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ALL-
STEEL
SEMI
AUTO
STOEGER
COUGAR
IN .40
S&W
SUPER
SMG
SIGSauers
MPX-P
FLEXIBLE
LIGHT, AND
COMPACT, FUNCTIONAL
RELIABLE SAVAGE HOG
RUGER LCR IN HUNTER
.327 FEDERAL BOLT-ACTION
JAN 2016 VOLUME 57, NO.1 $4.99 U.S.
DISPLAY UNTIL1/12/16 www.gunworld.com
01
TODAYS TOP 5 MILITARY PISTOLS
BEST CARTRIDGES FOR BLACK BEAR 0 74470 03105
Engaged Media Inc.
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GW_1601_C2 11/9/15 11:17 PM Page C2
12 20
30
54
GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) Volume 57, Number 1, is published monthly, 12 times a year by Engaged Media Inc, 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200, Yorba Linda, CA
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Features Columns
12 The Right-Priced Patriot 6 Up Front Craig Hodgkins
With its affordable, feature-loaded Patriot, 8 New Products Tim Stetzer
Mossberg ups its game in the bolt-action
hunting rifle market. 10 Ask the Experts Gun World Contributors
By Mike Dickerson
64 Handguns Dave Workman
20 Next-Gen Firepower 70 Reload James E. House
SIG Sauer has entered the submachine gun
market with their new MPX line, and it has 76 Todays Hunter Brad Fitzpatrick
struck a chord with the public.
By Garrett Lucas 82 Gunsmithing Steve Sieberts
54 Cougar Country
Although Stoeger is best known for value-priced
shotguns, the companys Cougar pistol may be
their best-kept secret.
By Brad Fitzpatrick
UP FRONT
January 2016
Volume 57 Number 1
EDITORIAL
Doug Jeffrey Editorial Director
The
Craig Hodgkins Editor
Mark Heisser Managing Editor
DESIGN
Johann Frederick Mendoza Art Director
Eric Knagg Design Director
Big Easy
CONTRIBUTORS
Steven Paul Barlow, Aaron Carter, Mike Dickerson, Brad Fitzpatrick,
Paul Hantke, James House, Phil Massaro, Jameson Parker, D.K. Pridgen,
John Raguso, Steve Sieberts, Dave Spaulding, Tim Stetzer, Tom Tabor,
Leroy Thompson, Martin Topper, Dave Workman
ADVERTISING
Gabe Frimmel Ad Sales Director
(714) 200-1930
GFrimmel@EngagedMediaInc.com
Casey Clifford Senior Account Executive
(714) 200-1982
Mark Pack Senior Account Executive
BY CRAIG HODGKINS (714) 200-1939
John Cabral Advertising Design
Gennifer Merriday Advertising Traffic Coordinator
I
TS NOT A BIG SECRET that SHOT Show booth, you could only spend Eric Gomez Advertising Traffic Coordinator
the majority of new product an average of 12 seconds at each one. No DIRECT MARKETING GROUP
John Bartulin (866) 866-5146 ext. 2746
introductions and big an- wonder there are very few chairs avail- Neil Medalla (866) 866-5146 ext. 2780
always-interesting National Rifle Associa- that attend (since it is geared toward pro- GUN WORLD (ISSN 0017-5641) is published monthly in January, February,
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November,
tion Annual Meetings and Exhibitsto viding an opportunity for distributors, December by Engaged Media Inc., LLC, 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200,
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be held on May 20-22 in Louisville, Ken- wholesalers and retailers to connect, mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GUN WORLD
c/o Engaged Media Inc, VSI, Inc. 905 Kent St., Liberty, MO 64068.
tuckythere is another show I try to some companies that handle those func- 2016 by Engaged Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any mate-
rial from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
never miss if my schedule allows. tions in-house dont come), it provides a GST#855050365RT001.
Canadian Post: Publications Mail Agreement PITNEY BOWES, INC.,
The National Association of Sporting nice, relaxed atmosphere to conduct and P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada
LC9S-KP BU-9
Item #: 3256 Capacity: 7+1 Blue Finish on Slide Item #: SPEC0596A Capacity: 8+1 & 6+1 Black Pronox FInish on Slide
Caliber: 9MM BBL: 3.12 Kryptek Pontus Camo Frame Caliber: 9MM BBL: 3.07 Purple Fiberglass Reinforced
Sights: Fixed 3-Dot Striker Fired Sights: 3-Dot Technopolymer Frame
Visual Chamber Inspection Port Double Action Only
Magazine Disconnect Reversible Magazine Release
LC9S-KN LC9S-MG
Item #: 3255 Capacity: 7+1 Blue Finish on Slide Item #: 3243-RUG Capacity: 7+1 Blue Finish on Slide
Caliber: 9MM BBL: 3.12 Kryptek Neptune Camo Frame Caliber: 9MM BBL: 3.12 Muddy Girl Camo Frame
Sights: Fixed 3-Dot Striker Fired Sights: Fixed 3-Dot Striker Fired
Visual Chamber Inspection Port Visual Chamber Inspection Port
Magazine Disconnect Magazine Disconnect
LCP LCP-MG
Item #: 3743 Capacity: 6+1 Blue Finish on Slide Item #: 3734 Capacity: 6+1
Kryptek Neptune Camo Frame Blue Finish on Slide
Caliber: 380 BBL: 2.75 Caliber: 380 BBL: 2.75 Muddy Girl Camo Frame
Weighs 9.4oz
Sights: Fixed Sights: Fixed Weighs 9.4 oz
NEW PRODUCTS
To
Protect
and Organize
can so that you can still carry the whole rig
by the ammo cans handle. They also come
with a detachable padded nylon shoulder
strap thats handy when youre trying to
juggle multiple cans or a rifle case as well.
PLANO OUTDOOR PRODUCTS MAKES IT Planos ammo cans are a nice alternative
to GI steel ammo cans. Theyre made of a
EASY TO SAFELY AND EASILY TRANSPORT sturdy plastic much lighter than steel, and
THE PLANO FIELD LOCKER wide latches and four metal-reinforced pad- to detail and a good understanding of what
Plano also has a new line of heavy-duty lock gates, as well as a watertight o-ring seal. the shooter needs. Theyre also priced very
gun cases they call Field Lockers, and theyre The handles on the case are also comfortable reasonably in my opinion. The Range Bags,
impressive. They make a variety of models and overbuilt for durability, and a set of which include the ammo cans, run in the
for both rifles and handguns, and they sent wheels has been added to help make trips $30 to $50 range, and the Field lockers are
me one of the mil-spec double-rifle cases to through the airport easier. priced from around $80 to $200, depending
check out. It's impressive. The interior is fitted with cut-to-fit foam on the model you choose.
My dad was an aircraft mechanic, so we and will accommodate two rifles with optics. If youre in the market for new ways to
travelled quite a bit. Later I worked in air Theres even a release valve on the case to transport your gear to your favorite hunting
transportation in the Air Force Reserve, and relieve any pressure caused by altitude or ex- or shooting location, whether its over land
did four years working at an International treme temperatures. Theyre also TSA-ap- or through the air, then Id definitely
Airport as a police officer where I often had proved for transporting firearms. recommend checking out what Plano has
to inspect firearms being shipped in checked While the case is obviously designed to to offer. GW
baggage. I've seen a lot of gun travel cases accommodate airline travel, it would work
come and go over the years, and the Field equally well protecting your rifles or shot-
CONTACT
Locker is one of the most impressive. Its guns for more routine local hunting excur-
built like a tank! sion and trips to the range. Plano Outdoor Products
Its constructed of a very heavy-duty poly- Both the Range Bag and Field Locker PlanoSynergy.com
mer with large sturdy hinges, a set of four from Plano Outdoor Products show attention
LIGHTWEIGHT
Hi-Power?
Question: I saw a reference to a Leroy Thompson Answers: FN did, in- It is likely that both groups used the
Lightweight Browning Hi-Power deed, produce a lightweight version of the lighter weapons. Reportedly, thousands
recently. Ive owned two Browning Hi-Power with an alloy frame. Most refer- were manufacturedI have most often
Hi-Powers and have always liked ences Ive seen state that they were made seen reference to 5,000. They were only is-
them but have never heard of a during the 1970s for the Belgian Gen- sued for a few years, as they did not hold
lightweight version. Do these exist, darmerie Nationale, which was incorpo- up well to NATO 9x19mm loadings. Some
and if so, who uses them? rated into the Belgian Police in 2001. A examples have been imported into the
Belgian contact told me that they were in- USA, but they are not often encountered.
Anthony A., New Orleans, LA tended for motorcycle riders, but I have Wayne Novak, who builds custom Hi-Pow-
also seen references to them being used by ers, has had some of the alloy frame guns
plain clothes Gendarmes. and used them for custom carry guns. GW
Browning 1911-380
Scaled at 85% of
John M. Brownings
original 1911 .45
browning.com
GW-PATRIOT-12-19.qxp 11/12/15 10:45 PM Page 12
THERIGHT-PRICED
PATRIOT
WITH ITS AFFORDABLE,
FEATURE-LOADED
PATRIOT, MOSSBERG
UPS ITS GAME IN THE
BOLT-ACTION HUNTING
RIFLE MARKET.
