Recoil January-February 2017

ISSUE 28
BUYERS
GUIDE
KARAMBITS
PG. 50
GUN
N LIFESTYLE:
LIFES
GEAR TECHNOLOGY SPORT OUTDOOR HOME & PERSONAL DEFENSE
LIKE AN AUG, ONLY BETTER
PG. 54
PG. 120
0
PG. 132
Lithgow Arms,
Hardcore Hardware,
Australian Defense Apparel,
Safe Life Defense, Suunto,
Zero Bravo, PG. 12
RECOILWEB.COM
ISSUE 28
KARAMBITS 101
BESPOKE:
DAMASCUS STEEL
VICKERS GUIDE: AR-15
ZEROED IN: CODY WILSON
DIY: 80% GLOCK LOWER
PT: STRONGMAN EXERCISES
PSYCH: FEMALES VS MALES
LONG-RANGE SHOOTING
INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS
PG.40
THE RUGER AMERICAN PISTOL IS DESIGNED WITH THE TOUGHEST STANDARDS IN MIND.
Short Takeup Trigger

with Positive Reset
Anything Else Would Be Un-American.
Designed with the latest U.S. Military standards in mind, the Ruger American Pistol is built to perform
in the harshest conditions. A true American innovation, this pistol was developed through a rigorous Voice
of the Customer process where numerous law enforcement and military trainers, rearms experts,
Recoil-Reducing Barrel Cam, Low Mass Slide,

Low Center of Gravity and Low Bore Axis
distributors and retailers provided input, feedback and testing in the determination of the form, function and
features of this rearm. The resultant new pistol is a revolutionary platform for Ruger, one that utilizes the
combination of a recoil-reducing barrel cam (which is designed to better spread recoil energy over time) with
a low mass slide, low center of gravity and a low bore axis to provide an unparalleled shooting experience.
Genuine Novak LoMount Carry

Three-Dot Sights
Modular Wrap-Around Grip System for

Adjusting Palm Swell and Trigger Reach
Safe, Easy Takedown with No Tools

or Trigger Pull Required
Ambidextrous Slide Stop, Manual Safety and

Magazine Release Allow Actuation with Either
Hand (Pro Models Come without External Safety)
Complete Your Ruger American Pistol with the

Ofcially Licensed Blade-Tech Total Eclipse
Holster at Your Local Retailer or
Online at ShopRuger.com
BUILT TO PERFORM IN THE HARSHEST CONDITIONS.
RUGER.COM/AMERICANPISTOL
2016 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.
090616
GLK-18
Fits the Glock 17,
18, 19, 26, and 34
GLK-9-22 (140mm)
Fits the Glock 17,
19, 26, and 34
GLK-17
Fits the Glock 17,
18, 19, 26, and 34
GLK-19
Fits the Glock 19
and 26
Visit www.etsgroup.us to see our complete

line of Glock and AR magazines.
Use coupon code ETSRECOIL to receive 10% off
your order at www.etsgroup.us
Legion Elite Pack Eye Protection Pocket
Legion Elite Pack in Coyote w/ Battle Ready Hoodie
Legion Elite Day Pack w/ Shield Jacket
INTRODUCING
CANNAE ACADEMY
A new division of Cannae dedicated to helping professionals
and responsible citizens understand and prepare for modern threats.
Cannae Academy teaches the proper use of firearms, equipment,
and defensive tactics while remaining ethical, legal, and safe.
Learn more at: cannaeacademy.com
Love the craftsmanship your company put in to this bag,

it's a 5-star quality.Your guys bags are by far the best!
JM, NORTH YORK, ONTARIO, CANADA
Easily a favorite clothing item i must refrain from
wearing all the time, everywhere. Enough space for a
concealed stab or bullet vest and long enough for duty
sized firearms
BL, MERCED, CA
Legion Day Pack in Coyote w/ Battle Ready Hoodie

In 216 BC Hannibal Barca and the outnumbered
Carthaginians virtually wiped out a Roman force
I times its size in just under four hours. The
three
Battle of Cannae is considered a perfect victory,
and its tactics and strategies are studied and
implemented to this day.
The Cannae Brand of Professional Gear embodies
not only this victory but the combination of
preparation, strength and bravery.
Be Battle Ready
Cannae is a registered trademark

of Mission Critical Designs LLC
Cannae Pro Gear is proud to partner with TAPS
Your legion day [pack] packs for everyday use.

Great quality stuff!
GM, HEWITT, TX
RS
I VO
SS
IS T
AN
SU
RV
Y
ED
- J.S
T R AG
I've had the Legion pack for a month.

Hands down best pack I've ever owned
and I've had a few.....thanks.
TAPS is an amazing non-profit organization dedicated to helping the family members

and loved ones of fallen service members. Cannae Pro Gear donates a portion
all proceeds to TAPS.
CE
PROG R A M
FO
Please learn more at www.taps.org
54
IS S U E 28
FEATURES
54
THE BULLPUP FROM

DOWN UNDER
Thales ATRAX is Like the
AUG, Only Better
66
STEYRS
INCOMPARABLE
AUGA3
66
78
A Look at the Rifle That

Became the Bane of John
McClanes Christmas Eve
78
HISTORY AND
F THE
EVOLUTION OF
KARAMBIT
sa
and
After a Couple Thousa
sign Is
Years, This Blade Desig
Still Cutting Edge
86
120
ASCUS
ROAD TO DAMA
U
n
A Modern Spin on An
Ancient Art
106
S
THE FIREARMS
INDUSTRY CHO
OICE
AWARDS
ons, and
Aspirations, Inspiratio
ce
Celebrating Excellence
120
RT
WHEREFORE AR
THOU ROMEO1
86
132
Just When You Thought it

Couldnt Get Any Better a
Look at the SIG P320 RX
132
M40A1 RENAISSANCE
Two Versions of the Classic
Marine Sniper Rifle
140 AMERICAS RIFLE

The AR-15
140
YOU COULD WIN

THIS TRUCK!
Purchase a new T/C Compass Rie between

July 15, 2016 and December 31, 2016 and enter the
Follow Your Compass Dream Truck Giveaway once
the sweepstakes begins.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Making a
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Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, outside the U.S.,
and wherever else prohibited by law. Sweepstakes begins
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FIREARM SAFETY
IS TOP PRIORITY
IS S U E 28
DEPARTMENTS
12
ON THE COVER
92
ZEROED IN
Cody Wilson
16
DOWNRANGE
Editors Letter
148
MINDSET
Battle of the Sexes
22
INCOMING
New Gear
30
50
170
PT
Strongman Training for the
Average Joe
TRANSPORT
2015 Toyota 4Runner
TRD Pro
178
WANNA TRADE
PATCHES?
UNUSUAL
SUSPECTS
218
GOING HOT
Karambits
68
DIY
Completing an 80% Glock
Lower
VISIT
Iowa Gold Star Military
Museum
40
158
GONE SHOOTIN
Direct Action Resource
Center
RECOIL reminds you to be safe and

always obey firearms safety rules:
1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
2. Always keep the gun pointed in a
safe direction.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger
until ready to fire.
4. Be aware of your targets foreground and background.
All contents in RECOIL Magazine
are professionally photographed
in a closed studio or range. Do not
attempt to re-create any photographs
depicted in this magazine.
PRODUCT DISCLAIMER
Prices and details for items featured
in RECOIL are set by the manufacturers and retailers, and are subject
to change without notice.
RECOIL (USPS 013-320), January/February 2017; Number 28, is published bimonthly by TEN: The Enthusiast Network,
LLC, 261 Madison Avenue, 6th floor, New
York, NY 10016. Copyright 2016 by
TEN: The Enthusiast Network Magazines,
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the understanding that the information
presented herein is from many varied
sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher
as to accuracy or completeness.
Throughout this issue you will see certain images are labeled as being
1:1 Actual Size. This designation is for the print edition of this issue.
Because of the various screen sizes on different tablets and computers,
we cannot always provide actual life size images in digital versions. We apologize if
this causes any confusion and thank you for your understanding.
ON THE COVER
COVER PHOTO BY STRAIGHT 8
1 RIFLE
MAKE:
Lithgow Arms
SilencerCo
MODEL:
MODEL:
ATRAX
Hybrid
MSRP:
MSRP:
$1,999
$999
28
URL:
www.silencerco.com
IS SU E
URL:
www.lithgowusa.com
MAKE:
MAKE:
ZeroBravo
Trijicon
REC O ILW E B .C O M
12
6 SUPPRESSOR
MAKE:
2 BELT
7 OPTIC
MODEL:
MODEL:
Alpha Belt
AccuPoint
MSRP:
MSRP:
$100
$1,399
URL:
URL:
www.zerobravo.com
www.trijicon.com
3 WATCH
MAKE:
Suunto
MODEL:
Traverse Alpha
MSRP:
$569
URL:
www.suunto.com
4 PLATE CARRIER
MAKE:
Australian Defense Apparel

MODEL:
ABAS Vest (Alpha Modular)

MSRP:
$180
URL:
www.ada.com.au
5 TOMAHAWK
OFF THE
T
COVER
ER
8 BALLLISTIC
S C
PLATESS
MAKE:
MAKE:
Hardcore Hardware
Safe Line Defense
MODEL:
MODEL::
BFT-01
Hard Riflfle Plate

NIJ .06 ICW Level IV
MSRP:
$345 AUD
MSRP:
URL:
$169
www.hardcorehardware.
com.au
www.saffelifedefense.com
m
URL:
Lets face it conventional media outlets are

censoring the kind of information that freedom-loving
Americans have enjoyed for years. Thats why weve
stepped up to the plate and created a resource for
everything rearms RECOILtv. Just as RECOIL magazine
gives you no-holds-barred insight on rearms, were
bringing that same trusted expertise to video.
From testing the latest guns, giving in-depth product
reviews and expert tutorials, showing you top-notch
vehicles, sharing user-generated content, and lots
more, RECOILtv is the premier source for the content
you want and deserve.
As the climate of political correctness slowly censors
online informational choices out of existence, RECOILtv
will give you the scoop.
BROUGHT TO
YOU BY:
sigsauer.com
WATCH
AT RECOILWEB.COM
PRESENTED BY:
bravocompanyusa.com
cannaeprogear.com
fnamerica.com
freedommunitions.com
kimberamerica.com
As this issue ships to the printer, were about 29 days away
a great time. They offer nothing to keep your family safe
from the day when fellow South Park fans must make a
apart from bland admonishments and reliance on the state.
choice between a giant douche and turd sandwich. Given
Theyve no skin in the game when it comes to losing rights,
the wall-to-wall coverage lavished on these subprime speci-
property, or freedom, and for the most part, theyre either
mens of humanity (dear God, please make it stop) Im not
insulated from the effects of disarmament, or else theyre
going to labor the point here. Instead, let us take comfort in
willing to trade it all for personal ambition.
the fact that due to the foresight of the men who wrote our
Those behind the gun-control organizations know this of
Constitution, the president has less power than the media
course, and try to counter by spending heavily on advertis-
would have us believe.
ing in an attempt to create the illusion of a grassroots move-
Despite the current incumbent throwing tantrums worthy
ment. You need only look at their social media presence to
of a 2-year-old, in terms of meaningful progress to his anti-
realize theyre an empty shell. By and large, theyll make
gun agenda, hes managed little apart from mildly inconve-
one turgidly unoriginal post every work day to satisfy their
niencing gunsmiths and a few importers. Now, this is not
backers, then call it quits on Friday afternoon. Contrast this
in any way meant to minimize the impact of government
with the torrent of content that comes from enthusiasts like
meddling in the lives of honest citizens, merely to illustrate
RECOIL at all hours of the day, just because we believe in
that in comparison to what might have happened were it not
what we do, and think this is the coolest job ever.
for the efforts of energetic and energized gun owners.
It pays to remind your elected representatives that they
Its this rabidly enthusiastic base that our opposition has
serve at the pleasure of their electorate. Let them know
a hard time countering. They cant take people to the anti-
that should they feel the need to screw with our Second
gun range and dispel myths and propaganda while having
Amendment rights, their opponents will find themselves
IS SU E
28
better funded and can count on an extra volunteer. Join the
16
NRA, or whatever gun rights organization you favor. Take a

colleague or neighbor shooting. Whether were stuck with a
giant douche or a turd sandwich, its our job as citizens to
hold them accountable.
LIGHTNING CAN
TWICE.
A NEW CONCEPT IN AMERICAN-MADE MUZZLELOADING RIFLES

D E L I V E R I N G R E L I A B I L I T Y, A C C U R A C Y & E A S E O F M A I N T E N A N C E .
www.TCARMS.com
#TCSTRIKE
twitter.com/tcarmsco
facebook.com/tcarmsco
instagram.com/tcarmsco
Editorial.
Editor/ Iain Harrison
Senior Editor/ Patrick Vuong
Managing Editor/ Laura Peltakian
Feature Editor/ Rob Curtis
Contributing Editor/ Steven Kuo
Web Editor/ David Reeder
Social Media Editor/ Dave Merrill
Photography Studio Manager/ Jorge Nuez
Senior Content Editor/ Ryan Whitehouse
Web Content Editor/ Josh Ching
Contributors/ Earl Burress, Ryne Gioviano,
C. Reed Knight Jr., Matt Landfair, Derek Lanham, Kenda
Lenseigne, Isaac Marchionna, Neal H. Olshan, James Rupley,
Nick Saiti, Nathan Schultz, Mike Searson, Stickman,
Straight 8, Peter Suciu, Steve Tarani, Larry Vickers, Josh Whi
Special Thanks/ Cowtown Range, Zack King, Strike
Industries
Advertising.
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LEARN TO LIVE READY AT

REMINGTON HANDGUNS.COM
Proudly Made in the USA

by American Workers
IS SU E
28
22
Nothing causes cursing

at RECOIL HQ like disasembling Glock mags.
Well, maybe taking a
Ruger Mark III apart, but its a
close call. Glock says to stick a
punch in that little hole in the
base plate and lean into it to
break the little bastard free.
Oblonged baseplate holes and
broken furniture attest to the
efficacy of this factory-authorized method. The Maggclaw,
distrubuted by Glockmeister,
will change all that. Its a sturdy
tool that grabs the plate and
levers it off the mag body with a
little more effort than popping a
bottle cap from a beverage. We
tested it on a brand-new mag
and it worked so well, we pulled
all our mags apart just because
we finally could. The Maggclaw
works with most regular sized
Glock mags; the outliers are
the larger baseplate (.45 and
10mm) mags and the smaller
G42 and G43 mags.
MAKE:
CCRS Industry
MODEL:
Maggclaw
MSRP:
$14
MAKE:
Emissive Energy/Inforce
Scalarworks adds the

Aimpoint CompM4
to its optic mount
weight-loss program.
The company touts its Low
Drag Mount, weighing 1.49
ounces, as the lightest mount
available for the CompM4.
The LDM/CompM4 is made
from 7075-T6 aluminum,
and features that distinctive
thumbscrew with ball detent
for retention and telescoping
clamp made to return to zero
each time its attached. Weve
heard Scalarworks is going
to have a dedicated Aimpoint
PRO mount this winter, but we
couldnt wait. We ditched the
base of Aimpoints QRP2 mount
and put the PROs mounting
ring atop the LDM. It cuts 1.2
ounces from the ensemble and
fits the PRO like a glove.
The gen2 update to

the Inforce WML and
WMLx lights increase
the brightness from
200 to 400 lumens in the onebattery, WML lights, and ups the
brghtness of the two-cell lights
from 400 and 500 to 700 and
800 lumens for the white and
white/IR versions, respectively. The lights maintain their
anorexic outlook, but just about
everything else is upgraded,
including the body material,
LED, lens, reflector, waterproof
sealing method, mode selector
switch, durometer of the rubber,
the activation button and the
locking bale. Basic operation of
all four models include constant,
momentary, and a disable-able
strobe with a selectable IR light
on indicated models.
MAKE:
Scalarworks
MODEL:
MODEL:
WML and WMLx
LDM/CompM4
COLORS:
WEIGHT:
Black, FDE
1.49 ounces
MSRP:
MSRP:
$175 to $2255
$149
URL:
URL:
www.inforce-mil.com
m
MAKE:
Bullets2Bandages
MODEL:
Six Shooter Shot Glass

MSRP:
$30 per pair
www.scalarworks.com
URL:
Whether youre
a fan of wheel
guns or youre a
cowboy at heart,
the Six Shooter Shot Glass
from Bullets2Bandages is a
fun way to line up your shots
(of liquid courage). Sold in
pairs, each cylinder weighs 4
ounces, holds up to 1.25 fluid
ounces, and stands 2.5 inches
in height and 1.75 inches in
diameter. Its made of anodized
aluminum with a food-grade
gunmetal gray finish. Ideal as
a birthday present, groomsmen
gift, or business swag, these
glasses can be engraved for
an additional $12 or shipped
in a customizable box for a $6
premium. Bullets2Bandages
was founded by Erik Spalding
and Cole Evans, two former
U.S. Navy explosive ordnance
disposal officers who donate a
portion of their profits to various veteran charities.
URL:
www.bullets2bandages.org
www.glockmeister.com
Anyone whos ever

been in a tense
situation or done
realistic training
under stress knows that, when
the adrenalines pumping,
fine motor control flies out the
window. Enter the Lyte Ryder
Center Mass Laser Sight for
shotguns and rifles. LaserLyte says its the worlds first
rail-mounted laser sight with
built-in pressure activation.
Switch on its nine-laser spread
pattern by simply squeezing the
2.3-inch pressure pad no
tiny lever or button to feel for.
The ambidextrous device has
momentary-on and constant-on
modes and can be set up where
your support hand naturally
goes so long as your foreend has at least 4 inches of Pic
rail. And thanks to its ledgeshaped design, it also doubles
as a grip stop. Made of 6061-T6
aluminum and glass-filled nylon, the Lyte Ryder weighs 1.76
ounces with the included three
357 batteries installed.
MAKE:
LaserLyte
MODEL:
Lyte Ryder Center Mass Laser

Sight
MSRP:
$150
URL:
www.laserlyte.com
War rugs were first made

by Afghans as a sort of wry
celebration of the Soviets
attempt to occupy the unoccupiable country. As so many Americans
have taken up temporary residence in
such shi*holes as Nangalam, Kandahar,
Assadabad, and dozens of others,
the war rug motif has traveled home.
Bravos Sierra Block pack in war rug
print throws back to the F*ck you,
USSR era with modern accoutrements,
such as a dedicated, padded laptop
sleeve, tons of pockets, full-zip front,
and some super plush, yet hardwearing
fabrics that hold the print. If you dont
need a pack, but want in on the print,
check out the limited edition War Rug
Beach Towel ($50) with microfiber and
antimicrobial construction.
Less than five years ago, nobody in the USA had heard of
Fjllrven, let alone pronounce
the name of the massive-inEurope, Swedish outdoor brand. Today,
the mixture of authentic Scandanavian
backcountry wear has collided with
North Jersey fashion and exploded. Let
the hipster masses eat up the brands
trendy backpacks; well roll in their highly
technical Keb Trousers. These pants are
tough, made for movement, and loaded
with features such as vents, gusseted
pockets, semi-gaiter cuffs, articulated
knees, and reinforcements in all the right
places. And, they dont feel like trash
bags on your legs since theyre made
from a mix of stretch panels and comfortable, wax infused poly-cotton fabric.
We used them on a three-day backcountry hunt, and they were a fast fave.
IS SU E
28
MAKE:
Many dedicated range bags

are setup for a full-on range
outing, but the Blaster
Bag a collab between
Tuff Products and Sentinel Concepts
carries all you need for a lunchtime
range session, fits in your RDC pack, and
stows in a car, easily out of sight. A little
smaller than a Trapper Keeper, it holds
a couple of pistols, eight mags, pasters,
a staple gun, spare staples, data book,
pen, marker, ear plugs, and 200 rounds
of ammo in factory boxes. Add some
folded-up targets and change for the
meter, and youre set for some midday
9mm therapy. For longer trips, the bag
keeps your pistol gear organized and
handy when placed inside a larger bag.
MAKE:
Tuff Products
MODEL:
Sentinel Concepts Blaster Bag Pro
Bravo Company Worldwide
MAKE:
MODEL:
Fjllrven
MSRP:
Sierra Block I Pack/War Rug Print
MODEL:
$45
MSRP:
Keb Trousers
URL:
$210
COLORS:
www.tuffproducts.com
URL:
10 colorways (Tarmac shown)
www.bravocoworldwide.com
Say hello to the Transformer

of the pack world. The Czech
Pack Tactical is a sling bag
with MOLLE webbing that
stands 7 by 6 by 4.5 inches, about the
size of a few Game of Thrones paperbacks stacked together. Two compartments can hold your phone, keys, and
other everyday-carry (EDC) items. The
sling can be tightened to wear it as a
waist pack. Unzip it down the center and
out pops a lining and shoulder straps,
turning this tactical murse into an
18.9-liter backpack. Known for Kydex
accessories, zZz Custom Works teamed
up with Lucky Dragon Industries to put
an EDC spin on its favorite travel bag
(whose design originated in the former
Czechoslovakia). The result is a rugged
sling bag thats capable of increasing
your cargo capacity in a hurry.
MAKE:
zZz Custom Works

MODEL:
Czech Pack Tactical

MSRP:
$88
MSRP:
URL:
$200
www.zzzcustomholsters.com
URL:
www.fjallraven.com
24
10
Why buy multiple items

when you can purchase
one thatll do the job of
several? So we gladly
accepted a request from SKD Tactical to
test out the Delta Utility Glove, the latest
in the FDT lineup from Patrol Incident
Gear. These paw protectors are meant
to be used anywhere on the range,
in your car, or in the garden while
providing comfort, tactile sensitivity,
and digit dexterity. For those addicted
to posting foodporn photos (which no
one cares about), these gloves have
touchscreen-compatible thumbs and
index fingers. They also have paracord
pull loops and elastic wrists. Our early
testing proves theyre indeed versatile
and comfortable, but only long-term
testing will determine their durability.
Available in black, carbon gray, coyote,
and ranger green.
IS SU E
28
MAKE:
11
One of the most common

reader complaints we get
is that the guns, gear, and
gadgets we write about
are just too expensive. We hear you loud
and clear after all, we working-class
journalists arent exactly crapping
silver coins, either. This is why were
impressed by the Westin. This production folder can serve as a reliable EDC
tool when youre concerned about losing
a custom knife that costs 10 times as
much. It has a quick flipper opening,
a reversible deep-carry pocket clip,
and a sharp 8Cr13Mov-stainless-steel
blade. With a glass-filled nylon front
scale attached to a stonewashed steel
back, the Westin feels good in hand.
Of course, its made in China, but to
get this quality for only $45 is ideal for
budget-minded folks.
If you want advice on a

light, tough boot, ask a
bighorn sheep hunter.
Quite a few guys braved
the Trangos original European mountaineer color scheme; it was nicknamed
Ronald MacDonald-flage. La Sportiva
realized there was a life for this light,
waterproof, and incredibly stiff boot outside the climbing community and wisely
released a version in Kryptek Highlander
this fall. If theres a mountain standing
between you and your objective, be it an
animal, an enemy stronghold, or a Strava
hiking PR, youll appreciate the Trango
Cubes Gore-Tex lining, seamless upper,
direct-inject lacing system, cramponcompatible sole, and removable tongue
pad that lets you fine tune the fit.
MAKE:
La Sportiva
MAKE:
MODEL:
Kershaw Knives
Trango Cube GTX Highlander
Patrol Incident Gear
MODEL:
WEIGHT:
MODEL:
Westin
26.2 ounces
Full Dexterity Tactical Delta Utility Glove
CAPACITY:
MSRP:
MAKE:
boltcarrier.com
MSRP:
7.8 inches
$390
$30
MSRP:
URL:
URL:
$$45
www.sportiva.com
www.skdtac.com
dtac.com
URL:
UR
MODEL:
Handguard Enhancement Tape

INCLUDES:
10 strips
MSRP:
www.k
ww.kershawknives.com
26
13
Weather, blood, mud

these are a few
things affecting the
grip on your rifle. AR
handguards have gotten slimmer to the
point of ergonomic perfection, but that
means any attempt to add traction with
polymer panels ruins the slim feel we
paid for. M-LOK die-cut grip tape from
boltcarrier.com adds tons of grip and
just barely a few millimeters to a handguards circumference. The tape feels
like skateboard grip tape, though finer
closer to a cats tongue. Its held in
place by an industrial-strength adhesive
you apply with some heat. Although the
tape was made for Knights Armament
URX-4 handguard, the M-LOK cutouts
match any M-LOK-equipped accessory.
As thin as it is, boltcarrier.com says its
not made to go between the handguard
and M-LOK attachments, so plan on a
little arts and crafts time, cutting the
strips to match your rail loadout.
$20
URL:
www.boltcarrier.com
13
10
12
11
A FULL-LINE BRAND:
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TRITIUM Ti WATCHES
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OVER 100 YEARS OF ARTIFACTS IN ONE PLACE

STORY AND PHOTOS BY PETER SUCIU
asts alike. Its the Iowa Gold Star Military
land, Iowa is where their political dreams
Museum, and it easily wins a gold star for
Territory, it had been part of both the
rise or fall. Iowa is also about as Midwestern
its presentation and inspiring displays.
French and Spanish empires before becom-
as it gets its truly part of the American
28
IS SU E
It might seem surprising that Iowa would
ing an American territory and later a state.
Heartland and the only U.S. state to be
be home to a notable military museum,
It supported the Union during the Civil War
bordered on both east and west by rivers.
given that the state wasnt the site of any
and, due to efforts by Samuel J. Kirkwood,
While some coastal residents may consider
major engagements. In fact, the Battle of
Iowas first wartime governor, the Hawkeye
it flyover country, Iowa has plenty of at-
Athens (a small skirmish that took place in
State sent more than 75,000 of its sons as
tractions.
August 1861 during the opening months
volunteers. Sadly more than one-sixth of
of the Civil War) was fought in neighboring
those who volunteered never returned home
State, or just driving through Iowa on Inter-
Missouri, as close as any front lines have
by the time the war ended in 1865.
state 80, theres a must-see museum for
been to Iowa. Yet the state is still rich with
military history buffs and firearm enthusi-
military history.
For those in and around the Hawkeye
30
Given that it was part of the Louisiana
To those seeking the highest office in the
During World War II, five more sons of

Iowa would become famous for their service.
IOWA GOLD STAR MILITARY MUSEUM

since that time has been a Guard and
fraction (some 1,000 items) are on
Reserve installation.
permanent display, while many others
Its home to the National Maintenance Training Center, Joint Forces

Headquarters, Iowas emergency
The Fighting Sullivan Brothers of

Waterloo, Iowa, were among the tens
of thousands of men from the state
to volunteer during World War II. All
five brothers were killed in action after
serving together on the USS Juneau
(CL-52) in November 1942.
IS SU E
28
Its the sacrifices of all of these
32
sons of Iowa for which the Iowa Gold

Star Military Museum was built. The
museums mission is stated clearly
to honor and depict the military
experience of Iowa citizens in all wars,
homeland defense, and Iowa service.
The museums purpose is to collect,
1. For those who like

old-school guns
it doesnt get much
better than these
18th and early 19th
century European
pistols.
2. Seventy-five
thousand sons
of Iowa fought to
preserve the Union
during the Civil War,
and their sacrifice
is depicted in
this display that
features a vintage
10-pound Parrot
Rifle on a field
carriage.
expect to see something new.

The entire collection, apart from the
operations center, a Military Entrance
outside exhibits of military vehicles,
Processing Command installation, and
is housed in the former headquarters
the State Police academy.
building for the Iowa National Guard
The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum
are rotated so that repeat visitors can
on Camp Dodge. It chronicles the con-
is a member organization and facility
tributions of Iowa veterans in state and
of the Army Museum System, and as
national defense from the early 19th
noted its meant to honor the services
century, when Iowa was acquired by
of Iowa veterans. It does this in spades
the United States as part of the Louisi-
via its impressive collection, including
ana Purchase in 1803, to the present
140,000 artifacts, documents, and
day. Nearly 60 percent of the items
photographs ranging from the Civil
have come from Iowa military veterans
War era to present. Currently, just a
through donations to the museum.
preserve, and exhibit materials that illustrate the story of Iowas military past
from statehood to the present. The
Iowa Gold Star Museum honors the
heroic service of all Iowa veterans.
CAMP DODGE AND THE IOWA

GOLD STAR MUSEUM
Just driving up to the Iowa Gold
Star Museum can be a thrill in itself,
as its located in Camp Dodge, an
active National Guard post that was
first constructed in 1907. Named
after Brigadier General Grenville M.
Dodge, who organized Iowas first
National Guard in 1856 and later
served a term in Congress representing Iowa, the camp was used as a
regional training center for U.S. forces
in the First World War. It served as
an induction center for new service
members during World War II, and
3. Iowas role in the

American military
dates back to the
early 19th century,
and some of earliest
settlers were in
the first forts to be
settled west of the
Mississippi River
when the U.S. Army
wore uniforms such
as the one in this
display.
4. Young men from
the heart of the
nation went off to
Cuba, the last time
blue was worn
as an American
combat uniform
and those soldiers
brought superior
firepower, such as
this Model 1883
Gatling Gun!
3
4
THE SILENT
AUTHORITY
Practice at the range.
ONE STAMP. TWO CONFIGURATIONS.

