Combat Handguns - July-August 2019 US

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18 CZ-USA’s PERFECTLY
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accurate heat with 19+1 rounds on tap
By Garrett Lucas
32 FANGS OUT
CONTENTS
The smallest MPX from Sig Sauer is finally

here and ready to strike
By Greg Lickenbrock
42 CHAMPIONSHIP RUGER STEEL 32 42

The new Doug Koenig SR1911 Competition
makes it easy to shoot like a world-beater
By Paul Scarlata
58 WILSON GOES LONG

The carry-ready EDC X9 is back with a longer
barrel for better handling and accuracy
By David Bahde
68 ULTIMATE UNDERSTUDY
Umarex creates an affordable BB-firing replica
to upgrade your Glock skills
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78 SOLDIER SHOWDOWN
Settling the debate surrounding the Army’s 58
MHS decision with five of the best 9mms
By Paul Scarlata FIRST SHOT: The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT)
Show is the biggest insider-only expo within the firearms world.
Dozens upon dozens of manufacturers use it as a platform to unveil
HOT FROM SHOT brand-new products that’ll be hitting gun shop shelves in the coming
months, and our contributors carefully scoured the miles of aisles to
84 AMMO find the greatest new gear for you. In this issue, we’ll cover the ammo,
89 REVOLVERS revolvers and training aids that caught our eye, but more is on the
way. We’ve also got several “first looks” at new variants ready to rock,
including the large-and-in-charge CZ P-10 F, Sig MPX Copperhead
and Wilson EDC X9L. These exciting 9mms were born to help you
put rounds on target easily. More gun reviews are in store for you in
the pages ahead, along with another gun giveaway, a “Battle Royale”
between the Army’s MHS contenders, tactics to help you defend
your loved ones, and much more. So let’s get to it! —The Editors
WE STAND CORRECTED: In the May/June issue, we accidentally

listed the tiny, miniscule NAA Bug II’s weight as being 7 pounds
instead of 7 ounces. Whoops! Sorry for the hilarious mistake.
| |
2 COMBAT HANDGUNS JULY • AUGUST 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nino Bosaz
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Linas Cernauskas
Combat
PRODUCTION EDITOR Greg Lickenbrock
ART DIRECTOR/COVER DESIGN Rory Slifkin
HANDGUNS
® PREPRESS MANAGER Michael Toppin
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CIRCULATION CONSULTANT
Richard Ortega
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06 SELF-DEFENSE personaldefenseworld.com • tactical-life.com
& THE LAW realworldsurvivor.com • ballisticmag.com
Three cases offer critical lessons to EDITORIAL INQUIRIES editdesk@athlonoutdoors.com
prevent mistaken-identity shootings
By Massad Ayoob
athlonoutdoors.com
12 ASK THE PROS VP/GROUP PUBLISHER Nicholas S. Seifert
& CONTENT DIRECTOR
Team Walther’s Cody Osborn gives 06 ADVERTISING SALES
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56 FULLY LOADED
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64 RIMFIRE REPORT information in this magazine is based upon the personal
experience of individuals who may be using specific tools,
Getting on target with the S&W products, equipment and components under particular
Performance Center’s latest rimfire conditions and circumstances, some or all of which may not
By Denis Prisbrey be reported in the particular article and which this magazine
has not otherwise verified. Nothing herein is intended
to constitute a manual for the use of any product or the
74 GUNFIGHTING carrying out of any procedure or process. This magazine
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There’s more to carrying a snubbie any liability, injuries or damages arising out of any person’s
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Principles of Personal Defense 74 accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The
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Copyright © 2019 by Athlon Sports Communications, Inc.
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4 COMBAT HANDGUNS JULY • AUGUST 2019
prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.
SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW
THREE CASES OFFER CRITICAL LESSONS TO

PREVENT MISTAKEN-IDENTITY SHOOTINGS
BY MASSAD AYOOB
iStock Photo
An impartial review of the dynamics apparently deranged man named autopsy toxicology screening later
of stopping mass murder shows that Dajon Harper, 26, broke into a showed that the home invader was
the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre was right residence and decided to take a high on drugs, including meth.
when he famously said that it takes shower in the occupied home. An Police arrived to find a chaotic
a good guy with a gun to stop a bad 11-year-old boy who lived there scene. As responding officers
guy with a gun. The proof of that has was awakened by the sound. As entered the home, they saw Mr.
been starkly seen in case after case. he approached the bathroom, the Black with a gun in one hand and a
But what happens when the armed intruder saw him, grabbed him and flashlight in the other. The officers
good guy who stopped the bad guy attempted to strangle him. shouted commands to drop the
is then mistaken for the bad guy and The boy’s grandfather—Richard gun, but when Mr. Black turned
shot by police? To analyze that, let’s “Gary” Black, 73—heard the boy’s towards them, still armed, shots
discuss three such recent tragedies. screams and ran to his assistance, were fired. Tragically, moments
pistol in hand. When he saw a after saving his grandson’s life,
HOME INVASION nude adult male trying to kill his Mr. Black died from his wounds.
Case One takes us to Aurora, young grandson, Mr. Black shot The slain hero was a Vietnam
Colorado, in July of 2018. An the attacker twice, killing him. The combat veteran whose battle
| |
S E M I A U T O M AT I C
SAFETY TIP: Store firearms securely, inaccessible to children and unauthorized users.
SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW
(Roberson) multiple verbal commands
to drop the gun and get on the ground
before ultimately discharging his weapon
and striking the subject.” The family of
the deceased hero has filed a lawsuit
over the incident, which is still under
investigation as of this writing.
Case Three took place on February
14, 2018—the same day an infamous
mass murder took place at the Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School in
Parkland, Florida. In Amarillo, Texas, a
gunman entered the Faith Hill Mission
and took some 100 people hostage.
An ex-con in the chapel named Tony
Garces jumped the man, grappled
with him and successfully disarmed
him. Responding Amarillo cops arrived
Alfredo Rico Photo

to find Garces holding the gun, and
shouted at him to drop it. When he
began to lower the gun instead, they
opened fire, wounding Garces twice.
Garces survived to claim that he
“ALL THREE TIMES, THE GOOD GUYS WHO didn’t want to drop the gun for fear it
would go off, and was attempting to set
WERE SHOT—TWO OF THEM FATALLY— it safely on the floor when he was shot.
Police saw it as a man believed to be
WERE HEROES WHO HAD RISKED THEIR an active killer disobeying commands
LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS…” to drop the gun. Joshua Jones, 35, the
actual gunman, is in custody. Garces
has taken legal action.
experience had left him extremely hard on minimizing the risk to public safety,’
of hearing. Many people now believe Young wrote.” LEARNING POINTS
that he was unable to hear the police Examine the commonalities in the above
commands to drop his gun. MORE SITUATIONS cases. All three times, the good guys
A few months later, Fox News in Case Two occurred in the suburbs of who were shot—two of them fatally—
Denver reported, “Adams County District Chicago in November of 2018. A man were heroes who had risked their lives
Attorney Dave Young described Richard entered a bar and opened fire, injur- to save others and undoubtedly did save
‘Gary’ Black’s death as a ‘harrowing ing multiple customers. A 26-year-old multiple lives. All three times, police
tragedy’ but said his role was to deter- security guard, Jemel Roberson, shot the were going in on a call that was essen-
mine whether the Aurora police officer man, ending the terror. Roberson then tially “man with a gun, there now, likely to
who shot the 73-year-old Vietnam War knelt on the back of the fallen gunman murder many,” and the heroes were each
veteran was justified in using deadly and held his pistol on him. But when “holding a gun, there now.”
force. Based on witness interviews and police arrived, one officer opened fire, In all three cases, police shouted
more than 90 videos captured by offi- fatally wounding the young hero. commands to drop the gun, and those
cers’ body cameras, Young said Officer At the time of this writing, there are commands were not carried out. On the
Drew Limbaugh did not know who Black conflicting accounts of exactly what hap- law enforcement side, police officers
was and fired when the homeowner pened. Some of Roberson’s friends and have to remember that in chaotic situa-
refused police commands to drop his coworkers insist that he was wearing tions like these, factors such as auditory
handgun. Young said Limbaugh’s belief a cap marked “security” at the time he exclusion and loud background noise
was reasonable, and prosecutors cannot was shot, and multiple witnesses were may render the good guy with the gun
prove that the officer was not justified in shouting that Roberson was a guard. unable to hear such commands. If shots
firing. He said there also is no evidence However, the investigating agency, the have been fired, everyone involved might
that Limbaugh was reckless or criminally Illinois State Police, stated, “According have impaired hearing. Or, as Case One
negligent. ‘Officer Limbaugh engaged in to witness statements, the Midlothian shows, a subject might be deaf to begin
conduct that was consciously focused officer gave the armed subject with, further complicating matters.
| |
Gail Pepin Photos
When the police tell you to drop

your gun, do so immediately. If you’re a
plainclothes cop, keep your badge high.
with guns, including other armed citizens

or plainclothes officers, are likely to see
“person with the gun” as a threat, not
a rescuer. Remember that when police
shout orders, human nature may make
you turn toward that sudden sound, and
the gun will turn with you, mimicking an
On the “good guy with a gun” side, it you should carry a gun that is “drop safe” attempt to shoot the officer, as appar-
must be remembered that law enforce- and designed to be immune from inertial ently happened in Case One. Open your
ment officers are taught that in such situa- discharges due to impact. And if you fingers to make it clear you are not taking
tions the identified officer’s commands have taken the bad guy’s unfamiliar gun, a shooting posture, and let the weapon
must be instantly obeyed. Because “blue you’re better off risking an unintentional fall upon the “drop the gun” command.
on blue” mistaken-identity shootings discharge from dropping it than being George Santayana famously said
almost always involve plainclothes/under- shot by police, as Case Three proves. that those who do not learn from history
cover/off-duty cops shot by uniformed If you are present at a mass murder, are doomed to repeat it. That advice
officers, responding police see these as don’t draw your gun until you have pos- is particularly relevant in this situation.
the rules of engagement and expect the itively identified the threat, and as soon Let us all work to make sure the tragic
non-identifiable armed person to drop as you have neutralized the threat, hol- outcomes of the heroic rescuers outlined
their weapon upon command. This means ster the weapon. All the other good guys here do not occur again.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JULY • AUGUST 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 9 |
ASK THE PROS
from Texas A&M with a

bachelor’s in agricultural
science and a master’s in
agriculture leadership, edu-
cation and communications.
All of this combines to make
him a tremendous asset to
Walther Arms.
Cody has been a mem-
ber of Team Walther for a
little over two years. When I
asked him why he became
a competitive shooter, his
answer couldn’t have been
more honest: “I was a really
bad shot and wanted to get
better,” he said. “I went to a
local competition one day
and fell in love with it. I was
active and very competitive
WHAT’S IN YOUR in sports during high school,

but after school, there really
wasn’t anything that offered
RANGE BAG?
the same level of compet-
itive spirit or drive. Then I
found competitive shooting.
It is a great way to compete
TEAM WALTHER’S CODY OSBORN GIVES US with others, but mostly with
THE GOODS ON HIS FAVORITE GEAR

myself. It consistently drives
me to do better in a sport
that I can continue with for
BY KAREN HUNTER
Learning what COMPETITIVE CODY

the pros use can
help our shooting Sitting on the porch with a
skills grow and develop. cold drink in hand, talking
We can gain new ideas and guns with a friend. This is
find different products and the feeling you get having
gear to try out. Plus, it’s just a conversation with Cody
fun to have a free pass to Osborn. No, we weren’t Competitive
Edge Dynamics
nose around in their bags. really on a porch, and I Professional
That’s why I reach out to only recently met him at Range Bag
firearms experts and ask the 2018 Athlon Outdoors
them, “What’s in your range Rendezvous, but he exudes
bag?” For this installment, I a genuine “good guy” vibe.
tracked down Cody Osborn, A personality that’s down
the marketing manager for to earth, disarming and
Walther Arms who also instantly puts you at ease.
competes with the com- At the same time, Cody is
pany’s shooting team. He well-spoken, confident and
graciously carved out some knowledgeable. Originally
time for us to talk. from Texas, he graduated
| |
Oakley Standard Issue The glasses also have a
Tombstone Reap Glasses
single-release trigger that
allows you to rapidly switch
out lenses without smudging
them. Several different lens
options are available directly
from Oakley. (oakley.com)
Cody literally lives and utilized as a sleeve While he uses a few dif-
breathes Walther. Along with or bag when needed. ferent earmuffs, Cody’s top
his full-time job and compe- (cedhk.com) choice is the MSA Supreme
titions, he must also balance For eye protection, Pro-X. These earmuffs have
a training regimen. He trains Cody turns to Oakley MSA custom-molded inner ears
Supreme
once a week with live fire at Standard Issue Tombstone Pro-X for superior comfort, and
the range while also incor- Reap glasses. These the Application Specific
porating disciplined dry-fire glasses have eye-tracking nology provides enhanced Integrated Circuit (ASIC)
practice three to four days a technology that allows for contrast to help you lock in technology works with two
week for at least 30 minutes a wide 120-degree field of on your target while decreas- separate microphones to
per session. Cody said that view, and the Prizm tech- ing eye fatigue and straining. boost lower sounds like
dry-fire practice should
never be dismissed because
it’s a great way to work
on your trigger pull, sight
picture, speed and muscle
memory. “It’ll keep your core
fundamentals sharp, which
will carry over into your live-
fire shooting.”
A LOOK INSIDE
While I’d love to elaborate
on all of Cody’s gear, I want
to focus more on the items
that an everyday shooter
would typically have, like
a range bag, eye and ear
protection, and ammo.
First off, Cody uses
a Competitive Edge
Dynamics (CED)
Professional Range
Bag. This bag is made of
rugged, weather-resistant
600-denier polyester with
heavy-duty stitching and
chrome hardware. Each
CED Professional Range
Bag comes with a combina-
tion security lock and cable,
and Cody likes the bag
because it’s roomy, geared
for shooters and acts as two
bags in one. It has a remov-
able pistol insert that can be
ASK THE PROS
slide reciprocates on the frame rails.

Walther PPQ M2
This means there’s less muzzle flip and
Jarvis Custom Barrel fatigue on both the gun and the shooter.
Less recoil also means faster split
times. (sprinco.com)
Cody also added TruGlo Tritium
TruGlo Pro sights. The front sight has a tritium
Tritium Pro insert with a white Focus-Lock ring
Sights
around it so you can focus on it quickly.
The rear sight has a U-notch for easy
alignment and a ledge for one-handed
slide manipulations. With all of these
capabilities, these TruGlo sights have
become very popular among competi-
tive shooters. (truglo.com)
Finally, for ammunition, Cody prefers
to use Federal 150-grain Syntech
Action Pistol TSJs. These round use
Sprinco Recoil Total Synthetic Jackets to eliminate
Management System the copper and lead fouling common
to other projectiles while also reduc-
ing damaging heat and friction. These
rounds are also loaded to power factor
requirements, and the flatter-nosed
Federal Syntech
projectiles will more reliably knock down
Action Pistol TSJs
steel targets. (federalpremium.com)
talking at the range while muffling shots. The gun also has three integral HUMBLE ADVICE
gunfire. All of the moving parts are made safeties: two drop safeties as well as
of steel, and the circuit boards are lac- a firing pin safety. Cody offered the following to shooters
quered and protected from water. MSA With its 5-inch barrel and ported in the competition realm: “Leave your
also provides a five-year warranty against slide, this Walther is 8.1 inches long ego out of it. Being a great shooter is
water damage. (us.msasafety.com) overall, 5.3 inches tall and weighs 26 one thing, but representing a company
ounces unloaded. More features include is huge. To have a good team and obtain
THE HEAVY STUFF front and rear slide serrations, three- sponsors takes more than ability. It
dot sights, a dust-cover accessory takes humility. Be humble. Never blow
Let’s talk guns already! This is always rail, ambidextrous slide and magazine off advice from anyone. We can always
one of the most intriguing aspects of releases, an ergonomic polymer grip and learn something, even from average
this article for me. I really enjoy seeing a corrosion-resistant Tenifer finish on the shooters. And finally, practice continually
how shooters set up their guns and slide and barrel. (waltherarms.com) and consistently. Whether it’s live fire or
why. Some perform major modifications To upgrade his PPQ M2, Cody dry fire, practice whenever you can, even
to tailor their guns for their needs, while added a Jarvis custom barrel. This if it’s just 10 to 15 minutes a day.”
others leave their guns mostly stock. National Match barrel is made from Whether you shoot competitively,
There’s no right or wrong answer. This certified 4140 steel and heat-treated to recreationally or solely concentrate on
is entirely based upon the needs and a Rockwell hardness rating of 40-44, self-defense, this is fantastic advice. If
desires of the shooter, but it’s definitely giving it plenty of strength and longevity. you’re genuinely humble, you’ll be open
an interesting aspect to cover. Javis is a great choice if you want to get to learn new things and better yourself.
For USPSA competition, Cody runs a threaded barrel, too, and the company Sure, it’s important to be confident in
a 5-inch-barreled Walther PPQ M2. offers drop-in options as well as custom your abilities as well, but there’s a fine
This striker-fired 9mm pistol comes fitting. (jarvis-custom.com) line between that and arrogance. In
from the factory with a Quick Defense The next upgrade is a Sprinco the end, Cody Osborn seems to have
trigger that breaks at 5.5 pounds after Recoil Management System. This found the perfect balance, and that
0.4 inches of travel. The reset is less drop-in recoil spring assembly replace- might be the most important thing he
than an inch long for quick follow-up ment helps absorb felt recoil when the takes to the range.
| |
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CZ-
ON THE COVER
| |
Catchy, huh? Though it’s not
The optics- quite as assertive a name as,
ready P-10 F say, the Annihilator 3000,
there’s something respectful
brings the and thoughtful about the
understatement.
highly accurate At first glance, the P-10 F
looks just like the P-10 C.
heat with 19+1 It’s just bigger and holds
more ammo. Right? Well,
rounds on tap not exactly. CZ’s made a few
tweaks, and my test sample
came with something extra.
BY GARRETT LUCAS
It wasn’t that long ONE FAST FIGHTER
At the same time that the
P-10 F was introduced, CZ
also rolled out its subcom-
pact version, the P-10 S,
as well as “Optics-Ready”
variants for all three sizes.
That’s the “something
extra” here, as I received the
P-10 F Optics-Ready model
for testing. Each Optics-
Ready pistol ships with
blank filler plates, but plates
for the Trijicon RMR and
SRO, as well as the Leupold
DeltaPoint Pro, will be avail-
able for order separately.
Because some readers
may not be familiar with the
personaldefenseworld.com | |
JULY • AUGUST 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 19
DEF E N D
WITH
pa s sio n
It’s the situation that happens in a split second,

and can change your life forever.
Be prepared to win.
The new Beretta APX Carry.
Easy to conceal. Easy to handle. Easy to customize.
%4<GEVV].com #WinTheFight
CZ-USA’S PERFECTLY LARGE P-10 |
P-10 C, we’ll start with a