I
N THE 2000 MOVIE, The Patriot, it introduced its new Patriot flagship bolt-action
rebellious colonists were advised to rifle line in spectacular fashion with some 60 dif-
aim small, miss small when shoot- ferent variants of the rifle. Most new rifles start
ing at the British. Mossberg appears out with one or two models and the line expands
poised to turn that phrase on its over time, but Mossberg unveiled their entire
head by aiming big, and scoring big, with its lineup all at once. I dont believe Ive ever seen a
new Patriot bolt-action rifle. more extensive line of rifles introduced at the
Mossberg is perhaps best known for its pump- same time.
action shotgunsmost notably the ubiquitous 500 The standard Patriot is, wonder of wonders, a
seriesbut the company has not always been the classically styled rifle. At first glance, the rifles
first to come to mind when the conversation turns stock bears a strong resemblance to the instantly
to bolt-action rifles. recognizable classic Winchester Model 70 stock,
Its not that the company didnt make any. Pre- and that is not a bad thing. There are far worse
vious bolt-action models included the ATR and designs one could choose to emulate.
4X4 models. The rifles were lumped by some into At the range, our test rifle, a standard walnut-
that category somewhat condescendingly referred stocked Patriot, prompted more than one conversa-
to as inexpensive rifles, with all that implies, tion that went like this:
and their aesthetics didnt exactly excite those who Thats a nice-looking rifle. What is it?
prefer their rifles in a more classic configuration. A Mossberg.
Mossberg set out to change that last year when Really?
MOSSBERGS
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
WITH THE PATRIOT
The Patriot has a 22-in.
uted, sporter-weight
barrel with a recessed
SOMEWHAT target crown.
SURPRISED ME.
Kryptek Highlander camo pattern. nate fondness for rifles in quarter-bore pattern in those areas which contrasts nicely
Mossberg also sells the Patriot in a scoped chamberings, so I was eager to test this one. with the satin-finished walnut stock. The
combo package with the Vortex Crossfire II Ill let you know how it performed, but first, stippling also runs along the underside of
3-9X40mm scope with a BDC (ballistic drop heres a closer look at the standard Patriot. the forend, providing an enhanced gripping
compensator) reticle, and Patriot Youth mod- surface in inclement weather. A raised
els are available in a scoped combo package NOT YOUR DADDYS cheekpiece on the stock provides a comfort-
as well. MOSSBERG able cheek weld, and a generously sized rub-
Mossberg clearly set out to cover all the The Patriots good looks are enhanced by ber recoil pad does a decent job of reducing
bases with the Patriot, and the lineup pretty the clean, classic lines of the stock, but closer recoil. Sling swivel studs are in place fore
much does so. Whether youre sniping inspection reveals theres a lot more to like and aft.
varmints or busting big game in Africa, in this gun than you would expect in a rifle The sporter-weight, 22-inch barrel is
theres seemingly a Patriot for every use and in the Patriots price range. Collectively, they fluted over its front half and has a recessed
for shooters of all statures. add up to a package that is, in an aesthetic target crown. While the barrel wasnt per-
It took a while to get my hands on a rifle sense, head-and-shoulders above predecessor fectly centered in the stock, it was truly free-
for testing, but that was partly because I was Mossberg bolt-action rifles. floated along its entire length.
willing to wait for something a bit out of the Simply stated, this is a good-looking rifle, One thing that jumps out at you when
ordinary. As you might expect, most new ri- especially to those of us who have some you pick up this rifle is its attractive, spiral-
fles rolling out of factories are chambered for pretty strong ideas of what a bolt-action fluted bolt, which is attached to a stream-
the most popular cartridges, such as 30-06 hunting rifle should look like. lined bolt handle that provides plenty of
Rem., so I was intrigued when Mossbergs It starts with the classic lines of the Win- clearance for scope mounting. In use, the
Linda Powell offered me a chance to test one chester 70-ish stock, which has a single bolt cycled cleanly, and rounds fed and
of the rifles chambered in 25-06 Rem. Actu- crossbolt, for added strength, located just for- ejected without issue.
ally, it would be more accurate to say I ward of the magazine. The grip and forend Given the traditional styling of this rifle,
jumped at the opportunity. I have an inordi- are not checkered, but have a dark stippling I personally would have preferred a box mag-
Note: Velocities measured with Competitive Edge Dynamics M2 chronograph. All groups red in wind at 2-8 mph.
rifle. The trigger guard screws run through scoped combos and the youth rifles have the three Hornady loads, but that was to be
these tabs, and the action compresses against MSRPs in the $386-$584 range. Patriot Vor- expected because the Hornady loads are
them when the screws are tightened to a fac- tex Optics scoped combos are priced at $552, tested at their factory with 24-inch barrels.
tory-specified torque of 25 in-lbs. while the Patriot Night Train models go for Out of the shorter barrel, velocities for the
In addition to features normally found $634 to $811. three loads were 171-200 fps slower than fac-
only on more expensive rifles, like the fluted At these reasonable prices, the only real tory-stated speeds.
barrel and spiral-fluted bolt, Mossbergs at- question left for many potential buyers is: Accuracy testing with seven different fac-
tention to detail with the Patriot somewhat How does it shoot? tory loads yielded mixed results, with the
surprised me. The bolt handle knob, for ex- rifle turning in a mediocre performance with
ample, is knurled for a sure grip. So is the RANGE RESULTS a couple of factory loads. Interestingly
bolt release button. For testing, I mounted a Leupold Mark 4 enough, both of the worst performers used
The safety is a simple two-position design, 4.5-14x50mm scope with a 30mm tube. The bullets at the heavier end of the spectrum
located just to the right of the bolt shroud Patriot came with a Weaver-style scope base, 115 grains and 117 grains, respectivelyand
and behind the bolt handle. Its worth noting but I elected to use a set of 30mm lightweight both turned in average 100-yard groups in ex-
that it does not lock the bolt handle in place one-piece rings from Talley to ensure a rock- cess of 2.25 inches.
when engaged. You can still cycle rounds to solid setup for testing. Medium-height Talleys Only one of the tested loads using heavier
load and unload the rifle with the safety in provided just enough clearance for the scopes bulletsHornadys American Whitetail round
the on position. large, 50mm objective lens and good clear- with 117-grain InterLock bulletsturned in
The trigger on the Patriot is reminiscent ance for the bolt handle. what I would consider to be a good perform-
of the Savage AccuTrigger by virtue of its use I expected a bit of velocity loss from the ance. Groups averaged 1.37 inches, with a
of a bladed trigger. Mossberg calls their ver- Patriots 22-inch barrel, but there wasnt best group of 0.91 inches.
sion the Lightning Bolt Action (LBA) trigger. enough to make much difference with one If you throw out the two loads that didnt
Its user-adjustable to a range of approxi- factory load from Barnes and three Federal perform well in the Patriot, average group
mately 2-7 lbs. The trigger on our test rifle Premium loads. Federals 115-grain Nosler sizes for the five remaining factory loads var-
broke at an average of 2 lbs. 4 oz. on my Partition load actually clocked in at three fps ied from 1.10 to 1.37 inches. All five of those
Lyman trigger gauge, so I left it at the factory faster than factory-stated velocity over my loads produced sub-MOA best groups measur-
setting for testing. Competitive Edge Dynamics M2 chrono- ing a little less than an inch. Bullet weights
Perhaps the most surprising thing about graph, while the Barnes 100-grain TTSX load for these loads ranged from 85 grains for the
these feature-laden rifles is their prices. Basic ran 81 fps under the factory benchmark. Federal Ballistic Tip load to 117 grains for the
Patriot rifles, scoped combos, Deer Thug Velocity loss was more pronounced with Hornady American Whitetail load.
THE RIGHT-PRICED
SPECIFICATIONS
Mossberg Patriot Rie
Next-Gen
FIREPOWER
SIG SAUER EXCELLENCE SHOWS UP AGAIN
WITH THE NEW MPX-P
F
OR THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES, a handful of
companies have dominated the submachine gun field,
and this short list certainly includes H&K and their
popular MP5 line. Known the world over for its
reliability and accuracy, just about every agency has
armed itself with those rock-solid firearms, and the model has
become a classic.
But even though MP5s continue to be picked up by some agencies
even on a second-hand basisand frequently trade hands between
enthusiasts, the model line doesnt have all the modern amenities weve
become used to, especially all the rail space we need for optics, lasers,
lights, and so forth. Additionally, more advanced operating systems
have been developed to work reliably with various types of modern
ammunition, and lighter materials have been employed to carry weight.
