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HANDGUNS
®
FEATURES
14
14 CCP M2: CONCEALED
CARRY PERFECTED
When shooters called for more performance-
enhancing features, Walther delivered
By Everett Deger
24 XD-S XCELLENCE
Springfield’s latest 9mm Mod.2 reboot
takes discreet carry to new heights
By Will Dabbs, MD
CONTENTS
34 MASTERFUL MPX-K
Sig Sauer proves that it’s still on the cutting 24
edge with this piston-driven powerhouse
By David Bahde
40 REMINGTON STEEL
Priced right, the new RP is the
everyman’s high-cap, full-sized .45
By Greg Lickenbrock
54 VICTORY IN SIGHT
Smith & Wesson’s latest target .22
is primed for bullseyes 34 66
By Denis Prisbrey
66 RIMFIRE RIOT
Five semi-autos compete to prove
that they aren’t your granddad’s .22s
By Paul Scarlata
76 PERFECT PAIRING
It’s hard to beat these 10mm Auto
EAA and Hi-Point protectors
By William Bell
82
82 THE M1 RETURNS
Inland and Sage team up to bring the
M1 Carbine into the 21st century FIRST SHOT: Let’s face it. Sequels and reboots are tough. Some-
times they work (think Godfather: Part II), and sometimes they
By Dr. Martin D. Topper
absolutely fail compared to the original (remember Predator 2?).
That’s why we’re celebrating follow-ups that far exceed their earlier
88 TURKISH DELIGHT brethren this issue with the Walther CCP M2 and Springfield XD-S
Affordable, accurate and easy to shoot— Mod.2. Both of these 9mms break new ground in the world of con-
the combat-ready SAR9 striker has arrived cealed carry, and we’re all for it. Speaking of successful sequels,
By Mitch Hardin make sure you check out our review of the semi-auto MPX-K on
page 34—a reminder that the Sig Empire always strikes back.
We try to cover a wide variety of handguns in every issue of
92 HOT WHEELS CH, and this issue continues that trend with more 9mms, .45s,
The year’s best new revolvers 10mms and even .22s like the SW22 Victory Target. Want more
lighting up the handgun market rimfire action? We’ve got another “Battle Royale” this issue pitting
By William Bell five .22s against each other. Read on to see who won the crown.
Finally, guns are only part of the equation. You need the right
skills and mindset, too. Luckily, Pat McNamara and J.J. Racaza
have got plenty of range tips for you in the pages ahead, along with
DIY projects, handloading tricks and more. —Greg Lickenbrock
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2 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nino Bosaz
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Linas Cernauskas
Combat
PRODUCTION EDITOR Greg Lickenbrock
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kenneth Ross
ART DIRECTOR/COVER DESIGN Rory Slifkin
HANDGUNS ®
PREPRESS MANAGER
PREMEDIA OPERATOR
Michael Toppin
Franco Nguyen
DIGITAL MANAGER Matthew Hogan
10 SELF-DEFENSE
& THE LAW athlonoutdoors.com
VP/GROUP PUBLISHER Nicholas S. Seifert
Nine cases prove why we need 10 & CONTENT DIRECTOR
AR-15-style carbines and pistols ADVERTISING SALES
By Massad Ayoob National Office
212-478-1910; sales@athlonoutdoors.com
Here’s the best way to make your TO THE READERS: Be advised that there may be products
favorite Glock lighter yet stronger 44 represented in this magazine as to which the sale,
By Fred Mastison possession or interstate transportation thereof may be
restricted, prohibited or subject to special licensing
requirements. Prospective purchasers should consult the
63 RANGE READY local law enforcement authorities in their area. All of the
information in this magazine is based upon the personal
Zero in on the cheap with these experience of individuals who may be using specific tools,
three easy gun-guy projects products, equipment and components under particular
conditions and circumstances, some or all of which may not
By Jason Hanson be reported in the particular article and which this magazine
has not otherwise verified. Nothing herein is intended
72 RIGHTEOUS RIGS to constitute a manual for the use of any product or the
carrying out of any procedure or process. This magazine
Discreet-carry outerwear to help and its officers and employees accept no responsibility for
any liability, injuries or damages arising out of any person’s
you stay armed in colder weather attempt to rely upon any information contained herein.
By Mike Detty
COMBAT HANDGUNS® (ISSN 1043-7584) is published six times
per year by Athlon Sports Communications, Inc., 2451
96 COOPER’S COMBAT Atrium Way, Suite 320, Nashville, TN 37214. Single copy
Part one of Col. Jeff Cooper’s price: $7.99 in U.S.A., $8.99 in Canada. Submissions of
Principles of Personal Defense 72 manuscripts, illustrations and/or photographs must be
accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The
publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.
Copyright © 2018 by Athlon Sports Communications, Inc.
All rights reserved under International and Pan American
Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in whole or in
part without written permission of the publisher is strictly
prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.
| |
4 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019
CROSSBREED
SPRINGFIELD XD-S
MOD.2 HOLSTERS
There’s more from
CrossBreed. The company
has announced several new
holsters for the Springfield
XD-S Mod.2. Inside-the-
waistband options include the
CROSSBREED SuperTuck IWB, Founder’s
FREEDOM CARRY Series SuperTuck IWB and GLOCK 45
CrossBreed has now created Designer Series MiniTuck By now you’ve seen the G19X,
a Freedom Carry holster IWB. The SuperTuck models a coyote tan 9mm that Glock
specifically designed for the feature premium leather originally submitted for the
new Taurus 856 revolver in backings and Kydex pockets U.S. Army’s MHS competition.
.38 Special. The Freedom for excellent support. The While that pistol is now avail-
Carry is a versatile holster that powder-coated steel belt able for civilians, Glock has
can be worn in various IWB clips allow you to customize also unveiled a new version
positions with a straight-draw the cant and ride height. For with a black nDLC slide and a
design and a cant-adjustable OWB carry, you can get a matching black frame. Like the
clip. The rig is available in few variants of the SnapSlide. G19X, the new 9mm Glock 45
dyed-black cowhide, premium (crossbreedholsters.com) has the same G19 slide/G17
tan cowhide or natural tan frame setup, but you’ll notice
horsehide. If you’d prefer an front slide serrations. Glock
OWB rig, the SnapSlide is has also removed the G19X’s
available for the Taurus 856. lanyard ring, half-moon cut on
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6 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
COMBAT STOCKPILE
REMINGTON
PERFORMANCE
WHEELGUN AMMO
Remington has added three new
loads to its popular Performance
WheelGun line: a 148-grain .38
Special Target Master wadcutter
(TMWC), a 158-grain .38 Special
lead semi-wadcutter (LSWC) and a
225-grain .45 Colt LSWC. All three
loads use high-quality components
and Remington Kleanbore priming
that will not rust or corrode barrels.
Essentially, these rounds are ideal
for casual shooting, target practice
and training. So if you own a revolver
MAGPUL or lever gun, make sure you check
LOGGER SHIRT out this ammo. (remington.com)
Designed with performance and OUTDOOR EDGE
movement in mind, the Magpul PARACLAW
Logger Shirt combines a warm syn- CQD WATCH
thetic flannel material with a technical Hot on the heels of
design and articulation features. the popular ParaClaw
Appropriate for cool-weather trips to bracelet comes the
the range, it supports activities like Paraclaw CQD Watch.
chopping wood and spending a night The stainless model
out in the outdoors, but it’d also fit in features Miyota quartz
for casual Fridays at the office. The movement, mineral glass,
shirt features snap buttons and two a titanium PVD coating,
secure chest pockets that will keep a Lume indexed display,
contents in and debris out. Several and it’s water resistant
colors are available. (magpul.com) to 170 feet. The propri-
etary buckle discreetly
houses a 1.5-inch,
stainless, hawksbill
MORE ALIEN GEAR blade that can be
SHAPESHIFT OPTIONS deployed quickly
Alien Gear Holsters has expanded the if needed.
compatibility of its ShapeShift Modular Available in
Holster System to work with two additional two sizes, the
handguns: the Springfield XD Mod.2 3.3" paracord bracelet
in .45 ACP as well as the Heckler & Koch has an adjustable loop
VP9. Those who carry these handguns can for the perfect fit.
now benefit from some truly advanced con- (outdooredge.com)
cealed-carry equipment. Essentially, one
holster core can be installed on several
different mounts, letting you carry
your gun however you want.
(aliengearholsters.com)
| |
8 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
VERTX ZEV TECHNOLOGIES
ASSESSOR POLO GEN5 PRO MAGWELL
Designed specifically for Known for its top-notch Glock
easy draws from conceal- upgrades, ZEV Technologies
ment, the Assessor features has once again added to its
a traditional polo design growing catalog of Gen5
with an athletic fit. It also offerings with the introduction
has a semi-compression of the PRO Magwell for the
WeaponGuard under layer compact G19 Gen5. The Pro
that is designed to remain Magwell is a slimmed-down
tucked into your pants, version of the PRO Plus that
protecting you from any skin is suitable for concealed carry
irritation caused by your because it doesn’t add much
concealed-carry gun. This to the gun’s profile. Yet the
layer also helps regulate heat slightly flared base is wider
and humidity to provide more than the stock opening for
comfort. The short-sleeve faster reloads. This upgrade
Assessor polo is available is made from hardcoat anod-
in three heathered colors. ized 6061-T6 aluminum, and
Loops and pass-throughs ZEV includes the required
also make it easy to hide mounting screw and wrench.
comms gear. (vertx.com) (zevtechnologies.com)
personaldefenseworld.com | |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 9
SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW
A SOLID
AR -GUMENT NINE CASES
PROVE WHY WE
NEED AR-15-STYLE
CARBINES AND
PISTOLS
BY MASSAD AYOOB
T
Though no military on the AR-15 owners as bloodthirsty were harsher on those who used
planet has ever adopted the monsters who care more for their an “assault rifle” than those who
semi-automatic AR-15 rifle for guns than for the lives of children. used a typical “sporting gun.”
its armed services, anti-gun forces There is no question that this With that in mind, should I trade
disparage it as a “weapon of war same rhetoric can and very likely in all my AR-15s and similar rifles
that has no place in civilian hands.” will be used against you in the for the double-barreled shotguns
Oddly, the mayor of London says court of law if you have success- of Elmer Fudd and Joe Biden, and
the same of any pocket knife with fully defended yourself or other advise you to do the same? Oh,
a blade that comes to a point. innocent persons with such a hell no! Instead, I will advise you to
The yeoman warriors of England firearm. You need only look at the be able to explain your choice of
and the patriots of the American moot court research of my friend firearm in such a way that even 12
Revolution must be rolling in their Glenn Meyer, a now-retired psy- people expressly selected by your
graves. The prohibitionists use a chology professor who found that, accusers for their lack of knowl-
philosophy of “the pet reflects the given a situation of a homeowner edge of firearms and self-defense
personality of its owner” to damn shooting a burglar, the mock juries can understand it.
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10 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW
damn sure had theirs visible.
Let’s look at some more localized
incidents. Writing for The Daily Signal,
Amy Swearer reported that in Rochester,
New York, in 2013, “Two armed burglars
retreated from a college student’s apart-
ment after coming face to face with an
unloaded AR-15. The rifle itself instilled
enough fear to cause them to flee.” We’ll
consider that Case Four.
Also from Swearer comes Case Five
in Oswego, Illinois, earlier this year: “A
man with an AR-15 intervened to stop
a neighbor’s knife attack on a pregnant
woman. The rifle’s ‘intimidation fac-
tor’ was credited as a reason why the
attacker dropped his knife.”
AR-15s are so Another writer, Wesley Messamore
popular among of Mic.com, brings us two more exam-
shooters because ples. Case Six occurred when “a man
they’re easy to
customize and use and woman attacked a tax preparation
for a number of business near Detroit, pointing handguns
tasks, including at the receptionist and owner. What hap-
home defense.
pened next was caught on video…when
one of the attackers advances past two
horrified victims to check out the next
“IF THE AR-15 IS SO LETHAL AND SCARY room of this house converted into a small
business office, a security guard behind
THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK IT SHOULD BE the door enters with an AR-15 and
scares off the intruders with two shots.”
