, determining holdover meant guessing,or buying and learning to use a ballistic reticle.Now, Nikon offers something in the middle…

Most rifle hunters have an encyclo-pedic knowledge of their gun’sballistics.

They know the velocity and the kinetic energy as the bullet

leaves the muzzle, and they know just how much their bulletwill drop at a given distance. We’ve all heard (and perhapseven given) that same speech, which goes something like,

The Nikon Monarch 3 (shown here mounted on a Weatherby WBY-X .30-06 ri e) is available with the BDC reticle. It makes shooting at longer dis-tances much easier with simple, circular holdover points.

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“The bullet leaves the muzzle at 3,213 feet per second, and when it’s sighted in2.3 inches high at 100 yards it’s striking

dead on at 200 yards, which means it’s6.3 inches low at 300 yards and it’s pre-

cisely 21.7 inches low at 400…”The speech is a sign that the shooterhas, at the very least, studied the ballis-tics that come on the box of ammuni-tion. But there is a wide gap betweenknowing that your bullet drops 21.7inches at 400 yards and actually makinga 400-yard shot. With a simple, tradi-tional crosshair, you’re guessing what21.7 inches looks like at that distance.The depth of an animal’s body givessome indication, as does the width oftheir ears, but assuming that all muledeer have ears that are 22 inches wide atthat range is a shaky standard.

There are other options, of course. Inrecent years, ballistic reticles and scopeswith resettable turrets have becomepopular, but learning to properly use atrue ballistic reticle takes time, and timeand time again I’ve heard shooters withballistic reticles say that they “go up aline or two” for every hundred yardspast zero… sort of defeats the purposeof all that technology.

Nikon has found some comfortablemiddle ground between the straight,holdover crosshairs and reticles pollutedwith lines that many shooters neverbother to learn to use. The company’sBDC (Ballistic Drop Compensation) reticlegives five holdover points (six if you countwhere the bottom wire meets the post inthe bottom of the reticle) and—get this—each circle in the objective is roughly 100yards farther than the one above it.

Simple, straightforward holdoverpoints. Genius.

The BDC reticle is designed so that ifthe shooter sights in a gun at the appro-priate distance for the crosshairs (100

yards for cartridges in the 2,800 fps cate-gory, 200 yards for magnums) then eachcircle on the wire below is the holdover

point for an additional hundred yards ofrange. That’s just a rough estimate, but

you will be in the ballpark using that sys-tem. But Nikon didn’t stop there. Theyhave set it up so that you know the exactrange for each holdover point. The com-pany’s Spot On website (see “Contact”sidebar below) allows you to plug in in-

formation regarding your particular load.On the website, I indicated which scope Iwas using (Nikon Monarch 3 3-12x42)and which load I wanted to test (.30-06Nosler Accubonds at 2,750 fps), thenclicked the FIRE button. Instantly, I had aprintable code for the point of impact foreach circle in the reticle. The crosshairs

were centered at 100 yards, and for thatparticular load, the first circle should bedead on at 201 yards, the second at 296,

and the third at 377.I didn’t have a 377-yard range at mydisposal, but I did have a 200-yardrange. With the Weatherby Vanguard.30-06 centered at 100 yards, I movedback to test the accuracy of the BDCholdover points. At 200 yards, the shotswere clustered around the one-inch cir-cle at the center of the target, and thegroup measured 1.6 inches in diameter.Elevation was, well, spot-on.

Nikon had the right idea with the BDCreticle. Make it simple, but make sure it’s

effective. GW

The BDC reticle performed as promised with the .30-06 Nosler ammunition tested. The rst roundholdover point was supposed to be centered at 201 yards, and this sub-MOA group shot at 200yards indicates that the Spot On technology works.


“ In recent years, ballistic reticlesand scopes with resettable turrets

have become popular…

” CONTACTS:NIKON

www.nikonsportoptics.com

“SPOT ON” SITE

www.spoton.nikonsportoptics.com

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Built for rugged outdoors duty,the SR-762 operates with a vari-ety of ammunition, thanks to theadjustable gas regulator.

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Ruger’s SR-762 is a Modern Sport-Utility Rifle With Lots of PotentialStory & Photos by Dave Workman

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Now, with the introduction of the SR-762, they have.

Ruger’s new SR-762 is hardly the first.308/7.62mm-chambered AR-type rifle tohit the marketplace, but one could easily

say it is one of the most superbly exe-cuted versions of the concept, with a“new and improved” action. Hitting thescales at an advertised 8.6 pounds, theSR-762 launches a .30-caliber bullet reli-ably and accurately.

It features a 16.12-inch hammer- forged Mil-Sped 41V45 chrome-moly-vanadium steel barrel cut with six landsand grooves on a 1:10-inch right-handtwist. The barrel is fitted with an A2-type

flash suppressor, and both the bore andchamber are chrome-lined. Ruger de-signers added folding iron sights withtwo apertures on the rear, which is ad-

justable for windage, and an elevation-adjustable post up front, but it is clearthat this rifle was designed for maximumuse with optical sights.

THIS DOG CAN HUNT

Make no mistake, this is a modernsemi-auto hunting rifle, in a caliber thatcan easily take down deer, elk, caribou,black bears and just about anything else

on four legs that strolls across the NorthAmerican landscape. Soon after it wasannounced, some people called this a“battle rifle,” which I believe unfairlypaints the SR-762 into a corner where itdoesn’t really belong.

Frankly, I’m rather tickled with the SR-762 for no other reason than its caliberallows us all to laugh at gun critics whohave insisted that “you don’t hunt deerwith a…” and so forth. Well, you sure ashell can hunt deer with this .308-caliberRuger. The .308 Winchester cartridge is

so well established as a buck stopperthat for anyone to dispute the Ruger SR-

A lmost immediatelyafter wrapping mysweaty little palms

around Ruger’s SR-556 a few years ago, it occurredto me that Ruger could re-ally make some magic byintroducing a .30-caliberAR-platform rifle.

Ruger’s new SR-762 is chambered for the 7.62mm/.308 Winchester, making it a serious big gameri e and a defensive rearm.

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762’s potential as a hunting rifle wouldbe self-delusional.

That’s not to say the SR-762 could noteasily be adapted to an urban or ruralsurvival tool, because it definitely wouldbe up to that task. In an emergency situ-ation where you need a rugged semi-auto that can take being banged around

a bit, dropped in the dirt or mud, berained or snowed on and still come up fighting, this new Ruger can easily fill thebill.

I was particularly impressed with sev-eral features. For starters, it has a “light-weight adaptable” handguard with anintegral Mil-Spec 1913 rail on top thatmarries up perfectly with the rail that ismilled into the receiver upper. Thishandguard is drilled and tapped formounting additional rails on both sidesand/or the bottom (two come with the

rifle), so someone can trick out the SR-762 with laser sights and/or lights. Rugeralso supplies three grooved attachmentsthat fit on all sides for an enhanced for-ward grip.

The six-position M4-style buttstockseems very durable, and it has a mil-spec diameter tube. It features a HogueMonogrip with that distinctive bump tex-tured surface that one really appreciatesin my native Pacific Northwest where, ifit is not raining, it is getting ready to rain.

Ruger also delivers this rifle with a trioof 20-round MagPul PMAG magazines ina soft-sided case that unzips totally to lay

flat and wide enough so that it could beused as a ground pad for shootingprone. And, if one has to “bug out” in ahurry, everything you need in a firearmis going to fit inside that zippered case.

THE BOLT & PISTON

Okay, let’s get down to the details.The SR-762 has got guts, grit, and every-thing else it takes to go anywhere. It has

a chrome-plated bolt and one-piece boltcarrier with an oversized rear-bearingsurface that is radiused to eliminatesharp edges.

Up front is Ruger’s patented two-stagepiston with a multi-stage regulator. It ischrome-plated and—according to myyounger son, who is such an AR fan thathe built his own from components acouple of years ago—is ultimately acleaner setup than a traditional directgas system. Of course, he couched thatobservation with the caveat that this is a

debatable issue, and that there are defi-nitely two opposing camps.


The heart of Ruger’s SR-762 is this two-stage piston and regulator, which comes out easily for clean-ing. Many AR fans consider this to be more reliable that a direct impingement gas recoil system.

Simply rotate the knurled end of the regulator and pull it for cleaning.

“ Make no mistake, this is a modern semi-auto hunting ri e…

”

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Here’s a feature Workman liked. The sights fold over when one adds a scope or electronic sight, getting it out of the way…

And when they’re needed, the sights pop right back up with a single pulThe front sight also pivots down when not in use, but in the up position,it is adjustable and just as reliable as any mil-spec front post sight.

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The traditional direct gas recoil sys-tem, he says—and his personal rifle uti-lizes that system, so I bow to his

judgment—is dirtier because gases andpowder residue blow back into the ac-tion.

Engineer Mark Gurney, Ruger’s direc-tor of product management, confirmedthis much. In a telephone interview, hetold Gun World that direct impingementguns can be “a bear to clean” becauseas the gas is bled off through the gasport at the front of the barrel and pipedback into the action, the pressurized gasthat cycles the bolt also brings with ithot and dirty gases.

The direct impingement action is theoriginal Eugene Stoner design, and Gur-ney said it was “absolutely brilliant.” Butit does leave that residue.

On the other hand, the two-stage pis-

ton design, Gurney added, takes the gasthat is bled off the barrel and “immedi-ately drives a piston above the gas blockin the barrel.” This drives a rod that cy-cles the action. He said it shoots cleanenough that he once did a demonstra-tion on the earlier 5.56mm model andcleaned the bolt, carrier and extractorwith a tissue.

“It’s newer technology,” he observed.“We tried to be cutting edge on this, in-stead of just a ‘me too’ gun.”

That’s an interesting note. It is true

that just about everyone in the firearmsindustry is producing at least one model

A FOUR-POSITION REGULATORAlthough Ruger ships the SR-762 with the regulator set at Position 2 (see below), it

offers four different and distinct settings (categorized from 0-3) to help shooters “dial-in” the rifle based on their preferences and needs:

Position 0 – No regulation at all.Position 1 – A small amount of gas is bled back into the system, which isenerally the setting used for suppressed semi-auto fire.Position 2 – The standard setting under which most ammunition is used forypical shooting and hunting endeavors.Position 3 – For use with weaker ammunition, or when the field conditions are

adverse, such as a muddy or sandy environment.

This ash suppressor is a nice touch, though when ring full-house .308 loads, this ri e is going to show a lot of ame at the muzzle.

Fire controls are simple and right where they should be, as on any AR platform.

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This Hogue textured grip is also a welcome feature. Workman’s Paci c Northwest is a wet, nasty environment about half the year; no place for wethands to be slipping around on a plastic grip

“ The six-position M4-style buttstock seems very durable, and it

has a mil-spec diameter tube.

”

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of the modern sporting rifle, in variouscalibers that are adequate for big-gamehunting.

As noted, Ruger’s system is adjustable, with the knurled front end thatrotates to one of four positions (from “0”to “3”) and locks into each position.Ruger ships the SR-762 set at Position 2,

which allows the rifle to cycle most com-mercial ammunition, according to theowner’s manual. For one who loads hisown, it may take some experimentation,but that is part of the fun of shooting.

This four-position regulator, accordingto Gurney, addresses all kinds of chal-lenges and uses. In the “0” position,there is “no regulation at all,” and in Po-sition 1, the smallest amount of gas isbled back into the system, which is gen-erally the setting used for suppressedsemi-auto fire.

As noted above, Position 2 is the stan-dard setting under which most ammuni-tion is used for typical shooting andhunting endeavors, and moving the reg-ulator to Position 3 allows the rifle to beused with weaker ammunition, or when


SPECIFICATIONSSTURM, RUGER & CO., INC.