clean slate here and go over
some key points about the
P-10 F. As mentioned, the
P-10 F is a striker-fired pistol.
Like many new pistols on the
market today, it has a polymer
frame, making it much lighter
to carry—an important
benefit for a pistol of this size.
Measuring a whopping 8
inches long and 5.85 inches
tall with a 4.5-inch, nitride-
finished barrel, the P-10 F
Optics-Ready tips the scales
at 28.2 ounces unloaded.
These larger dimensions
bump the magazine capacity
up to 19 rounds compared :
to the 15 that you get with It’s easy to take the
P-10 F down for cleaning
the P-10 C. Like its prede- and maintenance. Note
cessor, the P-10 F sports an the steel guide rod and
ambidextrous slide release nitride-treated barrel.
SPEC BOX The front and rear cocking

serrations on the nitride-
treated slide are slightly
angled and deep enough
for a firm purchase. As with
CALIBER: 9mm most competent fighting
pistols today, the P-10 F also
BARREL: 4.5 inches
includes a Picatinny rail for
OA LENGTH: 8 inches attaching lights, lasers and
other gadgetry. Additionally,
GRIP: Polymer the grip texturing is fairly
aggressive for maximum trac-
SIGHTS: Tritium front, black rear
tion even in wet conditions.
ACTION: Striker-fired However, I did notice that the
FINISH: Matte black texturing on the backstrap
CAPACITY: 19+1 sized and very comfortable, seemed more subdued than
that of the original P-10 C,
MSRP: $590
and I really appreciate that
little design tweak.
PERFORMANCE
LOAD “To date, I have not
Federal 124 HST +P 1,232 experienced a single
Federal 135 Hydra-Shok Deep
Sig Sauer 124 V-Crown JHP
1,032
1,188
2.00
malfunction with any
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps
CZ P-10 series pistol,
by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best
five-shot groups at 25 yards.
and that includes my
time with the P-10 F.”
| |
&
Y O U R PA R T N E R I N P R O T E C T I O N
“…the P-10 F
Optics-Ready is an
outstanding value that
won’t leave you wanting
in terms of features
and performance.”
The one thing I’ve always relief makes all the difference
appreciated about CZ in comfortable shooting—
pistols—from the 75 B to the and provides a shorter reach
P-01 and the newer polymer- to the trigger and a higher
framed models—are the grip for better recoil control.
superior ergonomics. Every Another ergonomic
P-10 has a significant relief enhancement is the over-
cut in the grip frame that sized triggerguard, which
allows my hand to get farther is roomy enough for gloved
forward and under the slide fingers. During winter, it
to prevent the “slide bite” eases the mind to not have to
common to some other worry about a gloved finger
striker-fired pistols. It’s not a engaging the trigger when
beavertail per se, as there is inserted in the triggerguard.
no excess or “tail,” but that The P-10 F also comes with
three interchangeable back-

straps so you can customize
the grip. In other words, CZ
left no stone unturned in pro-
viding a platform that is both
comfortable and secure.
SEEING RED
Since I received the Optics-
Ready variant of the P-10 F,
I needed a reflex sight to
go along with it. Trijicon
answered the call, and
installing the RMR took
about five minutes.
This particular RMR,
the RM07 Type 2, uses an
adjustable LED to project a
:
The frame has a squared 6.5-MOA dot. This trans-
triggerguard, checkered finger lates to approximately 1.6
rests above the trigger on both inches of coverage at 25
sides and a Picatinny rail for yards. Trijicon offers other
attaching lights and lasers.
models with smaller dots, but
| |
the 6.5-MOA dot is easier after 16.5 hours since the
to acquire in fast-moving last button push, the RMR
situations like close-quarters
defensive engagements.
will revert back to the auto-
matic brightness mode. TRIJICON’S
Like comparable products
on the market, the Trijicon
RMR is a parallax-free 1X
For a fighting pistol that
could be used for long-
distance shooting, the
NEW SRO
optic. This particular RMR Trijicon RMR definitely sim-
also has a sensor that plifies the process of getting
automatically changes the quick and accurate shots
brightness of the red dot downrange. It’s absolutely
depending on ambient light- worth the investment.
ing, though it also can be
adjusted manually. Eight dif- WELCOME BACK
ferent brightness settings are Having spent a good amount
available, and two buttons of time with several P-10 C
on the side serve to activate pistols, I found that shooting
the reticle and let you cycle the P-10 F felt natural to
through the options. me, almost second nature.
To put it bluntly, the new Trijicon
The CR2032 battery is All the pieces I was familiar
Specialized Reflex Optic (SRO) is awe-
installed from the bottom, so with were there, and the
some. Unfortunately, you won’t realize how
the optic must be removed P-10 F performed exactly as
awesome it is until you actually try it out.
to insert a fresh battery. I expected. As I said before,
So, in this limited amount of space, I’ll try to convey
However, the battery will last it’s just a little bigger and how awesome the SRO actually is.
for more than four years on carries more rounds. I first laid eyes on the SRO at the 2019 SHOT Show
the fourth brightness setting, At the range, I ran a lot when Trijicon representatives showed me one mounted
so you shouldn’t need to of ammo through the gun, to a blue gun. Now, usually when you have a reflex
swap batteries that often. including loads from CCI, sight mounted on a pistol, it takes time and practice to
And to conserve battery life, Federal, Fiocchi, Sig Sauer find the red dot and consistently raise it to the same
level. I brought the blue gun up to eye level, and boom,
the red dot was immediately present. I repeated sev-
eral this times with the same result. The red dot was
always easy to find, whether I held the gun near or far,
set it down and picked it back up, kept both eyes open
or closed one, etc. As you can tell, it didn’t take long for
me to fall in love with the SRO. I was so smitten with it
that I actually forgot my cell phone at the Trijicon booth.
The SRO features a forged 7075-T6 aluminum hous-
ing and electronics that are designed to survive 30,000
rounds of fire and be waterproof down to 30 feet. The
red dot can be adjusted to eight different brightness
settings, with a button “lock-out” mode that secures
the auto-brightness setting, or you can choose the
button “lock-in” mode to secure your brightness setting
indefinitely. The SRO runs on one CR2032 battery that
loads easily from the top, and the run time is rated for
three years on the fourth brightness setting. Finally, the
SR) might seem tall, but it’s only 0.3 inches taller than
:
The triggerguard is
the RMR, and it works with RMR plates. Give it a try.
oversized for glove use I’m sure you’ll come away impressed. (trijicon.com)
and undercut, making it —Linas Cernauskas
easy for shooters to get
a high hold on the pistol.
According to my Lyman
digital trigger pull gauge, the
trigger broke at an average
of 4.7 pounds over 10 pulls.
While everyone always wants
a lighter trigger for better
control, I think CZ hit it just
about right for this type of
pistol, given that there is no
manual safety aside from the
one on the trigger.
The front sight has a
tritium insert surrounded by
a bright orange ring, and
the rear sight is serrated
and all black. Even without
Tricked out with a Trijicon the Trijicon RMR attached,
RMR, the CZ P-10 F was the P-10 F is easy to shoot
accurate both off-hand and
shooting from a rest. It’d
quickly and accurately since
make an ideal service pistol. the front sight is so easy to
pick up and track. Though
I could not co-witness the
sights through the RMR,
going forward, CZ will
provide sights that can be
co-witnessed with either the
Leupold DeltaPoint Pro or
Trijicon RMR. The height of
the sights will be specific to
your particular reflex sight.
Just like the P-10 C
models I have tried before,
the P-10 F is a very accurate
pistol. I tested it from a rest
at 25 yards with the RMR
in place. My experience has
been that +P loads don’t
always turn in the best
results on paper, but that
and Sellier & Bellot. To date, wasn’t the case here. The
I have not experienced a sin- Federal 124-grain +P HST
gle malfunction with any CZ load turned in the single
P-10 series pistol, and that best five-shot group, with a
includes my time with the spread of just 1.38 inches,
P-10 F. The pistol just works. and an average of 1.8 inches
Regardless of whether I used for three five-shot groups.
hollow-point or TMJ rounds, Sig’s 124-grain JHPs
or Federal’s new Syntech came in second, averaging
TSJ range ammunition, it just 2.02 inches for three 5-shot
didn’t matter. The P-10 F groups. This is exceptional
didn’t jam, fail to feed or fail considering the P-10 F is an
to eject a single time. affordable service pistol, I was
The trigger pull was fairly using a rest, and the RMR’s
crisp with an extremely short red dot covered 1.6 inches of
and positive reset, though it’s the target at 25 yards.
not the lightest trigger I’ve The P-10 F’s longer bar-
tried on a striker-fired pistol. rel and slide made for less
| |
muzzle flip than the P-10 C,
though the compact version
is a pretty flat shooter. To
be honest, as good as my
shooting experience has
been with the P-10 C, it was
even better with the P-10 F,
mainly due to the design
tweaks. The more subtle grip
texturing made the P-10 F
very pleasant to shoot, and
I didn’t feel as if I went 10
rounds with a cheese grater
when I was done. Also,
the redesigned magazine
release was snappy and meant to be carried in the I won’t say that I’m a rabid P-10 F Optics-Ready is an
responsive, making mag- open for duty or used at fanboy, but I do have a bit of outstanding value that won’t
azine changes faster and home where its standard a crush on CZ pistols. I own leave you wanting in terms
more confident. 19+1 capacity can help you several of them, and each of features and performance.
take on all comers. And with one is a dead-nuts accurate CZ’s slogan is “Improving on
FULL-SIZED MVP the optics mounting system, and reliable masterpiece perfection,” and its P-10 pis-
Most of us won’t turn to the P-10 F is packed with of ergonomic engineering. tols show that the company is
the P-10 F for concealed all the requisite features of a The P-10 F is no exception. living up to those words. For
carry. It’s a honkin’ big pistol modern fighting pistol. At an MSRP of $590, the more, visit cz-usa.com.
RELOAD ZONE
EASY READING
OF THE MAZE OF LOADING MANUALS
BY STAN TRZONIEC
While dozens of types of fac- ABOVE: It takes time to find the ultimate and such from the box. Once you’ve
tory ammunition are out there, combination of bullet, powder and primer made your selection, it’s a good idea to
it does get a bit expensive to for your specific needs, but reloading scan the manual, pick out a sampling of
manuals will make the task much easier.
shoot all the time. The alternative, of bullets for the caliber you’re reloading,
course, is reloading your own ammuni- and check out the primer and powder
tion, so the best place to start, whether and how they would best suit you. From options. Most manuals include a chart
you’re a nimrod or even a veteran, is here, comparisons are always in order showing all the primer options. For hand-
selecting a loading manual. to show how reloading can save you gun shooters, it comes down to small or
Considering the assortment of man- money while allowing you more time for large, standard or magnum.
uals at my favorite gun shop, it appears your shooting activities. They will focus Very important in handgun loading
that anyone who makes bullets and on accuracy and how the right combi- is choosing the right powder for the
powders publishes a loading manual. nation of bullet, powder and primer can cartridge and gun you are shooting. For
It’s a given! Hornady, Speer, Barnes, make the difference in making small or example, for semi-autos with smaller
RCBS, Lyman, Nosler, Swift, Norma, large groups downrange. While it does case volumes, fast-burning powders like
Hodgdon and Sierra all stand tall on the take some time (it is a hobby, right?) to Bullseye, Winchester 231 and Unique
shelf. While you don’t need all of them, find the perfect load for any handgun, it will ensure complete burning of the pow-
it’s a good idea to look them over for should be considered fun and definitely der while cycling the handgun’s action
your specific needs and go from there. not a chore to get to that point. properly. In defensive situations, this
Naturally, if you especially like Hornady could be a matter of life and death. Larger
or Sierra bullets, for example, their man- WHERE TO START cases, such as those needed for the .44
uals should be the first ones you pick up, Magnum or .500 Express, need slower-
and the same goes for the other brands. If you are a newcomer to the hobby, burning powders like Hodgdon H110,
While all manuals offer loading manuals include sections on how to get Winchester 296 or Power Pro 300-MP.
recipes for bullets, they make interest- started and what equipment you will This is all included in the manuals, which
ing reading on other subjects, too. For need. These will put you in a position to are perfect reference resources for
starters, there is always an introduction start cartridge loading almost as soon reloading any handgun cartridge, along
on the company’s particular products as you unpack the press, dies, trimmer with powder charges and drop tables.
| |
The bullet is the final ingredient for the velocities of the factory brand to the have space here to barely scratch the
any handload, and the companies that velocities in the manual. surface on the more important points
publish loading manuals have their of handloading and the vast knowledge
favorites. Hornady, for example, explains BY THE NUMBERS that can be gleaned from each manual.
that its XTP, HAP and lead bullets are Figuring out a bullet’s energy,
meant for casual shooting and hunting. With all the information covered in each pressure and primer—all necessary to
Swift, on the other hand, specializes in manual, you may wonder what is left to avoid creating a load with excessive
hunting bullets with its A-Frame line of read. The answer to that is plenty, and pressure—is well worth your time. The
heavy bullets from the .44 Magnum up with some of the loading manuals run- overall length of a loaded cartridge is
to the .454 Casull. Speer has a full line ning more than 1,100 pages, we only vital, as you don’t want your prize .357
of both jacketed and lead bullets, and Magnum load sticking out the front of
its manual even has loading data for its the revolver’s cylinder and hampering its
proprietary Shot Capsules. In addition, operation. Speer, like most other manu-
for indoor target shooting, Speer’s plas- facturers, includes in its manual all-
tic training ammo is used only with a important numbers, such as the maxi-
specific primer, and the necessary data mum case length and the trim-to length
is included for this fun ammo. If you of a cartridge before a bullet is loaded.
favor a particular bullet that’s loaded in The maximum overall cartridge length
commercial ammunition—Remington, with a bullet is given, as are the primer,
Winchester or Hornady, for example— shell holder and test firearm. From all
chances are you can duplicate that load this, it is easy to compare your gun
with careful handloading by matching against the test gun they used.
RELOAD ZONE
Just as riflemen use drop tables for 75 yards, but 10 inches low at 150 yards. sure to force the bullet out of the barrel.
their work in the field, so can handgun- For heavy reading, the manuals Too much powder is surely dangerous
ners, especially if your gun is equipped usually include a section dealing with to both the shooter and the gun, but too
with a scope at shorter distances. For the velocity, energy and pressure of little powder and the bullet won’t leave
example, when I’m out hunting small cartridges. In the past, velocity could be the gun. Obviously, the correct amounts
game with my Ruger revolver with a measured only with sophisticated instru- of propellant constitute what are listed as
Leupold scope mounted, my bullet of ments in a lab. Nowadays, relatively inex- safe loads in the manuals.
choice is the Sierra 125-grain jacketed pensive portable chronographs give very The primer is the smallest part of the
soft point (JSP). With a hefty load of 19.1 accurate results. Energy, stated in foot- cartridge, and manuals show you how to
grains of H110, the velocity is around pounds, quantifies the ability to do work. “read” a fired primer and determine its
1,400 fps, depending on the weather (Specifically, a foot-pound is the energy relationship to pressure. Some people
and temperature. Comparing that to a unit required to lift a 1-pound weight 1 believe that a pierced primer is an indica-
drop table and with the gun zeroed at 25 foot.) While most of us don’t need to tion of excess pressure—and it can be—
yards, the bullet will drop 2.4 inches at 75 concern ourselves too much with this but, as reloading manuals state, it could
yards and almost 6 inches at 100. Testing aspect of a round’s performance, some also point to an overly long or improperly
at the range before any hunt will put you state laws require certain energy levels shaped firing pin. Also interesting is that
in a position to harvest game with one- for hunting certain game species. a primer backing out of the case could
shot kills. On the other hand, if you want What I find interesting is the science be another sign of excessive pressure, or
to extend your range, a zero at 100 yards of pressure and how it relates to hand- that there’s too much space between the
will make your bullet hit 2 inches high at loading. As powder burns, it creates pres- breechface and the cartridge. The manu-
als often explain other ways of checking
pressure by inspecting and “reading”
TIP-OF-THE-SPEER SHOPPING fired cartridges, with details about the
appearance of fired cases. An increase in
Speer’s website bullet weight, or changing to a magnum
offers a wealth of primer, can elevate pressure.
information on the
brand’s proven lineup ABOVE & BEYOND
of loaded ammo and
component bullets, The manuals also cover dozens of
all in a user-friendly safety concerns, how to build your own
format optimized for reloading benches and even use real
easy navigation with any black powder to make Cowboy Action
device. Sections geared Shooting loads. They’re well worth
toward reloading, pro- your time, which brings me to my final
tection, training and law remark: Keep records of your testing and
Speer recently retailers tend not to enforcement will speed handloads. I have a couple of three-ring
announced carry consistently,” said up your search for load binders with special pages detailing the
the launch Speer Senior Marketing data, performance spec- guns, bullets, powder, primers, cases
of its new ecommerce Director Jason Nash. ifications and more. The and velocity figures of each load I’ve
site speer-ammo.com. Speer’s online site lets visitors search tested. This way, when I have completed
For the first time ever, shopping cart features by product number or my testing, it is easy to see what loads
customers can buy Gold free shipping on orders filter by usage, caliber and combinations rose to the top of the
Dot ammunition, com- of $50 or more shipped and bullet style. This heap. And there’s no guesswork involved
ponent bullets and more to a single U.S. address allows quick access to later—just positive proof.
directly from Speer. (before promotions, comprehensive details With this short article, I have covered
“This is a place discounts and taxes are on each of Speer’s hun- only a very small portion of the huge
where our customers applied). All orders are dreds of SKUs, includ- amount of data incorporated into any
can buy specialized shipped UPS Ground. ing its legendary lineup modern loading manual. Bullet and pow-
Speer products, such Delivery times vary, of Gold Dot ammunition, der manufacturers have gone to great
as 44 Special, 327 but most orders will the No. 1 choice of law lengths to provide you with up-to-date
Federal Magnum and be shipped within 10 enforcement agencies. information on their products so you can
32 Auto, that many working days. (speer-ammo.com) use them safely and accurately. So pick
up a reloading manual and get started!
| |
FOR THOSE WHO KNOW
THE DIFFERENCE
'36))PMXIWIVMIW
8LI'36))PMXIWIVMIWF]>):8IGLRSPSKMIW
MWFYMPXJSVXLSWI[LSORS[XLIHMJJIVIRGI
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8LI]VITVIWIRXXLIPEXIWXMR>):ƅWSRKSMRK
GSQQMXQIRXXSHIWMKRJIIPERHTIVJSVQERGI
Premium installed components include:

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FPEWXHMJJYWIVJVSQ7YVI*MVI
10.5” PISTOL – 5.56 NATO

• >):I\GPYWMZIWRMTIVKVI]ƽEXJEGI
%6+SPHXVMKKIVJVSQ%8'
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• 7&8EGXMGEPEHNYWXEFPI7&%FVEGI
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FIRST LOOK
IS FINALLY HERE AND