BANNED, DON’T YOU THINK IT’S EQUALLY Case Seven also comes from
SCARY TO CRIMINALS FACING ONE?” Messamore, in which “two men with
a handgun broke into the New York
apartment of a Rochester Institute of
BRINGING THE HEAT ter for all concerned if the criminal assail- Technology student named Raymond…
Let’s start with Case One, the mass ant is so scared of the AR-15 the lawful the two intruders broke into the base-
murder at a church in Sutherland defender points at him that he breaks off ment of the apartment and waited for
Springs, Texas. Upon hearing that the his assault and flees or surrenders? a victim to come down to check out
church was under attack, a neighbor, the noise. Raymond’s roommate, Chris
Stephen Willeford, grabbed his AR-15, DETERRENT EFFECT Boise, told a local television station:
loaded it on the run and confronted the Cases Two and Three, the Rodney ‘They were waiting for me at the bottom
killer. The AR-15 lends itself to fast, King riots in Los Angeles in 1992 and of the stairs’…One of the intruders
accurate, powerful hits, and Willeford the Ferguson, Missouri, riots of 2014, pointed the barrel of a handgun at
inflicted exactly that on the murderer, stand to prove the preventative power Chris. Chris says he instinctively let
who fled. While driving away, the killer of the AR-15. In both of these events, out a blood-curdling scream to warn
reportedly phoned a relative and told when looters and arsonists were running Raymond, who went to get his AR-15
the man he thought he was dying, and wild, they conspicuously avoided and out of its gun bag.
then he shot himself and finished the fled from storeowners who guarded “By then, one of the intruders began
job. Speaking recently at the 2018 their properties with weapons, including to open the door to the room where
NRA show, Willeford said, “He had the AR-15. At the time of the LA riots, Raymond was waiting with his assault
an AR-15, but so did I, and it’s not the the violent criminals knew two things: prevention rifle. ‘By the time I had it out
gun—it’s the heart.” The police had been held back from and ready, one of the men came at my
If the AR-15 is so lethal and scary the scene, but the storeowners were door, slowly opened it, saw that there
that some people think it should be definitely there, and while at that time was a barrel on the other side and from
banned, don’t you think it’s equally scary the only LAPD officers with “black rifles” there backed out.’ The intruders then
to criminals facing one? And isn’t it bet- were the SWAT team, the armed citizens fled. No shots fired.”
| |
12 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
AR-15 ADAPTABILITY
Kim and Jeff Chudwin, the power
While a concealed-carry firearm tends couple of AR-15 shooting, exemplify the
to be a personal gun worn by a sin- platform’s attributes as a “family gun.”
gle dedicated user, the AR-15 kept
for home defense is more of a “pool
weapon” generally accessible to multi- And for our Case Nine, Swearer
ple members of the household who have reports that just last year in Broken
been authorized to use it in an emer- Arrow, Oklahoma, “A homeowner’s
gency. This means it has to fit the short 19-year-old son used an AR-15 to
and the tall, the experienced and the defend himself against three would-be
inexperienced, the strong and the weak burglars who broke into the home in
alike. The typical format of the AR-15 broad daylight. The 19-year-old was
offers a lightweight gun with mild recoil, later determined to have acted in
and where ridiculous “assault weapon” justifiable self-defense.”
laws don’t prohibit it, a telescoping There are many more cases where
stock that can be instantly adjusted to fit law-abiding Americans have used AR-15s
users of different sizes, affording them and similar arms to save innocent lives,
maximum control and confidence. both their own and those of others. Don’t
Here are some examples. Again from trade your AR in for an Elmer Fudd sig-
Amy Swearer, Case Eight tells of a nature model shotgun, but do be able to
15-year-old boy in Harris County, Texas, explain with the common-sense reasons
who “saved both his life and the life of his listed here why you chose that particular
12-year-old sister by fending off a pair of firearm as the lifesaving emergency res-
home invaders with his father’s AR-15.” cue tool it was designed to be.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 13 |
ON THE COVER
CONCEALED
CCP
CARRY
M2
PERFECTED
WHEN SHOOTERS CALLED
FOR MORE PERFORMANCE-
ENHANCING FEATURES,
WALTHER DELIVERED
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14 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
personaldefenseworld.com | |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 15
CONCEALED CARRY PERFECTED
THE SEQUEL
The CCP M2 follows in these footsteps. When the
original was announced in 2014, it too capitalized on
unparalleled ergonomics that literally felt too good to
be true. This has since become a staple for the entire
Walther line. The trademarked “Softcoil” technology
takes the blowback piston design from the venerable
HK P7 and brings it into the 21st century. Combining
this recoil-fighting concept and blending it with a
polymer frame that vents cartridge gas through a port
in the front creates a dynamic where the pistol uses
its own kinetics to help reduce felt recoil depending
on the cartridge you shoot.
Walther captured a lot of attention with the M2,
or the past 10 years, the which, unlike the original, does not require any tools
for disassembly. Cleaning is a necessity due to the
ever-burgeoning world of concealed-carry and
piston design and its gas and carbon venting. The
personal-protection firearms has continued to original also had a rather long and deliberate trigger
grow and dominate the world of handguns and pull. The team at Walther states that this is inten-
their development. I have had the privilege of tional to prevent accidental discharges. Either way,
testing a wide variety of firearms to scale the
performance of one design versus another and
how the consumer has driven the change in
features for the needs of today.
With the invention of metal-injection molding,
three-dimensional printing and CNC machining,
manufacturers have become far more reflexive to the
needs of consumers and more adaptable than ever
before. As a one-time marketer, I understand the
importance of making sure you build a product that
works, is as advertised and delivers on the promises
you describe. This is evident in the evolution of the
CCP (Concealed Carry Pistol) M2 from Walther.
The legendary manufacturer from Ulm, Germany,
has made it very clear over the last decade that it is
dedicated to capturing your heart and mind when it
comes to concealed-carry firearms. The debut of the
PPS over 10 years ago broke the mold for the mod-
ern, slim single-stack, and its brother, the PPS M2 of
2016, abandoned the signature triggerguard-mounted
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16 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019
CONCEALED CARRY PERFECTED
Walther outfits
the CCP M2 with
three-dot sights, and
the entire gun is just
1.18 inches wide,
making it easy to
conceal all day long.
the CCP had already become a favorite among many ammunition to a full-on injection-molded bullet design. I
looking for an alternative to other larger 9mm pistols that always test Hornady’s Critical Defense ammo right out
weren’t built for everyday carry. of the gate because I’m biased. It’s like using Snap-On
Comparing the CCP M2 side by side with the original, or Milwaukee tools. If I could eat apple pie while shoot-
the dimensions are identical top to bottom and front to ing without a hint of carbon, I would do it. Hornady has
back. A feature that Walther decided to bring back on become as American as Winchester used to be. I have
the CCP M2 is the red cocking indicator at the rear of relied on the team from Grand Island, Nebraska, since I
the slide, which is a welcome addition. I have been a fan was very young and have yet to see its ammo malfunc-
of this feature since I first saw it on the P99 years ago. It tion in any firearm I have fired it through.
allows the user to know if the gun is ready to fire in the Here my Critical Defense groups were tight and
heat of the moment and was absent on the original CCP. predictable. It’s not hard to believe that the pinned-barrel
The front and rear sights are adjustable, and the design of the CCP delivers incredibly tight groups and
thumb safety is a welcome feature for those looking for promotes flat shooting. This makes you feel confident
something other than a Glock copy. It’s just another that you can place your shots exactly where you want
example showing that Walther wants you to know what them to go, whether it’s on the range or in a life-and-
you’re doing when you bring the CCP M2 to bear. death circumstance. I’ve shot the original CCP and
Walther also takes the guesswork out of any aftermarket things were very familiar. And by that I mean that this
stippling with its signature grip texturing and molding. Deutsche dynamo doesn’t produce a whole lot of recoil.
You shouldn’t have to sit at home in your garage with The Critical Defense FTXs did their job and delivered
a soldering iron and hope you don’t suck at making a groups under 3 inches at 15 yards.
pattern with some piece of steel you bought online. Up next was the Inceptor ARX load, which origi-
nally made me skeptical because it looks like space
PERFORMANCE ammo. But there is genius in the design of the slopes
To test the CCP M2 in its role for concealed carry, I molded into the ARX bullets. In the CCP M2, this load
pulled a few common loads from Hornady, Winchester shot every bit as well as the Hornady and delivered far
and Inceptor that represent everything from reactive less recoil—which is inexplicable because the bullet
SPEC BOX
WALTHER
CCP M2
CALIBER: 9mm
BARREL: 3.54 inches
OA LENGTH: 6.41 inches
WEIGHT: 22.33 ounces (empty)
GRIP: Polymer
SIGHTS: Three-dot
Along with a fixed
ACTION: Striker-fired barrel, the CCP M2
FINISH: Matte black boasts a squared,
undercut triggerguard,
CAPACITY: 8+1 a short accessory rail,
MSRP: $469 a thumb safety and
non-slip grip texturing.
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18 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019
is lighter. But Inceptor argues PERFORMANCE
that its ammo offers consistency
that traditional cup-and-core WALTHER CCP M2
bullets simply can’t replicate.
LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY
The overall design vaporizes on
impact, and if you’re hit with one Hornady 115 Critical Defense FTX 1,200 2.10
of these rounds, you’re out of the Inceptor 65 ARX 1,540 2.20
game. I don’t believe you would Winchester 124 PDX1 1,230 2.80
recover from the impact of these
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and
fragmenting-type bullets. accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 15 yards.
Bringing up the rear were
Winchester PDX1s. I grew up
with Winchester and was amazed negative mark against an otherwise solid, accurate and
with what used to be the industry consistent performer. In front of the target, the pistol is
leader relying on its old technol- easy to handle and returns to the target smoothly, and
ogy, which is essentially a bonded when you focus on it, the ergonomics really work hand
bullet. The recoil here was greater in hand with the piston to give you a comfortable shoot-
than the two previous loads with ing experience even if the trigger isn’t match grade.
groups that were just as respect- When it comes to everyday carry, Walther knows
able. However, I would be more what it is doing. I’ve been to both of the company’s
tempted to load my 21st century Walther with newer factories in Germany, and the reputation for relent-
and more innovative ammo. Nonetheless, group after less reliability rings true. The CCP M2 will certainly
group was consistent from my strong and off hands at be a top pick for anyone looking for a smaller 9mm.
15 yards. The CCP M2 is identical to all other Walthers I recently tested some counterparts in the foreign
in its ability to deliver a highly accurate shooting experi- market, and the CCP M2 delivers where it counts:
ence—essential for any handgun but downright critical comfort, accuracy and dependability.
for anything in the realm of everyday carry. This isn’t the highly machined masterpiece of the
venerable PPK, but for the 21st century, it doesn’t
A WELCOME ADDITION have to be. Walther has listened to all of the criticisms
You want it? You got it! People love the CCP, and that the American market has bestowed upon it, and it
those who were grumpy about the original’s clumsy shows in spades. You would be hard pressed to find
takedown procedure will find the CCP M2’s sliding this type of desire to satisfy the consumers’ needs from
tool-less disassembly a welcome fix. The red cocking most firearms manufacturers. Walther has built a pistol
indicator is another great addition, too. dedicated to what you have asked for while fulfilling a
The magazine release can still be changed from left promise to the American market. For more information,
to right sides, and the ergonomics easily put this pistol visit waltherarms.com.
in the top five among single-stack 9mm pistols. The Editor’s Note: The hits keep on coming on the
Achilles’ heel, however, continues to be a trigger that digital side of things. Visit personaldefenseworld.com
will leave most devout PPQ lovers wanting. The lack of to learn more about the Walther CCP M2 and see how
a true measureable break and reset makes for the only you can enter to win your very own.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 19 |
READY
TO WIN?
To win this Wa
lther CCP M2
and related ge
ar, check out
personaldefe
nseworld.com
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E SS
No purchase required. Open to U.S. residents only and void where prohibited. Prizes worth $723. Sponsored by Walther Arms and Elite Survival Systems.
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| |
20 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
3
LOADOUT RANGE BAG MAINSTAY HYBRID nylon, this holster fits belts up to
This range bag is the perfect partner IWB/POCKET HOLSTER 2.25 inches wide with an injection-
1
for a day at the range. Made of The Mainstay is a clipless IWB rig molded polymer belt panel. This
1,050-denier nylon, the bag mea- that can also be used as a pocket rig’s SightStrip channel will protect
sures 17 by 10 by 11 inches and holster, providing immediate access your gun’s sights during draws and
2
has plenty of easy-to-access storage to your firearm. Its silicone-coated reholstering, and the retention strap
compartments, mag and accessory outer shell helps keep the holster in is Velcro adjustable. (MSRP: $33)
pouches, MOLLE slots and more. place while you draw yo ur weapon.
Features include closed-cell foam The Mainstay is also ambidextrous PISTOL CASE
padding, wraparound handles, lug- and is made from water-resistant WITH POCKET
gage rails, a removable dump pouch materials. (MSRP: $25) Ready to go low profile? Use ESS’
that attaches to belts and MOLLE new thick padded Pistol Case. This
4
platforms, a water bottle pocket, an DURA-TEK HIP HOLSTER durable nylon case is lockable and
eyewear pouch, side pockets, and a If you’d prefer to carry your gun features an exterior pocket as well as
large main compartment that holds at on your hip, it’s Dura-Tek time. a full-perimeter zipper that allows the
least four guns. (MSRP: $160) Made from dense, padded ballistic case to open flat. (MSRP: $33)
4
Alex Landeen Photos
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 21 |
HITS
BAD HABITS
someone else’s word for it.
You can now make the deter-
mination of whether to scrap
or to maintain a technique
& THEATRICS
or piece of gear because
you see for yourself that it
will or will not offer positive
development in a gunfight.
FORGET THE RANGE TRAINING FADS—IT’S Combat multipliers are often
the simplest solutions versus
TIME FOR REALISTIC GUNFIGHT PRACTICE high-tech gear or fine-motor-
skill movements.