SR762

CALIBER:7.62mm NATO/.308 Winchester

CAPACITY:20 rounds

ACTION:Semi-auto

BARREL:16.12 inches

RECEIVER:Forged aluminum

FINISH:Matte black

SIGHTS:Folding, front and rear

WEIGHT;8.6 pounds

STOCK:Six-position telescoping M4-style

GRIP:Hogue Monogrip

MSRP: $2,195

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me as unthinkable that some enterpris-ing handloader could tinker at the load-ing bench and develop a load for hispersonal Ruger SR-762 that would de-liver accurate shots to several hundredyards, especially if the rifle is topped bya good scope.

One thing to note about a .30-caliberAR platform is that one doesn’t feel thesame recoil as with a bolt-action rifle, be-

cause the cycling of the semi-auto sucksup a lot of the punch that is pushedbackward from a bolt-action rifle.

The cycle is quick, so follow-upshots—if necessary—can be rapid andaccurate.

Cleaning this rifle should be a snap, asnoted earlier by Gurney’s demonstrationwith the tissue. Thanks to the availabilityof modern aerosol cleaners, keeping this

rifle gunk-free will take a few moments.A drop of oil here and there and a good

wipe with a cloth patch should maintainthe SR-762 adequately under all kinds ofconditions.

While it is a little heavier than I prefer for a rifle, the SR-762 justifies its weightby being the kind of firearm someonewould comfortably knock around withwhere a traditional bolt-action sportingrifle might be inadequate. While not im-pervious to the weather, Ruger’s semi-

auto might handle drastically changingconditions better than grandpa’s classicdeer-killer.

What’s more, with its modern designand rapid-fire capability, in a socialemergency, it would provide a distinctadvantage over lighter-caliber weaponsin terms of range, energy and stoppingpower.

As a rifle for all seasons and all pur-

poses, Ruger’s SR-762 addresses multi-ple needs and delivers on all counts. GW

The Ruger is going to lock up tight when thisbolt moves forward into the breech, completelysurrounding the cartridge case head.

“ This four-position regulator…

addresses all kinds

of challenges and uses. ”

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COMMAND AND

CONTROL


A comparison of the full size Ruger 1911 (top)and Ruger’s SR-1911 CMD (bottom).

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In 1911, when the U.S. military adopted the Browning-de-signed, Colt-produced .45 ACP pistol, it had a barrel length of

five inches. Throughout the next three decades (and two worldwars), changes in safeties, triggers, housings, and hammerswere made, but the barrel length remained the same.

In 1949, the U.S. government issued a call for a new pistolthat had to weigh less than 25 ounces, not to exceed seveninches in length, and be chambered for (horrors!) 9mm Para-

bellum. Colt—among other makers—answered the call with analuminum-framed 1911 with a barrel shortened to 4.25 inches.

When the U.S. military didn’t follow up, Colt put its newCommander into production for the civilian market in 1951and wisely chambered it in .45 ACP as well as in 9x19mmand .38 Super.

The aluminum framed 1911 in .45 ACP—the only caliberconsidered a “man-stopper” at the time—was never reallytrusted by those in the “know,” including Colonel John Dean“Jeff” Cooper, who cautiously stated that it was “a pistol thatshould be carried a lot, but fired little.” Seemingly in responseto this, Colt brought out an all-steel “Colt Combat Commander”in 1970, and began calling the original aluminum-framed 1911the “Lightweight Commander.”

The demand for the Browning 1911 has remained very

strong, with dozens of quality manufacturers—large andsmall—continuing to produce myriad versions of them. So-


Ruger’s Stainless Steel Commander-Length1911 in .45 ACP is Long on Value

G ood things sometimes come insmaller packages. Just ask Napoleon.

And while the Commander-length1911 doesn’t date back to the revered and/orreviled French general, it does have an inter-esting history of its own.

Story & Photos by Jerry Catania

The Ruger CMD comes with two mags,soft case, and take-down tool.

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“ The titanium ring pin and theextra strength ring pin spring

provide safety against accidental discharge.

”

The Ruger eld-strips easily.

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called “improvements” have also beenmade for decades, such as external ex-tractors and full-length recoil springguide rods.

Years after the military originallyadopted the pistol, Sturm, Ruger, andCo., Inc. entered the market with theirSR1911 100, and it was an immediate

hit. A top-end pistol with a low-endprice, it was (and is) much in demand.Now, Ruger has brought out theSR1911CMD, their all-steel Commander-length pistol.

COMMANDING ATTENTION

The new Ruger SR1911 CMD is an all-stainless steel .45 ACP semi-automaticpistol that echoes the 1970 Colt CombatCommander with its 4.25-inch barrel.The gun also follows the same “Series70” design with no firing pin safety,

which makes for a clean and easy take-down and re-assembly. The titanium fir-ing pin and the extra strength firing pinspring—a system that was combat-proven in two world wars—providesafety against accidental discharge. TheRuger also has an internal extractor, justlike the original 1911.

The stainless steel barrel and solidbushing are machined from the samebar stock as the slide on the same ma-chine for a superior (even precision) fitand better accuracy. In fact, the fit onmine was so good that the pistol did notrattle in the slightest. Better still, after fir-ing 100 rounds or so of full-power am-munition, it showed virtually no wear onany moving parts. Both the frame and


SPECIFICATIONSSTURM, RUGER & CO., INC.

1911CMD

WEIGHT:36.4 ounces

BARREL LENGTH:4.25 inches

SIGHTS:Novak windage-adjustable, 3-dot

CALIBER:.45 ACP

MATERIAL:Stainless Steel

MSRP: $829

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OUR SCCYWILL BACK YOU UP.And we’ll back up your SCCY.

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In fact, we actually back up our new 9mm

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asked” warranty that stays with the gun. Soyou can get the condence of knowing that yourSCCY will be ready to back you up—for life.

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Skeletonized trigger is user adjustable with Ruger-provided tool.

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Both barrel and frame are contouredand polished for reliable feeding.

After over 100 rounds of full-power 45 ACP ammo, the Ruger

CMD shows very little wear. That’s precision tting.

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by itself and the pistol behaved in a mostsatisfactory manner. The sights werewell regulated with the heavy bullets Iused. Point of Aim and Point of Impactcoincided very well at 20 yards or so.Chronograph results were generally as

good as expected for two loads, and bet-ter with one: Hornady’s Critical Duty LawEnforcement load. This load features a220-grain hollow point with a soft “flextip” insert that both keeps the hollowpoint from plugging up with debris(clothes, sheet rock, etc.) and initiates

expansion through virtually all tacticalbarriers. The Critical Duty loads exceedall the latest FBI protocol for Law En-

forcement bullets. You can go to theHornady website and see the results ofthis bullet in bare gelatin as well as afterpenetrating various types of clothing andhard materials. The .45 ACP version ex-pands up to .90 caliber.

The Ruger CMD is an easy to control, flawlessly functioning 1911 that is a littleshorter than a full-size 1911 for ease ofcarry. Precise fitting and all the usual up-grades are provided at no additionalcost. At an actual retail price of under$800, it is truly an outstanding value. I

really felt confident carrying the CMDaround the mean (and not-so-mean)streets and desert of Arizona. The ¾-inch shorter barrel really made a differ-ence in comfort, especially when seated.The only thing I can imagine Ruger

doing to improve it would be to offer abobtail version…it’s that good.

If an all-steel 1911 is your preference,you definitely cannot go wrong with thislatest offering from Sturm, Ruger, andCo., Inc. GW


CHRONOGRAPH DATA

LOAD MUZZLE VELOCITY ADVERTISED MV

Hornady 230gr. XTP +P 871 feet per second 950 feet per secondHornady 220gr. +P Critical Duty 988 feet per second 975 feet per secondDoubleTap 230gr. FMJ 932 feet per second 950 feet per secon

Muzzle velocities are the actual results obtained using the Ruger 1911CMD (4.25-inch barrel) with an Oehler Model 35P chrono-graph in the field at 1200 feet elevation, and a temp of 81 degrees F. Advertised velocities were taken with 5-inch barrels under labo-ratory conditions.

NOTE: The Hornady Critical Duty load surpassed the factory specs even in the shorter barrel.

Ruger 1911’s are built on the clean “Series 70” frame—no extra levers, parts, or widgets. The re-sults? Better trigger, easier take-down and re-assembly.

“ Point of Aimand Point

of Impact coincided very well at 20 yards

or so.” Ruger’s CMD does NOT have a full-length guide rod.

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The author ring the Compact Hunter. Forhunting in heavy cover in Texas, this wasan ideal ri e: light, accurate, and durable.And, since the Compact Hunter is cham-

bered in .308 Winchester, it is versatileenough for use on almost any game.

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Story & Photos by Brad Fitzpatrick

DPMS has produced innovative ARs for years,and their current crop may be the best ever.Here are five great ARs from the Panther People.

PANTHER POWER

It was a hot October afternoon, even byTexas standards.

Trevor Umnus and I were stalkingwhitetail deer in the thorn scrub at MellonCreek Ranch, so I held my rifle close to mychest and tried to ignore the buzzing cloud ofmosquitoes that circled my face, carefullychoosing each step because we’d already runinto a handful of rattlers.

Visibility was limited amidst the thorns—we could only see a fewyards ahead in many places—so we had to guess where the buckwas going. Fortunately, Trevor is an experienced whitetail hunter,

and he guessed right. We set up at the end of an alley in the brushand just as I slipped the DPMS Recon .308 onto the shooting sticks,the cull buck appeared forty yards ahead of us, standing perfectlybroadside. The buck paused for just a moment, and that was enoughtime to settle the horseshoe reticle of the Trijicon ACOG scope on thedeer’s shoulder.

I pressed the trigger and the buck went down.The DPMS Recon I carried worked extremely well for my Texas

cull hunt because of its short overall length, portability, ergonomicsand accuracy. I used it to take other deer as well as hogs on that trip,and was continuously impressed with how well the rifle performed.As the AR market continues to expand, and more and more manufac-turers vie for space in the market, we’re seeing a wider selection of

modern rifles with innovative features.

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HUNTING AT MELLON CREEK RANCHMellon Creek Ranch, which is located near Refugio, Texas, is comprised of 110,000 acres of low-fence hunting ground and

pastureland and is home to a large number of trophy whitetail deer. When I arrived at the airport at Corpus Christi, manager JimmyBrown informed me that I would see more deer on the ranch in a day than I would in Ohio during the entire hunting season. Ithought that was a pretty bold claim, but I can promise you that I saw at least 200 deer by noon on the first day of the hunt. Becausethere are so many deer on every corner of the ranch, Jimmy offers cull hunts, where hunters can take up to six deer, as well as man-agement and trophy hunts. If you aren’t interested in antler length and you’re looking to fill your freezer for the year, I recommendthe cull hunt. In addition to your deer, you can take wild hogs as well, and who doesn’t like a fresh deer tenderloin grilled and

wrapped in bacon? While you’re on the ranch you can also hunt coyotes, bobcats, doves, and ducks as well.For more information visit www.melloncreekoutfitters.com.

D P M S

DPMS (Defense Procurement Manu-

facturing Services) is one of the leadingAR manufacturers. Founded in 1985 as agovernment contract consultation firmby Randy Luth, it has since developedinto one of the most successful modernsporting rifle manufacturers in the coun-try. Today, DPMS products (and their fa-miliar panther logo) can be seen at justabout any major competitive AR shoot-ing event, and their products are amongthe most sought-after by serious ARshooters. DPMS offers an extensive riflelineup, and it was hard to narrow thisline overview article down to my five fa-vorites. But each of these guns that fol-low bring something special to thegrowing Panther line, and if you’re in themarket for a new AR, this will be a goodplace to start.

THE SWEET 16The name says it all. With its 16-inch

stainless steel free-floated bull barreland a fixed stock, the Sweet 16 has an

overall length of less than 35 inchesand weighs 7 ¾ pounds. Unlike somenew AR-15 rifles that are overloadedwith tactical rails and other add-ons,the Sweet 16 is simple and straightfor-ward. If you’re learning to shoot an AR,

this is a great platform because it’s un-cluttered and simple to use. That’s notto say that experienced shooters won’tappreciate the Sweet 16’s lightweight

aluminum handguard, its natural bal-

ance and its compact design. It alsohappens to be a very accurate rifle, andit will work well for long-range varmintshooting.