BY GREG LICKENBROCK
| |
32 COMBAT HANDGUNS JULY • AUGUST 2019
THERE ARE A LOT OF SNAKES good traits for a firearm your life could variants, including the MPX-K, the
IN THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY. depend on. This brings me to the new shortest of the bunch like the hal-
No, I’m not talking about the people. MPX Copperhead from Sig Sauer— lowed MP5K. Until now.
I’m being quite literal. You’ve got all one of three “snakes” in the compa- The new MPX Copperhead is
those old Colt revolvers—the Cobra, ny’s lineup now, alongside the MCX exceptionally compact with an overall
King Cobra, Python, Viper, Boa, Rattler and Canebrake. It’s extremely length of just 14.5 inches, a width of
Diamondback and Anaconda. (Never compact, looks cool and would do a 2.5 inches and a height of 8 inches.
mind the mixed metaphor, or the fact number on anyone who invades your That’s incredible. What’s more, this
|
[ FANGS OUT [
When you’re
firing this MPX,
your support hand
should be locked
onto the front of
the mag well. Also
note the fully ambi-
dextrous controls.
single-stage trigger, all left black to

BARREL: 3.5 inches
contrast with the receivers and brace. it down for cleaning and mainte-
OA LENGTH: 14.5 inches And what a contrast. The upper nance). I only needed a few minutes
WEIGHT: 4.5 pounds (empty) and lower receivers both sport a to get used to its diminutive size.
GRIP: Polymer copper-like Cerakote E190 finish But after a brief learning curve, the
that closely matches the color of the MPX Copperhead’s speed became
SIGHTS: None
arm brace. Along with increasing apparent. This thing turns on a dime,
ACTION: Piston-operated semi-auto the pistol’s durability and corrosion like it was born for quick transitions
FINISH: Cerakote resistance, the finish helps the MPX between targets. The trigger is also
CAPACITY: 20+1 Copperhead stand out, or blend in, crisp with a tactile, audible reset. I
depending on your environment. It’s a obviously wanted more.
MSRP: $1,835
really nice touch. Thankfully, a few months later, Sig
sent me another MPX Copperhead
PERFORMANCE THE POPULAR KID for testing back home with a trans-
LOAD ACCURACY I was lucky to get my hands on lucent, 20-round magazine made
Federal 115 Train + Protect VHP 0.48 an early prototype of the MPX by Lancer, and after unpacking it, I
Copperhead at the Athlon Outdoors immediately remembered just how
Federal 135 Hydra-Shok Deep 1.00
Rendezvous in Montana last year, and small it is. In fact, I carried it to my
Federal 150 HST 0.60 it was easily one of the most popular local Quickshot range here in Atlanta
Sig Sauer 115 FMJ 1.25 firearms available for testing among in the laptop compartment of my
Sig Sauer 125 V-Crown JHP 0.75 the gun writers. Sig had installed one BlackHawk STAX EDC Pack. So
of its own ROMEO4T red-dot sights if you’re in need of a concealable
Bullet weight measured in grains and accuracy in
inches for best five-shot groups at 25 yards. on the Copperhead’s top rail, making large-format pistol, you’re in luck. If
it easy to hit steel targets between you’re in danger, just grab it, snap the
10 and 50 yards away. brace into position and get to work.
| |
The top rail makes it easy to add
optics like the Nikon P-Tactical Spur
reflex sight, and the magazine well
is beveled for smooth, quick reloads.
One translucent 20-round magazine
(below) came with the test gun.
I originally wanted to test the sample digested at least 500 rounds

MPX Copperhead outdoors, at and ran very well. I started to get fail-
least out to 50 yards again, but ures to eject with Federal’s Syntech
the weather didn’t agree. Still, I TSJ ammo, but I attribute this to the
destroyed quite a few paper targets rounds not producing enough force
at 25 yards with a Nikon P-Tactical to cycle the rather dirty action. I could
Spur red-dot sight mounted on the have easily tuned the piston to over-
top rail. The trigger just asked for come the heavy fouling. The operating
more follow-up shots, and I only wish manual even offers specifics on how
more 20-round magazines had been to run the MPX in desert, arctic and
included. It was easy to print tight jungle conditions. Nonetheless, the
“If you’re in
danger, just
grab it, snap
the brace into
position and
get to work.”
personaldefenseworld.com
[ FANGS OUT [
IN CLOSE QUARTERS
The Copperhead was The MPX Copperhead feels like it was
a big hit at the Athlon made for close-protection details. It
Outdoors Rendezvous last would be extremely easy to use in tight
fall, where it shrugged off
cold and rainy conditions.
quarters, such as hallways or crowds,
making it a great home defender for
civilians or entry gun for military and
law enforcement personnel. Of course,
the U.S. Army’s Sub-Compact Weapon
(SCW) program, in search of a new
submachine gun, is still ongoing, and
the MPX Copperhead might be close
to Sig’s submission. After all, it does
match the coyote tan coloring of the
P320 that went on to become the U.S.
Army’s M17. Time will tell.
But, regardless of where the
MPX platform eventually goes, the
Copperhead is a sleek, fast-handling
and accurate pistol. The unique flash
suppressor adequately reduces both
flash and blast; the controls are intuitive
and easy to use; and the brace provides
Alex Landeen Photo
a nice solution if you need more stability

while firing. Taking this thing down for
cleaning after my range session showed
just how ingenious the designers and
gunsmiths at Sig Sauer truly are. The
barrel and piston assembly itself is just
fascinatingly tiny and efficient. And
maybe that’s the best way to describe
SPURRED ONWARD the entire platform—tiny and efficient.
To get the most out LEADING THE WAY

of a large-format Everybody loves Sig, right? If you want
pistol like the MPX to know where the firearms industry
Copperhead, you’ll need a red- is going, it’s the company to watch
dot or reflex sight that provides right now. And the MPX Copperhead
fast, intuitive, both-eyes-open is a great take on the large-format
shooting. Just place the glow- pistols that are so popular these days.
ing red dot on the target and Compared to a typical handgun, the
press the trigger. Copperhead holds more ammo and
One good example is roughly 15,000 hours on the makes it easier to reach farther. Its
Nikon’s P-Tactical Spur reflex lowest setting. The first two piston-driven operating system is truly
sight. Its lightweight alumi- brightness settings are also innovative and adaptive, yet Sig had the
num alloy body is shockproof night-vision compatible. foresight to put all of the controls in tra-
and waterproof, meeting IPX7 In my testing, the Nikon was ditional AR positions. This means more
standards. It also offers unlim- precise and durable. It only people can get behind the gun and put
ited eye relief so it’ll work in a took me a few shots to get shots on target immediately.
variety of positions, and it has dialed in, and I’m sure it’ll work The MPX Copperhead is small, smart
an extra-wide field of view. The well on long guns, though a and, given all the attention it gets at the
3-MOA dot can be adjusted to taller mount might be needed range, a little bit sensational. But I had a
10 different brightness levels, for ARs. All in all, I recommend lot of fun testing it and think it’d make a
and the top-loaded CR1632 it. (nikonsportoptics.com) great addition to anyone’s arsenal. For
battery will power the sight for —Greg Lickenbrock more information, visit sigsauer.com.
|
36 COMBAT HANDGUNS JULY • AUGUST 2019 | personaldefenseworld.com
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RIGHTEOUS RIGS
TAKE A RIDE ON THE MOTHERSHIP

TO SEE HOW OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD
HOLSTERS ARE MADE
BY MITCH HARDIN
If aliens are as organized as

Alien Gear Holsters, then per-
haps an interstellar introduc-
tion should be made. Seriously though,
I recently had the opportunity to meet
Thomas Tedder, the owner and CEO
of Tedder Industries and Alien Gear
Holsters, who was kind enough to give
me a personal tour of the Alien Gear
manufacturing facility so I could learn
how things are done there.
HUMBLE ORIGINS
In 2013, Tedder began crafting rigs out
of his kitchen in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Thomas Tedder,
He started selling his “Old Faithful” CEO of Tedder
holsters as kits on Craigslist and a few Industries
other websites before he came up with
the idea for Alien Gear Holsters. As they
say, the rest is history.
Today, Alien Gear boasts one of the
largest injection-molding facilities in the
Northwest. Operating out of Post Falls,
Idaho, almost everything the company
offers is proudly “Made in the U.S.A.,”
and 43 veterans are on staff, including
Tedder himself.
Tedder also strives to take great
care of his family of employees. Alien
Gear is open for business seven days
a week, 363 days a year, and he wants
all of his personnel to be comfortable
| |
while at work. After all, happy, healthy
and comfortable employees keep
morale and productivity up and boom-
“For what some companies
ing. And I don’t think I saw an unhappy might charge for a single holster,
face during my tour. Every station on
the manufacturing side of the house Alien Gear will give you a whole
had those thick, padded floor mats
in front of every single machine and
slew of products to accommodate
assembly line. Those who work at your concealed-carry needs.”
desks only have to say the word and
some obliging handyman will gladly
assemble an expensive Varidesk so Tedder takes great care of his is made to order. They’re hot and ready
they can sit or stand while working. A employees because they fuel the com- fast, too. I got to watch a customer’s
state-of-the-art gym is also in the works pany’s innovation, and they’re consis- order come together on one of the
for every employee to use. tently making improvements based on neatest assembly lines ever. The
Need a break? No problem. Just customer input. It’s hard to sum it all up, boxed holster traveled on a conveyor
head to the huge employee break room but the facility is truly a neat experience. belt to a scale, where it was precisely
and play a game of pool, foosball or weighed to ensure nothing is wasted
ping pong, or enjoy your lunch at one EXCELLENT EFFICIENCY and the customer gets everything he
of the many nice tables. Every confer- or she ordered. The scale is linked to
ence room has a funny space-themed Nothing is wasted at Alien Gear. a computer that will stop the line dead
name on a placard posted just outside Excess materials are recycled and put in its tracks if the order is off by even a
its door, and I noticed posters with back to use in manufacturing or other nut, a bolt or a small polymer belt clip.
quotes like “Mediocracy is the enemy” innovative endeavors. For example, The line won’t start up again until an
all over the place. when one team was having issues with employee visually inspects that specific
holster nuts and bolts getting strewn box and verifies its contents for the
about at the end of a machine, they computer. The computer’s software was
used some old materials to construct a even developed in-house. This is the
device that would catch the pieces and definition of efficiency.
individually bag them as well.
Finished holsters aren’t simply boxed
and stored, as pretty much everything
Alien Gear’s revolutionary

ShapeShift modular holster
system allows you to switch one
Kydex holster body to a variety of
different mounting platforms in
seconds without tools.
RIGHTEOUS RIGS
The ShapeShift Core

Carry Pack comes with
everything you need to
carry your gun concealed
in IWB, appendix and
OWB positions.
release “Adjustable Retention Unit” for ShapeShift shoulder holster is a real

a little added security, and Alien Gear game-changer. I remember some of
also includes a mount so you can hook the old-timers in my law enforcement
the ShapeShift holster under the dash- agency complaining about how certain
board of your vehicle, on your night- shoulder rigs hurt their necks or gave
stand or wherever else you might need them headaches. The new Alien Gear
quick access to a handgun. In short, the ShapeShift Shoulder Holster was
ShapeShift Core Carry Pack offers a designed for comfort, so there’s finally
whole lot of bang for your buck! an option for those who have bad lower
Alien Gear also offers a few other backs or hips.
ShapeShift holster mounting options, But what if you acquire a new pistol?
including ankle and shoulder rigs. Simply send the holster shell back to
After using the latter and seeing it Alien Gear, and the company will give
in action, I can safely say that the you a new one for the gun you recently
acquired. Another nice perk is the
peace of mind that comes with Alien
Alien Gear’s state-of-the-art facility Gear’s 30-day “Test Drive” and “Forever
uses computerized systems to ensure Warranty”—all to back up products
each product meets tight tolerances.
made to last a lifetime.
Finally, if you don’t need the whole
ON THE CUTTING EDGE kit and caboodle, you can just buy an
individual holster for your preferred
Tedder showed me some of Alien carry method. Starting at $50, every
Gear’s new and innovative products, holster carries Alien Gear’s Forever
such as the ShapeShift Core Carry Warranty. So if you want an OWB,
Pack, which retails for just under $100. IWB, MOLLE-ready or drop-leg holster,
For what some companies might to name just a few, check out the com-
charge for a single holster, Alien Gear pany’s website. The possibilities are
will give you a whole slew of products truly endless here.
to accommodate your concealed-carry
needs. With this modular kit, you can NOBLE MISSION
quickly transform your ShapeShift
holster so it’s ready for OWB carry I’ve been playing with these products
with belt loops or a paddle, or IWB for a couple months now, and I couldn’t
and appendix carry. All you need to do be happier. Paired with a sturdy, reliable
is swap the holster over to the desired leather belt from Bigfoot Gun Belts—
carry method. There’s even a thumb- Alien Gear’s sister company—my heater
| |
“Tedder takes great care
of his employees because
they fuel the company’s
innovation, and they’re
consistently making
improvements based on
customer input.”
is always secure and easy to access. In the end, both companies offer This is all part of Alien Gear’s never-
I find myself adjusting my pants less several quality options to suit every ending quest to make the best, most
and less these days, and with the belt carry need. After speaking with many of innovative products to keep law-abiding
costing less than $60, I can’t imagine the employees at Alien Gear itself, it’s Americans armed and ready to defend
a single complaint from users. Another evident that the company’s leadership themselves and all that they hold dear.
nice touch is that these belts are avail- deeply cares for each and every worker Everyone can get behind this mission,
able in both a very dressy brown and a and customer. They consistently ask and I can’t wait to see what’s in store
flat black for those of us who may wear themselves, “What’s best for the cus- for us next. For more information, visit
plain clothes for a living. tomer? What would they want?” aliengearholsters.com.
MATCH GRADE
| |
RUGER STEEL
COMPETITION MAKES IT EASY TO SHOOT LIKE A WORLD-BEATER
BY PAUL SCARLATA
outshoot you!” This usually causes ing a strong work ethic into his range
the recipient to scowl while every- practice sessions and always being
one else typically laughs. prepared, focused and disciplined.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania,
Doug began shooting competi-
tively at the age of 17, winning both
this is only one reason for their regional and national competitions.
He turned pro in 1990, and the deci-
sion paid off. He scored an unprec-
edented 1920x at that year’s NRA
Bianchi Cup. Since then, his list of
more to do with their accomplish- accomplishments and championship
ments than the type of pistol they’re wins continues to grow. His potent
combination of speed and accu-
them, developing these practices, racy has produced wins in various
multi-disciplinary competitions. Doug
has won more than 70 national and
10 world titles. On top of that, he’s
a three-time World Speed Shooting/
Steel Challenge champion and has
achieved more perfect scores than
qualities is Doug Koenig. He is one anyone in NRA action pistol history.
of the few professional shooters who Doug also hosts his own TV
show: Doug Koenig’s Championship
continues to perform at a champion- Season. Each week, the show fea-
ship level. With nearly three decades tures Doug competing while demon-
of pro shooting experience, he strating the discipline, commitment
attributes his success to incorporat- and hard work it takes to become a
CHAMPIONSHIP RUGER STEEL |
champion and maintain that personal competition pistols Comparing the Koenig and a fully adjustable rear—
competitive edge. A lifelong and that he feels will give SR1911 to a run-of-the- are mounted in dovetails.
hunter, he also uses his shooters an edge—as long mill 1911 is like comparing The top edges of the rear
show to promote an outdoor as they do their part. a Formula One racer to a sight are beveled to prevent
lifestyle for families and share I asked Doug about this pickup truck. The first thing the shooter from gouging
his hunting and shooting tips. collaboration, and he said, you’ll notice is the finish. their hand while racking the
“The input that I had on The stainless steel slide and slide, doing a press-check
GAINING THE EDGE design was the overall look. frame both sport an attrac- or clearing a malfunction.
In 2018, Doug was And as far as construction tive black nitride finish, but And for optimum reliability,
appointed captain of Ruger’s goes, I went over certain the sides of the slide have the ejection port has been
new pro shooting team. To criteria that I wanted them to been polished bright for lowered and flared.
recognize this and his many meet. For example, the slide- an attractive contrast. The Inside the slide you’ll find
accomplishments, Ruger to-frame fit has to be perfect chevron-style front and rear a match-grade, stainless
worked with Doug to create and hand-lapped. The barrels serrations are left black, and steel barrel with a polished
the SR1911 Competition. have to be fitted perfectly “Koenig” is laser-engraved feed ramp, a fitted barrel
In fact, Doug was involved and tight. The barrel’s twist on both sides along with lug, a target crown and a
in every step of the design rate is designed for overall Doug’s trademark emblem. unique 1-in-16-inch twist
process, and now each and performance with different The top of the slide is rate for better accuracy with
every SR1911 Competition bullet weights. The fire con- lightly serrated to reduce the lighter bullets favored by
is assembled by the mas- trols are fully machined, and what little glare reflects from competitors. A match-grade
ter gunsmiths of Ruger’s there’s quality checkering on the black nitride finish, and bushing keeps the barrel in
Custom Shop. These guns the frontstrap. And I wanted the sights—a fiber-optic front place, and a full-length recoil
feature every bell and whistle a fiber-optic front sight and a spring guide rod is used.
that Doug requires on his The slide and frame are
hand-fitted for smooth func-
tioning and pinpoint accu-
SPEC BOX racy. Unlike some 1911s,
RUGER
when you shake a Koenig
SR1911, you won’t hear any
SR1911 rattling. The tolerances on
CALIBER: 9mm
BARREL: 5 inches
OA LENGTH: 8.67 inches
WEIGHT: 41 ounces (empty)
GRIPS: Hogue Piranha G10
SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
ACTION: SA
FINISH: Black nitride, stainless
CAPACITY: 10+1
MSRP: $2,499
LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY
CorBon 147 Match FMJ 939

