3 Innovative Gun Storage Options

Mix-and-Match Gun Cases

Negrini has rolled out a new line of gun cases called Tactica Concealed Carry. On the outside, they look like a sleek and stylish case that could hold anything. On the inside are modular, transformable inner sections of dense die-cut PixelFoam. That means you can swap out this sections like Lego parts to fit whatever gun or accessory you need to make a tight, secure fit. The user removes the unused pixels in whatever way you want to fit your firearm and additional pixels can be ordered for further customizing or if you lose one.

The cases come in eight sizes ranging from a single handgun case to one that holds six. There are also cases for AR-15-type rifles. All sizes of the cases have extra room for magazines and accessories. The exterior of the cases are made of a double wall multi-layer ABS technical polymer that is lightweight and absorbs shock. The MSRP ranges from $119 to $369. Check out Negrini Cases.

Cabinet for the Marksman-Archer

Some folks like to dabble in all of the shooting disciplines, including archery. Working off a 2006 study from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that indicated 93% of all hunters hunt with firearms and 28% hunt with a bow, Stack-On came up with a security cabinet for hunters that houses both guns and bows.

The Buck Commander Gun & Bow Security Cabinet was designed to hold two compound bows and up to eight rifles or shotguns. The weapons are locked behind 3-point, key-coded system and the steel exterior has a Hammertone black and silver paint finish. Inside is a full-width, steel shelf for ammo or gear and on mounted on the door is a foam holder that holds 12 arrows. There is also hanging peg that attaches to the outside of the cabinet for hanging a bow—a handy feature for when your hands are too full.

“There is nothing else like it in the marketplace today,” said Shelley Nehrt, Director of Marketing for Stack-On Products. That is a true statement and the cabinet is perfect for the shooter that likes to send bullets, shot and arrows downrange. The specs: 21” wide, 18” deep, and 55” tall. Visit Stack-On.

Put Your Guns in Lock-Up

Rather than locking a firearm inside of container to keep it safe, another option exists: lock the gun through a mechanical device and simply leave it out in the open (or hidden if so inclined). This is what the RAC does for firearms that are not in use. It has both a trigger lock and a tamper-resistant mounting system that can withstand 4,700 pounds of pressure.

What is interesting about the RAC is that it can be mounted on just about anything and anywhere. It can be bolted underneath the hood of a trunk so when you open the trunk, there is your gun. It can be mounted about anywhere in your home, garage, barn or work area. The only caveat is that whatever you mount the RAC onto; it should be just as strong since the surface material will probably break before the RAC will if a vandal were to try and smash it off a wall. But even if that happened, then the criminal will have a useless gun with a lock stuck on it. Hence, only a true idiot would attempt such a thing.

Mounting the RAC is about as hard has hanging a bookshelf. Mark where you want to put it with a pencil, drill the holes, and wrench in the lag bolts. There are some special instructions for removing a pin and they are easily understood.

The RAC secures about 97% of firearms with a trigger housing and has earned California compliance certification. It can fit both long guns and handguns and so they won’t get scratched, it is covered with a smooth rubber coating. A tubular key is used to access the gun and the manufacturer recommends storing only unloaded firearms. Two kinds are offered: a three-inch model that stores one firearm, and a five-inch model that can hold multiple firearms depending on their size and shape. MSRP: $75. For more information visit The RAC.

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Handloading for the Semi-Auto Handgun

Handload for Accuracy and Reliability, Not Velocity

The first semi-auto handgun I ever owned was a Smith & Wesson Model 59, bought with my first paycheck when I took my dream job as a biologist for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Back in 1978, those of us in the Wildlife Division had to provide our own sidearms (we were all commissioned officers, but only the wardens in the Law Enforcement Division were issued guns in the form of the Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver). Since I had to buy my own, I wanted something more appropriate than my Model 28 hunting revolver for daily carry. I had a good supply of surplus 9mm ammo and for that first year, every evening after work, rain or shine, I practiced with that pistol behind my barn.

As a target I used a playing card and in each session I would run through about 15 rounds from 5 to 25 yards, drawing and firing one, then two, then three shots at the different distances. In October 1979, all that practice paid off when I was attacked by a huge Saint Barnard/Labrador cross, a feral dog that surprised me deep in on National Forest land miles from the nearest road. I have no doubt that pistol saved me from a serious mauling.

Popular Calibers

The most popular semi-auto calibers have traditionally been the 9mm Luger and the Colt .45 Auto; the 9mm being the most widely chambered handgun round in the world and the .45 ACP being the cartridge against which all other semi-auto rounds are measured. There is a perennial argument over which is better for self-defense, the high-capacity 9mm or the striking power of the .45. I personally would not want to be the recipient of either one, but history has shown us time and again that torso hits with the .45 are less survivable.