A growing number of AR users arepurchasing these guns for home de-

fense, and the Sweet 16 is a great car-bine for protecting yourself and your

family. The simple design makes it easyto operate in the worst scenarios, andits small size and lightweight make it a

handy, effective defense rifle. Its combi-nation of quality design, small size andaccuracy make the Sweet 16 a sweet lit-tle rifle. MSRP: $939

The compact, lightweight Sweet 16 ri e is fun to carry and funto shoot. This uncomplicated AR ri e earns praise both as avarmint gun and a fun target ri e.

“ Today, DPMS productscan be seen at just about any major competitive AR shooting event… ”

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THE LONG RANGE LITE

DPMS’s original LR-308 was a fantas-tic long-range rifle capable of excellentaccuracy. The only problem was itsweight. If you were planning on sitting inone place all day and didn’t have far towalk it worked fine, but hunters who

hike a little bit wanted something lighter.Enter the Long Range Light, whichshares many of the same design ele-ments of the original LR-308, but withoutthe heft. This weight reduction comes asa result of replacing the aluminum hand-guard tube with a light, durable carbon

fiber model, and switching the heavy 24-

inch bull barrel for a lighter barrel of thesame length. The resulting gun is just asaccurate and dependable as the originalLR-308, but the Long Range Lightweighs two pounds less.

I tested the LRL at the shooting rangeat Mellon Creek Ranch and found that itwas indeed very accurate. With 150 grainRemington loads it produced sub-MOAaccuracy at 100 yards and was an excel-lent long-range hunting rifle. One added

bonus: the carbon fiber tube is quieterthan an aluminum tube, especially if youhappen to be married. On more than oneoccasion I’ve forgotten to remove mywedding ring while shooting an AR withan aluminum handguard and the result-ing “PING!” is enough to scare the day-lights out of any game in the vicinity.

The LRL is longer, heavier, and bulkierthan the Sweet 16, but it’s also a differ-ent animal. While the Sweet 16 is de-

CONTACTS:DPMS

www.dpmsinc.com(320) 345-9223

D P M S

The Long Range Light has all of the qualities that made DPMS’s originalLong Range Hunter a favorite of both hunters and competitive shooters, buta smaller diameter barrel and the use of carbon ber help make this amuch more portable gun. Accuracy is still excellent.

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With an ACOG 3.5x scope, the Recon is a great brush hunting ri e that also doubles as a competition or target gun. It’s a very exible platform, and ifyou need an AR that can accomplish a variety of tasks, this is it.

D P M S

“ A growing number of AR usersare purchasing these guns

for home defense…”

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signed to be a short, handy rifle that ishighly maneuverable and easy to carry,the LRL is designed for serious long-range work. Whether you’re a hunterlooking to fill the freezer or a competitiveshooter trying to win a competition, theLong Range Lite is a good choice.MSRP: $1,499

THE RECONMore than any other firearm class on

the market, ARs have to be versatileenough to perform an assortment oftasks for a variety of consumers. Somewant a tactical rifle with plenty of railspace for mounting lights, lasers,

scopes, and grips. Others want an accu-rate gun that shoots well from 100 to1,000 yards. Some want a hunting gun,and some want a gun they can rely on tosave their life when they’re on duty. Itcan be really hard to find a gun that cando all of that, but the Recon would bemy choice for the most versatile of all

Panther AR guns.Tactical shooters will be thrilled by the

four-rail, free-floated handguard that offers plenty of space for mounting acces-sories. The Recon comes with flip-upMagpul front and rear sights, but there isplenty of space to mount another opticas well. The Magpul MOE stock is easy

to adjust, and the Recon comes with anAAC BLACKOUT suppressor adapterand flash hider that doesn’t affect accu-racy. With an overall weight of less thannine pounds, it isn’t the lightest rifle inthe DPMS lineup, but the Recon is capa-ble of doing a variety of things well. Itwas the perfect rifle for my Texas deer

and hog hunt because it was accurateenough to be used at long range and yetlight enough to carry. MSRP: $1,559

THE COMPACT HUNTERIf you’re a serious big game hunter

who isn’t afraid to walk a few miles insearch of game, then this might be the

The Recon is a very versatile ri e, with a Magpul MOE adjustable stock and Mapgul iron sightsas well as a four-rail handguard. It’s also light enough to make an effective hunting ri e.

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rifle for you. The Compact Hunter in.308 offers the accuracy and depend-ability you’d expect from a DPMS riflein a lightweight, compact package. Oneof the best features of any AR-stylehunting rifle is that you can easily re-move the upper and place both theupper and lower receivers in a shoulderbag for long hikes into camp. Weighingless than eight pounds, the CompactHunter helps lighten the load duringlong walks and yet offers featuresyou’d expect from a premium-huntingrifle. The 16-inch barrel has a stainless

steel Teflon coating that won’t produceglare and scare game. The carbon fiberhandguard is both lightweight andtough and, as previously stated, it isquiet. The extruded T6 aluminum A3

flattop receiver is perfect for mountinga light, compact scope, and the B5 Sys-tems Sopmod buttstock that is light-weight, easily adjustable, andextremely durable. Weighing in at just 7¾ pounds, the Compact Hunter is com-

fortable to carry, and its short overalllength (33-36 1/2 inches) makes this agreat gun for dense cover.

The Compact hunter isn’t just a greatgun for hunting, though. Like the Sweet16, it is short, light, and accurate, mak-ing it a great defensive rifle or targetgun. It’s light enough to carry comfort-ably and hits hard enough to take downthe largest game. MSRP: $1,499

THE PRARIE PANTHERVarmint hunters have helped popu-

larize AR-style rifles, and there aremany reasons why these guns are ideal

for prairie dogs, woodchucks, coyotes,hogs, and the like. Varmint hunters ap-

Varmint and predator hunters have long appreciated the AR platform’smany qualities, and the Prairie Panther is designed speci cally forhunting small game out to extreme ranges.

The Compact Hunter has a clean receiver with a Picatinny rail for mounting optics. This sleek design and use of a short barrel and a carbon berhandguard help keep weight under 8 pounds.

D P M S

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preciate the AR’s reliability, adaptabil-ity, accuracy, and the ability to deliver

fast follow-up shots, and the PrairiePanther line of rifles are DPMS’s takeon the trend toward sporterized, camoARs purpose-built for varmint hunting.With its carbon fiber handguards,Teflon-coated, fluted, 20-inch barrel,and camo coatings (available in MossyOak Brush, Kings Desert Shadow andKings Snow Shadow patterns), thePrairie Panther has all the trimmings ofa true varmint gun. The fixed stock isskeletonized to reduce weight, and the2-stage match trigger helps make longshots on small game. The flat top re-ceiver makes it easy to mount opticswith large objectives, and at just overseven pounds this is one of the lightest,most portable varmint AR rifles on themarket. It’s also very accurate, allowing

you to reach varmints at long ranges.MSRP: $1,289 GW

ACOG OPTICSWhile hunting on the Mellon Creek Ranch, the DPMS Recon I hunted with was topped with a Trijicon ACOG, the popu-

lar battle sight for the U.S. Military. ACOG (Advanced Combat Optics Gunsight) scopes have fixed magnification (mine was 3.5x,and worked perfectly in the thorn forests of Texas) and allow the shooter to keep both eyes open to focus on the target. It is availablewith bullet drop compensating and ranging reticles and the military grade aluminum alloy housing makes this one of the most durable scopes on the market. Also look for the VCOG, the variable-power version.

For more information visit www.trijicon.com or call 248-960-7700.

The Prairie Panther is available with three different camo patterns that will allow you to blend inno matter where you are hunting. This level of concealment will keep predators from spotting you

as they make an approach.

“ The Recon would be my

choice for the most versatile of all Panther

AR guns.

”

The Compact Hunter’s carbon ber handguard is extremely light, quiet to the touch and durable.The free- oated barrel helps make this one of the most accurate hunting ARs available.

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TODAY’SHUNTER


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COYOTE


Story & Photos by Thomas C. Tabor

UGLY Whitetail Excitement& Disappointmentin the Sooner State

I f I’d been playing a three-handed cardgame, the score would have been:hunter-1, deer- 0…and coyotes- 10.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t working a deck of cards.Instead, I was hunting whitetail deer on Oklahoma’s historic

Chain Ranch when I drew the dreaded coyote card and thingsturned ugly.

The Chain Ranch is a massive working cattle spread withholdings stretching across parts of Oklahoma and Kansas.Aside from raising prime quality steaks on the hoof, it also of-

fers free-roaming trophy-quality whitetail deer hunts on a lim-ited basis. Hunters frequently encounter multiple bucks in theB&C score range of 125 inches to 145 inches at Chain, andsometimes even have a chance at a 170-inch or larger trophy.As a side benefit, wild hogs also abound in this area, providingthe hunters even more exciting hunting opportunities.

On this particular hunt we were each allowed to take onebuck, one doe whitetail and as many hogs as we encounteredand chose to shoot. Of course, there was the possibility for othercritters like armadillos, porkies, raccoons and coyotes. After this

particular hunt, I would certainly encourage hunters to draw abead on virtually every coyote they happen to run across.You’ll be doing me a big favor.

TWO FIRSTS

The hunt was unique due to a couple of firsts: it was my first hunting adventure in Oklahoma, and it was my first timeto use an AR for hunting deer. I’ve used a variety of ARs forhunting many species of varmints and predators, but never

for game animals like deer. So, when I received the invite todo both—while testing out Smith & Wesson’s newest M&PModel 10 series rifle in camo—I didn’t have to think too longand hard about accepting the offer.

Our hunting party was comprised of folks eking out a livingputting ink to paper (or at least before computers found theirway into our business), those who choose to tell their stories

You know you are ingood deer countrywhen you are greetedlike this at the ChainRanch Lodge.

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on camera, and a group of S&W employ-ees and associates. After meeting up atthe Oklahoma City airport, we loadedour gear quickly and were soon on theroad for the 90-mile drive to the ranch,arriving just in time to take advantage of

the last remaining light to get the sightsof our S&W M&P Model 10 ARs finetuned. Each AR had already been

equipped with a Bushnell Elite TacticalLRS 3-12x44mm scope, held firmly inplace with Warne Skel rings and mounts.

Day 1 began with us fighting an icestorm and extreme wind, which wasn’texactly advantageous to good hunting.

Fortunately, reports were that betterconditions were on the way. But evenwith the poor weather, one fine 4x4

whitetail was already hanging in campby the end of that first day, as well as areally nasty looking curly-haired hog that

would tip the scale at somewherearound 300 pounds. I’d seen severalbucks that I would have been quitehappy to send a shot to, but the rut wasin full swing, and the animals were mov-ing quickly throughout the area, limitingthe possibility of getting a shot off.

DAY 2 DILEMMA

That all changed on Day 2 when a nicerepresentative 4x4 came near my standand lingered just a bit too long for hiswellbeing. Since I prefer broadside shots,

I patiently waited (well, maybe not too pa-tiently) for several minutes before finallydeciding the critter simply wasn’t goingto cooperate. Instead, I did it his way, andsent the 150-grain .308 Winchester ARmissile directly through the chest and intothe heart/lung area. It wasn’t the shot Iwould have preferred, but I was confidentthat it would get the job done in an expe-dient and effective manner.