Federal 150 Syntech TSJ 850
Winchester 147 Win3Gun 942
Sig Sauer 147 Match Elite JHP 890
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps
|
44 COMBAT HANDGUNS JULY • | personaldefenseworld.com
CASE HARDENED • VICTORY GIRLS • FLY GIRLS • SQUADRON
Caliber: .45 ACP | Barrel: 5” | Length O/A: 8.6” | Weight: 2.3 lbs | Sights: Blade front, Rear drift adjustable for windage | Grips: Checkered Wood Grips with U.S. Logo | Magazine: 7 round
MODEL: 1911GCH
The Auto-Ordnance Case Hardened 1911 custom pistols reflect the time honored method of conditioning
s t e e l . E a c h g u n i s c o v e r e d w i t h d i s t i n c t a n d u n i q u e p a t t e r n s o f c o l o r l o n g s o u g h t a f t e r b y f i r e a r m s
a f i c i o n a d o s . T h e “ C a s e H a r d e n e d ” 1 9 1 1 i s a w o r k o f a r t , w i t h a b e a u t i f u l , s w i r l i n g f i n i s h . B e n e a t h t h e
c o l o r f u l s u r f a c e i s a n a l l s t e e l , 5”, “ G I ” p a t t e r n 1 9 1 1 p i s t o l , c h a m b e r e d i n p o w e r f u l . 4 5 A C P. T h e g r i p s a r e
checkered wood with the “US”Military logo.
MODEL: 1911BKOWC1
The Auto-Ordnance Victory Girls 1911 pistols are customized with deep cut laser engraved graphics
d e p i c t i n g a p i n - u p g i r l o n t h e r i g h t s i d e , a n d a n u p d a t e d “ R o s i e t h e R i ve t e r ”o n t h e l e f t . E a c h g u n a l s o
f e a t u r e s t h e U S A A C S t a r R o u n d e l o n b o t h s i d e s o f t h e f r a m e . A w o r n l o o k i s t h e n a p p l i e d b y f i n i s h i n g
t h e g u n s w i t h C e r a k o t e i n A r m o r B l a c k a n d G u n m e t a l G r e y.
MODEL: 1911BKOWC2
T h e A u t o - O r d n a n c e F l y G i r l s 1 9 1 1 h o n o r s t h e W o m e n A i r f o r c e S e r v i c e P i l o t s ( WA S P s) w h o p l a y e d a v i t a l
role in the war effort. Over 1,000 women served as pilots, operating aircraft in non-combat positions
s o t h e i r m a l e c o u n t e r p a r t s c o u l d d i r e c t l y e n g a g e t h e e n e m y. T h e s e w o m e n a v i a t o r s w e r e p i o n e e r s i n t h e
p r o f e s s i o n . B y w a r ’s e n d , 3 8 h a d g i v e n t h e i r l i v e s i n s e r v i c e t o t h e i r c o u n t r y.
MODEL: 1911BKOWC3
The Auto-Ordnance Squadron 1911 pistols features custom graphics echoing those painted on fighter
aircraft during W WII. The muzzle displays “shark mouth”nose art often seen on planes like the P-40
Warhawk. The Army Air Corps insignia is on both sides, and an engraved pattern of rivets covers the
g u n . T h e f i n i s h i s a h i g h l y d u r a b l e , w o r n b l a c k a n d g r e y C e r a k o t e . T h e S q u a d r o n 1 9 1 1 l o o k s l i k e a W W I I
fighter racing through the skies hunting bandits!
Join us: @auto_ordnance @kahrfirearms @outlawordnance www.auto-ordnance.com

CHAMPIONSHIP RUGER STEEL |
“Doug has won more than

70 national and 10 world
titles…and has achieved
more perfect scores
than anyone in NRA
action pistol history.”
Custom Shop, the pistol of the competition’s plate-
I received was flawless in rack drills where the shooter
every way. And the trigger! It has to engage two racks
had a very short take-up and, lined with 8-inch steel plates
according to my trigger pull twice from 10, 15, 20 and 25
gauge, took exactly 3 pounds yards. There is a par time for
of pressure to trip the sear. each run, and Bianchi Cup
The reset was equally short rules limit the shooter to six
and felt crisp. shots on each run, with no
Accuracy testing from a makeup shots or reloads. But,
rest at 25 yards produced as Dirty Harry put it, “A man’s
some extremely pleasing got to know his limitations.” I
groups, all of which mea- erred on the side of caution
sured under 2.75 inches. I and loaded each magazine
As for the controls, the grip frame to facilitate fast, apparently did everything with 10 rounds and allowed
SR1911 Competition has fumble-free reloads. right one time and put five myself six seconds on the
an extended, ambidextrous rounds of Sig Sauer’s 147- 10- and 15-yard plates, eight
thumb safety; an extended RINGING STEEL grain Match Elite ammo into seconds at 20 yards and 10
magazine release; a beaver- Ruger kindly provided me an impressive 1.5-inch group. seconds at 25 yards.
tail grip safety with a palm with an early-production Then, since Doug is best I used a Rescomp CR
swell; and a skeletonized, SR1911 Competition to eval- known for his performances Speed holster for this drill,
low-mass Koenig Shooting uate. As one would expect at the Bianchi Cup, I thought and a friend timed me with
Sports hammer for faster lock
competition sear, a flat-faced on both racks. Moving back

trigger shoe, a precision-
triggerguard that the second, but I did both

allows you to within the par time.
get a high hold From 25 yards, the plates
on the gun, and
ing. When combined with

the Hogue Piranha G10
grip panels, these features The stainless steel
slide and frame both not used to shooting plates
sport a tough black at that distance, I feel my
nitride finish, but the
sides of the slide have
been polished bright for
an effective contrast. excuse and I’m sticking to it.
| |
The SR1911 Competition is
built for accurate hits and fast
transitions between targets—
as long as you do your part!
are doing well. We have all

levels of guns and classifi-
cations to shoot. There is a
Becky Scarlata Photos
place for very new shooters

on a low budget all the way
up to professionals with all
the Open Class race guns,
and everything in between.”
And for those of you who
DOUG’S HELP I found the Ruger various action pistol disci- claim you could shoot just as
With this less-than-impres- SR1911 Competition to be plines out there without any well as the professionals if
sive performance in mind, I everything a serious com- modifications whatsoever. only you had pistols like they
asked Doug for suggestions petitive shooter could ask As for the future of action use, well, you no longer have
about the types of drills he for, and I believe it would be pistol shooting, Doug said: any excuses! For more infor-
shoots for practice. “I try to an excellent choice for the “All the action pistol sports mation, visit ruger.com.
keep my drills simple and
just perfect them. I work on
the draw a lot,” he said. “I
typically only practice with
three CMP 1/3 IPSC steel
targets. I stagger them at
various distances and shoot
drills far to near, near to
far, left to right. Things like
that. Most matches require
a draw of some sort, one or
two shots on a target and
target acquisitions. I will
then work on some move-
ment drills as well.”
With this expert’s words
in mind, I intend to modify
my practice drills.
All in all, the SR1911
Competition handled beau-
tifully. The sights provided
a clear, sharp sight picture,
and the fiber-optic front
sight allowed for fast target
acquisitions and transitions.
Thanks to the aggressively
textured grips, frame check-
ering and 9mm chambering,
the gun was extremely con-
trollable and light on recoil.
But I was most impressed
with the flat-faced trigger,
with its sharp let-off and
short, clean reset. It’s also
worth noting that the gun
functioned flawlessly with
four different types of ammo.
9mm
WIDTH: 1.18 INCHES

GREY GHOST COMPACT
WEIGHT
28.5 ounces
(empty)
GRIP
Polymer
HEIGHT: 5 INCHES
SIGHTS
tritium
ACTION
FINISH
Black, cobalt gray
15+1
MSRP
$1,499
OAL: 7.36 INCHES nies and see how they fare in a head-to-
head duel of features and performance.
READY FOR COMBAT
GGP Combat Pistol Compact has
appealing pistol. It comes complete

from GGP with a custom-molded
duke it out at the range Polymer80 frame that is subtle, hand-
some and extremely effective.
BY GARRETT LUCAS
ergonomic features, including a double-
The 9mm Glock 19 is one so that a cottage industry has sprung undercut triggerguard, an accelerator
of the most popular pistols up around the platform to allow users to cut, an extended beavertail and a thumb
ever sold. You may debate its customize and improve certain aspects ledge for right-handed shooters. The
beauty or ergonomics, but there is no of their favorite models. frame has a 107.5-degree grip angle, as
question that it has withstood the test A couple of companies within this opposed to the 110.5-degree grip angle
of time with its ease of use and mainte- niche industry are Zev Technologies and of a standard Glock, making it handle
nance and its to-hell-and-back reliability. Grey Ghost Precision (GGP). For this more like a 1911. Another nice touch
Indeed, that could be said of most of edition of “Tale of the Tape,” we’ll take a is the inclusion of a Picatinny/STANAG
the pistols in Glock’s lineup, so much look at packages offered by both compa- rail that is inline with the bore. And for a
| |
CALIBER
9mm
BARREL
4.03 inches
ZEV Z19 SPARTAN WIDTH: 1.5 INCHES
OA LENGTH
6.81 inches
WEIGHT
21.6 ounces
(empty)
GRIP
HEIGHT: 5.06 INCHES

Polymer
SIGHTS
Fiber-optic front,
black rear
ACTION
Safe Action
FINISH
Matte black
CAPACITY
15+1
MSRP
$1,660
little more variety, the frame is available OAL: 6.81 INCHES
in either black or cobalt gray.

The slide is machined from 17-4
stainless steel and, for enhanced accu-
racy, is cut to critical tolerances within
0.003 inches for a tighter fit to the frame
than an OEM slide. It sports deeply cut
front and rear cocking serrations and
is also pre-milled to accept a Trijicon
Ruggedized Miniature Reflex (RMR)
sight without requiring an adapter plate. extended controls and a CMC Signature grip, under the triggerguard and along
This keeps the optic closer to the bore Flat trigger, and three 15-round Magpul the side, above the trigger, where the
line for faster acquisition and a more magazines are included. support-hand thumb rests. If you look
balanced slide action. In lieu of an optic, closely, the stippling looks a tad uneven
the pistol ships with a G10 cover plate WARRIOR SPIRIT in spots, but the real beauty is in the feel.
installed. The slide also has a black The first time I picked up the Spartan,
nitride finish for both visual appeal and The Spartan customization package I was amazed by how comfortable and
better corrosion resistance. offered by Zev Technologies is anything secure it felt in my hands.
The slide is fitted with Night Fision tri- but frugal and austere. It comes with an But there is much more to the
tium sights, with a yellow ring surround- astounding panoply of custom features Spartan than that. The most obvious
ing the front sight’s insert and a U-notch and parts that you just don’t find on is Zev’s custom-cut slide, which is
at the rear. The match-grade barrel is production pistols. machined from 17-4 stainless steel and
crafted from 416R steel and can be had The Spartan package I received wears either a DLC or PVD coating. The
with either a stainless or black nitride was built on a customer-supplied G19 slide has window cuts up front to reduce
finish. The GGP Compact also features frame. It received Zev’s stippling on the weight and show off the dimpled, match-
TALE OF THE TAPE
grade, 416R steel barrel with a burnt with Zev’s fiber-optic front sight and stippling on the Spartan seemed to really
bronze finish. You’ll also find cocking combat-style rear sight. That isn’t the lock the pistol in, and it felt like it was
serrations at the front and rear, and the complete list of modifications, but you really at home in my hands.
top is pre-milled to accept a Trijicon RMR get the idea—little of the original pistol On the flip side, I have chunky hands
without the need for an adapter plate. is left untouched. All told, the Spartan that typically get bitten by the slide of a
The Spartan harnesses the advan- package will run around $1,660 on a G19. This was the case with the Spartan
tages of Zev Technologies’ experience customer-supplied frame. as well. The extended beavertail of the
with trigger systems, featuring custom GGP Compact ameliorated this issue,
parts like the Curved Face Pro Trigger, RANGE DUEL and I experienced no slide bite while run-
Zev Pro Connector and trigger spring. ning it through its paces. Of course, this
Most of the other internals are custom Over a few weeks, I was able to take isn’t a Zev issue, as they simply modify
parts as well, including the 15-pound both pistols out to the range and pit them factory frames (newer generations offer
recoil spring, steel guide rod, stainless head to head to gauge their differences a small beavertail), but it’s worth noting
firing pin safety, skeletonized striker and in performance and handling, and the the value of the extended beavertail for
Zev Pro striker spring. results were a bit of a mixed bag. For people like me with beefier hands.
Finishing out the Spartan are the instance, while the texturing and grip The triggers were quite different. The
external controls, including the extended angle of the GGP Compact felt great Spartan had a very light and crisp trigger
magazine release and slide stop along and worked fine while shooting, the pull that broke at an average weight of
2.88 pounds with a fairly short reset. A
The GGP Compact’s trigger break that light is great for com-
custom-machined slide petition, but you should probably think
has deep front and rear long and hard before including it with a
serrations, Night Fision
tritium sights and a defensive pistol. On the other hand, the
cut that allows you to GGP Compact’s trigger broke at exactly
mount a reflex sight. 5.5 pounds. The main advantage is its
improved, shorter reset compared to
a standard Glock trigger, and it broke
much more cleanly, with no sponginess.
The reset was every bit as short as that
of the Spartan’s trigger. In fact, it was
hard to discern which reset was shorter.
In terms of reliability, there were no
problems with cycling, feeding or ejec-
tion with either pistol. I did experience a
few light primer strikes with the Spartan
Grey Ghost Precision

worked with Polymer80
to design the Compact’s
stylishly sculpted frame.
Note the rail, triggerguard
and grip texturing.
| |
during the range sessions with Sellier & around 2 inches. However, that was brought its own special flare to the bout.
Bellot 115-grain FMJ rounds. However, with the ammunition I had on hand, and With its lightweight trigger, magazine
those light strikes were limited to that end-users can find the right loads for well and fine front sight, the Spartan is
particular ammunition and might have their own pistols. more of a competition piece with all the
been the result of hard primers. This The Spartan and the GGP Compact bells and whistles, though it’s easy to
was not entirely surprising with such a handled somewhat similarly. And despite switch out a few parts like the trigger
light competition trigger. the differences in the grips, neither for everyday carry. The GGP Compact’s
Both pistols created groups 1.5 to 2 seemed to have a distinct advantage strong suit is its visual appeal and highly
inches wide at 15 yards using premium over the other while shooting. Each had functional combat trappings, such as
ammunition from Federal, Hornady its own upsides—the Spartan for com- the tritium Night Fision sights and the
and Sig Sauer. The GGP Compact fort and feel, and the GGP Compact for low-profile, extended slide release.
consistently held the edge in overall its 1911-like pointability and extended Aside from these differences, the
group size at around 1.75 inches, while beavertail to negate slide bite. only other distinction between the two
the Spartan averaged right at 2 inches. is the fact that you have to provide a
What’s curious is that with almost THE VERDICT Glock frame for the Spartan package,
every single group, the Spartan would which will cost another $100 with some
shoot four rounds under an inch, but a There was no decisive knockout by smart shopping online. Of course,
fifth hole would open the group up to either pistol. Each one got its jabs in and that’s obviously not a huge difference.
The more carry-minded shooter might
reach for the GGP Compact while the
competition-driven aficionado might
desire the Spartan’s trimmings. Each
package is tailored to fit a particular
niche or need, and what each sample
does, it does extremely well. No matter
which choice the end-user makes, they
are sure to be highly satisfied.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The Zev Z19 Spartan’s GREY GHOST PRECISION

dimpled, match-grade, 416R greyghostprecision.com
stainless steel barrel easily
stands out with its attractive ZEV TECHNOLOGIES
burnt-bronze finish. zevtechnologies.com
With its lightweight trigger,

comfortable grip frame and
fine sights, Zev’s Z19 Spartan
is a great platform for a
competition pistol.
HITS
A RETIRED DELTA OPERATOR SHARES HIS SECRETS

TO ARMED, LOW-LIGHT DEFENSE
BY PAT McNAMARA
Lots of scary stuff happens wears? If something goes bump in ted by a source—more is not always
when the lights go out the night, escalation of force must be better. Sometimes enough is enough.
because darkness invites considered. We can’t go assaulting the Too much light can be a double-
mischief and debauchery. We’d all love objective all sua sponte. If you need edged sword, especially indoors.
to be creatures of the night, capa- to investigate, take your flashlight and The reflection off of walls and other
ble of stalking prey like a jungle cat. leave your home’s lights off. If there is surfaces can broadcast your position
But for us humans, that simply won’t an attacker in your lair, you want him as well as your adversary’s. As far
happen. We can prepare for darkness, to stay in the dark. You know your real as flashlight selection goes, there
however. We can train during periods estate and can navigate it in the dark. is a plethora to choose from. Both
of limited visibility and carry items on But we must have the capability of weapon-mounted lights and stand-
us that are battlefield multipliers. We lighting that attacker up like a neon sign alone flashlights are personal items.
can prepare our gear and mindset to so we can identify him. Whatever you choose must operate
ensure that we are not victimized when properly when needed, turn off when
shit goes bump in the night. CONSIDERATIONS not needed and be intuitive in opera-
Take your home, for instance. Are tion. It should not ever turn on acci-
you prepared to illuminate a would-be When it comes to lumens—a measure dently. An accidental discharge of light
douchebag who’s got eyes on your of the total quantity of visible light emit- can be detrimental to your longevity.
| |
Too often, I hear of folks who use a say to hold it high in your support hand, Another hot topic of debate comes
weapon-mounted light but no hand- opposite your firing hand. The reason- with sights. There are those who are
held light. Suffice it to say that I don’t ing behind this is that an adversary is adamant about fiber-optic sights and
think this is prudent. My first line of most likely to shoot at your light. But those who aren’t. Once again, this is
defense in darkness has always been this thinking cracks me up because really a personal preference. Your sights
my handheld light. Whether I am inves- over 90-percent of adult males are have to work for you. I prefer tritium
tigating an ally, walking my wife to her right-handed. And if they suck at shoot- sights for my carry guns instead of
car, helping an old lady find her keys ing, those same guys will typically miss fiber optics. A good set of night sights
in a parking lot or signaling to some- low and left. So, if they aim for a light makes it easier to acquire a target
one, my handheld is ready to deploy that is high and left and miss, you’ll get during darkness or EENT (end evening
and employ. I simply cannot do these hit right in the face. nautical twilight). If there is a bit of
things with a weapon-mounted light. I prefer to use my cheek as an index ambient light, you may be able to dis-
So it’s best to have both. for my support hand while holding my cern and discriminate without the use
When it comes to employing your flashlight, sort of in a fighting stance, of a white light. Although I love them on
handheld light, there is no right answer while firing with my strong hand. This of the range, fiber-optic sights do not work
as to where you should hold it. Once course requires practice. I am confident for me in the darkness.
again, this is a personal preference. in my abilities to fire with just my hand,
There is much debate over this. Some in succession, at distance. USING COVER
We’ve all heard it before: “Never crowd
“WE CAN PREPARE

cover!” But you must determine if you
need to crowd your cover or not based
OUR GEAR AND MIND- on the situation, not on what some

dude told you. Try this: Back up from
SET TO ENSURE THAT WE cover in your home. Use your handheld
ARE NOT VICTIMIZED