BY PAT McNAMARA • BRANDON WILLIAMS PHOTOS “Train like you fight”
means training beyond the
I have been in the to do with how much black KNOW THYSELF drill. If the drill requires six
tactical training Velcro and MultiCam you shots to complete, think
industry since 2005 strap onto your person. The -There are many techniques about seven, eight or nine
and have seen an unnec- term comes from athletics in practice, and there are just shots. Do not let the drill
essary evolution of tactical of yore: “Practice like you as many gun-related gizmos, dictate to you when you
gimmicks. I refer to these play.” Instead of practicing gadgets and gimmicks. should stop thinking.
acts of buffoonery as “range on half of the court, practice Firearms upgrades and Instead, try to perform a
theatrics.” Some of this ass- on the full court, for example. apparel additions, theatrical focal shift and see things full
clownery is in the verbiage, So, by that rule, if you want movements and dance steps, spectrum. Once again, work
and some is in action. to ensure that your combat tales of woe or implausible beyond the drill. If the targets
On the verbiage front, the chassis is more effective and performance enhancers— are directly in front of you,
phrase “train like you fight” capable, do you work out some of these live long and look around them so you’re
has become an overused and in full kit? If not, then why become debated issues aware of what’s in front of
misunderstood axiom. Does do it? By that same logic, if while others die off quickly. and flanking these targets.
it mean that we must train in your objective to marksman- One of the things I Train during periods of lim-
full combat gear all the time? ship training is to dissuade encourage on the range is ited visibility, such as adverse
Does it mean that we have a home invasion at night, discovery, or tactile, learn- weather conditions. Train to
to train until we drop? The shouldn’t you be training in ing. In other words, learn by stay in the fight. Get out of
answer is no. It has nothing your boxer shorts? doing rather than just taking the flat-range mindset.
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22 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
MORE RIDICULOUSNESS and quickly reholster. Never right before he falls? If so, while facing our target so as
would this happen. shouldn’t you practice mov- not to lose sight of it. Please
-I’m often perplexed by Another one of my favor- ing your pistol up and down, try this at midnight in the
some of the post-shoot ites is the “follow the target left and right after shooting? Walmart parking lot, what I
motions used during range to the ground” shitshow. This What if he were in a car or call the “epicenter for disaster
practice. And that’s exactly is where the shooter fires at a basement? Once again, planning.” You’ll see the flaw
what it is—range practice. his target and slowly starts you would probably advance in this mindset quite quickly.
One of my favorites is to aim his pistol toward the on this person and secure Before I run a drill
the post-shoot “scan and ground. The first time I saw your 6 o’clock, clear him of involving kinetics, where the
assess.” This is where the this, I asked the shooter what his weapon, check his vitals, shooter will have to run from
shooter draws, fires and he was doing. His answer: calm down any bystanders one cover position to another,
quickly snatches his gun back “I’m following the target to and call the police. I ask, “How do we run with a
into a compressed-ready the ground.” I approached his The “flat-range mindset” pistol or a rifle?” The answers
position and moves his head target, pointed to it and said, breeds contempt for real- are astonishing. Some people
from side to side. What’s he “But your target is still stand- ism as well. Guys running will show me how they were
doing? Hell if I know. Looks to ing.” To which he replied, “I backwards with complete dis- taught to hold the pistol or
me like he’s moving his head am simulating following the regard for what’s behind them rifle oriented up and close to
from side to side. There’s target to the ground.” Hmm. is common range practice. their head. In this position,
no regard for picking up a Would a person fall straight This is done as an administra- they no longer have a positive
secondary sight picture and down in slow motion after he tive range safety requirement visual with their muzzle, and
getting ready for the next shot is shot, or might he take two and is justified by believing they have relinquished their
because the theatrical move- hobbling steps to the left or that we should run backwards firing-side peripheral vision
ment has taken precedence because there is a gun in
over what he should be doing.
Put yourself in a situation
where you would have to fire
at someone with the intent
of deadly force. After you fire
and he is no longer a visible
threat, what are you going to
do? You’ll probably close in
on the target in a semicircular
movement to ensure that he the way! I’ve also heard it
is no longer a threat and clear explained that running like
his gun from him or render this is more efficient. What?
aid in the event that you have My sarcastic response: “So
not dispatched him. You they should bring this to the
would definitely not shake NFL and Olympic relays.
your head from side to side The runners will hold the ball
and the baton in the same
manner!” Imagine that.
My answer to “How do we
“‘TRAIN LIKE YOU FIGHT’ run with a pistol or a rifle?” is
this: the same freaking way
MEANS TRAINING BEYOND we’d run without a pistol or
a rifle. You can see plenty of
THE DRILL…DO NOT LET visual examples on my Pat
Mac YouTube channel.
THE DRILL DICTATE TO YOU There are many people
WHEN YOU SHOULD STOP who will read this and think
I’m smoking crack. That’s
THINKING.” OK. Continue with your
“range practice.” I will con-
tinue to train for a fight!
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 23 |
ON THE COVER
SPRINGFIELD’S
LATEST 9MM
MOD.2 REBOOT
TAKES DISCREET
CARRY TO
NEW HEIGHTS
BY WILL DABBS, MD
| |
24 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019
| |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 25
XD-S XCELLENCE |
T he 9mm Springfield
Armory XD-S Mod.2 is the end
result of a generation of mechan-
ical evolution. Every millimeter
of the thing has been tweaked,
refined and polished. The outcome
is a pocket-sized defender that car-
ries like it’s not there, shoots like a
dream and packs quite a punch.
I have been blessed to carry and
run just about everything. With a
many-splendored ills. Thank the Lord
I never had to use that thing for real. I
most likely would have been better off
throwing it than shooting it.
I packed that little gun loose in my
pocket with an empty chamber. That
may seem like heresy these days, but
pickings were pretty slim back then.
To put the weapon into action, I would
have had to fish it out of my pocket—
SPEC BOX
hopefully muzzle end out—and rack
the slide before somebody caught,
killed and ate me. The single-action
trigger wasn’t too shabby all things
considered, but the safety was pretty
tiny and inaccessible. Additionally, the
dimensions and ergonomics of the
weapon were not designed for real
human beings. Sometime between
then and now, every single thing about
concealed carry changed.
Who saw this coming? I sure
didn’t. As of the summer of 2016, 14.5
quarter-century’s worth of gun writing million Americans held concealed-carry
under my belt, it has been my privilege SPRINGFIELD permits. That is just over 6 percent of
to squeeze quite a few triggers, all the ARMORY the adult population. A dozen states
while pretending like it was work. It is XD-S MOD.2 embrace constitutional carry without
tough to impress me with a carry gun a permit. Current estimates are that 3
these days. However, the Springfield CALIBER: 9mm million American civilians carry a gun
Armory XD-S Mod.2 is indeed con- BARREL: 3.3 inches every single day. In a nation of roughly
cealed carry perfected. OA LENGTH: 6.3 inches 326 million people, those numbers are
WEIGHT: 21.5 ounces (empty)
staggering. In the face of this simply
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS breathtaking market, today’s firearms
When I first got into this gig, my initial GRIP: Polymer manufacturers have been burning the
carry gun was a $50 FIE Titan in .25 SIGHTS: AmeriGlo Pro-Glo midnight oil pursuing state-of-the-art
ACP. It was a gift from my precious tritium front, concealable firepower. The end result
Tactical Rack rear
bride, and it was all that we could is the XD-S Mod.2.
afford. I loaded that pathetic little ACTION: Stiker-fired
pistol with little quarter-inch-diameter FINISH: Matte black A CLOSER LOOK
Glaser Safety Slugs and struck out CAPACITY: 7+1, 9+1 The XD-S Mod.2 is fairly tiny. The
into the world confident in my ability footprint is more akin to what you might
MSRP: $586
to defend my woman against life’s expect of a .380 ACP pocket gun.
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26 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
Carrying this gun in a dedicated pocket The gun is designed specifically portage. Think of them as small,
holster would be all but painless. around the 9mm and is super skinny as medium and large. The gun comes
Everything about the XD-S Mod.2 a result. At its broadest point, the gun is with the small (seven-round) and large
is optimized for its mission. Both still less than an inch wide. The overall (nine-round). Medium (eight-round) is
sights are steel. The front sight is an design strikes the sweet spot between available as an option if desired.
AmeriGlo Pro-Glo tritium unit, and the pointability and tactical efficiency. Were Each magazine comes with a poly-
“Tactical Rack” rear sight has a little the gun any smaller, it would be uncom- mer baseplate or sleeve that interfaces
ledge so you can charge the gun on a fortable to use on the range. seamlessly with the grip. The stubby
shoe or a piece of furniture if your day The slide release is one-sided and seven-rounder comes with both a
turns out extra sucky. the perfect size for quick access without pinky-rest floorplate as well as the flat
The grip is pleasantly textured snagging. Deep slide serrations make sort for those times when it needs to
throughout for easy purchase when life the gun easy to charge. There is also a be really small. This magazine seems to
goes sideways. The triggerguard is as loaded-chamber indicator on top that occupy very little space. I have no idea
undercut as the laws of physics might works in both daylight and darkness. how it does that—by warping the time-
allow. The dust cover sports a tiny bit of The magazine release is a handy button space continuum, perhaps?
Picatinny rail, and the guide rod sports in the expected spot that is perfectly The last bit that really sets the
a little intentional standoff up front that replicated on both sides of the gun. XD-S Mod.2 apart is its magnificent
prevents the gun from becoming dis- This brings us to the magazines, grip safety. The gun has the obligatory
abled when pressed against something which are inspired. There are three blade safety built into the trigger as
firm. Springfield really has thought of options here, all of which are single- well as an internal drop safety in the
just about everything. stack to keep the gun thin for easy striker block. Additionally, there is a
third separate safety mechanism built
into the grip. Now, there are those who
feel that this grip safety is redundant
and unnecessary. We shall refer to this
group as “those who are more likely to
shoot their manhoods off if the trigger
catches on a shirttail while stowing the
gun in an appendix holster.”
I know I’m paranoid, but I’m com-
fortable with a bit of paranoia when it
comes to tools that are designed to
incapacitate a human being as effi-
ciently as possible. I am personally
aware of five episodes where trained
police officers had negligent discharges
while packing the most popular poly-
mer-framed pistol in the world. Four
of those episodes resulted in severe
injuries to the officers. In each case, the
gun performed precisely as designed.
The XD-S Mod.2 will go bang every
single time you pull the trigger, all while
remaining just a little bit safer than
everybody else. I see no downside.
|
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 27 |
XD-S XCELLENCE |
PERFORMANCE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
XD-S MOD.2
LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY
Glock 43. I even found that it rode without a failure. That is simply a
fairly well in a G43 holster. The gun is breathtaking performance for a gun
small without being anorexic and yet of such compact dimensions.
still fills the hand comfortably. In addition to sterling reliability and
If this pistol were any thinner, it optimized ergonomics, the XD-S Mod.2
would be unwieldy. If it were any shoots unnaturally straight. Out to 15
thicker, it would print. As it is, the XD-S yards, I could make headshots all day
Mod.2 is just the right size for pack- long without breaking a sweat. Taking
ing underneath my surgical scrubs my time and shooting off of a rest, the
throughout a hectic 13-hour day at the gun printed some phenomenal groups,
clinic. I can legitimately forget that it’s and several had touching holes. The
there. If you are one of those 3 million :
Despite its compact dimensions, gun printed a group less than an inch
Americans who packs a gun every sin- the XD-S Mod.2 is still easy to aim and wide at 15 yards with inexpensive
gle day, as I do, the XD-S Mod.2 really shoot thanks to Springfield engineering. Winchester fodder. From cheap, steel-
can make that chore easy. cased ball ammo to high-performance
session. By contrast, the 9mm XD-S defensive rounds, the XD-S Mod.2 ran
HOW DOES IT SHOOT? Mod.2 is positively sublime. them all smoothly and well.
In a word, beautifully. A Walther PPK/S The trigger is just firm enough to I even burned a box at 100 yards just
.380 batters you way worse than this be safe while remaining sufficiently for giggles. For those times I didn’t actu-
thing does. All that cool-guy stuff we crisp as to be accurate. As expected, ally connect, I still would have scared an
talked about earlier synergistically con- the long magazine shoots best, but attacker downrange awfully bad. And
spires to make this tiny little defensive the stubby version isn’t shabby. I’m a that’s with a 3.3-inch barrel. After a long
gun surprisingly placid on the range. skinny guy with big hands. With the afternoon at the range, I left with a grin
The recoil is not nearly as snappy as pinky-rest floorplate installed on the on my face and the XD-S Mod.2 riding
it could be, and the combat-proven short magazine, the gun will just barely in the place of honor on my belt.
controls make the gun run quickly. accommodate all of my fingers. As with
A lot of small defensive pistols are everything else, it is just well designed. ALL THAT & MORE
fairly miserable to shoot. A PPK/S There were naturally no failures. The It may seem that I’m laying it on a bit
is surprisingly harsh while some tiny folks at Springfield Armory purportedly thick. After all, the XD-S Mod.2 bears
locked-breech .380s will still buzz your ran 25,000 rounds through a single an esoteric resemblance to a lot of
hand a bit after an extended shooting copy during the pistol’s development other small-statured defensive guns
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28 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
cluttering the shelves at your local gun To be useful in a real-world you inadvertently leave
emporium. However, this new power- gunfight, your gear needs it activated. The whole
house really is all that and more. to be simple—the fewer shebang weighs only
I am indeed a bit jaded when it comes details the better. That’s 0.78 ounces.
to the latest and greatest new defensive why lasers can really be Activation buttons are
hardware. I’ve seen it all. However, the handy in the right circum- on both sides. The dot
9mm XD-S Mod.2 genuinely impressed stances. Literally nothing is is visible out to 25 yards in
me. The features are eminently sensible, simpler. Put the dot on the daylight and up to a mile at
the quality and workmanship top-flight target and squeeze. night. Zeroing the unit is easy. You
throughout, and the performance frankly The Viridian E-Series red just adjust for windage and elevation
flawless. The new 9mm XD-S Mod.2 is a laser sight is custom-designed with the included Allen wrench until the
pocket gun that is fun to run. to conform to the unique dot coincides with the gun’s sights.