At the shot, the buck hunched up andlunged forward, almost collapsing on its

front hunches, then quickly vanished from sight. A short distance away, theland dropped off into to small riverbedwhere the water was only a few inchesdeep due to a couple of recently builtbeaver dams. Confident that I would findthe buck piled up just over the edge ofthe bank, I climbed out of my blind andmade my way in that direction. To mysurprise, when I peered over the edge ofthe embankment, there was no deer tobe seen. The area appeared to be an ac-tive deer crossing with plenty of deer

sign, but there was no blood trail to fol-low. He had somehow been able toclimb out of the river bottom and wasnow somewhere on the brush-infested

flatland on the opposite side of the river.Darkness was quickly descending, so

after taking a quick look around I calledmy guide, Clint, who showed up about15 minutes later to help in the search. Itis always difficult for me to wait at timeslike these, but we thought it best to allowa few more minutes in hopes of the buckbedding down. I was confident that my

shot was terminal, but the brush wasdense, making spotting a downed animalextremely difficult. Unfortunately, dark-

TODAY’SHUNTER


The vast majority of the deer hunting on the Chain Ranch is done from blinds. Some are elevatedlike this one, while others are ground blinds.

Mark Chestnut, Editor of the NRA First Freedom, took this ne 4x4 whitetail buck with his .308Winchester Smith & Wesson camo M&P Model 10 AR.

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disheartened, we took theonly viable part of the deer

that remained—the head—and made our way back tocamp.

Although I came away frommy Day 2 misfortune a bit

frustrated, the overall experi-ence of hunting on the ChainRanch turned out to be a positive one.By the time our four actual days huntingwere over, all six of us had taken verynice whitetail bucks, consisting mostly of4x4s and 5x5s. Like me, most were ableto take a doe along with their buck, andwhen all was said and done, there werethree hogs hanging on the meat pole aswell, with my contribution being a fatsow possibly a little over 100 pounds(considerably more than the remainingweight of my buck).

The Smith & Wesson M&P Model 10ARs performed their duties perfectly foreveryone in camp. In every case they

functioned flawlessly, highlighting justhow versatile this firearm platform hasbecome to hunters. ARs should no longer

be limited to military and police usage. Inthe right calibers, they are effective rifles

for hunting a wide variety of game ani-mals, and as far as I’m concerned, the

S&W M&P series rifles are some of thebest available anywhere. GW

TODAY’SHUNTER


CONTACTS:SMITH & WESSON

1-800-331-0852www.smith-wesson.com

CHAIN RANCH

Main Office:(580) 886-2541(9 a.m. to noon, Monday-Friday)

Hunting Office:(580) 886-5985www.chainranch.com

THE CHAIN RANCHThe Chain Ranch was established in 1893 when Oscar Chain traded a shotgun

and $50 for a quarter of a section (160 acres) of land. The ranch has been in theChain family for six generations, and consists of holdings in both Oklahoma andKansas. Much of my hunt took place in the northwest portion of Oklahoma, about 40miles from the Texas panhandle. Deer hunts typically consist of five full days of hunt-ing with a 2 to 1 hunter to guide ratio. In addition to trophy whitetail hunting, theranch also offers hog hunting trips and hunts for a variety of exotic game animals.

INSET: I absolutely couldn’t believethe damage the coyotes did in a fewhours of darkness. Fortunately forme, they were unable to devour thehorns. Virtually no meat remainedon the buck after the coyotes gotdone.

RIGHT: I was happy with this buck,but it would have been nice to havea little meat left over for human con-sumption.

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The Steyr AUG with a Schmidt & Benderoptic was evaluated at Echo Valley Train-ing Center’s behind simulated cover

using dynamic training evolutions.

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Development of the Steyr AUG(roughly translated from Austrian as“Universal Army Rifle”) began in theearly 1970s. After exhaustive testing, itwas adopted by the Austrian Army in1977 as the Sturm Gewehr 77 (Assaultrifle 77, or StGw 77). In addition to Aus-tria, the AUG is used by a number ofother countries: Australia, New Zealand,Oman, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Ire-land to name just a few. It also waswidely purchased by various securityand law enforcement agencies world-

wide, including the U.S. Coastal Guard.The Steyr AUG may be the most com-

mercially successful bullpup rifle to date,and Steyr has updated the AUG designwith AUG A2 and AUG A3 variants. TheAUG A3 was introduced in 2005.

Bullpup rifles often generate strongopinions, both for and against. In abullpup, the action is located behind thetrigger group in the space normallysolely reserved for the stock. Modernwarfare often requires a light, compact,weapon with effective range of fire muchlonger than that of a submachine gun,but shorter than that of a main battle

rifle. The bullpup design retains accu-racy and full ballistic potential of a car-

Story & Photos by Todd Burgreen

SHORT &

SWEETSteyr’s AUG Bullpup OffersProven Maneuverability and Accuracy

F or years, The Steyr AUG bullpup rifle was unobtain-able to U.S. consumers. While other manufacturershave offered “AUG-like” versions, the original Steyr

AUG was simply not available. Now that they are beingassembled at Steyr’s facility in Trussville, Alabama, gen-uine Steyr-made AUGs are finally available to the U.S.civilian market.

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tridge while reducing overall length.Bullpups are generally the same size asspecialized short barrel rifles (SBR) with-

out having to resort to sub-16-inch bar-rels.

The bullpup is not a new platform, of

course. Design improvements have pro-gressed steadily since WWII, oftendriven by the British. The German StG

44, considered by many to be the fatherof the assault rifle genre of weapons,stimulated this Allied interest by exhibit-

ing the capability of a high-capacity de-tachable magazine, select-fire capability,and 7.92x33 Kurz cartridge. In thebullpup design, the British recognizedthe ability to get rifle-like ballistic per-

formance out of a weapon the size of aSMG.

OTHER QUALITIES

The AUG’s bullpup configuration isnot its only distinguishing characteristic.Other design features include a receivercast from lightweight aircraft alloy and abolt group/dual spring recoil system

captive inside hollow operating rods.The short-stroke (tappet) gas piston im-pinges on the front end of the right oper-ating rod and the end of the left rod is incontact with the rifle’s non-reciprocatingcocking handle.

The AUG’s stock is molded of a highstrength polymer with its two halves per-manently friction-welded together. Whilemost main firing components of theAUG are made of steel or lightweightalloy, as many parts as possible aremade of synthetic materials—including

the fire control group. Not only is thebody of the modular fire control groupmade of plastic, but also the sear, ham-

With the receiver being closer to the body, the center of gravity moves more toward the rear due to the weight of action at the butt. This, combinedwith the hands being closer to each other on the weapon makes the STEYR AUG seem lighter than it is.

Steyr AUG A3 SA NATO was tested with a myriad of ammunition, magazine, and other ancillarygear.

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mer, and disconnector—everything ex-cept pins and springs. Remember, theAUG emerged at a time before use ofpolymers in weapons became acceptedas routine practice.

The AUG stock is ergonomic, incorpo-rating a full hand trigger guard for easymanipulation with or without gloves. Acontoured vertical forward grip can beused or folded up where it locks via acentral spring-loaded pin. The stock hastwo ejection ports to accommodate rightor left-handed users, an early recogni-tion of the ambidextrous nature of tac-tics. To convert the rifle for a left handedshooter, the port cover is moved to the

right port, and a left ejecting bolt is in-stalled with the entire procedure takingonly a few minutes in the field. The SteyrAUG made use of tan translucent ther-moplastic 30 or 42 round magazines al-lowing remaining ammunition to beseen at a glance.

Another unique/pioneering AUG fea-ture is its quick-change barrel system,

which allows the rifle to be converted from a short 14-inch barrel “Commando”weapon to a heavy 24.5-inch barrelsniper rifle or light machinegun. TheAUG barrel is made by cold hammer

forging and is chrome lined. Each barrelcontains a gas block with a 3-positiongas plug. Two positions are for operat-ing under various conditions while the

WHY “BULLPUP?”Attempts at uncovering the origins of the term Bullpup (at least relating to this type of firearm) resulted in nothing definitive, but a

popular explanation is that in British usage, a “Bulldog” was a heavy caliber revolver firing a .45 caliber bullet from a snub nose bar-rel. These were based on the Webley Police Revolver for the Royal Irish Constabulary. As most know, British police did not normallycarry guns. However, a British policeman in Ireland who did not have a gun was tempting fate, so these officers wanted a powerful,compact weapon they could fit under their uniform. It was called “Bulldog” because the archetypical British-bred Bulldog has a snubnose, similar to a revolver with a short barrel. Therefore, the early innovators of the modern form of the “Bullpup” rifle associated the

earlier term “Bulldog,” i.e. a shortened or abbreviated form of a handgun, with the same form for a rifle. Thus, the endearing term“Bullpup” was born.

Compactness—while maintaining a full-length barrel to maximize cartridge performance—is one of the most oft repeated positive attributes ofbullpup ri es. An example of this would be working in and around vehicles as shown with Steyr AUG.

“ The Steyr AUG may bethe most commercially successful

bullpup ri e to date…

”

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third is the “off” position for launchingrifle bullet grenades.

THE AUG A3 NATO

The specific AUG evaluated here wasthe AUG/A3 SA NATO version. The U.S.

AUG/A3 SA has a 10-inch uninterruptedMil-Std-1913 rail monolithic with themain receiver. With the A3, Steyr addedside rails in order to mount accessoriessuch as a light or laser. The nuance withNATO nomenclature is that this AUG ac-cepts standard AR15/M16 magazines.

The AUG A3 NATO weighs 8 poundsand measures approximately 28.25inches with its 16-inch barrel. A fulllength Picatinny rail runs down theupper receiver, with a shorter rail alsopresent on the right side of the forend.

The AUG A3 NATO does not come withback up iron sights, though these areeasily added, especially with the Magpul

flip sights so prevalent. The safety selec-tor type is located behind the trigger andis a lateral push through type.

The A3 NATO was not particularabout what magazines it uses. Althoughthe AUG A3 NATO shipped with a metal30-round magazine, the popular polymermagazines from Magpul were fully func-tional, as was a 40-round Magpul vari-ant.

The magazine release button is found

behind the magazine well, making it am-bidextrous. The magazine catch re-quires it be pushed in for magazine to bereleased with operator pulling the maga-zines free while depressing the releasebutton. The AUG does feature a bolthold open device after the last round is

fired, even though a bolt release is notpresent with the charging handle need-ing to be manipulated once a new maga-zine is inserted. Once practiced, reloadscan be done in one fluid motion.

Generally speaking, bullpup triggersare not as crisp as other designs due tothe linkage required between the for-ward trigger and the rearward action.The best approach is to treat bullpuptriggers like a Glock or Double-Action re-volver trigger. One should not try tostage the trigger, but rather work itsmoothly, thus allowing for more preciseshots. The AUG trigger took approxi-mately 9 pounds of pressure to fire around.

The compactness of a bullpup rifle—

while maintaining a full-length barrel—isbeneficial in several situations, includingworking in and around vehicles. As adriver or passenger, you can have theAUG A3 NATO rifle pointed muzzle downbetween your legs, with the buttstockresting on the seat cushion. Movementwith the AUG inside of structures is alsomuch easier, and is similar to the size ad-vantage offered by a SMG without theterminal ballistic penalty of using a pistolcartridge or short barrel for a rifle.

OPTICS AND MANIPULATIONIt didn’t take much time to become fa-

miliar with the AUG A3 NATO and its

SPECIFICATIONSSTEYR

AUG A3 SA NATO

CALIBER:

5.56mmACTION:

Short Stroke gas pistonwith two settings

BARREL LENGTH:

16 inches(18.375 inches with flash hider)

OVERALL LENGTH:

28.25 inches

WEIGHT:8.15 pounds

TOP: The Steyr AUG was simple to eld stripwith only a handful of major components pres-ent in its design. This simplicity is a major rea-son for its reliability and ruggedness.

BOTTOM: The AUG uses a two-position gasvalve to ensure reliable operation. It is locatedon right side of ri e in front of the recoil springhousing.

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300 AAC BLACKOUT – The terminal effectsthat you expect and reliable intermediate-barrierperformance from even the shortest-barreledcarbines and PDWs. Barnes 300 AAC Blackout-optimized bullets’ new, over-sized plastic tipsadd to our existing bullet technology to keep the

weight down and the velocityup, for a atter trajectoryand optimal penetrationeven at extended ranges.