Handloading the semi-auto pistol can be tricky; one must match the velocity and bullet weight to reliably work the action, while still achieving the accuracy necessary for consistent groups. This means there is a narrow window of acceptable velocities for a given bullet weight.

Couple this with using a style of bullet that will reliably feed, and we see that care must be taken when loading.

Compounding the handloader’s concerns is the nature of the extremely fast powders used for these cartridges—the difference between a reliable, accurate load and a wrecked handgun (or personal injury) may be as little as 1/10 of one grain of powder.

It’s my advice to load for reliability and accuracy and not the highest possible velocities. True, many pistols operate best near their maximum load, but approach that listed maximum with extreme care. A good chronograph can be a big help in developing these loads for this reason, as you should look for velocities with the smallest possible shot-to-shot variation.

My Load Data

In my Beretta 92FS, the Hornady 124-grain full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet on top of 5 grains of Unique delivers an average of 1,100 feet per second (fps) for 10 shots with only 4 fps difference between the highest and lowest velocities. I use Winchester brass and some of my closely guarded supply of Federal 100 primers.

With this load and pistol last year I watched my son Wade repeatedly bounce around a coffee can at 130 yards. The Hornady FMJ bullet feeds wonderfully and in more than 400 rounds I have had no malfunctions. Using a 5-grain load of Winchester WSF and this bullet has not been as consistently accurate as the Unique load, but it operates the pistol fine and seems somewhat milder, although velocity average is very close to the Unique load.

In my Colt Government 80 series (her name is Hard Candy), 7 grains of Unique under the Hornady 230-grain FMJ in Winchester cases and Federal 150 primers is my only handload. If I don’t shoot it, I’m shooting UMC factory ammunition. This pistol loves the 230-grain bullet and will not group lighter bullets worth a hoot. This load in a Smith & Wesson Model 1917 killed the biggest wild hog I have ever laid hands on—a 424-pound monster—with one shot at 15 yards. Later that same day, the fellow who owned the revolver used that load to shoot a ragged one-hole group of five shots at 40 yards.

Handloading for the semi-auto pistol can be rewarding and economically smart. Pay attention to detail, load for reliability and accuracy and see for yourself.

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Handgun Review: Walther PPQ M2

Smooth shooting and beautifully engineered, the German-made Walther PPQ M2 handgun strikes the perfect balance between form and function.

If gun manufacturers produced commercials to appear on any of the major networks, Walther’s ad for their PPQ M2 would look like a Lexus commercial. A trusting, deep baritone voice would speak of classic lines, ergonomics, performance, form, function, beauty and even art. Indeed this gun to a true firearm enthusiast is a piece of modern engineering art, for how it balances in the hand and shoots as much as for its appearance.

Walther PPQ M2 Ergonomics Defined

It is said by most shooting instructors that for effective use, the handgun must become an extension of the hand. The PPQ M2 does.

I know from a concealable standpoint, there’s no shortage of shooters who like a single-stack semi because it’s more slender. However, after shooting a number of both single-stack and double-stack guns, I simply find I shoot a double-stack better.

The grip fills my palm and leaves me with less indecision on where to precisely place my hand. I’m able to control the gun better, both when aiming and during recoil, which improves follow-up shot placement considerably.

The grip on the PPQ M2 curves comfortably in the rear to form a swell that naturally fills the palm for a surer hold. The handgun comes with three easily interchangeable back strap panels that can be removed and attached by simply removing a single pin with a small punch.

The medium strap installed on my test gun fit my hand perfectly, though there is a smaller one for shooters who prefer less swell or have smaller hands and a larger one for shooters who want even more to hold.

The polymer grip has mild finger grooves in the front and gentle contours along the side and is textured with a nonslip cross-directional surface. The texture enhances the shooter’s hold on the gun while firing without chewing bare hands up during high-volume target sessions.

Design didn’t end at the grip. Edges are rounded to prevent snagging when holstering or unholstering, while the trigger guard indents where it attaches to the front of the grip for additional finger comfort.

The machined slide is Tenifer coated for corrosion resistance and sports vertically angled lines notched along its length to create visual appeal, as well as shave a little weight from the gun.

The result is a handgun that looks remarkably stylish and distances itself visually from many of the clunkier, albeit excellently shooting models available from Walther’s major competitors and even, to some degree, within its own lines.