light and illuminate through a doorway.
Have someone stand in that room. Ask
WHEN SHIT GOES BUMP if they can identify you. Now crowd the
cover, illuminate them and ask them
IN THE NIGHT.” the same question. Try this with your
vehicle, especially if it’s white. Backing
up from cover and illuminating over the
hood will light you up like a luminaria.
There are times to crowd and there are
times to defend from areas of defilade.
You must make that determination
based on the situation.
Being able to discriminate in the
darkness is absolute. Nothing would be
worse than taking down an “intruder,”
only to find that they’re victims of
circumstance. This type of unfortunate
situation has happened before and will
continue to happen. I mean, what if
There are many ways your neighbor on an Ambien-induced
to handle a flashlight sleepwalking trip stumbles into your
while using a gun, but
the author prefers to
home looking for a sandwich? Or a
hold it near his cheek. teen happens to walk into your home,
mistakenly thinking it’s his friend who
ABOVE: Whatever
style of night sights actually lives next door? As responsible
you choose, they and trained gun-handlers, we are not in
must work for you. the business of indiscriminate fire. We
must be able to fire with impunity.
DIY UPGRADES
SHINING SHIELD
BY KAREN HUNTER
never predict what the stress of being over an hour using two lithium 1/3N
faced with an actual threat will do to batteries, which Crimson Trace is kind
us, mentally or physically. Being as enough to include along with a rapid-
prepared as possible is always a plus. change battery cap.
A weapon-mounted light can definitely Installing the Lightguard is quite
come in handy for sight acquisition and simple. The unit comes fully assembled
target identification. and must be taken apart prior to instal-
When I say “target acquisition” lation. First, you remove the battery cap
and “identification,” please understand and then three small screws on the side.
that the light is not for searching. A The unit comes apart and is now in two
weapon-mounted light should never be pieces. At this point, you insert the bat-
utilized for any type of search func- teries, then hold the two halves around
tion, because you are then essentially the triggerguard. Next, you replace the
searching with your muzzle. This can rapid-change battery cap and all three of
be very dangerous. Your stress level is the screws. And you’re done. Like I said,
Lights and lasers and optics, heightened, and your brain is now in it’s quite simple and effective!
oh my! Nowadays, it seems fight-or-flight mode. The last thing you
like accessories for firearms want is to be searching your home or HOME TESTING
are becoming closer to the accessories other area and accidentally shoot an
of the fashion world. Guns are turn- innocent person, which is all too pos- Being the gun nerd that I am, I did some
ing Gucci for the sake of “doing it for sible. Even a person with great trigger in-home, low-light dry firing for some
the ’gram”—posting cool photos on discipline could make this mistake additional testing. With random targets
Instagram—rather than shooters truly in a threatening situation. Searching hanging throughout my home, I began to
understanding the accessory they’re should always be done with a separate practice clearing rooms with a handheld
adding of if it’s even necessary. flashlight. But once you identify the flashlight and my M&P Shield equipped
Even after determining a true need, threat, a weapon-mounted light can play with the Lightguard in the low-ready posi-
actually training to utilize these tools a huge role in helping you get hits on tion. Upon confrontation with a “threat,”
seems to be an afterthought. In the world target. Obviously, illuminating the threat the Lightguard proved to be the perfect
of protection and self-defense, there is is a definite benefit when it comes to companion to the pistol.
a method to what seems to be endless neutralizing that threat. Again, I need to stress that it is very
madness. You need to fully understand The Crimson Trace LTG-770 tempting to use a weapon-mounted light
the accessories you choose, such as Lightguard features a 110-lumen LED to search. Train, train and train some
how to utilize them and when, without white light. Now, I’ve heard it said more. Keeping a non-complacent training
getting lost in the “cool factor.” This that lights should be well over 1,000 state of mind is so crucial to being
brings us to the Crimson Trace LTG-770 lumens. But, in my humble opinion, 110 effective in a true threat situation. Also,
Lightguard, which mounts directly to lumens is quite sufficient. Again, we are understand your needs. Research what
Smith & Wesson’s M&P Shield pistols, not using this light to search. The 110 you have and what’s available. Really
including newer M2.0 variants. lumens will highlight your target suffi- get down to the facts and understand
ciently so you can focus on the intended what you’re purchasing and why it is a
LET THERE BE LIGHT area to shoot without washing it out. necessary addition to your gun. If you
The Lightguard is designed to are an M&P Shield owner, the Crimson
The grim truths of close-quarters shoot- securely fit on the triggerguard of the Trace LTG-770 Lightguard would make
ing, whether in the home or elsewhere, M&P Shield. It features ambidextrous a wonderful addition to your gun. It is a
are very real. In the face of a threat, so “Instant Activation” with both constant quality product from a company you can
many factors come into play. We can and momentary modes, and it’ll run for trust. For more, visit crimsontrace.com.
| |
personaldefe
nseworld.com
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“beginner” caliber, training with The Taurus TX22 is a sleek,

to win everything you need for the a .22 has many advantages over lightweight rimfire that delivers
ultimate plinking experience, including just saving you money. You can great accuracy and reliability in
a brand-new Taurus TX22 and a pallet practice your accuracy, drawing any situation. With a 16+1 capac-
of accessories to get you going. And from concealment, strong- and ity, a 4.1-inch barrel, an adjustable
we’re even including a new folding weak-hand shooting, reloads and rear sight, and the Pittman Trigger
knife to help you get all of these transitions, to name just a few System, the TX22 is performance
goods of that tricky packaging. skills. A small-caliber handgun driven and ready for both work
like a .22 LR is also a great way and play. (MSRP: $349)
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4 5 6
2. BEAR SWIPE IV able for cant and height,

Great looking and just and we’re also throwing in TRU-SEE TARGETS
the right size for everyday CrossBreed’s Accomplice Everybody wants to see
carry, the assisted-opening mag carrier and Founder’s tips, patches, a pick set and where their hits land, even
Bear Swipe IV from Bear & Series Executive gun belt. much more. (MSRP: $40) when you’re supposed to
Son Cutlery (A-400-B4-B) (MSRP: $215) focus on the front sight. And
features a reversible clip for 6. REAL AVID when it comes to point-of-
tip-up carry, G10 handle 4. REAL AVID PISTOL TOOL impact visibility, TruGlo’s
scales and a 3.25-inch, HANDGUN The Pistol Tool from Real Tru-See targets are some
Sandvik 14C28N stainless SMART MAT Avid has your back for those of the best out there. You
steel blade. The blade assist This 19-by-16-inch pad- times when you have to can shoot the target as is
makes for a clean, strong ded mat is large enough to fix your gun while you’re or peel it off and stick to
deployment every time. handle your disassembled at the range or away from your favorite backstop. Each
(MSRP: $88) handguns and includes an home. With titanium-coated target comes with small
attached parts tray to hold stainless steel components, black stickers to easily hide
3. CROSSBREED the pins, barrel and springs including a pick/scraper, a previous hits for a clean start
CARRY KIT so they are always safely tanto-style blade, a bushing every round. (MSRP: $17)
If you want to carry a gun, within reach. The surface is wrench, bit drivers, hex bits,
you need a holster. If you are oil resistant. (MSRP: $15) laser sight keys and even a 9. WALKER’S
going to carry concealed file, this tool is built to keep RAZOR SLIM
(which you should), you are 5. REAL AVID you shooting. (MSRP: $40) ELECTRONIC MUFFS
going to want a holster that HANDGUN MASTER Thanks to advanced circuitry,
is both secure and comfort- CLEANING STATION 7. REAL AVID these Razor earmuffs allow
able. This brings us to the This special kit from Real SMART BRUSHES you to clearly hear desirable
CrossBreed SuperTuck, Avid packs everything you Sometimes your dirty gun sounds, such as voices
which is the perfect solution need to clean guns ranging needs a little extra brushing and steel impacts, while
for IWB carry. With a from the .22 LR to the .45 and scraping. These eight suppressing muzzle blasts
premium leather backing ACP, making for an easier super-scrubbing brushes and undesirable background
and a hand-molded Kydex cleaning session. Features are designed to get to noise, such as wind. The ear-
Alex Landeen Photos
pocket, this holster is built include various cleaning those hard-to-reach and muffs are also ergonomic for
to be worn towards the rear brushes with an ergonomic often-overlooked corners all-day comfort, and the slim
on your strong side. The rod and multi-function where dirt and carbon likes design works well for long
modular belt clips are adjust- T-handle, carbon scraping to hide. (MSRP: $10) guns. (MSRP: $70)
FIRST
LOOK
WILSON GOES
| |
THE CARRY-READY
WITH A LONGER
BARREL FOR
BETTER HANDLING
AND ACCURACY
BY DAVID BAHDE
ILSON COMBAT
first introduced the 9mm
EDC X9 pistol back in 2017.
It represented the most
comprehensive and exten-
sive design ever undertaken
in Wilson Combat’s history—a long one at
40 years. Bill Wilson is noted for his atten-
tion to detail and an unwillingness to sim-
ply adopt designs based solely on what’s
popular. If it’s going to carry his name, it
must be accurate, reliable and the best out
there, even if that means designing and
building everything in-house, and the EDC
X9 is a perfect example of this.
Today, 9mm 1911s are incredibly popu-
lar because they’re light on recoil and easy
to handle. Wilson Combat makes some of
the best, but most are limited to a capacity
of 10+1 rounds. So when the company
decided to up the ante, it paired its proven
EDC 9 slide with a higher-capacity, alumi-
num X-Frame, resulting in what could be
considered the perfect concealed-carry
9mm with a 15+1 capacity.
WILSON GOES LONG |
I first got my hands on the EDC X9 at and mainspring housing. The G10
1 the 2017 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous grip panels feature Wilson Combat’s
in Colorado. With its 4-inch barrel, it was Starburst stippling and medallions.
insanely accurate while being one of the There’s also no grip safety, but the
most comfortable pistols I had ever held. high-swept beavertail allows for a high
The X-TAC treatment on the frontstrap grip, and the magazine well features
and mainspring housing, paired with the a funnel for speedy reloads. On that
G10 Starburst grip panels, locked the note, the gun uses the same flush-fit-
gun into my hand without being abrasive. ting 15-round magazines as well as
But some people would rather “go big or extended 18-rounders, and Wilson
go home.” Full-sized 1911s are popular includes two of each with the gun. Both
because their 5-inch barrels offer a lon- magazine types have polymer basepads
ger sight radius and a bit more weight up and witness holes so you can see how
front to dampen muzzle rise. This brings many rounds are loaded.
the match-grade,
us to the newest EDC X9 to leave the Like the original, you can order the
5-inch barrel has Wilson Combat shop—the X9L. EDC X9L with or without a dust-cover
a reverse crown rail for lights and lasers, and I got my
and a fluted hood. THE NEXT LEVEL hands on a railed version for this test.
2. The EDC X9L Starting from the frame, the new The controls are the same, too, with
has a green fiber- 5-inch-barreled EDC X9L is similar to Wilson’s own Bullet Proof hammer,
optic front sight and its smaller counterpart, with the same single-sided thumb safety and magazine
a rear Battlesight X-TAC checkering on the frontstrap release. The trigger is solid, with a 3.5-
for quick targeting.
Note the 40-lpi
serrations on the
backside of The tri-topped slide has X-TAC front
the rear sight
2 and slide.
The fluted, match-grade, 5-inch

barrel has a reverse crown and is paired
return spring, guide and plunger are all
of its Shok-Buff recoil buffers. Finally, the

slide and frame both sport a durable
black Armor-Tuff finish.
ZEROING IN
I’ve been testing and using
Wilson Combat firearms
for well over a decade,
and I’ve always found
them accurate. This
full-sized EDC X9 was
no exception. It comes
from the factory with an
accuracy guarantee holding
“Shooting off-hand at 15 yards,

the EDC X9L just seemed to stack
rounds on top of each other…”
| |
WHETHER YOU’RE DEFENDING FREEDOM OR ENJOYING IT,
OUR OPTICS ARE READY FOR ANYTHING.

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• Patented, concave housing shape for increased durability
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Trijicon.com/RMR.
WILSON GOES LONG |
“I’ve been testing and

using Wilson Combat
firearms for well over
a decade, and I’ve always found
them accurate. This full-sized
EDC X9L was no exception.”
it to 1.5-inch groups at 25 yards. If the reflex sight installed. Shooting off-hand
gun can’t meet that guarantee, it doesn’t at 15 yards, the EDC X9L just seemed
leave the factory. to stack rounds on top of each other,
At 25 yards, all of my five-shot and rapid-fire strings at 7 yards and in
groups came in at or under 2 inches,
and my best group
inches
:
Wilson Combat installs a
set of G10 grip panels with
Starburst stipling and custom hits out of 10 shots with Hornady’s 135-
medallions, and the front- grain +P Critical Duty ammo. Not bad
for iron sights. And if you are competing
and looking for long range, the sights are
adjustable to suit your load at whatever
distance you prefer.
The slide-to-frame fit was excellent. I
personaldefenseworld.com
SPEC BOX
WILSON COMBAT
EDC X9L
CALIBER: 9mm
BARREL: 5 inches
At the range, GRIPS: G10

the EDC X9L ran SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, Battlesight rear
flawlessly and printed
tight groups, whether ACTION: SA
firing from a static
FINISH: Armor-Tuff
position, on the move
or behind cover. CAPACITY: 15+1
MSRP: N/A
READY FOR DUTY the EDC X9 series. I prefer a big tritium

PERFORMANCE
I also wanted to see how the EDC X9L sight out front, and Wilson’s sports a LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY
would fair in a duty role, so I tested large orange ring around the tritium for Black Hills 115 TAC-XP +P 1,225 1.75
it with a few different SureFire lights faster targeting. Replacement is easy;
Federal 147 HST 1,040 1.70
in a Safariland SLS holster. The SLS you just need a #8 Torx driver, so it’s
is designed to fit 1911s with lights kind of like a Glock without the need for Hornady 135 Critical Duty +P 1,180 1.55
installed, and the SureFire X400 made a special tool. The rear Battlesight uses Remington 115 HTP +P 1,210 1.90
for the tightest fit. Using the standard what measures out to a Novak LoMount Sig Sauer 115 365 1,100 1.65
rail lock, the X300 made for smooth dovetail, making it easy to replace if you V-Crown JHP
draws and presentations, while the really want to. But the Battlesight is quite Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps
X35, mounted with a screw on the side, effective as is with its 0.15-inch-wide by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best
was a little snug in the SLS. U-notch, which is larger than typical
I also tested the gun with two more target sights without getting as deep as
holsters: a Wilson OWB TacSport hol- the trench you might find on some carry
ster and an IWB rig that I had originally
purchased for an STI Carry Comp. Both
are great designs for railed 1911s with-
out any accessories installed, and they
proved just how easy it easy to carry
this particular model concealed, even
with its longer 5-inch barrel. No, it’s not
as easy as the original 4-inch-barreled —two
EDC X9, but with the right holster and
clothing, it’s more than possible. With
a jacket, the OWB rig made the gun all
but invisible. A sweatshirt covered the
EDC X9L without any signs of printing.
Sights can be personal
choices, and Wilson offers a
few different options for
| 63
RIMFIRE REPORT
Regardless of your political
VICTORY
affiliation, there’s one inargu-
able fact that nobody can dis-
pute: One huge benefit of the current
political scene has been the welcome
return of rimfire ammunition. The empty
IN SIGHT
GETTING ON TARGET WITH THE
shelves of the past few years are
now filling up with .22 LR rounds and
bringing about a resurgence of this
“lowly” cartridge. Now that the stuff’s
available again, people are shooting
S&W PERFORMANCE CENTER’S it again. This availability has brought

old favorite firearms out of safes and
LATEST CUSTOM-GRADE RIMFIRE closets, and it’s also contributing to
the introduction of new models.
BY DENIS PRISBREY One company riding the wave
is Smith & Wesson, which unveiled
its Victory pistol line in 2016. The
company hit the market hard with the
new design, and there are currently
four standard Victory models and four
Performance Center Victory Target
models available, with the latter all
sharing rubber Tandemkross hiveGrips,
adjustable flat-faced target triggers,
oversized magazine release buttons,
Sean Utley Photo
| |
2
1. The S&W Performance Center SW22