Modular design provides full-size
and compact silencers in one,
easily congurable can from 9.0"
to the shorter 7.0" version.
Defend condently at
home. Always prepared.
The Advanced Armament
Ti-Rant 45M adapts to you.
PISTOL PERFECTION
Optimized for 45 Auto signature
reduction, it excels on hosts
chambered in 9mm and 40
S&W and is the ideal multicaliber silencer for pistols.
TOOL-FREE TAKEAPART
Easily disassemble by hand for
routine cleaning and maintenance.
ADVANCED-ARMAMENT.COM
IS SUE
28
34
The bulk of the collection is made

up of real artifacts, including a Civil
War cannon, Indian War-era Gatling
Gun, and a partially restored Vietnam War-era UH1 Huey helicopter.
The museum even has a bicycle that
was used by the Viet Cong to move
equipment down the Ho Chi Minh
1. Seen here is a
replica of the P-40
Warhawk flown by
Lt. Colonel William
N. Reed, who served
as the commander
of the ChineseAmerican Composite
Wing during World
War II.
Trial and could likely be the only

such example of one in any museum
collection today.
One replica, which is understandable, is a full-size WWII Curtiss
P-40 Warhawk. It was added to the
collection in 2012 to honor the four
Iowans who served in China as part of
the Flying Tigers during World War II.
The plane is a recreation of the one
flown by Lt. Colonel William N. Reed,
who served as the commander of the
Chinese-American Composite Wing.
Reed had destroyed a total of nine
Japanese aircraft in aerial combat
as well as eight additional Japanese
2. Lt. Colonel Reeds

uniform and medals
are also in the
museums collection.
3. This display
includes one of
the only surviving
military bikes
used by the North
Vietnamese Army
during the Vietnam
War. It was donated,
along with the
majority of the items
in the collection,
by an Iowa military
veteran.
2
aircraft on the ground. Reed was shot
features one of the most impressive
down and killed in December 1944.
collections of military small arms found
Its a replica P-40B that has been
anywhere in the country. In total, the
suspended from the ceiling since Oc-
collection includes 324 small arms of
tober 2012, and it represents Reeds
foreign and domestic manufacture,
aircraft as it would have appeared in
explained Vogt.
January 1942, said Michael Vogt,
These include numerous American
curator of the Iowa Gold Star Military
rifles from the Civil War to modern day,
Museum.
as well as many small arms from the

Second World War. The museum is for-
THE SMALL ARMS COLLECTION

As the Iowa Gold Star Museum is
part of the Army Museum System, it
tunate to have pieces on loan from the

United States military, including several vintage sniper rifles. Among the
donated items is a working example of

the German StG44, the worlds first
assault rifle.
The collections World War II weapons include some impressive pieces
such as a Soviet PPSh-41 submachine
gun, an M3 Grease Gun, and a Browning Automatic Rifle, while the Vietnam
War-era firearms include the M14, two
different versions of the AR-15/M16,

and an M60 machinegun.
A full room is dedicated to the rest
of the weapons collection and filled
IS SU E
28
with more than 250 weapons in total
36
from a recoilless rifle to a Lewis
1. A rare live
working example of
the German StG44
assault rifle that
is on loan from the
U.S. military.
gun, as well as several anti-tank weapons and bazookas. Among the sniper
rifles in the museums collection are
a Springfield, an M14, and a very rare
WWII-era German G-43, still considered one of the most effective semiautomatic sniper rifles ever created.
2. A Soviet PKM
light machine gun
that was captured
by soldiers of the
186th Military Police
Company during
Operation Desert
Storm in 1991.
The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum is truly worthy of a gold star in
excellence.
IOWA GOLD STAR MILITARY

MUSEUM
ADDRESS:
Camp Dodge
7105 Northwest 70th Avenue
Johnston, Iowa 50131-1824
HOURS:
Monday through Friday

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Closed Sundays, holidays, and holiday weekends)
ADMISSION:
Free (donations accepted and appreciated)

TELEPHONE:
(515) 252-4531
URL:
www.iowanationalguard.com/History/Museum/
Pages/home.aspx
3. Heres just some

of the 250-plus
weapons that are
now part of the
collection of the
Iowa Gold Star
Museum.
asset protection
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IS SU E
28
2015 TOYOTA
4RUNNER
TRD PRO
4L V-6
FIVE-SPEED AUTOMATIC
WWW.LAWNDARTDESIGN.COM
FROM STOCK 4RUNNER TO FULL OFF-ROAD DREAM RIG

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ISAAC MARCHIONNA
Vision. Itd be easy to say in hindsight
added a Gobi Stealth model with a
there was a clear, start-to-finish vision
rear ladder to carry more gear and ex-
for this truck. But, like many project
pand the vehicles capability. facing is
builds, getting from stock to upgraded
a 40-inch Rigid E2 combination flood
was an ever-evolving path. For me,
and spotlight LED lightbar, while work
a professional filmmaker and pixel
lights are a pair of top-mounted Rigid
pusher, it was about treading the line
D2 white LED flood lights. An ARB
between daily driver and overlanding. I
2,000mm awning was mounted to the
wanted something that could serve as
driver side of the vehicles rack to ward
a utility vehicle for carrying precious
off the ever-present Pacific Northwest
cargo comfortably and safely into
rain and provide protection from the
remote locations.
sun during trips to shinier climes.
colored 2015 4Runner TRD Pro and
a total of three weeks before I decided
IS SUE
the balance of its on-road performance
it needed a winch. Given that WARN
28
and off-road handling. The 4Runner is
Industries is a local Oregon company,
based on the tough-as-nails, body-on-
there was no debate about brand. I
frame, Toyota Prado 150 platform with
chose the ZEON 8-S, with synthetic
a manual transfer case and bombproof
line, to provide 8,000 pounds of
reliability because ... Toyota. The TRD
pulling power. I was reticent to give
Pro from the factory was seemingly
up the styling of the OEM front end,
everything originally desired as a base
which admittedly was what attracted
platform, with factory skidplates,
me to the original vehicle in its base
larger Nitto Terra Grappler A/Ts, larger
form. The solution was to use a hidden
Bilstein shocks, and aggressive, retro
winch mounting system from Pelfrey-
styling. That was all that was needed,
bilt, requiring the removal of the origi-
or so I thought.
nal aluminum crush bumper assembly,
The project began with an inferno-
and installing the steel winch plate in
a back-and-forth facilitated by 503
its place. With this system, once the
Motoring. Iain Gordon, 503 Motorings
front bumper valence is trimmed, you
shop manager, served as the conduit,
have a winch that hides neatly behind
offering sensible design choices,
the bumper.
suggestions, and alternative execu-
Unfortunately, if you live in a two-
tions. As a shop that routinely handles
plate state, finding a good solution
supercars, the 4Runner provided an
for a license plate is a challenge. The
interesting change of pace for its staff,
solution came from Cascadia 4x4 in
mostly patrons of pavement.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,
Upon delivery from Japan, I im-
with its Flipster license plate system.
mediately began altering the 4Runner
It works with either the Hawse or roller
for more overland-specific use. I first
fairleads by placing a bracket behind
41
The entire upgrade process was
The 4Runner stayed untouched for
EVERYDAY OVERLANDER
1
1 PLATE FLIPPER
2 3 4 5 6 7
MAKE:
Cascadia 4x4
MODEL:
Flipster V1 (Hawse Fairlead)

URL:
www.cascadia4x4.com
2 AMBER LIGHTS
MAKE:
Rigid Industries
MODEL:
D2 Wide Single
URL:
www.rigidindustries.com
3 FRONT BUMPER
MAKE:
Pelfreybilt
MODEL:
Aluminum Front Plate Bumper

URL:
www.pelfreybilt.com
4 SNORKEL
MAKE:
IS SU E
28
Safari Automotive Technology
42
MODEL:
5th Gen Prototype Snorkel

and over the fairlead, allowing the
remote reservoirs
license plate to swing up and out of
on all shocks,
the way when winching. Sandwiched
upgraded lower
between that is the Factor55 Flatlink
trailing arms,
and Hawse Fairlead, both extremely
and tubular up-
low-profile solutions. The Flatlink
per control arms.
replaces the traditional hook, making
5 TOP LIGHTBAR
MAKE:
Rigid Industries
MODEL:
40-inch E2 Combo Spot/Flood

Lightbar
The Nitto Mud
for a safer and more visually attractive
Terrain tires were
option for using a winch. Great, its
selected from
done, right? Not even close.
past experience,
The vehicle looked good with its
URL:
www.safarisnorkel.com
URL:
www.rigidindustries.com
6 AWNING
MAKE:
as they present
ARB
added carrying capacity and self-
a good balance
recovery abilities. But all that weight
between off-road performance, with
was a rather dramatic one, and would
had a rather adverse affect on the
minimal impact to on-road noise and
require the first major alteration of
stance of the vehicle. So, I decided
handling. The Nittos have an excep-
the vehicles body through the use of
the next goal would be to tackle the
tionally aggressive sidewall tread, giv-
power tools and sparks, lots of sparks.
suspension and tires.
ing them a beefier side profile without
The simplest solution for carrying
resorting to the use of wheel spacers.
a spare tire is on the roof. Does this
Pelfreybilt
work for most people? Absolutely.
Bolt On Tapered Kickout Sliders
I opted for the Icon Vehicle Dynam-
MODEL:
Awning (2,000 mm)

URL:
store.arbusa.com
7 ROCK RAILS/SLIDERS
MAKE:
MODEL:
ics Stage 2 suspension and Nitto
Toyota designs their vehicles to
Trail Grappler 33-inch tires, while
use a 265/70 as their largest factory
However youre most likely not chang-
URL:
still maintaining the original factory
equipped tire. As a result, some al-
ing a spare tire under ideal conditions
www.pelfreybilt.com
TRD rims; I didnt want to give up
teration was required here and there.
to begin with, and trying to haul 85-
their strength and visual appeal. But,
Being that the factory spare (already
plus pounds of wheel from your roof
before I could get anything installed
undersized by comparison to the TRD
is a serious pain in the ass. Combined
I had reverse buyers remorse, and
Pros original 31.5-inch tire) would
with raising the vehicles center of
changed the suspension from the Icon
not be ideal in an emergency with
gravity, a roof-mounted spare was out
Stage 2 to the Stage 5, which gained
the new 33-inch tires, the solution
of the question.
8 ENGINE LIGHTS
MAKE:
Anti-Dark
MODEL:
Universal Engine Light

URL:
anti-dark.com
EVERYDAY OVERLANDER
The solution instead was through
In the pursuit of self-sufficiency an
possible. However, after a trip to the
the CBI Offroad rear steel bumper.
ARB twin compressor was installed,
Oregon desert, where many jackrab-
To say this bumper is well built would
allowing for in-the-field airing up of
bits sacrificed themselves on the
be a comedic understatement; its
tires or for cleaning off camera gear
front bumper, I decided it was only a
absolutely a tank, made entirely of
or other equipment. The main bat-
matter of time before the plastic front
steel. God help whoever rear-ends
tery was also swapped out with an
end would suffer a cruel fate. Youve
that bumper. In preparation the rear
Odyssey Group 31 battery, the weight
got a lot of options with the 4Runner
MODEL:
springs were swapped with Old Man
of which is akin to that of a dying
in regards to front bumpers. Mostly it
Emu 2898 440-pound springs to
neutron star. However, the added
comes down to your particular tastes.
Stealth Roof Rack (with rear

ladder)
handle the increased constant rear
capacity helps ensure power when
Since the vehicle lives downtown
load. The CBI rear bumper provides
you need it. The vehicle can also be
in a rather dense city, making the
a tire carrier on a steel locking swing
powered from the Overland Solar
vehicle longer is undesirable. The
1 ROOF RACK
MAKE:
Gobi
URL:
www.gobiracks.com
2 RECOVERY BOARDS
MAKE:
arm, while also allowing provisions for
panel array that can easily top off the
CBI rear bumper already increases
dual jerry cans, HiLift jack mount,
battery while at a campsite.
the overall length of the vehicle by
MODEL:
1 or 2 feet due to the jerry cans
MKII FJ Red
and rear tire, and a large front step
us.maxtrax.com.au
and cutouts for rear bumper lights

(because, why not more lumens!).
The original intent was to keep the

vehicles front end as stock looking as
Maxtrax
URL:
3 DRAWER SYSTEM
MAKE:
Goose Gear
MODEL:
28
SUV Module 2 Drawer 1/3-2/3

Split
IS SU E
URL:
www.goose-gear.com
4 FRIDGE
44
MAKE:
ARB
MODEL:
50-Quart Fridge/Freezer
3 4 5 6 7
URL:
store.arbusa.com
5 FRIDGE SLIDE
MAKE:
TemboTusk
MODEL:
LoadSpotter Levitating Fridge

Slider
URL:
tembotusk.flyingcart.com
6 REAR BUMPER
MAKE:
CBI Offroad
MODEL:
5th Gen 4Runner Rear Bumper

(with Swing Away Tire Carrier,
Double Jerry Can Holder)
URL:
www.cbioffroadfab.com
7 TIRES
MAKE:
Nitto
MODEL:
Trail Grappler M/Ts (285/70/17)

URL:
www.nittotire.com
SAY GOOD-BYE TO
BLIND CORNERS
NEW SIDE SHOOTER (SS) OPTIC
AVAILABLE IN SPOT, FLOOD,

& DRIVING BEAM PATTERNS
D-SS
Say Good-Bye to blind corners wit RIGIDs new D-SS, Dually
Side Shooter LED pod. Perfect for any application that
requires a wide spread beam, including A-Pillars, Fog Lights,
and motorcycle applications. The D-SS pod incorporates the
same powerful optics and legendary LED technology as
RIGIDs popular D-Series lights but with the added benet of
additional LEDs aimed to the side for a much broader beam.
The D-SS xtures boast up to 120-degrees of horizontal
lighting coverage when used in pairs or when used in the
single light applications.
D-SERIES
FLOOD
VS.
D-SS
FLOOD
FOR MORE INFO VISIT

RIGIDINDUSTRIES.COM/DSS
LUX Graphs represent single light applications.

Consult your Rigid Industries installation manual, the Rigid Industries website and any local, state and federal laws, rules and regulations to
determine whether your particular application/installation is authorized for use on a public highway. Rigid Industries, Rigid, D-SS and Dually are
registered and/or common law marks owned by JST Performance, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company d/b/a Rigid Industries.
EVERYDAY OVERLANDER
bumper would be both heavy, and
increase the vehicles length further.
Its a challenge to balance out what

works great off-road with what has to
be practical on-road, especially in an
urban landscape.
The solution, again, came from
Pelfreybilt, which had just begun offering an aluminum frontend. Its frontend
mimicked the general profile and shape
of the OEM frontend and is a complete
drop-in front replacement, no cutting
required. Because it was aluminum it
was also a staggeringly light 62 pounds.
This meant when the steel winch plate
was removed the net gain was only 6
pounds due to the addition of the Rigid
Combo 30-inch single-row lightbar.
1 JACK
as a test mule for the upcoming Safari/
factory. So the goal was to make the
MAKE:
ARB ARMAX snorkel for the fifth-gen
vehicle as livable as possible, using a
MODEL:
4Runner. What you see on the vehicle
full drawer system from Goose Gear.
is actually a 3D printed prototype,
This provides full-length lockable
and, of course, added defense against
Jack X-Treme
(with JackCover)
which should inspire a bit of awe when
drawers in the rear and a mounting
front impacts. As more and more OEM
www.hi-lift.com
you consider how big the printer must
platform for the ARB 47-quart fridge
be to accommodate such a large end
mounted on the TemboTusk LoadSpotter fridge slide.
The advantages of the bumper were

better articulation off-road, quicker ac-
IS SU E
28
cess to the winchs mechanical controls,
46
provisions for amber Rigid D2 foglights,
Hi-Lift
URL:
components fell by the wayside, they

were replaced by additional components
2 WATER CANS
result. The ARMAX snorkel, besides
such as the ARB steel skidplates, which
MAKE:
providing cleaner air in the desert, and
integrate perfectly with the Pelfreybilt
Rotopax
fording capabilities, also increases
extinguishers, medical kits from Dark
frontend. Other components were either
2-gallon water
horsepower and benefits in increased
Angel Medical, cargo organizers from
gusseted or additionally armored to
URL:
engine efficiency, seeing a noticeable
Blue Ridge Overland, and navigational
boost in miles per gallon.
aids. For navigation the vehicle uses
protect from trail damage.
MODEL:
rotopax.com
Other major additions were fire
The next upgrade, while not for the
Internally the 4Runner TRD Pro
squeamish, was an amazing opportuni-
(based on the Trail Edition Premium)
GPS, and an iPad with Bluetooth GPS
ty as the vehicle was selected to serve
comes incredibly well setup from the
module in a RAM mount for back-
its onboard GPS, Garmin Montana
country navigation. In addition, the

vehicle is wired with a HAM radio for
long-distance communication in the
desert, along with a C.B. and Delorme
InReach.
Ultimately this is a snapshot of the
vehicle as it currently stands. It would
be a boldfaced lie to say its done.
The vehicle has and continues to
outperform our expectations. Not just
in how it looks, but the terrain it can
tackle safely. While treading dangerously close to serving as a background
vehicle along the trails of Fury Road,
it still serves admirably as an obnoxiously fun daily driver.
UNUSUAL SUSPECTS
everyday-carry (EDC) knife, while the lack of a
retention even if covered in mud or blood.
karambits are like the sexy foreign exchange
straight tip makes it a poor fighting knife.
With your index finger inside the ring with a

next to impossible for a bad guy to disarm you.
as a utility tool by farmers and fishermen in
know better. A karambit is brutally effective at
Indonesia, this ancient knife (also spelled
ripping tendons, redirecting limbs, leveraging
popular since we featured it back in Issue
kerambit) was patterned after a tigers claw
takedowns, and (cue the groans) disembowel-
6, so here are just a few of the latest Asian
and eventually morphed into a self-defense
ing. Its not without a specific purpose.
(inspired) models youll want to fondle today.
The karambit has haters, though. Some

complain the curvature makes it a horrible
MAKE:
1 Pinkerton Knives
MODEL:
MAKE:
4 Ontario Knife Company

MODEL:
ARK (Active Response

Karambit)
Ranger Kerambit EOD
OAL:
7.5 inches
BLADE LENGTH:
3.6 inches
BLADE MATERIAL:
5160 carbon steel
WEIGHT:
8.8 ounces
MSRP:
$237
URL:
www.ontarioknife.com
5.46 inches
28
reverse grip (the most common position), its
ipino kali, and other Southeast Asian systems
years among Western knife nuts.
IS SU E
But those who practice Indonesian silat, Fil-
love to get your hands on. Originally used
weapon. Its become all the rage in recent
STORY AND PHOTOS BY PATRICK VUONG
With vivacious curves and seductive rings,

student you know nothing about, but would
50
KARAMBITS
1.6 inches
154CM stainless steel

1.2 ounces
$80
OAL:
BLADE LENGTH:
BLADE MATERIAL:
WEIGHT:
MSRP:
URL:
www.compfightsys.com
MAKE:
2 Combative Edge
MODEL:
Dragons Tail
OAL:
7 inches
BLADE LENGTH:
2.5 inches
BLADE MATERIAL:
D2 tool steel
WEIGHT:
3.69 ounces
MSRP:
$170
URL:
www.combativeedge.com
MAKE:
3 Bker Plus
MODEL:
Wildcat
OAL:
7.38 inches
BLADE LENGTH:
2.88 inches
BLADE MATERIAL:
D2 tool steel
WEIGHT:
4.6 ounces
MSRP:
$120
URL:
www.boker.de/us
MAKE:
5 Fox Knives
MODEL:
479KN Neptune Kryptek G10

Folding Karambit
OAL:
7.6 inches
BLADE LENGTH:
3 inches
BLADE MATERIAL:
N690Co stainless steel

WEIGHT:
4.6 ounces
MSRP:
$150
URL:
www.karambit.com
MAKE:
6 Emerson Knives
MODEL:
Super Karambit
OAL:
8 inches
BLADE LENGTH:
3 inches
BLADE MATERIAL:
154CM stainless steel

WEIGHT:
5.6 ounces
MSRP:
$308
URL:
www.emersonknives.coom
This exotic genre has only gotten more
And, no, the ring in the handle is not for
Also check elsewhere in this issue for Steve
spinning it around like a cowboys six-shooter.
Taranis article on the history of the karambit
Sure, some twirling techniques do exist, but
rn more about why

to learn
the ring has two primary functions: striking and
a key to its longevity.

longevvity.
MAKE:
7 TOPS Knives
MODEL:
TAC-TOPS Karambit
OAL:
11.25 inches
BLADE LENGTH:
7.13 inches
BLADE MATERIAL:
109 carbon steel

1095
WEIGHT
WEIGHT:
1 ounces
10
MSRP:
$210
URL:
w
www.topsknives.com
p
m
its effectiveness is
FLIP THE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS ON EACH KNIFE.
INTERROGATING THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS

PINKERTON KNIVES
IS SU E
28
ARK
52
COMBATIVE EDGE
DRAGONS TAIL
BKER PLUS
WILDCAT
ONTARIO KNIFE CO.
RANGER
KERAMBIT EOD
FOX KNIVES
479KN
EMERSON KNIVES
SUPER
KARAMBIT
TOPS KNIVES
TAC-TOPS
KARAMBIT
411:
After fielding a request
from a U.S. contractor in Afghanistan,
Dirk Pinkerton devised
(with input from Chad
McBroom of Comprehensive Fighting
System) this backup
blade to stay in your
hand even while youre
shooting, reloading, or
hauling gear. (Note: We
reviewed a prototype.
The production version
will reportedly have a
tumble-blast finish and
chamfers at the corners
for more comfort.) Made
in the USA.
411:
Designed by two martial artists (Rob Walker
of Combative Edge and
C. Despins of Max Venom Product Group), the
Dragons Tail combines
a karambit handle with
a spear-point blade
in a slim package.
This hybrid design
provides the benefits of
a karambit (retention
ring, concealability,
etc.) with a wider range
of utility due to its
versatile blade profile.
Comes with a well-built
custom Kydex sheath.
Made in the USA.
411:
Bkers blade-smithing
lineage goes back
almost 200 years, so its
reputation for manufacturing quality swords,
knives, tools, and other
edged implements is
well deserved. The
companys Bker Plus
line aims to offer gear
at affordable prices by
manufacturing in China
or Taiwan. The Wildcat
is one such specimen,
combining Chinese
manufacturing with
German engineering
based on an Indonesian
concept.
411:
Ontario Knife Company
(OKC) has operated out
of New York for more
than 125 years, with a
long history of making
tools for the U.S. military. So its no surprise
that OKCs Ranger
lineup consists of edged
weapons meant for
combat in the harshest
terrain. Designed by
U.S. special operations
veteran Justin Gingrich,
this model was made
specifically for the U.S.
Marine Corps EOD
hence the name. Made
in the USA.
411:
This top-tier folder has
three opening methods:
flipper tab, tear-drop
thumb hole, and Emerson Knives patented
wave-shaped feature
(which opens the blade
as you draw by snagging on your pocket).
Offered exclusively at
www.karambit.com,
this version has handle
scales with Neptune
Kryptek camo. Also
available in Typhon
Kryptek (a blackish
pattern) and Highlander
Kryptek (more desert-y
colors). Made in Italy.
411:
Its impossible to talk
about karambits without
mentioning Emerson
Knives; naturally we
included one from this
California company.
The Super Karambit
is Ernest Emersons
modern interpretation
of a large-ish karambit,
and the results are
first-class. (Watch for
a future review of his
karambit flipper model,
which we got to play
with briefly, but was
still being tweaked at
press time.) Made in
the USA.
411:
Knife noobs, this is
not the karambit you
seek. Designed by
C. Despins (theres
that name again),
this bad boy is meant
for advanced users.
Born out of a request
from an elite military
operator who needed
a deadly tool he could
carry while wearing
gloves, this innovative
chimera combines the
Indonesian blueprint
with a kukris reach
and quality American
manufacturing. Made in
the USA.
PROS:
Reminiscent of the
Max Venom Karambite,
the ARKs extended tang
above the ring provides
tension that keeps the
knife in hand even if you
hold it palm down.
154CM is one of our
favorite blade steels.
Quality Kydex sheath
can be worn around the
neck or affixed to a belt
or pack.
PROS:
Blade shape suitable
for combat and most
EDC tasks.
Despite the anorexic
look, its the most comfortable knife in this
buyers guide to hold,
whether in reverse or
forward grip.
Compact, slim, and
concealable
Pointed pommel on
ring for striking
PROS:
Sleek hybrid aesthetics
Smooth flipper opening
Durable yet comfortable G-10 scales
Reversible pocket clip
for right- and wronghanded users.
PROS:
The 0.25-inch-thick
blade is made of tough
5160 carbon steel to
stand up to abuse.
Though not stainless,
the steel is powdercoated to help fight off
corrosion.
Thick-ass Micarta
scales ideal for heavyduty use and those
with sausage fingers or
gloves
PROS:
The N690Co blade
cuts and stabs like a
laser.
The G-10 scales (our
favorite handle material) is smooth without
being slippery.
Love having multiple
opening methods
Reversible pocket clip
PROS:
Wave-shaped feature
on the blades spine
allows for lightningfast draws from ones
pocket.
The 154CM blade
features a chisel grind,
making it razor sharp.
Superb construction
and craftsmanship
Incredibly durable (and
reversible) pocket clip
something lacking in
many production folders.
PROS:
Inventive design meets
battlefield lethality
Pointed pommel on the
ring is skull-crushingly
crafted without being
too obtrusive.
Though almost a foot
long, it weighs only 10
ounces.
Because 1095 carbon
steel rusts easily, this
monster features a
black traction coating to
help prevent corrosion.
CONS:
Placement of the ring
(for the middle finger)
offsets our grip by several millimeters just
enough to make it feel a
little awkward.
Not for tactical mall
ninjas: If you plan to
use the ARK while
shooting, lots of mindful
training will be needed
beforehand to prevent
accidental cuts.
CONS:
D2 is a good tool steel,
but for the price we
would prefer a premium
stainless.
Due to its curve,
the Dragons Tail is a
tad difficult to place
smoothly into the
sheath.
CONS:
This made-in-China
knife retails for 120
clams?!
Recurve blade
diminishes some of the
karambits greatest
attributes: ripping and
hooking.
In forward grip, we
had to keep our pinky
outside of the ring,
which splayed our digit
if looped inside.
CONS:
Bust out the sharpener; edge came kinda
dull out of the box.
One of the worst
designed sheaths weve
seen in a while. Its
ill-fitting with limited
mounting options.
CONS:
In forward grip, the
position of the ring is
too far rearward, forcing
our pinky to sit uncomfortably inside of it.
CONS:
The roughness of the
G-10 scales acts as
sandpaper on our pants.
In forward grip, the
retention ring forces an
awkward pinky position.
CONS:
Length precludes it
from being a practical
EDC tool, unless youre
a doorkicker ... or
want to draw plenty of
unwanted attention.
Will require knifefighting experience and/
or training
28
IS SUE
54
STORY BY IAIN HARRISON

PHOTOS BY STRAIGHT 8 AND JOSH WHI
LITHGOW ARMS USAS ATRAX IS LIKE THE AUG, ONLY BETTER
27 years and was chambered in a far
In the late 60s the guys at Steyr gazed
bolt popularized by Stoners system. A
upon the firearms landscape and said,
short-stroke gas system dating to the
superior cartridge. But lets not get
You know what? Star Wars isnt even
1920s acts on a milled bolt carrier,
too far into the weeds. Following its
going to be thought of for another de-
which runs on twin guide rods vaguely
adoption by the Austrian armed forces
cade, but lets build a space gun any-
reminiscent of an AR-18.
in 1978, other countries were quick to
way. And they did. And it was good.
Placing the magazine well behind
jump on the bandwagon, with Ireland,
the trigger did confer a number of
New Zealand, Malaysia, and all three
to be fielded by a modern army, the
advantages, however, chief of which
members of Luxembourgs army
AUG or Armee Universal Gewehr to
being a truncated OAL useful if
adopting it.
give it its full title, is surprisingly
your main strategic threat lay on the
conventional beneath its attention-
other side of the Fulda gap and your
to Australia. The government there
grabbing plastic exterior. Unlike the
infantry was destined for a short, ac-
negotiated local production by Lithgow
HK G11, there are no telescoped,
tive life, jumping in and out of armored
Arms at their Lithgow plant as part
caseless wunderpatrone fed by a Swiss-
fighting vehicles.
of the deal, with an official in-service
One of the first successful bullpups
watch-like hyperburst mechanism.
The AUG was also one of the first
The biggest contract, however, went
date of January 1989. Known as the
Instead, a detachable box mag
general-issue rifles pushed across an
F88 Austeyr, it replaced both the long-
offers plain vanilla 5.56 NATO into a
arms room counter complete with an
serving L1A1 SLR and the M16A2.
hammer-forged barrel, where theyre
optic, though if you really want to get
locked into place by a multi-lugged
nerdy, the British EM2 predated it by
After 20 years of service, the F88

was due for a facelift based on two
IS SUE
28
55
THE BULLPUP FROM DOWN UNDER

decades worth of user feedback and
improvements in available materials
and manufacturing technology. In
addition, design improvements were
28
IS SU E
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS
new rifle dubbed F90 on the world
Lets start with the most significant
military market. A semi-auto model
change first. One of the most distinc-
to be manufactured by Lithgow Arms
tive features of the original AUG was

its ability to switch barrels by simply
headed to these shores. We got to
pressing a button and pushing forward
than just slavishly following Austrian
play with a couple of samples, and
on the folding foregrip, whereupon it,
blueprints. Their upgrades are both
heres what we found.
the gas system, and barrel would pop
lution into a true R&D facility, rather
significant and worthwhile,with the
USA as the ATRAX in the U.S. is
made possible by Lithgow Arms evo-
56
The ATRAX offers

smooth, curvaceous
lines which means
its less likely to get
hung up on stuff.
Plus we like curves.
Its a guy thing, so
sue us.
Speed
Scabbard
MSRP
76 99
Style
002
$53 99
Style
027
Made from premium tan or

black saddle leather
Snap on belt loop for easy
on & off belt
Detail molded for exact
UHDUP
Excellent choice for
woman
Premium
saddle leather
Optimum
draw angle
Firearm
retention &
highly
concealable
Some models
with 2 belt slots
&/or without
tension device
INTIMIDATOR
2.0
MSRP
39 99
Style
138
Compact &
lightweight
Precision-molded
Kydex holster
Leather &
synthetic back
MSRP
Slim-Tuk
MSRP
3999
Style
137
Precision molded
from Kydex
Tuckable 360 C-Clip
affords unlimited
mounting options
Features a rugged
nylon clip
Ambidextrous
Tuckable
360
800-GUNHIDE
631-841-6300
Dept #RM17
431 Bayview Avenue, Amityville, NY 11701
www.desantisholster.com
IS SUE
28
58
free from the receiver. This is conspicuously absent from the new version.
Instead, the barrel assembly and
receiver are unitized, and in order to
swap barrels, the whole shebang must
be pulled. While this might sound
like a retrograde step, it means that
any optic mounted on the full-length
The triangular
section forward of
the trigger is empty
and provides space
for electronics, the
trigger group of
a 40mm grenade
launcher or snacks.
OK, we lied about
the last one.
oclock Picatinny rail that accepts oth-
and provides adequate clearance when
er accessories in addition to any VFG,
deployed. This means the user doesnt
and infrared lasers or white lights can
skin their knuckles against mounted
be accommodated on the supplemen-
optics when cycling the weapon, un-
tary rail located on the receivers right
like some contemporary designs. We
side. The bottom rail is particularity
always figured the SCAR got its name
significant to Australian troops, as it
when the development team was using
gives a convenient mounting location
scopes with QD mounts .
upper Picatinny rail retains zero, and a
for a new 40mm grenade launcher,
significant weight saving is achieved.
which is an important force multiplier.
given a makeover, and theres a
Not only is the new version about a
Add one to your birthday list.
better cheek weld due to a revised
pound lighter than the one it supersedes, its center of balance is shifted
toward the users shoulder, making the
rifle feel much livelier in the hands.
Further mass is shed from the hammer-forged barrel by means of fluting,
which perhaps more importantly
also increases surface area available
for cooling. The folding foregrip of
the original is gone, replaced by a 6
The ATRAX is one

of the few carbines
that actually needs
a VFG. Fortunately,
the lower Pic rail
offers a handy
solution, as well
as space for an
underslung grenade
launcher.
On the left side of the unitized barrel
The old weapons stock has been
profile that places the users head
assembly lies a familiar cocking handle
more in line with rail-mounted optics.
that retains the forward assist capabil-
Advances in plastic technology havent
ity of the AUG. In the Lithgow Arms
been overlooked, and the new exoskel-
version, it folds upward into a recess
eton is tougher than the previous one,
Wed like to thank our competition for

paving the way in polymer pistols.
we ll take it from here.
P320
sigsauer.com/P320
#ONEFORALL
Cleaner, Crisper, Short Trigger Reset