Recently, SIG Sauer has stepped in to exercise what should be a fundamental right Several of the MPX-Ps controls are simi-
help fill some of the submachine gun void to begin with. The same goes for fully auto- lar to AR-style platforms, including the
with their new MPX line of products, and it matic weapons. You must pay for the privi- safety selector, bolt release and magazine re-
seems to have struck a chord with the public lege of exercising your right with those types lease, all of which are ambidextrous. Addi-
and with myself as well. The first time I of weapons as well. To me, its the Second tionally, the MPX-P sports a charging
pulled the MPX-P out of the box, it felt good Amendment equivalent of a poll tax. handle similar to those found on AR-type
in the hand, and it looked good as well. Its The build quality and finish of the MPX- firearms, and it has a monolithic receiver
quite apparent the latest technological inno- P is fantastic. Its solidly constructed, has an with an integrated M1913 rail (Picatinny) in
vations have been used to put together this ergonomic design, and was 100% reliable the 12 oclock position.
masterpiece of engineering, and it looks like during the time I had it for review. The op- Lacking the stock found on similar mod-
it had more than one or two industrial de- erating system is a closed, fully locked short els, the weight is only five pounds with an
signers to make such a beautiful weapon. stroke gas-piston mechanism, which is an empty magazine. Speaking of which, the
additional safety measure for the user. magazines are made by Lancer Systems,
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS The pistol is semi-automatic only for the come with steel lips, and are available in 10,
The SIG MPX-P is the civilian version of general public. The forend is an aluminum 20 or 30-round capacities. The overall length
their new line of MPX short-barreled and rail with a rail-adaptable handguard thats of the MPX-P is 16.85 inches with a barrel
fully automatic weapons. Because of the cur- comfortable to hold, while still offering length of 8 inches. An additional bonus is
rent rules set forth by our government, civil- plenty of options to add accessories by adding that the MPX submachine guns are built to
ians cant put a stock on something with less two-inch Picatinny rails to the forend. The allow the user to change the barrel length
than a 16-inch barrel, unless they pay an ex- MPX-P came with three two-inch Picatinny and stock type in the field.
orbitant tax to the BATFE for the ability to rails in the box. Also in the package from SIG was a semi-
flexible single-point sling with a push-button The MPX-P has flip-up iron sights that add a lot over a standard pistol barrel. From
QD attachment to insert at the rear end of are nicely built, and different aperture sizes the research Ive done, you dont really get
the pistol. And, there was one magazine in are available on the rear sight for more pre- the majority of peak velocity unless youre at
the box. To their credit SIG includes a cise shot placement. However, a weapon of 12 to 14 inches of barrel length. There are
coupon that allows the purchaser to buy a this type just begs to have some sort of optic exceptions, of course, but Im just speaking
few more mags at once to save some money, on it, so I chose to install the Lucid M7 as a general rule of thumb. If this was a fully
but for a high-end weapon like this, I hon- Micro Dot sight to make acquiring the target automatic pistol, thats a little different; with
estly believe two magazines should be the a bit easier, and to more accurately assess the a rate of fire of 850 rounds per minute, you
minimum sent out from the factory. pistols accuracy. could dump 14 rounds into a target in one
Now, I believe that the MPX-P is missing second. But, we knew all these things going
HANDLING a couple of things that would make it a truly into the review, so the shooting evaluation is
For what it isa very large and heavy effective and practical weapon. Since there is based on what it is, and not what it could be.
semi-automatic pistolit handles pretty well. no stock, its tough to get a stable sight pic-
I liked the feel of the rounded grip as op- ture. Without it, the user is awkwardly hold- MPX-P ON THE LINE
posed to some of the standard AR grips, and ing five pounds of weaponry with two hands, Right off the bat, the trigger pull felt
the comfortable, rail-adaptable handguards while trying to both stabilize the pistol and gritty and heavy. After the second magazine
that make handling the forend more com- get a good sight picture at the same time. was finished, the grittiness started to go away
fortable than a typical quad rail. It also has a Though the single-point stabilizing sling and things started smoothing out for us.
hand stop at the end of the rail to help pre- helps a good deal, its still not an optimal After 300 rounds were sent downrange, the
vent the user from getting their hand around set-up for firing accurately. trigger pull was still a stout 7 pounds at the
the end of the barrel. Also, the eight-inch barrel doesnt really midpoint of the trigger. I would assume the
VELOCITY DATA
With the eight-inch barrel involved YOU TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR PROPERTY.
with the shooting exercise, its only PROTECT IT WITH A GUN YOULL BE PROUD
the 9mm gets with the extra barrel STOCK, BLUED OR CASE-HARDENED ACTION WITH
OVERSIZED LEVER LOOP, AND COMPACT 24-INCH
length. It wasnt a very dramatic in-
LENGTH MAKE THE RANCH HAND YOUR PERFECT
crease, which was what I believed at
COMPANION FOR MENDING FENCES, PATROLLING
the beginning of the exercise. Here are
PROPERTY OR SIMPLY PLINKING DOWN RANGE.
the average results of different loads
VISIT YOUR ROSSI DEALER TODAY AND HIRE
velocity at 10 feet (see top right): THE BEST RANCH HAND IN TOWN.
It seems to me that a barrel at least 12 bility, and the familiarity of AR-style con- age. I dont lose much with optics, because
inches long is needed to pull the most veloc- trols, I really want one. With regard to de- there of plenty of adapters or gunsmiths
ity out of the various 9mm loads youll find sign and functionality, this is one of the available to fit a red-dot sight on a semi-au-
on the market. Without the advantage of better pieces to come along in a while. Even tomatic pistol, and the velocity from an
full-auto fire, the eight-inch barrel provides the magazines look solid and precisely built. eight-inch barrel isnt tremendously better
only a slight enhancement of speed versus a But, from a purely practical standpoint, than from a four-inch barrel.
four-inch barrel. and thinking like a survivalist (or prepper, if However, as it sits, the MPX-P is bursting
you prefer that term), I have to ask myself with potential. If one were to take the time
FINAL THOUGHTS what role this particular pistol would play as to deal with the BATFE, pay the expense to
So, whats the verdict? I have to say that part of my overall plan. I have pistols that add a folding stock and make it a short-bar-
Im a little conflicted. Because of the superb come with 33-round magazines and make a reled rifle, this would be an excellent low-re-
build quality, great ergonomics, utter relia- much more portable and concealable pack- coil weapon to move around the house with
AMERICAN QUALITY
Heritage Rough Rider Series
are authentically crafted and
made in the USA.
Rough Riders are available
as six or nine shot in .22 and
.357, .45LC big bore models.
Starting at:
Rough Rider .22
$
199.00 MSRP
4.75" Blued Barrel
CONTACT
SIG SAUER, Inc. Lucid
(603) 610-3000 (307) 840-2160
SIGSauer.com MyLucidGear.com
Next-Gen SPECIFICATIONS
FIREPOWER SIG Sauer MPX-P
Caliber: 9mm
Action: Semi-automatic
Rails: Aluminum, mono
System: Closed, fully locked short-stroke,
gas piston
Weight: 5.0 pounds
Length: 16.85 inches
Twist: 1 in 10 riing
Barrel: 8 inches
Trigger Pull: 7.6 pounds
Capacity: 10/20/30-round magazine
MSRP: $1,576
Todays
TOP5
MILITARY
PISTOLS
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE
NEARLY 200 COUNTRIES IN
THE WORLD, MOST MILITARY
UNITS SELECT THEIR SERVICE
SIDE ARMS FROM A LIMITED
NUMBER OF PISTOL TYPES.
M9 as used by
the U.S. armed
forces for the
last 30 years.
COUNTRIES AND CALIBERS without a large domestic civilian market for 1950s and 1980s, more than 80 countries is-
There are currently 196 countries in the pistols no longer opt for a domestically pro- sued the P35 to members of their armed
world, the vast majority of which have some duced weapon. forces. Four factors were most influential in
form of armed forces. In a few of the re- In discussing the most widely used mili- the P35s popularity: high quality, 9x19mm
maining 20-30 nations, the police serve that tary pistols today, I will consider the fact that chambering, magazine safety, and 13-round
de facto function. But no matter the exact countries with the largest armed forces will magazine capacity. Another sign of the P35s
number, it is noteworthy that there are a use large numbers of the pistol they issue, popularity is that, in addition to Belgium,
limited number of pistol types used by all of but I will also consider the number of coun- other countriesincluding Argentina,
these countries. This has arisen at least par- trieslarge and smallthat use a certain pis- Canada, India, Indonesia, and Israelpro-
tially because of the loss of domestic arms tol. Based on these criteria, the following are duced it. It has seen combat from World War
producers in most countries. Also notewor- todays top military pistols. The list begins II through the War on Terror, though many
thy is the limited number of cartridges for with a pair of pistols that have nearly 200 countries have now replaced the P35 with
which current military pistols are cham- years of service between them, yet are still newer models. However, in many cases it re-
bered. widely used. mains in armories as a reserve weapon or is
Five cartridges dominate in todays mili- issued to support troops.
tary pistols: 9x19mm, .45 ACP, 9x18 FN/BROWNING HI-POWER Some early versions of the Hi-Power were
Makarov, 7.62x25mm Tokarev, and One indication of the Hi-Powers popular- produced with rear tangent sights and a hol-
5.7x28mm. There are a few others cartridges ity among the worlds armed forces is the ster stock that allowed the shooter to use the
that still see limited military use, including number of names by which it has been pistol as a carbine. These include some pre-
the .40 S&W and 9x17mm, but they are known: GP (Grand Puissance), P35, BAP war Belgian pistols and some produced by
rarely encountered. (Browning Automatic Pistol), and L9A1 (in Inglis during World War II. The latter were
Likewise, the choice of military pistols British service), among others. produced primarily for Nationalist Chinese
has become much less diverse, as countries At its peak of popularity between the forces.