Victory Target ships with two 10-round steel
magazines that are easy to load. SPEC BOX
2. The carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel sports
1/2x28-tpi threading for the included muzzle S&W
1 brake or rimfire sound suppressors. PERFORMANCE CENTER
SW22 VICTORY TARGET
CALIBER: .22 LR
beveled magazine wells, polished feed matches alongside true Bullseye target
ramps and custom muzzle brakes. The pistols in the Hämmerli, Pardini and BARREL: 6 inches
Performance Center models also sport Benelli class, they do offer enhanced OA LENGTH: 11.3 inches
6-inch, fluted steel or carbon- fiber- performance and interesting options. WEIGHT: 33.1 ounces (empty)
wrapped barrels. The pistol we’re looking at here
GRIPS: Tandemkross hiveGrips
has a carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel and
a Vortex Viper reflex sight installed. SIGHTS: Vortex Viper
TARGET GRADE
This particular model caught my eye ACTION: SA
There are many different levels of because I wanted to see how well the FINISH: Stainless, carbon fiber
so-called “target shooting,” which can lightweight barrel mated with a 6-MOA
CAPACITY: 10+1
run anywhere from weekend plinking red-dot sight. My astigmatic eyes can
at the range to more formal organized distort the red dot into odd shapes, MSRP: $868
competitions. While Smith & Wesson’s and lighter barrels can be harder to use
Performance Center models aren’t when I’m going for accuracy. I expected PERFORMANCE
intended to compete in strict slow-fire a challenge in getting the pistol to shoot LOAD ACCURACY
well for me, but it does offer advantages
Browning 40 BPR 1.06
for a younger shooter, starting out with
its light weight of 33.1 ounces. This isn’t CCI 36 Mini-Mag 1.00
saying it’s a child’s gun, but it is easier CCI 40 Green Tag 1.06
to hold up on target than a gun with a Federal 40 Champion 1.31
heavier barrel, and when weight adds
Federal American Eagle 38 JHP 1.81
up during a long range session, this
one might get more rounds per hour of Remington 40 Golden Bullet 1.56
firing for anybody with less upper body Winchester 36 Xpert 0.69
strength. The balance point on this pis- Winchester 40 M-22 0.81
tol is just behind the trigger. Nothing is Winchester 40 Super-X 1.31
front-heavy at all, even with the custom
brake installed. Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps
by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best
Like the standard models, the blow- five-shot groups at 25 yards.
back-operated Performance Center
Victory Target uses a steel frame and
receiver. A Picatinny rail is installed on
top to accommodate the Vortex Viper
or other optics, and the controls are
situated on the left side, with a steel
magazine release and a steel-reinforced
polymer slide lock and thumb safety.
There’s also an internal magazine
disconnect that disengages the trigger
when the magazine is out of the frame.
The largely internal slide has four milled
cocking serrations that flare outward at
“In the end, this the rear, a single extractor and a single
is a nice entry steel guide rod. Smith & Wesson also
includes two 10-round steel magazines.
in the Victory The proprietary, screw-on, spiral-
jetted muzzle brake is designed and
family that you manufactured by S&W. It’s easy to
remove and weighs just under an
should consider ounce. A side note here is that the muz-
adding to your zle uses the same 1/2x28-tpi threading
that most .22 LR suppressors require,
arsenal.” so you can always add one of those as
well. You might question the need for
a brake on a .22 LR since there’s so
little recoil anyway, and I can’t speak
The face of the trigger
is serrated, and the extended for a heavier steel bull barrel, but on the
magazine release button sticks featherweight carbon-fiber tube, I think
out from the frame to promote the brake helped minimize the muzzle
fast reloads in the field. rise somewhat. This may not matter in
| |
The Vortex Viper features an adjustable 6-MOA red dot and a hardcoat anodized aluminum housing. It’s also quite
compact—just 1.8 inches long, 1.02 inches tall and 1.06 inches wide—while weighing only 1.03 ounces.
slow-fire shooting, but it could make a rubber-covered button on the left side as well as the newest Browning stuff I
difference if you need controlled speed. adjusts the dot’s size and brightness. picked up two weeks before testing.
Accuracy-wise, despite the feath-
THE VIPER MAKING NOISE erweight barrel and my astigmatic
eyes, this Performance Center pistol
The 6-MOA Vortex Viper is a light- Remember the part about expecting a shot better overall than the standard-
weight, low-profile reflex sight with challenge? I got it. Testing the Victory production Victory Target did with its
1-MOA windage and elevation adjust- Target at the indoor range with nine heavier barrel and iron sights. In fact, I
ments and several brightness levels to different rimfire loads, the lightweight was quite surprised to find one load’s
allow for variations in lighting condi- barrel tended to wobble in my shaky five-shot best group was right at an
tions. One of the primary advantages hands even on a rest, and the red inch, and two others were under an
of a reflex sight over a laser is that the dot’s movement emphasized that inch. The best groups for each load
latter is limited to low-light surroundings wobble visually, just the way a laser were all under 2 inches. If you’ve got
for best visibility, with a relatively limited does. Holding the barrel absolutely still better eyes—the dot issue was me,
range that depends on both ambient required one level of concentration, and not the Viper—the gun can probably
light and the surface off which you trying to place the dot consistently in perform even better for you.
bounce the laser. There are no such lim- the exact center of the 4-inch bullseye
itations with the reflex’s red dot; it stays targets set 25 yards away demanded SMOOTH OPERATOR
clearly visible no matter what the sur- yet another level of concentration.
rounding light conditions may be or how The pistol did its part, however. The The Performance Center Victory Target
far away your target is. Since it doesn’t two-stage trigger weighed in at just is a smooth runner and a straight
depend on any external reflection, your over 4 pounds, with a clean break and shooter, and obviously the Vortex Viper
target can be any color and the dot no overtravel. Firing five-shot strings sight that S&W provides with the pistol
won’t be affected. It even shows up with each load at 25 yards, there were can give you an optical picture equally
clearly against the blue sky—something no failures of any kind. The previous capable of pulling off tight groups. If
no commercial firearm laser can do. standard-production Victory Target that you want a slow-fire Bullseye trophy
The Viper ships with the Victory, but I worked with had a slight tendency gun, look elsewhere, but for general
this is one of those “some assembly toward ejection malfunctions, and plinking and competition, this package
required” deals. After deciding where this is something that internet reports can deliver a lot of fun.
you want it on the rail, you simply indicate may be an occasional “thing” In the end, this is a nice entry in the
install it with the included wrench with the Victory. It wasn’t here, but if Victory family that you should consider
and zero it using the instructions in you get one that does hang up when adding to your arsenal. Take a look
the box. To adjust it, you back out the ejecting cases, you can usually correct at the entire Victory lineup on S&W’s
locking screws, move your up/down it yourself at home by bending the ejec- website. This is a platform you’ll be
and left/right screws as needed and tor slightly at home. The CCI Green seeing a lot of, and you don’t want to
then tighten the locking screws down Tag and Winchester Super-X loads— get behind the rimfire curve. For more
again to lock the zero in place. A single both at least 15 years old—functioned information, visit smith-wesson.com.
AIRGUN TEST
ULTIMATE
| |
The Glock 17 was intended to be the most the same, though the recessed, .177-
advanced military handgun design of the caliber, smoothbore barrel is actually only
20th century. But I think Gaston Glock 4.25 inches long. The one deviation is
wanted the G17 to do more than just win the weight, with the CO2 model coming in
Austrian military trials in 1982. He wanted his a little heavier by 2.13 ounces—almost
semi-automatic pistol to eventually replace entirely attributable to the heavier mag-
every military handgun around the world. azine—for an unloaded weight of 27
And over the past 37 years, Glock has come ounces versus 24.87 ounces for the 9mm.
close to achieving that goal, intentionally The Umarex measures up as an ideal
or not. More Glock pistols are carried by training gun incorporating all the basic
international and domestic military and law 9mm features for learning fundamental
enforcement units, not to mention all of us holstering, drawing, aiming, reloading
civilians, than almost any other handgun and shooting techniques. Aside from the
currently in production. But there’s a new difference between 9mm cartridges and
copycat in town thanks to Umarex. .177-caliber steel BBs, the line separating
this Umarex model from its centerfire coun-
AIRGUN TRAINER terpart is all but invisible, so long as you
The 9mm Glock 17 Gen3 is 8.03 inches don’t look for a caliber stamping on the left
long with a 4.49-inch barrel, 1.26 inches side of the slide. That has been deliber-
wide and 5.47 inches tall with a capacity ately left off as a subtle visual tell that this
of 17+1 rounds. In terms of overall length, is not a centerfire Glock 17 Gen3.
height and width, Umarex’s new CO2-
powered G17 is a match, ensuring it will fit WHY THE GEN3?
holsters designed for the centerfire model. The original Glock 17 debuted in 1982 but
Externally, the barrel length appears to be didn’t make it to the U.S. as a civilian arm
until 1986. Designed as a military sidearm,
it was essentially simple in its execution,
without several of the features we find on
Glocks today. The initial success of the
UMAREX CREATES
GLOCK SKILLS
BY DENNIS ADLER
ULTIMATE UNDERSTUDY |
STACKING UP
Glocks aren’t exactly attractive, but
they’re durable and easy to use, ensur-
ing familiarity among different models.
Apart from size or caliber, if you know
how to handle one Glock, you know how
to handle every Glock. And that is one of
the intrinsic values of the Umarex CO2
model: It handles like a Glock.
The first thing I did after unpack-
: ing the Umarex was try it out in the
gold standard of G17 holsters, the
BlackHawk SERPA Level 2. And the
Umarex fit the BlackHawk holster like it
was made for it. Because it was.
Glocks are known for having an aver-
age trigger pull weight of 5.5 pounds,
unless a shooter specifically requests a
different connector. The Umarex’s trigger
weighs in at 6.5 pounds with 0.93 inches
of take-up. There is zero resistance as
the safety and trigger move back 0.75
able nor difficult with injection pistol with a proven history. The G17
molding. Beginning in 1991, texturing Gen3 certainly owns that.
was added to the grip along with internal
improvements. A second alteration came The Umarex uses a
in the 1990s with the addition of check- special magazine and
blowback operating
ering on the frontstrap and serrations to system. Also note that
the backstrap. This all constitutes the the slide locks back
second, or Gen2, model, though this is after firing the last
a relatively arbitrary designation. round, as with
a centerfire
The most notable revisions came pistol.
in the late 1990s with a third variation
incorporating an integral Picatinny rail
for mounting lights and lasers, including
those from Glock itself. The frame was
also given thumb rests on both sides
as well as finger grooves along the
frontstrap to provide a short-term fix for
the greater issue many consumers had
| |
RUGGED + RELIABLE + OPTIC READY
Taking the striker-fired category by storm, the CZ P-10 delivers what most in the genre can’t. From the superb trigger
to the purpose-driven features to the engineered ergonomics – the P-10 is the complete package, right out of the box.
With 12+1 capacity in the P-10 S, 15+1 in the P-10 C and 19+1 in the P-10 F, there’s a P-10 for every purpose.
CZ-USA.COM
ULTIMATE UNDERSTUDY |
“IN TERMS OF OVERALL

LENGTH, HEIGHT AND
WIDTH, UMAREX’S NEW
CO2-POWERED G17 IS
A MATCH, ENSURING
IT WILL FIT HOLSTERS
DESIGNED FOR THE
CENTERFIRE MODEL.”
inches, then light stacking for the last on the underside of the frame in the and there’s enough kick for you to know
0.18 inches to a clean break with zero recess where the serial number plate that you’ve pulled the trigger on a fairly
overtravel. It is so consistent and man- goes on centerfire Glocks. powerful CO2 pistol.
ageable that you won’t notice the added Then there’s the action. There are
weight for precise shooting. two basic types of blowback designs BLASTING BBs
There are almost always some com- used for CO2 pistols. One is a very close The Umarex might not fire 9mm rounds
promises when making a CO2 version approximation of John Moses Browning’s or disassemble the same way, but
of a centerfire pistol, especially when short-recoil, locked-breech design with a in every other aspect, it does what a
it can be used as a training gun. The tilting barrel and an actual barrel lug and Glock pistol should do. It handles the
Umarex Glock 17 has three. First and slide ejection port interface. The other same, uses the same accessories and
foremost, the pistol cannot be field- is a shorter, less exact design in which fires projectiles at velocities greater
stripped. Second, it uses an internal the slide does not move as far back as it than most blowback CO2 pistols, main-
frame-mounted firing system so the does on a centerfire pistol. The Umarex taining enough accuracy for effective
locked-breech, tilting barrel aspect of is the latter. Is there any upside to this? close-quarters training.
the centerfire gun’s design is absent. Well, this design doesn’t require quite During my testing, the Umarex’s
Finally, the Safe Action trigger works, as much CO2 to operate the slide, so average velocity was 376 fps with a
but the safety is not connected. Air more is dedicated to velocity. Most BB high of 395 fps, a low of 366 fps and a
pistols are supposed to have a manual guns with authentic Browning blowback standard deviation of 10 fps for 10 shots
safety, and the Safe Action trigger does actions have an average velocity of 300 using Umarex Precision steel BBs. While
not qualify, so Umarex and Glock clev- to 320 fps. The Umarex hits an average getting those chronograph figures, I was
erly concealed a sliding manual safety of 376 fps, the report is medium-loud, able to get some tight groups while firing
SPEC BOX
UMAREX
GLOCK 1 7 GEN3
CALIBER: .177
BARREL: 4.49 inches
GRIP: Polymer
From every angle, SIGHTS: Fixed

the Umarex replica ACTION: Blowback, CO2
looks like its 9mm
Glock counterpart, FINISH: Matte black
though you won’t find CAPACITY: 18
any caliber markings
on the slide. MSRP: $100
| |
The author was
able to produce
sub-1-inch groups
out to 10 yards,
which is quite
impressive for
a CO2-powered
smoothbore.
off-hand. My average for three 5-shot To wrap up my test and further vali- shooting behind a barricade. All of my
groups averaged just 0.74 inches, and I date the Umarex’s practicality for training shots hit inside the 9, 10 and X rings,
didn’t notice any appreciable windage or use—especially indoors at varying with several overlapping. This proved that
elevation issues beyond my own move- combat distances and shooting posi- the Umarex could work for basic training
ment. The gun was right on target. tions—I set up a large Birchwood Casey drills with immediate feedback from the
I fully loaded the 18-round mag- silhouette target and fired a series of steel BBs hitting a Shoot-N-C target.
azine and took the Umarex out to 10 combat drills that included drawing from Considering that the gun sells for
yards, where I produced sub-1-inch the BlackHawk SERPA Level 2 holster around $100, and CO2 and BBs cost so
groups—something I didn’t expect from and firing double-taps from 5 to 7 yards, much less than even the least expensive
a smoothbore airgun. My first five-shot weak-hand shooting at 7 yards, rolling 9mm practice rounds, the option to train
group clustered into 0.88 inches inside and kneeling shots, firing from prone, with an air pistol has never been so well
the bullseye, five more rounds created two-handed shots at 10 yards, drawing defined as it is by the Umarex Glock 17.
a 0.75-inch group above it, and my next and firing rapidly while moving toward the For more information, visit umarexusa.
group was only 0.5 inches wide. target from 7 to 5 yards, and one-handed com and pyramydair.com.
GUNFIGHTING
It’s hard to believe
WHEELIN’ today, but there

was a time when
the snub-nose revolver
AND DEALIN’
was the gun of choice for
personal protection. Colt
Cobras and Smith & Wesson
Chief’s Specials were all that
THERE’S MORE TO CARRYING A SNUBBIE most gun owners needed
THAN LOOKING GOOD WHILE DOING IT for personal protection.

Today, semi-autos far outsell
BY DR. MARTIN D. TOPPER
handguns still produce and
sell relatively large quantities
of short-barreled wheelguns
in at least eight different cal-
ibers. It seems that a lot of
folks other than us die-hard
Peter Gunn fans still prefer
the simple operation and
reliability of a good old-
fashioned snub-nose.
The snub-nose revolver
dates back to at least
Webley’s 1872 British
Bulldog and the limited
number of first-generation
Colt Single Action Army
“Sheriff’s” or “Storekeeper”
models made after 1882.
However, today’s snubbie
is vastly different than the
steel-framed, short-barreled,
.45-caliber revolvers made
by Webley and Colt.
Current snubbies are
chambered in just about
every popular rimmed (and
some rimless) cartridges
from the .22 LR to the .44
Magnum. There were even
snub-nose .460 and .500
S&W revolvers packaged
in S&W Survival Kits a
few years back. Snubbies
also come with lightweight
frames made from aluminum
and polymer with cylinders
composed of various met-
Sean Utley Photo
als, including blued steel,

stainless steel, aluminum
and titanium. In fact, there
are only four features that
|
Mark Twain,
reports of
the snubbie’s
demise are
greatly
exaggerated.”
Claude’s “Eye-Target
Drill” helps students
focus on the front sight
and reacquire their
target after firing.
are common to most cur-

rent snub-nose revolvers:
They have barrels that are
between 1.88 and 3 inches
in length, they hold between
five and eight shots, they
have DA or DAO operating
systems, and they have the
same manual of arms.
Which brings us to the on a smaller, high-value part your autopistol. If you make
subject of this article. I of the target rather than the that mistake, the slide will
recently attended a course “center of mass.” cut your support-hand thumb
taught by Claude Werner Claude Werner Next, Claude discussed and possibly jam the gun.
at the Rangemaster Tactical selecting a shooting grip. To When it comes to grip
Conference in Little Rock. him, there are two grips that panels, Claude stressed
Claude is an expert instructor can atone for a careless first work well with short-barreled that revolvers often have an
in the use of snubbies, and shot…When you’ve only got revolvers: thumb over thumb advantage over semi-autos
he provided us with a number five shots, you have to use and thumb over wrist. A because most revolvers have
of tips and drills to help us be each one well.” Come to think two-thumbs-forward grip may a wider variety of grips to
more accurate and efficient of it, “spraying and praying” be good for semi-autos, but choose from. That makes
with such guns. is never good, no matter it can’t be safely used with it easier for the shooter to
what kind of gun you’re revolvers. That’s because it make sure his or her hand
BETTER TACTICS shooting. Claude achieves places the thumbs too close gets a good purchase on the
good first-shot accuracy to the barrel/cylinder gap. gun and maintains that hold
Claude has spent years by “working the gun at eye This risks significant injury to as the shooting progresses.
studying and teaching level,” regardless of whether the thumbs from the flame Also, Claude made it very
the best ways to handle it is held in a retention that emerges from the gap clear that the boot grips that
short-barreled revolvers, and position or extended into an with every shot. In addition, come on many small revolv-
he opened the session with isosceles stance. Once he if you also shoot semi-autos, ers are only for the deepest
important tips on snubbie decides to shoot, Claude you have to be very careful forms of concealment like
fundamentals. He began by employs the “aim small, miss not to use the thumb-over- ankle or pocket carry.
saying, “No rapidity of fire small” principle by focusing wrist grip when shooting Lastly, Claude dealt with
GUNFIGHTING
Claude has a very specific reloading technique for snubbies: Use your support hand to push the cylinder out while your strong hand activates the
release. Then, with the muzzle skyward, hit the ejector rod with your support hand and begin loading loose rounds with your strong hand.
reloading. In his class, to get back into the fight focused on making every the gun before you load it
Claude teaches loading before he finishes reloading. shot accurate. All drills were with snap caps. Unless you
using loose ammunition Claude also believes in the run at 5 yards with the finger carry a Colt SAA Sheriff’s
rather than speed strips “New York reload,” and I’ve off the trigger unless firing. model, your snubbie will
or speedloaders because seen him carrying more than First up was a finger- most likely have either a DA
it’s easier for cartridges to one snubbie on his person. isolation drill that can be or DAO trigger mechanism,
get dislodged from these Come to think of it, there’s done with a loaded gun on so don’t cock the gun when
devices. With a revolver, very little difference in a firing range or by using doing this drill.
it’s important to be compe- weight or firepower between snap caps at home. If you To begin, establish a firm
tent at loading with loose two Airweight snubbies and do it at home, double check shooting grip and sight in
ammunition, and you don’t one subcompact semi-auto. to make sure there is no live on your target. Then slowly
want to learn this during take your trigger finger from
an incident. When the gun DRILL TIME the register position on the
is empty, Claude uses his frame and place it on the
support-hand fingers to In Claude’s experience, the trigger. Now you’re ready
open the action and points first shot with a snub-nose to press the trigger slowly
the muzzle skyward. He revolver is usually the most
then uses the support-hand accurate, and accuracy
thumb to depress the tends to decrease some-
ejection rod as he shakes
the gun to pop out the fired the drills Claude taught
casings. When the cases
are clear, he turns the
muzzle downward with
the gun held in the
support hand and uses
his shooting hand to
place fresh cartridges from
his pocket bullet-up in the
support-hand palm.
At that point, Claude
loads two cartridges into the
top chambers of the cylinder
with his shooting hand and
scans his surroundings for
Snub-nose revolvers, including the
rounds in the cylinder. That Taurus Model 605 (above) and S&W
way, he’ll have at least two Model 642 Airweight (right), are still
shots in the gun if he needs immensely popular for self-defense.
| |
the sights locked on the Claude demonstrated this
target. The goal is to maintain drill, the gun never failed to
constant pressure on the fire. Considering the odds
revolver’s grip while increas- of that happening, some
ing pressure on the trigger among us wouldn’t mind
using only your trigger finger. having similar luck in Vegas!
This teaches you not to “milk” To steal from Mark
the trigger by squeezing the Twain, reports of the snub-
handgun harder with your bie’s demise are greatly
entire hand every time you exaggerated. It’s just too
press the trigger. The author handy, easy to operate
Next up was the “Eye- practices the and reliable to disappear.
Target Drill.” This involves “Multi-Shot Drill” For more info on Claude,
at his home
raising the gun from low- range with an
visit tacticalprofessor.
ready to eye level while using S&W Model 24 com, and for more on the
the retention position to keep in .44 Special. Rangemaster conference,
the gun close to your body go to rangemaster.com.
and pointed downrange at
the target. Once the gun is at
eye level, focus the sights on
8 CIGARS only $ 10
the target and either fire from
retention or extend into the *
isosceles stance and fire.
The third and final drill was
the “Multi-Shot Drill.” It’s very
similar to the Eye-Target Drill,
except that you fire two shots
ampler
and then tip the gun down,
open the action just enough
to spin the cylinder and then
close it. Remember not to
look directly at the rear of
the cylinder as it spins or as
you close it. That’s because
you don’t want to know if the
hammer will drop on a live
or spent shell the next time
you pull the trigger. The goal
is similar to a dummy-round
drill, but it is more random
and harder to anticipate
when a live or spent cartridge 5 UPGRADE
$
will be struck by the firing pin.