338 LAPUA – Developed to match theadvancements in rie accuracy and extended-range optics. The Barnes 338 Lapua LRXfeatures a long prole and boattail design thatdeliver match-grade accuracy at long rangewith an incredibly high ballistic coefcient andterminal performance.

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Y O U S H O U L D E R T H E

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handling during T&E. The magazine sitscloser to the body, which took some get-ting used during reloads, and orientatinghand location when racking the charginghandle during weapon manipulationtook a bit of time as well. Range testsconsisted of moving around barricadesand simulated cover while engaging anassortment of paper and steel targets, in-cluding automobiles located at Echo Val-ley Training Center. The AUG’snon-reciprocating charging handle found

favor with multiple evaluators who have

worked extensively around vehicles…asituation where a reciprocating charginghandle can be a detriment due to com-

ing into contact with surroundings.The AUG A3 full length Picatinny railallowed for easy mounting of optics, butthe dilemma was whether to go with ared dot optic (taking advantage of theAUG’s compact stature for CQB arena)or a magnified optic (since the AUG iscapable of long range accuracy thanks toits 16 inch barrel). In the end, I decidedto evaluate the AUG with a Schmidt &Bender (S&B) 1.1-4x20 PM ShortDot. TheS&B is designed for instinctive, close-range/low-magnification situations with

illuminated reticle, yet allow shooters toengage targets with greater precision atlonger ranges thanks to the 4x. The S&B

1.1-4x ShortDot scope may seem uncon-ventional in terms of commonly associ-ated optics on a military style rifle, but

for law enforcement, civilian or privatesecurity contractor it is worthy consider-ation as it supplements the AUG’s per-

formance flexibility.As many “maturing” shooters can at-

test, the single focus plane associatedwith an optic is easier to shoot accu-rately than coordinating front and rearsights. The 5.56’s flat trajectory aids inmaking hits out to 250-300 yards withouthaving to compensate excessively for

bullet drop, especially with the AUG’s full-length 16-inch barrel.Ammunition tested with the AUG was

a combination of Black Hills Ammuni-tion, Hornady, Winchester, and Federalloads. The AUG kept all loads under 2.25inches at 100 yards with multiple BlackHills and Federal loads—50 grain TSX,69 grain and 77 grain Match—producing

just over MOA groups out to 200 yards.Winchester and American Eagle 55-grainFMJ and 50-grain Tipped Varmint wasused along with Speer LE Gold Dot 64-

grain GDSP. Accuracy test protocol con-sisted of three five-shot groups witheach ammunition type. Group sizes were

A Schmidt & Bender (S&B) 1.1-4x20 PM Short-Dot was used with the Steyr AUG for this evalu-ation. The S&B is designed for instinctive,close-range/low-magni cation situations withan illuminated reticle, yet it allows shooters toengage targets with greater precision at longerranges thanks to the 4x.

The Schmidt & Bender reticle facilitated both CQB style shots as well as longer range precisionwork.

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averaged. Velocity figures ranged from2700 fps to 2900 fps over RCBS Ammo-Master chronograph.

FINAL THOUGHTS

One question encountered during re-search of this article was if the AUG wasindeed ambidextrous. For example, is a

shooter able to transition betweenshoulders without catching ejectedempty brass in the face? Well, my rangetests indicated that the AUG couldn’t be

fired from the left shoulder withoutcatching empty brass in the face. Whilea left-handed shooter can have the ejec-tion side changed, this is not somethingdone on the fly. With that said, a shooter

can use a center chest technique that al-lows for some degree of ambidexterity.

There are shooters that disregard thebullpup design because they can’t getpast the looks and ergonomic “strange-ness,” but this seems to be an issue ofingrained conservatism more than any-thing else. But one thing is clear. Steyr

USA is finally making this service-provenbullpup available to the U.S. consumer,and many will find the AUG desirabledue to its compactness, reliability, andaccuracy.

This is a combination hard to argueagainst in terms of utility for any user.The tide seems to be slowly changing interms of bullpup acceptability. GW

CONTACTS:Steyr USAP.O. Box 840Trussville, AL 35173(205) 655-8299www.steyrarms.com

Federal Cartridge Company900 Ehlen DriveAnoka, MN 55303(800) 831-0850www.federalpremium.com

Magpul Industries Corp.PO Box17697Boulder, CO 80308(877) 462-4785www.magpul.com

Black Hills AmmunitionPO Box 3090Rapid City, SD 57709(605) 348-5150www.black-hills.com

“ The AUG’s stock is molded

of a high strength polymer with its two halves permanently

friction-welded together. ”

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S ingling out specific firearms as being better than others can often incite the wrathand scorn of fellow shooters. As shooters, we all have personal views, and several

factors influence them, including the type of shooting we are most interested in,how diversified our experience has been, our inherent personal preferences (and bi-ases) and even where we live.

I admit to my own biases (I prefer to call them preferences), and they’ve been formed over a half a century of smooth boreshooting. In the past 50 years, I’ve shot hundreds of different makes and models to take most all of the legally allowed wingedcritters here in the U.S. as well as occasionally in other countries.

But first, there are a few caveats to my selections.

First, you will probably note that each shotgun I’ve selected has a bit of history behind it. While there certainly have been some fantastic new shotguns developed in recent years, I find it hard to draw a legitimate comparison between those and the ones that

Story & Photos by Thomas C. Tabor

Four of the Best Hunting Smoothbores Ever Produced

OPPOSITE PAGE: Tabor’s choice of the top 4 Best-of-the-Best hunting shotguns includes (L-R): Winchester Model 12pump, Ithaca Model 37 pump, Browning Model A5 semi-au-tomatic and the Browning Superposed over & under.

RIGHT: One of the author’s favorite Winchester Model 12s isa custom, heavily engraved, gold inlayed, 12-gauge that

was originally built in 1955, but has undergone extensivemodi cation since it left the Winchester factory.


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Three of Tom’s Ithaca Model 37 shotguns (L-R): An older 12-gauge equipped with a modi ed choke, another older one in 20-gauge with a full choke and a much older shortened barrel20-gauge equipped with custom screw-in choke tubes.

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have proved their worth over decades.So on that basis, you will note thatlongevity has played a major role in mychoices.

Additionally, while I have an unendingpassion when it comes to the old dou-bles, like those once produced by L.C.Smith, Parker Bros., A.H. Fox and themany imported English classics, thosetoo have been omitted from considera-tion. While I personally still like to occa-sionally hunt with these ol’ favorites, Iconsider them more of a specialty

firearm than something most modernday hunters would prefer. My four best-of-the-best encompass three differentaction types, but all share one thing incommon—John M. Browning designedevery one.

THE WINCHESTER MODEL1912 PUMP

Quite simply, I believe the WinchesterModel 12 is the best pump action shot-gun ever built. Introduced over a centuryago, it was the very first truly successfulinternal hammer pump shotgun. JohnBrowning deserves much of the credit

for the development of the Model 12 be-cause it was based largely on his Model1893/97 pump design. It was made avail-able in a variety of styles and grades andincluded 12-, 16-, 20- and even a few 28-gauges.

In the mid 1960s, however, Winches-ter was suffering a financial downturnthat resulted in many internal changes,

including dropping the Model 12 fromproduction in 1963. This decision hadvirtually nothing to do with the popular-ity or the quality of this shotgun. Indeed,since its launch, the Model 12 had beenexceptionally popular with a wide rangeof different types of shooters. Ironically,what stopped Model 12 production was

that it was so well built, a quality that fre-quently equates to higher productioncosts.

Many of the working parts of theModel 12 were either forged or machined

from solid steel, which are more costly toproduce than if they were stamped out

from a piece of flat stock. If there were asingle villain to blame for the demise ofthe Model 12, it would have to be theRemington 870 pump, which entered the

scene in 1950. The less expensive pro-duction methods used to produce the870 simply were impossible to compete

The unique design of the Ithaca Model 37 allows the hulls to be kicked out the bottom of the receiver, dropping the empties at the shooter’s feet.

At the new Ithaca factory one of the workers polishes out the receiver of a Model 37, possiblypreparing it for a custom engraving job.

I T H

A C A

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with. A few limited attempts were madeby Winchester after ’63 to resurrect theModel 12, but unfortunately none ofthose were all that successful.

Over the years I have owned a num-ber of Model 12s in various gauges, andhave used them for hunting all types of

feathered fowl and even for trapshoot-ing. Some of the best scores I’ve evercompetitively shot on the trap rangewere produced with one of my Model12s, and I still frequently pick one as myhunting partner before heading afield. Inevery case I can truthfully report that Ihave never experienced a single prob-lem with any one of those shotguns.

ITHACA MODEL 37 PUMPNot far behind the Model 12 is the

Ithaca Model 37 pump. Developed and


The newly manufactured Ithaca Model 37 still shares many of the originaltraits of the earlier models.

I T H A C A

Tabor’s Superposed Browning is a standard grade built in 1959.

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“ The Model 37 conveniently kicks its empties out the bottom

of the receiver…

”

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patented by John Browning in 1915, itwasn’t until 1937 that it was actuallyplaced into production. The 37 is uniquein a couple of ways. While most othershotguns eject from the side(with a few older modelsejecting out the top), the

Model 37 conveniently kicksits empties out the bottom ofthe receiver, resulting in thehulls literally falling at theshooter’s feet. This charac-teristic is sure to please any-one that handloads his or herown shotshells. And withmany of the older models

frequently running under 6pounds, it makes this scatter-gun a near perfect choice asa fast handling, quick to pointbird gun.

But Ithaca wasn’t the onlycompany to take advantageof this terrific design. Between 1921 and1933, Remington based both their Model17A and 29 shotguns on it, and in 1977Browning used the design for their BPS(Browning Pump Shotgun), which re-mains in production today. An Argentin-

ian company even got into the act, pro-ducing a look-a-like Model 37 called aBataan Modelo 71. Nevertheless, whilethose companies mimicked many of the

unique traits inherent to the Ithaca ver-sion, I personally prefer the Ithaca to anyof the competitor models.

Unfortunately, Ithaca was not withoutits problems—some of which had rootsearly on in production—and those issues

eventually began to catch up to them,eventually culminating in bankruptcyand the closing of their productiondoors. But in June of 2007, new owners

purchased the assets of IthacaGuns USA, LLC, and after acomplete reorganization, pro-

duction resumed in 2008. Andto my great appreciation, thevery first firearms to be pro-duced by the new facilitywere Ithaca Model 37s.

BROWNINGSEMI-AUTOMATIC A5

The A5 Browning is some-times referred to as a Square-Back or Hump-Back becauseof its unique squared off rearreceiver. While a few shooterscomplain about this design,saying that it somehow inter-

feres with their sighting abili-ties, these claims really have no basis inreality. When shooting a shotgun, theeyes of the shooter should never be fo-cused on the receiver, the rib, or eventhe beads. When a shotgun is brought tothe shoulder it should align perfectly and

The new Browning A5s resemble closely the older shotguns.

H O W A R D C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

H O W A R D C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

A sub-model of the Browning A5 now is available in Mossy Oak shadow grass blades camo pattern.

TOPS FOR TABORThe author’s four favorite scatterguns represent three dif-

ferent action types. Each model owns a own small slice of history, and was designed by John M. Browning. They are,in order:

The Winchester Model 1912 PumpIthaca Model 37 Pump

Browning Semi-Automatic A5Browning Superposed Over & Under

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“ I have owned many A5 shotguns,and have never experienced

a single problem with their operation.

” the shooter eyes should only be focusedon the intended target.

The A5 is a recoil-operated design,which allows for some dampening of the

felt recoil. It is sometimes necessary,however, to switch around a couple of

friction rings to accommodate the differ-ent loads (i.e. light or heavy loads). Re-moving the forearm stock andexchanging the position of those partseasily accomplish this.