Three Grip Sizes for the Perfect Fit
Unmatched Flexability in Caliber and Frame
Easiest, Safest Takedown

while incorporating cavities destined
to house whatever electronics the
military industrial complex can come
Cocking handle
retains the forward
assist capability of
the original.
up with. You can see evidence of this

in the revised stock profile at the front
of the trigger guard, which has a triangular addition with handy trap door at
the front.
That crossbolt
safety is a royal
pain, but falls easily
under thumb and
forefinger.
The semi-automatic ATRAX will be

available in the USA manufactured
by Lithgow Arms USA, which will be
based on the Lithgow Arms F90 with
the first deliveries scheduled for early
2017. If theyre anything like the ones
we shot, then purchasers wont be
disappointed by their trigger pull, as
for a bullpup, theyre pretty frickin
good, and way better than a stock
trigger on an AR.
Right side rail is a

handy place for a
PEQ or light.
While the AUGs magazine catch has
IS SU E
28
been retained, theres now a bolt re-
60
lease on the left side of the weapon so

users no longer need to rack the charging handle to chamber the first round
after a reload. Speaking of magazines,
while Steyr was using polymer mags
before the cool kids got around to it,
the version destined for the U.S. has
ditched their proprietary design in favor of the ones weve all been stocking
up on over the past decade.
ROUNDS DOWNRANGE
As the AUG has a stellar, longterm reputation for accuracy and the
ATRAX uses the same barrel and bolt
technology, we skipped the usual dull
foreplay of shooting groups off of a
bench and cut to the chase. While 40
years of sub-MOA performance should
not be taken lightly, the landscape has
changed considerably since the funnylooking carbine burst on the scene,
and suppressor use has exploded.
If a design weakness is going to
show up, then its going to show up
faster if the weapon is suppressed.
And its going to show up tout de suite
if a suppressed gun is shot full auto,
so we proceeded to do just that, chew-
Mag release is
operated by the left
thumb. Bolt catch is
new and a definite
improvement.
CYANE DYNAMIC PACK

MAX STORAGE IN AN ULTRA-SLEEK DESIGN
MISSION CONFIGURABLE W/ S.T.R.I.K.E WEBBING

CAN BE WORN LIKE A BACKPACK OR ATTACHED
DIRECTLY TO PALS/MOLLE ARMOR CARRIERS
AND VESTS
DESIGN OPTIMIZED THROUGH YEARS OF
OPERATOR INPUT
TO SEE MORE, VISIT BLACKHAWK.COM/CYANE
In 1990, a Navy SEAL was navigating a mineeld when his pack failed. As his gear tumbled to the ground,
he vowed if he made it out alive he would make gear the right way. Today, this obsession with quality
applies to everything we do. We are constantly researching, rening and perfecting every detail to
provide gear that will not let you down. Because we are not just making stuff. We are honoring a vow.
2016
IS SU E
28
62
ing through a case of ammo in about
Bullpups and vehicles are a wining

combination. Muzzle
exhibits almost zero
movement in full
auto fire. Get some.
able affect on balance, but due to the
After experiencing zero stoppages
ATRAXs weight shift as compared to
with either rifle, despite putting
the AUG, it had way less effect than
enough rounds through both to get
we were expecting. Another surprise
them uncomfortably hot and discolor
was in terms of controllability. In its
their barrels and cans, we arrived at
as well as the firearms they were fitted
full auto guise, the F90 is one of the
the conclusion that for the major-
to. We took the opportunity to shoot
easiest 5.56 guns weve ever shot to
ity of users, the 16-inch barrel is
both the 16- and 20-inch barreled
keep on target, and the only compa-
the way to go. Shooting from inside
guns and came away with a distinct
rable experience is shooting a HK MP7.
and around vehicles and buildings is
preference for one of them.
Instead of rising up and to the right like
much less challenging, and the trad-
most machine guns, both stay flat and
eoff for reduced velocity is easy to
level. Rather than recoil, they vibrate.
justify you get the same size pack-
the time it takes to finish a large coffee. SilencerCo Hybrid cans were used
as an optional accessory and took the
edge off the muzzle blast and held up
Adding 20 ounces to the muzzle of

a carbine usually has a very notice-
IS SUE
28
age as a 10-inch SBR, but without

the paperwork.
As a do anything carbine, the
64
SPEC BOX
ATRAX is a very attractive proposition.
Hammer forged,
chrome lined, fluted
barrel should last
a long time in a
semi-auto.
adverse conditions and as compact as
RECOIL, were proud to not pull that
possible for home defense, its hard to
sh*t, so when we come out with an un-
find a role it couldnt fill.
equivocal recommendation, we stand
As gun buyers these days, were
by it. This is one of those cases, and
Accurate enough for slaying coyotes
pretty much inoculated against glowing
when the ATRAX goes on sale, your
and prairie dogs, with a good enough
gun rag reviews, especially when lo
humble editor will be one of the first in
trigger to make rapid follow up shots
and behold theres a full-page ad
line with a credit card clutched tightly
for three-gun, sufficiently reliable for
running right next to the feature. At
in his sweaty paw.
LITHGOW
ITHGOW
W ARMS
ARM
ATRAX
CALIBER
5.56x45mm
BARREL LENGTH
16-, 20-inch
OVERALL LENGTH
27.6 inches
WEIGHT (UNLOADED)
7.17, 7.5 pounds

MAGAZINE CAPACITY
30, 42
ACCESSORIES
Trijicon RM06-33
Trijicon AccuPoint
Magpul EMAG
SilencerCo Hybrid
MSRP
$ $1,999
$812
$1,399
$20
$999
PRICE AS FEATURED
$ $5,229
URL
www.lithgowusa.com
GAME-CHANGING
C O M F O RT, S A F E T Y A N D F I T.
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Flat-temple, low-profile design naturally adjusts to
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anti-fog coating so youll see your target every
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See our full line of products at
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3M 2016. All rights reserved. 3M, Peltor and SecureFit are trademarks of 3M.
IS SU E
28
A LOOK AT THE RIFLE

THAT BECAME THE BANE OF
JOHN MCCLANES CHRISTMAS EVE
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE SEARSON
66
Its harrd to believe that the Steyr
y AUG
The AUGs journey as a firearm in
a reprieve
off sorts in
off the
i
i the form
f
is turningg 40 next year.

y
Whats more
America has been an interesting one to
USR.
Cosmetic
S C
i changes were made
remarkable is that its still used to this
say the least. One might consider it an

n
to the rifles
ifl design
i to allow importai
-
day to represent a futuristic weapon or
in-depth examination of the stupidity
tion under the 1994 Federal Assault
the latest in firearms technology.
of laws designed to restrict firearms
Weapon ban, with the name being
ownership being written by people who
primary. A plastic segment was added
know nothing about firearms.
behind the pistol grip to transform it
Thats the beauty of the bullpup. Its

shorter overall length makes it great
to keep in confined spaces such as
Importation began in the 1980s as
into a Planet of the Apes Thumbhole
troops in an APC or a tank crew, and
the AUG/SA (SA denoting semiauto-
stock and the barrel was unthreaded
this compact size is perfect for troops
matic), and for the most part they were
so a shooter could add neither a flash
to use in MOUT operations for shoot-
slow sellers due to the price and likely
suppressor nor a silencer because the
ing from cover.
the fact that its design was so unique.
goal of anti-gun politicians is obviously
The initial offering (A1 model) boasted
to make all shooters go blind and deaf.
an integral 1.5x optic.
So much for their bold calls for safety!
Initially called the Stg-77 (Sturmgewehr 77) and adopted by the

Austrian Army in 1988, we saw it for
Despite never being used in any
the first time in a James Bond movie
sort of crime in the United States for
end and when the ban sunset in 2004
(Octopussy). Being 12 or 13 years old
over its first decade, it was banned
Steyr Arms worked with Sabre Defense
at the time, I assumed it was some
by name via an executive order by
to produce enough of the parts do-
futuristic rifle invented by a Hollywood
President George H.W. Bush under
mestically so that the AUG could be
prop master, until seeing it again five
the 1989 Assault Weapon Import ban.
sold legally in this country. The first
or six years later in Die Hard. Then,
This really sent the prices of existing
of these came to market in 2008,
I thought, Man, I really need one of
rifles through the roof.
but production was short-lived due
those.
Six years later, AUG fans gained
All bad things eventually come to an
to legal problems with Sabre. Appar-
ently smuggling weapons in the false
with a 1 in 9-inch twist rate (yeah,
AUG, and they can be had for as low as
bottom of an ISO container is frowned
we know). Barrels lock into a steel
$17 in some areas. We were able to run
upon by the feds. Who knew?
insert within the receiver that, contrary
a few and, while we did not have the
to popular belief, isnt considered a
time nor the stockpile of ammo to jam
ing with VLTOR in 2012 to manufac-
trunion. The folding vertical fore grip
20,000 rounds downrange, we were
ture receivers and with FN USA to
makes pivoting and removing the bar-
happy with the results and found them
make their barrels.
rel deceptively simple.
Steyr Arms bounced back by partner-
In the same manner that Rolex sells
Operation is via a true piston system,
watches, so does Steyr with regard to
allowing the shooter to regulate the
AUGs: They sell every model they make.
flow of gas depending upon conditions.
STEYR
AUG A3
CALIBER:
5.56x45mm NATO
as reliable as the factory magazines.

The AUG-A3 we borrowed for this
retrospective look at the Steyr AUG
BARREL LENGTH:
was fitted with a Nightforce 1-4x
Like many bullpup designs, the
16.375-inch
scope one of our favorite types of
newest M1 variant for review, but
main flaw that we see is in the rifles
28.15 inches
scopes for use on a defensive carbine.
unfortunately even their demo rifles
trigger. The A3 we sampled has a trig-
WEIGHT, EMPTY:
The circle reticle is similar to the origi-
were completely sold out by the time
ger that breaks at about 8 pounds, but
7.8 pounds
is remarkably smooth and has a short
MAGAZINE
CAPACITY:
nal one found on the integrated scopes
we went to press (as were their new

40-year tribute rifles in the form of the
reset. We have been told that quality
Stg77). We borrowed our sample from
aftermarket triggers by several compa-
30 rounds (10- and

42-round available)
a friend and fellow Steyr enthusiast in
nies are in the works and one may be
the form of an AUGA3.
available by the time you read this.
We were on deck to receive the
The A3 differs from the original
the rear of the stock. They can be
any scope of their choosing without
expensive and/or hard to find and an
the limitations of a 1.5x optic. A bolt
aftermarket STANAG stock is available
hold-open to lock the bolt on an empty
to accommodate standard AR-15 maga-
magazine was added at the request of
zines if youre one of those folks who
shooters worldwide.
either cant give up their P-Mags or has
migration and Customs Enforcement

(ICE) officers in the United States.
Now that theyve been absorbed by
DHS (Department of Homeland Security) theyre stuck with M4s.
Not that theres anything wrong with
that, but we have heard through the
grapevine that many ICE guys lament
the fact that they had to give up their
AUGs.
The quick-change barrel system is
one of our favorite features, allowing the
AUG to use barrels anywhere
from 13 to 24 inches
in length. Likewise the
rifle can be converted
to 9mm in a similar manner should
anyone have a need for that.
Barrels are cold hammer forged
500 perfectly fine GI magazines left

over from the last rash of panic buying.
Fortunately, Magpul has begun
producing 30-round magazines for the
Shooting it was a dream. We found

the circular reticle to really draw our
eye to the target and the soft recoil of
the AUG with the scope on the 4x setting at 100 yards let us see our hits on
Steyr is rightfully
famous for their AUG
design, but in
recent years we
have become fans
of their striker fired
pistols like the M9A1,
which incorporates
an absolute perfect
grip angle for a lower
bore axis and easy to
acquire trapezoidal
sights.
of a Glockish feel to it, so if you are a

fan of the other Austrian gun maker,
target. The broken-in trigger had more
you might find yourself comfortable

behind the Steyr AUG.
We predict that the AUG will remain
a cutting edge design for the next 40
years as Steyr and Lithgow continue to
improve upon an amazing platform.
67
receiver allowing the shooter to mount
variable power is definitely an upgrade.
28
and textured, they insert straight into
tries and was used for a time by Im-
steyrarms.com
of the AUG A1 and USR, while the
IS SUE
of engineering beauty. Translucent
top Picatinny rail on the top of the
In spite of its radical appearance,
URL:
Steyrs magazines are simply a thing
A1 variant by incorporating a flat
the AUG is fielded by over 40 coun-
OVERALL LENGTH:
DIRECT ACTION RESOURCE CENTER

SEPARATES THE MEN FROM THE BOYS
IS SU E
28
STORY BY DAVE MERRILL

PHOTOS BY MATT LANDFAIR AND DAVE MERRILL
68
Down an unimproved road in the backwaters of northern Little
waits beyond. Its immediately apparent that this isnt your
Rock, Arkansas, sits the Direct Action Resource Center, common-
run-of-the-mill shooting range.
ly known as DARC. As you drive toward the gated entry, mosqui-
Though its been around for more than a decade, DARC (pro-
toes buzz in the air. You pass a swamp-ish pond, where turtles
nounced dar-see) has managed to stay out of the limelight. It
throw themselves into the water. Beyond the simple chain-link
was the first center exclusively built for tactical urban training,
barrier lies a training facility where some of the very best law en-
and while some training facilities rely on flashy advertising or big-
forcement and military personnel train for worst-case scenarios.
name instructors, everything I heard about DARC came from the
After passing through the threshold from its rural surround-
mouths of graduates. Details were always vague, with knowing
ings, youre greeted by an actual helicopter fuselage mounted
nods, quiet murmurs, and sly grins exchanged among any alumni
on a raised platform for speed roping. An airplane hull, com-
present for the conversation. Is this Skull and Bones routine just
plete with all seats including flight attendant serving carts
flash or is there something more hidden behind the veil?
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When I told my wife Id be attending
day training period I put in 96 hours
a course at DARC to check out the facil-
and expended nearly 3,000 Simuni-
ity, she said very seriously, Youre going
tion rounds. Over 50,000 Simunition
to get hurt. Wait! My former-psycholog-
rounds were fired by students and
ical-operations soldier wife knows more
OPFOR (opposing forces) during the
about the school than I do? Sh*t.
week. And this was just Level 1.
DARC is best known for their

LECTC, the Law Enforcement Counter
can be characterized as rapid incre-
Terrorism Course. While we knew
mentalism. Imagine a college-level
it would be challenging, the term
math class originally designed for a
challenging would turn out to be an
16-week semester crammed into three
understatement.
weeks, and youll have the right idea.
Some courses, even from profes-
IS SU E
28
Mason teaching the

nuances of assaulting.
70
Complex structures
and real obstacles
make for a challenging training
environment.
The founder and owner of DARC is
the previous, and if you miss anything
enforcement, are structured for the
youll be well behind the power curve.
students to succeed or for simple

team building. DARC is not one of
Hes of small stature, built like a
those places. Though teams natu-
barrel, and pieces it all together with
rally become more cohesive through
a fiery red beard and piercing eyes
shared hardship and experience, no
that could freeze lava. A comparison
scenario the students were put in is
to Gimli, the dwarf from The Lord of
specifically designed to be won or lost
the Rings, paired with an M4 sprung
the scenario is the scenario, and
to mind, but some thoughts are
you prosper or you fail.
soundly again.
Each step immediately builds upon
sional schools solely devoted to law
a former SOF warrior, Richard Mason.
best kept unsaid lest we never sleep
The training methodology at DARC
To give an idea of the intensity of

the course, over a five-and-a-half
We milled this trigger face

to a tolerance of .005 of an inch.
Then we threw it away because our spec is .003.
The Overwatch Precision FALX Trigger is a beast. It is a contoured, 7075-T6 aluminum alloy,
clean, crisp, meticulously sophisticated beast. Designed specifically for shooters who prefer
getting knuckles deep, the rounded face of FALX allows for an intuitive trigger press. It is a
major overhaul to performance and precision, packaged in a simple elegant upgrade.
Overwatch
Precision
LECTC is a tactics course, so if

your weapon manipulations arent solidly at a subconscious level theres no
way youll be able to succeed without
being carried by your stronger teammates. The coursework takes large
and complex problems and breaks it
down into bite-sized elements but
no matter how small you cut up that
72-ounce steak challenge, you still
have to eat the whole thing to win.
We dont teach people what to
think; we teach people how to think,
explained Mason during a conversation after a particularly rough raid.
Were training for the Super Bowl,
and youll never know how many
people youve saved if you do it right.
The instructor cadre at DARC is incredibly dedicated, comprised almost
IS SU E
28
entirely of full-time law enforcement
72
personnel. Theyve seen the tactics,

techniques, and procedures from
DARC work firsthand and therefore
are very motivated to pass on the
knowledge to others. Far beyond a
typical weekend basic course load,
the class had a very impressive student/instructor ratio the best Ive
ever experienced for a large class. For
24 students in LECTC, there were 10
instructors standing by for corrective action. Theres no sliding by, and
theres no place to hide. You have to
do it legitimately.
Just as important as the actual instructors are the role players. Theres
no taking turns amongst the students
there are assaulters, and there are
terrorists. A small group of role players take time out of their daily lives
to regularly wreak havoc on those
training at DARC. They arent stupid,
and they know the entire layout of the
facility better than the architects who
designed the place. Theyre nameless,
faceless, and show no mercy.
Almost all major force-on-force
training scenarios took place in the
dead of night if not with white
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IS SU E
28
74
lights, night vision, and lasers. DARC
The shoot house is the centerpiece
of the interior walls can be removed
shares a healthy relationship with
of many DARC courses. Its more
to alter the layout and keep everything
several other companies, including
than 6,000-square feet of concrete
unpredictable. Catwalks cover the en-
L3 Communications. An L3 repre-
and steel, structurally reinforced by
tire upper portion of the structure for
sentative was actually on hand at the
the tears and frustrations of anyone
instructor and student observation.
facility to troubleshoot and fix any
who has ever stepped foot inside.
equipment issues that cropped up
Dozens of rooms and hallways present
and to loan out night vision gear to
endless angles that help the OPFOR
those in need.
murder the hell out of students. Some
In addition to the airframes at the

facility, there are dozens of vehicles to
work with. School buses, city buses,
compact cars, and molester vans were
all present and standing by, waiting to be used and abused. Live-fire
ranges are peppered throughout the
entire campus to accommodate both
short and long ranges. A concrete
village covering more than an acre
is a complete gunfighting nightmare
with enough angles to give a geometry teacher the cold sweats. And,
arguably the heart of DARC, a huge
covered modular shoot house is purpose built for maximum carnage and
assaulter demoralization.
Not your everyday

square range.
IS SU E
28
76
A high steel roof is equipped with
rifle and handgun classes as well, all
interior lighting, so neither weather
taught by experienced instructors.
nor time of day are ever an issue
Patches and other assorted flair
and everything is wired for sound.
have been popular in our industry for
Why sound, you ask? So they can play
a long time now. The bulk of them
heavy metal loud enough to rattle
are passed out at trade shows and
your teeth and make Manuel Noriega
conventions with little or no fanfare.
surrender all over again.
Its different at DARC. I earned a
But as you may have surmised,
coveted patch during the fourth night
theres more to DARC than LECTC.
of the course with a lot of sweat and a
They offer nearly two-dozen courses
little bit of blood. Now, when I come
that span the range from beginner to
across someone sporting a DARC hat,
expert. Breaching courses cover both
I can engage in some knowing nods
mechanical and explosive methodolo-
and quiet murmuring myself.
gies. They have Advanced Urban Warfare (AUW) and long-range precision
shooting. Recently more popular, for
reasons that remain obvious, is TUSC,
DIRECT ACTION RESOURCE CENTER

TELEPHONE:
(501) 307-9031
the Tactical Urban Sustainment
EMAIL:
Course. TUSC focuses on surviving the
Richard@r7minc.com
breakdown of law and order following

the immediate aftermath of a mass
catastrophic civil disturbance. And, of
course, they have your less-sexy basic
URL:
www.facebook.com/DirectActionResouceCenter/
[Note: You may have to log in to view the page.
As of this writing, this is the actual spelling of
the link.]
The aftereffects
of the loving
caress given by
Simunitions.
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REDEFINED
28
IS SU E
78
8
AFTER A COUPLE THOUSAND YEARS, THIS

BLADE DESIGN IS STILL CUTTING EDGE
STORY BY STEVE TARANI
PHOTOS BY STRAIGHT 8, PATRICK VUONG, AND STEVE TARANI
An ancient design, the karambits
island located northeast of Java, which
origins can be traced back to Suma-
is traditionally larger and with more
tra, Java, and Malaysia, according to
of a curve known as the klurit (pro-
the oral history passed down from
nounced clure-eet). There are also
generation to generation and then onto
many different shapes and designs of
me by my Indonesian masters. Due to
the ancient combat karambit such as
regional variations, there have always
rajawali (bird-head shape) and others
been differences in design, depending
that include protruding spurs used for
on which island the blade came from.
tearing flesh in the heat of battle a
For example, the karambit of Pulau
coveted blade-performance require-
Lombok, an island of the Indonesian
ment of the ancient world. Today,
Archipelago, and that of its northeast-
these features have been reduced to
ern neighbor, the island of Sumbawa,
merely fanciful designs and, in most
is said to have been traditionally a
cases, ceremonial etchings.
larger or battlefield-sized karambit quite a bit bigger than its more

personal-sized Javanese cousin.
According to the oral record, there is
also another variation of the karambit
that comes from Pulau Madura, an
Early Javanese bladesmiths figured
of the tigers claw combined with the
To take advantage of these toxins,
that Mother Nature had already
handheld weapons of the characters
the personal karambit, a smaller
developed the appropriate length and
from the Sanskrit epics called the
version of the battlefield or combat
blade geometry of the ultimate edged
Mahabharata and the Ramayana has
karambit, was primarily designed for
tool, so they copied it. The tiger claw
evolved into what is known in modern
targeting the nerves and joints. Given
was used as the pattern for the evolu-
times as the karambit. Its now recog-
diminutive blade lengths and cor-
tion of a cutting instrument, which
nized internationally as a traditional
responding reduced cutting surface
to this day, has no need for improve-
Malay weapon.
of the smaller karambits, most cuts
Its said that in ancient times,
cannot be made deep enough to kill
was emulated by the first designers of
when a fighter unsheathed a battle-
someone, which is why the karambit
the combat karambit.
field karambit, the cutting edge was
can be considered a personal self-
often smeared with some type of
defense tool and not an offensive
rienced tremendous Hindu influences
deadly poison, acting almost instantly
weapon.
as early as 1st century A.D. Since
upon entry into the bloodstream via
that time, Hinduism along with Bud-
laceration or even a light scrape of
karambit besar (larger or battlefield
dhism spread across the archipelago
the flesh. The smallest cut was
version of the personal-sized karambit)
and reached a peak of influence
good enough to get the poison
is longer and thus facilitates deeper
around the 14th century when the
into the bloodstream. Knowledge
cuts. According to the ancients, the
last and greatest among Hindu-
and usage of poisons derived from
combat karambit was preferred not
Buddhist Javanese empires, the
various species of poisonous frogs,
only for its superior length, but also for

f
Majapahit Empire, ruled.
snakes, scorpions, and spiders were
the fact that you could quickly spill
considered an essential element of
the entrails of your enemies onto the
a warriors arsenal in close-quarter
ground. However, with the advent off
able cultural influence from the
combative skills. These poisons
mfunctional, battle-worthy firearms, sim
Indian subcontinent during the first
immediately affected the central
ilar to circumstances in the Occident,
and second millennia CE. Hinduism
nervous system, rapidly accelerate
bladed weapons became obsolete on
had significant impact and left an
brain death, and were mostly feared
the Far East battlefield and relegated
indelible imprint in Javanese art and
for their nearly instantaneous stop-
to the utilitarian uses of knives that we
culture. The original blade geometry
ping power.
see today.
ment. It is this original shape that
The Indonesian Archipelago expe-
Sumatra were subject to consider-
The concepts
shown here are
for illustrative
purposes only.
Seek professional
training from a
reputable instructor
before attempting
any techniques
discussed or shown
in this story.
In contrast, the blade of the
IS SUE
Consequentially, both Java and
WARNING!
28
799
Below is a kujang,
kujang
one of the traditional
edged weapons of
the Sundanese.
IS SUE
28
HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE KARAMBIT
80
Often used as a last line of defense
in ancient times when the larger klurit
was made inoperable, the smaller
Top right: The

three grips of the
karambit.
rendering his enemys weapon arm
arm stroke. All other blades of that era
permanently disabled.
were limited to only one arm motion per
Specifically designed as a close-
one cut.
The ancient battlefield karambit was
personal karambit targets included the
quarter instrument of self-defense, the
eyes, testicles, the Achilles tendon, ca-
personal karambit of old was addition-
rotid artery, biceps, forearm, and wrist.
ally quite difficult to see in the hand of
A particularly nasty target of ancient
a well-trained user, due to its method
times was the clavicle (collar bone).
of deployment and cover of the fingers,
It could not be effectively taken
clenched within a closed fist. Doubly
away.
Madi tribesmen, when executed
menacing was that it could not be
It could change ranges without
perfectly, the karambit user jumped
disarmed as a result of its forefinger
body movement.
straight up into the air driving his
grip design what we now call the
It could deliver two strikes in a
curved blade downward into the upper
safety ring.
single arm motion.
According to the traditions of the
torso of his opponent, similar to one
This feature was unique at the time,
unique because:
It could not be easily seen.
It could be held in thee complete-
of the fight scenes in the 2004 movie
and meant it could be used for both
ly different grip configurations.
Troy. In one swift movement, hed uti-
close-quarter and extreme-close-quarter
It could be used simultaneously
lize the combined physics of momen-
fighting ranges without changing dis-
with other weapons systems.
tum and body weight.
tance of the striking arm. The user sim-
Under load, the combat karambit
ply swings the blade around the index
would hook the collarbone, tip pointed
finger, allowing it to protrude from the
and as fierce as it looks, its primary
down, then reverse blade direction
fist and providing an additional handle-
application in this modern era is utili-
upon impact. This would result in a
length of reach to the opponents target
tarian. Although used also by martial
broken collarbone, effecting destruc-
areas. It was also the only blade used in
artists who practice the art of Pencak
tion of the brachial plexus and thus
battle that could cut twice with a single
Silat and in some cases can be used
Although quite a remarkable weapon,
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IS SU E
28
as an implement of personal defense
82
(much like any modern pocket knife,

screwdriver, or steak knife as an improvised weapon), its small blade-tip size
Regardless of the
grip, the karambits
ripping and hooking
can do serious
damage.
tioner that his knife should not be
training members of the special opera-
unsheathed without good reason, nor
tions community, I was approached to
without honor.
design a get off me weapon based

on traditional blade designs.
THE MODERN KARAMBIT
and length are not conducive to delivery

of lethal blows. The karambit cannot be
Fast-forward 600 years. Modern
Partnering with Duane Dwyer of

Strider Knives, Inc., we came up
used for effective thrusting, and thus
war-fighters faced with the constant
with a modified karambit that would
cannot be considered a dirk or dagger.
threat of close-quarter contact in a
fit adjacent the ejection-side trigger
However, when used correctly, it can
hostile environment rely upon only two
housing of the AR-15, and allow the
deliver convincing motivation to any
things for their personal survival: their
user an additional weapon option when
would-be attacker to forget about you
training and their gear. As a result of
working in a crowded environment.
and look for a much softer target.

Today, the karambit has found a
home with campers, hunters, construction workers, martial artists, collectors,
knife enthusiasts, and defense-minded
citizens who choose to carry a utility
knife that may also be used in the
event of assault on their person. As
with any tool of value it becomes the
responsibility of its owner to know how
to care for and safely operate it.
In the blade cultures of the Malay
people, such a utility tool that could
also be used for personal protection
represents skill, maturity, honor, and
wisdom. Those who are well versed
in its usage have a greater advantage
over those who dont. A 14th century
code of ethics reminds the practi-
A 14TH
CENTURY CODE
OF ETHICS
REMINDS THE
PRACTITIONER
THAT HIS
KNIFE SHOULD
NOT BE
UNSHEATHED
WITHOUT
GOOD REASON,
NOR WITHOUT
HONOR.