This drill will quickly tell you
if you’re milking the trigger
$
52 value
or flinching, because when
the gun doesn’t fire, there’s
no recoil to interfere with you
Visit: www.CigarsIntl.com/SA7594
seeing that a problem exists.
Run this final drill until
the gun is empty. You should
have at least two instances
where the gun does not
fire. Of course, the first time
BATTLE ROYALE
SHOWDOWN
SETTLING In 2011, the U.S. Army and Air mounting a miniature reflex sight; ambidex-
THE DEBATE
Force announced their Modular trous controls, including a thumb safety;
Handgun System (MHS) trials to a loaded-chamber indicator; an improved
SURROUNDING
find a new service pistol to replace the M9 slide subassembly to capture small com-
(Beretta) and M11 (Sig) pistols and those ponents when disassembled; a trigger
THE ARMY’S
1911s still in limited service. design that prevents foreign debris from
The Army set out several requirements entering the action; and a corrosion-
MHS DECISION
that became more focused over the years. resistant PVD finish on metal components.
Originally, it wanted one 9mm that could The barrel lengths for the M17 and M18
WITH FIVE OF be configured as both full-sized (M17)

and compact (M18) variants. Other MHS
were set around 4.7 and 3.9 inches,
respectively. The Army also asked that the
THE BEST 9MMS requirements included a slide cut for

well as extended 21-round magazines.
have a 90-percent or greater chance of

hitting a 4-inch circle out to 50 meters
consistently throughout its lifetime, and its
and control shot dispersion.
between stoppages, 10,000 mean rounds

between failures and a 35,000-round
service life. Multiple delays pushed the
solicitation deadline to February 2016.
GLOCK 19X and Smith & Wesson. Eventually, the
| |
SIG SAUER
P320-M17
SMITH &
WESSON
M&P9 M2.0
CZ P-09
SUPPRESSOR-
READY
BERETTA
APX FDE
personaldefenseworld.com | 79
SOLDIER SHOWDOWN |
>>>>> APX FDE SUPPRESSOR-READY P320-M17 M&P9 M2.0

CALIBER: 9mm 9mm 9mm 9mm 9mm
BARREL: 4.25 inches 5.15 inches 4.02 inches 4.7 inches 5 inches
OA LENGTH: 7.55 inches 8.8 inches 7.44 inches 8 inches 8.3 inches
WEIGHT: 28.24 ounces (empty) 32.2 ounces (empty) 24.83 ounces (empty) 29.6 ounces (empty) 26.9 ounces (empty)
GRIPS: Polymer Polymer Polymer Polymer Polymer
SIGHTS: Three-dot Three-dot tritium Three-dot tritium SIGLITE front, Three-dot
Night Sight Rear Plate
ACTION: Striker-fired DA/SA Safe Action Striker-fired Striker-fired
FINISH: Flat Dark Earth Urban gray, black Coyote tan Coyote tan Flat Dark Earth
CAPACITY: 17+1 21+1 17+1, 19+1 17+1 17+1
MSRP: $595 $629 $749 $768 $599
contract. The Sig P320 was chosen as

DoD Photo
the Army’s new pistol, designated the

M17. Of course, as with all U.S. military
trials since the adoption of the Model
1795 flintlock musket, the results of the
MHS competition led to much debate
among civilian shooters. And let’s not
even mention how the 1911/.45 ACP
crowd felt about it!
So, with all that in mind, we felt it
would be educational to pit a few guns
as close to the MHS contenders as pos-
sible against one another in this “Battle
Royale.” Our pistols include the Beretta
APX FDE, CZ P-09 Suppressor-Ready,
Glock 19X, Sig Sauer P320-M17 and
Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0.
THE CONTENDERS
Right off the bat, all five of these 9mm
pistols utilize polymer frames and steel
“ …AS WITH ALL U.S. MILITARY

TRIALS SINCE THE ADOPTION OF
THE MODEL 1795 FLINTLOCK
slides, and all but the Sig can be fitted
with interchangeable backstraps so you
can customize the grip to fit your hands
better. (Sig offers replacement frames, or
grip modules, in small, medium and large
MUSKET, THE RESULTS OF THE MHS sizes.) They all have dust-cover Picatinny
COMPETITION LED TO MUCH DEBATE rails for mounting lights and/or lasers.
Four of pistols are striker-fired while
AMONG CIVILIAN SHOOTERS.” the CZ stands out with its external
| |
hammer and DA/SA trigger system. None
Becky Scarlata Photos
of the striker-fired pistols offer a second-

strike capability, so if you experience a
misfire, you have to retract the slide slightly
to reset the striker. And while all of the
MHS contenders had night sights, only
the CZ, Glock and Sig we received for
testing came fitted with them. The Beretta
and S&W came with traditional three-dot
sights. The Glock and Sig front sights had
tritium inserts surrounded by white rings
for faster targeting in every lighting condi-
tion, and the Sig also stood out because it
has a plate at the rear of the slide that can
be removed for mounting a reflex sight.
The G19X pistols submitted for the
The test shooters MHS trails featured ambidextrous thumb
had to run each safeties, but Glock decided not to offer
pistol through a
variety of drills to
them on the commercial model. Our S&W
test its accuracy, and Sig pistols came with ambidextrous
handling and much safeties, and the CZ had an ambidex-
more. In the end, trous decocker. A safety is an option on
they all rated the
Smith & Wesson
the Beretta. The magazine releases and
M&P9 M2.0 as slide stops were all located in the proper
being the best all- positions, and the former can be switched
around design. from port to starboard for Southpaws.
In terms of capacity, the Beretta,
Glock, S&W and Sig all use 17-round
magazines while the CZ’s extended mag
PLATE RACK DRILL
can hold 20 rounds. The G19X also came
DICK PAUL RICHARD
with extended 19-round mags.
BERETTA 9.4 7.5 6.2
CZ 8.9 7.5 7.3 RANGE RULES
GLOCK 7.5 7.4 6.9 As is our SOP, my wife, Becky, and I
zeroed each pistol from an MTM K-Zone
SIG SAUER 8.2 6.5 7.6
rest at 15 yards, and we were pleased to
S&W 7.2 5.8 4.7
see that all five were capable of producing
groups 2 inches or less in size.
PAPER/POPPER DRILL We then field-stripped, cleaned and
DICK PAUL RICHARD lubricated each pistol—the only mainte-
BERETTA 33.7 32.6 28.6 nance they received. If one malfunctioned,
we would attempt to correct the problem
CZ 48.4 30.3 36.1
at the range. If we were unable to do so,
GLOCK 50.2 35.3 40.1 the pistol would be scored up to that
SIG SAUER 34.5 32.5 33.2 point and then put aside while we finished
S&W 33.3 29.5 38.5 testing the remaining handguns.
My friends and “Battle Royale” compa-
triots Dick Jones and Richard Cole helped
SPEED DRILL
me evaluate the pistols, and we decided
DICK PAUL RICHARD upon the following three drills:
BERETTA 35.0 39.4 31.5 • Steel Plate Drill: From 10 yards,
CZ 31.0 34.0 28.7 the shooter engages a rack of six 8-inch
GLOCK 28.4 35.8 26.4 steel plates with the score being the
average time for four runs. Any plate left
SIG SAUER 29.7 26.6 27.7
standing would add a five-second pen-
S&W 27.3 27.1 27.3 alty. For this drill, each pistol was loaded
Note: Time results in seconds. with 10 rounds of ammunition.
SOLDIER SHOWDOWN |
TALE
OF THE BERETTA CZ P-09 GLOCK SIG SAUER SMITH & WESSON
TAPE APX FDE SUPPRESSOR-READY 19X P320-M17 M&P9 M2.0
RELIABILITY 15 15 15 14 14
ERGONOMICS 9 10 10 9 15
TRIGGER CONTROL 9 10 8 14 14
RECOIL CONTROL 12 11 12 13 15
SIGHTS 11 11 14 14 12
OFF-HAND ACCURACY 10 12 11 11 15
RELOADING EASE 13 13 13 13 15
TOTAL 79 82 83 88 100
Note: 15 is a perfect score for each category while 105 is a perfect total score.
Becky Scarlata Photo
• Paper/Popper Drill: From 10 yards, total of four light strikes/misfires with in second place due to its beavertail and
the shooter double-taps a pair of card- the S&W and Sig. They all happened high bore axis. The Glock and Beretta
board targets, then shoots a Birchwood towards the end of our testing when the tied for third place here, and we felt that
Casey self-setting steel popper before pistols were all quite dirty. the APX’s recoil was a tad sharper. The
engaging two more cardboard targets on Ergonomics: The S&W ran away with CZ lost points because two of us felt
the other side. The popper must be hit this category thanks to its excellent grip it sat too high in the hand, and the grip
each time before engaging the remaining angle, balance, texturing and control loca- texturing allowed it to move around under
targets. They then perform a combat tions. One shooter said. “I didn’t expect recoil, as with the Beretta.
reload and repeat the drill. The drill is run to like it, but I was wrong.” Two of the Sights: Thanks to their tritium sights,
one more time with the score being the shooters said that when they brought the the Sig and Glock dominated here.
total time for both runs plus a five-second Glock or Beretta up to fire, they tended While the CZ, S&W and Beretta had the
penalty for any miss. to point low, even with the medium-sized usual three-white-dot setup, the S&W
• Speed Drill: The shooter begins backstraps. Everyone criticized the grasp- allowed for a finer sight picture. Two of
facing three steel targets at 10, 15 and ing grooves on the Beretta’s slide, saying us disliked how tall the CZ’s sights were,
20 yards. They raise their pistol and they were too far apart and smooth to but they are designed to work with a
fire 10 rounds at the first target, reload, get a firm purchase. Two of us disliked sound suppressor installed.
engage the second target, reload and the way the CZ sat so high in our hands, Reloading Ease: This category was
engage the third target. The score con- and its rather small grasping grooves also a four-way tie—for second place! While
sists of the total time plus five-second came in for some criticism. All of us felt all five pistols proved easy to reload, we
penalties for any misses. the beavertail on the Sig was too short all felt that the Smith & Wesson’s ergo-
In the end, each shooter had to fire while the safety was hard to manipulate. nomics us allowed us to hit the magazine
a minimum of 90 rounds through each Trigger Control: Thanks to their short, release without having to shift the gun
pistol with a total of 450 rounds from all light trigger pulls, the Sig and S&W around in our hands.
five. Our test ammo consisted of Black pulled ahead of the pack in this category. Of course, while our mini-MHS trial
Hills and Sig 115-grain FMJs. The Target In fact, one shooter felt the Sig’s trigger is interesting, it isn’t anywhere near as
Barn provided ISPC cardboard targets, was closer to a single-action design. severe as what the Army put these pistols
and Competition Electronics gave us a The Glock’s trigger was the heaviest through. We couldn’t get anywhere near
Pocket Pro shot timer. Finally, as in pre- and grittiest of the lot, the astronomically high
vious “Battle Royales,” each pistol was with the Beretta’s being round count of the Army
graded on a 1 (worse) to 5 (best) scale only slightly more user FOR MORE trials, but most shooters
INFORMATION
in seven categories: reliability, ergonom- friendly. The CZ was hard won’t, either. And the
ics, trigger control, recoil control, sights, to compare to the others BERETTA manufacturers might have
beretta.com
off-hand accuracy and reloading ease. because of its DA/SA been upset with us if we
These were then added together to give trigger system. That said, CZ-USA had tried!
each pistol a final score in each category, the DA pull was rather cz-usa.com As I always do at the
with 15 being a perfect score. long and gritty while the GLOCK end of these shootouts,
SA pull was fairly crisp. glock.com I asked my friends which
IN-DEPTH RESULTS Recoil Control:
SIG SAUER
test gun was their favorite.
Reliability: The Beretta, CZ and Glock Thanks its excellent ergo- sigsauer.com The consensus was
pistols all received perfect scores in nomics, the S&W once unanimous. We all agreed
this category. The only reason it wasn’t again scored perfectly SMITH & WESSON on the Smith & Wesson
smith-wesson.com
a five-way tie is that we experienced a here, with the Sig coming M&P9 M2.0!
| |
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BRAND-NEW AMMO
THE LATEST LOADS TO HANDLE ALL OF YOUR HANDGUNNING NEEDS
BY DR. MARTIN D. TOPPER
Ammunition manufacturers once again brought highly

innovative products to this year’s SHOT Show. Several new
lines made their debuts, and over 100 new loads have been
added to existing lines. Of course, we’re focused on handgun ammo
here, so we’ve rounded up everything from the .22 LR to the .454
Casull. Every need is covered here, too, from law enforcement and
personal defense to hunting and competition. So far, 2019 is already
BROWNING
TRAIL FORCE
This unique new load from Browning is a
multiple-projectile cartridge designed for dis-
patching large pests and dangerous snakes.
Each .38 Special cartridge features a charge
of No. 9 birdshot nestled between two copper-
plated lead disks, and the total projectile
AGUILA weight is 0.25 ounces. (browningammo.com)
pounds of energy (FPE). It also has a very reasonable MSRP of $20 BLACK HILLS
for a box of 50, making it one of the least expensive 9mm jacketed HONEYBADGER
hollow point (JHP) loads on the market. (aguilaammo.com) Black Hills has expanded its HoneyBadger line
to include a new 115-grain .40 S&W load. Each
round features a fluted, all-copper bullet that is
designed to produce a larger temporary wound
AMMO INCORPORATED cavity while reducing the risk of overpenetration.
OPS The muzzle velocity and energy are rated at 1,325
The One Precise Shot fps and 448 fpe, respectively. (black-hills.com)
(OPS) line includes
jacketed 9mm, .40
S&W and .45 ACP
defensive loads with
frangible cores. The
within the target, and that a bullet that fragments in the

target will greatly reduce the likelihood of collateral
damage due to overpenetration. (ammoinc.com)
| |
CCI
QUIET-22 SEMI-AUTO
Another new .22 LR load from CCI,
this ammo is designed to function
smoothly in semi-auto handguns and
rifles while being 75-percent quieter in
terms of its report. It’s like firing a gun
with a sound suppressor installed,
but you won’t need one. Each round
utilizes a 45-grain lead bullet that
leaves the barrel at a modest 735 fps.
(cci-ammunition.com)
CORBON
DPX
CorBon is back, and it’s return-
ing to the market with 9mm DPX
CCI ammunition. This 115-grain load
MINI-MAG uses the company’s renowned
SHP all-copper hollow points for
CCI has intro- deep penetration and maximum
duced a .22 LR expansion. The muzzle velocity
load that uses 40-grain segmented and energy are currently rated
hollow point (SHP) projectiles that split at approximately 1,250 fps and
into three equal parts on impact. This 399 fpe, respectively. CorBon
provides maximum energy release and will also be producing 100-grain
reduces the danger of overpenetration on 9mm Pow’RBall rounds later this
small game. This load is also designed for year. (corbon.com)
reliable feeding and uses clean-burning
powder. (cci-ammunition.com)
FEDERAL
SYNTECH DEFENSE
Federal has introduced a new Syntech Defense line with
three new defensive loads featuring fragmenting, poly-
FEDERAL mer-coated bullets. These 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP
HST loads contain bullets weighing 138, 175 and 205 grains,
Along with a respectively. Upon
complete redesign striking the target, the
of its ammo boxes hollow-point portion of
this year, Federal the bullet separates into
has added a new three segments, which
10mm loading create secondary wound
to its popular HST line of ammunition. This channels that are about
full-power load has a 200-grain JHP that exits 6 inches deep, while the
the barrel at 1,130 fps for 557 fpe. The bullet base of the bullet goes
is designed to be barrier-blind and expand and on to penetrate
penetrate well in FBI terminal ballistics testing. 12 to 18 inches.
(federalpremium.com) (federalpremium.com)
HOT FROM SHOT |
FORT SCOTT MUNITIONS

TUMBLE UPON IMPACT
Fort Scott Munitions has introduced two new Tumble Upon
Impact (TUI) loads: a 115-grain 9mm rated for a muzzle
velocity and energy of 1,140 fps and 331 fpe, respectively,
and a 95-grain .357 SIG that leaves the muzzle at 1,614 fps
and generates 549 fpe. Both loads use Fort Scott Munitions’
non-lead, solid-copper spun (SCS) projectiles, which are
FEDERAL
designed to tumble within the target, transferring much of
HYDRA- their energy in the process. (fortscottmunitions.com)
SHOK DEEP
Federal has expanded its Hydra-Shok
Deep line of highly effective defensive
pistol ammunition by adding .45 ACP
and .40 S&W loads. The .45 ACP
load utilizes a 210-grain bullet, and the
.40 S&W is topped with a 165-grain
projectile. Both are designed to expand
and penetrate roughly 15 inches into
ballistic gelatin. (federalpremium.com)
GECO
RED ZONE &
ACTION EXTREME
GECO’s new 9mm Red Zone
ammo is designed specifically for
short-barreled firearms with a 124-
grain JHP that penetrates about 12
to 13 inches with a rated velocity
of 1,000 to 1,150 fps. The 9mm
Action Extreme ammo uses 108-
grain hollow-point projectiles for
controlled expansion and reliable
G2 RESEARCH penetration no matter the barrel
TELOS length. (geco-ammunition.com)
HORNADY
This year, G2 Research has
expanded its Telos line of solid- CRITICAL DEFENSE
copper, controlled-fragmentation, Hornady has developed two new
hollow-point ammunition to include Critical Defense loads for the
.45 ACP and .45 Colt cartridges. .25 ACP and .32 ACP. Why?
Upon impact with the target, these There are millions of subcompact
bullets begin to fragment, transfer- guns on the market chambered
ring their energy quickly. The metal for these two calibers, and they
surrounding the hollow-point cavity remain popular for deep conceal-
segments into six fragments that ment and backup carry. Both of
depart from the main wound chan- these loads use Hornady’s FTX
nel at 30- to 40-degree angles and bullets. The 35-grain .25 ACP
penetrate about 5 inches. The base load has a muzzle energy of 900
of the bullet continues penetrating fps and generates 63 fpe. The
in a straight line between 10 and 60-grain .32 ACP leaves the muz-
12 inches. (g2rammo.com) zle at 1,000 fps and develops
133 fpe. (hornady.com)
| |
NORMA
MHP
This 9mm load from Norma
utilizes a solid-copper, 108-grain
Monolithic Hollow Point (MHP)
bullet that produces 1,312
fps and 413 fpe at the muzzle.
NORMA These rounds are designed to
ENVY expand quickly and penetrate an
Norma’s new 9mm Envy rounds are specifi- average of 9.5 inches in ballistic
cally designed for high accuracy and smooth gelatin, which is less than the
functioning in pistol-caliber carbines. Each minimum-penetration standard
cartridge launches a 124-grain jacketed established by the FBI. Norma’s
round-nose (JRN) bullet at 1,345 fps and pro- engineers based their design on
duces 496 fpe at the muzzle. Norma states the experience of military and law
that this load can produce groups smaller enforcement agencies in Europe,
than an inch at 50 yards. (norma-usa.com) however. The primary intent is
for personal- and home-defense
NORMA situations in which rapid energy
transfer and reduced risk of
HEXAGON
NORMA overpenetration are paramount
Norma has announced three new match-grade
concerns. (norma-usa.com)
.22 WMR loads as part of its new Hexagon line. This
Norma’s new .22 Winchester line gets its name from the six deep grooves
Magnum Rimfire (WMR) load in the nose of each bullet, helping stabilize it
features 40-grain JHP bullets in flight. The three loads include a 124-grain
designed for maximum accuracy 9mm at 1,181
on small game, varmints and fps, a 180-grain
pests. Each round leaves the .357 Magnum at
muzzle at 1,877 fps and generates 1,115 fps and a
313 fps. The load offers excellent 200-grain .45 ACP
accurate out to medium ranges whose velocity
and would serve as a great plink- will be specified
ing round in addition to its sporting in the near future.
capabilities. (norma-usa.com) (norma-usa.com)
PMC REMINGTON
SFX GOLDEN SABER BONDED
PMC has introduced a new This year, Remington is marketing its Golden Saber
tactical 124-grain JHP load as Bonded ammunition to civilians. The projectile used in this
part of its SFX line. This particular load is made through a proprietary process of hot-bonding
ammunition is designed for reli- the lead core to the brass
able feeding, and each round is jacket. Several loads are
constructed to meet current law available, including the
enforcement performance testing 124-grain 9mm +P, 147-
protocols. The muzzle velocity for grain 9mm, 125-grain .357
this load is rated at 1,090 fps, SIG, 165-grain .40 S&W,
while the muzzle energy is 327 180-grain .40 S&W, 185-
grain .45 ACP and 230-
grain .45 ACP. Each round
has a nickel-plated case
and uses flash-suppressed
powder. (remington.com)
HOT FROM SHOT |
REMINGTON REMINGTON REMINGTON