But beauty is meaningless without functionality and there, the PPQ M2’s features deliver as well with an integrated rail beneath the barrel for the mounting of a laser or light and low-profile three-dot polymer combat sights that provide for quick target acquisition.

The sight dots are bright white, which imprinted on the black posts provides for easy sight alignment against both light or dark targets and backgrounds. An extended ambidextrous slide stop provides for easy lock-open from either side of the gun, even when wearing gloves.

The PPQ also has a trigger safety and internal safeties as well as a loaded chamber indicator, an oversize magazine release that can be reversed for left-handed operation and of particular interest where performance is concerned, Walther’s Quick Defense Trigger, a super smooth squeezing trigger with a light 5.6-pound trigger pull (mine actually fired at just under that), less than a half-inch (.4 inch to be precise) trigger pull and a .1-inch reset for lightning fast follow-up shots.

As one Glock fan joining me during test firing observed, “This trigger is smoother than my Glock. It feels almost like a competition trigger.”

The width of the PPQ M2 is 1.3 inches, again, wide enough to enhance in-the-hand comfort without making the gun so bulky as to preclude it from serious carry consideration. This is certainly no subcompact-sized gun for those seeking today’s ultra-slim designs, but in my experience, particularly with newer shooters (and even some not so new), shooting smaller guns can also be more difficult.

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5 Tools You Need in Addition to Your Reloading Kit

You’ve thought about it long enough and now you’re ready to make the plunge into reloading. Good for you, it’s a rewarding discipline and adds depth to your shooting experience. Luckily, there is no better time to get involved with reloading then now with most manufacturers offering fully-loaded starter kits.

Well stocked as these kits might be, almost all typically require supplemental purchases. Here are five of the most common tools you must plan on buying after you’ve bought your reloading kit to start cranking out the ammo.

Caliper
Next to your press and scale, a caliper is perhaps your most important reloading tool. The instrument is used to measure case length, inside and outside case diameter, primer pocket depth and other case dimensions. There are two styles available – dial and digital. Both are accurate, with most measuring within one one-thousandth of an inch.


 

Dies
Dies are where the rubber meets the road in reloading. They are the tools you use to size cases and seat bullets to finish your cartridges. The simple reason why dies are not included with your kit is manufacturers have no idea what calibers you plan to reload. The good news, dies are universally compatible with presses, so you needn’t confine yourself to buying from one manufacturer.

Shellholder
A Shellhoder is the intermediary between your case and a number of reloading tools. Like its name implies, a shellholder holds your shells – in a press, on a hand priming tool and in a case trimmer. Similar to dies, they are not included with your kit because manufacturers don’t know what you’re reloading. The nice thing about a shellholder, it will typically work for more than one caliber.


 

Case Trimmer
You won’t need one of these right off the bat, but fire the same brass a few times and it’s a different story. Case trimmers become a must once brass reaches a certain length. Without trimming your cases you’ll either need to buy more brass or run the risk of a hefty gunsmith bill to get your action unstuck.


 

Bench
Really, you might not have to buy this, just get a little inventive. There are many fine reloading benches on the market and designs available for free and purchase. But if you have an old sturdy desk or table you don’t mind drilling holes into then you’re set. Now you just need to find that quite out of the way spot to put it and get reloading.


 

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Best Scope Magnification: How Much is Too Much?

In general, the least magnification that gives you a clear target image is the best scope magnification.

Too much magnification handicaps you in several ways. It shrinks the field of view, so you won’t find the target as quickly as with less. On a hunt, you may not see the huge buck in the shadows to the side of the most obvious animal.

High power reduces exit pupil diameter, so, in dim light, the target image won’t be as bright. The magnification that makes that target bigger also bumps up the amplitude of reticle movements due to muscle tremors and heartbeat.

Reticle quivers you might not even notice at 2½x become violent dips and hops at 10x. At 20x, you’ll see so much chaos in the tighter field, the target may bounce in and out of view as you try to tame that reticle. A scope helps you when it shows movement you can control.

Too much magnification can be a liability. For big game, 6x may be all you need—ever!

It’s a liability as it amplifies movement you can’t completely control. Instead of applying gradual pressure to the trigger, you wear yourself out fighting the jitterbug image in your sight. As eyes and muscles tire, an accurate shot becomes impossible.

Magnification also shows you mirage, a good thing on days when mirage is light and the target is in reasonable range. But, on hot days, when you’re aiming over great distance, the target may appear as a dim, shapeless object stuck below the surface of a raging river.

In general, the least magnification that gives you a clear target image is the best magnification. I use 4x rifle scopes for most big-game hunting and think it adequate to 300 yards. A 6x works fine for me at 400.