Oftentimes, when carrying out hits
to rapidly engage a threat at personal
in urban areas, team members would
contact range and with curved blade
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
be crowded by potentially hostile
still in hand. He could then move right
Steve Tarani is a former CIA employee who served
members of the community that
back onto the carbine to deliver rounds
in protective programs and formerly on staff at the
although appearing to be unarmed,
down range unimpeded.
U.S. Department of Energy National Security Institute
would impede their ability to provide
It would seem that the ancients
(Security Force Training Dept.) at Kirtland Air Force
cover, limit their movement, and oth-
knew a thing or two when they crafted
Base, where he worked for the U.S. State Department
erwise attempt to screw up what they
the karambit. This classic Eastern
Anti-terrorist Assistance Program. Tarani has served
were doing.
knife design is still, in my opinion,
the U.S. defense, law enforcement, and
the most versatile and adaptable in
intelligence communities for over 30 years
immediately an option, but some way
existence. The karambit is capable
as a respected subject-matter expert
of persuading the unwashed masses to
of delivering incapacitating cuts in
and service provider to numerous high/
go do something else was needed. In
a self-defense situation, while being
low-profile federal agencies. Steve has
case things got squirrely, the ability to
legal in most jurisdictions due to its
authored eight books to date and is
deal with XCQB threat without being
short blade length. As with all self-
currently employed internationally
able to deploy the carbine was also a
defense tools, getting the most out of
as a protective agent, professional
requirement.
it requires training, so be sure to check
educator, and keynote speaker.
In this scenario, lethal force was not
Easy to carry, rapidly deployed, and
out the videos at www.recoilweb.com

where we demonstrate just how devas-
ity, the design enabled the operator
tating it can be.
www.stevetarani.com
IS SUE
28
with its personal protection capabil-
84
5.11
TACTICAL
TACTICAL
KARAMBIT
5.11
TACTICAL
TACTICAL
KARAMBIT
FOLDER
6.5 inches
6.6 inches
OAL:
OAL:
BLADE MATERIAL:
BLADE MATERIAL:
AUS-8 steel
AUS-8 steel
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A MODERN SPIN ON AN ANCIENT ART
I S SU E
28
STORY BY IAIN HARRISON

PHOTOS BY STICKMAN AND IAIN HARRISON
866
Shrouded in mystery, Damascus steel has an
crucible steel originally produced in India from
aura surrounding it like no other material. Ac-
around 200 B.C., comprising a Martensite or
cording to lore, the blade of a Damascus sword
Pearlite matrix, within which are micro carbide
can cut cleanly through a gun barrel and will
layers that produce microscopic teeth in a
sever a hair falling on it. Because the knowledge
cutting edge. In recent years, researchers have
needed to produce this ancient material was
also discovered evidence of carbon nanotubes
lost in the early 1800s, its achieved a mythical
and tungsten micro alloys, adding to the mys-
status. While we can approximate it in modern
tique. This Wootz steel features a distinctive
times, the ancients took their secret recipes and
pattern, which, depending on the individual
techniques with them to the grave.
sample, can look like waves or flowing water. It
A true Damascus blade utilizes a type of
was traded across the Near East for almost two

millennia, much of it fetching up in the city of
Damascus (which had a thriving arms industry),
where it was forged into the blades bearing its
name.
While original, genuine Damascus steel is
no longer available, the Damascus look is
ROAD TO DAMASCUS
DA
still highly sought after and can be
visually reproduced by another technique known as pattern welding. In it,
different alloys are heated and then
forge welded (think BFH) together
before being folded over and forge
8 inches
duce the two items here. Be warned,

if you admire the flowing, organic
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account if you plan on adding it to the
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CONSTRUCTION:
nated material that has an amalgam
It is this method thats used to pro-
IS SU E
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30
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MODEL:
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of the characteristics of the materials
88
MAKE:
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The Japanese art of Mokume-game

was originally applied to sword making, where it would be employed in
the creation of eye-catching tsuba
or other decorative components. The
Mokuti billet used in Nottingham
Tacticals suppressor was created in
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CNCd from a billet comprised of
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there you have it pair your billet
MODEL:
billet was folded by hand on a Nazel
Damascus lower with a Mokuti can and
Damascus Lower
Receiver
4B power hammer (if youre interested
youd have a one-of-a-kind rifle thatll
CONSTRUCTION:
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moths looks like, check out RECOILs
for the same kind of money, you could
any apart from the other nine units
WEIGHT:
interview of Jesse James in Issue 11).
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Once off the machines, the receiver
We know which one would be more
For those interested in the technical
I S SUE
15n20, 52100, and 5160 and the
Dahmer Arms
Damascus steel
that make up this production run.
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AR unlike any other. Or, rather, unlike
Arms lower is for those who want an
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92
IS SU E
28
CODY
WILSON
BEGAN HIS REVOLUTION WITH ONES
AND ZEROS, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
FOUGHT BACK WITH RED TAPE
was a small, inexpensive pistol meant
technology. Wilson might say its about
to be air dropped en masse into Axis
a government restricting the flow of
occupied territory. The idea was to sink
information that threatens its ability to
Jerrys morale by making him wonder
control its citizenry. Yet, spectators will
if every civilian might be an armed,
argue the U.S. Constitutions First and
insurgent threat.
Second Amendment are very much at
Wilsons Liberator differs from

the original in a few ways, the most
stake.
Wilsons new book, Come and Take
important being DDs Liberator isnt a
It, is a sort of journal describing the
gun. Its an idea. Sure, the end result
ideas and events that led to the release
is a 3D-printed, single-shot, .380 ACP
of the Liberator. The journey spans
pistol. But, the gun itself isnt what
continents, social movements, and
According to Wired, this guy is the
moved the U.S. State Department
technological horizons. Left wing, right
fifth most dangerous person on the
to action. It was DDs free and open
ring, anarchists, capitalists, politicians,
internet. He and his company, Defense
distribution of the instructions and
bureaucrats, and the media are all
Distributed, caused Uncle Sam some
files, giving anyone with a 3D printer
forces Wilson has to navigate and mar-
heartburn back in May 2013 when it
the ability to manufacture a pistol, that
shal in order to bring about his vision
released the Liberator project.
locked the two in a years-long legal
of a free society through technology.
STORY BY ROB CURTIS

PHOTOS BY SCHULTZ PHOTOGRAPHY
The Defense Distributed Libera-
battle.
Cody is 28, grew up outside Little
tor grew out of Wilsons wiki weapons
Whats the basis of the fight? It de-
Rock, Arkansas, has a girlfriend and no
project. Its named after the .45-cali-
pends whom you ask. The government
Southern accent. He was student body
ber, WWII-era, FP-45 Liberator. The
might say its about the protection of
president in high school, a member
original gun was more a tool of psycho-
American strategic interests through
of the varsity track team, and drives a
logical rather than actual warfare. It
the regulation of exportable weapon
Ford Edge.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CODY WILSON
HAS THE LIBERATOR MET ITS MAKER?

Wilson displays
his experience and
his motivations for
his controversial
project in his new
book, Come and
Take It: The Gun
Printers Guide to
Thinking Free.
as a violation, so they already had me
Whos funding your defense?
by the balls. All I had time for was to
CW: I am, but in fact its not a de-
scramble to get a lawyer in the 30 days
fense. Im the one who brought the
they gave me to respond.
challenge. The government is the defense, and Im an appellant. At the end
and your response?
of 2014, I started a new company and
CW: I ended up taking all the files
a new product, called Ghost Gunner,
down. Then in the intervening years,
with the purpose of making enough
I waited for the State Department
money to begin a lawsuit against the
to make a decision about whether
State Department to fight and prove
I violated ITAR. At first I waited six
out the Liberator in court.
months. Then I waited a year. Then
RECOIL: So, your book is out; whats

happened since it was published?
IS SU E
28
Cody Wilson: Two days after [the Lib-
94
erator] was released, the government

was like, F@#k no. This aint getting
released, and weve been in a fight
ever since.
Whats the governments argument?
CW: It was the State Department
through whats called the Directorate
of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC).
They did what they did in the 1990s
with encryption. They were like, Naw,
the public cant just have this, and so
under the tissue-thin justification of export law, they made the novel argument
that posting the plans for a gun on the
internet were the same thing as exporting those plans to foreign nationals.
They sent whats called a directed
disclosure letter or a directed disclosure request. They were like, This may
have violated International Traffic in
Arms Regulations (ITAR). You have to
remove all these files while we decide
if youve violated ITAR. I was like,
What the hell? I wasnt in a position
at that time to fight because penalties
are huge. Penalties are like millions of
dollars for every violation. I mean, its
bad. Each foreign download can count
Defense Distributeds Ghost Gunner 2

is a $1,500 desktop
CNC mill designed
to complete aluminum 80% AR-15
lowers. DD is working on code thatll
allow the device to
finish 80% AR-10
and 80% 1911
receivers, as well.
I ended up waiting three years. They
Tell us a little about Ghost Gunner.
didnt make a decision, and I realized,
CW: We sell a CNC machine that
Oh, yeah, its pointless for them to
finishes 80-percent receivers for both
make a decision. They were just going
AR-15 and 308s, and were working on
to keep me off the internet.
the 1911 pistol frame. Weve shipped
So we tried to get an injunction
almost 3,000 in the last couple of
against the government because the
years. Weve done millions in revenue,
government argues, This is exporting
and funded this huge lawsuit.
defense information. You cant just post

it on the internet. Then we go, Oh,
Where does the fight over the project
what are you talking about? This is pri-
stand today?
vately generated, unclassified stuff. We
CW: We started in Western District last
have a freedom of speech interest.
year. The first thing we did strategi-

cally was to ask for a preliminary
Two years in court and the govern-
three days after I released the Libera-
injunction against the government. We
ment would only address procedural
tor, I dropped out of law school. The
did that so we wouldnt have to have
concerns instead of the free speech
next day, I got attacked by the govern-
the whole trial at the lower level and
issue? Now what?
ment. Everything changed after that.
let the judge just mangle everything.
CW: I can appeal en banc because we
I couldnt finish my degree because I
We pushed on with our facial challenge
got a monster dissent. Its a split deci-
was trying to fight for many years to
so that we can get an appellate court
sion, and the majority is very meek in
protect what we had done in those few
their opinion. I think well probably be
short months.
like the Fifth Circuit court of appeals,

to say, OK, these are the constitutional issues. These are what issues
will control them, then basically force
the government to settle by solving the
constitutional issues real quick.
But, its been two years, and they
wont talk about the merits because
its too scary. They dont like the merits. Amazingly, the Fifth Circuit was
just like, Well, we dont have to talk
about the merits. Its just procedural.
We dont think the government has
IS SU E
28
exceeded its discretion so far, so were
96
not going to give an injunction.
The Liberator ia a
3D printed, singleshot .380 pistol
that is untraceable
and can be made
to be undetectable.
Though the round
and the hardware
store nail it uses as
a firing pin can be
carried separately,
a chunk of metal
is supposed to be
permanently epoxied in the frame to
complete assembly,
making the receiver
itself detectable by
electronic means.
granted an en banc hearing and have

to do it all over again in New Orleans
Are you concerned about establishing
before the Fifth Circuit.
a bad precedent if the case goes all

the way to the Supreme Court? They
OK, but what the hell does on bonk
could decide you created and dissemi-
mean? Is that lawyer-speak?
nated a weapon, not protected speech.
CW: En banc. Its a legal term. It
CW: No. I think theres two different
means the whole circuit has to hear it
things going on. About six months after
instead of just a three-judge panel.
I took them to court, the government

decided that, Oh, hey, by the way,
You talked about attending law school
we got back to you on the request you
in your book. A law degree must be
made. Yeah, you did break the law.
useful through this struggle?
So, the government has already de-
CW: I didnt put this in the book, but
cided that I broke the law, and I made

Is there irony in the idea of a free society having to vote for measures that
provide freedom?
CW: Yeah. Its almost like when people
vote freedom today, they almost
subconsciously mean it in terms
of license: Someone will give me
freedom to do so. Anarchy is totally
egoistic, the vacuum of authority. In
terms of guns and 3D printing, you can
almost only do things the government
will literally license and allow you the
freedom to do. Thats been true for
many years in our gun culture, and its
becoming increasingly true in aspects
a weapon or whatever. But no, if youre
asking am I afraid of making a bad
precedent, not really. I think I have the
best legal team possible. I have Alan
Gura. Ive got the guy who got us Heller
IS SU E
28
and McDonald, you know?
98
Has anybody ever called you an optimist?
Profits from Wilsons

original Ghost
Gunner, and now
the Ghost Gunner 2,
have been funding
Wilsons fight with
the U.S. government
over the release of
the Liberator.
CW: Optimist, yeah, sometimes. I

think Im pretty gloomy in my outlook
in general, but youre right. I wouldnt
do everything I was doing if I didnt
believe that I could pull out in the end.
Do you consider yourself a firearms
enthusiast?
CW: I am now. But, not at that time. I
like guns, and I liked them then, but
no, I didnt know much about them,
and I wasnt a huge enthusiast. Now,
Im much more comfortable talking to
people about the specifics of a couple
different guns, but at the beginning
there was just, How do we play with
the symbol; how do we exploit the
symbol?
Do you carry a pistol? Are you an advocate of self-defense?
CW: Yeah. Sure. Im an advocate, but I
dont carry. Maybe one day I will carry.
I dont have a problem with carrying.
Most of the people at my shop do, and
have guns at work and everything. I
just dont personally.
Whats the difference between anarchy
that we felt theyd never touched, both
and freedom?
in the states and eventually at the
CW: I think theyre synonymous. In
federal level. We all know that Hillary
some ways freedom is kind of like a
doesnt spell a good end to all this if
buzzword because people differ more
she makes it. Yeah, at some point only
on what freedom is, negative liberty
a good anarchist will have a semi-auto
versus positive liberty, than they differ
rifle in this country.
on what anarchy is.

Anarchy is the lack of control. Its
A shipment of Ghost
Gunner 2 housings
arrive at Defense
Distributed in Austin,
TX for final assembly.
Have you ever felt like a terrorist when
a lack of systemic, programmatic
youre trying to bring about change?
mechanisms. It basically means the
CW: A little bit. I kind of flirt with what
true latitude of human action, indi-
Baudrillard called the spirit of terror-
vidual sovereignty.
ism a little bit in the narrative. The

spirit of terrorism is this idea they can
use involuntary, involuting forces. You
can take the government structure and
almost trick it, lull it into a defensive
spiral of extending resources and
effort to where it collapses on itself.
That was one thing we were kind of
beckoning people at the time. Were
like, Hey, come and stop us on the
internet. Hey, security state, come and
make yourself real. You think you can
stop guns? Watch this. I think thats
a terrorist spirit, at least in the sense
that Baudrillard writes about it.
In your book you say, we piss explosive, what does that mean?
CW: One of the ingredients of the explosive urea nitrate is in our piss. Were
weaponized down to our core biology.
IS SU E
28
Thats the thing. You can try to play
100
a game of platonic forms where, Oh

yeah, theres weapons, and we can regulate weapons. The world can be made
safe, but when you really think about
it, the whole problem is at the level of
scientific discipline. Weve accessed
the power of electricity in the atom and
the explosive, and its everywhere, and
its in our biology. We live in a world of
increasingly exploitable weaponization.
Whats your take on Snowden?
CW: There was a lot of overlap in our
network and Snowdens network,
and, of course, we aspire to the same
mentality about access to information,
but Snowden is a committed Democrat. I dont mean that in just his party
politics. I mean he still believes in
democratic structures, protecting, and
defending the Republic of the United
States from corruption.
Everything he did came from a place
of civic norms that we might recognize a generation ago in the interest
of the voting public. Thats cool, but we
just dont share his view about how to
protect, and his optimism about whats
worth protecting in this government.
Wilson doesnt think

3D printing will supplant traditional machining, ... theres
always going to be
more complex parts
that we can only
make with metal
3D printing. But
you cant beat the
old-school milling
and lathing man.
Thats just the bread
and butter of all this
stuff.
You talked a bit about your father
your mom. Im going to probably hear
in the book, but nothing about your
about it. I dont know, man. Obviously
mom. You think shell be pissed that
she was a part of this, but all I did was
you didnt mention her in the book?
make her worried through that whole
CW: She hasnt read the book yet,
thing, so she didnt play the same role
so shes probably going to be like,
as my dad did in it. Of course she was
Wheres mine? I did say To my mom
there for the whole thing. She knew
and my dad in the dedication, so at
what was happening just like other
least I put it in the beginning there.
people in my family did. But, no. If

anything, moms just want you to be
For your sake, we hope shes not like
safe. They dont want you to go off and
our mom.
start inviting the government to f*ck
CW: Oh God. I think shes probably like
up your life.
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Do you support the NRA?
NRA. NRA is not spending money on
CW: Im glad theyre there. I do think
you for that. Its even worse for groups
theyre a significant lobby. At the same
like the NSSF. All they are is an indus-
time I know that they dont really take
try lobby. All they have is a political
the government to the mat in court.
action committee, and they just like
They dont really care about creat-
schmaltz around with politicians and
ing precedent and a strong Second
stuff. They wont even give me a mem-
Amendment at the highest level. They
bership. These people dont believe in
tried to f@#k up and then take credit
the Second Amendment.
for McDonald. All the significant Sec-
We talked about freedom and anarchy.

What about security? What does that
mean to you?
CW: Security now is like a dog whistle.
I think its used culturally and ideologi-
102
saw things in the terms of, Oh, Im

actually going to help people with security. Theyll have a gun, and then theyll
be safer. I dont believe the Liberator
What precipitated your strong opinion
at the courts have been through the
of the National Shooting Sports Foun-
Second Amendment Foundation, not
dation?
the NRA. They are not as important
CW: I joined the NSSF for one reason.
to the actual living, breathing Second
I want to present at SHOT Show. I have
Amendment as they would like you to
a nice product. I dont mind support-
believe; but Im glad that theyre a big,
ing the NSSF. I think theyre like the
strong lobby in Washington.
little brother to the NRA. I send an

application, and I dont get a response.
The Second Amendment Foundation is
A month later, I just get my member-
an organization you respect? Can you
ship application returned and my
talk about them a little bit?
application fee refunded as an NSSF
CW: Of course. Alan Gottlieb runs the
check. They said ... In fact Ive got it
show, man. They just got a victory in
in my email. It went all the way up to
the Third Circuit on a double en banc.
the CEO of NSSF. Let me get it to you
They just created [a way so] felons
right now. Im like radioactive up there.
for anybodys self-defense. I want to
whove served their debt to society
I think theyre worried Im going to go
strip away that veneer, that feeling of
can get their guns back. That aint the
write some story in RECOIL Magazine.
is an effective and acceptable option
the security state and the kind of prevailing norms of security that you think
protect us like a little blanket.
Testing: DD decided
to see if the Liberator
could run 5.7x28 FN.
It couldnt.
You mention the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 in your book. How
does that play into your attack of state
security?
CW: Theres a historical bonus because
the Liberator ends up being this undetectable gun; it can be made completely of plastic. Its a happy accident
because I was only interested in it
being an untraceable gun. Its so beautiful because it highlights two separate
conversations. Theres security through
observability in a sense of the government can see what youre doing when
youre doing it. Then, theres that
deeper level of security in detectability. The Liberator creates problems out
of both of them.
IS SU E
28
cally in a sense of securitization. I never
Wilson and Amir

Taaki in Berlin,
August 2014.
Taaki joins Wilson
on the other side of
Wilsons cryptoanarchist project:
Bitcoin. Their
Dark Wallet and
DarkMarket projects
use Bitcoin to create
untraceable financial transactions.
ond Amendment victories weve had
Diagnosis:
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Hunts in packs.
Preys on livestock
and pets. Known to
attack humans.
fig.2
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CODY
WILSON
Ha.
after the Liberator plans were posted,
for years. This controversy is manu-
CW: Here we go. This is an email
but how much of this stuff was already
factured, and nothing weve done is at
AGE:
28
from [their] director of membership
out there on the internet, and still is?
the level of true fundamental inven-
services. Follow up to your phone
CW: Oh, quite a bit. All of the stuff
tion, although we ushered in the 3D
EDUCATION:
BA English
message Friday 19th. Defense Dis-
we released is still out there. Our
printed gun phase. The stakes of the
tributeds application was reviewed by
printable lower files are the basis of
fight are that the government now
HOMETOWN:
Cabot, Arkansas
NSSF staff, including Steve Sanetti,
everybody elses remixes for the AR.
realizes theres tooling and technology
president, CEO. After reviewing the
You can show me an STL file, and I
out there that lets anyone take all the
FAVORITE
FIREARM:
FN P90
application and NSSF bylaws, it was
can tell you if its based on our stuff.
plans and know-how thats been in
determined that Defense Distributed is
The DNA of our work is completely in
the public domain for years, and make
not qualified for membership because
the wild.
an AR now. I mean anybody, with no
FAVORITE
MOVIE:
Blade Runner
FAVORITE
PHILOSOPHER:
Baudrillard
FAVORITE FOOD:
Steak
IS SU E
28
IPHONE OR
ANDROID:
Id rather be choked
104
IF YOU COULD
ONLY HAVE ONE
FIREARM IT
WOULD BE AN:
M1 Garand
LAST BOOK YOU
READ:
W.B. Yeats Collected Poems
LAST SHOW
WATCHED:
Neon Genesis
Evangelion
URL:
ghostgunner.net
knowledge at all. Anybody can make
it was felt that Defense Distributed

would not further the objectives of the
Heres our last question. If the genie is
an AR. Anybody can make a 1911.
foundation in the promotion of the
out, why continue to rub the lamp?
They can do it on the cheap with
firearms, ammunition, hunting and the
CW: Im not rubbing the lamp. The
digital technology, with the internet,
shooting sports industry.
genie was out of the bottle when [Eu-
unmediated, no authority. Were yelling
gene] Stoners plans passed into the
about it, and they have got to shut
So, the government stopped you from
public domain. Goddamn. Machinists
us up as a response to dissuade the
disseminating your work a couple days
have been passing this stuff around
public.
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28
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106
ASPIRATIONS, INSPIRATIONS, AND CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

STORY BY STEVEN KUO
PHOTOS BY ROB CURTIS AND STEVEN KUO
Some industries have made an entire
Park City, Kentucky. Nathan and Nick
Nathan explained that they wanted to
industry out of celebrating their own
Noble of Rockcastle Shooting Center,
develop an in-depth product testing
industry. Tinseltown, for example,
David Powers of Oneida Molded
process for firearms and accessories,
has elevated self-aggrandizement to
Plastics, and many others worked
with comprehensive and unbiased
an art form with an unending array of
tirelessly to execute an event honor-
evaluations. The goal was to help
awards and awards shows, from the
ing innovation and excellence in the
consumers with their buying decisions
Academy Awards to the Tony Awards
firearm industry.
as well as to give manufacturers honest and detailed feedback about their
to the Emmy Awards. Consumers eat

it up, artists genuinely appreciate
THE GRAND IDEA
products.
Participating manufacturers
the recognition, and companies love
Powers described how it came
the exposure. The firearms industry,
to be: We tried to come up with a
submitted products they considered
however, has never been quite so
different concept for the Firearms
their best in various categories
organized and ambitious.
Industry Choice Awards and Team
each evaluated and scored on fit,
Challenge. Its an opportunity for
finish, form, and function. Product
change that, and we were there to wit-
us in the industry to celebrate our
categories included rifles, handguns,
ness its unveiling at the inaugural
passion, the things we do, and what
shotguns, optics, accessories, and
Firearms Industry Choice Awards in
makes these products so great.
ammunition.
But theres an effort afoot to
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THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS
COMPETITION,
CAMARADERIE,
AND CELEBRATION
Two months after the evaluations, their representatives converged
on Rockcastle Shooting Center for two days of shooting competitions,

good food, and good company. The Industry Team Challenge format
pitted teams of four against each other across eight courses of fire.
Three shotgun stages featured trap, five-stand, and sporting clays.
Competitors pistol skills were put to the test on the Smoke and Hope
stage from Steel Challenge and a team relay stage with 70 steel
targets spread across the berm to be engaged with five different
types of pistols. Two three-gun stages required shooters to engage
targets with pistol, shotgun, and rifle at both close quarters and at
28
IS SU E
forms per product, with both numeri-
ators assembled at the Rockcastle
cal ratings and qualitative feedback
culverts and engage long-range targets with a precision bolt gun and
Shooting Center for several days of
no small task given the number
a gas gun. After all the dust settled, the Luth-AR team won the event.
hands-on testing and evaluation of
of products, and time and effort re-
the products. Evaluators were hand-
quired to review each. Their feedback
generous portions of delicious smoked pig for dinner, folks from the
picked to include a mix of firearms
was anonymous to ensure they could
various companies enjoyed the opportunity to connect with each other
retailers, distributors, gunsmiths, law
be completely frank and honest. We
in a much more intimate manner than the frenzied Vegas nights at
enforcement, military, journalists, and
were impressed to see the reviewers
SHOT and other trade shows.
competitive and recreational shoot-
taking their appointed duties very
ers. Powers elaborated, We looked
seriously, working on their evaluations
youth of America and supporting our veterans. The former are critically
to bring in a team of people who
from morning to night the whole time
important to the future of the Second Amendment; the Generation III
have no bias and no correlation to
they were at the Rock.
Gun and 2A Heritage organizations were on hand, raising money and
the manufacturers who submitted the
awareness for junior shooters. In fact, the Generation III Gun team of
products.
Reveling in the hospitality at the Rock, musical performances, and
108
A panel of 20 experienced evalu-
distance. Finally, a team relay called for teammates to crawl through
Two other causes near and dear to the firearms industry are the
junior shooters took second place in the Team Challenge. Mission 22
Evaluators carefully examined prod-
Ratings were then tallied to determine the winners in each category.

All evaluator feedback was given to
was also present, raising awareness, enlisting support, and seeking to
ucts on the bench before taking them
the manufacturers following the award
end veteran suicide in America. Raffles and auctions raised funds for
to the range for live-fire testing. From
ceremony, vetted end-user feedback
all of these causes.
the perspective of the end user, they
being invaluable when it comes to
filled out three pages of evaluation
product development.
HOT WASH
At RECOIL, we strive for credible
and honest reporting, and we love
to celebrate the strong values and
excitement that the firearms industry,
lifestyle, and shooting sports represent. Therefore, we were happy to
hear of the Firearms Industry Choice
Awards, with its noble goal of honoring the best the industry has to offer,
evaluating products with hands-on,
impartial testing, promoting the shooting sports, and bringing the industry
together. With high hopes, we headed
out to Rockcastle for the evaluation

represented 151 years of military and
ators werent able to shoot groups to
law enforcement experience; 138
test firearms for accuracy, run box
years as instructors, rangemasters,
tests on scopes, perform product
or coaches; 67 years of gunsmithing
durability testing, or examine the
experience; 64 years of retail and
terminal performance of ammunition
distribution; 24 years as media; 346
in gel blocks, and so on.
years of recreational hunting and
sessions and returned months later for

the Industry Team Challenge competition and the awards ceremony.
The incomparable
Andy Horner hard at
work on the range.
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28
Coordinating an industry-wide
110
Wed like to see the event expand
shooting; 288 years of competitive
the scope of product testing beyond
shooting; and an average of 14,000
the look, feel, measure, and shoot
rounds sent downrange each year.
evaluations performed this year. Some
Rankings were calculated by tabu-
participants suggested increasing the
lating numerical assessments on a
number of evaluators to allow subject
scale of 1 to 10 across many specific
matter experts to focus on specific
dimensions. Qualitative feedback was
categories and do more extensive test-
also recorded, but not factored into
ing. Still, when compared to the award
the scores.
criteria applied to other industries
The testing and evaluation protocol

was focused on deriving impartial
award competitions, it was a great

start.
And thats really the most important
product evaluation event is truly
results, unencumbered by any other
a herculean challenge. In an ideal
business considerations. One evalua-
thing the fundamental underpin-
world, youd have many categories to
tor told us, The idea of an industry
nings are strong and now in place.
compare like-for-like items and a wide
award is great, but it needs to be
This sets the stage for growing the
representation of products from across
based on merit, not on popularity or
event and evaluation process while
the industry. But, the inaugural event
monetary concerns. Nothing should
maintaining the purity of the original
saw a more modest field of entries,
skew the results. And they did a good
intent.
with a total of 65 products submitted.
job of that.
Therefore, categories had to be broad
And a manufacturer (who didnt win
In the end, youve gotta start somewhere. And for its inaugural effort,
enough to foster competition but
their category) said, I dont have a
we were impressed with the objec-
made for some strange bedfellows. For
huge advertising budget, so my guns
tives and execution of the Firearms
example, the first years rifle category
have to stand on their own merit. It
Industry Choice Awards. Theres still
had carbines ranked against precision
sucks to lose, but it was good to get
much that can be improved with more
an honest shake.
time, resources, and support from the
rifles. In the optics category, there

were red-dots, tactical scopes, longrange scopes, and binoculars.
In speaking with manufacturers and
evaluators afterward, both said theyd
like to see narrower product categories. Increased awareness of the event
will bring more resources and, we
hope, more manufacturers who want
to validate their concepts and reward
their employees with the recognition
of an award presented by industry
insiders.
The organizers created an evaluation process designed to produce honest and unbiased feedback based on
actual hands-on use, coming from a
highly experienced, end user perspective. The evaluator cadre collectively
A Springfield
Armory EMP, the ICA
Handgun of the Year,
getting wrung out by
one of 20 evaluators.
However, resource and time con-
industry. Were excited for the event to
straints put limitations on the extent
grow into the definitive source of rec-
of testing that could be performed by
ognition for excellence in the firearm
the evaluators for instance, evalu-
industry.
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28
112
RUGER
PRECISION RIFLE
CALIBER
NOTES:
.308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .243 Win
Theres a reason Ruger Precision Rifles are scarce in stores, and its the same reason it won the rifle category its a featurepacked, accurate, precision bolt gun at a great price.
For a retail price starting at $1,399, Ruger offers a precision rifle with a 5R rifled, cold hammer-forged 4140 chrome-moly steel
barrel, secured in a 4140 upper receiver with a KeyMod handguard. The lower accepts multiple magazine types and the folding
buttstock is fully adjustable and can be replaced along with other furniture with AR parts. The trigger is adjustable from 2.25 to
5 pounds, and the stock is in-line with the bore, providing more effective recoil management, like an AR.
Evaluators were duly impressed. One stated, The price point was really eye opening. Years ago, this would have been a custom
gun with a custom price tag. But a shooter can just buy this off the shelf and do PRS matches. You get a lot for that price point, and
its hard to beat with any other bolt gun platform. Another said, No other bolt rifle out there performs like it does with the same
options for that price. Its no surprise theyre so hard to find right now.
BARREL LENGTH
20, 24, 26 inches

WEIGHT
9.7 to 11 pounds
MAGAZINE CAPACITY
10
MSRP
$1,399 to $1,599
URL
www.ruger.com
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The industrys lowest pistol bore axis for
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28
114
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
1911 EMP 4 LIGHTWEIGHT

CHAMPION 9MM
CALIBER
9mm
NOTES:
Springfield
Armorys EMP variant
4 inches
of the venerable and
WEIGHT
seemingly immortal
31 ounces
1911 platform is
MAGAZINE CAPACITY
notable in that its
10
scaled down for
MSRP
the smaller 9mm
$1,179
cartridge, resulting in
URL
a very compact packwww.springfield-armory.com
age that retains all of
the 1911 ergonomics
that shooters love so much. The latest version extends the
match-grade barrel to 4 inches and stretches the grip out
another inch, accommodating a 10-round magazine and
more of your grubby mitt.
The slide is satin stainless steel with a fiber-optic front
sight and two-dot rear sight. The frame is black anodized
aluminum, with a dimpled front strap, a checkered mainspring housing, and ambidextrous safety levers.
Evaluators were particularly pleased with the
downsized 1911 design, optimized for 9mm rather than
retrofitting a .45 ACP frame. They also praised the quality,
fit, finish, and value. However, in speaking with some, we
could feel eyes rolling through the phone at a win for the
century-old JMB platform apparently no ones immune
to the age-old 1911 debate.
BARREL LENGTH
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SIG SAUER P320
BENELLI
828U
CALIBER
NOTES:
12 gauge
Benelli is known for its semi-automatic shotguns,

and were big fans of their inertia-driven guns. So,
26 and 28 inches
it was a bit of a surprise when they unveiled a new
WEIGHT
over-under shotgun. But not a surprise was the fact
6.5 to 6.6 pounds
that Benelli had a brand-new take on how to build
MAGAZINE CAPACITY
an over-under. The 828U features an innovative steel
2
locking system with a steel plate that locks behind
MSRP
the chamber and barrel, containing all the pressure.
$2,499 to $2,999
This eliminates stress on the receiver and hinge pin,
URL
enabling the use of lightweight aluminum for the
www.benelliusa.com
receiver and avoiding a usual wear point. The result is
a very light, lively, and well-balanced shotgun.
Benelli didnt stop there; the 828U also has a removable trigger group, carbon-fiber
rib with a fiber-optic sight, and a recoil-reducing buttstock. The whole package comes
together in a beautiful meld of metal and wood.
Evaluators loved the 828U, despite its hefty price. They applauded its innovative design
and simply enjoyed shooting it. One complaint focused on the slimline safety, which could
be difficult to actuate with gloves while hunting.
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28
BARREL LENGTH
RUNNERS-UP
MOSSBERG 930 PRO SERIES SPORTING