My Second Amendment rights contours of the XD-S Mod.2, The “E” in E-Series stands for
are well exercised. I needed another and you can even buy one of these Essential, and the unit is made for daily
pocket pistol like I needed an IRS audit guns straight from the factory with the carry. Several manufacturers offer hol-
or a root canal. However, when the laser attached. The Viridian’s housing is sters to accommodate the XD-S with this
smoke cleared, I ponied up a check to made from rugged polymer, and the red laser attached, and CrossBreed makes
Springfield Armory and made this cool laser has a nominal output of 500mW, a great one. And the Viridian doesn’t add
little defensive pistol mine. I carry a gun the maximum allowable under American any real bulk to the gun. The controls are
every single day. I expect the weapon law. The button cell battery provides six foolproof and easily accessed with the
I tote to be capable of defending my hours of constant operation, and the unit trigger finger. (viridianweapontech.com)
family. For its size and mission, the 9mm shuts itself off after five minutes in case —Will Dabbs, MD
XD-S Mod.2 is the best I have ever seen.
For more, visit springfield-armory.com.
DE50L5IMB DE50SRMB
.50 AE | 5” Barrel .50 AE | 6” Barrel
BFR500JRH7B
.500 JRH | 7.5” Barrel
BFR45-707B
.45/70 Govt. | 7.5” Barrel
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 29 |
RELOAD ZONE
GIVE IT A REST!
THIS RANGE-TESTING GUIDE WILL HELP YOU GET
THE MOST FROM YOUR PET HANDLOADS
BY STAN TRZONIEC
| |
30 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
tion, as the chance of you holding to the
same mark shot after shot is slim.
The second testing method is a
braced rest, which is nothing more than
resting the gun on a solid machine rest
or possibly within the confines of the
rabbit ears on a sandbag. In either case,
it is important to position the frame of
the gun—not the barrel—on the rest for
consistent results. (In fact, many guns
feature a reverse curve just in front of
the triggerguard that was apparently
Whatever you made for just this purpose.) This gives
use to support you a place to rest the gun shot after
your gun at the shot for the best results while taking the
range, make sure
strain off of the gun and letting the barrel
you rest it on the
gun’s frame, not the vibrate on its own. Once settled in, your
barrel. This helps priorities should be a clean sight picture
with consistency. and a consistent trigger pull.
The last testing method is, of course,
Every range bag the Ransom rest. Designed years back
should include by Chuck Ransom, this type of machine
shooting glasses rest has been the benchmark in the
and hearing pro-
tection. Consider a
industry for testing handguns to the Nth
hat so you can see degree. A Ransom rest is a solid piece
your sights better of machinery built to withstand the rigors
on sunny days. of testing the most powerful handguns to
their fullest. To accomplish this, Ransom
International has designed inserts that
muffs or ear-filling foam plugs, keeping in a book. For the more serious shooter fit within the confines of the rest, holding
in mind that once you lose your hearing, and handloader, a good rest takes the the gun in place while it is fired. These
you never get it back. Before going guesswork out of the longtime accuracy custom inserts fit tightly around the grip
out, other accessories might include problem, that of showing how the gun of the gun, and with an adjustable trigger
a hat, a spotting scope mounted on a and loads work by eliminating shooter linkage, allow the gun to be fired and
mini tripod suitable for bench use, and error. Inserts are available for just about tested without any human interference.
cartridge boxes to keep your specially any handgun on the market today. Simply The company makes hundreds of inserts
tailored handloads orderly and easy to bolt down the whole assembly on a good to fit firearms from brands across the
retrieve and record. sheet of plywood, C-clamp it to the club spectrum, including revolvers, semi-
As you gain experience, you may bench, get comfortable and have at it. automatics and single-shot pistols. There
want to add a chronograph and, for the is also a blank insert available for those
ultimate in handgun testing, a Ransom TESTS & RESTS who might want to carve their own, but
rest. In the past, a chronograph was if you aren’t as ambitious as all that, the
a luxury for some shooters, but today Testing a handgun is fun and informative, company can custom design one for the
they’re much more affordable. Nothing and you want to be as accurate as possi- gun you have in mind.
more than a highly sophisticated timer, ble with your handloads. Generally, there While the Ransom rest was originally
a good chronograph made by Oehler or are three ways to test a handgun. One is made for the serious target shooter
Pact will give you high and low readings, off-hand. It’s not the steadiest method, trying to squeak out the best from his
averages, standard deviations and the but for casual use, it allows you to get or her mild wadcutter loads in Bullseye
number of rounds fired. If you tend to the feel of the gun and how it shoots. competitions, it quickly gained ground
like handgun hunting, these units can While this might be suitable for a certain with other precision shooters. This rest
be a big help in calculating bullet drop type of ammunition used in a defensive helps to eliminate issues such as incor-
over longer distances based on true handgun at the customary 7 yards, this is rect sighting, flinching, trigger let-off
velocity readings, not something printed not a good way to test guns or ammuni- problems and fatigue after long strings
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 31 |
RELOAD ZONE
| |
32 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
NEXT-GEN NINE
34 |
Sig Sauer proves that it’s still
on the cutting edge with this
piston-driven powerhouse
BY DAVID BAHDE
personaldefenseworld.com
MASTERFUL MPX-K |
| |
36 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
happens to be the best stabiliz- PERFORMANCE
ing brace I’ve used so far. The
hook design works for short and SIG SAUER MPX-K
long forearms alike.
LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY
I also used a registered
short-barreled rifle (SBR) Federal 124 HST 1,140 2.00
lower, allowing me to add a Hornady 135 Critical Duty +P 1,110 1.50
few different stocks. With the Remington 115 HTP +P 1,244 1.80
MCX Rattler’s folding stock in Winchester 124 PDX1 +P 1,087 2.17
place, the MPX-K was extremely Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and
compact yet offered a solid accuracy in inches for three 5-shot groups at 25 yards.
shoulder mount for firing.
LWRCI’s UCIW stock provided
another option, but you can Finally, the muzzle comes with metric 13.5x1mm
install virtually anything that : LH threading, so the MPX-K is ready for a sound
uses a standard buffer tube. I used Sig’s Vickers-style Whether suppressor right out of the box. To that end, I used
sling when QD attachments were available, and for a shooting off- three at the range: the SilencerCo Omega 9K as well
hand or using
single-point sling, I went with Magpul’s MS3 GEN2. a truck bumper as Liberty’s Centurion and Mystic X.
For targeting, I added one of Sig’s fixed front sights for a rest, the
as well as a folding rear backup sight. Then I installed MPX-K was TRIGGER TIME
a Sig ROMEO3 red-dot sight with a tall mount that accurate out As I learned at the range, the MPX-K is easily the
to 50 and even
worked well with the backup units. And while the 100 yards. most usable, accessible and practical version of the
factory trigger is quite decent on its own, I replaced it MPX to date. With quality ammunition, the 4.5-inch
with a drop-in Elftmann AR-9 unit for the range testing. barrel yields the same results as any other pistol.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 37 |
MASTERFUL MPX-K |
:
Most self-defense ammunition is designed specif- The MPX-K’s Tailhook Mod 2 solved that problem. It’s adjustable
ically for this barrel length, so the terminal perfor- handguard for length of pull, and my test kit came with a folding
has several
mance meets FBI standards. KeyMod slots adapter for even greater versatility. This setup pro-
Sig’s telescoping PSB is fine, but there’s no for accessories, vided a very stable shooting platform.
cheekweld to speak of. While it isn’t needed at close and a hand stop The MPX-K fits just about anywhere. It can even
range, it’s nice to have such a capability, and the is included. be fired accurately one-handed with a red-dot sight
in place, and suppress-
ing the pistol is extremely
easy. While a standard
thread size would be nice,
the metric pattern is well
supported, or you can get
an adapter. SilencerCo’s
Omega 9K only added
5 inches to the MPX-K’s
overall length. The Liberty
Centurion is about an inch
longer but is noticeably qui-
eter. The Mystic X was the
quietest suppressor of the
bunch. They all kicked some
gas back towards me while
shooting and mucked up
the works, but none caused
any reliability issues.
Suppressed, the MPK-K
ran all of my test ammo
flawlessly—except for some
frangible rounds. But many
pistols have issues with
frangible ammo, so it’s
not a complete surprise.
Interestingly, the gun didn’t
have the same issues with
that load unsuppressed. My
experience would typically
dictate the opposite, but
that wasn’t the case here.
The MPX-K’s accuracy
was excellent, and the
Elftmann AR-9 trigger made
for a huge improvement.
Crisp, clean and fast, it
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38 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
worked flawlessly your squad car’s trunk, for example. So it’s easy to see
:
Every MPX
over several is built for why the U.S. Army is interested in a modern subma-
modularity.
months and over Registered as
chine gun for some specialized unit roles.
1,000 rounds. an SBR, you The MPX looks like a strong candidate for the
Using the bumper can add a stock SCW program, and the MPX-K pistol is an excellent
of my truck as like one of semi-auto version for civilians. If you’re looking to
Sig’s folding,
a brace, the defend your home, vehicle or place of business, or
skeletonized
MPX-K created a models. just win your next pistol-caliber match, the MPX-K
1.75-inch clump should be at the top of your list. For more informa-
of lead on steel tion, visit sigsauer.com.
at 50 yards using
10 rounds of Hornady’s 135-grain +P
Critical Duty ammo. Moving to 100
yards and holding just slightly over the
steel yielded a nice cluster using the
same load. As you can see, adding a
red-dot sight to the MPX-K is quite a
game-changer at 50 and 100 yards.
PARTING SHOTS
Unlike some in the law enforcement
world, I never abandoned the 9mm
submachine gun—not 20 years ago,
not today. It remains a mainstay for
many police agencies here and abroad,
and modern ammunition only makes
the platform better.
Short-barreled rifles are great,
but they are still marginally reliable,
incredibly loud, blast intensive and
overpowered for many applications.
Submachine guns in 9mm suffer none
of those issues and remain effective for
most. Incredibly compact, they provide
a viable alternative if you can’t get to
“As I
learned
at the range,
the MPX-K
is easily the
most usable,
accessible
and practical
version of the
MPX to date.”
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 39 |
FIRST LOOK
REMINGTON
BY GREG LICKENBROCK
The ergonomic
grip has an undercut
triggerguard,
subtle yet effective
texturing, an
optimized angle and
interchangeable
backstraps.
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40 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
The slide sports
front and rear
cocking serrations
as well as a durable
PVD finish that helps
resist corrosion
and makes for easy
cleaning.
C
Capitalism thrives on competition. After
someone finds something that works
and sells, a dozen other companies will
pile on and fight for a piece of the pie. This
naturally breeds innovation, but sometimes
it can get a bit overwhelming. I mean, think of
all the different cars on the road, let alone SUVs
that’ll never leave the safety of pavement.
When it comes to polymer-framed, strike-fired pis-
tols, I’m often reminded of a scene toward the end of
The Hurt Locker. Jeremy Renner’s character has defied
death hundreds of times while defusing IEDs in Iraq,
but when he comes back home, he’s shown standing
in front of a giant wall of cereal boxes at the grocery
store, utterly paralyzed by all the choices.
Heckler & Koch created the first striker-fired
pistol—the VP70—and Glock popularized the idea.
Fast-forward a few decades and it seems every major
gun manufacturer has a version up for sale. One of
the latest to enter this corner of the market is actually
America’s oldest firearms manufacturer: Remington.
When you think of good old “Big Green,”
you probably think of Model 700 bolt-action
rifles and Model 870 shotguns. Those two
platforms account for millions of the guns
in safes across America. The company made
waves when it dove into 1911s a few years ago, and
more recently it unveiled the RP9, its first striker-fired
9mm. This series has obviously done well, because
Remington is now offering a version in .45 ACP.
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JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 41
REMINGTON STEEL |
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42 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
was relatively mild for a .45 this isn’t indicative of the 15-round spare at the SPEC BOX
ACP, and I attribute this gun’s mechanical accuracy, ready—I don’t see how you
to the ergonomic polymer but I think practical accu- could feel “under-gunned.” REMINGTON
frame. The magazines were racy is more important. The fact that the RP45
also easy to load by hand.
As for reliability, the
With a good hold, the
Remington will give you
is very affordable while
offering the same features
RP45
CALIBER: .45 ACP
gun ran well with all of the good results. After my as more expensive competi-
test loads. Early on, I had slow-fire groups, I decided tors just shows Remington’s BARREL: 4.5 inches
two occasions where the to speed things up a bit, commitment to helping as OA LENGTH: 7.91 inches
second-to-last round in the and though the trigger isn’t many Americans protect WEIGHT: 26.4 ounces (empty)
magazine hung up on the quite built for that, I was themselves as possible.