COLT 1911
The Colt 1911/1911A1 has been in military
service for over a century and continues to be
one of the best combat pistols in the world.
Of course, its largest user was always the
U.S. armed forces until its replacement by
the M9 in the 1980s. Even after the advent
of the M9, the 1911 still saw limited use in
the USMC with MEUSOC (Marine Expedi-
tionary Unit Special Operations Capable) .45
autos built on GI 1911/1911A1 frames.
Later, new 1911-type pistols were acquired
for members of MARSOC special operations M9 with the original style of
Marines from Kimber. More recently, the holster, issued in desert camo.
Austrian Military
Police carrying out entry
training with Glock 17s.
(sterreichisches Bundesheer)
That's why discriminating shooters whose jobs, professional success or personal safety depend on super accurate, super
dependable firearms are willing to stake their lives and their livelihoods on Les Baer Custom 1911 pistols.
From cops, tactical operators and military special ops guys to firearms trainers and serious competitors, they know that Les Baer
1911s have been delivering superior performance and unquestioned reliability for more than a quarter-century. More than thirty
custom 1911 models are available, all combining traditional 1911 toughness with Les Baer's trademark craftsmanship and
attention to detail.
Models include:
Les Baer 1911 Les Baer 1911 Les Baer 1911 New! Les Baer
Premier II Boss .45 Ultimate Master .38 Super Stinger
The flagship of our entire Built for high performance Available in 5" or 6" Compact size, high
1911 line. and lots of muscle performance caliber
GT Monolith Stinger
Combines the best features of our compact Stinger with the
solid heft of our unique Monolith.
www.lesbaer.com
GW-MILITARY-30-39.qxp 11/12/15 11:09 PM Page 36
THE COLT
1911/1911A1 HAS
BEEN IN MILITARY
SERVICE FOR OVER
A CENTURY...
The M1911 has been replaced in many But as the Glock established itself over the personnel, and many military counterterrorist
armed forces by more modern high-capacity next decade or so, its reliability and durabil- units are armed with Glocks. Among coun-
9mm, double-action pistols. However, at least ity soon won over many military buyers. Add tries that issue them as a standard military
a few countries still retain the M1911 as a its reasonable cost and ease of maintenance (a weapon are Bangladesh, Finland, France (to
frontline or reserve pistol. The 1911s military Glock armorer can be trained in a day or various specialized units), India (specialized
popularity has suffered as a result of its heavy less) and it is not surprising that the Glock units), Iraq, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxem-
recoil, its complicated takedown system, continues to maintain a substantial portion of bourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Ro-
which allows the loss of small parts, and its the world military handgun market. mania, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United
single-action, single-stack design. However, The most popular Glock with military per- Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yemen.
the proven man-stopping power of the .45 sonnel has overwhelmingly been the Model The British recently adopted the Glock as
ACP cartridge still appeals to some users. 17. There are exceptions; for example, the a replacement for the Browning Hi-Power
Danish Sldepatruljen Sirius, an elite recon unit based on experiences in Afghanistan where
GLOCK that patrols Arctic Greenland, is issued the British troops had been attacked on bases and
When the Glock pistol was first intro- Glock 20 in .45 ACP in case they encounter a elsewhere. They wanted a pistol that was im-
duced in 1982, the only immediate customers polar bear. Some special ops units that have mediately ready for action without the need to
were the Austrian armed forces. The plastic secondary missions where they work under- remove a safety or when carried in condition
pistol and its fast action were too revolution- cover or do close protection work may opt to three to chamber a round. The U.S. has pur-
ary for many military purchasers. There was have the Glock 19 or 26 available for in- chased them for special operations personnel,
also the valid fear that its design, with the creased concealability. especially those working alongside Afghan or
safety within the trigger, would make it non- Quite a few countries have retained their Iraqi units who are also armed with Glocks.
soldier-proof and result in numerous acciden- previous service pistols but have purchased Photos have also shown some Russian spe-
tal discharges. Glocks for their military police or special ops cial units armed with Glocks. These may be
some of the Glock 17s assembled by Izh- forces use the Taurus PT-92, which is pro-
mash in Russia. duced in Brazil, and the Turkish armed
All indications are that the Glock will forces use the locally produced Yavuz-16.
continue to be popular among military Among special operations units that use the
users, and, as military budgets get tighter, M92 are the Pakistani SSG, Afghan Com-
the lower cost and long service life of the mandos (M9), Indonesian Army and Navy
Glock will make it ever more appealing. special forces, Albanian special forces, and
Malaysian paratroops and special forces.
BERETTA M9/M92 A more recent version of the M9 ac-
When the U.S. adopted the Beretta 92 as quired by the USMC is the M9A1, which
the M9, it immediately became ranked has an accessory rail, improved magazine,
among the most popular military pistols in and other upgrades. Although the M9 re-
quantity in service. However, we are not the mains in service and likely will for some
only country to use a version of the M92. time, the U.S. Army and Air Force have
Among other armed forces that have been interested in replacing the M9 with
adopted versions of the M92 are Italy, the Modular Handgun System (MHS),
Colombia, Egypt (the Helwan 920, pro- which is intended to allow the pistol to be
duced in Egypt), Jordan, Peru, Slovenia, configured for different missions and to fit
Singapore, and Thailand. different hand sizes. The caliber for the
France adopted the locally made PAMAS MHS has not been specified in bid specs,
G1 for the French Army, Air Force, and though there has been some interest in the
Gendarmeria Nationale. Brazilian armed .40 S&W round.
U.S. troops have had some complaints SIG P226 sumably for use by the SBS. Some also use
about the M9 during the War on Terror. The To some extent the P226 (and similar pis- the P228, designated L107A1, because of
first was that magazines from a specific con- tols such as the P228) are included here be- greater concealment.
tractor proved unreliable in sandy environ- cause of quality not quantity, as many of the Likewise, the U.S. Navy SEALs have used
ments (I.S. Iraq and Afghanistan), but new worlds most elite military units continue to the U.S. Navy model, currently the MK25.
magazines have solved this issue. There have choose the P226. Among other elite units that use the P226
also been complaints about lack of stopping For example, while the British armed are Frances GIGN anti-terrorist unit, Irish
power. This is the reason the USMC still forces have used the Browning Hi-Power and Army Ranger Wing, Japanese Special Board-
uses .45 ACP pistols and continues testing the Glock 17, the Special Air Service, Special ing Unit, ROK Naval Special Warfare,
calibers other than 9x19mm for replacement Boat Service (SBS), and Special Reconnais- Dutch UIM of the Royal Dutch Marines,
of the M9. sance Regiment use the P226. The standard Pakistan SSG, Polish GROM, and Turkish
But despite these complaints, the M9 con- P226 is designated the L105A1, while the Special Forces Command, among others.
tinues to serve acceptably as a general issue corrosion resistant U.S. Navy version (used A few countries do issue the P226 as a
pistol for U.S. troops. by the SEALs) is designated L106A1, pre- standard military sidearm, including New
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High on
the Hog
R
IGHT OUT OF THE BOX, you can tell that the Savage Hog
Hunterchambered for the potent .338 Federal cartridgeis the
kind of rifle that will see lots of use far beyond the publicized
intent of taking on monster wild hogs.
Its kind of a stubby, bulky-looking specimen that launches a .33-
caliber bullet over 2,700 fps, depending upon the load and bullet weighttheres ample
data for the cartridgeand even at more moderate speeds in the 2,500-2,600 fps range, its
a formidable big game stopper. After all, why should pork punchers have all the fun?
Lets talk about the rifle, and then the cartridge. Both are impressive, and the combination
is terrific. It will take on elk, black bear, deer and other big game without so much as a hiccup.
A WEIGHTY SOLUTION I noted that the rear sight blade could ac- a first choice model for someone who does a
Savage designed this gun on the Model tually be removed if it is in the way of the lot of hunting and hiking. But for guys like
11/111 platform. Its got an internal box mag- scope, but when I mounted a scope on the me who prefer to sit on a stump or log, or at
azine, rugged synthetic stock, a full floated rifle, the rear sight platform was just ahead the base of a rock from which one can see
heavy 20-inch medium-contour barrel thats of the front objective and out of the way. fairly long distances, its an ideal rifle that
threaded at the muzzle and cut with a 1:10- But in deer and elk country, slapping on a actually allows a hunter to take advantage of
inch twist, and iron sights that are rather scope is the smart move, and thats exactly that additional weight. With a rifle that
odd-looking for such a rifle. But, one pre- what I did for the test and evaluation, if only to stout, its easier to settle the crosshairs on a
sumes that these high-profile sights are for see just how well the Hog Hunter performs at distant target and hold steady for a shot.
hunting in the kind of heavy brush where a distance. I chose a 3-9X Leupold with Weaver
one might pursue some nasty-tempered boar Grand Slam QD rings, and went to work. TRIGGER & STOCK
and find that even a 1X scope only gets in With a scope on top, this Savage bolt gun The best feature might just be the
the way. weighs north of 8 pounds, so its not exactly AccuTrigger. Ive got that trigger on my own
The three-position
thumb safety is a
dandy. Shown here in
the full-rear position,
the action is locked and
the trigger and bolt are
locked tight.