REMINGTON V3 FIELD SPORT
116
TRIJICON
MRO
NOTES:
The red-dot sight market seems to get more crowded every

day. The Trijicon MRO differentiates itself with an offering thats
compact, lightweight, boasts long battery life, and comes from
RETICLE
a distinguished lineage of bombproof optics. In particular, its
2 MOA red-dot
25mm objective size provides better field of view than other
MSRP
micro-sized red-dot sights. It has cap-less windage and eleva$579 to $639
tion adjustments and a brightness control on the top of the sight
URL
for quick ambidextrous use. You can opt for a low, co-witness, or
www.trijicon.com
lower one-third co-witness mount.
Evaluators appreciated the MROs mix of features and its
price. For instance, one wrote, The Trijicon MRO has been one of the best values in optics thats
come out in a long time. I really like the balance of the 25mm objective size its right in between
the Aimpoint Micro and the fullsize Aimpoints, allowing for a decent FOV while still maintaining a
small footprint. Whats especially impressive to me is how crisp the dot is until you really push the
brightness levels. On the other hand, the MRO has something of a reputation for having slight
magnification noticeable to some shooters; indeed, some evaluators noted that. Still, the MROs many
strengths chalked up a win for Trijicon.
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THE FIR
FIREARMS
REARMS INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY CHOICE
CHOICE AWARDS
AWARDS
LUTH-AR
MBA-3 CARBINE
STOCK
COLORS
NOTES:
Black, Flat Dark Earth
Following on Luth-ARs
original MBA-1 rifle-length AR
$160 ($170 in FDE)
buttstock, its MBA-3 stock clicks
URL
onto a carbine receiver extension.
www.luth-ar.com
You get the same custom fit and
light weight, while being able to set
it to your desired length. The shorty Luth-AR retains the tool-free
cheek height and length of pull adjustment and adds multi-position
functionality, a three-axis butt plate (with fine adjustments for
length, vertical position, and cast), a Pic rail on the base, and a set
screw to eliminate play in the stock. Spin those knobs and get that
precision feel for your carbine.
Evaluators praised the stock for being well designed and
thought out, packed with features while being light and affordable.
Those familiar with the evolution of the Luth-AR buttstocks were
pleased that the company consistently incorporated customer feedback in improving each successive generation. One suggestion for
improvement was to include a QD sling swivel cup, which currently
can be added by screwing in an aftermarket threaded cup.
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28
MSRP
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FREEDOM BONE
AMBIDEXTROUS
CHARGING HANDLE
SAFARILAND
MODEL 578 GLS
PRO-FIT HOLSTER
118
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BARNES PRECISION
MATCH 5.56MM
BROWNING BPT
PERFORMANCE
TARGET/BXP
PERSONAL DEFENSE
9MM
SIG SAUER
V-CROWN ELITE PERFORMANCE 9MM

CALIBER
NOTES:
9mm
SIGs V-Crown defensive ammunition features jacketed hollow point bullets with V-shaped
jacket skives and scores, designed to provide uniform and controlled expansion. The brass
cases are nickel-coated for additional lubricity, corrosion resistance, and enhanced reliability. The loads are optimized for terminal ballistic performance in smaller-framed handguns.
The organizers noted that the ammunition category was the most difficult category to
evaluate, and scoring was very tight. Terminal performance wasnt tested, but evaluators
weighed, measured, and chronographed the ammo, sending thousands of rounds downrange
in a variety of guns. They also assessed retail appeal and packaging. In the end, the SIG
ammo was victorious.
BULLET WEIGHT
124 grains
MSRP
$19 (20 round box)

URL
www.sigammo.com
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JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT

COULDNT GET ANY BETTER
A LOOK AT THE SIG P320 RX
STORY BY NICK SAITI
PHOTOS BY KENDA LENSEIGNE
Red-dot sights make everything better.
A red-dot is simpler to use than
Just think how accurately you could
iron sights. That doesnt mean its
brush your teeth or how fast you could
easy. I think back to the first time
answer your smartphone with a red-dot
I dropped the hammer on a pistola
mounted. They can do all that and
with a dot. It was magical. Just put
more. Id put a red-dot on all my ap-
the red dot on the target, and thats
pliances if possible. I must admit a bit
where the bullet goes. The gun almost
of a jaded perspective as most of my
shoots by itself. Insert rude awaken-
competitive shooting career has been
ing. I believe the bullet hit the back
with a red-dot.
berm, but cant be sure.
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28
121
Delusions of being an action-movie
and trigger control are all the same.
star, sending blazingly accurate rounds
Its in the sight alignment arena that
downrange without even looking were
the advantage comes into play. Simply
laid to rest. The realization is quick
put, movie magic does not exist.
that just because the sighting system
Red-dots have a definite leg up on
(or any other part of the firearm for
iron sights. The fact that you dont
that matter) is more better doesnt
need to switch focus back and forth
mean you can skimp on the important
from sights to target, but simply super-
stuff. The fundamentals of good shoot-
impose the dot on the target is the big-
ing still need to be there. Grip, stance,
gest advantage. The dot is much easier
WHEREFORE ART THOU ROMEO1

Optical sights have been riding long
to see than irons, especially with aging

eyes that arent what they used to be.
guns forever, and nowadays youre hard
sights are a perfect example of this,
The target area is more visible without
pressed to find a rifle without some
as they keep getting smaller by the
iron sights impeding the view, making
sort of mounted optic. In the realm of
minute. Pistol manufacturers are now
it easier to shoot with both eyes open.
long guns, iron sights are circling the
making way for progress by offering
All this pales in comparison to the cool
drain. Until recently the use of optics
optics-ready guns that have the slides
factor of having a frickin laser saddled
on a pistol was looked at as a novelty
milled just right to make the red-dot
on your gun.
or for gamers on their race guns. Laser
feel at home.
sights were about as crazy as the
On the other hand, there are a few

disadvantages. Red-dots are electronic, and no matter how bulletproof
the companies say they are, failure can
occur. Whether that means the electronics or the ability to hold zero. The
most common disadvantage is simply
the difficulty in finding the dot. This
is very prevalent with someone who
hasnt put many rounds downrange
with a red-dot. A look of confusion follows the shot when the dot evaporates
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28
from view and the shooter spends eons
122
the rest of the tech world. Mini red-dot
adjusting grip, stance, and bobbing his

head trying to find the dot again. Not a
pretty sight.
SIG had the bright

idea of running a
channel down the top
side of the ROMEO1,
which conveniently
lines up with the
rear sight notch. Two
buttons on the sights
left side control dot
intensity.
The latest company to join the fray
industry went. Technology has come a
has been in the firearms business
long way since Arnold kicked in Sarah
since the mid 1800s. SIG SAUER is a
Connors door waving his long-slide
name that doesnt need any expla-
.45 with a laser that looked like a
nation and in the last decade have
silver Maglite mounted on it.
broadened their horizons to include
It seems the size of electronic
training, ammo, suppressors, and
devices is inversely proportional to
optics. Anyone whos familiar with this
their state of advancement, and the
company knows they dont skimp when
gun industry is finally catching up with
it comes to quality, and its evident
2016 Desert Tech, LLC. All rights reserved.
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28
124
The 320RX retains the
originals modularity
due to its chassismounted fire control
system.
and law-enforcement, where you need

to fit many different body types, but
still keep uniformity. The modularity doesnt stop there. The caliber of
the pistol can also be interchanged
between 9mm, .40, and .357 SIG. Its
like you have a safe full of pistols in
one wee package.
After getting past the modularity
there isnt much to set the P320 apart
from the pack. The full-size version
in their new endeavors. The feeling of
system is a genius idea. It features a
comes with a 4.7-inch barrel, 17-round
quality cannot be faked.
stainless steel frame that holds the
magazine capacity, and a full M1913
trigger group, and this is the serial-
rail. It does have a little more heft than
TECHNICAL
ized part the ATF is interested in. This
its peers, weighing in at 29.4 ounces.
The introduction of P320 a few
allows the P320 to be configured into
There are two schools of thought here.
years ago has added SIGs name to
different sizes and many applications.
One side says a heavier gun will soak up
There are full, compact, and sub-
more recoil, while the other side says a
the striker-fired pistol market. The
lighter gun is quicker to transition.
slide sits high in the hand, removing
compact frames and small, medium,
doubt that its a SIG SAUER. It has a
and large circumference grips. This
streamlined design with no external
allows for a custom fit in the hand
in at just under 6 pounds, which was
controls other than the takedown lever
versus just changing an insert or palm
very surprising, as the way it breaks
and slide stop. The P320s chassis
swell. This is a big plus for military
makes it feel significantly lighter. All
Theyre both right. The trigger comes

the trigger parts are metal, making the
sight was designed specifically with
theyve conveniently designed the
trigger very consistent; out of all the
handguns in mind.
top-loading compartment so theres no
factory striker-fired guns out there it
Admittedly, I was more intrigued
need to remove the sight and read-
has the closest feel to a single-action
by the optic than the pistol itself. The
just zero. The 30mm diagonal lens
trigger. Again, this is a personal prefer-
ROMEO1s zeroing system uses SIGs
size is bigger and clearer than most.
ence issue; some think single-action
TruHold lockless twin adjustment
The sight is covered by SIG SAUERs
triggers are better, and then theres ev-
springs to compensate for the abuse
Infinite guarantee and electronics
eryone else whose opinion is wrong. Ive
of a reciprocating slide. The two-piece
limited warranty. Dont plan on using
always been analytical when it comes
magnesium housing saves weight,
the warranty the sight is built like
to shooting, whatever nets the most hits
but not rigidity. It features a 3-MOA
a T-800 minus the intent to kill the
on target is the method to go with.
dot with seven intensity settings.
human race. Theres a rumor that SIG
Even though its bright enough, the
tortured this poor sight with 25,000
ROMEO1 isnt available with a bigger
rounds on top of handguns. How do we
dot size. A bigger dot can be an advan-
get invited to these torture tests?
SIG has hung an RX designation

on the latest iteration of its strikerfired pistol. The P320 RX comes with
suppressor-height night sights and a
slide-mounted red-dot straight from the
factory. No messing about with gooey
thread locker and small screws during
install. The ROMEO1 miniature reflex
You can take a soldering iron to the 320s

interchangeable grip
modules, but theyre
pretty sticky right out
of the box. Forward
cocking serrations are
a nice touch.
tage in close quarters situations.

The MOTAC (motion-activated illumination) system with motion sensors
TRIGGER TIME
Any good shooter will tell you the
ensures you wring out the most battery
fastest way to shoot is to rely on the
life. When you do replace the battery
sights and know where they are when

you activate the trigger. If you cant
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28
track the movement of the sight, youll
126
spend extra time trying to reacquire

them. This translates into lost time
and efficiency, totally negating the purpose of putting a red-dot on in the first
place. The answer to this is to spend
time getting familiar with the timing of
the gun and the dot.
Striker-fired guns dont use hammers, which should technically allow
for a low bore axis. The closer the
grip is to the bore axis the easier it
is to manage recoil. SIG decided to
stick to its signature high riding slide.
This along with the steep angle of the
grip equates to more muzzle flip and
perceived recoil. Even with the lower
recoil of the 9mm round this not a plus
when it comes to pistoleering.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
Nick Saiti has been a world-class
competitive shooter for over 10
years and is a four division USPSA
Grand Master. As impressive as
he is to watch behind an Open
Division pistol, hes currently
third in the nation in the sport of
three-gun. Considering himself a
professional gunslinger he happily
imparts his unique perspective
and knowledge teaching at
www.secretweapontraining.com.
The gun can shoot. Functionality

28
was flawless, even with lighter hand

IS SUE
loads. The best five-shot group off

hand at 20 yards was 0.68 inch with
SIGs 9mm 115-grain ammo. The
concept of co-witnessing sights on a
128
handgun is fairly new, and Im starting
to get the idea. When I found myself

looking for the dot the iron sights act-
Though Nick claims

the high bore axis is
a handicap, hes the
only guy we know
whos good enough
to tell the difference.
One case in the air,
two holes in the target, and a flat muzzle
all while sliding
into home base.
SPEC BOX
ed as a GPS, letting me know the dot
gears between sighting systems. The
have to prove yourself to the other kids,
iron sights for the close easy targets
and the P320 tends to get lost in the
where you can get away with indexing
playground among a sea of Glocks and
and the red-dot for the harder shots
S&Ws. Whats key here is the package
that require a better sight picture. This
that SIG offers. Theres no need to go
takes a ton of focus to do efficiently.
shopping for a separate red-dot that
Co-witnessing this way could be a big
may or may not fit your gun, or send
asset, but might be a bit complicated
your slide to a gunsmith to be milled.
especially for simple-minded gun writ-
An MSRP of 800 bucks makes it very
ers/competitive shooters.
appealing indeed, and if anything ever
is high, low, or anywhere in between.
The base P320 by itself is not a
After shooting some run-and-gun-
game changer, but its not at the bot-
goes wrong, then theres no one else

to play the blame game. Put all this to-
style field courses, something interest-
tom of the heap, either. Being the new
gether, and you get something greater
ing happened. I found myself switching
guy in the neighborhood you always
tthan
a tthe
e su
sum oof its
ts pa
parts.
ts
SIG SAUER
P320 RX W/ROMEO1
CALIBER
9mm, .40, .357 SIG

BARREL LENGTH
4.7 inches
OVERALL LENGTH
8 inches
WEIGHT (UNLOADED W/ SCOPE)
29.4 ounces (gun), 0.8 ounces (optic)

MAGAZINE CAPACITY
17+1 (9mm), 14+1 (.40/.357 SIG)
MSRP
$ $799
U L
URL
www.sigsauer.com
www
ssigsauer
gs ue com
ENTER THE
CONTEST!
SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT SECTION
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BLUE FORCE GEAR

AND LARRY VICKERS
TEAM UP TO REINVENT A
PIECE OF KIT FOR
THE MODERN AGE
PHOTOS BY JORGE NUEZ
AND LLOYD WAINSCOTT
You might be saying, Why do I need a sling
Sometimes its easy to look at something simple
tive sling ever made. It set the benchmark, says
and assume that no improvements can be made.
Vickers. The quality of the webbing and stitching,
for anything other than carrying a rifle? Train-
In the world of firearms, particularly in military
attention to detail, and materials used are head
ing with slings is part of Vickers curriculum and
applications, accepting design flaws as the base-
and shoulders above the rest.
many overlook the advantage it adds to firearm
If youve ever used a run-of-the-mill rifle sling,
stability. You can use the Vickers SlingTM as a
throw Blue Force Gear and Larry Vickers into the
were sure youve noticed many of the same issues
shooting aid by sliding your arms through the
mix, youre going to get some forehead-slapping
we have cheap components, weak stitching,
loop, cinching it back down, and twisting it
moments and say, Why didnt anyone think of
confusing fastening mechanisms, excess slack that
around your arm to make it a supported sling
that sooner?
interferes with functionality, and a general recipe for
as many in the field do. How many? The Vickers
frustration. You probably then just accepted these
SlingTM is used by every military branch in the
wasnt without a learning curve in regard to
problems as par for the course. Thats only because
United States as well as various foreign militar-
what gear worked and what didnt. Having a
you havent tried Blue Force Gears Vickers SlingTM.
ies. Check out the testimonials and videos at
line standard just doesnt cut it. And when you
Vickers time in the U.S. Armys Delta Force
sling melt on a rifle barrel and experiencing

the other headaches that came with using the
standard two-point sling left him with a desire
to give the version hed used in the military a
facelift somehow.
Vickers was familiar with Blue Force Gears uncompromising commitment to quality and tapped
their expertise to successfully complete his vision.
The combination of Vickers guidance combined
with the companys insistence on top-shelf standards led to the Vickers SlingTM, the most innova-
1
2
VICKERS COMBAT
RAIL MOUNTED
APPLICATION SLINGTM FIXED LOOPTM
3
UNIVERSAL
WIRE LOOPTM
The patent-pending design

is a game changer. Instead
of being stuck with excess
material that disappears
or leaves you with a tail,
this sling is closed loop so
youre not fumbling about
with slack. The unique slider
mechanism feeds back on
itself, so when you tighten or
loosen with the contrasting
pull tab, you can go from
slung to combat ready in
fractions of a second.
This exible nylon-coated

stainless steel wire is durable and versatile, allowing
sling attachments to be
threaded through a variety
diff rent openings.
The Rail Mounted Fixed

LoopTM makes securing a
sling to railed forends a no
brainer. Fits standard Picatinny / 1913 rails with just a
few turns of the screw.
4
UNIVERSAL WIRE
LOOPTM W/PUSH
BUTTON SOCKET
Wondering what you can
use as a sling attachment
for the front eyelet on AKs,
SCARs, ACRs, HKs, SIGs, or
other weapon with small- or
odd-sized eyelets? The Univ l ire LoopTM w/Push
tt Socket (UWL) allows
t attach slings with
h buttons directly to
th W h
e kt
ke t k d a
t wt h
t p t
r
t to l .
5
ULOOPTM
As a QD version of the
Universal Wire Loop, the
ULoopTM can be installed
through eyelets, holes in
railed handguards, and
KeyMod Rails. Replace
your tired hooks, clips,
and connections with the
ULoopTM. The cable snaps
into the back after looping
it through the eyelet on
your weapon.
6
7
RAPID EMERGENCY SLING SLEEVE
DETACHMENT SWIVEL Hold your sling neatly and
(RED SWIVELTM)
snag free to quick deployThis emergency quickrelease swivel replaces
the standard push-button
design with a pull knob
emergency release that
fits any standard push
button sockets and socket
inset in many popular
handguards and stocks. It
can be released with only 7
pounds of force, but a pull
of more than 15 degrees
off axis will not release the
t
g an
a d tl l
ment. Just Z fold the sling

taut and slip the Sling Sleeve
over the bundle to hold it
tight and out of the way.
Available in Black, Coy t
Brown, Multicam,
and Wolf Gray.
4
6
Available in Black,
Coyote Brown, Foliage
Green, Kryptek Highlander,
Kryptek Typhon, Multicam,
Multicam Arid, Multicam Tropic,
OD Green, Safety Orange, and Wolf Gray
www.blueforcegear.com/vickers-sling to see for

yourself. Yeah, its that good.
Dont take our word for it, pick one up and experience the Blue Force Gear difference. Theyre made
right here in the U.S. and come with a limited lifetime
warranty. Various versions are available to fit any application and rail system. Got a shotgun? Done. Want
to trick out your AK with a Vickers SlingTM? Blue Force
Gear has you covered. Want a padded version with
burn-resistant Nomex for your AR, SCAR, or SAW.
Theyve got your back there too. Their unique mounting hardware for a variety of weapon systems will have
you wondering how you got this far without it.
ABOUT LARRY VICKERS

Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical is a retired U.S.
Army 1st SFOD-Delta combat veteran with years
of experience in the firearms industry as a combat
marksmanship instructor and industry consultant.
Larry Vickers special operations background is one
of the most unique in the industry today; he has
been directly or indirectly involved in the some of
the most significant special operations missions of
the last quarter century.
Have questions about the best application

for your sling? Give Blue Force Gear a call at
(877) 430-2583 and one of their technicians will be
happy to answer any questions about mounting it,
selecting the right sling, and best practices for use.
Get your sling on!
SEE ENCLOSED TARGET
FOR FIRING DRILLS WITH THE VICKERS SLINGTM
(877) 430-2583 | www.BlueForceGear.com
28
IS SUE
132
TWO VERSIONS OF THE CLASSIC
MARINE SNIPER RIFLE
STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVE MERRILL
IS SUE
28
133
Both of these rifles featured were expertly
If you close your eyes and try to imagine a
until the early 2000s, though some still saw
sniper rifle, youll probably come up with
limited use later. It could safely be called the
hand-crafted at C&H PWS (CHPWS) by Dave
something like the M40A1. Though there
prototypical sniper rifle, and the only one of
Clark. Clark was in the Marine Corps for more
were precursors, this heavily customized Rem-
its kind for quite a long time. Every precision
than two-and-a-half decades, and a good
ington Model 700 was the longest-serving
bolt-action rifle would be compared to the
portion of it was spent in Quantico building
standard-issue Marine Corps sniper rifle. It
M40A1 from that point on, for better or for
these very guns for warfighters as a precision
was fielded from the early 1970s all the way
worse. The grandson alongside is the M40A5.
weapons technician.
M40A1 RENAISSANCE
Starting with Remington 700 Short
Actions, Clark goes through each build
process meticulously precisionfitting each barrel, lapping lugs, and
bedding everything properly to specifi-
You can clearly see

the shared lineage
between the two,
though the M40A5
is distinctly more
modern.
ber, weve been at war for a decade
is being replaced after only six years
and a half so there are bound to be
in service.
some changes along the way. Though

both rifles featured are extremely accurate and are about as featherweight
but they will deviate a bit and finish
seeing the M40A1 that you see here.
as your typical anvil, there are some
in Cerakote if a customer requests it.
Though he carries a different precision
obvious differences well get into.

Youll notice that the M40A5 has
Though CHPWS has branched out into
rifle for work these days, he still has
customizing and building all sorts of
a strong affinity for the one he went
a standard rail for optics mounting
guns, they stay busy with their M40
through Scout Sniper Basic Course
as well as a bridge mount to ease the
builds. And its for a reason.
(SSBC) with so many years before.
attachment of clip-on thermals, night
Like a race car driver remembering
vision, and other electronic devices.
their first fast car.
With the M40A1, mounting solutions
the whole spectrum of precision shooting, but theres just something about
this old rifle that causes stirrings.
28
deployed and outfitted. And remem-
currently issued M40A5 pictured here
sh*t, thats my jam right there! upon
capable rifles than the M40A1 across
IS SUE
so long a sign of stability. Even the
ished in black oxide per USMC specs,
Of course we have newer and more
weapons themselves, but how theyre
One sniper we know said, Oh
cations. All of the metal parts are fin-
134
34
Perhaps its just that it was around for
The bridge mount of

the M40A5 makes
using modern night
optics a much more
appealing prospect.
To be certain, warfare pushes and
were far less wieldy and more cumber-
drives innovation through sheer neces-
some. Also, note the threaded barrel
sity not only in the development of
topped with a SureFire muzzle device
IS SUE
28
M40A1 RENAISSANCE
1366
for use with a suppressor as a further

sign of modernization.
The stocks themselves are quite
different, with the M40A5 having far
The Kestrel Elite

Weather Meter and
Bushnell CONX
range finder are right
at home with this
crowd.
approved the A3/A5 (stock) was obvi-
ways taught field-expedient measures
ously getting some kind of kickback. I
for setting up our firing positions.
have learned how wrong I was over the
Whether it was shooting sticks/tripods,
years, he elaborated.
or deuce gear, or our packs, we had
The flat rear portion of the stock
to have something else in order to use
slings. More than that, Ben Alicea, a
makes the rifle so much steadier on a
the rifle effectively. A3/A5 eliminated
retired Marine Scout Sniper who has
rear bag. With A1s, if you werent hold-
that with the ability to mount a bipod,
experience with both models had this
ing onto the rifle it would slowly roll
now only requiring a rear bag to ensure
to say, Back when they came out
over and fall to its side. A1s had no
the likelihood of a high-probability
I would have told you that whoever
ability to mount a bipod so we were al-
first-round hit.
more options for attaching bipods or
M40A1 RENAISSANCE
The M40A1, unlike the M40A5
doesnt have an integral cheek-piece.
Snipers and shooters instead utilized
SPEC B
BOX
OX
The optics have also changed. Gone

is the fixed 10 power Unertl (the
500-mph tape to achieve their desired
featured rifle has one of a limited run
cheek weld with the M40A1. It should
of MST-100s from U.S. Optics) and
be noted that there are still some
instead replaced with a 3-12x variable
who continue this practice, integrated
Schmidt and Bender M8541.

While you absolutely could still use
The M40A5 also features a
28
modularity.
cut-up portions of sleeping mats and
cheek-piece be damned.
IS SUE
are the result of a need for increased
an M40A1 to precisely put holes in
five-round detachable magazine as
whatever you happen to be shooting,
opposed to the internal magazine of
for modern fighting it just got a little
the M40A1. While were not talking
long in the tooth, especially when it
about a 20- or 30-round magazine in
came to electro-optics. No, its no
a semi-auto carbine, its doubtful that
longer primarily utilized as a fighting
many have complained about the abil-
implement, but this old warrior can
ity to rapidly reload a rifle. The main
still live on at the range and hold a
differences you see between the two
coveted place inside your gun safe.
C& PRECISION
C&H
PR CIS ON
WEAPONS
M40A1
CALIBER
138
.308 Win / 7.62 NATO

BARREL LENGTH
24 inches from recoil lug

OVERALL LENGTH
44 inches without recoil pad

ACCESSORIES
Turner Sling
US Optics MST-100
$80
$2,900
14.5 pounds
MSRP
$ $3,450
MAGAZINE CAPACITY
5 rounds
PRICE AS FEATURED
URL
SPEC BOX
$ $6,430
www.chpws.com
C& PRECISION
C&H
PR CIS ON
WEAPONS
M40A5
CALIBER
.308 Win / 7.62 NATO

BARREL LENGTH
26.45 inches with muzzle device
ACCESSORIES
OVERALL LENGTH
Schmidt & Bender M8541 Scope

Badger Ordnance 34mm USMC spec
rings and SIMRAD Cap
44.25 inches without recoil pad

16.6 pounds
MAGAZINE CAPACITY
5 rounds shown (10-round

magazines available)
MSRP
$ $4,250
$3,900
$375
PRICE AS FEATURED
$ $8,525
URL
www.chpws.com
IS SUE
28
STORY BY STEVEN KUO

WITH COMMENTARY FROM LARRY VICKERS, C. REED KNIGHT JR., AND DR. EARL BURRESS
PHOTOS BY JAMES RUPLEY AND LARRY VICKERS
140
The AR-15 has truly become Americas Rifle,
After a rough start in service during the
Last year in Issue 22, we brought you a
modern-day muskets that are integral to the
Vietnam War, the U.S. military officially adopt-
special look at some amazing 1911s cour-
fabric of life for American gun owners. Whether
ed the AR-15 platform as the M16A1 service
tesy of the Vickers Guide: 1911. If theres
wielded by warfighters and law enforcement,
rifle by the end of the decade. Chambered
something even more closely associated with
or in the hands of civilians for home defense,
in 5.56x45mm, its a direct impingement
Larry Vickers than the 1911, it might just
hunting, competition, or target shooting, ARs
gas-operated rifle. Both of these facts have
be the AR-15 platform. Vickers spent over
are literally everywhere. Its reported that one
generated a great deal of debate and Internet
two decades in special operations, including
of every four rifles made in the U.S. is an AR.
butt-hurt over the years, but the truth is that
15 years with Delta Force, deploying with
And its a uniquely American story with
the AR platform is extremely effective and has
different varieties of the AR platform. Hes
ingenuity and innovation, missteps, continuous
been refined to a mirror finish. There are many
also renowned for his encyclopedic knowl-
improvements and refinements, and its even-
very lethal 5.56mm rounds on the market
edge of firearms, gunsmithing, and firearms
tual ascendance to firearms behemoth.
now, and the modularity of the platform allows
instruction.
Today, one might think of Hollywood,
you to easily switch to many other alternative
Vickers Guide is back, with another beau-
California, with some amount of disdain when
calibers. The direct impingement operat-
tiful coffee table book dedicated to the AR-
it comes to firearms. But back in the late
ing system can deliver great accuracy and
15. With all the modern-day wonder guns,
1950s, Armalites small workshop in that very
shootability, but many short- and long-stroke
bristling with optics, accessories, and race
town gave birth to the most adaptable and
gas piston systems and conversions are also
parts, folks today might not be as familiar
longest-lasting standard U.S. service rifle of
available. The AR platform features largely
with early incarnations of the AR platform.
all time. The AR-15 was based on Eugene
unparalleled ergonomics, with well-positioned
So flip the page and enjoy some fascinating
Stoners 7.62mm AR-10 design, utilizing the
controls, conveniently configured sighting
and historic rifles from the earliest days of
latest in materials as well as manufacturing
systems, amazing aftermarket triggers, and
the AR-15, with commentary from Vickers
processes. Precise manufacturing tolerances
the ability to accommodate different types and
as well as industry experts C. Reed Knight
combined with steel, aluminum, and synthetic
sizes of shooters. And theres an enormous
Jr. of the Institute of Military Technology
materials to create a weapon system that has
ecosystem of products and services supporting
and Dr. Earl Burress of Tactical Applica-
become a model of modularity, versatility,
the huge installed base of AR-platform rifles in
tions Group. Please try not to drool on the
and effectiveness.
the U.S. and the world. Merica, indeed.
magazine.
PHOTO BY STEVEN KUO
AMERICAS RIFLE
IS SUE
28
Left: The first

AR-15 ever made.
Behold its glory.
Note the charging
handle on the
top of the upper
receiver and nonadjustable rear
sight.
XAR1501
This is the first AR-15 ever made.
originally had aluminum composite
Well repeat that this is the very
barrels. Serial number 1001 was sold
first AR-15, ever. Patient zero. The
to Sam Cummings at Interarms and
granddaddy of them all. Built by Ar-
remains with only minor modifications
malite before 1958, this is Experimen-
to its original configuration. Serial
tal AR-15 Number 1, prior to Colts
number 1002 was used in the Spring-
involvement in the AR-15 program. On
field Armory testing performed in 1957
the orders of General Willard Wyman,
and sports Mathewsons replacement
Commanding General of the U.S.
barrel. Serial number 1003, shown
Continental Army Command, approxi-
here, was at Fairchild (Fairchild Engine
mately 15 to 20 guns were built for
and Airplane Corporation, the parent
initial testing.
company of Armalite) and is virtu-
Knight relates that the serial num-
ally unaltered. Serial number 1004
ber, XAR1501, was derived from the
was also tested at Springfield, fired
following formula: eXperimentalAR-
extensively at the same time as number
15number01. Note that this particular
1002, and later had the upper receiver
rifle is missing the front sight and is
replaced with a quick-change heavy
equipped with a non-adjustable rear
barrel. 1005 was retrieved out of Eu-
sight, as requested by General Wyman.
rope, received additional modifications,
The furniture was also painted with
and was the test rifle for the Dutch to
the same speckle paint used on the
build their original guns. These five
Armalite AR-10s.
guns were the very first batch of proto-
If you look carefully at the left

side of the rifles magwell, youll see
142
were all used for demonstrations and
type hand-built guns with the uniquelooking front sight tower.
something thats practically invisible
to the naked eye in person. AR-15

Exp. Prototype is handwritten on the
magwell. It all started here, folks.
COLT ACR
In the latter half of the 1980s, the
U.S. Department of Defense funded
the Advanced Combat Rifle program
HOLLYWOOD AR-10 SERIAL