I have owned many A5 shotguns overthe years in various gauges, and havenever experienced a single problem withtheir operation. I don’t believe a personcan own a more carefree shotgun, and Ibelieve the A5 will be around long after Idepart this earth. The original A5s weremade at the FN factory in Belgium, but in

the mid 1970s production was shifted toMiroku in Japan. There even was a timethat production was shut down, but dueto the popularity of the A5, the factory isonce again building these fine shotguns.There have been many different modelsand grades produced in the three mostcommon gauges of 12, 16 and 20. Todaythere is even a 3 1/2-inch 12-gaugemodel offered which comes with a phe-nomenal 100,000 round or five-yearguarantee.

The same patent was used by Reming-ton to produce that company’s Model 11between the years of 1905 through 1949,but in my mind the Remington versionnever reached the same level of qualityand elegance as the A5 Browning.

I would place this particular shotgun

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TWIN

The 700 SPS Tactical .308 Rem’ssolid 9-pound+ weight and Super-Cell recoil pad keep felt recoil to anabsolute minimum, even for ashooter with a smaller frame suchas Kate.

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Each of these SPS Tactical Rem 700s is a well-made, durable and solid “base platform,” but isshipped “a la carte” with no accessories (except a gun lock)…not even an adjustable triggerwrench. However, with minimal tweaking and investment, each can be transformed into a consis-tent tack-driver.


The author installed two different types of scope bases on his Model 700 SPS Tactical twins, withthe .308 version getting a Blackhawk! 20-MOA full-length Picatinny rail (top) and the .223 avorbeing out tted with Burris split Weaver rails.

A release button set in the forward section of the Model 700’s trigger guard trips the hinged oorplate and allows quick unloading, cleaning or maintenance of the internal box magazine.

justable X-Mark Pro trigger, a SuperCellrecoil pad and the ability to print sub-MOA targets right out of the box. TheSPS models feature a rugged, ergonomi-cally designed synthetic stock for supe-rior weather resistant and consistenthandling in a variety of potentially un-

friendly elements.

The SPS Tactical is a compact (lessthan 40 inches in overall length), highlymaneuverable and jack-of-all tradesmember of the Remington Model 700

family, built for precision accuracy withits 20-inch heavy contour, tactical-style

free floated barrel and dual point pillarbedding in its black synthetic stock. It isequally at home punching tight groupsin paper targets as it is carried in the

field for a variety of North Americangame. Hogue overmoldings on thematte black synthetic stock facilitate sure

handling with or without gloves and itswide, flat beavertail design forend af-

fords added stability when shooting off asandbag or rest. Chamberings for theSPS Tactical include .223 Remington and.308 Winchester and we were able to getone of each from the good folks at Rem-ington for this twin tack-driver field test.

INNER WORKINGS

The Remington 700’s action offerssome unique design features that makeit ideal for consistent, high-quality massproduction. It is a manually operatedbolt action with two forward opposinglugs set 180-degrees apart that travel ina grooved raceway cut into the steel re-ceiver. The bolt is of three-piece con-struction (head, body and bolt handle),brazed together. The bolt face is re-cessed, fully enclosing the base of thecartridge, while the C-clip integral extrac-tor is set in a groove inside the rim of thebolt face, uniformly supporting the car-tridge head. The ejector is a plunger on

the bolt face actuated by an internal cap-tive coil spring. The firing pin on theModel 700 is cocked as soon as the op-erator rotates the bolt handle upwards.A “ready to fire” state is clearly visible inthe form of a silver cylinder on the firingpin assembly that protrudes through theaft end of the bolt assembly.

The model 700’s receiver is milled from a single piece of cold-rolled carbonsteel bar stock, resulting in uniformityand strength. The cylindrical receiver de-sign provides a solid bedding area in the

stock for consistent shot placement. Oneunique attribute shared by the majorityof Remington 700s and a great selling

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SPECIFICATIONS

REMINGTON MODEL 700 SPS TACTICAL

Product Number 84206 84207Caliber .223 Remington .308 Winchester/7.62x51 NATOAction Type Bolt Bolt Weight (via digital scale) 9.04 pounds 9.00 poundsBarrel Finish Matte Blue Matte BlueBarrel Type & Length 20-inch HBAR 20-inch HBAR Barrel Material Carbon Steel Carbon SteelOverall Length 39.62 inches 39.62 inchesBarrel Twist Rate 1:9 1:12Stock Finish Matte Black Matte Black Stock Material Black Overmold (Hogue) Black Overmold (Hogue)Drop at Comb 1.25 inches 1.25 inchesDrop at Heel 1.50 inches 1.50 inchesLength of Pull 13.37 inches 13.37 inchesMagazine Type Internal box w/removable floorplate Internal box w/removable floorplateMagazine Capacity 5 + 1 4 + 1Factory Warranty 2 years 2 yearsMSRP $757 $757

point is the infamous “three rings ofsteel” that collaborate to enhance the in-tegrity and reliability of this model’sproven action. Once a cartridge is cham-bered into the Remington 700’s receiver,the recessed bolt face locks up insidethe counter-bored breech of the barrelwhich in turn is surrounded by the re-ceiver, forming the “three rings of steel”enclosing the cartridge case head for un-paralleled strength.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

My initial reaction to opening the boxof the .308 Win version (this was deliv-ered first to my FFL) of the Model 700SPS Tactical was one of respect…this abig chunk of steel and tweaked the LCD

pixels of my digital scale to read an even9.00 pounds. The heavy contour barrellives up to its name and measured21.5mm or 0.8465-inch in diameter on aprecision caliper. What’s really interest-ing is that the balance point of thisweapon was right at the 20-inch mark

from the recessed crowned muzzle or al-most dead amidships of its overall

The Model 700 SPS Tactical stripped down to its basic components for total access to criticalmoving parts and easy cleaning.

The Model 700 features a simple two-positionsafety that can only be engaged in the “safe”

position when the ring pin has been cocked,as indicated by the silver bolt plug protrudingthrough the aft end of the bolt assembly.

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length of 39.75 inches. Coincidentallythis was where the cold hammer forgedsteel barrel screwed into thereceiver…and exactly where you wouldgrip the rifle’s forend if you were shoot-ing the SPS Tactical offhand…a well-planned nice touch for sure! Unlikesome other bolt guns I’ve had the pleas-ure to field test, the Model 700’s wassuper smooth and glided in the re-ceiver’s indented raceway, even with the

factory lube. All of the parts fit togetherperfectly, with no conspicuous roughspots and the trigger, safety, bolt release

and mag release button worked flaw-lessly. A week later, the Model 700 SPSTactical’s .223 twin showed up and theonly difference that I could ascertain wasthat it weighed about a half-ounce moreon the digital scale, since there wasmore steel in the barrel courtesy of the.223 Rem’s smaller bore. Fit and functionwere identical to its bigger brother andafter a thorough cleaning and lube, wewere ready for a trip to the range.

A LA CARTE

One of the first things I found out

about my pair of Rem 700s is that every-thing is “a la carte.” The only mechanicaldevice that was packed inside of eachshipping box was the rifle. There wereno scope bases, scope rings, mounts orwhatever…even the 1/16-inch hex-headwrench for the excellent X-Mark Pro trig-ger system was MIA…at least they in-

cluded the operations manual, lol!Needing a few goodies to completeeach package prior to scheduling the

first range trip, I surfed over to MidwayUSA’s website and ordered a Burris two-piece Weaver mount scope base for the.223 model and a Blackhawk! full-length20 MOA Picatinny rail mount for the bigdog. I also acquired a moderately priced

($189 MSRP) Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40scope for the .223 Rem version and amore expensive ($499 MSRP) MeoptaMeoPro 4-12x50 optic for the .308 WinModel 700. Calls into my contacts atFederal and Hornady produced sometop shelf test ammo and I raided my se-

cret stash for whatever Winchesterammo I could find to get a good sam-pling of a variety of COTS loads forthese two bolt guns. Once this was ac-complished, I threw my gear into theSubaru along with some targets, a spot-ting scope, digital camera and my Cald-well Dead Shot front shooting rest bagand it was show time.

TWIN TACK-DRIVERS

After spending about 15 minutes witheach rifle to mount the bases, rings and

scopes, a six-pack of the 1-inch targetspot decals were set on the oak tagboard 100-yards distant and the sighting

“ The receiver ismilled from a single piece of

cold-rolled carbon steel bar stock,

resulting in

uniformity and strength. ”


This inverted shot of the Model 700 SPS Tactical’s trigger group shows the X-Mark Pro’s adjustable trigger screw, the bolt release and the magazine oor plate release.

The X-Mark Pro adjustable trigger assembly is polished and precision-machined to extremely tighttolerances. It exhibits virtual ly zero “creep” and “breaks like glass.”

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REMINGTON MODEL 700 SPSTACTICAL RANGE RESULTS SUMMARY

MODEL 700 SPS TACTICAL (.223 REMINGTON) WITH NIKON PROSTAFF 3-9X40LOAD DISTANCE BEST 5-SHOT GROUP AVERAGE 5-SHOT GROUPFederal Gold Match 69-gr SMK 100-yards 0.85” 0.95”Winchester 62-gr FMJBT 100-yards 1.20” 1.50”Hornady Match 68-gr BTHP 100-yards 0.80” 0.95”Hornady Steel Match 75-gr BTHP 100-yards 0.90” 1.00”

MODEL 700 SPS TACTICAL (.308 WINCHESTER) WITH MEOPTA MEOPRO 4-12 X 50LOAD DISTANCE BEST 5-SHOT GROUP AVERAGE 5-SHOT GROUPFederal Gold Match 168-gr SMK 100-yards 0.90” 1.00”Winchester 150-gr Silver Tip 100-yards 1.00” 1.10”

Hornady Match 155-gr OTM 100-yards 0.75” 0.90”Hornady Steel Match 155-gr OTM 100-yards 0.80” 1.00”

grain Sierra Matchking (SMK) round wasno slouch in the target competition andalso was a top performer. But that wasthe heaviest projectile that this barreland twist combo could stabilize withconsistent accuracy.

Both of the Remington twins demon-strated pleasant manners throughout

three days of range testing and each di-gested a minimum of 350-rounds ofammo to confirm the evaluationprocess. All Model 700s manufacturedafter 2007 come equipped with the X-Mark Pro adjustable trigger and it’s abeauty…it really does “break like glass”with minimal creep and no rough spots.The factory had set each of the twin’striggers at 5 pounds, but I dialed themboth down to about 4 pounds for theshoot. The recoil on the .223 model wasnegligible, so its SuperCell recoil pad

was not tested. In contrast, the Super-Cell pad on the .308 SPS Tactical wasgreatly appreciated and made for an ex-tremely comfortable shooting experi-ence with just about any ammo that I fedinto the chamber. No flinches equate toa more stabile sight picture and a better

follow through, translating to more hitsin the X-ring.

RETROSPECT

Although the Rem 700 SPS Tacticaltwins were as good as you can get forthe street price of $625, they weren’tperfect. The free floated heavy contourbarrel set in the Hogue Overmold stockis adequate, but serious bench shooterswill probably want to upgrade this atsome point (i.e., Choate Tactical orMcMillan aftermarket stocks) with a ver-

sion that features less flex in the forend,which will equate to more consistentbarrel harmonics and tighter groups. Thestandard comb and 13.37 inches inlength of pull might be a great compro-mise for a weapon that splits time at therange and in the field, but it probablywon’t cut it for the dedicated bench fa-natic looking to cloverleaf every group.

Another minor nit is the X-Mark Pro’sexternal trigger adjustment screw. Ad-

justing it for less tension requires thatthe operator rotate it counter-clockwise,which lengthens the screw’s profilewithin the trigger paddle. The lighter youmake it, the more it sticks out into yourtrigger finger. It’s convenient, but also apotential irritant depending on how light

you prefer your trigger pull.Other than these three minor and eas-

ily fixable nits, either one of these twintack-drivers is worth absolutely everypenny of the asking price. In the case ofthe .308 flavor, where can you get a riflethat will print sub-MOA 5-shot groupswith minimal effort and take about everyspecies of North American game forroughly $950 when you add a moderatelypriced scope, base mounts and rings?