GRIP: Polymer
feed ramp and failed to fully able to punch out a target The RP45 is easy to use,
seat in the chamber. But center relatively quickly with easy to aim and easy to fire. SIGHTS: Three-dot
the issue, which came with some concentration. Give it a try. And if you pre- ACTION: Striker-fired
the 230-grain Remington fer the 9mm, the RP9 holds
FINISH: Matte black
FNEBs, never appeared STANDING OUT 18+1 rounds and currently
again. It was just part of the This gun is built for defense, has the same exact sug- CAPACITY: 15+1
break-in process. plain and simple. With gested retail price. What’s MSRP: $418
All of the hollow points 15+1 rounds of .45 ACP not to like? For more, visit
fed, fired and ejected ammo on tap—and another remington.com.
flawlessly. Along with the
Remington rounds, I had
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 43 |
ASK THE PROS
1. GUN HANDLING
Dry firing is one of the most
important practices for a
shooter at any level. Focus
A+ HOMEWORK
on the repetition. It doesn’t
matter if you’re a beginner
or a seasoned pro, you will
benefit from this. A lot of
people know that this is a
BEING ON TOP OF YOUR GAME MEANS crucial part of their advance-
ment as shooters, but most
MORE THAN JUST SLINGING LEAD never do these drills, or if
BY J.J. RACAZA they do, they lack the right
amount of intensity.
The hardest part about
How much do you much more than what we consistent shooter out there. dry firing is not the move-
train? How badly have done in practice. But if we are not hitting all ments, it’s the preparation:
do you want that Performance beyond scenarios in our training, then Ensure your gun and mags
title? A long time ago I heard our current capabilities is that training is incomplete. are free of ammunition,
a saying that I found really a temporary thing normally So again, I ask the question, declare and prepare your
interesting. Ever since then, associated with very erratic do you really train as hard as targets, and put on your
this quote has been in the results. Basically, the person you think you do? holster/mag pouch setup.
back of my mind, giving me a shooting is just getting lucky. Whether for competition, Decide the length of your
small sense of anxiety about This is definitely not the pre- self-defense or duty, training dry-fire drill and make it
whether I am training enough. ferred way to win a match. is often limited by financial realistic. Sessions between
The saying goes, “No one If your life is on the line, it’s elements. Since most shoot- 10 and 30 minutes long
rises to the occasion. Rather, like rolling a pair of loaded ers do not have the luxury of are easy commitments, and
we all fall back to the level of dice. This is a simple case of sponsors providing them with they’ll help you break down
our training.” As much as we enthusiasm versus capability. the necessary paraphernalia, your practice session in a
love to say that we step up We want to do one thing they have to buy their own way that’s scalable. (See the
our game once the pressure and put aside what we are ammunition and gear to be sidebar on page 46.)
is on, or we perform better supposed to do. Everyone able to practice at the range. Within each of these
under pressure, the reality wants to be the fastest, the These things cost money, drills, start slow and work
is that we really cannot do most accurate and the most and it’s obvious that the on perfection first, and
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44 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
“What I consider routine is
when you can complete a
maneuver accurately more
than 80 percent of the time.”
A world-class
competitor who has
broken a number
of records, J.J.
Racaza knows a
thing or two about
shooting quickly
and accurately
under pressure.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 45 |
ASK THE PROS
THE 15-MINUTE
DRY-FIRE EXERCISE
FIVE MINUTES OF DRAWS:
Hands at sides
Hands above shoulder
Hands holding objects
One-handed draws
Support-hand draws
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46 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
There have been plenty
“NO ONE RISES TO of instances during a class
when I have been asked
THE OCCASION. what my secret is to getting
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 47 |
CALIBER
SIGHTS
SIGLITE night
ACTION
SA
FINISH
Distressed
CAPACITY
7+1
MSRP
$1,481
S
ig Sauer has been raising the also suitable for the general consumer on the left side of the frame or see the
bar for handguns and airguns market. The company started late in recessed 4.5mm barrel inside the rifled
for years. Well, just three years 2015 by introducing an airgun version of .45 ACP muzzle, the two guns are almost
for the latter, but the company has come the P226 MK25 used by Navy SEALs, indistinguishable from the left side. From
further in those three years than some then followed up with five more CO2 the right side, the same is true physi-
established airgun manufacturers have pistols between 2016 and 2017. In cally, but aesthetically, the difference is
come in twice that time. 2018, Sig unveiled two We The People revealed by the air pistol safety warning
Sig has one objective with its CO2 1911s—one in .45 ACP and the other a on the frame. (Even Sig has to play by
models: to build training guns that are matching 4.5mm (.177) CO2 version. some established rules.) Regardless,
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48 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 | personaldefenseworld.com
CALIBER
OA LENGTH
8.5 inches
WEIGHT
35.2 ounces
(empty)
GRIPS
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 49 |
TALE OF THE TAPE
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50 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
Firing the of these guns, with the same feel and
.45 ACP We The resistance. Some 1911 airguns will
People 1911
still allow the slide to move back even
off-hand, none
of the author’s with the safety set, but you don’t have
shots wandered to worry about this problem with Sig’s
outside of the We The People model.
X-ring at 50 and
75 feet, thanks
My test airgun’s trigger pull aver-
in part to the aged 5.7 pounds with 0.187 inches of
gun’s relatively take-up, moderate stacking and a crisp
light recoil. break. The trigger reset at about 0.175
inches—another plus for the CO2
model. The .45’s trigger pull averaged
6.28 pounds with 0.125 inches of
take-up, light stacking and a crisp
break. Its reset takes 0.125 inches.
Where the triggers differ is in resis-
tance; manually cocking the hammer
on the centerfire model requires more
effort than the air pistol, as with racking
the slide, but this is to be expected
since the airgun’s hammer is lighter
than a centerfire pistol’s, as is the
recoil spring resistance. Finally, fully
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 51 |
TALE OF THE TAPE
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52 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
RIMFIRE TEST
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54 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
SMITH & WESSON’S LATEST
TARGET .22 IS PRIMED FOR BULLSEYES
I covered the rimfire SW22 Victory WHAT IT IS
Kryptek when the series first came Weighing in at a hefty 36 ounces unloaded, the SW22
out in 2016. The standard SW22 Victory Target has a 5.5-inch, stainless steel, bull barrel
BY DENIS PRISBREY
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 55|
VICTORY IN SIGHT |
TANDEMKROSS UPGRADES
The Victory series is still relatively new
and thus doesn’t have a huge aftermarket
accessory base yet. But companies are
SPEC BOX
SW22
VICTORY TARGET
CALIBER: .22 LR
BARREL: 5.5 inches
For optimum
OA LENGTH: 9.2 inches
reliability, S&W WEIGHT: 36 ounces (empty)
outfits the pistol
with an oversized GRIPS: Polymer
ejection port. To SIGHTS: Blade front, adjustable rear
that end, the SW22
Victory Target never ACTION: SA
missed a beat
FINISH: Stainless
during testing.
CAPACITY: 10+1
MSRP: $429
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56 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
The Tandemkross Thunder Hammer
is precisely machined from hardened
S7 tool steel, replacing the factory
MIM hammer, and it’s lighter in weight
for faster lock times. It also features a
diamond-like carbon (DLC) finish for
corrosion and heat resistance, and
an upgraded dog-bone-style strut pin
designed to stay put under pressure.
The Victory Trigger is a skeletonized,
flat-faced design machined aircraft-grade
aluminum to replace the original cast-al-
loy part. Two adjustment screws allow
you to set the pre- and overtravel, and
the crisp diamond-pattern checkering
provides for a non-slip trigger pull. In
short, the Victory Trigger gives an entirely
different feel than the factory curved unit.
There’s nothing wrong with the factory
parts as S&W ships the gun, but any
rapidly catching up, and Tandemkross parts Tandemkross offers, the company’s given mass-production pistol is built to
didn’t just jump on the wagon—it bought Thunder Hammer and Victory Trigger mate performance with a price point to
the hay and hitched up the horses. retail for $65 and $45, respectively, and I stay affordable in volume. The Victory is
Among the wide range of performance received both for testing on this pistol. like any other quality-made base plat-
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 57 |
VICTORY IN SIGHT |
form—its performance can always be PERFORMANCE good fiber-optic setup, I do prefer the all-
upgraded with aftermarket parts if you black sights on this newer .22 LR pistol.
want to spend money. Installing the two
Tandemkross items dropped the 4-pound
SW22 The front blade is big enough, and the
rear notch is wide enough for even my
factory trigger pull down to 2.5 pounds. VICTORY TARGET bare eyes in casual plinking and soda can
LOAD ACCURACY bouncing without the shooting glasses I
BURNING POWDER Federal 36 Champion HP 1.50 normally use for accuracy testing.
To measure the Victory Target’s capabil- Federal American Eagle 38 HP 1.13 The Victory Target’s clean lines look
ities, I headed to my indoor range with Remington 26 Golden Bullet HP 1.13 great, and the ergonomics are near per-
five different .22 LR loads. Firing off a fect in my hands. The left-side thumb rest
Winchester 36 HP 1.00
rest at bullseyes 25 yards away, most of obscures the magazine release for quick
my groups were under 2 inches, with the Winchester 40 M22 1.63 thumb access in a hurry, but that’s a ben-
best coming in at exactly an inch using Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps efit for holster carry. The button is essen-
by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best
36-grain Winchester hollow points. five-shot groups at 25 yards.
tially shielded from accidental bumping,
While I don’t necessarily dislike a and there’s no need for speed reloads in
a pistol like this anyway. There’s a lot to
like about the Victory Target, and besides
the fit in my hand, that easy takedown for
cleaning is a big selling point.
PLENTY OF OPTIONS
As mentioned, the Victory platform is a
very respectable plinker out the factory
door, but it’s also an excellent base for
customizing and maximizing. I’m hoping
Smith & Wesson will offer a 4-inch
barrel, either in a complete target model
or as a user-installed option. Selling
full sight assemblies would also allow a
buyer to swap black target sights with
green fiber-optic units, and vice versa,
on whichever pistol he or she bought,
and you know there’ll be a market for
several barrel options.
Other companies like Tactical
TIME TO GO PC—IN A GOOD WAY Solutions and Volquartsen are also
If you’re in the market for a fully upgraded target .22, you need to actively developing aftermarket parts for
check out one of the new Performance Center (PC) Victory models. the Victory, and the well-designed modu-
Combat Handguns contributors recently got an all-access tour of larity of the platform makes it very easy to
Smith & Wesson’s factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, and were able to get in perform several upgrades and modifica-
some quality range time with several S&W products. tions yourself. With an MSRP of $429,
S&W’s Matt Spafford explained the finer points behind these pistols and and coming with two stainless 10-round
let us shoot to our hearts’ content. PC Victory models sport flat-faced triggers magazines, spare grip panels, a polymer
with adjustable overtravel stops. We shot one with a carbon-fiber-wrapped Picatinny rail, one Allen wrench for disas-
barrel and a muzzle brake. Every PC variant comes optics ready, and you can sembly and a padlock, the SW22 Victory
purchase them with or without a red-dot sight included. Tandemkross grips also Target is one of
come standard. In short, these guns are truly competition-ready. They were really the best new FOR MORE
comfortable to shoot, and the quick-dropping mags made reloading downright rimfire pistols INFORMATION
enjoyable. Another variant with a fluted barrel was a real looker and shooter, too. to come down SMITH & WESSON
After shooting one of the new SW22 Victory models, Sean Utley, the editor- the road in smith-wesson.com
at-large for sister publication Ballistic Precision, said, “It feels like a proper tar- many years.
get .22. Great ergonomics and nearly zero recoil. It’s accurate, and the addition With .22 LR TANDEMKROSS
tandemkross.com
of the Vortex optic makes the pistol easy to shoot and inspires confidence.” ammo back
Look for more coverage of these guns in a future issue of Combat in town, the
Handguns. And for more on this behind-the-scenes trip to Smith & Wesson, SW22 Victory Target is a dandy bul-
head on over to personaldefenseworld.com. —Nino Bosaz let-disposal device that’s a whole lot of
fun to shoot. I think you’ll like it.
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58 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
EDC UPGRADE
KRYTOS
The last couple of years have
seen the gun modification
world turn its eye to the vener-
able Glock. While reliable and bomb-
T17 KARRY
proof, Glock pistols have always been
somewhat bland in appearance. Some
would argue that Glocks are fine just the
way they are. This has some validity, yet
the firearms industry as a whole has ben-
HERE’S THE BEST WAY TO MAKE efited from companies working on their
YOUR FAVORITE GLOCK LIGHTER own to modify and improve guns.
Many of these companies have gone
YET STRONGER full circle and ended up redesigning the
guns they started tinkering with. Other
BY FRED MASTISON makers specialize in things like triggers,
sights, grips and finishes. One of the
newest trends is to modify and make an
entirely new slide for a Glock, and one
of the most interesting of those I have
come across is the T17 Titanium Slide
from Krytos Industries.
THE BASICS
The major point of interest for the T17
Titanium Slide is that it’s made from a
solid billet of aerospace-grade 6AL4V
titanium. While some companies have
made firing pins and even suppressors
out of titanium, building an entire slide
out of it is a pretty big leap. If you’re
unfamiliar with titanium, you should
know that it has a tendency to gall (a
form of wear caused by friction weld-
ing between sliding surfaces). Krytos
has addressed this by using a propri-
etary patented “ArmorTi” process that
produces an extremely hard, black,
abrasion-resistant finish on titanium. This
allows the metal to be used for applica-
tions it was previously unsuited for due
to its tendency to gall.