NUMBER 1003
Five original prototypes of the
Right: One of
the five original
AR-10 prototypes.
It was built in
Armalites
workshop in
Hollywood,
California.
to develop a successor to the M16

platform. A primary objective of the
program was to improve the hit prob-
Armalite AR-10 were built, with serial
ability of the average U.S. soldier
numbers 1001 through 1005. The one
employing the weapon, as compared to
shown here is the third, serial number
M16 variants in use at the time. Colt
1003. The serial numbers for these
was one of six companies selected to
initial guns were derived as follows:
participate, and the Colt ACR shown
ar10number03. So number 1003 here
here (in its more rare carbine-length
is the third rifle built, not the 1,003rd.
form) was their entry.
Knight explains that they were all
The Colt ACR experimented with a
hand-built in Armalites workshop in
number of ergonomic changes to the
Hollywood, California, thus earning
M16 and is closely associated with the
the moniker, Hollywood AR-10s, and
development of so-called duplex am-
differentiating them from AR-10s later
munition a single cartridge contain-
manufactured in other locations such
ing two nested bullets, which would
as the Netherlands.
both be discharged down the barrel of
All five prototypes were inscribed
the rifle with a single trigger pull and
with the large ARMALITE marking
single recoil impulse, with the intent of
on the left side of the receiver. They
increasing hit probability.
AMERICAS RIFLE
Vickers explains that the Colt ACR
The p
program
g
was eventuallyy ter-
Dr. Burress explains: 65 American

prisoners were believed to be held at
unique entrants progressing further.
the Son Tay camp, located 21 miles
Vickers notes one particularly useful
from the North Vietnamese capital of
realization from the program that
Hanoi. During the operation, a team of
an enhanced multi-position retract-
56 Army personnel were inserted by he-
able buttstock would be advantageous.
licopter and assaulted the camp. In just
under 40 grains, out of a barrel de-
Indeed, the ACR-style buttstock lives
29 minutes, the assault team secured
signed to fire much heavier projectiles
on through a variety of manufactur-
the objective, cleared the prison facility,
like the 62-grain M855 and 64-grain
ers such as Lewis Machine & Tool,
determined that there were no American
M856 tracer proved hopeless without
Knights Armament Company, and B5.
prisoners present, and completed an
a change of the barrel twist rate.
Alas, beyond that the Colt ACR has
extraction of all U.S. personnel. Though
been relegated to history, with none of
they encountered heavy resistance,
ing plane on top of the handguards also
its other distinctive features making it
no Americans were killed, whereas the
wasnt sufficiently effective, with any
past the developmental stage.
North Vietnamese forces suffered an
ammunition fired from an M16 is

nearly worthless due to unacceptable accuracy at reasonable combat
distances. The effort to stabilize two
IS SUE
28
relatively lightweight projectiles, each
144
A rare carbine-length
Colt ACR, with enhanced buttstock and
shotgun-style sighting
plane. Pictured to the
right is a cutaway
of the unique but
ill-fated duplex ammunition.
minated in 1990,
1990 with none of the
ultimately demonstrated that duplex
Additionally, the shotgun-style sight-
such advantages as a rapid sighting
estimated 40 killed-in-action. Although
SON TAY COLT GAU-5A/A REPRODUCTION
considered an intelligence failure since
developments in red-dot optics to come

later. As a point of comparison, Vickers
The Son Tay raid, code-named
been moved out of the camp, the raid
system being completely outclassed by
himself used an Aimpoint 2000 optic

on his Colt Model 723 during Operation Just Cause in December 1989
the same time period that Colt and the
U.S. Army were testing the ACR.
This is a reproduction
of the Colt GAU-5A/A
carbine used in
Operation Ivory Coast,
the Son Tay raid.
the American prisoners had already
Operation Ivory Coast, was a ground-
was an operational and tactical success.
breaking American special operations
Moreover, it had a strategic impact
mission conducted to rescue U.S.
on the Vietnam War, demonstrating
prisoners of war at the Son Tay camp
Americas will and capability to conduct
on the night of November 21, 1970.
a deep strike into North Vietnam.
AMERICAS RIFLE
Duringg the operation,

p
American forc-es primarily used two versions of the
GAU-5 (the Air Force designation
g
for
t Colt XM177), manyy of which were
the
equipped
eq pp with a Normark Singlepoint
g p
Occluded Eye Gunsight (OEG) scope.
IS SUE
28
Its believed that Air Force GAU-5s
146
This Model 601 may

be one of the prettiest
AR-15s ever made.
red-dot optics to improve the night--
ceding
page
gp
g was constructed using
g an
time capabilities of the ground assault
early 1970s upper, a barrel and lower
force. This model Singlepoint scope
from a mid-1990s Colt R6520, and a
were selected in lieu of Army XM177s
(as pictured) presented the shooter
solid replica flash suppressor serving
because the mission was rehearsed
with a closed black tube punctured
as a substitute for an XM177 modera-
near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida;
by a 16 MOA pinhole, illuminated by
tor. A genuine moderator is classified
thus, it may have been easier to
a red fiber optic filament, which ap-
as a sound suppressor/silencer by the
procure Air Force weapons through the
peared to the shooter as a single red-
BATFE, despite its minimal sound
local logistics system. Though today
dot. The weapon was aimed using the
reduction. The replica flash suppressor
these weapons would be considered
shooters binocular vision to superim-
is constructed to appear to be fitted
carbines, during this period the GAU-5
pose the red-dot, viewed by the shoot-
with a grenade ring, designed to be
and XM177 family were classified as
ers dominant eye, over the target as
used as a mount for the experimental
submachine guns. The 10-inch bar-
viewed by the shooters non-dominant
XM148 40mm Grenade Launcher. The
reled GAU-5A carbine was assembled
eye. The Singlepoint was attached to
barrel length is a bit longer than 11.5
using partial fence lowers, and the
the upper receivers carrying handle
inches to achieve a 16.1-inch overall
11.5-inch barreled GAU-5A/A was con-
using a mount that incorporated steel
length with the moderator permanently
structed using full fence lowers. The
strap retention bands, similar to those
attached, avoiding classification as a
lower was fitted with a slick side upper
used on the German WWII G43 ZF4
short-barreled rifle.
devoid of a forward assist, a barrel with
scope mount reportedly reinforced
a 1 in 12-inch twist rate, an XM177
with black electrical tape. The Son
moderator, and an aluminum buttstock
Tay Raid was the first documented
on a two-position buffer tube.
example of a U.S. SOF team using a
During the mission rehearsal period

between September and November
1970, the rifles were fitted with OEG
red-dot type optic in combat.

The reproduction of the Colt GAU5A/A used in 1970 shown on the pre-
COLT AR-15 (MODEL 601)

SERIAL NUMBER 000112
This Model 601, serial number
000112, features absolutely beautiful, unpainted bakelite furniture. This
is very unusual, and the fact that this
rifle is the 14th Colt AR-15 Model 601
ever made just adds to the appeal.
When it comes to aesthetics, Vickers
considers this rifle to be at the top of
the list for ARs.
The scope attached to this rifle is
very rare in the U.S.; its an adaptation of the same Delft scope used
on the Dutch-built AR-10s. Different
versions of this optic were also used
on the unique Dutch variant of the
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fore being replaced by Diemaco-made

AR-style rifles.
28
IS SUE
148
HOW MUCH DO MENS BRAINS DIFFER FROM

WOMENS IN PRECISION SHOOTING?
STORY AND PHOTOS BY DR. NEAL H. OLSHAN
around the United States and is by no
out that the rifle had been designed
means a scientific study. However, the
from the ground up for a British sniper
results might make you a bit more ob-
rifle contract in the early 1980s. Next
jective about your own decision making
came the pricey optics, including a
or desires to criticize others.
high-end rangefinder. Of course, there
Fred is a typical male. He was
People often question the differences
excited about attending a long-range
between men and women in terms of

their ability to handle firearms, how
shooting class. He didnt regret spend-
they take to firearms training, and their
ing the money on an Accuracy Inter-
motivation for seeking training. Well
national .300 Winchester Magnum.
break it down with examples of both as

they apply to precision rifle shooting.
Note: This article is based on a sampling of multiple interviews conducted
with male and female instructors
Do you often ask

yourself if expensive
gear is better? See
how men answer
that question versus
women.
Fred didnt want to be handicapped by

a cheapo rifle. He liked the idea that,
as his friend had said, The AI is built
like a tank and shoots like a laser.
He also felt a tingle when he found
BATTLE OF THE SEXES

was the bipod and other incidentals,
but after spending nearly $12,000, he
The author with

C2 Tactical instructor,
Aili deGreef
was confident that he would be at the

top of his class.
Maria is a typical female and was
a little nervous about the long-range
shooting class that she was going to
take in two weeks. She had become
proficient in the use of her handgun
and felt it was time to move up. The
idea of shooting objects at distances
out to 1,000 yards was daunting.
That afternoon she called the shooting center and asked to talk to the
instructor of the class. He called back
30 minutes later and answered all of
ITS BELIEVED
THE AVERAGE
PERSON HAS
AS MANY
AS 70,000
UNIQUE
THOUGHTS IN
A SINGLE DAY.
her questions, which were, What type

of rifle, what caliber, and what type of
upsell her, realized that this customer
in the air and ask. She was enjoying
optic and accessories should I buy to
was going to stick with what was on
shooting her new rifle and appeared to
use in the class?
the list. She walked out of the store
be making progress. There were four
IS SUE
28
Maria listened and took notes as the
150
feeling somewhat guilty about spend-
other women in the class, and she
instructor provided her with several
ing nearly $4,500, but confident that
enjoyed the mutual support. Although
options in each category, but only after
shed been able to obtain all of the
her groups werent as good as some
asking her some questions about her
instructors recommended gear.
of the men, she was unconcerned and
physical stature, arm length, height,
felt that she was improving at each
WHAT HAPPENED?
weight, and previous shooting experience. He also asked her if she had any
By lunchtime break on the first day
evolution with the help of the instructional staff. Although she was tired,
back, neck, or extremity problems that
of the three-day shooting class, the
might cause her discomfort if she were
difference between mens brains and
Who do you think had the most
in a specific position for an extended
womens brains had become obvious
enjoyable and productive morning of
period of time.
and, in fact, had taken a toll on Fred.
instruction?
She was very grateful that the in-
After firing approximately 70 rounds
structor had been willing to spend over

30 minutes on the phone with her.
That evening she went to one of her
local gun stores and provided the list
to the salesperson who, after trying to
In most cases,
women arent as
bashful as men about
asking instructors for
guidance.
she enjoyed lunch.
Women learn differently than
from a prone position during the morn-
men in most cases, but its especially
ing, Fred was having difficulty moving
so in shooting, says Aili deGreef, an
his shoulder. No one had mentioned to
instructor with C2 Tactical. Most
him about the recoil. A quick inspec-
women get into shooting for the pur-
tion of his shoulder while in the mens
pose of self-defense. Most women who
room indicated the beginnings of a
shoot have had an event in their life
rather nasty looking purplish bruise.
that caused them to seek out proper
He also ran into difficulties with the
instruction and purchasing a firearm.
complexity of his optics, with which
After a personal incident, I made that
he was unfamiliar, and battled through
very decision. I dont think I could ever
multiple periods of frustration. He left
explain fully the sense of indepen-
the restroom disgruntled, in search of
dence and empowerment that I felt
some type of padding to cushion his
after becoming safe, confident, and
shoulder.
proficient with a firearm. Now, as an
Marias morning went fairly well. She
instructor, I find women are less likely
found the instruction to be easy to fol-
to have an ego about their shooting or
low, and whenever she had a question,
learning; oftentimes the ladies are the
she didnt hesitate to put her hand
best students and the better shot!
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BATTLE OF THE SEXES

Women come to classes for very prag-
WOMENS BRAINS
matic reasons and typically do more
The frontal lobes, the seat of ex-
research before signing up for a class,
ecutive control in the brain, are
with specific reasons why they want
larger in women than in men.
to take the class. Additionally, women
Girls do better at tasks utilizing
have a tendency to read the users
fine motor skills.
manual, be it a carbine or an optic.

Women are typically encouraged and
Women have a greater density

of gray matter, or neurons, in
motivated by incremental improvement
the language areas of the brain.
whereas men often come to class with
Female brains have more space
the mindset I want to be a gunfighter.
between neurons, which means
Women respond more quickly to

skills that are broken down incremen-
more connections.
At rest, many women had increases in amygdala activation.
The amygdala plays a key role
John Chapman,
EAG Tactical
Instructor
in memory, decision making,

jgroup/istockphoto.com
IS SUE
28
and emotional reactions.
152
THE POPULAR
MYTH THAT
HUMANS
USE ONLY 10
PERCENT OF
THEIR BRAINS
ISNT TRUE:
EVERY PART
OF THE HUMAN
BRAIN HAS A
FUNCTION.
tally and are willing to move step by

With men, a higher percentage
step through the learning process. In
seem to come to class for reasons
general, men have a tendency to think
other than motivation to learn. Ego and
in terms of, Just give me the rifle,
outside validation seem to be a greater
show me the target, and let me pull
factor in men when it comes to tactical
the trigger.
training than with women. All men
Women have a tendency to develop
want to be thought of as dangerous,
personal satisfaction in the small
and some choose to validate this not
incremental steps in the learning pro-
through action, but through training.
cess involved with precision shooting,
Women tend to not have this ego-driven
but when things go off the rails, they
trait, and therefore tend to learn more
have a tendency to become more eas-
quickly and with greater precision.
ily flustered than men. They also seem

to be more susceptible to psychologi-
MENS BRAINS
Males tend to have larger
brains than females.
On average, the region of the
brain involved with spatial
reasoning is larger in men.
Male brains are 8- to 10percent bigger and more
densely packed with neurons.
A quote from John Chapman,

Instructor EAG Tactical seems to sum
it up nicely: The type of women who
self-select to attend a course tend to
be confident and truly eager to learn.
This gets to the heart of what makes
a good student regardless of gender:
motivation. In my experience, women
tend to be easier to train, but only
because a much higher percentage of
them are coming to class for the right
reasons.
While men may have

the stature to hold
heavier guns more easily, a womans attention
to detail can often give
her an advantage.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
cal frustration than men.
Based on the collective experience
Men have a tendency to look at
of the instructors we interviewed, here
success only in terms of results like
are some patterns that theyve seen.
groupings of shot clusters, as opposed
IS SUE
28
BATTLE OF THE SEXES
154
to the woman who often views success

as mastery of all the steps. Men have a
distinct advantage in their weight and
musculature when utilizing highercaliber weapons.
Men typically want the latest,
greatest, and most powerful weapon,
whereas a woman, prior to entering the
class, will typically ask the instructor what type of weapon she should
be using based upon her size, body
structure, and musculature.
Women are typically more compliant
in terms of appropriate caliber. They
more easily obtain a natural point of
aim, and quickly realize that they cant
muscle the rifle. Women also have a
tendency to learn alternative shooting
Jason Palleta,
LMS Defense
Instructor
tion and, if they have the money,
As far as easier to instruct, in my
assume success requires the lat-
experience, woman are easier. They
less body mass to absorb the recoil of
est, greatest, and most expensive.
check their ego at the door and lack the
a rifle.
Typically, when an inappropriate rifle
testosterone or I know what Im doing
positions more easily. Yet, they have
Women will readily take into con-
selection is pointed out to a male, the
attitude you sometimes tend to see
sideration advice regarding the recoil
response usually is, Thats OK, I can
with men. With that being said, I would
component involved in the selection of
handle it. This almost becomes ap-
also add that women are inherently bet-
an appropriate rifle.
pointment worship.
ter shooters than men because of their
Men have a tendency to become

ego driven, wanting instant gratifica-
Women focus more on better rifle fit

and caliber fit.
attention to detail, says Jason Palleta,

an instructor with LMS Defense.
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BATTLE OF THE SEXES

THE INSTRUCTORS ADVICE
Men
IS SUE
28
Women will typically ask questions,
156
Women
Before taking a precision rifle
Before taking a precision rifle
shooting class, check with the
shooting class, check with the
instructor to find out which rifle
instructor to find out which rifle
and optic will provide you with
and optic will provide you with an
an optimal learning experience.
optimal learning experience.
Dont get caught up in the mine
Research the instructor. If you feel
is longer and more powerful than
more comfortable with a woman,
yours mindset.
then do the legwork and find one.
Ask questions if youre unsure or
If you have trouble finding a female
dont understand.
precision rifle instructor, contact
Allow your instructor to help you
me and Ill help find one for you.
set appropriate goals.
Relax and dont view the class
Relax take a deep breath,
as a competition of men against
let it out slowly, and enjoy the
women. Save that for when you get
experience.
into competition shooting.
Dan Flowers, owner of

Ballistic Edge
but if its a mixed class with males,

they usually feel uncomfortable asking.
In one precision shooting class, several
women were asked why they didnt ask
any questions and the typical response
was, I didnt want to be treated like a
dumb little broad.
Women consistently report that male
instructors in a mixed gender class
have a tendency to talk down to the
women. However, Dan Flowers, owner
BECAUSE
YOURE
SMALLER
IN STATURE
DOESNT
MEAN
YOURE ANY
LESS OF A
SHOOTER.
of the Ballistic Edge, states, Whats

great about women is that if theyre
DAN FLOWERS
not getting it they will ask.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Neal H. Olshan is the
developer of Evolution
of Mindset and is a
consulting psychologist
for corporations and the
sports industry for athletic
improvement through
the use of his Mindset
program. He is also a
pilot, an award-winning
photographer, an author of both fiction and nonfiction
books, and the chief combat psychologist for LMS Defense.
RESOURCES
The best resource is a qualified instructor. Dont be shy. Ask for their advice.
Ask
Dr.O
As I began the interview process, which involved talking to

numerous male and female instructors from various parts of the
United States, it became abundantly clear that in training, women
appear to have a distinct advantage based upon the way their
brain functions and how it controls the body. This doesnt mean
that women have the same advantage in situations that might
involve taking someones life, such as a military sniper, a SWAT sniper, or competition shooter. This
article solely focuses upon the training experience and outcomes of an individual just entering the
arena of precision rifle shooting. I must admit that during the course of these interviews, I recognized
some of my own behaviors and made mental notes. Surely there are some of you out there who will
disagree with some of my statements and conclusions and in particular circumstances you may be
right. If you disagree or agree, please let me know and some of your feedback may be cited in a future
column. And let me know if you want me to take the next step: Who is the better competitive shooter?
Who is the better sniper, a man or woman? Send me your thoughts at mindsetdoc@gmail.com.
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28
IS SU E
158
58
8
COMPLETING AN
80% GLOCK LOWER
BY DAVID MERRILL
No doubt youve seen 80-percent AR-15
deemed kosher by the BATFE until
receivers built in the past, with materials
lowers. Theyve taken many forms over
it wasnt. A notable example of this in
ranging from sheet steel to converted
the years from simple forgings to billet
the AR-15 world was the EP Armory
airsoft lowers (the latter was harder than
pieces in various states of completion.
80-percent lower that utilized two
youd think). Polymer 80 first wet its feet
If the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
different colors of polymer: one that
with AR-15 lowers and more recently
Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) has a
needed to be drilled and milled out,
moved into the world of Glock.
special calculation as to the difference
and the other that didnt. Another was
between an 80-percent lower and an
an AR flat that consisted of slabs
complete Glock receivers, all with
81- or 82-percent lower, they havent
that could be drilled, tapped, and
varying levels of success and failure,
shared it with us.
screwed together (a weldable version is
but Polymer 80 has produced the first
still allowed at the time of this writing).
commercially available 80-percent:
By and large, what the BATFE

considers a firearm seems mostly to be
It was only a matter of time before we
Thereve been a few third-party
the Spectre. Polymer 80 started with
a subjective measure. Thereve been
saw 80-percent Glock lowers for sale.
a standard 9mm/40 frame, suitable
incidents in the past where a lower was
Thereve been some scratch-made Glock
for constructing third-generation
WARNING!
When handling
firearms, always
observe safety rules
and the precautions
set forth in the
firearms owners
guide. Be certain
that your firearm
is unloaded and
made safe before
proceeding with
this DIY.
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IS SUE
28
THE GHOST GLOCK
160
Glocks (17/17L/22/34/35) in a variety

of colors. Likely by the time of publication, theyll have a Glock 19-sized
option available.
For $160 you get the incomplete
Though it might look

like a lot of work
to the uninitiated,
theres not too much
required to bring this
project to completion.
frame, a disposable jig, mill and drill
have to provide yourself, as well as

the slide and barrel assembly. A quick
jaunt to Gunbroker and other online
resulted most of what was needed,
(subject to your state laws) like the
and the rest was obtained for under
Ghost Guns California State Senator
$20. The magazine catch spring, one
Kevin de Leon is so worried about.
of the simplest parts, was the hardest
build include the following:
Complete slides are

readily available
online and can ship
directly to your door.
Going through our box o

o parts
legal, homemade gun for personal use
The parts you need to complete this
bits, and a proprietary locking block.

All the small parts and pieces youll
who simply like the idea of having a
to source. For those without a box o

parts, some aftermarket shops have
started selling receiver completion
Complete slide assembly, in-
packages. Lone Wolf Distributors cur-
cluding barrel and recoil spring
rently has them listed for $79.
Trigger and trigger bar
For complete slides, Polymer 80 sells
auctions shows complete Glock receiv-
Rear housing assembly, includ-
their own, and auction sites like Gun-
ers for as low as $165, so some of you
ing trigger spring, ejector in ap-
Broker are a safe bet if you want OEM.
may be asking why bother? Why not?
propriate caliber, and connector
Some resellers seem to do little more
Not every DIY project one undertakes
Magazine catch and spring
than separate the slides and receivers
has to be done solely for cost sav-
Slide stop lever
and sell them separately. Of course, a
ings; the pure pleasure of working
Slide locking lever and spring
ton of aftermarket slides and barrels are
with your hands is enough for many.
Pins (trigger, locking block, and
out there. We decided it would be best
Still, there may be those worried about
rear housing assembly)
to go with an OEM slide to minimize
prospective bans, and perhaps more
possible issues with fitment.
THE GHOST GLOCK

tightly around the incomplete frame as
we went.
Were talking plastic here, so you
dont have to mill this area down in 40
passes like youre working something
like hardened steel. Still, a few slow
passes makes for much cleaner work.
We did bobble it a couple times and
you can see the scars on the jig itself.
Oh well, its single use anyway.
When drilling the holes, ensure
youre perfectly lined up its probably best to drill each side separately.
One of the holes we drilled through
without being perfectly level, making
for a larger headache later. Then
came milling the rear rails. While
youll be cleaning up this area later
during fitting, this isnt something
you want to mess up. Go nice and
IS SU E
28
slow.
162
The Spectre frame isnt just a facsimile of the OEM model. It has a larger gripping area, no finger grooves, an
You can see why a

clamp is recommended to keep the jig tight
around the frame.
some clamps. The idea was to put the

end mill bit into the drill press, secure
the jig in the vice, raise the drill press
integral beavertail and magwell, and
table itself to achieve proper height,
a full Picatinny rail. Its also available
and move the vice itself around to
in a variety of colors. Just giving the
perform the milling. The jig wasnt a
kit a glance over, it doesnt seem like
perfect fit, so the clamps ensured it fit
theres actually too much to do mill

off the front bits that stick out, drill
three holes, and machine the rail in
the back. The rail is what we expected
to give the most trouble, in no small
part, because while a traditional Glock
handgun frame is mostly polymer, the
rear rails themselves are metal.
The Polymer 80 webpage has links
to video instructions, which we dutifully
watched for 30 seconds before deciding to just dive right in. Lets talk about
how we did, where we messed up, and
how to avoid the same pitfalls yourself.
While we have access to a milling
machine, in order to make this more
of a home build we decided to use
some more common tools. An old
12-inch tabletop drill press, Dremel
tool (of course), a drill press vice, and
Go slow if you want

a job clean enough
to show off to your
friends.
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THE GHOST GLOCK

stays in place. Your slide locking lever
and spring go in next.
And check fitting. Again. Start again
with a bare slide. Then, an assembled
slide without barrel. And finally, with
the barrel. Fitting in steps allows you
to isolate and diagnose any potential
issues with the parts and your machining. Dont go nuts and take off too
much at once.
Though it took a bit of time, we felt
fairly confident it would be easier to
do another. And with fewer tools. So
we did. Though we didnt have time
to grow a scraggly beard and find a
proper cave to work in, we settled for
not showering for a day and doing everything on a dirty basement floor. You
gotta set the mood. Glocks are like AKs
IS SU E
28
in that no matter how dicked up they

there are reports by some of frame
are, theres always some assh*le who
cracking. Some builders have used
(drunkenly) says, I bet it still shoots
larger bits, but we used a hand reamer
good! Lets test that.
until the pins went in without an undue amount of force.
164
And thats it! Well, almost. The

actual machining operations are fairly
A flat file is perfect for

final fitting.
simple, but parts fitment can be more

time consuming. Start with a stripped
slide to check for fit. Use a flat file to
make modifications as required, but
continue checking for fit often you
can always take off material, but adding it on is a different story.
Next, youll want to install your
small parts. The included locking
block is the first to go in. Itll absolutely be tight, but dont remove any
material. Line it up and tap it in. From
there you might think you can install
your trigger, but youd be wrong. The
holes themselves are undersized, and
Use the best tools

you can, but you dont
necessarily need the
best tools.
Another Spectre was obtained, this

time in FDE. That desert color also
After your pins are installed, bust
helped with the mood. For tools we
out your Loctite or other thread locker,
went with a Dremel (naturally), cord-
and secure the included machine
less drill, and a clamp. In a pinch, you
screws to ensure your locking block
could probably just use the cordless
THE GHOST GLOCK

drill. Sanding drums on the Dremel
made quick, albeit dirty, work of the
front area that has to be milled out.
The rear rail and the holes were done
freehand. To fit the rails a stripped slide
and hunk of wood were used to rough it
out. Total time? Twelve minutes with
most of that being swapping out sanding drums and snapping photos.
Assembled, shes ugly as hell. But,
do they shoot?
The first time shooting any home
build gives us pause. Yes, people have
done this before, but we cant help
feeling like we should be using a vice,
a string, and a ballistic shield. I settled
Drilling and Dremeling, and not much

more.
for extending my arm and turning my

head to the side all that was missing
was a hearty Hold my beer, and watch
this! We wish we could report that both
28
pistols were phenomenal right out of the

IS SU E
box ... err basement? Ultimately it took
166
a couple range trips along with some tinkering before they became more reliable.
The black Spectre suffered from ejection
The beavertail is a
welcomed touch.
issues and the FDE would fail to return

to battery.
THE GHOST GLOCK
FDE Glock self-corrected. Apparently
POLYMER 80
80% PISTOL
FRAME V.1
j doesnt make for

a rushed Dremel job
$160
With a generous
g
amount of lubrica--
IS SU E
28
tion and rounds sent downrange, the
168
the smoothest of actions. Huh. The

issue with the black Spectre
p
was a
bit
i more nuanced. There was some
p
playy in
i the rear trigger
igg housing,
i g likely
i y
due to mucking
i up the pin
i hole a bit,
i
Ultimately
i
we ended up shimming
i
i it
i
iin place
p
to restrict
i movement, though
g
there are still
i some phantom malfuncf
tions
i
to track down.
All told, the Spectre
Sp
was a ffun
afternoon
project
with
f
j
i some more
work
k on the
h b
back
k end
d at the
h range.
g
Dont
official
o t be like
i e us watch
atc tthe
e officia
videos and use the best tools that you
have available. But even a Dremel can
probably do some excellent work if you
have a steady hand and arent racing
the clock. In terms of receiver completion, this is a very easy project. With
the frames being polymer, you can
also burn and stipple to your hearts
content, or until you mess something
up so badly you have to scrap the
whole thing.
The longevity of the polymer rails
at the rear of the receiver is our main
concern, and the only way to see if it
holds up is to continue to shoot the
hell out of it.
PRICE:
URL:
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STRONGMAN TRAINING
FOR THE AVERAGE JOE
IS SU E
28
STORY BY RYNE GIOVIANO
Weve all seen the behemoths on TV performing

insane feats of strength: pulling an 18-wheeler,
deadlifting an axle with several large tires attached,
170
or carrying a huge stone for distance. Some of these
seem inconceivable. For the vast majority of us,

they absolutely are, but what we can take away from
these incredible performances are concepts and a
style of training that can lead to tremendous gains in
strength. For others, itll change things up a bit and
give you some much-needed variation in your training. Enter strongman training for the average joe.
COMPONENTS OF STRONGMAN TRAINING

When considering strongman training, you might
be thinking that its not for you; maybe for others, but
its just too hard core for you. This really couldnt be
further from the truth. There are several factors making up strongman competitions that we can use in our
training that will result in great progress. Varying your
training regimen can be a great thing.
Now, you dont need to rush over to Menards and
attempt to make a gigantic stone. Nor do you need to
figure out how youre going to get the axle off of your
car. Well use what we can in a typical gym or trainAndrew Rich/istockphoto.com
ing facility to get the same effect. Lets go over some

of the basics of strongman training, and then create
a game plan thatll have you well on your way to great
strength gains.
WARNING!
The exercises and

content expressed in
this column are for
illustrative purposes
only. Consult your
physician before
trying any physical
activity or nutritional
plan. RECOIL and
its contributors are
not responsible for
any harm or injuries
sustained while
attempting these
techniques.
IS SU E
172
EXERCISES
THE
28
PILLAR OF STRENGTH
holding a heavy object in each hand,
One of the first commonalities
Most of these strongman events
in strongman training is simplicity.
involve some sort of time component.
or lifting boulders and placing them on
Many programs involve few exercises
These guys are pulling something,
pedestals. In doing this type of lifting,
with many sets, based on just a few
carrying something, or holding some-
the exercises such as deadlifting, tire
types of movements. Secondly, heavy
thing for a length of time. Based on
flipping, or moving a huge weight over-
weights are obviously a large aspect
the mathematical equation for power
head involve the entire body. So, well
of the program. You wont become
(force multiplied by distance divided
look to mimic this as well.
the Worlds Strongest Man with sets
by time), one could make a convinc-
of dumbbell curls for 15 reps. Were
ing argument these competitions
usually talking heavy sets of two or
should be called the Worlds Most
three repetitions. There are definitely
Powerful Man. In any case, complet-
variations, but strength is built with
ing exercises for time is a critical
tires lying around or boulders to lift.
low reps and more sets.
component for strongman training,
While that tends to be what these guys
and it should be part of your strong-
lift in competition, you can get a great
man training.
strength benefit without figuring out
Next, grip training is an absolute

must. Pulling a truck or deadlifting a
EXERCISES YOU CAN DO WITH

REGULAR GYM EQUIPMENT
Not many of us have spare tractor
car or truck axle requires a ridiculous
Strongman training tends to include
amount of grip strength. This is often
static holds and concentric lifts (lifting,
your house. Much of the equipment at
accomplished with thicker bars and
not lowering, the weight), so including
your local gym or training facility has
handles, simply changing your grip to
that type of training will better mimic
everything you need. Lets break down
make holding weight more challenging,
strongman-style training. Examples of
these types of lifts, and give you op-
or just lifting a lot of weight.
lifts like this include pulling a truck,
tions to do on your own.
the logistics of shipping a boulder to
1. CONVENTIONAL/SUMO DEADLIFT
This is an easy one. These guys typically lift an axle with huge tires attached. While it may not look as impressive, you can certainly use a bar
and regular weights to do the same thing. Vary up the stance so youre getting a good mix of conventional and sumo stances in your deadlifts.
Start by standing with
Sit your hips back while
your shins touching the
reaching forward to keep
tween your knees about
Grab the bar in be-
floor, focusing on pushing
Drive your feet into the
to the starting position,
barbell and your feet
your spine in a neutral
shoulder-width apart.
the bar off the ground,
while keeping your back
about one-and-a-half
position.
flat.
Your hands should be
not pulling it with your
times shoulder-width
directly underneath your
back. Squeeze your butt
apart. Your toes should
shoulders.
at the top and bring your
also be pointed out a bit.
hips to the bar.
Lower the weight back
THE
PILLAR OF STRENGTH
EXERCISES
2. BARBELL OVERHEAD PRESS
This is another pretty easy exercise to do on your own. Strongman competitors lift gigantic logs overhead, which can easily be replicated
in the gym with a regular Olympic bar and plates. Generally speaking, this exercise shouldnt pose a problem, but you have to know your
body. If you cant get your arms over your head without arching your lower back, thats an issue. Its recommended, at the very least, that
you use dumbbells to give your shoulders freedom of movement. If that hurts, or you still notice your back arching, go to a single-arm
dumbbell overhead press or nix the exercise altogether.
Begin in a standing position
Begin driving the bar overhead
Push your head and shoul-
Return the bar to the starting
with the bar 1 to 2 inches
by generating power through
ders under the bar as you
position.
below your collarbone, and
your elbows, not your hands.
reach the top position.
push your elbows slightly
Theres a definite distinction.
forward and inward.
As you begin to press the bar

past your face, imagine pushingg yourself
y
awayy from the bar
IS SU E
28
as hard
h d as you
y can.
174
3. LOADED CARRY
Loaded carries are another staple in strongman
training, as well as strength and conditioning. These
can be great for building overall body strength and
muscle, enhancing core stability, improving shoulder
health, and increasing your conditioning. Whether its
a large stone, a keg, or some other object, carrying
something heavy for a distance is always in the training program. We can easily do carries that yield some
great benefits. Our carries of choice are the barbell
carry, trap bar carry, and Zercher carry. This will give
you some options and variation in your training.
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THE
PILLAR OF STRENGTH
EXERCISES
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
4. SLED WORK
Pulling or pushing something heavy is another common exercise and does a
Ryne Gioviano is the owner of Achieve