Of course, you’ll want more magnification for small animals like prairie dogs. Deliberate shooting at paper bull’s-eyes and steel gongs brings out powerful glass.

I’ve used 16x, even 20x, scopes to advantage in good light, when there’s time for a solid position and precision trumps all else. In smallbore matches, a 20x Redfield served me well.

I needed that much power to hold on a .22 bullet hole at 50 meters, or shade to the bottom-right quadrant of an X-ring the size of a bottle cap at 100. I’ve used 25x to good effect on bull’s-eyes, but am inclined to think 20x would have served, too. Higher power is very hard to use.

These days, variable scopes offer wide four-, five-, and now six-times power ranges; that is, the highest magnification is four, five, or six times that of the lowest.

So, instead of the 3-9x that once awed sportsmen with its versatility, you can get a 3-12x, a 3-15x, or a 3-18x. Or bump up to 4x on the bottom to get 20x or 24x on the top. Such scopes feature 30mm tubes.

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Big-Bore Handgun Clips

Big-bore handguns aren’t for the faint of heart or the weak of wrist. The guns push the limits of what can be fired away from the shoulder. And they have become the objects of affection for hunters and target shooters alike. What is a big-bore? Well, it is a relative term. Max Prasac, author of Big-Bore Revolvers draws the line at the .41 Magnum. For this montage we’re going a bit bigger — .44 Magnum and up. So enjoy your stroll through the wonderful world of big-bore handguns and take a gander at 10 of these hand cannons in action.

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9 Must-Have Items in Pro Taran Butler’s Range Bag

Taran Butler has made a name for himself as a top shot on the 3-Gun circuit, a member of Team Benelli and an instructor for Hollywood actors. Below is an excerpt from an interview Butler did with Barb Baird of Women’s Outdoor News. The big question Baird had for someone who lives in his range bag, what exactly is in it?

Trainer of the stars and dubbed one of the most versatile competitive shooters in the world, Hollywood’s Taran Butler is a no-nonsense, get-it-done-now guy. You might know him as one of Benelli’s 3-Gun pros, and he has collected multiple championships, including the Rocky Mountain World 3-Gun tactical champion (three times) and SMM 3-Gun Tactical Champion, 11 times consecutively.

During the height of his current competitive season, Butler took time to reveal what he carries in his trusty range bag, made by Green Mountain.

“I have been using the Green Mountain bag since 1996, and it’s awesome—not overly big or too small, and it can handle brutal baggage handlers. It’s by far the ultimate bag,” said Butler. For 3-Gun matches, Butler shoots a custom TR-1 ULTIMATE AR-15, TTI Glock 34, TTI ulti-mate Benelli M2 and a custom Infinity 1911.

Here’s what you’ll find in his range bag:

·         Infinity 1911 24-round magazines

·         BLADE TECH holster belt and mag pouches

·         Federal and Black Hills ammo

·         Tools and replacement parts

·         Pro Grip spray

·         Oakley glasses, Vltor fitted hat

·         4-shot shotgun Kaddys

·         Aquafina water, vitamins

·         PMags

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Shotgun Ammo Rundown 2013

Shotguns have long been regarded as the most do-all shooting tools available. With a shotgun, a person can shoot a single projectile or a pattern of shot, they can shoot as close as a few yards and out to beyond 100 yards (with a slug), and they can hunt, target shoot and defend themselves. This year’s crop of new loads only improves their applications for whatever you desire.

Hornady Superformance & Heavy Mag

Hornady is making the Superformance shotgun slugs available in 12 and 20 gauge. If you shoot a rifled slug gun you need to give these slugs a try. Using a 250-grain Monoflex slug in 20 gauge or a 300-grain Monoflex slug in 12 gauge, these loads are just what the doctor ordered for deer, black bear or hogs. Also, if varmints are on the menu, the Hornady Heavy Mag Coyote 12-gauge loads will not disappoint the close-range hunter.  (hornady.com)

Kent Cartridge Diamond Shot & 5-Star Penetrator

Kent Cartridge has some great turkey loads in their Diamond Shot and 5-Star Penetrator shells. The Diamond Shot loads are available in 12 and 20 gauge, and the Penetrator loads are available in 12 gauge only, but feature a 50/50 mix of Tungsten Matrix and Diamond Shot. I will be testing the Kent Tungsten Matrix l6 gauge, 11/8-ounce upland load in No. 5s during turkey season this year and have high expectations on its performance. There are many 16-gauge shooters in the country and this is a great load for upland birds; it can be used in your treasured side-by-side guns without worry. (kentgamebore.com)