IT WILL TAKE
ON ELK, BLACK
BEAR, DEER AND
OTHER BIG
Workman took the Hog Hunter
GAME WITHOUT
into the Northwest Cascades,
where it is also capable of
SO MUCH AS A
taming elk, black bear, mule
deer, mountain goat, mountain
HICCUP.
lion and anything else that
wanders into range.
afield with a slightly overweight thing came together rather nicely, albeit
companion. kind of homely.
Savage also added a very modern recoil Are there any obvious faults with the
pad that sucks up the recoil. I really like rifle? Frankly, I think the barrel is a little
this pad because Im somewhat recoil sensi- too heavy, but thats subjective, and as noted
tive, and thanks to the additional weight of earlier, the additional weight does help re-
the rifle, it makes for a rather comfortable duce felt recoil. Maybe Im just being per-
shooting experience. snickety, but being an old guy, I claim special
The stock is sort of an off-color green dispensation. It does make the rifle feel a bit
that Savage calls natural, and the barrel out of balance with the weight forward.
and action are matte black. Since the scope If this were my rifle, I would definitely
and rings also had a matte finish, every- mount a 3-9X scope with QD rings so that
THE CARTRIDGE
Now, what about that cartridge? The .338
Federal has been around for a decade, and in
The front sight is very that short time, it has definitely earned a
high prole with a bead,
and the muzzle is
reputation for hammer-slamming energy, as
threaded. well as greater range than one might imag-
PERFORMANCE
WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
PERFORMANCE CENTER
t HI-VIZ'*#&3015*$4*()54'03'"455"3(&5"$26*4*5*0/
t -*()5&/*/($6540/5)&4-*%&503&%6$&."44
t 1035&%#"33&-503&%6$&'&-53&$0*-.6;;-&'-*1
t 1&3'03."/$&$&/5&3&/)"/$&%53*((&3'03
9 MM .40 S&W
4.005)53*((&316--
www.smith-wesson.com/pc #PerformanceCenter
GW-HOG-42-53 11/12/15 11:46 PM Page 50
ine for a round that uses a necked-up .308 ties. I used factory loads from Federal with
Winchester case. 200-grain softpoints. I know that Speer has a
I read somewhere that the recoil is simi- 200-grain Spitzer softpoint and a 225-grain
lar to that of the .30-06, but in my estima- boat tail softpoint, while Nosler has a 180-
tion, with this rifle, its closer to the .308, grain, 200-grain and 225-grain AccuBond,
making it easy to handle for just about any- plus Partitions weighing 210 and 225 grains
body. Developed for big game including and a 200-grain CT Ballistic Silvertip. The
deer, elk, black bear and similar-sized ani- .338-caliber pills from Hornady include a
mals, it should be simply devastating 185-grain GMX, 200-grain SST and Spire
against those big hogs for which the rifle Point Recoil Proof, 225-grain InterBond,
is named. SST and Spire Point Recoil Proof, and 250-
Depending upon the bullet weight, one grain Spire Point Recoil Proof, boat tail hol-
can get lots of horsepower at decent veloci- lowpoint and roundnose.
SAVAGE ALSO
ADDED A VERY
MODERN RECOIL
PAD THAT SUCKS
UP THE RECOIL.
SHOOTING STRAIGHT
Molded checkering in the natural colored synthetic stock is perfect for hunting in wet or Now, lets discuss trajectory a bit. At longer
humid conditions. ranges, the .338 Federal is going to drop con-
siderably. How much depends on the specific
load and bullet weight, but it begins arcing
downward at 300-400 yards, so the long-range
shooter needs to take that into consideration or
risk shooting under the target.
Within 300 yards, the .338 Federal has a
trajectory comparable to other rounds in its
class, meaning that youre going to be in the
SPECIFICATIONS vitals at 300 by sighting your rifle to hit 1.5 to
High on
Model: Model 11 Hog Hunter 2 inches high at 100.
Manufacturer: Savage Because its a necked-up .308 case, this
Caliber: .338 Federal (also available in round should be easy to run through the dies.
.223 Remington and .308 Winchester) The finished cartridge should be no longer
Cougar
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I
N THE 1980S, GLOCK introduced and its still a standard-issue sidearm for many law
American shooters to the concept of a enforcement officers. Theres also a pretty popular single-
polymer frame semiauto pistol, and action semiauto on the market that John Browning
although some steel gun stalwarts guffawed designedperhaps youve heard of it?
at the Austrian company for making plas- Stoeger Industries also has a steel-frame SA/DA pistol
tic pistols, Glock laid the foundation for a polymer of their own, a model known as the Cougar. And while
pistol movement were still experiencing today. The Stoegers Inertia-Driven and budget-minded shotguns are
rising number of CCW permits issued has added to growing in popularity every year, there hasnt been a
that movement and, consequently, an increased whole lot of press on the brands semiauto pistol. Maybe
demand for lighter, thinner guns with fewer rough its a bias toward brand new guns, or perhaps it has
edges and external controls. This prompted even more something to do with our new love of polymer firearms.
companies to develop striker-fire polymer guns. It is most likely a bit of both. But the Stoeger has a lot to
But steel guns arent gone. Case in point: the Beretta offeran operating design thought by some to be among
92/96/M9. Despite its weight and complex (at least by the most accurate pistol designs ever, a hefty double-stack
todays polymer gun standards) single action/double action magazine that holds plenty of ammo, and a variety of
controls, the Beretta is still the militarys arm of choice finishes and caliber optionsall at a very affordable price.
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GW-COUGAR-54-63.qxp 11/13/15 1:59 AM Page 56
A ROTATING BARREL fore the rotating barrel design is said by youll hear an audible click when the trigger
When the Cougar arrived, I was im- some to have more accuracy potential than is pulled back far enough for the hammer to
pressed by the look of it. The model I re- the tilt-barrel. A similar rotating barrel de- pass that position.
ceived, which was chambered in .40 S&W, sign is used on the Beretta PX4. The front and rear white dot sights are
had an all-black Bruniton baked-on finish, To function properly, the barrel must be machined into the slide and are therefore
the same durable coating that Beretta uses fitted to the metal block that surrounds the drift adjustable or, if you prefer, you could
on its military sidearms. The finish was mir- springa fairly simple process if you have replace the Stoeger factory sights with some-
ror-smooth. The grip was large, with vertical some idea of how the gun is designed to thing else. The sights are fairly tall but the
serrations on the backstrap and textured work. Breakdown is quick and easytheres square-notch rear and blade front offer a
plastic grip panels bearing the Stoeger S. a rotating lever on the left side of the frame good sight picture, allowing for quick target
Internally, the Cougar differs from most that allows the slide, barrel, spring and block acquisition. The slide stop is relatively long
other semiautos because it relies on a rotat- to be removed. and easy to find, and unlike some smaller
ing barrel design instead of the tilt-barrel de- If you are a fan of the Beretta 92 then designs you wont have to hunt for it and
sign found on 1911s and the like. The barrel youll like the Cougars controls. As I men- then fight to depress the stop. Its easy to
of the Cougar has a long, curved slot and a tioned previously, its an SA/DA pistol. It find and easy to use. The aforementioned
metal block under the barrel has a metal tab has an exposed hammer with a rounded breakdown lever requires you to depress the
that indexes into that slot. spur, and theres an ambidextrous safety/de- button on the opposite side to rotate and
Upon firing, the barrel is pushed back by cocker on the slide. Pushing the lever for- break down the gun.
recoil, and instead of tilting it moves straight ward and up deactivates the safety and
back and turns as rearward pressure forces makes it ready to fire. Pulling the safety WEIGHTY & WELL-BALANCED
the tab along the curved slot in the barrel. back and down (a slightly more awkward The Cougar is a beefy gun at 32.4 ounces
This system allows for tighter barrel/slide motion) decocks the hammer. The hammer as tested, but its well balanced, and the extra
tolerances, at least theoretically, and there- has a half-cock position, and in DA mode heft helps mitigate the effects of recoil. Di-
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GW-COUGAR-54-63.qxp 11/13/15 2:00 AM Page 58
loads the Cougar is a manageable gun to ier to roll the Cougar in my hand before rest, and the Cougar performed very well.
shoot, in no small part because you have punching the mag release, which isnt a I used three different defensive loads
plenty to hold onto and a hefty gun that major concern unless you need to swap out Hornadys FTX 165 grain, Federals 155
sucks out much of the .40s potent punch. magazines in a hurry. I am a big fan of the grain HST load and Winchesters newly-
The Cougar came with two 11-round mag- trigger guard design, though; its design introduced Defend 180 grain bonded jack-
azines (the 9mm version comes with 13- makes it very easy to index my finger when eted hollow point loadand groups ranged
round mags, the .45 with 8-rounders). The moving or reloading. from 1.85 inches out to 2.90 inches. This
magazine release is in the usual location just is very good accuracy for a factory pistol
behind the trigger, but I found it to be a bit ON THE RANGE with a 3.6-inch barrel, better than what
small and not as easy to find as other semi- The first range test involved shooting Ive experienced from most tilt-barrel
autos. In fact, I found that it was much eas- five-shot groups at 25 yards from a fixed guns.