Personal Training & Lifestyle Design
located in Aurora, Illinois. He earned his
masters degree in exercise physiology
and is a certified personal trainer through
the National Strength and Conditioning
Association. You can find more information
at www.achieve-personaltraining.com or
reach him on Twitter at @rgioviano.
great job building leg strength, endurance, faster sprinting, and overall conditioning. Whereas pulling a truck might be pretty common, well pull or push a
weighted sled. These are harder to find at traditional gyms, but are becoming more common in private fitness facilities and personal training gyms. For
the sled, well focus on pushing the sled, pulling the sled with a suspension
trainer attached, and pulling the sled with a harness.
IS SU E
28
PLACES
TO BUY
STRONGMAN
EQUIPMENT
176
5. SLED AND CARRY COMBINATIONS

NS
What happens when you combine sled work an
nd
carries? You get several of the benefits of each all
at once strength, stability, power, and condiitioning all wrapped up in one. Pull the sled witth a
harness and two heavy dumbbells in your hand
ds.
Its very challenging and also very beneficial.
SAMPLE PROGRAMMING
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
REST (SECONDS)
Conventional/Sumo Deadlift
120-180
Barbell Overhead Press
90-120
Loaded Carry
30 Yards
90-120
Sled Push
30 Yards
120-180
CONCLUSION
This type of training is sure to de-
Implement these exercises within your
liver some great strength gains. After
own program, or feel free to use this
all, if youre going to take any tips from
article as a sample of how to structure
people on building strength, it only
your training. Either way, youll get a
makes sense to learn from the best.
hell of a lot stronger.
ROGUE FITNESS
Rogue is fairly well known as being
integrated into CrossFit, but they also
have a good strongman following.
Anything you need related to strongman
training can be found here.
www.roguefitness.com
ELITE FTS
Elite FTS also has a strong following
not only for powerlifting and strongman
training equipment, but also for
education. This is a great resource to
pick up some supplies while learning
more about strongman training.
www.elitefts.com
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14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: Nov/Dec-16
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation:
Average No.
No. of Copies
Copies Each Issue of Single Issue
During Preceding
Published
12 Months
Nearest to
Filing date
a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run)
243,967
241,135
b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside
the Mail)
(1) Mailed Outside-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541
(Include paid distribution above nominal
rate, advertisers proof copies, and
exchange copies)
14,221
14,673
(2) Mailed In-County Subscriptions Stated
on PS Form 3541 (Include paid
distribution above nominal rate,
advertisers proof copies, and
exchange copies)
0
0
(3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails
Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers,
Street Vendors, Counter Sales,
and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS
81,774
82,223
(4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of
Mail Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail)
0
0
c. Total Paid Distribution
[Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3) and (4)]
95,995
96,896
d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By
Mail and Outside the Mail)
(1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County
Copies Included on PS Form 3541
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795
(2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County
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0
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at
Other Classes Through the USPS (e.g.
First-Class Mail)
0
0
(4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside
the Mail (carriers of other means)
4,733
100
e. Total Free or Nominal Distribution
[Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)]
5,540
895
f. Total Distribution
(Sum of 15c And 15e)
101,534
97,791
g. Copies not Distributed [See
Instructions to Publishers #4 (page#3)]
142,433
143,344
h. Total (Sum of 15f and 15g)
243,967
241,135
i. Percent Paid
(15c divided by 15f times 100)
94.5%
99.1%
16. Electronic Copy Circulation:
Average No. Copies No. Copies of Single
Each Issue During
Issue Published
Preceding 12 Months Nearest to Filing Date
a. Paid Electronic Copies
23,503
23,607
b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15C)
+ Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16A)
119,498
120,503
c. Total Requested Copy Distribution
(Line 15F) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16A) 125,037
121,398
d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electric Copies)
(16b divided by 16c x 100)
95.6%
99.3%
x I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (Electric & Print) are paid above
R
a nominal price.
17. Publication of Statement of Ownership:
x If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is
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required. Will be printed in the Jan/Feb #28 issue of this publication.
18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner:
Thomas Slater, SVP Consumer Marketing 10/01/2016
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete.
I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information
on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form
may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment)
and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).
SPONSORED BY
BLACKHAWK!
9200 CODY
OVERLAND PARK, KS 66214
P: 800.379.1732
WWW.BLACKHAWK.COM
SPONSORED BY
BLACKHAWK!
9200 CODY
PHONE: 1-800-379-1732
MOMENTS
NOTICE
TOP
1 MODEL:
Tac Convertible Shirt

COLORS:
Admiral Blue, Fatigue,

Slate
MSRP:
$74.99 to $79.99
1
PANTS
2 MODEL:
Tac Life Pants

COLORS:
Black, Fatigue, Slate
MSRP:
$89.99 to $99.99
FOOTWEAR
3 MODEL:
Terrain Mid
COLORS:
Black, Brown
MSRP:
Coming soon
BELT
4 MODEL:
Instructors Gun Belt

1.5 inches
COLORS:
Black, Multi Cam

MSRP:
$50.95 to $61.45
KNIFE
5 MODEL:
Be-Wharned
COLORS:
Silver
MSRP:
$102.45
PACK
6 MODEL:
Cyane Stealth
COLORS:
Black, Coyote Tan, Multi

Cam, Ranger Green,
Urban Gray
MSRP:
$143.45 to $173.95
OUTFIT: MOMENTS NOTICE

BLACKHAWK! prides itself on clothing thats inconspicuously functional. This ensemble is perfect for everyday
use. The Tac Convetible Shirt and Tac Life Pants provide
a level of comfort thats unimpeded by their durable,
Teflon-coated fabric. Convertible sleeves give you the
option of buttoning up if you need to literally get your
hands dirty. With the addition of the Instructors Gun

Belt and Terrain Mid shoes, this outfit allows maxiumum mobility and fast movement to access to your
EDC firearm, Michael Janich-designed Be-Wharned
knife, or a variety of other accessories you can keep
on your person. Your Cyane Stealth pack is the perfect
addition with over 1,000 cubic inches of storage space

for your larger items. Whether its a day at the office or
out running errands, youve got the practicality you need
packaged in a versatile style. Theres no question that
whatever the task at hand, youll be ready at a moments
notice in this outfit.
PRICING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. PLEASE SEE WWW.BLACKHAWK.COM FOR LATEST PRICING, INCLUDING SALES AND SPECIALS.
WWW.BLACKHAWK.COM
4
2
1
EXTREME
OUTDOORSMAN
OUTERWEAR
1 MODEL:
Tactical Softshell Jacket

COLORS:
Fatigue, Slate
MSRP:
$199.99 to $209.99
7
TOP
2 MODEL:
Pursuit SS Shirt
COLORS:
Black, Fatigue, Jungle,

Navy, Steel, Stone
MSRP:
$59.99 to $64.99
PANTS
3 MODEL:
Pursuit Pant
COLORS:

Navy, Steel, Stone
MSRP:
$69.99 to $79.99
5
FOOTWEAR
4 MODEL:
Desert Ops Boots

COLORS:
Coyote Tan, Desert Tan,

Sage Green
MSRP:
$163.45
KNIFE
5 MODEL:
Be-Wharned
COLORS:
Silver
MSRP:
$102.45
PACK
6 MODEL:
Cyane Stealth
COLORS:

Cam, Ranger Green,
Urban Gray
MSRP:
$143.45 to $173.95
GLOVES
7 MODEL:
S.O.L.A.G. Full-Finger
Gloves
COLORS:
Black
MSRP:
$45.95
OUTFIT: EXTREME OUTDOORSMAN

Inclement weather got you down? Then youre not wearing the right
apparel. Rainy, windy days are no match for this combination of
BLACKHAWK! clothing. The S.O.L.A.G. Full-Finger Gloves quickdrying material will keep your hands warm when you need it most.
The resilient Tactical Softshell jacket gives you plenty of protection
from rain and cold, as well as a host of storage compartments. Use
the lockable side-flap zippers to protect your carry items when locked
in the up position; flip them to the down position and pull the tab for
quick access. When the weather warms up you can switch up to the
Pursuit SS Shirt, practical for any occasion or purpose. The action
waistband and reinforced knees in your Pursuit Pants allow great
flexibility with lots of pockets for your extra gear. Those Desert Ops
Boots are to your feet what radial tires are to your car lots of traction, while holding up to the elements without fail. This combination
offers everything youd need to handle a day outdoors if youre forced
to deal with wet, stormy conditions without having to stop in the
middle of what youre doing because your clothes got soaked. See for
yourself how much youll be able to carry with uninhibited movement.
SPONSORED BY
BLACKHAWK!
9200 CODY
PHONE: 1-800-379-1732
LONG-RANGE
OUTDOORSMAN
OUTERWEAR
1 MODEL:
Tac Life Softshell Jacket

COLORS:
Admiral Blue, Black

MSRP:
$179.99 to $189.99
TOP
2 MODEL:
Pursuit LS Shirt
COLORS:

Navy, Steel, Stone
MSRP:
$64.99 to $69.99
3
5
PANTS
3 MODEL:
Pursuit Pant
COLORS:

Navy, Steel, Stone
MSRP:
$69.99 to $79.99
FOOTWEAR
4 MODEL:
Terrain Mid
COLORS:
Black, Brown
MSRP:
Coming soon
PACK
5 MODEL:
YOMP Pack
COLORS:

Cam, Ranger Green/
Coyote Tan
MSRP:
$204.95 to $255.95
KNIFE
6 MODEL:
Be-Wharned
COLORS:
Silver
MSRP:
$102.45
1
OUTFIT: LONG-RANGE OUTDOORSMAN

When youve got to be on foot for an indefinite amount
of time, you dont have the luxury of going home to get
whatever you forgot. You need it all in one place, while
wearing clothes that are unobtrusive and keep you cool.
The Pursuit LS Shirt gives you all the flexibility and comfort
of the short-sleeve version with a little more protection for
extended outdoor use. Youll be amazed how much defense

from the weather the lightweight, water-repellant Tac Life
Softshell Jacket offers. Even when fully packed, the padded
straps and quick-release buckles on the YOMP Pack enable
you to securely and comfortably take your belongings along
for the ride. With plenty of webbing, youve got lots of op-
tions for your loadout placement and the hydration bladder

enables you to carry water ergonomically, all while covering
ground in your Terrain Mid shoes. The interchangeability of
these apparel items and freedom of movement wont slow
you down. Take it out for a days hike, weekend camping
trip, or survival course.
WWW.BLACKHAWK.COM
2
PRO
OUTDOORSMAN
TOP
1 MODEL:
Performance Polo
COLORS:
Admiral Blue, Fatigue,

Slate
MSRP:
$54.99 to $59.99
PANTS
2 MODEL:
Tac Life Pants

COLORS:
Black, Fatigue, Slate

MSRP:
$89.99 to $99.99
3
5
FOOTWEAR
3 MODEL:
Terrain Lo
COLORS:
Admiral Blue/Slate,
Black/Slate
MSRP:
Coming soon
BELT
4 MODEL:
Riggers Belt With Cobra

Buckle
COLORS:
Black, Coyote Tan, Desert Sand Brown, Multi

Cam, Olive Drab
MSRP:
$86.95
PACK
5 MODEL:
Courier Bag
COLORS:
Black, Coyote Tan

MSRP:
$112.45
OUTFIT: PRO OUTDOORSMAN

Some people prefer the look of a collared shirt, but one
thatll hold up to the elements when you need it most.
Whether youre an instructor who is looking for the right
shirt to embroider with your company logo or you just
enjoy wearing a pullover collared shirt, the capabilities of
the Performance Polo are hidden in plain sight. With UPF

40+ protection, Teflon-coated fabric, and quick-drying
polyester, you wont be let down by how well this top holds
up and looks stylish doing it. Pair it up the Riggers Belt
for a secure and professional combo. Your Courier Bag can
function as both an office laptop bag or low-pro carry bag

for your EDC gear. Go straight from the office for a jog or
to throw a few rounds downrange. Youll be surprised how
much you can do with an outfit thats a little more on the
formal side, but functions like casual wear.
SPONSORED BY
BLACKHAWK!
9200 CODY
PHONE: 1-800-379-1732
CLASSIC
OUTDOORSMAN
1
2
OUTERWEAR
1 MODEL:
Field Jacket
COLORS:
Fatigue, Slate
MSRP:
$149.99 to $159.99
TOP
2 MODEL:
Tac Flow Shirt

COLORS:
Admiral Blue, Black,

Jungle
MSRP:
$89.99 to $94.99
5
FOOTWEAR
3 MODEL:
Black Ops Boots

COLORS:
Black
MSRP:
$205.45
3
3
OUTFIT: CLASSIC OUTDOORSMAN

Everyone wants a casual outfit, but not one that sacrifices
function and practicality. Find your favorite pair of jeans and
throw on the Tac Flow Shirt. Its unique fabric technology contains micro perforations that allow maximum breathability
and lightweight comfort. If things cool down, you can throw
on your Field Jacket, thats reminiscent of denim to the touch,

but the reinforced cotton canvas, bartacks, and traditional
pockets bring its performance level up a notch. All combined,
it looks cool and offers plenty of pockets to hold your gear.
The Black Ops Boots feel like athletic shoes, but offer the
tenacity youd expect from boots with the Blackhawk! name.

Wear this combo while you take the family for an outing,
spend a day with friends on the fishing boat, or just relax by
the campfire. Youll be astonished how much you can do and
carry in clothing thats so relaxed in feel and appearance.
WWW.BLACKHAWK.COM
1
2
1
ACTIVE
OUTDOORSMAN
OUTERWEAR
1 MODEL:
Field Jacket
COLORS:
Fatigue, Slate
MSRP:
$149.99 to $159.99
TOP
2 MODEL:
1700 Shirt
COLORS:
Admiral Blue Plaid, Slate

MSRP:
$59.99 to $64.99
FOOTWEAR
3 MODEL:
Terrain Lo
COLORS:
Admiral Blue/Slate,
Black/Slate
MSRP:
Coming soon
PACK
4 MODEL:
Enhanced Pro Shooters

Bag
3
COLORS:
Black
MSRP:
$143.45
OUTFIT: ACTIVE OUTDOORSMAN

If youre out and about, but want to keep it simple, this
assortment is sure to do you right. The 1700 Shirt is
comfortable, tough, and has timeless aesthetics. Snap
buttons allow for fast retrieval of your EDC and the textured
seersucker fabric reduces printing, while keeping you from
having to worry about that wrinkled look. Throw on the

Terrain Lo sneakers and youll be just as at home on an
outdoor excursion as you would doing yard work or enjoying
the day in your man cave. Pack up your gear and pistols for
a day at the range in your Enhanced Pro Shooters Bag. The
foam lining will help protect your gear from damage if it gets
thrashed around a bit and offers plenty of room for ammo,
eye pro, targets, ear pro, extra mags, and a few bottles of
water or your cleaning kit. Throw it all on at the beginning of
the day and youre good to go.
SPONSORED BY
BLACKHAWK!
WWW.BLACKHAWK.COM
9200 CODY
PHONE: 1-800-379-1732
OUTFIT: YEAR-ROUND REGALIA

Depending on where you live and the time of year,
sometimes the weather is unpredictable. It can go from
hot and dry to cold and stormy in a matter of hours. Be
that as it may, you want clothing thatll work with that
level of unpredictability. The 1730 Shirts smooth, durable
YEAR-ROUND
REGALIA
fabric offers plenty of pockets in a relaxed, stretchable

fit. The polyester/cotton/Spandex blend gives you warmth
and breathability all in one. The Tac Life Softshell is the
ideal outerwear addition because it can be worn in both
warm and cold environments. With the amount of storage
it offers, you can easily keep your phone, keys, important

papers with you, and the lightweight fabric means you
can reach for your pistol without interference. Throw it
all together with your jeans and Terrain Lo shoes and you
wont have to change, even if the forecast does.
TOP
1 MODEL:
1730 Shirt
COLORS:
Admiral Blue Plaid (Alt),

Jungle Plaid
MSRP:
$69.99 to $74.99
OUTERWEAR
2 MODEL:
Tac Life Softshell Jacket

COLORS:
Admiral Blue, Black

MSRP:
$179.99 to $189.99
FOOTWEAR
3 MODEL:
Terrain Lo
COLORS:
Admiral Blue/Slate,
Black/Slate
MSRP:
Coming soon
SUMMERTIME
GENTLEMAN
5
TOP
4 MODEL:
Range Polo
COLORS:
Black, Navy, White

MSRP:
$49.99 to $54.99
SHORTS
5 MODEL:
Pursuit Shorts
COLORS:
Black, Fatigue, Navy

MSRP:
$59.99 to $69.99
FOOTWEAR
6 MODEL:
Terrain Lo
COLORS:
Admiral Blue/Slate,
Black/Slate
6
3
MSRP:
Coming soon
OUTFIT: SUMMERTIME GENTLEMAN

Some people cant live without a pair of shorts. Those who
love to give their gams a little air wont be let down by the
Pursuit Shorts. With lots of cargo pockets, ripstop fabric,
and action waistband, theyll hold up to the toughest
outdoor environments and be comfortable enough to wear
around the house. The Range Polo works just as well on

the target range as it does on a relaxing day. The vented
back will keep you cool and a media pocket contains a
cord guide. Even when youre building up a sweat, the
fabric dries quickly so you wont have to continually
douse yourself with water bottles. Get your Terrain Lo

shoes on and youve got a simple yet professional outfit
thats functional and allows plenty of movement. Thinking of spending a summer day outdoors? Weve got your
ensemble all picked out for you.
LIMIT 5 -
39999
99
$299
SAVE
$453
12,000 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH

WITH REMOTE CONTROL AND
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We have invested millions

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and pass the savings on to
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Magda Angel @magdaangel
PHOTOGRAPHER
Jorge Nuez @jorgehnunez
HAIR & MAKEUP
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RIFLE
IWI US @iwi.us
B16
Daniel Defense @danieldefense
DD Magazine
OPTIC
TRUGLO @trugloinc
TRU TEC
IS SU E
28
SLING
Magpul @magpul
MS1 Sling
218
THE NEW
HOLDS UP TO
32
ROUNDS!
DD MAGAZINE
THE ONLY MAGAZINE BUILT TO THE SAME EXACTING

STANDARDS AS OUR BEST-IN-CLASS RIFLES.
+ 32-ROUND CAPACITY
in the same size magazine as
industry-standard 30-round magazines
+ IMPROVED FEED LIP DESIGN

for optimized feeding and reliability
+ CARBON-FIBER-REINFORCED
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+ TEXTURED GRIP
for all situations
Visit DanielDefense.com for more information, and see

the new DD MAGAZINE at your local Daniel Defense dealer.
+ ENHANCED ANTI-TILT FOLLOWER

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+ IMPACT-ABSORBING
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+ SNAG-FREE DESIGN
+ PATENT PENDING
PRESENTED BY BROWNELLS & THE CREATORS OF
NO.3
04
12
CODE: K8F
USE AT BROWNELLS.COM
OR CALL 800-741-0015
ENDS 12/12/2016 11:59PM CDT
08
EDITORS LETTER
heres a certain pride
Mike Searson takes us back to the
associated with being one
early days of the AR-15, to a time
of those people. You
when Colt was advertising the SP1 as
know, the ones who are
the ideal ranch protection tool (youre
able to actually do stuff, rather than
dating yourself if you can remember
either wait for the market to react to a
those print ads when they first came
need they never thought they had, or
out). Here, he recreates a classic
have to take their busted appliance,
XM177 from brand-new components,
vehicle, or firearm to a pro to be fixed.
thats as close as you can get without
Yet the transition from consumer to
taking out a second mortgage for a
doer has never been easier, due in
full-auto original.
rapidly changing place. It

seems like instead of anticipating whats going to
be the hottest trend or newest product next year, youre looking at what
Bolt gun fans have recently gotten
could potentially be introduced in the
information, and the wide availability
a new set of toys to play with, as the
next 90 days. Theres a lot to digest,
of parts and accessories. If youve
highly respected Japanese Howa
but when it comes down to it, you
always wondered whether or not a
rifles have made a welcome return to
need only visit one location to stay
particular project is within your abili-
the U.S. Not only are there complete
up to snuff on all of it Brownells.
ties, then if youre like most of us, the
guns available, but for the home
For the past 75-plus years, Brownells
default answer is probably yes. Take
smith something even more exciting
has been staying in the know for one
pistol modifications, for example.
has happened barreled actions in
simple reason they love firearms.
large part to the democratization of
In this issue of Brownells Gunnery,
a range of calibers and profiles are
Brownells YouTube channel
Dave Merrill takes two of the most
shipping, so you can build them up to
(www.youtube.com/brownellsinc) has
popular handguns on the planet and
your liking. We took three examples
over 1,500 videos with new ones
tears into them. Both have weakness-
and configured them to meet any
posted each week. Subscribe and
es. Both can be improved, so we do
requirements we could see coming
just that. You can choose how wild to
down the pike, and got a lot of satis-
go with modifications, but there are a
faction from doing so.
few basic problems that every owner
A firearm is one of the most
should be able to correct without
personal tools we as humans own,
breaking the bank.
embodying a history and tradition

that goes far beyond mere steel, plastic, and wood. Dont settle. Be one of
those people.
Iain
he firearms industry is a
BROWNELLS.COM
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY GET BETTER

stay informed on the latest product
reviews, tech tips, and even tutorials
on topics as simple as what headspace is and how its measured, or
the differences between .223, .223
Wylde, and 5.56. Brownells wont
assume you know theyre going
to make sure you know, so you can
make an informed selection for your
next purchase.
Their new 7,000-square-foot retail
store off I-80 at exit 182 in Grinnell,
Iowa, is truly incredible, giving customers access to the entire Brownells
inventory. You know its an accomplishment when VIPs and fellow gun
lovers like Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lou Ferrigno come out to
help you celebrate the grand opening.
Visit www.brownells.com/retail to get
a look at this impressive facility. If
youre in the area, stop by and theyll
make it worth your while. You can
even pick up a catalog order while
you browse the rest of the store.
Still have questions? Visit
Brownells.com and click on the live
chat button or call (800) 741-0015
to speak with techs who can give you
the general guidance you want and
that same family-oriented mentality.
deserve. Whether you need help de-
Bob Brownell was putting together a
termining the right part for your aging
catalog with a handful of staff prob-
Personal thank you letters from
Remington 870, or need recommenda-
ably the same catalog your grandfather
Frank or Pete Brownell still get sent
tions on what the best tools are to help
was choosing parts from.
out for large orders. Theyre still rooted
you disassemble and reassemble that

Ruger Mark Series youve got, theyre
In addition to having the best parts
in old-school values, and no matter
to choose from, Brownells now offers
how much technology evolves, theyll
actual production firearms for sale.
keep up with it and not let it compro-
You can finally buy a new gun and get
mise how they operate. Not today, not
itable, one thing that never wavers is
everything you need to customize it
tomorrow, not ever. Youll still hear a
their commitment to you, the custom-
and maintain it from one place. Talk
real person on the other end of that
er. Brownells 100% Forever Guaran-
about true one-stop shopping! But
phone. Brownells is serious about
tee (excluding ammo and guns) still
even as their inventory grows by leaps
ensuring youre armed with all the right
stands, just as it did in the days when
and bounds, they still do business with
information the future will bring.
only a few clicks or a phone call away.

Even as anticipating change is inev-
If youre a firearms
lover and havent
made the pilgrimage yet to Grinnell,
Iowa, to see
Brownells retail
store, its definitely
something to add to
your bucket list.
BROWNELLS.COM
BY MIKE SEARSON
hey dont make ARs like they

used to, and thats both good and
RECEIVERS
Black Cerakoted receivers with Spartan
bad. The modern AR-15 offers
helmets, Gadsden flags, or pirate ships may
improved rifling, piston operating
be cool on a personal AR, but are completely
systems, more calibers, better materials,
wrong for a retro build of any type. Likewise,
integrated scope rails, and thanks to innova-
integrated trigger guards, checkering on the
tions like KeyMod and M-LOK, 99 percent of
front of the magazine well, and other forms of
the accessories are plug n play.
customization have no place on a retro build.
Todays rifles are a breed apart from what
Brownells is producing their receivers as
initially sprang from Eugene Stoners mind
close to period correct as you can get without
over 60 years ago. Still, the author cut his
jumping into a time machine and snagging
teeth on an M16A2 as a 17-year-old Marine,
some hippies draft card before he burns it to
and sometimes we kind of miss carry handles
take his place at INDOC.
or find ourselves lusting after one of the short
Pouring over the Brownells M16A1 Upper
XM177s that a generation of operators before
Receiver, we found that it matches the orig-
us carried, as they slogged through the rice
inal A1 profile. That means theres no shell
paddies and jungles of Southeast Asia.
deflector for southpaw shooters, the A1 rear
We wanted to roll a retro carbine build and
sight housing and carry handle have identical
went on a nostalgic hunt for an AR receiver
contours to the ARs of old, and obviously
with a fixed carry handle, and there were
there are no M4-type feed ramps.
virtually none to be found. Every assembled
The BRN-16A1 Lower Receiver has a front
rifle for sale at the local gun shop/gun show
takedown lug profile and profile surrounding the
circuit seemed to be a railed, 16-inch bar-
receiver extension that are identical to those
reled wonder with Magpul furniture. Not that
found on the M16A1, versus the more common-
theres anything wrong with those, but we
ly found A2 profiles, making them correct for
wanted to go retro!
any M16A1 reproduction build.
The few we did find were older Colts that
Nodak Spud (the manufacturing leader
have value as collector items in their own
in retro receivers of all types) provides the
right, and we didnt want to Bubba a fine
7075-T6 aluminum forgings on both upper
factory piece for our own amusement. As
and lower receivers, and then Brownells has
comes from the grenade ring moderator.
a builder, I found myself challenged by the
it machined to Mil-spec dimensions. After
This muzzle device was intended to reduce
authentic M16 kits that were abundant just
machining, each receiver is coated in a matte-
the loudness of a short-barreled rifle by mak-
a few years ago, but are now drying up. The
black, hard anodized finish.
ing it sound like a full-length M16. Because
few parts that you can find seem to be more

spurious than anything else.
We turned to Brownells, which makes it
Our suggestion is to not cheap out on the
of the change in sound signature, ATF classi-
build with another lower or upper that may not
fied these moderators as silencers requiring
match up with either of these for a retro build.
the $200 transfer tax.
BARREL AND MUZZLE DEVICE
nade ring, allowing mounting of the XM148
There are lookalikes without the gre-
safe and easy to source a retro build you

pretty much get one-stop-shopping with the
added benefit of trusting the source.
BROWNELLS.COM
One of the unique looks of the XM177
launcher, the precursor to the M203 grenade
BROWNELLS MAKES BUILDING A RETRO-THEMED AR-15 SIMPLE AND PAINLESS
FURNITURE
launcher. We wanted authenticity above all
Brownells AR-15 12.7-inch barrel as opposed
else, though, and Brownells makes a repro
to the sexier 10-inch version. An added benefit
XM177 flash hider complete with grenade ring
was the ability to pin and weld the moderator,
short. These are very unlike the fat M4-
with a total length of 4.5 inches.
saving us the $200 tax stamp for an SBR.
style handguards with dual heat shields that
When looking for a barrel, we wanted to
This barrel came with the Skinny Min-
The handguards on XM177s are round and
became popular in the 1990s. We like the
go short. Unfortunately that proves to be a
nie profile and the old-school 1:12-inch
problem with a retro build as most of the
twist rate. While its not our favorite configu-
improvements to function come at the expense
ration for heavier match bullets, its fine for
groove original A1 type. These can actually be
of authenticity. We definitely wanted the
the standard 55-grain projectile and its
relatively easy to find, but Brownells is working
aforementioned moderator, but went with a
the one you want for historical accuracy.
on a classy reproduction that fully looks the
version that Brownells is currently offering.