You can probably count the competi-tors for these Model 700s on only ascant few fingers of one hand. Backedby a 2-year factory warranty and proudlymade in the USA, the Remington SPSTacticals continue to add to its well-de-served legend. GW

This shot shows some “must-have” accessories for a basic Rem 700 setup, like a quick-releaseHarris bipod, Blackhawk Picatinny rail 20 MOA scope base, beefy Trijicon scope mount rings and a

moderately-priced Nikon 3-9x40 ProStaff scope.

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RELOAD

Although it has beenproduced for manyyears, SR 4756 is still aversatile propellant forhandgun loads.

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looking at the forum postings on the In-ternet. Such casual surfing will also re-veal a lot of disagreement with regard toloading characteristics and propellantbehavior in specific cartridges.

Although IMR SR 4756 can be used innumerous applications, its burning rateis such that it is more suitable for load-ing cartridges in the low to mediumpower range in most handgun calibers.Consequently, the charges used aresmall, and a pound of powder will load alot of ammunition. Such powders appeal

to me for several reasons. First, I like tokeep my shooting as economical as pos-sible, and I imagine that many of you areno different. Second, I shoot a lot moreplinking loads than I do punishing loads.Therefore, I find a propellant such as SR4756 very useful. With these factors inmind, I set out to see how this old timer

RELOAD

VELOCITY DATA FOR LOADS

UTILIZING IMR SR 4756.LOAD LOAD 2

OL, in. Gr. Vel., f/s Gr. Vel., f/s Barrel in.9mm LUGER

115 gr Berry RN 1.154 5.2 992 5.7 1101 3.9115 gr Hornady XTP 1.125 5.3 1092 5.8 1122 3.9124 gr Hornady XTP 1.125 4.7 975 5.2 1049 3.9

38 SPECIAL

110 gr Hornady XTP 1.443 5.5 964 6.0 1033 4.0125 gr Winchester JHP 1.445 5.2 898 5.7 992 4.0158 gr Cast SWC 1.448 4.6 820 5.1 883 4.0

45 AUTO

185 gr Nosler HP 1.206 7.4 848 7.9 970 4.2200 gr Hornady XTP 1.213 6.9 816 7.4 893 4.2230 gr Rainier HP 1.220 6.1 727 6.6 783 4.2

Handguns used were 9mm Ruger P95, 38 Special S&W 15, and 45 Auto Ruger P345. Velocity values are averages for five shots .

These loads were safe and reliable in the author’s handguns, but neither the author nor the publisher accepts any responsibility for their preparation and use by others.

The granules of SR 4756 are essentially circular akes.

“ I’m sure that almost everyone who has reloaded ammunition can

name an old favorite or two. ”

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would work for me in my most usedhandgun calibers.

I chose to load 9mm, 38 Special, and45 Auto ammunition using SR 4756.

These are three most frequently loadedcalibers, and they work well with mid-power loads. In reviewing publisheddata for SR 4756 in 9mm cartridges, Inoted in one source that a maximumcharge of 5.2 grains with a 115-grainlead bullet gave a reported velocity of1145 ft/sec. In consulting another hand-

book, I found listed charges ranging from 5.2 to 6.4 grains with the 115-grainHornady XTP bullet with correspondingvelocities ranging from 1,000 to 1,200

ft/sec. Clearly, there is quite a differencein the published data. The differencesmay in part be related to the powderbeing of different lots, different barrel di-mensions, primers, etc., as is normal.

However, I wanted to know first handhow SR 4756 would perform in car-tridges in my guns. Having noted the dif-

ferences in published data, I chose to beconservative, as I always do, and to use4.9 grains of SR 4756 with the 9mm 115-grain Berry round nose plated bullet.

With that load, the chronograph regis-tered only 963 ft/sec and every shot re-sulted in a failure to cycle the Ruger P95.I used 5.0 grains of SR 4756 with the115-grain Hornady XTP and got a veloc-ity of 1,001 ft/sec, but also an occasional

failure to cycle. It was obvious that Ineeded a more powerful load for reliable

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The 9mm bullets used in loading SR 4756 are (left to right) Berry platedround nose, 115-grain Hornady XTP and 124-grain Hornady XTP.

The bullets used in loading 38 Special with SR 4756 are (left to right) 110-grain Hornady XTP, 125-grain Winchester JHP, and 158-grain cast SWC.

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feeding and, therefore, I prepared a sec-ond series of loads in 9mm with ad-

justed charges as shown in theaccompanying table.

In all 38 Special and 9mm Lugerloads, Winchester cases and primerswere used. Speer cases and CCI 300primers were used in the 45 Auto loads.

Velocity was measured at 10 feet fromthe muzzle by means of a CompetitionElectronics ProChrono chronograph. Theaccompanying table shows the load pa-rameters and the results obtained.

The results I obtained with 38 Specialand 45 Auto loads agree rather well withpreviously published data when al-

lowance is made for differences in barrellength. However, the 9mm results that Iobtained differed rather significantly

from published data. For example, onesource indicated that 4.5 grains of SR4756 gave a 115-grain bullet a velocity of1,027 ft/sec and that 5.2 grains of pow-der gave 1145 ft/sec. The second source


RELOAD

Bullets used in the 45 Auto loads are (left to right) 185-grain Nosler, 200-grain Hornady XTP, and 230-grain Rainier hollow point.

Testing was conducted from a bench with the chronograph 10 feet from the muzzle.

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indicated that 5.2 grains of SR 4756 pro-duced 1,000 ft/sec and 5.8 grains pro-duced 1,000 ft/sec. The data shown inthe table indicate that 5.2 grains of SR4756 gives a velocity of 992 ft/sec, whichagrees very closely to the secondsource. Also, in this work I found that 5.8grains of SR 4756 gave the 115-grainHornady XTP a velocity of 1,122, whichis almost exactly the value reported inthe second data source.

Similarly, the results I obtained withthe 124-grain bullet agree well with thesecond data source, but indicate that 0.3grains more powder is required to give1,049 ft/sec than is indicated by the firstsource of data.

The essence of all this is clear. Do notassume that one lot of any powder is ex-actly the same as another lot or that data

from different sources are identical. Al-

ways consult several sources of data,start with a conservative load and workup carefully.

Some powders and I go back a longway to a time when a sporting firearmwas not called a “platform” and ammuni-tion was not “run” in it. Not every firearmwas referred to as a “weapon” and mak-ing a change in a sight picture was not

“dialing in.” I am glad that several thingsin the shooting sports have not changed,

and SR 4756 is one of them.GW

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(913) 362-9455www.hodgdon.com

This group obtained at 25 yards measures slightly less than 2.5 inches and is indicative of the ac-curacy of the 9mm loads under test conditions.

IMR SR 4756 is a versatile propellant suitablefor loading ammunition in many calibers as il-lustrated by the 9mm Luger, 38 Special and 45Auto shown here.

“ It was obvious that I needed a more

powerful load for reliable feeding… ”

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CONCEALEDCARRY


Don’t Be Left Out in the Dark.Learn From the Mistakes of Others…

So You Don’t Repeat Them

Be strategic. Park under a light pole so that on dark and stormy nights,you don’t get taken by surprise. Remember, nighttime is often consid-

ered the “right time” for attempted assaults by wannabe attackers.

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The very last thing an armed citizen shouldever want to do is use a defensive handgun.Remember, I said “want” to. That’s not thesame as having to use it out of necessity toavert some greater harm, to himself/herself ora loved one. Nobody wins a gunfight; they sur-vive . Having had the opportunity to chat withpeople who have survived fatal encounters, it’ssafe to say all of them would rather things hadturned out differently, as in, that it hadn’t hap-pened at all.

IMPROVING YOUR ODDS

To improve one’s odds of avoiding lethalunpleasantness, some practice starting fromthe ground up, so to speak, is important forevery armed citizen who goes out in public. I

cannot recall the first time I heard someonesay that “if shots were fired, somebody didsomething wrong.”

Wear your carry gun on walks around theneighborhood. Get over the natural habit of

fussing with a holstered gun, as you may aswell just buy a neon sign that says “gun” andhang it around your neck. Learn to walk pastothers without being nervous or fidgety, andmind your own business.

Learn what clothing conceals your pistol andwhat doesn’t. Above all, get over being self-conscious about the gun you’re carrying. It

takes time, but eventually, you will get used tothe feel of your handgun; its weight, how itcarries in a holster and what you can do and

what you shouldn’t do while carrying.If you carry in a belt holster, be careful about

reaching for grocery items on upper shelves.Your cover garment can quickly ride up, re-vealing your sidearm. Likewise, instead ofbending over at the waist to reach a lowershelf, bend at the knees and lower your body,thus making it less likely to “print” your gun.

In a restaurant, ask for a table by the wall,and sit with your back or at least your strongside toward the wall. People will be less likelyto spot a telltale bulge, and being off the mainarea of the dining room draws less attention,anyway.

It’s also to your advantage to sit by a wallbecause this allows you to survey the roomand avoid being taken by surprise by someone

coming up on your blind side.This is all personal stuff to keep from being“made” as an armed citizen. Now comes somestrategic consideration.

LOTS OF TROUBLE

Parking lots—especially those broadacreage lots surrounding shopping malls—canbe trouble because they’re magnets for preda-tors no matter the time of year, or the time ofday. Park as near to the store buildings as pos-sible, use spots below or near light poles, andnever park at the far end of a lot, near the

shadows, where danger most typically lurks.Before heading for your car, whether it’s

during the holidays or on a warm mid-summer


Story & Photos by Dave Workman

E xperience is something you get about five minutes after you need it.This doesn’t preclude learning from the experiences of others, particularly

if what you glean are tips on how to avoid those situations in which youmust actually draw a concealed firearm to protect your life, or the life of someonein your company. It’s paramount to your safety and legal security to be strategicabout all things when you’re armed.

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CONCEALEDCARRY


Keep ’em guessing. Parking lot predators willwonder, “Is this guy reaching for car keys…”

…or keeping his hand rmly wrapped around adefensive sidearm?” In this case, Ruger’s newLCRx with an exposed hammer is held at the ready.

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evening with packages in your arm, sur-vey the landscape. Pay attention to yoursurroundings and other people in thearea. Watch for individuals who seem tobe just wandering around and not goingto a car, and if they seem to move to-ward other people heading to their cars.And one more thing: These cowards

rarely work alone, so watch for theirpartners.Double your alertness in parking

garages, and if you’re walking to a car,give yourself some room; that is, don’twalk right along a row of parked carsbecause it’s easy for a thug to crouchbetween vehicles and spring an am-bush, especially if it’s dark.

Keep your shopping bag in yourweak hand or carry it with your offsidearm. This allows you to keep a hand onyour defense weapon as though you

were just reaching for your car keys.For those who have more than oneshopping bag, use a cart and keep yourgun hand as free as possible by pulling,rather than pushing a cart, and remainalert. If you go wandering around withboth arms loaded with shopping bags,you’re not just asking for trouble,you’re begging for it.

Shopping carts make great im-promptu blocks, too, thus putting somedistance between you and an attacker.Trust me on this, it’s to your long termadvantage to have some spilled gro-ceries or other packages rather than thebody of someone you’ve just shot lyingon the ground near your car when thepolice arrive.

Carry a really bright compact flash-light, preferably one with different ad-

justable beams, including a strobe.These flashlights, suddenly shined insomeone’s eyes, can temporarily blindthem. The strobe is especially effective

for this.

Did somebody call the police? Yeah,

KEEP IT CLEANClean and maintain your carry gun

regularly, and by that I don’t mean everycouple of months when navel lint fillsthe muzzle.

Don’t substitute magazines of ques-tionable reliability in a semi-auto.

Use quality ammunition, and practiceregularly.