Kent 10-Point Precision

The Kent 10-Point Precision slugs are a new addition to the Kent line as well, with a hard-hitting 1-ounce slug that launches at a scorching 1,850 fps. This one should satisfy the serious deer or hog hunter. (kentgamebore.com)

Winchester Razorback XT

Winchester has recognized the out-of-control feral hog problem across much of the country and the need of hunters for dedicated shotgun hog loads to deal with the problem. The new Razorback offerings in 12 gauge, with either buckshot or a frangible 1-ounce slug will meet this need. The 12-gauge Razorback XT buckshot load will feature eight buffered 00 buck pellets for hard-hitting, close-range knockdown power. The Razorback XT segmented rifled slug is designed to segment into three equal pieces upon impact for devastating trauma caused by multiple wound channels. It also features an innovative wad stabilizer for pinpoint downrange accuracy up to 125 yards. (winchester.com)

Winchester AA TrAAcker

Winchester also has a new load that may be just the thing for wingshooter training, the AA TrAAcker offering. The secret of AA TrAAcker is in the revolutionary wad. Loaded with 1 1/8 ounces of shot like a standard AA shotshell, the innovative wad design includes longer, notched petals and captures 1/8-ounce of shot, which stabilizes wad spin and ensures that the wad remains in the center of the shot cloud for optimum tracking. The AA TrAAcker load is available in two highly visible colors: orange, for overcast conditions or dark backdrops and black for clear skies or light backdrops. Shotguns have long been regarded as the most do-all shooting tools available. With a shotgun, a person can shoot a single projectile or a pattern of shot, they can shoot as close as a few yards and out to beyond 100 yards (with a slug), and they can hunt, target shoot and defend themselves. This year’s crop of new loads only improves their applications for whatever you desire.

Hornady Superformance & Heavy Mag

Hornady is making the Superformance shotgun slugs available in 12 and 20 gauge. If you shoot a rifled slug gun you need to give these slugs a try. Using a 250-grain Monoflex slug in 20 gauge or a 300-grain Monoflex slug in 12 gauge, these loads are just what the doctor ordered for deer, black bear or hogs. Also, if varmints are on the menu, the Hornady Heavy Mag Coyote 12-gauge loads will not disappoint the close-range hunter.  (hornady.com)

Kent Cartridge Diamond Shot & 5-Star Penetrator

Kent Cartridge has some great turkey loads in their Diamond Shot and 5-Star Penetrator shells. The Diamond Shot loads are available in 12 and 20 gauge, and the Penetrator loads are available in 12 gauge only, but feature a 50/50 mix of Tungsten Matrix and Diamond Shot. I will be testing the Kent Tungsten Matrix l6 gauge, 11/8-ounce upland load in No. 5s during turkey season this year and have high expectations on its performance. There are many 16-gauge shooters in the country and this is a great load for upland birds; it can be used in your treasured side-by-side guns without worry. (kentgamebore.com)

Kent 10-Point Precision

The Kent 10-Point Precision slugs are a new addition to the Kent line as well, with a hard-hitting 1-ounce slug that launches at a scorching 1,850 fps. This one should satisfy the serious deer or hog hunter. (kentgamebore.com)

Winchester Razorback XT

Winchester has recognized the out-of-control feral hog problem across much of the country and the need of hunters for dedicated shotgun hog loads to deal with the problem. The new Razorback offerings in 12 gauge, with either buckshot or a frangible 1-ounce slug will meet this need. The 12-gauge Razorback XT buckshot load will feature eight buffered 00 buck pellets for hard-hitting, close-range knockdown power. The Razorback XT segmented rifled slug is designed to segment into three equal pieces upon impact for devastating trauma caused by multiple wound channels. It also features an innovative wad stabilizer for pinpoint downrange accuracy up to 125 yards. (winchester.com)

Winchester AA TrAAcker

Winchester also has a new load that may be just the thing for wingshooter training, the AA TrAAcker offering. The secret of AA TrAAcker is in the revolutionary wad. Loaded with 1 1/8 ounces of shot like a standard AA shotshell, the innovative wad design includes longer, notched petals and captures 1/8-ounce of shot, which stabilizes wad spin and ensures that the wad remains in the center of the shot cloud for optimum tracking. The AA TrAAcker load is available in two highly visible colors: orange, for overcast conditions or dark backdrops and black for clear skies or light backdrops. (winchester.com)

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Hornady Offering New Twist on Handgun Security

Hornady’s RFID system is meant to overcome this situation, but it also appears to have limits. The bracelet, card or key fob must be on person for the radio frequency ID system to work. Otherwise, it’s back to the old methods.