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GW-COUGAR-54-63.qxp 11/13/15 2:00 AM Page 59
The Cougars accuracy is enhanced by trigger comes tight you can expect a nice,
an exceptional trigger. Its rare to see clean, even break at just over 5.5 pounds.
praise lauded on DA triggers, but the Off the bench, the Cougar performed
Cougars long, curved trigger is among the equally well. I set targets on the range at
best Ive found from a factory gun regard- four to ten yards and shot them from sta-
less of price. In DA mode theres consider- tionary positions and while moving. The
able travel, but the trigger is smooth and Cougar excels as a close-range combat pis-
doesnt stack. That smooth, consistent pull tol thanks to its short overall length and
makes it easy to deliver accurate shots. In heavy frame, which help suck up most of
SA mode it gets high marks as well, and the recoil generated by powerful .40 S&W
although theres a bit of travel when the defense loads.
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GW-COUGAR-54-63.qxp 11/13/15 2:00 AM Page 60
Hows this for accuracy? This group was produced offhand at 21 feet using Federal HST ammo. This kind of accuracy is aided by a superb
trigger, and although it isnt necessary it offers great peace of mind.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
60 GUN WORLD | JANUARY 2016 | www.gunworld.com
GW_1601_61 11/9/15 11:09 PM Page 61
ONLY BY
WWW.TRUGLO.COM
GW-COUGAR-54-63.qxp 11/13/15 2:00 AM Page 62
Cougar Country
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Stoeger Cougar ACCURACY RESULTS: Stoeger Cougar .40 S&W
Action: Rotating barrel semiauto
Capacity: 11 LOAD Grains Velocity (fps) Best Group (in.) Average Group (in.)
Barrel Length: 3.6 inches
Slide: Steel, Bruniton nish Federal HST 155 1,160 1.85 2.02
Frame: Steel
Hornady FTX 165 1,175 2.40 2.68
Sights: Three-dot front and rear,
drift adjustable Winchester 180 925 2.15 2.44
Overall Length: 7 inches Bonded JHP
Weight: 32.4 Ounces
Accuracy results are based on ve, ve-shot groups from a xed rest at 25 yards. Velocities are factory claims.
MSRP: $469 (as tested)
////////////////////////////////////////////////////
62 GUN WORLD | JANUARY 2016 | www.gunworld.com
GW-COUGAR-54-63 11/13/15 2:01 AM Page 63
IT RELIES ON
A ROTATING
BARREL DESIGN
INSTEAD OF THE
TILT-BARREL
DESIGN FOUND
ON 1911S AND
THE LIKE.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Is the Cougar a carry gun? Maybe. I
know shooters who carry full-sized
Beretta 92s, and they would consider the
Cougar small. Its small enough to fit in
a belt holster easily, but youd better
have a hefty belt (Stoeger also makes a
carry versionsee sidebar). I wouldnt
hesitate to carry this gun under a coat,
and its just the type of gun I like to open
carry when Im working on the farm or
wandering through the woods.
Its also a great home defense gun, al-
though only the .45 model gets an acces-
sory rail. Regarding options, theres a
Bruniton black version, a silver non-
glare version with that same Bruniton
finish and an anodized alloy silver frame,
or a two-tone model. As previously
stated, its available in 9mm, .40 and .45.
And with MSRPs ranging from $469-
$509 and street prices even less, youre
getting a great value when you choose
the Stoeger.
The market for polymer pistols will
continue to grow, but the all-steel
Cougar is still worth a look. It might not
be the lightest gun, but it is extremely
accurate and priced right. GW
CONTACT
Stoeger Industries
(800) 264-4962
StoegerIndustries.com
/////////////////
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GW-HANDGUNS-64-69-CX.qxp 11/17/15 10:54 PM Page 64
HANDGUNS
Build
a Stand
OUR COLUMNIST TURNS
DO-IT-YOURSELF-ER TO
PROVE HOW EASY IT IS TO
BUILD A STURDY AND
PORTABLE TARGET STAND
S
HOOTING PROFICIENTLY TO DEFEND
yourself in the home or on the street requires
more than just a gun and ammunition.
It takes time at the range, and for many shooters, that
can mean visiting an informal spot, typically somewhere
on public land where is it less than polite to leave trash targets or
makeshift stands lying around for someone else to pick up.
Over the years, Ive used steel target stands, and some made from
wood, but recently I decided to put together a new framework made
from PVC pipe. And, since a few of you have commented on the one
youve seen in some of my recent articles, I decided to become a Do
It Yourself columnist for one month and tell you how I did it.
The way I figure it, if I can build one of these things, anybody can.
HANDGUNS
Use a jigsaw
with a new
blade for the
sharpest and
straightest
cuts.
push through a piece of wire that will Every PCNC 1100 features:
then fasten one of the butterfly skeleton 1100 lbs cast iron construction
wrapping wires from different electronic PTFE bonded slideways (similar to Turcite)
Precision R8 spindle - 100 to 5000 RPM
products that wrap the cords and keep with vector drive technology
them tight in the packages. Dont toss Easy to use in manual or automatic modes
HANDGUNS
$5988
RELOAD
RELOAD
I would not elect to use a 223 in this way generally meant for long range shooting in but still hold together well enough to give
because I have better options. If a hunter has target rifles and most require a barrel with a good penetration.
only a varmint rifle and has no other alter- fast rifling twist to stabilize them. I have not had the opportunity to use my
native with which to hunt larger game, bul- However, bullets weighing around 60 Savage Axis in 223 Remington on the large
let choice becomes vital. Fortunately, bullet grains are stabilized by the 1-in-12-inch twist predator that I loathe, but that does not
makers have recognized this and as a result, often found in varmint rifles. Accordingly, mean that load development has not taken
there are numerous relatively heavy bullets my heavier bullet choice for the 223 Rem- place. As a result, I obtained a supply of 60-
available in 0.224-inch diameter. ington is those weighing 60 grains, and there grain bullets that includes the Hornady
Bullets in 0.224-inch diameter with are two reasons for this. Spitzer, Nosler Ballistic Tip, and Nosler Par-
weights in the 60-65 grain range are more First, bullets of this weight can be safely tition. Appropriate loads with those bullets
strongly constructed than those intended for driven close to 3,000 ft/sec, which results in can make a 223 suitable for game consider-
use only as varmint bullets. Even heavier a reasonably flat trajectory. Second, driven ably larger than coyotes.
0.224-inch bullets are available, but they are this fast, such bullets will expand reliably When loading the 223 Remington with
relatively heavy bullets, the best powders are tronic scale with accuracy to at least 0.1 large varmints. Although I would not nor-
those that have slower burning rates than grain. All loads were tested in a Savage Axis mally elect to do so, loads of this power
those intended for use with 35- to 45-grain with a 22-inch barrel. The rifle had a could also be used on small deer if the range
bullets. These include Alliant AR-Comp, Weaver Classic 4-16X scope attached, and ve- is moderate. Some factory loads that utilize
Winchester 748, and Hodgdon CFE 223 and locities were measured at 10 feet from the 64-grain bullets have published velocities of
BL-C(2), among others. Since I have muzzle by means of a Competition Electron- approximately 3,000 ft/sec, so the top loads
achieved good results in the 223 Remington ics ProChrono chronograph. Summarized in listed in the table should be considered just
with these powders in the past, they were the accompanying table are pertinent data thattop loads.
chosen for this project. for the loads and the velocities obtained. Two of the loads listed, that with Varget
For all loads, cases were trimmed to the As shown by the data in the table, some and that with BL-C(2) and the Nosler Ballis-
recommended length, 1.750 inches, and of the loads produced at least 3,000 ft/sec tic Tip, gave outstanding accuracy. It is also
primed with Winchester small rifle primers. with a 60-grain bullet. Such a load generates notable that seven of the nine loads put four
Powder charges were weighed on an elec- 1,200 ft-lbs, which is sufficient to dispatch shots out of five in under an inch. That level
Results obtained using 223 Remington loads in a Savage Axis (22-inch barrel)
Average velocity is for ve shots. Group size is for all ve/best four shots.
These loads were safe and reliable in the authors rie, but neither the author nor the publisher accepts any responsibility for their preparation and
use by others or for typographical errors. These loads should be approached with caution.
________________________________________________________________________
The 60-grain bullets utilized in this project are (left to right) Hornady Spitzer,
Nosler Ballistic Tip, and Nosler Partition.
of accuracy is certainly adequate for into a serious game rifle with proper
taking shots at larger predators as bullets. Fortunately, the reloader of a
long as the range is reasonable. 223 Remington has many from which
Having had such good success to choose. The results that I obtained
with lighter bullets in the Savage show that several powders work well,
Axis, I was a little apprehensive re- however, before loading a large batch
garding what to expect from loads of ammunition, do some testing in
using 60-grain bullets. The results I your own rifle. The results you obtain
obtained convinced me that such may be quite different from those I
loads have real potential as long as obtained, but I will now be confident
they are used judiciously. when I attempt to take the larger For use on larger predators, this Savage Axis 223 Reming-
The 223 Remington can be turned predator that I loathe. GW ton would be effective with bullets as heavy as 60 grains.