For the pistol grip, you need the no-finger-
BROWNELLS.COM
9
3
10
8
1
6
13
p
part.
The version
i we used is
i a prototype, but
i should be very similar
i i to what they roll out
it
i early 2017.
201 .
in
f a buttstock, a true XM177
1 would never
As for
p i CAR
C stock! The original
igi stocks for
f
use a plastic
i the early years off the

1
use in
e XM177,
but the
authenticity,
y you
y rattle-can it with Brownells
ifl were made from

f
i
these rifles
aluminum
coated
i 20-round
20
j
standard capacity
mags work just
Aluma-Hyde
y II (Parkerizing
g Grayy 083-002-212)
i black rubber, which

i can be hard to find.
with
fi
s a stash
stas tthat
at were
e e made
ade
fine.
We have a small
to give it a true old-school look that matches
We found a plastic reproduction that got the job
in the 1960s that still see use to this day, but
the original finish.
done, but its currently not available.
you can pick up new 20-round magazines
An imaginative builder could also send the
from Brownells that look authentic and are
carbine out for a Cerakote paintjob. No Boba
made with an improved follower and spring.
Fett or Iron Man themes, but a nice old-school
MAGAZINES
tiger stripe camo pattern would do this type
While your plastic mags, drum-style

magazines, and other favorite AR-15/M16
magazines will fit, the only ones that will
look right are the original metal GI types.
Experimental 30-round magazines were in
FINISH
The matte-black, hard anodized finish works
of build justice and give it the protection of

modern chemicals.
well, but is a little too black to be entirely

authentic. If you really want the ultimate in
GADGETS?
You might say, Add a sling and a flashlight
and you could run any modern tactical course
with this rifle. While youd be right, the main
problem with that statement is that the retro style
does not lend itself well to adding lights or optics.
We found a Midwest Industries rail that
attaches easily to the front sight blade and
works well for mounting a flashlight. Purists
will shout, Heresy! Thou shalt not mount any
tactical accessories to thy retro build!
We arent advocating it as such. We merely
put it out there should you want to run a lowlight carbine or other tactical course with your
build. Although unlikely, if this is the only AR
BROWNELLS.COM
11
MAKE / MODEL / PRODUCT ID# / PRICE
12
4
t
that
you own and want to use it for personal de--
one thing.
on the
o
g Putting
g it through
g its paces
p
f
i hose clamps and
fense,
that mount beats using
rrange
g to measure its accuracyy and reliabilityy is
i i Maglite.
i Just remove the rail
i section
i and
a mini
another. Brownells was kind enough

g to send us
lig when you

y want to look like
i youre
y
i g
light
leading
200 rounds of PMC M193-type

2
yp ammunition,
t raid
i on Son
S Tay.
y.
the
and we enjoyed
j y shooting
g it so much we dipped
pp
F
i
For guys who want to run optics,
if you
i somewhat retro your only
want to keep it
iinto
to ou
o ammo
a
o hoard
oa d when
e we
e ran
a out.
our own
i the most accurate AR we ever fired?
fi ?
Was it
i might
i
O G
decent option
be an Armson OEG
fi i
Probably not, but iit was definitely
one off the
(O i
G
i ) You might
i
(Optically
Enhanced Gunsight).
j
i
i
most enjoyable.
The lightweight
and handy
i i to source one, but

have to do some digging
i made us not want to put iit down. O

design
Our
l
i
iji
i still
i service
i
last
time
we checked Trijicon
will
f
2
2 iinchgroups ran from
2.75 at 100 yards and 4.2
these original tactical sights.
es at 200. This was while shooting in a standing
As for an optic for actual use, our favor-
position with no sling, rest, scope, or bipod.
Brownells
M16A1 Lower Receiver
080-001-304
$150
Brownells
M16A1 Upper Receiver
080-001-303
$150
ite has always been the Trijicon ACOG with

ACOGs, will mount in the carry handle. It may
FINAL THOUGHTS
If youre a builder and want to put something
affect your cheek weld a bit, but our LEOs
together to resemble a Vietnam-era build with-
and warfighters used them long before all the
out the hassles and heartbreaks of crawling gun
cool kids switched over to flat tops. Thats the
shows and scouring online ads for questionable
uppers, not the haircuts.
parts while you listen to Credence or the Stones
If you dont care for the ACOG, another
on your iPod, then Brownells has you covered.
option is a Picatinny carry handle mount by
We started out with the intent of putting
Smith Enterprise (available from Brownells,
together an XM177, and once that building
851-000-071) or a variety of others that mount
bug bites, we found ourselves thinking of the
to the carry handle and hover the sight over the
next project.
top of the handguard. Personally we prefer the
The good news is Brownells is committed
extended eye relief to an awkward cheek weld.
to the retro market, with a line of about 10
When you need to make your rifle look like
retro/military-style barrels already out, and the
it belonged to a LRRP (Long Range Recon-
company is looking to develop more period-cor-
naissance Patrol) Team slogging it through
rect furniture in the future. Theyre committed
Cambodia, you simply remove the mount from
to seeking out additional parts for other retro
the mounting hole in the carry handle.
builds as well.
Our own stance is that if you learn to correct-
your trigger, it looks like there will be plenty more
all shooter, but some shooters prefer optics.
to come in the future from Brownells. We think

the world would be a better place with some
Nailing the look on any historical build is
Brownells
X177 Flash Hider &
Grenade Ring
078-000-311
$50
DPMS
AR-15 Lower Parts Kit
231-115-003
$50
Brownells
AR-15/M16 Old-Style
Flat Slip Ring
080-001-262
$17
Brownells
AR-15/M16 Buffer Tube Assembly
080-000-555
$70
DPMS
AR-15/M16A1 Rear Sight Assembly
231-000-195
$14
10
0 Bushmaster
AR-15 Tear Drop Forward Assist
100-015-495
$18
11 Arsenal Line Products

AR-15 A1 Front Sight Base Kit
100-020-431
$8
12 Doublestar
AR-15/M16/M4 CAR-Style
Handguard
100-004-515
$16
13 Brownells
AR-15/M16 USGI-Style
20-Round Magazine
078-000-160
$12
So if building an old-school AR really trips
ly use your irons, it will make you a better over-
ITS PRETTY, BUT CAN IT SHOOT?
Brownells
AR-15 12.7-inch A1-Style Barrel
100-020-996
$235
M16A1 rifle clones, with a 1:12-inch twist on a

20-inch A1 barrel, but were silly like that.
TOTAL:
AMMO
a crosshair tritium reticle. Most, if not all
Brownells
M16 Mil-Spec
Bolt Carrier Group
078-000-250
$130
$920
PMC Ammunition Inc.

X-Tac 5.56 NATO Ammunition
105-000-390
$9
BROWNELLS.COM
BY IAIN HARRISON
PHOTOS BY STRAIGHT 8 AND KENDA LENSEIGNE
ere all familiar with the
offer barreled actions for those of us who like
The actions themselves are a two-lug,
ubiquitous Remington 700
to set up our rifles to meet our specific needs
push feed design, much like their M700
action, with its vast array
(either real or imagined), rather than settle
competitors. Where they differ is their
of aftermarket accessories
for whatever rolled off the production line.
extractor, which is usually one of the first
that allow a motivated individual to build up
items to be replaced on a custom build. In
bolt guns ranging from mild to wild. Thanks
thing we could foresee doing in the next 12
this case, theres no need, as the upgrade to
to Brownells, theres now an alternative that
months, from Precision Rifle Series matches
an M16-style claw has already been done for
starts a little higher up the spec sheet, while
to big game hunting to one rifle thats just
you. The bolts themselves are well finished
offering one option that Big Green overlooks.
as versatile as it is unusual. Common to all
and cycle smoothly. While the bolt knob is
Interested? We thought you might be.
is a Howa 1500 barreled action, saving us
a little on the small side for a full-house
the headache of finding a good rifle smith
tactical build, its no more diminutive than
an excellent reputation among the cogno-
to thread, chamber, and barrel a stripped
a stock M700, with a slightly longer handle.
scenti, while, for the most part, staying under
receiver. While this does admittedly limit
Overpressure events resulting in case head
the radar of most American gun buyers. That
your options when it comes to barrel length,
separations are handled via three large vents
might change in the coming years, as Legacy
profile, and chambering, the stock ham-
on the bottom of the bolt and one small one
Howa rifles have a long track record and
We put together three rifles to cover every-
Sports from Reno, Nevada, has committed
mer-forged barrels are an excellent starting
on the right, which should mean that gasses
long-term to importing them from Japan,
point by the time theyre shot out, youll
are safely vented into the magazine and
which has encouraged many accessory com-
have a better idea of exactly what you want
away from the shooters face. Hopefully, well
panies to offer products and support for the
to spend that particular chunk of cash on
never need to put this to the test, but its
base models. In addition, theyve taken the
and the factory tubes give a good baseline
reassuring to know the engineerings there if
inspired step of partnering with Brownells to
from which to make a decision.
we need it.
BROWNELLS.COM
BUILDING YOUR OWN CUSTOM RIFLE JUST GOT A LOT EASIER

WITH BOLT-ON GOODIES FOR EVERY APPLICATION
Wrapped around the bolt, the Howa
shots at bull elk, stalking moose through alder
SAUER. This 1-inch diameter 4-12x40 gave
receiver features a flat-bottomed design
thickets, or sneaking up on brown bears, a lit-
us a good price-to-performance ratio, as its
that puts lots of real estate in contact with
tle more horsepower is preferable. The 7mm
rated waterproof to 1m, uses low-dispersion
either bedding compound, bedding blocks,
Rem Mag is on the lower end of the caliber
glass, and wont break the bank. It sat in a
or a chassis, depending on how you choose
spectrum for Alaskan grizzlies, but when
pair of SIG Alpha medium height rings, and
to set up your stock. An integral recoil lug is
loaded with premium bullets it works just
if we had to do it over again, wed opt for the
employed to limit rearward movement as the
fine, while offering a flat trajectory and proven
low versions to get a little better cheek weld.
bullet goes downrange, and the front stock
performance on everything in the lower 48.
screw is threaded into it. All told, its a very
Howa offers a 24-inch barreled, long action
Previous versions of Howa rifles were

blessed with triggers that how should
competent design. Sure, its not an Accuracy
that fits the bill nicely, while Hogue supplied
we put this? sucked. The current HACT
International or a Surgeon, but its around one
an overmolded stock with an aluminum
trigger, however, is a good example of how
third the price, and you get a barrel for free.
bedding block that should be impervious to
factory rifles should be set up. A two-stage
anything mother nature flings at it. Further
unit that breaks clean at around 3 pounds,
enhancing the weatherproof nature of the proj-
its very competent and eminently useable;
One of the first choices to be made when
ect is the actions matte gray Cerakote finish,
if youre looking to control costs, leave it
selecting a rifle for North American hunting
which looks like bead-blasted stainless steel.
alone until it starts to hinder your perfor-
THE BIG GAME RIFLE
is of course the caliber. Just about anything
Up top, an EGW scope base was attached
mance. In a hunting rifle, were guessing itll
short of a BB gun will take down an eastern
via four screws and a dab of thread locker,
be a long time before you need to whip out
whitetail, but when it comes to cross-canyon
ready to accept a Whiskey3 scope from SIG
the credit card for a better bang switch.

ICE
akote
rrel
$60
3
4
EGW
Howa 1500 Heavy-Duty LA Scope Base
296-000-253
$70
SIG SAUER
WHISKEY3 4-12x40 Scope w/Triplex Reticle
100-017-262
$250
Howa
1500 Barreled Action
100-805-054
$527
AM M O
TOTAL: $1,128
Hornady
7mm Remington Magnum 162-grain
ELD-X 20/Box
749-016-321
$40
BROWNELLS.COM
3
4
MAKE
KE / MODEL
MOD
/ PRODUCT ID# / PRICE
Howa 6.5 Creedmoor 24-inch
-inch Hvy Bbl
AMMO
10
Kinetic Research Group

Howa 1500 180-XRay Short Action Chassis
100-019-798
$700
Jard
Howa & S&W 1500/Weatherby Vanguard
Adjustable Trigger
100-003-164
$132
Vortex Optics
Razor HD 5-20x50 Rifle Scope w/EBR-2B Reticle
100-013-101
$1,700
9
6
Vortex Optics
Vortex Precision Matched 35mm Scope
Rings (.95-inch Height)
100-006-719
$150
EGW
Howa 1500/Vanguard Heavy-Duty Steel
Scope Base
296-000-256
$120
Magpul
Remington 700 PMAG 10 7.62 AC AICS
Short Action Magazine
100-017-581
$38
Magpul
Remington 700 PMAG 5 7.62 AC AICS
Short Action Magazine
100-016-599
$33
Accurate Mag
AICS-Style 10-Round 223/5.56 Magazine
100-012-475
$70
THE PRS
S RIFLE
E
A couple of years back, the guys who run the
Precision Rifle Series came up with an excel-
and replaceable butt pads to shift the length

of pull. KRG makes this chassis for other rifles,
but the Howa 1500 version is available only
lent idea. In order to build the sport, why not
from Brownells. If we got to feeling froggy and
offer a division with a price cap, so that anyone
wanted to upgrade to a folding stock at some
thinking of getting involved wouldnt have to
point in the future, well, that takes three screws
drop new-car money on a custom rifle, just to
and a credit card, or as we like to call it, a
get in the door? Production Division has since
typical Friday night.
taken off like a cigarette butt dropped in a Cal-
Being less than $1,800 into the build at this
ifornia forest, proving that theres a demand for
point, we decided to splurge on some glass,
a competitive rifle that wont require its owner
opting for Vortex Optics top-of-the-line Razor
to trade in their home for a refrigerator carton
HD 5-20x50, mounted in their own rings. With
under a freeway bridge.
a 35mm tube, this monster optic allows up to
Our sniper match rifle started out life as a
33 Mils of elevation adjustment, which means
Howa
1500 Barreled Action
100-805-064
$546
24-inch barreled short action in 6.5 Creed-
we could exploit the 6.5s ballistics out to its
moor, chosen because the .260 caliber blows
transonic range, without ever running into the
TOTAL: $3,489
away the .308 ballistically, while offering much
stops.
Hornady
6.5mm Creedmoor
140-grain
ELD-Match 20/Box
749-016-348
$29
BROWNELLS.COM
Hornady
6.5mm Creedmoor
120-grain A-Max
20/Box
105-201-260
$27
longer barrel life than a 6mm. A KRG 180-
A precision rifle is best served by a precision
XRay chassis gave us a place to hang AICS
trigger, so Allen wrenches were pulled from the
magazines, as well as an adjustable cheek-
toolkit and a Jard, single-stage adjustable unit
piece, near-vertical pistol grip with optimum
swapped in. This brought the pull down to just
finger placement, a rear hook for our off hand
under 2 pounds, with zero slack and overtravel.
2
10
Howa
a 6.5 Grendel 20-inch Heavy Bbl blued
MAK
KE / MODEL / PRODUCT ID# / PRICE
9
4
11
AMMO
THE CBD RIFLE

Wait, youve never heard of the CBD rifle be-
Hornady
6.5mm Grendel
123-grain, Super
Shock Tip 20/Box
100-012-016
$23
tto b
l such
h system
t
il bl right
i ht now
be th
the only
available
Howas standard 10-round detachable polymer
up. The acronym stands for cute, but deadly,
magazine, so spares are readily available. Its a
and its a sub 10-pound, 1,000-yard capable
skinny little fella though, so if youre expecting
bolt gun thatll fit in a regular backpack.
tons of acreage for a skid plate or a flat area the

size of Kansas to lay against a barricade, this is
up, through the use of a mini-length action.
not the chassis you seek, though it does come
Howa is one of just three manufacturers we
drilled and tapped for an optics bridge, so you
know of that build a bolt gun specifically for the
can use it at night. Although I only needed the
shortest of commonly available cartridges. Usu-
half-inch cheek riser, other sizes are available.
ally, rounds such as the 5.56 NATO, 7.62x39,
for the mini action. As a bonus, it accepts
fore? Thats probably because we just made it
We kept the weight down, and performance
Add a Timney trigger and a scope rail, and
Timn
ney
Howa
a 1500 Trigger
883-000-056
$124
4
Nigh
htforce
SHV 3-10x42mm Rifle Scope
524--000-219
$873
3
Warn
ne
Howa
a Mini Action Mountain Tech Scope Base
947--000-267
947
000 267
$59
Modular Driven Technologies
Folding Adapter for LSS Chassis
100--015-983
$130
0
Brow
wnells
AR-1
15/M16 Mil-Spec Buffer Tube
080-001-046
080
8
$26
High Standard
M4-Style Castle Nut
430-000-532
$5
Magpul
AR-15 CTR Carbine Stock - Mil-Spec
100-002-946
$57
Howa
1500 Barreled Mini Action
100-805-077
$439
Modular Driven Technologies
LSS Chassis for Howa 1500 Mini Action
100-022-919
$400
10
0 Magpul
AR-15/M16 CTR/MOE Cheek Risers
100-004-222 (-inch)
100-004-221 (-inch)
100-004-223 (-inch)
$19
11 Magpul
and their derivatives are fed through actions
you have the makings of a rifle able to wring
more suited to their .308-length brethren,
everything possible out of the Hornady factory
which means theyre longer and fatter than they
load with the 123-grain SST bullet, and if you
AR-15/M16 MIAD Gen 1.1 Grip Kit

100-014-095
$34
need to be, with a concomitant weight penalty.
dont mind single loading, 140-grain projec-
TOTAL: $2,166
By using a mini action and chambering it
tiles are a perfectly feasible option. Our CBD
in 6.5 Grendel, were able to stuff an awful
performed admirably on the range. While it was
By doing your homework and turning
lot of performance into a very small package.
slightly sub MOA with the Hornady ammo, I
wrenches, building a bolt gun to fit your
That package size is reduced even further if
reckon handloads could get it down from that
criteria, rather than those of some corporate
we incorporate a folding stock, made possi-
with CFE powder. In keeping with our most
marketing team, is easier than ever. Start with
ble through the use of an MDT LSS chassis
bang for the ounce theme, a Nightforce SHV
a barreled action and pay only for the parts
system, which also permits a degree of
3-10x42 scope was chosen at 21 ounces
you need theres no one better than you
customization, as the buttstock and pistol grip
its one of the lightest and most capable pieces
to figure out just what features are im-
are both sourced from the ubiquitous AR-15.
of glass in its price bracket, and was used to
portant and which are superfluous to your
This MDT chassis is brand new and appears
ping distant steel on Cowtowns West range.
requirements.
BROWNELLS.COM
11
BY DAVID MERRILL
To that end, we obtained an example of
backstraps to accommodate for hand sizes,
each. A Glock 17 Gen3 was chosen over a
whereas Glock didnt release the same,
hen the Smith & Wesson
Gen4 not only because a Gen3 is still easy
perhaps in a reactionary manner, until their
M&P was first released,
to obtain, but also because the vast majority
latest Generation 4 variants. While both can
the comparisons to Glock
of aftermarket parts are tailor-made for that
be burned with soldering irons or otherwise
immediately started rolling
popular series. A large-frame M&P 9mm
modified, with the S&W having the edge on
out. While there have been other so-called
was chosen as the rival. Since the Glock
grip, neither is particularly aggressive.
plastic fantastics, the M&P was the first
doesnt have a magazine or thumb safety,
that actually seemed capable of dethroning
we configured the M&P similarly.
noise of Glock versus 1911 and .45 ACP

versus 9mm, soon came Glock versus M&P.
The same goes for the swappable magazine release, though with small hands the
M&P release tends to be easier to engage
Glock from the top of the pile. Adding to the
OEM
When considering either pistol, the word
with your dominant hand without breaking

your master grip. S&W has a truly ambidex-
utilitarian first comes to mind. Initially, that
trous slide stop/release, though if the photos
Sure, well look at the raw handguns
sounds OK, but it also conjures images of
are to be believed, well soon see the same
themselves, as it provides a solid baseline,
concrete Soviet-bloc housing and Toyota
from the next Glock offering.
but well also have a gander at the after-
Corollas. If you just want a place to lay your
market for some solid solutions to potential
head at night or something to make quick
factory sights. The M&P sights are better
drawbacks and possible deal breakers.
jaunts to the grocery store, thats fine. But
than the plastic pieces lovingly referred to
Today well cover three different levels of
of course, we want to go further.
as dovetail protectors found on the Glock,
This isnt your typical A versus B piece.
modifications for each type of pistol: OEM,

enhanced, and advanced.
12
The M&P ships standard with different
each handgun, a fullsize 9mm version of
BROWNELLS.COM
Out of the box, its considerably easier

to talk about differences than similarities.
Neither will win awards for the basic
but thats a bit like saying Carrot Top is less

obnoxious than Pauly Shore.
WE TRICK OUT AN M&P9 AND GLOCK 17 GEN3 TO SEE HOW THEY COMPARE
The triggers are much of the same, but in
If you want two grown men to argue like
the opposite direction. Were not even upset
children, the easiest way is to find a woman
that S&W managed to have a longer pull with
theyre both attracted to and add her to the
more creep than a Glock were impressed
mix. The immediate runner-up would be to
at the feat. Of course, higher-end models of
ask them about preferences in pistol sights.
both can be had with better. Measured on
The minutiae between fiber optic, tritium,
an actual trigger scale, the M&P weighed in
adjustable, fixed, thin front sights, etc., can
with an average of 7 pounds, 5.7 ounces;
work people into a tizzy. Though the S&W is
the Glock at 5 pounds, 13 ounces. Despite
newer than the Glock, its been around long
ment here. If youre a just keep it stock
the weight difference, my split times on the
enough that you can probably get whatever
for reliability person, feel free to opt out.
range were similar at 0.22 seconds between
sights you prefer. I happen to like Trijicon
However, with both guns there are combi-
shots. No, Im not winning any championships
HD sights, so both guns are wearing them.
nations that are proven to be reliable. The
Regarding controls, there was a bit less
Apex AEK completely changed the feel of
anytime soon. Overall impression: utilitarian.
ENHANCED
In an effort to correct some of these woes
The triggers showed the biggest improve-
needed on the S&W side of things. Their
the M&P trigger; once you try it, you might
foresight from the factory is apparent. If you
never turn back.
like an aggressive texture, grip tape makes
The pull was shortened a bit, smoothed
we turn to the aftermarket, which in this case
for an easy job of it. If you plan to carry
tremendously, and reduced to 5 pounds, 7
means Brownells. Its no surprise that we
either pistol, you might want to put grip tape
ounces, though it subjectively feels much
address the same downsides of each pistol:
on just the off-body side, as to avoid sanding
lighter. At the range, splits improved to 0.16
sights, trigger, grip, and controls. We consid-
yourself down or wearing holes in your un-
seconds, standing out as the largest single
er addressing these first as near-mandatory
dershirts as you go about your day. Just be
enhancement of any item shown here. Be
upgrades in most circumstances. Heres the
sure you install your preferred grip module
advised that working on the M&P trigger can
parts breakdown for each:
on the S&W before applying the grip tape.
be quite frustrating when compared to the

simplicity of the Glock. Thankfully Apex has
S&W (see chart for number reference)

2 Apex Tactical Aluminum AEK Trigger
5 21st Century Gunfighter Catalyst Extended
Magazine Release
7 Trijicon HD Night Sights
10 Brownells Insta-Grip Tape
Glock (see chart for number reference)
a good series of installation and trouble-
2
5
7
10
13
shooting videos.
ZEV 3.5-pound trigger bar

TangoDown Vickers Extended Magazine Release
Trijicon HD Night Sights
A-Zone Gear Grip Tape
Aro-Tek Extended Slide Release
The simplest solution with the Glock was

installing a ZEV connector. It didnt give the
same dramatic change as the AEK on the
M&P, but did result in an incremental upgrade
to a 5-pound, 3-ounce pull and 0.18 second
splits. Of course, you can do more if you start
swapping springs and such which is what
the advanced scenario is all about.
ADVANCED
Were not just going a little further here,
were running all the way down the road in
this section. As in, make-your-friends-uncomfortable down the road. Were going to
push it as far as we can go without having
to rely on custom work. Match triggers,
BROWNELLS.COM
13
threaded barrels, optics, and more yes
Yes, we replaced the entire upper half
haps demonstrates S&W being more proac-
sir. This is also where the more robust af-
of the Glock. The fact that this form of
tive about anticipating their own aftermarket
termarket of the Generation 3 Glock shines
aftermarket support exists for the Glock and
interchangeable grips, ambi controls, and
the most. But as youll see, all is not lost
not the M&P shouldnt be taken outright as
lets not forget the M&P C.O.R.E. that was
for the M&P. Heres the parts breakdown
a slight against the S&W. Aside from Glock
released well before the Glock MOS. Had
for each:
being around for decades longer, it also per-
Glock released the MOS several years ago,

the pool of aftermarket optics-ready Glock
Glock (see chart for number reference)

2 ZEV Trigger Springs
3 Agency Arms Flat Trigger
4 ZEV Threaded Barrel
6 Brownells/Taran Tactical Magazine Extension
8 Trijicon RMR06
9 Raven Concealment Freya Magwell
11 ZEV
Z Dragonfly
fl SSlidee
S&W (see chart for number reference)

3 Apex Tactical Red Flat Face Forward Set
Trigger
4 AAC Threaded Barrel
6 Brownells/Taran Tactical Magazine Extension
8 Vortex Viper Reflex Sight
9 Burris FastFire M&P Mount
slides would likely be smaller.

Were fans of handguns with red dots,
though its easy to spend as much on the optic
itself as the base handgun. The same could
be said for rifles, as well, though not everyone
finds this juice worth the squeeze. Certainly
an optic that mounts in the rear sights dovei is
i less than idea
i l. As far as sight acquitail
si i goes, the sligh
i htly higher height over
sition
bore can be surmounted with a little trigger
i
time.
However, cowiitnessing iron sights is a
i this
is setup. In general, with a
non-starter with
i
i its best for the optic to
slide-mounted
optic
i
e slide itself.
be recessed into
the
fly comes straight from
The ZEV Dragonfl
go with ZEV internals
Brownells readyy to g
i sights,
i
and plain
all hot and ready for you to
i a barrel and
d an RMR.
drop in
be runnin
ing a suppressor or muzIff youll
i off some kind, a threaded barrel
zle device
i mandatory. Additionally, you may be
is
able to e
eke out extra accuracy if
ide to roll with a match
you decid
h some fitting may be
barrel, though
i
required.
Thosse shooting lead reloads
i probably e
enjoy the non-polygonal
will
ifli g as well.
nature off the rifling
/
Tactical extensions give
Brownells/Taran
j i s for the party. 23+1
you more projectile
9
rounds off 9mm
isnt anything to turn your
p at. Unlike
i m
many other magazine
nose up
14
BROWNELLS.COM
Vacillating between the
i
ownells variety comes
extensions,
the Bro
Apex AEK and the Apex

Red Flat-Faced trigger
for your M&P? There are
noteworthy benefits to
each option head on
i replacement springs and has a locking

with
over to Recoilweb.com
for a breakdown.
heir extensions failed.

everywhere when th
i
i e
exceedingly hard to
mechanism
so its
i
dmittedly, we may have
lose by accident.
Ad
j
enfreude in the past from
enjoyed
the schade
i someones
s magazine spill rounds
watching
MAKE / MODEL / PRODUCT ID# / PRICE
Flat-faced triggers may take some getting

used to for some and are a joy for others,
and both the Apex and Agency rock wide,
a measly 3 pounds, 3 ounces, and average
splits of 0.16 seconds.

Why the magwell? Why not? Though origi-
flat faces. Whenever you stack non-OEM
nally designed as a reloading aid, if you have
parts on top of non-OEM parts, you can
larger mitts itll help your hand stay higher
start running into problems. Part of the
on the grip. In order to fit the Raven Con-
reason these particular trigger parts fall
cealment magwell on the Glock 17, we had
under the advanced section is that you
to trim back some of the grip tape this is
should probably know what the hell youre
a fitted part manufactured with precision.
doing before you just start replacing one

part after another. And if you werent good
at swapping out fire control parts before you
CONCLUSIONS
The bottom line is that you need to deter-
start ... youll either get good at it, or have
mine what you want to do and how far down
an awfully hard time with it.
the rabbit hole you want to go. Configuring
The Apex Red Flat-Faced trigger is
for defense is different from competition.
designed to work with Apexs Forward Set
If youre looking to upgrade all the way to
Sear; it just doesnt play well with the facto-
advanced in parts and pieces, the Glock is
ry sear. Thankfully, Brownells sells these as
the obvious choice with its vast aftermarket
a matched set. It also should be noted that
support. If youre looking for the simplest
at the time of this writing the red version
solution right out of the box, perhaps strong-
is only available from Brownells. Put in the
ly consider something from the S&W line.
time on the bench, and youre rewarded with
Ive been shooting Glocks for a long time,
minimal creep and overall throw. That orig-
but those M&P aftermarket triggers sure do
inal OEM pull of more than 7 pounds was
shine brightly once properly tuned.
halved to 3 pounds, 7 ounces. Split times
Remember that were talking about two
werent cut in half, mostly because this
pistols that have seen heavy law enforce-
shooter isnt superhuman, but times below
ment, carry, and competition use for years.
0.15 seconds were recorded.
Its clich to say that you cant go wrong,
The ZEV/Agency solution provided similar

results, ultimately attaining a pull weight of
but you really cant. Besides, the title of this

article wasnt Glock versus Lorcin.
GLOCK
M&P
Glock
G17
100-300-133
$550
Smith & Wesson

M&P Handgun 9mm
17+1 Full Size No Safety
100-300-407
$470
Zev Technologies
Trigger Upgrade
Components for Glock
100-004-108
$15
Apex Tactical Specialties

M&P Aluminum AEK
Trigger
100-010-583
$77
Agency Arms
Drop-in Flat Trigger
for Glock
100-018-061
$150
Apex Tactical Specialties

Red Flat Face Forward
Set Trigger
100-017-344
$165
Zev Technologies
Match Barrel for G17,
Threaded
100-019-697
$285
Advanced Armament
S&W M&P 9mm Threaded
Barrel
276-000-038
$215
TangoDown
Vickers Glock Extended
Magazine Release
100-003-404
$17
21st Century Gunfighter

M&P Catalyst Extended
Magazine Release
100-015-909
$20
Brownells / Taran Tactical

Innovations
Firepower Base Pad Kit
Glock +5/+6
100-020-743
$40
Brownells / Taran Tactical

Innovations
M&P Firepower
Base Pad Kit +5/+6
100-020-740
$40
Trijicon
HD Tritium Night Sight Set
892-000-077
$134
Trijicon
HD Tritium Night Sight Set
892-000-081
$158
Trijicon
RMR Sight LED 3.25 MOA
Red Dot
892-000-050
$557
Viper Optics
Viper Reflex Sight
100-017-321
$230
Raven Concealment Systems

Freya Mag Well
100-020-442
$95
Burris
FastFire Mount
118-000-073
$48
10
0 A-Zone Gear
Brownells
Insta Grip
084-093-106
$21
Grip Tape
100-013-729
$10
11 Zev Technologies
Zev Dragonfly G17
Slide Kit
100-019-702
$798
TOTAL: $1,444
12 Zev Technologies
V4 Connector for Glock
100-012-422
$15
13 Aro-Tek
Extended Slide Release
for Glock
066-100-300
$36
TOTAL: $2,702
AMMO
Remington
UMC Handgun
Ammunition
(9mm 115-grain FMJ)
305-201-761
$25
BROWNELLS.COM
15

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ISSUE 28

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Hard Riflfle Plate

Lets face it conventional media outlets are

As this issue ships to the printer, were about 29 days away

a great time. They offer nothing to keep your family safe

apart from bland admonishments and reliance on the state.

choice between a giant douche and turd sandwich. Given

Theyve no skin in the game when it comes to losing rights,

the wall-to-wall coverage lavished on these subprime speci-

property, or freedom, and for the most part, theyre either

mens of humanity (dear God, please make it stop) Im not

insulated from the effects of disarmament, or else theyre

going to labor the point here. Instead, let us take comfort in

willing to trade it all for personal ambition.

Those behind the gun-control organizations know this of

Constitution, the president has less power than the media

course, and try to counter by spending heavily on advertis-

would have us believe.

ing in an attempt to create the illusion of a grassroots move-

Despite the current incumbent throwing tantrums worthy

ment. You need only look at their social media presence to

of a 2-year-old, in terms of meaningful progress to his anti-

realize theyre an empty shell. By and large, theyll make

gun agenda, hes managed little apart from mildly inconve-

one turgidly unoriginal post every work day to satisfy their

niencing gunsmiths and a few importers. Now, this is not

backers, then call it quits on Friday afternoon. Contrast this

in any way meant to minimize the impact of government

with the torrent of content that comes from enthusiasts like

meddling in the lives of honest citizens, merely to illustrate