Utter the name Hornady and what comes to mind?

Well, besides the company’s big red “H” logo, probably bullets, ammunition and reloading supplies. But if the Grand Island, Neb., manufacturer has its way Hornady will become synonymous with another facet of the firearms industry – safes.

The company’s new division – Hornady Security – is slated to release its line at the 2014 SHOT Show. And the company’s first offering is a bit of a break from what has been available on the market to date.

The RAPiD Safe is meant to address the issue of quick firearm retrieval, while keeping a handgun secure the rest of the time. It does so by utilizing radio frequency identification embedded in a bracelet, card or key fob.

One quick swipe over the reader with one of the entry options and the safe springs open, presenting the firearm in a padded sleeve at a drawable angle. The company touts it as the fastest handgun safe retrieval systems on the market.

Presently, most handgun safes utilize mechanical or electronic keypads, biometric readers or keys. Each of the existing methods has its pros and cons. The common perceived drawback for each is the potential to fumble with the entry system when seconds count.

Hornady is one of the first major manufacturers to bring RFID technology to the gun safe market, but there are other companies in the race. Startup The Gun Box announced in October that it would start shipping pre-orders of its RFID safe in December.

The RAPiD Safe also has a number of other entry options, including a keypad and key. It runs off standard household 110V power and includes battery backup. It weighs more than 15 pounds and is constructed of 16-gauge steel. It includes a 1,500-pound rated cable secure.

Innovation has a price tag. The company lists the MSRP on the RAPiD Safe at $276.67. Hornady is also introducing two other handgun safes, of the low-tech variety. The ArmLock Box ($45.91 MSRP) and the TriPoint Lock Box ($40.21 MSRP).

The new technology has the potential to turn some heads. But it’s a wait-and-see game if Hornady Security’s line becomes as popular as the company’s ballistic products.

            

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Used Handguns Enjoying a Thriving Market

Used revolvers and other handguns have jumped up considerably in value. Firearms specialist Scott Lutz said, Colt Diamondbacks are especially popular, fetching anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 apiece, depending on condition and engraving.

Any Smith & Wesson revolver no longer in production is getting Blue Book-plus prices, especially the small- and medium-sized models. Lutz recently watched a Model 19 K Frame in .357 mag, with a 2.5 inch barrel, go for $600, when $400 would have taken the same revolver just two years ago.

The H&R Sportsman, a 9-shot .22 LR caliber revolver, is quite popular at the lower priced end of the collectible’s market. Usually selling for under $400 apiece, even for vintage examples, people are assembling nice collections of these durable and reliable revolvers—without going broke competing with the Smith & Wesson and Colt collectors.

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Eye Popping Custom Guns

The rifle shown here is the first in the new Bolliger Legacy Series of rifles. It is crafted around a Winchester Model 70 Classic left-hand action and features a Krieger cut-rifled barrel with a full-length rib and quarter-rib, front sling swivel, and front sight ramp, all integral to the barrel. It also features extended tangs top and bottom and a Bolliger custom trap grip cap. Bolliger stocked the rifle with a stick of exhibition grade Turkish walnut, adding a custom fleur de lis pattern and checkering at 26 lines per inch. Mike Dubber executed the fabulous engraving. Photo courtesy Eric Gordon

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Learning the Art of the Draw

Choosing to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense is a good start to being prepared for an attack, but simply carrying a gun isn’t enough. You also have to know how to use that gun.

The basics of shooting and marksmanship are quite simple—grip, sights, trigger control and follow through—and can be easily learned. More advanced gun handling skills can be learned through research, or by attending one of the many firearm academies across the country.

While gun handling and accuracy skills are important, if you can’t get the gun out of the holster and into action quickly, you’ll be standing there with a lot of knowledge in your head and nothing in your hand. This makes the draw one of the most important components of proper self-defense. And you must be able to make the draw at any time and from any position.

Understanding Technique

Now before developing your draw, you have to decide how you’re going to carry. Some methods of carry provide easier access, while others impart deeper cover. There is no single correct way to carry a gun and only you can decide the method that works best for your purposes. But regardless of how you carry, you must master the draw for the holster system, or systems, that you choose.

The standard draw consists of four simple motions—the grip, the pull, the rotate and the presentation—that must be conducted in sequence or the entire process disintegrates and problems arise. Everything in the draw begins with the grip.

When you reach for your handgun, you must instantly obtain a shooting grip, with the trigger finger aligned along the frame. If you don’t get a firm grip on your handgun before it exits the holster, the draw can be fumbled and the gun dropped, which won’t do any good and could very well cause a lot of harm. You then pull the gun straight out of the holster before rotating it toward the target—from here, you can fire if the attacker has gotten too close to fully extend the gun. Finally, you present the gun toward the target, allowing the support hand to come up into a two-hand shooting grip as the sights line up.