At the risk of approaching technical
overload, I have to explain that this pro-
cess is not truly a coating. Coatings and
titanium rarely work well. This process
penetrates the first 5 to 10 microns of
the titanium to reduce friction and resist
abrasion. This completely eliminates any
friction-related issues with titanium and
dramatically improves its impact resis-
tance while maintaining all of its most
desirable properties.
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60 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
Along with
titanium Glock
slides, Krytos also
offers stainless
steel barrels,
titanium guide
rods and various
recoil springs.
Krytos’ titanium
Glock slides are
cut to accept all
popular Glock-style
sights. The author
prefers a fiber-optic
front paired with an
all-black rear sight.
The biggest upside to a still has enough grip surface came as a complete unit with a Krytos
titanium slide is obviously weight. and overall mass to negate any barrel machined from 416 stainless
Titanium brings at least a 40- issues the lighter slide brings. The steel and button rifled, then heat-treated
percent reduction in weight from upside was a noticeable increase with premium black nitride, making it
the stock slide. For those like in speed in reacquiring my target a very nice addition. It also included a
myself who have been at this and breaking follow-up shots. For titanium guide rod treated with the same
rodeo a while, our brains start to competition shooters, this can specialized ArmorTi process, which
calculate mass, spring tension translate into faster split times. results in a long lifespan with reduced
and cycle rates. This small trip into For defensive shooters, it allows weight. The slide has cocking serrations
ballistic quantum theory is just us to put rounds onto the target at the front as well as at the standard
addressing the concern that the much more quickly. rear position. This has been on many
light weight of the slide will cause Glock owners’ wish lists for years, and
functioning issues. This isn’t the ON THE RANGE Krytos has answered.
case, however. While the slide will In my testing endeavors, I mixed
indeed run faster, potential issues My range session with the Krytos slow-fire shooting with close-contact
are offset by the actual weight T17 was very enjoyable. I ran drills—essentially the same defensive
reduction. The takeaway from this a plethora of ball ammunition drills I would do with any gun. It did
is that Krytos’ titanium slides oper- though the upgraded Glock 17 take a little time to acclimate to the
ate with standard recoil springs. and experienced no malfunctions faster slide rate, but it was settled in
The laws of physics rarely at all. The unit I received also short order. As I mentioned earlier, the
take a day off, so we do need
to address recoil. My personal
concerns were that the new slide
would make my well-worn Glock
“WHILE SOME COMPANIES HAVE
a snappy little monster. But this MADE FIRING PINS AND EVEN
wasn’t the case. While there was SUPPRESSORS OUT OF TITANIUM,
a noticeable increase in slide
velocity and “snap,” it was nothing
BUILDING AN ENTIRE SLIDE OUT
of consequence. A G17 or G19 OF IT IS A PRETTY BIG LEAP.”
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 61 |
EDC UPGRADE
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62 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
RANGE READY
DIY TARGETS
ZERO IN ON THE CHEAP WITH THESE THREE
SLICK AND EASY GUN-GUY PROJECTS
BY JASON HANSON
Unless it’s the middle of lot of folks, this simply means bringing Plus, almost all of the supplies can be
winter and -12 degrees bottles, cans, old TVs or anything else purchased from Home Depot or Lowes
Fahrenheit outside, I’d much shootable that’s lying around the house. for just a couple of bucks.
rather be shooting outdoors than at an There’s certainly nothing wrong with this
indoor range. There’s just something as long as you clean up the mess when THE PVC STAND
special about shooting in the fresh air you’re done shooting. However, when
out in the open. Plus, depending on I’m shooting in the mountains of south- The first target system is a very simple
where you shoot outdoors, you don’t ern Utah, instead of using bottles or PVC stand. If you were to look into the
have to worry about paying range fees, cans, I typically bring along one of three back of my Toyota 4Runner right now,
standing in long lines or being right next target systems to help improve my skills. you’d see this stand, which breaks down
to the guy shooting a cannon as you’re Each target system is easy to build and into several pieces for easy transporta-
trying to teach a new shooter. only takes a few minutes to assemble. tion. To build it, you need eight pieces of
The thing is, when you go shooting Believe me, if I can put them together, black ABS pipe that measure 1.5 by 24
outdoors, you often have to provide your you can too—I’m not exactly known inches. This size is easy to find pre-cut
own targets and target stands. For a around my house as the next Bob Vila. if you want to keep your workload to a
|
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 63 |
RANGE READY
minimum, or you can buy a long piece so I purchased a 0.5-inch-thick AR500 THE MOVER
of pipe and cut it yourself. Next, you steel plate that’s 8 inches in diameter.
need two black ABS connector “tees.” Once you’ve got your plate, you need a The final target system I’ll cover here
These hold the pieces of pipe that go way to hang it. I use a folding sawhorse takes the longest to build, but it’s also
vertical, which in turn hold up the target. that collapses to fit in my vehicle. I paid the most fun because it’s a moving tar-
You also need four black ABS “elbows,” $30 for a metal sawhorse, but you could get. Building it doesn’t require complex
which connect the corners of the base obviously build your own if you wish. engineering skills because the target is
to form the square. Lastly, you need two To hang the steel plate, I use two completely hand operated, but you will
wooden furring strips that are cut to 58 carabiners and rope. You can’t tie the need a shooting partner for this one to
inches in length. rope directly to the steel plate because work. The simplest way to describe this
With these materials ready, it will the plate’s sharp edges will eat right target is that it’s almost like a skate-
literally take you about 15 seconds to through the rope. Instead, take the board with a target on top.
assemble the target stand. Once it’s carabiners and clip them to each hole in First, you need to buy four lawn-
assembled, you’ll need to staple a piece the plate and then tie the rope around mower tires, which come in various
of cardboard (approximately 23 by 35 each carabiner. Once you’ve done sizes—I purchased the 6-inch variety.
inches) to the furring strips and then put that, you’re all set to shoot steel. Just Next, you need two steel rods that are
up the target of your choice. One of the remember to put the target at least 10 0.5 inches thick. These rods are the
many good things about this stand is yards away for safety purposes. axles of the moving target. Then you
that, thanks to its wide base, it doesn’t
tip over easily, even in the windy condi-
tions that I often find myself shooting in.
“…ALMOST ALL OF THE
RINGING STEEL SUPPLIES CAN BE PURCHASED
If you thought the PVC target stand FROM HOME DEPOT OR LOWES
was easy to make, this next one is even
simpler, and it’s what I use when I want
FOR JUST A COUPLE OF BUCKS.”
to shoot steel. First, buy a steel plate
(or, if you’d like, make your own). Like
I mentioned, I’m not handy or patient,
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64 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
Michael DelRizzo Illustration
need four 2x4s to form the base of : After you’ve
the target. My base happens to be 40 assembled this
wheeled target
inches long and 30 inches wide. You’ll
stand, you’ll need
also need two 1.5-by-24-inch pieces of two dog stakes,
ABS pipe, screws, four washers, push about 50 feet of
caps to hold the tires on, two furring rope and your range
partner’s elbow
strips that are 58 inches long and two
grease to get the
eyebolts. The last items you need are thing in motion.
two 16-inch-by-8-millimeter dog stakes,
which can be found at the pet store,
and 50 feet of rope. hand that allows you to quickly pull the of a shot as you think and that you can
Once you have all of your supplies, target from left to right. always use more practice!
assembly should take less than 30 Have your partner stand in front of Whether you build all three targets
minutes. Drill holes in the 2x4s and run you and shoot while you pull the target or just this last one, I hope these plans
the axles through them. Screw together from side to side. If you’ve never prac- make your next outdoor adventure a little
all of the 2x4s to form the base. Put ticed with a moving target before, know more enjoyable while helping to improve
washers on the axles. Pop on all of the that it’s a humbling experience and a your shooting skills. Because, once
tires and push caps. Screw the black good reminder that you’re not as good again, you can never train enough.
ABS pipe into the base, screw the
eyebolts to each end of the base and
you’re finished. The furring strips are
used to hold the target.
Now it’s time to put the moving
target into action. Take the target out-
doors and decide how far you’d like it
to move from left to right. For instance,
walk five paces to the left of the target
Join the community for
and screw the first dog stake into the Gunsmiths, Hobby Gunsmiths
ground. Then walk five paces to the and Serious Firearm Enthusiasts!
right of the target and screw in the
other dog stake. Take your rope and Receive a New Disassembly/Reassembly video course
run it through each eyebolt on the and monthly video magazine every single month!
target and then out to the dog stakes. Details are available at:
If you’ve done everything correctly, you
should be about 7 yards away from
the target with a piece of rope in each
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 65 |
BATTLE ROYALE
| |
66 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
FIVE SEMI-AUTOS he .22 Long Rifle is without a
doubt the most popular metal-
BERETTA M9 22LR
personaldefenseworld.com | 67
RIMFIRE RIOT |
>>>>> BERETTA
M9 22LR
BROWNING BUCK MARK
CONTOUR STAINLESS URX
RUGER MARK IV
TARGET
SW22 VICTORY
TARGET
WALTHER P22
TARGET
CALIBER: .22 LR .22 LR .22 LR .22 LR .22 LR
BARREL: 4.9 inches 5.5 inches 5.5 inches 5.5 inches 5 inches
OA LENGTH: 8.5 inches 9.5 inches 9.75 inches 9.2 inches 7.8 inches
WEIGHT: 26.08 ounces (empty) 36 ounces (empty) 42.8 ounces (empty) 36 ounces (empty) 20 ounces (empty)
GRIPS: Polymer Ultragrip RX Synthetic Polymer Polymer
SIGHTS: Three-dot Adjustable Blade front, Blade front, Blade front,
adjustable rear adjustable rear adjustable rear
ACTION: DA/SA SA SA SA DA/SA
FINISH: Matte black Black, stainless Satin stainless Stainless Matte black
CAPACITY: 15+1 10+1 10+1 10+1 10+1
These firearms also pro- the .22 LR is powerful enough for competition, hunting, trail obvious similarities out of the
duce almost zero recoil, mak- for taking rabbits, squirrels protection and good ol’ plink- way. First of all, thanks to the
ing them perfect for teaching and vermin like prairie dogs. ing: The Beretta M9 22LR, low operating pressures of
new shooters, and enabling As in most areas of today’s Browning Buck Mark Contour the .22 LR, all five are blow-
experienced shooters to prac- handgun market, semi-auto Stainless URX, Ruger Mark IV back-operated pistols. Their
tice more often. With match- .22s have overtaken revolvers Target, SW22 Victory Target magazines all hold 10 or more
grade ammunition, a .22 LR in terms of sales and popu- and Walther P22 Target. rounds of ammunition, and the
firearm is capable of extraor- larity because of their higher sights are all black.
dinary accuracy, and it’s no capacity, faster reloading and THE CONTENDERS All five have manual thumb
fluke that some of the most slimmer profiles. So, for this As expected, this quintet safeties, and those on the
accurate competition rifles issue’s “Battle Royale,” we of .22 pistols possessed a Beretta, Ruger and Walther
and pistols are chambered decided to test some of the number of similarities while are ambidextrous. And,
for this caliber. And we can’t best medium-priced .22s out displaying some significant except for the Beretta, they
forget hunters, who know that there that would work well differences. Let’s get the most all have magazine-discon-
nect safeties. The magazine
Becky Scarlata Photo
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68 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
weight up front, interchange-
Becky Scarlata Photos
RANGE RULES
Before the real comparison
started, I tested each pistol’s
accuracy at 15 yards using
an MTM Predator rest and
Browning Performance
Rimfire (BPR) ammo. These
rounds use 40-grain lead
bullets with a black oxide
coating for better reliability
and accuracy. With a bit of
PLATE RACK DRILL STEEL TARGET/POPPER DRILL help from yours truly, all five
PAUL DICK PERRY PAUL DICK PERRY pistols showed that they
BERETTA 47.70 40.80 53.03 BERETTA 20.50 22.88 26.79 were capable of producing
sub-2-inch groups
BROWNING 36.51 32.80 43.31 BROWNING 17.22 18.93 23.10
Rimfire pistols are known
RUGER 37.35 35.61 52.57 RUGER 17.54 20.35 24.44 for being ammunition sensi-
S&W 37.03 49.81 53.39 S&W 23.70 16.22 26.90 tive, and .22 LR rounds create
WALTHER 84.90 76.10 82.63 WALTHER 47.06 44.06 36.44 a fair bit of fouling. So, my
Note: Time results in seconds.
wife, Becky, and I figured we’d
break the pistols in and spent
in dovetail slots and can be the remainder of the afternoon
adjusted for windage. plinking with them, running
The Ruger Mark IV Target’s close to 100 rounds through
alloy frame is of a new hinged each pistol to test its function-
style that does away with the ing. We experienced some
rather difficult disassembly malfunctions—mostly failures
procedure of Ruger’s earlier to eject and double-
.22 pistols but still retains the feeds—but after a good clean-
Luger-like ergonomics that so ing and lubing, these prob-
many admire. A detachable lems mostly disappeared.
Picatinny rail is included. My good friends Dick
The Browning Buck Mark Jones and Perry Windsor
Contour Stainless URX also once again volunteered to
has a stainless steel barrel, help for the actual “Battle
an aluminum alloy frame, Royale” at the Piedmont
textured finger-groove grips Handgunners Association
and a full-length Picatinny rail range (phashoots.org) on an
for mounting optics. overcast September morning.