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that was you immediately after anyconfrontation in which you had toreach for your defensive carry piece,much less draw and use it. Be the firstone on the telephone with a call to 911,describe the situation, your locationand offer a description of thesuspect(s). Experienced scumbags

have occasionally called police on theintended victim, who drew a gun, tocomplain about being assaulted. I know

of at least one case in an eastern stateseveral years ago where the law-abid-ing citizen was convicted of assault,losing his gun rights forever.

FIREARM FORUMS

We are in the Internet age, and thereare scores of different gun rights and

gun owner forums. Invariably, these fo-rums have sections in which peoplepost “this happened to me” stories. Be-

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CONCEALEDCARRY


A bright compact ashlight can blind and/or disorient an attackertemporarily; long enough for you to put some distance betweenyou, or draw your defensive handgun.

8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


lieve it or not, reading these misadven-tures can provide some importantlearning moments, and much of thetime it’s because the original corre-

spondent has done something wrong,occasionally horribly wrong.

These tales will also invariably draw

reactions from people, some verythoughtful and others that are fromblustering chest thumpers who, if theybehaved like they tell someone else to

behave, would be faced with a steadydiet of jail food.

Study the original reports and how

others react. Identify tactical errors andcatalog this information in your graymatter library.

Another useful feature of these fo-rums is that these people talk aboutguns and gear. One can learn from theexperiences of others in this respect,also. Want to find out about equipment

failures? You will find all sorts of sobstories, some of them useful, othersnot so much. It’s pretty easy to tell thedifference.

For example, several years ago, Iread on one of these forums aboutwhat might be considered the massive

failure of a certain polymer-framed pis-tol model. I knew the brand, I knew themodel and I had never heard of, muchless seen, the kind of thing this individ-ual was discussing. So, I made a coupleof discreet inquiries “off list” about this

person’s misfortune and learned thatthe pistol hadn’t really been properlymaintained through what apparentlywere several thousand rounds, whichamounted to a torture test. Even thebest pistols might not survive suchabuse.

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS

Simply because of what I do for a liv-ing, I’ve had the opportunity to test alot of guns, and own some very goodones.

If you’re in the market for a new carrypiece, the smart move is to first head

for a gun range where you can rent cer-tain pistol and revolver models, trythem out and make an educated deci-sion. Most indoor gun ranges have thelatest hot models for rental use, and itmay take 50 to 100 rounds downrangeto get a feel for a certain handgun andthen decide if it’s the model upon whichyou’re willing to stake your life.

Sure, it’s going to cost some money

to reach a decision, but balance thatagainst what your life, or the life ofyour significant other, or your children,siblings or parents is worth. Not evenclose.

After that range experience, though,pay attention to what others—espe-cially those you trust—say or writeabout the guns you’ve tried. It can bebeneficial in making a final decisionwhether to buy or pass.

And if somebody else has had a seri-ous misadventure with a carry piece,

find out why. Learn from their experi-ence, rather than your own.

Now that’s strategic planning. GW


Shopping carts make great makeshift barriers be-tween you and an attacker.

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GUNSMITHING

TECHNICALTEST DRIVE 3

In this month’s installment, the author covers the inspection and disassembly of the 1911’s slide.

8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


When inspecting the slide assembly,always look for previous work. If theslide has been squeezed by previous pis-tolsmiths in order to be “accurized,” thenyou should look for areas around thethumb safety notch for cracks. You canalso tell if the slide has been squeezed ifthe slide rails have a “pinched” look. A

quick check from the rear of the slidecan confirm this.Having previous accurizing work

won’t necessarily cause me to reject apistol, but I’d use it as a reason to reallylook hard to see if the work was doneprofessionally, and what other work was

completed on the pistol. If someone istrying to sell you a gun that they claimhas never been modified, then knowingwhat to look for as far as these types ofmodifications go will help prevent you

from buying a pistol that’s unserviceableand potentially unsafe.

GETTING FIT

One good check to do is thebarrel/slide/bushing fit. If you’re inspect-ing a service-type pistol or an unmodi-

fied factory commercial GovernmentModel, then tolerances in thebarrel/slide/busing relationship will be

Story & Photos by Steve Sieberts

Inspection and Disassembly

of the 1911 Slide (Part III)

The previous column in this four-part series coveredthe inspection of the barrel and bushing assembly.In this installment, we’ll focus on the slide and its in-

ternal parts, and we’ll tie everything together in nextmonth’s issue.

“ Knowing what to look for…

will help prevent you from buying a pistol that’s unserviceable and potentially unsafe. ”

8/9/2019 Gun World 201403



GUNSMITHING

Check to make sure the ejection port is not lowered toomuch. In Siebert’s opinion, anything below .450 is too thin.

A good test for proper extractor tension is to see if it holds a dummycartridge in place against the breech face without falling out. I usu-

ally rotate the slide 360 when performing this test.

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very easy, looks nice and is a usefulmodification.

EXTRACTOR EXAM

The next area to look for is the extrac-tor, one of the most abused parts on a

1911 pistol. When the pistol fails to feedor extract, the extractor is usually the

first place a gunsmith looks. The extrac-

CAREFULLY pry out the extractor.

“ Brownell’s makes a nifty tool

for removing the ring pin stop.

”

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Note: When I get into building our “Project 1911” in a futureissue, I will cover extractor fitting more in depth.

To remove the extractor, you first have to remove the firingpin and spring. Inspect the firing pin stop to make sure it’s notoverhanging the disconnector timing track. It should be as

flush as possible. If it’s not flush, it will put excessive wear onthe cocking pad of the hammer.

To remove the firing pin, push in the firing pin with a driftpunch or similar tool and simultaneously dropping the firingpin stop slightly. Brownells makes a nifty tool for removing the

firing pin stop. The firing pin is under spring pressure, so makesure you have it covered while you slide the stop out all theway, and then ease out the firing pin and its attached spring.The spring should be attached to the firing pin. Gently pry out

the extractor by using a small screwdriver blade to get under-neath the notch. Be careful because it’s easy to slip and gougethe finish of the slide.

Once you have the extractor out, examine it. It should have

The ring pin stop is prone to crack where the sharp corner is close tothe hole.

“ It’s always easier to remove metal than it is

to put it back on,

so be careful. ”

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GUNSMITHING

Inspect the disconnector timing notch for damage.

This area by the extractor hole is fairly thin and is prone to cracking.

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a slight curve to the left from the middlepad forward. If the extractor was a littleloose and wasn’t able to hold in adummy cartridge, you can tighten andloosen tension by slightly bending the

extractor either toward the cartridgecase or away.

INTO THE BREECH…FACE

Another critical area of the pistol to in-spect is the breech face and firing pinhole. Remember, headspace on any

firearm is defined by the distance be-tween the breech face and the portion ofthe chamber that stops the forwardmovement of the cartridge. In the caseof the .45 ACP, it’s the distance betweenthe breech face and the shoulder of the

chamber where the cartridge casemouth makes contact. So, this meansthat you want to be very careful about

polishing the breech face, because anyremoval of metal from the breech facecould increase the headspace dimensionand result in a very unsafe firearm. Look

at the breech face and see if there hasbeen any attempt to polish out toolmarks. If there is, I would seriously con-sider replacing the slide.

The recoil spring should be inspected to make sure its coils have not been snipped. Nominal spring weight is 16 ½ lbs, 18 lbs if you’re shooting alarge amount of hardball equivalent loads.

8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


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8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


S ince our initial issueappeared in September of1960, Gun World has fea-

tured a myriad of firearms onits covers. Some need nointroduction, such as the origi-nal “Walker” Colt (our firstcover), or the Glock 17 inSeptember of 1986 (“The

Glock is a Shock!”).But like the stars of short-lived 1970s sit-

coms, the “moment in the sun” experiencesof other cover subjects didn’t even generatea good tan. Here are three that may havedeserved better.

40 YEARS AGO (MARCH 1974) – Whenit graced our cover in the spring of 1974,the Ingram M-10 was merely one of thelatest SMGs in the long lineage of the M-3. Designed to replace the M1A1 Thomp-

son, the M-3 became almost universallyknown as the “grease-gun.” Other itera-tions followed, with the military versionof the M-6 being more scarce that thepolice version. The M-10 magazine wasof a staggered-column design, and carried a capac-ity of thirty rounds in .45 ACP and thirty-two in 9mm Luger.

A victim of both changing legislation—including new limitson SMGs, magazine size and suppressors—and company fi-nances (the Military Armament Corporation ceased to do busi-ness in 1976), the M-10 as shown was only manufactured forthree years.

35 YEARS AGO (MARCH 1979) – “For the first time in firearms history, true magnum-powered pistol cartridges willbe commercially available and offered as standard in this auto

pistol.” So stated the opening paragraph in our feature on the“long-awaited, long-discussed” Wildey pistol.

The brainchild of designer Wildey J. Moore, and a relative ofthe beloved AutoMag, the “Wildey” was designed as a hunting

firearm. Despite steady popularity with the magnum handguncrowd, its heyday high point came cinematically in the handsof Charles Bronson in 1985’s Death Wish 3.

BACK PAGES


“The only thing new in the world isthe history you do not know.” – Harry Truman

By Craig Hodgkins

The Ingram M-10 in .45 ACP

8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


The pistol’s own death came lessdramatically when Wildey Guns “sus-pended” operations in 2009.

20 YEARS AGO (MARCH 1994) –Cinema also played a role in the de-velopment of the SerLea-ACE, adouble-barreled SMG. When amovie crew filmed a scene at an LAauto dealership, an employee(Sarkis Kirdikian, a former gun-

smith) told the special effects crew abouthis latest invention, which led to the de-velopment of a working prototype.

Unfortunately, although the LAPDshowed some initial interest in the gun(named for Kirdikian’s two children,Serge and Lea), it failed to ignite interestwith the military, and few were evermanufactured. Kirikian did appear in a

1994 direct-to-video feature, Direct Hit,brandishing his prototype in the role of aCIA guard. GW

“ The ‘moment in the sun’

experiencesof other

cover subjectsdidn’t even generate

a good tan. ”

The Wildey Auto pistol, availablein .45 and 9mm Win Mag

DO YOUHAVE ISSUES?Gun World issues, I mean. We have

an ALMOST complete collection here at headquarters, but a few have escapedour archival shelves over the decades.These include: September & December 1960 (our first two issues), June 1961,May 1962, and January, February, April,June and July 1963.

The 1970s will be complete with theaddition of December 1970, January &August 1976, July 1977, and March &July of 1978. In addition, our ENTIREset of 1971 issues seems to have goneAWOL.

The last missing issues are December 1980, September 1986, September 1993,May, June & July 1994, February,March, April & October 1995.

If you have any of these in yourGun

Worldcollection, please send me anemail at [email protected].

Sarkis Kirdikian’s SerLea-ACE,a SMG in 9mm

Advertiser Index

ADVERTISER PAGE

Barnes Bullets Inc. .......................... 51

Black Hills Ammunition ................ 37

Cannon Safe Company ................. 75

CZ-USA ............................................. 61

Daniel Defense .................................. 3

Davidson’s ......................................... 45

DoubleTap Ammunition ...... 98, 99

GTUL .................................................. 93

Hodgdon Powder Co. ..................... 7

Hogue Grips ..................................... 21 JDA & Associates, LLC ................. 91

Kahr Arms ......................................... 77

Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc. ...... 35

Les Baer Custom,Inc. ...................... 5

Mec-Gar ............................................ 27

Numrich Gun PartsCorporation ...................................... 81

Rio Grande Custom Grips .......... 87

S&K Scope Mounts ........................ 98

SCCY Industries .............................. 29

Secure Medical ................................ 27

Smith & Wesson ................................ 2

Sportsman's Guide ......................... 23

Springfield Armory ........................... 9

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. ..................... 100

Tormach LLC ................................... 81ULTIMAK .......................................... 87

Umarex USA, Inc. .......................... 53

World Skin Institute ....................... 21

8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


B USINESSDIREC TORY

David Beckler972-448-9173

[email protected]

BackIssues

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8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


8/9/2019 Gun World 201403


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Gun World 201403

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