Developing the Proper Draw

Now the problem with the standard draw is that it is based on carrying a gun in a strong-side holster, and there are as many different ways to carry a gun as there are types of handguns to carry. Fortunately, the draw is basically the same in all cases, with some minor variations.

Developing a proper draw takes time and practice, especially if you carry in multiple ways, as you must always be aware of where your gun is located and the best way to get that gun into action. You must develop the muscle memory for each and every way you carry. This is one of the reasons that many experts recommend carrying the same gun in the same way all the time. It doesn’t matter how good a shot you are if your gun is sitting in your holster.

The choice of carry method can also determine whether you can practice drawing at your local range. While some ranges do not allow draw training at all, others limit it to those methods like strong-side, pocket and ankle where the shooter is not sweeping the muzzle across adjacent areas. Unless you have your own range or shooting area, it’s very difficult to obtain live-fire training with cross draw, shoulder and small-of-back set ups. Availability of training locations should be included when considering how to carry a concealed handgun. Commence Training

Regardless of your carry method, training should always begin with an unloaded handgun. Even if your range allows drawing from a holster, you should still learn the motions through dry practice, which can easily begin at home. It should also begin without a cover garment, even though the final goal is a safe, smooth and fast draw from concealment. Starting with an unloaded gun sans cover garment allows you to learn the proper movements before introducing live fire and more complex motions, such as drawing from under a shirt, jacket or vest.

Always start slow and deliberate, and speed up as the motions blend together naturally. You can even include dropping the hammer on a target (make absolute sure your gun in unloaded) using one of the available laser training cartridges, such as LaserLyte’s LTS Training Cartridges, to get a good idea of your accuracy in a draw type situation.

While dry practice is good— sometimes it is all one can get— live-fire training is the best way to get a true feel for the effectiveness of your draw in a fight. As the gun is now loaded, you should again start slowly, firing one round per draw. As you become more comfortable, add speed and additional shots—two to three rounds—to the mix, before introducing a cover garment.

To reach a gun covered by a jacket or vest, you simply sweep it back with your hand to reveal the gun. You can help this process is by having an object in the pocket that is heavy enough to provide momentum to swing around the gun – a spare magazine or speed loader works well for this. If you’re using a shirt as a cover garment, you can reach under it with one hand to obtain a grip, but many people use their support hand to lift the tail, especially if the shirt is tucked around the gun for better concealment.

Of course, since few people use a single type of garment to conceal a gun, both methods should be practiced. Also, every time you change something in your set up—gun, holster or cover garment— consider unloading the gun and practicing a few draws in a mirror to ingrain the motions in your mind. Using a mirror allows you to view the motions, correct any mistakes and provide a target for lining up the sights.

Be Prepared

Finally, you must remember that an attack can come at any time, not just when you’re standing up and ready. You might be in a car, sitting in a restaurant or kneeling to tie a shoe. You might have to reach across your body with your support hand, kneel behind cover or even draw from the ground. The possible scenarios are almost endless. For this reason, you should implement training that includes difficult draws in a variety of locations. Again, many of these can be practiced at home with an unloaded gun. You can obtain feedback by using a mirror or a partner, who can suggest realistic scenarios that you might not think of yourself.

Now a concealed handgun along with the ability and wherewithal to use it is important. But many attacks end without a shot when a gun appears in the hand of a so-called “victim.” Whether facing a strung-out punk or a seasoned criminal, the first defense remains avoiding the situation, the second is drawing a gun and the last is taking a shot. Your draw is just an important as being able to consistently ping the 10-ring, and in many ways, much more important.

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Barnes Bullets Expanding AAC Blackout Lines

A heavier hitting round, with smoother feeding on an AR platform and superior performance with a suppressor, the 300 AAC Blackout came about in an effort to meet a slew of tactical demands. But it has not taken long for the round to break free from its military and law-enforcement roots.

The AAC Blackout has become all the rage with the general shooting public, who have been quick to grasp the upside of the relatively new .30-caliber round. The popularity of the AAC Blackout even has some manufacturers upping their game to keep up with shooters’ demand.

Barnes Bullets announced it is expanding two of its lines to include heavier .300 AAC Blackout options. The company is launching a 120-grain bullet in both its TAC-TX and its VOR-TX Ammunition and component lines, offering tactical and hunting options in the popular bullet.