The slide and frame on As in the past, the pistols
Smith & Wesson’s SW22 would be judged in seven
Victory Target are made from categories: reliability, ergo-
stainless steel, and you’ll also nomics, trigger controsights,
find an interchangeable barrel grips, off-hand accuracy
system, thumb-rest polymer and reloading ease. Each
grip panels, a beveled mag- category was scored from 1
azine well and a detachable (lowest) to 5 (best).
Picatinny rail. To accomplish this, each
Walther’s P22 Target shooter would run each
was the only test gun with a pistol through two off-hand
polymer frame, and it stands drills. Each drill would begin
out with a muzzle-mounted from the low-ready posi-
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 69 |
RIMFIRE RIOT |
TALE
OF THE Beretta Browning Buck Mark Ruger Mark IV SW22 Victory Walther P22
TAPE M9 22LR Contour Stainless URX Target Target Target
RELIABILITY 15 15 15 12 12
ERGONOMICS 15 13 13 14 8
TRIGGER CONTROL 13 13 12 14 9
SIGHTS 12 15 15 15 11
GRIPS 13 15 13 15 10
OFF-HAND ACCURACY 13 15 14 15 9
RELOADING EASE 15 13 12 12 8
TOTAL 96 99 94 97 67
Note: 15 is a perfect score for each category while 105 is a perfect total score.
tion with the pistol loaded five pistols, and they had Ergonomics: This is a very One felt that the Browning’s
with 10 rounds of ammuni- gotten pretty dirty. So, to relative call. One shooter felt trigger was too curved and
tion. Thankfully, Brownells ensure reliable functioning, the Ruger’s grip angle was pinched his finger.
(brownells.com) provided us after we finished the Plate too steep while the other Sights: We all felt that the
with a Crabtree Tool & Die Rack Drill, we cleaned and two had the same complaint Walther’s sights were a tad
magazine loader. lubed the guns. Then, after about the Browning. There too low for fast acquisitions,
• Plate Rack Drill: This we were done burning up all were also complaints that the while both it and the Beretta
drill consisted of shooting that rimfire ammo, we graded Ruger, Walther and S&W’s lost points because of their
racks of six 8-inch steel the pistols, as you can see in controls were difficult to oper- three-dot setup, which none
plates from 10, 15, 20 the accompanying chart. ate while the Beretta’s were of us care for.
and 25 yards. Because a all in the “proper” places. Grips: We all agreed that
.22 LR round won’t knock IN-DEPTH RESULTS Trigger Control: the the tacky-feeling grips on the
down steel plates reliably, Reliability: Early on, we expe- triggers on all of the pistols S&W and Browning, espe-
it was only necessary for rienced a few failures to eject displayed varying degrees of cially with the latter’s finger
the shooter to ring the steel with the S&W and double “new gun” grittiness while the grooves, greatly improved
to score. The drill was run feeds with the Walther. But by Walther’s stroke was the lon- handling and recoil control.
four times, and the scores the time we began shooting gest and heaviest. All three The slick plastic grips on the
included the total time for the the Steel Target/Popper Drill, shooters felt the triggers Ruger and Beretta came in
four runs plus a five-second both pistols ran flawlessly. should improve with use. for some criticism, and the
penalty for any miss.
• Steel Target/Popper
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70 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
Becky Scarlata Photo
“REGARDLESS OF THE
DISTANCE, WE WERE ALL
ABLE TO HIT THE PLATES
CONSISTENTLY.”
And my choice was the FOR MORE
INFORMATION
S&W. I was impressed by
One of the test drills involved BERETTA
its ergonomics, especially
ringing six 8-inch-diameter beretta.com
steel plates at 10, 15, 20 and the grips. The sights were
25 yards while on the clock. large and fast to acquire but BROWNING
still fine enough for precise browning.com
shooting, and I felt it had the RUGER
Walter’s short grip slightly a ‘target’ pistol like the others, best trigger of the lot. ruger.com
hindered recoil control. I shot some of my best runs One thing we all agreed
SMITH & WESSON
Off-Hand Accuracy: The with it. It was 100-percent on: Shooting these .22s was smith-wesson.com
S&W and Browning tied in reliable, and it just felt familiar, one heck of a lot of fun. As
this category with perfect more like the pistols I’m used Perry succinctly put it, “This WALTHER
waltherarms.com
scores, and the Ruger nipped to shooting than the others.” one was easy!”
at their heels with 14.
Despite its less-than-op-
timal sights, the Beretta
earned a respectable 13
points. The Walther’s short
grip, heavy trigger and low
sights earned it 9 points.
Reloading Ease: The
Beretta’s magazine release
was well positioned and
easy to depress, earning it
a perfect 15 points, while
we found that the Ruger,
Browning and S&W were
harder to reload. The thumb
rest on the S&W’s grips
made it a bit difficult to
reach the magazine release,
and it was unanimous that
the Walther’s paddle-type
release was difficult to
manipulate. Perhaps this
was because it’s just so
different from the pistols
we’re used to shooting.
After the dust settled,
I asked my friends which
guns they considered their
favorites. Perry’s choice
was the Browning Buck
Mark. “It had excellent
balance and felt like a ‘real’
pistol in my hands,” he said.
“The sights were great, and
it had a very nice trigger.”
Dick preferred the
Beretta: “Despite not being
personaldefenseworld.com | |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 71
RIGHTEOUS RIGS
| |
72 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
expressly for concealed carriers. Its
100-percent cotton twill shell is boul-
der washed to give the jacket a well-
used look. The rugged hip-length jacket
features roomy shoulders for unre-
stricted movement, large reinforced
pockets and an adjustable waistband
and cuffs. For law enforcement officers,
there is a hidden tunnel for routing
communication wires and ambidextrous
hidden zippered pockets on the inside
that are perfect for carrying additional
magazines or speedloaders.
For the mild winters I experience
here in Tucson, the Woolrich jacket is as
heavy a coat as I need but is always the
first I reach for. Exemplifying Woolrich’s
typical quality and style, the Discreet
Carry Twill Jacket is my all-time favorite
for cold-weather carry. It doesn’t appear
to be available on Woolrich’s website
anymore, but you can still find it from
various online dealers.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 73 |
RIGHTEOUS RIGS
| |
74 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
DYNAMIC DUO
IT’S HARD TO
BEAT THESE
10MM EAA
AND HI-POINT
PROTECTORS
BY WILLIAM BELL
JORDAN BELL PHOTOS
| |
76 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
The 10mm Auto cartridge has
been around in one form or
another for some 35 years. It
grew out of a search for a pis-
tol caliber starting with “4” that would be
both powerful and provide a higher capac-
ity than conventional pistols of the day.
The cartridge was strictly niche until 1989,
when it was adopted by the FBI following
the disastrous Miami shootout.
However, a cartridge with an overall
length of 1.250 inches and a SAAMI pres-
sure maximum of 37,500 psi needs a large-
frame pistol, and the size of the chosen
gun plus the recoil generated by the 10mm
was too much for many FBI agents. The
caliber was soon dropped, and the 10mm
began to fade into obscurity as the .40
S&W cartridge took over the law enforce-
ment market, prompting huge civilian sales.
But fans of the 10mm hung in there.
After all, it will launch .40-caliber bullets
270- to 300-fps faster than the .40 S&W
with its 35,000-psi SAAMI specs, plus its
larger case capacity will handle heavier
bullets. Today, 10mm sales are brisk and
new firearms are popping up in this cham-
bering on a regular basis.
HI-POINT 1095TS
Pistol-caliber carbines (PCCs) seem to be
getting more and more popular, as they
magnify the power of the pistol cartridge
and offer a shooting platform that is easier
to control and has more accuracy potential.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 77 |
PERFECT PAIRING |
| |
78 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
The Hi-Point’s front
and rear iron sights
are removable, so
the author replaced
them with a Bushnell
Trophy red dot to really
wring out the carbine’s
accuracy at 50 yards.
personaldefenseworld.com | |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 79
PERFECT PAIRING |
| |
80 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
M O D E R N C L A S S I C
| |
82 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
THE
Inland’s new M1 Carbine-based M30-P is
definitely a large defensive pistol for the
21st century. This new handgun takes up
where the M1 “Enforcer” pistol left off when
production ceased in the late 20th century.
The ballistics of the .30 Carbine cartridge
INLAND AND SAGE may be close to ideal for use in today’s
THE M1 CARBINE INTO of its limited muzzle blast and recoil. On the
downside, the minute you say “.30 Carbine,”
THE 21ST CENTURY a lot of people think about this cartridge’s
reputation for poor stopping power in World
BY DR. MARTIN D. TOPPER War II and Korea. But that belief concerns
SCOTT BAXTER PHOTOS military carbines using ball ammo. Today,
six companies produce self-defense loads
for the .30 Carbine, so the stopping power
issue needs to be revisited. In addition,
there are stories about the low quality of
commercial carbines made after WWII. I’ve
seen some poorly made commercial car-
bines from time to time, but this Inland gun
isn’t one of them.
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THE M1 RETURNS |
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84 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019
bolt does not automatically lock open after firing the researching this article I found six companies
last round when using GI-type magazines, but there currently producing .30 Carbine loads for self-de-
is a manually operated bolt catch on the upper right fense: Buffalo Bore, Federal, Hornady, Winchester,
side of the receiver. Remington and Underwood.
But how does the .30 Carbine compare to
STOPPING POWER other handgun rounds? When fired in the M30-P, It’s extremely
The M1 Carbine and its cartridge were originally Hornady’s 110-grain Critical Defense FTX load easy to load the
M30-P and chamber
developed to provide rear-area troops, officers produces 890 foot-pounds of energy (fpe) at the
a round. Just lock
and various support staff with a gun that had more muzzle, which equals many .44 Magnum loads. The the 10-round
firepower and range than the M1911. But while Hornady load’s average muzzle velocity is 1,909 fps magazine in place,
that .45 ACP pistol had a legendary reputation for from the M30-P, which is faster than any common pull back on the
charging handle
stopping power, the M1 Carbine suffered from just .44 Magnum load. According to well-known forensic
and release it.
the opposite. In fact, I knew two men who personally pathologist Dr. Vincent Di Maio in Gunshot Wounds,
saw enemy soldiers hit in the torso by multiple .30 the .30 Carbine is neither a rifle or a pistol cartridge.
Carbine rounds and still continue to fight. When loaded with an FMJ, he writes that it produces
On the other hand, Jim Cirillo used an M1 Carbine wounds similar to a .44 Magnum. When loaded with
when he was on the NYPD’s stakeout squad. an expanding bullet, it appears to transfer
However, his carbine was modified so it reliably fed energy like a rifle bullet because
Winchester’s Hollow Soft Point load, which is still it produces dramatic tissue
available today. Well-known trainer Vicki Farnam also
uses an M1 Carbine for hunting. She prefers the
100-grain CorBon DPX load, and one time when she
was hunting with her husband, she was able to stop
a 600-pound wild boar’s charge with a single shot
placed just under the boar’s right eye. So, as you
can see, if there’s a stopping power issue
with the .30 Carbine, it all depends
on which load is used. While
|
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 85 |
THE M1 RETURNS |
:
The rear of the destruction in areas of the torso that are remote from The Underwood ammo averaged 6.33 inches. The
Sage International the permanent wound channel. So, at CQB distances Hornady load’s velocity was 1,909 fps while the
chassis has a buffer
tube like an AR, and where the velocity is still high, a .30 Carbine bullet Underwood’s was 1,943 fps.
Inland includes a designed for personal defense appears to be superior I also used the M30-P to run three different
Gear Head Works in its wounding capability than pistol cartridges up to tactical drills. The first was a body-armor drill on three
Tailhook Mod 2 and including the .44 Magnum. silhouette targets representing armed assailants sev-
brace that cradles
your forearm.
eral feet from each other and 15 yards from the firing
ROUNDS DOWNRANGE line. Each target was double-tapped with one shot
I tested the M30-P at the Flagler Gun Club as well to the body and one to the head. I ran this drill twice,
as the Volusia County Gun & Hunt Club with, as starting at low-ready, and each repetition resulted in
mentioned, a Leupold LCO and a Crimson Trace Rail six good hits. Using a Competition Electronics timer,
Master Pro. Once the pistol was sighted in using an the average of the two runs was 8.86 seconds.
MTM K-Zone rest, I fired three 5-shot groups at 100 The second drill used photographic scenario
yards with Hornady’s 100-grain Critical Defense targets from Law Enforcement Targets. It involved
FTXs and Underwood’s 85-grain Xtreme Cavitator taking down threats in a hypothetical parking
ammo. The Hornady load proved to be the most garage. You encounter an armed member of a
accurate with a 4.27-inch average for three groups. robbery crew waiting in ambush behind a car and
fire until the threat is neutralized. Then you “pie” the
corner of a short hallway to your left and see a target
depicting a second armed assailant pointing a gun
at you. You drop that threat and move to the end of
the hallway, where you find an “assailant” holding
:
The magazine release
is located at the rear of
the mag well, just ahead
of the safety. Also note the
pistol’s rubber Ergo grip.
| |
86 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
SPEC BOX a female cashier hostage. You shoot the robber
three times in the torso. I ran this drill twice, firing
INLAND 16 shots during each repetition, and my average
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JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 87 |
PRO GRADE
BY MITCH HARDIN
| |
88 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
AFFORDABLE, ACCURATE AND EASY TO SHOOT—
THE COMBAT-READY SAR9 STRIKER HAS ARRIVED
W
hat if I told you that The SAR9 is available with a black rep that I spoke with, night sights as well
you could have a polymer frame and either a black or stain- as other more customizable options are
full-sized, 9mm, less finish on the slide. The MSRPs are currently in the works. The slide is made
striker-fired pistol set at $449 and $499, respectively, for from 4130 chrome-moly steel, and the
for just over $400? these two options. Both come equipped barrel is button rifled.