Dillon Precisions
XL650
STANDARD FEATURES:
www.dillonprecision.com
Too receive
e i e a FREE
REE Catalog,
a alog call
ll 800-762-3845
0 62 45 andnd askk for
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9 4690
GW-HUNTER-76-81.qxp 11/13/15 2:10 AM Page 76
Best Rifles
and Cartridges
for Black Bear
PLANNING A BEAR HUNT TEXT & PHOTOS BY BRAD FITZPATRICK
THIS YEAR? ITS IMPORTANT CCORDING TO MOST
A
THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TOOLS FOR THE JOB.
ESTIMATES, North America is
home to almost one million bears,
and with more states opening sea-
sons for bruins theres never been
a better time in recent memory to book or plan a
bear hunt. For the most part, selecting a bear
rifle is relatively simplebut thats not always the
case, and one key to picking the right gun is
knowing where and how youll hunt.
Bears are more variable in size than most big
game animals, and while 150-pound bruins are the
average in many areas, theres always the possibility
of running into a real giant. Some black bears, partic-
ularly those found around agricultural areas in the
southeastern United States, reach gargantuan propor-
tions. This is due to a long growing season and plenty
of food, but big bears are found in the far north, too.
Even in colder climes where food sources are more
limited a quarter-ton bear is not out of the question.
In addition to their range of size, bears are ex-
traordinarily tough. With heavy muscle, thick hide
and dense bone, bears can absorb a tremendous wal-
lop and continue moving, so sometimes even the
right cartridge in the right place will still result in a
blood trailing job. Compounding the problem, their
thick skin, body fat and long hair (in some climates)
limits blood trails and can make follow-ups difficult.
Black bears can be extremely dangerous when
wounded, and even a relatively small bear can inflict
serious injury. The best option by far is to put the
bear down quickly and efficiently with the first shot,
both out of respect for the animal and for the safety
of the hunter.
TODAYS HUNTER
Bait hunts mean that the bear will likely be close and youll have plenty of time to shoot, but having a handy rifle is a big bonus.
This is the time when a lever action comes into its own.
SIZE AND METHOD MATTER bear, we need special help when deciding eral tactic is to set up on a high point in bear
There are three primary methods by whether the animal we are looking at is a country to glass for animals that look large
which most bear are harvestedover bait, trophy or not. As bears feed around bait, you enough, and once a specific bear is targeted
using hounds or by spot-and-stalk methods. can look at their head size, the space be- the trick becomes moving into position for a
Bait hunting is probably the most com- tween the ears and, more simply, their size clean shot. This can be a relatively easy
mon, and it can certainly be very exciting. relative to the bait can and competing bears. process or more challenging because of steep
Youll often have multiple bears feeding very If theyre really big theres usually little terrain. Above all, you have to trust your
close to you, and in some areas, particularly debate, but borderline bears can require ability to judge that the bear is mature, and
in the more remote regions of Canada, bears more time to judge when deciding whether you also need to know your range limita-
have a proclivity for climbing into stands or not to shoot. In addition, baiting offers a tions. That being said, spot-and-stalk hunts
sometimes while the hunter is present! One chance to make sure that youre not looking are exciting, and although they tend to be
great advantage that bait hunting offers is at a sow with cubs. physically challenging, they offer a great
time to look at and evaluate the bear. Spot-and-stalk hunting is often physically sense of accomplishment.
Because many of us (myself included) challenging and generally offers less time to Hound hunting gets a bad rap, mostly
arent experienced in judging the size of a shoot at a bear that is farther away. The gen- from people who mistakenly believe that its
TODAYS HUNTER
ally need to think about a flat-shooting Model 92 in .454 Casull are great, and my
round. The ones listed above, particularly the buddy Aaron Carters Thompson/Center in
7mm Remington Magnum, will do just fine, .500 S&W is another great option. Light bolt
but you should also consider other flat-shoot- guns like Kimbers Adirondack will also get
ing cartridges like the new 26 and 28 Nosler, the job done.
the Weatherby Magnums from .270-.300, and Optics are nice but certainly arent neces-
the .300 Winchester Magnum. These car- sary, so Id stick with low or no magnifica-
tridges certainly offer plenty of knockdown tion models. Red dots from Aimpoint and
power and energy, and with a high-powered Leupold are great choices. GW
scope you can really reach out.
Hound hunting is a special consideration.
Aside from the fact that the rifle needs to be
chambered in a caliber powerful enough to
stop a bearand youll be in close and theyll
likely be agitated, so this is a special consid-
erationyoull probably want a bear rifle
thats light.
While hound hunting might not require
much walking at all, you might be traveling
miles, and at the end of a steep climb youll
have to make a shot. I dont want a heavy
gun with a long pipe in that situation. In-
stead, give me a light, short, handy rifle that
will stop the bear quickly and effectively.
The lever guns work very well, and the
.30-30 and .35 Remington do just fine. Even
handgun-caliber lever guns like Rossis
GUNSMITHING
A Smith& Wesson
Sighti
INSTALLING FRONT AND REAR SIGHTS
ON THE S&W 686 REVOLVER
T
HIS MONTH WELL KICK OFF Later, IPCS and NRA Action pistol events
another project gun, the S&W 686 re- came about, and both had either a revolver divi-
volver. This gun was designed as sion, or were shot revolver neutral. This means
Smith & Wessons answer to the Colt that the competitor shoots a stage with no more
Python, and I chose it because of its than six rounds, and therefore doesnt gain an
popularity for sporting and competition use. advantage by going to the semi-auto.
The S&W revolvers have ruled various action shoot- Today, revolvers are a smaller part of compet-
ing events going back to the original PPC matches of itive pistol shooting, but the competitors who do
the mid to late 1950s. Back then, the dominant model use them are die-hard fans of the gun. The re-
was usually the S&W M10, which later had a heavy volver can still be very competitive, as anyone
barrel and a sight rib attached. The gun also had ex- who has seen Jerry Miculek shoot can testify.
tensive trigger work done to it, as well as other match The S&W revolver is a great project gun not
grade enhancements. only because of its competition lineage, but be-
cause if you can work on one S&W revolver, you
can work on all of them. In fact, if you can work
on them, you can work on most other double-ac-
tioned revolvers, with the exception of the Colt
Python, whose action is unique unto itself.
The gun that S&W sent me will be used as a
competition gun for steel matches. Why steel?
Because these are revolver neutral matches with
five targets shot from start to finish, so they are
a lot of fun with pretty much any gun, but espe-
cially the revolvers because they instill a unique
challenge and impart additional shooting skills.
GUNSMITHING
THREE MAIN AREAS Ill also put an optical sight on the gun the rounded end of the solid pin and not slip
Ill review inspections of the gun in later and mount a Leupold Delta point. off when youre trying to drive out the pin,
issues, so for now lets just assume that we The S&W front sight is a ramped front as sometimes can happen with a standard
have a new gun, or a pistol that we know to sight with a red ramp insert. This red ramp flat punch pin.
be serviceable. is okay, but for our project, something larger If your gun has a roll pin holding in the
To change a service grade pistol into one and brighter is needed. Enter the fiber optic front sight, use the regular 1/16th pin punch
that can be used for competition, you need to sight. First used on competition shotguns, to drive out the pin from either direction.
address three areas: sights, trigger, and accu- the fiber optic sight quickly found its way The second point to remember is that its
racy. Shooting steel is normally done at over to everyday handguns and has really usually not a good idea to reuse roll pins,
fairly close range, so a match barrel is not taken off. Sight sets are now available for since once a roll pin is installed, it is com-
needed since the gun already has enough ac- virtually all of the major handguns, such as pressed in the hole to provide holding power.
curacy to be competitive. And, although the Glock, S&Ws M&P series, and the They wont have the same holding power
more accuracy is always better, well leave Springfield XD lineup. once theyre driven out, so its best to just
things as is so we can concentrate on sights Replacing the front sight is a pretty discard them and use a fresh pin; dont
and trigger work for this project. straightforward operation, but there are a worry, theyre cheap.
The standard Smith &Wesson front and couple of points to remember. The front The roll pins in S&W revolvers are
rear sights are pretty good for everyday sight is held in place with a roll pin, but on smaller than a standard 1/16th pin, however,
shooting at the range or for defensive or some older guns the front sight was held in so you will need to reuse the one you take
CCW carrying duties, but for competition place with a solid pin. out. Once we have the old front sight re-
workespecially for shooting steel where If your gun has a solid pin, use the proper moved, install the new front sight and drill
speed is importantthe sights needs to be punch, which is a cupped-tip punch, avail- the sight using the drill press with a fresh
larger and of higher visibility. able from Brownells. The cup tip will sit on #53 drill bit.
Heres another tip: I only use drill bits a glue in the center bar in order to secure the the rear sight is just there as a reference be-
half dozen times before discarding them. The fiber insert in place. cause theres no time to line up front and
TiN coated drills I use have quite a bit of The next step is to install a larger blade rear sights. So we use a big, highly visible
life, however, as the TiN (Titanium Nitride) on the rear sight. Some may ask, Why not a front sight, and a big blade to provide refer-
coating on the drill greatly extends their life. fiber optic rear sight, too? This is a combi- ence. This is a fast combination.