Before, one of the nation’s leading lead-free bullet manufacturers only offered an 110-grain bullet in the .300 AAC Blackout. The new products will be made available in February 2014.

Features of the 120 grain TAC-TX include a specially designed profile that ensures flawless magazine-length loading in AR rifles, a boattail base to increase the ballistic coefficient and the proven solid-copper construction. The copper rounds were pioneered by Barnes and ensures consistent terminal performance through barriers and thick skinned game – making it an excellent choice for big game hunting as well as defense initiatives.

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Two Critical Accessories in Building a Defensive AR-15

When it comes to an AR-15 that I plan to use exclusively for defensive reasons, there are really only two items I like to add to the gun: some sort of white light and a sighting device other than iron sights. I don’t have anything against iron sights, but in low light situations, they can come up short. There are a many other extras that can be added to a tactical rifle, and special operators may even need others for a particular mission, but the simple AR with these two necessities is not only all a guy needs, but may prove to be tactically superior to a rifle with a bunch of additional items strapped on.

Choosing Your Sight

As far as a sight is concerned, I like the red-dot types. For my high mileage eyes something like an EOTech, AimPoint or one of the mini-red dots really improves my speed in lining up on target—particularly in low-light situations. Another great option for the defensive rifle is one of the 1.5×5 scopes that can be like a red dot on low power, but also offers some magnification for longer distance shots. Leupold’s MRT is a great choice in this department.

Depending on your intended use, this might even be a better choice, but for most home defensive and close-quarter situations, a red-dot or iron sight will be a better choice. Remember, it’s not outside the scope of operation to make long shots with a red-dot or iron sights, particularly with good eyes and practice so don’t discount these options just because you expect to shoot farther than 50 or 100 yards now and then. My patrol rifle is topped with an unmagnified EOTech and it’s capable of accurate 300-yard connections.

I had an opportunity to try out a medium-sized red dot from Meopta recently—the M-RAD, which proved to be a rugged little unit that can be used on a Picatinny-railed AR without a lot of added weight. It has a heavy hood to protect the optic and the on/off button is on the forward side of the sight for easy manipulation when shouldering the rifle. The same button can be manipulated when the sight is turned on at the shoulder to get the brightness appropriate for conditions. The unit comes with a pocket-sized wallet with all the tools and extra mounting pads to get the correct height for the individual shooter. The battery cap can be removed with a coin, but it’s easier to take off with the provided tool. The sight can be quickly put on and taken off the rifle with a robust clamping lever. The lever also has a spring loaded safety to keep it from coming off during rugged use. This would make swapping it out with a scoped sight easy in the field if the mission dictates.

It was literally a snap to mount it on the SIG 516 Patrol rifle I was shooting, and within seconds, I was on the range sighting it in. The tool wallet has a small screwdriver for adjusting the sight making elevation and windage corrections easy. Within a few shots I was sighted in. On the AR platform, the shot will hit low on close quarter shots because the barrel is a few inches low of the sight. At 100 yards it was dead on.

I ran it through some quick double taps around a barricade and the sight jumped right to the target. In fact, it was easy for me to double tap inch and a half groups. The M-RAD would also be small enough to mount at an angle on a competition gun that bears a scope for close shot versatility.

Light Selection

With sights decided upon, it’s now time to be prepared to precisely evaluate any threat while maintaining the ultimate level of readiness. You cannot evaluate a threat properly if you cannot see it. One of the best advancements that I have seen over the years pointing guns at people in the dark is lighting.

One of the first “modern” lights I owned was a Streamlight rechargeable flashlight. It was big and heavy, but much brighter than its predecessors. Now, almost 30 years later, I still look to Streamlight for my lighting needs. The lights are smaller, brighter and have functions like strobe, which in law enforcement, we were always taught to do manually.

Streamlight’s TLR-1 HL, which I assume stands for high lumens, busts out a whopping 630 lumens of light with a pistol-sized gun light. For close quarters defensive use this light is adequate on the carbine as well as the pistol. On the rifle it doesn’t add much weight or size and will light up, or blind, anyone in the room or area you are searching. It has an easily manipulated on /off switch, which allows the user to set it to momentary, all-on or strobe illumination.

The Streamlight TLR-2 HL boasts the same 630 lumens with a built in laser, which could be an alternate sighting device on your carbine or pistol should the condition dictate. Normally I’m not a fan of lasers, but for no extra weight or convenience, a laser can be waiting for duty should you need to make a shot without a sight picture. I mounted this light with Streamlight’s quick mount on the bottom rail of my AR. It was amazing how well it lit up any room in the house or outside around the house. I could evaluate a person’s hands at 25 yards easily.

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