And it has a man- with three-dot sights. According to the The pistol ships with two 17-round
ual thumb safety. That’s right, the new magazines from SAR USA. It should be
SAR9 from SAR USA is a striker-fired, noted that the mags show 15 witness
SPEC BOX
polymer-framed pistol that has an exter- holes, but SAR USA states that they will
nal manual safety. You probably want SAR USA indeed hold 17 rounds. I verified this, as
to know if it’s worth it and have a whole the mags I tested held 17 rounds. The
slew of questions. Well, please allow me SAR9 magazines are available from SAR USA
to elaborate for you. for $25 and will become available to
CALIBER: 9mm
While wandering around a bit lost distributors here shortly.
and confused at the 2018 SHOT Show, BARREL: 3.54 inches The SAR9 also comes from the fac-
I happened to stumble across some of OA LENGTH: 6.41 inches tory with three different backstraps and
the friendliest people at the SAR USA WEIGHT: 22.33 ounces (empty) side panels so you can adjust the grip to
booth. The company representatives GRIP: Polymer
perfectly fit your hands. Inside the plastic
all introduced themselves and gave me case you’ll also find a plastic Glock-like
SIGHTS: Three-dot
the rundown on some of their products. cleaning rod and a soft cleaning swab.
I was trying to listen to what they were ACTION: Striker-fired Now let’s talk about those knobby
telling me, but I just couldn’t stop looking FINISH: Matte black levers just below the slide on the frame.
at the SAR9 at the same time. CAPACITY: 8+1 Yes, that is in fact an ambidextrous man-
One of the reps caught me, smiled ual safety. I was informed that this was
MSRP: $449
and placed the SAR9 in my hands. added so the SAR9 compete for a gov-
Ergonomically speaking, it was amazing.
I’m used to having to Dremel, sand, stip-
ple and otherwise customize the pistols
from my usual preferred brands. Not so
with the SAR9. The best way to put it:
If Walther and HK had a baby, it would
most likely resemble the SAR9.
SAR9 SPECS
The SAR9 is imported by SAR USA,
which handles all American imports for
Sarsilmaz. Sarsilmaz was founded in
1880 and is the largest small-arms man-
ufacturer in Turkey. The Turks are known
for their quality and craftsmanship when
it comes to firearms, as they have been
around for just a bit. SAR USA began
importing the SAR9 back in late 2017,
so it’s still fairly new here in the United
States. When I asked why SAR USA,
I was simply told that it’s much easier
for Sarsilmaz to have a “permanent
importer” rather than switching import
companies every few years.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 89 |
TURKISH DELIGHT |
| |
90 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019
TOTAL STEAL SAR USA claims that the SAR9 fired
Whether you’re a new shooter, an expe- over 150,000 rounds for testing in every
rienced shooter or looking to get a family environment imaginable. The Turkish
member or friend into shooting, the armed forces and national police could
SAR9 is a great choice. It’s actually hard just as easily have chosen a Canik or
to believe that a pistol this nice has an a Turkish version of a Hi-Point if they
MSRP of only $449, and a street price wanted to. Instead, they chose the
just under $400. SAR9 as their duty pistol. I completely
understand why given how it performed
for me. I don’t think that you can go
PERFORMANCE wrong with the SAR9.
I almost always go by the old adage
SAR USA SAR9 of “You get what you pay for in life.” In
LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY the case of the SAR9, you’re getting
Federal 124 HST +P 1,200 1.13 much more than your money’s worth.
Time will tell if I’m right or wrong, but
Hornady 135 Critical Duty 1,035 1.42
then again, if it’s good enough to protect
MEN 124 FMJ 1,088 0.67 the population of Turkey, I think it will be
S&B 124 FMJ 1,185 0.52 just fine for you. With the SAR9 being
Speer 124 Gold Dot HP +P 1,280 1.34 priced so affordably, and if your wife is
anything like mine, she won’t even know
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and
accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 15 yards. that you brought it home. It will just be
another “black gun” among the “black
guns.” Win-win all the way around. For
more information, visit sarusa.com.
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 91 |
BUYER’S GUIDE
CHIAPPA
RHINO 30DS
Chiappa is now offering its Rhino 30DS with
an olive green frame and barrel shroud. This
six-shot, 3-inch-barreled, .357 Magnum revolver
H T
WHEELS
has a fiber-optic front sight and an adjustable
rear sight. Like all Rhino revolvers, it has a THE YEAR’S BEST NEW
double-action/ single-action (DA/SA) firing
mechanism and fires from the bottom chamber REVOLVERS LIGHTING UP
in the cylinder, which causes it to have much
less muzzle rise. (chiappafirearms.com) THE HANDGUN MARKET
BY WILLIAM BELL
EMF
GREAT WESTERN II
ALCHIMISTA JR.
This handsome rendition of the Colt SAA
is based on the Great Western II Express COLT
Agent with a 3.5-inch barrel, checkered NIGHT COBRA
walnut grips and a lowered hammer Colt has introduced a new version of its
spur. This new variation in .357 innovative Cobra snub-nose revolver. The
Magnum has an “Old Silver” finish new pistol, the Night Cobra, has a matte black
on the frame and rich bluing on finish and a Trijicon tritium insert in its fixed front
the barrel and cylinder, then sight. The rear sight is the traditional notch in the top of
the whole thing is covered the frame. The Night Cobra is designed for pocket carry
in laser engraving. It’s cer- with a spurless bobbed hammer and a smooth, low-
tainly a six-shooter any Old West friction polymer grip. However, this six-shooter is also
shootist would have been proud more than suitable for belt or IWB carry as well. The
to carry. (emf-company.com) pistol is 7.2 inches long, 4.9 inches tall and 1.4 inches
wide. It weighs about 25 ounces unloaded, which helps
it absorb the extra recoil of +P ammunition. (colt.com)
92 | personaldefenseworld.com
ROCK ISLAND ARMORY
M200
KIMBER This wheelgun has the makings of a good,
K6s CDP economical home-defense or beginner’s
The K6s is the smallest, lightest, six-shot gun. With a small frame, 4-inch barrel, six-
.357 Magnum revolver on the market at 23 shot cylinder, ramp front sight, fixed rear sight
ounces unloaded. This new CDP (Custom channel and polymer grips, this .38 Special
Defense Package) features a DLC-finished is good to go. It offers DA/SA control with an
frame, a brushed stainless 2-inch barrel and overall length of 8.75 inches. The Parkerized
cylinder, three-dot tritium night sights and one finish is non-reflective, and best of all, the MSRP
of the smoothest factory DAO triggers you’ll is only $275! (armscor.com)
ever experience. It also has laminate grips and
Kimber’s “carry melt” treatment for added con-
cealability. (kimberamerica.com)
RUGER
GP100 MATCH
CHAMPION 10MM
NORTH AMERICAN ARMS
With its factory-tuned action and ergonomic
RANGER II enhancements, the Match Champion takes
The long-awaited Ranger II harkens back to the the popular GP100 series to the next level, and
hinged-frame revolvers of the 19th century. It Ruger has unveiled a new version in 10mm Auto.
opens quickly for loading/unloading by pulling back Featuring a 4.2-inch barrel, the new GP100 has
on a locking stirrup and tipping the barrel down- a half-lug design with an 11-degree target crown
ward. Made of stainless steel with a 1.63-inch bar- for competition, a chamfered cylinder and ejector
rel in .22 WMR (and available with an optional .22 for easy loading, and custom Hogue hardwood grips
LR cylinder), it weighs just 6.9 ounces and sports with stippled sides. The revolver also ships from the
rosewood grips. (northamericanarms.com) Ruger factory with three full-moon clips. (ruger.com)
PIETTA
DELUXE SILVER
ENGRAVED REVOLVERS
Pietta is now offering two revolvers with
deluxe silver engraving. The first is the
.44-40 Model 1860 with an 8-inch barrel
and checkered wooden grips. The second
is a snub-nose version of the Model 1862
with a 3-inch barrel and a checkered
“express”-style grip. This .44-caliber pistol
has similar silver engraving. (pietta.us)
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 93|
BUYER’S GUIDE
RUGER SAR
LCRx SR-38
Four new Ruger The SR-38 is a .357 Magnum/.38
LCRx revolvers are now Special revolver made by Sarsilmaz
available: .22 WMR, .327 in Turkey and imported into the U.S.
Federal Magnum and 9mm models with 1.87- through SAR USA. Sarsilmaz has more
inch barrels as well as a 3-inch-barreled .22 than a century of firearms manufacturing
WMR. All four feature Hogue Tamer Monogrips, experience and is still owned by the same
aluminum frames and stainless steel cylinders family who founded it in 1880. Classic S&W
with black PVD finishes. The front ramp sights are fans will recognize quite a few similarities with
replaceable, and the snubbies have U-notch rear sights these revolvers, which are available with either
while the 3-inch-barreled .22 WMR sports an adjustable black or satin stainless finishes. The cylinder
rear sight. Most importantly, all four models have hammer holds six cartridges, and 2.5-, 4- and 6-inch
spurs that can be cocked for single-action shooting or barrels are available. (sarusa.com)
left un-cocked for double-action fire. (ruger.com)
RUGER
SP101 SMITH & WESSON
Ruger is now offering PERFORMANCE
the SP101 revolver in CENTER MODEL 19
.327 Federal Magnum and CARRY COMP
9mm. The former has a 3-inch barrel, fixed The new .357 Magnum Model 19 Carry
sights and holds six rounds of ammo. It can Comp has a stainless steel, 3-inch,
also be used with .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long PowerPort vented barrel as well as a tritium
and .32 H&R Magnum ammo. It is 8 inches long front sight, an adjustable rear sight, a tuned
and weighs 27 ounces unloaded, which gives this Performance Center action and a carbon-steel
handgun enough heft for excellent recoil control frame. Both synthetic and wooden grips are
with magnum loads. The 9mm version has a 2.25- included, and the gun holds six rounds with
inch barrel and a five-shot cylinder. It is 7.2 inches an overall length of 8 inches and a weight of
long and weighs 25 ounces unloaded. (ruger.com) 34.1 ounces. (smith-wesson.com)
RUGER
SUPER REDHAWK 10
For 2018, Ruger has added a 10mm option to
its Super Redhawk lineup. The Super Redhawk
is a double-action, six-shot revolver that ships
with three full-moon clips for quick reloading.
This 6.5-inch-barreled firearm has an extended
frame with extra metal in the topstrap, side walls
and barrel mounting to handle big-game loads.
The rubber grip has an internal recoil cushion
under the web of the hand. (ruger.com)
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94 COMBAT HANDGUNS JAN. • FEB. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com
SMITH & WESSON
PERFORMANCE CENTER
MODEL 686/686 PLUS
For 2018, the S&W Performance Center is offering two stainless.357
Magnum L-Frame revolvers: one with a 4-inch barrel and six-shot
cylinder, and the other with a 5-inch barrel and seven-shot cylinder
that takes moon clips. Both have competition-ready features
such as vent-rib barrels, unfluted cylinders, chromed
teardrop hammer spurs, speed-release thumbpieces,
adjustable rear sights, interchangeable orange front
sights and Hogue grips. (smith-wesson.com)
TAURUS
MODEL 692
An exciting addition for 2018, this is a seven-shot,
medium-frame .357 Magnum revolver in stainless
or matte black that, with a simple cylinder change,
can be converted to fire 9mm rounds
using Taurus’ Stellar clips. It’s a tradi-
tional DA/SA design with a fixed ramp
front sight, an adjustable rear sight
and a black “Ribber” grip. Taurus
offers the revolver with either a 3- or
6.5-inch barrel. (taurususa.com)
TAURUS
RAGING HUNTER
The new Raging Hunter is a six-shot .44 Magnum
with a striking stainless and blued two-tone finish.
It also features a Picatinny rail and an angular
barrel shroud to stand out from the pack. The
unique barrel system incorporates a steel sleeve
inside an aluminum housing to cut down on the
overall weight, making this a well-balanced hunter.
To help with recoil, the gun has a cushioned
rubber grip as well as factory-tuned porting and a
gas expansion chamber. These also help reduce
muzzle rise for faster follow-up shots. An all-blued
model is also available. (taurususa.com)
TAURUS
MODEL 856
Taurus’ new Model 856 revolver is available
in both matte blued carbon-steel and matte
stainless steel variants. This six-shot DA/SA
revolver has a 2-inch barrel with a fixed front
sight. The rear sight is a U-shaped notch in
the top of the frame. It’s 6.55 inches long
overall, 4.8 inches tall, 1.41 inches wide and
22 ounces unloaded, making it well suited
for concealed carry. (taurususa.com)
personaldefenseworld.com |
JAN. • FEB. 2019 COMBAT HANDGUNS 95 |
COOPER’S
COMBAT
Part one of the timeless Principles of Personal Defense
ome people prey upon other Speck, Manson, Richard Hickok and
| |
96 COMBAT HANDGUNS Jan. • Feb. 2019 personaldefenseworld.com