HOG HAMMER HANDGUN HTP COPPER HANDGUN SUBSONIC
Ready for some handgun hunting? Another new line from Remington for Remington has teamed up
Remington’s Hog Hammer line for pis- handgun hunters is the High Terminal with Advanced Armament
tols uses Barnes XPB bullets for rapid Performance (HTP) Copper Handgun, Corporation (AAC) to create
expansion and deep penetration on which uses Barnes solid-copper three Subsonic loads to
tough boars and other maximize the effectiveness
wild hogs. Six loads of suppressed weapons. The
are currently available, 174-grain 9mm and 230-
from a 140-grain .357 grain .45 ACP loads use flat-
Magnum to a 250- nose enclosed-base (FNEB)
grain .454 Casull. bullets to prevent lead from
(remington.com) getting into your suppressor.
The 300-grain 300 Blackout
load has a muzzle velocity
and energy of 1,050 fps and
539 fpe, respectively.
(remington.com) (remington.com)
SIG SAUER
M17 SERIES
Sig Sauer has unveiled two 9mm +P loads
as part of a new line to go with the compa-
ny’s M17 pistols, which are based on the
P320. The 124-grain V-Crown JHPs use
WINCHESTER
and energy, the 9mm, .40 and .45 ACP are rated for
| |
HOT FROM SHOT |
RADICAL REVOLVERS
THE BEST NEW WHEELGUNS ROLLING INTO GUN SHOPS NEAR YOU
BY WILLIAM BELL
For a handgun that many people have said is “on its way out,”
the revolver is staging a remarkable comeback among firearms
COLT
enthusiasts. Some new models and several variations were
KING COBRA
Hot on the heels of the .38 Special Cobra
that Colt reintroduced in 2017, the new
King Cobra is a traditional DA/SA revolver
with a beefed-up frame and a 3-inch barrel.
Like the original, its cylinder holds six .357
Magnum rounds. Features include a brass
bead front sight, a grooved topstrap that
serves as a rear sight, a full-length underlug,
a brushed stainless steel finish and Hogue
OverMolded combat grips. The gun weighs
just 28 ounces unloaded. (colt.com)
CHIAPPA
RHINO 60DS NEBULA
This new version of the Rhino has a
multi-colored PVD finish, an unfluted cyl-
inder that holds six .357 Magnum rounds
and a 6-inch barrel with rails on the top
and bottom. The PVD finish offers a unique
appearance while resisting wear and
corrosion, and blue laminate grips enhance
the effect. The red fiber-optic front sight is
paired with an adjustable, green fiber-optic
rear sight. (chiappafirearms.com)
DAN WESSON
715 PISTOL PACK
Harkening back to the 1980s, Dan
Wesson is now offering its .357 Magnum
715 in a custom hard-cased Pistol Pack
that includes 4-, 6- and 8-inch barrels. The
715 is known for its interchangeable barrel
system, rugged frame, DA/SA trigger
mechanism and stainless steel construc-
tion. Features include a heavy vent-rib
barrel shroud, a unique cylinder release
that ensures proper barrel alignment,
adjustable sights and interchangeable
grips. (danwessonfirearms.com)
HOT FROM SHOT |
NIGHTHAWK-KORTH
SUPER SPORT ULX
is 6 inches long with polygonal

rifling. The unique front sight
features four elevation settings,
Finally, the black-DLC-finished frame is

fitted with Hal Swigget laminate grips.
(nighthawkcustom.com)
KIMBER
K6s SERIES
For 2019, Kimber has introduced several
new variants of the .357 Magnum K6s.
Available with a 2-inch barrel and a round-
butt frame or a 3-inch barrel and a square-
butt frame, the DASA has an exposed
hammer spur, allowing it to be cocked for
single-action shooting. The K6s DC-LG
features a black DLC finish and Crimson
Trace Lasergrips. Next, the CDP-LG has a
two-tone stainless and DLC finish as well
as Crimson Trace Lasergrips. The TLE
comes with a 2- or 3-inch barrel, a matte
black finish, tritium night sights and green
G10 grips. (kimberamerica.com)
HARPERS FERRY ARMORY

IS 38
The new IS 38 revolver from
Harpers Ferry Armory is small-
framed, five-shot .38 Special with a
NIGHTHAWK-KORTH
mer and smooth DAO mechanism,
RANGER
and the frame and cylinder are 416
Born from customer requests, the Ranger
is for those who want a 4-inch-barreled .357
Magnum with upper and lower Picatinny rails
notch, and custom rubber grips are
to mount optics, lights and lasers. It has removable guards
standard. Several Cerakote finish
around the gold bead front sight and a low-profile adjustable
rear sight. The barrel housing is skeletonized for rapid cooling,
and Nighthawk offers a 9mm conversion cylinder. The revolver
is made of carbon steel with a black DLC finish and sports cus-
(harpersferryarmory.com)
tom Jim Wilson signature walnut grips. (nighthawkcustom.com)
| |
RUGER
LCRx
peg that makes it easy to switch out the grip. (ruger.com)
NORTH
AMERICAN ARMS
NORTH AMERICAN ARMS

TRUE BLACK WIDOW
This new version of the Black
Widow earns the “True” moni-
ker thanks to the matte black PVD
coating covering all of the mini-
revolver’s metal parts. It also has a
pin release. On top of the barrel
RUGER
Since its inception in the late 1980s, the
HOT FROM SHOT |
SMITH & WESSON
STANDARD MANUFACTURING
S333 THUNDERSTRUCK
The unusual S333 Thunderstruck
holds eight .22 WMR rounds in its cyl-
inder. But what makes it unique is that
each trigger pull discharges two shots
simultaneously. It’s like an instant
double-tap! Weighing 18 ounces
unloaded, the S333 has a 7075-T6
TAURUS aluminum frame that partially sur-
MODEL 692 TRACKER rounds the steel cylinder and encloses
The Model 692 Tracker is built the steel, 1.25-inch barrel. It also has
on a medium frame and comes a DAO mechanism with a transfer bar
standard with two interchange- safety. A spur on the front of the frame
able cylinders so you can fire protects the trigger. (stdgun.com)
.357 Magnum, .38 Special and
9mm ammo. Each unfluted cylin-
TAURUS
DA/SA mechanism.
(taurususa.com)
| |
HOT FROM SHOT |
TRAINING TECH
NEW MUST-HAVE DEVICES FOR ENHANCING YOUR SHOOTING SKILLS
Shooting skills are extremely perishable. That’s why we need DO-ALL OUTDOORS
RANGE READY
DUELING TREES
Do-All Outdoors is now
shooters build their proficiency with firearms. This brings us to the 2019 offering two different
Range Ready Dueling
safety equipment for just this purpose. Let’s take a closer look at some Trees. The .22-caliber
model, the RRDT22, is
a six-target array of steel
plates featuring Do-All
Outdoors’ Tension Lock
Technology, which means
ACTION TARGET
the plates won’t bounce
GAME SERIES TARGETS back after they have been
Action Target’s new Game Series Targets hit. The .45-caliber model,
are extremely affordable, retailing for the RRDT45, is similar in
$0.30 to $1.19, depending upon the design but has four steel
number ordered. Like arcade and video plates. Both models come
games, these paper targets have bright with anchoring spikes
color schemes and are designed to bring and extra springs.
entertainment and fun into the devel- (doalloutdoors.com)
opment of shooting skills. The games
feature various scenarios, including Alien
Invasion, Big-O-Hunt, Billiards, Hostile
Gingerbread Men, Zombie Cure and
others. Each target has the official game
rules printed on it. (actiontarget.com)
DO-ALL OUTDOORS
STOP LIGHT
TARGET
The Stop Light Target
HD TARGETS (RR913) is a step above
REACTIVE TARGETS standard plate-rack
HD Targets has introduced a reac- shooting because of its
tive replacement stick-on target color coding. Shooters can
(TRG00702) for the B-27 silhouette practice hitting specific
target that is commonly used by colors when a partner
both law enforcement personnel and calls them out, building up
civilians alike for tactical training. This their tactical awareness.
replacement center covers the 7 to X The target features solid
rings, and when the target is hit, a fluo- steel construction with a
rescent yellow ring surrounds the bullet durable powder-coat finish
hole so shooters receive immediate and Do-All’s Tension
feedback about the accuracy of their Lock Technology.
shot placement. (hdtargets.com) (doalloutdoors.com)
HOT FROM SHOT |
LASER SHOT
SIMRANGE
The Laser Shot SimRange is a
high-end, interactive simulator
intended for military and law
enforcement agencies but could
also be used by shooting ranges
LASER AMMO and large gun clubs to teach a
SMOKELESS RANGE 2.0 variety of shooting skills. It con-
For a bit more money, the Smokeless sists of a Vivitek 1080p HD Ultra
Range 2.0 is a full simulator that Short-Throw Projector that can
includes 10 different shooting drills. be mounted 18 inches from the
The user downloads the software to
a computer, and shots with a laser-
equipped training pistol are recorded
using the supplied high-speed camera.
Laser Ammo recommends using this
equipment with a projector for a better
experience. (laser-ammo.com)
HOWARD LEIGHT LASERLYTE

IMPACT SPORT BOLT SCORE TYME
The new Impact Sport Bolt earmuffs from The LaserLyte Score Tyme training
screen, cameras to detect hits, a
Howard Leight have a very fast, 5-millisec- target has 147 LEDs to indicate hits
speaker system and an operator
ond response time to cut off sounds that from your laser pistol and a built-in shot
timer. You can hang this electronic tar- station preloaded with software.
are above 82 decibels. Their overall noise Software options include firearm
reduction rating (NRR) is 22 decibels. get on any wall or flat surface, choose
between three different timer durations, safety courses, competition simula-
Sounds below the 82-decibel threshold tions, military qualification courses,
can also be amplified up to five times their tactical CCW scenarios, marks-
original volume by turning the volume con- manship training and judgmental
LASER AMMO
LASERPET II
The LaserPET II is an electronic target
system that offers six different interac-
tive training programs to help improve
a shooter’s response and draw time,
accuracy, reload time and other skills. MANTISX
Each program begins with an audio
and visual signal, and provides a
digital time readout for up to six shots
and a shot placement indicator on the
product’s screen. The LaserPET
II is compatible with both red
and infrared SureStrike lasers, and the while you aim at a target and pull the trigger. The informa-
kit includes a tripod and five change- tion is then sent to the smartphone or tablet, and a graphic
able target cards. Power comes from is presented that shows the score of the shot, any deflec-
two AAA batteries or an optional micro tion of the muzzle and your follow-through. This system can
USB charger. (laser-ammo.com) be used for both dry and live fire, too. (mantisx.com)
| |
LASERLYTE
LASER TRAINER
PISTOLS
LaserLyte offers three different Laser
Pistols—the Compact, Full Size and
Revolver—to help you train better with SHOOTER TECHNOLOGY GROUP
the company’s electronic targets. The LASR APP
Compact model is similar in size and The Laser Activated Shot Reporter (LASR) app works with a
weight to a Glock 43 and uses a reset- variety of laser training pistols (purchased separately) and your
ting 5.5-pound trigger. The Full Size is computer or smartphone’s camera to display your hits. You simply
designed to be close to a G19 while set the target on a wall or similar surface, turn the camera toward
the Revolver is modeled after a Smith & it, and open the LASR program. Then you “shoot” at the target
Wesson J-Frame. Both also come with when you’re given the “go” signal. The program offers diagnos-
realistic 5.5-pound triggers. (laserlyte.com) tics, online training and record-keeping capabilities. (lasrapp.com)
RED STITCH TARGETS

TOMAHAWK SWINGER
Competitors will no doubt be famil-
iar with the infamous “Texas Star”
target, which has falling plates that
upset the target’s equilibrium and
cause it to spin unforgivingly. Well,
Red Stitch Targets has developed
the Tomahawk Swinger, which
has eight falling plates instead
of five and can be configured in TRAINSHOT
more than one way, making fast, STARTER KIT
accurate hits even more difficult. The Trainshot system is designed for
In short, it’s an excellent training live-fire training, as the user fires at a
tool that helps both intermediate special target with a charged metal
and advanced shooters hone their layer. When the layer is penetrated,
skills. (redstitchtargets.com) it sends an electronic signal via
MAGNETOSPEED Bluetooth to a smart device that
TARGET HIT INDICATORS registers the hit zone, score and
MagnetoSpeed now offers both T250 reaction time, and then compiles
and T1000 Target Hit Indicators statistics on the shooter’s string of
that can be mounted on the backs fire. The downloaded app also runs a
of steel targets and emit a flash of variety of timed drills to build up your
bright LED light to denote a hit from speed and accuracy. Three levels of
a distance. The T250 is designed this system are available. The Starter
for 6-inch targets while the T1000 Kit enables the shooter to set the
requires a circular or square target at target 70 yards away from the firing
least 10 inches wide to protect it from line. The Shooting Range Kit comes
damage. The T250 is programmable with an extender so you can really
for several shooting games, while the test your distance with both hand-
T1000 is not. (magnetospeed.com) guns and rifles. (trainshot.com)
COOPER’S COMBAT
This excerpt from the Principles of Personal
Defense stresses keeping your cool
IF
you are fortu- rock-hard, cat-quick muscle
nate enough only a step away. It’s a mat-
to have access ter of will. If you know that
to any sort of you can keep your head,
firearm when under attack, and that you must keep
remember that it is only as your head, you probably
good as your ability to keep will keep your head.
cool and shoot carefully. I To train yourself to do
spoke before of a pupil who this takes some thought.
did not shoot carefully and Certain kind of athletics
survived an attack largely are excellent, like football.
through luck alone, for Sailing, flying, racing and
his assailants shot just as mountaineering are also
sloppily as he did. But we good. But in my opinion,
cannot count on misera- the best is hunting medium
ble marksmanship in our and big game. “Buck fever”
enemies. The sociopath is is a classic affliction, and a
Alfredo Rico Photo
indeed usually a bad shot, man who has conquered it

but not always. can be guaranteed to shoot
Another student of mine carefully under pressure.
did far better. To begin While it is true that a deer
with, he heard the approach of the officer from one of the largest police is not shooting back, this is less signifi-
assassins’ car in the cold gray light of departments misses a felon six times at cant than might at first appear. The deer
dawn. He was alert even at that hour. a range of 10 feet (and don’t think this is about to vanish, and, odd as it seems,
He was on his feet immediately, pistol doesn’t happen), his failure is not due fear of sporting failure is usually greater
in hand. Through the blinds, he saw to his technical inability to hit a target than the fear of death. This startling
two men coming rapidly up the walk to of that size at that distance, for he has point is easy to prove. The average
his door, one with a shotgun and one demonstrated on the firing range that competitive pistol shot works and trains
with a machine pistol. He decided that he can do so. His failure, and often his far harder to earn a little brass cup than
such a visit, with such equipment, at consequent death, is due to his lack the average policeman works and trains
such an hour, needed no further expla- of concentration upon his marksman- to acquire a skill that can save his life.
nation. He flung open the front door ship—the loss of his cool. Not all hunters make the grade; the
and went to work, and he remembered The ability to remain cool under woods are full of ditherers in red jack-
to remain cool and shoot with preci- pressure comes more easily to some ets. But the expert hunter/rifleman is
sion. The two would-be murderers died people than to others. But it is in no a very good man to have on your side.
in their tracks. The homeowner only sense out of anyone’s reach. In fact, it So, if you’re under any sort of attack,
caught six pellets of birdshot in the is the first qualification of a man that keep cool. And if you must shoot,
leg. The attackers outnumbered and Kipling calls for in his immortal poem If. shoot with precision.
outgunned their proposed victim, but It is illustrated beautifully every time you
they were defeated and destroyed by see a quarterback calmly select and Editor’s Note: Principles of Personal
a man who did everything right. hit his receiver while under the threat Defense is available from gunsitestore.
When an expensively trained police of more than one thousand pounds of com. And stay tuned for more next issue!
| |
RELIABILITY YOU
CAN COUNT ON.
Stiplex Texturing make this the gun you
E VO SP (888) 243-4522 • KIMBERAMERICA.COM

PROUDLY MADE IN AMERICA
©2019, KIMBER MFG., INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. INFORMATION AND SPECIFICATIONS ARE FOR REFERENCE ONLY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

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HOT FOR 2019: REVOLVERS AMM0 TRAINING AIDS

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are doing well. We have all

place for very new shooters

WIDTH: 1.18 INCHES

READY FOR COMBAT

GGP Combat Pistol Compact has

appealing pistol. It comes complete

HEIGHT: 5.06 INCHES

little more variety, the frame is available OAL: 6.81 INCHES

in either black or cobalt gray.

Grey Ghost Precision

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Zev Z19 Spartan’s GREY GHOST PRECISION

With its lightweight trigger,

A RETIRED DELTA OPERATOR SHARES HIS SECRETS

“WE CAN PREPARE

OUR GEAR AND MIND- on the situation, not on what some

ARE NOT VICTIMIZED

“beginner” caliber, training with The Taurus TX22 is a sleek,

2. BEAR SWIPE IV able for cant and height,

The fluted, match-grade, 5-inch