I will drill ten or more holes with them, nation that some people like, but for speed The Weigand rear sight blade we will use
which is something I would never do with a shooting, the focus is on the front sight, and comes from the shop of Jack Weigand, for-
standard drill.
After the hole is drilled, I degrease
everything and use a very small amount
SSK
of blue Loc-tite to hold things in place. I
CUSTOMS: Revolvers, single
dont like to rely just on the roll pin to shots, semi autos, bolt guns
hold the sight. Remember, this is a com- and suppressors. Over 400
petition gun and will be shot much calibers including Whispers,
HANDCANNONS
more than a weekend plinker, so we JDJs and B & M. Rechambering
need to make sure the sight stays on. and rebarreling services. Mouse
Once the sight is installed, we can to Mastadon killers. Settle
then install the fiber insert, which back and enjoy our website. No
comes in red or green. Ill opt for red, boring guns allowed.
since thats the most visible under most
lighting conditions. When installing the SSKINDUSTRIES.COM
fiber insert, use a small drop of super- 740-264 0176
GUNSMITHING
VALTREX ONLINE!
turning it until it breaks.
Remove the parts by pushing out the
screw and nut, being careful to secure
the spring and plunger in the screw
head. Install the new blade, with the
All FDA approved brand name medications.
spring and plunger, with the screw nut
on the end. Center the new blade, and
USA Pharmacies and Doctors since 1998.
secure the nut in place with the windage
nut staking tool.
Order Online, by Phone (1-800-467-0693)
This is a special tool made just for this or Mobile Device!
purpose. The pistolsmith should pur-
chase a 10-pack of windage springs and . Safe . Secure . Discreet
plungers from Brownells. They are cheap
and you will lose a few trying to get the
windage screw in.
I remember that when I attended the
S&W Armorers Course for revolvers,
most of us were launching springs and
plungers all day long. Most of the stu-
dents were police officers who were not
used to handling small springs such as
these. Everybody launched a few! If you
are in a hurry or dont want to mess with
the small springs and plungers, you can
send the sight assembly to Weigand and
for $15 they will install the blade for you. 5% discount at Viamedic.com/guns
www.gunworld.com | JANUARY 2016 | GUN WORLD 87
GW-SMITH-82-89.qxp 11/13/15 2:18 AM Page 88
GUNSMITHING
CONTACT
Light,
Compact,
Reliable
RUGERS TOUGH LITTLE LCR
WHEELGUN IS NOW OFFERED IN
SIZZLING .327 FEDERAL MAGNUM
TEXT & PHOTOS BY DAVE WORKMAN
Find us on
load leaves the muzzle at 1,090 fps with 290 foot-pounds of en-
ergy. The 100-grain .327 Federal Magnum launches at a reported
1,400 fps with 435 foot-pounds of energy. No matter how one
does the math, that is going to get someones attention.
Now, with a barrel thats slightly shorter than two inches,
youre very unlikely to achieve the advertised velocity from any
load. It just doesnt happen. But there is still enough of a wallop
to stop a fight.
Discover the
On the plus side, with that short of a barrel, the muzzle blast world of rearms at
is fearsome and the muzzle flash can light up a dark room. Even
if you miss, youre going to frighten the hell out of whatever it is
your ngertips.
youre shooting at.
CARRY WORTHY
Next, what about carrying this gun? The good news is that
there is an abundance of holsters out there that fit the LCR. I www.facebook.com/gunworldmagazine
Light,
folks are very weight conscious.
Action: Double-action-only revolver
From experience on backcountry
Caliber: .327 Federal Magnum
trails, I can attest to the desire to avoid
Capacity: 6 rounds
Compact,
packing around a heavy revolver or pis-
Barrel: 1.875 inches
tol. After a few miles they become an an-
Sights: Fixed, front blade, rear u-notch
chor that youd rather not have around,
Frame: Polymer grip frame, blackened 400 series
except when you suddenly need it.
Theres no such problem with the LCR.
When Ruger introduced the LCRx it
really got my attention because it has an
exposed hammer, an adjustable sight,
stainless
Grips: Hogue Tamer Monogrip
OAL: 6.5 inches Reliable
MSRP: $619.00
and it can be fired both single- and dou-
ble-action. I think an LCRx model in
.327 Federal Magnum would be a good
next step.
For now, what you have is a pretty
good defensive double-action-only hand-
AD INDEX
gun that is virtually impervious to the
weather. Being in the Northwest, rain is Advertiser Page
a fact of life, and I have yet to see one of
these LCRs so much as hiccup when Bigfoot Gun Belts 69 Major Surplus & Survival 29
conditions change.
Browning 11, 53, 63 Oriskany Arms Inc 99
Ruger packages the LCR with a soft
padded case that has a stout zipper. Its a Caspian Arms Ltd. 59 Rio Grande Custom Grips 47
useful accessory into which one can stick
a small cleaning rod and a couple of CZ-USA 37 Rossi 25
patches, and theres also a security pad-
lock in the box. Davidson's 7 Secure Medical 89
BACK PAGES
during the time it was in our editorial hands.
First, it accompanied Cotterman on a chuck
hunt in Utah, and then traveled off to Molokai,
Hawaii for an axis deer hunt. Next up was a trip
to Catalina Island to shoot at some goats.
If those seem like a curious mix of targets, all
of this was made a bit easier by simply switching
out the barrels on the Model 760 from a .257
Roberts to the .280 for the trip to Hawaii.
Changing barrels had been one of Cotter-
mans inspirations, stated the article. His
logichad been that the barrels would exchange
without mishap as long as the cartridge head di-
ameters were the sameThus, the .270, .280,
.308 Winchester or .30/06 could be used. The
.257 Roberts(also) has the right head size to
interchange successfully. Extra barrels are not
expensive and make the 760 an excellent candi-
date for all-around gun.
And, although Remington was officially a bit
leery of Cottermans plan to quick-change the
barrels using a single tool to break loose the
action tube, the Gun World team was impressed
with the guns performance in both accuracy
and dependable service. GW
Well-Traveled
Publisher: Engaged Media INC., 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway,
January 1966 issue Suite 200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
featured William H. Editor: Craig Hodgkins, Engaged Media INC., 22840 Savi
Page, Jr. testing out Ranch Parkway, Suite 200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
SLIDE ACTION
Managing Editor: Mark Heisser, Engaged Media INC.,
an M-1 Garand that 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, Suite 200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
had been modified 10. Owner: Engaged Media INC., 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway,
as a .243 Winchester Suite 200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
varmint rifle. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security
Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent of More of Total
Amount of Bonds, Mortgagees, or Other Securities: None
BY CRAIG HODGKINS 12. Tax Status (For completion by nonprot organizations
authorized to mail at nonprot rates): Not applicable
As always, one of the primary features addition to some of the other, more com- 13. Publication Title: Gun World
14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below:
of our January 1966 issue was a field test. mon calibers. When asked why, our in- Oct 14 - Sep 15 / Sep 15
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation:
This time around, it was of Remingtons trepid associate editor (and reloading ace) A. Total No. of Copies (Net Press Run): 78,471 / 67,121
B. Paid and/or Requested Circulation:
Model 760, a slide action rifle that prom- made his position very clear. 1. Paid/Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions
Stated on Form 3541: 7,870 / 7,194
ised over-the-counter accuracy to match I just wanted to write about it, he 2. Paid In-County Subscriptions: 0 / 0
3. Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors,
that of the average bolt-action. opined. Its got more on the ball than its Counter Sales, and Other Non-USPS Paid Distribution:
69,980 / 59,170
According to Dan Cotterman, who been credited for and it irks me to see a 4. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS: 0 / 0
C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 77,850 / 66,364
helped test the Model 760, the original good cartridge like the .280 passed by D. Free Distribution By Mail:
1. Outside-County as Stated on Form3541: 323 / 496
version of the rifle dated back to the early dont they know this is just the good ol 2. In-County as Stated on Form 3541: 0 / 0
3. Other Classes Mailed Through USPS: 0 / 0
1950s, but a few new tweaks to the gun 7mm/06, except better? Its about time 4. Outside the mail: 180 / 158
E. Total Free Distribution Outside the Mail: 503 / 654
had put it back on Gun Worlds radar. someone got on this thing and started put- F. Total Distribution: 78,353 / 67,018
G. Copies Not Distributed: 118 / 103
To make things more interesting, Cot- ting out the good word. H. Total: 78,471 / 67,121
I. Percent Paid: 99.36% / 99.02%
terman wanted to test the gun in .280, in The rifle logged a good deal of mileage 16. Electronic Copy Circulation: Print Only
(No electronic copies)
17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: January 2016
18. Signature: Nick Singh
Evolution Theory
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its newest lineup of compact 1911s. 3.5'' Compact Version
NEW FOR 2016
Smaller footprint and enhanced portability,
same quality, same value.
The Ruger LCP Custom is a compact .380 Auto pistol designed with the shooter in mind.
Affordable and comfortable, the Ruger LCP Custom is perfect for licensed carry for personal protection, or
as a backup rearm for law enforcement. The Ruger LCP Custom features a polished, stainless steel guide
rod; a wide red-anodized, skeletonized aluminum trigger for a lighter felt trigger pull; a photoluminescent front
sight for low light conditions; and a square edge, drift adjustable rear sight that facilitates slide manipulation.